PRELIMINARIES: None of this belongs to me. Final Fantasy VI, and all worlds, characters, etc. associated with it, are the property of Square-Enix. Square-Enix is not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the creation of this story (a fact for which, I suspect, they would be profoundly grateful). I have made liberal usage of their characters and settings in this story; this was done without their knowledge or permission, and is technically an infringement of Square-Enix's copyright. As this story is, at the most pragmatic level, free promotion of the Final Fantasy franchise, it is hoped that they will regard this story (if at all) with a benign ignorance.

If you paid a wooden nickel for this story, not only have you been drastically overcharged, but whoever charged you has done so illegally, and I disavow any association with said individual(s).

All feedback is welcome, up to and including line-by-line critiques (provided they fit in my mailbox).

Do not copy this story onto your own archive. In the first place, if you want to it probably means that you were high on something when you read it; in the second place, it's an "in-progress" work; in the third place, I have a vested interest in keeping a tight leash on its distribution. E-mail me if you simply must have this story, and I will in all likelihood prepare a copy for your own archive. Please do not anticipate my response and post a different copy before I get back to you.

Much gratitude is owed, as always, to my masochists on retainer--er, that is, my prereaders, Kami and Shack, who, after thanking me and asking for another, graciously suggested enough improvements to render this chapter a merely painful experience, rather than an intolerable one.

Now, sit back and either enjoy the ride, or (more likely) enjoy thinking of what you'll do to me at the end of it...

The Author

But then, why would this Strago attack me?

I don't know. There's nothing from the memories I've recovered suggesting anything like that. It's possible there's something I just haven't gotten to yet, but...

"Woof!"

What was that?

I don't know. It's--

"Woof!"

Ah.

Ah?

It would appear our time here is at an end. Someone is trying to awaken you.

"Woof!"

How do I wake up?

Just go with it. You'll know what to do.

"WOOF!"

Wait--will I remember any of--

"WOOF!"

I came to with a start, panicked for half a second by the heavy weight on my chest. That passed, though, replaced with that same unnatural calm when I identified the tongue bathing my cheek as belonging to the dog I'd somehow recognized as Interceptor.

I slowly opened my eyes and sat up, gently pushing him to one side. I wrinkled my nose as I caught a whiff of myself--I would need to stop by the baths, and soon.

I absently scratched behind Interceptor's ears as I looked around. The room was empty, the door closed; silence permeated the air. I glanced down at Interceptor, who'd laid his head on my thigh. "It looks like they left us alone, eh?"

Interceptor looked up at me with a plaintive whine.

I laughed. "No, I'm not complaining. I like them--" An image of Setzer flashed before my eyes, followed by one of the old man Terra had called "Strago." "--well, most of them. But this is nice; it feels...right. You understand, right?"

Interceptor looked up at me, then clambered over my lap to the other side, laid his head on his paws, and closed his eyes.

I chuckled. "Good idea," I said as I sat back against the wall, tilted my head up, and closed my eyes--

Slam!

My head came down, and my eyes snapped open; I whipped around to the door, where--"Relm?"

Interceptor's mistress slumped exhausted, her back plastered to the door. Her chest heaved with labored, frantic breaths, and her wide eyes stared blankly ahead.

"Relm?"

She stared on, unseeing and unresponsive.

I called her name a third time, again without a reaction. It did catch Interceptor's attention, though. His ears perked up, and he bounded off the bed, running up to her and licking her hand.

She started, then relaxed on seeing the dog. She closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath while she rubbed his head. "Hey boy," she whispered. "You watched him like I asked?"

"Woof!"

"That's good. I--" She glanced over at me for the first time, and her eyes widened. "Sh--Shadow! You're awake!"

"For a change." I rubbed the back of my head irritably. "How long was I out this time?"

"Out? Not...um...just a few hours, I guess."

"You guess?"

Her face turned red. "Hey! I've been busy, okay?"

"Busy with what?"

And then, she exploded. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU CARE?! I just was! Is that all right with you?"

I narrowed my eyes. What in the world... "Relm, are you all right?"

"All right? Oh, I'm fine. I'm better than fine, I'm fucking wonderful! Gramps has a limp, everyone's going crazy, and you're--" Her eyes widened, and she clapped her hands over her mouth.

My face darkened. Not her too. What was it with people not wanting to talk about me?

I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, Relm went back on the attack. "Good goddesses, the stench here is worse than the common room! What were they doing, sponge-bathing you with a chamberpot? Go take a bath, now! Interceptor and I will wait downstairs."

Slam!

And just like that, she and the dog were gone.

It seemed like the entire second floor of the inn was deserted. There was no one in the baths, and I neither encountered nor heard a single soul as I traversed the hall between the baths and my room.

Relm's panicked fury ran through my mind again as I got dressed. Sometime between the old man--Strago, I reminded myself--trying to finish what Kefka's tower started and my waking up, something had thrown her--badly--and I was involved, somehow.

I had a feeling that if I had my memories, I'd know how.

I also had a feeling that if I had my memories, I'd never have allowed Strago to see my face in the first place.

"...and I don't think it was Shadow who killed her."

My feet froze at the top of the stairs as Locke's voice drifted up. My eyes widened as Relm's voice quickly responded. "But Gramps said--"

"Relm, I think it's safe to say there's more to this than Strago has said so far." I slowly began to creep down the stairs, listening carefully to Locke's voice. "My idea could just as easily fit the facts as his, and Shadow was married to the village healer besides."

I'm married? This was new. I straightened up--then Locke's wording hit me. Was married...the past tense.

I wasn't married anymore.

Locke continued. "You'd think the presumption would be in Shadow's favor, wouldn't you?"

