You glanced back down at your phone to check the time. It was about 20 minutes until you were to meet up for dinner. You had heard from Tracy about 10 minutes ago and she had said that they should be on their way down in a few. You put your phone away and glanced up the stairs that lead to the upper floors. You knew that Madam Camelia hated to wait on anyone.  And that included you. Even if it was only for a couple of minutes.

"What time is our dinner date at the Estate?" Luna asked as she sat on the bench patiently waiting.

You looked over at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "We're scheduled to have dinner with Madam Secretary Camellia, at 5."

"Will we have enough time to get over there?" Luna asked you as she gave you a slightly worried look."

She had her disguise off for now, as she sat in a slim white dress that stopped just below her knees. She had her hair braided back and a very light application of makeup to go along with her delicate silver jewelry. She looked like a princess as she sat there, straight backed, with her ankles crossed.

"We have about 20 minutes to get there now." You said in a reassuring voice as you gave you a half smile.

You could tell by how she was dressed, that everyone was going to know who she was this time as you walked through the city. There was no doubt who she was, when she was dressed like that. And there was no way of hiding who she was this time. But that wasn't the point for this visit. The idea was to help improve the overall moral in Altissia with a visit from the soon-to-be Oracle.

The citizens had had a bad fishing season that year due to a strange strain of algae that had taken over a good portion of the western waterways. They weren't sure where it had come from since no one had ever seen it before. But with the help of all the local fishermen, and one research vessel, they were able to get it under control and disposed of fairly quickly. But unfortunately, the loss of those fish had caused a lot of damage to the fish market, which had hit the citizens pretty hard. So hard in fact, that they had had to rely on the tourism heavily for money and on trade for food for that year. Which was what your dad had headed up while he was still there.

"And that's plenty of time to get there from here." You heard your dad say from above you as he came walking down the stairs in black slacks and blazer, that was accented with a dark blue button up shirt that had the first two undone.

Tracy was walking beside him with her hand on his arm as she came down wearing a matching dark blue dinner dress that stopped just above her knees. You smiled at both of them. They looked more like a married couple everyday. Which made you smile and nervous at the same time.

"You both look great." You said as you tried to smile, but you couldn't help but think about your mom as you looked at them.

"Thank you." Tracy replied as she gave you a curious look.

"Shall we head over?" Your dad said as he quickly looked at everyone.

"Yeah." You replied as you quickly looked away from your dad as you headed for the door.

You were glad to see that he looked rested again. But suddenly you could almost picture them being married and her as your new stepmom.  And that thought was something that you weren't ready for yet. It's not that you didn't like her or trust her. You just weren't ready to see her as that just yet.

Tracy dropped her gaze as Paul escorted her as they followed behind Luna and you as you headed for the mansion. He placed his hand on hers as they walked. She glanced up for a moment and gave him a quick smile before she started looking around as she got in the security detail mind set. She knew that no matter what, they had to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.  And not just for Luna this time.

You were glad to see that for the most part, the streets were empty. There were only a few people walking around and they seemed to be distracted with something else as they walked past. You smiled when you saw the back entrance to the Estate that was guarded by two security guards. You started to relax when you thought that you were going to be in the clear as you approached the entrance. But right as you turned to head in, you heard a high pitched cry as someone came running up the stairs and towards the group.

Everyone quickly spun around and got in between the person running and Luna. But then you froze when you saw that it was a small child that came running up. She was clutching a small teddy bear in her hands and had tears streaming down her face as she came running up.

"Lady Lunafreya!" She half cried. "We need your help!"

"Whoa little one." Your dad said as he blocked her path as he stepped in front of her.

The little girl stopped and looked at Luna with tears pouring as she clung to her bear. "Please, my mommy is sick and needs your help. Daddy would have come to tell you himself, but he's afraid to leave her side."

"Do you know what seems to be wrong with her?"  Your dad asked as he dropped to one knee so that he could look the little girl in the eye.

