Chapter 28
Ashes...smoking and glowing ashes covering charred and blackened bodies... That was all that remained of Mideel. A few survived, with burns and a few more with injuries. Rubble covered the lifestream well. A very tired Shiva disappeared after extinguishing the flames. The sky was showing signs of a tragic morning dawn. A small group of Mideel villagers stood, crying and gritting their teeth. Graveling and clenching their teeth in anger...no...not at Shin-Ra... but at three teenagers who had protected the town for 10 years.
Avatar had been taking a midnight walk outside town when the sudden explosions had turned the village into a blazing pandemonium. Phillona's cabin hadn't had a blast near it and neither had Trex's or Marlene's...only because the three of them used to be Gerard's friends...his only friends...
The villagers slowly grouped around the Mideel resistance group.
"HAPPY NOW!?" Screamed an angry old man, "Look around yuh, ya runts!"
"YEAH!" yelled another, "Happy YA ANGERED THEM DAMN SHIN-RA INTA BRINGING OUR HOMES DOWN!?"
Phillona swallowed, "We were only-"
"Aw shut up..." bawled another villager, "I've told ya a million times...give Shin-Ra the damn lifestream well..."
"But the well...." Marlene started, "The well..."
"The well..." roared a large farmer, "is bloody useless!"
A few more angry villagers snarled loudly, "YEAH!"
They looked around and saw the rubble, the ashes and the bodies and they only cried even more loudly, "You've killed us, Phillona! You and yer resistance..."
"HEY!" Trex cried, "GET a GRIP PEOPLE!"
"ENOUGH!" Thundered the voice of a tall man, "I'll handle this..."
The villagers calmed down one by one, each of them still aching at the thought of having lost their loved ones over protecting a lifestream well.
"Who's that?" Avatar whispered.
"He's the Village head...Shoyin..." Marlene replied, "He decides stuff around here. His father was a friend of buganhagen..."
"I hate the asshole..." Trex mumbled, "They appointed him village head yesterday and he's already poking his ugly nose into everything..."
"Well...PEOPLE of Mideel!" Shoyin started, "We have LONG ignored the fact that Shin-Ra is growing desperate for the lifestream well. And today...we have paid the price..."
He cleared his throat and shot a defiant stare at Phillona, Trex, Marlene and Avatar, "Of course...some of us...have resisted the Shin-Ra onslaught for years.... and well...everything...even the toughest -ahem- 'resistance ' has to come to an end sooner or later..."
"The daughter of Cloud Strife along with Mr.Trex...and of course...Miss. Marlene..." he continued, "have been the key reason Mideel...has never fallen under Shin-Ra all these years...they have at times earned our appreciation..."
"Appreciation, huh?" Trex muttered, "he cut the funds we used to buy weapons by 45% yesterday..."
"Unfortunately...." Shoyin continued, "They've ALSO been the reason why Mideel is in ashes now..."
"NO!" Phillona cried, "ALL my life...Mideel's well-being came first and..."
"Please miss Strife..." Shoyin interrupted, "There's no need to become emotional..."
"Whaddaya mean 'Emotional' ya bastard!" Trex shot out, "Only thing Phillona and ourselves looked out was for YOUR MIDEEL!"
"Hey..." Avatar said, placing a hand on Trex, "easy, man...shouting is not gonna get us anywhere..."
"Yeah..." Marlene said, "Avatar's right..."
"Anyway..." Shoyin started again, "There is no need for any sort of Mideel resistance anymore.... my father was foolish to fund a resistance group...and that foolishness shall end now..."
Phillona swallowed, tears starting to ebb their way out her eyes.
Shoyin cleared his throat, "Trex is one of us...and-"
"Hell, no..." Trex snapped, "Don't even think I am gonna count myself as one of ya losers..."
Shoyin was unfazed, "And Marlene really doesn't do much in these resistance activities anyway. So I shall not go as far as to ask Trex and Marlene to leave the village..."
Phillona's eyes became even more watery.
"Meaning...Miss Phillona strife...being the leader of these resistance activities..." Shoyin continued, "...should leave this town...once and for all...."
A joyful roar erupted from the surrounding villagers immediately, "YEAH!" they shouted as tears ran down Phillona's face. Marlene consoled her as Trex's protests and insults were drowned by the shouting of the villagers. Avatar was speechless.
