Delma

"Spanner." Ben handed it into the hole. "And the problem is eventually becoming worse and worse, Kupo. We've probably never had anything worse than an entire empire sitting outside our borders ready for attack, Kupo. Its us, Fetch, that are performing our civic duty, kupo."
"The pay could be better, kupo."
"Hey, we're helping to fight the maniac that wants to put us under his thumb, kupo. That's worth the 350 gil-per-hour, kupo." You could hear something fizz a little from beneath the metal hull.
"I'd prefer to take an airship out of here than fix it, kupo."
"You want to run from the problem, kupo?"
"I want to move on, kupo. How am I meant to travel the world if its taken over so suddenly by Invictor, kupo."
"Invictus, kupo. Well, is being in one place so bad, kupo."
"I want to see the world, kupo! It's taken me at least a year and a half to get to Delma, kupo. I can go further if I can get the money together, kupo."
"No, I need all the help I can get to get these ships back in the air, kupo. Kapeesh?"
"Yeah, yeah, kupo."
"Maybe with a little prospective, a nice girl and a nice place you'll grow up, kupo."
"Let's hope not, kupo."
"Whatever! Fuel Cell, kupo!"

Rindo had been walking around town getting his things ready. Food...water...potions...ammo...explosives... Yup. He was ready. That's really all he needed. The clothes on his back, and the pack on his back...a backpack. Now all he needed was transportation. Which was hard to find nowadays. Lately, everyone in town was afraid to leave because of Emperor Salazaar. Who was a real pain in the butt kind of guy in the first place. But now he's making things hard for Rindo without him even being here. Rindo sighed. The only other way was to find a chocobo, and that wasn't gonna happen. Not in a place like this, especially with the way things are now. As he walked he started hearing a conversation. But all he could hear was, ".......kupo............kupo............kupo!.......kupo." Moogles. Of course. But the origin of the conversation interested him more than anything else.

It seemed to be coming from some sort of ware house. One with a lot of airships. Airships... Rindo pondered. It certainly wouldn't be cheap, but it definitely was more interesting than just sitting in this town all day. And of course it would be much faster than walking. "Hey." He called to the moogles. "Any of these ships heading out to Grandavier? I've got gil."

Bright yellow boots made their presence known as they hit the ground. Ben undid the matching rain mac to reveal a thin t-shirt of sorts. On the white was a red pattern that looked like a warrior's symbol of maybe some kind...The boots began making their steps towards the break room. After having stepped inside, the large black beads of his eyes fell on his open locker and to two, grubby men around it. One, had very short hair, as though his head was a welcome mat. His prominent nose and low brow made for an intimidating face. You could see his muscles through his vest. The other was in blue overalls, and a cap. A cigar burned in his mouth, surrounded by his beard. He was the one examining Ben's sword.
"What? He walks around with this toothpick?"
"Yeah! I'd like to see him use it. The little yellow gerbil is such a freak. Even for a Moogle."
"Yeah! Kupo, kupo, kupo...all freakin' day..." They look to the now frozen Ben.
"Hey!" The man in the vest said, "Here he is..."
"What are you doing in my locker, kupo?" Ben pipped up. His nose twitched a little as the anger rose.
"We're lookin'! Are you planning on going anywhere in a hurry?"
"Get out of my locker!" Ben's voice raised to a shout as he stormed towards them.
"No." The one with the beard and cigar kicked him back. His small frame flew back into a table containing cups and drinks and things. Bottles of stuff fizzed violently in their containers as Ben bounced to the floor. He picks himself up, now seeing red. He snatches up something in his haste then flings it. The bottle strikes the man with the cigar in the cheek, knocking blade and burning tobacco to the floor. A cup smashes next to the other man's head as Ben grabs his weapon. Then skips back putting a little distance between them both. Without a moments thought, the man in the vest grabs a heavy wrench from his belt while the other grabs some pipping. The bearded man raises then brings the pipe down upon Ben's dagger, raised in defence.

