Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 19:57:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [ffml] [MW] The Dinner From: Sky H Ainsworth Bacca sat at the head of a long table that had been erected under a canopy. The surroundings showed the camp busily being broken down, but also showed the serene evening. The sun was setting to one side, and colorful clouds were to the other. Crystal Peak was behind Bacca, but he could look out and see forests and plains in the distance. Scouts were out, so Bacca was not worried about holding the dinner outside the outer wall of the fortification. A nice dinner had been made with wild game that had been caught earlier that day. A wild boar lay cooked and stuffed on a side table, with entrees on the main table. A few attendants stood ready to the side. Now Bacca awaited the arrival of his guests. Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 22:18:54 EDT Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] The Dinner From: Lorinan walked toward the table and sat down. L: What's up Bacca. Thanks for the invite. B: No problem, Lorinan. What're you planning to do? L: My main focus is to make sure at least one of the white moogles stays alive. My mission remains unchanged. A moogle MUST survive in order to prevent chaos. That is my mission from the Word. B: Will I still be able to count on your support if I need it? L: Of course. In fact, I'm planning on staying with your army for a while. I have no immediate place to be. B: Well, that's pretty good. I take it you still plan on continuing your training then? L: Of course. They both turned to look at the next arrival. Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 23:54:20 EDT Subject: [ffml] [MW] The Dinner From: Chaos entered the room, looking at all the people who'd entered. I don't know what this dinner is for, he thought. I've never even met half of these people. Why the heck am I here? "A drink?" said Bacca walking up to him. "What?" Chaos asked, half in his own world still. "Oh yes, thank you. Now, you are... Bacca, correct?" "Yes," the warrior answered, handing Chaos a mug of the finest ale. "Now, what are your plans." "Honestly?" Chaos replied. "I have absolutely no clue. Last thing I remember, was leaving the underwear war. Skyhorn was intercepted by one of the DM's Space Bubbles. We were caught by surprise. It just... came in! We didn't even detect it. More and more bubbles flooded Skyhorn until it was overun by thousands of Moogles. Than he cast a spell on me, and... everything was a blank until the mind hypnosys was removed at the peak." "But Seph said you'd recover your memory." "I should have," Chaos answered, looking down. "But the memory hold was too strong for too long. It was too late. I can't regain what happened back." "Then how'd you know what to do at the peak?" Bacca looked at Chaos oddly. Through his face mask Chaos smiled. "Materia Warrior's instinct, I guess." He let out a small laugh. "So, what are your plans, as far as you know?" Bacca asked, pushing the point. "Well," Chaos said, begining to pace. "I want to re-charge my power, and take back some of my troops. The ones that were on Earth should be wandering around. They'll find your base. I imprinted the locations into their mind before I lost the Materia's power. We were planning an invasion, but don't worry. The Dark Moogle doesn't know where your base is, and only the earth troops knew about it. Which is why we have to whipe out the Dark Moogles, ASAP. "As for my future plans, I want your help. Until I have the chance, I will stay with you, but I want to raid, and re-capture Skyhorn. Without it, the whole Darkhorn Empire is under the Dark Moogle's control, and he will not give up on Earth. I... sense the Materia's power still. And the Dark Moogle will too. So what I'm saying is, I'll stay on for a while. I don't know about Seph. He's still a bit shocked that this war is still happening. As for me, I'm incredibly dizzy right now, so I'm heading back to my room for the night. But I thought I'd stop in. I look forward to fighting on your side, you seem like a fine warrior." "Thank you," Bacca said, nodding. "So your leaving?" "Yep." Chaos chugged down the rest of his Ale, and walked back to the exit. "Wait! Chaos!" "Yes?" "What about Lorak? And Seph?" "Seph is asleep. You can talk to him in the morning. He's still recouperating. As for Lorak, he's gone." "Gone?!?" "Not yet," Chaos said, laughing again. "But he will be soon. Now, I'm gonna go get some reading in. See if I can locate the new materia's location." And he left. 12:00 AM that night... "What am I doing here?" the summoner said to himself. "Jesus, Lorak. You do know how to get yourself into sittuations. This whole thing is bigger than even Chaos knows, and I just can't tell anyone. There's only one choice." He looked out upon the big glistening lake, under the moonlight. He picked up a small flat-edged rocked, and threw it, countain the skips, splashing against the water. 4, 5, 6, 7... 