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Forever is never Long Enough (Part 1)
Ava sat there for a few hours, listening to the hymn of the fayth… It was an unnerving sound, something that the woman had never gotten used to, not matter how many times she heard it. The soulful sound made her want to cry…
Back on the S.S. Winno, Ava had fled to the back of the boat, staring hopelessly up at the dark abyss of the sky. The seasickness returned with ease, but Ava refused to go find Yuna. She didn't need the woman, she didn't need to feel better. She just focused on counting the stars…
She was hungry… She hadn't eaten in three days and had exerted so much energy in her endeavor against sin, her fight against the Ochou and the Sin Spawn, she was growing weak. Weariness struck her, and it only intensified the rolling of the ship against the cruel, cruel waves. Nothing was going right for the woman, and it was making her very, very angry.
Nothing was going right. Hell, nothing ever did.
For a good while, she slipped in and out of consciousness. Counting stars in the waking gaps, until her dreams and reality blended into one…
"You see that?" The familiar voice of an old friend made her head swim and her heart jump. In her dizzy consciousness, she followed the ghostly outline of his hand, pointing up towards the sky, "That's the constellation for Yevon." She could hear the rare smile in his voice. He was enjoying this time.
Ava smiled, forgetting about the present to bask in the glow of an easier past. "Yevon gets enough attention, he doesn't need stars worshipping him now…" She nestled her head more comfortably against his lap.
"I suppose you would be the one to know. Perhaps you're right." Gentle, ghostly fingers touched her forehead, and brushed the hair from her face. She smiled even wider, "How are you feeling?"
She paused, just letting those fingers smooth over her skin, "Better," she said, "Much better." Ava looked up at the sky, seeking out a particular constellation, then pointed to it, "The Warrior and the Lover." She said.
There was a pause, then a light chuckle filled the night air, "Fitting." He said.
"What's fitting?" The foreign voice startled her out of her dreamed reality, and Ava sat up suddenly.
"Huh, what?"
Yuna stood a few feet away, head canted to the side, staff in her hands, watching the woman with curious amusement. "What's fitting?" She blushed, then giggled, "I'm sorry, you were talking in your sleep, I couldn't help but listen."
Ava wondered if this might constitute for eavesdropping, but shrugged it away and dropped back down to the desk. The world spun for a moment above her before it all came back into focus, "Oh," she said after a pause, "I suppose. I was just, thinking about the constellations."
Yuna sauntered up, then moved to sit down with a soft, "Oh." She looked up at the sky, "Which one?"
Ava searched the sky a moment before she pointed at the right group of stars in the abstract, and ambiguous shape of a man and a woman standing back to back, "The Warrior and the Lover." She paused, "Do you know the story?"
Yuna shook her head, and her dual hued eyes turned to Ava in wonder, waiting to hear the story.
"The Warrior has been a constellation for as long as anyone can remember. He was alone for centuries, watching over the mortal world. It wasn't until after Sin was created that a Summoner came, of such beauty and purity that he could only wish to watch her from a more personal space. Thus, the Warrior descended unto the realm of the mortals, and became her one and only Guardian, accompanying her throughout her journey. Needless to say, they both fell in love." She paused, and watched Yuna's eyes fall to the deck below, "When they reached the hills of the decrepit Zanarkand, the Warrior confessed his undying love, and begged her with all of his being to abandon her quest, and return with him to the Celestial Realm where they would live together in peace for all eternity. It was at the base of the final summoning, that the Summoner submit to his pleas and he took her from this world, and into his. Although, she never forgave him for what he did; for taking the calm away from the land. Thus is why they stand back to back, eternally in love, and eternally in turmoil."
Yuna was silent for a long moment. Ava watched her face, but it was blank and unreadable. She let the young Summoner sort out these words and a long moment later, she finally spoke, "It is easy…" she said, "To abandon everything for love. But I do not wish to do so."
"That is comforting to hear."
"Ava," Yuna said after another silent moment, "You're a strong woman, have you never considered being a Summoner?"
"No," she said almost instantly, "The life of Temples and Guardians is not mine."
"Why?"
Ava frowned, "It's a long story."
This didn't convince the Summoner, but Ava's skating answers were all anyone ever seemed to get. Yuna stood, and straightened out her skirt, then raised her staff to heal the seasick woman, "Don't," said Ava, Yuna paused, looking at her questioningly, "It will make the night…more bearable."
The Summoner was confused, but gave a silent "Oh," then walked away, "Sleep well, Lady Ava." She said in that innocent, airy voice.
