Today's the day! The day we take the tour! Excitement bubbles through me like carbonation in a freshly opened soda pop as I carefully twist my hair into a braid. After finishing my braid, I walk into the living room and see Vincent and Tifa preparing the provisions to take with us. We each get two bottles of water and a few bags of nuts and dried fruit to eat during the tour.
Aerith and I apply some natural bug repellent that I found at the bazaar and set my tennis shoes by the door, that way I don't forget them when we get ready to leave. "Can someone run by with me what this schedule for the tour is?" I hear Yuffie ask.
"I'll run over everything just before we leave, but we need to hurry as we need to leave soon," I call out. "So finish what you are doing and grab your travel snacks."
It doesn't take long for Yuffie to come out and get everything together. Cloud comes into the living kitchen shortly after, holding onto his bag. "Alright, let's get this over with," the spiky blonde groans.
"Okay, we are supposed to meet someone in front of the hotel, which will lead us to the tour site. Afterward, they will introduce us to our tour guide. From there, we will be taking the tour. It doesn't say how long the tour is, so hopefully, it shouldn't be any later than a few hours." I explain, pulling out that note from the envelope. "Our meet-up time is at one thirty, which is in ten minutes. The Jenovians are very punctual and strict about time."
"Well, before we leave, let's make sure that we have everything, and that we all don't have to use the bathroom before we leave," Aerith suggests.
After checking off the items we packed, I put the tickets into my wallet and put on my tennis shoes. We depart and lock up our hotel room, then head outside. I start looking around for the man we are supposed to meet, but I don't see anyone other than tourists. "So, do we know who we are looking for?" Tifa asks.
"I don't know who we are looking for," I say, remembering the lack of detail on the note. "Hopefully, he will arrive soon."
"Pardon me, but are you the occupants of Room 3-17?" a man's voice questioned us. We turn and find two men standing behind us. One has short blonde hair and is wearing a white suit, while the other has long sleek black hair and is wearing a black suit standing behind us. "Yes, we are," Aerith answers. "Who are you?"
"Pardon me for disturbing your meeting, but please allow me to introduce myself," the blonde hair man speaks. "My name is Rufus Shinra. I am the owner and operator of this hotel. I was the one who gifted you the tickets for the tour."
"Oh, it's a pleasure sir," I say.
Rufus looks at me and smiles a little, questioning, "I take it that you are the beautiful woman that Reno was bothering?"
I nod in response. Rufus sighs, "I simply came to apologize for Reno's behavior. I don't often do this for our guests, but after receiving that complaint, I knew this was a more interesting case. Reno has never gone to the lengths that he did toward you all. My goal for this hotel is to provide a wonderful experience while you stay here."
"Well, we do appreciate your generosity," Tifa replies.
"I'm glad you are all able to go and enjoy this. My associate, Tseng, will take you to the site where the tour will begin." Rufus explains. "I would love to take you myself, but I must stay here and operate my hotel. I do hope you understand."
"Oh, it's not a problem at all. It has been wonderful to meet you, Mr. Shinra," I extend my hand out to shake his, which he takes and shakes my hand.
"Please, call me Rufus. Mr. Shinra is my father." He smiles. "Now, I must be going. Tseng will tell you some of our regulations for the tour on the way to the site. Please enjoy yourselves and hopefully, this tour will be memorable for you all."
With that, Rufus heads back inside, leaving us with his associate. The man looks at us and clears his throat, "As my boss has already introduced, I'm Tseng, the man leading you to the tour site. May I see your tickets?"
I quickly pull out the tickets and hand them to Tseng. He takes them and marks them with a fraud marker to verify their authenticity. "Alright, follow me, and do keep up. We have no time to waste," He says handing me back the tickets.
He starts to walk in the right direction. I smoothly and carefully tuck the tickets back into my wallet, following Tseng. While we were walking behind Tseng, he starts talking, "Before we arrive, I am obligated to inform you of the strict rules we have set for this tour. Firstly, no form of photography is allowed. What you will see on the inland tour is sacred to us, and we wish to keep it hidden from the rest of the world.
"Secondly, anything you bring is your responsibility. Food and water will not be provided, so I hope you have brought some. Any waste from what you have is to be kept on your person until you leave the tour and is to be thrown out into a proper disposal bin.
