Chapter Nine:
Agony

Note: When I copied the previous chapter onto another document, I accidentally cut out the Al Bhed. It's actually no big deal, since the only words were "ass" (Ycc) and "'kay/okay" ('gyo/ugyo). Reviews make me really happy, by the by, so thanks for that! Alright, this is where the good stuff happens. That fight with the huge-ass, tear-inducing machina still occurs, by the way but, again, doesn't differ from the game, so I'm not going to include it.

'Black sky will burn/
Love, pull me down/
Hate, lift me up.'
-"Dear Agony" by Breaking Benjamin

Ashlin froze in her steps and stared at the Al Bhed, who noticed her after Yuna did. "This summoner is coming back with me," he told her over the howling of the wind. This immediately assisted in thawing out her legs.

The sword rang in the air as she pulled it out of its sheath. She had no bad ass line, no awe-inspiring speech. All she said was: "No, you're not." Though she could not feel her toes, Ashlin ran forward with the sword raised over her head.

The rifle left Tromell's chest and moved to point at Ashlin. He pulled the trigger with a simple, detached movement, and a bullet of some sort exited the gun and whizzed in the air toward her. Ashlin slid to a stop, but the bullet did not reach her. It, instead, hit some sort of barrier and harmlessly fell into the snow. "Thanks," she called to Yuna, who had cast a protective spell. "You and Tromell should get out of here."

Yuna, however, shook her head. "No, I can't leave you alone."

"I'm your guardian," pointed out Ashlin. "I need to look out for you; not the other way around."

A smile appeared on Yuna's face. "I think you need to be looked after," she remarked, making Ashlin blush. Then, she turned to Tromell. "Sir, I must help her. Could you move off to the side so you won't be hurt?" Though Tromell seemed hesitate to do so, he complied with Yuna as Ashlin stood beside her. They stood before the Al Bhed with determined expressions. "Who are you?" she demanded of him.

"My name is Rupin," he replied, "and I am here to save you." Yuna clutched her rod a little tighter, and Ashlin took a few steps toward him. She realized his left arm no longer had the glove on it but still bore the marks from where Rikku's claw had cut him. Rupin chuckled at her. "We meet again, Ashlin."

Yuna looked at her. "Again?"

"When I met Rikku at the Moonflow, he ambushed us," she explained, "and started to tell a story about his sons. He seems to know Rikku."

With a chuckle, Rupin replied, "Almost all Al Bhed know Rikku; she is the daughter of the Al Bhed leader, Cid."

"And we all know how you know me," she mumbled.

"Just one of the many foolish Al Bhed acting as a pet to Yevonites," he noted. "You are hiding, so tayn. (Note: 'my dear'.) Behind your past and, now, behind your summoner. If you are truly determined to be a good guardian, then should you really be hiding behind your summoner?"

Though she hated to admit it, this stranger wasn't wrong. "Yuna, I really want you to go ahead. I promise I'll catch up." Rupin watched them with amusement.

After a moment, Yuna asked, "Can you whistle?"

Ashlin was caught off guard. "Huh?"

"Well, can you? Like this." She put her two fingers in her mouth as she had in Luca and blew. Ashlin tried and, after a moment, it worked. Yuna nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Tidus taught that to me, you know, in case I needed him. I think you should do it, too. I will go on without you. Just be careful, okay? Whistle if you need help."

Ashlin nodded, feeling as though she had just learned a particularly intimate secret and wondering if Tidus would mind. Her eyes returned to Rupin. Would he really allow Yuna to leave that easily? "You too," she replied, watching the man carefully. "Now, hurry. Go."

Yuna nodded and Tromell quickly reappeared beside Yuna. As they started to move down the path, Rupin blocked them. "Now, I never said that I would allow her to leave." The gun was pointed at Tromell's heart.

