Chapter 2: Journey begin.

"….."

"…. Oi! Y'all right, lad?"

Sephiroth moaned. The motion from his seat and the sound of the waves waked him out of his slumber. He tried to open his eyes. But the light was too bright for him and make his eyes blurry. He blinks a few times and even shake his head just to get rid of the sleepiness out of him. When he opens his eyes again, He find himself in a cabin with quite a number of people sitting around the room. He realised he was on a ship.

"Y'all right, lad?" the voice that wake him up said again, this time he focuses on the person standing not far away from him. A middle-aged man dressed all in red with a same colour hat, a short blonde beard looking at him with concern.

He didn't answer but looked over to the windows and saw it was bright. What's going on? How did he end up on the ship?

"You awake!" a relief voice called out, make Sephiroth turned and his eyes' went lightly wide.

Before him. stood a girl similar to Terra, with the golden wavey hair tied into a ponytail. She has a fair skin much like Terra but instead of having ears she has horns on the side of her head. There were also scales on forehead, the side of her face and also around her neck down to her collarbone. And a long tail behind her.

She is a 'Au Ra', which the race came from the far eastern continent and Terra belong to the Raen group. Sephiroth suddenly remember which he also knows that he has never know this name in his previous life in Gaia.

"Terra?" he asked to be certain. Although he knew the person in front of him is Terra and to his surprise, this form suit her better than when she was a human.

"Are you all, right?" Terra asked again also confirm to him that she was Terra.

"He was moanin' in his sleep an' sweatin' buckets besides." The man that standing opposite them smiled. "Rollin' of the ship got your stomach churnin', has it? He turned to Sephiroth next and frown a little, "hmmm… Don't seem like seasickness, now that I look at you," said the man as he leans back on to the wall. "It'll be the aether, then, I reckon."

'aether' Sephiroth frown slightly as the familiar word. He knew what it's mean but on the other hand he knew this is the first time he knows the word.

"I think so too," Terra smiled at the man. "Thank you for looking after him for me."

"Aye, no problem. I was just about to tell your brother that we aren't too far from Vylbrand now…" The middle-aged man said.

"Oi…!" just then, the ship rocked suddenly, causing both the men and Terra to stumble. Sephiroth quickly reached out and steady Terra before she stumbled out of her seat. The man with the beard was also quickly regained his balance as he looked up and frowned. "Eurgh. Might as well have been bloomin' seasickness… Ship's leapin' around like a demented chocobo today."

He sighed and turned back at them, "I reckon I might head out on deck – get meself a breath of fresh air. Limsa Lominsa's still a fair way off, in case you two were wonderin'." He smiled at Sephiroth. "Seein' as you're awaken and your sister back, how's about you two keep me company till we get there? Them young'uns don't much care for conversation, see" the man nodded towards a pair of twins dozing off on a nearby couch.

Sephiroth turned and saw a pair of Elezens teens dozing off, unaware of the ship rocking just now. They must be identical twins as they are so much alike. With long ears, and long silver hair, braid and tied back in the same style. Only different is the colour of ribbon they used. One is blue for the boy and red for the girl and the girl wear some make up.

"Anyroad, Brennan's the name." Brennan stretch his arms up. "an' peddlin's me trade."

"Nice to meet you Brennan" Terra said politely. "I just want to have a word with my brother. We will join you shortly."

Brennan nodded and head out of the cabin door.

"Brother?" Sephiroth asked, raised his eyebrow in amusement.

Once the door close behind Brennan. Terra turned her attention back to Sephiroth and answer. "It easy to explain why we are traveling together. Although we are not exactly alike but it was the closest thing I can come up with."

"I totally agree with you." Sephiroth said and then he signs "See all these people in this room seem normal, but at the same time it weird to see so many races in this world."

Sephiroth looked around the room once more and sign again. "Just like you and those two twins sleep over there. I know you are a Au Ru, and they are…. Just like myself, I think we call ourselves Elvezen. And Brennan is a Hyru. The large build man in armour is a Roegadyn. And then there is a lady like a cat is Miqo'te and the man that is a dwarves would be Lalafell. I can tell their differences but at the same time so new to me."

