Chapter rewritten 19th June 2004.

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Chapter 40
South Window - Under Seige...sort of...
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"Well..." Kahri began, "You remember I bumped into you guys when you were leaving for North Window yesterday? It started not too long after you left, actually."

They had sat down on the stairs of the old North Window Castle. Riou and Nanami nodded along to Kahri's tale. Pilika had fallen asleep on Nanami's lap. Malcolm and Warren sat sadly.

"Everyone I bumped into yesterday seemed to be hurrying of somewhere...Andrew, you guys, Elaine...but poor Pilika was waiting right outside the Inn...hoping that Jowy would be back soon...that's really where it all began."

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South Window City, the day before...

Kahri looked at the child with sympathy in his eyes. "You're...waiting for Jowy to come...aren't you?"

Pilika closed her eyes and nodded softly. Kahri's heart broke, the poor child...how can I tell her Jowy's not coming?

"Tell you what, how about we go explore the city for a while. Maybe Jowy will be back by then? It's better than waiting around here, right?"

Pilika seemed to think about it, before wrapping her tiny hand around Kahri's.

Hopefully this'll take her mind of off things...and if not, at least it might cheer her up a small bit.

"Hey Malcolm," Kahri called out, "Forget watch duty, we've got a more important job to do."

"Really? Whatever could that be?" Malcolm looked down at Pilika and smiled, "Oh, babysitting. That's totally fine."

South Window wasn't overly massive, certainly a great deal smaller than Muse City. But it was still pleasant, with a soft gentle breeze flowing through. Pilika seemed interested in the Item Shop, so Kahri and Malcolm were less-than-reluctantly dragged towards it. There wasn't much on offer, and Pilika seemed disappointed.

"What's up here? What's with the babysitting gig?"

Kahri and Malcolm turned around to see Warren playing keepie-up with his ball. Pilika walked over and snatched the ball, and proceeded to bounce it against the floor.

"Maybe you shouldn't play ball in the store?" Malcolm said, suggestively.

"It's no trouble, as long as she doesn't break anything that is. It's been too long since I saw anybody having fun." The shopkeeper said.

"Come on, it's not that bad!" Warren said enthusiastically.

"You DO remember the reception we got in Kuskus, don't you?" Kahri said grimly, "I think it IS that bad I'm afraid."

"You're just so pessimistic!" Warren said, with a big grin on his face, "Come on! It's a beautiful day outside, now is not the time for moaning! Now is the time for playing ball!"

Malcolm scratched his head, "I just can't see a game of kicking a ball being any fun, sorry."

Warren frowned. "Man, you're no fun at all. Well, Pilika there has some good ball skills, maybe she'd want to play?"

Malcolm managed a small smile, "It might help her forget all the stuff that has happened recently..." He submitted.

"Great! You'll both join in of course...for Pilika's sake?" Warren asked, making puppy dog style eyes.

Malcolm sighed, "Oh...what harm could it possibly do?"

---

SMASH

"Eeee."

Kahri's eyes widened as he stared at the hole he just made in somebody's window. Malcolm desperately tried to stop himself laughing.

"Not bad power behind the kick," Warren was also trying his hardest not to burst into laughter, "But your aim needs serious work."

"Eeee."

"Are you okay? You've turned as white as a ghost there Kahri."

"Eeee...we're gonna have to pay for that..."

"We? You broke it, you pay for it." Warren countered.

"Yeah, like I could afford it!" Kahri yelled, before turning sharply to face Malcolm, "And will you stop laughing! It wasn't funny!"

"Then we have only one option." Warren said, knowledgeably.

"What's that?"

"RUN LIKE HELL!"

Warren picked up Pilika and ran away. Malcolm and Kahri both stood in shock for a second, before suddenly realising they literally couldn't afford to hang around. Feeling like super heels, Kahri Malcolm ran away from the scene. The owner of the house, an old looking guy with a strangely shaped head, looked out of the door.

"Wonder who did this? However did they know that Adlai was looking for something exactly like this for his invention!"

