To view how Melodi looks, either look for her name in my profile, or go here:
www.Swirl3y.Deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3f4e6w
To see how Rose looks, go here:
www.swirl3y.deviantart.com/art/Rose-363597301
A/N:
In case some of you are wondering, Melodi is a red mage/red wizard. They can use low-leveled/mid-leveled black/white magic, and can wield an array of weapons but she only uses her sword. As for magic, she'll only use some.
Enjoy! :)
Chapter XXIX:
The change of me
Rose led the team towards Ipsen's Castle in the morning, but they were curious about the Yuas and why they were so against visiting the castle before the age of eighteen. Rose explained that the castle was a dangerous place to be, and without proper equipment one could die within it. It was also a rite of passage for some, showing one was ready to fight in the real world. Both Rose and Melodi had left the village well before the age of eighteen though, so this didn't apply to them as they were already fighting in the real world.
"This castle has been here for five thousand years, or so they say," Rose said as she walked. "The Yuans came here about a few years before that, but we were just visiting from another planet."
"Wait, you guys are from another planet, too!?" Zidane asked. He looked at Rose, who simply nodded her head. Zidane was shocked, and told her about Kuja. "He's from a planet called Terra."
"Really? I don't remember the name of the planet where the Yuans came from," she said. "But we were only supposed to serve as overseers as Gaia grew on it's own."
"What do you mean by 'we were only supposed to'?" Freya asked. "Did something happen to your race?"
"Yes, actually. Some of the people in our race advanced in their magic, and later left the village to preserve that magic and their new found race," Rose explained. "Unfortunately, we heard that they all perished ten years ago on a different continent. I also heard they were able to summon creatures."
"Summon? Are you talking about the summoner's tribe on Madain Sari?" Dagger asked as she walked a bit closer to Rose. She placed a finger on her chin, and thought about the name.
"It could be, but if you'd like you could ask the elder in our town after we finish here," she said. Dagger and Eiko looked at each other, and didn't know their tribe tied in all the way from the beginning of the world. Eiko asked how she knew so much, and Rose smiled. "My mother would tell me stories about our history when I was younger, but she passed away when Lillivale got destroyed."
Eiko apologized for asking, but Rose shook her head. Despite the fact she left the village in her teens, she felt like she was ready to leave her mother's nest. Of course, like any mother, she was upset that her daughter was leaving, but proud at the same time because she would be making a life for herself. Dagger was surprised to hear how mature Rose was when she was younger, and asked how it felt not having her parents around. Rose chuckled. "It's a different experience, but you can't always hide under their wings. You have to learn how to spread your own wings, and be your own person, my dear."
Dagger thought about what the older woman said. They continued their walk, until the reached the castle. Zidane looked at it, and noticed it was a huge, weird looking castle. He even commented on how it looked upside-down. He looked around, and then at everyone else. "Alright, aside from Rose, I'll take 3 of you with me. The rest of you secure this spot."
The rest nodded, but a certain redhead looked at their leader, and called his name. Zidane asked what was up, and he crossed his arms. "I work alone. Always have, always will. I don't know why you bother carryin' dead weight all the time."
Zidane didn't know where he was getting at, and Rose looked at Amarant. "Oh my, I'd recognize that hair anywhere. You must have been working with the auction house in Treno, right?"
Amarant scoffed, and looked at the redheaded woman. "Yea, and I used to see you there. I know you were a solo mercenary named Crimson Rose."
"Oh dear, that was a very long time ago," she explained. "But I've given up that life. It was certainly nice working alone, but—"
"And working alone beats working in a team any day," he said as he interrupted Rose. She stood silent and wanted to know what Amarant knew about working alone. "And I'm gonna prove it. Hilda said there's some key here to break the seal, am I right?"
Zidane nodded his head, and Amarant crossed his arms. "Let's see who finds it first. I'll be going by myself, of course."
"Amarant! You selfish, ignorant fool!" Steiner blurted. Zidane told him to calm down, and started thinking on whether or not to let Amarant go. He really didn't want to waste time on having a silly race with Amarant, but he figured the guy wouldn't let up until he got his way.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but if that's what you want, it's okay by me," he told him. Amarant nodded, and quickly headed up towards the stairs and into the castle. Freya asked if he was sure about it, and Zidane told her that he couldn't change the way he thought. Rose smiled, and told Zidane he did a good job.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well, I think this silly little race will show him a valuable lesson," she said as she flicked a piece of hair from her face. "In any case, let's get going. I want you guys to show me what teamwork can do."
