Neeeed. . . .reviiiiieeeewwwws. . . .*falls over*
Disclaimer: I'm not even going to bother anymore.
-
The sky was barely beginning to lighten when Ayame woke again, but she couldn't go back to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Finally she got out of bed and drifted drowsily out into the pub. Only a few early risers were out, and Liam was one of them. He caught sight of her as she paused in the doorway and pulled out the seat next to him as an invitation. Hesitantly she weaved her way between tables and chairs to sit next to him.
Several agonizingly long minutes passed in silence. Finally Liam set down his steaming mug and spoke. "So I suppose we're stuck together," he murmured, eyes fixed on the swirling liquid before him.
Ayame was slowly tracing the star on her palm with her forefinger. At his words she clenched her hand into a fist again. "Yes," she whispered. "But I just don't understand. . .what can I possibly do that will save Ivalice? I can't even battle with a real weapon, I barely know how to be a healer! I-"
Liam hushed her, placing two fingers on her lips. She felt herself redden yet again, pushing his hand away. "You'll learn," he promised her. "In fact, there's no need for you to remain a White Mage. You're right; you need to learn." Pulling her arm closer to his, he began to type on her computer screen. "I'm upgrading you to Fencer. Swords are the most basic of all weapons, so you may as well learn to fight with those first."
Ayame watched as he tapped away with dismal eyes. Suddenly she remembered the dagger he'd shown her last night. "Liam, where's the dagger?" she asked. "I'd like to see it for a moment." Liam flashed her an odd look, but fished it out of his pack and handed it to her.
"It's not the weapon I'd like you to start with-" he began, then suddenly stopped short, his jaw gaping in awe. The instant Ayame had taken the hilt of the dagger in her left hand, it had transformed entirely. The blade was long, slender, and curving, inscribed with a line of elegant but unreadable runes. The hilt had a perfect six-pointed star laid in gold on the center, and a small blue charge glowed along the edges of the blade. Slowly Ayame laid the sword down on the table, and the instant it lost contact with her skin, it became the same unremarkable dagger as before. But etched in the cracked leather of the hilt was a ragged star that matched the one on her palm.
Liam blinked once, twice, trying to force himself believe what he'd seen. "What the hell?" he finally burst out. Not particularly eloquent, but effective. "What did you do to it?!"
Her head swung slowly from side to side. "I don't know. . ." Taking the blade gingerly between thumb and forefinger, she returned it to Liam, who immediately gave it back to her. "It belongs to you now," he informed her. "After that display, you should be the only one to use it."
She put it away. The pub was filling up with people by this time, and several members of their clan wandered over with food and drink. Liam clapped his hands. "We're going to Muscadet," he announced, standing up. "I'd like to see if the Card Shop has any new law cards in, and we may as well try to get Ayame some battle experience."
The clan headed out onto the roads. Ayame was soon exhausted, but she tried not to complain, seeing her companions' stalwart determination to reach their destination before nightfall. There was little or no conversation between most of them, though she and Liam did discuss their predicament almost constantly. In fact, they were so absorbed that the clan leader wasn't on his guard as much as normal, and they didn't realize until too late that they'd been set upon by an enemy clan.
"Well, well, if it issssn't Clan Tjavo." The mocking voice rang out over the quiet party, causing all heads to turn towards the speaker. A fearsome Bangaa stood atop a small hill, overlooking them with a warlike glint in his amber eyes. "Long time no ssssee, Liam. You've got a new clan member, I noticccce."
Liam bristled inwardly but remained cool on the surface, giving his clan a nearly imperceptible nod. Weapons were withdrawn, battle positions assumed. Ayame reached for her dagger but found her hand stayed. "Don't touch it yet," he murmured in her ear. "Don't reveal it until the battle starts." She nodded as he straightened up, facing the Bangaa. "Stolen any gil from helpless passerby lately, Wakki?" he called fearlessly. "Don't even bother answering that, I already know the answer. Unfortunately I'm not going to hand over all our money without a fight."
Wakki's tongue flicked in and out in irritation. "Sssso be it. Engage!" At once the tiny whirring robot appeared. "Today's laws forbid use of fire," it droned. "Begin!"
Ayame drew her sword, watching the opposing clan shrink back in fearful wonder at the sapphire glowing blade. Liam took the first turn, darting forward to deal a sharp gash on the arm of a Paladin, who collapsed. The attack had done a surprising total of 98 damage, five more than the Paladin had. Peyo momentarily forgot the rules on her turn and Summoned Ifrit, who dealt fire damage to three enemies, killing one and mortally wounding the others. However, the instant she lowered her staff, there came a piercing beep from the robot. "Yellow card for Peyo!" it ordered, a small yellow piece of paper sliding from a slot. The Summoner took it, wincing as Liam shot her a baleful glare.
It was her turn. Ayame scrolled through the list of attacks that appeared on her computer. She'd never heard of any of them. Shrugging, she picked one that read "Swiftnight" and lunged forward towards Wakki. To her shock, the battlefield went dark, as though the sun had been plucked out of the sky and extinguished. The glow of her sword illuminated her way, however, and she managed to land her blow directly on the Bangaa's shoulder. At the sound of the creature's cry, the sunlight returned. Wakki lay prostrate on the ground, one glance at her computer confirming the knockout, and more: the attack had done 150 damage! Ayame stared at it in disbelief, as did everyone else who had the presence of mind to look at his or her computer. Instantly the opposing clan dropped their weapons in surrender.
"Battle goes to Clan Tjavo!" The robot handed the winnings-8,000 gil and a Hades Bow-to Liam before disappearing. Ayame sheathed her blade as the clan headed back to the road, still trying to make herself understand what she'd just accomplished.
