Part Three

The next morning, after everyone had risen and eaten, they packed up all their belongings and started out on their journey once again, crossing over the vast Ozmone Plain to reach the Golmore Jungle.

Penelo made sure she stuck with the group as they walked together toward the same destination, and she was so lost in her thoughts that she was slightly startled by her friend's sudden unannounced approach, "Hey, Penelo."

"Hi, Vaan," she replied with her usual perky charm.

"You feeling better today?" he asked, throwing a brief glance of concern her way.

"Yep, I'm okay," she grinned cheekily, enthusiastically stretching out her arms for emphasis.

"I'm great," the older teen answered in his typical lax and carefree manner, and then a mischievous glint flickered for a second in his eyes as he tried to remark casually, "So… you and Larsa were talking pretty long last night. How's it going with the kid?"

"Everything's fine," she told him, while darting a look of exasperation in his direction in response to his implication, but her grin turned playful when she quipped with feigned innocence, "And how are you doing with the princess?"

The girl had cleverly asked the right question, for her friend suddenly flushed and stole a peek at the young woman he so adored before he mumbled bashfully in reply, "We're… we're pretty good."

"Ooh, what happened?" she teased him with a gentle jab to his side.

His face reddened and he awkwardly scratched the back of his head, but nevertheless revealed, "Uh, well, Ashe said… she said that when our journey's over, she wants to hold a banquet at the castle, in our honor."

"Wow, a banquet!" Penelo squealed and clapped her hands in excitement. "For everyone?"

He nodded. "Yeah, she said all our friends are invited."

"I'm sure Migelo and Kytes and everybody else would love to go," she gushed happily as her eyes sparkled in amazement at the exhilarating thought of attending such a beautiful and elegant event.

"I'll bet," Vaan agreed fondly at the mention of their friends, but then he suddenly appeared nervous as he looked down and slowly shuffled his feet over the thin, flimsy blades of grass.

"What? Is there more, Vaan?" The girl prodded her friend, curious about what he could be hiding.

"It… it's nothing," he denied weakly, although with a stern glare from Penelo, he admitted, "Well, Ashe wants me to go with her, y'know, to the banquet."

"You mean, like as her date?" she clarified.

The older blond just grinned in response, and his eyes glazed over a bit as thoughts of escorting the beautiful princess flickered pleasantly through his mind.

"That's great, Vaan. You'd better buy something nice to wear before you go!" The young mage jested playfully, but she was truly delighted to hear that his dream would be realized, and then she mused with a slight tilt of her head, "Hmm… so who should I go with, then? Well, I guess I can bring Kytes as my date, hehe."

Vaan quickly glanced at a certain member of their party, and after that he turned to grin wolfishly at her, taking the opportunity to tease his adopted sister. "Or… you could go with Larsa."

Penelo was visibly startled by his suggestion, and she couldn't help blushing at the mention of the kind-hearted prince; his warm, comforting hand holding hers with firm tenderness still lingered in her thoughts. "Um… maybe. I mean, if he has the time, and if he wants to, we could go together…"

"I'm sure he'd love to go with you," her friend laughed heartily at her obvious embarrassment, and he had purposely placed heavy emphasis on a specific word to further poke fun at her.

She peered at him suspiciously, wondering how he had gotten so observant all of a suddenly, and then she playfully smacked his arm after catching a glimpse of his impish expression. "Hey, just what do you mean by that?"

His grin turned wry and knowing as Vaan retorted matter-of-factly, "C'mon, Penelo, I know you. And it's pretty obvious that Larsa's got a crush on you. All that attention and worrying, and how he kept us away from you while you were sleeping; it's kinda hard not to notice."

Her blush deepened and she could only shake her head in exasperation at the older teen, although she was unable to stop the small smile that furtively crept over her lips. So Vaan was more perceptive than she gave him credit for, but he also had a big mouth sometimes, and the last thing she needed was for him to go around babbling about her personal relationship with Larsa. Thinking of a way to derail her friend from his current train of thought, Penelo looked to the Dalmascan princess in hopes that she could help in distracting Vaan and avert his attention elsewhere. Fortunately, the young woman met her eyes and seemed to understand her silent plea, and she nodded ever-so-slightly before casually slowing her pace to fall in-step with the two chattering friends.

