--Chapter 1: The First Meeting--
The sun was just about to set, its golden light sending her own elongated shadow across the steps of the entrance. Wiping the sheen of sweat of her brow, Ifalna's eyes were at once attracted to the immense bonfire that filled the entire area with light. Tiny embers floated up into the already midnight blue sky, shining like red stars.
"Miss, are you looking for something?" A man's voice asked, penetrating Ifalna's thoughts.
Turning, her large hazel eyes wide and questioning, Ifalna replied softly, "Yeah. Is there an inn anywhere nearby?"
The speaker, a lean, sun-darkened man, smiled, his bright white teeth making a startling contrast, and nodded. "Yes ma'am. See that building there?" He questioned her, pointing to a small, but inviting building. "That's the bar, as well as the inn."
Ifalna smiled, thanking the man, and proceeded towards the inn. For a moment, she stopped at the flame, wondering what it was for, or what it symbolized. A child walked up to her, and spoke, as if he had read her mind.
"That's the Cosmo Candle. It protects our home, Cosmo Canyon. It hasn't ever gone out.. Except for one time.."
"When did it go out?" Ifalna asked, curious.
The child scratched his forehead, in thought. "I dunno. You'd hafta ask the elder. He's in the bar. Momma says I can't bug him with questions, but I just hafta know some things.." Ifalna laughed, patted the child on the head, and she entered the building that the inn and bar both occupied.
"I'm telling you, Henry," Ifalna heard as she entered, "What I've started and done was wrong. This whole Jenova Project is wrong! I have to stop it, or leave. So many horrible.." The man speaking started to speak more softly.
Ifalna climbed the wooden stairs, which creaked loudly, and stood at the counter, waiting for the clerk to finish writing something down. When the woman look up, she was apparently startled, but covered it with a bright smile.
"Welcome to Cosmo Canyon's Shildra Inn! It's 100 gil a night. Will you be staying here, ma'am?" she said in a friendly voice.
Ifalna resisted the urge to scream that she wasn't forty years old. I hate being called ma'am. I'm only twenty-four for crying out loud. "Yes, in a single room."
"Yes ma'am. Here's the key," she handed Ifalna a copper key on a key ring with the room number engraved on it. "And you also have access to the bar, as well as free drinks, since your staying the night."
"Thank you." Going into her small room, Ifalna changed her traveling shorts and light colored tank top for some cut-off khaki shorts and dark blue tank top. Taking her waist length, nut brown hair out of the braid it was in, she brushed it and rebraided it. Checking her bracelet, she made sure her materia was still in. It was. She then washed face and brushed her teeth in the bathroom. Satisfied with her appearance, Ifalna went down to the bar, and ordered a shot of tequila.
"All alone tonight?" The bartender asked, wiping down the counter with a white rag.
"Yeah. I've been alone for quite a while now.." She murmured, downing the shot with a quick flick of her wrist. Ifalna set down the shot glass, shrugging. "It just happens in life."
"Are you from that village in the Frog Forest that was destroyed?" He asked, guessing by her accent.
Ifalna nodded. Had it already been two years since everyone she had known and loved had died? It couldn't have been such a long time. Sometimes she forgot they were even gone.. "Yup. All my family died in that flood. Why? You have someone you know die there, too?" She asked, trying to take the subject off of herself.
"Listen to me, Michael. If you don't think it's an Ancient now, then why did you then?" The man from earlier, Henry, asked the other, Michael. They sat at a table across the small room, their voices rising and lowering.
Ancients. The Cetra. My people. What are they talking about? Ifalna took the refilled shot glass and downed it, pushing it away, and straining to hear what the two men were speaking of.
"There were those images on the walls. Murals, more like it. And the symbols were like those of the Temple on the island near Mideel. It just seemed right... I don't know." The man, Michael, ran his fingers through his short, dark brown hair, and then pushed up his thin-rimmed glasses unconsciously. "I just can't be a part of it any longer. Hojo has done some horrible things to the child already. Lucrecia disappeared, as well as that Turk all that time ago.."
"You think there's foul play involved?"
"Yes. That Hojo is insane. He wants the child all to himself. Whenever I try to give the child the proper attention he needs.. It's been like this for seven years.."
