Propositions
Chapter X: My Little Carrot -or- Preparation! Barius Hill Part I!

Ai grumbled to herself, pounding on the door to a restroom at the inn. "Osamu, come out!"

No response.

"He's been in there for five hours, now," Ken said. "I understand he's mourning the loss of his sword, but could have picked a place to be alone I don't need to use!" Ken pounded on the door. "Osamu! At least come out so I can go in!"

It had been three days since the battle against Zero. Alicia, Lavian and Ken had been nursing battle wounds, especially Lavian who had been on the receiving end of a few spells and break attacks from Tsubasa and Kensuke. Kensuke had broken her shield during the battle, which may have cracked the bone in her arm. A few healing spells from Ai helped, but weren't quite enough.

Osamu had spent those days in silent depression, apparent by switching from tea to liquor at the bar. Currently he was confining himself in a restroom for privacy.

Fortunately, an investigation launched by Bafai into their arrest for "assisting Zero" was called off after authorities arrested him for tax fraud. It was the worst case in Lionel history, not because he had been cheating on them his whole life, but by how badly he cheated on them that year. A statement from Bafai blamed it on sabotage from "an idiot who couldn't calculate his way through a paper bag."

They had ditched their new outfits and went back to their old ones. The investigation into the death of Draclau officially ended with Ramza Beoulve and his associates, Mustadio Bunansa and Agrias Oakes as the culprits. No official word on what had happened to them, however. There were, however, rumors spreading of a massacre at Orbonne Monastery in which Shrine Knights had been called to investigate. No word on who was involved.

Osamu finally stepped out of the restroom, his eyes were red with tears.

"...You...feeling okay?" Lavian asked.

"...I miss my blood sword..." Osamu sighed, "If anyone needs me, I'll be at the bar..."

"Or in bed, sleeping off last night's binge..." Ai rolled her eyes. Their drink budget was running short, mostly thanks to Osamu.

"Yeah, whatever, have fun!" Ken pushed Osamu aside and dashed into the restroom. Osamu just walked off, whimpering.

"Sword..." Osamu sighed.

"He was pretty attached to that stupid thing..." Rad commented once Osamu had left.

"He stole it himself from Gafgarion, who wasn't all that pleased to lose it," Ai explained. "He heard rumor that Gafgarion had obtained a legendary sword and spent weeks trying to master that single ability for the next time we encountered him."

"Maybe we're a little hard on that sword, it wasn't that bad of a weapon," Alicia said.

"Are you kidding? The only reason the blade was red was because of rust!" Ai shouted. "And to think he kept it so long."

"I think we're missing the point, Osamu sacrificed his prized sword to save our butts," Lavian pointed out.

"So he values us above rust?" Ken asked through the restroom door.

"Ken, are you decent right now?" Lavian asked.

"Not exactly."

"Good, 'cause if you were, I'd go in there and smack you for that," Lavian growled. "You guys don't get it, a Knight's weapon is like a part of their own body. Ai, you through staves with no problem, Ken's been wanting a new crossbow for ages, Rad you steal weapons, among other things, for the fun of it. To Osamu, that sword was a part of him!"

"...So, what do we do to make him feel better?" Alicia asked.

"It's not like blood swords are a dime a dozen," Ai pointed out. "We can't just replace it."

"Should've snagged that chaos blade replica," Rad said. "I mean, come on, a guy in battle sees something that looks like a chaos blade, he's not gonna stick around."

"Not until he sees the 'Made in Dalmasca' engraving on the base of the blade," Ai replied.

Osamu came back into the room. "Ai, this might interest you..." He gave Ai a piece of paper.

"What?!" Ai growled. It was a wanted poster with a crude drawing of her with devil horns breathing fire. "Wanted. Unholy Priestess, Dead or Alive. Wanted for evading arrest, breaking battle laws, attacking a judge..." Ai growled, crumpling up the poster and throwing it to the ground.

Alicia picked it up and continued reading, "Reward is 10,000 gil. Report claims to Judge Bergan and Archades... Looks like your holy spell didn't finish him off."

"Sadly," Ai grumbled. "Amazing, Zero breaks and enters Bafai's compound to steal weapons and I'm wanted for casting a holy spell!"

"At least we're clean of the Draclau charges," Rad said, he noticed Osamu was going back to the bar. "Hey! Osamu! Come on, cheer up!"

"...No..." Osamu sighed, leaving.

"This is getting both annoying and pathetic..." Alicia muttered.

"As I said, to a knight, a weapon is like a part of them." Lavian said.

"Yeah, yeah..." Ai rolled her eyes.

