catspaw

Hi there. Well, this little dearie is one of my first fanfics - actually, the first one, if you take into account the fact that the real first one was rewritten. And it was the first to be completed. Done in 1997, man! Still, I stand by it as being Not Too Bad. Not too much to say, hope you enjoy. I'd love feedback! If you don't like Setzer, you'll not like this story, by the way. It's all him.
This fic is dedicated to the memory of my cat Cleobelle, whom the character of Nautilus was based off of. She died September 7th, 2000. I love you, Bella.

"Catspaw"
By Amanda Swiftgold

Chapter One - And the Stage is Set
In which they all get drunk

The sun rose red that morning, staining the sky the color of blood, turning the broken ground of the ruined world into a strange landscape of lava. It was, perhaps, the most beautiful sunrise there had ever been. But only the cat was awake to see it.
The humans slept while they could, tortured by dreams, still crying, still calling out for their lost loved ones. They couldn't escape from the horror of what had happened, months before, when the earth was torn asunder, when the world changed. No, there was no escape. Not even in sleep.
They would rebuild, live, move on in time. But for now, the memory of before still burned. The cat felt it from every person in the town as she walked toward her destination. The inn, a building that had somehow managed to survive the earthquakes. In her mind she heard the sobs of one woman far away, mourning the loss of her child. But, unlike the dwellers of the town, her child could be returned to her. And that was the cat's mission: to find the one who could accomplish that.
It was easy to gain access to the building, and the cat walked unnoticed into the kitchen. A man there, preparing a morning meal for the dwellers in the inn. But the cat's target was up the crumbling stairs, sleeping in a room. His dreams were quieter than the others'. He had nothing left to lose, nothing left but his life. He would do.
She padded up the stairs, his thoughts and memories becoming clearer as she neared. Her lady didn't like her to pry, but the cat enjoyed stealing thoughts when she could. She searched deeper into his sleeping mind, creeping down the hall. He had knowledge of magic, Espers, skill with fighting, was willing to take risks. He could fly...!
The cat frowned. There was loss there too, hidden deep but remembered, loss relating to the flying. And even deeper there was more, pain and loss and guilt, hidden so far down that it would not affect him at all, unless he was forced to remember, hold it in front of him. He was not unstable. And that was good.
She stared at the door, a temporary barrier. A crooked, warped thing, she was easily past it and into the room. On the best bed in the inn, a cot, slept a man. His face was young, but his hair was white, long, strands falling across his face. He had a shallow scar across his left eye, but the eye itself seemed unharmed. She wondered what had caused it.
He lay fully clothed, a long black coat draped across him. The cat felt her mistress take notice, look through her eyes at him. It was always a strange feeling, having someone else's awareness inside you. <Shall he do, Lady Katara?> she asked.
She could feel the interest radiating from her. Her lady was rather young, wise in the ways of magic but a girl in another sense. She hoped that she wasn't going to start getting silly. The cat personally thought he would be much improved with whiskers and a tail, but who knew what humans liked? Still, she hid her thoughts away, ready to warn her mistress later if things got too embarrassing.
 Katara replied. <You know his thoughts?>
<Yes. He would not harm your daughter. I will persuade him to help. And yet... he was one of the ones present when the statues were misaligned. He is a Returner, one foreseen.>
<Go on. He will suit. I trust in your choice, and I need my daughter back. They will harm her greatly in time. Please, begin now. I will not interfere.>
<As you will, Lady.> Nautilus felt her mistress's mind withdraw from hers, and licked her white-furred paws quickly before leaping gracefully up onto his chest. She waited, but he did not stir. The cat leaned forward and batted his cheek with a paw, claws retracted. His head turned slightly, and he mumbled something, still asleep. Nautilus sighed. Humans always slept like the dead. She was going to have to take drastic measures.

*****

Sharp pain in his hand. The words, <Wake up!> in his head. A heavy weight on his chest. Setzer Gabbiani opened his eyes wide. "What the hell is going on?"
He sat bolt upright, the weight falling from his chest to his lap. He looked blankly at it, recognized it as a cat. There was a cat in his lap. And there were claw marks in his hand. He stared at it, letting the fact sink in. It was too early, and his head still hurt. He remembered vaguely the beer from last night, salvaged from some wreck of a store, a little dusty-tasting but still good, and his head pounded with the memory. I've got a hangover, he decided fleetingly. That's nice. Why is this cat here?
"Hello," said the cat. "You have to come with me." He blinked at it. And reality hit him like a thunderbolt.
"Hey," Setzer shouted, jumping up and sending the cat flying, "you talk!" I think I need to go dunk my head!
"Brilliant," she replied, leaping back onto the cot. "I do talk, and I'll explain why in a moment. First, sit down." He did so slowly, staring at her. "All right. I am called Nautilus Cleo. I am a familiar, and I was sent here by my mistress to find you. And you are?" she asked, business-like, knowing quite well what his name was. Perhaps some trivial conversation would sober him up a little. She had the distinct feeling he was not usually quite so nervous.
"Setzer Gabbiani. And tell me one thing, cat, familiar, whatever you are… all right, two things. One, why do I have to come with you, and two, how can you be someone's familiar? Someone taught you how to talk with magic, right? Your… mistress." His head was beginning to clear, but he still wasn't sure he knew what was going on.
"That is correct. She knows magic because she is descended from the Mage Warriors of old. She comes from Thamasa, is much like the ones known as Strago and Relm."
"You know them?"
"No, but you do," she responded. "And I have no time to explain everything right now. My mistress, Katara Godive, needs your help. Her daughter was kidnapped by the Empire's slavers before the statues were moved, and she needs your help to rescue her. She was taken to a base, that now unfortunately has become an island, and even stronger. And now that you know what the problem is, we need to leave." Nautilus pushed at him with her head.
"Hold on a minute," Setzer said, picking the cat up and depositing her on the floor. "Just why should I do this? I don't know this Katara or her daughter. I've never seen you before in my life. I need to go find my companions, build another airship."
"Well, you'll be rewarded, of course. How do you expect to build another ship without money, gambler? The materials will be hard to come by, with the world the way it is now!"
Resolutely she jumped up into his lap, standing on her hind legs, a paw on his shoulder. He looked into intelligent gold animal eyes. A cat that talked… and somehow knew who he was and what he had done. "You are the only one who can infiltrate the base and get her out. You can understand."
He was torn with indecision, but Nautilus had made a point. He'd need a new airship to help the others fight Kefka, and for that he'd need funds. How hard could it be to get the child and get out?
"All right," he said reluctantly. "I'll do it." It's just for the money! he thought to justify it. I might find one of the others. And, frankly, I'm bored just sitting here.
"Excellent! You won't be bored for long, Gabbiani!" she chirped, hopping up onto his shoulder. "You're dressed and ready, so shall we?" Setzer gave her a suspicious look, which she ignored, and left the room, going downstairs.
There were a few people up in the main room. He shelled out a coin for breakfast and sat at a rickety table to eat the chunky meat-broth stuff they served. He received only a few strange glances from people who had noticed Nautilus on his shoulder, but luckily no one contested her presence.
The cat tried to steal bites from his fork as he raised them to his mouth, and he batted the paw away, although it was doing little to discourage her. "So, how am I supposed to get to this base?" he asked in a low tone.
And he heard her voice in his head. <It's easy. You have to become a slave yourself.>
<So you can talk in my mind too? Very nice.> Setzer smiled briefly. This could be very convenient.
<Yep, it is, isn't it? So, to get to the base, go annoy some slavers, pick a fight, and you're there.>
<How will becoming a slave help save… what's her name? The girl.>
<Elya,> Nautilus replied, successfully getting her claws into a chunk of meat, eating it with a few snaps of her jaw.
He finished the breakfast and settled back. <Right. How will that help?>
<Well, you'll be there, won't you? Getting out is the easy part. It's getting in that's hard.>
<Isn't that supposed to be the other way around?>
<Not this time, Frosty.> She thought-laughed, batting at a strand of his hair with a paw.
<Hey now, none of that. You might as well be speaking for yourself, Snowball.>
<The name is Nautilus! And shouldn't we be going?> A nip to his ear his time. He stood up, frowning, and paid the innkeeper for his room. She preened, having won the argument, and curled her tail around his neck.
<Fine. You know where I can find some of the slavers, I presume?> Setzer left the inn, moving down the road. He wished he had his airship. Or a chocobo, or anything… walking was just so slow!
<Of course I do. Leave it to me. Just do what I say and everything will work out absolutely super.>
"Just keep your fur out of my face, all right?" he mumbled, wondering just how he had gotten into this. It was too blurry, had gone by too fast.
Nautilus made no reply.

Chapter Two - The Duck Flies at Midnight
In which there are a great number of very nasty people

They walked down the streets, no one taking notice of the cat on his shoulder. "So, tell me, where are these slavers and what do you expect me to do with them when I've found them?" Setzer said, playing with a few coins. They made a chink-chink noise as he slid one in front of the other in his hand.
"They've set up camp right outside of town," Nautilus said cheerfully. "Insult them. Start a fight or something."
"Then what?" He pushed her tail out of his face as she turned around to look behind them.
"They'll either capture you or kill you. Most likely you'll be captured. Then they'll take us to the island when they've found enough poor travelers to take back with them. You'll have the honor of saying you're a slave to the Empire!"
He shook his head. "This is sheer lunacy."
Nautilus shrugged. He'd never seen a cat shrug before, but it involved a lot of flying hair and a few back shivers. "What isn't? This whole world is tailor-made for lunatics. Now, hurry up, gambler man! The longer Elya's trapped on that island, the less I like it."
Setzer grumbled a few choice curses under his breath and hurried. A short distance out of the town, he could spy the camp ahead, just as the cat said. It was small and makeshift, but even from his distance away he could see a number of chained slaves and close to the same number of guards. One man strutting around was definitely the head slaver.
But what I am I going to do about it? Charging in there like a one-man liberation force is only going to get me killed. He fell to the ground suddenly as a scout turned his eyes in their direction. He felt a small wave of satisfaction as the motion sent Nautilus flying. She landed on her feet and shook herself, trotting toward him with an air of dignity.
"Stupid," she announced, yawning in his face.
He shook his head, hissing, "Don't want them to see us, furbag! Keep down!"
She shot a look of condescension at him. "Setzer, you idiot, you want them to see you! You want them to capture you!"
"On my terms," he protested stubbornly. "If I have to do this, I want to have at least a small chance of getting out of it. There isn't any point in playing a no-win game."
"If you say so," she muttered. "Get on with it, then!"
Always such a rush, he thought, standing slowly and moving toward the camp even more slowly. I still don't know why I'm doing this… well, at least it breaks the monotony. Setzer felt in his pocket for his cards and dice. Reassured they were still there, he picked up the pace, ignoring the white cat that, for once, trailed behind him and had no smart remarks to give him.

