Of Girls and Treasure. [Zidane]

[Kadaj]

It was an unusually quiet night in the largest city of Spira. Bevelle, home of the Bahamut Fayth and base of the Yevon Faction. There were many dogs and traitors that needed to be dealt with in this place, but like the hypocrites that are, Machina defends them all from possible threats. Machina, one of the reasons Yevon said Sin had come to punish the world... for it's ill use and the war between Zanarkand and Bevelle all those years ago. Funny how on the inside, especially within the Temple itself, Machina could be seen in every direction. Doors, lifts, robots guarding the streets... It was no wonder why the Non Serviam Faction was set up too, to counter Yevon and reveal all their lies and tryanies. High Summoner Yuna had came here to obtain Bahamut... and to marry Mastaer Seymour Guado, only to have that stopped thanks to the actions of her Guardians and Cid's Airship. That was a thing... What did happen to that Airship after the attack on Sin?

Thoughts were cut short as the figure of a black leather clad male with silver hair could be seen walking down one of the large, main streets of Bevelle. Most of the shops and traders had closed up for the night, but the odd black-market stall could be found down one of the hidden and dark alleys that dotted the massive machina city. Speaking of which, those pesky robots were everywhere accompanied by Bevelle guards. YAT-99's and YKT-63's. Very well made, but since that they WERE made, they could just as easily be un-made. Lightning and Thunder type spells were very effective, or just one single accurate sword strike could bring them down too. Yet the figure with silver-hair wasn't here to pick a fight and have several other Machina's come blast him with shells or try and Thrust Kick him out of the city. No, that wasn't why he was here.

Up ahead, a patrol of 2 Guards and a YAT-99 rounded the corner and started to head in the silver-hair man's direction. With quick thinking, the male darted off to his right and disappeared down an alley into the shadows. Thanks to his profession, he was able to run with speed and silence, his durable leather boots hardly making a sound as he sped down the alley. Upon reaching the end, to his surprise, he found himself face to face with an late-night Inn. The sign on the door still said 'Open' and it had been a while since the Remnant, known as Kadaj, was last in Luca to visit Tifa in 7th Heaven. A second or two of staring at the Inn in silence, was briskly interupted by the sound of a growl. Darting his head from side to side before looking over his shoulder, Kadaj could see nothing that would have made that sound. Guards didn't growl and nor did YAT-99's, so at least the patrol didn't find him.

With a seconds thought, he felt his stomach grumble a second time and he looked down at himself with a surprised expression.
"Heh... Well, I guess it's about time I ate something... Not been to Tifa's in a while."
Luca was much too far away to go now and just grab something to eat. Kadaj had some Gil on him, so without a second through, he stepped forwards and grasped the door handle, twisting and pushing before stepping through. Quickly closing it behind him, the silver-haired male made his way over to the bar and took a seat. It was only when he sat down that he took a moment to peer around his surroundings and at the other punters within the bar. No one really stood out apart from one lad. Messy blond hair, blue clothing and.... was that a tail?

[Zidane Tribal]

Bevelle was large. Very large. Zidane often avoided it for this exact reason, not wanting another encounter with Sin. But of course Sin had been destroyed two years ago, but it was still in Zidane’s nature to avoid large places like Bevelle simply because of the traumatic event that had taken place in his childhood. He still remembered quite vividly the sight of the theatre boat being flipped completely over, standing vertical for what seemed like an eternity, towering over everything but Sin and threatening to come straight down on the young thief. It was by Sin’s own doing that it hadn’t, the large form of the monster causing it to tip off to the side. Still, how many people had died as it had landed, flattening half the village.

Zidane shook his head to clear his mind of the thoughts. Now was not the time to go thinking on such grim topics. He was in a bar in Bevelle telling stories at the moment, his audience gaping as they held onto his words. He had zoned out. Why had he zoned out? Something in the story must’ve reminded him of that event. He carefully considered where he’d been in the story before continuing.

”There I was, me and another kid, barely able to hold a sword, fending off this large fiend while the caretakers evacuated the orphanage. The fire was blazing as the roof threatened to collapse at any moment and I desperately wanted to run in there to save the bawling children, but the kid I was with wouldn’t have managed to hold his own against this beast, so I trusted the caretakers to do the right thing,” he said, standing up on a table and acting out the drama as it unfolded through his words. His tail flickered with excitement, he did enjoy when all the eyes were on him. A remnant of his time acting in the plays Tantalus used to hold as part of their cover.

