Chapter Fourteen

The rushing wind blew Tidus' hair all over the place.  He could only guess at what his speed is.  A hundred, a hundred and ten, his mind questioned.  It was by far the fastest he had ever gone in his life.  It seemed as if his skin was cracking due to the windburn.  He tightened his hand on the railing of the Rekrfeht.  As he glanced around the deck he saw his comrades in similar measure of discomfort.

He looked at Lulu, whose hair was flying more than Tidus' was.  She said something but he couldn't hear over the roar of the gale-force winds.  As he looked back toward Yuna, he noticed that her gaze was fixed on the edge of the deck.  Tidus' squeezed her hand in his and she glanced up at him.  As she smiled he realized what she was looking at.  The edge of the Airship, his mind thought.  The place where I jumped from the land of the living to the land of the not.  Tidus smiled back at her, trying to push that thought from both of their minds.  That smile could always make Yuna's heart melt.

They had been on the outside of the deck for what seems like hours now.  As soon as the airship touched down in Gagazet, it raced as fast as its engines could push it towards Besaid.  Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief when the village remained untouched.  Since then, everyone was racing to evacuate the island.  One would think that an airship as big as the Rekrfeht would hold the entire population of Besaid.  However, the village has been steady growing more and more populated in the past few years.  The airship held all but twenty-one.

Twenty-one people, Yuna thought solemnly.  Six families.  "We'll come back for you, I promise," she told the last twenty-one people who had terrified looks on their faces. 

"Head for the mountains on the west side of the island," Auron said.  "Find some type of shelter.  When you see the airship, come to the beach.  We'll meet you there."

And that was that.  It took an hour for everyone to get the passengers to Kilika safely.  Now, as the airship came racing back for the remaining Besaid refugees, Yuna thought that maybe, just maybe, they could pull it off.

As if on cue, Cid's voice came bellowing from the loudspeaker.

"Guys, we have a problem here," he said.

"What is it pops?" Rikku shouted so she could be heard over the roaring wind.

"We have another ship on the radar outside Besaid.  We're running its call number now to see what ship it is."

"I have a pretty good idea who it is," Auron said.

"It's the Alexander!" Cid's voice said.  "Flagship for the Assembly!"

"Oh no!!" Yuna said.  "What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to switch to Plan B," Cid answered.

"What is Plan B" Auron asked as casually as he could.

"Well," Cid said, obviously hesitating.  "I have about a half a payload of missiles here…" he continued, trailing off at the end to let the all of the implications set in.

"Dad!!" Rikku pleaded, clasping her hands together  "You know what the Assembly will do to us?    Do you know what they will do to me?  After all we've worked for!!  After doing so much to get the respect from the rest of Spira."

"Sorry Rikku," Cid said.  "But if they're going to attack Besaid, then I don't want their respect.  Hang on to somein' kiddo's"

Rikku opened her mouth to protest, but then promptly closed it.  She knew what her dad said was right, even if she didn't want to accept it.  Working for a corrupt assembly of delegates was just as bad as working with them.

"Ahh!!" she screamed as she covered her ears and eyes.  It seemed as if the entire right side of the airship had exploded.  She opened her eyes to see a dozen or so missiles streaking through the sky to a target on the horizon.  Then abruptly the target seemed to be set ablaze.  Rikku could see clearly that the ship was in a state of free-fall.  She felt as if her heart was sinking as quickly as the ship was.  A few seconds later the roar of the explosion could be heard well after they had seen it.

"Damn," Cid muttered over the intercom.  "Only a few of them got through."

Tidus watched as the Alexander, now distinctly visible, fire its thrusters and stabilize about thirty yards from the blue ocean floor.

"So what do we do now?"  Abel asked to anyone who wanted to listen.

"Plan C," Cid responded confidently.

"Wha's Plan C?" Wakka asked.

"I'm gonna get close," Cid started.  "And then I'm gonna fire the grappling hooks.  You guys can then slide down to the other ship below.  It'll be just like old times"

Before anyone had a chance to object, Tidus felt the airship sway to the right and go perpendicular to the Alexander below.