Shoyin continued, "you can use around 10,000 gils from the Mideel treasury, if there's anything left of it, for your expenses...please...I am sure you will find a home somewhere...Cosmo canyon would surely take you in...farewell..."
Shoyin walked away followed quickly by the other villagers. If the villagers hadn't been in his way, Avatar Fenis would have cut Shoyin's head off. The village people walked away with Shoyin into an undamaged large hut, most likely to decide future plans. The whole place was filled with rubble and wooden ruins of destroyed huts. Thin wisps of smoke rose everywhere. The four of them stood alone amidst dead bodies and broken furniture. Not a sound was in the air except for Phillona sobbing with her face behind her hands.
************************
Rupert's grin had never been wider as he chinked his glass of champagne with Gerard's. It was early in the morning and Gerard and Rupert spent most of the night drinking, laughing and smoking. Relafen's cabin in the Shin-Ra headquarters had never been noisier. Rupert and Gerard had just walked in despite Relafen's objection and started boozing, and smoking. They didn't seem to want to leave either. Relafen wanted to kick them out but unfortunately Rupert was his senior officer. Relafen ignored them and lay on his bed but Gerard got his attention when he mentioned something about Mideel.
"The fireworks were great, Gerard!" Rupert cackled, "Wheredja learn ta bomb places ta hell, anyway..."
"Hey...don't ask me, I am actually supposed to be an... undercover 'computer technician' working for Mideel's resistance, remember?" Gerard warbled sarcastically, taking another draught of the wine bottle.
"So.... Did ya try getting yer ex-girlfriend back..." Rupert babbled, "The dame's name is Phillona, aint it?"
"Nah..." Gerard said, "I was too good for her...hic..."
"Ah shut up, ya screwball..." Rupert snapped, "Bet she turned yer ass down?"
"Yup..." Gerard mumbled, "That way I have no regrets for blowing up Mideel...."
Relafen's eyes widened as he sprung to his feet, "Y-You blasted Mideel up....!?"
"Sure as hell we did..." Gerard smirked, "Ya know...that girl you danced with for a minute...?"
"P-Phillona...?" Relafen stuttered, "...is s-she...d-dead?"
"Most probably..." Rupert grinned at Relafen, "Aint I a genius, commander? I set her ex-boyfriend up to save her and her gang from we ' THE EVIL SHIN-RA' and then the ex-boyfriend planted explosives all over the place and then made em go boom once he left the damn village...great, eh? And meet the man, the ex-boyfriend and ex-lover.... Gerard!"
Relafen's heart flipped. And then he realized why Phillona didn't like bonding with anyone. It was because of people like Gerard.
Relafen whipped out his gunblade, and smashed it on the small coffee table between Gerard and Rupert and it broke into two. He then kicked Gerard across his face who fell backwards from his chair. Rupert got up and threw a fist at Relafen but the wine made him miss. Relafen moved aside and cast a confuse spell on Rupert. Rupert made a weird look on his face and walked out of the door staggering.
Relafen grit his teeth and walked to Gerard, "You...its people like you...who Phillona was afraid of..."
Gerard looked at him sleepily, "hey...man...I jus' loved an' left her, ok?"
Relafen buried his boot in Gerard's stomach, ".... you killed her, you bastard."
Gerard was groping his stomach as Relafen lifted him up by his collar. Relafen wanted Gerard to feel pain. Real pain. He threw his gunblade into the air and cast two fires at it and it became red hot while falling. He caught his sword by its handle and smashed Gerard against his ribs, scalding him terribly. And the blood began to ooze freely as he staggered backwards and slammed against the wall.
"I.... didn't..." Gerard choked, "...kill her...she's a-alive...."
Relafen's eyes brightened, "Don't bullshit me..."
"I didn't place any frickin' explosives near her c-cabin..." Gerard stuttered closing his eyes tightly from the pain.
Before Gerard could die, Relafen emptied an elixir on him, healing him completely. He then kicked him across his jaw, making him fall unconscious. Relafen sheathed his gunblade as Rupert smashed his head on the door and then opened it, rubbing his forehead. He saw Gerard on the floor and he glared at Relafen who just walked past him as if he didn't even exist.
