Author's Notes: See, I get back to it quickly like promised. PLUS I get back to the standard format. Oh yeah, I hope you like action and talking and emotions...

P.S.: From the moment that they enter the circle to the moment that Nida's finally let to his feet is more than 3k words. Longest fight I've ever written. By far.

Pilot Wings: Chapter 9

"You know, this would go so much faster if you would just release your strangle hold on my magic."

Give me a good reason to do so, little chicken.

"I don't have to let you out to play as often as I do."

Nope, far from good enough. You'll have to do it the old fashioned way, or use one of those materia things.

Let no one claim that her kind had short memories.

Ever.

Time for a new approach then.

"If you don't do this, the task will take me to sundown, which means you won't be able to put me into my place today."

This actually got a reaction from the ethereal woman perched in a nearby tree, for she waved her hand dismissively, and with it he could feel his spells coming back into his reach. With a grin he put down the bucket he'd been hauling off to the well for what felt like the millionth time in his life and instead focused inwardly. Soon a great ball of water had formed over the field he was working, held in place by the very magic he'd used to call it forth. With the liberal application of a tornado spell, tightly reined in by a mixture of his developing control and the ancient mastery of the translucent woman in the tree, the water swirled out in the air, changing from orb to a disc. This was raised a bit higher by that same wind energy, and finally released a little at a time.

When the light, and artificial, rain had ended and the field was finally watered the magic within him was once more firmly clamped down, denied to him by the woman.

"Oh, now you're just being a bitch."

And you, a stubborn fool. I'd expect it from Zell, not from you.

The reaction was almost to be expected, but if one watched the woman, there was undoubtedly a faint smile coloring her features as the man flinched in response to her insult. For an insult it was, if only he of all people knew it. His reaction was just as she had expected though, instantly grabbing up a staff that had been abandoned at the edge of the field and walking away. Her small smile became a grin of delight as she slipped easily from the tree and followed him out into a part of the land covered by grass instead of crops, and even that cut low in a circle in this particular area, their sparring ring. When he'd reached the far side, the young man whirled on her, staff raised before him defensively, waiting for her response.

Still smiling, delicately though, the woman raised her hands before her, and grew still. Neither he nor her was surprised when a staff formed in her hands, today more of wind than of the water she favored. Her small feet made no sound and disturbed no blade of grass as they slid into position in the ring, mimicking his stance, though with a grace and perfection that could not be attained by any mortal being. Yet this was no mortal being.

She was the Lady of the Waters and Winds, Glorious Goddess of Silence. Many were her titles, but ultimately it came down to the simplest two: Guardian Force, and Siren.

Never before had Siren even considered going easy on her opponent, and today would be no change.

There was no actual signal to begin, just a tensing of muscles that didn't exist as the spirit threw herself at the young man. He easily took the testing strike to his own staff, ducked the lightning fast kick she aimed for his head, and side-stepped the following blast of wind she sent at him with but a glance. Of course neither of them were impressed with this, it was their standard opening. What followed was what was important.

Nida knew that just as much as Siren, and yet he didn't take the obvious moves that were presented from this point. As open as the spirit seemed at the moment, she was anything but. Since their first session he had learned that any attack could be easily deflected with the flick of her wrist, glance of her eye, or even twitch of her wings. He'd also learned that those same wings were more than just pretty additions to the woman's appearance: they were capable of sustained flight, unleashed powerful winds at every beat, were as hard as mithril, and the edges of each feather were as sharp as razors. Going for an attack at this point would either find this latest staff damaged, or his arm cut if he didn't pull back in time.

Truth be told, the battle against a Guardian Force was always a defensive battle, the hope that the spirit would fatigue their power supply faster than the fighter would their stamina. Considering this was their fourth fight this week alone, he was coming to know this fact better than any other. Not to mention the fact that a weapon made of water or wind in a Guardian's hands did not remain the same from one second to the next.

Siren's own staff swept through the air, intended for his head, and his only defense was to raise his own weapon to block. While it opened his side it was far more reliable than dodging back, the staff could easily stretch in length or he could misjudge the reach of the invisible winds. Sometimes one had to give in to the danger of one defense for the assurance of what other attack would come. Sure enough one of Siren's hands moved from the weapon to claw at his side. Here was another thing that study had failed to present about the power of GFs: some areas of their physical or astral forms could be changed at will. The first time he'd encountered that fact had left deep gouges in his side from an attack much like this one, left by fingernails that had seemed to extend only for that very purpose.