Terra nodded. "I think I have this form maybe the result of my father."

"Your father? Biologic one?" Sephiroth asked.

Terra nodded. "My father was an Esper, which I think in your term call summon. He has horns as well."

"I see, so your mother as well."

Terra shakes her head. "No, my mother was a human."

"A mix, then you really may take the form of your father." Sephiroth said, "I wonder why I am a Elezen? And why do I know this?"

"I said let's go up to the deck and join Brennan." Terra said "No point of wrecking our brains for something that no one can answer. A little bit of flesh air will do us good, and we might as well asked Brennan what kind of a city we are going to land.

Sephiroth nodded and as Terra about to turned toward the door. Sephiroth place his hand on Terra's shoulder making the girl turned back to him. "Just be careful of giving any information about us to anyone."

Terra smiled: "I will be careful. You will be my back up. wouldn't you?"

Sephiroth stun once more of the trust that Terra on to him. It's warmed his heart and he nodded.

As they walked out of the cabin. They could smell the salty air and the sound of waves splashing onto the ship. Terra quickens her pace and up the stairs and Sephiroth quickly followed. They found Brennan standing near the starboard. Terra run up to starboard beam and looked out. It had been so long since she saw the ocean. The last time she was on a ship was with Commander Leo, Celes and Locke to form a peace with the Esper and it also was the last time Commander Leo gave advance to her...

Flashback…

It was late at night and Terra found she couldn't sleep at all, so she sneaked out of the cabin room and out to the deck and towards the bow. She thought there will be no one but the guards that station at the both the port and the starboard.

"Having trouble sleeping?" someone said behind her, and she turned to see Commander Leo smiling at her.

She nodded as she turned back towards the ocean.

"I heard your emotion had returned." Leo said as he went standing next to her.

Terra glanced at Leo and lower her head. "It strange isn't it…" she whispered. "The empire used me, controlled my very thoughts… and here I am, cooperating with the same people."

"People are people," Leo said smiling gently at her. "Not everyone in the empire is like Kefka."

At that time, she didn't know if she should trust him. "So… what about you?" she couldn't help asking.

She heard Leo sigh. "I knew that you were half esper and being made to suffer through horrible experiment… Yet I did nothing. I am no better than Kefka." Leo admits.

Flashback end…

Terra tiled her head and watch the cloud passing over her head. 'Commander Leo, you said people are people, and not all of them is like Kelfa. You're right. I met many of them and they all are nice people. And guess what? I met a man who use to be my enemy but after I learn his story, he was also like me: a victim of an empire. We are given a chance to start a new life in a new world, please watch over us.'

"Your first time on a ship?" Sephiroth said as he stood next to Terra watching a seagull fly pass them.

Terra shakes her head. "I've been on a ship before. But it was not a trip of luxury…"

Sephiroth nodded and didn't know what to say as he saw the sadness in Terra's eyes.

"Ah, smell that salty sea breeze!" Brennan' s voice interrupted them, making them turned to the peddler, who stretched his arm out and turned his head to look at them thoughtfully.

"Now then… Judgin' by your unusual garments. I'd say you were one of them new adventurers. Am I right?" He asked wondering.

'Adventurer?' Terra and Sephiroth looked at each other in surprise. Both of them still dress in their previous garment. Sephiroth in black trench coat, black leather pants and battle boots, and Terra were her usual sleeveless red clothes, white tights and red boots, but her red cape was replace to a red traveling shawl. They do stand out from the rest of the people on the ship. Sephiroth shrugged as he had no other explanation and he let Terra decided. Terra turned back to Brenna and nodded.

"I knew it." Brenna exclaimed happily, very pleased at himself. "Goin' wherever the wind blows, seekin' fortune an' glory – now that's what I call livin'! So long as you can avoid dyin', I mean," He quickly added as he saw the dark look from Sephiroth and the worried looked from Terra. "Aren't no secret that adventurin' a risky business – these days especially. What was it that first attracted you to it?' He quickly changes the subject.

"…" Terra didn't know how to answer that question. She didn't know either. They don't even have a goal yet.

