"This is it. This is your story. It all begins here."
— Auron
Monster.
Gippal liked to think that he was a genuine person.
"She looks really good."
So genuine, that it sometimes came out a bit…well…
"For a piece of shit."
Tactless.
Cid snorted into his soup, but Rin looked indifferent, flashing a noncommittal smile and wink to the said girl as she strode away crying, her short dress whipping up high above her knees as she ran, catching more than a man's eye.
"She was my best girl."
Gippal rolled his eye.
"I'm sure you keep the best ones to yourself."
Another noncommittal smile.
It was the end of the party for the Machine Faction, and the gathering had not disappointed. Rival companies wore pained smiles and drunk couples fondled under the low tables.
A typical Al Bhed party.
At a back table, not to close to the bar, but not so far away that it was a pain to get drinks, sat three men in what could best be described as casual formal wear. A bald man sits between the younger men, his white and blue pinstripe suit stained with dribbles of food and drink. He was well past intoxicated, but only his dear friends could tell. To his left, sat a Don Juan archetype, his unbuttoned top revealing a toned chest. An aloof smile graced his handsome features, with soft strands of his long blonde hair poking out from his ponytail to frame his face. Slim, expensive looking pants graced his long legs, which were always poised to stand up from the table in order to beg a lady for a dance. Completing his air was a half-drained glass of wine, that was positioned to look as if he had been sipping on it all night.
As the eyes pan to the right, they are met with an almost opposite sight of the Don Juan. This man is tall and reserved. His sharp features and prickly blond hair are reminiscent of the booming lightning outside. He wears a black eye patch that appears to have been bordered with gold for the occasion, the only accessory with his simple suit. His black suit jacket is folded loosely behind his chair, and the white shirt has the first two buttons unbuttoned carelessly, showing off his protruding collarbones if he leans to far over. Simple trousers and work boots complete his look, which could almost pass as a regal mechanics uniform. He slouches in his chair, uninterested and fidgeting.
"Rin," He begins, leaning forward now in hopes of appearing threatening, "I thought you had some important news for us. News concerning my machina."
Rin sighed heavily, sending his loose blond strands everywhere. "Must everything be about business? Can we not discus this at a later point? Perhaps after a few more drinks?" The moment the word fell from his lips, a woman appeared behind him, a greedy smile plastered on her otherwise charming face.
"May I get you a drink, sir?"
Flicking both his change and number out of a pocket that Gippal did not see, he placed them in the woman's eager hand and flashed his own unnerving smile at her as well. "A round for my friends if you don't mind. I fear we will be needing them. And then perhaps, I will need you, afterwords."
She giggled appreciatively and left in a rush, swaying her hips with a renewed purpose.
"The girl has to be eight years your junior." Cid slurred, patting Rin on the back in congratulations.
"I do what I can."
As both men laughed, Gippal huffed and made to stand up. He had no patience for the games that Rin played.
"Wait my friend. Fyed."
Unsure, he leaned done slowly, placing himself as close to Rin as possible.
"No jokes this time?"
Another sigh, and more blond strands in Gippal's face.
"I am done for now. And I apologize for playing on your feelings. This topic is quite serious."
Just then the woman from before appeared with several mugs, but Rin waved her off.
"For you and your friends."
Boldly, the woman leaned down and brushed his cheek with her lips. Taking it all in stride, Rin gently grazed her cheek with his hand, causing her to blush a lovely shade of pink.
"Go on now, my muja."
Strutting away gleefully, she yelled her friends over to a nearby table so they could celebrate her good fortune together.
"As I was saying," Rin began, turning back to his company with a somber expression, "the news is grave indeed."
Cid instantly sobered up and sat up straighter. He now looked commanding and wise, rather than a drunk old coot. Gippal stayed quiet, surprisingly.
"As you know, I have been sending out teams in efforts of exploration. We hope to map out the rest of our world, but it seems that already we are facing problems."
