Sorry about the rewrite. Just revamping Caaliey's character throughout my draft to avoid a Mary Sue.
The man hailed Caaliey from the top of the fort as she approached. A rope slithered down through a small hole, and with amazing agility, she leapt up it, leaving Qwark and the unconscious Tyren below.
"Back again? I thought you were heading off to Midgar today."
She shrugged.
"My travelling companion and I got kinda sidetracked. He's lying unconscious on Qwark right now… Can you help me pull him up?"
"No problem. Buzz, get down here. There's someone who needs your help."
A face, looking slightly older than hers, appeared through a hole in the ceiling.
"Yes, dad?"
He grinned when he saw Caaliey.
"That was a quick trip there and back."
"I missed you, that's why. My friend's down there and unconscious, so I need you to help me pull him up. I'll send his pack and sword up after him – I swear they weigh as much as he does."
When Tyren was settled into a bed in the downstairs room, Gel turned to her.
"Now maybe you can explain what this is all about. I've got a responsibility to your grandparents too, you know."
"He's now my official travel companion, according to them. We were meant to go to Midgar and ended up in the marsh."
"But they're in opposite directions!"
She sighed, not wanting to relive the events of the night before.
"Don't ask. He was nearly crushed to death by the Zolom, so I brought him here to heal up first. He has this thing about going to Midgar as soon as possible, but I plan on dragging him to Junon with me first."
Gel's eyes narrowed as he took in the information.
"You were just going to head off without telling your grandparents? Do you know how worried they'll be when they discover that you never reached Midgar? That's incredibly irresponsible on your part. I'm going to escort both of you back tomorrow. I'll leave you to do the explaining."
Caaliey's eyes narrowed to match his. Her sense of betrayal from the very person she thought would support her erupted into anger at her situation, and the words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
"I don't care! They deserve to be worried, if they're going to send me off to do something I don't want to do. Let them regret what they tried to do! Let them worry! Like I give a damn!"
Gel's reproachful glare turned her thoughts in a direction she felt she would rather avoid, and she stared down at her feet, unable to take back her words.
"I meant it. Looking at me that way isn't going to change how I feel. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have Buzz to go catch up with."