This story belongs to me and my creative mind. However, most of the characters, names, and places all belong to their respective companies, so don't yell at me for copyright infringements! Remember, Italics represent a person's thoughts or the telling of past events.

Enjoy...

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:Faraway Dreams:

Chapter Two:


"Ready to go?"

"Sure am."

The two Regulators shouldered their packs and departed from the Hall, walking towards the Aircab station to take a short ride to the Lindblum Castle proper. Although a majority of traffic in the sky was from incoming and outgoing airships, they all made their final stops inside the massive Lindblum Airship Docks. From there, people could depart and take a multitude of transit Aircabs to the city itself, and also important cargo and ship maintenance was dealt with while the Airships remained idle. Lindblum was considered the hub of transportation throughout the entire Mist Continent, and the Airship Docks was where it all happened from dawn to dusk, day after day.

Fedrich stretched his arms out as he walked by Ruthy's side, the two slowly heading to the Aircab terminal. He looked across the skyline of the city, the early morning light bathing the city in a hue of reds and oranges.

"Looks like it's gonna be pretty hot today." He commented.

"Probably. It'll be cooler in Treno, since it's in the Gaia Shroud."

"The 'Gaia Shroud'?"

"Yeah, the perpetual darkness that's all around the city and the Bentini Heights. The magical forces of the planet are more intense there than usual, and the result is that the natural sunlight is altered to look like moonlight."

"Kind of like the Eternal Rains of the Daines-Horse basin?"

"Yeah, it's the same effect, it just has a different result."

The two entered the Aircab terminal and boarded a taxi to the Airship Docks. After several minutes of near vertical flight, the small cab flew into the massive berths of the building and settled down into one of the lower regions. Fedrich and Ruthy stepped out and looked around, both of them thoroughly amazed at the sheer size of the structure.

"Rei's vision..." Fedrich muttered.

"Come on, I think that our airship is a level above us." Ruthy insisted, but not after taking a few seconds to absorb the mechanical beauty of the place.

She lead the way through the massive walkways of the Docks, workers running back and forth as they moved cargo and directed smaller Airships to their landing places. They walked up a large collection of stairs, ascending to the next level of the Docks, where several Exoudes class Airships were resting in their berths. The Exoudes class was a specially made craft that could hold a great number of people for travel to any location in the Mist Continent within half a day's time.

"Which of these is the one we're getting on?"

Ruthy reached into her pocket and checked a thick paper ticket. "It says that we'll be on the Montgomery, and that it's in berth B seven. Our departing time will be at nine thirty, and we should arrive at South Gate by one."

Fedrich looked around, seeing a sign indicating where a collection of berths were, numbers four through eight.

"Looks like ours is down there." He said, pointing towards the line of berths. "Four through eight."

"Okay, we've got a half hour before the ship leaves, so there's no rush." Ruthy commented. "We can look around for a little, I've never been here before."

The two struck out towards one of the massive Airships, the blue hull shining with a fresh layer of paint and boasting several images and labels of the craft's owner. The mist engines, massive turbines that converted the innate energy of the mysterious fog into usable power, hummed steadily in their casings, ready to be activated and pushed to move the large vessel across the skies. Workers were crawling across the hull, suspended by ropes and platforms, armed with an assortment of tools to fix any problems and to inspect the metal for cracks or missing bolts. People were walking back and forth, none of them looking to be in any hurry as they paced towards their destinations.

"It's strange..." Fedrich commented. "I always envisioned larger Airships to be sleek and smooth, like ships of the sea. These things, they looks so bulky and unnatural, it's tough to think that they really can fly."

"Trust me, you're not the only one thinking that." Ruthy added. "I've never actually been on an Airship that goes outside the city. This'll be as new an experience for me as it is for you."

"Scared?"

Ruthy gave the Burman a look. "As much as you are."

"Well then, why not get onboard our ship and take a tour?"

"Sounds like an idea." She agreed.

The two changed directions and headed down the massive platform towards berth seven, seeing the Exoudes craft hovering there as if held up by invisible ropes. Several logos were on it's hull from various wealthy companies, including a not-so-modest image of a young woman giving the viewers a seductive grin, the words 'Missus M' below. They passed underneath the vessel and found a set of movable stairs leading to a door in the hull. Climbing them quickly, they entered into the back of a large room filled with seats lined up in rows, a small collection of people already present and murmuring to one another.

"How modest." Ruthy muttered.

"Well, it's better than huffing it on foot." Fedrich insisted.

"Helluva lot safer, too." A third voice added.

