Of Lies and Fantasies
Chapter 55: Anxious Changes and Bitter Denial
- Alyssa -
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. Time out." I held up my hands in a T-sign. "What do you mean the Treno representative had already arrived?"
After failing to stop Blake from leaving the city, I went back to the inn to get dressed and collect my stuff. The innkeeper allowed me to get some sleep since I looked so tired when I came back. I guess that's what happens when you end up failing your goal of stopping your friend from making a mistake when you could have tried harder, especially when he's already made his mind.
One short nap and a brief breakfast sandwich later, I went over to the castle to secure a room for myself. I'm sure if I can get a word in with Minister Artania or Regent that they'll be fine with giving me the old room they offered. But they'll be curious why I'm not with Blake or they'll ask where he is. I hope they'll understand my explanation if it comes up.
That got me to cross paths Vivi and Freya, the latter who is feeling much better than the first few days we got back now that she can walk freely. They told me about some very noteworthy news that I had missed while I was asleep. Hence the reaction I just had.
"That is exactly what we meant." Freya clarified. "Earlier this morning, the new duchess of Treno had arrived with her protective entourage. Minister Artania was there to greet them and receive them upon arrival. They are already making themselves comfortable in the Middle Level in an exclusive room."
"Very protective too. They were all around her when we saw her," Vivi said. He hesitates a bit when he looks up at me. "Is everything alright, Alyssa?"
Not that there's anything wrong with her here. She's an important figure for Treno and she's supposed to be here and her group is allowed to be protective of her. If they have an important person travel this far after a war nearly broke out then I'd be sure to put a circle of security around her just in case. Though I didn't know Treno actually had someone at the top of the hierarchy there. You'd think that a bunch of nobles in their own city would always mention who was leading them. Was that even brought up in the game? This is really a bad time to be not remembering that kind of detail. I wish I have an internet connection just to confirm that.
I can stress about forgotten info later. What I'm concerned is that she's here now. The Continental Conference is scheduled to happen in a few more days. I'm not even sure if the city is prepared enough for the event itself. Whether I should question this duchess' decision to be here or not, I'm kinda worried that she came too early to the city for this important event. At least she has her own entourage to be as close to her as possible, right?
So to answer Vivi's question... "Not sure yet. Gotta see things for myself."
Freya hummed before she nodded over towards down the hall. "If that's the case, we might have the chance to get a meeting with the duchess."
Both Vivi and I tilted our heads when we heard that. What is that supposed to mean? She takes the lead and walks ahead of us, prompting us to follow her. A chance to meet with the duchess? We really don't need to go and talk with her right now since she's obviously busy being a duchess with important continental business.
It doesn't take us long to reach a hallway where we can hear chatter. We turn a corner and see one of the castle guards talking with one of the duchess' entourage members, confirmed by Freya. They're dressed in this orange coat that stands out in contrast to the royal red and shiny white colors used in the castle, that and his blue ensemble underneath and the red ascot didn't help either. He's either an era appropriate rich dude or a mascot for a long dead food franchise.
They noticed us coming and turned to greet us, the knight being more enthusiastic at it while the new Treno guy a little more polite than usual all while moving behind the knight as subtly as he can. Not really subtle though. We nod and wave politely and stop in front of them.
"Good day. We would like to ask if Minister Artania is inside and available to speak with?" Freya asked the guard.
"Oh yes. The Minister is inside, but he is currently in talks with the newly arrived duchess." He answered, looking at the door for a second.
"Yes. The Noble Duchess merely wants to get a few things straight before this Continental Conference begins." The brightly colored appareled man said. "Kaufman at your service, assistant to the Noble Duchess. And whom might you three be to ask for the Minister?"
"One of us is attending the conference." The dragon knight looked over her shoulder and on to me before stepping aside. I lock eyes with this assistant guy and offered the best welcoming smile I could make.
"Hey there. I just wanted to ask some stuff. Conference stuff and maybe a little bit of unrelated things. Maybe...?" It's probably the feeling of standing in front of people I don't know that's making me feel awkward. Even getting a good look at this guy is making me draw a blank. Something about him is very familiar and I just can't get a finger on it.
"Your questions will have to wait. Time is of the essence and the Noble Duchess needs time to address some issues we have with our own nation." As polite as that was, it sounded like he was trying to push us away from here. Freya didn't miss it and she stepped beside me immediately. While we don't appreciate being brushed off like that, we can't really push the issue here. So we should probably wait for a more convenient time within the next ten minutes so we can squeeze into the Minister's tight schedule.
"There's still the Regent." Vivi mentioned, making my brain stutter for a second.
"...You got a fair point there." I admitted, trying my best to not facepalm. Didn't know having not Blake here rattled me this much...
He abandoned you...
Doesn't care about anyone.
So cruel!
Shaking my head to dislodge the voices in my head, I was about to suggest we talk to the regent since the minister is busy here when the door audibly unlocks. Everyone present turns to it and watches it open, three out of five people straightening themselves. I wasn't one of those since royal manners weren't something I had before being here, though I did catch myself and imitated Freya as the room's occupants.
Minister Artania came out first, red regal uniform instead of his usual beige robes to represent the kingdom/city as one of its leading officials. Way to look very official-like. As he walks out, he opens both doors for his visitor, who is following right behind him. A woman in a bright white dress that covered her from shoulder to feet along with some fluffy ruffles from the waist down. Her hair, something that look like a mix of blond and silver, was carefully braided into a single swirling tail that settled around her neck like a scarf. If this is the duchess we've been hearing about then she looks more of a princess than a political noble I thought a duchess would be.
Their exchange is abruptly silenced when Minister Artania sees us standing there unexpectedly. Vivi gives him a wave and was enough of an ice breaker that the Minister chuckles and clears his throat.
"Ladies, gentleman. Nice to see you being up and about the castle today." He greets us with a slight bow. "While we are here and that we have individuals taking part in the Continental Conference, I would like to introduce Treno's temporary representative: Lady Dahlia of House Grace, Duchess and current head of the City of Treno."
Lady Dahlia of House Grace gave a courtesy to us newcomers as well as a charming smile, shaking our hands as she spoke to us. "Very nice to meet you all, especially two more ladies involved in the conference."
