---

---

The Sky City of Bhujerba was one of the most amazing things to behold and witness with one’s own two eyes. For one thing, it was a sky city and there’s not many of those going around anymore. It’s probably one of the few Sky Cities still around in the world of Ivalice. The city itself is one of the biggest tourist attractions. It holds home to the Sky Parks, as the tourists address it as, but the Hunters and Sky Pirates are the ones who really are attracted to it. The hunters come for the hunts, obviously. As for the Sky Pirates, they come just for the pure pleasure of being in a city in the sky. That’s completely obvious, isn’t it?

For several Sky Pirates, the time of year that it is brings them to Bhujerba because of the annual sale that has pink slips to certain airships. Now, for one in particular, he is not here for that. He is actually in Bhujerba hunting a bounty. Though, Jaakuna Hinoko might just dip into the sale if he has the time. But, as for the bounty he is hunting, the rumor was that the criminal known as B’Darmon, a Bangaa wanted by the Archadian Empire for stealing valuable information, is in Bhujerba. Jaakuna didn’t think he would be here, but he wasn’t just about to exclude the rumor just yet.

Walking through the city, Jaakuna makes his way through the various areas of Bhujerba and he finds himself at the Cloudbourne Tavern. These kinds of places was always the best place to go for rumors and shit like that.

Jaakuna takes a seat at the bar and the barkeep, who is a hume who looks pretty normal. He’s wearing a simple uniform and has blonde hair, short, and red eyes. ”What you’ll have ?”

Jaakuna looks up. ”Just give me some ale on the rocks.” Jaakuna said.

As the bartender gives him exactly that, Jaakuna downed it and asked for another, so the barkeep gave him another.

Jaakuna leans a bit. ”Say, hear any rumors about a Bangaa by the name of B’Darmon? Jaakuna asked.

The entire bar went silent.

”What!? Did I say something to you!!?” Jaakuna said as he turned around staring at everyone.

The barkeep leans towards Jaakuna. ”That name is pretty infamous around these parts.” He whispers to Jaakuna.

Jaakuna sighed and shrugged it off. ”I don’t care. Just tell me if you’ve heard anything.”

The Barkeep just shook his head and said. “Yeah, I’ve heard a few things. He’s a real dangerous fellow. He runs this city’s organized crime.”

Jaakuna looked at the Barkeep and could tell that just talking about it gave him the chills. Jaak kinda felt bad for the guy cause he’s just here to do his job.

“Just tell me where to find him.” Jaakuna demanded.

The Barkeep was very hesitant in doing so, but eventually the Barkeep gave into his demands. “He’s in the Royal City of Rabanastre.” The Barkeep said in a low, almost baritone voice.

Jaakuna thanked him with a smile, pat on the shoulder, and downed his last drink and left the right amount of gil and left Tavern. He proceeded to walk down the Sky City of Bhujerba to get to the Aerodome. He would then proceed to try to get to his airship, but he was being blocked by two Viera, one male, which was odd, and one female.

“Umm, can I help you two?” Jaakuna asked in a rude tone.

---

The Imperial City of Archades has always been bustling with life. From the skycars that drive around the upper-regions of the city, there are several walking paths that one can take should they want to get somewhere by those means. The city itself houses the highest officials of the Archadia Empire. Those included are the Judges who uphold the laws given out by Emperor Vincent Ordull Darcone. While Vincent does indeed put the laws in place, the Judges are the ones who enforce said laws, no matter how unjust they are in the eyes of opposing nations. Others that are within the Archadian Empire’s highest ranks would be the Emperor of the entire thing, Vincent Ordull Darcone. Just below him is his top general, Savayna Glacie, and just below her is her assistant, Michelangelo von Sicarius. These four are the highest ranking officials since Michel is just a few steps away of being head of the Stealth Forces of the Archadian Empire.

Within the main office of Vincent, sits him as his top general, Savayna and her assistant, Michel stand beside him. He looks over the recent reports from the various generals. Among those reports are the ones from Savayna. Reading it, Vincent is quite pleased.

“It would seem that the resistance put up by Dalmascus is withering away sooner than we all expected, your lordship. “ Said Savayna as her cold voice oozed through the rooms walls, but most importantly, the ears of his lordship, Emperor Vincent Ordull Darcone-Archadia.

Vincent nodded at that statement. He got up, and turned to the window behind his chair. With arms locked behind his back, he smiled as he was pleased with the reports he just read.

“And what about the girl of time? How is that search coming along?” Vincent asked as, when he finished speaking, his head turned slightly, looking towards both Savayna and Michel.

“Well, about that..” Savayna nervously scratched her head as her left hand scratched it on the aforementioned side of her hand.

“It’s not going well, your lordship.” Michel spoke.

Savayna turned to him, almost as if angry. “What the fuck, Michel!? I was going to tell him that!”

“You were taking too long.” Michel said stone-faced.

Savayna grunted. “But yes Lord Vincent, the search is not going too well. The rumors are pouring from all over. We don’t know where to send most of the forces. Even still, are we even sure this girl even exists?” Savayna said, asking whether or not the rumors are true or false.

Vincent was angry. Not at the lack of progress, but whether or not the rumor was true. “It’s true.”

“But are you sure?” Savayna said.

"My dear Savayna, are you doubting me?” Vincent said turning around almost smiling.

“Of course not, I was merely--” she was interrupted.

“Trust me, it’s true. I have a good feeling about that.” Vincent said “In any case, send forces to Dalmasca just in case they think they can win. “ Vincent said.

“Yes your lordship.” Savayna said as she and her assistant left the room.

As they left the room, Savayna was pissed beyond all hell. She was just complaining and complaining to Michel about how arrogant her lordship could get. She was cursing and cursing up the yin-yang. Michel just seemed very disinterested in whatever she had to say. Just taking it all in silently. It didn’t take long for Savayna to catch onto the boredom of Michel.

“I’m sorry, am I boring you?” She asked rhetorically.

“Yes.” He said with a stoneface.

“That was rhetorical.” She said angrily.

“I know.” He said with stoneface.

She just stormed off. She was not having a good day and when Savayna is having a bad day, everyone is bound to as well.

