Salvation
Chapter four
Little Town of Thamasa

Setzer flew through the whole night, watching the world below him as his ship passed it by. It only took that night to reach Thamasa. In fact by the time Locke made it to the deck, Setzer was already preparing to land. The gambler grounded the vessel as close to the town as he could muster without crushing its civilization.

Setzer was a little peeved when he stepped foot onto the dead ground and saw no pub in the village. “It’s bad enough I had to come here, now I find there is no tavern? What town doesn’t have a bar?”

Locke chuckled. “Calm down Setzer, it’s not the end of the world.”

“Yeah, that already came...” The gambler grumbled as he walked off.

Locke shook his head and went back into the ship to find their companion. The thief located Shadow by the window of the lower deck. He was awake, no doubt about that, but he only stared at the window. Did he know that they had already landed? Perhaps he was thinking of other things... Memories and dreams of the past.

Locke shook his head and with a touch of sympathy in his voice said, “We’re here Shadow.” When the ninja grumbled what appeared to be a response, Locke left the air ship to scout the town.

Gogo yawned as he left one of the rooms in the lower deck, not to long after the thief had gone. “Sir?” The robbed man came next to Shadow. “Are you sleeping or do you not know we have landed some time ago?”

The ninja scoffed. “I’m aware.”

“Bad dreams sir?”

Shadow raised a brow. Hmmm.....more like nightmares... The ninja left Gogo by the window and made his way outside. This place clearly had changed since the last time he had been here. There were no lush green trees and vast valleys. There were no more beautiful buildings with gardens of lettuce hiding under the shade of the homes. Nothing but a wasteland with crumbling buildings.

He still needed time to adjust to this new world. Especially to the fact that people still lived here. Shadow did not have to step that far until he was greeted by an old friend, who ran up to him and licked his face.

“Interceptor.” Shadow smiled slightly. “You don’t know how I missed you.” The ninja stroked the sleek black fur of his Doberman.

The dog barked and ran around him in circles before stopping in front of the ninja once more. Shadow took off the glove to his right hand and petted the dog. He wanted to feel the soft fur of his pet with his own hands. “Someone took care of you well. I guess it was only natural for you to come back here, huh boy?”

Interceptor barked in response and licked his hand again, bringing Shadow’s attention to the strange marking on his skin. The ninja didn’t have much time to think about this scar. In fact, it looked more like a symbol. It was a scarlet circle in the middle of his flesh with a strange half sphere trapped inside. Not quite like a crescent moon, but similar. Did I have this before the crash of the Esper’s land? No, I never had this before... It looks more like...an experiment? Could Rally be right?

The ninja dismissed the thought quickly and went back to petting his dog. “Good boy.” He rose from the ground, dusting the dirt off his clothes. Shadow breathed in the world around him. Hope still lingered in the air as if the world awaited salvation. The ninja felt a presence behind him. Presuming it was either Locke or Setzer he said, “Let’s get going. I have what I came here for.”

Receiving no response, the annoyed ninja turned around. But it was not Locke nor Setzer standing behind him, it was an old man with a crooked smiled on his face. “Look who came back.”

“Strago.” Shadow said, rather calmly. “I came here for Interceptor, that’s all.”

“Why don’t you see her?” The old man demanded. “She doesn't even know you.”

Locke soon found his way back to Shadow with a disgruntled Setzer following behind. “Come on Shadow, let’s go. Setzer doesn’t like a town without a pub--” The thief stammered when he saw Strago in front of him. “Uh, Stroga.”

“It’s Strago boy.” The old man bopped Locke over the head. “And if you excuse me, ‘Shadow’ and I have some unfinished business here.”

The thief rubbed the bump and moved back. “Fine with me.”

Shadow held up a hand, blocking Locke’s path. “No, I’m finished here. Let’s go.” As the ninja attempted to leave, Strago grabbed his arm and with a gentler tone, “At least see the girl. Tell her who you are.”

Shadow jerked away. “I have no need to. There are enough bad memories here; I don’t need more to add to the list.”

As the ninja walked away, Strago yelled back to him. “Do you even know her name?! It’s Relm!”

Shadow spun around, “I know her name!” He snapped. “It’s not time for me to see her! When I’m ready I will!”

The old man scoffed. “Yes, when it’s at your convenience. Only when you deem so? That girl already lost a mother.” He stepped closer to Shadow, so only he could hear. “Don’t let her lose a father as well.”

Shadow pulled away. “I can’t see her. I’m not ready to...until I can find myself she will have to wait.” He turned around and whistled for Interceptor to follow.

Strago hung his head. “What do I tell her about the dog?”

“Tell her he went to find himself and he will return when he straightens things out.” Shadow simply said.

A baffled Locke and Setzer followed the ninja and his dog back onto the ship. Strago could only pray he would one day return and leave the past to rest. But as much as he refused, Shadow was right. He was in no shape to see his daughter. So they left it at that. The old man watched as their ship lifted into the air and took off into the skies.

Strago sighed and walked back into his house, regret in his eyes as he went to tell his granddaughter about the dog.

***

Everyone was silent on the vessel, mostly in fear of saying something wrong to Shadow. Locke had explained to Gogo what had happened and like usual Gogo went to find the ninja. Locke stood with Setzer on the upper deck as the robed man went below to the lower floor.

Again Shadow stood standing by the window. This time, though, his faithful dog stood by his side once more. He could feel Gogo’s presence in the room, but said nothing.

“Sir? Do you not want to talk about this?” Gogo appeared next to him.

“About what?” The ninja asked, aggravated. “I don’t talk about much.”

Gogo nodded. “Well, sir, if you don’t mind me saying, whatever family you have left, you should try to be close to. You seem like one who has lost much yes?”

The ninja nodded solemnly. “Yes, I have. But you can’t go back to something that...is too far gone.” Shadow sighed. “I lost too much; I have no desire to lose more.”

“Ah, but it is in your fear of losing do you run and hide from those you have fear of hurting.” Gogo patted the dog’s head. “Maybe you should be as close to your daughter as you are to your dog.”

Shadow squinted as he gazed at the window. On hearing what he said, the ninja turned around. “How did you--?”

Gogo was no where to be seen. A strange person....if only I knew what gender it was... Shadow laughed to himself. Was it that obvious that Relm was his daughter? Did the others see it as well?

Shadow went back to stroking his pet on the back. The dog barked and nuzzled the ninja’s hand before jumping onto the couch and curling up for a morning nap. Shadow patted the dog’s head as he left to the upper deck. Now he couldn’t help but understand what Setzer and he were talking about the day before. Shadow did find that certain thing he loved as much as the gambler and his ship. The ninja did love Interceptor more then anything.

Maybe one day he could find it in himself to love another human being the same way. But after what he had been through, he found it to be nearly impossible.

Shadow’s pace quickened to a jog before he stopped on the deck. Locke, Setzer and Gogo stared at him as he did. The ninja sighed. “Have I stumbled upon the idiot convention? You can stop staring at me like fools. I already know what you are going to say and I’m fine.”

“Are you?” Setzer raised a brow. “You and that Strago guy were really having a heated conversation about your--about a little girl?”

Shadow sat upon the wooden railing of the ship. “Daughter you mean?”

“I thought you said you lost your family...”

“I said I lost everyone I was close to. I‘m not close to her.” Shadow shifted uneasy in his place. “Now we’re going to South Figaro right?”

Setzer nodded silently and continued steering his ship.