Chapter 38: A Well-Beaten Path
A/N: This is probably going to be one of those "full-circle" chapters. No, not in the sense that a lot of things get resolved, but it is going to be one that deals with a lot of the plot points that have come up so far.
TCBT
Am I dead?
That's the first thing that comes to mind as I find myself in a world of black. I test my fingers, but find that even that small of a physical effort is an eternity of pain shoved into one second. I question as to whether or not I'm in hell. Is this my punishment for not believing in god or whatever? Or was I just an all-around bad person? I mean, I am a liar, a thief, a hypocrite...
But while my body does feel like it's on fire, there aren't any actual flames: unless some demon or something gouged my eyes out.
Or is this just what it feels like to be a Heartless? Forever trapped in a world of darkness and pain... Did Sora and Kairi experience this? Did Rei have to live through it before her Nobody took her heart back? Is this what King Mickey is going through now?
Even though it hurts way too much, I lift my arm about a foot off the bed, bringing my hand up to my face. And when it gets there I find that there's a cool, wet rag that's covering my eyes. Slowly, I pull it off and let it slide onto the pillow beside my head. Then I quickly slam my eyes shut as the daylight in the room assaults my eyes.
After a few seconds, I experimentally open them. Growing used to the light, the opportunity to evaluate my surroundings is taken. Rick is in what he might guess to be a doctor's office. To my right is a window, the source of the light that initially pained me, and to the left is another bed that is empty. On the other side of that, though, is a third bed that has a little kid in it. I'd say he's maybe ten years old. He is also asleep. There's a girl sitting in a chair beside the bed. She has grey hair that's been put up into a rather hasty bun. Her choice of clothing is rather unique, but looks familiar all the same.
It's not something that I've seen on Gaia, though, as it's white robes not unlike what Hermione was wearing when I saw her last (except these are white and hers were black). The white is outlined with some soft greens and the collar is pink, but again it's mostly just plain old white.
Biting back the gasp of pain, I sit up in the bed, unnoticed by the girl as she continues to watch the sleeping boy. I'd place the girl in either her late teens or early twenties, so this kid she's watching probably isn't hers. I'd say it's a sibling, or some other form of relation. They definitely look like they might be related.
When the sheet falls from my chest, I realize that I'm not naked, but I'm not wearing those hideous paper gown things that people on Earth are forced into. Maybe it's because Gaia isn't as adept at sterilization and whatnot. (Provided this is still Gaia. You honestly never know. I could have had my heart taken and then be transported to another world or something as a result.) Regardless, Rick is dressed in a simple white undershirt and, after peeking under the sheet, a matching pair of white boxer shorts: which would be fine if I wore boxers.
Finding that the more I move, the quicker the pains fade, I slowly get out of the bed. Surprisingly, I can actually stand without falling over, even if the hunger pains in my stomach are enough to knock me to the floor. Stumbling around the room, I wander over to a coat rack where there are a couple of blue robes. These are the type of robes that you wear over pyjamas, and not the ones that you wear at Wizard schools.
The girl is now actively watching me at this point, but doesn't say anything when I slip the robe on. Tightening the belt with a minimum of wincing, I walk past her and down a nearby flight of stairs.
Perhaps I should mention at this point that I am still covered in scabbed over cuts and that my stomach is still burning when I move. (It's probably due to the whole getting stabbed twice in the span of a week thing, and that the first stabbing was never correctly treated...) Catching a glimpse of my reflection in the glass of a picture frame (which I'm surprised to see, as Alexandria, Lindblum, and Ascantha all still use oil paintings and those big banner things, although that was just in the castles), I see that my face is covered with dried and crusty scabs as well, with one that runs from my collar bone up to just under my right eye. It must be terribly deep or have missed that big artery thing in my neck, though, because I'm pretty sure that when people have their throats cut open they bleed to death. Either way, it's pretty disturbing to see myself looking like some sort of Frankenstein monster or something.
And don't even get me started on my complexion. I've avoided discussing it in the past, but seeing as how my diet lately has consisted of pieces of cacti and the occasional other edible plant (found courtesy of Fujin, who had experience in that type of thing), and the total lack of hygiene while being Kodachi's prisoner and then confined to the lighthouse while Kodachi and Lloyd freely bathed in the nearby sea water, I now have more zits than Britney Spears does social disorders.
Wow, a celebrity reference. It's been awhile since I've made one of those, hasn't it?
Anyway, considering how hideous I look, I actually feel surprisingly clean. I mean, someone had to have washed me (and my hair) while I was unconscious. And while the idea of someone messing with my body while I was unconscious is creepy, I am generally thankful.
