HEY!!!! i know its been a while since i updated, but i haven't gotten any reviews for chappie 10. *sniffles* what's up with that? i'm not gonna stop updating just 'cuz no one loves me anymore. *nods* the show must go on! PLEASE R&R ~~~sa~~~
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Ch.11: Flying Without Wings Hurts
Paine stood with her arms adamantly crossed in the open pod bay door of the Celsius. They had landed in Macalania a few minutes earlier and the others were trying to convince her to leave the ship. Rikku whined loudly while Paine just rolled her eyes. Yuna and Tidus coaxed her with gil and spheres to no avail. Gippal stood silently beside Rikku seeming to share Paine's stony sentiments. Plus, he knew it was pointless to try and change her mind once she made it up. "Paine! Come ON! We have to go find them!" Rikku squealed, stomping angrily on the snowy ground. Paine would've said something snappy if she hadn't been feeling so utterly crushed that day. Her blood red eyes fell from Rikku's pleading face to her waist where Gippal's arm circled posessively. Then the twin orbs of red shifted over to Tidus and Yuna who were holding hands casually. Blinking, she shook her head and stepped backwards into the ship. She punched the wall next to her and hit the button to close the door. A collective shout echoed through the metal door behind her as she turned and walked away.
The cold metal of the elevator's railing seem to comfort her for some reason. In that split second that she had spotted both of the happy couples' happiness in Couplesville, Paine had only wished to kill them all. She didn't normally feel so violently inclined towards her friends, but ever since her scheme to get Rikku and Gippal back together, she had regretted it. Now there were two sets of giggling, flirting teens galavanting all over the airship while Paine and the others TRIED to figure out what to do about Spira's dilemma. Usually, Paine wouldn't have cared, but for some reason she never wanted to see any of her happy friends again. The elevator stopped at the bridge and she slunk off to talk to Brother. She needed to get away from her friends to ease the ache in her heart. A lonely, lead weight had settled on Paine's heart ever since she realized she was utterly alone. Yuna had Tidus, Rikku had Gippal and Gankee, if she wanted him. But Paine, she had no one but herself.
Being all alone surrounded by all your loved ones gets kinda old after a while. Paine figured this was how Rikku felt during her period of depression over the past few weeks. Of course, Paine had been playing happy, too, and then doubly because Rikku was down. Sighing heavily as she slumped down in Gippal's seat, Paine felt that horrible ache in her heart grow a little. Brother, who was busy explaining to Rikku to radio when she found Auron and Gankee, didn't notice Paine sitting there dejectedly. Neither did Buddy, who was excitedly scanning the empty ice fields for any sign of life. Both thought she was with the others. 'I'm glad they both have something to keep them occupied.' She mentally growled, balling her hands into fists. She shifted her stare to the computer in front of her. Gippal's screen was currently occupied with a cartoony version of the Gullwings all chasing chocobos. Paine leaned forward, noting the fact that her little pixel-self was angrily standing alone. The little squarish arms were crossed and the teeny little red eyes were narrowed.
Groaning, Paine stood up and stormed out of the bridge. Neither Al Bhed looked up as she slammed her way back onto the elevator. As she fumed about the fact that one of her old friends saw her as a heartless bitch, Paine tried hard not to cry. She hadn't cried since the day she had broken her leg and she vowed then to never cry again. Swallowing the burning tears, Paine jogged out onto the deck. Her mind was full of all kinds of angry and hurt thoughts, but one stood out above the rest. 'The only reason I'm along is that there's something wrong with me. I'm a freak. Weird. Outcast. Everything taboo.' The hot, scathing thoughts slashed into her mind and made her hot with anger. She wanted to stop the flaw, to end the wrongness. Do anything to be like all the other giggly, bubbly girls in the world. Self-pity and hatred spread to engulf her whole being and she saw one way out. The edge of the airship. Stepping forward in a trance-like daze, Paine leapt off the ship and into the snow-clouds hovering over Macalania.