The sound of a ship's horn blasting into the air made Ava jump nearly three feet. The woman had counted stars until she finally fell asleep despite her sea sickness.
She lay on the deck, groaning out loud as she turned and moved towards the edge, grasping the rope railing and hoisting herself up. Her stomach churned unpleasantly, and she waited for the dizzy spells to fade away before she yawned and shook her head. More horns blasted, and the air was filled with a certain excitement exuding from the approaching city. From where she was, she could see the Blitz Dome, the great mechanical arches turning, balloons and streamers in the air. Everyone was happy despite everything…
She stumbled and made her way to the bow, yawning some more, unable to shake the sleepiness from herself.
"Sleep well?" Wakka's big hand came down and patted Ava on the back, surprising her. She jumped and faced him, then rubbed her eyes.
"Oh, uhm." She cleared her throat, "Yea, sorry, I've always been slow to wake up." During those rare times when she let herself fall asleep that was. Muttering to herself, she watched Wakka laugh loudly, looking as excited as Tidus, who was was practically hanging off the side of the ship. How could people be so cheery at this hour?
"You gonna root for us, ya?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "We could always use a few more fans."
Ava paused, and watched the gaudy orange haired native for a long moment, then turned her gaze back to Luca, and shook her head. "I'm not staying. I'm only passing through, I'm afraid."
"Aw, come on! Stay for the game, you said yourself you was a fan." He made that infuriating laugh again.
"I…" she folded her hands over her chest and sighed. "I…" she cinched her jaw. The fact that she wanted to stay, despite everything, told her that she had already gotten too close to these people. "I will watch the first round. But, the stadium makes me nervous."
The man grinned, triumphant, and patter her shoulder again, "That's the spirit!" he moved on to go talk to Tidus, and the woman shook her head. She had no intention of staying, but Wakka wouldn't know the difference.
She moved towards the cabin, just as Yuna came bounding up. She smiled at Ava, "Aren't you excited?" she asked.
Ava frowned and shook her head, "Yea," she lied, then moved back to the back of the boat. The docks were approaching quickly, and she could hear the distant murmur of people from the city.
It took only a few minutes before the boat was docked. The gangplank was raised, and the patrons on the boat began to filter off. Yuna and her group were of the first to exit, with Ava following close behind.
Yuna paused halfway down the plank, and turned around, "Miss Ava,"
"No." Ava answered the woman before she even got to ask her question. "I am not a Guardian, Yuna, and you've plenty here to aid you through your journey. Do not think that this is a personal rejection, though. My life is as far from the temples as I can manage, anymore." She patted the Summoner on the shoulder, then moved to walk past her.
"But…why though?"
Ava moved past her wordlessly, but then something happened that surprised her. A blue furry hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, "Kimahri want Ava to stay. Ava has been alone too long."
She blinked, staring up at the Ronso with awe. She had never seen the blue cat so bold, but she sighed and shook her head. "Far too long, old friend." She stepped back, away from that hand, "But, for longer still. I am not a Guardian –"
"Not a Guardian then." He said, "A friend."
She frowned, and shook her head, and from somewhere within herself, cursed. Wordlessly she pulled herself from the Ronso's grip, turned, and made her way down the docks. These weren't her people, no, they were just that. People. And people lied. People hurt. People didn't last. Ava immersed herself in this dark mantra as she moved through the crowd of people, muscling her way through when she had to.
"Did you hear?" one man's voice cut above the rest, something strange instinct picking up that particular voice in a drone of people, "Maester Seymour is here, as is Maester Mika."
Ava froze as ice ran through her veins. Her muscles seemed to stop working, and her body threatened to crumble right then and there. Mika? Maesters – of course they would be in Luca for the tournament, but Ava had not thought of this. That had been one thing that she honestly had not taken into account, and such a mistake could very well have cost the woman her life. When feeling returned to her numb body, the took off in a full sprint, shoving past anyone in her way, rushing through the stadium at top speed, then down the road and into the main part of the city.
She reached the town center, panting. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know where to go. Of course, the Mi'hen Highroad was the logical choice, but she had come to Luca for a reason. The area was cleared of people, everyone was at the stadium or the docks – but of course, she knew one man who remained in the city.
Weighing her options, the turned, and rushed up the steps by the café. The tall building making the inverted dome-like center feel all the more entrapping. She rushed for a little wooden door, hidden in the shadowed hollow between two buildings. It screeched as it was opened, and she entered the blackened room, letting the door fall shut behind her.
