The Second Zodiac Story
Chapter 2: The Homecoming
Back at the pub in Cyril, Marche and Babus were still talking about the last mission.
"Marche, that was SUPPOSED to be a simple dispatch mission..." Babus said, his mind still reeling somewhat over just how close he came to buying the farm had the rest of Clan Nutsy not intervened.
"I know, Babus, but remember me saying that bandits would be after it because they thought it was some meteorite filled with valuable metals? Although it wasn't that....and being that the bandits didn't know what it really was, they definitely would have taken their frustrations out on you in a most unpleasant way..." Marche shuddered at the thought.
"Yes, Marche, I do...and I am grateful that I prepared as I did...otherwise the battle with those Ice Flans prior to that would have left me severely weakened. But...I wasn't expecting that much of a force, Marche...perhaps one or two bandits, but an entire clan of them?"
"Indeed....most bandit clans do only send one or two, just like your typical dispatch mission. But three? That's a bit much."
"Hmm...agreed. But...there's no way those bandits would have known what it was there, would they?"
"Probably not. Those Zodiac Stones you spoke of....I've heard of them somewhere...."
Babus nodded. "Perhaps in this other world you speak of? Marche...I am curious about this 'alternate' Ivalice that you keep referring to....what is it like there?"
Marche seemed a bit confused. "Why do you ask?"
"You once said that Prince Mewt..." He paused a bit, remembering that Mewt wasn't really a prince in his own world. But old habits die hard. "...was living in his dream, and that dream produced this world....so how does he live in his own world? Who is he, really?"
Marche sighed a wee bit, not in annoyance, but rather deep thought. "Well...in my Ivalice, where I'm from, it's just a backwater, quiet country town. Everyone is human...there aren't any different races like there are here in THIS Ivalice, only different colors of humans. And we can't do magic or abilities or anything like we can here..."
Babus nodded, his head hanging low just a bit. "So...if somehow I were to end up in that world, he would not remember me...and even if he did recognize me, I would be somewhat....strange..both to him and your world."
Marche nodded. "Unfortunately so....although I'm not sure that would even be possible..."
"I see..."
Marche didn't have to ask him why he got the sudden glaze to his eyes...he knew inwardly what the Nu Mou most wanted...just to see his friend, Mewt, one more time. And Marche knew that the likelihood of that bordered on the impossible.
"But...if we were to ever find a way, you'd be one of the first we'd invite to come along."
"We?"
"Sure...me and Ritz...we're both from the same world, remember?"
"Ah yes..." he answered, then he looked up at Marche. "You do realize how she thinks of you, don't you?"
"Huh? What are you saying, Babus?"
"I'm saying she possibly thinks of you as more than a friend." Yes, Babus was there for that conversation between Shara and Ritz as well....Ritz talking about how she didn't feel she was cute enough for any male to like her, and Shara trying to reassure her that she was cute enough...and then Marche walked in and Shara expected him to tell her she was cute enough. However, Marche was just as shy as she was and they wound up going on about how the next mission would go....much to the Viara's dismay.
"Err...well....not sure about that, Babus."
He tapped his chin in thought. "Suit yourself."
"Huh?"
"Oh, nothing. Anyway, I'm going over to check over options for the next mission." And with that, he walked over to the mission board at the pub.
One particular mission caught his eye, and he read the paper on the board.
(( "I found this strange blue stone and I don't know what it is?!?! Could someone come to Moonstone Village and tell me? And hurry...there are lots of bandits in this area!! --Anonymous ))
Babus froze at the note of the village where this was found "That..that's...." he muttered just as Marche came up behind him.
"Oh I almost forgot, this is yours from the last battle....are you okay, Babus?" he said as he walked up behind the stunned Nu Mou. "You look positively pale..."
"Marche....we must take this mission."
"Why?" Marche read over the paper that Babus was just reading. "Hmm...sounds like we're gonna need to go as a clan...but what makes you so nervous about this mission?"
"Other than the possibility that the stone the person speaks of may well be another Zodiac Stone?"
Marche nodded. "Yes, but I'm betting that's not all that's on your mind? Is that place special to you?"
"Once upon a time it was..."
"What do you mean, Babus?"
He sighed. "Moonstone Village is my home."
"What?"
Babus nodded. "I was born there...but haven't been back there in years, not since I left to become a Runeseeker. My parents...well, my mother was supportive of me, but my father...we never could see eye to eye...."
