Chapter 21: "A Bitter Return"
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"The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." - Proverbs 14:10
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--*It's cold. Always cold. Always rainy. But in the jungle, it was never cold. In the dream, though, it's cold. Very cold. So cold, in fact, that I can't drop my M4 rifle. So cold that the steel of my weapon's grip is frozen to my hand. That's how cold it is.
My ears can pick out the muffled sounds of explosions. My nose can smell spent gunpowder and burning foliage. The whole squad is ducked behind a large dirt mound on the south side of the proposed target, a large, whitewashed building outside of a dirt poor village. I peek over my shoulder occasionally to try to look into the dirty windows.
Meanwhile our leader, a newly appointed Captain, tries to hail Command on a question the entire squad's raised. That question? "Why are there men in Doctor's coats running in and out of our target?"
We've been scoping the place out for about three hours. No sign of any illicit activity, of course, but when one of the men took a pee break, he was shot and the shots seemed to have come from the direction of our target. Now, we're just convinced it's a drug haven. A cleverly disguised drug haven at that. Or is it? I'm definitely not sure at this point.
The "captain" slams the radio down into the dirt in disgust and one of his officers makes a crack. That officer is then hit in the face. Angry, the captain gives the go-ahead for us to move. We move.
It only takes me a second or two to realize what we're assaulting. It now appears to be an orphanage. It only -appears- to be one, though, and we aren't sure. So we kick in the door. The hinges creak and the doorjamb on the left of the door shatters into splinters. A hundred or so startled cries fill the air. The soldier to the left of me sweeps forward while I take his left flank. And I then realize that what we're doing is a terrible mistake. I try to tap the forward soldier's shoulder, but our captain barks from behind us.
"Open fire, men. Kill them all!"
My weapon stays on safety while a deafening roar fills the room and then echoes off of the concrete walls. I suddenly think I'm blind, but when I relax my face, my eyes open onto a scene of ghastly carnage.
Most of the children lay injured and weeping or screaming. Their caretakers, mostly nuns and doctors, faired slightly better. They died sheltering a few children from the gunfire. Those children were crying loudly. I heard the captain say something that immediately snapped me out of my shocked daze.
While the men took out their phosphorous grenades, I unsheathed my M9 and calmly walked over to where the captain was standing. There he stood, smoking a cigar and staring me in the face.
My pistol raises to his forehead, the hammer clicks back as my thumb works it. The captain blinks only once before I pull the trigger. The nine- millimeter bullet enters his skull and I feel no remorse whatsoever.
I walk over and lean against a thick tree, closing my eyes as I try to get over a rising nausea. The nausea keeps coming, however, and I drop my head as my ears fill with the now burning children's screams. I know then that their cries and the imagined scene of their scorching bodies will never leave me.
Five hours later, EVAC arrives. Mission is designated as successful. A colonel walks out of the helicopter and my squad doesn't even bother lining up. This infuriates the colonel and he demands that we line up. We eventually do, and he notices the dead captain, which infuriates him even more. He demands to know how the captain was killed. No one offers an explanation, so he says the entire squad is being shipped back and demoted to the lowest rank possible. I open my eyes and mouth in a shocked expression; shocked at the fact this asshole thinks he has some Godly reign over an entire squad of men not directly under his command. One of his lackeys, an Army photographer, snaps a shot in my direction. Later on, when I get back to base, that photo is in every newspaper on the planet.
After the photo is snapped, I turn my attention back to the burning orphanage. This would certainly be an image I would never forget.*--
Something shook me and the image of the burning orphanage faded from my vision, only to be filled with the concerned countenance of Eimour. I tried to sit up, but she held me down. I thought I heard her whisper "Stay down," but I couldn't quite make it out. My eyes darted from her lips to her eyes and back, trying to find her emotions and her voice at the same time. Her gaze was certainly trying to lock to mine, yet I couldn't keep mine fixated on hers.
My heart was pounding, sweat was beading at my hairline, and I could feel my hands clenching at the bed sheets. A panic attack was the last thing she was probably expecting, and needless to say, she grew even more worried. I tried to calm my convulsions, but the images of burning children and the sound of their tortured screams kept phasing in and out of my consciousness.
Between the images trying to burn themselves into my eyes, I could see Eimour's hands clutching a wet cloth, the cloth sliding all along my chest and stomach and neck and head. When my thoughts were clear, I tried to command my mouth to open, my diaphragm to contract, and my vocal chords to help form words. Yet they all refused my request, and I was left staring as she frantically searched for some cure-all spot to soak down on my naked torso.
Apparently, she wasn't enjoying my fit either. I could intermittently see tears running down her cheeks. I tried to reason with my numb arms, tried to get them to wrap around her, to comfort her and tell her that I was going to be ok...but to no avail. With no end to the attack in sight, I simply numbed my head and closed my eyes. I didn't want to see her crying. In all truth, I'd rather endure my past mistakes than see her cry. I didn't really know why, then, either. It was just...a fact.
As more and more images were pulled from my subconscious, my shaking grew worse. Funny how I could feel the shaking yet couldn't command my body to move in any orderly fashion. I decided to open my eyes once more, hoping Eimour wasn't there anymore. Hoping that she had given up and accepted my fate, whatever she thought that to be. I was hoping, in infinite honesty, that she'd walk out, leave me be, let me rot...she didn't need someone like me in her life. She had enough trouble raising Gary by herself. Why should I be there to burden her?
Yet, she was there, leaning directly over me. So close, in fact, that I could smell her soft berry-like scent. And surprisingly, I could smell it. Even stranger, the smell calmed me. Oddly enough, the shaking slowed. Her tear-covered face moved even closer to my own, close enough now that I could feel her breath bringing back some moisture to my dry eyes. The screams and images then began to slowly fade. By the time her chin was directly in my line of sight, my shaking had stopped. When her shaking, moist lips planted a gentle kiss to my forehead, everything...the voices, the images, the numbness...was gone. I wrapped my arms around her and sat up, pulling her into a tight embrace. Her heartbeat was as quick as mine.
She was very much alive. And I was alive. And it was then that I knew she had just saved my life. Eimour had saved me.
I opened my mouth and whispered softly, "Thank you."
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"Why are you here," Lulu asked, one hand on her hip, the other balled into a fist and resting against her stomach.
Chappu blinked at the question at first and, uncharacteristically, stuttered out, "I...uh...well, you see...I..."
Then, Chappu straightened and let an emotionless look wash over his face. Within one long grunt, he belted out, "To help in Yuna and the Crusaders in any way possible, even if it means going into battle."
Lulu cocked a grin and shook her head. "You always were a horrible liar."
"It's the truth," said Chappu, nodding assertively.
"That's utter crap and you know it. You came here for me, didn't you?"
Chappu immediately turned around, trying to hide the angry blush on his cheeks. His hands balled into fists and his shoulders flexed madly. Lulu's ability to read him like a book always left Chappu embarrassed and angry.
"It's a little too late for that..." he managed through clenched teeth.
Lulu nodded and then spoke, voice as cold as Mount Gagazet's peak. "Just about seven years too late, Chappu. I had to get over your death. I had to move on. You were dead. I had to keep living. That was certainly no easy task with the love of my life lying dead on some damned battlefield. What else was I supposed to do? Wait to see if you came back the rest of my life? That doesn't sound very fair, especially seeing as I had not a clue that you'd be back in seven years. Wakka and I...we...it just happened.
"And I would've hoped you'd be happy for me for continuing on with my life. Happy that I found something...someone I could be with."
With a grunt, Chappu turned around on his heel, face as red as fire. "I am very glad you found someone...but...I never expected it to be my own brudda! Damn it, Lu, this wasn't what I wanted to happen."
"What was -supposed- to happen, Chappu? Was I -supposed- to find a guy and then you'd come back, swashbuckling your way into my life again? What if I had had children? What then? 'Oh, mommy's sorry, but she's going to have to get rid of Daddy so mommy's teenage lover can step in.' Is -that- what was 'supposed' to have happened?"
A snarl graced Chappu's lips as his face inched closer to Lulu's, his fists digging deep into his own sides. "No! That's...two timing, Lu. Going for my brudda like that!"
Lulu laughed dryly, tilting her head. "You know what's 'two-timing,' Chappu? Leaving your fiancé so you can go fight some mythical creature far, far away from all those you hold dear. What's two timing is leaving your brother and me behind so we can worry day to day about how you're doing.
"You abandoned us, you abandoned your prayers, and you even turned your back on your brother's parting gift. Wakka was willing to accept the fact that the brother he had raised like a son was going off to war and even had an extremely nice sword made just for you...and you turned him down. You picked up a gun instead. How do you think that made your brother feel? Hmm? Can you answer me that?"
Meekly, Chappu responded, "It...seemed like the best way to kill Sin, ya..."
"Try and tell -him- that. And what of me? I was ready and willing to marry you the day you asked me...yet you decide to put yourself in danger only weeks before our wedding? What made you so damned sure of yourself that you would think you would come back without a scratch, let alone come back at all? Where were your priorities -that- day?"
"They were right here!" he exclaimed, pointing at the left side of his chest. "I wanted to protect you and Wakka and the rest of the world so that couples like us wouldn't have to worry about Sin no more. I wanted to keep Sin as far away from Besaid as possible. I wanted to come home a hero and all that, ya? I wanted you to be proud of me."
"Chappu..."
With a grunt, he continued. "In the long run, I'm happy for you. Can't believe it's Wakka, but I know you're in good hands. He still can't kick a blitzball to save his life, can he? Wakka's a good man, though."