"G-Grandevier?" Asked the moogle shocked. Why anyone would want to go to such a place at a time like this was beyond his comprehension. "That place is horrific kupo! You wouldn't find anyone who'd dare travel to that place on anything kupo!" The old moogle resumed his work. "Just forget about that place. Better off you don't even leave town kupo! This place is right now the safest on the continent kupo."

Rindo frowned. "But that's just it. I don't wish to stay here." He looked down with his hands in his pockets. "It's just waaay too boring here."

The old moogle was about to say something when he heard crashing of furniture and glass. "Kupopo?! What is going on?! Darn that Ben, what is he doing in the break room?! Kupo!" Rindo was also curious. A moogle usually isn't this noisy. Or violent sounding. From the sound of things a brawl was ensuing.

Rindo looked at the old moogle. "I'll go check it out. Then we can continue to discuss the airship fares."

"I'm telling you!" The old moogle shouted back, as Rindo was already leaving. "No one is going there kupopo!"

Rindo entered the room labeled 'break room' and saw that the room was a mess. There were shattered glass pieces everywhere, broken pieces of wood strewn across, even what looked to be slash marks on the walls. From a sword. But that's not what Rindo was looking at. He saw two people attacking a smaller moogle with a tiny little knife. Or at least it looked like a knife to Rindo. This was ridiculous. "Hey." He said, drawing one of his guns. "It's not nice to pick on little people." With that, he shot both men, each on both of their feet. Screaming in pain, they fell to the ground. "There," Rindo muttered. "Now it's fair."

"AHH!" Ben had practically leaped as the gun shots were fired. The small blade was raised to the man with the gun. The eyes of the Moogle wide and extremely alert as he faced the stranger. The pointed ears didn't make him stand out as a hume...
"Ummm...I was attacked, kupo." Ben explained as the two men groaned behind him. He lowered the weapon and every hair on his body.
"What do you want, kupo?"

"Calm down." Rindo muttered. "I'm only here to get a ride. Isn't this place a dock for airships? If so then I'd like to go somewhere." He holstered his gun to show he meant no ill harm to the moogle. "You work here right? Could you help me convince the old coot outside to get me to Grandivier?"

"No! No! No! Kupo!" Came shouting outside. The repair moogle came in. Once he did he saw the horrific mess of that was the break room. "Kupopo! Not again kupo! Ben what have you been doing in here, kupo?!" He then turned to Rindo. "And you!" He said pointing his wrench at the elf. "What is wrong with you kupo? Do you have some kind of death wish?? Grandivier is home to emperor Salazaar kupo!" Rindo was about to say something when he was interrupted. "You take one of our ships, you not only kill yourself, but we lose an airship kupo!" The old moogle was resolute. "No is no kupo!

"What about the old Leshima, kupo?" Ben said quickly.

The Leshima was practically an antique, mounted on the wall and forever ready for take off with two passengers. No-one used it. No-one could. Design flaws made the thing only a little more able to fly as a hume shot out of a cannon with his arms outstretched. It was even brought in as mostly scrap metal but a working engine. However, a few mechanics had, in their space time, welded holes up and beat panels into a vaguely aerodynamic shape. Then engine was currently rust free. They'd even added a better fuel supply. Even so, the original Leshima could travel maybe seventy miles before the fuel cells gave up and it drops out of the sky. The mechanics' improved Leshima had brought it up another eighty miles. On the other hand, it was made for speed, not economy. The improvements had made acceleration better and turning easier but the top speed was still dizzying. You got at the end of your relatively short flight quickly.

"That old thing isn't going to increase in value, kupo." He then thought of another point, the anxiety in his voice rising. He could get out of here! "And it's taking up valuable space!"

Rindo liked Ben's idea. It sounded a bit risky but it was probably his best bet. "Why not?" He says to the old moogle. "Old thing you don't need, me not nagging you anymore, it's perfectly okay sounding to me."

The old moogle was still very hesitant. "I don't know..."