When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I find myself in what appears to be the reception room of some sort of doctor's office. There is a woman behind the obligatory counter, and she is staring at a picture of some guy that I absolutely do not recognize, even if the teenaged receptionist herself looks slightly familiar. However, the woman sitting at the table in the corner is someone that I recognize. Actually, I know her rather well.
"Rick! I'm so glad that you're okay!"
Two arms are thrown around my neck, fingers digging into my shoulders as if to prevent me from escaping. Vowing not to cringe from the renewed pain, I put my arms around her waist. The last time we spoke, she was defending me. She was trying to tell Zidane that I wasn't as terrible a person as he believed.
Sometimes Dagger isn't the brightest crayon in the box, but I love her just the same.
"They wouldn't let anyone see you because the other patient in this clinic doesn't do well with strangers, or something of that sort. We were scared you wouldn't wake up. It's been five days since they rescued you," the princess sobs into my shoulder as she balls handfuls of my robe into her fists.
We stand there for probably a good thirty seconds, just holding each other, until the receptionist lady interrupts with a cough. "Unless you two are going to start making out, I recommend you pay and get out of here, okay?"
Okay, aside from the fact that making out with Dagger is completely gross, I have no money with which to pay the bill that I had accrued while I was out of it.
Smiling at me warmly, Dagger reaches into her pocket. Counting out a number of bills, she hands them to the girl who then shoos us out before going back to staring at her picture. I've said it before and I'll say it again: people from Gaia are weird.
"It's going to be a little cold, but your room is just up the street, so it won't be for too long," Dagger warns as she opens the door.
Immediately, I'm hit by a frigid win. Pulling my robe tighter around me, I peer out and see that the ground is covered in what is probably a foot of snow. Oh crap. She actually expects me to go out there? Barefoot? It seems I'm not the only one that got hit in the head.
"Come on, Rick. Lloyd and the others are waiting for you," she tells me, as though it's some sort of enticement. Then she grabs my arm and, ignoring how much pain I am obviously in, pulls me into the freezing cold.
It's not snowing at the moment, but the wind effortlessly bites through my meagre protection. Looking and seeing people bundled up tromping through the white powder that is lying on the ground, I have to wonder just where the heck I am. I mean, wasn't I just wandering around a barren desert a few days ago?
"How far is it?" I cry as my feet start to burn from the extreme cold of the snow. I hated going out to check the mail barefoot whenever it snowed on Earth, so you can imagine my utter joy at having to trudge down a city street of the stuff. Lovely.
"Another block or so," she answers whilst a part of me freezes to death inside.
When we do finally reach the inn (which looks rather rundown), the moment Dagger opens the door I hear his voice. "What took you so long?"
"Sorry I'm late," Dagger answers, "but, you see…"
When she steps into the room to let everyone see me, the first thing I notice is Zidane's relieved smile on his face. Then it slowly falters and he looks away. Naruto does the same. I guess he still blames me for Sasuke's death. Eiko just gives me a dirty look, which is fine because I don't like the evil midget anyway. And we haven't even spoken a word to each other yet. Is that odd, I wonder?
"RICK!" Lloyd shouts as he practically tackles me. "I'm so glad to see that you're okay. I was really worried. Well, there probably wasn't any need to, since you have a bad habit of sleeping forever when you get attacked, but I guess…"
My lips interrupt when I kiss him. Partly, it's to shut him up because I do NOT sleep forever when somebody attacks me; this is only the second time. Stupid Kodachi and Chal thinking I need to die. Well, that's only a small part. The rest is just me wanting to kiss him. Proving to Zidane that I've done fine without him has absolutely nothing to do with it.
"Wow…" Lloyd mutters when I finish. His face is so red. He really is cute when he blushes. "Erm…"
"Don't just stand there," I tell Lloyd. Honestly, I know I'm a great kisser and that he should be lost for words, but I'm not really in the mood. "What happened? Last thing I remember is being attacked by Heartless up on that mountain."
"So, that's what they're called…" Zidane mumbles just loud enough for everyone to hear. Then he looks at me. The look on his face isn't something I can accurately describe with words, but the closest on would probably be somewhere between anger, curiousness, and disappointment. "How do you know what they're called?"
"I know because I'm the reason they were there in the first place," I admit as I face the rest of the assembled. Lloyd stands beside me, a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Hermione summoned them because of me."
Naruto looks up at me then. So, he remembers that it was the witch. Perhaps he even realized she was the one who was the cause of it all, since she had attacked him and whatnot.
