Four Months Later
It was the big day at last.
The year was coming to an end…and it was time to see how happy of a new year the community would have.
The past four months had been some of the best for the people living in Mobliz. Bahamut and Terra continued to work together with the children. They tended their crops every day, and they continued to grow and prosper. There had been few monster attacks, and those had all been driven off. Bahamut continued to delight the children with his stories, until they began to act out the stories themselves. Terra didn't get sick again, and with Bahamut helping had more time to have fun with the children was well. None of the kids made anymore unplanned trips, although they continued to give Bahamut and Terra surprises from time to time. Seras was walking around on her own now. All in all…things had been good.
Duane and Bahamut had continued their work on the town. Now, the whole area was enclosed by a formidable palisade wall. A simple yet strong gate had been put in front of it, that when bolted held out even the strongest creatures on the plains. The kids were at last free to stay out at all times of the day. Terra was skeptical at first, but when monsters failed to arrive to attack for a full month, she eventually relented and let them go. This made the children happy, now that they were free to run around anywhere on the property without fear. But before they got too far, Bahamut called them to him again for one day and shared their "magic word". Then, using them, they cleared out the rest of the debris from the streets that had been sitting there for close to two and a half years, and pulled up the weeds in the streets. Duane and Bahamut then set some cobblestone back into place, getting Terra to help out when she had a chance. Slowly, they began to rebuild the roads.
However, that was only done for a little while. Bahamut and Duane focused most of their attention on rebuilding the town. Thebig onewas rebuilt at long last. With that done, the two men focused all their attention on their own building. It was a bit unpleasant for the kids, what with them hammering and nailing early in the morning for a few weeks. But in the end, it was finished. Now that it was complete, talk began to be said about moving upstairs. Terra was uneasy again, but when she realized that the creatures around were now driven off and kept out…and when fall grew chilly and began to make downstairs more unbearable, she agreed.
It was a nice change. No longer did the children have to live in a dark hole. Now they were free to live in a colorful, well lit, warm house. It did get more breezes than the underground, but upstairs there was a fireplace. And they didn't get so dirty up here. There was enough room for them all to sit down to eat, and the girls and boys got their own rooms. Duane, Katarin, and their baby had their own building to live in, as did Bahamut and Terra. Remarkably enough…Mobliz was starting to look like a town again. A town run by children, yes…but a town none the less.
Bahamut felt better and better each day. Seeing the place slowly turn into something great and livable made him happy. It felt good…to actually build this place with his own two hands. And there was the children too. They made it all worthwhile. Seeing them smile, feeling them hug him…they made a world of difference. Bahamut never would have thought such a seemingly small thing would have meant so much to him. But his affection for this life and for the children only continued to grow with time.
That wasn't all though…
Ever since that night at dinner, Terra and Bahamut hadn't looked at each other the same. Now, Bahamut found himself running up to her and offering to do things even when she was more than capable. Terra found herself getting up early some days just so she could go out and watch the morning with Bahamut…and rest her hand on his shoulder. Bahamut came in for dinner even when he wasn't hungry, just so he could sit with Terra and talk with her…and complement her cooking. Terra asked about his day before she went to bed, and thanked him more frequently. Most of all…they both found each other staring at each other more and more. They liked doing things together, and started doing more things together, whether it was working the fields, cleaning, or watching the kids. And through it all…they would always smile at each other.
Because of all this, it was small wonder that Terra agreed to let Bahamut come with her when it came time to sell.
Currently, they were all gathered in the front yard of the original house. Duane and Bahamut, as their last project before harvest time, had managed to rig together a couple of large wagons that would tie to each other from the debris and ruins of Mobliz. Both of them were loaded to the brim with Midsummer's Wheat, harvested and ready to be sold at market. Two thirds of the crop was in the two wagons, tied back by huge pieces of canvas and rope. The remaining third had been stored away, and just in time. The last of the original crop had given out, but tonight the children would get to eat fresh bread for the first time in years. And hopefully, in a few days, they would have more than that.
It was cold outside now. Winter had come, and they were lucky that the first snow hadn't fallen yet. Hopefully they wouldn't get it on the way to the nearest town, Tzen. Bahamut could tolerate the temperature well, but for the sake of not wanting the children to be "manly" like him, he had transfigured his jacket into a longer coat. Terra was different. She didn't have any long clothing, and so she was wrapped from head to toe in a long cloak, and had the hood pulled over her head. Duane and Katarin were similar. The kids, however, were too little for this, and their winter clothes were essentially overly long shirts and pants that they bunched up around themselves in place of their lighter summer clothes. They did the job well enough, although they couldn't play outside in the snow in them. And they could be grown into. Terra wasn't exactly sure how much money they would have to burn, but hopefully it would be enough to get them all real coats.
The two of them had one of Terra's old tents she had left over from her trip with her friends, and enough food to get them there and back. Other than that, they took little in the way of supplies. They couldn't afford to.
Bahamut tightened the ropes one last time on the sides of the cart, using his superior strength to tie it down so well that nothing could break it. As he did so, he looked over and saw the children gathered out, huddled in their own oversized clothes. The sky was gray that morning, and it was going to be overcast. It was chilly…and Bahamut hoped there wouldn't be any snow again. As for Terra, she was standing near Duane and Katarin.
"I still don't see how you're going to get these carts there without work chocobos…" Duane remarked at all this.
"Just leave it to Tumahab." Terra reassured.
"I don't want to use all our money…but could you leave enough behind for a doctor's visit or two?" Katarin asked. "I'd like to take Seras to get a checkup."
"We'll see. First things first, we're going to get vegetables and meat to take us through winter, and enough to replant next year. Then we'll try and get a cow. We'll see what we can do with what we have left."
Bahamut finished tying the knot, and then walked around the cart and began to approach Terra. As he did, Katarin let out a long sigh, and then leaned forward and hugged her matron. Terra smiled and hugged back.
"We always get nervous when you leave…" She slowly murmured. "Don't get in trouble out there."
"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Terra reassured as she patted her back. "Between me and Tumahab, we can take care of anything."
Bahamut cracked a smile at this exchange, but kept walking forward. He finally made his way up to Duane. The young man looked back at him, and looked a little uneasy himself. After all, he had spent the most one on one time with the esper, and he'd miss him. Bahamut, however, inhaled deeply and looked him over.
"Well…you're the man of the house again." He addressed him. "But that's nothing new now, is it?"
