Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Sorry this one's so late. I took a break for Christmas, but I'm back in full force now! I'll be updating this story alternately with Final Fantasy VII: Another Side, a fic that I'm writing for FF:VII. Don't worry though, because I have no intention of giving up on this! Thanks for all your support, and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Solblade44 – Yeah, poor Karis, lol. It would be kind of embarrassing. And I wonder where the name came from. Oh well. Thanks for reviewing!

Linkblade1 – I'm glad you like my story! Sorry that this one took so long…I was swamped with relatives and cousins and just about everyone in my family, but I'm back now! Thanks for your support!

Knight-Dawn – Ice sculpting really seemed like it made the most sense. Glad you liked it! Thanks for the review, and don't worry about being away. I understand. I was away too, after all! Enjoy this update whenever you get back!

Gravaja Umbros – It does seem a little similar to that, doesn't it? But the idea I came up with has to do with some research I did on Thailand for this fic, and at the same time, a little idea I came up with because of Ayuthay's reputation for stonework. ((Although it is similar, but I won't say more than that, lol. You'll see.))

Anne Iriel Devay – Haha, I can't really emphasize Soulshipping here without completely sidetracking this story, but I think the other members of the fandom have Matt/Sveta covered. For now, enjoy the very obvious hints. And I'm glad you like the chapter! As for wedding bells, well…fulfill your royal duty, Amiti! *shoves him*

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A Different Kind of Storm

CHAPTER 12

A Lesson In Caution

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Karis accepted a small plate of food from one of Passaj's residents with a smile and nod of thanks. She turned back towards Amiti, grimacing slightly as she held it up. The anniversary festival had begun, and with just about every family preparing some sort of dish and serving it to the people that came by, there was really more food than everyone could eat.

"Take some," she said. "If I eat any more I'm going to explode."

Amiti smiled at her, taking a small portion of the food on the plate. "The trick is to take very small servings from each family, so you avoid offending anyone by refusing their food," he said.

"I'd like to do that," said Karis, "But they just keep piling it on."

"Can you blame them?" asked Amiti. "They love you here, Karis. You're one of the people that brought this to them." He gestured vaguely towards the walls, which were still pulsing red with the light from the Alchemy Forge. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I don't see them stuffing you with food," she said.

"I've mastered the art of polite refusal," said Amiti with a smile. He placed an arm around her shoulders, leading her away from another grateful woman with a plate of food. "If you don't want to say no, just hold on to your plate," he advised. "They won't offer you food if they see that you're still eating."

She nodded. "That makes sense," she said. She looked around. The Alchemy Forge had transformed the outside of Passaj, but now it looked transformed from the inside as well. Evidence of Passaj's metalworking was everywhere, both ornamental and functional. Amiti followed her gaze, nodding as he guessed the direction of her thoughts.

"It's changed a lot," he said. "I was surprised when we arrived yesterday."

"You haven't been here recently?" asked Karis, surprised. Amiti shook his head. "I haven't left Ayuthay in two years," he said. "I've been too busy rebuilding."

"You've really been working hard…" noted Karis. Amiti frowned.

"My uncle entrusted Ayuthay to me," he said, lowering his arm from her shoulders. "I can't fail him." He looked out into the distance, his expression taking on the same far off stare it took whenever he spoke of Paithos lately. Karis reached for his hand, squeezing it gently.

"You won't," she said.

He turned towards her and smiled sadly. "I hope not," he said. He squeezed her hand in return, leading her down the street. They didn't say anything for a while, and Karis immersed herself in tracing the glowing lines from the Alchemy Forge with her eyes. After a while, Amiti frowned.

"We'll be staying in Passaj for two more days," he said.

Karis nodded, turning towards him. "Mm," she said. "After that, it's three days to get back to Ayuthay."

And a few more days before we set off for home again…

She didn't say it, but it was inevitable. Ivan couldn't stay away from Kalay for too long. It had already been weeks, and Master Hammet would need him at his side. But more and more, she found that thinking about leaving made her heart feel heavy. She glanced at Amiti, wondering if she should talk to him about it. What would happen once it was time to leave? Did he want her to stay? Would she stay, if he asked her to? He wasn't looking at her, instead looking at something down the street.

His frown deepened and he released her hand. Karis noticed that Baghi and Bogho stood a little further down the street, talking to each other.

"Karis," he said, "I promised Baghi I'd talk to him for a while. To catch up." He turned towards her, an apologetic look in his eye as he looked away. Karis frowned. There was something he wasn't telling her, but at the moment, she wasn't sure what it was.

"By all means," she said. "The two of you are old friends, right?"

Amiti nodded. "Yes, and it's been a while," he said. "But will you be alright?"

She smiled at him. "You know, I was capable of entertaining myself before I met you," she said teasingly. "I'll go see if I can pry Sveta and Matthew apart long enough to spend time with one of them."

"I'll meet up with you later," he said. "I promise."

"Don't worry about it," said Karis. "Say hello to Baghi for me."

"I will," said Amiti. He leaned forward, giving her a quick kiss. Karis watched as he pulled away, turning around to meet with his friend, before walking down the street as well.