Zidane agreed, and brought along Vivi, Steiner and Dagger. Eiko, Freya and Quina stood out on lookout, and made sure nothing came their way. Zidane and the others walked up the stairs, and hoped they would be able to finish in a timely manner. When they entered the castle, they were met with the front foyer. Rose looked around, and sighed when she was filled with memories of travels. She told the group that she used to visit the castle after hearing about Lillivale's destruction to see what made Blade go crazy, but found nothing. She assumed that someone must have been in the castle the same time Blade went in, and after that was just a series of unfortunate events for everyone. As they made their way further into the castle, they noticed that it really looked upside down. Rose gave a friendly warning about the place, saying it was unpredictable, and everyone walked with caution.
ȶ
A funeral was held in memory of Blade, and Melodi was still unsure of how to feel. She knew the team went out to Ipsen's Castle with Rose, and she didn't mind since she wasn't going to go anyways. The people in the town all gave her their condolences, and she thanked them on behalf of her brother. She knew now that her brother was really never her enemy, but the person who tormented his mind to do such horrible things. Despite it all, she still felt a slight distaste towards him, and wondered if it would go away. She still hadn't received the closure she was hoping for after speaking with Rose, and wondered if she would even be happy now that the biggest threat to her race was resting in eternal sleep.
As the people gathered all around the grave yard, she watched as the leader—Rose's husband, gave a traditional speech to the people. He talked about Blade's life, and how he was supposedly supposed to be the future of Lillivale. Many dreams were dreamt upon him from his parents and the elders of his time, but due to an unfortunate event he was unable to make those dreams come true. He asked the ancestors of the Yua to guide his soul back to the world, and that they will continue to protect Gaia. Melodi looked at him, and remembered when her mother would tell her that they had a very important role of protecting Gaia and all that she represented.
When David finished his speech, the people all walked up to the grave and placed lilies around it. She never understood why her people had such an affinity to lilies, but they were pretty. She had one in her hand, and when the people all finished placing lilies around Blade's grave she walked up to it. She bent down, and readwhat was engraved.
Here lies Blade Cora
A man who did right from the wrongs in his life
A man who sadly leaves his dreams behind
"To the next heir in the family...," Melodi said. She closed her eyes, and thought about what David said of Blade. She knew ever since she was little that a lot of people had hopes within her brother, and to see them all end with him seemed like a waste. She got up from the floor, and turned around. She spotted the old lady that she met from before, and walked over to her. The elderly woman gave her a warm smile, and Melodi gave her a pleading look as she bowed. "I want to fight for my people, and I want to learn how to use these powers that I've received from Rose and Blade."
The woman kept smiling, and took her hand. "Then come with me, child. There is a gift your brother left behind for you."
ȶ
The crew came upon an elevator, and reached the top floor with it. They saw Amarant already standing in the front, but Rose was more interested in the room that she didn't know existed. The last time she went to visit she couldn't get the elevator moving, so she examined the room while Amarant smirked at Zidane.
"You're late, Zidane, and I'm the winner," he said as he started walking down the stairs. "See how much time you lose by working with others?"
"...Have you figured out how to break the seal?" Zidane asked. Amarant told him to look at the wall Rose was looking at, and also told him to figure it out.
"It's no longer my concern," Amarant told him. Zidane asked what he had meant by that, and the redhead scoffed. "I proved myself right. I don't need to follow you around anymore."
He turned towards the exit, and gave a slight threat about how they would be enemies the next time they saw each other. He left the room, and Steiner wasn't please.
"How selfish! I can't believe him!" the knight in clanky armor said. Zidane told him it was his way, and that they couldn't change him. Zidane walked up to Rose, and examined the wall with her. He noticed little sphere mirrors on the wall, and took one down. It was a red mirror, and it read that its power was protected high atop a fiery mountain. He eventually took them all down, and read them one by one. They all recalled the four elements water, fire, earth and wind. As he and Rose walked down the stairs to meet the other three, Zidane told them that they were finished searching what they had been looking for.
"You were staring at those mirrors for a long time. Anything interesting?" Dagger asked. He told them that they most likely had something to do with the seal, but wanted to figure it out after they returned to Lillivale.
M-Mirror... Return...to me...
A voice was heard directly into the minds of everyone, and Zidane asked who was in the room. From the wall that he had examined came a terrifying monster with razor sharp claws, and it didn't look too please.
"Energy flow...interrupted...Energy to...Terra," the monster said. He looked over to Rose, who simply looked curious about the monster before her. "You dare get in the way of Terra's master plan...?"
