Subj:	 [ffml] [HD] Pick-a-Pocket
Date:	01-01-08 12:55:50 EST
From:	jaypyx@yahoo.com (pyxie )
Reply-to:	ffml@egroups.com
To:	ffml@egroups.com

ZZzzZzz...snort...ZzzZzz...snort...

Gage groggily awoke to the sound of heavy snoring near by. Feeling a 
faint pounding on his head, he gradually focused his eyes and looked 
about.

The room looked the same as when he first awoke, but this time the 
weird looking moogle slept in bed next to him.

[Man, talk about strange situation. No wonder Miss Pyxie warned me 
not to go far from the village.]

Swinging his legs over the bed, Gage lightly jumped to the ground. 
Noticing the abandoned bag on the chair, Gage carefully tiptoed over 
and began rummaging through it. All he found were snacks and old 
photographs which were of no interest to a 10 year old pick-pocket.

[Doesn't this guy have any money? Sheesh! Looks like I better go do 
some work this mornin'.]

Grabbing his boots, Gage took one last look at the sleeping 
moogle/man and crept out of the door. It was already late morning, 
the streets of Wangland were bustling with activity. Merchants were 
yelling out their goodies while shoppers hackled for the best price 
they could get.

[Hehehe, so many juicy pickins' for me! It's been a long while. But 
what Miss Pyxie doesn't know won't git me inta trouble.]

Rubbing his grubby hands together in glee, Gage scanned the crowd for 
his victim. There was an old man arrogantly flaunting a sack of gold 
right there on his waist. Nah, too easy and looks too grouchy.

Sharpening his eyes, Gage finally settled on a young lady dressed 
gaudily in florescent pink. She was arguing loudly over a merchant 
regarding a horrid looking brooch. But most importantly, she was 
decked all over with expensive jewelry. 

Gage quickly ruffled his hair and blinked his eyes to produce 
crocodile tears. He quickly contorted his face to look frightened and 
practice a couple of soggy sniffled.  He planned to run smack into 
the lady, playing up to her feminine emotions towards a poor, 
unfortunate child. While she coddled him, Gage would slip a few of 
her precious bracelets and rings into his pockets. He'd done this so 
many times in his young life, it oughta be a cinch!

Taking a deep breath, Gage once again made sure of his target and 
started running towards her with his head bowed low.

THWAP!

Rather than the cushiony flesh he had expected, Gage bounced off a 
very round and firm beer-belly. Sprawled on the ground, Gage squinted 
up to see the silhouette of a man standing right over him. The body 
bent low and a horrible face scarred over the left cheek stared down 
at him, grinned a horrible grin and then...

"BuRp!"

Gage quickly turned away and tried not to gag at the disgusting 
stench coming from the man's mouth.

"Gosh darnit, you stinkin' piece of cow dung!!!!" Gage tried to crawl 
away from the laughing man, but a beefy hand reached down and grabbed 
him by the collar.

"Ha Ha Ha! Thought you'd get away from me eh, you lil scamp!" The man 
lightly tosses Gage into the air then tucked him under a muscled arm. 

"Wha ah yho doih heh, Hoshan?" Gage mumbled, pinching his nose real 
tight in fear of getting a whif of the man's armpit.

The bulky man just continued to walk away from the marketplace, 
stepped into a side alley then plopped Gage onto the ground.

"I oughta be askin' YOU what the hell you're doin' here!" the man 
boomed, his face turning red from his agitation. "I saw ya aimin' for 
that lady. What would Pyxie say when she hears about ya goin' back to 
your skanky ways?"

Gage turned white at the thought of Pyx's lecturing on morals and 
stealing.

"Now c'mon, Hort," Gage begged, "Miss Pyxie ain't be needin' ta hear 
about this." 

The man named Hortian watched as Gage fidgeted under his stare, 
wiping away the fake tears from his dirty face. He had seen Gage 
sneak out from the harem and followed him, wondering what the little 
buggar was up to this time. When Gage had stumbled, he had been ready 
to rescue the boy when the strange moogle arrived. Keeping himself 
hidden, Hortian watched as the moogle picked up the unconscious body 
and started flying away. Hortian had quickly climbed back atop his 
wyvern and followed the two from a distance.

"Well now, I guess I'll let you go this time," Hortian said. "But you 
better tell me why you got yourself into this mess in the first 
place!"

