Changing Winds Part 4

(Akari)

Relief had flooded Hanami that they had rescued Asuka.

She insisted that they make a quick trip back to Besaid.

"Family." I murmured seeing Kimahri walk his daughter back inside the tent.

Sekka turned around and waved goodbye.

"What's wrong?" Hanami asked pulling out a pink sphere.

I shook my head, "Nothing. . . . What is that?"

"W-What thing?" Hanami asked waving her hands around.

I pointed to the sphere in her hand. "That."

Hanami giggled, "Whaaat?"

I sighed and snatched the sphere out of her hand.

The hyper girl's pout didn't waver my glare.

"Okay. It's a gift for Asuka-chan."

I guessed as much and softened my face expression.

"Let's carry on."

A smile spread on my face watching her run down the beach with Oka and Tsubasa.

`Family.` I silently repeated the familiar word as a smiling woman's face came to mind.

"I have none." I said coldly" I slowly took my leave just as the wind picked up.

--

Hanami's flying surfers guided us safely to this breathtaking place.

Macalania woods.

The beautiful crystals enveloped the immense forests into a crystallized state.

Everything sparkled and shimmered, it always felt like I was walking inside a fantasy.

It also reminded me of a similar forest . . . from a thousand years ago.

My home world.

The two forests were strangely like mirror images of one another.

I mentally cleared the ancient memories as I walked on following the twin spirit foxes.

"I need a drink." I sighed missing the taste of sake.

Oh, how it would burn my throat and make me forget my past.

"Can't drink, when I have you in my arms." I chuckled then frowned.

"We're almost there." I looked around, "Great, I lost Hanami."

"Some babysitter, I turned out to be." I looked at Tsubasa.

"Nyu." She flickered her ears and titled her head cutely.

Finding the lake was easy I held Asuka close as we got closer to the clear lake.

My black finger less gloved hands carefully released the girl's body in the freezing water.

The lake glowed making Asuka's body glow with it.

Asuka slowly opened her eyes, "Welcome back." I smiled helping her out of the lake.

"Macalania woods?" She looked around the beautiful crystallized forest.

"We kidnapped you." Hanami giggled.

"She means rescue." I said.

Asuka laughed, that was so like Hanami.

"Let's go back to Besaid."

Asuka shook her head, "No, not yet. . . . I-I want a haircut first."

"Haircut?"

Tsubasa licked her four fluffy tails.

"It's really hot and. . ." Asuka tried to explain her strange request.

"You want to piss off Lady Amaterasu."

I elaborated then saw Asuka nod in agreement.

"That's part of it."

"So hardcore." Hanami jumped for joy as the twin foxes mewed.

"I know someone in Luca." I walked ahead of them leading the way.

--

(Luca) ((Akari))

The huge blue Blitzball stadium loomed over tall buildings at the center of the huge city.

It hung high in the clear sky like a gem shining in the sunlight.

Luca had become the biggest city in all of Spira.

It was quite popular for its hottest shopping districts and of course the Blitzball tournaments held every year.

"Okay." I said looking over the map, "Her shop should be around. . ."

I touched a few buttons leafing through a ton of different shops.

I quietly cursed when I couldn't find it.

Did Luca really have to have over two hundred shops within their city?

Asuka and Hanami sat at the top of a marble staircase watching passersby get swamped into their conversations.

"I'm surprised no one has recognized you yet, High Summoner." Hanami snickered.

Asuka was about to retort when a boy pointed in her direction. "Look, its Lady Asuka!"

"Lady Asuka?" Several people turned their heads around trying to spot her Ladyship.

The High Summoner in training's glare held Hanami's gaze.

Hanami innocently scratched the back of her head and stuck her tongue out.

"Oops, spoke too soon." She laughed nervously.

"There she is!" A girl pointed at the top of a staircase in front of a makeup store.

`Oh no!`

Asuka froze refusing to acknowledge the small group of people which was now growing a little bit bigger.

"Lady Asuka?" Another woman squinted her eyes to get a better look.

"Oh my Yevon. . . It is her!"

An old man was astonished that he was worthy to be even looked upon by the Lady herself.

He kowtowed to her as did a few other people.

A group of little girls were chatting excitedly in a small huddle.

"Hey Lady Asuka, are you single?" A bold guy shouted somewhere in the crowd.

"She is really cute." One of the guy's friends slapped his back.

"Lady Asuka has blessed us with her presence!"

"What has the Fayth told you?"

A small group started chanting her title.

"High Summoner please come play with my children. They adore your presence."

A young mother shouted in the crowd.

Asuka was too embarrassed to cover her face with her hands.

She continued to stare like a deer caught in the headlights.

I smirked, "Someone's quite popular today." overlooking the eager crowd.

"No surprise there." Hanami closed her eyes and smiled.

"Shut up." Asuka blushed now burrowing her face in her knees.

Tsubasa hopped onto Asuka's shoulder and licked her ear

"There's got to be a way out of here."

Hanami scanned the crowd for an opening.

`Bingo.`

She was pleased with the escape route.

With the bubbling energy that a hyper girl could possess, Hanami grabbed Asuka's hand and took off down the street full speed.