A gunshot rang in the air, and Tromell all but jumped out of his skin. Blood dripped onto the ground, contrasting with the pure white snow. The crimson liquid did not belong to the Guado, but the Al Bhed, who was clutching his shoulder in pain. Ashlin held the pistol uneasily in her left hand. "Go now!" she ordered. Yuna nodded, and she and Tromell left the area as fast as possible.

Rupin glowered at Ashlin. "Hn. Perhaps you are a little more intelligent than I first thought."

"No, I think you're just dumber than you knew," replied Ashlin with a smile as she put away the pistol.

He removed his hand from his shoulder and allowed the blood to flow freely. His hand was red from it, and the sticky liquid dripped onto the ground. "Incidentally, I do know of you for another reason. I met your mother once."

Ashlin blinked and was caught off guard. "Wh-what?" The wind howled around them, and she was quite sure that the snow was going to cause her bare stomach to freeze and her toes, soon enough, were going to become frostbitten.

"Yes, she came to Home once in search of someone. I found her and her Yevonite master wandering in the desert. Out of the kindness of my heart, I brought them Home so that they would not drop dead in the desert. She told me that she had a daughter, whose name she had picked because of a dream of a better life for her. And here you are. Tell me, would your mother think this a better life for you?"

Ashlin scowled. "Don't talk about her like you actually knew her. You didn't."

"Did you? She told me you were young, then she was killed by Sin as they left the island. You couldn't have known her, either." Ashlin did not respond with words but her sword. Her hands moved on their own and diagonally sliced into his chest. "Ah, touchy, touchy." Rupin raised the rifle again, and there was no way it would miss this time. He pulled the trigger, quickly, and a bullet ripped into her right shoulder – ironically, she noted it was the same body part she had injured on him. The only difference was that, while Rupin was left handed, Ashlin was right-handed.

A giant explosion sounded somewhere behind them. "Ah, it seems that the others have failed," he murmured.

"Others?" replied Ashlin as she held her shoulder, her sword laying in the snow. "What others?"

"The Al Bhed who were too slow to get Yuna, so they were to serve as a distraction for her guardians. Unfortunately, you followed her," he grunted. "Had I known, it would not have mattered. You are a disappointment; you are weak. One gunshot, and you have given up the fight. I have no desire to deal with you further."

Ashlin glared at him and bent down to grab her sword without taking her eyes from him. Though it hurt to wield the sword, she held it up higher and attempted a jump attack. Unsurprisingly, he shot at her again, and hit her in the stomach. She collapsed into the snow in a heap. Rupin shook his head. "Such a disappointment. Tell me, how have you survived all these years on your own? Then again, I suppose it has only been three years. Before then, you had two others taking care of you, babying you. You should have been killed by that fiend that day. You are weak," he repeated.

She lifted her head a few inches above the snow. "H-how do you know all of that?"

Even Rupin seemed surprised by his own words. "I-it matters n-not," he sputtered. Ashlin managed to raise her sword a little. "Will you strike me from where you lay?" The arrogance returned with a vengeance.

"Yes." She pointed the sword upwards despite the pain it caused. A thunder spell coursed through the blade and struck Rupin. It was by no means very strong, but it was enough to make him fall back a few steps. Ashlin stood up and tried to ignore the blood - her blood - that covered the snow in a large amount. While she wanted to know why Rupin seemed to know so much about her, she had to catch up with Yuna. After sheathing the sword, she spared Rupin one passing glance before running down the path.

Rupin glowered at her and muttered, "You will not get away that easily." The spell had struck his other shoulder, so it was bleeding, too. He raised his rifle once more once she was much further down the trail and shot her.

xxx

The guard at the entrance to Macalania Temple bowed to Yuna as she and Tromell approached. "Lady Yuna, we have been anxiously awaiting your arrival! It is nice to see you."

Yuna smiled and also bowed. "Thank you." After a moment of hesitation, she said, "There is an Al Bhed girl who was with me-"

"Would you like us to get rid of her?" he asked immediately.

She shook her head earnestly. "No, no! She is one of my guardians. If she should come here after I've already gone inside, allow her entry."

