"Now that leaves the question of just what I'm supposed to do to save
this mess of a world." Ian sighed, rubbing his chin. There was quite
the laundry list, "The Royals are clamping down, apparently there are
REBELS knocking at the palace gates, and Marche is running around
unchecked. You're laying a whole hell of a lot in my lap, Ezel."
He rubbed his temples slowly. World peace would not be so easily
achieved. His own world knew THAT.
"Not alone, my boy." Ezel chuckled, "But with your wisdom, think of yourself as the mediator to the madness. I have my contacts, and you have your clan. Or what is left of it, since your surly friend caused a scene at the Sleeping Frog."
"That damned idiot Pallanza..." Ian shook his head, "...so, now it'll be me, Darios, Crozet, and your contacts. ...against the rest of the world."
"How much do you know of Radiuju?" Ezel asked, dismissing Ian's doubts with a shake of his ears.
"He's causing a lot of pain for the Prince, I know that much." he replied, not about to let on any more. That would be all he needed, to let loose the entire plot of the game in one fluid motion, "That dope Swain was CONVINCED that I was one of his cronies. Hell, I don't even share his odd hairstyle!"
"That, you'll have to blame on Marche, I'm afraid."
"Yeah, I know. He needs to change his hairdresser." Ian ran a hand through his own, short hair.
Ezel raised an eyebrow, "I meant about what he has done."
"Oh."
"He's hardly needed any help from the master to cause panic." Ezel sighed, shaking his head.
"And I've never even met him..." he uttered.
"He thought to come to my rescue, not too long ago. But I'm afraid it wasn't necessarily because it was myself in need of help."
"Oh? Do tell." Ian asked, interested. He had known what happened, already. Ezel met Marche and told him about Ezel Berbier, himself. And Marche didn't have a clue who it was until later that night.
"He heard of the brilliant creator of the Antilaw." Ezel flipped a few pages of another book at his desk, until another card spun in a luminous trail from the pages. "He saw another advantage he might use against the Royals. I don't think he accepts any of us as living, kiddo....except himself. Strange he befriends his figment Moogle friend."
"I know... I know... well, he thought this whole thing is Mewt's dream world." Ian shrugged, "Hell, it started out that way, you know that. I don't really thinks he'll accept the destruction of the crystals as the destruction of the world, and killing everyone here."
Ezel shook his unkempt mane slightly. "I don't think the Crystals will DESTROY this place, kiddo....but, I don't know what it will do." The card sank back to the parchment once more, and he closed the cover after it. "One thing you must understand about me....the genius claims are all a joke to me, my boy." he snickered. "I'm just smart enough to know I'll never know everything."
"Hm." Ian nodded slightly, then put a hand to his chin, "...the Crystals may not destroy the world... ...but I don't think we don't want to take the chance that they don't."
"I don't want to see the bloody hand both sides would be dealt if it continues. I cherish freedom, kiddo....not anarchy. ....Babus misunderstood us both." the last he added faintly, an equal blend of regret and fondness.
"...You stand up for what you believe in, I guess..." Ian sighed slightly. "...and, at the same time, I can understand Marche's predicament. He's scared. He wants to go home, anyway possible. Mewt wants to stop him anyway possible. They're both in the wrong. They can't be allowed to continue. They've both got to be stopped before everything we know is unraveled."
"Heh. My wish come true." He smiled to the young human's words. "You'll help make it right."
"But, how?" Ian opened his palms, "I'm not a fighter. I'm a punching bag. What can I do?"
"Heh....fighting is what we want to avoid, anyway....which is why Marche never has seen the true power of my cards."
"True power?"
"My market is quite closed, my boy. I don't want word to spread there is no Law I can't break....because there ARE some laws I'm quite fond of. Don't want that to spread, either." he winked.
"Laws that you're fond with?" Ian blinked, "Like what?"
He chuckled. "Well, kiddo....I've become quite fond of the Forbidden: Mace one as of late. No Dmg2: Nu Mou, as well."
"Yet you make cards to cancel those out."
A nod. "Of course. There's exceptions to every rule." he smiled shrewdly at Ian. "I let you damage this Nu Mou, after all."
