Chapter IV
Party Time
"So. Someone is chloroforming sheep?" - Cloud
"Cloud?"
They sat on a wrought-iron bench facing the ocean. Tifa turned to see the goatee faced Reeve approaching the pair of them.
"How is he doing?" Reeve asked.
"Better." Tifa smiled. "Much better."
Cloud looked up at him as well. For the first time Tifa could recall, Cloud's face looked streaked with tears.
"He is remembering," she said. "He needed to know he is a real person with a real past, not a Hojo-built Sephiroth clone."
"I knew he wasn't a Sephiroth clone. That was Hojo playing his sick games."
"Where is our favorite scientist now?" Tifa said. "Last I saw him he was curled up in the North Crater, screaming about how he was glad he wasn't a squirrel."
"Still in Corel Prison. Solitary confinement. Dio checks in on him personally."
"And the others?"
"Vincent called me from Nibelheim. He had been looking into Hojo's last notes and found some clues about an ongoing problem. He said he was flying to Costa del Sol. The Highwind was attacked by Shinra and forced down near Cosmo Canyon. Everyone's okay, including Marlene. They say the Highwind actually flew upside down to avoid Shinra's weapons."
"Cid is an amazing pilot," Tifa said.
"Or that Jenova boy was flying," Cloud said.
"Cloud." Tifa turned to him. "You're with us."
"Of course I'm with you, Teef," he said. He placed his arm over her shoulders but continued to gaze at the ocean.
"How about Yuffie?" Tifa said, feeling awkward. "Did she go back to Wutai?"
"Word is she started a riot."
"That's Yuffie for you," Cloud said.
Tifa looked at him and smiled.
"Tifa," he said.
"Yes?"
"I, I would just like to say - "
"Yes?"
"I, I really, I, I - "
Tifa sat silent, tensed.
"I really appreciate, all you've helped me these last few weeks, and I, I, I . . ."
"Hello," came a cheerful clown's voice behind them. Tifa scowled. Cloud looked both irritated and relieved.
"Hello. I'm Cait Sith. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"You've already made our acquaintance," Tifa said curtly.
The robotic cat, who now sported a gentleman's cane and top hat, bowed atop its bouncing, stuffed moogle. The beast's flippers jigged below him, pitching sprays of sand onto Tifa's bare legs.
"Would you like me to tell your fortune? Do you prefer dice, the slots, or my newest toy, roulette?"
"Not the roulette," Reeve said. "I have not turned it on because I have yet to perfect it."
"Did you know," Cait Sith said, waltzing from one flipper to another, "there are reports of a fearsome creature attacking farms and resort homes near Costa del Sol?"
"Fearsome creature?" Tifa said. "Worst threat I remember were those ganglions, though only if you thought too deeply. As floating painted eggs, their trick was to baffle anyone who tried to figure out how they fit into the local ecology."
"Giant eggs with painted eyes." Cloud brushed sand off Tifa's lap. "I lost to one in Battle Square, remember? My weapon was broken and my materia gone but I had plenty of potions so I figured, no sweat, right? Next thing I knew, it tried to turn me to stone. Barret laughed so hard I'm surprised he didn't wet his pants."
"Poor Barret," Tifa said. "So Cait, tell us about this creature. It will do Cloud good to get out."
"Do you feel up to it?" Reeve asked.
"I've been messed up for years," Cloud said. "Ever since Sephiroth destroyed my town and killed my mother. Then Hojo scrambled my mind further. It turns out my memories were confused with those of Zack, my buddy who busted us out of Hojo's lab. After Shinra killed him, I took up his sword and, became him."
"To think, all those years ago, you were in Nibelheim after all," Tifa said. "You should not have been ashamed to show your face."
Cloud cleared his throat. "I'm ready to go. Thanks to Tifa here." He smiled at her, but when she met his eyes he looked down.
"What kind of creature are we talking about?" Tifa said.
"Reports are sketchy." Cait Sith finally stopped bouncing. "It only attacks at night."
"You mean like a vampire?"
"Yes, but not as you might expect. No one has seen it but they might hear animals making a commotion. By next morning, they may find a whole flock of sheep in a coma."
"A coma? Not dead?"
"No. Though predators might find them easy prey. But get this. One farmer even found a group of comatose wolves in with his sleeping sheep."