Penelo smothered a giggle at the way her friend immediately grew flustered as he greeted their newcomer just a tad too excitedly, "Hey, Ashe! Nice morning, huh?"

Amusement briefly flickered in her eyes as the soft-spoken princess agreed, "Yes, I think so. And Penelo, I hope you have recovered from the ordeal late yesterday."

"Yeah, I'm fine," the younger girl replied merrily, all the while sending a message of gratitude by the relief on her face. "Thanks."

She was a bit astonished by the show of concern, but she was starting to learn that despite her status as a ruler, Princess Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca was, thankfully, similar to Larsa in the treatment of their people.

The slender brunette turned to Vaan just then and suddenly remarked, "Vaan, I would not mind if you preferred to be near your friend during the throes of battle. 'Tis my understanding that her safety is important to you."

His eyes widened at her suggestion and he was at a loss for words as his gaze swiftly shifted back and forth between Ashe and the young mage, his expression appearing torn in his desire to protect both ladies.

Before he could fumble through his dilemma for an answer, Penelo graciously rescued her friend by exclaiming, "It's okay, Ashe! Vaan can stay with you. Besides, he's so careless and reckless that I'd probably have to protect him all the time!"

"What-?" he protested incredulously.

The two women shared a laugh at the probability while Vaan looked slightly offended, but he easily shed his annoyance and glanced at the giggling blonde with earnest gratitude, and relief at her understanding.

Penelo was having fun watching her friend's clumsy, yet endearing antics with the princess, but when she saw Ashe take a hold of his arm, she knew by that small gesture it was time to leave the pair alone. She waited until they were engrossed in a discussion, and then she furtively snuck away, feeling happy that she had the chance to witness evidence of their growing relationship. There was surely hope for Vaan, and she only wished the best for her dear adopted brother. The blonde girl promptly resumed her casual stroll, and a curious glance at her other party members made her realize with a start that she couldn't locate Larsa. She spun around in a full circle, looking all over the place, and she finally spotted him standing over to the side, engaged in battle with a tall horse-like creature.

And he told me not to fight alone… she shook her head at the ironic display, but nevertheless shifted her battle rod to her hands and began to quickly jog toward her lone companion.

Larsa didn't appear to have any trouble fending off the monster on his own, but then another creature of its same type lumbered up behind him, seemingly out of nowhere, and its hind legs were reared to kick. The young mage squealed slightly in alarm and immediately hastened her pace into a run, frantically desperate to reach him, and her initial idea was to call out a warning. But she firmly clamped her mouth shut with the reasoning that if she averted his attention away from the fiend, he would be distracted and more prone to get struck from both sides. It would be more helpful to him if the second monster's attack was diverted, and so Penelo began to mentally summon her most-used spell, though she wasn't sure if that element was the creature's weakness.

The small line of flames caused the metallic horse to neigh shrilly, and it skittered back away from the young prince, who by then had fortunately just defeated the first monster. He turned around in surprise at hearing the sudden loud noise behind him, and he quickly readied his defenses for the new enemy, his dual weapons clutched tightly at bay and positioned to strike. During the short pause, Penelo took the small window of opportunity to use a technique on herself, Libra, which allowed her to identify the creature's weakness, as well as view the length of its livelihood. A moment later, she was busily casting numerous rounds of frigid blizzard spells at it, while Larsa slashed and stabbed with his sword up close and personal, not even stopping a beat whenever the horse kicked at him.

With their combined efforts, the fiend soon fell and faded into nothingness, leaving behind a small portion of its mane as spoils. The blonde mage quickly swooped down to grab the light, bushy material before it could be blown away, and then she placed the loot into her pouch to be sold later to an interested merchant. Her eyes scanned the surroundings to make sure there weren't other enemies in close enough vicinity to launch an attack, and then after feeling they were safe, she trotted over to her companion. Due to his full attire, Larsa was free of scratches, but he must have had some unseen bruises underneath his clothes, for he visibly grimaced while reaching around to hook his secondary weapon to the chain on his back.

Penelo bit her lip in sympathy, and she swiftly closed her eyes to concentrate on a healing spell to ease his injuries; she cast it on the young prince and he was quickly enveloped in a warm glow of light.

His expression was more relaxed and serene after the curing effect faded, and he nodded his appreciation to the girl. "Thank you, Penelo."