Lulu tilted her head and squinted her eyes. "How in the world can you be so cheerful? Wakka and I waited for you! Wakka kept trying to find excuses to wonder if you could come back or not. Tidus coming back only fueled his curiosity. You hurt him, you hurt me, and now you act as if I'm supposed to just accept it all and be totally fine with the fact you were gone for seven years. Seven years, Chappu. You have to make amends for those years."
"What am I supposed to do, Lu? Become your slave for the rest of eternity? I'm sorry. There. That's all I can do. I'm sorry. Yeah, going off to war was a mistake. Dying wasn't too much fun either. Ever think about that? I -died-. I faced physical pain you've only just imagined. I faced it all because of you. I can't do anything about that now. Just accept that I'm here, and I'm staying, come what may."
Lulu sighed. "You being here sets everything back. While Tidus was only gone two years, you've been gone seven. Even if I had married someone else, your return would still have complicated things. You just don't understand that I can't push away seven years of hurt. I can't act like you've always been alive...because things..."
"Would've turned out differently, ya." Chappu said, lowering his head and shaking it. "Well, let's at least try to get along, ok? If I can't have you, I can have the war, ya? Sound like a good idea? Think I could help out?"
Immediately, Lulu barked out, "No."
"And why not? I'm versatile, I can do a lot."
"You're not getting involved."
"You my mother? Last time I checked, my mom -and- my dad were both on the Farplane."
"You going to stand there and talk about our parents like that, brudda?" Lulu had seen Wakka the entire time, but thought it best to let him enter the conversation on his own. Her husband had been standing there for most of the talk, and while she felt a bit embarrassed at letting her bitter feelings come out in front of Wakka, she felt safer than if he'd been back in the village.
Chappu turned around, a snarl clinging to his lips. "So what if I am?"
"I'd suggest, Chappu, that you dun talk about our parents in any way but good, hear? Even if we barely knew 'em, they still raised us as far as I'm concerned, and for that, they deserve respect." Wakka gave his brother a cocked smile.
"Still preaching, bro?"
"Maybe, maybe not. You still as stubborn as a shoopuf?"
Lulu nodded and winked at her husband, bringing a few laughs from the former Blitzer.
Chappu's eyes squinted and he turned to Lulu. "Got anythin' to say, Lu?"
She smiled, shrugged, and shook her head.
"That trip from the Farplane fry somethin' up there in that head of yours, Chappu? You didn't think the world would be the same when you came back, did ya?"
With a sigh, Chappu nodded. "A guy could wish, right? Well it ain't the same. It ain't a big deal."
"It's a big deal and you know it." Lulu spat.
"So maybe it is. I dunno. One part of me told me to hope for the best and one part told me to expect the worse." He turned his gaze to Wakka. "Guess I got the worst bit, ya?"
Wakka sighed and shook his head. "Brudda, you got the best 'bit' because you got life. You got a second chance. Why can't you just enjoy that?"
"And why couldn't you have just stayed away from my fiancé?"
Wakka backed up a bit, putting his hands up. "Hey, now, it just happened, Chappu. You can't control those things. Lulu was always there for me. Even when you were gone, and she was missing you like crazy, she was helping me cope. She was there when you refused my gift, there when we learned you were dead...and there every minute of Yuna's pilgrimage. Seven years, Chappu. That's a long time, ya? It's not like I just jumped her the minute you were gone. This took time. Most of that time, we were mourning the loss of -you-."
"Yeah, I know. I know very well. I also know that I'll never be able to hold her again. Take her on beach walks. Spend endless hours of the night talking about everythin' and nothin' all at the same time. Yeah, big bro, you always won out. Looks like you won out here too. You got the girl, got the hero's welcome home, you got it all. What've I got? A second chance at a crappy life. Yeah. I'm really looking forward to -that-.
"...I ain't sorry for going off. I ain't sorry for refusing your gift. I ain't even sorry I died. I ain't sorry for none of what I did. Why? Those were -my- choices to make. And if I wanna help out this new war, I will, and you won't stop me. Not you, not Lulu, not anyone. If I can't have the life I want, I'll take the consolation prize. A bullet to the head on some battlefield. Least it'd be better than being slowly burnt out of existence by Sin. That was a fun trip, lemme tell you."
Wakka's head lowered and a hand reached out to touch his brother's shoulder. Instead of getting to apologize, Wakka received a bruised wrist, and was on the ground in less than a second, his brother's angry, tortured grin staring him right in the face.
"Time to settle this, brudda," Chappu snaked through his clenched teeth. "Time to see who's the -real- hero!"
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"Is that what caused your...problem today?"
I nodded, picking my gaze off of the ocean and meeting the eyes of the woman who had saved my life only a few hours ago. "Essentially, yes. It could be other things mixed in, but that'd be the main cause."
"And what did you call it?"
"A panic attack. It's where...well...it's hard to explain. Just think of it as a...tantrum that can't be controlled. I'm sure Gary's thrown some tantrums in his time."
"Yes, he has...but not one where I thought he was going to die..."
I smiled, hugging her to me with the arm I had around her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. It won't happen again. I promise."
Lying's bad, I know. I just didn't want her to worry. She smiled and turned her gaze back to the ocean. I did the same.
"It's so beautiful..."
That was certainly correct. The midday sun was reflecting off of the ocean, making every wave appear as if it had a jewel in its crest. It was very beautiful, beautiful enough for one of those postcards every married soldier sends back to his wife when overseas. Beautiful enough, maybe, to make a calendar photo. Maybe even the backdrop of an Internet banner ad. Maybe. But in Spira, there were no advertising executives or professional photographers to take advantage of something so naturally perfect. No leeching assholes to make money off of something that happens every day...something anyone could enjoy if they could find it.
And that is why I was beginning to fancy the idea of staying in Spira. That...among another reason or two...
"Weston?"
I blinked and uncrossed my eyes, focusing on Eimour's face. "Oh, yes. Sorry. It's very beautiful."
She smiled. "What are you thinking about?"
"The future."
"Thinking very hard about it?"
"You could say that," I replied with a warm smile. "It's not here yet...but it does look promising."
Eimour tilted her head to the side with a curiously anxious look on her face, as if what I was about to say was something she'd been waiting to hear for a while. "Why's that?"
I winked. "No reason."
Her nose scrunched and one of her hands playfully smacked my bicep. "Not fair."
"Exactly."
"Please? Tell me..." her face contorted into one of the cutest pouty faces I'd ever seen...but still, I couldn't tell her. Not yet anyway.
"In time." I replied, adding another wink.
Eimour huffed out of frustration but didn't ask again.
Once again, her attention returned to the ocean, leaving me to my thoughts, rampant as they were. I suppose in every man's life comes a time of ultimate decision. Well, not entirely 'ultimate,' but still final enough to matter.
Personally, since the moment I'd arrived in Spira, I hadn't questioned why. I had not wished to go back home. That could stem from my being a soldier...a soldier being an individual generally trained to adapt no matter the situation. It could also be because I honestly had nothing to go back home to. No wife. No kids. No permanent house. No relatives except all of the foster parents I went through.
To me, at least, staying in Spira was not a bad idea. Nice people...in general, at least. I had expected them to shun me the moment I started mouthing off about being from another world. It'd happened to Yuna and her friends before, or so I was told, and that at least prepared them for me. It still baffled me why I was accepted so quickly, though.
What I hadn't expected was Eimour growing fond of me. That was quite the surprise. It was all over her face. If I was allowed the thought...I was certainly more confident in myself. Despite her homely lifestyle, Eimour was beautiful. Not to sound shallow...I just couldn't help noticing. Sure, she was a bit short, but in America, a modeling agency would've torn her away from her single mother lifestyle and made her rich. That's how good she looked. Yes, I noticed. Yes, I was attracted.
But there was something else...a hidden side...a motherly, protective, wise side that you didn't expect to see. In the past few weeks, I was beginning to see more and more of that side of her, and my attraction grew even more.
However...I was a soldier...I'm not a good catch. I come with a risk that emotions just do not need to be attached to. For that reason...I decided right then and there that I wouldn't tell her anything about how I felt for her. It'd be better anyway. Maybe, if I made it through the war...I'd mention it. But...in all honesty...a part of me didn't expect to make it through the war. That part of me really wanted to die in battle.
I'd had nothing else in my life but war and conflict until Eimour came along...
"Weston?"
"Hmm?"
"Your eyes are crossed again," Eimour said, tapping the bridge of my nose.
"Crap." I said, frowning.
She laughed and placed her fingers on my chin, turning my head so that my gaze would meet the coastline. "Isn't that Wakka and Lulu?"
"Yeah. Looks like someone else is with them." I squinted my eyes and then my mouth dropped. "We've got to get down there. Wakka's in trouble!"
I took her hand and started in a dead run.
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Physical combat is something a modern soldier hopes to never have to experience. I, however, was not a modern soldier. I was a Delta Force man. Fisticuffs were just a part of my training. I was taught, as all special ops soldiers are, to read body language, anticipate the next blow, and counter appropriately. Essentially, a good fight should look like a very coordinated ballet dance, even if what's going on is very chaotic.
I had learned, over many training exercises, that sizing your opponent up was not very helpful. No matter what the size or shape of your enemy was, you were to treat them indifferently. Every man, no matter how small or big, can fight, if they have the know-how. And that's all that ran through my mind as I sprinted towards the three people I saw in the distance. I knew two of them...Lulu and Wakka, of course, but the other, while resembling Wakka, I didn't recognize. It was this stranger that was holding Wakka in a chokehold when I arrived, Eimour gasping for breath.
I honestly don't know why I brought her with me. It just...kinda happened, really. I grabbed her hand and then we were off. The entire action occurred as if it were a reflex.