At least this attack he could safely roll away from, keeping the constant safety of his staff between his head and the winds of Siren's own weapon. Once free from the immediate danger the man crouched down to sweep at his opponent's feet, something the Guardian easily retreated from. That had been his intention of course, and as the sweep reached halfway in the intended arc he quickly rose to his feet, lifting the weapon with him in what would mimic a boxer's uppercut. Just barely the blow connected with the delicate chin of the beautiful woman, and then slid easily to the side by the magic at her command. This too was another opportunity, as the magic, even for a second, distracted her from the physical attacks, and allowed Nida to close in on the woman, bringing one end of the staff down at her feet.

Watching, one would almost think that this was a carefully crafted dance, the way every blow just glanced so easily off of the woman, who seemed to be miming the fight herself. Truth was that Nida was more in danger fighting here and now than he'd ever been, even fighting Ruby Dragons. No magic did he have at his beck and call, no comforting and familiar spirit to fall back on, not even the ability to see where the weapon that was after him would land. Previous battles had left him not quite dead, but often enough wishing he had been before the spirit had finally decided he'd learned enough for the day and healed him of her own accord.

But he was getting better, so very much better. Not enough to land an actual blow, but enough so that he wasn't being hurt nearly as often as the first fight had left him.

Now he's dodging as the weapon held by the spirit lashes out again, except this time he can only see it being held in one of her hands. Even though he had brought the staff up between him and the anticipated blow, nothing came at first. Then there was a sharp pain in his cheek, a cut dealt there somehow right before he could feel a pulling at his staff, the spirit grinning as a sharp tug of her hand ripped his weapon away.

A whip. The cunning and ancient bitch had formed her winds into a whip on the whim. It was completely new, completely unexpected, and left him with a gift and no means to protect himself. As if to further this point the golden woman smiled once the staff was in her hands. Energy flared in the air for a moment as powerful winds ate away at the wood in her hands, cracking and weakening the weapon.

Just as suddenly as the weapon had been pulled away it was being tossed back at him. She didn't call out, didn't warn him, and didn't have to. The widening of the spirit's eyes, the fear, and the urgency of her motion had been more than enough to warn him. Nida caught the weapon in the same movement that turned his body to the attack that had to be coming from behind him.

It was likely that the staff saved his life, for no sooner was it before him in a block than a blade was cutting through the air where he'd been standing. Unfortunately such was the blow that it easily cut through the already weakened middle of the weapon, leaving in each hand a stick roughly the same length. And a swordsman still before him, slowly raising his weapon from the blow that would likely have cut through his skull with ease. There was murder in the eyes of this new opponent, and here was Nida, unarmed.

Well, at least that was what it obviously looked like. Nida even seemed to relent, his hands, still clinging to the remains of what had once been his weapon as his arms hung limply at his sides. Yet this lasted only long enough for the swordsman to give him a slightly surprised look, and for the winds of the spirit to swirl around him for a minute. The weight of the sticks in his hands changed in that wind, as by her power Siren carefully but quickly cut the sticks. A simple gust was all it took to change the remains of what had once been a serviceable and full length bo into a pair of tambo, stick weapons carefully cut so that their length was exactly that of the length from his tops of his ankles to his hip sockets. With that simple task completed, Nida threw himself at the swordsman before him.

The major difference between the usage of tambo and the bo was the speed, and the lack of entrapment in the former. The bo emphasized footwork as much as tambo, as well as accuracy of blows, but the weapon was meant for strong strikes and swings, for take downs, catching your opponent in ways that would immobilize them, and keeping them at a distance. Tambos were quicker weapons that gave up space for the speed of blows it could rain down, strength given from the elbows and shoulder rather than the back hand of the bo. Not only that, but the tambo was a weapon that could be used much like swords in some of it's attack possibilities.

