********* (I <3 U) Chap XXV: Employment (Rewritten&ReFollow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: My muse is back! I don’t know if it was because I -finally- got a hold of the latest issue of “Snow Drop” and fell in love with the manga all over again, or if it was just the simple fact that I went a bit more than a whole week without writing anything...but its back.

However, this time, there will be a slight change to my writing. I don’t think that I will be banging out a new chapter everyday anymore, but instead one every couple of days. I have no desire to burn out on writing again, and having a bit of extra time to go back and re-edit my story will (I believe at least) lead to better writing. After all, quality pwns quantity^_^

I wrote ‘Chapter XXV: Employment’ when my muse had disappeared because I felt I needed to complete Part III before I went on hiatus. As a result, I felt that the original version of this chapter was kind of wellll...horrible. As a result, I went back and rewrote almost all of it, creating what I feel to be a much better chapter of my love story, and would help develop the story a bit more. So I ask you, my readers (if I have any left still lol), to please take a moment to read this chapter, and then expect a fresh new aki soon.

Previous chapters and aki:

Part I- Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II- Kodoku (Solitude)
--
Chapter XIX:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=111927348442145844&num=0

Aki XX:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=111935938018852277&num=8

Chapter XXI:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1119447302239317740&num=4

Aki XXII:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=111953530528032132&num=4

Interlude II:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1119628326622576272&num=2

Chapter XXIII:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1119877851349054619

Aki XXIV:
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1119970236254432110

No dedications this time either, and I don’t own anything FFXI related.
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Chapter XXV: Employment
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"Idiot...the code died out with Eruntalon quite a while ago. The idea that it survived in any form is as real as the lost capital of Al’tieu..." This came from ‘Papa’, who immediately replied to Amas’ assertion with no minor note of disgust and disbelief in his voice. "I can’t believe I sprung you from prison for that...a total waste considering the number of favors I had to call in. You little fu-"

I interrupted Gilgamesh before he became anymore angry and possibly order Aoi to execute Amas on the spot (as it had been rumored that the leader of the Tenshodo has done before). "Eruntalon Code?...I remember -I think it was Momiji or Ellard- saying something about a guy named Eruntalon solving the mystery of the crystals...is this ‘code’ that secret?" I tapped my chin a couple of times with my index finger, ignoring the five o’ clock shadow that was starting to bristle up there.

Amas’ eyes bugged out as a wide, too wide, grin spread across his face. "Yes! Yes! Eruntalon did solve the mystery of the crystals, and how to make the best weapons and armor in the world. Most people think that the secret to the perfect synthesis, called the ‘Eruntalon Code’, was lost when its creator died...but they were wrong. Instead, the master crafter passed his code along to one other person shortly before his demise, and this one person passed it on before he died, and so on and so forth, and it survives to this day!" He exclaimed, small globs of his saliva flying everywhere as he spoke excitedly.

Amas then licked his cracked, pale lips as he took a breath before continuing to speak in a more of a hushed tone of voice. "If the beastmen were to get access to the Code, it would turn the tide of the war in their favor, for EVERYONE knows that what the beastmen have in numbers, they lack in supplies and war materials...and those shortages are the only things that keep them from overrunning the whole world at this very moment. With the secret to the crystals in their possession, the beastmen tribes could easily create all the weapons, armors, and food stuffs they need...and then destroy us all in one easy stroke...yes...easy strokes!"

I shook my head a couple of times, feeling that I knew some important piece of trivia in my head, but I just couldn’t bring it to the forefront of my mind. It was something I had seen awhile ago...

"Okay...and where is the current keeper of this Eruntalon Code, Amas?" I asked instead, deciding to let that piece of trivia remain elusive, at least for now.

Amas frowned slightly, and began to wring his hands back and forth in front of him as he jerked his head violently back and forth. "That, I do not know Dimitri...but I know the person who does. He goes by the name of Isacio...yes...Isacio...who lives in the seaside town of Selbina. Isacio can point you in the right direction, yes..." At this point, Amas’ eyes started to glaze over and by a silent command from Gilgamesh, Aoi moved in to gently grab Amas arm, and drag him away from the room silently.

