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Disclaimer: I do not own ffx/ffx-2 or the characters in them.
Chapter 6: Kilika Port.
Hungry for the thrill of carnage, Sin descended down into the depths of the relaxing ocean; its tyrannical onslaught set for the island in its path. Destruction was inevitable. All the passengers aboard the SS Liki could do, was watch and pray for some kind of miracle.
Everything was tranquil as the oblivious villagers returned from a hard day of labouring fruits from the dense island jungle. The sound of children's laughter echoed blissfully through the planked streets of the wooden settlement as the sun began to set, colouring the town a deep orange.
The children played happily, as they usually did with a blitzball on the outskirts of the pier like village. It was set stretching far out from the tree-covered mainland on stilts over the water, a design that was not in their favour...
Slowly the decking underfoot began to vibrate as foreboding tremors trembled their way through the entire village. The sudden disturbance of the peace roused the young children, who dropped the ball with a sharp thud. A tall dark shadow loomed over them out of the depths of the tranquil ocean, blocking out the sun that bled, seeping through the lilac clouds of the evening sky.
Gasping in astonishment, they beheld the solid wall of water. It lingered over the outskirts of the town momentarily, mocking their terrified expectancy. The monstrous scale towered up, nearly scraping the sky. Almost arrogant it seemed, as it waited there, savouring its own power. There was nowhere to run.
Without lingering a second longer, the colossal wave smashed down upon them fiercely. It blasted its way through the defenceless town; consuming all that stood in its path. There was nowhere to hide.
Entire huts, trees, people were whipped up into the blood red sky as the vengeful torrent heaved everything to it, like a mighty vacuum. Piece by piece, the vicious force of the watery menace ripped up the decking, as if it was shredding paper. There was no escape from death.
The tide swelled as a monstrous shape emerged within it, Sin. The phenomenal extent of the creature broke the surface towering over the remains of the savaged town. Its appetite for destruction was not fulfilled yet…
Yuna and the others watched from the painful distance as hundreds of winged creatures swarmed from Sin's exposed shell. As rapid as lightning, the beasts invaded the devastated ruins, annihilating anything hadn't been laid to waste. Sin inhaled once again as the creatures whipped the debris into a deadly cyclone. Amidst the deafening clamour, bloodcurdling screams of horror resonated from the wreckage, stinging the ears of those who heard.
Everything slowed as the tornado churned menacingly above the bulbous head of Sin. The sea calmed about it, it was as if the gigantic creature was relishing in the last moment of carnage, as if creating havoc was an art form.
Gradually the cyclone slowed, throwing the remaining remnants of Kilika port back down to meet the placid surface. Finally, Sin retreated, plunging deep back under the surface, far away from the ruins.
Silence enslaved the resting wreckage as it floated solemnly on the surface of the rippling sea in dismal disarray. The setting sun. It seemed to bleed down upon the sea in a seething blood red hue, painful and twisted. A single blitzball bobbed alongside the saturated driftwood; it was forsaken, alone. The children that had once played happily with it: were no more. The languid waves caressed the ball's smooth surface, their colour now a deep carmine red. Red with the scathing glare of the sun: red with the staining of innocent blood.
The SS Liki drifted closer to the remains of the once beautiful, tropical port. A bitter reticence was thick in the air, as the island became clearer. Tidus observed in the heavy stillness, there were no words that could be spoken, no words that could correct the devastation. His azure gaze met the falling sun, the sheer severity of its deep glare shot sharp pains straight up to his temples. The blitzer had never experienced a light so intense, so fierce; there was no dusk like it. But at that moment, all he could think about was…
"When Sin attacked Zanarkand, I woke up in Spira.
I kept hoping it would work in reverse, too…"
Yuna was stood close by. Her serene face was etched in bitter determination, an emotion that paralleled her grief. The massacre was undoubtedly a heinous sight to behold, and witnessing it happen before her eyes was even worse.
"I will defeat Sin…" She whispered, her grave face highlighted in the cerise glow of the setting sky. "I must defeat Sin…"
Tidus looked on quietly…
"…I was just fooling myself."
Everyone lingered motionless in silent woe as the ship pulled in nearer. Some were still trying to catch their breath from the sabotage that happened onboard earlier. Luckily nobody was injured badly. Yet for those in Kilika, it would be a different story…
"Maybe it was that day…
on the sea, under the burning sun.
I started to give up hope.
I was in a foreign world, I wasn't going home.
