Isaac was surprised by the fact that it wasn't him who had a mind-numbing headache when he woke. This person, was, in fact, Ben. Isaac, Eileen and Ezel were all speaking in the storefront when they heard a thumping noise coming from the wall, followed by a string of groans and curses. These groans and curses were followed by Ben, who melted the wall and stepped out.

Now came the moment they'd all been waiting for. They'd known that it would be difficult to get Ben to do anything in his hung-over form, and that he would probably tune out into depression the moment somebody mentioned Jacqueline. The fact that they would be travelling with Marche, whom it appeared Ben hated, wouldn't help the matter here. Thus the three had spent a few hours thinking about how to put it to him after Isaac had told them about Marche's proposition. None of them knew how to begin, but fortunately Ben handled this for them.

"Oh, my head…"

"Good morning, kupo!" Isaac said as brightly as he could.

"How was your sleep?" Eileen asked.

"I want to die…"

"I know something that will make you feel better, kupo," Isaac said.

"Is it a sharp knife or a tall bottle of arsenic?"

"Better," Eileen told him.

"There is nothing better right now…"

"How about a blue mages' tournament?" Ezel asked, smirking evilly.

Ben looked (or squinted) up at him, and groaned, "As soon as you stop spinning upside down, I'm going to cut your grinning head off."

"What if I were to tell you that that blue mages' tournament will take two weeks of hard travel to reach?"

"Death…"

"What if I told you that—"

"Stop, Ezel," Eileen said, "there's a limit on how mean you can be."

"You really don't know me that well, do you?"

"What if I were to tell you," Isaac interrupted, reaching into his pocket and grabbing the brochure from the day before, "that participating in the tournament will get you closer to seeing her?"

Instantly, Ben was standing, and to his credit he was barely even swaying. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow, kupo."

"Sweet, I'm going to pack. See you at lunch."

With that, he walked back to his room, and only tripped once.

"I told you that it would be easy, kupo," Isaac said. "I need to clean up the workroom before we go. I'll see you guys later."

As he headed around the counter and left the room, the young moogle managed to hear Eileen telling Ezel that she was "just going to tell Quin." Isaac, for his part, simply let one of his ears twitch a bit while he walked through the door. One positive thing about heading to Cyril: Quin wouldn't be there. He felt he would go mad if he kept hearing about Quin. Sure, he was a great guy from all he heard, but still, did she have to talk about him all the time? Couldn't she just stop talking about him for a few minutes, at least?

He sighed and shook his head. Wow, he was starting to get annoyed by all this thinking about it. Maybe there wouldn't be much of an issue if he didn't think about it, but he just couldn't stop thinking about it. Darn it.

He finally got to cleaning up the workshop. The heat was killing him, but he figured that it was the least that he could do to make it up to Ezel for housing them for so long.

He picked up the various pieces of fabric and string from the floor, putting them into the drawers around the room. He let out a long yawn as he bent down to grab another piece, rubbing one of his eyes. Wow, he had been up pretty late last night. He had to start getting to bed earlier at night, and preferably without getting involved in mortal combat. He bent down to grab some smaller pieces, letting his head drooping down…

He fought for his life, and nothing more. Why did he even want to? His life was pointless as it was, simply living to kill and to fight. He had no chance of surviving forever, so why did he continue doing battle? He stepped out into the open space of the arena, and heard the people screaming. Not in horror at the carnage before them, but in pleasure of it. What kind of monsters were they? Who could possibly do this to somebody, let alone enjoy watching it? As he stood there, he could just faintly remember a different time, a time when he had been free, when he hadn't had to fight, when he'd been happy. It was a different world, literally, than this one. A world where he lived beside four close friends. Occasionally, he felt that he could sense one ore more of them around him, but it was never true. Sighing, he took the last steps forward to the side of the huge, inhuman figure next to him. He felt the prick jabbing him sharply in the side and the shackles falling from his wrists, and then he remembered why he didn't just let somebody run him through in the ring. The rage. It came at him again, making him invincible and impervious to pain. He just charged ahead and fought, fought, FOUGHT! He just wanted his blade to cut in, to reach through to TOUCH—

Isaac sat up suddenly; sweat pouring down, but not from the heat this time. He shook himself, and tried to stand up. However, he was shuddering too sharply to manage a step, so he just sat back down. The dreams were getting stronger. Every time that he met one of his old companions, the dreams of them stopped, but the dreams of the others became so much stronger. Maybe he only had a limited ability to see the dreams or something. That was probably how he'd been able to see so much of Eileen, and probably why he hadn't had many dreams since. He'd used up so much energy on that dream.