"She's got skin scourge sir." She said with huge doe eyes as she looked at him as if she was about to cry. "Daddy's not sure if she will make it through the night."

You felt your heart drop at her words.  And you could tell that Tracy felt it to as well she slightly gasped as she caught her breath.

The little girl then turned back to Luna as huge crocodile tears started to fall. "Please come.  I don't want to lose my mommy tonight."

You looked back at Luna and saw that she was giving the girl a kind smile as she look at her.  She seemed to be genuinely concerned as she looked at her.  But she didn't look to be scared.  Or even overly upset.

"This is up to you your highness."  Your dad said as he looked at her.  "We are only here as your escort.  Just tell us what you want to do.  And we will take you wherever you want to go."

She gave Paul a slight smile. "Then let's go see her.  Let's see if there's something that I can do."

"Or more perhaps," she began as she turned and looked over at you, "what 'we' can do."

You gave her a slightly stunned look.  But then as you thought about it, you were starting to understand.  She wanted your help on this, just like how you had inadvertent helped with the girl in the hospital.  You swallowed as you started to get nervous.  But even as you looked at her, you still wanted to help as well.  So you gave her a slight smile and a nod.

Next thing you knew, you were standing by a bedside, looking at a fairly young woman as she was laying in bed.  She looked like she was in a lot of pain as she laid there gritting her teeth every time she made an attempt to even try and move.  Her hair was laid across the pillow and her neck, but you could still see the tall tale signs of the skin scourge as the black marks could still be seen through her elegant blonde hair.  Her husband was sitting with her as he held her hand as if desperately trying to help, but feeling nothing but helplessness.  As he knew that there was nothing that he could do as he watched her slowly dying in front of him.

The husband was looking up at Luna as tears streamed from his eyes.  He hadn't been able to say anything after you first arrive and his daughter went running over to tell him that she had brought Luna.  But words weren't necessary, when you saw the desperate plea in his eyes as he clasped his wife hand before closing his eyes completely as he gave his wife's hand a slow kiss.

Luna walked up to the bed and looked at the woman.  The woman didn't move or even look up.  And as Luna carefully scanned the woman, she could tell that her spirit was fading fast.  She was losing the fight.

She dropped her head for a moment as she thought about how much strength this was going to take again.  She usually didn't like to do more then one severe case a day since the power required could possibly drain her completely, or even kill herself is it was too much.  But then she turned and looked at you as you stood beside her with the same desperate but nervous look that she felt.  Perhaps the two of you might be able to handle this without losing too much.

You looked over at Luna as you started to get nervous. You could see that the woman looked almost as bad at the burn victim.  But as you looked at Luna, you got a spark of hope.  You then gave her a smile of confidence as you got ready to do whatever she needed.  Luna smiled back and nodded in return as if that was all the encouragement that she needed.

"We will only need to use enough of our strength to bring her back."  Luna said as she met your eyes.  "We won't need as much this time as we did last time."

"Okay."  You said as you nodded at her.  "What do you need me to do?"

"I only need you to place one hand on my shoulder for now."  She said in a soft voice.

You placed your hand on her.  You could already start to feel the power from before.  Not as much, but it was still there.

"Now close your eyes and concentrate on letting your spirit flow into me."  You did as you she asked.

You could start to feel a warm glow going throughout your body as your very soul seemed to come alive, like the electricity had when you had held it in your hand.  Then you felt a slight shift in Luna's body as she leaned over the woman.  Then you heard her give a soft prayer again as she once again called to the heavens and the gods.  Next thing you knew you felt like your body had been emerged in a warm bath as the energy flowed through you and into her.

Everything around you then  seemed to fade away for a moment as you felt like you were now walking on a cloud.  Then as you opened your eyes, you saw that you weren't in the bedroom anymore.  But as you looked around you saw that instead, you were in a wide open area that was all white and had what looked like a white mist at your feet.  Then you heard a voice that stopped your heart.

