CHAPTER 19
THE CALM BEFORE...
"Well, I guess tomorrow we set out for Ivalice," Ramza said to Everhart and Cloud as they sat in Berkana's most popular tavern, The Black Rose. "I don't know what to expect..."
"No doubt Delita's got the place crawling with soldiers by now..." Cloud sighed as he rolled a coin along the wooden counter. "Plus he's still got a few of our friends and their Chrono Stones..."
"Rafa..." Ramza muttered as he stared at the counter for a moment.
"Heh," Cloud chuckled. "Malak's more open, but I'd say that you're both pretty passionate about getting her back."
"Do not let anger cloud your judgment," Everhart cautioned. "Nobody fights well when angered."
"Sound advice," Ramza agreed.
"Ramza," Everhart said. "Remember this: You are very kind, but some people will see that as a weakness and betray you because of it."
"...What?" Ramza asked.
"...Just think about my words," Everhart said.
Cloud eyed Everhart suspiciously. He was continuously questioning what Everhart was really staying with Ramza for. He didn't have to rescue anyone from Delita, did he? It seemed that all Everhart was interested in was the Zodiac Stones. Could he be...?
"OK, the drinks are ready!" Tifa announced happily as she stepped out of the back room with three huge mugs of a brown beverage. "I made them myself, so drink up!"
"Thanks, Tifa," Ramza said as he accepted the beverage. "I don't usually drink alcohol, though..."
"Oh, but it isn't alcohol!" Tifa said. "Go on, take a swig. You'll love it!"
Cloud had already drunk half of his mug. "Mmm... Wonderful as always, Tifa," he said as he smiled at his girlfriend.
"It is pleasant," Everhart admitted as he sipped the drink.
"Well, I guess I'll try it," Ramza said as he took a sip. "...Hey, not bad!"
Tifa smiled at the three boys and went back to get herself a mug.
"Hold on, how come Tifa's doing the bartending here?" Ramza asked.
"I think she knocked out the regular one so she could serve us," Cloud said. "Don't worry. She does it all the time back home."
"Riiiiight," Ramza said as he sweatdropped.
"So, where would you guys like to go?" Rad asked. Ayla, Amarant and he were wandering around town as Rad pointed out cool places.
"No matter," Ayla said. "Ayla like taking breaks!"
"I ain't walkin' with you," Amarant said. "We're just using the same street."
"Oh," Rad said. "Well, I guess we can just wander down to the shopping area."
"Shopping area?!" Amarant asked, suddenly getting excited. "You don't think they'd have a music store there, would you?!"
"Maybe," Rad said.
"Then what're we waiting for?!" Amarant yelled. He grabbed Rad in one arm and Ayla in the other and took off down the street.
"Whaaahhh!!! What you so happy about?!" Ayla asked.
"I think he's looking for a new banjo..." Rad said. "Gyaaagghhh!!! Can't breathe!"
"Agrias, if you hit that rock any more, it'll start bleeding," Mustadio commented. Agrias, Mustadio, Ovelia, Beowulf, Reis and Worker No. 8 were standing in the rubble of one of the buildings that Law's airship had leveled. Agrias was bashing her Rune Blade against a piece of wall over and over.
"I'm just practicing my form," Agrias grunted as she stabbed again. "I can't wait to stuff my sword down Delita's mangy throat!"
"Delita has done some awful things," Reis agreed, "but should we even consider killing him?"
"If we don'tput and end to Delita, he'll only come back," Beowulf muttered. "I know his type. He won't give up until he's got everything going his way."
"How do you know that?" Mustadio asked.
"Simple," Beowulf said as he winked at Mustadio. "He's just like me."
"Now that's a scary thought," Agrias grumbled. "Don't you go tickin' me off, Beowulf, or I might knock you down too!"
"There has to be a way to get Delita to stop his misguided plans," Ovelia said. "But... I don't know how..."
"We'll try to make him see reason, Ovelia," Mustadio said in an effort to comfort the ex-Queen, "but if we can't, then the only other choices are to lock him up or kill him..."
"..." Ovelia said.
"Ovelia, what's wrong?" Agrias asked. "You said yourself that you don't love him anymore..."
"I don't, but that doesn't mean that I don't care about him..." Ovelia sighed. "I know he's acting horribly, but I just can't find the energy to actually detest him for it..."
"Ovelia..." Beowulf said. "I think I understand what you mean..."
"Really?" Ovelia asked.