"Are you sure you want to tell them this, Rick?" Lloyd whispers in my ear.
"No," I whisper back. Actually, this is the last thing in the world I want to do. How do you tell people that up until a few months ago you thought they weren't real, that they were just a part of some underrated fantasy? "But I've lied to them enough."
"I'd drink to that," Zidane scoffs angrily. So he'll never forgive me, it seems. It's not like I blame him.
Drawing my eyes to the warm fire off in the corner, which I'd very much like to be at, I just stand there by the door which Lloyd had kindly closed after I kissed him. I think I need the cold pressing against my back to remind me that I am awake and that this is real.
"Are you guys sure he needs to do this right now?" Dagger interjects as Lloyd and Zidane glare at each other. My former best friend and the man I'm in love with hate each other, and it's probably all because of me. "I mean, Rick, you did just get…"
"Would waiting really make a difference?" Naruto asks the princess. "If the guy wants to have a confession, then we just need to wait and see if his sins are worth the absolution."
Aside from the surprise of Naruto knowing a word like absolution, I have to say I'm surprised he's sticking up for me. Unless I'm reading this completely wrong. I've done that type of thing before.
"We're waiting," Zidane says after a few seconds of awkward silence.
"I'm sorry."
"We've known that all along."
"ZIDANE!" Dagger shouts in horror and anger. "Knock it off!"
I'm really kind of surprised. I mean, if this is an inn, then where is the concierge? There is supposed to be more than just a one-room shack with a fireplace and no beds, isn't there? And it feels like something is missing…
"Where's Rei?" To be honest, I want everyone here when I do this. It's highly likely I won't even be able to tell them the whole story this one time, anyway. What with me being a natural born liar and all.
"She's… out at the moment," Lloyd answers, looking at the door. "I'm pretty sure she won't be back for a couple more hours."
The psychopath isn't here hitting on Dagger or Zidane? (Or trying to rape Lloyd, I guess.) I wonder what's up with her all of a sudden. Unless... She saw someone who looked like her sister, or something equally stupid.
"How do I start?" I wonder aloud because I honestly don't know where I would. Not even Lloyd knows everything, like the whole thing with Maleficent pretending to be my mother. In fact, I think the only ones that know are Hermione, Maleficent, and me.
"You could tell the truth for a change."
Dagger gives Zidane a dirty look, as if daring him to say something else.
Not rattled in the slightest because I've been expecting it, I take a deep breath. My legs hurt and my stomach is doing all it can to remind me that I'm hungry. "Um, I guess the first place to go would be to let you guys know that I'm Rick, and I'm the prince of Ascantha."
"Like we didn't already know that," Zidane snorts rudely. I'm sorry, but wasn't his being a good guy one the featured traits in the FFIX lore or something? Since when does he hold a grudge? He saved Kuja life for heaven's sake! Why can't he forgive me for keeping some secrets to myself?
"Anyway, my name is Rick and I'm also a teenager in high school who spends his time playing games and buying new clothes." Now everyone looks confused. Now they know how I feel. I guess. "The thing is... I come from two different worlds, so to speak."
"What are you talking about, Rick?" Dagger inquires. "Weren't you born on Gaia? I mean, I remember going to a birthday party of yours or something when we were kids, before your mom…"
"That's the thing," I tell her. "I was born on Gaia, but until a few months ago, I had no idea that this place, this world, was real. I grew up on Earth."
"Earth?"
"It's where I spent my childhood: most of my life. When I was little, a sorceress named Maleficent switched my soul with that of a boy on Earth named Rick. Or something to that effect. All I know is that I was born here, but grew up there, and for some reason Maleficent brought me back. And it wasn't just me: she did it to Fujin, Hermione, and who knows who else." My voice cracks when I say Fujin's name, but there's not much that I can do at this point. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys right away that I was a prince. I didn't know."
Dagger leans against the table Zidane and Naruto are sitting at. Her feet are right beside each other, touching. "When did you come back?"
"Huh?"
Looking up at me, I see that she has tears in the corners of her eyes. "You said that this Maleficent woman sent you away to this 'Earth" place, and then brought you back. When did you come back?"
"The night of your birthday party," I answer truthfully. In the back of my mind, I wonder if Hermione went through the same thing when she told this to Lilka. I wonder if Fujin ever told Raijin. Have Cami or Kaoru told their friends in their respective worlds? "I woke up lying on some steps in the castle. To be honest, I thought it was all a joke or something. I mean, this place was just a videogame on Earth. I thought I was crazy or something."