Another day, another opportunity. At least, that was how the Empress of Rozarria saw things; even now, she was one step closer to achieving her goal thanks to a very good source of hers. And so, when the Councilmen decided that today was the day that an inheritance matter arose, it was just another way to eliminate the opposition. At the moment, she sat at her desk, listening carefully to the secretary's words as he went on and on about certain dukes and barons and whatnot. He was nearly finished, and after she wrapped up this matter, she would finally get to confirm with her general the whereabouts of the weapon she wanted.

"To summarize it all, Your Eminence, with the execution of Prince Roland Hershel for regicide against His Royal Majesty Emperor Augustus Klein--may he rest in peace--your position is secured over that of Prince Lorenzo Jeremiah and Prince Grant Mashall, until your death, though if his bill comes to pass, then you shall be succeeded by the next female heir, and that would be Lorenzo's child." The secretary spoke carefully, fussing over a rather large, detailed plan in front of him. "However, with Lorenzo's child currently missing, it does provide somewhat of an alarm, Your Grace, but I suppose that would leave Lorenzo as the next to inherit the throne, until you, Your Grace, bear children of your own."

The Councilman named Arcturus nodded in agreement. "Yes, Your Grace, we of the Council grow concerned with your apparent lack of heirs to the throne. You understand that this currently weakens your position?"

Reia nodded, folding her hands on top of her lap. "Of course." She spoke, her voice airy and whimsical, as if they were discussing the weather. "Do recall, however, that my younger brother's marriage to a common woman has greatly reduced him in your eyes. I may have yet to bear a child, but surely no one would stand for a common woman to be the wife of an Emperor?"

Arcturus nodded once more and stroked his gray beard. "Many are uncomfortable with the idea, especially since with your bill, their child would ascend the throne. Pray tell, my dear Empress, what possessed Lorenzo to make that proposal? I understand that he wishes for you to secure your position, but to think of Rozarria having solely Empresses for years to come..."

"It will not pass, of course." She stated matter-of-factly. "And my brother refuses the throne. He simply will not ascend. I do not understand him, but if that is his wish, I will honor it, just as I honored his wish to marry that woman."

"Indeed. I believe we are finished, if anything else arises I will send word. Enjoy your day, Your Grace." Arcturus bowed, and was followed by his secretary as he exited the room.

Reia rubbed her temples and turned in her chair to look at her bookcase. Yes, it was somewhat absurd, but she was sure Lorenzo wanted his daughter to ascend before him. Still, with the timing, it made it look like Reia was the one pushing for it. She could really care less as once she had her own daughter, she would become her heir. She let out a small, irritated sigh, though sat up once the door opened. When she saw it was General Harris, however, she elected to relax a bit, and resumed rubbing her temples. "If anything you are about to say has no good news, I wish not to hear it at this time." She grumbled, very unladylike, but her words were like venom.

Harris bowed to her. "Then you'll be pleased to know that we have found what you've been searching for." He responded.

At this point, she jerked straight, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Should this be a lie, I'll have your head." She whispered.

"Your Majesty will be pleased to know that I have a truth." He responded, retrieving a letter. "Believe it or not, you have Councilman Arcturus to thank. Had I not gone to see about that missing report from your brother, I would never have stumbled onto this information."

She could've kissed him at that point, though she remained calm and beckoned him to come forward. He placed two parchments before her--one a list with many names on it, the other what looked to be a sketch of a person. For the moment she ignored the list and studied the picture before her. It was made some time ago, the edges already used and slightly torn, but she could see a young girl there. She was made to sit straight on a stool, legs crossed, hands neatly folded on her lap, a blank look on her face. She was an adorable young girl, the sketch detailing her brown locks. As she looked closer, she could have sworn she recognized her. Why did this little girl look so familiar?

Then it hit her.

A laugh. That was how she responded. A great, jovial laugh, and she actually stood up as she held up the picture to the light. "The gods do smile upon us, Harris. Truly...it must be fate! This simply cannot be more then a mere coincidence." She smiled, though her eyes flickered with a desperate wanting. "Oh, this girl...do you know of her identity, Harris?"

Harris was a bit confused by his Empress' reaction, but remained steady. He then nodded, motioning towards the second parchment on her desk. "A Huntress residing in Rabanastre fits the description, m'lady."

Reia bit her lip, her brow furrowed. "Dalmasca...with Archades at our doorstep, we cannot send any forces to get it without a revolt happening." She cursed, running an impatient hand through her hair. There was always a goddamned catch.

But as Lady Luck would have it, today was Reia's day afterall. "I have already dispatched a...way to obtain the girl, so to speak." Harris coughed a bit. "It would displease my lady to know so, but I have Vlyn and Aloa already--"

"Say no more." Reia waved her hand at him, taking her seat once more. "So long as you have it taken care of, I could care less of how you do it." She sighed happily, twilring a blonde lock between her fingers. "Although, I will have you send a message to Vlyn and Aloa. Inform them that the girl has one particular trait that stands out. You see, the girl should be in her early twenties now, and while I highly doubt they will have changed, she has one thing that often draws attention. I remember it well."

She rummaged through her desk and brought out a quill and an elaborate inkwell. She dipped the quill and encircled the sketch, and once she was done she set down her quill. She pushed it towards her general, motioning for him to look.

"You see, Harris, this girl has the most lovely violet-hued eyes."

---

Dalmasca was well known for its deserts, and it was no exaggeration when someone described the dry heats of its deserts as anything less then scorching. Still, the Westersand connected the capital of Rabanastre to Nalbina Fortress, and it was a well known trade route. Any hindrances were usually swiftly taken care of by the soldiers, but every once in a while a beast would emerge that they couldn't defeat, and so desperate merchants in need of products would put up posts on the Hunting Board for Hunters to find.

Still, she never thought she'd be hunting what was essentially a giant tomato with legs.

In the Westersand, perched on top of a cliff, a young woman sat underneath the remains of a dried up tree. A blanket was laid out, so as not to get dirty, a bow resting against the trunk of a tree as its owner sharpened the end of her arrows. Despite just getting into the desert, she could feel the heat making her hair and clothes stick to her body, and was eager to get her Mark and be done with it. With a final strike, Emiri Iniko held up the arrow, inspecting it. It wasn't that she couldn't take on the Rogue Tomato, but she wasn't interested in getting all dirty and sweaty for something that could be taken care of in one fell swoop. Sweeping her hair from her face, she wiped her forehead and took her bow in hand, putting on her gloves to protect her hands. Laying on her stomach, she carefully peered over the cliff's edge. There it was, taking shelter in the shade, though it was alert--surely looking for merchants to terrorize.

