I do not own FFVII characters – though I wish I did. lol
I do own my own character – Jalyne and other originals.
Chapter 67- The Request
They returned to the President's offices with no further interruptions or attacks. The Turks sat around the office looking at the various research that was acquired in the lab. The queens of Litrandan helped, providing translations when needed and looked through some of the more obscure texts that they found in the library.
Jalyne stood at the window overlooking Midgar, deep in thought. Her mind was rapidly processing the scenes she witnessed when obtaining the Rune of Night. Why was it here on Gaia? Or more importantly, how. She assumed her mother had a hand in bringing it here, but what stumped her was the theory that it was on Haetri – Azarian's domain. The images she saw didn't make sense to her and something wasn't right.
She reached into her jacket pocket, withdrawing the rune and ran it through her fingers, feeling the power of it, though most of its ability was in her staff. The others were still at her apartment, hidden within the pages of the other Books. Her eyes lifted to the night sky in wonder and confusion.
The white-haired empress looked outward to the city of Mako, a sinking feeling encroaching upon her. Jalyne could see her eyes' reflection within the glass and sighed, lightly shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Her coronation was in less than three days. Taking a coms out of her pocket, she glanced over her shoulder to the others who were deep within various pages of books. Tossing the coms into the air – she outreached to the twins without considering asking the President.
They came into view, each turning around at the signal. There was activity in the background and Jalyne double checked the coordinates on the coms – it was the palace.
"Your Highness." Tybyrn grinned at her.
My Lady! Cyferia exclaimed.
Jalyne could feel the eyes on her back and inwardly sighed but silently grinned. Solaria and Staerlyia rose to accompany her at the holograph while the other stayed seated and listened.
"How are things?" Jalyne asked quietly with her muted tone.
Hectic, Jalyne. Ty admitted. The whole damn empire wants to be present for your coronation.
"The palace won't hold that many." The empress whispered wryly.
It's not at the palace, Jalyne. Cyferia commented with her hair bouncing and hands on her hips. She gazed at Sol before smirking. You didn't tell her! the spunky twin accused.
"It's at the Temple." Sol stated.
Jalyne slowly turned to the sisters incredulously and with a sidelong glance though remained silent. "The Temple still can't hold the entirety of the empire." She said lightly. There was commotion in the background with two figures flittering about. Suddenly, a face appeared causing Jalyne and the sisters to take a step back in shock.
You need to expand this! she shouted at the twins. We want to see her!
Hold on, Hold on! Ty retorted grabbing the coms. The transmission blinked several times as he adjusted it to give a greater area. Once in place, Jalyne gasped at what she saw and heard Staer chuckle.
"Nier!" Jalyne stated in wonder.
There she is! There she is! the lady shouted. Look Darchka! Soruumadae! She flittered about, her wings outstretched behind her before settling in front of the camera. This caught the Turks and the President's attention of which they stood to come closer.
Calm down, Velota! the other commented sternly. Before you scare the Empress half to death!
I'm sorry, Your Highness. Another came into view. This one was a strange being, her cap looking much like a mushroom and she was small, lankly with a skin like wooden bark. Please forgive LarKinae. She is excitable.
Of course I am! She is really alive!
We would hope that we are welcome. Darchka asked, coming into view with the twins. I know relations haven't been good between us and Trerran of late.
Jalyne nodded curtly at the Fae. "Yes, you are welcome in my home, Velots." Her eyes bunched a bit. "It has been too long since I visited Nier. All is well I would hope."
Passable, Empress. Soruumadae stated. The transmission flickered.
Reno came behind Jalyne, sliding an arm around her as Rude stood behind the sisters looking curiously at the sporadic transmission. The Empress turned to the President, silently asking permission of which he nodded lightly.
By the gods! LarKinae shrieked again. The Lord Consort!
The twins sighed in concert but with a light grin. See what we're dealing with, Jalyne?
"Is there somewhere private?" she questioned, nodding at all of the background bustlings. Cyferia narrowed her eyes at the empress.
You're planning something. She accused.
"She always plans something, yo." Reno retorted to the technical twin.
Our apartment is fine. Tybyrn piped up, moving through the crowd quickly with the others in tow and cutting the visual transmission on their end. She said private. He admonished the Fae.
"It's okay, Ty." Jalyne said. "I would prefer them to be present."
I still want to know what you are going to do. Cy stated.
"Something I've never tried before." Jalyne commented mysteriously. "We need to talk, privately."
They reached their apartment in the castle, closing and locking the door behind them. Jalyne looked at her party slowly before a grin crested her lips. Jalyne stepped away from the group, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"Oh boy." Rude commented.
