Sorry for the late update; too much homework and sad attempts to improve my drawing have kept me from writing. Of course, laziness and a little game called Xenogears might have had something to do with it too…
For anyone who's wondering, "Kirei na Kanjou" translates to "Pure Emotions" or "Beautiful Feelings" or something like that. I actually don't know any Japanese (except for the simple words that I've learned from anime and manga…). You can find a translation of "Kirei na Kanjou" (which is a song from Noir) at www.animelyrics.com
Leviathan seems to be the favorite character of most people… I guess I have to include him more in my story then. Oh, since I keep forgetting, I should probably put it here. The aeon form of Leviathan is taken from Leviathan in FFVIII (the attack, appearance, etc.), and I take no credit for it. Fayth-Leviathan is mine. All mine. Kakakaka. ^-^
Kirei na Kanjou
Ku didn't face him. She couldn't, not after everything he had said, everything he claimed to have done. Most of all, she couldn't get over the fact that he had still protected her, even when she wouldn't summon him.
"Why did you help me?" she asked, her back still to the Fayth. "I didn't… need it, you know."
Leviathan laughed quietly, not the laugh that he had been doing recently, but a cynical laugh. It reminded her of the man she had met in Zanarkand the day she had been brought to Spira.
Do you really believe you would have made it out alive?
She almost turned around, but stopped herself. She couldn't think of anything to say to the intimidating presence behind her. "…Yes."
You do not put up a very convincing argument. Did you know that Condors are very independent creatures? They never attack in groups.
"What are you saying? That they just happened to join together to attack us?"
To attack you, maybe. Fate will alter many things to get to you.
Ku started picking at a loose thread on her sleeve to keep herself occupied. She wished that Leviathan couldn't see her anytime he wanted, that she could have some privacy. That way, he wouldn't be able to always tell her things that she didn't want to hear. But it was impossible.
She tried to change the subject instead. "Why do you want to see me all the time? Don't you think that I just want to sleep once in a while?"
You are sleeping. This is simply… a dream.
She threw her arms to the sides, upset. "Maybe I don't want to dream! Maybe I… maybe I just want to sleep…Dreamless sleep…"
He turned around to her back and shook his head sadly.
You are going to have to accept your dreams. You and dreams are more closely related than you might think.
Ku spun around to meet the Fayth's eyes. "What?"
He laughed, kinder this time, like one would laugh around a child. He bent down so he was eye-level with her.
I do not think you should know yet… not until you have gone farther in your journey. You should not be hindered by what little I know about you.
Ku sighed, then nodded to Leviathan. He seemed to know a lot more about things than he would reveal, and she knew better than to pry. Still, sometimes she just wanted him to share everything he knew to her. Her thoughts must have shown on her face, because Leviathan answered.
Please understand, Ku. It is not that I do not want you to know. It is just better this way.
"I understand," she said. "But, I want to know more…" She paused momentarily. "…about you. About your story."
The Fayth looked surprised, then relieved. He nodded, then made one last comment before sending her back to reality.
I will tell you more of my story. But that is for another day…
Ku woke up to find herself staring at a ceiling made up of wooden planks. The bed rocked slowly back and forth, the same effect she got when she was on the Al Bhed salvage ship.
Sitting up, she could clearly see her surroundings from the bed in the corner. The room was empty. A few bags of luggage were scattered around, most of them holding just a few necessities. A few of the planks on the floor were cracked or curved upwards in their old age, and the boat creaked unsteadily with each movement. Looking out of the window, Ku could see a wide blue ocean. There was no land anywhere in sight.
She tried to get off the bed when she felt a stinging in her upper right leg which kept her from moving farther. Memories of the day before and the attack of the Condors returned to her, and she remembered the injury Valefor had received. She had realized long ago that Aeons and Summoners shared some sort of bond, but she had never imagined that it would even allow them to share their injuries. There was no cut on her leg where the pain emitted from, just a few scrapes from when she had fallen, but a crudely wrapped bandage had still been put on. Thoughts about what Leviathan had told her about Condor behavior also bothered her, but she shook those from her mind, not wanting to be bothered by them.
Ku tried to move again, managing to slide off of the bed. She hopped over to the door by clutching some protrusions that stuck out from the wall, and opened the door. Limping out, she dragged herself up the stairs and onto the deck.
On the salvage ship, she had only been on deck for a little while before resting. They had barely been out of port, and Bikanel Island had still been in view, so the feeling she got from the deck on this ship was much different.
Wind hit her in the face, her hair whipping around her uncontrollably. The smell of salt met her, and she was enveloped in the scent. The pain in her leg came back unexpectedly, and she stumbled a few steps and held onto the sides of the boat to steady herself.
"Can't even stand on your own two feet, ya?"
Without turning around, Ku recognized the voice. It was practically impossible not to, with the strong Besaidian accent attached to it. "Wakka, right?" she said, more as a statement than a question. "My guardian and I aren't trying to cause you any trouble. We just need to get to Kilika and Luca."
