FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Ye deaf, cat?! We said we wanna get in!"

"... Yeah, I heard you the first time."

Mykksa stared at the doorway, her brow furrowed. "Did they just call Rax...?"

Unease settled into his chest. "Yeah," Kajjex said. "They did."

By now he had donated enough time at the club to have heard at least a half-dozen raised voices at the door, where Raxio stood guard. He was one of only three bouncers, but he was easily the most popular, given how imposing he looked even while relaxed. He was laid-back and kind, getting along very well with the rest of the club employees, even if he didn't fully understand the culture of Rata Sum. The only way to get on his bad side was to deliberately break the club rules, and even then he was more firm than he was angry, never growling at patrons.

But even the dullest bookah in Rata Sum knew that calling a charr a 'cat' was a surefire way to offend one, even if that charr was Raxio. When he finally spoke, there was an unmistakable annoyance in his voice, and the subtle baring of fangs in his delivery.

"Unless you've won the weekly lottery, our performers have no obligation to speak to you, and we don't allow patrons to harass or stalk them," Raxio said. "Especially to those who come to the door with your level of aggression."

"Cat, ye ain't seen aggression yet – and if ye don't move outta the way I'll hafta show ye! We know the little rat is here, an' we wanna see him now!"

"Who's the racist idiot raising that racket?" Mykksa scowled. "And why are they looking for you?"

"I have no idea," Kajjex replied, as tension built into his shoulders. Raxio and the speaker were both outside, out of sight, but without the volume of the club to mask their words it was easier to hear them from the bar. Whether it was his strange accent or elocution, there was something familiar in the way the stranger spoke that made his ears twitch. It was guttural and drawling, with a slight hiss behind certain words; but also deep and powerful, as if the speaker was large.

"Is there an echo in here?" Raxio sighed. "It doesn't matter, you and your friends will have to come back tomorrow. The boss has something important going on. And I dunno how you know Kajjex. He debuted only a few hours ago, and I remember every face I see; I know I didn't let you lot in here tonight. We don't allow armed guests."

"We were told the one called Kajjex could be found here by one of the asura who associated with him!" another voice said. It was a bit higher pitched compared to the first, but their displeasure was very apparent. "Our companion here told us he could be found at this tavern, and suggested he was involved with the Inquest!"

"Kajjex? Part of the Inquest?" Raxio repeated with a snort. "Your companion there must be a pre-college dropout to think he'd be involved with them. He's a good kid, he'd never be stupid enough to join those amoral morons."

Kajjex jumped out of his seat. "Mykksa, go get Preeke, quick as you can," he said. She nodded and hurried through to door into the kitchen. The moment she was out of sight he approached the entrance, grabbing the handle of his longsword. The club's stone doors were still wide open and the security field was inactive, but the decorative beads hanging from the door to the floor prevented a clear view of everything beyond them. He cleared his throat and called out, imitating Preeke's voice as best as he could. "Raxio, if someone is here for Kajjex then tell them I have no idea who they are and to come back another time – he's not here!"

With their four ears, any charr would have heard the key differences between his and Preeke's voice, but Raxio played along. "You see? The boss says he's not here," Raxio said. "Buzz off already, or this will get rough."

The deeper voice growled. "I ain't goin' nowhere 'til--"

"Deisel, let it go," a gentle female voice said. "Maybe we should try again later. Whether these employees are covering for him or truly believe he isn't involved in Inquest affairs, it's clear we will get nowhere tonight."

"But we're so close!" the higher-pitched voice squeaked.

"At least wait for Dusya to get here, Rico," she pleaded. "She could talk things out if you'd let her. Besides, you heard this gentleman, he's not here."

"He's lying!" another female voice shouted, and Kajjex's blood went cold as he recognized it, though he could not put a name to it. "I've met him before, that sounded a lot like him!"

"That true, cat?!" Deisel said, and there was the sound of someone large being shoved. "That 'im in there?!"

"Back off right now or your friends will be picking your scaly hide off the street, you overgrown lizard!" Raxio snarled.

The pieces clicked and Kajjex sprinted for the door with a shout.

"Don't call them lizards!!!"

He was perhaps three paces from the entrance when a roar filled the air, followed by a loud crash. Kajjex skidded to a halt and lunged out of the way; Raxio blasted through the entrance beads, sliding several feet across the floor with an enormous, red-scaled, well-armored bangaa on top of him. Deisel raised his claw and slashed at the bouncer; Raxio blocked and lashed out, cutting a shallow gouge in his scales. The bangaa roared and drew a broadsword from his belt, holding Raxio's arm down with his free hand.

Kajjex scrambled to his feet and drew his sword, rushing to the charr's aid. He lunged and swung, steel ringing through the air as he deflected the incoming strike. Raxio raked his claws across Deisel's face, knocking him off and out of the way. The charr regained his footing and pounced towards the bangaa, trying to wrest control of the weapon. Both seemed evenly matched in strength and size, barreling past tables ad upending the chairs in the process.

Kajjex moved in to assist, but movement in the corner of his eye stopped him short. He stepped back, narrowly avoiding a fast cut near his left ear, holding his blade up in a defensive stance. Before him stood a cream-colored, blonde-haired moogle with blue eyes and a yellow pom-pom, adorned in leather armor, armed with a curved blade, a buckler. Without a word of warning he lunged at Kajjex, swiping at his neck, the asura barely managing to back out of range. "You're not going anywhere, fiend!" the moogle growled, pressing the attack. "You're coming with us!"

"I don't even know you people!" Kajjex shouted, focusing on defending himself. His opponent was fast, far more skilled than any Peacemaker Kajjex had known. It was difficult to keep up when – for once – his foe was shorter than him. He blocked another slice to his neck and shouldered into the fighter to put him off balance, jabbing into the opening; the moogle sidestepped and kicked the blade aside, aiming a buckler blow to his head; Kajjex ducked, twisted, bringing his sword around in a wide arc; but the moogle leapt and flipped over him, landing on a table and bringing his sword down.

Kajjex rolled out of the way and back onto his feet, dodging the strike by inches. He swung at the moogle's feet, the smaller fighter leaping over him again. The moogle reengaged and stepped into his range, slamming the buckler into his gut. Kajjex grunted and staggered back into a table, bracing against it to regain his footing. With Kajjex wide open, the moogle darted in and slashed at his neck; he leaned against the table, narrowly avoiding decapitation, and without thinking he swung his leg around and landed a heavy kick just below the moogle's chestplate. The smaller fighter went flying, rolling across the floor, his weapon clattering away as he held his midsection and struggled to breathe. Kajjex caught the blade beneath his boot and kicked it away.