Meanwhile, Rikku, Gippal, Yuna, and Tidus trekked silently through the wilds of Macalania. Rikku was at the head of the pack, angrily stomping in snow piles and kicking ice crystals. Gippal followed closely, sighing every time Rikku screamed something cruel about 'Big Meanie Paine'. Neither Tidus nor Yuna spoke until Rikku stubbed her toe on a stubborn icicle formation. Yuna threw her hands up in exasperation, going into lecture mode. "Rikku, would you STOP being such a brat? Throwing a tantrum isn't gonna make Paine care about Auron or Gankee. So STOP IT!" Tidus stepped back with Gippal, both guys sensing the cat fight that insued. Rikku stop massaging her foot and glared at Yuna. "WHAT? Did you just call me a brat?" Yuna sighed, her short lived anger subsiding. "Yes and I'm sorry. I guess I'm just cold and tired." Rikku sighed, her anger fizzling out, too. She shivered and hugged herself for warmth. "Yeah, me too. Plus, I'm mad at Paine for not wanting to help us. How could she be soooo mean?"
Yuna shrugged and placed a comforting hand on her cousin's shoulder. "We should find somewhere to rest out of this wind, right?" Rikku smiled a little and nodded. Then they linked arms and started to search for said place. Both boyfriends traded confused glances and followed. Tidus, who was a little more perceptive than he let on, voiced a quiet question to his new found comrade. "So, Gippal, why don't you wanna find Gankee? Isn't he one of Rikku's good friends?" Gippal snorted, his visible eye narrowing slightly. "I just don't like stupid half breeds like him." Tidus smirked a little, motioning towards Yuna's back. "Yuna's a stupid half breed." Gippal choked on his witty come back and speechlessly shrugged. Tidus chuckled, slapping the taller guy's back playfully. "Don't worry. I know how you feel. When we had to go to Macalania Temple on Yuna's pilgramage, I didn't wanna find Seymour for the same reason." Gippal smiled, feeling the understanding pour out of Tidus' open blue eyes. There was just something encouraging about him.
While the Gullwings tramped around in the wind looking for a place to rest, a lone Kohlso tramped out into that wind to hunt. He was a stout little fellow out on his first solo hunt, a rite of passage for the hunter Kohlsos. His spear gleamed in the weak, grayish sunlight and his eyes gleamed with a hunger similiar to a predator's hunger. Sniffing the icy wind, the Kohlso leapt from the ice cliff he was crouching on, following a scent. Some smell oddly familiar, yet still unknown drew him through several crevasses of ice. It was a generally quiet day, despite the howl of the wind. The young Kohlso heard an odd noise much like that of a wounded animal's cry yet distinctly different. Pausing for a moment, he sniffed the air again and picked out one of the myriad of scents he recognized. Blood.
Growling hungrily, the Kohlso thrust his spear into his rope belt and crouched on all fours eagerly. His animal instincts took over and he galloped towards the swiftly louder and more pained cries of the wounded animal. He needed a little snack before heading out for his actual kill. Soon, the cries of the animal were lost on the wind and only the sickly sweet smell of blood crowded his senses. Using his sharp claws as brakes as he slid around an icy corner, the Kohlso spotted the animal. His ice-blue eyes widened and he stood up like a normal, civilized person. His shock was plain on his cat-like face as he approached the wounded creature slowly. It appeared not to be an animal at all, but one of those human things Maea spoke of. It seemed female and was sprawled out on the ice, bleeding badly from too many wounds. The Kohlso remembered what Maea had said about helping others in need and he lifted the pale human girl in his arms. She cried out and her whole body convulsed from pain.
She seemed to be badly hurt, especially her back. Her eyes were squeezed closed and she was panting, her light brown hair matted with blood. Without a second thought, the hunter-in-training abandoned his hunt for this girl. He had to get her back to Maea before it was too late. He could feel the life seeping out of her. Quickly. Making sure he wouldn't jar her while he ran, the young Kohlso took off with a steady jog. He took wide strides and stopped often to let the girl rest a little. All the while, he tried to identify her clan. All the humans of Spira had one clan or another; the Yevonites, the Al Bhed, the Rebels. This girl seemed to fall in the third category. She confused him on his analysis of her origins when she cried out in Maea's language when he accidently tripped on a stone, almost dropping her. Shaking his head, the Kohlso decided to not think anymore and kept running. He didn't have much time left before the girl slipped in the Spirit Realm completely.
