I predict that the story will end in about...three more chapters or so, depending on how I want to shape it. Mostly talk in this chapter but it is a little more interesting than the previous chapter, in my opinion. You know, just honestly, my story is mostly dialogue based.

Disclaimer: I only own the story.

A little confusing and I might contradict myself in some parts since I lose track of the story. Please bear with this, I promise in the end, I'll make it make sense.

"You…don't want to hurt me, do you?"

"You…are us."

Feeling light-headed from the teleportation, Aliot stumbled a bit before he regained his posture. Everything around him seemed completely different. He had never been to Juno before; it was far too high up in the mountain ranges to walk and he could never afford the Kafra services or the airship. He noted to himself: "Pay back that officer when you're done."

However, thinking over his situation, he realized that once again he had no leads. Would he learn more about Valkyrie Randgris or should he ask others if they know of the silver-haired witch?

Before he could make up his mind, a team of burly rogues rushed past him, grabbed his Morpheus shawl, and pulled hard. Aliot, completely caught off guard, flew to the ground as the rogues ran off with his shawl.

"Hey! Stop them!" He shouted. Everyone turned to him but no one went after those rogues. They were a team of four muscular rogues. They preferred not to get caught up in business with them.

Out of nowhere, a wall of fire burst out from the ground, stopping the rogues in their tracks. The Morpheus shawl was ripped away from their hands by an elderly looking high wizard.

"Be gone! Napalm Vulcan!" The rogues were shoved back by a powerful force. They landed to the ground with a thump.

Eventually, Aliot caught up with the fallen rogues. He was utterly amazed by the power this wizard just produced. Breathless, he bent down slightly to catch his breath.

"I take it this is yours?" The old wizard asked as he held up the Morpheus shawl, "It is a very beautiful shawl! Where did you get this?"

Aliot took the shawl and wrapped it around his neck. He pondered for a while whether he should tell this wizard the truth. He shrugged and gave in, "The apathetic princess gave it to me." Looking at the wizard more closely now, he noticed a rather insane look on the old, wrinkled face.

The old wizard's reaction was very different from what Aliot expected. Instead of the usual gasps of disbelief he received, this old wizard just nodded like he understood everything.

"Interesting, very interesting," The wizard muttered under his breath. Out of nowhere, he grabbed Aliot's chin and examined his face. Not knowing what to do, Aliot let the old wizard continue, "Aha…even more interesting."

"Excuse me sir…but, what?"

"Anyway, my name is Maxwell. What is yours?" Ignoring Aliot completely, he asked another question.

Aliot sighed. He had no leads, he had no clues, and his gut feeling pressed him to continue talking to this strange, probably insane, old man, "Aliot."

Maxwell nodded with just a bit of amazement in his eyes, "Very, very interesting indeed!" Maxwell patted off the dirt on his clothes, "Why don't I treat you to something to eat? I know a good bakery just down the street."

Not knowing what to do, Aliot agreed and followed this strange old man.

The two walked into a rather common looking bakery near the edge of Juno. The two took a seat close to the window so they could look over the plains outside the city. As soon as the waiter came over, Aliot noticed the look of disgust he gave Maxwell.

"I'll have a cheese cake please, and…what would you like, Aliot?"

"Just…tea is fine." Aliot replied. He really wasn't hungry but it seemed rude to just sit there.

As soon as the waiter left, Aliot started the conversation, "Tell me, that waiter kind of glared at you."

Maxwell chuckled, "You see, I used to be a famous high wizard. Everyone knew my name. Professor Maxwell, they used to call me. I lived in a huge mansion and I had my own private class of students."

Aliot nodded. Somehow, he knew he couldn't trust the words of a crazy old man but something about this old man seemed genuine.