Anyway...this stranger who had Wakka in a chokehold had his back to me. Perfect opportunity to get the upper hand. Mind you, this guy was a bit smaller than I was, but like I've already stated...in physical combat you never know how good your opponent really is. That in mind, I let go of Eimour's hand...but a second later, she grabbed my hand again. I turned my face to her...a face that probably wasn't too inviting. She blinked and let go, backing up.
"Good idea," I said, aloud. Oops.
The punch itself was powerful; powerful enough to knock me back a step or two. And it freaking hurt too. I took a millisecond or two to snap my jaw back into place and I then took a quick glance at the stranger. He was tall, nearly Wakka's height, fiery red hair, tan skin, and muscles that weren't all that small. This stranger was also already up on his feet and about to throw another punch my way.
Another thing about combat that is often dismissed: time. Yes, time. Time, in a proper fight, slows down. No, I'm not referring to a Kung-Fu movie-like crawl, just enough for both fighters to predict each other's moves. Had I not mouthed off at the most inopportune moment, I might have actually had the pleasure of knocking this man out with one hit. Instead, time began its slowing and I could clearly see this stranger's shoulder muscles tense (he was shirtless...which I neglected to include above. "Shame on you, Weston. Shame.") and knew immediately he was throwing a left hook. I threw all my weight into my back and easily dodged the punch. During this dodging, my fist had already started on a course for his elbow, or at least where I predicted his elbow to be when his arm reached as far as it could. Instead of landing the punch, it was caught by his other hand.
It was then that I really hated the fact I've got such a damn loud mouth. I brought my other hand up in a chopping motion, hitting his left wrist. His grip on my fist released and I twisted my torso to the right, aiming to land a roundhouse kick on him and get some distance between us. His left leg had already stopped my kick by the time my thigh was flexing upwards.
This guy was good. Well, good enough to block my basic moves. Yeah...basic moves. I had more. Of course I did.
I decided to switch tactics. It was obvious that I couldn't subdue this guy without using some sort of pain inducing maneuver. I used my right leg, the strongest of my pair, to lift myself up into the air. Jumping, for me, is never a problem. The fact that I don't go very high is the problem. I was high enough, however, to give him a swift and forceful kick in the sternum with my then-free left leg.
The stranger stumbled backwards about five steps, rotating his arms clockwise to keep his balance. Once both of my feet were on the ground, I twisted them into the sand until I was sure I was well anchored. If he came at me, as I thought he would, I wanted to be able to withstand his force. I doubted that I could, though, even at only five paces. So, instead, I'd let him come into contact with me.
Why? Well...with his force, and some very nice maneuvering on my account, I could vault him behind me using my legs and then pounce him before he was able to get up. That, thanks to my luck, didn't really work too well. He apparently expected the vaulting technique and turned sideways as he speared me, twisting me to the ground. I got back up with a mouthful of wet sand. Lovely.
I was not a happy camper when I turned to face my opponent. He was smiling. He then moved so fast I couldn't really get a trace on his movements. The next thing I knew, my nose was quite bloody. This didn't help my frustration. Out go the stops.
In comes the pain. After he landed a few blows to my stomach as I ran towards him, I connected with a strong blow to the strangers left rib section. I heard at least two cracking noises. I then slid my head to the left as he punched in a rightward-arching uppercut. I landed another strong punch to his jaw.
He popped his jaw back into place with a quick motion of his finger and landed a strong hit to my collarbone. Ow. I countered with a deep punch in his stomach. Not much effect. I must've missed the diaphragm...
One of his hands grabbed my punches...then I tried to use my free hand to punch. He caught that too. Great. There we were, turning in circles, grunting and groaning into each other's faces. We were, in all senses of the word, deadlocked. Well, until I brought my knee into his crotch. That seemed to get his attention.
He bent forward and coughed. I took this opportunity to swiftly bring my knee up into his face. His nose squished sideways against my knee and I could feel his hot blood on my leg as I balanced and then turned on my left heel, spinning around quickly and kicking him square in the chest. The stranger blew backward and landed on his back. He tried to get up, but I noticed that those injured ribs had finally caught up with him.
The stranger slowly got back to his feet, not bothering to hold his bloody and broken nose. He walked forward and lazily raised a fist before falling face first into the sand.
I couldn't help myself. I laughed.
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"We need to infiltrate Bevelle. Fighting in the Calm Lands won't solve a damned thing. It's Nyka that we need to go after!"
"I know that, Fagan! I'm not going to let those Yevonites take Zanarkand! There's too much importance in that gain. Just think what kind of morale boost the Yevonites will get if they capture the holiest place in all of Spira! We'd never be able to defeat them, let alone get anywhere near Bevelle!"
"Gatta...listen to me. Something -has- to be done about Nyka! He commands the troops. With him gone, the army will disperse."
"Damnit...no. Just -no-. I'm not going to even consider it. Protecting Zanarkand is this army's -first- priority."
"Those troops are a rouse! Something is going to happen, Gatta. Something bad...if we don't figure out what's going on!"
"How do you know? Why should I trust you anyway? Last time I had it straight, you were one of the -enemy-."
Fagan grumbled and shut off the receiver on Yuna's communication hub. The boxy machine clicked a few times and finally responded. Gatta's angry voice slowly faded out and Fagan enjoyed the resulting silence.
During a sleepless night, the idea of having a squadron of soldiers invade Bevelle with most of the Yevonite troops in the Calm Lands came to him like a hammer hitting an anvil. To Fagan, it was just logical. It had made a heck of a lot more sense to him to have soldiers (as well as himself) confront Nyka. Granted, it would probably be a suicide mission, but the reward was worth the price. He was already dead. What did he care about the risk?
If he had really been honest to himself, Fagan would've openly admitted to being impatient about wanting revenge. The idea of forcing Nyka into an eternal prison was very enticing, and getting to that point was a little too slow for Fagan's tastes. The sheer idea of exacting his revenge made Fagan's heart jump into his throat. Good thing his heart was already there.
Fagan knew immediately who was behind him. "How long were you listening?"
"Long enough," came the reply. "Going behind my back now?"
"Maybe. The pace of all of this is too slow."
"Let me decide that."
"Looks like Gatta is actually the one deciding everything. I don't remember military tactics being a part of a Summoner's education."
"My Summoning days are over, Fagan, and you know it."
"Still, you don't have the mind to handle an army. That's why Gatta calls all the shots. You just sit and look pretty for the natives."
"I sit and look pretty for no one. I'm in constant contact with Gatta and I do advise."
"And I'm sure that Gatta takes your advice with a grain of salt."
Fagan heard Yuna audibly grunt. It baffled him how the shy young girl was able to talk so assertively now. He thought it probably had something to do with Tidus' return. Whatever Tidus had taken from her, it was obviously back, and the former Summoner had enough courage to speak up for herself. It really pissed Fagan off.
Yuna grinned. "Who do you think told him to go to Mount Gagazet? It was I."
"Wonderful. I'm happy you were able to make a decision. You must be so proud."
"Don't patronize her."
'Oh great, the boy wonder,' Fagan thought. He turned towards the direction of Tidus' voice. "My apologies. I'll remember to keep my sarcasm in check."
"Yeah," Tidus began. "I'm sorry Gatta rejected your little plan. If you're going to pout like a big baby, why don't you go get a bottle and suck some milk down. Then maybe you can come back and try to be adult about this." Yuna laughed at this.
"Your humorous insult does nothing for me." Fagan said, turning away from the blonde-haired Blitzer.
Tidus laughed. "Hiding behind that fancy talk won't get you any brownie points, ya know."
"Neither will frowning at me," Yuna chimed in.
"How about I just leave and 'suck some milk down.'"
"Good idea," Tidus agreed, crossing his arms.
Fagan looked to Yuna, and then Tidus. He left the room without bothering to excuse himself.
Tidus locked eyes with Yuna and couldn't hold his giggles in any longer. His face widened and his mouth opened, chest heaving as he bellowed. Yuna soon joined in.
After the bout of laughter had ended, Tidus walked over to Yuna and lightly tapped her on the nose. "Good job there."
She smiled up at him. "Not so bad yourself."
Returning her smile, Tidus gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and brought her into a tight embrace. "Why he is so uptight?"
Shrugging, she replied, "I don't know...He -was- just rejected."
"True...but...what do you think is really bothering him?" Tidus asked after lightly kissing Yuna on the forehead.
"Well..." Yuna started, finger circling along the back of Tidus' neck, "I would guess it has something to do with what made him so angry with Nyka."
"Betrayal?"
Yuna nodded. "Possibly..." She planted a quick kiss to his now stubble-ridden chin. "Ouch. Hey, you need a shave."
Tidus laughed and ruffled her hair. "Thought about letting it grow out...Whatcha think?"
She laughed and then tilted her head, trying to imagine what the love of her life would look like with a beard. Her lips pursed and then she shook her head. "I don't think so," she responded with a wink.
"Well then...guess I'll have to shave," Tidus said, faking a pout.
"Guess you will," Yuna said, trying to hold back her grin.
"Meanie," Tidus grunted, lips meeting hers in a soft kiss.
"That's me, take me or leave me."
"Sold!" Tidus said, laughing.
Yuna smiled warmly and nodded. "Precisely."
"Good to see you two getting along." In walked Auron and out came sighs from the lovers. "Sorry to interrupt," he said with a slight sneer.
Yuna shook her head. "It's ok, really."
Tidus grunted, but nodded in agreement. "Yeah. What's up?"
"Has Rikku talked to you yet?" asked Auron.
Yuna shook her head. "No...why?"
