(no subject)

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Characters: Denzel, Tifa, Cloud, Shelke and Eiko
Progress: Complete
Summary: Making his way to Treno
Location: Between Midgar and Treno
Date: January 1804
Warnings: None; other than a little pain



Denzel stared down at his Skyphone for a long time after his switched it off. Treno? He knew what direction to go in, which was a good start; but he wasn’t sure how long the journey would take or what he would meet along the way. He crouched down, emptying out the contents of his pockets – a piece of string, a few marbles, 3 gil, half a chocolate bar and a bottle top. All the things an eight-year-old boy needed for an adventure, except, of course, for a weapon.

He stuffed his belongings back into his pocket, as well as a handful of pebbles. He then pushed himself to his feet and exited the remains of the church, looking around in the moss and rubble for anything of use. Eventually, he curled his hand around a long, rusted, metal rod, freeing it from the debris. It wasn’t much, but it would work.

Weapon in hand, he gave the fallen Midgar ruins one last solemn glance before heading out. “Right… Treno…” He let out a sigh, looking up at the darkened sky. “I’ll see you soon… Cloud.” He began to jog along the plains towards the ominously dark city in the distance. It was darker and more miserable looking than his own Midgar. Where was the sun? Maybe it was night already?

He stayed in the shadow of the surrounding mountains as much as he was able to, not wanting to run into any unknown fiends. However, his luck soon ran out when he stumbled – quite literally – upon a Mandragora. A surprised gasp escaped him and his grip of that metal rod tightened as he struck the oversized vegetable with teeth over the head. He pushed himself to his feet and began to run as fast as his legs would carry him.

He ran, and ran, not pausing until he was inside the gates of Treno. Once safe, he slid down the wall, chest heaving as he panted hard, trying to catching his breath. As he began to calm down he was gripped by a sudden pain from both his head and his arm, causing him to double over, whimpering through gritted teeth. Blackness dripped from his wounds, damping the cobble stones beneath him. He had never had an attack of his stigma this bad.

Comments

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa's stomach sank when Treno came into view. She really hated the place now. The airship dropped them off outside the city gates and the moment Tifa disembarked, she had her phone to her ear, calling Denzel.

"Denzel? We're here, honey, where are you?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

As the pain eased slightly, Denzel became aware of his Skyphone ringing. His vision was blurry and another attack was fast approaching. He fumbled for the device, holding it against his ear.

"...Tifa?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Relief immediately swept over Tifa when he answered. She'd worried that something might have happened to him on the way to Treno. "Yeah, we're here, Denzel - where are you? We're just about to enter the city."

As she spoke, she stepped through the gate, looking around.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

The young boy looked up just as Tifa stepped through the gate. He turned off the device and pushed ooze damped hair off of his forehead.

"I'm right here..." His voice was barely above a whisper and he didn't yet trust his feet to attempt standing.

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Following Tifa in, Cloud kept an eye on Shelke, his hands ready to catch her if she decided to collapse again. He really didn't want to deal with that on top of things.

Hearing Denzel's timid voice caused him to look around, finally spotting him, crouching in front of him a moment later.

"Are you okay?" If the boy couldn't walk, he'd carry him.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke walked along with Cloud, though when they actually reached Denzel she remained standing slightly in the distance, her hands behind her back, glowing eyes slightly narrowed as she watched them. She knew that

Denzel had been cured of the stigma more than a year before she had met him, which meant that he wouldn't actually know who she was. And she didn't want to intrude on what was probably an already tense family gathering. So...here she stood. Observing and keeping out of the way.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

So Denzel hadn't gone far. He'd barely made it into the city. Tifa crouched down beside Cloud, her eyes full of concern.

"Denzel. Can you get up?"

She glanced at Cloud - if Denzel needed to be picked up, Cloud would do so.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

All Denzel wanted to do was curl up in a ball until his legs stopped feeling like jelly, but he wouldn't admit to that, nor would he admit to the fact he wanted to cry.

Instead, he gave a nod and pushed himself up onto unsteady feet, reaching out to take hold of Tifa's hand.

