Chapter Five
Fisherman's Horizon
Dark Blade woke up to the alarm clock's stupid buzzing. It was about 6 a.m. and he was in no mood to do any work today. He turned over and shoved his head under his pillow. Ah, sleep. It such a wonderful thing, but in five days I have to head back to Garden and start preparing for my next exam. Mistress Edea was a hard teacher and he hoped that she would be less strict after she enjoyed her own holiday. Just then someone stormed into his room.
"Get your ass up boy. You have a job to do." Seifer yelled out. Blade groaned and turned his back on Seifer. "Now don't make me bring Vila up here to wake you." Blade jerked his head up quickly and blinked his eyes rapidly.
"I'm.awake. No need for Vila." He muttered.
"I knew you would see it my way, son. Now listen up, get dressed and come downstairs. Breakfast is ready." Seifer explained. Blade groaned and stood up scratching his head. Damn it, I save the town with my buddies and I can't even sleep in. What's the big deal? He put on some pants and a white shirt; then he clipped his gun blade to his waist belt and went downstairs to see what the fuss was all about. When he arrived he saw his father reading a letter.
"Who's that from?" Blade asked. He sat down in the stool and attended his meal.
"A friend from Centra Plains. Down south. It appears that his daughter has run away. He says that I should be on the look out for her." He explained.
"How old.is she?" Blade asked with his mouth full.
"She's fifteen, and don't eat with your mouth full." Seifer ordered. Blade swallowed and shrugged, "It's probably his fault that she ran off. Plus she's too young for me."
"Who said that she would go for you? Finish your meal and I'll tell you where you gotta go." Blade rolled his eyes. When he was done he waited for Seifer to finish reading the letter. Blade noticed another and so he picked it up and began to read:
Dear Seifer,
It's been a long time hasn't it? I'm fine in Esther and so is my daughter. What I was going to say was that.
Seifer snatched it out of his hands and glared at him. "That was none of your concern." He said angrily.
"So who is she, Dad?" Blade asked.
"A friend from a long time ago. I want you to go to Fisherman's Horizon and pick up a young woman, by the name of Gwena Trepe."
"FH! You kidding!? It will take me the rest of my vacation!" Blade shouted.
"Then you better go now. There's a ship already waiting for you." Seifer explained. Dark Blade picked his jacket up and walked out the door. How can he do this to me? I'm an only child for god's sakes! I need to have some fun instead of doing these little chores. Blade stopped by at the weapon's shop and saw Dylan sleeping on the couch. What the hell was he doing here instead of at home? He grabbed the quilt and exposed Dylan to the cold air. Dylan's hand began to search for the covers and when he didn't find them he opened his sleepy eyes to see Blade standing over him.
"What in the world? It's six thirty!" He grumbled angrily.
"Listen I have to head over to FH. My dad wants me to pick up this one woman. Why? Don't ask me, but I was wondering if you wanted to come?" he asked. Dylan sat up and yawned.
"No can do man. My dad wants me to do inventory, and that will take me until next year. I was gonna ask you today, but I guess your going. Anyway, how long are you gonna be gone?"
"Maybe, four days, four in a half. That depends if I don't leave right now."
"Well, hurry up it's going to be boring as hell without you. My god, your also leaving Troy and I with that devil woman, Vila!" Dylan complained. Blade began to laugh, "Don't worry. You'll be all right." Blade walked to the door and waved good-bye to his friend. A few minutes later he arrived at the docks and indeed, there was a vessel waiting for him. A man dressed in brown pants and a sweater came out. His eyes were puffy and his beard was unkempt. He must be the captain, I bet.
"Hurry it up boy, we were suppose to leave fifteen minutes ago!" he yelled out. Dark blade ran aboard and walked up to the cockpit. The old man was there already starting the engines.
"My name is Rick, we'll be there probably tomorrow, so get comfortable and help my men out down in my ship. Isn't she remarkable?" Rick asked. Blade looked at the control panel and sighed. This piece of junk was a miracle if it could get him to FH! Dark Blade smiled and went down below. He asked one of the crewmembers about where he could sleep. They told him to go down the corridor and to the right was a door. Blade thanked them and he went on to find the room. As he opened it up and foul odor came rushing at him.
