Gods, I'm so sorry it took me so long to update, school got really stressful all of a sudden and I didn't have time for writing. Then, of course, I got writer's block. No matter how I construed Izoold, it was boring and repetitive, so I said "screw it!" and picked up with them in Palmacosta. The plot has RETURENED! And all you Rodyle fans will be pleased :)… are there actually any of those? -_-'
Anywho, although it's a bit shorter than usual, I ended up rather fond of this chapter. Enjoy~
….
"You little bitch!"
"Oh my, I'm so sorry! I'm so clumsy!"
"That was a very expensive potion, how exactly do you plan on paying us back for that?"
"Who the hell says we have to pay you back for anything? It was just a stupid potion! Besides, you should have watched where you were going too!" Lloyd's hands were clenched at his sides as he stood behind Colette, glaring at the imposters.
The past week was a blur of Izoold and ocean; at the fishing port Lloyd had gotten them a boat by "accidentally" walking into Lyla and asking her what she was muttering about. The woman had come out with the story after a little prodding. After making up a story about hearing someone say that the root of her problem, Aifread the Pirate, had returned to his hometown, Lyla had begged Lloyd to take a letter to him. When Lloyd had pointed out that he couldn't get a boat, she'd said that she'd pull a few strings for him and the others and lo and behold, two days later they were on a boat making their way to Palmacosta.
The trip itself was tense, monsters roamed the sea, but none showed their ugly faces. It was both easier and harder to hide his secrets from the rest of the group; they lived in very close quarters with one-another, yet, because of the lack of monsters or anything happening, it was more difficult to blow his cover.
They'd reached Palmacosta at dawn on their third day of sailing, and they had barely been in the town thirty minutes when Colette had caused a little bit of chaos with her habitual clumsiness. Thus they stood: Lloyd, Kratos, and Genis all glaring daggers at the group of four that returned fire.
They were the imposters, and as Lloyd recalled how much hell they'd put the group through, the idea of getting rid of them now seemed very tempting. And in their hands he could even see the Book of Spiritua; if they took the book now, they wouldn't even need to deal with Koton! If they did that, they'd be able to find the seals faster and he'd be a few steps ahead of Kvar and—
The timeline. The reminder flashed through Lloyd's eyes and he sighed inaudibly, recalling angrily how much he couldn't do.
"That was a gift from the Palmacosta government!" shrieked the foremost woman; she seemed to be the youngest of the group, her face round and her blue hair short. She was dressed in white, a costume that Lloyd could tell was obviously supposed to mimic Colette's own holy robes. Behind her was a mean-faced man with messy hair and ill-fitting armor. He growled several more insulting things about Colette and Lloyd hissed under his breath, harboring images of incinerating the man with Judgment.
"We're causing a scene…" Perhaps the eldest of the group, there was a blond woman standing behind the others, she was clothed in light blue and held a staff, as if she was a magic user but as Lloyd gently probed her mana, he found her to be very, very human.
"I agree. I apologize for my pupil's clumsiness, but there is nothing that can be done for it now," Raine said, meeting her imposter's eyes, as if trying to appeal to her.
The other woman's eyes hardened. "I said no such thing: that was a very expensive potion, and I expect you to pay us back in full."
Lloyd and Genis both went to snap back but were silenced by Kratos and Raine. After he was sure Lloyd wouldn't make the situation worse, Kratos glared coldly at them and growled softly, "We are but simple travelers; how do you expect us to be capable of affording such an 'expensive' potion? If it was a gift, then it is no loss to you."
There was silence as the group of imposters tried to muster the courage to face down Kratos. While they obviously wanted to insist that the group pay for a new potion, to do so they'd have to face Kratos. Lloyd loved his father sometimes.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the last person he would have expected to see. Amongst the sea of brown, black, and blond heads that passed by, a slick purple head bobbed amongst them. Lloyd blinked and actually rubbed his eyes, as if he expected Rodyle to vanish. He didn't, but a few seconds later, he was swallowed by the crowds.
"…Rodyle?" In his shock and worry, Lloyd forgot that he was not the only one standing there. All eyes flickered from Kratos to him.
"What did you say, Lloyd?" Raine looked out into the crowd to where Lloyd was staring but saw nothing. "I don't see anything…"
"What the hell is he doing here?" Lloyd's eyes scanning the crowd, "he can't be here yet…!"