"You sure about this?" Yuna asked.  It was plain and obvious that she was the only one that was not apart of the sky sliding into Bevelle the last time.  Her and Abel of course, nobody considered him as being even an option.  He did surprise everyone when he asked for a weapon though.  One of the friendly Al Bhed handed him an assortment of weapons.  He reluctantly chose a shotgun.  Tidus remembers him mumbling something about using one as target practice.  That qualmed any idea in his mind that Abel is going to see battle any time soon.

"We'll," Cid said.  "I'm pretty sure.  There ain't no Plan D unless any of you numbskulls can come up with one."

The silence spoke volumes.

"We'll then," he said.  "You guys better do a gut check, cuz here we go!"  Immediately Tidus heard a series of dull thuds from the left side of the deck as the steel cables came flying outward towards their target fifty yards below.

Tidus stepped up to the edge of the deck while tentatively looking down.  He felt his heart beating rapidly as the adrenalin began to pour into his veins.  He took one last glance back at Yuna, who was gazing back into his bright blue eyes.  Tidus closed his eyes, trying to burn that image into his mind as he turned around, and stepped onto the cable.

Bullets whizzed by Tidus' head so fast that he didn't even know they were there until three seconds after they had passed.  He was sliding fast, dangerously fast.  He looked over to his right and saw Auron bending his knees and hunkering down on another cable.  It made him less of a target and lowered his center of gravity, thus enabling him to slide quicker.  He also noticed that Auron's right hand was resting on the hilt of his katana.

Tidus reached for his sword to follow suit.

The deck of the Alexander came rushing up towards them.  Auron leapt from the steel cables onto the deck, with his Katana held high.  Using all his force and inertia from the virtual free-fall from the other ship, he thrust his sword downward, cleaving a Crusader guard in two before he even had a chance to blink.  Tidus hit the ground running.  Using every ounce of momentum he had he thrust the Brotherhood into the left ribs of a Crusader.  He quickly pulled the blade as he raced by the mortally wounded solder, still at a high speed due to his own inertia.  He struck another Crusader right below the left collarbone.  He turned around to check if the rest of his comrades made it ok.

He turned around in time to catch a glimpse of Yuna as her feet hit the deck of the Alexander.  She immediately rolled forwards, momentum carrying her over twice.  She then stopped, hunched on one knee, face forward, and her guns blazing.  Tidus turned back around to resume fighting just in time to see a Crusader guard cracking him between the eyes with the blunt end of his rifle.  Tidus vision doubled as he fell backwards, flailing his arms as he tried to protect himself a second too late.  He stumbled backwards into Yuna's open arms.  By now the Crusader had turned his weapon around and was now aiming at the couple. 

Yuna shot first, sending blood and brain matter out the back of his head onto the wood floor of the deck below.

Abel felt as if he didn't belong.  As he looked around the deck of the Alexander, it seemed as if everything had broken out into pure chaos.  However there seemed to be something more, some kind of pattern, beneath it all.  Chemistry, his mind said.  These fighters all had chemistry between them, from fighting numerous battles in the past

Tidus and Yuna were inseparable, never being more than five yards apart.  Tidus was slashing his Brotherhood wickedly, taking off arms, heads, and other appendages as fast as he could, not even thinking about defense because he knew his girlfriend had his flank.  Yuna was always behind him, casting white magic and unloading clips as fast as she could.  One by one Crusaders fell to her bullets.  Auron was on the south side of the deck, slashing away at any fool who made the fatal mistake of coming near him.  Lulu, however was probably the most effective tactician.  Instead of hitting single enemies, she would cast Flare or Ultima into a large group of Crusaders, sending them scattering like cockroaches.  This completely broke up any chance the opposition had at forming an organized attack, which would wipe them all out if given the chance.  Wakka's attacks were barely lethal.  He could strike about anything, but his blitzball seldom had the power to kill.  So he developed an interesting attack pattern: knock the enemy out with sleep, and either leave them be or let Rikku or Kimahri take care of them.

Then there was Brother.  Instead of charging full ahead with the rest of the group, he fell back towards the back.  After a few minutes he wedged himself between the railing and a few crates on the east end of the deck, practically hiding from view.  Using his powerful rifle he began to use sniper tactics, killing any opposing Crusader at random.  The result usually was one shot-one kill going as fast as he could reload his rifle.