"Oh shit.this isn't the room." He said between clenched teeth. He didn't want to breathe! As he looked around he saw bunk beds and a couple of the crewmembers sleeping or reading books.
"Hey kid? What are you doing here?" one of them asked.
"Oh nothing just looking around. If you don't mind I need to go above and get some clean air." Blade explained. He ran out and up the stairs.
"Does it really smell that bad down here?" the man asked. The others began to laugh and he joined them.
Blade gasped for air and shook his head. Father.I'm going to hurt you literally! He did it on purpose! This is going to be a long voyage.
Gwena sat by the window watching the snow covered ground pass her by. The train ride was long and the conductor said that she would arrive at FH in less then an hour. God, how I hate trains.they're so slow! Her stomach grumbled and she decided to go see what she could get to eat. The door opened and she stepped out to see the sun blazing down at her through the windows. Gwena blinked rapidly to get the sun's rays out of her eyes. She walked through several cars until she found the dining car with several people already there. There was a small table for two in the far back corner. The small passageway was crowded with people trying to order their food. As Gwena tried to go through the mob the train began to brake, causing everyone to panic.
"What's going on?" Gwena asked one of the conductors.
"Nothing to worry about, Miss." He replied. The conducter looked out the window and paled.
"I just saw your face and I'm not going to stand here waiting. Now tell me the truth!" Gwena demanded. She grabbed the man's neck collar and stared portentously at him. He was surprised by her brute strength and decided to explain, "There is a creature out there.could be a chimera or a blue dragon." Gwena smiled, now I can have some fun! Gwena ran past the fear stricken crowd and came to one of the doors. The handle wouldn't budge.
"Damn it!" she growled through clenched teeth. "Attack!" She split the air when her chain whip hit the lock. A shriek of ringing hung in the air as the people watched her break the door.
Finally, Gwena emerged outside in the snow. The cold wind nipped at her face, but she paid no attention. The creature stood there not far off blowing icy wind at the train. The wind turned into ice and slowly began to freeze the train to its tracks. Oh hell no you don't! Gwena walked toward the beast slowly only to realize that it wasn't a chimera or a blue dragon. It was about five feet tall and scaly as a fish. She scanned it for more information. It was called a Snow Lion; fifteen thousand Hp and two hundred Mp; weakness: Fire; Hmm.I have tons of fire magic's and only one GF, but is he vulnerable to the Ice Queen? All who serve ice are under her control. Might as well risk it. The Snow Lions had evolved lately and didn't look like anything close to their old ancestors. Gwena had her mind made up and there were innocent people on that train who needed her help. She equipped her magic and GF in place. Her Hp was full and so was her Mp. Time to face this monster! She rushed at it and yelled, "Attack!" The chain whip once again slashed the air and split its force onto the Snow Lion. It screamed in surprise and counterattacked Gwena. But she was out of reach. The creature was angry and faced Gwena with ire in its eyes. It opened its mouth and a chilling breeze swept through her, chilling her bones and freezing her. She was frozen and couldn't move. The Snow Lion attacked her swiftly and broke the ice. Her health dropped halfway and she was not ready for the next attack. The creature used its tail this time, which sent Gwena reeling through the air. She landed about ten feet away from him and he advanced toward her. No! This enemy will never stop me! I will win this battle! She stood up her legs still trembling from the last blow. "Shiva!" The word froze the lion in its tracks. Gwena began to fade and two words arose in her mind, Ice Kiss. Then in her place a large sharp iceberg rose from the ground. Inside was the Ice Queen, Shiva. The crystal began to glow and crack. Shiva's movement within broke the ice surrounding her and rose above the snow-covered ground. The queen clasped her hands together and formed a blue transparent sphere of unlimited ice power. Then it began to blaze as she threw it down at the Snow Lion. The attack in turn captured the monster into an ice-capped glacier. Shiva was not done yet; she brought the palm of her blue hand to her lips and blew it a kiss. There was powerful magic behind it and the ice began to deteriorate away piece by piece, sliver by sliver. Once the enemy was gone, Shiva bowed her head and disappeared. Only a faint aura was left behind as it sank into the ground. Gwena appeared to see the creature gone. She raised her health up and walked back to the train. It was frozen to the tracks. She called out all her fire magic until the ice had melt. The strain was too much for her, yet she walked back to the dining car. Her nerves screamed out at her, pleading her to stop and rest. Gwena refused and kept on walking like a statue. When she climbed back inside the car, people respected and thanked her but she ignored. What she wanted right now was food and respite. When Gwena finished her meal she barely walked back to her car. She dialed a code and the door swung open. Gwena walked past it and it closed behind her. She didn't even remember falling onto the seat and sleeping. When she awoke, the conducter was standing over her.