*****

<Nautilus? Is everything working?> Katara sent to her familiar. Her thought-voice sounded apprehensive to the cat.
<Everything's fine, Lady,> she thought soothingly. <The man, Setzer Gabbiani, has agreed to help us. We will be on our way to the island shortly.>
The mage sighed in relief. <Thank the gods! Take care of him, Naut. I feel that he will succeed, and I shall see my daughter again. Setzer Gabbiani…> Katara repeated to herself, as if committing the name to memory. But there was a strange, breathless tone in her thought-voice as well. Nautilus shook her head at the recurring silliness. <He will be greatly rewarded for this. Remind him if he begins to falter.>
<It shall be done, my lady,> the cat replied, and then the link was broken.

*****

Vege stood in the middle of his camp, looking very pleased with himself. Only a few more, and they'd be ready to take this last load of slaves over to the island. He smiled. It was so easy to find reasons to arrest these people. Some of them even got turned in by their neighbors for stealing bread to feed their families. Well, there'd be one less mouth for them to feed now, and they'd be doing something useful instead.
He looked at the dirty, ragged people chained together under the torn awning and swung his whip. It cracked down very close to a skinny young woman crouched on the ground. She jumped back slightly, surprised, and her head jerked up. He could see the tear marks on her face. Pretty little thing. Perhaps the general will let me have her as a reward for good behavior, he thought.
"Bitch!" he shouted, cracking the whip again. "You should be grateful. You have food. You have clothes. You have a roof over your head." He waved the whip in the direction of the awning. "And when we get to the island you'll have work to do. We're actually doing you poor pitiful people a favor!"
She glared at him. "We're slaves! You want to do us a favor, let us go!"
Vege grabbed handfuls of her dark hair and hauled her up, raising the whip as the others shied away. "Yes, you're slaves. You deserve nothing. Nothing!" He flicked the whip forward as the woman cringed. But it never hit her.
He looked in surprise at his weapon. Half of it was missing, lying on the ground at his feet, sliced off cleanly. He looked toward the post holding up the awning, and there he saw a playing card stuck by a corner into the wood. Dropping the woman, he turned around. A white-haired man in a long black coat stood at the edge of the camp, two guards lying on the ground behind him.
Setzer grinned and waggled his fingers at the slavedriver. "Why, hello, you big lug," he crooned. "Why don't you come over here and play with someone more your own size?"
Vege recovered quickly, glancing around. "Who? I don't see anyone."
"Ah! Touché!" Setzer laughed, drawing out another card. "Well, are you just going to stand there?"
Vege roared and lunged over towards him, drawing his sword. Setzer dodged out of the way and spun around as he lumbered past. "Just a little fast. Try again."
"Gladly!" He came back and swung the sword, aiming for Setzer's neck. He stepped away, barely getting nicked, and sliced forward with the card, taking off a bit of Vege's earlobe.
<Remember, you have to lose!> Nautilus called from her hiding place by the guard station.
 He darted back and picked up a sword from one of the fallen guards. Against this opponent, he'd probably lose in simple physical combat. The slavedriver just had the advantage. But Setzer intended to lose. He didn't intend to die.
The impact of Vege's sword hitting against his own jarred through his arms, and he had to adjust his grip. His own thrust was easily pushed away, and after a few more hits the sword was knocked from his tingling fingers. Setzer held his hands up in front of him. "I surrender," he said hastily, before Vege could drive the blade right through him.
He laughed triumphantly. "I don't know what you think you were doing, little man, but you've lost!"
I see that.
"I charge you with attacking the person of an Imperial slaver and killing two Imperial soldiers."
"They aren't dead," Setzer put in.
"Severely wounding two Imperial soldiers to the point of near-death," he amended smoothly. "I find you guilty. As punishment you belong to the Empire." With a smirk Vege grabbed the collar of his coat and hauled him none too gently over to the rest of the slaves, dumping him on the ground.
He locked chains onto Setzer's wrists and ankles, making sure they were too tight to be comfortable. He protested as Vege emptied his pockets, watching vainly as his cards and dice were dropped in a small bag and put in a larger sack. His money the slavedriver tucked into his own pocket. He delivered a few kicks to his side, grinning as Setzer fumed and visibly suppressed his anger. "Enjoy your stay," he laughed, leaving to bandage his earlobe.
<You did it! Very good! Now manage to stay alive and we'll be in and out in no time. Be a good slave and don't draw attention to yourself.> The cat was chuckling in his mind.

<Well, it is! I'll be hiding on the boat. It's docked a few miles from here. It won't be long now.>
Setzer sighed, struggling up to his knees, futilely trying to adjust his chains. 
Nautilus only laughed again and left his mind. With a silent groan, he looked around at the faces of his fellow slaves and spotted the woman that the slavedriver had been bothering near him. "Are you all right?" he asked her.
"I've been better," she said slowly. "What were you trying to do? Rescue us?" The other slaves were listening intently to their conversation, but he just tried to ignore them.
"Well, kind of," he said. How was he supposed to explain it to them? Say that he wasn't trying to help them at all, but just a girl on the island because he was being paid to?
A man snorted. "Kind of? How can you ‘kind of' rescue someone?"
"I need to rescue someone on the island," he sighed. Invariably, the rest of them looked hurt. Well, I don't know you! he thought at them, feeling a little... ashamed? No, that couldn't be it. "I'm not some great liberator," he said, feeling his face flush. "I... oh, hell." He looked pointedly at the ground, and gradually they all turned around and ignored him. All except the dark-haired woman.
"Thank you for... distracting him," she said. "I'm Thury."
"Setzer," he replied, bowing slightly. "No problem. Why are you here, if I may ask?"
"Wrong place at the wrong time," she sighed. "Man stole some kind of strange potion from an Imperial guard. He escaped, but I was nearby, so they arrested me instead. And now... I'm here."
That better not have been Locke. "I wish there was something I could do."
"Me too." She suddenly raised her voice and called out to one of the guards. "Please, kind sir, may I have that jar behind you?" She bowed low as if she was begging for her life.
He paused for a moment but was swayed by her prostration. "Here." He tossed the jar deliberately off, though, and snickered as she had to scramble for it. When she'd retrieved it, Thury opened the lid and scooped out a gob of pale blue goop.
"Hold still," she commanded, smearing the stuff on his cuts. He had more of them than he realized.
There was one of those awkward silences where no one can think of anything interesting or useful to say, and it was in that time Setzer felt someone staring at him. He lifted his head and turned his gray-green eyes directly to the source. A pasty-faced, balding man was looking at him from the other side of the enclosure. The man looked away quickly.
Thury followed Setzer's gaze to the man and suddenly edged a bit closer to whisper in his ear. "That's Kurstil. Don't say anything around him that you wouldn't want repeated to Vege."
"Vege?" he whispered back.
"The slaver, the one you were fighting. Kurstil's planted in here to find out secrets." Finished with his wounds, she dabbed a little on her own healing welts, put the lid back on the jar and passed the salve on to another person.
He paused as a guard walked by. "How do you know all this?"
She looked a little embarrassed. "I've been a slave before, been taken to the island. Before it was an island, though. I escaped."
"How?" he asked furtively.
She glanced around at the rest of them, especially noting where Kurstil was, before turning back to him. "I'll show you when we get there."
He smiled at her. "I promise I'll repay you for this."
She didn't get the chance to reply. There was a small commotion outside as Vege and his assistant returned to the camp at the same time. The assistant was dragging behind him three children chained together. They looked distinctly unhappy.
Vege rubbed his hands together. He had a new whip, and swung it through the air so they could all hear it whistle. "Get up!" he bellowed. "Move out!"
The guards sprung into action, prodding people into place here and there and chaining them together two by two. Setzer remained near Thury and was pleased when they were chained together. The column of slaves started marching slowly, the silence broken by the shouts of the guards and the weeping of many of the slaves.
Thury made them hang back until most of the column had passed, stepping in behind the three children, who had been kept together. Vege noticed and flicked his whip at them, cackling as Setzer moved forward to take most of the blow. "Ooh, so gallant," he whined, smacking the whip against Thury's legs. "Faster!"
She winced but said nothing, murmuring to the children, urging them forward gently. Setzer glared at Vege as he moved down the line. Fire Two, or even just one Fire spell, and he'd be gone for good... He clenched his fists. He couldn't risk it. But oh, how he'd like to see that man burn...
They marched under the hot afternoon sun, pushed forward by whips and swords, and it was nearing dusk when they finally reached the ship. One of the children had fainted from the heat, and Thury had insisted on carrying him in her arms for almost half of the trip. Setzer frowned at the sight of the boat. It did not look very safe, or big, for that matter.
They were all marched on board and crammed into a belowdecks hold. The air was musty and wet, but it was cool and they all sank to the deck gratefully. There was only enough room for everyone to sit, but no one could turn around. The hatch slammed closed, and they were plunged into darkness. The ship shuddered as the anchor was raised, and they moved off.
One of the children next to him began to scream, along with some of the other people. He could identify Thury's voice among the rush of noise, comforting them, and between her and the people nearest to them they soon had the children quieted down. Setzer felt for Nautilus's presence but could find no hint of the cat. I hope she made it on board, he thought worriedly.
As soon as all was silent, a woman screamed, "We need air! There's no air! I can't see!" Immediately everyone else began to yell and howl for air.
Something needed to be done, and soon. He had to admit, the darkness and bad air were grating on his nerves as well, but there was no need for all the screaming! Setzer got to his feet as quickly as he could with his wrist still chained to Thury's. "Shut up!" he bellowed, but few heard him, and those who had didn't listen.
Smacking his forehead in frustration, he turned to the boards of the boat's side. If he was careful, and lucky, perhaps he could burn a hole in its side to give them air. But it would take a lot of concentration to get it right. He began to call on the magic of the Espers, preparing the Fire spell, holding the Ice one ready right after it.
When his power levels had risen enough, he said "Fire!" softly and touched the side of the boat. There was more screaming as it flared up, spreading an orange glow throughout the hold, and Setzer hovered anxiously near it, waiting for his magic to return. As soon as it did he murmured "Ice!" and sent it out towards the blaze. It died quickly, returning the slaves to darkness again.
There were many cries of "What was that?", but he didn't answer. He didn't want that Kurstil character to report anything about him, hoping that no one had identified him in the commotion. He sank back to the ground again, satisfied. He'd always had a lot of luck.
Thury had noticed, she had to have, but she kept silent. He could see her face, highlighted with the faint light that came through the opening. She looked scared, but also angry. She wouldn't talk to him, simply staring off into nowhere, and he was at a loss to explain it.
None of the guards came down to the hold on the trip, and fresh air and eventually daylight streamed in through the hole. They arrived on the island sometime a little after dawn.

