For those reading this on Fanfiction.net: I'm sorry about the formatting
issues. FF.Net is being a pain about .doc files, which I save in. . OI.
Chapter 12: Obsidian Skies
The sun in Truce was so very pleasant that warm spring day. The young woman strolled through, watching the skies. Her brown, curly hair was streaked with blue. Two triangular brown fur patches ran up her cheeks, and her ears where brown, and soft, and like those of a cat. A brown tail protruded from the back of her blue and purple gown. At the collarbone of the gown was a green jewel. The outfit was trimmed in gold. Behind her, a very solemn boy followed. He had long curly brown hair, and brown and blue clothing with a little gold trim. He wore an eyepatch with a small kitty on it, and his remaining eye was golden in color. He followed the woman at a brisk pace. "Mother, are you certain that it's good to be out again after that... Er... Incident?" The boy asked. The woman turned. "Oh, anyone who can't use magic properly can blow up a tree! I'm working on it!" She said. The boy didn't look impressed. "....But one in the forest that Fiona woman saved?" The boy tilted his head to one side. ".....Hush." She said. The boy shrugged. "If you say so, Mother." The boy responded. "...Can we go to Market, Mother? I'm hungry." "Why don't you go by yourself? I think your old enough." The woman said. She put some money in his hand. The boy nodded. "Thank you, Mother!" He said, walking off. The woman watched the boy walk off, scratching the back of her head. "The way he carries himself, you'd think he were royalty or something." She mumbled.
Rei finally got out of Lucca's house and pranced into Truce. She'd never seen much since they came to 1000AD. She wanted to see what the future was like. Rei was walking around when she bumped into the woman. "Oof! Sorry, lady!" The woman said. Rei rubbed the back of her head. "No, quite alright! Wasn't watching where I was going! ...Nice ears, what's your name?" Rei asked. The woman blinked and flicked one of her ears. "Serra. You?" She said, curtsying. "Reiketsu. I'm guessing you had a bad run-in with a wizard or something?" Rei asked, tilting her head to one side. "What? No, I.. Had a spell backfire. Heh heh heh." Serra said, rubbing the back of her head. Rei shrugged. "Well, it's not a bad look." Rei said calmly. "Really?" Serra blinked. Rei nodded. Serra looked around. "Well, my son is somewhere around here..." Serra said, glancing around. "Son?" Rei blinked. Serra turned red. "Well... Not technically I suppose. I found him ten years ago as an infant after summoning a golem. I raised him, so I'm just like his mother." Serra said, sweatdropping. Rei nodded, understanding perfectly. "Then that's all that matters." She said, smirking. Serra blinked. "What do you mean?" Serra asked. "Sure, you can be family by blood, but it takes the spirit to be a real family." Rei said softly. Serra smiled. "Your right." Serra smiled. Suddenly, the wind began picking up. Both women looked up in alarm as the sky turned black; and the air grew colder. Rapidly. Icy snowflakes seemed to start falling. Suddenly, the boy ran up to Serra and hugged her legs. "Motheeer! What's going on!?" He asked in fear. Serra shook her head. "I don't know! But it looks like something really bad!" Serra replied. Rei watched the child bury his face in his mother, and shook off the feeling of familiarity, and closed her eyes, shutting out all sound mentally except for that of the wind.
And she listened.
Reiketsu sat with her frogs in the mudhole and was feeding them when a hooded man approached and looked down. ".....Hello." He said. His voice was raspy, and low. Rei looked up merrily. "Hi!" She said, smiling. "What's your name?" "You.. May call me Sugam." He replied calmly. "I am seeking... A book of spells." "Spell books? We have alot of those in Zale!" Rei said happily. Sugam nodded. Rei got run, ran over, and took his hand, and began leading him to Zale. Sugam was silent most of the way, then spoke. "Have you ever listened to the melody of the wind, child?" He asked. Rei looked up. "No, I don't know how. I wish I could, because Doreen says the night has the most beautiful symphony." Rei said. Sugam nodded again. "You'll want to look in the library for spellbooks, but, careful noone sees you. Strangers don't usually get in unless we're having the Festival." Rei said. Sugam nodded. "I merely seek a way to enhance my Shadow abilities." Sugam said calmly. Rei smiled. "Then you must really want the most powerful stuff! Only the Elders know that, except..." Rei looked down. "I overheard them casting the barrier spell once. That's a powerful one." ".....I see." Sugam looked at the girl again. She was so naive. "A trade, then... I shall teach you how to listen to the wind.. And you shall teach me the barrier spell." Sugam said calmly. Rei nodded. "OK!"