”With my daggers in hand I charged head on toward the fiend, my feet pumping. It swiped a large claw at me, but I dodged!” the crowd gasped, Zidane did a somersault onto the next table. ”I was inside its reach now, but it still had those gnashing teeth. It bit straight at me, but I leapt again, grabbing onto a branch above us. Barely made it away from the thing with my tail intact!” he leapt up on cue, grabbing one of the overhead lighting fixtures and swinging, curling his tail close to him as if it had been threatened to be bitten off. ”And with a fierce cry I swung high over its head before diving straight down, daggers leading! The beast gave a fearsome roar as my dagger pierced its skull, driving the head of the vile creature to the ground, defeated!” he flipped off of the light fixture, hit the ground in a roll which ended with a quick leap up onto the bar, where he raised his hands triumphantly.

”I was the victor,” he finished with a carefully somber tone. The crowd clapped as Zidane’s tail swished back and forth eagerly, reveling in the attention.

[Kadaj]

As Kadaj made his way through the bar, passing a couple of tables along the way, he could hear the voice of a young man, the one with the tail, talking about some sort of adventure of his, or a story at least. He'd gathered some crowd, since practically everyone who wasn't drunk or sleep, were looking the lad's way, all caught up in his tale. Not paying any thought about it for now, the assassin merely proceeded onwards to the bar, making his way around another table with a couple of occupants, staring in Zidane's direction, mouths wide and eyes full of awe. The silver-haired man eventually made it to the bar, where he had sat down and after glancing from left to right, he stared at the tail growing lad a final time, watching him as he flipped from one table to the next before continuing his story. Something about him helping some child from a fiend as caretakers saved other children from a burning orphanage. The lad sounded like quite a hero, but the Remnant was too hungry to give it any serious thought. Not now anyway.

As the barmaid waltzed pasted, she gave the Remnant of Sin a smile before asking what he wanted to have. Kadaj at this time, had his head lowered and eyes closed, staring at the bar in front of him, looking actually as if he were shattered. Come to think about it, it had been a long time since the assassin had slept too. As the woman's voice reached his ears, Kadaj looked up, half expecting to be in Luca and to see Tifa's wonderful smile. Yet his eyes focused on someone that wasn't quite as dashing and it made Kadaj sit upright with a slightly startled expression.
"Ah?! Oh.. err... I'll just take a glass of water and today's special..."
Kadaj said, quickly regaining himself from the disappointment of not being in 7th Heaven.
"A water, and today's special. That'll be 30 Gil."
Kadaj blinked, before reaching one of his hands into one of his pockets and pulling out some Gil. After counting out 30, he handed them to her with a small, almost fake smile. She had a nice voice at least.

The barmaid went off on her way to fetch Kadaj's order and as he waited, he was briefly surprised by the sound and sight of the blue-clothed lad landed on the bartop a couple of feet away from him. The silver-haired man looked up at him for a couple of seconds, his eyes calm and causal as he tried to get a better understanding of who he was. Being this much closer, he could get a better look at his face and that tail. Watching as the Thief raised his hands into the air to soak up the applaude of the audience, Kadaj raised his right hand up and rested his elbow on the table, catching the end of Zidane's swaying tail between his two fingers.
"Sounds like you know how to fight..."
The Remnant of Sin said, letting go of the tail when he felt it wanting to sway back to the other side, lifting his head again and looking into the direction of the tail's owner. Kadaj's glowing eyes watched the male for a second before giving him a small grin.
"Can I buy you a drink?"

[Zidane Tribal]

Zidane was busy reveling in the crowd’s applause. Of course his story was not true, but the people didn’t need to know that. He was being hailed as a hero by these people and in the morning they’ll move on with their lives. Besides, it wasn’t in the story, it was all in the execution. By engaging the audience like he had they believed him. His acrobatic feats as he jumped between the tables and off the walls made it seems as if the events of his story were completely plausible. And there was nothing saying that he wouldn’t fight against a fiend in the exact same situation, however he’d never been in such a situation where he’d needed to defend a burning orphanage.

So he stretched the truth a little.

His tail flickered and when it caught against something Zidane jumped with fright. He spun around, feet landing evenly apart, wondering what was going on. He didn’t like his tail being played with out of nowhere, but then again it was an object of curiosity and the girls always enjoyed playing with it, so he let it slide most of the time. Though nowadays he wasn’t as interested in the women of the bar, having only one on his mind. Wasn’t as interested, not saying he wasn’t eyeing them on occasion.

He spun around to see who had his tail, the extra appendage being yanked from the man’s grip. He looked down, blinking with surprise before realizing exactly where he was. Oh yeah, I’m on the bar, he thought to himself, quickly jumping down. There were some calls for another story, but Zidane waved them off with a wide grin, turning his attention to the man who had grabbed his tail. ”Can I buy you a drink?” he had asked, and despite being only sixteen Zidane was certainly not going to turn down a free drink!

