CHAPTER 17

TRAINAUSS VALLEY

"I fold," a knight grumbled as he tossed his cards down on the table. "I stand defeated."

"You can't fold, this 'Go-Fish'! I pity the fool fold durin' 'Go-Fish'!" Inspecta Collect shouted, slamming down his fist, which was so heavily laden with gold rings and wrist chains that the table broke from the force of it.

The knight got to his feet, his hand fingering his sword's hilt. "You mock me? I am Duelle, Onion Knight! I do not need to stand here and be insulted by the likes of you!"

Inspecta Collect grabbed the back of his chair, raising it above his head like a club. "Everybody here know I pity the fool that call himself an Onion Knight! Remember, use yer head! Dial 1-800-Collect an' use Northwestern Title Loans!"

Duelle's onion shaped face flushed red. "...And everyone here knows I pity the fool who uses lame commercials in actual speech!"

The next few moments were filled with the sounds of wood breaking and swords being drawn.

From across the room, Cloud, Rad, and Everhart stared at the two combatants. They had been sitting in Konra's bar trying to gather information on Delita and his new friends, but so far they'd had no luck.

"Err . . . shouldn't somebody stop them?" Rad asked hesitantly, over his cup of milk.

A heavyset waitress leaned on the bar table, shaking her head. "Ever since Ivalice took over, those two have been in here every day. Only way they can deal with the stress is by pummeling each other, I suppose..."

"They both look pretty tough," Cloud commented. "Why don't they forge some sort of resistance effort against Delita's minions?"

"Resistance Effort?" the waitress started laughing. "HAH! Those two couldn't hold together a good joke, much less a whole resistance movement. They'd be arguing over what to call it. Tornado, Tsunami . . . ."

"AVALANCHE?" Cloud suggested.

The waitress frowned at the spiky blonde warrior. "That's a stupid name."

Cloud hung his head sheepishly.

"Isn't that Onion guy from -" Rad began.

"(Hush,)" Everhart leaned over, whispering. "(That censor everyone's so afraid of may be lurking around nearby.)"

They looked around. The network censor was sitting at one of the other tables, eyeing them intently and waiting for a chance to strike.

"You catch on quick to this world, Everhart," Cloud commented.

"Hmmph. This 'scouting' is getting us nowhere," Everhart said, scowling. "We will learn nothing about Delita or his hold on Zeratul here."

"Yeah, It's starting to look that way," Cloud said, standing. "Should we try somewhere else?"

Everhart said nothing, turning so that his expression was hidden by his helmet's shadow. Cloud frowned; something about Everhart made him nervous, and even though he thought the Lancer was one of the good guys, at moments he looked like he could even match Sephiroth's evilness... and as most people know, that's pretty darn evil.

Cloud was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the two fighters had made their way over to him. Duelle (being too short to tap him on the shoulder) poked him in the knee. Cloud yelped and jumped into the air, before turning to face them quickly. Inspecta Collect and Duelle both stood scowling at each other.

"You! Blonde guy! What's your name . . . Chumpy, right?"

"Chumpy? No that's not my name," Cloud said.

"I pity the fool always call everybody 'Chumpy'!" Inspecta Collect snarled. "Never even met the guy an' you guess his name is Chumpy!"

"Shut up!" Duelle shouted. "Lissen, you, which one of us is right?"

"Right about what?" Cloud asked.

"Can you fold in Go-Fish?" Duelle demanded.

"I . . . don't know." Cloud admitted.

Both Inspecta Collect and Duelle stood stock still, frozen in shock.

"I pity the fool doesn't even know the rules fer Go-Fish!" Inspecta Collect shouted, his voice resounding in the room.

Everhart stepped in between the advancing Inspecta Collect and Cloud. "Then you pity yourself?..."

"Wha?" Inspecta Collect demanded.

"You said that you 'pity the fool' who doesn't know the rules to your game. Neither you nor the Onion Knight can remember what those rules are, so logic says that you pity yourself." Everhart shrugged. "Reason it out."

