Necromancy For Fun And Profit.
An Epic Quest sequel.
A/N: Yay! The not-so-long awaited sequel!
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1 nor Atlantis, I also do not own Final Fantasy Ten or Ten-Two. Oh, I also do not own any of the other series that may have cameos within this fic.
I do however, own the minor characters Priest Lanemt, Xobb, Tanya, Chris Hether, Major Kally Lisette, Lieutenant Zane Roston, and Doctor Sven Cormac. Also, Xander, Tara, Skye, Souron, Kayden, Becca, Batalax and Nysa are based off of real people, but I do not own them, except for Nysa, who is me.
Prologue.
Years Gone By
-
-
-
-
-
-
To Nysa Croft, Becca Croft & Ophelia Batalax.
Date: August 11th 2008.
I don't really know how to start this, I'm not sure if you guys will even get this message. I guess, ... Hmm. It's hard to write a letter to someone when you know they will most likely not even get it. But I'm hopeful all the same.
Where to start? I guess, the beginning would work for now.
It's been three days since the five of us left Spira. Bahamut lied, they all did. They didn't send us home. Sure, they sent us back to Earth, but this isn't our Earth. I have so many ideas swirling around in my head, none of it is making much sense. What if all the worlds out there are some sort of television or game series on our Earth? Did you know that Spira is in the Pegasus Galaxy? Probably not, eh. We went from a video game that I've never played, to a sci-fi television series that I've never seen. Souron has though, which is helpful. Kayden and Xander have seen bits too, but well, you know how they are. Not to mean any offense of anything, of course. But Xander is insane, and Kayden is a drug addict. You see me problem.
We were attacked the first day we got here by these things called Wraith, but we kicked ass. Although, in hindsight, we should have just stayed in our cell-like rooms. The people keep looking at us as if we're some sort of puzzle that they are just dying to take apart and rebuild to see how we work... not that people do that with puzzles, I don't think? Puzzles aren't usually taken apart as people know how they work, what with the little pieces that fit together and...Okay--- got off track. Sorry.
Xander made an enemy with the IOA. (as in they really don't like each other... they respect each other.. but not like... at all.) I don't know what that stands for, but they seem to nearly run this place... personally, I dislike the lot of them, they... well. I don't like them, let's keep it at that. In other notes, at the risk of sounding like an air headed blond... Ronan Dex? Total hotty. Too old for me, but amazing eye candy all the same. I think Skye, when she first saw him, forgot all about Souron... although that didn't last. Those two have been nearly inseparable since they met up in PhantomCastlegar.
Bit I digress. I've gotten distracted once again. (I may have had a couple too many ethers... maybe. Don't tell B! She'd never let me live it down after the hard time I always gave her about overusing Haste. Lol.) Er... where was I?
Right, It's been three days since we left Spira. Ronan said that he and his team would go to Spira and deliver this message, Xander should be with them, but that's not finalized yet. I'm still thinking about it, if they can't figure out how to get me back to my Earth, I'll probably be back on Spira soon too. Maybe. I'm not entirely sure if I remember the gate address right. I only heard Batalax mention it in passing. ... which is why I'm not sure if you will even get this letter.
Stupid Fayth. Stupid Bahamut. If only he had kept his end of the bargain, we wouldn't even be in this situation! Grr. I am Angryfied. Very. I've been trying to keep calm so as to be able to fully access my ...Frekrd sykel, (I think I did that right, my Al Bhed's a little rusty... from here on out I'll use the abbreviation WM.) but I am starting to lose my cool. Why doesn't anything ever go right for us? I mean, we spent most of the last year and a half fighting for our lives, fugitives on the run from an evil religion whose word is law. We were attacked multiple times by a dead guy... must I continue?
Oh yeah, Skye and Souron? Totally engaged. Least romantic proposal, ever. Instead of a ring, he proposed with a pipe fitting he had found on the floor, or at least, I think that's what it was. Skye demanded she get a real ring sometime in the near future though. The two of them are working on getting identities here... I think I'm the only one who's still actively trying to get home. I just... I want to go home. So bad. I don't even really remember why now. I don't think I'd be able to fit in there anymore... I mean, I don't think I can just... stand back and do nothing anymore, We've been fighting for so long, it's become second nature. I miss my teenage naivety and lack of combat skills. Sigh.
How are you guys? Did everything with Sin go according to plan? ...Did everyone make it out all right?... Oh, Skye wants to talk now. Here she is.
Hey guys! I'd give you a re-cap on what's gone around here, but Tara just did that, so instead I'll talk about other stuff. I'M GETTING MARRIED! OMFG! LOL. Who'd have guessed it? Okay, so the proposal could have had...some work, lol. But still, I'm so happy. Ee! Hahaha.
Tara really wants to go home, but honestly, I think this world has a lot more potential than ours, I mean, the technology is much better for one thing... and there are people who have been through things similar to what we've been through. We're not alone here... where if we were on our Earth, we would have to hide who we are and become the people we were... But we aren't those people anymore, and I think Tara is finally starting to realize that. Sides, going from magical heroes to high school zeros? Not my idea of a great time. ...Okay, so I'll admit, we weren't exactly zeros what with our group of friends being one of the largest in the entire school... but we would still have to repeat the year. Fa dumt dra baubma rana dryd fa knytat.... I think I spelt that right. Al Bhed... totally not my forte. Lol.