He hopped into the chair beside the man, grinning. ”Sure! Did you enjoy the story?” he asked, trying to recall whether or not the man had been there before. Either way if he was there to grab the thief’s tail then he had been there to hear his tale, even if he had only caught the tail end of the tale. Try saying that ten times fast. Speaking of tails, his swished back and forth behind him, drawing a few gazes from nearby patrons of the bar, who had been wondering about the extra appendage the entire time he’d been telling the story.

[Kadaj]

Kadaj could only grin and let out a small chuckle from the lad's jumpy reaction to having his tail caught. Though it was only for a second that the Remnant had held it, it seemed soft to touch yet strong enough to support the lad's weight. Would certainly be useful to have an extra appendage such as that for a variety of situations. Returning his hand back down onto the bar top, he watched the lad jump down and take a seat beside him, apologizing to a couple of more patrons who requested another story. Kadaj slowly closed and reopened his eyes and hung his head slightly as he watched a small creature scurry away from the Remnant's glowing vision. Although the monkey-boy beside him had smiled and accepted the Remnant's offer for a drink, he didn't say anything until the barmaid from earlier had returned with the silver-haired man's order.

His ears perked up as he heard her coming and as a result, the Remnant pushed himself up off the bar and sat upright, lifting a gloved hand and pointing to Zidane beside him.
"A drink for the hero too."
Kadaj said with a grin. The barmaid blushed as she must have been listening to Zidane's tale too, and quickly scurried off to pour the lad a drink. As she vanished around the corner of the bar, the silver-haired male looked back at the lad beside him and glanced through his silver curtain of hair.
"I didn't catch all of it, though you seem like a kind hearted person. Willing to risk life and limb to save others, some whom you don't even know..."
Kadaj grasped his gloved hand around his glass of water and brought it up to his lips, sipping at it for half a second before returning it to the slightly wet patch on the bar where it once stood. Taking a fork now, he started to tuck into the meal he had bought. It didn't look very pleasing, but it was somewhat tasty. Not as good as some of Tifa's meals though.

Only taking a couple of mouthfuls, not wanting to come across as rude to his new drinking buddy, Kadaj looked back into Zidane's direction.
"It takes admiration to do something like that. Bravery too, but..."
The silver-haired man said before leaving a short pause to look directly at Zidane's green-blue eyes.
"... you haven't actually fought a fiend outside a burning orphanage before, have you?"
Kadaj continued with a sly smile, saying it slightly quieter as not to have the patrons sitting near by to eavesdrop.

[Zidane Tribal]

Zidane blinked. Okay, the guy was good. Now came the decision of trying to continue with the lie or simply admit he’d been caught. It was a matter of knowing the man who had called him out and right now Zidane didn’t know anything about this guy except that he was upfront and friendly. So it was probably better to go with the latter of the two options. First, however, there was a matter of tailing the waitress who walked away from the pair, watching her until she vanished from view. Sure, he’d met a wonderful girl and yes, he was in love, but he couldn’t deny his nature.

He turned his attention back to the silver-haired man who was buying him a drink and grin widely. ”A good story doesn’t have to be true, it simply needs to engage the audience,” he said, quoting something Baku had once taught him before the disaster that had destroyed Tantalus. Sure they’d been a pack of thieves disguised as a theatre troupe, but they did take their performing quite seriously, so Zidane had learned both worlds simultaneously. ”Besides, I would if I was ever in the situation. You don’t need a reason to help somebody, after all,” he added. Best way to work when caught in a lie is to go along with it.

The barmaid returned with his drink. Zidane smiled as she laid it on the table, thanking her as she stood back up and walked away, his eyes once again trailing after her, his tail swaying back and forth once more. Once again, as before, she disappeared from view and Zidane turned his attention back to the man who had called him out and bought him a drink. Zidane wasn’t sure how to feel about this guy, he was friendly yet at the same time there was something off. Had he invited Zidane for a drink simply to call him out? Zidane shrugged, it was always fine to have company.

He took a glance at the drink she had brought out. Neither of them had placed a particular order, so the barmaid had obviously made an assumption and brought out a drink to him. He took the glass and raised it in the air. ”The way she was sizing me up, let’s hope she didn’t drug it!” he cheered, changing the topic and taking a large swig of the drink. He polished off a good quarter of the mug before placing it back on the bar, letting the burning liquid slide down his throat. He was sixteen, but he was no stranger to the drink.

