Chapter 10: Going On
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  The blade caming whickering down, allowing Scarecrow only just
enough time to hop back out of the way.  Scarecrow's own blade
slashed forward, but his opponent was fast, and parried just in time.
  Scarecrow leaped back, spinning, so that his sword caught his
opponents just as it struck.  The weapon went skittering to the
ground a few feet away.
  Before his opponent had a chance to move, Scarecrow raised his
blade to the man's throat.  "Give it up, Avris."
  The other man grinned.  "Good session, Scarecrow.  However...
you wouldn't live to finish this."  Avris gestured with his free hand,
pointing out the small knife that his other hand was holding to
Scarecrow's chest.
  Scarecrow blinked through the sweat plastered to his face.
How had he missed that?  He should've known before the move
was even made.  What was wrong?
  Apparently, Scarecrow wasn't the only one who had noticed.
"Is something wrong, Scarecrow?" Avris asked.  "You seem...
preoccupied."
  Scarecrow hesitated a fraction of an instant, wavering.  "No.
Everything's just fine."  He tossed his practice sword into the
corner.  Without another word, he turned and walked out.
  Avris stood there for a long moment, watching the door.  He
had noticed the hesitation.  After all, he thought sardonically,
he had been taught by the best.
  But what was there he could do about it?  Scarecrow never
let anyone past his defenses.  The only problem with that was
that nobody could ever get far enough to heal him...
  Avris shook his head.  He could only hope Scarecrow
straightened himself out soon.  Dark times were coming.
Dark times, indeed.

  ********************************

  "...and I want the word spread within a week that I am back,
and open for business," Scarecrow continued.  "I want
EVERYone to know.  Our expenses are rising drastically, and
we need all the cash we can get.  If you have to, have Kungen
relieve Sascha and Akfek of some of their funds, but make sure
there are no ties to me."
  Jule nodded.  "Will that be all?"
  "Yes.  I'm going to be meeting Banon in a few days.  Have
your report sent to... the Trench.  That'll be all."
  Scarecrow stroked his chocobo, making last-minute
preparations for the journey.  He wondered briefly why he
was still going on, why he was still bothering.  There was no
point to any of it anymore.  Everything was gone...
  "Uh... Scarecrow?  There is one last thing.  You know
Graxul?  He is already ready to know."
  "That was fast.  Send him here."
  Jule nodded.  Oddly enough, she didn't seem interested in
trying to pry information from him right now.  Scarecrow
shook his head as she walked into the morning mists.
  A minute later, Graxul poked out from behind a building,
and walked up to stand before Scarecrow.
  Graxul seemed to struggle for words.  "I want to know..."
  "I know what you want," Scarecrow replied.  "You want to
know why it is that I am Scarecrow and none of them are.
You want to know why we have not switched places over
the years.  Well, I'll tell you."
  "There is one thing I can do better than any one else.
There is one skill I have that no one can match me at.  I
kill.  People, places, everything.  The perfect assassin.
When it comes to killing, I am the best there is."  Scarecrow
bowed his head.  "It's the only thing I was ever good at."
  Graxul didn't speak.  There was nothing he could say.
For a moment, time stood still, with memories the only
things that still had life.
  Scarecrow raised his head.  "But that's not all you want,
is it?  You want to know why I'm worth fighting for.  You
want to know why you should help someone who kills
for money.  You want to know that you will never have to
compromise your principles while you work for me."
  Graxul stared, open-mouthed.  "How did you...?"
  "It was obvious.  You should know that by now."
  Graxul shook his head in awe.  "So...?"
  "I cannot tell you why we do what we do.  I have
never yet told anyone--even Avris does not know.  I
can only give you my word that our goals do not put
your morals in jeopardy."
  Graxul paused before slowly shaking his head.
"Not good enough."
  "You know I keep my word, Graxul.  Everyone here
knows it.  What's the problem?"
  "I don't know a thing about you!  What if you decide
to keep your word only because it is convenient?"
  "Are you saying you don't trust me?"  There was a
hard edge to Scarecrow's tone, a note of warning.
  Graxul gulped, but held his ground.  "I don't know
you, Scarecrow," he whispered.  "No one knows you.
How can you expect them to trust you?"
  A chill silence swept across the island, and for a
moment, Graxul feared he had said too much.
Scarecrow was shaking.  It took Graxul a minute
to realize that Scarecrow was laughing.
  "Excellent, Graxul!  It is not easy to stand up to me.
It is also not easy to reason against pure foolishness.
I had to know that you could do it before I was sure
you would really work out as an Agent."
  Scarecrow hopped onto his chocobo, preparing for
departure.
  Graxul stepped up to the side of the chocobo.
"You still haven't answered my question."
  Scarecrow leaned down to whisper in Graxul's ear.
"I will not destroy that which you hold sacred.
Through me, you will do all that you want, whether
you know it or not.  I swear it... on my mother's
grave."
  And then he was gone.