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"An ESPER?!" screeched Navarro. "You KNEW she had an ESPER INSIDE OF HER!?!" "Only after it had revealed itself," said Mother Mariel curtly, "I may be learned but I cannot detect everything, I knew she had great power but I was not able to trace its origin." "You knew well enough of James' demonry, kupo!" "That was simply-" "SILENCE!" "HEY-EY!" cried Baldwin. "Don't talk back to mother, sszhe had every good reasszhon-" "SHUT UP YOU OAF! YOU, both of you and that vagabond could have done something to prevent Dahlia's kidnapping but you just STOOD there!" "S-sszhe had-we didn't-we didn't know what wasszh going on, we only defended oursszhelvesszh!" "And YOU!" she pointed at Mariel. "YOU have been hiding for too long a great many secrets from me, from your own people, and now you have greatly endangered us!" "How?" began Mariel. "How did I possibly endanger you precisely?" "If you knew something terrible about Dahlia's ability and did not consider to inform us-" "-then what would happen? You would confront her about it and what would she have told you? I am sure she has informed at least one of you about some great dire secret she would not wish to ever come out, there is a thing called trust my dear moogle...something that your clan seems to be lacking in GREAT detail nowadays." The voice of the moogle shrieked briefly across the halls of the reliquary making her colleagues cringe within the enclosed space, sitting around the table as she slammed her paws fiercely upon the solid wood. Kruz however did not hesitate to speak as he leaned back on his chair staring up at the ceiling. "She's right you know, the past months I've seen your group do nothing but argue-" "YOU are not part of us," said Rocino pointing at him. "Exactly, that means I can offer an impartial opinion and I say that you people have done nothing but fight and bicker with each other, the only time I ever see you not getting at each other's throats is when you're killing people all together." "That is because we are a clan together, therefore we pursue jobs professionally kupo." "And? If my crew couldn't stand each other but had to work alongside each other for seven years do you think any of them would be still on board? You're forgetting that people are not tools, they are complex and emotional like your precious chocobos." "DON'T threaten to compare-" "Navarro be quiet." James said this firmly with rapping fingers on the table as she turned towards him. "Kruz is right, we've done nothing but argue and even when one of ours is in danger lost out there somewhere we're all STILL arguing like fucking children." "You dare talk back to me, kupo?" "Yes." The raptor stood up with threatening demeanour and tightened fist. "I do, because I'm your fucking leader." "You..." She stood up in turn fiercely. "Are nothing more than a mercenary with a false badge, I was the one who went through fourteen years of knightly training." "I've been fighting for my life across twenty-six different fucking worlds and haven't died once, you think I fucking care about your home schooling?" "If you had not been so opportunistic, we would never have reached this point of our accursed clan's history." "If YOU had not been such a self-absorbed bitch, you would have been leader like you always wanted!" "YOU are a thief, kupo!" "YOU'RE a heartless shit!" "YOU ARE A CHILD!" "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE!" "I CARE ABOUT OUR FLOCK!" "THEN GO BACK TO THE FARM FOR FUCK'S SAKE! The only reason you wanted this clan was to get money for your family well FUCK YOU! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WANT! You have done nothing but disrespect me and shit on me from day one and you can't even let it go, WHEN ONE OF OUR FRIENDS IS FUCKING GONE!" "I AM DOING FAR MORE GOOD THAN YOU EVER WILL-" " ENOUGH." Shadows violently lunged for both of their necks choking them swiftly to cut out their breaths, with mother Mariel's voice almost corrosive to the ears as they gasped struggling to be slowly pulled away from each other. " You...are not helping matters." She released them firmly as they were forced back down into their seats clutching their throats with pain as she returned back to her mortal means. "Firstly, I apologise for not informing you of Dahlia's predicament, but she had not told me herself, for I simply estimated and did not want to inform you wrongfully. I only found out when it happened for it had been dormant for this long inside her that I could barely trace it...until more recently around a month or two ago." "Hey," replied Baldwin, "that...that'sszh around the time sszhe really began to change and got all mad at people for no reasszhon-" "Sszhe wasszh mad at YOU," said Fayne, "sszhe did not care for your disszhtrusszht in our leader, godsszh we have been over thisszh Baldwin!" "I-i-i made up! We made up, right Jamesszh?!" "Yeah," said FG, "to be fair you haven't really been as bad around me like before, even if you do always give me weird looks." "And assumed Roy was his boyfriend," said Kruz chuckling. "I-it wasszh an honesszht misszhtake!" cried the monk. "I don't know Baldwin, that sounds like you're projecting your desires." "WHA-HEY, I am NOT a molly!" "Are you sure about that?" "Wha-NO! I-MEAN-YESSZH of coursszhe I'm sszhure! My mind isszh clear asszh a bell no disszheasszhe or anything! ...u-um."

The raptor looked at him with seething disapproval before he turned away without speaking as Fayne decided to focus on the real matter coldly, but not before giving a pained look towards Kruz that he caught shamefully. "Do we know even why Dahlia hasszh an esszhper?" "How about," replied FG, "telling me WHAT an esper is for starters-DON'T start with me Navarro I know it might be obvious to you but I already told you why I'm not up on Ivalice so don't fucking say anything." Navarro said nothing and simply crossed her arms before mother Mariel began explaining. "Espers are summoned beings that were once made by the gods themselves in ancient times. With great strength and intellect, they sought to challenge the gods themselves for they knew they had power far greater than that of mortals, and so to pay for their arrogance, they were cast down forced to be bound by glyphs upon those who may summon them in servitude." "So...basically demi-gods that got too big for their boots and made into our bitch?" "Not quite, more that we have the potential to summon them but to CONTROL and manipulate them is an entirely different story. I do not know why Dahlia has it, but I suspect it's something to do with that piercing of hers she always wore on her ear. Has she never taken that off?" "No," said Navarro, "not once kupo. She says it was fused to her ear and now unable to remove it due to her flesh becoming too wreathed coagulating around it." "Sszhiensszhe talk," said Baldwin, "classzhic Dahlia, sszhe never really did mention anything about thisszh, like...maybe it wassszh sszhomething to do with her childhood?" "Actually," replied Fayne, "that...may not entirely be inaccurate." "Sszhay what?" "Remember that Jeane Gillesszhpie, from the tournament? Sszhe knew Dahlia well, in fact greatly desszhpisszhed her, the two had known each other before. I remember Jeane actively asszhaulting her in the ssszhtreet at night around the tournament, forsszhing her to try and leave sszhaying never to sszhee her again but then sszhe mentioned one thing...that sszhe owed Jeane a greater debt for helping her esszhcape from a village, sszhomething to do with a great sszhin, claiming her fault that there wasszh blood to have paid for a treacherousszh deed." "Wait," asked Mariel, "did you...tell me, where did Dahlia say she was from?" "Rozzzharria." "Did she ever mention where precisely?" "She went to college," said FG, "that's about all I can think of, mage college." "Let me look up something, how old is Dahlia?" "Around uhhh mid-fifties, possibly a year younger than Fayne?" "Wait here a moment." Getting up from her seat she went rooting about in the library outside the reliquary as the five people looked at each other a little awkwardly. Silence deafened throughout the entire room dark as it was with only the faintest odd glint of the strange artifacts encased in their belongings. "Khheh," began Kruz, "hope they cleared the bodies out there, it's kind of hard trying to find a dictionary without tripping up on somebody." "Seriously," replied FG, "there must have been like fucking twenty-something bodies out in that library, no wonder she wasn't there with Dahlia." "We never sszhaw mother," said Baldwin politely, "we were all jusszht doing our besszht to deal with Enoch and Margaret." "I cannot believe this." The moogle pressed her fingers into her forehead glaring down upon the steel badge of impenetrable knightly honour. "After all that Berniere has done, his own friends have betrayed him kupo." "Doesszh he not know?" replied Fayne. "He said to me...before we left Breekheim that his clan had been missing for a good few months...now I know what they have been up to, if Margaret had come and arranged to steal these artifacts with the help of Hopkins' brigade, they must have been planning something." "Meaning that Hopkinsszh' maiden name isszh rather Mitford." "I wonder what my people found out," said Kruz tapping his hook gently on his teeth, "they'll be here in a day at least, or maybe two, not that long hopefully...what I don't get is how a wealthy socialite has her own personal army, that's just something I can't really understand." "Wealth can bring many thingsszh." "But even in Archadian society rich people don't really build an army for themselves, she must have hired them as part of security detail from various institutions...but the fact she can hire them OUT for people is even weirder." "Maybe they're a cult?" James' comment had them all turn heads towards him as he shrugged simply. "I mean, think about it, they're all wearing black cloaks, they wanted these artifacts which if you remember also caused ANOTHER large group of people to go insane and all wear cloaks AND kidnap Dahlia...for some weird ritual." "That ISSZH true," said Fayne, "what if they knew that sszhe had an esszhper asszh well?" "How could they have known?" asked Navarro cautiously. "We did not even know the possibility she had...though I must admit concerning Baldwin's comment from earlier I sense maybe that had caused her mood to shift, kupo." "What do you mean?" "I read once that summoners, if not able to control their esper can exhibit strange reactive emotions concerning that of its glyph. In this case, Adrammelech is the wroth tormented and therefore its symbolism is that of anger. We may have caused the prevention of her being awakened back at Farthing Wood's monastery, but that does not mean we were able to stop it completely. She may have had her glyph weakened by that ritual from Scarface." "You all realise," said Kruz, "that you are talking about your friend who just literally vomited a demon's shadow out of her, and then flew into the sky as if you're talking about the latest novel. I mean, call me crazy but I expected you to be rather more upset about this!" "I was...then madame Mariel calmed us, that and after what we have been through perhaps our ability to be shocked and awed has turned...rather weak of late." "Perhaps it is!" Mariel said this as she flowed back into existence from the shadows right in front of them, surprising all of them with her sudden reappearance before sitting at the table calmly with a large binder of editorials preserved in it as she pored through its pages. "J-JESUS fuck," murmured FG, "could you NOT do that whole shifting into shadow thing?" "I'm sorry dear, next time I'll walk...very slowly, like an old maid weakening my bones with every step instead of fortifying my spirit by simply blending into shadow, I did not realise your heart was more weak than mine was." "What do you mean 'was'?" "Immortality dear, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Frankly none of my organs have been replaced for the last three-hundred years and I must admit they do tick pretty well concerning half the various injuries I have received. Now...here we are." She turned round the book towards them showing a newspaper article of an old incident looking well-preserved in fine print with an etching of a roaring demonic flame that burned throughout a small village. The creature was vague but clearly terrifying, an eyewitness account brought forth to its vision by the artist of the paper as it swooped briefly over the town's roofs as Fayne translated it for FG.

