Premonitions II: Crisis Core
Chapter 87: A Possibility
Saturday, February 9, 0008
Zack sat alone on the bed in his chamber, staring at the lodge wall. Morning had come and gone, but the day was, so far, rather uneventful. He had gotten breakfast from the bazaar, and asked around again, but nobody seemed to know anything about Sephiroth, Xenara, or the Great Father. Defeated, he returned to his room, and sat down on the bed he had been sitting on for the past two hours.
This is beyond frustrating, he thought. I haven't felt this hopeless since...since...
...since...
Why can't I remember?
"Hey hey!" greeted a familiar sounding voice.
Zack turned his attention toward the familiar figure standing at the door.
It was Yuffie.
"I'm not intruding, am I?" she asked.
"No way," Zack replied.
"Good," she said as she made her way over and sat down next to Zack. "This has been a disappointing day so far."
"Tell me about it," he said.
"I haven't found one piece of Materia out here," she sighed. "My stealing skills are going to waste! I ask everyone in the bazaar when they last had any Materia, but nobody could remember."
Zack began to chuckle.
"You never change, do you?" he asked.
"Nope," Yuffie replied with a smile. "Maybe tonight I'll sneak back into the Homestead. They must have some Materia in there. I just don't want to go through that cave again."
"I know what you mean," he said.
"Those paintings we saw back in the cave," she continued. "The sixth one had a clown. I really, really hate clowns. I mean, they just creep me the hell out. I've hated them since..." She paused, and leaned forward. "You know, I can't remember for the life of me."
Zack found this troubling; it seemed as if Yuffie was becoming as forgetful as he was.
That quickly strayed from his mind as he noticed something else. As Yuffie leaned forward, her shirt had rode up an inch, exposing the small of her back. He then, before he could stop himself, slid his hand under Yuffie's shirt. He guided his hand up the soft skin of her back until he felt the bra strap.
"Your hand's in my shirt," Yuffie commented.
Zack, somewhat embarrassed, immediately withdrew his hand and placed it on his lap.
"I didn't say stop, did I?" Yuffie teased.
MEANWHILE...
Red XIII sat alone in the bazaar. He was receiving quite a few odd looks from passers-by, but he was quite used to it by now.
In any event, it was the least of his concern. The past several days had been overwhelming.
Especially their stop at the Homestead.
So I'm not the last of my race, he realized. There had to be between ten or twenty of my kind living there. I wonder if...maybe that's where I belong?
Never mind that for now, Red XIII thought. Right now, you're on a quest. Think about that when the quest is over.
So where could Xenara be? Is it actually on the Southern Continent? Does it even exist?
There was another possibility to consider.
Did we already pass it? Did we miss it in the forest or the cave?
One thing's for certain. Nobody here knows of it. Everyone was saying the same thing: that nobody had visited Ah-Ma since anyone could remember.
That's strange. The Emerald Cave can't be that hard to get through. Someone over the years, on either side, would have to be brave enough to go through.
And then, he remembered something.
Giva said she and the others once came through the Emerald Cave. Why would nobody in Ah-Ma remember that? I'll admit I'm not something a human sees everyday.
He then remembered something else.
She also said she forgot how she got here. She also said the Great Father has been known to take memories away.
Wait a minute.
He turned to one of the merchants at the nearest shop.
"Excuse me," he began. "Mind if I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," the merchant approved.
"How long have you been here?" Red XIII inquired.
"Since I can remember," the merchant replied.
"When was Ah-Ma settled?" Red XIII then asked.
"I'm not sure," the merchant replied. "I guess it's always been here."
I know. This will determine it for sure.
"What did you sell last week?" Red XIII inquired.
"Honestly," the merchant replied, "I cant remember."
So it's true. We are close. But where to search?
LATER...
Naked and sweaty, Yuffie plopped herself forward, landing on her front and turning to smile at the equally naked and sweaty Zack.
"You look so sexy after sex!" he complimented.
"Right back atcha!" Yuffie replied before kissing him.
The two smiled at each other for a few moments; it almost seemed as if the stress of the situation was forgotten.
Then, the smile suddenly faded from Yuffie's face.
"You know," she began, "I think I realized something."
"About what?" Zack asked.
"Why we haven't been able to find Xenara," she replied.
"You're thinking about that right after sex?" he inquired in surprise.
"You know I'm a wired girl," she reminded him.
"Good point," he agreed. "So what's on your mind?"
"I think we've been asking the wrong questions," Yuffie suggested.
She climbed out of bed, turned her back toward Zack, and stretched her arms.
"Actually," she continued, "I just thought of something else."
"You thought of something else?" Zack echoed.
"Trust me," Yuffie began. "I have an idea."
"An idea?" he echoed again.
"We need to see Ra-Da," she said.
"Maybe later," Zack suggested as he turned onto his back.
Yuffie turned around and folded her arms.
"We can either get dressed and do this together, or I can just go out like this."
Zack quickly sat up.
"We'll do this together," he agreed as he reached for his discarded pants.
"Good boy," Yuffie complimented as she began to dress herself.
LATER...