Duane smiled a bit and shook his head. "Doesn't look like I'll have to do anything much around here, what with all the improvements you put in."
To this, Bahamut raised a finger and shook it, doing the same with his head. "Uh uh…" He corrected. "Not me. Us. You worked just as hard as me on all this. This is your gift to your family too. You should have more confidence in yourself, Duane. The largest part of any great task or fear is first believing that you're capable of doing it. And I believe you are…Terra believes you are…Katarin believes you are…" He hesitated, and then smiled a bit. "So when are you going to jump on the bandwagon?"
Duane smiled again and snickered a little at the joke. Bahamut had a bit of a laugh as well. They both hesitated a moment, but then Bahamut stuck out his hand in front of the young man. Duane shifted a bit, but then reached out and took it, and they both had a hearty shake.
"Take care of yourself, Mr. Tumahab."
"You too."
As the two men broke, Terra finished hugging Katarin. With that, both of them turned their attention to the children next. Marcus and Essner were able to understand this, but Ai, Yu, and Athena were still too little to understand most concepts of going away. They looked a bit uneasily at them as they walked up to them.
"Do you guys have to leave?" Athena asked with a sad look.
Terra smiled at her, and then kneeled down in front of her. She reached out and stroked the girl's hair. "We'll be back in just a few days, Athena. I promise. I came back after I left that one time, remember?"
Athena hesitated at that, but then bowed her head and nodded a little. "Yeah…"
"Come here and give me a hug."
Terra stretched her arms out after saying that, and the little girl immediately rushed forward into them, resting her head against Terra's chest. The half esper embraced her and held for a few moments.
Meanwhile, Bahamut looked down on Ai and Yu. Both of them were downcast, and shifted uneasily in their spots. The esper looked them over, and then shook his head.
"Hey…it's not like I'm going forever. I'll be coming back. You think I would miss out running around with my best wrestling partners?"
Both Ai and Yu looked up at that. They had a longing stare in their eyes as they watched Bahamut. However, after a little while longer, Ai called out again.
"…You promise you'll come back?"
Bahamut kept smiling, and used his thumbnail to draw a symbol over his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die."
The two still were a bit uneasy. After all, what they could see was far easier to trust than what they could imagine. After a moment, however, Yu looked up, and silently held out a hand and beckoned Bahamut down with it. The esper blinked a moment, but then did as was indicated and dropped to his knees. After he did, Yu came forward to his ear, and cupped his hand over it. He leaned in close, and then whispered in a very faint voice.
"…I heard you that night you were with Athena. Did you mean it when you said you'd stay with us forever?"
Bahamut's smile faltered a moment. So…someone had heard. He was caught off guard by that. However…he held for only a brief moment, before he smiled again. He turned his head, turned Yu to one side, and then cupped his own hand over his ear as he leaned in and whispered back.
"You bet I did."
Yu smiled at that at last. Then, he rushed forward and embraced the esper. Bahamut smiled back, and hugged him as well.
There was a few more minutes of hugging and goodbyes among everyone. Everyone got instructions and well wishes and finally separated into two groups. Bahamut and Terra stood on one side, while the rest of their "family" stood on the other. They both stood there a moment, before Terra smiled again and waved at them.
"Now all of you get inside before you freeze. We can see ourselves off. We'll be back in a few days."
Duane was a bit reluctant. He wanted to see how Bahamut managed to make the carts move…especially since he knew there had to be something special with him whenever he made the kids do a task. However, Katarin believed it was for the best. If the kids saw them go off, they might start crying and cause a problem. And so, she merely held up Seras' own hand and had her wave to them, and then waved herself before turning and leading the kids in. The children themselves began to wave as they backed up and back into their own house. Everyone called out goodbyes. Terra herself backed up and then climbed up the side of the wagon, to get in the cart. Bahamut backed up as well and waved. At last, the two groups separated. The children all went back inside, and Terra and Bahamut were left outside on the frosty morning with their carts and supplies.
Once all was silent, and they were sure that everyone was within, Terra looked down to Bahamut.
"So…how are we going to get the carts there?"
Terra had to cup her hand to her face and desperately stifle her laughter.
"You know…with my hearing, I can still hear you chuckling…" Bahamut muttered behind him. "This isn't exactly the most dignified thing I've ever done."
Terra couldn't help it. A moment later, she bent forward and laughed out loud. This was just so ridiculous to her.
Bahamut sighed and readjusted the horse collar that was now around his neck. He had been hooked up to the carts just like a common mule. And like a mule, he wore all of the things that normally attached them to a cart. That included a horse collar, and leather binding him to wooden slats coming out from it. This was different than a traditional cart though. The slats were on the sides, like a hand cart, and in addition to being tied to them, Bahamut held onto the sides as he went forward. In truth…this was the only way they could get the wheat to market. Bahamut was the only one strong enough to pull this load and pull it fast over rough terrain. Even now, he was jogging across the plains, making his way south along the peninsula. However, this began to tax his human strength. He was definitely sweating now. If he turned into his Neo form, he could easily run the rest of the way without straining, but he didn't want to risk that. Whoever heard of a giant dragon pulling a cart like that?
"When you told me about this…I didn't think you would actually do it!" Terra exclaimed in her laughter. "I thought you'd just round up some wild beast to do it…"
"Yes, ha, ha, ha." Bahamut flatly answered with something of a frown. "I must really like you. I've never demeaned myself this much for any human."
"Well, you're actually not doing it now, either." Terra reminded him. "I'm half esper, remember?"
Bahamut perked his head up to that. "Oh? So you don't want to just call yourself a human now? You actually admit what you are? Well well…what brought on this change?"
Terra paused for a moment at that. However, she didn't get uneasy, just quieter. She lost her smile and shrugged a little. "…I don't know. I guess…mostly because until now I've been thinking of espers as being these great mythical creatures, just like everyone else sees them. But that was before I met you. You're just like a normal person."
Bahamut snorted a bit. "Thanks."
"That wasn't an insult." Terra protested. "By normal…I meant someone who can feel and love and hate…someone who interacts with people…someone who is in touch with other people… Someone real, I guess. Someone who thinks about other people. No…it wasn't an insult. I should have said you're like a person. People like Kefka…they were the real monsters."
Bahamut hesitated for a moment after hearing that. But then, he gave a nod. "Alright…I'll take that as a compliment then."