_THE ROZARRIAN HERALD, Taurus 1st, 536

VILLAGE DESTROYED BY SUMMONING, 600 PEOPLE DEAD

A terrifying catastrophe had occurred within the small town of Eidolum two weeks ago, when a summoning ritual had failed releasing a terrifying beast briefly in the form of an esper causing rampant fires which burned across the region killing 600 people, whilst wounding 300 others. The summoners' village, located within the southern mountains, had been performing a ritual to summon espers every twenty years to honour their ancestors, having founded one of the base schools of magic that all Ivalicians are well-familiar with. The ritual, which involved a test of spiritual strength through an excruciating four years of preparation, involves a chosen acolyte who must prove their worth amongst the townfolk by giving their body to an esper's power, before then controlling it by their astute mental training. On this ceremony however, things began to take a turn for the worse when the chosen acolyte failed to contain the esper by a violent fit of rage that suddenly accosted her, which in turn overwhelmed her as the monstrous esper began forming a storm of lightning that destroyed the entire village. The acolyte however disappeared in the midst of chaos after escaping for fear of punishment, it is believed that she had help but it is unknown who had assisted her. Due to the nature of the village's customs and secrecy, we are obliged not to publish any of the names of those involved with respect to Eidolum, however the Rozarrian authorities have been in touch and are currently on the lookout for a grey female nu-mou who wears a dark stone piercing fused to her right ear around her mid-30s._

Eyes widened with shock as they looked through the newspaper article looking fearfully at each other. James was first to speak as he softly blinked rubbing his head. "...six...hundred people? Are you...serious, no that can't be...th-that can't be Dahlia." "It shouldn't," said Navarro, "not...never-this...this was twenty-five years ago." "Correct," replied Mariel. "There are countless other nu-mou of her age with grey fur and dark stone piercings kupo." "Not many that can summon Adrammelech." "She is not the only summoner of her race, there are plenty others that contain his essence as well as other espers' permeating across the land!" "But they did not destroy my roof." "NO! No, I will NOT accept this, I refuse to believe that Dahlia has any blood on her hands!" "Same here," replied FG, "I'm not going to let you start putting ideas in our heads, what matters now is we go find her. Does anyone know where she went?" "I do," said Baldwin helpfully, "Margaret sszhaid sszho hersszhelf on where Adrammelech would be, told him to go be sszhomeplasszhe and desszhtroy anything that comesszh near!" "What place?!" "...it wasszhn't like a REAL plasszhe, like a name or sszhuch but it wasszh sszhomething for a map, desszhignasszhion one-three-sszheven." "Alright map, good, Kruz I wan-...... what?" "H-huh?!" The raptor jumped from his seat gripping Baldwin tightly by the shoulders fearfully. His fingers dug in almost painfully as the monk resisted the urge extremely to punch him out of self-defence as his voice turned deep. "... what did you say?" "Wh-wh-what the fuck, what'sszh wrong with you?!" "WHAT was that designation point she told you?!" "U-UH one-three-sszheven!" "Are you absolutely certain of that?" "YESSZH I AM!" "JAMES HE'S RIGHT!" cried Kruz. "I was there too, she said one-three-seven now just let him go alright, you're scaring me!" James did as he was told, standing up as his hands went to his sides now shaking slightly. A deep resignation had come over him as well as a hollow fear in his eyes that Fayne was terrified of seeing, along with his brother beside him. He said nothing and simply walked away out of the reliquary leaving his companions rather worried as Kruz stood up hastily to try and stop him. "J-James, James wai-" He halted Kruz with a hand shoved out towards him as he went towards the library. He went to the very center of the room, amidst the twenty bodies of assassins that tried and failed to stop Mariel from guarding this holy place, and laid down beneath the rays of sunlight blankly staring towards the glass windows. He had no means to comprehend what had just been told to him, as he could feel his soul withering just a little bit from sheer horror, outrage and raw frustration that was impossible for him to exert by its volume. The rest of those within the reliquary looked towards each other confused desperately wanting to say anything but seeing James' face suddenly age by its fallen complexion bade them still in their tracks. Kruz went first gingerly stepping forwards across the bodies that had yet to be cleared up with all the staff clergy focusing on the ceiling remnants from the other hall dutifully as he watched James simply lay upon the cold floor. "What's wrong?" Nothing came from him. Not even a look of acknowledgement as he slipped into his native language. "James, yer startin' to worry me. What's wrong? Why are you so worried about this I mean, I know Dahlia's gone but we can get her back, we just gotta figure out a plan we can do this! ...s-say sumthin', please yer kinda scarin' me." Still the raptor did not speak, his eyes wide and unblinking like a dead fish as his body rose and fell with harsh breathing. Clearly troubled, but Kruz did not know what to do simply waiting for an answer. James finally spoke a few minutes later. "Have you ever...wanted to scream so loud you'd tear the world open? Like just really wanted to turn someone deaf out of pure rage?" "...once." "Good. What did you do?" "...I screamed, when you left." The kremling sat down on the floor sitting against the leg of a desk in full view of James. "My world came falling apart anyway so, not like anybody heard me." "Hmm..." "Something bad's about to happen...isn't it?" "Yeah...it is. I can't explain it to you...but I know in my heart that this...isn't going to turn out okay." "Why?" "Because one-three-seven...that fucking number, everytime I've had it come up something really terrible happens. People die when I hear that number." "Does it happen everytime?" "So far it does." "Well uh...I hate to tell you this but I currently have one-hundred-and-thirty-seven gil, I didn't wanna say anythin' but...I wuz gonna buy you a hat." "Snrrrk...hhhhhhehehehehhe, f-fuck's sake Kruz I'm t-trying to get my head straight." "So wuz I, that's why I wanted to get you a hat! Seriously you know how hard it is to find a good hat for reptiles, I mean I had to steal mine!" "Hhhhhhhhahahahaha...god...dammit." The raptor couldn't stop himself from simply grinning at the kremling's joke, seeing Kruz beam down upon him as well before he offered him his single hand to pull him up. Once they were on their feet, James asked: "Can you take me down over to one-three-seven?" "I sure can, but if I recall that's pretty far away down towards the southwest. There's not much stuff goin' on there so I dunno why this Margaret ever would send somebody there." "Maybe to protect something...and I think I know what it is so we need to get down there now before any shit happens." "Well you get yerself ready cuz the ship'll be here in about a day or two tops, so uh get your supplies ready to go, freshen up an' I'll see you there." "Alright..."

He turned slowly towards his group gently coming out of the reliquary's darkened room giving a serious cold look as Navarro understood, despite having not understood a word between them. "Let me guess, kupo. You are going out to this destination." "Yep." "You are not even going to err caution?" "Nope, we're doing this, Dahlia is out there somewhere and whatever that thing is guarding now, it is MUCH worse than anything else you might think it is." "What thing?" "If I could explain it to you I would, but there is something out there that could end this world if it wanted to and we need to stop it." "Wh-what about Margaret?!" cried Fayne. "Margaret is part of this somehow, she knew about one-three-seven and I'm going to find out how, what and why she knows about it when we see her again. But since we don't know where she went, I guess she managed to escape, we deal with that esper thing first." "Sszhe did have the Vanisszhga ability usszhing a mote but...wh-what isszh sszho important about thisszh one-three-sszheven?" "There's a monster. Waiting for me." They looked to each other with the glare of uncertainty, Kruz sticking alongside him as Baldwin could not help himself asking: "Isszh it...like, a REAL monsszhter, like the demon insszhide you?" "Yes. It is MUCH worse than that demon." "...sszhit. That'sszh big for you to sszhay." "When Kruz's ship comes in, I'll fly out there, I WILL get Dahlia back no matter what happens." "Listen to yourself," said the moogle, "you are planning to go into uncharted territory with no plan of attack, no reconnaissance whatsoever-" "Never stopped me before." "I want to save Dahlia too, but I will not rush in like a fool." "I don't care Navarro, this isn't something you can plan trust me." She crossed her arms pushing her tongue into one of her cheeks with disbelief. "I...am not going to risk my life without any organisation whatsoever, kupo. This is a stupid idea James, I want to save Dahlia but-" "Fine, you can stay here and if I die, you're the new clan leader like you always wanted. In fact." He pulled out from his satchel the clan permits and slammed them down onto the desk near him giving them all a chance to express their surprise at his next words. "I'm done. YOU can be the clan leader." For one of the few times in her life, Navarro Rocino was speechless as well as everybody else in the room listlessly watching the raptor's claim with his papers out. She blinked trying to hear his words correctly but she was not mistaken, cautiously scratching her head as they sunk in carefully. "......k-kupo?" "I'm done, I don't want to be clan leader anymore, I'm clearly terrible at it according to you." "N-no you are not," said Fayne, "Jamesszh pleasszhe wh-what are you sszhaying you can't jusszht-" "I have brought together four people who cannot get along. YOU bitched to Navarro throughout your investigations, Baldwin and Dahlia can't seem to get on ever, Navarro NEVER respects me because she's so fucking used to getting her own way so she's mad about me being leader even though I gave her EVERY SINGLE POWER as deputy." "But I-" "NO!" He stepped towards the moogle squeezing the permits in his hand with each step enunciated by his words. "I let you handle our money, I let you choose our jobs, I let you tell us where to go, I never do anything without your consent, I let YOU speak for us. And still you are not fucking satisfied, you ungrateful goddamn moogle, I have done everything I could and all I asked for was a little respect but you've never shown me it, so here." Slapping the permit into her chest he sneered upon her thickly before turning away to walk off. "Tell the boys over there what to do, whatever you plan on doing the next couple of days or weeks with some amaaaaaaazing plan that you SOMEHOW manage to predict when fighting an essssssssssssper, then youuuuuu get 'em champ, cuz I am done." "Wh-what?!" cried Baldwin. "Y-you can't jusszht leave!" "The hell I can, clearly I'm not good enough and our deputy here thinks the very same." "B-but Jamesszh, I don't-" "NO NO, no, never mind me, you know what? I'm going with Kruz. Cuz all I wanted out of this group was to have a good time and also find a way home but now I have my best friend over here who can give me both that in his special airship. Good luck, when you're ready to come fly with us or if you'd rather take another ship then that's fine but if you want, we'll take off together but after we get Dahlia back...you're the leader of this group miss Rocino. Or what's left of it afterwards." With a vicious turn of his back to them, James headed out with Kruz coming awkwardly behind him caught in the rush of things with no certainty of what he was supposed to do, but follow him. The moogle held his clan papers to her chest shocked as she looked at them being slightly crumpled by his hand, his bad cursive plainly there to see next to her eloquent script. Baldwin and Fayne looked at each other rather confused before turning to where mother Mariel stood behind them, deciding to take charge on the matter. "Do you still plan on pursuing Dahlia?" "Of...o-of coursszhe we do!" cried Baldwin. "Sszhe'sszh our friend, we can't jusszht leave her!" "Then you will need some knowledge, I shall gather some books relevant to Adrammelech and help with preparations for this next voyage." "Thank you mother," said Fayne, "whatever Jamesszh may be going through in regardsszh to our clan we sszhould not losszhe our main objective. Navarro? ...N-navarro?" She said nothing, holding the permits with a tightening grip before she stiffened herself briefly and folded them up to put into her satchel with a nod, turning towards them. "You are right, kupo. Whatever our clan policies may be, we must always help those who are in immediate danger especially of our own. You two go with madame Mariel and research everything you can about Adrammelech. I will consult things with Kruz about our own journey to gain passage on his ship once more." "Very well...um...my leader." "...just, call me Navarro, we have not officiated anything." "Alright." Heading off their separate ways, Navarro went to the stores around Lea Monde to stock up on anything they would need. Potions, ethers, remedies, all of which would be needed especially when down one mage as they rationalised their money, as well as buy various items for offence including magic motes, grenade bombs, everything they could to equalise themselves with as if preparing for war. Baldwin and Fayne studied up on everything they could concerning Adrammelech, historical weaknesses and such that would aid them in the upcoming battle.

