Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The New Caravan ❯ Setting Out ( Chapter 2 )

DISCLAIMER::: all races, themes, places and names

other than the names created by me are

property of the owners of the “Final Fantasy” series.

I do NOT claim ownership of the series. (nor am I a fan of it)

Story characters and plot modifications made by me.

This story is made for MediaManier and does not

in any way make me money. If found any where else it is stolen

 

Crystal Chronicles

The New Caravan

 

Setting Out:::

 

Once the small girl let go of him, So-tto started to walk toward Roland. However, he didn't get too far. Ni-hoo tugged on the back of his tunic. He felt the grip and turned back to look at her. She looked to her right and so did he. The two Clavats were watching them. The boy shouted at them “ Hay don't bother him, get back to work.” The older Selkie gave them a hard look and turned back to the young girl. “<You think that if I go, they will come over here?>” he said. She gave him a nod. “<Well then, your coming with me.>” Though she was only a foot or so shorter than him, he picked her up and carried her piggy-back with him as he walked over to Roland.

 

The old man's voice was raspy, but he managed to speak fast. “Ah! I see you found a new friend” he said looking at the girl on his back. “So, have you made up your mind? I saw her almost knock you down a few minutes ago. I hope that the news is good.”

 

“Good for some I guess” said So-tto. “but I think that choice should be made by the one who needs the help.” he said as he looked up to Ni-hoo's face. She seemed frozen for a moment now that the spot light was set on her. She made a few grunts before the english came out. “Yes” she said with a bright smile. “He goes with me to be... guardian of me. Clavats watch out, for he saves me.” Her broken english was followed with laughter from both Selkie and Clavat. She looked confused but realized that they were joking with her. “The girl has a sense of humor and some spunk left in her, thats good.” said Roland. “I am also over joyed to hear that you will join them. I know it will be hard for Natasha, but she will write often.”

 

The girl started to squirm, trying to get off of So-tto's back. He let go of her and she dropped to the ground. “Why can't Natasha come with caravan?” she Said with a confused look. So-tto began to speak in their native language again. After a few minutes of the gibberish the elder Clavat was starting to get annoyed. But at that moment he saw the girls face blush red as she jumped into the air screaming and clapping with joy. “What did you tell her?” said the old man. So-tto looked at him with an awkward grin. “Well, we already have a child but...” he began but hesitated to go on. “ we are having another one. We are expecting it some time early in the year.” The old mans face started to turn red as well. “You little dog” he said with a laugh. “Now I almost feel bad about sending you out.” “ALMOST?” shouted the Selkie but was ignored by Rolando as he walked to the center of the group.

 

The old man rang a bell getting every one's attention. “Listen up every one, listen. I have some good news to bring.” every one gathered around. Even people who were inside their homes came out to see what the bell was. “As you know, the caravan is expected to leave tomorrow and the three caravaner's are eager to get on their way.”waving a hand to call over So-tto, he continued. “ However, these caravaner's are young, and though they have served us for two years they could still use some guidance out in the world. So, there will be another caravaner to join them this year.” the group of people started to shout and talk among them selfs. Caravaner's never joined so close to departure. It just meant that more food and labor were needed. However, the two Clavats, Rachael and Danny, just rose their eye brows, waiting to see who would be joining them. Roland rang his bell again to get the crowd's attention and spoke. “This caravaner was not just picked off the street, no. He is the son of the black smith, and head of the caravan before. So-tto, please step forward.” As the Selkie moved up to address the crowd, the side-talk of anger and frustration turned to cheers at his name. The only one not cheering was Rachael. Mouth agape in shock, she looked like someone had violated something sacred to her. He looked over to see Danny jumping and clapping as well. “HA HA! Do ya hear that, the old veteran is going to be joining us. Just think of all he could teach us and...” He was brutally cut off as Rachael punched him in the gut, knocking him down. “What the hell Rach, what was that for?” But his question was only answered by blazing eyes.

 

Clearly she was mad about another Selkie joining them. However she put on a happy face and walked up to the blue haired veteran. Ni-ho flinched as she walked close but no one noticed because she was standing behind So-tto. Much to the older Selkie's surprise she smiled and shook his hand. As head of the new caravan, she must have felt the need to give a welcome speech of her own. “As you may know, I am proud of my Clavat heritage.” she began “However I do welcome So-tto into the caravan with open arms. I do feel there is much we can learn from him.” she turned around to face him. But instead of seeing a warm smile, her face showed a look of hate. Keeping her happy tone tough she went on. “A kiss to the cheek is a show of respect to the Clavats, and I will honor you in the same way.” she grabbed him by the collar. But instead of a kiss, he heard the bite of her words in his ear. “Just stay out of our way. We don't need your kind.” With that she returned to the crowd, showing her fake smile once again. “With the new addition, to our caravan, I say we leave tonight.” the whole crowd let out a gasp. “The sooner we can be on the road, then the more time this man has to show us his ways.” she walked back to where she was standing before next do Danny, who was still clutching his gut from the hard hit.