A nearby crash drew his focus. Deisel had clearly bitten off more than he could chew, looking bloody and rough; but while Raxio was comparatively unscathed, he was also in the middle of a broken table and chair. With Raxio out of the way, Deisel sprinted for Kajjex with a roar of rage. Reluctant though Kajjex was to hurt anybody else, it was clear the reptilian intruder was in no mood to be diplomatic. He grit his teeth and charged, aiming a heavy swing as Deisel brought his broadsword around.

Their blades met in the middle, the sharp clang of forged steel giving off a deafening ring – then both weapons went flying in every other direction. Kajjex staggered back and fell, his longsword sailing out of his hands with a sharp 'twang', before embedding itself in a chair. The bangaa's weapon shattered in his hand, shards of steel littering the floor around him, leaving him with a hilt and barely an inch of blade still attached. Deisel backpedaled, gaping at his sword, then tossed the ruined weapon away with a growl. Kajjex struggled to his feet, only to yelp as his foe grabbed him and swung him like a rag doll onto a nearby table.

Sparks of light blinked in and out of Kajjex's vision. He grasped at the bangaa's hands, kicking his legs out as he struggled to escape the chokehold. The bangaa lifted him and slammed him against the table again. "That sword belonged t' me best mate!" Deisel snarled, throttling him. "Now yer gonna pay, ye little rat!"

No matter how hard he squirmed in the bangaa's grip, he could do little in his position beyond grabbing and clawing at his arm, trying to aim a kick at his elbow. No amount of struggle freed him. A sense of impending doom seized his heart, the color draining from his vision. Just as it seemed like everything was starting to fade a sharp bang echoed in the empty club. The bangaa flinched and his grip slackened just enough for Kajjex to gasp for air, twisting around to see the newcomer.

Preeke was standing on the bar with a glare Kajjex had never seen, a warhammer strapped to his back and a loaded revolver in each hand. The shot he fired was smoking out of the floor, but his barrels were now pointed directly at the bangaa. Behind him, Mykksa peeked over the bar, looking pale.

"That's enough," Preeke said in a cold voice. "Get your hands off of my friend and get the hell out of my club, or I'll empty both cylinders into your scaly ass."

The bangaa glared back. "Fuck off, pipsqueak!"

Kajjex saw his chance, and grabbed the bangaa's claw with both hands, wrenching it around as hard as he could until he heard a crack. The bangaa howled, holding his broken wrist and dropping to his knees, his face right at Kajjex's foot-level. His leg shot out and the heel of his foot caught Deisel right in the snout. Deisel's head snapped to the side, his eyes blank as he swayed; then he went silent and collapsed. Kajjex sucked in lungfuls of breath and rubbed his neck. He considered the bangaa with a glare, then rolled off the table and stooped next to him – he was out cold.

Preeke rushed to his side, holstering a pistol and helping him up. "You okay, kid?"

Kajjex nodded. "I'll manage," he managed to cough out, his throat raw and coarse. He looked around, spotting the moogle crawling towards his weapon. He nodded to Preeke and the two approached.

"S-stay away," the moogle wheezed, glaring at Kajjex as his hand found the hilt. Preeke's boot pinned blade in place as he pointed a pistol at him.

"Give it a fucking rest, already," Kajjex rasped. "You're in Rata Sum, the capital of intellect and knowledge in Tyria. So use your damn brains for a moment."

The moogle drew his hand away from his weapon, but kept his glare steady. "You... Siro's dead because of you," he growled.

Preeke twitched his pistol up, gesturing him to get to his feet. "You have our condolences for your loss," he replied, picking up the moogle's blade. "And you'll excuse us if we have no idea who this 'Siro' is. You seem to be misinformed."

"It appears that we might have been," a new voice said.

Both asura turned to the entrance, where two more figures had arrived. The first one, who Kajjex was sure had spoken, was a gentle-looking being, a little taller than Kajjex. She looked somewhat canine, with an elongated face, brownish fur, and long, floppy ears with large hooped earrings at the end. She wore robes of green and goldenrod, leaning on a gnarled wooden staff. Her expression was placid, perhaps a touch disapproving as she glanced at Deisel, but when she looked to Kajjex she smiled and bowed. "My apologies for my late arrival. Perhaps if I'd come sooner, this would have been avoided."

The second was a slim, short viera, dressed in red attire that seemed to be a mix of a robe and a dress, with exposed legs and long boots. An elegantly-fashioned rapier was sheathed at her side, and she held a large red hat with a long white feather in her hands. She also bowed, her brow furrowed with regret. "The fault is mine, I should have had these boys under control. Our guide here was convinced we had a limited window to meet with you," she said, looking behind her. "Where did she--"

"Is it over, then?" the familiar voice asked from behind the beads.

"The fight is over, yes," the viera informed her. "It's safe to come out."

An asura peeked into the club before entering, and as she drew closer Kajjex recognized her. "I remember you. The krewe leader from Ulta Metamagicals." His eyes narrowed. "Tekki, right?"

"Yes, Tekki," the asura said in a cold voice. "You know why I'm here."

Kajjex looked to Preeke, who merely shrugged. "I have no clue."

"Don't give me that, you lying backstabber!" she snarled, stomping towards him and jabbing a finger into his chest. "You're the one who let the Inquest into my lab! I heard all about your connections to Torrk and how he joined the Inquest right after you left Ulta Metamagicals!"

Kajjex gaped at her, trying to process what he was hearing. "Wait... what? Hold up for a minute, I need to--"

"Need to what?!" she shouted. "Come up with another lie?! Classic Inquest facetiousness!!"

Kajjex glared at her. "I'm not a part of the Inquest, they--"

"Of course a spy would deny it!" she interjected. "But then you'd have to explain why unwelcome visitors have been converging on you ever since your sabotage!"

"What do you mean 'unwelcome visitors?' I don't even--"

"I should have seen it, ever since Torkk started strong-arming us!" she fumed. "Of course he'd send you, you're better than an Inquest lackey."

His ears flared and a surge of heat began to course through his veins. "Don't you fucking dare say anything about--"

"You think it's all a secret?!" she shouted. "It didn't take much to figure it out, but I guess that how you stayed hidden! How many people even know that Torkk is--"

"SHUT UP!!!" Kajjex snarled. "NOT ANOTHER FUCKING WORD!!!"