"I see..." Marche understood all too well how different feelings between parents could affect someone. His mother seemed to give all her attentions to his younger brother, Doned, who was confined to a wheelchair since birth and always had to make doctor visits. Marche loved his brother dearly but resented the fact that he didn't have to work for his parents' attention...well, his mother's anyways since his father had left years ago.
"You left because of your father? Couldn't you have studied your craft at home?"
"My father always thought I was following some fantasy..."
"I see..."
Babus nodded. "Don't really know why I'm sharing all this all of a sudden."
"It's all right...besides, I've been there too. But we better go do this mission..."
Babus nodded. "Let's go then."
"Oh...and since when did you start speaking so clipped and informal like that?"
"Me, Marche? I would guess being in this clan would rub off on me. Perhaps it is."
Marche nodded, and went over to the pubmaster to claim this new mission. While he was doing that, Babus was studying the inscription of runes on his new mace that Marche gave him.
"Hmm....I don't recognize this pattern...looks like some sort of wind rune, though."
He was still studying when Marche tapped his shoulder. "Okay, we're set...we leave in the morning to go. You might want to get some sleep, Babus."
"As should you, Marche." the Nu Mou added and shuffled off to his room.
---------------------
He couldn't sleep well that night.
****Begin Flashback/Dream Sequence/Whatever******
"But why, Father? Why don't you want me to study being a Runeseeker?"
"Because, my son, it is just a legend! Why don't you study something more productive, like alchemy?"
"But I want to help our village..."
"And you can by being an Alchemist...why can't you see that instead of following this...this flight of fancy?"
"You never understand me...."
Another white Nu Mou shuffled to the side of his father. "Dear...perhaps we should let our son follow his own dreams."
"I won't allow it! He is going to do some good to this family and not chase dreams...that is my final word on the matter."
*****End Dream Sequence*******
Babus woke up shivering, and it wasn't the cold that was causing it.
"Father...why could you never understand my dreams? Why did you fight me so much?"
He stood and walked over to the window, staring out over the horizon of the midnight sky. "Going home....what could possibly be left there for me after all this time? My mother....I don't know what she thinks of me now, and I don't even want to think of what my father thinks...." Unlike Marche, he didn't have siblings to come home to...he was an only child.
"In a hundred years, I didn't think this day would ever come...and why do I fear it so?"
~Because, Babus, you're just like Mewt was....wanting to be accepted for what you are instead of what someone wants you to be...~ a thought resonated in his mind. ~And for as much as you don't want to admit it to the rest of the clan, you feel alone.....you want to know if your father has actually learned to accept you and you fear he still feels now as he did then. And even that does not bother you, but rather, that you're becoming closer friends to Marche than you wanted to...~
~Perhaps I do...but why does it matter? Marche would never fully trust me after me fighting with him so many times...me being too blind to realize we were after the same goal without realizing it, just going about it in different ways. We both wanted what was right for Mewt.~
~And you're too hurt to let anyone else near you like that...that was why you told Marche you would never be close friends to him.~
~No...he doesn't accept me the way Mewt did...and never will...he just sees me as the Royal Advisor..he doesn't accept me as me....~
~And how do you know that, Babus Swain?~
~I......don't......~
He shook his head to clear his mind and sighed as he looked once more out the window. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow..."
---------------------------
Marche was the first one to greet him in the morning. "Babus...you look like you didn't get much sleep. You look positively exhausted. Sure you still want to come along with the clan?"
Although exhaustion dominated his expression, his eyes were filled with determination. "Absolutely. This is something I must do..."
"I see...well, we'd best be going."
And they were off...Marche walking along in the lead as he always did, Ritz and Montblanc beside him, Shara behind and beside her, Babus just wandering along, and Ezel, along with a couple of other clan members, bringing up the rear.
Suddenly Marche, Ritz, and Shara broke into a merry song. Babus was only half listening, the other half of his awareness focusing on the runes on his new mace as he studied them, knowing there was another skill hidden in their meaning.
But the half that was focusing on the camraderie between Marche and the others was all too painfully aware of what he lacked in his life. Since Mewt left, he lacked true friendship, and part of him missed it, the other part too hurt and wounded to let another into that realm. ~I was talking to Marche yesterday about Ritz and how she felt..and part wondering if I would ever allow myself to know that...how ironic that the teacher becomes the student sometimes...~ he thought as he continued on.
He sighed, then, finally getting all he could from the runes, and only needing an engagement to test that, he tucked his mace into the folds of his robe and shuffled forwards to join the others.
