To A Thief - Chapter 16: Hasty Decisions

As if Stiff didn't have enough problems with those wanting to kill him, now he has to face the wrath of his own team mates.. specifically, Veronaut. How will he get himself out of this mess?

Before I knew it, I had Okina by the hand and was running away from the rest of the group through the vast, thick jungle. I don't know why I even considered it despite the odds. 

You had Nanaa; who supposedly knew the jungles in this region better than the back of her hand. 

Flint; who was the linkshell's finest tracker. 

Veronaut; who I'm sure was slicing and dicing all the trees in their path by now with swift cleaves of his giant axe..

And Draven who was probably calling me a 'moron' right about now. 

"Why are we running, Stiffy!? Why?" Okina stumbled behind Stiff as he dragged her with him. 

"I.. I don't know! I couldn't think of anything else." Stiff let out in a bit of a panic.  "Listen, Okina. Those guys back there are my team. We were all sent here to find you; the experiment, and dispose of you so that you could no longer pose a possible threat before the enemy found you.." 

Okina blinked at him. "Okina? A threat? B-But I wouldn't even hurt a bug!" 

"You're telling me. We're the ones running, after all!" Stiff sighed, taking a turn through another set of trees. 

"Why are you helping me, helping me?" Okina asked curiously as they caught their breath behind another tree. "Why don't you follow you and your friends' orders? Now you've gone and put yourself in my shoes, my shoes.. Silly-Stiffy!" 

"Well.. because.." Stiff stammered as he bent over catching his breath, looking up at her for a moment. "I mean.. when they told me we were coming after a weapon experiment, I thought you would be some kind of freaky, hostile mutant! Not some silly girl.."

Okina rose a brow and tilted her head. "Huuuuuh? Stiffy thinks I'm just some silly girl, silly girl?" She echoed, rubbing her chin. 

Stiff stood up and gave a light nod. "Yeah.. you look no different than one of us. It just doesn't feel right to me, you know? I'm sure the others felt it too.. well, except Veronaut I guess." 

Okina just stared at him in confusion. She still didn't get why he would go through so much trouble for her, if he didn't even know her. They had only just met a while ago. Besides, it's not like she couldn't take care of herself. She had been doing so all this time on her own. 

"Don't get me wrong.." Stiff continued as he peeked over the side of the tree. "You're obviously more than capable of taking care of yourself.. but I wasn't exactly going to let you go against my team either. I may be disobeying our orders, but I'm not a traitor either." 

Okina began to understand a little more now, but hardly. She didn't know whether to call him crazy or to say thanks. "Um.. okay!" 

"You f****n' traitor! I'm gonna tan your hide! Time to skin me some monkeys!" Veronaut's voice boomed throughout the jungle.

"Sheesh.. he seems to think otherwise." Stiff muttered with a helpless smirk, taking Okina's hand again and continuing their little escapade. "He's scary, huh?" 

Okina just giggled. "He's like a beastman! So, where are we going then, Mr. Hero?" She asked as she prodded at his shoulder. 

Stiff pursed his lips for a moment, thinking hard. "Hm.. I've got an idea, but it's going to be a bit of a gamble. A really big gamble, actually.. but considering the odds, I think it's our best bet right now of avoiding any sort of confrontation. We have to get to Khazam." 

"Khazam? Where is that?" She asked curiously. 

"Er.." Stiff shifted his gaze around the vast trees. He couldn't even tell where they were at this point. But looking up at the sun through the enclosed tree leaves, he took his best guess and pointed west. "That way.." 

"Okay!" Okina exclaimed happily, suddenly yanking Stiff's arms toward her and throwing him over herself like baggage, causing him to fall against her back while she kept a hold on his arms. "I'll lead! You're too much of a slow poke, Stiffy!" 

"Whoa!" Stiff called out, eyes widening when he realized she was basically giving him a piggy back ride. "Heeey! This isn't right.. put me down!" 

Okina just giggled at his protests. "What's wrong, wrong? Don't worry! Even though I don't look it, I'm the experiment, remember? Besides, even if Stiffy was a fatty, you would still weigh no more than a pamama fruit to Okina!" She called over her shoulder before hopping from tree to tree until she was swinging atop them with ease like a true Opo-opo with Stiff on her back. 

Stiff couldn't help but hold on tight. He was a little edgy with heights. Still, the discomfort of riding on Okina didn't leave him. "This is weird.." 

"Huuuuuh?" Okina wondered innocently. "Don't normal people give piggy backs, piggy backs?" 