When Abel watched all of this, he felt as if he didn't belong. He really didn't know what he was thinking when he stepped onto the steel cable pointed downwards to the Alexander below.  If he had stayed on the airship then he knew he would be safe.  He really didn't know why he followed Lulu into the heat of battle.  And now, watching the chaos play out in front of him, he really wished he hadn't.  He looked down at his shotgun that he reluctantly accepted.  It seemed pitifully small in his hands.

Abel's gaze quickly shifted to his right, where a Crusader was bringing his sword up to bear.  Abel froze.  Terror gripped his nervous system and would not let go.  He tried to think but his mind felt as if molasses had been poured all over the gears in his head.  His gaze would not leave the eyes of the Crusader guard, even when he raised his sword.  He was smiling at Abel.  Suddenly the Crusader burst into flames, screaming in agony as his body convulsed and fell to the floor.  Behind him Lulu stepped into view.  She gave the shell-shocked businessman a wry smile.

Suddenly a shadow passed over Lulu's figure.  "Get down!" Abel screamed.  Without even thinking, Abel raised his shotgun up to bear at the same time the black mage dropped to her stomach.  Abel fired, sending the Crusader into a bloody mess.

Abel stood frozen for about ten seconds before he found his motor skills.  His facial expression was locked in terror as the repercussions of his action sank in.  I just killed a man, his mind repeated over and over.  Lulu, his mind thought.  He looked over to where the black mage was in what seemed like an eternity ago.  She was no longer there, moving farther into the field of battle.  Suddenly his vision jumped to his left, where another Crusader was readying his sword and coming for him.  Abel again fired without thinking.

Suddenly a great bestial roar erupted on the north end of the deck.  Yuna gasped as she saw Kimahri on his knees.  He was grabbing his right arm as a pool of blood started forming on the deck below him.  There was an obvious gunshot wound on his left shoulder.  "Kimahri!' Yuna yelled.  She then closed her eyes and focused her mind.  With a great deal of concentration she casted curaga on her fallen comrade.  It was then that another roar came from Kimahri, except this one was in determination and rage, and not of pain.  Yuna opened her eyes to see the Ronso plunge his spear into the jugular of the Crusader guard that shot him.  He then withdrew it and swiped the face of another one in one swift motion.  Yuna turned back around and resumed fighting.

Somewhere lost in this was Abel.  He was crawling on his hands and knees up the stairs on the far side of the deck. Once he reached the top of the stairs he hunkered down next to a dead body that was propped up against the railing.  Pure adrenalin was pumping through his veins now, causing his breathing to come in gasps.  His shotgun rattled in his hands, causing it to hit the support beam with a loud clang.  Abel quickly cursed himself.  His attempt to be stealth could have been ruined in one quick nervous action.  He took a deep breath, and tried to calm down.  He tried to focus on his target.

On the count of three, he ordered himself.  One…two…three.  In one swift motion he raised his shotgun and took aim at his target.  He shoved the butt of his gun up against his right shoulder, closing his left eye in the process.  He maneuvered the sights of the gun so that a figure was in the middle.

The Grand Marshall to the Assembly of Representatives of Spira, Lord Luzzu, was now in his crosshairs.

Whether or not it was Abel's sudden motion, or something caught the corner of his eye, or maybe it was the feeling that you get when you are being watched.  Whatever it was, something caused Luzzu to turn his way.  When he saw that he was now prey, he did something that most people couldn't do.  He smiled at Abel.  It was a mocking smile; one that said: "I bet you don't have what it takes."  Abel tightened his grip on the trigger.

It was then that Abel thought about what he was soon to do.  The man who had been his mentor, his leader, and his father figure in the last two years was now the same man he was aiming to kill.  The most powerful man in Spira was in his sights.  But Luzzu was more than that to him.  He had taken Abel in, and promised him the world.  Abel's hand fell from the gun.  I can't, he thought.

"Do it Abel!" came a cool authoritative voice from behind him.  He had no idea that Auron was even watching him.  "Do it now!" he commanded.

Suddenly Luzzu was in his sights again.  But this time it wasn't the same Luzzu that Abel had known before.  The one that he was looking at was the one who was corrupted by greed and power.  This was the man who seeks world domination.  This was the man who deceived many, and who had deceived him.  Luzzu had turned his back on him.  Luzzu had killed an innocent infant.  Abel fired his weapon.

The bullets bounced harmlessly off of the protect shield in front of Luzzu.