Mother Mariel also helped in whatever way she could mainly concerning the study of Adrammelech's sheer power and awesome strength they needed to counteract inbetween duties of cleaning up the aftermath of the assault, bodies and all. James remained with Kruz as they debated on what they would do as well, taking their time to relax by a small cafe in the town square of Lea Monde whilst the debris and the smoking tanks were being cleared away by guards and custodial members of the city. Tenderly drinking small cups of coffee amidst the hustle and bustle amidst the shadow of the cathedral, Kruz leaned over the white cafe table asking: "Were you...serious back there?" "Huh?" "About the whole group splitting, I mean I know you guys have all been fighting a lot but, you really wanna just leave?" "I've been thinking about it," said FG, "and frankly I just don't feel I'm doing anything right about them, I just don't feel like they respect me at all...except Fayne, he's a nice guy and Dahlia's just, she's letting Baldwin get to her too much even though he apologised...and admits that he's an idiot." "Khheheh, that doesn't really clear things yanno." "Noooo but...I just wanted to have a group of people around to not be alone with while exploring out in this big place, to basically find a portal that would take me home and I got caught up in all these adventures. Not the greatest idea when you're on a time limit." "Whut time limi-...oh." The kremling stared down at his cup of coffee rather fearfully clasping tightly. "Is...is that really...gonna happen?" "I don't know," said James softly, "it's what Mariel thinks and I've got no reason for her to think otherwise about demons and shit." "Fuck...listen. James, I...you are plannin' to get rid of this thing right, I mean this demon inside of you?" "I want to...but I can't find any way to do it cuz either it's too strong for them to deal with or they can't find a way to do it without ripping my entire soul apart. So either way I'm damned if you do and-" "B-but there must be SOME way come on you can't just give up that's not like you!" "I know I know I'm not giving up! I'm just...it's just been a long time and I'm just really exhausted about all this, there has to be some way to get rid of him I just...need to find the right person." The two drank softly in the mid-summer bustle calmly trying to relax despite Kruz's building apprehension and turmulent thoughts that was clearly written on his face. The raptor reached over to try and pat him gently. "It'll be okay...don't worry about me." "Khheh...I know...I just, wish I could help." "If you really wanna help then...maybe you can help me find my way home after we get Dahlia back?" "Whut you mean?" "I mean...well, if I'm not with Clan Koridai anymore...maybe I can join your crew?" He smiled gladly with an eager expectation but somehow Kruz could not return it, having a half-hearted grin across his snout before it fell uselessly with shaking hand on his coffee cup. James leaned forwards to clasp it asking: "Wh-...what's wrong?" "...are you sure you wanna come on with me an' join with my crew?" "Well I've got noplace else to go I mean...are you guys full or something?" "No, no we always have free room but...hhhhh sorry, just I've been through a lot, I uh...had sum problems before the attack came an' I'm just...worrying about someone." "Who?" "A friend. Not you, though I always worry about you but this is another friend so...my mind's kind of distracted." "Alright, I understand. We don't have to do this whole thing about crew joining yet, I mean we've still got Dahlia to go rescue from this...thing apparently that I never seen." "You should have seen it Rex, that thing wuz fuckin' HUGE, like forty feet tall an' that wuz just a shadow I saw then it went on through the roof an' just totally collapsed everythin'!" "Alright, I mean...do you wanna know why I'm afraid of this one-three-seven stuff?" "Why?" He put down his cup and stared deep into Kruz's face piercing into his soul. "There's this thing...that's been following me. And I...I know it wants me, and I'm terrified." "Why?" "...I don't know. But it wants me. It needs me. And I'm scared that if it keeps chasing me it's gonna cause some great thing to happen and all I love will be...destroyed, or something worse." "How can it possibly get worse?" "You'll see...when we get there. I don't want any of you to come with me when I face it but if it's where Dahlia is I...really don't have any choice but to ask you to take me down on your ship." "Whutever crap you have to deal with, I'm there with you. I don't care whut monster is you're so afraid of, but I'm here with you. Always." He clasped James' hand softly with a firm look that gave James some hope. The remaining survivors of the invading army over the course of the city's cleanup had all been sent to the city's prison which due to its religious nature was to give them a choice between eternal imprisonment, or hard labour with a chance of repentance. Most of them chose labour and were sent out to work in the fields on a very rigorous regime of strenuous tasks and food which was not particularly tasty but fed a lot of nutrition needed. The day after the assault, Kruz's ship returned back to Lea Monde sweeping up its captain with open arms as Clan Koridai promptly rejoined them leaving the chocobos behind in the stables' care. Where they would be going they would not need their errant flock. Explaining briefly to his group on what their next mission was, the kremling captain moved everyone round to a meeting once reunions had been made, hugs and banter all round as the crew met in the main hall of the ship normally used for feasting beneath the glowing magicite lamps.

