By Kondoru.
Standard Disclaimers
Thanks to JP for Betaing.
Lisa Pacifist opened her eyes.
She looked around. This was the main deck of Jane. Had it all been a dream?
But the Kigenjutsu master was exhausted. She was lying on a rug, covered with a rough blanket.
Lisa appeared to be naked under the cover. Her body ached as if hammered flat, and her head swam.
Someone leaned over her. Familiar.
It was Fango.
"You're awake." He crouched down by her. Fango had discarded his robe and now was dressed in a grey Comadeen T shirt and grubby y fronts.
"Oh Fango..." Lisa shut her eyes. Somehow in spite of summoning the Mana beast she was still alive. Alive and safe back upon Jane. "Where is everyone??" She asked.
Fango suddenly screwed up his eyes and leant his face against Lisa's shoulders "No!" He whimpered. "Some dead..."
Lisa tried to look around. There was no one on the deck except her and Fango. The ship was underwater so she assumed Cid was at the controls. Lisa craned her head around. No one was at the radar screens. This was worrying.
"Ai...Yu?"
"Here." Fango snivelled.
Lisa suddenly missed her silent saviour. "Kaze..."
Fango whimpered. "Dead...and Chobi...and others..."
Lisa shut her eyes. "...Kaze..."
Somehow she had loved the man of the black wind ever since she had met him in the City of Roots. But Kaze was so unapproachable, and so exasperating.
Lisa wished she had been kinder to the Demon gunner.
"Where is everyone else?"
Fango shook his head. "Mostly in the infirmary. We left you out here because you were a non urgent case. I've been checking on you every so often...And Cid."
"Cid?"
"Lisa!" The inventor called down from his cockpit. "How glad I am to hear your voice again!"
"Cid! You're safe!"
"I'm fine. But I'm stuck in my seat. Two broken legs."
"I can't get up." Groaned Lisa.
"Go back to sleep. I'll fetch you some food." Fango reassured his charge.
And Lisa did, sleeping soundly for safety.
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Fango brought a bowl of what looked like soaked mushed ships biscuits and his robe. He helped Lisa sit up, pulled the robe over her head.
"I'm sorry about the mess; I've had a lot to do." He pulled a bundle of Comadeen shermargs from under her.
"Oh, that's ok. Shows I'm alive." Said Lisa.
"I'm sorry about undressing you too. I had to get your cuts cleaned."
"You did a good job." Said Lisa. "Thank you."
"Thank you, Lisa," said Fango; "those lobster things were mauling us bad."
Yu came in. He hugged his protector, "Lisa!"
"Yu!"
"I'm safe. So is Ai." Yu smiled "didn't my sister fight!"
"I bet she did." Lisa had to laugh. She went serious. "How long have I been out?"
"Two days" said Fango.
"Yes." Added Yu.
Lisa sighed, "must have come close to using up all my Ki. Still, I'm alive at least."
A tall white figure walked in.
Lisa frowned. "Makenshi..."
Yu gripped her hand. "It was him who carried you in..." He explained. "I had a handful with Ai."
Kumo came and stood silently by the rug, eyes unreadable above his mask.
Lisa shook her head. "You rescued me...instead of Kaze."
Kumo shook his head. "You have it wrong, Miss. Yu put Kaze on his bird."
Lisa looked at Yu. His face was drawn at the mention of his chocobo.
Kumo put his hand upon Yu's, "I'm sure your bird is alive. I know Kaze's alive, I'd feel it if he were dead, so your bird must be too."
Yu nodded silently.
Kumo turned back to Lisa.
"And don't call me miss if we are to be friends. I'm Lisa Pacifist." She held out her hand.
Kumo took it. "People call me Makenshi but I don't like that name." He hung his head, "much as I wholeheartedly deserve it."
"You helped us...Why?"
"So I did." He sighed. "I'm Shiroi Kumo."
"White cloud." Lisa shook her head. "Kaze's been looking for you."
"I bet."