"Uh…The more the merrier, I guess?" I shrugged while looking over to the dragon knight standing beside me, who shrugged at the statement.
"I see that we have failed to inform you of this new change." Minister Artania sighed with a little shake of his head. "More on that later."
"Oh! I just remembered." The Treno representative clapped her hands, looking up to the taller man in charge and bowed slightly. "I would like to thank you for allowing me to double check and fortify your castle security as I suggested earlier. They are best knowledgeable of defensive structures and they would surely know which points to enforce with security and suggest efficient patrol routes."
"We will need all the help we can get to make this conference a safe and secure meeting between the continent's leaders." The Minister nodded gratefully. What's this about fortifying security and what-not? Doesn't the regent already have that on lock with the additional staff he's hiring for that? "If that will be all, madam, I have another important conversation to take part in as we move forward with preparations for the conference."
"Yes. Well met, Minister. Thank you for your time."
Both leaders bowed slightly once more, the Treno rep straightening herself first before walking away politely, her assistant following behind her swiftly. Our eyes meet for a second as she passes me and we exchange courteous nods to each other. There's talk about breakfast and priorities as they leave, their voices fading away as they turn the corner and head towards the elevator. Something odd is happening and I just can't put my finger on it.
A tap on my shoulder makes me put that thought on hold for now as I turn around and face the Minister, who now has us to deal with. "So there's a few changes to the conference?"
"Quite." He urges us to follow him inside his office, closing it behind him once we are inside. "And perhaps a surprise or two as well."
"One would like to avoid surprises at an important juncture of this conference," Freya says a little unenthused about it, "especially when we are so close to it."
"Yeah. Speaking of that. I didn't know the Treno rep was coming today. Or that they even had one." Airing out my lack of knowledge how nobility works can only end in one way: An explanation how the hierarchy of nobles and royalty goes.
I know that the title duchess is somewhere below the royal prince and princess in terms of ranking, but I didn't really know what those other noble titles had to do so they can be above or below each other. While I would have accepted this lesson as one that would be worth sitting through the entire thing, we really had better things to do and talk about than nobility. Plus, Vivi was also getting a blank look in his eyes that they were starting to dim like a failing lantern. Long story short from the Minister, Duchess Dahlia Grace comes from an old military family and since that is one of the higher rankings of the nobles in Treno, the noble houses all agreed to let her house take the reins in these trying times.
Even with that now cleared up, why am I feeling like there's something off with her? Maybe it's just the name and how she looks. The last time I knew someone named Dahlia she had a cult in some resort town and tried to sacrifice her own daughter to make her into some demonic god. And there's her assistant too. With a name like Kaufman and the previous connection I made with her boss, I'm doubting that their names being like that are not just a mere coincidence.
"I guess I understand it more." I let that impromptu lesson sink in as the immediate concern rose through again. "So. Changes?"
"Yes, like I said there are a few in general, but they are all supposed to be according to plan when the conference was planned from the start." He looks at the three of us and furrows his eyebrows at a spot beside me. "Perhaps we should wait for Mr. Skylark before I tell you about them in case I cannot repeat this explanation."
Wincing at his attention to detail, I could only raise my hand and offer a few words about it. "…Yeah. About that. He's really not into the whole Continental Conference idea right now. So he went out for a breath of fresh air. Like 'left the city with a friend' kind of went out."
The Minister looked confused at my statement, Freya hissed out a 'what?' to go along with her contained outrage, and Vivi's surprise shone out of his eyes. Just the kind of reaction I was expecting really. Good variety. When they started asking questions about it, I held up my hands and tried to explain as much as possible without really revealing why he left.
"He's really stressed out since we came back and the idea of the conference wasn't really helping things. Especially since, you know… knowing things and seeing new stuff happen doesn't offer any sense of peace for us at this point. So since the conference isn't for a few days, he went out with Amarant to Treno."
"And he did so without informing us ahead of time!?" The dragon knight asked, her voice having a level of questioning close to annoyance. When I flinched at her sudden rising tone, she sighed and put a hand on her face.
"Well…he didn't even tell me ahead of time too. I tried talking him out of it this morning before he left. Guess how that worked out." My shoulders fell when I remembered how it exactly went.
"You know Alyssa, you will need to eventually stop making excuses for Blake. If he can't explain his own actions to us face to face, how can we trust him?" Freya questioning Blake's resolve, even when she kinda has a point, was just something I didn't need right now.
"He's been there fighting with us even when he's made it clear he didn't want to. Sure he's got his own weird quirks and he tends to be too paranoid for his own good, but he's shown that he can be trusted. If you can trust me, you gotta trust him." I told her. We didn't need to be fighting each other and we have other things to be thinking about, but it didn't help hearing that from Freya. I just had to tell her that. "And he's only one guy. We don't need everyone to be there since it's gonna be just major leader stuff, right?"
Minister Artania shook his head. "On the contrary, we do. We would need every member of your group that fought at the Iifa Tree to listen in and provide additional security to the continental leaders and some insight from how you encountered Kuja. With an exception, of course, which your friend surely knows. I've already informed Mr. Vivi and Ms. Crescent here last night."
I looked at both of them and they easily confirmed it. "I am accompanying the top officials of Burmecia and Cleyra in the conference. They even asked for my presence the moment they were informed about it."
"Zidane said I could hang out with him and Eiko while everyone's talking and just to follow his lead." Vivi added.
I guess with these changes they're making we're expanding the roster of the conference attendees. Meaning that will help justify having civillians like me and Blake in it along with Vivi and Eiko. If Blake heard that, now knowing that we won't be the only ones in our group there, he might've been a little more agreeable to it; if he was actually here to hear this and just didn't let his own nerves overcome him.
"Despite this, Blake's absence won't easily delay the conference." The Lindblum leader clarified. Thank goodness for that then.
"He said he's only gonna be out for a few days. He should be able to come right before it starts, right?" I said, feeling a little hopeful.
The little wince Minister Artania made didn't help that feeling at all just before he spoke again. "While we announced the concept for the Continental Conference and when it would happen, I'm afraid the date we mentioned before is all but a ruse."
