SWITCH A ROO : CHAPTER ONE : CONFUSION



Author's Notes: ... ... ... I got positive reviews!? Yay! Go me! I thought I'd have no reviews 'til maybe chapter 10 and the one I would've got would've been a mad flame. But, for the prologue-- I got two reviews and they were good ones! Yay! Much thanks, a piece of cake, and a huge hug goes out to...


Blurry : Your question will be answered in this chapter. Thank ya for being interested in this fic!


Kujasgirl : One more person who thinks this is interesting? COOL! "Thanks be to ye."-- O'aka


Notes: I've changed a few things for the chapter's sake! Also, this chapter is put to song!


Disclaimer: ... ... ... Do you really think the concepts of FFX belong to me!?



CHAPTER ONE : CONFUSION



The frightened Al Bhed woman screamed in terror. Pops was right! No wonder why he told me the damned story over... and over... and over again since then!!! Rikku thought to herself, letting her panic out in screams and squeals. The blackness took the form of a spiraling swirl, letting extremely thin white lines compliment the spiral's spin, making the sight dizzying.


The deep black spiral was hypnotizing the daring Rikku into falling sleepy. She yawned... then screamed maniacly as she fell into the black pit. Spira to Rikku! Spira to Rikku! This is not the perfect time to go to bed!!! Rikku snapped at herself in thought, not being able to say those words aloud. All the noise she could make was the glass-shattering screams that would repeat and repeat like a broken sphere.


The world around her was not pleased for her not falling into the hypnotic trance, so the sent her down the spiraling chute roughly tossing her body around. The fierce whip of the air was painful to Rikku. Air slapping her on every part of her body by violent jerks. The invisible force wasn't known to ever hurt this bad. Worse and worse this got. It got worse and worse until...


She blacked out in exhaustion...


The unconcious Rikku was whipped down into the pit without feeling a thing.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SOMETIME LATER

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


It could've been seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or years before Rikku landed. She didn't know, and wouldn't know. It's the least of her concerns now as she slips out of unconciousness. Rikku lay down, back-first on a concrete path. She looked around her surroundings. The place had a beautiful red and white color scheme which paved this city from sky to ground, showing off it's brilliance. Bevelle?


"Bevelle? What the hell is Bevelle?" a low voice bellowed.


"Have you really been too close to Sin's toxin, sir?" a different, more concerned voice, inquired.


"What the hell is Sin?! I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!" the first voice exclaimed.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Walking oh so slowly

Don't know anybody

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo


Talking oh so quickly

Please explain what they mean

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


"Please, tell me... what happened."


"See, I was practicing Blitzball in the ocean one day... and this huge uh... hmmm... monster, thing , whatever, swam up to me and like... devoured me whole. Whoa now! Don't tell me you live inside that thing! Don't tell me I'm inside that thing..."


"Calm down. Now, what is your name...?"


"Jecht. Best Blitzball player ever from Zanarkand-- originator of the infamous Magnificent Sublimey Jecht Shot Mark III...," boasted the man, now known as Jecht.


Rikku's ears twitched. Jecht... JECHT?! That man was Tidus' dad! HE WAS SIN! Bu-but... we killed Sin! Rikku swore to herself. She knew she'd helped kill Sin and she knew that that had to be famous Sir Jecht-- guardian of her Uncle Braska!


"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Braska-- a summoner. Oh, did you say... you are from... Zanarkand?"


Uncle Braska?! Rikku thought. Rikku had to see what's up. Had she departed to the Farplane? They're all supposed to be dead! She scurried to her feet, curiosity driving herself up, not her aches and pains that resulted from the fall that she wasn't even conscious to feel. Bruises decorated her back with an unpleasant sight. Cuts scraped her back. So bad that you could almost feel their piercing pain for yourself. She looked down from where she laid. Ugh! Sick!


A pool of shimmering florescent, bright red blood was left behind her. Did I really lose that much blood? My fall was that bad...? What am I thinking!? It was the scariest thing ever!!


"So... uhh... Braska... where am I and what is this place?"


"You're in a place entitled Spira," began Braska.


"Spira?"


"It's a world dominated by the power of death and faith," Braska explained.


"Faith? Tch... what faith?" Jecht questioned, somewhat rude.


"Has the toxin made you that ignorant to your own home?! Our faith. The Teachings of Yevon. Our hope. Our guidance," Braska explained further.


"Yevon? Teachings? Is it like a school?"


"No! The Teachings of Yevon are the teachings on how to repent for our wrong deeds of using machina. It's the Teachings on how Sin was conceived and how it can be eliminated. It teaches us our hope and our future. Our future without Sin! A future where Sin never returns!" Braska passionately informed, with the utmost faith in the religion.


"Okay...," Jecht said, not really understanding any of it. What could he understand?


Rikku was deeply confused, listening to all of this being said. She listened up.


"You do not understand me? Do you?"


"Nope. Umm, do you know how to get back to Zanarkand? Your Spira looks nice and everything but I'd like to go back to my world. Zanarkand."


"Zanarkand is nothing but ruins, sir," Braska informed. "Zombie infested ruins. A holy land. Nobody resides there. I am sure you only had a dream of the place. Has it inflicted amnesia on you!? Are you okay?!" Braska erupted in concern about then.


"Uncle Braska?!" exclaimed Rikku. She scrambled to him. The path she lay was nearly by the two. They could have easily saw her but they were facing her opposite way.


"Oh, Rikku?" Braska inquired. "Where have you been? I almost worried! We were supposed to depart on the pilgrimage shortly!"


"Pilgrimage?" Jecht and Rikku said in unison. Rikku ran up next to her uncle.


