(Arigatou gozaimasu, R.C.! I'm glad you like it! Tried hard to make sure it didn't read like an RP. And hello, Alex. Haha, I'm fine, thank you. Nah, haven't been working on another story. This story's a LONG, long way from being over, I promise you that. Just been busy, though I do have another story I should get back on. Though I'm liking this one at the moment! So without futher adieu, Chapter 26.)

Lhinx the Chocobo

As they approached the house, Serenity could see that a fire had been started, and she could hear faint voices. "Hey, I guess they are up!" Serenity said cheerfully, and as they rounded the corner she could see Lhinx, Lucine and Kai around a fresh fire. "Great, we didn't miss breakfast," Serenity said to him, squeezing his hand lightly as it dangled from around her shoulder.

…

Tallulah walked out and saw everyone but the Guado, Silver and Serenity around a new fire. "Morning, guys" she said, cheerfully. But all her happiness suddenly disappeared when she saw Silver and Serenity walking towards them... he having his arm around her shoulder.

…

Silver laughed softly and kissed Serenity's cheek again before looking back to the fire... and he saw Tallulah, standing there and looking at them with anger. Yes it ached him, but didn't she hurt him just like that back then? He didn't belong to her and had her own life. And now Silver had chosen. Tallulah, she was his past. Serenity, she was his future.

…

Lucine heard voices behind her. She turned around, and there was Silver and Serenity, laughing and hugging each other. "Oh, good!" She said happily, standing up to greet them. "You're just in time for breakfast!" Then she sat back down, her mouth watering for the delicious looking crabs.

Serenity smiled at Lucine as she stood up to greet them. "You're just in time for breakfast!" She said, and sat back down. Serenity giggled and turned to Silver, smiling at him before she sat down beside Lucine, not noticing Tallulah. "Great! I'm starving!" She looked up to Silver, remembering his hands. "Oh, Silver, do you need me to clean your wounds before we eat?"

…

The Ronso youth nodded to Lucine as she and Kai came back.

"Where others?" Lhinx asked before hearing two sets of footsteps coming toward them. There came a giddy tiger demon and gunner, hugging and laughing with each other.

(Well aren't those two just the happiest looking people in the world...) Lhinx thought with a grin. (I guess they patched things up.)

A third set followed, Lhinx knowing it to be Tallulah and smelling the anger and jealousy all the way from where she sat.

Lhinx took the now cooked sea creatures off of the grill and placed them on the rock Kai had found the previous night for Serenity.

"Breakfast." Lhinx said simply, watching her eager companions and feeling happy for the approval.

"When Luca ferry leave?" Lhinx asked to just anyone of them in general.

…

Silver laughed again and looked at his hands. "Well, I can clean them the old tiger way... but I don't think you would like that so I'll be right back. Don't you worry, the wounds are already gone. Start eating, I'll get change in the meantime." He smiled and began walking towards the house. "When Luca ferry leave?" Lhinx asked and Silver looked at her while walking. "We have a couple of hours." And he went into the house, upstairs into the bathroom and to clean the blood off his hands.

With this done he looked into the mirror and smiled, touching his lips with one finger. "Oh boy, I forgot I could do that" he said and waked out of the bathroom, then took off his shirt and shorts to put on his traveling clothes and come out with gunblade, blitzball, backpack and freezer bag. He placed the stuff at the door and went to sat next to Serenity.

Serenity nodded to Silver as he left to get cleaned up and returned her attention back to the breakfast Lhinx had placed down in front of them. She clapped her hands together and began eating a crab as Silver returned and sat down on her other side. "Mmm…" Serenity said as she swallowed then took a sip of juice.

"Today's going to be an uneventful day, don't you think? It's all traveling. First the boat to Luca, then the long walk across the Highroad. Unless we take those hovers…then I suppose we could make it to Djose before sundown. Maybe we could even spend the night on the Moonflow. Wouldn't that just be gorgeous?" Serenity paused as she took the time to eat a fish. "I think I'd want to stop a moment when we pass by the place where Operation Mi'ihen took place. You know…minute of silence or something like that."