"Well, Osamu and I have one thing in common," Rad spoke up. "We both need a drink." He went downstairs.

In the bar, Osamu was on his first drink. Next to him was a young squire, drinking chocolate milk and almost crying into it. "...What's wrong?"

"I lost her pet..." The squire replied, looking to Osamu. "You?"

"I lost my sword..." Osamu replied.

"I once had a sword broken...It hurts, especially the shrapnel..." The squire sighed.

Rad sat on the other side of the squire. "Geez, Osamu, you're making everyone depressed..."

"I lost Carrot! The Countess is going to have my head for it..." The squire sighed. "I was walking her near the base of Barius Hill when she snapped her leash and ran off..."

"Tough break, I heard Barius hill is complete chaos right now. Great for the poaching industry, bad for everyone else." Rad said. "Carrot's probably monster chow now."

The squire burst into tears, Osamu joined him.

"CARROT!"

"MY SWORD!"

Rad rolled his eyes, waving to the bartender. "Something hard...Make it two."

"For them?" The bartender asked.

"No, for me."

Ai came into the bar and sat on the other side of the group. "Great, what now?"

"I lost Countess Zamas' precious Carrot..." The squire wept.

"...Precious Carrot?" Ai asked.

"Her beloved pet, she loves it so much. More than anything else!" The squire went on, "She would give her life for her precious Carrot! Oh, once she finds out that she got loose, my head will be on a chopping block!"

"Why not escape and join us?" Rad asked. "We're heading up North."

"I could never abandon my post," the squire said. "It is my duty to report the news to the Countess, I simply wish to enjoy my last day."

"Have fun with that, hope it's a quick one," Rad shrugged, downing a drink.

"Rad!" Ai shouted, turning to the squire. "You're looking for a pet, right?"

"Y-Yes," the squire nodded.

"We're a bit short of cash, we need to buy supplies to get past Barius Hill. Not to sound greedy, but if you could help us on that front..." Ai trailed off.

The squire immediately got up and bowed his head, "Priestess, if you would retrieve Carrot, I would gladly serve you in this life and the next!"

"...Money would be enough," Ai stated.

"Without question, I'll give you my entire week's pay." The squire reached into his pocket and handed over a few gil coins. "Use this to buy any supplies you need to find her, I'll be here until you bring her back! Carrot will be wearing a red collar with a gold name tag. Thank you! Thank you!"

"Anytime," Ai smiled, "I'll tell my friends and we'll be out in a few minutes."

"A thousand--No! A million thanks to you!" The squire was just short of kissing Ai's feet, not that she'd mind of course.

Ai went upstairs, alerting the others, "We have a job, one that might get us enough to go through Barius Hill tomorrow."

"What is it?" Ken asked. "Better not involve nobility again..."

"Just a squire working for a Countess," Ai explained. "We're going to hunt for her pet, it's named Carrot. The squire lost it and, well, is willing to pay anything to get it back."

"Where'd he lose it?" Lavian asked.

"Base of Barius," Ai replied.

"...It's long gone, Ai, just buy the countess a book on coping with loss," Ken said.

"Yeah," Alicia nodded. "Her little doggy or whatever is history."

"Come on, it's not like there are that many monsters at the base of Barius, only when you get near the summit. We can just look around a little, if we see a monster, we go back. It's not like I'm expecting you guys to go charging into battle unarmed--" With saying that, Ai looked at the gil the squire gave her, sighing, "We do need to buy Osamu a new sword, though. He doesn't have a back up, aside from that antique zeni-sword...Which we might have to sell for money."

"How much did he give you?" Lavian asked.

Ai counted, "...Five hundred gil, plus a button."

"Oh, we're gonna find something nice with that..." Ken rolled his eyes. "A bargain-bin long sword... ...He was better off with that rusted blood sword."

"What if we pooled our money and got something?" Alicia asked. "He did give it to Zero to bargain with him, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, I guess we owe him this much..." Ken sighed, he went to his travel bag and pulled out a bag of gil. "I have about a thousand I've been saving up for a new crossbow with, he can have that."

Alicia pulled out a bag of gil. "I have eight hundred total."

"I thought you only had five hundred yesterday..." Lavian trailed off.

"Yeah, Rad had three hundred." Alicia gave Lavian a grin.

Lavian chuckled and got her bag of gil. "...Six hundred and twenty."

Ai pulled out her bag. "Our travel budget aside, I have a little over a thousand... So, in total, we have..."

Ken spoke up, "Three thousand four hundred and twenty. Enough for a coral sword with one-twenty left over...Unless you guys want to go cheap with a mythril blade, for a little under half the price."

Ai looked to everyone, "Coral sword."

