Elephants never forget, but, Dragoons do. (Shade)

Shade Leonhart.

The one he knew. The only one he knew.

The small man, clad in shattered armor, walked a path that was at once familiar and alien, as a rainstorm pounded the tiny island nation of Balamb. The blue veneer of the armor was stripped away in many places, leaving the bronze-gold color of the tarnished Orichalcon that made up the armor to be seen. A helm, once draconian in shape, covered bits of his head, the entire top left of the construct gone. The entirety of the man's left arm was exposed, a deep gash along the forearm entirely unprotected from the elements. A strange mix of blood, sap, and lymphatic fluid spilled forth from the wound in a sludgy, foamy mess. ...It didn't seem to bother him.

As he approached the gates of the prestigious Balamb Garden, he showed little regard for this. Pulling what may have once been a lance from his back, he took a running start, using the broken weapon as a pole vault, slamming feet first into, and through, the outer gate.

The guard stationed within, A senior cadet, waiting for his certification papers to clear, immediately raised the Master Alarm. He wasn't about to let a threat go un-reacted to, not on his watch. Undoing the strap on his holster, and grabbing a blade, he went to meet the intruder. Brandishing the blade, he gave the standard warning.

"Get on the ground, now! You're not permitted to be here!"

The man, leaving his broken lance behind, smiled, the servomotors that still functioned twisting the helm's mouth into a crooked smile in reaction.

"Oh, good. I was afraid this was gonna be boring." Retorted the man.

With a feral noise, somewhere between a roar and a bark, he leapt straight at the would-be SeeD, slamming his right shoulder into the young man's gut. Far too quick for the guardsman, he had the wind knocked out of him, then the lights, as his fall sent him headfirst into the asphalt path to the school. The intruder smiled, grabbing the guard's sword.

"...Yeah. This'll do."

Leaving the unconscious guard where he lay, the man continued onward.

"You're here, Shade. I know you are. I'm coming for you. And I want answers."

While standing within the center of the Garden near the main directory console, Shade was approached by one of the Garden maintenance techs who called out to her to briefly discuss the security system. He was an efficient young man who already had a full report in his hand, and what concerns he had were already highlighted for her attention. She quickly looked over them as he brought up the important factors, leading her mostly nod in agreement over his own suggestions just as a young SeeD student came running down the hall crying out for the Headmaster. She was a young girl, possibly a sixth year being the age of thirteen and looking as if she had a T-Rex chasing her from behind.


When she reached Shade, the tears were already streaming down her cheeks as sobbing words choked through her throat. "I think he's...dead! It's my fault! He didn't do nothing but he .... attacked him... anyway..... Shane never.... he was there to meet me! It's... all my fault! He got attacked.... it's all my fault!" Shade's eyes widened slightly with total confusion until she slapped the systems report against the tech's chest for him to take before her gloved hands grabbed the student by the shoulders to give her a slight shake while using a firm tone with her words. "Calm down and try this again so I know exactly what the hell you're talking about."


"You're here, Shade. I know you are. I'm coming for you. And I want answers."


The voice echoed from down the hall, leading Shade's steel hues to narrow. Just as the source came into view, the SeeD student still within Shade's grasp pointed and cried out . "That's him! That's the one who attacked Shane and took his sword!"


Now releasing the girl calmly, Shade ordered her to fetch Brix and take her directly to the injured young man before abandoning the two individuals to charge directly toward the intruder, not giving a damn about his short stature or his obvious injuries. With every long stride of her legs, her scowl grew deeper as her hand gripped around the hilt of her sword strapped at her waist and gave it one vicious jerk and swipe through the air. A resounding "ching!" noise echoed against the walls as her thumb activated the lever beneath the hilt to now reveal the multiple curved steel teeth encasing the blade that practically matched the vicious glare boring through her own silver hues as she came charging at assaulting man.


At this point, Shade didn't care about appearance. She didn't give a damn that he looked injured. She didn't give an ounce of shit to his reasons. If this individual found the ignorance and strength to come barging into her Garden and attack one of her students under her charge, then by the hand of Hyne, he was going to feel real pain as her rage flamed her hues from silver to bright gold, which was the only sign her Sorceress powers were about to release the bowels of hell upon him.

It wasn't until he'd tried to enter the actual Garden building that he saw the girl run in a ways ahead of him. His keen ears picked up the conversation.

Dead? ...He'd hit this "Shane" pretty hard, true. But, when he walked away with his sword, the man was sure that this "Shane" was still breathing. He supposed, though, he could see why she'd think that. The girl didn't look as though she was familiar with combat.

And, finally, he found his quarry. Shade Leonhart. ...A strange mix of feelings surged through him. Joy. Fear. Confusion. Anger. But, none of this served to dampen his personality.

"She was wrong, you know. Your guard was alive, when I left him. He's gonna wake up with one hell of a headache... Maybe a broken rib or three... But, I'm pretty sure I didn't kill him."

However, he knew how this was going to go the moment Shade drew her weapon. Briefly marveling at the instant serrations the sword somehow gained, the man smiled again. She may've been human, but, Shade thought like a Lilty. ...The man liked this, though, he was briefly confused as to what a Lilty was. ...Something told him it was a good thing. Bending at the knees, the muscles in his powerful legs coiled up, as he brandished the pilfered sword. ...Considering his size, it was an act that required both hands.

"Heh. Alright, then, we can do that."

