Foreword
This is a fan-made work of fiction. Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and whoever it was that printed the books and made the films. Final Fantasy is owned by SquareEnix and whoever else has a finger in that pie. Please support the official release.
There will be quite a bit of Al Bhed used in this story. I will not be providing translations. The gist of the conversation will be provided through clues in Harry's replies or Rikku's general translations for Yuna and Tidus. Sorry if that bothers you, but that's how I'm going to do it, and to be honest, when you know a second language, you don't hear what people say in your native tongue, you hear it in the language being spoken and you mentally translate it as its spoken. If you absolutely must know what is being said, then you can use an online translator. There are several, but the one I would recommend is the Al Bhed Translator with Phonetics by Stefan Gagne.
"Talking." 'Fayth Talking.' POV Thinking. Aeon Talking.
Chapter One: Stranger Salvage
A lone figure stands on the small hill overlooking the path leading into Zanarkand, his silver cloak fluttering slightly in the breeze. A group of seven others are seated around a small fire behind him as he watches the sun slowly drop closer to the horizon. Pyreflies dance and swim around the ruins ahead of him, unperturbed by the encroaching night. It's amazing how beautiful death can be.
Soft footsteps climb the hill behind him. He knows who it is, Rikku, and allows a small smile to grace his lips. "Tidus is getting restless," she says, taking one of his hands into her own and threading their fingers together.
"I can imagine. I've seen ruined cities before, but none were so hauntingly beautiful as Zanarkand."
"Harry," Rikku starts, turning to Harry, but a finger on her lips stops her.
"No words, just stand here with me," he whispers, his eyes disquiet and his smile faded. "I just want to cherish this moment for a little longer."
Rikku tucks herself into Harry's side. "Of course, Harry."
F_ F_ X
It seems my luck never holds when I need it to. Last week, a vacation sounded like a great idea. Now, not so much.
Indeed, trudging across a desert populated by roving omnicidal stab-bots, worms large enough to have come straight out of Dune, and monstrous versions of seemingly normal Earth animals is not Harry's idea of a good time. Adding in the ornery, sentient cacti that can run and you have a recipe for developing neuroses. The problem in further compounded by the lack of human conversation: Harry's sole companion is an irritable augurey circling overhead.
Of course, as with everything else Harry has been involved in since he first stepped foot in Hogwarts six years ago, he didn't plan for any of it. Instead, that vindictive bitch named Fate decided to ruin his post-Voldemort celebratory vacation and drop him into the middle of a desert on a planet that he can't readily name. Worst of all, She didn't even ask before doing it!
At least the damn animals have enough intelligence to recognize a superior predator. Thank Merlin for small favors. The spires of glass about two days travel back frightened the creatures, even the omnicidal stab-bots (Bloody hell, I need a better name for those robots, accurate as it may be), and they have maintained a respectful distance ever since. The only ones to continue pestering him are the little cacti beings, and that's only because he finds them oddly endearing. In a "what a cute little murder hobo" sense.
Harry pulls his cloak tighter around him to block some of the sand being kicked up by the intermittent wind. A blank white Venetian volto mask provides the same service for his face and eyes, and a hood protects his hair. Despite not being a vain person, he really dislikes going through the process of brushing out all of that damn sand. And that's not to mention the decidedly uncomfortable locations that said sand can end up.
A sudden weight on his left shoulder signals the landing of the augurey. Affectionately named Urik after the rather notable individual from his History of Magic class who owned fifty of the feckless birds, he nips Harry's ear to get his attention before launching from his perch and winging off to the east.
Harry stares after the augurey for a scant moment before yelling, "Where the hell are you going, you daft bird? We were just searching that area two hours ago! There's nothing but bloody dull ruins!"
And then Harry crests a sand dune. Of course. Fate would decide to screw with my expectations like this, wouldn't She? Down among the ruins that he had so thoroughly explored mere hours ago, half a dozen people wearing yellow and brown jumpsuits with goggles or gas masks sift through the structures. Another four people, wearing the same style of clothing but carrying rifles, stand around the perimeter of the ruins. A large vehicle, similar to skiffs he remembers as being used to traverse swamps, flat with a fan on the back, sits next to one of the crumbling structures. At least I'll finally get to talk to someone with intelligence and not a damn bird.
Urik drops down onto Harry's shoulder again, digging his talons into the leather pauldron that he has taken as his perch. Harry sighs at the action. "You really are a lazy arse, aren't you?" The augurey merely squawks in reply.
With the bird holding on tightly, Harry slides down the dune, kicking up a trail of sand behind him. He notices that the people below quickly turn their attention to him, and that means guns pointed in his direction. Once he reaches the bottom of the dune, he raises his hands in a universal gesture for peace.
"Rymd! Fru yna oui?" one of the goggle wearing scavengers asks.
Great, Fate drops me into the middle of a language barrier on top of the rest. "Sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying," Harry replies, keeping his hands in view.
"Ra ec yh uidcetan! Fa cruimt zicd gemm res yht pa tuha fedr ed!" The speaker, this one wearing a gas mask, pokes his rifle towards Harry to punctuate his idea.
Harry's expression hardens beneath the volto. Lowering his hands, he removes the mask, tucking the porcelain into one of the three mokeskin pouches on his belt. "Threatening people is not a polite thing to do. Now, does anyone here speak the Queen's English, or will I have to resort to pantomime?" Seeing no response other than more pointed rifles, he adds, "Pantomime it is."
The sound of an approaching engine pulls attention to the north for a bare moment until the appearance of another vehicle tightens the hold. A trio of jumpsuit wearing individuals sit on the front, one of whom is most obviously a girl from the way the material hugs her body. It stops next to the first, and the three hop off.
"Fryd ec kuehk uh rana?" the girl demands, brandishing a clawed glove on her right hand. "Tu E haat du lymm eh Bubc?"
"Drec cdnyhkanzicd lysa tufh ynus dra tacand," gas mask replies, causing the girl to scowl. " Fa yna dnoehk du tadanseha fryd du tu fedr res."