"Thirdly, you will not disturb any wildlife you may come across. The inland of Crescent Island is a sanctuary for wildlife that lives here. If on the rare case that you all could be attacked, our tour guides are professionals in diffusing the situation.
"Lastly, do what your tour guide tells you. They know this island and its wonders better than you. Do you have any questions for me?"
"Yeah, I have few. Do you know how long the tour is?" Yuffie asks.
"The longest the tour has been taken was about five hours," Tseng says. "You are also not touring the entirety of the island, only a few select parts."
"Okay, next question. Will there be any put stops for bathroom breaks in the case of an emergency?"
"Yes, a few areas like that have been placed along the trail. They are spread out and minimal, so take the opportunity to take a break if you need to."
After a few more turns and walking down a couple of blocks, we arrive at a small gate that is connected to the protective fences that surround the wooded and lush areas of Crescent Island. Tseng leads us to the front of the gate and pulls out a key. He pulls down on a cover, unveiling the hidden keyhole, and unlocks the gate. Stepping to the side, he holds open the gate for us. "Please step through the gate," He instructs.
One by one, we walk through the gate. I'm the fourth one to walk through. As I pass Tseng, I glance at him and see this odd look in his eyes. It was as if he was planning something.
Vincent was the last one to go through the gate, and Tseng closed the gate behind my friend. "Apologies, I can not go with you for this next part. This is where the tour starts." He explains, locking the gate.
"Yes, and we will be leading you on this excursion," an elderly and conniving voice speaks out from behind us. We turn around and see two men. One is older and has long black hair, tied in a ponytail, wrinkles, and glasses. The other is middle-aged with sleeked back neck length black hair, and clean-cut facial hair. One thing that they shared was the scowls they held on their faces. "Forgive us for scaring you, but we are your tour guides. I'm Dr. Hojo and this is Reeve Tuesti."
"Doctor, this is the group that will be getting the exclusive tour. So make sure you take extra care of them." Tseng informs our guide. "Especially since we went through a lot of trouble to repay them for our inconveniences."
Dr. Hojo is quiet as he intensely looks at us, before looking back and smirking, "Alright, we will make sure they are treated with the utmost care, so long as they adhere to the rules we have set for the tour."
"I leave it to you then," Tseng says, turning and heading back to the hotel. I don't know what is going on, but it's like when Tseng locked the gate, and when Hojo and Reeve appeared, something is telling me to climb the fence and run away. "Now, we understand that you are already informed of our rules. We will not repeat them, but we advise that you stay with us the entire time." Reeve says. "Crescent Island isn't small, so it is easy to get lost without a guide."
Hojo turns and starts walking into the woods. We follow and Reeve follows behind to make sure that we are all keeping together. As we are walking, Cloud grabs my hand and whispers to me, "You okay?"
I nod, trying to reassure him that everything is okay, but he gently squeezed my hand. "I feel it too." He whispers. "That spine-crawling suspicion, that feeling like something isn't right. Stay close to me the entire time, okay?"
I nod lightly and continue following the group. Along the way, we came across some beautiful plant life and even a few sites. Aerith asked about the flora that thrived, and if any of the plants had different purposes. Dr. Hojo answered that most of them are used for herbal purposes and that we most likely have used the products while staying on the island, but the only plant that wasn't used for herbal or medicinal purposes, was the Genova, as it is the flower favored by their deity.
I was more interested in seeing so much of the wildlife in their natural habitats, but we have yet to come across any Chocobos.
About two hours into the tour, and a few breaks to rehydrate, Hojo leads us to a cave. He stops and turns around to look at us. "This cave is part of the exclusiveness of this tour. It is very sacred to the Jenovians as it holds a vital part of our history. We ask that you do not touch anything within the cave. The entire history of the natives is preserved within this cavern and we wish to keep it preserved."
We nod in agreement and Hojo turns on a lantern and leads the way down. We carefully walk down the cave's slope into a more open area. Reeve stands to the side, lighting a lantern of his own and holding it up for everyone to see the beautiful artwork that is delicately etched into the cave's walls. Reeve began to explain the tale that the glyphs were telling, "The history of the Jenovians begins when Crescent Island was desolate and barren. The earliest civilization for the Jenovians was dying out due to the famine and severe heat that was near eternally beset for this land.
