Chapter 8

By: Erik Brown

A balding warthog listened to the aging robin speak, taking in every detail the red bird had to say. The robin's great array of medals on his chest flashed in the sunlight, and blinded all present. A white post-middle-aged bird sat in the chair next to the warthog's, and in his own way, worried about every word that the robin spoke.

With a cough, and a shake of the head, the boar said to the robin, "You make several good points, but we have no one who would take on a task such as this one."

Raising his hands to further his point, the robin replied, "I'll give you time to consider, Mayor, but please give this matter some thought. For a long time now that woman has siphoned funds from Nogrias. Allowing her and her bandits to roam the fields any longer, which would just be needless waste. The latest over taxation is sickening, she taints this town the longer you allow her to do these actions."

Nodding, the boar stood up, and shook the bird's hand. Gruffly he said, "Kuja should be stopped, and with the increased revenue we could do so much. Isn't that right Mr. Winnebaugh?"

Looking up, Gordith shook his head a bit, "I'm just a little worried that Kuja's power over the Blue Lake area may be too strong. But I do agree that she is only a nuisance at this point in time. At one point it seemed as if her patronage of those lands might be helpful, but now even that is in question."

"And what of the bird we are sending, do you have any quandaries with that?"

"A bit, and I wish you would reconsider."

Looking at Gordith, the robin said, "Is there anyone who would know the ways of the roads better around here? He is a traveler, utterly insignificant to Nogrias, who would miss him."

"What of your own men? Aren't you the General of this provinces army?"

He shrugged, "Sending too much force and Winter will be jumping down our throats. Too little force and Kuja would increase the fees she charges of us. This way if he does get caught, then there's still no trouble. You understand, don't you?"

With a hoarse cough the two birds fell silent, as the warthog mayor told them, "I'm late for an appointment. General Baritol, I thank you for this plan of action. Mr. Winnebaugh, as the Director of Public Interest, I hold you accountable for sending this Rei Kiljrow on his way. Thank you both for your time, now I must be going."

After the thudding footsteps of the mayor subsided outside the hallway door, Mr. Winnebaugh turned, and gloomily gazed at General Baritol. "I hope this has nothing to do with your son's feelings? That would be most unprofessional of you, General."

"You mean Harker? No, I am more concerned with this town and the lands around it. More glory to the Empire and all that jazz."

"You're a liar, General, you do anything for your son. Even dirty plans like this one."

The robin General got up and walked to the door, as he did so he laughed, "But you do see, Mr. Winnebaugh, that I am the one with the rank to do so, and the one who has the spine to make sure it happens. You're just a wimp with some novelty office in a Podunk town. Have a nice day, Director of Public Interest."

The door of his office closed, and Mr. Winnebaugh despised himself.

…

Life was great, and had been great for the past couple weeks. He went everywhere with Chassy, and that made life grand. Picnics, dinners, moonlit walks. Rei was lost in a world of love for the girl. Nothing had gotten in his way, no more jealous suitors had shown up.

Rei had also grown to know more of the North World, and of Nogrias. Learning that Nogrias was in a secluded corner of the Mooreland Province, of the Gaides Empire. A bit shocked at first that he was in a country under dictatorship rule, Rei quickly became accustomed to it. Besides, all of his thoughts were on a single thing.

All that was about to change. Unbeknownst to Rei, the gears of politics had begun to turn, and they were pointing their fingers at Rei. Deciding that he was going to liberate them from the brigand Kuja.

Rei was out in Nogrias looking for an apartment when the boar mayor approached him. The bird was looking for a place to stay, feeling that the xenia between him and his hosts was beginning to wear thin. There were many places to look at, and Rei was a bit fatigued when the mayor tugged on his sleeve, and asked who he was.

"Yes, my name is Rei."

Shaking the fleshy jowls around his tusks as he spoke, the mayor introduced himself. Taking off his hat, and shaking Rei's hand, he said, "Good day to you Rei, I am Mayor Baleaf."

Taking the outstretched hand, and wincing in pain form the vice-like grip, Rei pleasantly said, "Pleased to meet you, Mayor."

"I've been looking for you Rei, back at City Hall we have been talking of you."

What should have been a private conversation was not. Spying eyes caught every word that was exchanged. "Now he's saying, 'Oh? I don't see why.'"

Shouting down to the wolf standing below him, Palcos asked in an abrasive tone, "Hey one ear, you getting all this."

"Every word my Captain."

"Good! Now what are they saying?"

"The Mayor is telling him that it has to do with politics and all that rubbish. Palcos, do you think this might be important?"

"Read their lips, then ask questions. I'll decide if it's important after they finish talking."

"Sheesh, alright. Looks like the Mayor told him that Rei should think of it as an adventure, that he's going to be a hero."

Rei blinked, "An adventure?" He thought about the past month, wondering if there was any adventure he had gotten from that.

"That's right my lad. You're going to be a hero! Father's will tell their children of the noble journey that you are about to partake on. The teen birds and whatnot will admire you, and the women will want you…"

"But I've already got a girl."