"Miss? We arrived at Fisherman's horizon about a few minutes ago. Will you be staying or leaving?" he asked.
"Leaving." She grumbled. She stood up and watched as a young man of twenty- one grabbed her bags and waited for her. Gwena followed him out and noticed the heat of the sun slam down on her. Guess my winter coat isn't needed. She took her bag out of the mans hand and started to walk away.
Children were running and playing in the streets; people were everywhere and yet she wished her mother were here. Why did she have to leave for FH? No clue at all! Gwena had to wait for somebody, but she didn't remember whom. She walked to the nearest hotel and checked a room out. Might as well enjoy this nice and hot weather.
Dark Blade watched as the vessel neared FH. Finally! Now he would get some fresh air! A day and a half was enough for him. Fifteen minutes later they docked at the seaport station. He ran out only to hear the captain yell to him, "Be back tonight at sunset we leave back to Balamb then." Blade groaned. He watched people rushing in and out of stores and saw a couple of young women on the way. They smiled at him and he waved back. Oh this is gonna be fun! Wait till Dylan and Troy hear about this. They will cry their hearts out. He arrived at the train station and waited there for the woman he was suppose to pick up. The train finally left and he was pissed off. Blade ran off toward the town and wandered around asking for a woman named Gwena Trepe. No all they talked about is the girl who saved the train against a monster. Oh wow! What a bunch of bullshit. He was tired and so he walked to the pub. As he entered, some people looked at him, yet he ignored them. He sat down at one of the bar stools next to a blonde girl. The bartender walked over and looked him up and down. "What will you have, son?"
"A FH special." He replied.
"How old are you?" he asked.
Dark Blade groaned, "Sixteen."
"I'm sorry, there is a rule here in town. Youngsters can't have any alcohol beverage. I can give you anything else if you want, but no alcohol." The bartender explained. Dark Blade sighed and ordered a glass of water. His father always let him drink, but never too much. The girl next to him sighed.
"I know how you feel. They wouldn't serve me either, and I saved a train full of people from a Snow Lion. Damn them. They just don't know how to appreciate people." She concluded.
"You're the one who fought the Snow Lion?" Blade asked. The girl smiled, "Yeah, but my GF saved me as well to." She replied.
"You.you have a Guardian?" Blade asked in surprise. The guardians were famous at Balamb Garden. They were used to help the group who defeated the sorceress! "What kind of GF do you have?" he inquired.
"Oh, the Ice Queen, Shiva." The girl answered. "Oh, where are my manners, I'm Gwena, Gwena Trepe. And you?"
"I'm Dark Blade Almasy. Did you just say you were Gwena Trepe?"
"Yeah so?"
"I thought I was late, I'm the one who came to pick you up." Blade explained.
"What a coincidence. When do we leave?" she asked.
"Tonight at sunset. Trust me, you won't like the ship I came aboard. It smells like shit." He said.
"I'll take your word for it. Give me a few to go get my bag." Gwena said. As she left she felt something about him. When he entered she felt like she was somehow tied to him. Gwena shrugged the feeling and grabbed her bag. She left the hotel and walked back to the pub to see Blade already waiting for her outside.
"C'mon, we don't have much time." Gwena nodded and ran after him toward the Seaport Station. The ship was already waiting for them. A man emerged and laughed, "So Seifer asked you to bring this lass here back to Balamb? C'mon you two." He ordered. A few minutes later, the ship was on its way back across the ocean towards Balamb Town.
