Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or Firefly
Crazy Talk
Being back on Serenity was reassuring for all of them. If they closed the doors and avoided the windows they could almost pretend that they were still in the black, and had never set foot in this crazy world. Of course, Mal reflected, at least they had landed on their feet regarding their rescuers. The Al Bhed were carefully examining the bridge, and Cid had even provided a translator so that they could converse with Wash regarding the navigational instruments.
"They really seem to know their stuff," Wash enthused to his captain, "it's like having fifteen Kaylee's fixing the bridge except less cheerful and with goggles!"
"Well an army of Kaylee's is certainly what we're needing. You okay managing this?"
"Not much managing to do. I'm tempted to just sit back and let them work."
"Well keep me informed," Mal responded before heading off the bridge.
XXXOOOXXX
At the other end of the ship Kaylee was proudly showing off the engine to Cid and Rikku.
"She ain't too healthy now, but when she's moving she's the best ship in the 'verse!"
"She really is something," Cid remarked, crouched beside the central turbine and examining the mess of wires. "So which systems does she use to get into space?"
"Well there's the grav boot, life support, main thrusters…hell most of what you see we couldn't get out of atmo without."
"Some of these parts look a little…old" remarked Rikku, already on her back fiddling with a pair of rusted couplings.
"You could say that," Kaylee agreed, "I keep asking Cap'n for new parts, but when money's tight…well you just gotta make do with whatever luh suh you got lying around."
"You and Rikku should make a shopping list. Tell us what you need to get her running; I'll see what I can do." Cid remarked. Kaylee looked like all her Christmases had come at once.
"Shiny. I'll get right on it!"
Cid smirked, leaving the girls to work and heading out of the engine room. He couldn't help marvelling at the fact that this rust bucket could get into space. It was clear that the ship had a soul though. It seemed to be a living creature almost, with all its own quirks and details that stuck out to his experienced eyes. He smiled with satisfaction as he walked through the ship which was teeming with Al Bhed, slowly pounding the dents out of Serenity. As he reached the mess he came across the Captain who seemed slightly overwhelmed by the hoards of people crawling all over his ship.
"This ship's pretty special," Cid complemented Mal.
"That she is," the Captain agreed, his eyes following an Al Bhed figure who was calibrating the mess hall's environmental controls.
"You're people sure are…efficient."
"Machina is the passion of the Al Bhed. They all jumped at the chance to fix up a real space ship."
"Well I guess I should be grateful for that. So any idea how long it'll take?"
"We're still assessing the damage. Your mechanic's the only one with a full knowledge of how this girl runs. It might take a while."
The captain nodded his agreement then made his excuses. Grateful as he was, he was still very uncomfortable with the notion of all these strangers on his ship. He was desperate to find some area of solitude where he could escape the confusion and hubbub that had invaded Serenity.
XXXOOOXXX
Tidus, when exploring the intriguing ship, had been stopped dead in his tracks when he spied the clinically white infirmary, filled with shiny metal instruments.
"This is incredible!" he gasped, "it's just like the sanatoriums in Zanarkand, just a lot smaller."
"What…is this place?" Yuna asked uncertainly, unsettled by the sharp tools and bright electric lights.
"It's the infirmary," Simon answered, looking puzzled as he entered behind her.
"Surely you've seen an infirmary before?"
"They don't need them here. Magic and potions make illness and recovery simpler. You either live…or you die. There's no medicinal way of changing that here." Tidus supplied for him, his knowledge of pre-war Zanarkand supplying some of the gaps between a modern technological age and their current magic orientated surroundings.
"But…surely when people get shot or injured there's not always a "magic" solution."
Tidus' look confirmed the doctor's suspicions and he leant on the nearest counter for support as he imagined a world without medicine.
"But magic…it isn't logical. There's no scientific explanation…"
"Does there have to be?" Yuna asked, looking at the doctor with some confusion, although also with sympathy. She could tell that he was finding the curiosities of her world particularly difficult to deal with, even if she did not quite understand why.
"I'm sorry…I just find the idea of a magical cure so hard to grasp. My whole life has been devoted to medicine…you're world is a lot to adjust too."
"Well what do you do, when someone is injured?" Yuna asked curious about what she saw as his brand of healing magic.
"Generally I try to stop any bleeding and medicate the patient to stop the pain and then it's a case of time and waiting for it to heal. Sometimes an operation is necessary – if there is a bullet or internal bleeding for example."
"Operate?"
"He means he would open the person up to remove the bullet or fix the problem from the inside," Tidus supplied, having a vague familiarity with the concept.
"You cut people open?!!" Yuna asked, looking deeply shocked.