"You certainly are turning into a beautiful young woman."  You heard a soft voice say in front of you.

You froze in place as your heart rate increased as you watched your mom appear out of thin air as she walked towards you.  Tears started to stream from your eyes as she walked over to you.  You stood frozen in place as if your feet were glued to the floor. You couldn't possibly be looking at your mom.  But still, you weren't sure how, or why.  But you knew in your heart that you were, and that you were actually talking to her.

"Thank you."  You softly returned as fought to keep your throat from closing shut.  "But I'm still nothing, compared to you."

She gave you a smile.  "You may not see it just yet.  But you will be.  And even better than I was."

"I don't think that's possible."  You half laughed as you fought to keep from crying.

"You'll see. You're already doing it now."  She said as she walked over to you and stopped just in front of you and showed you in a what looked like a mirror in her hand.  "Just by helping this young woman and her family.  You have already taken that next step.  The one step that I could never take.  And that's to carry on our families power of healing."  

You could see the energy flowing out of you, as your hand glowed in response to Luna's power.  You could also see the black marks on the woman's skin glow and slowly start to disappear.  Your heart started to pound when you realized that she was right.

"Your power has always been there.  As it was with me.  But we never had anyone who could show me how to use it.  Let Lady Luna show you.  Learn from her and you'll be one of the greatest healers in our family.  I'll be here to help as well when you need me.  But for now, keep an eye on your dad for me.  And don't be afraid to let him love another.  He needs his happiness just as much as you do."  Your mom said before her voice seemed to fade away.

"Yeah but...?"  You started to ask.

But as you looked back up at your mom, you stopped as you realized that you were back in the bedroom again.  You could once again feel the floor beneath your feet and Luna's back through your fingertips.  Then you felt Luna shift under your hand again.  You looked back down and watched the glow disappear.  You dropped your hand as Luna stood back up completely and looked back down at the woman.

The woman slowly opened her eyes and looked back up at both of you in surprise at first.  Then she gave you both a warm smile.  Then you saw a stray tear flow from her eye.  She didn't say anything, but the shine and love in her eyes told you everything you needed to hear.

The husband saw his wife's smile and quickly broke into sobs as he grasped her hand again and kissed it.  Then he leaned over her and lifted her up as he wrapped his arms around her as he broke down.  You couldn't help the tears as they streamed down your cheeks.  But they were not only for helping them out.  But also for the chance to talk to your mom once again.




"Usually I turn away anyone who shows up late to any of my scheduled engagements."  Camelia was saying as everyone was getting settled at the dining room table.   "But I was informed that you able to completely heal one of my citizens who was close to death this evening."

Luna dropped her head for a moment before she looked back up at Camelia.  "Yes ma'am.  Her young daughter caught up with us as we were getting ready to walk through the back gate.  She asked for my help.  So we left to go see what we could do.  I didn't want her to loose her mom tonight, of all nights."

Camelia dropped her gaze for a moment as the server placed her napkin across her lap for her.  "No, I suppose not.  And that would be a hard request to turn down.  I suppose I could grant you one privilege as a thank you for helping her out."

She then looked back up at Luna with searching eyes for a moment as if she was trying to figure out a proper way to thank her.  Luna sat there with a straight face as she waited patiently for Camelia to talk again.  She wasn't sure what the Ma'am Secretary was thinking about.  But her training had taught to just wait patiently.  Nothing good ever came from rushing into anything when it came to diplomatic situations like these.

 "I suppose that while your here, you would like to visit the Altar of Leviathan."  Camelia said as she watched Luna's reaction.

"It would please me very much if I could."  Luna said with a straight face.  "But not to call her forth. More to pay homage to her for her support and protection over your great city.  Nothing more."

Camelia tilted her head to one side as she considered what Luna said.  She knew that Luna was the only one who would be able to fully awaken Leviathan from her slumber.  Even though Leviathan was locked away in the underwater fortress that lied beneath the temple.  No one but her would be able to call her forth to her show her true power and size.

