You guys liked the last chapter? o_0 Okies. ^_^ More for you then.
Chapter 6 Destruction
Rikku swam in fog and ice, sliding in and out of consciousness. It was cold. Then it was hot. She was awake, and then she realized she was dreaming. Darkness would fade, only to reemerge again, shrouding her thoughts.
It was dark under the frozen lake. Even the singing of Yevon was not helping to calm the guardians and summoner. Yuna was not conscious. Neither was Rikku. The party was battered, and they had gone against the most powerful religion on the planet. Tidus was in shock. He sat on the frozen ground, knees pulled to his chest. His hand rested on Yuna's shoulder. Auron sat next to the teenager, his scarlet coat off and resting on the unconscious form of Rikku in his lap. Her head rested on his upper thigh, the rest of her drawn close beneath his warm thick coat. Wakka was pacing, in obvious shock. Lulu sat on the other side of Auron, gazing at the ruins. Kimahri stood above, balanced on the ancient ruins, looking over the huddled mass of people.
Tidus sighed. He glanced at the pair to his right. Auron leaned against the alcove of a ruin, like the rest of them. His bare arm and hand lay on the mass of red fabric and blond hair in his lap. His head was bent forward, as if asleep. But his eye was open, staring into space. His fingers gently rubbed the form beneath them. He looked up, and to the young man staring at him. Auron raised an eyebrow. Tidus looked to Rikku, then to Auron. There was some indescribable emotion in the swordsman's eye… Tidus touched his arm. Auron's gaze was hard… then it softened. He nodded.
Rikku groaned, a single hand emerging from the coat. It found Auron's own rough hand, and gripped it weakly. That strange look crossed the older man's face again, like… a cross between disbelief and being smitten. Suddenly… the hymn stopped. They raised their heads… Auron stood, gently letting Rikku slide to the cold floor…
"Sin!" he yelled, tempted to round the others and flee to the nearby ruins, but it was too late.
* * *
Rikku awoke to a splitting headache. And incredible heat. Her head was in shade… Auron? She grasped his heavy coat, pulling it from her face. No. Only his red cloak, covering her face and body from the heat of the desert. Where was he? Oh! She was… near home! The desert! But, but where were the others? They didn't know how to survive in the desert! They would die!
Scrambling, she tossed the heavy coat over her shoulder and ignored her wounds. She raced over the sand, goggles in place. Her panic was overwhelming. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw a sprawled body a dune away. She ran for what seemed like forever before she came upon the limp form. It was Wakka.
His face was in the sand, his breathing shallow. Terrified, she grabbed his shoulder, rolling him over.
"Wakka! Wakka, wake up!" He gasped and sputtered, sand flying form his mouth. His eyes rolled open. He looked up at the Al Bhed. First in shock, then recognition, then anger. He pushed her away as he stood shakily. She just stared after him as he walked alone over the dunes, leaving the girl alone. Rikku felt her eyes tear. She bowed her head, the shimmering liquid falling silently to the ground.
She didn't hear the footsteps behind her. When she turned, the swordsman just lifted a bare hand to her face, capturing the tear before it fell. She handed the man his coat, and he draped it over his shoulders, fastening the sleeve. They walked after the others.
Two hours later, all but one had been found… Yuna.
Rikku lead the group over the dunes in silence. Tidus followed close behind, his blue eyes squinting in the sun. He groaned, panting. Damn. It was hot. Hours passed, as they crossed the sea of burning sand.
"Rikku, do you know where you are going?" Asked Lulu finally. Rikku turned and nodded.
"I am taking you somewhere… very special. You can't tell. But I know… "Her eyes found Wakka, " I know you will keep my secret. I hope that Yunie is there."
"Where?" Asked Tidus. Rikku smiled brightly.
"Home."
She said nothing more, but the group followed nonetheless. Only a few minutes later, Rikku let out a blood curling shriek.
"Oh no!" She cried, knees failing. She fell, hand covering her mouth. The others raced to the top of the dune… to see a bloody and gruesome site.
A huge machina construction lay below, it's tall and shining buildings covered in the words of the Al Bhed. Smoke billowed out of darkened holes in the towers' sides. A loudspeaker screamed shrilly over the din of the fighting below. Huge Fiends accompanied by Guado attacked over and over. Short blasts of gunfire were accompanied by the screams and cries of the dying.
Rikku charged, feet flying as she raced to her home. She was the first to reach the floor of the complex, running to her brother.