We have to go now, we're gonna hit the Cafeteria with the others. We love you guys, and we hope you get this message.
Love, Tara Adara & Skye Kane.
---
To Ophelia Batalax and Nysa Croft
Date: November 1st 2008
...Hey. Our last message didn't get to you. Supposedly the gate wouldn't connect. I hope you get this one... Gods I hope you guys are all right. It's been three months since we got here. Skye, Souron and I have an house in town now, we've even managed to find ourselves jobs. Skye works at a restaurant called O'Mallys, or something like that, I'm terrible with names, she can't serve alcohol yet though, as legal age is 21 here instead of 19 like back in C-gar. Souron managed to find a job as a mechanic, pretty high paying too.
Oh, and me? I'm working at the SGC as a nurse. They said if they can't find a way to send me home, they'll help me get a medical degree. That excites me. I never thought in a million years that I'd be a doctor. I mean, come on, me? A doctor? ... but here I am. It was a stroke of luck that I got this job too, SG-12 brought some illness back with them from PX—something rather, and it caused people to randomly break out into mass violence. It was basically as if someone had cast berserk and confuse on everyone, but for some reason, it didn't work on myself or Kayden, I think it may have something to do with the fact that we both work with WM. ... but anyways, back to my story, it didn't effect us, so we ended up single handedly (or double handedly, as there were two of us) fixing it and saving everyone. I really wish you (Nysa) had been here though, your alchemy skills would have been unbelievably helpful. As it stands, I've been trying to work on my alchemy sphere grid... but I just, don't have a knack for it. I mean, I can learn the alchemy attacks, but it doesn't do the same thing as when I learned WM and BM, I don't get the... information download.
None of us ever really talked about how the sphere grid worked, but for me (Once Priest Lanemt showed me what I had been doing wrong) it was as if, for each new skill in my chosen section that I learned, an almost encyclopedia amount of knowledge about the skill was downloaded into my brain. I mean, Once I got my sphere grid working properly... I know more about anatomy then I ever wanted to know; and not just for Humans either. I mean, I still need to learn how to do things without my WM, but I have an extreme advantage in that I know so much about the human body and how to fix it already. I'm actually very excited about this. I finally found my calling. :)
Oh, guess I should tell you guys about Xander and Kayden too... Well, the truth is, I'm not entirely sure. Kayden took off as soon as he got his new identity, none of us have seen him since. (My theory is that he's out looking to see if we have doubles here, but I could be totally off base... I mean, I've known Kayden for six years... and I still don't have the foggiest idea of why he does the things he does, lol.) Xander, on the other hand, is in the Pegasus Galaxy. He sends us messages as often as he can, but he seems pretty busy. Originally, he had went out there to return to Spira, but since that doesn't seem like an option right now, he ended up joining an SGA team. He's the youngest person working in Atlantis, but it doesn't seem to bother him... He has a crush on an older woman, a Jennifer Keller, but she's dating some Canadian science-y guy that Xander always complains about.
Anyways, I better go. I'll talk to you soon. I love you. Hopefully, some day we'll find a way to get this message to you guys.
-Tara Adara, Healer of the SGC. 3
---
Dear Nysa and B.
Date: January 19th 2009
Hi guys! It's me, Skye. I hope you guys are doing alright, like really. I miss you guys like crazy. You guys are supposed to be my bridesmaids! Grr, you guys better get this letter. It's been five and a half months since we got to Alter-Ego-Earth... personally, I'm really liking it, I feel so much more free here than I ever did back on our Earth.. Sure, I miss my family and friends... But I have Souron, and Tara, and I have you guys and Xander through mail.
Oh, in other news, Souron and I have set a date. Ee! I'm excited! It's set to June eighteenth, 2009. that's like... five months away! Omg. OMFG! I'm getting married in five months! Five fucking months! Can you believe it?
My job at O'Mallys is going great, I got a raise the other day, which is awesome. Not that we're not already pretty set. They gave us quite a bit of money to set up house and home here when they realized they wouldn't ever be able to send us back to our Earth... oh, did you know about that yet? ...Tara hasn't taken the news well, we just found out a month ago for sure. Tara has pretty much thrown herself into her schooling, we barely see her... so don't expect any letters from her for awhile. I'm gonna do what I can about getting Souron to write a letter... but I dunno if he actually will.
If you guys get this message... send a reply to the Atlantis outpost, and we'll see if they can bring you to Earth for my Wedding. You'd even get to ride on the dedalus! (Okay, I'm like ninety percent sure I spelled that wrong, but if you're as much of a Stargate fan as you always claim to be... You'll know what I mean. ..I hope. Lol.)
