"Rosa," her mother said, resting her hands on her shoulders. "I'm so proud of you!" She pulled her into a warm, tight hug. "A White Mage in record time!" When she released her, Rosa smiled back, but noticed something in her mother's eyes. Something unspoken and hesitant.
"What is it?" she asked. Her mother's usually open, kind, and supportive eyes were creased in what looked like worry. Rosa's nerves built slightly from the shift in tone.
"I want to ask you something."
"Anything."
"Why? Why did you decide to become a White Mage?"
"Why?" Rosa asked, almost incredulously. She forced a chuckle. "It's a little late to be asking me why, don't you think, mother? I've just completed training today! . . . You are still supportive, aren't you?"
"Of course I am! But I want to make sure you're doing this for you, and not for anyone else. You didn't become one just because of me, right?"
"No, of course not!" she replied, with absolute certainty. "Sure, you let me help you with healings, but that only allowed me to take an interest in it. I . . . I chose this because . . . " She paused, ensuring she came up with the right words to convey her emotions. "I genuinely enjoy helping people. When I see someone hurting, knowing I can help means a lot to me. It fills my heart with joy and fulfillment to offer relief to suffering bodies and ailing souls. I have a purpose when I can heal a wound or offer protection, and . . . there are those I want to protect in my life."
Her mother didn't immediately answer. Rosa waited patiently for her reply, hoping she said everything in the right way. She felt very strongly that kindness was owed to everyone, whether or not it was reciprocated. To heal was the physical representation of that kindness.
Her mother finally nodded. " . . . That's exactly the selfless answer I was hoping for. You have a kind, happy, gentle, and generous heart-"
"Just like you."
Her mother was far too humble to accept the compliment, and it was something Rosa learned from her. "Twice as much as me. Your genuine care for others will take you far as a White Mage. It will be hard. Some poeple's wounds are invisible in their hearts, and you already know that there are some who cannot be saved. But if you keep your values strong in your heart you will find those people to be few and far between." She paused again, and a knowing smile creeped up her face. Her eyes lit up. "Who is it for?" she asked coyly. "Is it Cecil?"
"Mother!" The hot blush covered her face, and she tried to cover her face to hide it. But at the very mention of him she smiled as well.
"Thought so," she said. "I can see the same love in your heart when you look at him. He looks at you the same way, you know. He loves you very much."
"Yes," Rosa said. "We tell each other almost every day."
"I did the same thing for your father - became a White Mage."
"I know. I care about him so much that I can't bear the thought of anything happening to him. I feel like I would do anything to keep him safe."
"That's what it feels like to love someone. Never lose it. And never lose your desire to help people."
The scene around her changed. The sunlight spilling through the windows of her parents' home dimmed dramatically and the fireplace blazed to life, bathing it in a serene orange light. A single drop of water hit the window, then another, faster and faster until a heavy, torrential rain beat down against the glass, and every so often a flash of lightning would strobe in the window. The thunder that followed would roll across all of Baron, shaking the very ground they stood on.
Rosa sat across from her mother at an angle where she could see the window and watch the rain, enjoying the serenity of it when a frantic pounding erupted on their door. "Rosa!" the voice behind it yelled, muffled by the thick wood of the door and the pouring rain. "Rosa!"
"Who-" her mother started, but Rosa could tell from the voice.
"It's Cecil, mother!" Rosa said, shooting to her feet. She ran to the door and threw it open. Immediately, the wind whipped her hair and the hem of her skirt around her. The chill from the rain stabbed into her and she crossed her arms.
There stood Cecil in plainclothes - a simple woven shirt and tan leggings, soaked through and clinging to his skin. No metal armor in sight. His silver hair lay flat, plastered against his head and face, and the water dripped off his nose.
"Come in-" she said, stepping aside, but Cecil shook his head.
"Lady Farrell," he said, peering around her to glance at her mother. "May I have your permission to lead Lady Rosa on a walk on this fine day?" he asked, gesturing to the sky.
Her eyes widened. "In this rain?!" she asked incredulously.
"But of course! It's wonderful weather! His Majesty has grounded the Red Wings until the storm passes, so I have ample time. I'd enjoy spending it in her company."
Rosa left the door frame and sprinted to her bed to grab her cloak.
"Rosa, you don't want to-"
"Sure I do! What's a little rain? Please, mother?" She hoped her mother saw the plea in her eyes. "We don't know when the next time we'll see each other will be!"
" It's not proper!-"
"Mother, it's Cecil!"
". . . Only because I've known you for years, Cecil Harvey, and I trust you-"
He grabbed her hand and tugged her outside. She was soaked through almost immediately as well, and together they ran through the town. They splashed and kicked through puddles, they slipped and slid in wet mud, until they finally ran to their special place. He had blankets, a makeshift fireplace, and a tarp already set up to keep them dry. They sat for hours and watched the rest of the storm pass.
The clouds cleared as suddenly as they came. An afternoon sun shone down on her and warmed her cheek, reflecting off the water of the falls.
"If you had one day left to live," Cecil asked her, "what would you do?"
"Hmmm," she hummed, yawning. " . . . I don't know. That's a weird question to wake up from a nap to," Rosa said, stretching out on the ground in their spot behind the waterfalls. "I think . . . I'd go see my mother. Then see you and Kain. And I'd probably want to spend the day with you all."