A ruse!? Wait! Why would they do that!?
"In an attempt to avoid any leaks, we went with our initial plan of setting the stage for the conference later on, only for the real date of its occurrence to be only known by me and the regent." He explained. "That way we can prevent an attack from happening as the continent's leaders gathered for this one day. Surely having them all in one place would spell disaster for us while a maniac is still out there. We have to be careful or else we risk the surrounding countries being endangered."
You cannot trust them.
Betrayal by the good guys?
Blake is right to leave.
Shut up voices! What the Minister said sounds like a good reason for the secrecy, but I feel that if Blake knew that then he wouldn't leave today! Not that I can blame them for keeping that info close to their chest when Kuja or Inoire could have spies around us at any second. They're not done yet. Images of that attack on Alexandria keeps popping up in my head. We have to stop Kuja before that happens. If we can stop him from getting Bahamut in his control then we can stop the attack. I know we can.
"Wait. You said they gathered here for this one day…" The black mage to my side noted.
"Yes," The bearded second in command nodded, "One of the pieces of information I needed to tell you as well. With the arrival of Treno's duchess today, we are only waiting for Lindblum's King and Cleyra's High Priest so we can begin the conference later today."
I froze at that statement with a gasp. That made everyone look at me as I stared at the man currently in charge.
"You mean it's today."
He nods.
"We're doing it today."
Another nod.
"That very important meeting of all the leaders starts today when we have everyone in the castle?"
One more nod. My hands go to my face when that realization finally hits.
"Oh shit…Oh shit!" Blake really picked the wrong day to leave.
"N-No need to panic, Ms. Forsyth!" The Regent's right-hand man fetched a glass and filled it with water and gave it to me. "We are definitely prepared for this fated day as we are up to our necks with security and we have safety plans made in case of breaches and security risks. Everything should go according to plan.
Plans change.
Plans fail.
There's always a risk.
"I believe you but…" The voices were right. There's always a chance that there's something that we didn't account for and risk everything. And if that happens things will definitely fall apart. With everyone important gathered in one place, there's surely something bound to happen that will endanger them.
Oh God, I'm starting to think like Blake! Paranoia is making him into a nervous wreck and it's gonna make me a pessimistic worrywart!
"I think I should lie down and take this all in." I said after drinking the offered water.
"That might be best. You will need all of your energy for later. I will have someone come your way if you are needed." Artania takes back the glass and escorts us to his office's exit. "Guard, can you please escort Ms. Forsyth to an available room upstairs? She is feeling rather light-headed after our long discussion."
"Yes sir." The guard by the door saluted and let us follow him to this room I can use. I mean I did need a room, but this has been one hell of a roundabout way to ask for one.
Freya and Vivi came along too even when we're already done what we set out to do here. Vivi's more concerned since he's keeping the air light with small talk about how I was feeling and if I had any breakfast yet. Guess that's something I should also get when I'm done resting. It's a lot to take in too since the secrecy is a layer I didn't expect to encounter without Blake here. I tell Vivi I'm just tired from having a very eventful morning and hopes he understands while I entertain his small talk.
On the other hand, Freya is exceptionally quiet, especially after that discussion we just had. Maybe it's also a lot for her too. I mean I kinda would be too after we had a small argument there. She probably didn't mean to and I don't blame her. She's probably just worried in her own tough Burmecian way about Blake. They didn't mesh well, but that didn't mean they don't care about each other. Blake's gonna catch a lot of flak from her when he comes back.
Getting to the available room, we go our separate ways before I close the door and give myself some privacy. I immediately walk over to the bed and fall over on my face to give my longest muffled sigh against the clean covers. Maybe I'll take a nap before I get breakfast.
This is the longest morning I've ever had. And I still have a conference to go to later. Oh man…
- Blake -
Traveling up the mountainside via railway cart proved to be a good place to sleep in. I had nothing to be worried about when we reached the summit. No Black Waltz to look forward to fight, meaning I had napped on the way up. I even took a seat in that little café at the summit and put my head down on a table for a quick one while we waited for our ride. If Nero wasn't waking me to get up, which he did on the rail cab, Amarant made it a point to do so with a nudge way too hard on the head in the cafe.
And I was proven right that we made it to the other side of the mountain without a fuss whatsoever. It feels a little too good to be true to be right once in a while. No complications and smooth sailing is the best combination for someone traveling, one that I need after having a lot of complications in my life recently.
Baku's duo of Tantalus thieves and thugs mostly kept to themselves in their way of entertaining themselves since we got to the South Gate entrance. Amarant was naturally quiet. Aside being nearly nudged off my chair at the café, he mostly kept the banter to a bare minimum by way of grunts and monosyllabic responses, which the Tantalus group learned when they tried to converse with the big mercenary. Since I napped to make up for waking up too early, I was left out of any conversation. At this point I didn't really care to apologize for my outburst on Baku and I bet neither was he. Not that it matters anymore.
Once we touched down on the other side of the mountain, the distance between us and Treno getting significantly smaller with the day going by surprisingly well without any hostile encounters, our continued silence carried over with the addition of quiet cautiousness. Just because the Mist is not much of a presence does not mean we should be reckless and walk to our destination without a care in the world. I could even feel Amarant look over our surroundings with those sharp eyes of his as Baku and his group walked at our front. We didn't have any chocobos to ride anymore and we didn't want to full on sprint to Treno's gates unless we need to. While there wasn't much of a rush to get there, leaving the broad open fields would make everyone feel much better all the same.
This gave my time to think about how I can approach getting the nearby Stellazios. There's one in Quan's Dwelling, the closest one to Treno, and another in Dali Village. I could possibly ask Amarant to escort me to Dali first and then Quan's Dwelling since he's the one who wants the rewards. Still not believing that the entire continent is monster free, I'd feel a lot better with someone else on my side for that brief venture, even more so if it's some I trust. I like Blank a little more than everyone in their group who isn't Zidane since he's such a nice guy in the start of the game, but he works for a ball busting bastard and he will obviously lean towards obeying him more. Baku knowing what I'm trying to collect would cut my earnings and Amarant's cut.
