Rikku

They had failed.

Sin was still alive. Machina, the technology she placed her life in, placed her faith in, had failed her for the first time.

She could not even blame the operation itself. Everything had gone according to plan; the Crusaders had dealt with the Sinspawn, the cannons had distracted Sin himself, and the laser had functioned as predicted…Up until Sin had turned the energy back upon the weapon.

The scriptures were true, machines and technology would never defeat Sin. The Al Bhed, her people, really were perpetuating the cycle.

Machina could not kill Sin. But the Aeons could.

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"Your kind is not welcome here."

"Do Yevon's teachings not say that all who wish it are worthy of salvation?"

"Be that as it may, you Al Bhed have spat in the face of that salvation time and again. You defile this place with your presence and you defile the teachings with your impertinent tongue. Now be gone!"

And so it went. At every temple her pilgrimage was denied before it began. How was she to prove her worth to the Fayth themselves if she unable to speak with them?

She would not stop her quest. She would defeat Sin.

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Her research had led her here, to this forgotten corner of Spira. If the temples would refuse her right to commune with the Fayth, she would find those Fayth who were themselves outside the temples. She prayed, and the Fayth stepped forth.

"Why have you come here heathen? Why do you disturb me?"

"I seek to become a Summoner. I seek your aid in defeating Sin."

"Why would I help one such as you?"

"I want to prove that my people can change. That we can reform."

"…If an Al Bhed can prove her worth, why not a lost Fayth."

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"You were never to return to this holy place."

"I am a Summoner of Yevon, I have every right to be here."

"You have no such right. No Fayth would answer your call."

Rikku called upon her first ally. The celestial samurai stood before the priest, daring the man to defy the Aeon's existence.

"But…But how can this be. No temple would allow you access to their Chamber."

Rikku looked to Yojimbo, the proof that she was a Summoner.

"There are more things in this world than what Yevon knows."

Rikku walked past the dumbstruck priest, and entered the Cloister.

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"I won't allow it."

"What do you mean 'allow'? It's my decision."

"No daughter of mine is gonna kill herself for a religion that hates her!"

"I'm not doing it for them, I'm doing it for us!"

"You think dying is going to make life better for us? You think we want to lose you for nothing?"

"It isn't for nothing. Sin will be gone and…and you can have time and maybe…"

"…And what, Rikku?"

"…And maybe they won't hate us anymore. Maybe they'll see that we can learn. That we're not at fault. Maybe they'll see that we're sorry."

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"He's right you know."

"…"

"But then, so are you."

"Do you wanna clarify that a bit, or are you gonna leave me in the dark here?"

"You shouldn't have to die for this. No one should have to die for this…But there are a lot of us who're sick of the status quo. Who want to work on making things better for everyone in Spira, who want what we do to be accepted instead of hated. Rikku, a lot of us want to help you."

"What are you saying?"

"You're a Summoner right? Don't all Summoners need their Guardians?"

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Rikku had never been comfortable in Guadosalam. The stifling crowds, the moan of the Farplane, the glares of the Yevonites, the presence of the Thunder Plains all combined create a strong feeling of unease.

Now the crowds parted before her, to allow the Summoner to pass through. The moan of the Farplane was akin to the Hymn of the Fayth, something she heard whenever she called upon her allies. The glares for an Al Bhed were no more, replaced with the gazes of awe for a savior of Spira.

The Thunder Plains still terrified her, but she had a plan.

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She knew it would work. The scientist still within Rikku could not help but be elated as her theory was confirmed.

The reasoning was simple. The storm on the Thunder Plains never ceased. Lightning struck down on a nearly constant basis. No one in Spira knew either the source of the storm or how to avoid the lightning.

But why avoid it when you could direct it.

Rikku walked happily across the plains, watching as Ixion followed her request and attracted all the lightning to himself, protecting her.

Who better to direct the storm, than the Master of the Storm.

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"Why should we welcome one such as you?"

It never ended. Even after proving herself a Summoner, the temples still fought over her right to enter the Chamber. The priests still spoke down to her, insulted her.

They still could not see past her people.

It almost made her question why she bothered. It almost made her lose her resolve. It almost made her give up.

But she was not doing this for them. She owed them no explanations or apologies. This was about something greater than her or them.

"I am a Summoner, and I will redeem my people."

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"Do you wish to know why Sin returns after each defeat? It is because Sin will always return. Because Sin must return. Your people have nothing to do with that cycle."

"Then, why must Summoners die? Why are the Al Bhed outcasts from Spira?"

"Summoners must die because that is the nature of things. The Al Bhed are outcasts because that is the nature of things. Sin is eternal, and the state of Spira is eternal with him."

"But…But if we are willing to change…If we atone for our sins?"

"Then nothing will change. Your efforts will merit you nothing."

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From a technical standpoint, this chapter had more fine-tuning than any of the others. The final scene with Yunalesca went through three complete rewrites before I was satisfied with it. As before, I hope that each scene was clear to everyone as they read it. The dialogue challenged me in a few of the scenes more than others. The scenes with Yojimbo and Yunalesca for example, each presented different challenges.

Of all the characters thus far, Rikku has been the most challenging because of one fact, how to make an Al Bhed into a Summoner. Much like all the characters, I put a lot of thought into what would motivate them to be willing to sacrifice themselves. Both to start their pilgrimage, and to find the resolve to continue it. I hope that everyone reading has enjoyed the reasons I've chosen, the final chapter is on it's way soon.