Wutaiverse Update, Springkink and HELP! the Bunnies are attacking!
Okay, first of all, someone please tell me that no, no, I do not want to figure out the logistics of a FF7/Narnia crossover. Yesterday is the last time I listen to the Narnia soundtrack while working on Wutaiverse.
I kept getting images of the FF7 characters in the Narnia world: Jenova as the White Queen and Hojo as her toady. Aeris, Cloud, Tifa and Zack as the kids. Cid and Shera as the beavers. Nanaki as the lion from the witches tower and Vincent or Reeve as Father Christmas.
*headdesk* Help! The bunny won't go away!
On a lighter note I will be taking part in this years SpringKink. *glares at muses* You only get six! *listens to their whines* Fine, I'll save the rest for later, but you better pick now or I'll do it!
Now onto what you all really came here for, this weeks latest piece of Wuativerse. Enjoy All!
Title: 1986 - 05 - Questions and Answers
Author: Scrolls
Rating: PG-13?
Fandom/Pairing: FF7/None (eventual Aeris/Cloud/Sephiroth/Zack)
Disclaimer: SqaureEnix Owns, I'm just having some fun.
Notes: Since the game never really expanded on this I decided to give it a try: What kind of things did Zangan teach Tifa besides fighting?
Summary: What if Momma Strife had taken Cloud and Aeris and gone to Wutai?
Constructive criticism will be hugged while flames will be used to line the bunny hutch.
Enjoy Ladies and Gentlemen.
1986 - 05 - Questions and Answers
The air, which only minutes ago had been filled with the sounds of mock-combat, was still. The leaves now fell unimpeded to the ground; the trees-which seemed to be getting used to being used as springboards-were allowed to stop vibrating.
Four months into her training Zangan had declared that the village-especially her backyard-were not good training areas. So while they jogged to increase Tifa’s endurance, they had kept their eyes out for a suitable location. Eventually they had found this little clearing, just big enough for their needs; with a rows of rocks to act as benches, and a couple of downed trees for balance practice.
Stretching her legs to keep them from stiffening, Tifa unscrewed her canteen and swallowed a mouthful. She couldn’t suppress a wince when her arm refused to lift no higher than her shoulder. While Zangan had gone easy on her, he made sure that when she failed to block, it hurt.
“Tifa, how long have we been student and teacher?” She blinked in surprise; time was a topic that had never come up before.
“About a year.” She answered, watching him closely, Zangan had never told her at what point he started weaning his students into their own independence.
“Really? Then it’s just the right time to ask.” Running a hand through his hair, the expression on his face telling her that his thoughts had turned to the past. Either of his past students or his time with his own teacher.
“Zangan?”
“Tifa, I have a question for you. And I want you to think about it.”
She relaxed a little at hearing that phrase. Usually what followed those words was a puzzle or a piece of wisdom he wished her to understand. Zangan called them ’Mental Exercises’ Tifa called them what they were; the experience of the elders, knowledge to be passed down from one generation to the next.
“A question you want me to think about?” She prompted, knowing her part. “What is it?” but before, each one had been based on her progress, not on the passage of time.
“The question is this: What do you believe true strength is? And how do you perceive it in relation to yourself?”
“Huh?” The look Tifa gave him was one of pure bewilderment. Strength? Why would he want her to think about strength? And what did he mean about the last part, how she perceived it towards herself.
Standing, Zangan brushed the dust form his pants and headed for the trail. “I’ll be gone for a few days; I want you to think it over while I’m gone: What do you believe true strength is? And how do you perceive it in relation to yourself?”
Watching him walk out of the full sun and into the shade of the trees finally pulled Tifa out of her shock. Grabbing her towel and canteen she scrambled to her feet-once again wincing as her body protested the sudden movement so soon after their workout, and moved to follow.
Only to jerk to a halt, seeing that Zangan had stopped at the head of the trail to look back at her. “I’ll get your answer when I get back, there isn’t any rush. Finish cooling off and then head home.” Giving her a wave he vanished into the trees, leaving her gaping in the clearing.
What do you believe true strength is? And how do you perceive it in relation to yourself?
How was she supposed to answer that?
***
Zangan had left the following morning. Reminding Tifa of the question, and that he would want her answer upon his return. Tifa had seen him off, watching him walk the trail leading down the mountain until she couldn’t see him anymore.
That had been three days ago, and though she had done much thinking, she was no closer to the answer.
In an effort to get some ideas, or maybe just understand the question better, she had started asking some of the other villagers. The responses were varied, but they helped in that they gave her another’s point of view.
From the Blacksmith she got that true strength was to be able to do what you needed to do.