"Oh, right right. Listen, you're going to be a hero for years to come. Don't you want to be a hero, boy?"

"Oh, yes sir! I'll do the best I can. I mean do I really have a choice?"

He laughed, causing his jowls to merrily dance, "Point taken. See that you don't let us down. Make us proud!"

"I will! I won't let you down!"

"I don't doubt that you will! Now get out there, and fight for the Empire!"

A hardy pat on the back, and Rei turned to leave. Then he turned back to face the Mayor, as he meekly asked him, "What is it that I'm going to be doing?"

After a minute of deep-throated laughing, the boar Mayor cleared the tears from his eyes. "Why son, you're gonna go take care of some thieves up at Blue Lake."

"Take care of?"

"Dead or alive, get rid of the leader, and the rest will fold."

"Leader, dead or alive?"

"You're not chicken-footed, are ya?"

"Not as chicken-footed as my belly is yella!"

"Just as long as you don't try to slay 'em with your jokes, you should fare well."

"What do I slay 'em with?"

"A sword of course, wha'? You look like you never used one before."

"Well, not much."

"You'll do fine. So tomorrow, we'll all send you off. You'll march to that fort, and you'll break down the walls. Then you're gonna kill that mangy brigand, and you'll be a hero. Just like that!"

Between gulps, Rei let out a weak, "Just like that…"

"Get lots a rest, eat some vegetables! You leave tomorrow morning, come find me near the center of town." Then the Mayor turned around, and shambled towards his office.

In a daze Rei walked to his temporary home, went up the stairs to his room, sat on his bed, and realized, "I'm gonna die!"

…

Not just that he didn't know how to hold a sword. Not that he didn't know where this Blue Lake was, and certainly not that even equipped with a compass and map, he still would die of hunger, lost in a swamp, somewhere miles away from his original destination. Nor was it the fact that he was a spineless, weak, thin wristed, coward. Rather the real problem was that he was a combination of all of these problems and more.

He shook his head, as he looked uncomfortably up at the sky. The moon hung overhead, swathed in light, and slightly obscured by clouds. Chassy sat next to him, and rebuked his lamentations.

"It's not so bad, Rei," he had kept all of the sad details to himself, neglecting to tell her of the really pathetic facts.

"I suppose it's not 'so bad', but it does venture towards being 'that bad'." Even worse yet, his pessimistic streak was returning, despite his more than ideal conditions.

"Don't worry about it, that will only make it worse."

"Yes, I suppose so."

"You'll come back, and then there won't be any problems any more."

He considered just telling her of his real past, to let the truth out. Then he looked into her eyes, realized that it wasn't worth it, and opted to say something different. "You're right." After a brief moment of looking at the still foreign constellations, he turned to her and started, "Chassy, I…" then he froze, lost as to what to say.

"What is it?"

Quickly probing his feelings, he realized what he wanted to tell her, "I just have to let you know. That the last couple weeks that I've spent with you, have been the happiest weeks in my entire life."

"Remember me always?"

She said it in the form of a question, and surprised him. But there was no doubt in his mind, as to what he would reply, "Yes, and the last living moments I have, shall be filled with thoughts of you, my love."

…

Time passed, and morning came. With a Herculean tug, morning pulled the sun into position. There the greatest of the stars shone, and poured it's light out onto the North World. Some of the more cynical birds greeted the light with happiness, and sang their glee to the world.

The world listened back with enjoyment, while Rei only moaned. "They're all just mocking me. If there was one good thing, the birds never sang in the city back home!" Arguably they were good singers, but Rei was not in the right mood.

Nor did he have time. Hurriedly he got ready, and rushed downstairs, and was just about to leap through the door. Chassy waited for him near the exit, with her she carried a backpack of supplies. She handed the bag to Rei, and they embraced, and they pecked, and he was out the door.

Chassy hung her head out the door, and shouted, "Don't get yourself killed, I think I love you!"

He turned around, and shouted back, "I think I love you too!"

…

Indeed the Mayor was in the middle of town, and so was a hundred other people. People were hanging flags of the city, the province, and the Empire everywhere. There were catches of balloons and confetti set up. A stand was being constructed opposite a set of stands, so that the Mayor and other speakers could speak to the masses. A huge banner swirled overhead, declaring independence from a Kuja.

The Mayor spotted Rei, standing confused near a building, and walked over to the bird. Rei saw him coming, and asked, "Who's Kuja?"

"That's the nefarious villain you'll be taking care of."

"Oh, but that sounds like a girl's name?"

"Kuja is a woman fox, very dangerous."

"I'll be fighting a girl?"

"Well, yes, so what."

"I don't want to fight a girl!"

The Mayor slapped Rei's shoulder, "Snap out of it! You don't have to fight her, just make sure she leaves, or dies, or something. Besides, she's right dangerous you know!"

"Sure you can say things like that, but you're not the one fighting a girl!"

"She will kill you, with that kind of attitude! Besides, there's no way out of this for you, weren't you wondering about all the decorations?"