Just feel of the weapons in his hands changed Nida's perception of his opponent, from a three dimensional figure that one could work around, strike head on, or trip up, into something flat. Edges were where you put a tambo into use, quickly and sharply enough to break bones and make the opponent retreat. More than anything, Nida knew how to take advantage of the shock that came from changing weapons like this. Suddenly this swordsman was just an outline to deliver blows to as quickly as possible in certain areas, keeping care only for the sword.

His first move was slipping inside of the man's defenses, the tambo in his left hand raising to push the long sword to the side as the right delivered quick whacks to ribs, elbow, shoulder, before a quick twisting of his body to bring the left forward allowed him the chance to smash the oaken stick into the temple of his enemy. The swordsman was faster than that though, once the first blow had come to his ribs he'd, instead of recoiling as expected, pushed closer in. While it may not have seemed like much, Nida was quite aware that the strength of the tambo came from striking from certain points on the length of the weapon to yield best speed and strength, and since the movement meant the blows were coming from closer to the holding hands, it also meant that the damage would be lessened. Once he twisted for the head shot the swordsman dodged back a step, bringing his own weapon up to knock the tambo aside, throwing Nida's balance off for a fraction of a second.

But even a fraction of a second could be fatal, Nida had learned that many times over with Siren, who could do nothing more to help him. Unless directly summoned in battle she could do nothing to aid him against another, only interact with him specifically. This fight was wholly up to his cunning and skill. Using the minor direction change and momentum added by the deflection, Nida twisted his body through a careful cartwheel, throwing a hand down against the ground to help guide him and pull his legs over even quicker to leave them out of the range of a sword slash, which quite predictably came. Once his feet were back on the ground Nida fell into a crouch, glaring at his enemy, and finally taking in something more than the blade being directed at him. What he saw did even less to comfort him than the sight of the sword had in the first place.

The man was blond, shockingly so, and his slightly glowing blue eyes were filled with battle lust. Leather clad hands shifted their grip on the hilt of the weapon before the man went to a one handed hold, and a second sword was pulled from a complicated harness on his back. No effort, no energy at all wasted as the man snapped the second sword somehow into the first, making the weapon bigger, heavier, and at the same time moving in for a slash that could have easily taken Nida's head from his shoulders. Another flip brought him to safety before he threw himself back into the fight, a defensive battle would do him no good with the range this man could attack from.

Apparently Cloud had been holding things back during their last fight, back on the day they had first met. How was Nida to know that Cloud used multiple weapons that interlocked after all? Then again, how could Cloud have known that Nida was skilled in more than just the standard battle techniques of a staff?

This fight was nothing like the last, no arrogance on either part, thinking they could take their enemy completely off guard. There was no one, that he or Siren could perceive at least, watching anxiously from the sidelines of their ring. Not once could Nida use the safety of a metal or even longer weapon to keep him far from the deadly edge of the strong sword, or direct sparks into Cloud's eyes when the weapons connected. He couldn't even be sure that Cloud wouldn't want to kill him, for whatever reason.

Everything was serious, deadly so, and silent to match. Not even the normally chattering Siren dared speak.

Once more Cloud struck out with his sword, the blade at a level that could easily take Nida's head from his shoulders were he to allow the blow to fall. He didn't, of course, instead ducking just under the weapon just in time to spare him damage, moving forward at the same time to close the distance. This time the body of the swordsman was angled at him, giving Nida new targets: knee; hip; stomach; and ribs; each dealt with an alternating hand as he moved up Cloud's body, and once the momentum had carried Clouds arm over his head, Nida had rolled to move. Rolled in the same direction the sword was traveling in, rather than away. He came up just as the blade finished moving over his head, and the momentum and loss of control from the blows caused Cloud to stumble forward. Quickly Nida rose his tambo and struck at the nearer arm with both weapons, bringing the butts down hard on the upper and lower arm. Normally such a blow would easily break an arm, but Nida held back a little this time as the blade went flying. Not for long of course, as he twisted and used the momentum of swinging his arm around his body to connect one wooden stick with Cloud's back, and to bring him to his knees.