Asuka almost tripped over her long skirt and bumped into a couple. "I'm sorry." She called over her shoulder.

I disappeared, my body melting into a flurry of Sakura petals.

Hanami soon pulled Asuka into a dark alley then they watched the crowd run down the street.

They looked at each other and laughed having so much fun.

"Ah, hey I just remembered I made you something. It might help you to blend in more."

Hanami had a wry smile on her face as she threw the pink sphere into Asuka's hands.

Curiously, Asuka activated it with her magic then was awed at the beautiful pyreflies and swirling lights that changed her appearance.

------

She wore a pretty white spaghetti stringed low cut halter neck top which showed off her back.

Light blue frilly lace was stitched along the edges of the tight shirt.

A silky blue scarf which resembled the ocean's waves had sparkling yellow flower petals.

The short glimmering scarf was tied around her black shorts like a belt and the small bow was placed on the right hip.

The black shorts partly covered her mid thigh while the scarf's tail ends almost touched it.

A shimmering fairy like long pink half skirt with white flower petals was draped over her left hip.

One dazzling bloomed cherry blossom had been pinned on the left side of the half skirt.

Long sleeved silky pink arm warmers covered her upper arms.

The top of the sleeves were shaped like delicate Sakura petals and had pastel blue swirls cascading down both arms.

A big cherry blossom flower was pinned near her shoulder on each of the arm warmers.

The flowers gave the soft material an elegant look.

--------

Asuka was amazed, "Breathtaking . . Hanami. . . How did you? . . . Thank you."

Hanami smiled, "My inspiration was your cute Summoner robes so I brainstormed from there." and basked in the praise.

"Thanks to yours truly. People won't recognize their precious Summoner."

Asuka giggled and then hugged her goofball, "We should go look for Akari."

Hanami darted out of the alley, "Follow me!"; she weaved her way through the massive crowd.

Asuka's knee high black boots with white lace echoed down the busy street.

"Its hard to believe we ended up staying in this world." I said to the fox twins who mewed in response.

"Heh, I have to admit those oddballs grew on me." I chuckled and enjoyed the happy atmosphere.

"But still. . . I shouldn't get too close to them. I need distance."

"They are so much like you. Akari-chan." Tsubasa's telepathic silvery voice was soothing like a gentle spring wind.

"Do you miss Wisteria?" Oka hesitantly asked, her sweet melodic voice whispered across Akari's mind.

I felt a stab of pain hit my heart, how could she ask that question?

Did she know the extent of my pain?

"I don't want to be reminded of that place. . . . The memories are best left forgotten."

"That naive spirited girl you met in the forest and gave her mystical swords is dead."

I turned away from them and checked the holographic map again.

I felt their eyes on me as I walked in the right direction.

"Akari!" Asuka shouted as I took in her new appearance.

"Very pretty. . . . What is it?"

"It's uh?" Asuka looked at Hanami for help.

"Her adventure sphere outfit. . . . This one is mine."

`It's a bit too much.` I thought glancing at the flowers.

Despite how overdone it looked, it still screamed adventure.

"I love your adventure outfits." I smiled as the spirit fox twins chorused their joy.

"Akari!" Another young woman with long dark blue hair waved at the small group from a nearby shop.

"That's Rin. She's a professional hair stylist."

I informed them and waved back meeting her pink eyes.

She wore a cute short sleeved white buttoned blouse and a violet high-low skirt.

Her purple nail polish shined in the sunlight from her dark brown open toe heeled sandals.

I sat in a nearby chair while listening to Rin hum a song then chat with the younger girls.

I must have fallen a sleep, because several taps on my shoulder awoken me.

"You look nice." I blinked the sleep out of my eyes.

Asuka beamed loving her haircut.

It was short like Hanami's except her hair length was a little longer.

I thanked Rin and then headed out.

"Akari?"

I stopped in my tracks and faced the young magical user.

"Um." Asuka trailed off then tried again, "I want to see my father. You were the one who helped him cross worlds, right?"

"Yes." I nodded confirming her suspicions.

"I want to see him and find out why he never calls us or even tries to go home."

"Asuka." Hanami said sadly, then looked up at me. "I want to help too."

'Traveling to and from worlds is dangerous.' I thought and glanced down at the fox spirits.

"Okay, I'll let you use Oka and Tsubasa. Their powers can open portals allowing a person to travel at such distances."

`So it was these two all along who helped my father cross over to Midgar?`

Asuka thought really looking into their mysterious eyes like she was meeting them for the first time.

Tsubasa and Oka's magic symbols glowed and together they opened a portal leading to Midgar.

I drew Asuka and Hanami into a warm embrace. "Please be careful." I whispered not really wanting to let them go.

When did I become so soft?

I stared at the fox spirits silently pleading they would protect these two with their lives.

"Don't worry, Akari-chan." Oka started, "We'll protect them for you." Tsubasa finished her sister's sentence.

`These bloodied hands were never meant to hold such innocent girls.`

I felt a heavy lump in my throat grow bigger as I slowly released them.

The little girls I protected all these years were no longer helpless.

Asuka and Hanami waved goodbye before entering the portal.