CHARACTER COUNTER: 3

Chapter 27: Thievery for Sport

"So here's the plan," Vaan whispered towards his companions, behind an old fountain.

They had been traveling for an entire week precisely before the four of them had reached Nalbina Fortress. So far, there had been no encounters of a difficult kind, save the beasts that littered Salikawood, and the Mosphoran Highwaste in which their party had to cross in their journey towards Dalmasca. They had planned to re-supply at Nalbina Fortress, despite the risk of being recognized. Vaan had assured them that he knew somebody inside Nalbina Town who might be able to help without asking too many questions.

Now, because of their discreet entrance in Nalbina Town, the four of them found themselves in a rather difficult position.

"Vaan," Larsa spoke now and not without concern. Vaan turned his dark blue eyes at Larsa's own royal blue. "Are you sure we must do this? Can there not be another method we can take?"

"Larsa's right, Vaan." Penelo quickly said. " Maybe we're acting a little too rashly."

"Aw, come on Penelo." Vaan sighed exasperatedly at the two of them. "We're not going to get our money back from those thieves by asking them nicely you know."

"I know that," Penelo answered. "But couldn't we--?'

"Vaan," Basch, who was standing a little away from the group, acting like some sort of guard, interjected now. The three other companions looked up at Basch's warning.

"Look," Vaan pointed excitedly behind Basch towards something in the very busy market of Nalbina Town. "There they go!"

Penelo and Larsa followed the direction where Vaan was pointing. Penelo sighed once more as Vaan straightened up and looked at the two of them, reminding them of their plan.

"Don't forget, we want to scare them in giving the pouch back." He whispered hurriedly as he nudged Basch who nodded. The two of them began to join the throngs of the people shopping in the market that Penelo and Larsa had no other choice but to follow them quickly.

"I do not understand why we cannot simply talk to these thieves." Larsa muttered under his breath as he ran astride Penelo following Basch and Vaan. "Vaan is eager to have his revenge."

Penelo made an exasperated sound. "I think Vaan is intimidated at the fact somebody stole from him. He won't admit it to himself that he's getting rusty." She shook her head but then a curious look came over her face. " Basch's willingness to join Vaan is weird though."

It was Larsa's turn to sigh. "If I guess correctly of Basch's behavior, he is getting bored with our journey and looks for a bit of entertainment."

The two looked at each other, a look of understanding passing between them.

"Come on," Penelo said breaking the comfortable silence. "Let's go before Basch and Vaan do something to attract attention." She reached out and grabbed one of Larsa's gloved hands and pulled him with her, weaving in and out of the people all over the market.

XOXOXOX

Nalbina was a fortress built on an oasis, located between the Old Kingdom of Dalmasca and Nabradia. Defended by high ridges and barren sands, long it stood firm against generations of aggressors. Nalbina Fortress and the merchant town that had sprung in its shadow made the area a focal point for local commerce.

The treaty to end hostilities in the Great War with Archadia was signed in Nalbina, yet immediately after the signing the old Dalmascan King, Raminas was slain. As a result of this treachery, the Kingdom of Dalmasca had come under the complete Archadian Imperial rule. During the two years of occupation of Imperial forces in Nalbina prior to Emperor Larsa Solidor's reign, the fortress became a key strategic stronghold against the distant yet threatening Rozzarian Empire. One of Larsa Solidor's first acts when he first stepped into office, was to relinquish the hold of Nalbina Fortress back to its owner, the Kingdom of Dalmasca, under Her Royal Majesty, Queen Ashelia.

Works continue to this day to repair the damage which the fortress suffered during several wars.

Recently however, markets where antiques and rarities can readily be had have sprung up in the outer wards of the fortress taking advantage of the steady flow of traffic which passes through this midpoint between Rabanastre and Nabudis. It is this pivotal location that gives its fortress its unique character. Many are the travelers who visit Nalbina to witness this ever-blooming oasis that refuses to silt over in neglect or crumble before the blistering winds of war.

Nevertheless, because of its very popular and thriving market, Nalbina Fortress is also an ideal place for thievery. Cloaked and disguised between the civilians, thieves take advantage of the density of the population as well as the occupation of the owners to cut pockets, both as a hobby and a means of living.

Three of Nalbina's most notorious thieves were walking arm in arm confidently through the market, particularly happy of the "job" they just have accomplished.

"What shall we do with this gil, Yfae?" a cheerful girl dressed oddly even for Nalbinan standards spoke to one of her companions. This girl wore a dark brown skirt barely enough to cover her thighs and legs, with calf-long boots in blue and white. She showed lots of skin, only wearing clothing enough to cover her chest, but she wore gloves that ran the length of her arms, in creamy white and was held together by several ribbons. She also wore a very long scarf in different hues, from red to orange to yellow at the very fringe which matched with the belt that supported several pouches attached to her waist and her also went with her sun-kissed voluminous golden hair styled in different braids, beads and feathers and was pushed away from her face by a large bandanna in the color of the sky. Her green eyes sparkled as she threw the fat money pouch in the air, catching it whenever it fell with the dexterity and agility of an expert thief.