Several weeks later, Sugam stood utop a hill near Zale. He was listening. Suddenly Rei ran up behind him. "Sagum! I'm here! And I brought the paper with the Inochimyouga spell on it!" Rei said, smiling. "I came alone, just like you said!" Sugam turned to the girl and took the offered paper, read it, and put it away. "Good." Sugam said. He stared. "The art of listening to the wind is something your ancestors held with high regard. It can tell you the present, or if one is close to death. It can tell you of danger, and where your enemy lies. It can sing, or bring news of what is happening. It is not easy and you must practice, and be willing to learn and do so. If you are not, leave now so you do not waste my time, young one." Rei looked up at Sugam with a determined expression. "I want to learn to listen to the wind." Rei said firmly. Sagum smirked behind the hood. "....Good. Clear your mind of all thought, listen to nothing but the spirits of the wind." Sugam said. Rei closed her eyes and focused. Sugam watched her. She did certainly maintain her determination. Good. "What do you hear?" Sugam asked. "I hear.. The wind. Something's gonna happen, but I don't know what." Rei said meekly. Sugam listened to see how accurate she was. Fairly accurate. The wind spoke, and it spoke of danger. It was a healthy start. "I found that book, Sugam!" Rei said, excitedly suddenly. Sugam nodded and took her hand. "Lead me to it." He said quietly. Rei lead him into the village, and to the very back of the library. She pulled out an old book with a Seal. The Seal of Zeal. Sugam took it. "Yes... This is it. Wait outside. The matters of this book and I do not concern you, child." Sugam said calmly. Rei nodded and ran to watch for people. Sugam held a hand over the seal a minute, when it seemed like blood seeped into the lock. It opened for the first time in centuries, and the wizard began to read. After several minutes, Sugam looked up sharply. "No.. Not now..." He said irritably. Suddenly he put the book in his cloak, and ran to the door. Outside, Rei was glancing around. Sugam looked at her. "Can you hear it?! The wind is screaming!" Sugam said. Rei nodded, frightened. Sugam frowned. "Go back to your family! Now!" "What about you!?" Rei asked, nervious. "I have survived this long, and I will be fine. Now go! And do not forget to listen to the wind!"
Rei opened her eyes as soon as she heard the wind speak. "Muramasa...? What...?" Rei shook her head. Whatever it was, the wind also warned of danger. She hated to do this, but she only knew of one safe spot, and that was with the others. "Follow me, quickly!" Rei said, bolting for Lucca's. Serra followed, followed by the boy. Rei quickly arrived and opened the door, pulled Serra and the boy in, and jumped in herself. "What happened out there??" Lucca asked. "No idea! But something BAD." Rei shook her head. "REAL BAD." Frog immediately went over to Rei. "Art thee alright, M'lady?" Frog asked, concerned. Rei nodded. "I'm OK." Rei said, rubbing the back of her head. Lucca looked at Serra. "...Oh God, it's you. A spell didn't blow up again, did it?" Lucca asked annoyedly. Serra blinked. "Wha? NO!" Serra said. "I was just talking to the ol' lady here!" Serra pointed at Reiketsu. Rei blinked. "Old la...WHAT? I'm only twenty!" Rei said exasperatedly. "Silver's my natural hair color! Got it from my father!" "Sorry." Serra shrugged. Lucca looked at the boy hiding behind Rei. "And what's your name, little one?" Lucca asked, kneeling. Crono and Frog looked as well. The boy fumbled with his shirt. "Dalton." He said. "......." There was a collective silence from Rei, Frog, Lucca, and Crono. Serra shrugged. "He was such a brat when I named him! It was the only name he liked! Can't say as where I heard it, but I couldn't think of any more names then it hit me. Why not try Dalton?" She said, rubbing the back of her head. "...Out of curiosity, why does he wear an eyepatch?" Lucca asked. Serra looked down. "Dalton, go play in another room." She said softly. Dalton sulked slightly, but scurried to do so. When he had left, Serra sighed. "I adopted him, like I told Reiketsu here. When I found him, he had one. I think he was hurt with his real parents and lost it, but I don't know." Serra said. "I really don't know where he came from. I found him in some bushes near the square when I adopted him." "Why doth thou not tell us of the tale, then, m'lady?" Frog asked. Serra nodded, and sat.
