Standard Disclaimer: I summon this disclaimer! I don't own Final Fantasy!

Author's Notes: Fuu…that 50th chapter was a doozy. Now I can focus on only the main guys again! ;P

To the reviews!

Assamite: It took me awhile to find the melody present in 'Sin, Attack!'…but it's there, nonetheless. As for Terros, Savin, and Purga…well, it's only really Terros that's 'evil' material. The other two are more like stooges who are confused by the evilness (after all, you could clearly see their shock in the last chapter). Behold the illustrations!

Nightfire04: Yah. I like to think of Terros is to FFX-3 what Reno was to FFVII…sort of. You get the analogy?

Anime obsessed fan: Too…many…words…X.X

MakoAnima: Welcome to FFX-3!

Wolfy16: You'll see…

Starlight Angel of the Night: (blinks) Spastic much? O.o;

(winces) BLARGH. SATs…coming up…can't…devote…a lot…of…time…to…story…

Begin!

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If you cannot serve your guardians…

You will never claim me.

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Chapter 51: Fracture

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/2:12 ST, Outside Guadosalam Temple, Guadosalam/

Trigon remained silent as he brushed aside a branch. It had taken quite awhile for him to get to the top of the Great Guadulien Oak, and…well, he was glad his mechanical body was incapable of feeling stress like a mortal body could.

He was now staring at the temple.

The Temple of Yevon-Guadosalam was suspended upon the branches of the Great Oak. Unlike the rest of Guadosalam, the temple was made of foreign materials: in this case, Macalania crystal oak. The temple was small and dome-like; nothing like the grandiose architectural masterpieces that the other temples were. Then again, the Guados were more simplistic than humans…so perhaps that made it more fitting. The symbol of the Guadosalam Temple was carved onto the forefront of the Temple; a tree-like symbol that glowed with a green light. Leading up from the innards of the great oak was a wooden stairwell that joined with the open entrance into the dome-like temple. All around the temple were the blue leaves of the Great Oak's branches. Beyond the shimmering blue leaves were the purple leaves. Beyond those were deep green leaves…and beyond those was the sky of Spira. What the temple lacked in architecture, it more than made up for in atmosphere.

Trigon quietly scaled the stairwell. He would wait there for the others.

"Kupo!"

Trigon tilted his head to see Mog floating through the branches of the tree. The little moogle quietly set down upon Trigon's head. This caused a chuckle to arise from the mechanical man's mask. "Hello little one…it won't be too long until your purpose is accomplished I assume?"

Mog nodded. Normally, he would be so responsive to a human's words like this…but as a magical being, Mog knew – like any other moogle would if they hung around him for long enough – that Trigon wasn't normal.

As Trigon neared the temple entrance…

Wait.

Trigon paused. What's wrong?

Finally unplugging that cork in your ass?

I've no time for your asininity.

Sure, whatever…tight-ass.

Enough. What is it?

We need to get back to Hirum and Teela. Something's happened.

You sure?

Call it instinct.

very well. We need to get to the Farplane as quickly as possible.

Leave it to me! I'll get us there lickety-split!

The smiling mask switched to the cocky mask.

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/2:15 ST, the Farplane/

In the Farplane, time was irrelevant. Time did not matter. Of course, that was only near its core, where time completely stopped. Near the Farplane's entrances – like the Eye of Yevon in Guadosalam – the time flowed equally with Spira's.

To Hirum and Teela, they couldn't have cared less about the time.

"FLARE!" roared Hirum as he thrust both of his hands at the thief. Teela leapt backwards, managing to avoid the magically endowed hands. With a growl, Hirum fired the left Flare.

Teela immediately transformed into a Flan Amarillo, flattening her body to avoid the bolt of non-elemental magic that came her way. Unknowingly, it was what Hirum wanted.

He thrust his right hand into the ground.

Teela howled as the orange and white Flare flames erupted from the wood beneath her, ripping at her gelatinous body. The thief slithered away before reverting to normal. Her body looked normal…but she certainly felt the pain.

She shot a withering glare at the summoner. "…I WAS going to go easy on you…because I don't want to bruise you. BUT YOU JUST ROYALLY PISSED ME OFF."

"Good," retorted Hirum as he charged both hands with two different magic spells: Fira and Watera. "Come at me!"

The thief grimaced as she morphed her arms into the sixty-foot long, rocky limbs of the massive Silex fiend. She crossed her arms across herself and aimed the rocks embedded in them at Hirum.

