Chapter 10
The week before the festival was a circus unto itself. All of Shinra and most of New Midgar was preparing for what had become the largest open air market on the continent in recent years. Coincidentally, the festival also lapped the anniversary of Makofall. Sephiroth had only ever acknowledged the festival as just another convention, hell on traffic and a ridiculous amount of tourists. But now that he was involved, it took on an entirely new light. The number of vendors alone was staggering and last-minute stall confirmations had the marketing department spinning.
Yanna disappeared that last week, presumably to take care of things with the tribe itself. As a holy woman, she had duties to her people but since working with Shinra as a combination of consultant/ambassador, she left the day-to-day responsibilities to the other shaman in her village. Now, all of the major preparations of what would become a mass exodus loomed over her. Or, as Genesis put it, the other shaman and warriors probably had things taken care of but Yanna had that over-arching need to check anyway. He called it 'neurotic.' Sephiroth called it 'good preparation.'
The day before the festival was to officially start, Rufus, his Turks, the three generals, and Zack arrived at the massive plot of land allotted on the plains. Tents, stalls, and store fronts stretched as far as the eye could see, banked only by the mountains to the south. Both Kalani and Midgaran merchants scurried back and forth with beads, signs, goods, and swaths of colorful fabric streamers to make their establishments just so. The smell of roasted meat and spices filled the air next to the stockyards of cattle and smaller beasts. It reminded Sephiroth of the markets from the old days but then, without the Mako, everything had stepped back a little.
"President Shinra, welcome." A graying elder approached them, flanked by two more of what Sephiroth assumed to be other high-ranking elders. Rufus smiled his media smile and nodded, his own white-suited person flanked by Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Cissnei.
"We trust these games will start a new era of peace and prosperity for the both of us," the elder said, spreading his hands.
"As do we all," Rufus said.
"Yanna." The elder snapped his fingers and Yanna stepped out from behind them, dressed in a simple, halter neck gown of white linen with her hair in thin braids. "You know our honored shiushan of the mountain clan. Yanna, show our guests to where they will be staying."
With that, the elders swept away. Rufus gave a 'wow' face then smiled for real and came up to shake her hand.
"Good to see you, Ms. Yanna," he said.
"And you, Mr. Shinra. Did everything check out, Tseng?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Then follow me." Turning, Yanna grabbed her skirt and led them south to a series of bungalows set on a low hill.
"Why are we so far from the booze?" Reno asked.
"So you don't drink it all," Yanna smirked. "Besides, we thought you'd like the view."
The company paused at the height of the overlook and Zack laughed in delight. From here, the bright reds, greens, blues, oranges, and yellows of the various stalls unfolded like a patchwork quilt, peppered here and there with flags and streamers. The ridge stretched out to the west by the lake, stalls carefully arranged to avoid problem areas, and arenas of varying sizes lay scattered about. A massive, Shinra-built coliseum stood towards the north and past that, Sephiroth could make out the stockyards and stables.
"It must look wondrous at night," Rufus said.
"It does. And this isn't even everyone. The crowd will probably double by the opening ceremonies tonight. This way, everyone."
Yanna went to one of the first bungalows and led them inside.
"This one is for you and the Turks," she said. "The soldiers have the two others. Small sink and oven, full size refrigerator, economy washer and dryer combo. And showers, of course."
"How modern."
"Well, we thought you'd like that more than a hole in the ground to pee in. I'll let you get settled. The opening ceremonies start at sunset and the welcome feast will be after. Generals, this way."
On entering the second bungalow, Zack wrapped Yanna in a bear hug.
"It's so good to see you! I missed you!"
"Zack, you're choking her." Angeal smacked him in the back of the head then gave her a more subdued hug.
"How are you, sweetie?" he asked.
"Better now. It's been busy."
Genesis kissed her cheek then shouldered past them to claim the best room.
"We can imagine," Angeal said, hefting his bag. "Thanks for arranging all this. It's amazing. And you got us a vacation."
