"Alright, now what?"

"Now we have to ask someone how this thing works." Klaus looked like he would rather face the dog that attacked them a while ago than plead for Marion's help. "He'd want to see me crawl for stealing Mira."

"I'm sure he's not that bad." Rue's voice trailed off when Klaus gave him a look that positively convinced him that he will.

Before Rue could offer a suggestion how to sooth his apparent broken pride by that prospect, the door burst open and for a terrible moment, Rue thought that Shadow went back for another round, because against the dim lamps outside illuminating the empty street, he could have sworn his enemy's cloak swirling against the wind. With a shout he reached for his weapon.

"Hey! Easy!" Rod's voice penetrated into the air, shaking both Klaus and Rue to look at him in alarm as if he was some serial killer who happened to entered the room wielding a chainsaw instead of a comrade in arms they worked with. "You two looked like you just saw a ghost."

"Rod!" Klaus said, sinking on his chair, clutching his chest, "I am definitely too old for this."

"It would have been better if you knocked first." Rue said to his friend patiently, his voice strained from the receding adrenaline in his system.

"Sorry about that," Rod said in bewilderment, surprised to see his friends in this sort of mood. "But I'm carrying my partner right now so my hands aren't free to knock." As if his friend understood, the little puppy, Johnny Wolf, emerged from the folds of his master's cloak. He wiggled away from his hands, and landed on Rue's feet barking happily in recognition. Had been in another time, Rue would have joyfully returned the gesture… by patting its head. But he was too preoccupied to such fancy. Not to mention that Prima Doll had once warned him that that small puppy had picked up his temper from his human master, and didn't like that pats. No more than Rod liked Mint calling Lucine's machine a boat.

Remembering Mint made Rue reach into a decision in which Klaus may not like very much. "Rod," he said patiently, a little bit nervous, as this kind of casual lying was usually one of Mint's skills that he grew dependent on over the time. "I need to ask you a special favor."

"That doesn't have to do with breaking in someone's house and steal some parchment, are you?" Rod asked suspiciously.

"What? No! No, of course not!" Rue said in sham bewilderment.

"Well, I came here to ask you and Mint a favor, too."

"Mint is…" Rue began, deciding with an inner sigh that lying wasn't his forte, and should talk with his friend in earnest.

"On second thought, we better not bring her along." Rod said, too distracted with his thoughts to hear and notice Rue. "The last time Mint's around, she was way too loud. Being subtle is not one of her positive traits."

"Uh?"

"I'm here to ask you a favor, Rue!" Rod said enthusiastically, "Remember the time you became a porcupine to infiltrate that tower thingie from the ruins? I'm not sure if sneaking in and getting something was against your code or anything but I really need this favor."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that would you mind entering Lucine's Dad's house and steal something from his library?"

"Uh…"

"I got this idea from Mint when she's trying to pull a scam on you last year." Rod was saying, "You steal something, and Mr. Marion would definitely want this thief found and return his property. I return that item to him, so I'll get his favor."

"You want Rue to get something important from Lucine's father just to impress him?" Klaus said in a dubious tone. "Surely you have other skills that would suffice?"

For the first time he had met the man, Rod looked embarrassed, "He's not really impressed by my weapons. Thinks I'm a lazy vagabond." It was one of these moments that Rue was glad Mint had not been around to give a sarcastic retort to the poor man.

"Uh." Rue said inanely, he cannot believe the stroke of luck that came to his path, and thus had a hard time to compose himself properly. "Sure…"

"You have my eternal debt!" Rod said, clutching his chest dramatically. But Klaus was frowning at the two of them, not pleased that they're plotting a rather illegal action against his former rival.

"Well, we could ask him politely," Rue said calmly, feeling a little guilty for his deviousness, implying Klaus that his pride would definitely suffer if they did the other way.

Permission from him a go ahead was immediately given.