The two paused for a moment after that, both smiling and looking ahead. However, it was only for a few brief moments. Once they passed, Terra's smile flattened a bit, and she looked back down to Bahamut again. She hesitated for a moment, but then she was certain that she wanted to say this. And so, she did.
"…I'm glad you're with us."
Bahamut continued to pull the cart forward a bit longer, before turning his head slightly around to her.
"…I am too."
With Bahamut going at his fast speed, the two managed to make it down to Tzen in record time. It only took two days of traveling to get there. Bahamut, despite straining himself now, didn't tire easily. He managed to keep going all day, only stopping for half hour breaks. At night, he slept well and ate well for a change, but the next day he was energized enough to keep going. Terra, for the most part, felt kind of useless. All she had to do was sit in the cart and interrupt Bahamut's concentration by talking once in a while. Mostly she just shivered from the cold. However, she didn't mind. After all, he had done so much for them that he was entitled to a little company on this trip. And…she found herself wanting to be with him alone for a little while. They didn't usually get this much time to talk to each other, and both of them found it a pleasant experience. Often…Terra found herself watching Bahamut pull…seeing his large muscles…his perfect hair…coming forward like a mythical athlete…and then she would suddenly catch herself, blush, and look away again. Little did she know that Bahamut found himself staring a bit too long at Terra when she undressed the night in between, and snapped himself out of it before they went down. When they slept the one night…they found each other coming close together. It was warmer…but that wasn't the only reason in their subconscious minds…
Late the next day, close to sundown, Bahamut began to see Tzen on the horizon. It wasn't the largest of towns. In fact…it was just about the smallest town left in the world, not counting Mobliz. It only had a few buildings arranged in a somewhat haphazard fashion, and some of them were still in construction. Terra explained that Tzen had been the last town to get struck by Kefka's "Light of Judgment", and that they were still rebuilding over a year later. It put into perspective the amount of work that Bahamut was capable of. People might have abandoned this town after the Collapse if it hadn't been that it was still an area for good mining. Luckily, rearranging the world hadn't removed the mineral rich mountains from this place, unlike in many other places where the point that made the city thrive had been removed. It enabled the town to survive despite the chaos that had befallen it. At any rate, everyone had already turned in. It was getting colder, and Terra was shivering considerably when they drew near. Bahamut knew that they weren't going to get anywhere that night, and they had to camp out again.
They decided to stay on the outskirts, having no money for an inn. Besides, they didn't want to go into town when there was a chance that the grain could get stolen. They pitched the tent and got ready to climb inside, but it was so cold that they wanted a fire as well. Bahamut had just finished putting all of the logs together in a proper pile…when he grit his teeth in frustration. He had forgotten the tinderbox. They had no way to light the fire.
That was when something interesting happened.
Bahamut sighed over the woodpile for a moment, and shivered a bit himself. At last, he took the two logs off of the top and brought them toward himself. "I'm not the best at this in the world…but I think I can make a fire using the two stick method…"
However, the esper had no sooner finished saying that…when he heard a sudden sizzling sound. It rapidly got higher…like some sort of high note being struck from a burning noise. When it did, he felt a red glow bathe over him for a moment, and a light illuminated the area. Quickly, he forgot the sticks and turned to the source. When he did…he saw that Terra now had her eyes closed and her hands were folded in front of her. Not only that…but a great burning red aura had suddenly erupted from her, and for a moment she was enveloped in a bright red light. Bahamut's jaw loosened as he stared at her, and saw the glow die down again. However, the moment it did that, he saw another glow to his left. He turned his head, and was just in time to see a ripple of flame shoot through the log structure. It lasted only a moment, but it was hot and strong enough to set his kindling ablaze. A moment later…the entire fire began to erupt.
Bahamut wheeled back around to Terra in surprise. The young woman slowly exhaled, and then slowly opened her eyes. She looked down and saw what she had done, and stared at it for a brief moment. Then…she snickered once, and put her hands to her sides as she smiled.
"…I didn't even get tired from that."
The esper, however, continued to stare at her. He was silent, although much was on his mind. Terra paused a moment longer, and then turned to him and smiled softly. Her eyes were somewhat faraway…and she was quiet…but she did smile.
"…Regardless of what form I took, I could always use magic." She told him. She paused a that for a moment, and bowed her head slightly. "…I used to think it was a curse. Everyone wanted me because of that. They called me a witch…a demon… The day I left Kefka's tower as a human, I thought that I was free at last from it. I thought that some horrible sentence had been taken from me. When you reawakened my powers…when you showed that I still retained my abilities and my esper heritage…I was horrified. I thought I was a monster all over again. I thought it would mean I would again be hunted and feared…"
Bahamut's mouth closed, and he bowed his own head slightly. He looked uneasily at that. "…That was never my intention. I never wanted to make you upset. I thought…I just thought you liked it…"
"I didn't at the time." Terra calmly answered. However, after that, she smiled a bit more and looked up. "But now…I don't feel so uneasy about it anymore. Now…it doesn't seem like something that makes me a freak or a god or a ruler or anything… It makes me feel different…but I also like it because of that. I know I can use it to help other people. I know I can control it…and make it work for something good. And in the end, it is mine to do with as I want. And like you said…it is part of who I am. But it's only a part. I'm still the same person.
"After you made me transform…I was scared of it. I felt my powers returning, but I was scared to death of using them. But as time has gone on…I've been fearing them less and less. And today, when we were here…I suddenly felt so good about them that I just decided to use them. Nobody forced me to for once…and nothing made me do it or die. It just seemed…like it could be natural, kind of like with you."
Bahamut paused after hearing that. He looked up again, and smiled slightly. "…If you had lived among your own kind…you wouldn't fear this power at all. It would be a part of your everyday life. Asking an esper to exist without his or her magical power is like telling you to live without using your hands. It's ridiculous to imagine. Of course…times are now different. Back in my day, we never even dreamed of humans using us as weapons, or harvesting us for our powers. We were all our own masters."
Terra paused herself. She looked at Bahamut for a while, and then smiled as well. "Well…I guess we are now too."
Bahamut hesitated at that, and raised an eyebrow.
"We don't have kingdoms or worlds anymore." Terra replied. "We don't have governments hunting us down. No one can use magic now except for us. We're the last of our kind. It's a bit tragic…but because of this, we're finally free. We don't have to be subservient to another organization or people…and we don't have to be used anymore. We're just…ourselves. We have our own lives to live now."