Shaking her head, she grasped the bow firmly, pulling the arrow back quietly. The string was slightly looser then she would've liked; she made a mental note to tighten it once she got back to Rabanastre. She shifted her body slightly and aimed. Holding her breath, she made herself as steady as possible. Once the arrow was aligned with the monster, she released it. It sang through the air, and in a few seconds it pierced through the Rogue Tomato's head, instantly killing it. Emiri grinned, slightly proud, and began gathering her things. As she stuffed the blanket into her pack, she heard something digging into the sand. She looked over and saw a Cactuar burying itself, likely to rest. She chuckled, but her face fell once she saw the flower on its head. That flower could get her a pretty penny if she sold it to the right place.

She finished packing up, this time drawing out her dagger. Walking very slowly, she approached the Cactuar. It noticed her, and looked at her curiously. So long as they weren't bothered, the creatures were relatively peaceful. She felt a pang of guilt, but the growl of her stomach outweighed it. The hunt would pay for a night at the inn, and this flower would buy her something to eat for the next few days. Emiri made sure she was swift, slicing the very tip of its head. To her surprise, she didn't harm the creature at all, though it did panic and fled. She felt bad bothering the poor thing, but was happy she did not harm it. She picked up the white and violet colored flower, tucking it behind her ear as she sheathed her dagger. She was looking forward to dinner today.

------

"Now, now, we wouldn't be in your way if we didn't have a reason--especially since we have a common denominator, so to speak." The male Viera spoke, one of his ears flickered as he remained rather cheerful. "Be a dear, Aloa, show him. This man is a busy one and has no time to be interrupted."

The female Viera, Aloa, shot a look at her companion. Still, she did as he said, and held out her hand. In the palm sat a tooth much larger then any they or Jaakuna could produce. Clearly it belonged to a Bangaa. "We have cleared up your day. A favor from one person to another, as your kind usually does." She spoke, showing him equal hostility, though she somehow managed to stay pleasant. "As Vlyn says, we have one thing in common, Sky Pirate. You are a bounty hunter, and we wish for you to seek one that we ourselves could not catch."

Vlyn shook his head at Aloa. "Think of it as a favor for a favor. We caught your guy, now you can catch our guy, you understand?"

Aloa glared at him once more. "No, you fool, it is not a favor at all." She corrected him sternly, then turned to Jaakuna. "[b]It is not a favor. It is a hunt, and we wish for you to accept it. We will pay, of course..." At this point, she brought forth a bag of gil, placing it in Jaakuna's arms. It was quite heavy despite its size, bulging somewhat and the gil inside threatened to tear the bag apart. "That is not only the bounty we collected from the bangaa, but it is also a downpayment, so to speak, should you wish to take on this task."

"We can give you ten times that. should you accept." Vlyn winked, nudging him. "What say you, Pirate?"

Jaakuna had mixed reactions when the two Viera said what they had to say. It was definitely interesting to say the least. They were pretty much offering him a big sum of cast to go after some chick. If it wasn’t for the fact that they seemed to have already got B’Darmon, Jaakuna would have just shoved them out of his way, but alas that is not the situation that the sky pirate finds himself in. So, he listens to them. He first listened to what the male one had to say and then the female. He did gather what their names were by what they addressed each other as. The male was called Vlyn and the female Aloa. Pretty weird names, but then again, who ever heard of a male Viera? Jaakuna sure hasn’t.

As he took in all of what they had to say, the two of them seemed to be in slight disagreement. One of them said it was a favor, but the other protested and said it was a hunt. Jaakuna could agree with that, but he didn’t say anything until they were done and they were done when one of them handed him a big bag of gil. It was so full of gil that Jaak could see that the bag itself was about to tear from the amount of gil within the bag. At this point, Jaakuna’s eyes were widened by the amount of gil.

Jaak was gonna respond to the deal itself, but he couldn’t help himself. “OH MY GOD ! A MALE VIERA! HAHAHAHAHA!” Jaakuna had then busted up laughing as he had to drop the bag of gil on the ground. The laughing continued for a good few minutes. It got so bad that Jaakuna was literally crying because he was laughing so hard. It took him a good minute to get it all out of his system. “But seriously, you’re really a wonder to behold. The only male bunny around. You must be so happy!” Jaakuna said just poking fun at Vlyn.

As he picked up the bag of Gil, wiped away some tears of laugter, and stood up straight, Jaakuna spoke. “So, who’s the target you want me to kill? A war criminal? Crime Boss? Corrupt politician? C’mon, I don’t have all day!”

Jaakuna’s initial thought when he was laughing it up about Vlyn being a Male Viera backfired on him as the person in question actually responded to saying that he was indeed happy about being a male Viera and even made a comment about how they are needed to keep the female ones company. Jaakuna, at this point, was losing interest in anything he was saying. However, he was forced to hear what he had to say cause he went on about Jaakuna’s mark. To his surprise, it wasn’t a criminal. It was a girl, probably one around Jaakuna’s age(he’s assuming). It definitely was weird. Jaakuna wasn’t sure why these two would pay handsomely for some girl.

Jaak took notice of the location where she was. He was heading to Rabanastre anyways, so it’s not like Jaakuna would have to go out of his way to go get her. He obviously accepted the mark, cause to be honest, who would really turn down the amount of gil that they are paying him

“Yeah, yeah I accept. Now get the fuck out my way.” Jaak said as he passed right by the two, but he was able to land a very light touch of the female Viera’s ass. “By the way, when you get bored of Mr. Bunnyman here, you should give me a call. Being with me is like being in a teenage dream.” Jaakuna winked and moved right along into ifrit and he would then set a course to Rabanastre. It shouldn’t take him no more than an hour to get there, that’s if he took the slow route. Using the fast route, twenty minutes would be all that would need.

Aloa would never understand Humes, but now it was Vlyn who was laughing once Jaakuna walked away. "Strange fellow, isn't he?" He asked, wiping a tear from his eye. "You've got yourself an admirer!"

