Well, that was a quick update. Lawl. So sad.
XD ANYWAY...
Thanks toooooooo...
Queen of Obscene, HorseKid109,(both new~! Amazing, isn't it?) Pitch Hart, Yume97, Natlii-x, Boredom Queen of Insanity, toucanmel94, Claudia Kent, AkaiKurai, Persephone89, Yuni30, Kaida Ukitake, buddyzmama, Jam Drawings, Elianna1031, Ketsuko Kyo, BrokenAngel1753, and Auron's Moira! *faint*
So what if I sound desperate? I'mma sound MOAR desperate in my very last ending chapter... You'll see 8D
Oh, gawd, we're already at chapter 36... *faint again*
Disclaimer: Boo.
x.X.x
We left the Calm Lands, making our way back to the airship and suffering through a heated lecture from Rikku to Brother on the importance of not leaving details (like the Cloudy Mirror) out when informing people of what to do, which was eventually stopped by Cid threatening something about Evrae in Al Bhed and then sending his children to the cabin. I laughed to myself, remembering the fights between Graav and I where the whole blitzball team had taken Cid's role of breaking things up, though everyone knew I would never be able to beat him in a fistfight. Not that it threatened to get that serious…most of the time.
"To Macalania, right?" Cid asked, interrupting my thoughts, and Yuna nodded.
"Yes, sir," she answered with a smile, and he chuckled, shaking his head.
"You can stop with the 'sir,' you know. That's like me calling my niece Lady Summoner or something," Rikku's father told her with raised eyebrows, and Yuna chuckled.
"Yes si-" She stopped herself, then continued, "Okay." Cid nodded decisively, then turned to the controls and powered up the ship, steering it towards Macalania.
It didn't take long until we were drifting over the canopy, sliding down the ladder that extended below the Fahrenheit into a clearing, and starting randomly down one of the trails.
"Dead end," Rikku huffed. "So I s'pose we try the other one."
"That would be logical," Auron answered, and then sighed as the Al Bhed abruptly rounded on him with her hands on her hips.
"Well you don't need to butt in, because I know what I'm talking about, and no one asked your opinion, Mr. Not-Gonna-Talk-If-It-Kills-You, so you can just be quiet like you always are!" She turned back around with a huff and tramped back down the trail, everyone else following close behind and shooting curious looks at both Auron and Rikku, probably wondering-like I was-what in Spira had happened in the Calm Lands between the two.
I slowed down to walk at the back next to Auron, glancing up inquisitively. He raised an eyebrow, but chuckled once and explained, "To put it bluntly, she wouldn't shut up during the whole trip as we were fighting, so I had to call to attention the fact that she was scaring even the fiends away."
"So you didn't suddenly snap and start screaming at her?" I asked wryly, and he smirked.
"Almost. I think I might have if she had decided to keep talking after I told her to at least lower her voice."
I laughed quietly as we emerged back into the clearing, and Rikku led the way to the only other path, her feet crunching loudly on the dead leaves as the rest of us trailed behind. We hadn't gone far when a soft, timid voice interrupted Yuna, calling, "Lady Summoner?" She turned, searching for the source, and found it in a worried-looking woman standing with her hands on her son's shoulders.
"Yes?" Yuna asked, smiling.
"I am sorry to trouble you, but have you seen my husband? We were going to stop to rest, but when I looked up again I couldn't find him."
"No…I don't think we've seen anyone other than you," the summoner answered apologetically. "But we can help you look for him."
"Would you?" Her voice was pleading, and Yuna smiled warmly and nodded.
"I'd be happy to. If we find him, I'll help him get back to you."
"You have my thanks, my Lady."
Yuna dipped her head, turning east down the other trail and asking her guardians as we walked, "Was I the only one that saw the…path, next to that woman?"
"You mean the big glittery one that was floating in the air?" Rikku amended, nodding. "Yup, I saw it! You think that weird crystal's up that way?"
"I'd be surprised if it wasn't," Lulu replied, nodding.
