Ian's legs slowly swept down to a sitting position. Now it was known. And he knew Ezel was deadly serious. It wasn't a matter of clan turf anymore; it was a matter of political goals, ideologies. Hate, revenge, greed... the worst traits of any race now seemed to show fully in Ivalice. "So now... they're not just fighting for the purpose of fighting..." he murmured, "...they're fighting to gain power."

"Or revenge." Ezel added quietly. "Just help me get them talking, kiddo. I've already laid too much of a burden on you as it is."

"How the--... you want--... You expect me to get all these power-hungry, revenge-crazy clanners to settle down for peace accords!?" Ian fairly choked, "Ezel, I'm telling you that you picked the wrong guy for this!"

The Nu Mou grasped his shoulder gently. "Not the clanners, kiddo....no. I wouldn't wish that headache on the Prince himself. Just the ones you know....Mewt and Marche."

"No... no, listen to me." he grasped Ezel's shoulder, lightly. Definately not as hard as before. "Don't you see what will happen? As soon as Mewt and Marche reach an understanding, the clans will notice that his bounty has been taken down, yet he still walks among them. They'll know something is up. If they think Nutsy allied with the Royals, they'll be even more incensed. Nutsy will be a prime target, even worse than when a bounty was on their heads. They'll rise up even harder. At that point, the Queen will either have to declare martial law or let these pinheads fight each other. This is not gonna go away, no matter WHAT we do."

A small, grey pawhand patted the large furless one. "But some problems will be gone. My boy, you can't please everyone. But if you do that much, we'll be well on our way to pleasing most when you leave."

Ian opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again slowly. Leave... that's right... he still had to go home. But, to turn his back on them if they needed him... "...you don't honestly think I could possibly return home without seeing this all through."

"Do I...?"

"...I may be making things worse by bringing Mewt and Marche together." Ian said slowly, "...if I do... ...then I can't..."

"Nothing can be worse than it already is." he assured wryly.

The boy raised an eyebrow "Even all-out, non-stop armed conflict?"

Ezel shrugged. "We have that now, kiddo."

"That's another thing. Do you honestly think your contacts, the Royals, and Nutsy would be able to stop a full-fledged civil war?" he asked, exasperated, "What sort of military does the Palace have? ...or are they all judges?"

"The Judges, the Queen's guard, and the keepers of Sphrom." he chuckled. "The Prince obviously didn't plan ahead when he created this place."

He grew serious again, an odd expression on a face clearly made for that sly smile it typically bore. "My boy....I deserved what you gave me, and more. My wish tore you away from all you knew and loved. All you have now is the promise of a stranger he will see you returned. I won't ask more of you than I already have."

"...you're not exactly a stranger, Ezel." Ian replied lightly, "...plus, you're a hell of a negotiator and a master of persuasion, even when you don't mean to be."

He couldn't help but laugh. "You mean, your story of the Ivalices included me?"

Ian nodded, "Quite so... Babus, too... just never mentioned you two together." He never would have thought.

"Heh....well, now....famous over two worlds. My, I must be good. Despite our differences in opinion, kiddo....I know Babus only wishes to help Mewt find his peace... whatever that is."

The young man snorted, "At least I'm not delving into THAT kid's psyche..."

"Seeing what you've seen....and knowing whatever you knew before....is he any harder to understand than Marche?"

"Except he seems a bit more random and violent. Heard he nearly choked Babus out once." At the memory of the bobbling Babus in the game, he giggled slightly.

Ezel blinked. "Eh...?"

Ian suppressed his smile again, "Oh, nothing."

"Babus believed in the Prince enough he could not believe in me. There is something worthy of that in Mewt....even if we can't see it just yet."

"Unless Mewt WANTED it that way. No one to question him. His word being law." He frowned. To give godlike powers to a kid like Mewt spelled doom for anyone who he didn't like that day.

"We are no longer his. Even for those who will never know we once were." Ezel closed his eyes, "Nothing holds Babus to the Prince but himself."

"Because it is all he ever knew..." Ian shrugged, "What do you expect."

"It must be something, kiddo. All he ever knew was me, too....and I could not hold him."

....even though I wished it.

"Whatever it is, it is foolishness." he growled lowly.

Ezel chuckled. "You're not helping my ego, my boy."

Ian shrugged, eyes flaring up again, "I don't care. He would defend Mewt and his actions even as the Prince's own actions lead all of Ivalice, head-first, into a full-blown civil war."

"Heh. My boy, I don't believe Mewt thinks we are real any more than Marche does."

"Is he BLIND!?" Ian laughed completely without humor, "You're not figments! You're real!" For emphasis, he tapped Ezel's forehead and poked at his hat, "The ends don't justify the means anyhow. I don't condone what Marche is doing either, just because he doesn't think that everything is real." Ian shook his head, "Mewt isn't going to stop unless we stop him, and Babus is as rock-headed if he doesn't try and speak sense to the boy."

"Once he knows Marche is not some dark mage out to control the Prince's mind and torment him....he would, kiddo." he pulled a face. "He can be terribly blunt."

Ian's eyelids sank halfway down, "Oh, REALLY? I failed to notice."

"Heh....sorry."

"No matter... he'd better see. Or I'll tear off his nose and feed it to him."

Ezel's head sagged slightly. It was tough to get through to this kiddo. "Perhaps I should create a No Dmg2: Babus card."

"...no... I already said if he stayed out of my way, I wouldn't hurt him." Another bright flare filled the room as Ian finished. Ezel was on his feet instantly. Ian did as well, "Who the-!?"

Another Viera, unruly cropped hair crowned with the long horn of a Summoner this time. She bowed her head, pale ears low in respect. "My apologies, Master Berbier."

Ezel's face became calm again, "You wouldn't have interrupted without good reason, my dear....though I am afraid to ask what it is."

"Who's this?" Ian leaned back to Ezel to ask.

He glanced back with a smile. "Ian, this is Tara. Tara, this is the one who's taken my name from the headlines."

The doe smiled slightly and swept her ears upright again, but the smile failed quickly. "So Jesan sent word. Master Berbier, along with word Babus has entered Cadoan with a host of Judges."

"Really." Ian folded his arms, "And what does he want?"

The doe winced as she met the human's eyes apologetically. "Your head on a plate, I would imagine."

"Why would he think I'm in Cadoan...? I would have thought that he thought that I'm dead... ...ah, well, no matter." He looked down to his mask, still clenched in his hand.

"Cadoan is the closest town, my boy....and he left you in no condition to walk far." Ezel explained.

"No one has turned over a body for the reward." the Summoner added quietly. "They have no reason to believe you are dead."

"Heh. I had plenty reason for them to do so..." he brought the mask up and tied it, hiding his face, "No matter. I'll see him myself."

The doe couldn't help but muffle a giggle behind long, dusky fingers as he did. Ezel quirked a brow. "I offered him my hat, but he declined."

Ian said nothing as he headed for the exit of the shop. Having wore the mask throughout the entire day, he had become accustomed to barely seeing out of it, save for the tree incident.

"Master Ian, you can't go into town alone! Through the front door!" Tara called after.

"Yes, I can." he repeated coolly, "If he truly wants to see the Prince calmed, he'll listen. If not... he'll show it."

Ezel watched carefully, raising a pawhand to the Summoner's disbelief. "Are you sure, my boy...?"

"Very sure. Keep a grave ready for me just in case." he uttered as he slipped out the door, into the night.

"....and a card ready for you both." Ezel finished quietly.