I started down the stairs again as Relm paused before answering. "You're right." She paused again, longer this time. "Then, the fact that it wasn't--"

"Shadow wasn't exactly Thamasa's favorite son, I'd bet."

"Where?" I asked as I hit the landing.

Relm's head whipped around, and her eyes widened. Interceptor barked happily, and bounded over to meet me.

Locke leaned back in his chair. "Thamasa. A little village on an island in the east--sorry, it's in the southeast now." I blinked in confusion, but he continued before I had a chance to speak. "It's where Relm and Strago--that's the old man that jumped you--are from."

"And where I'm from?"

He nodded. "Not originally, but at one point, yeah."

Relm gave Locke a worried look. "Should you be talking about that? His memories could--"

"His memories took second place when someone stuck a poisoned knife in his side."

She shrugged. "Your funeral."

"Better mine than his." Locke turned back to me. "Terra should probably be the one to explain things, though. She has the best idea of what shape you're in."

She was also the most likely to want to keep me in the dark...but, judging from the look on Locke's face, he already knew that. I sighed. "All right, then. Where is she?"

"She and Celes went out to look for your doctor, I think," Locke said. "Oh, and we sent Setzer and Strago back to the Falcon to resupply, so you don't have to worry about them for a while."

I nodded. "I see. What now, then?"

"How does lunch sound? I know a good place, and you could use the exercise."

Could I ever! "It sounds good to me. What about you, Relm?"

She snorted. "You think I'm going to spend ten seconds in this shit hole I don't have to? Of course I'm coming!"

Relm, as it happened, proclaimed this glowing opinion within earshot of one Master Paparo, who took it as a cue that we wished him to escort us to the door. A minute and a half later (once we were safely out of range of the broom-wielding maniac) Locke took the lead, since he knew where we were going. I followed, and Relm and Interceptor brought up the rear.

We'd only been walking for about five minutes when Relm spoke up. "Hey, Locke, do you mind if we stop here for a minute?"

"Here?" Locke turned back, saw the building Relm was hungrily eyeing, and groaned. "Relm, can't it wait?"

"Actually, no." Relm never took her eyes off the building. "This is the only shop on the continent that stocks that shade of blue, and I'm all out."

"I understand that, but--"

"A few minutes won't kill him." She turned to me. "Right?"

I blinked. "Um...right, I guess." My stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly, and Relm scowled.

"Relm..."

"It won't take long--I promise," she said, then darted into the shop before Locke could speak again. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as Interceptor wandered over to us.

I took a closer look at the building. There was an insignia of some kind by the door, but other than that it was wholly unremarkable. "What kind of shop is this?"

"An art shop," Locke replied. "Relm's a painter."

"Really?" I blinked in surprise, trying to fit this into my conception of the girl. "Is she any good?"

Locke chuckled. "Oh, she's good. Her portraits don't come to life anymore, but you still think they might, sometimes."

"Really? She's that--wait a minute. 'Come to life'?"

Locke gave me an odd look. "Magic. Didn't Terra tell you?"

I shifted uncomfortably. That wasn't a conversation I liked to remember. "She said something, but..."

I trailed off, and Locke smacked his forehead. "Terra," he muttered softly, "what are you thinking?" He sighed again, more heavily. "Tell you what--I'll explain that over lunch. She really should have told you that much, at least."

I nodded. "Thank you, I appreciate that." I started to say more, but at that moment, a familiar voice rang through the air.

"Ah! Miss Branford's friend!"

I stiffened.

I knew that voice. I had hoped to get out of Albrook without hearing it again.

Slowly, reluctantly, I turned to meet the seamstress.

It was my first time seeing her in full daylight, and my eyes picked out details I hadn't noticed before. Her dress was surprisingly plain for someone who made her own clothes, a simple tan and white outfit with a pine green vest. Her rich brown hair was gathered into a ponytail that streamed out behind her as she ran towards us.

She looked happy, I absently noted as she reached us and seized my hands. "I'm so glad you're all right!" Her expression turned stern for a moment. "She was very worried about you, you know."

I blinked in confusion. "When would Terra have--oh, right. The dress."

Locke coughed lightly, and she released my hands as we looked over. "Friend of yours?" he asked.

"Of Terra's. We met just before I was..."

"Right."

I turned back to the seamstress. "Look, I want to apologize for how I left that day. It was..."

She shook her head. "No need to say another word. I was wrong to push."

I shook my head in turn. "You couldn't have known." And hopefully, you still don't know why.

She didn't answer, just tilted her head and looked at me. I felt my hackles rise as she continued to hold my gaze. She doesn't know...right?

Then she smiled and turned away, and the moment was over. "So, who is your friend here--oh my!"

Interceptor pounced without warning, sending her tumbling to the ground. Locke's face paled, and I braced myself to haul the dog off her--but then, we heard her delighted laughter. Interceptor licked her face and I let out a sigh of relief.

"That impatient fellow's name is Interceptor. And this is Locke...um..."

"Locke Cole, ma'am." Interceptor backed off as he reached down and helped her to her feet. "It's always a pleasure to meet one of Terra's friends."

"Likewise." She brushed herself off, then smiled at us. "My name is Ariadne. I make clothing here in Albrook."

"A seamstress, huh?" Locke cocked his head. "How do you know Terra?"

"We first met during the...well, you know." Locke nodded, and she went on. "She stayed with me for a few weeks, then moved on. After that, she came in every couple of months. She'd buy clothes in bulk each time, and we'd talk."

Locke's eyes darkened, and after a moment I understood. Mobliz. It was a sensitive subject for Terra. He nodded for her to continue.

"Last year, though, she stopped coming. I didn't see her again until a few weeks ago. Were you with her, then...?"

"Yes."