From the Mid-wife Tifa was told that knowing when not to fight was true strength.
From the Teacher that had replaced Mrs. Strife when she vanished; she was told that knowing yourself was the key to true strength.
From her father…Well, the answer her father gave wasn’t one that Tifa really liked to think about.
Now sitting at the training spot, watching the sunset begin, she thought back to the day when she had tried to climb the mountain, to the few memories she had of that disastrous event.
The world was a haze fractured in black, and ringed with red. But through all that she could still tell it was Zangan in front of her, holding her, doing something that made the pain both easier to bear and yet so much worse.
“Hang on Tifa! Your a strong girl, you’ve gotten this far, I know you can go farther!”
If what Zangan had said was right, then she was already strong. Then what was the difference between being strong and true strength? From the sound of it, everyone had a different true strength, then, what kind of true strength did she want?
Nibbling on her thumbnail-the one bad habit Zangan had yet to train out of her-Tifa continued to stare into the sunset. Thinking of many things; of the kinds of strength that existed, what kinds she wanted for herself, and ultimately, what kind of person she wanted to be.
***
Muscle flexed under skin, hands whipped back and forth, leather and cotton ruffled and shifted as Tifa ran through her drills. Yesterdays drills had gone horribly, but his one was gong just fine. This morning she had finally decided on an answer to Zangan’s question. Well, it wasn’t a complete answer, that would probably take some more years for her to truly figure out. But for now, she would use what she had.
She heard his footsteps before he spoke, she knew it had to be him, if only for the fact that they were the only people to come here.
“Have you thought it over?”
“Yes, but its not a complete answer, I think its going to take me a few years before I can fully answer your question.”
“And what do you have so far?
“What is true strength? I don’t know; that is going to take me more than three days to answer. But strength in relation to myself, the kind of strength I want for me, that I have an answer to: I want a strength I can be proud of, a strength that I can use to do what I need or want to do, to protect what I care for, but I also want it to be a strength that I can use and no one will be scared of me for it.”
Zangan gave her that small smile, the one he gave her when she finally got a kata just right and he could teach her a new one.
“Very good Tifa. Sometimes knowing what you don’t know is just as important as what you do. And it’s alright if it takes you a while to answer this one, it certainly took me long enough. Now, let’s see if you’ve been practicing while I was away.”
If the pace feels a little rushed, well, I've been beating my head against that for the better part of three days. If anyone has any ideas please let me know, I'd love to hear them.
I kept getting images of the FF7 characters in the Narnia world: Jenova as the White Queen and Hojo as her toady. Aeris, Cloud, Tifa and Zack as the kids. Cid and Shera as the beavers. Nanaki as the lion from the witches tower and Vincent or Reeve as Father Christmas.
*headdesk* Help! The bunny won't go away!
On a lighter note I will be taking part in this years SpringKink. *glares at muses* You only get six! *listens to their whines* Fine, I'll save the rest for later, but you better pick now or I'll do it!
Now onto what you all really came here for, this weeks latest piece of Wuativerse. Enjoy All!
Title: 1986 - 05 - Questions and Answers
Author: Scrolls
Rating: PG-13?
Fandom/Pairing: FF7/None (eventual Aeris/Cloud/Sephiroth/Zack)
Disclaimer: SqaureEnix Owns, I'm just having some fun.
Notes: Since the game never really expanded on this I decided to give it a try: What kind of things did Zangan teach Tifa besides fighting?
Summary: What if Momma Strife had taken Cloud and Aeris and gone to Wutai?
Constructive criticism will be hugged while flames will be used to line the bunny hutch.
Enjoy Ladies and Gentlemen.
1986 - 05 - Questions and Answers
The air, which only minutes ago had been filled with the sounds of mock-combat, was still. The leaves now fell unimpeded to the ground; the trees-which seemed to be getting used to being used as springboards-were allowed to stop vibrating.
Four months into her training Zangan had declared that the village-especially her backyard-were not good training areas. So while they jogged to increase Tifa’s endurance, they had kept their eyes out for a suitable location. Eventually they had found this little clearing, just big enough for their needs; with a rows of rocks to act as benches, and a couple of downed trees for balance practice.
Stretching her legs to keep them from stiffening, Tifa unscrewed her canteen and swallowed a mouthful. She couldn’t suppress a wince when her arm refused to lift no higher than her shoulder. While Zangan had gone easy on her, he made sure that when she failed to block, it hurt.
“Tifa, how long have we been student and teacher?” She blinked in surprise; time was a topic that had never come up before.
“About a year.” She answered, watching him closely, Zangan had never told her at what point he started weaning his students into their own independence.