7. My best yet, thought Lorak. I was never that good at that. He picked up his gold staff, and threw his white cloak over his back. "Good bye Chaos," he said softly, and walked toward the horizon. He waved his wand, and a chocobo appeared. "Come on Diffen. Let's go." He hopped on the yellow creature and road off. Meanwhile... "Oh...." sang an off-key deep voice, kind of stuttering. " we can be, heeeeeerrrrroooooes, just for one *HIC*. Oops." he stopped singing. "Excuse me." Seph crashed through Lorinan's tent, and knocked over a bunch of viles. "Hey mom!" he said, standing. "Look at meeeee! I'm an eagle!!!!!" "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!?!?" yelled Lorinan, jumping up out of his bed. "Are you drunk?!?" "Not quite," said the Lady Paladin coming around the corner. "He seems to be immune to sleeping herbs. His wounds got worse, and I had to drug him, but he didn't quite go to sleep. He has a magic Ribbon on him protecting him from my sleep spell too, so me and a group of Henricksons are trying to pin him down and get the ribbon off." "Well, get out of here, man!" Lorinan yelled to Seph. "I pitty the fool!!" Seph said, raising his left arm, and putting his right on it. "BUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDA!" he began to move it in a gun motion. "There's no gettin' offa this train we're on now! Marlene!!!!!!!!" he yelled, running out of the tent. Then, he just fell, face first into the mud, rolled over, and said, "Good night, mommy." "Hey guys, help me get him back to the medi tent," Lady Paladin said. "I gotta get some sleep." The Lances picked Seph up and took him away. Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 01:44:47 -0700 Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] The Dinner From: "Beth Davis" Lady Paladin casually approached the canopy, her white cloak billowing about due to a slight breeze. She had a quick and confident stride as she marched directly up to where Bacca sat. The white wizard gave a proper curtsy, but as she rose, Bacca noted grin upturning the corners of her mouth. "Greetings, High Lord Bacca," she said. "I'm sorry I'm a little late, but I received a message from the Elder of Mysidia that I had to respond to immediately." Bacca grinned. "Don't worry about being late. As you can see, most of the guests haven't even arrived yet." Lady Paladin looked around the table and saw only Lorinan and Chaos. "I hope everything is well with the Elder?" "Oh yes, everything is fine," she replied, and began pulling out a chair. Bacca leaped up and chivalrously pulled the chair out the rest of the way. Blushing, the healer sat down and Bacca pushed the chair in for her. "I received official confirmation of my status as a master white wizard." Lady Paladin grinned proudly. "There are only two other master white wizards in the world, you know. I am the first one to be granted this honor who is not a native of the Blue Planet." "I am very happy for you!" said Bacca with a smile. "I much prefer you in robes rather than armor," he quietly whispered to her, and winked. Her grin became even wider. "Well, this all looks delicious," she remarked, looking around the table. Chaos and Lorinan were already eating. "Before I begin eating, though, I want to go ahead and say what I'm suppose to say...before I get distracted." "Bacca, you know I am completely devoted to you and your cause. No one can question my loyalty to you." Something vaguely nagged at the back of her mind, and she saw a flash of that room at Crystal Peak where the floor had fallen apart. Lady Paladin, confused, knocked the image out of her mind and continued. "I am quite pleased that I am now I master of the white arts. My powers have almost tripled since the battle at Spiked Dwarf Pass. I'm still awaiting confirmation from the Board of Healers in Sasindar, but as soon as I receive word from them, I will be an official master healer, as well. I will be able to cure this army like no one else in the galaxy, dearest Bacca." She grinned again. Bacca smiled, knowing she wasn't even aware she was using affectionate terms for him in public. "And even though you haven't seen me use my fighting pike yet, I will be able to serve you as a fighter, too. I am mainly defensive with weaponry, just as I am in my healing, of course. I will also still carry my wakazashi. It is quite possible that I could serve by your side in battle." Bacca wasn't too sure about that idea, but he wasn't going to naysay immediately. "Well, we'll see. Perhaps we can arrange a melee combat tomorrow so that I may test your skills." Lady Paladin's eyes gleamed mischievously. "You're on. I might even have a surprise or two for you." The warrior couldn't help but be curious about her skills. He smiled. "Well, is there anything else you have in mind?" "Well, actually..." she leaned forward to whisper to him, not noticing how an errant lock of golden hair slipped into her goblet. "I would love it if sometime soon you would come to my cottage. It is a beautiful place, the