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Passaj had been virtually transformed by the festival. Looking at the city, Rief almost believed that another Alchemy Machine had been activated just to bring about this sort of effect. Banners and lights had been strung up from every building and post that they could be hung from, and food had been set out in front of all the houses as each family had cooked up what they could to feed the village. There weren't that many people. Passaj was still a small town, even though the Alchemy Forge had brought it prosperity. Even so, the people of Passaj had enough energy to make the town seem like a bigger city, and just enough warmth that it didn't feel that isolated.

He accepted a plate of food from an elderly woman with a nod of thanks, even though he was certain that more food would just make him sick. He took a bite of food to taste it and passed the plate off to Tyrell, who was drunk enough that Rief didn't want to see how Garet would react when he finally stumbled back to the inn. The Mercury Adept smiled, accepting a glass of water from another table and taking a sip as he studied his friends—at least, those that he could see.

Eoleo was at one of the booths, playing a card game with a group of Passaj natives. Amiti and Karis had gone off somewhere, and Sveta was sitting on the steps, eating a plate of food with Matthew and his family, her royal rank forgotten for a moment. Tyrell turned towards him, holding up his glass.

"C'mon, Rief!" said the Mars Adept, his voice slurred. "Have a drink!"

"I'll pass, thank you," said Rief, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he turned to his friend. "You should stop too. Your father's not going to be happy."

Tyrell laughed, raising his glass up high. "Hah!" he said. "I'm not afraid of the old man!"

"Really, Tyrell?" asked a voice from behind him. Tyrell turned, his eyes widening as he saw Garet standing over him, a deep frown on his face and his arms folded. Rief took the opportunity to slip away, blending in with the crowd as he made his way towards a tent that had been put up across the street. A band was performing there.

Somebody bumped into him as he walked, crashing into his right shoulder. Rief quickly turned around, facing the figure. "Sorry!" he said. "Are you alright?"

He paused, realizing that he had bumped into Himi. The princess of Yamata didn't even stop, continuing to walk through the crowd as if she was in a daze. He had seen that look on her face twice before, when she was having a vision. Both times, the vision had been helpful, but it hadn't brought good news.

"Himi?" he asked, reaching out and grabbing her wrist. She turned towards him. For a moment, her red eyes were wide and unfocused, as if she was looking through him and not at him. Then, she snapped out of it, her eyes widening as fear suddenly crept into them. "Rief!" she said.

"Himi, what's wrong?" asked Rief, letting go of her wrist.

She shook her head, as if trying to clear her thoughts. "Amiti," she said. "Amiti's in danger! He's in danger right now!"

His eyes widened in surprise and he turned around, scanning the crowds. Amiti was with Karis. Of course the two of them would be together. They had been practically inseparable since the incident at the foot of the mountain. He had even seen them meet up and leave together earlier that day, during the festival. But Karis was standing on the main street talking to her father, and Amiti was nowhere in sight.

"Get the others," he said to her, quickly running towards Matthew.

XxXxX

He made small talk with Baghi and Bogho until Karis was gone, then motioned for Baghi to follow him. Amiti turned, bowing politely to the Passaj elder. "Pardon me, Bogho, but I need to borrow your grandson for a while."

Bogho smiled. "Of course, young lord of Ayuthay," he said. Amiti nodded again in acknowledgment before walking towards the meeting hall, his friend in tow. Baghi frowned at him, folding his arms as he climbed the steps towards the uppermost part of Passaj, where there were fewer celebrants. They walked a little further up the trail, towards the cloud viewing platform.

"Well?" asked Baghi when they finally stopped. "Let me see it."

Amiti reached into his pocket, taking out a small cloth pouch. He handed it to his friend. Baghi untied the knot at the top of the bag and emptied the contents into his hand. Two small blocks of gold fell into his palm, stamped at the top with Ayuthay's seal. Each block weighed one of Ayuthay's traditional weights. It was an impractical form of measurement, and because of this, it was only used when tradition demanded it. Baghi frowned, inspecting the quality of the metal.

"Will that do?" asked Amiti.

"It'll work," said Baghi. "Didn't you want something set in it?"

"Mm," said Amiti, reaching into his inside pocket and taking out the carved piece of zol. He handed it to Baghi, who studied it with a frown. "Zol," he said. "That's a break from tradition…"

Amiti nodded. "It isn't sapphire, but I thought it would fit better," he said.

"Your call," said Baghi, wrapping the piece up carefully in a piece of cloth and tucking it into the pouch with the small blocks of gold. "I'll have it ready for you before you leave."

"Thank you, old friend," said Amiti with a tired smile. He tried not to think of the possible ways that Karis would react—not all of them positive. It just made him nervous. Baghi shook his head.

"There's no need to get sentimental," he said, grinning slightly. "Just send me an invitation."

"If she accepts," said Amiti.

"Please," said Baghi. "She'll accept." He pocketed the pouch. "I'll go put this somewhere safe. You should head back to the festival."

Amiti nodded, turning around to head back down the trail. He and Baghi parted ways as they neared the meeting hall, and he walked into the crowd on his own, his thoughts occupied with the things he had just given Baghi.

He didn't notice his assailant until he was practically on top of him.

The beastman leapt from the nearest rooftop with a snarl, claws extended. Amiti jumped back, the beastman's claws ripping a gash through his silk shirt and tracing thin lines of blood on his skin. He cursed his lack of armor inwardly as he drew Masamune in a fluid motion, holding it up and preparing to rush forward. The crowd screamed, running in all directions as a second beastman attacked, lunging towards him.

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No notes this time~