This was my new reality and I was stuck in it for good."
Slowly but surely, Kilika Island came into close range. It would indeed be a miracle if anything had survived now…but it had.
By some stroke of blind luck, a part of the wooden port still remained; the part closest to the mainland. Joyous cries rang out as it was perceived, along with some straggling villagers. Sure the area hadn't escaped the ferocity of Sin's attack, as many huts were damaged missing their domed straw roofs; but hope was still present.
The boat drew to a halt near the last surviving long platform; Yuna was the first off board.
"Greetings!" she said with a prayer "I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the temple in Besaid." Her face had adopted its usual serenity, its enigmatic look of resilient…hope.
"M'lady summoner!" a woman exclaimed rushing up the planked deck towards her hurriedly.
"If there is no other summoner here, please allow me to perform the sending." Yuna beseeched solemnly with bow.
"Thanks be to ye!" the woman's husband cried, stepping to her side.
"Our loved ones…" his wife exclaimed with teary eyes "We feared they would become fiends!"
Yuna nodded understandingly "Please, take me to them."
The couple obeyed and led Yuna off some way up the path to the other side, with Lulu and Kimahri close behind her.
Tidus departed from the ship soon after and stood amidst the besieged town's wreckage himself. Why was everything so unfair here? He wondered. Why did sorrow linger so heavily in Spira? He'd never experienced sorrow so often as this, let alone destruction. The sheer magnitude was taking its toll on him, making him feel heavy with the weight it applied despondently to his shoulders. But the people of Spira were so…resilient, he noted looking around. Already the surviving villagers and passengers had started reassembling the ramshackle huts. Spira and its people never ceased to amaze him.
As he stood there, his eyes wandered to where Yuna had once been. He wondered what she was doing…and what was this sending all about?
Wakka in the meantime had already got his stuff together and was ready to help out. "We're going to see what we can do to help in town." He informed as he ran past the young blitzer, with the Aurochs at his heels.
Tidus nodded, he continued onwards along the rickety pathway, shards of wood were strewn everywhere, along with all kinds of debris. Walking amongst the ruin, Tidus didn't know how to feel, whether he should be sad, or even angry. The atmosphere was so strange; he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
Slowly he realised where his feet were leading him. He was wandering down the path Yuna had taken shortly before. There was no turning back as his urge to see what she and the villagers was up to, was too strong for him to ignore.
Following the old creaking pathway, he soon found Yuna and her guardians and a small crowd of survivors. The deck on which he stood led down to two lower levels, facing the calm, sun burnt sea. Yuna was at the very bottom near the water's edge, deep in discussion with an elderly man. There were many bouquets floating on the surface, some long shapes lingered beneath the water also.
As before Kimahri was close by on the next level up, surrounded by grief-stricken people. Lulu was on Tidus' platform, watching everything clearly from above. The whole place was lit by several blazing fire torches, what were they planning to do?
"Uh, what's a sending? Are we going somewhere?" he asked planting himself next to the black mage.
Lulu sighed deeply in irritation "You truly are clueless." Her stinging crimson gaze eyed him darkly "Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?" she quizzed caustically.
Tidus flinched; maybe she wasn't the best person to ask…
"The dead need guidance."
He stared at her sudden utterance.
"Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate." The mage explained, looking down to the water beyond the summoner. "They yearn to live on and resent those still alive. You see; they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate."
Lulu turned to the blonde suddenly, a look unusual certainty showed through her common icy gaze, a look he hadn't seen before.
"Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it?" she hinted darkly unable to restrain her temperament.
The blitzer was speechless. His eyes strayed down to the still water. Those weren't just shapes beneath the surface; they were bodies. In the time it had taken the SS Liki to arrive, the townsfolk had recovered the dead and wrapped them lovingly in red ceremonial cloth ready to bid them farewell.
"The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace." Lulu concluded hopefully.
"Summoners do this?" Tidus inquired surprised.
The mage nodded solemnly.
The blitzer turned his gaze back to Yuna, her job skills were increasing by the minute, no wonder summoners were revered so. The thought of this sending however made him feel just the slightest bit uneasy. How would she do it?…
Yuna ceased her conversation and advanced over to the edge of the placid water. Her pale face was solemn and temperate in its stare.
She stepped onto the tranquil surface.
