The Great Monster Troupe Chapter 5
Welcome to Bervenia
By Limited Moon
"Hah!"
"That's good young master, you're getting much better!"
"No, i'm not, what a pathetic try, I can't even use Stasis Sword..."
In a small courtyard around Bervenia Hall, a young man and his trainer are training for the war. This young man is about to become one of Ivalice's most important men, but hardly has to confidence to do so. He believes that he is weak, and a pathetic excuse for a knight.
"I suppose that would be enough for the day, you need to change your attitude young master, you've gotten as far as knighthood, your ancestors would be proud," said the old trainer, he turned and walked into the Hall, whistling. The young man stood there, thinking about the technique. He took his sword, and held it in an attack position. He slashed cleanly, saying the incantation, but nothing happened. He sighed, and sheathed his sword.
"Cidolfas!" came a female voice from the Hall, the young man turned to see a young woman in the robes of a Black Mage waving, she ran up to him as fast as she could.
"Cheryl..," the young man said, "hello..."
"Cidolfas, you look like the world just ended and you're the last person standing...why don't you cheer up a little, come on," Cheryl told him.
"I'm a disgrace to the Orlandu name," Cidolfas said.
"No you are not! Come on, you're never any fun to hang around with because you keep letting little things make you lose your confidence," Cheryl told him.
"Why must you be so worried about me, Cheryl, i'm not worth it..."
"Because i'm your sister, and you're DAMN well worth it!"
"....thanks, Cheryl..."
Cheryl tugged on Cidolfas' plate mail, and pulled him towards the gate.
"W..what are you doing?!" Cidolfas said in protest.
"You know what you need, Cidolfas? A good walk about town to boost your mood!" Cheryl said with a smile on her face.
"I can't Cheryl, I have a lot to..."
By the time he could protest any more, they were well outside of Bervenia Hall.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
It took two days, but the three were finally in Bervenia Free City. It was a beautiful place, if not for the people. The people were staring at them like they were invaders.
"I knew people vould stare at us!" MD said looking around.
"Wark!" Boco agreed.
"I don't like all this staring," Pesos said, "we need to find out where ruv-e-lia is, and go."
"Vere vould ve find out vere Ruvlia is?" MD asked.
"I don't know," Pesos said, shrugging.
"Look, monsters, in our streets! Call the guard!" came a voice from one of the houses.
MD shook his head sadly, "I vant out of here, regardless of vere Ruvlia is."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Isn't the city so beautiful Cidolfas!" Cheryl said pointing everything out.
"Depends, this city has the highest crime rate in Ivalice," Cidolfas responded sarcastically.
"Oh, you're terrible!" Cheryl said, offended, but then, she changed her mood, "Too bad we're only going to be here until we finish our training..."
Just then, they saw a small group of guards running by, apparently alert on something. Cheryl looked at them, and turned to Cidolfas.
"I wonder what's going on? Let's go see!" she said, almost pleading.
"Oh...alright," he said, and started running toward the guards.
"HEY! Wait for me!" Cheryl yelled, running after him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Uh, oh, she really did get guards!" Pesos said at the sight of the guards running for them.
"There are those monsters, come on, let's get them out of town!" one guard yelled.
"Vy don't they vant us in town?" MD said.
"WARK!" Boco yelled, starting to run.
"I'm with him," Pesos said, running also.
"Bah, humans are so insecure!" MD said running to catch up.
The guards readied some sort of net as they ran, they were starting to catch up to the three. Pesos looked back at the guards, and his eyes widened. "FASTER!" he yelled.
Before they knew it, the net was over them, and began to fall on them. Pesos and Boco became entangled in the net, but it didn't affect MD, for obvious reasons. MD tried to tug at the ropes, but it was no use, soon the guards were upon them.
"A goblin, a Chocobo, and a ghoul, what'll we do with 'em?!" said one guard.
"This Chocobo looks good enough to ride, I wonder if it can be trained?" said another.
"WARK!" Boco yelled in protest.
"What's going on?" came a female voice from behind the guards. The guards all turned around, and upon seeing who it was, spaced apart so Cheryl and Cidolfas could see.
"Nothing serious Ms. Orlandu, just stray monsters wandering into the city," said a guard.
"Oh, look! Aren't they cute?!" Cheryl said.
