Author's Note

Wow, I've got over 100 reviews! Thank you so much for every single one I really appreciate them. Now, as mentioned before this is a behind the scenes sort of chapter that focuses on Edie's training so that she can beat Belias. The training technique Basch used for the first session is inspired by the Kali (Filpino martial arts) training that was on a BBC programme a while ago called 'Last Woman Standing'.

As a thank you for your reviews, favourites etc. I will be uploading another chapter as soon as I've finished editing it. However there is a bit of bad news as my uploads may slow down a lot after this due to me having a major personal meltdown over the past few weeks. I'm finding it very hard to write right now.

Disclaimer

I don not own Final Fantasy XII. I do own Edie, my OC.

Chapter XXVI: I got soul but I'm not a soldier

The following morning I awoke to the smell of breakfast being cooked. I glanced over at the bed to see Vaan was still snoring. I dragged myself up from the floor and went to the bathroom to change from my nightgown into fresh clothes. I have no idea what Penelo had used to wash my dress but it had wiped away every last spatter of blood from its lightweight fabric. Once dressed, I brushed my hair before venturing downstairs.

Penelo was the cause behind the wonderful smell of that had drifted throughout the house. I paused at the kitchen door to greet her good morning before continuing on. I would have liked to have helped her but I've learnt from past experiences she'd just shepherd me out of the kitchen with a flap of her hands. Basch and Balthier were chatting at the dining table. I sat down and waited for their discussion to come to a close before asking Balthier,

"How's Fran doing?" I assumed the Viera hadn't wished to be disturbed this morning as her bedroom door was closed.

"Well. You have quite the knack for potion brewing perhaps you should pursue it. I imagine you'd fare better at it than at combat." He took a sip of his coffee. I wondered if that had been Fran's intention behind giving me her book.

I was about to ask after Ashe but Penelo poked her head out of the kitchen and called to me,

"Breakfast's almost ready. Edie, could you go wake Vaan?"

"On it!" I called back to her and rose from the table.

Vaan was still unconscious when I came across him.

"Hey lazy, get up it's time to eat." I said, roughly shaking him. You could probably drop an anvil on his head and he'd carry on snoring. After much more of my ungentle persuasion he eventually opened he's eyes and grumbled something incoherent, probably a string of curses aimed at myself. "Come on. Get up or I'll eat your breakfast."

"You'd eat it anyway, you're like a starved Seeq in the mornings, lately." He mumbled whilst attempting to drag himself up. I opened my mouth to argue but I realised I was actually eating more in the mornings ever since we had travelled to Raithwall's tomb. I guess it was down to all the training and trekking, it must have built up my appetite more.

I lingered at the doorway and looked down the opposite end of the corridor. Ashe's door was still shut. I paced towards it and lightly tapped on it. Silence followed. I tapped again, this time a little louder.

"Ashe? Penelo's making breakfast if you want some." There was no answer. I walked back to the stairs deciding it was probably best I didn't pester her.

Breakfast was fried cockatrice eggs, toasted bread and plenty of cooked meats all served with cup after cup of strong, dark coffee. I always enjoyed breakfast with the others as there was plenty of banter both friendly and sarcastic to tune into. Balthier was currently winding Vaan up about this thieving techniques and Penelo giggled all the while.

As I was chewing on a mouthful of eggs, Basch piped up and asked me,

"Edie, are you still wanting to go train?" I nodded enthusiastically and hurriedly swallowed my mouthful. I guess he must have asked Ashe for her permission earlier this morning.

"Of course! You sure you're okay leaving Ashe here?"

"Fear not Captain, I will ensure no harm will come of her." Balthier offered, taking a break from goading Vaan.

"She still must be pretty upset. She didn't even want to come down for breakfast." I said pushing my food around with my fork.

"Then perhaps a visit from myself will cease her sadness." The sky-pirate said with an over theatrical sweep of his hand. I rolled my eyes.

"I think it would make her feel worse." I muttered into my coffee cup. His head snapped in my direction and I fought hard to keep the smile off my lips.

"Well, if she doesn't wish to come down I think I will go and take her some food up. She shouldn't go without food, it'll make her feel worse." Penelo picked up her plate and cutlery and walked off over to the kitchen. After she had plated up a portion she drifted through and up the stairs to Ashe's room. When she finally returned she had no plate with her.

"How is she?" Vaan asked as he lent back on his chair so that it rested only on two legs, his hands folded behind his head, the only thing stopping the chair from falling back onto the floor was his foot curled under the lip of the table.

"Tired." Penelo sighed flopping down into her seat.

After we finished our breakfast I helped Penelo wash up the plates, pans and pots, and then gathered my things for my training session.

"We shall return by sundown." I heard Basch inform Balthier as I approached them. "You are ready?" He asked me.