There was complete silence. He had shouted on reflex, anticipating what she was going to say. But after everything that had happened in the last month, the words he knew she was going to use were the ones he hoped would never be uttered again. The thought of it made him tremble with fury, hot wrath boiling in his blood; hatred that he hadn't felt in weeks bubbled slowly in his stomach. Tekki was taken aback by his reaction, and even Preeke looked unsettled, approaching him slowly.

"Easy, kid," he said in a soothing voice, putting his hand on his back. "I know Torkk is a bad topic to bring up, but clearly somebody is spreading lies. Whatever it is, we'll know it's bullshit."

"I wish it were," Kajjex said wrenching away from him and leaning against the bar with a groan. "Fuck... that hurt." His throat burned each time he swallowed, and the back of his head was throbbing, putting his anger into sharper focus instead of distracting him from it.

"How bad is it?" Mykksa asked, reaching for a glass. "I can whip up something for the pain."

Kajjex glanced up at Preeke, who nodded. "Do it. One for Rax, too."

The charr shook his head, waving his hand. "No need, I'm fine. I've had tougher scraps at my old fharar. Take care of the kid."

"Then tie the big guy up," Preeke told him, drawing a rope from his satchel and tossing it to him. "And you three," he ordered the newcomers sharply, jerking his pistol toward to a nearby booth. "Over there, weapons on the table. Make no mistake, you're all in trouble."

The newcomers complied without argument while Raxio bound Deisel's wrists. Mykksa was finished in less than a minute, pouring the tonic for Kajjex; he downed it the moment she slid it to him. A pleasant warmth surged through his limbs, dulling the pain in his throat and back, though he was still raw from Tekki's accusations. His head swam more from the sharp spike in emotion and fury than it did from the tonic, and it took more than a few deep breaths to steady himself.

A door in the back opened and Tawdd and Myrreah walked in, slowing to a stop at the sight of the newcomers. "Uh... hello?" Myrreah said uneasily. "I didn't know we were having guests over tonight, Preeke."

"Neither did we," he replied, still glaring at the visitors. "Take a seat, you two. We have a conundrum on our hands, and Kajjex is involved."

Kajjex stepped away from the bar, and despite still reeling from the severe change in mood he kept his footing steady as he faced everyone. "You know... I was happy ten minutes ago. Happier than I've been in years. I've been building a reputation with the people I've been helping, getting some recognition for my abilities, and my first performance tonight was a hit. Things were going so well tonight that I figured I'd be riding the high for weeks. So you'll understand if your presence here comes as an unwelcome surprise – and that being attacked by strangers from another fucking reality, really put a fucking damper on tonight!" he snarled, causing those closest to him to flinch slightly.

He looked to Tekki, whose anger seemed to have been displaced by unease. "So let's start with you. I have no idea what's going on, or why. All I know is that I worked for you one day, got attacked and injured hours later, and left. I don't care that you'd found out, but if you thought ambushing me would prove your suspicions, you're going to be disappointed! I'm not a member of the Inquest; Torkk joined after I cut ties with him! And we are not talking about whatever else you may have found!"

He held his glare steady at Tekki, never wavering for a moment as she seemed to consider his words. Whether it was because nobody wanted to incite Kajjex further or they were waiting for her answer, nobody spoke. Soon, Tekki shifted, folding her arms. "So... you're not a spy, then?"

"That should obviously be your takeaway! I only worked with him in order to find employment with a krewe, to get references! I hate that horrible old man, more now since he's been trying to purge my own research! If you have trouble that involves him or the Inquest, I'm the last person you should be talking to!"

"We sought you out because you were our best lead," the viera said, her hands held out defensively. "We're conducting an investigation and need to speak with you."

"I don't have a clue how investigations work in your world, but that doesn't excuse a bangaa assaulting our bouncer or choking me!" Kajjex snapped, looking between her and the older woman. "Especially since you two just sat back and let it happen!"

The moogle jumped out of his seat, his eyes hot. "Hey, don't talk to them like that! They're only doing their job, like the rest of u--"

Kajjex rounded on him and the moogle backpedaled. "You can shut the fuck up! I'll be damned if I'm going to let a fully-armed plush-toy lecture me on how to conduct an investigation! Don't think I didn't notice you tried to cut my head off! Job or not, Tyria doesn't fall under your jurisdiction, so you have no grounds to stand on, assaulting me for whatever the hell passes for 'justice' in your world! I don't even know what you're accusing me of! I don't even know who you are!"

A hand touched his shoulder and he whipped around, though he relaxed upon realizing whose it was. "He's right," Preeke cut in, scowling. He holstered his pistol and folded his arms. "I'm Preeke, the owner of this establishment. Kajjex is a recent but very good friend of mine, and one of my newest performers. If you needed to speak to him, you should have come to me first. I have never had to draw my weapons in my own club just to defend a friend from a guest. You four are the first, and trust me when I say it's not a good look for your realm – so if you're planning to stay here for any amount of time, do us a favor and keep your thugs under control." He jerked his thumb at the unconscious visitor. "We need names, context, and a lot of apologies. He told us about moogles, viera and bangaa, and how he met a few of them, but you're clearly new here. Start by telling us who you are."

The dog-faced woman nodded and got up from her seat, bowing to them. When she spoke it was with a gentle, soothing voice that seemed to calm Kajjex's nerves. "I agree, it was quite rude of my companions to barge in on your establishment without having all the facts at hand, and without introductions. I apologize for not arriving sooner to prevent this senseless skirmish. I am Dusya, leader of Clan Kanopy. I am of a race called the nu mou." She gestured to the moogle and viera. "These are my clan-mates. With me is my moogle companion, Rico, who is one of our best fighters. My viera companion is Sybil, a red mage and duelist, and also my second-in-command. As for our reptilian friend..." She looked to the passed-out bangaa. "His name is Deisel, a clan guardian. I apologize for his brashness and violence, but--"

"But Raxio called him a 'lizard,' which I'm almost certain is a racist slur among their people," Kajjex finished for her, folding his arms. "I can understand, because it's like calling an asura a 'rat,' or a charr a 'cat.''"

"Then I shall admonish him when he awakens, and make it a point to avoid using those terms," she replied, bowing again. "You have my apologies, Kajjex and Raxio."

"Er... yeah. I appreciate it," the charr replied, clearly not used to such politeness. "I guess even the best legionnaire has to reign in their soldiers sometimes."

