Usual Disclaimers apply. I didn't create all the characters I used in this story, and I deserve no recognition whatsoever over them. Suikoden belongs to Konami. Some other aspects of the story are also borrowed from other stories and I should not be credited for them. However, if you have been reading my story, you would know some aspects are created by me.

I apologize for the slightly late… what the heck, the EXTREMELY late update.  I've just been kinda busy lately and I didn't really have time, but enough of the excuses! On with the story!!

Luca's Redemption – Chapter Eight

Maroux's Story – Part III

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Yet Another Face From the Past…

Location: The Valley of the Departed

"Kirke?!" Pahn and Eikei blurted out.

"Hey! It's you guys! Well well, Eikei. Pahn. How long has it been since we fought together in the Scarlet Moon War, eh? Few years?" I swear, even if they hadn't told me about the time he was talking about, I still could've been sure at that time that they were friends.

"Something like that…… What're you doing here?" Pahn said.

"That's right. Aren't you supposed to be a farmer somewhere?" Eikei added.

"I would've been, if it hadn't been for the stupid war back in Jowston slash Highland…"

After Kirke and I were introduced, he then told his tale.  In a nutshell or two, what happened was he decided to go to Jowston after the war.  The farm he had, as far as I could tell from the description Kirke so-proudly gave us, was every farmer's dream.  The farmhouse was not too shabby or small, and neither too big nor fancy.  It was a simple, cozy little home.  Its field was pretty big too, and it had many vegetables growing from one end to the other.  Luckily for Kirke, moles and such rodents that farmers just 'adored' weren't a problem at all, for some reason; there weren't any on his field!  This haven only lasted for several months.  Then, several Highland army officers came onto Kirke's farm.  They told him, yes they didn't kindly ask him for permission but just TOLD him, that his farm would be confiscated and the land he owned would be turned into Highland soldier campsites.  Kirke, as any proud farmer, disobeyed.  As a result, Kirke was arrested.  He was thrown in jail and one thing led to another, and he was thrown into the jail on this island.

After several weeks in jail, the Mayor announced that the time the prisoners had to serve could be lessened or even be dismissed, as long as they were willing to work.  Whether the time was just lessened or completely dismissed depended on the job the prisoner took.  Most of the prisoners, including Kirke decided to sign up for jobs.  Kirke explained that the really good to decent to lousy jobs were taken by the other prisoners, who had pushed Kirke aside and signed up before he could.  The sign-up time was almost over and anyone who had not signed up for anything was to be thrown back in jail.  Kirke saw that only two jobs remained: one was the Valley of the Departed's Caretaker, or a male stripper.  And not surprisingly, Kirke chose this job.  Not only did he have experience in this field of work, but it was… well… more 'decent' than the other choice.

"That's rough… And you've been here since.  So you've been working here for several years then?" Pahn inquired.

"Yeah… Maybe it's meant to be this way.  First I cut off heads, now I bury and care for the heads I cut off… It's really quite ironic."

Silence set on the four as they talked into the afternoon, and into the evening.  I quickly got up and said, "Hey! The Sun's setting! We should get going!  I'd rather be stuck with a pack of werewolves than have to stay here at night… Though it'd kinda be the same thing really…"

"Oi! Yer right! Let's get goin'!" Eikei said loudly.

"Ahh… You shouldn't do that.  This place is dangerous at night!" Kirke warned.

"I suppose you're right, but… You mean we stay at this little shack all night? This shack is only meant for one person. It's gonna be kinda cramped…" I said.

"One person? Oh, that's right! I never told you.  I'm living here with my wife.  I got married to her back when I had my farm.  You know her, her name is R—Oh no!! She went into town several hours go! She should be back by now…"

"Well, maybe she's on her way here. Hey you said her name was—" I got interrupted.

"Goodness!! She's probably out there right now! She's in danger we gotta—" Even Kirke got interrupted… by a feminine, but rather tough scream.

"That's her!! We have to go!!" And after he finished talking, he was out the door.

"H-hey wait!!" I said and ran after him.

"Wasn't that voice…" Pahn said.  Eikei finished his question.

"…rather familiar??"  And the two of them ran out the door after me too.

A few more Hellhounds attacked us, but since it was an emergency, I decided to finish them off with several Thunder Runner spells.  Not long after the third wave of Hellhounds, we caught up to Kirke.  We had found the source of the scream.

"Ronnie?! Ronnie Bell?! Is that you?" Pahn asked.

"Yeah, it's me! Nice to see you again, how ya been, this ain't no time for introductions!! We got a couple of beasties to beat up!!" The woman called Ronnie said.

We all saw what had attacked Ronnie, and it wasn't pretty.  What stood before us, were two three-headed dogs, standing five feet tall on all fours.  "Yikes… Not even Ronnie alone can take care of those?!" Eikei informed.

"You mean this giant woman?" I asked.

"I am not a giant woman, and stop calling me that!!"

One of the beasts, I cleverly noted as a 'Cerberus,' attacked with a green flame.  We all dodged the attack somehow and I threw my chakram, 'Questor,' at the Cerberus.  It hit on its head and it seemed that the Cerberus was quite ticked off about it.  Green flame shot from all three heads this time, and all at me.  I tried to counter with a Water Rune spell, but all it did was decrease the damage I took.  Pahn and Ronnie quickly got together and got in some kind of stance.  Then, they both yelled, "Beat 'Em Up Attack!!"

Ronnie and Pahn did some kind of combination attack which seemed like it caused a lot of pain.  And it did.  The Cerberus roared in anguish and as it was off guard, I decided to finish it off.  "Resurrection Rune!! I command you!! Charm Arrow!!!"  And as the last time I used this spell, six orbs of light encircled the Cerberus and engulfed it in a piercing light.  When the light faded, the Cerberus had fallen.  While the three of us were taking on this Cerberus, Kirke and Eikei were fighting the other.  Kirke jumped and with the help of the Killer Rune on his right hand, got a critical hit on the Cerberus.  Eikei quickly followed up with a deadly fist combo with the help of his Double-Beat Rune.  Though the Cerberus was unbalanced, it wasn't beaten yet.  Just then, Pahn quickly made a remark.  "So Kirke.  I guess it wasn't you wife after al—" Just before Pahn could finish his sentence.  Kirke and Ronnie also got in some kind of stance and yelled, "Unlikely Couple Attack!!"  And Ronnie used the Rune on her right hand, which I later found out was the Hate Rune, while Kirke just used his scythe.  First, Kirke did a jump'n slash on the Cerberus, followed by three other slashes.  Then, Ronnie gathered a fire ball in her hand and 'passed' it to Kirke.  Kirke used the blade of his scythe to 'catch' the fireball and spun around, jumped and threw the fireball at the Cerberus, during which it grew in size.  The Cerberus was defeated and all was well…except……

"Uhh…… Kirke? Did you…" Pahn stuttered.

"…just say gulp Unlikely… C-Couple Att-tack?!?" Eikei finished.

"You guys know Ronnie, right?  Ah! Maroux. You haven't right? Here! Meet Ronnie Bell, my beloved wife!" Kirke casually said.

Pahn's jaw dropped, as did Eikei's and mine.

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Ooh… Bet you didn't see that coming, eh? So, anyone forget why Maroux is doing this yet?  Just remember, this is supposed to be about Luca's Redemption, so… Chapter 9/ Maroux's Story Part IV next!