"Videogame?" Naruto asks. "What is that?"
"It's…" how do I explain the concept of a videogame to someone who doesn't know what one is? Well, I guess first I would have to explain TV, and maybe electricity. Screw it. "It's a special type of game. Anyway, on Earth this place is just a fantasy." A Final Fantasy, to be more specific.
"So, that wasn't you who served in the Knight's of Pluto?" Dagger asks, before answering her own question. "No, of course it wasn't. You have acted differently ever since we escaped from Alexandria with Tantalus. You aren't the Rick that I used to spend all that time with. You aren't the one who hid his darkest secret from me while I shared mine…"
Dagger and the other Rick were friends? I mean, I had no clue. Although, I must admit that it would explain why she was so friendly with me the first time I met her and all.
"Am I really supposed to buy this?" Zidane intones. He looks at everyone in the room before standing up. "Other worlds, forgotten pasts, come on. This is all complete B.S. I can't believe you guys are buying into it."
As much as I want to scream to Zidane that I want him to believe me, I know that it is ultimately pointless. Just like Molly Ringwald trying to get her acting career back.
Zidane stands up and storms out into the snow. Dagger holds her hand out and open her mouth as if to say something, but stops and goes lax. I close my eyes and remember that it is essentially my fault, anyway.
"I think we're done for now," Naruto mutters quietly as he lays his head on the table, covering it with his hands. I, for one, second the notion. Right now, I really don't want to have to get into the whole psychopath-trying-to-take-over-all-creation thing going on right now. They have enough on their plate concerning Kuja.
He is the reason they're on this continent, right?
I eye Eiko as she slips out the door, probably after Zidane. It won't work. I tried to get the guy to leave Dagger's side for me, and all I got was months of angst. Good luck with that, you evil brat.
"Why are you here?" I ask Dagger after Lloyd sits down at the table with Naruto. He pulls out a piece of paper and a pen (I think) and begins to write something. Or he could be drawing a picture of a pig. I don't know.
"I was worried about you, Rick," she answers as we walk to the other side of the room, away from prying ears. "I couldn't just leave you when you're sick."
Shaking my head, I convey to her that I'm talking about this continent, this city. "You guys were up on the mountain when we were attacked and you let us behind. We could've died." Just like Fujin, although I would never say that aloud.
If you don't say it, it's not true, right? I mean, my memory could have been affected by the Heartless or Hermione could've cursed me with her magic.
"I know, but we didn't know that it was you guys," the princess confesses. "We just saw Kuja fighting some huge monster, and for whatever reason decided that we would use that chance to take him down for what he's done to Mother and the people of this world." She looks rather distraught whenever she talks about Brahne. And even though I don't feel any sympathy for the Queen regarding her (probably) inevitable fate, I do feel bad about what it's going to do to her daughter.
"Hermione… she did it," I tell Dagger. "She brought them here. The Heartless, that is: Hermione summoned them into this world. I would've been dead if… Why aren't I dead? Or one of them anyway?"
Smiling, Dagger grabs my forearm. I don't wince because it's one of the few places that isn't covered in lacerations. "That's because the you were rescued by the Royal Radiata Knights!"
"The what?" Okay, that would explain why all of those people looked so familiar. I'm in Radiata, although I don't necessarily remember Radiata being a land of snow. So maybe that place with the big metal door was where the dwarves in that continuity live? Which would explain why they didn't answer or let us in.
"We're in the Kingdom of Radiata," she beams. "Don't feel bad about not knowing about it, because I had no clue that this continent even existed, let alone a kingdom."
"So these Knights, they saved Lloyd, Rei and me?" Nobody saved Fujin, though. I wonder if her body is still up on that mountain? "How? I mean, the only things that affects them is magic, and in most kingdoms that I've lived in, the average recruit isn't exactly adept at handling mana."
"That's because this town also has four guilds, one of them specializing in magic, and they got some help. Not to mention the dwarves got the elves involved, which was enough firepower to get you guys out," she says sadly. "Unfortunately, we couldn't destroy those things. What did you call them, Heartless? They just kept coming and coming, and it got to where even with the help of mine and Eiko's eidolons, we were no match. Everyone just kind of abandoned the dwarves, and we're just waiting to see if those things come here."
So, the entire dwarves population has been made in to Heartless? That's just… Well, that sucks on a magnitude of levels. And the Heartless are running around unchecked, taking over the entire continent. All because I ticked Hermione off. What's next? Zidane joining the cause of evil?
