Chapter 3

It took Kat longer to find the pub than she expected, which annoyed her to no end. Especially when she realized she had passed the side street that led it to it several times and had missed it. However, when she walked in, she was pleased to see that the place was bright and airy, and most importantly, clean. There was already a moderate crowd, even though it wasn't quite midday. Kat did her best to ignore the curious looks she was getting as she made her way to the bar and the man behind it.

He was busy prepping ingredients, which she assumed were for the lunch rush, but his eyes flicked to where she was standing awkwardly. He let out a quiet chuckle before he washed his hands and headed to her. He leaned against the counter with a smirk as he said, "You look a little lost. The temple's on the other side of town, though I can't say I've ever seen a sister dressed like a monk."

Kat chuckled with embarrassment and looked down ruefully. Maybe it was all they had? Not that it mattered. She honestly preferred the pants. She looked back up at the man as she shrugged and said, "Actually, I just came from the temple. I was told I might be able to find a job here." She paused and pulled the note out from behind the map she still clutched. She then held it out and continued, "I was told to find Marstrom and give him this."

The man's easygoing demeanor faded a bit as he stood with a sigh. He still wore a smile even if it was dimmed as he said, "Lemme guess, Sister Grace sent me another lost soul that somehow managed to survive Sin."

Kat froze with her hand part way extended. Her eyes had widened, and she was suddenly even more uncomfortable than she had been. She wanted to take care of herself, not depend on charity. She pulled the note back slowly as she said, "So that happens a lot around here?"

The man still seemed a little tense, but he still motioned for her to hand the note over. When he had it, he absently answered while he read, "Nah, not here in Bevelle. You see it more in the islands." He must have finished reading the short missive because he looked up with tired eyes as he continued, "I did say I would be willing to help any that wanted a job. Just promise you're not gonna lose it and go bonkers on my customers, okay?"

Kat gave him an incredulous look as she said, "Does that happen often?"

Something in her tone must have finally proven to the man that she wasn't about to leap off the deep end with concrete floaties. He chuckled as he waved her behind the bar. "Sorry. Like I said, we don't see many here in Bevelle, but those that make it here are usually—well, let's just say they aren't typically as coherent as you." Kat blinked a few times and had to repress a shiver. She thanked anyone listening that she hadn't turned out like that.

She barely made it around the bar when she stopped and nearly facepalmed. She wore a chagrined look as she said, "Sorry, I didn't even introduce myself. The name's Kathleen Summerton, but you can call me Kat."

The man turned to her with a raised brow and a smirk. "Hey! That's something. At least you remember your name."

His attitude seemed a little irreverent, but Kat had a feeling they were going to get along just fine. He had her follow him through a set of curtains to the back part. There wasn't much beyond supplies, but it was quiet. He tossed her an apron as he said, "The pay isn't much, but it'll be enough to get the things you need. Plus, you can eat here as long as you don't eat like a behemoth. If you make it to the end of the day, I can set you up in the spare room behind this place. It's not fancy, but you'll survive."

Kat sighed, but she still smiled. It was a better arrangement than she expected, even if she had a feeling her pay would be little more than coins. At least she hadn't spent anything the temple gave her yet. "Well, that covers all the important stuff. If you want me behind the counter, you may need to show me the ropes, though."

He waved off her concern. "Not today. If you don't find what you're looking for within the week, I may try. Just having a runner for the tables is enough for now."

She gave him a curt nod as she removed her over tunic and belt. The breeze felt great through the windows, but she could already tell that she would regret it if she left it on. She actually kind of liked the way the tight top looked with the baggy pants. It wasn't any worse than her wetsuit, so she wasn't going to complain. Once she had the apron on, she stashed her stuff in a cubby Marstrom pointed out before she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail as she followed him back into the front.

A few of the patrons stopped and stared as she passed around the bar, but she was too busy listening to Marstrom's instructions to pay them much heed. She was just glad the place wasn't so big that she couldn't remember the table numbers.

Once she had a good idea of where everything was, the lunch rush had finally started. There were a few mishaps, but nothing a smile and an apology couldn't fix. By the end of the day, she was utterly exhausted, but she had to admit it could have been worse. She hadn't been able to ask any questions, but she was sure she would have a better chance once she got more familiar with everything. At least waiting tables wasn't much different in Spira than it had been on Earth.