Yuna sat at the mouth of the cave they were resting in, watching the snow fall thoughtfully. Rikku was helping the guys keep a fire going by casting Fire spells every now and again. They were talking quietly about whether or not to keep going until dark. Glancing at the darkening sky, Yuna tried to guess what time it could be. She hadn't counted on getting that far into the wilds in one day, but Rikku was pretty persistant about finding Auron and Gankee. Yuna's mismatched eyes were scanning the horizion when she thought she spotted something moving. Jumping up with a cry, Yuna ran out into the snow. Tidus, Rikku, and Gippal ran out after her, questions on all their lips. "What is it Yunie?" "Did you see something, Yuna?" "WHAT?" Yuna's outstretched arm pointed towards a blank ice wall across a blank stretch of tundra. All three blondes sighed and turned to go. 'Wait! I saw something move! I swear!" Yuna cried, dragging Rikku back to where she stood. Rikku sighed, a tired expression on her face. "Yunie, it was prolly the wind playing tricks on you. Come on." The small blonde trudged back to the cave and the waiting Gippal.
Tidus stood there next to her, his eyes on whatever she had seen. They stood there for a minute in silent communication. "What did it look like, Yuna?" He asked gently, his intense eyes still fixed in the distance. Yuna, who had been studying the right side of his face intently, blushed and stammered. "U-uh, well, it sorta looked like a Ronso, only shorter and white." Tidus nodded, a seriousness about him that Yuna hadn't seen since they were reunited. "Maybe it was whatever Gankee's searching for." He whispered. Yuna nodded, adopting the same serious air. "Yeah, but we'd better forget about tracking it tonight. We'll try again tomorrow from the Celsius." Yuna said. Suddenly, Tidus snapped out of his serious trance and scooped up a bunch of the freshly fallen snow. Yuna, catching on, followed suit, hurling her snowball before Tidus could even think about tossing his. "Hey!" He cried, spitting out a mouthful of snow. Yuna giggled and ran towards the cave, Tidus laughing and chasing her all the way.
On the flip/morbid side of life from this cheery little Gullwing-fun, our young Kohlso friend had just reached the inner sanctum of the den. His echoing footsteps had summoned a group of elder hunters who were expecting a kill, but saw an exhausted young Kohlso carrying a limp, bleeding human. A growling mumur soon spread through the whole village that another human had been brought in, this one inured morbidly. The murmur rose in a crescendo until Lorelei, in her private chamber, heard it above the excited conversation of her human friends. "Hush!" Barked the Elder Kohlso. Immediately Maea shut her mouth and placed a finger on her lips. Auron and Gankee silenced themselves and listened to noises steadily growing louder in the main village. Lorelei slowly got to her feet, sighing heavily under the weight of age.
"What is it?" Gankee whispered to his mother who fluently spoke the Kohlso tongue. Maea swiftly stood, concern etched on her delicate features. "A human girl has been found by one of the hunters. She is badly hurt." Lorelei nodded at Maea's explanation, her stern features telling the Al Bhed woman what to do. She nodded and turned to her newly found family. "Auron, Gankee, please wait here while I attend to the girl." She turned as if to leave, but Auron was to the exit flap first. His instincts told him something wasn't right and Maea knew better than to question him. Gankee, torn between his own instincts and his mother's orders, scurried after them. Lorelei led the way to the main cavern where the murmuring crowd had gathered once more. This time they were more controlled and cautious, a paranoid expression on each beast-like face. Gankee scanned the crowd for the human girl. He was concerned that a human would be out in the wilds of Macalania at this time of year. During his conversation with Lorelei earlier, he had discovered that he and Auron had arrived just in time. That morning had been the start of a long string of vicious winter storms that would not relent until mid-spring.
Brows furrowed identically to his father's, Gankee followed his mother and the Kohlso chief to a large teepee near the now roaring bonfire at the center of the village. Two tall hunters held the flap door to the teepee open while the chief and humans hurried in. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim firelight within, Gankee paused just inside the teepee. As soon as he could see, his eyes found the human girl lying on a pile of skins, blood was everywhere. Gasping, Gankee rushed over to the human's side. Auron and Maea stepped up behind him as he knelt beside the make-shift bed. "Paine!" He cried, studying her drawn face and broken body carefully. Lorelei spoke a low, gruff word to a young looking Kohlso who pulled Gankee back. He struggled futilely against the strong Kohlso. "But I know her! She's friends with Rikku and High Summoner Yuna! Dad!" Gankee cried pleadingly to his father who nodded.
