EDITING PROCESS:

Aug 29, 2006, 09:06 AM - Edited Chapter 6 and 7. For 8 and 9, I plan to fix the broken dialogue, and the sudden running.

Also, I plan to change the fact that Trigger wanted to manipulate Ike at first. I don't know how that idea got into my head; but it all just seemed too coincidental.

Aug 30, 2006, 12:57 PM - I found a giant plothole. I forgot that the Serenes Massacre had taken place 20 years before FE9 took place; which meant that Trigger would be at least 20.

Add to that, that he was about 8 at the time, and he'd be about 28.

But he's not.

It's explained in the Branded Transformation Chapter (Chapter 34).

Chapter 6:

The two walked, still carrying the soup pot, and headed straight up the main road. The road itself was lined with tall houses; nearly identical save their colour. They were narrow and tall, and each one had the same number of windows, in the exact same place. As Trigger and the laguz headed up the street, the road itself began to incline.

As they passed, they noticed many people stepping out of their houses. Left and right, home after home, people continued on in their daily lives. Apparently, two people carrying up a soup pot wasn't weird enough for them to stop and take a second glance.

The stone road was smooth and finished, yet the slope that it was on made the pot even harder to carry. Trigger grunted as he heaved the pot a little higher.

"You alright?" The laguz asked him. Trigger nodded. He wasn't going to bail out now. "Don't strain yourself." The laguz said with a smile. Trigger wondered how the laguz did it. They were so different in height, that the whole time the laguz had been walking with a very odd bend in his back. He must have been sore by now; but either he wasn't, or he was very good at hiding it.

"I could do this all day." Trigger said, taking a deep breath. The hill suddenly evened out; but Trigger didn't notice this. Raising his foot as if to go higher, he found himself stepping on air. Stumbling forward, he let go of the pot and fell flat on his face.

"You alright?" The laguz asked. Trigger groaned, and stood up, dusting himself off. He caught a glimpse of his clothes; and instantly became worried. They were heading to the castle; and yet he was dressed like a thief. Which he was; but he now he was going to be in plain sight. That, and he wasn't exactly presentable.

"Well, we're here, at least." The laguz said. Trigger looked in front of him, and saw this to be true. No time to change, or even clean himself. Trigger gulped, and picked up the pot again. He found the laguz brush his hand away, as the laguz took the pot in both hands. The two started their walk again, heading towards the giant opening that was the front door.

The castle was even grander from the front than from far away. It stood, towering above the nearby church and houses, and seemed like the center of the entire city. Its perfect white walls seemed to never get dirty, and the masses of windows, only told him that no matter where you went you would have a view. The guards in front were no different; their armour shined so well that the sun almost glared off them.

It seemed like the guards wouldn't say a single word; but as soon as the two were in range of their swords, the guards quickly unsheathed them. The guards thrust them to their sides, creating an "x" in front of the doorway.

"What be your business?" The guard on the left asked. The laguz set down the pot. "The public is not allowed inside the castle at the moment, I'm afraid." The guard added, seeing the laguz' bulky stature.

"We're with the Greil Mercenaries." Muarim replied. The guard looked to the other one, and they both shrugged.

"Very well." The guard said, lowering his sword. His opposite did the same. The laguz simply motioned to Trigger to enter with a wave of his head; and Trigger reluctantly followed. He tried to act as casual as possible; but he ended up looking at the ground. He wasn't exactly welcome in here, Mercenary or not.

As they entered, Trigger faced the great hall. He had never been inside before, and his breath was taken away. The floor, a beautiful pattern of black and white diamonds in an expensive marble finish littered the ground, and was covered in the middle with an elegant red rug. The walls were made of the same marble, just as white as the outside, and just as clean. To his left and right were doors, and he could see inside those hallways were stairs that led up. He looked straight up to see walkways above him. Judging from what he saw, the castle had at least four floors.

"Come on, it's this way." The laguz said, after Trigger had gotten a good look. He took a sharp left and continued down the hall, past the stairs. Trigger ran to catch up with him. They then made another sharp left into a small hall, and then ended at double doors. The laguz motioned to the door, and Trigger immediately understood. He stepped forward and knocked loudly on it, and a man in an apron and a funny hat answered.

