CHAPTER NINE
Stakeout
-
A Pirate's code keeps a Pirate from harming another Pirate.
A Land Pirate's code keeps a Pirate from pilfering another Land Pirate.
A Sea Pirate's code keeps a Pirate from anchoring another Sea Pirate.
A Sky Pirate's code keeps a Pirate from making these mistakes.
-
-
The degree at which Sky Pirates interacted peacefully stifled scholars' understanding and theories on Pirates altogether. While a Land and Sea Pirate might show compassion and mercy upon their own band, Sky Pirates displayed mistrust, loathing, and struggles for power. The world was set against Pirates – Sky Pirates above all – but the real enemy amongst outcasts lay within their own ranks.
The rivalry between Sky Pirates remained a foolish and incompetent notion to those lying outside the airline matters. It was something someone would have to be directly a part of to fully comprehend.
At least, that's the reasoning that most Sky Pirates gave.
For others, it was the simple fact that that was how things had always been. Change took time and necessary involvement – a total recap on lifestyle and opinion. It was a difficult matter, and Sky Pirates were generally rebellious people meaning to break away from what the rest of the world was trying to accomplish.
For Locke, he supposed it was the thrill of the chase – the adrenaline of the combat and knowledge that the whole world laid as an enemy and a victim to his deeds. Whether Pirate, civilian, Spiran, or Ivalan, it didn't matter. One person was as much an equal opportunity as the next in the Sky Pirate's eyes.
However, Locke felt naked and very much alone without an aircraft to aid him. Without a means of dependable transportation, he remained a lowly Land Pirate, pilfering like a common thief from merchants at every corner. His catch from the clumsy Bangaa merchant earlier had led him to the real catch – a wandering Rabanastre dancer that would surely draw attentive eyes to her absence. Locke saw her kidnapping as an opportunity to negotiate an exchange.
From the clock tower's top floor, Locke peered out at the empty cobblestone streets of Rabanastre with a look of disgust. Dalmasca had handed the Empire its lands, and Archades was running the kingdom into the ground. The rising urge of chaos Pirates housed was beginning to grow in Locke as he stared at the barren streets – the sun's thin, morning rays attempting to make an impression on the world.
His prisoner sat quietly bound in one corner away from the windows. Locke saw no need for a blindfold – they had already met previously, and once he had his airship, he would be gone from Rabanastre. Despite her given situation, the girl appeared more despaired by her capture than frightened.
The Pirate resisted the urge to approach the matter. The less he became involved with the situation and the girl, the quicker everything would go. Locke had no intention of harming her, or even scaring her for that matter.
Silence had stretched between the kidnapper and the kidnapped throughout the last hours of night. As the sun's red rays melted into the room, the girl finally raised her large eyes to the man. Her blonde hair was tussled from the struggle, but she had given in to her situation, allowing Locke to bind her wrists to her ankles so that she couldn't stand up – let alone run away.
Another minute passed between them as Locke refused to meet the girl's gaze. Instead, he remained leaning stiffly against the wall beside the window – staring out at the stretch of stone buildings below.
At last, the girl prompted in a quiet, desolate voice, "What are you going to do with me?" Locke found the question irritating, and only gave a grunt of response as he shifted slightly where he leaned. When the man obviously wasn't going to answer, Penelo returned to staring grimly at her bound hands resting numbly on the dusty, wooden floorboards.
Ohh Vaan…where are you?
-
-
The evening had passed without activity. Penelo hadn't come into his room to say goodnight, so Vaan supposed she was still angry with him. He didn't hear her climb the steps and enter the room next to his either, so he supposed he must have fallen asleep before she returned.
Always the late worker, Vaan half joked with a snort as he lay in his bed, staring up at his dull, gray ceiling. Stone – it was always stone. Everything was stone. There was little flavor to the Rabanastre city. Then again, he supposed that a building's purpose was to remain erect, not look pretty.
As the morning's early rays spread across his face from the small window resting above his bed, Vaan released a tired sigh before pushing himself up with a grunt. Perhaps he would try speaking to Penelo, though he knew what would happen. She would once again trick him into saying that what he was doing was wrong, and he would make an empty promise of peace. It wasn't as though he didn't try, but the Empyrean soldiers would often take advantage of their power by picking on merchants or taking from the citizens, and Vaan couldn't stand by and watch.