"Yeah," Kajjex said distantly. Though there was still some smoldering anger in the back of his head, curiosity won out. "So what brings you and your clan to Tyria, Dusya?" Kajjex asked. "And how?"

Dusya looked to Tekki, who cleared her throat. "It started at Ulta Metamagicals. The lab ended up being locked down due to the Arcane Eye conducting investigations, but ultimately the Arcane Council decided against providing funding or extra security for more forays into other realities. But as the investigations were taking place, a team of Inquest agents broke into the lab and used the coordinates to traverse into Ivalice and conduct 'research' of their own, in Targ Wood."

"Targ Wood?" Preeke repeated.

"Targ Wood is one of the regions under our clan's jurisdiction," Sybil explained. "In our world, a clan's primary function is to keep peace in their territory and fend off attacks from brigands and wild monsters, or fulfill requests for businesses and civilians."

"Sounds like some of the guilds in our world," Kajjex noted.

"Very likely," Sybil nodded. "Our reputation is determined by how effective we are in protecting others and completing jobs, and we are compensated by the people in our region as a result. Normally we do well keeping the peace, but over the last few weeks we've had a surge in missing persons cases. They coincided with unconfirmed reports of small, well-armed figures clad in black and red, and we believed it was a rival clan at work. This sometimes happens when a rival clan wants to encroach on our territory without going through the proper process of a clan territory auction. Most of the reports seemed to be coming from Targ Wood, so last week we patrolled the area, hoping to catch one of them. Instead, we ran into an ambush."

"I don't think they were prepared for a fight, but we certainly gave them one. In our world, combat between clans is overseen by 'Judges'; ancient golems that can prevent the loss of life in a battle as long as an arbitrary rule is followed for the duration of that fight. It can be as simple as not using spears, or as complex as not using specific elemental magic. The Judge for our clan appeared, but then retreated when it determined that our foes were not from our world nor a recognized clan, and so they couldn't be bound by the Ancient Contract. We slew three of them and captured one before the rest retreated, but..."

She trailed off, casting a somber look to Rico. The moogle was staring at the floor, his ears and pom-pom drooping. "One of our number, Siro, was killed in action," he said in a thick voice. "He was one of our best fighters, and a friend to just about every clan-mate. Because the Judge wasn't present, he wasn't revived once the thugs retreated. His mount ran off during the battle and we spent days looking for him along with the missing people, before coming across another team of invaders. This time we caught them infiltrating through their portal and we followed, raising the alarm. That's when we met Tekki and learned from her that others from Clan Nutsy had already been there."

"From the first reality breach," Kajjex guessed.

"Yes. Montblanc in particular spoke highly about you," Dusya said. "He and Shara are both high-ranking members of Clan Nutsy, a popular clan in northern Ivalice. They vouched for Tekki, and with her help we learned about the Inquest. We attempted to interrogate the agent that we'd captured, but he had taken his own life via a poison capsule kept in his tooth. By that point, however, we had more than enough evidence to confirm that the Inquest had been kidnapping people from our world, then bringing them back here. We asked Tekki to help us."

"When we learned what happened, I did some investigating to see who could have been responsible," Tekki explained. "One of the things that caught my attention was the fact that Torkk had joined the Inquest shortly after the first reality breach. The second was about Kajjex and his... connection to Torkk." She paused, hesitating at the scowl Kajjex leveled at her, before clearing her throat and fishing out a card from her pocket. "I thought perhaps he had been sent to set things up for the Inquest. Fortunately I came across this club's business card, which I assumed Kajjex had been carrying at the time, but I..." She hesitated, looking frustrated and embarrassed. "... I'll admit that... I may not have had all the evidence. From my perspective it made sense. I apologize for jumping to conclusions."

Kajjex sighed, waving it off. Though he still smoldered, he had to admit that despite lacking info, her conjecture had been sound. "It's fine. I get it."

"Anyway, the Inquest keeps their secrets fairly close, but they can't hide everything," Tekki continued. "A patrol from the Thaumanova Reactor strayed a bit too far north in the Brisband Wildlands, and witnesses told us that they were tracking strange creatures that had crossed through into our reality. When the Inquest lost a few of their agents they escaped without sealing the portal, and we weren't aware of it – by that point we'd taken a holiday due to the Arcane Eye's investigation. But in that time we had reports of unidentified beasts attacking people, though we haven't had any reported fatalities, thankfully."

Kajjex traded a quick glance with Preeke, and it was clear they had the same idea. "The tentacled monster that I killed," he said. "That was one of them, wasn't it?"

"Was it large, dark green, with too many tentacles, too many eyes, and smelled like the worst sewer in the world?" Sybil asked, to which Kajjex nodded. "Then yeah. That was a Malboro, one of the worst beasts our lovely little land can offer. On behalf of our entire reality, we apologize for the smell."

"I appreciate it," Kajjex muttered. "Damn thing turned me into a fro--" He jerked up suddenly, another thought occurring to him. "Wait. You said one of your own was slain and that his mount escaped, right?"

"Yes, he did," Rico said, frowning. "Why?"

"Was it a yellow chocobo, by any chance?" Kajjex asked.

"You've seen Kobb!?" the moogle cried out, jumping to his feet. "Where!?"

"He turned up at Desider Atum and trashed the market there. I found him and managed to escape the Inquest. He's hiding out in a cave right now."

"Then what are we waiting for?! We need to hurry and get him back!" Rico insisted, reaching for his weapon. Kajjex tensed, his hand reflexively reaching for his sword.

Dusya's hand caught the moogle's wrist before it reached the handle. "Patience, Rico," Dusya said calmly. "I'm as eager to see Kobb as you are, but we are in unknown territory, and we cannot say for sure who is ally and enemy. We can't go rushing off without getting more information – or help."

"Your leader is right," Preeke said. "Your presence here is going to cause a ruckus as it is. Nobody has stopped you so far because it's the middle of the night, you've been escorted by an asura, and most geniuses who would care are still asleep. But the sun will be rising soon. Once people are awake and lucid enough to recognize that you're from... 'out-of-town,' so to speak... they're going to ask questions. That's going to be more trouble than it's worth, especially if the Arcane Council gets involved."

"Would they not help us?" Dusya asked.

"Possibly, but then the Inquest would know about it. They may not have political power in our society, but they have eyes and ears in high places. The Arcane Council – the ruling authority of order in Rata Sum – tends to turn a blind eye whenever they cross ethical lines, as long as they get results." He gestured to the club. "Still, this is probably one of the safest places you can be right now. The Inquest never come down to this level, and we're technically closed."