-----------------------
Two days later, they arrived at Moonstone Village. And the sight wasn't pretty.
Babus arrived there a half step behind Marche and glanced around, positively speechless.
There wasn't a building left standing. Smoke still filled the air from whatever it was that attacked, and to his eyes, it didn't look like anyone survived.
But his eyes suddenly fixed on a point about ten paces to the east. "My...my house...." he muttered, his eyes glazing over as he dashed over to what remained of it.
"No...no, this can't be...this is just too terrible...." he muttered, only half aware that everyone else in the clan could hear him as he dug through the rubble....
Three pairs of hands joined him in his work. "Babus..."
"I just pray that they survived...." he said, unaware of the recess in the ground beside him that suddenly and quite noisily opened, startling all present.
"Who's there?" a voice demanded. "What do you...." The voice trailed off as the figure, a white Nu Mou with markings similar to Babus came into view.
It didn't take a genius to figure out who it was, even without Babus freezing like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Father?"
"By the gods....Babus? My son...."
"Yes, Father, it is me....I have returned, although I did not expect to...."
The elder Nu Mou nodded. "Although you may not know it, my son, it gladdens me to see you are safe..."
Babus was positively shocked as he continued to listen to the one that he thought would never accept him, or see joy in him, or anything positive for that matter. "You were right, my son, to have followed your path...for I have seen that tonight..."
"What...what happened here?"
"Someone...someone with a strange green stone attacked our village...and transformed into this hideous monster."
"Green stone? You don't mean...."
"Yes, my son....someone else has one of the Zodiac Stones....I believe it was Capricorn..."
Babus nodded, then blinked. "That beast....it couldn't have been..."
One of the Bangaa members of the clan, a White Monk, came up, checking to see if anyone else needed the assistance of his healing arts, ears alert for any other dangers in the vicinity.
"Adrammlech? But...isn't he the Totema of the Bangaa race..."
The Bangaa, hearing the name of their Totema being mentioned, nodded. "Yessss....Adrammlech isss our Totema...but why would he attack thisss village?"
"Because originally, ages ago, he was one of the Lucavi....how he became a Totema is anyone's guess. And it would appear that he came here to attack this place....but the only reason it would come here is....Father, did you see a blue stone in this village?"
"Yes, Babus...it was I that put up the mission request. Although I did not know it would bring you here."
"Do you know where it is?"
He nodded. "I have it. But...there is something else I wanted to tell you, my son..."
"What is that?"
"How wrong I was for dismissing your quest to be a Runeseeker as a flight of fancy...Babus, even our best Alchemists and magic users didn't stand a chance against this beast...he defeated them as easily as a Chocobo would pluck up a mere bug..."
"Father....I...."
He held up a hand to silence him, but only so he could continue. "Babus....you must continue your studies...for yourself, for your village, for your people....and for me..."
"For you? But..."
"I was foolish back then, filled with foolish pride. I wanted my son to be something productive...never knowing that this day would come...and it is time for the strongest champion of the Nu Mou to come forth...."
"Me?"
His father nodded. "You and I know that a Runeseeker at his prime is the strongest magic user in the known world. He can manipulate the elements, time, space...even life itself...."
"I see..."
"And you are the last to seek that road...Babus, you see...only our clan of Nu Mou can be Runeseekers...the ones that are born white...."
He nodded sadly as his father continued. "Even now, I regret that your mother and I did not have another child...as I also regret not having taken that path now, for I wish I could be going in your place...it is a road filled with dangers and perils..."
Babus interrupted. "But I must....for all that have fallen here...and for the hope of the world...."
His father could only nod. "Then be brave and strong, my son, and do not falter..."
"I shall not fail you, Father...by the way, how is Mother?"
"She is asleep in the cellar downstairs...."
He was finishing that sentence when an arrow whistled through the air, narrowly missing him and landing with a loud *thunk* into one of the timbers still left standing.
"Hand over the stone, old man...and no one gets hurt..." a female voice rang over all present.
"How did you know I had the stone? Show yourselves!" the elder Nu Mou demanded.
Marche already knew what the person there was...as there was only one race with that kind of hearing--Viera. And sure enough, a Sniper stepped out of the edge of the shadows around the village. With her, there were two Fencers, an Elementalist, and the most feared Viera of all, an Assassin....as well as a White Mage to keep them healed and battle ready.