"If you don't want to fight Delita, that's OK," Reis said. "I'm sure that President Maclus will keep you safe here while we go."
"No..." Ovelia said. "I'm not going to hide. I'm coming to Ivalice with you, and I'll help stop Delita. I just don't want to see him killed..."
"We'll try our best not to," Mustadio promised. "Ramza won't kill Delita."
Everyone looked at Agrias, who was hacking the broken wall into a fine dust with her sword.
"Now Agrias I'm not so sure about," Mustadio chuckled.
Ovelia smiled faintly. She realized that she was in good company, as weird as Ramza and his friends might have been.
"Hey, baby," Seifer called to a cute girl as he leaned against a wall on the edge of the town square. "I helped save this place, you know."
"Great," the girl responded as she rolled her eyes. "So do me a favor and save your breath, too!"
"Awww, man," Seifer growled as he looked down at the ground and kicked some dirt.
"Problem, Seifer?" Celes asked as Gau and she came out of an armor shop with brand new suits of metal protection.
"Aww, Celes," Seifer griped. "I guess I just don't understand the ladies."
"And the ladies just don't understand you," Celes muttered. "And for obvious reasons... Besides, shouldn't you be getting prepared for the coming battle?"
"Me?" Seifer mused. "Heh! I don't need anything! I'm loaded with power already!"
"Girl in armor shop real cutie," Gau said.
"On second thought, some armor would be useful!" Seifer laughed as he ran into the building Celes and Gau had emerged from.
"Remind me to keep you around more often," Celes chuckled to her friend.
"Auoooo," Gau replied.
"Tomorrow we begin our assault," Orlandu said as he swung Excalibur around in a clearing just outside of town. Alma and Malak watched him as they talked about several things. "I wonder who that Law character is. He seemed obsessed with finding a sword called 'Rival' and then he took off when Ramza stepped in..."
"Delita's gonna pay for what he's done to my sister," Malak growled. "I'll stick my rod straight up his-"
"We don't need a description, thank you," Alma muttered. She then sighed and stared at the grass. "I wonder... when this is all over... should I?..."
"What's wrong, Alma?" Orlandu asked as he sheathed his sword.
"I've just been thinking, Orlandu..." Alma said. "About Everhart..."
"So, it's finally happened," Orlandu chuckled. "Little Alma Beoulve has a crush."
"Ummmm..." Alma said as she blushed deeply.
"Don't worry about it, Alma," Malak chuckled. "We all get 'em. When the fights are over, go ahead and talk to Everhart about it."
"Do you think that would work?" Alma asked.
"It never hurts to try," Orlandu said. "It usually starts with a question... Look at Ramza and Rafa."
"Yeah, but Rafa's question to Ramza was 'why do you keep fighting even though you've been branded a heretic?'" Alma muttered.
"Just give it a try, Alma," Malak said.
"Well... All right," Alma said. "I hope some of the Beoulve courage is in me... this will be the bravest thing I've ever done."
"Well, it looks like we're hittin' the big time," Celia said as Lede and she stood on top of the Presidential Palace and looked down on Berkana. "Ramza's finally gonna go settle the score with Delita and win his sweetheart back."
"Yeah..." Lede sighed. "It's so romantic... Maybe if I hadn't decided to become a powerful assassin, I could be the one he wanted to rescue..."
"Oh, give me a break," Celia muttered. "You'll find someone else, Lede. It's no good wasting your life brooding."
"Actually..." Lede chuckled as she smiled at Celia. "I figured something out. I was studyin' a book the other day about the Zodiac Stones. Apparently, if we collect all 37 of them we can use their magical energy to create an exact double of someone!"
"Oh, brother..." Celia sighed.
"So that's what we're gonna do!" Lede said as she balled her fists. "We're gonna help Ramza and then borrow the stones long enough for me to make my own Rammy-Wammy!"
"I thought assassins were supposed to be merciless killers," Celia grumbled.
"Well, everyone needs a hobby," Lede retorted. "And Ramza is mine! Boy... I wonder how good he is at-"
"I don't think even Rafa knows that," Celia muttered as she rolled her eyes.
"Man, this airship ROCKS!" Davis laughed as Alicia and Lavian showed him around the interior of the Cassiopeia. "I'm gonna enjoy flyin' this thing!"
"We thought you'd like it," Alicia chuckled.
"You'll be able to give it a try tomorrow morning," Lavian said.
