“I don’t know. Rebecca threw it at me before she ran off.”
She dumped out the money on the counter, and the weapons master watched her count it.
“We can get them!”
Desmond slapped the owner’s hands away before he could snatch the money. “Lucy, we need to save some for a room at an inn. Rebecca ran off, and we don’t know if she’s even coming back. We’re lucky she gave us this money. We have to make it stretch.”
Lucy looked at him, blinked, then deflated. “You’re right, Desmond. We do. I can go without the claws.”
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I mean, let’s get you the set of plain claws. Shiva can turn them into ice claws as he did my knife.”
He counted out the amount of money they would need for the wooden claws, and slid it across to the weapons’ master. The man nodded, reaching in and pulling out the claws, adjusting them to her hands and sizing them accordingly. She was ecstatic with the purchase, and they still had some money left over to see if there was an inn they could afford.
By the time they found the cheapest, they had traipsed all over the city. They had seen the rich end and the poor end—they had seen the castle in all its majesty. They had both enjoyed it, but they were exhausted from the fast-paced travel. They were at the dingy end on the poorer side of the city, and it didn’t bother them—it was fascinating—but the manager was being unrelenting on the fact they were twenty gil short.
“Please?” Lucy begged. “We can work for you to make up the difference. All we need is a corner to sleep in.”
“Or,” Desmond muttered under his breath, “I could just shock him into letting us with Talal.”
“Desmond,” Lucy said disapprovingly.
“Sorry,” he groused, “I think we should just have Kadar make us an igloo again.”
“That would just be ridiculous,” Lucy murmured. “Then we’d have to worry about monsters.”
“I could summon Valefor.”
“A summoner, you say?” an old man interjected. “Interesting folk to have at this town. Haven’t seen any since the sleeping fog rolled in over everything beyond that wall.”
“The one in front of the city?” Desmond asked. “We’re going over there.”
“Brave young kids.”
“You’re crazy, kids.”
“We’re not crazy,” he snipped. “We’re gathering the spirits of the crystals!”
“Sure thing,” the man drawled, rolling his eyes. “Stupid kids.”
Desmond snapped, pounding his hands on the counter and snarling at the man. He was tired; he strained his magic reserves to the limits and was pooped, and he was hungry, and he’d be damned if this stupid innkeeper was going to keep him from sleeping.
“I swear,” he growled, “you either give us a place to sleep, or I will summon the devil himself and level this piece of shit.”
The man backed off a pace, a look of caution in his eyes. Desmond swept the money back into the pouch and growled again.
“Well?”
The man seemed to decide on something and gestured them farther in. It was nothing more than a cot in the corner of the kitchen, but the cooks were nice enough to give them a bowl of soup and their aprons for blankets. Desmond offered the rest of their money to them, forcing them to take the thirty coins. They accepted reluctantly, splitting the pocket change between the three of them and turning out the lights, and Desmond pulled Lucy close on the tiny cot, falling asleep quickly.
He was waken by the sound of trumpets and the feel of someone pushing his shoulder. He grunted, first, and then snapped, sinking his teeth into the hand that was trying to wake him. He heard a cry of pain and bit down harder when the hand tried to pull away. Lucy was stirring in his arms, and he snarled, looking to see a frightened looking young man in an extravagant outfit.
“What? I was sleeping,” he snarled.
“I-I have come to inform you that the king wishes to see you.”
“Stupid fuc-king,” Desmond murmured. “I’m tired. Leave me alone.”
“Des?” he heard Lucy mumble.
She was always a heavier sleeper. He kissed her ear and murmured for her to go back to sleep. She hummed, not even opening her eyes as she nestled against his chest, her blonde hair sticking out all over the place. He curled his lip when he saw the other person still standing there.
“We’ll give you a better bed. And a large meal when you wake up.”
Desmond growled. “Promise?”
“On the honor of my kingdom, sir.”
He slowly sat up, brushing off the messenger’s hand to help him up as he gathered Lucy in his arms and rose. She stirred, and he shushed her, stumbling along out to a carriage. He blinked wearily.
“Really?” he deadpanned. “Really? I can carry her to the castle and not wake her. She’s going to wake up if I set foot in that thing. I’m going back to be—”
“Good sir, please,” the messenger boy pleaded. “This is my job. I get a promotion if you come with. The thief that informed us said you wouldn’t come with because it was so late.”