She sighed, clearly annoyed, but defeated. She would not forget this. And neither would Vlyn, apparently. "So long as he gets the job done, it matters not. Harris is trusting us to make sure we present the girl to the Empress." She firmly reminded her partner, walking away from him. "Lest you forget your own duties, Vlyn."

The male Viera grinned, though followed his partner. "True, very true. This will be interesting. I guarantee it."

-------

"What do you mean, it's only worth 100 gil?" Emiri asked, clearly shocked.

The merchant before her crossed his arms, giving her a disapproving look. "You heard me, miss, it's not a real flower. You can't fool me--but it's pretty, I'll give you that. 100 gil."

At the moment, Emiri was back in Rabanastre, having gone to the bazaar to sell her prize. The bazaar was always busy, always bustling, and she enjoyed it. After being pointed in the right direction, she had gone to an apothecary, one whom paid generously for any rare ingredients to make medicine. With that she thought she would have a simple time, and even hoped that she could get more then what she bargained. The thing is, this guy was seriously giving her a hard time about it. Emiri's stomach kept growling, making her much more impatient then normal and slightly more irritable.

"That...That is completely absurd!" She protested, waving it around. "It came from a Cactuar, exactly what about it makes it so difficult to believe?!"

The man sighed, though he rummaged through his wares and produced a flower of his own. Emiri recognized it, being a twin of hers, but there was one difference between the two, and she finally understood his hesitance. His cactuar blossom was colored white and pink, unlike hers, which was colored white and a light shade of violet. The two stood in silence as Emiri processed this information, but eventually, she let out an exasperated sigh. Of course he wouldn't accept it, the difference was as clear as night and day.

Regaining her composure, she tried reasoning with him. "I promise you, this is the real thing. Honestly, look at me, what do I have to gain from lying?"

"Because real cactuar blossoms are worth a pretty penny."

Now what? An idea hit her, and she continued, "Cactuar blossoms are also well known for producing excellent medicine. If you made said medicine, that would prove it was the real deal, correct?"

It seemed to have worked, as at this point, he was examining the flower carefully. She waited patiently, praying to the gods that he would take it--her stomach was already protesting, but she managed to ignore it for the time being. She watched him, and the two made eye contact--at that instant, she brought out a sincere, pleading look, batting her eyelashes and trying her best to look as friendly (and desperate) as possible. He let out his own irritated sigh, matching hers, and rummaged through his wares once more. He procured a small bag, no bigger then her hand, and placed it before her.

"Honestly, I won't be able to tell until the medicine is made." He grumbled, clearly displeased at taking such a risk. "I'll believe you, but you have to understand, I can't give you the whole amount upfront. Once my wife makes and tests it, I can give you the rest, alright? The medicine sells for a high price, so I'm believing in you."

It really seemed reasonable, and Emiri was too hungry to argue any further. Just feeling the gil in her hands was satisfactory enough, and she kindly thanked the merchant and told him to find her at The Sandsea. Said place was more a tavern then anything, and while she would've preferred going to a restaurant to eat, the food here was cheaper. She needed to save up money anyway, as she was planning to leave Rabanastre first thing in the morning. The trek to Nalbina wasn't terribly far, but she would need a night's rest and some supplies.

And so it was to The Sandsea she went. Pushing her way through the drunkards, she managed to place herself at the bar and awaited the bartender to approach her. The crowd was mainly soldiers finally being able to take a break at this time, hollering and taking off their heavy armor. She didn't envy them, really, who could wear so much in this heat? She felt hot just looking at them. It was then a familiar face spotted her, and once she finished taking care of the customer in front of her, made a beeline for Emiri. "Well? How did it go?" The woman asked, eager to hear her answer. Her golden locks were wrapped in a messy bun on top of her head, brown eyes wide with anticipation. The bartender, Kiara, was quite the looker, though her hair was what most women looked at. Any girl would kill to have such gorgeous hair, really, and Emiri felt rather dull compared to her.

"Taken care of, of course." Emiri replied, feeling a slight pang of jealousy as she played with a stray lock of her own brown hair.

Luckily, Kiara was either oblivious or chose to ignore the jealous look, as she clasped her hands together in excitement. "Wonderful! As promised, you're more then welcome to the VIP section in the back, I'll close it for tonight to make sure you aren't disturbed. I could always pay for a room at the inn, though, are you sure you'd like to stay here?"

"A favor for a favor. Really, I appreciate it." Emiri responded, a small smile on her face. "Though, for right now, I would love some food."

Kiara grinned, nodding. "Of course! How about you go on ahead to the room, I'll send the food there for your enjoyment."

Finally, she would get to rest. The trek through the desert had her beat, and even so much as looking at the sun made her feel hotter then she already was. She followed Kiara through a door and was lead into paradise. Well, not paradise to most people, but just one look at that couch and Emiri had to resist the urge to jump on it and go straight to sleep. The room was well ventilated, a very pleasant breeze flowing through. It was decorated simply, hosting a mini bar on its own and a few couches where most of the guests would lounge around. A small tub, presumably a jacuzzi, was tucked into the corner, a few products lined up on the edge.

"I'll make sure no one disturbs you--a change of clothes, as you requested is by the bath." Kiara motioned towards a pile of clothes on top of one of the tables. "Make yourself feel at home, I'll send someone to bring you your food."

"Thank you--oh, actually, one more thing." Emiri spoke, quickly taking Kiara's arm before she sped off. "I'm expecting someone will be looking for me, could you send them this way? I'd really appreciate it."

"Of course. Enjoy."

Emiri made a beeline for the tub, dumping most of the bath products in the water. She peeled off the blouse that stuck to her skin, doing the same with her pants and undergarments. She had sand everywhere, her skin was already breaking out is rashes, and she saw that her skin had darkened already. After procuring her hair on top of her head, she got into the water, though nearly jumped out. It was absolutely freezing! Still, the mixture of hot and cold felt good on her skin, and she sighed in relief as she scrubbed herself down. Now she could tell the difference between being dirty and having a genuine tan, and to be free from the sand was nothing more then bliss.