'Yes. She isn't a threat. Release the boy." The Kohlso released Gankee, but still held him back with his arm while Maea worked on Paine. After the frail Al Bhed woman ran the intial check-up, she turned to Auron and Gankee who were waiting patiently. Her eyes were sad. "I'm afraid she's beyond our help now. She's suffered massive head and spinal cord injuries. Most likely sustained from the impact of a long fall. Even if she hadn't lost so much blood she would never walk again." A somber silence hung in the air following this forboding of doom. Lorelei nodded, her eyes suddenly sad as well. "Prepare a pyre." She said to the young hunter who had carried Paine all the way the to den. He nodded and left the teepee. Gankee shook himself out of the shocked stupor he had slipped into. "Wait, there has to be a way to save her. Why not use magic?" He stepped towards the bed where Paine lay, his hands up and ready to cast. Maea nervously glanced first at Lorelei and then at Auron, who seemed curious as to what the Kohlso would do to a magic user.
Plainly, Gankee knew less about the Kohlso than he thought otherwise he would've known that none of the white northerners used magic. Actually, it was strictly forbidden seeing as it was magic-using Yevonites that exiled the first Kohlso to Macalania in the first place. The two guard Kohlos pulled their spears from out of nowhere, leveling them at Gankee with a growl. Lorelei's face went from regretful to outraged in mere seconds. She shouted something in Kohlso and Maea screamed, flinging herself in between her son and the girl on the bed. "Gankee! No!" She cried, tears shimmering in her eyes. Auron stepped up to defend his son from the two Kohlso who seemed prepared to drag the boy off to some dank ice dungeon somewhere. "Please, Lorelei, please." Maea pleaded, wringing her hands anguishedly. Gankee, who looked confused and lost, stood there with his hands still spell-ready. Lorelei closed her eyes and left the teepee, the Kohlso guards following at her command. "Keep him here until I return." Maea whispered hurriedly to Auron before hugging the red garbed man and hurrying after the Elder.
Gankee whirled on his father, his questions asked before he spoke. Auron sat next to the small fire pit and closed his good eye. "The Kohlso naturally fear and hate magic and its users, Gankee. When you suggested using magic, they were outraged and terrified. We might have a hard time convincing them you're not a Yevon spy sent to ruin their society again." The long haired boy glanced worriedly at Paine's bleeding form. "But, father, we have to save Paine. We have to!" His mismatched eyes pleaded with Auron who folded like a good father should. Standing with a grunt, Auron tracked down some bandages and he took care of Paine's less serious wounds. Her cries and groans made the naturally soft-hearted Gankee flinch, but he helped anyway. He caught onto his father's plan to make it seem like they had saved her life using only herbs and cloths. But, as soon as they had taken care of the minor wounds, Auron nodded to his son. They both cast high level curative magic until most of the blood and bruises were gone.
The color returned to Paine's cheeks and her breathing returned to normal. Drained from the sudden rush of a LOT of magical usage, Gankee's legs gave out on him and he collapsed next to the bed. Auron chuckled and helped him up, handing him an Ether before glancing outside the teepee. With a hand motion to act natural, Auron stepped backwards just as Lorelei and a worried looking Maea returned. They didn't bring the angry Kohlso guards with them so things looked good. When the two females entered, they both saw the decidedly heathiler looking Paine, the bowls of hot water, and smelt the scent of medicinal herbs and gasped. Maea rushed over to Auron who smiled and explained that he and his son knew more about first aid than they let on. Lorelei cast a critical eye over the girl before nodding. "Good then. No magics." She barked low enough for only Gankee to hear. He nodded and smiled a little. The old Elder was more kindly than she seemed. He knew she could tell they used magic, but she had decided a life with magic was better than a death without it.