"My dad was there, he was one of the lucky survivors. I don't think we will get to the Moonflow today, the Highroad sure has changed," Silver said, smiling. "I mean the hovers may be a good idea... but I rather walk. Djose isn't my kind of place... not since my trip to Zanarkand a year ago..." Silver took a crab and bit it. It tasted extremely good he almost became jealous of the cook.

"Lhinx visit Djose Temple. Could be worse there then Kilika." Lhinx said as she pulled off a pincer from her own breakfast and pulled the meat out of it with her teeth. "Hope it uneventful on way to Luca. Sahagins annoying creatures."

"Well, I think we should ride on the chocobos they have there." Lucine said, as she examined her crab. "I heard there's a guy named Clasko there who will let you rent them." She opened the shell of the crab, and carefully pulled out the meat inside. It was delicious.

After Lucine had finished her crab, she went inside to get her bag. She placed her things next to Silver's in the door, so she wouldn't forget them, then sat back down with the rest of the group.

"Chocobos are fine with me," Silver said. "Just that I'll have to disguise if I'm going into the temple. I'm... to be shot on sight there... some people take to seriously when someone destroys a machine made for hunting fiends. That machine recognized me as a fiend and... I destroyed it. Since then I'm not to be around there."

Serenity looked to Silver as she finished up her breakfast with a nice long sip from her juice. "Your father was part of Operation Mi'ihen and survived? What extreme luck!" Serenity felt the sudden urge to do the Yevon sign for some reason, but quickly diminished the thought for knowing what much Silver didn't like Yevon. "A chocobo?" Serenity said as Lucine said that they should ride them when they got to the Highroad. "Oh, I hope I don't fall over. I've never ridden one before."

Watching Lucine get herself ready by putting her bags near Silver's, Serenity wiped her mouth with a napkin, thinking she should get ready soon, too. "Silver…you really never had a lot of luck with the temples, have you? Well, I don't think you have to worry too much. Lucine, Kai and I will be going into the Chamber this time, I think. Lhinx wants to come in, too. So I think we can handle the inside."

"Chocobos..." Lhinx slurred off a bit. "Lhinx no ride chocobo."

The Ronso tribe were not known for how delicate they were nor how petite. And chocobos were birds, large birds, but birds were still known for how they were built for flight. A skeletal system comprised of hollow bones and a heavy Ronso female, even a Ronso youth female, were still a bit much for a normal chocobo.

"Yeah, I think Serenity's right." Lucine said, nodding her head. "You guys had to fight last time, so why don't you give us a chance this time. We'll kick some monster butt!" She made small punching movements into the air, showing she could take them. "And, it lowers the risk of you being recognized, Silver."

"Hey, I can disguise myself pretty well." Silver stood up and wrapped his tail around his waist like a fur belt, then made a hood out of his scarf to hide his ears. "Just gotta stay silent so they do not see my fangs and keep my claws inside the gloves and that's all. I'm not letting m'ladies alone." Silver sat down and smiled at Serenity. "Besides... why should Kai have all the fun? Maybe this fiends taste better than that one at Besaid."

Silver laughed softly and returned to his breakfast, suddenly noticing how stupid his comment was.

…

Tallulah just sat there, fighting back her tears and concealing her face from her companions using her hair. The rage she felt was so deep she couldn't explain it. That girl had gotten Silver before she did and that just made her hate her so much. Maybe she was High Summoner Yuna's daughter... but she wasn't going to lose. Tallulah would tear them both apart and then open her arms for Silver to go comfort in them. She already had him once in every single way... and she will have it again and forever this time.

…

As they rest of the group was talking about, Lucine heard Lhinx say, "Chocobos...Lhinx no ride chocobo."

"Well...." Lucine said, thinking, "You could run along beside us, because I know you're a good runner....or..." She said, a giant smile coming across her face. "We could just get, like, a reeeeeeaally big chocobo!" And she spread out her arms as far as they would go to demonstrate how big the chocobo would be.

Lhinx laughed, thinking of the prospect of a giant chocobo. "Lhinx run." Lhinx said. "But big chocobo good option." The Ronso youth squished in the now hollow crab shell and tossed it into the water.

(It's biodegradable, so that should be okay.)