Chapter 12: Obsidian Skies
The sun in Truce was so very pleasant that warm spring day. The young woman strolled through, watching the skies. Her brown, curly hair was streaked with blue. Two triangular brown fur patches ran up her cheeks, and her ears where brown, and soft, and like those of a cat. A brown tail protruded from the back of her blue and purple gown. At the collarbone of the gown was a green jewel. The outfit was trimmed in gold. Behind her, a very solemn boy followed. He had long curly brown hair, and brown and blue clothing with a little gold trim. He wore an eyepatch with a small kitty on it, and his remaining eye was golden in color. He followed the woman at a brisk pace. "Mother, are you certain that it's good to be out again after that... Er... Incident?" The boy asked. The woman turned. "Oh, anyone who can't use magic properly can blow up a tree! I'm working on it!" She said. The boy didn't look impressed. "....But one in the forest that Fiona woman saved?" The boy tilted his head to one side. ".....Hush." She said. The boy shrugged. "If you say so, Mother." The boy responded. "...Can we go to Market, Mother? I'm hungry." "Why don't you go by yourself? I think your old enough." The woman said. She put some money in his hand. The boy nodded. "Thank you, Mother!" He said, walking off. The woman watched the boy walk off, scratching the back of her head. "The way he carries himself, you'd think he were royalty or something." She mumbled.
Rei finally got out of Lucca's house and pranced into Truce. She'd never seen much since they came to 1000AD. She wanted to see what the future was like. Rei was walking around when she bumped into the woman. "Oof! Sorry, lady!" The woman said. Rei rubbed the back of her head. "No, quite alright! Wasn't watching where I was going! ...Nice ears, what's your name?" Rei asked. The woman blinked and flicked one of her ears. "Serra. You?" She said, curtsying. "Reiketsu. I'm guessing you had a bad run-in with a wizard or something?" Rei asked, tilting her head to one side. "What? No, I.. Had a spell backfire. Heh heh heh." Serra said, rubbing the back of her head. Rei shrugged. "Well, it's not a bad look." Rei said calmly. "Really?" Serra blinked. Rei nodded. Serra looked around. "Well, my son is somewhere around here..." Serra said, glancing around. "Son?" Rei blinked. Serra turned red. "Well... Not technically I suppose. I found him ten years ago as an infant after summoning a golem. I raised him, so I'm just like his mother." Serra said, sweatdropping. Rei nodded, understanding perfectly. "Then that's all that matters." She said, smirking. Serra blinked. "What do you mean?" Serra asked. "Sure, you can be family by blood, but it takes the spirit to be a real family." Rei said softly. Serra smiled. "Your right." Serra smiled. Suddenly, the wind began picking up. Both women looked up in alarm as the sky turned black; and the air grew colder. Rapidly. Icy snowflakes seemed to start falling. Suddenly, the boy ran up to Serra and hugged her legs. "Motheeer! What's going on!?" He asked in fear. Serra shook her head. "I don't know! But it looks like something really bad!" Serra replied. Rei watched the child bury his face in his mother, and shook off the feeling of familiarity, and closed her eyes, shutting out all sound mentally except for that of the wind.
And she listened.
Reiketsu sat with her frogs in the mudhole and was feeding them when a hooded man approached and looked down. ".....Hello." He said. His voice was raspy, and low. Rei looked up merrily. "Hi!" She said, smiling. "What's your name?" "You.. May call me Sugam." He replied calmly. "I am seeking... A book of spells." "Spell books? We have alot of those in Zale!" Rei said happily. Sugam nodded. Rei got run, ran over, and took his hand, and began leading him to Zale. Sugam was silent most of the way, then spoke. "Have you ever listened to the melody of the wind, child?" He asked. Rei looked up. "No, I don't know how. I wish I could, because Doreen says the night has the most beautiful symphony." Rei said. Sugam nodded again. "You'll want to look in the library for spellbooks, but, careful noone sees you. Strangers don't usually get in unless we're having the Festival." Rei said. Sugam nodded. "I merely seek a way to enhance my Shadow abilities." Sugam said calmly. Rei smiled. "Then you must really want the most powerful stuff! Only the Elders know that, except..." Rei looked down. "I overheard them casting the barrier spell once. That's a powerful one." ".....I see." Sugam looked at the girl again. She was so naive. "A trade, then... I shall teach you how to listen to the wind.. And you shall teach me the barrier spell." Sugam said calmly. Rei nodded. "OK!"