Loosing the tension in his muscles, the shattered man shot toward Shade in a forward jump, bringing the blade around in a hard, horizontal slash, using the momentum of his jump to further aid him. This was a textbook maneuver, for his kind. Attack hard, attack fast.

...However, Shade would notice right away. This was a very, very sick man. His body, and armor, spoke of a well-seasoned warrior. Someone who has been through hell and back, and lived to tell about it. Scars on his face, and visible welds in the armor, showed just what he'd been through. ...But, his movements were anything but. His jump was a poor idea. With the distance he had to clear, Shade could easily react in time to defend, dodge, or counter the attack. And, his moves with the sword were equally poor. His swordsmanship was like someone who had never been trained. Or, perhaps, one who had not held a weapon in years.

...Just what was going on?

Her keen gaze and trained mind caught sight of the stranger's grip shifting upon his weapon, as well as his body tense up in preparation for his move. Shade continued charging towards him, ignoring his words. Of course the boy wasn't dead. Even she knew an over exaggerating, love sick teenager who was stricken with panic when she heard one. But that wasn't the damn point, and Shade was going to make sure he did get the point, by the lethal point of her very blade.


When the intruder leaped and lunged in her direction, and his weapon already swinging to attack, Shade came to an abrupt halt with her legs planted firmly still and her blazing hues nearly spitting out flames. She aimed her Wolf's Blade sword straight out at his body just as her thumb flipped yet another small lever beneath hilt. In a split second, the steel teeth encasing the blade all shot out and soared through the air with their magnetic effect drawn straight for the attacker and his blade. Since he wore steel armor, the magnetized teeth also came at him even faster for them to spin around his form and his weapon multiple times, until Shade gave her arm a hard jerk back for the teeth and titanium wires to suddenly squeeze the short man and his blade together like a stuffed burrito.


With the steel teeth embedded into his armor and locked together with a vice grip, the magnetism then activated their stunning effect which would leave its snared victim unable to move a muscle for some time. Shade then wrapped both of her hands around the hilt of her weapon to then jerk the attacker off the ground and swing him through the air until he slammed against the wall as the impact echoed throughout the Garden.


It was then Shade chose to speak with a low threatening tone laced through her words. “Allow me to correct you...” She took each step like a prowling cougar to close the gap between herself and the intruder while continuing to speak. “It's now me coming for you.... and I will get my answers....”


Ensnared
60MP

...This would do more to the man than Shade anticipated.

With the snaring effect of the blade, the man's armor readily shattered with the sudden constriction. This was bad enough. But, slamming him into the wall generated a large amount of kinetic force, forcing the shards into his flesh. The pain was white-hot, causing him to cry out. Falling to the floor drove the shards around front into his flesh, leaving the poor warrior shredded.

...Now, he didn't know this, couldn't know this, but, he was a Lilty. Thick of skin, strong of muscle, stout of body. These wounds wouldn't BEGIN to approach fatal. But, they were painful. And, by the very nature of the metal that made up his armor, the scars would be noticeable.

As he lay there, immobile, in pain, he was still the man he was. Still strong. Still defiant.

"Funny that you'd ask for answers, when you're the one with 'em all."

With that, he strained against the metal line which held him immobile, in an attempt to break free. This wasn't happening. Titanium wire doesn't break, not like that. That said, the wire did groan with the strain of keeping him bound. Finally, he stopped. This damnable device was like a thorn bush; the more you struggle, the more you can't move, and the more damage you do to yourself. The teeth dug into him where he'd strained, his shattered armor now almost entirely destroyed. With power lost, his helm fell apart, revealing his face, fully.

...It may well be one Shade knew. Fine, somewhat long red hair clung to his face and head, framing his peach-colored face. What appeared to be long, wildly growing leaves sprouted from the crown of his head; though, these were withered, and obviously deprived of sunlight. Blue eyes met Shade's gold ones, though these didn't appear human. The Lilty's irises comprised the majority of the visible eye, with no visible sclera. The blue was the dark, forbidding blue of the seas, which made his now very narrow pupils somewhat hard to pick out. But the white-hot fire in his eyes was unmistakable. The man was furious.

"You're the one here with all your memories still intact, and YOU ask ME for answers?"

Shade watched the figure literally crumble to the floor after colliding with the wall, feeling nothing at all to her actions. It was how Shade fought.... shutting herself completely down from feeling the slightest twinge of emotions in order to keep herself focused. But with her powers coming to a threatening rise, it was struggle reigning back her rising anger at this stranger and his arrogant intrusion.


As she continued her leisure approach and witnessed his already decrepit armor now shatter apart, the steel teeth began piercing through his skin for small crimson streams to trickle down along his body only to increase in flow due to his attempted struggles against his bonds and the spell infused within their hold. Her footsteps paused for a scant moment when the intruder's helm fell apart to the floor to finally reveal the stranger's identity which had Shade scrambling through her rage and old memories by what appeared to be a familiar face. Yet his words about herself beholding the answers still stung through her mind.


Her lips curled back into a sneer as she slowly crouched down in front of him to leer close and growl her reply to his face. "If such were the case, you could have very well simply asked me for them rather than charging into MY Garden and attacking an innocent for no reason at all....." The glint of power behind her luminous golden hues brightened by the mention of one her own SeeDs being harmed under her charge, and even as an old memory came to play across her thoughts as to who this unexpected visitor was, she revealed nothing of it. "So even if I am the one with the answers and memories you seek, yes, I dare ask YOU for answers as to why you choose to just barge into my home like an uncivilized little beast and attacking my student without so much as a word to your reasons! Did you honestly expect a warm welcome, or answers freely given by such actions?"