*************************
Trex punched the wall in the wooden cabin so hard his fist went right through the wall, "You can't leave, Phillona!"
Phillona continued to gather all her belongings and throw it into a shoulder bag, "I have to..."
"C'mon Phillona..." Marlene said, "I am sure we can talk to Shoyin about the entire thing."
Avatar joined in, "Yeah...I mean...you can stay here without involving in resistance stuff..."
Phillona turned around and though there were tears in her eyes, she smiled, "I appreciate you wanting me to stay. But then...all the things I've done over the years here...it will always come back telling me that everything was useless in the end...Shoyin's already called Shin-Ra up to rebuild Mideel and..."
"W-What...?" Trex fumed, "That son of a-"
"Yeah..." Marlene replied, "We overheard a couple talk about it a few minutes ago..."
"Shin-Ra will take over Mideel..." Phillona said inserting her diary into the bag, "I can't live here watching Shin-Ra build a reactor over the life stream well..."
Avatar sighed, "They're gonna suck Mideel dry..."
"Yeah..." Marlene replied, "everything's gonna go dehydrated. Trees, plants, grass...animal life...it's a long chain..."
"And THEN these fools will realize everything..." Trex said, still gritting his teeth.
"Phillona...how are you gonna find a h-home...and a-and.... h-how-?" Marlene sniffed.
"I've never had a real home anyway, Marlene...." Phillona said, "So...I...guess...I'll find someplace...a job as a waitress maybe..."
"What about Cosmo canyon..?" Trex said brightening up, "There'll be friends of buganhagen there..."
"No..." Phillona replied, "They've changed, Trex...like everyone else..."
"DAMN IT ALL!" Trex screamed driving another fist through the wall.
And then a determined look came over his eyes, "We'll come with you till you find a house or something..."
"YEAH!" Marlene quipped, "That way we can all rest easy..."
Phillona smiled, "Thanks guys but-"
"No buts Phillona!" Marlene cut in, "We're coming with you..."
"Jus one problem though..." Trex cut in, "If we leave...Shoyin's probably gonna kick us out too by saying we helped the 'resistance leader'..."
"Hmm...Yeah..." Marlene said, "There's not much 3 people can do with 10,000 gils either..."
"We'll talk it out with that ass of a head and join ya in a couple of days..." Trex said, "That way...we'll still have a home in Mideel..."
"You sure?" Phillona said fastening the bag to her shoulders.
"Absolutely..." Marlene said excitedly as she walked out of the cabin towards the village exit with Avatar, Phillona and Trex.
Soon after a few speechless minutes, they arrived at the exit. The sun was leisurely beginning to rise behind the burnt down village and the birds started to chirp slowly.
"Ah well..." Marlene said standing beside Trex and facing Avatar and Phillona, "All this HAD to happen..."
Trex looked the saddest, "And all because.... of Gerard. Who would've thought..."
Phillona was quiet. Marlene too joined Phillona in her calmness.
Trex spoke again, "People change...just like you said, Phillona...they change for the worst..."
"Ahem..." Avatar cut in after a few seconds of tranquility, "So...I think I'll leave too..."
"What?" Trex said, surprised, "Where are YOU gonna go...?"
"Some place nearby...I'll drop by once I finish my work..." Avatar said, trying to remember the direction in which his chocobo had run before falling in to the opening leading to the Fenis guardian's chamber.
"Ok..." Trex said, too saddened with Phillona leaving to ask Avatar further details, "I guess I'll see you then..."
Marlene suddenly remembered something, "Hey, Trex...where's the cell phone I gave you for the golden saucer dance...?"
Trex slapped his forehead, "Damn...I forgot to take it from Sifan..."
Marlene sighed, "I thought we could give it to Phillona just in case we needed to contact her..."
"It's ok..." Phillona said, "We'll just decide on a place and time to meet..."
"How about..." Trex said, thinking, "two days from now...evening around sunset...at...Lichita hills..."
"Fine..." Phillona said, "at the inn..."
"Okey-dokey..." Marlene said, "Keep searching for a nice house to rent meanwhile..."
"Of course." Phillona replied.
"Goodbye, Phillona." Marlene said, giving Phillona a quick hug.
Trex shook her hand, "see ya around, ma'm..."
