1 Hatehatehate, you are going to haaaaate me…. But not for long. ^_^ The
beginning is rushed just because I can't remember the sin fight in real
detail. But hey, you weren't reading this for the lousy fight scenes
anyway, right? Yes, there are more chapters.
Chapter 31 Last Breath
The walk was too short. Within mere minutes, they were inside Bevelle's temple. Where they got Bahamut… were they fought for their lives and where Lantyn… died…. Rikku shuddered, trying to force the memory away. The red carpeting only reminded her of his blood. She stopped suddenly, almost overcome with memories. Auron actually ran into her, coming close to knocking them over.
"Rikku…" Yuna said softly, touching her shoulder. Rikku nodded, and they continued on.
Mika… was there. Rikku fought the urge to spit. Brief conversation was held, but to be totally honest, she wasn't paying attention. She was far to busy keeping her emotions in check. Standing there, in the back of the group, watching… watching Yuna stand strong, watching Tidus, watching Wakka grow pale, well, that was funny but watching Auron… blade readied on his back, glasses halfway down his nose, red coat flashing as they moved to face their greatest fears.
As they burst upon the sky, there, before them was… Sin. Auron hesitated at first, his eye taking in the form of what Rikku realized was one of his best friends… Jecht. Then, the moment passed and Auron nodded, to whom she wasn't sure. He led them on, to fight all of death at it's core.
A flash of red, a blue blade, and herself stood before the monster that housed Yu Yevon. Tidus looked determined, more so than Rikku had ever seen. She decided it would be best to end this as quickly as possible, and yet… it would end when she did. Everything.
Then so be it. Rikku felt strength emerge from within, and she took a deep breath, taking in the cool summer air. Let it be done.
They attacked the fins of Auron's late friend. Tidus cast Hastaga on them, and Rikku felt like she could run forever. Blow after blow, they attacked Sin. Lulu replaced Tidus, and cast flare and Ultima, the light of her magic temporarily blinding the party. Auron's hair blew back from the intensity of the magic, his eye squinting behind his glasses.
It seemed only a few minutes, but Sin's arms, fins, whatever they were… were just, gone.
"Oh no!" Rikku started, "It's going to attack the airship!!" The troop turned to see Rikku's father guide the airship towards them, unaware of Sin's intentions. They couldn't let that happen! The party jumped to the ship, smashing against the hull and then lifting themselves upright to defend the Al Bhed ship.
They tried to continue to fight it with magic, but the damn sinspawn prevented their attacks. With a mighty blow, Tidus destroyed it and allowed Lulu to cast her magics again, her hands moving furiously as she worked fervidly to summon her ultimas.
"Yah!" Wakka cried, launching his Blitzball into sin itself as Auron and Rikku switched equipment, bracing themselves against confusion and zombie status.
"Its, it's pulling us!" Rikku cried, feeling Sin's pressure as the party slid forward. She shuddered violently, remembering the last time they slid… she'd fallen. The ship groaned under the strain, the engines pumping harder to maintain altitude.
And then… they were pulled inside. Rikku bit off a scream, her eyes wide as they were dragged towards the massive creature. She collided with Kimahri, and latched on to his muscular arm in a death grip. Rikku's world went black.
Ugn…
"Rikku…" Someone called. She whimpered, clutching whatever warmth she could, finally realizing it was Auron's leg, his shin actually. She was sprawled out on the ground, a strange mist encasing her body.
"W'happened?" she muttered accepting his offered hand to raise herself upwards.
"Don't know. You blacked out. Come on, let's go."
She and Auron made their way through eerie mists that swirled upwards and then disappeared into nothingness. Not far ahead, she could hear Tidus's yelps as he and the others fought some fiend.
"We… we're inside… Sin?" She asked quietly, as if her voice would bring the world down upon them. Auron nodded, hurrying them along to catch up with the others. "Well, it's better than I'd thought it'd be. I was expecting like, his stomach or something." Auron whacked her gently on the back of the head, chuckling slightly. She smiled sheepishly.