"I'm okay..."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa took his hand, then impulsively hugged him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

She knew he wasn't really though, and she looked at the others as she went on. "Denzel, we need to go right now, okay, we're going to take you to a healing spring."

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud moved to stand, ruffling Denzel's hair as he passed him, moving to Shelke's side again and curling his hand around the shoulder furthest from him, pulling her near his side.

"Are you alright, Shelke?"

He wasn't sure how he'd explain things to Denzel about Shelke but he knew it'd come up soon enough.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine," Shelke nodded her head faintly, and made no particular protest to move away from Cloud, instead still watching Denzel and Tifa. Some small part of her was oddly jealous, since it was easy to imagine that Denzel would receive the bulk of Tifa's attentions now.

Still, that was the right thing to happen, wasn't it? Denzel was far more Tifa's child than Shelke could be. It was a foolish thing to be worried about.

"A girl from Lindblum, Eiko, said that she would show us the way to where the healing spring is." She spoke up quietly. "They can be difficult to find, apparently."

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

Sure enough, there was a little girl with blue hair and a horn coming out of her forehead lingering near the front gates. She was hard to locate with the gaggle of moogles surrounding her, chattering up a storm. But she overheard her name being mentioned and turned to the sound. It was the girl from the phone. And that boy too. "I have to go now," she told the moogles matter-of-factly.

After giving a few of them a pat on the head, she skipped over, finally noticing the adults. "Are you ready? My tutor's gonna kill me for sneaking out." Her parents probably would too, but she didn't want to think about that.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"Eiko?" Tifa blinked when the girl in question popped up. "Are you Eiko? But you're just a child..."

Eiko certainly didn't look any older than Denzel or Shelke. What was she doing out alone in a city like this? Well, she was here now, so Tifa immediately felt responsible for her.

"You can show us the way to the healing spring?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel stayed close to Tifa, keeping an arm curled around her waist. He fingercombed his hair back into place after Cloud had ruffled it, his attention falling on the girl at Cloud's side. So... this was the Shelke that Cloud had mentioned? He couldn't help but feel that same sense of jealousy that he would have to share Cloud's attentions from now on, yet he didn't say anything about it. After all, he had no claim over either Tifa or Cloud, they weren't his parents and they could look after as many kids as they wanted.

At Eiko's voice, Denzel looked over at her. It was the moogle girl from the phone! He blinked once, twice, and then tried his damnest not to stare at her horn. He broke away from Tifa's side, walking over to Eiko. He wiped his palm on his pants leg, holding out his hand to her. "Hi. It's nice to meet you properly..."

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud looked over to Eiko, recognising her from conversations over the network. "Thank you, Eiko." Nodding slightly, he squeezed Shelke's shoulder reassuringly. He wanted to make sure his 'daughter' was content and certain she wasn't feeling worried about anything.

He understood that Shelke had a bond with Tifa concerning their mother/daughter relationship they were forming and he also realised how jealousy was bound to bubble between both children. It had happened back home but, back then, they'd had Marlene to even things out and everyone was loved equally. Of course, they'd be loved equally here but the children needed to know that.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke half-turned under Cloud's hand to watch Eiko approaching, though most of her attention was on the swarm of moogles that had apparently traveled with the young girl. It made sense, in a way, that she had to have some sort of...entourage. How else could someone that young travel from Lindblum to Treno without trouble?

She nodded her head in greeting to the horned girl. "The moogles can come, if you want," she offered to her, though part of her brain thought she should probably check with Cloud and Tifa first. Although why? It was a perfectly rational thing to think, and more people meant fewer chances of attack.

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

To the comment about being 'just a child', Eiko slammed her hands down on her hips and insisted, "I'm not a child, I'm a lady."

With that cleared up, she got down to business, saying hi and giving Denzel's hand a good firm shake. "Nice to meet you too. These are my moogles." They didn't live with her, but she'd gotten big for her britches in the last few years and had come to consider every one she met as hers. "Chumomo, Mogpi, Moki, Mopri, and Nanoko."