-Silex Special Move: Rock Shower-

The shower of rocks in her arms flew at Hirum, eager to tear him apart. Hirum impulsively unleashed both the Fira and Watera orbs into the ground in front of him, creating a shower of sharp red wood from the ground. The two attacks cancelled each other out.

Teela used both of her arms to vault over the dust cloud of shattered rocks and splinters-

SLAM!

Teela yelped as a heel slammed into her face. She slammed back into the ground headfirst with a tremendous crash, causing more shards of wood to fly about.

When she rose, she was looking straight up at Blitzan. Hirum had summoned him in a matter of seconds. Not bad.

Speaking of Hirum, the summoner was glaring hatefully at the thief. Both of his hands were charged with Thundara magic. He said nothing as his dull blue eyes gazed with rage into Teela's eyes of blood.

The chasm between summoner and guardian was widening.

Hirum's brow furrowed. Never quite perfected this…I always used too much mana at the SSoB trying to summon this spell…but maybe now…with my powers having increased…I can use…white magic! "HASTE!"

One second passed. Hirum momentarily felt his hope dim.

Then, his entire body was coated by a needle-thin aura of blue energy. Hirum smiled; he had done it! He had cast Haste! He had cast a white magic spell! Heh…I've done it…

The summoner had grown.

But then again, so had the guardian. Teela suddenly smirked as her fingernails turned into the sharpened claws of the Killer Hound fiend. The blood-red horns of the Behemoth King sprouted from her temples. A bitter chuckle escaped her throat. "You know…I have to say…it's quite refreshing…to see you hate me again."

Hirum sneered as he clenched his crackling fists. "Oh…don't worry…I'll give you every bit of hate, anger, rage, and fury that I can muster!"

He was suddenly in front of Teela, surprising the thief greatly.

Hirum's fist slammed into her gut. Electrical energy rushed through her.

Another punch. This time to the chest. Teela gasped as the air rushed from her lungs.

Hirum continued on like that, the Haste spell offering him enough speed to keep up his blitzing attack. Teela couldn't even muster a decent defense; every time she tried to raise an arm or a leg in defense, Hirum would move to another, undefended spot.

After twenty seconds of continuous beating, Hirum used the last of the Thundara magic in one double-thrust. Teela slid across the ground, creating another trench in the red wood. A cloud of pyreflies covered her.

Hirum frowned as he charged Blizzara magic on his left hand and Watera magic on his right hand. A spasm of pain shot up his side without warning. Agh…using too much magic power…I have to finish this battle quickly.

When the pyreflies disappeared, Hirum nearly wet himself out of shock. "Wha…?"

He was staring at the Elemental Dragon.

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Serena felt dazed and confused. "Owie…my head…"

Cid felt relief flood through him. Serena was still alive. His mission was still a go. "Serena. Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm okay Mr. Cid," replied Serena, her eyes staring at the ground. "My head feels a little weird, that's all…"

But that wasn't all. That girl – Siana – had done something to her. But what?

"Tell me what did this to you," replied Cid, his calm demeanor returning.

"I…I think it…" She finally raised her eyes. "Was…"

Her voice died in her throat.

What she saw now…was not the place of beauty she had seen just minutes ago.

The clouds above her were swirling with darkness and crackling with lightning, as if masking a boiling anger deeper than any mortal could muster. Thunder boomed in her ears. The upside-down mountain above her was still pitch-black…but the waterfalls were replaced by blood that flowed from the monument like gaping wounds. Instead of snow on the peak, it was human flesh, throbbing like some sickening creature. Instead of the sun to the east, there was an eye made of flames, coating the sky in a hellish blaze of red. Instead of a blue moon to the west, there was a vortex of black energy where it had once been. The spiral of darkness was seemingly sucking in the sky's red light. Deep below, the sea and islands had been replaced by plains of hard, black rock; rivers of bubbling, molten lava intertwined through the plains. Replacing the columns of water that once fell from the clouds above were massive obelisks of gray rock that formed bridges between the clouds and the earth below. Fastened to these obelisks were statues of people. Humans. Guado. Al Bhed. Ronso. Hypello. No one was spared from the prison that is the Fayth. Their faces were carved into expressions of permanent fright and horror. The only colorful aspect of this world were the pyreflies that floated amongst the obelisks…and even their cry – which had once possessed an almost soothing aspect – had become tainted; the deathly moan escaping the ethereal lines of rainbow was torturous to the soul.

Serena suddenly backed away. What was she seeing…? This wasn't the Farplane…this wasn't the Farplane at all! Why…why is this…what…why?