On the other hand, they might be on a time sensitive job and I'm just a little guest who is only along for the ride. If that is the case, I will not be able to ask for any favors since I don't have any authority. Or, simply, they won't help me. Perhaps I should just get it over with before I miss the chance to know.
"How soon do you need to start your mission when we get to Treno?" I asked loud enough so all of the attending Tantalus members can hear. Both subordinates looked to their boss for an official word and he offered it after a few seconds.
"We'll need to set up. No rush." Baku answered vaguely, yet thankfully neutral in tone. I could already feel Amarant's eyes settle on me as I stop directly in front of the crossroads heading towards Treno and Dali Village.
"I'm going to need to set up something as well and I was going to ask Amarant's help for it." Now that was the signal for them to look curiously at me. "It won't take a long time. Just an hour or so."
"…Hmm. I dunno, boss." The masked goon hummed. Didn't really catch which brother it was, but it most likely won't matter in the long run. Blank was harder to read though, yet he wanted an answer from his boss.
"Bah, let 'em be." Baku dismissed their worries. "We'll handle the prep. Just be in the bar in an hour, big red."
With a shrug, he leads his little trio towards the left, leaving me and Amarant behind. Not wanting to waste time, I started walking towards the right and immediately Amarant followed. His question was obvious and was answered before he could ask it.
"One of the Stellazios I missed weeks ago is in Dali. Might be a shame if we just let it stay there to never be ever be found and turned in." I said as I continued walking. "We'll be quick. Get in, get out. And then we'll go to the other Stellazio place." By the time we're done, the Tantalus trio we were with should be done with their own preparations.
Getting to the Village of Dali was like strolling through a massive empty park. Not that I would really know how that actually goes since I've never walked in a park this big back home, and I say that because the only large space full of grass I've walked through is a football field in my school. The soccer kind, not the American football one because soccer is definitely better and our school had good taste in sports. Still the emptiness and lack of monsters had not settled in for me. It's like we're in a brand new world that looks just as much as the old one, but has a different atmosphere.
Amarant walking to my immediate left and Nero over on my shoulder did not help in the slightest, meaning any sound that was not our footsteps or Nero's inquisitive chirps made me look over my shoulder in case something did pop out from the empty space around us. Once I saw Amarant shake his head at mild panic, clearly judging me for my cautiousness. I cannot help it! After weeks of fighting monsters and only feeling safe in a big settlement, this is the second big change I have to live through in regards to lifestyle changes. It is quite jarring despite wishing of going back home to get away from the monsters, but now it feels weird that they're seemingly out of the picture.
Still we got to Dali without any monster encounters, much to my relief. But unlike the last time we were here, we weren't greeted with the sight of children running around and playing. This time there were adults in plain view. Some were busy milling about doing nothing of import, like sitting in front of the inn and playing chess with a hand on a bottle of beer, and some were mumbling and grumbling like they were met with an unfortunate turn of events. Seeing as how the black mage factory downstairs runs on Mist, the work force must have hit a wall.
Eyes turned towards our direction the moment we walked into town. I wasn't even sure if those looking would be able to recognize me or remember our group wandering in here weeks ago, but I didn't think on it more and just kept walking towards the windmill. I open the door and immediately head to the back past the barrels and sand bags and the actual pile of sand. Sitting pretty just between the crevices of the stone floor is one of the lost Stellazio coins. Aries, it reads. I flick the coin into the air and catch it with my uninjured hand. One down, one more before we head to Treno.
"What the hell are you doing?"
I turn to see someone sitting on the hatch right by the door. That hatch is where the factory entrance should be, right? Oh yeah, I forgot that someone guards that. They may not have a working factory right now, but that hatch still needs to be guarded from prying eyes. It seems weird that a small town like this needs to keep this secret from each other. Perhaps a secret from the children? They do tend to ask questions they don't need to ask.
"Had a bit of a drinking bender a few days ago and I forgot something here when I left in a hurry," I tried to lie, putting on my best chagrined face. "Sorry for just charging in here, but I just couldn't forget this little trinket. My sister is very fond of it and I'd get in big trouble if I just left it here."
He raises an eyebrow at me. "Yeah? Not sure who you are, kid, but I sure as hell haven't seen you around in these parts."
"Can't meet everyone." I shrugged. "Anyways, I'll be going now. Sorry again. I'll just—"
My exit is effectively blocked when the villager scoots over in front of me and shoves me back. I nearly trip over and fall into the sand pile behind me, but thankfully I was able to recover before Nero and I could fall in.
"I'm gonna ask again. What the hell are you doing here?" What's this guy's deal? Can't he just shut up and let me go?
His next question pauses when he sees Amarant go through the door and close it. They lock eyes briefly and I could tell he already had the fear of God put in him by the tall mercenary. Might as well make him very religious then.
"If you know what's good for you, you will forget that we were here." I told him softly as I walked over to him. "Or else this windmill will suddenly need interior decorating."
Amarant decided to play along and growled at the man and grabbed him by the shoulder, shoving him with enough force to get him back on his seat on the hatch without hurting him. Even Nero tried to add to it, but his tone was cuter than he wanted it to be. Good try though.
"We're not here for anything important. Just forgot this small thing back there. Do we have an understanding?" I lean towards the guy as I pocket the Stellazio. He is about to say something when I put a finger against my mouth to indicate that I didn't want any sound coming from him. "Blink twice if you understand."
And he did. Smiling, I straighten myself and patted him on the shoulder.
"Great. Now close your eyes and start counting to a hundred. You should be calmer by the time you finish and we'll be anywhere but here. Remember, we were never here."
The man in overalls put his hands on his face and started mouthing numbers as I approached the door. Both Amarant and I exited and started leaving town with no one the wiser. That could have gone better. He should have just played along instead of being brave and stupid. Should have just listened to me and let me go. Thanks to Amarant, though, that we managed to handle it. Perhaps I should always have an intimidating bodyguard by my side. They always make things easier for the bad guys. It might be because Amarant provided an easy solution to a surprise. After all that's happened, surprises are the last thing I want to have.
Anyways, we won't encounter any more nuisances like that in Quan's Dwelling since it should be empty. And if it is not empty, I can always have Amarant deal with them while I look for the Stellazio.