For the time being, Shade kept the restrictions of her weapon in tact around his body. His wounds weren't fatal, but she would be absolutely sure this familiar sot would remember never to lay a hand upon one of her SeeDs ever again without good reason. Her eyes narrowed as she slowly leaned her face away and spoke once more. "Now..... Sol Jashy, Dragoon of the Liltys, what is it you wish to know from me?"

"Sol Jashy... ...So, that's my name, is it?"

...Well, that helped him out. He had a name. Sol Jashy.

...Something triggered in him. ...A memory? Maybe. But, it had to do with those eyes. Those gold eyes.

...He wasn't sure why. The personal memories were gone. But, these... These were memories of another sort. His endemic memories, the very essence of BEING a Lilty, those were still intact. The same held true for his procedural memories. Most all of his finesse was gone, but, Sol still knew how to wield and attack with any number of weapons. His semantic memories were more-or-less intact as well. He knew what things were. Understood things. His episodic memory was shot, though. Places, things, people, events... These were lost to him.

But, gold eyes triggered something in the memory he still did have. Golden eyes were indicative of power. Great power. Golden eyes were to be feared... They also made him angry... Furious. ...Not with Shade, no. But, he knew... He'd met someone with Golden Eyes once before, someone other than Shade. ...And he wanted to hurt that someone. These golden eyes, though, told him he was in VERY dangerous territory.

...Her requests were well-founded, though.

"Well, to be perfectly honest? I'm broken, bloody, and decidedly inhuman. I look every bit the 'uncivilized little beast'. If your guardsmen had welcomed me with open arms, they're probably not fit for the job; they had no reason to assume I wasn't a threat. As for your 'student' at the gate? ...That was unfortunate, if not entirely expected. He tried to stop me, and I won't be stopped."

He once more strained against the wires that bound him, endorphins and adrenaline blinding him to pain, the teeth cutting into him afresh. He still wasn't getting anywhere, but, that wasn't gonna stop him trying.

"'What do I wish to know?'" Sol parroted back to her. "Everything. I know what things are... How to do things... But I don't know WHY I know them."

His eyes narrowed. He couldn't expect this woman to know his plight. So, he would tell her.

"Do you have any idea how exaperating, infuriating this is? To know how to fight, but remember no battles? To know the warmth of friendship, but recall no friends of your own? To understand the love of a family, or even that of your better half, and not even be sure if you had either in the first place? My memories... Who I was, what I did, all of it, gone."

The cold fire in his eyes lit anew, as he finished.

"You know things about me that I no longer do. You must. You are the only personal memory I have."

The intensity of her hues heightened as Shade studied him more closely while listening to not only his words, but the tone within them that spoke of anguish and desperation. Several moments of eerie silence passed between them while she watched Sol inwardly struggle with something, whether reaching for an unknown thought fleeting from his grasp, or coming to terms with a lost memory that may have returned just by his name alone. Whatever revelations, or lack there of, went through the Lilty's mind, he said nothing of it, leaving only exhaustion and mental strain to play across his painful facial expression.


Although his voiced reasons for his previous actions against the Garden SeeD were hardly acceptable for Shade to swallow, she was thoroughly aware as to what one's desperation brought them to. Her own brother was proof of that when it came to something he deeply cared about, especially when it came to Fury's own determination for answers to his own identity. So with a slow, intake of breath for the sake of self control, Shade's thumb flipped the lever beneath the hilt of her weapon for the steel teeth to relinquish their hold against Sol, then retract the titanium wires with a swift speed for the teeth to latch into the blade once more.


She remained crouched in front of him with her hues coming to a steady calm as the golden shades subtly returned to their natural steel colors. "Yes, Sir Jashy, I know full well the loss of memories and the madness such a loss drives one's mentality to do....which is why I'm not going to punish you further for your aggressive actions." Her own buried memories of such a time began to resurface as Shade came to rise and stand to then position herself at Sol's side and carefully wrap her arms beneath his own and help him slowly to his feet. "It would be best if we saw to your medical needs and possibly something to eat before we dive into the answers you seek."


Shade remained close to Sol's side for a moment to be sure his footing was solid before taking a step back and studying him over with new eyes. She thought for sure he was dead after the chaotic events that left Sephiroth to dismantle so many lives long ago. She tried to help.... she truly did.... but her voice was ignored all together and suffering soon followed, which led to the sudden disappearance of so many lives. Sol Jashy being one of them....


With a heavy sigh, Shade ran her gloved fingers through her tussled mane of hair and tried to speak with a consoling tone she rarely ever used in her life time. "I'll warn you now, Jashy..... You aren't going to like what all you hear.... "

As Shade looked upon him, it'd be obvious that he'd need a lot more than some first aid.

The massive wound in his left arm, now that she looked at it, was definitely in bad shape. It still bled, and the lymphatic fluid should not be that noticeable. The wound was highly infected. Something he could recover from, but, a pound or so of antibiotics wasn't gonna hurt him.

"...I honestly figured as much, truth be told."