"What's a pilgrimage?" Jecht questioned.


"Summoners... as I am... we go on a pilgrimage. We pray. At Temples of Yevon. We pray to find a way to defeat Sin. Spectacular creatures named Aeons live in the Fayth of each temple. We complete puzzles to unlock the Chamber of the Fayth. The puzzles are named by the precepts as the Cloister of Trials. We complete the puzzle, pray in the Chamber of the Fayth and we receive an Aeon if we are a worthy summoner," Braska explained in a nut shell.


"I don't get it," Jecht said.


"We attain Aeons at temples to train. To gain the Final Aeon... that's how we defeat Sin. We defeat Sin by summoning it and it has an ultimate advantage over Sin in the rough battle it takes to defeat it. I hope to bring a calm that lasts for eternity...,"


"Calm?" Rikku and Jecht said in unison again.


"Whatdya mean, Uncle Braska?!" Rikku urgently questioned. Didn't Yunie do that?! What's going on!? Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness... what did that accursed Farplane do!?!?!?!?!?!?! Rikku panicked in her mind.


"You know, Rikku! A forever-- an eternity-- free of Sin."


"Huh? You mean you beat it and it like... comes back or something?"


"Uh-hmm." Rikku said, trying to sound clued in, even though she could have been even more confused than Jecht at the moment.


"Then, what's the point of doing the pilgrim-age or whatever?" Jecht questioned.


"Too many questions for now, okay?" Rikku chimed in.


"Whatever you say, little lady," Jecht muttered.


"Did you just call me 'little lady'?I hate that!" Rikku exclaimed.


"I am so sorry," Jecht sarcastically replied.


"Hey, don't get sarcastic with me!" Rikku snapped.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Taking matters too light

How did this start a fight?

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo


Why did I tie them tight?

Double-knotted them tonight

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Braska giggled at the childish fight. "Break it up, now," Braska ordered. "You two should become acquainted as I run along and say good-bye to the town and think about a decision I am to make," he added.


"Uncle, can I come with you?" begged Rikku.


"No. You can tour Mister Jecht around our city. Show him the palace of St. Bevelle. It has nice displays-- I can assure it. Show him everything! He needs to refresh his memory. He came close to Sin's toxin and it affected him with the worst case of amnesia I have ever encountered."


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Diamonds and brass

Hid behind painted glass

In the heart of...

Cairo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


"Yes uncle," Rikku replied in a sigh. "Okay. My name is Rikku. Pleased to meet you. I will tour you around Bevelle I guess. It's a nice place, really. I'll renew your memory and hopefully you can go back to your home," Rikku informed, looking at Jecht with her warm emerald gaze.


Jecht blushed at her look. "Eh, I'm Jecht... and I have no idea what's going on but... okay," confessed the foreigner.


Trust me, I am just as confused as you are-- probably to a much higher degree... thought Rikku. She gazed around the whole city-- trying to act like she knew what was going on. "Follow me...," Rikku instructed, walking northern of their current position.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sinking in way too deep

I won't care what they think

Once I left for...

Cairo


Thinkin' about it too hard

Shouldn't take this too far

I'll end up in...

Cairo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


She felt like she was in a foreign world...


But she knew she was in her world...


Just didn't know how it happened...


Or exactly what happened...


All she knew is...


She was deeply confused...


And that she gave up her existence back then


And that thing's have changed...


For better...?


Or for worse...?


And... if she's not back then... or forward in time


Who's taking her place?



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

How did I find my way back in...

Cairo...?

Cairo...?!

Cairo...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


All can be found out...


When...


Or if...


She finishes her duty here...


And contemplates on a way to find her way back...


And if she doesn't...


Spira would never be the same...


And if she does...?


She would've changed it forever...


And history would be changed...


For better...?


Or for worse...?


We won't know...


Unless she does what's needed to be done...


If she can do what's needed to be done...


And if she can't...?


Best not think of the consequences...


Your life and the rest of Spira's...


Is riding on this poor Al Bhed...


Who dare challenged my curse...


Who's story I have to tell...


Who defied her father...


Who's story was true...


Now she believes...


My wrath has been set...


Mt wrath was already set...


Since those wretched creatures...


Trespassed on this Holy land...


What I protected...


What I will protect...


With my life...


And I already did so...


And now...


I will protect...


With the sacrifice...


Of all I have...


My soul...



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Walking oh so slowly

Don't know anybody

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo


Talking oh so quickly

Please explain what they mean

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo


Taking matters too light

How did this start a fight?

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo


Why did I tie them tight?

Double-knotted tonight

Feels like I'm in...

Cairo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


She knows nobody


Understands nobody


Pities all...


Feels for all...


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Diamonds and glass

Hid behind painted glass

In the heart of...

Cairo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Sees no materialistic need...


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sinking in way too deep

I won't care what they think

Once I left for...

Cairo


Thinkin' about it too hard

Shouldn't take this too far

I'll end up in...

Cairo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Ignorant to other's opinions...


Too thoughtful...


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

How did I find my way back in...

Cairo...?

Cairo...?!

Cairo...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Back into trouble she sees...


With her sacrilege attitude...


And her cheery self...


The only way out is...


By greed...


So now...


The Al Bhed shall not challenge...


The living dead's hate...


Towards them...


Hate them...


And it shall be so...


For the rest of forever...




~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Did that make you think!? Hopefully so! Now you know the mystery...

Now you know I'm not telling the story!

Now you know there's a crazed lunatic doing this!


I also told you that I'd put "In Cairo" somewhere in this fic!

That's the song used!

It's by Hot Hot Heat.

It's not mine!

R&R pease?

Thanks!