*****

Stealing may not had been his forte, but sneaking into a building was. Though the young fighter spent his first minutes outside in an alley killing a few huge rats for him to transform into one, Rue managed to enter the dark room containing Marion's study without further mishap through the small cracks in the wall. Klaus had given him information on what he should look for, a book that contains the legends and ancient history of New Ephlesia, for the professor was convinced that it could have some vital tidbits on the [Relic] Mint and Prima found from the city's monument. Rue quickly reverted back into his human form, his eyes already adjusting in the dim darkness. Based from Rod's plan, Marion and his daughter would probably take their evening meal in the room upstairs right about now. He would have to hurry in this operation.

His search didn't last as long as he had feared, as some unknown instinct had led him on a small table in the middle of the room. As his eyes laid on the small worn book gently placed on top of an oaken table. Rue suddenly realized with a jolt that he had seen this item before… though his head gave him a brief flash of pain against his temples when he tried  to recall that disastrous day, he definitely remembered it as one of the books lying around on the ruins of Valen's atelier. He slowly placed a hand on the old tome…

When the sound of a gun clicking immediately froze him in midstride (*). And a cool voice penetrated from the darkness, "I knew someone would do this sort of thing." Lucine said matter-of-factly as she stepped towards Rue's vision, "but I never thought it would be you."

Rue decided that he would have to be painfully honest: "I need that book. My friend is missing."

That immediately caught her attention. "Mint?"

Rue nodded, though an unspoken question was forming in his head on how she knew.

"Mint strike me as a person who'd do this sort of thing," Lucine said, as if she had just read his thoughts on the matter. "To see you, though, either Rod wasn't as strong with Mint as he'd said he was, or she's not around to help." Lucine looked concerned, for she had developed a sincere liking to the girl, "What happened?"

Rue took a long breath: "Long story," he said simply, "suffice to say that Mint's in very much in danger, and I think we need this book to help us find her."

Lucine nodded, "I see," she said gravely, she quickly gave him the book, the timing was so convenient that Rue couldn't help blurting it out, "So it's your idea, I mean, the whole robbing thing, isn't it?"

Lucine favored him with a mischievous smile, "Rod isn't the only one who wanted my father to admit him. But please don't tell Rod about this, it may break his pride."

"I won't."

*****

"Very fascinating!" Klaus said for the umpteenth time later that evening back in the sanctuary of the inn, as he scanned the contents of this little book, as well as studying the little [Relic]. "I never realized!"

"What is it, Doctor?" Rue asked anxiously.

"Although this [Relic] wasn't as powerful as, say, the Dewprism, it's quite useful." Klaus explained patiently. "This item was used by people long ago as a pathfinder."

"A what?"

"According from what I can gather in the book, you activate it and then will emit a light pointing to the direction of the one you're looking for." Klaus said, turning the small object around, "but I can't seem to find the switch." He murmured, then the good professor suddenly stood up and continued to look around on his already cluttered desk. "I wish I know where my magnifying glass is, but I seemed to misplace it after Mint brought back that small coin she found a few days ago." As if by magic (**), the small [Relic] glow a faint light, and projected from its surface onto the floor, where the magnifying glass was lying in a corner.

"Klaus!" Rue said, grabbing the item from Klaus' hand, "You're brilliant!"

"Thank you." Klaus immediately replied, from an old habit of accepting praises graciously. "What are you doing?"

With a determined look on his face, Rue grabbed his weapon and slung it over his shoulder. "I could use this to find Mint, and end Shadow's game forever."

"How?" Klaus said, "They may be out in the desert, you'll need transportation."

Rue stopped and looked at Klaus thoughtfully. He nodded in agreement, "Then I'll have to go to Rod and repay his favor."

****

(*) I'm sorry, I've been playing Wild Arms 2 as of late -_-;;

(**) Which, of course, it is.

Author's notes:

One thing's for sure after seeing this again in six months: I hate chapter 9! I wonder what on Earth possessed me that made this VERY BAD episode. As promised, here's the redone and final version of chapter 9. Chapter 10 under works. And considering my slow progress with my fiction, it may take forever… sorry -_-;;…

A Rescue Mission: Rue, Rod, Belle and Duke storms Shadow's secret underground city where once the Aeons thrived many ages ago. Rue and Shadow's major showdown, and one of Rue's disturbing dreams have finally come to pass.

Random Quote:  "…whatever." Squall Leonhart, FFVIII