"Alright," started Kruz Tenderleaf, "as you all know, we were tasked previously on finding out this Hopkins and whatever other companions that she had on lending her personal army to. What have you all found out since I was absent?" "Firstly," began Tennyson promptly, "we found a lead through our contacts in Bhujerba as to where Hopkins is recruiting our new enemies from. We also heard about the attack on Lea Monde whence we arrived and we are very glad to see that you are all safe." "Appresszhiated," said Fayne, "the damage wasszh not horrendousszh other than a few collapsszhed corridorsszh and sszheveral homesszh asszh well asszh one-third of our garrisszhon." "Indeed. Hopkins' maiden name is that of Mitford, previously of the Mitford Mafia that had once ruled the east quarter of Bhujerba with an iron fist, rendering it to but a ghetto some thirty-five years previously before around twenty years hence when the operation fell through against rebellion by the city. But as our floating city's history is rather rarely ever written down, it is not so easily reported since the city never relies on any help from regions outsides of its borders. We have found however some various testimonies from old previous officers, both inside and out of the organisation, who attested that after the fall of Adolphus Mitford, his three daughters had disappeared." "Three?" asked Navarro. "Rebecca, Margaret and Erin. Rebecca as we now know had changed her name marrying into the Hopkins' family that she was courting already at the time of her father's empire failing. What we didn't know however was that she personally had her own goons from within the organisation as she was to be made second-in-command of Mitford's criminal organisation before everything was completely dissolved." "So they were actually criminals of a different age, kupo. I presume that she still hires around Ivalice?" "It appears so, from what we have gathered Rebecca might be trying to regain her father's legacy in terms of actual strength and power, but by going through different means such as the gathering of information and wealth, like that of relics and artifacts." "Hence her being engaged to a newspaper tycoon. And Margaret?" "Margaret wanted none of it, she said she was dissatisfied but some people claim she was rather envious that her sister Rebecca got all the glory and power of the group, so instead she went to university in Archades." "Which presumably is where she met Berniere, that I do know. And what of the third sister, kupo?" "She died," replied Cid, "found dead in the sea just off the coast of Balfonheim six years later, seems as if her daddy's death an' the loss of her family took her pretty deep an' she had no way to cope. Looks to me as well that her sisters didn't even bother tryin' to care about her." "Fucking bitchesszh," snarled Baldwin, "they wanna get their daddy'sszh fame and glory back but don't care about their sszhibling?! Sszho what'sszh Margaret'sszh deal then?" "We couldn't check on her studyin' majors but uh it seems like she was actually out of the game fer a good bit not even carin' about her family, almost like she never wanted to associate with them ever again. In fact we checked around on any major events Rebecca was in, an' Maggie never even showed up to any of 'em! Seems like they almost never keep in contact whatsoever." "So wait," said FG, "you're telling me we have two sisters from an old-school family of mobsters, who went off their different routes and never even saw each other again for the last twenty years?" "Yep, you got it!" "Huh...considering what they said to each other back in that conversation we recorded that does kind of add up. So why the hell would Margaret even want to talk to her again?" "Because she knew her sis was buildin' a li'l empire an' thought to take a piece out of it for her own obviously, the captain told us that miss Maggie was behind the whole recent attack right? Well that's what she needed a li'l army fer, even if it is all criminals an' ex-convicts workin' as security staff. I never said they NEVER met again they just sorta knew like maybe met up once in a while or crossed paths, they are both around in Archades." "But you said they were Bhujerban," said Kruz, "you mean they're not originally from Archades?" "Seems not! Doesn't stop 'em from changin' accents completely, they're smart ladies, have to be to get out this far an' start up new lives, especially Rebecca fer not bein' caught this long. I mean sheesh, I been scammin' people fer years but I never got through completely without gettin' caught." "Maybe come up with better names?" said Rzepka sarcastically. "I mean they have a saying now in Archadia that 'if there's a Cid that means trouble in Ivalice'." "An' well you know it, I don' see YOU gettin' immortalised in sayings mister mapmaker!" "I actually SELL maps, with my NAME on them like an actual person does and not a thief!" "EH-EH-EH that's MOUNTEBANK thank you!" "Alright enough!" Kruz put his hand down firmly on the table before they progressed the meeting keeping sure that both crew members remained quiet. "That's one order of business dealt with concerning our fact-finding, but now we have another mission. To help keep everybody up on things for those of you who don't know or weren't paying attention just now, Margaret Mitford was the one behind the assault on Lea Monde previously." Gasps of murmur and surprise ran through the crew surreptitiously. "Which means our information is now a lot more relevant then we thought it would...but there's another problem. Mitford has unleashed a most terrifying dangerous enemy out to the world of Ivalice. An esper." Even more murmurings of discontent and worry gave out amongst the people. "I know that this may be...a very dangerous task so I am going to let someone who actually knows about it to explain this better than me. Father Smithee." Fayne stood up before the crowd of mixed crewmembers with the air of a churchman, recidivating into his formal stance with his hands on the table as if about to give a sermon. "During the attack on my home and cathedral, my dear friend Dahlia had been...ruthlessly manipulated by madame Margaret Mitford and her companion Enoch who both found that an innate power lied within her. An-esper, the veil of which known by the name of Adrammelech, the Wroth tormented. I do not know how they had come to know about it, for none in my clan ever knew. She...disappeared after the creature had taken control of her body and vaulted into the very ether, heading to one point mentioned clearly by Margaret for one unknown...nefarious motive. Point one-three-seven." The cleric brought up an immense sack of gil onto the table almost invitingly so tightly bound and a hefty-enough weight that Baldwin had to assist, making the table creak amongst its tinkling noises from within. "My clan...has-put forth a reward to your entire crew for our new objective. To-escort our group and take on whatever danger there might be...against the great Adrammelech. We do not know why Margaret had any knowledge...of-an-esper, but we do know that a dear friend of our clan may be in great peril, along with any that may come near to wherever that point may be. I know that...we are-asking a great deal for you to...risk your very life but I plead to you...I only offer a great tithe to cover your profit needed for the journey to our point of need. But I know that all the gil in our world could not ever compare to buying even one of you, for your very life, I will not denigrate you like you are to be bought like weaponry. You are living people, and I can only plead to your heart...to help my dear friend and to prevent our future tragedy. Thank you." Sitting down firmly the crowd stood silent, a few tears softly weeping from amidst the more sensitive members at an honest speech. Kruz stood with Tennyson once more waiting as he asked: "So...that's what we have to do, are you all ready to fight an esper in essence, the storm of the skies themselves in order to save a maiden as well as any others that may come near...or will we live to fight another day in calmer stormless seas away from this grief? We have a great risk of not surviving this, and I know that some of you are afraid and would rather want to go onto something more...usual but that never stopped us fighting other ships, and it certainly never stopped me saving more than half of you all from the Karmesan Rift. But I will not judge you if you so wish to turn the sails away from this plea. Tennyson." The hume brought out a bag separately onto the table leaving James confused by this odd procedure along with his former clan. "You know the drill by now but for the sake of our friends and any of us new I'll explain. This bag here has the exact number of paper cards as much as every crew member on this ship. All of them have your names printed on them, so when you are called, you take your card and keep it on you. In Tennyson's office are two ballot boxes, one of which we have for saying Aye, and the other for saying Nay. If you want to take on this mission despite the risk involved, then you take your card and put it into the box saying Aye. If you want to refuse to take this mission, then put your card in saying Nay. We will not inform anyone of your decisions to other people, unless you chose to do that yourself. You have until sundown to decide on this and think it over in your duties, and when you are ready, just go to Tennyson's office and submit your decision. That is all." The first mate began the process calling out names and handing cards with said names inscribed onto them to be taken and reconsidered for the later vote. Kruz took the clan to one side leaving the room entirely with them as Navarro nodded impressed at such structure of order. "I have never seen such a democracy, kupo." "It's rare that we do this but, considering that we may all die on this I'm not going to condemn my crew if they don't want to." "What happens if they say No?" asked FG. "Then...you have to find someone else." "But, Dahlia's-" "I know, she's your friend but these people are my friends too, all eighty-seven of them and I will not force them to go into maybe-something-dangerous they might lose their lives on if they don't want to by majority. They might say Yes, they're all good people they care about other people so don't worry about it. If you need someone to help you, I'll take you off to Bhujerba and you will be able to find someone else." "Are you sszhertain?" asked Fayne. "I promise, I will not rest until I find someone who will take you. I have a few favours around there asking to be repaid so if you ever get stuck I'm sure I can find an arm to twist." "I sszhee. Thank you Kruzzh." The kremling chuckled with a soft wink at Fayne glimmering with his teeth neatly in confidence as the cleric gave a hot blush with simpering look. The group were excused as the Petal's crew all made their decisions over the course of the day, during which the clan found themselves forced to become busy for the duration of the vote. Fayne sat himself in his guest bedroom reading over all his notes from Mariel, whilst Navarro and Baldwin were out on deck surveying the view of the city trying to calm their heads. "Are you really?" asked Baldwin. "Hmm?" "Actually leading the clan I mean? Wasszh Jamesszh sszheriousszh?" "...I did not expect him to, kupo. But he has not come to see me and...I heard from Kruz that he did offer genuinely to go with him as a crewmember." "But...b-b-but, he'sszh the besszht leader we had, n-not that you're not a good leader I mean you handle all the money and you alwaysszh got a good idea, it'sszh jusszht that..." Navarro turned to him with a look of puzzlement as he struggled to find words. "You're not the...warmesszht part of our group, th-that'sszh not a bad thing it'sszh jusszht-" "I know." "...you do?" "I know I am not very...sociable, I am not...very permissive of dealing with small interactions." "That'sszh not true, come on you broke our armsszh off a few daysszh ago, and you got on real well with that Roy." "We had a common subject, kupo. I admit it's rather selfish of me to use that." "That'sszh what everybody'sszh like. I mean I can't really connect with Dahlia becausszhe sszhe knowsszh way more about sszhtuff than I do." "And yet you try, constantly." "Becausszhe I like her, I...hhhhhh I know sszhe might not want to be my girlfriend but at leasszht maybe a friend would be alright. If sszhe disszhagreesszh with me about Jamesszh and hisszh sszhodomy then that'sszh fine we have a differensszhe but...that'sszh no reasszhon to not be friendsszh with her." "Why?" Baldwin shifted towards her as he gently circled his claw on the ship's bannister railing. "Why even try if you are not friends with them kupo?" "We are friendsszh! We were friendsszh when we sszhtarted out sszheven monthsszh ago, what'sszh changed Navarro?!" "Plenty things, we have all found many dark secrets within each other." "Sszhept you." "What?" "I've not heard any dark sszhecretsszh about you, or me frankly, I guesszh mother countsszh but then I never knew sszho..." "Tell me something Baldwin. You are against James for being a sodomite, you obviously do not agree with his lifestyle but yet you still follow him and quite clearly vouch for him to be leader. Why?" The bangaa rested his back against the railing sighing heavily as he scratched his head with a wrought set of fingers. "Becausszhe...I know him an' me don't really agree on thingsszh but...I'm really amazzzhed at how resszhponsszhible he'sszh been." "Really?" "Well...consszhidering me and Fayne are sszhtill normal even after all the time we sszhpent together, but he...he hasszhn't done anything to usszh. I wasszh exszhpecting him to make a move on usszh by the time we got back sszho we could think about leaving thisszh group but he never sszhowed even the sszhlightesszht interesszht. I'm amazzzhed at how controlled he'sszh able to handle hisszh urgesszh." "He is not a wild beast Baldwin, he is a sentient person." "Yeah but sszhtill sszhick with sszhomething that can causszhe urgesszh to happen unnaturally. I mean I really resszhpect him for the fact he'sszh had no help, not even going for a cure becausszhe really I don't think they have one that worksszh yet, but he'sszh really tried and I never notisszhed until the whole demon thing. And now I realisszhe that...he'sszh got way bigger problemsszh than a little disszheasszhe like sszhodomy."

Navarro turned her back to him with arm leaning on the deck derisively as she simply looked away with Baldwin stammering: "Wh-wh-what?!" "...you really are an imbecile." "Wh-what the fuck, I am TRYING to get along with everyone Navarro, don't you think I care?!" "About what kupo?" "About you, about Jamesszh, about my brother Fayne, do you know what went on in my mind when Jamesszh told usszh about hisszh...thing?! That Fayne might have gotten it a-a-and hisszh whole life would change!" "Change how?!" "H-he wouldn't be able to find a girlfriend o-o-or a wife and live happily with sszhome children like a real family if he got all that disszheasszhe...maybe even live in the sszhame housszhing like me, maybe nexszht door..." Baldwin moved himself back towards the horizon staring upon Lea Monde below him, sighing with a palm to his face. "I had thisszh dream, when we sszhtarted dating lotsszh of girlsszh that one day we would find the perfect one for each other...and I thought hopefully we could move into the sszhame area and I could...I want to sszhettle down one day." "Really?" "I wasszh thinking when I wasszh older that...maybe I could find a lady I could really love and then have children...and hope Fayne would have children too with hisszh lady and I could...I could be an uncle to hisszh children and he be an uncle to mine and we could all like live normal and happy our two familiesszh altogether...I don't want anything to take that away from usszh." "Was that his dream as well, kupo?" "Yeah...kind of, he never wantsszh to leave me, he alwaysszh kept closszhe to me even when I firsszht woke up, the firsszht thing I remember wasszh waking up in a hosszhpital bed at Lea Monde and I never knew...I can't remember anything before that but Fayne looked at me...like thisszh fearful little kid and I remember thinking 'who isszh thisszh kid...why'sszh he sszho afraid and...upsszhet' and then he told me that I wasszh hisszh brother and he wasszh all afraid that I would not wake up. I can never forget that look on hisszh fasszhe." Leaning forwards he let his hands droop over the side heaving slightly as Navarro turned to look at him. "I remember that fasszhe, the firsszht thing I wake up to and he wasszh jusszht...he wasszh the only one who ever sszhtood by me, the only one I ever knew...and I made thisszh oath, to protect my brother, but alsszho to keep him sszhafe and happy. Sszho you sszhee when I learned that our leader wasszh well basszhically a walking disszheasszhe I jusszht...I don't...I usszhed to be afraid of him but then he did everything he could to get back my brother and not ONSSZHE did he ever make a move on him. I resszhpect that. I have no reasszhon not to trusszht him. I don't want him to leave." "...I trust him too." He turned fast with surprise at the moogle gasping silently. "You.....r-r-really?" "Of course I do! Why do all of you think I am some sort of vain heartless noblewoman, kupo?!" "Becausszhe you never tell him that sszhorta sszhtuff, how would he know?!" "I expect him to be smart enough to know that I trust him!" "Do you really think he hasszh time to figure out all your little nuansszhesszh when he'sszh BUSSZHY trying to keep usszh all together!? We're not like you Navarro, we don't have that ability you got of being able to read people, you ever consszhidered that?!" "...I thought from his experience-" "Well even when people DO know that, it'sszh not the sszhame asszh telling them, becausszhe by actually telling them that you care about them, they KNOW for a fact that you actually resszhpect them. I told Jamesszh I trusszht him, we went through all thisszh back in Balfonheim and cleared it, now we're friendsszh again!" "Despite your opinion." "N-never mind that," he said waving his hands frantically, "the point isszh YOU'VE got to tell him, the only reasszhon he'sszh gone isszh that he never thought you resszhpected him, it doesszhn't matter if you tell me, you have to tell HIM. ...and I thought you were the brainsszh of thisszh clan." The look she gave him was of piercing authority as he balked slightly backing off. "WHAT did you say, kupo?!" "N-nothing, nothing I'm jusszht sszhaying I thought you would have known to do thisszh yoursszhelf!" "And just what do you base that on Baldwin?!" "Maybe jusszht, if you actually told him how much you cared about what he did and how much you actually resszhpected him, he might have had a reasszhon to not leave you with all of usszh sszhtill broken apart!" "...hm." The moogle turned away calmly with a pensive thought as she stroked her chin. "You...actually have a point." "Yeah?" "...I will think about this." Navarro walked to her room to gather her thoughts and inventory to make sure, whilst Baldwin simply waited bored as anything watching the small city continue its affairs as people moved back and forth down below like little ants in a stone colony. The scale of the damage was not as great as either had expected, a few houses crushed by weakened masonry whilst the church smouldered in a few places besides its broken front door, cracked windows and a few collapsed corridors. It would take some time to clean everything back to its former state of glory. During Baldwin's absence, Kruz took this opportunity to head to where Fayne was in his guest room alone, gently knocking on the door hearing the bangaa within huff deeply with a sigh as the door opened. "Noooo Baldwin, I am not falling for that trick again I know you never knock." "Hey." Fayne turned with a slight start before looking away again, nervously lightened fingers at the sight of Kruz's presence, the kremling closing the door behind him. Fayne was currently sitting away from the door facing the wall on his bed. "H-...h-hello." "You alright?" "Um...well, thank you." "Just wanted to check up on you after everything that's gone, things must have been crazy the past few hours." "You were there, weren't you?" "Khhm...that's true, um...listen, Fayne, are you...worried about something still?" "No...not, well, other than the usszhual." "I mean are YOU alright? Not concerning any of this, I just wanted to ask if you were alright." "I...I am fine, thank you Kruzzh." "Alright. Just um, what we talked about, you know I won't breathe a word of anything, right?" "I would...appresszhiate that, forgive me my..." He sighed deeply with the book on his lap and hands splayed out upon his head as he turned towards Kruz. "My mind isszh not very focusszhed on anything I cannot...I cannot comprehend anything at the moment." "We're all kind of reeling from what we've just been through, although I admit you and me have some sort of deeper thing going on now that you've told me about you and Baldwin." "I-i-i know...and I am glad that you will keep sszhtum about it, if I may plead." "You don't have to plead anything." The kremling walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I mean what I said...I'll be happy if I'm with you, making you happy as well." "I...I'm sszhorry. I cannot...my mind isszh sszho-" "It's okay, I understand you want to take time to unwind and shift through your thoughts, but I just want you to know that if you need me for anything...anything, I'm here for you, alright Fayne? I'll be here welcoming you with open arms, to love you...if you ever make that choice." "....thank you." The captain hugged him tightly with an arm around his shoulder, giving him a small kiss on the cheek as Fayne blushed deeply with hot cheeks, bristling along his skin before the shiver of fear ran through him to stifle it down ruthlessly, the cleric brushing off slightly with an awkward little grin. "I-i-i sszhould return to my reading, I will confer with you another time Kruzzh." "Alright, take care of yourself." He waved as he left leaving Fayne to his thoughts as the bishop planted a finger upon the page reading slowly as he mouthed to himself. But a little warmth spread through him as he felt the kiss upon his cheek in rememberance smiling gladly. Then he felt his conflict, the tingling frustration crawling up his spine as he shook his head again and curled his finger up into balling fists that slammed upon the desk. Frustration. Desire. Fear. Then sorrow as he turned away from the books brushing tears from his face with shaking hand.