"Kioku!" She cried as her brother fell limply to the ground. Grasping his head, she cradled his broken body in her arms. She closed her eyes tightly, holding back her cry as she felt him go limp in her arms. He was gone. He felt a large hand on her shoulder. She glanced up, eyes moist. Her father knelt beside her feeling the neck of his son, head dropping when he found no pulse. Cid's hand gently squeezed her shoulder.
Kimahri was not at all pleased at the prospect of his summoner being amongst such chaos. He ran inside the nearby door in search of Yuna. The others followed. Auron hesitated, but forced himself to think of Yuna before Rikku. His stomach knotted as he left Rikku with her father. He was relieved when several minutes later, she followed. Her eyes were narrowed and her face grim. "She is probably in the summoner's sanctum," She said to the group, her voice hoarse. She led the way deeper into the explosions and fire.
"This was our home… we were scattered when Sin destroyed our island. My dad, Cid, he brought us together and together… we built this place. It's our home." She paused, voice catching in her throat. She stared directly at Wakka. "…Why?" The man shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Rikku." Wakka whispered. Rikku nodded, but turned away. Her face brushed against Auron's shoulder, and she clung to his arm, face buried in the folds of his coat. He pivoted, allowing the girl to embrace him as he loosely held her to his chest. However, the ground began to shake ever more, and Tidus and Kimahri began to journey further down underground. The metal stairs seemed to go on forever, bloody bodies littering the floor.
Halfway down, Tidus confronted her. "Rikku… there is no reason for this! Why did you take the summoners? It's our job to guard her!" His eyes were hard. She only shook her head, fighting the pain in her heart. For Yunie, for Kioku… for her home. She turned, trying to ignore his stare.
They burst into the large metal room that Rikku had led them too. The summoner's sanctum. But Yuna was not there. Rikku howled in frusteration. No! She can't go to Zanarkand! It was then that Tidus pressed the issue. And in the Al Bhed's pain, she told him the truth. Through hazy tears, she dropped to her knees, and was mimicked by Tidus. Auron came to her side, but she stood quickly, pushing him away. No! Nonono!! She ran, without a word, to the next corridor. The airship. It was their only hope.
*** Yaay another not mushy chapter. Tis coming next, mesa promise! :D
-spazkit
.
Chapter 6 Destruction
Rikku swam in fog and ice, sliding in and out of consciousness. It was cold. Then it was hot. She was awake, and then she realized she was dreaming. Darkness would fade, only to reemerge again, shrouding her thoughts.
It was dark under the frozen lake. Even the singing of Yevon was not helping to calm the guardians and summoner. Yuna was not conscious. Neither was Rikku. The party was battered, and they had gone against the most powerful religion on the planet. Tidus was in shock. He sat on the frozen ground, knees pulled to his chest. His hand rested on Yuna's shoulder. Auron sat next to the teenager, his scarlet coat off and resting on the unconscious form of Rikku in his lap. Her head rested on his upper thigh, the rest of her drawn close beneath his warm thick coat. Wakka was pacing, in obvious shock. Lulu sat on the other side of Auron, gazing at the ruins. Kimahri stood above, balanced on the ancient ruins, looking over the huddled mass of people.
Tidus sighed. He glanced at the pair to his right. Auron leaned against the alcove of a ruin, like the rest of them. His bare arm and hand lay on the mass of red fabric and blond hair in his lap. His head was bent forward, as if asleep. But his eye was open, staring into space. His fingers gently rubbed the form beneath them. He looked up, and to the young man staring at him. Auron raised an eyebrow. Tidus looked to Rikku, then to Auron. There was some indescribable emotion in the swordsman's eye… Tidus touched his arm. Auron's gaze was hard… then it softened. He nodded.
Rikku groaned, a single hand emerging from the coat. It found Auron's own rough hand, and gripped it weakly. That strange look crossed the older man's face again, like… a cross between disbelief and being smitten. Suddenly… the hymn stopped. They raised their heads… Auron stood, gently letting Rikku slide to the cold floor…
"Sin!" he yelled, tempted to round the others and flee to the nearby ruins, but it was too late.
* * *
Rikku awoke to a splitting headache. And incredible heat. Her head was in shade… Auron? She grasped his heavy coat, pulling it from her face. No. Only his red cloak, covering her face and body from the heat of the desert. Where was he? Oh! She was… near home! The desert! But, but where were the others? They didn't know how to survive in the desert! They would die!