*****

"Move it! Come on, let's go!" someone bellowed, banging open the hatch. No one moved for a moment from fear and exhaustion, but mainly from cramped muscles. Soon, one by one, they stood and were ushered up onto the deck and off the ship, unprotesting. Right now, even slavery was better than one more minute on that ship.
Setzer and Thury walked docilely onto dry land. She was holding the hands of two of the children and the other was clinging to Setzer's coat. Thury didn't look at him, not saying a word as they were lined up again and given a cursory inspection to make sure they were still alive. Then with whips and shouts they were marched down yet another road.
Large trees lined the paths on the island, and he looked around carefully. He'd have to remember this once he'd found Elya. The little boy next to him stumbled, and Setzer quickly swept him up and carried him so they wouldn't stop and attract the attention of the guards. The movement jarred Thury's arm, but still she said nothing.
"Thury," he said, turning to her as they walked, "what's wrong?"
She didn't meet his eyes. "Nothing."
"Bullshit. Tell me what's wrong. It's obvious that something is."
She rounded on him angrily, eyes flashing. "You used magic!" she hissed in a low tone. "Magic killed my mother! How... how could you do that?"
He was stunned, confused. "Thury, I'm sorry," he said immediately. "But I wasn't the one who killed her. Not everyone who uses magic would do that. We aren't all like that, you know." She looked at the ground, ruffling the hair of the little girl she held by the hand. Tears ran down her cheeks unchecked. He moved his free hand and patted hers comfortingly.
"I know," she said softly. "But that doesn't make it any better."
Setzer nodded. "I understand." They walked in silence the rest of the way.

*****

The base was located under the ground, and Setzer shivered just looking at it. The large guarded cave was the entrance to a network of stone tunnels and rooms, and the river that bisected the island came out of the ground at the other end of the base and ran south to the edge of the land, where there was a small yet thriving town.
They were taken underground, and yet it was not dark. Torches and alarm lights speckled the walls at regular intervals, flickering as they passed. All the slaves were brought into a large cave, and on a raised dais at one end stood a large, muscular woman with a shock of frizzy red hair pushed back by a headband.
The woman came toward Vege, who was leading the group in. "General Ethar," he greeted her, "we have an especially good crop for you this time. Not one died on the trip over."
"Excellent," the general replied, turning to the slaves. Her hard black eyes raked over them, and the boy in Setzer's arms shuddered as her gaze hit him. "Hear me now, slaves. I am General Risa Ethar, and I am your master. Until you are sold or die, you will obey me at all times, and obey my servants as if I was giving the orders. Understood?"
They all nodded, unable to do anything else, and Risa, accompanied by Vege, began to walk forward among the slaves. She separated them into groups, pointing her sword this way and that to direct them where to go. Vege unlocked their chains and sent them to their groups.
Thury tensed as they approached them, her face pale. Risa motioned for the children to go into a group of their own, and reluctantly Thury let them go. Setzer could sense she was worried, but was unable to do anything to comfort her, instead pretending he didn't know her. He figured the odds were better that they would stay together if he acted like he didn't care.
General Ethar looked at him closely, and he felt like an animal being sold. He half expected her to look at his teeth to see how old he was. She reached out and took hold of his chin, turning his head from side to side as he forced himself to stand still and be a good slave.
Vege chuckled. "That one's a handful, General. He came rushing into camp, threatening me with a pack of cards. He's a bit looney, if you ask me."
She grunted and looked thoughtful. "That's all right, Vege. Send him over with the others. It'll make it interesting." Risa laughed shortly and turned to Thury.
"Uh, General?" Vege cut in, pausing in unlocking the chains. "I was wondering…" Setzer saw the look in the slaver's eyes as he gazed at Thury, and barely stopped himself from attacking him. Thury saw it too, but stayed calm. But her lip was trembling very slightly as she held herself back.
"I don't think so," Risa said shortly, peering at Thury. "I get first choice, and this one looks fit enough to replace my maid. She's getting too lazy."
Vege looked disappointed, and Thury was sent over to stand with one other woman, glancing despairingly at Setzer on the way. He joined a gathering of three other young men in the corner, looking at her across the room. Where are they going to put me? And where in the seven hells is Nautilus?
<You'd have to comb through a lot of hell, Setzer, and you'd still never find me there. I'm right here in this cave.>
<Damn it, don't scare me like that! Now what am I supposed to do?>
<Be a slave,> she laughed. <I'm going to find where Elya is and find a way out. It'll help that the woman Thury's staying with you. She knows a way out.>
<You did that?>
<Sure. It was a breeze, flyboy. Just plant a thought here, and there you go! It's not too hard when they're distracted like that.>
<If you say so,> Setzer thought dubiously, focusing on an intriguing wall across the room.
<And I do! Stay in one piece, and I'll see you tonight.>
<Ha. Don't expect me to wait up for you.>
The cat's quiet laugh ran through his head as it faded, and he returned his attention to the scene around him. The slaves had been separated into groups and were being taken to wherever they were going to go, which was most likely the mines or Maintenance or something. General Ethar led Thury and a few other people over to where Setzer and his party was standing.
"Follow," she ordered peremptorily, and they did. Thury fell into step next to him as they continued down the halls. He wished he could talk to her mind like Nautilus could. She knew the way out. At least, he hoped she did.
Risa opened a door set in the wall of the passage, revealing another, smaller cave interlinking with a few more. "These are my personal quarters," she announced, "and you all are my personal staff. You will obey my every command whenever I choose to give it to you, and when I am not present you will follow the orders of Prytra here."
An older, ragged-looking woman came forward and bowed to the general. "This way," she said, gesturing down a short corridor as Risa went into another room.
"There is where the women will sleep." She pointed at a small alcove. "I will acquaint you with your duties shortly," she told them. "They include mainly keeping things clean. The men stay here. The room at the end of the hall is for the general's favorite only. Don't go in there."
All six of them nodded as Prytra looked them over. "Your duties are only to attend to the general's every need," she announced, a small smile playing across her lined face. Setzer frowned and bit his lip, watching as the other men glanced at each other nervously. He had a feeling that meant what he thought it did.
She repressed the smile. "The bathing caves are to the south. I suggest you get yourself cleaned up." Prytra then turned and left them without further ado.
"How disgusting," Thury murmured. Setzer looked down at her with a wry smile.
"I am not looking forward to this."

*****

Setzer was the last to be called in to ‘attend' the general. He didn't know what that meant, but he was rather glad it had happened that way. He'd listened with a kind of horrible fascination to the others' stories and planned desperately for a way out. But Nautilus said that it wasn't time yet, and so he'd had to wait. And now it had caught up to him.
The cat had been strangely concerned when he'd explained his situation to her. She started working harder in finding Elya, in finding the way out, and in finding a way of keeping Risa uninterested in him. But now all Nautilus's efforts had failed.
Thury, who was sweeping the corridors, gave him a 'be brave' look as he passed, escorted by Prytra. She locked the door behind him after he was through it, and he was left to face his fate. The fate being General Ethar in a nightgown. He swallowed and took a step forward. Best to get it over with quickly and get the hell out of there.
"So it is your turn now, Setzer," she breathed, batting her eyes and leaning back against her pillows. It was a rather comical scene, and if he had been watching instead of stuck in the middle of it he might have laughed.
"Nice place you got here," he said, glancing around. The room was lavishly decorated with tapestries and silk, and the belongings of all the slaves were piled in one corner. He noted the sack containing his cards, dice and other possessions and remembered where it was for future reference. He wanted to cast a spell on her, Sleep maybe, but she'd remember, and he had no way out. Too bad I just can't kill her.
She sat up a bit, leaning forward, and her eyes gleamed. "I am one of Kefka's most important generals," she told him, her voice fluttering worshipfully as she spoke of Kefka. "All of this comes through his will."
"Oh, yes," he agreed, "Kefka's great. Had the pleasure of meeting him myself."
"Truly?" Risa asked. "Then you know how it is." She patted the bed. "Come here." Reluctantly he came and sat down. "Tell me what you thought of him."
What I think of him? He's crazy, homicidal, and he has an annoying laugh! "Oh, well, he's very interesting," Setzer said weakly, trying very hard to ignore the fact that the general had slid around behind him and was rubbing his shoulders, starting to ease his coat off. Maybe if I get her into a political discussion… he thought unhappily. "But I don't know if I agree with everything he says."
She leaned her chin on his shoulder. "Why not? Destruction is a wonderful thing. And besides, he has the most adorable laugh!" She giggled and sighed, looking a lot like an overgrown schoolgirl. The illusion vanished quickly. "Turn around," she commanded abruptly, and taking a deep breath, he did.
Risa fell asleep. She toppled over heavily onto the large bed, almost rolling off it, and lay there, snoring.
Setzer blinked in confusion and then let out a long sigh of relief. A slender white cat leapt up beside him on the bed, and he beamed at her in gratitude. ‘You did that, didn't you?" he sighed, patting her briefly. "Thank you, Nautilus."
"No, Nautilus did not," the cat said, and he looked at her. As the feline
shape turned her head up to meet his gaze, he gasped in shock. The eyes that locked on his were human eyes, colored a deep brown. The voice that issued from her throat was different as well, a rich young woman's voice.
"Ka-katara?" he said in a strangled voice.
"Yes," she replied softly. "You are helping me, so I shall help you avoid this disgrace. She will remember only vaguely that you pleased her, but nothing more. I have also planted a thought in her mind… you will not be called back for a while."
He bowed his head slightly. "I don't know how to thank you for doing this, Katara."
The cat-form bowed its head as well. "Return my daughter to me, and that shall be payment enough, dear one." Katara jumped up onto his shoulder and wound herself around his neck a moment. "You make me proud," she whispered in his ear. "I trust you."
The cat licked his ear, tickling it, and then jumped down and disappeared somehow. He looked at the place she had been silently for a moment and then back at Risa's prone form, shuddering. Katara had saved him the hard part, at least, but now he had to make it look as if they'd had a good time.