With that, she turned to the gates with a take charge attitude and told all of them, adults included, "Well, c'mon. Don't dawdle or you'll get lost." Strangely enough, only about half of the moogles followed along, with the rest dispersing into the city.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa blinked again. Eiko certainly had an attitude. She shrugged ruefully at Cloud, then nodded.

"Come on, Denzel."

She moved to take his hand before following Eiko. Cloud was nearest to Shelke, so she assumed that he would walk with her. Maybe now they would be able to cure both children. Tifa could only hope.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel really didn't want to sound ignorant, but he was truly amazed that Eiko could name each of those moogles. "Woah... How can you tell them all apart?"

He held onto Tifa's hand, walking at her side, but his attention was fixed on Eiko.

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud was silent, keeping hold of Shelke's shoulder, more having his arm around her as protection than holding her hand like Tifa was with Denzel. He knew Shelke disliked being thought of as a child and, despite his instincts to do just that, he was probably better than most at treating her older than she looked.

"The spring; is it far from here, Eiko?"

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke was rather impressed about the moogle thing too, though as she thought about it it made sense. Eiko obviously spent enough time around them that she could tell them apart they way any moogle could tell another other moogle apart, yes? Otherwise they probably wouldn't be flocking around her like they did.

Cloud asked the question she had been thinking to ask, so she remained silent, simply following along next to him. She was hoping it wasn't far...because as much as she didn't like to admit it, she was tired. She was tired pretty much all the time, now.

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

She led the way out of the city and into the plains, equally plagued with eternal night. It was something of a walk, but if Vivi could make it on his own, then all these people could too. He'd been such a crybaby then.

"Not too far, we just have to follow the mountains to the cave. It's by where there's daylight again." And just like that, she marched right into the middle of a forest that stretched off long into the mountains.

While she walked, she explained the matter of the moogles. The child found herself stunned that people had such a hard time telling the moogles apart. It was like not being able to tell people apart. One had deep indigo wings, another a bright crimson pompom, Moki had a pretty pink sheen to her otherwise white fur.

And then there they were standing in the twilight at the entrance of a cave leading into the mountains. "This is it! Vivi used to live here." Her face fell into sadness. She missed him.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa nodded and smiled at Eiko's babbling, but in truth she was feeling anxious. The journey, though reasonably short, couldn't be easy for either Denzel or Shelke.

"In there..." she murmured when they reached the cave. She squeezed Denzel's hand reassuringly. "Does anyone live there now?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel returned the hand squeeze, but once he saw Eiko's sadness he slipped his hand free and moved over to stand at the girl's side, taking her hand in his own. He may've just met her, but he hated to see anyone sad.

"Is Vivi a friend of yours?" he asked, looking into the cave. Who would want to live in a cave?

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud kept Shelke near through the whole trip but when they arrived he moved closer to Eiko, crouching and resting a single knee down. "Your friend used to live there? Are there monsters inside? Shelke and Denzel aren't in any state to fight..."

He knew Denzel would protest that, and wouldn't be surprised if Shelke did, but they were both unwell and Cloud wasn't going to let them get hurt by overworking themselves.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke was quiet for most of the walk, just listening to the others speaking and looking at the things they passed. She rather liked Treno, the always-night thing reminded her of Deepground...and as much as she hadn't liked Deepground, it had been home for a very long time.

When they arrived and Cloud moved away, Shelke took a few steps towards the entrance to the cave, her glowing eyes narrowed. At Clouds comment she sighed softly. "I am capable of defending myself," she said softly, and she was pretty sure she still was. But despite everything, she wasn't going to admit she couldn't.

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

With a final glance at the cave, Eiko turned to the others, giving Denzel a grateful smile at him reaching for her hand. It was like having her own personal knight or something romantic like that. Child romance was simple and quick after all. Yet these notions weren't quite going through her head. Yet.

Instead, her small head bobbed down in a nod, making her hair swish forward into her face. "He was my friend. He started out a big crybaby, but he really came a long way." Another glance into the cave, then she concluded, "But nobody lives here. Vivi 'stopped' three years ago."