Marche whistled at the show of force that suddenly appeared. "Looks like they brought out the calvary...all right guys, ENGAGE!!"
A judge on chocobo came forth...where these guys kept popping out of was anyone's guess--Marche figured they hid like gophers in the ground in anywhere but the Jagds, but he was grateful for their appearance any time, even though they sometimes made battles difficult. "I shall be the Judge for this engagement...the law for today is Missile: Anyone using a missile weapon shall be penalized...the penalty being a 10,000 Gil fine...now begin!!"
Shara let out a couple of colorful expletives in the Viara tongue before screaming. "That pretty much leaves me out of this fight... "
Marche looked back. "Don't feel bad...neither can their Sniper...look out!!"
Somehow Marche had forgotten about SECONDARY abilities...hence he didn't see he cords of fire that whipped around Ritz just before she rolled out of the way.
"Remind me again why I HATE the Fire Whip ability..." Ritz muttered before lashing out with her rapier. No one was in front of her, though..not even close..when a bolt of energy that looked curiously like a hawk split the air and drilled one of the Fencers nearby.
The other Fencer started to attack before realizing she didn't have her weapon along with her--not anymore. That now belonged to a frantically dashing Marche to get the hell out of the way.
"Hmm...seems a little more even now..." Marche said before a white glow filled the air and the Fencer that'd been hit with Ritz's Night Hawk suddenly got back up.
"Wandering spirit, return to your body...Life!"
"Damn White Mage...forgot about that one...anyone know how to make her shut up for a while?" Marche growled.
"Leave that to me, kupo...." Montblanc nodded, drawing a pistol from his belt. "I have Gunner secondaries, kupo."
"Then would you before she keeps bringing everyone we put to bed back?"
"Okay, kupo." the Moogle replied and fired one shot. A mist filled the air, damaging the White Mage and preventing the surrounding air from transmitting sound for a while, effectively silencing the magic user.
The Judge suddenly blew his whistle and pointed at Montblanc, raising a yellow card into the air. "Violation of Missile law. Penalty of 10,000 Gil fine assessed...."
"Damn, forgot about that. Sorry, Montblanc."
"It's okay, kupo, I forgot too....at least I'm not in jail."
A familiar blue mist filled the air...but when it cleared this time almost everyone still seemed to be awake. Only then did Marche notice all the Viera were wearing rings on their fingers, except the White Mage, who was sleeping soundly...snoring if not for the air being silenced around her.
"Damn...those must be Fortune Rings...they prevent sleep...." Marche growled again, ducking to the side as a blast of air split the space where he was standing and put the White Mage out of the fight for good, the White Monk releasing his Air Render technique.
"Nice shot..."
"Thanksssss. Anytime, Marche." the Bangaa replied.
When it finally came time for Babus to move...well, his eyes were positively smoldering. "ENOUGH!!!" he shouted. "My home was attacked once...I will NOT allow this sacrilege to happen again!!" he screamed, holding his mace forward and tracing a pattern in the air with it.
It took a second for Marche to realize that it was the same pattern inscribed into the mace that he'd given him. "Everyone, OUT OF THE WAY!!!"
"Runes of wind, swirl and rampage....Vortex!!"
A monster cyclone sprang to life squarely in the middle of the enemy clan and sent them flying in all directions...as well as knocking them out of the fight.
"One Judge Point awarded to Ritz and Babus for legal KOs of enemy clan. Engagement hereby ended and Clan Nutsy declared the victors. Farewell." the judge spoke and rode off.
Everyone stared at Babus, who was still panting with rage. "That will teach you to never attack a Runeseeker....ever again..."
"Babus...you okay?"
"I....I'm fine, Marche..."
"Well done, my son...now I know more than ever that you have what the world needs..." his father remarked.
"Thank...thank you...." Babus nodded, blinking his eyes. "Well, we finished this mission...."
The elder Nu Mou nodded. "Yes...and I want to show my appreciation by asking your clan to stay the night here...you are to be honored today...."
"Father..."
"Not another world, Babus....you have earned that honor this day. You and your clan. Even if only I and your mother are left surviving to honor you and what you have done today."
"Thank...thank you again, Father...."
"No, it is I that should thank you, my son. For showing me the truth."
Babus could only nod as he turned to Marche.
"We accept." Marche answered.
-------------
As the clan left, another Nu Mou waited beside the remains of another building. This one was female, and appeared to be around Babus' age.
"Is it safe yet....oh darn, they can't hear me from here....waaaaaaait!!!"