Shortly after parting from the skyport of the Sky City, Bhujerba, Jaakuna was aboard his large and rather fancy ship that he calls Ifrit. Blasting the thrusters at full speed, he finds himself flying through the clouds and into the open, blue air that is the sky. So vibrant the colors of the sky are, Jaakuna just takes it all in. He might indeed be a dick and an asshole, but when he’s up in the sky, he feels just as emotional as a pussy. His calmness is at an all-time high when he’s up in his ship, Ifrit.

Just getting lost in the sight of the sky, Jaakuna himself didn’t even realize that he was veering off-course. He had almost missed the Dalmasca Westersand, but it’s a good thing that he made the sharp left that he needed to get over it. Compared to the lush blue-green seas that he was just over, the desert of the Dalmasca Westersand was pretty dull. It’s a good thing that Jaakuna is a mere ten minutes away from where he really needs to go and that’s the Royal City of Rabanastre.

Jaakuna had to slow down the speed of his Ifrit to be able to park into the Areodome of Rabanastre. As the ship came to a stop, Jaakuna first went to his chambers in his ship to get his weapons which included two Blood Swords, and his Iga Blade. His two Blood Swords share opposite residence of Jaakuna’s hips and his Iga Blade finds its home on Jaakuna’s back. Then, he went to the centerpiece of his ship to which he ‘beamed’ down to the bridge to which would lead him directly to the Aerodome entrance. As he came through it, he just looked around and he just shook his head. He never liked coming to this city. He found it a bit dull at times and too crowded. He prefers Bhujerba in that sense. Jaakuna just shrugged at the bothersome of Rabanastre, and continued to exit the Aerodome.

Coming out of the entrance of the Aerodome, Jaakuna proceeded to go through the gates that would take him into the actual city. The city itself was thriving with life. People of all walks of life roaming the area that Jaakuna was in. They ranged from street orphans, soldiers, and just about anyone and everyone that one could imagine. Jaakuna’s attention took to the marketplace as that’s where the very popular tavern, The Sandsea is located. Jakauna has always found comfort that if he needs to get information of any kind, the local tavern or pub is the place to go to. Thankfully for him, The Sandsea is the Tavern in which he goes to frequently.

Going through the pathways of Rabanastre, Jaakuna winds up in front of the Sandsea Tavern. He enters as he opens the door. Inside it was exactly how Jaakuna remembered when he was last in Rabanastre a few months ago. Tables are full with Sky Pirates, Hunters, and Bounty Hunters. The bar itself has one seat left open, and Jaakuna takes it. As he sits his pretty little bum down, the bartender approaches him with a friendly smile. Instantly, Jaakuna took notice of her for her golden blonde hair. It was of a similar shade of Jaakuna’s own, but she had brown eyes. Totally not like Jaakuna’s own.

“What’ll be sweetheart?” The bartender asked him, leaning against the countertop of the bar, wiping down away dirt and liquid from earlier.

Jaakuna looked to the bartender. “Well, how about a name?” Jaakuna said, smirking.

The bartender laughed. “The name is Kiera. And yourself honey?” Kiera said in a sassing manner.

Jaakuna laughed. “You can call me Jaakuna.” He said proudly as he pounded his chest with one hand curled up in a ball.

Kiera was intrigued. “Jaakuna is a fine name. What would it be, Jaakuna?”

“Club Soda is fine for now. “ Jaakuna said.

Kiera nodded and she put together Jaakuna’s Club Soda. “We don’t get many people here that order Club Soda. You’re an unique one for sure.” She said laughing it up a bit.

She placed Jaakuna’s soda in front of him. He took a few sips of it and started to address the real reason why he was here.

“So, Kiera..”

“Yes dear?”

“I’m looking for someone. Seeing as how you seem to be informed of shit that goes down in this town, maybe I can pick your brain for some?” Jaakuna said as he took another sip of his drink.

Kiera smiled. “Okay, who are you looking for?” She asked as she started wiping down the countertop.

“I’m looking for a girl. She’s a hunter and she usually drifts from place-to-place. You know, never stays in one place for very long.” Jaakuna said as he again took another sip of his drink. “Know of anyone like that? Jaakna asked.

Kiera thought about it and there was only one person that could fit that bill. “Oh, you must be looking for Emiri. Yeah, I know her. She did say that she was waiting for someone. You must be that very person. “ She said. “She didn’t’ say that she was expecting a cutie pie.” Kiera said flirtatiously.

Jaakuna was tempted to make a play on Kiera, but he had much more important things to worry about. Flirting with the hot bartender could always happen later on. It’s not like Jaakuna wouldn’t have to do so after he collected the rest of his gil from turning in this hefty bounty. “You just saved me a lot of trouble. So, where is she?” Jaakuna asked.

Kiera smiled a bit. “She’s here in the Tavern. She’s up in the VIP section. I’ll go get her for you.” Kiera said,

Kiera was offering to go get Emiri for Jaakuna but Jaakuna waved his hand against it. “No that’s quite alright. I’ll surprise her. I’m sure she’ll be just delighted to see me.” Jaakuna said downing the rest of his Club Soda.

Following the direction of Kiera, Jaakuna went to the back where the VIP section was. He was looking for the room that Kiera had told him that this Emiri was in and when he found it, he heard sounds. Based on the sounds that he heard, it was most likely that she was taking a shower. Even better, Jaakuna twisted the doornob and it was unlocked. So, he opened it, walked into the room. He looked around the room to get an idea of what she was like even if she was just renting the room. The room itself was pretty generic as it had the norm for Rabanastre fashion. Walls colored white with tints of sepia and furniture had a leather look to it. The feel of the couch was definitely false leather. There wasn’t much, but he did see that she had some weapons. “She’s definitely a hunter.” Jaakuna said.

Jaakuna made his way over to her bathroom and as he lightly touched the doornob, it was locked. So, instead of going inside, Jaakuna knocked on it. “Emiri? You in there?”

The water had lost its frosty touch, but at this point Emiri was just savoring the feeling. Just the thought of having to go out into the heat was unbearable. Perhaps she would sleep in the tub instead? Then again, that particular activity often ended in drowning, and she was slightly more concerned about getting her hair wet then she was actually dying. She let out a low hum, glad to have the feeling of smooth skin rather then one of dirt and sand. She really needed that bath.

Alas, salvation came in the form of a knock on the door.