She beamed, and seized Locke's hands in her own. "Whatever you did for her, thank you! She's much happier now than she ever was before."

"Locke, you sly dog!"

Locke's face turned red, and he let go of Ariadne's hands as if he'd been scalded. He turned to face Relm, who stepped out of the shop with a box in hand and an evil grin on her face. "What in the world would Celes say?"

"Nothing," Locke replied in a remarkably even tone of voice. "Because you're not going to tell her...right?" He sent her a pointed look, and she winced.

Ariadne blinked. "Excuse me, but who...?"

"This is Relm," Locke said, still in that eerily level voice. "She's another friend of Terra's." He paused for a moment, as if in thought. "Oh, and ours, too." Relm's face turned red, and I couldn't help but grin. Point for Cole.

Relm gave Locke a look that promised much pain in his future, but didn't respond to the barb verbally. "She knows Terra?" she asked instead.

Locke nodded. "So it seems."

Ariadne ignored the interplay for the moment, and turned back to me. "Are you looking for Miss Branford again?"

Locke and Relm abruptly broke off their staring match and turned to me, identical grins on their faces. "'Again'?"

"Hey!"

Ariadne ignored them again, continuing with that same placid smile. "If you are, I saw her less than an hour ago. I think she and her friend were headed for World's End."

Locke wrinkled his brow. "World's End..."

"I know where that is," I said. "Terra sent me there to get some medicine before..."

"Where is it?" Relm asked.

I pointed back the way we'd come.

"Fuck."

Locke shook his head. "Your call," he told me. "Do you want to go find them now?"

I was hungry, but not urgently so. "I don't mind, I guess."

"Relm?"

She gave Locke a long, measuring look. "If you and Celes start making out in the street, so help me--"

They were still squabbling when I finally stopped in front of World's End.

In fact, they were so wrapped up in their argument that they walked right past me.

"You have no room to say that after the way we found you and Gau in--"

"THAT WAS A FUCKING ACCIDENT! And even if it was deliberate, at least we weren't out in broad daylight--"

I sighed heavily and glanced down at Interceptor. "At least you're paying attention."

Interceptor looked back up at me, and for a moment I could have sworn he was almost as exasperated as I was. Then he turned and trotted after the receding pair.

"And another thing--that would never have happened if you hadn't ta-YEEEEOWCH!" Locke jumped in the air, both hands flying to where Interceptor had sunk his teeth into his rump. He spun around when he landed and glared at the dog, while Relm burst into laughter. "What was that for?!"

Interceptor barked once, then turned and trotted back to me, stopping halfway there to look back at them with a pointed gaze.

I put up my hands and took a step back as Locke stormed toward me. "I didn't tell him to do that, I swear."

"Then who did--" My stomach rumbled loudly, cutting him off. "Oh. Sorry."

Relm came up to us at a more leisurely pace, and turned to look at the shop. "So...this is it?"

I nodded, feeling the same chill as the last time I was here. "Yeah, this is World's End. It's a little dark inside, but..."

Relm snorted. "Oh, how brilliant. What gave it away--the fact there are no windows?"

I blinked at her acid tone. Locke laid a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off, never letting her hazel-tinted glare leave my face. Those eyes still bothered me, and I felt a sudden rush of anger. Why was she going after me, all of a sudden?

"Well...shall we go in?" Locke asked.

With an effort, I turned back to the building. "Yeah. We won't get anything done standing around here." I put my hand on the knob, then paused as something crossed my mind. "Relm," I said, keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the door, "you're a painter, right?"

"...Yeah. Why?"

I just smiled and shook my head, then took a breath, pulled the door open and stepped inside.

I was ready for the smoke this time, and barely let it faze me as I strode in. Locke and Relm were not, and I stepped aside, making room for them to get over their coughing fits.

Relm recovered first, and I felt a small burst of pleasure as she softly gasped. "Oh...my..."

She scampered over to one wall, staring raptly, and I tried for a moment to put myself in her shoes. I knew the combination of low lighting and colored glass had left a strong impression on me, but how would she, an artist, view it?

Then again--why was I so concerned with what she thought of it, anyway?

Locke's coughing fit finally died, and he came up to stand next to me. "This is..."

"Locke?"

We looked over to the front table. Terra stood there with a quizzical look on her face.

"Terra!" Locke strode forward, holding out his hand. "Good, you're here!" He glanced at the empty front table. "Celes, too?"

Terra grasped his hand briefly and smiled. "She's discussing something with the shopkeeper in back."

"Er...in back?"

"Cellar behind the table."

"Oh."

"Hey, Terra!" Relm abandoned her study of the wall and ran over to the pair.

Terra blinked. "Relm, you're here too? But then, who's watching..." Her voice died as she looked over Locke's shoulder and caught sight of me. I gave her a weak smile, and waved.

She pushed by Locke and stormed up to me. "What are you doing out of bed?" she hissed.

"Pardon?"

"He was going stir-crazy, Terra." Locke came up behind her, with Relm right beside him. "For that matter, so was Relm." He paused. "Also, we have some things to...discuss."

Terra looked at Locke uneasiliy. "Why do I not like the sound of that?"

"Because you shouldn't." Terra tried to say something, but Locke continued before she could interrupt. "Terra, he didn't even know what magic was! I thought you said you were going to explain things to him!"

"I did!" Locke gave her a look. "...kind of."

"Kind of?"

She turned red. "Look, between the nightmares and his keeling over, there was just no way..."

"That's no excuse. You were twice as bad off when I first met you--"

"And we both know how well that turned out, don't we?" she snapped.

"That's not fair, Terra! His case is nothing like yours was."

"Isn't it, though? He's a--" She cut off suddenly, looking at me as if she'd just remembered I was there.