Bahamut didn't answer that right away. He merely sat there and thought about it. And as he did…he began to find himself thinking more and more about it. In fact, it soon made his smile fade as he began to sink into deeper thought…
However, Terra didn't notice this. She merely smiled at Bahamut again and turned around. "Well…good night. We have a long day tomorrow. I suppose we need to get some sleep…"
With that, Terra turned around and turned in for the night herself, reentering the tent.
Bahamut was left outside on his own…still thinking about what he had just heard.
As it turned out, Bahamut was still thinking when the fire went low. He should have tended it…but he didn't think about that. His gaze stared out blankly into the distance, and his face was neither happy nor sad. Terra had unknowingly struck a chord in him, and it was setting off a reaction within his brain that he had been entertaining subconsciously for a long time…but only now came out.
Our own lives…
Is that what I'm thinking of?
I never thought about this before…but what exactly am I doing? When I woke up, when I came back to life, when I found out we were nearly extinct…I wanted to get everything back. I wanted a new Terratopolis carved from the ground. I wanted a new regency set up, and to see hundreds of esper children playing in gardens. I wanted us to take up our places of quietly observing humanity again. In short…I wanted my world back. I wanted what I remembered to be reality.
Is such a thing a vain vision?
I never thought it was. After all…shouldn't it be my responsibility to want this? To revitalize our race? To bring us back from the brink of extinction? Isn't it my duty, my mission, my need in life? Should I not sacrifice all to bring this one goal to fruitition? One could argue it would be. After all…if there was only one man and one woman alive, it might be their responsibility to keep their race from dying out. I thought the same way. Regardless of what happens…perhaps it is my duty to do this…to restore things the way they used to be…to give the esper race a future.
…But is that what I want?
It seems cold to think of it…but I'm not sure. I was calm, contemplative, and content during that time. For over two thousand years I was that way. …But I wasn't happy. I've never been happy because I was never able to love. I never could look on any of those people as a father looks on his son. Even the dragons were their own race, not seeing me as some true father but as some great godly father. I never did anything for myself there. I never even did anything for anyone else. I didn't need to. I was unnecessary, save to issue a few empty decrees every once in a while. But here…I feel like I have purpose. I feel life…and it feels fulfilling and real here. Before…it was just some façade of life…some list of duties to carry out every day…of which eating and sleeping were two.
Would bringing my race back really matter? Would it even be the best thing? The idea among humanity now is that espers and humans can never coexist. I have to say I believe that. I always did. That was why I was apart from them. At this point, we are still stronger than them…but we can still be enslaved by them. That much is clear. We can be used as weapons. We can appeal to the dark nature of humanity, and give them horrible powers. That's why we went away. That's why we sealed ourselves in that world…because that was the only way we could both live. But now…we know better. There is no way we could both live. Humanity would hunt us down in the end. They'd find us no matter where on this world we went…and we cannot hide from them anymore. With their airships and technology…there isn't a place that we can avoid them. And eventually…what happened here…what ruined the planet…it would happen again. Just like it happened twice already.
Of course…this is a copout. It just suits what I'm feeling right now. I have a responsibility. I'm the only one left with responsibility. If anyone is going to bring our race back, it has to be me.
And yet…I can't help but feel I'm going back to my old life when I think that.
All I've ever had…ever since I first took on the role of king…is my duty. Always for everyone else. I lived in Terratopolis because that was what was expected of me. I dressed in royal purple, addressed the crowds, and had dragons bow down to me because that was what was expected of me. All I've done…all I've been…it's all because I'm subscribing to a higher standard, to something bigger than me. I had to do it for the good of humanity and for the good of our race. That's what a king did.
But…I'm not a king anymore.
I am my own person.
There are no subjects now. There are no standards to uphold. The race I was accountable to is gone. The race I wanted to see mature…they have. They can take care of themselves now. I don't have to act like dad or some arbitraitor for them. In truth…I might not be needed now. And if I am…then what does that leave me with?
I'm crazy about the children. I can't deny it now. And I enjoy my life here. I'm happy…I'm content. But I'm not just some ancient figurehead sitting around waiting for a crisis. I'm living. I'm living for the first time in my life. I feel young and happy. I feel as if I can look forward to the next day being different and challenging and meet it. I like being here… I love being here. And the thought of anything else is just so empty… And Terra…
Terra…
I feel even more different about her.
So…where does that leave me?
What do I do now?
Bahamut didn't know. He couldn't come to an answer. Around midnight, he finally forced himself to go in and go to bed…but he continued to think throughout the rest of that night.
Early the next morning, the two woke up and drug their cart into town. This late in the year, there were few people out to sell anything, especially in terms of food. However, the two of them went out regardless, looking around for signs of any potential buyers. They saw none at first. Most people stared at them in puzzlement. It wasn't because of who they were so much as how they managed to have a whole load of wheat on them at the onset of winter. The sky looked like it could snow at any moment, after all. There was also the fact that a full grown man was pulling these carts and not a few yoke of oxen, which seemed like they would be the bare minimum required for that. Yet the two ignored them, and kept going through Tzen. After all, there was no law against pulling your own cart. And if any local constabulary showed up…well…Bahamut had a way of dealing with that. Not so much a threat as a little mind trick…
At last, they reached the local guild for farmers. It was shut up, of course, with only the internal office open at this time of year. This seemed to be the best bet to unload their grain quickly. Speed was somewhat of the essence, after all. They couldn't be selling this all day for a few days, after all. Still…pushing it all off on one source wasn't that sound logic. They might get taken for a ride, especially if the guild was crooked. Luckily…most crooked operations seemed to be gone. In the wake of the Collapse, local townspeople didn't tolerate much in the way of being cheated. Still, they could think they were out of towners they could take advantage of…
Once they got to the front of the guild, Bahamut came to a halt. Terra leapt off of the side and touched down on the ground, while Bahamut disengaged himself. She soon walked up to him just as he was finishing, and the two turned to each other for a moment. They both grew a bit anxious. This was the big moment that would decide their fates for the next few months…
Terra looked to the door a moment. "I think I better handle this. I know more about how human markets work than an esper would, I think." She hesitated and sighed. "I just hope that we don't wind up cheated. By trying to sell everything here, we're giving them a powerful tool in their favor."
"Don't forget we have a powerful tool as well." Bahamut answered. "We're the only one selling fresh crops at this time of year. If they want to make a killing on the sale of this grain to these people, then they'll have to appease us first. But I trust you'll know what the minimum price is that we can get."