"Sometimes it's necessary…It's all safe…I can't believe you don't have them here…" Simon was equally shell shocked, struggling to come to terms with the revelations about the world's non existent health care.
"It sounds so…brutal."
"I guess it would. But if it wasn't for surgery half the people on this ship wouldn't be alive. Especially not the captain," Simon offered, attempting in his slightly haphazard way to reassure her. He could at least grasp that the prospect of cutting someone open could be considered barbaric to those who were unfamiliar with it.
"Your ways of treating the injured are so different compared to mine." The brunette agreed, before smiling at the young doctor who was still looking a little dumbfounded. "I think that perhaps we have a lot to learn from each other."
He smiled back, recognising her attempts to help him adjust better by helping him understand things.
"I would like that very much, it would be very interesting." He relished the opportunity to apply science to the oddities he had witnessed so far, a chance to rationalise everything. Particularly he wanted a chance to examine these 'magic' potions, to do an analysis and perhaps understand what it was about them that worked. He smiled broadly at the young couple in front of him.
"I would really like the opportunity to learn from you," he reiterated. Aside from his interest in learning more about this world, he was also exceedingly proud to have met people so different from himself and to have not insulted them. He was really learning!
XXXOOOXXX
River had thought today was a good day, one where she understood and could think rationally. As always her mind had betrayed her. As soon as she reached Serenity she had felt secure, knowing what lay inside those doors. But it was wrong, all wrong. So many people, thinking so loudly. All muddled, things in the wrong places. Chaos. As the unspoken voices got louder her surroundings became fluid, the noises drowning out Serenity's reassuring peace. The holes in Serenity's damaged body gaped more and more as the voices forced their way out, and River felt the pain of the ship, the tension of it's crew and the uncertainty of the Al Bhed, all battering her as if she was caught in some sort of emotional turbine. She watched as the ship warped and twisted, stretching her inhabitants, although they couldn't see what was happening to them. She tried to warn them, but couldn't find the words. Her mind twisted what she wanted into nonsense. Not that it mattered they couldn't understand her anyway, they just heard her screams.
Alarmed at her sudden hysteria people tried to help, shadows reaching out to her. But their attention made their thoughts so loud, she felt as though her head was tearing itself in two, besieged by so many voices. She bolted, running towards one of her hiding places, her refuge. But it wasn't right, surrounded by shadows. Melting. Fluid. She had to escape, and she ran for the doors dodging the shadows, aiming for the glistening stable world outside. Figures came at her, shadows of the people they were meant to be. They grasped at her but she fought back, pushing away their restraining arms. She lashed out and felt people fall away. Shadow ape man tried to hold her, but she struck, knocking him back, leaving her free to seek the calm world beyond and freedom.
The world outside Serenity was blissfully quiet and empty, except for the glistening red creature crouched on the sands before her. It had a peace to it, like Serenity and yet it was odd. It seemed so new, and yet its heart spoke to her of its age, years of being broken and forgotten. What's more, inside it were people. Vibrant people in a stable world. The ancient calm and knowledge soothed her, helped her to breathe again, helped her mind to think in a linear way. The glistening hulk promised calm and peace, where her usual solace, Serenity, could not and so she was drawn to it, a moth to a flame, stroking the sides of the red giant until it allowed her access, stepping into its great belly.
XXXOOOXXX
"Captain we have a problem," Zoe called urgently down the ladder to his bunk, where he had retreated to escape the army of engineers who had invaded his ship.
"And everything was going so well too…" he grumbled as he climbed the ladder.
"What's the problem?"
"River's gone. Ran off the ship screaming like a banshee"
"Didn't you stop her?!" he asked, incredulous.
"We tried Sir. Jayne's sat down in the cargo hold with blood pouring outta his forehead 'cause of it. Not to mention a bunch o' these…Al Bhed sporting fresh bruises."
"Ta ma duh. You told Simon?"
"Inara's handling it. You think we should let Cid know?"
"Don't see any way we can't. Ain't gonna find her without him."
The group gathered in the cargo hold as news of River's disappearance spread. Jayne was grumbling as he stemmed the flow of blood coming from a gash on his forehead.
"Feng le girl ought'a get left out there…"
"What? Because a big man like you couldn't get the better of a little girl?" Wash goaded amused despite the situation.
"Take a look funny man," Jayne growled, gesturing to a number of wincing Al Bhed sat around. "That girl's not right."
"She's just disturbed!" Simon protested in his sister's defence, distressed over her disappearance. "Everything is different here; it must have set off an episode. We have to find her!" He turned to the captain now, who till this point had remained stonily quiet.