The voice of Siana mocked her. Siana couldn't be seen…but her voice was there nonetheless. Why? Why? There is no why…there is only reality…and THIS is reality. What you saw was an illusion…this is the REAL Farplane. A realm of eternal damnation and lonely suffering. Pain is all that exists in this realm of death…tee hee…hee hee…the anger in this place is enormous…surely you must feel it…

Siana's voice was enough of a trigger to affect Serena. She clutched her head as the pain of the all the fayth within the realm began to bombard her psychic mind. No…I don't want to be a part of your pain…I don't wanna die…I don't wanna die!

This time, it came out as a scream.

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

Cid blanched as Serena suddenly disappeared in a flash of blue light. Teleportation? What? NO! The CESS Operative couldn't believe it; Serena was beyond his grasp. He quickly calmed himself down; getting in a tizzy wouldn't do him any good.

He had to find her. Without hesitation, he looked around. Serena wasn't in the Farplane (at least as far as he knew; if she had teleported further into the Farplane, he was out of luck). Without hesitation, Cid quickly slung his BTC-4 laser rifle over his shoulder and dashed towards the Eye of Yevon.

He left Hirum and Teela behind.

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Hirum was astounded. He was flabbergasted. He was dumbfounded. He was also confused. "But…how…?"

"I absorbed the pyreflies of the Elemental Dragon during your battle with the blue-haired witch earlier," retorted Teela, her voice sounding the same despite the fact it emerged from the mouth of a mighty dragon.

Hirum grimaced. Wonderful…just wonderful…she has no respect for the fayth of the temples. Then again, she HAD tried to absorb the Machina Maw back before he had graduated from SSoB…so in hindsight, the summoner shouldn't have been so surprised.

However, this presented a new problem: Blitzan was incapable of harming the Elemental Dragon due to the relationship the aeons' fayth shared. "…well this is lovely…" But…then again…

Teela the dragon snickered. "I know. An aeon that won't attack…lets me pound on you more easily…" She pounded her two front feet for emphasis. "I'll be honest Hirum…I have to say that I missed having you hate me. It's…refreshing." Her mouth twisted into a small grin of sorts.

Hirum was silent.

Then, he scowled. "Don't worry…I have plenty of hate to spare…and I'll prove you wrong again…"

POW!

Teela howled as Blitzan slammed both of his feet into her chin, sending her sprawling along the ground. She managed to slur out, "How…did…you…?"

"I guess since you're an imitation and not the real deal, Blitzan's little disadvantage against the Elemental Dragon isn't in affect." He sent more mana to his Haste spell, revitalizing his blue aura. He then charged both hands with an aura of Flare magic. More pain shot up his sides. "Okay Blitzan…TAKE HER DOWN!"

Before Teela could react, Hirum's fist had slammed into her chin, creating a flaming protrusion of Flare magic. Teela was sent upward into the air…and she was sent further up by a mighty flip kick from Blitzan. The dragon grumbled as she fell back down towards Hirum, who thrust up his left hand at Teela, slowing her descent with a powerful blast of Flare magic. At last, Blitzan jumped upward, slamming his fists into her stomach. Upon landing, Blitzan immediately leapt back up, kicking Teela in the face.

BAM!

The massive dragon slammed into the wooden ground with a thud. As Blitzan fell to his feet, Hirum slumped to the ground. I…I don't have any mana left…I'm utterly spent…

Thankfully, Teela reverted to her normal body as well. A small smile came to the summoner's face. "Heh…who's the loser now…?"

Teela suddenly stood.

Her body was covered in a black shroud of energy.

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/2:37 ST, Library of Seevo, Guadosalam/

"What do you think?" quietly asked Aaron. He was still in the same spot he had been since arriving in the Library of Seevo. In his lap was his communication module…and a line to the boss was open.

"…I've read all the material you sent…"

"…and?"

"I'm impressed. If what you're proposing is true…then our understanding of fiends and Sin itself would catapult by leaps and bounds if we had her in our possession."

Aaron smiled. "I take it that the project is a go?"

"Not quite."

A look of confusion crossed the guardian's face. "What do you mean?"

"There is still one more project for the Special Weapons Division that sill needs to be finished."

"…Project PSP."

"Exactly. The project's sponsors want to see results up close. All I can arrange for at the moment is for the transportation of Teela to the Sanubia Desert Complex. There, she'll be held in a high-level stasis chamber until Project PSP is completed."

Aaron sighed. "…I understand. I'll get Serena back to Bikanel Island ASAP. Before I can do that though, I'll have to deal with Teela."

"Understood…hold on, I've got another call. Please hold."

