Standard Disclaimer: Unless Hironobu Sakaguchi handed me the rights, I must continue saying 'I don't own Final Fantasy!'
Author's Notes: Another day, another chapter on my fingers.
To the reviews!
Assamite: Many thanks for pointing the error out; it has been fixed.
The actual history of the moogle will be revealed in this chapter, believe it or not. As for tiring out...that won't happen at this rate. Besides...earlier than usual? My usual rate for writing a chapter is 2-3 days. I wrote the previous chapter in two days. Case in point. ;)
Chigy: Welcome to FFX-3 Chigy! And since you reviewed more than once between chapters (even if it was a bug)...I get to do this! (boots Chigy off a cliff) :P
Fallen Angel of Oblivion: Ah...QUESTIONS:D
Teela can absorb pyreflies to restore her energy...but it is unknown what would happen if she absorbed an Aeon...at the moment. ;)
As for moogles, they have been everything from playable characters to shopkeepers in the FF games...but they only appeared in FFX as dolls. That will change in this fic!
Begin!
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Kupo...kupo kupo...kupopopo!
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Chapter 27: Magic Training
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/1:04ST, Hill East of 7th Heaven Farm, The Mi'ihen Highroad/
East of the 7th Heaven Farm sat a series of grass-covered hills, with a few leaf-covered trees offering some attractive spots for rest and relaxation.
C-Agent #43 was nestled among one of those trees, his monocular peering straight over the stoic walls of the 7th Heaven Farm. He pressed a small, nearly invisible button woven into the suit's fabric near the neck; this activated his suit's com-link function. "C-Agent #59, is the main gate in sight?"
Seconds later, C-Agent #59's voice came into his ear, crisp and clear. "Affirmative. Main gate is in sight. I will notify you if they depart."
"Roger that. Maintain radio silence until either one of us sight them. Over." With that, C-Agent #43 continued his vigilant watch.
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/1:09 ST, Outside the Master's House, 7th Heaven Farm, The Mi'ihen Highroad/
"Wow..." muttered Serena as she stared at the giant expanse around her and the others.
The 7th Heaven farm was a large field closed off by a thick metal wall; this wall had a walkway along its top for the farm's workers to defend the place from fiend attacks. As for the wall's outline, it was shaped like an egg with its western side curving inward. Wooden fences, keeping the male and female Nihorin bulls separate, cordoned off numerous sections of the grass fields inside the farm. On the eastern side of the farm – opposite of the main gate – were two rectangular buildings made of stone. The one on the left was a stable where pregnant females or young Nihorin calves were kept. The one on the right was where the servants and farm workers took up residence.
As for the house that the farm's master resided in, it was basically three thirty-foot-tall stone cylinders – with the smallest (30-feet wide) on top and the largest (65-feet wide) on the bottom – stacked on top of each other with numerous holes carved in them, serving as windows. The bottom of each cylinder was painted with a large red stripe, and above the door was the symbol of the 7th Heaven Farm: a Nihorin bull with angelic wings...and the words '7th Heaven Farm' branded on the chest.
And now, Hirum, Aaron, Teela, Serena, and the moogle were standing behind Josef; he pressed a small button on the side of the door, which sounded a small buzz inside the house. Josef turned to them and said, "He'll be here in a moment."
Hirum and his Guardians stood silently – except Serena, who was making small sounds to show her awe at the place – patiently waiting for the farm's 'master' to approach them.
Suddenly, the wooden door opened...revealing a very familiar figure.
"Well...so you're the ones who fought the Wolf Pack! Who would've thought?" exclaimed the muscular man looking down at them.
Hirum, Teela, and Aaron couldn't believe it. The Al Bhed stuttered, "T-T-T-Taberr?!"
Josef smiled as he said, "Did you not know? The famous Fiend Fighter is the owner of the 7th Heaven Farm."
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/1:15 ST, Richard Kuvod's Office, Luca/
Richard Kuvod frowned as he stared at the evidence in front of him on his desk. A few photographs, some eyewitness accounts that were written verbatim on some paper...not enough to finger the assassin...but enough to establish a lead...and possibly a suspect.
Even though Richard Kuvod was a renowned homicide detective, his domicile was rather plain...believe it or not, he lived in an apartment.
