Chapter 6: A Spy's Tragedy
Maechan's mission as a spy had started five years ago before the war started. Bevelle was already alarmed by the growing number of great summoners in Zanarkand. The Maester simply would not allow that to happen. They had to control their growing in number.
Inside the council, he had called one of the greatest scholars, an old man, Maechan. He was the best suited for the job as a spy. Who would, after all, think that an old man could do harm? Most of all, Maechan was in debt to the prime minister.
"Greetings Maechan!" Mika exclaimed.
"Oh… Errr… Good day Prime Minister. It is an honor that you have called me in your presence. What can I do for the prime minister?" He asked hesitantly.
"I want you to go to Zanarkand."
"Zanarkand, but may I know why?"
"I need someone to spy on them. It is very alarming that the summoners' strength have grown especially by Yevon's rule."
"But they are not doing any harm… I dare not say that you are planning a war?" He scratched his head as if confused.
"You can put it that way. I cannot jeopardize Bevelle's fate. It's better if we start and not them. Anyway, they will soon start a war themselves sooner or later." Mika replied.
"But… Zanarkand does not believe in violence… I'm sure they won't…"
"Silence! I don't need any explanations! You still owe me, Maechan."
Maechan remembered his debt to the prime minister. It was a long time ago when he was imprisoned, because of a crime. He was accused of murdering a fellow scholar. He pleaded not guilty, but all the evidences pointed to him as the culprit. Everyone firmly believed that he was the murderer. His bad reputation grew, and he was about to be sentenced into [1]Via Purifico when the minister came.
"Oh prime minister. I have been setup! Please believe me! Don't let them bring there! I'll do anything!" He begged.
"Hmmm… Is that so? But evidences point to you and you are the only one who has every reason to kill the poor man. You just cannot accept defeat do you?"
There was a great competition back then between scholars. Maechan was already at the top and so was the scholar. The two of them were competing and were solving equations, and were delivering extemporaneous speeches. However, Maechan lost and the very next day, the scholar who defeated him was murdered.
"Say what you want, but please, don't put me in there! I'll do anything!"
"Anything?"
"YES! Anything!" Maechan shouted.
"Well… As Prime Minister, I can help you, but you will be in debt to me all your life."
"What should I do?"
"Well… I won't ask it now, someday… Someday."
Maechan agreed, and from there, his never-ending debt to Mika had started. He was forever a slave, a servant to Mika. Sometimes, he thought that his life could have been better inside Via Purifico than staying alive being a slave forever.
"As you wish Prime Minister, I will then go to Zanarkand." Maechan gloomily said.
"Good! You shall leave immediately and go to Zanarkand first thing in the morning!" Mika enthusiastically said.
Later that night, as Maehan was packing his things, he heard a knock on his wooden door. He walked slowly and as he reached the door, he opened it carefully. A young man in his twenties entered.
"Ronan? What are you doing here?"
"I heard that you are leaving. When will you come back?" Ronan asked.
"Oh hohoho… Still a long time a long time…"
"Aw… Can't it be helped?"
"I'm afraid so… I owe my life to the minister and this is the only way I could repay him."
"Even if it's bad?"
Maechan ignored his question and continued to pack. He knew it was not the right thing to do, but he could not help it.
"You see lad… Sometimes, you have to do something even if it is against your will." He smiled.
"But… But..."
"Do not worry about me. Worry about yourself… You have entered a very delicate and complicated career, being a politician. Hoho…"
"But I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your teachings. I wouldn't be the youngest politician in Bevelle if it weren't for you."
"You flatter me too much… Hoho…"
"But it's true!"
"Well… I'm glad that you valued the education I have given you. Now I am fulfilled… It is one of the dreams of a teacher; it is not just mere teaching, but how the student have changed and grown because of him." He replied
Ronan suddenly took something out of his pocket. It was a small spherical object. He cleaned it with his robe, and handed it to Maechan. Maechan, shocked by what Ronan had given him, almost dropped the object.
"What is this funny looking object?" He asked.