It was then that Luzzu's smile widened.  It was a smile of a man who knew he had victory in the palm of his hand.  Abel cursed himself for being so ignorant and stupid.

Suddenly Luzzu closed his eyes and bowed his head.  A cold chill blew through the deck of the ship.  Abel could feel some form of evil radiating from his old mentor in thick, bloated waves.  Fear gripped the pit of his stomach and would not let go.  Below the ship, the ocean waves started to rise.

"Levathian come forth!!" Luzzu said, his voice booming so everyone could hear him.  The waves grew even choppier as they started to turn over and crash below the battle.  Somewhere, underneath the water, a shrill cry came from a summoned beast.

Yuna had enough experience with Aeons to know what that cry meant for them.  Whenever an Aeon is summoned, the person who called it, and all of their battle allies are unscathed.  However, the opposing force takes the full blunt of the attack.  Yuna didn't like the idea of this.  Immediately she broke her concentration from attacking to looking for some place of refuge, or hopefully, some place of safety.

The waves had grown even larger, now rising up to no less than a few feet below the Alexander's hull.  Another bestial cry was heard as something crashed up through the deep blue water below them.  It was a serpent, with wings on its back and two red locks of hair behind each ear that flowed down its scaly body.  It had burning red eyes that seemed to be locked on Tidus.

The war on the deck of the ship had ceased as soldiers from each side gawked at the beast before them.  Some stared in amazement, and some stared in fear.  Tidus broke his gaze away to search for some kind of protection.  After a few seconds of panicked thought he slid across the floor of the deck towards the edge of the airship.  He whipped his legs around the base of the railing while jamming the rest of his body underneath it.  He bear-hugged the handrail as tight as he could.  He turned his face to find Yuna.  He saw her no more than ten feet away.  She had wrapped a rope around her arms.  Tidus tried to follow the rope with his eyes to see if it was attached to something.  But in the chaos of everyone running around scared he couldn't quite tell.  I just hope it's attached to something solid, he thought.  His eyes then returned to the creature as it let out another roar.  Fear twisted up his nervous system as he saw what was behind it:  A hundred foot tidal wave, coming towards them with blinding speed.

Tidus tore his eyes from the scene to find Yuna, one last time.  She looked afraid, and for good reason.  But her face showed something else. Bravery, his mind thought.  If she was going to get through this, it was going to be with his help.  Tidus' eyes said everything Yuna wanted to hear at that moment.

"I love…"

The tidal wave struck with the force of a concrete wall.

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Author's notes

1—A couple of things.  For starters, my hard drive decided that it wouldn't like me anymore.  Thus it died and took everything with it, which includes this story.  I lost ALL of this chapter and what I had written for the next seven chapters.  I like to plan things out ahead of time.  Plus it allows me to revise and edit the chapters many times before I post them.  In this case, I had no such luxury because I had to re-write all this from scratch.  So if my grammar is a bit off, or if my spelling is shady, or if something just doesn't feel quite like the other chapters did, I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could really do about it.

2—Squaresoft owns everything.

3—Thanks to the kids, you know who you are.  Blurry, thanks for continually supportive.  GG crono 4, hmph, if my work has interested you, then I've accomplished my goal.  Starlight, thanks for the suggestion.  Don't worry, Lulu is going to get her revenge; I just couldn't squeeze it in this way.  Maths and SG, yeah I know, Auron is supposed to be dead.  I'll explain his, um, development next time.  Oh, and SG, I know I'm a horrible person.  It comes with the package.  Twoflower?  Interesting….  Although it may seem that Abel is a prominent figure, I'm only gonna use him as an objective view when it's needed.  I'm not much on serious character insertion unless it's done just perfect.  And yeah, I've been kinda waiting on A Single Prayer.  But take your time and get it right.

4—Thanks to the newest kid:  Ichabod. I appreciate the words.  If my work has inspired you to start writing, well, that's about the best thing a writer can ever hope to do.  I appreciate what you said.  And as far as the blitzball thing.  Hmmm, it's a point well taken.  Now that I've lost all the material I had written, then maybe I can rework it for a BB game, but of course in the raunchy style that is my own.  I'll give it a thought.  Suggestions are always appreciated, just ask SG.  (BTW, no more descriptive clothing.  One of your many valid points)

5—I hope to get another chapter out soon, but I'm going to take my time with it and re-write it just the way it's supposed to be.