She searched his face, looking for his thoughts on the matter. "What about you?"
"I'd want to do one special thing with each of you," he said. "I wouldn't want to spend the whole day with all of you at once. I'd make sure the King knew how much I love him as my father and go hunting with him, which is where all of my fondest memories with him were had. I'd ask for Kain's forgiveness for any injury I've caused him and tell him everything I envy him for, with you I'd . . . "
"Yes?" she asked, looking up at him through her lashes in a way she knew would make him melt. She looked at his eyes, his nose, and finally rested her eyes on his lips. He got the hint, leaning down and kissing her. A quick peck.
"I'd do that."
"I would not be opposed to it," she said smoothly, smiling and lying back down. It was her turn to reciprocate the question in the little unspoken game they developed between them. "Do you have any regrets?" Rosa asked. "If so, what is your biggest one?"
" . . . That I never knew my parents."
She reached out to clasp his hand in hers, and they were walking hand-in-hand. They had separated from the rest of the group, slightly ahead of the rest of the party.
"Ack! Rosaaaaa," Rydia whined as though she was still five years old and not the woman she had grown to be in the Feymarch. "Edge won't stop!"
"Won't stop what?" he yelled innocently.
"You know what you're doing!" she cried, pointing at him.
"I don't. Could you be more specific?"
"You keep stepping on the back of my boots! On purpose - don't deny it!"
Rosa felt the edges of a headache creeping up on her temples, and her eye felt the urge to twitch. She breathed as deeply as she could, gathering up her patience to use as a wall. Cecil shot her a stiff, apologetic smile - or, what he could muster of one. "I didn't see him do it, Rydia - but Edge!" Rosa yelled, cutting off Rydia's protest. "If I DO catch you, I will Paralyze you and leave you here."
"You will NOT!" Edge countered, acting tough. But Rosa could tell from the look on his face that he remembered how well she followed through on her punishments. His hands crept up towards his throat as though he could feel the Silence spell all over again.
In another new memory, her and the party were arranged around a modest campfire. She was snuggled into Cecil's side, using him and the fire to keep warm against the chill of the night and the woods around them.
" . . . I'm glad I met all of you," Edward said, their campfire illuminating the small smile on his face. "When you live your whole life sheltered as I have, new experiences can be . . . daunting. I know I don't have Cecil's sense of morality and justice, or Kain's courage, or your kindness, Rosa. But you each teach me something new and valuable about how to be the best man that I can be."
"We appreciate you too, Edward," Rosa said, meeting eyes with him over the flames. "I know I value how fiercely you care for those who are important to you. I was in awe when you saved us from the Dark Elf despite your injuries. Anna would be proud."
"Do you think so?"
"I do. There are things about each of you that I admire as well, and I pray that when our journey is done we will remain friends."
The atmosphere changed abruptly, and Rosa's arms were ripped violently over her head. Her shoulders ached after being suspended for hours. Suddenly, Cecil was in front of her.
He sliced through her bonds with his knife and grabbed her arms so tightly his nails bit into her skin. With a violent tug he ripped her free from under the blade. It crashed down on the spot where she was a second before. She collided into him when he planted his feet and she wrapped her arms around him. For a long moment she could only hold him close, clinging mindlessly to him. Her shaking knees threatened to buckle but he was sturdy enough that she could keep herself upright.
The fact that she was free of danger and not actively dying registered in her mind and she was able to breathe. She stood up straight and looked up into his face. His eyes were wide with concern and he had placed his arms under hers, holding her up and onto her feet. A short laugh bubbled up and out of her, and on impulse she dragged him back in close towards her. His touch and his light and his life were seconds away from being gone forever, and all she wanted to hold him. Cling to him and be still and revel in the fact that she was still able to see him.
"Y-you came!" was the only thing her jumbled mind could come up with. Of course he did, she knew. She wrapped her hands around his back and pressed her cheek to his freezing cold metal chestplate, but when his arms wrapped around her she nearly melted in his touch.
"Rosa," he sighed. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I knew you'd come-" A lump formed in her throat, and her voice cracked.
He pressed her so tightly to him that she nearly couldn't breathe. He leaned down towards her, but on her shaking legs she couldn't lift herself onto her toes to close the distance. Instead, he bent his knees and craned his neck to press his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and for a moment she wasn't in the godsforsaken tower. She hadn't just been in Golbez's captivity. She was wrapped safe in his arms.
"Okay, okay! Don't get too cozy, now!" Cid yelled, and Rosa nearly startled. She pulled away, and the first person she saw around them was Kain. She gasped, on instinct shrinking closer to Cecil.
"Kain?!"
"It's alright," Cecil said. "He has recovered. Tellah's Meteor broke Golbez's spell."
Rosa offered a small, shaky smile, but frnom the way his frown deepened she could tell it wasn't convincing.
"Forgive me, Rosa . . . " he said, staring at his shoes. What she could see of his cheeks was turning a violent shade of red, like all the blood in his body was boiling in his cheeks. "It's true that I was being controlled, but I also . . . Rosa . . . " The awkward silence was starting to choke her. She felt embarrassed for him, and her own cheeks heated with the shame she knew he must have felt. She nearly cut him off, not wanting to put him through the unfavorable situation, but he continued on before she could. " . . . I just wanted to keep you . . . to keep you by my side."
