V- SECRETS, STARS AND MOOGLES
-What? Let me see if I got it...are you charging me 250 Gil to sleep here?- a stylish, well- dressed young man complained.
-Sir- the manager replied- We´ve got only one vacancy left today, and let me remind you that this is the best inn of this city.
-This is robbery for me!- the other man protested, inflexible- Oh, why did I come to this city, after all? I hope I can go back soon to Lindblum where the true theather awaits for me.
-But sir, aren´t you going to stay here for only 270 Gil?
-WHAT!!? You´ve just told me it was 250!
-No sir, I was clear when I said 290...-the man said
-Listen to me, you stinky treacherous fish, if you´ve possibly been thinking about...
-Wait!- said a hippo-like kid who just walked in.
-Oh, dad...-he continued- Still doing those nasty things?
-But Hippaul...-said the man
-I´ll handle this- Hippaul replied- Listen, Mr. Bridges, my father was just telling you that our vacancies are really limited these days. Besides, we´re trying to build more rooms.
-Yes, but you´re charging too much- the young man said
-You´re right, what my father did wasn´t correct. I´d be delighted to offer you a room for 180 Gil plus a 10% discount for the inconvenience, what do you say?
-...hmm...that´s ok...I´m goint to stay here for about a week, I have to go now but I´ll be back at night, and you- he pointed Hippaul´s father out with his finger- Maybe it´s about time to get your retirement and let your son run your business
He said that and went out in a hurry.
-Hippaul, we´ll have to close our business if you keep giving discounts like that...- the man censured.
-But dad, if you continue charging too much, there won´t be any guest left to give a discount to...-Hippaul tried to say
-HAHAHAHAHAHA don´t worry, just remember we have the only decent inn of Alexandria. Cocky travelers like him will find themselves forced to stay here- the man laughed
-I don´t think so- the boy said- Theodore said his father is gonna turn their house into an inn and seems like Doug from the item shop wants to do the same...Alexandria has so many visitors these days.
-WHAAAAAAAAAAT!? GRRRRRR CURSE THOSE COPY-CATS...Hippaul, go out and tell our new price to everyone, 150 Gil per night!
-But dad...-the boy said, spooky
-GOOOOOOOOOOO- the man screamed.
-Ok, ok...hehe "Changing his mind wasn´t so difficult at all" - he thought after going out
But the boy was right. Alexandria evolved so much in two years. With Cid´s help, the city technology became even with Lindblum´s and, just like there, the castle doors were opened to the population, especially its library. Many people used to borrow its books to read at home; books about romance, theatral plays and even about the Eidolons, the guardians of Gaia and their mysteries. For some, the pain of losing someone dear won´t let people forget that tragedy some years ago so easily, but there are courageous ones who loved to know more about those creatures and wouldn´t lose one single opportunity to read about them. Yes, every Alexandrian citizen agrees that this is just the best place to live.
-THIS IS THE WORST PLACE TO LIVE!- Lowell screamed on the street, right after leaving the inn- If it wasn´t by that little kid, I´d be extorted...what am I still doing here??
-But it´s not my fault- he continued- Those pointy-hat freaks bursted on my stage in Lindblum just when I was about to...
-See, Theodore- a little girl carrying a balloon screamed when she saw some advise on the wall- Tantalus will present a new play in Lindblum.
-Hey, it´s gonna be on the day of the party...that´s cool, daddy said he´ll take me there with him- the boy said happily
-What!?- Lowell protested, passing by- Those bastards are going to stage again? Excuse me kids, let me see that...
"Tantalus proudly presents, Star-Crossed Lovers, the sad story of four inseparable friends: Daena, Matilda, Escad and Irwin; but a impossible love has sent them in dischord. Will tradition be stronger than the human heart?
Starring: Ruby, as Matilda
August 1st 1802, on Lindblum´s Castle"
-This can´t be...-Lowell said- That Ruby and her stupid friends are taking all my glory, I wonder how does she do that...she must have some kind of...
-Hey guys!-screamed another boy joining the others- Have you seen my cat? He disappeared again...
-Yeah!- Theodore cried- It´s time to play "Where´s Mittens?" and I´m going to win this time for sure!
