Fandom Final Fantasy: The Age of Ophiuchus [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

Hector huffed, but it was true, the promise of a new shirt did relax him a little. Even if he continued to fuss with the cuffs of his shirt, and try rolling them up to hide the bloodstains and tears. He shoved his gun back into its place and glanced back at the door with the seal they had no way of opening. Apparently, Anissa didn’t think her magic could do it, though it looked magical.

Anissa didn’t seem sure just what opened it. Probably why the Empire didn’t know. Ibec’s clergy worked with them on these things, right? Hector groaned. “All this way, for nothing,” he grumbled, giving Sesario a glare, “except bloody wolves and bitten hands.” And whatever wounds the others had.

Anissa gave the sour boy a look, before sighing, “I really need to find that lizard, I’ll owe a fortune if I don’t bring it back,” she said, “but I’ll tag along with you and see if I can find him on the way,” she wasn’t quite aware of what they’d used to get here. “I don’t suppose you two are actually looking into these kinds of ruins, are you?”

“Uh…not sure.” Hector answered, “Why?”

“Well, I have an idea of how it might open, buuuut to test it I’d need to find Capricorn’s ruins. You know. Capricorn priestess. We get some special artifacts.” Not true, she had a mark, but they didn’t need to know that. “So I thought maybe if you guys were going to keep doing that, we could keep in touch, and if you found it…I’d let you guys have some of the spoils in there.”

Hector arched a brow, but looked to Sesario to give the final word. He wanted to ask why she wasn’t working with the Empire, but opted not to ask that question. He could think of several good reasons.

~***~

Jagger and generosity was an unknown variable, yet something that Zariel noted down all the same. She didn’t need to pay for the man’s drink. And the man didn’t seem to want it, either, irritated by the offer, and even the explanation, “Prumoor’s part of the Empire last I heard, and you’re here with her.”

Still, a drink was a drink, and getting money out of Imperial hands wasn’t terrible. He scoffed, and as the glass of straight gin was set in front of Zariel, added, “But I guess I can’t argue to making one of you lot poorer.” Zariel tipped a cheers gesture as she left more than enough gil to cover her current drink, and a few more, on the counter without asking what the price was.

Rather like her brother, she really didn’t need to ask, or think about gil, on small purchases for herself. Large scale things, sure, but a few drinks? What was 1,000 gil for a few drinks? She knew people who spent more on a bottle of wine, which was honestly ridiculous to her. Then again, she wasn’t much of a wine drinker unless she had to be.

Stereotypes.

She would let Jagger get her ale and get things sorted with the Ucantis man who already hated them, while she’d take a seat at a booth near a window, where she could watch plenty of things within the Moogle, and outside of it.

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario sighed at Hector’s pessimism and scratched his jaw, a rough sound emerging when his fingers met bristles. He had mentioned to Hector he hadn’t the time to shave. Really, he had plenty of time. But the call to adventure was much stronger and much more intriguing than having to stand still and waste his time on that.

“Alright, alright,” the man gave an equal grumble in return, “maybe it didn’t work out quite as we would have liked it to. I’ll let you complain about it for a week at most.” At least they knew such a place was here now?

Sesario gave a bit of a grin at Anissa before he resolved, “We can help you with that. We’ll find it in no time at all.” He neglected to mention the airship.

Really, he just wanted to see her reaction to seeing an airship.

Sesario did listen closely to Anissa, his brow raising at the most obvious points. Special artifacts, spoils, the fact they might be able to get in on them. Though, he was curious by her eagerness to find these temples and to stay in touch with them, for that matter. He caught Hector’s glance, and could imagine he had more questions than the few that he raised with himself.

But he’d rather not burn his bridges over the chance of spoils.

The sky pirate chuckled, folding his arms. “You’re talking our language. Though, you’re pretty eager to get into some of those, even with or without our help. Sure there isn’t any bad juju if we got something out of these ruins?”

~***~

“Thought you might say that,” Jagger murmured. She thought the man would be tempted, especially if it meant taking money off the Imperials. She was sure where there was a small loss like that, the Empire would be making ten times that, possibly more, that it was as mediocre as throwing a coin to a beggar. Regardless, it kept him busy, and kept his mouth shut for a little while.

She couldn’t have cared less about Prumoor. They had it coming, being drafted into the Empire.

“At least you can brag how you took money from Imperials and got away with it,” Jagger noted to the man, setting down a tower of gil on the counter and grabbing her tankard. “You’d be surprised how satisfying it actually is,” she said, turning from the counter after the man tired of the short-lived conversation.

Well, when you actually got paid by Imperials, that was.

Jagger soon followed Zariel to a window booth, taking a seat across from the Empress. Really, she preferred some more central tables, but the two of them didn’t exactly need to be front and centre for the kind of conversation they were about to have. Before anything got started though, Jagger took a swig, a much needed one after going without some ale over the past few days, before she got straight down to it.

“Alright,” Jagger sat back, nodding to Zariel, “give it to me then.”

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Yeah, I thought I was.’ Anissa resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but a smile twitched onto her lips all the same as the older pirate remarked that she was speaking their language. “I honestly don’t know if they’re haunted or anything like that, or if you’ll be cursed,” which was true, “As I said, we in Ibec didn’t have anything to do with these temples, which is why I’m curious. They seem to be…well, the genuine articles, the things made by the Twelve, if these wolves are any clue, and it’s odd to me that we’d forget them and stop tending to them.”

“So you just want to see inside of it out of genuine scholarly interest?” Hector found it hard to believe, though he’d run into a few scholarly types before. They were always weird to him.

Anissa nodded.

“You sure you just don’t want a couple of other people cursed?”

“If you think I’m planning to stop searching myself, you’re wrong,” Anissa said. “If I find it, I’ll be happy to go along without you two, and keep all the spoils for myself,” she did want to at least see the spoils and gather what information she could from what was left behind. “Soooo…?”

Hector sighed. “Up to him.”

He couldn’t make these decisions if he tried. Sesario would overrule him anyways, ‘cause he was the adult, and it was his ship that Hector was living on, which meant he got to make all the important decisions. Even when they were stupid decisions.

At least no more wolves seemed to be hunting them down as they got out of the cave and into the open air again.

~***~

Jagger took her swig, and then right into the question at hand. Zariel chuckled a bit, not looking at her, before she’d take her gin and shoot it back. Ah, this conversation. She knew it was going to come up one day, and after that, everything changed. At least she didn’t think she should have brought any guards along.

She did gesture over for a refill of the gin, though.

“I suppose you’re among those who think I want the marked for the power they have, to hasten my own conquest across Hyune, and then the surrounding islands of Ivocia, hm?” And of course, it never bothered Jagger before, but now that she saw an actual hunt for a marked, it did. She let herself fall silent a moment as the gin was returned…this time with a partner so the bartender wouldn’t have to come over too often.

Smart man, even if Zariel intended to nurse the other two.

“I couldn’t care less about conquest, Hyune, or any of these wars. It all started with my grandfather to find the 12 marked, and that’s what I care about. They continue to be born again and again into the world, all at once, which I’m sure even you can mark as unusual.” Jagger didn’t have to be a scholar. Most of the stories they had of the Twelve, and told to kids of the Twelve, rarely involved all Twelve represented on Ivocia at once. Usually, it was just one or two – unless this was at the very beginning of Ivocia’s history, of course.

 

[Arcanist]

“Made by the Twelve…” Sesario mused with a raised eyebrow. He was surprised these locations weren’t more of a well-known thing, though, he guessed the Twelve wouldn’t want these places to be found. It would make sense too, if the Empire wanted to know where they all were. It made the thought of getting into a few before them all the more delectable. That fire for adventure and risk soared in his belly, and it was an offer they simply couldn’t turn down.

It was great that he had the final decision to make.

“We all want similar things,” he pointed out the obvious with a grin, “and sure, the Twelve might curse us for trespassing on their property, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. And anyway, I have a tremendous amount of luck,” the man winked. ‘Luck’ was pushing it.