"Or we could use Lhinx as a chocobo and save us some money, she is as big as one," Silver mocked and pat Lhinx's shoulder. "I'm just kidding, we'll get something for you, if not then I can race you on feet." Silver split open the crab's shell and bit the meat inside, still trying to be as polite as he could while eating.

"Race sound fun." Lhinx said.


"It tie..." Biran said to Lhinx as the two Ronso pups sat in the snow trying to gain their breath back. The Summoner's memorial pyreflies circled around, moaning a bit.

"You hold back." Lhinx said, eyeing him with a slight grin.

"So did you." Biran said playfully.

"Not want to hurt Biran pride."

"And Biran not want hurt Lhinx pride."

The pyreflies continued to moan.

"Humans lucky can not here pyreflies. Wish they go away." Biran said, covering his ears.

"They turn to fiends and we kill them. That how they go away." Lhinx said as she stood up, taking out a short wooden staff wrapped in bandages.

"They not really gone, just somewhere else, and sadder." Biran looked down a bit.

"But can not come back from Farplane. Sad pyreflies not problem." Lhinx replied.

Biran looked around and then to Lhinx. He then stood and put his mouth very close to Lhinx's ear.

"Can Lhinx keep secret?" Biran asked in a low tone.

Lhinx nodded. Biran backed off a bit and started.

"Biran heard about big fiends in Zanarkand. They come out of chamber of Fayth, and moan like pyreflies and are angry." Biran said, a serious look on his face.

"Fiends come out of Farplane?" Lhinx asked.

Biran nodded and continued. "Fiends want revenge, want to live again. Biran go find out more when horn grows long."

Biran looked up to the ivory like horn growing from his forehead, which was still a stub compared to the great ones of the Ronso adults.

"Be careful." Lhinx said. "Not safe to fight alone."

"Lhinx come with Biran." Biran said eagerly. "When we grown, we go fight off fiends and keep them in Farplane. Lhinx and Biran strong like Mt. Gagazet."

…

"Oh, a race sounds like fun!" Lucine said, clapping her hands. "You two are so evenly matched, it's hard to guess which one of you will win." She looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at the rest of the group. "It's been a while...do you think we should head for the boat?"

"Maybe." Lhinx stood up and stretched. "Better early then too late." The Ronso grabbed her vest and shoulder guard off the deck and put them both on. She then noticed Tallulah with her head hung a bit. "Tallulah tired?" Lhinx asked.

"Alrighty! Lets get going!" Lucine jumped up and ran to get her pack. She slung it over her shoulder and returned to the group. As she was returning, she noticed Lhinx talking to Tallulah, who had her head down. Even though Tallulah wasn't her favorite person in the world, Lucine still didn't like to see anyone in the group hurt or...too sad, in Tallulah's case. So she walked over to Tallulah and bent down to talk to her. "Are you okay, Tallulah?"

…

Serenity giggled at Silver's joke about all of them ridding on Lhinx, and hit him playfully on the shoulder. "Lucine's right! A race does sound like fun." Serenity stood up and stretched then went inside to grab her bag. Coming back outside, she noticed Lhinx and Lucine hovering around Tallulah. Serenity stopped abruptly and looked at Tallulah. She didn't even notice her there since she wasn't off saying something about her and Silver. Serenity lowered her gaze and then looked at Silver. It had to be about something between them that got Tallulah all upset. Serenity stood frozen on the spot. She wanted to go over and comfort her along with the others, but she was sure that she was the last person Tallulah wanted to see right now.

…

"We get to dock and enjoy boat trip to Luca. That make Tallulah feel better?" Lhinx asked, concern noted in her tone.

(Though she was mean to Serenity...she got what she deserved, so that evens things out a bit. I think she could use some cheering up.) The Ronso youth thought.

Silver stood up with a jump and walked to get the freezer pack and his own traveling bag on top of it. He lifted his blitzball and adjusted his gunblade in his belt. A little heavy, yes, but he could manage pretty well. He walked next to Serenity and smiled, giving her a quick kiss on her nose as she seemed to be looking at something else.