"Yeah." As usual I had been loaded up with all the essentials which included flasks of water, the medic pack and food for the day. We said our goodbyes and left the little town house.

At the city gate Basch stopped at the pen where the hired chocobos were. I stood at his side my attention to the great yellow beasts.

"We're renting a chocobo?"

"The Nebra River is too greater a distance to travel by foot. With a steed we will reach it in but half the time." He informed before approaching Gurdy.

He was wrapped in his cloak again making him look like the grim reaper. I could tell the Moogle was a bit unnerved by his presence, her bat wings would beat quicker and her pom-pom would bob more when she spoke. Money was exchanged and Gurdy fluttered into the pen, picked out a chocobo and fitted it with a saddle and reins before leading it out of the pen and over to Basch. He accepted the reins from the Moogle with a thanks and nod of his hooded head.

I watched as he mounted the great bird with easy and elegance before trotting over to where I stood. He outstretched his hand down to me. I gazed at him dumbly for a moment until it clicked it was so I could be aided to mount the chocobo. I looked down at the stirrup to see he had removed his foot so I could use it.

"I'm riding with you?"

"Unless you wish to rent your own."

"That's probably not a good idea. I've never ridden a chocobo before."

I placed my foot into the stirrup and took a strong grip of his hand before bouncing once on the ball of my foot that was still on the ground, I then pushed my weight onto the stirrup and with Basch's hand to steady me I threw my leg over the bird to mount it. Once I was seated, I was quite surprised how high up I was. I had never ridden a horse before so I unsure just what I had signed myself up for. If it had been a motorbike I would have had no problem.

"I look like a butch lesbian." I muttered under my breath whilst fiddling with my helmet's chin strap so that it was tucked up and out of the way. The biker's leathers that I had borrowed were that of a boy Jorge knew. The bulky leather hung comically off my slim shoulders making me look like a twig in an American football uniform.

"Nice look, marimacho (butch)!" Laughed Joel. He must have heard my mutterings. He was leaning against the white wall of one of the local bar our bunch of bikers liked to gather at. His amused grin was still on his lips as he took a long swig of his beer.

"Shut it!" I snapped, gathering the length hair that was spilling from the motorbike helmet that now decorated my head.

I swiftly twisted it so that no free strands would escape the bind, before tucking it up into my helmet. I had soon learnt this trick from some of the other bikers as allowing your hair to be savaged by fast, whipping winds left you with incredibly stubborn knots. Thanks to my hair being conceal along with most of my figure and face by protective gear, I was less biker chick and more biker butch. I sighed. I never normally wore the full leathers as in the Spanish heat it just proved unbearably uncomfortable and a bit excessive if we were just travelling the next town over. However, today we were travelling further in land for a motorbike convention.

"Vamonos!(Let's go!)" Called Juani, one of the other bikers, whilst swinging a leg over his bike.

The rest of use gathered our things and mounted the bikes. The feral roar of the engines filled the picturesque street robbing it of its customary serenity. I mounted the Yamaha R1 motorbike much like I would imagine you would mount a horse, placing one foot on the foot post and swinging the other leg round. I had done it that many times I could perform the manoeuvre gracefully even in these oversized leathers. Once perched upon the passenger's seat I turn to look at Joel.

"See ya! Bring me back a Harley!" He grinned whilst waving lazily.

"What so you can write off another moto?" I laughed, returning his wave.

The other bikes began to pull away from the curb and zoom off. I leant forward and placed my gloved hands on the teardrop shaped petrol tank to balance my weight. Riding passenger on this type of bike wasn't easy or always comfortable as you were higher up than the rider and so in order to not get the blunt end of wind resistance would have to almost tuck yourself around the other person. Hands on the petrol tank, head ducked just above Jorge's shoulders and knees loosely squeezing his hips. We set off shouting, "Adio!(slang for 'goodbye')" to Joel as we rocketed off. Five hours on a bike and god knows how many kilometres of road eagerly awaited us.

Basch motioned for the chocobo to move with a whip of the reins and we were off moving out of the city at a trot. It was weird to get used to the bird's moving body beneath me and quite a few times I had to steady myself by gripping onto Basch's cloak. Once we were in the Estersand, the strong breeze blew back the hood from Basch's face and he made no move to tug it back over his head. His hair was the same colour as the sands.

"Best hold on, I'm going to push it to gallop." He called back to me before cracking the reins and spurring the bird onwards with a sharp jab of his heels. It quickly picked up the pace. I struggled to accustom myself to the chocobo's muscles beneath me moving in a faster rhythm. I did as Basch had suggested and clung on to his cloak. I watched as the desert scenery drifted past us. Basch handled the bird well and fearlessly guided it around packs of wolves and wild cockatrices. Before I knew it I could see a sparkling blue in the horizon, the Nebra River.