*****

When he'd been released, Setzer conferred with Nautilus, who had returned to her old self, and decided that it was time to leave. She had finally located Elya, although she hadn't been able to get in to see her. He told Thury everything, and she agreed to help them escape.
"Besides, I'm worried about the children," she told him, untying her bandanna and uncovering her hair. She sent it flying across the alcove. "They can't work very well, and there's no other use for them here. I'm afraid they'll kill them."
"We'll rescue the children too," he promised.
She smiled at him. "There's a river that flows through this island," she told him softly. "It comes up right out of these caves. We just need to ride down that for a while, then get onto land. That's how I managed before."
Setzer grinned back at her, patting the pouch in his pocket that held his things. Risa had never even noticed it was missing. "We leave tonight," he replied.
Arranged with Nautilus's help, it would be easy. That afternoon it was time for inspection, where all of the slaves in the place were lined up in a great corral of sorts and inspected for excessive wear by Risa. By the time she was finished it was invariably dark, and then they might be able to slip away unnoticed. Nautilus would start a fire, and they would run in the confusion.
As they were herded in, Thury located the children, and they pushed their way over to them, as close as possible. They waited nervously, and, about the time the inspection was half over, Nautilus gave the signal. The fire shot up almost immediately.
Complete panic and confusion reigned. People ran here and there, knocking down others in their haste to get away. And, in the mess, Setzer and Thury lost sight of the children.
<Setzer, come on! We don't have a lot of time!> Nautilus said, almost screaming to be heard over the din.
"Thury!" he cried, grabbing her arm. "We have to get out of here, now!"
She yanked it away, plowing forward through the people. "No! I have to find the children, Setzer!" He followed as best he could, and finally they found them huddled together by a wall. One of the boys had nearly been trampled to death, and Setzer picked him up carefully as Thury took the hands of the other two.
The fire was almost put out, and so they ran while they still had time, out into an adjacent corridor. They dashed, ducking through tunnels here and there, meeting up with Nautilus on the way. The cat led them to a small niche off a side tunnel.
"Heal him quickly, gambler," she told him, moving out into the hallway to watch for guards, and he bent forward, preparing. Thury looked at the cat in amazement, then turned to Setzer and watched breathlessly as the bruises and cuts on the boy's body faded and disappeared.
His hair had fallen forward as he bowed his head, and he glanced up at the woman through it, grinning. "You see, not all magic is bad." He helped the boy sit up.
She beamed, throwing her arms around him and hugging him fiercely. "How can I thank you for doing this?"
He stared at her through half-closed eyes, placing a finger under her chin and tilting her head back. "I'm sure I can think of something," he murmured, leaning down and kissing her. Thury made a wordless noise of assent and held him tighter, kissing him back.
Someone applauded, and they broke apart quickly, turning to look. The slavedriver, Vege, stood there, a twisting sack hanging from an arm. "Oh, bravo," he said. "It's just like a play! General Ethar will be very pleased to know we have another magic-user in our midst!"
"Let me out of here, you bastard!" Nautilus spat from inside the burlap bag. Setzer leapt to his feet, Thury rising behind him and standing in front of the children.
He reached into his pocket, but before he could do anything more guards appeared, coming forward and shackling them again, twisting his arms up against his chest. As Vege was overlooking them, however, Nautilus clawed her way free of the bag and tore off past their feet and down the corridor. Vege cursed but didn't go after her. <I'll come back for you later, Setzer!> she mindspoke as she ran. <Don't worry!>
<But I am worrying!> he protested as she ran out of range. Vege and his guard friends dragged them back they way they'd come, back to Risa Ethar. She sat on her throne in the main cavern, looking at them darkly. All five of them were dumped at her feet, the children too scared to cry. Vege walked up and told her his version of what had happened.
"Running away," Risa said, "is a crime punishable by death." Thury paled, whispering to the children comfortingly, and Setzer tried to struggle to his feet, receiving a fist in his stomach for his efforts. When he straightened again, blinking the tears from his eyes, the children and Thury were being dragged away.
"No, stop!" he yelled, twisting around desperately. More guards beat at him, pinning him to the ground.
"They die at dawn," Risa announced, rising from her seat.
"Setzer!" Thury screamed as she was pulled away. "No!"
"You, however, shall have a different fate. You know magic… you will put it to use working for the Empire."
He tried to yank himself up. "No, I won't work for you, you fat bitch!" he shouted, incredibly angry. He began a spell as her expression grew black. She knelt down, curling her fingers around his neck and squeezing hard. He closed his eyes tight, breaking off the spell, unable to breathe. There was a roaring sound in his ears as his consciousness began to fade.
Suddenly she let go and air returned to his lungs abruptly. He gasped violently, opening his eyes, vision blurred. "I have many magic-users of my own," she said, "all ready to do my will. I don't need you, white-hair. But you will not have the easy out of death." General Ethar turned to look at Vege. "Call for Kurstil."
Kurstil? Isn't he that snitch from the slave camp? Setzer wondered, having given up on struggling for the moment. When the man arrived, Setzer saw that it was, indeed. He was dressed in fine clothes, however, and wore a sneer on his face.
"You called for me, my general?" he asked, casting a glance down at Setzer on the floor.
"This man is a magic-user," she told him. "He needs to be punished - severely."
"Of course," Kurstil said, smiling in a distinctly nasty way. "I know just how it is to be done. If I may?"
She nodded, and the man came over and crouched next to him. Vege ambled up and unlocked the chains binding his arms, patting his head patronizingly. Setzer tried to pull away from the guards holding him down once more, but to no avail.
"So you're the one who burnt the ship," Kurstil murmured, acquiring a look of concentration. The mage reached out and grabbed Setzer's wrist, muttering things.
A sudden, brutal pain rushed through his hand. He tried to pull it away, writhing on the cave floor. He became aware he was screaming, and still the pain in his hand did not stop. He felt pieces of his fingers being torn apart, his hand broken, the agony from the nerves racing through him.
It overwhelmed him, sending him into blackness, and yet even in unconsciousness the pain still did not subside. He felt Nautilus's presence in his mind, heard her voice although he could not make out what she was saying. The sound of his own screams blocked out anything she said, and then finally there was silence.
When he awoke he was still in the main chamber, Risa on her throne above him. He was no longer held down, however, and slowly he turned his head and looked at his hand. At the end of his wrist he could make out a bloody pulp, the white of bone showing through. He gazed back at Risa, who gestured.
Two guards approached and dragged him upright to his knees and backwards. He ended up next to the throne, leaving a trail of blood behind, without even the strength to raise his head. He knelt, slumped, next to the chair, unable to do or feel anything. Risa grinned at him.
"Sleepy?" she said brightly. "It's dawn, Setzer. Time for an execution."
He raised his good hand to cover his face. "No more," he whispered.
<Setzer! Setzer, please. Listen to me! I can save you but I can't help them! I know it's a lot to ask, but we have to rescue Elya and get out of here! You'll have to forget-->
<No!> he interrupted. 
<You must forget your pain until we are finished! I'm not asking--> Her voice left without warning, and a familiar clank of metal chains from the other end of the cave caused him to slowly drag his head upward. Thury was marched in, her expression one of defiance although her face was streaked with tears. She was the only one.
The children are dead, Setzer realized, meeting her eyes. She stared at him and then looked down, a fall of dark hair covering her face.
"So, tell me, Setzer, how should she die? Should she be burned? Staked out for the wolves? Drowned?" Risa looked down at him, but he did not answer, still staring at Thury. "No preference? Hmm..." She thought a moment and then decided. "Beheading. The woman Thury will be beheaded for attempting to run away from her rightful place as a slave. Vege, begin."
A block was brought forward and set in front of her as a guard forced her to her knees. "Pity such a pretty little thing has to die," he sighed. Making sure Setzer was watching, he bent down and kissed her sloppily. She struggled away, spitting, and Setzer almost managed to get to his feet before collapsing, nearly landing on his face.
"Stop it!" he yelled ineffectively. "Don't do this! It was my idea! I made her come with me!" I have to do something! he thought desperately. His things were still in his pockets but he couldn't reach them, couldn't do it quickly enough with his head spinning like it was.
The guard looked up at Risa, who nodded for him to get on with it, and then pushed her down, her head hanging over the block, her hair perhaps fortunately blocking his view of her face. But not before he met her pain-filled, frightened eyes. I'm sorry, she mouthed before giving in and falling forward against the block, resigned to her fate.
He couldn't watch, pressing his face onto the stone of the cave floor. There was the whistle of the axe through the air, and a sharp thunk, and he squeezed his good hand into a fist, gritting his teeth against the tears and recurring pain.
"What, you didn't see it? What a pity… you really should have." He heard someone approach him, and before they could make him look at what was left of her he ground his wounded fist against the ground, gasping as the force of the pain knocked him out cold.

*****

Setzer was dumped in a cell deep under the ground. The white cat had walked like a ghost on glass through the corridors after the men who had carried him there, keeping to the shadows. She was angry at what they had done to him, and Katara was horrified. Nautilus had lost track of them when her mistress spoke to her, but a trail of blood soon led her back.
I know where we are, the cat thought. This isn't too far from where Elya is. The cell Setzer was put in was dark, dirty, and windowless. The door was sturdy, made of iron bars. Nautilus just slipped between them without any thought at all.
She strolled directly up to the man laying on the floor, sitting behind his head. The cat gave a small lick to his hair before placing her front paws on his forehead. What they had done to him and the woman Thury had hurt his stability, could even have driven him insane. She did not know him well enough to determine if it was so, but she had to make sure. She could not heal his body, but she could help to heal his mind.
Katara's presence entered her mind, helping her. Together they lessened the pain, temporarily dulling the memories. He would remember fully later, but he should be able to deal with it then. When they had finished Nautilus curled next to his neck to wait for him to wake up.
<Nautilus, how is he?> Katara asked worriedly.
The cat glanced up. The man's skin was as white as his hair. <Not very well, Lady. He's lost a lot of blood. What they did to his hand… it has magic in it.>
<Find bandages, and then get him out of there! It is time to bring Elya home. Oh, Nautilus, I feel awful about this. He doesn't even know me, and yet he would give up his life to do this…>
<Don't worry about it, mistress. He will be all right, I'll make sure of it.>
Katara sighed wearily and left her mind. Nautilus stood and trotted over to the door again. That stupid guard outside would not only be a great source for bandages, he'd probably have the key, too.

