Ureta Tsumi (A Ripened Sin)
Chapter Eight: Eyes Burning With Accusation
By: NurikoLuver (Trudy Haley)
Author's Notes: I'd just like to say that I was really disapointed with this chapter. Yeah, it was good the first time I wrote it, but unfortunately, I'm not big on saving and my psychopathic little sister turned off the computer. How fortunate.
Blargh. This chapter is NOTHING in comparison to the other one. T_T
Rikku checked out the machina, her toes scrunched up all the way. Maybe she could blame those stray tears on the wind. It was practical, though. Everyone's eyes would water every now and then when the wind would dry up their eyes' moisture. But...no. It wouldn't fool Auron, atleast. She couldn't cry. Nope. Nope. Nope.
"It's all done!" Rikku faked a smile. "They should all work!"
Even before she could finish, Kimhari was already on the snowmobile and off. Wow, could that Ronso maneuver a snowmobile. "Tidus, how would you--"
Before she could even finish her sentence, he was already gone, Lulu clutching onto his waist as they sped off into the horizon. "...like to ride with me," Rikku finished, her voice falling an octave as she did so. What was that? Best not to think about it...she was already upset.
Wakka scoffed as he rode by on his snowmobile. Yevon, maybe it would have been better if she hadn't said anything at all. Working with Wakka would be impossible now.
"Rikku...let's go," Auron said, taking her hand and helping her onto the snowmobile. He sat behind her.
"You're not going to drive this thing?" Rikku sort of expected the big macho Auron to drive it.
"Me? Maneuver THAT thing?" Auron laughed. "I'm not exactly a machina sort of man."
As Rikku revved up the engine, he felt his arms wrap around her waist. It was a nice feeling, to feel someone- even Auron- feel dependent on her. Even if it was only for just a few minutes, till they got the the Macalanaia Temple.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Was Auron concerned about her?
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Of course I'm fine! I'm just freezing my butt off, Tidus ignored my pass, and Wakka is being a yccrama. Not to mention I'm hungry, tired, and homesick. Oh, yeah, and I've been accused by my brother of betraying the Al Bhed. I'm absolutely fine. Never better!
"You don't sound that way," Auron observed.
"If I say I'm okay, that makes me okay!" Rikku snapped.
"Sorry for being concerned."
"No...I'm sorry...Don't worry about it," Rikku reassured him. "It's nothing. Nothing at all."
"If you get so worked up over 'nothing', then I wouldn't want to see you when you're upset about 'something'."
"I'm not 'worked up'. Jeez, I'm fine. It's nothing."
"So that's what you kids are calling it nowadays?"
"Auron, I'm telling you, it's nothing at all! I'm fine."
"I see." Auron stared at Rikku intently.
"Don't stare at me like that! It makes me nervous!" She revved up the engine and started off, the wind biting at her chapped lips.
"What did your brother say, then?"
"My brother didn't say anything." Rikku just didn't know what to say. She didn't feel like talking about it, but if she said that, then it meant that it was 'something' and that that 'something' did bother her. But if she kept saying, 'nothing', Auron inquired even more. Why did a simple conversation have to be so COMPLICATED?!
"I suppose in Al Bhed, 'something' is synonymous with 'nothing.'" Oooh. Touche'.
"Auron...thanks for your concern, but I'm telling you, I'm fine. REALLY." She paused for a minute. It *DID* feel nice to have someone concerned about her. Knowing that someone cared if she lived- or if she died. "Jeez, Auron, you're just so NICE. Why can't all guys be like that?"
"All guys? Meaning Tidus?"
"Well...uh...yeah! I mean, sometimes, he's just so dense..."
"Dense? It's in male nature to be dense. You can forgive nature, can't you?"
"Even if it was nature, even if he's just STUPID," Rikku emphasized. "It still hurt, you know. Him choosing LULU over me...Do you think Tidus...likes Lulu?"