"What the hell is he going on about?" growled Lloyd's imposter.
"…did you say Rodyle?" Kratos asked, then cut himself off, realizing a moment too late that he wasn't to know such things. "…he's a Desian." The Seraph's cover was seamless. "Though how you know of such things is a mystery to me…" He swayed the suspicions of the two groups to Lloyd.
Lloyd didn't have time to care, however, and his eyes continued to scan for any flashes of purple.
"…look, this bullshit isn't gonna stop you from paying us back for our potion!" the Raine imposter growled. "Go buy us a new one now."
"…of course we will, this was my fault. I have to pay you back. Come on, Lloyd…" Colette's small hand grasped Lloyd's and she began to pull him away from the imposters; the others followed.
"…Lloyd, who is Rodyle?" Genis asked slowly, as if worried about the answer.
"…he's a guy. A Desian…"
"I've also heard of him, his Ranch is hidden somewhere off the coast of this continent, to the East, but how would you know about him, Lloyd…?" Kratos' eyes stayed on his son.
Lloyd licked his lips but before he could speak, Genis cut in, "Yeah Lloyd, how do you know him? Or Kvar or Forcystus for that matter? You know an awful lot about Desians for having lived in Iselia your whole life…"
"It's a long story…" Lloyd sighed, "So…how exactly are we getting this potion anyway? What is it?" He added the last part in hopes that he'd sound more like his stupid self. It was a weak subject change but, for once, his friends didn't push it, though he had the feeling that he would get it later…
"…" Kratos sighed, "It was a Palma Potion; as you can most likely tell by the name, it is a specialty of Palmacosta. I would imagine one could find it in most shops, finding it isn't the problem, paying for it is."
"Colette just had to break something expensive…" grumbled Genis and he was smacked over the head by Raine.
"I'm sorry…" Colette sighed and Lloyd down. "I should have been more careful, but this city is so pretty, I just wanted to see everything and I wasn't looking where I was going…I'll pay for the potion…"
"Colette, dear, that won't be a problem. We'll all help you pay for it," Raine glared daggers at the rest of the group until they nodded enthusiastically, as in Lloyd and Genis' case, or sighed, as in Kratos'.
"Of course we will, Colette! We're in this together!" Lloyd grinned at her and Colette smiled back. He must have done something right.
"So, let's check this one out, shall we?" Genis and the others started into the shop, but Lloyd stood outside a moment and sighed, attempting to collect his thoughts.
What is Rodyle doing in Palmacosta? That twisted bastard should be doing shit with the Mana Cannon, not terrorizing the public around here… Lloyd shuddered at the thought of what Rodyle could do in a city like Palmacosta. What has Kvar done? Or is this even something that Kvar is behind…? I always thought that Rodyle had been tricking Kvar. That's what he said before he "died" last time… It was true, Rodyle had manipulated Kvar into creating an exsphere powerful enough to power the Mana Cannon, but if Kvar knew what was coming, which Lloyd would not put past him, then it would not have taken much to turn the tables of Rodyle.
Lloyd sighed: there was nothing he could do at the moment; he would have to wait and see what happened. He only hoped it wasn't his own actions that had distorted the timeline.
…
"What do you mean, one thousand gald!" squeaked Genis, "That's insane!"
"That's the price, kid. Take it or leave it." The gruff shop owner blinked at the child from behind the counter. Genis slumped; while they technically could afford it, it would mean they wouldn't be eating tonight. Or tomorrow night. Or any time that week. Until they could get out and earn a little more money.
Lloyd sighed, they'd been searching for an affordable Palma Potion for hours. The group slunk out of the shop, still potionless and wandered toward the next shop. Lloyd ran a hand through his hair and looked around, then his heart leapt as he realized where they were: the Item Shop Marble's! Although he had to admit that his memories of the place were rather…not good, it was still nice to see the warm shop. Little window boxes perched beneath the two main windows, both filled to bursting with bright flowers. The door was wooden, stained a warm, rich brown. The whole shop was inviting, as Genis, Colette, and Raine seemed to agree. They walked toward the shop, which, while comfortable-looking, also eluded a very feminine feel, and stepped inside. The moment they did so, however, Lloyd instantly wished they could have waited another few minutes.
"Inferior whores," Rodyle clucked, his tone pleasant despite his harsh words, "hand over your gells. Now." The Desians behind him smirked darkly and brandished short swords to back up their Grand Cardinal's words.
