The warm spray of the shower ran black beneath Yazoo's feet. It washed away with it all the dirt and soot of several days of endless fighting, and the crust of grayish plasma that had tangled itself in the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. The singed tips broke from the silvery strands of his hair, sloughing away the last evidence of battle, and the heat in the constant pounding of the droplets eased the lingering tension and pain.

Loz was still waiting his turn for the shower back in the bedroom, which left Yazoo alone with his diseased body and shattered thoughts uncoiling inside his head. In this now rare solitude the strong, confident middle child permitted himself a slow breakdown at last. The first few tears slid out unbidden, but knowing he was unobserved he gave in to the sweeping tide of helplessness, breaking in to quiet sobs and gradually lowering himself into an infantile crouch.

He wrapped his arms about his knees and tucked his forehead against them, letting the water beat gently against his shoulders. to flow down the curve of his supple back. He wished it could just as easily wash all this hurt and confusion away, as it did the mundane grime and ash. But the corruption went deeper than the surface of his skin, deeper than the pores shallow burrow. There was nothing simple water could do for internal charring the Planet seared into his ivory flesh.

Only Mother could make this better, and they'd come so close to meeting her. Kadaj had had her in his grasp, but if the Shin-Ra had him now then they'd most certainly taken her away. The utter unfairness of it cut at him, they'd been through all of this, only to start all over again.

There was just no help for that though, was there? There was no other option, but to go and try to find them. But even though he knew they still had to go meet Mother and find Kadaj, part of Yazoo's pain was this: strangely, he found himself not wanting to leave…

Waking up this morning in that soft, warm bed, surrounded by simple human comforts, the scent of warm, sweet breakfast being cooked in the kitchen down stairs… Elmyra's gentle smile as she'd laid a bundle of worn old clothes on the dresser for Loz and Yazoo to try. The cozy closeness of this little yellow bathroom, so different from the sterile white communal showers, so wide and the cold, white tile…

All of it was unfamiliar, but it struck a cord in Yazoo somewhere, was tantalizing to a part of himself he didn't understand and that troubled him too… He was fairly well certain that Mother was nothing like Elmyra. Mother was a traveler of the stars, a divine fire that purged the Universe of weak and parasitic creatures… Elmyra didn't strike Yazoo as parasitic at all though… Quite the opposite, she was unfathomably giving, vastly different from anyone working for the Shin-Ra. He found himself mourning already, the thought that she would perish with this world… As though it would blind fold his mind, Yazoo shielded his eyes with one slim hand.

"Yazoo? …Daijoubu?" The question came with a soft rap on the door. Trying to pull himself together quickly, the younger brother cleared his throat and stood up carefully, quickly shutting the water off.

"Yeah, Loz. I'm fine…" He pushed his long hair out of his face, reaching out for his towel as Loz let himself in. "I didn't mean to take so long…"

The older one just shook his head, setting his own towel in place of Yazoo's. "I just thought…" He didn't finish the sentence though, the sentiment clear enough. After Yazoo's collapse last night, the concern was well founded. Taking in the extent of the Geostigma's spread while his brother toweled off, Loz's brows knit in further worry. "Why is it worse for you…?" He knew his brother didn't really know any more about the disease than he did, but he just felt so helpless right now.

Yazoo shrugged, letting one thin shoulder rise and drop. "You're stronger than I am. You fight it better," but this only served to cause guilty tears to spring to Loz's eyes. The young man had been tearing up regularly, off and on through out the evening and now today. The frustration of all the setbacks was really getting to him, but Yazoo bore it with patience. Trying to be strict with his brother at this point would only make things worse.

Reaching out he cupped Loz's cheek, brushing gently at the corner of one eye with the pad of his thumb. "… Don't worry. We're not going to end up like those others. We were born from Mother. She's a real part of us. That's why the Planet attacks us so fiercely. But that's also why we can resist it. It hurts, I know. But Mother won't abandon us. She needs us to rescue her and we're going to do that, today. We're going to leave here and find Kadaj, get to Mother and then she'll make everything right. This world will have no power to hurt us any more."

It helped, being strong for Loz. It gave Loz his confidence and it solidified again in Yazoo's mind their being and their purpose. He would thank Elmyra for her help, sincerely appreciate her kindness, but they were not, after all, part of this world. The primitive trappings of human life might provide a dangerous distraction, but they would have to be stronger than that.

"Go on, get cleaned up. You still smell like sulfur. I'll be waiting for you down stairs. Elmyra will have finished making breakfast, but we should go as soon as possible. We'll need to be able to catch up, if they've decided to move Mother and Kadaj."