As they made it out into the open air, Sesario breathed in the cold air, and exhaling heavily. He looked to Anissa as they stood at the entrance of the ruins. “We’ll cut a deal with you. But,” he turned, walking backwards as they did so, and added, “I do business on first name terms. Sesario,” he directed to himself before nodding to his partner, “and that there is Hector.”

Sesario peered over the cliffside they had originally climbed, clicking his tongue. “I’ll climb down again, get our ride and bring her back up to pick up you two,” he explained, then glanced to Anissa again. “Then, we’ll go look for your scaly friend.”

~***~

Zariel took her sweet time to get into it. That was one thing about the Empress. She knew how to control a conversation, how to make someone sit on the edge of their seat, hang on their every word. Or at least, the very few words she had said. It did irritate her. She preferred things to be clear-cut, straight to the point.

“You could say that,” Jagger murmured. That was a yes. She had assumed that domination was what she was doing. Diddy might have thought the same. Having twelve marked people with the power to summon these otherworldly gods was would have made for the ultimate super weapon after all.

Jagger eyed one of the workers who came over with two gins for the Empress herself and was glad to see them make themselves sparse again. She looked back to Zariel, her eyes insisting she continue, until Zariel did.

To hear her say she wasn’t bothered about conquest surprised Jagger. It was what she was seen to be doing after all. Anyone with a semblance of a brain could understand that. Jagger hummed, nodding. “True. I’ve heard stories, some more far fetched than others.” She’d even heard one or two about these apparent ‘marked ones’ but she never paid it much mind. She wondered how she never equated her ‘birthmark’ with that over the years.

“So, one or two was never something to be concerned about,” Jagger started, leaning forward, apparently forgetting about her ale momentarily, “but you’re telling me because we have all twelve of them at once…we should be sweating more over it?” She assumed, and it was obvious to tell she assumed, that was bad news.

But she still didn’t understand what that all meant.

“Why is that even a thing anyway? Thought some of the Twelve didn’t get involved too much anyway.” One or two, maybe. She understood the belief that each ruled in certain periods, and there were stories in the past of them giving their aid to poor old mortals like themselves. But those were ancient tales, hardly things that would happen today.

 

[Lucyfer]

Honestly, Anissa wasn’t at all surprised to find this man was in agreement. He seemed the sort to take risks, and she smirked, just a bit, as he blithely waved off the thought of curses. She’d never be so casual about it, but then again, she didn’t think she’d be getting curse. She was chosen, though, so that probably had a lot to do with her confidence. No need to tell him that, though.

Especially with him keeping his name to himself. His full name. ‘Really are a wanted criminal, aren’t you?’ She didn’t say it as she lifted her brows. “Well, Sesario,” Rozari name, wasn’t it? She was certain she’d met a few with that name before, “I’m Anissa, Priestess of Capricorn. That should be enough for any Moogle.”

“Oh right – moogles – just tell them it’s the Sesario with Hector, they’ll know,” Hector said, rolling his eyes, “They know me pretty well,” and so they knew which Sesario to go running to when things like this had to be done. They were wonderfully discreet.

“The moogles know everyone,” Anissa didn’t seem impressed.

Hector considered correcting her on the difference, but it wasn’t in his interest to, so he just shrugged, “Just saying if you want to make it easier for them.”

“Right…,” she frowned a bit as Sesario left them to go get…whatever he needed to get. She looked around, trying to spot the damned lizard that ran off on her, “So are you two wanted criminals or something and that’s why no last names?”

“No, sadly that’s not the reason,” Hector sighed, but wouldn’t elaborate more on that. Sesario wanted it kept a secret, so it would remain a secret. “So how come you can’t just get a priestess of Taurus here to open up this way?”

Anissa froze a moment at the question. ‘Uh.’ “I’m…not exactly doing this with Temple permission.” Okay, even that didn’t sound believable, and she could tell Hector wasn’t fully buying it, either.

~***~

Jagger was catching on. Her questions were slow realizations that it meant something for so many to be born into the world at once. Zariel gave a calm nod, taking up another glass of gin, swirling it once, and taking a sip of it, “I am saying precisely that, and saying it’s not something I can make common knowledge,” the hint was also that Jagger couldn’t make it common knowledge, either.

Zariel didn’t truly know how Leander came about the realization that speaking too much meant bad things, but she didn’t doubt the lessons passed down, even if they came from Lavi. When it came to Leander, and her, there was little reason to lie. Lavi had no mark, but he had been devoted.

“I do not have all the answers. I imagine some of the Twelve intervened in the past because they simply liked to, or they needed something done. I know that this time, it is not so much a choice, as something they were forced into. I know that they cannot return to their homes and so they must incarnate, again, and again, until they cannot.”

Another reason she couldn’t just kill their hosts. There was the possibility it would be their last incarnation; she didn’t know how long until their strength waned, but it was something passed on, from Leander, to Lavi, to her.

No one seemed to be paying too much attention. Normalcy had returned. Zariel relaxed a bit in the booth, but she still kept some attention on the area around in spite of that casual posturing. “Shiva says little, and I cannot speak with Phoenix, but my grandfather could.”

Another sip.

“Something known as Ophiuchus entered our sky. You can see it at night, and it was first recorded not even two centuries ago. It intends to destroy Ivocia. It took the Twelve by surprise, and threw them from the sky, into hosts they resonated with, but eventually, time will run out.” She didn’t know why it hadn’t. She only knew she needed all Twelve, and she needed to finish the Tower to reach Ophiuchus.

She needed to open those damned ruins, as well.

 

[Arcanist]

A name and the same title she had mentioned having before. Perhaps they could learn plenty with a Priestess around…though given how clueless Anissa was about this temple, he wasn’t sure how much they would actually get out of her.

“Trust me,” Sesario reassured Anissa and hammered home Hector’s original comment, “kid’s got good links with those moogles.” He honestly wasn’t sure how he managed it. It made the most sense for him to handle any business with the moogles, seeing how deep his connections was with them.

Sesario, in the meanwhile, had finished securing the rope and the equipment needed to scale down the wall once more. He noted how much easier the descent towards the airship actually was and was grateful for it on his ‘old man’ bones. He eventually made it onto the ship, safe and sound, and made his way down to the cockpit.

It wasn’t longer after both Anissa and Hector’s conversation that Sesario had gotten the airship up and running, and managed to bring it further up for the two of them. Though, they no doubt heard the Valkyrie’s engine roaring up into the air before they actually saw it appearing.

He had brought the airship up and over as far as he could, enough for them to be able to get onto the plank brought out to help them onboard.

It was hard for Sesario to see if he had gained Anissa’s interest with the bad boy he just brought out. Most women rather liked it.

He held onto a small hope, though, didn’t expect much on the other hand.

~***~

Something that couldn’t be common knowledge. Jagger scratched her jaw as she pondered that thought. She’d heard plenty of people ‘prophesise’ the so-called end of this world before. She wouldn’t have believed Zariel if she didn’t possess a mark herself. Though, was continuing the conquests so necessary? Then again, you couldn’t just tell anyone this knowledge.

To think she’d be so willing to follow along without knowing this before. Then again, people like her had done worse for some gil in her pocket.

Unlike Zariel, Jagger had forgotten her drink in the process. She was starting to seem too interested in the conversation as a whole, too eager for knowledge. Things weren’t so clear-cut however. Jagger sighed, “I guess you wouldn’t be doing this if you did have all the answers.” It wasn’t entirety simple to explain.

Jagger leaned back, raising an eyebrow at Zariel upon the mention of Shiva, and Phoenix, and the lack of help either seemed to give. She saw little of Shiva, only heard she was a very...pretty thing, and seemed more content freezing things than cooperating. Phoenix...well, it never appeared. Not since her grandfather had it, apparently.

She wondered why it hasn’t shown before Shiva? And why Shiva hadn’t bothered to help out, if this was all some sort of urgent matter?

Jagger couldn’t help but groan at the mention of another name. She rubbed her forehead, muttering, “Time’s running out...so vague...” Only then, she seemed to remember her drink, and with this new information, she took a larger swig than she had before during their time there. She took a moment to take in the information, but her forehead was still creased with some confusion.

“It all sounds a little...ah...” Not made up. “...chaotic.” Not much better.