"What do you think, ‘Papa’?" I inquired as I turned back to Gilgamesh. "Do you think his story is even slightly believable? Personally...I think he is a fool, and rather insane..."

Gilgamesh gave a tight grin and it was obvious to see that despite his earlier dismissal of Amas, he was running the story through his mind. "Dimitri, what did you see when you went down into the Necropolis?" he called out to me suddenly.

I pondered it, and then that bit of elusive trivia finally came to light in my mind. "After I killed that elvaan, I carried Hitomi through several rooms..."-I ignored Gilgamesh’s wink and self-satifying grin at that remark about her- “I remember that there were rooms full of synthesis materials and failed synthesis attempts, one after another. I wasn’t paying much attention at the time, but it seemed like the beastmen were conducting some sort of crafting experiments, possibly running a parser while doing so."

Gilgamesh nodded a fraction, and then spoke out in a joking tone of voice.. "Dimitri, my boy" he said, "how would you feel about being hired by the Tenshodo to find the Eruntalon Code, and to keep it out of the hands of the beastmen? I don’t know what I can promise you in payment because of the war that’s happening, but I am sure we can come to something mutually beneficial."

I rocked on the balls of my feet for a moment, acting like I was considering his purposal seriously...

Because I was.

"Okay."

The reaction on the Tenshodo leader’s face was priceless, as my response had clearly caught him off guard.. "Really?..." he said, disbelief obvious in his voice..

"Really," I said firmly, "But only under three conditions. One, YOU take Amas back to his wife Momiji in Bastok. She misses him terribly, and I know would love to see him again. Two, you provide me with any supplies, equipment, or travel arrangements I may need in order to go after this Eruntalon Code of yours. And three...you never mention Elayne to me again in the same breath as Hitomi, or call her your daughter. Elayne is not your biological daughter, but someone you found while she was merely a child and if I recall correctly, wished to break all ties with you awhile ago. Gilgamesh, do you accept my terms?"

I then outstretched my right hand into the air between the two of us, letting it dangle loosely in space.

Without blinking Gilgamesh reached in and grabbed my hand, shaking it with a firm grip. "What choice do I have? I may deal with the beastmen, but even I know that if they were to win the war, it would most certainly spell the end of me and the Tenshodo. I accept your terms, Dimitri. But...I expect results from ALL my employees, so be sure to deliver."

I broke contact with 'Papa’s' hand, and looked him directly in his eyes. "Count on it," I said simply.

The door opened up at that point, and Aoi slid back in, her feet never seeming to touch the ground at any point for more than a heartbeat. She gave a submissive bow to Gilgamesh, and then spoke.

"My lord, the Ducal Guard has just arrived at the casino, and is checking everyone’s identification, under the premise of looking for ‘aliens’. What would you like me to do?" Aoi spoke briskly in a matter of fact tone of voice, but somehow still kept a tone of subservience in her voice.

Gilgamesh clenched his fists and squinched his eyes as they rolled upwards towards the curved dome ceiling. "Dimitri cannot be found here, because that would spell the end of our plans to obtain the code, not to mention bring down...uncomfortable...questions about why I was in the same room alone as a supposed traitor. Aoi, get Dimitri out of the casino, using any means necessary. For the Ducal Guard to show up here right now...it cannot be coincidence."

Aoi didn’t nod or make any sort of movement to agree or disagree with Gilgamesh’s thought, but instead grabbed the corner of my shirt and started to gently lead me quickly, abiet quietly, out.

As we left the conference room, a thought struck me and I hesitated. "Gilgamesh..." I said quickly, "Can you please make sure that there is a chocobo ready for me to take out of Jeuno and to Selbina tonight? I want to get out of here as soon as possible." ‘Papa’ grunted an affirmative, and I was finally dragged out by Aoi who then shut the door behind her.