Umm... I think that's all for now. Bye bye. 3
-Skye Kane
---
Hey lame Spiran peoples, can't believe you haven't even sent us a letter back, I guess we aren't important anymore QQ oh well, just figured I would drop you two a note and let you know Skye and I are getting married, yay! =p wedding is June 19th, yes this June 19th, uhh what else, your probly both in the wedding party so it would be helpful if you got back to us, sooner rather than later mind. Ummm...... what else... maybe what's new... oh i'm making phat cash turning wrenches, Skye is making no money working in a restaurant (even though she got a raise), but she is having fun... surprise, Tara is never around because she's going to med school, yea I know med school? apparently. umm what else, we all miss you two loads, hope things are good with you Asemo and Luzzu, and I really hope things are good for you Nysa... we really do miss you guys, let us know you're both ok.
Write back soon........ or else...
-Souron
---
To Becca, Batalax and Nysa.
Date: May 2nd 2009.
Hey. It's me, Kayden. How are you guys? I've been busy. Sorry for not mailing you sooner. I found our others. They're normal and I don't like them. I'm not in Colorado Springs like the rest, I'm mailing this to them to mail to you guys. I'm on to something here, but I can't tell anyone yet. I have to go. Be safe.
-Kayden Croft
---
To Nysa, Batalax and Becca.
Date: June 17th 2009
Hey guys, I don't have much time to write. Med school is surprisingly easy, I think I have the Sphere grid to thank for that, even here on Earth it is constantly feeding me new information. I'm really glad I didn't throw my white mage grid away like Priest Lanemt said. I mean, I don't use it for my WM, but the information it gives me is amazing. They said I was a medical prodigy. I'm in such an accelerated program that I'll probably be finished med school within the next year or two. It's June 17th 2009 today, Souron and Skye are getting married tomorrow, (Which is why I have three days off school)
We've officially been on this Earth for nearly eleven months. There is no way for us to get back to our Earth. And even if we could, I no longer think it would be a good idea. We've been gone from that Earth since May 2007, and time moves much faster there, so we've probably been missing for around four or five years. If we went back... who would ever believe any of the stuff we've done? We'd be locked up in a mental ward. Sides, I'm a doctor! Me! Hahaa :D
I gotta go, Tanya, Cassie, and I are throwing Skye a party tonight, we kicked Souron outta the house. Hehe, we ordered strippers. (Tanya is a friend from Skye's work and Cassie is the daughter of the Doctor who used to be in charge of the SGC med ward. She was killed a couple years ago though.)
Souron is out with some of his friends for the night too. I'm almost afraid to see what he and John will get up to... (John is the clone of this General who used to be part of SG-1, he's awesome, I've only met him a few times though.)
-Tara Adara
---
Nysa and B.
Date: August 2nd 2009
Hi! I am officially Mrs. Skye ... uh, Kane. Yah yeah, I know. Souron didn't have a last name, so he took mine. It's a little weird but cool. He's now Souron Kane. LOL. We just got back from our honeymoon. The wedding was great, we invited a lot of people from SGC, even Xander showed up! That was a total surprise, he came with his team. Yeah, he has his own team. Zane, Kally and Sven, they are..... quite.. uh.. interesting? Lol.
But ya! The wedding went great. I was so nervous... but as soon as I saw him standing there... it's like, the rest of the world went away. How cheesy does that sound, but it was totally true. It was the best day of my life...I just, wish you guys had been here to see it. I don't even know if you guys are still alive. I try not to think about it, but the last time we saw you was right before you guys went to fight Sin. ...I hope you guys are all right. I can't believe it's already August second... in six more days, we'll have been here for exactly a year. It'll have been a year since we saw the two of you.
...I'm gonna go. I have to get to work in an hour and a half and I still have to shower, I also should tidy up some. Tara is coming home for the weekend. I can't wait till she's done with her schooling, I barely see her. She lives with her roommate Angela on Campus. But yeah, really gotta go. Love you guys!
-Skye Kane. 3
---
To Batalax and Nysa
Date: December 22nd 2009
Woo! Winter Vacation! Merry Christmas! I love school, really, I do. But a break is nice. Because of the accelerated program, I barely have time to sleep, let alone relax. I can't believe how much time has passed, and how quickly. I've got a boyfriend, his name is Chris Hether, he's twenty two, so he's not that much older, just two years. It's kind of awkward though... I hadn't realized just... how much I have to hide. I may have to break up with him soon though, as much as I like him... My cover story for my life is that I was home-schooled my entire life, in a small Canadian town... but Chris is from Canada, and he's been to Castlegar before... you see my problem.
Oh, I gotta go, Skye's calling. I think the three of us are going out to O'Mallys for dinner.
Love you guys.
-Tara Adara.
---
To B and Nysa,
Date: January 6th 2010
Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to meee! I am officially Legal Age! Woo! (This is Skye by the way.) Can't believe I'm 21 now... it's been so long since this journey started. I mean, I was 18 when we were brought to Spira.. you guys were 17.
Oh guess what? Kayden showed up on New Years. Something is off about him. He kept looking at us really strangely... as if, he was... I dunno, studying us? Creeped me the fuck out. Like really. He was gone by morning too. Didn't even leave a note. Jerk.
.. I don't really have much to say.
-Skye Kane.
----
To Nysa and Batalax,
Date: March 15th 2010
Yellow.
