Chapter 22: Kristi, the Traveling Musician
A/N: Okay, here's the deal. From now on, new characters are to be introduced every so often, so that you should ALL know that reviewers own these characters, NOT me. FF7 is owned by Squaresoft and LadyTifa26 owns Laura. Heheh. She owns her SOUL...Whereas Squaresoft owns MINE, but we shall not delve into such matters.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Tifa was yelling at Christina, who was standing at the stove in an apron, whistling.
"Sorry. . .", said Christina. "Here you go. . ." She sulked off, and left Tifa to cook the omelets.
"Hey, these are perfect. . .", said Tifa.
"She's too damn perfect if you ask me. . .", mumbled Rachel.
"What was that?"
"Sorry. I've just had bad experiences with people like that. Social problems.", said Rachel.
"Have you noticed she's been a bit sad lately?", asked Laura. "And she still doesn't know about the. . .it." Laura didn't know what to name the Tseng clone. "We're eventually gonna have to do something about it."
"Her sulking, or the clone?", asked Rachel. "And you call my world weird, whereas you have giant chickens, clones, vampires-
"I AM NOT A VAMPIRE!", yelled Vincent, from across the table.
"AHEM! VAMPIRES. . .", continued Rachel. "Mad scientists, huge flaming chunks of space rocks, glowy rocks that give you magic, and crazy love triangles. Okay those exist but- HOW ARE YA' DOIN' CLOUDY?!" Cloud walked in, and he hasn't said much since he found out that Christina was technically his daughter.
". . .hugbees. . .", he said, with a glaze on his eyes. "I like turkey, too MOMMY!", he wailed.
"Yeah, he's not over it. . .", said Laura.
Christina was up sitting in the bed they moved into the room Rachel and Aeris stayed in, just sitting there sadly. She heard something she's never heard before. Compelled by the noise, she walked into Tifa's room, and found Rachel playing "Fur Elise" on the piano.
"What is that?", asked Christina.
"Huh? Oh, it's you. . .", said Rachel. "I'm just warming up my fingers to play some music."
"Music. . .?", said Christina, rather intrigued. "What's that? Can I eat it?"
"NOOOOO!", said Rachel. "You must think with your stomach. . . You listen to it, and you can play it. Like this." Rachel went through the b flat scale. "That is something you can play. Or. . ." Rachel began playing "Moonlight Sonata" on it now. "Heh. I'm a big fan of Beethoven. . ."
"Beethoven?", asked Christina. "Is that edible?"
"NOOOOO!", shouted Rachel. "Listen." Rachel was now playing a bit from "Canon in D minor", when Laura walked in.
"Huh? Haven't heard you play the piano in a while. . .", said Laura. "LISTEN TO THIS!" She began playing "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin. "NOBODY CAN DENY THE ICE CREAM MAN MUSIC!"
"IT WAS ALSO PLAYED AS A FAVORITE BAR SONG!", said Rachel. Christina didn't understand a thing. "Wow, I'm getting hungry for ice cream. . ."
"It's a reaction. . .", sighed Laura.
"Can I learn?", asked Christina. She began banging on the keys to make a jumble in the notes, that could hardly be dubbed "melodious".
"MAKE IT STOP!", yelled Rachel. "IT HURTS!"
"Sorry. . .", said Christina.
A girl was walking on a dirt path that led to Nibelheim, striking her violin as she went on her way. The sound drifted about the mountains, and she carried a smile, as well as twin daggers about her waist. She wore a long-sleeved black shirt, a short miniskirt, and the sleeves on her arm had stretched to serve her gloves. Her leather boots clopped in time to her song, and she slowly neared the used-to-be quiet mountain town.
"What the hell was that ungodly noise?", asked Tifa.
"Er, that was Christina's version of er. . . music.", said Rachel.
"Ouch."
"Sorry. . ." Lately, that's all Christina would ever say. Even Lucrecia couldn't bring her out of her late slump.
"She's too perfect. . .", said Rachel, in Christina's flashback. She was listening from behind a door. "It's not normal. And plus, it gets annoying."
"I admit, she can get annoying. . .",said Tifa. "But you just gotta deal with it. I have to."
"Just give her time. . .", said Lucrecia. "She'll prove to be useful. I promise."