"Then let's find this lady's husband and skedaddle on up there, huh?"
"Sounds good," Tidus agreed, nodding. Yuna took the lead, trekking up the trail until she saw a distinct brown-haired head, and she picked up the pace until she caught up to the woman's husband.
"Excuse me…?" the summoner asked tentatively, and he turned.
"Lady Summoner!" The man performed a hurried prayer, asking frantically, "Have you seen my-"
"Your wife?" Rikku interrupted, perking up. "Yup! She's looking for you, too. Back over that way; c'mon!" The Al Bhed turned and skipped off down the path, and I chuckled. We really hadn't gone far, but it was strange what a few trees would do to one's sense of direction.
We had soon reached the woman who had first called Yuna, and both of them stepped forward in a quick embrace before turning back to us.
"Thank you so much," the woman said fervently, bowing. "I will ask no more of you."
"Okey dokey!" Rikku said cheerfully. "Now are we gonna head up that way or not?"
"Of course," Yuna sighed teasingly, staying just behind her cousin as the bounced up the glittering path, and turning to lift her hand in a wave at the couple. As she turned back, though, her brow creased thoughtfully.
"What's up?" Tidus inquired, cocking his head. Yuna shrugged.
"Didn't they have a child with them?" she asked, and he looked up at the trees as he thought back.
"I think so, yeah. And the woman said that she wouldn't ask any more of us-" His musing was interrupted by Rikku, who called, "Look what I found!" She ran back to us, holding a young boy by the hand, and pointed at him. "He said that he ran off to go and look for his dad, and then got lost right next to that crystal! Some luck, huh?" A startled laugh burst out of Yuna, and she nodded.
"Luck, indeed." The summoner knelt until she was at the boy's level, and smiled. "Ready to go back to your parents, now?" He nodded, wide-eyed, but backed up and clung to Rikku's leg as Yuna tried to take him. The Al Bhed giggled.
"I'll meet you at the crystal, 'kay?" she asked, taking a step forward with the boy still latched onto her shin. "Tell me if that mirror works."
"We will," Tidus promised, nodding. "Good luck getting your new friend to let go of you." Rikku laughed again before turning and hobbling back down the path and out of view, and Yuna straightened.
"…All right then," she said vaguely. "That was a rather rare stroke of luck."
"Mm-hmm," Tidus agreed, standing next to her. "Ready to go?"
"I suppose."
Yuna walked up the trail, going in the direction Rikku had gestured to, and soon came up on the huge, sparkling, brightly glowing gemstone. As soon as she did, the mirror wedged up one of her sleeves slid out and hit the ground with a low ringing sound, bursting into fragments that reformed as the guardians stepped out of the way and giving off a blindingly bright golden glow.
When the light had died, Yuna was the first to take a hesitant step forward and examine the previously clouded mirror, whose surface now shone with a dull silver sheen and perfectly reflected her face. "Beautiful…" she murmured, tracing the gilded edges of the glass with her fingertips and then looking up as Rikku sprinted back up the path and skidded to a halt, nodding at the mirror.
"Looks like Nirvana is as good as ours," the Al Bhed said, beaming. "So, shall we head back to Vydran?"
"Mm-hmm," Yuna answered absently, still starting curiously at the Celestial Mirror. Rikku pulled her forward, walking at the front of the group as we retraced our steps and headed back to the airship where both Brother and Cid were waiting.
"Got it?" Yuna's uncle called, letting down the ladder. His daughter nodded, gesturing to the summoner, and scampered easily up the wooden rungs.
"Yup!" she replied cheerfully. "So now we've gotta head back to the Calm Lands to get Yunie's staff!"
"All right." Cid waited until all of the guardians had climbed into the ship, then called, "Everyone hold on!" He shoved the wheel forward, and I took a step to steady myself as the airship jerked, settling into a smoother flight as it glided to the Calm Lands.
Cid stopped it right above the arena, and Yuna climbed down first and met Usse with her guardians close behind.