"Cute? Monsters? That's a new concept," Cidolfas said.
"Let us go!" Pesos yelled. The guards seemed to back away in shock, as did Cidolfas and Cheryl.
"The...the goblin...SPEAKS?!" said an astonished guard.
"Vat is so surprising about that?" said MD, the humans backed away in shock again.
"Wow, talking monsters!" Cheryl said, "I don't think these are simple strays."
"Let them go!" Cidolfas ordered.
"Yes, sir, anything for the son of Lorimar Orlandu!" said a guard, removing the net. Pesos and Boco stood up, shaking the dirt off.
"What is this...a magical aura, coming from..them?" Cheryl said, "Maybe we should have Melchior take a look at them Cidolfas..."
"Agreed," Cidolfas agreed, "Come on you three."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Well...uh...Pesos, what brings you..to...uh..Bervenia?" Cidolfas nervously asked.
"I'm looking for Ruv-e-lia!" Pesos replied.
"Ruvielya?" Cidolfas said, "Who would this be, a master perhaps?"
"Of course!" Cheryl said, "I doubt a goblin can learn decent speech on it's own!"
"Forgive me, dear sister, this is my first experience actually talking to monsters," Cidolfas said, annoyed at her.
They finally reached Bervenia Hall, as they entered the courtyard, the servants stared at the monsters with fear. Cidolfas calmed them down and took Pesos, Boco and MD to an office door in the Hall. He knocked, and an old voice called, "Come in"
He opened it, and there sat an old man in a desk, reading up on papers. The old man who was training Cidolfas before.
"Ah, young master AND young mistress! I welcome you, what do you need?" he said, looking up.
"We were walking in the streets, and found these monsters caught by guards," Cheryl said.
"What is special about that?" the old man said.
"Sir Melchior, the monsters...can....speak human language," Cidolfas said nervously.
"I also sensed a magical aura emanating from them," Cheryl said.
"Hmm...let me have a look at them," Melchior said, "the goblin, I want you to come to me."
"Um..." Pesos said, walking to Melchior, "what are you going to do to me?"
"Nothing, little one, just look at you," Melchior said, he kneeled, grabbed Pesos' shoulders, and closed his eyes. After a couple of seconds, he released Pesos from his grip and stood up.
"I definetely sense an abnormally high magic aura from the goblin," Melchior said, "where did you three come from?"
"Me and Boco came from castle before the woods," Pesos said, "Mr. Dead came from the Phantom House."
"Don't call me by that name!" MD said, insulted.
"Ah, forest...forest...forest...yes, the Galbadia Woods to the south, I think you're from Ivalice Castle, who owned you?" Melchior inquired.
"Ruv-e-lia! She was taken by man in black!" Pesos said.
"Wark!" Boco added.
"Hmm....indeed, you're Ruvelia's pets...word has come that she was taken from the castle." Melchior wondered in deep thought, "you two must've taken it upon yourselves to find your lost master."
"Melchior, should we return them?" Cidolfas said.
"NO! Attendant lock us up again! We got too far for this!" Pesos said.
"You realize, little goblin that this trip could kill you? Do you have any survival skills, such as hunting, fishing, and whatnot?" Melchior said, "maybe it's best that you go home."
"Vat can be accomplished by returning us to the castle? I don't come from there, vere vill I go? The ghouls at the house are scared of me now!" MD said, "ever since that voman came and put something in me."
"Woman, you say?" Melchior said, "interesting, that would explain this aura, someone gave you three some kind of power..."
"Do you think they could harness this aura and cast magic?" Cheryl said.
"Indeed, we should teach you some survival skills before we simply let you go though," Melchior said, "how about you three stay here for a couple of days and leanr to hunt and whatnot?"
"Wow! Thanks, but what about Ruv-e-lia?" Pesos said.
"I will research the situation for you, it is also my job, as an Inquirer," Melchior said.
"Inquirer?" MD wondered.
"I'm a knight who defends the throne to the death, I inquire about rebellions and the such and put them down, and defend royalty, heck on top of that, i'm a hell of a scientist," Melchior said with a smile on his face.
"Stop bragging, Melchior," Cheryl said, "You KNOW you're not that good."
So Pesos, Boco, and MD begin to train with the Orlandu siblings, but little did those in Melchior's office know, that a shadow was listening in on them....
.