"I thought she would have before she left."
Tidus nodded. "She talked to -me- before she left. Only thing she talked about was a digging crew on Bikanel salvaging some kind of weapon that she just had to see."
"Yes, but nothing about Chappu, or me?"
"Nothing. Something you want to talk about?"
"I wanted to explain my return, as best I can."
Yuna looked to Tidus, and he smiled in return. Yuna turned her gaze back to Auron. "Go ahead," she said, smiling.
"In a nutshell, the Farplane is in a state of...disarray."
"Disarray?" Yuna asked.
"Yes," Auron answered. "Something...or some-one-, rather, has caused a major rift. If the rift isn't fixed...goodbye Farplane."
-----------------
"You ok, Wakka?"
"Ya...just kinda...wasn't expecting Chappu to attack me like that."
I looked Wakka over. The only injury I could see was a bruised wrist, which I'm sure a potion would quickly fix. I stole a glance at the stranger...who I had learned was Wakka's previously-deceased brother, Chappu. Strange how so many people are coming back from the dead recently. Tidus...Wakka's brother. I wondered who was next. My grandma?
Lulu sighed shakily. "I just wish he could've..."
"It's hard, Lu, for him. You know it is...I mean...in his situation, I wouldn't 'a wanted to accept that my fiancé had married another man...specially my brother."
I nodded. "He needs something to get his mind off of you two being married. From what you told me, it's been a while since he's been here. We can't trust him around you two...do you think Yuna could reacquaint him with Spira?"
Lulu bowed her head in thought. Wakka, on the other hand, already had an idea. "Hey, he was a soldier, ya? Why don't -you- take him in, Weston? You guys could relate or something."
I laughed and quickly pushed that idea aside. "I've got enough on my plate Wakka. I can't baby-sit your brother. There's hardly enough room for Eimour and Gary in my house. How can your brother possibly fit?"
"Hey, just a suggestion, ya? I tell ya what. If I can find a place for him to stay, will -you- tend to him? If he starts throwin' punches again, I don't know who could stop him besides you."
I thought this over. I just couldn't do it...it was too straining...and I certainly didn't want to get into fistfights every day. "Look, Wakka. He sees me as the guy who beat him in a fight. He'll want to revenge that defeat. He needs to be with someone he won't feel adverse to."
Wakka sighed. "I dunno who that'll be..."
"I do," Lulu chimed in.
-----------------
"I know Chappu has been going around telling everyone that he and I came back because of the war. This is very false. Until we talked to Rikku, we didn't even know a war was on."
Tidus blinked. "Then why -are- you here? The rift in the Farplane?"
"Correct. We were sent here to fix the problem. Unfortunately, I believe Chappu had other plans."
Yuna sighed. "He came back for Lulu."
Auron nodded. "I thought it strange for him to volunteer for the mission..."
"What, exactly, are your mission goals?" asked Tidus.
Auron smiled. "Now we get to the fun part. First...I should explain what happens to a soul when it leaves a body. An unsent soul, or one not immediately marked for travel to the Farplane, is gobbled up by Pyreflies. Souls are their energy. They only need to eat one to last a lifetime, but there are millions of those things. When a soul isn't sent immediately, it's my job to snatch them out of the Pyreflies and take them to the Farplane. This Pyrefly business is really just the natural order of things on Spira.
"In some cases, how ever, souls are allowed to roam free, and can manifest themselves in the physical world."
"Unsent souls...like -you- were," Yuna said, eyes widening with recognition.
"Yes. Like I was. Hence my job in the afterlife. I have to make sure unsent souls are put in their natural place, be it in a Pyrefly or in the Farplane."
"So," Tidus started, "someone isn't in their rightful place and you've come back to get them."
"It's a little more complicated then that. In fact, this person has broken a pivotal rule. They've killed and taken the body of another to deceive the world. This is where the rift has come. The original soul is trapped not in a Pyrefly or the Farplane, but is in a state of limbo in its own body while the perpetrator is in control. That is the source of the rift."
"Which means, ladies and gentleman," said Fagan, who had been listening to the conversation since its start, "Nyka is not who he says he is."
Auron grunted. "Thank you, Fagan. I was just about to get to that point."
"You were too slow, old man."
Both Yuna and Tidus could were speechless.
"Too slow? I beg your pardon."
"Keep begging, it won't get them two anywhere near comprehension. Look, Yuna, Tidus. To put it simply, a former Maester of Yevon is in control of a body that's not his. With Auron's help, as well as yours, Yuna, I'll be able to trap that bastard in a Pyrefly for eternity."
"And who is this Maester?" Yuna asked.
Auron sighed. "Mika."
-----------------
"You're sending me off to Mount Gagazet?!"
Lulu nodded. "You said you'd fight if you had to. Here's your chance."
"Why can't I stay here?"
Wakka laughed. "No telling how many people you'd beat up."
Chappu grunted and looked towards me. "What are you grinning at? My nose still crooked? Thought potions fix things like that!"
I shrugged. "I think Gatta will enjoy having you in his ranks. At least you can fight."
"That's not all I can do, brudda!"
"Mmhmm." I shook my head. "I'll be there soon myself. Then you can show me what you can do." At this, I felt a pinch on my hip. I turned and saw Eimour shaking her head.
"Not 'soon' Weston."
This garnered a few laughs. Eimour smiled sweetly and I rolled my eyes.
I turned back around and saw Wakka and Lulu grinning ear to ear. I didn't really like those grins. They weren't evil...just knowing...and that scared me for some reason.
"Well, I guess I better talk to Yuna then. I have to get an airship for Chappu," Lulu said.
"I'll go with you," Wakka offered.
Lulu smiled and nodded, then looked to Eimour and me. "You two want to come?"
I turned my head and glanced at Eimour. She shook her head. I smiled. She was being shy again. "No, we're going to try to find a late lunch. I'm pretty sure Gary is worried sick about his mother anyway."
Lulu and Wakka nodded with another knowing grin that utterly pissed me off and turned around, ready to head back to the village. Chappu only stood there, looking very defeated.
"Don't worry, Chappu," I began. "When I get to Mount Gagazet, you'll get another shot at beating me up." I felt another one of Eimour's pinches on my hip.
"Plan on it." Chappu said, his defeated frown straightening out slightly. If I had looked closer, I probably would've seen the beginning of a sneer.
"Will do," I said, turning around and raising a hand.
-----------------
Gatta sighed as he looked upon the rows and rows of tents littering the grassy plain at the foot of Mount Gagazet. All of the Crusaders and Al Bhed had come here willing to defend the mountain with their lives. But Gatta had a sinking suspicion that Fagan had been right about a stealthy squad of soldiers going behind enemy lines.
If the Yuna loyalists could surprise the Yevonites, then that'd just improve the odds for winning the war. The only thing Gatta thought was completely wrong was Fagan's assumption that Nyka falling would quell the Yevonite army. The news probably wouldn't even reach the army camped near the Calm Lands. Gatta knew the Yevonites already had their orders and those orders had a specific deadline for administering the orders.
But Gatta could do nothing about it. He was as blind as a bat in this situation and he hated it. He needed some way see through the darkness of distance and see what the Yevonites had planned. That way, he'd be able to better counter what they threw at him. And it was with these thoughts that Fagan's idea seemed more and more feasible.
Where, though, would he get soldiers skilled enough to pull off an infiltration? He hadn't a clue. Gatta thought for a bit more, eyes staring at the full moon in the sky.
Then, he realized just who he could talk to. He entered his large command tent and turned the bulky Al Bhed communicator on and dialed into Besaid's frequency. Gatta doubted anyone would be awake to hear his call, but he would try anyway. He needed to get this off of his mind.
Surprisingly, someone did answer. That someone was Yuna. She sounded slightly groggy and very out of breath.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Yuna. Gatta here."
"What is it, Gatta? Has something happened?"
"I...no. I...need to speak to Weston."
"Weston?"
"Yes, Weston. Could you please get him?"
"I'll...try...I don't know if he'll be up or not."
"Wake him, if you have to..."
"O...ok...if it's that urgent."
"It is. Thank you, Yuna."
The line clicked dead. Now all he could do was wait.
-----------------
A/N: So, it's been a while. A long while. No telling how long since the last chronological update. Well, here's Chapter 21, after a long, long wait. It seemed long for me too. As a matter of fact, the chapter you just got reading is not the original Chapter 21.
The original Chapter 21 was going to be sweet and short, a sort of Weston/Eimour super-chapter that developed the pairing a lot farther than I had originally intended. It was going to be here in time for Christmas. Yes, it was going to be a Christmas themed chapter, where Weston was down and out because it was near Christmas, his favorite holiday. Eimour would cheer him up by throwing a Christmas party based off of what he told her. Unfortunately, I didn't feel it fit the story and I just lost inspiration, so I added that to my "scrapped ideas" document and started anew.
The result is this chapter. After a month or so of toying with ideas, I finally hunkered down and started writing. With Shad's, Noelle's, and Artemis' help, I was able to get this chapter rolling. The first ten pages were almost all based on advice from the lovely ladies mentioned above. The rest was planned plot that I had yet to get to. Plus that whole explaining Auron and Chappu return thing.
Hope you liked it.
Many thanks to Shad, Noelle, and Artemis for making this happen.
Much love to Shad for betaing this bad boy.
And no, readers, AtS isn't in hiatus. I'm writing Chapter 22 as we speak. The pace is starting to pick up, and I see this story ending in about four to five chapters. No guarantees, though. It might have ten more chapters before it ends. Either way, just keep on the look out. The next chapter will be coming sometime between now and when it's done. ^.~
~No 0ne
-----------------
"The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." - Proverbs 14:10
-----------------
--*It's cold. Always cold. Always rainy. But in the jungle, it was never cold. In the dream, though, it's cold. Very cold. So cold, in fact, that I can't drop my M4 rifle. So cold that the steel of my weapon's grip is frozen to my hand. That's how cold it is.