Shuddering still, Isaac pulled himself into a tight ball, hugging his knees into his chest. They had to find Maxwell.

"Oh, Isaac, I was wondering if you had any—" Eileen began as she walked in, looking at a list. She looked up at him and stopped in her tracks. "Isaac? Are you alright?"

"Maxwell," Isaac said simply. "I can't go on knowing that he's hurt, kupo. He's afraid, he's in pain, he's—" Isaac stopped, shuddering violently.

Eileen walked softly over to him and reached forward to wrap him up into a strong hug. "It's alright. We'll find him."

"But what if it's not fast enough, kupo?"

"We'll get there fast enough," Eileen said.

"Yeah, but he's being held! And he can't escape! How are the three of us going to save him if he can't save himself?"

"We'll do it," Ben said. The two turned to see him leaning against the doorway. "Your really need to stop underscoring the three of us. I mean, seriously, I was in line to lead a thieves' guild, Eileen is one of the best potential masters of Alchemy ever, and you're an amazing gunner. Brute force, while Max has got it in excess, isn't everything. Especially not in this world."

"Is it enough, kupo?"

"It's always been enough in the past," Eileen told him. "The five of us have always been enough for each other. Besides," she smirked, rubbing his headfur, "we owe him one for saving us from Thomas that day."

They just stood there for a short while, in the silence and company of each other, before Isaac told them, "Famfrit, we are so bloody clichéd."

"Clichés have to have some sort of basis on reality," Eileen said. "So, anyways," she said, standing and helping Isaac up, "are you packed yet?"

"What? It's only been at most ten minutes, kupo!"

"Are you kidding?" Ben asked. "It's been almost a day! We have to go!"

Isaac groaned in annoyance. "These bloody dreams are getting on my nerves, kupo."

"Yeah, well, nothing we can do for that, though it is nice to know why you weren't there for supper," Eileen told him, "now get packed."

With that, she and Ben left, and Isaac went to his room to pack up his few small possessions. All he really had was his gun, his empty bandolier, and his blade. He put them on, and grabbed his empty pack, walking back out into the main room. Ezel was waiting for him there. He was behind his counter per usual, sorting through his cards and arranging them into piles.

"Eileen and Ben are already heading for the gate to meet Marche's group. You should get going, soon."

"Don't worry, I'll make it, kupo."

"So, you guys are finally leaving, then."

"Yeah, but we don't really have a choice, kupo."

"It's alright," the irrepressible nu mou said, smirking, "I don't care what anybody says, it's annoying having guests."

Isaac shook his head. "It's been fun, whatever you say."

"Yeah, it has. Hey, there's something that I have to tell you."

"What's that, kupo?"

"Watch out for them."

"Kupopo?"

"For Eileen and Ben, I mean. They're both good and powerful, and they can handle themselves in a fight better than anybody. But they tend to get into trouble, much more trouble than they can get out of on their own. And if there's one thing I've seen from you during the past month, it's been how protective you are of them. You're a martyr for people you care about. That's important. You may think that you're the weakest out of all of your friends, but don't believe that. I've seen you shoot and I've seen you with that blade, and no matter what you think you're good. And also, you've got morals and values, which are much more important than being able to kill somebody. Remember that, during everything that happens."

"Thanks, kupo," Isaac said after a time, not knowing what else to say. "Don't worry, we'll be back."

"Of course. Oh, and here, take this," Ezel said, handing him a package. "Don't open it until you've left, too. Don't let this little conversation go to your head either, or tell it to anyone! If people found out that I actually pay attention to anything, they might start talking, or thinking that I care that they can't afford a million gil."

"And we wouldn't want that, would we, kupo?"

"Of course not. Now get out of here, or else you'll miss the caravan, and then you'll have stay in Cadoan for another few months, and you're not getting to stay with me any longer! I've had enough of you."

Isaac nodded to him, smirking. He then stepped over to the crystal and slapped it with his open palm.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Alright, that's everybody," Marche said, more to himself more than anyone else once Isaac showed up. "Let's roll out, we can make introductions once we're on the way."

With that, he jumped into the back of the wagon which carried most of Clan Nutsy's equipment. He apparently always travelled out of sight when they had to go past any guards. His face was far too recognisable.

Jocelyn, who sat at the head of the wagon with Eileen, cracked a whip, and the chocobos leading the wagon started moving. Isaac and Ben fell into step with Montblanc and four other members of the Clan on the ground or riding chocobos. The sun was barely up, and already the warmth of the sun was beating down on them.

"Why is it always so hot here, kupo?" Isaac complained.

"Just because you're used to Baguba's breezes and rain doesn't mean that it's normal everywhere. But don't worry, Cyril is much cooler. It's right next to the Ulei River, so the things are less oppressive. That's what I've heard at least."

