CHAPTER 6
Gran Pulse, Location: Oerba Village
The sun sat low in the sky by the time the search party reached the outskirts of the relatively small Pulsian village called Oerba. The dense jungle they had traveled gradually gave way to a field of tall grass, with an expanse of homes sitting just beyond it. With no form of road or pathway visible from where they stood, the group simply moved forward through the brush. A small alleyway between two homes allowed the group entrance into the village.
Jihl didn't know what to feel at this moment. While the prospect of finding Lightning right here in this village served to lift her spirits considerably, her mind kept falling upon everything that could possibly go wrong. What if Lightning had never been here? What if the villagers refused to offer any help to the Cocoonians? What if they were the ones behind the PSICOM captain's disappearance? Jihl never allowed herself to be swayed by the various rumors of Pulsians being complete savages; Sumia herself certainly provided evidence to the contrary. However, having no firsthand knowledge of Pulse or its people, outside of her Pulsian guide and two days in a jungle, Jihl didn't know what to think.
"We should visit the chief's house." Sumia advised from the back of the group. "If Captain Farron was ever here, Chief Emmeryn will certainly know about it."
"Makes sense, I guess." Sazh replied.
"So, which way is it?" Rygdea voiced what everyone currently thought.
When no answer came, the four Cocoon-borns turned to look at their native escort, who had a rather noticeable blush across her face.
The girl looked to her feet with a nervous laugh before responding. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure. I know a little about Oerba from my studies, but I've never actually been here before today."
That would be a problem.
Jihl took a quick look at their surroundings. The two houses the group had passed between stood behind them. A few yards to their left sat another pair of homes, and yet another pair to their right, forming a sort of cul-de-sac around them. With little to no daylight left and no form of illumination from any of the houses, Jihl concluded that they were all currently vacant. There was a slim possibility that the occupants of all six homes had gone to bed before sundown, but that just provided more reason not to check them out. Clearly, the search party would have to look elsewhere, and the path in front of them looked the most promising.
Just ahead of where the group stood, a small dirt road marked a downhill path to what appeared to be the center of the village. Sparsely placed houses dotted the path on either side, all looking equally as empty as the homes they'd just seen. However, small flecks of flickering light along the path, most likely lanterns, allowed Jihl to spot movement along the road. The villagers all seemed to be moving toward the center of town; but why? All Jihl could make out at the village center was a much larger flickering light and quite a bit of movement. What did this mean?
"What d'ya reckon that's about?" Donnel posed as the group looked on.
"I don't really know," Sumia answered.
"Only one way to find out," came Jihl's reply.
All nodding in agreement, the group started on the path toward the light source unaware of what they might find; or of the pair of eyes that had spotted them.
XXX
Oerba Village, Location: Fang and Vanille's Home
It had certainly been an eventful day.
Lightning had gone with Fang to Oerba's smithy, and as promised, got a firsthand look at how weapons were forged. It had been quite the new and exciting experience for the young soldier.
She watched as metal intense fires melted down to poured into various weapon molds. She marveled at how skillfully the smiths hammered and sharpened blades for swords, axes, spears, and just about all manner of combat instruments. She also observed quietly as the assembled weapons were painstakingly detailed and finished. The highlight of the whole experience, however, came when the forge master allowed Lightning to try some of the crafting for herself.
The forge master, a burly, bald-headed, one-eyed man named Basilio, had clearly noticed the Cocoon girl's fascination, and asked if she wanted to lend a hand. When Lightning questioned if he was really okay with a Cocoonian helping out, the dark-skinned man just let out a hardy laugh.
"Anyone with a passion for fine weaponry is welcome in my forge." Basilio stated firmly.
It was indeed arduous work, and Lightning had a few sore muscles to show for it, but she had enjoyed herself greatly. The young soldier always did have a passion for weaponry, and Gran Pulse boasted an impressive selection of, for lack of a better word, primitive armaments. Lightning had gotten to spend the whole day working with items she had only read about or seen pictures of back on Cocoon. She almost didn't want to leave, and might not have if Basilio didn't have to close the place up.
