The walk back to the ship was filled with small talk between the two teens, and Yue had his attention focused on Mitsu and her strange behavior. He could feel something off about the girl and a strange aura around her but kept it to himself.
Was this what Paine was referring to back in Besaid?
"This is place is so quiet…like a graveyard," Sora whispered as he looked around the ruined city.
"Yeah…it's completely silent, there aren't even wild creatures here," Mitsu added, Sora nodded in agreement.
"There's something about this place that that gives me the chills, but I guess that's a good thing that there aren't any creatures here," Sora started as he looked around his gaze followed a multicolored wisp as it flew in front of his face.
"Sora don't jinx us…we don't need anything else happening to us or…someone finding us…" Mitsu trailed off.
"This place…was known as Zanarkand, the city that never slept," Yue began catching the two teen's attention. "Something happened to the city on night that left the city in ruins 1000 years ago,"
"Woah…" Sora replied.
"That sounds scary…but also…I think Shuyin said something about 1000 years…" Mitsu trailed off. "I wonder if he was from Zanarkand,"
"I doubt it, Yue said that this place has been gone for 1000 years…there's no way he was 1000 years old. That's crazy," Sora commented.
"You never know what could be in the darkness Sora," Mitsu replied.
The statement that came from the girl caused nearly stopped him in his tracks, the way that she had said it made him wonder if whatever that aura that was around her was from someone that she met before they had reached her.
"Do you know what these orb thingys are Yue?" Mitsu asked as she looked up to him.
"….I don't," Yue replied as they continued walking towards the ship until they were in earshot of Yasuto and Shige.
"There's no damage so I don't understand what happened," Yasuto said as he closed the electrical compartment of the ship.
"Maybe it was an electrical charge from changing areas, I don't know about you but I can feel a weird energy pulsing through this area," Shige said as he held out his hand to capture a wispy multicolored orb that floated around him, it flew through his hand.
The purple haired man stared at the man and chuckled a bit, Shige cocked an eyebrow.
"That's the smartest thing I've heard you say in a long time," Yasuto chuckled.
"Oh blow it out of your ass," Shige cursed and noticed the trio had returned.
"Let's get outta here," Shige huffed and made his way back on to the ship with the others behind him.
Seeming like minutes later the sleek black ship jumped into a new world, and the two teens were already out of their seats and at the window.
"Look at how fluffy the clouds are!" Mitsu said as she looked at the cotton candy like clouds.
"Look at all that sand…woah! What is that ginormous thing?" Sora asked surprised as the ship passed through a desert like area. One of the large native creatures craned its long neck to notice the sleek ship flying above it.
"It's one of the native creatures of this world." Yue said as he joined the two teens by the window.
"Where are we?" Mitsu asked as she saw several structures coming up in the distance.
"We are heading towards the Royal City of Rabanastre, in the world of Ivalice." Yasuto replied as he kept his focus on the sight in front of him.
Within seconds the ship flew pass the city and began to circle around when a fleet a ships came into the viewport.
"Wow look at that place…it looks old…" Sora trailed off as he noticed the fleet of ships shooting through the clouds and seemed to fly with the ship's current altitude.
"Yeah compared to what we saw in Spira" Mitsu added as she too noticed the ships.
"Oh shit." Shige muttered.
"Is that…the dreadnought Leviathan—" Yasuto started when alarms of the ship began blaring again as they flew pass an abundant of ships.
"AGAIN?" Mitsu and Sora shouted.
"They're going to attack?!" Yasuto said confused at the ships flying with their current speed and altitude.
"Well Yasuto IT FUCKING LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO," Shige shouted as Yasuto quickly began to change the coordinates of the ship.
"This is the 8th Imperial Fleet of the Archadian Empire, This is a no fly zone. Cut your engines and wait for orders from Judge Ghis. Failing to comply will resort in retaliation…" A voice echoed through the ship's speakers.
"Uh…you guys…that guy sounded really serious…" Sora started.
"Sora. Mitsu. Strap in." Yue said as he returned to his seat.
"What the hell we are not target practice! We are the King's men from Cerun! You can't shoot us down!" Shige yelled into the radio, silence was the only response.
"Shit this is not good." Yasuto said as he noticed that fighter ships were pursuing them.
"Do we really have bad luck?" Mitsu sighed
"When traveling with these guys…" Yue started.
"Yue you're not helping the situation," Yasuto hissed as he and Shige began maneuvering the ships through the fighter ships that were beginning to converge on the crew.
"Your timing of seriously off then. Ivalice seems to be at war." Yue replied.
"War?" Sora asked.
"The Archadia fleet doesn't belong in Rabanastre…could it be that they invaded?" Yue started, but then voiced this thought.
"You brought us to a warring world? What is your problem we aren't made for war!" Mitsu shouted as the ship shook violently. A hail of bullets flew pass the ship, as explosions were heard outside, the ship jerked from the force of the explosions.
"That's the duty of the Key blade wielder! Go to worlds that needs to be sealed and- Oh hell!" Shige started.
Shige quickly maneuvered the ship to avoid being shot down, he quickly dove into clouds and mist to avoid being shot down and to hopefully give Yasuto some time to figure why they were being attacked.
"There's a lighting storm, hold on!" Yasuto yelled.
"This can't get any worse can it?" Sora looked at Yue.
"Sora!-" Mitsu started.
A missile explosion behind the ship suddenly jolted the Ship forward, more alarms blared through the ship signaling damage.
"HOLD ON!" Yasuto yelled as the ship quickly began descending towards the mountains.
"My My My...defeated already?"
"You can't stay like this you know…we have work to do…as Key blade masters"
A female voice echoed through Mitsu's head.