only home I know. You could meet my steed, Golden Melody, whom I have often spoken to you of. And then there is my cat, Emperor Adventure. If we could only retreat for a day, maybe two, it would be wonderful. You could use the rest, you know." Lady Paladin discreetly gave him a light kick under the table. "I'll try to arrange something soon," Bacca replied with a grin. He then reached forward and plucked her hair from the goblet. She looked at her soggy lock of hair in dismay, and then sighed. "And you should probably pull your hair back for now, my Lady." Lady Paladin burst out laughing. "Oh, I guess you're right." The healer pulled her hair up, and with extremely skilled fingers, she braided it together in seconds. Bacca had seen her use her fingers quickly many times, but was still impressed by her finger dexterity. She glanced up and recognized a certain glint in his eyes that showed he was thinking of other things, so she quickly changed the subject. "Oh look, the next guest is arriving," she pointed out. Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 20:50:12 -0600 Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] The Dinner From: His Dark Lordship Twas 30-Jun-98, whence Beth Davis didst dost proclaimeth to me... > "Oh look, the next guest is arriving," she pointed out. A giant Troll emerged from the doorway. He walked up to Bacca and took the cow leg he was chewing on out of his mouth. "Me Boogaeata. Me here to smash things." To demonstrate, he took his double bladed axe, held it with two hands and smashed it against the table. Bacca's food fell through the gap as the table colapsed. "Dat iz all." The troll walked out of the door, grabbed one of the soldiers by the neck and dragged him with him, and left the camp. Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 05:45:48 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] The Dinner From: Sky H Ainsworth Bacca looked at his spilled food and the retreating figure of the troll. "I hate it when that happens," said Bacca, disgusted. The rest at the table agreed. They flipped off the troll as he walked away. Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 09:16:35 -0400 Subject: [ffml] [MW] Re: The Dinner (Kaitlin makes a post) From: druidkaitlin@juno.com (The Druidess Kaitlin) Kaitlin stared intently at the few changes of clothes she had lying about her tent. "This one, or that one . . . " she thought aloud, attempting to decide whether she should wear her traditional Druid garb or something a little more . . . sophisticated for dinner. Deciding quickly, she grabbed the shimmery yellow sleeveless tunic and leather pants.. "No need to dawdle," she said, gritting her teeth as she pulled the unfamiliar-feeling clothes on. After adding a belt and some boots, and brushing her hair, she stared back down at the lonely white Druid robe she had abandoned on her pallet. I need to do some laundry, she pondered disapprovingly. She exited her tent, carefully pulling it shut behind her, and surveyed the sprawling camp. The Druidess still, after all this time, couldn't believe she was here. In a war. A little breeze buffeted her hair aside a bit, and she brought up a hand absently, stilling the air around her. Surprised, Kaitlin stared at her hand. She knew the dark gods had abandoned her. Whether it was forever or just for now, she couldn't tell. If everything was put in place, then why did she feel so uneasy . . . so lonely? Jaana, like a sister to her, was leaving, and the Druid's decision to stay was a hard choice to make out of sheer *fear* that too much had happened here for her to reverse the affects her personality had on the people of this army. Especially Bacca, whom she knew had the right to not trust her, whether he knew it or not --something she could understand. After all, wasn't it a Druid's job to tell only what was NEEDED to be told? Everything else could be used later. Kaitlin was very confused. She knew she had to talk to Bacca immediately now, and she walked with urgency toward the dinner that was being held. With a purpose, the Druidess approached the High Lord. "Greetings, Sir," she said, *attempting* to look unafraid. "Good evening to you, Druidess. I wasn't even sure you would come . . . " Bacca said, staring back at her. Kaitlin sensed wariness all around him. She considered for a moment, thoughtfully. "That's a new look for you, isn't it." "Heh, well--I haven't really had the chance to do some washing . . . you know . . . " she trailed off uneasily. "Look, Sir, I need to talk to you about something, if you've got the time." "Of course . . . what's on your mind?" "Okay." She took a breath. "I want to, firstly, apologize for my behavior lately. I'm fully aware of the distance I have been putting myself between myself and other people around here, most especially you, who should probably have more tabs kept on someone like me. Do you understand what I mean?" Bacca looked back, raising his eyebrows. "You mean, because you're a powerful sorceress whose motives