[/blockquote]

[Kadaj]

Kadaj could only return his eyes to his meal and let out another chuckle, knowing he was right about the monkey-boy telling a lie instead if the truth. But with what he said to follow it up, did make sense in the end. There were many great stories out there that could capture the interest of it's reader and effect them all different sorts of emotions and feelings, whether the story be true or false. It didn't matter. The patrons of the bar had heard an interesting and brave story so who cared if they discovered the truth. Sure, Kadaj was rotten to the core and had a heart darker then a lump of coal, but acting and lying wasn't that hard to do and he wasn't really the type of person to go about telling the truth to some merry and happy patrons of a bar in the night. Not that anyone would believe him if he did. They must have thought that the blue-clothed lad was really a hero and who'd believe the words of some dark looking, leather clad man?

That made Kadaj laugh in his mind and he glanced and watched Zidane as he were looking off after the bar maid as she left. Kadaj eyed the barmaid just as he vanished around the corner, and as well as having a nice voice, she hips weren't too shabby either. Instantly, Kadaj thought of his only friend back in Luca and felt his heart warm if only by a fraction.
"You don't need a reason to help someone?"
Kadaj repeated as he heard the green-blue eyed lad say if before him. This made him wonder for a moment, even causing the silver-haired male to raised one of his gloved hands up and scratch at his chin for a moment.
~You don't need a reason to help anyone... I have no reason to help out Tifa, at least. Not so sure about anyone... Non Serviam and Yevon need to die by my sword. The whole Factions and all their lackeys. Sin is gone because of those traitors!!~
The Remnant thought to himself, lowering his arm and taking his fork, eating one more mouthful of his meal.

"There is only one person I wish to protect..."
Kadaj said after swallowing his food, returning his head back to Zidane and watching him carefully with his glowing, turquoise eyes. He paused, not saying anything for a second or two as he just watched Zidane. Finally he looked away and smiled slightly again, brushing some of his silver hair away from his eyes and dinner.
"... and she's not here. Not in Bevelle, anyway."
The fork found itself being dug into his dinner once more, before traveling the short distance from the plate to his gob. He ate for a second, this time allowing the taste of the food to wash around his mouth and excite his taste buds. Not the best grub ever, but it'll do to quench his hunger. As Kadaj looked up, the barmaid had returned with Zidane's drink, and as he watched the young lad knock a fair bit of it back, the Remnant of Sin could only shake his head slightly and smile.

Taking one final mouthful of his food, he pushed the plate a few inches ahead of him across the bar and washed it down with a small sip of his water. Afterwards, he pulled his gloves tighter onto his hands before leaning onto the bar, looking at the monkey-boy.
"It's too late now even if she did. But from the way she was looking at you, and the way you were looking at her, i'd say you're safe to make a move."
Kadaj said with a hint of tease in his almost cat-like purring voice. The silver-haired man only smiled and took his drink and raised it to Zidane, cheering him back as he did to him, taking a sip afterwards.

[Zidane Tribal]

The thief with a tail blinked as he listened to the man. He only had one person to protect? How strange. Zidane shrugged the thought off, considering the rest of the silver-haired man’s words. ”If she’s not here in Bevelle then why are you? I know if I had someone to protect I’d be travelling with them…” he ended thoughtfully, remembering Kairi. A smile came to his face completely unnoticed by the boy as the thought swirled around in his mind, leaving a delightful flavor. He blinked, having zoned out again, turning his attention back to the conversation at hand. Unfortunately it had also moved to the familiar topic.

"It's too late now even if she did. But from the way she was looking at you, and the way you were looking at her, I'd say you're safe to make a move," the stranger cooed to Zidane. The thief shook his head, embarrassed that the thought had even come up between them. Over such a short time he’d become a one-woman man and he did not regret that decision at all. In fact he was quite happy to finally know what love was, to have a woman to share the experience with. His unconscious smile still remained plastered across his face.

”Oh no, I don’t plan on making a movie,” he said, turning that smile into a grin. ”I’ve found someone and I’m quite happy. I was just afraid she’d try something against my will, though I don’t feel strange, so I think I’m safe.” To prove his point he picked up the mug and took another great gulp. The burning liquid slid down his throat and, because of his small stature and young age, Zidane began to feel the effects of it after only half the mug. Sure he was no stranger to the liquid, didn’t mean he could take a lot of it.

”But tell me, mister, what brings you to Bevelle if your lady is not here? You don’t seem like you’d be here on a business trip of any sort, the tight leather is not the kind of thing business folk and nobles would wear while out on the town, nor is this the kind of bar they’d go to. What brings you to this quaint little corner of Bevelle aside from the drinking company?” he asked, taking another sip of the liquid, the effects of the alcohol quite clear on his voice by now, though not heavy.