I'm fairly certain they're talking about me, and like I'm not even here, at that. "I'm standing right here, you don't have to talk about me like I'm not," Harry says, voicing his thought aloud. The statement draws the girl's attention. "Besides, with such a lovely young lady here, I'm sure we can have a delightful discussion about my unexplained and unplanned presence in this gods forsaken desert."
The girl blushes and turns to hide her face. "Tu oui cbayg Al Bhed?"
Harry shakes his head. "Sorry, but I have no idea what you're saying, although I will assume that Al Bhed is a language?"
"Then how about this?" the girl asks.
"Oh?" The surprised utterance from Harry accompanies an equally surprised smile. "Finally, some conversation that won't involve a damn bird!" Urik, still perched on Harry's pauldron, squawks indignantly and takes offense. "Shut up, you little shite," Harry mutters.
The girl tilts her head to the left, frowning slightly. "You've been talking to your bird?"
"Well," Harry starts, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I've been in this desert for a week now, and you guys are the first humans I've seen. So yeah, I talk to him. Helps me think, actually, voicing my thoughts and all."
"You've been out here for a week?" the girl asks. "How are you not dead?"
Harry pauses for a moment. Casting a wary eye across the others, he asks, "Would you like a demonstration? If so, it would be nice if you could take a few steps back while I demolish a section of desert. And try not to freak out too badly."
The girl turns to the rest of the jumpsuits and says, "Ra ec kuehk du tasuhcdnyda cusadrehk, cu tu hud tu yhodrehk nycr. E femm gaab yh aoa uh res." A series of nods follows, and she spins around to face Harry. "Okay, go ahead."
"You really should step back," he warns, doing that very thing himself. The corners of his lips quirk as he reaches into a random mokeskin pouch at his belt and withdraws his volto mask. Placing it over his face, he gestures sharply towards the empty desert with his left hand and says, "Fiendfyre."
An eruption of black and green flames roar from his palm, creating a giant bird dripping liquid fire from its wings. The construct launches into the desert, the flames roaring and melting the sand into glass as it travels. After carving through a dune and leaving a glass tunnel behind it, it wings around and starts to return to the ruins.
With his arm still outstretched, Harry begins forming a fist. The flame, reacting to the action, falters and a roar of fury echoes across the desert. The bird gains a burst of speed and gets within a yard of Harry before his fist firmly closes, dissipating the flames into nothingness.
Turning to face a shocked crowd, Harry says, "That's how I managed to stay alive. Everything that wanted to eat me left me alone after the first demonstration I made of that spell. The results are about a couple days' walk that way." Harry points off to the south.
The girl recovers first, a large smile plastered across her face. "Alright, it's decided! You're coming home with me!" she declares, pumping her fist into the air. "By the way, my name's Rikku. What's yours?"
Harry returns the grin, saying, "Potter. Harry Potter." Yes! I've always wanted to pull a James Bond!
F_ F_ X
A month later, circumstances find Harry and Rikku, along with a select group of Al Bhed, traveling to Baaj Island for a salvage run. The trip has another purpose, as well: finding an ancient airship that is supposedly sunk nearby.
However, those same circumstances also find Harry and Rikku sharing a bed, namely Harry's. And judging by where his hand is, she's not wearing anything but her knickers.
Naturally, Harry is dreading the inevitable events that will come when Brother comes to wake Harry up. Despite being aware of the relationship between Harry and Rikku, Brother still dislikes him. And if Brother finds Rikku in Harry's bed, that will likely cause a meltdown of Brother proportions. "Hey, Rikku? Wake up, it's time to get to your own bed before Brother kills me." Although, I suppose there are worse ways to die than in bed with a girl you love.
Groaning, Rikku snuggles deeper into Harry's side. "I don't wanna," she mumbles. "Five more minutes."
Harry brushes a lock of hair from her face. "Five more minutes may be five too many. You know how Brother can be in the mornings. And you know that he doesn't approve of me."
"Well, I guess we'll have to jump that hurdle when we get to it," Rikku says, barely opening her eyes to glare at Harry. "Besides, Brother knows better than to bother me in my room."
With a smile, Harry replies, "We're not in your room, Rikku. This is the salvage ship."
There's a pause as Rikku processes the information. "Excuse me for not being a morning person," she grumbles. Looking around, she finds nothing to indicate that Harry is lying and that, yes, they are at Home in Rikku's room. "This isn't my room," she groans.
The delivery brings a larger smile to his face. "Which means you should hurry up and either get to your bed or get dressed."
Rikku rolls onto her back, dislodging the sheet enough to reveal a delightful expanse of skin. "Nah, I think I'll stay here until I absolutely need to get up." A knock on the door prompts her to groan, "Which is now, I suppose."
"Harry, desa du kad ib! Fa yna haynehk Baaj!" Brother's voice calls through the door.
It figures that he would pick the second worst moment to make himself known. Harry then groans himself, knowing that an inevitable event is about to occur that could easily end with him being thrown overboard into the ocean.
"Ra femm pa uid crundmo!" Rikku replies loudly, wrapping her arms tightly around Harry and giving him a devious smirk. Reflexively, Harry reciprocates the gesture and pulls her closer.
Naturally, Brother plays his part, bursting into the room, catching sight of Rikku in Harry's bed. Further, Brother sees an expanse of uncovered skin courtesy of Rikku's shoulders and back being exposed to the air of the room. Just that little bit of exposure, though, is enough to begin the shutdown of Brother's higher brain functions. "Fryd…Ruf…Frah…" he stutters out before turning his attention to Harry. "Fryd yna oui tuehk eh rana?"
Harry raises an eyebrow at the shouted question. "Brother, I know you're having trouble thinking this early in the morning, but this is my assigned cabin. And until you knocked on my door, I, or rather, we were sleeping rather peacefully."