Aaron remained silent as he considered what the Boss had just told him. Before he could get anything done with Teela, he would have to get Serena back to Bikanel. That in itself would be a problem due to one factor: Cid. The CESS Operative would certainly object to Serena being relocated to Bikanel. Perhaps if he could get the super soldier to believe it was for the girl's safety…

"I've just received word that Garin's delivery boy has just arrived in Guadosalam. You have a package."

Aaron blinked out of bewilderment. "A package? For me? From Garin?"

"He's right outside the library. I'll let you go now. You know what to do."

Aaron remained silent as the line was cut. He turned off his communication module and returned it to his backpack. As he quietly walked towards the library exit, he looked at the slabs of metal strapped to his upper arms.

On the upper left arm, a red slab of metal – the R-2 Battle Arms – was strapped to it.

On the upper right arm, a black slab of metal – the R-1 Battle Arms – was strapped to it.

Aaron chuckled as he thought of another advantage of the Battle Arms' minimized form. When minimized, the Battle Arms were deactivated. That also meant that the AGMs – the Anti-Gravity modules – were deactivated. In this form, the slabs of metal weighed over two-dozen pounds. Huzzah for exercise, sarcastically thought the Al Bhed.

As Aaron exited the library, he immediately saw a large man in a black trench coat standing to the side of the entrance. Upon seeing him, the man lowered a silver suitcase to the ground and immediately walked away.

Aaron quietly strolled over to the suitcase and opened it.

Greeting him was a slab of white metal.

Aaron felt a smile tug at his lips. The R-3 Battle Arms…the final part of the Battle Arms series…

He had all three now.

R-1: Massive power and great defense; designed for land combat.

R-2: Versatile firepower, the ability to fly, and great agility; designed for aerial combat.

And R-3…to complete the series, it was built for naval combat. Aaron smiled; he couldn't wait to test it out.

Guess I should get back to Hirum now… With that thought done, Aaron quietly placed the white slab in his backpack before entering the root that led to the Eye of Yevon.

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/2:43 ST, the Farplane/

Hirum paled. That aura…no, it can't be…

-Teela Overdrive: Fiend Rush-

Teela remained deathly silent as her black aura roared towards him, transforming into the images of every single being she had absorbed, save for the Sinspawn and the Elemental Dragon. Those ferocious essences rushed at him with terrifying ferocity.

The summoner gaped as horror and terror gripped his veins. He remembered this overdrive. Teela had used it against Taberr in the final round of the FFL tournament in Luca. I can't move…I can't do anything…this is…the end…

The essences bypassed him.

Hirum blanched. He tilted his head around to see Blitzan convulsing. Even as his body pulsed and twitched out of agony, he began to fall apart at the seams. Moments later, his body exploded in a flash of light.

Teela's dull gray eyes hardened into a hard glare as the fiendish auras and the pyreflies of Blitzan merged with her body. "…hmph…you're not worth the effort to kill."

Hirum's eyes turned into ice. "That does it…I've had enough of you…" He shakily got to his feet; he wouldn't be able to get the point across if he was lying on the floor. His eyes stared into Teela's. "…I…will not be associated with a murderer…you…are no longer my guardian."

Teela's expression did not change. All she did was coldly say, "Fine. I was getting tired of this anyway." With that said, she turned away and left the Farplane. Hirum sighed as he slumped to his rear, staring at the wooden ground in silence.

The chasm between summoner and the former guardian had deepened, becoming an abyss…and the building of a bridge seemed impossible now.

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/2:59 ST, Root to the Eye of Yevon, Guadosalam/

Teela's stride was long and forceful. Rage was evident in her clenched fists. Turmoil was evident in her breath, which was harried and forceful. Sorrow was evident in her eyes, but it was hidden by a façade of anger.

As she walked along, she barely gave any attention to the Al Bhed walking towards her. It was Aaron. He nonchalantly said, "Oh, hi Teela. Where's Hir-"

She brushed by him, causing him to slightly stumble. He indignantly muttered, "Sheesh! Don't bother apologizing." Sarcasm was evident in his tone.

Teela flashed him a look that was intended to be a glare. But it came out as a pained and saddened stare. She turned away without a second thought.

Aaron was silent. Something had happened…but he would learn about it soon enough from Hirum. Besides, he had accomplished his task. Good thing she's too distraught to notice it… He continued his walk towards the Eye of Yevon.

Notice what, you might wonder?

A small location beacon that was now affixed to her right sleeve. Soon, agents would arrive to pick her up.

Still, Aaron couldn't help but wonder. First there had been Cid to run past him, and now Teela…what had happened on the Farplane?