"Dagger, you said that there was a guild here focused on magic. Are the other three guilds about religion, thievery, and random do-good stuff?" I ask her. She shrugs. Honestly, I wouldn't expect her to know. But there is someone that I need to talk to about all of this. She'll probably think me insane, just like Zidane, but if anyone on this planet knows anything about the Heartless, it's probably going to be Morgan. She is the resident expert on all things black magic.
If only she weren't so scary.
"Well, do you know how to get to the magic guild?" What was it called? The Vareth Institute? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's it. "There's probably someone there that I can talk to. Someone who might have an idea of what is going on."
"If we were back home, we could just ask Dr. Sage."
But Raine isn't here, and she was more obsessed with ancient ruins than, you know, evil and all that good stuff.
"I'm sorry, but it's getting kind of cold," I tell Dagger as I hold my arms around myself in an attempt to get some heat. Standing next to the fire would probably be a good idea. "Do you know if there's anything here that I could wear?"
As far as clothing is concerned, for the most part these guys are pretty stale. Dagger is wearing a white blouse with orange pants and an orange jacket (with a white fur collar), Naruto is also wearing orange pants and an orange jacket, but his shirt is black. Lloys is sporting blue jeans with a red t-shirt.
"Oh, sorry," she squeaks as she wanders over to a corner of the room, which is stuffed full of bags. She pulls out some white pants and a brown shirt. It's not what I normally wear, but I suppose it's better than what I'm wearing now. She looks at Naruto and he nods to her. "These might be a little tight, but they're better than nothing. Unfortunately, we don't have any extra boots or anything of the kind."
"Do you think I could borrow yours? Our feet are about the same size," I ask Lloyd. He looks up at me with the cutest, dumbstruck face.
"You want my shoes?" he says as he scratches his head, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth. "I suppose I could let you borrow them. I'm not going anywhere."
"You're a doll." I kiss him on the cheek as he starts to remove his footwear.
The shoes are actually a couple sizes too big when I finally put them on. Since I don't have any socks, I just stuff the legs of my new pants in them, hoping that will be enough protection to keep out the snow.
"Hey, Dagger, I'm going to go find this Vareth Institute place, do you want to come with me?"
She nods and walks out the door with me. I pull Naruto's jacket tighter around me. He was kind enough to lend it to me, and I was kind enough to accept it despite it totally clashing with everything I'm wearing. That, and it's too small. I'm short, but he's bordering on being a midget.
We ask directions from a random person we pass, an old dude digging through some trash, and he sets us off in the right direction. I can tell you already that this idea of mine that tucking the pants into the shoes is not working as well as I'd hoped.
"Rick, Lloyd told me that there was a guy named Fujin traveling with you…"
"Fujin is… was a woman, Dagger," I tell the summoner. Why can't anyone ever get that right? "She died up there, though. Hermione killed her."
"Hermione?" this piques her interest. "That friend of yours at Shikon Academy? Why would she kill Fujin?"
"Because, like me, they were both Drifters, I guess. Hermione took something from Fujin's body." She took a Materia, right? But what good would that be? The thing was completely useless whenever I tried to use it (as was the other Materia I lugged around). "But it's my fault that Hermione did it, really. I hid the truth of a lot of things from her, like I did you guys."
The future queen of Alexandria smiles as she leans against me. My shoulder is sore, but I don't begrudge her the act. "I don't blame you. You were scared. I think I would've done the same thing."
Not sure of how I should respond to that, I start walking to the Institute. Dagger seems to understand that I don't want to talk about things right now. She just claps her hands and looks down at the snowy road. I wonder if that is because of the fierce wind or my own iciness.
We trudge through a section of the city that I recognize as being home to the Olacian Order, the religious ones in the city. Well, my memory wouldn't be needed to figure out that this is that area. There is a guy standing on a street corner, amidst the wind and cold, shouting out about the virtues of the Goddess Olga.
And just like that I tune him out. That's one thing I learned on earth that can be used anywhere.
We finally reach the Institute, but we don't go inside right away. Why not? Because I finally found the missing psycho.
"I'm telling you, I can use magic!" Rei screams as she struggles against two men dragging her out.
"It doesn't matter," one of the guys throwing her out says after the girl lands in the snow. "We're not going to let you in here if you think attacking the Headmaster is a smart thing to do."
"That old man is nothing!" Rei screams at them angrily.
They leave her practically frothing at the mouth, writhing in the cold in a surprisingly conservative outfit. Get this, though, she isn't wearing blue. Rei has on a heavy brown shirt, as well as denim pants held up by a piece of rope. Her long blue hair is in a simple ponytail, hanging over her shoulder.
