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Legacy of the Lifestream	By : butabara Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 2387 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not Own FFVII or its affiliates. I make no money from this execise in literary creativity.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
Chapter 11: Journey Home
Sassi sighed lazily as she rolled to her side, Loz grumbling in his fitful sleep as she jostled him. She'd spent so many hours lost in her mind, worrying for her children, her Guardian, her Guardian's children, her friends... and Loz had stayed by her side, unwavering in his effort to calm her chaotic nerves.
For seven years, she was half a person. And then Harmony came home, and she was whole again... and then her children were taken from her, and she had to face the facts: the chances of them being safely retrieved was slim to none.
"Stop thinking about it." Loz said, startling her from her thoughts and wrapping his arms around her.
"I can't help it. What if we can't find them?" Sassi said, turning to nuzzle down into his broad, warm chest.
"We will. The line of Cetra is already so fragile... with each Cetra only able to sustain one pregnancy... I can't see the planet allowing this to happen. What does the Lifestream have to say about this?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair soothingly.
"I can't hear them." She whispered. Loz pushed her up to look at her face.
"What? Since when?"
"Since the portal didn't open and I gave up. Aerith knows-of course."
Loz sighed. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Sassi sniffled. "Because I didn't care. I was so lost in my own self-pity and depression, that I neglected my family."
"Hey, don't cry!" Loz begged, "If you start, then you know I'll start!"
She gave a wet chuckle. "I'm sorry. For a lot of things. I'm sorry that I ignored you. I'm sorry that I hurt you and our kids. I just... I hope that I'll have the chance to tell them that myself."
Loz nodded and pulled her in for a fierce hug. "You will." He whispered into her hair. "Big Chief won't let them hurt Little Warriors."
Sassi smirked. He always knew how to make her smile, her Big Chief.
!#$%^&*()
"What do you mean 'we have to walk'?" Harmony whined as she was pushed out of the airship.
"Don't you think a giant airship - known as belonging to AVALANCHE - would be a little conspicuous?" Yazoo asked, trying not to become annoyed. He'd had this argument already with Sukai, Zack, and Cid - Sukai finally relenting when he told her she could bring her Wave Rider.
"Oh... yeah... that makes sense." Harmony agreed sheepishly. They took onnly half their numbers, those remaining behind having been issued strict orders to protect Sassi and Aerith, and malevolent threats, should anything happen to the two Cetra.
Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, Zack, Yazoo, Kadaj, Sukai, Harmony, Sytherea, and Vincent were chosen to go into the city. Harmony wasn't pleased that it would take a day and a half of walking, and some swimming to get there.
"Okay," Genesis began with a low whisper as the airship disappeared behind them, hidden by the vast expanse of trees. "Banora is located on the next Island over, about two hundred miles South of the city of Mideel."
Harmony shot a glance at Yazoo, curious to see how he would react to the mention of his hometown.
"We've already decided," Yazoo cut in for the benefit of those that were not present for the meeting, "that if we are unsuccessful in Banora, Mideel will be the next place we look."
The group nodded, and Sytherea took over. "The base is located deep beneath Banora, in Minerva's Catacombs**. Zack and Genesis will wait with the rest of the group, while V and I go in. I'll disarm the security-"
"They'd know you two a mile away!" Sukai interrupted. "They're probably expecting you. I'll disarm it. You know I can."
"And how will you know where to go?" Sytherea said impatiently.
"We have comms, you can lead us through."
"That's going to take too long!" Sytherea growled. Vincent placed his hand on her shoulder.
"She's right, though. I can't believe I didn't think about that."
"But-"
"I can get us in." Harmony said. The group turned disbelieving stares toward her. "Glamours." She said as though that explained everything.
"What the hell are Glamours?" Sukai asked. The rest of the group smiled, and Yazoo motioned to Harmony to elaborate.
"Illusions. With the right amount of energy, and enough rest, I can make you see whatever the hell I want you to see. I can make us appear invisible to the cameras... though if they have heat or weight sensors, I don't think I can fool those."
"Like, invisible invisible, or just kind of invisible?" Sukai said, not really believing what she heard.
"I mean, my Glamours effect the mind. You won't even know it. You don't even have to see me. Its Magic. It won't really make us invisibele, but it covers the space before the eyes and cameras. It would be like linking to their camera system and looping the feed. We'd be there, but all they would see would be empty hallways."
"Like how vampires don't have a reflection in mirrors." Sukai said, beginning to understand. "Their skin has a sort of reflective quality that the silver in mirrors bounces back from, making it appear that they have no reflection."
Harmony nodded with a smile. "Glad to see that some myths and superstitions carry through different dimensions."
"How come you didn't do that when we broke the guys out of prison?" Zack asked.
"I didn't think about it. I've acutally... never done it before."
"What? If that's the case we have no way of knowing that it'll work!" Genesis said.
"We have a day to get there, and we have to stop to camp for a few hours." Sephiroth said, "We can always test it."