Fisherman's Horizon
Dark Blade woke up to the alarm clock's stupid buzzing. It was about 6 a.m. and he was in no mood to do any work today. He turned over and shoved his head under his pillow. Ah, sleep. It such a wonderful thing, but in five days I have to head back to Garden and start preparing for my next exam. Mistress Edea was a hard teacher and he hoped that she would be less strict after she enjoyed her own holiday. Just then someone stormed into his room.
"Get your ass up boy. You have a job to do." Seifer yelled out. Blade groaned and turned his back on Seifer. "Now don't make me bring Vila up here to wake you." Blade jerked his head up quickly and blinked his eyes rapidly.
"I'm.awake. No need for Vila." He muttered.
"I knew you would see it my way, son. Now listen up, get dressed and come downstairs. Breakfast is ready." Seifer explained. Blade groaned and stood up scratching his head. Damn it, I save the town with my buddies and I can't even sleep in. What's the big deal? He put on some pants and a white shirt; then he clipped his gun blade to his waist belt and went downstairs to see what the fuss was all about. When he arrived he saw his father reading a letter.
"Who's that from?" Blade asked. He sat down in the stool and attended his meal.
"A friend from Centra Plains. Down south. It appears that his daughter has run away. He says that I should be on the look out for her." He explained.
"How old.is she?" Blade asked with his mouth full.
"She's fifteen, and don't eat with your mouth full." Seifer ordered. Blade swallowed and shrugged, "It's probably his fault that she ran off. Plus she's too young for me."
"Who said that she would go for you? Finish your meal and I'll tell you where you gotta go." Blade rolled his eyes. When he was done he waited for Seifer to finish reading the letter. Blade noticed another and so he picked it up and began to read:
Dear Seifer,
It's been a long time hasn't it? I'm fine in Esther and so is my daughter. What I was going to say was that.
Seifer snatched it out of his hands and glared at him. "That was none of your concern." He said angrily.
"So who is she, Dad?" Blade asked.
"A friend from a long time ago. I want you to go to Fisherman's Horizon and pick up a young woman, by the name of Gwena Trepe."
"FH! You kidding!? It will take me the rest of my vacation!" Blade shouted.
"Then you better go now. There's a ship already waiting for you." Seifer explained. Dark Blade picked his jacket up and walked out the door. How can he do this to me? I'm an only child for god's sakes! I need to have some fun instead of doing these little chores. Blade stopped by at the weapon's shop and saw Dylan sleeping on the couch. What the hell was he doing here instead of at home? He grabbed the quilt and exposed Dylan to the cold air. Dylan's hand began to search for the covers and when he didn't find them he opened his sleepy eyes to see Blade standing over him.
"What in the world? It's six thirty!" He grumbled angrily.
"Listen I have to head over to FH. My dad wants me to pick up this one woman. Why? Don't ask me, but I was wondering if you wanted to come?" he asked. Dylan sat up and yawned.
"No can do man. My dad wants me to do inventory, and that will take me until next year. I was gonna ask you today, but I guess your going. Anyway, how long are you gonna be gone?"
"Maybe, four days, four in a half. That depends if I don't leave right now."
"Well, hurry up it's going to be boring as hell without you. My god, your also leaving Troy and I with that devil woman, Vila!" Dylan complained. Blade began to laugh, "Don't worry. You'll be all right." Blade walked to the door and waved good-bye to his friend. A few minutes later he arrived at the docks and indeed, there was a vessel waiting for him. A man dressed in brown pants and a sweater came out. His eyes were puffy and his beard was unkempt. He must be the captain, I bet.
"Hurry it up boy, we were suppose to leave fifteen minutes ago!" he yelled out. Dark blade ran aboard and walked up to the cockpit. The old man was there already starting the engines.
"My name is Rick, we'll be there probably tomorrow, so get comfortable and help my men out down in my ship. Isn't she remarkable?" Rick asked. Blade looked at the control panel and sighed. This piece of junk was a miracle if it could get him to FH! Dark Blade smiled and went down below. He asked one of the crewmembers about where he could sleep. They told him to go down the corridor and to the right was a door. Blade thanked them and he went on to find the room. As he opened it up and foul odor came rushing at him.