She then grinned at Cloud and assured him, "Don't worry about the kids. If there's any monsters, I can take care of them." She didn't consider herself a child herself and was confident in her abilities to take care of herself. And just like that, Eiko marched right in like she owned the place.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Eiko was certainly very confident. Tifa raised an eyebrow at Cloud but followed the little girl without complaint. As they made their way down into the cave, she could hear the soft lapping of water against rock.

"Be careful," Tifa whispered, to the children in general. "It might be slippery."

They reached the pool at last - and it reminded Tifa of the water inside Aerith's church, the water that had cured Geostigma. That gave her hope.

"Okay." She beckoned for both children to come towards the spring. "Let's try it."

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Of course Denzel was excited that this spring might cure his Geostigma, really excited. But there was something that Eiko said that made him curious. He had put up with the Stigma this long, surely another minute wouldn't kill him.

He glanced at the spring and then at Eiko, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly. "Your friend. Vivi. What do you mean he... stopped? Did he die?"

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Stepping towards the water, Cloud frowned. He didn't think it was particularly deep, but he didn't like the idea of Denzel or Shelke drowning. Looking over to his 'son', the blonde scooped him up off his feet and held him close; protectively. He'd come a long way since first meeting the boy, that was for sure, although Cloud had a lot more history under his belt than they all did. Even more than Shelke, considering his visit to the Void.

Wading into the water, Cloud gave Denzel a gentle, reassuring smile as he lowered him into the water, knowing the boy would keep hold of him.

And if Tifa didn't want to get wet, Cloud would repeat the whole process with Shelke. Unless Shelke decided to just get in.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke almost smiled to herself at Cloud just scooping Denzel up mid-conversation and hauling him off to the spring. She was standing off to the side a bit, leaning her hand against the wall without even realizing it, but she suspected she could manage this on her own.

A quick survey had her removing her sword holster belt and setting it on the stone, and then her phone and such. A glance over at Tifa, just for a moment, her eyes considering before she turned to the spring and moved over to the edge, slipping down onto her rear and then sliding into the water. It wasn't quite as deep as she had expected, though it was still up to her chest on her tiny frame.

She sucked in a breath once she was adjusted to the water, and promptly disappeared beneath it. Splash!

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa stood by the side of the pool, watching anxiously. She was ready to jump in if there were any problems.

Would it work?

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, he died. But the black mages call it 'stopped.' They weren't made to last forever." For a child so young, Eiko had a rather decent handle on death and how it works.

And in contrast to her managing the concept of death, there was the prospect of a good swim in the hot spring. She took a running leap into the water with a loud squeal. Once in, she paddled around, and then started splashing everyone with it.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel flailed as Cloud picked him up mid-conversation and took him into the water. He held onto Cloud tight with one arm, using his other hand to touch the water, scooping some up in his palm to trickle over his head, and more importantly over the stigma mark on his forehead.

He didn't particularly feel anything - other than wet. He splashed his most affected arm, frowning a little. "It's still black..."

He scrunched up his nose a little and wriggled out of Cloud's arms with a sad look on his face, but as Eiko began to splash everyone, he forced a smile, hiding his sadness and splashed her back.

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Keeping an eye on Shelke as she slid in, Cloud managed to keep himself from holding onto her as well. However, the water wasn't working on Denzel and he didn't see any change in Shelke.

Sighing angrily at no one but himself, Cloud stepped past the children and pulled himself out of the water, moving towards Tifa.

"It didn't work. We'll have to try the Iifa Tree, like Aerith said." His voice would show how mad he was at Gaia for taking their children away from the Planet when there was no way for them to remain alive and well. No obvious way, at least. "We'll let them play for a while then see about getting to the Tree, okay?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa's heart sank when she heard Cloud's words. So they had come here for nothing. She nodded, smiling, though her eyes were bright with tears.

"Yeah."

Crouching down, she scooped some water into her palms, and drank. The water refreshed her - this spring certainly held some healing power. But not enough.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke stayed under for a good thirty or forty seconds really. The water was...soothing, and she could feel the edge of what was probably magic tinging the edge of whatever the water was.