He stepped away from her and from their group and refused to lift his chin to look at her. There was a small part of her that was still angry - but not with him directly. She was angry that he had been reduced to such shame at Golbez's hands. She was upset that his rage and his jealousy had been so strong that Golbez's power was even able to take root. Though, she wasn't quite sure how to verbalize it without sounding angry with him.
"Kain . . . " she began, but he turned his back to her. She looked back to Cecil, silently asking him to say something, but he shook his head. 'There's nothing more to say,' his look said.
But she wasn't angry with him. She didn't blame him for what he did under Golbez's control, she blamed Golbez. She surged forward and placed her hand on his arm, pulling him to turn back towards him. "Let's fight together, Kain!"
He shook his head, shaking her arm off. "After all that I've done . . . it's too late."
"No, it's not! There's nothing to forgive."
"Let's go, Kain," Cecil said, coming up behind her. "We need your help now more than ever!"
"What? B-but-"
"You belong in our party. You are an asset to our team, and we would be honored if you come with us!"
He was finally able to look up, though Rosa could tell he felt safe behind the dragon on his helmet. "Rosa, Cecil, thank you."
The arm Cecil had put on her right shoulder slid down her arm and he clasped both of her hands in his. The Tower of Zot melted away into the familiar Grand Hall of Baron Castle, where they had partaken in ceremony after ceremony throughout their lives.
She stood with both her hands in Cecil's, and in unison they broke apart and turned to face the Bishop. He grabbed the golden circlet crown and stood over her, placing it firmly on her bowed head. "Long live King Cecil, and long live Queen Rosa!"
Rosa felt herself surface from the darkness, like emerging from the shadow of a cave. Her head felt light and dizzy, and her thoughts felt distant and scrambled. The last thing she could remember was absolute pain and she flinched, expecting it to assault her at any moment. To her relief, only a dull ache radiated across her entire body. Uncomfortable, but bearable. She relaxed against the cold, hard surface of wherever she was and breathed as easily as she could.
The white light outside of her eyelids was too bright for her to open her eyes yet. She was vaguely reminded of when she was first summoned to the war, but this time the light and the spinning were far less violent. Still, she wondered if that was what happened to her. Perhaps she had been so injured that she was returned home. Perhaps she was lying in her room in Baron Castle, healed by White Mages.
She tried to roll onto her side to make it easier to open her eyes, but when all her weight pressed down on her left shoulder it shot white hot pain down her entire arm. She gasped and rolled back over, suddenly aware of her body. Her left shoulder felt loose and weak - it had definitely been dislocated and placed back. Every joint was stiff and sore, both from disuse and from the bruises of impacts. She could take in shallow breaths easily but if her lungs filled too much she felt the impulse to cough violently.
Her thoughts cleared a bit, and years of training and experience began to take over. She quickly took stock of her injuries as best she could without looking. She brushed her hands through her matted, tangled hair until she found the bump on the back of her head. The blood was dried, so she knew it wasn't bleeding, but she knew that was the culprit of her mangled thoughts and what would be a pounding headache when she sat up. The four scratches on her face had been healed to three, thick with congealing blood, but she could barely touch them without a sharp stinging. They felt hot, but not dangerously so, and they had stopped bleeding long ago if the dried blood was anything to tell from.
Her entire torso felt dry and scratchy, but when she moved her right hand to probe it and find out what the extent of her injury was, she realized she couldn't move her fingers. They were curled tight around something, held still. She instead used her left hand, bearing the dull throbbing of her shoulder and the clumsy, weak feeling in her fingers. She trailed her hands down her body, gravitating first to a stab wound between two of her ribs that she knew would bother her for a long while after. Someone had done her the courtesy of covering it with bandages but it wasn't completely healed. The bandages wound all around down her body, tied off at the hip, so she couldn't tell the extent of the injury underneath.
By then her eyes adjusted, and she felt ready to open them. It felt like she was peeling open a vice grip. They were crusted shut with what was probably dried blood, and it took a significant effort to crack them open, to the point where she had to use her hand. She squinted against the light, and stared up into a grey, clouded sky. Not her room in Baron. She heard the gentle and familiar lap of water and knew she was in Order's Sanctuary. Not the crystal room where she had been attacked.
She turned her head to the right and an intense, pounding headache flared through her temples. She froze and her entire body tensed, sparking a deep-set ache over every part of her. The throbbing eventually dulled and faded, and Rosa opened her eyes again to see other warriors standing or relaxing around Sanctuary as though nothing had changed. The only difference was a tense, dead-silent air that permeated the usual noise of many people gathered in one place. From her position, she could see Yuna, Terra, and Tifa chatting quietly together, with Zidane at Terra's heels. They were bunched so closely together it was clear they had shut him out, but that didn't stop him from energetically trying to make advances on her. His tail flicked back and forth excitedly behind him.
She looked to the other side slowly, keeping the headache at bay. She craned her neck and looked above her, and near a white crystal pillar stood Cosmos, haloed with her aura of shimmering gold. Though, Rosa noticed, it looked dim and withered. Bartz and Lightning stood at her back behind the pillar while Firion stood in front of her, guarding her at all times.