Yes, you heard me. A world-renowned detective, and his dwelling was downright homely. His bedroom was his office, and his closet was full of old files and photographs from past cases. Despite the wealth he accumulated from his biggest cases, he used most of the money to keep up the numerous connections he had...and to purchase food and clothes. The rest was stashed away in case he needed to bribe someone for a favor.
It was a crazy world...and sometimes one had to do crazy things to get what one wanted.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
Kuvod grumbled as he stood up; he was only wearing brown slacks and a white shirt...he wasn't ready for company.
Oh well. He decided to heck with it and opened his front door...to see a Guardsman staring at him with piercing blue eyes. Kuvod blinked out of confusion before saying. "Now to whom do I owe this unexpected visit?"
The Guardsman frowned as he ran an armored hand through his slicked back blonde hair and stared into Kuvod's icy blue eyes with blue eyes that were just as cold. "I am Captain Lutzwin of the Luca Security Force...and you can thank Commissioner Gestohl for assigning me to the Nefrula Assassination case."
Kuvod's mind suddenly put the pieces together; he had received a call late last night about having an experienced Guardsman assigned to help him with the case. Despite his protest, Kuvod had no choice in the matter; otherwise, Gestohl would fire him from the job and hire another detective. It was a lose-lose situation...but at least the former decision gave him a partner.
"Well come in, 'Captain'." Kuvod noted with a wry smirk that Lutzwin scowled as he said 'Captain'. Lutzwin stomped over to the brown, rugged couch – sitting his helmet and V-Staff on the nearest cushion – and faced Kuvod quietly. "So 'detective'...what have you found?"
"Only enough to establish a possible suspect," replied Kuvod as he reached for a paper in his room and handed it to the Captain. "That's a paper of my word-by-word interview with a Guardsman that had been on duty in the Fiend Arena yesterday."
As Lutzwin scanned through it, his eyes narrowed. "He was handed a note by one of the VIPs...and he was instructed to hand it to Naruki Nefrula. The note spoke of a meeting...at the site of the murder."
"Exactly...and this is the clincher." With a smile, he handed Lutzwin a photograph.
A few moments later, Lutzwin's eyes widened with shock. He looked back up at Richard and asked, "How on Spira did you get this?"
"Got some wide-spreading contacts...some go as far as Bevelle." And beyond, not that you need to know everything. Kuvod grinned as he recalled his contact's information. "A contact reported that a particularly skilled individual was hired to spy on Naruki Nefrula by the BTC...reason being was because Naruki's father, Maester Noveos Guado, is the subject of a economic battle between the ABTC and the BTC. Bunch of rumors abounding in Guadosalam about this. This is a photograph that individual took that night." Not that Kuvod was going to mention that this individual was actually Pufro Guado; some things were unmentionable in the world he lived in on a daily basis. Names, locations, past jobs, details of any sort; it was an unwritten rule that discretion regarding such things was paramount. A great deal of confidentiality was taken as a given, for security if nothing else. Otherwise...well, it wouldn't take long for people all over to stop going down as secrets spilled forth and paranoia cannibalized people.
Lutzwin scowled as he tossed the dirty photo away. "Fine then; you have suitable proof for a lead. So...who's her lover?"
Kuvod silently bound a blue tie around his neck and then slipped on his brown trench coat before turning back to Lutzwin. "The man in the picture is Vincent Legate, loyal employee of the FFL...and that's his aerial penthouse in the picture."
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/1:21 ST, Taberr's House, 7th Heaven Farm, The Mi'ihen Highroad/
"Man...who would've thought that you were responsible for saving my place," muttered Taberr as he tore into a medium-rare filet of Nihorin bull steak.
Teela smirked as she poured some red wine into a small chalice. "Who would've figured that you would own a farm?"
"Touché. But these muscles didn't come from nowhere!" With a laugh, Taberr tore into his steak...and then eyed Hirum, Aaron, and Serena, who – save for the latter – were not eating their steak. "What's wrong? You two vegetarians? Eat!"
"Um...we appreciate the hospitality and all," mumbled Hirum as he nudged at the steak with his fork. "But it's kind of unsettling dining with an old enemy."
