Yup. I updated with not one, but two chapters in one day!
Think of it as making up for the Auron and Lulu scene. Whew.
Rest assured, he in no way responded to the woman who needs
a shirt. Bwuah!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Stay on your guard."
Rikku offered a quick nod as she came to stand besides the man who weilded a massive sword upon his shoulder. The tempered ebon blade, and flaming highlights which branded the odd metal weapon, the circular indents.. It was none other than his Masamune. Rikku's weapon wasn't her legendary one, for it was quite the useless weight without it's proper powerups.. So she had been armed with a simple claw; with a poison touch.
The area about them went silent as they awaited the fiend's appearance. Lizards, Chimeras, Elements, they were all common in this area. Rikku only hoped the fiend wouldn't cause a great disturbance, and would be handled with ease. A growl. Though, when nothing sprung forth to challenge them, Rikku's patience began to wan.
"Aur--"
"Shh." He hushed her, russet ocular narrowed in concentration as he tried his best to hear for something. The fiend was retreating. A hiss. "This way." Once again, he tightened his grip upon the hilt of his blade and headed farther off, Rikku could only follow as she protested.
"If the fiend is moving away from camp, why should we bother?"
".. we wait for the Chimera to bring it's friends?"
Rikku blinked, averting her gaze to the path ahead as they ran.. Only to abruptly come to a sliding halt when Auron stopped suddenly. How does he know what it is? And bring it's friends? Reinforcements? Rikku pondered. It seemed odd that a Chimera would turn tail to get more fiends. Sure, smaller fiends came in groups of maybe three, sometimes even a rare four when wasps were about.. But Chimeras usually traveled alone and occassionally in pairs; it was odd for one to turn back to find another.
Though, Auron had been through this forest many times before, as a guardian and a warrior monk. He had grown accustomed to the distinctive sounds the fiends in this vicinity as well as many others. It didn't take a genius to identify a Chimera.. A hiss, a grow, a snort, a squawk.. He also knew very well the solitary nature of these massive creatures, and how uncharacteristic of one it was to turn back from battle.. The moment he realized the creature was retreating, he knew it was accompanied.. By what? A Guado.
There was no doubt in his mind one of Maester Seymour's former servants was up to this. Guados were able to hold some power above fiends, including, if not especially Chimeras.. They had used fiends chasing the group away from the Macalania Temple, and fought along the creatures in the assault of the Al Bhed Home. They were also quite common in Macalania, due to the fact that Guadosalam was not too far away.. Many a time the group had encountered Guados and their fiends in battles, and most of the time, the Guados prefered to be in pairs.. So he had suspected the fiend and it's master had turned tail to find their companions.
Why would a Guado be after them? Yuna and her guardians were no longer friends of the Guado people after disposing of their Maester. Though his true intent was vicious, he was their own light of hope and link to the Bevelle hierchy. The only reason the group had gone through Guadosalam unapposed so many times was the fact Guados lacked the spirit to fight back.. With the exception of a few, such as Tromell, and a handful of daring Guados who would oppose Yuna and her troop.
Auron was running ahead, and Rikku was bringing up the rear.. Though soon, his pace began to slow as another series of sounds began to emerge from new directions. Furtively, the lanky form of a Guado slipped about from around a tree. He was the average Guado, erratic forest hued hair, nose high collar, drab attire.. Slinking out besides it's master was a Chimera.
"How did you know to follow me?" The guado prompted.
Auron's smirk was so faint it couldn't be detected, even if one could see past his collar. "I knew the Chimera was not alone."
"Oh.. Then I am sure you saw this coming, too." The guado formed a grin, though that toxic smile was also hidden by a collar similar to Auron's. It was then a muffled yelp was heard, and Auron quickly turned about, one hand extended; palm outwards.. The other one grasping tightly the hilt of his Masamune, ready to attack. To his shock, it was to discover Rikku squirming and struggling in the constraining grasp of another Guado, who was accompanied by a nidhogg. The man's lengthy arms ancased about the girl, slender digits mufflin her countenance so that she couldn't cry out. The guado took care to restrain her clawed arm so that she could not inflict damage, nor a status ailment in the process of her thrashing.
Auron knew the odds were against them.
He cursed beneath his breath, turning back to face the speaking guado. "Leave us be." It was amazing to Rikku how calm he could be, despite the situation.. Especially in her case. The scene was silent for a moment, and in the idle waiting period the fiends began to snarl impatiently. The Chimera's handler was the fiirst to shatter the silence with a hearty, yet disturbingly relaxed chuckle. Wiping his eye with a slender finger.