The monster called himself Taharka, and demanded that they return his mirrors. Rose kissed her teeth, and asked him to learn some manners. This made him even angrier, and the team prepared for battle. Zidane and Steiner took out their weapons, while Dagger and Vivi prepared to fire some magic. Rose took out her rapier, and together everyone prepared to fight the monster before them.
Zidane and Steiner dealt the first blow, with Rose coming in after. She wasn't in top shape, but she was able to keep up with everyone else. Vivi chanted one of his stronger attacks, while Dagger made sure everyone was healed properly. Defeating the monster was pretty okay with just the three fighters, but when it went into compact mode Vivi's magic really shined. After a few more attacks, and a little help from some of the summons that Dagger had, Taharka was almost ready to give in.
A few more attacks were dealt, coupled with some of Vivi's magic. Tarkarka stumbled a bit in his attacks, and Rose was able to take notice. Luckily for her, she was still able to spot weak points in an enemy, and found the perfect spot in Taharka. She instructed Zidane and Steiner to keep him still, and when they did she aimed her rapier right to his forehead. With a quick motion she threw her sword, and it went straight to his head, causing him to fall over.
"One is all, all is one...," he said as he stood lying on the floor. "You'll never break the seal..."
He disappeared into thin air, and everyone relaxed as they continued their way towards the exit. Zidane still couldn't get over the fact that the castle looked upside down, but wasn't. Well, he wasn't really sure, since the who place was pretty weird. As they continued their way towards the exit, Vivi had almost fallen into a trap, but was helped by his friends.
"Are you okay?" Zidane asked as he helped the little guy up. Vivi was only scared, and Dagger wondered if they had activated the traps when they reached the top. Rose placed a finger on her chin, and wondered about it too. Zidane was just glad that Vivi was alright. "Let's go. They're waiting for us outside."
When they reached the bottom of the stairs Freya mentioned that he, along with everyone else, won the race, which prompted him to ask about Amarant. No one knew what happened, and Zidane told them that he left the moment they got to the top. Everyone was silent, and Zidane wondered if he was still inside. Rose looked at everyone, and then at Zidane.
"Perhaps you should go look for him," she told him. "It might do that stubborn fool some good."
Zidane wasn't sure what she meant by that, but he agreed about looking for him. He quickly ran into the castle again, and tried looking for Amarant. He stopped when he saw the trap that Vivi almost fell into, and decided to check the lower level. He heard a voice coming from down below, and asked who was there.
"Zidane...? why did you come back...?" he heard a very familiar voice say. He walked over to the ledge, and noticed Amarant lying on the floor. He asked what had happened, but Amarant wanted him to answer his question, recalling they would enemies the next time they met.
"You say some strange things," Zidane answered. "The guys outside told me that you hadn't come out yet. That's why I came here looking for you."
Amarant made it clear that they had nothing to do with each other, and asked if Zidane had anything to gain from helping him. He couldn't understand the thief or how he thought, but Zidane didn't care about that. "You need help right now."
"You don't care...? you're willing to put yourself at risk to save me?" Amarant asked him. Zidane told him that he was part of the team, and that was all that mattered. He admitted he didn't know why he was doing it, but it went against his nature. Amarant looked at him. "And that's what being part of a team means...?"
"Isn't it?" Zidane asked him. He shook his head though, and told him they had enough to talk. "Let's get outta here!"
He helped Amarant up from the floor, and again they both made it towards the exit. They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Amarant looked over to Rose. She had crossed her arm with the other placed under her chin, and he was curious how she went through her life while being solo. So he asked her that.
"Oh? Well, before you so rudely interrupted me," she said as she gave a slight glare towards him. "I was going to say that fighting alone can only go so far. Believe it or not, you need people to help you along the way, because it's important to have complete faith and trust in at least one person."
Amarant nodded, and was kind of understanding what Zidane meant back inside the castle. As long as someone had his back he was certain he would be able to fight to his full potential without his partner back-stabbing him. Rose hummed, and looked out into the sky. It was amazing how much time they had spent in the castle, since it was almost night.
"Well, let's head back to Lillivale and rest up," she said as she started moving. "You guys have a busy day tomorrow."
ȶ
The night was by when the crew headed back to Lillivale, but Zidane stayed up a bit in his hotel bed thinking about everything that happened so far. He was glad that Melodi had a home to really go back to, but he wondered if she was going to stay. He figured she would stay since her brother had passed away, and that she would feel like there was no reason to continue. He was really nervous about it, but in the back of his head he felt like she would come along. It was getting confusing, but he would have his answer in the morning.