Pulling his left arm by the wrist, Sol examined his wound. It was definitely something that would need treatment. ...As well as the fact that much of his body was pincushioned by metal shards, and cut apart by Shade's own weapon. ...Sol was, in all likelihood, in shock.

"Anytime I try to remember... ...I know what I've forgotten should make me mad. And, I mean crazy-mad. Like, three-day-long berserker rage mad."

Truth be told, those were closer than anything; those rage-inducing memories. Those, more than any other, were right on the very edge. He didn't know what happened, but, he knew that he should be very upset about it. It was maddening.

"But, first thing's first, I suppose. You wouldn't happen to have any Cure Magicite on hand?"

Shade clenched her jaw tightly as Sol went on explaining his struggles to reclaim his memories on his own while describing the emotional state doing so would leave him in. She went through much of the same herself after Garland tore her own away from her mind, leaving Shade to fall into the maddening control of her powers. She didn't want to see Sol fall into that same state, but what if the truth led to that on its own once he knew?


Suddenly, another voice, familiar, yet annoying as hell piped up from behind Shade. "Magicite!? What the fuck, dude? Seriously?? There be no Magicite here! There be Brixxy's magic hands!"


Shade only slapped her palm over her face with a heavy groan as Brix Dincht side stepped around the now miserable Headmaster to give the injured Lilty a thorough look over. Her blazing blue hues narrowed during her quick examination while grumbling her scolding words under her breath. "Damn Shade..... wat'chu do? Bitchslap him to Centra and back before chewing him up and spitting him out?"


Shade separated two of her fingers to glare through them and growl through her teeth. "He was already injured before he got here and whalloped on the kid out front."


Brix's blond eyebrow came to a high arch when hearing the accusation, leading her head to snap back and forth repeatedly to Shade and the Lilty repeatedly before giving Sol a slight slap to the back of his head. "What the hell did ya do that for!? Like I need another whiny brat in my cubicles!? That boy's just fine thankfully, with just a nasty bump on his head, but he's sure loving all the attention he's getting from that love sick girl fussing all over him! It's like a love fest of coddling and snuggling in there!!" She gave the Lilty yet another light swat to his un-injured arm before taking him by the elbow and leading him to the infirmary.


Shade followed in silence and proceeded to wait the few hours Sol had to endure Brix's medical treatments, be they Potions of her her own concoctions, a healing spell or two, or random injections Shade swore that girl had too much fun administering to the poor Lilty's behind. Yet one had to admit, when it came to Brix's medical attentions, she was swift and skilled, and always with a gentle hand due to her daily practice of dealing with the younger, more frightened children within the Garden facility. After all was said and done, treated and bandaged, Brix gave the thumbs up to release Sol with a good dose of pain killers should he need them later on.


Now leaving the Infirmary, Shade made sure to keep with Sol's pace, naturally assuming he must be rather weary and exhausted over his ordeals of the day, but she knew he would still want his answers. "Why don't we head up to my office and you can have your meal there in private and without prying ears to hear our conversation." With that said, she led him to the elevator that would take them to the top floor where her spacious office awaited.

"Yeah... If it's half as bad as what I think it is, privacy'd be best."

Surprisingly, during Brix's treatment, Sol hadn't said a word. The last time he disrespected a healer, he was bright blue, and smelled of honey for a month. Healers are not to be messed with. ...Of course, he couldn't remember WHY, but he knew that that was simply the case.

Sol, for all his exhaustion and injury, was able to keep a quick pace, all told. Lilties heal readily, and, sped along by Brix's hands, he'd be the picture of health in an hour or so. ...As the elevator slowly ascended, Sol grappled with the personal memories he did have. Shade. Every memory he had with Shade in it was still intact, even if the other people in the memory were fuzzy, unclear. Now, mind clear enough to think... ...He began to put the pieces back together.

"...I think... ...You tried to save me, once."

That much he was certain of. He remembered harsh words, spoken from a caring place. Anger born of desperation, the kind spawned from trying to help someone who wouldn't take it. ...Shade had tried to stop whatever had happened to him, and he'd ignored her.

"I remember... ...Some kind of gathering. ...A festival, maybe... ...There were us two... ...And there was a woman. ...Something's strange about her. ...She's 'too perfect'. ...It's unnerving..."

And there were those golden eyes again! Yes! That unnerving woman had golden eyes. ...And, then, the rage settled in again. This golden-eyed woman... His fists clenched tightly as he continued.

"...I think... ...She wronged me, somehow. ...There's a man, too... Pure evil..."

This figure came in a little clearer than the woman. A Black coat. Silver Hair. Eyes of blue flame. ...His look reminded him of something he'd forgotten. He looked like... ...Something. Brief flashes accompanied this. A city in a seaside cliff, thieves, gypsies... ...It didn't make any sense to him, yet. Snapping back to this memory, he saw something else.

"...And a child... ...The woman handed the child to the evil man..."

And, then, all at once, realization hit Sol like a sack of bricks. His eyes went wide as the color drained from his face. His features spoke of utter devastation.

"Oh, Mio..." He uttered, the divine invocation not registering to his mind.

"...Shade... ...Did... ...Did that woman give my son to that evil man?"

Once they got into the elevator, it was obvious Sol was eager to broach the matter. Not that Shade could blame him. He was well justified. But as he began rummaging through his mind, struggling to put what scattered pieces together from the remnants of his memories, Shade remained deathly silent and simply listened. She never constituted her actions as trying to save him; rather more like a slap of reality to what was actually going on around him and think wiser with a clear head. But one can't force or sway another outside of their own beliefs and desires. At least she tried.....