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AN: yes, yes, i know! i shifted POV so many times it was almost confusing, but i had to show all aspects of what was going on since they were all seperated. i hope we all see where the story is headed. questions? comments? ANYTHING??? THEN REVIEW!!!~~~sa~~~
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Ch.11: Flying Without Wings Hurts
Paine stood with her arms adamantly crossed in the open pod bay door of the Celsius. They had landed in Macalania a few minutes earlier and the others were trying to convince her to leave the ship. Rikku whined loudly while Paine just rolled her eyes. Yuna and Tidus coaxed her with gil and spheres to no avail. Gippal stood silently beside Rikku seeming to share Paine's stony sentiments. Plus, he knew it was pointless to try and change her mind once she made it up. "Paine! Come ON! We have to go find them!" Rikku squealed, stomping angrily on the snowy ground. Paine would've said something snappy if she hadn't been feeling so utterly crushed that day. Her blood red eyes fell from Rikku's pleading face to her waist where Gippal's arm circled posessively. Then the twin orbs of red shifted over to Tidus and Yuna who were holding hands casually. Blinking, she shook her head and stepped backwards into the ship. She punched the wall next to her and hit the button to close the door. A collective shout echoed through the metal door behind her as she turned and walked away.
The cold metal of the elevator's railing seem to comfort her for some reason. In that split second that she had spotted both of the happy couples' happiness in Couplesville, Paine had only wished to kill them all. She didn't normally feel so violently inclined towards her friends, but ever since her scheme to get Rikku and Gippal back together, she had regretted it. Now there were two sets of giggling, flirting teens galavanting all over the airship while Paine and the others TRIED to figure out what to do about Spira's dilemma. Usually, Paine wouldn't have cared, but for some reason she never wanted to see any of her happy friends again. The elevator stopped at the bridge and she slunk off to talk to Brother. She needed to get away from her friends to ease the ache in her heart. A lonely, lead weight had settled on Paine's heart ever since she realized she was utterly alone. Yuna had Tidus, Rikku had Gippal and Gankee, if she wanted him. But Paine, she had no one but herself.
Being all alone surrounded by all your loved ones gets kinda old after a while. Paine figured this was how Rikku felt during her period of depression over the past few weeks. Of course, Paine had been playing happy, too, and then doubly because Rikku was down. Sighing heavily as she slumped down in Gippal's seat, Paine felt that horrible ache in her heart grow a little. Brother, who was busy explaining to Rikku to radio when she found Auron and Gankee, didn't notice Paine sitting there dejectedly. Neither did Buddy, who was excitedly scanning the empty ice fields for any sign of life. Both thought she was with the others. 'I'm glad they both have something to keep them occupied.' She mentally growled, balling her hands into fists. She shifted her stare to the computer in front of her. Gippal's screen was currently occupied with a cartoony version of the Gullwings all chasing chocobos. Paine leaned forward, noting the fact that her little pixel-self was angrily standing alone. The little squarish arms were crossed and the teeny little red eyes were narrowed.
Groaning, Paine stood up and stormed out of the bridge. Neither Al Bhed looked up as she slammed her way back onto the elevator. As she fumed about the fact that one of her old friends saw her as a heartless bitch, Paine tried hard not to cry. She hadn't cried since the day she had broken her leg and she vowed then to never cry again. Swallowing the burning tears, Paine jogged out onto the deck. Her mind was full of all kinds of angry and hurt thoughts, but one stood out above the rest. 'The only reason I'm along is that there's something wrong with me. I'm a freak. Weird. Outcast. Everything taboo.' The hot, scathing thoughts slashed into her mind and made her hot with anger. She wanted to stop the flaw, to end the wrongness. Do anything to be like all the other giggly, bubbly girls in the world. Self-pity and hatred spread to engulf her whole being and she saw one way out. The edge of the airship. Stepping forward in a trance-like daze, Paine leapt off the ship and into the snow-clouds hovering over Macalania.