Phillona smiled as Trex and Marlene left to the dining cabin after saying goodbye.
Catching chocobos took just a few minutes for both Avatar and Phillona. They soon reached the road where Avatar had to turn in order to find the entrance to the Fenis guardian's dwelling place.
"Hey..." Avatar said, "Where are you headed?"
"I'll decide when I get to the port...."
"Er...Aquadia...?"
"Maybe...they have great jobs for materia hunters there..."
"Well, uh...I know...this might be asking too much..." Avatar said, "but could you just show Sifan his way around Aquadia that is IF you're going there. He gets lost easily."
Phillona smiled dryly, "yeah...ok...maybe I'll do just that ..."
"Thanks..."
"No problem...however, I don't think Seef will be too happy to have me around..."
"No, no..." Avatar grinned, "Believe me...he hates to admit it but he really doesn't mind you around..."
"Really...?"
"Yeah..." Avatar said, "the last time I tried fixing him a dance, he ran away after punching me in the face..."
"Hmm...yeah...he's kinda cute when he tries to dance..."
"He is...?"
"Never mind..." Phillona said smiling and looking at the sunrise.
"I'll meet you at the Aquadia inn tonight then ...?"
"Wait a second..." Phillona said, "There are hundreds of inns in Aquadia...which one is Seef going to be in?"
"Oh great..." Avatar sighed, "Hey, maybe you can call that cell phone he has..."
"Yeah..." Phillona said, "I'll do that. See you then..."
"Bye..." Avatar mumbled and raced his chocobo away from Phillona as she rode her one to the Mideel Port.
*************************
{So...you're still thinking you can go to Aquadia and find Professor Lorenz. And then you can go back to balamb...}
[I was last evening...]
{Ok...so now you've decided its no use...?}
[Yup...]
{Wow...I thought it would take more time to convince you...}
[Nah...not really...if a voice that knows the entire history of you and your father tells you that 2 plus 2 is three, you can't really argue...]
{Phew...now you're talking sense...}
[But I am going to Aquadia since I promised Avatar I'd meet him there...]
{Ok...}
[But I don't know what I'll do till evening...]
{Materia hunting sound good?}
[Perfect...]
***********************
Ashes...smoking and glowing ashes covering charred and blackened bodies... That was all that remained of Mideel. A few survived, with burns and a few more with injuries. Rubble covered the lifestream well. A very tired Shiva disappeared after extinguishing the flames. The sky was showing signs of a tragic morning dawn. A small group of Mideel villagers stood, crying and gritting their teeth. Graveling and clenching their teeth in anger...no...not at Shin-Ra... but at three teenagers who had protected the town for 10 years.
Avatar had been taking a midnight walk outside town when the sudden explosions had turned the village into a blazing pandemonium. Phillona's cabin hadn't had a blast near it and neither had Trex's or Marlene's...only because the three of them used to be Gerard's friends...his only friends...
The villagers slowly grouped around the Mideel resistance group.
"HAPPY NOW!?" Screamed an angry old man, "Look around yuh, ya runts!"
"YEAH!" yelled another, "Happy YA ANGERED THEM DAMN SHIN-RA INTA BRINGING OUR HOMES DOWN!?"
Phillona swallowed, "We were only-"
"Aw shut up..." bawled another villager, "I've told ya a million times...give Shin-Ra the damn lifestream well..."
"But the well...." Marlene started, "The well..."
"The well..." roared a large farmer, "is bloody useless!"
A few more angry villagers snarled loudly, "YEAH!"
They looked around and saw the rubble, the ashes and the bodies and they only cried even more loudly, "You've killed us, Phillona! You and yer resistance..."
"HEY!" Trex cried, "GET a GRIP PEOPLE!"
"ENOUGH!" Thundered the voice of a tall man, "I'll handle this..."
The villagers calmed down one by one, each of them still aching at the thought of having lost their loved ones over protecting a lifestream well.
"Who's that?" Avatar whispered.
"He's the Village head...Shoyin..." Marlene replied, "He decides stuff around here. His father was a friend of buganhagen..."
"I hate the asshole..." Trex mumbled, "They appointed him village head yesterday and he's already poking his ugly nose into everything..."
"Well...PEOPLE of Mideel!" Shoyin started, "We have LONG ignored the fact that Shin-Ra is growing desperate for the lifestream well. And today...we have paid the price..."