"Well, if you ain't inclined to tell, I ain't about to pry" Brenna said casually. Seeing the trouble looked on Terra's face. "Might be as ol' Brennan's a chatterbox, but he sure as hells ain't no busybody." He smiled at the surprise looked appear at both Sephiroth's and Terra's face. "We all have a secret or three, don't we? Me? Dozens. An' I'd rather they stayed secret, too – which is why I don't go stickin' me nose where it ain't welcome."

Terra giggled and from the corner of her eyes, she saw the tip of Sephiroth's mouth rise a little. she already like this stranger.

"Just remember, though: there's more important things than fortune an' glory." Brenna's face turned serious. "Such, as breath' Ain't no profit in bein' dead, an' that's a fact."

Sephiroth couldn't agree more. In his past life he had all the glory and money he had. But what's the point if his friends weren't there to share the joy with him… Damn! Why is he still thinking about them after all these years? They abandon him, remember! One chose to live as a monster, and one chose to die as a monster. Why it still bothers him?

Just then a warning bell sound making everyone on the deck wonder what it is, and something catch Sephiroth's eyes. His eyes on a friction wider as he realizes what it is.

"Terra! Watch out!" he yelled as he turned and tackled Terra onto the ground along he shoved Brennan out of the way.

As soon as the three of them hit the deck, something explode and cause a huge pillar of waves shoot up at the side of the ship near where they stood before. Sephiroth quickly used his body to shield Terra as water splashed over them.

"Ships off the starboard bow! Pirate colours!" One of the sailors cried out.

Pushing himself up, Sephiroth help Terra up as well as checking if she was hurt. Brennan crawled to the side of the ship for cover as the other passengers ran for cover and the sailors trying to work the robes and the sails.

"You alright?" Sephiroth asked, and relief to see Terra nodded shaken a little but unharmed. He turned to see Brennan cursed in frustration but also unharmed.

"Pirates? Bloody hells…" he said.

"Have you no sense!" A sailor spotted them and yelled. "Get below!"

Sephiroth and Brennan nodded and together with Terra in front of them, they quickly make their way back to the cabin. They saw the passengers were all there and was talking among themselves. Their faces were concern and some were frightened of the ordeal. The three of them went to the corner and Sephiroth let Terra set down on a bench and he sit next to her while Brennan stood opposite them trying to look out of the window.

"Do you think we will get out of it?" Terra asked slowly to Sephiroth, making sure Brennan didn't hear anything. Her face was concern as she looked at the twins that she saw earlier, they were awake and was talking amount themselves. "We have to protect them."

Sephiroth was very surprised of her to regain her calmness after this short time. She had no weapon in hand, but she would still be concern of other's safety rather than herself. What kind of person is she? Didn't she care about her own safety?

"What is the world comin' to…" Brennan growled getting their attention back to the peddler. "Pirates firin' on a ship flyin' Lominsan colours! Bastards either have a boatload of balls, or bugger all for brains." The peddler cursed.

"There is no point getting all work up." Sephiroth said calmly. He tiled his head trying to hear anything outside. It seems to him that the firing has stop, he hopes the captain can get them to safety. He had no weapon nor if he could defend the pirates in this realm. He no longer processed any superpower, skills and experience is his only advantage on some degree, but he will be a normal person as everyone in here. And there is Terra, she may still process her magic but again without her weapon, she will not gain any advantage.

"I think we are out of danger." He said as he tiled his head towards the window.

"How do you know?" Terra asked, puzzle as she tried to copy Sephiroth's action, tilling her head to listen. But she didn't hear anything.

"!" that's it! She can't hear anything not an explosion outside. "There are no explosions!" she exclaimed happily.

Sephiroth nodded, smiled at the how fast Terra catch on.

"Oh, I almost forgot that you Elezen have excellent hearing second to the Miqo'te." Brennan smiled. "Then we are safe."

As if the gods had answered his words, the door to the cabin open and the captain of the ship walked in and the grin on his face confirm Sephiroth's prediction. "Ye can rest easy, friends! We've made it out o' cannon range, an' no buccaneer's bark'll catch this flighty temptress once the winds in her sails."