The room was of immeasurable size, as nothing could be seen except the shallow circle of light at the center, lit by a window atop the building high above. Metal grates over the window cast a shadow in this light, what appeared to be a metal, mechanical wing. Ava moved into this circle, and stood, waiting.
"It has been some time, Lady Avamarine." The cool, deep male voice came from everywhere, almost disembodied. "Some…twenty years I would say. My, my, that outfit certainly has been through some horror, has it not?"
"Twenty years of hardships," she said, "I need a new one, fast."
The chuckle that ensued sent shivers up her spine, and she swallowed hard, waiting for a response, "You're rarely in such a hurry. Could the angel be a little fearful, now that Spira's leaders are so…close."
"Little goes on in this city that you don't know about, Damien." She said, shedding her worn jacket and tossing it aside. "Could you sharpen these as well? They've lost their edge." She unbuckled the blades from her forearms and tossed them with her jacket.
A shadowed hand took the objects, leaving Ava standing there vulnerable.
Damien chuckled again, "You're wrong, Lady Avamarine." He said, "There is nothing that goes on in this city that I don't know about. There is little that goes on in all of Spira that I do not know about. How else would I know why the Maesters want you so badly." Ava frowned, but remained silent. "I place before you, a choice." He continued. There was a sound, a clink, in the darkness, "You can either run and hide like the coward you're not, or take that which is rightfully yours. This may be your only chance, after all."
She folded her arms over her chest, "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, it would be no fun if I just told you. Then again, the perils may be endless."
"What are you talking about you old spider," she snapped, "The Maesters are here – I have no intention of being a slave in their dungeons again."
"That which has been long since lost will be found." He smiled, and a black jacket fell at her feet. She reached down to pick it up, "A Guardian long lost to Lovers and Summoners has returned, but if you run now, you may never get him back. Not to mention, the High Summoner's daughter gives you great chance at your final reconciliation. Assuming she lives, of course."
The new jacket was heavy, as Ava put it on, though, it seemed to fit perfectly. All a fine, heavy material with golden seams, reaching down to her ankles. "What do you mean if she lives?" Ava asked quietly.
"The Summoner is to be kidnapped by the Al Behd… Do you like the jacket? It's a nice fit on you."
She frowned, unable to deny how perfectly it hung. "Why are you telling me this? And why is this so heavy?"
"Oh! You'll like that. I've interwoven a good chain mail into it for added protection. It's strong."
"Why are you giving me this information?"
"Temptation, my dear. You can run, and promise yourself the morning sun tomorrow, or you can stay and laugh at danger like the good old days. With high risk comes high reward."
Ava gritted her teeth. Her blades slid into the light, stopping by her feet. She bent down and picked them up, then paused, "These are different." She said, pulling the sleeves of her new jacket back to strap them on anyway. She never argued when Damien gave her something new, he never seemed to disappoint.
"This has a sharper blade, a more lightweight alloy that will not bend or break. Heat resistant and, the best part is, it amplifies magic." Ava blinked and released the trigger. The blades thrust out of their sheath with a resounding SNAP and glittered even in the low light.
"You never seem to give me a choice, old friend." She said, releasing the lock so they slipped back in. "But it always comes at a high price…"
The bemused chuckle told her that she was right. "The politics of Spira are frail, should the blackened innards of its beloved government be exposed for what it really was, all of the country would fall apart. Anarchy would run rampant in the streets."
"You always did love chaos."
He chuckled, "I enjoy my freedom more." He said, "And I enjoy the freedom of my people. Sometimes it seems that I alone keep this world whole." He sighed, "But I grow weary, and I cannot keep everything at bay for much longer. The sword is about to fall, and with it, I will bring the world to light."
She smiled finally, and turned towards the door, moving back out. She opened the door, paused, and then moved back out.
"Yevon damn you, Damien," she spat. Just as she was looking out over the town center, a pair of Al Behd were dragging poor Yuna away. "HEY! STOP!" She took off, flipping out her new blades.
She leapt off the top of the steps, curled in her feet and prepared to launch herself when one of the Al Behd turned and threw something at her. She blinked as the little object latched onto her arm and sent a horrifying jolt through her system. The little current left her numb on her left side, so she crashed as she hit the ground, rolling heavily as she watched them get away. "HEY!"
She finally got to her feet and started running lamely after them as Tidus rushed up, "Hey!" she turned, "Did you see-"
"That way!" She started running, feeling regained in her feet. Kimahri was close behind, Tidus beside her as they ran towards the stadium. Lulu was running up to them, "Where in Spira have you been?"
