Before anyone complains that I mischaracterize the voice of Lenne, please note the following. I have never played any RPG (or any other video game) with the sound on. Since I greatly prefer to program music to my personal taste, I have never heard the voice of Lenne or that of any other figure. As a concession to my imagination, I have assigned Lenne the voice her image leads me to believe she would have.
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After
Chapter VII
"Don't you think it's the least bit odd that we keep meeting the people we need to meet in this place?" Paine asked as they walked toward the woman seated in the distance.
"No. As you told Shuyin, just keep walking and you'll meet whoever you're meant to meet. What is tugging at my mind is the suspicion that everything that happens here is intended to teach us something. I'm not at all sure I like that; it's like going to a graduate school for the soul." Nooj stared at the moss underfoot and planted his cane carefully in order not to trip as he concentrated on what he was saying.
She turned a sardonic look on him and drawled, "It's not the usual thing to hear you talk about souls. Have you become a believer, then? After all your brave talk?"
"Certainly not. I use the words understandable by other people. Would you prefer I say 'that part of the persona which is distinguishable from the physical yet not clearly defined as a separate entity and may or may not be susceptible to manipulation by the mind of others or the self or a problematic supernatural force'? No, when I say 'soul' I consider it just another name for whatever endures. And to continue - what I resent is that we are being forced in this school to learn whatever the guiding force here wants us to accept as truth." He limped onward with an aggrieved air. "I prefer to choose my own course of study."
She regarded him curiously for the moment and then turned her attention back to the fast approaching end of the forest. Shortly, they had emerged onto a swathe of grass, as close-cut as a putting green, running along the edge of a great chasm into which innumerable streams like the one they had followed plunged, sending up an endless cloud of fine mist. Seated perilously near the lip was a delicate female figure with long brown hair, dressed in a filmy blue costume that seemed to melt into the vapor behind her. She was posed pensively gazing at her hands loosely folded in her lap and did not appear to have taken any notice of their advent.
Paine caught his arm, "Be careful and don't startle her. We don't want her to fall."
"Are you sure it's Lenne? I only saw her briefly and that from a distance."
"Looks like her; you remember, she looked like Yuna only with slanting eyes and a narrower face."
"I didn't notice. Frankly, Yuna always looked like every second woman on Spira to me. You speak to her first; your voice is softer."
Paine moved toward the oblivious woman with the care one would use approaching a fawn or a bird. "Hello. Are you Lenne?'
The woman in blue immediately turned toward the words, all her body language telegraphing both fear and flight. The face she revealed to the pair was indeed one of remarkable beauty. Her lips were as soft and tremulous as begonia petals in a spring zephyr, her nose a delicate edifice of ivory perfection; her eyes were most enchantingly set in her head, slanting with an elegant tilt that gave her an elfin appearance and the whole was framed by spider-silk threads of fine dark hair.
Paine stopped in her steps and gently reached out with an open hand. "Please, we're here to help you. Don't be afraid."
The fragile lips parted and then she spoke. "What do you want? I don't need help." The voice was a very high soprano. Nooj thought some of the overtones were possibly beyond the range of human hearing. It made his head hurt.
"My name is Paine and this is Nooj. We were with Yuna when she released Shuyin from the torment he had been suffering and opened the way for you both to progress to the FarPlane. Do you recognize us?"
Lenne, for the first time, focused on the pair who had startled her in her solitude. "I think I do. I think I remember a man with a cane and an artificial leg. Oh, I didn't mean to be personal!" she hastily put her hand over her mouth in a gesture of apology.
"You didn't say anything wrong. We've been looking for you and so has Shuyin." Paine thought she might as well cut through the small talk and get to the heart of the matter. She had little tolerance for blather.
The other woman sank back down into the grass and buried her head in her hands. Soft sobs shook her narrow shoulders while her long hair veiled her face.
Nooj made a disgusted sound and hobbled over to the weeping woman. "Don't carry on like that. There's no reason to. The yellow-headed nincompoop is well and healthy. He now realizes he was mistake...."
Lenne raised her head, revealing a perfectly dry face, and squeaked at him furiously, "He's not a nincompoop. He's the most awesome man in the world. He died trying to save me. It's not his fault things aren't very well explained here." It was like confronting a rabid kitten, one all claws and teeth.