Tidus breathed in amazement as the liquid bore her weight. He watched in enchanted awe as she walked effortlessly on the surface of the water, each gliding step creating ripples about her newly bare feet. She halted in the midst of the watery graveyard, the bleeding sun glared down on her hazed silhouette casting its sore light about her.
With the whispering breeze trembling through her glistening hair, she raised her cerulean staff out beside her. Slowly, she revolved in a sweeping circle; her toes skimming the watery surface majestically as the dance began. As she pirouetted gracefully, forming circle over circle, the villager's cries of tear-filled grief resounded bitterly.
The blitzer watched in growing fascination as the summoner commenced her harmonious display of sorrowful splendour. Suddenly she stood prone, her elegant frame highlighted radiantly in the glowing hue of the horizon. Her skin shimmered in a gracious roseate lustre, as the water about her stirred with a sudden burst of life.
Tidus saw them, the kaleidoscopic lights that swam of their own accord beneath the very surface. Slowly they were drawn to Yuna's staff almost like two magnets attracting each other, as she swayed it round and round dextrously between her fingers. Were these the souls Lulu had talked about?
A steady breeze grew rapidly in the air as the streaming lights closed in below her. The wind reached the blitzer, coaxing the blazing torches about him burst into haunting blue flame. Yuna circled again quickly holding her staff aloft. The lights followed her movement, throwing the water into a swirling fountain beneath her feet, raising her from the surface. She continued to pirouette in ethereal grace as the prismatic lights streamed, swirling up and out of the undulating fountain; escaping the watery grave below. Each rotation grew in graceful magnitude, drawing more of the singing lights from the surface and up into the freedom of the sky above.
Tidus watched spellbound, as the souls danced with her in fervent streams of colour; they were free to go to the Farplane now that they had been released from their bodies.
Something stirred from deep within him at that moment as he watched her, something that purged all conscious thought from his mind. Something that drowned out the bitter wails of bereavement, as the people feel to their knees about him.
The same something that glued his hazy captivated eyes to the dancing figure before him, not letting them stray from her. He surveyed everything: the way her illustrious hair swept from her face with every subtle movement…the way her long violet skirt swayed about her so elegantly, the way the last rays of the evening sun painted her a divine iridescent pink atop the dazzling fountain.
Being there at that moment, time seemed to stand still. Tidus felt that he was the only one that remained, as he stared, filled with enthralled fixation at the staggeringly exquisite spectacle. So enchanting, so intense…
In a fading flash it was over, almost as quickly as it had begun. The water slowly lowered the summoner back down to earth with an undulating sigh. Yuna returned to the lower levels clutching her staff loosely. Kimahri as always was close at hand. He watched her with his grave yellow gaze before remunerating her with his close presence.
"It must be tough, being a summoner." Tidus established, catching his breath. The villagers observed Yuna from afar with numbed silence, wiping away the remainder of their tears.
"Yuna chose her own path. She knew from the beginning what it meant." Lulu replied, never taking her pensive stare from the summoner. "All we can do now is protect her along the way. Until the…end."
"Until the…end?" The blitzer swung round to her in alarm "What's the end?"
Tidus didn't realise just how loud he'd uttered the statement. He soon found out when all turned to set their questionable eyes upon him, including Yuna.
Lulu shook her head, shrugging her shoulders hopelessly. The blitzer really was proving to be entirely clueless.
Without a second glance, the irritable mage advanced toward the summoner "Until she defeats Sin." She concluded bluntly, turning back with a tiresome sigh.
Tidus shrugged awkwardly, shifting under the barrage of unwanted attention he was receiving "Oh…" He placed his hands on his hips and kicked himself inwardly for being so dumb. He didn't quite know why he'd questioned Lulu so urgently in the first place!
Before the mage could reach her, Yuna rushed forward "I hope… I hope I did okay…" she voiced softly as she halted before her guardian.
A warm hopeful smile passed over the chilled woman's features "You did very well!" she praised proudly, running her hand through a stray lock of the summoner's hair. "They've reached the Farplane by now. But…no tears next time, hm?"
Yuna sighed quietly, relieved that it was over as the last of her frozen tears trickled down her soft pale cheeks. Lulu still held her loosely within her arms.
Tidus watched the affectionate display with growing torment. He could see the flashes of Yuna's tender despair from the distance.
"I wished there would never be a next time.
No more people being killed by Sin.
No more sendings for Yuna.
Everyone stood there watching her.
It was strange, and somehow…horrifying.
I never wanted to see it again."