The gathering he spoke of brought back memories Shade wished she could forget entirely. It was grand event meant to celebrate unity and peace, and so many arrived to enjoy the festivities as Shade concentrated on keeping security tight over all. Yet nothing prepared her for what was to come.

...And there was a woman. ...Something's strange about her. ...She's 'too perfect'. ...It's unnerving...

Shade inhaled a slow breath, knowing exactly who the Lilty spoke of, yet she pressed her lips tightly from speaking the name. She never beheld any personal reservations about the woman, who in fact, was tied into the very upheaval of events that led Shade into this realm from her own dimension. Little did Shade know upon her arrival so long ago, that she and this Maracae shared a common enemy.

...There's a man, too... Pure evil..."

Her own hands slowly curled into tight fists at her side even though Sephiroth's name wasn't spoken. It didn't have to be.... Just remembering that horrible night and the turn of events that followed was enough to leave everyone there with regret and nightmares. Shade was mostly haunted by her own failure to stop him, to prevent him from unleashing his powers, to stop him from....


"...And a child... ...The woman handed the child to the evil man..."


Now Shade's breath caught within her throat. Her eyes drifted closed back to the distinct memory where she tried.... she tried screaming reason to that woman. Brother or not, everyone in that Hall knew Sephiroth beheld no love for his sister. She was a mere threat and annoyance to him just as everyone else who stood in his way for ultimate power. And she boldly handed her newborn right into his awaiting arms.....


The ping of the elevator snapped Shade back to awareness as the doors slowly slid open to reveal the spacious office. Still without a word, she stepped over the threshold and headed calmly to her grand scale mahogany desk as her hand motioned to the side toward a lavishly plush chair for Sol to sit. After rounding the desk, Shade made a quick call to the cafeteria and ordered them some food to be brought up, then remained standing after hanging up the phone. For several moments, her mind struggled where to begin as her eyes would occasionally shift to Sol who quietly awaited. Finally, after a deep and heavy sigh, Shade confirmed what he remembered thus far.


"Everything you've said is true, Sol. .....Even the child....."


She knew those words alone would crush the poor soul, so she quickly continued in hopes to ease his mind somewhat. "Although Sephiroth kidnapped the child, he handed the infant to Nathan, who I presumed was the child's biological father....I was never too sure on the details with Nathan. But Nathan was under Sephiroth's control when they arrived to the Gala, and was used to nearly kill us all off."

She slowly lowered herself into her own chair and proceeded with what facts she knew. "But.... there were reports that followed the aftermath of the Gala you remember. Reports I personally investigated and confirmed to be true. The babe disappeared.... back to the realm of her ancestors where her mother awaited, and as for Nathan? It seems he either took his own life, or he purposely made it look that way and simply disappeared all together."

About this time, Sol did something that would make Shade think to call Brix again.

His fists clenched in rage, as a light roared to life in his eyes, turning the dark midnight into a startling cyan. In many places, his skin seemed to boil away, revealing strange, glowing lines in his flesh, emanating the same light as his eyes. The Lilty's expression told it all. He was furious. And his fury was power.

"...I want to know where they are. Sephiroth, Nathan, and this girl..."

The dimly lit office was tinged a slight blue by the strange phenomenon in Sol's body, though he scarcely seemed to notice. What he'd just heard was clouding his mind with rage.

"...They're each responsible for this... ...That child should have never been in danger. Nathan shoudn't've been so weak as to be controlled. And this woman, fool that she is, should never be trusted with an innocent life."

Pacing about the room a bit, the glowing lines seemed to spread, shining through the make-shift clothes he'd been provided with in the infirmary. Whatever this was, it was a total-body phenomenon. Even so, Sol still failed to notice, his mind still ruled by anger.

"I failed to protect this child before... And, I certainly don't trust what I presume to be its mother with its safety."

...After a moment, though, the light from the small man faded, as he appeared to force himself into an unsteady calm.

"...As I am now, I'm of no use to anyone. If I mean to make this right, I need to be stronger."

The question was, how? He didn't have any home, or base of operations, no allies, except Shade and the healer, Brix. ...Wait, that's it!

"...Shade. This place, this... ...Garden... ...You train warriors here, yes?"

Shade knew to prepare for the worse. With the memory of her own explosive reaction to Fury's proof of their relation still fresh in her mind, she expected anything of the sort from Sol. She just had to be sure her head didn't become a primary target as she nearly did with her brother. So it came to no surprise when Shade witnessed the Lilty's powers begin to ignite from his intense emotions raging through him.


Even during Sol's rising anger, Shade remained calm within her chair and answered his question in the same serene manner. "No one even knows if Nate is still alive, let alone where he could possibly be. But I assure you, if he still lived, he's not within the realm of these worlds." As she watched Sol continue to pace, Shade ran a weary hand through her thick mane of hair and continued with a deep sigh.


"From what little I could gather on Maracae, she returned to the realm of her lineage. There's no reaching that realm from our own unless assisted by those who dwell there. And after the events that happened.... no such thing will ever be permitted again."