Serenity pulled her eyes away from Tallulah and instead looked at Silver and smiled back at him. She supposed she could talk to Tallulah some other time, when she's cool down, and approach her alone. "Hey you," Serenity said to Silver warmly and looked at the load he was carrying. "Need any help?"

Maybe he had just confessed to her some minutes ago, but he felt like if they had been together for ages. Silver grinned at her and nodded. "I need some fuel, if you don't mind, m'lady." Without waiting for an answer, Silver leaned and kissed her on the lips softly, closing his eyes. "Well, now bring those fiends to me, after that kiss I feel like I can take both Sin and Vegnagun together with my tail around my waist."

Lucine, who was still leaning over Tallulah, stood up, and decided to go help the others. She was sure that they'd have time later to talk, is Tallulah wanted to. She walked over to Silver and Serenity just in time to hear Silver say something about fuel. "I could help you get it, Serenity, if you want." Then she turned to Silver. "Where can we find the fuel?"

Silver laughed and poked Lucine's belly. "Nope, only this young lady can give me the fuel I need to carry this," he said and laughed again. "Hey, you think Zephyr is on the boat yet or should I go search for her at the beach?"

Lucine giggled as Silver poked her belly. "Hey! I'm ticklish there!" Even though they had only known each other for a little while, she thought of Silver as an older brother. "Well, I guess Zephyr's already on the ship. I think I saw her pass just a while ago. We should hurry up so she doesn't have to wait for us."

…

Serenity laughed and hugged Silver around the waist. "Well, I hope you run out of fuel often, then," Serenity said and laughed again. Re-shouldering her own bag, Serenity clapped her hands together. "Well then, let's get going before Zephyr spasms out. She's been acting down ever since yesterday. I hope she's feeling better today."

"Ok," Silver smiled and took the bag off Serenity to place it over his own travel bag that at the same time was over the freezer pack. "My duty, m'lady," he said almost laughed and took her hand, starting to walk towards the dock. "Hey, anybody feeling like playing some blitzball when we get to Luca? I got a cousin there, son of my aunt from my mother's side, that can get us into the stadium for an exhibition match."

Serenity stared at Silver in surprise, her mouth partially open, when he took her bag and went on carrying it. She shook her head, smiling, and swung her hand that was holding onto Silver's happily as they walked along the dock. "Oh, my first real chance to try out blitzball! Sounds like fun! We should run it by Zephyr, see what she thinks. I think she's been worrying about how we're taking this journey too lightly, but I think even she wouldn't mind letting loose in a blitzball game. I'm up for it if the rest of you are." She then looked at Silver and poked him playfully. "Someone has connections, huh?" She teased him.

…

Tallulah sighed softly and looked up at the Ronso. "Yes, you could say I am kinda tired." Tired of that woman stealing my man from me. She got on her feet as the others said something about leaving and went into the house to get her bag and staff. Tallulah closed the door after her and made a silent wish: that the next time that door was opened Silver would be holding her hand and walking inside as husband and wife.

…

Zephyr had gotten up early that morning, and gone for a long walk. Walks helped her sort out her thoughts and the knots in her chain of logic. The village of Kilika had always been a scenic little place and she had long ago found the best place to relax and just think about things.

And so it was that a Guado halfling could be found tinkering with her gun on the outcrop overlooking Kilika port as the sun rose. In order to reach the spot, she'd had to fight a few fiends; just the usual, garden-variety type. It had helped blow off some steam, anyway.

On the return trip, she found the forest oddly quiet. In the dawn light, Zephyr boarded the ferry to Luca. She wouldn't even wait for her comrades, if they planned to hang around for another day. This was about a group that she was tempted to call her people, a group of damned souls.

She wondered if Seymour had become one of them, and she felt a pang of guilt as she realized . . . she hoped he had. She hoped she could communicate with him somehow. Connect with him. Release him from this world with a well-placed shot of her gun.

Maybe go with him.

But for now, she sat in wait for the ferry to leave, quietly polishing her gun, checking her stores, watching the sun in its arc across the sky.