Loz nodded and began stripping out of his underclothes obediently, Yazoo letting his hand drop and leaving the bathroom to go back to the bedroom and dress. The widow had been kind enough to drag out some of her husband's old clothing, stored for years now in the attic inside a cedar chest. They were only a little musty, just smelled mostly of the fragrant wood which had been sealed tightly, no insects creeping in.

Yazoo finally decided on a deep crimson sweater, a hand-knit affair with a fold over turtle neck that conveniently hid his scars. It was a little too large, the sleeves hanging over the backs of his hands, and he had to belt the slate grey jeans, which had probably once been black, but all the clothing felt soft and durable. No real replacement for custom-fit leather armor, but under the circumstances, it would have to do.

Everything was just Loz's size though. The scoop-neck grey sweater and khaki work pants fit to a T, and both of them still had their boots, for the most part. There was a slash in the upper calf of one of Loz's but nothing terrible, and the slacks fell right over it.

While Loz was still showering though, Yazoo took the moment to read in the daughter's diary again. Most of it just gushed about her boyfriend, but occasionally the girl wandered down more serious and interesting veins.

"Tseng came to our house again. I don't know why he doesn't simply take me away. I know they kidnap people, the TURKs, but when I look at Tseng I have a hard time believing it. He seems so very dignified. Wutains always seem so very honorable. Well, except the waiters in the Wall Market restaurants, but some how I think Tseng's different from them… I just don't see how he can be a TURK. I'm not sure he's even told Shin-Ra that he's found me. If that Professor Hojo knew where I was, I don't think there'd be any escape…

"Mom's really scared for me, and I wish I could tell her it was okay… She's worried that the General will turn me in, since I spend so much time with Zack and him, but I don't think he'd ever do that. I guess because he was the first SOLDIER he's seen a lot of Hojo and his labs. He sounds pretty disgusted with it all, from what little he's said, so I don't think I'll have to worry. On top of that, he and Zack are still such great friends. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Zack, just because Shin-Ra's interested in me.

"They actually share an apartment, up on top of the Plate! I came up and made dinner for them last night, which I think they both really appreciated. Men. They really are just like big kids. The place is really spacious, but there's barely anything in it and most of the time it looks like it's a complete mess. They really need a woman to set things right in there! …Having said that, I know Zack would really like it if I'd move in with him… But I couldn't leave Mom down here by herself. Anyway, I think Sephiroth would be too uncomfortable around me…

"He's not a bad guy, really. But he's very quiet, and so very full of pain. More pain than anyone I've ever seen. Sometimes I meet his eyes and I can almost hear his voice inside my head saying, 'Do not come too close to me. I see your light, and my darkness can extinguish it.' It's really almost that clear.

"Of course I don't believe that. It's not that I think I'm all that strong, but I don't think he's quite that lost. I bet that sounds arrogant, I don't really know his pain, but… Well, I'd like to try to help. I just wish he'd open up and let me. Maybe if we get to know each other better, he'll start to trust me like he trusts Zack, but it will have to be gradual. I think I'd scare him off if I suddenly moved in!

"Anyway, I guess the president of Shin-Ra visits sometimes, or Heidegger, or Hojo… Zack says Sephiroth hates it when any of them come around, especially Hojo. Zack's always told to leave when the professor visits, and I guess sometimes after that Sephiroth will be sick for days. I really feel bad for him. It makes me wonder, why he doesn't just quit? …But I guess that's probably not possible, since he was the first… I know Zack's contract is ridiculously strict, but he says it isn't iron clad. I hope so…

"I can't think about this any more or I'm really going to cry. I think I'll go work in the garden. Maybe I'll bring the guys some flowers next time."

Loz finally came in to change, and Yazoo closed the book. Glancing to the door once to make sure it was closed, he rolled over on his stomach and slipped the small book into the back pocket of the jeans. The sweater came down far enough it covered what small amount of the soft pink binding peaked up over the fabric, but any way around it, Yazoo had decided to take the diary with them.

At best it was a view into the life of their eldest brother that no one else knew of, and if nothing else it was small enough not to be a burden to carry it. The pages were only worn a little bit, suggesting to Yazoo no one but the author had really ever read it; it was entirely possible Elmyra didn't even know of it. Or if she did, she hadn't had the heart to look in it. It would probably be months before she missed the little book, if she ever did.

Loz pulled the grey sweater over his head, the muscles of his back bunching and stretching with languid strength, then turned to his brother and nodded, ready to head down stairs. By now the scent of sweet and salty breakfast foods was thick in the little cottage's air, and when the arrived down stairs it was to the sight of a table full of plates and crock ware, piled with scrambled eggs, ham and bacon, crisp toast and sweet griddle cakes. The pleasure Elmyra took in cooking for more than just herself was palpable, her smile bright as the sun yellow flowers decorating the center of the table.

