Chapter 12
Despite the uncertainty that had accompanied the siblings when they started with the caravan, by the time they finally made it to Costa del Sol, they were as much a part of the group as any of the others. Mr. Anders insisted that they stay in the village for one night before they left on the boat to Junon the following day. Several ships made the crossing regularly, so even though it would take them several days to cross, they wouldn't have to wait longer for one of them.
When the two siblings and the two Anders set down for their meal at the cozy beach restaurant, the man gave them both an evaluating look. "Never thought I'd be saying this, but the two of you have surprised me. When I heard that the old coot in Gongaga had managed to convince my boss to let you travel with us, I figured you would slow us down. Now I find that I'm stuck in a tight spot."
The two exchanged confused looks before Kris spoke up. "Tight spot? Did a problem come up that we didn't notice?"
The older man grinned at her question and shook his head. "Not in that sense, no. But I do have something I'd like to ask you both." They gave each other another look before they nodded. The man was still smiling. "How dead set are you about making your living in Midgar?"
Neither of them spoke for a moment. Zack was the one to finally answer. "I've dreamt of joining Soldier for years. I don't plan on walking away unless I have to. Why?"
The older man's smile dimmed a little, but he chuckled before he answered. "I suppose that shouldn't surprise me." He looked to Kris at that point. "And you? Do you plan on following your brother no matter what?"
Kris wasn't sure what the man was getting at, but she nodded slowly. "Someone has to keep him focused."
They both ignored Zack's indignant cry at her verbal jab. Mr. Anders shook his head before he chuckled again, although the sound wasn't as full-bodied as they were used to. "Well, you can't blame a man for asking." At their curious looks, he shrugged. "This has been the most profitable run we've had in years, and a lot of the thanks goes to you two. I won't have to worry about anything during the two winter months I have to wait before we get back on the road."
They both gave him incredulous looks, but it was Kris that spoke up. "I appreciate the fact that you think so highly of us, but we didn't do much. At least not more than any of the other guards. I'm not certain that we deserve such praise."
The man did give one of his belly-laughs at that. He waved her off as he finally calmed. "It wasn't that. While the two of you are certainly good fighters, it was the other things you did. You've got a good head on your shoulders for business and the fact that you thought so far ahead as to make sure to allot time to keep building your savings while traveling shows it. Your hauls made me more money than I ever expected."
Neither sibling knew what to say at his praise. Zack was blushing slightly as Kris finally worked to find the words she was looking for. "I'm glad it helped you out too, but you know that wasn't our intention. I mean, not that we don't want that, but our main goal was to make sure we're in good shape before we get to Midgar."
The man waved away her concerns with a chuckle. "I already know that. Don't feel bad for wanting to look after your own. It'll be what keeps you alive." He paused and gave them a thoughtful look. "I may end up looking into having a few of the guards do the same when we head back out. You might have stumbled upon a new formation for our whole business."
Both siblings were shocked at his statement. It really didn't affect their lives much, but neither of them had expected the praise and didn't quite know how to handle it. Mr. Anders must have noticed their unease and finally changed the subject. The rest of the meal passed in companionable conversation. When it was done, the head merchant refused to allow them to pay their own bills.
When they started to make their way to the hotel, the Anders stopped them again. Kris was surprised when the boy threw his arms around her in a tight hug, but she didn't get a chance to respond before he let go and held out his hand for Zack. Her brother shook it with a grin before he ruffled the boy's hair. They both watched him with smiles as he took off at a run up the stairs. They barely heard his goodbye as he disappeared.
They turned to the older man since he hadn't moved to follow his son. He gave them both one more evaluating look before he nodded once and held out an envelope. Kris took it with a curious look, but the man ignored it as he explained. "When you get to the Eastern Continent, things will be different. With the regular traffic between Junon and Midgar, caravans aren't a thing over there. The roads aren't great, but they exist. By the time you make it to the mountains, it should be spring, and the passes will be open. It'll still be dangerous, but I think the two of you can handle it."
He paused when Kris held the envelope up with a raised brow. He chuckled at her unspoken question. "I was getting there. I have a friend that owes me a favor. His name is Thom Fellon. He lives in upper Junon, and you can find him at his shop, The Rusted Targe. He sells weapons, but he also has a small flock of chocobos. Give him that envelope, and he'll set you up with the birds you need to get you to Midgar."