"Oh shit.this isn't the room." He said between clenched teeth. He didn't want to breathe! As he looked around he saw bunk beds and a couple of the crewmembers sleeping or reading books.
"Hey kid? What are you doing here?" one of them asked.
"Oh nothing just looking around. If you don't mind I need to go above and get some clean air." Blade explained. He ran out and up the stairs.
"Does it really smell that bad down here?" the man asked. The others began to laugh and he joined them.
Blade gasped for air and shook his head. Father.I'm going to hurt you literally! He did it on purpose! This is going to be a long voyage.
Gwena sat by the window watching the snow covered ground pass her by. The train ride was long and the conductor said that she would arrive at FH in less then an hour. God, how I hate trains.they're so slow! Her stomach grumbled and she decided to go see what she could get to eat. The door opened and she stepped out to see the sun blazing down at her through the windows. Gwena blinked rapidly to get the sun's rays out of her eyes. She walked through several cars until she found the dining car with several people already there. There was a small table for two in the far back corner. The small passageway was crowded with people trying to order their food. As Gwena tried to go through the mob the train began to brake, causing everyone to panic.
"What's going on?" Gwena asked one of the conductors.
"Nothing to worry about, Miss." He replied. The conducter looked out the window and paled.
"I just saw your face and I'm not going to stand here waiting. Now tell me the truth!" Gwena demanded. She grabbed the man's neck collar and stared portentously at him. He was surprised by her brute strength and decided to explain, "There is a creature out there.could be a chimera or a blue dragon." Gwena smiled, now I can have some fun! Gwena ran past the fear stricken crowd and came to one of the doors. The handle wouldn't budge.
"Damn it!" she growled through clenched teeth. "Attack!" She split the air when her chain whip hit the lock. A shriek of ringing hung in the air as the people watched her break the door.
Finally, Gwena emerged outside in the snow. The cold wind nipped at her face, but she paid no attention. The creature stood there not far off blowing icy wind at the train. The wind turned into ice and slowly began to freeze the train to its tracks. Oh hell no you don't! Gwena walked toward the beast slowly only to realize that it wasn't a chimera or a blue dragon. It was about five feet tall and scaly as a fish. She scanned it for more information. It was called a Snow Lion; fifteen thousand Hp and two hundred Mp; weakness: Fire; Hmm.I have tons of fire magic's and only one GF, but is he vulnerable to the Ice Queen? All who serve ice are under her control. Might as well risk it. The Snow Lions had evolved lately and didn't look like anything close to their old ancestors. Gwena had her mind made up and there were innocent people on that train who needed her help. She equipped her magic and GF in place. Her Hp was full and so was her Mp. Time to face this monster! She rushed at it and yelled, "Attack!" The chain whip once again slashed the air and split its force onto the Snow Lion. It screamed in surprise and counterattacked Gwena. But she was out of reach. The creature was angry and faced Gwena with ire in its eyes. It opened its mouth and a chilling breeze swept through her, chilling her bones and freezing her. She was frozen and couldn't move. The Snow Lion attacked her swiftly and broke the ice. Her health dropped halfway and she was not ready for the next attack. The creature used its tail this time, which sent Gwena reeling through the air. She landed about ten feet away from him and he advanced toward her. No! This enemy will never stop me! I will win this battle! She stood up her legs still trembling from the last blow. "Shiva!" The word froze the lion in its tracks. Gwena began to fade and two words arose in her mind, Ice Kiss. Then in her place a large sharp iceberg rose from the ground. Inside was the Ice Queen, Shiva. The crystal began to glow and crack. Shiva's movement within broke the ice surrounding her and rose above the snow-covered ground. The queen clasped her hands together and formed a blue transparent sphere of unlimited ice power. Then it began to blaze as she threw it down at the Snow Lion. The attack in turn captured the monster into an ice-capped glacier. Shiva was not done yet; she brought the palm of her blue hand to her lips and blew it a kiss. There was powerful magic behind it and the ice began to deteriorate away piece by piece, sliver by sliver. Once the enemy was gone, Shiva bowed her head and disappeared. Only a faint aura was left behind as it sank into the ground. Gwena appeared to see the creature gone. She raised her health up and walked back to the train. It was frozen to the tracks. She called out all her fire magic until the ice had melt. The strain was too much for her, yet she walked back to the dining car. Her nerves screamed out at her, pleading her to stop and rest. Gwena refused and kept on walking like a statue. When she climbed back inside the car, people respected and thanked her but she ignored. What she wanted right now was food and respite. When Gwena finished her meal she barely walked back to her car. She dialed a code and the door swung open. Gwena walked past it and it closed behind her. She didn't even remember falling onto the seat and sleeping. When she awoke, the conducter was standing over her.