"So," Cloud tried to hide a grin. "Someone is chloroforming sheep?"
"I hacked into Shinra's records." Cait started to bounce again. Tifa had to shield her eyes from the occasional spray of sand. "I found a memo from President Rufus himself. It was a proposal to give you, Cloud, a full pardon if you handle the situation in Costa del Sol. I told Reeve and he suggested you might want to jump on it before Rufus can call in Xee."
"Who?"
"You haven't heard? The Turks renamed themselves in new public relations move."
"That squirrel of a president has something up his sleeve," Tifa said. "I'll bet there's more going on here than sleepy cows."
"Full pardon." Cloud snorted. "For all of Avalanche? I suppose not."
"Just for you," Reeve said. "Though I should be able to convince him to add Tifa. Barret, however, will still need to answer for the reactor bombings. I decided to give you advance notice so you could check out the situation, find out if it's a trap."
"More like, what kind of trap," Tifa said.
"Suppose we take his deal," Cloud said. "Can you get Shinra to stop that Promised Land nonsense? Will they stop using mako energy? How about stopping the attacks on the Highwind for starters?"
"I have limited influence on Rufus, though he is easier to approach with both Heidegger and Scarlet out of the way."
"I can't believe you still work for that man," Tifa said.
"Sometimes the best way to change things is from the inside."
"And I," Cait Sith said, "will keep watch on the Turks. Or as they now call themselves, Xee. If anything starts to move, it will be with them. I'll go in disguise."
"As what?" Tifa said. "A giant mouse?"
"An officer." Cait did a twirl, flinging a splash of sand on all three of them. "I can look just like Palmer. Before he got hit by that truck, that is."
Reeve said, "They say someone in Shinra devised a new materia called Palmer's Terror. I'm not sure what it does, however."
"It can't be as good as the one John found," Tifa said. "Little Bo Peep? He saved my life by summoning that giant sheep."
"Thank you for the heads up," Cloud said. He stood and flexed his arms. "I'm ready for some action. Even if the only threat is a band of cow tippers. After all, I did take up Zack's sword so I might as well honor him with it."
"Miss Yuffie, I must protest. you are not of age to enter this bar."
"I'm Godo's daughter. They'll serve me, Portek. Now hold my coat like a good butler."
"Perhaps so, but is this wise? At this time of night?"
"What if I want to start a bar brawl?"
"Miss Yuffie, I must insist."
"Are you Godo's daughter? No, you're his daughter's stuffy servant. Now make sure no one steals my weapon or the materia will come out of your salary."
"You don't have your weapon, Miss Yuffie."
"Then make sure no one steals my parasol."
Under her jacket, Yuffie wore an emerald leotard. More clothing than she had worn to the beach, but hardly a formal gown. She looked as if she had just dropped in from a gymnastics workout, which of course she had. She hadn't bothered to shower, either.
They made their way across the half filled room to the bar, where Yuffie planted herself on an empty stool.
"Miss Yuffie, consider your father's honor."
"He wouldn't even see me! The old man who never leaves his dojo? He promises to meet with me, to give me some answers why Shinra is flying those noisy planes day and night, but where is he? No show. Not even a note. Just a sputtering Chekhov saying Godo was called away on a vital appointment. Like I'm not vital?"
"Miss Yuffie - "
"How many other daughters does he have!"
Portek put his hand on her elbow but she jerked herself away, slamming both hands on the bar. "Give me six straight shots of sake. And a plum brandy chaser."
"Miss Yuffie!"
"Look. I discovered I have the materia of summoning green goo. Want me to try it out on you?"
Portek shook his head. "I tried to warn you. I tried." He shuffled his way toward the back of the bar where people gathered to smoke clove cigarettes. "We should have stuck to the Turtle Paradise," he said over his shoulder.
Yuffie downed the first sake so fast it barely made her materia armlet tingle. The second one she decided to savor, taking a sip into her mouth and -
"Ak!" She coughed, sputtering over the bar. "Wh-what? This stuff tastes like lighter fluid! How could you serve this?"
"Easy," the bar tender, Ichiro - it seemed every bar in Wutai had an Ichiro, and Yuffie knew this one had a nail bat within reach - spoke calmly. "Miss Yuffie, you are very young, and I don't believe your father would approve."