I looked back evenly. "Yes? What am I?"

She shifted uneasily.

"Well?"

"Ah, Celes!"

All three of us turned at Relm's exclamation. The girl quickly strode over to the front table, where I could see Celes emerging from the cellar.

I turned back to Terra to resume our conversation, but before I could say a word, she took off after Relm. I sighed quietly, then followed.

"Hello, Relm," Celes said quietly. Her face was drawn, and she did not look like she was in particularly good shape. "Terra, when did--" Then she caught sight of me, and stopped dead. She looked at me for a moment, then closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "At least you had the good sense to leave Interceptor outside."

Terra shot me a sharp look, then turned back to Celes. "So, how is it?"

"It's fi--" She looked over Terra's shoulder, and froze. "Locke, you're here too?"

Terra's eyes widened, then she winced. "Oops."

"'Oops'?" Celes' face flushed deep red. "Terra--!"

"It's not my fault! I didn't think Sha--"

I clapped my hand over her mouth as the same shopkeeper from my last time in here emerged from the stairs, that same disturbing smile on his face. She turned her head to glare at me, and I glared right back. "Watch it with the name," I hissed.

Her eyes widened. She nodded quickly, and I released her. "Sorry," she said, then moved away from me.

"Is there something I should know?" the shopkeeper asked.

"No!" I snapped without thinking.

I wished I hadn't a moment later.

The shopkeeper's eyes widened as he fully took me in. "You!" he exclaimed. "My goodness, you're still alive?"

Now, everyone was looking at me. "Er, well..."

"'Still alive'?" Celes' eyes narrowed, and I took an involuntary step back. "What's going on here?"

I chuckled nervously. "Um, well...when I was in here last, I kind of had him appraise..." I gestured at the knives on my belt. "You know."

Terra made a strangled sound, and Locke smacked his forehead. I glared at him. "Hey! If you or Terra had bothered to tell me how famous it was--"

"All right, that's enough," Celes barked. She caught my eye, then glanced over at the shopkeeper...who looked very, very interested. I swallowed briefly, looked back at Celes, and nodded.

She nodded back, then continued. "The doctor will contact us tomorrow morning, I have what I came for, and this incense is starting to give me a headache." She said this last with a glare that sent the shopkeeper shrinking back. "So, unless any of you have some reason to stay here any longer..."

My stomach rumbled again.

Locke chuckled. "Well said." He turned to Celes and Terra. "Actually, we came here because I wanted to invite you two to lunch. There's a great place where we can eat and discuss our friend's...recovery."

Behind Celes, Terra flinched.

Celes nodded. "I don't have a problem with that. Terra?"

Terra looked at Locke for a long moment; then, her shoulders slumped, and she sighed quietly. "All right. Let's go."

Once we were back outside and on our way, Locke turned around. "Celes, are you--"

"Fine," she snapped. "I'm absolutely fine."

Terra frowned. "Celes..."

"What? There's nothing wrong with me!"

Locke blinked slowly. "I never said there was."

Celes' eyes widened for a moment, and her face reddened slightly. "...Enough about me," she said hurriedly. "How are you feeling?"

It took me a moment to realize who she was talking to. "Me?" How was I feeling?

She nodded.

I wake up after ten days, Strago knocks me out again for a couple of hours, and she wants to know how I'm FEELING? My eyes narrowed. "I'm walking, aren't I?"

Celes gave me a disgusted look, then turned on her heel and walked away. Locke glanced at me for a moment, then followed her.

Terra laid a hand on my shoulder. "Seriously--are you all right? You look..."

I shook my head. "I'm hungry, and I've been listening to Locke and Relm fight for the last half hour. Other than that..." I shrugged.

She smiled. "Okay, I understand."

We walked for a while in silence. Relm and Interceptor paced just ahead of us, while Locke and Celes had a brief discussion before Locke moved on ahead.

As Locke moved away, Relm advanced to take his place. "Um...Celes..."

"Yes, Relm?"

"Locke said that you told him I would be..."

Celes turned to look at her.

"Look--just don't tell Gramps I heard, okay?"

Celes held Relm's eyes for a moment before giving a curt nod.

Beside me, Terra laughed softly. "I thought so."

"About what?"

"Relm was listening in on us earlier, when Strago--" Her eyes widened, and she cut herself off.

I glared at her. "Terra..."

She held her hands up defensively. "I'm sorry. I"m not trying to be difficult, I promise. It's just that..."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Well, then, maybe you can explain something else."

"I'll try."

"Relm."

"What about her?"

"Locke said something about how her paintings used to come to life." I opened my eyes again. "What did he mean by that?"

Terra chuckled. "Hard as it is to believe, he meant that literally. She'd sketch a picture of an enemy in battle, and the picture would jump off the page and fight for us. We decided to let her join us after we saw her use it in a battle." She grinned wryly. "Of course, Relm being Relm, she wasn't supposed to be there in the first place, but..."

I refused to be sidetracked. "How? How could she be able to do something like that?"

"Relm and Strago are both from a small village called Thamasa. It's..." She frowned. "Actually, I'm not sure where it is from here, now."

"How do you mean?"

"Long story. Anyway, what's important is that Thamasa is home to the descendants of the Mage Warriors."

"Mage Warriors?"

"From..." She groaned. "Right. You don't remember about the War of the Magi, do you?"

I shook my head.

"It was fought a thousand years ago. The Mage Warriors were magic users who fought in the war. Once the war ended, though, they were persecuted."

Magic, again? I was tempted to stop her and ask about that instead, but Locke had already promised me an explanation of what magic was at lunch--and something told me that I needed to hear this. "Persecuted? Why?"