"I don't see a problem with this then."  Camelia said as she studied her face.  "You have my permission to visit the temple and to see the Altar for yourself.  I hope that you will find it suitable for our great protector."

"I'm sure that you have done well to protect it and her from prying and wayward eyes." Luna said with a smile.  "And thank you.  Thank you for trusting in me."

"You will also have my protection while you are in my city.  During your stay here, my guards will serve to protect you and keep you safe."  Camelia said with a very authoritative and protective voice.

"Thank you again."  Luna said with a slight smile.

"As for you."  Camelia said as she turned a very straight face to Tracy.  "I have already heard a few things about you."

Tracy looked back at Camelia with as straight of a face as she could muster considering she felt her heart in her throat.  She knew that Camelia was very protective of both you and your dad.  But she had been prepared to explain to her that she was simply just Paul's partner for this trip.  This did not seem to be the case now though as she looked back at Camelia's deep blue eyes as they almost seem to see straight into her soul.

"All good I hope ma'am."  Tracy nervously answered as she could feel her body start to shake from her nerves being on edge.  

Please be all good.  She thought desperately as she set her fork back down.

"From what I have been told so far.  I would say 'yes', for the most part."  She returned in a flat tone.

  Tracy felt her nerves start to calm down a bit.  "I'm glad."  She returned with a smile.  "I was a bit afraid that you......."

"But I am curious as to why you seem so familiar to me in another way."  Camelia interrupted as she cocked her head to one side as the corners of her mouth dropped.  "Have you traveled thought this way before?"

Tracy felt her heart stop for a moment.  She had been afraid that her past might come back to haunt her yet again.  Tracy dropped her head for a moment as she tried to steady her shaking hands again.  She had been afraid that this would come up while she was here.  But she had hoped that it would be after she had had a chance to talk to Paul about it first.

"I have Madam Secretary."  She said as she kept her gaze down for a moment as tried to steady her nerves.

Tracy could see Paul shift his gaze to her as  she kept her head down.  She knew then that she was going to have to talk about it.  She just prayed that Paul wouldn't be too upset and would understand why she did what she had to.  But before she started, she took her napkin and placed it to her mouth to hide the unsteady deep breath that she took before she began.

Please six.  Let him understand why.  She thought as she put the napkin back down on her lap.

"I have been here before.  And I'm very familiar with your fine city and all that she has brought to this world."  Tracy said as kept her gaze down as she spoke.

Then she looked up at Camelia.  "I'm also very familiar with the old underground threats that use to plague your fine city and the very foundation for which it stands on.  Until they were wiped out by the Society."

Camelia sat back in her seat for a moment as she studied her.  "You are speaking about thee 'Society'.  As in the group that took more lives in one day then the skin scourge has in a month."

"But how would you know about them?"  Camelia said in a cold voice.  "We have never openly spoken of them."

Tracy dropped her head for a moment.  "No, I suppose you wouldn't.  Not after everything that had happened.  There wasn't a single part of that situation that was very pleasant.  Especially after they took your husband and daughter."

Tracy could see Paul stop in mid bite beside her.  Then he lowered his fork.  All Tracy could feel then was their searching eyes as they scanned over her as if they were trying to figure out if she was truly a friend or a foe now.  She tightly closed her eyes before she looked back at Camelia.

"You will explain yourself."  Camelia said in a very stern voice. "But I must warn you.  What you say next, may end with you having a very unpleasant visit."

Tracy straightened up in her seat as she met Camelia's gaze with a very steady look.  She knew the threat was real and could cost her her life if she didn't explain it well.  But they all had the right to know the truth.  And she had to clear their names and give Camelia the true story behind what had happened so many years ago.  She owe it to Camelia and to the Society.