"Yeah…but they may try to work around it." Terra answered with a grimace. Both of them paused for a moment after that, staring at the front of the guild. But in the end, Terra turned and looked back to Bahamut. "Alright…here it goes. Wish me luck."
"Good luck."
Terra inhaled deeply again, and then turned and marched for the entrance to the guild. Soon, she was inside, and the door was shut behind her. Once that was done, Bahamut exhaled a blast of misty air, and then turned and began to walk around the cart. There was nothing for him to do except hang around for the time being. So he went over to a nearby tree and leaned against it. He put his hands in his pockets, relaxed a bit, and then watched the world go by.
Bahamut had never actually been in a human town…but on seeing it he realized he wasn't missing much. The humans weren't friendly or happy looking like espers were in Terratopolis. Their dwellings were far more haphazard, rough, and dirty. And they had such small spaces between their buildings. Still, it was nice to be standing somewhere for once where people weren't continuously bowing to him or staring at him in awe. Here, he was just another stranger wandering around the town, and it felt somewhat pleasant to just blend in for once. It was a bit dehumanizing, yes…but that went with the territory. It was a different sensation at the very least.
After about thirty minutes, he saw Terra emerge, along with some strange man. Remarkably…he felt a twinge of something in him at that, and it felt negative…before he realized that the man had to be the guild master. He looked rather surly and uncooperative, while Terra was insistant to him. She let him over to the side of the wagon, pulled up the canvas, and pointed to the grain. He still looked untrusting and frowned in response. Terra then plucked an ear and ate some. The man sighed at this, and then reached in and plucked some and ate it. He didn't change much in expression at first. But then, he reached in and began to push around some of the ears, seeming to look deeper into it. Over the next few minutes, he went all around the cart, and went just short of pulling off the canvas to look deeper inside it. It appeared he doubted that fresh grain could exist at this time of year. Yet gradually…he did begin to show some puzzlement at this, and seemed to at least believe that it was grain. After that, his face frowned again, and he called Terra back in. The two soon vanished, and Bahamut was alone outside again.
Bahamut watched the door for a moment, wondering if he would detect anything else. But after a second or so, his ears picked up the sound of someone saying something not far from him.
"I'm telling you…things are too weird right now out there."
Hearing that, the esper turned his head slightly in the direction of the conversation. He looked with the corner of his eye, and saw that two people were sitting in a doorway, obviously to shelter themselves from the cold. However, they were having some heated discussion. And after what he just heard…Bahamut found himself intrigued. He turned his head back, but one of his ears flexed back in their direction and continued to listen.
"You shouldn't go anywhere near Jidoor right now." The same voice as before sounded.
"Oh, why do you always have to be a wet blanket?" A new voice added. "I've never been over there, and I may never get the chance again. After the Collapse, everything is cheaper. I want to see an opera before I die."
"Listen to me! Haven't you heard what's been going on over there?"
"No…but I have a feeling you're going to tell me…"
"I've heard stories…"
"You're always hearing stories…"
"Well, maybe you should listen to them! The world's not the nice little place it used to be!"
"You didn't think it was all that nice when the Empire was still around…"
"Just listen! I've heard stories. They say that people going from Jidoor to the Opera House have been getting harassed. They say they see things coming out and following them…sometimes throwing things at them. And just two weeks ago, there was that one couple from Kohlingen that got murdered…"
"So what? Jidoor isn't far from Zozo. One of them probably did it."
"Well, that's just it, isn't it? No one's heard anything from Zozo in months…"
Bahamut tensed slightly at that.
"Who cares what goes on in Zozo? They're just a bunch of thieves and liars there anyway. Maybe we got lucky and they killed each other off at long last…"
"Why do you have to be so casual about this?"
"Because you're a blooming bag of wind!"
"I am not!"
"You are so…"
Bahamut tuned the conversation out after that. He had heard some of these towns mentioned before. In fact, in one of Terra's stories…she was sure the place that she had awakened after her first transformation was named Zozo. But other than that, he knew little. He couldn't even tell where things were anymore. The entire geography of Gaia had changed in the past few hundred years. He was still having trouble getting a grasp on the history, let alone where things were spacially. He frowned that he couldn't remember where he had awakened. However…he had a fear that somehow that was related to this. And he continued to puzzle over it for a few moments, bringing up to mind various places he had been and what he had learned so far of Gaia's new shape…
"Bahamut!"
The esper looked up at the calling of his name. He turned his head, and saw that Terra had emerged again. She was holding up one hand and waving to him. However, once he saw her, she looked a bit more downcast. Her face turned to disappointment, and she walked forward very slowly, keeping her hands down at her sides. The esper saw this…and didn't like it. It looked like bad news. He got off of where he was leaning and walked over to her at once. They halted before each other. Bahamut looked eager and intrigued, but Terra kept her head bowed and her arms behind her.
"…Well?" The esper asked after a moment.
The half esper kept her own head bowed and sighed slowly. "Well…we definitely would have gotten more if we would have gone to Maranda…or better yet, Albrook." She hesitated after that…and then suddenly looked up and broke into a smile. As she did, she held up one of her hands and waved a considerably thick stack of paper in front of Bahamut's face.
"…But I'd say we didn't do bad for our first time."
Bahamut, however, was still confused, and looked to the large stack of papers. He pointed to it. "What's that?"
Terra smiled a bit and chuckled in excitement. "It's gil!"
"Gil?" Bahamut responded. "Doesn't that…come in coins?"
"Not anymore, not since they started printing." Terra answered, continuing to wave the stack in front of her. "He bought it. He was trying to lowball me…but I did as you said and I threatened to take it to Albrook. I made it look as if I didn't care at all if I would have to. When I did that, he jumped on it. I got him up as high as I could…and we went over thenon-registered memberstandard price. They'll take the whole load for 24,000."
However, the esper was still confused. "…Is that a lot?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed in joy. Then, enthusiastic as she was, she suddenly leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Bahamut's neck. Before the esper knew what was going on, the woman was spinning him around in a circle, holding onto him tightly. He smiled as well when this happened, and let out a chuckle. Apparently, it was a lot. He hoped it was enough to get everything they had wanted, but he was glad that for right now Terra was happy. And so he let her hold on a bit longer.
Eventually, the two of them broke from each other. Once they did, Terra, still excited, took Bahamut's hand instead and began to lead him.
"Well, come on."
"Come where?"