"The War of the Magi destroyed everything. Cities, countries...civilization. The survivors of the war blamed magic for the devastation." She frowned darkly. "Magic...and the Mage Warriors."

I looked up ahead at Relm, and felt a sudden chill. "How bad was it?"

"Only a few survived. The rest..." Terra shuddered. "Strago told us they were hunted down like animals."

My eyes widened. In my mind, I saw Relm being attacked by dozens of screaming men armed with spears, and for an instant my entire being was flooded with white-hot rage.

Then, just as suddenly, it vanished, leaving me feeling empty and drained.

Terra went on, not looking at me. "The survivors made their way to Thamasa. They hid away there, passing their powers on to their descendants--along with strict laws to protect them from being exposed. And after that..." She sighed quietly. "After that, as far as the rest of the world was concerned, until about twenty years ago, there was no more magic."

Twenty years ago? "What happened then?"

Her face darkened. "Gestahl happened."

"Gestahl?"

She frowned at the ground for a moment, then shook her head.

"Terra?"

"We're here!"

I looked up, and saw Locke waving to us from a half-curtained doorway. Celes stood beside him, with Relm and Interceptor a few steps behind. From the sound of things, the restaurant was doing good business today. "I hope they can take us."

"Hopefully," Terra said. "It's Locke, though, so chances are he knows the owner somehow."

I opened my mouth to respond when a rich aroma reached us, and my steps faltered.

Relm took a deep, appreciative sniff. "Mmm...smells good."

I frowned. "Smells good" was an understatement; my mouth was watering as we stood there. It was strong, and appetizing...and familiar, for some reason.

Locke pushed the curtain to one side and stuck his head in. "Hey, granny!"

An old, rickety voice responded after a moment's pause. "Locke Cole!" The voice laughed harshly. "How long has it been since you showed your face in here, you scoundrel?"

"Too long."

"I heard voices--how many with you?"

"Four others, and--"

He cut off as Interceptor suddenly let out a low snarl, and pulled his head back outside. "Interceptor?" He gave the dog a puzzled look, then turned to us.

Terra raised her hands defensively. "Don't look at me."

Relm went down to her knees. "What's wrong, boy? You want to wait outside?"

Interceptor looked at her, then at me, then trotted over to one side of the door. He turned so that he was facing the street, and sat.

I looked over at Relm. She looked just as surprised as I was.

"Is something wrong?" the voice from within the restaurant called.

Locke started. "No, nothing." He glanced over at Interceptor, then shook his head. "There are five of us."

He ducked in, and the others followed suit. I lingered outside a moment, and crouched down by the dog. "Interceptor, are you sure?"

Interceptor cocked his head and looked at me.

"All right, then." I straightened up, and pushed the curtains aside. "Wait for us here, okay b--ack!"

Something slammed against my shins as I stepped inside, sending me tumbling face-first to the floor.

"I thought I heard you out there," the voice that had greeted Locke earlier said from behind me.

I looked up, and caught a glimpse of Locke and the others staring at me in shock before my head was roughly shoved back down. "Tell me," the voice continued in a conversational tone. "Do you recall what I told you the last time you set foot in here?"

"Granny," Locke said, "he's with--"

"Not anymore, he isn't." Something hard prodded under the side of my jaw. "Answer the question."

I flinched from the contact. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Of course you don't," the voice sneered. "Do you take me for a fool, Shadow?"

There was a loud clang, then a splash as someone dropped a filled pot. The sounds echoed throughout the restaurant--a restaurant that, I realized with a familiar sinking sensation, had gone completely silent.

After a moment, the pressure on my neck eased away. "Get up."

I pushed myself up to my hands and knees, then went up to one knee--but before I could do anything more, a burly arm wrapped around me, pinning my arms to my sides, and whipped my body around with enough force that my feet left the ground. I closed my eyes briefly against the disorientation, and when I felt the dizziness leave me, I opened my eyes again--and gaped.

For a bare second, I thought I was looking at my doctor in drag. The figure standing before me was just as short--the gnarled staff she held only came up to my waist, but was closer to a quarterstaff for her--and just as wrinkled, and there was something similar in her bearing. But then I looked into her eyes, and I knew this was someone different.

There was nothing but loathing in her gaze--loathing, and contempt.

I found my voice at last. "Who..." I cut myself off as I felt the sharp, cold touch of a knife under my chin.

"Granny--!"

"Young Master Cole seems to think you're worth something, now." She spat to one side. "Which just goes to show how little he knows. But, out of respect to him, this time--this time!--I'll let you go."

I chanced a glance over at the others. Locke's face was pale, and he stared at us in bewilderment.

"But mark my words, Shadow, because this is the last time I'll repeat myself." My eyes jerked back to the woman, and she drew herself up. "You are not welcome here. You will never be welcome here. If your shadow ever darkens my doorway again, you will not leave alive."

I stared down at the woman. There was nothing else I could do.

"Turn around."

The man holding me from behind inched around, forcing me with him until I was facing the doorway. The knife lifted from my throat.

"Now get out of my sight."

The man shoved me away, sending me stumbling face-first into the curtain before sprawling to the ground outside.

Interceptor came away from the wall as I forced myself up to my hands and knees. He paused before me, as if examining me for a moment before barking once and licking my cheek.

I grinned wryly. "You were trying to warn me, weren't you?" I brought my fingers up to my throat where the bouncer had put his knife, and grimaced; they came away with a few traces of blood. "Ugh...next time, I listen to you."

I rubbed him behind the ears, then forced myself back up to my feet. The noise was already picking back up in the restaurant, now that I was gone. I sighed heavily, then walked across the street and leaned against a wall to wait for the others to come out.

The only problem was...they didn't.

I grew more and more uneasy as the minutes passed by. I couldn't believe it, but... "They aren't actually eating in there, are they?"

