Vierapril 2025 Day 25

[gaiages]

Vierapril Day 25 - Trail
Leads

It's difficult to pick up the trail of someone that doesn't want to be found.

Rating: General Audiences

665 words
Relationship(s) / Characters: OCs
Tags: Pre-MSQ ; tailing someone
CWs: zzzz

This fic takes place very shortly before the Gemna fic. So that lead's about to pay off ;)

Other links: Tumblr | AO3

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"Here's that info you wanted, Gale."

"Thanks." Gale exchanges a scrap of parchment with the barkeep, and after she reads it, her eyes shoot up.

"Really? Is this true?"

Gale shrugs. "I don't see why you're questioning my information now. Of course it's true—but if you want to wait and see in three days to see if it is, be my guest."

"No, I believe you, it's just…" The barkeep purses her lips. "Perhaps I shouldn't look a gift chocobo in the mouth, but this information is rather valuable compared to what you requested. You only asked after a mercenary, after all."

"I have business with him."

"Seems like half of Rabanastre does at this point. I don't know how he managed to earn the ire of so many."

"Mm." Gale ignores the barkeep and waves on his way out. "Thanks. Let me know if you hear anything else on the mercenary."

"Sure. Be careful out there."

"Always."

** **

Gale closes the door to his apartment with a sigh. "This information is good, but…"

He looks over the parchment again, scanning for anything he might have missed the first time.

~

Most recent job: Guarding the second daughter of the Fimount family, who was recently receiving death threats from an unknown source. He eventually found and killed the stalker. Daughter mentioned he was quiet and looked imposing; nothing more.

The stalker ended up being another powerful family's only son, so they are looking for him for revenge. Family put a job up for him as bait, but the request was left unanswered.

Last seen over a month ago in the outer western region of the city. No specifics, he noticed someone tailing him and quickly made himself scarce.

~

Reyna… Gale glances over at a small bag sitting on the counter. He'd been searching for his friend for five years, but the former Wood Warder—who now called himself Laurent—was difficult to track down. While he often took on risky jobs that ended up with him being on someone's bad side, no one was able to find him after the fact.

It's as if he falls off the face of the planet until the next job. Gale frowns. The informants he trusted couldn't even dig up much of anything, and their connections ran deep. Even I can't cover my tracks this well… someone is clearly helping him.

Worse still, it occasionally gets back to Laurent that Gale is looking for him, which causes him to disappear again. I can't very well go out in the open and use my old name to get his attention. I have my own enemies to keep away from, and something like this would be leverage—and too easy to set a trap with.

"How frustrating…" Gale glances at the parchment one more time before lighting it on fire. It's been an agonizingly slow five years of testing contacts, finding trustworthy information, and tracking Laurent down—but it finally felt like he was getting close.

I just need to track Reyna down before he catches wind of me. Gale watches the parchment burn dispassionately. Easier said than done. But if I can find who's helping him, maybe…

Looking out the window, Gale sees the sun hanging low and sighs. Right now, it seems best to find some informants I'm not familiar with. Perhaps with some gentle prodding, I can find more clues…

He digs through some supplies and pulls out a bottle of black hair dye. While Laurent might have recognized Gale from his powder blue hair, others would as well, and the risk was not worth an off-chance encounter on the street. Better to be safe than sorry… I can't return his rings if I'm dead, after all.

"I've always hated black though…" Gale grumbles to himself as he works the dye through his hair. "But it's the easiest for covering up. In the morning… I suppose I'll scope out taverns in the area she mentioned. Maybe I'll get lucky…"

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