Heh, this chapter makes me smile. Moving along quickly here...please read and review:
Penelo punched her pillow angrily. It was the next morning and she tossed and turned practically all night. By her side sat the flower vase. Ten more had been added to her collection somewhere between when they left for the city and when she went to sleep. She had not caught him in the act again! Penelo sighed.
She knew her reaction to what had happened during the lunch outing was very unlike her. She was not one to become so gloomy and moody. But for some reason she just couldn't help it. The image of those girls actually flirting with Larsa made her blood boil. And she should have said something nasty and clever to them! Penelo cursed herself.
And she was certain that scene was a common occurrence with him. Larsa was, after all, an extremely eligible bachelor. Probably in all of Archadia. She pounded her fist into the pillow again.
After a few more moments, Penelo sat up. She glanced at the dress they had picked up from the shop, which was propped on top of a chair. The threading was exquisitely woven—a lovely sight to see, really. But Penelo didn't want to look at it. She tore her eyes away.
It was not his fault, of course, that the female group had approached them. Still, all she wanted to do at the moment was punch the daylights out of him.
Penelo sighed again and went to the dresser. She wanted to wear her usual clothes today. Something that separated herself as far away from this type of society as possible. She recalled painfully how it had once made her jealous to think of the Nobles.
After a few minutes of getting ready for the day, Penelo stepped outside. A maid was waiting for her. "Your breakfast is ready." She bowed. "Please come this way."
"I see. Is Larsa going to be eating with me?" At the moment she dreaded seeing him again.
"I believe some urgent news came to his attention this morning and he is in the study. There are, however, some other guests currently eating who are excited to see you, Miss Penelo."
Penelo opened her mouth in surprise. Without daring to wonder, she allowed the maid to lead her towards the dining room. She peeked her head around the corner. There, sitting on opposite sides of the table, sat Basch and Ashe. They both turned and smiled.
"Oh!!" She exclaimed. Penelo first rushed to Ashe and gave her a big hug. Then she ran to Basch and did the same. "It's you guys! What a great surprise!"
Basch chuckled. "Do you think she's happy to see us, Ashe?"
"Hum. Of that I cannot be sure."
"Oh, don't you tease me like that!" She shook a finger at both of them. Penelo did not even bother to stop and think about why Ashe was in Larsa's home instead of ruling over Dalmasca, where she belonged. "Now all we need is Vaan, Balthier, and Fran! Do you know where they are??"
Ashe shook her head. "We have not heard of anything from them. And I'm afraid this little gathering we are currently having will soon end. I intend to head back to Rabanastre by tomorrow and see what has happened in my absence. Possibly as soon as this evening."
Penelo's face fell. "But…you can't! You have only just arrived! And we have so much catching up to do! If you return to your castle, I'll never have another chance like this again! Basch," she turned to him, "talk some sense into her. She simply must not be allowed to do such a thing."
Basch looked away, as if something Penelo said had caused him to remain silent.
Suddenly she realized something. "Wait…and just where have you two been this whole time? Larsa informed me a long time ago that you were supposed to arrive, Basch."
They each took a turn explaining their adventures, starting with the airship crash and ending at where they presently were. Penelo couldn't help but have a strange suspicion, however, that they were leaving out…some details. "I can't believe this!" She exclaimed when the two had finished. "And you were traveling to here on foot this whole time?? Why, if only Larsa and I had known, we could have helped you cross the Cave Palace safely…"
"It's fine, Penelo." Ashe smiled. "We made it here in one piece."
Basch raised an eyebrow. "I believe, Penelo, that you are doubting my battling abilities. Surely I am incorrect?"
She laughed. "No—no! Of course I'm not doubting that. You're the best judge in the land, Basch. I'm sure Ashe rested easily with your strength to aid the journey." Penelo was unaware of something silent that passed between her two friends. They said nothing at this.
Suddenly Larsa appeared in the door. They turned to him. His face was grave. Clearing his throat he said, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I have received some very distressing news. Please come to my study so that we may talk further." He walked back down the hallway quietly.
When he left Ashe marveled, "Did my eyes just deceive me? Is that really the same Larsa we traveled with all those years ago?"
Penelo nodded. "He's grown a lot since then."
"Was that…a hint of a beard I saw?"
Basch laughed. "He is indeed growing, Ashe. Of course, when you are the Emperor's guard you hardly notice these things until it is pointed out to you directly." He stood up. "Ready?"
The two ladies nodded. Together the three walked down the long hallways until they reached Larsa's study. He motioned them to come in.
"A message came to me from one of my small, scouting airships." He explained. "Apparently what they saw was an attack. A vastly mobile airship overcame another one. There is reason to believe that the passengers were none other than our friends—Fran, Balthier, and Vaan."
Penelo straightened up from her seat. "No!"
Basch remained calm. "Balthier is the best pilot around. Are you certain, Larsa?"
He nodded. "My informant has told me it almost appeared as though our friends simply surrendered and came onboard without a fight. What do you make of this?"