are entirely too unclear?" Kaitlin laughed lightly. "Yes, that's what I mean. We Druids have a long history of being suspected of ill motives. Old habits die hard. You should know that," she answered, looking at him pointedly. She then sighed, then lowered her voice. "Anyway, I also need to warn you of the dangers of the gods." "The gods, eh?" Bacca responded, obviously interested. "Yeah. See, these beings everyone refers to as gods are, well . . . difficult. They can be extraordinairily helpful at one time and incredibly destructive at other times. A while back, I was of the opinion they could aid us in the War. So far, though, all our efforts to battle off these multiple armies have been somewhat stymied." Bacca straightened in his chair, and eyed the Druidess. "Kaitlin, how do you know so much about the gods when you don't even come from their world?" "I come from far across the universe, yes . . . Bacca, I know so much because I've talked to them during my stay here. I probably know more than I'd like to know, and probably far more than any human *should* know, but I do. "I'm afraid of them . . . But I also fear they might be our only chance." Kaitlin looked around, then up at the sky for a moment. Bacca nodded slowly, then looked at Kaitlin curiously. "I appreciate your openness . . . if you care to discuss anything more, then feel free. But right now, I'm more concerned with your health. Kaitlin, are you all right? You're looking pale." "Me?" Kaitlin said, bringing both her hands up to her heart and taking a step back. "Oh, I--I'm . . . well . . . Sir . . . um . . .no." Bacca blinked. "Well, go on. What's the matter?" "I think there's two people in here." "Two . . . what? What are you talking about?" "A long time ago, I was forced to cut myself in half, so to speak, during a strange battle I was a part of. It didn't go all as planned," Kaitlin continued embarassedly, "and it ended up the two halves wanted nothing to do with each other. One was rather passive, and the other . . . just the opposite. And less than conventional means were used to force me back into one person. Since then, I haven't felt quite myself. But, don't worry--it's all under control. Heh." "Why didn't you tell anyone about this before?" Bacca looked genuinely worried. "Maybe Lady Paladin could help you." Kaitlin looked at the ground. "Druid magic is strange magic that takes more than a little bit of unweaving to undo. I think I tangled this one up bigtime, and no thanks to Springer, the damage could be permanent." ". . . Springer??" BAcca closed his eyes and shook his head. "I won't ask. Kaitlin, I want you to consult Lady Paladin about this. In the meantime, if you're okay, go join the others." Kaitlin frowned. "Okay. Good idea. Thanks for giving up so much of your time." With that, she walked briskly toward the others, turning only once to ponder the commander of the armies. He can be nice, I see, she thought. Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 09:57:36 -0000 Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] The Dinner From: "Tojo Mojo" Tojo ran in. Heads turned to look at the man clad in dust-covered robes. His face sported a fresh gash running down his left cheek, and he had a bandage around his right wrist. "Sorry if I'm late, had a bit of a stumble. May I sit down?" "Of course.", said Bacca. "Well. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tojo Mojo, ruler of the Mohorovicic Discontinuity. As you may or may not know, my trip to Crystal Peak was impaired by a run-in with Mog's forces. The small army I brought to the surface with me is gone now." Tojo paused. "They are... dead?", inquired Bacca. "Yes... I hope... Mog's men took some of them alive." "Uh... Yes, I know that can be terrible. Do you have more soldiers in wating somewhere?" "Yes, of course. Millions. You see, the Mohorovicic Discontinuity is located about 25 miles beneath the surface of the planet. It is a land abundant in lava, caves, and Mako springs. My realm is vast, and my people are many and loyal." "So, are you going to send for more troops?" "That's the problem. You see, the crust of the planet impairs Telepathic communications. So I cannot contact them through the channels of magic. Instead, I have thousands of messangers. They roam the surface, leaving markers to tell of their location. There is one in nearly every town. There's supposed to be anyways. "But lately I haven't seen any of my men. I have had no contact with the Moho in weeks. I fear the worst." "So, do you wish to leave?" "No. Not yet, anyways. I want to wait a little longer. If there is something wrong, I don't want to walk right into it.", Tojo paused. He sipped at a glass of wine that had been given to him. Looking up at Bacca, he continued, "In the meantime, I'd be honored to travel with you and these fine warriors." "Of course you may, if you wish." "Thank you sir. But know that there will come a time where I will have to leave, but that will not be for a time. Perhaps we'll come across a messanger and find that there's nothing wrong at all." "Yes. I'm sure nothing is wrong.", spoke Lady Paladin, who had been silently watching and listening. Tojo silently thanked Lady Paladin for her support, and continued sipping at his wine, looking around the table. Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 13:08:52 -1000 Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] The Dinner From: Schala Schala had felt a certain electricity run through her since she defeated Suroos. This new understanding of herself would take some time to fully grasp. In the meantime, there was a slight distraction. Bacca had made it known that a huge dinner was to be held that night, and all were invited. As she got ready for the meal, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. After all, she really didn't have a place in the War...not yet, at least. And Bacca was the most unnerving man she had ever met. Those eyes of his were memsmerizing but disconcerting. She didn't know what Lady saw in him, but that wasn't for her to speculate. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," she said aloud. Kaitlin was not in the tent. Schala could only assume that she had gone to dinner already. Secretly, she had been glad that no one had witnessed her arrival back in camp; it would have been quite difficult to explain why her clothing had been in such disarray...A shudder ran down her spine as a memory flashed, then died. Ready, Schala walked over to the large canopy. She saw Bacca at the entrance, greeting everyone as they entered. She raised a brow, but then again she should have known that he would take an active role. She slowly approached him. Bacca welcomed a few of his soldiers, then turned to greet the next person, but for now there was no one. He leaned against a pole and was just beginning to relax when he made out a dull red in the growing darkness. He stood at attention again. "Welcome, Schala," he said politely. She smiled and inclined her head slightly. "I trust you are doing well since I last saw you?" "Very well, thank you," Schala replied. He gazed at her. "And what have you been doing?" It was a loaded question, and she felt nervous again. But she answered him honestly. "Nothing, really." Suddenly she grinned. "I've just been questioning my sanity when I think why I'm here..." She didn't want to tell him just yet of the fight she'd had just that morning. Bacca raised a brow slightly. Perhaps the conversation was taking a turn in his favor. "And why are you here?" he asked softly. She met his gaze. "I wanted to help out with the War. But I feel a little out of place...it seems as though the War is almost at an end and I haven't done much either way. I'm wondering if I should still be here." The High Lord did not answer for a few moments. "I will tell you straight out, you are a strange one, and I have thought as much since we first met," he said thoughtfully. "But since the beginning of this war I have come across many strange things that defy explanation." Schala looked away. "It is difficult to respond to that, when I myself do not know quite how to explain myself." "So you have doubts, not only of yourself, but also of your role in this whole thing? Then...are you planning to leave?" She shook her head. "No," she replied firmly. "I can't explain it, but I...I *must* be a part of this War. Even though I have doubts, I can't just walk away. It's something I have to do... "I feel...something here. Whatever it is, it is calling me. And I also feel discontent...within others, within myself...It tears at my soul when I find people with this feeling inside of them..." She closed her eyes briefly and sighed. "But like I said, it's something I have to do." He nodded. "I understand," he said softly. "So, I can count on your assistance?" Schala smiled. "Of course, my lord," she said. His look became gentle. "Emotions are difficult things," he said, almost dreamily. "Especially when one of those emotions is love..." He became lost in a reverie. Schala looked at him intently, trying to reach into his mind, willing him to reveal his feelings, reveal what lay behind that rough exterior. If she knew a little more about him, perhaps she would know better what to do. But his mind was strong and soon Bacca broke away from the little mental hold Schala had had. She started at the sudden break, and he shook his head vigorously. "I speak nonsense," he said, his voice returned to normal. "And don't worry...You shall have a way to help in the War." He gestured. "Now please...join the rest." Schala bowed her head again and walked in. But as she did so, she murmured, "Kindness...and you will discover more of what they know..." She disappeared into the crowd. Bacca was startled. Those words were similar to what he had heard in his strange dream...Could it be...? He did not know. Suddenly he frowned. But he would find out. Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 09:31:44 -1000 Subject: [ffml] [MW] The Dinner....a little late From: Jaana Jaana stood outside the tent. The sound of laughter permeated the air, and the soft glow from the tent diffused into the night air. She looked up into the sky. The twin moons hung low in the sky, dancing their eternal waltz around each other. The stars shone with an strange brilliance, becoming beacons in the vast darkness above. It was strange, she thought, how one event could change the course of a person's life so drastically. This afternoon, returning from Cystal Peak, she had expected to continue in the company of Bacca and his army for a long time to come. She had grown close to these people, learned to trust their strengths, and watch out for their weaknesses. Up until this afternoon, she had thought that she was fighting for the right side. Now, things had changed....tonight, she and Sephiroth would be leaving the army to prevent Bacca from gaining anymore ground. "The Dark Lord was right," she thought, "he *is* dangerous." A shout was heard from the tent. It was Lorinan, obviously drunk, shouting something about someone named "Risa." "She's a goddess, I tell you! A goddess!" Jaana shook her head and smiled. She would miss them. She heard footsteps behind her. She could tell without seeing that it was Sephiroth...his gait was unmistakable. She listened as his boots ground the gravel beneath them. She turned to him. "Give me a minute." she said, "just a minute....and I'll be ready." He smiled at her, softly, "You'll miss them, then?" She nodded her head, "Yes....I as well." "They are fine warriors....all of them" "Yes, they are." She turned toward the tent, took a breath, then began moving toward it. "Jaana......" Sephiroth called out. She stopped, not turning to face him. "Jaana.....remember why you're doing this....." "Remember?" she laughed bitterly, shaking her head "How could I forget?" ************** Lorinan *was* drunk. He and one of the higher ranking Lance Henricksens were standing, arm in arm, singing unintelligibly. The inhabitants of the tent watched the spectacle, amused. Lorinan really did have a lovely falsetto voice, even if it was, at the time, horrible off-key. Bacca was seated at the head of the table, with Lady Paladin beside him. Kaitlin and Schala were seated to his left, both giggling as Lorinan and the Lance Henricksen struggled to reach a high note, missing it by a mile. The drunken pair finally finished their song. Their captive audience clapped wildly, half out of appreciation for the performance, half out of relief that it was over. The Lance Henricksen let out an enormous belch, then collapsed on the floor. Lorinan staggered off, headed for the nearest barmaid. "Let me mix you up a little love, baby...." he hic-ed. Bacca, more than a little drunk himself, decided that is was time to relay one of his infamous war stories. He stood up, steadying himself against the table and announced to the room, "Lemme tell ya about the time I took on a squadron of Warmechs by myself...." The room groaned. He looked up, eyes barely able to focus. Jaana stood in the entrance to the tent, dressed in full armor, MasamuneSpear at her side. Bacca grinned. "Jaana!" he slurred, "Gladda see you could make it!" "Yeah Jaana," Tritoch smiled, "When you didn't show, we thought you might have been too *busy*" He winked. "I'm leaving." she announced. "Leaving?" "Whaddya mean, leaving?" Bacca asked. "Sephiroth and I are leaving the army. Tonight......" she paused, ".....now." "But why?" Tritoch questioned, worry clouding his face. Jaana blinked. She looked at Kaitlin, then back at Tritoch. "I have my reasons. Don't ask me to explain them......please." Tritoch nodded, "I understand. Jaana....be careful." "I will be." She took one last look at the room, knowing full well that this might be the last time she'd see many of these people alive. "Goodbye." She turned and left. Bacca stumbled after her, Lady Paladin close behind. Kaitlin and Schala looked at each other, sitting very still. Kaitlin knew what was going on, and Schala had her suspicions. Neither of them said a word. Outside the tent, Jaana walked swiftly toward where Sephiroth was sitting. "I've got to get out of here," she thought to herself, "before I lose my nerve...." She could hear Bacca running to catch up with her. He was a swift runner, even when he was drunk, and quickly caught her. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "Jaana....where the hell do you think you're going." She looked at him, an eerie light shining in her eyes. "Bacca, I can't fight with you anymore." "What do you mean......" "I mean that I have to leave." "But we *need* you!" "I know that." Bacca stopped, confused. "But...." "Bacca, that's why I have to go! I can't help you anymore...." "Why not?" Jaana sighed. "I just.......can't." She shook her head in resignation and began to walk away. Sephiroth stood up, looking at her intently. Lady Paladin called out to her, "Jaana! Wait!" Jaana didn't respond this time. She and Sephiroth walked away, down the main trail, out of the encampment and into the night.