She catches sight of Dagger and me. Normally, I would expect to go flying into the air as she rockets to be beside Dagger. However, we just get a dirty look. Standing up, Rei brushes the snow off her clothes and walks past us without a second word. She isn't headed in the direction of our inn, though.
"Should we let her be on her own?" I ask Dagger. "She doesn't seem to be doing too well."
"She's a big girl, she'll be fine. I think."
With that, we decide to ignore my ex-future-sister-in-law and approach the Vareth Institute. When the door opens, we're greeted by what is probably the greatest thing that has ever existed: heat. Yes, this building is heated, and probably insulated as well. Rick is going to take a fanatical assumption and say that magic might be involved somewhere.
There is nobody in the lobby, with the exception of the receptionist. And she's currently sleeping. Considering it's still daylight out, and that's she's working, I'm going to assume that she isn't supposed to be asleep.
"Excuse me," I say as I pound on the desk. Dagger gives me a look that shows she thinks I'm being rude, and when the receptionist girl wakes up, she gives me a very similar look, albeit a more hateful one. "Would you happen to know if Morgan is here?"
"Morgan who?" the girl yawns as she stretches.
"The super-powerful witch who is in constant need of money," I answer with a roll of my eyes.
"Oh, her? She's in the Star Tower, I think."
"You think?"
"Am I her keeper?" she responds venomously.
Throwing my hands up in frustration, I walk away from the woman. Dagger says something to her, probably an apology, before catching up with me. We walk through a door, which leads into a cafeteria. There are maybe five people in it, aside from the lunch lady. Two of them are teachers, although they're both guys, so I doubt either one of Morgan. The other three look like students. I don't remember the names of two of them, but one is clearly Fenix, the pretty boy that thief guy was checking out in the game until I showed him that Fenix was really a man.
"Excuse me," I say to Fenix as I approach his table, at which he is sitting alone. "Could I ask you for directions?"
"No," he answers simply. Oh, I forgot he was kind of stuck up.
"Whatever," I tell him as I turn my back on him. If I weren't so concerned with trying to find Morgan, I might have wrenched Fenix's hair from his pretty head, but I honestly don't have the time. While nobody else seems to be too worried, it's only a matter of time before the Heartless reach this city.
"Can I help you, young man?" one of the teachers asks. She's kind of heavyset with red hair pulled into two braids that jut out from her head at angles seem only during the 1980's back on Earth. Hairspray, probably. Getting back on topic, her name is tickling at the back of my head, because most of these people look familiar. Is it Jill? "Sometimes the children forget their manners."
Fenix ignores her.
"Um, I was just looking for someone named Morgan," I answer. Sure, Jill might be able to help, but I doubt she has the depth of knowledge that Morgan does. After all, wasn't Morgan researching the very concept of death, or something? All I really remember was that she killed Jack every time I took her on, and that she said that black magic doesn't necessarily equate evil magic. "Do you know where we could find her?"
Jill laughs heartily, standing up from the table she was sharing with some other teacher guy that I can't recall. (There were a lot of people in Radiata Stories to recruit, how am I supposed to remember them all?) She motions for Dagger and I to follow her, which we do. We pass another door, walk up three or four flights of stairs, Jill and Dagger making small talk the entire way with the occasional joke thrown in by the portly redhead, until we reach what Jill assures us is Morgan's room.
We thank the educator, and she gives us a kind wave before descending the stairs.
"Rick, what are you going to ask her?" Dagger inquires of me as we stand in front of the door.
"That's a very good question," I comment. I honestly have no idea of how I should approach the subject of whether or not Morgan knows anything about the Heartless short of outright asking her, and that's if she'll even talk to us. I suppose I could always offer to let her keep Eiko as a test subject on summoning magic, or some such thing.
Placing my hand on the door, I prepare to open it. I never actually open it, though, as the door kind of leaps at me. Well, it doesn't leap so much as blow off the hinges, smack me in the face, and then crush me to the floor with it's heavy weight. The thing is made out of metal, for whatever reason.
"Oh, sorry!" a feminine voice squeaks as someone begins lifting the door off of my person. When I catch sight of who it is, I almost start laughing my head off. The girl gives an odd look as Dagger helps her lift the door. I crawl out form under it, doing of poor job of suppressing my giggles along the way.
"Are you okay, Rick?" Dagger asks as she helps me stand up.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I snort as I avoid looking at the girl who most likely caused me to die an early death.
For her part, Rachel crosses her arms over her chest and gives a look that shows she thinks me crazy. This is Rachel in her disguise, mind you. And she really does look like a dork, as opposed to a popular singer in the Void Community.
