Final Fantasy: The Shadow Pact » Places

         "Gah, I hate this," Rowan muttered as she gripped the rails she had been leaning on. She had been growing sea sick from the motion of the ferry. It took far too long for Rowan's pleasure and she had already eaten more than half of the snacks that she had bought in the store. She had been trying to hold back on eating the last of her snacks seeing as she really didn't want to spend any more money. Especially not in Odyssia! The markets had even higher prices because of the amount of tourists and merchants that it attracted.

Rowan cursed under her breath as she glared at the island that was becoming bigger and bigger by the second. Why couldn't they just arrive already? With a sharp intake of breath, Rowan decided she wouldn't accept being assigned to patrol Odyssia anymore. As much as she loved that the island had a more abundant variety of monsters, Rowan could not stand the ferry ride and the crowds that the island usually had were unbearable and tiring.

Speaking about crowds, the ferry had seemed to gotten a bit more people than before. Now that they were half way to Odyssia, everyone wanted to get closer to the rails to take in the ocean and the sight of the island. Rowan would've made her way to the back where more seats had become open if it wasn't for the fact she had developed a tight grip on the rails to try to keep herself from moving. Instead, she was forced to push a few people who were getting a little too close for her comfort and even threaten a few that looked like they about to.

Something in her stomach clenched and for a moment Rowan thought she was about to throw up. Once she discovered it was a false alarm she couldn't help but sigh in relief though.

It seemed like forever until the ferry finally settled on the docks of Odyssia. As soon as they had safely arrived, Rowan ran off the ferry ready to kiss the wonderful thing known as land. Of course, she didn't or else people would look at her strangely and then she would have to beat them up. She had to focus on her task instead. A sigh of relief left Rowan as her feet made it to land. She appreciated the fact she was no longer on that stupid boat while completely forgetting that she would have to get on it when it was time to get back to New Bodhum. Rowan began to make her way to the markets first, finding the fact that she needed to buy something to drink to calm her still upset stomach. Most of civilization was on the shore of Odyssia due to the fact that the island was invested with monsters so Rowan made it there in no time. Before she could start searching for a cheap place to get something to drink, her eyes caught sight of something.

"What the...?" her voice trailed off as her feet began to move to where a crowd began to form. Rowan pushed through most of it and was soon greeted with the sight of many stalls knocked over in only one particular area. It was strange and unsettling all in one. The audience in the crowds were whispering about various things and from what Rowan could make out, a l'Cie was the prime suspect.

Both confused and intrigued at the situation in front of her, Rowan had completely forgotten about her aching stomach.

         

"Time will deliver us to our respective paths, the question, what is mine...?"

---

The whispers and murmurs that a l'Cie was present made Eona involuntarily trembled as she slowly backed away from the growing crowd due to the unprompted scene of the knocked over stalls. Her grip on her cloak tightened as fear spread through her. Trouble will soon befall her if she does not remove herself from the market. She occasionally visits the town when the need arises yet that could be counted by hand. Furthermore, she highly doubted that the residents in the town do not have doubts about her identity. It was clear to her as day based on the discerning looks that she would receive from them on the times she would come to buy some of her supplies. There is little suspicion in her mind that the people would most likely point her out as a prospected l'Cie if given a chance. As such, she should take her leave before matters changed for the worse. Eventhough, she was certain that she was not the one who had toppled those stalls.

"Divine Khronica, please keep me safe..."

It was a silent plea that only echoed inside her thoughts. If there was truly another l'Cie, Eona wondered who it was and if this said person was also turned by the Fal' Cie Khronica or another. It was a nice thought that another l'Cie might share the same focus as her. Yet, she was not much pleased as the current situation made the citizens and even PSICOM soldiers alerted at the possible presence of a l'Cie. The current times might be different but the prejudice against Pulse l'Cies has not changed even now. Even when Cocoon has fallen from its throne, the same ideals and beliefs have yet to be broken and changed. Thus, all she could do was to hide her existence from everyone else. This saddens her greatly but there was nothing else that she could do at the moment. Furthermore, she has other problems starting with her ever vague focus. She has yet to resolve the issue and the sands of time continued to flow for her impending fate as a Cie'th.

Slowly slipping through the crowds, Eona overheard one of the PSICOM soldiers stating that more soldiers will be present here and they truly believe that a l'Cie is here. It was even more imperative for her to leave this town and to lay low within the temple for quite some time. She could still make it with her remaining provisions and the things she could find in the forest. There was no other choice as she did not want to engage the soldiers or be captured by them. She hasten her movements as her eyes remained on the discussing soldiers as such she did not notice her fallacy until it was too late. Her minute of being distracted caused her to bump into other PSICOM soldiers who was also called to the scene. Meeting the eyes of the one she had bumped, she could feel her heart beating so fast. She was having a hard time to believe that the people around could not hear the desperate beats of her heart.