"Hu! Hud dnia! Oui fana tuehk tendo–!" Harry's free hand snaps out, finger extended to point at Brother. The rant that the over-protective sibling was building up to stops mid-sentence. Brother, realizing what happened and refusing to back down, begins gesturing wildly in pantomime to get his point across.
Harry sees Rikku reach behind her, and then a boot sails launches from the floor to nail Brother in the head, knocking him out into the hallway and allowing the door to finally shut again. "Nice shot, especially for a blind throw," he says, kissing her forehead. "Now, you see what I have to deal with when Brother is around? It doesn't help matters that you didn't wear a shirt to bed."
Rikku pulls away, a teasing pout on her lips. "Do you not want to spend time with me?" she asks, her pout threatening to dissolve into giggles.
"Bah, daft girl," Harry mutters, sliding off the bed and gathering a clean change of clothes from one of his mokeskin pouches. Turning back to the bed, he watches as Rikku divests herself of her knickers, revealing the entirety of her body. "I'm so glad Brother didn't decide to try the door again," he says, laying the clothes on the bed.
"Why's that?" Rikku asks, grabbing her clean knickers and sliding them on. "Aside from the fact that he's my brother, of course, and as such will never see this much of me."
"No real reason, except for the fact that I may have added some subtle clues to stay away that would cause some painful problems if ignored," he replies, shrugging. He pulls her into a tight hug, adding, "Although, the fact that I'm the only one to have this sight burned into memory is more wonderful than I can properly express. I don't relish the thought of killing someone for beholding the forbidden, but this sight is all mine and I will ensure it stays mine."
"Of course it is, Harry," Rikku says with a smile, snuggling into Harry's embrace.
Breaking apart, the two dress quickly, or as quickly as they can while also admiring and "helping" each other. Once finished, they head up to the deck, passing Rikku's cabin on the way. She ducks inside to collect her diving suit, carrying it over an arm as they walk. Urik joins them, squawking madly, as they pass through the small commons to step outside.
A heavy mist and strong wind greets them, with occasional flashes of lightning off on the horizon. With each flash, Rikku flinches, prompting Harry to tuck her into his side and whisper, "It's alright. The worst of the lightning is a few miles out, and the storm is moving parallel to us." I'll not tell her that it's shifting this way.
"Thanks, Harry," she whispers back. "I needed that."
A few hundred feet away from the ship, the ruins of Baaj Island loom large. Brother stands next to the crane with another Al Bhed as the anchor drops, the splash lost in the waves around them. Urik picks that moment to leave them and perch imperiously on the highest point of the ship, still announcing the rather obvious fact that rain is approaching. Brother turns, having heard the augurey, revealing to Harry that Rikku's boot has left Brother with a small knot beginning to form on his forehead. He beckons the pair over.
"E femm vunkad fryd E cyf aynmean. Oui cruimt pa knydavim," he says, ignoring the flash of anger on Rikku's face and Harry's rising eyebrow. "Fa yna cahtehk uha knuib ehdu dra niehc frema y caluht knuib cluidc ynuiht dra atka."
"A good plan," Harry adds. "Two groups will cover more ground, and Cid did mention an airship nearby."
"Nekrd!" Brother agrees. "Oui yht Rikku femm pa ahdanehk dra niehc fedr Keyakku, Lassu, Darrik, yht Mezo. Kydran yhodrehk dryd sekrd pa icavim."
"Kud ed," Rikku says, nodding. She scans the ruins for a moment before pointing. "Fa cruimt rayt vun dra tusat piemtehk vencd, fryd tu oui cyo?"
Brother looks in the direction indicated for a moment, his eyes scanning the nearby structures. "E yknaa. Kuut etay, Rikku!"
Harry scoffs. "Of course the dome is a good idea. It's central to the rest of the ruins and has connecting pathways to the rest." Shaking his head, he says, "You know, Brother…" A hand slaps over Harry's mouth.
Rikku frowns, saying, "No need to say anything else, Harry. And don't pick on Brother like that." A smile splits Brother's face for a moment before Rikku finishes her thought. "Until you become family, I'm the only one who can do that."
Brother begins spluttering again. "Fryd?! Hu! E vunpet ed! E vunpet!"
Rikku shoots Brother a glare, silencing him. "Oui ryja hu cyo." Turning back to Harry, she drags him off to one side of the deck. "Help me with this," she orders, referring to her diving suit.
Harry complies, and before long, he's zipping up the back of the suit. Moving slowly, he leans forward to whisper, "You know, you look amazing in this."
"Flatterer." With a sigh, she leans back, halting the zipper's progress.
"I'm serious. Of course, you look great no matter what you wear," he says. Dropping his voice further, he adds, "Or what you don't wear."
Gasping in faux surprise, Rikku slaps Harry's arm. "Be quiet, we don't want Brother to hear. Now, hurry up and finish zipping me. It's almost time to go."
"Whatever the lady asks," Harry says. With a single motion, the zipper finishes its journey and Harry's cloak drops to the deck. Offering an arm, he then escorts Rikku to the front of the deck.
The four other members of the first group wait for Harry and Rikku, facing the ruins. To the side, Brother finishes giving a few last minute orders, then waves the group off. The group of six dives into the water, Keyakku taking point. The swim to the ruins is short, a platform providing a staging ground for the scavengers. They fan out, forming into pairs and orienting towards the central dome across the flooded courtyard.
Halfway around the upper mezzanine, Harry stops and glances down a sloping hallway, feeling a pulling sensation from below. "Hey, Rikku, do you feel that?"
Rikku, stopping at the sudden question, tilts her head to the side. "Nope, nothing. All I feel is the chill. What do you feel?"
"I'm not sure," Harry replies. "You go on ahead, I'll join you shortly." Seeing Rikku about to retort, he adds, "I'll be fine. If I get into any danger, I'll feel better knowing your not in the middle of it."
Rikku grumbles under her breath for a moment. "You better come back in one piece, you hear?"