Desmond snorted, but climbed awkwardly into the open carriage with Lucy, if just to spite that damn woman for leaving them alone. He watched the castle approach, followed he boy inside to wear he gestured to set Lucy down to sleep. After he set her down, despite the protests of the ladies waiting for her, he climbed in beside her and cuddled close. She sighed, nuzzling against him. He pulled the covers over them. He felt slightly as if he were seven again, climbing out his window after getting yelled at by this father for stealing a survival packet and going over to Lucy’s to spend the night. His father never found it, though.
He woke the next morning to the feel of silken sheets and Lucy stirring in his arms. He could feel her stretching, and his arms tightened around her. She hummed, opening her eyes, then shooting up, and he opened an eye, irritated. He watched as she looked at him, and he couldn’t help but feel slightly aroused at her disoriented, disheveled appearance.
“Where are we?”
“At the castle. King wanted to see us,” he grunted.
She stared at him for a little bit longer before she turned her side and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes fluttered closed, and he hummed.
“Well,” she started, “I suppose that’s okay.”
His hand found its way under her shirt and around her waist, pulling her close again as he pressed his face against her neck, breathing in deep.
“D-Desmond! This is no time to get cuddly!”
He grunted. “I don’t care. They woke me up last night. They can wait.”
“Desmond,” she said, and for once, he wasn’t inclined to listen to the disapproving tone of her voice.
“Desmond,” she said, softer this time, and he found himself meeting her gaze. “Come on, we need to meet the king, if he requested us.”
He frowned, letting her go and burying his face in the pillow. This bed was soft.
“Oh, are you awake?”
They both looked to see a young maid standing there, holding a tray. She smiled brightly and set it down on the bedside table. Desmond was staring at it, amazed by the foods he didn’t recognize. The young maid bowed and left.
“I’ll inform the king.”
Seconds later he was sitting up, pulling the tray onto the bed and smiling at Lucy.
“It looks good.”
“And to think you were intent on sleeping.”
He laughed. “But, you didn’t want to cuddle, so I had to move onto the next best thing.”
Lucy cuffed his ear, and he laughed at the blush she had. He didn’t wait for her to start eating, just tucked in and choked on a laugh as she yelped, grabbing the other fork and battling for food. He was excited—whatever this adventure might bring, he would have his best friend beside him the entire time. He wouldn’t have to deal with his father snipping at him, and he’d get to do what he did best: summon. By the time they were done eating, the maid had returned with a bow.
“The king will see you now.”
Lucy smiled. “Thank you.”
“I suppose we ought to go and see him.”
“In the clothes we’re in now?”
Lucy pursed her lips as Desmond set the tray aside. She shrugged. “I’m not changing out of them. Are you? I thought you really liked that cloak.”
“I suppose. Where did the hat go?”
They blinked at each other before pulling apart the bed, finding the hat smooshed between the blankets. He pulled it on and walked out. The maid was standing by the door, and Desmond smiled at her.
“Okay. We’ll see him.”
The maid nodded, bowing. “Follow me, please.”
It felt a little odd, he noticed, to be following behind a girl who was older than him. He and Lucy were, possibly, the youngest in this castle so far. It surprised him that there weren’t more children. He could identify most of the monks that lined the walls, standing as guards, all of them having come from his little village. He paid them no mind, looking at all the extravagant carpeting and tapestries, the ornately carved tables and urns. The show of wealth was impressive.
The maid stopped at large, wooden door.
“If you’ll wait here for just a moment.”
Desmond nodded, blinking as she spoke to a guard, who went into the room. He could feel the comforting weight of his staff on his back, the hat nice and cool on his head. It was much warmer here by the volcano than back home. It was almost too hot. He adjusted his cloak absentmindedly, liking how it kept him cooler, and looked around the hall.
“Excited? We’re meeting a real king.”
“You would have met him anyway,” Desmond muttered. “You were being sent off in just a matter of days.”
She rolled her eyes. “But still…”
He grinned at her, watching as the doors opened and they were summoned in. “Yeah. I am pretty excited.”