Heading back up along deck, it was nearing sunset as the vote would cast itself before long as Kruz headed back to the captain's room wishing on some clear sense of direction when now at a standstill. If the crew decided the majority of Nay he was not sure what he would do, and even then he was starting to worry about James' clan being able to handle themselves without him. It wasn't long before he opened his door seeing a raptor in his bed leaning back to calm himself. "If you plan on bein' in my crew you should know you're not allowed to sleep in the captain's bed!" "...OH, h-heh, s-sorry um...captain?" "Belay that, yer not one of my scrimps yet James...much as I would love to have you now move over." Sitting down onto the bed he laid back in turn alongside James, with hands behind their head as Kruz made conversation whilst staring up at the wood ceiling. "So...how did you an' Koopin meet?" James looked at him oddly with a turn of the head. "You...you really wanna know?" "Well yeah I mean, the guy who stole yer heart has to be sumthin good so come on let's hear it. I told you all about my adventures so let's hear yours." "Uhmmm...I dunno, are you sure you want to hear after-" "Weeellll I think I'm over you by now, or at least I wanna be, plus we've got nuthin' else to do, I still wanna take an interest in yer life as your best friend and uh...I may have found a new person possibly..." The raptor turned curiously with intrigue smiling as he laid on his side. "Oooooooooh...did you find someone?!" "Leeeeet's just say he and I are just testin' the waters, he's very shy an' sweet an' I don't wanna push him." "Is he on your crew?" "I'd rather not say." "Kruuuuz I thought you said no crew liaisons." "W-well...love finds a way James, come on cut me sum slack!" "Okay okay...so, you really want me to talk about Koopin then?" "Yeah I'm curious, you always keep talkin' about him so come on let's hear it." "Alright, well...there's this place called the Mushroom Kingdom firstly." "Mushroom...kingdom?" Kruz eyed him suspiciously turning over fully towards FG as he looked back at him. "What?!" "James you not been on any mushroom sambas now have you?" "Wha-nooo, not like that! It's this really light-hearted happy place, like fucking gorgeous, bright as anything. Blue skies, clouds and bushes serene like anything, all these little mushroom people just waddling around, kinda short, not...moogle short, but maybe nu-mou short anyway, it's kinda perfect, like a kid made the whole place." "Ah huh." "They're all ruled by this princess, really nice lady, but there's also this big demon turtle king that opposes her, I think the two kinda got a thing maybe, I dunno it feels like it anyways, they also got these people called koopas, like what Koopin is. And they're sorta like these...well, you saw the picture." "I did, the little cute turtle things." "So I managed to get a free room at an inn, real nice place so I went down to the club and got a few drinks. That's how I met Koopin." "Khhhahahaha, ohhhh seriously? You got yer ass drunk an' took 'im out back?" "NO! ...I got back to his place, then we did it on the couch...then on his bed." "Wooooaaaaaahohoho, look at youuuu cute player." The little tap to the chin from the kremling made FG slightly blush as he continued. "So uh...whut wuz he like?" "Adorable, god he's such a...cute gorgeous little thing, like he's four years younger than me but I just wanna squeeze him, you know that shell's removeable of his and underneath is this pudgy little yellow body. I swear he's only five-foot-four or something god he's just the cutest thing. He squeals like a girl when I rim him, and his ass is...well, he's not a virgin but he felt like one." "Khhhehehehehe...go on." "Well then the next morning, I'm all awake and sorta thinking 'ohhh shit' so I try to leave, then he wakes up and I'm like 'oh uhhh hey um I wasn't leaving I was just gonna leave a note' and you know what he said to me?" The kremling waited smiling as he kept his chin lifted eagerly. "He said 'was I okay?' Like he was all worried that I wasn't-" "AWWWWWW noooooooo!" cried Kruz cackling earnestly. "Please, tell me you told him he was GOOD that's just cruel!" "Well-YEAH! Course I told him I mean...he was adorable frankly, god I mean I felt guilty right then like 'ohhhhnonono you were fun I loved it I just felt...really awkward about being in somebody else's house', and then he, just to make up for it...he makes me breakfast." "Pffffffft....ohhhhh fuck you kiddin' me? That's....that's adorable, I can't compete with that goddammit." "He honest to god made me breakfast and it was delicious as anything. So from that point on I guess we just sorta hung out together, since he's a tour guide he knows all the places of the Mushroom Kingdom so he was the perfect guy for it." "Were you plannin' on stayin' there?" "Well...yeah, kind of until other things sorta would came up making me wanna go and get right with my purpose for this journey, mostly to get back home and stuff." "I see...how long were you two together fer?" James turned slightly melancholy as he reminisced looking hazy in his bloodshot eyes. "Four years...and he's still waiting for me, he promised. And I believe him trust me, he wouldn't break a promise to me, he's not one of those um, polygamous types he's pretty much all about this one-on-one." "A kid like him makes you breakfast after the first night of fuckin' when drunk, yeah I believe it, that kid is way too nice. Khheh, honestly I sorta feel sorry fer him havin' you to handle." "Yyyyyeaaaah...I used to be a real dick when we first met but then he sorta changed me, made me a lot better about things like not to be so angry all the time, sorta be more confident without being all like, sorta needy and cocky and arrogant and such he...Koopin knew how to do that, he knew how to be confident without looking like a dick. I guess it's more like taking pride in your work or something." "So I have him to thank fer this new and improved James I see before me?" "More or less?" Kruz rolled onto his back gently smiling up at the ceiling, feeling a little happier with a load off as he stared wistfully. "If I ever somehow got the ability to switch between worlds myself, I'll come visit an' thank him cuz you sure turned out to be real good these past few years." "Well I mean, there's other friends too, a lot of them that changed me." "Yeah like who?" "Well...Kirie for one, there's Red, Spike, Sarah, another girl called Sarah that is, Shin......Isaac...Lirem, Norem, Areh, Jax and...Leiah...Dar-Ma though I never really talked to her much but-no she's a friend she helped me out, Glenn my master, Scratch and Grounder-" "Ohhhh yeah the robot dudes you told me." "Yeah thassit! Darryl, Jerry, Diana, Gruthar um...yeah like all these friends I had like Alestes, Sophelie...Monty...the lemming guys fuck what were their names...um there was one or two, I think Twin-sen? Shit, there was a leader too, Areen or-Arino, thassit, his name was Arino." "I'm surprised you got a good memory fer names." "More like I don't want to forget, after all that I've been through." "Did you meet all those people in the time that you were away between this world and mine?" "Yeah basically. I mean I met people before I joined you but uh...I don't remember them really, it kinda gets fuzzy when I start remembering before I met Glenn, he was my master who trained me to be a swordsman." "Ahhh I see, with the bastard sword style." "Yeah." "You ever have anyone else you had a bit of fun with?" "...I think Kirie has a thing for me but I'm not sure, she's awful grabby about me." "Hohooooo a girl huh? Mmmmbetter watch out then." "Hahaha..."

