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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
- 18
- 19
- 20
A.N. Sorry its been so long, guys! I've been going through this over and over again, trying to get the plot on track and organized. Hope you guys like it! Sukai's flashbacks, along with the more violent part of this chapter, were written by riverseithr.
This chapter was beta'd by Sytherea Orianthe. Thanks Mellon!

Chapter 18: World of Hurt
Harmony stood alone on the deck of the Shera, staring out into the star-filled sky. There was so much information to take in... her true heritage. Where her people, the Guardian's, really came from.
It was almost too much. Was she happy to learn this? Of course she was. Was it overwhelming in a bad way? No, it wasn't. Still, over the last few days, there had been so much happening in her life. Things that she thought she knew were being overturned and dissected, just as they had been seven years ago.
The only thing constant seemed to be her confusion about Kadaj. Yes, talking to Sytherea had helped. The Wutaian woman had reaffirmed what she already knew, and it had given her a boost of confidence. But still, even though she now knew what the problem was, how was she supposed to fix it when neither of them were willing to back down. Harmony was willing to compromise, but she wasn't sure if Kadaj was, and was almost afraid to ask him.
'One thing at a time.' She told herself. Cid had told her earlier that Cosmo Canyon would be coming into view very soon. She had to admit she was slightly nervous about meeting this Nanaki. What did he know of the history of her people? Did he know that she was in Gaia? Did he even know about her at all?
So many questions; questions she knew she would have answers to in only a few minutes.
With a sigh, she silently prepared to have her entire world turned upside down once again.
!#$%^&*()
"Has anyone seen Harmony?" Kadaj asked as he walked into the mess hall.
"I saw her a few minutes ago." Sassi said, still annoyed with the Remnant. "But from the emotions I feel from her, I think she wants to be alone for the time being."
Kadaj sighed through his nose. He hadn't really had a moment to talk to Harmony alone since coming back from Banora. Now that he had spoken to Yazoo, he knew what he needed to say to her, and what he needed to do. He could admit that he wasn't really happy with the thought of compromise, he was used to having his way... but he knew that if he wanted Harmony back, he would have to give a little.
He'd decided to take things slowly. When all of this was over, he would... date her. It seemed like a step backward, but he could understand that sometimes, you have to backtrack when you lose your way.
!#$%^&*()
Sukai watched her friends as they interacted with each other, silently slipping away from the group when she knew she wouldn't be noticed. Although Sassi had said that Harmony wanted to be alone, she knew that her new friend could probably use someone to vent to, and she was the best person to offer that support.
Following her instincts, she made her way through the airship and out to the deck, mentally patting herself on the back when she found Harmony there, standing at the railing and staring sightlessly into the sky.
"Hey." She said quietly. "Would you like someone to talk to?"
"Huh?" Harmony blinked rapidly and shook her head. "Oh, hi Sukai. Um... sure, I guess. But... can we talk about something different? I really just... I think I need a distraction right now."
"I have an idea... why don't we go and work on the files some more?" Sukai asked, hooking Harmony's arm and dragging her through the halls to the control room.
"Wait, let me stop by my room. I want to change and put my coat away." Harmony said, wriggling free of Sukai's grasp as they passed her room.
"Okay." Sukai agreed. "Just meet me there. I'll get everything started."
Harmony hurriedly changed her clothes, choosing to don a fuzzy blue sweater and black yoga pants, and then hurried to the control room. She found Sukai inside, muttering to herself in Wutaian and holding a cup of what smelled like coffee.
"Sukai?" Said Harmony, not sure if the half-Wutaian would hear her.
"Yes." Sukai answered her before slamming her hand on the computer, apparently not happy with it. "Nǐ yúchǔn de, méiyǒu línghún de jīqì! Gāisǐ de gōngzuò! Wǒ biānchéng, wǒ hé nǐ kěyǐ túpò nǐ, rúguǒ nǐ bù tīng wǒ dehuà! Do not make me reset your mainframe with the old piece of scrap that Cid had in you. I will erase all that nifty data that allows you to process all that information and make you work every time you think you want to give me trouble!"