[Kadaj]

Kadaj said nothing for a short moment as he sat still and just listened to the sounds of the patrons in the bar making conversation with one another. Glasses clinking together, forks and knives being scrapped across plates and the sound of the barmaid taking orders and walking around the bar, cleaning up after the patrons had finished their meals and drinks. Kadaj pondered for a moment, allowing the thief's words to echo around his mind for a while.
~Tifa's in Luca... She knows how to fight and protect herself... she's my friend... My only friend. Why aren't I with her? ...... Why aren't I?!~
The silver-haired male thought to himself, and judging by the new expression that had cross his face, one of deep thought and concentration, it would be easy for the monkey-boy to tell that the Remnant was in deep questioning his reason for being her, and not with Tifa.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he returned his vision to Zidane and just smiled slightly at him.
"She runs a bar in Luca and she usually always has patrons there. She doesn't get out too much as far as I know... It's not that often I go and see her..."
Kadaj felt his heart sink slightly. She was a wonderful person, and the only one in Spira who accepted him as a friend even after she knew who he was and the terrible things the Remnant had done in the past. Kadaj was an assassin. A murderer of Summoners and Guardians who went on pilgrimages to defeat Sin... Kadaj respected Sin and it's awesome power, and did whatever he could to protect it.... Kadaj was Sin's Guardian. But Sin was no more and Kadaj had stayed his blade for months of self appointed Exile. It was during this Exile that he met Tifa and they eventually grew close. Perhaps too close. Kadaj placed a hand upon his chest and felt his heart beat a couple of times, before letting out a small sigh, looking back at the tailed thief.

"You know what? I don't know why i'm not with her..."
Was all the silver-haired assassin could say before taking his glass and drinking another sip of his water. Shaking his head in mild disappointment with himself, Kadaj peered in Zidane's direction as he heard him speak, mentioning he wasn't going to make a move since he had already found someone. The thief then knocked back another gulp of his drink and the Remnant only watched as he could see, and hear, the young lad's condition starting to slowly deteriorate. Must be some good drink. Kadaj shook his head slightly before answering the lad.
"My name is Kadaj..."
The Remnant said, starting out.
"... and she's not my 'lady'. We're just friends..."
Kadaj continued, actually sounding slightly saddened at that last sentence. Out of all the times he had been to Tifa's bar and spent time with her, he had always enjoyed it. Her friendly, loving company. Her stunning looks and active lifestyle. Kadaj wondered if he was feeling alright, since his heart rate seemed to pick up slightly at the thought of the Monk in Luca. He shook his head slightly and glanced back at Zidane.
"What brings me to Bevelle? Well, I heard that there were some err... salesman who sell certain, specific goods. One of them has a package I need to pick up and deliver to Guadosalma..."
Kadaj lied. Hopefully the thief wouldn't notice, and just to make sure, Kadaj waved towards the barmaid and asked to drink them both more drinks.

[Zidane Tribal]

Zidane blinked, his thoughts getting a bit clouded. He decided that was probably enough drink—he was sixteen after all—but then the stranger, Kadaj he said his name was, ordered more to drink. It would be rude to turn the man’s offer down, so Zidane stupidly chugged the rest of his drink and waited for the next order. His cheeks were getting redder, his eyes getting bloodshot and his words were getting a little more slurred. He was obviously succumbing to the effects of the drink after that first drink, but then he was only little, he couldn’t be expected to hold much alcohol before falling victim to the depressant.

”I’m Zidane, nice to meet you Kadaj,” he said, his voice showing the alcohol. He’d downed a lot fast for such a small person, of course he’d fall victim to it. ”It’s a bar, why don’t you hang around, show that you’re interested? Bring her flowers or something, maybe take her out if she doesn’t get out much?” Of course this was getting a bit ridiculous, a sixteen year old thief giving a random grown man advice on dating, but then Zidane had earned himself a reputation as a womanizer before he’d met Kairi. ”Bring her to the Moonflow, the pyreflies there are real nice,” he said, almost dreamingly, still remembering Kairi, meeting her on the Moonflow and watching the pyreflies together. He raised his hand and touched his lips, remembering the feel of her tender lips.

”Mail? That’s an awfully strange reason to come all the way out here and away from your lady,” Zidane continued, not knowing how much he was ranting considering the effects of the alcohol. Normally he might have caught the man’s lie, but his scheme had worked. It wasn’t that hard for a liar to catch a liar, knowing the signs to cover up and thus knowing what to look for in others, but Zidane was intoxicated, he wasn’t looking for any signs, he was just having friendly conversation with a random stranger in a bar. ”There’s mail all over Spira, oh, but you meant some sort of special mail. Oh, that kind of mail,” Zidane said with a smirk, throwing Kadaj a wink that was probably a bit too obvious. ”Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody about your secret.” Considering his dwindling condition, the thief probably had no idea what even he was talking about, even though he was hinting at something.