"Lulu? No, no. Not Lulu," Auron reassured her.
Rikku smiled. "Maybe I should confess."
"Confess?"
"Confess my feelings to Tidus..."
"...Maybe...you shouldn't."
"Why? Is Auron jealous?" Rikku turned around and winked.
"RIKKU!" Auron put his hands on the side of her head and turned it forward. "LOOK OUT!"
"Ah! For Yevon's Sake!" Rikku was headed straight for an jagged ice shard, dangling off the edge of a cliff. She tried to change direction, but it was too late- the machina couldn't react fast enough.
Auron grabbed her, embracing her tightly, and jumped off the vehicle. They tumbled round across the frigid ice, their clothes dampened by the ice melting because of their body heat.
Auron opened his eye to see Rikku, eyes clamped shut in anticipation, teeth grinding and all. Never was he so happy to see her face.
"Rikku!"
Rikku opened her left eye...and then her right. She was okay! Auron had saved her...again.
"Oh my god! We're all right!" Rikku squealed in joy before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
Seeing the girl laugh after such an ordeal was too much for Auron to withstand. He burst into chuckles, and then into loud guffaws. They were all right! That was more than enough to be happy about.
It was after the guffaws subsided back into giggles that he realized his position: lying atop Rikku's little body, still clutching her possessively. Oops. Not a good position to be caught in if their comrades returned.
He quickly jumped off her. "You okay, Rikku?"
"Yeah..." Rikku sat up. "I...I think I'm fine."
"That's good." Auron stood up, wiping stray pieces of ice off of his trenchcoat. He offered his hand to Rikku. "Need a little help."
"Yeah..." As she got up, she groaned slightly. Ouch. Maybe she wasn't as 'all right' as it seemed. Her right ankle was KILLING her.
No need to make Auron worry, she thought to herself. If I tell him something's wrong, he'll get all hyped up about it. It's nothing...really.
She limped to the overturned snowmobile hanging over the edge of the cliff, analyzing it. Smoke poured out of the engine, determining its fate.
"No way it's going to work now...we're going to have to walk, you know?"
"Okay. It's not far, we should be safe from fiends," Auron reassured her.
Rikku limped back over to Auron.
"You don't look all right." Oh no. He had noticed her limping. "You're limping."
"No, no, I'm fine, I'm fi-"
He scooped her into his arms and started walking.
"Auron, you don't haveta--"
"I want to. I know you used all your potions in the last battle, and so did I. It's the least I can do."
Rikku blushed. No use complaining about a free ride.
"Auron...you know, this is the second time you've saved me...I just, I really just needed to say...well, something I didn't say before, you know...so...thank you."
Auron smiled down at her. "You're a guardian, are you not?"
Rikku pouted. "Why is it always about me being a guardian?! It was your DUTY to protect me, huh?!"
"Rikku...I didn't only protect you because you're a guardian...I also protected you because I...I.." He paused for a minute before continuing, "...you're Rikku..."
"R..really?"
"You shouldn't always jump to conclusions," Auron lectured.
"Okay, okay. So maybe my interpretations aren't ALWAYS accurate, you know? Hey! Look! There's the Macalania Temple!" Rikku gestured to the building where the rest of their companions were waiting.
"Train stops here." Auron lowered Rikku to the ground. "Wouldn't want Tidus to get the wrong impression, would we?"
Rikku nodded.
They proceeded to the temple.
"Hey, where's your machina?" Tidus asked, upon their arrival.
"Eheheh...Long story," Rikku scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "You wouldn't happen to have a potion, would you?"
"I do..." Lulu pulled one from seemingly nowhere. "What for?" she asked, pressing the potion into Rikku's hands.
"Um...nothing, ehehe. I'm fine, really."
Auron shook his head. "Rikku, Rikku, Rikku."
"What?" Rikku turned to Auron.
"Nothing."
"We should hurry up, yah! Yuna's waiting."