She looked down, and her eyes focused on a form kneeling next to her. Beautifully thick silver hair that was one of her favorite features of his, decorated with purple and yellow and blue beads. Pure white and lavender armor, with dark purple accents. His arms were crossed on the white crystal of what she realized was Cosmos' throne with his head rested on his arms, asleep. Her heart filled with the same emotion she felt when he saved her from the Tower of Zot and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Cecil," she whispered, voice hoarse and rusty from disuse. Her throat hurt, and she still felt the iron taste of blood on her breath when she said his name. "Cecil." He didn't wake up immediately. She stretched her left arm out and placed it firmly on the exposed skin of his arm, shaking him gently.
He shot awake immediately, like someone prodded him with a sharp poker. He lifted his head, sucked in a huge breath through his nose, and looked around with glazed, puffy, irritated eyes. She saw huge, dark circles under them for the first time, and wide bags that stretched down his face. He looked exhausted. When he caught sight of her his eyes widened. He gasped and reached out for her, placed both hands on her shoulders and pushing her back down into the crystal as though she was writhing against him. She cried out from the impact jarring her entire body of injuries.
"No-no-no!" he sputtered. "Don't move! You're alright, you're alright!"
"Cecil!-" she tried, but he cut her off.
"Shh, shh! It'll be okay, just lie still!" He was frantic. His hands moved from her shoulders to cup under her cheeks.
"Cecil!"
"I've got you, and you're going to be fine." He closed his eyes and his hands started to glow with a weak green energy, and she felt the smallest warmth of a Cure spell build in his aura. She grabbed his wrist with her left hand and squeezed tightly.
"Cecil," she said softly, slowly, purposefully softening her voice. "Cecil? Look at me. I'm fine. Look." She squeezed his wrist even tighter, and it seemed to work. His eyes opened, he looked into her eyes and paused, and she smiled softly at him, hoping to calm him down. He looked completely lost for a moment, in a way that was deeply endearing to her. Like a blind person seeing the world for the first time. Then his tense shoulders relaxed. The largest smile she had ever seen on him broke across his face. He brushed some stray pieces of blood-stained hair away from her face and cupped her cheek more softly, and she leaned into his touch, covering his hand with hers.
"Oh, Rosa," he breathed, standing to sit on the edge of the throne. "Rosa." He slid his arms underneath hers and wrapped them around her back, and he lifted her upper body off of Cosmos' throne. He pulled her into his chest and held her as gently but as tightly as he could, cradling her to keep her injuries safe. He nuzzled his face into her neck, his left hand ran small circles in the small of her back while his right hand tangled in the knots in her hair as though he couldn't pull her close enough. She looped her left arm around his waist and pulled him tighter still. His gentle embrace felt so warm to her, and so delicate, and so intimate and genuine.
Oh, she had missed this intimacy with him, and she didn't even realize it before. She closed her eyes, just to relish in their closeness. She didn't know how long they sat glued together, but it couldn't have been long enough. When her tears of happiness and relief subsided, she pulled out of his embrace. He lowered her down, and she swiveled her legs to the side of the throne and sat herself on the edge. Every muscle in her body was sore, like she had just completed a strenuous workout. She groaned, rolling her neck to try and soften some of the knots.
"What ails you?" Cecil asked. "How can I help? What do you need?"
"I . . . I don't know. Everything ails me," she admitted. "But I'll be alright. I can heal myself. You look so tired," she said, reaching up as far as she could with her sore shoulder. She placed her hand on his face, palm resting on his cheek and fingers curled under his ear. "Like you haven't slept in days."
He closed his eyes and leaned in to her touch. "I haven't."
"What?" she gasped. "How long was I unconscious?"
"About seven of our days." At the very mention of his fatigue it all seemed to hit him at once. When he opened his eyes they looked duller, and the bags under his eyes only seemed to grow. She could feel how weak his aura was. Dim, and the color was drained from it from all his power being spent. "I hardly slept from the moment I rescued you from Kefka and Exdeath. I healed you as much as I could, but I was too afraid that if I even slept a wink I'd lose you."
" . . . Thank you," was the only thing she could think to say, but it didn't nearly encompass everything currently overflowing in her heart. She wanted to convey how relieved she was that she was still alive - when she was being attacked, which already felt like another lifetime, she thought she was staring death in the face. That was a cold, potent fear that she could still feel in her heart if she even thought about remembering the attack. Tied into her relief was her eagerness to continue in the conflict. Though she initially disagreed with her situation, the memories had brought back to her all the values her mother worked hard to raise her on: courage, kindness, selflessness. She understood once again how important her role was to the party, and she was grateful for the chance to do her duty to protect him and her other friends here for as long as she was needed.
She wanted to tell him how in awe she was of his capacity to care for others, let alone the lengths he went to to care for her. She wanted to show him her gratitude for his part in her healing. And she wanted to tell him how full and complete her heart felt after all she remembered about him. She felt like she was seeing him for the first time before her, like he was finally a truly familiar face to her and not somebody she convinced herself she should know. She felt like she finally knew him to some extent, and she couldn't wait to find out what extent that truly was. His friendship was something she knew she cherished deeply. She smiled up at him. A genuine smile that she put her joy into that hurt her bruised cheek, and with it she hoped the words wouldn't be necessary.
