Chapter 16
„ New adventures awaits…"
The Setterdeters had rented two rooms in the Inn. The first was for them; the second was for Cait Sith and Delgado. They didn't pay, as there was no sign of the Inn's owner; the Inn was completely empty. Everyone had probably ran in fear when the bandits arrived outside.
-„ It was amazing how they fought!" – Delgado said as he put his trousers on a chair. He was ready to get into the bed.
-„ It was good, but I think they can be a pain in the ass!" – Cait replied, sitting in the corner.
The room was only lit by the moon outside. Cait looked out of the window. He could see the giant moon in the dark sky.
-„ I'm happy that they agreed to take us with them" – Delgado continued -„ I'm so excited. I have never been so far from home, and I get to go even farther! I wonder is that land is different from where I used to live."
Delgado stretched his bones and uncovered the eiderdown.
-„ C'mon it's time to sleep" – Delgado said.
-„ No, I'll stay on the floor" – Cait replied, making look Delgado back at the corner, with his eyes filled with surprise.
-„ Why?" – the boy asked
Cait only crossed his arms and made frowned. Delgado moved closer to him.
-„ You're still miffed at me because I told you to not introduce yourself in a parade way?" – he asked
Cait tightened his arms, which were still crossed.
-„ You guessed correctly, but you won't get a prize for that" – he hissed back
Delgado knelt down to him
-„ I didn't want to silence you" – Del tried to explain -„ I just thought that there was no need to act like that"
-„ Because it is too stupid for you, right?" – Cait said angrily
-„ I didn't say that…"
-„ But I know you thought it!" – Cait interrupted -„You humans always think that I act stupidly and weird! Of course, I'm just a talking puppet, so who cares about that! I can turn myself off anywhere, so who cares where I sleep?!"
-„ I care" – Delgado said flatly
When Cait heard that, his mouth shut.
-„ If you think that I treat you like a puppet, you're wrong!" – Delgado said angrily -„ If I treated you like that, I would not take you to my home, I would not repair you and I would not allow you to sleep with me in my bed! So stop talking nonsense you…"
Delgado then bit his tongue to silence himself. He didn't mean to be so harsh; all this just flowed out, for no reason. Delgado looked at his little friend. He could see sadness on his face.
-„ You what?" – Cait Sith asked silently. Everyone was always calling him fleabag, pest, brat, stupid… but he was used to that. He also used some strong words. But he never cared about that, until now.
He believed Delgado had said what he felt about Cait, but he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He looked up, directly into the boy's green eyes.
-„ I'm sorry for what I did in that beer garden" – Delgado said to him, making Cait's ear twitch -„ I didn't want to hurt to you. Really"
Cait wanted to say something, but couldn't find words. He was too surprised. And Delgado's eyes…
-„I…" – Cait started. Delgado's eyes opened wider –„I'm…"
-„ What?" – Delgado asked -„ Tell me"
-„ I'm sorry…" – Cait said very quietly and looked down -„ I'm… very rude…"
The word " sorry" is a word that Cait had rarely used in his short and young robotic life. He would only apologize to Reeve if there was a good reason to do so. He can't remember ever saying "sorry" whilst in Cloud's party. He sometimes wondered why, but has never found an answer…
Cait felt the grip on his shoulder tighten.
-„ It's okay" – he heard the calm voice of Delgado -„ Come to bed"
Cait looked up, but before he could respond, Delgado had lifted him from the floor and embraced him.
He didn't know that the word "sorry" could be so magical. He thought that Delgado would be mad at him, like everyone who he knew before, but somehow the boy forgave him. Even though Cait was mean and harsh. And now he had more questions… about aspects of life that still are unclear to him…
Before Delgado put Cait Sith into the bed, he removed Cait's clothes, because he has learned from his mom that sleeping in your day clothes is indecent. When he was taking of his cape, something jingled.
It was the jinglebell that he gave Cait Sith when they were on the path in the forest. Now the jinglebell was hanging on a string. He looked at Cait, who was now confused about the whole situation that had taken place today. Delgado smiled and removed the jinglebell from the furry neck of Cait.
The jinglebell jingled and it's golden paint shone in the light of the moon. The boy put the jinglebell on the chair, with his trousers and Cait Sith's clothes.
He gently lowered his friend onto the bed. Cait was still looking at Delgado, who was now also in the bed. The boy covered himself and the cat with the eiderdown.