[Kadaj]

As the barmaid made her way over towards the two men at the bar, Kadaj was glad to notice she had poured 2 of the same drink that Zidane was drinking. It was most likely the boys age and his small figure that didn't help him handle the booze too well. Then again, it could just be a very high potent drink. It might not have helped either that Zidane could have been on an empty stomach, making the alcohol would have gone straight to his head... which it did, listening to the sound of his voice. It was amusing actually, too see the effects it could do to someone. The silver-haired Remnant thanked the barmaid and motioned for her to move before the thief could have a chance to try and chat her up. Taking the glasses he slid one across the bar to the blue-clothed lad and kept one for himself, first sniffing it before taking a sip.

The liquid did burn as it went down and Kadaj was surprised that the lad was able to drink so much, so fast. It was incredibly potent. Two or three glasses of this would have you flat on your back in no time. That wasn't a bad thing. Perhaps it would be for the best that the young thief did not remember this encounter together. Kadaj had heard rumours that a important priest of Yevon was residing in his home in Bevelle for the next couple of nights, and the Assassin couldn't pass up this chance to find the target and eliminate him for Sin, hopefully putting Yevon into a little bit of disarray too. Although, the thing about the package wasn't entirely a lie. There were some better good bomb makers in the Black Markets of Bevelle, and the Remnant needed one for a plan he thought up of. Though at the current moment in time, he was rather enjoying his little conversation with his drunken friend. Kadaj took another sip of the burning liquid and looked back at Zidane.

"Advice on how to date a girl? Heh heh... Though the flowers she might like, I doubt she'd want to hang around in her bar, considering she spends all day working there..."
Kadaj said with a small grin. The Remnant had a job to do so he wasn't going to drink too much in order for him not to complete it. But he liked this kid, so if the thief were to pass out at any moment, Kadaj decided he'd at least drag him to a safer spot then leaving him in the bar to get harassed by the other patrons.
"Though the Moonflow sounds like a good idea... I might have to consider that..."
Kadaj said, almost instantly feeling a sharp tug at the inside of his chest. His dark heart pulsed violently, excreting a powerful dark aura to remind the Assassin of who he actually was. Love was not his scene, he'd never experienced it before and never had been interested in that sort of thing, yet during his Exile, Tifa was the one to help bring him back to his feet. Sure, Kadaj cared for her, but he was evil incarnate though and through, a fighter of Sin.

Now the monkey-boy was waffling on about mail and how he seemed to have gotten an idea for the reason Kadaj had come here. The Remnant could only guess and he didn't want to run the risk of making himself cringe at the thoughts that might have popped into his head. Grasping his drink and knocking some more of it back, he blinked his glowing eyes as he thought he could also start to feel the drink starting to take effect. Ignoring it for now, he looked back to Zidane.
"What about you, hero? Why are you in Bevelle?"

[Zidane Tribal]

More drinks! This guy, Kadaj, was that his name? He certainly knew how to treat his drinking buddies. Zidane grinned widely, his cheeks flushed as he took up the next drink. He was sixteen, even with all his worldly experience he didn’t have restraint or control over drinking just yet; that came with many years of experience, many years he definitely couldn’t have. So he grabbed the new drink and took a large gulp of the burning liquid, swallowing hard and audibly, almost struggling to get it all down. He blinked as the man asked him a question, running the words, or at least trying to, over in his mind.

”Why am I in Bevelle… uh… well it’s big and pretty! And there’s lots of people—lots of pretty girls, but don’t tell Kairi I said that, she might get mad. And uh, lots of people! Makes one with quick hands and nimble fingers like me a fair fortune, if you know what I mean. Lots of rich purses with large people… wait, that’s not right… lots of… uh… lots of people! And with nimble hands and quick fingers I can make a lot of money! And the bars! Lots of bars, where there’s lots of nice people! Like you,” the thief ranted on, losing his train of thought many times due to the influences of the liquid. He stopped for a moment, taking another large gulp of his drink. His tail was wagging furiously, a direct result of the amount of drink he had in him.

”Lots and lots of nice people! In fact,” Zidane hopped off the stool he’d been sitting on and climbed quite nimbly considering how drunk he seemed to the top of the bar. Once there he waved his hands and his drink in the air. ”In fact, here’s to all the nice people in the world! Every single one of them! Like my friend here, Kad… Kadge!” he said, trying his best to remember the guy’s name through the fog in his mind. He raised his glass, to which many other people cheered, looking for any excuse to cheer, and then the lad started to down the entire glass in one go.