They all scampered up the stairs to the entrance of the Macalania Temple. As Rikku stepped inside, she was stopped by a guard.
"This is a sacred place. We cannot allow Al Bhed heathens to enter!"
"She is Yuna's guardian," Auron said.
"Yuna's guardian! That is something I cannot beleive."
"She is Yuna's guardian by choice. Race should should not matter when choosing a guardian."
"I...I vowed I would protect Yunie," Rikku added.
"I guess it can't be helped." The guard allowed them passage.
It wasn't fair. No matter what, it was always being about Al Bhed. To her brother, and possibly others, she was a traitor. To Wakka and to all those Yevonites, she was just another Al Bhed heathen. Was there no place where she could be accepted? Would her entire life be based on the premise of her race? Rikku sighed.
"You all right?" Auron and Rikku managed to dwindle behind the rest of the group, who decided to explore the temple for a few minutes.
"I'm fine, really."
"Okay. Why don't you sit down, and I'll apply the potion?" Auron offered.
"'Kay." Rikku lowered herself to the cold marble floor and pulled off her boot.
"Hmm, looks swollen. Must be a pretty nasty sprain." Rikku handed Auron Lulu's potion and he proceeded to apply it to her wound. Almost immediately, the pain in her ankle began to subside, and the pain in her heart began to set in.
Was she a traitor? Was it wrong to want to protect her cousin? Was it wrong for her to be a guardian? The more she thought about it, the more she thought that maybe this whole journey just wasn't RIGHT for her.
"Auron..." Rikku started as he slid her boot back onto her foot. "Do you ever have any regrets about coming on this journey?"
"I try to live without regrets," Auron said, helping Rikku to her feet. "It's bad to dwell on things you cannot change. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be full of emotions. Sometimes it helps to be happy, to cry, to smile, to frown, to pout..." He smiled. "I still don't think you've realized that, though."
"You haven't either!" Rikku protested.
"Maybe I'm starting to. That's something being around you has taught me."
"What?"
All of a sudden, a cry rang out in the air, sending Rikku and Auron running. Jyscal's Sphere? Rikku watched intently at the story he told of his son's patricide. "So that's why Yuna was so preocuppied," determined Auron.
"I...I wonder if Yunie's okay."
They ran towards the Chamber of the Fayth, Kimhari pushing one of the Guado Guards out the way. There, in the middle of the room stood Seymore, staring up at the entrance. As he heard the clamoring of their footsteps, he turned around and smiled.
"Seymour!" Tidus yelled.
"Quiet. Yuna's in the middle of the ceremony."
"Shut up!"
Seymore walked towards the group. Rikku couldn't help but feel a shiver go up her spine. This wasn't good.
As if on cue, the doors from the Chamber of the Fayth opened and Yuna emerged.
"Yuna!" Tidus yelled out.
"What...what are you doing here?" Yuna asked.
"We saw Jyscal's sphere," explained Tidus.
"...you killed him," Auron said quietly.
"So you know...shall I assume Yuna knows as well?" Seymore turned to Yuna for a response. She nodded.
"Then why did you come with me?"
"I...I came to stop you!"
"Indeed...did you come to pass judgement on me?" Seymore approached Yuna and offered her his hand. She stepped away. "How regretable." He turned back to the group. "As guardians, you throw away your lives for the sake of the summoner. I will take those lives away!"
"Maestar Seymore, this are my most precious friends. If you fight them, you will have to fight me as well!" Yuna joined with the group.
"Very well." Seymore nodded.
Auron, Tidus and Yuna were the first ones up; they quickly realized that attacking Seymour's Guado Guardians was useless- they had auto-potion.
"Rikku, come in and take my place- mug them!" Auron headed for the sidelines.
For a minute, Rikku was in shock. The sword-master whose weapon caused the most damage offering his position to Rikku? She stepped to the front and mugged one of the Guado Guardians. Hi-Potion x2. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard.