"Do you want to know what my research was? It was Kiel Hyre's toy factory!" Maxwell exclaimed loudly. Aliot gave him a look of confusion, "I expected this. You've never heard of the famed Kiel Hyre, have you? A genius who excelled in robotics and built them for the greater good! He really seemed like a saint. He spent all his money in making an academy for orphans. He only wanted to build robots to help the humans. However, a group of wizards including myself were always suspicious. How did he perfect these robots? Did he have ulterior motives? I was the only wizard brave enough to stand out and investigate this. That's why I was given so much fame and money."

The waiter came over once again, dropping off a cup of tea and a slice of cheesecake.

Maxwell sighed and took a bite of his cake, "Then, when my students found the secret entrance to Kiel Hyre's factory, they were utterly overwhelmed and in the end…massacred beyond recognition."

Aliot choked on his tea. Placing the cup back down, he looked to Maxwell, "What?"

"I was sent along with a few of my other colleagues to see what had happened. All we saw were bits and pieces of clothes and body parts surrounding a tree. There were also a few robot pieces lying around too. Everyone guessed that the robot just self-destructed and brought everyone along with them." Taking another bite of his cheesecake, he paused, "…and that's how I lost everything. Those wizards that supported me before pulled back to protect their hides. No one would fund me, all my fame was lost." He shook his head, "Anyway, that's enough about me. What about you? You don't look like you live here."

This man seemed genuine. He seemed true to his word, "I'm looking for the apathetic princess. Back at Lighthalzen, she saved me."

"Very, very interesting indeed…" Maxwell murmured with a lump of cheesecake in his mouth, "Why don't I let you in on a secret?"

"Err…yes?"

Maxwell lowered his voice to a whisper. He bent down close to Aliot, "You see, the reason I was so interested in Kiel Hyre's factory was because of…my daughter. She wasn't my biological daughter, I'm not even married. It was amazing. The Valkyrie herself swooped down, brought this unconscious girl to me, and told me to protect her no matter what. You don't defy a god, you don't defy the Valkyrie. I accepted and took care of her. There was a name tag on her wrist, want to know what it said?"

Aliot nodded quickly, "Yes, please tell me."

Maxwell chuckled, "It said Aliza." Aliot did not understand, "In Kiel Hyre's factory, there is a robotic maid called Aliza. Of course, this girl had human skin and felt like a human so she couldn't have been the same Aliza. To protect her from other wizards that probably wanted to dissect her, I changed her name to Elena. She was in the excavation tour with my other students."

Something suddenly clicked, "Then, those robot parts you told me before,"

"Of all those bits and pieces, I could not recognize a single piece that belonged to her. I only noticed the charred ground and pieces of a robot. My theory is that…after looking inside the factory, she self-destructed…and brought my students with her. Deep down inside her flesh, she really did have a robotic core. No one would believe if I said this and those who did believe me only scolded me for wasting away such proof. Perhaps she was a human prototype of Aliza; I never really figured it out."

Aliot nodded, not exactly sure what Maxwell wanted to tell him. He felt a shiver go down his spine as Maxwell smirked at him.

"There's another robot down there, want to know his name?" He mouthed gently in a near inaudible whisper, "Aliot."

Aliot gasped and backed up quickly causing the chair behind him to clatter to the floor, "What…no way!"

Maxwell nodded, "There were four robots produced down there: Aliza, Alice, Alicel…and Aliot. I think you are the same as Elena was." Aliot shook his head in disbelief, "It was a Valkyrie that came down and gave me Elena. It was the silver haired witch who holds the same headgear as the Valkyrie that came down and saved you." Maxwell stood up and stretched, "Now, you know where to look?"

Collecting all his facts, Aliot nodded quickly, "Yes…thank you, sir."

Maxwell chuckled, "Sir? I'm just a crazy old man that was consumed by his research. Now then…" Finishing up the cheesecake and leaving a few coins on the table, Maxwell headed for the door, "There are probably a lot of people in this city that know a lot about the Valkyrie Randgris. There are probably a lot of people here that know of Kiel Hyre as well. Put your pieces together and you'll find your answer."

Anyone wondering how Maxwell looks, think of...hmm. perhaps something like Aizen from BLEACH but with a beard. Please review!