Chapter 4 - The Facts of Life

From The Art a study of Magic By Absilon

It turned out to be a rather eventful day thought Mr 111 first that strange boy had stumbled into the village and then the trading party had returned shortly followed by some rather fearsome looking individuals claiming to be the strange boy’s companions. And that morning he had remarked to Mr 163 that the most exciting thing that would happen today was planting the bean garden. After introduction and conciliation everyone seemed to mill around aimlessly until Mr 288 suggested that the supplies wouldn’t unload them selves and thing began to get done.

What an odd group though the lizard man stood out head and shoulders above the others the red coated man carrying a very big axe and the man in rather grubby white clothes that had somehow penetrated the village wards he thought as he carried a bag of seed to the barn.

As mages and genomes dispersed with their respective jobs Kam fielded a groggy Hal.

Hal groaned rubbing his head. "You okay captain." He asked muzily.

"I ‘m grand but you and Hrssk seem a bit worse for the wear." Kam shot back wryly

"Well its that fool Crowley’s fault, dragging us through a warding that strong not knowing what to expect." A slightly red face Hal scratched the back of his head.

"The crew are going to be worrying one of you is going to have to send a message…"

Hrssk stalked over and a huge tongue enveloped Kam face.

"Hey you shouldn’t have worried okay I want you and Crowley to go back to the ship and explain thing the get back here before night fall.

Meanwhile Crowley was clearing things up with the village leaders.

"And that’s about the size of things." He explained just an accident stumbling across this place

The pink dressed girl twitched her tail in displeasure.

"One person now three more, if this continues we might as well not bother with the palling."

"Now Mikoto we cant take this out on them." Said the imposing figure of Mr 288. "It is time the village got new visitors we can’t allow ourselves to become isolated."

The girl nodded and hung her head.

The small mage spoke up. "I worry that if we restrict the others to much they won’t cope if visitors keep arriving."

"But we must protect them!"

"Yes I know but we also want them to be their own people."

Crowley listened to the heated exchange with interest already his mind was reeling two whole new tribes to record this trip suddenly appeared a lot more interesting.

"Perhaps I can help you decide. Maybe you have heard of a settlement on the lost Continent called Esto Gaza its isolation makes it difficult for the inhabitants to integrate with people who differ in appearance to them. Something that has limited the vision of that place to a dead religion."

Mikoto looked at he feet. "I am led to believe you speak of your birth town."

Crowley looked slightly flustered. "What leads you to think that?"

The way you talk it reminds me of my own manner when speaking of Terra."

Crowley shrugged unconsciously fidgeting with hiss robe.

"You want to rest in the inn?" Mr 234 asked Hal.

"Huh? Well maybe I was just admiring these paintings and drawings." Hal gestured towards a wall covered in a variety of pictures.

The mage beamed at the compliment. "Thank you! I will be sure to tell the others."

"I especially like this one of the baby chocobo. Its really good."

"Zero would deny that, he tends to…what was that phrase keep his light under a bushel."

"One of those genome kids did it?"

"Yes that is one of his too." The mage pointed to a more abstract picture.

"An earlier one?"

"No much later."

"Later but the first one is far more realistic."

"Yes but Zero heard that an artist does more that copy the world down but represent the way they see the world. He said that creating work like that is a lot harder to do."

"Really?" Hal looked closer at the painting there was something more about.

Outside Crowley was ambushed by a very enthusiastic mage

"Good afternoon good sir. Allow me to introduce myself Mr 44." The mage finished the sentence with a bob.

"I’m the Cutty Sark’s doctor Crowley."

"Really I had no idea ships got sick!"

"No no I treat the crew of the ship. Any ways how can I help you?"

"I was told that you are white mage perhaps you can help me with my technique."

"A black mage performing white magic?"

"I found out that white magic could help people that is why I am studying it."

"Oh. Well then lets have a look show me a light cure spell."

The mage raised his hand and mumbled a few phrases. Crowley felt the familiar tingling of a cure spell and then a much sharper tingling…more like a burning he looked down at his boot it was on fire.

"Nggah!!" He plunged it into a drinking trough.

"Oh dear it happened again." Mr 44 apologised

Crowley looked at his soaked boots. "Perhaps we should stay at what we’re good at hmm?"

"But miss Mikoto said that we can all go beyond our original purpose if we so wish." The mage sounded uncertain.

Crowley was rescued by the appearance of Kam and Hrssk.

"Crowley there you are, I want you and Hrssk to return to the ship and explain things to the crew I don’t want the whole lot of them stumbling in here." Kam limping leaned against the lizard man.

"Very well captain perhaps I could have a look at that leg first."

Later in the day as the sunset turned the air to amber Vivi found Kam at the cemetery.

"There you are!" He said gladly

Kam started up from the graveside. "I’m sorry I was just paying my respects, this place isn’t off limits is it."

