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Chapter 35: Flying and Sneezing

Penelo groaned as she stretched her muscles behind Vaan. She caught Larsa throwing her a glance but when she accidentally met his blue eyes, he blinked and broke the gaze. She sighed now, waving her arms forlornly as she walked alongside Vaan now. Vaan, who in fact had been throwing dagger looks at the other member of their party as they trekked the Giza Plains. It had been a few hours since they left Rabanastre at dawn, with Yvelle and another added member to their party: Ashe.

When the messenger did not return two nights ago from Jahara, Larsa decided that maybe it was best if he went there himself. The Garif know of him and would probably allow him passage once more. Basch, Penelo and Vaan were quick to say they would follow him, and Yvelle just followed Penelo, so she was to go to. It had been settled that they would go as quickly as possible and they had left just that morning, intending to cross the Giza Plains until noon. They knew the terrain well enough and Yvelle would be able to learn some things while killing off the beasts that roamed there. They also decided not to rent chocobos until later, since their number might cause some attention; it was better to go barefoot. They had barely left through the South Gate when a cloak-clad figure went running after them revealing none other than the Queen of Dalmasca under it. Larsa had been surprised when Ashe asked to accompany him in this journey, saying she wished to repay him for his help and she thought that coming with him on his journey, like what he did with her was the right payment. Penelo had smiled then, knowing full well what she really meant but Basch had vocalized what was Vaan's disapproval.

'Who shall guard Dalmasca while the Queen is gone?' he had asked her this lightly enough but there was a hint of firmness there that did not go unnoticed. Ashe had answered in a cold tone she was famous for; she answered that there was a decoy left at Dalmasca, who looked like her, and she had left General Venitol to watch over things. She also added that the Marquis had been informed of her plans and knew of her decision to follow Larsa. The Marquis Ondore had been quick to assure her that he will keep an eye out for the kingdom.

'Dalmasca has no need for a lazy royal at the throne at the moment.' Ashe had said to no one in particular. 'Besides, what I am doing is not only for the Empire but for Ivalice. My kingdom is no exception. I have no wish for her to fall under incapable hands once more.'

Only Ashe could say something like that and still remain a sense of all her pride. She did ask Larsa if she would accept her help and Larsa had barely said yes when she walked pass them and proceeded to leave the city to enter Giza Plains.

The Giza Plains was a vast savannah spreading from the south of the royal city of Rabanastre, the environs of the Plains changing drastically from dry to rainy seasons.

Large dark crystals lie scattered here and during the dry, they absorbed the sun's radiance and glow with a brilliance.

A village of nomadic borders is located near the middle of the grasslands. During the Rains however, the villagers relocate to the mountains.

However, since it was the Dry season, the party had been able to cross through the savannah easily enough, and thanks to Vaan and Penelo's experience in catching the energy from the dark crystals to make sun stones, the party had been able to make some spare gil selling the stones to the nomadic village as they passed by. Vaan had asked Penelo to help him make sunstones to avoid thinking about her little fight with Larsa (the time she slapped him) and he needed something to distract him. Since Penelo was not in a talkative mood and he did not know Yvelle well enough not counting that Basch was definitely not the person to whom you could chat the day away, Vaan welcomed the occupation. Not that he did not sneak glances towards a certain queen and emperor along the way.

Ashe carried her own pack and a weapon was concealed underneath her cloak, but otherwise, she said nothing until they were well enough away from the city and the eyes of passing travelers. And Vaan, since then had been brooding about her joining them, though he was careful to not let Penelo see it. Now when Vaan realized Penelo was too distracted with her own problems to care despite finishing a great number of sunstones, he was free to grumble about it all through out the morning as Larsa and Ashe talked about politics, Basch close behind them, Penelo in her depressed mood, and Yvelle hovering shyly behind them, speaking only when spoken to and never really saying anything at all.

"Remind me again why I agreed she come with us?" Vaan growled under his breath as he glared at Ashe again, who surprisingly was not glaring back. Penelo sighed and just looked at Larsa walking alongside Ashe. Vaan, after realizing that Penelo had not heard any of his questions, followed her gaze.

'Look,' Vaan began exasperatedly, 'Why don't you just apologize for slapping him already and stop all this awkward silence?" he hissed at her, throwing an arm around her shoulders and looking at her downcast eyes.