*****

The room was too dark. Setzer hated being underground, always remembering the feel of the wind on his face as he flew across the world in his airship. When he'd opened his eyes he'd seen nothing but dark, a torch flickering somewhere out of his direct line of vision.
The dim white shape of Nautilus stood on his chest, holding something in her mouth. She dropped it as she spoke, and it landed on him, hard and metal. "I brought bandages, Gabbiani. Better wrap up that hand. Oh, and here's the key to your cell, too."
He reached for it, suddenly noticing the shape of his hand. "By all the gods and goddesses," he said. "Where are those bandages?" He sat up, head swimming only a little. And then he remembered, faintly, how and why his hand had gotten like that. But why don't I remember so well what happened? It's all a blur to me... I only know that they killed Thury, but I don't know how...!
He snatched up the pile of cloth. "What did you do? What did you do to me, cat? I can't remember Thury dying… I need to remember! I don't want to forget--"
"You'll remember," she said, "in time. You must mourn later, when Elya is safe. Don't forget your purpose in being here."
"My purpose," he grumbled, awkwardly wrapping his hand. And yet, maybe it was better this way. He'd done enough mourning over Daryl to know that it wasn't the most pleasant of pastimes. He decided it was time to forget and time to get out of here. Setzer stood, palming the key, and noted with satisfaction that he wasn't very dizzy, that the pain had subsided somewhat.
Outside his cell door the guard lay on the ground, unconscious, his uniform tattered. He glanced at his bandages and shrugged, reaching through the bars and unlocking the door. It swung open slowly, and he stepped out, followed by the cat.
"Now what?" he asked in a low tone.
Nautilus's gold eyes glowed iridescent in the darkness as she turned her head up to look at him. "Now," she said, "we run."

Chapter Three - Row, Row, Row Your Boat
In which they all work very hard

He ran through the jagged stone corridors, following the quick figure of the white cat in front of him. She bolted down the hall, and as fast as he could he went after her. The alarm hadn't sounded yet, telling everyone a slave had escaped, but that was only a matter of time. His head swam and his mangled hand throbbed painfully under the dirty bandages. And still Setzer ran on, to rescue a girl he didn't even know.
<In here!> Nautilus called in his mind. <There's a guard--> Without pausing she leapt at his face, hissing, claws extended. Setzer, not far behind, followed up with a kick in the gut, bashing him over the head. "Good job!" the cat cheered. She stood on her hind legs, clawing at the door.
He took the key off the fallen guard, even managing to grab his money, and unlocked the door. Inside was a dark room. He was able to make out a pale figure crouched in a corner. Nautilus ran up to it and began to purr, nudging the form with her head. It straightened into the form of a child with strange pale purple hair, so light colored it approached white. Her ragged clothes were white as well. Her face was streaked with tear-marks, but her eyes were dry. So this is Elya Godive...
The cat climbed into Elya's lap as she pet her. "You're not supposed to be here, Nautilus," the child commented, her voice high-pitched. Then she looked up at him with wide violet eyes. "Who are you?" she asked, staring. He looked back at her, trying to figure out how to explain it. She had to trust him or they'd never get out of here alive.
"I'm going to bring you back home," he said softly, holding out his good hand. "We have to hurry, before they know we're gone." Elya nodded and stood up, taking his hand. "We have to run," he began, and they raced out of the room, Nautilus leading the way.
They made it almost to the end of the first long corridor before Elya tripped and fell to her knees. To Setzer's surprise, she didn't cry, like most children would. "My ankle hurts," she complained, trying to stand. "It's twisted up."
Great, just what we need! And then the alarm burst into being, as if in mockery of them, coating the stone walls with a red glow. He knelt down on one knee. "Let me carry you," he said quickly, urgently. "We don't have much time."
"Okay." She climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Nautilus jumped up as well, balancing precariously with her claws in his shoulder. He levered himself to his feet and tore off. It was a good thing Elya was so light, but already his legs were beginning to tire.
"Left here!" Nautilus called, and he turned the corner, hardly slowing down. They passed other doors and corridors, following the cat's directions though the maze. They turned a final corner, Setzer breathing heavily, and entered a large cavern - the way out. And then he skidded to a stop, surprised.
Inside the cavern was a huge chasm, and across it two identical bridges. But that wasn't what had startled him. For standing in front of the bridges were a bunch of soldiers, and at their head was General Risa Ethar.
"Well, well, well," she said, looking coldly at them. Nautilus hissed at her. "I appreciate the sentiment, cat," the general told her before turning her attention back to Setzer. "You're a fool for thinking you can escape. You belong to me, and the girl to my master. But you'll regret it. Were you wondering why I didn't kill you as soon as you set foot in this cave?" she asked silkily, coming a step closer. He stood his ground, aware of Elya trembling in fear.
"It's okay," he said to her quietly, racking his brain for some reply. He needed time. And yet, it was hard for him to even look at her without wanting to maul her. Damn, he noticed suddenly, she looks just like Sabin with red hair! "Uh," he answered the general, "because you find me incredibly sexy?" She laughed at him, and even Nautilus had to suppress a loud mental snicker.
<Good one.>

"Wrong answer. You must have a high opinion of yourself, little boy. No, it's because I want you to suffer. Your hand was just the beginning. You are going to lose parts you didn't even know existed."
"I'm thrilled," he muttered, looking around at the cavern for some possible way out. But the only exit was the way they came, and he had the feeling they wouldn't get too far. It was the bridges or nothing.
<One of those bridges leads to freedom,> the cat said. <The other one death. It's a gamble, and the stakes are high. Can you do it?>
<It's what I do best,> he replied indignantly. <How could you even begin to doubt me?> The soldiers were standing between the bridges, in almost the exact enter, but… was it his imagination, or were they closer to the left hand one? Perhaps they wanted him to go the other way…
Risa came even closer. "Hand over the girl, and I'll make it easier for you. You won't be ruined, killed, and you can return to me. You'd enjoy it…" She let the statement trail off, reaching out to trace the scar over his eye. He flinched back and spat at her feet.
"I'd rather sleep with a dog!" Setzer exclaimed, nearly gagging. The general motioned for some of the soldiers to come forward.
"Have it your way," she said, glaring at him. "Take them!" she ordered the men. "Make sure the girl is not harmed, or it'll be your heads! Do what you like with the cat. He… is mine."
Setzer tensed up, preparing the Fire Two spell. He might have a chance, if he cast it quickly and then ran… but his power was coming so slowly, and the pain in his hand pulsed more and more sharply with every level of magic he gained. It was almost there, and the ragged nerves of his wounded hand screamed in protest. Setzer let the spell go, and the pain receded. He cursed silently.
Somehow some of the soldiers knew spells, casting strange icy flares at them. One hit him, and he flinched back reflexively, nearly losing the girl and Nautilus in the process. He could use his Slot… but what if he lost? He couldn't risk it, not now! Damn, damn, damn!
"No! No! No!" Elya screamed. "Leave us alone! Go away!"
"Fat chance, girlie," General Ethar replied, chuckling.
He felt Elya straighten on his back, one arm leaving his neck. "Fire!" Elya shrieked. "Fire!" A large wave of flames shot toward the general and her troops. Several of them were killed instantly, and the others struggled to their feet, blackened and singed from the heat.
Setzer stood there, shocked. How does she know the Fire spell? What's up with this kid? Wha-
<Run! Run, fool, run!> Nautilus mind-shouted helpfully. He realized what was going on and darted forward, toward the left bridge. But there were some soldiers in his way, and, lacking any other weapon within easy reach, he hit them, aiming for their jaws with his wounded hand. The impact sent waves of vertigo through him, and he almost fell along with them.
The girl twisted around to look behind them. "Bolt!" she cried this time.
There were more yells, and a voice distinctly recognizable as Risa's rose above the rest. I hope she's fried, he thought, gasping.
Regaining his footing, Setzer took advantage of the confusion Elya's spell had caused and charged across the bridge. The boards were springy and cracked under their combined weights, a few breaking behind him and falling into the chasm. The soldiers who followed inadvertently made sure that the rest of the boards broke, and he heard a few screams trailing off into the blackness below. He didn't care.
He'd won that gamble. The other bridge was a decoy, a fake, would break completely as soon as anyone put any weight on it. The one they'd crossed was obviously not made for much weight, either, but he was stumped as to its purpose. And he had no time to ponder the question as they raced for freedom.
"Right! Go right!" Nautilus shouted, and he ran that way, his side aching, the back of his throat burning from the slice of the chilly air.
"We did it!" Elya cheered. "And look! There's water!" It was true. The load roar and damp feel of the stone and the air was hard to mistake. In this low cavern was the place where a large underground river flowed out of the ground to cross the island.
The cat jumped off his shoulder and went over to stand on a large wooden raft. She said something, but he couldn't hear her over the rush of the river, couldn't breathe enough to say anything. He followed her and realized what she meant. Letting Elya down onto the raft, he pushed it off, where it was taken by the current swiftly downstream. He barely managed to climb on in time, and as it was the bottom of his long coat was wet and his pants were soaked past the knee.
When they were safely on their way he collapsed on the logs in exhaustion, cradling his hand against his chest, gasping. Elya crawled up to him, unsteady. "Are you okay?" she queried, concern on her delicate features. He nodded, unable to force the words past his aching throat. She sat near him, patting his shoulder until he sat up again. "What's your name, mister? I'm Elya."
"Setzer," he replied, coughing.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
He nodded to reassure her. No need to scare the kid. She's been through enough already, stuck under the ground with that fat bitch general... when my heart stops suddenly the cat can explain... "I'm fine," he said. "The river's moving us along fast. We'll have you home in no time." He smiled at her.
"Why'd you come get me, Mister Setzer?" Elya stared at him with big eyes. He felt a little fuzzy… hadn't she done something he was surprised about? He shrugged it off.
"Your cat told me to," he answered, nodding at the sleeping ball of fur. She'd curled up and dropped off almost as soon as they had started.
"Naut's Mother's cat," she corrected. "Mother must have sent her to find you."
"Sure," Setzer said, reaching into the dark water of the river to wet his hand, and running it over his forehead. It felt good, nice and cold, not even tasting too bad. "Why don't you get some sleep or something? Your cat's asleep already."
"Am not," Nautilus mumbled, and with a strange look at him Elya went back over to curl next to the cat.
He turned away to face the shore going by. I must be really out of shape! You'd think that after all that fighting with Kefka and Ultros and that stupid Chupon and everything else I'd be able to run a little, but no! Why am I so dizzy all of a sudden?
A fresh well of blood from his hand gave him the answer. He unwrapped the bandage, biting his lip. It was hard to believe that the twisted thing on the end of his wrist had actually had a shape. It was more like a slab of meat. "Should've stopped bleeding by now," he muttered, poking it gingerly. But it was caused by magical means. There are things that can cause wounds that never heal. You bleed to death... and not to mention that it won't let me cast spells.
Setzer grimaced, brushing his right forefinger against one of his other fingers, which was laying grotesquely on the back of his hand. He hardly felt a thing, but he was dizzy from the bloodloss, and hot, and tired, and he had the sudden sickening thought that he would die and leave the girl and the cat to float to the sea and be recaptured again. You didn't sacrifice your hand for that! he reprimanded himself, struggling to stay conscious. Even though you have no reason to be doing this, you should at least try to see it through, Gabbiani!
Cure... I've gotta try to Cure this... but I tried casting before, I can't harness enough power... well, I'll just have to try again. He began to concentrate on the magic of the Espers, on getting power to Cure his hand. But the wound itself prevented him from doing it, and it frustrated him. He successfully suppressed a wave of nausea and the want to just lie down and forget about everything.
But he was unable to stop himself from pitching forward, almost into the water. He felt Elya tugging at the back of his coat, pulling him back so violently she fell. "You are not okay," she scolded, standing back up. "Tell me what's wrong."
He laughed weakly at her tone, hiding his hand from view. "There's nothing you can do, little one, so just try to sleep, okay? We have to travel all day tomorrow and most of the next, I think."
"How do you know what I can do?" she countered, kneeling. "I can do lots of stuff. And I know that it's your hand that's hurt 'cause you won't let me look at it. So c'mon, let me see it."
"No," he protested, twisting around. He wanted to protect her from the sight somehow, but insistently the girl reached out and pulled at his other hand. He tugged back but finally gave up, letting her look.
"Eww," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Don't you know magic? Can't you Cure it?"
"How do you know about magic?" Setzer said, frowning.
She was truly puzzled. "Didn't you see me do that magic on the soldiers? I know lots about magic. Mother taught me, and she's the best in the whole world. That's why they wanted me to be there in that cave, because I'm special. She said so."
He looked at her blankly. "Oh." It was a moment before he realized there was more to the thought. "Cure. I tried, but I couldn't do it," he said abruptly.
Elya sighed, but she was concerned. "You, lie down, and I'll fix you up. But you can't be afraid. I hate it when people are afraid."
He obeyed, letting the girl push him down on the raft. "Afraid, why? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to Cure you up, Mister Setzer. But I have to change, and that scares people. I don't want to scare you. You're nice. So just… close your eyes, okay?"
He didn't understand any of it, but the thought of closing his eyes felt good. But he didn't know if he could ever open them again afterwards, so he didn't. "I won't be afraid."
"Well, okay." She stood up and moved back to another part of the raft. He looked at her curiously. She closed her eyes, her cheeks puffing out. It was rather funny, but then she started to glow. It was bright, almost painful, and then with a flash it was gone, and Elya had Changed. The little girl had become an Esper.
He sat up, staring. What's going on? She - she morphed! I thought only Terra could do that! She hovered above the raft, moving with it as they floated downstream, regarding him sadly with gigantic eyes that looked as if they had been made out of glass, swirling purple and green.
Elya was covered with what looked like pale violet feathers, and with a sigh she flew over to him and sat on the raft. Her shape had changed more drastically as well. As an Esper, she had the form of a teenager.
"You're scared," she said mournfully, her voice somehow deeper and more adult. "I told you not to watch!"
"No, I'm not scared," he stammered, "it's just that I didn't think anyone else could do that!"
She frowned quizzically. "Anyone else? What do you mean, 'anyone else'?" But his reply to that was interrupted.
"Elya!" Nautilus screeched from the other side of the raft. "What did you do that for?!"
The Esper girl turned her gaze to the cat briefly. "The magic works better now, Naut. You know that. I need to Cure." She looked back at Setzer. "I won't stay this way long. I have to hurry." Elya took his hand, pushing him back down with the other. He watched in curiosity and even a little awe as she put what was left of his fingers back into place, rearranging the lumps of flesh into something resembling the shape of a hand.
And the strange thing was that it didn't even hurt past a light tingling. She began to glow again, softly. "Cure," she whispered. "Cure. Cure." The glow spread to his hand, and the tingling grew more intense. And then there was a sharp burst of pain, and Setzer squeezed his eyes closed. When he opened them again, he saw that the bones of his fingers were knitting themselves together, that missing parts were reforming, and then suddenly it was whole again.
He leaned up on an elbow and gazed at it in amazement. It was as if nothing had happened to it at all. He turned to Elya to thank her, and saw that she had changed back into human form. No longer an Esper, a being of magic, she was now just a little girl, tired, hurt, and suddenly very afraid. She huddled up and began to cry softly.
"Elya," he began, sitting up, but didn't have the heart to say anything else. He felt a little uncomfortable, unsure. He wasn't very good with children, didn't know how to comfort her, or even what was wrong.
<Help her, idiot!> Nautilus said. The white cat ran over to her, purring. Hesitantly, he reached out to touch Elya's shoulder. She turned to him and buried her face against him, sobbing. He held her close, and the cat gave her approval.
Setzer rocked her gently, patting her hair and murmuring comforting nonsense as he had seen Thury do, letting her cry until she fell asleep. He eased her down on to the raft to rest, and then watched as the cat padded over to sit next to him.
<Well, now do you see why they kidnapped her? And why she needs to be protected?> Nautilus began, mind-speaking so as not to disturb her.
<Yes, but why didn't you tell me before? Elya's half-Esper, isn't she?> He looked over at the sleeping child, saw her swollen, twisted ankle, and knew how to repay her. He began concentrating on the magic, no longer dizzy. <Like Terra.>
<You got it, sweetcheeks. We didn't know if you'd help if we told you. Most people hear 'Esper' and get scared or think it's just a story or something. She's afraid of being shunned for what she is, but she wanted to help you. If you had half a brain you'd be honored.> Nautilus gave her paw a few cursory licks.

