INTERLUDE: ORIGINS
"I was young when it happened." Marjorie stated. "Only a few years old I don't remember my parents much. I remember that day though like it was yesterday. I was on the floor playing with my father, when it happened. A human raiding party attacked, my mother was killed instantly. I remember hiding by my father, but they killed him too. I was hiding by him hoping they would forget me; they grabbed me and took off with me. I cried for my parents though I knew they where dead. The next few years where hell for me, I was sold into an orphanage I was picked on by the other children for being different. It was terrible, I never felt so lost my entire life. It changed when I met Katey; she guarded me kept me safe. Then I met another Viera named Millie, I thought then a bond was formed. She would always tell me about how we were destined to be the best of friends. I wonder now if all that was a lie. I met Olivar through her. Then that night came I was so happy he asked me to meet him. I was excited that whole day, I went to meet him that night only to be told by Millie that Katejina took him away. I got angry so angry, I searched for her, when I found her I.." she paused, Katejina placed a hand on her friends shoulder.
"Don't be afraid." Katejina said. "Let it all out." Marjorie nodded.
"I found her and said she was a bitter person that she could never be happy in her life so she had to ruin mine, I told her that I hope someone hurts her as much as she hurt me. She looked as if I just ripped out her heart. I left, I stayed with Millie awhile, she was supportive or I thought she was she said I did the right thing, but I always doubted." Marjorie said she noticed Katejina smiled as her. "About 10 months after that I went to Forestria, I heard two Viera went into a cave, I followed and saw Katey along with Jade. I felt sad that she found a replacement for me, I was going to try to talk to her then I heard voices. So I went closer I saw Katey and Jade. Looked like they where fighting or something. Then I saw it I saw Jade shoot Katejina in the throat. Katey fell, I saw Jade go to her she whispered something, then she left. I then went to Kate she was already unconscious. She was bleeding badly from the throat, I was a novice healer at the time. The wound was so bad I was so afraid that I cried while I tried to heal her, then I heard something a gentle humming it calmed me and I was able to heal Kate. I was unable to stay though I was afraid. I left and bumped into Tifa and Yuna, that's when I first met you two."
"We remember." Tifa said. "You seemed so afraid, it took awhile for you to trust us. But you did, when we found Katejina we took her to the doctor in town, she helped fix her up. Since then she's been with us,"
"You said you heard a humming." Lenne said. Marjorie nodded.
"I was freaked at first, then I calmed down." Marjorie said. "Lenne was that you?" Lenne nodded.
"It pained me to see such betrayal, and though I was dead at the time I could still help in my own little way." Lenne said.
"Like urging us back to that cave." Tifa said. "Kate and I felt such a strong impulse to go back. That was you too wasn't it."
"I like to call it fate." Lenne said. "As I told Yuna it's no mistake we are all here together. Each of us here serve a purpose, some already have and some will in the future."
"So what do we do now?" Yuna asked. "We have no clue where Brimstone is hiding."
"Brimstone lives in what's called Volcano Valley." Katejina said. "It's very dangerous to go there, what makes it worse is that the easiest way to get there is climbing Kiapo Peak. No one have return from there alive."
"What about the long way?" Tifa asked.
"The Dread Bog." Marjorie responded. "Either way will be hard and a challenge even to the Viera in the group."
"Ooooh." Rikku whined. "Can't anything be easy anymore?" Rikku hugged Kremis around the neck. "Like hugging a puppy wuppy?" Katejina gave Rikku a look.
"Hardly anything worth doing is easy Rikku." Lenne said. "But I'm afraid this is going to be challenging for us all. We can't let differences get in the way anymore."
"Like me and Shara?" Yuna asked. Lenne nodded.
"I'm not saying it's all your fault Yuna because that's far from true. Shara is to blame far more than you." Lenne said. "But we can't be at each others throats while in a sticky situation." Yuna nodded.
"Whoa Yunie got ticked at someone?" Rikku asked.
"You can kinda say that." Yuna said as she shifted embarrassed.
"Whoa go Yunie." Rikku admired. Yuna giggled.
"You mean it's ok?" Yuna asked.
"It's ok to stand up for yourself." Marjorie said. "And I think we veered off the subject."
"Right." Yuna said. "You told us about you, but how do you know Roxanne?"
"She is only a year younger than I am in human terms." Marjorie said. "She was almost like a shadow she would be with me constantly. Then I was taken, somehow, she followed me, I never saw her face but I always had the feeling she was there. For some reason she looked up to me as a sister, maybe because she never had one of her own. I'm unsure really." Rikku looked and saw Kremis was gone she saw him walk away. She sighed.
"Puppy!" she cried. "I'm not done hugging you" she ran after Kremis.
