Chapter 8: The search for Serenity

Once Rei reached Luca, she immediately started to go around town asking anyone for information on Koneko. She learned that her prey once lived here in Luca, but she moved to Bevelle with her boyfriend. She thanked the person that told her this information and radioed the other. "Guys, I got a strong lead of Usa's whereabouts." She said into her communicator.

'Uranus, here. What's up?' Replied Haruka from the communicator.

"I've learned that Usa isn't single anymore and she's in a place called Bevelle. We'll regroup there, okay?" Said Rei slightly depressed.

'Copy that. We're almost done here in Besa...FIREFLY LOOK OUT!' Yelled Haruka. From that point on, Rei heard the sounds of a tough battle through the com-link. She heard the roar of a large dragon through it as well and she was worry about them.

(SCENE CHANGE)

Location: Besaid Cave, Besaid Island

Just when the Gullwings found the sphere, a flame dragon snuck up behind them and attacked. The fiend was very ferocious when it attacked with either it claws, tail and even breath. The girls really had their hands full, because it's tough hide allowed it to shrug off most attacks. Paine was severely weak due to all the Darkness attacks she launched at the drake and she was ready to release the ultimate power of a Dark Knight, Charon, even though it will cost her life in doing so. Just then Haruka pulled out her Space Sword and charged the overgrown lizard very aggressively. "SPACE SWORD BLASTER!" She yelled as she swung her scimitar while sending a strong non-elemental energy wave the fiend. The dragon tried to put up its defenses, but they weren't strong enough to withstand the power of the Wind Senshi's talisman and it got slashed in two. "To be honest, I'm having more being on the field then being on the Celsius." She said with a strong smirk as the fiend turned into pyreflies.

"That's for sure. We get to do all the good stuff!" Replied Rikku. So Yuna took the sphere that they found and the team went back to Wakka at the cave entrance.

'Guys! Is everything alright?' Asked Rei through the communicator.

"Everything fine, a fiend just jumped us and that's all. We've taken care of it." Replied Haruka.

'Well I better head to a place called Bevelle and look for Usa.' Said Rei.

"Be careful and if you harm her in any way, I'll boot you off the Celsius personally while it's in high altitude!" Threaten Haruka.

'Don't worry, Ruka. Over and out.' Said Rei as she cut transmission.

(SCENE CHANGE)

Back in Luca, Rei was readying herself for the long trek to the largest city on Spira as she climbed the stairs leading to the Mi'ihen High Road. When she reached the top, she looked in wonder at the shear beauty of the landscape. She did one last equipment check, while remembering Luzzu's advice: 'you never know when a fiend may pop out,' and she was on her way. She didn't take the hover to aid her travel, because she thought that it would waste a good exercise opportunity.

While walking on the highroad, she saw some people using hovers. She laughed at the thought of 'mankind, born to be lazy', when she saw a hover pass by. She also saw some machina keeping a look out for fiends. Once in a while, a fiend did attack her, but was quickly dispatched by her heavy long blade. Right after she passed the Travel Agency, small group of fiends jumped her. There was a Flan Blanco, a Wild Wolf and a Fly Eye. She immediately went into a combat stance with her sword at the ready, Rei quickly dispatched the Flan, but the other two proved to be a little trickier to nail. Just when the canine was about to strike, the fire senshi vanished. While both fiends searched for their prey until five black bolts struck a single spot at once creating a bubbling portal to the black abyss. Both beasts looked at it curiously, until a black mass shot out of it. The mass was Rei and she was garbed in knee high greaves, a plated belt around her waist, her torso armor accentuated her curves, she had spiked shoulder plates, a strong pair of bracers and she had a draconic tiara of her forehead. Her armor was dark crimson red and was masterfully craved so that it would look like a dragon. Every inch of her skin, except for her face and neck, was covered in tight black draconic fiber that had a dark red shimmer. When she hit the ground, she drove both hands in it creating another dark doorway to retrieve her weapon. Has she pulled it out, the fiends could actually feel the evil aura of the blade she was pulling out. With one strong pull, she got it out and she took a zweihander combat style with her great sword, Soul Edge. "I will show you the GREATEST nightmare!" She said as she charge an attack. The two remaining fiends couldn't do anything, because they were virtually paralyzed with fear. "BLACK SKY!!!!" She yelled as a dark energy bombardment commenced all over her enemies. Needless to say, the monsters were completely vaporized by the power of the dark knight.

After the little skirmish, Rei collected the spoils and continued on her way. She passed by the entrance to the Youth League Base, where she met an eager soldier by the name of Yaibal. He asked her if she wanted to join the league, but she declined the offer. Just when she was about to leave and head to Djose, she saw both Logos and Ormi out the corner of her eye. 'What are those two doing here? I better find out.' She thought as she started to tail them. She stealth fully followed them into the canyon, at one point they jumped onto a lower level. She gently let herself down into the canyon, where cover was overly abundant. She followed them to an area inside the canyon where was a golden door that seemed permanently sealed.

