Chapter 6: In love not in Blood.
The airship landed in Cosmo Canyon, where everyone disembarked except for Tseng. The crew was going to return him to Midgar, where he could aid Reno and Rude with the orphans, and perhaps even convince Elena to lend a hand. He also felt he was intruding, he was not member of AVALANCHE, and Elmyra had made it clear she didn't like him.
Cloud watched the ship disappear into the distance and frowned slightly. He remembered long ago overhearing the Turks in the woods outside of Gongaga, when Rude had admitted his feelings for Tifa and Reno had let a secret slip. Tseng and Elena? No, he likes the Ancient. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut as another memory flashed past his eyes. 'Don't worry Tifa! I put her somewhere safe!'Tseng's hand reaching out so fast, cracking Aeris across the face…
"Ah, welcome back to Cosmo Canyon!" said the guard, flashing the group a pleasant grin. "Master Nanaki will be very happy to see you all! I shall take you all to the inn and inform him of your arrival."
Barrett, temporarily in the leader since Cloud was still lost in thought, nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. My friends need to rest up." He took the lead after the guard and Cloud once again took the rear. Tifa fell into step with him.
"That dive sure took a lot out of us," she said softly. Cloud nodded in silence. "Do you really think… that she's back?" Tifa whispered.
"I… I don't know what to think." Cloud said softly. "I am afraid to think it. It will hurt too much if we're wrong."
They walked in silence the rest of the way to the inn, were they rested for two hours. Vincent and Tifa, exhausted from the dive, were in no real hurry to meet with Nanaki. Cid, always the skeptic, was unsure of what it all meant, was content to stay unsure. It wasn't that he didn't have feelings for Aeris, for he loved her in a gruff, paternal sort of way. It was just all this seemed above his head, too spiritual for him. Barrett was more concerned with the effect all this was having on Marlene, who had been having a tough enough time as it was.
Finally the door to their suite opened and Nanaki stepped in. "I'm so sorry I kept you all waiting," he said, and from the shamed look on his face he meant it. "I've just had such a breakthrough! Grandfather spent his whole life trying to translate the Cetra language, and the other night… she came to me in my sleep, and when I woke, I could read it! I've been writing down a translation, a mean feat for someone with no toes, and teaching it directly to some of the more gifted Elders." Nanaki hurried through his speech, stunning his friends. The usually taciturn canine had just said more in one minute than he usually did in one hour.
"Wow, well… congratulations." Vincent said.
"So THAT'S why you kicked me outta town!" Yuffie said with a snort. "I don't see how it's that important."
"Don't see how it's important?!" Nanaki gawped at her. "The knowledge of the Cetra, the wisest beings to ever walk this planet, which has been lost to us for centuries, is suddenly available again!"
"Alright, yes, we get it Nanaki. Please stop shouting; we've had a very trying day." Tifa said in a tired voice. It was then that Nanaki noticed how tired and haggard his companions looked.
"… What did I miss?" Nanaki asked sheepishly, his tail drooping, and it struck them all again that he was still just a teen.
No one seemed keen to speak, so finally Marlene spoke up. "Aeris isn't in her grave. There are two sets of footprints leading from the lake. We think Aeris is back."
Cloud spoke up then. "I was hoping you could give us some insight. Perhaps even your nose could be useful at this point." Cloud sighed and didn't meet Nanaki's face. He was beginning to doubt what he had been certain of just a few hours ago. He was afraid to believe because it would hurt more to be let down.
Nanaki stood up. "Well, I saw the Highwind fly off, so let's go into the observatory until it gets back." he stretched and led the way into the observatory. After the last of the companions had entered the observatory Nanaki buried his nose in a book.
"This one is about their rituals and beliefs. It's very poignant. It's amazing how Aeris acted on so many of these without knowing to do so." Nanaki said. There were three Elders in the observatory, pouring over other tomes, and it was to them that he addressed his next comment. "Please, I need you all to search for anything involving reincarnation, resurrection, or sacrifice." Nanaki said.