............................................. ok. You guys suck. Your supposed to say a color now. You guys need msn, or email, or you know, you need to get our letters and reply to them! ...what else, oh ya, i got a raise. and, Tara's BF, I don't like him, you guys wouldn't ether I'm sure. I don't really have much to say, Skye said to send you guys a letter so i am. Our wedding was great, we went to Spain for our Honeymoon. It's March 15th now, a year and seven months since we left Spira. Long time.
Write back this time!
-Souron
---
Date: April 30th 2010
Um. hey. You don't know me, but my name is Cassie Fraiser, I'm a friend of your friends. They don't know I'm sending this letter, but I figured if the two of you are anything like your friends here, I would like to get to know you. Hopefully, when you start getting all the letters your friends have sent, you'll give me a reply.
Thanks,
Cassie Fraiser
---
To Nysa Croft and Ophelia Batalax.
Date: May 22nd 2010
I'm done! Okay, so that's a lie, but I'm almost done, I've got four more months and I'm done Med School! Haha. How are you guys? I hope your as good as I am, which is awesome! 3
Chris and I broke up, but it was a mutual thing. Okay... so, it might have something to do with the fact that he's in jail for credit card fraud, or something. When I found out I just laughed.
Oh, did I tell you guys? I'm graduating at the top of my class with full honors? I'm excited! Finally, I'll be back to working at the SGC.
Well, I gotta go, Skye, Souron, John, Cassie, Tanya and I are going out to celebrate my good news! I love you guys!
-Dr. Tara Adara :D
---
Hey Spira peoples!
Date: June 19th 2010
S'officially a year since we got married, time passes fast like, don't it? We miss you guys, so you better reply to our letters soon. It's almost been two years since we saw you guys.
Waay too long. You guys really gotta mail us back, okay? I mean, you missed our wedding, you at least owe us a letter or apology! Right?
We don't actually have that much to say, just thought we'd drop the two of you a line or two. You had better reply this time, you hear me?!
-Souron and Skye
---
Xander carefully refolded the latest letter and placed it in a intricately carved box with the rest of the letters that would most likely never be sent. The letters had gotten shorter and shorter over the last two years. He moved over to his desk and sat down gingerly, he was still sore from his last mission, and he had run out of curative items months ago, unfortunately. He looked over his bare room and sighed, he missed his friends, a lot. Xander rest his head in his hands and shot the wooden letter box sitting on his bed a resentful glare, the rest of his group were so hopeful that the letters would eventually get through. They didn't seem to understand that if there was a malfunction with the Spiran Stargate... there was no one who would be able to fix it. They would never see Nysa and Batalax again.
That's not to say that he had stopped trying. He just... didn't try as often. They attempted to connect to the Spiran gate once every four to six months. In the beginning, it had been once a month. Makay always told him he was wasting time, and that the gate was most likely destroyed or something.
A swoosh sound was heard as his door opened.
"Xander... are you not feeling well?"
He lifted his head from his hands and smiled faintly, "I'm fine Teyla, just... reminiscing, I guess. I'm wondering how to word my next letter to my friends. I don't want to hurt them, but they are so hopeful that they'll be able to see Ny and Ophelia once again."
"I see." Teyla stepped further into his room, "But, would you not know unless you try? Maybe they have gotten their Stargate fixed?"
Xander forced a grin, "You are totally right Teyla! And knowing my friends, they're insulted we haven't visited sooner!"
"That's the spirit!"
Xander spun around in his chair so he was facing her fully, "Where's the lil' one?"
"He is getting a checkup with Dr. Keller at the moment."
"Oh, that cold still sticking with him?" Xander said. He frowned, little Torran Emmagen had been sick for the past week, and half the base was worrying themselves sick over it.
"Yes, but I am sure he will be fine."
Xander nodded vigorously, "You're right, of course. Like always. About everything. I should really go find my team, for the off chance that the gate does actually connect." He walked over to the bed once more and placed the letter box into his leg pouch. The rest of his team always gave him grief that he didn't need to carry a bag as his item pouches would hold anything no matter the size, and no matter what he filled them with, they never weighed more than ten pounds. Needless to say, he usually ended up with nearly all the equipment. He grabbed a piece of yellow fabric off his desk and tied it around his head. The bandanna and his chocobo bling were the only things from his Spiran outfit he still wore.
Fifteen minutes later found him and his team, Lieutenant Roston, Major Lisette, and Dr Cormac, standing in front of the Stargate.
"Dial the gate."
"Yes sir."
Xander watched as the chevrons locked one by one and closed his eyes to hide his disappointment when the gate died out seconds after it had been dialed... except that it didn't.
"Send a MALP."
Xander's eyes shot open and his jaw dropped. He met Teyla's eyes from across the room, and she just smiled enigmatically. "It connected?" Xander asked faintly.
"I guess it did, Kid. I guess it did." Cormac commented. Although he too seemed to be in shock.
"SGA-18, you have a go."
Xander couldn't hide his excitement and took off towards the gate at a run, his team followed a second later.