My ears can pick out the muffled sounds of explosions. My nose can smell spent gunpowder and burning foliage. The whole squad is ducked behind a large dirt mound on the south side of the proposed target, a large, whitewashed building outside of a dirt poor village. I peek over my shoulder occasionally to try to look into the dirty windows.
Meanwhile our leader, a newly appointed Captain, tries to hail Command on a question the entire squad's raised. That question? "Why are there men in Doctor's coats running in and out of our target?"
We've been scoping the place out for about three hours. No sign of any illicit activity, of course, but when one of the men took a pee break, he was shot and the shots seemed to have come from the direction of our target. Now, we're just convinced it's a drug haven. A cleverly disguised drug haven at that. Or is it? I'm definitely not sure at this point.
The "captain" slams the radio down into the dirt in disgust and one of his officers makes a crack. That officer is then hit in the face. Angry, the captain gives the go-ahead for us to move. We move.
It only takes me a second or two to realize what we're assaulting. It now appears to be an orphanage. It only -appears- to be one, though, and we aren't sure. So we kick in the door. The hinges creak and the doorjamb on the left of the door shatters into splinters. A hundred or so startled cries fill the air. The soldier to the left of me sweeps forward while I take his left flank. And I then realize that what we're doing is a terrible mistake. I try to tap the forward soldier's shoulder, but our captain barks from behind us.
"Open fire, men. Kill them all!"
My weapon stays on safety while a deafening roar fills the room and then echoes off of the concrete walls. I suddenly think I'm blind, but when I relax my face, my eyes open onto a scene of ghastly carnage.
Most of the children lay injured and weeping or screaming. Their caretakers, mostly nuns and doctors, faired slightly better. They died sheltering a few children from the gunfire. Those children were crying loudly. I heard the captain say something that immediately snapped me out of my shocked daze.
While the men took out their phosphorous grenades, I unsheathed my M9 and calmly walked over to where the captain was standing. There he stood, smoking a cigar and staring me in the face.
My pistol raises to his forehead, the hammer clicks back as my thumb works it. The captain blinks only once before I pull the trigger. The nine- millimeter bullet enters his skull and I feel no remorse whatsoever.
I walk over and lean against a thick tree, closing my eyes as I try to get over a rising nausea. The nausea keeps coming, however, and I drop my head as my ears fill with the now burning children's screams. I know then that their cries and the imagined scene of their scorching bodies will never leave me.
Five hours later, EVAC arrives. Mission is designated as successful. A colonel walks out of the helicopter and my squad doesn't even bother lining up. This infuriates the colonel and he demands that we line up. We eventually do, and he notices the dead captain, which infuriates him even more. He demands to know how the captain was killed. No one offers an explanation, so he says the entire squad is being shipped back and demoted to the lowest rank possible. I open my eyes and mouth in a shocked expression; shocked at the fact this asshole thinks he has some Godly reign over an entire squad of men not directly under his command. One of his lackeys, an Army photographer, snaps a shot in my direction. Later on, when I get back to base, that photo is in every newspaper on the planet.
After the photo is snapped, I turn my attention back to the burning orphanage. This would certainly be an image I would never forget.*--
Something shook me and the image of the burning orphanage faded from my vision, only to be filled with the concerned countenance of Eimour. I tried to sit up, but she held me down. I thought I heard her whisper "Stay down," but I couldn't quite make it out. My eyes darted from her lips to her eyes and back, trying to find her emotions and her voice at the same time. Her gaze was certainly trying to lock to mine, yet I couldn't keep mine fixated on hers.
My heart was pounding, sweat was beading at my hairline, and I could feel my hands clenching at the bed sheets. A panic attack was the last thing she was probably expecting, and needless to say, she grew even more worried. I tried to calm my convulsions, but the images of burning children and the sound of their tortured screams kept phasing in and out of my consciousness.
Between the images trying to burn themselves into my eyes, I could see Eimour's hands clutching a wet cloth, the cloth sliding all along my chest and stomach and neck and head. When my thoughts were clear, I tried to command my mouth to open, my diaphragm to contract, and my vocal chords to help form words. Yet they all refused my request, and I was left staring as she frantically searched for some cure-all spot to soak down on my naked torso.
Apparently, she wasn't enjoying my fit either. I could intermittently see tears running down her cheeks. I tried to reason with my numb arms, tried to get them to wrap around her, to comfort her and tell her that I was going to be ok...but to no avail. With no end to the attack in sight, I simply numbed my head and closed my eyes. I didn't want to see her crying. In all truth, I'd rather endure my past mistakes than see her cry. I didn't really know why, then, either. It was just...a fact.
As more and more images were pulled from my subconscious, my shaking grew worse. Funny how I could feel the shaking yet couldn't command my body to move in any orderly fashion. I decided to open my eyes once more, hoping Eimour wasn't there anymore. Hoping that she had given up and accepted my fate, whatever she thought that to be. I was hoping, in infinite honesty, that she'd walk out, leave me be, let me rot...she didn't need someone like me in her life. She had enough trouble raising Gary by herself. Why should I be there to burden her?
Yet, she was there, leaning directly over me. So close, in fact, that I could smell her soft berry-like scent. And surprisingly, I could smell it. Even stranger, the smell calmed me. Oddly enough, the shaking slowed. Her tear-covered face moved even closer to my own, close enough now that I could feel her breath bringing back some moisture to my dry eyes. The screams and images then began to slowly fade. By the time her chin was directly in my line of sight, my shaking had stopped. When her shaking, moist lips planted a gentle kiss to my forehead, everything...the voices, the images, the numbness...was gone. I wrapped my arms around her and sat up, pulling her into a tight embrace. Her heartbeat was as quick as mine.
She was very much alive. And I was alive. And it was then that I knew she had just saved my life. Eimour had saved me.
I opened my mouth and whispered softly, "Thank you."
-----------------
"Why are you here," Lulu asked, one hand on her hip, the other balled into a fist and resting against her stomach.
Chappu blinked at the question at first and, uncharacteristically, stuttered out, "I...uh...well, you see...I..."
Then, Chappu straightened and let an emotionless look wash over his face. Within one long grunt, he belted out, "To help in Yuna and the Crusaders in any way possible, even if it means going into battle."
Lulu cocked a grin and shook her head. "You always were a horrible liar."
"It's the truth," said Chappu, nodding assertively.
"That's utter crap and you know it. You came here for me, didn't you?"
Chappu immediately turned around, trying to hide the angry blush on his cheeks. His hands balled into fists and his shoulders flexed madly. Lulu's ability to read him like a book always left Chappu embarrassed and angry.
"It's a little too late for that..." he managed through clenched teeth.
Lulu nodded and then spoke, voice as cold as Mount Gagazet's peak. "Just about seven years too late, Chappu. I had to get over your death. I had to move on. You were dead. I had to keep living. That was certainly no easy task with the love of my life lying dead on some damned battlefield. What else was I supposed to do? Wait to see if you came back the rest of my life? That doesn't sound very fair, especially seeing as I had not a clue that you'd be back in seven years. Wakka and I...we...it just happened.
"And I would've hoped you'd be happy for me for continuing on with my life. Happy that I found something...someone I could be with."
With a grunt, Chappu turned around on his heel, face as red as fire. "I am very glad you found someone...but...I never expected it to be my own brudda! Damn it, Lu, this wasn't what I wanted to happen."
"What was -supposed- to happen, Chappu? Was I -supposed- to find a guy and then you'd come back, swashbuckling your way into my life again? What if I had had children? What then? 'Oh, mommy's sorry, but she's going to have to get rid of Daddy so mommy's teenage lover can step in.' Is -that- what was 'supposed' to have happened?"
A snarl graced Chappu's lips as his face inched closer to Lulu's, his fists digging deep into his own sides. "No! That's...two timing, Lu. Going for my brudda like that!"
Lulu laughed dryly, tilting her head. "You know what's 'two-timing,' Chappu? Leaving your fiancé so you can go fight some mythical creature far, far away from all those you hold dear. What's two timing is leaving your brother and me behind so we can worry day to day about how you're doing.
"You abandoned us, you abandoned your prayers, and you even turned your back on your brother's parting gift. Wakka was willing to accept the fact that the brother he had raised like a son was going off to war and even had an extremely nice sword made just for you...and you turned him down. You picked up a gun instead. How do you think that made your brother feel? Hmm? Can you answer me that?"
Meekly, Chappu responded, "It...seemed like the best way to kill Sin, ya..."
"Try and tell -him- that. And what of me? I was ready and willing to marry you the day you asked me...yet you decide to put yourself in danger only weeks before our wedding? What made you so damned sure of yourself that you would think you would come back without a scratch, let alone come back at all? Where were your priorities -that- day?"
"They were right here!" he exclaimed, pointing at the left side of his chest. "I wanted to protect you and Wakka and the rest of the world so that couples like us wouldn't have to worry about Sin no more. I wanted to keep Sin as far away from Besaid as possible. I wanted to come home a hero and all that, ya? I wanted you to be proud of me."
"Chappu..."
With a grunt, he continued. "In the long run, I'm happy for you. Can't believe it's Wakka, but I know you're in good hands. He still can't kick a blitzball to save his life, can he? Wakka's a good man, though."