"Not at all but it is special. What were you doing?"

"Just praying for the departed, my father taught me to do that for the dead as recognition for their struggles.

Vivi paused. "That is sort of like remembering them? Comfort for us…"

Kam nodded they starred on in silence for a while. "You were looking for me?" Kam asked at last.

"Your friends are saying that they’ll send a message and you should rest here for the night"

Kam nodded both watched the sunset for a while. Without the protective paling blocking it a sea scented breeze blew in from the ocean.

"It’s a big world" Vivi said "A lot of experiences that would help the people of this village grow."

Kam looked at him. "A dangerous world. I understand what you’re saying but you can’t trust someone you have just met."

"I know." Vivi said. "But I see a lot of him in you I feel the inherent good in you. You’re a born leader and you have a tolerant heart, also you judge on more than appearances."

Kam realised he was blushing. "And people want to leave for the uncertain life? This village is safer than out there." He gestured at the panorama before them.

"I have talked at length with both Mikoto and Mr 288, both feel that it is necessary. Three individuals in particular have been rather vocal about joining your crew."

"Huh?" This surprised Kam, the little mage waved his staff in the air. "Think about it." He said, "I understand your feelings of responsibility but you will soon discover how tough we can be."

Kam watched him go.

It was twilight when Kam got back to the village he saw that a large crowd of mages and genomes were gathered around Crowley.

Hal leaned against a house some distance from the group; he wore a mixed expression of horror, disgust and shock.

"I see Crowley and Hrssk are back. What happening down there?" Kam asked him

"They found out that Crowley was a doctor and asked him why their Chocobo wasn’t laying eggs. He then found out that they weren’t aware of…" Hal went beet red.

"Oh he’s giving them an educational talk that should clear things up." Kam said. "I hope he does the hand gestures, that cleared up a lot of things up for me."

"Crowley gave you the facts of life?" Hal’s face turn from red to white "How old are you…Uh captain."

"Come on Hal I’ll be fourteen this summer and the only clues I had before that were from Hrssk. I spent a few months worrying that no girl would be interested in me because I had no sexual display frill."

Hal looked at his captain in horror then back to the crowd Hrssk was sitting in the front row. "Enngh!" He exclaimed.

The third watch arrived and Kam woke up feeling too full of energy to sleep he decided instead to take walk. Thanks to Crowley his leg was completely healed and he tested it by jumping up and down on it. The Blue moon dominated the starry spring sky, the air was chilled and breath misted in front of him wrapping a blanket around him he ventured out. Following the village’s stream to the trees he found a moon lit clearing. To his surprise people were still up almost all of the Genomes were sitting in the clearing around the stream. Kam walked over a few turned to watch him but most continued to stare at the water, the stream seemed to run blue in the moonlight. Still moved over and made room for the captain to sit down.

"What are you guys doing out at this time?" He asked. "Aren’t you tired? Shouldn’t you put on something warmer"?

"We’re not tired when we first came here we hardly slept at all, after a while it be came obvious that we required less rest than Gaians. Also our bodies were conditioned to withstand extremes of heat and cold." Affinity explained staring at Kam; her eyes seemed to be full of pain. A glance at the others gave him the same impression.

"Are you alright? Should I get Crowley?" He asked.

"No it is the light of the blue moon that pains us." Zero whispered. "It is not the light of our home world, but each time we stay out here we become more accustomed to it. In the end the light will accept us."

"Terra was red is that why our moon is red? Does that mean part of Terra lives on?"

"In a way we choose life, many species of beast native to Terra escaped and survive in this world, the cycle of souls now contains the memories of Terra." Still said solemnly.

"They are now part of a bigger whole that is this world and the melody that is all that remains of Terra has been assimilated into the great symphony of live." A genome calling her self Essence of Living explained wistfully.

"I am beginning to understand what live must appear to you, do you mourn the loss?" Kam found his voice sounded harsh and grating along side theirs.

The genomes paused most looked at the sky others at the trees soughing in the cool breeze.

"There we were nothing but empty vessels our bodies were destined to become homes for the souls of the true people of Terra, we understand now what that means and are thankful that that fate was avoided, but recently a new fear has filled us…" Explained Affinity

"You mean the dreams of a man in armour, a winged man, a dragon and a woman in red?"

"You see them too? Please can you explain what is happening?"

They sounded so scared Kam was shocked. "They’re only dreams. They can’t hurt you."

"That’s what the mages said, they didn’t understand either. Only Mikoto understands and even she’s afraid…and she wants to help us"

"I don’t know, Crowley said they appear in my dreams and others’ because of some disturbance in the path of souls. He said that anyone with some magical talent would have them in their dreams, Hal’s seen them too."

"They are hunting us! I can feel their eyes on me when I sleep." Insisted Zero frightened voices agreed.