Tidus attacked the one Rikku had mugged. Thankfully, it had no more potions which with to heal himself. Yuna retreated and Auron came back in her place. Good. He finished off the first Guado Guardian.
Rikku mugged the other guardian, stealing another Hi-Potion x2. Tidus attacked the Guado, then Auron, and the last Guado was done for.
Suddenly, Seymour started laughing. Demonic, evil laughter.
"Oh no..." Rikku uttered.
"Oh no's right! It's Anima!" Tidus identified the creature for Rikku, who hadn't seen the summon at Luca Stadium.
"Um...Yunie, I think aeons are YOUR department..." Yuna nodded, and they switched places.
Rikku sat on the sidelines, joined by Auron and Tidus as Yuna summoned Shiva. Suddenly, Rikku felt like a coward: sending her own cousin to fight off an Aeon like Anima. Not very brave at all. Maybe she wasn't cut out to be a guardian after all. She wasn't brave or noble or even all that strong. Everyone else possessed those abilities- and they were so much better than her at doing their job. Why couldn't she be as good as them?
"Got something on your mind?"
Rikku turned to her side. It was Auron. "No, I'm fine..."
"I can read you like a book, Rikku. There's something on your mind."
"No, there's nothing wrong! Look, if there was something wrong, I'd tell you."
"No you wouldn't."
"Yes I would!" Rikku tried ignoring Auron's quizzical gaze by watching Shiva cast Blizzara on herself.
Attack. Attack. Attack. Attack. Attack. Attack.
It got monotonous at times. Even Rikku had to admit it. But other times, it was exciting, captivating, interesting. Not now. Summon vs. Summon-- they were evenly matched. It seemed as though it would never end until Anima suddenly fell, and disapeared into pyreflies.
Yuna dismissed her summon and Auron and Tidus ran back in. Yuna retreated, Kimhari taking her place in her wake.
"You...you okay, Yunie? You looked wiped!" Rikku offered her cousin a hi-potion.
"No..I'm fine. It's just summoning can get so exhausting."
"Exhausting? But it looks so cool! You're so strong and you're so good at handling your summons!"
"That doesn't stop it from being hard. Even though it makes me strong, it takes a lot of effort."
Rikku nodded dubiously at her words before turning her attention back to the fight. Oooh. Multi-Fira. Rikku winced. Auron sure was going to feel that in the morning.
The entire battle was an onslaught of healing and fighting-- mostly healing. This fight, it looked like it would never end.
Kimhari withdrew as soon as the Hi-Potions were gone. Yuna re-entered the battle, this time casting Curaga on everyone. Thank Yevon for White Magic. Immediately after her arrival, she left, sending Wakka in her place. She couldn't afford to be knocked out- not when there were only two Pheonix Downs left, and only one person who could cast Life.
Attack. Attack. Attack. Tidus came to the sidelines, Yuna went back in. Heal.
Would this never end? Would Rikku never get her chance at doing something great?
It was nearing twenty minutes since the fight began that Rikku finally had her chance. Her chance to do something great. Her chance to prove herself- to everyone else- AND herself.
With her first strike, Seymour fell. No one was expecting it- the battle had already lasted this long. No one- not even Rikku, expected her poor physical attack to send Seymour to the Farplane. But there he was: leaning on the ground, hunched over, coughing up what appeared to be blood.
For a minute, Rikku was pleased with herself. She managed to defeat SEYMOUR! Seymour!
But it was only when she saw his eyes as he gazed up at her did she feel remourseful. Seymour...Seymour was going to die- because of her.
When her eyes began to burn, she scrunched her toes up. Trying her best to avoid Seymour's gaze, she found that every time she looked away, she found herself only trying harder not to cry. His eyes were burning with blatant accusation: I am going to die- because of you.