"Come, come, sit down. We don't want it to all get cold." She'd already set out the place settings and ushered each of the young men to a chair. This was definitely different than the prepared plates that were brought to their rooms, or the rations they'd been living off at the Forgotten City. For a moment, both were quite at a loss until Elmyra cheerily picked up and fixed their plates.

For a moment all Yazoo could do was eye his plate, but the delicious smell was quickly reminding him that he hadn't really eaten properly in days, and though his endurance was remarkable, his ability to forgo most bodily needs far beyond normal human capacity, there was no denying his appetite now. Picking up the fork beside his plate he scooped up some of the fluffy scrambled eggs and immediately wolfed them down. Loz was already making quick work of a stack of griddle cakes.

Elmyra just watched the two of them happily for a moment before finally picking at her own plate. She'd suspected they'd be ravenous when they woke and had made sure to prepare extra helpings. They were boys after all, and though she'd had none of her own really, Zack had come around her home enough to impress upon her the appetite of a still growing young man.

"So… You boys will be heading out today?" She finally brought herself to ask, though already a little reluctant to see them go. She barely knew them, but she could tell there was something in them that needed mothering. She just had to remind herself, they had a mother they were going to. She just hadn't had enough time with her little girl. Forever wouldn't have been enough, and even though Aerith had been a grown woman when she'd finally flown from the nest, it still hurt Elmyra that her home was so empty. She'd thought trying to take care of some one else would be too painful, but now she found it only hurt because they were going to go…

"Ah…" Yazoo nodded after a moment. "Soon. We appreciate your kindness, but…"

"But you're still going to meet your mother."

"Yes… There's another of us too, a younger brother. The Shin-Ra have him now…" He didn't know precisely what compelled him to elaborate. Maybe that she sympathized with their low opinion of the Shin-Ra, which was emphasized again by her immediate frown. "We're fairly sure they've taken him to the Healin Lodge."

"Mm… You boys didn't really have any gil on you, did you? You'll need something to get transport from the city," she pushed up from her seat and went to the side of one of the living room's sitting chairs, bringing a small velvet purse back with her. Taking out an old wallet she drew out a few bills and pressed them on Yazoo. "Shin-Ra stopped digging its heels in about my husband's life insurance after what happened to my daughter, so I don't mind helping you boys out. You should be able to hire a cab and have a little extra if you need anything."

The look of surprise on both men's faces let her know they hadn't been fishing for a hand-out, though she hadn't expected they were anyway. There was something of a naïve honesty about them, though they guarded the details of the truths they told carefully.

When they finally stood on her front stoop, ready at last to go, Elmyra felt again that longing for them to stay. Fighting through the tightness in her chest she could finally request, "If you boys ever come back this direction… Well, you'd make an old widow happy if you'd drop in some time and look in on me."

The two brothers exchanged a momentary look, the bigger man looking for direction from the other. After a moment Yazoo gave her an affirming nod, but there came that smile again, hidden knowledge masked behind a gentle face. Whether because of their illness or something else Elmyra didn't know, it was obvious the young man didn't think they'd ever come back her way.

VIIVIIVIIVIIVIIVIIVII

The truck let them off a few hundred yards from the Healin Lodge and Yazoo selected a hill both knew would give them a good line of sight. At this distance they were unlikely to be spotted to very quickly by Shin-Ra's people, but they'd be able to observe and know when it was to their best advantage to move in.

Loz took his seat on one of the stepped rocks, watching his brother go to work. Since their mundane weapons had been lost to them, they were now forced to resort to magical means of carrying out their objectives. Luckily their niisan had more than adequately equipped them, the treasure trove of Materia Loz had discovered in the Sector 5 church coming to be quite convenient.

With a graceful sweep of his arm Yazoo unleashed the burst of energy down to the pools below. At first there was nothing but a quiet calm, before the rivers and waterfalls that cut through the lush terrain began to rise and overflow as the creature rose from the deep.

Inside the Healin Lodge the walls shook with the strange, hissing, ultrasonic scream. Doctors and nurses paused in their duties, patients woke from fitful sleep and looked to medical staff in expectant apprehension. There were very few windows through which to locate the source, but for those who could see the great sea snake turning its massive head in their direction, terror knew no bounds.

Author's Remarks: Levithan's gotta be my favorite summon. Not the strongest, but there's just something about it. Uh… That's all I got.

Translations:

Wow, none I think. :3