Gage squared his shoulders and looked up bravely at Hortian. He was 
the twin of Bix, just as crude and with the same you-wanna-fight 
attitude. They were both the harem recruiters, but this last time 
Hortian had caught a cold so had to let Pokey take his place. 

"Well ya see," stammered Gage. "I jes wanted ta show Miss Pyxie how 
responss-ss--ble I am. Thought I'd bring back a c-cool concubine or 
man whore to make 'er proud o' me."

Hortian grunted, the frown gradually leaving his face. Growing up 
with Bix always there, Hort had a soft spot for the ragamuffin Pyxie 
had brought into the harem 2 years ago. He often wondered how lonely 
and out-of-place Gage musta felt as he grew up, all alone and caring 
for himself.

"And didja find any good ones around?" he gruffly asked.

"Well ya see," Gage said, tugging on his ear. "I kinda got lost and 
this strange moogle um....kidnapped me. Yea! He kidnapped me before I 
could get back home."

A laugh rumbled deep in Hortian's chest. 

"Kidnapped my hairy arse!" he barked. "I saw everything that 
happened. But no matter, let's get back to the harem before an alarm 
goes off."

Eager to get back home, Gage grabbed the hand Hortian offered and was 
easily swung up to sit on his broad shoulder. As they turned to back 
out of the alley, the figure of Junior blocked their way.

"Let the boy alone," he quietly commanded. "No way is he going back 
to that harem of yours."

The noise of Wangland faded away as Hortian and Junior faced each 
other.

Subj:	 [ffml] [HD] Caretakers
Date:	01-01-12 04:00:16 EST
From:	raumkatze2@aol.com
Reply-to:	ffml@egroups.com
To:	ffml@egroups.com, hilliondynasty@egroups.com

[Some of the end of this post is by Larathia.]

"Let the boy alone," Junior quietly commanded. "No way is he going back 
to that harem of yours."

The noise of Wangland faded away as Hortian and Junior faced each 
other.  Hortian spat.  "If there's one thing that makes me sick," he said, 
"it's people like you, who think any lifestyle different from your own is 
immoral."

"Listen pal," said Junior, trying to stay calm, "I've got nothing against 
polygamy, homosexuality, or anything like that.  What I have a problem with 
is creeps like you who try to re-enact their own childhood traumas on 
innocent youngsters like Gage here."

Hortian then erupted into a fit of laughter that Junior found to be very 
disconcerting.  "Innocent?!" said Hortian, "You think this kid is innocent?  
If he's innocent then I'm the King of Baron!"

In a move that surprised everyone, especially himself, Junior gave Hortian a 
quick, 
forceful punch to the face, knocking the man down.  Junior found himself 
feeling a rush which he had forgot he was capable of feeling.

"If that's the way yer gonna play, then I think my two friends here would 
like to AXE you a question!" said Hortian, getting up, and revealing two hand 
axes, one of which he immediately swung at Junior.

Junior narrowly dodged the attack.  What have I gotten myself into, he 
wondered.  He had lived for over a millenium, but if this man were to summon 
the quickness and strength needed to decapitate him, it would soon be over.  
Junior made sure to concentrate formost on avoiding Hortians attacks while 
keeping his eye out for openings to hit the man with a quick punch or kick.

Weaving, dodging, and bobbing, both men went on for a time scoring a few 
blows, but dodging or blocking most, neither managing to seriously hurt the 
other, until both stopped simultaneously, realizing there was something that 
they had missed.  "Gage!  Where is he?!" said Hortian.

Should I, or shouldn't I, the young boy thought.  The last time he had tried 
this, he had gotten into major trouble, but the opportunity was there.  
Though he was a skilled pickpocket, able to steal untold amounts of trinkets 
and currency undetected, he had an additional calling which was not as 
stealthful.  Aw hell with it, he though, as he reached for his orange 
salvation.

"No!  Not again!" said Hortian who had spotted Gage in the marketplace.

"What?  What's he doing?" said Junior, as both men moved quickly towards 
Gage, .  But they were too late.  As they made their way towards him, they 
saw him grav several pumpkins off of a vegetable stand, and hurled each one 
at the pavement, grinning as each one exploded in a beautiful eruption of 
seeds and orange mush.