"Better shut up, Nooj. You're just making things worse." Paine sat down beside Lenne and attempted to catch her agitated hand. "Now, listen to me, little girl. We found Shuyin at the top of the stairs, at the keyboard of Vegnagun, where you left him. He didn't understand how things are here and was doing his ..."
The relentlessly treble voice of Lenne interrupted and Nooj took several steps backwards, almost losing his balance in his haste.
"I won't hear anything against him. If you're going to talk mean about him, just go away. He's the most awesome man in the world. He died trying ..."
"Yes, I know, ... to save you. Now, be quiet and listen." Paine was patience itself.
"No! I won't listen to anything against him ... I won't! I won't!" she clasped her hands over her ears and began singing loudly in a penetrating tone.
Paine sprang up and retreated back into the forest's shade with Nooj at her side.
"By all the sages of Spira, those two deserve each other." Nooj was shaking his head trying to rid it of the echoes of the piercing voice.
"I agree but now we have to get them back together so the rest of the world can go on ignoring them." Paine folded her arms and looked implacable.
"Why don't we simply push her over the falls? It would be the merciful thing to do." Nooj pled piteously.
"We have to reunite them. I said we would. You want me to break my word?"
"Why not? If we can get rid of that horror at the same time. Oh never mind. We're all already dead and I doubt that a tumble over a falls no matter how high would make any of us any deader. You're the believer; how do you get rid of someone who's already dead?" He was only half joking.
"As I recall, it has something to do with garlic or a stake through the heart or, maybe, a silver bullet or holy water or something like that – none of which we have or can get. Think! You're the philosopher!"
"There are obviously things in this un-earth that are undreamt of in my philosophy. I am totally out of ideas – no – suppose I hold her and keep my hand over her mouth and her hands off her ears while you tell her what's going on? If we can get a few words in without her talking over us, we may have a chance."
"Let's brainstorm and try to think of something less violent. If we can't, I'll go for that. Now, I'd better check and make sure she's still there." Paine crept back a little way and returned with an air of satisfaction. "She's just exactly where she was when we first saw her – same posture, everything."
"I'm not sure that pair has the intellect to survive even if they are dead. Truthfully, Paine. Have you ever seen anything like them?"
"Not human. There were a few fiends I fought as stupid as that but I never thought I'd see humans ..." she sighed in disbelief.
Nooj sprawled out on the moss and turning over, dipped his face into the golden water of the stream. "Either she's stopped singing or I've gone partially deaf – for either of which I am thankful. Come over here and comfort me."
"Now who's being importunate? Dare we risk these clothes?"
"Let's be bold and venturesome." He precluded further discussion with an embrace of unique intensity.
When they were of a mood to care, they discovered, to their grateful surprise, that the fresh clothing was neatly folded near to hand instead of being deposited in a heap several yards off.
"Were we so preoccupied that the costume mistress was able to sneak up this close?" Nooj found the whole issue of the clothing to be both curious and amusing.
"I think we're turning out to be more trustworthy." Paine said smugly as she examined her new dress. It was identical to the last one which had been the most satisfactory garment she had worn since being deprived of her shorts and leggings. "Usual thing for you?"
"Looks just like the last one. Do you see any boots or shoes around?"
"Not yet. Maybe next time. Now, back to Lenne." She was adamant.
He moaned and rolled over to escape her mock blows.
"You said you'd help."
He protested, "I helped with Shuyin; you handle the woman. You're better equipped to deal with her – that voice hurts my ears."
"I thought you were the strong stoic type, the kind that suffers in heroic silence." She stood over him, hands on hips.
"That was before I met Lenne. I tell you, I'd have run like a squatter monkey if I'd ever had to face her in battle. One screech and it would've been all over. Paine, I can't stand to be around her. She's worse than Rikku."
"Oh, all right. You come along behind me and stay inside the forest so you'll be at hand in case I need you."
"Please, Paine, don't need me. I'm becoming convinced that you're the only sane woman Spira has produced."
"I think I'll take that as the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Beaming, she pulled his head down so she could kiss him with appropriate enthusiasm. "I'll reward you for that as soon as I get Lenne squared away."
It was with great reluctance he let her go and then trailed her as slowly as he could, exaggerating his limp as an excuse.
Paine did not try to creep up on Lenne again but strode boldly across the short grass and plopped herself down in front of the other woman, crossing her legs as though preparing for a long discourse.
"Look, Lenne, we have to talk. I promise I won't say anything bad about Shuyin. I won't even mention him 'til you're ready. Will you listen to me?"