The river was so broad that it almost appeared as if it were the sea, however on the other side was yet another nomad camp. Here, they made money from fishing and allowed passing trades boats to dock. I had only ever been here once with Vaan and Penelo when we had travelled out here to fetch an order from an import boat. Due to the desert's sand trimming its waters I had thought it was a beach at first until Penelo explained otherwise. We had paused in our task to swim in the cool water before returning back to Rabanastre.

Basch halted the chocobo a little way before the nomad village.

"We train over yonder as not to stir attention." He informed, dismounting. He turned and once more offered me his hand.

"Okay." I said with a nod and accepted it.

I leant forward slightly and swung my leg round in order to get off the chocobo. However, I swung it with a little too much force and fell to the floor in a heap. Basch had attempted to steady me in my tumble to the ground but his efforts proved unsuccessful. Somehow, we still had managed to hold hands. I laughed at this and he helped me to my feet.

Basch then secured the chocobo's reins to a willowy dessert tree that was boasting blooms of blossom. He shed his cloak and also draped it over the branch. I dumped the bags on the ground by the chocobo, relieved to no longer have them weighing me down. We moved towards the water and I drew my spear and quickly set myself in a typical en guard stance. My mentor shook his head and approached me. He retrieved the spear from my hands and pierced the soft sand with it so that it stood upright on its own accord.

"We spar not. Instead, I wish to focus on rising your stamina and strength before we worry of your technique." His eyes were scanning the surrounding sands and when he had found what he sort for, he made his way over to it in quick strides.

He picked up a sun-bleached stick that was roughly the same length and thickness of my spear, he tasted its weight by performing a quick series of impressive swings before he deemed it worthy. He effortlessly snapped it in two with his hands and returned to me. He handed me the two sticks well aware of the baffled look decorating my face.

"It is an exercise to increase upper body strength. Wade out into the water 'til it be at your waist." With my perplexed expression still gracing my features I tugged off my boots and did as he instructed.

The river water was slow flowing and wonderfully cool. I had almost felt my hot skin fizzle as it came into contact with it. The silt of the river bed enclosed around my feet each time I took a step on its silken surface. I noticed Basch was following. With the water reaching my waist I turned to face him.

"Now you are to hold both sticks in either hand. With your dominate hand, strike at the water with all your might. With your other hand, hold up the stick in defence."

"You mean like this?" I shifted myself into a stronger stance and brought the stick up in my left hand in defence.

"Yes, though improve your grip. Keep your bicep clenched strong as if ready to absorb an attack." I followed his instructions and he grunted in approval. "Now strike at the water as you would a foe, swoop the attack across your body and allow your torso to follow through, though keep your hips squared and knees loose."

With a strong grip on both sticks and my abdomen held tight I brought the stick down upon the glittering water. The stick hit it with a hard thwack, sending fat droplets to be cast back at my face. I was rewarded with another grunt of approval. I failed to understand how attacking water was going to help me increase my fighting ability. As if we was aware of my train of thought, Basch said,

"It will prove valuable that you are accustomed to fight with two sticks also. If your weapon is ever split in battle you will still be able to defend yourself and maintain your attack. That spear of yours be lightweight and apt for your frame and current ability yet it will fail to defend you from the attacks of sturdier weapons." I nodded. "You are to strike at the water at a steady pace without halting, when I say so you shall increase your pace."

I began striking at the water and by the time I had reached ten hits a low heat began to spread through the muscles of my arms. I attempted to ignore it and pressed on. With each slap of the water more and more splashed back and soaked me until my hair and clothes were heavy with water. Basch barked to increase my pace and I did, my arms screaming in protest. I could only keep this up for a few moments before slumping forward.

"Resting will not build your stamina. Attack." He advised, and I once again set off whacking the water.

After a while I became numb to the slow, steady burn that felt as if my blood had turned to acid and was in the midst of devouring my muscles and bones. My pulse drummed lowly in my ears, it mingled with my panting. I suppose I was thankful I was in the cool water for this exercise as I would have surely passed out by now if I had been on dry land. It was as if the coolness kept my body's want to collapse at bay.

"Switch attack."

"Huh?"

"Change your arms. Attack with your left, block with your right."

I quickly swapped and was surprised that my poor left arm was hardly able to beat the water due to it being so numb. I grunted and attempted a few more times. It slowly loosened up and I was able to continue with more ease. Despite being absolutely knackered I drove myself on. No pain, no gain and all that nonsense.

"Alternate attacks." Basch said. I grit my teeth and alternated hitting the water with each arm. "Do not drop your defence." I did as he instructed. "Better. Keep your pace."