"It's… cold here," She murmured, looking around at the swirling… nothingness. it was disconcerting. Auron grunted his agreement, sliding his arm out of the robe and pulling the slender girl against him as they walked through the mist.
"Auron!" She suddenly cried, breaking into a run. Auron's brow furrowed, confused, until he watched her run towards the others. They were standing opposite… Seymour. What? Running, Auron met is party, blade ready. His eye narrowed in anger. He was sent! This should not be happening!
"It's time, Seymour," Tidus said. "It's time you left this place."
"Never-" Seymour rasped, his voice strange and eerie. Rikku felt anger bubbling inside of her, anger at this man, anger at his insane desires to cause even more pain and death to those in Spira…
They fought.
It was a strange battle, requiring different elemental magics and constant switching of party members. In, out, in, out, Rikku was panting within ten minutes of the battle. Almost half an hour later, Rikku rested as Wakka took her place, and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Gods, won't he just die? Please? Hasn't he done enough?
Still breathing heavy, Rikku raised her sight to the floating blue Guado… well, whatever he was. The huge spiraling disks behind him almost made her dizzy, and she shook her head fiercely to clear it.
Yuna… standing there, so strong, so proud… she waved her staff with grace, healing the party again and again. Her aeons had been banished, and yet she refused to be left out of the fight. Yuna…
Didn't she see Seymour's fire attack? Dear gods, Firaga? Yuna? /Yuna/?!
The world seemed to slow, and Rikku was aware of her legs running, carrying her as fast as they could… towards her summoner. She felt herself hit Yuna, smashing the woman aside… felt the searing heat of Firaga…
"Rikku!"
Heard her name being called, heard Seymour's chilling laugh.
It hurts…
"Shhh," Auron's voice said, her eyes were jammed shut, so she couldn't see, she could only feel the pain.
"Rikku!" Yuna cried again, as Tidus and Lulu finished off Seymour once and for all. "Rikku…" She cried, tears forming in the summoner's eyes. Auron ran to the fallen and bloody girl, dropping his sword to the ground, the blade clanking against the floor. He knelt, scooping her up in his arms, resting her head in his lap. Her eyes remained closed. No!
Auron's lips quivered behind his collar. His eyebrows were up on his forehead as he cradled his lover in his lap. She was… bleeding, badly. Her left side was a mass of contorted flesh and blood. Auron struggled to remove his robe as he covered her torn body with it. His hands, shaking, threaded through her hair.
"Heal her?" He rasped, his voice clogged with emotion. Yuna knelt, struggling to find the strength to cure her, but the wounds… were too great. Auron seemed to know this, and Yuna felt her heart cry out as tears journeyed down his face. "No…" He gasped, gripping Rikku's unmarred hand tightly. The rest of the party, having disposed of Seymour, encircled the wounded girl.
"Au-ron?" She whispered faintly. Her hand twitched in his, and he struggled to compose himself, for her.
"Shhh, I'm here," he murmured, dropping his head to hers, kissing her sweating brow. He caressed her hair in his free hand, unaware as his tears dropped to her chin. He opened his eye to see her swirling emerald orbs gazing up at him. Her hand, still in his, reached up to his face. Gently stroking his cheek, feeling the stubble and tears.
"S'ok," She slurred, her palm brushing by his twitching lips. "I'll wait for you," she promised faintly, glancing around to the others, surprised at their wetted eyes. Auron leaned into her hand, his eye closed tightly in emotion. She pulled him to her with her hand, grasping the collar weakly. Their lips met, Auron pushing against hers with haste and desperation. He felt her lips slow, and pressure subside.
Terrified, more so than he had ever been since Braska's death, Auron pulled away. Her eyes were still open, still gazing into his. They looked… tired.
Hunched over her still, her head still resting in his lap, she used her last breath as best she could…
"I love you."
She exhaled and closed those jade eyes forever. Auron let out a strangled gasp, clutching her limp hand to his chest.
"I... love you," he replied in anguish, but her ears could no longer hear his words.
Yuna threw her arms around Auron, holding him tightly. Tidus followed, mashing himself against Auron's other side. The two teenagers could feel Auron's body shake as muffled cries wracked his frame. As they wept, Rikku's body dissipated into pyreflies that floated off into the air and disappeared.