After witnessing this horror, the pedler who had owned the pumpkins screamed 
"You little bastard!!!" and ran after the boy who began to sprint as soon has 
he heard the merchant's voice.

Junior and Hortian ran after the mercant and vegetable vandal, hoping to 
protect the latter from the former.  After a short chase, the seller lost 
sight of the boy and decided to get back to his wares before any more of them 
were stolen.  "I think I know where the li'l bugger went," Hortian said to 
Junior.

Junior followed Hortian to an alley, where sure enough, the blushing Gage was 
hiding.  "C'mon, let's get you back home before you cause any more trouble."

"He's not going with you," said Junior.

"Dammit Moogle, or whatever the hell you're supposed to be, Gage is better of 
with Pyxie and the rest of us then he is with the likes of you.  I don't know 
what sort of abuse you think is goin' on, but whatever it is, but whatever 
you're thinkin', it's bollocks..."

"There you are!" a voice was heard coming from the street.  It was the 
merchant.  Appearently he had found someone to guard his vegetables while he 
went out to seek vengence.  "You thought you could hide, eh?  Well it's time 
to show you the meaning of justice.  I am gonna crush your punk-ass head like 
you crushed my merchandise!"

"Oh yeah," said Junior, "You and what army?"

"This army," the merchant said snidely, as several of his bigger and stronger 
fellow merchants emerged behind him.

"Hold onto me," Junior said to Gage, "I'll fly you out of here."

"No way," said Hortian, "I'm taking him with me, even if I have to put up 
with you following us."

"How exactly do you expect to get us out of here?  They've got us cornered," 
Junior said, as the merchants stalked menacingly toward them.

"Watch," said Hortian, producing a small container of Jell-O brand chocolate 
pudding.  He peal of the lid and called loudly, "Here girl!!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, a large wyvern swooped down from the sky.  Hortian 
took Gage in his arm and expertly mounted the beast, which soared back into 
the air.  Junior took wing, caught up to the flying creature, and mounted it 
behind Gage and Hortian.

Hortian chuckled.  "Sure, you can ride," he said, "Just don't try to pull any 
more of that Hong Kong Fooey shit on me, okay?"  Junior nodded, deciding that 
the best thing would be to ride this out (so to speak) and just see what sort 
of person this Hortian was, and see exactly what his relationship with Gage 
was.

"Where are we going?" asked Gage, noticing that they were not flying towards 
Calypso Mountain.

"Pyxie and some of the others have gone on some sort of sea expedition.  I 
want to see if we can find them.  Maybe it'll learn you if Pyxie gives you a 
talking to about your latest shananigans."

"By the way," said Junior, "Why exactly did you do what you did back there, 
Gage?"

"What can I say," the boy smiled shamefully, "I love smashing pumpkins!"

"Hey!  What's that!" said Junior, noticing something odd in the water below.

Hortian brought his wyvern down for a closer look.  "It's an avariel!" 
exclaimed Junior, "I haven't seen one of them since... a while ago..."  He 
stopped himself from saying that it was over a thousand years ago.  He knew 
that if he said that, they would either take him for a liar, or worse, they 
would realize who he really was.

"What's she doing on an iceberg?" said Gage, puzzled.

"That's what I'd like to find out," said Junior, "Hortian, can this wyvern 
swim?"

"As sure as I can drink a beer, as sure as Gage can pick a pocket!"  Hortian 
then gently brought the wyvern down on the sea, so as not to get its 
passengers wet.  The wyvern swam towards the iceberg, making sure that his 
back, and the people riding on it, remained above water.  The avariel resting 
on the large piece of ice appeared to be somewhat frightened of the large 
beast, but too exhausted to do much about it.

 * * *

Lia was just about finished getting the salt off her feathers when she
noticed the shadow.  Thinking at first that Aerdrie Faenya had not finished
dousing her and otherwise making her miserable, she looked up to find a
wyvern flying over her head, circling in tight arcs.

She knew enough about wyverns to know it wasn't hunting her; if it had
been, it wouldn't have circled - it would have dived. That at least was a
relief; most of her magic was going into keeping the iceberg under her from
melting before she could get her wings cleaned.  As there was nothing else
interesting to watch while she worked, she watched the wyvern - and noted
that there were passengers, one with white fur.