He tossed the ball in the air, before catching it and going back inside his house.

---

"I think we're safe..."

Warren, Kahri and Malcolm came out from their hiding place. A small alley behind a house, with a nice Bonsai exhibition on display.

"I think we're in the clear, although that wasn't the best example we could have set for Pilika," Malcolm breathed a huge sigh of relief, "Oh, but what about your ball...we'll never get it back..."

Warren stopped him, "That's why I always have spares! I just need to blow up another one, and wham! Ready to play again."

Malcolm felt his head drop, and his eyes narrow. "That's...really sad."

"Hey! These are pretty neat."

Malcolm and Warren both turned around, only to see Kahri admiring some of the Bonsai trees on display. "Some nice specimens here actually. This one's the nicest, there's even a crystal in there for decoration."

"Hey, that is a pretty nice Bonsai," Malcolm nudged Kahri to the side to get a better look at it, "The crystal throws it off, though. A true Bonsai doesn't need additional decoration to make it look good."

"If you two are done admiring the greenery," Warren tossed the newly blown up ball to Malcolm, "I believe I was whooping both your asses at football."

"With aim like Kahri's, that's not surprising," Malcolm giggled, quickly tossing the ball at Kahri before he could physically retaliate. Kahri chased after Malcolm, ball in hand. Kahri tossed it at Malcolm, and hit him squarely in the back of the head. The shock of the impact caused Malcolm to lose his balance, and soon he found himself lying on the ground. Kahri triumphantly took his sunglasses back off Malcolm and put them back on.

During this commotion, nobody saw Pilika reach into one of the Bonsai plants, the one Kahri had pointed out as the nicest. She took the crystal, and gazed at it - mesmerized.

Malcolm eventually got back to his feet, ducking a flying ball that Warren must've aimed at Kahri. It very nearly hit a nearby priest in the head...Malcolm yelled out a plaintive "Sorry sir!" as he stomped over towards Kahri and Warren. Malcolm proceeded to knock their heads together.

"Watch it you two," He yelled, as Kahri and Warren rubbed their bumps, "We can't get in trouble, who'd look after Pilika if we got thrown in jail?"

Pilika wandered over, letting Malcolm lift her up into a piggyback. Both Kahri and Warren suddenly developed anime style sweatdrops, before muttering apologies.

"Good. Now let's get back to the Inn already. It's past Pilika's bedtime." Malcolm said, oozing responsibility.

"Yeah...come to think of it...I never did get to eat lunch! I'm starving!" Kahri moaned, his stomach growled in confirmation.

"You nap...you eat...that's pretty much you in a nutshell." Warren said, sounding way too realistic for his own good.

Kahri and Warren stared daggers at each other, leaving Malcolm to simply smile at how right Warren's comment actually was..."Now, now Warren. That's not fair. Accurate, yes, but still..."

"Oh, shut up," Kahri glowered, "This can't get any worse."

"HIGHLAND SOLDIERS!!! THEY'RE COMING THIS WAY!!!"

Malcolm, Kahri and Warren stopped dead in their tracks as they heard the loud yells coming from the town entrance. Malcolm and Warren both turned to look at Kahri, "You JINXED it!"

Kahri gulped, "I'm sorry!"

They quickly headed towards the source of the cry, and saw some of their companions running out of the Inn as they approached the entrance.

"What's going on?" Malcolm and Flik yelled simultaneously.

A man ran past them, "The Highland Army is heading this way! It's Solon Jhee's unit! They're going to invade South Window!!!"

"What are we going to do now?" Kahri looked worried.

"We're going to surrender...peacefully."

Everyone turned around to see Lord Granmeyer approaching. "I know none of you will like the idea, but I do not wish any harm to come to South Window or it's citizens. I've already sent a messenger forward announcing our unconditional surrender."

Collective gasps were heard. "Are you crazy? Like the Highland Army will let any of us get out alive!" Flik yelled at Granmeyer.

Malcolm picked up Pilika and gave her to Rina. "The women and children will get out okay...but as for the rest of us...well, we have to make sure they do. You guys gotta get out of here now..."