"It's to be expected." Cid replied, his expression more curious than scared. "Do you have anything in particular?"
"You are beating me to my point, amtan. Three months age a small research team of mine discovered a new continent, or island for all we know, about a few hundred miles away from Besaid. It was going completely fine, and I was receiving spheres twice a week. It's beautiful. Very lush, and very exotic."
"But what about dangerous?" Gippal interrupted. "Did they even consider locals?"
Rin nodded gravely. "They had thought it was too quiet, too good. But they had set up camp and begun studying the local greenery and fiends without any objection or run-ins. However, about one day before I was about to send out another team, I received a last sphere from them."
"Do you have it?" Cid asked, eyes searching his pockets.
Rin shook his head no. "Later, my friend. For now you will have to listen to me retell it. The recorder was one of my scientists; Lier was his name I believe. He was panicked, and during the whole recording it sounds as if something large is chasing behind him. He is rushing through the brush, passing by dead Al Bhed and ruined machina. He reached one of our carrier units, tosses it up, and then it goes black. He only utters one sentence, but does it repeatedly, the whole time: "Cusa cedmm meja."
"Some still live…" Cid repeated, leaning back into his chair, seemingly in awe and fear.
"Was he talking about your team, or the things following him?" Gippal pondered, leaning back in a similar manner.
Once again, Rin found himself shaking his head. "That is not the most disturbing part. All of the machina, if you look closely, appear to have been bitten."
"Machina being targets by fiends is nothing new." Cid commented.
"It does not appear to be a fiend attack, the shape of the dents, it almost appears, human."
"Have you considered the Ronso?" Gippal asked, just as Cid groaned into his hands.
"In a temperate climate such as that? I think not my friend. Besides that point, I have met many Ronso in my time, and none have been fiendish enough to fight with their teeth."
The men were silent for awhile, each sorting out the disturbing news. When Rin felt that Gippal had had enough time to think, and Cid enough drinks, he continued.
"I am putting together a small espionage team to go and investigate, and I am asking for a representative from each of the major donors in my project. Nooji and Baralai have already agreed to this, but I just need your opinions."
"Of course!" Cid replied, pounding the table with his fist. "Did you have anyone in mind? Should I tell Brother to fire up the Celsius?"
"Originally, I had immediately thought of sending in the crew with the Celsius, but this is more of an undercover mission. The crew will be taking a new machina of mine, an advanced ship that can go both on top of and under the ocean. I call her the Rekrfeht!"
"And I assume this machina of yours comes with a crew? Or should I be putting that together too?" Gippal deadpanned.
Rin laughed off the comment. "No, no. I will be sending with you the lead mechanic for the design. A lovely woman named Vidja. All I ask is that you two contribute to the crew of explorers."
"Are Nooji or Baralai going at all?"
"No Gippal, they have each decided that they are best suited to send in someone else. However, I find myself wanting someone with some…experience going."
Gippal shook his head.
"You can't be serious. I'm the head of the Machine Faction. Do you remember the last time I left?"
"Indeed I do. Your group was the only one that didn't break out into chaos. Rather, they did what they always did without you there, they worked. Nooji and Baralai are needed to control their groups, but you have yours so well trained, that they are able to do it without you."
Feeling flattered, but not allowing it to show, Gippal forced a frown.
"I'm not convinced. Who would stay in my place? A leader of sorts is needed."
"Cid."
"I would love too."
Gippal wanted to slam his head into a wall.
"When are we settin' off? I gotta give my team a heads up."
"Two days."
"Sounds great."
Was Gippal really the only one who had a problem with this? Was he the only sane Al Bhed here?
"I should start moving around then, huh?"
Both Cid and Rin stood up to shake hands to cement the promise, but Gippal stood put.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Both men turned slowly to look at him.
"I'm going to do it! But still…I have a really bad feeling."
Rin placed a bronze hand on the young man's shoulder and squeezed lightly.
"Fear and excitement are two sides of the same coin. I wish you good luck my friend."