Now the PSICOM captain found herself in the kitchen of Fang and Vanille's home, helping the young redhead as she darted about.
"So, what is all of this for exactly?" Lightning asked, adding another container of freshly prepared food to the pile on the kitchen table.
"For the gathering in the village square tonight," Vanille answered, boxing up what looked to be the last of the pastries she'd been making. The young redhead had been cooking nonstop since Fang and Lightning returned from the village forge about an hour ago. After showering off her long day of metalwork, Lightning started helping the frantic little chef while Fang took her turn washing up.
"Gathering?" Lightning queried.
"It's sort of like a picnic for the whole village."
"It's something Lady Emmeryn came up with." Fang stated, emerging from her bedroom now dressed in her usual blue sari. "Once a month, she likes everyone to meet in the square and pig out on everyone's food."
Fang's analogy earned her a rather disapproving look from Vanille. "It's supposed to be about unity and coming together as a family."
"Sounds … nice."
Sappy had actually been the word Lightning wanted to use. Though she had to admit, it seemed like a good way to bring people together, and the village certainly did seem to benefit from it. One couldn't deny the strong sense of unity among the people of Oerba.
"Yeah, well, it's getting late." Fang said, grabbing some of the food containers. "We should get going."
Lightning and Vanille followed suit, and the three were on their way.
Fang, Vanille and Lightning left the house just as the last bit of sunlight faded, leaving only the dancing flames of multiple torches to light their path. The group came out just in time to see a fairly steady stream of people making their way down the path to the center of the village. Some passed carrying food dishes of their own, while others carried blankets and other picnic accessories. Some even seemed to be carrying musical instruments. The street was lively with adults chatting joyfully and children laughing as they ran ahead of their parents. The whole community seemed to be in high spirits. Lightning couldn't help but smile at such a peaceful sight.
"Oh, there you are."
The trio turned to see the person responsible all the jubilation, the chief of Oerba herself.
"Lady Emmeryn?" Lightning could sense a slight tone of confusion present in Fang's voice. "Shouldn't you be at the square?"
The young chief simply smiled. "I'm heading there now. I just wanted to ensure that Lightning would be attending the gathering."
"Me?" Lightning found the statement a little odd. "Well yeah. I mean, I don't exactly have any reason not to."
"Just wanted to be sure." Emmeryn reinstated. "You are somewhat of a guest of honor, after all."
Lightning didn't like the sound of that. The soldier could handle the center of attention when just her subordinates were concerned; naturally, it came with a title like captain. Otherwise, she preferred to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible.
Seeming to sense her uneasiness, Emmeryn went into detail. "There is nothing expected of you. New comers and visitors are always considered guests of honor. It's just our way of letting you know you are welcome here."
"I guess that's okay then." Not that Lightning needed any reassurance in that area. Oerba had to be the most welcoming place she had ever seen. Still, far be it for her to interfere with village tradition.
"Very good. Shall we get going, then?"
Three continued on their way, but not before Vanille took a moment to look around, seemingly searching for something.
"Wait a second." She finally spoke. "Where's Panne? It's not like her to leave you unattended."
At that, Lightning and Fang gave a quick glance of the area as well, trying to see if they could spot Emmeryn's imposing bodyguard to no avail.
"Oh, she went on ahead of me," Emmeryn filled in. "Apparently, one of the town watch spotted something unusual at the south end of the village."
"Unusual?" This piqued Lightning's curiosity. "Like what?"
Emmeryn merely shrugged. "Panne wouldn't say. She only told me to stay among the villagers, then headed off." She tried her best to hide it, but the concern on her face was unmistakeable.
"Well, Panne is the strongest warrior in Oerba." Fang reassured. "I feel sorry for whatever she meets up with."
"My thoughts exactly," A soft smile returned to the chief's face. "Let's be on our way then."