Chapter 2: The Homecoming
Back at the pub in Cyril, Marche and Babus were still talking about the last mission.
"Marche, that was SUPPOSED to be a simple dispatch mission..." Babus said, his mind still reeling somewhat over just how close he came to buying the farm had the rest of Clan Nutsy not intervened.
"I know, Babus, but remember me saying that bandits would be after it because they thought it was some meteorite filled with valuable metals? Although it wasn't that....and being that the bandits didn't know what it really was, they definitely would have taken their frustrations out on you in a most unpleasant way..." Marche shuddered at the thought.
"Yes, Marche, I do...and I am grateful that I prepared as I did...otherwise the battle with those Ice Flans prior to that would have left me severely weakened. But...I wasn't expecting that much of a force, Marche...perhaps one or two bandits, but an entire clan of them?"
"Indeed....most bandit clans do only send one or two, just like your typical dispatch mission. But three? That's a bit much."
"Hmm...agreed. But...there's no way those bandits would have known what it was there, would they?"
"Probably not. Those Zodiac Stones you spoke of....I've heard of them somewhere...."
Babus nodded. "Perhaps in this other world you speak of? Marche...I am curious about this 'alternate' Ivalice that you keep referring to....what is it like there?"
Marche seemed a bit confused. "Why do you ask?"
"You once said that Prince Mewt..." He paused a bit, remembering that Mewt wasn't really a prince in his own world. But old habits die hard. "...was living in his dream, and that dream produced this world....so how does he live in his own world? Who is he, really?"
Marche sighed a wee bit, not in annoyance, but rather deep thought. "Well...in my Ivalice, where I'm from, it's just a backwater, quiet country town. Everyone is human...there aren't any different races like there are here in THIS Ivalice, only different colors of humans. And we can't do magic or abilities or anything like we can here..."
Babus nodded, his head hanging low just a bit. "So...if somehow I were to end up in that world, he would not remember me...and even if he did recognize me, I would be somewhat....strange..both to him and your world."
Marche nodded. "Unfortunately so....although I'm not sure that would even be possible..."
"I see..."
Marche didn't have to ask him why he got the sudden glaze to his eyes...he knew inwardly what the Nu Mou most wanted...just to see his friend, Mewt, one more time. And Marche knew that the likelihood of that bordered on the impossible.
"But...if we were to ever find a way, you'd be one of the first we'd invite to come along."
"We?"
"Sure...me and Ritz...we're both from the same world, remember?"
"Ah yes..." he answered, then he looked up at Marche. "You do realize how she thinks of you, don't you?"
"Huh? What are you saying, Babus?"
"I'm saying she possibly thinks of you as more than a friend." Yes, Babus was there for that conversation between Shara and Ritz as well....Ritz talking about how she didn't feel she was cute enough for any male to like her, and Shara trying to reassure her that she was cute enough...and then Marche walked in and Shara expected him to tell her she was cute enough. However, Marche was just as shy as she was and they wound up going on about how the next mission would go....much to the Viara's dismay.
"Err...well....not sure about that, Babus."
He tapped his chin in thought. "Suit yourself."
"Huh?"
"Oh, nothing. Anyway, I'm going over to check over options for the next mission." And with that, he walked over to the mission board at the pub.
One particular mission caught his eye, and he read the paper on the board.
(( "I found this strange blue stone and I don't know what it is?!?! Could someone come to Moonstone Village and tell me? And hurry...there are lots of bandits in this area!! --Anonymous ))
Babus froze at the note of the village where this was found "That..that's...." he muttered just as Marche came up behind him.
"Oh I almost forgot, this is yours from the last battle....are you okay, Babus?" he said as he walked up behind the stunned Nu Mou. "You look positively pale..."
"Marche....we must take this mission."
"Why?" Marche read over the paper that Babus was just reading. "Hmm...sounds like we're gonna need to go as a clan...but what makes you so nervous about this mission?"
"Other than the possibility that the stone the person speaks of may well be another Zodiac Stone?"
Marche nodded. "Yes, but I'm betting that's not all that's on your mind? Is that place special to you?"
"Once upon a time it was..."
"What do you mean, Babus?"
He sighed. "Moonstone Village is my home."
"What?"
Babus nodded. "I was born there...but haven't been back there in years, not since I left to become a Runeseeker. My parents...well, my mother was supportive of me, but my father...we never could see eye to eye...."
