Aish*teru (I Love You) Aki LX: Tachinbou - A FFXI Love StoryFollow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the next chapter of my fanfiction...sorry it took so long.

I don’t own anything FFXI related, so no suing please SE!

Read, review, and comment. All thoughts are appreciated.

And not much more to go in this story :D

Oh, and grats to Kestra on the new lil Tarutaru!

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)

Kasho VI- Hanarebanare (Apart)

Part VII- Longing (Akogare)

Kasho VIII- Takatobi (Escape)

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(Chapter LVII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=1158658394285452028;num=8;page=1

(Aki LVIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1160487418129598544

(Chapter LIX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=116215072938586841#116232451255312339
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Bonus Story: Rainfall Memories
*****

My armor felt nice and cool, resting back against it’s familiar place upon my Elvaan build.

It’s been far too long since I was last able to wear it...

Realizing the truth within that thought, I slipped my hand into the inside pocket where I had stashed away the Eruntalon Code during my flight from the burning Marquisate of Tavnazia. Pushing aside the surprisingly unbroken bottles of medicine, My fingers searched around until I was comforted by the crisp (albeit folded) texture of the paper beneath the pads of my fingertips.

The harp-shaped timepiece on the stand next to my wardrobe started to ring out it’s distinctive tone on the hour, the musical notes rising in falling in time with the colorful music notes that echoed away from the different sized strings that were hooked up inside the frame. I had gotten it awhile back as a gift from when I first came here to the Grand Duchy, and I was faintly amused by the fact that I was usually too far busy these days to hear it ring.

Time to go. I thought to myself, while I finished securing my sheathed sword against my belt.

***
Aki LX: Tachinbou
***
I heard the twin metal heels of the two soldiers who guarded the residential area clink together as I passed by them both, signaling that they had gone to attention.

"At ease men." I said, my mind focusing on making my legs go steadily to the main stage up in Ru’lude Gardens which was on the clear other side of the Grand Duchy. I could tell that the medicine that my mule had given me for my seasickness was really starting to take effect, and I only prayed that I would be over it completely by the time that the speech began.

I turned past the guidestone, my fingertips (as always) absentmindedly rounding it’s stone peak as I then turned to go up the spiraling staircase to Upper Jueno, where I would then have to go up yet another staircase to get where I need to be.

"Excuse me sir...could you give me a few gil for food?.." The voice came at me in a raspy whisper from my left. Taking a quick glance out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that it was a beggar clad in tan rags, with a single hand poking out from beneath the clothing to tightly clutch a small tin cup with some gil rattling around inside. Not bothering to pay the vagrant any heed, I simply placed my hand upon the hilt of my blade lightly, and continued on the steps upwards towards Upper Jueno with my pace unbroken.

"Sir...just a moment...of your time..."

This time the beggar grasped the arm of my koenig suit with his free arm and then leaned up against me until I could feel his ale-ladened breath bellowing into my ear.

"Or...are you too busy to talk to an old friend?"

The suddenly familiar voice caught my ears, and I instantly relaxed my guard back down. I slowed down my gait slightly, just enough that I could possibly hold a conversation with this person while still making strides towards Ru’lude Gardens.

"Hardly busy" I said abit disconnectedly, "Just suddenly wondering why the leader of the almighty Tenshodo would stoop so low as to dress like a common beggar..."

Gilgamesh quietly chuckled to himself in reply. "With Jueno under martial law and a price put on my head by the Archduke, what other choice did I have? If I was going to still be within the capital of the free world and be able to make contact with you as soon as you got back from the Grand Marquisate...I had no other choice."

"Contact me? Why?"

"For the Code...of course..."

At this, I stopped and turned towards Gilgamesh on the stairwell. He looked at me, and I could clearly see that the living on the streets was starting to take it’s toll on him. His face was leaner than when I had last saw him just before Elayne’s funeral in Bastok, and lines of aging were drawing themselves along the cracks of white hair that was beginning to spring up along his scalp.

"How did you know that I had it?" I asked him coolly.

He shook his head, closing his eyes partly as he then started to wheeze a little bit before speaking again. "Now, now...surely you must know that even those that you hold close to you...can sometimes have split loyalties. This particular individual happens to work for both me and the Archduke himself, and has been keeping an eye on you when he could...throughout your time since you first joined the Ducal Guard so long ago..."

"Is that so? How nice to have a traitor in my midst.," not really all that surprised by this revelation. I had suspected as much when I had found out that I was being chased by the Ducal Guard from Jueno to Selbina so long ago, with that girl in tow.

"Now the Code if you don’t mind...I have pressing engagements that I must keep..."

I only shook my head, with a hint of mock sorrow on my face.

"I won’t give it to you, now leave before I decide to fulfill my duty as a citizen and as the Commander of the Ducal Guard and arrest you. I won’t ask nicely again."

With that, I turned away and started to continue up the spiraling stone staircase to it’s apex.

"You know, you just destroyed any ties that the Tenshodo and the Grand Duchy of Jueno had by breaking your job contract with me...," he called out after me before breaking down into a coughing fit as I started to leave him far behind.

I found...that I honestly couldn’t care less.

-fin Aki LX: Tachinbou

Edited, Jan 8th 2007 10:59pm by Nightsintdreams