<Stop insulting me like that. I know all about you, Setzer Gabbiani. Every dark secret of yours I know!> The cat's thought-laugh was mocking, and yet still playful. She loved to tease him, and he hated it. <Katara and I decided not to tell you until we knew you could be trusted, even then maybe not at all. Elya knows to keep it a secret. But she trusted you.>
<But I thought Terra was the only half-Esper. Are there others besides Elya and Terra?> Nautilus shrugged, stopping her bath and folding her paws underneath her. Setzer frowned thoughtfully, thinking a long while before mind-speaking again. <This is confusing. What's going to stop them from finding her once she's back?>
There was no answer, and glancing back he saw that the cat was either being mysterious and ignoring him or was actually asleep. He sighed in irritation and held his hand over Elya's ankle. "Cure," he murmured, feeling great satisfaction as the spell worked and her ankle slowly returned to normal. He smiled to himself and turned to observe the shores again. Someone had to keep watch.

*****

When he awoke, it was light, the sun slowly rising towards midday. He sat up with a curse.
"Watch your mouth!" Nautilus snapped, and looking around Setzer realized where he was. On a raft, floating down a brown river, with a girl and a cat. He shook his head, and Elya glanced up at him.
"Why is the water brown? Why is everything so dead? What happened to the world? It's ruined." She was kneeling near the edge of the raft, peering into the water.
"You don't know?"
She shook her head. "It wasn't like this when they took me to the cave."
He cleared his throat, kneeling next to her. "Ahem. Uh, you see, there's a bad man named Kefka, and these three statues, and, well…"
"Stupid," Nautilus broke in, ignoring the glare he gave her. She nestled in Elya's lap. "It's like this. There's three statues of the goddesses of magic, and they have to be in exactly the right positions to keep the world balanced. Well, this Kefka caused them get out of order. Pokerface here and his friends went to go stop him, but they couldn't do it in time. And because the statues weren't aligned, the world broke up into pieces."
And so did my airship, Setzer added silently.
"It wasn't that long ago… do you remember the earthquakes in the cave, and when the rocks fell?"
<How did you know all this, cat?> he tried to ask, but Nautilus wasn't listening. Only the familiar could initiate the mind-speaking, which made it very frustrating when had a message for her that couldn't be spoken out loud. That idiot cat probably read my mind... damn, if she could only stay out of my head...!
Elya nodded slowly. "I remember that. And that big lady liked to talk about that Kefka person, too. She liked him a lot." He inwardly smiled at her description of General Ethar. It was very true, and her liking Kefka… Well. It was disgusting to think about. "Can the world get fixed, Mister Setzer?"
"Please, it's just Setzer. And I don't know," he answered. "But I think we're going to try to do it."
"Of course you are," the cat said sternly. "You'll find your friends."
"But my airship's gone," he said, turning to her. "I'm of no use to them anymore. And that's assuming they're even alive. We fell such a long way… I wasn't even sure I was going to make it afterwards."
"Airship?" Elya exclaimed. "What's that? It flies in the sky, right?" She looked excited. "You've got one? Tell me about it! You can really fly up there?" She pointed, and he smiled at her.
"Not anymore. It's broken."
"Can't you fix it? Or get a new one?" He shook his head. She sounded a little disappointed. "Well, can you tell me what it was like anyway?"
Nautilus nodded. "Sure he can. Go on, tell us a story, gambler. Tell us about your airship."
He looked down at the logs of the raft. "All right. Once, a few years ago, I won a lot of money. And so I decided that I wanted to build something, have something no one else had. I wanted to fly…"

*****

It was much later in the day, almost nighttime. They had floated down the river, the current slower now than before. He had told stories to Nautilus and her charge, and the cat in turn had told stories to them. It was nearly all they had done all day, and it had worked to keep the girl from getting too bored. But it was going to get old tomorrow, fast. It was a good thing they would reach the end of the river soon, and the town there.
They had found a few good fish in the river, and a carefully-watched Fire spell cooked them well enough. They were attacked a few times by strange deformed blowfish and other water creatures, but these were easily disposed of by Setzer's dice and a gleeful Elya's spells. He had never seen a little girl so excited about killing anything, and Nautilus's scolding afterward was funny, to say the least.
Now it was almost time to sleep again. The cat was going to stay awake to keep watch. So gratefully Setzer covered Elya with his coat and patted Nautilus, grinning as she made a face at him. He lay down on the raft, head pillowed on his arm, and almost immediately slept, lulled by the sound of water and the gentle motion of the raft.
"Setzer? Oh, Setzer?" a familiar voice called from around the corner. He smiled and turned to it as she came into view.
"Daryl," he responded, reaching out to take her hand. "What is it?"
"I have something to show you," she answered, pulling him down the road. And then, suddenly they were in a dark field, shadows all around, and an airship loomed ahead. He realized it was a dream, but the atmosphere of it was distinctly foreboding.
"What's going on?" he asked, glancing around at the area and then back down at her. Daryl smiled sweetly and somehow knocked him to the ground.
"You killed me, Setzer! It's all your fault! I wanted the stars and you gave me the ground!" Her face became twisted and hideous, not the Daryl he remembered at all. He tried to roll away, tried to remind himself it was just a dream, but failed as she pulled a huge long knife from nowhere and slashed it down through his chest, viciously cutting him open. "Six feet under, Setzer! You put me in a tomb to rot! You put me under the dirt!"
He screamed and jumped away as she brought the blade down again. But he wasn't dead, wasn't waking up, couldn't go anywhere! Daryl crashed after him, shouting. "I'm coming for you! I'm coming, Setzer! Wait for me, come back to the ground with me! I won't let you fly when you've taken it away from me!"
The huge gash didn't hurt, she couldn't really wound him, but the whole image sent waves of pain through him. -No! She wouldn't blame me for it, it wasn't my fault, was it? I didn't want her to die!- He ran toward the airship-shape, but couldn't get to it, and then Daryl was there in front of him, ready for him. The blade came down again...
"Gambler!" Nautilus hissed close to his ear. "Gabbiani, wake up, or you'll hurt yourself." He came awake quickly, heart pounding, and stared at her, taking deep breaths. "Your mind was screaming," she informed him, washing behind her ears as if it were a trivial matter.
"A nightmare," he spat, shaking his head. He hadn't had one of those in a long time, hated the cold feeling it gave him on the small of his back. He looked at the sky, saw that it was nearing dawn. "Just a stupid nightmare."
There was a silence as Nautilus finished cleaning. "You didn't kill her, you know," she finally remarked. Setzer glared at her so fiercely she actually flinched.
"Stop stealing my thoughts!" he snapped, reaching out and knocking her hard onto her side. She calmly dug her claws into his hand, and he pulled it back. "Leave my memories alone!"
"Shut up. You'll wake Elya. And I didn't steal them. You were actually sending them out! You're lucky I'm the only true mental receiver around, because it would be impossible not to see what happened."
He blinked. "Was it really that bad?"
"Sure was. Wonder what brought it on?"
He shrugged, looking back upstream. No one following, yet, but he had a feeling they'd be coming along soon. Hopefully they'd be to the town, safe, by then. And then a sudden thought froze his heart. What if there were slavers, soldiers - Imperials in the town? There had to be! They were sailing right into a trap! Why hadn't he seen it before?
"Oh, gods!" he breathed, leaping to his feet. "We have to stop the raft!"