Harmony pointed to Sephiroth. "See? He gets it!"
A sudden sound from the bushes had her whirling around, sword drawn so quickly that it was almost comical. The rustling was followed by a soft "Wark!" and had Angeal grinning.
"Relax." He said with a chuckle, then he turned to the sound. "Come on out, Daniel."
"Daniel?" Genesis asked. "You called him out here? He's a farmer, he can't possibly-"
"Oh my God what is that?" Harmony rushed, pointing at one of the four giant birds being led by a tall, lanky man with blonde hair.
They all smiled. The men had forgotten that Harmony had never seen a chocobo before.
"They're chocobo." Zack said with a grin. "We ride them like you rode your horses."
Harmony gazed at the cretures for a moment, and then a wide smile covered her features and she turned into a baby-talking little girl as she slowly stepped toward the nervous animals.
"Oh! You're so cute! Yes you are! Don't worry, baby. I won't hurt you. My name is Harmony." She said softly, as though she was talking to a small child.
The light yellow bird before her let out a small sound and took a hesitant step forward, and then another.
"That's it, baby. I won't hurt you." She cooed, holding her hands out, palms up.
"Uh, Miss, they're just animals... they don't understand-" Daniel started.
"Oh, of course he does." She said. She looked back at the bird that was regarding her curisouly. "You do, don't you? Just because you can't speak, doesn't mean you don't understand. I know."
With that, the bird 'wark'ed softly again, and placed its large beak against her hand. Harmony made a soft sound of happiness in her throat and patted the bird's beak, giggling when it pushed against her harder, forcing itself close and rubbing its head against her stomach. Harmony gave another laugh and wrapped her arms around the large head, hugging the creature softly. She looked up to find Daniel's shocked eyes staring at her.
"What?" She asked.
"I can't believe it! Can you?" He said to Angeal as the big man stepped up next to him.
"Its pretty amazing." Angeal agreed, smiling. He'd figured that Harmony would have a way with the animals here, much like she had in her world.
"What?" Harmony asked again. "What's the big deal?"
"Longwei doesn't like people." Daniel said. He gestured to Angeal. "'Geal here is the only person other than myself that's been able to ride him. He has a habit of biting fingers off."
Harmony snorted and lifted the bird's head to look into his big black eyes. "You wouldn't do that to me, would you! You're nothing but a big sweetheart!"
Daniel exchanged a disbelieving look with Angeal. "Well, be that as it may, Angeal is the only one that can ride him. You'll have to double up with Angeal if you want to ride Longwei."
"Not happening." Kadaj cut in. "She's riding with me."
"She can ride my Wave Rider with me..." Sukai put in.
"Actually..." Harmony said, hoping she wouldn't hurt the Inventor's feelings, "I'd like to ride... I've never even seen a chocobo before this, so..."
Sukai nodded. "Its alright. So who's riding with whom?"
"I'll be transforming." Vincent cut in. "Sytherea will ride on my back."
"Transforming?" Harmony asked, curious and a bit wary.
"The Galian Beast. You'll see. Don't worry, I can keep up, but I won't be able to talk." Vincent explained.
"I do not ride those filthy creatures." Sephiroth sniffed. It was true. One bad experience, and he loathed the large birds.
Sukai perked up. "You can ride with me!"
Sephiroth seemed to weigh his options for a moment, and then nodded to her. "That is acceptable."
"Alright, so me and Kadaj, Seph and Sukai-" Harmony started.
"My Wave Rider can carry three people." Sukai interrupted. "One more person can ride with me."
"I will!" Zack said, sounding like a kid in a candy store.
"Okay," Harmony continued. "So, me and Kadaj, Sephiroth, Sukai, and Zack, Vincent and Sytherea, Yazoo and Genesis, I guess, and Angeal."
"I will be riding with Angeal." Genesis stated. "Yazoo can ride his own bird."
Yazoo nodded. "That is preferable."
"Okay, we're all set then. Thank you for doing this, Daniel." Angeal said, clapping the man on the shoulder.
"Don't mention it. Shame what these people have done. I'm happy to help a couple of old friends." The blonde man answered, going back through the bushes and returning with a chocobo of a different color-literally.
"Why's that one black?" Harmony asked.
"They have different abilities. Kind of like your horses." Yazoo explained.
He continued his instruction as Angeal and Genesis spoke to their friend, and Kadaj helped the utterly excited Harmony onto their chocobo, the youngest Remnant then vaulting up behind her.
"Yellow chocobos would be like your mustangs. Mixed blood, the most common breed. Then there's blues and greens. If you breed the Yellow's right, you'll get a Blue, or a Green. Blues have an affinity for water, and can swim fairly well. Good for crossing deep rivers and such. Greens are mountain range chocobo. They're very good climbers, good for crossing over rocky and uneven ground. Blacks come from breeding a blue and a green the right way. Not all chicks survive, as its kind of like crossing genes, but when you manage to do it right, you get a Black. They are good for both, but can't cross oceans like the Golds can." Yazoo paused and glanced at Harmony, nearly laughing at the enthralled look on her face as she listened to him explain the basics of chocobo breeding.