Just then, the food arrived. After rolling the cart of various meals and drinks next to Shade's desk, the cadet bowed slightly and returned to the elevator leaving the Headmaster and her quest back to their privacy. Shade chose only a small bowl of fruit before continuing, ignoring the subject of Sephiroth entirely. "The Garden facilities do indeed train in various skills of fighting and magic wielding, Sol. If you find it to be useful to regain your abilities, I can arrange for a private instructor to help you get back on your feet. You may stay here for as long as you wish, and I'll provide what assistance you need. But as for finding this child...."


The pause was not meant for emphasis. It was simply due to the fact that the truth wouldn't be easily acceptable to Jashy's mind. "I'm afraid there's no reaching her, Sol. As I said before.... what realm Maracae came from is no longer tied to our own. But the better news is, Neither Sephiroth or Nate have the child. In my eyes, the babe is better for it."

The channels in his flesh where the crystal once burned still smoked, slightly, his rage only slightly abated.

"What concerns me is if Maracae has this child. Someone so foolish as to leave their child to the care of demons doesn't deserve to be a mother. A sane person took that child from her, for its own good, if there's any justice in the world."

...A loud rumble interrupted Sol's rage. He'd forgotten just how dire his straits had been. Walking over to the food cart, he took what was most likely prepared as something of a joke item. Sitting on a covered plate, all by itself, was the leg of some massive avian. Grabbing the leg by the exposed bone, Sol took a large bite out of the roasted flesh.

"...I appreciate any help you're willing to give. If it's easier, though, to put me in the student body, then, I have no objections."

...He paused, a moment, after tearing out another chunk of meat.

"...Shade. ...What sort of man was I?"

Shade sighed as she listened to Sol's following words as her fingertips rubbed against her temples. Yet she remained silent while watching the Lilty slowly regain his control and composure, then finally give into his physical demands and grab something to eat. After giving him a few more moment to calm himself while chewing into the cooked leg, Shade finally moved from her chair and came stand beside him while addressing what things he said and his question.

"Sol... although me and everyone else who were there knew Sephiroth for what he really was.... and for Maracae to trust placing the babe in his arms with only the intent of him acknowledging he had a relation to her.... he was still her brother. Maracae could never see Sephiroth as pure evil, or a demon, because she once saw the good in him where none of us ever did.... " Shade looked away for a moment when she thought of Fury. Knowing him as he was now, and everything he had gone through, wouldn't she still feel the same for him if something were to twist his mind as had happened to Sephiroth? "Maracae may had been foolish for what she did, but she was always hopeful she could change her brother back to the person he once was. Having faith is the one thing I won't condemn her for.... even if that very faith led her blindly."

Shade hated discussing personal issues, especially those of the past. To her, what was done is done. Nothing could change the past, therefore dwelling on any part of it was useless and a waste of time. So she moved onto the next order at hand to which Sol mentioned. Not sure if the SeeD program was the way to go for him, Shade dismissed the topic for the moment when the Litly asked her what sort of man he was.

Taking to one of the chairs in front of her desk, Shade calmly sat, but bent forward with her arms resting upon her knees while looking over at her guest. "We didn't know each other closely, Sol. But from the times we did, what I could gather was that your heart was always in the right place toward whatever decision you made or action you took. Perhaps too much, at times, that made it easy for some to take advantage of you..."

...Taking advantage of him?

The bone of the massive drumstick creaked under his tight, anger-driven grip. ...He'd been used. He'd, apparently, been an honest, good-natured man, and people had gotten hurt because he'd allowed himself to be manipulated. ...The thought made him absolutely livid.

"...Then, that's something I need to work on, as well."

Putting the item down on a plate, the young Lilty strode over to one of the windows in the massive office, looking out.

...Something inside him hated weakness. Whether it was there, before, or not, was questionable, but, it was there. ...If he planned to move on from this, to survive in the world, he couldn't be weak. ...He could tell Shade wasn't weak. Not in that way. She knew how to hide her heart, harden it, set it aside. ...That was a skill he'd need, as well.

"...Considering how rapid my recovery has been, I'd like to begin my retraining as soon as possible. I can't let myself be taken like that. Never again."

THIS time, when Sol clenched his fist, something happened. Startled, he lurched away from the window, something clattering to the floor. Thus, two strange occurences.

One? Sol looked at his hands, and found them changed. His fingertips, and the pads of his hands, had developed something akin to blisters. Unlike an actual blister, however, which would be filled with lymphatic fluid, these were filled with a strange, almost metallic, blue-gray fluid.

The other was the item. A mighty lance, forged of a bright, crimson metal. One one end, a blade resembling a dragon's wing in shape. The shaft, wrapped in some lavender hide, ended in a bifurcated spike. What would catch Shade's eye, assuming she had an affinity for magic, would be the energy the weapon had. There was a staggering amount of Light magic encapsulated in the spear.

"...So... ...Think that's mine?"

Once again, Shade gave the Lilty time in silence to take in her words and muddle over his troubling thoughts. She finally leaned back within the chair with only the sound of the patent leather covering shifting by her movements. Her studious gaze followed Sol as he ventured toward the windows as Shade's own thoughts drifted back to when she had her own memories torn out of her so long ago. Even when she regained them, it was still a struggling process to realign them within her mind as Sol was most certainly struggling with, with what memories he could grasp thus far.