Solaria and Staerlyia stepped back in astonishment, yet curiously. Rufus stepped in-between the group with Tseng and Elena waiting patiently on either side of them. Jalyne dipped her hands low, aura circling around them and raised her arms slowly. Opening her eyes, she glanced at Reno, who smirked at her with an expression she couldn't quite place.
The Light of the Heavens glowed with her eyes as she tapped into her power. Closing them again, she twitched both wrists and with a flash and whoosh, opened the Gate between Gaia and Trerran. This time though, Jalyne encompassed the surrounding areas of both worlds, joining them together. The white-haired empress lowered her arms as the Gate became stable and turned to the twins and the Fae.
Immediately, the Fae knelt while the twins grinned onward. Tybyrn strode forward and clasped Reno's hand in welcoming.
"My Lord." He nodded, green hair shaking lightly. "You've been taking great care of her, I see. Thank you." Tybyrn turned to the sisters and bowed. "Queens." He looked curiously at Rufus and the other Turks.
Cyferia quickly hugged Jalyne. "We're waiting for you, Jalyne." A humph behind them caught their attention as the Fae raised their eyes to the Empress.
"Disrespectful." LarKinae muttered.
"Not really, Velota." Jalyne stated coming to stand in front of the trio and taking the fae's hands for them to rise. "It is abnormal, I know. But I am different than my father." She bowed to the Velots in respect. "I would hope to be able to call you friends, and work on better arrangements between us and the Nier."
The Fae looked shocked and LarKinae's eyes turned devious. She zipped forward, lifting into the air with wings barely seen as they were flittering quickly. She circled around the group in awe and stopped in front of Reno with a bow, dropping to the ground.
"You have changed her, My Lord."
"For the better, I hope, yo." He responded with a raised eyebrow at the honorific to her increasing grin. He studied the fae in curiosity. Her pale blue skin was highlighted with red marking to match her fire-red wings and the turquoise hair was cut short, almost similar to Elena's. Reno turned to the other one and studied him. His skin was greenish with purple accents which matched his electric purple hair. Both wore attire that was armored and Reno assumed was their customary wardrobe. LarKinae suddenly reached up to touch his spikes.
"Such a wonderful color! Like flames!" she exclaimed and then turned to Staerlyia. "No offense, Your Highness."
"None taken, Fae." Staer retorted with a chuckle. "At least I'm not alone anymore."
Jalyne made the introductions quick, explaining to each side all that was going on with Gaia and what she knew was happening with the coronation.
"Wait until you meet her, Jalyne." Soruumadae commented in her quiet yet high-pitched voice.
"I'm surprised that she hasn't appeared here." The empress retorted. "It's not like she can't find me."
"I'm sure she wants to surprise you." Sol stated. "In grand fashion."
"The gods and their games." Jalyne mumbled sourly. "Three days?"
"Yep."
"Where are Frae and Dar?"
"I'm right here."
Jalyne chuckled at the fae. "I meant DarkienLyy."
"Dar is on route, along with Firhani and Bocktern." Cyferia said with a shrug. "Evidently Fir had trouble convincing Bocktern to come and Volmerc to stay." She chuckled. "We haven't heard from Fraeztka."
"Why wouldn't Bocktern come?" the white-haired Turk questioned.
Tybyrn leveled a gaze at her. "His curse, of course. He doesn't think that the people would welcome him."
"It doesn't matter what the people think about who attends. It's my party." Jalyne stubbornly stated, crossing her arms. "Will everything be ready?"
The twins shook their shoulders. "Of course." They said in unison.
"I would assume the reception is at the palace?"
"Yeah." LarK stated. "Everyone is going crazy trying to decorate it. Ughhh…It's fuchsia with reds and purples."
"It's what?" Jalyne exclaimed, looking at the twins in shock. "That needs changed and changed now. Are they trying to make me sick?"
Tybyrn laughed heartily. "I tried telling the servants that fuchsia wouldn't be a good color, they scoffed. I was in the process of tracking down Silone when you 'beeped' in."
Rufus raised a brow slightly as Jalyne gazed at him inquiringly. "Can I trouble you for a pen, Sir?" She patted her clothes. "I seem to not have one."
The President reached into his pocket, withdrawing a gold lined pen, and flicked it across the air with Jalyne snatching it while snapping her fingers, creating parchment to write upon. She scribbled something on the paper and handed it to Cyferia. The white-haired woman extended her wings, taking a feather from the lighter side with a wince and handed it to the Sybyrkian as proof with the letter.
"You called him Sir?" Larkinae stated shocked. "You're Empress! You bow to no-one!"
"I am not Empress here." Jalyne shrugged. She turned to Sol. "What were they thinking? Red and purples. And why do I think Faterian had something to do with that."
"Those were your mother's colors, Jalyne."