Getting to Quan's Dwelling took us less time since Amarant told me to pick up the pace. More like shoved me and grunted, "Faster." Took us almost as long as getting to Dali with our quickened pace, which only left me getting tired faster. It also did not help that Nero's stomach happened to chime in. Don't worry, little guy. We are going to get some food and some rest at the closest inn when we get to Treno. Preferably before Amarant drags us through the city just to get his reward.
But the Dali encounter was not the last surprise in store for me.
Four sets of eyes settled on us and both parties froze equally. Clearly I didn't expect this place to be occupied and they clearly were not expecting visitors aside from the members of their current gathering. Looking over to Amarant, he already had his two claws at the ready and some other object in hand in case he needs to open a fight with a fastball special. I pulled out my dagger to follow his example. Since I didn't bother getting back the gun from Dagger, I'm left with this small blade. One of them finally moved and quickly prompted the mercenary to throw what he had. Everyone flinched, but the expected noise of pain did not come to my ears since it just settled on the ground between us.
"What the hell was that?" I criticized the red-haired man for his lame throw. All that build-up for something so anticlimactic.
He fully straightens up and decides to put his claws away. "Ore."
Three of the four moved, but the faster one got to the dull colored item, snagging it off the ground like an orange blur. It looks at us with the biggest set of eyes, a thankful gleam on them as it retreated back to where it came from, which was beside a small table with its three other occupants seated on worn down stools. And speaking of other occupants, it looks like we have interrupted something. The cards they were picking back up in disappointment proved it.
Wait. These four…And the fascination with ore...Are these the friendly monsters that players can randomly encounter in the field? There's that orange Mu who got Amarant's ore. There's a Ghost with a yellow halo above its head. There's a Ladybug with green armor and its lance leaning against the table beside it. And then there's the frilly monster in charge of the trivia quizzes. I think it's called a Ragtime Mouse…? Why are they even here? And why are they playing cards in Quan's old place?
I shook my head and cleared that thought out of my mind. These are questions I don't have time to dwell on nor do I need to. They're monsters, they're not logical. No need to find a reason.
"We're just here to find an important item. Don't mind us." I said, waving them off as I searched for the Scorpio Stellazio and that meant mostly focusing on the misty ground. Nero got off my shoulder and split away from me, making me assume that he's looking for the same thing as me. Surely he would know what a Stellazio would look like since he got me the Gemini one.
Quan's Dwelling is a big space, big enough to satisfy a lone chef to master his cooking and relax away from the world. A much more accommodating space when you suddenly take in a blank slate of a black mage in an attempt to fatten him up. With these four here, I guess I can understand them for taking shelter here momentarily, not that my opinion matters. Plus, they can hoard all their ore in here and have enough space for their respective piles. Not that there's any piled up here just yet.
It should be around here somewhere… Perhaps the monsters have collected it already and put it in with their ores without knowing its significance…?
"Kweh, kweh!" Nero's voice got me to immediately turn to where he was. He was standing in the middle of the table where the friendly monsters were located and in his small beak was the Stellazio.
"Good job, Nero! You really have a good eye for shiny things." I complimented the chocobo as I came and picked him up.
Well, tried to pick him up when a hand grabbed mine. The Ragtime Mouse gave me this smile he probably didn't intend to be creepy, but since he was a monster it looked like he was trying to intimidate me. And yes, it is working.
"How about we play something for your important coin?" It asks with a giddy gleam in its eyes. "Hmm…how about some trivia about the town of Treno? Or a game of cards, hmmm?"
I sighed at the offer and rubbed my face with both hands. I don't want to waste more time, especially when Amarant here needs to be somewhere else. We're on a time limit and there's no way to know if we're past it or not if we don't get to Treno now. Why can't things just be simple?
Instead of answering with either option, I opted for my own choice. I shake off the Ragtime Mouse's hand and let my bracer activate. Bright yellow chains shoot out of it and knock the monster to the ground, wrapping around it until he was tied up from its neck down to its ankles. The Ghost and Ladybug jumped out of their seats, once again releasing the cards they had in their hands. They found themselves covered in chains before they could properly react. The Mu knocked the table over in its panic, making me grab Nero out of the air with my uninjured hand and chaining the orange creature with the others before it could hide in the cave's shadows.
Looking over the scattered coins and cards has me sighing in annoyance. If that mouse had just shut up and listened to me then this would not have happened. Why does no one listen to me? Are they just stupid?
Wordlessly, I take the coin, turn around and make way for the exit. I heard Amarant do the same and I made sure by looking over my shoulder. Now that we had four Stellazios, it should be enough for a hefty sum of money and that Blood Sword I wanted. Time to get our prizes.
We were greeted with darkened skies above the Treno gates and the sight of Blank sitting by the fountain. Must have been expecting us to be late if he's already here. I apologized for keeping Amarant back a while. He only shrugged and informed us of their status.
"No worries. We just got everything set up. Disguises, routes, and bribes. The usual." Blank started leading us towards the poor portion of the city. "Might take us at least an hour to get the documents we needed, so you'll need to sit tight for a while." Hearing that got me a little curious, but I didn't vocalize it just in case he was not allowed to give out the intricate details. Not that I need to know, but knowing might give me some context whether us being here is a good thing or a bad thing.
"Sitting tight is one thing I am very capable of." I remarked. "One question though. Will we be walking calmly out of Treno once you're done or are we hijacking an airship and crashing it in some forest as an escape plan?"
"Calmly, I'd bet, but you can't discount the possibility of running like a bat out of hell." He replied, giving me a disapproving look for my reminder. "Don't worry. We made sure we covered all our bases this time."
Glad to hear that they are as prepared as possible. Though I still need to exchange my valuable coins for the prizes that Amarant wants. I'll just excuse myself when we get to the meeting place. After that I might just take a nap or get a snack while I wait for this whole thing to blow over.