An hour or so passed and he finally signalled for me to stop. It took every iota of willing to keep myself from sagging to the river bed. My whole body was racked with the burning of my muscles. I began to wade back to the sands with shaky limbs. Basch awaited me in the shade of the tree our chocobo was stationed at. He handed me a flask of water when I reached him. I crumbled to the ground and took long, greedy pulls of water from the flask.

"You fared well." He praised.

"I don't feel well." I muttered. It was true, my stomach was stirring warningly and my head pounded. "Maybe I should take a potion." I fumbled for my medic pack.

"No. The potion's healing will erase all of the exercise's work. You must endure."

"Can I at least rest?"

"Very well."

I flopped back onto the sand and peered up at the glimpses of the sun through the cloud of the blossom. The sand was cool, the sun warm and a playful breeze began to dry my garments. I stretched and sighed. Before I knew it, I was being stirred to wake by Basch's hand on my shoulder. I hauled myself up and mumbled an apology. I felt even worse after my momentary nap.

He went back to the river bank to pluck up my spear and approached another tree not far away from the one I sat under. I hauled up my stubborn body and moved over so I stood at his side.

"Observe." He whirled the spear with skill and strength and brought it down upon one of the tree's thick, lower branches. With ease the attack broke the branch from the tree and it landed heavily on the ground, causing a cloud of sand to be up-heaved. "Repeat. Your exercise will be absolute when you succeed to break the branch." He said, handing me my weapon.

I stood in a typical attack stance and brought the spear down on the branch with as much force my battered body could muster. It didn't even chip the smooth bark. I repeated the manoeuvre, all the while under my mentor's scrutiny. He often ordered me to reposition myself and inform me of what I was doing wrong to produce such a weak attack. Eventually, the wood of the branch began to splinter and before long I had managed to bash it into the ground.

"Again." Basch ordered.

"I thought the exercise was finished when I broke the branch?" I asked, raising my spear nonetheless, a new target found.

"It has and therefore I appointed you another task that hap be the same." He replied. I snapped my head round to look at him, had that been a smile I heard in his voice? His face was even and elusive causing me to doubt my ears when I suddenly noticed the corner of his mouth twitch as if he were fighting back a smirk. I smiled, shook my head and refocused my attention back to my wooden enemy.

After many hours of whacking branches, it was once more back to hitting at the water. The sun leisurely sailed along the sky as time passed, oblivious to my efforts. I stumbled back onto the river bank and Basch tossed me my spear I instantly dropped the sticks and caught it with both hands.

"Now it be the time to spar."

I grinned and awaited his attack. He charged at me with a lightweight sword he had chosen especially for the purpose of training me. It was easier to fend off than an axe. I'm sure in time he would show me how to battle against different weapons. I blocked his onslaught of swings and swoops of his sword and even managed to get a few swipes in of my own.

Before long the sun was hanging low, causing the sky to blush a beautiful red. I knew he could have easily have bested me yet he didn't in order to gauge my stamina. Over time, I could feel myself grow tired as my movements became all the more sloppy. He saw this as a fitting point in time to draw the fight to a close. Oddly enough, he didn't end it as he usually did, skilfully disarming me of my weapon and pointing his sword at me (usually done in the same swing), instead he tripped me. I landed flat on my back, blinking a few times in dumb disbelief. He had been so fast I hadn't stood a chance. I frowned as I got to my feet. He noticed and said,

"Your footwork and evasion needs to be greatly improved. We shall focus on it on the morrow, now we make for Rabanastre."

"Sounds like a plan." I smiled approaching him. I was dog tired but content with my progress.

I bent to snatch up the bags. The leather brushed against the raw skin of my palms that had been caused by the wood of the sticks rubbing at my wet palms all day long. I hissed and promptly dropped it. Basch noticed and bowed to retrieve our belongings.

"I will bear them."

"Are you sure? I don't mind, it's just I might need help putting them on is all."

I held out my hands to show him the red sores that decorated each palm. Belias' mark had transformed into more of a deep red where the skin had rubbed away on my right palm. The lines of the pattern were still clear even on my weeping flesh. It made me wonder if it was set so deep down it was etch into my bones. He shrugged on his cloak before donning the medic pack and placing the backpack and my spear upon his back.

"I mind not." He untied the chocobo's reins and the bird chirped with delight it could finally be able to trek again. I went to his side and he paused. "It may be best you ride up front."

"You're kidding? I can't handle this bird." I shook my head.

"You have not to, I shall. You seem drained and so it probably not be wise that you travel at the back, you may fall from the chocobo." He explained. "Not to mention, with your hands riddled with sores you would struggle to cling to me."

A flash of annoyance flared within me. I hadn't clung to him per say, I had merely steadied myself by grasping onto his cloak. However, I was too spent to argue this to him and simply nodded my head. This time I mounted the bird solo and did it well enough. Basch seated himself behind me and arranged the reins around me so that he could still be able to have full control of the chocobo. We set off at a slower gallop this time. The rocking motion of the bird's movements soon lulled my tired self into slumber and without my noticing, I slumped back against my mentor.

