Chapter 2
The Contact
"Twelve-times-three equals?" Shera said softly.
"Thirty-six!" Fionn called from the half-circle before the woman. The scraping sound of chalk across the chalkboard squeaked through the room as Shera wrote the answer.
"Good, Fionn! Miri, twelve-times-four?" She continued.
"Forty-eight." Miri answered.
"Good job!" The chalkboard squeaked again. "Kiku, twelve-times-five?"
Kiku tilted her head and raised her hands, flashing all ten fingers six times. Shera hid a sigh and smiled.
"Sixty, that's right!" The girl hadn't spoken a peep since her little home school classes began a few weeks ago. It worried everyone, Shera knew, and she hoped that soon they would have a breakthrough moment. Today obviously would not be that day.
She continued through the students, each of the twenty from families whom had joined the cause, or simply sought a safe place for their children until the war with Rufus was over.
"Okay kids, that's enough for today. I'll see you tomorrow. Good job everyone, and please remember your reading tonight!" Shera called as the children filed out of the little cottage.
.
Kiku stood outside Shera's cottage, waving goodbye to the others passing by as she waited for Miri and Fionn to join her. It was always the same, every day: go to Aunt Sassi's house, walk with Miri and Fionn to school, then walk with them to the courtyard where Uncle Yazoo or another instructor would be waiting. They would learn new moves, drill their katas, and occasionally spar with each other. Kiku didn't like that part... It was really hard to keep from getting involved if another student seemed to have an advantage over her charges.
Learning to function as a separate entity while at the same time living as one with her Cetra was exhausting, and the little Guardian often wondered how her mother managed to function when so much of this strange new world repeatedly proved a threat to Aunt Sassi. It was better here, within the Capitol, but only just. At least every snapping twig or rustling of leaves didn't make her feel like her bones would jump right out of her skin.
"I wonder if Uncle Yazoo will let me take my test today?" Fionn cut into her thoughts, and Miri's snort made her smile.
"Fionn, he's told you a lot that you have to train hard for a lot of weeks before you're ready to move up to the next belt."
"Yeah but I can still ask!" He said.
"He won't say yes." Kiku said quietly. "Mommy says it's too important to learn to protect ourselves for us to cut corners."
"Did you actually ask her?" Miri asked, eyes wide. Kiku shook her head.
"I asked Daddy. They talked about it at dinner."
Miri sighed. She knew her friend's pain, she felt it clearly and she new Fionn did too.
Kiku had taken life. She killed the man who was going to hurt them. Miri and Fionn both were grateful. Who knows the horrors they'd have experienced if Kiku hadn't bonded with them that night? If she hadn't protected them the whole time they were lost in the forest?
Still, Kiku was raised in their mothers' faith, and to take life was the biggest rule to break. Kiku was afraid – terrified – that her mother would be angry with her for it, and Miri couldn't say she wouldn't. And so she watched as her friend withdrew into herself, refusing to speak to anyone save herself, Fionn, and Uncle Kadaj. Sometimes she would talk to Uncle Yazoo – a simple yes or no if she absolutely had to, but that was it.
"Hello, my little warriors!" Sytherea called as they entered the courtyard. Yazoo stood not far off, but it appeared he wouldn't be staying to teach them today, as he was huddled in conversation with Vincent, Kadaj, Harmony, and Sassi.
"Hello, Aunt Sy!" Fionn shouted excitedly. "Are we going to train with dragons today?! That's so cool! I can't wait to-"
"Whoa, whoa, put the brakes on kiddo." Sytherea laughed. "I don't think any of you are ready for that yet. In fact, today we're just going to be reviewing what you've learned over the last couple of weeks."
"Aunt Hari, are you going somewhere?" Miri asked as the group approached.
"I was actually going to talk to you guys about that." The Guardian said. She knelt down, taking one of Kiku's hands in her own. "Your daddy and I have a mission outside today." She started. "Uncle Vincent and Uncle Yazoo are coming with us."
Kiku tilted her head and nodded her understanding, and a simple blink seemed to get her question across for Harmony smiled softly. "You're going to stay with Aunt Sassi for a few nights. Is that okay?"
Kiku nodded.
"Do you want me to bring you a treat when I come back?"
She shrugged, then nodded again
Harmony sighed and ruffled the girl's hair. "Alright. Aunt Sy will take you by the house and help you get your things, then she'll walk you to Aunt Sassi's. Kadaj! Come say goodbye to you daughter!"
Said Remnant wandered over, crossing his arms and staring down at the children with mock stoicism. "I expect to hear that you've dropped every other student on their asses while we've been gone." He said. He flinched when Harmony elbowed him, and Kiku giggled, nodding emphatically. He gripped her shoulder and hauled her to his side, patting her back in a half-hug.
"Bye, Uncle Kadaj! Kick some ass!" Fionn shouted.
"Fionn Miyake, you are not allowed to say that word!" Sassi's voice broke in, and the horrified look on the boy's face had the whole group laughing.
"Sorry, Mommy!" He said. Sassi cast a stern look his was as she approached and held a folded piece of paper for Harmony to take.
"I need some things for class, and last time I had Cid do it, he brought the wrong stuff. If you have time...?"
"Of course." Harmony nodded. "How was Rowan today?"
"Perfect." Sassi answered. "There's something about that girl... I don't know what yet, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it."
Harmony chuckled. "If I can help at all, let me know."