The weighty atmosphere then, almost stifled him. He felt like he was nearly suffocating under the air of thick deep sorrow. The sight of Wakka and the Aurochs was all too welcoming for him.
At the perception of the blitz team, the despondent crowd dispersed leaving Yuna and her guardians behind. Tidus was half expecting them to console the summoner, but no. Yuna's sorrow was indeed short lived, she was beyond sympathy by the time she and her guardians were reunited. The young blitzer wondered at her rapid return to character, it would seem that she was made of tougher stuff than he'd first imagined.
As night fell upon the desolate remains, Tidus found himself being ushered off once again to the remnants of the village inn. By the look of the place, the blitzer could tell this wasn't going to be half as cosy as Besaid.
Surprisingly as he stepped in, the place seemed to be in pretty good condition: sparse, but decent enough for a night's rest. Yet poor Tidus was in for a shock when he perceived the huge tear in the roof of his room. It was a big gash in the domed straw lining, directly above the bed, just great.
With a rueful groan he slung himself down upon the comfortless resting spot. Fortunately for him, the night was clear and warm, allowing him to observe the endless heavens that lingered above his sleepless head. Gazing up at the twinkling stars, he began to wonder. Yet his thoughts strayed only to recall one thing…Yuna.
He bent his arms under his head, and pondered about the enigmatic summoner. Her strange powers… everything about her was so mysterious. She was like a labyrinth, a maze: different surprises about her lingered around every corner.
It was the sending that overwhelmed him the most, even more so than his first encounter with her aeon. He screwed his face up in vexation; how could something so captivating as Yuna's dance be only for sending the dead? The irony was unfathomable.
And where was this Farplane? Was it another world? he wondered. There were so many questions left unanswered, but one topic plagued him more than all the others.
Did Jecht really come to Spira all those years ago? Was he alive after all this time?
Tidus grunted out loud in disgust, he couldn't believe he was asking himself about his father so ardently. Why the hell do I care all of a sudden? that's what he really wanted to know!
He shielded a yawn with his bare hand, casting aside all the repugnant images of his father. He was too tired to bother with hating him; he had plenty of time to do that during the day. With a tiresome sigh, he flipped onto his side, wriggling to form a comfortable spot. This bed…it wasn't a patch on his own back in Zanarkand.
Zanarkand…
The word echoed through his mind repeatedly as his eyes slipped shut, leading him into an uneasy sleep.
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Morning came all too soon for the young blitzer. He awoke to the sight of the clear Kilika blue sky above him. The night had passed quickly and Tidus had barely managed to steal enough of it to rest his weary head. Sleeping on a bed of nails might've been more comfortable, he figured more than once during the late hours. The damned thing that he was sleeping on was filled with straw and itched him like hell. He was all too happy to spring up from it.
After removing the dried straw that had embedded itself in his hair, he headed down the narrow staircase to the lower level of the hut. The whole place was empty, apart from a small boy, who was dashing about energetically near the doorway. Tidus wondered where the others could be…
"I'm gonna be a blitzball when I grow up!" the child beamed as the blitzer approached.
Tidus smiled wryly at the whimsical remark, 'poor kid, he probably doesn't even understand what's happened'…he thought.
The hot sun scorched down upon him as he peered through the wide-open doorway. All that had been obscured by the fading light of the previous day hit him now with full force. Kilika port was truly a sight for sore eyes. Yet to the blitzer's surprise, life was still wholesome in the small ruined settlement as he perceived that many people were now stood about. All their faces were written with the same troubled trepidation as they contemplated how to rebuild their once humble town.
Suddenly a familiar face appeared before the blitzer. It was Datto, one of the Aurochs.
"Hey! You awake?" he panted as if he'd just run a marathon "Cap'n Wakka's waiting for you!" he said rubbing his shaven head.
Tidus nodded assuredly. He'd made Wakka wait again! Maybe he needed to invest in a good alarm clock. He wasn't used to these early starts.
Datto headed off hurriedly, almost running as the blonde followed. All the pieces of debris that were strewn haphazardly about the main path had now gone. A path through was clear. Many people had started work on rebuilding the town already and the Aurochs were just some of them, as Tidus saw when they came into view.
The team were already busy restoring the shattered side-roads that led out from the main street.
"Ah, there you are!" Wakka exclaimed in high spirits as his brown eyes beheld the young blitzer. "Besaid Aurochs! Huddle!"
The remainder of the team dropped what they were doing and honed in on Wakka immediately.