Fedrich and Ruthy spun about to face the new voice, seeing an old man behind them resting on a cane. He tipped the worn out cap on his head, then pulled out a clipboard and slid a pencil free of his shirt.

"Alrighty...you two are?"

"Er...My name is Ruthy Killjoy, and he's Fedrich Castor. Who are you?"

"The name's Jasoms, I'm the assistant captain 'o this ship."

"Oh, well then, here are our tickets." Ruthy apologized, pulling out the paper slips.

The elder Jasoms took the tickets and looked them over carefully, muttering to himself idly as he checked them to his clipboard. He the nodded and scribbled down a few words on the tickets and the board, then tore off the ends of the tickets and passed them back to Ruthy.

"Here are yer seat numbers. Have a good time." He said with another tip of his cap.

Ruthy handed over Fedrich's ticket piece, then looked out and tried to locate their seats. "Might as well get seated. It doesn't look like there's much to see..."

"Alright." Fedrich agreed, motioning the young woman ahead.

Ruthy took the lead and walked down the center path, eventually finding their proper row and taking a seat in the smallish chairs. She looked around the large cabin, noticing a few small windows revealing the outside environment, but other than that, she felt as if they were resting in any other building.

"Looks to be a pretty dull flight." She commented.

"Hopefully." Fedrich added.

"Hmm? Are we still scared about this?"

"Trust me, if a mere minute long flight got me scared at first try, then four hours seems like it'll make me snap!"

Ruthy chuckled. "Gods, Fedrich, you are hopeless."


After waiting for the rest of the passengers to filter into the Montgomery, the Exoudes class Airship rumbled to life and slid its way out of the Docks and began it's trip across the skies towards South Gate. The skies were mostly clear of any clouds, only a few strands of white moisture drifting in the heavens. The Airship traveled at a leisurely pace, dropping down towards the land to view the ocean as it passed below. The Ceebel River delta opened below them as they continued onward, leaving the ocean behind and coming upon the vast open plains and forests of the eastern Lindblum territory. Ruthy glanced outside, wondering which of those forests secretly protected her hometown. Fedrich remained within his seat, not chancing a glance outside any of the windows to make sure that he didn't have a panic attack.

After a few hours of traveling across the sky, the Airship finally came within view of the massive South Gate, the round entrance already opening to accept it's charge. The craft settled into the berth, allowing for a few occupants to leave and continue their journey elsewhere, Fedrich and Ruthy included. The Burman looked around at the large gate, seeing the circular entrance closing itself with a deep rumble.

"So this is South Gate." He murmured to himself. "Why does it look familiar...?"

His fur ruffled as the answer came to him. That's right...this was the place those people traveled through in that vision! They were in such a rush, and they caused a lot of damage to it...

Fedrich shook the thoughts from his head, dismissing the memories from his mind as he followed Ruthy's confidant step to a destination beyond the dock. The two Regulators walked down several flights of stairs, eventually entering the massive waiting area for the Berkmea cable cars. People is droves were walking around, all the seats taken as workers at their carts served up foods and sold their wares with an energetic motion.

"Goodness, this place is really crowded!" Fedrich exclaimed.

"Sure it is. This is the one place where people can cross from Lindblum to Alexandria, so it's bound to be a busy place."

"Well, now that I'm on solid ground again, maybe I can get something to eat and not risk it coming back up!" He laughed.

"Alright, let's see what there is."

The two walked into the mass of people, walking through the crowds of tables and carts, looking around for anything that tempted their curiosity. After a few minutes, they finally stopped in front of a small booth, looking at the sign with a curious stare.

"South Gate Bunt cake?" Fedrich read.

"Some kind of sweet bread, I guess."

"Do either of ya want 'ta buy some?" The small demi-human at the cart asked.

"How much is a slice?" Ruthy asked.

"Only eight Gil, a bargain deal!" The baker pushed. "It's sweet as honey and soft as a marshmallow!"

"Okay, I'll take two."

"Thanks a lot!" The baker cried, quickly gathering two slices and putting them into paper pouches.

Ruthy untied her pouch of Gil, fished out the proper coins to pay for the small meal, then passed them to the worker and accepted the two slices of cake. She passed one of Fedrich, then took a small bite of the bunt cake.

"Mm...sweet." She commented after eating a small piece.

"Definitely." Fedrich agreed, gulping down most of the treat. "It's better than anything I've had!"

Before Ruthy could comment, a shrill whistle pierced the air of the waiting area, and immediately the people present began to shuffle towards a gate facing the Alexandrine border. The redhead looked to where the people were walking, and she heard the faint sound of grinding machinery rumble nearby.