"Huh." Ian shook his head. This guy was a bit more shrewd for his liking. He couldn't remember him being THIS... what was the word... mercenary in the game. Then again... the game didn't exactly shine a whole lot of light on many of the main characters outside of Marche. Still... he didn't want to be led on. So, he put the statement forward, "I can't exactly tell if you aren't playing both sides."
"At least you know the sides that are being played by Marche and the Prince. That will give you time to see my colors. Hehe....I wouldn't trust me quite yet either, kiddo."
"I still gotta figure out what to do..." Ian sighed, "With Babus hanging around, I seriously doubt that Mewt will accept an apology from Marche... nor will Marche be so quick to do so anyway."
"....Babus is not a vengeful man, my boy. Perhaps we will begin with Marche....and that will open his eyes. You realize he'll feel indebted to you for life, of course." he chuckled softly. "He may let you shred him to an inch of his life in penance....and to spite me."
"If he would gladly stay out my sight for my remaining time in Ivalice, that would suit me fine." Ian retorted, getting sick to his stomach again at the memory of the courtyard. This time, however, he managed to control his temper and not swing Ezel by his floppy ears, "As soon as we deal with Marche, there will be no reason for the laws to remain so harsh, and the problem will be over."
Ezel sighed lightly. Not good. "No, kiddo... there will still be problems. The damage the Prince has done goes beyond Clan Nutsy."
"Oh, yeah... this rebellion thing you were talking about?" Ian frowned. Before now, he didn't really think that a rebellion in Ivalice was such a bad thing. Y'know, just get a bunch of clanners together, storm the palace, hang Mewt by his hair. Y'know, the usual, practical stuff. ...But now, things were getting more and more complicated and rebellion was starting to lose its appeal.
"Many clans are convinced now only they can run Ivalice. Heh....they don't see they're being a poor man's Royal Family. Many engagements lately begin with political debate."
"Political debate? ...they think only THEY can run Ivalice?" Ian's eyes slowly drifted over to Ezel. In his mind, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly went together. Something inside that brain clicked and he knelt slowly to the Nu Mou's height.
"...you're talking about civil war."
Ezel's face seemed odd, to be so solemn. "Exactly."
"Not alone, my boy." Ezel chuckled, "But with your wisdom, think of yourself as the mediator to the madness. I have my contacts, and you have your clan. Or what is left of it, since your surly friend caused a scene at the Sleeping Frog."
"That damned idiot Pallanza..." Ian shook his head, "...so, now it'll be me, Darios, Crozet, and your contacts. ...against the rest of the world."
"How much do you know of Radiuju?" Ezel asked, dismissing Ian's doubts with a shake of his ears.
"He's causing a lot of pain for the Prince, I know that much." he replied, not about to let on any more. That would be all he needed, to let loose the entire plot of the game in one fluid motion, "That dope Swain was CONVINCED that I was one of his cronies. Hell, I don't even share his odd hairstyle!"
"That, you'll have to blame on Marche, I'm afraid."
"Yeah, I know. He needs to change his hairdresser." Ian ran a hand through his own, short hair.
Ezel raised an eyebrow, "I meant about what he has done."
"Oh."
"He's hardly needed any help from the master to cause panic." Ezel sighed, shaking his head.
"And I've never even met him..." he uttered.
"He thought to come to my rescue, not too long ago. But I'm afraid it wasn't necessarily because it was myself in need of help."
"Oh? Do tell." Ian asked, interested. He had known what happened, already. Ezel met Marche and told him about Ezel Berbier, himself. And Marche didn't have a clue who it was until later that night.
"He heard of the brilliant creator of the Antilaw." Ezel flipped a few pages of another book at his desk, until another card spun in a luminous trail from the pages. "He saw another advantage he might use against the Royals. I don't think he accepts any of us as living, kiddo....except himself. Strange he befriends his figment Moogle friend."
"I know... I know... well, he thought this whole thing is Mewt's dream world." Ian shrugged, "Hell, it started out that way, you know that. I don't really thinks he'll accept the destruction of the crystals as the destruction of the world, and killing everyone here."