"Coral sword," Lavian said.

"Coral sword," Ken said.

"Coral sword," Alicia said.

"Mythril blade," a voice spoke up.

Everyone turned to see Rad behind Ai, glaring "And Alicia, stay outta my wallet!" He went over to Alicia, holding his hand out.

"Too bad Rad," Alicia chuckled, moving the bag of gil from his reach. "We're forcing you to volunteer your funds to buy Osamu a new sword. He did give up his prized blood sword to save your neck. You owe him this much."

"But I wanted to buy a new dagger with that!" Rad tried to snatch the money from Alicia.

With a grin, Ai said, "Shining light..."

"I'LL BE GOOD!" Rad shouted, backing away. "Why does the church give you access to such destructive power?"

"'Cause even a priest needs to defend herself," Ai replied, grinning. "Or have a good bargaining chip." She gave her money to Ken. "Since you know weapon prices so well, I want you to buy the sword."

"Right," Ken nodded. "You guys start off to Barius Hill, I'll catch up." Ken took everyone else's money. "Good luck! Hope you find Carrot in less than two pieces."

"Thanks," Ai rolled her eyes as Ken ran off to a weapon shop. She went downstairs and found Osamu on his second mug of ale. "Come on, Osamu, we're going on a search and rescue mission."

"...Too drunk..." Osamu nearly fell over in his chair.

The bartender spoke up, "I've never seen a guy get so loaded on just two ales..."

Ai groaned, "Osamu, we're going for a walk..."

"...No thanks..."

"Come on!" Lavian shouted.

Osamu sighed, sipping his mug.

"Osamu, walkies!" Rad shouted.

"...No..."

"MOVE IT!" Ai grabbed Osamu's cape and dragged him off the barstool. Osamu didn't put up much of a fight, he simply let Ai drag him out of the bar, giving the occasional sigh every now and then. Once they got to the road, Lavian and Rad helped lift him up.

"Where are we going?" Osamu asked.

Lavian reeled back at the smell of Osamu's breath. "Osamu! You reek of ale! How much did you have to drink!?"

"...Two..." Osamu replied, nearly falling over.

"Lightweight..." Rad muttered, helping Osamu stand up.

"Osamu, we're looking for a pet, Carrot, it's wearing a red collar with a gold name tag...Can you help us find it?" Ai asked.

"I'll go check the...the...The bar!" Osamu started back into the bar, Alicia and Lavian grabbed him and started dragged him in the direction of Barius hill. "Stop! I think I saw someone eating a carrot! We should check it out!"

"Well, I'm sure this'll be a barrel of laughs," Rad rolled his eyes. "You sure we should drag him along?"

"...Not anymore, but we're just looking for a pet, what's the worst he can do?" Ai asked.

"Get himself eaten?" Rad asked.

"Okay, what's the worst he can do to us?"

"Won't know 'til it happens," Rad shrugged, starting after Alicia and Lavian. "Wait up! I don't want to miss a moment of this!"

The base of Barius Hill was quiet...Which was actually normal for the base of Barius Hill. The monsters were found closer to the summit, rather than the base (which was a common campground for hunters going to and from Warjilis to sell furs).

Ai and the group managed to get Osamu to the base of the hill. Osamu hadn't sobered up at all...In fact, the second ale was taking effect by the time they got to the base. Rad was astounded by how out of it Osamu was.

Osamu finally realized his surroundings when he walked into a signpost that read:

BARIUS HILL

DANGER:
MONSTER ACTIVITY IS HIGH, ENTER AT
OWN RISK

Below it was another sign that read:

Lost a limb fighting a dragon?

Come down to Doctor Banon's Infirmary,
two blocks from the entrance of Lionel.

Good care, good prices.

"...Well, that's not a good sign..." Alicia muttered.

"You obviously haven't seen this..." Ai pointed behind a rock. A skeleton with a rusted sword in hand and rusted armor lay there, it didn't seem to be very old. "...I think we might want to write up some wills before going up to Zaland...Just to be safe..."

"...So...We're heading up to Zaland now..." Osamu stood up, he went over to the rock and gaped. "The...the blood sword!"

"What?" Lavian gave Osamu a strange look.

Osamu reached for the rusted sword the skeleton held. "A...A new one! I can fight again!"

"O-Osamu! Wait! No!" Ai shouted as Osamu darted off into Barius Hill.

"...Well, it was nice knowing him. I'm going back to the bar, I call first choice of his stuff." Rad started back, Ai grabbed him. "Hey!"

"Now we've got to find Carrot and Osamu...Alicia, you and Lavian go and find Osamu. Alicia, I want you to use whatever magic necessary to stop him from killing himself."