"Ah.. You murder our Maester, yet wish us to express mercy upon you?"
Auron remained silent. The guado knew of the sphere Jyscal left behind, however, it was a rule that humans not meddle in the affairs of the other races of Spira. It was of no use for the scarlet guardian to argue his case, and in no way was he compelled to plee for their lieves, despite their comprimising situation.
"Very well, be silent." The guado gestured to his companion who moved cautiously about Auron, Rikku still confined in his arms, crimson dragon following behind him. Soon the two guado stood side by side, as did their fiends. "We shall spare you on one condition."
"And if I obey that condition, will our campsite remain undisturbed?" Auron's brow furrowed, single russet spherical narrowed tensely behind his lenses. Rikku was fatigued from her struggle in the guado's arms, and had reluctantly given up. It was best she preserve her energy.
"Certainly." Quite charmingly, and eloquently spoken by the guado.. Almost in the fashion the Maester himself would have spoken it.
"And the condition." Not phrased as a question, as so often Auron tended to do such.
"That the girl remain in our custody."
Rikku shook her head, trying to yell through the palm of the second guado's hand. Auron arched a brow at such an odd request. What could the guado want with her?
"Is that really neccessary?"
"The Al Bhed, heathens of machina, are the living embodiment of our past sins. They have summoned Sin upon us." The guado inhaled, and continued. "The Maester Seymour taught us this. He told us what Jyscal would not.. That if we, the Guado's, brought the Al Bhed to justice.. Yevon would accept us with open arms. During our attack on the Al Bhed Home, we were praised by the Maesters."
"So, you believed you were beginning a holy war? Your attack on Bikanel?"
"We are very well aware how different we look, how strange we are to the eyes of many. We have never truly been accepted into Yevon, with the exception of Jyscal, and Seymour.. Though, now they are both dead, thanks to your lady Summoner.. We are the lonely peoples of Spira who dwell by a realm of death, the Farplane. If we were to make ourselves great, rid the world of the living Sins, the Al Bhed.. We can be accepted... We can very well overlook the crimes you and your summoner has commited, and seize a bigger prize. The dissension and destruction of the Al Bhed."
"And you intend to do so with the possession of one girl?"
"We know very well who's daughter this is."
"I have seen very few guado's who have expressed the spirit to fight.. Even against us, those accused of murdering your 'beloved' Maester."
"Fighting against your summoner is nothing more than revenge. Not everybody is willing to sacrifice themselves for what has already been lost. The liberation of the Guado people, and the destruction of the Al Bhed is a very real possibility. That, that we will fight for. Myself and my companion are dedicated to renewing the holy war against the Al Bhed.. As of now, nobody else shares our passion.. Though, if we return with the girl, the people will fight."
Rikku's spiral sphericals were moist, brimming with tears.. Though they also possesed a subdued anger. It seemed as if a sadness had overwhelmed the anger she had for their words, their contempt.. Though it wasn't what they said, or their possible plans that her settled in a melancholy emotion.. They had only inspired the anger that was drowning in her despair.. It was Auron's possible decision. It was a choice between her, and her people.. Or his duty as a guardian, his promises to Jecht and Braska.
Sure, there was a very good chance that the guados they were dealing with were nothing more than lunatics. It was doubtful they could ever raise a strong resistance against the Al Bhed, especially with the current condition of the temples.. And so the scale was tipped even more. It was a choice between Rikku, and his promises, his duty..
If he were to choose Rikku, not only would they have to fend off a Chimera, a Nidhogg, and two Guados on their own.. That was, if Rikku could escape the grasp of the guado.. Otherwise Auron was on his own. If they were to fail, the guados would go after the others.
If he were to let them take her, his summoner, his promise to Jecht, and the rest of the group would be spared. The possible lives of the others in exchange for one girl.
"Make your decision."
Auron hesitated. He weighed the possibilities.. And though he was reluctant to admit it, he had a decade's worth of promises, and a life's worth of training weighted against Rikku on the scale of priorities. It was selfish of them both, to choose the option of going against the guados. They were lucky in the first place that such an offer was made, the guados could've very well outnumbered them and just headed for the camp.
His voice was uncertain as he spoke.. Cracking with a hesitant tone that Rikku had never heard him speak. He gazed directly towards a wide eyed and frightened young girl, a discontent frown forming along the features of his visage. Something ached for him to make this choice, pressed him to make this choice.. But something else in his body protested, ripping away at him. There was a fight, a dispute taking place between his morals and his own wants.
"I.. I'm sorry.."
- - - - -
Oh no! Aaaaah! The suspense! Poor Rikku.
BWAUAHAHA!