They walked into the hall until they were a few feet away from a few stairs and two large thrones. Desmond’s eyes widened at the sight of the king, fat and overly-dressed in all his riches. When Lucy bowed, he followed suit.
“Are you two the summoner and friend?”
“Yes, your majesty,” Lucy said.
He figured that he should let Lucy do the talking, and he concentrated more on his feet. Eventually, his eyes wandered as they talked, He frowned when he noticed Rebecca standing off to the side, leaning against the wall and watching with several of the guards with a young man who had glasses and a high-collared green robe and a yellow scar tied around his neck. He was wearing grey pants and large brown belt that had a white shirt tucked into it. The boy had red-brown hair and brown eyes. He tilted his head as the kid met his gaze, making a nodding motion toward the king and scowling. He turned back to look at Lucy, who was looking at him impatiently.
“Yeah?”
She sighed, irritated, and he frowned.
“What?”
“Summon Shiva for him.”
“Why?”
“Desmond!” she huffed. “He’s the king.”
He could hear the kid off to the side laughing at him, and he glared at Lucy. “What does it matter if he’s king?”
Lucy groaned, turning to the king and apologizing for one thing or another.
“Look, I don’t get it. Why’s he so important?”
“He’s… the king.”
“So?”
“The king, Desmond, he rules this land.”
“He does?”
By now, all the guards were hardly holding back laughter, and both Rebecca and the kid were laughing.
“Yes, Desmond,” she said, sounding exhausted.
“Don’t give me that voice!” he growled. “You know I haven’t been allowed into any of the lessons you were in. I wasn’t exactly well-loved.”
He snarled in the direction of Rebecca and the boy as Lucy said something to the king.
“Desmond, please summon Shiva.”
He scowled, throwing his hand up in the air and calling out for Shiva. He shivered when a chill ran through his body, and he watched as a blizzard appeared from nowhere. It swirled back around him and vanished, leaving Shiva in his cloak. The god turned and smiled warmly at him, and he smiled as Kadar threw him the cloak with a flourish. He held it delicately, beaming, as silence swept over the hall.
“And Desmond,” the god said, cupping his cheek and leaning in close, one hand on his leg and his butt popped out.
There was more female than male about him. Regardless, the summon smirked.
“Don’t listen to them. The king is an ignorant puppet of his advisors, a tool for war. This goes for any of the kings you’ll see. You’re above them, kiddo. And if you don’t believe me, just wait until you get us all, then you can flatten the world if you like.”
He smiled. “Hi, Shiva.”
The god laughed, kissing his forehead. “Just figured I’d answer your question where others failed.”
“This is the god of the ice crystal?”
Kadar spun around, smiling warmly and bowing, his entire aura mocking. “It’s a pleasure, your highness.”
The king looked upset, and the god turned back to Desmond. “Well, as pleasant as this has been, we must be off. I have to get you to my brother before he decides to close off the cave with lava. There’s not a moment to spare!”
Lucy looked horrified, and Kadar smiled at her, too. “Are you coming, my dear? And that thief girl, where is she? She might like some of the treasure.”
Desmond didn’t fight as Kadar grabbed his hand and pulled him off. He grinned, waving goodbye, and he heard Lucy say a hasty apology and goodbye, followed by the command to have Rebecca and someone else follow. He was pulled from the castle and out of the city, all the way to the base of the volcano, where Shiva stopped, looking up. He could see the god inhaled deeply and bounced slightly.
“Ready, Desmond? It’s been almost a hundred years since I saw him! Come on, off you go!”
Shiva vanished, and he saw Lucy come running up beside him, not even out of breath. “Desmond, did you have to?”
“I don’t think that I could’ve stopped Kadar if I tried.”
“Yeah, well, we have to wait for the other two. That thief girl and the nerdy kid. The boy’s name is Shaun, and, well, Rebecca is here, too.”
“I’m not so sure I want her here. She did just leave us yesterday. And hat boy laughed at me.”
“Well, that’s the hand we’ve been dealt.”
“Why can’t we just shove him into the lava—”
“Desmond,” she growled, and he frowned.
“Just saying. It’s only for this cave, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay,” he said. “But if he dies, it’s not my fault.”