"Stow it." She snatched the third glass and tossed back the contents. "Ohh!" Her eyes opened wide and she blinked away the tears. "Now that's - "
"Miss Yuffie." Ichiro moved the other glasses out of reach. "I must insist. If I let you get hurt, your father would - "
"Stop talking about my father! I need those drinks. I'll be okay. I have my materia." Her heart skipped a beat as she groped for her Wizard Bracelet, spinning it around until she saw the open materia slot. "My materia! Some drip stole my - oh my Gawd, I'm gonna kill my butler. What happened to that stuffed moose head, anyway?"
She tottered off the stool, pulling out way too much gil but throwing it on the bar anyway. She turned, accidentally kicking the stool into a nearby table where four tattooed toughs engaged in a flower dominoes game. She took a step, feeling more steady, because nothing like having her materia lifted could sober up a furious girl. The growl began in the back of her throat. By now everyone in the bar fixed their eyes on her, including the four who stood amidst their fallen dominoes.
"Who took my Poison materia!"
The lead domino thug, who had a flaming scorpion tattooed on his neck, took a step back, his feet scraping the floor with dominoes. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.
"Wanna say something to me?" Yuffie yelled.
"You, you oughtn'ta done that, Miss Yuffie. We was having ourselves a good game, ma'am."
"I, I'm sorry, I - "
A gunshot brought the bar to attention. Yuffie stiffened.
Four Shinra blues marched into the room. Boos announced their arrival.
"Shinra pigs," someone muttered, prompting the guards to level their guns. A fifth soldier strutted in, helmet off to reveal his blond hair.
"Oh. Gus the Groper," Yuffie said, feeling adrenaline turn to boredom.
"No. Sir Simon, of Xee," said the man, who strolled up and punched her in the stomach.
The entire bar gasped. Yuffie, falling for his sucker punch like a baffled schoolgirl, still didn't react until a blue had seized each arm.
"You need to learn respect." Simon slugged her stomach again, sending her keeling forward to spit on his boots. The blues hauled her upright. Simon grinned.
"Hold her arms out. Don't let her squirm away."
Yuffie struggled, forcing the flunkies to hold on for dear life, but hold on they did.
"How about an anatomy lesson? As you recall, this is your stomach."
"Ughh!"
Xee Simon rubbed his fist. "Rock hard abs. Pretty good for a girl? Down here you have your small intestine."
"Ooerch!"
She kicked at him but it only inflamed the pain, and anyway the toad-sucker dodged.
"Struck a nerve, no? Up here is your liver."
"Gyarrk!"
She tried to kick again but she couldn't make her leg move. She trembled, drawing in ragged breaths.
"Back to your stomach."
"No - uhh!" The world turned red with pain. Her body went slack; the minions' grip loosened so she strove to underplay her struggle. Any advantage would do. Now if only she had a plan.
"Let's work our way up, shall we? Here we find your ribs."
She screamed at the double punch. Something cracked inside her. Tears blurred her vision. Simon nattered on again; she braced herself but no blow came. She blinked to clear her eyes, finding Simon Xee wearing a chair for a hat.
"Oughtn't treat Miss Yuffie like that," Big Domino said.
"You oaf. Shoot him."
A commotion ensued; a couple shots hit the ceiling but a trio of bikers brought down his spare minions. One of Yuffie's handlers made the mistake of going for his gun. Yuffie jerked her right arm free and repaid him with a knife hand jab to the throat. The gun clattered across the floor. She spun on the remaining stooge and, crying out with each blow she threw - because, Holy Da-Chao she hurt inside - she bore him to his knees where Ichiro coshed his helmet with that nail bat.
Jerking free, she spotted Simon in mid bull rush. Dodging in time, she tittered at his belly flop against the wooden bar. Finally. Enough time to squeeze out a Cure spell. She moaned and ground her teeth as she felt parts of her body rearranging inside.
A hand grabbed her left elbow. Apparently Ichiro hadn't smacked his grunt hard enough, though his helmet resembled a blue muffin.
The hand shook her. "Let's get this suit off ya."
She twisted and high kicked. Her foot twisted his helmet ninety degrees.
"Ha!" She dropped to all fours and darted free.
"I can't see!" He clawed at the air. "Crazy broad, I've gone blind!"
Simon cut short her laughter with a slam to her chest, pinning her against the bar. Her hurt ribs cried out. Reaching into his belt, he pulled out an odd shaped pair of pliers.