"It's a communication device. It would be useful someday. I'm sure you will be reporting a lot to the council, and if you want something from me, you can just click this button and I'll be there in a single snap." He showed the red glowing button.
"Hohoho… Interesting. Well, thank you for this device. It proves to be useful. Well… It is getting late. I have to rest… You too, Ronan, you still have an early day's work in the council."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be using this device too to tell you what's happening inside the council so always keep it at your side!"
With that, Ronan left Maechan inside the room. With the final article of clothing packed inside his big luggage, he went to sleep. He would have an early start the next day, and his journey would be quite long…
After days of journey, he finally reached the city of lights, Zanarkand. A concert was being held during that time. Everyone was ecstatic about it, and the line inside the concert stadium was extremely long. Everyone was restless as they waited the security to let them enter. Maechan, being a curious man, lined up to see who the popular Songstress was. The tickets were a sellout; it was difficult to get a ticket, but to his luck, Maechan was able to get a ticket.
Searching for his seat, he prepared his [2]spherecorder. Soon, the lights opened and fog started to form. Behind the mist, the songstress finally appeared and started singing.
"Go Lenne! We love you!!!" the crowd shouted.
It was Lenne. The crowd roared as she sang. Maechan was also in a trance; Lenne's voice was so beautiful that it could tame a [3]Coeurl if she wanted. The concert ended without Maechan noticing. As he regained "consciousness", Maechan wanted to meet the Songstress. He hurriedly searched for her, and outside, he saw her signing autographs. He fought his way to her, and in no time, he was near enough to get noticed.
"You have soothed my soul, oh Songstress. May I ask a favor?" Maechan asked.
"Oh is that all? Sure." Lenne smiled.
With that, Maechan shook the hand of the Songstress. It felt wonderful. Her touch gave him the comfort he needed after the long journey.
[4]"I can't believe I actually got a ticket! What a thrill… Sigh… I was able to shake her hand like that." He told himself
Soon after, he discovered that Lenne's father worked inside the Yevon's shrine. In no time, Maechan and Lenne's father became friends.
***
For years after he had left, Maechan was feeding the Bevelle council with information about Zanarkand. No one knew about it, not even his new found friends like Lenne's father who worked in the shrine of Yevon. He was using Lenne's father to get the latest update inside the Zanarkand shrine until one day…
In a cold silent night inside his new home in Zanarkand, the communication device that Ronan had given him suddenly rang. He jumped out of his bed and looked for the device. Finally, he found and pressed the red button just like Ronan had taught him. An image of the young man suddenly appeared. However, with Ronan's expression, it was not good news at all.
"What's wrong Ronan?" Maechan asked.
"Sir! Bevelle's planning an attack at early dawn of tomorrow… It's going to get tragic in there."
"What!? This early! Absurd…"
"I'm sorry… I tried to prevent them, but majority agreed about it. I can't do anything… They won't listen to me!"
"… I see I see…"
Maechan was now considering telling the Elder Summoner what his true intentions were. For the first time in his life, he felt home in Zanarkand unlike in Bevelle where he lived a life of slavery. He was regretting all the information that he had given those cunning Bevellian council. He did not want Zanarkand to be lost in a single snap…
With great discernment, he rushed to the Zanarkand Shrine. He did not care anymore what would happen to him after his revelation. He would rather be killed than to carry the burden of guilt throughout his life.
With that, the destruction of Zanarkand was prevented, and Yevon decided to let Maechan live. However, it started the Machina War from here…
As all of these thoughts came into Maechan, he realized he was one of the causes of war. Sometimes, he had really wished that he did not accept Mika's offer, but it was too late…
***Foot Notes***
[1] Via Purifico – the place where criminals are put in Bevelle. Remember FFX? Where Yuna was placed after they had been caught in Bevelle.
[2] Spherecorder – I don't know if it's the right term, but it's the cam they use to record events in Spira.
[3] Coeurl – the tiger like fiend with long whiskers.
[4] This monologue was taken from the sphere called Zanarkand's Prime in FFX2.