…

Silver laughed and poked Serenity with his tail as he hand her hand in one of his and his blitzball between his arm and body. "My only useful connection, the rest is up to Maechen and his students which isn't really something. But my cousin is a good one, thanks to him I could join the Ronso Fangs so easily when I got there with Tallulah." It sounded so different to talk about Tallulah now, holding Serenity's hand made him forget about everything and just being himself, his happy and easy-going normal tiger self.

"If we have to do this journey then let it be a fun one, not a sorrowful search from one place to another. I bet every hair on my tail that she is safe and sound. Remember your mother already saved Spira twice... and your father is with her along with Lucine's mother and that other Ms. Paine." Silver kissed Serenity's cheek and smiled at her, then playfully manipulated his tail to poke her bellybutton. "The Ultimate Tiger Poke TM," he said and laughed. "Surrender to my power."

Serenity giggled as he poked her bellybutton with his tail. "Hey, that does tickle," Serenity said between giggles. "I surrender! I surrender! You won this round, tiger." Serenity smiled at him. "But I shall win the next one, just you wait and see." She looked up at the boat that they had finally reached. "Let's board and release you of your carrying duties, dear sir." Serenity bowed at Silver playfully and slowly made her way up the ramp. "Zephyr, are you here?"

Zephyr stood up, her steel-toed hiking boots clanking heavily with every footfall as she walked around to the other side of the ship, where her comrades were finally boarding. Her chemical-streaked hair, down from its sloppy bun, fluttered in the breeze.

The halfling leaned against the cabin, the polished barrels of her gun glinting on her hip. A smirk played about her lips at the sight of Serenity and Silver as they were. They'd have hell to pay later. Tallulah wasn't just playing around.

"Yeah, I'm here," she said, smoothing her hair back out of her stormy gray eyes. She felt strange, somehow; suddenly, this wasn't just a journey taken on a whim. She, too, had a mission. For the first time in years, Zephyr grinned in the face of the world, and of her comrades.

Maybe it was important to just relax once in a while. To those who were concerned about staying sane, anyway.

"When's this thing leaving?" she said, not impatiently but in a happy tone, tainted by her smile. "A game of blitzball sounds damn good to me right now. I can't wait to get to Luca."

Silver laughed softly and climbed up the ramp to the boat, then let the freezer pack and the bags on the wooden floor. He cracked his neck to his right, then left and stretched. Another crack from his back could be heard and Silver just felt as good as new. "There we go!" he looked at Zephyr and was quite surprised she was so eager to play blitzball.

I though she was the serious, grumpy one here...

People are not always as they act...

Yes, I know that...

You aren't as you act either, remember?

Oh yes... well can't blame me for that, I am a man after all...

A man that acts all easy-going but deep inside is a loner...

Not anymore, I got my friends with me now... not to mention Serenity is with me...

For as long as your hormones keep in place or Tallulah finds some way to get you again...

That won't happen, I love Serenity, now shut up and let me be for once...

Sure thing...

He felt a fade pain on his back suddenly. Then a little wet feeling on the middle of his back reminded him of the old wound he got from the Sahagin and hadn't have time to heal itself. Those beasts, then the temple at Kilika and now his self-crack. Well, it was a daylong trip to Kilika, it should be alright for next morning.

Zephyr proceeded to crack her wrists, neck and ankles, all exceptionally loudly. She maintained her good-natured smile as she ruffled Silver's hair, throwing it out of its debonair placement into a rather silly-looking windswept mop.

"You okay?" she asked, looking him right in the eye. Silver and Tallulah always smelled heavily of memories, especially when they were around one another. Rich, heady memories, like expensive perfume - memories of love, lust and those troublesome in-between, unexplainable passions. Silver had been swimming in them lately, especially. Drowning in feelings he was having trouble sorting out.

And, hell, maybe it'd help him to let them out. Zephyr wouldn't really know; she'd always been a loner, and, in her rare romantic encounters, she had always been absolutely in control. She'd never messed around with love. Love was quite possibly the stupidest concept known to mortals, in her opinion.

But this was what friends did.

"Yep, cool here," Silver answered to Zephyr's question with a smile on his face. He sat on top of the metallic freezer pack and put his hands together, wrapping his fingers. The ship began moving and he stood up again, giving one last look at Kilika. He didn't know why he had the sudden feeling he wouldn't see it again.