Another *fucking* moogle, she thought.  Every time I see one of those little
bastards, it's trouble - even if it isn't responsible for it, it will drag
trouble in its path.  But she would obey Master Arcanis' injunction not to
kill them - at least for as long as she was away from home. He might be
right, they might be peaceful - but there was no question they were trouble
and she had a pragmatic view when it came to dealing with trouble makers.

In the meantime, this moogle was accompanied by a humanoid and riding a
wyvern, and her main defense - her spells - were going into keeping her
afloat.  Trying her daggers against a wyvern was not a fight she wanted to
contemplate.  And of course it soon tired of circling, and came in for a
landing on the water - somewhat to her surprise, gently enough not to
re-coat her wings with salt spray.

That was one big moogle, now that she could get a closer look. The human
wasn't pint-sized either.  Lia became acutely aware of her lack of defense
against anything this trio might try.  The moogle leaned forward in its
seat. "Do you need some assistance?" it enquired.

Lia had to think hard for a minute. She was enjoined from killing the
moogle - and she was outmatched here anyway. And she had no real idea where
Nikeah was, and could only hope the ship's course had been a direct one.
Master Arcanis had said that they were peaceful - but what decided Lia was
that she didn't really have any options for fighting this group, nor any
options for fleeing it. Prisoner or guest - if you have no choice, does it
really matter? There was always the remote chance that either they really
would let her go when they landed - or that she would have strength enough
to freeze them once she'd had a break from spellcasting for a few hours if
they didn't.

So she replied, "Yeah, I'm on my way to Nikeah."

"Ah!" said the big human, "We're on our way there, anyway.  Hop aboard!"

So Lia got up, and carefully got onto the wyvern, which began to flap its
large wings, ascending into the air.

 * * *

Junior turned to the avariel, extending his hand, and said, "Hi.  My name's 
Junior.  What's yours?"

"I am Lia, of the House Macaw," the avariel girl replied, and reluctantly 
accepted the handshake.

As soon as her skin touched his, Junior got the strong, disturbing feeling 
that he knew her from somewhere.  After this, he did not feel very talkative, 
as they continued toward Nikeah.

Subj:	 [ffml] [HD] Parallel process
Date:	01-01-21 23:07:00 EST
From:	raumkatze2@aol.com
Reply-to:	ffml@egroups.com
To:	ffml@egroups.com, hilliondynasty@egroups.com

     After emotionally recovering from the portentious feelings he had upon 
making physical contact with Lia earlier, Junior thought that he should 
probably find out more about her.  Maybe that give him some clues as to what 
was happening to the world.
     "So, Lia," Junior turned to her again, "What were you doing out on the 
sea on that iceburg?"
     "Floating to my destination, Nikeah."
     "I see," said Junior, realizing that he would have to ask better 
questions if he wanted to get any real information, "What is your business in 
Nikeah?"
     "I... don't really know yet," she said.
     "Okay..." said Junior, not really sure whether she was putting him on or 
if she was really that clueless.  He decided to pursue a different line of 
questioning.
     "Ever since the third 'Moogle War,' avariel have been seldomly seen.  I 
assume they founded a separate society..."
     Lia nodded when she realized she realized that that was a question.
     "So what are you doing away from your people, floating out on the sea, 
rather than flying."
     "My wings got wet, and I was tired," said Lia.
     "Okay, that answers the 2nd part of my question, how about the first?"
     Damn, thought Lia, I hoped he wouldn't come back to that.
     "Well," she said, "I needed to leave, so I went out into the world, and 
here I am."
     "That doesn't explain why you're going to Nikeah," said Junior.
     Lia sighed.  "Some people I was travelling with were going there.  I 
intend to rejoin them there."
     Junior chuckled inwardly.  He had learned next to nothing, other than 
that this avariel didn't know much about her own journey, but tightly guarded 
the little that she did know about it.  He gave up on asking any more 
questions for now.  Perhaps he would learn more once they arrived at Nikeah.

