The Nightrose Chronicles I: Broader Horizons

Important or Wasteful

Tessa's POV

After a strenuous time getting supplies from the bazaar, that was still being setup after the festival, they disembarked the trolley. Looking around the small room they found a moogle, a vendor, and several guards. "Like to buy anything before you leave?" he asked.

Zidane bartered as Tessa hopped straight to the moogle. "Kupo! Hello! I'm Tess!"

The moogle smiled, "Hello! Kupo! I'm Moonte! I got a letter from Stiltzkin! Do you know Stiltzkin, kupo?"

He read her the letter, jumping when he heard Stiltzkin's destination, "He went to Burmecia!? It's very dangerous there! Kupo!"

"I'm sure he'll be fine, kupo! He's one tough moogle!" She assured him.

He heaved a sigh of relief and slumped his shoulders, "Thanks Tess, kupo!"

"You're welcome, kupo!"

"We have to go now kid," Lailah told her.

"Alright. Bye Moonte! Kupo!"

"Kupo! Bye Tess!"

As they left the Dragon's Gate heading onto the plains they realized the sun was setting. "I know we just rested and all but is it a good idea to travel in the dark?" Tessa asked.

Zidane shook his head, "The monsters come out at night."

"Then, we should stop by that marsh."

"Why?" Zidane asked.

"We must hurry," Freya said.

"I know, I know, but if we need to rest, it's a good place to chill for the night. See that hut over there? They might be willing to let us spend the night."

"In a marsh?" Zidane asked skeptically. "What if they won't? Then we'll be stuck there in the dark."

"There are a lot of interesting things in marshes," Lailah said. "Might be a good idea. And even if they won't let us stay we could make our own camp among the reeds."

"Well, I suppose so... It'll be quicker than skirting around it," Zidane said.

"You can't seriously be considering this Zidane?" Freya shook her head.

"Come on Freya we might find something useful," Vivi said. The walk through the marsh was difficult but they found a path among the swamp water. Once they got into the thicket they could hardly see over their heads, the reeds towered above them on all sides. The chirping of crickets and the croaking of frogs grew louder as they walked. Tessa stepped down and started sinking, she screamed and Lailah pulled her out quickly. "See? What did I tell you? Bad idea," Freya said.

"It---- it---- it--- it'll be worth it," she stuttered while holding onto her dad for dear life.

"And how do you know that?"

"Instincts..."

"Some instincts..." They found their way across the boards to a dryer section of land, "We're all going to drown," Freya said cynically as the darkness encroached on them and they had to fight their way through the thick cattails. They all sighed in relief when they finally stepped into a clearing before cringing when they spotted a large silhouette that wandered aimlessly through the twilight. Tessa put her night-vision goggles on and sighed in relief when she saw the Qu she was looking for. She walked up, wondering how she could handle having such a large tongue hanging down her front, she shrugged, Biology... "Hello, I'm Tessa."

"Hungry..." It's gaze followed a frog that hopped away when the Qu neared. It jumped to catch the frog but missed and slumped, "So, hungry..."

Tessa took in a deep breath and braved the grossness of slimy frogs, more like toads. She caught a fairly large one and it tried to wiggle out of her hands, she shrieked, "Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew!" She accidentally tossed the frog, thankfully it was in the Qu's direction and it swallowed the thing whole.