"Dealing with you is like pulling teeth. Shall we start with the molars?"
"Urmph!" Twisting in his grasp, she wormed up the side of the bar until she could get a foot against his chest. A thrust sent him stumbling into the domino table. Back on her feet, she grabbed the nearest, gasping guard and knocked his helmeted head to the bar. Ichiro poured half a beer down his neck. A chant erupted.
"Kill the pigs. Kill the pigs. Kill the pigs."
Blind guard got his helmet untwisted; one of the spare minions, though backed into a corner, managed to fire his gun. Glass shattered.
"Wutai red label!" Ichiro said. "That will cost you six hundred gil."
"To me!" Simon managed to regroup his troops and they backed up in a pack, a couple more getting weapons drawn.
"Nicely done, Miss Yuffie." He rubbed his jaw. "But the fun ends now."
Yuffie felt her rage boil. Limit time, turkey lips. Just give me a -
A beer bottle bounced off Simon's head. He snapped his weapon around and fired.
"Landscaper, pig lickers!" Yuffie slammed her rage into the floor and the Planet answered with a rumble. Hanging glassware chimed in tune. The floor erupted in a geyser of splinters and dominos, flinging Simon and his flunkies to all sides, fists of earth bouncing one of them off the ceiling.
The domino quartet and the bikers fell upon them like weasels on a chicken coop. Others not too drunk joined the dog-pile. Somehow though, Simon slithered free and limped toward the door.
"Hey!" But the patrons, fresh out of Shinra drones, took to beating on each other.
"Ichiro. Send Godo the bill. Okay?"
"Will do, Miss Yuffie. Use the back door and do me a favor. Waste that freak."
When she made it into an alley, the pain rushed back. Her body felt as if a marching band had used her chest as a trampoline while a bull had gored her belly. She started to cast another Cure but upped it to a Regen. Waves of green pushed away the pain like a receding tide. When she felt she could move again, she made her way to the street where she found no vehicle traffic, just a trickle of drunks staggering off toward the Temple of Five Gods.
Party over then?
Careful, watch for Shinra. Step on one and ten more would scurry out. Sure enough, a green camo Jeep roared around a corner, skidding to a halt across the street. Yuffie ducked behind a dumpster for cover.
"Find her. Take her down," she heard Simon say. "Orders from the top."
Yuffie powered up a Bolt spell. She popped up and aimed it at Simon but the weasel ducked around a corner, his hair barely frizzed.
"I saw the Winkie!"
Winkie? Yuffie hadn't heard that slur in ages. She didn't know its origin but thought it had to do with Wutai monks taking on mako-spawned monsters with their bare hands. Comical, except that it had worked - at least until the materia ran out.
"Eat lead, egg layer!" a minion said.
Yuffie dove to the bricks. Bullets tore into the dumpster, sounding like gravel in a jet engine. Shinra bubble-heads hooted as if at a drunken square dance.
Yea. All about the materia, baby. I'll have to thank John for finding this beauty in the Forgotten Capital.
"Let's see if winkies can dance. Yee-haw! Dance, egg layer!"
Yuffie popped up, already cloaked in the green of her spell.
"Eat Planet, goat breath!"
With a shriek of light, a boulder the size of a human hamster ball smashed onto the Jeep, flattening it like an empty can of Rocket Town Power Ale. The concussion punched the air out of her chest and she couldn't draw a breath until a hubcap twirled to a stop in the street. Blocks away, car alarms wailed.
She strutted into the street like a peacock, if a tipsy one, turning up her nose at the impact zone.
"Comet. It makes you vomit," She tried to sing, only to break off in peals of laughter. At least now she understood why people got drunk.
"Sorry pancake. Got a butler to spank." Preferably while she dangled him head first over a latrine. And Holy Da-Chao, she vowed never to drink again.
"Hold on." A metal glint near the wreckage piqued her interest. Picking it up, she found a hapless PHS phone, still blinking with messages. "Well now." She headed for a nearby archway. "Poor loser probably has porn on here." She scrolled. Boring messages. Corporate speak. 'Leveraging our deliverables' and the like.
"Wait. What's this?"
Barret carried John across the threshold into Cosmo Canyon, his gun arm digging into back and making him squirm like a toddler. Marlene giggled. Barret adjusted his hold and John must have dropped off for a power nap because next he heard,
"All right kid. Ride's over. Kitchen is closed."