And with that, the four proceeded to the festivities.
XXX
Oerba Village, Location: Village Square
Jihl's group stood cautiously just outside the village center. The path leading them there had been curiously desolate, with not a soul in sight. The square, however, suffered no such shortage of people. The area that looked to serve as some form of market place at most times, now housed what could possibly be the entire village of Oerba. There were people conversing, laughing, and dancing for as far as Jihl could see. Apparently, some form of celebration was taking place here. Jihl could only guess as to what for.
The five stood quietly in an alleyway to observe the goings on. Night had all but completely set in, which Jihl was quite grateful for. Given the lack of light and rather condensed area surrounding the square, Jihl's party should be nearly impossible to spot in their current position. Trying to devise their next course of action, Jihl looked to the others. She was not pleased with what she saw.
"Rygdea!" Jihl kept her voice to a whisper, but still maintained her usual authority. "Put that damn gun away this instant!"
The Cavalry sergeant had kept his rifle drawn since the group had entered the village. Gun nut or not, she had hoped the man would display a little more tact given the situation. It already looked bad enough that they had entered the village uninvited and under cover of night. If they were spotted brazenly brandishing weapons, things could only get much worse.
"Nothin' doin'!" The man shot back; not too loudly, but still well above a whisper. "We don't know anything about this place, and I'm not taken any chances. They ain't taken me down without a fight."
Ever the voice of reason, Sazh decided to step in. "Cool your head, hotshot. Remember there's a whole village of them, and only five of us." A quick glance at Donnel caused Sazh to rethink his statement. "Make that four of us."
Private Donnel stood against the alley wall, shaking violently, with his clutched tightly against his chest. Children of Cocoon were taught from an early age to always fear Pulsians as wild, bloodthristy savages. Those who went into the military had the idea drilled in even further. A most recruits, like Jihl, Lightning and even Rygdea, followed their own judgment as opposed to military propaganda. Unfortunately, Donnel seemed to take the teachings a little too seriously, and seeing this many Pulsians had sent him into a panic. Being put under Major Cluny's command certainly didn't help; the man was as much a xenophobe as he was a snake in the grass.
Truth be told, Donnel actually worried Jihl more than Rygdea did. Even a trigger-happy maniac had a chance of staying his hand some percentage of the time. A frightened, rookie soldier, however, was hardy as trustworthy. This had all the makings of a between-worlds incident waiting to happen.
"Donnel," Jihl stated calmly, but firmly. "I need you to remain calm. You are under strict orders not to fire your weapon under any circumstances. Is that clear?"
"Y-Yes ma'am." The boy still shook slightly, but clearly put his best effort into calming himself down. "I-I'll be alright." He slowly lowered his rifle and made to secure it behind his back.
"Glad to hear it, soldier." Jihl then turned to Rygdea, and Sazh for good measure. "The same goes for you two. Not a single shot fired."
Sazh simply nodded, Jihl knew he wouldn't be a problem. A stern look to Rygdea resulted in the Cavalryman reluctantly holstering his own firearm.
Sumia, who had remained a silent bystander up to this point, decided to finally speak her mind.
"There's no need for any of this!" The Pulse native stated more loudly than Jihl preferred. "I may not know the lay out of the village, but I can assure you, the people of Oerba are some of the most peaceful on Gran Pulse. There's nothing to worry about."
Obviously wanting to prove her point, Sumia stepped out of the alleyway and headed toward the crowd of villagers.
"Sumia! Wait!" Jihl made to stop the young girl, who simply kept walking.
"With all due respect Lieutenant Colonel," Sumia glanced back as she walked. "You are being ridiculous. There's no reason to be so cautious."
Sumia returned her gaze forward just in time to walk face first into something that landed her flat on her ass. When the girl realized wait had happened, she looked up to see what she had run into.