"Every day they prayed for salvation from this horrible death, and one day, their prayers were answered. A shadow befell the land, but this shadow was one of comfort and relief, as the one who provided the shade, was a goddess by the name of "Jenova". Jenova promised to protect and give the Jenovians the necessities to survive, as long as they worship her and provide a bride for her son, Sephiroth."
The etchings showed the island being open and deserted, except for a village. No flowers, no animals, only nearly dead people. A woman of a mysterious status was floating above them, and it showed the island becoming flourished, and finally, a panel depicting a male being who has seven wings and long hair. This carving is so detailed, as though it was carved only yesterday and I feel drawn to it.
"The Jenovians agreed to Jenova's request, and Crescent island became the thriving land you see today." Hojo further tells. "However, every time a bride was presented to Sephiroth, he wouldn't accept them, as none of them were a 'Daughter of the Sun'. With every failure, Sephiroth would block out the sun with the moon, and travesties happened with each Solar Eclipse. To this day, the Jenovians continue to search for the Daughter of the Sun, despite having such failures in the past."
My eyes are still set on the etching of Sephiroth, as I listen to the tale. It is intriguing to hear the Jenovian's historical tale, but something isn't sitting right with me. "What did Sephiroth mean...when he asked for a Daughter of the Sun, and why the Sun?" I asked, turning to the guides.
"Well, my dear, Sephiroth is said to be the Son of the Moon. His divine power comes from the moon, and the Jenovians believe that his solar eclipses are his way of having them live without the sun, just as he has to continue to live without his bride. He vies for a companion who won't leave him and provide him with the same warmth as the sun."
"According to the legends, a Daughter of the Sun is a woman who is the living embodiment of the Sun itself, spreading warmth and positivity around her. She enjoys the sunlight and even her hair is reminiscent of reflecting the sun's rays. But the biggest clue that Sephiroth left for them to find her is the mark of the sun on her. One similar to that I can guess is that mark on your chest. Your shirt covers most of it so I can't assume it looks the same." Reeve continues.
I glance down at my chest and see that my birthmark is half-revealed due to the low cut of my shirt. Feeling insecure and awkward about that remark, I attempt to cover what is revealed with my hand.
"Well, from how you described the Daughter of the Sun, Phaedra could be a near-perfect match." Yuffie blurts out.
"How could that be?" Hojo asks. "Just because she has a mark doesn't mean she is the match."
"Well, I can't tell you about Phaedra. You have to experience being with her for a day." Yuffie answers. "She practically lives in the sunlight--"
She is quickly silenced by Aerith, who awkwardly laughs. "That's not particularly true. Phaedra is a dedicated student at the school we go to, so she doesn't have much time to be in the sun. We should probably continue with the tour, and if anything, is there a rest area we could stop at?"
Hojo glares at Aerith for interrupting Yuffie, but nods. "Of course. We needn't waste any time on such...menial distractions. Please exit the cave carefully."
Reeve leads us back up through the cave, and I turn to make sure that everybody behind me is following me. Before I turned back, I catch a glimpse of Hojo looking at me like he's seen a miracle. Feeling even more uncomfortable, I turn back around and make my way out of the cave and into the woods.
Continuing with our tour, and with other facts that Hojo and Reeve were telling us, my thoughts were interrupted by a soft piercing cry of pain. I stop walking, causing Tifa to bump into me. "Phaedra, why did you stop?" She questioned causing everyone to stop and look at me.
"Did you hear that?" I asked out loud. Before anybody can ask what I am talking about, another cry burst through the woods.
"Ah, the cries of a Chocobo," Hojo answers. "I apologize for the interruption of our tour, but the birds aren't to be approached by tourists. We must continue."
"It's in pain," I speak out, halting the doctor from walking any further. "Isn't there anything that you can do to help it?"
"Unfortunately, I am not a doctor in that field. Even if we had someone professionally trained to aid the bird, it would be a while before someone could get here to help it." Hoojo explains.
"What if Phaedra helped it?" Aerith offers. "She's a veterinarian who specializes in the avian variety."
"Absolutely not!" Reeve interjects. "Chocobos are unpredictable and can be dangerous if not taken care of properly. Even if we were to allow it, there is no possible way that she could help the bird as we don't know what its injury is."
"But we won't know if nothing is done. For all we know, that poor bird is crying for help, hoping that someone will hear it. What if its leg is caught? A broken wing? Was beaten and injured? Please Doctor, even if you can't, let me take a look and assess the situation." I plead with the elder man.