"I don’t known how to help you fighting enemies I can’t face isn’t my strength but I’ll stay with you until its light. How about that?"

Hal found Crowley on the porch of one of the houses

A crystal ball floated inches of the ground small images danced across the surface.

"Every thing has been explained." Crowley said without turning.

"To the crew or the village?" Hal asked hesitantly

"The crew of course although I noticed you eavesdropping earlier."

"How did the crew take it?"

"Badly of course most think we’ve been kidnapped or worse, they calmed down when I gave them the captain’s message.

Which was "Quit moaning over something you can’t change" a surprisingly concise statement."

"A strange day." Hal sighed sitting down on the steps

"Indeed. However I felt that something was is going to happen here. That’s why I got back as quickly as possible."

You feel it too? Can’t seem to put my finger on it though."

Crowley waved his hands in front of him. " Its change, flux, chaos whatever you want to call it, it is happening. I can feel it."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine, just confused."

"Huh?"

Crowley stood up and gestured to where he had been sitting, cards were scattered everywhere near them were some runes laid out carefully on a piece of white clothe the crystal ball glowed eerily.

"I have tried every thing, scrying runic forecasts even cards, which I have always distrusted."

"And nothing?"

"On the contrary, they all gave me the same reading that we are meant to be here."

"Humph. You really believe in all that stuff? This place is rank with magic it could be throwing you readings off."

"Lets just say I’m prepared."

"Could anything get through those wards?"

Crowley shrugged but he moved his hands to the handle of his maul.

"The wards! They were not replaced!!"

***

"An interesting room I take it that you have not completely explored its recesses?" Fade held a lantern aloft.

In the light of five lanterns the room look less threatening and more like a really messed up workshop.

"Yes we were unsure what to do with it the idea of repairing the wall and sealing it up. Your appearance forced us to take a different track."

"Hmm. The problem with sealing something is that the problem is still there merely contained. Solving something while we still have memory of what we are facing is better that leaving it for a future generation to hazard upon."

"We only removed a few journals. We were wary that some items might only react to genomes."

"You told me that only Zidane could control the Invincible."

"That ill omened ship I hope that we do not hazard upon such a destructive power here."

The room proved to be larger than expected even with all three of them working they were still uncovering masses of unusual items.

Odd shaped items that seem made of bone and wood. That might have been Kuja’s first projects.

Odd chunks of Iifa root lay next to inexpiable magic diagrams.

Schematics of various bizarre creatures Beatrix and Garnet recognised the mistidon one immediately

But others were unknown. Fade translated names like orull, caseer and plutark to various outlandish beasts.

An immense cannon like item crammed the left wall partly covered in a sheet. Fade examined it for a while before announcing it an anti airship weapon.

"He must have anticipated a more conventional war." Beatrix observed. "Would it work?"

"Beatrix what are you thinking we don’t want more weapons now we are in peace."

"Princess perhaps you better listen to a piece of advice my drill sergeant gave me that if you want to prepare for peace you still got to be able to handle a sword or you’ll be living under a yoke.

"She’s got a point." Fade said. "One of the prices of freedom is that you have to fight for it."

"But can’t we use what we already have?"

"Beatrix looked at Fade quizzically he shrugged. "There are two things we can do allowing the information from this room into the world might reduce its power in the hands of a few it might be more dangerous. One other thing not all things that are developed as weapons have to hurt people look at the black magi you told me about."

At last Garnet relented. "As long as its useful the less weapons we unleash the better I will sleep."

There were oddities too, a set of miniature jade animals, a portrait of some unknown woman unfinished, a book filled with detailed drawings of hands.

At first Garnet thought that there were other people’s hands but then she realised that they were Kuja’s. Fade peered over her shoulder.

"Strange it would appear that he kept a record of the changes that happened to his body."

"What are you saying?" Asked Beatrix.

"I know a little of Kuja’s origin his form may not have been stable you description of his appearance gives strength to my belief."

"Really?" Questioned the princess.

"I have a feeling that you will have to learn a lot about the previous occupant of this room."

"All I need to know is that his actions resulted in the deaths of many in the creation of the black mages using the eidolons as weapons of destruction, and in his madness trying to destroy existence." Raged Garnet.

The room lapsed into embarrassed silence.

"Princess holding a grudge won’t bring him back…" Fade told her.

She slapped him across the face. "How can you say that?"

"Because the story doesn’t end there I want to know an effort to understand can relieve the feelings of confusion that affect us."

Garnet nodded and wiped her damp eyes how could she if she could over come her fears and prejudice then she might understand why not only Kuja but also why Zidane did what they did. She gestured that the search continue.

Around fifteen minutes later Beatrix found six odd oblong objects in individual alcoves.

She called the princess and the genome over.

Garnet paused "If these are what I think they are there could be a lot of trouble."