Auron, unable to maintain his balance, reclined into Tidus, his long legs lifting in front of him, his face buried in his hands. Lulu and Wakka looked away in pain, Wakka sliding an arm around Lulu in a gesture of support. Kimahri closed his eyes, bowing his head.
Auron remained in his summoner's embrace, resting against Tidus. His world was again torn, as it was after Braska had died. His body refused his rational mind's commands to rise, to take charge of the situation. Instead it continued to quake, against his will, and tears continued to fall. Yuna stroked his hair, trying to calm the guardian in his anguish.
They remained like this for some time, at least an hour. Auron had quieted, and was resting limply in the teenagers' embrace. He was thankful for them, it was comforting to be like this, to be with others. It was more than he'd ever had when Braska had died. A small part of him was embarrassed by the situation, the two cradling his prone form, but his heart was too wounded to care about petty insecurities.
"…Auron?" Yuna asked softly, still running her hands through his hair at his temples in even intervals, having found her actions had a soothing affect of Auron. He nodded gently, his eye still closed. "We… we must go."
Auron opened his eye slowly, as if waking from a dream. His glasses were off, someone must have removed them at some point. From his point of view, he was lying fully upon Tidus, the boy behind him, supporting his weight. His striped legs were tossed outwards, his shoulders encased by Yuna's arms, the tail of her pink sleeve resting on his stomach.
Shakily, he began to lift himself, rising upwards again. Tidus gripped his shoulders slightly, helping the older guardian upwards. Auron straightened himself, smoothing out the wrinkles in his collar as Yuna took his robe from where it lay unoccupied on the ground. She helped place it upon him, taking great care in her movements.
Without a word, the party moved on, to end this pain forever and destroy Sin once and for all. Before Auron left, he stared forlornly at the spot where Rikku had died. Beside him, Kimahri grunted, offering the blade to Auron. The swordsman, accepted, lifting the blade to rest upon his back as he moved stiffly in the direction of the others.
*** :( Awr… feedback? Please? Mew.. I sowwy.. t'will get better, promise.
-Spazkit
Chapter 31 Last Breath
The walk was too short. Within mere minutes, they were inside Bevelle's temple. Where they got Bahamut… were they fought for their lives and where Lantyn… died…. Rikku shuddered, trying to force the memory away. The red carpeting only reminded her of his blood. She stopped suddenly, almost overcome with memories. Auron actually ran into her, coming close to knocking them over.
"Rikku…" Yuna said softly, touching her shoulder. Rikku nodded, and they continued on.
Mika… was there. Rikku fought the urge to spit. Brief conversation was held, but to be totally honest, she wasn't paying attention. She was far to busy keeping her emotions in check. Standing there, in the back of the group, watching… watching Yuna stand strong, watching Tidus, watching Wakka grow pale, well, that was funny but watching Auron… blade readied on his back, glasses halfway down his nose, red coat flashing as they moved to face their greatest fears.
As they burst upon the sky, there, before them was… Sin. Auron hesitated at first, his eye taking in the form of what Rikku realized was one of his best friends… Jecht. Then, the moment passed and Auron nodded, to whom she wasn't sure. He led them on, to fight all of death at it's core.
A flash of red, a blue blade, and herself stood before the monster that housed Yu Yevon. Tidus looked determined, more so than Rikku had ever seen. She decided it would be best to end this as quickly as possible, and yet… it would end when she did. Everything.
Then so be it. Rikku felt strength emerge from within, and she took a deep breath, taking in the cool summer air. Let it be done.
They attacked the fins of Auron's late friend. Tidus cast Hastaga on them, and Rikku felt like she could run forever. Blow after blow, they attacked Sin. Lulu replaced Tidus, and cast flare and Ultima, the light of her magic temporarily blinding the party. Auron's hair blew back from the intensity of the magic, his eye squinting behind his glasses.
It seemed only a few minutes, but Sin's arms, fins, whatever they were… were just, gone.