Soon came at last the sun setting beneath the sea horizon as the ballot was cast onto the ship. The whole crew gathered before the captain as Tennyson brought forth the two ballot boxes from his office standing up onto the navigation deck of the ship above all its members. James stood at the side with his clan formerly as the hume made his announcement. "I hold in my hands, two boxes. One that shall decide on us refusing to charter this mission, the other to accept. I will tell you now...since it will be very obvious if I tell you one or the other, that there was a great landslide of votes tiltering towards one option." Murmurs of intrigue came from the innocent crew pleading hopefully the right choice had been made. "Due to the rather great disparity of choices between votes, we have come to a certain conclusion I will explain after that I have announced. The number of votes in the Nay box..." James' eyes tightened with fearful apprehension feeling his stomach twist slightly. "...is seventeen." Gasps ran through the entire crew with shock before they realised slowly what this meant but they struggled to keep silent with eager anticipation. "The number of votes in the Aye box...is seventy-two." The crowd erupted with wild cheers as hands threw themselves into the sky gladly, apart from the seventeen who had voted Nay but they were lost amongst the horde gleefully excited for their as Tennyson stated: "Those seventeen of you who will not be named...due to the small number of you, we shall allow you to disembark safely where you may hopefully pray for our safe return out of respect for your choice. We understand that you do not want to be made a part of this, despite the fact that you are part of this crew and therefore must follow as to our orders. We are after all simply but a trades vessel, not a military construct. Were this a military scheme you would not have any choice in the matter, but for those of you shout Nay, you must confer with me as a group to discuss where you may want to be disembarked at privately. Those of you who shouted Aye, do NOT engage or disrespect any of their choices otherwise you will suffer a good cut of your wages for your insolence. That is all." With a relief almost unanimous amongst James' group, he smiled gladly as Baldwin gladly gave him a friendly punch on the arm cackling: "HEYYYYYY we can go sszhave Dahlia now!" "Heh, yeah," replied FG. "Well uh what do we do now bosszh?!" "...um, did you forget, I'm not your boss anymore." "...oh...o-o-oh, yeah I knew that, I wasszh talking to her." The two brothers turned towards Navarro as did James who calmly looked towards the horizon simply giving a soft sigh through her nostrils. The glinting silver light of her badge on her left breast turned a sweet honey-coated amber by the glare of the sinking sun, before she walked away almost taking three steps. They said nothing until she spoke with her back turned to them. "......do you really think...I am the most capable person of leading this group?" "What?" "...do you truly believe, I am capable of leading you by myself, kupo?" "...I do not undersszhtand," asked Fayne, "why would you not be? You are clearly sszhkilled and determined and have far more exszhperiensszhe than either of usszh." "No. I...I could not do this." Navarro turned back slowly towards FG, facing him directly. "You did let me handle the money, you did let me handle our missions and where to go, and it is true that we never did anything unless both of us agreed, kupo. But...I could not even form a single clan to come together as good people, you however did." "What?" "I was the one that said to choose a white mage, I did not care what Dahlia was other than she was cheap and willing to be a part of us for an acceptable price. Instead we end up with a tormented vagrant whose story is nothing but death and fury. I was the one that said to choose a bishop, and instead we end up with two brothers as an entire ball of neuroses and frustrating relationships, kupo!" "Hey-hey hey!" replied Baldwin. "We're not THAT bad, what'sszh your problem?!" "All I wanted, ALL I WANTED was to be the leader of a group that could make an affordable income to give profit to my ranch, I did not care what any of you did with your money, I just wanted my share to give back home!" "Fine," said FG, "we all knew by the third month anyway what you wanted, that's not a bad thing." "No. But...being part of my first group, my first clan proper...has taught me a valuable lesson. I could never have done this, if all I wanted was to make it business. If I wanted to do business I would have opened up a shop, kupo. But I couldn't, I had no ability to sell or barter, I cannot interact with people, I can't...I thought when Berniere had been able to form a clan almost instantly, as this great hero of Archades I thought it was because of skill and competence that people followed him kupo. But...I was so stupid to not realise that...it was because people liked him." She put a hand to her chin, closed fist pressed to her lips struggling with hot breaths shakily as a bitterness grew into herself. "No one...liked me despite the fact I was just as skilled as Berniere...he always said it. He always said 'give a smile once every often, be pleasant, stop being so business-like, it's an adventure not a profit yearning' and I just took it to be part of his ways and never realised...I cannot run people like you as if it were a business. I could not make you or Baldwin or Dahlia or Fayne become that...and it was only when you gave me so much power despite being deputy, how earnestly you trusted me with every one of our decisions...I realised I was incapable of understanding people." "No you're not," replied Fayne. "We may not be chocobosszh but we are sszhtill creaturesszh with emosszhion." "You're not incapable," added James, "you just never bothered because people piss you off so much." "P-people...people are irrational, kupo. People lie and deceive and betray each other, look at Margaret and Enoch. You would never have that come from any chocobo because they have no reason to. I can understand a flock easily by the way they shift, their strange turn of the head or their little tweaks, I was raised amongst them, part of the ranch but with people I-...I do not know why I stopped trying to be that way with people. But I know that, for all my ability to read people in where they are from and what their next move shall be in conflict against me...all of that is useless when I cannot even bring myself to be with other people." Navarro sighed deeply with sense of remorse, looking down upon the floor as she rubbed at Berniere's gleaming badge as if it mocked her of its importance. She almost wanted to throw the thing away but remembered his promise as James put a hand on her shoulder kneeling down to her height looking her in the eye. "You're not the one person I would bring to a party...but you are the one I trust most in all of Ivalice." "P-pardon?" "You and me have been together for so long and we've fought alongside each other that, sure we may have our arguments but...you are at least my most faithful companion and I couldn't ask for anyone better alongside me as a deputy...or a friend to help me out through all this." "Hm. What about Kruz?" "He's not from Ivalice, he doesn't count." "Heeey!" cried Kruz from nearby. "Seriously, look...I'm sorry about all the frustration I caused you. I know you wanted to be a leader, and frankly I'm not good at it-" "Don't be absurd. You are a good leader." "Wait...what?" "You never hesitate to save people, you do not care about wealth or profit risk, you do not worry yourself about diplomatic reasoning when you know that there are issues to concern with or immediately resolve. You stood firm without any hesitation in every battle I have seen you in, you dominated your own Cadbury despite my own grievances and proved your worth as a noble equal to him, you leapt in and almost instantly formed a plan to rescue our people as well as free an entire populace repressed by such incredulously fast synergy." "...well...that may be, but-" "I may be a knight James, and I am experienced...but you are the very heart of this clan, kupo. You are able to bond and strengthen this group despite our recent failings in ways that I never could. I admit that kupo. And in this dark time of ours when our friend is in need, I will not let my pride be an obstacle for this. I accept you as my leader because you complete this group."

James smiled with awestruck beauty at her words of kindness as he nodded in respect taking her hand as they shook. "Thank you...that...that's all I really wanted to hear for at least once, just to know I'm doing something good. Thank you for telling me. And you are the brain of this clan because seriously, without you I would have been turning tricks for money down in Rabanastre on the second day." "HAH! Well, I suppose that wouldn't have been unprofitable concerning how much Kruz gives you the look." "I'm not looking anywhere!" cried Kruz in defence. "It's not my fault his aaaaaaaaa...rithmetic is terrible?" Seeing Fayne's look of abject fear from behind Baldwin made the kremling switch words briefly as the raptor understood without even seeing the bishop's face, unaware of their little look as he replied: "Well to be fair I only did one year in high school, not exactly good with money." "And well you show it," said the moogle snarkily. "Hey-ey I thought you were being kind to me now!" "I will be kindly...but not without truth, kupo." "Oh, pfffft, fine whatever...okay, so are we all agreed that we're going to this point one-three-seven to find Dahlia?" "Yes." "Absszholutely," said Fayne. "I'm game!" yelled Baldwin. "Dahlia needsszh usszh, no way we're ever leaving her!" "It's going to be dangerous," said FG, "and I'm not going to lie, something may be there that will very much threaten your existence. I say we stock up on everything and do all we can to keep fit mentally and physically for anything that may be there." "You know we alsszho have our esszhper to deal with, right?" "Oh yeah, of course, so we have an esper and something else I'll need to explain to you about IF it's what I think it is. It may not be, might all be a total coincidence but I never had a good coincidence happen to me. So let's do this, we get ourselves ready and make a meeting on the ship cuz we're gonna need everybody on board to hear about this." "Good idea," said Rocino, "no need to explain things twice especially now we are facing an esper with a cargo ship." "Scuse me," said Kruz, "the Broken Petal is not just a cargo ship, it is a dancer of the wind and I will make it fucking perform so hard that this thing whatever is going to be applauding for mercy." "People do not usually applaud for mercy, kupo." "Wait until you see what I can do with it." "Alright then," said James firmly, "let's do this Clan Koridai!" "YEAH!" With fistpumping support they found themselves heading straight off towards their destination, far to the southwest of Ivalice's reach between two continents, south of Rozarria specifically. The ship first made a detour to Bhujerba dropping off the seventeen unknown members that refused to join in on this mission with well-wishes and cheers of support, the lightened load of the brigantine racing off towards the horizon southwards. Fayne was on point especially as he informed Kruz of everything to expect from this esper in preparation for the big battle. Hurrying across the world with a speed incapable of most ships, the Broken Petal forced itself onwards past forests and deserts beyond, the land changing around them almost instantly if one did not stay on deck more than six hours. The distance from Lea Monde to this destination was across two continents, which took in itself five days not including the small detour to Bhujerba. The raptor, now rejoined with his clan, could do nothing but wait and renegotiate with his group, conferring on ideas on how best to tackle this next obstacle. Five days would pass, and with each new day that came the sky turned darker with storms rippling across the atmosphere. They were getting close, as Kruz headed down towards Navigation with James and Navarro as they conferred with Rzepka, struggling to triangulate the path through the ever-encroaching maelstrom. Winds came through the little slats howling with the cries of torment around the ship as Kruz braced himself. The wind was so violent that amongst the shrieks it was literally buffeting the sides of the ship actively pushing it from side to side, sails flapping like the wings of butterflies. "Are we getting close?" "Definitely," said the navigator, "just give it about another ten minutes, this storm's not natural it's messing up everything down here I can't get a good direction. All these winds howling don't help." "You still know where we're going at least?" "Oh I remember, I know which way we're heading, just got to keep remembering that and not get blown off course. There should be a safe spot for us in the eye of the storm that's got to be where that esper is." "Alright let's head back on deck." The kremling rushed to the helm where Michelle and Tennyson stood bravely defiant against the storm screeching above their heads. The entire world was swamped with grey darkness, infinite of their ruin as thunder bristled across the deck in deep vibrations that forced everyone to feel their nerves jolt on end. Lightning briefly struck crackling sharp enough to deafen their ears upon the left and right, neatly missing the Broken Petal itself by some strange fortune or expert guidance of the ship which simply lit up with white. The nu-mou in red at the helm made a steady course as she cried pointing towards the front of the ship, seeing a strange silhouette almost draconic looming upon them from a distance, wrought within the clouds with a height of 40 feet. "I SEE IT! I SEE IT, CAPTAIN WE FOUND HER!" "BATTLE STATIONS!" roared the captain. "WE GIVE NO MERCY TO THIS THING, THE SOONER WE HAVE THIS DOWN THE SOONER WE'RE OUT OF THIS GODFORSAKEN PLACE!" As they came closer to the creature's domain, the wind while still loud and baying at their door, was no longer tearing itself as the ship once they passed into the eye of the storm. All around them they saw the circling cacophony, screams of the damned eternal elemental to the forces of Ivalice as they found themselves within the esper's own domain. Yet the creature was not there, despite having seen its shadow from far away. All they saw in the midst of lightning, crackling within a cyclone of thunderous typhoons that rattled across the ship, was Dahlia. Floating by herself like a spirit in her white cloth. "CAPTAIN!" cried Tennyson. "THE ESPER'S NOT HERE!" "WHAT!?" "I SEE THE GIRL, NU-MOU, FLOATING UP IN THE AIR BUT NO ESPER!" "THAT'S DAHLIA! SWING BY HER WE'LL GRAB HER BEFORE THIS THING GETS BACK!"