I was pulled from a dreamless sleep by a soft, gravelly voice being breathed into my ear.

"Edie? Edie, wake now. We near the city." In my heavy-lidded state I noticed how his voice managed to pleasantly radiate from his chest and through my back.

My mind spurted awake when it finally fully registered this thought. My head had fallen back against Basch's upper torso so that one ear pressed against the cloak's coarse material. I quickly arranged myself so I was sat bolt upright and tired to quell the feeling of humiliation that was taking over me before it made its mark upon my cheeks. I couldn't believe I had actually fallen asleep! Knowing my luck I had probably drooled on his cloak. I cringed again.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, no doubt noticing my peculiar behaviour.

"I'm fine." I glanced over my shoulder to see his hood had been tugged over his head. Unable to gauge whether he had caught wind of my embarrassment, I returned my eyes forward to see the silhouette of Rabanstre's skyline blotting the horizon.

We returned home just as the last scrap of the sun's light was claimed by the night. There was a relaxed air about the house when we entered. All of the others had eaten and were currently taking their turns in bathing. I found out from Penelo that Vaan and Balthier had past the day by trekking out into the Westersands to check on the Strahl. Fran was growing stronger but was still bed bound and Ashe still hadn't emerged from her quarters yet save for using the bathroom. Penelo herself had spent the day attending to the Viera and cooking up a storm.

With our group members dozing or bathing, Basch and I sat down at the dining table to eat alone. It reminded me of the time many moons ago when I had brought him back to the apartment in the Low Town after our stint in the dungeons and had supplied him with food. Naturally, we ate in silence seems as I was too exhausted to think up conversation and Basch not being one who was good at starting a casual conversation. Tonight's meal was cuts of wild saurian meat spiced with a sticky marinade and served with wild rice.

I concentrated hard to hold my fork in my worn and blistered hand. It seemed to take me an age to be able to grip it properly before I attempted to scoop up some fluffy rice. I slowly tried to bring the food to my lips but my hand was trembling so much from the effort that it shuddered the rice from the fork. I sighed heavily in defeat and discarded the cutlery. I was too spent to bother a second attempt. Basch, who had been watching me with quick glances, paused in his eating.

"You are not hungry?"

"I am hungry it's just I can't even feed myself my hands are in that bad a shape." I muttered, eyeing the delicious looking food before me. It was torture that I was unable to eat it and my stomach growled loudly in want. "Are you sure I can't take a potion?"

He answered me by getting up from his seat and wandering off to the living room, he shortly returned with some items in hand. I noted that none of them was a vial of potion. He pulled up a chair beside me and placed the items on the table. There was a roll of gauze, a pot of cactus salve and a small pair of scissors.

"Your body must accustom itself to your abilities by taking regard of your injuries therefore a potion will undo all effort you had wrought today." He explained holding out his hands, palms up, in gesture that I do the same.

I copied his motions and he inspected each hand before picking up the cactus salve and unscrewing it's top. He placed it back on the table and supported one of my hands by placing one of his own underneath it, palm up. My pulse spluttered momentarily as I felt his calloused fingers loosely curl around my wrist. I looked down and noticed that his fingers could have easily encircled my wrist if they had sort to. I also noticed just how different our colouring was. His tanned skin seemed like a shadow beneath the pallid skin of my outstretched hand. It reminded me of how Jorge's skin tone differed so greatly from my own.

"Dejeme ver." (Let me see) Jorge said as if he were speaking to a child with a quivering lip. He was referring to the tatty bandages that were woven around each of my hands. I sighed and held them out. I really did feel like a child as of late.

It had all happened when I had been zipping around the country lanes on my little moped only to turn a corner to quick and come face to face with a white van. The result of my bad driving was a badly skinned shoulder, palms, elbow and knees. As my luck would have it the moped came out of the crash unscathed. Since then I was pretty useless due to not be able to use my mangled hands. Jorge had even had to help me wash my hair!

"Aye! Ten cuidado! Eso duele mucho." (Ow! Be careful! It hurts a lot!) I yelped as he tugged off the gauze that had fused to my raw skin. He went about applying a mixture of iodine and burn cream before wrapping the wounds up again in fresh bandages. With my shoulder and other injured areas patched up I looked like a half finished mummy.

At that thought I jerked my hand out of his grip. I glanced up from my raw hands to see him looking at me questionably.

"Sorry. It's just really sore." I mumbled, holding out my hand once more. He carefully cupped my hand again before beginning to apply a thick layer of the balm to my blisters.