Harmony ran to her friend before she could break the computer. "Sukai, it is just a machine!"
"Oh no this thing has to be possessed! I will not tolerate a vile hunk of scrap parts to disobey the one person who managed to upgrade its hard drives and pretty much everything else. Besides who do you think gave Shera the idea to break the ship and hide the evidence? Cid would be mad to actually talk to her about it. Anyway, what can you help me with? What do you know how to do?" Said Sukai giving up her work.
"You are evil. I'll help in a moment... first... I was wondering, you called Reno a..ba-choo..bac-ha.." Said Harmony trying to remember the pronunciation.
"Báichī, pronounced buy-chi, or bite-cha-you sounding if one would butcher it, stressing on the I like ice cream. It means 'moron' in Midgarian, or common. Um... that is sort of a sore subject for me. I never got over it."
Harmony's 'mother senses' were tugging at the back of her mind. She knew that if they saw one another, it would be disastrous. She knew about Sephiroth talking to her, so why couldn't she? Sighing, Harmony sat down and looked at her inventor friend. "Tell me about it."
"Well, if you must be curious about it... I will give you the high notes. Let's see, it was after Tseng rescued me and I was in the Academy. Reno was still in, due to being held back for not willing to follow orders. He needed discipline and I needed to be social, so Tseng thought we would be good partners. Well, turns out we worked swimmingly together, and with both of us being teenagers, I blame hormones."
{Flashback}
"Hey Suk!" called Reno, just walking into her room.
"Reno!" she screamed covering up her naked form from her shower. "You know to knock."
"But how would I get to see your good side?" Reno flirted.
"Oh shut up." Sukai hissed. "There is no good side to me. I am all ugly and used. No one would want me. Those who think I am attractive are afraid, and those who don't use my history against me."
"I don't think you are ugly or used. Take it from me, nobody has a easy life if they are TURK. I don't fear you either, you are one bad assed chick, but not that scary." Said Reno comforting her. "Plus, those who can't see you are drop dead gorgeous should be beat up. I thought I went to heaven when I saw you naked. The Gods did right by you."
{End}
"Reno flirted his way into my heart. We began dating soon after. I thought he was the only one who saw me for a person, not a TURK, some rescue case, some crazy girl, or a powerful caster with a slight anger problem. We spent a lot of time together and did a lot of questionable things for fun, like breaking into Gege's house before Reno knew I had a key and sleeping on his bed. Well, I passed out, since it was my first time being drunk and all, we were originally there to nick some alcohol, but one thing lead to another. I thought he was going to murder us when he found us. I had to buy him a new bed and everything...he wouldn't go near it.
"So about three months into the relationship we, get a really good mission, taking our sweet time with the target. However this target had a pretty daughter and cute son. I was going to smooze the son, and he the daughter, for the info we needed... I didn't know Reno would go so far with her."
{Flashback}
Sukai drugged the son and searched his room for anything that would be of use. It was apparent that the father held more regard for the girl than the boy. Sighing she crept from his room to where Reno was supposed to be, still in the bar downstairs where the party was at. After a quick search, her Reno wasn't anywhere to be found. Alarms flared through her mind and she searched the house and found Reno not only with her, but nonchalantly getting 'serviced' by her. Sukai's hands went to her throwing knives and pulled two out. Oh she was going to kill him.
{End}
"He did what?" Harmony almost yelled. Sukai calmed her down.
"That isn't the half of it. After he had to fight me off from taking the woman's head off, after I stunned her of course, he made up the whole excuse he was drunk and she took advantage of him. Me, being and idiot...I fell for it. Later, much later, I found out he got the son too. Aside from that mental image being very interesting, I was furious. So he offered to make it up to me, saying he only did that for the job..blah..blah...and we had a guard duty job. Well after a few drinks at a social call for ShinRa's Elite, I got very stupid."