"Oh, you mean the whole deal with the Fiend Arena?" A raucous laugh escaped Taberr's throat. "Hey, I may be a heartless beast in battle, but bygones are bygones off the field of combat...so eat!"
Hirum looked at Aaron, who shrugged in response. "Hey, I'm not complaining. It's a free meal!" With that said, the Al Bhed tore into his steak.
Well...what the heck? It IS a free meal. With that, Hirum began eating as well.
As they ate, no one noticed the small glance Taberr gave Josef. With that, Josef quietly walked out of the house towards a small shack at the opposite end of the farm.
It was where Taberr kept his guns.
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/1:34 ST, Northern End of the Mi'ihen Highroad/
Three males – teenagers – slowly walked towards a Chocobo rental stable that sat on the right edge of the Highroad. They had just finished traveling all the way from Djose...after all, it was where they had trained before going to the SSoB.
Yes, they were graduates of the Summoner's School of Baaj...as the shiny, golden Eye of Baaj badge pinned to their clothes pointed out.
The teen on the left was 5'8'' tall...and a tad on the muscular side. He wore blue sweatpants and a white shirt, which in turn was covered by a gray vest (which the Eye of Baaj badge was pinned to). Gray, slip-on shoes with an iron tip adorned his feet, and he wore no socks. His three-inch blonde hair was unkempt, with the largest strands hanging over his green eyes. His muscles were hard and defined, while his face had an almost baby-like look to it. Strapped to his forearms were gauntlets with golden rims, as well as embedded rubies; they were 'Focus Gauntlets', used for focusing mana for magical purposes.
The teen on the right was the tallest of the bunch, rounding out to 6 feet tall. His slicked back red hair was only matched in its fieriness by the devil-may-care grin on his face and the cocky glint in his brown eyes. He wore a loose blue shirt (with the Eye of Baaj pinned to it) – long-sleeved with black lines twirling around the arms – and his green shorts went down to his thighs. His body was not as well defined as the aforementioned teen, but he held an aura of tenacity that made up for it. As for shoes...well, he wore no shoes. Strapped to his back was a glaive – a staff with two blades affixed to both ends. The glaive's body was made out of polished Macalania crystal oak, while the two curved blades were made of solid steel, the symbol of Yevon forged and engraved into the very blades themselves.
As for the one in the center, he was the smallest – 5'5'' – but from the way he walked and looked at the two, he was the leader. His lithe, almost thin body was covered by a form-fitting gray bodysuit – covering even his feet. It had the symbol of Yevon – sewed on with black cloth – adorning its thighs, chest and arms. Over his bodysuit was a dark-blue tunic that ended at his knees, and it was tied to his waist by a black sash. On the chest area of the tunic was the symbol of Yevon, except sewed on with white thread. In the very center of the large symbol's 'eye' was the Eye of Baaj badge that signified his status as an SSoB graduate. To complete the ensemble was a black cape tied around his neck by a small, gray rope. His black hair went down to his shoulders, and it often shadowed his face. His pale, blue eyes stared at the field of chocobos beyond the stable. Which one to choose...which one to choose...?
The one on the right groaned as he – with a soft, almost child-like voice – said, "Guys...do we have to ride chocobos? Can't we just summon the Machina Maw and fly to Luca?"
The red-haired teen chuckled as he mockingly – with a cocky, husky voice – replied, "Geez Savin...for such a tough guy, you're a wimp!"
"I'm not a wimp Purga! I just get motion sickness, that's all," muttered the now-named Savin.
"Shut up. Both of you," stated the black-caped male, his harsh, cold tone quieting them both immediately. Purga muttered, "Sorry Terros."
The teen in the black cape sneered as he replied, "Apologies are useless Purga. Savin, suck it up. We're heading to Luca by chocobo, and that's final."
As you might see, Summoner Terros was the head of that party...and he made sure Summoner Purga and Summoner Savin knew it.
The chocobo stable – which was called the 'North Mi'ihen Chocobo Rental' – was basically a small, dome-shaped house where the salesperson was. The large field beyond the house, which held the chocobos themselves, was filled with numerous caretakers that worked in the field themselves. If someone needed a rental, the worker that was next in line to bring a saddle-bearing chocobo to the main house was called via a wireless buzzer attached to their clothing.