"I understand your defensive standpoint.  I would be very suspicious as well, after what had happened back then.  Between the high crime rate during that time at the docks.  And with all of the arguing to set up an suitable Trade Agreement that would settle the trade wars.   The whole city was on edge.  But I can assure you, that their intentions were never to hurt anyone but those threatening to cause harm to others.

"That was why they banded together.  They were tired of being afraid.  They feared that there would never be a time when you could walk these streets and not feel as if you took your own life in your hands if you walked anywhere near the harbors and anywhere at night at that point.  They wanted to see Altissia prosper.  They did it for their friends and families and for the city that they had called home for years as their very way of life was being hindered by those that were taking practically everything from the city."  Tracy said as she looked Camelia in the eye.

But then she dropped her gaze as she felt her heart start to break again.  "But that last night.  The one that took your husband and your daughter, wasn't supposed to happen.  They just happened to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time. And got caught up in the crossfire."

"That's not how I remember it."  Camelia said in a very stern tone.  "I remember that their boat was attacked as they were coming back in from a day out on the water.  They were being chased out at sea as they tried to get back.  Only to have their boat blown up with them both on board."

Tracy slightly shook her head.  "That was what they wanted it to look like.  But they weren't on that boat.  We had them safely on another one that was heading for shore.  We had already had them transferred to another boat after we saw someone plant a bomb on it's hull.  Which exploded the minute that it went below a certain speed."

"Your telling me that my family wasn't onboard that boat?"  Camelia said in a slightly shocked voice as she searched Tracy's face.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you."  Tracy replied before she dropped her gaze for a moment.  "We had learned that week who had been pulling all of the strings that were causing all of the harbor and dock trouble.  But we had to act that day if we were to take them down once and for all.  They had apparently heard about our plans as they attacked back and had targeted your family as they tried to escape.  They may have thought that by taking them out, they could ruin any type of Trade Agreement that would cost them their hidden fortune that they had been making at the cost of the whole city suffering."

"I thought that they were safe."  Tracy said as if in a trance as she slightly shook her head as she thought about that horrible day.  "That was until I saw who was driving their boat."

Tracy paused for a moment as she could see that smirk as he had stared at her with his blonde hair and long blonde mustache.  "We had quickly turned to follow them, only for me to lose the rest of the fleet of boats on my side."

"All expect one."  She said in an thoughtful way.  "While they were taking care of the remaining boats, my team infiltrated their base.  But it was a great loss to both sides.  The last two standing was me and their overall boss.   Everyone else there had been killed during the gunfight."

Tracy paused as she dropped her head further as she clasped her hands into fists.  She could once again feel the resentment and hatred course through her veins.  It was suppose to end with them turning him in for prosecuting.  But instead it ended in him doing a stand off between him and her as he had Camelia's family on their knees in front of him as he held a gun to each of their heads.

"That murderous asshole took out everyone."  Tracy said in a tense tone.  "Then he had the balls to threaten your family, that we had been trying to rescue.  I thought that I had taken him out after he had fallen back away from them and fell on the floor in a heap.  He was even still as I untied their ropes.  But as we turned to make our way back to the boat he was somehow able to get up enough to shoot them as we walked  away."

Tracy was now physically shaking as she remembered that horrifying moment.  "He shot your daughter first as he hit her dead in the back of the head.  She died instantly." 

Tracy had to stop for a moment as the tears started down her cheeks as remembered seeing the young girls body lurch forward beside her as blood shout out from her head.  

"The only mercy was that it was quick."  She continued after a few moments.  "Your husband on the other hand wasn't so lucky. He had turned sideways when he saw her fall forward.  So he had gotten hit in the side and across his stomach."

Tracy then practically broke down at that point as she remembered him slumping down as well as he followed his daughter to the ground.  Her whole body was violently shaking as she could one again feel the shock and fear as she watched them both fall to the ground.  She dug her nails into her palms as she tried to gain control again.  She had to tell them the rest.  Otherwise this could end very poorly for her.