"To start spending this money! They're going to send out for more workers to come in and help unload it. In the meantime, I want to start shopping right away. It's been so long since I've been able to buy the kids anything."
And so, the rest of the day was very casual.
Bahamut soon had a better concept for how much human money could get you. The two of them first went about getting the essentials. They could only get most produce preserved in some way or dried out, but they bought a considerable amount of fruits and vegetables, as well as seeds for next year. Most of it was kinds the children had never had before, but Terra didn't care. She wanted them to eat a variety. They also bought other baking goods like salt, sugar, and baking soda so that they could really cook for the kids. They had enough to buy a good cow as well, and they even threw in a few chickens. Bahamut agreed that a coop would be no trouble at all to build. But even after all that, getting enough food to last them through next year, they still had spent only 9,000.
So the rest of the shopping was far more casual. True to her word, Terra bought a full set of winter clothes for each of the kids, including waterproof boots, thick coats, hats and gloves, and wool sweaters. She also bought some for Duane and Katarin, but Bahamut had to remind her to get something for herself. She was about to not do so, not wanting to spend this money on herself. But the esper put an end to that thinking when he snatched a fistful of gil from her and made to buy her the most outlandish, bizarre, oversized coat in the store. Quickly, Terra caved in and bought herself a more simple, yet effective, one.
Terra also bought the children new bedding materials, particularly ones for winter, sewing materials, medicines, soap, and many other things they would need around the house. She went ahead and bought a separate bed for Seras, so that she wouldn't have to crush in with her mom and dad every night. Once that was done, she bought them books on various mathematical and scientific subjects to help further their home schooling. And despite Terra's insistence that it was a luxury they didn't need, Bahamut insisted on buying a team of work chocobos. They needed them to pull the wagon for normal business, and if one of the kids got sick and they had to get them to Tzen in a hurry, then they'd need them.
After this, they had only five thousand left. Terra set two thousand of that aside for a "rainy day" fund, and another two thousand for medical care for Seras. That left a thousand. Terra thought of perhaps replacing some of the dishes…but Bahamut pressured her to another end. The children had been very good. They never gave them much trouble, and they made do with so little without complaining… Bahamut thought that the kids better be grateful to them, because he talked Terra into spending the last thousand on "extras". She eventually realized it would be nice to give the kids real birthdays or holidays with presents for a change. And so, Bahamut took charge and bought some taffy, caramels, and rock candy for each of them. He got them a few more storybooks to listen to, and then bought them a much softer, rounder ball to toss around outside. He got a practice bow and quiver for Marcus, a record player (with a few records) for Essner, a few "beauty" items for Ai, a set of tin soldiers for Yu, and, finally, a giant stuffed Cactuar for Athena.
But still having some left…Bahamut bought one last thing. He found a magnificent jeweled broach and matching headband. Both of them glittered with silver, and had sapphire stones inside them. They were flawless and gleamed even in the dim light. They looked like they belonged on a noblewoman or queen. The only reason they hadn't been snatched up long ago was that there were few in Tzen with the money or care to buy them. Jewelry had become seriously undervalued in this town. Bahamut recalled another story from Terra on how she oncewere able to buy a shard of precious magicite for only a measely five gil. Without waiting to spring this on Terra, he presented her with them immediately.
She was stunned. "Bahamut…you shouldn't have done that."
"I wanted to give you a present." The esper simply answered. "And you deserve it…far more than many other women I have seen."
"We should have spent that money on something useful…"
"You're the one who keeps telling me that this is all thanks to me." Bahamut responded. "And don't I have the right to decide how my own money is spent?"
Terra hesitated. She continued to stare at the gorgeous items, too stunned to do anything else. At last, she swallowed and shook her head. "I…I don't know what to say…"
"Say nothing. Just let me put them on you."
Terra stiffened, but then relaxed and straightened up. She quivered all over as Bahamut slowly tightened her cloak around her neck and fastened it with the broach. Her skin had turned cold, and she trembled as he touched her. She felt so nervous…even dizzy as Bahamut did this. She anxiously smiled, and shifted where she stood, laughing a bit uneasily. But Bahamut calmly smiled back at her, and slowly placed the hair band over her head, keeping her hair out from her eyes and replacing the crude wooden painted one. He stood back after that, and admired it. They sparkled like two great jewels from her, and they made the rest of her features stand out. She seemed to glow and become more radiant and regal when she wore them.
Bahamut looked at this a moment, and then nodded. "Perfect."
Terra continued to blush and stand there a moment, smiling uneasily. But in the end, she said nothing and merely turned and continued.
It was getting late in the day when all of the grain was unloaded, and Bahamut and Terra loaded up all of their own packages and items. With Bahamut's help, it was easy. Using the last of the extra money, they rented two more yoke of work chocobos. These ones would return to their pen right after they were released, so they were very handy. But for now, they were tied up to the wagon with the other two chocobos that were loaded up. The sun was going down and it was getting dark by the time that Bahamut finished tying everything on. But once he did, he quickly climbed around and into the top seat with Terra, and took the reins of their new mounts.
"Alright…let's get going." He simply said.
Terra was a bit tired by now after all the running around that day, and it was getting much colder out than last night. "Shouldn't we stay in the local inn for tonight?"
Bahamut shook his head at that immediately, giving the chocobos a whip. They gave out a loud wark in reply, and then began to pull the cart down the road. "Not for a moment. We should get out of this town while we can, and make sure we aren't followed. Luckily, I'll hear or smell anyone who's within range."
The half esper was even more confused at that. "I…I don't understand…"
"We've been throwing around thousands of gil all day." Bahamut responded. "We're loaded to the brim with new products and food. And I saw more than one human stare at you wearing your new broach and hairband. Such was not my intention when I bought it for you…but it remains an unfortunate aspect. The point is, by now any shady character types know we have money to burn and a lot of things worth stealing."
Terra hesitated for a moment, but her eyes widened at the thought. "…Oh…you're right…" She slowly responded, as the thought came to mind. "We better be careful."
"We'll ride straight home for now." Bahamut answered. "We'll go all night. Tomorrow morning, we'll keep going if we can, but we'll rest if we can't. I don't think they'll be likely to attack in broad daylight. I'll hear them either way, however. Don't worry about falling asleep if you're too tired. I'll be staying up."
Terra looked to Bahamut for a moment at this, but then relented and merely settled into her place.