"That's not it!" Stiff quickly protested. "It's just.. girls don't normally give them to boys.. especially girls who are smaller than the boy.. and.. younger?" 

Okina looked up in thought as she swung and hopped from tree top to tree top. "Hmm.. maybe I can carry Stiffy another way?" 

Stiff thought for a moment. 

Not much choice in the matter, is there? 

You got the fireman carry, being cradled in her arms like a baby, or sitting on her shoulders.. 

Erm.. yeah. 

Stiff just slumped his own shoulders. "Piggy back it is.." 

As much as I hate to admit, we were moving at least five times faster this way. 

"It's over!" Veronaut growled as he cut down a shrub in front of him, having seen Stiff and Okina ahead moments before doing so, but he froze. "What? Where the hell did they go?" 

The rest of the team caught up behind him. 

"Looks like they decided to use the trees.. clever girrrrl." Nanaa gave a toothy grin in defeat as she looked at the tree leaves gliding down from above. 

"What do you mean 'clever girl'?" Veronaut snorted. 

"Well, I may know this jungle by hearrrt.. and even navigate it with my eyes closed, but if they're traveling by tree tops, it is cerrrtainly out of my claws.." 

"D****t!" Veronaut punched the nearest tree, gritting his teeth. The tree shook a bit, causing some more leaves to fall. This gave him an idea. 

"Flint. Take the lead." He ordered. "Follow the fresh leaves and twigs that have fallen from above and get us to them." 

Flint sighed and crossed his arms behind his head. "Hey, Vero.. don't you think we should contact Vincent and let him know of the current situation?" 

"What the f**k are you, the linkshell advisor? Just do it, you fool!" Veronaut growled. 

Flint frowned and shot a glance at Nanaa and Draven; both whom just gave him a shrug. "Fine.." 

And so Flint took the lead with the group following behind as he tracked the two targets. 

"I warned Vincent.." Veronaut sighed. "You invite kids into the linkshell and what happens? They decide to play tag.." 

Draven looked up at the tree leaves and squinted his eyes in thought. "Stiff.. just what exactly are you planning to do?" 

Once we arrived at Khazam, I was pleased to find out that my gamble was a bit of a success.. kinda. 

The airship was at the dock; although it wasn't close to departing as I had hoped.. it *was* departing. By the looks of it, we weren't going to make it. 

"Holy crap! It's already leaving!" Stiff exclaimed. "Okina, I need you to go on my back now, hurry!" 

Heads turned from everywhere to see this strange, young pair that had waltzed into Khazam from the jungle giving each other piggy backs. 

"Huh? Okay!" Okina said, flipping herself back in a quick and indescribable manner that had Stiff somehow land on his feet with her on his back. "Giddyap!" 

Not stopping to think about it, Stiff quickly activated his enhanced 'flee' ability and ran across the wide boardwalks through the village and towards the Airship dock. 

"Wow! Stiffy is running so fast alluva sudden!" Okina exclaimed in amusement as she bounced against his back, causing her voice to bounce as well. 

"Sorry!" Stiff shouted at the travel agents as he jumped over the small railing of the admittance desk. 

"There he is! Get back here you little s**t!" Veronaut's voice boomed through the village as he and the rest of the team ran through the gate from the jungle. 

"Please make it..!" He told himself as he continued to dash past the catwalk towards the departing airship. 

It had already began levitating out of the water and was at least 10 feet away from the boarding ramp. Using all his speed and might, Stiff forced his feet off the edge of the ramp and jumped towards the airship's doorway. 

It almost felt as if he was going in slow motion. Among the sounds of the airship's propellers, the various onlooker's surprised commotion, and Okina going, "Weeee!" his mind was cascading:

Make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it make it!

His feet hit solid, wooden floor. He had just made it on board the airship's bridge and was now safely inside. 

"Hahaha! Right on!" Stiff exclaimed contently. 

"That was so fun, Stiffy!" Okina exclaimed giggling as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "Let's do it again!" 

Stiff nearly felt himself choke upon her grip. "Agh.. choking.. me!" 

"Woops! Sorry!" She released him with an innocent smile, hopping off his back. 

"It's okay, heh.. come on!" Stiff said, taking her hand and going up a set of stairs and onto the airship deck. Looking over the side, he grinned and saluted the rest of his team who stood in defeat on the catwalk as the airship took off. "Sayonara!" 

Okina giggled and waved at them, "Bye-bye!" 

Veronaut gave Stiff the biggest death glare he had ever seen anyone or anything for that matter do, wording 'I'm going to kill you' with his lips. 

Nanaa crossed her arms in front of her chest and smirked. "Mrrrow.. That Stiff surrre is something else." 