She was caught off guard, lightly splashing as she listened carefully. As she heard a voice on the other side, she let out a breath of relief. She had forgotten about her food, and was eager to eat now. "I'll be right out." She called, exiting the tub. She made quick work of drying herself off, humming all the while. Never again would she underestimate the power of a bath. She made a mental note to ask Kiera on the liquids used as she slipped into her undergarments. She picked up what she thought was a long blouse, but as she held it up, she saw it was a dress. It was quite nice, actually, girly and laced up, it reminded her of the ones she had seen while passing the stores. She slipped it over her head, and as she yanked a brush through her hair, tied it up into her usual ponytail with her clover hairpiece.

She noticed she had left her boots outside--ah, well, the floor was clean, she could put them on later anyway. Humming once more, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. She was somewhat surprised to be confronted with the image of a young man. Not that she wasn't expecting it, but she didn't think he'd still be standing right there. He was taller then she was, a handsome face with green eyes and blonde hair. Still, the way he was dressed was odd, she didn't think the waiters had a uniform like that. Upon closer inspection, her eyes spotted his blades.They definitely didn't have those. Was he an assailant? She cursed herself for not bringing her dagger with her...But wait, why did Kiera just let him walk in? She was entirely confused.

Emiri suddenly felt very nervous, her hands gripping the hem of her dress. "Um." Was the only thing she could think to say. Who was he?

When Jaakuna had asked for Emiri by knocking on her bathroom door, obviously that was a creepy act on its own merits. She took a good minute or so to get out of her bathroom, but when she did, Jaakuna was taken by her beauty. Okay, made not as mushy as that, but shit! He was taken by her sexiness. She had the right amount of curves to go with her very short stature. Jaakuna couldn’t believe that such a woman could be a wanted criminal.

Looking at her as she just uttered a simple um, Jaakuna smiled. He looked at her, eyed her from top to bottom and back to the top. He was impressed by what she has. Her natural beauty was breathtaking. “Um is right baby.” Jaakuna said expressing a flirtatious tone and look. He stood right in front of her, facing her direction. “You really weren’t a had woman to find, you know that right? Like serious babe, for someone who likes to move around, you sure don’t make it hard. I mean seriously? What if a creeper were to want to find you? I think you would definitely be in some deep shit. Thankfully I’m here. You can rest easy.” Jaakuna going on and on and all the while he was, he was just kind of pacing around just acting so smug.

'Babe'? Emiri blinked in confusion, though listened to him carefully. Apparently, from what she surmised, he had been looking for her. He was well-informed about her going from place to place, and once again cursed herself for deciding to stay the night--she should've simply gone by airship and rested in the cabins. And as much as he assured her that she could 'rest easy', she was anything but. As he paced, she slowly--very slowly--inched her way towards her belongings. While she knew she needed to leave immediately, what she really wanted to know was what he really wanted. She didn't like his tone at all, but at the moment, she was unarmed and at his mercy, so to speak.

"And to whom do I owe the pleasure of being able to 'rest easy'?" Emiri lifted an eyebrow, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. She'd entertain him for the moment, though remained somewhat tense. She knew she should've just left, but noooo, the Dalmascan sun was simply unbearable and she needed to escape from it. Well, look at where it's gotten you now!

He was so caught up in what he was saying, Jaakuna didn’t even think that this girl wanted to speak, and that she did. It wasn’t much, but she was requesting a name. It would be rude of Jaakuna to not introduce himself to the wonderful Emiri. Actually, it would be a darn shame if he didn’t introduce himself. Like seriously, she heard him go on and on about how lucky she should be that there wasn’t a creeper in her room at this very moment. So, yes of course Jaakuna can give her a name, but not in the traditional means.

“Baby, you must know who I am? You must have heard of the Explosive Pirate of the Sky right?” Jaakuna said waiting for a response, but impatience took over. It was only ten seconds and she didn’t respond. “Guess not huh. Well okay then, if you must know, I am Jaakuna Hinoko. Some refer to be as Mr. Sexyman. You can refer to me as the latter if you wish. I won’t hold it against you, even though that might be fun.” Jaakuna was joking of course..well only partially.

Perhaps this might go without a fight. Jaakuna doesn’t want to fight a girl, especially one as sexy as the one in front of him. He only has to bring her back to Bhujerba. It’s not like he’s handing her over to the devil. Then again, Jaakuna didn’t know who those two Viera worked for. He should have asked, but whatever, Jaakuna isn’t going to fret over that right now. He has more important things to worry about, like Emiri here that is in front of him.

Truth be told, she did remember a pair of seawenches speaking about such a Sky Pirate, named both for his magicks and his rather unique airship, so to speak. However, she hadn't heard a name attached to the title. She guessed he was quite impatient, because he introduced himself without her input. At the very least, should she be slain, she had a name and a face to curse for all eternity. By the way he spoke, there was little he was serious about, and Emiri simply stared as he spoke. Surely he enjoyed the sound of his own voice. More importantly, she needed to now know why he was here.

She had edged ever closer to her equipment. If she made a dash for it, she could at the very least grab her sword, but she prayed it would not be needed. Still, she nodded, acknowledging his introduction. "A pleasure." She responded, while the situation certainly wasn't a pleasure (nor was his rather...pushy offer) she merely said as much for the sake of formalities. She then cleared her throat, ignoring the innuendo, and continued, "Alright, Jaakuna. As you've mentioned, you've found me. The question is, what exactly is it that you want?" She spoke slowly, still on edge. "I highly doubt your visit is one of leisure, really." As she said this, her eyes flickered to his weapons.

“Yes it is a pleasure indeed; especially for my eyes. “Jaakuna said still eyeing Emiri. He didn’t know why she was scooting over more. It did seem odd, but then he finally caught on, but he can’t believe that it took him this long to actually notice what exactly she was doing.

Jaakuna looked over to where her eyes were glancing and it was where her weapons were at. Jaakuna had to admire her for her balls. She was a true warrior. Being able to keep someone who you find threatening and by keeping the conversation alive, one would be looking for an opportunity to get your weapons in your hand. Definitely brilliant on her part, but Jaakuna wasn’t THAT stupid. Surely that Emiri didn’t think that? Maybe she did. Jaakuna does have a tendency to act a bit thick-headed and not always the smartest guy out there.