So the kids ran away and left Lowell alone.
-...she must have-he continued-...a secret! Yes, some unfair trick to increase her popularity...and if she really has one, I´ll find out!
Meanwhile, in the minitheater built in the city underground, Blank and Marcus, two guys from Tantalus, looked a bit worried with something:
-Are you sure, bro?- Marcus asked, he still couldn´t believe in what he heard
-Of course!- Blank replied- I heard when she said "This is my secret; tonight I´ll meet him..."
-Ruby is a little crazy but she would never do such a thing...
-Shut up!-Blank screamed, he was very angry because of that- How could she do this!? I thought she liked me
-But...you never cared about her, why are you now...
-SHE JUST CAN´T DO IT!!!- he protested
"Wow, it looks like someone here is a little jealous- Marcus thought- Now that she has many admirers, he´s starting to get mad..."
Both of them were too busy to notice someone who just sneaked behind a balcony, trying to hear their conversation:
-Well, well, the two criminals are discussing and seems like it´s about her-Lowell thought
-But I´m not letting that girl have her way- Blank said, hitting a table with his hand- I´ll find out who is she in love with...I bet it´s that Weimar guy, he´s always flerting with her, or even Lowell...
-Did I just hear my name?-Lowell whispered a little surprised and accidentally hit the flower pot near him
-Who´s there!?- Blank asked when he saw the broken pot
-...k-kwehhhh- said a voice coming from there
-Oh, it´s just a chocobo passing by...-Marcus said
-I need to be more careful...-the false chocobo thought-I guess I´ll no longer complain about starring I Wish I Were a Chocobo...
-But bro...-Marcus continued- What are you gonna do?
-I don´t know, but I´ll definitively find out her secret!!!-Blank screamed
-SECRET!!?-Lowell exclaimed
-WHO´S THERE!!?- Blank asked again, confused
-...kupo...- said the voice coming from the balcony again
-Just a moogle this time...
"I was right, I couldn´t hear them very well but I clearly heard when he said about Ruby´s secret and I´ll find it out...I think it´s enough, I better go away before I make another mistake..."- Lowell thought, then he left the theater
-Ok, now let´s plan everything to unmask her...- Blank continued
A few minutes ago, in the kitchen of Alexandria Castle, the cooks looked a little nervous:
-Chief Quina! Chief Quina!- one of them cried- We´ve run out of condiments
-So what are you waiting for?- the chief replied- Go get more in the city
-But there´s no more, chief. We´ve looked in the whole city already and everybody said the cargo ship from Dali won´t come until the next week...
-You just didn´t search well-the chief said, angry- Keep an eye on the cauldron while I´m out.
-Ok
Everybody knew that Quina used to be severe with his pupils, but who would dare to censure one of the best gourmets in the land? That´s the gift that he inherited from his race, the Qu´s. Besides, his/her former master, Quale, is one of the most famous in the area.
-Well...-s/he whispered when got to the city by boat- I have to cook the same recipe everyday since I came back to this job...I wish I could cook something different and special...frogs for example, but Dagger thinks it´s disgusting, I just can´t understand her tastes...
Blank and Marcus passed by Quina at that moment, but they were in a hurry and didn´t see him/her.
-Ok bro- Marcus said- Let´s eat something ´cause this talk about Ruby´s secret got me hungry...
-All right, but we gotta talk more about it...-Blank replied, and so they headed to the tavern
-...what?- Quina asked- He got hungry after talking about Ruby´s secret...OF COURSE! SHE MUST HAVE SOME SECRET RECIPE, MAYBE SOMETHING TAUGHT BY HER GREAT-GRANDMOTHER AND...I HAVE TO FIND IT OUT!
Near there, on the main square, Lowell was coming back to the inn when a little girl called him:
-Mr. Lowell!
-What? Oh, hi Ilia...-he said
-I was looking for you, grandma told me to give you this- she said, giving him a big parcel- It´s your package.
-Wow, thank you very much! Please tell your grandmother I´ll go there tomorrow in the morning to give the money.
-It´s ok. You know, I asked grandma to make one for me too; it´s so cute...-the girl said, with a bright in her eyes.