Cid was examining a diagram of the night sky, while Barrett traced his finger along a map. Tifa was smiling at pictures of AVALANCHE on Nanaki's desk, narrating to Denzel and Marlene. Yuffie was poking around with some delicate instrument, which she probably shouldn't have been doing. Cloud was staring out the window, lost in thought. Elmyra was listening to Nanaki translate some of the Cetra's text, a thoughtful look on her face. Eventually Marlene moved away from Tifa's narration and walked over to the workbench. She peered at one of the big books, wondering why this book was written in English.
"'Two angels shall return to the flesh, and will combat the Denizen. One armed with the Hope of our People, to combat the Punishment of the Wicked. Again shall the Red Eye gaze with malice on the planet; again shall the Sacred Breeze push it away. Not activated in blood but in love, the planet will again have a Walking Voice.' What does all this mean?" Marlene asked, tugging on the sleeve of the nearest Elder.
The Elder looked at the book, then at Marlene, a look of shock on his face. "How did you read that?"
"It's in English. What's the big deal?" Marlene asked. Nanaki walked around and peered at the book.
"No, Marlene. It's in Cetran. Read it again." Nanaki said. Marlene obliged, and Nanaki read along silently. "She read it word perfect." he said in shock. Everyone stared at her, and Marlene looked at the floor in embarrassment.
Aeris and Edenni had found an exit at the end of the snowfields. Their first act after returning to the sun was to catch a chocobo for Aeris. It took three hours, and around one hundred random monster encounters. By the time Aeris was sitting astride a chocobo, she was too tired to move. Edenni wasn't doing much better.
"I'd planned to just run alongside you, but I don't have the energy." she said, slumping down in the grass. Aeris dismounted the chocobo and used some rope to tie the bird to a nearby tree. Now that it was caught it didn't seem in a hurry to leave. Aeris snorted. "Told you it would be a good idea to take that rope from the sell house." Edenni said. "Along with all those blankets, matches, and other assorted adventure paraphernalia."
"Yes, because you aren't the one carrying them." Aeris arched her back, trying to make it crack. "I wish we had some gil. That was definitely lacking in the shell house. I need new clothes." Aeris sighed, looking down at the rough excuse for a shirt she'd made out of scrap fabric before leaving the city. She laid down in the long grass, ready to take a nap, when the chocobo began to wark in terror. Edenni sniffed the wind and began to growl. "Edenni?" Aeris asked.
Into the clearing stalked a large monster, clearly over eight feet tall and sporting claws the size of Aeris's torso. Aeris whimpered then got to her feet, her new staff ready.
"You ready Edenni?" Aeris asked. Edenni nodded, and together they charged. Aeris attacked with a thunder spell as Edenni sank her fangs into one of the beast's legs. Aeris followed up by ramming her staff into the creature's belly, which then reared back and knocked her off her feet before kicking Edenni away.
Aeris recovered first and cast a quick healing spell on Edenni. Then she frowned. "I don't know how to go at this thing." she said, grasping her staff in fear. The planet sent back the wrong person. I'm no hero. She frowned and tightened her grip. I can take care of myself. I can fight. The staff shimmered in her hands and began to change. Aeris spun in place and the staff became a glowing sword, and her outfit changed into a long red coat and red feathered hat. Redmage.
"BLIZZARA!" She shouted, and the sword shone blue. She charged the creature, slicing it along it's thigh. As the sword pierced the flesh, the blizzara spell took effect, combining for extra damage. Edenni watched for a moment, impressed, before tearing into the wound with her teeth. The beast howled in pain, and now the fight was on for sure.
After half an hour of battle Aeris and Edenni were extremely fatigued. Neither Aeris nor Edenni had the stamina of a warrior, and the beast, though far worse for the wear, was advancing on them. It raised one of its claws, ready to strike, when a sword passed through its back. It let out a dying wail then slumped forward, dead. Someone collected the gil it dropped, then walked around from the other side of the corpse.
"I thought you ladies might need a hand." said a cocky voice. The speaker had a large grin on his face.
"Zack?" Aeris asked, blinking into sunlight.
"In the flesh!" he responded.
Well, your wish was my command. Zackie is backie. Still need more input on Sephiroth and Lucrecia, so gimmie some input. I want 2 reviews please, before my next update.