Lulu tilted her head and squinted her eyes. "How in the world can you be so cheerful? Wakka and I waited for you! Wakka kept trying to find excuses to wonder if you could come back or not. Tidus coming back only fueled his curiosity. You hurt him, you hurt me, and now you act as if I'm supposed to just accept it all and be totally fine with the fact you were gone for seven years. Seven years, Chappu. You have to make amends for those years."
"What am I supposed to do, Lu? Become your slave for the rest of eternity? I'm sorry. There. That's all I can do. I'm sorry. Yeah, going off to war was a mistake. Dying wasn't too much fun either. Ever think about that? I -died-. I faced physical pain you've only just imagined. I faced it all because of you. I can't do anything about that now. Just accept that I'm here, and I'm staying, come what may."
Lulu sighed. "You being here sets everything back. While Tidus was only gone two years, you've been gone seven. Even if I had married someone else, your return would still have complicated things. You just don't understand that I can't push away seven years of hurt. I can't act like you've always been alive...because things..."
"Would've turned out differently, ya." Chappu said, lowering his head and shaking it. "Well, let's at least try to get along, ok? If I can't have you, I can have the war, ya? Sound like a good idea? Think I could help out?"
Immediately, Lulu barked out, "No."
"And why not? I'm versatile, I can do a lot."
"You're not getting involved."
"You my mother? Last time I checked, my mom -and- my dad were both on the Farplane."
"You going to stand there and talk about our parents like that, brudda?" Lulu had seen Wakka the entire time, but thought it best to let him enter the conversation on his own. Her husband had been standing there for most of the talk, and while she felt a bit embarrassed at letting her bitter feelings come out in front of Wakka, she felt safer than if he'd been back in the village.
Chappu turned around, a snarl clinging to his lips. "So what if I am?"
"I'd suggest, Chappu, that you dun talk about our parents in any way but good, hear? Even if we barely knew 'em, they still raised us as far as I'm concerned, and for that, they deserve respect." Wakka gave his brother a cocked smile.
"Still preaching, bro?"
"Maybe, maybe not. You still as stubborn as a shoopuf?"
Lulu nodded and winked at her husband, bringing a few laughs from the former Blitzer.
Chappu's eyes squinted and he turned to Lulu. "Got anythin' to say, Lu?"
She smiled, shrugged, and shook her head.
"That trip from the Farplane fry somethin' up there in that head of yours, Chappu? You didn't think the world would be the same when you came back, did ya?"
With a sigh, Chappu nodded. "A guy could wish, right? Well it ain't the same. It ain't a big deal."
"It's a big deal and you know it." Lulu spat.
"So maybe it is. I dunno. One part of me told me to hope for the best and one part told me to expect the worse." He turned his gaze to Wakka. "Guess I got the worst bit, ya?"
Wakka sighed and shook his head. "Brudda, you got the best 'bit' because you got life. You got a second chance. Why can't you just enjoy that?"
"And why couldn't you have just stayed away from my fiancé?"
Wakka backed up a bit, putting his hands up. "Hey, now, it just happened, Chappu. You can't control those things. Lulu was always there for me. Even when you were gone, and she was missing you like crazy, she was helping me cope. She was there when you refused my gift, there when we learned you were dead...and there every minute of Yuna's pilgrimage. Seven years, Chappu. That's a long time, ya? It's not like I just jumped her the minute you were gone. This took time. Most of that time, we were mourning the loss of -you-."
"Yeah, I know. I know very well. I also know that I'll never be able to hold her again. Take her on beach walks. Spend endless hours of the night talking about everythin' and nothin' all at the same time. Yeah, big bro, you always won out. Looks like you won out here too. You got the girl, got the hero's welcome home, you got it all. What've I got? A second chance at a crappy life. Yeah. I'm really looking forward to -that-.
"...I ain't sorry for going off. I ain't sorry for refusing your gift. I ain't even sorry I died. I ain't sorry for none of what I did. Why? Those were -my- choices to make. And if I wanna help out this new war, I will, and you won't stop me. Not you, not Lulu, not anyone. If I can't have the life I want, I'll take the consolation prize. A bullet to the head on some battlefield. Least it'd be better than being slowly burnt out of existence by Sin. That was a fun trip, lemme tell you."
Wakka's head lowered and a hand reached out to touch his brother's shoulder. Instead of getting to apologize, Wakka received a bruised wrist, and was on the ground in less than a second, his brother's angry, tortured grin staring him right in the face.
"Time to settle this, brudda," Chappu snaked through his clenched teeth. "Time to see who's the -real- hero!"
-----------------
"Is that what caused your...problem today?"
I nodded, picking my gaze off of the ocean and meeting the eyes of the woman who had saved my life only a few hours ago. "Essentially, yes. It could be other things mixed in, but that'd be the main cause."
"And what did you call it?"
"A panic attack. It's where...well...it's hard to explain. Just think of it as a...tantrum that can't be controlled. I'm sure Gary's thrown some tantrums in his time."
"Yes, he has...but not one where I thought he was going to die..."
I smiled, hugging her to me with the arm I had around her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. It won't happen again. I promise."
Lying's bad, I know. I just didn't want her to worry. She smiled and turned her gaze back to the ocean. I did the same.
"It's so beautiful..."
That was certainly correct. The midday sun was reflecting off of the ocean, making every wave appear as if it had a jewel in its crest. It was very beautiful, beautiful enough for one of those postcards every married soldier sends back to his wife when overseas. Beautiful enough, maybe, to make a calendar photo. Maybe even the backdrop of an Internet banner ad. Maybe. But in Spira, there were no advertising executives or professional photographers to take advantage of something so naturally perfect. No leeching assholes to make money off of something that happens every day...something anyone could enjoy if they could find it.
And that is why I was beginning to fancy the idea of staying in Spira. That...among another reason or two...
"Weston?"
I blinked and uncrossed my eyes, focusing on Eimour's face. "Oh, yes. Sorry. It's very beautiful."
She smiled. "What are you thinking about?"
"The future."
"Thinking very hard about it?"
"You could say that," I replied with a warm smile. "It's not here yet...but it does look promising."
Eimour tilted her head to the side with a curiously anxious look on her face, as if what I was about to say was something she'd been waiting to hear for a while. "Why's that?"
I winked. "No reason."
Her nose scrunched and one of her hands playfully smacked my bicep. "Not fair."
"Exactly."
"Please? Tell me..." her face contorted into one of the cutest pouty faces I'd ever seen...but still, I couldn't tell her. Not yet anyway.
"In time." I replied, adding another wink.
Eimour huffed out of frustration but didn't ask again.
Once again, her attention returned to the ocean, leaving me to my thoughts, rampant as they were. I suppose in every man's life comes a time of ultimate decision. Well, not entirely 'ultimate,' but still final enough to matter.
Personally, since the moment I'd arrived in Spira, I hadn't questioned why. I had not wished to go back home. That could stem from my being a soldier...a soldier being an individual generally trained to adapt no matter the situation. It could also be because I honestly had nothing to go back home to. No wife. No kids. No permanent house. No relatives except all of the foster parents I went through.
To me, at least, staying in Spira was not a bad idea. Nice people...in general, at least. I had expected them to shun me the moment I started mouthing off about being from another world. It'd happened to Yuna and her friends before, or so I was told, and that at least prepared them for me. It still baffled me why I was accepted so quickly, though.
What I hadn't expected was Eimour growing fond of me. That was quite the surprise. It was all over her face. If I was allowed the thought...I was certainly more confident in myself. Despite her homely lifestyle, Eimour was beautiful. Not to sound shallow...I just couldn't help noticing. Sure, she was a bit short, but in America, a modeling agency would've torn her away from her single mother lifestyle and made her rich. That's how good she looked. Yes, I noticed. Yes, I was attracted.
But there was something else...a hidden side...a motherly, protective, wise side that you didn't expect to see. In the past few weeks, I was beginning to see more and more of that side of her, and my attraction grew even more.
However...I was a soldier...I'm not a good catch. I come with a risk that emotions just do not need to be attached to. For that reason...I decided right then and there that I wouldn't tell her anything about how I felt for her. It'd be better anyway. Maybe, if I made it through the war...I'd mention it. But...in all honesty...a part of me didn't expect to make it through the war. That part of me really wanted to die in battle.
I'd had nothing else in my life but war and conflict until Eimour came along...
"Weston?"
"Hmm?"
"Your eyes are crossed again," Eimour said, tapping the bridge of my nose.
"Crap." I said, frowning.
She laughed and placed her fingers on my chin, turning my head so that my gaze would meet the coastline. "Isn't that Wakka and Lulu?"
"Yeah. Looks like someone else is with them." I squinted my eyes and then my mouth dropped. "We've got to get down there. Wakka's in trouble!"
I took her hand and started in a dead run.
-----------------
Physical combat is something a modern soldier hopes to never have to experience. I, however, was not a modern soldier. I was a Delta Force man. Fisticuffs were just a part of my training. I was taught, as all special ops soldiers are, to read body language, anticipate the next blow, and counter appropriately. Essentially, a good fight should look like a very coordinated ballet dance, even if what's going on is very chaotic.
I had learned, over many training exercises, that sizing your opponent up was not very helpful. No matter what the size or shape of your enemy was, you were to treat them indifferently. Every man, no matter how small or big, can fight, if they have the know-how. And that's all that ran through my mind as I sprinted towards the three people I saw in the distance. I knew two of them...Lulu and Wakka, of course, but the other, while resembling Wakka, I didn't recognize. It was this stranger that was holding Wakka in a chokehold when I arrived, Eimour gasping for breath.
I honestly don't know why I brought her with me. It just...kinda happened, really. I grabbed her hand and then we were off. The entire action occurred as if it were a reflex.
