Chapter 11: New Companions
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     "I though you said you were from here!"  Kain was not having the best
of days.  He'd finally found out who has been following him; it turned out
to be a 'moogle', not that he'd ever even _heard_ of moogles before.  Then
he found out that this 'moogle', Kuralov, was wanted by the other moogles,
who then proceeded to chase them.  The pursuers themselves had been easy
enough to lose, but now it seemed they were lost themselves.
     "Well, there is a story behind that... uhh..."
     "Never mind.  We have to get out of here before they find us.  Who
were they, anyways?  Some sort of police?"
     "Actually, that was my brother, Kudor, and..." Kuralov began to
explain, but was cut off.
     "Ohhh..." Kain groaned impatiently, "I don't want to know.  Tell me
when we get out of here.  We'll go this way." He pointed to the corridor
on the left.  "When in doubt, always turn left...  Cecil said that, I
think..."
     "Well, let's go then!"  The moogle started down the corridor.  He
noticed shortly that Kain wasn't with him.  "You coming or what, kupo?" he
shouted back.
     "Coming."  The dragoon let out exasperated sigh, then followed after
his fuzzy, white companion.

                                *     *     *

     They had been walking around for hours, and neither had any idea where
they were.  They had been hearing voices for the last hour.  Their pursuers
were still looking for them, it seemed.
     'No', thought Kain, 'that's not right.  They're looking for him.  So
why am I here?  I suppose it doesn't matter.  Now they have seen us
together, and I am probably considered guilty by association.  For what,
the gods only know...'  Just then, his companion tapped him on the
shoulder.
     "It's beginning to look more familiar!  Kupo!" he whispered
cheerfully, "I think we turn right up here."  The voices were getting
closer.  They could make them out individually now.
     "Kudor, I think I can hear them over this way."  A new voice.
     "Right, Kupiku. We don't want to charge them this time.  Just let me
talk to him... Kupo?"  The brother, Kudor.
     "We don't know what he'll do.  We should attack before they get a
chance to react.  Just my opinion of course, oh mighty fearless leader..."
The one that had charged them.
     "Kulado, must you always think of violence first?"  The brother again.
     "Yeah, and show some respect, kupo!  The Elder put Kudor in charge!"
Another new voice.  They were really close now.  Too close.
     "This way, hurry!"  Kuralov grabbed Kain's cloak and started pulling
him down the corridor.
     Dead end.  Voices just around the next corner...  There was a hole in
the ceiling.  It was big enough to get through.
     "We're going up."  He could make it.  He'd just boost up Kuralov
first.  He could make it easy... he hoped.
     "UP?  Kupo?  How are you going to manage that?"  Kuralov was feeling a
little anxious.  He wasn't quite sure what was going on, except that it
seemed that his brother was in charge of a party sent to find him, and he
wasn't sure he wanted to be found...  and Kulado was with them, and he
always meant trouble...
     "I'll boost you up, then I'll jump.  Easy."
     "That's too high!  Maybe if you had those Dragoon boots, but..."
     "Look, you got me into this mess.  Do you have a better idea?"  No
answer.  "Right then, up you go!"  He kneeled down and cupped his hands as
if to make a step. Kuralov seemed to hesitate, until the other moogles came
into view.  He was up before Kudor had a chance to open his mouth.
     "Get the human!" yelled the mean looking one with he spear.
     "NO!" shouted Kudor, and grabbed Kulado before he had a chance to run
off.  It was all the time Kain needed.  His fingers caught the top of the
cave floor just as the bigger moogle pushed the smaller one aside.  He
pulled himself up.
     "I didn't think you'd make it!  Kulado is awfully strong..."  As if on
cue, the bully shoved his axe up the hole in the floor.
     "I'll be taking that," Kain said, as he wrenched it from Kulado's
hands. "Have a nice day."  He turned to his companion.  "Let's get out of
here."
     From where they had escaped, it was fairly easy to get to the mouth of
the cave.  The storm had calmed enough to let them leave, and Kain insisted
they go directly to the tavern where they had been staying.  He needed to
check up on his friends.  When he arrived, his host seemed more surprised
to see him than to see the 'moogle'.
     "Kain!  I thought you'd left with your other friends!"  The
tavern keeper's reaction was not reassuring.
     "They _left_?  When?"
     "About three days ago...  Say, what's your name young fellow?"  He
gestured at the moogle.
     "Kuralov.  Pleased to make your acquaintance."  He smiled.
     "Where...  Did they leave any messages?"  This was definitely _not_
his day...
     "Hmmm.. well, actually, that Omega character did say something about
going to look for Lola...  But like I said, that was about three days ago."
     "What about Cecil?  Did they leave together?"
     "No... he took off on a tear that afternoon.  Didn't take anything
with him, but I haven't seen him since."
     "What! I have to get to the room..."  Kuralov had wandered upstairs
ahead of him.
     When he got to the room he had shared with his now-missing friend.
Nothing was missing except Cecil's armor and his fur cloak.  Kuralov was just
starring at the mirror, as if he'd never seen one before...  Kain shrugged.
Who know, maybe 'moogles' didn't have mirrors.
     He started looking around for something, some kind of clue, as to where
his friend might have gone.  "Hmmm... he left out his armor polishing
equipment.  He's usually neater than that..."
     Kuralov was still starring at the mirror.  He spoke.
     "Kain?"
     "Yes?" The dragoon used a cure for his arm, and was now pulling on his
armor which had been left exactly where he had put it, stacked neatly in
the corner.
     "There was something magic here.  Something really _powerful_...  It's
only residue traces left now..."
     "How can you tell?"  Kain was perplexed but curious.
     "I dunno.."replied the moogle.  I can just *sense* magic."
     "Let me get this straight.  You come in toi the inn, and go directly to
my room and because you felt magic?"
     "Yeah, it's just something I can do..."
     "Could there have been a fight?  No, then things would be out of
place...  Let's go check the other rooms."
     They found nothing.  Both were empty, as if they had had the time to
pack.  Although Kuralov did, of course, feel a much weaker magical residue
from Omega's room, it was too different to be the same thing they had found
in Cecil's.  Kain suspected it might have been from Omega himself.  They
were just trying to decided what to do next, when they saw the explosion.
     "Holy Kupopo!"
     "By Bahamut!"  It seemed that some kind of airship had crashed south
of the city.  "We have to go check that out."
     "Kupo, any particular reason, besides adventure, of course..?'
     "Because if any of my friends are anywhere near this town, that's
where they'd be."
     They gathered up all of Kain's equipment, as well as Cecil's.  Kain
left a message with the tavern keeper to tell Cecil he had it, if he came
back.  He promised to send news of where he was going as soon as he figured
it out...  Then they were off.
     It wasn't hard to find, the burning ship was a huge beacon in the
snow.  It took them a few hours to reach it.  When they arrived, they
found a young woman poking through the wreckage.  Kuralov spoke up first.
     "Kupo!  Are you the only one?"  The woman looked startled for a
moment, but quickly recovered.
     "Wha.. Yes I'm the only one.."She looked as if she had lost her best
friend.  "Oh, my beautiful ship!"  Kain stepped forward.
     "Are you alright, my Lady?"  She seemed to have escaped completely
unscathed.
     "Oh no, I jumped before it landed... I'm Ciara.'
     "I am Kuralov, and this is Kain.  We were kind of hoping to find his
friends."
     "Sorry to disappoint you!" she seemed a little irritable, but she had
just lost her ship, after all...
     "Hey!  That's not what I meant!" Kuralov seemed a little insulted as
well.  " Humans... kupo!"
     "We came to offer our assistance in and way we can, Lady Ciara.
Perhaps you would like to come back with us to the town?"  Kain decided it
would be best to intervene before these two ready got started.  "You could
stay at the tavern, with us, for the night.  We'll probably be moving out
in the morning, for somewhere or other.  If you'd like to come with us,
you could do that as well."
     "Well, it's not like I have much else to do now...' She looked
longingly at her ship.  "And I have to get a message back to my sister."
     "Right then, lets go! Kupo!"
     They gathered up what few belongings of Ciara had survived the crash,
and were on their way back to Narshe.