"Soup from the Greil Mercenaries. I trust that you won't think it bad?" The laguz asked. The cook looked at it and opened the pot, smelled, placed a finger in, tasted his finger; the works. Trigger held back his laughter; the cook had to dip his finger pretty deep. He didn't have to wonder why.

"Iz good, yesh? Very good, refer your cook to uz. Georges, Renaud! Come, get zis soup!" The cook said. Two others came, heaved the pot onto a table, and dismissed Trigger and the laguz. The door shut firmly in front of them, as if the two had instantly been forgotten by the cooks.

"Where to now?" Trigger asked, whirling around. They began to walk slowly back the way the came.

"I'm guessing that you want to meet the Mercenaries, right?" The laguz asked. Trigger nodded.

"Well, I guess it is time for you to finally get your answers anyway. Come on, it's on the third floor." The laguz said, leading the way. He headed down the pasty white halls with Trigger following. They reached the staircase they passed earlier and headed upwards.

The upper floors weren't as extravagant as the front foyer; but that was to be expected. However, the upper floors themselves seemed to be of a totally different make. The outer wall, with the windows, was decorated with the Begnion crest on a drape every other window. The spaces without the crest held the most beautiful flowers Trigger had ever seen.

On his right were literally dozens of doors. Trigger wondered what was inside each and every one of them. The laguz seemed to know exactly which door to enter, and they ended up passing all of them.

They then walked through more halls, and Trigger stopped at a window to look out at the town. It made him feel grand to be so high, and so special to be in the castle. From the window, he could see the Serenes again, and smiled. It looked ever so beautiful from high above. The forest itself had never been so bright a green, and for once he could see birds fly down to make nests in it again.

"Beautiful…" Trigger said. The laguz stood beside him. They didn't say anything for a little while

"Yes it is, if you like I could show you around." The laguz asked.

"I know my way around already." Trigger said. Then, he realised what that could imply. "At least, where I'd need to go." He added. That made things sound even worse. "I uh... It sounds like you know your way around here pretty well!" Trigger said, trying to change the subject.

"Unfortunately…" The laguz replied. He frowned a little, and Trigger looked at him questioningly. Then the laguz smiled. "I'll tell you later. Come on, you have to meet Ike." The laguz said. He continued down the hall; with Trigger following.

Chapter 7:

"Ike is your commander. Right?" Trigger asked. The laguz nodded as they walked through the hall. They passed a maid, who bowed and smiled, and continued on. "Is it alright for you to call a beorc in command by his name only? Should you not say Commander Ike?" Trigger asked. The laguz stopped. He looked down at Trigger expectantly.

"A beorc in command? Are you implying slavery or something?" The laguz said, with a harsher tone. Trigger shook his head; he had implied it, but he didn't want to talk about it.

"It-it's just..." Trigger started. "I've never heard of laguz and beorc working together... so I thought it would be something like an army..." Trigger added, trying to sound as naive as possible. The laguz frowned at his ignorance, and Trigger shook his head. They continued to walk down the hall.

"I suppose, but he has never had a problem with it. Commander Ike sounds very formal anyway, and Ike doesn't really run things like a general. You'll see." The laguz said, after they had walked in silence after a while.

«Oh, humour me, please. A beorc in power who doesn't demand that people follow him to his exact order? One that considers everyone 'friends' and allows them to be casual…» Trigger thought. «Next thing you know, you're being forced to fight to the death while blue-hair is sitting in a tent, drinking tea.» They reached a mahogany door and the laguz smiled.

"We're here." The laguz said, opening the door. "Oh, but if you are intent on being formal, I should probably tell you that our Ike is a Lord." The laguz added. Trigger looked up at him, eyes wide; and the laguz merely laughed, and pushed the young child inside.

---

As they entered, Trigger noticed that people were scattered about the room. The child he saw earlier ran up to the laguz that had guided him and they left him, pointing him to Ike; who stood in a corner talking to two people. One was a woman with a large red ponytail, and another was a young boy, possibly older by a year or two, dressed in long, black robes.