My eyes wandered from observing him patch up my hands to peer at his face. His eyes were cast downwards, their attention to my wounds, causing them to be partly veiled by his fair eyelashes. His usual stubble had grown some. He would need to trim it soon to stop it from becoming a full beard. I noticed how his brow was furrowed in concentration causing his scar to crease somewhat. I couldn't help but think it made him look as if he had tripped with a red marker pen in hand. My lips formed a loose smirk at that notion.

Before I knew it, his eyes were on mine. Crap! He had caught me staring at him and what was worse I had froze out of shock from being caught out and could only managed to continue staring at him. I was positive his fingers that were wrapped around my wrist could have easily felt my quickened pulse radiate underneath their touch. Apart from the initial shock of being busted, I failed to understand why my heartbeat seemed to drum so quickly and continued to do so without slowing. He eventually spoke,

"It is done." My eyes fell down from his face to see that my hands had been bandaged up. I slowly dropped them to my lap.

"Thanks."

"You are welcome." He returned, before seating himself back before his plate and resumed to finish his meal. I also placed my attention to my plate and managed to eat with more ease now that the cactus balm had soothed the sting from my hands. I didn't lift my eyes from my food.

That night, it was Vaan's turn to sleep on the floor. As I lay in the dim beside Penelo listening to her soft, regular breathing, I found my mind kept meandering back to the events of this evening in hope to understand them. I still was unsure why that every time either one of us unintentionally overstepped the boundaries of our student/mentor relationship it always resulted in me reacting that way. I failed to see what had changed between us in-between the time from when we first met to now. Hell, I had had no problem inviting him back to the apartment in the Low Town and I had barley known him then!

Then it clicked, perhaps it was because I was getting to know him better. That had to be it, I knew him better now and I guess I liked what I had seen from him. He was loyal, kind, selfless and brave, all things that I hoped to be. I almost sighed aloud with relief. I could rest assured that these feelings were nothing more than respect for my mentor, my newly acquired friend.

Morning came round in the blink of an eye and I woke to find I must have overslept as even Vaan was up. I pulled myself out of bed feeling every fibre of my being beg me to reconsider and return to the comfort of the covers. The muscles of my arms were stiff and surged with a dull ache whenever I even thought of moving them. However, my skinned palms were the only thing that seemed to have recovered over night as I felt no pain from them. Curious, I carefully undid the bandages to find that the skin was healing well, it had transformed into a delicate pink shade where the new skin was reforming. I quickly reapplied them and went to go get changed.

Once I had made myself more presentable, I entered the corridor to see Ashe's door still closed and Fran's was open. The shutters of her bedroom window were open, allowing the morning light to flood the room. Fran was drinking yet another cup of the tea I had brewed her the previous day.

"Morning, Fran. You feeling any better?" I asked as I leaned against the doorframe.

"Another day more of respite and I shall be strong again."

"Great. So tomorrow you'll be right as rain."

"Yes." She placed the mug on the bedside table and sat forward further to regard me. "You will go be trained again today also?"

"Yeah. We're going to concentrate on my agility and evasion." I couldn't keep the smile from claiming my lips.

Despite feeling like a wreck, I was actually looking forward to today. Fran nodded before she once more picked up the mug, she did it with such a natural poise as if she were trained in the ways of Geisha. I took this as sign to take my leave and bid her goodbye.

Downstairs, the others were finishing up breakfast. I plonked myself into a seat and began to help myself to porridge sweetened with honey. Penelo drifted through from the kitchen with more coffee and without bothering to ask me (for it would be a pointless question) poured me a generous amount of the dark liquid into a mug.

"Hey guess what? Basch asked me to join you guys today." She beamed.

"Really?" I asked after I had managed to rid my mouth of the sticky oats. Basch gave a single bow of his head as confirmation. "That's great!" Today was getting better by the minute.

"Penelo's natural dexterity will be most helpful in demonstrating how you should move against an opponent." He informed. His eyes drifted to my bandaged hands. "Now has been time enough to allow your muscles to strengthen, you may take a potion when you wish so."

"Thank god. I feel like my arms are going to drop off!" I sighed.

After I had wolfed down my breakfast, I gulped down a potion. It caused the tight pain racking my upper body to be ebbed away before wiping my palms of the ugly sore patches that marred them. I removed my bandages to find the only thing gracing my palm was Belias' glyph. I felt anew and ready for the day ahead. With this newly roused vigour, I snatched up the medic pack, my spear and a backpack of stock we could require for the day.

Because Penelo had joined us we opted to rent two chocobos. The three of us lingered by the pen waiting to be served when Basch turned to Penelo.

"You are sure you can manage?" His tone was sincere. I was sure any other older person may have inadvertently patronized her due to her age.

"My father taught me how to ride. I know how to handle a chocobo well enough." She answered, politely with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Very well. Edie, you will ride with Penelo."