That thought brought a tinge of pain with it, and Kat had to duck behind the bar to hide a sudden bout of tears. She wiped them away with more force than necessary and stayed there for a moment while Marstrom locked the doors. She was grateful he hadn't seen her. When she heard his footsteps headed her way, she jumped up and called out, "So, anything else I need to help with before we call it a day?"

Kat was a little apprehensive when Marstrom didn't answer right away. More so when he took her by the arm and led her to the closest table. He didn't appear mad, but he hadn't answered her yet either. He just told her to stay there while he went into the back room.

By the time he came back, Kat was officially antsy. However, her worry immediately fell away when he put two plates down and then grabbed a couple cups he left sitting on the counter. He let out a tired sigh when he dropped into the chair across from her, but his grin was genuine when he said, "Eat up, you earned it."

That was all the encouragement Kat needed. She had grabbed a quick bite on the run during lunch, but that had been the first thing of the day. With all the rushing she had done, it wasn't nearly enough. Her hunger made the simple sandwich that much better.

She had finished half of it before she paused and said, "You know, I don't believe I thanked you yet. I appreciate the help."

It looked like Marstrom almost choked, but he took a gulp of the water by his hand and pounded on his chest for a moment before he grinned at her. "I should be the one thanking you. I haven't had a runner for weeks, and my customers were starting to get aggravated. Your timing was perfect. Plus, you must have done this before."

Kat grinned and opened her mouth to answer, but she paused. Something told her it would be better not to reveal that she had memories—especially if those memories made no sense. Instead, she shrugged as she said, "Maybe?"

Marstrom rolled his eyes. "Well, your mind may not remember, but your body did just fine." Something akin to humor flashed through his eyes then, and he looked like he had more to say, but he only cleared his throat before he said, "Finish up here, and I'll show you the room. It isn't much, and you'll have to get a few things like oil for the lantern, but it has what you need for now."

Kat grinned back as she said, "That is more than I had this morning, so we'll count it as a win."

The bartender threw her a wink with a nod before he started eating again. However, it wasn't long before he paused and asked, "Tell me, you asked for a place like this to find your friends, right?"

The last bite of Kat's sandwich paused halfway to her mouth. She slowly set it back on the plate and tried not to frown as she said, "I don't know who I'm looking for, really. But I know I was on a ship, and this is as good a place as any to find information. I was hoping I would see someone I recognized, or maybe hear something."

Marstrom nodded absently as he said, "This isn't the only bar, but I doubt your people would go to the places by the wharf."

Kat nearly laughed when she realized what he meant by that, but she kept it in as he continued, "I can put a flyer up asking for information if you have any details to give."

Kat was touched that the man seemed to be going out of his way to help, but she wasn't sure what she should ask about. Somehow she doubted any of the others were pulled to Spira, or she hoped not. She tried not to focus on that and instead worked to develop a solution. Finally, she looked up with a slight frown as she said, "I don't have any descriptions, but I believe there may have been a summoner on board with us. Have any passed through on their pilgrimage recently?"

Marstrom sat back and crossed his arms. His expression seemed to match hers, but at least his voice wasn't angry when he said, "It's been some time since the last passed through, but there are a few that haven't started their pilgrimage up at the temple. I could send word through Sister Grace if you think it would help."

Kat held up both hands to ward off the suggestion. The last thing she wanted was more involvement with Yevon than was necessary. It finally settled on her shoulders that maybe she really was outside of the known timeline. Finally, she figured out a way to determine a window of when she was. Her voice faltered as she said, "Actually, I don't think that would do any good. Not if they were on the ship with me."

He nodded his understanding, but she wasn't finished. She looked up and caught his eye as she asked, "I know this is going to sound weird, but who brought the last Calm?"

The tension that had risen in Marstrom's frame left him in a rush. Nothing but concern filled his eyes as he softly said, "Lady Yocun was the last High Summoner hundreds of years ago."

Kat sat back slowly as she tried to keep her recently eaten sandwich down. She was there before Braska even. But there were centuries between Yocun's Calm and Braska's pilgrimage. Did that mean she was stuck in Spira for the rest of her life? What other alternatives were there?

Something in her expression must have tipped off her new boss that all was not well. He slapped the table to break the sudden tense mood and grinned at her as he said, "Just leave that, and I'll clean up the last. Let me show you the room."