"Still, I don't like her. . .", said Rachel. "I can't really stand people without any flaws. . ."
"Or maybe you're so dumb she only seems perfectly intelligent.", said Tifa.
"HEY!"
"But I must say, she does seem too oddly perfect." Tifa leaned her head on her hand. "Just try and see that she tones it down a bit. Okay?"
"Yes. . .", said Lucrecia. "I'll go see her now." Christina was shaken by Rachel's words. She ran back upstairs, and Lucrecia caught a glimpse of her foot. Something was up.
"I'LL GO!", yelled Christina. She walked out in a huff, and sat down by the tree she was found around.
"What was that about?", asked Tifa.
"I have no idea. . .", said Rachel. "She seems a bit moody now, though. . ."
"What's wrong with me?", asked Christina. "Is there something wrong? I only wanted to do things right, and now they don't like me for it. People are so confusing. . ." Her mind took a recourse back to Rachel's words the other day.
"You're really proud of your test tube kid?" She was really sort of hurt by that, and it only made her want to try harder.
"Should I just be dumber?", Christina asked herself.
"HEYA, HIYA, HOWYA!" The girl with the violin stepped up to her with an enormous grin. "I'M KRISTI! WHAT'S UP?!"
"Nothing. . .", said Christina. "I'm Christina. How are you?"
"JUST FINE!", she said. "Odd, how similar our names are. . ."
"What's that?" Christina was pointing at Kristi's instrument.
"That's new. You haven't seen one if these before, kid? It's a violin." She played a quick succession of notes, and stopped. "TADA!"
"Should I look for her?", asked Aeris. "It's not very good if you leave somebody like that alone for a long time. . ."
"She'll figure it out. . .", said Rachel. "Remember, she's 'perfect'."
"Rachel, stop that!", said Laura. "I know you don't like her, but make an effort to, okay?"
"She keeps slinging in my face that I don't know everything.", said Rachel.
"So, you don't know all that stuff.", said Tifa. "I don't know all that stuff. She's even outwitted Lucrecia on occasion. It doesn't matter if that's not your forte, because you still have other strengths."
"Wow. Insightful. And like what?"
"The music?"
"Good point."
"HEY! YOU CAN'T EAT THAT!" Christina was sticking Kristi's violin in her mouth. "You must be hungry, Jesus. . ." She pulled out the guitar strapped to her back. "Do ya' like one of these, kid?"
"Food?"
"NOOOO!", said Kristi. "IT'S A GUITAR!"
"Sorry. . .", apologized the blonde, fifteen year-old clone. "I haven't been that great lately. . ."
"HEH! LET IT OUT!", said Kristi, with this spark in her great forest green eyes. "COME ON! GIVE IT A TRY!" She handed Christina her guitar, and watched as she tried to figure out how to produce any sound. THUMP! "NOOOO! YOU DON'T BANG IT!"
"Sorry. . ."
"This is what you do." Kristi took out a guitar pick and began strumming it across the strings. "Like that. You are one strange kid, ya' know that?"
"Where are you from?"
"Um, uh. . ." Kristi had this nervous look on her face all of a sudden. "Uptown. Way uptown. . ."
"Uptown? From where?"
"HERE YA' GO KID!" She just handed over her guitar and hope this situation would just blow over.
"Er, okay. . ." Christina took the guitar pick and the guitar, and plucked a note. "Is that it?"
"You can do more with it. . ."
"Artistic expression?", asked Tifa.
"Yeah. That's the one thing I failed to mention.", said Lucrecia. "I hadn't taught her a thing in it, because I suck so badly at it. . ."
"YES! AND THAT IS MY STRENGTH!", said Rachel, with renewed strength in her eyes. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!"
"Jesus, calm down, child. . .", said Tifa.
"What's with you? All of a sudden, you've become a bit. . .mellow. It's odd for you."
"Meh.", shrugged Tifa. "Would you rather me beat the hell out of you, like always?"
"Well, that WOULD put the bear traps to use. . .", said Rachel.
"SHUT UP!" THWOCK! She was throttled again.
"Ow. . ."
"AAAAAGGHHH!", yelled Kristi. "OKAY! OKAY! THIS FIGURES! STOPPIT!" Christina couldn't make sense of a single note, and so it all jumbled together to produce one strange noise after another.