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/3:01 ST, Guadosalam/

Trigon's mechanical body made a clunk sound as he tripped over a knob of wood. "CRAP!" He fell to the ground with a thud, marring an otherwise impressive run. A run that had lasted from the top of the Great Oak to the trunk, where the root to the Eye of Yevon began. Mog hovered above the sprawled guardian, looking at him quizzically. "Gah…"

How ungraceful. Fitting though.

I don't need your stinkin' criticism!

You never heed my words. Why should I heed yours?

RRR!

…shouldn't you continue on?

Yes. Continue on.

Smartass.

Trigon grumbled as he ran down through the root, with Mog behind him. At this pace, he would reach the Eye of Yevon in about thirty minutes instead of an hour. To his surprise, however, he ran into Cid in about two minutes. "Hey! Where are-"

Cid was already beyond him. He had also snatched Mog, much to his surprise. Trigon scratched his head out of confusion. "Huh…what was that for?" Shrugging, he continued on.

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"KUPO!" angrily muttered Mog, apparently, he didn't like being kidnapped against his own will. Then again, who did?

Cid's mind was on autopilot now. He needed to find Serena. Mog could help him. That was a fact. That was all he needed to know. "Quiet. I'll explain momentarily."

Mog continued to struggle nevertheless. As Cid exited the root, he quickly set down by a small nook beneath a wooden walkway. After making sure no one was in the immediate vicinity of his ears, the CESS Operative spoke. "Listen. Serena teleported somewhere…and I don't know where she is. I need you to help me find her."

Mog suddenly stopped struggling. As Cid slowly eased his hold on the moogle, he asked, "Please. I need your cooperation. You're closer to her than I am, and that's a fact. I need your assistance."

Silence.

Finally, Mog sighed. "Kupo…" He silently gazed upwards toward the opening in the Great Guadulien Oak, his narrow eyes staring intently at the swaying leaves. "Kupo." He then began to tap dance.

-Moogle Dance Number: Terra Tap-Dance-

Dirt and soil particles suddenly floated upward from the nooks and crannies in the wood, forming a stable platform that Mog stood upon. Cid, getting the hint, stepped on as well. The platform began to rise into the air.

CESS Operative #34 glanced down at Mog. "You know where she is?"

Mog nodded. He could sense where Serena was. The magical power flowing from her was great…a moogle would be able to sense such power from at least 100 miles away.

She was in Macalania Forest.

The place where Mog had to go…where all the moogles had to go…

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/3:34 ST, the Farplane/

Hirum suddenly heard footsteps.

He quietly looked up to see a hand.

The hand belonged to Aaron, who had a small smile on his face. "Hi…need a hand?"

Hirum quietly let his Al Bhed friend pull him up. Although he couldn't muster much energy to speak, he was thankful that there was ONE friendly soul around…but then again…there was Aaron's shady activities as of late…but he had promised not to betray him…

Man…out of all guardians in the world…why'd I have to dig the bottom of the barrel…

"You seem dejected."

Hirum looked up and Aaron turned around as a familiar figure walked through the Eye of Yevon.

It was Trigon. This time, he had the scarred mask at the forefront. "Well well…Serena is gone, Cid has departed…and Teela is nowhere in sight. Mind elaborating on what has happened here?"

Hirum's mouth turned into an angry frown. The mere memory of Teela seemed like poison to him now. "I don't know what the deal is with Cid and Serena…but I have to let you know…that Teela…" He stared at Trigon. "…is no longer my guardian."

No reply came from Trigon.

However, he did not stay silent for long. "Hmm. Interesting…elaborate."

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/4:01 ST, Root to Northern Moonflow, Guadosalam/

Teela walked quietly as her mind remained focused on the emotions she felt at the moment. Anger, rage, sadness, and a mixtures of the aforementioned. Such confusion she felt…

But then again, she couldn't blame Hirum. He had done the sensible thing.

And the last thing she needed was Trigon's attention. So she had transformed into a Flan fiend and slithered past him unknowingly. Eh…they were getting boring anyway…

She stepped into the open air of the Moonflow's northern forest.

"Terrible Teela."

Teela paused. She KNEW that voice. She gazed ahead to see a figure standing in blue armor. She knew who that suit of armor belonged to…and the thought caused her to smile. "Heh…if it ain't Lutzwin."

Lutzwin smiled as he held his V-Staff tightly. "I've come to settle the score." And all the while, Kuvod watched from a distance. Hmm…this'll get interesting…

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To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 52: Clashes

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Author's Notes: Blargh. I'm incredibly sorry for the uber-long delay…but hey, real life demands attention at times (so does school work).

See you soon (hopefully), and please review!