---
The site that greeted SGA-18 was one Xander hadn't seen in nearly two years. Guadosalam stood proudly beyond the gate. Immediately he activated his Com-sphere and hoped to Yevon that it would still work after all this time. "Batalax." he waited a few seconds but there was no reply. "Nysa?" Another few seconds passed with nothing happening. Faintly, an almost tribal drum sound was coming from all around them, it was silent enough that he almost had to strain to make it out, but noticeable enough that he couldn't help but hear it... it was kind of nice, actually.
"Who are you?" A large man demanded. He had appeared out of seemingly nowhere, causing all four SG members to reach for their P-90s. The man was overweight and had what looked like a giant shield or turtle shell attached to his back. He had a headband with a metal plate holding the symbol of Yevon tied around his head.
"Xander Payne." Xander pointed to himself.
"Zane Roston," He pointed to the tall blond Lieutenant.
"Kally Lisette," He pointed to the shapely brunette who was heavily armed, she was the only female of the group.
"And Sven Cormac." He gestured to the dark skinned doctor.
The mans eyes had widened upon hearing Xanders name and he barely noticed the rest of the instructions. "Xander Payne? Guardian to Majokage Ophelia Vanaid and Koorikage Nysa Croft?"
Xander mouthed the words Majokage, Koorikage, and Vanaid, shrugged, and nodded once lazily. "Yep. That's me."
"Oh... you must come this way, oh, how I do love irony!" The man grabbed Xander by the arm and dragged him bodily down the hill, the man babbled on and on the entire way.
Xander's team watched their youngest member get dragged away for a minute before they decided to follow, they had of course been briefed on Spira, but Xander was still their spokesperson for this mission, so it wouldn't be good to get separated.
As they walked, they noticed a group of heavily armed teens watching them warily. There were eight of them all together, along with two men who looked to be in their late twenties. All of them wore the same headband as the man who was dragging Xander.
Cormac was frowning severely as he watched the kids they passed by. "I don't remember Xander mentioning anything about guards, or anything of the sort."
The other two were watching Xander, more than they were the kids who were watching them, but Cormac could see that they both had their P90's in hand. "Heh, I don't think Xand has any idea what-so-ever who that is." Lisette murmured, her lips quirked into a smile.
"You think?" Roston replied sarcastically, as he too began to smile. It really was quite hilarious to watch their team member be dragged around like a rag doll, considering how on missions he always ended up dragging them around on his 'short cuts'. They nearly always ended up lost, but while lost, Xander had an uncanny ability to find things that would be useful to them, be it strange ancient technology they had never seen, to information on the Wraith that they hadn't come across.
"Hey! Hey, lemme' go, I can walk just fine on my own, thank you very much." Xander pulled his arm out of the mans tight grip and glared. His glare disappeared almost as fast as it had come, "Hey," he smiled down at the shorter man, "Got any spare potions?"
---
A couple hours later Xander and his team sat in front of a scantily dressed woman named LeBlanc, and her two lackeys; Logos, and the one who had brought them to Seymours old mansion, Ormi. Xander had been on edge ever since they entered the mansion, he wouldn't put it past Seymour to randomly show up and attempt to kill him, they had never truly finished him off after all. The last time he had been seen was when he attacked Nysa in PhantomCastlegar. The woman, along with her two lackies were also wearing Yevon headbands.
"So, you're saying they're gone, just like that, as in, no longer here?" Xander repeated what he had just been told. He tried to get his head around it and found that he just... couldn't.
"Yes. Do I really have to repeat myself? They just couldn't stand up to my amazing abilities as a sphere hunter... so they high tailed it out of here like the Dullwings they are. Your Summoners went with them along with some redheaded guy of no real importance." The woman sniffed inelegantly and stuck her nose in the air. Xander got the feeling that this woman was hiding something big, he just couldn't put his finger on what it was.
"By any chance, did you get the gate address they went to?" Roston asked.
The woman blinked stupidly for a moment, "Gate address?" She repeated, "They went through the portal to the Farplane... they're probably dead by now." she waved a manicured hand dismissively, as if she didn't care at all. Liar. Xander could tell that she was lying. He could also tell that she was more than a little concerned.
"Never mind then." Xander stood up from his chair so fast that it clattered loudly to the floor behind him. "We have a lot to get done, so if you will excuse us?"
The woman glared haughtily, "Fine, you may go." she turned her head in dismissal.
Xander just shook his head and gestured for his team to lead the way out. Once they were out of the stifling mansion, Xander leaned against the fountain in the square. "Well, that was a waste of time. The woman barely told us a thing about what we wanted to know, and yet, managed to talk for Five hours!"
Roston laughed and said, "I rather liked her."
Cormac, Lisette and Xander spoke simultaneously,"You would." All of them had the same dry inflection in their voices.
"Hey, can you blame me? You guys do have eyes don't you?" Roston argued.
"Yeah, we also have ears." Cormac quipped.
"So, where to now oh Famous Guardian, sir." Kally said, she leaned against the fountain next to him.
"Hopefully to somewhere where I can get some actual answers." Xander replied darkly. His eyes were wary as he took in the armed teens watching them.
"Oh, and we gotta get some of those item pouches you have, is it possible to get them in bulk?" Cormac asked eagerly. One of those pouches would be invaluable to him, he would be able to carry so much supplies...