Rad glanced back and forth between the two groups faced off, Cloud confused and shaking his head, Everhart strangely indifferent, while Inspecta Collect and Duelle were quite obviously furious.

"Lissen suckah! I pity the fool who . . . who . . ." Inspecta Collect frowned, and glanced back at Duelle.

"Don't look at me, you started the sentence." Duelle shook his Onion head.

"Awww, poopy." Inspecta Collect grabbed something randomly off the the tray of a passing waitress and downed it in one gulp. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he shook the empty glass at Everhart. "Alright, smarty! YOU tell us whether he can fold or not!"

Everhart sighed. "The minor rules are particular to each individual game. The players should work them out between themselves before starting. Did you?"

"I think we did, actually . . ." Duelle said.

"No we didn't," Inspecta Collect said. "Smarty's right, we gotta work 'em out."

"But I'm certain we already did. We were just so busy that we forgot!"

"No we didn't!"

"Yes we did!"

Again, swords were drawn and chairs were thrown.

Everhart and Cloud ducked outside, just missing several chairs and tables flying past them. Rad was waiting, patiently leaning against a tree.

"This is getting more foolish the longer it lasts," Everhart said. "I would like to finish this adventure as quickly as possible."

"That guy looked awfully familiar to the guy I did odd jobs for last time I passed through here," Rad mused.

"HALT!"

Everyone turned around. Cloud and Ramza gulped. There were nearly thirty Ivalice soldiers standing behind them, all of them armed to the teeth. The lead Geomancer pointed a finger at them. "You! You match the description of traitors following Ramza Beoulve. Cough up some ID, now!"

"I believe you are looking for the men in there," Everhart said smoothly, gesturing back at the door. They are pretending to be simple bar patrons, but they are actually Ramza and one of his cohorts."

"Hot damn! Finally! A break in the case!" The Geomancer slapped his knee. "Let's get him boys!"

All the knights charged inside at once. Everhart began walking away, leaving Cloud and Rad to stare in shock at the building.

"What the?! How could you do that to those guys?" Cloud demanded.

"Everhart!" Rad said. "What were you thinking?!"

Everhart stopped. ". . . three, two, one . . ."

"What are you counting for -" Cloud began.

The wall of the bar exploded outward, and guards were sent flying. Inspecta Collect and Duelle were in the middle of it all, smashing and slashing Ivalice soldiers left and right. Cloud and Rad gawked.

"Do you still believe we need to help them?" Everhart asked, stepping to the side as the Geomancer crashed to the ground where the Lancer had just stood.

"Guhhhhh... I'll have the linguini with clams..." the Geomancer gurgled.

Cloud and Rad shrugged and began following Everhart back to the edge of town, and the airship that lay just beyond.


"Hey, guys," Agrias said as Rad, Everhart and Cloud entered the Cassiopeia. "Any luck?"

"No," Cloud sighed. "Nobody knows anything about Delita except that he's definitely not homosexual."

"Gee, How'd they arrive at that conclusion?" Mustadio muttered.

"He's definitely not," Ovelia confirmed as she shook her head.

"That reminds me, Ovelia," Alma said. "Did you and Delita ever, uh..."

"Yes," Ovelia said.

"...How was it?" Alma asked.

"...Not bad," Ovelia said. "It could have been better."

"Can we talk about something else, please?!" Mustadio asked.

"Well, it's not like you can claim ignorance on the subject, Mustadio," Agrias said. "I mean, you being the absolute KING of kama sutra techniques..."

"Hey, shut up!" Mustadio snapped.

"He's really that good?!" Alma asked.

"Oh, I must've been a good girl to get that kind of treatment..." Agrias sighed as she went all blushy and dreamy-eyed.

"Let's change the conversation, PLEASE." Rad grumbled.