A tall, fair-skinned woman in light tribal armor stood towering over little Sumia. The scowling, raven-haired woman would look intimidating at any height, but standing at least six feet tall and looming directly over the girl sitting on the ground made her seem downright terrifying. Sumia backed away slightly, still in her seated position, which earned her a sharp glance from the woman. The girl was quickly forgotten, however, when the woman set her sights on Jihl, who, in her effort stop Sumia, stood in plain view in the middle of the street.
The Oerba woman's already angry gaze deepened. "Tell the others to come out. Now!" She barked.
Jihl turned her head back to the alleyway. Despite being closer than the woman, Jihl couldn't even see the others from where she stood. Could this woman somehow sense them there?
"Come on out," She ordered calmly, watching to ensure Sazh, Donnel, and especially Rygdea kept themselves in check. The three filed out and stood quietly behind her; Donnel still shaking slightly.
Jihl noticed that the woman had company of her own in the form of two shorter, but equally armored people stand just behind her. Clearly this was some form of town guard. Behind them, Jihl could see some of the villagers starting to take notice of them. 'Great,' Jihl thought. 'Thirty minutes here and we're already a spectacle.'
"State your business!" The woman practically snarled. "Why are a bunch of Cocoon-borns sneaking around our village in the dark?" Jihl couldn't help noticing the bitterness with which she said "Cocoon-borns."
Jihl met the woman's glare in the most calm, nonthreatening way she could. "We mean no harm. We were hoping we could speak with your village chief."
Instead of alleviating the situation in any way, this only seemed to somehow anger the woman even further. "And what business do you have with our chief that couldn't wait until daylight?"
The woman tensed up and her hand slowly moved behind her back which led Jihl to finally notice the staff that the guard woman had strapped behind her. Jihl had to ease this tension, and fast.
"We're not here to cause any trouble. We're only trying to f-"
"Panne, look out!" The guard at the woman's right suddenly yelled.
Jihl had been too concerned with the goings on in front of her to realize that that idiot Rygdea had stupidly tried to draw his rifle. However, before the fool even had the chance to raise the gun, the one called Panne had rushed passed Jihl and knocked the thing clear out of his hand with her staff, sending Rygdea to the ground in the process.
Rygdea clutched his injured hand as Panne stood over him, poised to bring her staff down and finish him off. The only thing that stopped her from ending the Cavalry sergeant right there was the fact that she noticed Sazh out of the corner of her eye, reaching for his sidearms. Quickly adapting her stance, the Oreban drove the tip of her, thankfully blunt, staff straight into Sazh's chest, winding the old man and knocking him into the wall behind him. She glanced over at Donnel next, but since the boy didn't make any movements, aside from violently shaking, Panne let him be; he was no threat to her.
Jihl stood shell-shocked as she watched these events unfold, that is, until she noticed the two guards that were with Panne draw their own weapons; both brandishing a small, but sharp dagger. Jihl had to act fast. The PSICOM Lieutenant wasn't best known for her combat skills, but that certainly didn't mean she could handle herself in a fight. Deciding nonlethal to be the best course of action, Jihl drew her retractable carbon baton and struck.
She first went for the guard to her right, quickly disarming him with a harsh slap to his wrist. The guard to the left turned to attack and took a sharp jab to the hip when Jihl ducked under his arm. Then, without skipping a beat, Jihl whirled back around to the right guard with two consecutive hard strikes to his ankle which caused him to all but crumble. The remaining guard clutched his now bruised side, but still tried to attack. A quick dodge followed by a strike to the forearm disarmed him, and quick rap to the back of his head left him unconscious next to his friend.
Jihl then turned to deal with Panne, but before she knew it, the Pulsian was already on top of her. The soldier attempted to block Panne's initial swing, but was far too out matched. Her baton went flying and she now stood clutching her wrist, face to tip with Panne's staff.
The Oerba woman let out a huff. "Tell me again how you didn't come to cause trouble."
Not even giving Jihl time to respond, Panne gritted her teeth and brought her spear overhead ready to strike down hard. Jihl simply closed her eyes and waited for the inevitably jarring impact.
