In which Clive accompanies Fred and Cecile on their trip to Vinay del Zexay and speculates on his circumstances.

Although Clive changed hands several times in our community, each player did a wonderful job. However, our very first Clive held a special place in my heart.

The contents of this chapter are loosely based on a post from May 5th, 2004.

The sea breeze coming off the docks was calming. For the first time in months, he actually didn't feel disgruntled about getting sidetracked from his mission. Ever since Viki sneezed him off to...wherever he wound up, Clive found himself growing increasingly restless. At first it was just a simple inconvenience, but as the days turned into weeks, there was one detail he suspected that made his circumstances even more uncomfortable.

"That's a bit of a silly question, Sir Clive, unless...are you planning an early New Year's party?"

"Just...humor me," he replied.

Cecile stood next to him, leaning against the stone wall along the docks of Vinay del Zexay. Her spear sat nestled in the crook of her arm and she tapped it against her shoulder. "It's IS 479, of course! You know," she cast him a devious grin, "if you do decide to plan an early New Year's party, I promise not to tell! It has been so long since Budehuc had a proper party, I'm sure Master Thomas would be delighted!"

"I see…"

This is a new one. But I guess that would explain a lot.

Clive's suspicions were all but confirmed. Not only did Viki's sneeze send him somewhere new geographically, she also somehow sent him to a new time altogether. Nearly twenty years into the future, in fact. How much had changed in that time? Things seemed peaceful enough, but the entire affair left him feeling disturbed.

"Sir Clive?" the young guard captain tilted her head. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. Is Fred back yet?"

She shook her head. "He said he had a bit more shopping left to do. But that's okay—I'm plenty patient!" she rocked back and forth on her feet. "You know, Miss Yun was talking about putting on a play at the tavern! You should come! I think it would be a lot of fun. And I was going to volunteer all the welcome basket dogs as extras!"

"Dogs, huh…"

"Yes! You did say you liked them, right?"

"I don't mind them," he nodded as his mind drifted again. Her company wasn't unpleasant. Although he found himself more accustomed to traveling solo, there was something endearing about her good-natured chatter. If he ever had a younger sister, he imagined she would be something like Cecile. At the minimum her conversation helped take his mind off his unwitting time traveling escapades…

"Sir Clive, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "Depends. What do you want to know?"

"Are you Zexen, perchance?"

"Eh?" he blinked. Although he'd vaguely heard of the town before Viki teleported him, his last recollection was of a small trade port. Apparently in the future—well, present—it was a prospering city. He cast an appraising look around at the bustling shops and tidy cobblestone streets. It had all the hallmarks of a business hub in peacetime, a far cry from the austere solemnity of the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia.

"No, why?"

The young woman sheepishly rubbed her nose and looked back out at the ocean. "It's just… well, you look an awful lot like my father, you see. He wasn't strictly Zexen, per se, but I couldn't help but wonder if maybe you two came from the same place."

"I doubt it," Clive shrugged and studied the young woman's face. Fair hair and green eyes—it was possible she was also Harmonian, but if so, she didn't seem to have any knowledge of her lineage. "Have I met him?"

"Oh, I don't think so. He passed away several years ago, you see."

"Ah. Sorry about that."

"It's okay," she smiled. "It was quite some time ago. I hope you don't mind my asking. I've been thinking about him a lot lately," she added after a pause. "With Miss Yun's return…"

The Alma Kinan shaman was certainly a curiosity, but not one Clive felt intrigued enough to investigate. It didn't take long for whispers around Budehuc to reach his ears. Allegedly the young woman was rumored to have returned from the dead. Grappling with the reality of time travel was hard enough. The thought of prying into the shaman's life-after-death details was something he didn't feel comfortable with.

Time travel and people returning from the dead, huh? Why not, I'll believe almost anything at this point.

The thought of seeing certain people from his past returning from the dead sent a small shiver down his spine. Was it even possible? The Howling Voice Guild was known for its assassinations. Targets were meant to stay dead. Storm probably wouldn't be pleased with past jobs returning from the great beyond.

The clanking of armor pulled him from his thoughts as a set of heavy footsteps approached them. "Lady Cecile, Sir Clive! Thank you for waiting! I hope you've been enjoying the fresh air."

"Sir Fred!" Cecile scampered over. "Did you find everything you were looking for?"

"Absolutely," he gestured to an armful of paper packages in his arms. "And maybe a bit extra, haha… Are you sure you don't need anything?"

She shook her head. "I'm all set! I picked up everything I need already. Although I may grab a few oranges from the street vendor before we leave. I'd like to bring some with me when I visit my father."

Wait, I thought she said…?

"Ah, that time of year again?" Fred leaned against the wall and offered a kind smile. "I would be more than happy to accompany you this year if you wish."

"Would you? That would be so wonderful! Juan went last year and… oh, Sir Fred, it was awful! He fell asleep right in front of father's grave! Can you believe that?!"

"Unfortunately, it's very believable."

Oh, that kind of visit.

"I was going to ask Master Thomas," she shyly looked away and turned pink, "but he...he's so busy, I just couldn't bring myself to ask."

Huh. So that's how she feels.

The revelation didn't surprise him much, but Clive made a mental note to keep a closer eye on the young castle master moving forward. Just in case.

The Maximillian Knight chuckled. "I would be honored to pay respects to your father, Lady Cecile. I'm certain he was truly an honorable man."

Cecile puffed out proudly and stabbed the heel of her spear against the stone walkway with a resounding thud. "He absolutely was!" she paused and glanced over at Clive. "We were just talking about him, actually. Sir Clive is a very good listener."

"I try."