"The twins and me found him in the City of Roots." She reminisced. "We thought he was dead, no living man would have been sat in one place long enough for roots to grow over him like that. But he woke up."
"Kaze was asleep..." The white swordsman nodded as if this confirmed what he already knew.
"He woke up and one of the first things he asked was is that scoundrel here too?"
Kumo smiled. "Always Kaze."
Lisa shook her head. "Gun dragon and Sword dragon."
Kumo was surprised. "How do you know about those two" his green eyes were full of suspicion "you're not meant to be able to sense them." Kumo paused "even with your own not insubstantial powers."
Lisa shook her head "I saw them, twelve years ago, fight to the death."
Kumo's eyes went wide, and then he nodded. "I know."
"I saw it. It haunts my nightmares." Lisa was silent, then she said "so you and Kaze are both dragons?" Lisa frowned. "But if you were, I would have sensed it."
"No we are not dragons." Kumo shook his white haired head.
"Who are those two then?"
Kumo paused for a moment, he finally said. "They are our patrons."
"Patrons?"
"Yes, their names are Hougekiju, and Ittouju"
"Very powerful?"
"Immensely so. We are Unlimited."
"I have heard that term before. Godlike power."
The swordsman nodded. "After a fashion. We get most of it from our patrons. They are immensely powerful, and enemies of Chaos, but they live very far away and without my and Kaze's help, cannot get to this Plane to fight."
"Ah? Summons, like Kaze's beasts and your dragons?" Asked Lisa shrewdly.
"Sort of, but more...much more." Kumo put his hand to his head in sudden pain. "It's a big sacrifice to summon them..." He sighed. "We have to sacrifice our very bodies and souls."
Lisa was still wary of the dreaded Demon Swordsman but she was fey. Here was one who could answer all the questions Kaze's was unwilling or simply unable to. Lisa decided to ask them. She drew the blanket further around her. "I'd like to hear your side of the story. Kaze has never told me his...It's another thing he cannot remember."
Kumo settled down cross-legged. "I'll tell you. It's not a thing I want to talk about, but seeing as you know gun dragon and sword dragon..."
"Please..." Lisa prompted; fearing Kumo would change his mind.
"My world had been destroyed and consumed by Chaos. I was the only survivor, so I travelled to Wyndaria to join up with my friends of old. Kuroki Kaze and Okami Aura."
Lisa frowned; "I've heard Kaze say the word Aura." This was at Lou Lupus but she did not say that to Kumo. She did not trust the man entirely yet, and Lou was still very much a wild card.
"Probably you had. Kaze was very fond of her."
"Kaze had a girlfriend?"
Kumo gave a big snigger. "Girlfriend, Kaze? He spent his teenage years in fearful ascetics in order to gain the Magun. Aura was his sister."
"Oh. Silly me." Lisa flushed at her misassumption.
"No. Aura was Kaze's little sister, about my age." Kumo was lost in thought.
"You were?..." Lisa prompted.
Kumo smiled. "I too have spent a lot of my life in ascetic practises. We meditated together, shared the same waterfall for cold water austerities."
Lisa smiled back. "So now I know how to date Kaze. Rip his and my clothes off and stand with him under a waterfall somewhere?"
Kumo had to laugh. "Yes! You want to try it?"
Lisa grinned, shaking her head. "I could introduce him to some new practices. Baths in frozen lakes. I too spent a lot of my youth in ascetics."
Kumo laughed some more. "What a bunch of deficient teens we all are. Ascetics indeedy." He smiled. "Kaze and his sisters were pupils of a famous Master of Soil; them and two moogles."
"Moogles?"
"You've never met a moogle?" Kumo was surprised. "You've missed lots; they are great for a laugh. Strong in Soil too..."
"So what did happen on that night?" Lisa prompted. "You did succeed in summoning your patrons."
"That we did." Kumo sighed at the memory. "And Kaze grabbed up Chaos and consumed him utterly."
"Kaze what?"