"Glad I could help." She smiled over at Sephiroth. "Hello, General."
"Ma'am."
"When will the rest of the men arrive?"
"Some will be here for the opening ceremonies. The rest will be here tomorrow."
"And the—"
"They'll behave."
"Good. Um, excuse me. I have more to do before we start but make yourselves at home and someone will come get you soon."
"Tired of us already?" Zack asked.
"Yes," she grinned. "Oh and that door in the back leads to the next building for when Cloud and the girls get here. See you later."
Sephiroth stepped aside to let her leave but didn't miss the slightly reproving look on Angeal's face.
"What?" he asked.
"'Ma'am'? That's all she gets? 'Ma'am'?"
"I'm sorry. Next time I'll throw her on the table and have wild monkey sex."
Angeal just rolled his eyes and headed deeper into the house.
"I'm going to take a nap."
Sephiroth grabbed his own bag and went to claim one of the empty room in the front of the house. It was simply furnished bedroom with a small desk and chair, not unlike a basic hotel room. The bed, somewhere between a twin and a full, was actually long enough for him and he set his bag on the end. This was probably Yanna's doing as well. As was the bowl of hard candies on the desk.
Smiling slightly, the general popped one in his mouth. Fruity but not too sweet. Good. Taking off his coat, he sighed and pulled out his laptop. Might as well get some work done before sunset.
?
A young woman in green and red named Rella came to escort them all to the coliseum a few hours later, leading them to a section near the combined elders of the different tribes.
"I don't like them," Genesis said breezily.
"Hush, Gen."
Sephiroth resisted the urge to roll his shoulders at the feel of so many stares in the rapidly-filling stadium and focused on the torch lit arena below. It was wide, not unlike their sport's stadiums, save for the large firepit on the right. Other soldiers milled around, showing a surprising level of familiarity with the tribespeople.
A drum sounded and the crowd settled as yet another elder stepped into the arena. The obligatory speeches followed, more about peace and diplomacy and partnerships. Rufus joined him in the arena and they traded sprigs of an eastern vine to the applause of the spectators.
Then they left and a tall, well built man stepped into the arena. Straight black hair reached past his bare, tattooed shoulders, braided in a style like Yanna's.
"Kalin," Genesis said. "Yanna's cousin on her mom's side. He's a warrior-shaman for the plains people."
The crowd cheered for him, settling only when he raised his hands.
"Tonight," his deep voice rolled through the crowd. "We gather to celebrate the life and health of our people with games and feasts and dance. Welcome to the summer festival!"
Happy cheers followed, excited and antsy.
"And this year, we welcome President Shinra and his warriors." He spread his arms and bowed to their section.
"Too long have we isolated ourselves," he continued, turning back to the crowd. "We, who pride ourselves on preserving the Old Ways, honoring the earth, have ignored our brothers, let them suffer at the hands of evil men.
"And they, with all their strength, have let us waste away in the wilderness, powerless against Those-We-Do-Not-Name.
"Such apathy ends tonight!"
Kalin clapped his palms together, pulled them apart. Blue energy crackled between his hands, shadows dancing up his arms and legs.
"And now, brothers and sisters, I will tell the Tale of the Sun-Killer and the rise of our greatest strength."
By now the sun had set and torchlight filled the stadium. Dancers dressed in different furs crept around the circle and waited as Yanna stepped out behind Kalin. Veils flowed from her arms and hair.
"In the early years of our world," Kalin said. "Man was still young."
A sharp gesture and the arena filled with black smoke, studded with stars and a swirling emerald in the center for Gaia. Around them, the dancers started moving to steady drumbeats, some with weapons, others, women, with scarves.
"The Old Ones lived, fought, loved…then the sky fell."
Yanna swept her arms out and red smoke gathered high above Gaia. The emerald grew, 'zooming in' to show an angry, stylized Northern Crater.
"The Old Ones came together to heal our world, as they did, but there was one thing they missed."