"I turned around and watched the smoke coming out of the barrel of his pistol before he dropped it as he started laughing.  Mocking me.  Mocking everyone." She said as she stared hard at the table.  "I knew that I shouldn't kill him.  I needed him to testify.  But that laugh.  That FUCKING laugh that has haunted me for years now.  I couldn't stand it.  So I shot him right in the head.  And not just once.  I walked towards him and  pulled the trigger again.  Then as I stopped in front of him, I shot him at point blank range to make sure that he would never get up again."

She then dropped her head further as if she was trying to make herself as small as possible.  "I failed them.  I failed you.  I failed everyone that day."

"But you said that my husband was only shot in the stomach.  Surely he could have survived his injuries."  Camelia said with a very small hint of hope.

Tracy then looked back up at her with her bloodshot eyes and makeup all down her face as she slowly shook her head.  "I'm sorry.  I tried to save him.  But he never would have made it back to the boat.  He bled out on the floor as I tried to put everything back into him."

"Do you have any proof of any of this?"  Camelia said as she sat back.  "We had looked and had never come across anything to tell us different then what we had seen."

"I can give you the coordinates to location of the hideout.  Everything you need to know, will be in there."  Tracy said as she slowly looked back up at her.  "I had sealed the door myself when I had left.  There is no way that anyone was getting in there without my help when I left."

"Why didn't you say anything until now?"   She heard Paul speak for the first time as he asked in a very stern and strong tone.

She slowly looked up at him and saw the hurt and frustration in his face as he searched hers.  "With everyone gone, so was the threat.  If I would have said anything at that point, another group would have just stepped in and taken over all of the operations.  I didn't want to see everyone's sacrifice to be all for not.  I wanted to at least let them die knowing that we had stopped the threat once and for all.  Even if none of them were able to return home to enjoy it for themselves."

"And my family?"  Camelia said as she shot back with a harsh tone.  "Did you even consider them in all of this?"

"Which is easier to handle?"  She said as tears rolled down her cheeks again.  "Them dying quickly in a boat explosion.  Or them dying at the hands of a madman.  I had hoped that it would be easier to handle the former.  Quick and painless."

"You'll pardon me if  I have you detained until we can see this hidden hideout for ourselves."  Camelia said as she gestured to the two guards at the door who quickly started to make their way over to her.

"It's understood." Tracy said as she slowly moved her chair back and waited for the guards to grabbed her arms.

"Is this really necessary?"  Paul asked as he stood up as the guards grabbed her arms.

"It's fine Paul."  Tracy said as she looked up at him.  "It's what should've happened a long time ago.  I deserve it for running the way that I did."

"Then let me at least lead the team over there to check out this hideout of theirs."  Paul said in desperation as he watched them slowly taking her away before looking back at Camelia.

Camelia looked at him with searching eyes.  "If it was anyone other than you, I would think that you would be trying to hide something as a means to protect her.  But in this case.  I think you have a right to know the truth as well.  You have a right to know who you are really getting mixed up with.  And because of that, I will allow it."

******Author Note******

Okay, so I couldn't resist adding a bit of drama.  I know it's been a bit dry and I wanted to spice it up.  And besides, who can resist a great vigilantes' story.  Heck, it's Final Fantasy.  That's mainly what they are all about.  ;)  

I considering going further into detail with the story as an off shot book.  Let me know if you think I should or not.

Otherwise, be sure to keep any eye out for the next chapter as we find the hideout and the truth behind two major hidden stories of Altissia.  (Unofficial stories of course.  There is no record of these anywhere but here.)

Thanks for reading.  :)

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******UPDATE******

For those who are interested in reading about the 'Society' in Altissia, be sure to read my completed book. The Society - Tracy's Hidden Secret Revealed.  For as with FFXV style, I am glad to present it as the would be Episode Tracy.  Except I don't charge $5.00 for it.  :)

Enjoy!

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