"Oh, man! I can't wait!" Davis cheered as he smiled widely. "This is gonna be a blast! Plus, I'll be doin' my part to bring that bastard Delita down! Hoo yeah! For once in my life I actually feel useful!"
"Well, I suppose we should head back to the airship to prepare for tomorrow," Ramza said as Tifa, Cloud, Everhart and he left the bar and began to walk back towards the Cassiopeia.
"We should rest," Cloud said. "We shouldn't fight Delita's minions with the risk of nodding off."
"A nap would be nice..." Tifa said as she nudged Cloud in the shoulder. The couple chuckled lightly.
"I will train on the deck while you rest," Everhart responded. "I must remain in optimum condition."
"Well, if you want, Everhart," Ramza said. "But I think a good night's sleep will do me well."
"Ah, Ramza! Ramza Beoulve!" an old woman's voice said.
"What? Who's that?" Ramza asked as he turned around. A familiar elderly couple stood behind him, smiling warmly.
"Mr. and Mrs. Garnomm!" Cloud exclaimed. "How nice to see you!"
"Ramza, thank you so much for saving our city," Everett Garnomm said. "We owe you so much."
"We heard that you were going back to Ivalice to stop the King," Flo Garnomm said. "Good luck."
"Thanks a lot, Mr. and Mrs. Garnomm," Ramza said.
"By the way, how is Meliadoul?" Flo asked.
"Meliadoul's... not here right now..." Cloud said quickly to avoid upsetting the couple.
"Oh..." Everett said. "Well, when you see her, please give her this. It was our son's. I'm sure she'll keep it safe."
Everett pulled out a plastic case and handed it to Ramza. Ramza opened it and looked inside. A wonderfully carved wooden lute sat inside. The signature of Cinna Garnomm was engraved on its side.
"Cinna's finest lute," Flo said. "Crafted by the best woodsmith in Zeratul. I'm sure she'll take good care of it."
"I'll give it to her when I see her," Ramza said. "Thanks..."
"Thank us by defeating King Delita," Everett laughed. "Good luck!"
With that, the elderly couple departed. "Who were they, Cloud?" Tifa asked.
"The parents of Cinna Garnomm," Cloud replied. "Cinna was one of the best people we ever ran into. He had Barret's courage, Cid's ingenuity and Yuffie's playfulness."
"What... What happened to him?" Tifa asked.
Cloud sighed sadly. "Delita tried to kill Ovelia by throwing his sword at her. Cinna blocked the attack... with his own body."
"Oh..." Tifa said. "How awful..."
"Meliadoul realized at the last minute that she loved him," Ramza said. "I guess when she gets the lute, she'll feel a little better..."
"First we must free her from Delita," Everhart said. "Come."
That night, everybody slept soundly...everyone except Ramza. He paced back and forth in his room as he pondered the possible outcomes of the battles ahead. "What if he's made it so Rafa doesn't even recognize us?" Ramza asked as he paced. "What if he's put her into a deeper mind control than the others? What if we're forced to kill her? What if..."
There was a gentle knock at Ramza's door. "Come in," he said.
The door opened, and Ovelia entered. "Can't sleep?" she asked.
"No..." Ramza said. "And neither can you, apparently."
"I'm nervous..." Ovelia said. "I know that what Delita is doing is wrong, but I don't want to see him get hurt..."
"That makes two of us," Ramza replied. "I'll try my hardest to keep him alive, Ovelia. I don't care what he says... He's still my good friend."
"Hmmm," Ovelia said as she smiled. She looked very pretty with the moonlight shining on her white gown. "I just wanted to hear you say it," she said.
"Well, I did," Ramza chuckled. "Was that all?"
"Well, except for one thing..." Ovelia said. "I know that you love Rafa and all, but..."
Ovelia leaned forward and kissed Ramza for a good three seconds. "...I've wanted to do that since you helped me at Zirekile Falls," she said. "Thank you, Ramza..."
Ramza blinked a few times as his face went red. "Uh... You're welcome, Ovelia," he finally said.
Ovelia giggled. "Good night," she said as she left his room.
Ramza sat down on his bed and blinked a few times. "Boy, this is interesting," he said to himself. "I've had two women openly declare their affection for me even though they know that I love Rafa... I hope I'm not leaving a trail of broken hearts behind me..."
Now tired from the excitement, Ramza crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep. He had a dream where Rafa and he were laying together under a sunny sky just watching the clouds. With this image in his head, he slept soundly until the next day.