Heading into the hallway, Harry waves. "Yeah, like I said, I'll be fine." I hope. This feeling is more powerful than anything else I've felt since I arrived here on Spira.
The hallway leads down to the lower portions of the city, far enough to end in a partially submerged chamber. The art along the walls clues Harry into the purpose of the chamber, and the statues confirm it as part of a Cloister of Trials. A large hole in the ceiling reveals another chamber, and from the trickle of water pouring in, that chamber is exposed to the outside elements.
Stepping carefully, Harry makes his way into the chamber, scanning the walls for instabilities that could cause further collapse. However, before he finishes looking around, a large door catches his attention, one with a painstakingly detailed symbol carved into the stone. Intrigued, he silently Apparates across the intervening water to stand on the only dry bit of floor in the entire chamber. The thrumming of ancient magic interwoven with new further draws his interest.
Pushing the door open, Harry finds that it slides across the floor easily, making not a sound. The revealed room is lined with three statues on each wall, with small alcoves behind them. Spheres rest on a brazier set before the statues, each one a differing color. On the far wall, the entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth is covered by a complex seal.
Now that I'm closer and I know what I'm looking at, it appears as if someone has brought a new Fayth to Baaj and sealed it away. Curious as to who or why, Harry fully enters the small room and begins casting some diagnostic spells by idly flicking the fingers of his left hand. The results are both expected and not. So, the large seal is tied to the spheres, and each sphere is from a different Temple. The only way to break the seal is by breaking a similar seal in those, and then…traveling to Zanarkand? Why in Merlin's name would that be a… A idea flashes into Harry's mind. Of course! Someone who received their Final Aeon, but never used it against Sin! Now I really want to know the mastermind of this seal.
The decision to bypass the seal is unconscious as his left hand begins tracing a precise runic array in midair. The complexity of the runes is such that, when Harry finally finishes a few minutes later, it is impossible to identify any single rune within the various rings. Pulsing magic into the runic array, it collapses into a single ring a few inches wider than he is tall. A subtle push sends the ring into the large seal, where another pulse of magic causes the two to meld together, forming a hole for Harry to pass through.
Harry, old chap, you've done it again. Patting himself on the back, quite literally, Harry lifts the door to the Chamber and steps past.
Inside, a dim purple light emanates from the Fayth in the center of the room. As he approaches, Harry notices the seemingly bottomless pit the Fayth rests over. A small walkway connects the outer ring of the room to the Fayth itself. A brief flash of white both illuminates the Chamber and temporarily blinds Harry when his foot touches the walkway The flash lasts only a second before the room returns to near darkness.
When his eyes finally adjust to the darkness once more, he sees a spirit kneeling above the middle of the Fayth. The spirit, a woman wearing a Greco-Roman dress and gold necklace, looks up at Harry as he finishes his approach. Her hair, showing just a hint of grey, is otherwise dark and falls to her shoulder. The Hymn of the Fayth begins to fill the Chamber, sung by a soft, mournful voice.
'Greetings, stranger.'
"Hello," Harry replies, giving a slight bow. "I'm sorry, I've never spoken with one of the Fayth before, let alone visited. I'm not entirely certain of the rules or protocol."
'Don't worry,' the spirit says, standing. A sad smile graces the timeless face. 'I am the Fayth of the aeon Anima. I have no need for formalities.'
Harry chuckles nervously. "Er, if you don't mind…Could you tell me why you're here?"
'Certainly, stranger. My son, Seymour Guado, brought me here three years ago, just weeks before Sin ravaged the island and sunk the city that surrounded this Temple. He wanted me safe, and this was a place that he knew from his childhood as such, even if it was also a prison.'
"What do you mean, prison?"
The smile drops, replaced by a frown and anger leaks into her voice. 'My son and I were exiled here by my husband, Jyscal Guado. I tried to reason with him, to plead for us to stay with him, but he had a duty to his people. They were angered that one of their leaders had dallied with a Human, debased himself with someone lesser. To appease them and prevent further unrest, he sent us to this island with a few he trusted.'
Harry bows deeply, saying, "I understand the kind of pain that can cause, and I apologize for opening old wounds." Straightening, he adds, "No one should face that kind of discrimination, and never from family."
Softly, Anima says, 'I see that you have suffered similarly. I do not wish to burden you with my troubles when you have your own to shoulder.'
"A burden shared is a burden halved, as they say. You may be locked into the stone, but you still feel and think."
The sad smile returns. 'You speak true. Very well, let me share the burdens of my soul. Seymour was hated as a child, by Guado and Human alike. He was considered an abomination, and I despaired ever seeing a time when those around him would see him for the person beneath the heritage. I wanted to give him a better future, a chance at life. However, fate declared my death before my dreams could be realized.'
"What do you mean?"
'I was ill, and it was slowly killing me. I could feel my end approaching, and nothing could stop it. So, I changed my plans. In a desperate bid for giving him acceptance, I brought Seymour to Zanarkand, despite his youth, and offered myself to Yunalesca. I became this Fayth, his Final Aeon, the means by which he could gain in death what had been denied him in life. I wished for him to defeat Sin, and become a High Summoner, honored by all of Spira regardless of his origins.'
"But he didn't," Harry whispers. "I'm disgusted that you were forced so far for so little, but the fact that it was even needed angers me more."
'No, stranger, do not cast your anger at those that did not know. My plan was flawed from the beginning. I see now that it would never have worked.'
"What makes you say that?"
'Time. In my desperation, I could not trust those around me to care for my son. None of them were loyal to me, and only Tromell, an old man, would interact with Seymour with any length. How could I trust him to watch over my son after my death? No, I took the coward's path, and destroyed Seymour's only source of love and affection. I did not foresee the effect it would have on him, not then.' Anima brushes away a tear. 'Something in him broke that day. He fled from Zanarkand, returning to Baaj until Jyscal deigned to return him to Guadosalam. A lust for power and the belief that life is suffering has warped him into something I no longer recognize when he visits. It has sent down the path of destruction, and he has started with his father.'
