Note: Some Alex - Zidane fluff in this chapter... I couldn't help myself. " But again, I repeat that Alex and Zidane are NOT going to be paired in this story. I can't help it that Alex is so cute... Also, a virtual cookie to anyone who can figure out where the quote in this chapter came from. Oh yeah - and some for anyone who can guess the location, girl, and the person she was talking about in Zidane's Dream during the last chapter. Then again, as I used my own spin on the abilities and traits of said person, you might not be able to get it, sense I was referencing some of my own story ideas...

We had been walking for a few hours now - somewhere due east, judging on the sun. But then again, I didn't know all that much about navigation in the first place. Alex seemed to know where we were going, though... vaguely. It had stopped snowing before we had set out, and now it was pleasantly warm and the sun was shining. I hadn't thought it could get so warm and sunny somewhere and still have snow coving the ground. However... the change in weather wasn't necessarily a good thing. If it was warm and the sun was shining, that meant that there was a much larger chance of an avalanche, or other snow-related disaster. Which sucked. A lot. We hadn't spoken all that much, because of that. We figured the less sound we made, the better. We stopped for a break at about noon, since we couldn't tell what direction we should be moving in till the sun started setting a little. I wasn't too worried... I figured we had made pretty good time today, and the weather didn't show any real chance of deteriorating. Still... I looked over at Alex, who seemed to be grateful for the break from trudging through the snow. Good weather or not, it was still going to get a lot colder that night, and we didn't have a shelter. I frowned, deciding to keep an eye out for any possibilities, in case we had to backtrack.

Also... there hadn't been any monsters. I thought it was a bit strange, but I figured why complain about something good? Or at least... I thought it was a good thing.

Boy, was I wrong... But I wouldn't find out about that till later.

"So... Alex. Where did you say this island of yours was, again?"

He blinked and looked up and me, apparently jerked out of his thoughts.

"My...? Oh - right. It's called Eien, by the way."

He gave me a look as if to say he had already told me that several times. Which he might have, for all I knew.

"It's... it's hard to say where it is exactly... because of the shield spells and illusions... But I think it's safe to say that it's North. Really, really far north."

I just stared at him while he squirmed nervously under my incredulous look.

"Okay, fine. I'll admit it - I don't really have a clue where it is. I don't know a damn thing about navigation and this really is the first time I've ever left, save for a few ocean trips. So you see, I was depending on the others and meeting up with the caravan this whole time. Once we were reunited, we would travel around a while... Then meet the boat at the coast and sail home."

He sighed, and rested his head on his knees (his legs were pulled up to his chest).

"Yeah, yeah... go ahead and laugh."

There was a pause. He jerked up and stared at me, mouth agape as I burst out laughing loudly.

"I didn't mean that LITTERALLY!"

I calmed down pretty fast, trailing off into chuckles.

"I'm joking Alex, joking. It's not that big a deal you don't know where your island is - hell, I doubt most people know how to find there way from one side of Lindbulm to the other."

At his blank stare, I explained about Lindblum to him - how it was my home, a city, the aircabs... All that sort of stuff. He had never heard of airships before, apparently - he didn't believe me about those for a pretty long time.

...Which led to some funny deviations from the topic, but that's another story.

Anyway...

"Eien is pretty abnormal by usual standards, according to the books I've read about the cities and towns on the Mist Continent. It can't really be defined as a village, town, or city. It's sort of like a mix... We're all very dependent on each other, like a village... But there are more people, closer to a small town. We do have money, yes - Gil, but it doesn't mean all that much to us. We trade, barter, and lend lots of stuff too. We're sort of like... one really, really big extended family. It's probably because of that that our economy is so open. The jobs there are the same way - it's just like we're all related, and people end up working with their relatives. We all help each other out. It's pretty nice, really."

"Um... wow. That's kind of interesting... But, ah... Alex? I kind of meant what it looked like."

"Oh."

According to Alex, Eien was pretty rural. They didn't really have any big buildings, and it looked a lot less advanced than it actually was. Most people lived in small cottages, and the island itself was tropical - strange, considering it was so far north... But then again, that might have been because of the magic. Who knows? In any case, it was supposed to be very beautiful and peaceful.

Once it seemed like Alex had gotten enough rest, and he sun had started to move towards the west again, I brought up the subject of what we were going to do for shelter that night. According to the map he had with him, there was another shelter about 10 miles ahead - Copper Cave. But we only had about six or seven hours of daylight left... And while I doubted I would have a problem walking around at night in sub-zero weather (as much as the thought creeped me out), it didn't particularly sound like fun to me. Plus, I didn't want to have to carry a frozen Alex to shelter for a second time. Once was enough, thanks. Speaking of which, the worry that was evident on his face made me realize for the first time that he had almost died last night. If I hadn't been there, he would have frozen to death for sure... But I really didn't like seeing him upset like that (no matter how valid his reasons), so I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a quick reassuring squeeze. He looked up from the map at me and I smiled widely.

"Don't worry Alex! Worst case scenario, I'll just carry you again, then warm you up with my body heat!"

Alex stared at me a moment before taking on a very strange expression and turning bright red.

"...Oh joy. The Pervert will save me."

I blinked, wondering what he meant, then re-stated the sentence in my mind, my eyes widening a little as I suddenly realized what it had sounded like.

"I didn't mean like THAT!"

He smirked and shook his head, though the blush remained present.

"Sure you didn't."

"Wha- What? Gah! Get your head out of the gutter - you're the pervert!"

I smacked him over the back of the head, then scooted a few feet away and pouted, my tail flicking back and forth behind me.

Alex laughed, the sound seeming very foreign and unfamiliar to me, like bells or chimes echoing across the snow...

Has it... has it really been so long since I've heard someone genuinely laugh? Someone without faking it, or just hiding the worry behind it...?

A quote from one of Lord Avon's later plays popped into my head randomly, making me recite it quietly without thinking about it.

"...'I want my journey to be full of laughter'..."

Alex stopped laughing after a bit and looked at me good naturedly, apparently having heard me speak.

"Did you say something?"

I just shook my head and smiled softly.

Maybe... Despite all the crap I was going through - even though I couldn't tell anyone about it, or cry or scream in confusion and anger for fear of someone hearing me... Maybe things weren't so bad after all.