Vyser D: And now, another updated chapter.

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Chapter 10: Return of Past Dolts

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"Ya sure it's Ali?" Zaku asked as he looked over the crowds.

"My eyes are the sharpest they've ever been," Seth replied as he began to walk through the crowds. "Maybe its time we say hello again."

Zaku just blinked a couple times before he followed his small companion. "I may not be the brightest of us all, but that's not the best idea."

Spinning on his heel, Seth turned towards his partner. "Well then Braniac, what do you propose we do then?"

"The selkie approach…we tail Ali and that guy she's with," Zaku replied while walking over to the side.

"Sounds good to me," Seth shrugged it off and began to follow Zaku in the shadows of the buildings.

"Huh?" Kane turned his head back just to see regular people walking behind him. "That's weird."

"Kane, don't tell me that you're hearing the weird voices again," Ali sighed as Kane just shook his head and continued to walk with Ali.

"I just got this weird feeling that we're being watched," Kane replied scratching the back of his head.

The warm breeze blew through the town sending the various smells through the air. Kane and Ali watched the farmers tend to the crops that were needed for the harvest. While they talked to the farmers, Zaku and Seth poked their heads from the tree to get a better look at their following targets. "Hey Zaku…doesn't that guy look familiar?"

"Which guy? The farmer?" Zaku questioned before receiving a punch to the head. "Dang it! What was that for?"

Seth pushed Zaku's head back into the tree as Kane and Ali turned around to see what the noise was about. "Shush! This was your idea, so I would think that you'd be in incognito."

"Well, sorry!" Zaku whispered as he adjusted his guitar like racket. "Anyway, what guy are you talking about?"

"The guy with Ali…didn't we meet him after we kind of deserted her?" Seth questioned as Zaku squinted his eyes at Kane.

"Oh yeah! Wasn't he with that Yuke and other Clavat?" Zaku asked as the two watched Ali and Kane walk away. "Okay, now we have to follow them."

"Just remember to keep your big yap shut this time," Seth warned as he raised his spear. "Or I'll put this where the sun don't shine."

"A closet?" Zaku asked as Seth smacked his forehead knowing he was stuck with this stupid guy for a while.

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The small river flowed under the bridge as Kane and Ali sat on the edge of the bridge watching the leaves fall into the water. "What a calming place to be…reminds of the time at my other village."

"I may be pushing this…but, don't you miss your parents?" Kane asked as Ali rubbed her right arm.

"…"

"I'm sorry, I pushed the limit," Kane apologized as Ali shook her head.

"No…I do miss my parents sometimes, but if I had to go back," Ali clenched her hand thinking about something in particular. "I'd have to see those two once more…"

Kane raised an eyebrow, confused as to who Ali was referring to. "Your parents?"

"No…my old caravaners," Ali answered. "Zaku and Seth…you remember them from the Mushroom Forest right?"

"You mean those cowards who left you with the Malboro?" Kane asked as he watched Ali nod her reply. "It's not likely that you'll see those two again. And if we do and they give you a hard time…then we'll face them together."

"Thanks, but if I ever see them again, then I'll smack them both right in the eye," Ali said.

Zaku and Seth both gulped from behind the wall they hid behind. Zaku took a step back, trying to not make a sound. "This is bad Seth…really, really bad! We gotta get the heck out of here!"

"Shut up! As long as we don't get noticed by them, we should be alright," Seth replied as Zaku walked up to his friend.

"But what else are we supposed to do? I mean, should we leave this village since she's here?" Zaku questioned as he paced around worryingly. "Just when I thought I could find a new place to call home!"

Seth raised his spear before he smacked Zaku with the flat edge of the blade. As Zaku crouched to the ground holding his head in pain, Seth shook his head in disgust. "Listen to yourself! What are you a man? Or a frightened little Mu?"

"I'm a Selkie," Zaku replied as he held back some tears of pain. "But I don't like to fight…you should know this better than anyone."

"Yet why do I bother…" Seth sighed as he slapped his forehead.

"Excuse me…"

Zaku and Seth turned their heads towards the question to see Drake standing behind them with a few bags. "Yeah, I'm kind of looking for a couple of people. Ones a girl with long dark bluish hair and a guy with brown hair wearing a headband. You saw them?"

"Uh…yeah, right over there," Zaku pointed out as Drake snickered.

"Ah the love birds thrive," Drake chuckled as he walked over to the couple. "Thanks you two."

"Oh crud…this probably won't end well," Seth sighed slapping his forehead once more, this time leaving a mark.

Drake smirked as he quietly snuck up behind his two friends. Then without warning… "What a tender moment!" The sudden outburst form behind almost made Kane to fall into the water below, Drake just laughed as Ali grabbed Kane before he fell into the water. "Man! That never gets old!"

"Drake!" Kane yelled as he got back his hold on the bridge. "Where'd you come from?"

"Well, to be exact, from my parents, but more recently, I was at the nearby market and sold some of the extra ore I collected," Drake laughed as Ali and Kane sighed at the same time. "What?"

"Collected…or skinned off the top," Kane replied as Drake scratched the back of his head.

"So what if I did? I managed to get us some seed money and more cheese bread," Drake opened the bag he had and tossed a piece of cheese bread into his mouth and spoke with his mouth full. "I just love this cheese bread!"

"You could've at least asked us what we wanted to eat," Ali moaned as Drake began to walk back where he came from.