'I did,' Penelo answered in a dejected voice, not meeting Vaan's eyes.

'And?' Vaan prompted. Penelo sighed again. 'He said it didn't matter, but now he's avoiding me.'

Vaan pulled away from Penelo to look at her disbelievingly. 'How can he be avoiding you if he's just right there?" he asked with a voice that carried a bit too loud that it attracted attention from the others.

'Vaan!" Penelo chastised, grabbing his head and pinning it with her arm. A rather great feat, since Vaan was taller than her. 'You wouldn't understand these things! It takes time!"

Vaan struggled to get out of her grasp, when he did, he ruffled his hair back into its casual mess. 'What's not to understand?" he scoffed. 'You had a fight and now you have to make up. It's that simple.'

'Oh really?' It was Penelo's turn to raise her eyebrows. 'That's what you do with your relationships, don't you?'

'What-?' Vaan started in a bewildered tone but Penelo's pointed stare at Ashe's back made Vaan flush red and growl incomprehensibly under his breath.

Penelo flashed him a smug grin, suddenly all cheerful again. 'See, you can't go around giving advice to people you don't do yourself.' She teased and Vaan just rolled his eyes at her.

'You know Penelo…' he started but was interrupted by Basch's rough voice. 'We shall rest here for a moment.' He said indicating the roughly shaded area were they were, south from the encampment and away from stray beasts.

'Now?' Ashe spoke up for the first time since she joined them. She had not said much, but she looked cheerful, perhaps even enthusiastic at being able to travel once more. Perhaps she had been locked away at the Palace for too long, Penelo had thought to herself but she said nothing as she sat upon a rock to ease her feet. She had not changed to her traveling boots and the sandals were not shoes made for heavy walking. She would have to buy some at Jahara. Ashe meanwhile continued to look at Basch confusedly.

'Why should we rest now? I am certainly not tired, if you are wondering this…' but she stopped dead when Basch ignored her and just looked over to Yvelle who had been walking a distance away from them, and waited for her to come over.

'Is there something wrong?' Yvelle said in a soft voice when she caught up, catching one of her blue locks and tucking it behind her ear.

'We are just resting for now,' It was Larsa, however who answered. ' We have a lot terrain to cross before we reach our destination." and Yvelle nodded, almost unseen before looking back out of the plains. She had practically lived here before she entered Rabanastre and knew it well.

'If you desire water, or more shade, I know a spot just next to the Crystal Glade. It is close enough to the entrance of Ozmone, so we would not be straying from the path.' She said over her shoulder, not bothering to look at them because she knew if she would meet anybody's eyes right now, she would blush scarlet.

Silence greeted her remark and Yvelle was thankful she had not turned around. It was best that no one saw her embarrassment. However, it was Vaan's voice that made her look at them, and she was surprised at his tone as well as his words.

'You know this place?'

Yvelle looked back at them, curious as to why they all seemed to have a look of incredulity on their faces but she answered Vaan's question all the same.

'Yes.'

Yvelle was more surprised at Vaan's reply to her answer, "But I thought you did not travel!", which earned him a smack on the arm by Penelo and Yvelle had to struggle to hide her smile. To think she would actually amaze Vaan, one of the most reputed hunters in Ivalice!

'I mean, that's what Montblanc told me,' Vaan had been quick to add.

Yvelle gave a shake of her head. 'I'm not a very good hunter, but I travel and have seen some of the places you guys have visited during your travels.' She shrugged sheepishly when she caught herself almost praising them and said, 'I have heard of nothing but your travels during the War and how many people met you but didn't know you. It's strange,' Yvelle found herself adding. 'Now everybody knows you but you still go unnoticed.'

She earned quite a few smiles here and there, especially from Vaan and Penelo.

'Yeah well,' Vaan shrugged in an attempt to be modest, but Yvelle could see he was pleased with her remarks. 'It helps to be this young, right Penelo?' he turned to look at Penelo who had a friendly smile on her face for Yvelle.

'Nobody really expects people who look like us to be hunters. We still look like street children and it helps when we want to avoid attention. It gets harder now though, since Clan Centurio is expanding and more and more people see us. Basch gets it easier.' Penelo pointed over her shoulder to Basch who had not said a word since Yvelle came up. He merely raised his eyebrow at Penelo's statement and she sighed at him.