"I see..." Marche understood all too well how different feelings between parents could affect someone. His mother seemed to give all her attentions to his younger brother, Doned, who was confined to a wheelchair since birth and always had to make doctor visits. Marche loved his brother dearly but resented the fact that he didn't have to work for his parents' attention...well, his mother's anyways since his father had left years ago.
"You left because of your father? Couldn't you have studied your craft at home?"
"My father always thought I was following some fantasy..."
"I see..."
Babus nodded. "Don't really know why I'm sharing all this all of a sudden."
"It's all right...besides, I've been there too. But we better go do this mission..."
Babus nodded. "Let's go then."
"Oh...and since when did you start speaking so clipped and informal like that?"
"Me, Marche? I would guess being in this clan would rub off on me. Perhaps it is."
Marche nodded, and went over to the pubmaster to claim this new mission. While he was doing that, Babus was studying the inscription of runes on his new mace that Marche gave him.
"Hmm....I don't recognize this pattern...looks like some sort of wind rune, though."
He was still studying when Marche tapped his shoulder. "Okay, we're set...we leave in the morning to go. You might want to get some sleep, Babus."
"As should you, Marche." the Nu Mou added and shuffled off to his room.
---------------------
He couldn't sleep well that night.
****Begin Flashback/Dream Sequence/Whatever******
"But why, Father? Why don't you want me to study being a Runeseeker?"
"Because, my son, it is just a legend! Why don't you study something more productive, like alchemy?"
"But I want to help our village..."
"And you can by being an Alchemist...why can't you see that instead of following this...this flight of fancy?"
"You never understand me...."
Another white Nu Mou shuffled to the side of his father. "Dear...perhaps we should let our son follow his own dreams."
"I won't allow it! He is going to do some good to this family and not chase dreams...that is my final word on the matter."
*****End Dream Sequence*******
Babus woke up shivering, and it wasn't the cold that was causing it.
"Father...why could you never understand my dreams? Why did you fight me so much?"
He stood and walked over to the window, staring out over the horizon of the midnight sky. "Going home....what could possibly be left there for me after all this time? My mother....I don't know what she thinks of me now, and I don't even want to think of what my father thinks...." Unlike Marche, he didn't have siblings to come home to...he was an only child.
"In a hundred years, I didn't think this day would ever come...and why do I fear it so?"
~Because, Babus, you're just like Mewt was....wanting to be accepted for what you are instead of what someone wants you to be...~ a thought resonated in his mind. ~And for as much as you don't want to admit it to the rest of the clan, you feel alone.....you want to know if your father has actually learned to accept you and you fear he still feels now as he did then. And even that does not bother you, but rather, that you're becoming closer friends to Marche than you wanted to...~
~Perhaps I do...but why does it matter? Marche would never fully trust me after me fighting with him so many times...me being too blind to realize we were after the same goal without realizing it, just going about it in different ways. We both wanted what was right for Mewt.~
~And you're too hurt to let anyone else near you like that...that was why you told Marche you would never be close friends to him.~
~No...he doesn't accept me the way Mewt did...and never will...he just sees me as the Royal Advisor..he doesn't accept me as me....~
~And how do you know that, Babus Swain?~
~I......don't......~
He shook his head to clear his mind and sighed as he looked once more out the window. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow..."
---------------------------
Marche was the first one to greet him in the morning. "Babus...you look like you didn't get much sleep. You look positively exhausted. Sure you still want to come along with the clan?"
Although exhaustion dominated his expression, his eyes were filled with determination. "Absolutely. This is something I must do..."
"I see...well, we'd best be going."
And they were off...Marche walking along in the lead as he always did, Ritz and Montblanc beside him, Shara behind and beside her, Babus just wandering along, and Ezel, along with a couple of other clan members, bringing up the rear.
Suddenly Marche, Ritz, and Shara broke into a merry song. Babus was only half listening, the other half of his awareness focusing on the runes on his new mace as he studied them, knowing there was another skill hidden in their meaning.
But the half that was focusing on the camraderie between Marche and the others was all too painfully aware of what he lacked in his life. Since Mewt left, he lacked true friendship, and part of him missed it, the other part too hurt and wounded to let another into that realm. ~I was talking to Marche yesterday about Ritz and how she felt..and part wondering if I would ever allow myself to know that...how ironic that the teacher becomes the student sometimes...~ he thought as he continued on.
He sighed, then, finally getting all he could from the runes, and only needing an engagement to test that, he tucked his mace into the folds of his robe and shuffled forwards to join the others.