"Let me help." The simple phrase causes Anima to falter for a moment. "Let me repair the damage caused by Seymour as per my duty. You no longer need to be burdened by his sins."
'You know not what you ask, stranger. You are still a child.'
"Harry." Seeing Anima's confusion, he elaborates, "My name, it's Harry. And I am no child."
'Harry, I thank you for the offer, but I do not know what you can do to help. The only salvation remaining for my son is death.'
"Death is not the end, you know. Even here in Spira, there is something after. I could give you a glimpse."
Anima shakes her head slowly. 'No need, I already know what awaits him.' She takes a tentative step forward, as if testing if she can. After a moment, she continues, walking up to Harry and placing a hand on his shoulder. 'I grant you my power, Harry. The Dark Aeon Anima is yours to command. Grant my son the peace that I never could.' The Fayth flashes brightly, again temporarily blinding Harry with the intensity. 'Spira's fate is in the hands of another, but Seymour's is now in yours.'
A faint buzzing in the back of his mind alerts Harry to a change in something. Spira is in the hands of another, eh? Shaking his head to clear it, he finds himself alone in the Chamber. With a final bow, he turns and leaves. A negligent wave of a hand dispels his runic array behind him. With one last look around the small room, he Apparates back to where he split off from Rikku.
An explosion rumbles through the ruins, shaking loose stones from their perches and sending a flock of birds shooting off from the top of the dome. I've a bad feeling about this. Taking off running, Harry makes excellent time, reaching the dome in about a minute. The scorch marks, ruined door, and screech of metal on chitin reveal the location of the Al Bhed.
Harry rushes through the opening, catching sight of a large fiend, a variety of Blade, lunging for Rikku, a stranger with blond hair and a familiar energy on the other side. Without thinking, Harry's left hand snaps up, releasing a sickly green bolt of energy. It punches through the fiend, bursting it into a mass of pyreflies. Lowering his hand, he asks, "What the bloody hell is going on here?"
Rikku spins around, a smile on her face. She runs over to Harry, rambling, "Harry! Lyh oui pameaja ed? Ra fyc vekrdehk y fiend frah fa pmaf uvv dra tuun, cu E dumt dra udranc E fuimt ramb res uid! Yht fa fana cu…" Harry raises a hand, cutting her off.
"Did I hear that correctly?" he asks, turning to the other Al Bhed, standing just inside the large atrium. "You were just going to let her fight a Blade with her only help being an unknown?" he asks, voice low.
"Cra cyet cra fuimt ryhtma ed," Keyakku mutters.
"You have guns," Harry says. "Bloody use them, next time." Turning his attention back to Rikku, he opens his arms, gathering her into a tight hug. "And you, don't go trying to kill yourself until I've had a long, long time with you."
"E ys cunno, Harry," she says, nuzzling into his chest. "E muja oui."
A sharp gesture from Harry sends the other four Al Bhed out of the room. Glancing over at the stranger, Harry catches his eye. The wary expression is easy to read, and the feeling of familiarity strengthens. Releasing Rikku from his embrace, he addresses the stranger. "Come here so we can talk."
The stranger, leaning on his sword, narrows his eyes. "Why should I trust you?"
Caution is a good thing to have in these parts. "Because I hold all the power right now, and I haven't tried to kill you," Harry retorts. "Honestly, I just want to talk."
Grumbling, the stranger straightens and takes a few steps closer. "What do you want to talk about?"
Harry smiles. "First of all, I'd like your name. Then maybe why you were in these abandoned ruins."
The stranger stares for a moment before answering. "Tidus." He brushes some dirt off his shorts, adding, "I have no idea why I'm in these ruins. All I know is that I was playing some blitzball and then some huge fiend destroys my home and now I'm here."
Harry gives Tidus a once-over, showing interest in his asymmetrical style. Haven't seen that style among the Al Bhed, and the rest of Spira is either too tropical or religious to wear that. "Where are you from?"
"Zanarkand. I was the star player for the Abes of A-East."
Rikku opens her mouth to say something, but Harry places a finger on her lips. "So, that's what it is," he murmurs. "You're the one the Fayth mentioned."
"Um, what?" Tidus asks. "What are the Fayth?"
Harry shakes his head. "You wouldn't know, not if I'm understanding this correctly." Tilting his head slightly to the left, he says, "Tell me about your Zanarkand, Tidus."
"My Zanarkand? That's a strange qualifier, there."
"Humor me."
"Okay," Tidus says, sitting down on a nearby chunk of stone. "Zanarkand is a huge city, filled with technology and lights and buildings that reach the sky, and the people are always busy doing one thing or another." His eyes lose focus, as if he's seeing Zanarkand instead of the Temple. "In the center of the city, a temple doubled as the meeting place for the government officials. Next to that was the Blitzball Stadium. I spent much of my time there after my old man disappeared. Hell, even when my dad was around, my mom and I went to see every game that he played.
"From there, the city was split into four sections: North, East, South, and West. Those sections were further split into blocks: A, B, C, and D. The central blocks, A and B, were mostly businesses. C and D were homes, with D block also including the docks. I lived in a houseboat in D-East, despite playing for A-East.
"We never strayed too far from the city, the seas becoming more dangerous the further you go. We also rarely saw outsiders; Auron was actually the only one, and he arrived almost nine years ago. He watched out for me, you know, after my mom died. Something about keeping a promise he made to my old man…" Tidus trails off. For a moment, he just sits there, staring into nothing. Suddenly, he flinches, and his eyes refocus on the here and now.
Harry smiles, asking, "So, were any of these outsiders Al Bhed?"
"Al what now?" Tidus frowns. "Those guys back there? No, I'm fairly sure I'd remember seeing someone like them."
Rikku nudges Harry and whispers, "E ghuf fru Auron ec! Ra ec y vysuic Kiynteyh!"