Blargh, didn't know how to end this chapter...really, didn't. x_X;;; Not planned out as well as I thought it would be. Promise, another chapter tonight to make up for yesterday. ^^;;
Chapter Eight: Eyes Burning With Accusation
By: NurikoLuver (Trudy Haley)
Author's Notes: I'd just like to say that I was really disapointed with this chapter. Yeah, it was good the first time I wrote it, but unfortunately, I'm not big on saving and my psychopathic little sister turned off the computer. How fortunate.
Blargh. This chapter is NOTHING in comparison to the other one. T_T
Rikku checked out the machina, her toes scrunched up all the way. Maybe she could blame those stray tears on the wind. It was practical, though. Everyone's eyes would water every now and then when the wind would dry up their eyes' moisture. But...no. It wouldn't fool Auron, atleast. She couldn't cry. Nope. Nope. Nope.
"It's all done!" Rikku faked a smile. "They should all work!"
Even before she could finish, Kimhari was already on the snowmobile and off. Wow, could that Ronso maneuver a snowmobile. "Tidus, how would you--"
Before she could even finish her sentence, he was already gone, Lulu clutching onto his waist as they sped off into the horizon. "...like to ride with me," Rikku finished, her voice falling an octave as she did so. What was that? Best not to think about it...she was already upset.
Wakka scoffed as he rode by on his snowmobile. Yevon, maybe it would have been better if she hadn't said anything at all. Working with Wakka would be impossible now.
"Rikku...let's go," Auron said, taking her hand and helping her onto the snowmobile. He sat behind her.
"You're not going to drive this thing?" Rikku sort of expected the big macho Auron to drive it.
"Me? Maneuver THAT thing?" Auron laughed. "I'm not exactly a machina sort of man."
As Rikku revved up the engine, he felt his arms wrap around her waist. It was a nice feeling, to feel someone- even Auron- feel dependent on her. Even if it was only for just a few minutes, till they got the the Macalanaia Temple.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Was Auron concerned about her?
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Of course I'm fine! I'm just freezing my butt off, Tidus ignored my pass, and Wakka is being a yccrama. Not to mention I'm hungry, tired, and homesick. Oh, yeah, and I've been accused by my brother of betraying the Al Bhed. I'm absolutely fine. Never better!
"You don't sound that way," Auron observed.
"If I say I'm okay, that makes me okay!" Rikku snapped.
"Sorry for being concerned."
"No...I'm sorry...Don't worry about it," Rikku reassured him. "It's nothing. Nothing at all."
"If you get so worked up over 'nothing', then I wouldn't want to see you when you're upset about 'something'."
"I'm not 'worked up'. Jeez, I'm fine. It's nothing."
"So that's what you kids are calling it nowadays?"
"Auron, I'm telling you, it's nothing at all! I'm fine."
"I see." Auron stared at Rikku intently.
"Don't stare at me like that! It makes me nervous!" She revved up the engine and started off, the wind biting at her chapped lips.
"What did your brother say, then?"
"My brother didn't say anything." Rikku just didn't know what to say. She didn't feel like talking about it, but if she said that, then it meant that it was 'something' and that that 'something' did bother her. But if she kept saying, 'nothing', Auron inquired even more. Why did a simple conversation have to be so COMPLICATED?!
"I suppose in Al Bhed, 'something' is synonymous with 'nothing.'" Oooh. Touche'.
"Auron...thanks for your concern, but I'm telling you, I'm fine. REALLY." She paused for a minute. It *DID* feel nice to have someone concerned about her. Knowing that someone cared if she lived- or if she died. "Jeez, Auron, you're just so NICE. Why can't all guys be like that?"
"All guys? Meaning Tidus?"
"Well...uh...yeah! I mean, sometimes, he's just so dense..."
"Dense? It's in male nature to be dense. You can forgive nature, can't you?"
"Even if it was nature, even if he's just STUPID," Rikku emphasized. "It still hurt, you know. Him choosing LULU over me...Do you think Tidus...likes Lulu?"
"Lulu? No, no. Not Lulu," Auron reassured her.