Zack and Yuffie stood before Ra-Da in his lodge. They were still sweaty, but the hot temperature easily covered up what had just taken place.
"Welcome back," the old man greeted. "Has everyone been welcoming?"
"Absolutely!" Yuffie replied. "But we've actually come to ask you something."
"Of course," approved Ra-Da. "This is a new place for you. You must have many questions."
Yuffie decided to get right to it.
"Are there any ruins nearby?" she asked.
"Ruins?" asked Ra-Da.
Yuffie nodded.
"There are ruins," Ra-Da confirmed. "In the valley to the south of here."
"Thank you," Zack said.
"That was all?" Ra-Da asked.
"I think that's where we're going to find what we've been looking for," Zack replied.
"But there's nothing there," Ra-Da insisted. "There's nothing there."
Both Zack and Yuffie felt their hearts sink in unison.
"Are you sure?" Yuffie asked.
"I'm quite sure," Ra-Da answered. "But if you want to see for yourself, you're welcome to go down there."
Zack turned toward Yuffie.
"There's only one way to be sure," he said.
"I'll go," she volunteered.
Zack shook his head.
"I will."
Yuffie gave him a frustrated look.
MEANWHILE...
Jessie sat bound on the dusty ground, her hands tied behind a post. The sun was scorching hot, and she was desperate for something to drink.
She had not seen the Great Father; she had been put there, and her captor had simply walked off. It seemed as if he had left her there to die.
Jessie had attempted to break free of her bounds, but it was no use. She was baffled why he would leave her to starve or dehydrate (whichever came first) instead of simply killing her in the cave with his sword.
It was then that she realized that it could only mean one thing: she was bait.
"No, Barret," she said to herself, realizing the danger he was in. "Please don't come this way."
She suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching. They were not Barret's. She knew right away whom it was.
Then, a shadow appeared over her, and knelt down.
Jessie slowly turned her head.
Sephiroth gave her one spiteful look.
Then he raised his arm.
And then, nothing.
LATER...
Zack sat alone, outside the gate to Ah-Ma. It was two in the afternoon, but it felt like the evening. After all he had been through, he was left with another ambiguous lead. He was facing north, and staring at the mountain wall. He could faintly see the mouth of the Emerald Cave. The mountain wall curved in both directions, and could be seen whether he looked west or east as well.
There are ruins nearby, he thought. But who to tell this to? Everybody's given up.
He then looked upward.
"'The sky frightens me,'" he muttered to himself, recalling what had been said to him years ago.
My life would have been completely different if it wasn't for that son of a bitch. I'd love to see his blood spilled.
Zack cracked his knuckles.
They've all resigned themselves to staying here for the rest of their lives. Fuck it, I can do this myself. I've cut several heads off in one blow.
And then, he heard footsteps.
He turned around.
Vincent, Barret, Cait Sith, and Red XIII were approaching him.
Zack looked at them in surprise.
Have they hatched a plan for a return trip?
"So Zack," Vincent began. "It looks like you have something you wish to say to us."
"Huh?" Zack asked in confusion.
News to me.
"It sounds like you've found something," Vincent inquired.
"I haven't found anything," Zack dismissed.
"That ain't what we heard," Barret retorted.
"It looks like you've been told there are ruins to the south," Cait Sith. "And you didn't even tell us?"
"Who told you all this?" Zack inquired.
"Why, me, of course!" Yuffie announced as she approached the five.
I knew she wouldn't keep her mouth shut.
"It's just another lead," Zack insisted.
"A lead is better than nothing," Vincent continued.
"In any event," Cait Sith said, "we can't stay here. It's dangerous."
"Dangerous?" Zack inquired. "What do you mean?"
"Haven't you been feeling forgetful lately?" the cat asked.
"Come to think of it, I have," Zack admitted.
"These people seem forgetful," Red XIII began. "Back at the Homestead, I was told that anyone who gets too close to the Great Father loses some memories. I think it's safe to say that we're close."
"But I thought we all decided that Sephiroth didn't get down here," Zack said. "Didn't we all decide that he couldn't have gotten past the Storm Belt?"
Barret, Red XIII, Yuffie, Cait Sith, and Vincent all looked at Zack.
"I've been thinking about it," Red XIII began. "Perhaps that's...not the only way down here."
"How else could he have gotten down here?" Zack inquired.
"I dunno," Barret replied. "Somethin' we haven't seen yet."
Zack faced each of his comrades.
So everyone's game. It looks like we can do this.
"So we're all going to agree to go the ruins?" he finally asked.
"We're all game if you are," Cait Sith replied.
"But then we're at risk of losing our memories," Zack warned.
"If we're really stuck here forever," Red XIII retorted, "what have we got to lose?"
"I won't be affected," Cait Sith pointed out. "I haven't forgotten a thing! Technically, I'm not even here!"
So if we all loose our memories, Cait Sith can save us all. Okay, I'm game.
"Alright," Zack said. "Let's mosey."
Everyone gave Zack an annoyed look. They stared at him as if he had twenty heads.
"Not again!" Barret muttered.
Did I say that before? I'm a hundred and ten percent certain I didn't.
"Fine," Zack relented. "Let's get our asses to the ruins!"