When Kael awoke the next morning, he was alone. Confused and slightly confused but not worried, he rubbed his eyes and began re-packing the camp that was left untouched. Kari's bag was gone, so he just placed them all next to her sleeping-bag.
The sky had gone from a pale pink to an orange color, the sun still very low. To occupy the time, wondering but not worrying about Kari, he removed the blade from its sheath. A fleck of blood still remained on the tip, and it wouldn't dissappear. He considered using it as a reminder of what happened on his very first day.
Finally, Kari appeared, carrying a bundle of clothing in her hand. Kael got to his feet.
"Where've you been?" he asked.
"Getting you new clothes," she said brightly, tossing them to him. "You look funny in those clothes—to us, anyway. And you won't have to carry around your sword in your hands." It was as if she had been able to read his thoughts the previous night, although he did realize how tiresome it was to carry the blade.
"Thanks." He looked at them, trying to put them together in the proper order. She had sat down to watch with some amusement. When he finally fagure out what went where, she had checked him and nodded.
He noticed how much more comfortable they were. He wore a cotton, forest-green-colored long-sleeve shirt that felt cool even in the rather humid air, the sleeves drooping slightly, and the sleeve ended half-way on his forearm, where he pulled on leather gauntlets that left only the dorsum of his fingers for air. His pants were also somewhat loose, tan-colored, and a thicker cotton, and at the bottom, it was tucked into a pair of boots, very hard and sturdy, but oddly comfortable. The last two things in his hands was a large cloak the same color as his shirt and what seemed to be a cotton belt. He looked up at her, confused.
"Here, you tie it like this," she offered, taking the cloak. She found two inconspicous leather rings on the front of his shirt, where she tied the cloak onto. Apart for when he forcefully put his arms forward, his arms were concealed in the folds. He felt weird wearing the cloak, and then Kari tied the cotton sash around his waste.
"There, you put your katana there. If you had a regular sword, I would've gotten a belt, but yeah." When he had done this, she stepped back and nodded. Kael was embarassed, never wearing an outfit like this before—especially the cloak.
When they collected everything, they returned to the road and went at a much slower pace. "Thanks for the clothes, but how much…?"
"Just five-hundred gil, actually! Don't worry about it. You look better in these clothes anyway. Although your hair could use some work." She reached over and ruffled it, making him duck out of the way, both of them laughing.
In an hour, tall walls made of strong white stone towered over them. The road slowly widened, and the trees on the sides grew thinner and thinner until all there was were grassy plains and animal tracks. A variety of people passed them and went in the same direction with them. For the first time, Kael saw Moogles—creatures that looked like rabbits and about the same height, with small black eyes and red pom-poms floating over their heads—and Nu Mou—a cross between donkeys and elephants, about as tall as humans with gray skin and a square snout—most of which wore robes instead of what Humes, Viera, and Bangaa wore.
A pair of oaken gates that opened outward instead of inward was made of highly polished oak, looking as strong as steel. As they crossed the threshold onto a stone street, Kael found himself gawking.
The city was large, including the many streets that bended and twisted amongst the buildings, some as tall as skyscrapers. Atop many important-looking buildings gilded with gold stood blue crystals that hummed gently and orbited around. Most of the public buildings were made a white marble, with an architectural design similar to that of Ancient Greece or Rome, including the indecipharable runes and pretty paintings. The streets were cluttered with people and soldiers that were mounted on things that looked like oversized chicks, as well as markets and vendors, most of them moogles that had to stand up on a stood to overlook all the potential buyers. The aroma of many foods drifted around this particular area, and even natural foliage gave the rather white city many areas of green plants, which clashed beautifully as well.
"What do ya think?" she asked, her tone amused because of his gawk. He nodded, still looking at the tallest of the buildings and the blue crystals. White clouds drifted slowly along the crystal blue skies, some in front of the sun.
"Amazing! To me, anyway," Kael said. She giggled, but then suddenly stopped.