My stomach chose that moment to rumble unhappily. I looked over at the restaurant, and felt my face slowly turn red. I'd just been thrown out of there--with a knife to my throat for good measure--and they were going to stay behind to EAT?!

I abruptly pushed myself away from the wall and spun on my heel. "Interceptor, come!" I stalked briskly away from the restaurant, heading for the inn. There, at least, I could get some food.

I was in a foul mood, and the people around me on the street seemed to sense it. Crowds melted away before me, people scrambled to get out of my way...not always successfully. I bumped into someone who wasn't quite fast enough and snarled out a half-hearted apology.

"Ah!"

I stopped short. It was Ariadne.

I groaned softly; right now, I wanted nothing more than to get back to the inn, eat, go to sleep, and hope than when I woke up this day would never have happened. Still--the last thing I needed was someone else angry at me when I could avoid it. "Sorry about that."

Ariadne shook her head. "Never mind me, what happened to you? Your clothes are covered with dust, and--oh my, you're bleeding!"

I reached up to my throat. Sure enough, the cut had opened again. "Don't worry about it. It's just a scratch."

She gave me a dubious look, but let it go. "Did you meet up with Miss Branford?"

"Yeah, we met up. They're having something to eat right now."

She blinked. "They are? What about you?"

My stomach growled.

"...I see."

I shook my head. "You probably don't." Wait--why am I defending them? I thought about it for a few seconds, then mentally shrugged. It was instinctual--supposedly, these were my friends, and I guessed that on some level I still remembered that. "It's not a big deal; I just had a disagreement with the restaurant's owner."

"Not a big deal?!"

I stiffened. Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse... Ariadne and I turned to the man who'd seen fit to interject himself into our conversation. "You."

Setzer ignored my greeting in favor of a contemptuous sneer. "There's actually a restaurateur in this godforsaken town with a shred of taste, and you think it's not a big deal?" He laughed derisively. "Where were you born, Zozo?"

"What of it?" I snapped--then stopped short. I was born in Zozo? My eyes widened. How did I know that? I'd never even heard of the place until just now!

Setzer snorted. "I might have guessed. That would explain why you're bothering this young woman." He turned to the seamstress, and his manner changed drastically. "Ariadne, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Likewise, Mr. Gabbiani." Ariadne looked him over for a moment. "I see you're not wearing the coat I made for you today--is it holding up well?"

Setzer gestured negligently to one side. "It did well enough."

"Did...?"

"I found one in Jidoor that fit me better." Ariadne's face lost all expression. "But for the materials around here, it was excellent work."

Interceptor growled deep in his throat, and I was tempted to join him. "Interceptor, down." Ariadne made and altered the clothes she sold herself; to say to her face that she was an inferior craftswoman--! "...for the moment."

Setzer put one hand to his cheek in mock horror. "Am I supposed to feel threatened?" His lip curled. "I don't know who I pity more--Ariadne for being stuck with a backstabbing, honorless guttersnipe for a champion, or you for trying to pretend that someone like you could be a champion in the first place! I--"

"Mr. Gabbiani! That's enough!"

"No," I said. "Let him finish."

"But--"

"Ariadne. Please."

Ariadne frowned, then backed away.

I turned back to the gambler. "Setzer. You don't like me. You've gone out of your way to make that clear to me." My eyes narrowed. "I suppose an explanation would be too much to ask?"

Setzer's eyes widened. "An explanation? You want an explanation?" He threw back his head and laughed.

"What's so funny?" I snapped.

"You--Shadow--want an explanation for why everyone hates you?!"

It seemed like time stopped. My eyes widened; my blood turned to ice. Almost involuntarily, my gaze darted to Ariadne--and I received a fresh shock. She looked back at me, unhappy but also unfazed.

She already knew...!

Setzer continued, ignoring both of us. "Is there anything else you're curious about? Why the sky is blue, perhaps? I...huh? Hey!"

He finally noticed he'd lost his audience when I turned to Ariadne. "You knew."

She nodded.

"How long...?"

"Miss Branford told me, when you were hurt."

"Then why...?"

"I told you before, didn't I? Any friend of Miss Branford is a friend of mine. I trust her." Setzer snorted, but Ariadne took no notice of him. "Besides..."

"What?"

"I won't pretend I wasn't surprised at first." She paused for a moment, as if looking for the words. "But I did some hard thinking, and I have to wonder--how much of Shadow is Shadow?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"In your line of work, it pays to be feared, doesn't it?" I frowned. Line of work...? "Reputation is just as important as reality--more so, I'd think. Why shouldn't you let people think you're worse than you actually are, if it makes things easier all around?"

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I," Setzer said. "How could you possibly believe that garbage?"

She frowned at him. "Because I have eyes, Mr. Gabbiani, and the man I've watched isn't someone who could do things like that."

I shook my head. "That's not what I--"

Just then, we heard a bell chime in the distance, and Ariadne jumped in surprise. "Oh, my! It's this late, already? I have to go!" She turned, ran a couple of steps, then stopped and turned back to us. "I hope to speak with you again soon, Mr. Shadow! Mr. Gabbiani..." Her smile dimmed for a moment, then she shook her head. "Thank you for your patronage." She nodded to us both, then turned again and dashed off.

Setzer glared after her. "The nerve of that ungrateful wench! I--ack!"

I turned, grabbed him by the lapels of his coat, and slammed him against the wall of a nearby building. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing?" I snarled. Interceptor growled his concurrence behind me.

Setzer opened his eyes wide in innocence. "Doing?" He wasn't very convincing.

"I've already had someone try to kill me because of who I am once today." His expression didn't change, and my eyes narrowed. "That doesn't surprise you, does it?"