Normally, Kat might have argued that she could clean up her own mess, but just that once, she let it slide and nodded as she stood and followed the man out the back door silently. Luckily, the room was attached to the back of the building, so there was no trek. It was just as small and unassuming as he said it would be, but it was private, and that was enough. She mumbled a goodnight before he handed her the key and headed back into the pub, leaving her to her tangled thoughts.

Several months blurred by for Kat. The first week had been enough to ensure she didn't have time to worry about her predicament, at least not during the day. Nights were a special kind of torture as she tried to make sense of everything. A few times, she even thought about trying to find a position on a ship just so she could get closer to Sin. Although, she was far from suicidal, so that thought never made it far.

After her first week, Marstrom finally found another runner, as he called them. Which made sense—she certainly did a lot of running. Sometimes it chaffed that she was waiting tables when she had been so close to getting her doctorate, but it never lasted long. She enjoyed the customers for the most part, and being a waitress was a better option than nothing.

Plus, much to Kat's surprise, Marstrom had been true to his word. He didn't put up flyers, but he did make a round to the other pubs closer to the wharf and asked them to keep an eye out for summoner parties. She hadn't even realized it until a man that smelled of sea salt and fish came by to talk to her boss. He had immediately let her go check it out. Unfortunately, it hadn't been anyone she recognized, but she told herself not to give up hope.

For the most part, she felt that she was starting to fit, despite not wanting to at times. She liked her boss when he wasn't flirting with her, and she enjoyed the city for the most part. As long as she didn't have to deal with the monks or the temple, she was usually okay. By the end of the first month, she had begun to wonder if making a life in Bevelle wasn't as bad as she first thought. Yes, she still missed her family and her life, but the pain didn't take up every minute of every day like it had at first. She was even able to enjoy things sometimes. Getting to know the city was how she spent her off days, and it was actually pretty.

However, any thoughts of finding summoners or Sin went out of her head on a Friday afternoon just about four months after she arrived. She was working with Luce, the other waitress that Marstrom had hired, so the tables were split. She was off after the lunch rush, so she made sure all her attention was on her tables. She was ready for a break.

When she finally finished, she headed to the bar to grab her things so she could leave, but she was stopped when a man stepped between her and her destination. She looked past him as she plastered on a smile and said, "Sorry, but I just finished for the day. If you need anything else, feel free to ask Luce or Marstrom—either should be able to help."

Instead of moving, the man leaned a little closer as he said, "You know, you look like you woulda been one of my fans."

That statement made Kat pause and do a double-take. When she did, she froze with her heart in her throat. The man looked familiar. Her breath was suddenly coming fast as she tried to corral her thoughts well enough to formulate a response. Finally, she breathlessly said, "Your fan? Maybe, but I'd have to know what you played first."

The man smirked before he took a drink from his nearly empty cup. It was easy to see it hadn't been his first either. Kat ignored that and focused on his eyes as he proudly gestured to himself and said, "I'm the great Jecht—star of the Zanarkand Abes. Never was a better blitzer than me."

Kat suddenly felt like she was about to hyperventilate. Jecht, in the flesh, in front of her—what was she supposed to say to that? She had almost given up hope that she would find anyone she knew of, and here was one of the main players, drunk and borderline flirting with her. What was she supposed to do with that?

The man in front of her didn't seem to notice her distress, as he kept talking about Zanarkand and making the people at the nearest tables look around nervously. However, her boss must have noted something was amiss as he was suddenly there with a calming and reassuring hand on her shoulder. He glared at Jecht but talked to her as he said, "Is there a problem?"

Kat tried to answer, but her throat was too dry, and she couldn't produce more than a squeak. She wanted to tell Marstrom not to worry, but she couldn't clear her throat fast enough. He had already dropped his hand and turned to Jecht with a frown that had several of the regulars abandoning their tables.

Jecht must have finally noticed the interruption, as he was suddenly frowning back at Marstrom as he said, "Hey, what's the big idea?"

Her boss took a step closer to the drunk man, and his voice dropped into a lower register as he said, "I don't have a lot of problems here, but one thing I won't put up with is people harassing my employees. You can apologize, or you can leave."

Jecht held up both hands, one still holding the mug, and gave Marstrom a crooked grin as he said, "You got me all wrong. I wasn't harassing anyone. Nothing wrong with talking about blitz. Even better if it's with a pretty girl."

If it weren't for the last line, Marstrom might have let the drunkard go. Instead, his eyes narrowed, and he crowded Jecht's personal space as he said, "Leave. And I don't want to see you back here."