Kalin breathed and a wispy form, almost ghost-like flickered and disappeared into the crowd. A child in the front row cried out, pointing, but the crowd was focusing on Yanna forming thin beings of light. The Ancients, probably.
"We don't know who first suspected something was wrong. But we know who struck the first blow.
Yanna raised her hands and the ground around them erupted in flames. Some of the Ancients screamed, others flew up above it. White light poured from their hands, beating back the flames until only a small coal remained. The flying Ancients disappeared and some of the dancers fell to the ground, victims of the calamity. Kalin and Yanna made a four-pronged sign across their faces and chests and Sephiroth watched the crowd do likewise, even some of his own men.
"Signs for the honored dead," Genesis said. "A prayer for their families."
Yanna walked forward.
"Since then, we have labored alone." Her voice sounded deeper, pitched to carry further like her cousin's. "Either too proud or too ignorant to ask for help. And our world has suffered for it. We have all suffered."
"You may remember," Kalin said. "When the sky grew dark and the dead wept."
The atmosphere changed accordingly and the dancers leapt up, facing out with weapons or hands brought to bear. Dark, menacing shapes morphed out of the shadows in the corners of the stadium and started to move towards the center.
"A star fell. And the world went mad."
The dark shapes attacked. The dancers fought back. Kalin held out his hand and wolves sprang from the ground at his feet. The crowd roared in waves, each accompanying a different color wolf.
Above them, a great white serpent twisted out of the cloud, writhing, circling, dipping to just barely brush the crowd's heads.
Yanna held the ember now, fighting it, the veils and skirt flapping wildly. The serpent roared, someone screamed, and the thing that could only be Jenova dove. It grabbed the ember, knocking Yanna to the ground. The crowd railed, angry, indignant, as the wolves and dancers fought and fell to the beat of drums and battle songs.
Coughing, Yanna crawled to the firepit and fell into it. Flames roared, engulfed her, until only her silhouette stood against the light. Slowly, the form changed, growing taller, thicker.
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. Spiky hair?
"Is that—"
"Yes!" Genesis clapped, blue eyes dancing. "Now it gets interesting!"
The form in the pit lifted its arm, stretching, then a big grey dog leapt onto the field to join the fight. The form in the fire shifted, smaller, thinner, and a small gold griffin flew out.
"Zack and Cloud?" Angeal asked. Genesis nodded as sleek tawny cats piled out, one with a tell-tale red streak down its back.
"And the Turks," he said. "How thoughtful."
The form shifted again, now to a huge, hulking man with slicked back hair. Yanna reached over her shoulder and a large rectangle appeared.
The Buster Blade.
Soldiers and tribesmen who recognized it cheered and clapped as a great winged lion with silver-blue fur stepped out of the pit. Its paws burned the ground in its wake, its massive jaws catching a black form and breaking it in half. Sephiroth could only assume the shadows represented those Jenova had controlled through dreams. Something about Yanna, in either universe, being able to travel through the subconscious. He shuddered to think what Jenova could have done if she had possessed the other Yanna longer.
The form shifted again and, this time, leather flapped. This one grew lean and spun with a complicated sword move. More soldiers cheered and a phoenix flew straight up to harry the serpent.
Around them, the crowd began to chant over the battle-songs.
"What are they saying?" Sephiroth asked.
"Ishi Ma-Sala," Genesis said. "'Make it rain.'"
"What?"
"You'll see." The redhead stared wide-eyed at the phoenix darting in and out of the serpent's coils.
Down in the pit, the form knelt. Spectators almost bounced in anticipation, torn between watching the ever growing battle, the fire, and the serpent. The form stood, slowly, and at the sight of his coat and long hair, the crowd went wild.
Sephiroth tensed at what form this beast would take. Then sharp black claws rose out of the flames, followed by wings and the sinuous arc of a spined neck. At last, piercing eyes and long thin jaws emerged and the dragon took flight.