Terros walked up to the house window and looked inside. "Hello? Three rentals needed."
A grungy looking man wearing a white shirt with a chocobo face on it stuck his hand out, saying, "900 Gil."
Terros looked back at the others and said, "300 Gil each."
Savin reached into a vest pocket and pulled out thirty 10-Gil coins, while Purga reached into his shorts pocket and pulled out thirty 5-Gil coins and fifteen 10-Gil coins. Terros reached into a small pouch attached to his sash and pulled out twenty 15-Gil coins. "900 Gil."
The man took the Gil and reached under the counter affixed to the window's bottom. He pressed three of fifteen buttons, signaling three of the caretakers to bring one chocobo each.
Two minutes later, three chocobos ran towards them, being ridden by the caretakers. Upon reaching them, the caretakers dismounted. Terros got on the first chocobo, with Purga getting on the second. Savin hesitated.
Purga groaned, "Savin, just get on." He then motioned his chocobo towards Savin before leaning down and whispering into his ear. "You don't want to get Terros mad again."
Savin moaned as he slowly mounted his bird. "Okay...but if I hurl, it'll be your fault."
"Fair enough," casually replied Terros as they set off southward, leaving Djose and Mushroom Rock Canyon behind them. Two Aeons. Now for Luca. His Pilgrimage would be decidedly swift; after all, given his stature, it was only natural that he was fated to defeat Sin.
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/1:41 ST, Outside of Taberr's House, 7th Heaven Farm, The Mi'ihen Highroad/
Aaron sighed as he patted his belly with content, stepping out of the house into the light of the rising sun. "Ah...that'll hold me till lunch!"
Meanwhile, Teela was perched atop of Taberr's house, her hands holding the chalice of red wine mixed with shoopuff sap; a cheap Elixir, as she had once put it. Her gray eyes were staring quietly at Hirum and Serena, who were standing about twenty yards away.
Meanwhile...
"Okay Serena...you're sure you want my help?" asked Hirum, his tone as soft as he could manage.
The young girl nodded slowly – after all, the moogle was on her head – before saying, "Yep. Aaron told me to ask you."
The summoner sighed as he kneeled down in front of her. "Well...let me tell you this; I am no teacher, I know next to nothing about psychic magic...and I have some problems with magic myself..."
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/Three Years, Four Months Ago, Summoner's School of Baaj/
A 14-year old Hirum sighed as a younger Yaima wiped his forehead with a wet cloth. "Now Hirum...this is the last time. If you fail this, I'll have no choice but to move you to a course geared solely towards Black Magic."
"I understand sir." Hirum couldn't help but mentally wince; his difficulties with White Magic were the stuff of legend already amongst the SSoB (no thanks to Kaibo and his big, stinking mouth!).
Yaima smiled briefly before moving a man with a bleeding arm toward him. "Now Hirum...focus the mana within your body. Channel it. Your mind is the deciding factor. Your mind decides what magic the mana will manifest. Think of white magic for curing his arm. Guide the mana into the arm, healing it as is proper."
Hirum sighed as pointed his left hand at the bleeding arm and began thinking of white magic...thinking of curing it...but he thought of the red blood...red...red fire...
"Cure."
Instead of a violet-white aura coating the man's arm, a fireball emerged from his finger and torched the arm. The man screamed. "AAAGH!"
Yaima groaned as he pointed his staff at the man and said, "Water." A torrent of water coated his burning arm, dousing it immediately. As Yaima began conjuring a Cura spell, he looked at Hirum and said, "Well...no more White Magic courses for you. Starting tomorrow, you move to the Black Mage Training Curriculum."
Hirum dejectedly said, "Yes sir."
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/Present/
Hirum shook his head as he remembered that day; he had never really been good with White Magic. Bringing his mind back to the present, he looked at Serena and asked once more. "You sure?"
Serena nodded. The moogle said, "Kupo!"
That knocked Hirum out of 'Teacher mode'. He looked silently at the moogle and asked, "By the way, I never asked...where'd you find this guy?"
"He was buried in the ground near where Aaron left me," replied Serena as she stroked the little creature behind the ears. The moogle cooed affectionately in response, causing Serena to giggle.
Hirum, meanwhile, was frowning. Odd...moogles only set down in groups. Why was this guy alone?