'Ignore him,' she whispered to Yvelle. 'He gets grumpy when he travels at day. You'll get used to him.'

Yvelle's answer was another smile. She really did not understand the Judge Majister's behavior early throughout the day, and since Captain Sephyr had returned to Archades by order of the Emperor, Yvelle really did not have anybody to talk to.

'Too bad that Balthier isn't here to push his buttons.' Vaan added his voice to their whispered conversation. 'Those are always fun to watch.'

Penelo giggled into her hand and quickly explained to Yvelle who exactly Balthier was. She need not bothered. Yvelle knew the stories and knew the sky pirate and his Viera companion as well as the rest of the party. She told Penelo and Vaan this and they looked surprised.

'People really do talk about us huh?" Vaan asked, rubbing the back of his neck and looking quite unsure how to digest this information. 'They know all about us now.'

Penelo had nodded gravely beside them that Yvelle wanted to reassure them that their privacy had not been completely taken away.

'Not really,' Yvelle said rubbing her arm. ' There are quite a few versions of your story that might be interesting for you to hear."

That got their attention. Vaan was starting to like Yvelle since she did not act all snobbish towards him and Penelo and treated them like how any of their friends did, like normal people.

'Oh?' Penelo asked her eyes twinkling. 'We would like to hear those, won't we Vaan?' she looked over to Vaan who nodded absently, noticing that Ashe was frowning towards them. Penelo had to nudge him a few times to see if he was listening to what Yvelle was saying and he only returned his eyes to them once Ashe was really scowling, trying to hide it though, and Vaan had a wide smile on his own face even when Larsa told them it was time to move and when Penelo invited Yvelle to stay closer to them.

XOXOXOX

The party made good time, crossing the Giza Plains. They entered Ozmone Plain about an hour after noon and they happened across travelers crossing over to go to Rabanastre riding in chocobos.

The Ozmone Plain was a wide region in Bancour bordering Dalmasca. Mostly tall grasses, though here and there, in view were volcanic rock formations.

In the past, a great battle was fought in the skies over Ozmone Plain. The decaying airshipswrecks punctuating the plains are monuments to the carnage once wrought there. Now however, it was only a passageway for travelers unable or unwilling to use private or public airships as means to get to Rabanastre. As the travelers the party met at the border of Ozmone and Giza.

It was Ashe who suggested that they would make better time if they offered to return the chocobos to the stables at Jahara rather than have the travelers wait for the chocobo-attendant to come fetch the birds. The travelers seemed to appreciate this and after a few seconds of exchanging gil, the party was mounted on the golden yellow birds and galloping across the plain.

Since there were only four chocobos, two of the members of their party had to ride with another one. Ashe had been quick to claim a chocobo for her own and Vaan had grabbed his own to catch up with her as she sped out first. That left Yvelle, Basch, Larsa and Penelo. Penelo immediately offered to ride with Yvelle since the latter might not know how to ride one, and since Basch was Larsa's guard, it was only natural that he'd go with the young Emperor. But then when Yvelle had announced she was perfectly capable in handling a chocobo, it certainly caused some problems since Larsa seemed keen to avoid riding with Penelo at all costs. But in the end, the arrangement was made that Yvelle and Penelo together, while Larsa rode with Basch. That was before things turned for the worse.

Halfway across the Plain and a little behind Vaan and Ashe, who seemed to be having a race to see who was faster, Basch had started sneezing violently that he could no longer hold onto the chocobo's reins. The sneezes became so violent that the poor chocobo became so agitated that it ruffled up his feathers making Basch sneeze more and veer off course, with a panicking Larsa clutching his waist, desperate to stay on the bird.

When Penelo and Yvelle had gotten over their laughter, (Ashe and Vaan were still at their little race), Yvelle suggested shyly that perhaps she should drive the other chocobo, in order to keep it not getting all agitated again. And since she did not know the Emperor very well, Larsa should switch and ride with Penelo. This suggestion was met with red faces from both the female hunter and the Emperor. Only when Basch had started to sneeze again did Larsa agree and switched places with Yvelle.