"What of it?" he asked scornfully.

"The next time you go blabbing my name out in public, I'm going to assume that's what you're doing."

He smirked. "And?"

A red haze descended over my vision, and I felt my mouth curl up, baring my teeth. I released him, then jammed my left forearm up under his chin, driving him back against the wall. My right hand reached down to my hip, then whipped out the Striker, bringing it to a halt less than an inch from his face.

My voice went flat. "And I'll act accordingly."

I felt his body go rigid under my grasp, but none of that touched his face. Instead, he sneered down at me. "Same old Shadow." His eyes narrowed menacingly. "She'll never forgive you, you know."

I didn't bother to answer him, just held him up against the wall and waited. Then, my stomach rumbled impatiently, reminding me I had better things to waste my time on.

I stepped back, replacing the Striker in its sheath, and glared at him for a few seconds longer. Then, I turned on my heel and resumed my trek to the inn.

The innkeeper looked up with a smile as I walked through the door. "Welcome--! Oh. You." His eyes narrowed, and his mustache twitched, but his face showed no other change. He wasn't showing the same naked terror as that night the sailor attacked me, but he was not at ease with me by any stretch of the imagination.

At the moment, my stomach didn't give much of a damn either way.

I stalked to the bar, ignoring people scrambling out of the way in the corner of my eye, and sat down. Interceptor curled up at my feet. "Food. Now."

Master Paparo blinked. "What--"

He jumped as I slammed my palm down on the countertop, sending the dishes of those sitting alongside me rattling. I closed my eyes, and silently counted to five. "Just...do it."

He frowned at me, but nodded after a moment. "All right."

The man sitting to my left nudged me hard with his elbow. "Hey! What's your prob--"

I turned and looked at him.

"...Never mind."

I turned back to the counter.

I heard a disgusted grunt behind me. "Still up to your old tricks, are you?"

I turned again. "You."

The man who had attacked me earlier in the day stood before me, still wearing those same leathers. His right leg was wrapped in bandages from just below the knee, and he leaned heavily on a staff.

"Strago, wasn't it?" At my feet, Interceptor let out a menacing growl. "Interceptor, down."

Strago glanced down at the dog, and shook his head in disgust. "Don't know what I was thinking, agreeing to let Relm take care of that beast..."

I cocked an eyebrow. "From what I've seen of Relm, I doubt she gave you a choice."

His head whipped up, and he glowered at me. "What would you know of Relm, you--you--!"

The innkeeper returned, holding a mug. "Is there a problem here?"

"No." "Yes!"

The innkeeper looked between the two of us for a moment, then set the drink on the counter before me. "Your meal will still be a few more minutes."

I glanced over at him. "Expedite it."

"I assure you--"

"I haven't eaten all day. Expedite it."

He stiffened, then nodded. "Understood."

Strago watched Master Paparo walk away with a disapproving look, then frowned at me.

"What?"

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" I looked at him, puzzled, and he gestured to where the innkeeper had stood. "You enjoy bullying people around, making them jump at the slightest sound." He scowled. "You haven't changed at all."

Same old Shadow.

I groaned, and gently massaged the bridge of my nose. "Not you too."

"What, someone else pointed out that the world would be a better place without you in it?"

"Hey!" I glared down at him. "Look, I don't know what your problem is, but--"

"My problem? My problem is you!" A few people nearby turned in their seats to watch as Strago yelled at me. "My problem is that I didn't kill you when you first walked into my life! My problem is that you're still here to ruin Relm's life! My problem is--"

"Wait, what does Relm have to do with anything?"

"EVERYTHING!" he bellowed. "If I have my way, she'll never have anything to do with you again!"

"'Again'?" His eyes widened, and mine narrowed in turn. "So she does have something to do with me, then. What is it?"

His face turned red. "The hell if I'm going to tell you! I hope you never remember that! Bad enough that dog--" He stopped abruptly and looked down at Interceptor. His eyes widened further. "Wait a minute. That dog was with her this morning. How did you get it?"

"I--"

"Where is she? Where's Relm?"

"Thanks for waiting. Here's--"

Strago jumped forward before Master Paparo could finish, grabbed the plate out of his hands, and smashed it over my face.

I fell back off my stool with a pained roar. I reached up to my face, trying to wipe off the boiling hot food, when I felt Strago's hands wrap around my neck.

"WHERE'S MY GRANDDAUGHTER?"

Pandemonium erupted around us. I heard people shouting and cheering, and Paparo yelling at us to take it outside. Interceptor was snarling in the background, but Strago ignored it all, and slammed my head back against the floor.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

I tried to answer, but I couldn't breathe; I felt my body shudder as spots began to form before my eyes--and then, he was jerked away, and I could breathe again.

"Off! Get off of him!"

I clambered unsteadily to my feet, wiping the remainder of the food out of my eyes. I looked over, and saw Strago being held back from attacking me by two sailors, while two others tried to pry Interceptor loose from Strago's bandaged leg. The dog worried and tore at the flesh, and I realized with a start that if this continued much longer, Strago would need that staff for the rest of his life. "Interceptor, enough!"

Interceptor growled through Strago's leg, refusing to let go.

"Interceptor!"

Finally, the dog released him. The two sailors holding Interceptor jumped back abruptly as he snapped at them, dropping him to the floor. Interceptor barked at them once, then walked back to my side.

The innkeeper glared at me. "That dog is a menace!"

"The menace is him!" All eyes were drawn back to Strago, who'd barely noticed Interceptor letting go of his leg in his struggles to get free and resume his attack. "Damn you, you miserable waste of breath! You don't deserve to live! You didn't deserve to live fourteen years ago, and you sure as hell don't deserve to live now!"