But when the weak words left her mouth he blinked back at her, cocking his head to the side. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I didn't do it for your gratitude," he said, shaking his head like it was the most obvious thing in the world to him. She knew it to be true herself. "I lo-" He hesitated. His pale cheeks turned a slight shade of red. He smiled and lowered his head, and his silver hair fell, shielding his face for a moment.
She felt her own cheeks heat at the thought of saying it back to him. She instead held up her left hand and tapped the rose gold ring on her finger with her nail so it got his attention. "This had better be yours," she said.
He put his own hand up and locked his fingers with hers, so the matching bands were side by side, squeezing her hand tight. She wanted to tell him everything she remembered. Him, and the other person she wanted to see first. "Where is Kain?"
"I'll fetch him. Hold on-" He stood from the throne but she stopped him.
"No, no," she said. "Don't." As soon as she finished the sentence, some movement caught the corners of her vision, and as she peered around Cecil she saw most of the other warriors in Sanctuary staring. Cecil getting up and nearly running from her side had alerted them that she was awake. They clearly looked relieved that she was alright, and from what she saw no one else had been attacked as she had. That, or they simply hadn't suffered as she had. Zidane and the girls immediately began making their way over to them. Even Cosmos and her guards were slowly crossing the water. Rosa quickly leaned into Cecil. She whispered near his ear, " . . . Was everyone worried for me?"
"Oh, of course! Yuna helped to cure you while you were unconscious, and-"
"I want them to know that I'm extremely thankful for their care and concern, but . . . " He caught her gaze, roving from warrior to warrior over his shoulder. He followed the direction of her eyes, craning his neck to note the others heading over. He nodded.
"You want some privacy," he finished for her.
"I just want . . . to clean up first," she said. She gestured to her shirt which used to be yellow. It was instead a crusted brown color from all the dried blood. There was barely any yellow at all. The fabric turned stiff and hard against her bandages, and her skin felt layered with dried sweat and dirt. The scent clung to her body and in her matted hair that she desperately wanted to wash away. "I want a change of clothes, and I want to fully assess my injuries to make a healing plan."
"Would you be opposed to the girls assisting you with getting cleaned up? They told me they wanted to help you, and they already gathered everything you'll need. A change of clothes, some water . . . "
"That's fine," she said. "I wouldn't want to hurt their feelings."
"I'm sure they'd understand, but if you're sure I'll call them over."
"Go ahead."
He called the girls over - Yuna, Lighting, Tifa, and Terra. As before, Yuna led their group over, and as they approached Rosa saw a small bundle of the items in Yuna's arms. She put the bundle down on the throne next to Rosa so she could reach out for her. She gently clasped Rosa's hand in hers for a moment.
"We're so happy that you're alright," she said. "I've been praying to Yevon that you'd be safe, and you came back to us." She released Rosa's hand to circle her arms in the air. She brought them in to the center, one hand on top of the other as though cupping an invisible sphere. Then she took a shallow bow. Rosa assumed that to be a blessing of some kind. After the gesture, Yuna gathered the bundle of items back in her arms. "Well," she said with a finality, "we brought you some more bandages if you need them, and a change of clothes that Cosmos gave us. We also have cloths and a few canteens of water to wash with, and we also have a hairbrush."
"I appreciate it," she said. "Where can we go to change?"
"C'mon," Tifa said, pointing over her shoulder towards the outskirts of Sanctuary, past the barrier. "We're gonna go really far way, where the crystals are the biggest and can give you some privacy. Cecil," she said overly loudly, changing her tone. "Can you make sure no one follows us?" she yelled, glaring pointedly at Zidane behind her. He threw his arms out dramatically, as though to say, 'Why me?'
Cecil followed her gaze, and smiled slightly. "Yes, of course. Come back when you feel refreshed and ready."
They led Rosa outside of the barrier to a secluded bunch of crystal croppings. They reached a rather large one that rose several feet up, safely blocking the view of those in Sanctuary. Tifa gestured to it, and Yuna followed Rosa behind it to drop the belongings.
Rosa sighed awkwardly. "Thank you," she said. "If you don't mind, I'm going to first inspect all of my injuries. I would . . . enjoy some privacy while I do."
"Okay," Yuna said, nodding assuredly. "I'll be right on the other side of the crystal. If you need help with healing, call out to me."
"I will."
"Lightning will 'guard the door', if you will." Yuna nodded her reassurance, then retreated behind the crystal with Tifa, Terra, and Lightning. Rosa began with peeling the bandages from her head. She reached back with both hands before getting the contraption of her right hand tangled further in her hair. It looked like beast's claws, and her fingers were fastened to the curve with small decorative ribbons. She undid each ribbon, nervous to move her fingers after so long. Exdeath had stomped on her hand with all the force of his weight, and she had felt each of the bones gnash together and break in more than one place, wincing and shuddering at the memory. There was bruising on the back of her hand, and with a deep breath of preparation she gently probed at it with her left hand. Her fingers felt incredibly stiff, but to her relief and surprise, the healing had been done well. There were no more breaks she could feel. She knew from her experience that she would need a bit of gentle practice before she would be able to use her bow again, but it was a necessary evil.
