FINAL FANTASY: INQUISITION
By Thomas Knapp
Act Five- Scene Six
One thing that Midas REALLY liked the airship for was a significantly smoother ride. The 'waves of the sky' seemed to be much less imposing than the waves of the water.
Micho laughed when Midas commented on that, and replied heartily, "Aye… right now they may just be lad, but during a windstorm, you may wish you were elsewhere."
Another thing Midas noted about the airship was that they were able to take a more direct route at a considerably faster speed than a sailing vessel, and was able to make much better time to the North Continent.
Tamara was glad that Midas wasn't getting seasick… but wasn't glad that she seemed to. She would occasionally suffer intense queasiness on and off the last couple days, suddenly flashing out with a small pang of pain on occasion. Lately, however, the condition was getting worse, until just now when the pang nearly made her stumble. Resisting the urge to vomit, she requested to Midas that they take a short visit in Hamil.
"Why?" Midas asked concernedly.
"There… are some people I want to make sure are alright." She explained. That statement wasn't TOTALLY false.
"I suppose we can do that." Midas replied, then added softly, "Just don't be writing me any letters about how you decided to stick around with Lord Sabol."
With a small peck on his cheek, Tamara found that an easy promise to make. Without further ado, Micho made the course correction, and gingerly set the airship to a rest outside Hamil.
"Just wait here." Tamara ordered, "It shouldn't take me long." She then climbed down the rope ladder, and bounded inside the city.
Creed slipped over to Midas side, and said, "There's something fishy about this visit."
Midas felt somewhat inclined to agree, "She's tried to hide it, but something's been bothering her as of late. From her actions, it didn't appear like she wanted to talk about it, so I didn't press the issue."
It was at this point that Borz joined the impromptu meeting, "Are you talking about Tamara? I saw her on the trip here… she didn't look too good. I can follow her if you'd like."
Midas was somewhat torn by this suggestion. On one hand, he trusted Tamara to tell him if anything was seriously bothering her, but on the other, he wanted to make sure everything was fine. Finally his protective nature kicked in, and he said to Borz, "All right… just keep your distance."
"I won't let you down, Midas!" Borz chirped, a little too happily for Midas's tastes.
The Dark Summoner pursed his lips, and added, "Hang on, little guy. I think I have something that can help you on this little espionage mission… Veil of Shadows…" The arcane words summoned the Dark Eidolon Phantom, and it rendered Borz's tiny form totally invisible.
"Okay! Good thinking, Midas!" Borz said, "I'll be back in a while! Ta ta!"
Inside Hamil…
Borz found that he kinda liked being invisible. No one panicked about him being a moogle… but on the other hand, he noted no one noticed him at all.
It had taken some keen vision and considerable time to locate Tamara, but he finally noticed her through the window of one rather large building. Judging from the number of weak and ill, he guessed it to be some sort of clinic.
'Why would Tamara be going to a hospital? Maybe she knows a doctor?' Borz thought, and fluttered over to the window in question. He kept his gaze firmly on Tamara as the swinging doors to the waiting room opened.
"Tamara… I have the results you wanted." The man who burst through, wearing a white coat and smock. said.
"Thank you, Reginald. Once again, I thank you for examining me so promptly." Judging from the way Tamara used the doctor's first name, it suggested that Borz's suspicion was right.
"Think nothing of it. There's precious little I can do for most of the people here anyway." Doctor Reginald commented. "I'm not sure if you want to hear this… but the tests came up positive…"
Tamara gasped, and replied, "Oh… no…"
The doctor nodded sadly, "The symptoms are concurrent with some of the more troubling cases we have on record. Severe nausea, cramping along the abdominal region, minor internal bleeding… I think your high level of activity might be a primary cause of this."
"Is there something we can do about it?" Tamara asked, almost desperate. Borz's eyes widened in concern.
"I'm afraid not. I have an herbal remedy here that will quell the symptoms, but in a couple months… it really won't matter…"
In a blind panic, Borz zipped away from the window, flying as fast as his wings could carry him back to the airship. He located Midas, who was still standing next to Creed patiently, and while still invisible shouted, "MIDAS! MIDAS! IT'S TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE I TELL YOU!"
Midas whirled around, trying to locate the invisible moogle. "Whoa, take it easy. Where are you?"
"Behind you." Borz instructed, and hovered in place while Midas removed the enchantment. When visible again, Borz began, trying to keep his beating heart in place. "Midas… Tamara wasn't just visiting ANY old friend in Hamil. She was visiting a DOCTOR."
"A doctor? Do you know why?" Midas queried.
"She was EXAMINED… the doctor told her she was SICK!"
"How do you know this?" Creed demanded.