"Great," Isaac said. "So, you've never been to Cyril?"

"No, my experience is pretty much limited to Sprohm and Cadoan. And that's pretty lucky for me, I guess."

"Why?"

"From what I hear, the thieving communities are much more powerful and dangerous in Cyril, Baguba and Muscadet than in Cadoan. I get the feeling that if I had ever joined one of them, I'd already be dead."

"Trussst me, you would," a young bangaa standing next to them said. He was young enough that he had not a single one of the wrinkles which were common in grown bangaas. He was using a large spear as a walking stick, and his muscled arms and chest were apparent even under the dark blue robes he wore under his shining steel armour. Over his head he wore one of the large helms preferred by bangaa which covered most of the head and gripped under their muzzles. "They are capable of thingsss you've never imagined."

"No, you trust me, I can imagine a lot," Ben promised. "You can come up with some pretty horrible ideas of what you think will happen to you late at night."

"I'm glad that I don't know," the bangaa said. "I'm going to assssume that you are Ben, the thief and blue mage?"

"Naturally. And you are?"

"Robert. I am trained as a templar of Adrammelech," the bangaa said, and the touch of pride in his voice was impossible to miss.

"Aren't you a bit…" Ben searched for a word, "young for a templar? Or at least an official one?"

"Who sssaid that I'm official?" Robert demanded.

"Well, I just assumed…"

"If you mussst know, I wass training as a templar with the palaccce, but I disssagreed with much of what the teachersssssaid. They told me not to feel, to sssimply obey ordersss. Not to think, not to believe." The young bangaa shook his head. "I could never live sssuch an empty life. Thusss, I joined thisss clan, for itssss leader, now my commander, ssseemed to underssstand the truth of thingsss."

"So you're a templar with emotions?" Ben asked.

"Precccissely."

"Dangerous combination."

"You've no idea, kupo," Montblanc said, rolling his eyes from the top of his chocobo. He had ridden up beside them as they'd been talking, and seemed to have fallen into step with the three. "It's somewhat annoying at times, kupo."

"What is?" Robert asked, looking somewhat offended.

"The fact that it took me years of study to be able to defeat any large number of enemies with my magic, kupo, and he can whip that spear around with barely any preparation and take down an entire camp! I mean, he's just fifteen, kupo!"

"Montblanc, might I remind you that you are but fourteen?" asked an elderly nu mou who wore long white robes.

"True, but I trained for twelve years! How long did you train for, Robert?"

"Two yearsss of official training…"

"See, kupo?"

"…and I had been trained by my eldersss in the midst of the deserts sinccce I was born."

The nu mou gave Montblanc one of those, Oh yeah, that's right, kind of looks, then turned to Isaac and Ben. "You two must be Isaac and Ben. I'm Guinness, the company healer. I hope that the two of you and your friend up there can live up to your reputations."

"Reputations, kupo?"

"Yes, apparently the two of you took on several members of the Cadoan thieves' guild?"

"With help from Eileen, yes—"

"Oh, yesss," Robert broke in, "and then the three of you broke out of capture without a ssssingle weapon and essscaped a man who knew Ultima Shot!"

"We managed to steal some weapons, kupo!"

"Not to mention that only the two of you managed to nearly beat Jacqueline and several of her guards, kupo!"

"Are you kidding?" both Isaac and Ben asked as one.

"She kicked our rears without breaking a sweat!" Ben exclaimed.

"And that in only about a minute, kupo!"

"Besides," Eileen broke in from the wagon, "you guys have a much more impressive reputation."

"No doubt embellished," Guinness defended.

"You've fought gods."

"Only demigods, technically. It's not like we've gone and fought Shiva or Bahamut here!"

"Alright, so you guys have fought demigods, then. And won, by all reports."

"Still, the three of you have built up quite a reputation," Guinness insisted. "We were wondering whether perhaps any of you would like to practise with us in the mornings. At current, we number seven, and that is not enough to train equally."

"I wouldn't mind, kupo," Isaac said, "only problem is that I don't have any ammo with me, and I'm getting sick of blundering around with this blade."

"Too bad, kupo, it would be nice to have another moogle around," Montblanc lamented. "How about you, Ben?"

"I'm in. Besides, I'm going to need to practise my Blue magic if I want to win this competition."

"Eileen?"

"Of course."

"Excellent. We need a few more mages to train against. Oh, right, here are the other two members of our clan who are with us." Guinness beckoned the other two over. "These are Lindsay and Caitlin."