"Onto the temple, where we pray for victory!" the redhead proclaimed earnestly folding his solid arms.
"Yeah!" The boys punched the air enthusiastically, before dashing off like lightening in the other direction. They were sure pumped and raring to go!
Wakka turned back to Tidus with an emphatic grin "High summoner Ohalland used to live in the Kilika temple here!" He informed brightly "Yep, Lord Ohalland was once a great blitzer, y'know?" The redhead began to wander off the way the boys had gone; he was lost in his own excitement. The almighty tournament was literally a day away.
Tidus on the other hand didn't share the islander's enthusiasm; in fact he was feeling rather the opposite. Something was very wrong with all this…it didn't seem right to him at all… He stood firm, staring with glazed eyes at the destruction.
"Wakka…"
"Hm?" the redhead blinked as he turned back.
Tidus was rue to speak, but he just had to say what was bothering him…"Praying for victory's all good…" he began, walking over hesitantly "…but is this right?"
"Somethin' wrong with enjoying blitzball?" Wakka quizzed raising his brows.
"Is this really the time?" Tidus couldn't understand why they were all so pumped; blitzball was the only thing on their minds. Kilika had just been wasted: getting the town back on its feet had to be the top priority, right? Not some blitz tournament.
"This is the only time!" Wakka replied ardently "The players fight with all their strength; the fans cheer for their favourite team." He said strolling along a little way "They forget pain, suffering…Only the game matters! That's why blitz has been around so long! Least that's what I think."
"Whatever you say…" Tidus groaned drawing his hand to his chin. He still couldn't bring himself to believe that blitz was capable of soothing the pain of the despairing. Even if it did, it would only be momentarily. What Sin had done here was unforgettable. Homes could be rebuilt, destruction could be replaced. But the attack itself could never be wholly forgotten.
"Let's play…and win! Right?" Wakka enthused, hoping to instil some of his cheer into his new friend.
Tidus sighed with a defeated nod "Right!"
He'd observed the islander's exuberance deeply. Wakka was so passionate about moving ahead, almost putting the attack on Kilika completely behind him. As a matter of fact, everyone here was… If winning the cup meant all that Wakka said, then maybe it was worth getting worked up for…
"Temple's beyond the jungle there." The islander stated, satisfied with the blonde's positive reaction. "Let's go!"
Tidus looked on to the dense area ahead of them on the mainland: the jungle. To be honest the blitzer wasn't looking forward to venturing inside; from what he'd heard, jungles weren't the nicest of places…
Putting his anticipation on hold he followed slowly as Wakka led him into mass of tall trees. Tidus braced himself for the unbearable humidity…
A cool breeze met him as he passed into a wide-open clearing. The blitzer stared around in shock; this wasn't what a jungle was supposed to be like!
It was mild, not stiflingly hot at all! The smell was fresh and breathable. It was light too, there were many great holes in the tall canopy above, letting the morning rays of the sun pass down onto them. Underfoot also were small mossy cobbles that formed wide paths through the dense forestry. The only things that were remotely jungle-like about the place, were the trees of course and the noise: the buzzing of insects, the twittering of bird calls.
Yuna, Kimahri and Lulu were already waiting there for the two of them. The black mage as normal housed her ice-cold disposition, yet Tidus could already see that she was slightly more perturbed than usual…
"What's up?" Wakka inquired with a cheerful grin.
"Yuna's saying she wants you with us." The woman sighed letting her scarlet eyes pass to Tidus.
"Huh?" the young blitzer span round to meet the summoner completely flummoxed. Where did this come from all of a sudden?
Yuna looked to him softly through her jewelled eyes; her hands were clasped closely to her chest "I want to ask you… to become my guardian."
"Yuna! What?" Wakka interrupted seriously "This no time for jokes, ya?" he said stepping behind her. "He may be a blitzball whiz-kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie."
Yuna turned to face the bulky islander slowly "Not a guardian, then…" she said correcting herself "I just want him nearby."
Wakka leant back, almost completely toppling over with the shock.
"What? Whaddya mean?" Tidus asked, totally confused at her statement. What on earth was she talking about? She just wanted him nearby?
Yuna sighed reluctantly "It's just that, well…"
"We're all going to the temple anyway. Can't this wait till later?" Lulu butted in, somewhat suspiciously.
The summoner nodded in relief "I'm sorry." She said looking back to the bewildered blitzer "I shouldn't have…"
"There's nothing to be sorry about." Tidus confirmed assuredly. "I'm just not really sure what's going on." He admitted with a shake of his head.