"Miss? We arrived at Fisherman's horizon about a few minutes ago. Will you be staying or leaving?" he asked.
"Leaving." She grumbled. She stood up and watched as a young man of twenty- one grabbed her bags and waited for her. Gwena followed him out and noticed the heat of the sun slam down on her. Guess my winter coat isn't needed. She took her bag out of the mans hand and started to walk away.
Children were running and playing in the streets; people were everywhere and yet she wished her mother were here. Why did she have to leave for FH? No clue at all! Gwena had to wait for somebody, but she didn't remember whom. She walked to the nearest hotel and checked a room out. Might as well enjoy this nice and hot weather.
Dark Blade watched as the vessel neared FH. Finally! Now he would get some fresh air! A day and a half was enough for him. Fifteen minutes later they docked at the seaport station. He ran out only to hear the captain yell to him, "Be back tonight at sunset we leave back to Balamb then." Blade groaned. He watched people rushing in and out of stores and saw a couple of young women on the way. They smiled at him and he waved back. Oh this is gonna be fun! Wait till Dylan and Troy hear about this. They will cry their hearts out. He arrived at the train station and waited there for the woman he was suppose to pick up. The train finally left and he was pissed off. Blade ran off toward the town and wandered around asking for a woman named Gwena Trepe. No all they talked about is the girl who saved the train against a monster. Oh wow! What a bunch of bullshit. He was tired and so he walked to the pub. As he entered, some people looked at him, yet he ignored them. He sat down at one of the bar stools next to a blonde girl. The bartender walked over and looked him up and down. "What will you have, son?"
"A FH special." He replied.
"How old are you?" he asked.
Dark Blade groaned, "Sixteen."
"I'm sorry, there is a rule here in town. Youngsters can't have any alcohol beverage. I can give you anything else if you want, but no alcohol." The bartender explained. Dark Blade sighed and ordered a glass of water. His father always let him drink, but never too much. The girl next to him sighed.
"I know how you feel. They wouldn't serve me either, and I saved a train full of people from a Snow Lion. Damn them. They just don't know how to appreciate people." She concluded.
"You're the one who fought the Snow Lion?" Blade asked. The girl smiled, "Yeah, but my GF saved me as well to." She replied.
"You.you have a Guardian?" Blade asked in surprise. The guardians were famous at Balamb Garden. They were used to help the group who defeated the sorceress! "What kind of GF do you have?" he inquired.
"Oh, the Ice Queen, Shiva." The girl answered. "Oh, where are my manners, I'm Gwena, Gwena Trepe. And you?"
"I'm Dark Blade Almasy. Did you just say you were Gwena Trepe?"
"Yeah so?"
"I thought I was late, I'm the one who came to pick you up." Blade explained.
"What a coincidence. When do we leave?" she asked.
"Tonight at sunset. Trust me, you won't like the ship I came aboard. It smells like shit." He said.
"I'll take your word for it. Give me a few to go get my bag." Gwena said. As she left she felt something about him. When he entered she felt like she was somehow tied to him. Gwena shrugged the feeling and grabbed her bag. She left the hotel and walked back to the pub to see Blade already waiting for her outside.
"C'mon, we don't have much time." Gwena nodded and ran after him toward the Seaport Station. The ship was already waiting for them. A man emerged and laughed, "So Seifer asked you to bring this lass here back to Balamb? C'mon you two." He ordered. A few minutes later, the ship was on its way back across the ocean towards Balamb Town.