"Yes, I thought that too, but then I was in doubt of even our combined strengths to beat Chaos. I had not yet summoned Ittouju and Kaze bought me time." Kumo was silent. "Even though it put his soul at great risk."
Lisa nodded sadly. "I've seen Kaze's soul..."
"I hope he doesn't know that."
"No?"
"Kaze's soul as you know is of great power and purity. He's been very private with it all his life."
"Ah."
"No, back to that night"
Lisa nodded; she was learning more than she cared to know.
"Kaze as Hougekiju consumed Chaos; it didn't do him much good."
Lisa shuddered.
"Hougekiju's normal colouration is of silver... He went red black. I was going oh shit oh shit and trying to summon Ittouju as fast as I could. "
Lisa rubbed the blanket. She said nothing; this was evidently causing her saviour a lot of pain.
"Hougekiju vanished. Chaos sent him crazy. He went crashing though planar boundaries.
And I was free to summon Ittouju. What a relief, to be in an immense dragon form, power cracking though your very form..."
Lisa nodded. She knew what it was like to summon her Kigen Dragon.
"I could now follow Kaze's psychic scent. I had to charge after him, try to stop him and Chaos."
"And you burst though to my world."
"When I found him he was busy shooting that over calibred firearm of his at some ships."
"The UN Task force." Said Lisa slowly. "He wiped out half the UN task force."
Kumo's eyes went wide. "Ordinary machines? No magic?"
Lisa shook her head. "No magic."
"And they dared to attack Hougekiju??" Kumo couldn't believe it.
Lisa shook her head again. "We don't use magic much in my world. And we certainly aren't used to dragons appearing. Military investigation is standard first response in such situations...should they ever arise."
"Do they arise often?"
Lisa had to grin in spite of herself. "Not often."
"So. Are you going to arrest Kaze and take him back to your world for trial?"
Lisa gave her nasty false laugh. "What an idea. I don't think he would come very quietly, and I think it might be hard proving anything against him. Kaze's nothing like Gun dragon after all."
"No, he isn't." Kumo shook his head. "I've called Kaze a gun-toting nut in the past, but I'm sure he never intended causing such destruction. It was Hougekiju under the influence of Chaos who did it." Kumo sat back. "Now there is a gun toting nut..."
"Oh?"
"It was his idea that Kaze be given the Magun."
"That thing he bears upon his nose?" Lisa shuddered.
Kumo nodded as he shuddered himself. "The Magun is an immensely powerful magical weapon. Its not designed for mortals to use. But Hougekiju promised it to Kaze, who was very happy."
Lisa knew what was coming next. "Until he found out just what the Magun involved."
"You're right. Kaze had to spend some time in one of Hougekiju's worlds having it fitted to him."
"Hell?"
"Something quite like it. I knew Kaze before he had the Magun; he was a little strange at times but not abnormal."
"He changed to the severe introvert we know?"
Kumo nodded. "Kaze was always quiet, but he was a good friend with Aura, the moogles, me and my big brother Kiri." Kumo winced. "When I met him after Mystaria was destroyed he had indeed become very withdrawn. Not surprising. He now bore the Magun upon his arm and the tattoos of Demon warding on his face. Everybody but Aura feared him."
Lisa looked sad. "To give a normal life up for that."
Kumo laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He had to, it was his one chance to fight Chaos, win where we of Mystaria failed."
"He's so powerful."
"Summoning can take a long time, hours if not all day. Now Kaze can summon a demon in minutes, and provided he rests the Magun in between summons, he can do that as many times as he has Soil charges for."
Lisa was silent, remembering the dreadful destruction of Funguses world.
"We are digressing a lot."
"I'm hungry." Lisa said as her stomach rumbled.
"I'll fetch you something to eat." Fango offered, as he came to check upon Cid.
"Me too." Kumo offered. "I've not had so much talk in a long, long time. There was noting to say in Gaudrim."