%%%%%

     As the wyvern made her landing, Junior noticed that Lia was fidgeting 
nervously.  As the great beast's feet made contact with the ground, Junior 
noticed that a small amount of ice was appearing on the grass.  Lia obviously 
wanted to make a quick get-away, and to not be followed, which she did right 
after she finished casting the spell.  Junior, Hortian, and Gage watched her 
quickly take wing in the direction of downtown Nikeah.
     "What the bloody hell was wrong with her?" said the baffled Hortian.
     "I'm not sure," said Junior, "but I don't think she is a danger to us.  
Perhaps at some point, she will return our favor.  Perhaps not.  But either 
way, I am sure that we did a good thing by helping her."
     "Um, I think I've seen her before," Gage spoke up, for the first time 
since they had picked up Lia, "Back at the harem, before I left.  I think she 
was a new concubine."
     "Then why was she out there on the sea," said Junior.
     "Remember how she said that she had been travelling with some people who 
were going to Nikeah?" said Hortian, "That's probably Pyxie.  Though I wonder 
why she was on the iceburg, rather than on the boat."
     "Gee, I hope the boat didn't sink or something," said Gage.
     "She seemed fairly sure that she would meet up with her fellow travelors 
here.  She probably got off of the ship of her own choice.  Maybe she was as 
suspicious of them as she was of us," Junior chuckled.  "Watch your step," he 
said, as they carefully dismounted.

%%%%%

     "Sorry," said the innkeeper, "someone just got the last room.  By the 
way, what are you people doing here?"
     Junior wasn't sure what to make of this question, and answered, "Us?"
     "All of you people.  In the last day or so, many travellors have been 
coming to town.  Not that I mind.  It means more money in my pocket."
     "I don't know why," said Junior, "but I would be interested to find out."

     "What should we do now," Hortian said, after they left the inn.
     "I don't mind sleeping outside, and I'm sure Gage is used to it," said 
Junior, "How do you feel about that, Hortian?"
     "Sure," he said, "I've done it once or twice before."

%%%%%

     The next morning, after all three travellors had awoken, they decided to 
look for a place to get some breakfast, though Junior said that he was not 
hungry, but he would tag along anyway.  The truth was that he had forgot to 
bring money with him on his journey, and he was too embarrased to ask Hortian 
or Gage to pay for his meal.  As they were strolling around town, looking for 
a diner, a man rounded the corner of the building they were walking past, and 
collided with Hortian.
     "Brother!!!!" said Hortian
     "Yo Bro!!!" said the other man.
     Both men embraced in their manly way, shoving and punching playfully 
at each other. 
     "Where have you been Bix!? Sorry I didn't come visit ya, old man. I 
had to do some baby sittin' hehe" 
     "Me, Old? Ha! Then that makes you ancient! You're the puny one that 
got sick."
     Junior eyed the two brothers critically as they teased each other. 
They were both of stocky build, with muscular bodies and a slight 
beer-belly. Shaggy brown hair, matching goatee, and same harem garb 
on. And the same crude, overbearing personality! 
     The only difference he could tell was Hortian had a scar on the side 
of his face while the other one remained flawless. Wait a sec...scratch that. 
The other one had his name, Bix, tattooed on his left shoulder.
     "Oh yea," Hortian turned to Junior. "Junior, meet my bro Bix. 
Bro...Junior."
     "Hey, nice t'meetcha!" Bix took the strange moogle's hand and gripped 
in a handshake.
     "Ummm...it's nice to meet you to. You look just like your brother."
     Hortian and Bix grinned widely and puffed up their chests. They were 
proud of being twins, and eagerly showed it when they can.
     "Welp, I think I'll head on over with Bix to the bar." Hortian 
smacked Junior on the back, causing him to stagger at the 
weight. "Why don't you keep an eye out on Gage for me, eh?"
     Before Junior could protest, the two men were off into the crowd, loudly 
singing a dirty ditty. With am impatient sigh, Junior realized Gage 
had been pretty quiet all this time.
     "Well kid, looks like it's just me and..." Junior halted in his 
speech, finding that only the empty air kept him company. Gage had 
disappeared...again!
     Oh great, thought Junior, he better not be defacing some squash or 
something.  I've been chased out of one too many towns already this week.
     Junior asked around town about the whereabouts of Gage.  Most people 
were not very helpful, but a one woman said that she had seen someone 
matching Gage's description at the Underwear Heist diner.
     Junior located the establishment and entered.  It was one of those 
cheesy theme restaurants, this one themed around the the events leading up to 
the second moogle war, which began shortly before Junior had been born.  
Junior looked around the place and spotted Gage.  He was shocked, not about 
anything that Gage was doing, but at who Gage was with.  The boy had struck 
up a conversation with a man that Junior had never expected to see again, 
Kefka!