Both sibling's eyes widened, and Kris quickly tried to hand the envelope back. "We can't accept this!"
The man folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. "It's not like it costs me anything. Call it recompense for making me so much gil on this trip. It's the least I can do."
At his words, Zack took the envelope from Kris and looked between it and the man a few times before he spoke. "Thank you. Even if we did make it profitable for you, you didn't have to do this. We'll not forget it."
The man made a noncommittal grunt before he waved off the thanks. "I'll be looking for your face in the news. If you won't join my caravan, then the least you can do is show me your dedication."
Both Kris and Zack grinned at his words. The man didn't give them much of a chance to respond, though. He turned and waved again before he paused and looked back over his shoulder. "The room is already paid. You two stay safe and look out for each other." Neither had a chance to object before the man was gone.
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The trip across the ocean was an interesting one. Kris had a feeling she had seen something similar before, but she couldn't quite recall. It was a first for Zack, though, so the two of them spent most of their time on deck. Zack even insisted on standing in the rain when a storm blew up. Kris watched him from the safety of the covered observation area with a lopsided smile. It had as much to do with the fact that he was acting like he was seven again as it did with the whispers she could hear clearly coming from the young girls near her that had gathered to watch him. She could already tell this was going to only get more interesting. If he had teased her about some of his friends having a crush on her, she was going to be merciless about his admirers.
When they got to Junon, it took all Kris had to keep Zack focused. The way the city was built into the cliffside in layers was a sight to behold. Although Kris was vocal about how spartan it looked. Without any greenery, it was too bare for her tastes.
She finally relented and allowed Zack half a day to look around. She figured it would allow them to find the man they had been searching for as well as find a place to stay for the night. It would be best if they set out first thing instead. It was nearly dusk when they finally found the place they had been looking for. They had passed it once already as the sign was small, and the shop entrance was in an alley. They both eyed the sign dubiously but went ahead and entered.
When the bell rang, a stooped older man came out from the back and eyed them both with a frown. His voice was querulous when he spoke. "You don't look like Shinra to me. I only sell to employees."
The two of them gave each other a look and were thinking similar things. Was this man really a friend of Mr. Anders? As sharp as the caravan leader had been, he was still personable. This man seemed to be the exact opposite. He looked like he was about to throw them out, so Kris stepped forward. "Are you Thom Fellon? If so, Rolf Anders sent us. He thought you might be able to help us."
At her words, the old man grimaced. "What does that old fool think I can help with?"
Kris' eyebrows rose at his assessment of his supposed friend, but she didn't comment. She only handed him the sealed envelope. He took it from her with a suspicious glare but opened it and read it anyway. Once he was done, he looked them both over once again with a more critical eye. Whatever he found must have suited him as he sighed and motioned for them to follow him into the back of his store. They gave each other curious looks again, but finally, Zack shrugged and followed him with Kris right behind.
When they got into the back, the old man pointed to a small desk. "Find a seat."
The two of them didn't see any chairs, but there were several crates close enough that they could perch themselves on. Mr. Fellon had already sat behind the desk and was looking through one of the drawers. He finally found what he had been looking for and sat up with another glare. He handed the folded paper to Zack before he eyed them both again. "I'm not sure if the man has started getting senile or what, but I can't deny the favor. That map has all the best passes to use, but it's a long journey. You will need to go about two-thirds of the way across the continent before you'll be able to cross. You sure you want to bother?"
Zack was nearly jumping in his excitement as he unfolded the map they had been given. Kris rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm before she turned back to the older man. "Yes, sir. We've been set on this course for a while now, and we've come too far to turn back. Thank you for the map."
"Bah." The man was glaring again, especially since Zack was still so exuberant. He shook his head before he fixed her with a hard look. "I've seen boys like that come and go, so don't get your hopes up. I'll have the chocobos ready near the south entrance at dawn. If you aren't there, I'm not waiting."
Kris gave the man a nod as she stood and grabbed Zack. "Thank you. We'll see you then." The man watched as the much smaller girl dragged her brother out while obviously reprimanding him for not keeping calm. The old man couldn't help his smile at the sight. He may not understand what his former partner saw in the two, but they were undoubtedly dedicated.