"Who the hell are you calling a whore, you bastard?" And there, amongst the chaos, was Chocolat herself. Lloyd flinched mentally at the sight of Marble's granddaughter. "Get the hell out of our shop! We're not selling you anything!"
"Chocolat!" gasped Cacao, "Gentlemen, please forgive my daughter, she does not seem to remember her manners!" Cacao was a woman in her early middle years, but her face was prematurely carved with the wrinkles of a woman who worried constantly. Her brown hair was streaked with gray, but she remained calm. "Please, we have nothing we can offer you…"
"Oh, I disagree. I love a girl with spirit…" Rodyle smirked disgustingly.
"Sir…" one of the Desians muttered, "Sir, we've already hit the quota for this year…it'd be best if we didn't push it. Lord Magnius—"
"Magnius can deal with a few less to cultivate next year," clucked Rodyle, then he caught sight of Lloyd and the others. The disgusting smirk widened, "Well, well, Lloyd, it's been too long. How are you my dear boy?"
"I was better before I saw you." Lloyd made a face, "Tormenting innocents as usual?"
"'Innocents,' you call them. I prefer 'inferior beings.'"
Lloyd's heart was pounding and adrenaline coursed through his veins; he was in his element, but in the back of his mind, he also knew that the others were there. One wrong word and he could blow everything, and they were only in Palmacosta!
"So what are you doing here, anyway? Aren't you a little out of your comfort zone?"
"Oh, Magnius called me inland to help with a…pest problem."
Suddenly, a thought flashed across Lloyd's mind: how did Rodyle know who he was! Through all his panic and planning, Lloyd had forgotten, Rodyle was from this time, he shouldn't know who Lloyd was! So, he turned it to his advantage. "…how the hell do you know who I am, anyway?"
"Oh my dear boy!" Rodyle chuckled, "Playing games, are we? You have wanted posters up across every continent in the world. I would know that face anywhere!"
Oh…so either Rodyle was playing games too, or that was actually the reason…Lloyd's head was spinning. "…well, whatever the reason, you should get out of here before we kick your ass."
"It's not you I'm worried about, Lloyd. But we do have more important matters than arguing with these two." The men were moving as one, as if Rodyle had given some unseen signal, and in a moment, they had left the shop.
"…wanted posters?" Lloyd muttered under his breath, "Dammit…"
"…he was creepy…" murmured Colette.
"Yeah…and what was with his outfit? He looked like a turtle…a very creepy turtle…" Genis and Colette's observations had an already jumpy Lloyd giggling slightly as he tried to get rid of the adrenaline pulsing through his blood.
"…" Lloyd felt an angry gaze on the back of his head and turned to see Kratos glaring at him with a promise of questions later, when they weren't in public. He turned to look at Raine and the same emotions were written across her face as well. Lloyd looked away quickly before he began turning red.
"…I do not know what you did," Cacao saved Lloyd by distracting the group, "but thank you for scaring away those Desians…it is dangerous business meddling with others' problems, but all the same I thank you. If there is anything I can do to repay you…"
"Yeah, thanks so much! Desians are such a pain!" Chocolat added, smiling at Lloyd.
"…actually, perhaps you can help us." Raine tore her eyes from Lloyd to Cacao, "We need a Palma Potion, it's rather urgent, but we can't find any at an affordable price. Do you know of anywhere that we might be able to find some?"
"Oh…I am afraid that is easier said than done in this town, it's very popular, you see, and the prices stay competitive…" Cacao looked genuinely disappointed at not being able to help them.
"…Mom, we have some potion upstairs! It's been sitting there for ages, you guys can have it!" Chocolat smiled widely, "It's the least we can do! I'll go up and grab it before work!" The girl bolted behind the counter and up the stairs to the apartment where the two women lived above.
Well, perhaps this encounter hadn't been for nothing… Lloyd thought, and it cheered him marginally.
A few minutes later, the girl came back down the stairs, holding a bottle of purple potion, "Here you go!" She carefully handed the potion over to Raine. "Some of the finest potion in the world! Well, I'm off to work, see you later Mom! Thanks again you guys!" And Chocolat was gone, dashing out into the street.
"…she is such a busybody…" murmured Cacao, "Well, it was certainly a pleasure meeting you, if there is anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask."
Minutes later, they were out on the street again. "…perhaps we should explore a little more before giving the potion to those people…" murmured Raine, "I'm sure it won't hurt them to wait a few more hours."