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Before we continue, a little background on the moogles must be given.
Around the year 5 A.S.D – very shortly after the Second Dawn – Macalania Forest died.
As it had been predicted, Macalania Forest lost its luster. The crystals lost their shine as the trees wilted away. Quakes that originated within the forest created deep crevices that led deep below the land. Macalania Forest became a no-man's land, resulting in the creation of a transportation system that took people ABOVE the forest when traveling between the Thunder Plains, Bevelle, and the Calm Lands.
The land that had once been the most beautiful in Spira was gone. All that was left were several hundred crystalline seeds, all of which had been used to grow the Crystal Oak Grove: a protected patch of land east of the Thunder Plains. It was where the rich got their supply of Macalania crystal oak.
That was the sad tale of Macalania Forest. Eventually, a dense fog arose over the remains of the forest, keeping it hidden from all those who saw it.
That's when the moogles appeared.
In the year 27 A.S.D, the first moogles had emerged from the depths of the dead forest. It had been regarded as an impossibility by many...but old tales recalled that strange creatures would appear when the forest died. Such tales were old...VERY old. It was the influence behind the moogle doll...and now the creature the doll had been based on had reappeared.
Moogles spread out from Macalania, flocking to various portions of Spira. Half a year later, they had returned to Macalania, drifting into the fog. Then, half a year later, they would flock away from Macalania once more.
The cycle continued on, never ceasing.
But recently, the size of the flocks had been decreasing...
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"Hirum!"
Hirum was snapped back to reality by Serena. "Oh. Sorry...I was thinking about something. So...you needed to ask something?"
"Teach me how to control my...psychic powers...I think that's what Aaron called them," replied Serena, her voice low and quiet.
Hirum sighed; she wasn't going to stop asking. "Okay...here we go." He stood back up to his full height, moving a few feet away before taking a deep breath. No pressure Hirum. "Now listen...first we try to relax. So take some deep breaths."
Hirum inhaled, causing his chest to puff out. Serena, although confused, followed suit. The moogle stared on quietly.
"Now we exhale. Let all the air out." Hirum exhaled, as did Serena.
"Good...now...focus your mind on what kind of magic you want to use. Allow me to demonstrate." Hirum held his left hand out, palm up. "The trick is saying the actual word...it doesn't really do anything, but it immediately brings the spell you want to mind as you channel the magic within your body into your palm. So if I say...Blizzard!" At that moment, an orb of frigid vapor appeared in his hand, hovering quietly before Hirum threw onto the ground. The result was a circular patch of ice five-feet wide. "If I say 'blizzard', my mind immediately thinks about...?" He paused, waiting to see if Serena would get it.
She did. "A blizzard..." she stated, as if astonished at the simplicity of it all.
"Right. Very skilled mages can do it reflexively without an incantation, but the use of the spoken word is so prominent amongst mages that our minds are quite geared towards that style of spellcasting." Hirum smiled; this was simpler than he thought it would be! "Alright...you're relaxed...now think about the magic you want to use. Think about psychic magic."
Serena quietly closed her eyes, thinking about it...even though she didn't know what it looked like, the image of a purple-colored ray appeared in her head. "..."
"Channel your mana...and then say the word that pops to mind. Ready?" asked Hirum as he subconsciously backed away, fearing the possible result.
After a few moments of silence, Serena placed her hands on her head calmly...and a purple aura surrounded her cranium. "Alright...you're doing it!" cheered Hirum.
Over near Taberr's house, Aaron was watching quietly, amazed at the progress Serena was making...and without an M-R Visor to boot!
On the roof, Teela was sipping her homemade Elixir, her eyes watching the summoner and guardian quietly. This'll be interesting...
The wavy aura around Serena's head began to sharpen into focus; the blurry edges became more curved and defined. She was thinking of the word that had come to mind: Psybeam.
"Keep it up...once you feel you've drawn in appropriate amount of magic, guide it out of your body and towards your target!" instructed Hirum.
As the moogle slowly floated above Serena's head, the young Psy Mage opened her eyes and asked, "How do I do that?"
Her concentration was lost. With nowhere else to go, the magic left out through the nearest source; Serena.