"All right," Ramza, who had been sitting at the table next to Alma, said. "Since we've saved as many towns as we could, we should head for Berkana and save President Maclus."

"Shouldn't you guys check to see if any more of your pals are around?" Celia asked. Lede, Seifer and she were all sitting at a small table nearby.

"Yeah, Ramza sweetie, it's not like you to go straight to the main goal," Lede teased.

"What're you guys doing over there anyway?" Mustadio asked. "It looks mighty suspicious..."

"Oh, nothing, Seifer mused. "It's just macramé."

"Oh," Mustadio said.

"Lede's got a point," Agrias said. "Ramza, do you suppose Worker No.8 can scan the continent for any more Zodiac Stones?"

"I guess I could ask," Ramza said. "Worker No.8, could you come in here for a moment?"

"Of course, master," Worker No.8 beeped as he lumbered in from the other room.

"Worker No.8, run a scan of the continent of Zeratul and tell us if there are energy signals from other Zodiac Stones," Ramza said.

"As you wish, master," Worker No.8 said as his head began spinning around in place.

"That's kind of creepy," Cloud said.

"Yeah, it's like that exorcism movie," Seifer muttered.

"Which one?" Agrias asked.

"Scan completed," Worker No.8 blipped. "A Chrono Zodiac Stone is located in Trainauss Valley, approximately 200 kilometers southeast of our current position."

"Good work, Worker No.8," Ramza said. "Of course, Berkana is right on the way..."

"We'd best fly around it to avoid detection," Agrias grumbled. "With all of Zeratul under Delita's control, I'd bet the air force would shoot us down in a wink."

"Good idea," Ramza said. "I'll set a course for Trainauss Valley."

"Where's everyone else, anyway?" Cloud asked. "There's only a few of us here in the room."

"They're all around somewhere," Alma said. "We can't fit everyone into this room, you know."

"It might get so bad that we'd have to share rooms!" Ovelia said.

"What, are you one of the selfish types?" Seifer asked.

"No, but I don't want anyone finding out what I do at night... Oops," Ovelia gulped.

"Ohhh, someone's got a secret, eh?" Seifer asked.

"It's not that big a deal, Ovelia," Agrias said.

"Of course it is!" Ovelia said. "It's awful! Delita put up with it, but I don't know about anyone else..."

"What's she talking about, Agrias?" Cloud asked.

"...Ovelia snores," Agrias said.

"...That's not a big deal at all," Rad said.

"...Loudly," Agrias continued.

"So?" Seifer asked.

"...So loud that someone mistook her for a grizzly bear in heat," Agrias said.

"...Oh," Cloud said.

Agrias chuckled. "You should've seen it! Some crazy guard heard her one night and charged in with a shotgun. Scared the crap out of her! Boy, you should've been there!"

"Agrias..." Ovelia grumbled through clenched teeth.

"Sorry, Ovelia," Agrias said, fighting back her fit of snickering.

"Here we go!" Ramza said as he started the engine. The Cassiopeia lifted off and flew towards Trainauss Valley, the most desolate spot on Zeratul.


"Sir, Ramza's headed for Trainauss," Silas reported into Law's office. "What should we do?"

"That's where the last Zodiac Soldier is," Adela said. "If they defeat him, they'll be coming after you next."

"So?" Law asked. "Bring 'em on. That's why I came with that idiot Gideon, anyway. I'm gonna fight the bearer of Rival and kill him, proving my superiority."

"Why do you need to do that, sir?" Silas asked.

"Oh, that isn't important," Law muttered. "If they do get here, you two will help me fight them."

"Yes, sir!" Silas and Adela said at the same time.

"Good. You may go," Law said. Silas turned around and walked out the door. Adela turned to follow him.

"Adela," Law said.

"...Yes, Law?" Adela asked as she turned around to face her boss.

"You know that I can't face them without you by my side," Law said as he got up from the desk.

"I... I'll fight my hardest, Law," Adela said.