"I have to find the pub and tell them and collect, then register then…visit my parents." She had paused slightly, her mood suddenly dropping. "Um, would you like to meet them? 'Cuz if you don't, that's fine."
"I'd like to, if you would," he said smiling. He stopped when he saw she wasn't doing the same. Her expression was somber."
"Ok," was the simple answer. She started down a wide street, Kael struggling to keep up behind her in the crows.
"What's up?" he asked. She just shook her head.
"It's nothing."
Deciding not to push it, he remained silent. I wonder what's wrong, he thought. They made their way and turned a corner onto a narrower street, still cluttered with people.
He had a bad feeling when he looked right into the helmet of a very heavily armored guard, wearing a horned, ebony helmet and a huge spear. When they passed, Kari looked back and then said, her mood a little better, "One of the Judges. It's thanks to them that the old laws are still upheld until the new government comes. It saves us from complete anarchy. Creepy looking, though."
Kael laughed. "Obviously. But I thought you said the Judges could stop death on the battlefield?"
"Yes…or, they used to. They lost that power with the removal of Her Majesty."
As they got deeper into the city, the streets became more organized and beautiful looking. In what seemed to be apartments, many occupants were outside, most of which were women laying out clothing.
When they rounded the corner again, the sound of raised, angry voices reached their ears. Kari's ears twitched lightly, and Kael looked around curiously. As they got closer, they noticed a large group of men—all Humes—wearing worn-out looking armor and clothing, most of whom were shouting at a Judge mounted on what Kari identified as a chocobo, squawking loudly through its beak.
"…I've said it before and I'll say it again, by the gods!" the Judge was saying. "I am unable to employ any one of thee a position of occupation! There is a massive unemployment rate, but there is nothing that can be done! Order will return!"
"Spare us!" one man with long brown hair and a full beard shouted. "It's been three months, and every coup d'etat has failed! You MUST know something, you bloody square!"
"You will be silent," The Judge said harshly. They joined the group but stood far in the back, Kari observing most of what was going on. "You must know that I do my job without PAY now, DO YOU NOT!"
"You're still in the cirlce, and we want to know what the bloody hell to do! Our families are suffering!" a younger man shouted, his face barely bearded, his hair dishelved but still short.
"Blame the two idealists who are fighting! NOW, OUT OF MY SIGHT. There is NOTHING I can do," the Judge shouted, dashing through the parting crowd. One of them shouted something, and soon, broad swords were drawn all around.
"You two!" The younger man had said. "Are you also denied such a neccessity?"
Before Kari could speak, Kael already found his voice. "So you pick on a Judge? From my understanding, they are only upholders of the law. And yes, jobs are a necessity, but in case you haven't noticed, you're on the border-line of anarchy."
"Aren't younglings taught any manners these days? Telling us what we already know…why did I even asked? We need to make sure children understand what we're going through for them!" He asked, turning to the group of older soldiers, who nodded enthusiastically. They walked off, their blades still brandished. When they went away, Kael shook his head, and Kari was looking at him with an expression of concern.
"You should really be careful," she said.
"Sorry," Kael said, wondering why he had said that at all in the first place. A simple "no" would've been better. Kari smiled, but continued down the street. Kael's mood waned slightly, although he still felt cheerful.
She turned into a dark but vibrant looking pub. Glasses and mugs clashed with one another, and many people were drinking what looked like beers. Very few Viera were there, and he couldn't help but notice something.
"Are there any…y'know…guys?" He asked Kari.
"Yeah, look at them all."
"No, I mean…Viera."
"Oh!" she said, stopping in the middle of the stoney floor covered in peanut shells. "Oh no, only women. I forgot to tell you."
"…what?" Kael asked, blinking.
"There never were any males. For some reason, only women. Even our scholars can't understand how we came into existence."
"So, that means that Humes and Bangaa and…" Kael said slowly.
"Yup. Only Nu Mou and Moogles are unable to."
Kael nodded. It made sense to him. She turned around again and went to the front of a clean bar, where an old man was wiping the same area of the wood with a rag in circular patterns. When she tapped on the wood, he looked up.