Rindo decided he had what he needed to convince him. He pulled out a bag of gil from his pack, and tossed it to the floor. The old moogle looked at it wide eyed for a bit, and then looked back at Rindo, then at him. "500,000 gil. That should pay for the airship itself." And with that, he walked out the room. He strolled around, looking at the different airships, like he was shopping for furniture. Except, from what Ben the moogle said, he was looking for the crummiest looking ship in the entire lot. He was impressed though, this place was pretty big. And so were all the ships here. He didn't think that moogles were capable of managing all these ships. "Hey." He called out. "Which one of these is the Leshima?"

A little yellow streak slipped past Rindo, putting on a backpack.
"This way, kupo." Ben said as he rushed past the elfin. His voice couldn't hide his excitement and apparently, he was incapable of containing it either. So, his feet barely touched the ground as he sped. He was finally getting out of here! He was going to go further this time. He was going to get round the world...or at least a step in the right direction...
"Come on, its not too far, kupo." He said, making circular gestures at Rindo to get him to hurry.

"Alright, slow down." Rindo tried to keep up with the little moogle in the yellow coat, but he moved faster than most moogles, or even people could. He followed Ben through the lot. Past the bigger airships, past the ones that needed to be repaired, and soon came to a ship that was at least half the size of all the other airships. As the moogles described, it was indeed old, and looked a bit unreliable. Rindo had to admit, he was afraid to go on this thing at first, but hey, whatever worked.

"A-are you sure about this kupo?" It was the old moogle again. "Grandavier is a most vile place right now kupo. You may not come back alive kupo!" He turned to Ben. "And you! Where do you think your going kupo!? You still have work to do here kupo!"

Rindo was getting tired of listening to this old man whine. "Look. I appreciate your concern. But don't worry." He turned to enter the airship. "I'm going to be just fine."

Ben climbed in the other side. The pilot's side.
"The steering's been replaced with a column too small for hume hands, kupo. I have to fly this thing, kupo." He said as he started the computer with a touch of the moogle-sized console. Lights and LED's and buttons came to life.
"I'm willing to go with him and I quit, Kupopo!" He shouted with great glee from the side that he closed with the door. Thrusters began to raise the machine as the main engine warmed up, creating yet more lift. The old, yellow machine rose above the other airships, travelling over the rest for the hangar doors.

The airship was obviously not built for humes or elvians. The door was big enough, but the space was slightly cramped. But it didn't matter. At least he was getting out. And he was finally on his way to Grandavier. He sighed a bit. Emperor Salazaar...I wonder if he can satiate my boredom... The airship floated and flew out the hangar. It was a little sluggish, but it was able to gain decent height. Soon they were flying over the city of Delma. Away from the city. Away from safety. Away from dullness and mundane happenings. Nothing here satisfied him. There were no game to hunt. The only place where he was even allowed to use his guns was the shooting range. And it was no fun shooting still targets. He wanted to go where the action was. He wanted to be out there where he could lash out. He wanted to be able to make a kill where it counted. He checked himself. ...This isn't the same as blood lust....is it...? He shook his head. Of course not...

As Ben keyed in the last of the flight pattern, he looked down at the place he'd spent two months, three weeks and five days in. He'd enjoyed the first week but he wanted to move on. It was then that the money got too thin...Still, in the new place, he;d just have to find some work there. Until then, just watching the grey buildings pass by out the cockpit window. He could see the people, all the people, scurrying around from place to place. He could see the market place. More of the ants collecting supplies. People chatting...He loved flying...He liked being able to do this, watching everything on the ground as though it was on a huge conveyor belt. Then, a red LED blinked with a high pitched chime and the ship began to gain speed. And noise as something behind them built up. The whirring made it sound as though the entire ship would swell because it only rose higher. And higher. And higher. Until, it released this energy with all the aerodynamic grace of a champaign cork. Wherever they were headed, they were going straight there and arriving almost now!
"This thing is crazy, kupopo!" Ben said before G forces forced him into his seat.