 

[Lucyfer]

Before Hector could consider how much more to ask about the situation, the roar of the engine caught her attention. He breathed a sigh of relief, and smirked a bit at the shock that came across her face. She went to the edge and looked down, realizing they had brought an airship. “That’s…handy.”

“Yeah,” Hector agreed, “very,” and Sesario made it down without breaking his spine, so that was good.

Soon enough, he brought it up to where they could get on, and Hector motioned Anissa ahead of himself, before following on. Anissa didn’t linger to wait for him, but went towards the cockpit to get a view from the windows. Although she made an attempt to mask her impression, it was still there in her dark eyes, impressed with it all, the looks, the sound, the fact they had one.

She cast a glance down towards the seated pilot, a smirk pulling at her lips, some comment wanting to escape about he was definitely a wanted man, but she kept it to herself, just shaking her head and looking back out the window, “Okay, let’s try to find the lizard.”

Hector had pulled the plank back in by then and shut the door, before he joined them in the cockpit. “I’m sure this won’t be too hard at all,” his sarcasm was apparent, “and I’m sure the lizard won’t go running at the sound of the engine, either.”

~***~

There was a bit of an amused look in Zariel’s eye when she looked from the window, back over to Jagger, “You don’t believe me,” it wasn’t a question, nor, necessarily, an accusation, “I didn’t either.” There was a time when she’d just been furious with it all, when she thought Lavi was mad, that it was all insane, too. That the mark meant nothing, for herself or for Oleander – because nothing brought Phoenix out. “I looked into it more myself, star charts, any references in the stories of the Twelve….” She finished the second glass, and reached for the third.

“Ophiuchus is mentioned in a few stories of the Twelve, not by name, but as a World Eating Serpent. You may be familiar with such references,” curiously, they popped up in Leo, Libra, Taurus, and Cancer stories – not so much the others. Perhaps it was a reason they found Aquarius lacking.

Zariel wished she had the answer for Shiva’s apparent lack of concern. “But you can also track the changes of the sky through skycharts. I am certain the library in the castle here has some, if you are concerned about those in Amarum being…well, corrupted.”

A reasonable concern.

“You won’t find Ophiuchus in the old sky. And you’ll see Leo had more stars in the past.” Now…not so much. It was an interesting development, one that was different from the other constellations in a worrying way, though Zariel wouldn’t admit that now. None of the others seemed to be missing stars, though she was told that they were far more faded than they had been in the past.

Of course, she’d been looking up at them for ages.

She wasn’t certain if she’d recognized changes over her lifespan, so far as dimness went.

 

[Arcanist]

All that was left to do was wait for the two of them to get back onboard. And he relished it, particularly when Anissa had gotten onboard and entered the cockpit. He raised his eyebrows in an ‘Eh? Eh?’ motion and even if she hadn’t given an over the top physical or vocal response as he had hoped, he could still see that twinkle in those eyes, that smirk she had on her face.

That would be enough for him and his ego for the day.

Hector’s sarcastic tone became apparent, as it was prone to do, regarding their search for this missing lizard. Sesario laughed a little and shook his head, looking to his partner as he walked further into the cockpit. “Ever the optimist, Hector,” he joked before he glanced between the two as he continued.

“We’ll just have to ascend higher and keep some distance, but it's one lizard. I doubt it'll be that difficult to find it,” Sesario reassured them both. Though, he could imagine Hector would be less optimistic about it.

“You know that reptile best,” Sesario said to Anissa. “Leave the piloting to us and keep an eye out.”

~***~

“Something like that.” Not believing her was putting it lightly. It sounded like Zariel plucked ideas out from the air and tried to align all the pieces like a puzzle. But strangely, rather than stop her, she had let her continue.

Of course, it only got weirder. Her furrowed brow said as much, though, there was a glint of recognition in her eyes at the ‘World Eating Serpent'. “Yeah,” Jagger leaned forward, nodding, “heard bits and pieces.” Her old group had drunkenly recalled literally pieces of the stories in random orders. Juno liked to set them out in their proper order. Her favourite had been Libra, a story full of justice and balance, and all that. Kirin, she had heard, was a peacemaker, who tried more to appease than anything else.

It clearly did not work where the Serpent was concerned.

“I might take you up on that,” Jagger told her. “I’ve started to notice things off with the night sky.” She had always used the stars, constellations, as her guides. She never needed a map because of it.

Jagger took her tankard back in her hand again. “The stars don’t look as bright anymore,” she took a swig. Her men said there was something screwy with her for saying that. “It’s...weirdly subtle. There’s not a notable change every night over anything, that’d be too obvious. But over time...” She shrugged, drinking the rest of her tankard. She was slacking today.

Zariel wished she had the answer for Shiva’s apparent lack of concern. “But you can also track the changes of the sky through skycharts. I am certain the library in the castle here has some, if you are concerned about those in Amarum being…well, corrupted.”

A reasonable concern.

“You won’t find Ophiuchus in the old sky. And you’ll see Leo had more stars in the past.” Now…not so much. It was an interesting development, one that was different from the other constellations in a worrying way, though Zariel wouldn’t admit that now. None of the others seemed to be missing stars, though she was told that they were far more faded than they had been in the past.

Of course, she’d been looking up at them for ages.

She wasn’t certain if she’d recognized changes over her lifespan, so far as dimness went.

 

[Lucyfer]

Anissa wasn’t going to clarify she hadn’t known the lizard that long. She was just renting it, after all. She wouldn’t say that, though, but she would move closer to the windows to watch as Sesario began to sweep around the area. There were definitely more wolves down there, that was clear. Hector couldn’t help but let out a low whistle as he saw another group of them further from the cave.

Thankfully, that wasn’t where the lizard was.

The lizard was higher up, clinging to the cliffside, and looking terribly confused. Clearly, it wasn’t sure what to do now that it had run off. “There! That’s where he is,” Anissa pointed, “Er, I’m not sure what to do about it being on the wall…maybe try to get in close and I can try to calm it from the door.”

“See, this is why we need a net,” Hector said. He’d told Sesario this multiple times. Nets were useful for catching people, for lifting up objects they couldn’t carry, and now it would have been useful for getting a frightened lizard into the ship. Did Sesario invest in it yet? No, because it meant too much time stalled in one place.

Maybe he’d be convinced now.

~***~

It was a good thing that stories of the Twelve were so widespread throughout Hyune. Concepts were familiar enough to people, and Jagger had heard of the World Eating Serpent. Of course, the name Ophiuchus never reached those stories, but in the end, did the name matter? Only to those who knew what to look for. And Zariel was still trying to avoid those attentions, by not being secretive with when and where she shared the information.

So far, it worked for her.

No one thought anything important came from an open bar booth by a window.

Zariel let her gaze drift from the window, back to Jagger. ‘Ah, good.’ She had noticed where Zariel didn’t. Zariel knew how to find the constellations, and she could read the sky, but she’d still never caught on to the dimness others spoke of. That might mean she’d start to believe a little easier, once she saw the old sky charts, and considered the rest of the pieces. “You’ll find stories about scholars noticing the change over time, as well,” Zariel offered. “I won’t provide you with the books, but I imagine Ucantis isn’t wholly lacking.”

This way, she wouldn’t be feeding Jagger the information that she might consider corrupted. “You’ll have full access to Ucantis’s libraries to look into what I’ve said, but keep in mind not to talk of it. Especially covertly,” a small chuckle, “No one cares what an Empress has to say in a public bar.”

She gave a small wave, “And if you want to talk more of it, Lixue or Oleander will speak with you as well.”

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario had been slow in his piloting, but that was so he didn't scare the damn scaly thing off. He noted another pack of wolves and mumbled something along the lines of, "How many damn wolves does this Fenrir guy have to have roaming the place?" Troublesome creatures. Then again, this was technically their home that they were so rudely tresspassing upon.

"Nice spot," Sesario said, slowing the ship down. He did have to wonder how they were going to get it aboard. Admittedly, he didn't think that far ahead. Hector usually covered that department for him. But usually that came back to bite him in the arse, especially when he didn't take on Hector's suggestions. He heaved a sigh at Hector's insistence of a net, yet again, for what felt like the thirtieth time this year.