"Our best bet would probably be to head to Luca... unfortunately, it's probably around a months worth of travel by foot, maybe more." Xander pushed away from the fountain and murmured "It's times like this I really miss Bahamut."
"A month? Do they not have any faster ways to travel on this planet?" Cormac asked.
"Nah, well, at least they didn't when I was here last, but things could have changed. The Al Bhed are the only ones who use technology on this planet, but the religion Yevon said that the Al Bhed were heathens, and that technology was the cause of Sin, which was this giant flying fish that could destroy entire cities within seconds. Needless to say, the Al Bhed were not well liked." Xander shrugged, and said, "But again, it's been nearly two years, things could have changed since then."
"So, where would we find out this information?" Lisette asked patiently.
"No idea. All the contacts I made are probably in Besaid, which is even farther away than Luca. ..wait!" Xander grinned and activated his Com-Sphere once more. "Becca."
"This is Becca... sort of."
"Sort of? No, never mind, I don't need to know right now. Do you know where your sister and Batalax are?" Xander paced back and forth in front of the fountain as he talked.
"Becca's sister and her friend took off months ago to places unknown, without saying goodbye to us, I should add, not that Becca was here anyways... but still. By the way, My name is Xobb, I'm in charge of the Spira outpost."
"Oh...kaaaay. Xobb. It's a... a pleasure to meet you. I've been out of contact for a while... like a couple years. Do you know if Machina has advanced enough that there is a faster way to get to Luca then by on foot?"
"Sure. There's a device called a Hover, and there are the shuttles. My somebody said that they are similar to an Auto- mobile from the planet Earth, just that instead of wheals, they float above the ground. You could also contact Taxi Cid or the Celcius, but I am unsure as to how. I need to go now, the food is on fire."
Xander blinked multiple times as the com-sphere shut off. "Ooookaaaay then. She gets stranger every single time I speak to her. Much, much stranger." Xander turned to his team,"Supposedly there is a vehicle called a Hover and something called a shuttle that should get us to Luca faster."
"Or," Roston cut in, "We could try not being total idiots."
"Hey!" Xander cried out indignantly. "I resemble that!"
Roston shook his head and sighed. "I'll go back to Atlantis and get a Puddlejumper."
"Oh." Xander tilted his head to one side and then the other as he made a show of studying Roston. Finally, he said, "He looks like Roston, and he sounds like Roston, but the words out his mouth were logical, something is really not right about this situation!"
Roston shot his team members a haughty glare, "I'll have you know, I am a tactical genius!"
"Right." Xander replied sceptically.
"Sure you are mate." Cormac said and laughed outright.
"I'm not even gonna say it." Lisette replied.
"I'll be back in a couple minutes." Roston ignored their light hearted teasing and made his way through the town and back up the hill towards the Stargate.
When the Puddlejumper came through the gate, Xander, Cormac, and Lisette found themselves held at gunpoint, and in some cases, sword point. "Who are you, and what is that machina?"
Xander blinked, he hadn't even seen them appear. Where they fuck had they come from? Last he had seen, the soldier wannabes had been by the fountain! "Name's Xander Payne."
"Oh Yevon..." The man activated his com-sphere. "Sir! This is Mervo Lantac. I'm standing by the Stargate with Xander Payne. What should I do?"
"Are the other Guardians with him?"
Mervo looked the group over and then looked at the ship, "I don't believe so, Sir."
"Find out where they are going, and then let them pass."
"Yes Sir." Mervo shut of his com, "Sir Xander, what brings you back to Spira?"
Xander shared a look with his team, "I'm looking for my Summoners."
Mervo looked slightly sad. "Head to Besaid, and when you touch down at the beach, tell Squad sixty five that Lantac sent you. It will grant you passage. If you are hailed while still in the sky, let them know who you are immediately, or you will be shot down."
Xander nodded dumbly. Why did he have a feeling that Spira had changed a lot in the last two years. Before, they could do damn near whatever they had wanted, and no one would care.. but now? This could be bad. "Is it alright if we make a stop in Luca?"
"Yes Sir." Mervo replied, "The Al Bhed Squad A is currently on patrol there. They will most definitely hail you while you are still in the sky. Again, tell them that Lantac has granted you passage. Once our Temp Leader gets out that you are here, and what your ship looks like, you will no longer have any problems, Sir."
"Thank you." Xander said.
---
Eight hours later the four members of SGA-18 had finished their shopping in Luca and were on their way to Besaid. Xander had noticed some huge changes as they flew. Such as cities that hadn't been there before, and airships flying to and from said cities. No one had given them problems in Luca, but he had easily noticed that they were followed by a group of armed teens the entire time they were there.
"There is no logical way for this to work, you know." Lisette said as she looked into her new items pouch for the fiftieth time in the last three minutes.
"I know." Xander replied.
"I mean, it's as if I'm looking into an empty room, not into a pouch the size of my hand."
"I know." Xander repeated.
"But, I don't get it, I mean, sure I've seen this before with your pouch, but still, how do they make them, and how do they make so many of them?" she continued.
