Now all he had to do was decide what he would do with his newfound freedom. A moment's thought provided him with the answer he sought. South Figaro would be his next stop... but he would have to be cautious. It would be his most obvious step, due to its proximity... and Setzer was counting on his pursuers to realize that.
Setzer cracked his knuckles, directing the chocobo toward the tunnel to South Figaro. He had never actually taken step in it before, but tales Locke had regaled to him that night they had shared a night of fine brandy and soft music on the airship gave him the confidence that he could bypass it without much incident. Setzer bounded off the chocobo, giving it a quick slap on the haunch to send it scurrying away. 'Leaving it there would have been the height of foolishness,' he mused idly as he took his first steps into the mouth of the cave.
***************************
His travel through the cave went without incident. It didn't prevent him from keeping his Cards at the ready, eyes alert for any monsters. But from what he could tell, the monsters were indeed gone from the land. 'Well, all but one...' he amended silently, thinking of Edgar... or what he had become. Setzer scowled, then shook his head in shame. 'Edgar was our companion, and my friend. I don't know what happened to him... but... if there's anything this poor gambler can do to help him, I will.'
Setzer walked into South Figaro a few days later. Moving rapidly through the town, he purchased a Diamond Vest, Green Beret, and Running Shoes. Setzer grinned broadly at the purchase of the running shoes, and he discarded his now useless sandles for the bright red sneakers which he now wore. 'And they look so good with my jacket,' he thought proudly as he finished with the last buckle. They were light and comfortable. Truly the finest apparel he could have purchases. Setting his Green Beret at a jaunty angle and placing the Vest under his jacket, he walked up to the innkeeper.
"A room for the night if you would, good sir!" exclaimed Setzer happily. The innkeeper eyed Setzer with more than a little suspicion, but obediantly handed over the room key. Setzer smiled, walked to his room, and fell fast asleep on the luxuriant bed.
His last thoughts as he floated off to a relaxed, dream filled sleep were that of his friends... before they were enveloped by images of a beautiful, graceful airship.
Setzer shook his head sadly, eyes lowering in introspection. 'Why did you do it, Edgar?' he asked himself. Then he smirked suddenly, gripping the edge of the window with tight fingers. 'How am I supposed to know? Of those of us who slew Kefka, each had their reflection. Locke and Celes. Sabin and Edgar. Mog and Umaro. Strago and Relm (and Shadow, he added thoughtfully). Cyan and Gau. And of course, everyone doted upon Terra. She needed no reflection. But what of me? I spent the greatest adventure of my life gambling... and the payoff wasn't quite what I had hoped for.'
Setzer stepped away from the window, aiming himself toward the plush bed in which he rested. All of a sudden, it seemed... empty. Hard. He would take no comfort from the bed that night. Setzer rustled around in the nightstand, drawing out a bottle of the finest wine he could purchase here in occupied territory. 'This is to you, Daryl. The best friend a guy could have had.'
And with that, Setzer proceeded to get drunk.
Setzer continue to bore into the ceiling with his gaze, seething in frusteration. Suddenly he sat up, lips tightening into a grim line. "Fine!" he exclaimed aloud, pulling himself to his feet. "I'll rebuild the airship again! And this time, I'll make it even better than before! Look out, Daryl... I'm going to break your record this time..."
Setzer walked out of the inn with a distinct aura of direction about him. Men and women alike turned and watched the infamous gambler as he walked past, musing among themselves as to what intentions this dashing man held - where he was going. Setzer revelled in it. This is what he had loved most of his fame, and moping about had done nothing to improve it. 'Look out, world. This gambler is back, and he doesn't bluff anymore!'
Because Setzer had finally found his true love, that which gave him motivation in life. The airship. Each piece of it had been lovingly placed by a skilled artisan, and Setzer knew exactly where every component fit.
Setzer stepped up to the captain of the boat, exclaiming loudly, "Passage to Jidoor! And if you would, I would like to leave immediately."
The captain blinked, startled, but tried to recover with an "Ah... yes, sir. And how will you be paying?"
"Gold, of course," grinned Setzer, dumping a pouch of gold into the captain's outstretched hand. The captain smiled, issuing orders to the men to make the ship ready for departure. Setzer looked on approvingly, even tossing a few ropes out from the moorings when the vessel was ready to depart. Making his way back to the captain, he nodded in approval. "We should be arriving in Jidoor within a week."
Setzer nodded thoughtfully, then turned to the captain with a feeble attempt at an innocent smile. "Tell me, captain... are you a gambling man?" asked Setzer, shaking the three ivory dice he clenched in his hand back and forth. After all, man cannot live on love alone.
Setzer's smile turned dark, humorless. Twice he had been fooled. Twice, those he had considered his friends had turned against him. Setzer didn't like those sorts of odds.
He reached the airship after a short time. Setzer smiled, running a loving hand over the hull. Step by step, Setzer moved about the ship, just relishing the presence of it once again. 'This is my true love,' he reiterated silently. 'You're beautiful... as ever.'
Setzer sighed in satisfaction, then setting his beloved leather jacket aside, began to work.
***********************************
Two weeks had passed. Oddly enough, some of the airship had already been repaired. Setzer had thanked whatever gods looked down on him to make his work easier, and then continued upon his work.
Standing before the majestic, monolithic airship, Setzer did not smile. His love was finally prepared to be cast airborn. A flush of pride spread through him, filling him until he felt he would burst. A single tear trickled down his cheek, glimmering in the sun, but he swept it away with a slender finger. Now was not the time for tears. Now was the time... to fly!
The airship rose into the air smoothly, looking for all the world as if it were some monolithic creature that had risen from its rest beneath the earth. And then Setzer flew.