With both her hands finally free, she undid the bandages around her head. She dug through the knots and mats, and each tug and tear grated on the bump on the back of her head. Impulsive tears burned in her eyes, but she was able to blink them back quickly. Compared to the pain she remembered earlier, this pain was fleeting. She chuckled slightly, realizing that it was like a reverse concussion. She was hit in the head, but remembered more than before. She found the highest concentration of dried blood and poked at the large bump on her head. It was tender, unbearably so, and would no doubt hurt worse when she washed her hair, but wouldn't need fresh bandages. Perhaps just a small Cure or two. She focused a potent Cura on the area, pressing her hand flat against it with as much pressure as she could bear. Her headache lessened, and the knot itself felt smaller. Less tight.
The heat radiating from her face reminded her that her cheek was next.
"Do any of you have a mirror?" she called over the crystal.
She heard Terra's light, airy voice call back. "Um, my sword is pretty shiny. I almost never use it."
"Would you mind?" Rosa asked.
From behind the crystal she heard the sound of a sword pulling free of the scabbard. "Should I throw it over?" Terra asked.
"No, no. Come around. I'm decent."
Once Terra handed her the sword and retreated back behind the barrier, Rosa used the reflective surface to look at the scratches on her cheek. There were four distinct marks, the worst of the four right in the middle, thick with congealed blood. The outside two were healed relatively well, with the skin closed. The bruise would heal perfectly fine, but if she wasn't careful with the middle scratches they could scar.
From what she could remember, she was never really concerned with her appearance. When she lived in Baron's castle there were ladies in waiting to dress her and get her ready for the day. There were also doting men around every corner, ready to tell her how beautiful she was. But she never took their compliments to heart. She liked her appearance, but her mother already warned her not to put stock in her beauty. "Beauty is a temporary luxury, dear," she had said. "But integrity and humility are attractive virtues that will last you longer and serve you much better."
Still, if she could help it, she didn't want them to scar poorly. In her experience, at best she was looking at two lines of slightly raised, lightly discolored skin. At worst she was looking at severely indented, dark scars. She would be able to tell better after she cleared the blood.
She took one of the cloths and wet it, dabbing at the scratches to clean them , wincing when she had to scrape with more force. The deepest layers of skin were healed well, so she knew it was more than likely she would sport the lighter scars. She would still have to be slow with the healing. They were swollen and painful.
She moved down to the puncture wound on her left shoulder, tearing the dried, deep maroon bandages away as well as she could. From the looks of them, she was expecting a violent, jagged wound - like ones she used to see on the battlefield. But when she glanced down at it, she saw that it had healed well, and was nothing more than a small hole, no larger than her fingernail. The fresh air felt cool and soothing on it, and she knew it barely warranted her attention. The wound on the side of her chest was a different story. She pulled her shirt up, exposing the bandages. When she ripped them away she tore skin, causing a small bit of blood to well up and pour from the wound again. She washed both wounds carefully, and used Terra's sword to inspect it.
It was hastily done, and poorly done at that - but she didn't mind much. From the looks of it and its placement, she would have been dead otherwise. It was surely a fatal wound that Yuna - or more likely Cosmos - had saved her from. It would have taken a large, perfectly concentrated healing spell that went deeper than the normal levels of White Magic. It reminded her just how close she had come. Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia had dealt so much damage to her, and she remembered one of her final thoughts being that she wouldn't make it out of their battle. As though she was still there, her chest constricted around her heart, forcing it to beat in double time. She doubled over, breathing deeply to try and ground herself. She could see the odd lights of crystal refracting around her. She could feel the cold floor underneath her again. She nearly panicked, thinking perhaps she was back in that place with them. She covered her mouth with her hand, afraid to cry out or sob and alert them that she was awake and alright.
"Rosa?" Tifa yelled to her. "You alright?"
She focused on Tifa's voice. If her friends' voices were around her, then she knew she was away from her attackers. She knew she was safe in Sanctuary. "Y-yes," she called as soon as she was able. As soon as her breathing returned to normal and the urge to break down subsided. Her knees still shook, so badly she had to sit herself down next to the crystal. She placed her back against it and rested her head back as well and sat in the silence until she felt ready.
"Lightning? May I borrow you?" she called. "I need some help with the bandages." She stood when Lightning rounded the corner, and handed her the roll of fresh bandages. "Cover this wound completely, and make the bandages nice and tight to keep pressure on it.
She held her tattered shirt up and in place while Lightning circled a fresh length around her bust, with smooth, practiced hand. When she finished, she tied it off. "How's that?"
"Perfect," Rosa said. "Nice and tight. Thank you. I'm guessing you have experience with healing?"
"It's more like field surgery and field medicine. I was in the police force back in my own world, and we had basic training."
"The bandages were very well done before. I hope this doesn't sound condescending, but I was impressed. Thank you very much for your assistance."
"It's not condescending," Lightning assured her, but her eyes trailed away from Rosa's face like she was uncomfortable with the sincerity. "But sure. It felt like just doing my job and I wanted you to be okay."
She felt like this was an opportunity to learn something about Lightning. She rarely spent any time with any of the other women, and Lightning was less inclined to let others in to her thoughts and feelings. "Was it difficult, being in the guard?"
" . . . Not really. I did it for a reason and I used that reason to push myself through the training."
"Which was . . . ?"