Aoi and I then snuck along the back wall of the casino, racing quickly from table to table and down various hallways, attracting as little attention as possible while trying to dodge the Guardsmen who were making the rounds to everyone. Aoi took me what seemed to be deeper and deeper into the casino, making me wonder briefly just HOW large this establishment of Hiptaru’s was. After about ten minutes of sneaking around, we finally got to a small metal door, with the letters ‘E X I T’ blazed in deep red on its shiny surface. It had a small brown handle, and I started to turn it and open the door as quietly as I could before Aoi stopped my hand with a gentle touch and made a gesture with her other hand that indicated I should try to listen to the noise coming from outside. I let go of the handle, cupped my ears, and strained to hear through the door.

Oh ****...voices...

I could make out two voices, just barely, talking about who was going to pull duty on the next public appearance of the Archduke to the people of Jeuno.

They must be guarding the exits to make sure no one leaves...

I glanced over at Aoi’s face looking for any indication of a plan, but her mismatched eyes just glowed their different colors. I felt rather than saw her hands move at her waist, as she drew her sword out of her scabbard with her right hand, and I realized what she was going to do.

"Aoi...that’s probably a bad idea..." I whispered to her, not really wanting to see my one-time allies being slaughtered just to get me out of the casino undetected.

Aoi didn’t reply, but instead grabbed the door handle and yanked the door open as the voices outside suddenly went silent. She then dashed outside, her sword in a classic samurai position with me right behind her, only to find...

Both Guardsmen fast asleep, with Hitomi standing over them both. Aoi didn’t stop her attack, but only changed direction too fast to see, in attempt to take down what she obviously perceived as a new threat to me. Just before Aoi got within striking range of Hitomi, the black mage’s hands glowed as she jerked her fingers around in a slightly jagged pattern downwards and them pointed them at the samurai. A yellow light issued out from Hitomi’s hands and enveloped Aoi, stunning her.

"Aoi! Its okay, she’s a friend of mine. Go back to Gilgamesh, and tell him you completed your mission." I exclaimed, finally able to get a word in edgewise as I moved in between the two of them, while at the same time accidentally stepping into a puddle of blackish-blue sludge that I did my very best to ignore as I then faced Aoi.

Gilgamesh’s bodyguard recovered from the stun spell after a moment, and still eyeing Hitomi, finally nodded as she went back inside the door and sealed it, her red hair spinning around in a brilliant firey circle.

I turned back to Hitomi and I could see a look of plain anxiety of her face. "Dimitri-chan, it not safe. Let’s go back to mog, okay?" she said quickly, her English still heavily stilted and shuddering as she then gestured to the alley’s entrance. I nodded quickly in agreement, before trailing out behind her. We quickly emerged from behind the casino onto the main Jeuno pathway, where there were a lot of civilians who had stopped to gawk at the display that the Ducal Guard had put on to make sure no one would leave the casino.

"How did you?..." I started out to say before Hitomi placed a single finger over my lips to silence me as we casually turned our heads away from the Guardsmen and towards the sea as we bypassed the casino entrance. Once we were safely past, Hitomi then reached into my disguise’s pocket with her right hand, and plucked out a deep purple linkpearl. "You say I may not go, but I still listen." she said, obviously proud of her cleverness.

I actually laughed a bit, and then took the linkpearl away from her and slipped it back away into my pocket.

"Cute, really cute...Hitomi. Okay, I guess this means you are going with me to Selbina tonight, doesn’t it?" I said to her, as we passed by the gushing water fountain that was making its familiar hissing sounds as the liquid shot up into the air and fell down with a splat into the water below.

"Hai." she replied, and it didn't take a dictionary for me to know what she said.

-fin: Chapter XXV: Employment

-fin Part III: Reunion (Saikai)

Edited, Wed Jul 6 09:35:53 2005 by Nightsintdreams