Dressing into a pair of loose pants with a vest to match, he strapped his belt of pouches and their complicated knots around his waist. The last week had been humid, the heat rising from the desert lying from west to east.
Stepping through the wooden doorway and onto the beaten rug running a third the length of the hallway, Vaan cast his eyes towards Penelo's closed door. Complete silence filled the area. Penelo was awake usually before he was – bustling down in the kitchen or coming out of her bedroom dressed and packed. Sometimes she would come into his room, yelling at him for sleeping in, but there were no sounds drifting towards him.
She must have already left, Vaan decided with a sigh. He paused outside Migelo's room and pondered whether to wake the ancient Bangaa or not. He would surely be waking soon to open the store resting beneath their measly home. Vaan already had his duties assigned to him for the remainder of the week – there was little sense in bothering the old coot from his peaceful moments.
The streets were already beginning to fill with venders and early watchers. The tourists' haggard and excited faces were eyesores this early as they trotted the length of the uneven streets carelessly. Any discontentment or dilemma previously ensued didn't matter this morning. The day was filled with new beginnings – new chances.
Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but Vaan was hoping that Penelo might see it that way too. Perhaps she would be too caught up in her schedule to scold him, or pay the matter any mind. The youth didn't perceive himself taking alternative actions. Only if the Empire were to march from Rabanastre's streets would he put away his stingy fingers. However, this fool-hearty notion didn't seem probable. Vaan would continue his minor thievery to steal back that which was taken for as long the Empire took.
Perhaps it was the bright sunlight passing down from the clear sky, or the peace that had lay over the streets, with the light hum of small chatter, but Vaan felt calm and relieved as he headed for the bazaar. He had decided – he would apologize to Penelo and attempt to lessen his theft count.
A few stragglers strode around the bazaar – observing events being set up, or exchanging small talk with the entertainers. Vaan paused, letting his gaze stray around the circular area until it landed on the large fountain resting in the center. Aume's towering Viera figure caught his attention as a slow smirk spread over the youth's features. Different species or not, appreciation could still be shown for a fine build.
Despite his quiet steps, the Viera's ears pricked and Aume turned to watch his steady approach. Vaan remained amazed with the Viera's sharp senses and put on a welcoming smile that was exchanged with a beautiful look, and a twitch of a pink, button nose. Blinking in the bright sunlight, Vaan raised an arm to his eyes as Aume strode towards him unaffected.
As she drew to a halt, the youth prompted, "Aume, where can I find Penelo?"
The Viera gave a questionable look before slowly shaking her head in response, replying, "She is not here, Vaan. She best come soon."
A flutter rose in Vaan's chest at this. Should he have tapped on her door? Penelo would surely be sour towards him for letting her oversleep. Maybe he would buy her a gift with the money he had received from Migelo, or even bring her out for some good food.
Nodding, Vaan headed back for the house with a hurried pace – shuffling through the growing crowds of venders and tourists as they emerged into the bright, early morning sunlight. Jogging up the steps and sweeping into the house, Vaan glanced swiftly around the item store as Migelo's bulky form shuffled to face him. His angry expression eased into surprise as he spotted his stepson.
"Vaan, I'm surprised you're awake!" the Bangaa proclaimed boastfully. "Penelo usually has to drag thee from the covers."
Welcome passing through him needlessly, Vaan only nodded at the mismatched words, before interjecting suddenly as he headed for the wooden stairs, "No time, Migelo. I have to wake Penelo."
Pausing at the staircase end and looking up over the railing with glass bottle in hand, Migelo called up, "She ain't here."
With foot on the landing of the hallway, Vaan halted at these words. Back stiffening, he turned a startled gaze to the Bangaa, attempting to register the simple statement. Migelo gave the youth a puzzling look.
As Vaan came storming down the stairs, he turned towards him, calling, "What's wrong?"
The reply was the slam of the wooden door and the cringe of rusty hinges.