"This one's no good." Said Ormi as he tested a sphere.

"Nor this one." Added Logos as he tested another one.

"Hey dumb and dumber! What are you two doing?" Demanded Rei as she went into a combat stance surprising them.

"Let's get out of here." Said Ormi as haste fully picked up the sphere he dropped.

"We must inform the boss!" Ordered Logos as he smashed a smoke bomb on the ground. When the smoke cleared, they were gone, but they forgot something, a crimson sphere.

"Well finders keepers." She said as she picked it up. When she was about to leave, someone emerged from the shadows. "Who're you?" She asked while going into a battle stance.

"Whoa! Calm down. I come in peace." Replied the person, this calmed Rei a bit. "I'm Maroda, I'm with the Youth League."

"I'm Rei from the Gullwings." She said as she placed Soul Edge on her back.

"You know, this den holds a lot a secrets, but someone closed it off." He replied as he walked towards the gold doors. "The league is planning an investigation to go in there, so I'm afraid that I'll have to ask you to leave."

"No problem, I was about to leave anyways." She said as she began to leave.

"Hey, you know. I would like to get to know you better." He said before she left.

"Sorry, but I'm gay." She replied as she left the area that led to the Den of Woes, leaving a bewildered Maroda. After she left the canyon, she continued along the road to Bevelle.

When she got back on the high road, an Al bhed offered her a ride to the Djose Temple this time Rei thought about her aching feet and she accepted the ride. So she climbed on the speeder and the Al bhed took off towards the temple, where the Machine Faction resides. "Hey! From the temple, which way is Bevelle?" She asked the driver.

"Simple, if you keep going straight, you'll head towards our base. So you need to go left when we reach the fork in the road." Replied the driver.

"Thanks!" She said. The rest of the trip was ridden in silence. When they reach the other speeder near the path to the temple, Rei got off, thanked the driver for the lift and went down the path that went to the Moonflow River. While walking she heard someone calling for help, being a redeemed Sailor Senshi, she knew that helping people in need was necessary for her reputation, she had to help. When she got to the source of the distress call, she saw a Hypello with a cart, which was strapped to a large yellow bird that she never seen before. She asked him what the problem, the hypello replied that he was under siege by bandits. "Since we going the same way, I'll gladly give you an escort." She said.

"Shthank yoo." Replied the hypello. So the two of them started to walk to the Moonflow, just a short while after getting started a bandit charged the cart to steal the cargo. The thief would had gotten to the cargo if it weren't for a crucial factor...a great sword wielding girl by the name of Rei Hino and she hacked him in half making a large blood spatter on the near by cliffs and an enlarging blood puddle on the ground. The rest of the way, only two waves of thieves attacked and they both failed miserably. By the time they arrived to the river, the tribe's chief Tobi, who seemed to have drunk a wee bit too much coffee, was overjoyed to see his assistant arrive with the cargo.

"Oh it's so good that you've returned! Yup, yup!" Said a very hyperactive Tobi.

"Shthank to this lady." Replied the assistant.

"Thank you so very much! Now out show is just one step away from smashing success!" Said Tobi.

"You're welcome. And remember it was a Gullwing that helped you out." She replied.

"Before I forget, here's your reward." Said Tobi as he gave her the Gun mage Dressphere, a circlet and the Helios guard Garment grid.

"Thank you for the Sphere." She replied.

"Next time, we need help, we'll know who to call. Yup, yup!" He said. With that said she continued on her way. She managed to cross the Moonflow on the Shoopuf after learning what it was and it was for. She continued walking until she reached the Thunder Plains, it was raining hard there and lightning constantly struck the towers. So she crossed the plains as fast as she could to avoid most of the rain, which is next to impossible especially with a full-plate of armor and a great sword on her back. Needless to say when she arrived at Macalania Forest, she was completely wet, but now she was at another cross road. She had the choice of going deeper into the woods, up a starlit path or down another path that led into the woods, but it had less foliage than the other ones.

'Well this is a no-brainer.' She thought as she went down the clearest path. After a bit she saw two guards on her left, this was another no-brainer for her, but just to be sure she asked one of the guards. "Excuse me, does this road lead to Bevelle?" She asked.

"Of course it does! Why do you think there are two New Yevon guards here?!" Replied one of the guards quite arrogantly. Rei simply stomped off past them.

"No wonder you're still single, Pyro. You treat women like shit." Said The other guard.

"Shut up, Headhunter." Replied Pyro.

As Rei finally set foot on the Bevelle High Bridge, she saw the others arrive by airship. She joined them and told them what she found out, plus she showed the two spheres she got. 'Thank heaven she's all right. Who knows what I would had done if she were hurt.' Thought Paine while staring at Rei. So the six of them went up the high bridge heading in Yuna's birthplace, Bevelle.

(NOTES)

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