Madain Sari

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka arrived in Madain Sari on his chocobo, Mani's list in hand, though he hadn't read it yet. He hoped it wasn't a call for... feminine products, though the gunslinger sincerely doubted that she would send him to town all awhisper for such things.

[Zaxton Books]

It was, nonetheless, a suitibly strange list.

-A dozen gala apples
-Thirty Ounces of Sol Oil
-Sunfire Torch
-The War of Three by ZJ Adam.

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka made for the grocery store, and hand-selected thirty of such apples (they had a surprisingly large amount of apples), making sure to pick the pristine ones without bruises.

Not having the money to buy a cart, the gunslinger instead took only the heavy bag of apples and left to look for a bookstore.

He found one fifteen minutes later, and was pleased to find ZJ Adam's The War of Three on both the bestseller shelf and two of the Staff Picks. He purchased a copy, tucked it under his shoulder, and pondered where to find the Sol Oil and Sunfire Torch.

[Zaxton Books]

The torch, as it happened, was probably best founed at the shipyard. This was fortunate, since Sol Oil was a rare fragrance used in some incense, and would be easiest to by from one of many merchants in that area.

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka turned away from a wallposter on the side of a small church, satisfied. The poster had read, in big, red letters, "COME ONE, COME ALL! JIMMY'S BIG PORT SALE! SELLING EVERYTHING FROM OUR HIGH-QUALITY TORCHES TO SPELLBOOKS!"

He consulted a small handheld map (quite awkwardly, until he though to put down both the apples AND the book), and made for the port.

There, he found "Jimmy" (or so the nametag said, though the man blinked each time someone called him Jimmy). The gunslinger found a Sunfire torch immediately (for he had actually seen one before), and looked around for Sol Oil, figuring "Jimmy" might have some in stock.

His search proved fruitless, and so Haka returned to the till, only to find an "OUT TO LUNCH" sign put down on it. With a frown and a sigh, Captain Leone found a seat and waited.

[Sol the 1337th]

"Jimmy" returned another fifteen minutes later, whistling a happy tune and appearing please. He had forgotten to wipe a bit of gravy off the corner of his mouth, but the overencumbered Haka ignored this and went to ask him about Sol Oil.

"Ah, that stuff? What would a soldier like you want with that stuff?" he asked in a distinctive Baronian accent.

"My superior requested I get some. Do you know where I can find some?"

"Well, how much do you need?"

Haka grimaced. "Like I said. Thirty ounces."

'Jimmy' matched the cripple's grimace with a grin. "You're in luck, boy. I just got a shipment from Figaro, though with these exorbitant shipping prices..."

"Just give me the oil and I'll give you the gil."

---

Five minutes of haggling later, Haka left the marketplace with an empty purse and holster on his left hip; he had had to sell his revolver for a cart to carry the oil with, though his new handgun was untouched on his right.

Feeling that he'd been cheated, but not wanting to take any longer (it was a simple shopping trip, Mani might be getting impatient), the gunslinger made his way to the stables again, mounted his chocobo (but not before tying the cart securely to it, double-checking the knot, and securing all of the oil), and left for the Abby.

[Zaxton Books]

It was on the road to the abby that none other than Mani herself crossed his path, riding on Chocobo.

"Turn around." she said, as she passed him, "I need to talk to you."

She was not dressed as splendedly as usual, but in simple, almost peasant clothes.

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka debated momentarily over whether to go on for a ways to throw off any pursuit, but decided against it and quickly turned after Mani (cutting off a cart merchant in the process and getting yelled at).

"What's going on, Mother Sharona... Mani?" he asked as he caught up.

[Zaxton Books]

"Okay, until I tell you otherwise, that title doesn't apply. We're headed to Cornera."

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka blinked, and though he wasn't one to question his superiors (let alone Mani), he asked "Corneria? Why are... hm."

He made a bit of a connection, though by far he didn't understand the complexity such a plan immediately.

"Right, okay. I should probably change out of my clothes if you have, then. Do we still need... all this?" he asked with a gesture at the cart.

[Zaxton Books]

"No. I need you to sell them back as quickly as possible. We're going to charter an Airship. If asked by Cornerians, we're citizens from Pravoka, returning after... after..."

She railed off, sighing, "Well, you've probably heard by now."

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka shook his head. "Heard what? Why Pravoka?"

Unfortunately, the gunslinger hadn't talked to anyone while shopping.

[Zaxton Books]

"Well... this is really hard to say." Mani sighed, "I guess what happened is someone invented a new kind of bomb, wiped out half the city. Would have done more damage, but the SA got a handle on it real quick. I guess though, nobody's really sure who did it. The area's been rendered toxic for Matteus-knows-how-long, magic isn't working properly, and people are scared. ... The Order doesn't know this, but I was paid a good sum of money to go over and just check it out. I know that might not be right of me to do, but I have to do it."

"I just... I can't believe it could be gone. I grew up near there." Mani sighed again, but her face was set, "Yeah. I just need to see it one last time."

[Sol the 1337th]

Haka nodded. "Then we'll go. I'm really sorry to hear about it... all those poor people."

He moved off to sell the things he had recently bought back to "Jimmy".

[Zaxton Books]

Mani waited for him to return, arms folded. She felt a little out of place, in peasants clothes. Even at their worst, Eli and Mani had always been able to hold on to their traditional garments, though Eli tended to cast them aside more often. Without the many-layered, heavy effects of her Kimono, she felt almost naked.

"You won't be dissuaded, then?"

A figure of some slight description, sitting on a lampost. He was dressed in an adobe outfit, not far off from the buildings themselves. His face was covered by a white mask, marked with a red character. It read "Moe".

"No. This is important to me. I'd tell you to get lost, but I take it Eli hired you?"
"Oh, don't think like that. Think of me more like... a helpful uncle."
Mani frowned. Interesting comparison, but she didn't remember having an uncle.