"I don't know Reena," the girl next to her said, her voice soft and pleasant but held all the mischievousness of a thief. "We've never had this much money before have we?" Yfae shrugged.

She also was dressed oddly, with her spiky brown locks short save for a long braid wrapped in pink ribbon and ran the length of her back to the back of her knees. Yfae was dressed in a white halter top with an odd design in the middle and bore a rose pink hood. She also wore black very short shorts with a skirt, in the colors of the sea; even its design resembled waves with foam with the folds and cut. She wore an identical pouch like Reena's on her waist and knee-high boots with white laces. If that didn't add to the oddity of her dress, she also wore guards on her upper arms in the color of a chocobo, a Gorgechimera feather on her hair with blue beads, and her eyes were of different colors. One was the twinkling hue of the sky while the other was a dark bottle green. She smiled easily and softly, but she bore a confidence which made her seem the leader of their little group.

Yfae turned to the last member of the group, standing to her right and was much more different in dress and aura than both Reena and Yfae combined. She was dressed in the dominant colors of black and silver, with several belts and straps wrapped around her slim waist and torso, a studded belt holding the ebony shorts she wore on top of the boots that covered all of her legs to most of her thighs. She wore arm-length gloves and a black choker around her neck, and her slate-colored hair was fashioned almost boyishly about her face, though her eyes were as red as a Viera's. She neither laughed nor smiled easily like her two companions though she seemed to get along with them.

"What do you think Pryiah?" Yfae asked her, peering at her red-ruby eyes. Pyria shrugged. "We might as well spend it," Pryiah answered in her rather dry but calm voice.

Reena clapped her hands after catching the pouch one last time and hooking it in her belt. "Oh yeah, that's a good idea!' she looked at Yfae and Pryiah. "Let's spend it on chocobo rides! I bet Gurdy would be happy to have some customers who know how to ride them. Poor moogle, all he gets are tourists from Archadia who think they know better just because their humes." Reena said placing her hands on her hips a frown on her face.

Yfae exchanged looks with Pyriah, who had raised her eyebrows at Reena's speech and turned back to look at Reena who stood still in her pose.

"If I didn't know any better, you sounded like you weren't a hume." Pyriah commented, folding her arms and staring at Reena with her red eyes. Reena pouted dramatically at Pyriah.

"Party-pooper." She said and tossed her head in the air, looking away from Pyriah.

Pyriah, on the other hand had followed Reena's gaze when she tossed her head in the air, and her brow furrowed at what she saw through the throngs of people at the market place.

"Yfae," she said warningly. "Let's get out of here."

Yfae looked at her companion curiously, then followed her gaze as well before nodding at Pyriah, understanding. "Let's go." Together the two of them turned around and began walking away, trying to look inconspicuous.

It took Reena a few minutes to realize that she was all alone in the middle of the marketplace. When she did look about her, a puzzled look and a series of "What the-?" 's came out of her mouth before she spotted her companions walking away briskly from the crowded area. Running after them, she shouted, "Wait for me!"

XOXOXOXO

Vaan heard the shout across the marketplace and he had just enough time to see the three thieves leaving the middle of the shops to try to get to a quieter place in Nalbina Town. He turned around to look for Larsa and Penelo, hoping that somehow, the two of them were following the plan instead of exchanging their opinions on how rash this plan was.

When Vaan did run after the thieves, he saw that he had been spotted by the three and that they were running now, not caring if they look suspicious. The hunter quickly gave chase, afraid that he might lose them in the crowd, he started running faster.

"Where did they go?" he muttered to himself, stopping in the middle of a busy street, looking about to where the thieves had disappeared to. He spotted a blond head among the crowd and… "There!" He said excitedly to himself and began running in that direction.

XOXOXXO

Yfae, Reena and Pyriah managed to lose that blond when a few Bangaa and Seeqs were walking through the market place, but as soon as they lost him, they found their way blocked by another blond man, this time, an older man, with a slight beard and green eyes, holding what seemed to be a Zodiac spear. He glared at them now, his bottle-green eyes seemed to be going through them like the very sharp spear he was holding in his hands.

"That's a very big spear." Reena said in a very small voice and she felt Yfae nod beside her.

"I think it's time we…" Yfae whispered, slowly backing away from this man. "RUN!!" In a practiced movement, the trio turned around to escape the bearded man but they found themselves face to face with one of his companions, the young lad that they had tried to escape from had caught up to them.

"Now, why don't you just give us back what you stole from us." He said motioning over to the pouch that still hung from Reena's waist. Reena stuck out a tongue at him.

"Finders keepers!" she said and her two companions nodded firmly.

Vaan folded his arms and raised his eyebrows at the group. He sighed exasperatedly. "Look we can either do this the easy way or…Hey!"

The three girls had taken Vaan's temporary lack of attention to escape to the right, still running away from the crowded streets of the market place. 'Basch, quick!" he yelled but the man was already running after them.

"Come on!" Pyriah urged her two friends, even pulling Reena faster with her; the bearded man was right at their heels.

"That beardo sure can run!" Reena gasped out as she allowed herself to be pulled by Pyriah and Yfae.

"You sure picked easy targets Reena," Pyriah muttered under her breath.