{Flashback}
"Reno...is that. Holy-shit-it-is!" Sukai squealed in one breath.
"Who?" He asked, rubbing his sore ears.
"First class SOLDIER Sephiroth, and Angeal, and Genesis, and Zack! They are all together!" She said, almost jumping for joy.
"Yeah this is Zack's 'Welcome to the First Class Ass' party. What of it?" Said Reno, eyes roaming the dress he convinced her to wear. It was a midnight blue strappy dress with a plummeting neck, reaching nearly to her abdomen. It also did not have a back and it really killed him to see her long legs nearly fully revealed from the high rising split on the side. He wanted nothing more than to tear that dress off her.
"They are not asses! They are heroes!" Sukai defended them. "Besides when was the last time you did anything perfect, honorable, cute, or very flashy?"
"When I asked you out." Reno purred in Sukai's ear, sending shivers down her spine. "Now don't make me drag you out to the dance floor..."
{End}
"Gods know how many dances and drinks later, we ended up at a tattoo parlor. That is when I got my notorious mark on my hip. Which happens to be Sephiroth's name... then to top it off I found myself hungover with a naked Cissnei in bed. Using that, Reno conned me into another two months with him. The day that I left was horrible, I came back early from a mission..."
{Flashback}
"How could you?" Sukai snapped, hurt that he would do this. "Seriously? Shotgun? Of all the half-baked...Oh!"
Sukai was too mad and hurt to look at the still naked form of Reno rushing to her. "You weren't supposed to be home!"
"Its bad enough that you cheated on me, but in my own house, in my bed! Is anything sacred with you? Don't even answer. I know that's a no. Let me guess: this is the tenth or so time you have fucked around. Wait...who else is in there?"
"Nobody." Reno lied, and he could see that Sukai knew it.
"Get out. Take those things with you..God it isn't even worth it..I am leaving. Come looking for me and I will put more than a bullet between your eyes, asshole. Two years, two fucking years of being devoted for nothing. Gods why am I this stupid!" Sukai wailed, followed by a stream of curses Reno even flinched to. Sukai turned on her heel and slammed the door. She called her Gege and requested a transfer out, not giving an explanation.
{End}
"Tseng eventually found out after my transfer. He also showed up conveniently to save your ex from me killing him. I don't know what happened to Reno after that, but he hurt me. I wasted all that time... falling for a man who didn't love me back. I was stupid and childish..I think he broke me... the disappearances, the times I would know he was whoring off and I would forgive him!" Sukai said in a self-depreciating tone.
"Shh." Harmony said holding her friend who was in tears. "I can see why you hate him. Did you guys ever talk it out?"
"No, and that is why I am so...paranoid about things." Sukai admitted. "Why I don't want to be within a few hundred feet of Sephiroth because I like him. I honestly like him."
"Sephiroth isn't Reno." Harmony said.
"I know, but... the wound was never healed. I haven't seen him since. That is why I hide, that is why I do everything." Sukai told her. "Don't give me a self-pity speech. I have been in that boat with Tseng. Well I did hear Reno became second-in-command when I left, since it was going to go to me after Tseng got command. Anyway, back to work. This won't decrypt itself you know." Sukai said, desperately wanting to change the subject.
"Okay." Harmony said, seething inside, already plotting against a certain redhead. She was going to enjoy this.
!#$%^&*()
The airship touched down perfectly, not even a shudder leaving its giant metal frame. Harmony stared ahead nervously as she waited for the ramp to be lowered. This was it. She was going to meet the creature that the files stated she was descended from.
She felt Sassi take her hand and squeeze. "It'll be okay." The Cetra said, smiling encouragingly. "I've met Nanaki a few times, he's great. So just relax."
Harmony took a deep breath and nodded, exhaling loudly as the ramp finally lowered to reveal a group of elderly men, and one giant, red, feline creature.