-
The sky was barely beginning to lighten when Ayame woke again, but she couldn't go back to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Finally she got out of bed and drifted drowsily out into the pub. Only a few early risers were out, and Liam was one of them. He caught sight of her as she paused in the doorway and pulled out the seat next to him as an invitation. Hesitantly she weaved her way between tables and chairs to sit next to him.
Several agonizingly long minutes passed in silence. Finally Liam set down his steaming mug and spoke. "So I suppose we're stuck together," he murmured, eyes fixed on the swirling liquid before him.
Ayame was slowly tracing the star on her palm with her forefinger. At his words she clenched her hand into a fist again. "Yes," she whispered. "But I just don't understand. . .what can I possibly do that will save Ivalice? I can't even battle with a real weapon, I barely know how to be a healer! I-"
Liam hushed her, placing two fingers on her lips. She felt herself redden yet again, pushing his hand away. "You'll learn," he promised her. "In fact, there's no need for you to remain a White Mage. You're right; you need to learn." Pulling her arm closer to his, he began to type on her computer screen. "I'm upgrading you to Fencer. Swords are the most basic of all weapons, so you may as well learn to fight with those first."
Ayame watched as he tapped away with dismal eyes. Suddenly she remembered the dagger he'd shown her last night. "Liam, where's the dagger?" she asked. "I'd like to see it for a moment." Liam flashed her an odd look, but fished it out of his pack and handed it to her.
"It's not the weapon I'd like you to start with-" he began, then suddenly stopped short, his jaw gaping in awe. The instant Ayame had taken the hilt of the dagger in her left hand, it had transformed entirely. The blade was long, slender, and curving, inscribed with a line of elegant but unreadable runes. The hilt had a perfect six-pointed star laid in gold on the center, and a small blue charge glowed along the edges of the blade. Slowly Ayame laid the sword down on the table, and the instant it lost contact with her skin, it became the same unremarkable dagger as before. But etched in the cracked leather of the hilt was a ragged star that matched the one on her palm.
Liam blinked once, twice, trying to force himself believe what he'd seen. "What the hell?" he finally burst out. Not particularly eloquent, but effective. "What did you do to it?!"
Her head swung slowly from side to side. "I don't know. . ." Taking the blade gingerly between thumb and forefinger, she returned it to Liam, who immediately gave it back to her. "It belongs to you now," he informed her. "After that display, you should be the only one to use it."
She put it away. The pub was filling up with people by this time, and several members of their clan wandered over with food and drink. Liam clapped his hands. "We're going to Muscadet," he announced, standing up. "I'd like to see if the Card Shop has any new law cards in, and we may as well try to get Ayame some battle experience."
The clan headed out onto the roads. Ayame was soon exhausted, but she tried not to complain, seeing her companions' stalwart determination to reach their destination before nightfall. There was little or no conversation between most of them, though she and Liam did discuss their predicament almost constantly. In fact, they were so absorbed that the clan leader wasn't on his guard as much as normal, and they didn't realize until too late that they'd been set upon by an enemy clan.
"Well, well, if it issssn't Clan Tjavo." The mocking voice rang out over the quiet party, causing all heads to turn towards the speaker. A fearsome Bangaa stood atop a small hill, overlooking them with a warlike glint in his amber eyes. "Long time no ssssee, Liam. You've got a new clan member, I noticccce."
Liam bristled inwardly but remained cool on the surface, giving his clan a nearly imperceptible nod. Weapons were withdrawn, battle positions assumed. Ayame reached for her dagger but found her hand stayed. "Don't touch it yet," he murmured in her ear. "Don't reveal it until the battle starts." She nodded as he straightened up, facing the Bangaa. "Stolen any gil from helpless passerby lately, Wakki?" he called fearlessly. "Don't even bother answering that, I already know the answer. Unfortunately I'm not going to hand over all our money without a fight."
Wakki's tongue flicked in and out in irritation. "Sssso be it. Engage!" At once the tiny whirring robot appeared. "Today's laws forbid use of fire," it droned. "Begin!"
Ayame drew her sword, watching the opposing clan shrink back in fearful wonder at the sapphire glowing blade. Liam took the first turn, darting forward to deal a sharp gash on the arm of a Paladin, who collapsed. The attack had done a surprising total of 98 damage, five more than the Paladin had. Peyo momentarily forgot the rules on her turn and Summoned Ifrit, who dealt fire damage to three enemies, killing one and mortally wounding the others. However, the instant she lowered her staff, there came a piercing beep from the robot. "Yellow card for Peyo!" it ordered, a small yellow piece of paper sliding from a slot. The Summoner took it, wincing as Liam shot her a baleful glare.
It was her turn. Ayame scrolled through the list of attacks that appeared on her computer. She'd never heard of any of them. Shrugging, she picked one that read "Swiftnight" and lunged forward towards Wakki. To her shock, the battlefield went dark, as though the sun had been plucked out of the sky and extinguished. The glow of her sword illuminated her way, however, and she managed to land her blow directly on the Bangaa's shoulder. At the sound of the creature's cry, the sunlight returned. Wakki lay prostrate on the ground, one glance at her computer confirming the knockout, and more: the attack had done 150 damage! Ayame stared at it in disbelief, as did everyone else who had the presence of mind to look at his or her computer. Instantly the opposing clan dropped their weapons in surrender.
"Battle goes to Clan Tjavo!" The robot handed the winnings-8,000 gil and a Hades Bow-to Liam before disappearing. Ayame sheathed her blade as the clan headed back to the road, still trying to make herself understand what she'd just accomplished.