Chapter Four - Have a Nice Trip, See You Next Fall!
In which most everyone gets wet and does not have a good time

Nautilus let loose a long peal of laughter. "You… you've gone batty!" she choked, rolling about as if her sides hurt. "Stop the raft? Please! You're killing me!"
He scooped the cat up and held her around her middle, facing downstream. "You think you're so smart, cat? Look at that!" He jabbed a finger in the general direction of the town. "Odds are there are Imperials in that town, and they will come upstream and catch us! I would bet you anything! Anything! So we have to stop the raft!"
"No need to get testy," Nautilus said carelessly. "Just do it."
He dropped her like a hot coal. She landed perfectly and turned away from him, tail in the air. "Oh, damn you!" he snarled, stomping over to the opposite side of the raft. He fell to his knees and began fishing in the river for tree limbs. It was lucky that all the earthquakes and rearranging of the world had knocked so many trees into the river. The water was full of branches.
"What's going on?" Elya asked sleepily, sitting up and peering out from under the black leather of Setzer's coat. She took one look at him up to his elbows in water and came over to help. "What're you doing?"
He found a good one and began hauling it up. She grabbed onto a stick and yanked as well. "Need three branches," he grunted, stepping back and laying his prize on the logs. "Gotta stop the raft." Immediately he turned back and reached for another.
"Why?" When he didn't answer Elya turned to Nautilus. "Why does he need branches? Why do we have to stop the raft?"
"Beats me," the cat replied, apparently sunning herself even though it wasn't light yet. "He's just being a fool, if you ask me."
"No one did." Setzer laid the second branch next to the first and once more looked into the river.
Elya sat down hard, twirling a strand of hair around her fingers. "I'm hungry," she complained.
"Dried meat in the pocket," he told her, retrieving the last branch. Grabbing all three, he jumped to his feet and ran to the downstream end of the raft. As hard as he could, he rammed a branch down into the riverbed.
The raft hit against it, but the current began to push it past the branch and down the river. He went to the other corner and did the same with another branch, putting the last one in the middle for good measure. The raft pushed against the branches, but stayed put.
He sighed in relief and flopped down on the logs. Elya clapped politely, her mouth full of dried meat, and Nautilus pointedly ignored him. "Thank you, thank you," he said grandly, bowing as well as he could from his sprawled position.
When he'd caught his breath, Setzer retrieved his coat and shrugged into it, biting his lip as he looked at the banks. How are we going to get over there? They were floating in the middle of the river, and the water was too deep for him to cross by himself, let alone trying to carry passengers. And they'd have to hide their tracks until they got out into the forest.
<You swim, britelight. Of course.>
<Be quiet. I'm not speaking to you at the moment,> he thought, annoyed.
She snorted. <But you're going to do it anyway, right?>
<No kidding.> He turned to the girl. "Elya, can you swim?" He was not exactly looking forward to getting wet, but there was no way around it.
"Yes, she can," Nautilus answered for her. "Katara taught her. I was there."
Elya stared at the cat, and then crossed the logs and climbed into his lap. "I'm scared," she whispered in his ear, the light violet of her hair orange with the sunrise. "I don't want Naut to know. The water's too fast." She hugged him suddenly.
"Don't worry," he whispered back, smiling. "I won't let you go. I promise."
Nautilus shook herself and darted over. "What are you talking about?" she demanded crossly.
"The fact that you need a nap," Setzer said seriously, sharing a confidential look with Elya.
She giggled. "You're really cranky, Naut."
The cat harumphed. "Well, you would be too if you had to stay up all night listening to Setzer's bad dreams."
Elya looked confused but he didn't explain, looking upstream. Was it his imagination or did he hear voices? The white cat froze, looking as well.
 she thought urgently. <They're coming, gambler!>
Quickly he set Elya on the raft and untucked his shirt, tearing two long strips off of it. She simply stared, wide-eyed, as he looped one around the vines holding two logs together and tied it tightly. The other one he used to fasten one of Elya's wrists to his so he couldn't lose her. "Nothing like a nice swim to wake you up in the morning," Setzer said cheerfully.
"What are you doing?" she asked in a small voice as he tucked his shirttails back in, glancing at Nautilus. The cat knew what she was supposed to do but still looked away huffily.
He picked Elya up, moving to the edge of the raft. "We have to get off now," he said carefully, "and we can't let anyone see us. We're going to hide under the raft."
She nodded, pale. "What about Naut?"
The cat ran up, leaping to Setzer's shoulder. "I'll be okay, Elly," she said, quickly burrowing down into his shirt. "Believe me, I'm not doing this because I like you," she told him in a disgusted voice.
Ignoring her remarks, he sat on the edge of the raft, holding the ends of the cloth tied to the logs in a hand. He hoped it would hold; the shirt had been expensive enough, at any rate. Elya grasped his coat tightly, her knuckles white, squeezing her eyes closed and pressing her face into his shoulder. He held on to her with one arm, the cat digging her claws into his chest. He could hear the soldiers' voices getting closer. Soon they would come around the bend…
"Take a deep breath and hold it," he said tersely, waiting until the child had done so before inching forward. "Here we go--" He inhaled and slid off into the chilly dark water.
They hit with hardly a splash, but the cold was enough to jar a gasp from him before they went under, the current pulling them beneath the raft. It would have taken them down the river as well, if not for the cloth he had wrapped around his hand.
It was just in time, for the boat carrying the soldiers had appeared. Setzer could hear muffled shouts, felt the raft jar slightly as booted feet tramped onto it. Very slightly, he shifted Elya up so she could breathe through the gaps in the logs. She wasn't resisting, no longer holding on very well. And there was nothing he could do for the cat besides praying she could take care of herself. And it was so cold!
Come on, let them decide we went onto the island! he thought. And there were more shouted orders from above. Some of the troops were going to land, and the others… they were tying a rope to the raft and preparing to haul it ashore and carry it back to the base. Oh, now what do we do? If I let go they'll see us! But if I don't...
The current pushed at them as the raft was dragged across the river to the shore. Taking a deep breath, Setzer let go. They were immediately swept downstream, the water seeming to move faster and faster. Not caring anymore if they saw them, he tried to keep his head above water, pulling Elya up so she could breathe. If it wasn't for the cloth he would have let go of her. She was unconscious but still breathing, the cat like a rock in his shirt.
They were moving too quickly for the soldiers to follow, tossed by the rapids, and Setzer, after being dashed against a rock for the hundredth time, was no longer able to stay awake. The man, the girl, and the cat went under, the churning water of the river hiding them from their pursuers even as it kept from them the air…

