The Trabian was roaring in laughter now, and he kept at it until the Centrian said, "He did it."

"Did what?" The humpback came scurrying to the cliff edge.

"Released the rope in time," the Centrian said. "See?" He pointed down.

The man in black dangled helplessly in space, clinging to the Cliffs with both hands.

"Oh, how rude we're being," the Trabian said then turning to Squall. "I'm sure you'd like to watch." He went to Squall and brought him, still tied hand and foot, so that he could watch the final pathetic struggle of the man in black three hundred feet below.

Squall closed his eyes, turning away.

"Shouldn't we be going?" the Centrian asked. "I thought you were telling us how important time was."

"It is, it is," the Trabian nodded. "But I just can't miss a death like this. I could stage one of these every week and sell tickets. I could get out of the assassination business entirely. Look at him-do you think his life is passing before his eyes? That's what the books say."

"He had very strong arms," Ward commented. "To hold on so long."

"He can't hold on much longer," the Trabian said. "He has to fall soon."

It was at that moment that the man in black began to climb. Not quickly, of course, and not without great effort. But still, there was no doubt that he was, in spite of the sheerness of the Cliffs, heading in an upward direction.

"Inconceivable!" the Trabian cried.

The Centrian whirled on him. "Stop saying that word! It was inconceivable that anyone could follow us, but when we looked behind, there was the man in black. It was inconceivable that anyone could sail as fast as we could sail, and yet he gained on us. Now this too is inconceivable, but look-look-" And the Centrian pointed down through the night. "See how he rises."

The man in black was, indeed, rising. Somehow, in some almost miraculous way, his fingers were finding holds in the crevices, and he was now perhaps fifteen feet closer to the top, farther from death.

The Trabian advances on the Centrian now, his wild eyes glittering at the insubordination. "I have the keenest mind that has ever been turned to unlawful pursuits," he began, "so when I tell you something, it is not guesswork; it is fact! And the fact is that the man in black is not following us. A more logical explanation would be that he is simply and ordinary sailor who dabbles in mountain climbing as a hobby who happened to have the same general final destination as we do. That certainly satisfies me and I hope it satisfies you. In any case, we cannot take the risk of his seeing us with the Prince, and therefore one of you must kill him."

"Shall I do it?" the Shumi wondered.

The Trabian shook his head. "No, Ward," he said finally. "I need your strength to carry the Prince. Pick him up now and let us hurry along." He turned to the Centrian. "We'll be heading directly for the frontier of Galbadia. Catch up as quickly as you can once he's dead."

The Centrian nodded.

The Trabian hobbled away.

The Shumi hoisted the Prince, began following the humpback. Just before he lost sight of the Centrian he turned and hollered, "catch up quickly."

"Don't I always?" The Centrian waved. "Farewell, Ward."

"Farewell, Laguna," the Shumi replied. And then he was gone, and the Centrian was alone.

Laguna moved to the cliff edge and knelt with his customary quick grace. Two hundred and fifty feet below him now, the man in black continued his painful climb. Laguna lay flat, staring down, trying to pierce the moonlight and find the climber's secret. For a long while, Laguna did not move. He was a good learner, but not a particularly good one, so he had to study. Finally, he realized that somehow, by some mystery, the man in black was making fists and jamming then into the rocks, and using them for support. Then he would reach up with his other hand. Until he found a high split in the rock, and make another fist and jam it in. Whenever he could find support for his feet, he would use it, but mostly it was the jammed fists that made the climbing possible.

Laguna marvelled, what a truly extraordinary adventurer this man in black must be. He was close enough now for Laguna to realize that the man was masked, a black hood covering all but his features. Another outlaw? Perhaps. Then why should they have to fight and for what? Laguna shook his head. It was a shame that such a fellow must die, but he had his orders, so there it was. Sometimes he did not like the Trabian's commands, but what could he do? Without the brains of the Trabian, he, Laguna, would never be able to command jobs of this calibre. The Trabian was a master planner. Laguna was a creature of the moment. The Trabians said "kill him," so why waste sympathy on the man in black. Someday someone would kill Laguna, and the world would not stop to morn.

He stood now, quickly jumping to his feet, his blade thin body ready for action. Only, the man in black was still many feet away. There was nothing to do but wait for him. Laguna hates waiting. So to make the time more pleasant, he pulled from the scabbard his great, his only love:

The ladies-sword.

How it danced in the moonlight. How glorious and true. Laguna brought it to his lips and with all the fervour in his great Centrian heart kissed the metal …

----o----o----o----o----o----

OOOOOOOHHHH! Laguna HOT! … -Coughs-

Another short one, but you know it just works out for the better this way.

That Trabian has one big house on denial doesn't he. Oh well it can't last forever. It's inconceivable.

There is one thing I would like to ask everybody. It's kind of been on my mind and now we cross it. At this point I can give you the history behind Laguna and later the history behind Ward. Do you want them? Or should I leave them out? In the movie they were left out. And well I feel the only real reason they are there is because they explain a lot about who the characters are. Since we'll see them a lot. And they do pop up in the sequel. No I'm not going to do the sequel. I don't have the resources. So tell me … history or no history. And leave nice fluffy reviews. I have more hot Squall cookies left. And I have Seifer, Laguna and Irvine cookies in the oven. They will be hot and toasty in a little while. And then just because I love the Ice Princess so much I'm going to make more of them. I'm rambling ain't I? Oh well you get the point. Just go review.