"But, why do you now think that it wasn't an Ancient?" Henry pressed.
Ifalna looked over, wanting to know what they were speaking of. Trying to be discreet, she studied the man, Michael. He was tall, when standing, and well built. Most likely in his late twenties, more preferably in his early thirties. Dark brown hair, thin lens glasses, and the most intelligent green eyes she had ever seen. Michael was not a handsome man, but something in his face made you look at him. What do you know of the Cetra?
"I just don't think it is. That chamber.. Something about it wasn't right. I'm planning to go north, to that city.."
Ifalna stood, and walked over to the two men, waiting for them to acknowledge her. Michael was seated so his back was to her, and Henry as at his side. It was Henry that noticed her first.
"Can I help you?" He asked, after clearing his throat.
Michael turned halfway in his seat, studying Ifalna. A young woman, mid-twenties, thick nut brown hair, large, almond shaped hazel eyes, average height, and rather pretty, in an almost aristocratic way. Did she hear? What does she want?
"I heard..," she started, blushing under the two men's intense gazes. "I heard you talking about the Cetra?"
Michael stiffened, but Henry nodded. "We were. Do you know something of the Cetra, since you know their proper name?"
Michael stared at Ifalna. Something about her seemed... Seemed different. "What would she know?" he said slowly.
Ifalna's mouth itched to turn into a frown, and her hands on her hips. She definitely knew more than both of those two men combined! "I know a little bit." she snapped, slipping in that little white lie. Well, then, a few more. "My parents told me things they had heard.. I want to study them. So, I heard your conversation, and was interested."
Michael turn back to face Henry. "I'll talk to her, Henry," he sighed. "You said you had to leave at eight o'clock anyway. It's eight-thirty."
Henry looked down at his watch and nodded. "Yep. Clarice'll be hopping mad.. Bye, Michael. I hope you can sort things out." He nodded politely to Ifalna and left, leaving Michael and her together.
"Look, let's go outside or something, and we can talk. Is that okay, Miss..?"
Ifalna hesitated. The Planet.. She could hear it so clearly here. It was crying softly, the wound up north never healed causing it constant distress. "Ifalna Rausch."
"Well, Ifalna, come. We can talk about the Cetra."
So, Ifalna followed Michael out of the bar. They went to sit around the Cosmo Candle. Michael was the first person to speak.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Professor Michael Gast of Shinra's Science Department."
Ifalna stared at him, her mouth open wide, blinking her several seconds. Professor Gast of the Shinra! He was known all over the world for his scientific achievements. Her father had once commented on his research on the Cetra... "Oh. Well, hello."
Gast had been watching her intently, waiting for her response. And once he had it, he laughed. "Don't look a scientist, do I? No funny white lab coat and pocket protectors here."
Ifalna smiled, feeling at ease. "So, what are you doing out of a lab?"
"Well, I had to get away from what I'm doing.. But, that's not the point. Ifalna, have you ever heard of the City of the Ancients?"
"Yes. I was born there."
"You were? How did this come to be?" Gast asked, not truly believing. He knew of the enchanted forest surrounding the City. It was hard to even get into the forest, let alone the city.
"I have no idea, " Ifalna lied. She couldn't just go around yelling out that she was a Cetra. The knowledge that the Shinra company searching for the remaining Cetra was bad enough. Plus, this man was an employee.
"How odd," Gast replied. He watched Ifalna from the corner of his eye. She must think I'm some absent-minded professor.. She knows why. But, why is she not telling? Maybe she knows the whereabouts of some living Ancients.. I need to keep her close. "I'm heading to the City of the Ancients within the week, would you like to come, since you're interested in the Cetra?"
Ifalna lowered her eyes, deep in thought. She felt deep inside that she could trust this man. The strange feeling she had about going with him settled in-between her shoulder blades, itching uncomfortably. Him not knowing that she was Cetra was going to be compromised inevitably. But, Ifalna felt as if it was the right thing to do. She had nowhere to go anyway. There were no Cetra left. She was the last.
"I'd love to, as long as I'm not a burden."
"Oh, you won't be. And, the Shinra company will take care of you."
Ifalna nodded. Somehow, that didn't make the uncomfortable feeling go away. It itched even worse.