After a moment, Jihl heard a loud clack, but felt nothing. The Lieutenant Colonel opened her eyes and couldn't stop the sigh of relief that came at the sight Sumia. Somehow, the brave Pulsian had managed to get between Jihl and Panne and now held Panne's staff at bay using her own.
Despite Sumia's best efforts, Panne clearly had the edge in terms of strength, but wouldn't make any move to strike at the younger girl. Jihl even thought she saw the woman ease up a bit.
"Move!" She simply yelled, but did nothing else. It seemed that this Panne character refused to attack one of her own kind.
"I won't!" Sumia shot back firmly. "You have to calm down. These people aren't enemies."
"These vipers sneak into our home carrying guns, and you expect me to trust them?!"
Panne clearly didn't like that idea because at that point she decided to swat Sumia aside and continue her attack on Jihl. And she would succeeded, had Private Donnel not been standing at Jihl's side, rifle pointed right at Panne's head.
"Y-You might want to r-recons-sider," Still shaking, Private Donnel took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat, but still held his aim. "M-Miss."
"Filthy cowards." Panne mutter through gritted teeth, lowering her staff, but remaining in a fighting stance.
Jihl looked from Donnel to Panne, then back to Donnel. She would have been angry at the boy's disregard of her orders, as she was with Rygdea and Sazh, had it not been for one little detail. These Pulsians obviously knew what guns were and that they were dangerous, but they clearly lacked full understanding of how they worked. It would have been impossible for Donnel to shoot Panne, since his fingers were nowhere near the trigger.
XXX
Lightning and Emmeryn had just finished helping Vanille add her food to the sizable spread of food prepared for the gathering, when they noticed a small crowd forming near one of the far entrances to the square.
"Everything alright over there?" Lightning questioned, swearing she could one or two shocked expressions among the crowd.
"Ah, probably just a bunch of drunken idiots picking a fight with each other," Fang waved off as she continued helping Sully and Stahl set up some tables.
"Some of the villagers can get a bit rowdy at times." Emmeryn chuckled, not really paying the group any mind.
"The guards will deal with them," Sully added.
Lightning just shrugged and turned back to the others. If the town guard could handle it, then there was probably nothing to worry about.
That is, until they heard: "Panne, look out!"
The color seemed to drain from Emmeryn's face at that moment, and before the others knew it, the Oerba chief had dashed off toward the crowd. Lightning was the first to chase after, followed quickly by Fang, Sully, and Stahl.
"Emmeryn, wait!" Lightning managed to place her hand on the young chief's shoulder just before she entered the crowd.
"I have to get through Lightning," The chief looked around frantically, as if trying to see through the tight crowd of people. "I need to see if Panne is alright."
The woman seemed very shaken, but also very determined. The soldier knew trying to talk her out of it was useless.
"Then, at least let me go on ahead to make sure it's safe."
"I couldn't ask you to-"
"You didn't." Lightning cut her off. "I offered."
Fang also moved ahead of Emmeryn. "Right behind you, soldier."
Not sure what Gran Pulse might be about to throw at her, Lightning was thankful for the help; of course, she would never admit it.
The two pushed through the crowd of people with Emmeryn close behind. They made it to the front and were greeted by quite a sight.
Lightning first noticed two village guards on the ground directly in front of them. Past that, see saw brandishing her staff with a deep look of hatred clear on her face. Lightning followed the bodyguard's gaze to rather frazzled, but familiar looking boy in a PSICOM uniform. The boy held a rifle pointed directly at Panne, but apparently had no clue how to use it. When Lightning noticed the figure next to the boy, she couldn't believe her eyes.
There, hunched over next to the frightened boy, stood a beautiful blonde haired woman, dressed fully in a PSICOM officer's uniform, and wearing an unmistakable pair of thin-rimmed glasses. It was the last person the soldier had ever expected to see, especially on Gran Pulse.
"JIHL?!"