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The Lost Valentine	By : Dalie Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 716 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or any other game/anime characters I may borrow. Nor do I make any money from writing this. It is purely for my enjoyment, and hopefully other pople's too.

Chapter List
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Chapter 2
I was quick to return to that particular section, with hopes that I could find more information on summon beasts. It was the reason I was there. The whole trip was labelled under general research, but I knew what I was really meant to be looking for. Luckily, it was what held a strong interest for me.
I found an old tome filled with diagrams and texts, with extra notes scribbled along the sides in a language I didn't read. Determined not to let this stop me, I gathered the material that looked the most interesting and went off to another more recent part of the library; the language section. The way I figure it, if the library is so old, they should have books gathered from years and years of language. If I studied the variations, I should be able to back track enough to understand the texts I gathered. At least, that was my theory. I didn't realise how truly massive the language section was. Typical.
Regardless, I ploughed on. Thankfully, I already speak (And read/write) Macalanian. Well, I speak the official version. I have problems understanding the different dialects which exist in certain tribes. I'm getting better though.
I did eventually give in and ask for some help. Caraway, one of the aristocrats overseeing our research, left me with his daughter, Rinoa. Sadly, she made no attempt to hide her displeasure. It was awkward. However, she was well versed in foreign languages, of all ages.
I learnt her humour quickly, I'm pleased to say. When you react to someone's sense of humour, and understand the jokes they make, they can't help but warm some to you. I can't describe how pleased I was that she didn't remain a nightmare. I soon discovered the spoilt brat persona was there to cover up family problems. She was not a Daddy's Girl, by any stretch of the imagination.
In summary, she was funny, intelligent, strong, and I was smitten. It's not as though this was first love. I was nearly 18, and I'd had my share of girlfriends. (Of varying seriousness, from giggling at holding hands like little children to girls I would have had sex with if I could convince my parents to leave us alone for long enough)
This was strangely different from it all. Not just because I couldn't tell if she had any interest in me, or because I had no older brother here with me to question about what to do, or to egg me on. This was different because I could imagine forever with her. The sort of person you could see yourself with in another 10, or 20 years.
I didn't say anything to her. I had work to do, and I was uncomfortable enough. Don't think I could have coped if I asked her out and she said no.
We began working through a tome about summon beasts. The first chapter was an overview. It mentioned different summons in different religions. I have always loved religion, so it was interesting to learn about how the summon beasts fitted into the more ancient ones. I already have an understanding of modern religions and summons. I did my dissertation on it for my religious studies class. Summon Beasts and how they define Modern Religions, by Grimoire Valentine. I enjoyed writing that.
For example, in Wutai they believe that Leviathan is the main god. They have lesser gods, but Leviathan is top. Mainly because water controls life and death. Without water, you dehydrate; your mouth dries up, you lose your voice, you palate cracks... but too much water and you bloat. Too much water and you can drown. Water makes the crops grow, keeps your animals alive and it cleanses stuff. Overall, very important.
As far as I can tell, Midgar is no longer truly religious. I am not claiming people don't believe in the Lifestream; materia is proof enough for people. However, they do not believe prayer makes a difference. Total opposite of what we found in the tome.
About 2000 years ago, there existed a god called Yu Yevon; he answered the prayers of summoners and allowed the human race a chance to redeem itself by battling the embodiment of all its flaws. Sin. With the aid of summon beasts, called aeons, they defeated Sin and leaved in peace for a time. However, the summoners never survived the experience. It sounds like a fairy tale to modern ears, but I've been hunting through the library, and I've found many references to Sin. I also found scribbled in a small book a comment that Yu Yevon was at the heart of Sin, as a test to mankind. But the fear that comes across, I can't help but wonder if there was something there that they believed was set upon them by a deity.
Regardless, this particular religion links Lifestream and summon beasts via pyreflies. From what I can work out, these are what gives life to everything, and when you die they take your experience back to Lifestream. And, obviously, Lifestream is the life of the planet. This has raised the question for me, which I voiced to Rinoa, does the planet have a version of Lifestream to return to once it is done here. Eventually, the planet will die. It a miserable thought, but it's true. The planet will die, like humans, plants, fiends and animals do. Will it return to a universal flow of life, taking all our combined experiences, like pyreflies return to Lifestream?
Rinoa didn't really seem to care. She found it fairly amusing I'd even wonder, but I want to know. Maybe I'll be able to investigate this for myself one day... I can always dream.
Anyway, I found more links to religions, going back even further in time. A race of people called the Cetra believed that there was a goddess who controlled everything. She created lesser gods, or summons to have power over the 12 elements. They were to answer the prayers of the people as they saw fit. But she alone kept control over time, over what was Holy, and what was evil.