"Well, I've got plenty of gil left, more than enough to get your kinds of food," Drake offered as he lifted the huge bag of gil.

"You got all that from selling shards of ore?" Ali asked as Drake had an innocent look on his face.

"Well I sold more than just the ore…courtesy of the townsfolk," Drake answered as Kane and Ali sighed once more. "It's not like those people are going to miss those pants and shirts they left drying."

Zaku panicked as the three began heading their way. "They're getting closer!"

"Well run for it!" Seth ordered as he and Zaku began to run away from their hiding spots. Unfortunately, Seth kind of tripped over a rock sending him heading face first into the ground. "Dang it!"

"Seth! Are you okay?" Zaku asked as the footsteps started to get closer.

"You must be kidding me! You need to go on without me!" Zaku just nodded to his friend and began to speed off. "I was kidding!"

"You were? You should know I take things literally," Zaku said as Kane, Ali and Drake appeared behind the fallen Seth. "Uh, Seth…"

"Zaku just help me up!" Seth yelled as Zaku pointed towards the trio that was oblivious to Seth. "What?"

Zaku just stepped backwards. "A…Al…Ali!"

"Huh?" Ali turned her head towards Zaku and Seth. An eerie breeze blew across the ground as Seth and Zaku sheepishly laughed. "Oh, you two."

"Hey there Ali," Zaku and Seth said at the same time.

"Wait, I remember you two from the Mushroom Forest," Kane growled remembering how those two ran off.

Drake just took another piece of cheese bread and bit a piece off the bread while watching the confrontation. "Its never dull with these guys around. Reminds me of soap operas. Mmmm…cheese bread rocks."

"This was the last place to see you two cowards," Ali growled as Seth jumped to his feet.

"Wow…we were like thinking the almost exact same thing," Zaku chuckled as he sat on the ground. "We honestly weren't thinking at the time."

"You're darn right you weren't thinking!" Kane yelled as Seth stomped his foot onto the ground.

"Give us a break! We simply weren't ready for the caravan," Seth roared.

Ali just had a blank look replace her anger. "Wait what happened to the village?"

"No worries…we returned the chalice and actually got some of those portable crystals," Zaku answered as he took his guitar racket from his back and placed it on his lap. "So right now, we're kind of working on getting jobs as odd jobs. Well, Seth is, I'm just trying to become a musician."

Seth just blinked at his companion's detailed answer. "Yeah…what Zaku said? Anyway, we're really sorry for ditching you and leaving you for death. So we'll be taking our leave!"

As Seth tried to walk away, Ali grabbed his collar pulling him to the ground. Seth grinned with a dark sweat on his forehead. "I take it you're still mad about the subject."

"You better believe it," Ali stated as Zaku lifted his guitar into the air.

"If I may, I think I've got a way to make this score even without us losing any teeth or gaining black eyes," Zaku offered.

"Go on," Kane said as Zaku stood up.

"Well, since we were almost the cause of death(s), we could work for you guys for a year," Zaku offered as he strum a few chords on his guitar racket. "We'll even move to your other village."

Kane and Ali were silent, it was really apparent that Zaku struck more than the guitar strings. Seth stood up and walked next to Zaku and whispered into his ear. "Why don't you ever come up with good ideas like that in regular situations?"

"I only think like that when there's extreme danger in my future," Zaku replied quietly as Drake walked up to the two.

"So who exactly are you two?" Drake asked before he chewed on another piece of cheese bread.

"We're Zaku and Seth," Seth introduced as he took some of the cheese bread from the bag. "We were initially with Ali's caravan."

"Oh, yeah! I remember Ali mentioning about two spineless cowards," Drake said absently stated as Zaku and Seth lowered their heads. "I take it that is referring to you two."

"Ya think?" Seth growled while Kane and Ali began talking over the offer. "So did we kind of strike a chord over something important?"

"Let's just say, that their village is somewhat exclusive," Drake answered before taking yet another piece of cheese bread to chew on. "So now I think we're trying to find a new village to live in."

Kane and Ali walked over to the eating Drake. Kane was the first to speak. "So,

You'll help us for a year?"

"Even though its Zaku's words…I suppose I can't really say otherwise," Seth sighed as he stabbed his spear into the ground. "Either that or I see a severe beating in my immediate future."

"I still won't be able to forgive you two," Ali stated.

"We know…just trying," Zaku replied while playing a couple of notes. "So…what's the game plan?"

"We need jobs first," Kane answered before he looked to the sky. "This may be our new home…and we need to find a home to go to."

"Well, why don't you two look for jobs, and we three find a house?" Drake offered before Ali and Kane nodded and walked off.

After the two walked away into the town, Zaku leaned towards Drake and gained the courage to ask. "So… how long have those two been, what's the right term?"

"I think you're going for, 'how long have those two been together?' right Zaku?" Seth asked as Zaku chuckled.

"Ah, well, its somewhat touch and go," Drake said as a plan hatched into his head. "Unless…hey you two! How'd you like to start with your first job?"

"We have names you know," Zaku sighed as Drake scratched his chin.

"Right…Zeth and Saku right?" Drake stated confused.

"IT'S SETH!"

"I don't care what ya call me, just as long as it rhymes," Zaku chuckled while Seth stomped his feet into the ground.

"Whatever, anyway…here's your first job," Drake chuckled before he began to whisper to Zaku and Seth.

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Vyser D: Setting the stage…getting ready for the real show.