Chapter 3

"You're asking me to trust you/Well, there's little of that around"--Sleeping Angel, by Stevie Nicks

"Wait, let me get this straight," Dart said upon meeting Lavitz and Albert at the bar, "You met someone who actually met Lloyd? What did she say? Where is he going? What was that gem she found that he wanted?"

"She wouldn't tell us anything," Lavitz groaned.

"Well, why?"

"Because," Albert said, "She wanted us to pay her."

The waitress, a young woman named Kaffi, hurried over to the table. "Oo! Does she have red hair?"

Lavitz gaped at the waitress, surprised by her brashness. He nudged Dart. "Does she always do that?" he whispered.

"Since I've been here," Dart responded. Kaffi eyed them suspisciously.

"What are you two whispering about? I just asked what she looked like!"

Lavitz shook his head and looked back at Kaffi. "Yeah, she did have red hair."

"Oh, I know her! She's a fortune-teller, and, from what I understand, a darn good one. Likes to charge people for information though. She'd make a great spy."

Lavitz crossed his arms and started thinking of what that stone the woman he'd met earlier had spoken of was. The Dark Dragoon Spirit? If it was...was she the new Dark Dragoon?

His contemplation was interrupted when Kaffi began talking about the stars and how important they were to Tiberoans. She went on about it for what seemed like hours...

"Kaffi..." the bartender muttered, "Stop gossiping and get to work! It's dark already."

Dart looked out the window. "Already?" he said offhandly, "I wasn't keeping track of time."

"The inn is downstairs," Kaffi said, trying to be helpful. The group thanked her, and headed for the inn.

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"It's full?" Dart said, shocked, as he tried to get a room in the inn. The woman at the desk nodded.

"I'm very sorry, sir. Do you know anyone in this city...?"

Dart shook his head. "No..."

"Well, there are still a few people who are unafraid of bandits in this city. Try to find someone who will allow you to spend the night."

Dart nodded and left the inn, followed by the rest of the group.

"There has to be someone in this city who won't be afraid of us," Shana mused. Dart nodded, motioning for the others to follow, when a woman's indignant shout pierced the night air.

"Give that back, you little parasitic piece of--!"

Dart and the others instinctively turned to face the same direction as the woman's shout had come from. A moment later, a small, lithe little man dashed past Shana and around the corner, with a woman carrying a bullwhip in hot pursuit...a woman with red hair!

"That's her!" Lavitz cried. He took off after her without thinking, ignoring Dart's cries of "Wait!" He followed her through the maze of buildings, not caring where he was or where he was going, as long as he caught up to her. Damn, she's fast, he thought. Finally, she seemed to catch up with the little man she'd been chasing, and she curled the whip around his knees and yanked. The thief crashed to the ground, and the woman calmly walked over to him, kicked him once, and took something out of his hands. She turned around and began walking away when she saw Lavitz standing in front of her.

"You...aren't you that knight from earlier...?" she said quietly. He nodded. She eyed him suspiciously. "What do you want?"

Lavitz didn't answer her right away. He saw the thief stand up and pull something out of his belt...it looked like a dagger.

"What is it, Sir Knight?" she asked. Lavitz shoved her aside and knocked the dagger out of the thief's hand with his lance. The thief turned and ran away, cursing as he fled. Lavitz watched him, then he turned his attention back to the woman. In the confusion, she'd been knocked over, and whatever she'd taken back from the thief was on the ground in front of her. He bent down to help her pick it up...and it glowed brightly! He and the woman were mezmerized by it...suddenly, Lavitz's own Dragoon Spirit began to glow as well. The stone floated up into the air as the woman reached for it, finally landing inher outstretched hand. She looked from the stone to Lavitz, then back at the stone. "What is all this?" she asked as the stone dimmed.

"I...can't explain it here," Lavitz said, "Is there anywhere we could go where I could tell you about it?"

"What's your motive?" the woman said suspiciously.

"My motive? I just want to explain that stone to you," Lavitz said quietly.

"I don't trust you," she said quietly.

Lavitz sighed. She had a point. He'd given her no reason to, and besides, it was natural for her to be reluctant to go anywhere with a strange man. He crossed his arms and sighed deeply. "I give you my word of honor as a knight of Basil that no harm will come to you."

She burst into laughter. "A knight? I should trust a knight? Sir...I don't have time for this." She started to walk away.

"You do want to know what happened just now, don't you? When your stone and mine started glowing?" Lavitz called. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"So tell me right now."

"I can't. Everything I am about to tell you must be completely secret."

She sighed, and bit her lip. "Fine. Come to my shop and tell me everything you know."