Ashe balled her fists. "It means, Larsa, that whoever did it was not fighting fair. They must have had no choice."
"I agree. Therefore, we must think over what to do with this information. Shall I send a small group of fighter airships?"
Penelo stood up. "No way! I'm gonna go after 'em myself." She pumped an arm into the air.
Larsa looked up with alarm. "We do not know how dangerous these men are, Penelo. Let my fleet go, they are more trained, capable-"
She shook her head stubbornly. "C'mon everyone! We're leaving right now!" She rushed out of the room.
Larsa stood up and held his hand out. "Penelo! Wait!"
"Let's go, then." Ashe rose and smiled. "There is no use stopping her, Larsa. Besides, I can see you need some adventure. We have been so lacking it lately, true?"
He reddened. "Well, you haven't." He mumbled angrily.
"…Indeed. And are you two deaf? We are leaving with Penelo and that's that."
The two men groaned.
When they first arrived on board they put up quite a fight. Unfortunately one of the Bangaa brought out Mjrn, and they were quickly quieted. "This is your sister, ain't she? I'd shut up, if I were you. Now come over here."
They had no choice but to comply. Fran stared desperately at her sister. Vaan's guilt grew tenfold.
"Don't worry, old friend." Balthier whispered to him. "We've been in worse situations before. Remember the dungeon?"
"Yeah." Vaan whispered back. "But these guys really seem to know what they're doing. I don't think we'll have as great of a chance in escaping here."
"We'll think of something, you can count on that." He winked. The Bangaa crew led them down into a series of hallways. Soon, they reached the cell area. Wisely, the Bangaa placed each of the three in separate cells. A fourth one went to Mjrn.
"Mjrn!" Vaan shouted to her once they had left. "Mjrn, I'm so sorry all this has happened to you!"
She looked back at him sadly. "The Wood is sure to be displeased with me, now. But I do not blame you, Vaan." Fran could be heard making a disapproving noise from this statement.
He sat back in his cell. "Well…now what?"
Balthier paced back and forth. "They should be heading out to claim the reward on my head. It shouldn't be too long before we land again."
"There is no way out of here, from what I am perceiving." Fran said. "Unless an electrical malfunction occurs…"
"Just like the time we were held by the Imperials." Balthier nodded. "But that seems highly unlikely."
"So…what? We're just gonna sit here??" Vaan demanded.
"We haven't been given much of a choice." Before they were taken inside the cells, each member had been searched for any hidden devices that could aid in their escape, or any hidden weapons. "Our best option at this point is to attack as soon as they let us out. The element of surprise would be on our side."
"Hmph." Vaan clearly didn't like the sound of that plan.
Suddenly one of the Bangaa guards appeared from the corridors. "Comfy?" He asked while laughing at the sight. Vaan glared back at him.
"I suppose some chairs would be too much to ask?" Balthier asked with the usual sarcasm.
The guard smirked. "We've been waiting for this day now for quite some time, Balthier. You've amassed quite a large sum of bounty indeed."
"I'm sure there's no question of that." Balthier replied in a bored tone.
"Well just don't try anything funny, you hear? We've got all kinds of tricks for you if all three manage to escape." He walked past their cells.
"Wouldn't dream of it." He said as the Bangaa rounded the corner away from them.
They sat there in silence for a few more hours. Vaan had no knowledge of what time it currently was. Night, he knew, had long passed. By now it had to have been around lunchtime. Vaan slept very little, and suspected the others got an equal amount of rest.
He leaned towards Mjrn's cell again. "Mjrn…if we ever get out of this, I'm gonna make all this up to you. I promise."
Mjrn smiled. "Do you think I'll ever see the village again?"
"Well sure you will!" Vaan answered emphatically. "We'll find a way, you see." Vaan sat up as they all heard a large alarm sound. Red lights flashed everywhere.
"What's going on?" Balthier peered out of his view. "An alarm? Is there a malfunction…? Or…"
"An airship!" They heard someone shout in the distant. "From Archadia! It's a royal airship!"
Something chilled down Vaan's spine. A royal Archadian ship? But…that meant…
Suddenly they were all thrown to the left. The airship had swerved to avoid an attack of some sort. Moments later Vaan could tell they were making an emergency landing. But where? And why? Had they given up that easily?
More noises could be heard from the cabin. Vaan's eyes widened in surprise as he started to hear the metallic clangs of swords and other weapons. He heard a voice shout an Esper's name—he thought perhaps it was Mateus—and the battle continued. He looked wildly around at the others. "What's going on over there?"
Balthier smirked. "We know only of a few people who have control over Espers. They're late."
And he spoke that statement just before none other than Basch, Larsa, Penelo, and Ashe burst into the room. Basch was donned in his full judge's armor. And the others were looking quite pleased. "We have arrived in time, it seems." Larsa spoke calmly.
They all laughed. "Some things never change." Balthier muttered. "Now, disable these infernal cell fields, then?"