Meanwhile, Rikku, Gippal, Yuna, and Tidus trekked silently through the wilds of Macalania. Rikku was at the head of the pack, angrily stomping in snow piles and kicking ice crystals. Gippal followed closely, sighing every time Rikku screamed something cruel about 'Big Meanie Paine'. Neither Tidus nor Yuna spoke until Rikku stubbed her toe on a stubborn icicle formation. Yuna threw her hands up in exasperation, going into lecture mode. "Rikku, would you STOP being such a brat? Throwing a tantrum isn't gonna make Paine care about Auron or Gankee. So STOP IT!" Tidus stepped back with Gippal, both guys sensing the cat fight that insued. Rikku stop massaging her foot and glared at Yuna. "WHAT? Did you just call me a brat?" Yuna sighed, her short lived anger subsiding. "Yes and I'm sorry. I guess I'm just cold and tired." Rikku sighed, her anger fizzling out, too. She shivered and hugged herself for warmth. "Yeah, me too. Plus, I'm mad at Paine for not wanting to help us. How could she be soooo mean?"
Yuna shrugged and placed a comforting hand on her cousin's shoulder. "We should find somewhere to rest out of this wind, right?" Rikku smiled a little and nodded. Then they linked arms and started to search for said place. Both boyfriends traded confused glances and followed. Tidus, who was a little more perceptive than he let on, voiced a quiet question to his new found comrade. "So, Gippal, why don't you wanna find Gankee? Isn't he one of Rikku's good friends?" Gippal snorted, his visible eye narrowing slightly. "I just don't like stupid half breeds like him." Tidus smirked a little, motioning towards Yuna's back. "Yuna's a stupid half breed." Gippal choked on his witty come back and speechlessly shrugged. Tidus chuckled, slapping the taller guy's back playfully. "Don't worry. I know how you feel. When we had to go to Macalania Temple on Yuna's pilgramage, I didn't wanna find Seymour for the same reason." Gippal smiled, feeling the understanding pour out of Tidus' open blue eyes. There was just something encouraging about him.
While the Gullwings tramped around in the wind looking for a place to rest, a lone Kohlso tramped out into that wind to hunt. He was a stout little fellow out on his first solo hunt, a rite of passage for the hunter Kohlsos. His spear gleamed in the weak, grayish sunlight and his eyes gleamed with a hunger similiar to a predator's hunger. Sniffing the icy wind, the Kohlso leapt from the ice cliff he was crouching on, following a scent. Some smell oddly familiar, yet still unknown drew him through several crevasses of ice. It was a generally quiet day, despite the howl of the wind. The young Kohlso heard an odd noise much like that of a wounded animal's cry yet distinctly different. Pausing for a moment, he sniffed the air again and picked out one of the myriad of scents he recognized. Blood.
Growling hungrily, the Kohlso thrust his spear into his rope belt and crouched on all fours eagerly. His animal instincts took over and he galloped towards the swiftly louder and more pained cries of the wounded animal. He needed a little snack before heading out for his actual kill. Soon, the cries of the animal were lost on the wind and only the sickly sweet smell of blood crowded his senses. Using his sharp claws as brakes as he slid around an icy corner, the Kohlso spotted the animal. His ice-blue eyes widened and he stood up like a normal, civilized person. His shock was plain on his cat-like face as he approached the wounded creature slowly. It appeared not to be an animal at all, but one of those human things Maea spoke of. It seemed female and was sprawled out on the ice, bleeding badly from too many wounds. The Kohlso remembered what Maea had said about helping others in need and he lifted the pale human girl in his arms. She cried out and her whole body convulsed from pain.
She seemed to be badly hurt, especially her back. Her eyes were squeezed closed and she was panting, her light brown hair matted with blood. Without a second thought, the hunter-in-training abandoned his hunt for this girl. He had to get her back to Maea before it was too late. He could feel the life seeping out of her. Quickly. Making sure he wouldn't jar her while he ran, the young Kohlso took off with a steady jog. He took wide strides and stopped often to let the girl rest a little. All the while, he tried to identify her clan. All the humans of Spira had one clan or another; the Yevonites, the Al Bhed, the Rebels. This girl seemed to fall in the third category. She confused him on his analysis of her origins when she cried out in Maea's language when he accidently tripped on a stone, almost dropping her. Shaking his head, the Kohlso decided to not think anymore and kept running. He didn't have much time left before the girl slipped in the Spirit Realm completely.