-
-
The clock tower bell's resound announcement of nine made Penelo raise her gaze worriedly. She was supposed to be starting her first show at this moment. What would happen without her? Would the band simply improvise? When would someone start looking for her?
Penelo's hopes rose a little, knowing that Vaan at least wouldn't give up until he had found her. It was a humorous thought, knowing that Vaan's stubbornness and dedication would come in handy. She must have slipped a smile, because her kidnapper sent a strange look her way. At this, Penelo's face fell again, and she glanced back to her limply cupped hands.
Returning his gaze to the bustling streets below of fluorescent color and strange tongues, Locke stated clearly, "It won't be long now. You're friend is searching for you." Penelo dared a half-glance at the man, wondering if he was trying to either taunt her, inform her, or possibly even comfort her.
However, the man only gave a grunt. Thus far, he had given no reason for snatching Penelo from the streets – had made no demands, requests, or even spoken to her till a moment ago. What did he want with Vaan? Had he overhead something she said about Vaan's thievery? Did he belong to Archades?
No, Penelo decided almost instantly. He was stealing from that merchant like a thief, not just taking. Maybe he's just after bigger change…
Feeling suddenly confident, Penelo told her kidnapper firmly, "If you're looking for money, you've got the wrong girl!"
Turning a cold glare upon her that immediately made Penelo cringe, Locke observed her for a moment before a smirk broke his lips. Repositioning himself so he was facing her now, the man stated, "Don't worry, you won't be harmed." Returning his eyes to the streets below, he added more himself than to her, "Besides…I'm after something much more valuable…"
The way his voice drifted off sent a discouraging shiver through Penelo and she leaned over slightly herself to gaze at the sunlight filtering over her kidnapper's face. Upon waking to find him hovering over her, she had instantly recognized him solely as the thief she'd witnessed pilfering from the merchant yesterday afternoon. Peering more closely at him now, Penelo wondered if perhaps he was more than a common thief. His clothes were well kept, and in vibrant shades of blue, gray, off-white, and black. His white-blonde hair was smoothed back and combed. There was evidence of light stubble, but nothing that suggested he was in a desperate situation.
The girl's eyes widened as a new thought occurred to her. She had never encountered a man or outlaw quite like this, and Penelo began to consider he was a Pirate. What did this mean? Even Land Pirates didn't remain in large cities long, and weren't known for negotiations. They thought the process troublesome and risky – at least, that was the rumor and given explanation for the lack of stories about kidnappings. Most bar tales of negotiation with Pirates revolved around those wandering sea and air, not land.
Did that mean that this Pirate was after a ship of some sort? A flutter rose in Penelo's chest at the prospect of being before a Sky Pirate. She had never met one in person, but had spotted their crafts flying speedily overhead – a mere dark speck against the vibrant blue of the sky. They generally traveled by night to avoid notice, but there were some brave enough to venture as far as Spira.
With this thought curling in her mind, Penelo straightened herself before saying in a controlled tone, "If you're looking for a ship, you're looking in the wrong place." This seemed to attract the man's attention, because he stiffened where he leaned, though the thief's eyes remained fixated on those below. Noticing this instantly, Penelo continued a little hurriedly, "No one in Rabanastre owns a craft, and won't give you a ship."
The man turned towards her with a solemn expression, as if pondering over her words carefully. From the gleam in his eyes, Penelo could tell he was beginning to fully comprehend Rabanastre's pore situation. With Archadian soldiers shuffling the streets proudly, the city would be unable to take proper reaction to the girl's kidnapping. Penelo would remain in his care, and that would give him more trouble than less.
Stroking his narrow chin with gloved fingers in delicate thought, the man considered Penelo for a minute. Finally, a small smirk spreading over his features, he straightened and pushed off from the wall. Stepping closer to her, he continued, "I suppose you have a point there…" Half turning back towards the window, he added, "I suppose this just leaves me with one choice…"
A hopeful look passed over Penelo's face at these words. Would he really just let her go? She was afraid to think otherwise.
Penelo should have realized this change in expression a mistake, because her kidnapper turned towards her with a crafty smile, saying, "I have use for you and your friend yet…"
-
Inspired Music: N/A