The woman was clad in armor; but she didn't look like a General. The armor she wore was beautiful and white, and was disjointed to allow her movement. Trigger assumed she rode a horse, if her armor was built that way.

The mage was short, and his black hair matched his robes. He carried under his right arm a tome, and on top of that what seemed to be a sort of clipboard. Trigger walked up meekly, and got a better look. On the clipboard were reports of all sorts; battles, funds remaining, injuries.

"And so we are going to- Oh. Hello. Your name is?" The woman asked; seeing Trigger walk up to them. He averted his gaze from the clipboard, and looked back at her. He blushed, and scratched the back of his head.

"Ah… umm…" Trigger started. The three of them now stood, intent on Trigger; and that didn't make it any easier on him.

"Don't be afraid, we won't bite. Though Soren might." The woman said. The young boy looked back at her with a glare, and she laughed. "What? You need to lighten up a little more, Soren."

"You shouldn't speak on other's behalves. You might put yourself in a situation you won't like, Titania." The young boy said. He opened his tome threateningly, and Trigger guessed that was his play at a joke.

"Guys, please. Introductions. I am Ike, though I'm sure you know this. The young boy here is Soren, and the woman who stands beside me is Titania." Ike said. Trigger stood dumbfounded for a little bit, then he bowed. He heard a small chortle from Titania.

"You don't need to bow in front of me..." Ike said. Trigger didn't stand up straight.

"B-But L-Lord Ike... s-sir..." Trigger mustered. Ike laughed, and Trigger dared to look up.

"Looks like he knows his place." Soren said, with a sneer. Ike stopped laughing, and Trigger pretended as if he didn't hear. There was an uncomfortable silence, until the red-haired woman clapped her hands together.

"That's right!" Titania said, as if she just remembered something. "Well then, Ike, I should be going. Soren, would you mind coming?" Titania asked.

"I don't see the need. There's no point in me going with you anyway." Soren replied dully. Titania shot him a glare.

"Come on Soren, NOW!" She said, pulling him away. The mage had no chance, simply slapping her arm away and walked on his own. As the two left, Trigger could hear them mumble.

"I'm sorry… your name was?" Ike asked. He noticed that Trigger was still bowing. "And I already told you to stand." Ike said.

"It's Trigger, Commander Sir." Trigger replied, straightening himself. It felt odd to be looking at a noble straight in the eyes; as if they were equals.

"You don't have to call me commander; I consider everyone here an equal. And I'm sorry for what Soren said, but you can relax. Everyone here isn't as..." Ike trailed off.

"Mean?" Trigger ended. Ike chuckled, and Trigger felt stupid at saying so.

"Maybe. But Soren just speaks his mind, he doesn't mean anything by it." Ike said. Trigger fidgeted in place. He motioned the child to nearby chairs at a table, and they both sat down. "What was it that you wanted to ask me?" Ike inquired. Trigger took a deep breath.

"W-Well Com... Ike..." Trigger corrected. "I had quite a few questions to ask. The first one is probably the most simple: What were you doing fighting in the Serenes' Forest?" Trigger asked.

"Well, we were on request by the apostle to investigate Count Olivier's estate; she expects that he was using laguz as slaves. We had heard a rumor that he recently had acquired a new slave; and that slave had escaped. What we didn't know, was that it was a heron." Ike started. Trigger nodded, understanding this much.

"But this is where it gets confusing. We found a heron in the forest; but it wasn't Olivier's slave. We found the heron Leanne, and Olivier's men probably presumed that she was the escaped slave. We had to defend her; we weren't going to just hand her over." Ike said. Trigger frowned. "Eventually, the escaped heron, Prince Reyson, camed with King Phoenicis; and with their help, we were able to capture Olivier." Ike finished.

Trigger mumbled to himself, and Ike looked at him. Realising that the blue-haired commander was listening in, Trigger sat back and blushed. "I..." He started. Ike laughed.

"It's just… so much information that it gives me more questions to ask." Trigger said, placing a hand on his forehead. « The apostle trying to stop laguz slavery… is she trying to make up for what happened in the past? I wouldn't even think she'd know about the assassination... » He thought.