"I was right outside the window when he told her. HE SAYS SHE ONLY HAS A COUPLE MONTHS!"
The news caused Midas to back away, almost stumbling over the railing when he did so. Stunned, he managed to mutter, "There was a terrible plague raging through Cairos when I rescued Tamara… Could she have gotten infected?"
The silence on the deck of the airship reflected Midas's mood. He suddenly felt empty, completely drained of energy. He slumped over to the stairway to the sleeping quarters, and ordered, "I'm… going to lie down. When Tamara gets here, tell her that I need to speak with her."
"I'll make sure it gets done." Creed affirmed.
Midas pretty much stumbled down the steps to the lower decks, and drug himself to his bunk. Throwing himself onto the mattress, he let his tears woo him to sleep…
Some time later…
He was roused when he felt a hand gently tapping his shoulder, and Tamara's voice asking, "Midas? Creed said you wanted to talk to me. Midas?"
After the expected ten seconds that Midas required to become coherently alert, he recognized that he wasn't sure he was ready to talk to Tamara at this point… especially about what Borz had gleaned.
"It's nothing TERRIBLY important." Midas flat out lied. Of COURSE it was important. Hades noted Midas's reluctance, and chastised. In my experience watching human affairs from afar, I've noted that the longer one holds back the truth, the more it hurts when the truth comes out.
Tamara dropped her head, and said, "Well… I have something important to tell you…"
At that moment, Midas interrupted. He had decided to take Hades' advice. For once… The Eidolon Lord quipped. "Tamara… I know about what you did in Hamil. I had Borz tail you because I was worried."
"You did?" Tamara gaped.
Midas jumped to his feet, grabbing Tamara by the shoulders. "I was worried about you, Tamara. Everyone was telling me how you had seemed under the weather, and I… didn't want to think you were hiding something from me."
Tamara had the beginnings of tears in her eyes. "You aren't… mad at me?"
"Of course not!" Midas answered. Where was she getting all this guilt from? "I should have been more careful. But don't worry, I'll take care of you, however long it may be."
She bit her lips nervously, and added, "I want to continue with all of you. Don't make me stay here and worry."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Midas replied with a soothing smile, embracing the knight as he did so. "We're in this together until the end."
Tamara was so happy at that moment that she began to wonder why she thought Midas would be upset about what had happened…
The next morning…
"Here we are at long last!" Micho hollered over the wind. "Next stop, Coran Pass! All adventurers of grand renown must disembark."
Tamara whispered to Midas, "Is he going to do this EVERY time we have to stop for one of our allies?"
"I hope not…" Creed grumbled as he unrolled the ladder, "Or he's going to be steering this ship through his ass."
The four slowly made their way down to the ladder, and onto the soft earth of the Coran Pass. Midas wondered if the land still had the stain of his brethren's blood. He didn't let the past dwell too long. Unlike Tamara and Creed, he had a pretty good idea where in the pass Trigger was imprisoned. Borz pointed up to one of the lower ledges on the mountains flanking each side of the narrow pass, confirming Midas's hypothesis. Barely visible from their position was the top of one of Karma's special cocoons.
"All right, people. We got some climbing to do." Midas ordered, pulling out the climbing ropes he had figured they would need from his backpack. Aside to Tamara, he whispered, "Do you think you're up to this?"
"Yes." Tamara answered, "The remedy that my friend gave me has done wonders."
"Okay. I just don't want you to overdo it."
It wasn't a particularly difficult climb, especially when Midas got a bolt of inspiration. Halfway to the ledge, Tamara noted that the weight beneath her suddenly wasn't there. In a panic, she whirled around to find Midas… only to see a free dangling support link.
Glancing further down the cliff in panicked terror, it turned to puzzlement when Midas wasn't ANYWHERE in sight, not even in a broken mess at the foot of the mountain.
"By the god above…" Creed muttered, drawing Tamara's attention. His hair was disheveled, and he was gripping his handholds so hard the knuckles were turning white. Borz flittered back into view, gasping. "Geez… caught that thing's draft… blew me right off into no-man's land."
That exchange didn't help Tamara any. Finally, Midas's voice called out to them… from above. The three of them glanced up, and at the ledge, sitting atop a large 8 legged stallion, right behind a armored figure wearing a horned helmet, was Midas. "I sorta figured that Odin could help us out here. That's one impressive horse of yours, sir."
The Eidolon muttered something that didn't sound ENTIRELY like thanks for the compliment. Midas slid off the steed, and Odin disappeared. Midas secured another long length of rope from his pack to the ledge, and used it to aid the others in their climb.
"You could have suggested the Eidolons BEFORE we started climbing." Creed growled as he stretched out muscles not trained for defying gravity.