"That one doesn't have a long attention span does she?" Katejina asked as she watched Rikku run after the wolf.
"Marjorie." Tifa said. "It's simple to know why Roxanne was drawn to you. Even at your young age you're the ideal big sister. You have a large heart and never judge. People love that in a person." Marjorie blushed.
"That's odd you say that Tifa." Marjorie said. "I was about to say that about you." Tifa looked down.
"Tifa?" Lenne asked. "What's wrong?"
"I had someone like Roxanne in my life." Tifa said. "She and I where on the AVALANCHE team. She was the computer wiz, I was the barmaid and sometimes force of the group. We started off rocky but she warmed up to me after she knew she could trust me. Then one time after our friend Cloud vanished after a fight, I left without saying anything to her. When I returned our sector in Midgar was under attack. She was hurt when we went up, then it fell, I always assumed she died when the plate was blown up and the entire sector collapsed. But now, I find myself wondering if she's alive.
"What was her name?" Lenne asked.
"Jessie." Tifa said. "You see her when you where in the afterlife Lenne?"
"No." Lenne responded. "But I saw your others friends, Wedge and Biggs I think their names where."
"Really?" Tifa asked. "They happy there?" Lenne nodded and Tifa smiled.
"Wait." Marjorie said. "Tifa how far advanced is your world?" Tifa thought.
"More advanced than Ivalice and Norrath but less than Spira, we have computers and televisions and stuff like that. No fancy stuff like spheres though." Tifa said. "Why do you ask?"
"Not far from here a group of highway men are hiding out." Katejina said. "They are equipped with some very complex gadgets even explosive devices." Tifa nodded. It has to be Jessie bombs where her forte when she was in AVALANCHE. Tifa noticed Kremis come running back to the group Rikku hot on his tail, she tackled him with a hug and they tumbled before Rikku hugged him and he wagged his tail.
"Such a happy pup." Lenne said. "I could never imagine anyone mistreating him." Rikku then heard something she looked and in the shadows she saw someone, she has blonde hair but the rest of her was covered in shadow.
"Beast." She said looking at Kremis. The monkey and bear saw the woman and ran off.
"Hey meanie!" Rikku said. The others went over, she cast a glare at Kremis.
"You have my dog." She stated.
"You don't act like he's yours." Lenne said. "He came to us the poor thing was bruised."
"Oh, he's doing THAT again, the poor puppy act." She accused. "Don't buy into it."
"Hey!" Rikku said. "He's not a beast he's too CUTE to be a beast!" The figure sighed.
"How do you know Kremis?" Yuna asked.
"He was with me for along while." She said. "At first we were friends, he wasn't always a dog, he was a halfling too. He and I where close friends then he went against me when I decided I wanted to go on my own. We stayed friends but I was cautious of him and his temper. Oddly enough he joined me after awhile, was the biggest mistake of my life letting him join. All he did was cause trouble and pain."
"Yes I see him with Rikku." Katejina replied. "He's awful!" she heard Rikku squeal with laughter as Kremis was licking her face, she looked up.
"What?" she asked. "It tickles!"
"So what happens that you deem him a beast?" Lenne asked.
"He lied to me about a matter I took very seriously." She said. "When I talked to him about it he tried to sweet talk me he used my own feelings against me for his own selfish gain. Then after I made it clear I wanted no part of him he kept bothering others."
"Maybe he felt bad." Yuna suggested. "Maybe he wanted you to see things through his eyes."
"I did and I decided I wanted no part of him or his type of caring," she stated.
"If you want no part of him then why want him back?" Tifa demanded. She went to Kremis who sat there and took off his collar she tossed the collar as the strangers feet. She glared at Tifa.
"Fine keep him." She sighed. "He'll give you nothing but heartache." She walked off. Rikku sighed and went to Kremis who lay with his head in his paws.
"Come on puppy!" Rikku urged. "Up and at em!" she tugged on Kremis and pulled, she pulled and fell on her bottom. "Owies!" Yuna pet Kremis.
"I think he's sad." Yuna said. "You think he understood what was said?"
"Could be." Marjorie said. "We don't know his side of the story."
"Yeah." Rikku admitted. "but how can he tell it? HELLO! He's a PUPPY!"
"Maybe he just feels sad." Lenne said. "He just needs time alone I think." Yuna nodded the left with Katejina practically dragging Rikku away.
"I think he's better." Rikku said as she was dragged off.
"Come on." Katejina sighed.
"Awwwwwwww." Rikku moaned. Alone Kremis lay there he then stood up looked at the moon and howled a mournful howl at the moon, he howled several times before laying back down. In the distance the woman heard it, she cried a little but continued on her way. Whatever rift was opened was only know fully with these two. One thing was certain time would not heal these wounds, who knew what would.