"Oh no!" Rikku started, "It's going to attack the airship!!" The troop turned to see Rikku's father guide the airship towards them, unaware of Sin's intentions. They couldn't let that happen! The party jumped to the ship, smashing against the hull and then lifting themselves upright to defend the Al Bhed ship.
They tried to continue to fight it with magic, but the damn sinspawn prevented their attacks. With a mighty blow, Tidus destroyed it and allowed Lulu to cast her magics again, her hands moving furiously as she worked fervidly to summon her ultimas.
"Yah!" Wakka cried, launching his Blitzball into sin itself as Auron and Rikku switched equipment, bracing themselves against confusion and zombie status.
"Its, it's pulling us!" Rikku cried, feeling Sin's pressure as the party slid forward. She shuddered violently, remembering the last time they slid… she'd fallen. The ship groaned under the strain, the engines pumping harder to maintain altitude.
And then… they were pulled inside. Rikku bit off a scream, her eyes wide as they were dragged towards the massive creature. She collided with Kimahri, and latched on to his muscular arm in a death grip. Rikku's world went black.
Ugn…
"Rikku…" Someone called. She whimpered, clutching whatever warmth she could, finally realizing it was Auron's leg, his shin actually. She was sprawled out on the ground, a strange mist encasing her body.
"W'happened?" she muttered accepting his offered hand to raise herself upwards.
"Don't know. You blacked out. Come on, let's go."
She and Auron made their way through eerie mists that swirled upwards and then disappeared into nothingness. Not far ahead, she could hear Tidus's yelps as he and the others fought some fiend.
"We… we're inside… Sin?" She asked quietly, as if her voice would bring the world down upon them. Auron nodded, hurrying them along to catch up with the others. "Well, it's better than I'd thought it'd be. I was expecting like, his stomach or something." Auron whacked her gently on the back of the head, chuckling slightly. She smiled sheepishly.
"It's… cold here," She murmured, looking around at the swirling… nothingness. it was disconcerting. Auron grunted his agreement, sliding his arm out of the robe and pulling the slender girl against him as they walked through the mist.
"Auron!" She suddenly cried, breaking into a run. Auron's brow furrowed, confused, until he watched her run towards the others. They were standing opposite… Seymour. What? Running, Auron met is party, blade ready. His eye narrowed in anger. He was sent! This should not be happening!
"It's time, Seymour," Tidus said. "It's time you left this place."
"Never-" Seymour rasped, his voice strange and eerie. Rikku felt anger bubbling inside of her, anger at this man, anger at his insane desires to cause even more pain and death to those in Spira…
They fought.
It was a strange battle, requiring different elemental magics and constant switching of party members. In, out, in, out, Rikku was panting within ten minutes of the battle. Almost half an hour later, Rikku rested as Wakka took her place, and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Gods, won't he just die? Please? Hasn't he done enough?
Still breathing heavy, Rikku raised her sight to the floating blue Guado… well, whatever he was. The huge spiraling disks behind him almost made her dizzy, and she shook her head fiercely to clear it.
Yuna… standing there, so strong, so proud… she waved her staff with grace, healing the party again and again. Her aeons had been banished, and yet she refused to be left out of the fight. Yuna…
Didn't she see Seymour's fire attack? Dear gods, Firaga? Yuna? /Yuna/?!
The world seemed to slow, and Rikku was aware of her legs running, carrying her as fast as they could… towards her summoner. She felt herself hit Yuna, smashing the woman aside… felt the searing heat of Firaga…
"Rikku!"
Heard her name being called, heard Seymour's chilling laugh.
It hurts…
"Shhh," Auron's voice said, her eyes were jammed shut, so she couldn't see, she could only feel the pain.
"Rikku!" Yuna cried again, as Tidus and Lulu finished off Seymour once and for all. "Rikku…" She cried, tears forming in the summoner's eyes. Auron ran to the fallen and bloody girl, dropping his sword to the ground, the blade clanking against the floor. He knelt, scooping her up in his arms, resting her head in his lap. Her eyes remained closed. No!