Yuna sat at the mouth of the cave they were resting in, watching the snow fall thoughtfully. Rikku was helping the guys keep a fire going by casting Fire spells every now and again. They were talking quietly about whether or not to keep going until dark. Glancing at the darkening sky, Yuna tried to guess what time it could be. She hadn't counted on getting that far into the wilds in one day, but Rikku was pretty persistant about finding Auron and Gankee. Yuna's mismatched eyes were scanning the horizion when she thought she spotted something moving. Jumping up with a cry, Yuna ran out into the snow. Tidus, Rikku, and Gippal ran out after her, questions on all their lips. "What is it Yunie?" "Did you see something, Yuna?" "WHAT?" Yuna's outstretched arm pointed towards a blank ice wall across a blank stretch of tundra. All three blondes sighed and turned to go. 'Wait! I saw something move! I swear!" Yuna cried, dragging Rikku back to where she stood. Rikku sighed, a tired expression on her face. "Yunie, it was prolly the wind playing tricks on you. Come on." The small blonde trudged back to the cave and the waiting Gippal.
Tidus stood there next to her, his eyes on whatever she had seen. They stood there for a minute in silent communication. "What did it look like, Yuna?" He asked gently, his intense eyes still fixed in the distance. Yuna, who had been studying the right side of his face intently, blushed and stammered. "U-uh, well, it sorta looked like a Ronso, only shorter and white." Tidus nodded, a seriousness about him that Yuna hadn't seen since they were reunited. "Maybe it was whatever Gankee's searching for." He whispered. Yuna nodded, adopting the same serious air. "Yeah, but we'd better forget about tracking it tonight. We'll try again tomorrow from the Celsius." Yuna said. Suddenly, Tidus snapped out of his serious trance and scooped up a bunch of the freshly fallen snow. Yuna, catching on, followed suit, hurling her snowball before Tidus could even think about tossing his. "Hey!" He cried, spitting out a mouthful of snow. Yuna giggled and ran towards the cave, Tidus laughing and chasing her all the way.
On the flip/morbid side of life from this cheery little Gullwing-fun, our young Kohlso friend had just reached the inner sanctum of the den. His echoing footsteps had summoned a group of elder hunters who were expecting a kill, but saw an exhausted young Kohlso carrying a limp, bleeding human. A growling mumur soon spread through the whole village that another human had been brought in, this one inured morbidly. The murmur rose in a crescendo until Lorelei, in her private chamber, heard it above the excited conversation of her human friends. "Hush!" Barked the Elder Kohlso. Immediately Maea shut her mouth and placed a finger on her lips. Auron and Gankee silenced themselves and listened to noises steadily growing louder in the main village. Lorelei slowly got to her feet, sighing heavily under the weight of age.
"What is it?" Gankee whispered to his mother who fluently spoke the Kohlso tongue. Maea swiftly stood, concern etched on her delicate features. "A human girl has been found by one of the hunters. She is badly hurt." Lorelei nodded at Maea's explanation, her stern features telling the Al Bhed woman what to do. She nodded and turned to her newly found family. "Auron, Gankee, please wait here while I attend to the girl." She turned as if to leave, but Auron was to the exit flap first. His instincts told him something wasn't right and Maea knew better than to question him. Gankee, torn between his own instincts and his mother's orders, scurried after them. Lorelei led the way to the main cavern where the murmuring crowd had gathered once more. This time they were more controlled and cautious, a paranoid expression on each beast-like face. Gankee scanned the crowd for the human girl. He was concerned that a human would be out in the wilds of Macalania at this time of year. During his conversation with Lorelei earlier, he had discovered that he and Auron had arrived just in time. That morning had been the start of a long string of vicious winter storms that would not relent until mid-spring.
Brows furrowed identically to his father's, Gankee followed his mother and the Kohlso chief to a large teepee near the now roaring bonfire at the center of the village. Two tall hunters held the flap door to the teepee open while the chief and humans hurried in. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim firelight within, Gankee paused just inside the teepee. As soon as he could see, his eyes found the human girl lying on a pile of skins, blood was everywhere. Gasping, Gankee rushed over to the human's side. Auron and Maea stepped up behind him as he knelt beside the make-shift bed. "Paine!" He cried, studying her drawn face and broken body carefully. Lorelei spoke a low, gruff word to a young looking Kohlso who pulled Gankee back. He struggled futilely against the strong Kohlso. "But I know her! She's friends with Rikku and High Summoner Yuna! Dad!" Gankee cried pleadingly to his father who nodded.