As he felt the magic within himself raise once more, Nida quickly directed a protect spell between Cloud and the fallen sword, keeping the swordsman from his weapon. This didn't stop the blond though, who stumbled to his feet before launching himself at Nida, regardless of his weaponless state. This actually caught Nida off guard enough to cause him to take a step back, a mistake if there was ever one because any traction he could have found to brace against the blow was lost when his foot connected with a stone and caused his foot to slip. Not enough to damage his ankle, or make him fall, but enough that the tackle managed to knock him down. And no sooner was he on his back than Cloud was pinning him, arms tight at his sides and Cloud's easily straddling his chest and those arms. With Nida unable to move, the swordsman reached back, first one side than the other, to remove the tambo from his hands and cast them to the side. Not without having to put enough pressure on Nida's wrists to force him to release the weapons of course.

"This time you've got no chance to escape. You're beaten. Give up."

"Fuck you."

Language, young finch, Siren directed him from the edge of the ring.

Instead Nida began to call upon a float spell to remove Cloud from him, only to find the Guardian Force once more clamping powerfully down on his magic. Traitorous bitch.

I heard that, you know.

Frankly, Nida didn't care. And he knew that she was well aware of it. They hadn't been on the best of terms in a while now.

"Thank you," Cloud directed at the spirit, seeming to sense what had passed between Nida and his spirit, but he didn't dare look away from Nida. That almost made the younger mercenary grin, at least he had one of the most feared warriors on this world cautious. Or maybe he just wanted to keep watching Nida to make sure he wasn't doing the mental withdraw required for those few seconds before people from his world had to experience before calling upon a spell they didn't have fixed in his mind.

No, it had to be the former, Cloud couldn't have known about the withdraw. They were just too different.

"What do you want, Strife?"

The blond said nothing for a while, seeming to get comfortable with his position, while at the same time making sure that he was stable enough that Nida wouldn't be throwing him off any time soon. Once he was satisfied the blond crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the younger man.

"You ran away."

Great, this conversation was going to be one of obvious statements. Oh joy. This was going to be fun. In fact, Nida said precisely that.

It only earned him a further glare from the blond swordsman, close enough to an icy one he had known so long that Nida went very still and said nothing else. This was not something he wanted to cooperate with. Interrogations had never been his thing, especially when he was more than just unwilling, but recently beat in battle because of the stubbornness of a Guardian Force. And yet Cloud didn't move, didn't make any sounds, just stared down at Nida, and waited.

"Are you going to cooperate or am I going to have to leave you here all day?" Cloud asked after almost ten minutes of their staring contest, at which point Nida realized it was him that was holding this back, not Cloud. The blond expected nothing more than a peaceful conversation after what had really been nothing more than an intense spar. How many times had he not sought the same thing after a win or a loss?

It was almost awkward.

"I've got tasks to finish," he mumbled at last. This the swordsman took as a sign of cooperation, because soon he was standing and helping Nida to his feet. Then the two separated long enough to retrieve their respective weapons, though Cloud came back to the circle first, watching more likely than not as Nida frowned down at the sticks in his hands before sticking them through his belt loops.

"I didn't think it would break."

"You saw Siren I expect. We've been sparring lately and she decided today that it would be amusing to take my weapon."

Cloud nodded, almost in understanding though it was more than obvious to Nida that there was no way he could. How many people ever sparred with a Guardian Force after all, especially one who felt self-righteous and snubbed.

"What do you have left to do?"

Nida turned his attention to the field he'd abandoned for a quick spar, and gestured in that direction.

"I've already handled watering and checking for bugs. I've got to go back through and make sure there are no bugs and weed."

"Need help?"

Soon afterwards Nida and Cloud were moving through the rows of plants, the blond carefully and obediently weeding, only pulling up things that did not look like miniature versions of the plants around them. Though there were some times that the blond stopped to verify things with Nida, which amused the pilot to no end as he checked each plant one last time for the pests that would threaten not only yield, but the plant itself.

"I guess a city boy like you wouldn't understand how to care for plants," Nida joked after the fifth time Cloud summoned him for reference.

"I was born in Nibelheim, the town on the other side of the mountains from Rocket Town. Definitely not a city by any estimation. But my mother handled the vegetable patch, and the flowers all looked the same..."

"Whereas I'm a real city boy, raised away from all this agricultural stuff at least, and I still know it better than you."

"Well, you've had several months practice."