-----------------------
Two days later, they arrived at Moonstone Village. And the sight wasn't pretty.
Babus arrived there a half step behind Marche and glanced around, positively speechless.
There wasn't a building left standing. Smoke still filled the air from whatever it was that attacked, and to his eyes, it didn't look like anyone survived.
But his eyes suddenly fixed on a point about ten paces to the east. "My...my house...." he muttered, his eyes glazing over as he dashed over to what remained of it.
"No...no, this can't be...this is just too terrible...." he muttered, only half aware that everyone else in the clan could hear him as he dug through the rubble....
Three pairs of hands joined him in his work. "Babus..."
"I just pray that they survived...." he said, unaware of the recess in the ground beside him that suddenly and quite noisily opened, startling all present.
"Who's there?" a voice demanded. "What do you...." The voice trailed off as the figure, a white Nu Mou with markings similar to Babus came into view.
It didn't take a genius to figure out who it was, even without Babus freezing like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Father?"
"By the gods....Babus? My son...."
"Yes, Father, it is me....I have returned, although I did not expect to...."
The elder Nu Mou nodded. "Although you may not know it, my son, it gladdens me to see you are safe..."
Babus was positively shocked as he continued to listen to the one that he thought would never accept him, or see joy in him, or anything positive for that matter. "You were right, my son, to have followed your path...for I have seen that tonight..."
"What...what happened here?"
"Someone...someone with a strange green stone attacked our village...and transformed into this hideous monster."
"Green stone? You don't mean...."
"Yes, my son....someone else has one of the Zodiac Stones....I believe it was Capricorn..."
Babus nodded, then blinked. "That beast....it couldn't have been..."
One of the Bangaa members of the clan, a White Monk, came up, checking to see if anyone else needed the assistance of his healing arts, ears alert for any other dangers in the vicinity.
"Adrammlech? But...isn't he the Totema of the Bangaa race..."
The Bangaa, hearing the name of their Totema being mentioned, nodded. "Yessss....Adrammlech isss our Totema...but why would he attack thisss village?"
"Because originally, ages ago, he was one of the Lucavi....how he became a Totema is anyone's guess. And it would appear that he came here to attack this place....but the only reason it would come here is....Father, did you see a blue stone in this village?"
"Yes, Babus...it was I that put up the mission request. Although I did not know it would bring you here."
"Do you know where it is?"
He nodded. "I have it. But...there is something else I wanted to tell you, my son..."
"What is that?"
"How wrong I was for dismissing your quest to be a Runeseeker as a flight of fancy...Babus, even our best Alchemists and magic users didn't stand a chance against this beast...he defeated them as easily as a Chocobo would pluck up a mere bug..."
"Father....I...."
He held up a hand to silence him, but only so he could continue. "Babus....you must continue your studies...for yourself, for your village, for your people....and for me..."
"For you? But..."
"I was foolish back then, filled with foolish pride. I wanted my son to be something productive...never knowing that this day would come...and it is time for the strongest champion of the Nu Mou to come forth...."
"Me?"
His father nodded. "You and I know that a Runeseeker at his prime is the strongest magic user in the known world. He can manipulate the elements, time, space...even life itself...."
"I see..."
"And you are the last to seek that road...Babus, you see...only our clan of Nu Mou can be Runeseekers...the ones that are born white...."
He nodded sadly as his father continued. "Even now, I regret that your mother and I did not have another child...as I also regret not having taken that path now, for I wish I could be going in your place...it is a road filled with dangers and perils..."
Babus interrupted. "But I must....for all that have fallen here...and for the hope of the world...."
His father could only nod. "Then be brave and strong, my son, and do not falter..."
"I shall not fail you, Father...by the way, how is Mother?"
"She is asleep in the cellar downstairs...."
He was finishing that sentence when an arrow whistled through the air, narrowly missing him and landing with a loud *thunk* into one of the timbers still left standing.
"Hand over the stone, old man...and no one gets hurt..." a female voice rang over all present.
"How did you know I had the stone? Show yourselves!" the elder Nu Mou demanded.
Marche already knew what the person there was...as there was only one race with that kind of hearing--Viera. And sure enough, a Sniper stepped out of the edge of the shadows around the village. With her, there were two Fencers, an Elementalist, and the most feared Viera of all, an Assassin....as well as a White Mage to keep them healed and battle ready.