 

Now the town was abuzz with prepping the caravan for one more member. So-tto knew he didn't have much time before they left, so he took the unarmed and under dressed girl back to his home. As he walked in, his wife started to talk. Not paying attention to anything she said, he interrupted her. “Do you have any old furs that might fit her?” Shocked that he was so forward with his own question and not caring about what she said made her puff up. But then she saw the half naked Selkie girl, she understood. “Wheres her cloths, a bra and panties wont protect her if a goblin, or any other monster for that, attacks her.” So-tto spoke to the girl again and she walked into their room and started to undress. “They sold her cloths for money I guess, she doesn't even have a proper weapon to fight with. I am going to grab a few things from my trunk. You just get her dressed.” He turned around but was pulled back my Natasha. She looked him in the eyes with both rage and sympathy. She didn't say anything but turned around and walked into the room with the younger Selkie and slammed the door. So-tto didn't follow for two reasons. One was because he knew she needed time to cool off. He had rejected her and put some one else above his wife. She was sad to let him go back out into the world but knew that he had to. Natasha needed to process her emotions for a while. But the other reason? His room became a changing room. No way he could walk in with out a smack to the face. So-tto laughed at that last thought and turned to the cellar.

***

Light shined through the sealing windows exposing the dust covered room. Boxes of salted meat and fish, kegs of milk water and ale. Flower, rice and other grains held in sacks. Many piles of raw smithing materials were stacked along the wall. However there was one crate that looked out of place. In the room of brown and gray, there was a weathered blue trunk with a large lock on the front. So-tto counted over a number of bricks in the wall until he found what he was looking for. He puled the brick out and in the small hole was a key. Upon unlocking the trunk, 2 years worth of dust sprang out causing the Selkie to cough. Using his hand to fan away the cloud, he reached into the chest and the first thing he pulled out was a large racket.

 

“The Queen's Heel” he said to him self. “never thought I would have to hold you again.” The racket's slim handle was long, and the metals that forged it were said to be mythical. Yet here it was, black metallic glow with the gripping pad wrapped in orange canvas. The handle was an elaborate design but the part that stood out was the Selkie mark that seemed inside of a clear, orange gem. The head of the racket was no less impressive. It was all one piece, the same black, mythic steel with thick, dark animal hide over the the racket's bulbous top. Scorched into the center of the racket's loop, on the animal hide, was the war paint markings of an old Selkie hero. And on the sides of the loop, two large, extravagant orange feathers of a griffin.

 

He put that weapon aside and pulled out another racket. It wasn't as fancy, but it was solid. “I hope Natasha wont mind if I take her Duel Shooter.” This racket was smaller, and thicker than the heel and was made from mithril and gave the weapon a blueish hue. The head was marked with several Selkie marking and the sides of the racket were long, horn-shaped spikes that looped around, never connecting to the main racket head.

 

He pulled out several other items that would be of use to him. A few rings, an undershirt laced with diamonds and a silk belt. It appeared to be made of silk but was actuality made of the same mithril that the Duel Shooter was made from, giving off the same blue glow. Mithril is a flexible substance that can be made into hard materials, or soft, but strong, clothing.

 

After he pulled all of the items out that he and the young Selkie would need, he closed the trunk and locked it. He then put the key back in the hole and placed the brick back over it. Grabbing the items he slowly walked back up the stairs when it hit him. He was actually going out into the world again. Again to fight for his life. From then on, he would have to be on high alert, something that took him months to drop when he first retired.

 

***

So-tto put all of the items on the counter, all save the belt. He noticed that the door to his room was cracked open and he pushed his way on through. He saw Natasha hunched over on the ground, next to the standing young girl. He had walked in just as Natasha was sizing up the skirt. The younger Selkie made a small noise when she saw him, and Natasha looked up as well. “Sneaking a peek are we?” she said jokingly. “I found a skirt for her, but its just a little too big. Maybe you could...” she trailed off as she saw the blue silk belt. “That will work!” she said. She ran over to So-tto and snatched the belt out of his hands. “Your welcome” he said with out a response. The belt was long and easily wrapped around her waist twice before it was tied off. About 2 feet of the belt was left but any more wraps would have been too tight to move freely. Ni-hoo was still under dressed by many respects. Her stomach was left bare with only the thick, woolly bra covering her chest. The limbs were mostly uncovered as well, only two straps of leather per leg went down to her sandals and her arms were only covered by rock hard, tanned leather. Her new skirt was also the same hard leather. However, as exposed as she was, this was custom dressing for Selkies, as they wear little or loose amounts of clothing for freedom of movement. “Wait... one more thing” she said as she ran to the bathroom.