Though the guard did not seem to approve of this, he agreed. "Yes, my lady. Now, go inside. Maester Seymour eagerly awaits your answer."

Tromell led her inside, and she was momentarily distracted by its beauty. It was a large, domed foyer with a small moat that separated the entryway from the rest of the room (though a small path built over it remedied that easily). There were three doors, as there were in most temples, with a staircase leading to the one that led into the cloisters. "Lord Seymour is in the back, if you'll come with me."

As they moved for the ground-level room on the right, Shelinda stopped them. "Oh, Lady Yuna! I have heard the wonderful news. I am so excited for you!"

"News?" repeated Yuna.

"Yes, that you are to wed Maester Seymour. All of Spira is buzzing with it!"

Yuna blinked. "Oh. How did you...?"

"The Guado have been telling everyone," beamed Shelinda. "I wish you the greatest happiness."

Yuna bowed. "Thank you." Then, she followed Tromell into the room. Inside were two Guado guardians and Seymour.

"Lord Seymour, Lady Yuna has arrived," announced Tromell.

Seymour turned toward them. Yuna and Seymour did the praying gesture to one another. "Lady Yuna, how good to see you again. Admittedly, I did not expect you would reach your answer so quickly, but I am quite eager to hear it."

Yuna nodded. "Yes. I have decided that-"

"Why do we not discuss this in the Cloisters?" interrupted Seymour. "Leave your things here, and we will get you the aeon of this temple."

"Alright," she agreed as she set down her pack.

Seymour turned toward his advisor. "Tromell, you may stay back and..." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Deter any unwanted visitors?"

Tromell nodded. "Yes, my lord."

"Come, Lady Yuna." Seymour, flanked by his two guardians, started out of the room with Yuna in tow. When they entered the foyer, they found Ashlin arguing with another Guado guardian.

"I am Yuna's guardian. She wants me here."

The guardian shook his head and regarded her skeptically. "I do not believe you." His eyes fell to the red and gold carpet, which Ashlin's blood was currently ruining.

"It doesn't matter what you believe," growled Ashlin as her eyes looked over him and caught Yuna's. "Oh, Yuna!"

Yuna started for her immediately with Seymour following not too far behind. "She is my guardian," she informed the guardian.

"She is an Al Bhed," he answered with disgust.

"I would not care if she was half-hypello, she is my guardian. Let her in." Begrudgingly, the guardian moved aside and allowed Ashlin to join Yuna.

Seymour stopped beside Yuna. "Ashlin, you may wait in here while Yuna and I complete the trials."

Ashlin, however, shook her head. This seemed to annoy the Guado - particularly the one who had barred her entry - even more. "I am Yuna's guardian. Guardians complete the trials with their summoner. I promise not to disturb the two of you, but I must insist that I come with."

"I do believe that I and my guardians will be enough protection?"

A smile appeared on Ashlin's lips as she tilted her head to the side. "What if it's you that she needs protecting from?"

Nervous, Yuna pleaded, "Allow her to join us. I promise she will not be a burden."

As begrudgingly as the other Guado, Seymour agreed, "If you must."

xxx

"Your brother's kind of a jerk," remarked Tidus who had his arms rested behind his head as they moved out of the open area and onto the isolated trail. "But I already kind of knew that from when we met."

Rikku giggled from beside him. The two of them were walking at the front of the group with Wakka picking up the rear. The run-in with the Al Bheds - particularly knowing that the leader of the attack was Rikku's brother - had made him sour once again. "He's my older brother; of course he's a jerk. But... He's just like most Al Bhed, you know? Mistrustful of Yevon and all that jazz."

"He shot you with a giant canon!" pointed out Tidus.

She examined herself, briefly, for wounds. They were all more than a little bloodied up. "Well... yeah." Rikku rubbed the back of her head. "Now my pops knows what I'm doing. I wonder what he'll think."

Tidus was surprised. "He didn't know?"