"Ha ha, that's alright, take your time. I promised to answer every question you had to my fullest extent, and I will." Ike replied. Trigger looked back at Ike, and received an honest glance.

"... Thank you." Trigger said, a faint smile now showing on his face.

Chapter 8:

"You said the apostle? Like the ruler of Begnion?" Trigger asked. Ike nodded. "She knows about laguz slavery? And she's trying to stop it?" Trigger continued.

"Yes. You see, the current apostle, Apostle Sanaki, is a mere child yet is much more mature past her age. She knows that the past has provided rough moments; and though nothing could breach the relations between laguz and beorc so easily, she still tries. She even begged on her knees for forgiveness from the herons." Ike said.

"That's absurd! An empress, on her knees?" Trigger said, standing up. The voices in the room quieted down and he realised people were paying attention to them. He blushed and sat down. Everyone in the room stared at him surprisedly, and resumed their conversations after a long silence.

"That's what we thought too." Ike replied with a smile. "It was surprising to see Apostle Sanaki doing so; but I guess it worked." Ike said, after pondering a little.

"So, she won them over?" Trigger said. Ike shook his head.

"I wouldn't say she won them over. Instead, she just showed how honest she was. On behalf of all her people, and on behalf of all the people from the past, she apologised. I'm glad Prince Reyson and Princess Leanne were able to forgive her." Ike replied. Trigger frowned. Then, Leanne's name made him remember something.

"You found another heron? And protected her?" Trigger asked.

"Yes; at first we thought it was the escaped one, Prince Reyson. How he'd gotten into Olivier's grip, we don't know. But the one we found wasn't him. We'd soon realised that it was someone else. We just didn't know it was Princess Leanne." Ike replied. He noticed as Trigger glanced back out of the room they were in; a glimpse of the end of the Serenes in the window.

"It's so hard to believe..." Trigger said. Ike looked back at him.

"What do you mean?" Ike asked, this time the one with questions.

"That all this is happening. You don't know what I've been through, but this is... this is all like a dream come true..." Trigger said, his voice wispy. Ike didn't want to press on, but Trigger continued nonetheless. "That night of the Serenes burning... I was there." Trigger said. Ike chuckled.

"Now that's a lie." He said. Trigger glared back at him. "I don't mean any offense, but that was twenty years ago! You don't look anything above 17..." Ike replied. Trigger frowned.

"I... I can't tell you why; but I was there. And I saw it happen. I heard the screams of pain, and death." Trigger said, his face becoming pained. Ike looked at him sadly. He was telling the truth; but he knew all logic defied the fact that he was there. "For twenty years, I guess, I've been trying to bridge relations. But no one would listen to a child..." Trigger started. "Everything I've tried, and failed it; it seems like you're completing."

"Trigger…" Ike started.

"I'm not sad, or disheartened; don't get me wrong. I'm happy that a beorc out there has the same feelings as I do. I'm even happier that many of the beorcs share my feelings. I just wanted to be a part of it, to know just exactly what is going on. If my dreams are going to come true without me being there..." Trigger trailed off.

"Beorc… you say the word with such a tone that it confuses me. You're not a beorc yourself?" Ike asked. Trigger looked away. "I'm sorry; you can always tell me when you're ready to. I don't like forcing things out of people." Ike replied. Trigger did not respond, and they sat in silence.

Ike simply sat, pondering. Trigger wasn't a beorc, and he was already more than twenty years old. Just what was he?

Ike shook the thought out of his mind. The last thought had made him think of Trigger as some sort of beast; but here he was. He was no different from Ike, or any of the other Mercenaries here, who breathed the same air as he did.

Still, something worried the commander.

Chapter 9:

"I have made a decision." Trigger said, after the long silence. Ike's thoughts were broken, and he looked to Trigger as if he hadn't heard what he said. "Ike?" Trigger added.

"As to?" Ike asked.

"I want to come with you." Trigger replied. Ike was about to open his mouth, but he interrupted. "Please, I want to see if this can really work. I want to be one of the first people who can help realise the dream of the beorc and laguz coming together. No more slavery, no more discrimination." Trigger said. "I don't want something to happen again... not like the Serenes..."