“Really? Then it’s just the right time to ask.” Running a hand through his hair, the expression on his face telling her that his thoughts had turned to the past. Either of his past students or his time with his own teacher.
“Zangan?”
“Tifa, I have a question for you. And I want you to think about it.”
She relaxed a little at hearing that phrase. Usually what followed those words was a puzzle or a piece of wisdom he wished her to understand. Zangan called them ’Mental Exercises’ Tifa called them what they were; the experience of the elders, knowledge to be passed down from one generation to the next.
“A question you want me to think about?” She prompted, knowing her part. “What is it?” but before, each one had been based on her progress, not on the passage of time.
“The question is this: What do you believe true strength is? And how do you perceive it in relation to yourself?”
“Huh?” The look Tifa gave him was one of pure bewilderment. Strength? Why would he want her to think about strength? And what did he mean about the last part, how she perceived it towards herself.
Standing, Zangan brushed the dust form his pants and headed for the trail. “I’ll be gone for a few days; I want you to think it over while I’m gone: What do you believe true strength is? And how do you perceive it in relation to yourself?”
Watching him walk out of the full sun and into the shade of the trees finally pulled Tifa out of her shock. Grabbing her towel and canteen she scrambled to her feet-once again wincing as her body protested the sudden movement so soon after their workout, and moved to follow.
Only to jerk to a halt, seeing that Zangan had stopped at the head of the trail to look back at her. “I’ll get your answer when I get back, there isn’t any rush. Finish cooling off and then head home.” Giving her a wave he vanished into the trees, leaving her gaping in the clearing.
What do you believe true strength is? And how do you perceive it in relation to yourself?
How was she supposed to answer that?
***
Zangan had left the following morning. Reminding Tifa of the question, and that he would want her answer upon his return. Tifa had seen him off, watching him walk the trail leading down the mountain until she couldn’t see him anymore.
That had been three days ago, and though she had done much thinking, she was no closer to the answer.
In an effort to get some ideas, or maybe just understand the question better, she had started asking some of the other villagers. The responses were varied, but they helped in that they gave her another’s point of view.
From the Blacksmith she got that true strength was to be able to do what you needed to do.
From the Mid-wife Tifa was told that knowing when not to fight was true strength.
From the Teacher that had replaced Mrs. Strife when she vanished; she was told that knowing yourself was the key to true strength.
From her father…Well, the answer her father gave wasn’t one that Tifa really liked to think about.
Now sitting at the training spot, watching the sunset begin, she thought back to the day when she had tried to climb the mountain, to the few memories she had of that disastrous event.
The world was a haze fractured in black, and ringed with red. But through all that she could still tell it was Zangan in front of her, holding her, doing something that made the pain both easier to bear and yet so much worse.
“Hang on Tifa! Your a strong girl, you’ve gotten this far, I know you can go farther!”
If what Zangan had said was right, then she was already strong. Then what was the difference between being strong and true strength? From the sound of it, everyone had a different true strength, then, what kind of true strength did she want?
Nibbling on her thumbnail-the one bad habit Zangan had yet to train out of her-Tifa continued to stare into the sunset. Thinking of many things; of the kinds of strength that existed, what kinds she wanted for herself, and ultimately, what kind of person she wanted to be.
***
Muscle flexed under skin, hands whipped back and forth, leather and cotton ruffled and shifted as Tifa ran through her drills. Yesterdays drills had gone horribly, but his one was gong just fine. This morning she had finally decided on an answer to Zangan’s question. Well, it wasn’t a complete answer, that would probably take some more years for her to truly figure out. But for now, she would use what she had.
She heard his footsteps before he spoke, she knew it had to be him, if only for the fact that they were the only people to come here.
“Have you thought it over?”
“Yes, but its not a complete answer, I think its going to take me a few years before I can fully answer your question.”
“And what do you have so far?
“What is true strength? I don’t know; that is going to take me more than three days to answer. But strength in relation to myself, the kind of strength I want for me, that I have an answer to: I want a strength I can be proud of, a strength that I can use to do what I need or want to do, to protect what I care for, but I also want it to be a strength that I can use and no one will be scared of me for it.”
Zangan gave her that small smile, the one he gave her when she finally got a kata just right and he could teach her a new one.
“Very good Tifa. Sometimes knowing what you don’t know is just as important as what you do. And it’s alright if it takes you a while to answer this one, it certainly took me long enough. Now, let’s see if you’ve been practicing while I was away.”
If the pace feels a little rushed, well, I've been beating my head against that for the better part of three days. If anyone has any ideas please let me know, I'd love to hear them.