 

“<You're looking like a whole new person. How do you like it?>” said So-tto. “<I love it. I can't thank you enough for them. I promise I wont let those Clavats take these.>” she replied. A loud noise came from the bathroom, as if some one had dropped a pot. That noise was soon followed by the sound of a loud, frustrated scream from Natasha. So-tto looked back “Need a hand? Wouldn't want you to break a nail.” “UP YOUR'S!” yelled Natasha. So-tto continued his conversation. “<What ever happened to your old clothes any way?>” Ni-hoo blushed at that question. She looked away as she answered. “<We were low on funds, and they said an animal like me doesn't need cloths. So they waited until I went to take a bath and then took that they thought I didn't need. I didn't dare showing my face to other caravaner's with so little clothing. But I wont let that happen now. Ill keep a better eye on it.>” So-tto was going to respond with a remark about Selkie honor and pride but was interrupted by Natasha as she came back into the room. “She is a lady after all, she needs to look like one.” She had in her hand a hair band. She put it over Ni-hoo's head pulling all of her hair, other than her bangs, behind her head. Ni-hoo shrieked with joy when she saw her self in the mirror. “<Its beautiful>” she said unable to help posing in front of the mirror. “Congratulations” said So-tto, “you made her a girly-girl.” he spoke with a smirk and Natasha knew he was making fun of her but she didn't care. She made the girl happy and that made her feel good.

 

The three of them walked out of the house again. So-tto was feeling a little hungry so he used his sharp Selkie nails to climb an apple tree. “Do you two ladies want one?” he said with an over amount of classy accent. Natasha was quick to laugh but Ni-hoo wasn't able to understand. So Natasha asked the same question in the old tongue. She laughed and said yes. So-tto grabbed a few apples off the tree and threw them down at the girls. They easily caught them but Natasha yelled at him to be more careful. The man stayed in the tree however and firmly gripped the apple in his hand. How ever much he tried to suppress it, he knew the day would in tears. All he could do for now was avoid it until the caravan was set to leave. He slowly bit into the apple, his large Selkie canines piercing the apples skin and the juice flowed down his chin. He then bit hard into the apple and tore it away. He hoped down from the tree and tried to snap out of his dark mood. “<I have an idea” he said. “<Its been a while sense I walked the village. And I think we are getting out o shape.>” Natasha gave him a soft bonk on the head. “<I hope you aren't implying that I am getting fat.>” she scoffed. “ <Its your fault my tummy is getting bigger.>” So-tto gave the 2 girls a grin. Ni-hoo was also mad that he called her fat. The two began to chase him. “<You'll never catch me at that speed>” he laughed at them. The two girls were also laughing. So-tto jumped up onto a roof and the others chased him. For a while this chase went on until he ran out of energy.

 

The two girls tackled him sending him to the ground. When he looked up however, he noticed they were at the waterfront. The sky was starting to turn orange. “<So I guess its almost time?>” Natasha said sadly. “<We still have time, don't we So-tto?>”Ni-hoo asked. “<Sadly, we don't, we need to head back to the village gate, those Clavats will be waiting, and we know what happened when we make the queen angry.>” he laughed. “<One more night in bed wouldn't have been too much to ask for.>” They started back to the village gate, making small talk as they went.

 

***

 

“It's about time you showed up” said Rachael. “You animals get a few hours alone and you go off into the woods and..” she was cut off by Danny, “Rach , I don't think they would do 'that' in the middle of town, even if they are animals.” She turned her nose up at them “well, I better not catch you doing it on the road. I could never get the smell out. We would have to get a new wagon.” she kept ranting to her self while Roland, followed by the rest of the village, came to the caravan. Roland was the first to speak. “Well, its that time of the year again. If you haven said your good-bye's yet, you may want to get a move on” he chuckled. “and remember, you are always welcome here, myrrh or not. Keep a look out for each other and remember that you all have family to come home to.” With that, the two Selkies tears started to flow. Roland kept talking but his words were unheard by the two. Their embrace lasted a few minutes until there were forced to gasp for air. “Every time I was out there before, I at least had you to back me up, now that you wont be there...” he paused holding back tears. “Without you, this will be a long year. But I will return. Just keep that spot warm for me.” Natasha tried to speak but couldn't. All she could do was pour out her sorrow and cry into his chest. He put his chin over her head and they held this pose for another few minutes. By this time all others had stopped talking and the two Selkies became the focus of the village.

 

Rachael was the first to say something. “I know this must be a tender moment for you” she said sarcastically “but we gotta hit the road to make good time.” the two Selkies treated her as a fly and waved their hands in a 'shooing' motion. She puffed up at the way they treated her. So she just stormed into the caravan's wagon. The two Selkies gave one last kiss and final words of farewell. Roland spoke to the caravaner's one last time. “Another year has passed and the four caravaner's set off. Rachael, age 13. Clavat female, Head of the caravan. Danny age 12, Clavat male. Ni-hoo, age 12, Selkie female. And last, So-tto, age 32, Selkie male. These names will be recorded on stone as saviors of the village. But now it is time to shove off. We wish for your safe return above all else.” With that Danny cracked the reins on the oxen and they took off. So-tto and Ni-hoo sitting in the back, waving to Natasha who was still crying. However she put on a smile and waved back.