"We don't wish to impose, not after rudely encroaching on your business," she started to say.

"It's fine," Preeke said, smiling. "I mean, I'm still going to want to get an apology for my bouncer and newest performer, plus money for the damages to my table and chairs, but I sympathize with your plight. I hate the Inquest, so I keep an eye out for any chance to see them get a fist to the face." He glanced at Kajjex. "Honestly, you should be asking my buddy here for help – once he gets the proper apology he's owed," he added firmly.

At that, Dusya and Sybil turned to Kajjex and bowed low. "Then on behalf of Clan Kanopy as it's founder and leader, I offer you my sincerest apologies for the actions my clan-mates took," Dusya said. "It was not our intention to cause you any harm, Kajjex, nor inconvenience you. I hope that we can count you as an ally rather than an enemy, and provide us your aid."

"We hope you can understand our plight," Sybil added. "All we ask of you right now is to reunite us with our wayward clan-mate. We promise we will not bother or involve you any more than we must."

Kajjex looked between the newcomers, his brow furrowing as he considered each of them. He'd be lying if he said he didn't still feel raw about having what should have been a great night ruined by an assault from strangers from another reality, especially since his back and neck were still throbbing. But nor could he overlook the fact that they had fully answered his questions and apologized for his injuries; and that their request involved a creature that he had become fond of. Dusya was calm and understanding, with an air of patience; perhaps she was expecting pushback, that he was well within his right to refuse. Sybil looked more apologetic, as if ready to plead for his help or do anything to make up for the pain her clan-mates had caused. Rico's stare was hard, and Kajjex suspected it was only because their chocobo friend was on the line that the moogle wasn't attempting to force an answer from him, though it also made him feel less-inclined to help. He glanced at Preeke, but his smile and his encouraging nod was enough to tell Kajjex he intended to be true to his word.

After a few moments he sighed. It was two out of three apologizing and asking him for his aid – perhaps the best he was going to get, until the bangaa woke up. "Alright, fine. I have no intention of being an obstacle. The fact is my friends and I were about to go fetch your chocobo and keep him safe anyway, until we could figure out where he came from. The cave we had to hide in is a bit too close to Inquest territory."

"We'd like to join you," Sybil said, looking relieved. "Kobb is our responsibility as a member of the clan, and we owe it to Siro to make sure his wishes for Kobb are honored. Do you agree, Rico?"

The moogle frowned at Kajjex before shaking his head. "Let's just hurry so we can get back to work and figure out where the missing Ivalicians are. If we need to handle this extra baggage to do it, then bring them if you want."

"Rico!" Sybil frowned at him. "That's unnecessary."

"I'm going outside," he said, shrugging her off. "Don't keep us waiting too long."

They watched as he left, though it was Mykksa who broke the silence. "What the hell is his problem? It's like he doesn't want any help."

"He's still in mourning," Dusya sighed. "Siro was a moogle, a kinsman, and Rico looked up to him." The pain in her eyes was unmistakable. "Please understand, death on the battlefield is practically unheard of for us; our clans make it a point to avoid jagds, where Judges have no effect. None of us were ready for this."

"Then are you sure you want to come?" Kajjex asked. "You said you had missing people to find. It might not be a good idea to jump into a risky situation."

"At this hour, it might be the best time," Dusya countered. "We need a better lay of the land if we intend to operate in this world. We'd rather not resort to this, but these are our people. And as Sybil said, Kobb is as much a part of the clan we are. It would have been Siro's wish to see him returned safely." She stared into Kajjex's eyes, her old but kind face lined with hope.

A pang of pity welled up in his chest. In both her words and her gaze he could sense her sincerity. He sighed and nodded. "Alright. Then I'll keep an eye on them while we're out, and help them stay out of trouble."

"You can count on him," Preek added confidently, thumping the younger asura's back. "It's a good call on your part, playing nice. I know the night feels spoiled, but you put yourself at risk helping that bird once, and you're the only one who knows where he is. Let's make sure your time and compassion aren't wasted."

Kajjex nodded, grateful for the older asura's counsel. "How should we do this?"

Preeke cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

His brow furrowed a little. "What should we do about the chocobo?"

"Oh, I dunno," Preeke grinned. "That's up to you, boss."

Kajjex stared at him, confused. "What?"

"This is your responsibility, buddy! I told you from the start, I'm just here for the ride! I'd love to help everyone out, but it's not on me to make all the decisions. Besides, you deserve to dictate how things get done after what happened tonight."

Kajjex was split between irritation and fondness for Preeke forcing the him to take charge. Eventually the fondness outweighed his exasperation and he sighed, giving Preeke a wan smile. "Alright then." He looked around to everyone. "Rico and Sybil are going either way. Dusya, would you be willing to stay here while your bangaa buddy recovers?"

"Well, since it's likely this trip will be hell on my knees, I'll gladly sit this one out," she replied. "I may as well heal Deisel's wrist and give him a good talking-to once he's awakened."

"And I'll stick around to make sure he behaves," Raxio offered, folding his arms. "Maybe I can convince him to clean up the mess he made of the tables."

"Fair enough, he deserves to do at least a little housecleaning," Dusya agreed.

"Then I think right now our priority should be to get the chocobo somewhere safe and out of sight," Kajjex continued. "If we leave now and hurry, we can back before the early-risers in Soren Draa and Rata Sum turn up. After that, we'll need to figure out where to keep you guys hidden. The lower levels here might be our best bet, if we can find an empty apartment for the rest of you to take shelter in. That way you can lay low until it's safe to make the trip back to Ulta Metamagicals, or wherever you decide to go next. But as to where you all should lay low, I'll take suggestions."

"The club has some spare rooms with beds," Preeke offered. "We've had them since the last owner considered making this place a brothel. If you don't mind loaning your big guy out to set them up as repayment for assaulting my employees, you can use one of them for your feathered friend – as long as you keep it clean. I may want to use them in the future."

"Thank you," Dusya said, bowing. "I'll ensure Diesel will keep it tidy."

"Myrreah, Tekki, can you also stay here and keep our guests company?" Kajjex asked. "You can help bring them up to speed on how things work in Rata Sum and Tyria, in case they need information. Can't ever have enough of that."

Tekki nodded. "It's the least I can do to make up for my error as well, and it'll give me time to come up with a plan and contact my krewe."

"I'd be glad to stick around," Myrreah said, then gave Tawdd a quick kiss. "Just keep my special guy safe, alright?"