-„ Why do you like me?" – Cait Sith asked quietly. The boy started to delicately stroke Cait's black–furred cheek.
-„ Because I feel that your heart is as clean as crystal" – Delgado replied to him. They were both lying in bed and looking the other's eyes -„ And you're extraordinary. And funny"
-„ I don't have a heart as clean as crystal" – Cait said sadly -„ People don't like me because I'm weird and unfriendly. And I don't have a heart…"
Now Delgado started to stroke the fur between Cait's aristocratic ears.
-„ You're taking everything too personally" – Delgado explained -„ The heart doesn't only mean the organ. The Heart is also a centre of love, feeling and innocence… if you didn't have a heart, you wouldn't like me. Friends forever?"
Cait stared for a while at Delgado's face. Was he right? Does he really have a heart even if he doesn't have any organs? Cait then smiled.
-„ Friends forever" – Cait replied and closed his eyes. Delgado felt the warm fur that he was stroking. He remembered how Cait Sith's fur saved him from freezing.
He looked on the window. The moon was bright and the room was well lit. Delgado decided that he would darken it. While he was closing the curtain, Cait opened one eye and suddenly grabbed Delgado's arm.
-„ NO DON'T!" – he cried loudly -„ DON'T COVER THE WINDOW!!"
-„ Okay!" – Delgado quickly touched Cait's cheek to calm him down -„ I won't cover the window. It's okay"
He started to rub Cait's cheek. The cat hugged his face to Delgado's chest. Then he deactivated himself.
Delgado was surprised by Cait's outburst. Why did Cait Sith panic when he wanted to cover the window? Was he scared of the dark?
But Delgado decided to wait for the answers until the next day. He looked at Cait Sith who was hugged to him. He wrapped his friend with one arm and he fell asleep…
But not everyone were sleeping that night…
In some command centre:
-„ Dr. Vadis, maybe you should get some sleep? I'm sure that URHO won't attack one of our towns tonight"
The man opened his eyes and looked down at the other man who was sitting on his chair and looking at him
-„ Oh, no I'm not tired at all" – Dr. Vadis smiled -„ I was just thinking about the events that have happened in the Outerlands. I hope that the Setterdeters will return and tell us everything. Besides, I like to sometimes be tired. It's part of my job after all. And go back to work"
-„ Of course" – the man replied and began to look at the monitor.
Dr. Vadis looked at the room. The main room of the command centre wasn't full now. Since the URHO no longer invaded the MFF territory often, the centre was packed during the day.
The room was oval in shape with several levels leading down to the Commander's chair. Each level had several computer stations.
Dr. Vadis went down and approached a large window. He looked at the skyscrapers that were always occupied, shown the lights that were always present in the tall buildings at night. He smiled; he liked to watch out the window at the landscape. He doesn't look out often, as he's always working in his laboratory in the TechNet Tower, which is built as a branch of the Command Skyscraper.
-„ WHOA!"
Dr. Vadis immediately turned himself to see what had happened. He noticed that everyone in the room was looking at the guy who had been talking earlier with Vadis. The doctor quickly ran to him.
-„ What happened?!" – he said loudly as he neared the worker.
-„ That was strange doctor!" – the worker replied -„ There was a line of some sort of energy on the monitor. And a few seconds later, another showed up, but the line was faster than the previous one!"
-„ Did you record it?" – Vadis asked
-„ Of course, I will play it"
Dr. Vadis stared at the monitor. He saw a green line moving across the monitor, disappearing at the other end of the screen. Suddenly another, red line shot across the monitor like lightning.
Vadis stood staring for several moments after the recording. He couldn't believe he had just seen.
-„ It looked almost like a reply" – he deduced and he started to look through the large window -„ But what did it mean?"
Finally the day of departure to Mytheristos has finally come. Delgado and Cait Sith were walking through the port with Topos and Aizon, heading towards the warrior's ship.
-„ I don't understand." – Delgado said as he was looking at the ships and boats -„ Why are there so many ships in this port if only one of them will actually travel to the continent?"
-„ It's a kind of a camouflage" – Topos explained -„ It would look suspicious if only one, huge ship was docked here. Besides, many of them are fishing boats. Some people in the city live off of the sea. Hey Cait, I didn't see you wearing that jinglebell yesterday"
The jinglebell tinkled as Cait turned his head to respond.
-„That's because I wasn't wearing it; today is the first day I've worn it out" – Cait Sith grinned -„ It's a present from Delgado. He made it for me when I was staying at his house and he gave it to me whilst we were in the forest. Do you like it?"
