“We’re here...” Edgar said as he lead the small troupe down the final set of stone steps that had been carved into the wall from a segment of rock that had naturally eroded over time to make a way between the cavern. The area itself had a set of torches set into the wall at either side of the opening he was walking out of... but ahead he could see the light from the outside at the other entrance.
Terra followed closely behind, eyeing the place warily and making sure Lina was only a step behind.
Lina frowned as she tried to look past the two in front of her. “So we’re finally getting out of here?” She asked seriously. There were numerous monster maggots, the ‘Crawleys’, as the Fiend was called... it was a fitting title, as anything even remotely similar to a mollusk made her skin crawl.
“Almost...” Edgar responded as he stepped into the large open area. He was already looking around, his hands feeling against the walls. “I’m just trying to remember where the switch was...
Terra blinked and looked around. It felt weird, seeing Lina so nervous. Usually she was fearless. She’d never seen Lina throw Flare Arrows around so willy-nilly either; those Fiends got fried so fast, it was hardly fair to them.
“Where is it?” Edgar grumbled as he felt around the rock walls, dirtying up his hands as he felt along the musky stone for something.
Sighing, Locke shook his head and walked over to a wall exactly opposite of where Edgar was standing. “Ahem!” He coughed out before pressing his hand to a spot on the wall, causing a large segment of rock to slide over, revealing a large chest.
Terra smiled in amusement at the look on Locke's face, and then at Edgar's slight blush of embarrassment.
With the hidden cache revealed, Lina stepped into the room, her hand on the small of Terra’s back to make the woman move forward and stay with the group. “What is it, Locke?”
“Clothes,” the thi-Treasure Hunter responded as he used his foot to kick open the lid. “The Returners left this here for traveling between regions and throwing people off their trail,” he explained. As he looked over to Edgar, he asked, “Though why did you want to bring this up?”
“Because I think it would be best if we disguise ourselves before going into South Figaro,” Edgar said to the other male of the group seriously. “There’s already been word that there may be Imperial spies within my city... and we need to throw them off our trail...”
“Will clothes really make a difference?” Terra asked, eyeing the king and thinking he’d stand out anyway.
“They will...” Locke said. “Clothing does make the man after all.”
Lina nodded her head. She herself was no stranger to using disguises. “So is Banon in South Figaro?”
Shaking his head, Edgar explained, “No. But we’ll need to stop there to stock up on some supplies and get some rest before we head up the path through Mt. Kolts to get to the Returners’ Base.”
“Is it safe to rest in a city so close to the castle?” Terra asked once again, thinking they should be moving.
“...If not, I heard there’s a nice little cottage further North...” Edgar said as he walked over to the chest. “If we had to, we could walk a little further to get out of town and rest in peace.”
The young woman nodded her head in acceptance of that. It seemed like Edgar had thought of everything.
Lina nodded her head as she looked over Locke’s shoulder. “So what do we have here?”
“Well...” Locke blinked his eyes as he pulled out a large suit of brown leather armor with gray shoulder-guards and matching leather cape. “I take it you want this one, Edgar?”
“You got that right...” Edgar said as he took the clothing from Locke. “There should be a make-up kit in there too. Hand it to me.”
“Here ya go...” Locke said as he handed the lacquered wooden box to the King of Figaro before he continued searching through the chest for more clothing.
“Make-up?” Terra asked and turned to Lina for an explanation.
At Terra’s questioning look, Lina shrugged her shoulders. “Perhaps he’s trying to alter his appearance?”
“You got that right,” Edgar said as he was already bare-chested. “I’m the KING of Figaro. Everybody’s going to know who I am and what I look like. I need to appear unlike myself...”
“But what’s make-up?” The woman asked confused.
At hearing THAT everyone turned to look at the green-tressed woman.
“Make-up is a form of facial decoration...” Lina said. “That weird bastard Kefka was wearing a lot of it, rather, too much of it, for example.”
“So... you’re disguising yourself as that man?” Terra asked, and wondering why anyone would want to do that.
His eye twitched at that question. “No...” Edgar said simply. “I’m only using some of the charcoal powder in this kit for my hair...” he told her seriously as he took the blue ribbon out of his hair and let the blonde locks hang loose before he started applying generous amounts of the powder to it, making the hair turn gray in color.
Terra blinked and looked at the charcoal. Maybe she should do that to her hair too?
“Hey, Terra...” Lina said. “That gives me an idea...” she said seriously. “Kneel down.”
At that request, Terra did as told, knowing that Lina was going to color her hair.
Getting to work, Lina took the ribbon out of the woman’s hair. She looked about it with a critiquing eye. “Actually, your hair is nice...” she said seriously. She looked to Locke. “Any other hair-dyes there besides the charcoal?” She asked the man kneeling by the chest.
Hands still pushing aside pieces of clothing, Locke took a moment to look back at them before he shook his head. “Nah. People use this and it seems no one’s taken the time to stock it back up... hell, it looks like the only outfit that’ll fit me any is the Merchant’s outfit... and I can already tell THAT will be a tight fit..."
Terra looked at Locke questioningly. “But why would you need to disguise yourself? Aren’t thieves supposed to always be silent and unnoticed?”
“I’M NOT A THIEF!!!” Locke shouted angrily before calming himself. “Besides, I’m something of a ‘celebrity’ with the people of Figaro; I’m always passing through. Somebody is bound to notice me...” he looked at the two women. “Hell, about the only one who doesn't really have to do anything is Lina.”
“... Maybe that merchant outfit would fit me,” Terra said in wonder. She was slightly smaller than Locke, after all.
“Nah, I’ll take it...” Locke said seriously. “I can handle Trader Talk if someone tries to flag me down for wares or something. You don’t strike me as the type that can.”
“Hey, I have an idea...” Lina said seriously as she used Terra’s ribbon to tie it around her forehead much like Lina did with her own bandana. She then started removing some of her own clothing, taking off her cape and shoulder-guards once more, taking a moment to remove a talisman from it before placing them onto the woman properly.
Terra blinked at the actions and looked down at herself. She now looked like...
“Gentlemen,” Lina said. “Meet my sister. Tina Inverse!”
Edgar blinked his eyes as he looked past a few purposely messy locks of gray hair. “...Tina...”
“...Inverse?” Locke finished, looking at the two. He thought about it. “True. She could wrap the cape around herself, hiding most of her clothing... and the shoulder-guard armor does add to her frame...”
“Do we really look like sisters?” Terra asked, turning down to regard the petite redhead.
“Well...” Lina smirked. “I do have an older sister with green hair, if you really need to know...”
“Really?” More than one person asked.
“Really...” Lina shuddered. “And she’s scarier than me.”
“You’re not scary,” Terra said with a gentle smile.
That caught Lina off-guard. “I’m not?”
“She’s not?” Both Edgar and Locke gawked in perfect synch.
“Of course not,” Terra said, still that same smile on her face as she looked at the redhead. “You’re very nice.”
Lina smiled lightly at that. “I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that before...”
“I can believe that...” Edgar grumbled under his breath; receiving a nod of agreement from Locke.
“DO YOU MIND!?” Lina shouted at the two males.
Terra didn’t seem to notice the cowering guys as she kept on smiling at Lina.
Sighing, Lina turned back to the smiling green-tressed woman. “So, you don’t mind being ‘Tina’ for a day?”
Shaking her head, the green-tressed woman replied, “Of course not.”
Lina smiled. Somehow, the way Terra gave her that answer, the way she smiled and seemed to cheery... it made the redhead feel rather happy about it.
And so Tina Inverse was born that day. The proud and clueless sister to one Lina Inverse.
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(Posted Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:58)
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