Final Fantasy XXVII-6
“I don’t know. Rebecca threw it at me before she ran off.”
She dumped out the money on the counter, and the weapons master watched her count it.
“We can get them!”
Desmond slapped the owner’s hands away before he could snatch the money. “Lucy, we need to save some for a room at an inn. Rebecca ran off, and we don’t know if she’s even coming back. We’re lucky she gave us this money. We have to make it stretch.”
Lucy looked at him, blinked, then deflated. “You’re right, Desmond. We do. I can go without the claws.”
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I mean, let’s get you the set of plain claws. Shiva can turn them into ice claws as he did my knife.”
He counted out the amount of money they would need for the wooden claws, and slid it across to the weapons’ master. The man nodded, reaching in and pulling out the claws, adjusting them to her hands and sizing them accordingly. She was ecstatic with the purchase, and they still had some money left over to see if there was an inn they could afford.
By the time they found the cheapest, they had traipsed all over the city. They had seen the rich end and the poor end—they had seen the castle in all its majesty. They had both enjoyed it, but they were exhausted from the fast-paced travel. They were at the dingy end on the poorer side of the city, and it didn’t bother them—it was fascinating—but the manager was being unrelenting on the fact they were twenty gil short.
“Please?” Lucy begged. “We can work for you to make up the difference. All we need is a corner to sleep in.”
“Or,” Desmond muttered under his breath, “I could just shock him into letting us with Talal.”
“Desmond,” Lucy said disapprovingly.
“Sorry,” he groused, “I think we should just have Kadar make us an igloo again.”
“That would just be ridiculous,” Lucy murmured. “Then we’d have to worry about monsters.”
“I could summon Valefor.”
“A summoner, you say?” an old man interjected. “Interesting folk to have at this town. Haven’t seen any since the sleeping fog rolled in over everything beyond that wall.”
“The one in front of the city?” Desmond asked. “We’re going over there.”
“Brave young kids.”
“You’re crazy, kids.”
“We’re not crazy,” he snipped. “We’re gathering the spirits of the crystals!”
“Sure thing,” the man drawled, rolling his eyes. “Stupid kids.”
Desmond snapped, pounding his hands on the counter and snarling at the man. He was tired; he strained his magic reserves to the limits and was pooped, and he was hungry, and he’d be damned if this stupid innkeeper was going to keep him from sleeping.
“I swear,” he growled, “you either give us a place to sleep, or I will summon the devil himself and level this piece of shit.”
The man backed off a pace, a look of caution in his eyes. Desmond swept the money back into the pouch and growled again.
“Well?”
The man seemed to decide on something and gestured them farther in. It was nothing more than a cot in the corner of the kitchen, but the cooks were nice enough to give them a bowl of soup and their aprons for blankets. Desmond offered the rest of their money to them, forcing them to take the thirty coins. They accepted reluctantly, splitting the pocket change between the three of them and turning out the lights, and Desmond pulled Lucy close on the tiny cot, falling asleep quickly.
He was waken by the sound of trumpets and the feel of someone pushing his shoulder. He grunted, first, and then snapped, sinking his teeth into the hand that was trying to wake him. He heard a cry of pain and bit down harder when the hand tried to pull away. Lucy was stirring in his arms, and he snarled, looking to see a frightened looking young man in an extravagant outfit.
“What? I was sleeping,” he snarled.
“I-I have come to inform you that the king wishes to see you.”
“Stupid fuc-king,” Desmond murmured. “I’m tired. Leave me alone.”
“Des?” he heard Lucy mumble.
She was always a heavier sleeper. He kissed her ear and murmured for her to go back to sleep. She hummed, not even opening her eyes as she nestled against his chest, her blonde hair sticking out all over the place. He curled his lip when he saw the other person still standing there.
“We’ll give you a better bed. And a large meal when you wake up.”
Desmond growled. “Promise?”
“On the honor of my kingdom, sir.”
He slowly sat up, brushing off the messenger’s hand to help him up as he gathered Lucy in his arms and rose. She stirred, and he shushed her, stumbling along out to a carriage. He blinked wearily.
“Really?” he deadpanned. “Really? I can carry her to the castle and not wake her. She’s going to wake up if I set foot in that thing. I’m going back to be—”
“Good sir, please,” the messenger boy pleaded. “This is my job. I get a promotion if you come with. The thief that informed us said you wouldn’t come with because it was so late.”