"You know," Xander replied. His voice was slightly exasperated as he continued. "My friends and I, when we were first brought here, were a lot more accepting than you people are."
"Well, that's because you and your friends aren't geniuses of such a high caliber as us." Roston replied smugly.
Xander rolled his eyes but didn't comment. "We're here."
Cormac nodded once before he pulled the Puddlejumper to a slow decent. "It's beautiful, like a tropical paradise."
"There are flesh eating fish in the water...and birds bigger than the Puddlejumper that would like nothing more than to tear all humans from limb to limb. Oh, and there's the wolves and the elemental flans. But other than those things, the island really is quite homey." Xander replied.
"I think I'll stay in the Jumper." Cormac replied. He looked slightly green.
Xander burst out laughing but stopped when Cormac sent him a look filled with killer intent. "Cormac, it's really safe actually, I mean, I wasn't lying about the different fiends... but those fiends are some of the easiest things to kill on this entire planet."
"...I'm still staying in the Jumper."
"Fine, Doc. But remember, you stay here, you're all on your own, and everyone knows that in horror movies the black guy is always the first to go." Roston threw over his shoulder as he, Xander and Kally left the jumper.
Cormac grabbed his item pouch and followed the other three out of the jumper.
As they walked up the beach, Lisette gestured faintly with her head towards the cliff face. There was a group of armed men looking at them. This group looked slightly older than the groups they had seen so far. The men were wearing camouflage pants, black shirts, and green vests. They also had black headbands with metal plates that had the Yevon symbol. The men just nodded in their direction, so they supposed that meant they were fine to walk. Xander was growing increasingly worried though, as while he knew basic magic, and could fight it off, his team were normal soldiers with no special abilities. Well, at least not special in accordance to Spira.
---
As they walked, Xander noticed that like in Guadosalam and Luca, a the faint sound of music could be heard, only this time, he actually recognized the song as the Besaid Theme song. Akail had played it on his iPod. "Hey... Uh.." Xander stopped walking for a moment and looked towards the path on his right. "Do you guys mind if I take a quick detour? ...One of my friends, his name was Akail, I would like to..."
"But don't we got--"
"Roston, shut up." Lisette cut in. "Xander, go ahead. We'll be waiting right here, okay?"
Xander smiled slightly and took off up the hill to the right, as he left the clearing he overheard Lisette berating Roston, "Did you pay attention to the briefing on Spira at all? Xander's friend Akail was shot to death. I'm pretty sure it happened here."
Xander sighed to himself and continued walking until he came to the cliff face. There was a house built there that he was pretty sure wasn't there the last time he had been to Besaid. The house was a two story house made out of what looked to be a multi-colored metal. It had ruins carved all over it. Xander knew almost instinctively that this house belonged to Batalax. He knocked on the over sized metal door, but no one answered. There were also no lights, which didn't surprise him, but it had been worth a shot.
Xander walked to the left of the house to the cliff face, there was a small memorial stone set up. It had written on it:
Commander Natthan Akail, An American Hero.
December 10th 1989 to May 15th 2008 (Well, technically August 8th 2008 ...stupid unsent)
...He will be missed. Even if I am totally better than him at like, everything :D
We love you Akail. Feel free to haunt us again.
We'll never forget you. 3
"...Hey Akail." Xander sat down in front of the stone and placed a small pebble on top of it. "I'm sorry. We.. we should have known something was up. I mean, people don't just... come back from the dead and expect things to not have changed. Even in Spira there are some laws that must apply."
"You've got a pretty sweet grave stone though, it definitely looks like it was done by Batalax." Xander looked down the path towards where his team was waiting... where his friends were waiting. "I have to go. But... if you can hear me, I want you to know, you were one of the best friends I've ever had. I miss you. All of you guys actually." Xander stood up and brushed some grass off of his Atlantis uniform. He placed a hand on the stone for a moment before pulling it away, "Goodbye Akail." He turned and walked back down the hill without looking back.
His team was still waiting exactly where he had left them. "You ready to go?"
Xander nodded but stayed silent. He led them towards the path on the left and tried to hide his smile at his teams amazed expressions. As they walked over the bridges and past the multiple waterfalls, they began to near some of the ruins of ancient times. Xander was glad he still had one of Nysa's charm bangles. Course, he wasn't about to tell his team that.
"I said they're not here, ya! You know as well as I, they got stuff to do, you gotta contact the Sannin if it's urgent!" a voice shouted out from behind the next set of ruins.
Lisette raised one hand into a stop position, but Xander shook his head and continued walking. He had recognized the voice. "Wakka?"
Wakka's head snapped up and his eyes widened, "Sir Xander?"
The man beside him, a Yevonite by the look of him also looked shocked, "Sir Xander, it is an honor!" The man wore dark robes and held a staff in one hand. He also, like a lot of people Xander had seen today, was wearing a black headband with a metal plate with the symbol of Yevon.
"I'm sure," Xander replied politely, "Wakka, do you have a minute, I really need to talk to you."
The redhead nodded vigorously, "Of course, Senzo here was just leavin, ya?"
The man glared slightly, but nodded. "Of course."
