Chapter 5 – Lock – Spite
South Figaro seemed as beautiful a sight as ever. I fear that soon this seemingly strong willed town will become an Empirial outpost. It was here we met Master Duncan's wife, living on the far edge of the town. She seemed, unphased by the news of her husband. Rumors abound that Duncan has been slain, and also his son Vargas is nowhere to be seen. Duncan is the martial arts trainer whom Mash, Edgar's brother, follows. In fact, we came across a cottage north of South Figaro near the mountain range. Edgar, knowing Mash far better than either me or Tina, identified aspects of the cottage's interior to be Mash's doings. Although there was no Mash anywhere around, perhaps he has heard the rumor of Master Duncan and is trying to find answers as well. Who knows at this point. At the present moment, we are attempting to make our way through the mountains to reach the Returner's secret hideout and base of operations. With any luck, we won't be journeying more than a day. After a brief rest in South Figaro we shall head out.
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I met the most creepy and rude man today. He was sitting at the bar, dressed all in black garb and looked to be dressed to kill. He had a canine companion with him that didn't look any friendlier. I believed that he appeared to be a formidable adventurer and we could use all the help we could get. Unfortunately, he wasn't thinking the same thing. I tried striking a conversation with him and he sat drinking his whiskey, seeming not to have even heard what I had said. After a few minutes of this charade I leapt up and demanded a response. Then he coldly gave me a warning and went back to staring off into space. Edgar walked in about this point and pulled me aside. He told me this man was known only as Shadow and shouldn't be tampered with. Shadow is a hired assassin and mercenary for anyone who offers the right price. Thinking about that for a second, I realized this character might not be the best person to befriend just yet.
With our new supplies bought from the wonderful shops in Figaro, and with a few chocobos to aid us in haste, we journeyed towards the mountains. Along the way we encountered various enemies, nothing out of the ordinary monster hunting that I'd been accustomed to. Edgar is a fine expertise of machinery. His abilities in devising and utilizing machine based weapons produce great results. Whether he's used as a fighter or a negotiator between realms, he's a great asset to the Returners. It reminds me of how our connection first started. It has been such a long time it seems we've been companions. Perhaps, eight years….wow..it really has been awhile. I remember it all so clearly as if we were new friends. I walked into the Pub at South Figaro, and seated where Shadow was sitting earlier today, Edgar sat. Now, I'm not one to pry into other's businesses, but I felt obliged to speak to this man. His clothes showed that he was by no means of any class I was connected to. I've been an adventurer for years and my clothes are simple yet well made for such purposes. I pride myself in having a costume similar to Robin Hood if his clothes were looser and blue, I don't care for green clothes. Edgar on the other hand, was sporting very vibrant and expensive clothing. It was very royal in design and was complete with a mantle that I'd have died for had it not been green. But green seems to suit him very well with his aristocratic demeanor and long blonde hair. Although he seemed to be a man who's very well off and could have just about anything his heart desired, I could tell he was in pain. I sat next to him and ordered a drink. After a few minutes of silence between us I made a witty observational attempt at conversation and he glared at me as if I were common scum and turned back around. My first reaction would have been to get angry, but something told me to be sympathetic instead. I tried again, this time not trying to be witty and instead trying to be natural. He seemed willing to open up but not willing to open up all at once. I asked him what was troubling him and he failed to respond. So, in hopes of getting him started, I started letting out my frustrations by telling my sad tale. Perhaps I'll write it down here one day, but for now I'd care to keep this brief and focus on Edgar. Edgar, after hearing my tale, offered his condolences and in a way I felt he was rewarding my bravery of speaking of such personal woes to a stranger. He then did the same for me. He had been drinking somewhat steadily ever since his father died two years before. So that would make it about ten years now that his father's been dead. Anyways, he explained that he was the king of all of Figaro and my jaw almost dropped to the bar stool. After dropping that bombshell of information on me he quickly continued with a request not to bow down to him or anything of that nature. For, he was not in the mood for praise, he was actually enjoying the one on one, man to man conversation with someone he'd never met and therefore, someone who couldn't judge him. He said that his brother Mash decided to abandon the castle forever and pursue personal freedom after his father died. Mash felt that it was solely the Empire's fault for their father's death. Edgar told me, that after facing the truth for over two years he realized how right Mash was. The Empire, who have been and still are up to this day allied with Figaro are rotten to the core. The Empire killed their father, Edgar believed, in an attempt to cause disorder and turmoil within Figaro, thinking that would lead to an easy capture of the Figaro realm by the Empirial forces. Unfortunately for them, Edgar managed to step up to the plate and presented himself to be quite a king himself. So I asked him, why was he sulking so now and for these last two years? He told me because he worries of his long lost brother, his grief over his father, and his paranoia of when and how the Empire will strike Figaro and take total control. I told him that I was indeed part of a resistance group rallying to oppose the Empire and hopefully overthrow them in the coming years with growing support. The Returners were small back then and we are indeed still small now, but for the last eight years we've secretly had full support of the king of Figaro, ever since that day…
We've had the feeling throughout our time traveling the mountains that we were either being followed or being watched. Some mysterious shadowy figure would appear from time to time and then run off with greater agility than I'd ever witnessed. I wanted to pursue this creature but I knew my mission was more important than petty observation and exploration so I tried to maintain focus on the events at hand. Although we were faring well with the current traveling, who knows what will await us in the future, especially if we can't insure Tina's help.
It seemed almost like a gift for my curiosity. The figure which we'd seen over and over again amongst the mist of the mountain ridges had appeared in front of us. He knocked us away from the cave leading to the other side of the mountain which we desired to reach. He didn't seem to hit us with considerable force. It was enough to knock us an impressionable distance but not enough for injury. I couldn't tell if he wanted a fight or if he was just eager for information like we were. Soon, all the questions would be answered.
Author's Note: Ok, just gonna get right to the point...japanese version of names on the left, and american on the right...anything not mentioned is the same in both. By the way, if you don't know what a chocobo is (shame on you) it's a large, yellow, goofy looking bird, kinda like an ostrich, used for travel.
Japanese/American
Mash/Sabin
Tina/Terra