Harry raises and eyebrow. "Is that so?" He exhales slowly. "Tidus, this may come as a shock to you, but Zanarkand was destroyed around 1,000 years ago."
Tidus leaps to his feet. "What?! The hell kind of trick are you playing?"
"No trick," Harry says, raising his hands to placate the young man. "Zanarkand is a city of ruins, but your Zanarkand is as real as you are."
"I'm pretty damn real, buddy! I'm standing right here!"
"My point exactly." Changing the subject, he asks, "You know Auron, then? He's rather famous around Spira."
"Famous? He never told me that," Tidus mutters. "He just showed up one day, coming and going, always keeping an eye on me. He gave me this sword, too. Said it belonged to my old man."
"Fa yna ymsucd vehecrat fedr dra caynlr. Fryd yna oui kuehk du tu fedr res?" Harry turns toward the blasted doorway to see Keyakku and Lassu standing there.
"Pnehkehk res fedr ic," Rikku says with a smile. "Ra sekrd pa kuut vun etahdevoehk cusa machina."
Keyakku pinches the bridge of his nose while Lassu scowls. Tidus, on the other hand, starts spluttering, "Huh? Hey, wait! What are you talking about? I haven't agreed to anything, yet!"
Rikku turns and smiles brightly. "So you'd rather stay here and get eaten by a fiend?"
"Yes! NO! I mean, no," Tidus says quickly, "I'd rather go with you than stay here. I just thought I'd get a…Wait a minute, you could speak to me the whole time? Why did you make me look like a fool back there?"
"Entertainment," Rikku says, taking Harry's hand and beginning the walk back to the platform serving as a staging area.
Harry spares a glance back at Tidus. "Don't worry, she did the same to me the first time we met."
"Oh, joy," is the only response.
The three make quick time getting back to the platform, seeing a scattering of salvage being cataloged by Mezo and Darrik upon their arrival. A short greeting is exchanged between the two and Rikku while Harry leads Tidus to the edge of the platform.
"You're a blitzer, so you know how to swim, right?" he asks, glancing over at the slightly older teen.
Tidus frowns for a moment before striking a pose, saying, "Of course! I was the star player for the Abes, after all!"
Athletes, Harry sighs and pushes Tidus into the water. "There's the boat. Start swimming," he says, pointing. "Rikku will be right behind you." Turning to Rikku, he makes a vague gesture towards the boat. She nods in reply. With another sigh, he twists on the spot, Apparating to the salvage ship with nary a sound.
Landing in a crouch next to Urik, he wraps an arm around the bird before dropping down to the deck below. Urik, accustomed to such treatment, squawks once in indignation, then returns to being silent. Releasing the bird, Harry walks up to the bow of the ship to watch Tidus's progress through the water. As expected, Urik settles himself on Harry's shoulder, his claws digging into the muscle due to the missing pauldron.
Brother waves from his spot at the bow, also accustomed to Harry's unique method of travel. "Fryd pnehkc oui pylg cu cuuh, yht fedruid Rikku?"
"We found something that might make life a little easier," Harry replies. "In fact, that would be him, right there," he adds, pointing to Tidus.
Brother scowls, staring at Harry. "Oui yna pnehkehk y cdnyhkan uhdu uin creb? Yna oui syt?"
"Nope," is Harry's glib reply. Tossing a rope over the side for Tidus to pull himself up, Harry says, "I know what I'm doing, Brother. Besides, have you ever known me to do something without cause?"
Brother remains quiet, giving Harry all the answer he needs.
Seeing Tidus crawling up onto the deck, Harry lends him a hand, hauling him up to his feet with surprising strength. Tidus stares at him as he reaches back down and pulls up Rikku with seemingly no effort. "How strong are you?"
"Not sure," Harry replies, turning around. "Now that you're here, let me do some introductions."
Tidus nods, then freezes mid-movement. "Wait, how did you beat me to the ship?" When Harry opens his mouth, Tidus adds, "I didn't see or hear you jump into the water, so I know you didn't swim."
"Magic," is the reply, delivered with a smug grin and knowing wink. "Anyway, introductions!" Harry leads Tidus over to Brother, saying, "Tidus, meet Brother. Brother, meet Tidus. Rikku found him in the ruins."
Brother spares a glance at Rikku before examining Tidus. "Tu oui dnicd res?" he asks.
"Ra ec dnicdfundro ahuikr," Rikku replies.
"And I agree," Harry adds. "Besides, the Fayth trust him."
That statement throws Brother for a loop, and forces Harry to explain the events surrounding his meeting with Anima. During the explanation, Harry notices Rikku lead Tidus into the ship, likely showing him an empty cabin he can use. It takes a few minutes, but he finally finishes and takes his leave.
Opening the door to the commons, he runs into Rikku on her way out, sans diving suit and a smile on her face. Not giving him a chance to react, she grabs his hand and drags him to her assigned cabin. "I showed Tidus to your cabin."
"Oh?" Harry spins Rikku around to see her face. "And what was his reaction?"
Rikku pulls Harry down into a kiss. "He assumed you were staying with me for the rest of the trip." Another kiss. "And I intend to make that assumption true."
An hour later, both Harry and Rikku are cuddling on her bed, ruffled but still clothed. A knock on the door heralds Brother, who pokes his head past the door to say, "Dra udranc ryja nadinhat. Fa yna raytehk vun dra yencreb, huf." Harry gestures vaguely to both show he heard and to shoo Brother away.
It takes twenty minutes to get there. Twenty minutes spent in much the same fashion as the previous hour.
F_ F_ X
In a surprising turn of events, the airship ends up being along the return path to Bikanel, fueling Harry's amusement and causing no end of grief for Brother. Adding to Brother's grumbling, the rain worsens, turning from a simple drizzle to a full on thunderstorm, with thunder crashing every few seconds. The few Al Bhed on the deck huddle under large tarps spread out to provide some shelter from the rain.