He cleared his throat and shot a defiant stare at Phillona, Trex, Marlene and Avatar, "Of course...some of us...have resisted the Shin-Ra onslaught for years.... and well...everything...even the toughest -ahem- 'resistance ' has to come to an end sooner or later..."
"The daughter of Cloud Strife along with Mr.Trex...and of course...Miss. Marlene..." he continued, "have been the key reason Mideel...has never fallen under Shin-Ra all these years...they have at times earned our appreciation..."
"Appreciation, huh?" Trex muttered, "he cut the funds we used to buy weapons by 45% yesterday..."
"Unfortunately...." Shoyin continued, "They've ALSO been the reason why Mideel is in ashes now..."
"NO!" Phillona cried, "ALL my life...Mideel's well-being came first and..."
"Please miss Strife..." Shoyin interrupted, "There's no need to become emotional..."
"Whaddaya mean 'Emotional' ya bastard!" Trex shot out, "Only thing Phillona and ourselves looked out was for YOUR MIDEEL!"
"Hey..." Avatar said, placing a hand on Trex, "easy, man...shouting is not gonna get us anywhere..."
"Yeah..." Marlene said, "Avatar's right..."
"Anyway..." Shoyin started again, "There is no need for any sort of Mideel resistance anymore.... my father was foolish to fund a resistance group...and that foolishness shall end now..."
Phillona swallowed, tears starting to ebb their way out her eyes.
Shoyin cleared his throat, "Trex is one of us...and-"
"Hell, no..." Trex snapped, "Don't even think I am gonna count myself as one of ya losers..."
Shoyin was unfazed, "And Marlene really doesn't do much in these resistance activities anyway. So I shall not go as far as to ask Trex and Marlene to leave the village..."
Phillona's eyes became even more watery.
"Meaning...Miss Phillona strife...being the leader of these resistance activities..." Shoyin continued, "...should leave this town...once and for all...."
A joyful roar erupted from the surrounding villagers immediately, "YEAH!" they shouted as tears ran down Phillona's face. Marlene consoled her as Trex's protests and insults were drowned by the shouting of the villagers. Avatar was speechless.
Shoyin continued, "you can use around 10,000 gils from the Mideel treasury, if there's anything left of it, for your expenses...please...I am sure you will find a home somewhere...Cosmo canyon would surely take you in...farewell..."
Shoyin walked away followed quickly by the other villagers. If the villagers hadn't been in his way, Avatar Fenis would have cut Shoyin's head off. The village people walked away with Shoyin into an undamaged large hut, most likely to decide future plans. The whole place was filled with rubble and wooden ruins of destroyed huts. Thin wisps of smoke rose everywhere. The four of them stood alone amidst dead bodies and broken furniture. Not a sound was in the air except for Phillona sobbing with her face behind her hands.
************************
Rupert's grin had never been wider as he chinked his glass of champagne with Gerard's. It was early in the morning and Gerard and Rupert spent most of the night drinking, laughing and smoking. Relafen's cabin in the Shin-Ra headquarters had never been noisier. Rupert and Gerard had just walked in despite Relafen's objection and started boozing, and smoking. They didn't seem to want to leave either. Relafen wanted to kick them out but unfortunately Rupert was his senior officer. Relafen ignored them and lay on his bed but Gerard got his attention when he mentioned something about Mideel.
"The fireworks were great, Gerard!" Rupert cackled, "Wheredja learn ta bomb places ta hell, anyway..."
"Hey...don't ask me, I am actually supposed to be an... undercover 'computer technician' working for Mideel's resistance, remember?" Gerard warbled sarcastically, taking another draught of the wine bottle.
"So.... Did ya try getting yer ex-girlfriend back..." Rupert babbled, "The dame's name is Phillona, aint it?"
"Nah..." Gerard said, "I was too good for her...hic..."
"Ah shut up, ya screwball..." Rupert snapped, "Bet she turned yer ass down?"
"Yup..." Gerard mumbled, "That way I have no regrets for blowing up Mideel...."
Relafen's eyes widened as he sprung to his feet, "Y-You blasted Mideel up....!?"
"Sure as hell we did..." Gerard smirked, "Ya know...that girl you danced with for a minute...?"