Carefully the ship navigated towards Dahlia's position seeing the white mage completely blank-staring at the infinite abyss of turmoil wrought around her vision as clouds continued to circle around them, like wolves waiting to kill. The crewmembers rushed to her aid readying themselves to tie a rope to her, but the moment they had come within screaming distance, their ship was buffeted violently backwards as if a god's fist had smacked them away, sending the entire vessel spinning briefly as everyone desperately grabbed to the rigging. Three people however were not so lucky and went hurtling to the abyss, screams devoured by the abyss as James shouted: "WHAT THE HELL!?" "IT'SSZH HIM!" roared Fayne. "THAT THING ISSZH THERE, THE ESSZHPER! DO NOT BE FOOLED!" "WHAT THE HELL DO I DO THEN?!" "GO TOWARDSSZH IT, CALL OUT TO IT AND CHALLENGE ITSSZH AUTHORITY!" Taking his advice James walked forwards to where the nearest part of the ship was to Dahlia as he cried out to where she hovered, 15,000 feet above the ocean. "DAHLIA! DAAAAAHLIAAAAAAAA CAN YOU HEAR ME?! ...I KNOW YOU'RE THERE ESPER, COME OUT AND FIGHT YOU FUCKING BITCH!" "WHO. Dares challenge me?" The sky had flashed briefly to blind them violently, leaving colours spotted before their vision as James glanced back to see the creature himself, the crew gasping with shock at the lightning seethed around its being. The one known as Adrammelech resembled a dragon most definitely, despite the large horns of a ram with body wreathed in red and green like the armour of a samurai. Large spindly wings with feathertips shaped like violent swords of glistening ichor, cloven hooves upon long muscular legs almost not of flesh, but perhaps of some unknown greater construct no mortal could hope to achieve. Its tail bristled with lightning, long and ragged like a fox with his fingers dangling between his crossed slender hands as he stared upon the cargo ship, which to him was only ten feet shorter in height than his actual stately being as his voice trembled like thunder itself, deep and rumbling to vibrate through every person's ears. "What mortals dare challenge me within my new domain?" "MY NAME IS JAMES CAMPBELL!" cried he. "YOU ARE HOLDING MY FRIEND HOSTAGE, I DEMAND YOU TO LET HER GO AND LEAVE THIS PLACE!" "And what authority do you have, mortal flesh? You are not the one who released me from my prison." "I AM THE LEADER OF CLAN KORIDAI, AND THAT GIRL YOU HAVE IS ONE OF MY PEOPLE! IF YOU RELEASE HER NOW, AND GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM I WILL NOT START ANYTHING WITH YOU!" "Do you seek my mercy out of prudence, or cowardice? It matters not, for you can only prove to me your strength through one alternative. Do you not realise what I am truly in essence? DO YOU?" "I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU ARE, I WON'T LEAVE WITHOUT DAHLIA!" "Then you shall be torn within this shrieking gale, my lightning vexed from an untold fury that far outlives your entire species. Your existence, rendered unto the fates when I extirpate your very being, along with all of this wretched vessel you so dearly hold on to." "YOU WANNA FIGHT?! I'LL GIVE YOU A FIGHT YOU FUCKING HALF-ASSED PIECE OF SHIT, WHO THE FUCK YOU THINK YOU ARE ANYWAY!? OOOH LOOK AT YOU SCARING ME WITH YOUR LIGHTNING, YOU LOOK LIKE A FOUR-YEAR OLD DREW IN THE WRONG COLOURING BOOK YOU FUCKING SHIT, I'LL MAKE YOU MY FUCKING BITCH! _" Screaming this last insult with a furious finger flipped towards the esper, James readied himself for a fight as the monster loomed with ruthless roar of anger, screaming lightning from his very being as his wings began to electrify for battle like the wings of God's own wrath. The Petal turned fast to avoid the first lightning strike upon it, shrieking down towards the far sea beneath as Kruz grabbed onto the navigation wheel letting the ship circle around the beast in the meantime. "_CID, HOW'S THE ENGINE?!" "DOIN' FINE CAPTAIN!" squawked the engineer. "KEEP IN CONTACT WITH RZEPKA, HE CAN TELL WHEN THE LIGHTNING'S COMING!" "AYE-AYE SIR!" "CANNONS READYYYYY!" The ship's cannons began aiming towards the monster's face. "LOCK TO BLIZZAGA!" The entire side of the ship quivered with a violently sharp cold as the cannons froze with a magic force alternating itself. " FIIIIIIIRE!" The sudden volley of ice went wider than a burst river, pummelling destructive shattering blocks of ice the size of Adrammelech's head right into his body as the monster screeched with piercing cold run through him. Gasping breaths that trembled with sparks from his throat as it struck down another lightning storm upon their heads. The navigator felt the shifting storm and cried through the intercom: "HARD PORT, FORTY!" Kruz responded instantly, turning the ship fast as he could to dodge the blast of Thundara that striked near the right side of the ship. He turned carefully back to where the cannons could realign themselves, a little too far for anyone else to strike with their own spells but the artillery blessed by magic would do plenty enough as they prepped another volley. But before they could strike forth, the monster suddenly rushed forth towards them in a blinding flash, lightning striking across their vision before it reappeared slamming its fist into the ship.

The Broken Petal spun violently from the sheer force of the esper's strength, this time losing no one to the cast winds of the maelstrom as the creature teleported itself back to where Dahlia still was, floating still in the very central of the typhoon. Another stroke of lightning cast down on them as Kruz dodged by the orders of Rzepka, his voice desperate but precise on direction. "PORT, FIFTY!" Barely dodging the strike to its helm the Broken Petal spun harshly for a ship of its gait until it faced the other way, cannons prepped on its opposite side already as they fired up glowing bristling with ice. " FIIIIRE!" A dozen shots came rippling through the ship, booming in succession as they shot forth to Adrammelech shattering all over him as searing cold burned into his being. Shrieking with maddening fury from his anguish, the monstrous esper decided to ram the Broken Petal itself until Kruz roared: "DROP FIFTY!" The engine glowered briefly behind the ship's exhaust as its sails fluttered with psychotic frenzy from the winds before dropping down sharply along with the rest of the brigantine, dodging just barely underneath the turbulent fist of the beast who swung round in turn and lashed his tail violently across the deck. Scraping deviously to scar along the wooden panel, one unfortunate crew member was almost instantly eviscerated in its path, sliced open as she screamed falling to the deck, bleeding with a hot red as she cried from her stomach falling open with her guts pouring. The slightest red sliver streaked from his tail as he hovered back towards the central point, readying for its next attack before seeing that Kruz had turned the ship in its duck maneuver readying his next volley. The esper however simply clicked his fingers and chanted with a low incantation that almost barely heard itself amidst the tormenting thunder. Fayne understood immediately what it was and ran hurriedly to where Kruz was. "WAIT, WAIT HOLD YOUR FIRE!" "HUH!?" "DON'T SSZHOOT, THAT THING ISSZH GUARDING ITSSZHELF WITH PERFECT DEFENSSZHE!" "A WHAT!?" "A SSZHIELD, DO NOT FIRE YOU WILL WASSZHTE YOUR MAGIC ON IT!" "... HOLD, DO NOT SHOOT!" Belaying the order sharply the crew clamoured with uproar briefly as the shot was delayed as the esper began to coat his body in a transcendent glow of angelic protection. Godlike purity coveted his being as he shimmered like lightning, the perfect shield giving him all he needed to time his attacks without fear of retribution, a swirling cloud of darkness wrapped round his finger. Readying themselves to dodge, Kruz kept a close ear on navigation's intercom waiting for the signal as the ship roamed across the beast's domain, trapped within the swirling vortex. Then the monster suddenly struck out in a blinding rush, teleporting once more to the ship and crackling lightning in its fist before it hammered onto the deck. With crushing fingers the size of a tank, Adrammelech pulsated with striking thunderous rage that riveted throughout the ship, screams of panic and pain resounding from every deck as the kremling struggled to maintain his course. The power of the esper's fist was enough to make a crushing dent in the top deck, dipping it as a small pit whilst five crew members within a fifteen-foot radius were violently electrocuted, screeching agony as they fell collapsed in horrific spasms of burnt charred flesh. James paid no heed and rushed within range after the attack with his arm shifting into a cannon-like length, green with flashing jade reflected by the lightning strikes around the ship as he fired. " FUCKING SHIT!" "JAMESSZH NO!" But he cared not for Fayne's crying out as he blasted a white shot of ice, piercing cold shock as it striked Adrammelech in the face but to no avail as it simply bounced off its perfect magic wall. The monstrous esper made a cruel grin of arrogance upon him as he slammed his fist down upon FG who dodged swiftly enough by leaping into the air, blasting wind beneath his feet to prevent being electrocuted by the floor. Seeing they could do nothing but wait until the shield lowered itself, the raptor latched onto the sailmast in his upleap as the creature teleported back to the central realm. Once more the ship began to circle around its predator, trailing streaks of magicite behind like a faerie caught within the bleak winter's tempest as Adrammelech shot strike after strike of Thundara upon them in rapid succession. The ship could only dodge so fast inbetween each strike, and whilst the navigation did everything it could to predict the shifting winds and ominous taste of lightning, it was only able to dodge six of the thirteen strikes it made upon the Broken Petal. Crackling shocks tore burns across the deck, the crew panicking and doing their best to dodge as Fayne protected his clan with a barrier of magic. James surprisingly managed to resist the temptatious thunder upon him despite being up in the main mast thanks to his resplendent power sash, fortification against the ruthless lightning. For the first time in his life, when lightning struck upon him and ran riveting through his being he did not cry, he did not scream, but simply stagger with a gasping grunt of exhilaration. There was still some pain, but the red V-shaped banding that connected his waist armour to his pauldrons simply tingled with nullifying strength against, as he cackled screeching: "HHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA, IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?! THIS THE BEST A FUCKING ESPER CAN DO, I'VE FELT COCKROACHES STING ME BETTER YOU FUCKING OC PIECE OF SHIT COME ON! COME ON, FUCKING BURN MEEEEEEEE! _" Even amidst the howling torment of gales the Wroth himself had heard James' shriek of arrogance, piercing his gaze upon the wily raptor whose face had turned wrought with psychotic glee. Adrammelech responded by charging forth with a horrendously strong fist, burning lightning through his long slender fingers as the raptor smiled with open arms with suicidal cockiness. It was that moment Kruz ducked hard and turned at his behest, forcing Cid to drop the engine power to bow and tilt the ship just enough that Adrammelech sweeped his arm straight through the air above them. He also was slowly shifting their position readying the cannons just in case. The raptor grinned with right arm still covered in thick green cannon as it pulsed with nanopower, rattling ice-cold through his veins temporarily as he saw the creature's shimmering defence expire at last. Leaping straight up into the air above the sailmast, he charged up his plasma-powered cannon to a freezing sharpness. " **_FREEZE FUCKFACE!" Screams resonated across the sky, a sound of thunder roaring above their heads as James' blasting strike of nano-ice penetrated into the esper's skull, crackling through his central thought of being with a critical blow. The monster shuddered with an aching gasp of breath, harrowing pain wrought through his body as his hands shook with violent fury upon the insolent mortal raptor who landed back upon the main mast. It was in that moment however that Kruz knew he had a perfect shot. " **CANNONS, FIIIIIRE!" Detonated at point-blank, the esper felt his entire lower body become riddled with cannon fire as shearing ice tore through him like a shotgun through a pig, shredding sub-deity flesh into horrid freezing chunks that crackled and snapped off with instant magica rigor mortis. The sound of a dozen Blizzaga spells coursed through him, like the shrieking typhoon itself, a howling banshee from the highest point of frigid mountaintops where none would ever live to be seen again suffocated by their frozen anguish. It was this that Adrammelech's essence felt, and it all turned too much at once for even a semblance of its original incarnate.