"What's the problem with just packing things onboard? We've got the space for it. Plus," Sesario pointed to Hector. "If we're carrying goods so openly, we might as well just be standing with our arses out." Not all pirates were so honourable, after all. Not many governing bodies or military appreciated them either. Sesario did remember himself though, and did turb back to Anissa and cleared his throat, "Beggin' your pardon..." He rubbed his jaw before he made his suggestion.

"Do you have anything that might attract it over? Food? A, uh...whistle, or something?" Did these lizards even come with whistles? He thought he had heard of such, but he couldn't have been so sure. "I can try and get us close enough to the cliffside, get the plank out...then again, the thing might have to make a bit of a leap to get onto it."

Goddamnit. A net would have been useful.

Fucking kid always had to make the most sense.

~***~

Jagger noticed Zariel's interest piqued when she turned back to look at her. She wasn't just a pretty face. Well, in her line of work, very few people were. Even she had her drawbacks. She was a mercenary either all - but far from the point. Jagger wasn't the only one to notice about those stars either. Though, she wondered if many people actually listened to the rambling of scholars. She scoffed a little before chuckling, "Heh. A sellsword walking into a library and asking to get some books out. Sounds like the start of a bad joke." When was the last time she even read a book?

Interesting how Zariel kept pointing her in Ucantis's library for more information. Though, she could imagine the propaganda that Amarum's scriptures would be full of.

Else, she had something more to keep from her.

"You make it sound like I've never kept secrets before," Jagger feigned an almost hurt tone, a hand over her chest for added effect. She had many, particularly from those who hired her, and including the one she was trying to hide from Zariel. "I get it's sensitive stuff. But true," Jagger sighed, her eyes moving up to where they ordered their drinks, only diverting to a traveller who was slightly more boisterous now than when they came in. "You're lucky I'm still sober enough to care about listening."

Jagger sucked her teeth before she nodded to Zariel, "Alright. Guess I'll catch one of them when they're not busy." And by catch one of them, she meant Oleander. Lixue was a harder nut to crack. Too patronising. Too much of a temptation to wind up and irritate the hell out of. All that, and he was also just a weirdo. At least she could take Oleander out for a drink and talk about other things.

Jagger reached for her tankard again, about to take a sip...only to realise that she finished it. She sighed and banged the tankard onto the table a little too aggresssively. "Fuck. Forgot it was empty," she mumbled. She motioned for another drink. She glanced to Zariel then, looking from her to her glasses. "Another round?"

 

[Lucyfer]

“Yeah, no, no whistle, just a lizard,” although Anissa could whistle, she hadn’t tried it out with the lizard, “Didn’t even get its name, now that I think about it.”

“These sound like great breeders.” Hector’s sarcasm remained in full force, “bet they wouldn’t even notice it missing.” Anissa was tempted to bonk him on top of his head, but resisted. He made some points. Apparently, he was always making points from the sound of Sesario’s defense against not having nets.

And Hector’s stare, before he said simply, “Situations like this. And situations where we can’t lift the things we’re trying to pack, but the ship could.”

Anissa had stepped out of the room, but shouted back, “I’ll go open the doorway, it should at least recognize me!” Maybe that would help, maybe it wouldn’t, “It at least knows and likes people!”

Hector got up, “I’ll go make sure she doesn’t fall to her death or something,” he sighed.

There was one benefit that would be easy to see.

The kumi lizard wasn’t, in fact, bothered by the sound or sight of the ship. It already knew to associate that with humans, and humans were good. So it was just staring curiously at the ship from its perch along the cliffside.

~***~

“And I’m sure you know all the right people to figure out a punchline for that bad joke,” Zariel’s tone was dry, but not without humor as she said it. Of course, she knew Jagger was more than a mere mercenary. That she was literate to begin with had been a point to her favor, something quickly figured out when contracts were drawn up.

She let Jagger continue, though, arching a dubious eyebrow as Jagger tried to suggest she was good at secrets. ‘I know.’ She wouldn’t add how much she suspected, either. There were more reasons than one for taking Jagger off the case of Cleon. Her suspicions that her familiarity with Didymus might be hindering her were present.

To say as much would mean to be challenged on it, though.

She was hardly in the mood for such things.

“It wouldn’t have suited my purposes to have you wasted,” she smirked a little as Jagger expressed her frustration with the lack of drink, “I can certainly have another round,” more, really, though she couldn’t quite say she was in her prime any longer for partying, she still had a stupidly fast metabolism for alcohol. She didn’t think it was just her taste for poison; she had some small suspicion her fire affinity oddly helped burn it off quicker.

That or her family really did have an abnormal tolerance. After all, fire couldn’t be blamed for Oleander; his size could, though. “Besides, I feel like we almost never get to actually talk,” Zariel chuckled. Of course they didn’t; Jagger was a mercenary.

Though, she hoped that was inclined to change, when Jagger came around. Perhaps Ifrit would help…if he ever showed up.

As the bartender came over with new drinks, Zariel took out the bit of paper she'd hidden away in her sleeve and broke the seal to read it. Her expression remained bland, but she was pleased with the words.

El Cid had been found.

 

[Arcanist]

No whistle, no name…Sesario rubbed his temples for a moment, silently despairing over actually agreeing with Hector. Would have made things a lot easier. A net would have made things easier. Sometimes he had wished someone had warned him how difficult being a sky pirate actually was.

He was issued warnings. He just didn’t listen.

Sesario shot Hector a childish and mocking expression, and was about to take it a step further with a mocking tone, until Anissa left to go and coax the kumi lizard in. Hector followed for precaution, leaving Sesario full control of the ship. He sighed, beginning to inch slower, and closer towards the cliffside.

“Come on, you scaly bastard…” Sesario grumbled, looking out of the window at the creature. “Just jump in the damn ship…” He’d help out, though, someone had to at least be piloting the ship and stabilising it for the damn guest of honour over here.
Though, something else caught his eye. Something flying. Definitely not big enough to be an airship…but not small enough to be any normal bird. He squinted, staring as the large winged and brown feathered bird, its sharp black eyes honed, kept gliding in their direction. Sesario recognised the yellowed talons and was immediately up from the dashboard.

“Hector! There’s a Twelves-damned Condor headed our direction!” He shouted up to him. “Get that bloody thing and Anissa inside!”

~***~

Jagger did snort at that comment of hers. Zariel wasn’t entirely without humour, just dry about it. It reminded her of someone she knew too well. She wondered if the woman read her well, if she knew she could be smarter than she let on. She wasn’t entirely a meathead, not like the one or two she had gathered along the way as part of her little entourage. Too many smart people spoiled things. It always had to be balanced out by one or two idiots.

She wasn’t a master strategist or had any fancy education. She was at least street smart. But she wondered how far that would take her in the company of Imperials.

“I’ve been in the business long enough to hold my drink. Don’t you worry about me.” Sort of true. She could if she truly wanted to. The first time she did get wasted, after Juno, she found herself in a bed she didn’t recognise, a town over from where she had been originally, and still drunk when she woke up.

The headache that day was not worth it.

“Well,” Jagger sighed as she grabbed the other tankard after another round of drinks had been poured and served once again, “I can imagine we’ll seeing more of each other, if you’re switching my priorities around. You’ll wish I wasn’t around so much,” she smirked, taking a swig. Or maybe Jagger would wish that.

There were still things that made her sit on the edge of her seat when it came to the Empress.

Jagger watched Zariel slip out a letter, the same one she received from the Moogle, from her sleeve. She couldn’t read the Empress at all, who purposefully kept her expression straight. That letter could have meant anything. She only knew it was important what with that seal on it. She wondered if Diddy and the others had been found, that they were being sent on their way back.

“Good news?” Jagger ventured.

 

[Lucyfer]

The condor was as much a blessing as a curse. The kumi lizard wasn’t moving away, but it also wasn’t getting closer, until it also noticed the bird along with Sesario’s yell. The yell caused the lizard to look away from the people, and in doing so, it noticed the foe. The lizard let out something of a squawk of its own, before jumping for the ramp, colliding with Hector and Anissa, and then scrambling all the way towards the cockpit in its mad dash to escape the condor.