"Sorry. . ."
"Yo kid, you have to stop saying that all the time.", said Kristi. "It's not healthy."
"Sorry. . ."
"Nevermind. . .", she sighed. "Hopeless."
"Christina? Are you here?" Lucrecia and Tifa were searching for her. Then, Rachel stepped out behind them, and Christina caught sight of her presence.
"I HAVE TO GO!", said Christina, brushing past Kristi.
"HEY! KID, STOP!" Kristi grabbed her arm, and was able to stick her in one place.
"There you are!", said Lucrecia. "You left in such a hurry, there must've been something wrong. Who's this?"
"OH MY GOD!", yelled Kristi. She was pointing at Tifa. "But this can't- This isn't- JESUS!"
"What? Why didn't you tell us your friend was mentally unstable?", asked Tifa.
"I AM NOT!"
"Er, hi Christina. . ." Rachel came out from behind them, and Christina was taken aback.
"I'M GOING!" She ran off again.
"Poor thing, that kid.", said Kristi.
"Kid?", said Tifa. "She's about fifteen. You're what?"
"Seventeen.", said Kristi. "Meh. Good enough. She's always saying sorry though. She always looks sad, too."
"Perfect?" Tifa was giving the evil eye to Rachel.
"SHE STILL IS! SHE'S STILL TOO SMART!", yelled Rachel.
"You couldn't outwit a retarded rock, and you don't yell at those. . .", said Tifa.
"Of course I don't. What's the use of yelling at a rock?"
"You are so hopelessly dumb. . .", she sighed. "When do we tell her about the. . ."
"Brother?", asked Lucrecia. "I suppose we can call it that. We shall tell her, when it's time. She's feeling too fragile now. I still don't know what's wrong with her."
"She needs friends.", said Laura.
"AGH! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?!", yelled Rachel.
"I was standing right behind you, Madam Perceptive.", said Laura. "I've been here the entire time. And like I said, she hasn't been getting along well here. Personally, even I don't quite like it that she beats me at every mind game and puzzle, and she's sort of athletically talented. . ."
"It's the combination of genetics. . .", sighed Lucrecia. "My intelligence and understanding plus Cloud's looks and strength. Then what about her brother then. . .? He's more like Tseng, so at least I know that part of the experiment worked, but how did he get found out by the Turks already?"
"They're the Turks.", said Rachel. "They just pop up everywhere."
"I just hope this doesn't become complicated. . .", sighed Tifa.
"Rachel, go apologize.", said Laura. "She runs away every time she sees you."
"Perhaps that part of mental growth hasn't matured yet. . .", said Lucrecia.
"Are you gonna get all science-y?", asked Rachel. "You've been doing that a LOT lately."
"I AM LUCRECIA! GAST AND HOJO'S LEGACY! I MUST BE BRILLIANT!", shouted Lucrecia.
"Gast sure rubbed off on you. . .", said Rachel.
"Heh! I know. . .", said Lucrecia. "But, I might've been able to stimulate the age of her cells, but perhaps not her mental growth. Not fully anyway. Her motor skills are developed, and she pronounces things well, but her emotions. . ."
"Yeah? What?", asked Laura. "You mean, she's still like a child?"
"Precisely.", said Lucrecia. "She's very sensitive. Rachel, go apologize."
"Fine. . .", sighed Rachel. "I just hope this doesn't repeat itself like past social cycles. . ."
"They think I'm annoying.", said Christina. "My father doesn't even love me. I'm useless. . ." She looked at the palms of her hands, and saw no use in them. She felt like she wasn't supposed to exist. She was born from a tube, spawned from science and metal and machinery. But the others were loved. . . They came from real families.
"Christina?" Rachel peered from behind at her, scaring Christina.
"AHHH! OH, I'M SORRY!", she yelled. "I'LL GO!"
"NO! WAIT!", yelled Rachel. But she had already taken off again. "Damn, is she gonna do this every time?"
"Give her a while."
"AGH!" Kristi startled Rachel. "DON'T DO THAT!"
"HAH! SORRY!", said Kristi. "But give her time. I understand her. . ."
"What?" Kristi picked up her fiddle, and began playing a sad, lilting tune.