The door leading to the interior opens, revealing Harry and Rikku. A flash of lightning illuminates the dark waves, causing Rikku to latch onto Harry's arm with no intention of letting go. Tidus, right behind them, looks on with some concern.
"Is she going to be alright?" he finally asks after the fourth crash of thunder.
Harry frowns. "I'm not really the one to tell you, but since she's currently unable to do anything, I will." Another flash of lightning forces Rikku further into Harry's presence. "She has a fear of lightning stemming from her childhood. While swimming, she was attacked by a fiend and was caught in the Thunder spell that drove it off."
"Ouch," Tidus winces in sympathy. "I can understand that, I've got my own childhood issues. Most of them revolve around my drunkard father, though."
Harry flashes a sardonic smile. "Well, seems to me that all three of us have unresolved childhood traumas." At Tidus's questioning glance, he adds, "My relatives ignored me for much of my childhood after my parents died. They didn't hate me, but there was no love, either. They acknowledged my presence and tolerated it, but that was as far as any interaction went."
Tidus turns away, trying to hide a wince. "Sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
Before Harry can respond, Brother walks up, holding a pair of goggles. "Bid uh draca kukkmac. Drao femm ramb oui eh dra niehc." He thrusts the goggles out toward Tidus to punctuate his statement.
Tidus stares blankly at the offering. Glancing at Harry, he says, "What."
Harry shakes his head, the previous mood dispelled. "He wants you to wear the goggles. You're helping with the salvage, after all."
"Don't have a choice, do I?"
"Not really. Brother feels that this will be the best way you can assist us to repay our helping you in turn."
Tidus continues to stare blankly at the now vibrating goggles. Sparing a glance up at the equally vibrating Brother, he asks, "Why goggles, though?"
Harry shrugs. "No real reason."
"Then I'll pass," Tidus says. "I was a blitzer, you know. I don't need the goggles for a little swim."
Harry shakes his head, smiling. "Take them anyway. You might not need them, but they are a gift."
Tidus continues to stare uncertainly at the goggles for another moment before finally taking them. He puts them on, tightening them properly, and then he slides them down around his neck. "Thanks, I appreciate the gesture."
Brother nods and returns to his previous spot toward the bow of the ship. Harry clears his throat to redirect Tidus's attention. "Has anyone told you what we're doing?"
Tidus scowls, crossing his arms. "What do think? You and Rikku are the only two I can actually talk to since I don't understand Al Bhed or whatever, and neither of you explained it to me before you disappeared to your room and ignored everything else."
"Sorry, sorry," Harry says, clearly not sorry in the least. "I guess I just assumed Rikku had given you a basic rundown when she dumped you in my room." Rikku halfheartedly jabs her elbow into Harry's side, drawing a chuckle. "In essence, there is an airship somewhere in or around the ruins that sit beneath us. We're going down to try and activate enough machina to be able to locate the airship and lift it to the surface for towing. With me so far?"
"Yeah, airship, ruins, go down, start stuff, raise airship," Tidus lists, nodding.
"Well, at least I know you were listening." Harry squeezes Rikku's shoulder, adding, "We three are going to be heading down into the ruins while another group prepares the crane and other equipment for raising the airship itself. Ready to go?"
Tidus smirks and hops onto the railing. "Ready as I'll ever be!" he says, jumping off into the water.
Harry and Rikku quickly follow suit, a Bubble-Head charm applied to both. Before he can dive under, Harry casts one for Tidus, too.
"What's this?" he asks, pointing to the bubble of air around his nose and mouth.
"A spell I use for when I'm heading underwater since my skill at holding my breath is subpar. It allows you to breathe and even talk while underwater for an indefinite period of time," Harry explains. "Since I'm not sure how long this will take, I figured better safe than sorry."
They then dive under. A large chain, fired from the ship to anchor it to the ruins, leads the trio down into the depths of the ocean. Groups of piranha fiends swim by and harass them, but they don't stick around long enough to cause any injury.
The ruins themselves appear to have been some sort of factory or similarly purposed structure. They also extend into the cliff, with corridors and chambers poking out from the rock. The exposed corridors are enclosed with a metal grid, likely used to help keep fish and other swimming fiends out. An open access hatch on the top of one of the chambers provides the trio an easy entrance point.
Harry swims in first, followed by Rikku and then Tidus. A control panel sits in front of the door leading deeper into the facility. Harry scowls at it as he feels that it's mocking him and his lack of skill with the ancient technology.
Tidus nudges Harry and gestures to the panel. "I can get this door open," he says. He swims up to it and begins looking it over. After a couple of minutes, he starts tapping various buttons that light up. "This is a maintenance room, the screens along the ceiling are there to show where the problems are, while this panel is able to activate or shut down various functions for the immediate area." He turns back around as the door slides open. "What?"
Both Harry and Rikku are slack-jawed. Tidus, a person who comes across as a jock, is now able to use machina that would have left them stumped for weeks? The knowledge astounds them.
"Just because I'm a blitzer, it doesn't mean I don't know how the maintenance works. I talk to people, especially those that kept my stadium up and running." Seeing the continued disbelief, Tidus shakes his head and lowers himself down into the chamber below.
The chamber, circular and ringed with support columns, contains a central platform, also ringed by columns. An empty spot above the platform leads to a lowered section of the ceiling, likely where another bit of machina once stood. Directly opposite, another open corridor leads further in.
The three follow the available path, noting that it ends rather abruptly in another round room. In the middle of the room, a collection of wires and hollow tubes connect to a container holding an inert crystal. Once again, Tidus swims up and looks it over.
"The crystal is out of alignment," he concludes. "The only method we have to fix it is to knock it back into place." He then proceeds to do just that, banging heavily on the container and jostling the crystal just enough to reorient it.
A faint glow emanates from the crystal, and the wires and tubes start pulsing with energy. A ring of eight lights turn on underneath the container, shining onto the floor below. A rumble starts echoing through the ruins as a portion of the floor begins spinning clockwise, ringed by another sixteen lights, these facing up. Other parts of the ruins begin lighting up, too, so the three begin the return back to the ship.