XOXOXOX

"Are you feeling better?" Yvelle asked over her shoulder to Basch who had a mask over his mouth in order not to inhale the scent of the chocobo. She had made it out of some cloth she would normally use for bandage in her pack and offered it to Basch to stop his sneezing. The poor Judge Majister had already been red about the nose and ears when he had fallen off the chocobo earlier and this was the best solution Yvelle could offer him, until they reach Jahara where she hoped there was some medicine to stop his sneezing.

The former Captain merely nodded since he knew his voice would sound thick when he spoke. His allergies of chocobos had not risen in a while and he had hoped they had disappeared when he first took the medicine a Nu Muo had given him almost four years past. That last battle with Lord Rasler had almost brought his own distraction, as the pollen from the chocobo feathers gave him a reaction. If he had not been rescued by Vossler at that moment, perhaps he would not have survived that battle in the first place.

Right now, he cursed his allergies. As a child he had been taught that there was no room for weakness, no room for tears, and definitely no room for something as trifle as allergies. So how was he supposed to know that when he joined the Dalmascan Order of knights more than ten years past, as Gurdy the moogle handed him a wild chocobo to tame, he would develop a bad case of allergies known to hume kind?

Memories of trying desperately to staunch this allergy had been to no avail and Basch even remembered making the late King Raminas laugh at his antics. The Lady Ashe had been a child when he first joined and she too had found it horrifyingly amusing at the thought that a soldier of his caliber could be brought down by something as cute and fluffy as a chocobo. It was also thanks to the Lady Ashe why King Raminas had come up with the idea of using war trained chocobos in the first place. A nightmare for Basch. It was only thanks to careful breeding of the birds inside the Palace Walls and constant drinking of the medicine whenever Basch came into contact with one did Basch survive.

During their travels, Basch had been most discreet about his affliction and even the Lady Ashe forgot he had it, as she was always enraptured at the sight of the bright sunshine yellow birds whenever they pass a stable. Also during those times, the Judge Majister had been able to keep a stock of the medicine that only got depleted as they had approached the time to get unto the Bahamut. He had not thought to resupply over the years, and being surrounded by airships in Archadia did not ask Basch to avoid chocobos. Oh, how he regretted that now.

Xoxoxox

"Do you seriously think you can ride that bird?" Vaan asked skeptically as his voice cut through the wind, giving the chocobo another healthy pat to increase its speed and to catch up alongside Ashe whose hood had come off her face and upon it she bore a look of utter concentration.

"What makes you think I ride?" Ashe's voice was shrill as her words slapped across the air. Vaan gave her a curious look, his mouth half-open in wonder, before Ashe reared the chocobo and sped, creating a cloud of dust that Vaan sufficiently inhaled.

"I fly!!"

Ashe spurned her chocobo faster, hastily feeding it berries when she felt the bird falter. She had always known how to control these chocobos, even to the point of wanting to relinquish everything she was born to do to put up her own chocobo stables and put Gurdy's to shame. That was when she was still a little girl and her mother had been born. Unlike any other kingdom like Nabradia or the self-titled empire of Archadia, the power of Dalmasca rested in its Queen. When Queen Amalia was taken by the Great Plague, King Raminas demanded that the Princess Ashe was to be trained quickly and rigorously to hasten her ascend to the throne. It was he who also decided that when she reached the age of 16, she was to marry a noble and rule Dalmasca.

Ashe did spend time with the chocobos during her training but they became fewer and fewer as she grew older. When she was fifteen, and barely a year left before she was to marry, King Raminas discovered how many late nights she spent in sneaking to the stables. Immediately the King demanded the chocobos to be raised somewhere else. Though it had been a tremendous relief for Basch that only a few chocobos were being sent to the palace, Ashe had been devastated. Only when her father reminded her that as an heir to the throne she should abandon whatever other dream she had to fulfill that duty.

Five months later, King Raminas introduced her to Prince Rasler of Nabradia and she had forgotten all her thoughts about chocobo stables and focused in her kingdom and her people. Only when the opportunity arose during her earlier travels with Vaan and the others did she allow herself the liberty of riding a chocobo again, and she had been discreet, almost reluctant even.

Now, riding in Ozmone Plain, doing nothing but fulfilling a favor owed to a friend, her kingdom for once taken care of by someone else, Ashe felt free and in control of her own life. With Vaan in another chocobo looking at her so skeptically, she felt the desire to show him that she could be something other than that of his sovereign, that she could be as fun as Penelo or as interesting as Fran and be as mysterious as Yvelle.

