Fear and Loathing in Zozo (Locke/Sabin)
Lightning crashed across the black, cloud trodden sky, giving brief clarity to the disgusting, neglected streets of Zozo, the epitome of urban decay that it was. It always seemed to be raining in Zozo, where people go to live out the rest of their already miserable lives in a self induced state of loathing and detachment. The flash of lightning seemed to be the only reprieve from constant dimness which engulfed the city like a cloud. It was just as well, as they also alerted those unfortunate enough to be there of the downtrodden, deserted looking buildings, which seemed on the brink of collapse at all times. It was here that the most miserable denizens of the World of Ruin found themselves, blissfully (which is a term used liberally in this case) unaware of the chaos which had engulfed their planet.
Indeed it seemed as if Zozo had been untouched by the treachery of Kefka. Perhaps even the master of destruction himself deemed Zozo unworthy of his attention. After all, it was a horrible enough place without his help.
It was nigh on a year since the God of Magic began to rain his Light of Judgement upon the world, and whispers of a dangerous new presence had arisen in Zozo. In a city populated almost exclusively by crooks and thieves, there was once name which had begun to cover the city in a blanket of fear. Even the most hardened of thugs would shut up if he thought The Mirage was around. The Mirage had suddenly appeared one ordinary night- or at least that’s what people assumed, given that no one actually knew what he looked like. He struck with expert stealth, and he never got caught. He always got what he wanted, and there didn’t seem to be any way to stop him. It was enough to put a leash on almost the entire city of Zozo, which was something no criminal had been able to do thus far. Who was this new thief? Did he work alone, or did he work for one of the many crews around the city? Nobody knew, but it wasn’t long before the people of Zozo took matters into their own hands…
Locke strode confidently into the bar, where he’d become a regular. No one beat the house brew at the Rainy Pub. The hustle and bustle on the inside of the bar was not new to him, and without even pausing to look at any of the other patrons, he stepped right up to the bar. There was an open stool between two large men; both were far more muscular than he, both wore matching green tank tops, and as they turned to look at him as he sat down, he realized they had the same face.
"Ah," Locke sighed as he raised his hand at the barkeep. The man knew exactly what Locke wanted, and wordlessly he grabbed a glass. "The twins, I presume?"
"Shut it!" cried suddenly, the twin to his left.
"We’re here to talk business. I don’t wanna have to engage with a sleaze ball like you for longer than necessary.” Said the twin to his right. Though their faces were identical- almost perfectly square, devoid of facial hair, and possessing beady little black eyes- their voices were drastically different. The voice coming from his left was inhumanly low, and as gravelly as the side of a mountain. From his right came a normally pitched, some may even say high voice, which seemed to have a stronger grasp on the human language.
Locke looked to his right- “Todd,” then to his left “and Jodd, right?”
“I’m Todd!” screamed the big dumb man to his left.
Locke patted his shoulder, “You sure are.”
At that, Jodd slammed his large awkward fist onto the bar, as the keep returned with Locke’s drink- the house brew of course. As Locke leisurely began to drink, Jodd spoke. “It took a lot of thought before I came to you but… I don’t know who else to look to. We need your help Locke, much as I hate to admit.”
"What ever could you need me for, Todd?” Locke chimed, placing a few gil on the counter.
"It’s Jodd.” Came the retort. Jodd attempted intimidation by lowering his voice and making it more grating, but Locke found it more funny than anything else. “And I think you know why you’re here. It’s…” His tiny little eyes darted around the room, and leaning in so that no one else could hear, he continued. “It’s The Mirage.”
Locke’s head came up now, his gaze fixed straight ahead. “The Mirage you say?” His fingers tapped restlessly on the hardwood counter. “You do realize that he- or she- is the most feared person in all of Zozo right now. Right?”
"I’m aware." Jodd replied, frustrated.
“Mirage take our stuff!” came the indignant cry from Todd. The patrons closest to the trio suddenly ceased all noise, and they seemed the center of attention for a brief few moments. Luckily it was a busy enough night, and it was going to take a lot to properly excite this drunken lot.
Locke took a nice long swig of his drink, placing the glass gingerly on the bar again and letting out a long sigh. “What exactly do you expect me to do, huh? No one even knows what he looks like!”
"Do you think I’d come to you if I knew how to handle this guy?" Jodd whispered sharply.
Locke chuckled. “So why did you come to me then, smart guy?”
Jodd growled, looking away form Locke so as not to look him in the eye. “Because I know you… Ugh! You have your ways. You’re good Locke. Better than the average Zozo pickpocket.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear!” Locke said excitedly, reaching out and putting his arms around the twins. “Barkeep! I left some extra gil there for ya- get these kids a couple o’ house brews. Make sure they stumble outta here!” With that he threw his head back and laughed the laugh of a man who knows more than he lets on. This was not lost on Jodd, which only served to piss him off more.
Giving them both one more pat on the back, Locke turned and hopped off of his stool. The gil he’d swiped off those oafs was definitely going to be enough for him to eat well tonight- at least as well as a person could in this shitty town. Kicking the door open, Locke fixed the collar on his vest so that it rose up to his cheeks.
"Looks like rain tonight" He muttered to himself as he walked down the abandoned road. Thunder rolled overhead, and with each flash of lightning, Locke’s face grew more intense, his eyebrows coming close together. A horrible wicked smile worked it’s way across his face, one that he hadn’t ever worn before a few months ago. He was a different person back then, and though in the long run it was but a wink, it seemed like many lifetimes ago. No, he was someone else now. Someone very different. Someone with an entirely new set of morals and goals. He was not the Locke that had left Kohlingen with the blind ambition of saving the world anymore. "It’s a perfect night for a mirage!”