Flik nodded, "He's right. We gotta get as many people out as possible. We should reconvene in North Window - meet up with Viktor and the others."

Pilika let out a small whimper. Rina took her hand and quickly led the others out of South Window. Malcolm stood with Flik, Kahri and Warren.

Flik unsheathed his sword, "We have to make sure they make it."

The three nodded. "What about you Lord Granmeyer?" Warren said, quickly inflating another one of his footballs.

"No, you must go quickly. I must stay here. It is my fate...I must accept the consequences of my cowardice now." The old man replied.

"You cannot be serious...you realise that you will most likely be executed!" Kahri yelled.

"He knows that Kahri." Flik said grimly. "Come, we have to protect the others."

---

The group had travelled quite a bit before they finally glimpsed the Highland Army approaching South Window. Everybody tensed up as they saw the Highland soldiers.

"Flik," Malcolm whispered, "They must know of South Window's surrender by now...what's with the Army?"

"Probably there to make sure any rebels don't get the chance TO rebel." He answered.

"We're dead." Kahri said, half trying to be comedic and half almost believing it.

"Maybe they will just ignore us?" Warren added, sounding way too hopeful.

"I doubt it, they'll probably recognise us the second they see us." Flik answered, "We need to avoid them."

"And just let them take over South Window?" Kahri countered, realising how dumb it sounded.

"We've not got many soldiers...we need to get to North Window without casualties." Flik said, falling silent afterwards.

Malcolm looked right at the approaching army. "Hmm...well, I guess the best way to do that would be to cause a distraction."

Flik turned sharply around, "No...you can't risk your life like that. We'll find another way."

Malcolm sighed unhappily. "No, we don't have any time to come up with a smart plan. We don't even have a strategist or anything. So we just need a small distraction. And the Highland army will jump at the chance to kill off some of the troublemakers from Kuskus."

At that point the penny dropped for Kahri and Warren. "When you said...troublemakers...you meant us three, didn't you." Kahri said, motioning with his hand at himself, Warren and Malcolm.

Malcolm actually smiled, which only riled up Kahri more. "Well...yes, of course I did. Come on, you want to make sure everyone else gets away, don't you?"

Kahri fell face first to the ground, but Warren looked thoughtful. "It does sound like the best way..."

"I am surrounded by suicidal idiots..." Kahri said, although nobody heard him due to him still being face down in the ground.

Flik looked dismayed, "I don't like this idea, but it's the best one we got alright. Just be careful!"

Pilika then walked over to Malcolm, her tiny hands clenched together. She handed Malcolm something before walking back to Rina. It was a Crystal. Malcolm smiled at the gift.

"Oh Pilika, where did you get this?" He said, looking at it with a gaze of familiarity "Looks familiar."

Kahri thumped the ground in frustration. "If we're going to do this, can we just get it over with already?"

Malcolm turned to Warren, "Can you kick your ball right into their front line? That would start our distraction."

Warren smirked, "Gee, that's a challenge..."

And so it began. Warren hammered the ball right into the Army's front line, knocking down a good number of them. Kahri stood before the army, his Spatula raised high into the air. He was spinning it around at a speed that most cheerleaders would be envious of. He suddenly stopped it and a series of small spatulas flew right into the Highland Army, taking down more of them.

The army was looking confused, unsure of what was happening. Malcolm stood to the side, looking right at the army.

"Hey, wait a minute...they were part of the rebel group in Kuskus!"

Malcolm smirked, "Oh darn, we're discovered."

"Stop enjoying this!" Kahri moaned as he whalloped a guard over the head with his spatula.

"Sorry," Malcolm raised his hand in the air, and the rune on his hand began to glow, "I just got caught up in the flow of things."

It then began to rain on the Highland troops. The rainwater was coming down at a much quicker rate than rain usually did. It wasn't really an attack, doing little to actually hurt the Highland soldiers, but it did do a marvelous job of stopping them for a second.