"A pleasure," said Lindsay, a shapely young vierra summoner. She wore the traditional and extremely noticeable garb of a summoner, from the soft white silk bodysuit, to the large green pantaloons which sported countless pockets, all the way to the massive horn sticking out of the band around her forehead. Her eyes possessed some sort of faraway nature to them, as though she was too busy paying attention to something else at the moment to care about what everybody was talking about. "You are the three journeying with us?"

"Yes, kupo."

"Very well," she said, and then turned away again.

"Sorry about her," Caitlin said, shaking her head so that her shoulder-length blonde hair fell across her face. Her human face held several scars all the way across it, including one which crossed just below an eye and across her lips to her chin. She had a sword bound to a belt around her waist. The sword looked old and battered, yet still incredibly sharp. There was a long red ribbon attached to the end of the hilt which drooped down to just below her knee. "She can be a bit distant at times."

"That's what dealing with the real gods can do to you," Guinness said.

"It isss extremely difficult to hold a conversssation with her," Robert admitted, "but you should sssee her in a fight."

"That seems to be a recurring theme amongst your vierra," Isaac muttered, casting a quick glance up at Jocelyn. Her face had remained completely stony and her mouth perfectly shut for the entire conversation.

"What can we say, kupo?" Montblanc asked. "When you see some of the crazy things we have, you get to be like that. You should see the rest of the clan, kupo."

"This isn't all of them?" Ben asked.

"Of course not. There's over twenty of us, but we tend to work in separate groups. That way we can do the most jobs, kupo. We've actually got three members who do nothing but solo requests and the like."

"But," Robert interjected, "we are the bessst group."

"Now stop getting all conceited!" Marche ordered as he jumped out of the back of the wagon. They had, by now, long since cleared the city gates, and were on the long path which lead towards the small mountain range which caused the somewhat barren conditions of Cadoan. "We're out here on business."

"Since when has that ever stopped us?" Caitlin asked.

"Never, but it's usually good just to say it, so that I can tell myself that I'm trying," Marche shrugged. "So, what are we discussing?"

"Ben and Eileen have agreed to join our morning training."

"Great. Why not Isaac?"

"Out of ammo, kupo."

"Too bad, it would've been fun. Either way, we've got a long day ahead of us. Let's roll out!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

They made good time that day. In fact, by the end, when Isaac sat beside the fire, keeping watch with Robert, whom he found he got along with quite well, he actually had to put on his longsleeve shirt and his cut-off gloves again, the ones he hadn't worn since he'd been on the Torrent. Normally, in Cadoan, he would sleep in as few layers as possible.

As he paced around the campsite they'd made, he remembered the package that Ezel had given him. He walked over to it and ripped the brown paper off of it, trying not to wake anybody. Inside was a small chest, with the symbol of a gun branded onto it. Curious, Isaac popped the curious box open, and his breath caught in his throat.

Inside was a gun and two full bandoliers of ammo. In any other situation, Isaac wouldn't have thought this extremely impressive, but in Cadoan, it must have cost Ezel a fortune to find, let alone to buy!

"Hey, what'sss that?" Robert asked.

"A gift from a friend, kupo," Isaac said, still barely believing it. He reached into the box and picked up the gun by its handle. Pulling it out, Isaac couldn't help but whistle.

"What?"

"It's a Longbarrel."

"What doesss that mean?"

"Some of the finest guns crafted. Apparently, a couple weeks of using one of these things, and you'll never miss another shot again. How did he find this, kupo?"

He simply sat there, staring at the Longbarrel and the fire reflected on its polished black surface. This gift touched him like no other ever had. He didn't even know that Ezel had known anything about guns. But then again, Ezel seemed to know everything.

"Ssso?" Rob said leadingly.

"What, kupo?" Isaac asked, startled out of his stupor.

"Are you going to try it out?"

Smirking up at Robert, Isaac grabbed one of the bullets from the belts and shoved it into the gun's cock. He pulled back the safety, twirled the entire Longbarrel around his finger, then pointed down at a twig on the ground. "Would you mind throwing that as hard as you can for me, kupo?"

"Of courssse," Rob said. He grabbed the stick, and, taking a deep breath, heaved it up into the sky.

Isaac followed it up, his gun sited on it the entire time. Then, he felt the heat flare up in his veins, the fire of excitement and concentration, and filtered them into the gun, and pulled the trigger.

A fireshot flew through the air, leaving a cherry-red path in their vision. It smashed into the stick, which promptly burst into flames.

His smile widened as Isaac gave the gun one more good twirl and shoved it into his belt beside his other gun. He grabbed the two bandoliers and easily swooped them around his frame. He felt comfortable now. Now, he felt that he could fight off an army if he wanted to. He turned to Rob, and said, "You know, I think that I will join you guys for practise tomorrow morning."