She nearly fainted when the creature zeroed in on Sassi... and spoke.
"Ah, Miss Sassi. How nice to see you again." His smooth voice spoke. "I am assuming you have something to do with my being summoned here?"
"Actually, it was Sukai that asked to see you. We found something that we thought would interest you... but, if you don't mind, could we possibly speak in private?" Sassi asked politely.
"Of course. Please, follow me. Who is your friend? There is something... different about her." Nanaki said, tilting his head to the side.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. That was rude of me!" Sassi said, rushing to introduce her Guardian. "Nanaki, this is Harmony, the woman we told you about. She's my Guardian."
"I see." Nanaki said, suddenly very curious as to why they had come to see him. "It is very nice to meet you, Miss Harmony." He waited for her to reply, giving a feline snicker and rolling his eye when she did.
"It... it talks!" Harmony stuttered, gesturing to the large cat before her.
"Yes... people often react that way the first time. Please, come inside. I am anxious to know what you have found."
!#$%^&*()
"This... is... nearly unbelievable!" Nanaki purred. "I had heard stories of something similar... but my parents died before I was old enough to hear what they called 'the grown-up version'. Is there more?"
"Yes, a bit." Sukai answered, pulling her sleeve from her arm to access her wrist computer. She pushed a few buttons and a holographic screen with the newly decrypted files appeared.
They read in silence, Harmony and Nanaki's faces mirroring each other as their jaws dropped.
"So... let me just talk this out... maybe it'll help me understand." Harmony said. "When Jenova attacked, before the Lifestream decided to send the Cetra away, Nanaki's people were still in feline form. All of them. Then when the first war with Jenova started, they offered themselves to the Lifestream to protect the weavers of life. The Lifestream gifted them with a human form, so that they could better protect their charges, and also used the transformation to seal their souls together, creating the Guardian/Cetra bond. The males were not chosen, because it was the female 'maternal instinct' that they were relying on to keep the Cetra protected... the males and those few females who were not chosen remained in Cosmo Canyon to protect what the Cetra had worked so hard to build..." Harmony finished, finally stopping her pacing.
"That about sums it up. Are you still confused?" Sukai asked.
"No... no I think I got it." Harmony whispered. She looked at the red cat that was sitting beside her. "You didn't know any of this?" She asked.
He shook his head. "No, I am sorry to say that I did not. Grandfather never told me... I am not entirely sure if he even knew. But it does make sense. I did feel a very strong connection with Aerith... and when Sephiroth killed her, it felt as though he had killed me, too. When the others appeared with Sassi, and they told me all that they had learned, and everything that had happened, I'll admit I was skeptical... but then I saw how Sephiroth will sometimes become nearly mad with desperation, rushing to get to Aerith and treating her almost as though she were his daughter." Nanaki explained.
"Sassi?" Came Loz's voice, interrupting the group.
"Yeah?" She answered. The tone of her lover's voice had her slightly concerned.
"We wondered if we could borrow you for a minute... we've had the GR guy in the prison here... Yazoo's been um... interrogating him... but he won't talk. We wondered if you'd be willing-" Loz said, trying not to let it show that he was nervous about asking her to use her power on the man.
"Well damn, you should have just asked me, first! I know what you meant by 'interrogation' and if he's too roughed up, it might just kill him for me to try!" Sassi ranted. The one thing that she knew she could help with, the one thing that she could do that no one else could, and they were going to leave her out of it completely!
"Sorry! We thought that you... might not want to." Loz said, backing away in the face of her ire.
"They took. My children."
"Right. We weren't thinking... um... should we get going then?"
Sassi sighed. "Yeah. I'll see what I can do. See you guys later."
Harmony shot her a concerned look. "Hey... be careful?"
Sassi smiled. "No problem. Big Chief will keep me safe, won't you?"
!#$%^&*()
Harmony yawned as she stared at the computer screen. She and Sukai were back on the airship, the group deciding to stay in Cosmo for the night, after filling Nanaki in on the situation.