"So you have the mirror now?" he asked, eyes twinkling in amusement. Yuna smiled and nodded respectfully, withdrawing the Celestial Mirror as Usse once again created the treasure chest. This time, she held the mirror in one hand and pried open the lid with the other, carefully withdrawing Nirvana.
My eyes widened, taking in the azure body topped with what resembled a crimson-and-gold phoenix, gems glittering at its heart. A tassel hung at the end, and Yuna carefully straightened, giving Nirvana an experimental twirl. Usse nodded appreciatively. "She likes you," he told the summoner, whose face broke into a wide smile.
"Thank you," she answered, bowing deeply. "We are in your debt."
"No, my Lady," Usse interrupted gently. "There is no debt to pay. And it is I who should be thanking you, as I believe you will be the one to bring us the Calm." Surprise flitted across Yuna's face, but she bowed again.
"Yes, sir. Thank you." She echoed her earlier words, and Usse dipped his head.
"I recommend visiting Belgemine's home when you have the time. She has something that will be of use to Nirvana."
"We will," the summoner promised, nodding as she turned away. "And we will be back, if it suits you."
"But of course."
Yuna led the way this time, Rikku staying obediently a few paces behind, and as we began walking she asked, "Should we go to Remiem Temple now? Usse said that it held something for Nirvana…" The summoner trailed off, glancing at her new staff and then looking over her shoulder at Usse, who had taken her old one and promised to keep good care of it. Auron nodded silently, answering, "Since we may not get another chance to see it, that would be wise."
"Of course," Rikku muttered mutinously. "Anything you say is 'wise.'"
"It was Yuna's idea," Auron retaliated calmly, smiling ever so slightly.
"But you still said it!" she huffed, turning away. "Never mind, I'm done talking." The Al Bhed was silent for a moment, and I almost believed that she meant it. In a carefully subtle gesture, though, Auron looked down at me and counted off from three with his fingers. As soon as his index finger went down to signify zero, perfectly timed, Rikku burst out, "But why do you have to be such a meanie all the time? You're always like, 'Oh, that's not wise,' or 'You're going to have to redo that,' or 'I'm not the one who is going to get everyone's heads chopped off and fed to chocobos and…stuff!'"
"I thought you were done talking." Auron's tone said that he hadn't believed her for a second, but he certainly seemed to be having fun making the young, gabbling Al Bhed eat her words. She closed her mouth and stared murderously at him, and after a second started a stream of rapid sign language that involved a lot of gestures I wasn't sure I wanted to have translated. Auron raised an eyebrow, but I was sure he didn't like Rikku knowing something he didn't, especially if it was as big as a language.
Yuna lightly cleared her throat, rather effectively stopping her cousin's rampage, and let out a long, piercing whistle for her chocobo, which I belatedly remembered we needed to cross the gap that barred the way to Remiem Temple. I followed suit, hoping Lola might have at least had a change of heart since she had fought with us against the Coeurl, but no such luck. She still came bounding across the plains at my call, head butting my torso and nearly knocking the wind out of me. I stepped back to steady myself, almost putting my back foot over the edge of the fissure as I did, and Auron reached out with a raised eyebrow to catch my arm. He smirked as I recovered, saying, "You should thank me for saving your life."
"Oh, right," I answered, voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "Thank you, oh mighty one."
The guardian laughed once, then mounting his chocobo with a resigned sigh, and followed Yuna as she flew across and landed on the other side with her cousin close behind. Both girls rode off toward the spindly bridge that no one but Lola liked, and as soon as the others had made it, we followed as well.
Once again Lola and the others were set free, though she and Rainbow watched with half-lidded eyes as if wondering if it would be worth it to run across the bridge and scare Lulu half to death as she crossed. The mage turned, though, and raised her hands as if about to cast a spell, smirking as Rainbow let out a high squeak and ducked behind Lola. After that, neither of them bothered us.
By the time all of the guardians were safely across, Yuna had already reached the temple, but was standing in its center with a slightly confused look.
"You Sent her," Auron told the summoner, though his own voice sounded a little hesitant. "Did you expect her to be here?"
"Kind of…" Yuna said, shrugging. "Usse said…" In confusion she withdrew the small pouch containing the Farplane Wind that Belgemine had given her just before Yuna had Sent her, and warily opened it up to withdraw the bottle. "Could this be what he meant?" She stopped, though, and her brow creased further as she peered deeper into it. "This wasn't there before…" the summoner murmured, reaching in to pull a tightly rolled sheet of parchment out. Cautiously, Yuna slid the ribbon off of it and unfurled it, staring hard at the faded symbols printed on the paper. Beneath them were small notes in Spiran, and she cautiously mumbled, "Etel…orioa…niresa…?" Almost immediately, the summoner gave a small gasp and dropped her staff as Nirvana glowed. It lasted less than a second, but the sheet of paper turned to ashes in Yuna's hand and gave her newest weapon a silvery sheen. She stared for a moment, and then shrugged slightly and reached down to pick it up.
"Okey dokey, then!" Rikku said cheerfully, breaking the mood and nodding at Yuna. "So do we need anything else? The crest-thing?"
"I don't know," the summoner answered helplessly. "Perhaps we should ask Usse?"
"M'kay!" Without another word the Al Bhed bounced off, running across the bridge and whistling for the chocobos. I crossed more slowly, looking back at Auron and waiting as he finally turned and tore his gaze from the statues lining the interior wall, catching up to me and mounting Bruno as I followed suit with Lola.
We made our way back to Usse, who greeted our party with a smile. "Back so soon?" he asked knowingly. "I take it you have found both the crest and sigil?"
"We…don't necessarily know where the crest is," Yuna hedged, nodding to acknowledge the fact that he had somehow answered her unasked question. He raised his eyebrows.
"My Lady, it seems as though you already have it." Usse gestured to Nirvana, who was-again-glowing as she had with the piece of paper that I now saw was the sigil. Yuna's eyebrows knitted together, and she knelt to rummage through a pouch that always hung at her neck, taking it off and setting it on the ground. I had learned early on that it could hold fifty potions without stretching, so I could only assume that it had been enhanced in some way. Usse nodded to himself as she hesitantly pulled out yet another sheet of paper with a questioning look, this one emblazoned with an unfamiliar crest with a single word in what seemed to be the same language that the summoner had stumbled through when she had found the sigil.
"We found it, before I even became a summoner," she said haltingly. "Lulu and Wakka told me to keep it, but…I thought I lost it years ago."
"Well, it is a good thing it returned, hm?" Usse asked with a knowing chuckle, taking it from her. "I am surprised you could read this language for Nirvana's sigil, but she seems appeased enough." Then his eyes shifted to the paper, and he murmured what I surmised to be the word printed on the parchment. It, too, turned to ashes, and then the older man spread his arms wide as if presenting the newly upgraded weapon. "She is yours," he told Yuna with a smile, and she bowed deeply.
"Thank you."
"Of course."
"So, back to the ship now?" Tidus asked, and Rikku grinned.
"Yup! And then we can keep getting weapons!"
"Who else are they for?" Wakka's voice came from somewhere near Lulu, I noticed with an inward smile. The two had "accidentally" ended up walking together more and more these days, but anyone who asked about it either had the ends of their hair singed with a Thunder or a blitzball in their face.
"Brother said that he knew where yours, Auron's, and Lulu's were," Rikku answered the flame-haired blitzer. "Along with Yunie's, but we already have hers." She nodded to herself, and then shrugged. "So I guess it's up to him who we do next." Wakka crossed his arms and dipped his head, and Rikku waved up to Cid as we reached the airship. The ladder was let down, and when we were up Yuna's cousin asked, "So, Brother, who next?"
"Very hard question…" he answered his sister, thinking for a moment. "Wakka, yes?"
"M'kay, sounds good!" The Al Bhed girl turned to the blitzer, who looked surprised. "Wakka, you up for some blitzball?" His surprise melted away in eagerness, answering, "I always am, ya?" and Rikku grinned.