"Now, who was the one lecturing me on fighting alone? Hmm?" she chastised in a gentle tone, her hands propped against her waist in a gesture of firmness.

He laughed lightheartedly, apparently undisturbed by her show of authority. "I apologize. I'll not reprimand you again for wandering around by yourself."

"Well… good." The girl was satisfied to get her way, though she still studied him with an inquiring eye. "Um… what were you doing out here, anyway?"

"Just a bit of practice," Larsa told her candidly, completely unabashed of his ever-thriving desire to learn, "I wish to gain more experience in the art of battling."

"Oh, really? I think you fight pretty well already, Larsa," she inputted.

"My instructors have taught me countless tactics of self-defense, but unfortunately, offensive fighting was rarely emphasized."

"So… you had to learn that by yourself?" Judging by what she'd seen of his abilities and skills so far, the young prince must have been a quick study.

"Well, not completely alone," he hesitated for a moment before revealing quietly, "My brother helped me a great deal with my swordsmanship. We used to spar together in our free time, when we were younger."

Although Penelo was uncomfortable with the mention of the Arcadian empire, and especially regarding the current consul of Rabanastre, she nevertheless nodded in understanding toward her companion. "…My brother taught me how to fight, too. He was great with martial arts. Before he went off to join the way, he joked about having to learn how to use a gun…" her voice turned wistful at the memory and a melancholic look inhabited her downcast eyes.

At her disheartened mood, Larsa reached toward the somber girl in comfort and tucked his hand under her chin, gently lifting her up until he could see her face. "Please, don't be sad, Penelo. Remember your brother for what he did, fighting for his country and defending his family. Do not reminisce on what happened to him."

She took a few minutes to absorb his words, and tried not to feel depressed about her deceased family, though she thought about them all the time; finally, she was able to nod shakily and murmur, "I-I'll try. It's just… I miss him so much."

"I understand," her companion assured warmly, with sympathy clearly in his expression. "But, I should not like to see you in this state. I'd prefer to have you smiling and basked in delight."

Penelo grinned slightly at that comment and replied with a hint of her usual optimism, "Okay." And maybe I should tell Vaan about Larsa's idea too…

His smile was boyish with pleasure at her attempt to please him, and then realization lit his eyes as he prompted just then, "Well, shall we return to the others? I imagine they've noticed our absence by now."

"Oh!" she exclaimed in shock, having forgotten about her allies for a while. "Let's hurry back, Larsa! They might think something happened to us."

With a quick nod of assent from her companion, the energetic girl began to dash forward in a wayward direction, when Larsa suddenly called out, "Penelo, stop!"

The command in his voice made her stumble to a halt and she spun around to give him a questioning look.

He caught up to her location in a swift stroll and chided softly, "You're going in the wrong direction…"

She was stunned for a moment by that information, and then after a quick glance at her surroundings, she laughed aloud, feeling a little foolish for running around when she didn't even know where to go. "Um, I hope you know the way, Larsa…"

"I believe so," the young prince reached into his side pouch and pulled out a small compass, "Now; the Golmore Jungle is located northeast of the Ozmone Plain. We should head there and perhaps we'll meet up with the others along the way."

He started walking toward the decided destination, keeping his eyes intently focused on the needle to ensure the correct path, while his free hand hovered over the hilt of his sword in case of combat. Penelo followed closely behind her navigator, willingly distracted by the view of the open lively field, and she briefly closed her eyes to deeply inhale the spring-fresh air, and then she released a sigh of content. After a few minutes of quiet serenity, the young mage peered at her companion and giggled playfully when she saw him fixated on the compass, barely even glancing up as he ventured – apparently, she would have to keep an eye out for the monsters. Penelo thought about saying something to ease his serious behavior, but then she suddenly spied a bright red light, a flickering flag of danger; her Libra technique must have still been in effect.

Blind to the trap, Larsa headed straight toward it.

"Larsa, look out!" The girl cried in alarm and he merely looked to her with confusion, her warning too vague for him to comprehend the threat.