Marche whistled at the show of force that suddenly appeared. "Looks like they brought out the calvary...all right guys, ENGAGE!!"
A judge on chocobo came forth...where these guys kept popping out of was anyone's guess--Marche figured they hid like gophers in the ground in anywhere but the Jagds, but he was grateful for their appearance any time, even though they sometimes made battles difficult. "I shall be the Judge for this engagement...the law for today is Missile: Anyone using a missile weapon shall be penalized...the penalty being a 10,000 Gil fine...now begin!!"
Shara let out a couple of colorful expletives in the Viara tongue before screaming. "That pretty much leaves me out of this fight... "
Marche looked back. "Don't feel bad...neither can their Sniper...look out!!"
Somehow Marche had forgotten about SECONDARY abilities...hence he didn't see he cords of fire that whipped around Ritz just before she rolled out of the way.
"Remind me again why I HATE the Fire Whip ability..." Ritz muttered before lashing out with her rapier. No one was in front of her, though..not even close..when a bolt of energy that looked curiously like a hawk split the air and drilled one of the Fencers nearby.
The other Fencer started to attack before realizing she didn't have her weapon along with her--not anymore. That now belonged to a frantically dashing Marche to get the hell out of the way.
"Hmm...seems a little more even now..." Marche said before a white glow filled the air and the Fencer that'd been hit with Ritz's Night Hawk suddenly got back up.
"Wandering spirit, return to your body...Life!"
"Damn White Mage...forgot about that one...anyone know how to make her shut up for a while?" Marche growled.
"Leave that to me, kupo...." Montblanc nodded, drawing a pistol from his belt. "I have Gunner secondaries, kupo."
"Then would you before she keeps bringing everyone we put to bed back?"
"Okay, kupo." the Moogle replied and fired one shot. A mist filled the air, damaging the White Mage and preventing the surrounding air from transmitting sound for a while, effectively silencing the magic user.
The Judge suddenly blew his whistle and pointed at Montblanc, raising a yellow card into the air. "Violation of Missile law. Penalty of 10,000 Gil fine assessed...."
"Damn, forgot about that. Sorry, Montblanc."
"It's okay, kupo, I forgot too....at least I'm not in jail."
A familiar blue mist filled the air...but when it cleared this time almost everyone still seemed to be awake. Only then did Marche notice all the Viera were wearing rings on their fingers, except the White Mage, who was sleeping soundly...snoring if not for the air being silenced around her.
"Damn...those must be Fortune Rings...they prevent sleep...." Marche growled again, ducking to the side as a blast of air split the space where he was standing and put the White Mage out of the fight for good, the White Monk releasing his Air Render technique.
"Nice shot..."
"Thanksssss. Anytime, Marche." the Bangaa replied.
When it finally came time for Babus to move...well, his eyes were positively smoldering. "ENOUGH!!!" he shouted. "My home was attacked once...I will NOT allow this sacrilege to happen again!!" he screamed, holding his mace forward and tracing a pattern in the air with it.
It took a second for Marche to realize that it was the same pattern inscribed into the mace that he'd given him. "Everyone, OUT OF THE WAY!!!"
"Runes of wind, swirl and rampage....Vortex!!"
A monster cyclone sprang to life squarely in the middle of the enemy clan and sent them flying in all directions...as well as knocking them out of the fight.
"One Judge Point awarded to Ritz and Babus for legal KOs of enemy clan. Engagement hereby ended and Clan Nutsy declared the victors. Farewell." the judge spoke and rode off.
Everyone stared at Babus, who was still panting with rage. "That will teach you to never attack a Runeseeker....ever again..."
"Babus...you okay?"
"I....I'm fine, Marche..."
"Well done, my son...now I know more than ever that you have what the world needs..." his father remarked.
"Thank...thank you...." Babus nodded, blinking his eyes. "Well, we finished this mission...."
The elder Nu Mou nodded. "Yes...and I want to show my appreciation by asking your clan to stay the night here...you are to be honored today...."
"Father..."
"Not another world, Babus....you have earned that honor this day. You and your clan. Even if only I and your mother are left surviving to honor you and what you have done today."
"Thank...thank you again, Father...."
"No, it is I that should thank you, my son. For showing me the truth."
Babus could only nod as he turned to Marche.
"We accept." Marche answered.
-------------
As the clan left, another Nu Mou waited beside the remains of another building. This one was female, and appeared to be around Babus' age.
"Is it safe yet....oh darn, they can't hear me from here....waaaaaaait!!!"