Nida froze in his work for just a moment, then brushed the comment off. While he hadn't been keeping track of time since he left Rocket Town, it was weird to hear he'd been away for so long. Or was it that he'd been here that long? No, he had to be how long he'd been away from Rocket Town or something, Cloud couldn't have known how long he'd been in this small village.

"The couple I'm living with and taking care of this for, they taught me really well."

Cloud nodded as he finally finished his first row of work, whereas Nida was already halfway through his third row. Practice did make perfect, and increased efficiency. And he'd had plenty of practice.

"Siren is still visible. I'm not seeing things."

It was a statement, not a question, and made more sense as Nida looked up to see the elegant Guardian walking amid the plants on the far side of the field, really more of a patch honestly, singling quietly and sweetly to the plants. According to the old couple the plants had never been doing better than they had since he'd arrived. He had his suspicions that it was Siren's doing, in thanks for the fact that they were caring for him. Despite the fact that they weren't getting on well, she still cared about and worried for her master.

"Yeah, she's good company at times."

"I thought her presence was draining to you."

Nida nodded, before realizing Cloud couldn't see him from where he worked. "Yes, very true. But I don't use much magic out here, materia or para-magic, beyond my work out here. I have more energy to support her. There is also something in the air here that gives us both energy. Like there was at that fountain, and in Cosmo Canyon."

"Mako," Cloud agreed easily. "There was a reactor near here once. Exploded and killed a lot of people in town, drastically decreased the population for a time. They say that even though it's gone, the Lifestream is closer to the surface here. The monsters are thus more magically inclined, and the people from this area that do use materia have far better mastery."

Both things Nida had noticed in his time in Gongaga. More than once he'd been called to take care of monster infestations after that first attack of what looked like frogs had attacked a farmer on the outskirts of the town. In payment the homesteads would pay him in what ways he could, which he would pass on to the old couple, the Fairs. Well, except for what came from and went to the owner of the supply store. The man doubled as a smith and weapon dealer for travelers, and accepted what Nida would give him in return for making new bos when Siren would leave them beyond repair or use. He'd have to get another soon.

As for the magic, his own control over both materia and para-magic had grown in his time here. Not to mention he'd finally discovered that, at Siren's allowance, he could indeed draw magic to restock what stores he had. Not that there was much variety to be found around in the Gongaga area, but it was something. Basic fire, ice, and surprisingly water, spells were plentiful here. Wind based spells like Aero and Tornado required a bit further of a hike, but he didn't mind the effort.

"So how did you find me?" Nida finally asked after a time of peaceful silence.

"Well, we doubted you had left the continent, you lack the proper money and from what you took it wasn't likely you could get the fare unless you sold the materia. And since last time we saw you, you weren't sure if using your magic was wise, we doubted you would abandon it..."

"That doesn't explain how you found me in this village."

Or had come to know where he worked in the days, since this was a bit from the home of the Fair couple. They wouldn't have told Cloud either, none of the villagers would have betrayed him like that. The trust in a small town was amazing, and awe inspiring.

"We heard about when you passed through Cosmo Canyon two days afterward. Searching for you in the wild seemed a bit ridiculous. So we sent someone ahead to the other major settlements you could wind up at. No one saw you for a while, so that left us a pretty reasonable guess as to where you weren't."

"I could have been dead."

Cloud only rolled his eyes before continuing. "Normally I get calls at least three times a year from Gongaga regarding monster problems. When I didn't get a normal one, I sent a message instead, to make sure things were okay. I received an answer that there was not enough of a problem to worry myself this year, and a traveler had taken care of what there was to deal with."

"Not much to go on."

"No. So I contacted the Fairs."

Nida froze in his inspections. Was his luck really so terrible that he'd wound up with friends of the very people he'd been fleeing from? Had they given him up so easily without telling him? Sent Cloud on here to find him? And he had trusted them...

"Their son..."

Was dead. Nida had heard that. Apparently their awareness of it was recent even though he'd passed a while before. He hadn't understood and they hadn't explained.

"I knew him, back when I was in Shin-Ra. He was a good man, my mentor and my best friend. He died to save me. They didn't know until about half a year ago, Shin-Ra never told them, and..."

It wasn't easy to give that kind of news to your best friend's family.