! #$%^&*()
Harmony waved a final time to the Cetra standing within the large white tree that marked the entrance to their sanctuary. She hated leaving her behind, but they both knew she was much safer within the Capitol, where their enemies couldn't get to here no matter how hard they tried. She had important work there, too – teaching and training new witches in this world would grant Gaia's request to bring magic, real magic, back to her children.
Loz would remain behind as well; there was no one Harmony trusted as much as Loz to protect Sassi with the same devotion that she would.
Kiku would be safe, too. And happy that her charges were comfortable and relaxed, rather than anxious that one of their parents were gone. It stung Kadaj that she'd have been more upset at that than she appeared to be that both of her parents were on a potentially dangerous mission, but he tried to be as understanding as Harmony was. Kiku was bonded with Fionn and Miri, and the little Guardian couldn't change that dynamic any more than Harmony could with Sassi.
"Everyone ready then?" Yazoo asked from behind her, and Harmony turned.
"Yeah. I've been dying to kick some ass for weeks." Kadaj answered before she could speak, and she rolled her eyes with a bemused chuckle.
"Because kicking mine is so disappointing." She drawled. Kadaj smirked.
"You've beaten me a few times now. Don't sell yourself short. And don't lie: You want to let loose, too." He said.
The group slipped down the path beyond the treeline. Cid was waiting just outside Bone Village to take them to Coral, where they would slip into the Gold Saucer and hopefully rendezvous with their contact. Normally Harmony wouldn't accompany the team, preferring to stay behind and teach and prepare potions containing spells that their teams could use n- things that materia couldn't do for people who could not or did not desire to learn magic.
However, as crowded as the Gold Saucer was, Vincent had asked that she join them to offer her invisibility glamour. Where that offered her loved ones less risk of discovery, she agreed.
It didn't hurt that she'd always wanted to see the Gold Saucer, after hearing so many speak of its wonders.
"Cid will put us down in the plains outside of Coral. From there you will deploy your glamour and a contact will board the tram. We will follow out of sight, and remain hidden until we meet with our main contact in the Ghost Hotel." Vincent said to her. "You may drop your glamour then, and while we speak you may rest."
"I should be okay. Glamours aren't as-" She started, but Kadaj cut her off.
"You'll rest. We can't afford to have you so exhausted that you can't fight, if this goes wrong. This contact has information on where Rufus is hiding, and if I know that little shit, he probably knows he's got a leak. We could be walking into a trap, for all we know."
Harmony's mood soured instantly at hearing the name. She still didn't know how he'd managed to hide his intentions from Sassi, or herself, or even Sephiroth. Sensing intent was something both Guardians had realized, when it came to keeping their Cetra safe... How had Rufus managed to disguise his plans from Guardian senses?
"Because he's a soulless sociopath." She muttered.
"You're talking to yourself." Kadaj said, but she brushed off the playful dig.
"Let's pick up the pace." Yazoo said. "The quicker we get to the bikes, the better."
! #$%^&*()
Floorboards creaked with just the thought of footsteps. The walls moaned eerily with every breath inside dusty rooms. The cuckoo clock behind the desk chirped, and it made the blonde jump. Every sound, every move set paranoid nerves aflame. The dark haired 'contact' waited upstairs in his room – the blonde would join him as soon as the four Avalanche members arrived.
The knowledge that perfect awareness would be needed blared behind blue eyes – If the Witch was with them, they would enter the hotel beyond physical sight, so other senses would have to be impossibly stretched.
Footsteps with no feet to make them. Rustling curtains with no breeze to make them dance. The smell of magic and soil – well remembered was scent of the Forgotten City, so rich and alive when the youngest Remnant had leaned in close, whispering his mad plans and threatening damning destruction.
Thoughts of long black hair and pale skin invaded, the soul at the blonde's core clenching with anger at Tseng's betrayal blasting through the senses like a canon ball.
Vengeance? No. That was not what was desired. This went beyond that, and Avalanche was the only way to find the deserter and remind him of whom he swore his loyalties belonged.
! #$%^&*()
The glamour held strong, four warriors stepping off of the tram and into the loud, glittering foyer of the Gold Saucer. Harmony had hoped to enjoy this spectacle, but found she was too anxious to really take it in. Her glamours were the reason she was here – she couldn't let her teammates down by becoming so enamored that they dropped.
She followed Kadaj, at the end of the short line, focusing on the low hum and swirling shadows of the world between life and the void. She dared not even speak lest she give them away. She watched as one at a time, the three before her slipped into a large opening above which was labeled 'Ghost'. It was a slide, she realized, and almost let the glamour slip when the speed of her descent stole her breath.
"Are you okay?" Kadaj whispered when she landed square on her rump, taking her arm and helping her to her feet.
"Yes." She replied just as softly, then, "You're bringing me back here when this is all over."
He only smiled, his features obscured by the shadowy mist of the in-between.
They fell into line again, Harmony absolutely tickled at the ambiance around her. Headstones marked the entrances to what she assumed were more slides or elevators to different levels, and before them rose a towering mansion that looked like it had jumped right out of the pages of a horror novel.
The thought that they may be walking into a nightmare dashed her enchantment away. What if this contact had been followed? What if he was actually against them, and had led them into a trap?
They made their way up the stairs and to a nondescript door. Vincent knocked softly, and Harmony could only pray that her fears were invalid.