"We will. Mykksa?"

"I'll stick around and help out with the rooms," she said. "I'll also get a little meal set up in case you guys come back hungry."

"And Preeke--"

"I'm coming for the ride," he said, hefting his hammer over his shoulder with a grin.

Ten minutes later the group set out, with Kajjex at the head. Their excursion did not go unnoticed during these early, pre-dawn hours, with a smattering of early-risers active at the top levels of the cube city. Most of them gave the newcomers a curious glance and nothing more, but Kajjex felt uneasy as a few older geniuses eyed the visitors with a more critical gaze. It was enough that he pushed ahead with a little more speed, hoping they wouldn't be stopped to be questioned by an elder researcher. He only breathed a little easier once they had traversed the asura gate into Soren Draa, on the outskirts of the province.

"This magitek is amazing," Sybil said in an awed voice, staring at the asura gate for a few moments. "I imagine these conduits make a great many things easier; trade, logistics, casual travel."

"It's what we're known for," Preeke said with a hint of pride. "Not that other races aren't capable of magic – they can do it just as well, sometimes even better. But the asura are one of the few races in history to build their culture around magic and its investigation, and the only race still alive that does. It's one of our strengths, though Kajjex here is trying to broaden our perspectives," he added.

"How so?

Kajjex gestured to a nearby golem carrying a heavy crate in its arms. "Asura are overdependent on magic. We don't even do manual labor if we can make a golem do it instead. So I studied and developed exercises and fighting techniques for asura to use in close combat."

"Is that what you call it?" Rico muttered.

Kajjex's right ear flicked, but he kept his head cool and voice even. "I do, yeah. I'll admit it's not refined yet, but it's working."

"If you say so," the moogle said skeptically.

"I think it's a fine goal," Sybil said. "As a red mage, I have to study and practice both martial and magical skills. I may not be a master in each, but variety can cover multiple weaknesses quite well. You said you fought a malboro, right? Those nasty beasts can be a handful for an entire clan."

"I had help from a tribe of hylek, but I did land the killing blow," Kajjex said, trying to keep pride out of his voice. "I've also fought a human paravir from your world, if that's a metric you can use."

"Oh please," Rico scoffed. "You really expect us to believe you out-dueled a hume swordmaster? Even Siro had difficulty anytime he had to cross blades with one, and he was the best moogle knight in Jylland."

"I'm not a novice," Kajjex said firmly, caring little for the moogle's tone. "And I didn't say it was an easy fight, either. You want confirmation on that, ask Tekki."

"You don't want to underestimate him," Preeke advised. "The first time I saw him fight, he killed a Risen with a shovel."

Sybil gave him a curious look. "Risen?"

"A reanimated minion of the undead elder dragon, Zhaitan," Tawdd told her.

Sybil brightened. "You've dragons here too? Fascinating! What are they like? Are they common on this plane of existence?"

Kajjex and Preeke traded surprised glances at her eagerness. "There are four or five more of them out there, slumbering," Preeke said. "Around two centuries ago Primordus – the elder dragon of fire – woke up for about a year and destroyed many subterranean civilizations, forcing us to resettled on Tyria's surface. Two years ago, another woke and carved a huge trail of corruption in the lands to the far east of here." He flashed her a calm smile. "I wouldn't suggest vacationing here. Some might say we're in the middle of the end of the world, though I'm a little more optimistic."

"So dragons are the major source of woes in this reality, then?" she asked, clearly unperturbed.

"Technically yes, but not directly," Kajjex replied. "Again, the majority of them are slumbering, waiting for something to wake them. For the most part, it's the minions they corrupt and create that we deal with. Dragon minions can be killed, but they're a little tougher than a flesh-and-blood sentient. Only a handful of people have actually tried to fight an elder dragon directly. Nobody has ever succeeded." They reached the gate to the Funhouse, which Kajjex eyed with disdain before he led the way down the hill towards the river. "But those aren't what you'd call 'local concerns.' On the more mundane scale of things that cause headaches, we have vicious wildlife, krait nests, bandits to the north, the Nightmare Court in the east; and here, we have the Inquest."

"This is their lab, then?" Rico asked, drawing his blade.

"Put it away," Kajjex sighed. "This is one of their labs. They have more of them in Brisbane than they do here; out there, the Peacemakers and Arcane Council can't keep an eye on what they do."

"We should still take a look soon," the moogle grumbled, sheathing his weapon. "Why would this Inquest of yours be interested in kidnapping people from our world?"

"Test subjects, more than likely," Tawdd said. "They don't let morality get in the way of their experiments, everyone and everything is expendable if it's for gaining knowledge – even other asura. Unfortunately, it also means that they get results faster. For some people, that's enough for them to turn a blind eye to their atrocities."

"The more I hear about your world, the less I like," Rico muttered. "All the more reason to get Kobb and get him the hell out of here. What even possessed you people to open a rift between our worlds in the first place?"

Kajjex shrugged. "Ask Tekki." He nodded to Tawdd, who hurried ahead and pulled a disc-shaped device from his satchel, pressing in a diode on its side and tossing it into the river. The moment it touched the water it separated into several parts, a laced web of solid energy spanning between them. He gestured them to follow, hopping onto the hard-light platform and across to the other riverbank. Sybil was next across, though she peered at the platform with obvious wonder. Rico eyed it with mild interest but said nothing, folding his arms as the rest of the group made their way across. Preeke was last, at which point Tawdd snapped his fingers and held his hand out; the disc reformed and flew into his palm.

"We should be on the lookout for Inquest," Preeke cautioned. "Like Kajjex said, one of their labs is right across from here. I'll stay in the bushes and keep watch."

Kajjex nodded. "Fair enough. Sybil, Rico, can you--"

"You're not Dusya and I'm not taking orders from you," Rico said, glaring. "I'm going in to check on Kobb, to make sure you didn't mistreat him."

"I'd be glad to stay, Kajjex," Sybil said, though Kajjex caught the fleeting look towards Rico. The moogle said nothing, shouldering past the asura.

More confused than annoyed, Kajjex shook his head and continued with Tawdd following, making their way up and around the isleberg. As they neared the cave, Kajjex looked south over the lake, seeing no movement on either shore. They rounded the bend to the cave mouth, though the entrance was nearly concealed behind a mess of vines and moss. The light fixtures were doused, but the holographic blossoms at the back of the cave gave off just enough illumination that he could see the chocobo's sleeping form. A dozen or so rabbits were still curled up against him, stirring only when Tawdd lit a torch and brightened the cave interior, though they did not scatter as they neared.