Desmond snorted, but climbed awkwardly into the open carriage with Lucy, if just to spite that damn woman for leaving them alone. He watched the castle approach, followed he boy inside to wear he gestured to set Lucy down to sleep. After he set her down, despite the protests of the ladies waiting for her, he climbed in beside her and cuddled close. She sighed, nuzzling against him. He pulled the covers over them. He felt slightly as if he were seven again, climbing out his window after getting yelled at by this father for stealing a survival packet and going over to Lucy’s to spend the night. His father never found it, though.
He woke the next morning to the feel of silken sheets and Lucy stirring in his arms. He could feel her stretching, and his arms tightened around her. She hummed, opening her eyes, then shooting up, and he opened an eye, irritated. He watched as she looked at him, and he couldn’t help but feel slightly aroused at her disoriented, disheveled appearance.
“Where are we?”
“At the castle. King wanted to see us,” he grunted.
She stared at him for a little bit longer before she turned her side and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes fluttered closed, and he hummed.
“Well,” she started, “I suppose that’s okay.”
His hand found its way under her shirt and around her waist, pulling her close again as he pressed his face against her neck, breathing in deep.
“D-Desmond! This is no time to get cuddly!”
He grunted. “I don’t care. They woke me up last night. They can wait.”
“Desmond,” she said, and for once, he wasn’t inclined to listen to the disapproving tone of her voice.
“Desmond,” she said, softer this time, and he found himself meeting her gaze. “Come on, we need to meet the king, if he requested us.”
He frowned, letting her go and burying his face in the pillow. This bed was soft.
“Oh, are you awake?”
They both looked to see a young maid standing there, holding a tray. She smiled brightly and set it down on the bedside table. Desmond was staring at it, amazed by the foods he didn’t recognize. The young maid bowed and left.
“I’ll inform the king.”
Seconds later he was sitting up, pulling the tray onto the bed and smiling at Lucy.
“It looks good.”
“And to think you were intent on sleeping.”
He laughed. “But, you didn’t want to cuddle, so I had to move onto the next best thing.”
Lucy cuffed his ear, and he laughed at the blush she had. He didn’t wait for her to start eating, just tucked in and choked on a laugh as she yelped, grabbing the other fork and battling for food. He was excited—whatever this adventure might bring, he would have his best friend beside him the entire time. He wouldn’t have to deal with his father snipping at him, and he’d get to do what he did best: summon. By the time they were done eating, the maid had returned with a bow.
“The king will see you now.”
Lucy smiled. “Thank you.”
“I suppose we ought to go and see him.”
“In the clothes we’re in now?”
Lucy pursed her lips as Desmond set the tray aside. She shrugged. “I’m not changing out of them. Are you? I thought you really liked that cloak.”
“I suppose. Where did the hat go?”
They blinked at each other before pulling apart the bed, finding the hat smooshed between the blankets. He pulled it on and walked out. The maid was standing by the door, and Desmond smiled at her.
“Okay. We’ll see him.”
The maid nodded, bowing. “Follow me, please.”
It felt a little odd, he noticed, to be following behind a girl who was older than him. He and Lucy were, possibly, the youngest in this castle so far. It surprised him that there weren’t more children. He could identify most of the monks that lined the walls, standing as guards, all of them having come from his little village. He paid them no mind, looking at all the extravagant carpeting and tapestries, the ornately carved tables and urns. The show of wealth was impressive.
The maid stopped at large, wooden door.
“If you’ll wait here for just a moment.”
Desmond nodded, blinking as she spoke to a guard, who went into the room. He could feel the comforting weight of his staff on his back, the hat nice and cool on his head. It was much warmer here by the volcano than back home. It was almost too hot. He adjusted his cloak absentmindedly, liking how it kept him cooler, and looked around the hall.
“Excited? We’re meeting a real king.”
“You would have met him anyway,” Desmond muttered. “You were being sent off in just a matter of days.”
She rolled her eyes. “But still…”
He grinned at her, watching as the doors opened and they were summoned in. “Yeah. I am pretty excited.”