He leaned back as he chugged, getting about halfway through the glasses current contents before stumbling backward. People gasped as he balanced precariously on the edge, but Zidane windmilled his arms and caught himself, though at the cost of his drink. He raised his hands triumphantly in his save, and the people of the bar cheered, before Zidane fell straight back and off the bar with a loud thump, his feet straight up in the air. ”I’m okay!” he called from behind the bar where he landed, drawing another cheer from the crowd.

[Kadaj]

Watching the lad as he climbed from his chair up into the bar, the Remnant could only let out a small chuckle as he guessed at what was going to happen next. Though when everyone else in the bar raised their glasses in agreement to the drunken monkey, Kadaj did not. He only had one friend in this world and this guy wasn't him. Though Zidane was harmless at first glance, Kadaj had been sitting beside him now to get a good feeling of who he was and what his true purpose of being in Bevelle was. He was a thief, that much was clear due to the lad rambling on about fat people and rich purses, also with him having sticky fingers. Automatically, Kadaj's hand fell to his pocket where he rubbed his fingers over it, discovering his Gil was still there. The Souba strapped to his back was also still where it should be and other then that, Zidane hasn't tried to steal anything from him yet.

What else had the Remnant discovered about the thief? Although the tale he told earlier was a lie, the blue-clothed lad did have great strength and was not afraid to use it to save those he loved and even those he didn't. Assuming that, Kadaj instinctively assumed that he was part of Non Serviam and that the two of them would become enemies in the future. Kadaj worked for the best interests of the late Sin, so surely Zidane would come fight him as the silver-haired man made attacks upon Non Serviam and the Temples of Spira. Only time would tell, and Kadaj wasn't ready to start making more risky missions and objectives just yet. Still, the silver-haired Assassin could only wait for that day and grow excited when it came. He loved to fight strong opponents and this chap seemed to be much like himself in where he failed with strength, speed would take over.

Returning his turquoise eyes to Zidane, Kadaj could only laugh as he watched the young thief topple over and off the back of the bar, landing with what sounded like a heavy thud. Closing his eyes as he fell, Kadaj raised his hand to shield his eyes from the drink that was thrown across the bar from the blond-haired boys glass. It burnt going down the throat, so odds were it'll burn even more should it get in your eyes. After the dust settled, Kadaj stood and leaned over the bar, grasping Zidane by his ankle and hauling him back up and over to his seat, where the Remnant just placed him in his still upside-down-feet-in-air position.
"Who's this 'Kairi', you mentioned?"
Kadaj asked as he tilted his head to the side slightly, watching the thief. She was obviously his lover from what the thief said, but then she could just be anybody and he was too drunk to realized what he had said. Even so, it wouldn't hurt to get some information on this girl. It would be great to have Zidane attack the Remnant will his full, enraged strength should the Assassin attack Kairi first.

[Zidane Tribal]

Zidane’s movements were still graceful, though his coordination was a little off. On the stool in the awkward position the silver-haired man put him in he was quite uncomfortable, so he started to work on getting right side up. The result was quite comical as he nearly fell off the stool several times. He twisted and turned, trying to right himself but ending up in more awkward positions until finally he just fell off the stool onto the ground, his tail straight up in the air and waving back and forth. The thief wasn’t embarrassed, of course; he barely knew what was going on at the moment.

He stood up, brushed himself and sat down on the chair with as much dignity he could muster, looking crestfallen as an empty glass stood before him. After his show, however, several other patrons of the bar were interested in his inebriated condition; so many more orders were placed, quickly filling up the bar in front of the thief with mugs of all sizes with fluids of all scents and colors. Zidane clapped happily and started eyeing the various drinks, wondering which one to tackle next as the rest of the bar realized they could get another show out of the lad before the night was out, though not an engaging tale.

He glanced up at Kadaj again, realizing the man was still there and talking to him. He grinned stupidly at the man’s question, thoughts becoming slightly more clear as he turned his mind to Kairi again. His hand raised to his lips and he felt their tender flesh, before shaking his head and remembering once again that a question had been asked. ”Kairi’s a girl I met. She was sitting at the Moonflow and I came along and I saw her and met her and she’s so wonderful and fantastic and I can’t wait to see her again! We kissed and went for a walk and it was the best day of my life!” the drunken lad said in a very sing-song tone, grabbing some drinks from the counter, one in each hand and a third held by his tail. ”And I’m in love!” he said with a loud cheer, causing all those paying the amusingly drunk thief attention to raise their glasses and cheer as well, trying to encourage Zidane into getting drunker. In his current state he simply saw them cheering with him and he quickly started to drink from the three different drinks on his person.

And then he hit the ground. There was too much alcohol too fast from the three drinks, two of which were perhaps some of the most potent drinks in all of Spira, and Zidane faceplanted, passed out with a wide smile on his face, his tail still twitching lazily back and forth.