The threat didn't seem to do anything other than making the drunkard angry. Jecht scowled at the bartender blocking his view, and he said, "I've paid for my drink; I damn well plan to enjoy it."

Kat had never seen Marstrom move that fast. Usually, her boss was one of the most laid-back people she knew, yet he had Jecht in a headlock before she could even move. Unfortunately, that just seemed to piss the man off.

Marstrom was trying to drag him outside to keep property damage to a minimum. However, before he got to the door, Jecht recovered enough to plant his elbow in her boss's stomach. The jab caused Marstrom to let go, but it also kicked Kat's brain into gear. She had to stop this from getting worse. She needed Jecht alive at least, and the way a few of their best patrons had jumped up to join the fray made her worry that she might be out of luck.

Kat cringed at the sound of flesh slamming into flesh as a few punches were thrown. She did her best to get through the crowd and tried to get her boss's attention. Unfortunately, Jecht seemed to be just as invested in making a point and was gleefully fighting off three different people. She had no idea how to get between them all without getting caught up in the melee. Finally, she gave a mental sigh and jumped into a small opening with a prayer that the others would recognize her before she got hit.

She caught sight of Marstrom's wide eyes as he somehow managed to throw his punch wide of the mark. Unfortunately, one of the others wasn't as agile, and Kat was nearly knocked off her feet by a solid hit to her shoulder. She stumbled back and fell into Jecht, who surprisingly caught her. She could hear the smirk in his voice as he said, "There was no need for that, sweetheart. I can handle this alone, but I'm glad you feel bad about the mixup."

Kat made a disgusted sound as she steadied herself, but before anything else could be said, a large group of warrior monks descended on the crowd. Before anything could be said, they had wrestled all of the fighters, plus Kat, into binding holds. The only one standing free was Marstrom.

The monk that seemed to be the leader stepped forward with the blitz bow and asked, "Sir, we received word of an altercation. Can you please explain what happened?"

Marstrom let out a sigh as he rubbed the bruises already forming on his knuckles. He then pointed to Jecht as he said, "I thought that one there was harassing one of my runners. He was making my other customers uneasy too—talking about the holy city of Zanarkand like he lived there. When I asked him to leave—well, you see the results. The rest of them were just trying to help me."

Kat's expression was alarmed as the Monks let everyone but Jecht go. The man immediately started yelling about bad hospitality and not respecting his stardom. Unfortunately, she could do nothing to stop them from dragging Jecht off. She watched his retreating form with a deep frown that wasn't interrupted until Marstrom called out to the crowd. "All right, the show's over. I suggest you all either pay your tab and leave or get back to lunch."

The crowd slowly started to shuffle off, and quiet murmurs filled the air. Thankfully none of them were close enough to hear when Marstrom headed to her side. His voice was low when he asked, "All right, you wanna tell me what that was about? You have never struck me as the type to jump into the middle of a fight without a reason. So, what's the reason?"

Kat sighed and ran her hand over the sore spot on her shoulder. She was sure it would bruise within the hour, but that was a minor concern next to the rest. She looked up with troubled eyes as she said, "He was flirting, sort of, but it wasn't obnoxious or anything. But—I think I know him."

That answer seemed to pull her boss up short. It took a few seconds before he frowned and said, "You sure? He doesn't seem like the kind of guy you'd spend time with."

Kat made a frustrated noise before she said, "Maybe not, but he's the first person I've seen since I've been in Bevelle that sparked anything. And now I can't even talk to him."

Her boss sighed and put a hand on her shoulder that he used to steer her back into the pub as he said, "Tell you what, I might be able to pull a few strings so you can get in to talk to him. It'll take a while, though. For now, why don't you take the afternoon to rest, and I'll let you know tomorrow."

Kat wasn't sure if the following day would be too late or how her boss planned to accomplish anything, but it was the best chance she had. She gave him a tight smile as she said, "I don't know that I could ever pay you back for your help, but I appreciate it all the same."

Marstrom chuckled at the quip but didn't add anything. They had already reached the bar by then, so Kat grabbed her tunic and headed back to the room she used. When she thought about it, having the afternoon to figure out what to say might be a blessing. She only hoped she wouldn't be too late.

A/N: So we are now in the real beginning of things. What do you all think of KAt so far, and how do you think the meeting will play out More importantly, what do you think Auron will say since he objected so much to Jecht lol. Anyway, I hope you are enjoying it so far. Cheers and thanks for reading!