"Paralyze, got it," Alicia saluted.

"Rad, you look for Carrot, I'll wait here for Ken," Ai said.

"Why do I have to go?" Rad asked.

"You'd send a poor defenseless priest alone into Barius Hill during peak monster season?" Ai asked.

"...Are you implying that you're even remotely defenseless?" Rad asked.

"Okay, do you want to know what'll happen if you don't go?"

"Going," Rad started off. Alicia and Lavian went in Osamu's direction.

Ai groaned, "This isn't our day..."

Deep within Barius Hill, Osamu swung his 'blood sword' wildly. The rusted broadsword was put to the test against any foe he came across...At least, it would, it he came across any foes.

"Fear the Hokuten Knight Osamu and his blood sword!" Osamu screamed, loosing his balance. "Whoah... The...Hokuten Knight Osamu...needs to...lie down..." Osamu groaned, using his sword to support him.

As Osamu went to a boulder to rest on, a dark shadow loomed over him.

Instinctively, Osamu slashed at his foe...Or, at least, slashed at something. His sword hit a tree and shattered. Osamu's jaw dropped in the sheer horror of, once again, losing a precious, precious blood sword (even if it was just an equally rusty broad sword). Osamu fell to his knees, tossed the blade away and sighed. "Go, monster, kill me...I am a shame to knights everywhere!"

The monster closed in...

At the base of Barius Hill, Ken finally came with a brand new coral sword sheathed in his hands.

"Finally," Ai sighed. "We're in trouble."

"What's wrong?" Ken asked.

"Osamu's completely wasted, he mistook a rusted sword for another blood sword and ran off into Barius Hill in search of adventure." Ai explained. "Rad's looking for Carrot, while Alicia and Lavian are looking for Osamu."

"Yeesh... How much did he have to drink if he's like this?" Ken asked.

"Two mugs of ale."

"...Please tell me the ale was drugged."

Ai shook her head.

"...Well, this explains why he could sip a mug of ale for hours on end..." Ken shrugged.

Osamu's scream, followed by Alicia and Lavian's, rang out from Barius Hill.

"That...can't be too far away!" Ken pulled out his crossbow and charged off with Ai. They met Rad halfway to the source of the screams.

What they saw left them both in awe and slightly disgusted.

Osamu was in the tentacles of a Malboro...A Malboro with a red collar and a golden tag with 'Carrot' engraved onto it. Carrot, an oh-so-affectionate abnormality, was holding Osamu and licking him like a dog.

Osamu was covered in slime, but otherwise unharmed and petting the creature on the head.

Alicia had her head turned away in disgust, while Lavian said, "Aw, how cute! Osamu made a friend!" Jokingly, of course.

Ken lowered his crossbow. "...I think I'm gonna puke..."

"...I think I need a drink..." Ai stated.

"Good girl! Good girl!" Osamu laughed. "Put me down, now! Put me down!"

Within the hour, Carrot was returned to the squire at the bar. He was overjoyed and immediately paid them a week's pay with a bonus for Osamu, to cover a good bath and his laundry.

Ai counted the money as Ken and Rad helped Osamu to the nearest bath. They'd give Osamu his new sword after he sobered up.

Alicia and Lavian waited outside of their room as Ai counted the money. They stood guard against Osamu until he smelled like something besides rotten fish.

"People actually keep Malboros as pets?" Alicia spoke up.

"Well, the countess probably sees it like one of those puppies that are so ugly, they're cute. Kinda like Rad." Lavian replied.

"...Rad?" Alicia looked over to Lavian, grinning.

"...Uh...Nothing..." Lavian glanced away.

Ai opened the door. Alicia and Lavian quickly turned to face her.

Lavian spoke first, "Ai, how much--"

Ai gave a list and a bag of gil to Lavian. "You're in charge of weapons and armor. This is the list of what we need." She gave a list and a bag of gil to Alicia. "You're in charge of supplies. Food, water, potions, everything."

"How much was there!?" Lavian shouted.

"More than enough, apparently one can make a living as a Malboro walker. That and he tossed in a bit of a bonus for our troubles, namely, Osamu's stench." Ai grinned. "We'll stay a night in Zaland and head up to Dorter from there."

"When do we set out?" Alicia asked.

"Provided Osamu's not hung over, tomorrow."

To Be Continued...

The upcoming chapters are taking some liberties on Shiba's notes, due to their vague nature past Barius Hill. The only in-depth notes I have left to go on is the role of Zero, which I can't go much further into right now.

This Proposition appeared in both Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII, both versions involve a Malboro hunt.

Next chapter is a special chapter, I won't spoil anything.