A/N: Woot. Start of the actual plot! Now, if this chapter bores the socks off of you, don't worry! The next chapter is a great one, and my favorite so far!
DISCLAIMER: My moral center reminds me to say that i do not own Final Fantasy or anything remotely FF-ish. Have a good day.
Chapter 9: Will The Real White Mage Please Stand Up?
I was already awake when the others began filtering down from the rooms. Among the first was Tayla, her "I'm gonna murder you" look on her face. Sitting down beside me, she sighed, then slapped me across the face and started ranting and raving. I was tempted to set her hair on fire and be done with it, but I was a good boy and didn't. I didn't really pay attention to her, instead choosing to make plans for the day in my head, and feed my coffee addiction.
"... And on top of everything else, you're not even listening!" Tayla sighed, clearing getting even more pissed off.
"What's done is done. All we can do is live with it," I said simply, looking her straight in the eye as I said it. I think that caught her off guard, judging by the fact she nearly fell off her bar stool.
"wha... Um.. Huh... Uh..." I couldn't help but laugh as she tried to recover for that. After that, I drank my coffee and looked around, watching as the others came down the stairs slowly. Listening, I heard banging and shouting as someone fell out of bed. Then I whipped around as the door crashed out.
"Oh thank the gods, the place is still in one piece," said Lizi, smirking as she carried a box full with veges and other assorted goodies.
"Oh ha ha ha. Like I'm gonna burn this place down. I like it," I said, downing the rest of my coffee.
"Sure sure. Just like you didn't nearly burn it down last night?" she asked sarcastic, but I could tell her heart wasn't in the comment. Sitting down beside me, she sighed, then started going through the box, making small piles out of the various items.
"Whats wrong?" I flatly asked.
"... What makes you think there's something wrong?" she snapped back.
"I can tell. I've been around moody teenage girls long enough to know," I replied, somewhat harshly.
"... Ok, fine. You win. My dads's dying, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it," Lizi said, turning to me, her eyes tearing up. I blinked, unsure what to do for a moment. Dealing with crying teenage girls is most definitely NOT one of my strong points.
"Ummm... Look, it can't be that bad, right? You dad must be fighting..." I managed to get out, before looking at the table where Tayla and Shayna were seated and mouthing: "For the love of god, help!" Sighing, Shayna stood and walked over, before sitting on Lizi's other side and putting a arm around her. Mouthing "thanks" to Shayna, I stood and patted Lizi's shoulder, before walking into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee. Waiting for the kettle to boil, I lent against the door frame and looked at Shayna and the now crying Lizi. As I looked, a idea began to form. Walking out of the kitchen, I placed a cup of coffee in front of Lizi, who looked up at me as I smiled reassuringly.
"Drink up, kiddo. We're going for a walk."
Once everyone was up, fed and had some amount of coffee, we left the Angelwing and hit the town. Armed with a map and a few thousand gil, we had a simple mission: get supplies and new equipment, and get our current equipment checked and repaired. With that mission in mind, we dived into different stores. My first target, as well as Shayna's and Lizi's (we didn't let the distressed girl out of our sight), was the magic store that I had sighted coming into Alexandria. As it turns out, they were actually really good. I picked up as many scrolls as I could, intending on reading them on my travels. Shayna also grabbed a few scrolls, and even Lizi grabbed 2, which I believe to be for Cure and Esuna. As we walked out, we saw Robbie and Mathew having a argument over a sword of some sorts. Shrugging, I entered the store and looked around. Pulling out my own sword, I looked it over. It was covered in grim already, despite only really being used once, but that came off as I rubbed the blade of it with my jacket.
"Mighty fine sword there, boy," said a gruff voice behind me. Turning, I saw a gruff looking man. Bushy bread, towered above me.
"Great craftsmanship. Do you mind?" He asked, holding out a hand. I shook my head, handing my sword over. Running his fingers along the blade, he nodded, then placed a finger on the blade and balanced it on his finger.
"Perfectly balanced. Whoever made this weapon was a master smith," he said, handing the weapon back. Looking at it for a moment, he stroked his bread, then clicked his fingers.
"Its calling for a friend, my boy. Your weapon. It seems to be suited for duel blade combat... Hmmm..." looking over the array of weapons on the shops walls, he went through them, before shaking his head and reaching behind a small pile of shields and pulling out a short sword. In contrast to my sword, it wasn't much, but it gleamed, as if eager to prove itself.
'Here. Try this," the blacksmith said, handing me the sword. Even in my left hand, I could tell it was a good weapon (at least, the part of me that harbored the knowledge to tell the difference). Nodding, I said: "I'll take it."