"I have a sister back home. We lost our parents when we were young, and it fell to me to protect her - I don't want your pity," she said, cutting Rosa off before she could generically apologize. "I felt like I had to be the strongest and most disciplined I could be so we'd have the skills to survive alone."
"You and I are very similar," she said. "I went through White Mage training to protect Cecil and everyone I love. And my mother did the same before me."
Lightning sighed, but it wasn't a wistful sound. It was short, almost a huff. "Yeah. When you love someone that much and they're in danger, you'd do anything for them. You'd fight and die for them if it came to it." As she said it her eyes grew distant, and Rosa could tell that she was remembering something unfavorable. It occurred to her that Lightning had probably done just that: fought bitterly for her sister. From the look on her face, it hadn't gone well.
Afraid to pry further and potentially upset her, Rosa dismissed the subject. "Yes, you would," she said, and the words she said to her mother in her memory scrolled around her mind. "I'm grateful you shared the skills you gathered for your sister with me. Thank-"
"Stop thanking me. It's awkward." With that, Lightning turned and retreated back to the other side of the crystal. Rosa didn't take offense. People like Lightning weren't looking for approval or thanks. They were looking for results and direct, actionable consequences. Praise was impractical.
Rosa's last few wounds, her shoulder, and the long scratch over her chest looked fine. The long scratch was hastily done and would leave a nasty scar, but Rosa figured she would rather be alive. She called a large Curaga spell, the largest she had called in a while, and it felt so strange and foreign to her. Like in the few days she was incapacitated she had nearly forgotten how to heal with such power. It felt distant and weak, like she couldn't center herself in the spell. It was disconcerting, but she figured it was just like her hand - she would need some practice from not using the spells for so long. She called out to Yuna.
"Yuna, send me a Curaga," she said. "I'm going to heal my entire body."
"Of course."
Rosa immediately felt Yuna's steady, calm, healing power couple with the fading mass of hers before the warmth spread over her whole body. She felt the energy uncoil some of the tightness in her muscles, reduce some of her pain, and strengthen her aura, and she immediately felt much better.
She grabbed the change of clothes, unraveling them first before she put them on. To her delight, she remembered the outfit. A new set of white laced tights and purple ankle boots, with a patterned purple garment to cover her loins. There was also a pale yellow skirt-like piece of cloth, short and plain on her left side that faded into dark red embroidered lace and fell down to her knees on the right side. There was a dark red, mesh halter with padded shoulders that was obviously meant to go under her pauldrons and cape, and to go on top was a white lace sleeveless top. The bust was lined in gold, and had a small decoration hanging down from the center. The last accents were the long, decorated sleeves. Lined with gold circlets at her biceps and ending in a taper around her middle finger. It was the same outfit she wore on her adventures with Cecil and Kain and her friends.
She changed and made herself comfortable, washing herself down with the cloths as she stripped off each of her tattered, bloodied layers. When she was fully dressed, she called out to the others.
"Okay. I'm ready."
The four of them rounded the crystal, and immediately surrounded her. Tifa grabbed one of the canteens of water. "Here. We'll help wash your hair." They had her sit on the ground while Tifa and Terra went to work at tearing the pink ties out of her hair. It was a long, painful process, full of 'sorry's' for every tug and every pull. They hurt the knot on the back of her head, and she had to resist the urge to cry out every time her headache flared, and at one point they had to cut one of them out.
"Y-you know I - OUCH! You know I can clean myself up," she tried, grasping a length of her hair to keep them from tearing it out of her head.
"We know you can!" Tifa said. "But it's not about that."
"Right," Yuna said. "We're friends, and we care about each other. We're so happy you're alright, and we just wanted to help."
They stood her up and had her bend over, flipping her hair down over her face. It moved in one piece, and as it hung in front of her eyes she saw how bloodied it truly was. Like her shirt, there was hardly a spot of blonde. It had turned stringy and dry, tangled in matted knots. They poured some water down onto her hair, and a completely red, bloody streak washed out and into the water.
"Oh," Rosa said. "Perhaps I do need your help."
"Yeah," Tifa said. "Listen, girl, I've seen some ratty, battle-ridden hair, but this is the worst. Trust us. You need us." They poured more water head, and had her wring her hair out over and over again until after forever, the stream finally ran clean. As Terra began to brush, starting with the nape of her neck and working her way down, Tifa continued the conversation.
"You know, I was just saying before you got here about how nice it would be to have another woman here."
"Oh? Is that so?" She hoped to use the discussion to distract herself from the acute pain in her scalp.
"Yeah! It's a different kind of relationship you can have with other girls!"
"Like what?" Rosa asked.
Tifa paused, and thought for a long while. "Well, it's like . . . you know, you can . . . I don't really know how to describe it. It's just . . . different. Especially with no competition between us. We all respect each other's talents." From her face and fleeting eyes, she looked like she was struggling to find the words. Rosa covered for her.
"I most definitely agree, and this is really the first chance I've had to talk to all of you. I'd love to get to know you all."
"Oh, well we want to get to know you!" Tifa said. "Do you remember anything new?"
Rosa chuckled. 'Anything' was a vast understatement. "Yes, I do! I remembered my own personality, if that at all makes sense. It was . . . so odd," she settled on. "I had to remember my mother to remember the kind of woman I was before being called. She reminded me of why I became a White Mage. I believe that helping others should come before helping yourself, and if I have the power to make a difference to someone, then I should. I want to always be kind and respectful to others, and I want to always strive to protect those around me."