Anyway...this stranger who had Wakka in a chokehold had his back to me. Perfect opportunity to get the upper hand. Mind you, this guy was a bit smaller than I was, but like I've already stated...in physical combat you never know how good your opponent really is. That in mind, I let go of Eimour's hand...but a second later, she grabbed my hand again. I turned my face to her...a face that probably wasn't too inviting. She blinked and let go, backing up.
"Good idea," I said, aloud. Oops.
The punch itself was powerful; powerful enough to knock me back a step or two. And it freaking hurt too. I took a millisecond or two to snap my jaw back into place and I then took a quick glance at the stranger. He was tall, nearly Wakka's height, fiery red hair, tan skin, and muscles that weren't all that small. This stranger was also already up on his feet and about to throw another punch my way.
Another thing about combat that is often dismissed: time. Yes, time. Time, in a proper fight, slows down. No, I'm not referring to a Kung-Fu movie-like crawl, just enough for both fighters to predict each other's moves. Had I not mouthed off at the most inopportune moment, I might have actually had the pleasure of knocking this man out with one hit. Instead, time began its slowing and I could clearly see this stranger's shoulder muscles tense (he was shirtless...which I neglected to include above. "Shame on you, Weston. Shame.") and knew immediately he was throwing a left hook. I threw all my weight into my back and easily dodged the punch. During this dodging, my fist had already started on a course for his elbow, or at least where I predicted his elbow to be when his arm reached as far as it could. Instead of landing the punch, it was caught by his other hand.
It was then that I really hated the fact I've got such a damn loud mouth. I brought my other hand up in a chopping motion, hitting his left wrist. His grip on my fist released and I twisted my torso to the right, aiming to land a roundhouse kick on him and get some distance between us. His left leg had already stopped my kick by the time my thigh was flexing upwards.
This guy was good. Well, good enough to block my basic moves. Yeah...basic moves. I had more. Of course I did.
I decided to switch tactics. It was obvious that I couldn't subdue this guy without using some sort of pain inducing maneuver. I used my right leg, the strongest of my pair, to lift myself up into the air. Jumping, for me, is never a problem. The fact that I don't go very high is the problem. I was high enough, however, to give him a swift and forceful kick in the sternum with my then-free left leg.
The stranger stumbled backwards about five steps, rotating his arms clockwise to keep his balance. Once both of my feet were on the ground, I twisted them into the sand until I was sure I was well anchored. If he came at me, as I thought he would, I wanted to be able to withstand his force. I doubted that I could, though, even at only five paces. So, instead, I'd let him come into contact with me.
Why? Well...with his force, and some very nice maneuvering on my account, I could vault him behind me using my legs and then pounce him before he was able to get up. That, thanks to my luck, didn't really work too well. He apparently expected the vaulting technique and turned sideways as he speared me, twisting me to the ground. I got back up with a mouthful of wet sand. Lovely.
I was not a happy camper when I turned to face my opponent. He was smiling. He then moved so fast I couldn't really get a trace on his movements. The next thing I knew, my nose was quite bloody. This didn't help my frustration. Out go the stops.
In comes the pain. After he landed a few blows to my stomach as I ran towards him, I connected with a strong blow to the strangers left rib section. I heard at least two cracking noises. I then slid my head to the left as he punched in a rightward-arching uppercut. I landed another strong punch to his jaw.
He popped his jaw back into place with a quick motion of his finger and landed a strong hit to my collarbone. Ow. I countered with a deep punch in his stomach. Not much effect. I must've missed the diaphragm...
One of his hands grabbed my punches...then I tried to use my free hand to punch. He caught that too. Great. There we were, turning in circles, grunting and groaning into each other's faces. We were, in all senses of the word, deadlocked. Well, until I brought my knee into his crotch. That seemed to get his attention.
He bent forward and coughed. I took this opportunity to swiftly bring my knee up into his face. His nose squished sideways against my knee and I could feel his hot blood on my leg as I balanced and then turned on my left heel, spinning around quickly and kicking him square in the chest. The stranger blew backward and landed on his back. He tried to get up, but I noticed that those injured ribs had finally caught up with him.
The stranger slowly got back to his feet, not bothering to hold his bloody and broken nose. He walked forward and lazily raised a fist before falling face first into the sand.
I couldn't help myself. I laughed.
-----------------
"We need to infiltrate Bevelle. Fighting in the Calm Lands won't solve a damned thing. It's Nyka that we need to go after!"
"I know that, Fagan! I'm not going to let those Yevonites take Zanarkand! There's too much importance in that gain. Just think what kind of morale boost the Yevonites will get if they capture the holiest place in all of Spira! We'd never be able to defeat them, let alone get anywhere near Bevelle!"
"Gatta...listen to me. Something -has- to be done about Nyka! He commands the troops. With him gone, the army will disperse."
"Damnit...no. Just -no-. I'm not going to even consider it. Protecting Zanarkand is this army's -first- priority."
"Those troops are a rouse! Something is going to happen, Gatta. Something bad...if we don't figure out what's going on!"
"How do you know? Why should I trust you anyway? Last time I had it straight, you were one of the -enemy-."
Fagan grumbled and shut off the receiver on Yuna's communication hub. The boxy machine clicked a few times and finally responded. Gatta's angry voice slowly faded out and Fagan enjoyed the resulting silence.
During a sleepless night, the idea of having a squadron of soldiers invade Bevelle with most of the Yevonite troops in the Calm Lands came to him like a hammer hitting an anvil. To Fagan, it was just logical. It had made a heck of a lot more sense to him to have soldiers (as well as himself) confront Nyka. Granted, it would probably be a suicide mission, but the reward was worth the price. He was already dead. What did he care about the risk?
If he had really been honest to himself, Fagan would've openly admitted to being impatient about wanting revenge. The idea of forcing Nyka into an eternal prison was very enticing, and getting to that point was a little too slow for Fagan's tastes. The sheer idea of exacting his revenge made Fagan's heart jump into his throat. Good thing his heart was already there.
Fagan knew immediately who was behind him. "How long were you listening?"
"Long enough," came the reply. "Going behind my back now?"
"Maybe. The pace of all of this is too slow."
"Let me decide that."
"Looks like Gatta is actually the one deciding everything. I don't remember military tactics being a part of a Summoner's education."
"My Summoning days are over, Fagan, and you know it."
"Still, you don't have the mind to handle an army. That's why Gatta calls all the shots. You just sit and look pretty for the natives."
"I sit and look pretty for no one. I'm in constant contact with Gatta and I do advise."
"And I'm sure that Gatta takes your advice with a grain of salt."
Fagan heard Yuna audibly grunt. It baffled him how the shy young girl was able to talk so assertively now. He thought it probably had something to do with Tidus' return. Whatever Tidus had taken from her, it was obviously back, and the former Summoner had enough courage to speak up for herself. It really pissed Fagan off.
Yuna grinned. "Who do you think told him to go to Mount Gagazet? It was I."
"Wonderful. I'm happy you were able to make a decision. You must be so proud."
"Don't patronize her."
'Oh great, the boy wonder,' Fagan thought. He turned towards the direction of Tidus' voice. "My apologies. I'll remember to keep my sarcasm in check."
"Yeah," Tidus began. "I'm sorry Gatta rejected your little plan. If you're going to pout like a big baby, why don't you go get a bottle and suck some milk down. Then maybe you can come back and try to be adult about this." Yuna laughed at this.
"Your humorous insult does nothing for me." Fagan said, turning away from the blonde-haired Blitzer.
Tidus laughed. "Hiding behind that fancy talk won't get you any brownie points, ya know."
"Neither will frowning at me," Yuna chimed in.
"How about I just leave and 'suck some milk down.'"
"Good idea," Tidus agreed, crossing his arms.
Fagan looked to Yuna, and then Tidus. He left the room without bothering to excuse himself.
Tidus locked eyes with Yuna and couldn't hold his giggles in any longer. His face widened and his mouth opened, chest heaving as he bellowed. Yuna soon joined in.
After the bout of laughter had ended, Tidus walked over to Yuna and lightly tapped her on the nose. "Good job there."
She smiled up at him. "Not so bad yourself."
Returning her smile, Tidus gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and brought her into a tight embrace. "Why he is so uptight?"
Shrugging, she replied, "I don't know...He -was- just rejected."
"True...but...what do you think is really bothering him?" Tidus asked after lightly kissing Yuna on the forehead.
"Well..." Yuna started, finger circling along the back of Tidus' neck, "I would guess it has something to do with what made him so angry with Nyka."
"Betrayal?"
Yuna nodded. "Possibly..." She planted a quick kiss to his now stubble-ridden chin. "Ouch. Hey, you need a shave."
Tidus laughed and ruffled her hair. "Thought about letting it grow out...Whatcha think?"
She laughed and then tilted her head, trying to imagine what the love of her life would look like with a beard. Her lips pursed and then she shook her head. "I don't think so," she responded with a wink.
"Well then...guess I'll have to shave," Tidus said, faking a pout.
"Guess you will," Yuna said, trying to hold back her grin.
"Meanie," Tidus grunted, lips meeting hers in a soft kiss.
"That's me, take me or leave me."
"Sold!" Tidus said, laughing.
Yuna smiled warmly and nodded. "Precisely."
"Good to see you two getting along." In walked Auron and out came sighs from the lovers. "Sorry to interrupt," he said with a slight sneer.
Yuna shook her head. "It's ok, really."
Tidus grunted, but nodded in agreement. "Yeah. What's up?"
"Has Rikku talked to you yet?" asked Auron.
Yuna shook her head. "No...why?"