Rikku smiled. "Maybe I should confess."
"Confess?"
"Confess my feelings to Tidus..."
"...Maybe...you shouldn't."
"Why? Is Auron jealous?" Rikku turned around and winked.
"RIKKU!" Auron put his hands on the side of her head and turned it forward. "LOOK OUT!"
"Ah! For Yevon's Sake!" Rikku was headed straight for an jagged ice shard, dangling off the edge of a cliff. She tried to change direction, but it was too late- the machina couldn't react fast enough.
Auron grabbed her, embracing her tightly, and jumped off the vehicle. They tumbled round across the frigid ice, their clothes dampened by the ice melting because of their body heat.
Auron opened his eye to see Rikku, eyes clamped shut in anticipation, teeth grinding and all. Never was he so happy to see her face.
"Rikku!"
Rikku opened her left eye...and then her right. She was okay! Auron had saved her...again.
"Oh my god! We're all right!" Rikku squealed in joy before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
Seeing the girl laugh after such an ordeal was too much for Auron to withstand. He burst into chuckles, and then into loud guffaws. They were all right! That was more than enough to be happy about.
It was after the guffaws subsided back into giggles that he realized his position: lying atop Rikku's little body, still clutching her possessively. Oops. Not a good position to be caught in if their comrades returned.
He quickly jumped off her. "You okay, Rikku?"
"Yeah..." Rikku sat up. "I...I think I'm fine."
"That's good." Auron stood up, wiping stray pieces of ice off of his trenchcoat. He offered his hand to Rikku. "Need a little help."
"Yeah..." As she got up, she groaned slightly. Ouch. Maybe she wasn't as 'all right' as it seemed. Her right ankle was KILLING her.
No need to make Auron worry, she thought to herself. If I tell him something's wrong, he'll get all hyped up about it. It's nothing...really.
She limped to the overturned snowmobile hanging over the edge of the cliff, analyzing it. Smoke poured out of the engine, determining its fate.
"No way it's going to work now...we're going to have to walk, you know?"
"Okay. It's not far, we should be safe from fiends," Auron reassured her.
Rikku limped back over to Auron.
"You don't look all right." Oh no. He had noticed her limping. "You're limping."
"No, no, I'm fine, I'm fi-"
He scooped her into his arms and started walking.
"Auron, you don't haveta--"
"I want to. I know you used all your potions in the last battle, and so did I. It's the least I can do."
Rikku blushed. No use complaining about a free ride.
"Auron...you know, this is the second time you've saved me...I just, I really just needed to say...well, something I didn't say before, you know...so...thank you."
Auron smiled down at her. "You're a guardian, are you not?"
Rikku pouted. "Why is it always about me being a guardian?! It was your DUTY to protect me, huh?!"
"Rikku...I didn't only protect you because you're a guardian...I also protected you because I...I.." He paused for a minute before continuing, "...you're Rikku..."
"R..really?"
"You shouldn't always jump to conclusions," Auron lectured.
"Okay, okay. So maybe my interpretations aren't ALWAYS accurate, you know? Hey! Look! There's the Macalania Temple!" Rikku gestured to the building where the rest of their companions were waiting.
"Train stops here." Auron lowered Rikku to the ground. "Wouldn't want Tidus to get the wrong impression, would we?"
Rikku nodded.
They proceeded to the temple.
"Hey, where's your machina?" Tidus asked, upon their arrival.
"Eheheh...Long story," Rikku scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "You wouldn't happen to have a potion, would you?"
"I do..." Lulu pulled one from seemingly nowhere. "What for?" she asked, pressing the potion into Rikku's hands.
"Um...nothing, ehehe. I'm fine, really."
Auron shook his head. "Rikku, Rikku, Rikku."
"What?" Rikku turned to Auron.
"Nothing."
"We should hurry up, yah! Yuna's waiting."