- gets tied up in a long white coat and hauled off. -
Think of it as making up for the Auron and Lulu scene. Whew.
Rest assured, he in no way responded to the woman who needs
a shirt. Bwuah!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Stay on your guard."
Rikku offered a quick nod as she came to stand besides the man who weilded a massive sword upon his shoulder. The tempered ebon blade, and flaming highlights which branded the odd metal weapon, the circular indents.. It was none other than his Masamune. Rikku's weapon wasn't her legendary one, for it was quite the useless weight without it's proper powerups.. So she had been armed with a simple claw; with a poison touch.
The area about them went silent as they awaited the fiend's appearance. Lizards, Chimeras, Elements, they were all common in this area. Rikku only hoped the fiend wouldn't cause a great disturbance, and would be handled with ease. A growl. Though, when nothing sprung forth to challenge them, Rikku's patience began to wan.
"Aur--"
"Shh." He hushed her, russet ocular narrowed in concentration as he tried his best to hear for something. The fiend was retreating. A hiss. "This way." Once again, he tightened his grip upon the hilt of his blade and headed farther off, Rikku could only follow as she protested.
"If the fiend is moving away from camp, why should we bother?"
".. we wait for the Chimera to bring it's friends?"
Rikku blinked, averting her gaze to the path ahead as they ran.. Only to abruptly come to a sliding halt when Auron stopped suddenly. How does he know what it is? And bring it's friends? Reinforcements? Rikku pondered. It seemed odd that a Chimera would turn tail to get more fiends. Sure, smaller fiends came in groups of maybe three, sometimes even a rare four when wasps were about.. But Chimeras usually traveled alone and occassionally in pairs; it was odd for one to turn back to find another.
Though, Auron had been through this forest many times before, as a guardian and a warrior monk. He had grown accustomed to the distinctive sounds the fiends in this vicinity as well as many others. It didn't take a genius to identify a Chimera.. A hiss, a grow, a snort, a squawk.. He also knew very well the solitary nature of these massive creatures, and how uncharacteristic of one it was to turn back from battle.. The moment he realized the creature was retreating, he knew it was accompanied.. By what? A Guado.
There was no doubt in his mind one of Maester Seymour's former servants was up to this. Guados were able to hold some power above fiends, including, if not especially Chimeras.. They had used fiends chasing the group away from the Macalania Temple, and fought along the creatures in the assault of the Al Bhed Home. They were also quite common in Macalania, due to the fact that Guadosalam was not too far away.. Many a time the group had encountered Guados and their fiends in battles, and most of the time, the Guados prefered to be in pairs.. So he had suspected the fiend and it's master had turned tail to find their companions.
Why would a Guado be after them? Yuna and her guardians were no longer friends of the Guado people after disposing of their Maester. Though his true intent was vicious, he was their own light of hope and link to the Bevelle hierchy. The only reason the group had gone through Guadosalam unapposed so many times was the fact Guados lacked the spirit to fight back.. With the exception of a few, such as Tromell, and a handful of daring Guados who would oppose Yuna and her troop.
Auron was running ahead, and Rikku was bringing up the rear.. Though soon, his pace began to slow as another series of sounds began to emerge from new directions. Furtively, the lanky form of a Guado slipped about from around a tree. He was the average Guado, erratic forest hued hair, nose high collar, drab attire.. Slinking out besides it's master was a Chimera.
"How did you know to follow me?" The guado prompted.
Auron's smirk was so faint it couldn't be detected, even if one could see past his collar. "I knew the Chimera was not alone."
"Oh.. Then I am sure you saw this coming, too." The guado formed a grin, though that toxic smile was also hidden by a collar similar to Auron's. It was then a muffled yelp was heard, and Auron quickly turned about, one hand extended; palm outwards.. The other one grasping tightly the hilt of his Masamune, ready to attack. To his shock, it was to discover Rikku squirming and struggling in the constraining grasp of another Guado, who was accompanied by a nidhogg. The man's lengthy arms ancased about the girl, slender digits mufflin her countenance so that she couldn't cry out. The guado took care to restrain her clawed arm so that she could not inflict damage, nor a status ailment in the process of her thrashing.
Auron knew the odds were against them.
He cursed beneath his breath, turning back to face the speaking guado. "Leave us be." It was amazing to Rikku how calm he could be, despite the situation.. Especially in her case. The scene was silent for a moment, and in the idle waiting period the fiends began to snarl impatiently. The Chimera's handler was the fiirst to shatter the silence with a hearty, yet disturbingly relaxed chuckle. Wiping his eye with a slender finger.
"Ah.. You murder our Maester, yet wish us to express mercy upon you?"