"I thought she would have before she left."
Tidus nodded. "She talked to -me- before she left. Only thing she talked about was a digging crew on Bikanel salvaging some kind of weapon that she just had to see."
"Yes, but nothing about Chappu, or me?"
"Nothing. Something you want to talk about?"
"I wanted to explain my return, as best I can."
Yuna looked to Tidus, and he smiled in return. Yuna turned her gaze back to Auron. "Go ahead," she said, smiling.
"In a nutshell, the Farplane is in a state of...disarray."
"Disarray?" Yuna asked.
"Yes," Auron answered. "Something...or some-one-, rather, has caused a major rift. If the rift isn't fixed...goodbye Farplane."
-----------------
"You ok, Wakka?"
"Ya...just kinda...wasn't expecting Chappu to attack me like that."
I looked Wakka over. The only injury I could see was a bruised wrist, which I'm sure a potion would quickly fix. I stole a glance at the stranger...who I had learned was Wakka's previously-deceased brother, Chappu. Strange how so many people are coming back from the dead recently. Tidus...Wakka's brother. I wondered who was next. My grandma?
Lulu sighed shakily. "I just wish he could've..."
"It's hard, Lu, for him. You know it is...I mean...in his situation, I wouldn't 'a wanted to accept that my fiancé had married another man...specially my brother."
I nodded. "He needs something to get his mind off of you two being married. From what you told me, it's been a while since he's been here. We can't trust him around you two...do you think Yuna could reacquaint him with Spira?"
Lulu bowed her head in thought. Wakka, on the other hand, already had an idea. "Hey, he was a soldier, ya? Why don't -you- take him in, Weston? You guys could relate or something."
I laughed and quickly pushed that idea aside. "I've got enough on my plate Wakka. I can't baby-sit your brother. There's hardly enough room for Eimour and Gary in my house. How can your brother possibly fit?"
"Hey, just a suggestion, ya? I tell ya what. If I can find a place for him to stay, will -you- tend to him? If he starts throwin' punches again, I don't know who could stop him besides you."
I thought this over. I just couldn't do it...it was too straining...and I certainly didn't want to get into fistfights every day. "Look, Wakka. He sees me as the guy who beat him in a fight. He'll want to revenge that defeat. He needs to be with someone he won't feel adverse to."
Wakka sighed. "I dunno who that'll be..."
"I do," Lulu chimed in.
-----------------
"I know Chappu has been going around telling everyone that he and I came back because of the war. This is very false. Until we talked to Rikku, we didn't even know a war was on."
Tidus blinked. "Then why -are- you here? The rift in the Farplane?"
"Correct. We were sent here to fix the problem. Unfortunately, I believe Chappu had other plans."
Yuna sighed. "He came back for Lulu."
Auron nodded. "I thought it strange for him to volunteer for the mission..."
"What, exactly, are your mission goals?" asked Tidus.
Auron smiled. "Now we get to the fun part. First...I should explain what happens to a soul when it leaves a body. An unsent soul, or one not immediately marked for travel to the Farplane, is gobbled up by Pyreflies. Souls are their energy. They only need to eat one to last a lifetime, but there are millions of those things. When a soul isn't sent immediately, it's my job to snatch them out of the Pyreflies and take them to the Farplane. This Pyrefly business is really just the natural order of things on Spira.
"In some cases, how ever, souls are allowed to roam free, and can manifest themselves in the physical world."
"Unsent souls...like -you- were," Yuna said, eyes widening with recognition.
"Yes. Like I was. Hence my job in the afterlife. I have to make sure unsent souls are put in their natural place, be it in a Pyrefly or in the Farplane."
"So," Tidus started, "someone isn't in their rightful place and you've come back to get them."
"It's a little more complicated then that. In fact, this person has broken a pivotal rule. They've killed and taken the body of another to deceive the world. This is where the rift has come. The original soul is trapped not in a Pyrefly or the Farplane, but is in a state of limbo in its own body while the perpetrator is in control. That is the source of the rift."
"Which means, ladies and gentleman," said Fagan, who had been listening to the conversation since its start, "Nyka is not who he says he is."
Auron grunted. "Thank you, Fagan. I was just about to get to that point."
"You were too slow, old man."
Both Yuna and Tidus could were speechless.
"Too slow? I beg your pardon."
"Keep begging, it won't get them two anywhere near comprehension. Look, Yuna, Tidus. To put it simply, a former Maester of Yevon is in control of a body that's not his. With Auron's help, as well as yours, Yuna, I'll be able to trap that bastard in a Pyrefly for eternity."
"And who is this Maester?" Yuna asked.
Auron sighed. "Mika."
-----------------
"You're sending me off to Mount Gagazet?!"
Lulu nodded. "You said you'd fight if you had to. Here's your chance."
"Why can't I stay here?"
Wakka laughed. "No telling how many people you'd beat up."
Chappu grunted and looked towards me. "What are you grinning at? My nose still crooked? Thought potions fix things like that!"
I shrugged. "I think Gatta will enjoy having you in his ranks. At least you can fight."
"That's not all I can do, brudda!"
"Mmhmm." I shook my head. "I'll be there soon myself. Then you can show me what you can do." At this, I felt a pinch on my hip. I turned and saw Eimour shaking her head.
"Not 'soon' Weston."
This garnered a few laughs. Eimour smiled sweetly and I rolled my eyes.
I turned back around and saw Wakka and Lulu grinning ear to ear. I didn't really like those grins. They weren't evil...just knowing...and that scared me for some reason.
"Well, I guess I better talk to Yuna then. I have to get an airship for Chappu," Lulu said.
"I'll go with you," Wakka offered.
Lulu smiled and nodded, then looked to Eimour and me. "You two want to come?"
I turned my head and glanced at Eimour. She shook her head. I smiled. She was being shy again. "No, we're going to try to find a late lunch. I'm pretty sure Gary is worried sick about his mother anyway."
Lulu and Wakka nodded with another knowing grin that utterly pissed me off and turned around, ready to head back to the village. Chappu only stood there, looking very defeated.
"Don't worry, Chappu," I began. "When I get to Mount Gagazet, you'll get another shot at beating me up." I felt another one of Eimour's pinches on my hip.
"Plan on it." Chappu said, his defeated frown straightening out slightly. If I had looked closer, I probably would've seen the beginning of a sneer.
"Will do," I said, turning around and raising a hand.
-----------------
Gatta sighed as he looked upon the rows and rows of tents littering the grassy plain at the foot of Mount Gagazet. All of the Crusaders and Al Bhed had come here willing to defend the mountain with their lives. But Gatta had a sinking suspicion that Fagan had been right about a stealthy squad of soldiers going behind enemy lines.
If the Yuna loyalists could surprise the Yevonites, then that'd just improve the odds for winning the war. The only thing Gatta thought was completely wrong was Fagan's assumption that Nyka falling would quell the Yevonite army. The news probably wouldn't even reach the army camped near the Calm Lands. Gatta knew the Yevonites already had their orders and those orders had a specific deadline for administering the orders.
But Gatta could do nothing about it. He was as blind as a bat in this situation and he hated it. He needed some way see through the darkness of distance and see what the Yevonites had planned. That way, he'd be able to better counter what they threw at him. And it was with these thoughts that Fagan's idea seemed more and more feasible.
Where, though, would he get soldiers skilled enough to pull off an infiltration? He hadn't a clue. Gatta thought for a bit more, eyes staring at the full moon in the sky.
Then, he realized just who he could talk to. He entered his large command tent and turned the bulky Al Bhed communicator on and dialed into Besaid's frequency. Gatta doubted anyone would be awake to hear his call, but he would try anyway. He needed to get this off of his mind.
Surprisingly, someone did answer. That someone was Yuna. She sounded slightly groggy and very out of breath.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Yuna. Gatta here."
"What is it, Gatta? Has something happened?"
"I...no. I...need to speak to Weston."
"Weston?"
"Yes, Weston. Could you please get him?"
"I'll...try...I don't know if he'll be up or not."
"Wake him, if you have to..."
"O...ok...if it's that urgent."
"It is. Thank you, Yuna."
The line clicked dead. Now all he could do was wait.
-----------------
A/N: So, it's been a while. A long while. No telling how long since the last chronological update. Well, here's Chapter 21, after a long, long wait. It seemed long for me too. As a matter of fact, the chapter you just got reading is not the original Chapter 21.
The original Chapter 21 was going to be sweet and short, a sort of Weston/Eimour super-chapter that developed the pairing a lot farther than I had originally intended. It was going to be here in time for Christmas. Yes, it was going to be a Christmas themed chapter, where Weston was down and out because it was near Christmas, his favorite holiday. Eimour would cheer him up by throwing a Christmas party based off of what he told her. Unfortunately, I didn't feel it fit the story and I just lost inspiration, so I added that to my "scrapped ideas" document and started anew.
The result is this chapter. After a month or so of toying with ideas, I finally hunkered down and started writing. With Shad's, Noelle's, and Artemis' help, I was able to get this chapter rolling. The first ten pages were almost all based on advice from the lovely ladies mentioned above. The rest was planned plot that I had yet to get to. Plus that whole explaining Auron and Chappu return thing.
Hope you liked it.
Many thanks to Shad, Noelle, and Artemis for making this happen.
Much love to Shad for betaing this bad boy.
And no, readers, AtS isn't in hiatus. I'm writing Chapter 22 as we speak. The pace is starting to pick up, and I see this story ending in about four to five chapters. No guarantees, though. It might have ten more chapters before it ends. Either way, just keep on the look out. The next chapter will be coming sometime between now and when it's done. ^.~
~No 0ne