Author: Cyhirae

Notes: Mm....some character interaction here..I'll get to more interesting stuff soon, promise!

The moment I heard we were going to be traveling on an airship together - one that Cecil was bringing - I knew there was also going to be trouble. It's just one of those days when you wake up and KNOW the world is against you.

Or when you hear, of all people, your gentle mannered twin sister arguing with the single most egotistical wizard on the planet (and likely off too) before you even enter the same room as them. And to add the perfect frosting to that cake- I can hear Cecil too...arguing just as heatedly with Golbez. Those two were going to NEVER get along...

I sigh and put my hand against the door.......I know, really, I should just go to the airship and wait for them. If Porom is actually arguing, it's got to be a bad situation. I'm usually the only person she'd say so much as a harsh word to, let alone shout at. The door swings open to reveal an almost literal battlefield. The lines are drawn and the stakes are down-save for Porom who's giving BOTH brothers the third degree while standing between them.

"You're BOTH old enough to know better, damn your eyes!" Hoo- she WAS mad... "And I certainly expected better of not only the Paladin-King, but the strongest Wizard in Mysidia! Now sit down BOTH of you!"

Cecil was starting to look chargined as she layed into him- but Golbez wasn't about to be cowed by one angry white mage. And the moment he opened HIS mouth, Cecil would of course respond and we'd be right back at whatever square one of this situation was....

"Ah- did I come at a bad time?" I close the door hard to further distract them..it's no mood breaker, but it helped get them from glaring directly at one another.."Cuz the airship's ready- it just needs us on it."

The silence hangs in the room like a blade just waiting to fall towards a waiting neck, then Golbez turns and starts for the door without a word, nearly bowling Porom and me over. When the door has slammed shut behind the man- heavily enough that I think the hinges are probably gonna need replacing- I look to Porom and Cecil with the inevitable question..

"So what the hell happened?"

White mage and paladin look to one another...then Cecil sighs, ducking his head.

"..I suggested that perhaps we should all go to Ordeals first, not just myself and the Elder.. I think there is still much to be said between Golbez and our father still. I had also thought it a chance to lay old ghosts to rest where both Golbez and Kain are concerned..."

"If Kain is even still alive, Cecil..." Porom shakes her head slightly, biting her lip. "No one's seen him since the time of the Dark Moon. Either he doesn't want to BE found and have his ghosts laid to rest- or.." She lets that fade off at Cecil's glare and simply sighs. I know how she must feel- she spends alot of her time working with Baron and Cecil..if he's anywhere near as stubborn as his brother, he was never going to give up thinking Kain was alive until the body laid at his feet. I really don't see how Cecil thinks he could have survived the Moon's rising though...he'd had no shelter from the cold.

"And let me guess, Cecil..." It's my turn to sigh- this one being of annoyance, not Porom's soft little regretful sigh. "You mentioned this oh so brilliant plan to Golbez as a way of making up for what he did to Kain way back whenever, right?" Silence is my answer...if that's not it dead on-it's pretty damned close. "Dammit, Cecil- I know intellegence isn't really a requirement of Paladins, but you could work on aquiring some!"

"PALOM!" And in record time, Porom's hand is colliding with the back of my head. She hasn't had to do that in a few years.."Watch what you're saying!"

"I know damned well what I'm saying. I also know that was the damned stupidest thing to say to 'im. Now WE gotta put up with him bein' moody and surly while we go looking for this Guardian. It's gonna be like tryin' to get a three year old to eat spinach- we can get 'im to do it, but he's gonna fight us every inch of the way!"

Cecil is finally having the good grace to look crestfallen. It's about damned time. He really doesn't know a damned thing about his brother if he went off spouting that..

"Ah, hell.....nothing we can do about it now anyway...c'mon. Cecil, the Elder wanted to see you before you two went to the mountain." That said, it's out the door and towards the airship Cecil brought with him, Porom in tow. And Porom.....is glaring at me every step of the way.

"Go on, Porom, get it off ya chest before you burn a pair of holes into my back!"

"Where do you get the nerve, saying such things to Cecil? How could you-"

"Because I know Golbez. I probably know him better than everyone else on this world right now- and I know more than anything, he DOESN'T regret or hold himself responsible for anything that happened with Zemus. He sure as hell doesn't like people trying to assign blame to 'im for what he did under someone else's control and that's exactly what Cecil was doing!"

Strange day when I'm defending Golbez- then again, you could say I'm defending those who disagree with him. He's settled a few arguments with a spell or two before...

Porom is still debating on that as we climb onto the ship's deck. I glance around- then catch sight of Golbez staring intently to the north from the rail. I leave Porom by the gangplank and wander over beside him, intending to say something about that little scene back there- save he interrupts me by pointing towards the north-east.

"Tell me what you see, Palom."

"uh.." I shrug and look- then look again more quickly...the horizon is glowing, and not from dawn. The sun is already high into the skies-it'll be noon soon...and it's more to the north than east anyway.."What the...."

"I think our month of searching isn't going to go smoothly at all, Palom...not at ALL....."

There are days I hate it when I'm right. I know I always hate it when HE'S right. Even as we watch, the glow pulsates a little higher- but for now it seems harmless enough. Just a strange, quiet light off in the distance..

Like that momentary, soothing calm before a storm strikes.

(Continued in "And in the middle of things...")