She nodded to his request to begin training. He would need the distraction at least to keep himself from going insane during his mental struggle. But just as she opened her mouth to speak her mind, yet another odd occurrence transpired from the Lilty. Her steel hues gave a scowl as her dark brows furrowed at the unexpected clanging noise that struck the floor. Even more unexpected was the sense of power her own could feel resonating from the blade.


Shade came to a slow rise upon her feet and approached Sol and the sword causally as her gaze studied over the weapon. When her present company asked her such an obvious question, only Shade's eyes slid over to lock with Sol's with a slight lift of her brows. "What I think is..... it's the sign you needed to your next step, Sol. To get your strength back again, like you said. You've been given something hardly anyone ever gets in their destiny, or fate....." She turned away to head toward her desk, then looked back to the Lilty once more, yet with a somber hint within her eyes. "A second chance on life.... live it wisely, my friend...."

"A second chance..."

...Sol reached out, claiming the lance he no longer remembered...

...It felt right, in his hands. Though the weapon looked as if it'd never seen the fires of war, it felt well-worn in his hands, and his grip on the weapon, to outsiders looking in, was not that of someone taking hold of a new weapon for the first time. ...Sol Jashy was a strange combination of paradoxes.

He was at. once. innocent, and jaded. He seemed to know the ways of the world, without being enslaved by them. Quite an envious position to be in.

Confident and unsure. This was a contradiction of mind and body. Though his thoughts were clouded by fear and indecision, you'd never know it to look at him. Much like Shade, he carried himself in a certain way. As a fighter. As a commander. As a leader of men.

A new warrior, and an old veteran. Though Sol no longer had the memories to know what he did and did not have the ability to do, seeing him with the spear spoke it as plain as day; Sol was a warrior, through-and-through. Of course, Shade would have already known that. She knew him from before.

A kind soul, and a cold one. Sol could already deduce his nature. He hadn't wanted to attack that boy at the gate. Yet, he did, with no remorse, or second thought. ...And, he seemed resolved to become colder still, to protect himself.

The weapon vanished again, in a flash of cyan, leaving Sol empty-handed again. ...He was even more resolute than before. Looking up, his midnight orbs met irises of steel and silver, the leaves about his head ruffling at the movement.

"...Shade... ...Thank you."

Shifting slightly in the borrowed clothes, Sol seemed somewhat uncomfortable. Though they were the right size, for him, they hung strangely on his body. Clearly, he did not perfectly match human morphology. ...Shade would also notice another oddity. A strange aroma seemed to follow him, now that he was cleaned up. Sweet, and savory, but also green, and acerbic. ...He smelled of sweet onions.

"I hate to be a still greater burden, but, have you any place to shelter me, for the moment?" He asked, still looking a touch uncomfortable in the ill-fitting clothes.

Shade could tell by the natural grip of his fingers and shift of his wrist that the Sol subconsciously beheld a trained hand when holding the weapon he found to be a lost memory to him. She expected his mind was trying to find the source his body found to be simply instinctive by nature until the grand spear suddenly disappeared since its use wasn't required at the moment. Then his reclusive gaze rose up and locked with hers once more. A look Shade knew all too well.


She nodded to his humble words of thanks, then looked him over again when he asked her his next question. Knowing he was a prideful race, Shade gave a slight bow of her head in respect. “You are of no burden here, Sol. Nor to me. “ She gave another nod of her head, but this time silently motioning for him to follow and take a seat once more, suggesting he should still eat or get a drink while Shade activated one of the monitors on her desk and began typing. “But we'll do more than that, Jashy. I can fully understand the trials of your particular situation, having been in the same shoes once....”


“You'll have a private residence here in the north wing. Fully furnished with whatever you need.... and we'll see to getting you new garments as well... “ After typing a few more arrangements into the system, Shade finalized the preparations for her guest and approached the Lilty again. “Right now, there's a lot you still have to take in Sol. Just be sure you are mentally prepared for training again. I don't want to risk any further strain to your mind than you've already endured. I know the training can be helpful, but I also remember one other thing about you....”


She took a seat again and leaned forward to rest her forarms against her knees while still keeping her steady gaze locked with his. “You'll push yourself beyond your means, Sol. Whether to prove something to yourself, or to another, or for some heart felt purpose. I simply want you to begin by building your strength up first before testing your limits beyond their means....”

...It was nice to know he was wanted.

When you're utterly alone in the world, you'll latch on to most anything. Sol needed this. At Shade's insistence, he grabbed a large bowl of what appeared to be a stew. Very quickly, using the spoon more as a shovel, Sol consumed the rich concoction of meat and vegetables.

"You don't have to worry about my mental state. If I'm physically able to do something, my mind will catch up. I'm not that worried."

...He appreciated her worry. He really did. Even without his memories, though, he seemed to know something about himself.

"Shade, pushing too far is what I NEED. The only way to get stronger is to find your limit, each day, and go ten percent beyond it. What doesn't kill me can only make me stronger."

Setting the empty bowl back on the cart, Sol got up again, still shifting in his garb. ...Sol knew what he needed, somehow. He couldn't be coddled, couldn't be babied. He had to throw himself headfirst right back into it, or he'd never get anywhere. A human would start slow. Human, Sol was not. ...It was about this time, though, that another alarm was triggered on Shade's computer.

==========================================================

Meanwhile, in the main courtyard, several of the students were gawking at the new arrival.

A massive, blue, bison-like creature, swathed in white fur stood expectantly before the lobby doors. The beast of burden was harnessed to a large, wooden wagon. It looked as though it were waiting for someone. The students around the beast and its haul didn't dare approach.