"Professor!" Colette was astounded by her teacher's neglect.
"Colette, we'll return soon enough, but for all the hell they've stirred over such a silly thing, I'm sure it's important enough that they can wait."
"I agree," Kratos nodded, a small, spiteful smirk twisting at his lips.
"Doesn't Palmacosta house the head of the Church of Martel?" Genis asked, "And the Palmacosta Academy, and the Palmacosta government building? I vote we sight-see!"
"And tomorrow we can have a quiz on it." Raine nodded as Lloyd and Genis both groaned and Kratos rose a skeptical eyebrow. Noishe made a dog-like chuckle at their pain.
"Oh shut up Noshy, you wouldn't be laughing if you had to take the test too! …scratch that, you totally would; you know everything." Lloyd rolled his eyes at his dog. "Stupid, too-smart-for-his-own-good P-dog…"
"…Lloyd, you realize Noishe has no idea what you're saying, right? He's just a do-ouch!" Genis did not finish his sentence as the next moment; he was on the ground having been tripped by the "dog".
"Noshy is so silly!" Colette giggled, "Noishe isn't just a doggy, Noishe is Noishe!" Lloyd joined in with Colette's laughter and even Noishe put in a wheezy dog-laugh. Kratos merely sighed at their antics as Genis picked himself up and raced after the group.
…
"So this is the Palmacosta Government Building?" Colette's eyes were wide as she surveyed the large building that housed the head of the Palmacosta government. "It's huge!"
"Well, Palmacosta has the largest government body in the world, so it's only fitting that they also have the biggest building to work from. They say the building itself has been around since Spiritua's Regeneration; it's as old as the Governor-General's whole family line!" As Genis, Colette, and Raine drooled over the building, Lloyd took a few steps back, turned, and found himself face-to-face with Kratos.
"Uh…hi?" He blinked, knowing what was coming…
"…I think you have some explaining to do…" The man's voice was low enough that it didn't carry, but it sent chills down Lloyd's spine.
"…I don't know what you're talking about." Lloyd bluntly denied.
"You know precisely what I am referring to, Lloyd. How do you, a boy raised in Iselia, know scum like Rodyle?"
"He knew who I was, but you're not bitching at him!" Lloyd regretted his words instantly, but stuck by them all the same. His face twisted into an angry scowl and his fists clenched at his sides. "I'm not allowed to know stuff? I'm so stupid that suddenly it's a crime?"
"I said no such thing, boy!" Kratos hissed through clenched teeth, neither male wanted to alert the rest of the group to their argument. "But certain knowledge in the wrong hands can be very dangerous, and Rodyle is not common knowledge, nor something that a child raised in Iselia should be aware of. Where did you meet Rodyle?"
"Who says I've met him? He knew me 'cause he saw those stupid posters! He's a Desian, isn't he? It shouldn't be surprising!"
"What he knows does not concern me; it is your knowledge that confounds me."
Lloyd's face was turning red with fury. "That's not any of your business!"
"If that is the only answer that you'll give, then I cannot allow you to remain with the Chosen's party. Rodyle is a Desian, and a dangerous one at that, and if you cannot tell me how you know him, rather personally if one judges from your previous conversation, then you are dangerous to the safety of the Chosen. It is my job to keep her safe and you threaten her safety."
Lloyd was too furious to properly read his father's expression and understand that Kratos was merely using this as a threat to get Lloyd to admit to something. The man very well knew that he did not have the authority in the group to remove the Chosen's best friend. But Lloyd, blind with fury did not realize the implications.
He had to think fast.
"I…heard his name at the Iselia Ranch…?" he tried at last.
"Oh really?" Kratos was not buying a word of it.
"…" Lloyd looked away, he was dying and it was all because that bastard had gone and blown his cover! There was no explanation! He was so screwed… "…look, I-I…it's complicated, but believe me when I say I'd never do anything to jeopardize the Journey. I'd never hurt Colette, and we need to save the world. Whatever I know, I'm here for Colette and the others." He was tense, afraid that Kratos wouldn't buy it, or would keep pushing it.
Origin, if you wanted to give me an early birthday present, helping Dad chill out would be really nice of you…
….
Well…that's that. Hopefully the next chapter will be up faster…wait, did I just end on a cliff-hanger! Gods I'm evil!
R&R
~Yoshi