She could see, from the corner of her eye, Nooj hovering just inside the shadows and imperiously waved to him to keep still.
Lenne did not lift her head, but made a motion that might have been a nod. Paine chose to interpret it as such.
"As I tried to tell you before, we met the awesome," she choked on the word, "Shuyin not long ago. He misses you so much and is so wretched. Is there a reason you haven't gone back to him? Don't you care for him anymore?"
Lenne looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, "I adore him with all my heart and miss him so much too but I can't go back. I don't know when I left and every time I try to go back, I forget where I'm going and think I'm on my way to find some help. Then I figure it out and try to go back and it all starts over again. Oh, I don't know what to do. This is a terrible place and nothing stays like I want it to. I thought the FarPlane was supposed to be so great." She dropped her head on her knees again and abandoned herself to her grief.
Leaning forward and sliding nearer, Paine patted the woman on the shoulder. "We'll help you find your way back. Did you get any answers yet? About, you know, touching and all that?"
"Of course, I found out about that right away. Poor darling awesome Shuyin – he's always wanting to do the proper thing and not make any more trouble. He's so sweet and so ..."
"So you understand that you and he can ..."
"Oh, that? Well, of course. That's why I'm in such a hurry to get back to him. It's been more than a thousand years. Do you have any idea how frustrated a girl can get in a thousand years? And I'm not getting any younger; maybe he won't want me any more." She began to weep in earnest. "I don't suppose that man – the one with the cane – would want to ... you know ... just til I get back to Shuyin?"
"No," Paine was firm. "It wouldn't be a good idea to mention that. Not to him. And about Shuyin not wanting you, don't worry. Nobody ages here – at least, I don't think they do. And he seemed just as frustrated as you when we last saw him, so be patient for a little longer. Now, do you think you could force yourself to lower the range of your voice the teeniest bit? Don't get upset when I call Nooj to join us. And don't make any moves on him." She stressed grimly.
Lenne drew a deep breath and, making an obvious effort, dropped her register to a more tolerable coloratura from the falsetto scale she had been using. "Is this OK?"
"Much better. Nooj, it's safe now." Paine made a wide sweep with her arm.
The woman/girl in blue looked about to spring up and flee at the sight of the man in the crimson cassock hobbling from the sheltering gloom of the forest, although in which direction was in doubt. Paine patted her hand reassuringly and made cooing noises.
"So, what's the next move?" Nooj asked when he was within earshot. He dared not come closer until he was certain the organic calliope was muted.
"She's lost, lost in location and in time. I thought we might guide her back to the staircase - only to within sight of it." She hastened to add, seeing the look on his face at the idea of facing the Elite Guard again.
"All that long way back through the forest and across the meadow? With a piccolo for a traveling companion?" He was dubious.
"Do you have a better idea? I'm going to get these people back together no matter what it takes. By the way, she knows what she needs to know about you-know-what."
"Good god, Paine, do you have to sound like such a witling? So she can give him what he wants and needs now. That's one mercy. As to a better idea – since we agreed that we can't be killed by going over the falls, why not do it? If I'm right in thinking these are the ones we first encountered, a short jump will cut leagues off our journey and we can deliver her to her proper destination without retracing every last one of our steps. And get her off our hands quickly." The last was said in a hurried sotto voce.
"Captain, I do believe you have it. Of course, we'll get all wet but ..."
"Hold that thought until after we've done what we set out to do. After we've completed your geste, we can continue our own adventure. Ready?"
Lenne had been looking from one to the other with a puzzled expression. Then when she saw the two advancing on her with outstretched arms, she suddenly realized what they had been talking about.
"Oh no! Not me! I'm not jumping off any cliffs. You won't see me going over these falls." Her voice had reverted to its grating falsetto and Nooj recoiled in agony.
"Lenne, voice, please. Lower your voice." Paine shouted over the combined sound of the woman and the water.
As Lenne paused in confused distraction, the other two rushed forward, caught her by the hands and, gripping her tightly between them, leapt over the cataract in a compact group.
The mist obscured their view even of one another as they fell, their gripping hands torn apart, their bodies buffeted by the occasional outcropping of rock, tumbling in the embrace of the plummeting waters. They fell for what seemed to be a goodly portion of eternity and were beginning to become bored with falling when the vertical journey abruptly ended.
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