-Psychic Magic Technique: Psybeam-
Serena yelped as a purple ray of psychic magic leapt from her forehead, colliding with the nearest sentient being in front of her: Hirum.
The summoner screamed as the Psybeam struck his head, sending him to the ground as a headache suddenly took over. With a groan, Hirum looked back and wearily said, "Did I forget to mention you have to concentrate to keep the mana in?" Then he passed out.
Aaron gaped at the sight. "...okay..."
Meanwhile, Teela was keeled over, laughing her heart out.
Through all this confusion, no one noticed Josef walking back towards the house with a small pouch in his hand.
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/2:11 ST, Outside Tabber's House, 7th Heaven Farm, The Mi'ihen Highroad/
"...oy...my head..." Hirum's mind felt murky...unfocused...unclear...
SLAP!
"OW!" The slap to the face brought everything back into focus. Hirum sat up, seeing Teela, Aaron, Serena (with a slightly wet face), and the moogle around him. "Okay...first thing's first; how long have I been out?"
"Around ten minutes," replied Aaron.
"Okay." Then Hirum turned to Teela, an unamused look in his eyes. "And I suppose I have you to thank for the red mark on my face?"
"Guilty as charged." A smirk crossed Teela's face as she said this.
Suddenly, Hirum heard Serena...sobbing. He turned towards her just in time to hear her repeatedly say, "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry please don't send me away I want to still be your guardian I'M SORRY-!"
"WHOA!" yelled Hirum, stopping Serena's sob-wracked rambling in its tracks. "Hey hey hey...calm down. You're still my guardian...people make mistakes all the time. Okay? At least yours was unintentional," he added with a glare directed at Teela.
Teela scowled as she snapped at him with two words. "Bite me."
Serena wiped away the tears with her black shirt's sleeve, slowly calming herself down. "Okay...thank you..."
"This little melodrama is good and all..."
Everyone turned around to face Taberr, who was offering a hand to Hirum. "And you were a great help with beating the Wolf Pack and all...but unless you plan to buy a Nihorin bull me, you'd all better leave. Not that you haven't been pleasant company and all, but I am quite wary of housing an impertinent thief for too long a time, you get my point?"
Aaron sighed as he stood up. So much for hospitality.
Hirum let Taberr pull him up, not noticing the former FFL champion stick something onto his robe's sleeve. It was small...and unnoticeable. "Okay...now get out. And for what it's worth, have a good trip."
Teela snorted as she passed the muscular man by, already making her way towards the 7th Heaven Farm's main gate. Hirum quietly passed him by, as did Aaron. As Serena passed – with the moogle on her head – she cheerfully said, "Thanks for the free meal!"
"You're very welcome little girl," replied Taberr with a smile as she followed the other three out. The moogle happily chirped, "Kupo!"
As they left, Josef stepped up beside Taberr and asked, "What was that you had me get from the shack?"
"A tracker; bought a bunch of them for my guns, in case they got stolen. I slipped one onto that kid..." He sighed as he watched them disappear beyond the gate. "I respect Teela as a fighter...but she's a thief nonetheless. And if anyone comes by asking about her...I'll let them know how to find her."
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/2:18 ST, The Mi'ihen Highroad/
"So, we continue heading that way?" asked Serena as she pointed northward along the Highroad.
Hirum nodded. "That's right...but unfortunately, the Elemental Dragon's power hasn't recharged yet...so we'll have to walk until we get to the nearest chocobo stable."
"I knew we should've taken a hovercraft," muttered Aaron as he wiped some sweat off of his forehead.
Teela suddenly stopped...then pointed ahead of them. "I think those guys are heading for us."
"Who?" Hirum looked further along the Highroad, noticing three chocobos running towards them. He squinted to try and bring the figures into focus...and when he did, he nearly felt like collapsing to the ground. "Oh crap...it's them."
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Dang. That girl packs a punch.
That's putting it mildly.
...does something trouble you?
No. I just strikes me as odd that a summoner can have a summoner as a guardian.
You have to admit, it does sound like a perk.
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To be continued...
Next time...
Chapter 28: Triple Threat
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Author's Notes: I have one thing to say; the Aeon of Djose Temple makes an appearance in the next chapter.
I think that'll generate enough buzz. :P
Please review, and see you next time!
