melodiesoflife | A Search for Answers (backdated to November 13)

Ashelia and Lightning have been talking for a while about checking out the lost city of Aqures Tosf. Surely, there must be answers there; it's the original resting place of the Crystal of Fire before it destroyed the city, crystallizing the inhabitants it didn't kill outright. With Aqures Ixen nearly coming to the same end on The Night of the Thirteen Moogles, answers are needed more than ever.

What awaits on that forsaken island? Marvels? Horros? Treasure? The truth? No one knows. Will you take on the challenge?

[Aqures Ixen Airship Port]

The Heroes gather at the Airship Port to depart on their flight to Balicea. Who is coming along? Why? What do you hope to find on this journey? One word of advice: don't be late. Ashelia cannot abide tardiness.

[Airship Ride to Balicea]

The ride on the ship is short, but it doesn't have to be uneventful. Is this your first time on an airship? Time to find out if you get airsick.

[Balicea]

The Heroes arrive in Balicea on a mission. Ashelia tells everyone that they'll have the day to themselves to explore, but they should be at the docks the next morning bright and early. Ashelia will make sure they have a ship chartered to take them to Aqures Tosf.

[The Voyage to the Lost City]

Ashelia hopes that some of the Heroes coming along are better sailors than she - not one captain was willing to take them to Aqures Tosf. It looks to be a safe enough voyage with the weather, but running a ship is no small feat and Ashelia is an amateur.

[The Lost City of Aqures Tosf]

This is it. The Heroes have arrived. What awaits them? Will they learn anything that will help them unravel the mysteries of the Crystals? Or will the strong creatures that have made the ruins of the once-great city their home prove to be too much?

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Ramza shrugged. "I know not the details, but I think, perhaps, they wish to keep the Crystal near so they can prevent others from stealing it away." He glanced over at Yuffie's picture, but said nothing about it. He wondered if it was her city, the one she would become a Great Ninja to protect.

"I agree, it would be safer for everyone, were the Crystal well beyond the City's boundaries. It is a spark within a powder keg, as it stands now. But if the leaders of the City will not remove the danger, the only way to protect the people of Aqures Ixen is to protect the Crystal."

"Sounds like a lot of trouble. Don't they want to protect their city?" Yuffie quickly scratched away the picture at Ramza glance and slowly started to draw something else instead.

The picture was nothing at first but it slowly turned into a chocobo with a little moogle on its back.

Ramza found a flat bit of shell and flicked it at the water. It skipped a few times in the waves before sinking.

"You can never know what is in a man's heart. I would like to think they have good reason housing the Crystal where it could harm so many, but we cannot know for sure unless we discover its true nature." There was little reason he could think of for them to take such a huge risk, but criticizing their leaders would accomplish nothing.

"In any case, finding out more of the events long past in Aqures Tosf may protect lives in Aqures Ixen, so that is what I mean to do. I would rather embark on a wild chocobo chase than wait around doing nothing."

"That's why I'm traveling." She looked over at Ramza with a smile. "I can't just do nothing."

Yuffie shook her head thinking about his words. you know whats in a mans heart. She wondered what was in others hearts.

Ramza returned her smile. "That conviction will serve your people well, Treasure Princess."

His smile slipped away. "You are not traveling alone, are you? The enemy moves undetected within these lands. It could be dangerous."

Yuffie stood and stretched her arms to the side. "I am alone but I will be fine. I have something that I am searching for." She smiled at the ocean before looking down at Ramza.

What she was looking for couldn't be found unless she was alone but she wasn't going to tell him any of the boring details.

Ramza looked up at Yuffie from where he sat. He did not move to stand; he could feel sand sticking everywhere to him, and it was going to be hell to deal with when he finally got up. Sitting was easier, and he did not think Yuffie would think him disrespectful for it.

"You do not have to do everything alone," he told her. "There are many Heroes who would aid you, if you would let them."

His words felt like a knife twisting in her heart. She always felt like she was working alone and she wasn't sure if she knew how to trust someone else. Should she tell him as much? Yuffie tried to think and was once again left confused.

"Who?

It was all she could manage to say and she didn't bother to look down at Ramza.

Ramza sighed, and slowly pushed himself up out of the sand. He dusted the worst of the grains off of his backside and pants legs, although he was still certain he looked like a vagabond.

Yuffie was so young. Younger than his sister, Alma, about the age he had been when he had been sent away to Akademy. Ramza had been fortunate to have a then-loyal friend at his side, but if he had not, would he have asked any of the strangers he met there for help? He could not say for certain. It could not be easy, being one one's own so young.

"I am sure there are many. The people of your world that were brought here, or your roommate, perhaps?" Ramza suggested. He sighed again. He had never been skillful with words, but he had the feeling, if he wanted her to believe him, he would need say it aloud. "And if none of them can render their service to you, there is myself. I am your friend, am I not?"

"I don't think anyone from my world would want to talk to me. After all, we are enemies back home. They are the ones who destroyed my home." Yuffie made sure she was fully turned away from him. Her biggest problem was meeting those she knew were responsible for the massacre of her country and not being able to face them.

Then she realized that she care about them and she only felt more confused. She didn't want to see them as people because she knew the horrible things they have done. All for the sake of orders? How could they be so weak and use orders as an excuse for their actions.

Her fingers clenched into a tight fist and began to shake. "I'm going now."

Yuffie didn't always tell people when she was leaving. Once again she felt like she was going to cry, so it was time to be alone. She couldn't be weak and that was all her tears were. Her weaknesses coming back to haunt her.

Ramza's eyes went wide. "Yuffie, I am sorry. I did not realize..." he exclaimed quickly. He wanted to curse, but he could not, not in front of a young lady. He had not meant to hurt her, but obviously, he had. Ramza wished, not for the first time, that his sister were here; Alma always knew what to say.

"Please be safe," he begged, knowing if she wished to walk away, he could not prevent her from doing so.

Yuffie didn't register his words, instead she just walked away never once pausing to look back.

A Search for Answers (backdated to November 13)

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