Chapter 11-Accepting and Present Day

"He...he's a Viera?"

Everyone stared at Largo. Even Tim and Babus, who really didn't have any part in this stared. Eldana collapsed from over-dramatic stress.

Eventually, Thenardi piped up with the obvious question. "Isn't he a bit...masculine to be a Viera?"

David nodded. "That's what prophecies are for. To predict exactly what will happen, Biology or Physics be damned. It's annoying but unfortunately, it happens."

"Wait, what prophecy is this?" Schneider asked.

"The one NOT etched into my eyes."

"Oh. Sssorry."

The only person who had remained silent was Viola, who was slowly brooding at the back corner, while Kenneth was talking to her about something.

"Err...could someone untie me please?" Largo asked. "I promise not to be possessed!"

Thenardi walked over and untied him. "Ah, good." Largo sighed, before bolting it out of the door of the Fold's HQ.

"What the hell?" Madeline gasped. "Why'd he run off like that?"

Eldana had regained conciousness, and stood up. "Don't worry. I'LL get him!" Then she ran off.

- - -

Largo ran and ran as fast as he could, until he got to a dead end. "Ah, crap!" he yelled to no-one in particular. Then he looked up, and saw a pipe.

"Oh well, worth a try," he thought, before trying to get a footing on the pipe. After about 6 attempts, he got a foothold and started climbing.

As he got to the top of the roof, he realized what an idiot he was. But he knew where he was. This was where he used to go when he was younger to wind down. As he gazed at the sky, suddenly he heard a voice.

"Mind if I sit down with ya?"

"Eldana...no, sit down..."

Eldana sat down beside him. "So...what's up?"

"Well, everyone knows I'm the bunny man, and some all-powerful evil wants to kill me. So not doing too well."

"Hmm...yes, that sucks. But why didn't you tell me that you were my brother?" Eldana asked.

"Because, even I didn't know. I was too busy trying to hide the ears."

Eldana grinned. "You have the big ears? Lemme see!"

Largo shook his head, with the beginning of a smile on his face. "Nope, you'll just be jealous!"

Eldana pretended to go in a huff. "Oh, fine! Be that way!!!" Then she reached up and grabbed the turban.

"Oi! For all you know I could be as possessive over my hat as Thenardi!" he said, with no real feeling. But he was grinning.

"Woah...they're huge!" Eldana exclaimed.

Largo's ears were massive, even by Viera standards. "Yeah...well I warned you! Don't you be getting ear envy now!" Largo grinned.

Eldana looked far from it, just pinging them from side to side. "Whee..."

"Listen, Eldana...Eldana? Stop pinging my ears for a second, would you? Listen, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. It was just...y'know, embarrassing."

Eldana smiled. "Yeah, I understand. Just...next time when you have a big revelation thingy. Tell me first."

"Yep, of course."

"Good!"

Then they walked back together to the Fold HQ.

- - -

"WOO!!! PRESENT DAY!!!" Madeline jumped up and down in glee. Each year, she and Thenardi competed to see who could get the best gift. Now there were more than two of them. Babus left earlier, saying he had to tend to the well-wishers. So Tim, Eldana, Largo, Schneider, Thenardi, Madeline, Viola, Quin, David and Kenneth headed to the palace, each wondering whose gift would be most highly appreciated.

When they got there, they met some familiar faces.

"Agatha?"

"Hi everyone! Wow, Clan Destiny's huge!" she exclaimed.

"Agatha? Is that you, kupo?"

Agatha looked at where the voice was coming from. "Kenneth? You're alive! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!" Agatha started hugging Kenneth wildly, while everyone laughed.

"So, you here for Present Day as well?"

"Yup. Where's Foobar?"

This was answered by a yell of "SON OF A...hello, how are you?"

So, they all headed into the palace talking about what had happened with each other.

Agatha explained that after the incident at Delia Dunes, she and Foobar learned of this New Power that had everyone in a tizzy. They went to Ambervale to find out more, and found out that it wants to enslave Ivalice.