Once we do get there, I tell Blank and Amarant that I need to head over to somewhere since they're just about to go off and do their thing. Amarant gives me a once over before nodding, perhaps understanding this is the time I get his goods while Blank just shrugged. So Nero and I walk over to the swanky side of town and eventually arrive to a particular noble house. Her assistant is there to greet me, giving me a welcoming nod as she opens the door after I knock. She escorts me to the room where the other prized possessions of her master are located. Queen Stella is there, turning towards me like she felt her Stellazios just walk into her house.
But the atmosphere in the room is off. It's like there's this tenseness present. Queen Stella gave her assistant a nod and started to stand sluggishly. Did I come in at a bad time? And isn't her signature attire a blue dress, not a black one?
Brief small talk was exchanged about where I found them and she was thankful they were recovered and brought back to her. She made sure the four pieces were the genuine article before having her assistant fetch my just rewards. A big pouch totaling 7,000 gil and a scabbard holding the Blood Sword was then given to me. Just wearing the scabbard's strap on my shoulder made me feel like the entire weight of the world was on my shoulder made me realize that I wield a dagger for a reason. At least I have the weapon on me now instead of it just wasting away in this noble's mansion.
Content with my haul, I start heading back and decided to use the scenic route since I don't have anything urgent to handle now. Nothing to worry about aside from wondering how I would spend my time waiting for Tantalus and Amarant's return to the shady inn in the east part of town. And that is why I started to notice something different in the air.
The nobles usually minding their own business in the west side of the city seemed…off. Not in the supernatural mindwiped or brainwashed kind of way. It is like they are…gloomy. In a way that they just look at their champagne with a sadness that confuses me. The champagne staring is the one throwing me off, because why put some in a glass and just stare at it? Why not just stare at the bottle and put it away afterwards? Is this how rich people do when they are gloomy? So why is it that their hushed tones, heavy sighs with each drink of champagne, and overall melancholy felt off-base for me? They were not like this last time I was here.
That's when I decided to eavesdrop a bit on a group of tables close together as I faked adjusting my shoe laces.
"Dark times are ahead. Clearly we are holding out for a leader to get us out of this crisis." One elderly woman sighed.
"Yes, very much so. The rumors coming out of Lindblum makes me nervous. It's like the politicians there are scrambling to cover for something or they are truly getting paranoid after the disaster they had just recently had." A younger man replied, tension in his voice.
"I wouldn't blame them, especially after the magnitude of it." A sound of a drink being sipped followed an older gentleman's voice. "Good luck to them, but our city is trying to handle its own disaster."
I turned my head slightly to see one of the ladies around the table shake her head. "Lady Dahlia has a lot to live up to, not that she would have any problem with it. However, losing one of our elite nobles, the very one who has managed to steer Treno into the blissful paradise it is now, for us anyway, is still a loss."
They all shared a solemn nod around the table. What do they mean by handling their own disaster? The city seems as normal as before aside from the odd atmosphere I observed. A young lady in the same table spoke up as if to help me understand.
"All joking aside, their death was sudden and unfortunate. Hopefully his family will manage in this sad time. Shall we send them a fruit basket?"
"Oh come now. You two were inseparable at the academy. You should at least do more than that." Someone admonished her, but from how she chuckled saying that it was most likely said in jest.
"You're right. Two fruit baskets it is then and I'll get it to them in person."
By that point I had heard all I could take and finally stood up after taking Nero into my arms. So this big tragedy that had the nobles all swirling their wine glasses in melancholy was because of some big wig noble they all looked up to. Must be some pretty deep pockets if that person's this popular with them. No matter. Just had to sate my curiosity and it seemed this is all something to take note but really unimportant to me in the long run. Treno didn't really have that much importance after the card tournament, but it is god to know.
Walking faster to get to my destination in time after wasting all that time, I arrive at the bar/inn with the place seemingly as rowdy as I left it. I ordered a glass of water for me and a bowl of easily digestible food for Nero, which tasted like an odd potato salad, as we waited. Staying sober felt like the right decision right now. Who knows with that job Amarant is doing. Things might go bad and we might need to get out while we can. That or I might need to pay attention in case they left me here while they escaped.
After two glasses of water, five bowls Nero cleaned up, and two games of Tetra Master most of the bar watched, our other companions finally arrived. They were discarding wigs and second layers of clothes into a sack as they entered through the door, Baku laughing enthusiastically while Blank made sure they weren't followed as he entered last. Seems like a job well done. Nero jumped on my shoulder when I turned to meet them.
They were mostly done when I got to their shared room. It wasn't much of one since it looked like an untidy closet with all of them in there. "Mission success?"
"Hell of a success!" Baku cheered, clasping the shoulder of the gas masked minion standing beside him. "Textbook thievery! Gonna be a big payday, boys!"
"Just a bunch of papers." Amarant grunted. Something about it sounded a little unsatisfied.
"Aw…Unhappy that you didn't get to intimidate some low tier schmuck?" I said teasingly, which got me a glare from the bulky mercenary. "Uh…none of it matters if you all are getting a big payout of this, right? All's well that ends well."
"It felt a little too easy…" Blank said, some uncertainty in his voice. He even had their objective in his hands. "There was only one guard in the premises and the letters were out in the open. It's like they wanted us to find it."
I roll my eyes at him. He's complaining about an easy job and a lot of cash because it felt easy. Don't thieves thrive on easy marks? And the regent of Lindblum apparently paid for this! I don't see why anyone would be concerned with how easy a job would be. Besides, they get to have more time for leisure in a city known to be full of shady activities from the wealthy and poor side of the population. Best of both worlds…in the criminal sense, I guess. However, that idea does not seem to sit well with Blank.
"Genero, you've read through most of these things to confirm it's what the regent told us to get. How important are they?" The scarred swordsman turned to his cohort, who immediately went through the papers and showed some points of interest.
"They're mostly letters from this duke guy saying he's concerned about the city's safety. Heard that Brahne was throwing a tantrum in her castle before going out to the Outer Continent and asking the regent for help. No replies though." Genero scratches the side of his face with his metal claws as he moves to another letter to summarize it. "The envelopes it was in looked like it was torn up; explains why its still here. And then there's this letter from this lady. Dahlia's her name. I think I heard her name before."
"I did too when I was walking around." I remembered. "Heard the other nobles mourning some rich dude and that this Dahlia lady has a lot of expectations out of her."