Fango brought them food, Mush, this time with added dried fruit. Kumo attacked his hungrily, Lisa ate more slowly, her stomach was still not up to solids.
Eventually Kumo was ready to continue. "Ittouju and Hougekiju are great rivals, I found I could not guide him. But that doesn't matter, for he was doing just as I intended. Kaze noticed me then, and he was angry." Kumo made a wry face. "I yelled at him to stop, did he?"
Lisa shook her head. "Kaze's very wilful."
"You have Hougekiju to thank for that...and Aura. Both always got their own way. So I went for him, Whammo!"
"But you didn't destroy Chaos then?"
"Yes he did...that aspect. But Chaos has many aspects." Kumo shook his tousled head.
"That was twelve years ago. But I remember it like it was yesterday."
"And me..." Lisa was silent for a moment. "Kaze hates you, you know."
Kumo rubbed his eyes. "Chaos has damaged his mind and spirit."
Lisa looked very sad. "He's amnesiac, you know. When we first met Kaze, he didn't remember anything not even his name."
"But you know his name is Kaze." Kumo asked.
"It was Yu. He started calling him Kaze." Lisa smiled. "It was only later I found out why."
"Ah?"
"The writing on the Magun says Kaze's Demon Gun."
"Yes, of course. I forgot, But then I was never much good at reading the Wyndarian script. I take it is familiar to you?"
Lisa nodded. "It's funny how similar languages and writing is found in many widely separated worlds."
"Not a subject I know much about. Planar travel is so hard." Kumo looked sadly out of the window at the dark sea. "But too easy in the Inner World." He looked back at the Kigenjutsu master. "It means Chaos is stronger."
Lisa said nothing to that. She, too, looked out at the sea. "Kaze's always fighting Chaos."
Kumo looked angry. "I knew Kaze was somewhere in the Inner world, I looked for him several times." Kumo narrowed his green eyes. "But I couldn't find him."
Lisa frowned. "But Kaze's so powerful. How does he hide?"
Kumo plucked at his cloak. "You know that silly rag he's so attached to?"
"It's a plain plaid cloak, isn't it?"
"Not quite. Kaze's people, the Wyndarians, wear cloaks, often in earthy colours, sometimes striped or checked. Kaze's cloak isn't a Wyndarian garment though; it's a Mystarian signature cloak."
"Like yours?"
"Yes. We all have them." Kumo screwed up his face and for a minute Lisa thought the tall youth was going to cry. "Silly me. I'm the only one left."
Lisa, remembering the fight in Cloud City, remained silent "so Kaze is an honorary Mystarian?"
"Yes. He was one of the few to travel to my world." The white swordsman poked at his own cloak again.. "Kaze took a great liberty at his majority ceremony. It's the one time in a Wyndarians life in which they wear a cloak like ours. A signature cloak. But Kaze wore that black thing and told everyone he was now Kuroki Kaze. Kaze's cloak is more than a practical garment though, its magic. It's a cloak of soul concealment."
"Oh." This explained an awful lot about her dark hero.
"It hides his Magun, "
"Kaze's always so careful to keep the Magun under wraps."
"So he should be. Even inactive Chaos can sense it. But it also hides his Soil charges."
Lisa had a sudden revelation. "Then the Soil charges are crystallised souls?" She shuddered. "Of people?"
Kumo nodded. "How do you think demons are summoned?"
"I wondered. And I sensed souls in the Desert of Lost Souls. Which was full of Soil." She nodded.
"I sensed nothing on Kaze."
"Shows that the cloak is doing its job." Kumo smiled.
"Is he safe on Jane?" Asked Lisa. "But I have never seen him without his cloak."
"Underwater. To a certain extent." Kumo looked around. He sighed. "Have you seen Crux?"
"Crux? No, not heard of that."
"Cruz is a pink fairy puppet, about this high." Kumo gestured about three feet above the ground.
"No. I'm sure I would remember if I had." Lisa paused. "This Crux, is he or she a friend of yours?"
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