"So, what's happened to all of you?"

So Largo explained about how they had discovered about this New, Exciting Evil, about Viola, about the Clan Battle with Clan Dip, and about David. He also explained about him actually being a Viera, which Agatha replied by purring. Thenardi whispered in Largo's ear, "Score."

"Well, come on, let's go in!"

And so they entered the palace.

- - -

Meanwhile, some other familiar people were in the palace.

"Are you sure this is the right way, kupo?"

Marche sighed. "There's only one corridor here, and we've followed it exactly. How can we be lost?"

"Well...err, you have a point, kupo. But why is no-one else here?"

Marche frowned. "There's two reasons. One, that we're very late. Or two..."

At that point, a load of people burst through the door, wielding very sharp weapons.

"We've been found."

- - -

As Thenardi entered the main hall, he saw Marche and Montblanc cornered by some palace people. 'Ah...dammit!' he thought.

"People are in trouble!" David yelled. "Let's help them!"

They all groaned, especially Tim. "Dammit! Knew I had something to do today, helping out my clan. Guess I was too busy being frightened out of my wits to notice."

"Come on you lot!" Agatha yelled. "Let's show them how much we rock!"

"YEAH!!!"

- - -

"WHAT!!!"

The New and Exciting Evil, in the form of Agatha, was very angry. "HOW DID HE GET THERE!!! AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I mean, out of all the luck! He just had to be found by a bloody member of the Fold! Right! Shara?"

Shara peeked her head from around the corner. "Yes?"

"Y'know how I said to bide our time?"

"Yup."

"Screw that, we're attacking now! Kill off the first member of their Happy Gang that you see. And do it FAST!!! We have a time schedule here!"

"Okey doke. You want me to send Ritz? The spell will have fully kicked in soon-"

"No, this is something YOU have to do. Be fast though. Present Day is happening, and that means that Marche is in the final stages of his battle. Well, RUN!!!"

Shara ran out to find something to kill. The New Evil grinned.

- - -

In the heat of battle, the Palace People were doing terrible. The combined attack of Marche and Agatha worked surprisingly well. Thenardi turned, seeing a Defender running at him, screaming at the top of his lungs. He grinned and yelled "THUNDAGA!!!" sending a massive bolt at the Bangaa, who went sprawling against a Sniper.

Meanwhile, Eldana had just conjured up Ramuh and Shiva, who were laying waste to some more Palace People. Quin had killed some more people with Bio.

Of course, nothing this easy could last forever, and suddenly, Babus stepped into the room majestically and yelled, "STILL!!!" freezing the Palace People in time.

He turned to Marche and said, "Don't think I'm doing this to help you. I just want to get to the bottom of this." However, this was a lie, because as he went, he gave Tim a sly wink. Everyone ran to catch up with him.

As they went into the Throne Room, they saw someone they REALLY didn't want to see.

"LLEDNAR!!!"

Llednar grinned.

- - -

There was one person who didn't run with them.

Foobar, having the directional capacity of a Goldfish (and probably the same memory too), had wandered off somewhere. So, he was even more worried when he heard the cry of "LLEDNAR!!!"

He ran as fast as he could, as far as he could, just to get away from them. He was so elated on running, he didn't notice the Viera in front of him, and went flying into her, sending them both sprawling,

"HEY, WATCH IT!!!" the Viera yelled. Foobar had the decency to look embarrassed.

"...sorry," he mumbled. "it's just, I heard something, a scream...I mean a clang, and I legged it."

The Viera looked thoughtful. "You wouldn't be a part of Clan Destiny, would you?"

"Well...not directly, but I do know them."

"Really?" the Viera grinned. "Then I AM lucky."

At this point, Foobar realized something was wrong, but before he could say anything, or run some more, the Viera had taken out two knives.

"I'm Shara. And you're dead."

And the last thing Foobar ever saw or heard was the knife going flying towards him.