Yuna faltered "My apologies."
He stared at her in disbelief for a moment before Kimahri intervened. The ronso pointed ahead into the woods with a long gnarled finger, it was more than obvious that he was eager to get a move on.
Delaying themselves no longer, the summoner party pressed on into the deep recesses of the Kilika woods. They'd only gone so far before they noticed they weren't the only ones beneath the shade of the trees. The Crusaders were here.
There were many squads assigned throughout the jungle, each were taking out most of the pesky fiends that lay in their path. What their reason was for being in the woods, no one knew. Not that Tidus and the others were complaining…there were less fiends to deal with. The party were only assailed a few times, and each beast was a trivial feat, posing no particular threat.
Pretty soon, after passing by the tranquil woodland lake, they reached the foot of their destination: the great staircase, or 'pilgrimage road' as they called it. Spanning up to the very limits, the stairs reached; forged completely of ancient stone. After climbing the first flight, they found the remainder of the Aurochs were already there, waiting for them.
"These stone steps have a history, y'know?" Wakka chuckled as Tidus allowed his cerulean eyes trace the line of the towering magnitude of stone. "Yep, Lord Ohalland trained here at his peak." The redhead concluded with a growing smirk.
The tittering Aurochs soon alerted the young blitzer to his senses. Tidus could smell a challenge brewing.
"A race, huh?" he said, reading their thoughts exactly. "Think you can beat me?"
The Aurochs roared excitedly at the prospect of an adrenaline rush. With an air of electrifying enthusiasm, they assembled along with Tidus at the bottom of the flight, ready to race to the very top, a challenge to reach in itself.
"Yuna, if you would." Wakka called.
The summoner stepped forwards graciously with a delighted twinkle in her dual eyes. "Ready-?" she held her arm up and…away she went with a giggle, giving herself a long head start.
"Hey!" Wakka laughed making chase with Datto and Letty, leaving Tidus to eat their dust.
"Wha? Hey!" Tidus attempted to follow, but no sooner had they disappeared they came fleeing back down again looking completely panic-stricken.
"L-Look out!" Datto shrieked completely petrified as he and Letty fled for their lives back down to the bottom.
"Everyone quick!" Wakka cried urgently from the up-most distance "Sinspawn!"
Upon hearing his words, Lulu and Kimahri dashed frantically to his and Yuna's aid, with Tidus close behind. What met the blitzer's eyes when he reached their location took him completely by surprise.
There in the central circular plateau of the stairs, was a gigantic armour bound shell. It was clam- like in shape and form, heaving and swelling as the creature breathed within. As if this monstrosity wasn't bad enough, there were two more surprises in store. Namely two colossal arms adorned with long writhing tentacles, that protruded from the solid stone floor. Somehow the creature had managed to burrow under the ancient stone and burst out further along. Either way, it was going to die and Tidus wanted to be sure of it.
Leaping forward dynamically his let the Brotherhood smash down upon the mighty quavering shell. The severe impact of the blow sent shuddering shockwaves down Tidus' arm. The sword was no good; it couldn't pierce the grey-scaled shell. As the blitzer nursed his aching wrist Kimahri tried his luck, as did Wakka, neither was able to even mark the shell. Their weapons just glanced off the rounded surface. Lulu stepped in; dodging the ferocious grasps of the razor edged tentacles. With her trusty moogle, she raised her arms up to the heavens. A frosty ball of white light grew between her palms as she focused her energy toward the tremendous shell. In a flash, the blizzard spell powered its way towards the creature's body.
Before it could even reach, the tentacles engulfed the ball of light forcing it to soak into their plant-like mass.
Lulu stepped back in exasperation "Its tentacles absorb any spell cast at its body." she breathed.
"Damn it!" Wakka cried in frustration, whacking the stupid thing with his ball. What the hell could they do now?
The fiend on the other hand wasn't willing to wait any longer to attack. The party soon realised the error of their ways when the shell began to tremble and swell violently. It was time to retaliate.
Opening its defences briefly, the creature gushed out a tremendous spray of green clouded gas.
"Don't breathe, it's poison!" Lulu cried covering her face with her sleeve.
Everyone followed suit quickly. For Tidus and Wakka holding their breath for a long time wasn't a problem at all, they were blitzers, they were used to it. But for the others, the stifling toxic air was already proving to be a deadly burden. Tidus had to think of something fast…but what?