"Ehh. They're not mine." The empress chuckled lightly.
"A formal affair, yo?" Reno asked.
"The most formal event there is." Staerlyia stated a laugh and a smile. "Except perhaps your wedding."
"Ugggh. Glad we won't be there. I hate formal affairs, yo."
"Perhaps." Jalyne stated smoothly with a look to Rufus. "I'm not fond of them either."
"Your Highness?" Darchka raised his voice.
"Jalyne."
He blinked his eyes at her in confusion.
"Call me Jalyne. Save the formal titles to formal affairs."
"There are monsters about, Jalyne." He started hesitantly, not used to calling her by her first name. "They're vicious. Most of the Fae are holding their own but it will only be a matter of time before something serious happens."
She looked at him in thought before turning to the sisters. "This is what you were talking about, Sol."
The blonde queen nodded. "They are everywhere and more abundant than normal. In some areas, the monsters even creep into villages, towns and cities."
Jalyne looked at Rufus and the Turks in question. Reno and Rude furrowed their brow in concentration. Soruumadae walked to stand in front of Elena, raising her arms, of which she unconsciously picked her up. Rufus threw a look at the fungi lady before meeting Jalyne's eyes.
"Soruu." Jalyne warned with a sidelong glance to her fellow Turk. "Don't."
"I just wanted to see more." She responded in a squeaky voice. Elena chuckled, putting the lady on her shoulder for a better view.
"You think they are connected?" Rufus surmised with a steely look.
"It would almost seem so, don't you think, Sir?" Jalyne answered. "Litrandan, Nier, Trerran. All of the worlds have some history of the calamity in different time periods." She turned to the group. "Have we heard from Dar, Frae, or even Fyloxae on these occurrences?"
"No one's heard anything from Ractkyea since before your father went crazy. I'm not even sure if Fyloxae and Kortza will attend your coronation."
"I was trying to forget about that." Jalyne stated wryly. "It is time to restore trust within systems." Jalyne swayed on her feet. Reno wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her tiredness.
"Time to call it quits, yo." He whispered.
"You're right." Jalyne looked around at the group. "We'll see you in two nights."
Reno grasped her a little tighter and stepped back with her, not missing the misspeak. The Fae and the Twins stepped back with nods.
"You're still going to tell me how you do this, Jalyne." Tybyrn called out as she slowly closed the Gate with a nod and a wave.
She laughed lightly upon hearing his echoing voice as the Gate finished closing. "Perhaps another time, geneisine." She whispered and leaned against Reno as he led her to the couch to sit down with the others following.
They discussed some of the findings in the research for quite a long while. Each combing the pages and finding certain instances or passages that didn't make sense to the trio of foreigners, let alone to the Gaians.
Jalyne rubbed her eyes, looking at one particular page within a text. It depicted Azarian and Yelovria, however, it was not the same as what the Lord of Night had shown her. She ran her fingertips over the page, translating the words as best she could when Rufus suddenly stood, walking towards the staircase.
"Jalyne." He commanded of the empress.
Jalyne looked at Reno with a concerned look, but rose and followed the President to his quarters. He opened the door to allow her to step through, closing the door silently behind them. The blond president stood in front of Jalyne with an inquiring look.
"You said you had a request." He inched closer to her, but she stepped back a bit.
"I do." She stated bowing lightly and took a deep breath. "I would like for you and the Turks to attend the coronation."
"Will Frae be there?" He countered.
Jalyne thought for a moment, bringing a coms from her pocket. "Let's see, shall we?"
She tossed it into the air. The transmission came alive with harsh language filtering through. The Ice Queen glanced over her shoulder at them but turned her attention back to the battle. Hulking frozen figures loomed in the distance, covered in icicles and iced stalagmites. They were towersome but something looked off to Jalyne as she gazed at the images.
"Frae?" Jalyne began. "Why would the Ietradanks attack? You've been peaceful with them for years."
I don't know. Fraeztka responded brandishing her battle axe. Something doesn't feel right.
Iecinkt ran forward, growling and baring fangs at the leader. The pup leapt upward to attach the appendage of the leader. It struck with another, knocking the wolf back with a crash and whine. He got up slowly, shaking snow from his fur.
"Frae? Link?"
Nakta! The queen stated swinging the axe in with full strength and running to the leader. Farka tuk!
"Nowkt!" Jalyne reinterated. "Yu Empraks comdak ek!"
Frae suddenly stopped and turned to her empress with a light nod to Rufus. Her violet crystal eyes narrowed at Jalyne but she bowed to her empress as snow drifted downward. Her guard lashed outward at the oncoming giant as Frae paused and stood straight.