"Honestly, it didn't occur to me until I was halfway up, and by then it was too late to really gather a consensus. Besides… I doubt more than I could have sat back there. Well… Borz COULD have sat in my lap… and…"
His thoughtful analysis was interrupted by Tamara's sly grin. I think SHE'D rather be the one to sit in your lap. Hades commented suggestively.
'I gathered.' Midas finished with a mental chuckle, then got down to business once again. "If you all will just be willing to keep an eye out for any… company, I'll get Trigger to leave his little hideaway."
Placing his hand on the cocoon, Midas called out to probably his most trusted ally. He could ALWAYS count on Trigger to be there, even if the ninja was rarely in anyone's line of sight. Midas was confident that this wouldn't be too difficult.
"Go away." The ninja demanded, "My duty has been done for me. My goal in life is complete. Leave me to my more than due peace."
"Your… due peace?" Midas asked, "What are you talking about?"
"The mission that gave me reason to continue has ended. What I had set out to do has been done. I am no longer needed."
"Of COURSE you're needed, Trigger. If ANYONE could realize how important…"
"NO MORE!" The ninja screamed. "My sole reason to continue living has been fulfilled, and not even by my hand. I strive to continue NO LONGER. Let me finish my last moments in peace."
Meanwhile…
When Tamara first heard the voice in her head, she simply thought she was imagining things. The second time she heard it, she thought Creed or Borz were playing some trick. The THIRD time she heard it, she began to question her sanity.
Let me assure you, you are not going insane.
"Who are you?" Tamara demanded.
Creed raised an eyebrow and asked quizzically, "Who are you talking to?"
Although if you keep talking to me OTHERS are going to start thinking YOU'RE insane. Just thinking will suffice for me to understand you. But to answer your question, I am Hades.
'You're the Eidolon Midas fused with.'
Yes… that I am. Before you ask, I'M not even totally sure how I can talk to you. Fusing with a mortal is new even to me. It appears that I don't know all the rules yet.
'Okay… which brings up the next question. Why are you talking to me?'
Your boyfriend is having a little trouble in there. From what I was able to glean from Midas's mind earlier, you and the ninja in there are somewhat close. Perhaps the two of you can convince our trapped friend that there is more he has to do.
'What do you need me to do?'
Just touch Midas somehow, but keep it clean, young lady, and I SHOULD be able to focus your essence THROUGH Midas, and into their conversation.
With a deep breath, Tamara stepped forward, ignoring the protests of a confused Creed and Borz…
Back in the cocoon…
The conversation had pretty much hit a dead stop. Trigger was completely adamant that his job was finished, and every time Midas even STARTED to suggest otherwise was silenced with repeated demands for solitude.
When Tamara's mental touch phased into the conversation, Midas had to do a slight double take. "How…?"
"I'll explain later." Tamara whispered, then out loud added, "From what I understand, it looks like our old friend is giving us some trouble."
"Why won't you get it in your heads?" Trigger demanded, "My job is done."
"So… THAT'S what it's been all about, killing my father? And now that he's dead, you have no more reason to continue?""
"Exactly."
Tamara snorted, "Well, I don't buy that for a minute. You spent 5 years that you COULD have spent hunting down my father living in the Outlands, helping raid and ransack the supplies that those in that wasteland needed to live. If your life was all about Gregorian, then why were you doing what you did?"
Before Trigger could answer the question, Tamara continued, "I think it's because you were more concerned with helping those in need than an assassination. I think I can also tell you WHY you are using my father's death as a reason to no longer continue."
"And WHY is that?" Trigger asked, mimicking Tamara's tone of voice.
"Because you saw the same thing I saw just before you wound up here. You saw in your eyes the man who was once your friend, stripped away of his hatred and power. The fact that you wanted to kill that… what he was… made you SICK."
She glared at Trigger, but he had turned his eyes away somewhat shamefully. "Now you're afraid that you can't face the person who had done what you almost did yourself. You are ashamed that you almost became a rat like Tarsis."
"I…" Trigger began, but found he couldn't continue.
Midas picked up where the knight had left off. "You don't prove that you're different by sitting here. You prove how much better you are by fighting with us against them. You once stood for everyone who was oppressed by a higher power. Well, THAT job isn't done yet."
In conclusion, Tamara added, "Besides… my father, and your old friend, gave his life to give us a chance to turn the tables one more time. Are you willing to waste that?"
In response, Trigger approached. While Midas couldn't ever PROVE it, he was certain the ninja was smiling.
"I suppose I'm not." Trigger commented. "What the hell? After all this… one more time in the breach can't be that much more to ask of myself."
End Scene Six