"I was hoping you'd say that..." Law said.

Law and Adela locked in a long kiss. Silas, who had been listening in from the door, sighed heavily. Adela was merely Law's pawn now. What did she see in him, anyway? Law was a dastardly, manipulative jerk that was only using her to fight for him. Adela was a noble, honest Samurai. What was the attraction?... Oddly enough, though Law detested Delita and his way of doing things, Silas thought that the two were more similar than either would like to admit. Silas was a Ninja; he had to suppress his feelings by order of the Ninja code, but the mere thought of Adela being with the cad almost made him boil over with rage.

Silas sighed again and walked outside. He went to the forest to hone his skills and forget about the whole thing.


"Well, here we are," Ramza announced as the Cassiopeia landed on the harsh ground of the Trainauss Valley. It was actually a canyon, but since a group of minority radical feminists found it by walking in through the trench, they'd named it Trainauss Valley and nobody wanted to deal with the long, tedious complaints if they argued with them.

"OK, so who's coming?" Ramza asked as he opened the doors of the airship and dusty light gleamed in.

"I haven't done much lately," Amarant said as he lumbered over to Ramza. "Count me in."

"I'm comin', too," Seifer said. "My gunblade needs some action!"

"I guess I could come," Alma said. "I need to help you guys more..."

"I will accompany you also, Ramza," Beowulf said. "It is time for me to rejoin the battle for peace!"

"Oh, Beowulf, you talk so vibrantly!" Reis swooned.

"I know, dear. I know," Beowulf mused.

"....Riiiight," Seifer said.

"OK, guys, let's go," Ramza said.

Ramza, Seifer, Amarant, Alma and Beowulf stepped out of the Cassiopeia onto the dusty mesa that was the eastern side of Trainauss Valley.

"Oh... It's so windy..." Alma said as her dress flapped every which way.

"The winds here are so harsh that they can blow you right over the edge of the canyon," Ramza said. "Be careful..."

"I can anchor myself down with my claws," Amarant said. "If the wind begins to blow, you can hold on to me."

"Thanks, Amarant," Alma said.

"..." Amarant said.

"Something wrong?" Beowulf asked.

"I've just never learned how to respond to a 'thank you' nicely," Amarant said. "It's quite embarrassing, really."

"Just say 'you're welcome,'" Seifer said. "Come on! Even I know how to say it!"

"You... errr... well... come," Amarant said. "Hey, that wasn't so bad..."

Just then, a huge blast of wind shot over the mesa. Seifer, Ramza, Amarant and Beowulf held themselves in place by digging into the ground with their weapons. Alma flew backwards so fast she almost didn't grab Amarant's leg.

"Whaaaaa!!!" Alma screamed as the wind tried to tear her from her friend's leg.

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon!" Ramza shouted over the gust.

After thirty more seconds, the tempest calmed and the wind faded away.

"Are you all right, Alma?" Ramza asked.

"..." Alma said.

"Maybe she's totally terrified," Seifer said.

"..." Alma said.

"Are you OK, Alma?" Beowulf asked.

"That..." Alma said. "Was... so... FUN!!!"

"Good grief..." Amarant grumbled.

"Let's hurry," Seifer said. "We should find your pal before another one of those wind blasts kicks up."

"How'd the airship survive that gust, anyway?" Beowulf asked as he looked back at the Cassiopeia, which hadn't moved at all even in the huge wind blast.


"OK, everyone, the wind's died down," Mustadio said.

"But we shouldn't leave this spot!" Agrias said. "Another one could start at any time!"

"So what do we do?" Tifa asked. "Do we all just sit here until Ramza gets back?"

"That would be a good assumption," Orlandu grumbled.

Everybody was sitting in a huge tangle on the floor of the airship's centermost room.

"Remember, we have to keep the weight constant!" Ovelia said. "We just barely stayed on the ground last time."

Ayla moved to scratch her knee.

