Author: Liz Luthor (AKA Kiwi)
Disclaimer: So MAYBE I don't have any rights to video game publications or anything fancy like that, but I've got my computer! My dad's computer!! ;D
"Aika, are you hungry?" Vyse hung upside down from his bunk above Aika's. She gave him a warning glare.
"That's the fourth time you've asked in the past half-hour," she muttered flatly.
Vyse grinned in return and said, "Doesn't all that glaring work up an appetite?" After another minute of glaring, Aika kicked the mattress above hers and Vyse crashed to the wooden floor of the Fina, his new ship. He had named the small ship after his friend, who had become the Ambassador of Valua. Fina wanted to spread peace throughout Arcadia, and after her adventures with Vyse and Aika, she had found the courage to speak publicly about her views. She visited the pair often, but they were unable to enter Valua (not by law, mind you-they were bombarded by fans). Fina, on the other hand, now had bodyguards, assigned personally by King Enrique.
"OW!" Vyse exclaimed. "What'd you do that for?!" He sat up and brushed the dust from his blue shirt.
"If you're that hungry, why don't you go get something to eat yourself?" Aika jumped out of the bed and offered Vyse her hand.
Once standing, he replied, "'Cause there's no reason to go until you're hungry, too; that way we can both get lunch in one trip!"
Aika moaned. "Don't we have any food here you could eat??"
"Um...no... We already ate it all."
"Well, where are we supposed to go?! We're currently in middle of NOWHERE, remember?!"
"Then let's get going! Gordo's Bistro is in North Ocean! Maybe by the time we get there, you'll be hungry!"
As Vyse took the helm, Aika sat out on the small deck, thinking about their past adventures. 'We haven't had anything interesting to do in ages...' she thought. 'Compared to saving the world, everything else seems so boring...'
It was very late, but at least this job was nearby. The winds were strong, too, and I clung tightly to my cloak so as not to reveal my identity as I trudged through the desert night.
Then I was underground...in the sewers of Maramba. The gang was impatient.
"Fork it over!" the guy in front ordered as soon as he saw me. I didn't hesitate to hand him the bag of gold. He asked, "How much is it?"
"19,800," I replied in a strong Yafutoman accent. The man sneered.
"So how much did you get?!" he barked. Not big on trust, I supposed.
"2,200, of course."
"...That ain't right! Ten percent of 19,800 is only 1,980!!" Not big on brains, either.
I explained patiently, "I know, but the price I got for it was 22,000. After I took my share out, you got 19,800."
"Aw, whatever! I think he screwed us over!!" some guy in the back shouted. This did not look good. The man in front stuffed the bag of gold into a bag he carried on his back, then began to pop his knuckles quite audibly. I was supposed to be threatened, I think.
"Look, I don't like bein' played with. I'll give you one chance to be honest and give us back whatever you took out of our share." I obediently gave him all of my 2,200 gold. I hated to give it away, because I hadn't actually taken more than I should've, but this guy was pretty thickheaded and I knew I'd have bad business from then on if I got myself a bad reputation through some moron who lacked any math skills whatsoever.
Unfortunately, he wasn't satisfied. "That's it?!" His voice boomed.
Still utilizing the Yafutoman accent, I said, "That's all the money I have on me. That's everything I got out of the sale." I turned around and started to walk away.
"We're not done yet!!" the man screamed after me. I stopped walking.
"I told you, that's all I have." I wasn't lying. I hadn't even thought to bring my sword with me. That would have been quite a convenient little entity in this situation...
"Let's waste 'im, boss!" shouted an excited follower from behind. I knew it was coming. I was prepared to fight, but I was too outnumbered.
First, the guy in front came up and tried to punch me in the gut. I was barely able to dodge it in the narrow sewer system, and then the rest of them (there were about six including the 'boss') came forward. I had had to pin my stomach to the wall to avoid that first punch, so another guy jumped behind me and held me there. I struggled to get free, but as soon as I turned around, one of them punched me in the face. Someone jumped at my left side and knocked me to the ground, where the group continued to kick me, and every now and then, one would pick me up and punch me......
I was still in the sewers when I woke up, but it was daytime. I got up, despite a throbbing pain that was evident throughout my whole body, and started to find my way out.
Then I was in Raine's doorway, and she was staring at me through two very confused, sleep-deprived eyes. Finally, she said, "Oh my god, Talis! What happened?!" She rushed me into the small house and ran to get a first aid kit.
"...Raine..." I choked out. I hadn't tried to speak yet. Suddenly my mind was exploding with pain, fatigue, and emotion, all at once. My subconscious told me I was going to die. I fell to my knees and told her about my job as the black merchant. She busied herself in taking off my black cloak and shirt and trying to use an old Sacres Crystal on my wounds, but she paused for a moment after hearing what I said. Then she shook her head and continued treating me.
"Raine!" I was in tears at this point. "They wouldn't believe me... Look, Raine!" I cried, "They killed me!!"
"Shut up, Talis!" she shouted, almost in tears herself.
"Raine..."
She looked up at me and said, "Stop it. Let me concentrate."
"Raine, please listen to me...I love you so much," I sobbed. "Please don't ever leave me..."
I woke up in my room in Ms. Marion's house, surrounded by a cold sweat and gasping for breath. 'A dream...' I took a few deep breaths and successfully calmed myself down. 'Well,' I thought, 'now I remember what happened.'
The dream had come at a horrible time. I had a client to meet that night.
Please review! :D Oh, and I haven't actually beat Skies of Arcadia yet (I'm on the final boss, but my friend who was letting me borrow it had to take it back), so if there's anything here that doesn't make any sense whatsoever, that's why. ^_^