"Ho-ho-hoo, lay him right here. Be sure to cover him with blankets. We don't want him to catch cold."
"Cold?" John said. "I'm lying next to a fire in the desert."
"You cannot be cold for the ritual of Yuube yasui shokudo de ebi no tempura o tabemashita ga, ebi wa intanda datta kara, byooki ni narimashita yo," Bugenhagen said.
"I, hope you don't expect me to remember that."
"You're the one who likes shrimp." Bugenhagen chuckled as he floated away.
"Shrimp?" John shook his head. "That clears things up." Barret lay him on a firm but comfortable mat. Aeris walked up and placed a pillow under his head while Barret unrolled a load of blankets as thick as a mattress on top of him. In the fading sunlight, the glow of the Eternal Flame flickered orange off the storefronts and adobe dwellings of Cosmo Canyon. The group hushed as a regal figure - half lion, half hound - approached. The red figure, Nanaki, nodded at John and turned to the others.
"We will need plenty of water and six standing mirrors. Silver frames work best, though we can use copper or even gold in a pinch. Also, candles. A dozen votive candles for each mirror."
"Does this ritual involve hula dancers and strings of fruit?"
"Ah, John," Nanaki said, "I see you are feeling better."
"As good as can be, bundled up like a baked potato."
"You did notice, your body has trouble holding heat?"
"Too much else to worry about. Like whether Marlene's cat will tear out my throat while I sleep."
"Meow?" Fluffy nudged his cheek, making sure to let him feel the wetness of her nose.
"Cancel that. Fluffy would tear my throat out while I'm wide awake."
Nanaki said, "The Ancients called your condition a 'soul leak.' Your life force is so battered from your ersatz ritual with Aeris in the Ancient Capital that your system would take months to recover from the shock."
"So, are these blankets supposed to hold my soul in?"
"They serve two purposes. First of all, even tropical deserts can get cold at night. Second, when and if the ritual succeeds, your body will begin to sweat, telling us you can once again retain heat. Place those pots over here, please."
"But I hate feeling myself sweat."
Townsfolk began setting out clay pots full of vanilla smelling herbs. Mirrors, candles, potpourri. If nothing else, he could go down in a New Age Viking burial.
After a clank and a grinding sound, the Eternal Flame glowed more brightly. John guessed an underground gas vent fueled it. He relaxed. Aeris smiled, stroking his forehead. Even Fluffy acted civil, curling up next to his face and purring.
"Naki! Naki!" Marlene ran up. "Aunt Tifa says she wants to talk to you."
Behind Marlene strode Elmyra, Aeris' adoptive mother. While mother and daughter embraced, Nanaki turned to Marlene.
"Is Tifa coming here?"
"Yes, but first she has to help some sick cows. I talked to Aunt Yuffie, too. She wants to talk to Daddy."
"Me?" Barret said. "What deity did I offend to deserve that?"
"You need to help her. She says Simon said fall down, so she hit his Jeep with a planet."
Nanaki cleared his throat. "Maybe we should talk to them. Are they here?"
"No silly. They're on the video-phone."
"Both of them?" Barret asked.
"Yes. Aunt Tifa is at the coast and Aunt Yuffie is at home. They both called, so I put them both on the phone. I did it all by myself." Marlene drew herself up to her full height.
Sharing his daughter's pride, Barret nodded.
Nanaki said, "Perhaps we had better check this out. Thank you, Marlene." He waved a paw at the helpers. "Carry on here."
John watched the townsfolk set out their candles in a star pattern before they hauled out the full length mirrors. Later, a scraping sound pulled his attention to four stevedores hauling a cauldron bigger than a cannon on a wooden travois. Grunting and cussing, they levered the iron behemoth onto a metal brace over the flame.
An even bigger man - John recognized him as the tavern owner, Hiro - thumped the cauldron with a meaty fist and said, "Good to see you, little one. I hear you are about to partake in the ritual of Yuube yasui shokudo de ebi no tempura o tabemashita ga, ebi wa intanda datta kara, byooki ni narimashita yo?"
"Is that thing," John looked at the giant pot, "part of the ritual?"