"She feels overwhelmed. She doesn't feel a sense of belonging. The mind of a genius, with the feelings of a child. With her understanding, and how sensitive she is, she could go to great lengths. That could be a good thing, and a bad thing. . . Music is the words of the soul. It's very universal. The feeling is mutual. It crosses infinite boundaries. ."
"And what are you saying?"
"I'm saying, let her pour her guts out. Just don't let it go too far. She is still human, even if she is not human born."
"When did you get so insightful?"
"TODAY!", shouted Kristi. "Her story is so sad. . . Born from machines, everybody dislikes her, when all she wants is acceptance. But that's all we really want, isn't it? In a perfect world, to be in a perfect place, and to exist as the perfect person. To be loved by the perfect person. Isn't that true?" Kristi shot Rachel a look from her green eyes, to Rachel's dark brown ones. "You know. They told me all about it. You didn't feel so great either."
"I'll go.", said Rachel. "I should. It's the least I can do."
"YEP! HOP TO IT!" Kristi had her big, wide smile. But it shrank to a quiet one all of a sudden. "Before she's gone." She left in the breath of the wind.
"Oh shit."
"I must. . .get away. . ." Christina was running though the forest "They don't. . .need me. . ." She ran to the bank of a river, and began to cross. "I need to get far away. . ."
"OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIIIIITTTT!", yelled Rachel. "AND ONLY NOW DO I GET WHAT SHE MEANS!"
"Why are there profanities spewing out of the forest?", asked a child to his mother, traveling nearby.
"I hear it's haunted. . .", said a man they were traveling with. "By a scary ghost, who lost somebody they loved. . ."
"SHIIIIIIITTT!" Rachel ran across the road they were traveling on, and they just sat there, recovering from what the saw.
"Haunted?", asked the mother. "You're right. She looked inhuman."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Rachel heard her, and ran back. "I AM NOT THAT UGLY!"
"AAAHHHH! MOMMY!" The child clung to his mother's side. "IT'S SO SCARY LOOKING!"
"IT'S HIDEOUS!", yelled the man.
"HEY!"
"RACHEL! MOVE YOUR ASS!" Laura grabbed Rachel by the shirt collar, and they continued to run.
"SHIIIIIT!"
"Uh. . ." They were left speechless.
"That last one was hot.", said the man.
"SHUT UP!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!", yelled Rachel.
"MAKING SURE YOU DO YOUR JOB!", yelled Laura. "NOW GO!" She shoved her forward, and Christina came into view. She was actually. . .crying.
"Christina?" She was surprised by Rachel's appearance, and scooted back. She couldn't go far, because they were beside a small, clear pond, leading to a waterfall, and Christina was cornered.
"You know. . .", she said. "if you hate me so much, you should really just leave me alone."
"I don't hate you. . .", said Rachel. "It's just-
"You can't stand me? Then go.", said the crying girl, her liquid blue eyes melting to tears.
"I DON'T HATE YOU!" Rachel was losing it.
"Sounds like it. . ."
"I DON'T! It's just that, you don't have to be so smart."
"So you want me to be dumb? So you'll feel better?"
"Okay, I said that the wrong way. . . I mean, I judged you. Okay? I was just a little jealous."
"Yeah, I'm sure. . .", said Christina.
"Yeah, that was a lie. . .", said Rachel. "But do you really want to know the truth? I feel really insecure. . ." Christina looked at Rachel skeptically. "I've had really bad experiences with people that look, and act a lot like you. Except for the super intelligent part of course. I mean, the perfect person. . . It's not highly unlikely for them to be disliked, ya' know?"
"But they're perfect. . ."
"And normal people aren't. We can't deal with stuff like that."
"Stop saying 'normal people'. I'm human, just like you. The perfect person smiles. The perfect person is always happy. The perfect person is. . .perfect."
"But-
"NO!" Christina scooted back even farther.
"GET BACK HERE!", yelled Rachel.
"FORGET IT!" Christina went on another mad dash, and came to the edge of the falls.
"Heh, how ironic. . .", said Laura. "This is the same waterfall Lucrecia was really under, and so, her daughter comes here, too. . ." She was still hidden in the bushes, watching what was going on.
