The five members had finally calmed enough to explore the village of Conde Petie. The warm sunlight reflected off the dusty stone streets, and the faint smell of herbs and baked bread filled the air. Despite the relaxing atmosphere, a strange tension lingered. Every villager they tried to speak to greeted them with the same cheerful call—"Rally-ho!"
Aerith tilted her head, confused. "I… I want to talk to someone," she murmured softly, trying to engage with a passerby. Yet the villager responded again with "Rally-ho!"
Zack frowned, crossing his arms. "I… I don't think they're speaking normal words. Or maybe this is some strange local custom?"
Galuf chuckled under his breath. "I've seen plenty of odd villages in my life, but this one… this one takes the cake."
Noctis, arms folded, observed quietly. "They're speaking… but it's just the same phrase over and over."
Reks, feeling self-conscious and slightly embarrassed, decided to follow what he assumed was the proper etiquette. Hesitating, he cleared his throat and said, "Rally-ho!"
For a moment, the villagers paused. Then the one who had greeted him earlier stepped closer and, to Reks' astonishment, spoke clearly:
"Greetings, friend! Welcome to Conde Petie."
Reks froze, his face burning bright red. "I… I didn't… I thought… I thought you only said rally-ho," he stammered, bowing slightly, flustered.
The other four stared in shock. Aerith's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a laugh. Zack's jaw dropped, and he shook his head in disbelief. Galuf threw his head back and laughed heartily. "So that's why Sirius said that! He knew!"
Noctis smirked quietly, a rare lightness in his expression. "I should've guessed," he muttered, though his eyes glimmered with amusement.
Sirius, observing through the trinket communication, couldn't resist chiming in. Ah yes, now you see why I said that. Even the most serious greetings can be deceptive.
Aerith, still blushing, decided to try herself. She stepped forward and nervously said, "Rally-ho!"
The villager immediately responded in kind, then added, "Greetings, friend! Welcome to Conde Petie." Aerith's cheeks burned even brighter, a mix of embarrassment and relief, but she smiled.
Galuf finally understood. "Ah… so if we want to talk to the villagers, we also have to say rally-ho."
The others exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. One by one, they tried it. "Rally-ho!" they all said in various tones, some nervous, some loud, some hesitant.
The effect was immediate. The villagers' faces lit up with joy, and they began speaking to the newcomers, explaining the village, the local customs, and even inviting them to visit nearby shops and communal areas. Laughter, chatter, and warmth replaced the initial tension.
As the group walked deeper into the village, each member processed the situation in their own way:
Zack's POV:
He kept glancing at the villagers, still a little suspicious. "This feels too perfect," he thought, arms crossed but a faint smile tugging at his lips. Yet, as he watched a child offering a basket of fruits to an elder, he felt a pang of warmth. Maybe we needed this… maybe it's okay to just… exist here for a while.
Aerith's POV:
Her hands fidgeted with her sleeve as she listened to the villagers chatter in their rally-ho language. She felt her cheeks warm, but not from embarrassment this time. It's strange… and yet… it's comforting. For the first time in a long while, I can breathe without thinking about all the things we've lost.
Galuf's POV:
He laughed quietly at the situation but kept his eyes sharp, observing the villagers' reactions. Deep down, he realized Sirius had a point—this was a controlled environment for them to heal. I don't admit it often, but… maybe staying here, doing nothing but interacting, is exactly what we needed.
Noctis' POV:
He walked silently beside the others, yet the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. The simplicity of the village, combined with the unique greeting, reminded him of home—before everything went wrong. Even a prince needs time to just… exist, without crowns or battles or duties. Maybe this is what I've been missing.
Reks' POV:
Still flustered from his earlier embarrassment, he now felt a strange connection to the villagers. I never imagined a village could feel so alive… so welcoming… His small hands clenched slightly, holding onto the feeling as if it could shield him from the chaos they'd all seen.
Galuf stopped in the town square, observing the small crowd of villagers surrounding them. "I see it now," he said softly, mostly to himself. "This is why Sirius wanted us here… to calm down, to see friendly faces, to let our minds settle. Being here makes it easier to forget… what happened earlier."
Zack nodded, a small smile forming. "Yeah… this is nice. It feels… normal again, for a little while."
Noctis allowed himself a faint smirk, scanning the square. "Even I have to admit, it's… comforting. And clever of Sirius to have us learn their custom first."
Reks, still slightly embarrassed but more at ease, whispered, "It's strange… but I can feel the village's kindness. It's… calming."
Aerith looked around, inhaling the warm air and listening to the happy chatter. "I think… I understand now. Sometimes it's not about what we say… it's about connecting in ways that feel right here and now."
Suddenly, Sirius appeared briefly through the trinket, giving them a sly grin. Good. You're all starting to adapt. Remember, the more you engage here, the stronger your hearts will become. Healing isn't always about power—it's about letting your mind and soul rest.
Zack gave a soft laugh, shaking his head. "He really does think of everything, doesn't he?"
Galuf, still watching the villagers, muttered, "Youth… laughter… kindness… that's what keeps people going. We lost a lot, but maybe we can find a little of that here."
Aerith, catching Zack's gaze, smiled faintly. "It's… good to be alive, even if just for a moment like this."
Noctis, ever the silent observer, finally nodded to himself. Perhaps this village… this ritual of rally-ho… it's exactly the anchor we needed.
Reks, quiet now, took a deep breath, the warm air filling his lungs. I hope we can stay a little longer… and maybe learn to smile without fear.
The villagers, completely accepting of their new friends, continued their cheerful greetings. The five members, now moving more confidently, joined in, laughter and words flowing freely—even if only half understood at first. The sun dipped slightly toward the mountains, casting a golden hue across the village, and for the first time in days, the five felt like life had some normalcy again.
Even Sirius, observing from afar, allowed himself a small smile. The village had done its job. The crew was healing, slowly but surely, and for the first time in days, he could see the spark of their true selves returning.
Rally-ho! echoed through the streets of Conde Petie, a simple phrase that carried with it a power far greater than magic: the power of connection, trust, and a moment of peace in a chaotic world.