Ezel shook his unkempt mane slightly. "I don't think the Crystals will DESTROY this place, kiddo....but, I don't know what it will do." The card sank back to the parchment once more, and he closed the cover after it. "One thing you must understand about me....the genius claims are all a joke to me, my boy." he snickered. "I'm just smart enough to know I'll never know everything."
"Hm." Ian nodded slightly, then put a hand to his chin, "...the Crystals may not destroy the world... ...but I don't think we don't want to take the chance that they don't."
"I don't want to see the bloody hand both sides would be dealt if it continues. I cherish freedom, kiddo....not anarchy. ....Babus misunderstood us both." the last he added faintly, an equal blend of regret and fondness.
"...You stand up for what you believe in, I guess..." Ian sighed slightly. "...and, at the same time, I can understand Marche's predicament. He's scared. He wants to go home, anyway possible. Mewt wants to stop him anyway possible. They're both in the wrong. They can't be allowed to continue. They've both got to be stopped before everything we know is unraveled."
"Heh. My wish come true." He smiled to the young human's words. "You'll help make it right."
"But, how?" Ian opened his palms, "I'm not a fighter. I'm a punching bag. What can I do?"
"Heh....fighting is what we want to avoid, anyway....which is why Marche never has seen the true power of my cards."
"True power?"
"My market is quite closed, my boy. I don't want word to spread there is no Law I can't break....because there ARE some laws I'm quite fond of. Don't want that to spread, either." he winked.
"Laws that you're fond with?" Ian blinked, "Like what?"
He chuckled. "Well, kiddo....I've become quite fond of the Forbidden: Mace one as of late. No Dmg2: Nu Mou, as well."
"Yet you make cards to cancel those out."
A nod. "Of course. There's exceptions to every rule." he smiled shrewdly at Ian. "I let you damage this Nu Mou, after all."
"Huh." Ian shook his head. This guy was a bit more shrewd for his liking. He couldn't remember him being THIS... what was the word... mercenary in the game. Then again... the game didn't exactly shine a whole lot of light on many of the main characters outside of Marche. Still... he didn't want to be led on. So, he put the statement forward, "I can't exactly tell if you aren't playing both sides."
"At least you know the sides that are being played by Marche and the Prince. That will give you time to see my colors. Hehe....I wouldn't trust me quite yet either, kiddo."
"I still gotta figure out what to do..." Ian sighed, "With Babus hanging around, I seriously doubt that Mewt will accept an apology from Marche... nor will Marche be so quick to do so anyway."
"....Babus is not a vengeful man, my boy. Perhaps we will begin with Marche....and that will open his eyes. You realize he'll feel indebted to you for life, of course." he chuckled softly. "He may let you shred him to an inch of his life in penance....and to spite me."
"If he would gladly stay out my sight for my remaining time in Ivalice, that would suit me fine." Ian retorted, getting sick to his stomach again at the memory of the courtyard. This time, however, he managed to control his temper and not swing Ezel by his floppy ears, "As soon as we deal with Marche, there will be no reason for the laws to remain so harsh, and the problem will be over."
Ezel sighed lightly. Not good. "No, kiddo... there will still be problems. The damage the Prince has done goes beyond Clan Nutsy."
"Oh, yeah... this rebellion thing you were talking about?" Ian frowned. Before now, he didn't really think that a rebellion in Ivalice was such a bad thing. Y'know, just get a bunch of clanners together, storm the palace, hang Mewt by his hair. Y'know, the usual, practical stuff. ...But now, things were getting more and more complicated and rebellion was starting to lose its appeal.
"Many clans are convinced now only they can run Ivalice. Heh....they don't see they're being a poor man's Royal Family. Many engagements lately begin with political debate."
"Political debate? ...they think only THEY can run Ivalice?" Ian's eyes slowly drifted over to Ezel. In his mind, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly went together. Something inside that brain clicked and he knelt slowly to the Nu Mou's height.
"...you're talking about civil war."
Ezel's face seemed odd, to be so solemn. "Exactly."