"You idiots! They're just causing a distraction! Ignore them and head on to South Window! We have a job to do!"

The three stood in shock as the Highland Army, slightly wetter and slightly more embarrassed than before, trudged on towards South Window. All three suddenly developed sweatdrops as they watched the Army trudge on.

"Um...did we win?" Kahri asked, looking confused.

"Well, they didn't even notice the others get away...so I'd say that's a definite win." Warren said happily.

Malcolm shook his head, "Wonder what's so important that they'd let us off...wait...oh no, they're going to...Lord Granmeyer's in trouble."

Warren deflated a bit, "Oh no...you don't mean the death sentence?"

"Poor Granmeyer. Oh well, let's catch up with Flik and the others already." Kahri said, brushing his hair back.

Malcolm glanced back at South Window. "You can go if you want...but I have to know what will happen."

Malcolm ran back towards South Window, Kahri's jaw dropped. "He really is a dumbass...hey, where are you going?"

Warren stopped running to turn back to face Kahri, "Sorry kid, curiosity and all."

Kahri watched Warren run back after Malcolm. "FINE! Go and get killed, see if I care!"

The wind breezed through Kahri's hair, as he stood there. On his own. In a region where the Highland troops were probably running rampant.

"Damn it."

He chased after Malcolm and Warren seconds later...

---

There was some sort of gathering outside the City Hall of South Window. Malcolm, Kahri and Warren struggled to see from where they had hidden.

"South Window is now Highland Territory, and falls under Highland Law!"

"Who was that?" Kahri whispered.

"Must be Solon Jhee...this can't be good." Malcolm whispered back

"Hey, I think I see Granmeyer...I think." Warren whispered.

Kahri frowned, "Hey...do you smell something really reeky? Like rotten garbage or something?"

"As such, we had to make an example to you all - anybody who breaks Highland Law will be dealt with...severely."

"Oh god..." Malcolm whispered, "I think I know what stinks..."

"Really? Willing to share?" Kahri whispered, meanly.

"Well, Warren was right. Granmeyer is over there..."

"That's good!" Warren whispered

"But his head is nailed up there on the city entrance gate..."

"That's not good..." Warren's face fell.

Kahri looked confused, "But that doesn't explain what reeks....." Realization dawned, "Oh...god..."

"Let's get out of here already, I think we've seen enough..." Malcolm finished.

"Hey! It's those rebels again! Get them!"

"Dammit! Run!" Malcolm yelled.

"We've done too much running today, you do realise that every time it has been your fault, Malcolm?" Warren replied, as they ran out of South Window.

"Warren." Malcolm said softly, "Shut up, and run like hell..."

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North Window City...back in the present

"So we met up with Flik and the others and broke the whole story to them." Kahri finished.

"Phew, glad you drew the short straw and had to tell them..." Warren said, shrinking back as Kahri swatted at him.

"Well, it won't be the nicest thing I'll be doing today, that's for sure." Malcolm retorted.

"I think you told it much better and nicer than Flik would have. I pity poor Elaine and Andrew who had to hear his version." Nanami chittered.

Pilika stirred, "Oh sorry honey, did I wake you?" Nanami finished.

"So what do you suppose will happen now?" Warren asked, as Pilika rubbed her eyes.

Malcolm thought about it, "Well...I bet that the Highland Army knows that we're all here...they'll probably come here next."

"We gotta tell Flik and the others!" Nanami said, running into the castle.

Riou quickly followed, as did Kahri and Warren. Pilika walked back over to Malcolm.

"Told you I'd be back." He said, "Which reminds me..."

He fished in his pocket and pulled out a small chain with half of the crystal attached as a pendant. "I made this for you on the way here. The crystal you found was actually a Friendship Crystal...so I halved it as best I could, and made this necklace for you...and," Malcolm pointed to his neck, "This chain for me. We both have half the crystal, it's a token of friendship...it's a tradition from where I come from...oh sorry, I didn't mean to go on like that...come on, we'd better go after the others."

Taking Pilika by the hand, Malcolm entered the castle to catch up with the others...

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