A chorus of cheers ran out through the cabin and some sigh with relief and slum onto the bench near them. Brennan turned and smiled at Sephiroth.

"That was too bleedin' close…" he said. "Glad one of us kept his head on his shoulders – I reckon I'd've lost mine, otherwise."

"Yes, Thank you." Terra smiled and said her thanks.

"You are welcome." Sephiroth said.

"If them pirates gave up the chase, we must be close to port." Brennan announced. "Let's head up on to the deck an' have us a look, shall we?"

The two nodded. The three of them once again went back to the deck and Brennan lead them to the bow overlooking the water where Sephiroth and Terra could see the outline of the land over the horizon. Terra sniffed the breeze and smiled. She turned to Brennan, "So what kind of the city is our destination." She asked.

"So, is this your first trip to Limsa Lominsa?" Brennan asked and Terra nodded.

"It is?" Brennan asked excitedly. "Well then, let this journey itinerant tell you the in's an' outs of your destination. Ahem!" he cleared his throat as he starts to explain. "Limsa Lominsa prides itself on bein' Eorzea's foremost naval power. Weren't too long ago that the place was ruled by pirates, but thanks to the current Admiral's civilizin' influence, the city-state could almost pass for a respectable nation. You're never guess she was once a rum-swillin' buccaneer herself! Heh!"

Sephiroth couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Hmp, A leader that is a woman? She must be one tough woman in order to lead a nation this big and must be something if she can control a nation of cutthroat and curs.

"Course, most folk ain't so quick to change, an' with a town full of liberty-lovin' ruffians, you can imagine how many naysayers an' troublemakers she' got to deal with – like them pirates who took a fancy to us just now." Brennan continued. "An' if that weren't bad enough, I've heard the Sahagin are raidin' coast just a bold as you please."

'Saha what!?' Sephiroth and Terra looked at each other and saw the same confusion across the other's faces.

"Them're the sea-dwelin' beastsmen the locals call 'fishbacks' case you don't know." Brennan explain upon seeing the confusion on their faces.

Beastsmen? So, there are another race along with the other six.

Then the bell sound

"Ah, at long last. Land ho!" Brennan suddenly call out cheerfully as he pointed his finger out behind Sephiroth. "Behold Limsa Lominsa, a nation blessed by the ocean's bounty an' beloved of Llymlaen, goddess of navigation."

Both Sephiroth and Terra turned have a good look of the city and to their awe it was a city over beyond their imagination: Nestle upon pillars of rocks and reefs that jut out from the bay stood Limsa Lominsa. A city of white stones and connected with wooden and iron bridges long with robes as guard rails. The city itself is like a giant battleship, no wonder it was full of pirates.

By a stroke of a bell, the ship pulled up towards the dock and together Sephiroth, Terra and Brennan followed the other passengers to the lower deck to disembark the ship. When the door opens, Terra barley hold her excitement as she followed other passengers onto the dock. Her head turned this way and that way trying to see everything all at once, like a child set to be free in a new place. Sephiroth and Brennan couldn't help but chuckles.

"Ah' here where we part ways, lass and lad." Brennan turn to the two as the other passengers move around them into the city. "I'm off to the markets to deliver me wares, then it's on to the highroad for me."

"Thanks for everything. Master Brennan." Terra thanks the peddler. And Sephiroth nodded his thanks.

Brennan shuffled around in one of the many pouches at his belt and pulled out two rings and held it out to them. "Here, I want you two to have these – by way of thanks for savin' me arse earlier."

"But I didn't do anything." Terra protested.

"You company me and listen to me chatter." Brennan smiled. "And I didn't even know your name… Well, here's an idea. You take these and become the sort of storied personage I can brag about havin' met, an' I'll consider us square."

Seeing Brennan look so serious, it would be rude not to except the gift. Sephiroth hold out his hand and Brenna beam at him as he dropped the ring into his hand and Brennan looked at Terra and raised his eyebrow. Terra smiled as she followed suit and held out her hand to let Brennan drop the ring into her. Then he bows to them took his wares and went up the ramp into the city, leaving the two newly arrive Elezen wondering where they should do next.