Scrambling, she tossed the heavy coat over her shoulder and ignored her wounds. She raced over the sand, goggles in place. Her panic was overwhelming. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw a sprawled body a dune away. She ran for what seemed like forever before she came upon the limp form. It was Wakka.
His face was in the sand, his breathing shallow. Terrified, she grabbed his shoulder, rolling him over.
"Wakka! Wakka, wake up!" He gasped and sputtered, sand flying form his mouth. His eyes rolled open. He looked up at the Al Bhed. First in shock, then recognition, then anger. He pushed her away as he stood shakily. She just stared after him as he walked alone over the dunes, leaving the girl alone. Rikku felt her eyes tear. She bowed her head, the shimmering liquid falling silently to the ground.
She didn't hear the footsteps behind her. When she turned, the swordsman just lifted a bare hand to her face, capturing the tear before it fell. She handed the man his coat, and he draped it over his shoulders, fastening the sleeve. They walked after the others.
Two hours later, all but one had been found… Yuna.
Rikku lead the group over the dunes in silence. Tidus followed close behind, his blue eyes squinting in the sun. He groaned, panting. Damn. It was hot. Hours passed, as they crossed the sea of burning sand.
"Rikku, do you know where you are going?" Asked Lulu finally. Rikku turned and nodded.
"I am taking you somewhere… very special. You can't tell. But I know… "Her eyes found Wakka, " I know you will keep my secret. I hope that Yunie is there."
"Where?" Asked Tidus. Rikku smiled brightly.
"Home."
She said nothing more, but the group followed nonetheless. Only a few minutes later, Rikku let out a blood curling shriek.
"Oh no!" She cried, knees failing. She fell, hand covering her mouth. The others raced to the top of the dune… to see a bloody and gruesome site.
A huge machina construction lay below, it's tall and shining buildings covered in the words of the Al Bhed. Smoke billowed out of darkened holes in the towers' sides. A loudspeaker screamed shrilly over the din of the fighting below. Huge Fiends accompanied by Guado attacked over and over. Short blasts of gunfire were accompanied by the screams and cries of the dying.
Rikku charged, feet flying as she raced to her home. She was the first to reach the floor of the complex, running to her brother.
"Kioku!" She cried as her brother fell limply to the ground. Grasping his head, she cradled his broken body in her arms. She closed her eyes tightly, holding back her cry as she felt him go limp in her arms. He was gone. He felt a large hand on her shoulder. She glanced up, eyes moist. Her father knelt beside her feeling the neck of his son, head dropping when he found no pulse. Cid's hand gently squeezed her shoulder.
Kimahri was not at all pleased at the prospect of his summoner being amongst such chaos. He ran inside the nearby door in search of Yuna. The others followed. Auron hesitated, but forced himself to think of Yuna before Rikku. His stomach knotted as he left Rikku with her father. He was relieved when several minutes later, she followed. Her eyes were narrowed and her face grim. "She is probably in the summoner's sanctum," She said to the group, her voice hoarse. She led the way deeper into the explosions and fire.
"This was our home… we were scattered when Sin destroyed our island. My dad, Cid, he brought us together and together… we built this place. It's our home." She paused, voice catching in her throat. She stared directly at Wakka. "…Why?" The man shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Rikku." Wakka whispered. Rikku nodded, but turned away. Her face brushed against Auron's shoulder, and she clung to his arm, face buried in the folds of his coat. He pivoted, allowing the girl to embrace him as he loosely held her to his chest. However, the ground began to shake ever more, and Tidus and Kimahri began to journey further down underground. The metal stairs seemed to go on forever, bloody bodies littering the floor.
Halfway down, Tidus confronted her. "Rikku… there is no reason for this! Why did you take the summoners? It's our job to guard her!" His eyes were hard. She only shook her head, fighting the pain in her heart. For Yunie, for Kioku… for her home. She turned, trying to ignore his stare.
They burst into the large metal room that Rikku had led them too. The summoner's sanctum. But Yuna was not there. Rikku howled in frusteration. No! She can't go to Zanarkand! It was then that Tidus pressed the issue. And in the Al Bhed's pain, she told him the truth. Through hazy tears, she dropped to her knees, and was mimicked by Tidus. Auron came to her side, but she stood quickly, pushing him away. No! Nonono!! She ran, without a word, to the next corridor. The airship. It was their only hope.
*** Yaay another not mushy chapter. Tis coming next, mesa promise! :D
-spazkit
.