-Hey Ilia!- exclaimed other girl who was playing with a rope- Come play with us!
-I´m coming!- she replied- Bye, Mr. Lowell!
-Bye...and thanks again.
-You´ll see, I´ll break your record today!- Ilia said to the other girls
-Really? I´m not sure, you always say that...
Meanwhile, Lowell couldn´t hold on his happiness:
-This is wonderful! I can find out everything with this, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA- he laughed while looked to the package in his hands- Then, I, Lowell Bridges, will become the world´s greatest theater star once more! That stupid Michael is going to regret for calling me a loser, now he´ll have to pay for painting my lovely portrait.
On the dock, Quina was still thinking about what s/he heard, when:
-Quina! Quina!- someone called
-Oh, I remember you...it´s...Artifice, right?- s/he asked
-IT´S ARTEMICION!!!-the moogle screamed so loud that everybody in the city must be sure about his name by now...- This is for you, it´s an invitation from Eiko to a party in Lindblum...hey, are you listening to me?
- Yes, yes, sorry...yes, yes, so kind of her to invite me. Of course I´m going; wherever there´s a party, there is food- Quina replied
-Yeah, I knew you wouldn´t refuse...- Artemicion laughed- But tell me one thing, why are you standing here like a statue?
-Oh nothing, I was just thinking about a way to find out Ruby´s secret...
-I see...well, I guess I´ll go to the castle to deliver the last invitations, see you- the moogle said, taking flight
-Bye bye and thanks- Quina said
However, a couple of minutes later, Artemicion stopped flying at a sudden:
Wait a minute...he said "Ruby´s secret"...but Ruby is that...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH, THAT´S DEFINETIVELY MY LUCKIEST DAY EVER! SO SHE´S KEEPING "IT" AS A SECRET, VERY WELL, SO I...
At the tavern, Blank finally came to a conclusion:
-It´s gonna be tonight, Marcus...
-And what are we gonna do?- Marcus asked, he was not very convinced yet
-We´ll keep watching her room and when she leaves to meet the bastard, we´ll follow her and catch they both in the act!
-This sounds mad...- Marcus pondered
-Hehe, seems like even Blank has problems with girls, the poor guy...- Ashley, the owner of the tavern, insinued.
-Hey, this is just for being sure that she´s innocent, right, bro?- Marcus asked
-...they´re gonna pay for that...- Blank whispered
-Wow- Ashley laughed- It´s worse than I thought...
-Shut up! You should still be working at the theater instead of disturbing the customers here- Blank protested, standing up; he was very upset yet
- Bro, just forget about this...- Marcus said, trying unsuccessfully to change his mind
-No way, Marcus! I´ve told you that...
BLANK- Tonight...
LOWELL-...I will...
QUINA- ...find out...
ARTEMICION_...Ruby´s secret!!!
And then, the so called night has come; the two moons were shining in all their crimson and bluish splendor, illuminating everything below and revealing a big shadow near the minitheater entrance.
-Hehe, with this new moogle suit I won´t be discovered- Lowell said, sneaking in the minitheater again- Now let´s head to her room...but where exactly could it be?
Some time later, Quina got there:
-I just need to be careful and nobody is gonna notice me- s/he whispered, suddenly disapearing after casting VANISH on him/herself- Secret recipe, here I go!
Inside the theater, a little purple shadow appeared behind a curtain:
-Just a bit more and I´ll find it- Artemicion whispered- My striped purple fur will become even more adorable!
And in front of Ruby´s bedroom, Blank and Marcus were hiding behind some pots and boxes:
-She´s just pretending to be asleep to fool me, but she´ll actually go out anytime to meet him...-Blank said
-I can´t believe this...-Marcus replied
Meanwhile, Lowell changed his mind; instead of coming to her room, he decided to look for clues everywhere:
-Oh, I forgot how difficult it is to see through this costume, I ought to remember to make some holes on the mask...but where did she hide that secret, after all ? - he wondered
Quina, who already knew that place, quickly got to Ruby´s room and walked in, but he hadn´t seen Blank and Marcus on the way:
-...B-Bro, did you see that? The door opened by itself...- Marcus said, a little surprised and scared
-It´s just the wind. You left the front door opened...