Several weeks later, Sugam stood utop a hill near Zale. He was listening. Suddenly Rei ran up behind him. "Sagum! I'm here! And I brought the paper with the Inochimyouga spell on it!" Rei said, smiling. "I came alone, just like you said!" Sugam turned to the girl and took the offered paper, read it, and put it away. "Good." Sugam said. He stared. "The art of listening to the wind is something your ancestors held with high regard. It can tell you the present, or if one is close to death. It can tell you of danger, and where your enemy lies. It can sing, or bring news of what is happening. It is not easy and you must practice, and be willing to learn and do so. If you are not, leave now so you do not waste my time, young one." Rei looked up at Sugam with a determined expression. "I want to learn to listen to the wind." Rei said firmly. Sagum smirked behind the hood. "....Good. Clear your mind of all thought, listen to nothing but the spirits of the wind." Sugam said. Rei closed her eyes and focused. Sugam watched her. She did certainly maintain her determination. Good. "What do you hear?" Sugam asked. "I hear.. The wind. Something's gonna happen, but I don't know what." Rei said meekly. Sugam listened to see how accurate she was. Fairly accurate. The wind spoke, and it spoke of danger. It was a healthy start. "I found that book, Sugam!" Rei said, excitedly suddenly. Sugam nodded and took her hand. "Lead me to it." He said quietly. Rei lead him into the village, and to the very back of the library. She pulled out an old book with a Seal. The Seal of Zeal. Sugam took it. "Yes... This is it. Wait outside. The matters of this book and I do not concern you, child." Sugam said calmly. Rei nodded and ran to watch for people. Sugam held a hand over the seal a minute, when it seemed like blood seeped into the lock. It opened for the first time in centuries, and the wizard began to read. After several minutes, Sugam looked up sharply. "No.. Not now..." He said irritably. Suddenly he put the book in his cloak, and ran to the door. Outside, Rei was glancing around. Sugam looked at her. "Can you hear it?! The wind is screaming!" Sugam said. Rei nodded, frightened. Sugam frowned. "Go back to your family! Now!" "What about you!?" Rei asked, nervious. "I have survived this long, and I will be fine. Now go! And do not forget to listen to the wind!"
Rei opened her eyes as soon as she heard the wind speak. "Muramasa...? What...?" Rei shook her head. Whatever it was, the wind also warned of danger. She hated to do this, but she only knew of one safe spot, and that was with the others. "Follow me, quickly!" Rei said, bolting for Lucca's. Serra followed, followed by the boy. Rei quickly arrived and opened the door, pulled Serra and the boy in, and jumped in herself. "What happened out there??" Lucca asked. "No idea! But something BAD." Rei shook her head. "REAL BAD." Frog immediately went over to Rei. "Art thee alright, M'lady?" Frog asked, concerned. Rei nodded. "I'm OK." Rei said, rubbing the back of her head. Lucca looked at Serra. "...Oh God, it's you. A spell didn't blow up again, did it?" Lucca asked annoyedly. Serra blinked. "Wha? NO!" Serra said. "I was just talking to the ol' lady here!" Serra pointed at Reiketsu. Rei blinked. "Old la...WHAT? I'm only twenty!" Rei said exasperatedly. "Silver's my natural hair color! Got it from my father!" "Sorry." Serra shrugged. Lucca looked at the boy hiding behind Rei. "And what's your name, little one?" Lucca asked, kneeling. Crono and Frog looked as well. The boy fumbled with his shirt. "Dalton." He said. "......." There was a collective silence from Rei, Frog, Lucca, and Crono. Serra shrugged. "He was such a brat when I named him! It was the only name he liked! Can't say as where I heard it, but I couldn't think of any more names then it hit me. Why not try Dalton?" She said, rubbing the back of her head. "...Out of curiosity, why does he wear an eyepatch?" Lucca asked. Serra looked down. "Dalton, go play in another room." She said softly. Dalton sulked slightly, but scurried to do so. When he had left, Serra sighed. "I adopted him, like I told Reiketsu here. When I found him, he had one. I think he was hurt with his real parents and lost it, but I don't know." Serra said. "I really don't know where he came from. I found him in some bushes near the square when I adopted him." "Why doth thou not tell us of the tale, then, m'lady?" Frog asked. Serra nodded, and sat.