Rico was the first to move towards him, relief painting his features as he approached carefully. "Kobb? It's me, Rico." The chocobo shivered and opened one eye halfway. A few seconds later he was on his feet with a happy, quiet chirrup, leaning in and nuzzling the moogle. "Thank goodness you're alright, we thought we'd lost you. Are you hurt at all?" The bird shook its head. "Good, good... Siro would want me to make sure you were safe," he sighed, pain weaving into his smile. "I... we brought him home after he fell." Kobb warbled sadly, touching his beak against the moogle's pom-pom. "I'm glad you kept out of trouble."

"He's huge," Tawdd said, a notepad and a pen in his hands. "Much bigger than a moa, probably the size of a riding raptor. Do all chocobos get to this size?"

"Sometimes bigger," Rico confirmed. "Only moogles, humes and viera tend to ride them directly, but they can pull carts easily." He checked the steed over. "Kobb looks healthy enough, and chocobos are pretty fast. How did you manage to corner him?"

"When the Inquest tried to capture him they hit him with a tranquilizing dart," Kajjex said, approaching the two. At the sound of his voice, Kobb straightened up and let out a happy cry, leaning in and bunting his head against Kajjex. The asura chuckled and patted his neck. "It wasn't enough to sedate him, but it might have slowed him down when he wandered into the market. The Peacemakers surrounded him and were about to shoot before he could hurt anyone, but my krewe leader and I intervened before they got a chance, and we healed the wound. He's a friendly one, I'm not surprised that he'd make a good riding companion."

He turned to say more, stopping short. It was an unnerving mixture of what seemed like confusion and resentment in Rico's gaze, though he seemed to be trying to hide it. Rico spoke before he could, sizing up the asura. "He's a good boy, yeah. He's only a year old, so sometimes he can be a bit too trusting, but I guess you're alright." The moogle's eyes narrowed. "You... didn't ride him, did you?"

Kajjex hesitated; moogle's suspicious stare wasn't encouraging. There was no doubt telling him about their narrow, bullet-riddled escape would sit poorly with Rico, but he suspected it would be worse to lie. Kajjex rubbed the back of his head, shrugging as he struggled to choose his words. "I... well, I refused at first. But once we saw Inquest on the horizon, he literally tossed me into the saddle. Honestly, riding animals isn't really my thing," he added quickly. "He seems very well-trained, but I think his expertise is the only reason I didn't fall off most of the way. Subterranean race, remember?"

The moogle's brow furrowed fractionally, but he shrugged and took Kobb's reins. "Yeah... riding isn't for everybody, I guess. C'mon Kobb, we'd better get you home before someone in this world tries to eat or dissect you."

They followed Rico out of the cave, taking only a few moments to readjust the mossy vine curtain to conceal it once again. Every few seconds, Kobb would look back at Kajjex with curiosity in his eyes, though Rico didn't seem to notice it. Tawdd seemed to have caught the look, though, nudging Kajjex.

"I think that bird likes you," he muttered with an encouraging smile. "Seems to be paying more attention to you than anyone else, even Rico."

Kajjex frowned. "Yeah, maybe. Best to get him home soon."

They were halfway back to the riverbank when Sybil came creeping towards them, putting a finger to her lips. Though she looked briefly delighted to see Kobb again and reached around to pet his beak, she kept her voice hushed. "Hey Kobb. Good to see you again." She turned to Kajjex. "Quietly now, we may have an issue up ahead."

Deciding it would be faster to follow her and see what was happening Kajjex crouched and made his way down the river. Rico followed while Tawdd took Kobb's reins and kept the bird out of sight. Once they'd rounded the corner and reached the bushes, Kajjex immediately saw the issue – on the other side of the river were a dozen well-armed Inquest, looking as if they had paused their patrol to speak to each other. Among them were a pair of heavy combat golems, both looking through the ruins.

"Just our luck," Preeke sighed quietly. "They came in a minute ago, two patrols from opposite directions. It looks like they're finishing up, though. We should be fine to move out in a bit."

"Any idea why?" Sybil asked.

"I doubt it was planned," Kajjex muttered. "They're probably swapping patrols."

"What's this all of the sudden?" Rico asked. "Do they own these roads?"

"No way," Kajjex snorted. "They do it because they're looking for test subjects, and their night patrols can catch people and animals unaware. They also like accosting other krewes and labs, attempting to steal blueprints or inventions." He turned to the rest of them, looking directly at Rico. "We should discuss our next move while we wait."

"We need to get Kobb back to Ivalice," Rico said. "That should be our priority, it's too dangerous for him to be here."

"I agree, but Dusya told us to return to the club with Kobb first," he reminded him. "We don't have long before sunrise and it'll take us at least two hours to get back to the Brisbane Wildlands, if we want to avoid detection. If we can wait until later this evening you'll have more time to get back to Ivalice, and a whole day to gather info on your missing people." The moogle frowned and Kajjex matched it, folding his arms. "This isn't the time for us to get into this. We both have better things to do than fuss over your own clan leader's orders."

The moogle looked ready to argue, but Sybil cut in with a gentle voice, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Rico, I want to get everyone back safely, same as you; but this is not our world. We need to learn the field if we're going to operate here without the protection of a Judge. Preeke has already agreed to set us up with temporary housing while we look into this. Kobb will be safer sticking with us, for now."

He sighed and nodded, though his reluctance was clear and he seemed to bristle a bit. They waited quietly as the patrols parted; one of them headed to the bridge leading deeper in the jungle, while the other headed back uphill towards the Funhouse. Once they were out of sight, Tawdd took the lead, tossing his hard light platforms back on the waterway. As they hopped back to the other bank one by one, Kajjex glanced up at the sky, noticing a pale light in the east; overhead, a bird to chirped, heralding the coming of a new day.

Rico and Kobb were last to cross. "If discretion wasn't an issue right now, I'd say we jump these patrols and start interrogating them," Rico grumbled as they reached dry land. "One of these vermin has to know something about the kidnapped Ivalicians."

"More than likely," Kajjex agreed. "It'll come down to which lab they're using and which sub-krewe is working on the project. Unfortunately, they keep the location of most of their labs secret, and they aren't limited to asuran territory." He turned to him with a hard look. "In any other situation I'd say have at it, but if I understand right, you'd be risking death without the help of this 'Judge' you mentioned. We have no revival system other than waypoint rejuvenation. We can talk about that once we're ready."