With Penelo and I on one bird and Basch on another, we set off and trailed along the fine sands of the desert. Penelo proved just as skilled as the knight in managing the chocobo and towards the final stretch of our travels she pushed her steed to rip through the sands. As we galloped past Basch she playfully called,

"Sir Basch fon Ronsenburg! I do challenge thee to a contest of speed- try to keep up!"

I clung tight to her narrow waist and looked back over my shoulder to see if he had risen to her challenge. Through the strands of hair that blotted my vision I saw that sure enough he had spurred his chocobo to dash at a greater speed. The distance between us was closing rapidly.

"Here's coming up fast!" I called to her over the roar of the wind to warn her.

Penelo pushed her bird onwards. It was of a bigger build to the knight's due to it having to carry two people yet that didn't seem to deter from Penelo's ability of handling it. I remembered Vaan had once told me she and Reks often used to race for fun and regardless of the class of chocobo, Penelo would always be the first to cross the finish line. Basch pulled his chocobo up so that the two great beasts were neck and neck.

"Do you deem me creditable of riding steeds now, good sir knight?" She called over to him in the same false haughty voice she had used previously. It could have passed for a noblewoman's tone if it weren't for the fact I noticed the laughter in her voice.

"Yes, though I warn you, you have challenged the wrong person!" He hollered back. He suddenly manoeuvred his bird so it ducked into a craggy passageway that had probably formed when the dry ground had cracked and been ripped apart by the desert's harsh weather. He soon disappeared from sight down the off route track.

"I can't see him!" My eyes rapidly scanned the stretch of sand that surrounded us.

"It's okay, he's trying to find a shorter route. He'd only resort to such a thing if he were unsure he'd win."

She whipped the reins and turned the chocobo's haste up a gear. The sand was cast about the hot desert air as the wide-spanned, powerful feet of the bird kicked up the dirt with every speedy step. The jolt and bounce was impossible to become accustom to at this speed as, as soon I was starting to get a grip on it, Penelo changed the chocobo's pace. She rode well, totally unaffected by the sand, the onslaught of the wind and bobbed up and down in rhythm to her steed's steps.

"I can see the river!" I pointed over her shoulder at the flash of liquid blue, flickering under the sun's rays in the horizon.

"And Basch is nowhere in sight!" She giggled gleefully.

As we neared the river, we tore down a stunted sand dune which was caught in the shadow cast by a small cliff. With the sun blotted out momentarily, I was thankful for the cool air that was now beating against my skin. It was easier to withstand than the fiery blast or the regular air. Out of the blue, a thrilled squawk of a chocobo echoed out. It didn't belong to our own bird.

In a crash of sand and feathers our opponent's steed landed from an impressive jump from the short cliff face and didn't falter in keeping its frantic pace. Penelo had to yank hard on her own chocobo's reins in order for her not to collide with the other beast. Our bird jerked to a stop, the force shoving me into Penelo's back. A noise of displeasure curled from the young girl's mouth and she spurred the shocked chocobo onwards in hope to be able to make up the quickly growing distance that Basch was putting in-between us.

By the time we arrived at the river's edge, Basch had dismounted his chocobo and was securing its reins around a tree branch. Penelo and I dropped down from our bird and I offered to tie its reins to nearby branch. As my fingers secured a knot in the thick strips of leather I watched as she approached Basch.

"You're skill for riding be a gift of the gods, Basch." She praised with a shallow bow of her head.

"I assure you 'tis no gift, merely military training. In battle we were always encouraged to source out different routes." He said, dodging her complement quite artfully. I strolled over to join them.

"Well then, shall we get started?" She asked him with a tilt of her head and a smile.

My lesson began with watching Penelo demonstrate how to move against an enemy's assault. Without a weapon and relying on her reflexes and speed, Penelo dodged Bacsh's attacks with all the grace of a dancer. I marvelled as the knight's blade failed at marking its target every single time.

"Wow." I breathed once he had signalled her to stop. "There's no way I can do that!"

"Once you get your footwork right, it's easy enough." Penelo said.

And so began the tedious exercise of teaching me just how I needed to sidestep attacks, afterwards we concentrated on footwork when attacking. It was late in the afternoon when we finally stopped to rest and have something to eat.

"So you're really gonna take Belias on all by yourself?" Penelo asked after she had finished a mouthful of fruit. Her eyes were focused on the glassy water as she spoke.

"Yep. I guess it's the only way he'll start paying attention to me." I shrugged.

"But he was really tough... Fran says if he wins it will be he who gains control." I could tell she was fretting. Her eyes slowly drifted from the water to her hands which were curled in her lap. It was scary thinking that I could become possessed by the dark presence lurking within me but I didn't want to focus on those anxieties and it made me uneasy that she clearly was.