Genero finishes by pointing at one of the letters in his hand. "She wrote this to calm him down. Guess that didn't work because he's dead now. It's a little wild, like a coincidence, but coincidences ain't my department."
Brahne being unstable isn't a secret before she was knocked down the peg. That's what happens when grief is mixed with an egomaniacal death doll and enabling world domination desires. Everyone must have heard rumors of her hand in the Burmecia and Lindblum attack and were worried that their city would be next. So then the correspondence not getting replies makes it suspicious when it is all about an urgent national matter. It also looking like someone had went through them makes it even more dubious. Something is amiss…
No! No. Not our problem. Definitely not throwing that thought out there!
If the possibility of foul play gets tossed out there, it would mean a lot more work for Regent's Cid secret mercenaries here. I am only here to cash in my Stellazios and get Amarant off my back. Getting involved in something that is not even part of the main plot of Final Fantasy IX would only stress me out more than actually worrying about said plot. Dodging my worries about that is why I'm here!
Then why does it feel like I can't even escape any kind of responsibility? Or is some cosmic force trying to teach me a lesson on a bigger scale?
Out of everyone here in this world that I know, I'm one of the few that does not need any lessons taught to. I'm just someone bumbling about with no plan, always reacting to everything happening to him because I tend to know stuff. Sure being the man with the plan is what I always say I am, but let's be honest, I've been super lucky to even survive this long. If the plan is to survive then it's going along swimmingly. Aside from that, it's all reaction.
Avoiding more complications has been my mantra since the beginning and I am not discarding that just because I get pulled into the weirdest stuff. Stick to the plan and things should go well!
"Well, it sounds like something very minor." I said as I carefully shrugged to not startle Nero so much, starting to turn away to head back down to the bar area. "But as Baku just said, this was a 'hell of a success' for your team. Might as well not look a gift chocobo in the mouth."
I get a glimpse of the most minor of looks from Blank before I could get my back turned. Again, it's not my problem and I'm not obligated to offer a solution. What could help clear my head a bit is a glass of water, which is what I asked for the bartender at the bar when I got back to my seat. Unsurprisingly, I find the seat beside me occupied shortly after.
"If you're going to try and talk me into doing something criminal, you might as well look for someone else." I tell the thief without as much a glance at him.
"Then why are you sulking so much with just a glass of water?" He chuckles, pointing at my drink, before ordering one of his own with a more alcoholic kick.
"Last time I tried, I drank a super basic drink and couldn't even walk straight for the thirty minutes after that." Taking a sip, I take a glance at him in curiosity as to why he went down here. He sincerely looks like he's just here for a drink after a job well done, yet I can feel like there's a second reason for this. Our eyes meet and he raises an eyebrow, immediately my curiosity wanes and I roll my eyes. Definitely with a second reason.
"You got a really judge-y look, y'know?" Blank says, leaning against the counter.
"Being judgmental is part of the charm."
"What charm?" He scoffs, earning himself a glare, which he just ignores before continuing. "What I also observed is that you didn't have your other friend with you. To think you two were close."
Again, I'm rolling my eyes as I pretty much chug the water down and flag the bartender down for more. "Her being here or not is irrelevant."
"I know. I'm just more used to seeing you both together. What happened? Date went wrong and you didn't want to sleep on the couch?"
As if that happened. She's just a friend and we just happened to be often seen in the same place at the same time. There are plenty of times I am not with her in town when I would meet some of the Tantalus members, Blank included, so I don't know where this speculation comes from. Either that or he's just teasing.
"Don't assume what you don't know." I tell him as the bartender refills my glass while giving a much taller glass or beer for Blank.
We thankfully sip our respective drinks in silence as the bar continued its games of Tetra Master and drunk shenanigans. Out of the edge of my eye I could see Baku and Genero come down, the former talking animatedly, while approaching the far end of the counter. Once they were in the public presence of the bar, the boss of Tantalus quelled some of that energy for some shushed discussion with the gas masked man as they ordered. Something definitely has Baku's attention. Looking right past them made me see Amarant leaning by the entrance without a care if he was in the way or not. Not that anyone sober was going argue with him.
Slowing down on my sipping, I tried to decipher Baku's movements. That whole ordeal with the paperwork could be surmised as finished, but there's a possibility that there could be more details they missed. Is he glad that they finished their job as fast as they did or is he annoyed that they had possibly stumbled on a lead related to their job? What was the full extent of their job anyway? Just stealing important paperwork and missives seem like up their alley, but they could be hiding something from me, a plain civilian who just traveled with them. I actually understand the secrecy. I just want to see any hints as to what their next move would be…
Blank leans into view with a smirk. "I can hear you mumbling through the glass and water, you know?"
I lower my glass and put my head in my arms on the counter. Nero waddles over and I could feel him rubbing his beak against my head in comfort. Should I talk to a therapist about this mumbling thing or have it get hypnotized out of my system? I'll consider it after getting back home. But right now I am going to be forced to get over this brief embarrassment and speak about something that had my attention.
"So what did you guys decide on what to do next? Are you going back to Lindblum or are you staying due to the lead you guys possibly have?" I asked after straightening my posture.
That was met with a curiously raised eyebrow. "So you do care."
"I care enough."
"Can't really say." He shrugs and then picks up his drink. "Boss is still considering leaving instead, but he's mulling it over. Says we should keep it to ourselves since it is still part of the job. Details on the privy, he said."
There goes that line of questioning. Still I couldn't help but look past the thief and see if Baku's body language can give me a hint. Staring at him for a minute made me think that he knows I'm looking for a sign and that he's acting very normal for being a random person in a bar. It's like he did not even commit a break-in. Slumping in my seat, my thoughts then go to trying to get info from another place so I can figure out what to do next. Of course, I need to get back to Lindblum now that we're done, yet not knowing what they are planning might complicate that.
Why am I so concerned with knowing? Because I'm curious! I need to know what the facts are so I know what to not give a damn about!
Gosh, I am acting like a crude version of a certain wide-eyed, naïve girl who could make people bend to her will with the stare of her sparkly violet anime eyes.