Wakka leaned on the rail next to her. He shook his head confidently. "Nah, I ain't tryin' to bug you. Just wanted to say, I'm sorry for all da things I said back there, ya? And… thanks from da Besaid Aurochs for savin' us from those Condors. Don't know why they were after us, but you helped us a lot back there."
Ku laughed ironically, then turned her face to the sky. "Funny that you're thanking me for something I caused…"
"Huh?" was the confused reply.
She shook her head gloomily and waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind. It doesn't matter." She turned back to him and smiled. "But thanks, Wakka. You helped a lot back there too, with your blitzball and everything. You saved me and Brother a lot of time."
Wakka pushed himself off of the railing. "Sorry, Ku, but I still don't agree wit' your pilgrimage, ya? Not as long as you got that Al Bhed with ya! No offense or nothin' but--"
"I understand, Wakka. Don't worry about it." Ku thought about how many times she had 'understood' people, when she really didn't. More than she could count, at least.
"Ya, well, good luck!" He ran to the open part of the deck, where the other Besaid Aurochs were practicing. She wondered if it could be called practicing, since looked more like they were just hitting themselves in the heads with blitzballs or falling over. The fact that they hadn't won a single game in their whole career made her wonder just how bad they were.
Sighing, she turned back to the ocean in front of her. It was so wide and calm, but it always evoked memories that she wanted to forget. Thoughts about Zanarkand, about her pilgrimage, about Leviathan, and about Fate, all of them bothered her in one way or another. All of her good memories flitted away in seconds, leaving the Summoner to once again think of all the bad things that had happened or would happen.
I wonder if I'll ever get back to Zanarkand, she thought. Even if I do, what'll I do there? It's not like I had the greatest life there… I think I like it better in Spira, really. Maybe I can stay here instead. But… Leviathan said that Fate sent those Condors. If Fate's really trying to get rid of me, then…
"Ku!" This voice was also familiar to her, and it also had a strong accent, though it was one she was more accustomed to. Turning around, she saw her guardian, Brother, walking towards her.
"Ku," he said, "Tu oui vaam famm huf?" (Ku, do you feel well now?)
She nodded to him. "Oac, E vaam paddan. So mak cdemm rindc y meddma, pid hud silr." (Yes, I feel better. My leg still hurts a little, but not much.) She picked at her sleeve again, a nervous habit she had picked up. "Um… thanks for helping me back in Besaid. And I'm sorry for fainting again."
Brother laughed. "Oui tu vyehd y mud." (You do faint a lot.)
She gave a small giggle and smiled. "E ys milgo du ryja y kiynteyh fru femm lynno sa ynuiht, drah." (I am lucky to have a guardian who will carry me around, then.) She placed a hand on his shoulder, then pulled back in embarrassment and looked back to the ocean.
Brother leaned on the rail where Wakka had been. For some reason, Ku had the distinct impression that this very scene had happened before, but ignored the feeling.
"Oui cruimt nacd ihdem fa naylr Kilika," (You should rest until we reach Kilika,) he said. "E tu hud fyhd oui du vyehd ykyeh." (I do not want you to faint again.) The serious way that he said it made them both break out into laughter, earning a few sideways glances from the crewmembers.
After a few minutes, Ku was able to regain her breath long enough to answer, "E femm." (I will.) They started laughing again at the incredibly un-funny comment, and Ku realized how foolish it seemed to be laughing so much about it. It didn't bother her though. She was finally able to really be happy, not the fake cover she had put up for so long in her life. Ku had never seen her guardian act this way either, so it was an interesting new twist to their journey.
"I guess," she paused to catch her breath, "I should go"-another pause-"and check some of our supplies."
Brother nodded, his regular attitude back. "E fyhd du muug ynuiht dra talg cusa suna. E femm pa tufh mydan." (I want to look around the deck some more. I will be down later.) He waved, then walked back to where the Besaid Aurochs were situated.
Ku limped back to the stairs, the pain in her leg apparent once more. Almost falling down the stairs, she stopped in front of the merchant on the ship and bought a few extra Potions that had been used up. Finally, she arrived back at the small room she had started in. She laid down on the bed and started thinking again, looking out the window at the waves again. This time, though, they brought thoughts that she actually wanted to remember.
Ku smiled, closed her eyes, and felt herself being pulled back into sleep, into the place that gave her the most pain, even more than the pain in her leg she was feeling now. She tried to stay awake as long as she could, but the battle was futile. Within minutes, she was back in the world where Leviathan waited.
Aahhh… another bad ending! Too many bad endings are getting to my poor little head. O.o
This chapter seemed weird. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, really. Then again, I didn't exactly have a plan for it anyways.
I have to figure out a way for Cacty to play a part in this story. Rather than just being there and scaring people.
Next Chapter: Kilika! And a few new characters, though they won't play a huge part until later. ^^