"Golds?" She prodded.
"The Gold Chocobo is very rare. Its very difficult to get the lineage right to produce one. Its takes a Black, and a very strong, well-bred Yellow. Their stamina is unmatched by any animal in the world. They are able to cross oceans easily, along with the rivers and mountain ranges. I believe Cloud has one of each." He finished.
"Oh, Spike-head is so taking me to see them when this is over!" Harmony said. Kadaj breathed a sigh of relief. That was the first time she'd acted optimistic about this whole ordeal.
"If you're done with the crash-course in chocobo breeding, we can hit the road." Angeal said, mounting his bird and helping Genesis swing up behind him.
"One moment." Vincent said, disappearing into the brush. "Keep the birds under control!" He called out, before a loud rush of air was heard and a bright flash of light burst through the tree.
The chocobo's danced nervously, but each man had near-expert control of the birds.
"Holy shit!" Harmony gasped as a giant dog-like beast wandered back through the trees. The canine demon ruffed at her, padding over and wet-nosing her exposed abdomen, much to her chocobo's irritation. The bird squawked indignantly, dancing under his riders and pawing at the ground threateningly.
The beast let out a broken, airy sound that could a been a chuckle, and then padded back over to Sytherea, the woman smiling warmly and climing onto his back when he lay down to give her better access.
"Thanks, V." She said, leaning forward to pat the tuft of fur at his neck. He ruffed again, and stood slowly, walking back to the group and waiting for the others to be ready.
"Guess that's my que!" Sukai said. With a dramaticized flourish, she whipped the snowboard-type contraption off of her back, laying it gently on the ground and pushing a few buttons. With a quiet whirring sound, the board came to life slowly rising from the ground to hover around her knees. "Okay," She said. "General, you're first. step on and I'll get the buckles in place." She directed him to step into the middle of the board, where there were resizable openings obviously meant for a person's feet.
Sephiroth stepped up with grace, placing his feet in the openings and watching Sukai closely to see how the buckles snapped into place. She turned to Zack. "Okay, you're next. Sephiroth, I want you to lean forward slightly to balance it out, but don't touch anything, okay?" He nodded, and leaned forward as Zack stepped up behind him. Sukai fastened the buckles and then stood straight once more. "Okay, keep leaning forward until I'm up, then straighten up."
The men did as they were told, and Sukai hopped up in front of Sephiroth, leaning down and giving the General a very frustrating view of her derriere as she fastened the boots around her feet. She straightened out, Sephiroth and Zack following her lead.
"When we get going, think of it like a motor-bike, okay? Lean when I lean. You won't fall. And don't touch anything. There are six missiles in this baby. I don't want to blow the base up, completely. Well... yet."
They nodded their understanding, both wearing amused smirks.
"We'll fly ahead." She offered. "Scout out the territory."
Kadaj nodded. "Good idea, just don't go too far. Keep within comm range."
Sukai gave a playful huff. "I'm not a rookie, Chocobo-Brain."
Kadaj growled at the familiar insult-endearment. "Get lost." He muttered.
Sukai laughed again. "I'll try not to." With that, she carefully tilted her feet forward on the magnatized pedals beneath her feet, the Wave Rider in turn soaring forward at a speed that had Zack whooping in childlike enjoyment.
!#$%^&*()
She was trying to kill him, Sephiroth decided. Twice now, tree branches that would have decapitated a normal man had been ducked under, or broken with a shocked fist.
"Will you slow down?" He hissed.
"Nope. Sorry General. This baby has only two speeds: Fast, and What-the-hell-just-passed-us." Sukai said with a carefree laugh. Gods, she had missed this! "You're not scared are you?" She teased.
Sephiroth scowled. "I am not."
Sukai gave him an evil grin, and he instantly regretted falling into her trap. He gasped and locked his arms around her waist when she sped up.
"Then you won't mind if I do this?" She said, executing a perfect barrel-roll.
When Sephiroth caught his breath, listening to Zack's cry of alarm, and then enjoyment, he pinched Sukai's arm. "Don't do that again." He said in a threatening voice.
"Oh, you don't like that? How about this one?" She said with yet another wicked grin. This time she flipped the Wave Rider up in a perfect backwards loop.
"No!" He ground out when his stomach resumed its place in his abdomen. He was glad. Stomaches don't beling in throats. A wicked idea flittered through his mind, and he pulled himself as close to her as he could for the buckles around his feet. "If you do anything like that again with me on this blasted metal beast, I will never kiss you again." He breathed into her ear.
He very nearly laughed at her gasp and Zack's disappointed whine as the Wave Rider immediately slowed to a more manageable speed.
At least now he knew that she wanted him to kiss her again.
- 11
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Legacy of the Lifestream