"Seriously? You can't tell me what's going to happen?" I demanded in a tone that wouldn't attract attention from around us.
"I dunno. Seems only relevant to the people in the job." He shrugs as he goes back to his beer.
"I'm sure it's relevant to me as well since I still need your help going back to Lindblum. Who knows what could happen if I go back on my own?" Sure we may have not fought monsters on the way here. There could still be some opportunistic bandits on the prowl that we just missed. Inoire is still out there and he could just pop out from the shadows and just off me. I still need some sort of security!
…And he's just drinking now…while maintaining eye contact. Is this some sort of power play?
"But you know what's relevant? Having everyone in the group informed. I know I'm not part of the job, but I did come along. That means we're going to have to leave together as well. Safety in numbers."
Now he's turned away, only looking down on his drink with a small smile on his face like he thought of a funny joke. Ignoring me is not funny.
"I mean, the Mist might be gone, but I'd like to know that travelling back to Lindblum will not be so perilous. Besides, the job might be done now and the earlier we go will mean the fastest we can get home."
Blank then goes to chug the rest of his drink and requests more from the bartender. I hate one-sided conversations. At least pay attention while I'm talking!
"This is just you being rude now. If you want to tell me something then just tell me something. I'm not a big fan of charades and I'm not wasting my time playing games!"
...The closest reaction I got from him was a hum, but it might not even be an answer to me since his latest drink had just arrived. Sighing, I try to contain the urge to shout at him and spoke again with my most level voice of reason.
"Okay, this is the only reason why you're here right now, isn't it? Playing the silent game, trying to make me lose my cool for some reason. Do you like making other people look like fools? Better people have tried and you're not even close to their standing!"
…Nothing. Not even a glance. At this point slamming my face into the counter would be a better argument than what I've been doing for the past minute or so. And I'm sure the counter would make for better conversation than the thief currently acting coy. Might as well go for the obvious approach. Ughh…
"...Look at me and just tell me what you want or need. A dependable guess or a favor. I don't know if I'm the man for the job, especially if this is connected to what Regent Cid's mission for you guys, and even if I went here to escape him pressuring me, but I'll give it a shot as long as someone here tells me what's happening!"
For a second I thought he would say something, anything, to break his silence and relent in his game of silence when he tilted his head a bit towards me. But then he just turns towards his boss, who wasn't even looking this way and was nursing his own drink alone. Even with my most passionate plea I am met with disinterested silence now that I'm prying on their business. Now this is just embarrassing…
Fine. I'm not going to sit here and take this. I've said my piece, no one was showing interest, and I've already gotten what I needed in this town anyway. Going back the way I came alone might as well end up a lonely trek for me if they are going to stay here and finish what they need to do.
"Well then. I know when my time is being wasted." I drink the last of my water and let the little chocobo jump onto my shoulder after I push my chair back. "Maybe next time you see me I'll be a corpse on the way back to Lindblum or—aaaah!"
Something cold takes hold of my left elbow and it abruptly causes me to jump a few feet. That surely got everyone's attention and my face all red from that nasty surprise. It turns out it was just Genero standing to the side like he was trying to get my attention. He even had the gall to look sheepish after all that. Just breathe to calm down and let the moment pass. Let's just add that to the 'moments I'll keep looking back to and cringe pathetically' file in the back of my head.
"What do you want?" I hissed at him, leaning down and making direct eye contact in those gas mask eye holes.
"If you wanted to help so badly you should've just asked." The miniature man said so casually.
"I-I didn't want to!" I turn away slightly and huff. Way to catch me off-guard, Genero. Don't let them think I'm an easy mark just so they can lure my curiosity in. "But you were all so concerned with what those letters that it just got me thinking."
A big hand lands on my back with such force I stumble five times, the near fall accompanied by Baku's ever so boisterous laugh. At this point people were looking at us, making me hope that they think this is all just a bunch of drunkards being loud. "No need to be so pissy about it! Even Ruby didn't complain this much with our stupid schemes."
"I'm just glad the silent treatment worked." Blank chuckled as he joined us.
"It didn't work!" I told him bitterly. "Whatever! What are we doing anyway?"
I was so mad at myself for falling for their little gambit that I didn't notice them looking at me weirdly. It only hit me when Amarant walked up behind them and stared right over my shoulder. Did he want to get the Blood Sword? If he wants it as part of his reward then tough luck! I was going to consider it since I can't one-hand this thing but now I'm not in the mood to even think about handing this over after all I've been through. He can keep the money and anything else, but not the sword!
But in the midst of my internal defiant refusal, it wasn't only Amarant looking at the sword. Baku, Genero, and Blank were looking at it as well. Something was telling me that they weren't just interested in taking the sword out for a swing.
"Say…what kind of sword is that? The scabbard looks like it hasn't been used in forever…" Blank began walking towards me, his two other Tantalus cohorts close behind.
Whatever they were thinking, if they think I am easily parting with this sword then they are going to have to try prying it out of my cold and dead hands!
A/N: Well, it certainly has been a while. It's a bit of a cliche now that SI writers tend to fall off when it comes to the middle of their story and it seems like I've been hit with this problem. But can you blame me? Look at how this story has become. Shit's long man. Just when I thought I'd be one of the outliers.
Anyway, I am extremely grateful to everyone who patiently waited for this update since May of this year. 2019 is days away from ending and I am just glad I pushed myself to edit this chapter today for 2 hours. I even reread the previous chapter just to make sure I got details right. Though I'm sure there will still be some mistakes here and there, which makes me more thankful for those that spot them so I can edit them out.
Did you know I already finished writing this chapter since the beginning of November? The procrastination was indeed serious. I spent the month afterwards playing Control, Ni-Oh, Blazblue Cross Tag Battle, and Destroy All Humans! 2 and trying to get my PS4 platinum count up to 50. Got #50 yesterday too. Time well spent, I guess?
When will the next update will be? I don't even know. Though I have an idea on where to start next chapter. When I'll finish that? Who knows.
Thanks once again to everyone who viewed the story and dropped a review since this story started. I'm glad this story has piqued your interest and I hope you'll be here again when it updates. Happy holidays (and Happy New Year greetings as well in advance)!