Before you begin asking, I'll answer this for you. Yes, the mysterious person in the previous chapter was Sephiroth. There are plot points that are for future plots (such as Sephiroth's appearance and crap like that).
Honor of the Rising Sun
Chapter 9
Flower Girl
Five days has passed since Shultz's sudden death. A ceremony was given a couple days ago to honor Shultz's service with Clan Delta. At the same time, the Bernevia Palace gave Rain all of the hidden documents that they will reveal about the events of Clan Delta's last mission, which gave Rain more information behind all of this confusion. Not only that, but the Judgemaster also decided to have all the fake information regarding that day to be replaced with the truth to honor Clan Delta's service to Ivalice.
At the same time, Clan Nutsy found one other wrinkle in space as well as defeating the Totema Adrammelech; in which Adrammelech has given its service to Clan Nutsy. The only problem is that Rain cannot use it because of his blood relations between a human and a bangaa, yet the real reason is because of his Limit Break ability. Rain doesn't care if he has the Totema ability at his disposal as, to him, he'd rather fight with honor instead of using the aid of an all powerful creature. And if Rain's case with no Totema concept is true for him, it could be true for Becile as well. However, she has told Rain that she doesn't prefer the Totemas due to her abilities in the Summon spells.
In other notes, Marche has been keeping as low of a profile as possible as he's trying to make sure that the Bernevia palace doesn't catch him doing what he's doing at this moment. However, what concerns him the most is Babus, who is keeping a close eye on Marche in recent times as well.
Today, Rain has been out in the marketing streets picking up some supplies that Marche requested. He just finished making a deal with the item store owner with buying a large amount of High Potions. However, as he walked out into the street, he also can see something else that is interesting. What he's seeing is Becile and Nikolai speaking, which brought to Rain's attention right away as he's always noticing that Becile never talks to any of the other Clan members. Rain began to sneak in within hearing distance of them while looking as if he's checking what else they would need.
As he is listening, he began to understand more of the conversation between Becile and Nikolai as he caught in the middle of what Becile is saying. "…I've always felt that the Ninja that took me in wanted me to have a happy life. When he saw me in the slave market, he wanted to take me in and give me freedom. He did so and took care of me as if I was his daughter as he wanted me to refer to him as father instead of master. He gave me a happy life as he took care of me like a real parent would for their children. But…that only lasted for three years in which a gang of ruffians killed him. In turn, I also ended up in a secret market, which I was then taken in right away by my previous owner before Rain saved me."
"I feel sorry for you, Becile," Nikolai sympathized. "I do understand what it's like having to lose someone close. My sister took her own life because she couldn't take the pressure of holding the secrets of Clan Delta. She spoke to me of that day and told me to never say anything about it unless Shultz tells Rain about that day. She then told me her good-byes and left. She was found dead a few days later, sword stabbed through her heart."
Becile couldn't help but show sympathy for Nikolai, regardless of the fact that he's been over it for the past three years; and yet, she also felt something else from him. She feels that she can trust him more than anyone else next to Rain. Nikolai's kind and calm demeanor seems to have similar qualities to her kindest master, or more her father as her old master wanted her to consider him at all times. However, before any further conversation can come up, Nikolai stood up quickly for Rain as he came around the corner; however, more afraid than anything.
"S-Sir, I-I wasn't doing-"
Rain merely brought his hand up in a gesture that told Nikolai to stay calm; or in Rain's translation, to shut up because you did nothing wrong. "Nikolai, you're only speaking with my sister, and I respect that you and Becile are beginning to gain some kind of bond. I truly do think, however, that Becile is beginning to trust you more as well."
Becile looked up to her brother, wondering what it means. "Rain…what does that mean then?"
Rain looked down to his little sister, answering "It means that you're beginning to come out of that goddamn shell of yours."
Becile began to smile a little bit, knowing that Rain seems to trust her with talking to other people. Even as offensive to Nikolai as it is for Rain to speak like that, he also understands that Rain's social life isn't exactly that great. However, unknown to Becile, Rain has always wanted Becile to speak with others and become someone better than a battle hardened warrior like Rain. As they were leaving, Rain looked to his right to see a woman with a great variety of flowers that she's selling. The woman herself had long, braided brown hair with a pink ribbon to hold that hair back wearing what appears to be a pink dress with a red overcoat. She looked to her customers with her soft, green eyes as they present a kind nature. Rain decided to go over to see the various flowers that the woman is selling so that he can take some to Shultz's resting place. Before he can make the decision to buy some flowers, a group of bangaa and humans came up to her, appearing to harass her.
"Hey, pretty lady. Why don't you come back to our place and have a little fun?" the leader said.
The young lady only sat there and answered, "I'm sorry, but I'm not into that kind of "fun" that you're talking about."
"Well, then, how about we force you to come with us!"
Before they could even move up a step further, Rain decided to intervene and step in the path between them and the flower girl. "If I were you, I'd leave right now."
The clan leader began to laugh, followed by his eight other members. The clan leader then spoke to Rain, "I think you're messing with the wrong guy here, half-breed! You see, we've been in more clan wars than you can count, so we know how to fight against people like you!"
"And you don't realize that I'm the son to the clan leaders of the well respected and most decorated clan to ever exist, so I don't think you'd want to mess with me!"
"Just because you come from that kind of a family line doesn't mean that it can rub off to you!"
One of the leader's bangaa comrades went up to Rain and stood there, obviously towering over Rain's height by a foot. To Rain, however, this means nothing to him except that his opponent is a bigger target. The bangaa tried to throw a punch at Rain, but that horribly failed as the punch seemed like a drunken punch. Rain didn't need to move an inch as the punch flew by harmlessly.
"You know, if you leave now, you'll save yourselves from a hell of pain from me."
