The Stranger
By Xenomorph666
Disclaimer: I own only the characters of Wraith, Skalla, Perf, Captain, Birch and Beano. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and all related artifacts are owned by Square-Enix
Summary: He arrived with no knowledge, no family, no way of knowing that the miasma should kill him. Now the strange young man journey's with the caravan that has welcomed him as they collect their myrrh, while he journey's for the truth of his past.
Interrogation
As the second cycle caravan moved off into the distance, I saw the small red creature from earlier, it was trying to run. I caught up with it easily, and I came out from behind a tree he was running towards. This time there was no darkness surrounding my face, and the creature still went in the opposite direction. Or at lease he tried, before he could turn around fully I grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into a tree where I used my defensive dagger and the edge of my boomerang to pin him there through his clothes.
"What was this all about?" I growled at him, letting my anger seep through.
"Ikka ikka nunu!" It spat at me.
"I repeat what is this all about? And use a language I can understand this time." My dagger was at his throat.
"The Dark One sent us. He wants you to re-return!" It wasn't in the common language that the people of Tipa and the world spoke, yet I still understood it. The thought of this odd language frightened me though, it was as if every word was meant to sound like a death rattle.
"Who is the 'Dark One'?" I asked as I shook off the uncomfortable feeling of the odd language.
"He is our master and was yours as well, before you rebelled. You were a Keeper of the Mist." The little beast spoke as I saw a blue tinge flood it's eyes an a new voice spoke from it's tiny body. "RETURN TO ME MY FALLEN AND ALL SHALL BE FORGIVEN."
The power in the voice, and it's odd familiarity caused me to drop my blade and back away. "Who are you and what have I done to you that should be forgiven?"
It laughed before it spoke, the eeriness of it's cruel laugh sent chills down my spine. "I AM YOUR CREATOR AND MASTER. YOU BETRAYED ME AND SIDED WITH THAT WHICH IS MY ENEMY. NOW RETURN AND REVEAL WHAT PERSUADED YOU AND I SHALL CLAIM IT FOR YOU IN THE DARKNESS UPON YOUR RETURN."
"I don't remember you, but I know that I would never betray a friend. So you were no friend." I said as a slight bit of courage flooded my body.
"FOOL! YOU ARE A SERVANT AND A TOOL, AN INANIMATE OBJECT GIVEN LIFE BY MY ENEMIES! RETURN TO YOUR MASTER NOW!" It's voice boomed in my mind and the world began to spin as a bright light flashed before me. It was so bright that I had to turn away from it just to find relief. When I turned back, the creature was gone. All that was in it's place were my weapons and the image of it burned into the wood of the tree.
As I stood up I noticed that the sun was setting and I would be expected back at the village soon. Yet the sun had just been at high noon when I began my questioning, had I blacked out again? As much as I wanted the answer to that question, I also wanted to avoid it as well, and as I shook off the strange sensation of fear and paranoia I began my walk back into the village.
My walk was short and thankfully, very few people noticed my reentering the village with my clothes and armor encrusted in dirt and mud. Unfortunately the ones who did notice were Skalla and Birch and both made it a point to ask me what had happened.
"Come on W, what happened?" Birch asked for the fourth time as I tried to ignore their interrogation, however the way he addressed me was odd.
"What do you mean by calling me 'W'?" I asked in confusion as I walked up the back steps to the room that I was staying in.
"It's a nickname, you needed one." Birch shouted up.
"Yeah, Perf is 'P', Captain is 'Cap', Beano is 'Bean', I'm 'Princess of the Land' and Birch is 'Hey you'." Skalla shouted up in a laugh. After which I could hear the two arguing, I took the time to take a quick bath and to change into a new pair of clothes.
"I prefer my name if you don't mind." I said calmly as I walked down in my freshly changed clothes.
"Wow, you look different with out the cloak." Skalla said as she stopped trying to bash Birch with her racket. "You almost look handsome."
"Thank you." I said with a slight nod as Birch managed to get Skalla in a headlock, only to be elbowed in the stomach.
"You win, you're the Princess." Birch said as his face turned bright red and he slumped to the ground. I walked over and helped him up, much to Skalla's shock.
"Wow, someone treating the jerk of all jerk's like a normally person." Skalla smiled.
"He is normal, he just has issues with his family." I stated, seemingly to Birch's embarrassment.
"Didn't need to say that Wraith." Birch said.
"Would you have preferred I told her of you attraction the men?" I asked, apparently I wasn't supposed to say that either.
"What?" Skalla asked in a bit of shock. "Well that would explain a lot." She said as she looked like she was deep in thought.
"Like what?" Birch asked, he sounded a bit offended.
"Like, how you always seem to know what's in fashion at least for guys, what girls are thinking and that formerly scary laugh." Skalla smiled. "But that doesn't matter now."
"Why?" I asked as I noticed Skalla's smile.
"BECAUSE I HAVE A GAY FRIEND!" She shouted as she leapt at and hugged Birch and almost immediately left by skipping away with a smile. Birch collapsed to the ground.
"You know, if she wasn't right about those things I'd be bit offended…" Birch said in a depressed manner. "And just so you know, those are things I told you in confidence, try not to let them slip anymore."
"OK, I won't." I said as I helped him up, "Still you should probably let everyone know, they might support you then."
"Maybe, but most people will just shun me even more." Birch sighed.
"You never know." I said with a sigh and then added, "I'm hungry."
"Oh, well let's go see if the only restaurant in town is open." Birch said with a smile.
"Ok, what's a restaurant?" I asked as we made our way down the street.
"You have got to be kidding me." Birch said as he shook his head. "Man, do you need to learn a lot."