"I know…thanks N-"
A male voice echoed through her head.
"Another dream?" Mitsu thought to herself as her consciousness was being pulled from the forced slumber.
"Hey are you alright…Hello?"
"Use potions on them just in case they seem to be hurt."
"That is mighty fine ship…"
"Where did it come from?"
As Mitsu woke from her dream state as many voices were heard around her, she slowly opened her eyes to see two young women leaning over her.
"She's awake."
Mitsu quickly sat up startling the women, she looked at the as they looked at her.
"You seem to be alright…My name is Penelo…and your name is?" a girl with blond hair in pigtails asked.
"I'm…fine… Thank you. My name is Mitsu" Mitsu replied.
"You're from another world, are you not?"
Mitsu looked at the taller darker skinned woman, and noticed she had ears and was wearing nearly no clothing
"Uh…y-yes." Mitsu replied her cheek tinged slightly pink
"Other worlders…is this a sign?" the woman with the shorter dark blond hair asked.
"Is that really you Shige?" a excited male voice asked, the group of girls looked to where the voice came from.
"Balthier? Well hell" Shige said as he climbed from the ship.
"Well what do you know. It is you…now that's a sign for something." The one named Balthier said as he smirked.
"You know these people?" a young boy with dark hair asked.
"Yes. You should too Larsa." Balthier replied.
"Ow my head…" Sora groaned as he sat up.
"You should drink this."
Sora looked to the right of him to see an older blond haired man holding out a potion.
"Oh…thanks." Sora said as he hesitantly took the blue vial.
"My name is Vaan...what's yours?"
"It's Sora," Sora replied as he sniffed the vial.
"It is just a potion. There is no reason for fright." The older blond haired man said as he stood.
"Sora. Mitsu. Yue. Are you all alright?" Yasuto called out.
"I'm fine," Yue said as he leaned on a rock near the ship.
"Me too," Sora and Mitsu called out.
"What bring you to our warring world?" Balthier asked.
"Ivalice is at war?" Shige asked.
"Unfortunately so," Balthier replied sourly as he looked at the young boy next to him.
"Your highness…we should continue," The older blond haired man said as he stood several feet away from the woman with the shorter blond hair.
"Yes…let us continue with our mission…we can speak about this when we arrive within Mt. Bur-Omisace," the young boy known as Larsa said. "I know that you have just arrived but…will you join us to our journey to Mt. Bur-Omisace? It is not too far along,"
"I guess…we could go?"
"Will the ship be ok? Well IS the ship ok?" Mitsu asked
"It'll be fine," Yasuto replied.
As the group traveled to Mt. Bur-Omisace they were told of the current situation in Ivalice and the events that took place that caused everything to spin out of control and why the world was at war.
"So Archadia did in fact invade…" Yasuto trailed off.
"Unfortunately so…but we are working to fix that." Balthier replied.
"That's no fair, they didn't have a right to start the war with you guys," Sora said as he walked with his hands behind his head.
"Yes. True that might be...but there are another things that were at play," The woman with the shorter blond hair, named Ashe commented.
"You're going to see the Gran Kiltias Anastasis, correct?" Shige asked.
"Yes, we are hoping that the Gran Kiltias can give us a sense of direction. We are severely at a disadvantage," Penelo replied.
Shige and Yasuto looked at each other than to Yue, Mitsu and Sora.
"What?" Mitsu asked.
"We need to look at the ship to see how much it was damaged from the explosion and from the crash. You three can go with them to see if you can help them out in any way." Yasuto stated.
Sora looked at Mitsu and Mitsu at Sora, the two teens looked at the brunette next to them. Yue sighed heavily as he realized what he had to do.
"Sure I'll baby sit them," Yue sighed again.
"We are not babies Yue," Mitsu and Sora said firmly.
"Sure."
"Do not fret Shige I'll take care of this one," Balthier said as he placed his hand on Mitsu's shoulder causing the young girl to turn to look at the older man. Balthier smiled causing Mitsu to turn around and blush.
"Hey now Balthier…" Shige started as he looked at the shorter man annoyed at his innocent gesture.
"We'll be around in the town looking for pieces that we need…if we need any for our ship. Alright? Don't forget your mission as Key blade wielders" Yasuto said as he looked at the three.
"Ok. We'll be alright." Sora reassured the king's men before the group continued to the large temple that was on the highest part of the mountain town.
"The Sword of Kings you say?" a man dressed in intimidating armor asked as he looked at the person in front of him.
"Yes…the place you call Mt. Bur-Ominsace that's where they are,"
"What proof do you have to show that your information is indeed valid and not some folly?"
"I saw them,"
"Know when to hold your tongue boy."
Riku glared as he took a step forward ready to charge at the man. The cloaked person held their hand out to stop Riku from advancing.
"Whether you know it or not. There are heartless in this world that can be controlled to do your bidding. The ones that stand in your way is they key blade wielder and the Princess of Heart," the cloaked man began "Give the Princess of Heart to the boy and deal away with the boy and the world is yours for the taking,"
The man dressed in armor looked at the cloaked figure and then to the boy next to him as in thought.
"Judge Bergan,"
"Do not act like you have familiarity with me. All that matters is the Emperor will have complete reign through the lands. I do not care for controlling these things called the 'Heartless' "Judge Bergan spat bitterly.
"But of course. Your emperor will have complete reign over the lands with the heartless to do thy bidding,"
Judge Bergan turned to look at the view of the city below his fleet contemplating over the information he received.
"Tell me…" Bergan began bitterly his back still turned to Riku and the man. "Who is this Princess of Heart?"
"I am sure that you have heard of her many times before Judge," the man began.
"A name, nothing more,"
"Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca"