Disclaimer: I do not own FFX nor FFXII.
Author's notes: Thank you for the reviews! They're always appreciated:D
Chapter 28: Where Lighting Strikes
They stood near the exit of the tunnel they just exited. Balthier looked out ahead of him, no grass grew in this area and large towers were set here and there along the plains. Lightning struck them every so often. A bolt of lightning struck the nearest one and Penelo yelped slightly. Everyone looked at her. She was huddling herself close together, holding her arms to her chest, and keeping her legs bent. She looked like she was afraid that if she stood straight, she'd be struck by lightning.
"I-I think I forgot something back there." She said quickly.
"Nice knowing you." Auron said, looking at her.
"Okay, I'll go!" She whined.
"How are we supposed to cross these plains anyway?" Balthier asked Fran.
"Staying near enough to the lightning rod towers. The lightning should be drawn to them."
"Should?" He asked, looking at her. She answered him with a sly grin.
It started to rain.
"Be weary of fiends, these plains are filled with them." Basch said as he held his new spear in his left hand, he kept it horizontal, to not make himself a lightning rod.
"Alright! Let's go!" Ashe said, holding her new staff the same way Basch held his spear.
The group began to walk across the plains. Even though Balthier had never been bothered by thunderstorms, he had to admit, being here made him wary. Up ahead on the road he could see a lightning elemental.
"Fran!"
He had to yell, the rain was coming down hard, making lots of noise, and socking them all. Balthier motioned to the elemental, she nodded. She cast a watera spell, causing it to die. Her magic was indeed growing stronger. The walk was anything but pleasant, fiends were indeed many in this region, and the constant storm didn't do much to boost their moral. They came across a group of two Bunyips and an elemental. Fran easily took care of the elemental, and Auron's sword easily sliced through the Bunyips armoured shells. They were nearing about halfway through the thunder plains, Penelo seemed to be growing more fearful along the way, though she had managed to fight an Iguion, she used her daggers well, and she had proven to be quite the thief, stealing some high potions and ethers, along with some other things. On the top of a hill they could see a travel agency.
"They really are conveniently placed." Balthier commented to Fran, it was still raining hard.
"Indeed." Fran replied.
Auron though decided it would be best to keep moving, since the storm was never ending, they might as well keep moving. Penelo had stopped moving entirely she was chuckling nervously.
"C'mon Penelo, Auron's got a point, this storm never ends, we might as well get through it as quickly as we can." Vaan consoled.
Penelo continued to stand, and chuckled nervously. Everyone was looking at her. A bolt of lightning and Penelo jumped, and screamed. She then went over to Auron and grabbed his legs, looking up at him.
"Can we please rest in the travel agency, just for a bit!?" She pleaded.
Balthier had to suppress a chuckled. Not only because of how different this Penelo was, but the look on Auron's face. Auron freed himself from her grip and began walking away, everyone joined him. Penelo was still kneeling on the ground.
"Please, just for a little while." She pleaded as everyone walked away. "Pretty please?" They still walked. "I'm too young to die!" She cried to them. "You're mean! Your mothers would be ashamed of you!" She called to them.
"Fine! We rest!" Auron said. "She's worse than the storm." He mumbled to the others.
Rin's Travel Agency – Thunder Plains Branch
Everyone walked in, grateful for a break from the rain. Penelo was still keeping her arms to her chest, she still looked scared. Auron walked over to a bookcase, as did Vaan and Fran. Basch stood by the door, ever watchful.
"I'm a little tired." She walked over to the desk. "Do you have a room available?" She asked the woman behind the desk.
"Yes, lady summoner." She handed Ashe a key.
"Thank you."
She walked into the hallway that lead to the rooms. Everyone watched her go.
"That's not like her." Vaan said to Fran, who nodded.
Balthier looked from them, to where Ashe had gone to. They were right, it wasn't. She seemed to be down since she sent Lord Jyscal. Balthier looked to Penelo, and decided to talk to her. He hadn't really had a chance to talk to her since she joined them and now seemed an appropriate time.
"Are you that afraid?" He asked.
She nodded, her eyes were wide.
"When I was little, I was swimming in the water at the beach and this fiend attacked me. My brother cast a thunder spell." She gulped. "But instead of hitting the fiend, it hit me! BZZZZZT!!" A flash was soon followed by a loud crash of thunder, Penelo covered her ears. "Ever since then, I've been terrified of thunderstorms!"
Rin emerged from the hallway and looked delighted to see them.
"Hello again, it's a pleasure to see you are well." He noticed Penelo and walked over.
She placed a finger on her lips and motioned to Vaan. Rin nodded, seeming to understand what she meant. He then saw Auron and he walked over to Balthier.
"Is that, Sir Auron by any chance?" He asked him, Balthier nodded. "Ahh, I'd been wondering since I saw him at the Mi'Ihen highroad branch." He walked over to him. "Sir Auron?" He turned and faced him. "I wonder if you remember me? Ten years ago at the beginning of Lord Braska's calm?"
"Yes, I should thank you."
"Not at all, I could not leave a wounded man to die." Balthier looked over at the two. "Though I was surprised to see you gone the next morning, with that wound. A normal man would not have been able to walk."
"I'd… rather drop that subject." Auron said, sounding pained.
"As you wish." Rin walked away from him and stood by the desk.
Balthier continued to look at Auron, there was definitely something different about him. Auron had turned around again and looking through the books on the self. Balthier then turned his attention back to Ashe. She seemed so preoccupied since they left Guadosalam. Maybe I should try to talk to her? He thought. He took a breath and walked into the corridor, doors lined one side of the corridor, and he quietly and slowly walked by each, trying to tell which one she could be in. He heard a hushed voice coming from one of them. He walked over to it and pressed his ear to the door, he couldn't make out what was being said, but he could tell it was Ashe along with another's voice. Who could be in there with her? He gently knocked on the door.
"Ashe?" He called gently.
He heard her gasp and take something off of a table, or something similar and rush to the door. She opened it, she looked scared, and her face was pale. Seeing her like that made him worry.
"Are you alright?" he asked gently.
"Y-yes… I'm fine, really. Just, had a bad dream, that's all." She looked away from his eyes.
"Are you sure, you're alright?" She obviously lied about the dream… I won't press the matter.
"I'm fine. There's no need to worry."
She walked passed him and back out into the lobby. Balthier stood there in the doorway for a few moments. He had a bad feeling, and they usually turned out to be right. He sighed and walked back out into the lobby, everyone was preparing to leave and were gathering their supplies and weapons.
"Everyone ready?" Ashe asked her guardians.
Everyone nodded, they too were looking concerned. They could all tell something was bothering the young summoner. The question was what? Penelo was still keeping herself huddled. She was looking out the window at the never ending storm.
"Its not stopping, is it?" She said, sounding disappointed.
"Don't tell me you were hoping it would?" Auron asked her as he approached the door. "Fine, stay here if you want." He opened the door and walked through, it was still raining.
"Alright, alright!" She stood up straight and managed to lower her arms. "But, you didn't have to say it like that! You could be more comforting, or something!" Penelo talked, even though Auron had already passed through the door. "Hey! Are you listening?" A crash of thunder, she held her hands to her ears and inhaled. She then stood straight again and lowered her arms, in a defiant manner. "I'm not scared!" She proclaimed. "I'm not scared at all! You hear!"
She walked towards the door and opened it, and walked out into the storm, closing the door behind her. Everyone stood staring at the door for a little while, then they too, walked out into the storm.
"Are we almost out of this?" Balthier asked Auron, having to talk loudly.
"We're about halfway there." He replied and started walking.
Great, halfway there. He too walked on after Auron.
The second half of their trip proceeded much like the first half had. It was wet, loud and filled with fiends. It was definitely a demoralizing terrain, and climate. He hoped their next area would be much nicer to look at, and dryer. Balthier could soon see the beginnings of a forest.
"Is that where we're headed?" He asked Fran, thankfully the downpour had subsided and it was now raining lightly.
"Yes, Macalania woods. The climate is much better, but there are many fiends in that area, some are quite powerful."
"Joy." He replied.
They neared the end of the plains, and Balthier could feel his morale rise once more. Ashe stopped walking, she looked even more troubled than she had been. She hadn't smiled since they left Guadosalam, nor had she truly spoken since they left the Travel Agency. Something was definitely bothering her, and it was something serious. Everyone stopped and looked at her.
"Everyone… There's something I have to tell you." She said quietly, she wasn't meeting their eyes, and she wasn't even looking at Balthier.
"Now?" Vaan asked.
"Yes."
"But we're almost out of here! Let's go!" Penelo urged.
"I must say it now." She told them.
Auron noticed to a nearby structure, it had a roof, and the area underneath it was dry.
"Over there." He said.
Everyone gladly walked over to it, grateful for another chance to be out of the storm. Everyone stood around Ashe, watching her intently. Balthier was getting anxious, he hadn't gotten anxious in a long time, he didn't like the feeling. She looked at each of her guardians and inhaled deeply.
"I've decided to marry Lord Seymour."
Vaan, Penelo, Fran and Basch all gasped. Auron remained quiet, as did Balthier, but he was feeling something build up inside him. He couldn't place the feeling, was it anger? Sadness, maybe… Or perhaps even jealousy… But why would he feel jealous. He didn't like Seymour that was for certain, nor did her like that he had proposed to Ashe, and was now getting the chance to marry her! He thought back to all the times he had encountered Seymour, and he thought of Ashe, more specifically, he thought of how he felt about Ashe… Was it…. Perhaps, perhaps he felt something more than friendship towards her…
At that point, he felt like he was by himself, even though he was surrounded by people. It was only him and his thoughts, he couldn't hear the other talking to Ashe, trying to figure out why she had decided to marry Seymour. He looked over at Ashe, there was still something bothering her… What had she been doing in her room, no one else had been in there, though he distinctly remembered hearing two voices… Had she been listening to something? And if she had… Was whatever she heard the reason she chose to marry… Him? She didn't look like she had chosen to marry because she liked Seymour, she would've been happy if that were the case. She knew there was something about Seymour, and he wanted to find out.
"I am sorry… It is a personal matter." He heard Ashe say.
She now looked directly at Balthier. He looked hurt, and it made her feel worse about her decision. I have to. She told herself.
"Just one thing…" Auron began.
"I will continue my pilgrimage." She reassured him.
"Then, it is fine." He told her.
Fine? Nothing's fine about it! Balthier thought angrily, but he stopped himself from saying anything. He wouldn't… Not now anyway.
Author's Notes: I love that part in the thunder plains when Rikku is pleading with the others, so amusing:) And reminds me of how I used to be. :)