They all scampered up the stairs to the entrance of the Macalania Temple. As Rikku stepped inside, she was stopped by a guard.
"This is a sacred place. We cannot allow Al Bhed heathens to enter!"
"She is Yuna's guardian," Auron said.
"Yuna's guardian! That is something I cannot beleive."
"She is Yuna's guardian by choice. Race should should not matter when choosing a guardian."
"I...I vowed I would protect Yunie," Rikku added.
"I guess it can't be helped." The guard allowed them passage.
It wasn't fair. No matter what, it was always being about Al Bhed. To her brother, and possibly others, she was a traitor. To Wakka and to all those Yevonites, she was just another Al Bhed heathen. Was there no place where she could be accepted? Would her entire life be based on the premise of her race? Rikku sighed.
"You all right?" Auron and Rikku managed to dwindle behind the rest of the group, who decided to explore the temple for a few minutes.
"I'm fine, really."
"Okay. Why don't you sit down, and I'll apply the potion?" Auron offered.
"'Kay." Rikku lowered herself to the cold marble floor and pulled off her boot.
"Hmm, looks swollen. Must be a pretty nasty sprain." Rikku handed Auron Lulu's potion and he proceeded to apply it to her wound. Almost immediately, the pain in her ankle began to subside, and the pain in her heart began to set in.
Was she a traitor? Was it wrong to want to protect her cousin? Was it wrong for her to be a guardian? The more she thought about it, the more she thought that maybe this whole journey just wasn't RIGHT for her.
"Auron..." Rikku started as he slid her boot back onto her foot. "Do you ever have any regrets about coming on this journey?"
"I try to live without regrets," Auron said, helping Rikku to her feet. "It's bad to dwell on things you cannot change. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be full of emotions. Sometimes it helps to be happy, to cry, to smile, to frown, to pout..." He smiled. "I still don't think you've realized that, though."
"You haven't either!" Rikku protested.
"Maybe I'm starting to. That's something being around you has taught me."
"What?"
All of a sudden, a cry rang out in the air, sending Rikku and Auron running. Jyscal's Sphere? Rikku watched intently at the story he told of his son's patricide. "So that's why Yuna was so preocuppied," determined Auron.
"I...I wonder if Yunie's okay."
They ran towards the Chamber of the Fayth, Kimhari pushing one of the Guado Guards out the way. There, in the middle of the room stood Seymore, staring up at the entrance. As he heard the clamoring of their footsteps, he turned around and smiled.
"Seymour!" Tidus yelled.
"Quiet. Yuna's in the middle of the ceremony."
"Shut up!"
Seymore walked towards the group. Rikku couldn't help but feel a shiver go up her spine. This wasn't good.
As if on cue, the doors from the Chamber of the Fayth opened and Yuna emerged.
"Yuna!" Tidus yelled out.
"What...what are you doing here?" Yuna asked.
"We saw Jyscal's sphere," explained Tidus.
"...you killed him," Auron said quietly.
"So you know...shall I assume Yuna knows as well?" Seymore turned to Yuna for a response. She nodded.
"Then why did you come with me?"
"I...I came to stop you!"
"Indeed...did you come to pass judgement on me?" Seymore approached Yuna and offered her his hand. She stepped away. "How regretable." He turned back to the group. "As guardians, you throw away your lives for the sake of the summoner. I will take those lives away!"
"Maestar Seymore, this are my most precious friends. If you fight them, you will have to fight me as well!" Yuna joined with the group.
"Very well." Seymore nodded.
Auron, Tidus and Yuna were the first ones up; they quickly realized that attacking Seymour's Guado Guardians was useless- they had auto-potion.
"Rikku, come in and take my place- mug them!" Auron headed for the sidelines.
For a minute, Rikku was in shock. The sword-master whose weapon caused the most damage offering his position to Rikku? She stepped to the front and mugged one of the Guado Guardians. Hi-Potion x2. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard.