I spent some time searching, but eventually, I found a paper relating to the 12 elements of the Cetra. Fire belonged to Ifrit. This summon beast appears frequently in different religions, so I am fairly familiar with him. Shiva had power over ice. This is also familiar to me, as to call someone Shiva is synonymous with calling them an icy bitch.
Fire and ice, 2 of the 12 elements that I was familiar with. Pretty well known. However, these lesser gods had underlings as well. From what I understand, there is a god called Pyro, who is an underling of Ifrit. She acts as a sort of go-between for humans to Ifrit and vice-versa. Maybe the thought of being confronted by a flaming beast is too much for some people...
Gelidus is the servant of Shiva. I have no idea what she did for her. There were no references to her beyond her existence and the element she served.
Thunder and Water were the next 2 elements I came across with Rinoa. I had expected to find Ramuh as the god of thunder, but instead it was a god called Ixion. Ramuh and Quezacotl were its servants. Their existences were explained. Ramuh was the human side of this element; the one that interacted with humans. Quezacotl was more a weather ... thing. And Ixion was the summon beast for fighting.
Leviathan was not that different to the Wutanese god. Controlled the rain fall etc. There were various prayers and incantations scribbled in for how to ask for more rain, or fresher water, or colder water. I think there was everything in there. Siren was a servant, but was more to do with the sea, and keeping sailors safe. (A fairly amusing variation on what the Wutanese claim sirens do)
Also, there is Typhoon, a serpent as well, but to do with much smaller bodies of water.
That's 4 of 12. Pandemona; goddess of wind. I've never heard of this one, and I don't really understand what you'd pray to her for. But, maybe the Cetra had no issues with overlap. I don't see the difference between wind and sky. She had a servant called Ventus. Again, no idea what he did.
Sky was another element. (This did confuse me. I don't understand how sky can be an element, but Rinoa got really annoyed at about the fifth request for a retranslation.) Bahamut is the god of the sky. Along with Valefor, his servant. Maybe the Cetra thought these 2 gods kept the sky above them and didn't let it fall on them... I wonder if that could be linked to the atmosphere. I'll try to remember to look into it.
If you have sky, then obviously Earth is the next element. Terra is this particular goddess, with her male servant Mundus and Titan. I think the image that came with this has been forever burned into my brain. I've tried every way of getting that perverse image out of my mind. Nothing was worked yet.
Fire, ice, thunder, water, wind, sky and earth. Next up, nature. Magus Sisters. I can't make out their individual names, but there are three of them. I realise pretty much everything can be under the heading Nature, but these seem to be bugs, insects, plants to a certain extent and fertility. Fenrir is the servant here, but I'm not sure if he's just for one of them, or all of them.
4 elements left. Pain is next. Anima. I know that Yu Yevon had a goddess called Anima, who came into existence towards the end of that particular religion, but maybe Yu Yevon's was another servant god or something. Anyway, Anima is the goddess of pain. With loads of different servants; Griever, Odin, Diablos, Kjata... apparently there is a lot of pain to go around.
Relief comes under a goddess called Carbuncle, but with a servant called Alexander. I've heard of Alexander, but have always linked him to Holy. However, Cetra believe only the true Goddess can control Holy and Evil... so, relief he is.
Finally, the most interesting. Omega; life. There is a lot of documentation on this particular element, suffice to say he is strongly linked to the Lifestream. Phoenix is his servant... another area of overlap, I feel.
Chaos is also fascinating. Chaos is the god of death, with servants of Cerberus and Hades. Apparently Hades keeps people in the Lifestream. I found no real reference to what Cerberus does, but I would assume it's something similar to Hades. Chaos seems to be a more ancient version of the Grim Reaper. The last thing you see in this life. There is also some mention of the end of the world, but Rinoa says her skills aren't enough to translate this, because it is a more ancient version of the language. Shame. I find it amazing.
Overall, I made a lot of head way with my research. I was very proud when Shin-Ra read it and said it was the most interesting report he'd read. He does unnerve me sometimes, but he offered me a job. Not even 18 and I have a chance to work as a scientist for Shin-Ra. A research scientist though. I get to travel around and look into my work more closely. I still want to finish my education though. I want to hear people address me as Dr. Valentine, or maybe even Professor Valentine... I have sort of lost interest in being a vet with the opportunities that have now presented themselves. I just hope my Father is proud. He's already disappointed with Laguna. I don't want that misery directed at me as well...
Anyway, I am to look into physical and tangible points of the Lifestream, which I assume means materia fountains. But first, I am going back to Macalania. I'm getting better at understanding Cetran so I want to have a look at references to literal manifestations of Lifestream... and maybe I can get Rinoa to go on a date with little old me.
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The Lost Valentine