Jenova screamed, fled higher into the sky. The phoenix and lion followed into the clouds. Thunder cracked and lights flashed in the clouds' shadows. The chant rose to deafening heights. Even Genesis started to chant under his breath.
"Gen?" Angeal asked.
"And the Dark One rebelled against heaven, waging war with the servants of the Light. The All-Father struck him and his down and the sky wept blood for forty days and forty nights."
Yanna stepped out of the flames and held her arms out, palms up to the sky.
"Tonight, the Old Ones shall be avenged! The Dark One will send others to destroy us, steal our children and hunt our souls. But never again will we watch as our brothers and sisters burn."
The frenzy of battle seemed to still, the breath before the jump. Yanna looked at Sephiroth and, for once, he felt the pierce of another's gaze. When she spoke, her voice was soft, resolute. He could feel it in his bones.
"Tonight…we make it rain."
Wolves and wraiths vanished in a shower of sparks. Dancers swung into a different rhythm, joined by some of the spectators as they circled and stamped. The serpent above writhed, coils slithering amid the clouds, the three 'heroes' darting, striking at exposed flesh.
Yanna lifted her face, closed her eyes. The three suddenly dove. The serpent followed, screeching to compete with the nearly manic chant. Then, as one, the heroes turned and fired what energy they had. They all struck. Jenova let out one last scream and tore apart, making the sky weep blood.
Silence reigned for a full second before the crowd erupted. Sephiroth winced at the sternum-thrumming volume but managed to clap with the rest of them.
"Man!" Zack exclaimed. "How do you follow that?!" He looked at his hands and laughed. The blood never reached the people.
"And now, dear friends, we feast!" Genesis stood then paused and looked out at the thousands of people packed into the exits. He coughed. "We can wait."
Someone started playing music, drums and flutes of some kind, and Zack danced a little in place while they waited for the chance to leave. Yanna met them outside.
"That was incredible, my dear!" Rufus said, kissing her hand. "And thank you for putting us in such a favorable light."
"Of course. I'm glad you had a good time."
Zack pounced on her again, making her wince, and Angeal hauled him off by the scruff of his neck.
"Where do you want us?" he asked.
"Right this way," she said, laughing. Through the throng, she led them to a ring of large, rectangle tents facing a cleared area of packed dirt. Dozens of woven mats and pillows lined the ring and high-ranking Kalani and Shinra people were already finding their seats, including Director Lazard. Rufus went to join him and the other directors.
"Sit wherever you like." Yanna picked a spot off to the side, waved to a woman further out, and sat down. Sephiroth sat down next to her and within minutes, women circled through with pitchers of wine and ceramic mugs.
"Plum?" Sephiroth asked, sipping the dark purple drink.
"Among other things. Apples, grapes, berries. We get very creative."
"Zack, if you get drunk, I'm leaving you where you fall," Angeal said from Sephiroth's other side.
"Yeah yeah yeah," said the pup and proceeded to empty his mug. Soon, platters of food were brought in with low tables and placed at regular intervals around the ring. Fruits, bowls of vegetables and sauces, fresh spice bread, and huge cuts of meat made their mouths water.
"Take whatever you like," Yanna said. "Believe me, there's plenty."
"We give thanks to the hundreds of little creatures feeding our gluttony," Genesis said. "And this sauce!"
"You said you liked it."
"Aw, honey, you remembered."
Sephiroth picked at a drumstick, relishing the juicy meat and spicy crust.
"This is delicious," he said.
"Good." Yanna took a slow sip of her wine, her eyes drooping.
"Are you all right?"
"Hmm? Oh. Just a headache."
Sephiroth subtly cast a healing spell under the table and watched the soft glow brush her skin.
"Better?"
Her smile came easier this time.
"Yes, thank you." She swept her eyes around the ring and he could almost see the checklist behind her eyes.
"You've done well," he said. She blinked, caught, and she chuckled.
"Sorry. Just checking on things. Ah, there they are."