"You sound like a very fine idealist. However, there is no room for..." Ike trailed off, trying to find the right word. "There's no room for children on the battlefield… I'm sorry." Ike said. Trigger looked crestfallen. He was about to get up, when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder.

"Don't be so sure. Mist, Rolf, Soren and Tormod are here, and they barely look any older than he does. Besides, I'm sure we can always teach him. It seems his dream can finally come true through you Ike." A voice said from behind him. "In fact, he sounds a lot like you." Ike laughed at the last statement; but it wasn't insulting.

"Heh... Maybe so." Ike said, catching his breath. "But I will have to think about this, Muarim. But you're both very convincing..." Ike started. He looked one last time at Trigger. "And besides. Who am I to deny someone their dreams? I'm not Ashera." Ike said, smiling. Trigger smiled back. "I'll have to tell you later. For now, I think I should go talk to Titania and Soren about this. If you'll excuse me." Ike finished, standin up. He nodded to Muarim and held an outstretched hand to Trigger.

Trigger looked at it for a while, and reluctantly stretched his hand out as well. Ike ad a firm grip, and Trigger smiled, tightening his own. Ike left, and Trigger stared at his hands. Then, he realised there was still a hand on his shoulder.

"Y-Your name… is Muarim?" Trigger asked. Muarim nodded.

"Is there a problem?" Muarim asked. Trigger sat, mouth agape, as thoughts began to race through his mind. He shut his eyes as if in pain, and felt the another hand on his opposite shoulder. He opened his eyes, and found himself looking into Muarim's eyes.

Just like his mother's.

Trigger got up and rushed out, bumping on a few people as he did so. He didn't bother to say excuse me or anything, and Muarim started after him. On his way out, people asked Muarim what was wrong.

The laguz didn't know. He just shrugged.

---

Trigger didn't know why he ran. In fact, he probably should have stayed and told him. But here he was, dashing through the halls. He ran past Ike and Titania in the hall, but wouldn't have noticed them if he hadn't run into Titania. He whirled around, running backwards, and held his hands out.

"S-Sorry!" He cried, before turning and running out again. Ike and Titania simply stood, dumbstruck in the halls. Soon enough, Muarim had caught up to Ike and Titania, and the two looked at him oddly.

"Something happen?" Ike asked. Muarim shrugged.

"I don't know… he reacted oddly at my name." Muarim replied. Ike looked at him skeptically. "I told you, I don't know either." Muarim said. Titania opened her mouth to say something, the shut it; as if thinking that her words were better left unsaid.

"He came this way, you going after him? I can ask some guards to look out for him." Ike asked. Muarim shook his head.

"No. He'll be back. He's a part of the Mercenaries now, right? He'll have to come back sometime." Muarim said, nudging Ike a little bit. Titania chuckled, and Ike smiled, and simply nodded.

"Suit yourself." Ike said. He started walking again, Titania following him. She looked back to Muarim, and winked. Muarim smiled, and turned to go back to the room. He stopped at a window, and looked out towards the forest. Most of the camp was already packed up; and he could see a few figures heading towards city.

He noticed a small figure heading in the opposite direction of the returning soldiers.

"Trigger…" Muarim said, staring; and then went back to the room.

---

Trigger, once outside the castle, passed Oscar and the other soldiers as they entered town. He stopped to say hi, with a great smile on his face, and continued down the road. Oscar scratched his head, and turned his horse and chased after Trigger.

"Something happen?" He said, catching up to the young child. Trigger whirled around, and shook his head. "You sure?" Oscar asked. Trigger chuckled, and nodded. "Alright then, you be careful now!" Oscar added. He turned his horse yet again, and left Trigger waving.

Trigger ran to the forest, and smiled. He stared at the broken pillar he'd been lain on, and at the pillar where Muarim had been sitting before. He felt as if he could trace Muarim's every movement in the forest.

He went back to the fields, and fell to the ground, exhausted. He smiled, looking up to the sky.

"I've found him Mom. And now my dreams are gonna come true, too." He said, breathing heavily.

He'd found the person he'd been searching for his whole life.

He'd found him.