Gathering the troops was easier said then done. Robbie and Mathew were STILL arguing. It took much threatening from me and Shayna to get the two of them out of the store. Tayla had found some scrolls in the magic store that interested her, as had Reece. Charles was drooling over a ridiculously expensive sword on display at the weapon store. Lathen and Hannah were cooing over a baby Chocobo (well, Hannah was and Lathen had no choice). Once we had managed to gather everyone, we sent them back to the Angelwing, then me, Shayna and Lizi set off to our final stop for the day.
We were walking down one of the many alleyways that Alexandria contained, when Lizi stopped us.
"This is the place," she said, point at a unassuming building. Walking up to the door, she knocked three times, then waited.
"Bloody hell, what now?" shouted a voice, before a series of banging noises were heard from within the house. Finally, the door was opened, and a man stepped out. He was at least 50, with a head full of grey hair, and wrinkles. His eyes, however, shone a vivid green, almost the exact same shade that Shayna's eyes now glowed. He wore a robe of the same vein as Shayna's as well, a white robe with red swilling patterns, and he lent on a staff.
"Well well well, if it isn't my dear girl Lizi. And, she brought some friends as well!" he said, almost to himself, looking at us. When his eyes fell on Shayna, his eyes went wide with shock.
"My my, isn't that quite a shine you've got there," he said, pointing at her eyes, before continuing. "Well just don't stand there, come in!" And with that, he all but pushed us inside. Inside, it looked like I had cast Tornado. There were scrolls and pieces of paper everywhere. I went to pick one up, but the old mans staff whacked my hand away.
"And what makes you think you can read that, Black Mage?" he spoke, in almost a mocky tone. I had the sudden and overpowering urge to shove a Flare spell down his throat. Lizi must of sensed this, because she walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder in an attempted to keep me calm. Damnit, she can read me like a book. Then again, so cold... Best not to go there I thought. Instead, I watched as the man, who I assume was the Sage that Lizi had spoke of, looked Shayna up and down, as if looking into her, seeing how much power she had within her.
"My my, you are powerful. But, sadly, untrained. Hmmm... Read this," he said, handing her a scroll. This one, was old. And, it seem to radiate power. Slowly, Shayna opened it and read what it contained.
Then, she screamed.
Dropping the scroll, she grabbed at her arm, face showing the agony she was in. As I watched, she pulled back the sheeve of her robe, and gasped. On her arm, almost smoking, was a pattern, white and black swills along her upper arm.
"The Mark of the Sage. It shows the one marked by the gods- Ah!" the man yelped as I slammed him into a wall, sword against his throat and coated in flames.
"What did you do to her?" I demanded, my voice cracking with fury.
"Nothing... I simply showed her what was already there," he replied.
"Josh! Don't kill him! I need him!" Lizi almost shouted, trying to pull me off of the Sage.
"Josh. He's right. Let him go," said Shayna, in a small voice. Looking at her, I grunted, then yanked the Sage off the wall and walked over to the other side of the room, sheathing my sword before I feel the urge to make him eat it.
"Now, I think she has the power to heal your father," The Sage said, looking at Lizi, who gasped and looked at Shayna with pleading eyes.
"I'll try," she said.
Lizi's father was a mess. His blond hair stuck to his clammy, pale skin, and the general area around him smelt... wrong. Like something was seriously wrong with him.
"He is sick. He'll die very soon if not cured," said the Sage, looking at Shayna.
"Ok... How do I heal him," she said, looking at the sick man in front of her.
"Focus. Let it come naturally," said The Sage, watching. Shayna nodded, then closed her eyes. A second later, a purple light enveloped her left hand. Slowly, she placed her hand on the sick man. I raised an eyebrow as the light spread over his entire body, before fading. Opening her eyes, Shayna looked at the Sage, who shrugged.
Then, Lizi's father coughed. I swear, I've never seen someone move that fast, the speed that Lizi jumped to her fathers side.
"Dad? You in there?" she said, her voice shaking. The man inquestion coughed again, then opened his eyes.
"Course I am Elizibeth," he said, his voice faint. Lizi gave a small squeel, then pulled her father into a bonecrushing hug. Smiling ever so slightly, I patted Shayna on the shoulder, then left the room.
And ran head on into The Sage, who promptly grabbed my arm and shoved a scroll into my hand.
"You too, will understand.. " he said, before walking back into the room containing a very happy Lizi, a barely breathing father, and a utterly shell shocked Shayna. I look down at the scroll, and shake my head, before leaving the building.