"Coffee?" Sukai asked, returning to the room and pushing a mugful of steaming liquid into her hand.
"Oh you're an angel." Harmony said, accepting the cup. The two talked quietly for a few minutes, Harmony gesturing to segments of fragmented files and Sukai typing code after code into the computer to try to break it.
They were so caught up in their work, that they nearly missed the soft rapping on the door frame. Harmony turned around and it felt as though her vision had bled red. This night just kept getting better and better.
!#$%^&*()
As Reno stepped aboard the Shera, he was not prepared for the assault that was waiting for him. He was just there to deliver the schedule for the physical examination for Harmony! He had no idea that she was with Sukai, and they had been talking. He made his way to the control room, after being told where to find her by Aerith. When he stepped into the room he tapped the files on the door frame. Both Harmony and Sukai looked at him, both holding degrees of anger.
"This is the absolute worst time you could show your soulless face!" Screamed Harmony before she launched herself out of the chair and at him.
"Oh shit!" Reno yelled diving out of the way of a fireball that was speeding toward him.
Reno did not have time to stop, both females were on his heels flinging magic and firing bullets at him. He could hear words through the explosions about him being roasted and losing his manhood.
"Hold still, Bachi!" Screamed Sukai, loading another clip in her gun. "I am going to put you in pain!"
"You cheating, son-of-a-bitch, when I get my hands on you...You are going to know why Guardians are feared!" Screamed Harmony.
Cid, who heard explosions, came running down the hall only to be met by a streak of red and two very pissed of women. "What the hell-Harmony, Sukai-"
However his questions were cut off by both of them nearly knocking him over and screaming "MOVE IT!"
Cid only had enough time to get onto his comm and hopefully save a Turk's hide. He wasn't sure what went on but he didn't want them tearing up his baby over anything. "Godsdamnit! Somebody fuckin' save Reno... and my ship! Sukai and Harmony are out for some sort of blood and have fucking gone psycho on his ass. I am trying to remain calm...Damn it! No don't fire- Stop tearing my baby to pieces- Sukai, stop blowing holes in my ship! Both of you crazy, moody bitches, are going to get kicked off if you don't fucking quit it..God damnit someone get down here!" He snarled his whole tirade into the comm.
"You won't kill me, Hari. I know your beliefs!" Reno called over his shoulder, hopeful that a reminder of her personal beliefs might snap her out of it.
"You're absolutely right, Reno. I won't kill you." Harmony answered in a voice that was far too calm for the murderous intention painting her face. "But... you'd be surprised what you can live through!"
As Reno turned the corner he felt a sudden sharp pain in his left hip. He didn't stop running but frowned as he saw a tranquillizer dart. His world got fuzzy before it went black.
"Got you bitch." Said a sadistically smiling Sukai.
Sephiroth and the rest of the crew were looking for the girls. Everyone he asked told him that they felt bad for Reno and wouldn't go near the 'demons from hell with a fiery vengeance, if their lives depended on it.' Eventually he found that they were headed to the Cargo Bay. Sephiroth knew Yazoo was in that area and quickly commed him to their position before they did something they would regret.
When Yazoo arrived, Reno looked like he tried to take on a Behemoth by himself. Sukai and Harmony had him tied up and were busy using their weapons to attempt to slice him to shreds. Yazoo was sure if Reno didn't know both of their fighting style, he would be dead, rather than bloody, bruised, and still moving. Yazoo used his inhuman speed to knock Reno out of the way and block a strike that would have killed him from his employee.
Yazoo sighed and held both girls back, "What did you do THIS time Reno?"
"Nothing yo! Those two just looked at me and went nuts! I can understand Sukai but Harmony-" said Reno already breaking out of his binds and backing away.
"You cheating asshole! Yazoo let me go, I swear I won't kill him!" Hissed Harmony.
"Not before I get my shot!" Sukai said struggling against his grasp.