"Awesome! Okey dokey, Bro, you know where to go?"
"Luca," Brother replied immediately.
"Got it. And don't leave out any details this time, cool?"
He rolled his eyes, but nodded, and Rikku snapped her fingers at her father. "'Kay, pops, we ready to split?"
"You need to relearn proper Spiran," Cid muttered, shaking his head, but nodded. "We're ready."
"All right! Let's go!" She bodily shoved her father towards the controls, and he stopped himself before he fell on the intimidating number of bells and whistles. He did, however, grab the wheel and use his momentum to jerk it forward, possibly on accident, and the Fahrenheit shuddered and sent everyone sprawling on the ground.
"Everyone okay?" Cid asked absently as we all pushed ourselves up. Tidus groaned.
"No, I think I broke my shoulder," he complained, rubbing said shoulder, and Cid nodded.
"Good. So long as no one's hurt," Rikku's father answered without really paying any attention, and I saw my first real-life double take in Tidus, who was raising both eyebrows at him. But Cid paid the blitzer no heed, steering the ship towards Luca to get Wakka's weapon, crest, and sigil: all of which, as Brother said, were in my hometown.
It touched down only a few minutes after we had all recovered, and not for the first time I marveled at the speed at which the airship could cross all of Spira. I pushed myself up, the first out the door and stepping onto the concrete with Wakka close behind, and turned back to Brother.
"Any idea how we're supposed to get the crest, sigil, and weapon?" I asked him, and he thought for a moment, apparently searching his memory.
"Bartender has weapon," he said finally. "Not know where crest and sigil is, yes?"
"Helpful enough." I shrugged, turning away, and headed towards the only bar in Luca as Yuna caught up to us. "So, apparently we're off to the bar first," I told the summoner, and she nodded.
"Rikku mentioned that. Do you know where the crest or sigil is?"
"Not really. Somewhere in Luca, but that could mean at the bottom of the fountain for all we know. Or hiding under a hotel room's couch, in someone's pocket, on the roof of a building: the possibilities are endless."
"I suppose," Yuna sighed. "But at least we know where the weapon is."
"Mm."
Upon seeing us, the bartender-a short, redheaded and cheerful woman-smiled and nodded. When Yuna came up and asked for something Brother had called "the World Champion," she beamed.
"I must say, I'm surprised it's taken you this long to ask for it!" she chirped. "You've certainly won enough games to deserve it!" She looked around, and then reached down and pulled up a red, spiked disc that more or less resembled an oriental Frisbee and surreptitiously handed it over the counter to Yuna. "Better hurry with that crest and sigil, though: Usse said that he was getting impatient." My brow creased as I wondered just how much this woman knew, and if there was some sort of cult stationed all over Spira with final weapons or something. She winked, whispering, "Check in the Auroch locker room, 'kay?" and Wakka nodded.
"Will do," he said, taking the World Champion and then taking the lead. We walked over to the stadium, not seeing the Goers anywhere, and as soon as we reached the locker rooms everyone tore them apart to search for the crest. Finally, Rikku popped out of the debris with a triumphant, "Found it!" and a sheet of paper clenched in her hand. "Although I think we might need to take this to Usse to read again…" She scrutinized the parchment, even turning it upside down, and gestured helplessly. "But, anyway, now we've gotta go find the sigil, right?"
"The sigil," Yuna agreed. "Which, of course, could be anywhere."
x.X.x
So. I have a goal now.
From reading some truly amazing stories here, I have made it a personal goal to seriously improve my storytelling skills. I think that my writing is decent, in terms of grammar and sentence structure and all that, but I just can't make a good story (especially in terms of characters and suspense and drama. I'm too...canon about it. Cliche. Whatever). So I'll have to improve that ^^
Anyway, there is a beautiful new poll on my beautiful page that I would liek mah beautiful readers to beautifully take. If it so pleases zem.
Soooooooo...how 'bout them apples? I feel emotional today (XD), so I'm super anxious to get to Sin and have some eyerolling-ly mushy moments...
Keheheheheh.