'Yes. She isn't a threat. Release the boy." The Kohlso released Gankee, but still held him back with his arm while Maea worked on Paine. After the frail Al Bhed woman ran the intial check-up, she turned to Auron and Gankee who were waiting patiently. Her eyes were sad. "I'm afraid she's beyond our help now. She's suffered massive head and spinal cord injuries. Most likely sustained from the impact of a long fall. Even if she hadn't lost so much blood she would never walk again." A somber silence hung in the air following this forboding of doom. Lorelei nodded, her eyes suddenly sad as well. "Prepare a pyre." She said to the young hunter who had carried Paine all the way the to den. He nodded and left the teepee. Gankee shook himself out of the shocked stupor he had slipped into. "Wait, there has to be a way to save her. Why not use magic?" He stepped towards the bed where Paine lay, his hands up and ready to cast. Maea nervously glanced first at Lorelei and then at Auron, who seemed curious as to what the Kohlso would do to a magic user.
Plainly, Gankee knew less about the Kohlso than he thought otherwise he would've known that none of the white northerners used magic. Actually, it was strictly forbidden seeing as it was magic-using Yevonites that exiled the first Kohlso to Macalania in the first place. The two guard Kohlos pulled their spears from out of nowhere, leveling them at Gankee with a growl. Lorelei's face went from regretful to outraged in mere seconds. She shouted something in Kohlso and Maea screamed, flinging herself in between her son and the girl on the bed. "Gankee! No!" She cried, tears shimmering in her eyes. Auron stepped up to defend his son from the two Kohlso who seemed prepared to drag the boy off to some dank ice dungeon somewhere. "Please, Lorelei, please." Maea pleaded, wringing her hands anguishedly. Gankee, who looked confused and lost, stood there with his hands still spell-ready. Lorelei closed her eyes and left the teepee, the Kohlso guards following at her command. "Keep him here until I return." Maea whispered hurriedly to Auron before hugging the red garbed man and hurrying after the Elder.
Gankee whirled on his father, his questions asked before he spoke. Auron sat next to the small fire pit and closed his good eye. "The Kohlso naturally fear and hate magic and its users, Gankee. When you suggested using magic, they were outraged and terrified. We might have a hard time convincing them you're not a Yevon spy sent to ruin their society again." The long haired boy glanced worriedly at Paine's bleeding form. "But, father, we have to save Paine. We have to!" His mismatched eyes pleaded with Auron who folded like a good father should. Standing with a grunt, Auron tracked down some bandages and he took care of Paine's less serious wounds. Her cries and groans made the naturally soft-hearted Gankee flinch, but he helped anyway. He caught onto his father's plan to make it seem like they had saved her life using only herbs and cloths. But, as soon as they had taken care of the minor wounds, Auron nodded to his son. They both cast high level curative magic until most of the blood and bruises were gone.
The color returned to Paine's cheeks and her breathing returned to normal. Drained from the sudden rush of a LOT of magical usage, Gankee's legs gave out on him and he collapsed next to the bed. Auron chuckled and helped him up, handing him an Ether before glancing outside the teepee. With a hand motion to act natural, Auron stepped backwards just as Lorelei and a worried looking Maea returned. They didn't bring the angry Kohlso guards with them so things looked good. When the two females entered, they both saw the decidedly heathiler looking Paine, the bowls of hot water, and smelt the scent of medicinal herbs and gasped. Maea rushed over to Auron who smiled and explained that he and his son knew more about first aid than they let on. Lorelei cast a critical eye over the girl before nodding. "Good then. No magics." She barked low enough for only Gankee to hear. He nodded and smiled a little. The old Elder was more kindly than she seemed. He knew she could tell they used magic, but she had decided a life with magic was better than a death without it.
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AN: yes, yes, i know! i shifted POV so many times it was almost confusing, but i had to show all aspects of what was going on since they were all seperated. i hope we all see where the story is headed. questions? comments? ANYTHING??? THEN REVIEW!!!~~~sa~~~