The sun was down by the time the chocobos pulled out of Tzen. They couldn't go as fast as Bahamut had, because they wouldn't jog as they pulled the cart. However, there was still some good timing. Chocobos could go a long time without rest. Hopefully, overall they would be able to get them home in two days regardless of their lack of speed. Bahamut kept his ears open as they went past the outskirts of town and began to put roadways between them. For a while, he heard very little, but they were still within earshot of the town at that point. After pulling away a bit more, he still heard nothing. However, that didn't bode too well with him. It seemed unlikely that they would so easily escape detection with such a large bounty. Thinking of that, he kept his ears open as they went on a bit further.
Night lingered on for a few hours as they began to put miles between themselves and the town. At that point, however, it finally began to snow. Their frosty breath began to mingle with flakes in the air as they fell to the ground. Even Bahamut found himself getting into his coat a bit more as he road along. Terra, however, was much worse off. She clutched her cloak around herself tightly, but even after that she began to shudder. Snow started to accumulate on their wagon, and they had to brush off the seats from time to time.
Terra rubbed her arms after a bit longer while they continued to ride, cringing on herself to keep heat. "It's so cold…"
"You know, I didn't encourage you to buy that coat because I thought it would help pad the wagon a bit better." Bahamut reminded her.
At that, Terra suddenly formed a look of realization. "Oh…I forgot all about that." She said aloud. Immediately, she turned and began to rummage through the closest items to the steering platform. After going around for a moment, she managed to grab the hem of her new coat, and pulled it out. She laughed a bit uneasily. "I'm…just not used to actually buying anything. I think this might be the first thing I've ever bought for myself that wasn't a weapon or piece of armor. I didn't even feel right wearing it out of the store."
At any rate, she pulled it out and quickly put it on under her cloak, and then wrapped the folds around herself more tightly.
"You know, you can lean closer to me if you're that cold." Bahamut suggested after a moment.
To that, Terra hesitated. She turned to the esper a moment, and simply stared at him. The esper himself, after a moment, swallowed and sat a bit more uneasily. To tell the truth, both of them felt a bit nervous about that. Cold as Terra was, her cheeks began to turn red soon after from something that wasn't cold air. Bahamut himself gripped his palms, which had grown a bit sweaty. However, that was only a moment. After that, Terra formed a mild smile, and then slid in closer to Bahamut. She did so until the two of them touched. Both of them felt a ripple at the touch, which flowed from the tips of their fingers to the top of their necks, and danced their way down their backs. However, it left afterward, and Terra slowly adjusted her body to fit around Bahamut's own large figure. She rested there a moment…before she slowly put her head against his shoulder. Bahamut smiled a bit at that as well…although he too was a bit nervous about it.
"Wow…" Terra spoke aloud after resting against him. "You feel so warm… I thought you'd be colder than me with the little you're wearing…"
"Despite my decrease in strength, I maintain my metabolism in any body." Bahamut answered. "Rest assured…I feel pretty chilly from tonight regardless. This benefits me too."
Terra smiled at that, and nestled in closer to the esper. The two of them rode on silently. Bahamut looked out up ahead…but smiled too at the feeling of having Terra next to him. Yet as he sat there…he began to think again. He thought of what he had been considering last night…and the thoughts that he had left himself with. That made him hesitate again…wondering if the decision he had come to last night was what he really wanted…or what was really best. But in the end, he figured that he would only be doing the best for someone who didn't exist anymore. He did have his own life now… And perhaps he could finally strike out and have it. Perhaps it was finally time to change. In the end…he nodded mentally at the thought, and decided to go with it.
"Terra?"
The half esper was snuggled up close to him now, sinking her head under her hood and her exposed collar and beginning to drift off to sleep. "Hmm?" She answered, not opening her eyes or looking up from where she lay.
"…I want to make a deal." He spoke in an emotionless voice soon after.
Terra continued to lie against him and kept her eyes closed. "What deal?"
The esper hesitated again, but at last Bahamut exhaled and spoke.
"…You don't have to leave anymore." He finally spat out.
To this, Terra opened her eyes. Puzzlement now filled her gaze, and she leaned up and off of Bahamut and sat up. She looked to him in confusion. "…What did you say?" She asked in a disbelieving voice.
Bahamut bowed his own head slightly, but nodded. "You don't have to leave the children. You can stay with them forever, if you like. You don't have to come off with me or anything like that. You can stay the rest of the year, the next, and every year after, if you want."
Terra continued to stare. This fear had been lurking in the back of her mind, keeping her from ever fully liking Bahamut. But now that she heard it…she was amazed. She leaned in closer as she felt happiness begin to enter her heart once more, and a joy traveled through her cold limbs and warmed her. "…You mean it?" She asked. "You won't make me leave with you?"
"No, I won't." Bahamut simply answered. "But…on one condition."
"What is it?" Terra readily asked. She didn't care what it was. She just wanted to stay with the children. Her joy was becoming complete now, and she would do nothing to stop it.
Bahamut hesitated a little, and swallowed again. But in the end, he managed to speak.
"…I would like to stay with you and the children indefinitely."
The woman found herself hesitating at that again, and a bit surprised at that response. However…it didn't last long. The truth of the matter was…she had been thinking this for some time. She hadn't really believed that she would be forced to be Bahamut's slave in months. And now…this simply confirmed it. The two looked to each other, and Bahamutslowly smiled. Terra continued to stare backsilently. But then…she broke down as well. The only thing that was keeping her from Bahamut now was the thought that she still had to obey him. But now, that factor was gone. And as it was…she began to realize more as well.
She didn't want him to leave.
It wasn't just because of what he did around Mobliz. He had nearly single-handedly rebuilt the town, but that was only a factor. She realized more now. She realized…she was captivated by him. She always had been…but even more so as time went on. She liked seeing him every day. She enjoyed talking with him. And she enjoyed feeling his touch, especially in the past few minutes when she had rested against him. He was more than just a friend now…he was a part of her life. He was a part she enjoyed seeing every morning at the foot of her bed. He was a part she enjoyed sitting with and discussing problems and laughing together. She had only grown more favorable of him with time… And now, she too began to feel new feelings inside her when she saw him. As she looked at him now, smiling at her…so close she could still feel his warmth…she felt those feelings even more strongly. She realized she wanted to feel that every day now…because it made her happy and comforted.