The next day came by, and the gang had rested well and were downstairs in the hotel's entrance. Zidane walked up to them, and wondered if they had heard anything from Melodi. No one did, and he wondered if she really was going to stay. Dagger suggested looking for her, and Zidane agreed. Rose entered the room, and greeted them all.
"Well, it looks like you're all ready, but you're one person short," she said as she looked at everyone. Zidane asked her where Melodi was, and she told them. "She's by the grave yard, no doubt. I was gonna go there and have a little chat, but I think we should all go."
Everyone agreed, and followed Rose towards the grave yard. When they reached there, no one was in sight, except for a young woman dressed in blue. She was bent down, and looked at the tombstones in front of her. It was obvious the young woman was Melodi, and they found it odd that she was wearing something different. They walked up to her and called out her name. When she turned around, they saw her in a completely different outfit, yet it seemed to suit her quite well.
"Wow, your clothes look so pretty!" Eiko said as she stared at it. The top was very elegant, and flowed against the slight wind. It was very breathable, and the color scheme of white and pale blue really made it feminine. She was wearing gray shorts, and brown boots with blue knee-cap guards, but kept her gloves.
"Thank you, Eiko. My brother left it as a gift," she said as she looked at the young girl and smiled. She looked back to everyone else, and they seemed a bit confused. "I assume you guys are ready to leave?"
"Are you ready to leave?" Zidane asked as he stepped a bit closer to her. She retained her smile as she stared at Zidane, and knew he didn't want her to stay. He took a deep breath. "You found your home, and you don't have to get revenge anymore."
"You're right. But...," Melodi trailed off as she thought about it. She knew what she had to do. "Right now, my home is with you guys. I wanna fight by your sides, and the only way I can do that is if I go with you."
She looked up into the sky, and saw a couple of birds fly by. She brought her head back down towards them, and gave a really genuine smile. "The dreams my brother had aren't going to come true, but mine can. I'm not going to let Kuja step all over them, because I'm gonna stop him."
It was really interesting for everyone to hear Melodi be passionate about something, but for Zidane he was thrilled. Since day one of meeting her he has tried to uncover who Melodi Cora really was, and for him he felt like he was seeing the Melodi that she wanted everyone to see. Dagger and Eiko walked up to the young spy and gave her a hug, while Freya smiled and commented on her new personality. Everyone else was glad to see she was going with them, and Rose was especially glad to see her former student finally live.
"It's great to have you with us, Mel," Zidane said as he smiled at her. She returned the smile, and placed her hands on her hips. "Now, let's go find Kuja!"
"Wait," Melodi said as she started walking past them. "I want you guys to see something."
She walked outside of the graveyard, and everyone else followed close behind wondering what she was going to show them. She led them to a very secluded area, with a giant statue in the middle and a plaque on that statue. She held her hands, and walked a bit faster until she stopped in front of an old lady—the same old lady they saw when they first entered the town.
"This is Maya. She's one of the elders in this village, and the most active elder," Melodi explained. "She was the one who made this special place, and the statue commemorates all of the Yuans who died in the accident twelve years ago. She told me a lot about my race, but she also knows a lot about the summoner's tribe."
Dagger and Eiko perked their heads up towards Maya, and she smiled at the two girls. She walked over to them, and held their hands.
"It's been very long since I've seen a summoner," she said as she looked at Eiko and Dagger. The latter asked her if the summoner's tribe were a part of the Yuan race, and Maya chuckled. "Long ago, some of the Yuans started developing greater magic, and they left Lillivale in order to preserve these special powers. I've met many on my trips to Madain Sari, and they were a fantastic tribe."
"Wow, you really spoke with them?" Dagger said. She was surprised that they were really linked to the Yuans. "What else do you know?"
"The creatures you call 'eidolons' are the souls of past Yuans or summoners," Maya explained. Dagger and Eiko were beyond shocked, and didn't know that actual people turned into eidolons. Maya continued. "When a Yuan or summoner dies and have a strong affinity to the land of the living, they will transform into these 'eidolons'. You see, Yuans protect Gaia, so it is right when they say eidolons are Gaia's protectors."
It was really interesting to hear it from Maya, and she walked up to the statue. She placed her hand on it, and a light appeared around it. When it faded, she looked over to Eiko. "Tell me, my dear...do you hear the voices of our ancestors?"