"Who knows what's out there? We have to find her now, before she gets hurt."
"Leaver her for the monsters I say," Jayne growled, "Better off that way."
"Jayne!" Kaylee admonished, almost as upset as Simon over River's plight.
"She's crew," Mal said firmly, eyeing Jayne warningly before turning to Simon, "And we're gonna find her."
"Do we have any plan yet?" Inara asked hopefully.
"Don't worry pops'll find her," Rikku tried to reassure them.
"We'll help you look too," Yuna offered and Tidus nodded his assent.
"Why did she run off like that anyway?" Tidus asked, confused.
"It's a long story…" Book responded to save Simon the trouble of trying to explain River's unique situation when he was so concerned. He sensed that they would need to know soon but right now finding River was the main priority.
At that moment Cid entered, having just finished radioing other Al Bhed for information. Mal had already filled him in on the situation and he had been very quick in finding out what he could.
"Your girl wouldn't perhaps like dancing and talking in riddles would she?"
"Sounds disturbingly familiar," Mal responded.
"Have you found her?" Simon demanded, alert and anxious.
"I think so. She's on the Celsius."
XXXOOOXXX
If they hadn't been so concerned about River, the group would have been astounded by the glossy interior of the airship they were walking through. A man who introduced himself as Buddy met them at the entrance to the bridge.
"Is she okay?" Simon asked him, not satisfied about his sister's welfare until he could make sure she was all right for himself. The man laughed wryly at his enquiry.
"She seems fine, if a little strange. Its Brother I'm worried about. You might have to rescue him."
To the surprise of Serenity's crew, Rikku groaned at this.
"Situation normal then!" she remarked before stepping through onto the spacious bridge. The scene that met her eyes caused her to sigh even louder.
River was calmly twirling around the room to music that only she could hear apparently oblivious to the shouted protestations of a tall Al Bhed male whose tattooed body was naked to the waist and who sported a strange blonde Mohawk atop his head.
"Kad uvv so creb!! Drec ec so creb lnywo kenm!! Oui sicd mayja! Mayja ic ymuha!!"
"Crid ib!" Shouted Rikku, interrupting his strange screams and attracting the man's attention. His eyes widened at the huge number of people now stood on the bridge.
"Rikku…fru yna draca baubma? Damm dras du ku yfyo!"
"They're here to help, idiot" Rikku retorted in response to his outburst as the crew looked on in confusion and Simon attempted to interrupt his sister's dancing in order to check her over, still not entirely convinced of her well being. Tidus understood the group's confusion.
"That's Brother, Rikku's…well Rikku's brother. He can be a little erratic." He entered into a conspiratorial whisper.
"I'm not entirely sure he's all there…"
"Hey, I not deaf!" Brother shouted at him in broken English. "You invade ship steal my Yuna and now you insult me! You and all these people! You go! Go now!!"
Jayne's hand twitched towards his gun, not at all comfortable with the presence of someone he saw as being almost as unhinged as their own crazy-person, but it was Yuna who diffused the situation.
"You really shouldn't shout at our guests Brother," Yuna smiled kindly at the man. As his eyes fell on her his expression changed remarkably and Inara was astounded to see so much devotion suddenly appear in the man's eyes.
"Yuna…this crazy girl…she invades ship and will not leave!" he said in a plaintive tone.
"She doesn't want to leave," declared River, suddenly stopping and staring straight at the man.
"Steady thoughts. Simple. Then she can hear the music." With that cryptic comment she resumed her silent dance, spinning around solemnly again.
"Well she certainly seems calmer," Book commented, to the agreement of Zoe.
"She dances like a real star," smiled Kaylee, leaning over a railing to watch her.
"It's all she's done since she got here," said a child's voice from the right.
"She just keeps dancing."
Mal looked to the source of the voice, seeing a small child sat at a console watching River.
"So any ideas of how to stop her?" Tidus asked him. Mal thought it was strange that the blonde seemed to be asking this child for advice with so much respect in his voice.
"I'm just a kid," the child replied shrugging his shoulders. His comment was innocent but for some reason it caused River to freeze.
"Genius," she spoke, her voice starting as a whisper but quickly growing louder, "gifted child, plays with the memories makes them real…curious and playful…can't know the danger…but they will. THEY WILL!" she became hysterical quickly, shocking everyone as Inara and Simon rushed forwards to quiet her.
"Sucking the planet dry! You're killing it! Have to stop before it's too late. STOP IT!" she screamed as Inara wrapped her arms around her, everyone else still frozen in place.