"Look where you're going, missy. There is a l'Cie about."

Eona awkwardly removed herself from the soldier's private space and immediately offered an apologetic bow. She seemed to have the worse of luck. Of all the people she could bump into, it had to be a soldier who will capture her without hesitation even if she pleaded to be innocent about the case of knocked over stalls. Furthermore, she already understood that they view l'Cie such as her as a bad omen.

"I'm so sorry... I will be careful next time."

With that said, Eona hurriedly left as the soldiers and his companions looked at her leaving form. Unknown to her, she had left something very important behind. The soldier she bumped into noticed something on the ground. Picking it up, it was a heart-shaped seashell. He wondered if it belonged to the pink-haired girl that bumped into him just a few moments ago.

"We should have caught that girl. She's a cutie right?" One of the soldiers commented. "I agree! Hey, what's with the distant look? Want to go after her? She's out of your league, man!Another lightly teased as he noticed his friend looking at the direction where Eona went. "Nah, she'll be back. I have the feeling. Let's go." With that, the soldier kept the seashell as they went towards the other two PSICOM soldiers already at the scene while Eona continued to make a run for it bumping into people occasionally as she was plagued with memories of being hunted down at some point in her life. The only thought in her mind was.

"Don't let them find out.... Please..."

         

They work so hard to find a calling,
they let time judge the worth of their labours,
but they come to find at the end of their time:
purpose is just a matter of perspective -

Your labours haven't even begun...

---

Sarot Ari Markas

Markas rests back in a weathered booth seat, that wouldn't look too out of place in a 50's diner, with its blue leathery upholstery. The bag of dead Jackwings lies under a spotless white table, thankfully sealed shut to prevent any odours escaping. He watches the tourists and merchants boarding the ferry for its first run of the day - an elderly couple in walking gear, a young family, a female NORA soldier. He notices something strange about her, as though he had seen her somewhere before - a dream half forgotten... and only a fraction clear.

Rather quickly, he finds himself drifting back to days of old, trying to find anything in his memory to help him recall her - nothing... He shrugs it off as being a coincidence and looks past her towards the distant island of Odyssia; despite the mystery surrounding it, it afforded him shelter, and the promise of a decent pay for his services, and even a hearty meal to top it off, which would do him good. Life as a stalker by profession can be uncertain at best; failure to track your prey can lead to some very long nights in the cold, and from Markas' own experience, any night out in the wild could be your last.

The boat is almost full now, bustling with tourists and folks hoping to catch a few bargains. Every table is occupied, except his own: a man in a hood with a dubious looking bag apparently carried prejudice... A horn is sounded, as a warning that the boat is going to depart, then only a minute later, it pulls away from the docks. Markas closes his eyes, and drifts away into a light snooze, living in the past with shadows of friends.

---

Carrus Research Facility, Hope's Reach

Numerous men in white protective suits enter the room, wheeling in cages each containing a wild animal - panthereons, gremlins, flans and more... Without uttering a word through their darkened visors, they push the twelve cages into the testing chamber for Maxwell's experimentation, before sealing the chamber and leaving the room.

An intern shudders and mutters to himself: "This is just, cruel..."
His friend nudges him: "Better here than in the hands of NORA... at least here they get fed, right?"
The first intern returns a blank look, and waits for Maxwell.

---

The Seiren Market, Odyssia

Eona's shock comes from the sight of numerous stalls knocked over by what would appear to have been gale force winds... however, the fact that only a handful of nearly a hundred stalls in the market have been affected, would suggest some kind of supernatural force. She can't help but wonder whether a l'Cie is behind this. There are two PSICOM soldiers here, enquiring with the stall owners to find out what happened, though from this distance, it is hard to make out what is being said.

The market itself is a normally a very busy place in the mornings, a fine labyrinth of stalls, cannily trying to trap tourists in a web of cheap wares and attractive bargains, however, this incident has drawn a crowd around the area, so things seem slow in the rest of the market.

As the PSICOM soldiers leave the shopkeepers to mend their stalls, one can be heard saying to the other, "Do we need to report this? Can we be sure there's a l'Cie behind this?"
His partner doesn't even pause to look at him. "Yes. There's a l'Cie here. We need to request back up - if there's a l'Cie here, it can't mean anything good for us. The question is, what were they looking for here, and why?"