Just as his mind slipped into concentration, a long slimy limb wriggled around his bare leg, constricting tightly. The blitzer reacted as fast as ever, hacking the whip-like tentacle finger from him. The long arm reeled at the sudden dismemberment…that was it!
"I got it! We need to get the arms first!" Tidus yelled amidst the clouding haze.
Wakka caught on rapidly and with the young blitzer set his sights on the creature's stretching limbs. Together they slashed the fingers from the arm, forcing the putrid green blood to gush from the open wounds. Although Tidus did most of the slashing, Wakka did more whacking than anything. In the time it had taken them to disable one arm, Kimahri had completely obliterated the other, ripping it apart with one foul swoop of his spear.
The fiend howled in pain from within the dense armour: it was payback time. With a jarring crack the shell burst open exposing the creature's putrid mass. As the toxic cloud thinned and dispersed, Tidus could get a good look of what lurked inside.
A green almost plant-like creature appeared before him, by the look of its structure it seemed to resemble a venus fly trap more than anything else with its gaping spiny jaws. Yet again, it was armed with another pair of long fingered arms that thrashed and whipped towards them menacingly. It was completely open to attack.
Waiting no longer, Kimahri thrust his spear into the creature's face, gouging its eye completely out of the socket and spraying fluorescent blood everywhere. Tidus wretched, why did he have to be so savage?
But by now, Yuna was ready.
With an almighty blast of power, Valefor swooped down from the morning skies. Immediately, the creature spat a concoction of deadly venom towards the aeon's face. Valefor reeled; buckling back suddenly as the saliva stung its shining eyes. Taking advantage of this, the sinspawn quickly wrapped it flailing tentacles around the body of the hovering aeon, restraining its wings.
Tidus watched in horror as the creature constricted, squeezing the aeon in a brutal chokehold. Valefor would be dead if it remained there in the vice grip any longer.
But it was not so…
Beyond all Tidus' hope, the aeon began to glow. It pulsated in a flashing crimson hue that dazzled the blitzer's cerulean eyes. What the hell was going on?
The aeon burst from the creature's grasp, severing the wriggling tentacles as it did so, in a terrific display of strength. Valefor had reached overdrive; the status among aeons that is only achieved when a certain degree of damage is inflicted, allowing them to unleash their most potent attack.
Rearing its mighty head back, a deep rumbling sounded in the aeon's long serpentine throat. Suddenly its beak filled with a searing white light. Not pausing a moment longer, Valefor spat the white beam through the sinspawn's defenceless body slicing it completely in two.
It was already over; Valefor disappeared back up into the clear sky as the remnants of the fiend dissipated to nothing in a circling cloud of light.
"Yeesh!" Tidus exclaimed as he bent over raggedly, resting on his knees.
Wakka laughed "Sorry 'bout that! Hoped to break you in a little slower!"
"Being a guardian's tiring!" the blitzer replied, getting his breath back. He could finally appreciate what work a guardian's job actually involved, which wasn't as easy as he first thought.
"You handled yourself pretty well." Wakka said, sounding slightly impressed "You got talent!"
"Nah!" Tidus grinned, batting off the complement with an awkward rub of his head. "So what are these sinspawn anyway?" he quizzed, changing the subject.
"Fiends." Lulu answered "They fall from Sin's body and are left behind in its wake." She walked onward not waiting for the blitzer to question her again.
Tidus however had figured out what they were, they were the same things that helped destroy Zanarkand; now he knew where they came from.
"Leave 'em alone and Sin comes back for 'em. "Wakka explained following the mage onward "You gotta be quick!"
Tidus observed closely as Yuna and Kimahri joined the bulky islander.
"That moment when Wakka told me I had talent in battle…
I think that was I when I started seriously considering becoming a guardian…"
"Wait up! Tidus dashed to catch up with the group.
A long way was still to go on the steps upwards and the steep incline wasn't doing them any favours. Between each flight blazed fiery torches at either side, forged completely out of the raw stone. Strange statues also, haunted the edges of the steps, they were some kind of strange animal. Tidus couldn't work out what on earth they were meant to be. He glanced down over the edge, through the over hanging palm leaves. The jungle ascended, growing up hill with the staircase. He could tell they were already a fair way up, there would only be short way to go now up the twisting and turning stair.
"So, uh…" Wakka began as casually as he could "they got fiends in Zanarkand, too?"