Auron's lips quivered behind his collar. His eyebrows were up on his forehead as he cradled his lover in his lap. She was… bleeding, badly. Her left side was a mass of contorted flesh and blood. Auron struggled to remove his robe as he covered her torn body with it. His hands, shaking, threaded through her hair.
"Heal her?" He rasped, his voice clogged with emotion. Yuna knelt, struggling to find the strength to cure her, but the wounds… were too great. Auron seemed to know this, and Yuna felt her heart cry out as tears journeyed down his face. "No…" He gasped, gripping Rikku's unmarred hand tightly. The rest of the party, having disposed of Seymour, encircled the wounded girl.
"Au-ron?" She whispered faintly. Her hand twitched in his, and he struggled to compose himself, for her.
"Shhh, I'm here," he murmured, dropping his head to hers, kissing her sweating brow. He caressed her hair in his free hand, unaware as his tears dropped to her chin. He opened his eye to see her swirling emerald orbs gazing up at him. Her hand, still in his, reached up to his face. Gently stroking his cheek, feeling the stubble and tears.
"S'ok," She slurred, her palm brushing by his twitching lips. "I'll wait for you," she promised faintly, glancing around to the others, surprised at their wetted eyes. Auron leaned into her hand, his eye closed tightly in emotion. She pulled him to her with her hand, grasping the collar weakly. Their lips met, Auron pushing against hers with haste and desperation. He felt her lips slow, and pressure subside.
Terrified, more so than he had ever been since Braska's death, Auron pulled away. Her eyes were still open, still gazing into his. They looked… tired.
Hunched over her still, her head still resting in his lap, she used her last breath as best she could…
"I love you."
She exhaled and closed those jade eyes forever. Auron let out a strangled gasp, clutching her limp hand to his chest.
"I... love you," he replied in anguish, but her ears could no longer hear his words.
Yuna threw her arms around Auron, holding him tightly. Tidus followed, mashing himself against Auron's other side. The two teenagers could feel Auron's body shake as muffled cries wracked his frame. As they wept, Rikku's body dissipated into pyreflies that floated off into the air and disappeared.
Auron, unable to maintain his balance, reclined into Tidus, his long legs lifting in front of him, his face buried in his hands. Lulu and Wakka looked away in pain, Wakka sliding an arm around Lulu in a gesture of support. Kimahri closed his eyes, bowing his head.
Auron remained in his summoner's embrace, resting against Tidus. His world was again torn, as it was after Braska had died. His body refused his rational mind's commands to rise, to take charge of the situation. Instead it continued to quake, against his will, and tears continued to fall. Yuna stroked his hair, trying to calm the guardian in his anguish.
They remained like this for some time, at least an hour. Auron had quieted, and was resting limply in the teenagers' embrace. He was thankful for them, it was comforting to be like this, to be with others. It was more than he'd ever had when Braska had died. A small part of him was embarrassed by the situation, the two cradling his prone form, but his heart was too wounded to care about petty insecurities.
"…Auron?" Yuna asked softly, still running her hands through his hair at his temples in even intervals, having found her actions had a soothing affect of Auron. He nodded gently, his eye still closed. "We… we must go."
Auron opened his eye slowly, as if waking from a dream. His glasses were off, someone must have removed them at some point. From his point of view, he was lying fully upon Tidus, the boy behind him, supporting his weight. His striped legs were tossed outwards, his shoulders encased by Yuna's arms, the tail of her pink sleeve resting on his stomach.
Shakily, he began to lift himself, rising upwards again. Tidus gripped his shoulders slightly, helping the older guardian upwards. Auron straightened himself, smoothing out the wrinkles in his collar as Yuna took his robe from where it lay unoccupied on the ground. She helped place it upon him, taking great care in her movements.
Without a word, the party moved on, to end this pain forever and destroy Sin once and for all. Before Auron left, he stared forlornly at the spot where Rikku had died. Beside him, Kimahri grunted, offering the blade to Auron. The swordsman, accepted, lifting the blade to rest upon his back as he moved stiffly in the direction of the others.
*** :( Awr… feedback? Please? Mew.. I sowwy.. t'will get better, promise.
-Spazkit