Different women, this time dressed in tight crop tops and long flowing skirts of bright colors trailed in with veils and glittering jewelry. Music started playing and the women circled into a light, flirty dance with a lot of cymbals and hip movements.
"That's better." She looked over her shoulder, checking other meal circles, then sighed and dug into the food. "Sorry. This is the first time I've sat down all day."
"Don't apologize. That was an impressive display earlier."
"The animals were okay?"
"Very appropriate. You even managed to make Zack look somewhat intimidating."
"Well, I have been called a magician before. Try the rolls. They're filled with shredded meat."
"Thank you." Sephiroth let his gaze travel over the circle and through the spaces in the tents. Soldiers and Kalani, civilians and tribesmen sat next to each other, laughed, ate.
"You seem to have accepted my men."
"That was mostly Kalin's doing. He always tries to present Soldier as just another warrior culture."
"We appreciate it."
"Sure sure." Taking another deep breath, Yanna rubbed her eyes and smiled at him.
"It's good to see you, Sephiroth."
"And you."
A few yards away, Rufus and the elders spoke, fake and polite, with the other directors. Sephiroth tensed when one of the old men glanced their way. He narrowed his eyes.
"General?"
He cleared his throat, shooting a warning look.
"Tell me more about the games."
?
Song-stories followed the meal, accompanied by more dancing and music. Yanna would translate when needed but Sephiroth was just as content to listen to the music.
"This one is kin to the songs during the Reed Dance," she said, almost wistful. "I remember when I was in it. Meara and I stayed up all night figuring out how we wanted to braid our hair now that we were women."
"Do you still braid it that way?"
"No, this is several, several changes down the road."
He studied the thin braids sweeping back from her forehead to the back, gathering in a simple clip and trailing down her shoulders. Other women he'd seen were almost Wutaian in their extravagance, with braids, beads, feathers, elaborate loops, and chains. Some had flowers or even animal bones.
"I like it this way," he said.
"Thanks." She touched her hair, glanced up at the moon. "I should go make my rounds. Oh, but before I forget, did Gen tell you about the Walk tomorrow?"
"In passing. I think that part was already planned by the time I started attending."
"Well, every year, during the first full moon of the festival, all the healers and pack leaders gather at the base of the mountain." She pointed to the peaks in the south. "A healing shaman walks with the warriors, a warrior shaman walks with the healers." Dark eyes turned back to him. "It's for those of us that lost people during the year."
"Patients and subordinates."
"We're responsible for them. I think Gen likened it to a memorial service. Anyway, the three of you are invited."
Sephiroth tilted his head.
"Are you sure we wouldn't offend anyone?"
"Anyone that has a problem with it can go on one of the other Walks. Zack and Cloud are too young but if you want to come, you're more than welcome."
"Thank you."
Down the line, Zack had completely passed out on Angeal's shoulder and Genesis was sticking pretzels up his nose when the mentor wasn't looking. He felt a pang in his chest. He'd lost a lot of men like that, groups of friends that just wanted to become something. So many funerals this year alone. He hated the services but it was his responsibility to face his failures, offer the families someone to blame. This Walk sounded more…personal. He didn't particularly like the concept—he always grieved alone—but in the spirit of cooperation…
"What's appropriate to wear to the Walk?"
As tired as she was, Yanna's face lit up and she looked like she might hug him.
"Your uniform is fine," she said. "And don't worry; you won't have to say anything. No one talks on these. Oh, but don't wear your gloves."
"Why?"
"We…well, I know it sounds silly but we put clay dust on our hands before we hike up the mountain."
"Very well."
Another smile and Yanna got to her feet.
"Bye, boys," she called, waving. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye, sweetie!"
"Farewell, darling."
Sephiroth watched her leave, no doubt to see her family elsewhere on the grounds, then grabbed a meat bun and stood.
"Don't start any incidents," he ordered. Genesis giggled, now moving on to putting things in Zack's hair.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Stop messing with him, Gen!" Angeal hissed. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and left them to it. Maybe he'd get a couple hours of sleep before they staggered in.