[Kadaj]

Kadaj focused his attention on the young, blond-haired thief now as he started to try and right himself, slipping and narrowly falling off the seat completely. It was pretty comical to watch. His small size and tail all helped add to the act. After getting into several even more uncomfortable looking arrangements, he finally fell from the seat and landed in a pile on the floor. A short and stiff laugh escaped Kadaj's lips again as he whirled around and glanced at the drink he had ordered a few moments back. There was still easily three quarters left and wondering if the Remnant would end up like his smashed friend, Kadaj decided to drink it carefully. A few seconds passed and Kadaj instintively took a second small sip. Sure it burned just as much the first time he tried some, but it was unusually addictive...

A sound from beside him broke the Remnant's concentration and he turned himself back into Zidane's direction to see him back on his feet and dusting his clothing off.
"Welcome back."
Kadaj said with a smirk as he examined how the thief carefully perched himself back onto the seat. It was unfortunate that the patrons started to take more notice as several more drinks started to show up on Zidane's side of the bar. Kadaj could only watch as even more drinks appeared. Good job the silver-haired man wasn't on a tab or he really might have kicked off now.
"Zidane..."
Kadaj said, his facial expression looking much more serious now. He leaned his elbows back on the back and closed his eyes as he continued.
"You're still young and it's obvious you can't handle the drink... Maybe you better give it a rest?"
Looking back, the Remnant could only sigh as he saw the sight of the thief knocking back three of the drinks that were handed to him. With a shake of his head, Kadaj glanced back at his own glass of half empty liquid and waited for the sound of a body landing upon the wooden floor again.

Thud.

Kadaj instantly got up from his seat and had to pause for a second, blinking a couple of times to make the odd stars go away that he could see dancing around. He shook his head, his long hair whipping out to each side as he did, before turning to Zidane. The Remnant just watched him as a couple of the other patrons tried to revive him with a random poke to his head or stomach. Kadaj stepped forwards and batted their hands away before pulling Zidane out from under his seat, by his tail, out into a more accessible space. Here, he knelt down and hauled the young lad over his shoulder before eying the barmaid and asking where a spare room was. She gave directions and Kadaj headed that way. A minute or two later and the door to a small, two bedded room swung open and a silhouette of a slender looking man carrying a monkey looking boy, walked in.

Leather boots could be heard clunking against the wooden floor as the leather-clad man headed towards one of the single beds before tossing the thief down onto it. He was going to be in a right mess in the morning and perhaps only for this time only, the Remnant decided to keep an eye on him till he woke up.
"Don't need a reason to help someone, right, Zidane?"
Kadaj checked the lad over, and he seemed alright. Alive at least. Stepping back, Kadaj sat down on the opposite bed and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at the blue-clothed thief with a slight glaring expression.

[Zidane Tribal]

Time ticked by. The lad had drunk a lot and it took its time working its way through his system. He lay on the bed, barely moving, barely breathing, as the drink worked its way through his system. He was sound asleep. There wasn’t much that would wake him up at that point short of an attack from Sin, which wasn’t going to happen any time soon, hopefully, seeing as Sin had been destroyed. The only real sign of life coming from the young thief was the tail, draped over the side of the bed he’d been laid in, twitching every so often against the ground.

After several hours there was more than a tail twitch to show that he was alive. He groaned, rolling over in the bed to stuff his head into the pillow, his head killing him. When the headache didn’t go away by stuffing his head into the fluff of the pillow he started to push himself further into it, bracing his feet into the bed and pushing, causing him to stick his rump high into the air, his tail flickering back and forth almost angrily, hitting each side of the bed with a loud thump that only made matters worse.

Finally he got it up to unbury his face. He threw himself to the side, rolling as he did so that he landed on his back, tail draped again. He placed his arm against his forehead, as if that would do something to help to incredible headache he was suffering. The buzz of other drunken patrons downstairs didn’t exactly help either as it was getting quite late and the only people who remained were the ones who had lots of booze in them and nowhere to go. Someone pushed away from a table and the chair squeaked loud enough that it resonated through their room. Zidane groaned again, squinting against the noise.

”Where am I?” he asked himself, not remembering drinking so much those many hours ago. He opened his eyes, squinting still as the light in the room really hurt his head. He looked around. It was an inn or tavern room, that much was for sure, and he was in the bed alone, which was different than most the times when he woke up after a night of drinking. He glanced around the room and saw Kadaj sitting and waiting patiently in his chair. ”Uh, hi....” Zidane started, unable to finish the thought as he dove across the bed, throwing his head over the edge and throwing up. There wasn’t much in his stomach, so there wasn’t a lot to throw up, but he still vomited on the floor.

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