Jaakuna paced a little to her, and spoke. “Oh, you want to know what I’m doing here, don’t you? I’m here to kill you.” Jaakuna’s face was completely still. An emotion of seriousness was being expressed. The silence of one minute was probably the scariest thing one would feel. Jaakuna was just so serious-looking. After a minute, he laughed like there was no tomorrow. “JUUUUUST KIIDDING!” He said quite loud. “Some people hired me to bring you to them and well here I am.” He said smiling like a big idiot.

An assailant after all--or rather, a kidnapper who had come to steal her away. Either way, Emiri was on full attack mode, so to speak. Still, he wasn't as much of a fool as she had initially garnered. He hadn't attacked yet, seemingly he either didn't feel the need or thought her below him. Still, as he advanced towards her, she rather quickly advanced back, already hitting a nearby table in her haste. Her heart nearly stopped as he mentioned he would kill her, though his attitude afterward served only to anger her. Still, she couldn't lose her temper quite yet; her sword was still a ways. As was whoever was supposed to deliver that food.

Surely, once someone came in, they'd get help. She'd yell or try to flee or something, all she had to do was wait for whoever it was to come. "Truly, you don't think I will simply go along, do you?" Emiri asked, "Think of your position at the moment. One scream for help and you'll be seen. Even if you somehow managed to overpower me, do you think no one would notice my disappearance?" She asked, trying to buy time. "For a Sky Pirate, you aren't too bright, are you?"

The situation that Jaakuna has found himself in was one that he both liked and disliked. He liked it cause he actually saw some fight within the bold Violet eyes of Emiri, but he knew that with her finally knowing why he was here to get her that shit would be complicated. So, he would have to act cautiously. However, Jaakuna was one to not act in such a way. He’s always had been rash and impatient, as seen from his earlier decisions. Still, what Emiri had to say prompted him to just be a little wary of what he does.

What she said about him not being the brightest sky pirate. That was actually a funny remark because Jaakuna never considered himself to be bright, not that bright at least. She was definitely making a lot of assumptions. Then again, it’s warranted based on what Jaakuna has done. Added to that, she also questioned him on whether or not Jaak too it into account that no one would know of her disappearance. He laughed at that.

“Oh my god, aren’t you cute? What makes you think you’ll even have enough time to scream. By the time you open that sexy little mouth of yours, you’ll be flat on your ass before you can say the word kidnapper." Jaakuna smiled at the notion that Emiri thought that her coming with him was her choice. “Listen here woman, I’m being paid a lot to return you to the country you left. To them, you’re a traitor. So, save both of us a lot of time and effort and come with me quietly.”

Someone had hired him. But who? Her father? Her aunt? This bit of information was one she highly doubted she would be able to extract from him, and quite frankly she did not want to find out. And apparently, she was a traitor. That certainly sounded like a term her father would use, but why now after all these years? Emiri quickly erased most of those thoughts. The past was not something she needed to think about, not in her current situation. At the very least, she now knew why he was after her. If only she still had access to her family funds, she could've maybe bribed him to look the other way, but it was too late now.

She didn't have a choice. She had to act.

At this point Emiri shook her head at him, though it was more to clear her own nerves. "I do not know what you've been told, but one thing I can assure you is that I'm no traitor." She spoke briskly, and by now, her sword was within her reach--though surely he too would have noticed by now. "Believe it or not, I wish not to inconvenience you. In fact, I do wish you'd simply turn the other cheek--you know not what you're getting yourself involved in. Rest assured, should you hand me over to whoever it is that hired you, you will regret it."

Whether or not she was telling the truth about Jaakuna not knowing what he was getting himself into, he didn’t care. He was getting paid for a hefty amount of money. Even though Jaakuna was preparing to kidnap her, something she said hit him a little close to whatever the fuck he calls home. Regardless, unless she was willing bust out the big bucks, there was no way Jaakuna would be willing to look the other way.

“Listen doll-face, I don’t know what happened to make you like this, but whoever you’re running away from has paid me a hefty sum to get you. Now, if you think you can top that, then I would be willing to let you go.” Jaakuna said as he drew his Iga Blade. He held it with two hands as he took a left leg first-knee-bent stance with his right leg back to add a propelling motion should he need it. “Now you can come quietly and make it easier or we can do it the hard way. Believe me, I much rather it be the former.”

There was nothing more to be said. Why couldn't he just understand? As he drew his blade, Emiri knew she simply wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. "Don't you see? They're just using you!" She said, a more pleading tone in her voice as she backed away. Her eyes darted to her sword--would she be able to reach it? This time the back of her leg hit the couch, and she put one hand on it. No matter what happened, she couldn't go back. She would not be used, not again. Unfortunately, she also didn't quite have the funds to top whatever offer they gave him--her mind briefly remembering the merchant--and she shook her head again. What now? Go for her sword? Make a break to the door? Her sword wasn't far, but she had just enough room to slip by him. Maybe she could yell for Kiara. Where was that damn delivery person?

Her hand almost went for her sword, but she hesitated. She wasn't in any condition to fight--she was still exhausted from her earlier hunt and the trek from the Westersand. There was no way she could possibly outfight him. That sword was something as well; she could tell it had been used a lot. Great, not only was he stronger, he was probably more experienced, too. Fighting simply wasn't an option.

No, she would have to use it.

Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Slowly, time shifted, and then came to an immediate halt. Jaakuna was frozen in front of her, as were the people outside. Seizing her chance, she forced her feet into her boots and grabbed her bag (making sure her weapons were secure). She slipped carefully by Jaakuna, making sure not to touch him, and made a break for it. She opened the door and made to run out, but ended up crashing into the guy delivering her food. Time resumed for her, and at this point, it was too late to freeze it again, She pushed him aside and ran through the bar, making her exit. She shoved through the people, ducking to the first stairs into Lowtown.

Now what? Jaakuna was surely hot on her heels at this point, and now she was out in the open, so she couldn't use her power again. As she leapt over the last few stairs, she spotted a warehouse. The Garamsythe Waterway--she could use it to get back into the desert, then flee. Once again dodging people, she practically tore the door entering it, though her foot slipped and she ended up going headfirst down the stairs.