-„ So you can make things, boy?" – Topos looked at Delgado
-„ And I can repair some stuff!" – Delgado didn't hide his boldness this time -„ My dad taught me everything"
-„ Dad…" – Topos placed his fingers on his chin -„ I have been wondering about this for a long time. Do you know that your father…"
-„ We're here" – Aizon suddenly interrupted.
Cait Sith and Delgado looked up.
It really was a huge ship. It was from clear It was made of bronze and wood and instead of the sails on the masts there were big, wooden windmills. The wood of the ship had plant patterns carved into it.
-„ Funny ship" – Cait commented -„ I like it already"
-„ Windmills?" – Delgado was surprised -„ How do they work? I thought that ships had to have sails to, well, sail on the sea"
-„ Oh, you will get to see everything on the ship" – Topos said -„ Now, get onto the ship. The guard will let you through as only those who know about this ship may travel to Mytheristos"
As Delgado and Cait Sith got on board, Topos looked at his brother. Aizon was staring elsewhere.
-„ Is something wrong?" – Topos asked Aizon
-„ You see those people over there?" – Aizon replied -„ They look suspicious"
Topos looked over to where Aizon was looking.
There were 6 people – a blond haired guy with a big sword, two girls, a black man with a gun-arm, another blond with goggles on his forehead and a cigarette between his lips and a big, red four legged creature.
For Topos, this wasn't suspicious, until he saw a girl dressed as a ninja.
-„ Hey, it's that girl who stole our bags!"
-„ Yeah" – Aizon confirmed -„ I didn't expect that we would see her again. Luck is on our side. Let's give her and her friends a beating and take everything that they have"
-„ No!" – Topos replied -„ Remember that we're returning home, and we are not yet done. Besides, look at that sword…" – Topos said that as he saw Cloud's Buster Sword.
Suddenly Cloud's group disappeared in the other alley.
-„ Ah, they turned into that alley…" – Aizon cursed -„ I only hope that a surprise in the alley will give them a good time"
Aizon turned and got on board. Before Topos followed him, he looked again at the port and the town.
-„ It means that I must say "good bye" to you, soil of the Outerlands. I hope to step on you again soon" – then he turned and started to walk up onboard -„ Hehehe… what a big sword…" – he giggled and got onboard…
Cait Sith and Delgado looked on the deck. There were many people – office workers, housemaids, cooks, gardeners, farmers… many, many different people.
-„ I thought the continent was a top secret mystery" – Cait said as he saw the people
-„ It is, but those people are spies" – they both turned to Aizon who was now standing behind them -„ They're not going deep into these lands, but they are giving us some information about living here"
Cait's eyes twitched as he heard word "spy". He hated that word, but then he calmed down.
-„ So… that's how you knew about Sephiroth?" – Cait Sith asked
-„ No, not exactly" – Aizon explained as adjusted the red band that was keeping his long, black hair up -„ I can't tell you how, it's top secret"
Then, Topos came up to them.
-„ What took you so long?" – Aizon asked his brother -„ Were you viewing the town for the last time?"
-„ Just thinking, Aizon" – Topos replied -„ Just thinking…"
Far away from them, under the wooden stairs to the bridge, a huge chest had opened lightly.
-„ You see those fools?" – a voice came from it
-„ I see them" – the second voice replied -„ It was a good idea to steal that paper from them. Now we will be able to follow them and get our revenge!"
Then a moan came from the chest
-„ I told you to wear those bandages! Now you will have to travel like that!"
-„ It's not my fault that I hate them! They look like a nappy!"
-„ You moron! You must wear those bandages if you want to have a sexy body without scars!" – and then the chest's lid closed.
A large bell rung out and sailors started to run on the deck.
-„Passengers! The ferry to Idell Town will depart in two minutes!" – a man shouted using a paper megaphone to amplify the sound.
-„ Quick Cait, let's run to ship's tiller and watch us leave the land behind!" – the boy said in joy
-„ Great!" – Cait clapped and ran with Delgado -„ I can't wait until we depart!"
The sailors climbed up on the masts, entered the windmill's cabins and started to pedal. The windmills slowly started to turn and generate the wind needed to push the ship forwards. The captain, in his bridge, turned the rudder and the giant ship started to move out to sea. Finally, the ship was leaving, the land was shrinking and Cait Sith with Delgado were looking at the port, all of the white houses with red tiles and the forest where they met the bandits.
