"Hap yer' haud a nayce 'oi ege," the captain said, crisply saluting the clan. "Hap ter see yer 'rund sm'time."

"Thank you sir," Gukko replied, bowing and hoping that the captain wouldn't take it as an insult.

The weather-worn bangaa nodded. "See yer."

(A/N: The translation is "Hope you had a nice voyage," the captain said, crisply saluting the clan. "Hope to see you around sometime."

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Sir Fey waiton the ground.

Gukko was suprised when Sir Fey blew on the dirt. The gravel instantly shifted to form an opening. Not swept away to reveal an opening, but like many pieces of a puzzle glided together to create a hole. Matter creating nothingness.

"Follow," Sir Fey mouthed. When the last person descended the staircase down the hole, Sir Fey blew the hole away.

Gukko followed the others downa staircase that wove and turned in complex designs. Often times it branched off, leaving a maze-like air to the tunnel. He would have thought the tunnel would be dry. But no! It was dark, damp and humid. It had the stink of a band of exhausted warriors coming through each day that no one cleaned away.

Sir Fey apparently knew ever twist and turn in the maze. Often they nearly lost him, so fast and silent he was. Finally, they came to the end... A dead end.

Gukko expected Sir Fey to blow on the door again. But to his surprise, the Fighter walked directly through the wall!

Hejaat blanched and turned around to face Gukko. She smiled painfully and lunged in after him.

The sensation of going through the wall waslike going through a sea of liquid cloth that slipped against you for eternity... Yet only a second...

One by one, they burst gasping from the wall. Sir Fey blew on a scratch on the next wall, which opened to a doorway wide enough for a chocobo.

"Come."

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Sir Fey's Dark Knight brother waited, thrumming his fingers on the table before him. Next to him sat a viera, probably a Sniper but possibly an Assassin too. Her big eyes peered out at the newcomers.

The dark, damp tunnel transformed intoa chamber comparable to the audience chamber of some random wealthy palace.It was well-lit by what Hejaat called Illuminations, or what seemed to be globular fairies hanging in the air.

Sir Fey broke into a huge grin and enveloped Gukko in a choking grip. "Lad, lad, didn't think to see you again! How's everything?"

"F-Fine," he gasped out as the air and life were squeezed out of him. "You-re-choking-me!"

"Sorry." Sir Fey let Gukko crumple to the floor. "So, we bought to here to explain something very important."

"What?"

Grissom got up and unfurled a scroll. "Releasing Ivalice from the Laws."

Gukko nodded. A noble cause! Every engagement, they had to endure, as well as slashes, stabs, burns, freezes, shocks, and all the other painful things, the incessant whining of the Judge, "Why am I even here?" "This is bo-ring..." "Hurry up, I need to go to the restrooms..." And the worst: "RED CARD! RED CARD! HAHAHAHA! I LOVE DOING THAT! REDDIE REDDIE!"

"So, I came up with a plan. We're going to gain total control of the Ivalician econamy," Grissom said. "We can force the Palace to let go of the laws."

Both Sir Fey and Grissom proceeded to explainthe whole plan...

"But before that, we need to strenthen your forces. We've 'recruited' a bunch of warriors and mages we saw fitting... Chose a few- we can't MindBlank them all."

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They were all bound and gagged with both magical and physical constricts.

Although they were mostly human, there were a few bangaa, a couple of viera, and a few moogles and nu mou too.

"Limited choices, mostly Humes," Grissom explained. "Easiest to catch."

Most were staring with extreme fright at them, but there was an Assassin there who was snarling at Grissom through her gag and with eyes blazing with fury... And an Alchemist whose eyes betrayed no fear but rage harsher than a Tonberry's... Also a Black Mage who was not angry nor scared nor upset nor even a tad bit frightened. His eyes blazed not with insatiable rage or sorrow but blazing, blazing curiousity. His gag held the imprint of numerous "Whys," "Hows," "Are," "Who," and "Cool!"

"I like the look of the Black Mage," Raven told Gukko. "Doesn't seem scared."

Gukko shook his head. "Seems awfully stupid."

"Well, we don't want backstabbers," Raven retorted, and they ended up choosing the Black Mage, a Ninja, a White Mage, and Dragoon.

All but the Black Mage the viera next to Grissom slapped. They fell unconsious to the ground, eyes lolling to a world none but them could see.

The Black Mage's eyes lit up. Words struggled through his gag: "How didya do that?" "Hey! What's your name?" "Do you like potatoes?" "What spell was that?" "Can I use the restrooms?"

Grissom scowled. "Take a left at the corner. Don't bother running away."

The Black Mage nodded and jumped off, tripped, and fell before Sir Fey sliced his bindings. He ran off, took a left at the corner, and disappeared with the sound of a door closing.

"Come on now. Let's get these guys away."

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No one asked what happened to those that were not chosen.No screams sounded, no maniacal laughter, no blade on a whettingstone.

"Sir Fey?" Gukko tapped the Fighter's shoulders.

Sir Fey finished polishing the sword sheath. "Yeah?"

"Who was that viera that MindBlanked them?"

"Rosielia. A banished Princess, Gukko's new girlfriend after he dumped Kathy or Kaite, whatever her name was." Sir Fey scowled. "He doesn't let his own brother call him by his first name, yet he lets the little slut!"

"Oh."

"You'd better get a bit of rest," Sir Fey said.

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The Ninja, the viera White Mage, and the Dragoon from last night were completely changed. They were amiably sipping tea and delicately eating their breakfast at a carved ebony table.

"What happened?"

"Rosielia."

"Oh."

Grissom appeared. "You guys done?"

The Dragoon, who was apparently the spokesperson for the group, nodded. "Yesss, we're finished."

"Gukko, you and your clan have breakfast. Then you depart."

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Sorry I'm skipping around.

MakoStreak