"Tell me about it." Flint snickered. "I've never seen someone so stubborn before, it's pretty impressive." 

"So you all are acquainted with that boy?" The blue-haired mithran travel agent from before asked as she walked up beside them, watching the airship disappear in the distance. "Meeeeow... I must know his name." She blushed. 

"Oh, and by the way.. that'll be 800 gil for his departure fee, seeing as you are his linkshell members." 

"Graaah!" Veronaut smashed his axe down on the cat walk in rage, breaking off some of the wood.  

".. Make that 1,500." 

Draven snickered to himself at the scene. It was the first time he had ever seen Veronaut this angry before since joining the Brigade. "You moron.. leaving an impression like always. Better hope Vincent doesn't kill you.. that's if Veronaut doesn't first."

"We're flying!" Okina called out excitedly over the railing of the airship deck while looking down at the distant sea below. 

Stiff grinned and joined her to look at the view. "Yeah, I was excited this morning too. It was the first time I had ever ridden an airship. Come to think of it, it doesn't feel much different than riding a normal ship.. but I guess it's the fact that we're flying alone that makes it that much cooler. 

Okina was entirely restless during the entire flight. She ran all over the place striking conversation with the passengers and pestering the pilot. 

I had to buy her a hat from the airship gift shop to at least conceal her opo-like ears and just had her tuck in her tail. That, and she made me buy her quite a few snacks during the ride. 

For such a young, athletic, and petite girl.. she sure ate a lot. I think she might even eat more than me! 

Anyway, I got to know her better during the two hour ride back to Jeuno. I wanted to ask her what kind of things they conducted with her and possibly any other experiments that might have been taking place down in the ruins, but I didn't want to risk the possibility of being eavesdropped. 

That and I'm sure it was a sensitive matter for her, as she's been experimented on since she was born. I dunno why, but seeing her enjoy herself made me feel.. good. She deserved it after the life of loneliness and being looked down upon that she had; a life much like my own when I was an orphan. But at least I eventually had someone. Okina never did. 

When we arrived at Jeuno, it took every ounce of bravery in me to waltz back into H.Q. with Okina in hand and without the rest of my team. I was ready for the worst. Not only had I disobeyed orders, but I had turned my back on my team mates as well. 

Walking into the headquarters, Stiff felt his heart begin to pound against his chest. Heads turned to look at him as he walked into the common room. In the center of the room stood Vincent with his arms crossed in front of his chest and a look of death on his face that is too scary to describe for words. His sword was stuck into the floor beside him as he stood there, most likely thrust in deliberately. 

"S-Sir.. you must've heard everything through the link pearl." Stiff gulped, letting go of Okina's hand. "Look, I can explain.. before you kill me, will you please let me explain? Um.. Okina is- I mean she- everyone was-" 

I was petrified. One could just *sense* danger in the room. Was this how everyone felt around Vincent when he was upset? It almost makes me regret my actions..

"Enough." Vincent ordered, pointing to the seat across from him. "Stiff, get over there and stay put. I'll deal with you in a moment. Don't leave the headquarters." 

Stiff pursed his lips tightly, wanting to speak up. "But Sir, if you would j-just let-" 

"SIT your a*s DOWN, maggot!" Vincent growled even louder, causing Stiff and even a few others to flinch. 

Even Okina was feeling scared, and she didn't know who this Vincent was. 

Stiff quickly dashed for the seat, "Y-Yes, sir!" 

"You.." Vincent continued, pointing an armored finger over to Okina, then over to the interrogation room. "Inside. Now." 

Okina lowered her head and silently nodded, making her way into the room. For such a mischievous girl, even she felt inclined to listen to Vincent's demands. 

Giving one last stern look at Stiff, Vincent pulled his greatsword made of dark materials out of the ground and stomped into the interrogation room behind Okina, slamming the door shut. 

It didn't take long for Stiff to start sweating and breathing faster. 

Should I have brought her here..? 

I was hoping just maybe that he hadn't learned of this yet.. but I knew they were just high hopes. Of all the places, he took her to the interrogation room.. this wasn't looking too good. 

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Despite his efforts to rescue the poor opo-opo girl, Stiff simply seems to have further enforced her death sentence.. 

Is she going to be tortured? Is Stiff's demise finally at hand? 

Find out next time in Chapter 17: A Turn of Events

Author's Note

Sorry to any loyal readers for the delay! Going to continue this story as per usual.. enjoy!

As always, Reviews are GREATLY appreciated and truly help me to speed up the process of updates, as I tend to go nuts on motivation to please :)