"We'll figure something out," Sybil said quickly, glancing at Rico. "Let's just get back to your city for now, and we'll plan our next move."

They managed to return to Rata Sum just as the foot traffic started, though they were able to hide Rico well enough by having him don a hood and cloak to hide his face and wings; and while Sybil got a few stares in her direction, it was clear they were more out of attraction than curiosity. Nevertheless, they took no chances, taking the shortest route to get back to the club and arriving before the streets and walkways became too thick to comfortably traverse. Upon entering they were met with the sight of a grumpy-looking bangaa moving a few boxes onto a cleared-off table. Nearby, Mykksa was sitting at a table, still wearing her usual barkeeper attire of a skimpy leotard and apron, with a stern-looking nu mou sitting nearby, each holding a drink as they watched.

Dusya was the first to notice them, her frown smoothing into a gentle smile. "Ah, you've come back – and with our wayward clan-mate, I see!" Kobb chirruped and approached, allowing her to stroke his neck as he returned the affection. "You had us worried we'd never see you again. It's good to see that you're safe." She looked to the group. "You have my thanks for looking after Kobb and returning him to us. It would be a sharp blow to our clan if they heard we lost another of our own. We're as much family as we are clan-mates."

"We were happy to help," Kajjex said, thinking it better to shelve his lingering resentment. "How are things here?"

"Miss Mykksa has been very hospitable and very good company while you were gone," she replied. "And we got Deisel to clean up the mess he made while preparing the rooms Raxio showed us. On that note--" She cleared her throat, catching the bangaa's attention. He set the boxes down with a grunt. "He already made amends with your bouncer, and I expect him to do the same for you."

The bangaa groaned but only looked away briefly, offering a bow to Kajjex. "Right... I, er... I'm sorry fer throttlin' ye, little guy. And fer callin' ye a rat." He looked to Preeke. "And for insultin' ye and messin' up yer club."

"Apology accepted," Kajjex said, glancing to Preeke.

"Agreed," Preeke nodded. "Thank you for cleaning the mess."

Rico shook his head with a smirk. "It takes a lot of humbling to get an apology out of a bangaa, but Dusya never fails to get it out of him."

"Or you," she replied sternly. "He's not the only one at fault for what happened tonight. I expect you to offer the same apology, Rico."

The moogle gaped. "What?! But-- but why?!"

"You drew your sword too. I told everyone to scout ahead and wait until I arrived before trying to gain entry, yet you jumped right into the fray with Deisel even though you knew I was coming."

"He had a sword drawn and attacked Deisel!" Rico cried out, pointing at Kajjex.

"Which he did because Deisel assaulted his fellow employee and friend," Dusya countered. "You cannot fault him for trying to protect the people he works with, but there is fault in pressing the attack instead of trying to de-escalate the situation. Sybil told you to stand down, yet you still ignored the orders of my second-in-command."

Rico cast his eyes down. "But... I thought he was responsible for..."

Dusya's face softened fractionally and she sighed. "We all feel that loss, Rico. We'll discuss that later, but you know he isn't responsible, and he went out of his way to help. Acknowledge that, at least."

"I... yeah, I do," he sighed.

She nodded. "Good. Now go on, and be polite!"

The moogle glanced at Kajjex, then let out something between a groan and a growl, folding his arms and turning his eyes away. "Ugh, fine. I'm... sorry for attacking you too."

The asura held back a sigh and shrugged. "It's fine. Just as long as we understand that we're not each other's enemy, and don't need to be."

Preeke clapped his hands together and turned to Dusya. "Well, I'm glad we were able to settle that. We should make time to talk later, but you caught us as we were closing and my employees will need rest. I'll stick around to help as I can with the rooms, in case you need anything."

"Oh no, you've been a wonderful and understanding host, especially in the face of our intrusion," Dusya said, getting to her feet and bowing. "I cannot in good conscience ask you--"

"Nonsense, m'lady – it's an offer," Preeke interjected, bearing a genuine smile. "Your friends heard of the ills of our world while we got Kobb, but I aim to ensure that you can feel safe in my own place of business and home before I retire to bed."

Kajjex nodded. "So if there's anything you need, just let--"

"Me know, as I am the host," Preeke cut in, sharply turning to Kajjex and jabbing a finger in his chest with semi-mock sternness. "You need to get your ass to bed, buddy! You worked long and hard last night with no rest in between. It's only fair that you step away from all this hubbub and take a nice long break."

Kajjex sputtered for a few moments "I--, but-- you said I should take charge--"

"Which you did, but you're a full day without sleep," Preeke cut in again, putting an arm around him and guiding him to the back door. "Don't worry, I aim to turn in as well, once I'm done making sure our guests have settled in."

"But I'm not--"

"Don't worry, Preeke," Mykksa said over his objections, tossing her apron onto a stool, jumping the bar and pushing Kajjex from behind. "I've already clocked out, I'll get him back to his place."

"Hey!" Kajjex objected, but a firm push had him stumbling towards the door.

"No struggling!" Preeke replied with a grin. "I'm the boss in this club, and the boss says go to bed! Get any less than six hours of sleep and I'll keep you off the stage until you do!"

Realizing there was no use struggling, and that Preeke might very well ban him from performing on the stage until he complied, he gave up resisting Mykksa and allowed himself to be nudged him out the door. offering a wan smile and half-hearted wave as Preeke grinned and waved back. "C'mon, Kajjex," Mykksa urged him. "A bit of rest will do you good, trust me on that. You'll burn out, otherwise."

"I'm not tired though. Besides, Professor Bronk gave me today off."

"Then use today off doing anything but work," she suggested, giving him a playful wink. "And let me accompany you."

"Er... accompany me?" he repeated.

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "Preeke told me you needed a second opinion on your golem restoration project, but... I was thinking more about helping you get some rest. Maybe we'll see if I can wear the both of us out."

The back exit opened again and Preeke stepped out, heading in the opposite direction with the five visitors tailing them. Dusya and Sybil seemed engaged in conversation with Preeke; Deisel looked quiet and uncomfortable; Rico brought up the rear, guiding their steed by the reins. Kobb sniffed the air and spotted Kajjex, then hopped eagerly in place and chirruped. Rico tugged the reins sharply. The moogle stared at Kajjex for several long moments, a deep furrow in his brow, then snorted and turned away, pulling Kobb with him.

Kajjex shook his head, then smiled. "You know, I could use some company to get my mind off of things," he sighed. "I've had enough of out-of-towners for now, anyway."