"Wow," Terra breathed. "That is so inspiring. I want to be just like that someday."
"What?" Rosa asked. "What do you mean? You seem like such a kind, sweet person. And, if I'm being honest, timid and unassuming."
"Oh. Thank you, but the magic powers I have can be dangerous. I've been used for them before, to cause destruction, and I'm afraid of doing more harm. It takes me a while to trust new people because of it."
Yuna and Tifa almost simultaneously went to her defense. "You've done nothing but good since you arrived-" Yuna said, while Tifa reached for her arm: "You're so powerful, and we're so lucky to have you!"
Rosa agreed quickly. If she learned anything about Terra from her admission, she needed reaffirmation every so often to boost her confidence. "We truly are lucky, Terra. I'm sure you know by now that it's the choices you make on your own, when you're of sound mind, that define who you are." She learned that from Kain. "I realize I haven't been acting like myself, and I've made poor choices as a result. I intentionally hurt someone who was supposed to be my friend. But from here on out, I'm making a choice to act on what I believe in. You can do the same. Plus, you're on Cosmos' side. That alone should tell you there's goodness in your heart."
"I know that," she said, smiling softly and nodding. "Thanks so much."
"Right," Yuna said. "It's all about how you use your powers. The summoners of my world believe in that very idea, using your powers for the greater good. My father and those before him trained and trained to be summoners and gathered power to defeat a great evil that plagued Spira. They chose to use their powers for good, and they gave their lives to protect the people of the world. He and so many like him were so brave and selfless, and I want to follow in his footsteps. I want to make saving others my duty, too."
Rosa gazed up through her curtain of hair at Yuna. "And I know you'll make a difference, with your kind attitude. You already emulate those things. You worked so hard to heal me and save me, and I wouldn't be here without you. I'm so grateful."
"Oh, you don't have to thank me! It was the right thing to do."
"Exactly what I mean," Rosa said. "You and I are the same in that, and that is who I want to be from now on."
Nobody said anything in reply, but it was a comfortable silence that they lapsed into. Rosa turned her attention back to her hair, and she realized it had stopped hurting. She looked and saw that the brush - made of some kind of tiny, spaced out pieces of jagged crystal - was running smooth through her hair. No tangles or knots in sight.
"How do you want your hair done?" Tifa asked.
"Oh, I don't know. I haven't thought about it. Just . . . make sure it's out of my face."
"Yep! I got this! I looked after a little girl in my home world and I braided her hair all the time."
She had Rosa flip her hair back over, then she knelt on the ground behind her. This time, the tugging was gentle and practiced while she braided the hair on the side of Rosa's face back on both sides. Rosa took the chance to learn a bit about Tifa, but she knew to phrase the question so that it didn't feel as though she was revealing too much about her emotions. Tifa seemed to struggle with that.
"Tifa. Tell me . . . your fondest memory of all the warriors here."
"Um, well . . . the first thing that comes to mind is - so you know how Cloud carries around his huge Buster Sword? So, one time, he was kind of swinging it around, and practicing with it like it was nothing. Laguna asked him how heavy it was, but Cloud didn't know. It's not like he can weigh it here, you know? But Laguna said there was no way he could swing it so easily, so it had to be light. He asked Cloud if he could hold it. Cloud and I both warned him. I'm a strong girl, but even I can't hold it for long. He said, 'Come on, how hard can it be?' So Cloud held it out to him with one hand, and he grabbed it with two. Zidane messed with him a little bit and yelled, 'Don't hurt yourself, old man! You don't want to throw out your back!' And then Cloud let go.
"It was almost comical. Laguna folded in half like a lawn chair, and he was dragged to the ground. He just lay in the water and groaned. It's my favorite because I remember Cloud's smile." The sentiments warmed Rosa's heart and she herself smiled.
"Laguna wasn't hurt, was he?"
"Oh, no, we laughed our butts off."
"That sounds like Laguna, from what I know." She knew now why they wanted to help her. They were just a kind, genuine, loyal group of women. And Tifa was right, she could tell they'd have a different relationship going forward. They were selfless, generous, and she was glad she took the time to get to know them.
Her entire idea of the war had changed, both from her memories and from knowing those she was fighting with. She was angry at first at being called, and bitter that she didn't have any answers. She knew now that it was bigger than just her. The fight didn't revolve around her, and she had a duty here, to protect her fellow warriors. A different feeling of desire to fight replaced her anger. She would fight the war if it meant keeping this group of people - and Cecil - safe. They had solidified her want to protect Cosmos' side and protect their sentiments, and help them win the war. People like them needed to spread their goodness.
"Okay! you're done!" Tifa said. Rosa reached back to feel her work. She had a braid on either side of her head, pulling her hair back into a bun on the top of her head. The rest of her hair trailed loosely down her back and between her shoulder blades.
"Thank you so much," she said. "I feel so much better. I feel clean, and refreshed, and . . . you were right. I did need your help. I'm so glad I had this chance to talk to all of you."
"We're glad we could help," Yuna nodded. "And now, Cecil's waiting. Let's take you back to him."
A/N:
Ding Dong! Ya girl's back!
Leave a comment if you have the time!
~Keyblader