Reacting instinctively, she reached over and grabbed his arm, firmly pulling her companion away from the trap, mere seconds before he came into contact with it. The young prince was startled by her action, and he elicited a small noise of surprise as he stumbled off-balance and clumsily fell against Penelo, accidentally knocking her back into a hard, sturdy tree. She gasped out at the forceful impact, and when she was able to catch her breath, a soft moan of discomfort slipped free from her mouth. Penelo shook her head to clear the slight dizziness, and then she realized that there was a curious amount of unknown pressure leaning against her body. She glanced down to see her companion there and found him in a… rather compromising position.

"Mmm?" Larsa mumbled faintly, his voice strangely muffled while he felt his cheeks surrounded by a very soft and pleasantly warm presence…

Penelo blushed hotly and stammered, "U-um, Larsa…?"

He steadily regained his balance and placed his hands against the tree behind her to retract a bit. His eyes were immediately met with the sight of her bosom, to which he staggered back in surprise, his face burning in embarrassment. The blonde girl ducked her head slightly as she clamped her hands together and tucked them under her chin, conveniently covering over her breasts. His face still very reddened, Larsa pivoted fully around and walked a few steps away to bend down and retrieve his fallen compass from the ground, but after straightening up, he kept his back to her. The silence that stretched between them was long and awkward.

The raven-haired boy finally uttered in a low tone, "I apologize, Penelo. I-I didn't mean to… to knock you into that tree. Have I injured you?"

Penelo slowly shook her head, and then realized that he couldn't see the gesture, so she replied verbally, "N-no. I'm okay…" She knew that he was really apologizing for his accidental collision into her chest, but she didn't mention anything about it and just willingly went along with the diversion.

He nodded stiffly, obviously still feeling tense and uneasy with the current situation by his rigid stance. "Good. …Shall we proceed?"

"Yeah, let's go," she agreed in a soft tone.

The pair headed out again, and Larsa maintained an arm's length of distance away from the older girl as they walked. After another period of unsettling silence, Penelo sighed and quickened her pace until she was beside her companion. She reached her hand toward his arm in hopes of easing his distress, but as soon as she touched him, the young prince flinched, seeming uncomfortable with the contact. She frowned a bit at his reaction, but she persisted nonetheless and tightened her grasp until he stopped with hesitant reluctance. Penelo tugged firmly on his arm and eventually persuaded him to turn around and meet her eyes.

The girl winced at the shame and frustration evident on his expression, and knowing how ethical and proper he was, she tried to speak convincingly, "It's okay, Larsa… What happened back there was an accident; it wasn't your fault."

He still appeared disturbed as he responded, "Perhaps. And yet… I must ask you to please forgive me, Penelo. I should not have come into contact with… that part of your body."

She had felt embarrassed during the incident, but he was actually ashamed and a little distraught by it. Was it purely due to his chivalrous nature, or could it be because… part of him had actually enjoyed being so close to her?

Penelo decided not to voice that question and instead repeated, "It was an accident. Really, there's nothing to forgive. Let's just forget about it."

"But-"

"No buts," she commanded gently, cutting him off. "C'mon, let's go find the others. You're sure you know the way, right?"

"Yes," Larsa answered her absentmindedly; his brows were still furrowed a bit with disdain. After he spied the stern look in her eyes, he relented under her insistence and averted his attention back to his compass.

As they began to walk together, Penelo became a little impatient with the way her companion continued to stay out of her personal space even after she had assured him, and so she did something about it. She pouted slightly and deliberately slowed her step until he had pulled ahead, and when he noticed, the young prince stopped and turned around to glance her way, curious about her lag. He waited for her to catch up, and to his surprise, the girl came to a halt a few steps behind him, and he watched as she slowly raised her arm and held out her hand, an obvious indication to him. Amused by her antics, Larsa grinned at her lighthearted personality, and then with a glint of pure admiration in his light green eyes, he accepted her invitation, gently taking her hand into his.

And with that, there were no more interruptions for the duo as they slowly proceeded toward the Golmore Jungle, their fingers intertwined as strongly as the bond they shared with each other.

The End

Author's Note: Hurray, my first multi-part FFXII fic is finished! This is really just a mini-series, but I'm still happy to have completed it. My next idea is kind of a weird one, so I don't know how long it will take me to finish the story, but I'll sure try my best. I'd also like to say "Happy birthday" to Mariagoner, and dedicate this update to her, if she's reading this. My lovely readers, please leave a review and let me know what you think of this story.

With love for my fans,

Tiger5913