                         *    *    *

     "What! back again, Kain?  And who is you lady friend?" was the
greeting they received from the tavern keeper.
     "This is Lady Ciara.  It was her airship that crashed a while ago.  We
were wondering if we could have use of those rooms for one more night."
     "Hmmm..  I suppose that wouldn't be a problem."  The tavern keeper
smiled.  "But I'll have to get the Elder to call off the rescue party,
then, seeing as you're all rescued and all."  He winked at Ciara.
     "Actually, "she spoke up, "I was wondering if there was any space in
town I could rent to house the wreckage?"
     "I don't see that being a problem.  If you don't mind my asking, why
do you want to keep it?  Sentimental reasons?"
     "I am going to rebuild it someday..."
     'Well then, I'll make sure she's well looked after.  Kain, you can
show your friends to their rooms?"
     "Of course.  Right up the stairs here.

                         *    *    *

     Once the companions got settled in, they decided they would meet
downstairs so they could talk and get to know each other a little better.
Kain was the first one down, and when the other arrived, he had already
ordered them a round of drinks.  They passed most of the evening making
small talk, until some more probing questions were asked.  Kuralov started
it.  "So where are you from, Kain?  I've never heard that name before."
     Ciara answered before Kain had a chance.  "My uncle's name was Kain.
My grandfather named him after the Dragoon who 'helped the legendary
Paladin Cecil defeat the _evil_ Zeromus.'  Apparently, none of his friends
ever saw his face, because he always wore his armor."  She started to laugh
until she noticed Kain.  He was visibly paler, and he was holding his head
between his hands.  He looked as though he might be in pain.
     "I... don't... remember!"  He pulled his hands away violently,
knocking over his half empty glass.  A moment of silence followed.  "I am
sorry..." He began absently wiping up the spilled ale with a napkin.
     "Are you alright?  Kupo!"  Kuralov was a bit shaken.  They were _all_
a bit shaken.
     "Was it something I said?"  Ciara was really confused, and a bit
scared.
     "Perhaps I should explain..." He began to tell what he knew of his
story.
     The rest of the night was spent likewise, each companion telling their
tales, how they came to be here, where they were going next.  They decided,
finally, to see what morning would bring to them, and take their cue from
there.