“Hey! Get back here!” Anissa scrambled to her own feet, ignoring the bruising pain in her chest as she pursued it, as Hector groaned and tried to get up so he could get the door shut before the condor tried anything stupid.

Which it did by flying into the doorway, screaming it’s head off as it found it’s wingspan was a problem. It’s talons tried to latch on while it was fluttering its wings. Hector looked around for a broom to knock it out so he could shut the door.

Meanwhile, the kumi lizard made a mess of trying to find a place to stick to in the cockpit, crawling over everything – and everyone – to get to a high ground that didn’t exist as it heard the sounds of the condor further down the ship.

Anissa came to a halt in the doorway and tried to figure out how she could help with the kumi lizard to get it calm and down. “Hey, hey, hey! Come here, coooome on,” she clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth to try and get it to come towards her.

~***~

Zariel really wasn’t that worried about Jagger, even if the mercenary did choose to get completely wasted. She didn’t imagine Jagger had such ideas, though. Besides it being in poor tastes, there was still the tension that existed between mercenary and employer. Especially a mercenary who just received a significant portion of information.

She was more concerned about what the letter meant, anyways. She was going to have to leave Ucantis again, sooner than she’d like, and without Oleander – if Lady Chyou’s words were any indication of how well that would go. It might have been amusing to see him punch this Sesario, though it would not have been good for diplomatic relationships.

‘This is the quickest way.’

Still, that smirk flickered back to her lips at Jagger’s inquiry, “Technically speaking, yes.” The letter lit up in flames, and vanished into ash in her hand as she reached for her new glass, not to bother her again with revealing its secrets to anyone else. “Unfortunately it means I’m leaving Ucantis again for Rozari,” she couldn’t keep that from Jagger, so she wouldn’t bother with it.

No rest.

No time to get accustomed to Ucantis, and work on integrating the people personally. No time to try and spend with them, as she’d gotten to do in Escander. Admittedly, Oleander handled that place much better, and was right at home there. His presence and love of the place made things go smoothly.

He wouldn’t be here in Ucantis to help, either.

“I suppose I won’t be seeing as much of you as you feared.”

 

[Arcanist]

The condor was enough to send the kumi lizard leaping onto the ramp and into the airship, though, Sesario hadn’t accounted for how spooked it would be especially inside the airship. He couldn’t move fast enough from his seat as the lizard scurried into the cockpit.

“OI! WATCH IT, YOU--!” Sesario yelled, managing to get a tail whip across his cheek as the reptile lit up the dashboard, becoming the conductor of a cacophony of beeps and alarms. The thing was scared shitless, sure, anyone would be, but the presence of the condor now inside the ship and the shouting from the Rozarian sky pirate hadn’t helped to calm it.

Even as Anissa appeared, trying to appease it with clicks and a somewhat soothing voice, the lizard still scrambled. Its foot hit the wheel and found itself alongside the other passengers of the airship, veering to the left. The lizard hit its head against the wall, dazed by the sudden shift away from the cliff, and Sesario had just about managed not to fall out of his seat during the whole affair.

The sudden veering of the ship meant both condor and Hector would have lost their balance too and it only meant the condor found it just as hard to latch onto anything or move itself inside the already cramped space.

Sesario was cursing in what vaguely sounded like in some Rozari native dialect and language as he readjusted in his seat, catching the sprawled state of the condor in his airship. “Better hold on to something and that lizard, Anissa,” he warned, taking hold of the wheel, “same goes for you, kid! Better be ready to kick that thing out the exit!”

And perhaps not fall out of it. He assumed Hector was smart enough to know that though.

All Sesario had to do was tip the airship enough to send that thing out of the airship again with a little extra nudge from his partner. That was the plan, of course.

~***~

Of course, Zariel was smarter than to leave a paper trail. Jagger watched the flames eat up the parchment, leaving behind only a pile of ashes. She wasn’t sure how she was going to get the details out of her or that letter anyway. Still, it could have been useful to learn something other than Zariel’s rather quick advance to Rosari.

She could only deduce a number of things from that letter. That they found Diddy and the others…else…they were about to find Diddy and the others.

CLIDE came swiftly to mind and she attempted not to let her expression betray her with that realisation.

Jagger tutted at Zariel’s regret at not being able to stay here in Ucantis. “Now who am I going to have some quality girl time with?” She jested, shaking her head as she too reached for her tankard, taking two deep mouthfuls of the stuff. She wasn’t so sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Really, it got both of them out of the other’s hair temporarily, but they couldn’t go on not seeing or speaking to one another.

Escander it was then. Well, it was always going to be Escander, but it was Escander without spending much time with Zariel. She really did have to wonder at how much help Oleander needed there.

Most likely, it was to keep Jagger out of trouble.

“You using the usual Imperial greetings for Rozari?” The usual Imperial greetings involving weapons, more than a handful of soldiers, not to mention some airships for extra measure.

 

[Lucyfer]

Anissa winced at the sight of the chaos in the cockpit, before the tilt of the ship rammed her shoulder into the side as she lost her balance. “Ow, ow,” damn lizard. But she really needed to not have to pay for losing the lizard. She didn’t have that kind of gil. At least it seemed momentarily stunned, too, and Anissa forced herself away from the wall as Sesario started to get things righted, and she wrapped her arms around the neck of the lizard.

Though Sesario seemed to be cursing up a storm, Anissa was cooing and clucking as she tried to lead the lizard out of the cockpit. A task that became difficult as it began to hear the squawks of the condor. She just tightened her grip around its neck, and opted to hold firm where she stood, and pray it didn’t try too hard to move away.

“Mmm!” Anissa sounded off so Sesario knew she heard, and understood. She’d just hold on to the lizard for dear life. The lizard, thankfully, stuck this time, perhaps more prepared to not be thrown around.



Hector was not having fun.

First the condor was outside the ship.

Then it was inside the ship because of some terrible driving, which he supposed wasn’t Sesario’s fault based on the sounds. He was screaming in his head as he saw the bird trying to get up and get adjusted to its new environment, where it couldn’t spread its wings. Thankfully, it couldn’t. And it also didn’t have a grasp yet.

He heard Sesario’s shout, and took a breath.

Yeah, this wasn’t going to be fun.

As the ship turned, Hector held to some of the cargo he had strapped down as the condor staggered about towards the opposite wall – and towards the open door. It didn’t quite fall through, of course – its wings were open enough that its wingspan kept it in. “I really hate this,” Hector complained to himself, before taking a deep breath, and loosing a cargo box nearby.

Whatever was in it, they could replace.

The box hit the condor hard, and out with the bird…before out went the box, as well. As the ship was righted again, Hector ran to the door to get it closed so they wouldn’t be under threat any longer.

~***~

“I could suggest Lady Virys or her daughters, but I imagine you’d rather be anywhere else,” Zariel chuckled. Of course, her daughters weren’t that bad, in Zariel’s opinion, though she’d been around them a while and her judgment of the entire Virys family was likely skewed because of that – and several other reasons.

At the other question, Zariel rolled her eyes, “I’m afraid something more like a white-and-gold dress, expensive champagne, and treaties are in order for Rozari. Assuming, of course, I’m not walking into a trap,” she tilted the gin shot back, “Always a distinct possibility,” always a foolish one.

She’d walked out of more traps than she cared to name, though.

She had to uphold the idea of appearing peaceful and merciful and willing to engage in diplomatic talks. And she was – sadly, other people weren’t, or thought she was ill-equipped to handle a trap. “Well, I suppose it is a trap in a way, even if it all goes according to plan.” Rest in peace her life as being unwed – but Rozari was the last place. If she could manage it…then things would start going a lot smoother. It was a trap she'd be willing to live with if she could just finish everything up, and be done with Ophiuchus, "Here, if nothing else is going to convince you everything I said is real, then consider I'm willing enough to marry for it, to some Rozari prince," she didn't mask her disgust with the idea. She didn't hold marriage in high esteem to begin with, though, given the numerous examples of terrible marriages she had seen. "I would rather deal with the stench of a malboro for the rest of my life."