"Hush mei-mei," she cooed to the frantic girl whilst shooting Simon a meaningful glance. He understood her meaning, the syringe ready in his hand, and he inserted it efficiently into her nearest vein. Then, taking over Inara's role, he held her tight to him as the sedative quickly took effect and her sobs and screams quietened away to nothing.
"I don't understand," ventured Rikku quietly, having missed River's earlier disturbance.
"She was fine before."
Jayne laughed bitterly at that.
"Yeah, she was just shiny when she cut open my gorram head!"
"What did you do?" Tidus asked Simon, his eyes still on the now subdued girl and her brother with the syringe.
"A sedative," Simon replied, distractedly, watching his sister's now sleeping form, her breath still coming raggedly.
"We should get her back to Serenity," Inara suggested.
"No…something there set her off in the first place…she needs to be somewhere else," Simon responded, trying to think clearly.
"We have some beds in the galley," Yuna offered helpfully.
"That would be good, thank you." Simon nodded at her before beginning the process of moving his sister. Cid, however, who had watched the entire thing silently, turned to Mal.
"Once they've got her settled I think you need to tell us the full story about that girl."
XXXOOOXXX
The Celsius galley was huge. Upstairs River slept soundly on one of three beds whilst below everyone assembled in the spacious bar area. There had been quite a commotion when Serenity's crew caught sight of barkeep.
"What the hell is that?!!" Mal had screeched, instinctively reaching for his gun.
"Ish there a problem?" the blue skinned hypello replied inquisitively.
"Barkeep, these are some friends of ours. They've never seen a hypello before."
The creature's eyes widened at this.
"Surely that ish imposibibble?!"
"That thing is giving me an uncomfortableness," Jayne said warily his hand once more reaching towards his gun. Kaylee punched his arm lightly, beaming widely.
"I think he's cute!" she declared. Any more discussion on the subject was halted, however, as Cid entered the room.
"Enough with the chit chat!" he remarked and instantly a hush fell. They could tell he meant business.
"I want answers!"
The crew gathered around the small tables, still curious as to the nature of the strange creature behind the bar. Jayne couldn't help shooting it furtive glances as he grudgingly took a seat.
"So you gonna tell me why that girl of yours started screaming at the kid?"
"Something must have set her off. A thought, an action, it could even have been something completely unrelated to her current surroundings," Simon began.
"What do you mean, something set her off," Tidus challenged. "Has this happened before?"
"All the gorram time…" Jayne grumbled quietly. Simon however gave a more accurate response.
"She's been experiencing…episodes…for well over a year now. Ever since I rescued her…"
Simon retold the story of the Academy and River's aided escape, her mental state, and what he had pieced together since. Yuna stared wide eyed at the young man as he told their story, assisted in parts by other members of the crew.
"But…why?" She asked finally.
"Seems the alliance had need of a reader. That's our best guess." Mal replied.
"A reader or a weapon. An assassin perhaps," Zoe added.
"But she's just a girl. Why would anyone do that?" Tidus responded dumbfounded.
"You can make her better right?" Rikku asked timidly.
Simon shook his head dejectedly, "I've been trying, but there's only so much I can do."
It was then that River appeared on the stairway behind them.
"Broken like Serenity. She will fly again. Better than before."
Seeing River was awake, Simon had insisted on checking her over while the rest of the crew took advantage of a little downtime in the galley. Yuna and Tidus took the opportunity to leave in order to check on Shinra; according to Buddy he was still a little shaken from River's screaming fit.
"So do you believe them?" Tidus asked her as they headed towards the bridge.
"I guess so…" she responded.
"How d'ya think they got here though? It's not as if Sin is still around…" he mused thinking about his own arrival in Spira.
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," she smiled at him. He loved that smile, always so optimistic. Since Sin and Vegnagun she had finally been able to relax without a crisis to solve and the result was a fun loving, burden-less Yuna who was able to be young again. So he hated to have to tell her his suspicions.
"Yuna, before, when River was dancing, did you notice anything…strange about it?"
"No, I don't think so. I was too distracted by Brother and his shouting." She smiled softly at the memory.
Tidus stopped and sighed pulling her into an embrace.
"I've seen that dance before Yuna, in Kilika after Sin hit. I'm not an expert but…it looked like a sending to me Yuna."
XXXOOOXXX
Things should start to get more interesting from here on in. Hope you enjoyed. Please review
Translations
Kad uvv so creb!! Drec ec so creb lnywo kenm!! Oui sicd mayja! Mayja ic ymuha!! - Get off my ship!! This is my ship crazy girpl! You must leave! Leave us alone!!
Crid ib – Shut Up
fru yna draca baubma. Damm dras du ku yfyo – Who are these people? Tell them to go away