"Just a few." Tidus replied, not catching on immediately "It's a big deal when one shows up, though. I-" he stopped suddenly "Hey! Since when have you believed me about Zanarkand, anyway?"
"I've been thinkin'." The islander said solemnly. "Maybe people Sin gets to don't die. Maybe Sin carries them through time. Like a thousand years through time." He wandered forward reflectively "And then, one day maybe they just pop back, see?"
"Amazing. Simply amazing." Lulu interrupted darkly, shaking her head with caustic bitterness.
Wakka spun round "Huh?"
"You make up one theory after another, refusing to face the simple truth." She growled spitefully. "Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere. Sin crushed him and left him on the Djose shore!" her eyes were ablaze with a searing rage "Your brother won't just pop back!"
Yuna watched the pair with growing anxiety. Tidus half expected her to say something. But there was nothing she could do.
"Oh, and one more thing." Lulu added, as she paced away with Kimahri close behind. "No matter how much you want it, no one can take Chappu's place. No one can replace Sir Jecht for that matter. And there's no replacement for Lord Braska, either. It's pointless to think about it, and sad." She disappeared over the top of the stairway along with the ronso and Yuna.
Wakka slumped down on to the steps with a morose frown. "I- I could never be what Chappu was." He mumbled, punching down on the bare stone with hid clenched fist.
"Well, stuff happens." He said pushing himself to his feet with a sigh "Best not to worry."
The islander headed onwards after the others as Tidus followed loosely behind.
"Wakka, Lulu and Wakka's brother Chappu.
Something had happened between them a long time ago. I was sure of it.
Well, whatever it was, it was none of my business, that's for sure.
Best not to go there."
To be continued…
AN: Warning, if you don't want to read my incessant ramblings about bannnnnannnnnas and my fave characters skip this part and review me please!
Hiya! What did ya think of this chappie? To be honest I hated writing the sending part, maybe its because I wanted it to be perfect, I dunno. Hope you lot aren't too bothered about me leaving out some bits in this chapter.
In answer to some questions…
I use British spelling NOT American. I'm an English girl and proud! Not that there's anything wrong with American spelling! My colonial cousins across the pond: you go ahead and spell whatever you want, how you want; you could spell banana with 10 n's if you wanted to "Bannnnnannnnna!"
Oh yes, who are my fave characters?… well, how long have you got?…
Of course, I'll have to start with the infamous Tidus. The reason I like him isn't because he's the lead or anything like that. I really like the way his character changes almost grows mature as the game goes on. At the beginning he's a real playboy, showing off to impress the girls, even sneaking a peak down Lulu's cleavage through the binoculars! Just a typical 17 year old guy. At the end of the game however, he's a very different person, more focused, one could even say grown up.
My next fave character is maybe not a popular choice…Jecht, Tidus' dad. I don't care what anyone says, I think Jecht's great! His bluntness and reckless demeanour make him stand out from all the other characters. Can't help feeling a tad sorry for him, because his own stupidity cost him his son's trust. I love the relationship he and Tidus share.
Argh there are so many…the last one I'll mention for now has to be Lulu. At first there was no specific reason for liking her, I just always like the moody, acid tongued characters (that's why I have a soft spot for Paine in ffx-2). I grew to love the way Lulu is horrid to Tidus at the beginning if the game, though. She out of all the others knows that only one thing can come in between Yuna and her pilgrimage, and that's him. Her faith in him grows slowly and by the end she holds him in utmost respect…well almost.
Cus there's so much I wanna say about everyone, I've compiled a short list with my moogle Mogsam. Here's what we think!
Wakka: Like how dopey he is. Dislike, his hate of the Al Bhed.
Rikku: Like the bright personality. Dislike, using her overdrive, mix, only to get something like a poxy high potion.
Auron: Like his grumpy, grouchy manner Dislike: his agonising slowness in battle.
Yuna: Like her determination and innocent charm Dislike, the unnecessary pauses when she says a line.
Kimahri: Like…erm…have to come back to you on this one…Dislike, the fact I never know when to use him in battle. I always hate the character with the blue abilities, i.e Quina from ff 9.
Well that's enough blabbing for now! Cya later!
Vogue Star
Ps To those that were worried about me changing my story: the only changes I'll ever make are to spelling and grammatical errors, nothing else will be amended.
Remember to review me peeps, I don't know what you think unless you tell me! Feel free to ask me any questions about my story if you want!