Jaakuna was prepared to fight. His sword was out, held in two-handed grip and he had a stance. He would be ready for whatever Emiri would throw at him, be it on a metaphorical sense or even literally throw something at him, he would be ready for anything. Jaakuna held his stance for a few seconds and then suddenly she was gone. He didn’t know how. Like, seriously how would she be able to get away without passing him. Jaakuna really wasn’t sure how it happened, but when he realized she wasn’t in the room, he looked around and noticed that her weapons were gone too.

Smart girl. Jaakuna heard a slight commotion from outside the room. He was positive that Emiri was the cause of it, so as he opened up the door in a fast motion, someone was hit smack daddy right on the nose, knocking them out in the process. "Dumbass. Shouldn’t have been near the door.” Jaakuna just shrugged at the fact that the guy was knocked out. It would seem that, based on the food on the floor that this was supposed to be Emiri’s dinner. Of course, plans changed. Jaakuna looked at the food and it looked mighty tasty. It looked like seared cockatrice breast meat with some tomato salsa. It’s a shame it got wasted like that.

Jaakuna ran past the food, and down the hallway, sword on his back as a sword in his hand would alarm the people within the tavern. He ran down the stairs, and onto the ground floor of the tavern. He would then see a few people were pushed down already. Jaakuna just ran past by everyone. Kierra was going to say something, but before she could even get a word in, Jaakuna was already out the door. Now he found himself looking left and right and up and back to the left and right directions. He had to think about what route she could have went. The smart thing for her to do would be to go to the Lowtown. At least, that’s where Jaakuna would go if he was in her shoes. However, Jaakuna was having a little trouble where the nearest entrance to Lowtown was. It took a little searching, but he eventually found the entrance.

As he entered Lowtown, Jaakuna caught a glimpse of Emiri running for her life. He went as fast as he could as he drew his two Blood Swords while he was running. He saw that she was heading towards Garamsythe Waterway. Jaakuna tried to catch up to her, but people in Lowtown were getting in his way. Jaakuna was pushing them out of his way, but he did lose about four minutes of time cause of the amount of people. He would eventually then find his way through the people, but only to be stopped right in front of the entrance to the Garamsythe Waterway by an unlikely person that he never thought he would ever see.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Jaakuna asked angrily. “Tell me, Savayna!” Jaakuna yelled.

She smiled. “Just as hot-tempered as ever, Lord Darc--” She was interrupted

“I told you never to call me that. EVER!” Jaakuna roared.

As he went after her with both blood swords, swinging in several directions. Savayna merely dodged all the slashes by either moving out of the way or with her sword and shield. She just loved the way Jaakuna would get angry. She knew how to push his buttons as she should know how to. How is that? Well, she is Jaakuna’s ex-wife. Definitely makes things interesting between the two of them and also, she knows how to get under his skin. As she takes her time to get Jaakuna all riled up, she goes in for her own slash after parrying his slashes and catching him off guard. Her slash was coated with ice magic. The slash, even if it were to miss the slice would extend with Ice Magic. It did miss, and ice magic followed with a cold chill of the blizzard and the full force of it, as well. Jaakuna was knocked back by it, and he actually fell on his back, but he still had his swords in hands.

“Damn it, you stupid bitch! Get the fuck out of my way!” Jaakuna got back up quick as he kipped up.

“Jaakuna, my dear ex-husband, your brother requests your company. Won’t you do his lordship the honor of a family reunion?” She acted with a very clear tone of mocking and slight sarcasm.

“You tell his lordship that he can kiss my shiny, white ass. There’s no way I will see him after what he did to me!” Jaakuna said as he pretty much told Savayna to so fuck off.

“I don’t know why I waste my time.” she sighed.

“Then don’t. Just stay still so I can kick your icy ass.” Jaakuna said as he put his swords away quick.

Jaakuna embraces the mist, letting it overflow to a point where the magical essences covered his hands. Pulling them together, he unleashed a wave of mist-based fire magic. “Sea Of Flames!” As he said that, a massive, singular wave-like beam of fire went towards the Ice Bitch. She widened her eyes, and just got out of the way in time, but Jaakuna wasn’t done there. He Kept it going as he ran towards her, then he jumped pointing his arms downward and propelling himself through the entrance and down the stairs and he landed on Emiri, which hurt pretty badly.

“Fuck!” He said as rubbed his head.

His idea of getting Savayna to back the fuck off backfired. He pretty much fucked up Lowtown as a good part of it was destroyed and in the process of going through the entrance of Garamsythe Waterway, he caused the ground to cave in to the entrance. So pretty much anyone who wanted to get to there from Lowtown couldn’t.

Meanwhile, Savayna was smiling — she was mad as all hell — but she was smiling. “Find out where this entrance leads to and get me that bastard. AND FIND OUT WHY HE WAS HERE IN RABANASTRE! NOW!” Savayna said as she ordered the five Archadian Soldiers to go find out information. She was intrigued and pissed. That was not a very good combo for her.

Emiri tumbled all the way down, landing rather ungracefully. She didn't break anything, thank the gods, though her foot was in some pain. It was her own fault; she didn't put on her boots properly, and with her haste, it was bound to happen. For the moment, she felt she was in the clear, and made sure her footwear was properly secured. She was running around in Kierra's dress rather than her usual wear. Still, she didn't have much choice in the matter. As she looked around, a rumbling from above caught her attention. What in the world was that? An explosion? As the girl turned toward the entrance, she considered something for a moment. Perhaps she could use the commotion to go to the Aerodome, then she could get on a ship and far away from Jaakuna. She nodded, though when she stepped forward, she saw something coming her way.

She should've dodged it.

Jaakuna crashed into her, sending her to the gound once more, though they rolled apart from one another. As she heard him curse, she rubbed her own head, slightly dazed from the collision. Once her head cleared, however, she immediately sprang up, but as she turned to run a sharp pain ran through her foot. She yelped, meeting the ground yet again, clutching her foot in pain, though this time another source of pain came from her arm. Great, now she was in bad shape She bit her lip slightly, though forced herself to get up once more, gingerly avoiding stepping on her bad foot. She looked to the entrance, and to her horror, it had caved in.

He blocked the damn entrance!

"Are you mad?!" She reprimanded him, holding her arm as she ran (more like limped) away. "Honestly, you could have gotten someone killed!"

As to why she felt the need to scold him as she ran, she had no idea.