The monster's wings began failing him, wracked through with intense agony writhing from his annihilated lower half. The raptor almost smiled with relief, seeing Dahlia far away still floating innocently, trapped within the monster's embrace by a mental prison. For a moment there was silence, none would ever speak not even the clouds storming across their vision as the world turned still. The esper looked as if it was contemplating to attack, but then something stopped it. It almost felt as if celebration would come to them as Adrammelech slowly began to fall to the ocean. The crew breathed with relief almost in unison as they turned towards Dahlia, with James leaping off the mast with a firm hover down briefly with his nanogust before he sauntered up to the wheel where Kruz stood his place. The kremling smiled sweetly as they gave each a pat on the back before the last cruel lightning strike upon the entire ship, setting the entire underside of the ship ablaze from a sudden hot flash as screams burned throughout the lower deck. Fires began smouldering within an instant as the heat would be felt rising by those on deck. "WH-WHAT HAPPENED?!" cried Kruz. "S-SOMETHIN' TORE THROUGH THE BILGE DECK!" shrieked Cid. "THE GENERATOR'S GOIN' HAYWIRE, IT'S OUTTA CONTROL!" "WHAT?!" "I CAN'T CONTROL THE SKYSTONE S-SOMETHING'S INTERFERIN' WITH IT!" "THAT THING SHOULDN'T BE HURT BY LIGHTNING!" "THAT WAS NO LIGHTNING THAT HIT US!" "B-BUT WHERE DID THAT THING GO?!" His question was answered unfortunately by a sudden lurching motion of the ship, making them stumble and fall to the side as the Petal began falling, losing altitude at just a slow enough descent they did not realise before too late. When the wind started to pick up violently buffeting the ship amidst the crew panicking desperately to try and keep hold of their footing, Kruz turned as hard as he could to where Dahlia was hoping to try and get to her. The rain started to come for the first time in this typhoon, streaking with the force of a thousand daggers upon the ship tearing at their skin with intensity. "WH-WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" cried FG. "SUMTHIN' COMIN' UP JUST HOLD ON!" "BUT YOU-" "I SAID HOLD ON!" Storms lashed at his face as his body suddenly jolted to one side, the scraping of wood beneath his feet as the sailmasts flapped wildly above him with the lightning blinding him briefly. But the moment he saw the flash something had changed terribly from around him. No longer were they amidst the rainstorm clouds but just above the sea itself, a terrifyingly short twelve feet beneath them raging violently from all around as he saw Kruz rage against the storm. "WHAT'S OUR COORDINATES STILL?!" "ONE-THREE-SEVEN SIR!" cried navigation. "...no. It can't be..." James felt the tingling of deja vu burn furiously into him, the ship constantly moving turning above the waves struggling to keep itself afloat, fires burning from underneath whistling in the breeze. He realised all too clearly what could cause this as he stood against Kruz who began mumbling. "...this...this can't be it, we're not...the climate's not...right." A rumbling even greater than the sea itself came forth from beneath the ship's bow, just off of starboard side. The skies thundered above as if trembling with fear as they saw Dahlia's form still hover as if unchanged by the shifting scene. Then she disappeared, another flash of lightning suddenly replacing her by a dark rising shadow torn up from beneath the raging waters. A shadow that screamed with cruellest eyes down unto them within a pillar of flesh, constantly changing into purple and amber shapes that forever crossed its solid unmoving form. "WHAT THE FUCK ISSZH THAT?!" cried Baldwin. "...it's him." "What?!" replied Kruz to FG. "It's...the monster I warned you about...GET DOWN!" They had almost no time to react before something wrapped round the main mast of the ship and tore it from its very base, uprooted by an earth-shattering crack before it fell solidly, swooping by an arc swung low across half the entire ship, taking seven people down with it despite everyone having ducked straight down to the floor to dodge it. Two were crushed horribly beneath its weight, another four knocked harshly into the sea beneath, screams echoing out to be swallowed by eternity. Two more people however had found themselves clinging desperately on for dear life, trapped within the clothsails struggling to set themselves free as the torrential rain hammered down upon them. " BALDWIIIIIIIIIN!" Fayne's scream had come piercing through the air as they saw a small bronze shape trying to tear its way out of the sogging heavy cloth, along with a person in another sail coloured in red cloak. Baldwin had been swept by the clothsail and was trapped struggling to free himself, scraping his claws onto the main fallen mast but the cloth was too thick. With fighting fists he tried to extricate himself, but nothing would free him by the ropes latched across his entire body. A white flash ran itself across the mast as Tennyson ran first from the upper deck, then Kruz and finally James who cried out in sequence. " MICHEEEEELLE!" "TENNYSON NO!" " NAVARRO DON'T!" The moogle had leapt first before anyone else onto the fallen mast, which had not teetered just yet to allow a solid level to run on despite the constant threat of slickening rain upon it. The ship remained moving throughout this entire struggle desperately keeping up above the waves but her feet were swift and well-padded, as she saw Tennyson come up behind her, the hume shouting: "GET TO YOUR FRIEND, I'LL HELP MICHELLE!" " AAAAAMBROOOOOOOOOSE!" "I'M HERE, I'M HERE JUST HOLD ON TO ME!" " HELP ME, OH GODS PLEASE, H-HELP MEEEEEEEEE!" He wasted no time as he grappled for the cloth that held the boatswain, the red-clothed nu-mou shrieking with tears down her cheeks and her body wrapped by cloth and rope. Swinging out his sword he only took but two seconds to see which rope to cut as he grabbed Michelle in one hand whilst swinging down upon the cloth with the other. Three precise strikes was all it took to cut free the rope, unravelling as it loosened around her before she latched both hands onto his to be pulled back onto the mast.

Wrapping his entire arm around her, her sobbing pleas went to his ears as he kept her close whilst Navarro kept running forth, freeing Baldwin the same way by determining which rope to cut as she tore through in four strikes. The bangaa grabbed onto the mast himself and the moment he had been freed he grabbed with the other to pull himself up by sheer strength, gasping as he laid out fully onto solid steel panelled by wood as Navarro shouted: "ARE YOU ALRIGHT KUPO!?" "YEAH!" cried Baldwin. "JUSSZHT A FEW PULL-UPSSZH NOTHING BIG!" "COME ON WE HAVE TO-" " LOOK OUT!" Another earth-shattering crack tore through their entire existence, the second mast now fallen with an almost godlike strength as it was ripped from its very root to fall straight beside the other mast. The weight of it slamming down upon the ship made the first mast slide forwards, unbalancing enough to cause Navarro to slip off from the mast entirely crying out before Baldwin suddenly grabbed her. With one arm wrapped desperately around the mast he kept her hold firm with his entire left hand tightly around her left arm, briefly hanging above the screaming white of the ocean tides, the other mast alongside them but too far to reach by hand. "H-HOH, GODS! _" "_I GOT YOU, DON'T WORRY I WON'T DROP YOU!" "PULL ME UP!" "I'M TRYING, THE MASSZHT ISSZH TOO SSZHLIPPERY DAMMIT I CAN'T GET A GRIP!" Struggling to pull himself back with the shifted plane of the mast sloping forwards, the monk's look of fear and urgency reflected Navarro's eyes of panic. Michelle's scream of panic could be heard briefly behind them as the bangaa failed to grab any sense of purchase even with his clawed feet, whilst the moogle tried to swing up her other arm grappling for his thick muscly skin. Trying to pull herself up onto his arm, the creaking of the steel and wood underneath turned greater as their weight slowly encouraged it to tip, forcing her to fall back with a sudden jolt as Baldwin clenched his fist around her arm. "A-AAAAAAUGH!" "JUSSZHT HANG ON!" "Oh...h-hoh gods B-baldwin please, do not let go please..." "...I won't...I won't let go, even if I can't-" "Don't. P-please." Unable to grab for safety, she put her other hand to her chest squeezing tightly for the red locket underneath her armoured cloth, gasping with tears streaking through as she sobbed out of mortal fear quivering throughout her being as Baldwin slipped further. The sea began churning feverishly to consume its next meal but before they could lose their footing finally, they heard a voice bellowing from beside them. "HEEEEEEY!" Looking up they saw Kruz with FG both of whom had tied rope around them separately, trailing all the way back to the ship itself being held by Tennyson, Fayne and various other crew members keeping a tight hold on both. The raptor threw out some of the slackened rope from behind him to Navarro who grabbed on tightly, switching hands as Baldwin let go of her once she was safe, with Kruz throwing his rope in turn towards the monk as he grabbed on to be pulled. The moogle was easy to lift, but Baldwin required both sets of hands to bring him back onto the safer mast as they quickly rushed their way back, making sure to tie the rope to their waists just in case of falling. Aided by their friends pulling them back in, they were back on solid land or as close as it could be on the deck of the ship simply left to bear witness to the shrieking monolith. It was in that moment as they all turned towards the twisting pillar they felt the ship lurch violently towards it. Then once more, making them all stumble to the deck. "WH-WHAT NOW?!" cried Navarro. "THE SHIP IS BEING PULLED!" shouted Tennyson. "BY WHAT?!" shrieked Fayne. "IT'SSZH THAT THING!" clamoured Baldwin. "THAT...WHAT ISSZH THAT THING?!" "Something worse," said FG softly. "Far worse than anything." "Wh-wh...what are you talking about?! What can thisszh thing even DO?!" "...brace yourself. And whatever you do...don't...let go." He grabbed Kruz's hand, who in turn grabbed for Fayne, who grabbed Baldwin. Navarro latched onto James, Tennyson to Michelle, who reached for her fellow crewmembers as the ship grinded against its will screaming to be freed. The sounds of cranking machinery from within struggling to resist the eternal force of this strange pale totem. It slowly lost out as the machines from within began to combust, stripping through the hull as the shrieks of panic from beneath came to their ears, the ship hurtling full throttle towards the monolith. They braced themselves for impact as the wind screamed through their ears until they bled hotly down their cheeks.

Darkness. The great silence.