"P-Phillona...?" Relafen stuttered, "...is s-she...d-dead?"
"Most probably..." Rupert grinned at Relafen, "Aint I a genius, commander? I set her ex-boyfriend up to save her and her gang from we ' THE EVIL SHIN-RA' and then the ex-boyfriend planted explosives all over the place and then made em go boom once he left the damn village...great, eh? And meet the man, the ex-boyfriend and ex-lover.... Gerard!"
Relafen's heart flipped. And then he realized why Phillona didn't like bonding with anyone. It was because of people like Gerard.
Relafen whipped out his gunblade, and smashed it on the small coffee table between Gerard and Rupert and it broke into two. He then kicked Gerard across his face who fell backwards from his chair. Rupert got up and threw a fist at Relafen but the wine made him miss. Relafen moved aside and cast a confuse spell on Rupert. Rupert made a weird look on his face and walked out of the door staggering.
Relafen grit his teeth and walked to Gerard, "You...its people like you...who Phillona was afraid of..."
Gerard looked at him sleepily, "hey...man...I jus' loved an' left her, ok?"
Relafen buried his boot in Gerard's stomach, ".... you killed her, you bastard."
Gerard was groping his stomach as Relafen lifted him up by his collar. Relafen wanted Gerard to feel pain. Real pain. He threw his gunblade into the air and cast two fires at it and it became red hot while falling. He caught his sword by its handle and smashed Gerard against his ribs, scalding him terribly. And the blood began to ooze freely as he staggered backwards and slammed against the wall.
"I.... didn't..." Gerard choked, "...kill her...she's a-alive...."
Relafen's eyes brightened, "Don't bullshit me..."
"I didn't place any frickin' explosives near her c-cabin..." Gerard stuttered closing his eyes tightly from the pain.
Before Gerard could die, Relafen emptied an elixir on him, healing him completely. He then kicked him across his jaw, making him fall unconscious. Relafen sheathed his gunblade as Rupert smashed his head on the door and then opened it, rubbing his forehead. He saw Gerard on the floor and he glared at Relafen who just walked past him as if he didn't even exist.
*************************
Trex punched the wall in the wooden cabin so hard his fist went right through the wall, "You can't leave, Phillona!"
Phillona continued to gather all her belongings and throw it into a shoulder bag, "I have to..."
"C'mon Phillona..." Marlene said, "I am sure we can talk to Shoyin about the entire thing."
Avatar joined in, "Yeah...I mean...you can stay here without involving in resistance stuff..."
Phillona turned around and though there were tears in her eyes, she smiled, "I appreciate you wanting me to stay. But then...all the things I've done over the years here...it will always come back telling me that everything was useless in the end...Shoyin's already called Shin-Ra up to rebuild Mideel and..."
"W-What...?" Trex fumed, "That son of a-"
"Yeah..." Marlene replied, "We overheard a couple talk about it a few minutes ago..."
"Shin-Ra will take over Mideel..." Phillona said inserting her diary into the bag, "I can't live here watching Shin-Ra build a reactor over the life stream well..."
Avatar sighed, "They're gonna suck Mideel dry..."
"Yeah..." Marlene replied, "everything's gonna go dehydrated. Trees, plants, grass...animal life...it's a long chain..."
"And THEN these fools will realize everything..." Trex said, still gritting his teeth.
"Phillona...how are you gonna find a h-home...and a-and.... h-how-?" Marlene sniffed.
"I've never had a real home anyway, Marlene...." Phillona said, "So...I...guess...I'll find someplace...a job as a waitress maybe..."
"What about Cosmo canyon..?" Trex said brightening up, "There'll be friends of buganhagen there..."
"No..." Phillona replied, "They've changed, Trex...like everyone else..."
"DAMN IT ALL!" Trex screamed driving another fist through the wall.
And then a determined look came over his eyes, "We'll come with you till you find a house or something..."
"YEAH!" Marlene quipped, "That way we can all rest easy..."
Phillona smiled, "Thanks guys but-"
"No buts Phillona!" Marlene cut in, "We're coming with you..."
"Jus one problem though..." Trex cut in, "If we leave...Shoyin's probably gonna kick us out too by saying we helped the 'resistance leader'..."