"DON'T COME CLOSER!", warned Christina. "I DON'T LIKE YOU!"
"YOU CAN'T! YOU'RE INSANE!", yelled Rachel. She took a step forward. Christina took a step back. And fell. "OH DEAR SWEET JESUS!" Rachel was barely able to grasp her hand.
"Let. . .let me go. . .", said Christina, with poisonous rage.
"For the mind of a child, you sure sound angry. . .", said Rachel. "And GOD you are so heavy. . ."
"The feelings of a child. It is hard to forgive. . .", said Lucrecia, back in Nibelheim, talking to Tifa.
"Why is that so?"
"She is still learning how to trust.", said Lucrecia. "It's a very hard thing to develop. And Rachel hasn't had the best experiences. How can they learn how to stand each other?"
"You are forgetting about time, my friend.", said Tifa. "Time heals all wounds."
"That's very true. . . And time mends many tales. Let this be okay. I'm getting worried. . ."
"LET GO!"
"I can't!", said Rachel. "Trust me! Climb up!"
"NO!"
"COME ON!"
"FORGET IT!"
"You're slipping. . . AHHH!" Christina plummeted down.
"Oh shit."
"Ahhh, back on my journey. Kristi, the traveling musician!", she said, walking with her violin in hand. "OUCH!" She fell over, after getting her foot caught. "STUPID TREE ROOT! Wait. Tree roots don't breathe. . . AHHH! THE TREE IS ALIVE! No wait. False alarm. . . You?" She stumbled upon the battered body of Christina. She was hardly breathing. "Looks like the tent is gonna be crowded. . ."
"YOU WHAT?!"
"SHE SLIPPED!" Rachel was back in town, getting yelled put by Tifa and Lucrecia. "I COULDN'T HELP IT!"
"IF YOU WERE JUST A LITTLE NICER-
"Forget it. . .", sighed Lucrecia. "Don't blame her. She could only trust on her own. . ."
"Lucrecia-
"No.", she said solemnly, tears gradually building. "Nobody could've helped her. It was something too far gone." She left the house. "I'm gonna be in the basement. . ."
"Lucrecia. . . YOU DUMMY!", yelled Tifa. "LOOK WHAT YOU DID!"
"ME?! WHY ME?!"
"YOU ARE DEAD!"
"AAAAHHHHHH!"
The sound of sweet music was playing in Christina's mind. She opened her eyes slowly, to see the blurry image of a girl in a black shirt and glasses, sitting on the far end of her, playing a violin.
"Oh! Up are you?" Kristi crawled over. "Sorry. The tent is rather small. I'm sleeping outside, so you can have it." Christina was too weak to complain. "You can stay until you're better. What was up back there? Did Rachel get the hint? Or was she too stupid. . .?"
"She. . .was fine. . .", said Christina. "I couldn't hold on. . . I'm never good enough for anything. . ."
"Oh, shut up, you.", said Kristi. Christina's eyes widened. "HAHA! GOTCHA GOOD! But in all seriousness, lighten up already. You can't run away from everything. Unless of course, you're fast enough. BUT THAT'S NEVER THE CASE!"
"I'll never be perfect. . .", said Christina. "That's all they want, isn't it?"
"The perfect being.", said Kristi. "How could that possibly be defined?"
"They would. . . look perfect, act perfect, and simply just be perfect.", said Christina.
"No.", disagreed Kristi. "That's the perfect machine you are describing. The perfect human is themselves. Learn that sometime. I'm tired. I gotta go! Sleep well!" She stepped outside the tent, and Christina looked back up to the ceiling of the tent.
"I'm. . .sorry. . .", she said, before easing into sleep again.
"OWWWW. . ." Rachel was on the ground, hanging on to consciousness, with blood gushing from her head. "She doesn't have to hit so hard. . ."
AN3: My, my. Wasn't that the most craptastic chapter ever?
Palmer, Konoshi, and Holly: HERE, HERE!
AN3: Oh, thanks for the vote of confidence. . . I'm tired. REALLY tired. And I just tried out for a part in a play. I feel sick. . . Why did I try out? I'm really shy, and I don't handle crowds well. . .
Sephiroth: Because you're an idiot.
AN3: I'll go now. So. . .tired. See ya'. . . plods off