Nida quickly understood what had happened. Whoever had talked to Cloud had obviously opened up to someone their son had trusted so fully, told him easily about the quiet young man who had arrived in town, had needed help and shelter in the middle of a thunderstorm. How hard would it have been for the description they gave to match what Cloud knew? For him to be invited over by the two to surprise who they thought was an old friend of Cloud's, who had arrived at their door by chance?

"I see."

"I didn't come at first."

Which meant Cloud had known for a while, and had only come now for a reason. Maybe to kick Nida out of whatever funk he thought the pilot was in. Or to drag him back to Rocket Town. Cid had probably sent him.

"Oddest thing was, Cid was the one that convinced the girls not to hunt you down immediately and beat your skull in."

It was official, Nida wasn't going to get any more work done. He stood and brushed the dirt off the work pants that Mrs. Fair had used cloth that had been gifted to him for some work for another household to make for him. All of the clothes he wore now were made by Mrs. Fair, his uniform carefully folded and hidden away with a sack that was always prepared for the off chance that he chose to disappear once more.

"He did, did he?"

Cloud too stopped, standing and meeting Nida's eyes over a tall plant.

"Old man didn't even want me coming today."

That... that hurt more than Nida had expected it would, maybe because he hadn't expected it at all. There had been no time to prepare himself for such a revelation. So the old pilot was glad he was gone, glad he wasn't coming back, didn't even want people looking for him. Fine, Nida could live with that, live with it on top of everything else he had to live with since arriving in this world.

But that didn't mean that the revelation cut him any less deeply. Or that the ache in his chest was just there because he was sore from working too hard.

"Said you'd come back when you were good and ready to."

"That's okay, if he doesn't want me back then..." Okay, so he'd been ready to reply to a completely different thing. Couldn't Cloud just take pity and tell him everything rather than string him along, not that he didn't deserve it.

"I mean..."

"Though I think the more than that passed, the more worked up he seemed to get himself. Just before I heard about where you were he had stopped all work on the Tiny Bronco. At this point he pretty much sits around most of the day smoking and drinking tea, then goes out at night to drink."

Not only had he never expected so many words at once from Cloud, he hadn't expected the content. Nida stumbled from the row he'd been working before finally giving up and towards the tree Siren had once more perched in. When he leaned against the trunk the woman's ghostly hand lowered itself onto his head, gently playing with his hair such that it felt like a breeze was teasing it. Falling out or not, the spirit knew when comfort was needed, and unlike on the trip where she'd been sealed in the necklace he'd stolen save for in the direst conditions, she was actually here to give it this time.

I told you, little hawk, that he could never hate you for what you did.

He hadn't believed it, not when she had first said it, and not up to the moment Cloud had revealed all this information. Cid rightfully should hate him, disappearing from the bed they had shared not ten minutes after Cid had gone to sleep, and then stealing from him. No note when he left, no word since then, how could Cid not be furious? The man should be cursing him in five languages with some choice words repeated two or three times per language. He should most definitely not be worried about Nida for his cowardice.

"Cloud, I..."

"I know what it's like to see your world crumble around you, until you don't know what to do but run away and give in. But it doesn't help. Not like friends and companions who care about you can."

"You barely know me."

"Does that really matter?"

Honestly, Nida wasn't sure.

"Listen here, Nida. I don't know what happened between you and Cid, or you and the world, or you and yourself beyond what I was there for. I'm not going to ask either, it doesn't matter anymore. All I'm going to ask you is if you're going to come back with me or not. Running away from your problems will get you no where, and we can't very well look for a way to get you back home when we can barely understand what brought you here. Only you can do that, and only with our resources. So you either come back with me, or you stay here. It's up to you. But you need to decide."

The pilot's eyes rose to meet the transparent, and yet still bright, eyes of Siren. Nothing passed between them but that look, and yet something in it gave the pilot the strength he needed. After a moment Nida nodded and looked towards Cloud.

"Running away will get me no where, and as nice as this place is, it's not where I belong."

Cloud smiled and turned away, already walking in the direction that would bring him to the Fair house.

"Come on then. You have to pack up and explain to the Fairs why you're leaving. And probably never coming back again."

All Nida could really do was rush to catch up with the swordsman.

Cloud could move rather fast when he wanted to.