*****

- cold wet tired so cold can't breathe can't breathe coughing hurts blood where are they so tired so cold it hurts -
Setzer coughed violently, hacking up water and silt from the river, and even a little blood, raised up on all fours and coughed again, his throat hurting. And yet the ground beneath him was solid enough, his hands curling into the mud. He coughed until all the water was out, groaning and collapsing onto the wet ground.
A moment later he raised his head and turned to the little girl whose wrist was still tied to his, to the wet whiteness of the cat laying limply beside her. He worked loose the cloth and reached out to touch Elya. She was cold even to his numbed fingers. Frowning, he watched for breathing. There was none.
"No!" He pulled himself up, kneeling over her.
- breathe she must breathe no have to help - his mind told him, his thoughts still fractured and unclear. Setzer bent down, breathing his own life into her. Spells. Life, Cure. I have to save her!
Her chest rose with the air he gave her, and taking another breath he continued until she began to cough up water. He helped her roll to her side, gasping with relief, and as she began to breathe on her own he muttered the Cure Two spell, casting it on all three of them. As the familiar feel of magic coursed through him, he sat back into the mud, his head clearing.
"Setzer!" Elya said hoarsely, bursting into tears, and in relief he hugged her close.
"I told you I wouldn't let you go," he murmured, closing his eyes, stroking the muddy hair of the half-Esper girl. Suddenly the fact that she was alive meant more than all the money or airships in the world. "I promised."
She sniffled, trembling, weak. Her breaths were audible as her lungs got reaccustomed to holding air. "Naut?" she questioned softly, looking down at the cat. "She's okay, isn't she?"
Setzer glanced at Nautilus. She did not look good at all. He couldn't see her breathing, either, her eyes shut, laying near the river's edge where she'd fallen from his shirt. "Oh, Elya," he whispered. "I'm sorry, but she was underwater the whole time… I don't think… I'm so sorry." He couldn't say any more as the girl sobbed against him, and he did his best to comfort her.
Damn it, and he'd miss that back-talking cat, too. He hugged Elya tightly, bowing his head. If he'd only seen what was happening sooner, she'd still be alive. It's all my fault. I may yet bring Elya home, but I've still failed.
"If you'd failed, Setzer, we'd all be at the bottom of the river by now," came a raspy voice from near him. His head snapped up, the girl turning slightly in his arms.
"You damned by all the gods cat!" he breathed, staring at Nautilus.
She managed a low laugh. "Aw, now, that's no way to greet me! I thought you said you'd miss me."
"Naut!" Elya cried, scrambling over to the cat and picking her up, then making her way back to Setzer and collapsing next to him. "You're okay!"
She licked her hand, rubbing her head against the child. "Yes, and I'm glad to see you are, too! Looks like the gambler here is useful for more than causing trouble."
He made a miffed noise. "So, how did you survive, cat? Just dumb luck?"
"The name is Nautilus!" she said, tossing her head. "I'll tell you once we're away from the river. Don't want them to just find us here. We're lucky they haven't already."
"Probably thought we drowned," Setzer responded, looking around at their surroundings. They apparently had washed up on the riverbank, near a place where the water pooled in a curve. The forest loomed around them, waiting.
The cat shrugged. "Cast your Cure on us one more time, Gabbiani, and then we'll get under the trees where we won't be so easy to find. Cover our tracks until we get in there enough."
He scowled but began preparing the spell anyway. "Yes, Mother," he muttered, smiling at Elya when she giggled. "I'm really not that funny, you know."
"Yes, you are," she laughed, and he was glad to see she was regaining some of her usual child's vigor.
Setzer raised his hands, saying, "Cure. Cure!" with more enthusiasm than he'd felt in a long time, watching as the green energy flew around them and soaked into their skins, through their wet clothes. Immediately he felt better, and from the looks on the others' faces they did too.
He stood, pulling Elya to her feet, the girl holding Nautilus against her shoulder with one arm. She squeezed his hand, looking up at him, and he smiled and led them into the woods. As soon as the cat told them to stop, he grabbed a leafy branch from the ground and went back to where they'd been, smoothing out the mud as well as he could to hide their tracks. Setzer dropped it and they continued on, to get as far away from the river as they could before night fell.
When they reached a nice stopping place, with a convenient fallen log to sit on, he stopped and sat down. He still felt a bit tired, and with dark coming on the air was chilling his damp clothes. As far as he knew everything he was wearing was ruined, anyway. "Now you can tell us how you survived, Nautilus. As far as I know, you were under the whole time. Even you can't hold your breath that long."
The white cat sat next to his feet. "I kind of put myself in a trance. I didn't have to breathe or anything like that. If I could have done it some other way, I would have," Nautilus replied. "Sometimes I really hate being a cat," she said in a dark voice. Shrugging it off, she glanced up at Setzer. "We can stay here tonight. Why don't you build us a fire? Make sure it doesn't smoke."
"Why don't you build it yourself?"
She laughed. "I'm a cat, remember?"
"You can do it, and you know it," he grumbled, kneeling down and heaping together a few sticks. Elya gathered a few more and brought them over, wanting to help. He let her cast Fire on them, settling back against the log with a sigh.
Nautilus ambled over to stretch out in front of the blaze, complimenting the girl on how nice a fire it was.
She beamed and then, yawning, made her way back over to them. "Now I'm really hungry," she said, rubbing her stomach. "My tummy's grumbling."
"I'm sorry, Elly. I don't have anything with me, and it's too dark to hunt now. We'll find something in the morning, all right?" he told her.
She frowned and sighed. "Oh, okay. Can I go get a drink of water?"
The cat stood. "I'll go with you. Remember, don't go anywhere without one of us, Elya. You might get lost or hurt."
She nodded, looking tired and uncomfortable. The two figures disappeared into the darkness, and Setzer stirred the fire with a stick. He was getting a bit hungry as well, but was better at ignoring it than the girl was. Well, okay, more than a bit hungry. Now that the others were gone he grimaced at the hollow feeling in his gut. I'll have to have something if I plan on going much farther.
When the girl and familiar returned, Elya curled up next to his side to rest where it was warm. He was surprised, pausing a moment before putting his arm protectively around her shoulders. "G'night, Setzer. G'night, Naut," she mumbled sleepily, her eyes closed.
"Goodnight," he said with a faint smile, meeting the cat's eyes. We need to talk, he mouthed at her.
Nautilus nodded. "Sleep tight," she added, crouching down and folding her paws underneath her.
She looks like a loaf of bread, he thought with amusement, smirking and waiting for the familiar's thought-voice. A loaf of bread with the head of a cat and a tail on it.
<Oh, funny. Funny funny ha ha.>
<Believe me, if you were a loaf of bread you wouldn't be here now. Elya and I would have eaten you a long time ago. Damn it, when was the last time I ate? Three days ago?>
The cat shifted in annoyance. <Is this what you wanted to talk to me about? I can't create food, you dolt. There's nothing I can do about it.>
<No, I'm just complaining,> he sighed. <What I wanted to ask is about Elya. Why does she do... this?> Setzer gestured with his spare hand at the girl next to him.
<She likes you. She trusts you. You make her feel safe.> Nautilus shrugged. <Is it really so bad? She curls up with her mother like that.>
<No, it's not that it's bad, it's just that I'm not used to it. I've never been good with children, and... well, it's bothering me! I can't take risks, or, or anything when I know I have to watch her!>
She seemed to roll her eyes. <That's what being a parent is all about, Setzer.>
<I'm not her parent!> he protested. <I'm definitely not made to be a father.> He narrowed his eyes. 
<Planning something? Where would you get that idea, Gabbiani? That stuff is too silly for me to get my paws on. I'll have nothing to do with those stupid prolonged human mating rituals. Now, please, get some sleep. You and Elya have had a hard day. I was in a trance, so I'm wide awake now. I'll watch.>
<All right,> Setzer sighed, a bit suspiciously, settling back and closing his eyes. His mind, however, was not quite so relaxed. He shuddered, remembering the events of the past week or so. We are so lucky to have gotten out alive. And this morning, when I thought Elya had drowned… I don't think I've ever been afraid like that before, worried that she'd die. Even through all the battles I've fought with the Returners, I've never felt that way. Not even Relm, even though she's just a kid too.
<It's called love, Setzer.>
 he thought angrily, Daryl's face flashing before his mind's eye. He had never told her how he'd felt, afraid she didn't feel the same way, and then it was too late, and his chance was gone. He'd never know if she had loved him… <Believe me, I know! You never know just what you have until you've lost it forever. Elya's a nice kid, but I don't love her.>
She sighed. <You are hopeless, Gabbiani. Life goes on. You must, too.>
<Just leave me alone. Stop trying to change me. I'm only doing this because I'm going to get paid so I can build another airship and fly again. I'm just a gambler, cat, and nothing more.> He turned away from her, trying to block out her mental voice and get some rest. It seemed that he succeeded, although he thought he heard one last stray thought from the familiar before she gave up.
<Nothing more? Perhaps you're right. But maybe, Setzer, maybe it's not me who's trying to change you. Maybe you are trying to change yourself.>

*****

The next morning found Elya eating grass and Nautilus nowhere in sight. "Elly," Setzer groaned, sitting up, futilely trying to blink away a headache, "why is there grass hanging out of your mouth?"
She grinned at him, flashing green-stained teeth, and then clapped both her hands over her mouth. "I'm hungry!" she said around her fingers. "It's kinda like salad."
"I know you're hungry," he responded. "We'll get food right away. Where's the cat?"
Elya dropped her handful of green foliage. "She's out looking for food, too. Setzer, what's that rock in your pocket for?"
He immediately reached into his pocket. "How do you know what's in there?"
She cocked her head slightly to one side. "You let me get some meat and I saw it then."
"Oh." His hand closed around the shard of Magicite, and he pulled it out. It shone dully in his palm as he showed it to the girl. He'd already learned all the spells from it since the world had been destroyed. Usually the companions had traded Magicite when they'd learned all the spells they could, but since no one else had any he'd just carried it. The slavers had just mistaken it for a plain rock. "This is the Shiva Magicite. It teaches me spells. Well, it used to, anyway…"
"Magicite?" She repeated the unfamiliar word so as to remember it. "What's that?"
"It comes from an Esper. The Esper Shiva, in this case."
Her mouth became round with surprise. "Wow! Can… can I hold it? For a little while?"
"Sure." He dropped it into her outstretched hands. As Elya began to examine it, he dug around in his pockets some more. Might as well see what I still have while I wait for the cat to come back. I can't take Elya hunting with me. He laid each of the items out in front of him as he pulled them out. He still had his razor-edged cards and dice, thankfully, as well as a small sack of gold pieces he'd gotten from the guard. They'd be enough to pay someone to take them off the island.
His regular cards had been soaked, the paper wavy and water-spotted. He frowned at that. It wasn't as if he couldn't afford a new deck, but it was just the principle of it all. His clothes were ruined, his things hardly in better shape. He wondered - just how much was Katara going to pay him when it was over?
Setzer rubbed his chin as he sorted through the odds and ends and suddenly noticed that he really needed to shave. He hated wearing a beard; because of the color, it made him look much older than he really was. Hell, people thought he was older anyway when he really wasn't even thirty yet.
He picked up one of the sharp fighting cards. It would work to shave with. In fact, it would work beautifully. Why not? Something about the entire thing made him want to laugh, and so he did, chuckling loudly. When in doubt, improvise!
Elya had been absorbed in the Magicite, but she looked up at him, her violet eyes strangely intense. "I don't know all of these spells," she told him, seemingly unaware that he was thinking about something else altogether. "Could I learn them? Is it all right?"
He nodded, trying to remember which ones the shard held. "I suppose," he said finally. "Please don't lose it. Technically, it's not mine."
"I'll be careful," she promised excitedly, turning as Nautilus bounded through the brush, dragging a dead bird in her mouth. She dropped it and greeted him.
"I've got more where this came from," she told Setzer. "I can't carry it all."
He nodded and scooped his things back up and shoved them into his pockets. He got up and followed the cat a little ways, Elya tagging along and telling Naut breathlessly about the Esper and the spells she was going to learn.
<Was that really wise?> she asked him as he knelt and, making a face, picked up little rodent corpses.
<It's not like they're going to hurt her, and I wasn't using it,> he replied as they returned to their campsite, immediately starting a fire and sending Elya for more sticks. <If we get attacked she might even need them.>
The cat tore into a bird with a vengeance. <As long as you're sure.>
He nodded and began preparing the meal, letting Elya help whenever she could. It seemed like forever before the meat was cooked, and then they stuffed themselves, starving after days without anything.
When it all was gone, they cleaned up the campsite and hid all traces of their passing. Setzer looked through the trees as far as he could. All they needed to do was travel parallel to the river for a day or two more and they would reach the coast. And then, all that was left was getting the hell off this island.

Chapter Five - Blondes Do Not Have More Fun
In which a yard is as good as a mile

They were hiking through the forest, heading south, following animal trails and trying to avoid making n