"Hey!" Reena managed to give a cry of outrage. "How am I supposed to know that that kid had some serious back-up?"

"Here, quick!" Yfae interrupted pointing at a street on their right and the girls quickly turned.

They kept running, still hearing footsteps behind them, but then they stopped. It was a dead end. The three girls turned around as their pursuers stopped also, knowing that they were trapped.

"Valiant Feathers!" Yfae said drawing out her two Betelgueses preparing to fight these two men who had cornered them.

"Yfae!" she said kneeling down and pointing her guns head on to their captors.

"Reena!" The blond girl said drawing her own weapons which looked like complicated knives.

"Pyriah," the tall one said and she unsheathed a claymore and seemed to hold it with ease for such a large sword.

Vaan cocked his head as the girls posed, their faces grim, their weapons drawn and wondered if they were serious. He turned to exchange looks with Basch when a voice behind them made him turn around.

"That is enough!"

Vaan turned around as did Basch but the girls did not relax their positions and continued to point their weapons at them.

To the girls' surprise, a boy, younger than either of the two that chased them came into view, and with him was another person, a girl, with blond braids, a worried expression on her face. The boy however, just looked a bit stern, not at the girls, but at the men. He continued staring at them with his deep blue eyes before turning to look at the girls. He picked up the money pouch that had fallen off Reena's waist when they were running and handed it over to Yfae.

"My apologies," he said with a slight accent as he straightened up. "My companions were a little too excited."

The three girls stared at the boy from whom they stole from, exchanged quick glances at each other before slowly and almost deliberately, did they lower their weapons and look at the boy once more.

"Why are you helping us?" Reena demanded folding her arms and regarding the boy with a suspicious look. "We stole from you!'

"I believe that people steal because they do not have enough. Though I admit that taking money from me is a mistake, I also believe in second chances. Though I am compelled to add that if you had asked the gil from me in the first place instead of sneaking up on me from behind, we could have avoided this trouble all together." The boy spoke smoothly, urging the girls to take the money pouch that he was still handing over to them.

"Go on. Take it." He added reassuringly. "I mean you know harm, and as much as my companions seemed to show it, we have not come looking for trouble. On the contrary, we were very much desirous to avoid attention. If you doubt my words, here," he fished another money pouch from within his shirt and handed it over along with the first. "Take this as well. I hope that is enough to fill your stomachs in days to come, and make you avoid stealing for sport all together, it is a rather dangerous and risky business, do you not agree?"

Yfae nodded, but Reena still looked at him as if he was strange.

"Who are you?' Pyriah asked now and the boy laughed.

"I am but a traveler, looking for a friend here in Nalbina. Perhaps you know her? Her name is Jovy." He noticed that all though they seemed cautious of Larsa, they accepted the money he gave them.

"We do not know any humes by the name of Jovy," Pyriah answered and Vaan replied just as quick.

"She's not a hume. She's a Seeq. Used to wander around the marketplace yelling about a dead hero." He said shortly, folding his arms and still looking at the girls distrustfully.

"Jovy?" Yfae asked now. "She sees somewhere close to the reconstruction site. She helps there now I think."

Larsa bowed at her. "Much obliged, thank you." He said and turned to take his leave.

"Hey wait!" Reena yelled just as Larsa and his companions were leaving the alley.

"You're really giving us all your money?"

Larsa shrugged as if he was puzzled at the question. "If my troubles were just as easy to give away I would be happier than you were when you stole from me." Was all he said before walking away.

Yfae, Reena and Pyriah watched him go, now holding two fat money pouches in their hands before turning around curiously at each other.

"What shall we do about the money?" Yfae asked the two of them, looking at one to the other.

"Let's go someplace sunny, like Balfonheim Port or something. Maybe Phon Coast!"

"The hunters' camp?" Pyriah asked.

"We could get in, Nimbus told us where it was anyway," Reena interjected enthusiastically.

"How are we getting there?" Yfae asked as if they had not been chased through the streets of Nalbina recently and were having this conversation for a period of time now. "By public airship?"

"Nah." Reena said waving her arms. "I don't want to blow half the money away on air fare. How about we Warp there?" she suggested. "We know the magick well enough."

"Warp?" Pyriah asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

"Yeah, come on." Reena urged. "It'll be fun. I've always wanted to try it alone. Pop used to take me along when he's too lazy to fly. What do you say Yfae?"

Yfae nodded enthusiastically without a second thought. "It may be fun, why not?"

Reena punched the air. "Oh yeah, Phon coast here we come!"

Pyriah sighed now, wondering once more if their good luck were to turn at any moment. The last thing she needed was to be stuck somewhere with Reena for company.

"If you say so. " she said resignedly before holding out her hand for Yfae to take.

Reena took Yfae's other hand and without another word yelled with the two…"One…two…three…Warp!!"

Suddenly, Reena and Yfae's hair beads and Pyriah's choker began to glow a mako blue, like that of Basch's armguard so long ago that day in Archades when Larsa decided to sneak out of the palace. Then suddenly, with a loud sucking sound in the air and a second later, the three girls had vanished from where they stood a while ago, cornered by the people they had stolen from.