Jalyne stared at the frozen queen, looking intently at the transmission. Rufus came to stand behind her. The empress outreached a hand to the transmission of which Frae accepted. The telepathic link established, Jalyne shifted lightly as Fraeztka turned around to face the leader of the Ietradanks. She took a deep breath and Rufus unconsciously wrapped an arm around her to steady her. The image of the empress materialized next to the Queen, stopping the leader of Ietradanks.
"Vaikt!" Jalyne called outward to the leader. "Vakta ek thuk?"
He shook his head violently but stopped. "Trakta ek violk!" He advanced to the queen, but she held her ground, raising her axe in defense. The ice giant raised a finger to her. "Sheloc ek Ietra!"
Jalyne held calmly, wavering in the telepathic image, considering the giant's words. "Fraezkta? Truktha werks ek sokta?"
"Nakta!" the queen exclaimed.
Jalyne studied the giant, moving to be in front of him. He swiped outward through the illusion. "Yuk ralkta nak!"
The empress sighed as the illusion dissipated but recreated it quickly to hover once again. She called her staff to her, holding it lightly in her right hand and looked over her shoulder at the president. "I thought this would be a little easier."
No such luck. Frae's thought came through. Ideas?
Jalyne moved forward, the snow filtering through the transmission and lightly fell to the ground. She looked up at the giant in thought.
"Yuk deftka Empraks?" The white-haired royal questioned. "Yuk akkatka heptka muk?"
The huge being stared at her blankly before dropping to his knees in front of her. "Muk felka defuuk."
Jalyne turned to Frae with question. "Why would that be, Frae?" she whispered.
"I don't know but there is something off with him."
Jalyne turned to the giant who was kneeling in front of her, tapping his mind gently and found the disturbance within him. Laying a hand on the hulking figure, Jalyne concentrated, furrowing her brows. "I need your help, Frae." She stated quietly.
"Jalyne? What are you going to do?"
"Give you a bit of power." She struggled to say, swaying lightly as Rufus grounded her, gripping her tighter. The close contact was quite distracting. "Cast extract." Jalyne grounded out.
"Wha-?"
"He's being controlled." Jalyne said, frustration becoming evident in her voice. "There's something there. It's a shadow of some sort."
Fraeztka did as she was asked, casting the spell quickly. An inky darkness flowed outward from the giant moving quickly towards the queen.
"Light!" Jalyne commanded, breathing heavy.
Frae flittered her wrist, calling a spotlight from the guards on the darkness. It gave a high pitched screech and dissipated but not without Jalyne catching its flittering form. She released Fraeztka from the telepathic link and gazed at her through the coms, straightening up to stand tall.
"What was that?" Frae asked confused.
"I'm not sure, Frae." Jalyne conceded. "I would advise that while you are gone, that your soldiers watch out for other instances. There seems to be a rash of fiends coming about."
"While I'm gone, huh?"
"You were planning on attending, were you not?" Jalyne smiled at her friend.
Fraeztka shrugged in jest at the empress. "Of course. I was on my way when I got sidetracked." She chuckled. "I should be able to get there tomorrow." The queen of ice gazed at the president. "Will you be there, My Lord?"
"That has yet to be decided." The blonde president conceded.
"I would hope to see you again, My Lord." Frae iterated.
"I will be there within two nights, Frae." Jalyne continued.
"We'll be waiting." Fraeztka smiled with a nod and severed the transmission.
Jalyne sighed lightly and trembled, hopefully escaping Rufus's notice. She was putting out fires everywhere. Where was the connection? Was it all of her mother's doing? Or was Azarian throwing his hat in the ring, too? She raised a shaky hand to her temple. Jalyne was exhausted. The stunt she pulled a couple of hours ago drained her more than she cared to admit.
She looked through her fingers, suddenly remembering where she was and thinking of the situation at hand. The white-haired Turk turned to her superior to address her request.
He pulled her around, laying his lips upon hers in a loving and dominant kiss. Rufus grabbed her around her hips, pulling her closer as a leg lifted around his hips. He would have her, even if only for one last time. He wanted this Empress, as power begets power. Wetness upon his cheeks stopped the blond president and he pulled back to gaze at the woman before him.
Reno stood quickly, clenching his fists at his side and growling deeply, much to the astonishment of the others. The queens looked inquiringly at the Lord, wondering what set the flame ablaze. Rude stood with his partner, looking onward towards the steps. Elena was wide-eyed in shock at her partner though Tseng remained impassive in his expression.
Reno visibly relaxed and resumed his non-chalantly normal stance. The red-head sighed and sat back down, running a hand through his spikes. Everything they worked for was in the balance. He could feel Jalyne through the Forge. She did the one thing he was always afraid she wouldn't be able to do.
She resisted the President.