"No. I broke away from Brother at the Moonflow when I spotted you and Ash in the river. After we fought that giant meanie, I washed up on the shore, and I couldn't find Brother. Okay, I didn't look hard, but you get my point. I knew that a bunch of Al Bhed were stationed at the Moonflow to kidnap summoners, so I stayed near where you guys were camped out to make sure no one tried to take Yunie. I thought after I met up with Ash that the big meanie who threatened us was going to tell pops, but I guess he didn't."

"What big meanie?" asked Tidus.

"Some old Al Bhed," she replied. "He actually seemed more keen on lecturing me and threatening Ash, though."

"An Al Bhed was that close to our camp?" exclaimed Wakka from behind them.

Rikku grinned. "Bet you're glad you had Ash and I on your side after all, huh?"

"At least you've never attacked us," he mumbled.

The grin promptly slipped off Rikku's face. "Hey! Lookie!" She had stopped walking and was now staring intently at the snow ahead of them. There was quite the amount of blood coloring the white and, further ahead, a whole trail seemed to lead to the temple. "Oh, no! You don't think Yunie was hurt, do you?"

Everyone was suddenly gathered around the blood. Lulu clutched her moogle a little tighter. "We'd better hurry."

xxx

As promised, Ashlin did not invade the space of Yuna and Seymour, but that did not mean she was not listening to them. Even if her fight skills sucked (and, after getting easily shot twice, she was starting to believe this), her hearing did not. It was one of her better survival skills.

"I have decided that I will take your hand in marriage," mumbled Yuna as she looked down at a Macalania sphere. The cloister was basically repairing the bridge so that they could enter the Chamber of Fayth.

Seymour took her free hand into both of his. He was smiling. "I am so pleased to hear that, Lady Yuna."

"But," began Yuna, who was clearly uncomfortable, "I want to continue my pilgrimage."

He nodded. "Of course. I will join you."

Uncomfortable turned to pure discomfort. "O-oh. But, the rest of my guardians..."

"Lady Yunalesca only had her Lord Zaon. You do not need them." He was still smiling, though it was starting to seem forced.

Yuna swallowed. "Yes, but they are my friends-"

"Love is a bond stronger than friendship," replied Seymour as he took the sphere from her hand and put it in a new slot. The bridge was almost completely repaired now.

Both parties were starting to get annoyed, but it was more apparent in Yuna as she slid her hand out of Seymour's and grabbed a new sphere. "I... disagree. I love my friends."

Ashlin chewed on her lip. 'If Yuna can't even win this argument, then how can she talk Seymour into turning himself in?'

"If you'd like, you may join us, too, but I won't allow my guardians to have come this far with me for nothing." Yuna's tone was final, and Seymour seemed surprised by her resolve. The room was silent, aside from the sound of Ashlin's chattering teeth, until Yuna placed sphere into the final slot, thus completing the bridge. She returned to Ashlin's side and the latter put a hand on her shoulder.

With her voice a whisper, Ashlin asked, "When are you going to confront him?"

"Once I get the fayth," promised Yuna. "This is... a lot harder than I expected."

Ashlin giggled without humor. "Seymour's not a maester without reason." Yuna nodded. "But I know you can do it. And, if you really need to, I'll hit him, I swear. I have no problem hitting a maester, even if it gets me sent to Bevelle's prison."

Yuna managed a small laugh. "I appreciate that."

Seymour joined them. "Are we ready?" They nodded and walked back up the staircase leading to the mouth of the newly formed bridge. After crossing it, they went through a door that led to a decently sized room containing the door to the Chamber of Fayth.

"I'm going to pray now," announced Yuna, her eyes lingering on Ashlin's.

Ashlin smiled. "I'll be good. Go ahead!" After a moment's hesitation, Yuna entered the door, and the Al Bhed found herself alone with Seymour and his guardians.

"So," began Seymour once silence filled the room for an uncomfortably long moment. "Are we really going to continue this?"

"Continue what?" asked Ashlin innocently.

Seymour chuckled, turning away from the chamber's door in order to face her. "Shall we go on like we have never met?"