Eiko listened in, and was indeed able to hear voices. She even sensed an eidolon in the statue, and told Maya about it.
"I have been waiting for a summoner such as yourself to come here," she told Eiko. "This eidolon yearns to help you all, children of Gaia. It would be an honor for them to help you, so please, my dear...extract the eidolon from this statue."
Eiko gasped, but complied with the woman. She placed her hands on the statue, and a bright light appeared around it. She closed her eyes, and prayed for the eidolon to help her on her journey. When she heard the voices they were calm and relaxing, and the eidolon accompanying her was as well.
"Oh, it's Sylph!" Eiko exclaimed. She received a jewel with the power of Sylph, and looked at it. She was surprised that such a place birthed the beginning of the summoner's tribe, but she was happy to know where her ancestors came from. "She feels so gentle and peaceful."
Maya smiled, and wished them all the best on their journey to defeat Kuja. She knew they would prevail, and she knew they would return back safely. Zidane and the others left the area, and headed back towards center of the town. David, Rose, and a few other Yuans stood waiting for the crew, and they smiled when they came in.
"We will pray to mother Gaia and hope for your success," David said as he clasped his hands together. "We know you'll all do fine."
Rose kept her smiled and looked at Melodi. She walked up to her, and held her hands. "You've come a long way, and I'm proud of you. Listen to the advice you've been given, and you'll be just fine."
"I know. I'm gonna leave here a different person," Melodi replied. She smiled at her former mentor. "Old Melodi is gone, and I feel like I can be the way I was before what happened twelve years ago."
Rose laughed, and wished her all the best. She looked over to Zidane, who seemed a bit intimidated by the older woman. She gave him a small smile though, and whispered. "I expect you to take care of her."
He nodded,of course he would. Melodi looked over to them and was glad to know that everyone got along with her people. They all said their goodbyes, and left the town. Once out, Melodi took off her choker, and decided to hide the town until Kuja was dealt with. She had no shame anymore about hiding her race and town, but she knew none of them were really safe as long as the silver-headed bard still lived. She turned her head, and started walking with everyone to the airship.
ȶ
Aboard the Hilda Garde 3, everyone was talking amongst themselves on the deck of the ship. Zidane was looking at the mirrors he got while at Ipsen's Castle, and Melodi walked into the room. There was something on her mind while leaving Lillivale, and that was Zidane. He had been there for her all throughout their journey, and even when Dagger left to look for her mother he stood by her. Of course, she thought that was because he wanted to look for Dagger, but he really didn't speak that much about her when they were together. She didn't know what she would do if he wasn't there, and she felt like he needed to know that.
"Zidane," she called out. He put the mirror away as he turned around, and when he did he had two arms wrapped around his neck. He was definitely caught by surprised, but when he looked at who was hugging him he relaxed. Melodi placed her head on his shoulders, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He felt a smile from her, and he asked her what she was thinking. "I guess this is my way of saying thank you. You were with me for the whole time, and I've learned a lot because of it."
It was definitely odd to see her act so warm, but he wasn't complaining. Heck, this was what he wanted from her. As the hug continued, he felt his hands getting lower, and she pinched his neck.
"Don't get any ideas," She let go of the hug, and looked at him. It was nice while it lasted, but he couldn't have helped himself. She smirked at him, and placed her hands on her hips. From the deck, Eiko was peeking on the two teens, but Steiner scolded her on how it was a bad thing to do.
"But she was hugging him!" she exclaimed. Dagger was looking along with Eiko, but it wasn't as obvious as the young summoner, so no one really noticed. She knew one day Melodi would have to listen to her heart, and she was glad to see her stubborn friend do so. Maybe it was the same as her, but she felt like after having visited Lillivale she needed to change. Whereas Dagger cut her hair, Melodi changed her outfit, but that was because it was a gift from her brother. Everyone else was looking but Steiner, who insisted it was a bad thing to do. Especially since the same thing happened when he was with Beatrix.
"Do you think she loves him?" Eiko asked. No one really knew, since Melodi was a hard character to read. But with the changes that occurred, maybe she was going to let them in her heart. Freya crossed her arms and looked at the little girl.
"I think that's something you'll have to ask her," she said. Eiko wondered if she did, since she gave him a hug which was pretty rare from her. Maybe she only thought about him as a friend, and made it a friendly hug. Maybe she did need to ask, since it was killing her to know.
Melodi's new outfit:
www.swirl3y.deviantart.com/art/Melodi-s-new-outfit-363597937?q=gallery%3Aswirl3y%2F26091998&qo=0
