Chapter Thirteen: And It Just Got Weirder
Amanda's Ramble
Amanda: Yup, this story is about to take one really odd twist.
Auron: *groan*
Amanda: Shush, you. On to my reviewers.
Evrae Altana: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. You're my fav reviewer so far. *huggles*
Zarrah: Hmm, no offence, ya? I'm an easy person to offend, so guess what? You offended me. You don't like Ophelia? Don't read the damn story. No flaws, you say? Have you noticed what a klutz and a potty-mouth she is?
summoner-yuna-uk: You know, hun, you keep thwapping Auron with that frying pan, he's gonna suffer from brain damage. lol Anyway, thanks a lot. *huggles*
Arwen Undomiel: Ha ha! Someone understands my insanity! Thanks so much! Oh, they're not direct quotes from the game….Just as close as I could remember (I'm playing the game again…Auron got his legendary weapon first this time…with the sigil and crest *does the happy dance*). And Ophelia's popular with the guys because….well, she's got boobs, for one thing, and she's female…..*shrug* I just thought it would be fun.
Amanda: Okay, that's it for now.
Auron: Thank Yevon.
Amanda: *sticks her tongue out at Auron* Anyway, here's chapter thirteen. You have been warned about it's wierdness factor.
Ophelia woke alone the next morning, her back stiff and her arm dead weight. She groaned as she sat up and tried to move the stiff appendage and squinted around the camp, noting everyone was already up and dresses. Dammit, she'd slept late again. They were going to kill her.
"Morning," she mumbled. A few of them threw her glances, but said nothing, their eyes returning to a spot over her left shoulder. She shrugged and stood, straightening her skirt and running her fingers through her hair to give it some semblance of order. "What's going on."
"That." Tidus pointed and Ophelia glanced behind her, her jaw dropping. A liquidy film had stretched all the way across the plains, and there was no way around it, only through it.
"What the hell?"
"My thoughts exactly." Auron sent her a frown. "We've got to find a way around it."
"Kimahri checked. There is no way around." Kimahri shook his furry head in dismay. "Must go through."
Ophelia sighed at all of this and grabbed her meager possessions and stuffed them into her sack, slinging the bag over her should and picking up her staff. "I'm not hanging around while you all decide for the next hour if you should stand here or not. I'm going through it." She ignored the shocked looks of the others and headed off across the plain, her back straight.
The others glanced around at each other and grabbed their stuff, following Ophelia. Everyone hoped she knew what she was doing. They stopped behind her as she examined the liquidy wall.
"I can't see anything past it. We'll have to go through it."
"What?" Wakka sounded not only surprised, but fearful, as well. "We can't do that!"
"There is no other way." Auron stepped forward and glanced down at the small woman. "I'll go through first." Ophelia nodded and watched him step up to the wall and move through, not the slightest hesitation in his stride. They all waited a few minutes, and when Auron didn't step back through, Ophelia shrugged and stepped through herself, and received the biggest shock since ending up in Spira.
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The scene was familiar, too familiar. How in hell?
She heard the others gasp as they stepped through the wall behind her, and when she turned around, the wall convulsed and then disappeared as if it were never there.
"No!" Ophelia ran at the wall and dropped to her knees. "It's gone!"
"We've noticed." Auron's voice was dry, and he narrowed his eye at the surroundings. "Where are we?"
"You guys are never gonna believe this," Ophelia started, rising to her feet. "We're in my home town. As a matter of fact, there's Waffle House." She pointed at a yellow and black building that had a large red and yellow canopy. "It's a local hang out."
"We're where you're from?" Tidus whistled and gave the area a sweeping glance, fists on his hips. "What're we waiting for? Let's look around!"
"No!" Ophelia stopped him from bounding off and shook her head. "That may not be such a good idea. I can't let you guys get spotted. Too many people know who you are."
"How, ya? We're from Spira, this is another world. Nobody'll know us." Wakka pushed past her and headed toward the diner, the others, with the exception of Auron, followed, leaving Ophelia to groan.
"This is not gonna be good." She glared at Auron's chuckle and frowned. "It's not funny!"
"On the contrary, I think it's hilarious." He gave the retreating figures a wry glance. "Come. We go as well." He took her arm and led her to the diner and through the door, forcing her along when she shrank back at the sight of familiar faces. The others had settled at a few small booths and were eyeing the place with wonder, which Ophelia just didn't get. It was Waffle House, for god's sake. There certainly wasn't anything impressive at all to her about the dingy little diner. Of course, she hadn't spent her entire life living in a world without technology.
She sighed and seated herself in an empty booth slightly away from the others, cringing when Auron sat across from her, resting his sword against the wall. She caught the leering faces of her "friends" from this world and gave an inward growl. Dammit all to hell.
"Hi, hun!" A perky blonde by the name of Marissa came and gave Ophelia kiss on the cheek, her eyes trained on Auron. "Where have you been today? I've called and called and you never picked up."
"What day is it?"
"Silly, it's Tuesday. Where did you go when you left night? It must have been some wild party if you can't remember what day it is."
"It's just Tuesday?" Ophelia gaped a moment before recovering. "Oh….uh…well, it doesn't matter where I went, now does it?"
"Where'd you pick up the cosplayers?" Her "friend" Marcus gave her group a hard glance. "I didn't know there was a con this week." He flinched slightly under the cold glare coming from Auron but didn't back down.
"Um..well…." Ophelia trialed off helplessly and stood. "We gotta go." The others gave her odd glances and she nodded. "We have a party to get to, so I'll see you all later." She turned and scuttled out ot the door, the others trailing along behind. Once around the corner of the building she let out a sigh and sagged against the brick.
"That was close. We can't let people know who you are. Good thing they think you're all cosplayers." Wakka looked as though he was about to explode with questions and she held up a hand, stalling him. "My house is a few blocks from here. I'll explain everything there." She turned and walked off, knowing the others would follow.
Auron matched his stride to hers once they were a good distance if front of the others. "You don't like the people who accosted you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She nodded and blinked back tears.
"I hate them." He rested his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"They are insects. They cannot hope to be as wonderful as you." He gave her a soft smile and she leaned into him, letting him put his arm around her shoulders.
"Thanks, Auron, I needed that."
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End of Chapter Thirteen.
See, I told you it would get weirder.