Swimming down the corridor, they can see the room they first entered. The empty spot is now connecting the platform with the ceiling via a controlled pulse of electricity.
"Don't get too close to the middle," Harry says. "Stick to the edges. That doesn't look very safe."
"The columns will prevent the electricity from reaching out into the rest of the chamber, filled with water or not, by drawing in any stray current," Tidus supplies. "It's part of what kept the workers here safe, despite the whole place being built underwater."
"Well, that's nice," Harry mutters. "Still, we don't want to test them quite yet, not after so long being powered down and exposed."
They enter the room, and start around the edge, keeping their eyes on the center. Their focus almost becomes their undoing when an octopus-like fiend, a Tros, drops from a hidden area of the ceiling.
Immediately, and without any conscious thought, Rikku throws a grenade at the Tros, the concussive force knocking it back into an outer column. Tidus follows up, swinging his sword into a tentacle to try and remove it. Unfortunately, the Tros's thick skin prevents the sword from cutting completely through. Tidus yanks the blade back and retreats. The Tros swims around to the other side of the central columns, watching the trio closely.
"Pincer attack?" Harry asks, glancing at Rikku.
"Yeah, I'll take Tidus to harass him from one side, you take the other," she replies, grabbing Tidus's arm to pull him with her.
Splitting up forces the Tros to split its attention, and Harry uses that to his advantage. He begins tossing out simple spells to draw that attention to him and away from Tidus's sword, allowing Rikku to get another grenade thrown. The push from the exploding object produces an opening for Harry to cast a Cutting Curse, removing two tentacles and gouging into the armor plating on the Tros's head. Tidus follows up by stabbing into the damaged armor, lodging his sword deep into the fiend's flesh. Another grenade from Rikku lands next to the sword, and the resulting concussion rips the sword and kills the Tros, releasing a torrent of pyreflies into the water.
"Phew, that was close," Tidus remarks from his position near the floor. "That first grenade also blasted a hole in the outer wall."
"Guess we have a new way out," Rikku says. She points up to the ceiling, adding, "The maintenance hatch closed when the Tros swam through."
Swimming out through the new entrance, they notice that several lights on the outer surface of the facility are active, tracking a few of the large fiends nearby, including another Tros. Further down the cliff, the airship they arrived to salvage perches precariously on a narrow ledge. Several lights focus on it, illuminating a startling lack of damage to the hull. Indeed, other than a thin layer of plant growth, nothing is visually wrong with it.
The trio swim back to the surface, leaving the rest of the salvage to the second team. Once back on the deck, Brother approaches Harry. Rikku takes the opportunity to split off and head into the ship's interior. Tidus, uncertain of what to do, heads inside after her.
After explaining the events in the ruins, complete with how Tidus was instrumental to restarting the machina so quickly, Harry slips inside to find his wayward friend and new information source. He finds them both in the common area, Tidus gulping down a bottle of water with a half-eaten plate of food in front of him. "What happened to him?"
"He was eating too fast and started to choke," Rikku replies with a laugh. "Maybe this'll teach him to chew first!"
"I doubt it." Harry sits down next to Rikku and pulls her into his side. "So, Mr. Machina, what else do you know about what we saw down in those ruins?"
Tidus sets down the bottle and tilts his head. "Well, the main room, the one with the exposed circuit? It actually needs the water to be able to regulate the flow of power through the rest of the facility. When the water is able to conduct better, then the facility needs to store the excess. Usually, it means that an unusually large fiend is approaching, and the outer section is sealed off. Zanarkand had one similar, but I never really had much to do with it. They were researching something down there, although I have no clue what it was."
"Anything else you can share?" Rikku adds.
"Well, the crystal is only one of several. They keep them scattered throughout the facility. That way, if one fails, another one will be able to pick up the slack." Tidus scratches the back of his head. "I'm guessing the other crystals were damaged or removed at some point, which is why nothing was working."
Tidus continues his explanations for several minutes, expanding on various machina and how they were used in Zanarkand. He includes details about other aspects of Zanarkand, too, weaving together a picture of his life before Sin struck and destroyed everything.
The conversation is interrupted by Brother entering to announce that the second group had begun to start lifting the airship. He drags Rikku and Harry out to help operate the crane while the other team sheds their diving suits. Tidus follows along out of curiosity.
With everyone on the deck and the crane reeling up the airship, the shock of something bumping into the hull comes as an unexpected, and unwelcome, surprise. A wave of dread crashes over Harry as he and Keyakku catch sight of the cause. "SIN!"
"Sin ec rana!"
"Ihtan ic!"
A wave of water rages over the sides of the boat as Sin begins to surface beneath the ship. The force of the water throws everyone off their feet, and a few unlucky members are swept right off the deck and into the roiling waters below. Crates slam into the railing and the crane, almost forcing Harry from his perch.
Just as soon as it arrived, Sin leaves, diving back into the depths, taking with it those who couldn't hold on. Harry scans the deck, looking for Rikku and Brother. He finds both of them, huddled near the door below-decks, but the shaggy mop of blond hair and asymmetrical clothing that marks Tidus is missing.
Leaping from the crane, Harry lands next to Keyakku. Helping him up, he asks, "Did you see Tidus?"
"Sin duug res. Ra ec kuha," Keyakku says, shaking his head.
"Damn! I was hoping to be able to help him get back home." Harry goes around to each of the others, steadying them and healing any injuries. After attending to what he can, he asks, "Who all is missing?"
Brother slumps against the door. "Fa mucd drnaa: Mezo, Homil, yht Darrik."
"Then we need to make sure that they are remembered." Harry heads to the crane, disconnecting the heavy chain leading to the submerged airship. He then opens the door, causing Brother to fall on his back. "Inside. We'll leave the airship for another crew. We need to return and report to Cid what happened."
No one bothers to dispute the obvious orders, and so they all file inside and start the ship heading back home.