"Well, yeah, the huge picture of me did catch my attention."

"Nice, isn't it?"

"Yes, but why?"

"Sort of balances out all the other banners, we couldn't quite afford a mural…"

"No, why all of the decorations anyway?"

Taking a deep breath, the Mayor told him, "Because this is destiny. I think."

"Huh, mean like fate?"

"Sort of. You see, one of our bookworms at the library recently unearthed a scroll of prophecies. Seems that a bird with sun gold feathers was to show up, and right some wrongs and whatnot. Now this is really amazing since we've never been able to find scrolls more than two thousand years old. That and there are no, if any, birds with feathers as bright as yours, nor many without wings. So that leaves us with you, and you alone."

"Me?"

"Mysterious stranger, sun-gold feathers. No wings. You'll do."

Their discussion was not secret though, as the three spies were still watching them from the tree in the distance. The wolf standing at the foot of the tree looked up, and spoke to his compatriots in between his own furious writings on his notepad. "You know it's a good thing they have these trees all over this town, makes for good lookouts."

"Shut up, don't get me mad! You both are already bathroom janitors twice over! Shut yer yaps, and listen to what those two are saying."

"It's not so much as listening as it is reading lips…"

"I said, shut up!"

"Okay, they're on the move, the Mayor is leading the bird to the exit over there."

"Are they saying anything?"

"Yeah."

Mustering up all of his speaking skills, the Mayor was beginning to win over Rei's courageousness again. Bit by bit, telling him of what a hero he would be, and the welcome back they would give him. Famous forever, savoir of Nogrias.

"Soon we'll be celebrating you're departure, to celebrate your heroism! There'll be speeches and games, the whole lot!"

Full of delusional excitement, at the heroics he would soon be partaking in, Rei asked with fervor, "When do the festivities begin?"

"In a few hours, but you'll be on your way by then."

"Wha?"

"Here's your sword, and there's the door, and you'll be on your way."

"Why can't I have a gun, I can use one of those!"

"A what? What's a gun? Look this is a darn good sword, now get on with yas!"

"But, the games, and the speeches?"

"We'll tell you all about it when you return."

"Why can't I stay a bit longer?"

"Adventure waits for no one, get out there and make us proud!"

"I'll make you proud, but a little fun couldn't hurt."

Tired of talking, the Mayor shoved Rei out the door. "Just get going, you're giving me a headache!"

Rei turned around, and was about to protest, when the gate was shut in his face. He looked down at the plain sword in his hand, and pulled it from it's sheath. It was heavy, unwieldy, and dangerously sharp. He held it like a baseball bat, and shook it in unwieldy motions. Carefully sliding it back into it's case, he sighed. Not only was there a high chance of him being killed, or killing himself, he was missing out on a lot of fun.

A band struck up in the distance, practicing their horns and strings. Nice stuff, it was really setting the tune for what he was missing out on.

Sliding his backpack's strap over his shoulder, he raised a hand, and pointed into the distance. "Away, to adventure."

Rei walked a little distance, and then stopped. Slowly he turned back towards the door, and asked the air around him, "Where am I going?"

…

Back at the tree, Palcos was pondering what he was going to do. Blue Lake and Kuja! Was this bird honestly going out there to stop that mad fox? His only orders were to monitor the activities of Nogrias, and nothing more. It was his actions on his last mission that had gotten him demoted to such a position in the first place. But it was a decision that his overseers had both praised, and condemned him for. What more could they possibly do?

He would probably lose some benefits, and become a head of janitorial staff. Nothing too bad. His orders had been clear, so why did he now feel inclined to break them? Maybe because breaking them could get him ahead, so he thought about it. Quickly he came out with an outline of what he was going to do.

"Hey square heads, hold down the fort."

"You leaving Palcos?"

"I am."

"Wotcha' planning on doin'?"

"I'm gonna cause a commotion. This place is going to become a mad house soon."

"Ha, you always make a mess of things."

"At least you're good at something."

"You're both nincompoops, but if you do good, I'll put in a good word for both of you."

"No cleaning toilets for us, right?"

"Just don't screw up, and I'll get you promoted!"

"We won't fail you."

With reflexes and balance that only a creature with a prehensile tail, and four hands could muster, he leapt out of the tree. Landing with nary a sound, he held his hand out to the one-eared wolf.

Palcos gave a simple request, "Gun."

Producing a hollow metal 'L' from inside his coat, he handed the weapon to the monkey. "Here you are, my Captain."

"This should be all I need, see you in a few weeks."

Shoving his sidearm into a pocket on his vest, he then clamored up the nearest wall, and was out of the town. Pushing the doubts out of his mind, he hurried along the flat grassland, hoping to cut of the bird at some point.

The two spies waited for a moment, waiting till their leader was gone. Looking down, the rat asked his friend, "Hey, you know there's something like a fair going on right now. You want to go?"

"Hah, I'm there! I haven't had a vacation for years!"

"Time to have some fun!"