"We did meet. We met at the entrance to Mushroom Rock Road."

"Stop your childish games; I have no patience for them. It has been a while, Ashlin."

Ashlin inclined her head ever so slightly. "Yes, it has."

"You look a little beat up. Your calf has been bleeding all over this temple," he noted. "It reminds me of the first time we met."

"Do we really have to go down memory lane?" she groaned.

It was three years previous in Guadosalam, and the town, as usual, was bustling with mostly Guado. Seymour, twenty-five, wandered through the city. He had plans to visit Zanarkand in a few days and deal with Anima's fayth statue. Passersby had been mentioning a horrible storm in the Thunder Plains, so he thought to check it out. When he reached the slope leading into the plains, he was surprised at what he found. A young Al Bhed girl was collapsed half-way into the city.

He moved to her side immediately and bent down beside her. "Are you alright?"

The girl, much to his surprise, picked up her head a little. Her body was a mess of cuts, bruises, dirt and mud. "Ungh..." She dropped her head back to the ground, and he promptly whisked her into his arms and started into the rest house in the city.

The Guado behind the counter regarded him with a perplexed expression. "What's happened, Lord Seymour?"

"This girl was collapsed outside of the city. She needs medical attention." The Guado woman nodded.

"Alright, I'll take care of her. Follow me." He followed her down a hallway and into one of the single rooms. The woman gestured for him to place her on the bed. "Thank you, Lord Seymour. Come back and see her later." And so he had. He had waited about an hour or so, killing time by explaining to his father what had happened. His father, whom he still had a hard time standing most of the time. When he returned to the inn, the Guado was back at the desk. She smiled at him. "All done. You can go see her."

Seymour returned to the room, and found her sleeping peacefully. When he closed the door, she woke up. "My apologies. I didn't mean to wake you."

She looked up at him with cloudy green eyes. More bandages than clothes covered her body. "Who are you?" Her voice was groggy. "Where am I?" The sleep finally left her as she sprung up, wincing in the process. "I have to leave. I have to find Jaidan and Aimee!"

Seymour moved over to her and lightly pushed her down before sitting in a chair beside the bed. "My name is Seymour. I am the priest of Macalania Temple. You are in Guadosalam." She nodded her head slowly. "What's your name?"

After a moment's hesitation, she answered, "Ashlin. I..." She trailed off as her expression became somber. "I can't find Jaidan and Aimee."

"Who?"

"My friends," she clarified.

"Why?" He did not know why he was talking with her. She was Al Bhed, one of the most (if not the most) hated races in Spira. Who knows how long she was collapsed in the city. Many people probably just passed her by. Maybe that was why he felt obligated to speak with her. He could understand her.

Ashlin looked down at the red comforter covering most of her body. "I don't know if I can talk about it. I should leave."

"You should stay until your wounds are healed," he replied. "I will leave you, if you wish."

"...No, no. Stay. I haven't talked to another person in a really long time."

And that was how it had been for about a week. He put off his visit to Zanarkand (though he hated himself for doing it) and visited her every day. Eventually, she admitted that a fiend had killed her companions, and she had wandered from Macalania Woods to Guadosalam. The fiends were difficult in the woods and plains, and she was so exhausted that she simply collapsed. He felt badly for her.

Exactly a week after he had found her, the Guado woman announced that she was well enough to leave. Seymour knew the only reason she had allowed Ashlin to stay for so long was because of him, but she was now eager to get rid of the Al Bhed. "You could come with me," he told her.

"Come with you. Where?" She asked.

"Zanarkand."

Ashlin was reminded of the Zanarkand she had been told about by Jecht when she was seven. He had said it was a city that never slept; a city of lights. Auron had promptly squashed her and Aimee's dreams by saying that it was nothing like that; it was ruins. "Why do you want me to come with you to Zanarkand?"

"You have to leave this place," he remarked. "Are you really going to leave on your own? No one will accept you because of your blood."

"Then, why do you?"