Ashe felt compelled to ride faster and faster to actually feel the wind whip her hair, to actually run out of breath with laughter. For once she wanted to live!

"Ashe!!" Vaan's voice was faint and faraway as Ashe galloped across the country side, not even bothering to look behind her.

"Ashe!" Vaan called again and this time Ashe turned to look at him trying in vain to catch up with her. It was no use, since she had a head start and she found herself laughing again. Laughing was she so hard that she did not register the look of positive alarm on Vaan's face until he yelled at her again.

"Watch out!!"

Ashe turned to look at where he was pointing as the chocobo gave a squawk of alarm. There was a deep depression ahead and at the rate that Ashe was going the chocobo might not be able to stop and both she and the bird would land into some serious injury. With a desperate grab at the reins, Ashe frantically pulled at the chocobo, trying to steer at the right away from danger. The chocobo had been so intent at running forward that it took it a few seconds to register what Ashe wanted it to do. A few seconds that barely cost Ashe as the bird turned sharply to the right at the brink of the cliff and totter to the ground at the intensity of the exercise Ashe made it go through.

She tried to clutch at the reins to steady the bird, but the chocobo seemed intent in letting itself go and not follow anymore orders that it did purposely fall to the ground, and without any support, Ashe fell first, the chocobo threatening to land on top of her.

"STOP!" a masculine voice cut through the air and Ashe sneeked a peek between her raised arms to see that the chocobo had been stopped magically in mid-fall and Vaan who had dismounted his own bird had an arm raised, his gauntlet glowing blue.

Ashe pulled herself up gingerly, crawling most ungracefully from under the shadow of the chocobo that Vaan had cast Time Magicks to, brushing her hair away from her face and looking embarrassedly at Vaan.

Vaan meanwhile was looking at the chocobo suspended on mid air. "Are you all right?" he asked her, but not meeting her eyes and continued to examine the chocobo.

"Quite all right," she answered softly.

This time Vaan looked at her when she spoke in a soft voice but his face said nothing. Instead, he waved his hand again and the magick was released and the bird fell to the ground in a not so pleasant bump.

Both Ashe and Vaan flinched at the sound of the thud, but the chocobo merely pushed itself up and like Vaan's own bird, started pecking the ground like overgrown chickens. Vaan approached the chocobo.

"It seems to be all right," he said over his shoulder to Ashe who, for a lack of a better thing to do, picked up her pack and cloak that had fallen out of the bird's saddle.

"That's good," she answered him, fastening the cloak about her.

"So," Vaan said, turning to lookat her, his arms folded and his face showing pure concentration. "Flying did not turn out so well huh?" he asked seriously that it took Ashe a few seconds to register his jest.

When she did however, she giggled and that made Vaan look at her with a strange look. It was so ridiculous that it made Ashe go from giggling to laughter. Vaan, on the other hand had never heard her laugh like that and to see and hear her clear laughter made him join in a few moments later. The two of them were still laughing when the rest of the party pulled up with them, all of them looking at the pair with curious looks.

"Is everything all right?" Penelo asked from atop one chocobo. "Why have you stopped?"

"Ashe decided to fly instead," Vaan said through his laughter and that only made him laugh more.

Penelo merely rolled her eyes exasperatedly and sighed. "Come on, if you're done flying, Jahara is just around the corner." She steered her chocobo to the right and Vaan and Ashe saw Larsa sitting behind Penelo, his hand firmly secured on the saddle.

"Why aren't you riding with Basch, Larsa?" Vaan asked curiously as he went to get his and Ashe's chocobos.

To his surprise, it was Yvelle who answered, and not without a single drop of humor on her voice.

"A slight complication," was what she answered and it was Ashe who saw the mask on Basch's face and she suddenly remembered why Basch avoided chocobos.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said with an apologetic tone. "I am afraid I forgot, Basch."

Silence greeted this apology. Everybody looked at her with faintly surprised looks, and even Basch, the part of his face that was not covered with a mask had the look in his eyes.

Only when the chocobos began to ruffle their feathers in impatience again and Basch hurriedly clamping the mask onto his face to prevent from inhaling anything that would make him react did Ashe mount the other chocobo and the party once again hurried to Jahara without any more delay.