They got back to a big surprise.

"Hopper!" Kayalie exclaimed. The thief was just sitting there, grinning.

"You found me!" he exclaimed happily. "I backtracked and got here before you even noticed my trail went cold."

Dasmon cursed and sent a tremor to knock the Thief off his bottom.

"You mean..." he hissed. "You mean I sspent all that time there with my face in the dirt... For nothing?" The Defender was clearly ticked off.

"Hopper, who did you shoot?" Kayalie demanded, walking up straight to the naughty Thief and lifting him up by the collar.

Hopper grinned. "Benecie and Lizzo, random viera and human and bangaa and nu mou and moog-"

"Get to the point!"

"Everyone I saw." Hopper wasn't oblivious to the danger he was in, but he sure played like it. "I made the world a more loving place, clan leader!"

Kayalie scowled. "I know the perfect punishment too."

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"I can't fight like this!" Hopper cried, moping.

Kayi couldn't help but laugh.

"He looks, kupo, like a chocobo dipped in batter and sitrfried in an insane asylym!" Carlos exclaimed.

Indeed the new costume did make him look like one. Instead of the Thief bandana, Hopper now wore a Summoner Headress. And, instead of the Thief costume, he worethe top of Layla's old Fencer top (complete with the metal breast guard) over an Elementalist's dress. But the finishing touch, courtesy of Dasmon, were a pair of Warrior arm guards. Indeed, the Thief looked ridiculous.

"Hmm, I can see that the Fencer uniform has changed since forty years ago, but it'll do, I suppose," Layla commented.

Everyone laughed.

Hopper moped and swore.

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"No, Kayi, your sword's still not straight," he said. Kayi adjusted her sword.

"How's this? Okay?"

Ironically, Kayi didn't even know her new teacher, only that he was Callypso's boyfriend and was excellent at the sword.

"Kayi, if your opponent thrusts, he or she or even it, and you parry, you could break your arm." He adjusted the awkward grip. "There! All better!"

Kayi thrust again, only to be waved aside casually.

Callypso appeared out of nowhere. Even now, Kayi felt a sense of awe at the older viera. Not only because she was the loveliest creature Kayi had ever seen, Kayi didn't even know half the extent of her poweress. And she had only seen Callypso's ease with magic once when Lizzo decided to try flirting with her. Without even a physical movement, Callypso only shifted and Lizzo began to do a sort of a funny self-mutilating dance involving thumping your head against walls and hitting yourself.

"Kayi, if you ever want to hit him... Here, may I?" Callypso took Kayi's place dueling her boyfriend.

The rapier buzzed like a mad insect. Callypso's boyfriend deflected most of the blows until Callypso decided that it was time to end the mock battle.

The Red Mage flipped the slender rapier 360 degrees, holding it by the blade. The hilt whizzed like a mad insect.

"Hiyaaa!" Callypso exclaimed, sending the hilt to jarr between her boyfriend's legs. He fell to the ground and curled into a ball.

Callypso smiled naughtily. "See, Kayi? That's how you do it."

Kayi didn't suppress her grin. "That was really funny!"

The older Red Mage feigned wistfullness. "Too bad he won't be as fun in bed tonight. Well, see ya later, I suppose," Callypso dragged her boyfriend away. "Come on, Gukku, get up."

"Hey, doesn't his name seem familiar?" Kayi muttered.

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"Heya Carlos!" Kayi flopped down beside the moogle.

"Oh, hi Kayi!" Carlos said, grinning cheekily. "Whatcha been doin'?"

"Oh not much. Can you believe that the final battles are almost on? And there're like... Seven clans already!"

Carlos looked out at the newcoming clans. A fewKayireconized. "Hmm... Brass Dragoons, Clan Dip... Clan Catz... Oh! Look, Carlos! Clan Shalo?"

Carlos smirked.

"What?" Kayi demanded.

"Kayi and Parish, sittin' in a tree-"

"Shut up, will ya? The guy's twice my age!"

"Well," Carlos said, recoiling to Kayi's punch, "You seem to be an awful lot fond of the guy, kupo!"

Kayi tossed her head."To tell you-"

"Hopp-" There was a soft thump.

"Hopper! What did you do to Benecie?" Lizzo's concerned voice.

"Well, I shot-"

"Lizzo!" Benecie's voice.

Kayi emerged to see Benecie's happiest face.

"Wanna go somewhere?"the Fencer asked, fluttering her eyelids.

Lizzo flushed. "Well, sure, I guess.."

"Well, I can say that finally Hopper did something right," Kayi admitted.

Carlos only laughed.

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I finished my US history exam! And on Monday, I have two exams with only a break for lunch and Orchestra! And thanks for reading. If you'll stick around, the story's gonna end soon. Then, I'll be working on the sequel triology.