"Oh no, little one. That is the Cosmo cooking pot. Nanaki ordered the vent opened and it would be a shame to waste a chance to make authentic Wutai dashi miso. With a Cosmo Canyon touch, heh, heh." He leaned down to whisper. "I'll even throw in some rock shrimp to see if anyone notices. This is, after all, a ritual about shrimp."
"Whew," John said. "I was worried you were setting up to make Jenova stew."
The gang formed a bucket brigade. John watched them schlep dozens of pails to the cauldron. Beneath the wrought iron bulk, the flame of the Cosmic Candle spread out, inviting observers to chant, "Eye of newt, tongue of toad." After the water came bags of rice, platters of chopped vegetables and racks of barbecued meats. Tavern workers hastily put up a wooden scaffold. After Hiro dumped some sacks of fragrant spices into the soup, he climbed onto the scaffold.
"Smells good," John said.
"High grade dashi stock. Imported from Wutai."
"What's in it?"
"Mostly seaweed, heh heh. Don't tell, will you?" Hiro chuckled. "I think - yellow miso will do this time. Maybe a dash of red to match the canyon sunset."
"Sounds like gumbo."
"Gumbo. I like that word." Hiro stood up, placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled. A pair of young Wutai women clad in flower bikinis emerged, together carrying an over-sized boat oar. They passed it up to Hiro, smiled, paused long enough to see if anyone wanted to buy a vowel, then traipsed back to the tavern.
Hiro began to stir the soup. Though the guy looked strong enough to wrestle an elephant, he struggled with the paddle until he created enough of a current. Then his arms went round and round; the motion lulled John into, if not sleep, at least a blissful hypnosis. Looking above the lights of the canyon city, he saw the brightest stars begin to peek out, smiling down at him. He treasured the moment of peace.
"I'll say," Nanaki said some time later. "You have an impressive fan club. How are you feeling?"
The world shifted into a dreamy focus. "Don't want to be soup."
"Hiro has been begging me to turn up the flame since I got back from the North Crater. His food is tasty, though his spices make me sneeze."
"Say, how is Tifa?"
"She and Cloud are chasing some sort of creature near Costa del Sol. She is convinced Shinra is involved. Not a stretch, since Shinra is always involved. Cloud feels much better. As for Yuffie, she's causing more trouble, also no surprise. For some reason, she asked Barret to fly over to help her deal with her own Shinra problem."
"Maybe she wants him to cook rice for her. In that case, she could have come here." John sniffed. The aroma from the cauldron moistened his dry mouth.
"Looks like plans for the ritual are on schedule," Nanaki said.
Bureau mirrors ringed John, the flame, the cauldron, and all. Hiro's barmaids stopped to primp in front of the mirrors, brushing their shiny black hair into hypnotic patterns. Beyond the mirrors, a group of flute and mandolin players struck up a cheerful song, dancing in a circle. They peddled their recordings to an audience.
Hiro waved down from his perch. "If this works, little one, will you put on a concert for me? That last one you did was a big hit."
"I'd be honored." John shifted to look up at him. "Provided someone can dig up a guitar. Or even a ukulele."
Bugenhagen drifted by, his mood jolly as ever, though John could spot a weariness in him.
"Ho-ho-hoo, we haven't had a party this big since Nanaki first returned from Midgar."
"Grandfather," Nanaki said. "You should get some rest. We will let you know when we are about to begin."
"I'm fine, Nanaki. I'm too excited to sleep. Besides, Aeris is using my study to read my materials about the Ancients. I don't want to miss the party. We don't have a bad shrimp ritual every day, you know."
"I worry about you, Grandfather."
"Ho-ho-hoo. I'm an old man, and I've lived a long life. We need to focus on the future."
John caught a ripple of wrongness in Bugenhagen's poise. If Nanaki caught it, he didn't let on.
"Come with me, Nanaki," the floating man said. "I have a gift for you."
Nanaki gave John a worried look but followed his mentor. They started up one of many staircases cut into the cliff side. From myriad windows - either chiseled into the rock or built into parapets - hung flickering lanterns, along with the blue glow of an occasional Bug Zapper. Down at eye level, the mirrors reflected the firefly lights in shimmering layers. The lights, the laughter, the dancing, the aroma of the miso dashi whatever gumbo, all droned into one musical chord of peace. John now knew why millions of pilgrims dreamed of a journey to Cosmo Canyon. Except, why had Bugenhagen looked so, worried?