The bangaa only stood there, slurring his words as he spoke. "Sso, whyss iss it zat you won't let uss tayque thiss girl?"
Rain could only look at the drunken bangaa, knowing that this wouldn't do any good to speak, but telling the rest might help. "Because it's the honor of a Templar to do so, that's why. And if you are even able to hit me physically, I will have no choice but to retaliate."
One of the Nu Mou black mages began to set up a Fire spell, but one other member stopped him from doing so, sensing a more powerful spell being readied. They all looked back to see the young summoner next to the ninja, who had both his Masamune 100 and Masamune out for attack.
"If you dare touch my brother with that fire spell, I will unleash Ifrit's wrath on you!" Becile threatened.
All of the other members grabbed the drunken White Monk and ran off to avoid such dangers. Becile and Nikolai relaxed, knowing that the trouble is over. To Rain, however, what he saw in that White Monk is foolishness.
"Pah! And you call yourself a White Monk?"
Rain turned around and began to speak with the flower girl.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that young maiden," Rain apologetically said.
The girl only smiled brightly and said, "It's alright. It's not like that hasn't happened to me before. But I appreciate what you did for me."
The flower girl grabbed some flowers and set them on the counter. "Here, you can have these for no charge."
Instead of taking them right away, Rain has three gil out of his pocket and placed them on the counter. "I'm sorry. Regardless of what I do for others, I should be paying you."
Rain then picked up the flower off the counter. He then turned on his heel when he felt a sharp pain in his left arm, which he then grabbed, trying to suppress the pain. He also can tell that Becile is having the same problem as him, but it luckily only lasted for a short time versus his pain. Before he could walk off, he heard the flower girl speaking to him again.
"You…have Geostigma as well?"
Rain, now surprised to hear an actual name for it, turned his head back to look at the flower girl, which her expression is now a bit more serious. The flower girl began to reach down below the counter as she pulled two flowers of green and white pedals with paper wrapped around the stem.
"Take these. One is for the other girl over there, and the other is for you. These are your invitations to the fountain in the mountains to the East. The piece of paper wrapped around it is a map to show you where exactly to go to find the fountain. Meet me there at midnight."
"Hm? Midnight…does that mean zero hour?"
"Yes."
The flower girl hung her head down, but she raised her head back up soon after with a bright smile on her face. "I'm sorry, but we're closed now."
Rain could only stand there, watching as the flower girl began to close her shop up and pack the remaining flowers for later sales in a large carrying basket. She then strapped the basket around her shoulders, ready to leave. However, Rain came up and offered her help.
"If you need me to, do you need me to carry that for you?"
The flower girl looked to Rain with a smile on her face, answering his question. "No, I'll be okay. It's not that heavy."
The flower girl began to walk away as she began to fade in the crowds of people standing around in the market place. Rain, however, is left in question as to what's going on here. Not only does this flower girl know of the stigma that he has, but what he wonders the most is how she knows of a name to it if one doesn't exist. On the other hand, he also has to be on his guard at all times if he is to take Becile to there as he has no clue if this is a trap.
"Regardless, I'll still take Becile with me. But…something doesn't seem right about that girl."
Zero hour came as Rain and Becile have managed to sneak out of the pub and to the cave in the mountain that the map indicated. Just as the flower girl said, there's a fountain in the cave as to where they're to go. However, it's apparent that they're the first ones there with the exception of the flower girl.
The flower girl spoke up, welcoming her first guests. "You came. This proves that you do trust me."
Rain walked up and spoke to her. "Why is it that you wanted us to come out at this hour?"
"It's more to draw away the attention that I might receive for what I'm going to do for you all."
"Huh? All?"
Rain then looked back to the entrance to see that others are there as well. Apparently, there are other people with the stigma as well, whether they're half-breed or not, old and young; most of them being humans, vieras, and moogles. Nu mou are much rarer to see, but there are no bangaa around; not even full blooded bangaa.
"I see that you've been getting others gathered here for something."
The flower girl only stood there in front of the fountain as she began to speak to everyone. "All of you have been inflicted and endured for this long with this disease. I appreciate your cooperation as to come here, giving to me that you do trust me to help. Now, I shall give you a cure to this. I shall cure you of your Geostigma."
Soon after the flower girl spoke, the water from the fountain began to shoot up in a large pillar of water. As the water spewed out of the fountain, the water also began to spread over everyone gathered in the cave like rain. Everyone did begin to cower once the rain began to pour on them, which also included Becile. However, Rain merely looked up, confused as to what's going on. Soon after, however, Rain began to feel as if a weight is being lifted off of his left arm. He looked to his left arm as he began to see something like green steam where the stigma infected his arm is being washed away. Soon after, everyone else began to see the effects that the water is doing to them, as the stigma is being lifted off of them. Rain, however, looked to the flower girl, seeing that she's backing into the pillar of water. Rain began to run up to her to stop her as the flower girl is now within the pillar of water. As Rain reached in to grab her, he felt nothing in there as if she never went into there in the first place. He can then see streams of green light bursting from the pillar of water where the flower girl used to have been standing.
"What the hell is going on here? Why did she disappear like that?"
Rain could only stand there while he also listened to the other people speaking about the girl as well. Instead of waiting around, he began to walk over to Becile, who's still being astonished by the water, so that they can get going now before anyone back at the pub knows what's going on.
"Becile, we'd better get going, okay?"
Becile looked up to Rain, and complied with a nod. As they began to leave, Rain thought about this fountain and decided to commemorate this day to the flower girl, as well as making a plaque for this nameless fountain. However, Rain overheard one of the groups of people speaking about the flower girl. The only thing that interested in him is the name that they mentioned.
"Hm…so she does have a name. Aerith Gainsborough."