He stares at me and I stare right back. I don't care how uncomfortable he makes me. When my heart is set to do something, I will do whatever it takes to make sure it is accomplished. He grins wickedly at me. "I suppose I can make an exception this time. You seem adamant about helping this Chocobo. But you must know that this is not allowed, so I must offer an exchange for this to happen."
"Exchange?" I question.
"And just what kind of exchange are you coveting?" Vincent asks menacingly.
"It's not money or anything, just one deed for another," Hojo explains. "If I allow you to help the Chocobo, will you comply and do what it is I ask of in exchange?"
"It depends on what you want," I answer.
"It's nothing much and it's nothing to worry about. But I will say it will help us Jenovians in a big way. I will allow you to help the Chocobo first and then tell you what it is I wish for you to do for us." He answers.
I am dumbfounded. "How will you know that I won't just leave you to do it after I help the Chocobo?"
"Believe me, my lady, you will not. Now, do you wish to help the Chocobo, or will we be continuing our tour?" Hojo implies.
"Phaedra, don't gamble when you don't know what is being bet," Vincent advises.
"Yeah, it's not worth the risk. Let's just keep going." Cloud says, giving me a worried look that spells out, "Don't make a stupid decision."
I begin to think about what this could do, of what the possibilities could be. However, my heart was pounding to help the crying Chocobo. Hearing the bird cry out, my emotions are fighting against my urge to say no and keep going with the tour. Finally, my inner battles come to an end. "Take me to the Chocobo," I demand.
Hojo smiles wickedly and beckons for me to follow him. I look at Cloud and Tifa and motion for them to come with me. Their faces are riddled with uncertainty and disbelief that I have made this decision, but they follow me into the woods with Dr. Hojo.
About a minute into the walk, Hojo stops and motions for me to look at the massive yellow pile of feathers laying on the ground. My heart beat rapidly as I am seeing a wild Chocobo for the first time. Instantly, I see that the giant bird's wing is trapped under a small boulder. "Do be careful. Chocobos can be startled if not approached correctly. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you if you get injured." Hojo whispers.
I nod and slowly and lightly take strides toward the trapped bird. It isn't long before the wailing Chocobo takes notice of my presence. It quietly chirps and perks its head toward me as I bend down and smile at it. "Hello there." I quietly serenade, reaching my hand out for it to familiarize my scent.
The Chocobo coos as it nuzzles into my palm. I giggle as the feathers tickle me. "See, I'm not going to hurt you. Will you let me help you?" I ask soothingly.
The Chocobo chirps happily as it continues to nuzzle into my hand. I look over and gesture for Cloud and Tifa to come over. They carefully amble over and stand to the side. I continue to pet the Chocobo's head. "I'm going to keep it distracted if you can get the rock off its wing," I tell them,
"Okay," Cloud says, getting into position with Tifa to pull the rock off. Once I nod at them, They use their strength to haul the boulder off the wing. The poor Chocobo wails in pain for a second, as I continue to soothe it. "It's okay. They're getting it off."
Once the rock is off, the Chocobo stands up and looks at its wing. I stand and smile. "See? That wasn't so bad." I walk over to check and see if the wing is broken. Miraculously, it has no trace of broken bones or scratches. "All right, you're all good," I say to the bird, as it nuzzles against my chest and below my chin. I chuckle a little and pet its feathers once more, and it runs off into the woods.
I look at Cloud and Tifa, who smiles at me. "You did good," Cloud tells me.
"All those hours of studying and workshops have paid off for you." Tifa remarks.
"Come on, we need to get back," I say, blushing sheepishly.
We walk back to Hojo, who has a look of astonishment written on it. "That was impressive." He admits. "Now, let's return to our group. Then we can discuss what it is that you will do for us."
I gulp a little and nod. "Alright."
Hojo takes us back to the group, who are all visibly worried for us. I am bombarded with questions from Aerith and Yuffie before Hojo clears his throat, ceasing the flurry of questions. "Now, we should discuss the agreement."
"Alright, what is it you want?" I ask.
Hojo smirks as he pulls out a gun and holds it straight at us. I turn around and see Reeve in the same position as Hojo. "You are to come with us, Daughter of the Sun. Sephiroth will be most pleased to finally meet his promised bride."