But no.

She needed an heir, and having an heir out of wedlock would be frowned upon. Empress or not. The bloodline had to continue properly.

 

[Arcanist]

During the entire escapade, Sesario listened to the rumbling and the bumping of the bird at the backside of his ship, hoping that Hector wasn’t too involved in those same rumblings and bumpings. He was a strong lad who could take it, but he knew he’d never hear the end of it if he got too roughed up.

Anissa seemed to have the lizard handled well – literally by wrapping herself around it and her arms around its neck – but her comforting sounds were far better than his previous overlapping curses.

More banging, more squawks, and the sounds of shifting boxes tumbling out the door. Really, anyone else would have been furious at losing cargo, but Sesario knew the stuff in it could be replaced…whatever was in the box anyway. He had forgotten with the amount of cargo they accumulated over the last few weeks.

Finally…peace. Getting the ship upright again, Sesario leaned back in his chair and sighed, rubbing his forehead. Damn bird…he hoped Hector wasn’t hurt all that badly. If he complained though, he was sure to be just fine. He turned in his chair to Anissa, “Hey, Priestess, you all good?” He asked before rising out of his chair, looking out into the hallway to at Hector. “Still standing, kid?”

~***~

Jagger winced for a moment and shook her head. “Nah, you’re alright, thanks…” Perish the thought. The youngest of the daughters seemed fine, if not a little ditsy. The eldest and the mother though…those were different cases.

Upon Zariel’s next statement, Jagger paused, staring at her for a moment in confusion, until her eyes widened slightly, and her expression shifted. “Oh. Damn. Uh…congratulations?” More like condolences. That was Jagger’s idea of her worst nightmare. Then again, nobles were usually prepared for this kind of shit. “Here’s hoping it’s not.” Or maybe she would, in a sense, if it meant avoiding a marriage.

Though, it’d also mean she would be dead, which didn’t bode well for any plans that Zariel wanted to put in place. Either way, Jagger had confirmed by Zariel’s statement, it wasn’t the most ideal situation for her. She didn’t blame her for not enjoying the idea. But it gave more weight to what she already said. She was the top dog of the Empire, who could pick and choose anyone she liked.

“Good point,” Jagger murmured, sitting back as she scratched her ear. She was trying to envision the Rozari prince that she mentioned. Cicero? Sicario? Some Rozari name she had forgotten. “I hope for your sake it isn’t the oldest one. Heard he’s a wildcard.” She did let out a cackle at her next comment though, raising her tankard. “I’ll drink to that. Marriage and men are pretty shit when you can grab yourself a nice lady.”

 

[Lucyfer]

The kumi lizard let out a rather vocal complaint as everything stabilized, but Anissa just kept cooing a bit, and relaxed her grip, little by little, as she made sure it wasn’t about to bolt through her arms and run off. The lizard seemed to be shifting to curious over panicked, and started to sniff around.

Anissa didn’t quite let go, though.

“Yeah – I guess.” She said with a sigh, relaxing, “Uh, the place I got the lizard was just at the base of the mountain, a town called Hircus,” she offered, figuring Sesario could find the place with that alone, before she turned her head back. She was worried about the kid, too.

Thankfully, Hector was all right, and he’d gotten the door shut. “Oh yeah – great,” sarcasm was a clear sign that he was fine. Hector did make his way back towards the cockpit, shooting a glare at the lizard as he moved alongside it and squeezed into the co-pilot’s chair, scowling out the window, half hoping to get a look at the annoying condor.

No such luck.

“Let’s return this lizard and get on our way.” He huffed, folding his arms over his chest. He added, “I have no idea which box we threw out, but I’ll go through everything soon. We’ll probably need to restock.”

Whatever it was, Hector was sure it was something they’d eventually need -- he kept tabs on everything they had.

~***~

At least Jagger got the point. If a marriage wouldn’t help her situation, Zariel wouldn’t bother with it – but it did, in too many ways to avoid the responsibility. The odds seemed to decrease more and more that this would occur during her lifetime, no matter how she tried. No matter how close she felt. She had to be prepared for the possibility that it would be the next generation who was meant to finish things off.

“It is the oldest,” she said, adding, “and I’m aware of what he is,” with a roll of her eyes before she smiled, just a little, at Jagger’s note. She had been aware of Jagger’s preferences, though not directly from Jagger. Oleander had mentioned something about similar tastes in women. Never about men.

Though, really, Oleander’s taste in men were strange even by Zariel’s standards.

At least he didn’t like Lixue. Not that it’d be bad, only that the distraction it would cause would be too much of a headache to deal with. His type was also, definitely not what she’d heard of Sesario.

She lifted her own gin, “Agreed – one of the things I need to fix in the Empire, really. Men might get their act together if we were allowed to make lives with other women.” And she would, indeed, drink to that – with just a brief tap against the tankard.

Then again, men probably wouldn’t. Their loss.

 

[Arcanist]

Hector was fine. The complaining was enough to alert to that. Sesario tried to hide a grin at the fact, even if a few minutes ago, there was nothing in particular to be smiling about.

The man glanced back at Anissa after Hector had arrived back in the cockpit, watching her still try to soothe the lizard like some child disturbed from its slumber. It eventually settled, mind you, but its sniffing uneased Sesario somewhat. He didn’t want the thing clambering over the cockpit again and messing up anything.

No doubt that would be something for Hector to complain about if any of the settings had been altered.

“It’s not the worst ride you’ve been on,” Sesario pointed out, starting to make the necessary but short preparations they needed to head off again. Either way though, it was clear he was relieved to see the kid was okay. He was technically still his responsibility – even if it seemed as if it was the other way around at the best of times. “So, Hircus,” Sesario murmured with a nod. It would be easier to get to. Much easier than trying to get up that damned mountain.

Once the airship whirled back to life, and they got moving again, it was only then that Sesario addressed the lost cargo. “Whatever we lost, I’m sure it’s easily replaceable.” They could get their hands on most things after all. And even if the money went quickly, Hector had always been around to organise it or at least keep some tucked away for a rainy day.

Sesario blew much of his gil before he met the kid. How he had more sense to save it at his age baffled the man.

Their descent, thankfully, was less bumpy than it had been with the condor inside. The cockpit was a tad crowded, and Hector’s less than spiffing attitude hadn’t made it much better. But it hadn’t lasted too long when the airship had landed a short distance from the village.

“Here we are,” Sesario spun in his chair with a grin. “Home safe and sound,” he directed towards the lizard.

~***~
Yikes. Rather the Empress than her, Jagger thought. Mind you, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad. Perhaps the two could come to some sort of arrangement. Let him fly off and do as he pleased, and she could have done the same. Apparently, plenty of nobles seemed to do that and no one batted an eyelash.
The Empress and a Rozari Prince would be a different story altogether, mind you.

Nonetheless, she was glad to see Zariel agreed. She chuckled as the two tapped their glass and tankard respectively, taking a long sip. “Tell me about it. Would give them something long and hard to think about when it came to themselves at least.” Though, she was in agreement with Zariel on that not changing much.

There was always something to complain about where people like them were concerned.

And well, just about women in general.

“Seriously though,” Jagger sighed, leaning back in her seat, feeling the alcohol start to slowly seep into her bloodstream, swirling in her head as easily as it had in her mouth. “Good luck with that guy. Though, guess you don’t need it. I guess you’ll get him under your thumb soon enough.”

Or maybe murder him in the end, once she got what she wanted out of that marriage.

She wouldn’t blame her if that was how the marriage went.

 

[Lucyfer]

Naturally, Hector could only send Sesario a withering glare for the comment of this not being the worst ride he’d been on. As if that made it better that they had endured worse. They shouldn’t be dealing with this kind of stress to begin with! Anissa stifled her own laugh at the kid’s look against a hand she withdrew from the lizard. ‘Who’s the adult here?’ She wouldn’t ask that, of course.

She wouldn’t draw too much more attention to herself, or her lizard.

“Yeah, yeah,” Hector mumbled as Sesario agreed that anything lost could be easily replaced. Hector knew that, “We might want to actually look into doing a real job, though,” funds were getting stretched. They needed something that was going to make them reliable money here soon. ‘Or go get some gil from your parents with another white lie.’ Hector wouldn’t honestly suggest that.