"Is there something the matter?" The air drops a couple of degrees as someone in a black robe, and matching black pointy hat, steps into the hallway. Immediately, my laughter stops and I look up into Morgan's face. She does not amused at all. She is glaring at Dagger and me with utter disdain. "If you're here for class, you're half an hour late."
"Um, we're not students here," Dagger tells the imposing woman with a slight quiver in her voice.
"Then I have nothing to say to you," Morgan replies as she puts a hand on Rachel's shoulder and leads her back into the classroom.
Dagger and I both look at each other. This is not exactly what I was expecting, although I don't know why I wasn't. I just kind of assumed she would want to know why we were there.
"Um, I do need to talk to you…" I say quietly as I step into the classroom. Aside from Rachel and Morgan, there's only two other people in the room. I've seen them both in the game, but don't really remember their names.
"Then come back after my class is over."
"It's kind of urgent."
Morgan sighs as she directs Rachel to sit down. She pulls a wand from her sleeve and points it directly at me, as I'm the one deigning to speak to her. "It had better be of importance, or I won't hesitate to freeze the both of you in blocks of ice."
This is going extremely well.
"Did you hear about the Knights encountering some strange creatures that they couldn't kill a few days back?" I ask the woman. Everyone is kind of staring at me, as Morgan didn't leave the room to speak with Dagger and me. My eyes trained on the wand pointed in my direction, I take a deep breath.
"No, I did not."
That's going to make this so much easier.
"Well, they did. I was hoping you might know something about them, since you seem to be one of the most intelligent people in this entire city." The look on her face doesn't change at all, showing that she clearly isn't influenced by flattery. "I was one of the people attacked by them, in case the bandages didn't give it away."
"I should care why?" she really doesn't look too impressed.
"Well, the creatures are known as Heartless, and they have the ability to remove a person's heart, their "soul" you could call it, and the result is that that person becomes a Heartless as well. The only thing that can defeat them is magic."
"I don't care. I suggest you leave. My patience is thin."
My jaw drops to the floor. Morgan is a cold woman, yeah, but I didn't know she was stupid as well. Indeed, her students are looking at me like I'm a complete idiot. Dagger puts a hand on my arm and drags me out of the room. She looks almost as disappointed as I am.
"That didn't go over too well."
"Well, it was kind of a long shot to begin with," I admit as we begin descending the stairs. Honestly, I kind of knew that Morgan wouldn't have any clue what I was talking about. I just didn't expect her to shut me down so soon. "Now I don't know what to do."
"We'll figure something out when we get back to the inn," the princess consoles me.
Right, the inn. Which Lloyd has been sharing with these people that he barely knows, and of which only one likes me. While he isn't trying to kill me, I don't think Naruto is quite over Sasuke's death. And I very highly doubt I'll get along with Eiko, not to mention Zidane still hates me.
"I don't think I'm going to stay there," I tell Dagger. Her eyes widen and her fingers dig into my arm.
"But you don't have anywhere to go! It's freezing outside and you don't know anybody here."
"I'll be fine. I'm sure Lloyd will come with me. We'll get a place until we figure out a plan. I'm just not comfortable staying with you guys anymore. Not after everything that's gone down."
She gives me a sympathetic look. "Rick, nobody blames you for what you did. I would've done the same thing if I was in your shoes."
While I do appreciate her words, I did put myself into the situation I'm in. Dagger doesn't know that I lied to Hermione and Fujin as well, even after I found out that they were Drifters. She doesn't know that I tried as hard as I could to win over the man I knew would wind up falling in love with her. Well, maybe she knows that one, but she doesn't know that they are supposed to end up together.
Before we leave the Vareth Institute, Dagger kisses me on the cheek. "Well, I hope that things work out alright for you guys. And if you ever want anyone to talk to, you know where to find me."
"Until you go off on another adventure," I tell her with small smile. "When you see Lloyd, send him this way, okay? I'm going to check out the town a little more."
"Okay…" she says suspiciously.
"Actually, could you pick him up some shoes on your way? I'll pay you back."
"No you won't, but I'll do it anyway," she laughs before hugging me one last time.
As I stand there in the doorway of the Vareth Institute, watching the woman is probably my best friend and at one time my greatest rival walk away, I wonder if I ever will see her again. Because she isn't content to stay in Radiata while the man who is manipulating her mother runs around on his own. And I honestly don't know where I'll go from here. I suppose I could always return to Ascantha, or hang out in Lindblum, but that would be me dragging Lloyd someplace that's of comfort to me and me alone. Not to mention that going back to Ascantha entails having to tell everyone that Kodachi and Chal killed my father. And while that wouldn't be too bad for me, it would probably wreak all kinds of havoc on Rei, and having seen how Kodachi treats her little sister, I'm not too surprised by how Rei turned out.