"DON'T DO THAT!!!" everyone screamed at the same time.

"...OK... Sheesh..." Ayla grumbled.


"...OK..." Ramza said. "That was weird."

"This is Zeratul," Beowulf said. "You ought to know that weird things are a constant."

"The only thing you can depend on here is uncertainty," Amarant said. "...So I changed my motto. Sue me."

"Let's just go, OK?" Alma asked. "Worker No.8 said that the stone was here, right?"

"Yeah..." Ramza said. "Where should we start looking?"

"Down in the canyon, I'd bet," Seifer said. "Not much up here, anyway... Besides, it's probably safer."

The group found a path leading down into the canyon and began to trek down it.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Beowulf asked as he pointed to the far edge of the canyon. Something was sparkling brightly on the other side.

"I don't know," Ramza said as he looked. "It wasn't there before..."

"Let's check it out," Amarant said as he kept walking down the trail.

"But it's all the way on the other side," Seifer said. "How do you plan on getting there without taking an entire day?"

"You'll see," Amarant said as a trace of a smile appeared on his face. He pointed to a spot near the blinking light. "See that weird-shaped rock there?"

"That's part of the wall, dingdong," Seifer grumbled as he looked over there.

"Not for long," Amarant said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a fistfull of coins. "Spare Change!" he announced as he chucked the whole hand out towards the block. A few clink sound effects were heard.

"Nice going, Amarant," Beowulf grumbled. "That was the money I was saving for lunch today."

"Hey..." Alma said. "Do you hear something?"

Everyone listened. They could hear a faint cracking sound.

"I threw 'em hard enough," Amarant said. "It'll be comin' down right about..."

Amarant didn't have time to finish his sentence. The entire block from the top of the canyon to the spot near the flashing light cracked loose and tumbled towards the group.

"AAAAHHHH!!!" Ramza yelled.

"Clear out!" Seifer shouted as everyone ran to the side. The outcropping crashed into the path with a tremendous CRUNCH and stayed there, leaving a huge land bridge.

"...Wow," Ramza said after a long pause.

"I'm a green-skinned crook of many talents," Amarant said as he hopped on the rock bridge and began to walk across.

"Well, I'll be damned..." Seifer said. "I take back anything bad I ever said about this guy."

Everyone got on the bridge and walked across. It was a long trek and the height over which they were standing was no help.

"Ramza, I'm scared of heights!" Alma cried.

"It's OK," Ramza said. "Hold onto me if you're scared."

Alma grabbed ahold of Ramza's arm.

"You're cutting off my circulation," Ramza muttered.

"Ramza..." Alma said. "What do you think of Everhart?"

"Everhart?" Ramza asked. "He's a powerful ally and trustworthy to boot. Why?"

"Oh, no reason..." Alma said as her cheeks turned light pink. Ramza couldn't help but smile at her.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, the group arrived on the other side. "OK, where's the flashy light?" Seifer asked.

"I think it was coming from a cave," Beowulf said.

"What makes you think that?" Ramza asked.

Beowulf was looking at a large cave opening in the side of the cliff. A tiny light shone brightly inside of it. "Oh, no reason," he said.

"I guess we should go in," Ramza said. "Is anyone scared of the dark?"

"No," Amarant said. "What do you take us for? Third graders?"

Without another word, the party headed into the cave.

The cave was pitch black. Nobody could see three feet in front of them, and eventually couldn't see anything at all. "It's so dark..." Beowulf said. "Do you suppose the Cativo here is the Cativo of darkness or shadows?"

"They're all Cativos of darkness, Beowulf," Ramza said. "That's why they serve Ajora."

"I could fire off a few shots on my gunblade so we can see where we're going," Seifer suggested.

"Don't," Amarant said. "You'd probably hit one of us."

"I will not! I'll aim straight up!" Seifer said. "Here we go!"

Seifer fired his gunblade. For a split-second, the room was totally illuminated, and then all became black again.