He didn’t really mind Sesario’s parents, but he knew Sesario didn’t enjoy going back.

And Hector could feel the skeeviness seeping off of them. Sesario might not want to admit it, but Hector was certain Ses got some of his less-than-moral qualities from them.

They landed soon enough, the airship making quick work of that, “I’ve got to look into one of these,” Anissa said, half-joking, half-serious. She didn’t know how to fly one, “It took forever to get up that mountain with just this guy,” she patted the lizard, who seemed to have settled significantly. “Thanks for the trip – and any future leads!”

“Sure,” Hector said, still frowning a bit at the mystery of their meeting. “Good luck getting back to wherever.”

“Thanks,” she nodded, and touching the lizard’s neck as she walked by, before clicking her tongue, she headed towards the exit. Hector got up shortly after she turned away.

“I’ll make sure the door’s shut,” he muttered under his breath. Then he was going to start going through their supplies to figure out what they lost. It would be another long day.

~***~

It was obvious that Jagger was relaxing a bit more. It was almost nice to see. Well, perhaps there was no ‘almost’, except that Zariel had hardly forgotten their relation to each other, and what Jagger now knew and had to consider. It could lead to trouble down the line, and she had to be prepared for it. Just as she had to be prepared for dealing with Sesario.

“One way, or another,” Zariel concurred.

Whether by marriage, death, or force of war, Rozari itself would fall under her control. Sesario could go along with the easy way, or he could choose a far worse fate.

Zariel did try to give alternatives.

War was longer than peaceful negotiations, no matter how easy she made it look.

“I appreciate your concern, though,” she chuckled, “let’s hope it is unwarranted. Perhaps you can tell me a bit about what you do know, of him, or Rozari? I haven’t had the pleasure to truly visit it.” It was likely obvious why she hadn’t had that pleasure.

And she wouldn’t mind just spending a little bit more time chatting with Jagger, until she had to leave. To try and help with that situation of their relationship to each other; it had shifted now, no longer mere mercenary and employer.

She did have to put some effort into making things work.

 

[Arcanist]

‘Ay. A real job.’ Sesario massaged his forehead. He knew what Hector meant, but he sounded just like his mother. Real job meaning actually taking responsibility as a prince at home. He had borrowed enough times from them – barely with good enough reason, like promising to pay a dowry, or a debt he needed to fulfil, some stupid lies like that. They failed each and every time they tried to get him to stay. Eventually, they stopped trying.

He loathed the next time he would go back to show them both he was still alive and possessed all his limbs. They worried too much.

“Yeah,” Sesario answered Hector with a wave, “we’ll get on that soon enough.” It was never hard to find work…though, he wondered if that would be the case outside of Escander. The place was a big no-no now with the bloody passports and identifications.

He doubted many of their lot were happy about the new arrangements.

“I’d recommend ones with auto-pilot,” Sesario grinned at Anissa as she readied herself to leave, “much easier to pilot.” He winked as he rose out of his seat. “Take care of yourself, Miss Priestess. I’m sure this isn’t the last time we’ll meet.”

For whatever reason that would be would remain to be seen. Even behind that easy-going look of Sesario’s, Anissa’s case was a curious one. He felt a strange pull towards these ruins and places she had mentioned. This wouldn’t be the last time they would meet.

As Anissa made her way off the ship, and Hector muttered something about shutting the door, and no doubt checking their inventory, Sesario gave his thanks, before falling back into the pilot’s seat once again. That would leave him to plan their next move, and get a real job.

Sesario sighed as he thought on where they could head. Prumoor was never not offering work. Even the highest official in government had some form of nefarious work for them to carry out. And they paid rather well, if anything.

But that pull toward Rozari remained. The presence in the back of his mind willing him to drop everything and go.

‘Ah, shit.’

Looked like they were heading home again on a gut instinct. And when Hector would eventually return to the cockpit, that’s what he would tell him. No rhyme or reason for them heading back, only that they were.

~***~

Jagger didn’t dwell on that any further. It was clear-cut and obvious enough to know where things could lead. She did give her a bit of a grin at that statement though, and they continued conversing.

The conversation turned to Rozari, the prince, what she knew about them both. “Never been to Rozari? Shame. It’s a pretty place.” It was a ply for information, but Jagger could see it as a way of getting an in. And well, after a few drinks, the Empress wasn’t as bad with that stick well loosened from her ass. She had to wonder if her scientist was the same. Oleander, she was positive, would have gone off the rails if she heard the stories correctly.

Jagger believed her and her stories, after all. Perhaps she shouldn’t have. Perhaps the drinking had led her to such a conclusion that she should be trusted.

But it was better to at least be on her side than running from her.

Jagger set her tankard down, a dribble left in it, but she preferred to put drink to one side when telling long-winded explanations or stories. “Alright. Guess I could let you in on some stuff I know,” she smirked. It’d be nice being the one who knew things for a change.

For what time they spent together in that window booth at that tavern, Jagger let Zariel in on what she knew. What the climate – political and otherwise – was like in Rozari. The very pretty women – and by extension, men, seeing as that may have been up Zariel’s street – and the markets and the festivals they had from the times her and Juno visited…without mentioning much of Juno, mind you.

It was still rather raw with all that had happened.

Sesario wasn’t exempt from the topic of conversation either. She was able to tell Zariel about his exploits as a sky pirate, his penchant for skirt-chasing – and trouser-chasing periodically – and the kid he dragged along with him, a self-proclaimed tech wiz. How the two joy rode across the skies, taking up odd jobs, getting themselves into messes and managing to wiggle their way out of them. Apparently, they liked to come back and visit Rozari now and then too, she had noted, after finishing another drink.

She suggested maybe she’d catch them on one of their many visits back.

She also mentioned that she would have loved to be a sky pirate, had she been in the right place at the right time, but mercenary work was more secure. Less chance of being thrown in a prison.

Unfortunately, the night of drinking and chatting Rozari, amongst other topics, couldn’t continue. Zariel had Empress duties to undertake, and Jagger had a bed to sleep in before she was forced to make her way to Escander, as per her new duties.

Jagger knew she armed the woman with enough knowledge on Rozari and Sesario to carry out her plans.

Diddy would have to understand it all when she explained it to him. It’d make sense to them in the end, wouldn’t it?

 

[Lucyfer]

It took a few days to get the ship up and going again, and then they were back on track for Rozari, and the town of Zaradrid, which was bustling with activity even from afar. There were plenty of boats in the port, and beautiful colors all around. As Reva stood on the deck, the scent of the floral atmosphere reached her nose. It was far better than the port in Ucantis, though she wouldn’t be saying that right then. She still had Cleon’s feelings to think of, but she could appreciate that for all the fish that was likely being traded – it didn’t smell like fish. It also didn’t look run down, or full of crates.

It probably was, but Rozarian aesthetic hid it all quite well.

At least, for once, it was a pleasant sight. There was no sign of the Arkidian Empire, no need to worry terribly – although Reva would still go around with her hood up, and she would caution Cleon to do as much, as well.

Speaking of—

“Guuuuuus!” Didymus’s shout still contained that subtle note of amusement as he called downstairs, “Kikiti! You’ve gotta come up, we’re almost here now!” Before he would, of course, go to join Reva at the side, and stare out into Rozari’s landscape.

He sighed.

“I really don’t think I could live here,” he mumbled, and Reva didn’t need to ask why. Rozari, perhaps more than, if not as much as, Escander, did hold a certain…value that promoted a life of luxury. Albeit, differently than Escander, it was no less prevalent.

“We will not have to,” Reva noted, “We just need to travel to Valenda,” and then they would figure things out from there. It would not be living in Rozari. Reva was fairly certain of that, if only because she didn’t believe Cleon would be okay with that.

The Empire was heading this way, anyways.

Hiding was not going to be an option for long.

“It does look nice, though. Cleaner,” Didymus already knew that, but he still felt like talking. “How far is Valenda from Zaradrid?”