"Because I know what it is like to be unaccepted because of what flows through your veins," he answered darkly. "You have never been on your own. You cannot do it."

Ashlin pursed her lips. "I can do it if I believe I can do it." It was a clichéd response, but she did not like being told what she could and could not do by a total stranger.

Seymour was relentless. "You will either come with me, or you will go to jail."

"Jail?" she echoed incredulously.

"Yes. For killing your friends."

Ashlin blanched. "I didn't kill them!"

"Who will the maesters of Yevon believe? You or the priest of Macalania Temple?" A cruel smile spread across Seymour's lips.

"Do you want to know why I really don't want to go with you? It's because words whispered through prison bars lose their charm. You were nice, at first, but I see it, your bitterness. I can't do it. I can't be around you. You made the mistake of falling in love with a broken creature, and now you're trying to keep it with you, even if that means never letting it fly again."

Seymour frowned. "I will take care of you, Ashlin. We are both outcasts-"

"You don't know me. I feel bad for you, Seymour," she said with a truly sad expression. "You've been unable to find anyone to connect with on a personal level for so long that you're going after the first thing that you are able to connect with. I have my whole life ahead of me, and so do you. If you are to pursue any relationship with me - even friendship - you will be dropped from your priest position."

"We can keep it a secret," he argued.

Ashlin shook her head. "Though I don't know much of what it means to be Al Bhed, I do know one thing: freely showing off your emotions is in your blood. I can't hide a damn thing." She rose from her bed and put her feet on the ground. She was wearing a black dress with a golden dragon depicted on it, and her blue-green ribbon was tied around her arm. "I've been ready to go for a while. I was just waiting for you to say goodbye. Maybe you like me, but you're making it sound like you love me. You don't love me. You're in love with the idea of being in love with someone. I'm sorry you've been lonely for so long, but I can't help you."

She looked him straight in the eye. "Quite frankly, you scare me. I don't want to see you again."

As she rose from her bed and turned to face him, he also rose to his feet. "Fair enough. Return to Guadosalam again, and I will have you thrown into the Via Purifico."

"Good times," remarked Ashlin, if not a little bitterly. "My feelings haven't changed about you. In fact, they've gotten worse. Why do you want to marry Yuna?"

Seymour smiled. "Because I love her."

"Why do you insist on lying and pretending?" She nearly shouted it, and the guardians were now watching her very carefully. "Is it because she's Lord Braska's daughter? Are you in love with the position of power she kind of has?"

"You do not understand, Ashlin, which is not much of a surprise. You are Al Bhed."

Ashlin glowered at him. "I thought you said we were the same?"

"That was three years ago, when I was still foolish. Things have changed. I am to wed Lord Braska's daughter."

"I don't want you to."

Seymour chuckled. "Why? Have you had feelings for me all this time after all?"

"No," she replied, staring at him intently as her right hand hovered near her sword's hilt. "Because Yuna is good and pure and just plain amazing. And an amazing person loves her, and I know she loves him back. I don't want you to ruin Yuna, and I don't want you to ruin her chance at true love."

At this, his laugh became much more sinister. "Have you forgotten her destiny, heathen fool?"

"Love doesn't have to last forever. It just has to be real and true and have meaning."

"A romantic, are we?"

Ashlin narrowed her eyes. "Yuna may die, but... I don't know. Maybe there's another way."

"There is no other way. The only way to end Sin is not to end Sin at all. It is to take away Spira from Sin."

"There must be a way. How could it be fair for there not to be a way?"

With a glint in his eye, Seymour replied, "Life is not fair."

"Your life wasn't fair, but you don't have to be so damn bitter about it!"

The glint faded and changed to a look of pure hatred. "You understand nothing." Without another word, he raised his staff and cast a thundara spell at her, which promptly knocked her to the floor.

At the same time, the door to the cloisters opened as the guardians entered, and Tidus shouted, "Seymour!"

Note: Oh, I am just full of surprises. :D Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Next update will probably be tomorrow some time.