"Ah, what can I do fer yeh?" he asked, looking at them both with a toothless grin. "Drinks? Food?"
"No thanks, Joel. I'd just like to report a successful mission."
"Ah! Elfriede, yes! I'm surprised; Clan Dip said that you were a dead girl over some measely sheep. I'll tell you something, though, the Nu Mou that hired you was very pleased, so he doubled your pay," he said, reaching below the counter. "Here ya go, ten-thousand gil."
"Wow, make sure you tell him 'thanks' from me. But also mention that I had help." She grinned at Kael, whom returned it.
"An' who's this young man?" he asked, peering at him.
"Kael Nitsuhara, nice to meet you," he said, offering a hand. The old man looked at it carefully, then glanced desperately at Kari. She quickly pushed it down.
"He's not from around here, as you can tell," she said quickly. Then, whispering to Kael, said, "Bowing is more formal. Shaking hands is more for friends."
"Ah! So sorry," Kael said, bowing in his Japanese fashion. The old man smiled and did the same. The man handed her the pouch, then sat on a tall chair next to it.
"Can I get another pouch, Joel? Thanks." She handed him an identical pouch, taking some and filling his own. "There's your cut!"
"I can't take this! You did the job."
"Correction, you did." She smiled, closing his fingers over it. "Besides, I got double, so it really doesn't matter."
"Anyway, you still plan on joinin' them clanners?" Joel asked, cleaning a glass mug carefully with a rag, holding it up to the light from a window.
"Actually, we were considering making our own," she said happily. Kael coughed then looked at her.
"We?" he asked. "What does a clan do, essentially?"
"Take jobs, earn money, split it, earn a living. Only thing is, if you're a soldier, even an ex, you can't apply for one. Most clan members are younger, anyway," she explained. Joel looked interested, setting down his glass.
"You really aren't from 'round here, are ya?" he asked in a friendly tone. Kael shook his head. "Well, I'm usually 'roun, so you can come back here if ya be wantin' ter and ask me 'bout things."
"Thanks," he said, tying the pouch to his sash tightly just under the folds of his cloak at his side.
"Anyway, are there any people wanting to get into a clan?" Kari asked. The old man nodded.
"Yea, come ter think about it. Abou' four of 'em."
"Really!" She asked brightly. "Who are they?"
"Three are Viera, and one of 'em is Hume. All girls."
Kael coughed again, choking on his own saliva. "What?"
"You wan' 'em?" he asked, ignoring Kael.
"Sure. Make sure to tell them I'll be here tommorow morning. Until then, we're going. Ready?"
"Yeah…yeah I guess," Kael said. With a nod and a last thankyou, they returned to the streets. The sun was at its peak, the streets even busier than before. They had gone to a small residential, many of them two stories high with vines hanging from them. Kari started up the stone steps at the side of the pueblo-like buildings, her saddened look returning. At the top, she knocked at the small wooden door and leaned against the cement railing as they waited. Soon, there was a bustle of noise and the door creaked open.
A Viera woman, barely shorter than Kari, stood at the doorway. She smiled when she saw Kari, her face very much wrinkled. Her warm brown eyes gazed at her with what seemed to be happiness and relief.
"Elfriede!" she cried. Kari swooped down and embraced her. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay! How did it go? Are you hurt?"
"No, mom, I'm fine," she said happily this time. "And I have a friend."
"Oh?" The elderly woman found Kael, standing at the top of the stairs. "Well who might this be?"
"Kael Nitsuhara, ma'am," he replied, smiling. "Nice to meet you." The woman returned it, looking back at Kari.
"Is he your new lover?"
"MOM!" Kari shouted, jumping. Kael felt his face turn a beet red, shaking his head furitively as well.
"Oh, just thought I'd hope," she said, still smiling. She began beckoning them inside. "Come in, come in!"
Kari nodded, and Kael, still slightly taken aback, followed her inside.