"...OW!!!" Seifer yelled.

"I told you," Amarant grumbled.

"A stalactite fell on me," Seifer grumbled.

"Weird things happen in the dark, don't they?" Beowulf asked.

"Hello?" Ramza called out. "Is anyone here?"

"Ramza, should you do that?" Alma asked.

"It's the only way we can find out if anyone's in here without them killing us from behind," Ramza said.

After waiting for a few moments, a familiar voice sounded out from ahead.

"So, Ramza, you've finally showed up..."

"That voice!..." Beowulf said.

"Malak!" Alma said. "Malak, it's us!"

"It's no use," Ramza said. "He's already been infected by the Chrono Stone."

"How right you are, Ramza," Malak's voice sounded.

"So show your monster ass so we can bust it up!" Seifer challenged. "C'mon! What are you, a chicken?!"

"Nobody challenges Glisten the Cativo of Light and lives!!!" Malak sounded. There was a bright flash and a brilliantly-glowing being appeared before the party. He hovered in the darkness and was made of pure light. His pitch-black eyes glared at the party.

"At least we can see now," Amarant growled as he readied himself for battle.

"Prepare for the utmost agony you've ever experienced!!!" Glisten yelled as he struck a battle pose. "Light Punch!!!" He whirled around and socked Beowulf so hard that the Temple Knight flew backwards and collided with Alma.

"Sorry," Beowulf said.

"It's not your fault," Alma said. "I'd better start casting MBarriers..."

"DEMON SLICE!!!" Seifer shouted as he whirled around and spun straight towards Glisten. He caught the beast with his sword and flung him high into the air, all while hitting him with a barrage of green flames.

"You are strong, aren't you?..." Glisten asked. "But I'm sure the not even YOU can withstand THIS! SEIZURE STORM!!!"

Glisten threw his arms into the air and light began flashing through the cave at a very high frequency.

"Don't look at it, guys!!!" Ramza yelled.

"Easier said than done!" Amarant cursed as he covered his face with his hands.

When the seizuring was finished, Seifer was on the ground twitching and drooling.

"G'hhhlaaaaahhhhh..." Seifer gagged.

"You lousy!..." Beowulf growled.

"I've got plenty for everyone, kids!" Glisten laughed.

"Not for long!" Ramza said. "HAAAHHH!!!" Ramza leaped up and stabbed Glisten in the chest. The shiny Cativo howled in rage.

"Filthy child! How DARE you oppose me!!! Glisten yelled. "SEIZURE STORM!!!"

"Oh, crap," Beowulf gulped.

"I'd better start an MBarrier..." Alma said. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate on her spell.

The huge flash shot through the room again. When it was done, everybody but Alma was on the ground with huge pupils and twitching madly.

"MBarrier!" Alma called out. She was surprised when it came back and surrounded her. "What? Oh, no!"

"You're next, sweetie," Glisten said as he hovered towards her.

"No way!" Alma growled as she readied her Gold Staff. "I'll never give in to you!"

"I don't think you've got a lot of choice in this matter," Glisten gloated. "Prepare to die!!!"

"NO!!!" Alma yelled back. She swung her staff and it connected with Glisten's head.

Neither person moved. The tension was so think that it could have been cut with a fingernail.

"..." Glisten said. "...G'yarrrrgh!!! Master, forgive me!!!" With that, Glisten exploded. The sound of a spherical jewel hitting the floor could be heard, along with the thud of a body.

"...Malak?" Alma asked. "Malak, are you OK?"

"Urrrgghhh..." Malak grumbled as he stood up. "Alma, is that you? Good God, I've gone blind!!!"

"No, we're just in a cave," Alma said. "Hey, feel around for a smooth stone, will you?"

"OK," Malak said. His hand closed over something round. "Is this it?" he asked.

"No," Alma muttered, obviously miffed. "It's on the ground. Take your hand off right now!"

