"Erm, Sir Fey where are we going?" Gukko asked innocently. "And am I expected to do anything?"

Sir Fey shook his head. "Well, we're reporting to our head," he explained. "Have to register you as one of our warriors now."

"The Clan Center?"

Sir Fey shook his head. "No, my brother Gussom. He leads all of us little clans here and there. Once a year, we all round up there and report, but we need to register you. So you'll be safe"

Gukko refrained from asking safe from what.

After a few more hours of walking, they came to a marina at the edge of the forest, more or a small, hidden harbor actually. There were small ships and boats all along the wharf, but what really caught his eye was a huge, magnificent, reddish ship

with the name the "Redwings." Sir Fey ran up the gangplank and knocked on a door. The door opened and a pretty viera with big eyes and soft, wispy hair peeked out. "Yes? Are you here to see Gussom?" Sir Fey nodded. "Hello Freya, nice to see you again. Is he busy"

Freya nodded. "Well, we were in bed, but... I suppose that he'll get dressed to see you. How long has it been"

"Two years"

Freya disappeared back inside the ship. Gukko heard her talking to someone, saying "Come on Gussom, your own brother's here!" and "Hurry up"

The door opened again. "Come on in," Freya said. A man half dressed as a Paladin and half dressed as some sort of mage came out and smiled broadly. Family resemblance between him and Sir Fey was extremely obvious.

"Good to see you again, bro, but why you here"

Sir Fey pushed Gukko forward. "This is my apprentice now. I came to register him." After a few more minutes of talking,Gussom opened the door as the clan filed in behind Sir Fey. The inside of the boat was mostly deserted and very much like a strange home.Gussom lead them to a room where a Gladiator was mumbling and filing away papers. "This is what happens when you try to betray the clan,"Gussom said with serious eyes. "A sentence for four moons of paperworking for light offenses, more for more offense."

"Really?" What could be so bad about papers?

"Naw, it's just a joke. Tameul here just 'volunteered' for it. Tammy, we need to register this little guy here,"Gussom said to Tameul, who heaved out more papers and began to write with a long, yellow quill. "Name?"
-

By the time the registration was done, the sun was already setting in the sky. "Well, it's evening, or as they say back in Rosettas, someone kicked shit out of the sun,"Gussom commented to Sir Fey, who laughed out loud.

"Huh? Aren't you from Ivalice?" Gukko demanded.

Gussomshook his head. "Oh no, us from this dumpster? No, we're from a country. Rosettas. Wonderful place, if they weren't trying to cut off our heads every time we turn a corner"

"Why"

"Don't ask so many questions! We're just very special, and they're jealous, probably," Sir Fey said. "Nice seeing you again, but we have Sphrom to take over- er, I mean get to, before sundown. Bye"
-

"Sphrom before sundown," Sir Fey reported. "Well, I can say we made good time, Rochelle, what do you think?"
Rochelle? She has the same name as my mother! "Well, little Gukko made it all this way without knowing anyone's names," Rochelle commented, smiling lightly. "Well, you know Fey already, and I'm Rochelle. The Summoner over there is Haylie, erm... The big Gladiator's Douglas..." She went on to describe the Hunter as Henry, the Blue Mage as Taylor, the Illusionist as Penelope, the Mog Knight as Larry, and the Gadgeteer/Juggler hybrid as Leroy.

Hejaat sat down and sighed. "Well, it's not the same without Gukko, I guess," she commented sadly, her twenty-year-old body barely fitting the chair. Raven, much older, sighed. "He's in a better place now." "Yes, Ivalice is such a pea patch compared to the Ether"
"Pity Gukko died too young, with so much ahead of him..."

"Gukko, wake up," Haylie said. "Gukko"
He woke with a start. "I'm not dead!" he screamed as Haylie back up.

"Gukko!"
"Sorry, bad dream."