When she emerged a few moments later, shaking her hair free, she felt...better. More awake, more alert. But she didn't know if that meant she was better or if the spring had just revived her the way a night sleep would do, for a few minutes. She stood there in the water, considering it. And then she hauled herself up out of the water, standing on the edge dripping.

"I am not sure if it..." She frowned as a wave of dizziness hit, and nearly toppled back into the spring.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa rushed forward and caught Shelke, though the girl might have righted herself anyway.

Hugging Shelke, she whispered, "It'll be all right. We'll go to the Iifa Tree."

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

Busy with playing and splashing, Eiko barely caught the disappointment of the people around her. But with Shelke slipping, she stopped splashing Denzel and let her fingers trail in the magic water. What were they saying about Iifa? There wasn't anything that special there except for Seymour's Farplane.

She would have offered some healing magic, but this spring was the best source of healing she knew, and if it didn't work... nothing in Gaia would. That sobered her a great deal, realizing that her two new friends were going to die from otherworld sicknesses. So Eiko sloshed through the water to Denzel and did what any kind, compassionate child in the same situation would do. Tugged his hair.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel was feeling rather disappointed, but he didn't want to let it show. Especially since Shelke was putting on a brave face.

As Eiko tugged his hair, he once more flailed and let out a rather girly squeal. In return, he prodded the girl's horn.

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud rolled his eyes at Denzel's sound, shaking his head as he reached out and hoisted his son out of the water, holding him against one hip and offering his free hand to Eiko. He knew she didn't like being treated like a kid, and he knew the same from Shelke, so he'd treat her like a lady.

"Don't be mean to ladies, Denzel. She was playing," he muttered to his son, his eyes on the girl with the horn.

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

Eiko took Cloud's hand, pleased as punch at being treated like a lady. "Yeah, I use it to hear eidolons. It's like poking someone in the ear." However, being treated like a lady didn't stop the child from reaching out and punishing Denzel with a good tickle.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa smiled at their antics, though it was difficult to find any humour in the situation. She squeezed Shelke's shoulder gently.

"So. Are we off now?"

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke involuntarily leaned into Tifa after she was caught, her eyes closed until she was sure the dizziness had passed.

"I don't think it worked," she said softly, probably not loud enough for anyone but Tifa to hear. She missed most of the antics between Eiko and Denzel, though by the time Eiko was tickling him, she had half-turned, a bit more sure of herself on her feet...though she's still grateful for Tifa's arms.

"It seems unnecessary to stay," she admitted reluctantly.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel gave yet another huff as he was once more scooped up. He was being nice! He only poked her!! Yet het words were once more confusiong to him.

"Eidolons? What are they? I didn't mean to poke your special ear..." He curled an arm around Cloud, fully intent on staying right there in his arm, at least until that tickling started.

He wriggled out of the man's arm and ran ahead, trying to get away from those tickling fingers.

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Sighing slightly, Cloud put his hands on their heads, trying to pull them both apart, making sure not to prod at Eiko's horn or Denzel's stigma. "Enough. We have to go."

He was stern. Perhaps harsher than he really needed to be but Cloud wanted to just have Denzel and Shelke well again. He wasn't going to wait around. Besides, he never was the best with children. More often than not, back home, it had seemed like Marlene was the adult and he was the child. Especially when she lectured him. Sometimes, Cloud could see both Aerith and Tifa in that little girl.

Stepping away, he looked to Shelke and Tifa. "Let's go. There's no point in waiting."

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

Eiko made a face at being scolded like a kid. What was with adults anyway? But remembering Mother's stern talk that 'ladies do not stick their tongues out at their elders', stopped her from doing just that.

The mention of leaving got her interest though. "You're going to the Iifa Tree?" She'd been paying close attention. "There's nothing there but Mist. And Guadosalam now, but that wasn't there before."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa nodded at Cloud, starting to move off. She glanced back at Eiko.

"That's not all there is, Eiko, at least according to Aerith. The Lifestream is supposed to be there. It's the only chance we have left."