-„ Is something wrong, Cait?" – Delgado asked as he looked at the cat
-„ I never thought that I would ever be so far from my home" – he replied -„ I didn't even know that I would have such a feeling"
Then something took Cait from the ground and placed the black cat on a shoulder.
-„ It's natural to miss your home" – Topos said to cheer up Cait Sith -„ But as long we get to see other lands and return, we're more happy. It's normal"
Aizon, who was standing by Topos, only grinned.
-„ You think so?" – Cait looked at the rest of the land and smiled -„ But I can't wait to be on the mysterious land…"
The ship was always moving farther from home… and there was no sight of land, only ocean...
Several hours had passed and Cait Sith and Delgado were now sitting on the starboard side of the ship.
-„ Cait, why didn't you want me to close the curtains last night?"
Cait only flinched.
-„ I hate darkness" – Cait replied coldly.
-„ I thought that, as you are a robot you couldn't be afraid"
-„ It seems that I can…" – Cait said mysteriously, but then he smiled -„ What do you think the new land will look like?"
-„ Oh, I don't know" – said Delgado, who was a bit disappointed that Cait had changed the topic -„ I think it will also have trees, rivers, towns… like our home"
-„ I'm sure they will have different makomonsters!" – Cait said in excitement -„ I only hope that I can handle them"
-„ Makomonsters?" – Delgado asked
-„ The mutants that are created by mako energy" – Cait Sith explained -„ That's one of reasons why mako energy is dangerous"
Cait then looked at the water. The sun was shining and the water was acting as a mirror, reflecting the sun's rays and the blue sky. For those who were thirsty, it was a real pain to look on such water.
But far away was something suspicious…
-„ What's that…" – Cait said when he saw it
-„ Where?" – Delgado looked at the ocean and saw 3 dark shapes
-„ There's something…" – Cait said as he got a better look -„ They look like ships"
-„ Maybe we should call for Topos and Aizon?" – Delgado asked -„ They know more about Mytheristos. Maybe they will know what they are?"
Cait and Delgado started to call for the Setterdeters. Topos and Aizon were below the deck. They quickly appeared from the corridor to the cabins and headed towards the kids.
-„ Something happened?" – Topos asked.
Cait only pointed at the water where he saw the mysterious shapes. Aizon started to stare at the shapes, his eyes widening in shock when he realized what they were.
-„ Pirates!!" – he shouted when he recognize the 3 ships
-„ Wh.. what?!" – Cait hopped in the air when he heard the answer.
-„ Impossible!" – Topos said loudly when he also recognized the frigates -„ I thought that the MFF fleet destroyed their base on the Sericano Island!"
Suddenly the bell on the ship started to ring loudly. The sailors started to run around the deck, guiding civilians down into the bowels of the ship. The sailors that were in the windmill cabins got out and ran to the bridge.
-„ Why did they leave the cabins?!" – Cait Sith hissed -„ We should run!"
-„ We can't…" – Topos said as he looked at the pirate ships heading their way -„ Their ships are much too fast. The only way is to fight them"
-„ Listen kids!" – Aizon turned to Cait Sith and Delgado -„ You must go down into the cabins!"
-„ But we can help!" – Delgado said
-„ Yes!" – Cait Sith shook his little fist -„ My claws are sharp and my megaphone is ready!"
-„ NO!" – Aizon shouted, causing Cait's fur and Delgado's purple hair to wave -„ It's too dangerous and we don't want you to get hurt! NOW GO!!"
Delgado didn't know what to do, but Cait grabbed his hand and pulled him along
-„ Quick, let's do as they say!" – Cait said to him.
Aizon was observing Cait's cape and Delgado's hair disappear under the deck, before looking across to the pirate ships.
-„ Aizon, this fight will be serious" – Topos said to his twin brother -„ We must protect the civilians at all cost!"
-„ We never run away from fighting, Topos!" – Aizon said in agreement -„ It is in our blood. We would fight even if it meant our death!"
As the ship was sailing to Mytheristos, the mysterious land, it seems that it is going to be attacked by pirates. Aizon said that he and Topos would be fighting, even if that could mean their death. Will the planks turn into splinters? Will the ocean be filled by blood, and will it welcome new residents to sleep there for eternity? Will Cait Sith and Delgado be safe? Be sure to read the next exiting chapter of " Final Fantasy VII – Rage of Bauergard"!!