"It must be the cable car arriving." Ruthy figured, taking her slice of cake and putting it safely into a pocket on her pack. "We'd better get going."

"Okay." Fedrich muffled through the last remains of the cake.

The two quickly proceeded through the waiting area, passing over a large bridge to catch a glimpse of the Berkmea cable car between the forms of passerbys. The entire system of cars were dependent on one another, one set moving up the slopes of the Aerbs while the other descended, each pair connected by a length of powerful mythril cable. Each car could hold upwards to fifty people in the small seating area, and with several pairs of cars running back and forth from South Gate itself, it was never difficult to find space available.

Ruthy rummaged through another pouch that she stored their tickets in, then presented them to one of the workers at the station. He accepted them and gave them a thorough looking over, then earmarked them in his log and gave them back. Both Regulators passed by the worker and onto the metal grating next to the mammoth sized car, an engraved image of a horse giving them a stern look as they came through. After a few moments of walking against the side of the car, they finally came to a sliding door that led to the well-maintained and luxurious interior.

"This looks a lot nicer than that Airship." Fedrich muttered towards Ruthy.

"Yeah, I guess Lindblum and Alexandria wasted no expense working on this." She replied.

The Burman's ears twitched slightly. "Although it's a lot louder."

"Really? I can't tell."

"Trust me, my ears can tell the difference all too well."


The cable car closed its door after all the passengers boarded, then with a lurch and screech of metal, the bulky transport began to slide down the rails leading to the borders of Alexandria. The cable car moved at a casual pace, the scenery of rocks and the far distant plains of the Bentini and Nolrich heights, clouded slightly by the perpetual mist of the land. Fedrich kept his eyes glued to the outside, watching as the landscape changed from warm plains of wild grass to more thick reeds and trees of the cooler Alexandria region. The mist too seemed to take a more dominant stance to the feature of the land, pockets of it resting in the crevices between rocks and hanging between patches of trees.

After two hours of watching the scenery pass by, the cable car screeched loudly and slowed down, stopping at the station with a forceful lurch. The people all stood and moved for the exits, Ruthy and Fedrich some of the last people out of the area.

"You have your Border pass ready?" Ruthy asked.

"Yeah," He replied. "Father arranged for me to get one before I left home in case I needed it."

"Good, 'cause we'll need one to pass through the Bentini Gates." She reminded him.

The two walked down from the metal platforms of the cable cars, leaving the station behind and striking out towards the flattening fields of grass and reeds. They looked out across the massive Zamo Basin as they crossed a modest wooden bridge, the mist coursing thickly through the forests and slight hills of the depression in the earth. The dim form of the Ceebel River snaked casually through the area, rounding a bend to where it mysteriously disappeared beneath the Aerbs and reappeared in the King Ed plains of Lindblum.

"The Mist here is really thick." Fedrich finally commented. "It's barely noticeable in Lindblum or Burmecia."

"Yeah, that is strange. It's probably because it has nowhere to go in the basin and just collects over time."

Fedrich nodded, having heard of the dangers the mist posed when it was breathed too much. He wondered how the people's health fared when it was so visible. Spying the raised walls and iron barriers of the Gate, he reached into his vest and pulled out the thick fold of paper. They approached the small hut that a guard sat in, giving the man their papers for him to look over. With an approving grunt, he gave them back and motioned for someone else to unlock the gate and open it for the travelers to pass.

"So now we need to find that caravan." Ruthy spoke, recalling her notes on the trip.

"How long will that part of the trip take us?" Fedrich asked, keeping step with her quick pace.

"Four hours, I think. It's better than buying tickets to take a local Airship to the city, they wanted more money than I get in a month for them!"

Fedrich snorted in disapproval. "How do they expect anyone to buy them at that kind of cost?"

"Treno is filled with greedy nobles and businessmen looking to get every last Gil they can from anyone, so it's no surprise. They probably don't want us mere commoners to dirty their precious aircraft."

"Might as well look on the brighter side, at least now we can see what Alexandria is like close up."

Ruthy offered a smile. "Yeah, I guess it's better this way."

"Speaking of which, Chocobos ahead." Fedrich said, pointing a clawed finger towards a gathering of them near some stables.

Looking ahead, the redhead saw Chocobos milling around a few feeding troughs, several travelers standing near a large man who was motioning around the area. The two Regulators joined the gathering to listen to the last few instructions the man gave, then selected their rides and climbed on. With a wave of his arm, he began the long trip to Treno with the other travelers following behind, Chocobos warking amongst themselves as they proceeded onwards.