“I am not certain,” she said, “we will have to review the map again, but I do not recall it as far,” it was a resort town of sorts, so it was likely near supplies, which meant it would be near the sea. It couldn’t be too far for that reason alone. At least, Reva hoped not.

 

[Arcanist]

The smell of flowers and odd perfume was almost disorientating with the mix of the sea-salt air. It would be a welcome change from the smell of the sea, but it already signalled an atmosphere that was different than what he was used to. It had reminded him he was once again far away from the only home he ever knew. Kikiti too would find herself in a foreign land, though, admittedly, she seemed more excited than what the prince did to be travelling to Rozari.

Cleon cringed at the use of his alias. Didymus had taken an odd and derivative pleasure in using it. “I really wish he wouldn’t call me by my name so much…” He mumbled to Kikiti as he packed up the last of their things.

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” Kikiti told him. “I’ve heard much worse.”

Cleon gave a look, though, turned back to lift some of their bags. “Maybe I can change it again soon, after our business here,” he murmured again. They were told not to mention their business too much, even in private company. You never knew who had an ear to the door after all. He was quickly learning how to be a fugitive, and he wasn’t so eager to stay like this forever.

“Maybe,” Kikiti shrugged as she lifted a smaller bag. Cleon was gracious enough to lift some of their heavier belongings. Again, she’d be able to boast one day of how the king himself carried around belongings for her.

If the king ever made it back to be crowned that was.

The two eventually showed their faces above deck, having gathered their own things, to be greeted with the colourful sight of Zaradrid’s port up ahead. As Kikiti scrambled onto a nearby box for a better view, and Cleon got closer to the ship’s railing, the ship itself got closer to the land’s overabundance of flora, despite being a port first and foremost. Certainly, did look a lot cleaner and fresher than what Ucantis’s port was like.

Though, Cleon had to swallow back such surprise. He had to look the part of the well-travelled man, didn’t he?

“I hope it doesn’t take us long,” Kikiti sighed, turning to the others as she still stood upon the box. “Valenda’s a pretty place. Or, so I’ve heard from Papa.”

Cleon didn’t doubt it. He nodded, looking to Reva and Didymus. “Regardless of how long it takes us to get there, we shouldn’t waste any time with getting what we need and travelling…Marden will be waiting for us, I’m sure.” He said, mindful of the names he was throwing out into the open air.

The ship soon floated into the port, and the crew, chipper as ever, like a pirate attack and a near watery death hadn’t happened to them, were already jumping onto the port or preparing to help dock onboard. No sooner than the four made to head onto the pier, the Captain called to them.

“Hey, you be careful now, you hear?” She asked, eyebrows furrowed in some worry. She wasn’t sure just who she ferried across to Rozari exactly, but she couldn’t complain at the help they had given her and the crew. She nodded to both Didymus and Kikiti. “Give your old man my regards. And ah, my apologies,” she directed to Cleon and Reva also, “for the hassle. I hope business goes well.”

Kikiti nodded and gave a huge grin. “Thank you. I’ll, uh, play down the delay a little.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Despite his always visible hatred of the name, and everything associated with his guise, Cleon still played it off well in mentioning Marden in Valenda. They were moving soon anyways, so in theory they wouldn’t have to keep doing that – but Didymus imagined it would still be wise to not call Cleon, Cleon. Even if Rozari was a safer location for all of them. Cleon would still stand out with his long hair.

Which desperately needed a real bath.

As they started on their way, there was one last farewell with the captain. Didymus stayed in character as Marden’s son, smiling as the captain seemed concerned about what they’d report, “Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to speak well of the trip!” It wasn’t their fault that pirates attacked, after all. And they had let them on cheap, too. They still had gil after selling the chocobos to try and gather supplies with.

Speaking of, “We shouldn’t need too much, just some foodstuff again,” Didymus said when they got out onto the cobblestone street that wrapped around the port, “Shame we don’t have enough to get chocobos. We should probably figure out just how much we’ll need based on travel time,” he mused, as Reva flipped her hood up.

She nodded her agreement, “Come with me,” she said, “I know a place we should be able to orient ourselves at.”

She had spent enough time in Rozari, and while people she had known had passed on, she had still continued to correspond with some when she had traveled. She had not told them she was coming this way, of course, but nonetheless it would help them to get situated and probably get another free bite to eat.

If they heard what happened in Ucantis….

“Where are we going?” He asked.

“I have some friends throughout Rozari,” Reva answered, “Though I do not quite know where they live, I know a couple in Zaradrid. I did not warn them we were coming, but I do not think they will turn us away.”

“But you don’t know where they live?”

Reva gave a small sigh, “The moogles do all the work in sending letters, there is no need for memorizing addresses.”

“Well, let’s go ask some moogles, then!” Didymus suggested. There had to be moogles in a town like this, right?

 

[Arcanist]

On cue, Cleon had done the same as Reva in bringing his hood up. He had become accustomed to this now, and if anything, was glad of it. His hair had seen better days. Even with one of Kikiti’s several hair ties, he loathed its current state.

Though, that was something he couldn’t fuss over right at this moment. He followed after Reva, curious as to where they would ‘orient’ themselves. He didn’t imagine they had quite enough funds to simply go and stay in an inn. Then again, Reva knew Rozari better than any of them, he supposed.

Kikiti cocked her head at the convenience of Reva having friends here. She did mention having travelled before, but the girl had imagined Reva had kept herself isolated. Perhaps she had been too quick to judge that. Mind you, Cleon had expressed the same surprise. “How handy! I suppose you have friends in all the right places after all.” She grinned.

Cleon nodded at the idea of going to ask some of the Moogles for directions. “Well, all we need are some names. Then, I’m sure we’d be able to find them no problem.”

Kikiti seemed open to the idea as well. “Alright. And maybe you could tell us all about them as we go looking for some Moogles!” She smiled at Reva. She was the first to lead the others in their search for the handy postmoogles.

Zaradrid, even as a port town, still boasted a beautiful scenery. The residences here were bright and beautiful, often with rather large and even more colourful flowers. It was still as busy as any other port, with its market stalls and workers, and the civilians. It would have been easy to get overwhelmed and lost in among the hustle and bustle, if not for handy signs pointing them all in the right direction.

Soon enough, they would find themselves stopping near yet another HQ for the moogle mail service, unsurprisingly, with plenty of flora climbing its walls. As if by luck, one Moogle came floating out of the building, heaving a sigh as it adjusted the bag on its small body.

“Ah, kupo…another busy day ahead…”

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva could only shake her head a little, “You have had friends in useful places, as well,” she noted, adding, “I first came to Rozari after leaving the Woods. It is here I first began to learn about your world,” and she was not alone in that endeavor. “Their names are Sofia and Matias Caldeira.”

“I wonder if the moogles would actually help,” Didymus mused. They weren’t usually forthcoming with addresses, after all. That was one of the reasons he liked the moogles. They didn’t reveal what information wasn’t needed to be revealed.

“I do not know,” Reva said. Still, she found herself willing to talk about the pair, “I met them when I first came to Rozari and studied in their Academy. Sofia was not from Hyune proper, but some of the islands; we connected by being new to the area,” though Sofia fit in better by at least being human, there were still things that confused her.

Like taxes.

“Matias was our designated guide,” Reva chuckled, “I think he was in love with Sofia from first look, but she was clueless for years.” And one of the few who hadn’t been obsessed with Reva for being a viera, which had made him far easier to deal with. “They both were studying botany. Potions and crafts, gardening, alchemy…they have told me they are doing very well.”

Given what Rozari liked, there was probably little doubt of that, though they would have to be able to stand out from the crowd.

As they came to the HQ for the Moogle Post, a moogle was leaving it. “Excuse me!” Didymus chimed, hurrying forward, “Could you help us? We’re a bit lost, and trying to find some friends in town, but we’ve never been here before….”

The moogle paused to stare at them, before sighing, clearly already weary, “Where are you going?”

“My friends, Sofia and Matias Caldeira,” Reva offered, hoping Didymus wouldn’t turn out to be right, and the moogles would be hesitant to offer information about a private residence. Of course, if they had a store, the moogle might be more willing to help…Reva would have to consider that if the moogle was unsure.