I wait until Dagger rounds a corner before I step into the snowy streets myself, closing the door behind me. Of course, the receptionist I had awoken earlier had yelled at me, but I had also ignored her. I wander through the cold, shivering as I head in the direction that I probably shouldn't. I could very easily get shelter from the Olacion Order, but I don't feel like being preached at. And as much as I don't want to feel like a sell-out, the Void Community is more likely to listen to my information than anyone else.
Yeah, I'm going to the Bandit Guild for help. I know I shouldn't. These people are the lowest of the low, but it's also the ome of Rynka and Flau, and they're actually pretty decent people. They seem to care about the citizens of this city. More than some of the people in the castle or the Olacian Order, anyway.
I pass a small alcove where trashcans and bundles of newspapers have been placed, probably to be picked up and disposed of by the people in this part of the city. Curious (probably spurred by my redneck upbringing) I lift one of the lids and immediately drop it to the ground in disgust.
It's freezing outside, and someone decided that they no longer need an entire trashcan worth of winter clothes! Of course, they're more than a little worn and some of them have holes of varying sizes, but I don't care. I pull out a woven brown jacket and slip it on overtop of Naruto's jacket. I suppose I'll have to give it back.
Actually, I wonder whatever happened to that coat that Michael had given me. I was wearing it when Hermione and I were sent to Sylvarant, after all…
I grab a pair of boots, ignoring the looks of the few people passing by, as well as a few other articles of clothing that I imagine will fit me or Lloyd. Then I place the lid back on the trashcan and huddle as far into the alcove as I can get. It cuts down on the wind stinging my face, but it's still incredibly cold. This is probably the best place to wait for Lloyd, as it's only a block or so away from the Vareth Institute.
"Are you okay? You really shouldn't be standing out in this weather," a woman with short brown hair says as she jumps down from the wall behind me to land in the snow. She extends a hand. "Hi, I'm Flau."
"Rick," I respond as I jostle the clothes in my arms so that I can shake her hand with as little awkwardness as possible. "Actually, I'm waiting on someone."
"Well, you've been waiting about ten minutes, and I haven't seen anyone."
I step away from her when she says that. "You've been watching me?"
"Ever since you got out of Morfinn's Clinic. You're the kid that the knight's rescued, aren't you?"
"You know about me?" I ask. Morgan had no clue who I was.
"Well, through reputation only. There's a girl that's been hanging around Club Vampire who's been causing some trouble, and she claims to have been there with you."
"Does she have blue hair and answer to Rei?"
Flau nods with a small smile. "That's the one. She's actually there now if you want to come drag her away."
"Is that a suggestion or a hint?" I wonder aloud. "Because I honestly can't make her do anything."
At that moment I hear Lloyd calling my name. I smile at Flau and indicate that the person I was waiting on is finally here.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Rick," she says. "And when you get the chance, come down to the Void Community. We are interested in hearing about these Heartless creatures, even if Morgan isn't."
With that bombshell, she walks away. Shortly after, Lloyd shows up with a red face. "What are you doing out here?" he yells angrily. "You're going to get sick!"
Dropping everything in my hands, I throw my arms around him and enjoy the heat from his body before daring to speak. It feels nice to hold him. It's not like we're puzzle pieces that just fit perfectly, because nobody is ever really like that. But just knowing that he cares enough about me to yell at me for standing out in the cold is enough reason to know that I really like him, and might even love him some day down the road. I'm not going to rush things with Lloyd, not like I did with Michael. And I'm not going to try to fool myself like I did with Zidane.
After I finally let him go, I kneel down and retrieve the now wet and cold clothing I had let spill into the snow. "There's somewhere we need to go," I tell him. "You can stay with Zidane, Dagger, and the others if you want, but I'm not. In fact, I'm off right now to go talk with some of the worst scum in the city. You don't have to come with me, but I would appreciate it if you would."
He smiles at me as I hand him a slightly damp jacket to slip on over his red t-shirt that is definitely not protecting him from the snow. "What are we waiting for?"
TCBT
A/N: Well, that's filler if I've even seen it. And I have. But hopefully you guys enjoyed reading it. Anywho, I'm off to write the next chapter, in which new alliances are forged, and old friendships are potentially ruined forever. See you guys there!