Tidus attacked the one Rikku had mugged. Thankfully, it had no more potions which with to heal himself. Yuna retreated and Auron came back in her place. Good. He finished off the first Guado Guardian.
Rikku mugged the other guardian, stealing another Hi-Potion x2. Tidus attacked the Guado, then Auron, and the last Guado was done for.
Suddenly, Seymour started laughing. Demonic, evil laughter.
"Oh no..." Rikku uttered.
"Oh no's right! It's Anima!" Tidus identified the creature for Rikku, who hadn't seen the summon at Luca Stadium.
"Um...Yunie, I think aeons are YOUR department..." Yuna nodded, and they switched places.
Rikku sat on the sidelines, joined by Auron and Tidus as Yuna summoned Shiva. Suddenly, Rikku felt like a coward: sending her own cousin to fight off an Aeon like Anima. Not very brave at all. Maybe she wasn't cut out to be a guardian after all. She wasn't brave or noble or even all that strong. Everyone else possessed those abilities- and they were so much better than her at doing their job. Why couldn't she be as good as them?
"Got something on your mind?"
Rikku turned to her side. It was Auron. "No, I'm fine..."
"I can read you like a book, Rikku. There's something on your mind."
"No, there's nothing wrong! Look, if there was something wrong, I'd tell you."
"No you wouldn't."
"Yes I would!" Rikku tried ignoring Auron's quizzical gaze by watching Shiva cast Blizzara on herself.
Attack. Attack. Attack. Attack. Attack. Attack.
It got monotonous at times. Even Rikku had to admit it. But other times, it was exciting, captivating, interesting. Not now. Summon vs. Summon-- they were evenly matched. It seemed as though it would never end until Anima suddenly fell, and disapeared into pyreflies.
Yuna dismissed her summon and Auron and Tidus ran back in. Yuna retreated, Kimhari taking her place in her wake.
"You...you okay, Yunie? You looked wiped!" Rikku offered her cousin a hi-potion.
"No..I'm fine. It's just summoning can get so exhausting."
"Exhausting? But it looks so cool! You're so strong and you're so good at handling your summons!"
"That doesn't stop it from being hard. Even though it makes me strong, it takes a lot of effort."
Rikku nodded dubiously at her words before turning her attention back to the fight. Oooh. Multi-Fira. Rikku winced. Auron sure was going to feel that in the morning.
The entire battle was an onslaught of healing and fighting-- mostly healing. This fight, it looked like it would never end.
Kimhari withdrew as soon as the Hi-Potions were gone. Yuna re-entered the battle, this time casting Curaga on everyone. Thank Yevon for White Magic. Immediately after her arrival, she left, sending Wakka in her place. She couldn't afford to be knocked out- not when there were only two Pheonix Downs left, and only one person who could cast Life.
Attack. Attack. Attack. Tidus came to the sidelines, Yuna went back in. Heal.
Would this never end? Would Rikku never get her chance at doing something great?
It was nearing twenty minutes since the fight began that Rikku finally had her chance. Her chance to do something great. Her chance to prove herself- to everyone else- AND herself.
With her first strike, Seymour fell. No one was expecting it- the battle had already lasted this long. No one- not even Rikku, expected her poor physical attack to send Seymour to the Farplane. But there he was: leaning on the ground, hunched over, coughing up what appeared to be blood.
For a minute, Rikku was pleased with herself. She managed to defeat SEYMOUR! Seymour!
But it was only when she saw his eyes as he gazed up at her did she feel remourseful. Seymour...Seymour was going to die- because of her.
When her eyes began to burn, she scrunched her toes up. Trying her best to avoid Seymour's gaze, she found that every time she looked away, she found herself only trying harder not to cry. His eyes were burning with blatant accusation: I am going to die- because of you.
Blargh, didn't know how to end this chapter...really, didn't. x_X;;; Not planned out as well as I thought it would be. Promise, another chapter tonight to make up for yesterday. ^^;;