"Oh quit your worrying!" I playfully pushed her to pluck her from her concern. "With you and Basch as my teachers how can I not win?" I smiled warmly. It seemed to work as I noticed a genuine grin take form on her lips.

After lunch, it was time for some trickier manoeuvres. Penelo demonstrated how to use cartwheels, somersaults and back-flips to dodge some attacks. I almost laughed at her when she said I would learn these. I had never been one of those girls who used do cartwheels in the school playground so it was no surprise I was going to fail miserably. I attempted a cartwheel and landed in a heap on the sands. After an hour of repeating, I finally got the hang of it. Basch passed me my spear and I had to repeat performing cartwheels whilst still clutching it in my hands. When I finally managed to perform the move correctly, I was so content that I triumphantly punched the air with my fist.

"Okay, that's the easy one out of the way, now let's try a back-flip." Penelo said. Upon noticing my anxious expression she laughed and said, "Don't worry, I promise you won't land on your face!"

She broke down the movements of the complicated manoeuvre into two steps for me to learn, the jump and the tuck. After an hour of practicing them until I could perform them fast and fluidly enough, it was time to put the two together. Basch, who had been stood not far off observing my efforts with his arms loosely folded over his chest, was called forward with a wave of Penelo's hand. He dutifully came forth.

"Basch and I will spot you while you're doing it so if for some reason you do fall we'll support you. There's nothing to worry about, okay?"

I ignored the fact my limbs were slow and tired from all of my practice and the rapidly forming doubts that were washing my mind with apprehension. I loosely shook my arms and legs to try and rid them of the nagging ache and then nodded my head to show I was ready.

They stood either side of me. Each held a hand to my back, just under my shoulder blades.

"Here we go! Remember to jump up, not back and keep looking forward."

I let out a sharp breath of air and motioned my body to perform a back-flip. In the blink of an eye I was back in position on my feet again, it had been so sudden that I had doubted I had actually done it. Penelo praised me and we repeated the move numerous times until I finally got the hang of it so much that only one of them needed to spot me.

Soon, Penelo stopped helping me tuck my legs in and only supported my back and eventually I could perform one without her help, though she stood at my side for reassurance. From this we went on to cover backward handsprings, one-handed cartwheels and somersaults. With my enthusiasm and confidence high I met the exercises head on with an untiring drive.

The afternoon quickly trickled by and it was once again time to test out my newly acquired skills in a round of sparring. As usual, Basch instigated the session and moved to attack me with his lightweight sword and I successfully dodged it, probably without the grace and flare that Penelo owned but still well enough. I suppose you couldn't really teach such qualities to the likes of me. We sparred until the sun brushed the horizon. With dusk upon us we headed back to Rabanastre, this time there was no race.

Back at the house, Penelo once again retreated into the kitchen to whip something up for the evening meal. Vaan hovered at the kitchen counter chatting with her and stealing scraps of food. It turns out Balthier hadn't wanted any of the others to venture outside the house so as to not to gain any unwanted attention. In order to keep the young thief in the house and out of trouble he had shown him many of the Strahl's manuals and blue prints, which were all wonderfully sketched in styles that ranged from design prints to actual coloured ink drawings. There was page after page of information on the ship's engine, bulkheads and control system to keep Vaan content for the day.

I trudged upstairs to discard my bags and spear when I paused in the hallway. I looked in Fran's room to see that she was out of bed. Better still, not only was she on her feet but she was brushing her snow white locks in front of the mirror. Her hair seemed to cascade down her back even further when it wasn't secured in a high ponytail and without her helm, those feathery sections that framed her face seemed all the more noticeable.

"It worked!" I grinned as I stood at the mouth of her room, my eyes watching the slow, gentle sweeps of the brush over the length of her hair. She turned her head, her hands not pausing in their graceful movements.

"I thank you."

"There's no need to do that, Fran." I shook my head at her.

She returned her attention back to her reflection, yet before I turned to leave her to groom herself, she spoke again.

"Your footsteps are lighter today. Strength, speed and spells are crucial to conquer. The latter one you ought practice."

"How do I practice my magicks, do I have to cast them quicker or something?" She shook her head causing her hair to ripple like white water rapids, my eyes lingered on it.

"Meditation." Was all she offered before falling silent once more.

Despite her declining to become my tutor, she sure seemed helpful. Perhaps she saw how much effort I had put in since Basch had taken me on as his student, though I still had my doubts. There was a niggling thought in the back of my mind telling me perhaps she had an ulterior motive to give me guidance. I was sure it wasn't malevolent but it was prying nonetheless. I shrugged off the bags and plonked them at the foot of the bed. One thing was for sure, I wasn't doing anything until I had had something to eat and a nice long bath.