Thanks to his small size, Artemicion was able to get to her room by the window near the curtain:
-It´s here. She´s sleeping...-he whispered when he saw Ruby on the bed
Then, he looked at the table beside the door, there were lots of accessories for women like Barrets, Fairy Earrings and three vials: one containing Maiden Prayer, the other one had Oglop Oil and the third one had some purple substance like a...
"There it is! SUPERSLICK!" the moogle thought
Quina was already inside but s/he didn´t notice Artemicion on the window, so he headed to the vials on the table looking for anything that resembled like an ingredient:
-Hmmm...what is this? Let me see...-s/he whispered, lifting the vial
-Super slick, here I go...- Artemicion said- Oh, I´m so happy and...huh?
Then he noticed the vial floating in the air...
-...w-what...is...this?...GHOST!!- he screamed in the middle of the bedroom
-What!!?- Quina exclaimed, but the only thing s/he could see was a swift purple shadow going out by the window, then s/he got so scared that he spilled the containing of the vial on Ruby before running away...- AAAAAAAHHHH!! A GHOST, I´M OUTTA HERE!!!
On the outside...
-What was that? A scream?- Marcus asked
-OHHHHH NOW I GOT IT!- Blank replied- She´s not going anywhere; HE is the one who came meet her...all right, I´m going there!!!
-But bro...I heard someone saying something about a ghost...
-That´s nonsense, Marcus!
-What is happening here?- Ruby said, she got up scared because of the screams and the oil on her face- What the hell´s happening here? What´s this on my face?...
Suddenly, the door opened with a kick:
-NOW I GOT YOU AND...-Blank cried right after coming in, but then he looked inside...- AAAAAAAAAAHHHH IT´S A GHOST!
-RUN MARCUS!- he continued, passing by his friend in a flash
-But what...-Marcus said
Cinna, another member of Tantalus who just heard the noisy from his room, got a candle and went downstairs to see what was happening:
-What´s going on? Why is everyone screaming?
-Darn it! I can´t see anything...-Lowell complained- I´ll never find out her secret this way and...
-OUT OF THE WAY!!!- Blank and Marcus said, knocking against the big moogle and leaving the place.
-OOOOOOOOOAAHHH!!!- Lowell slippered and hit his head by knocking against a chair and his mask tore with the collision:
-What is happening here!?- Cinna asked, and then he saw the headless moogle under a chair- AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH GHOST! HELP ME!!!
Lowell tried to take the suit off, his head was still hurting, and all he could see was a candle light and Cinna´s face behind it...
-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! THAT´S A GHOST!!!...
Well, despite the mess, everything, or almost everything, was elucidated on the next day:
-So...all that talk about a secret and meeting someone was just a line from our new play???- Blank asked, embarassed.
-Of course - Ruby replied- And what did ya think I was doin´ ?
-I told you...-Marcus said
-...huh...well...I´m really sorry...-Blank said
-So silly...-the girl laughed- Now let´s back to work, I was talking with Baku and I think there´s an extra line we could put and...
But the supernatural facts from that night still haunt everybody and nobody dared to pass near the theater at night since then, because him, the Ghost of Alexandria, might be there, wandering around...and nobody knows exactly what it looks like, since people have different versions about it...
ARTEMICION- It´s a horrible ghost! It looks like a scary flying vial, I swear!!!
BLANK- It´s a horrible ghost! It looks like a zombie with messy hair, I swear!!!
QUINA- It´s a horrible ghost! It looks like a shining purple shadow, I swear!!!
CINNA- It´s a horrible ghost! It looks like a giant, headless moogle, I swear!!!
LOWELL- It´s a horrible ghost! It looks like an ugly and scary face holding a candle, I swear!!!
And now, everyone is worried and scared, after all, we never know when the Ghost of Alexandria will attack again...
***IX***
Sorry for the late, but the translation is really hard...
- PREVIEW OF CHAPTER 6 -
It´s a common day at Alexandria Castle, but an unknown visitor may break this peace...forever.