Yazoo didn't have Loz's strength but he had enough to hold onto the girls. Whispering, he sent the Paralyze spell into both of them.
"This would explain a lot." Said Yazoo. "That would be why I got the transfer papers."
"It wasn't my fault, Shotgun came onto-" Reno started to say.
"Oh no you don't! When I get feeling in my legs..." Sukai struggled to say.
"Talk. Both of you. Harmony, though he may deserve it, I believe that this anger is stemmed from your own problems." Yazoo said.
"Do not go there." Both women warned.
"Well then Reno, what did you come here for?" Yazoo asked. turning his attention to the redhead.
"Rufus was informed that Harmony hasn't had her vaccinations and asked me to bring these along. Since we all consider her an honorary TURK, Rufus offered his hand and state-of-the-art medical lab to test her blood and have her inoculated." Reno said, spitting out the rest of the blood. "Though I could have done without that welcome, yo."
"Why of all people you?" Sukai asked.
"Everyone else was unavailable at the moment. We are still gathering GR people and executing them." Reno replied. Harmony tried, but failed to hide her flinch.
"He has a point." Said Yazoo. "History or no, he is here to help us, girls. So swallow your hate for him and thank him for his time."
"You're kidding right?" Asked Harmony sheepishly.
"No deal." Sukai scoffed.
"Sukai. Harmony." Yazoo warned, his voice masked in a cool composure. "Behave or I will remind you how to."
"Fine." They both huffed. Sukai bit her lip and Harmony laid there trying to watch what played out from the corner of her eye.
"Suk." Reno said after taking the potion he had in his pocket. "Sorry, yo."
"Do you mean it Ren?" Asked Sukai in a patronizing tone.
"Wait, woah." Said Harmony. "Before you answer that. Ren...as in the flower?"
"Yes. The symbolism behind it, I once found in Reno. Most people thought it was a shortened version of his name. To come from the mud and transcend in the light, showing off its beauty. That is the very paraphrased version. Reno came from a hard mucky life, endured, and became beautiful. Hell he even dragged me out of the mud. He saved me then he damned me."
"Suk." Said Reno. "Means unmovable and damn if it was not as true today as it was then. I fucked up yo, but I am not beating myself over it. Hell, I didn't deserve you and I learned that when you left. I spent all those nights in the bars wishing I could forget what I put you through."
"Don't make me think about forgiving you, Bachi." Sukai said, narrowing her eyes. "I can dispel this. I am paralyzed, not mute."
"I can fix that." Yazoo said.
"Go ahead." Reno lamented."Its what I deserve. When I heard what she... now isn't the time."
"I am not going to kill you Reno." Said Sukai."I suppose after all these years... I can find it in my heart to forgive you."
"Don't do that." Reno said. "Don't be the good guy." A pained look painted his features.
"Don't say love, respect, or admire. I can still hurt you, Bachi." Sukai said clicking her tongue.
"That is it?" Harmony asked.
"Pretty much. I can't hold onto everything. If I do there is no future. The past is history, the future is unknown, and now is the greatest gift of all, that is why they call it a present. Hell I need a box of joy. Let me up Yaz. I swear on my life that I won't hurt him or do anything to him." Sukai sighed, giving up.
"I am glad this is going well." Yazoo finally said, releasing both of them. "I can't leave you like that. Now I will take Hari and the papers and you two talk it out."
"Lìng rén jǔsàng dì dìyù quǎn!" Sukai called as Yazoo left.
"You are welcome." He called back.
Translation- Nǐ yúchǔn de, méiyǒu línghún de jīqì! Gāisǐ de gōngzuò! Wǒ biānchéng, wǒ hé nǐ kěyǐ túpò nǐ, rúguǒ nǐ bù tīng wǒ dehuà! You stupid, soulless machine! Work damn it! I programmed you and I can break you if you do not do as I say!
Translation: Lìng rén jǔsàng dì dìyù quǎn- Frustrating Hellhound.
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Legacy of the Lifestream