"Strago--"

"Ulena should have let you die!"

I felt my heart freeze in my chest. Ulena... The name was familiar, but how? I'd never heard it before, but--and how could he say--how could he--

"Damn you, Clyde! Damn you to the deepest pit of--"

"All right, that's enough!" Paparo finally stepped behind him and jabbed sharply behind his ear. Strago's eyes rolled up in his head, and he slumped limply in the sailors' arms. "Get him out of here!"

The men carried Strago away, and the innkeeper turned to me, eyes blazing. "And as for you--get back to your room, and stay there!" I jumped back at the sudden hostility in his voice. "I've been told you're finally leaving tomorrow, and it can't happen soon enough for my taste!"

My stomach growled furiously, reminding me of what Strago had done with my meal. "My food--"

Paparo exploded. "You'll get what I give you, when I give it to you, AND BE GRATEFUL FOR IT!"

I stared at him in shock.

"I don't care anymore!" he ranted. "Kill me, if you want--at this rate, by the time you're done, I won't have a livelihood left anyway! Look at this! LOOK AT THIS!" He waved his arms around the common room, and I winced--tables were overturned, food and drink were scattered across the floor, and the room was practically deserted. "This is all your fault! Curse the day I agreed to let you under my roof! I'm..."

He continued to rave as I turned away, but I was no longer paying attention. I'd heard enough--more than enough. All I wanted was to get something to eat; was that too much to ask?

Apparently, it was.

Interceptor trailed after me as I stormed up the steps to my room, but I ordered him to stay on the other side of the door and keep watch.

I'd suddenly recalled that dogs were considered food in Zozo, and I didn't want to be tempted.

I watched from my vantage point, slumped back against the door, as evening gave way to night, and the stars emerged. A cool breeze whispered through the open window, rustling through the room and caressing my face, to my great aggravation--in an effort to ignore the awful hunger gnawing at my gut, I was trying to forget that I could feel anything, and until the wind showed up, I'd been doing a pretty good job of it.

I didn't get up to close the window, though. It was more trouble than it was worth.

With my back pressed against the door, I felt Interceptor growling on the other side before I actually heard him.

"Easy, Interceptor--just let me pass, okay?"

I breathed in sharply. Terra.

Interceptor barked in response, and I heard Terra sigh heavily. "Damn it, Interceptor--Shadow! Shadow, I know you're listening!"

I very carefully kept my mouth shut.

"Look, could you at least tell me what happened with Strago?"

I clenched my fists tightly at my sides.

"We found him outside the inn with his leg all torn up again. The innkeeper's ranting about how you attacked each other in the common room and touched off a riot!"

I sighed quietly.

"Shadow, what were you thinking?! You--"

"I what?" I snapped, breaking my silence at last. I climbed to my feet, turned, and glared at the door. "I sat down, ordered a meal, and Strago picked it up and shoved it in my face! How the hell is that my fault?!"

"You could have reacted a little better!"

"How? By letting him strangle me? Again?"

When Terra next replied, her voice was a little more subdued. "You didn't have to sic Interceptor on him again."

Which confirmed my suspicions about how Strago's leg was hurt originally. "Again? I didn't sic Interceptor on him the first time! He had as much business attacking me as the old woman at that restaurant--oh, and by the way, thank you ever so much for sticking by me there!"

"Shadow, we didn't have a choice!"

"Of course you did," I scoffed. "While I stood outside and waited, the rest of you chose to sit down and eat there!"

"...You really think that's what we were doing?"

"You sure as hell weren't following me outside to make sure I was all right!" I hit the door once, hard. "Setzer, I'd expect that from, but--oh, and that reminds me. Why did you tell Ariadne about me?"

I could almost hear Terra blink outside. "She was concerned about you, and wanted to know why you'd been attacked. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" My eyes widened. "I have people threatening my life because of who I am, and you think telling someone about me is not a big deal? Damn it, Terra, you won't even tell me who I am!"

"Shadow, that's different!"

"How? How is it different?"

"She already knew who Shadow was--she just didn't know that you're Shadow, that's all!"

"Oh, and that makes it better? Everyone knows who Shadow is--except me! Do you see anything wrong with this picture?"

She let out a short, indistinct scream. "What do you want, Shadow? An apology? I'm sorry, all right?"

"No, it's not all right! Forget the apology--I want to know what you're hiding from me!"

There was a long moment of silence. "Shadow, we've talked about this before. You're not ready--that information is dangerous!"

"And someone I don't remember ever meeting before threatening to kill me isn't?"

"Do you really understand what you're asking for?"

"Yes. I'm asking why everyone who hears my name either tries to kill me or is afraid I'm going to try to kill them!"

Silence.

I leaned forward, resting my head against the door. "I can't live like this, Terra! Not without at least knowing why! What did I ever do to them? Answer me!"

Silence again.

"WHO AM I?"

Still no response.

"Damn it, Terra!"

"...All right."

I felt my pulse quicken. "Terra?"

"You really want to know? Then I'll tell you."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"Don't you dare thank me for this," she snapped. "I still think you aren't ready." I heard her take a deep breath...and then, it came.

"You were a mercenary, Shadow. A bounty hunter...and an assassin."

I felt the air leave my lungs in an explosive rush. I heard Terra's footsteps as she walked away, but I wasn't really paying attention to her just then.

An assassin...

It made sense, now. The Striker--the perfect weapon for a killer. Why the old woman at the restaurant threw me out--who would want someone like that anywhere near them?

I could understand it all, now. The sailor who attacked me--it made perfect sense! He tried to kill me because I'd killed--

Because I'd killed--!

Oh dear God.

An assassin...!

I slumped to my knees and stared at the door.

Suddenly, I wasn't hungry anymore.