********* (I Love You) Chapter XLI: ForgottenFollow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is Chapter XLI of my love story. It’s a necessary plot chapter, so sorry^^;

Also, side note…Maat’s harder than he looks. I lost to him today ; ; Chiddy, ty for your vile elixir…I still have it (didn’t use it), and I will use it to secure my victory, eventually... *huggles you*

Previous chapters, aki, and Interludes

Part I - Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II - Kodoku (Solitude)

Part III - Reunion (Saikai)

Kasho IV- Suriyoru (Closer)

Part V- Secrets (Hiou)
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(Chapter XXXVII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1124889122641444604&num=1

(Aki XXXVIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=112531765691425700&num=6

(Chapter XXXIX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1125492417125977233&num=1

(Aki XL)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1125587395136231979&num=1
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Bonus Story: Rainfall Memories

No dedications…
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Chapter XLI: Forgotten
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As soon as I exited the dress shop, in what I could only describe as an act of the Goddess, Momiji was standing there waiting for me while impatiently tapping her foot. Impossibly, she looked like she had aged years since I had last seen her before going back to the Grand Duchy for her hair was starting to turn a premature gray color, and her fingertips had a nervous twitch to them.

"Dimitri!" she snapped once she saw me.

I flinched slightly in response, out of old habit from when I worked briefly at the guild, before recovering almost instantly. "Yes Momiji?..." I asked warily.

She flicked her hand at the shop behind me and rolled her eyes. "Far be it for me to question where you like to shop in your spare time, but there are more pressing matters at hand that you have to deal with. Let’s go to the guild to talk further…for this sort of morbid thing is not quite suitable for the public." With that, she turned around, and slowly hobbled her way down towards Gold Street.

Not really having a choice in the matter, I followed her closely behind. As we neared the guild, I couldn’t help but notice that things were starting to truly look better for the little neighborhood. The children were starting to play again, the adults were finally starting to smile, and it even seemed like the air was just a tiny bit clearer of the soot from the mines. It was radically different from how I remembered it to be, and it was certainly a sharp contrast to the incredibly high security that laid just a few meters beyond the city walls.

Momiji finally arrived at the guild, and then held the recently remodeled and replaced metal door open for me. Cool air instantly rushed into my face, turning my cheeks a slight red color as all the hairs on my body prickled up in tiny rows. It took only a few seconds for me to recognize that the same alluring and peaceful tune that played when I worked there still was playing, as if it had never stopped playing.

"Nice to see this place recovered quickly from the beastmen attack from when I was last here." I commented, taking in all of the renovations.

Momiji only gave me a tight lipped smile and nodded as she turned around a corner with me, leading to her office. "It took quite an effort on part of the other goldsmithers around here, not to mention that we had to contract out part of the woodworking to those people in San d’ Oria"-addressing the San d’ Orian woodworkers with evident distaste in her voice-"but it was well worth it in the end. This place is better than ever, and hopefully won’t get destroyed again."

I didn’t know quite what to say to that.

We entered her office, and I saw Momiji’s husband, Amas, sitting behind her metal desk with his feet propped up on its edge. When he saw that his wife entered, he immediately plopped his feet back on the ground, and then got up to go give his wife a quick kiss. He then turned to me, and sourly shook my hand.

"Dimitri...this isn’t easy to say, but thank you. I would have been stuck in Gilgamesh’s hands until he broke my spirit and soul in his search for the information." Amas also seemed quite different from when I last saw him. He was decidedly more composed, and definitely had an air of dignity and professionalism about the way that he carried himself. I personally found it rather hard to believe that it was the same man that only weeks ago was on his hands and knees at my feet in Hiptaru’s Casino.

"Speaking of information..." he said quietly, "have you found it?"

I only shook my head and then for no particular reason decided to lie to the man. "No, I have not. And honestly, I have no idea where to go now...your lead was a dead end."

He nodded thoughtfully for a moment, tapping his index finger against the side of his face. "Well then...," he replied.

I sighed softly, before speaking again. "I originally came here to get a person who died protecting me a proper burial, but with her body being taken away by Gil-" –I caught myself before I said his name completely-"by a stranger who said he knew her, I guess I might as well get going."

Momiji only chuckled, and then stared at me. "Have you forgotten?," she asked me coolly.

"Forgotten what?," I asked, more confused than ever.

Momiji rolled her eyes and placed her hands rudely on her hips beforer voice dropped to chilly proportions. "I’ll give you a hint...she died in this room, and we decided to preserve her body until you got back here...remember now?"

Mentally, I smacked myself for having forgotten.

"Elayne..."

Did I really forget about her?

Hito...that girl...must have weaved quite a spell over me...

I’m ashamed of myself.

"Damn straight. We’ve been waiting for you to come back to bury her properly, with the full honors of the Church of Bastok. Are you planning on skipping out on that?"

I only numbly shook my head.

"Of course not..."

Momiji linked her arm into that of her husbands, and then pointed at me with her other. "Now that you are here, the funeral is going to be held later on today. I will expect you there, dressed in full Guard regalia. Are we clear on that, Dimitri?"

Afraid of incurring Momiji’s wrath, I only nodded, and then quickly exited the room. Through the door, I could hear her voice ringing out to me: "It’s at the big fountain right by the auction house, you can’t miss it!"
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-fin Chapter XLI: Forgotten