She didn't argue with the Lilty's decision, having nodded slowly with personal understanding. What little Shade knew about his race, she did remember their astute stubbornness and unique stamina when it came to fighting. If a mere any could carry up to fifty times its own body weight, who was Shade to argue what a Litly could do, or couldn't do?


After he finished his meal, Shade slowly rose from her chair and silently motioned for Sol to follow her toward the elevator so she could show him to his new quarters. But just as she was about reach for the button on the wall, her computer erupted with an alarm that signified the front gate. She rushed back to her desk with a deep scowl as her intercom began beeping like mad until her fingertips slapped against the monitor to answer the call. "What the hell is going on?"

"Mmmm...Madam..He..Headmaster? Uhh... we...we seem to have an issue here... I've never seen a creature like this Ma'am.... It's just standing here..... bumping the gate with it's head...."


Her face pinched slightly with confusion, although Shade sounded more annoyed, rather than alarmed. "I'm on my way...." She looked back over to Sol as she marched straight for the elevator. "We have a slight detour before getting you settled, Sol." Once within the elevator and during it's descent, she slowly turned her head to look down suspiciously at the twitching vines sprouting out of the Litly's head. Then the thought occurred to her, which led Shade to drop her head and pinch the bridge of her nose. Naturally, there was a slight groan of misery in her words as she spoke again. "Let me guess..... you already know what's outside of the Garden gates and trying to get in..."

"Umm... ...Sort of? Maybe?"

Sol had been pretty well swept along into this disturbance. ...Something about the energy of the situation felt familiar to him. ...This being seemed to be something he knew, without knowing. ...It was something Sol had been experiencing quite a bit. Knowing without memory.

...It made him hopeful, actually. It meant his memories were probably still there, just out of reach, as opposed to being gone.

"...Your people are awful quick to react. ...Does this happen a lot?"

====================================================

Meanwhile, the strange beast continued its actions. ...Until the still-damaged gates, that Sol had kicked in not even a day's work before, fell over.

The creature looked at the wreckage, confused. It was SURE it hadn't been using that much force. A steel gate should stand up to more than that. Shaking off the harness that held it to the wagon, it stepped forward, and stomped on the near end of one-half of the gate. Sending it straight back up, it nudged the dislodged metal, so it would fall into a lean against the post it had once been anchored to. A series of actions it repeated with the other half. It hadn't wanted to break the gate, and it bowed its head in apology to the slowly gathering crowd.

Walking back to the side of its wagon, near the back wheel, it roughly smacked the wagon with its head, causing a small book to tumble out. Smiling, it slowly kicked the ornate tome over to the damaged gate, waiting for whatever it was waiting for.

Hearing Sol's reply as the elevator slowly slid open, Shade gave him a slight shake of her head with a bit of regret flickered through her gaze as she looked back down upon him. "I'm afraid security is more heightened around these realms now, Sol. Portals have emerged that link the worlds together, and as such, just about anything and everything can travel through them. With that in mind, safety is always first and foremost now."


She stepped out of the elevator and took the stairs calmly while noticing nearly every SeeD student rushing towards the Garden's main entrance. She kept her pace the same as Sol's so not to rush him. "And as you can see, my friend, I have hundreds of young charges in my care to be protective of. So yes, my people are very quick to react..."


Now the Headmaster found herself having to shove through the mob of students struggling and peering about to get a glimpse at the mysterious creature. The youngest ones were the most difficult to hold back by their Instructors, while the older girls were coo'ing and aww'ing, and the older boys were cracking sarcastic jokes over the foreign beast. "If the lot of you don't stand aside and let me through, it's back to class with you!" The mere sound of her voice alone sent students to jump with a start. When hearing her firm threat, the crowd swiftly dispersed to reveal the odd creature in full view. With a sigh, Shade gave her Lilty companion a nod and approached the beast who appeared none too threatening by his sloth like movements.

Sol hardly even noticed the crowd.

Approaching the beast, apprehensively, he couldn't shake that feeling. He knew this creature.

"Shade... ...I think... ...I think I used to know this beast."

Tentatively, he reached out, to pet the beast's head, still unsure exactly what was going on.

The creature nuzzled into his hand, exuding happiness, before stepping on the edge of the book, to catch it in his mouth, and give it to Sol. Being completely lost in the situation, Sol took the book from the creature, as it went about it's business.

Sol opened the book, and was immediately struck by another fact he knew without knowing.

"...This... ...This is my handwriting."

Flipping back and forth between the pages, he found himself in a state of shock. This book, for some reason, seemed to be some sort of self-made chronicle of his life. ...Something that'd come in handy, to be sure.

The creature, for its part, left Sol's side. Walking over to Shade, it nuzzled its head against her leg, before looking up at her in whatever its equivalent of a smile would be. Whatever it was, it was obviously grateful she was taking care of Sol.

"Listen to this. 'I'm so very excited! I'm heading out on my first year as a member of the Crystal Caravan! It took three long years to convince the Caravan Master to let me join, but, now, I can finally travel the world, helping my village. The best part is, the papaopamus they've been using for the past score or so is ready to retire, so, I get to bring Silmarilon with me!' ...I assume you're Silmarilon, then?" He said to the beast.

Silmarilon snorted in response, before nuzzling Shade again.

"I think he likes you."