They walked into the hall until they were a few feet away from a few stairs and two large thrones. Desmond’s eyes widened at the sight of the king, fat and overly-dressed in all his riches. When Lucy bowed, he followed suit.
“Are you two the summoner and friend?”
“Yes, your majesty,” Lucy said.
He figured that he should let Lucy do the talking, and he concentrated more on his feet. Eventually, his eyes wandered as they talked, He frowned when he noticed Rebecca standing off to the side, leaning against the wall and watching with several of the guards with a young man who had glasses and a high-collared green robe and a yellow scar tied around his neck. He was wearing grey pants and large brown belt that had a white shirt tucked into it. The boy had red-brown hair and brown eyes. He tilted his head as the kid met his gaze, making a nodding motion toward the king and scowling. He turned back to look at Lucy, who was looking at him impatiently.
“Yeah?”
She sighed, irritated, and he frowned.
“What?”
“Summon Shiva for him.”
“Why?”
“Desmond!” she huffed. “He’s the king.”
He could hear the kid off to the side laughing at him, and he glared at Lucy. “What does it matter if he’s king?”
Lucy groaned, turning to the king and apologizing for one thing or another.
“Look, I don’t get it. Why’s he so important?”
“He’s… the king.”
“So?”
“The king, Desmond, he rules this land.”
“He does?”
By now, all the guards were hardly holding back laughter, and both Rebecca and the kid were laughing.
“Yes, Desmond,” she said, sounding exhausted.
“Don’t give me that voice!” he growled. “You know I haven’t been allowed into any of the lessons you were in. I wasn’t exactly well-loved.”
He snarled in the direction of Rebecca and the boy as Lucy said something to the king.
“Desmond, please summon Shiva.”
He scowled, throwing his hand up in the air and calling out for Shiva. He shivered when a chill ran through his body, and he watched as a blizzard appeared from nowhere. It swirled back around him and vanished, leaving Shiva in his cloak. The god turned and smiled warmly at him, and he smiled as Kadar threw him the cloak with a flourish. He held it delicately, beaming, as silence swept over the hall.
“And Desmond,” the god said, cupping his cheek and leaning in close, one hand on his leg and his butt popped out.
There was more female than male about him. Regardless, the summon smirked.
“Don’t listen to them. The king is an ignorant puppet of his advisors, a tool for war. This goes for any of the kings you’ll see. You’re above them, kiddo. And if you don’t believe me, just wait until you get us all, then you can flatten the world if you like.”
He smiled. “Hi, Shiva.”
The god laughed, kissing his forehead. “Just figured I’d answer your question where others failed.”
“This is the god of the ice crystal?”
Kadar spun around, smiling warmly and bowing, his entire aura mocking. “It’s a pleasure, your highness.”
The king looked upset, and the god turned back to Desmond. “Well, as pleasant as this has been, we must be off. I have to get you to my brother before he decides to close off the cave with lava. There’s not a moment to spare!”
Lucy looked horrified, and Kadar smiled at her, too. “Are you coming, my dear? And that thief girl, where is she? She might like some of the treasure.”
Desmond didn’t fight as Kadar grabbed his hand and pulled him off. He grinned, waving goodbye, and he heard Lucy say a hasty apology and goodbye, followed by the command to have Rebecca and someone else follow. He was pulled from the castle and out of the city, all the way to the base of the volcano, where Shiva stopped, looking up. He could see the god inhaled deeply and bounced slightly.
“Ready, Desmond? It’s been almost a hundred years since I saw him! Come on, off you go!”
Shiva vanished, and he saw Lucy come running up beside him, not even out of breath. “Desmond, did you have to?”
“I don’t think that I could’ve stopped Kadar if I tried.”
“Yeah, well, we have to wait for the other two. That thief girl and the nerdy kid. The boy’s name is Shaun, and, well, Rebecca is here, too.”
“I’m not so sure I want her here. She did just leave us yesterday. And hat boy laughed at me.”
“Well, that’s the hand we’ve been dealt.”
“Why can’t we just shove him into the lava—”
“Desmond,” she growled, and he frowned.
“Just saying. It’s only for this cave, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay,” he said. “But if he dies, it’s not my fault.”
“All right. Play nice. Here they come.”