Auron remained silent. The guado knew of the sphere Jyscal left behind, however, it was a rule that humans not meddle in the affairs of the other races of Spira. It was of no use for the scarlet guardian to argue his case, and in no way was he compelled to plee for their lieves, despite their comprimising situation.
"Very well, be silent." The guado gestured to his companion who moved cautiously about Auron, Rikku still confined in his arms, crimson dragon following behind him. Soon the two guado stood side by side, as did their fiends. "We shall spare you on one condition."
"And if I obey that condition, will our campsite remain undisturbed?" Auron's brow furrowed, single russet spherical narrowed tensely behind his lenses. Rikku was fatigued from her struggle in the guado's arms, and had reluctantly given up. It was best she preserve her energy.
"Certainly." Quite charmingly, and eloquently spoken by the guado.. Almost in the fashion the Maester himself would have spoken it.
"And the condition." Not phrased as a question, as so often Auron tended to do such.
"That the girl remain in our custody."
Rikku shook her head, trying to yell through the palm of the second guado's hand. Auron arched a brow at such an odd request. What could the guado want with her?
"Is that really neccessary?"
"The Al Bhed, heathens of machina, are the living embodiment of our past sins. They have summoned Sin upon us." The guado inhaled, and continued. "The Maester Seymour taught us this. He told us what Jyscal would not.. That if we, the Guado's, brought the Al Bhed to justice.. Yevon would accept us with open arms. During our attack on the Al Bhed Home, we were praised by the Maesters."
"So, you believed you were beginning a holy war? Your attack on Bikanel?"
"We are very well aware how different we look, how strange we are to the eyes of many. We have never truly been accepted into Yevon, with the exception of Jyscal, and Seymour.. Though, now they are both dead, thanks to your lady Summoner.. We are the lonely peoples of Spira who dwell by a realm of death, the Farplane. If we were to make ourselves great, rid the world of the living Sins, the Al Bhed.. We can be accepted... We can very well overlook the crimes you and your summoner has commited, and seize a bigger prize. The dissension and destruction of the Al Bhed."
"And you intend to do so with the possession of one girl?"
"We know very well who's daughter this is."
"I have seen very few guado's who have expressed the spirit to fight.. Even against us, those accused of murdering your 'beloved' Maester."
"Fighting against your summoner is nothing more than revenge. Not everybody is willing to sacrifice themselves for what has already been lost. The liberation of the Guado people, and the destruction of the Al Bhed is a very real possibility. That, that we will fight for. Myself and my companion are dedicated to renewing the holy war against the Al Bhed.. As of now, nobody else shares our passion.. Though, if we return with the girl, the people will fight."
Rikku's spiral sphericals were moist, brimming with tears.. Though they also possesed a subdued anger. It seemed as if a sadness had overwhelmed the anger she had for their words, their contempt.. Though it wasn't what they said, or their possible plans that her settled in a melancholy emotion.. They had only inspired the anger that was drowning in her despair.. It was Auron's possible decision. It was a choice between her, and her people.. Or his duty as a guardian, his promises to Jecht and Braska.
Sure, there was a very good chance that the guados they were dealing with were nothing more than lunatics. It was doubtful they could ever raise a strong resistance against the Al Bhed, especially with the current condition of the temples.. And so the scale was tipped even more. It was a choice between Rikku, and his promises, his duty..
If he were to choose Rikku, not only would they have to fend off a Chimera, a Nidhogg, and two Guados on their own.. That was, if Rikku could escape the grasp of the guado.. Otherwise Auron was on his own. If they were to fail, the guados would go after the others.
If he were to let them take her, his summoner, his promise to Jecht, and the rest of the group would be spared. The possible lives of the others in exchange for one girl.
"Make your decision."
Auron hesitated. He weighed the possibilities.. And though he was reluctant to admit it, he had a decade's worth of promises, and a life's worth of training weighted against Rikku on the scale of priorities. It was selfish of them both, to choose the option of going against the guados. They were lucky in the first place that such an offer was made, the guados could've very well outnumbered them and just headed for the camp.
His voice was uncertain as he spoke.. Cracking with a hesitant tone that Rikku had never heard him speak. He gazed directly towards a wide eyed and frightened young girl, a discontent frown forming along the features of his visage. Something ached for him to make this choice, pressed him to make this choice.. But something else in his body protested, ripping away at him. There was a fight, a dispute taking place between his morals and his own wants.
"I.. I'm sorry.."
- - - - -
Oh no! Aaaaah! The suspense! Poor Rikku.
BWAUAHAHA!
- gets tied up in a long white coat and hauled off. -