"Now isn't the time," Ava barked, "Come on, they're headed for the docks. They're going to try and get her away from here."
"I thought you were leaving?" Lulu was surprisingly fast, matching Ava's pace.
Ava just growled, "Forces beyond my control are forcing me down a different path."
"New jacket?"
"Can we focus?" she shot, "There!" Yuna's captor was just rushing into the docks as they came up. "You catch up, I'm going to go hold things down." Before the others could protest, Ava took a deep breath and tapped into a bit of her power. Her speed picked up, and she shot ahead of the others, leaping over machina and Al Behd as she rushed for Yuna.
The Al Behd ran onto a ship, and Ava leapt the distance easily, following him into the hatch leading to the underbelly. He was shouting something in his native tongue, and Ava didn't bother trying to translate. Four soldiers jumped in her way, but she easily smashed past the first two. Something struck her shoulder, a soldier wielding a knife. She reached out and took his wrist, twisting and jerking, she threw herself forward, and the man flew out. She ducked underneath another blow, rose and kicked out.
This one was thrown back, crumbling down the stairs as more soldiers came piling in from the hallways below. Ava released her blades and rushed down the stairs, carving up the closest soldier, spinning to elbow the second. There was a gunshot, the woman stumbled but charged forward with a roar, ramming the two next soldiers into the wall. There was a resounding crack as they fell, and she lashed out to finish off the last two before they could swing at her, one through the chest, the other through the throat.
She was panting, and felt the warm trickle of blood down her side. Apparently, the chain mail didn't do well against a gunshot at close range. She ignored the pain, to be dealt with later, and ran back down the hall, sheathing her blades.
She caught up with Yuna's captor, no more soldiers barring her path, and rushed him with all her might before he could respond. In the close confines of the hallway, and the darkness of the space, Ava had the fullest of advantages, ramming him against the wall, punching him so hard, his mask cracked, and he fell to the ground unconscious.
With the danger over, Ava stood there a moment, panting, shivering. Cold sweat ran down her back, and she bent over to grab her knees.
"Miss Ava!" Yuna exclaimed, appearing mildly shaken.
"Are you OK?" she breathed, standing again. Pain ripped through her side, making her wince physically.
She gasped, "You're hurt!"
Ava wavered suddenly. She was running on more than just empty. Her reserve energy was tapping out, and suddenly, everything was very unsteady.
"Miss Ava!" Yuna gasped out just as the woman stumbled back, gasping for air. The world was spinning…
"We can't stay here, it's only a matter of time before some of these guys wake up," she said, turning her head. The world lurched and spun, her nausea returning, "Ugh, come on," she reached out, searching for something to brace herself with.
Yuna offered a hand, helping the woman up. "Here, let me at least heal you!"
"Hold on." Ava reached down, leaning against the wall to examine the injury. The bullet had gone through the jacket, and buried just under her ribs, right beneath the skin. She reached down to pull the piece out, able to see the end of the little golden bullet.
Yuna slapped the woman's hand away, "What are you doing!?"
"If I don't pull it out, it'll be more trouble than it's worth!" she spat, "Wh-what are you doing?"
"Hold still," Yuna had a look of terror on her face as she reached out with one of her pale, delicate hands and grasped the exposed piece of the bullet, tugging it just lightly.
Ava grimaced, "Fool girl!" she gasped as pain flared through her abdomen, "Rip it out! DO IT!"
Yuna jumped, and pulled the metal piece out all at once, sending another wave of pain through her. Instantly, the Summoner cast a healing spell on Ava, which eased the pain, but the dizziness remained… Yuna looped Ava's arm around her shoulder, and helped her down the hall and up the steps. The woman was losing energy with each step, and fading in and out of consciousness.
The hatch whirred, and the heavy door swung open slowly, coming to a loud, sharp stop. Ava groaned, and Yuna helper her outside. Lulu and the others rushed up, "What happened?" she asked breathily.
"She's hurt," Yuna started.
"Not hurt," Ava groaned, then released Yuna and dropped into a sitting position, her stomach growling loudly, "Huuuuuuuuungry!"
Alright, sorry for the long update. Honestly, I didn't think anyone even read this anymore, but I have a few reviewers which has kind of encouraged me. 3 Thanks you guys!
See, things are about to get really fun. I had to cut this chapter in half, because the full thing is, well, about twenty something pages. More fun in the next chapter, more questions answered, yadda yadda. Hope you guys had fun!