"Hmm...Yeah..." Marlene said, "There's not much 3 people can do with 10,000 gils either..."
"We'll talk it out with that ass of a head and join ya in a couple of days..." Trex said, "That way...we'll still have a home in Mideel..."
"You sure?" Phillona said fastening the bag to her shoulders.
"Absolutely..." Marlene said excitedly as she walked out of the cabin towards the village exit with Avatar, Phillona and Trex.
Soon after a few speechless minutes, they arrived at the exit. The sun was leisurely beginning to rise behind the burnt down village and the birds started to chirp slowly.
"Ah well..." Marlene said standing beside Trex and facing Avatar and Phillona, "All this HAD to happen..."
Trex looked the saddest, "And all because.... of Gerard. Who would've thought..."
Phillona was quiet. Marlene too joined Phillona in her calmness.
Trex spoke again, "People change...just like you said, Phillona...they change for the worst..."
"Ahem..." Avatar cut in after a few seconds of tranquility, "So...I think I'll leave too..."
"What?" Trex said, surprised, "Where are YOU gonna go...?"
"Some place nearby...I'll drop by once I finish my work..." Avatar said, trying to remember the direction in which his chocobo had run before falling in to the opening leading to the Fenis guardian's chamber.
"Ok..." Trex said, too saddened with Phillona leaving to ask Avatar further details, "I guess I'll see you then..."
Marlene suddenly remembered something, "Hey, Trex...where's the cell phone I gave you for the golden saucer dance...?"
Trex slapped his forehead, "Damn...I forgot to take it from Sifan..."
Marlene sighed, "I thought we could give it to Phillona just in case we needed to contact her..."
"It's ok..." Phillona said, "We'll just decide on a place and time to meet..."
"How about..." Trex said, thinking, "two days from now...evening around sunset...at...Lichita hills..."
"Fine..." Phillona said, "at the inn..."
"Okey-dokey..." Marlene said, "Keep searching for a nice house to rent meanwhile..."
"Of course." Phillona replied.
"Goodbye, Phillona." Marlene said, giving Phillona a quick hug.
Trex shook her hand, "see ya around, ma'm..."
Phillona smiled as Trex and Marlene left to the dining cabin after saying goodbye.
Catching chocobos took just a few minutes for both Avatar and Phillona. They soon reached the road where Avatar had to turn in order to find the entrance to the Fenis guardian's dwelling place.
"Hey..." Avatar said, "Where are you headed?"
"I'll decide when I get to the port...."
"Er...Aquadia...?"
"Maybe...they have great jobs for materia hunters there..."
"Well, uh...I know...this might be asking too much..." Avatar said, "but could you just show Sifan his way around Aquadia that is IF you're going there. He gets lost easily."
Phillona smiled dryly, "yeah...ok...maybe I'll do just that ..."
"Thanks..."
"No problem...however, I don't think Seef will be too happy to have me around..."
"No, no..." Avatar grinned, "Believe me...he hates to admit it but he really doesn't mind you around..."
"Really...?"
"Yeah..." Avatar said, "the last time I tried fixing him a dance, he ran away after punching me in the face..."
"Hmm...yeah...he's kinda cute when he tries to dance..."
"He is...?"
"Never mind..." Phillona said smiling and looking at the sunrise.
"I'll meet you at the Aquadia inn tonight then ...?"
"Wait a second..." Phillona said, "There are hundreds of inns in Aquadia...which one is Seef going to be in?"
"Oh great..." Avatar sighed, "Hey, maybe you can call that cell phone he has..."
"Yeah..." Phillona said, "I'll do that. See you then..."
"Bye..." Avatar mumbled and raced his chocobo away from Phillona as she rode her one to the Mideel Port.
*************************
{So...you're still thinking you can go to Aquadia and find Professor Lorenz. And then you can go back to balamb...}
[I was last evening...]
{Ok...so now you've decided its no use...?}
[Yup...]
{Wow...I thought it would take more time to convince you...}
[Nah...not really...if a voice that knows the entire history of you and your father tells you that 2 plus 2 is three, you can't really argue...]
{Phew...now you're talking sense...}
[But I am going to Aquadia since I promised Avatar I'd meet him there...]
{Ok...}
[But I don't know what I'll do till evening...]
{Materia hunting sound good?}
[Perfect...]
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