In the end, Terra smiled once more. She leaned in close to Bahamut once again, only this time bringing her face up to his. Moments later, she leaned over, and kissed the esper. Bahamut was surprised…but only for a moment. Soon after, he closed his eyes and returned the kiss. Where last time it had been tentative…this time it was far more certain. The two held for a few moments, before Terra broke off. She leaned up close against Bahamut again, but continued to look up at his eyes.
"…I wouldn't have it any other way."
The esper was still smiling from the kiss…but now he felt another surge of joy in his own heart. It drove out his doubt and his confusion. He reached out one arm from the reins and gently stroked the side of Terra's face. She smiled back, and then closed her eyes and looked to try sleeping again. He touched her again…enjoying the feel of her bare skin against his own. But then he withdrew it and looked back. Yes…he would do it. He would form his own life. Goodbye to being king. Goodbye to the esper race. Goodbye to the times of old and the traditions. From now on…Lord Bahamut would just be a normal man, and live a normal life with other humans. But something so simple was so beautiful to him now. The pain of his long life, his eternity of suffering and loneliness would at last come to an end. Here, he would be reborn into a new life for real. And there was nothing in the world that could make him happier.
Bahamut continued to feel these things for a few minutes, as Terra slowly drifted off to sleep, comfortable next to him and his warmth. It was dark and snowing, and the cold wind whipped against him often…but he was happier than he had been in ages.
"Halt!"
Bahamut, however, raised an eyebrow when he suddenly heard a command yelled at him. It came from straight ahead. Doing as he was told, he pulled his team of chocobos to a halt. Moments later, he saw shapes moving in the darkness. Three dark humanoids suddenly moved in front of him. Bahamut's smell and heat vision immediately registered them as humans. He turned his eyes to the side, and quickly saw two more on either side come out of the surrounding country and plant themselves around him. If that wasn't all, he heard a trio of chocobo riders come up behind him too. He could sense their dark intentions around him. He couldn't make them out that well, but he quickly shifted to night vision. At that, he saw that they were mostly concealing themselves, dressed in wide hats and bandannas around their necks. They also held clubs and crossbows, and had a rough, ill-favored look around them. They all glared hungrily at him with their eyes and leaned in close.
Bahamut, on seeing all of this, gave a simple snort.
The robbers show up at last… Pity I was so preoccupied with Terra that I didn't see them coming. Oh well.
"Hey, big spending out-of-towner." The one in front sneered at him. "You hill boys ought to learn not to wave so much cash around."
Bahamut turned back and looked at him simply. Then, he merely whispered back in a calm voice.
"Could you keep it down?" He gestured to his side. "I don't want you waking up the young lady."
A few of the bandits snickered at that. However, the one who had spoken drew a long knife and began to walk forward. At first, he waved it in front of himself and slowly made his way up to Bahamut. The esper calmly stared back at him, not in the least intimidated. The bandit eventually went all the way up to the esper, and paused there. After that, he made a brief threatening move in his direction, like he was going to stab him. His comrades laughed and whistled and made dangerous noises…not noticing that Bahamut didn't so much as bat an eye in surprise. Then, he made his way over to the side and to the canvas covering. He proceeded to cut a long gash in it, so that he could pry it open and examine its contents.
Bahamut simply sighed, and whispered again. "If I wasn't in such a good mood, I would demand payment for that."
"Keep talking, smartass, and we'll take more than your crap." The leader said, before turning away and looking back to Bahamut. "Speaking of which…you got anything in here besides crap? What about that jewelry we saw you buy that woman?"
"That's a present for her." Bahamut whispered back. "It would look ghastly on ugly creatures such as yourselves."
The leader immediately stomped back over to the esper and brandished his knife, bringing it up to rest against the esper's throat. "Shut up and hand it over…or we'll take the jewelry and her as well. It is a cold night, after all…"
There was a time when Bahamut would have responded with ripping this miserable excuse of a man's throat out. A fancy went through his brain to do all sorts of destructive and/or humiliating spells on him. But as Bahamut had said before…he was in a good mood. And punishing this worthless felon was hardly worth the effort, especially in his new body. Still…he wasn't about to let this man or his foolish comrades go so easily to rob another later on.
In the end, Bahamut merely rolled his eyes. "Lucky for you I am in a very good mood tonight… I've decided rather than simply killing you and being done with it, I'm going to scare you half to death."
"I've had enough of your mouth, jackass." The felon spat back. "If you don't pass over that jewelry at the count of three, I'm going to give you another one right underneath your chin. One…two…"
That was as far as the man got before he soiled himself.
Abruptly, Bahamut opened his mouth, and a fiery glow burst forth and illuminated his face. His eyes turned yellow and blasted forth with ethereal light, and turned serpentine. As he did, his entire face suddenly lengthened, distorted, and grew huge. Instead of looking at a man, within moments he was looking at a hideous, gigantic serpant head, its mouth wide open and blasting burning heat from its belly over the man. Bahamut growled inhumanly, like a thousand hungry lions rolled into one fearsome beast. The felon lost every last bit of his confidence, and dropped his knife and backed away a bit before falling on his back and dragging himself away, mumbling in terror. He was nearly paralyzed at the sight of the creature.
Bahamut snapped his head around, and blasted forth his light and rage at the others around him who hadn't seen that. On seeing him…they immediately turned as white as ghosts. They dropped their weapons, turned, and ran as fast as they could. Now freed from Bahamut's glare, the leader scrambled to his feet and ran as well. They bellowed all sorts of cries of ghosts and demons, and Bahamut's new nostrils soon detected the smell of defecation as well as urine from the fleeing people around him. The chocobos behind him gave a loud wark as they were violently turned around and spurred away.
With that done, Bahamut calmly returned to his human face. He gave the chocobos a crack of the reins, and they calmly started moving again. That was another reason chocobos were far superior to other mounts. Nothing spooked them. However, as he began to slowly move on, Bahamut reached out and grasped the minds of the fleeing bandits. Once he did, and after reading their near hysterical fears, he sounded out another message to them…in his full dragon voice.
I will be coming back to Tzen, from time to time. If we ever meet again, I will have to celebrate our reunion by making you a dinner…if you get my drift.
Bahamut then cut off the message, leaving the men to go half mad with terror at the message they had just heard projected in their minds. Far in the distance…Bahamut heard a hysterical scream.
Terra, at last, shifted a bit at that. She was still half asleep, and kept her eyes closed, however. "Bahamut? Did we run into any trouble?"
"No trouble at all." Bahamut calmly answered, leaning back in his own seat for the long night ride.
To be continued...