"Swing you sword around... Good, but keep it straight," Sir Fey said, adjusting the blade. Gukko felt awkward sparring with the older, bigger, more experienced Fighter, and the blade still seemed too heavy and off-balanced in his grip. "That's fine, Gukko." They had practiced for two hours straight. "We're done for today. As soon as you get the basics down, then you can join us in engagements," Sir Fey promised.

"Amazing," Sir Fey commented. "Huh?" It was impossible to hear anything over the loud roar of the pub.

"Nevermind, Gukko!" he shouted. "You've learned all the basics in one moon!"

"I kicked what?"

"You're ready to fight!" Rochelle sat down beside Sir Fey. "Hey, I got a mission from the boss," she explained. "Another raid, and us being the Ivalice Sect, we get it."

"Raid?"

"A term, Gukko," Sir Fey explained. "Gussom is sending us on a mission. Ah-hem!" The whole clan gathered around him like story time. "Okay, here it goes:

Fey, I'm trusting you and your clan as our Ivalice Team to fulfill the following needs:
Mission: Operation Treehouse Barbeque

Objective: Seize Muscadet

You are to set the town of Muscadet aflame in order to provide a proper diversion for another mission." Sir Fey continued to read exactly how to set the whole town ablaze. When he was done, he asked the infamous question: "Any questions"

Gukko raised his hand. "Isn't this illegal?"

Sir Fey shrugged. "Ivalice is part of a much bigger plan, Gukko. Now, if you're going to chicken out, we're going to have to send you back to where you came from."

That was not an option for Gukko. "I-I'm coming"

"Good, knew you wouldn't let us down." Sir Fey grinned broadly. "Anyways, Ivalice is part of a much bigger plan, Gukko. This is only part of the plan, whichGussom won't tell us until later."

Being the stealthiest, quickest one, Rochelle was sent out first to start Operation Treehouse Barbeque, not a bad choice considering that she, Haylie, andDouglas were the only ones who could see in the dark comfortable. All of a sudden, a soft, arcane birdcall whistled through the air. Gukko, if he squinted, could see Haylie bend her head in prayer and whisper something.

A lash of fire whipped out of nowhere licked a tree, shielded from the sleeping inhabitants by a veil of darkness made by Penelope.

There was a burning smell. The fire had begun- now for phase two. An airship, disguised by leaves and twigs and driven by Leroy, hovered above. No one would be able to catch the stealthy airship in the darkness, lest they were actively looking for one.

"Hurry, kupo!" Leroy yelled from the airship. From the other side of the town and the center, the others would be setting it ablaze a little at a time. Gukko poured oil from the oilskin down the tree he sat in, struck a flint, and grabbed onto the ladder. Once inside the airship, the town of Muscadet and the forest surrounding it was beginning to glow in irregular patches.

"We all here?" Sir Fey called.

"No!" Taylor screamed. "Where's Henry?"

"I thought I saw him grab hold of the ladder!" Leroy yelled. "I'm going," Rochelle said firmly. "But I need someone small, sorry Larry you aren't fast enough... Gukko, you're coming too."

She opened the latch and swung the ladder down to the burning town. "Okay, Gukko, stay low. Hold your breath as we go through the top part, and yell if you see him. And whatever you do, don't inhale the smoke."

"But how do I know if it's him?" Gukko yelled. The airship was reaching their destination at Henry's post.

"He's the only one out here!" Rochelle yelled. "We're out past curfew!"

"Oh."

"Here we go!" They plunged into the thick layer of smoke.

The smoky haze hung in the air like a shield, almost solid but untouchable, intangible. But it was choking at the same time... Gukko landed cleanly and looked to see if Rochelle had. She landed a few paces away. "He's around here somewhere!" she yelled, the damp cloth over her mouth muffling speech. Gukko adjusted his own and continued.Henry was nowhere! Had he wandered in a smoke-induced incoherency? Was he still here? Then... Gukko saw a shape move in the tree.

"Henry!" Gukko called, his voice cracking. The shape shivered and lapsed. "Rochelle! I found cough Henry!"

The last thing he saw was Rochelle leaping up the tree.