"Whoops, sorry," Malak said as he bent down and felt around. His hand closed around a cold, spherical object. "Got it!" he announced.

"Ohhhhh..." Ramza groaned as he got up. "What the heck happened?..."

"You're OK, Ramza!" Alma exclaimed. "I guess that Glisten's seizure attack only lasts as long as he's alive."

"Urrrgghhhh..." Seifer groaned as he sat up. "What the... Hey, there's water all over my shirt and pants! What happened?!"

"Maybe you had a bad dream," Amarant grumbled as he got up. "We found the guy, right? Let's get outta here."

"Yeah," Beowulf said. "I'd enjoy seeing some light again."

The six friends turned around and walked out of the cave. When the sunlight shone down upon them, they all covered their eyes and yelled.

"Aaaggghhh!!!" Ramza yowled. "We've been in the dark too long..."

"Too bright! TOO BRIGHT!!!" Malak shouted.

"I bet vampires get this way all the time," Alma said as she covered her face with her hands.


"So, it looks like you got Malak back," Agrias said as the group came back into the Cassiopeia.

"This is OURS?" Malak asked as he looked around the airship. "...Swanky!"

Just then, a huge blast of wind whipped up and sent the airship flying across the sky.

"AAAAHHHH!!!" everyone screamed.

"Well, at least we were gonna fly off anyway," Ramza said as he clawed his way into the flight room and grabbed the controls.

The airship finally righted itself and hovered over the canyon high enough to avoid the storms. Everyone sat down to talk about their next move.

"Malak, what Chrono Stone do you have?" Mustadio asked.

"Chrono Stone?" Malak asked. "You must mean this thing Alma let me touch- AH, I mean, the thing I found in the cave?" He pulled out a small, yellow stone and set it on the table.

"The Chrono Stone of Light..." Everhart said. "This is an extraordinary find."

"Go ahead and take it, man," Malak said. "I don't want it anymore."

Everhart took the stone in his hand and it shined brightly. Everhart gleamed bright gold for a moment, then faded back to his usual hue.

"Got some more power back, eh?" Rad asked.

"Indeed," Everhart said.

"Thank Alma for that one, Everhart," Ramza said. "She beat Glisten all by herself."

"Really?" Everhart asked. He walked up to Alma and kissed her hand. She went completely red. "I thank you, Alma," Everhart said.

"D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-don't mention it..." Alma managed to choke out.

"So, what do we do now?" Malak asked. "Ramza, where's my sister? Where's Rafa?"

"Rafa is still under Delita's control, Malak," Ramza said.

"What?!" Malak asked. "Well, what're we waiting for?! Let's go kick his butt!"

"It's not that easy, Malak," Orlandu said. "Delita has seized control of Zeratul. We must drive his forces back to Ivalice and then defeat them there. We cannot allow any of his 'empire' to remain standing."

"Oh," Malak said. "All right, I get it. So, who're all these guys, and why are Celia and Lede here?"

Everyone filled Malak in on why there were newbies and old baddies on the airship. He took it all in very well.

"I understand," Malak said. "OK, let's get going!"

"Uh, Malak," Mustadio said. "There was one other thing..."

"What's that, Mustadio?" Malak asked.

"Delita... he, um..." Mustadio started. He then whispered the rest in Malak's ear.

"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!?!" Malak screamed. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!!"

"Chill, Malak! Chill!" Cloud exclaimed. It took Cloud, Tifa, Gau, Celes, Ramza, Mustadio, Agrias and Worker No.8 to hold Malak down long enough for Alma to calm him down.

The Cassiopeia turned northwest and flew towards Berkana, its final destination in Zeratul.


"..." Law said as he sat in Maclus's office, drinking a bottle of wine. "Do you hear that, my dear?" he asked. "That's the sound of Ramza Beoulve coming this way... your sister's coming to visit you tomorrow... Won't that be nice?..."

Dark Rival, which was embedded in the wall, flashed darkly.