They waited until the Yevonite was out of sight before they made their way back to the village. "So, Wakka... do you know where B and Ny are?"
Wakka looked down at his feet as they walked down the hill towards the village. "No... I'm sorry, ya?"
"You guys go check the place out. Here's some money," Xander reached into his pouch and pulled out some of the Gil he still had left after buying a couple item pouches.
"Thank you, Sir Xander." Lisette said with a smirk as she took the money.
Xander sighed, they were never gonna let him live this down. He followed Wakka into one of the huts and wasn't that surprised to see a pregnant Lulu sitting on a couch. "Hey Lulu."
"Sir Xander!" Lulu made to get up, but Wakka put his hand on her shoulder.
"He's come looking for the others."
"Oh." Lulu gestured elegantly for him to sit down in a nearby chair. "Eight months ago, Ophelia and Luzzu were called away by Nysa. I'm not sure exactly what they were up to, but two months after that, Rikku came and took Yuna. We heard rumors that Yuna had joined the Gullwings in Sphere hunting... and that Nysa, Ophelia, and Luzzu had formed their own group of Sphere hunters called the Terrans, and then, suddenly, around a month later, we stopped hearing anything. It was as if they had just... disappeared. Then, around two weeks after they had vanished, a sphere was found outside the portal to the Farplane. The last time they were seen... was four months ago. The Sannin know where they went, or at least they have the people believing that they do... But I do not know for sure."
Wakka opened a cupboard on the end table beside his chair and pulled out a sphere, "It's better if he just sees, ya?"
Xander reached over and grabbed the sphere gently. He activated it and started to watch the events.
Yuna was sitting on a bench with Rikku to her right, Nysa, Batalax and Luzzu were to her left. Behind Yuna stood a tall leather clad woman with silver hair, and two Al Bheds Xander recognized as Brother and Buddy. Behind Luzzu was Priest Lanemt from Djose temple. A shorter Al Bhed kid was crouched down next to the bench installing some sort of Machina. Yuna, Nysa, Batalax, Luzzu, Priest Lament, and the Al Bhed kid, all had the same headbands as he had been seeing all day.
None of the background looked familiar, all he could tell was that it was night time, and to their right was a staircase and a strange looking mailbox with a hat.
Yuna spoke up softly, "Hello. We are the Gullwings---"
"--And the Terrans!" Batalax cut in. She, Nysa, Priest Lanemt, and Luzzu all gave the sphere a victory sign.
"We are sphere hunters." Yuna continued as if she had never been interrupted, "please, if you find this sphere, send it to Lulu and Wakka of Besaid."
"You had all better stay in order while we're gone." Nysa said seriously.
"Sorry for kidnapping Yunie, but if I hadn't things would have been disasteriffic, ya know?" Rikku blurted.
"She was the most willing kidnappy victim in the history of kidnappy-ness!" Batalax said loudly. "But anyways, enough stalling, this sphere is kinda low budget so we don't know how much space we've got to record all we need to know... Err... I mean, all you need to know, cos we already know it, obviously, because we need to know it in order to be able to let you know it and..."
Luzzu interrupted her babbling with a kiss.
"Wish we had met Luzzu years ago..." Nysa said quietly. "Anyways, babbling aside, B was right, we, in fact, do not have much time. We are no longer on Spira. Kimarhi found a sphere awhile back... and on the sphere... well, we recognized the people. But the sphere hadn't been filmed on Spira, and it gave us a gate address, so Shinra, Batalax, Luzzu and I, along with an Al Bhed Tech team, went to work on fixing the Stargate; it had been unstable since... since, the last time it was used just before the defeat of Sin. So, anyways, here we are. We're safe, and we're on a mission, so don't worry okay?"
Yuna nodded assuredly. "I'm sorry for not saying goodbye, but I was afraid you would try and talk me out of it... I had to do this, okay?"
"We'll take good care of each other." Luzzu announced.
"If something big comes up that the Sannin can not handle, send a sphere to this gate address." Batalax held up a piece of paper in front of the sphere. "It's not where we will be, but it is where we can be contacted from. The council knew I was leaving, and Baralai has been left in charge."
"Same. There is not a single person from my FORCE who didn't know I was going on this mission. Gippal knows how to contact me."
"Nooj is more than able to handle the League in my absence." Yuna said passionately.
Suddenly, the sphere shifted as if someone had grabbed it, a voice was heard, it sounded like a young female. "Materia! Yeah! Mine now!" The sphere showed the confused faces of the Spiran group for a second more before the sound of a battle broke out and the sphere was dropped to the ground forgotten.
Black knee length boots came into sight. "Wait! Stop! Gyah! Don't kill each other!" Nysa shouted. Xander could see her come into full view once more. She bent down and picked the sphere up. "Guys, this is a friend of Sora's, her name is Yuffie. Yuffie, my name is Nysaria Croft, and these are..." the sphere vid went black.
Xander played the sphere again, and again, and again, until Wakka took it gently from his hand. Xander looked up, and the lost expression on his face was more heartbreaking than if he had been crying. Finally, he said, "After two years... I finally find a way back... and they're gone." he put his head in his hands, "They're gone.."
-
-
-
-
-
-