Lulu waited until things were relatively quiet before she left her hiding place. There was a crunch in the bushes behind her and she whirled around to see Kimahri.
"Quick! We have to find Wakka!" She whispered.
The Ronso nodded and the two sprinted through the bushes as quickly as they could go. Lulu followed Kimahri since Ronsos were well-known for their excellent hearing.
"Through here..." Kimahri whispered.
They pushed through the bushes to see Wakka lying face down in the dirt and his own blood. The bullet had torn right through his gut and he bled out in just a few seconds.
"How much money do you have, Kimahri?" Lulu whispered.
"Kimahri has 50gil."
"Here. I have 200gil." Lulu handed all her gil to Kimahri. "Run back to the Calm Lands and buy a Phoenix Down. Go quickly but quietly. If we get caught Wakka stays dead."
Kimahri nodded solemnly and took off. Lulu hid under a bunch of bushes just in case the soldiers came back for Wakka's body.
*********************
Kimahri heard voices. Three soldiers were five miles west of him. The Ronso climbed up a tree and started jumping from branch to branch.
[If we get caught Wakka stays dead.]
"Kimahri won't let Wakka stay dead..." The feline vowed, jumping to another tree.
Kimahri jumped from another tree, landing on a branch. Unfortunately that branch was broken and it gave way. A soldier was taking a piss on a nearby tree when Kimahri fell to the ground.
"What the f...!?"
The soldier didn't have time to finish his sentence as Kimahri's spear pierced through his throat. The Ronso heaved a sigh of relief as the soldier slumped to the ground. He walked over, pulled his spear out of the soldier, and hid the body in a dead log. Climbing up another tree Kimahri continued on his way (more carefully this time though). He reached the Calm Lands and zoomed down the cliff as fast as he could go without hurting himself. He reached the Trading Post and slapped the money on the counter.
"Phoenix Down please."
Even though Phoenix Downs were 350gil the clerk took the money and handed Kimahri a Phoenix Down. Kimahri said his thanks and ran off again. Since he had only one free hand he had to use the footpath to get up the cliff side. He entered the Macalania Woods again and tracked his own scent so he could find his way back to Wakka.
********************
The soldiers had passed by Lulu several times. Each time they went by she held her breath. They couldn't find Wakka. The soldier who actually shot Wakka had taken Tidus back to Bevelle so the others had no idea where the redhead had fallen. She heard a rustle and looked up. Kimahri dropped down from a tree and landed beside Wakka.
"Lulu?" He whispered.
"I'm here..."
The mage crawled out from underneath the bushes. While Kimahri stood guard Lulu gave the Phoenix Down to Wakka. The bullet wound closed up and the internal damage repaired. Wakka's blood supply was replenished, his heart started beating, and his lungs filled with air. She clamped her hand over the redhead's mouth as he coughed. Kimahri's ears twitched around. None of the soldiers heard. Wakka's eyes snapped open and he thrashed about wildly.
"Shh! It's ok! It's me!" Lulu hissed.
Wakka looked up at her.
"You have to be quiet. There's people looking for us..."
Wakka nodded and the woman slowly moved her hand from the redhead's mouth.
"Where's Tidus? What happened?"
"Tidus, Rikku, Auron, and Rin have been captured. You were killed by a soldier but Kimahri got a Phoenix Down for you."
The guardian ran his fingers over his abdomen. The new skin was still quiet sensitive and he cringed.
"We have to save them. Since we survived the Via Purifico they'll put them in front of a firing squad." Wakka said.
"I know, but we have to formulate a plan first. But not here. It's not safe."
"Bevelle." Kimahri said.
"Good idea, Kimahri. They'll never think that we have the balls to hide out in Bevelle." Wakka replied.
Lulu nodded her agreement and the trio took off.
***********************
Tidus sat on the floor of his cell, back to the wall. He knew which cells these were. These were the cells were prisoners bound for the firing squad were housed. Bars on all sides except for the cement back wall. Rikku was to his right and Auron to his left. Rin was in the cell beside Auron's. He looked over into Rikku's cell. The teen was pacing around in a circle. The summoner rested his head on his knees again. The door to the cell block opened and the group was not surprised to see Seymour walk in.
"Don't you ever die?" Rikku asked bitterly.
Seymour just smirked at her before motioning to Tidus' cell. The guard opened the door and Seymour walked in.
"Still not cooperating, hmn? Maybe some time unarmed in the Via Purifico will open your mind." Seymour smiled.
Tidus didn't lift his head from his knees. "My lover is dead. I no longer care what you do to me."
"But if you don't get out of here you won't be able to defeat Sin."
"That will rest on your shoulders. Not mine."
The Maester looked from Rikku to Auron and Rin then smiled. "You care not for yourself, correct?"
"That's what I said."
"But what about your friends?"
Tidus' head snapped up.
"Maybe I'll let four or five of my men into Rikku's cell unsupervised. How does that sound?"
"You bastard!!!"
Tidus flew at Seymour but the prisoner guard was right there. He cracked Tidus over the head with his billy club. The summoner fell to Seymour's feet, holding his head.
"Fine. I'll go with you..." He whispered.
"Tidus! No!" Rikku cried.
"I won't let you get raped for me..." Tidus stood on shaky legs. "I know what will happen once I leave with you. They'll be killed."
Seymour only smiled.
"You must let my friends go before I go anywhere with you."
The Guado sighed. "Your loyalty to your friends is becoming old. Only two may leave. One of them must stay behind."
Tidus was about to argue when Auron spoke up.
"I'll stay." Auron said.
The summoner looked at Auron with wide eyes. "Auron, no...!"
"Don't argue with me, Tidus. I don't want Rikku or Rin here by themselves. I'll stay."
Before the blonde could even agree or disagree Seymour grabbed Tidus by the arm and started dragging him away.
"Release Rikku and Rin, but if they try anything...shoot them."
The guard nodded and Seymour dragged Tidus from the cell block. The guard unlocked Rikku's cell and the girl waited in the small hallway for Rin.
"Auron..."
"Go, Rin. I'll be fine."
"Auron. C'mere..."
Auron stepped up to the bars. His cheeks colored slightly as Rin pulled his collar down enough to place a kiss on his lips.
"It was nice working with you, Auron."
Auron blinked and Rin left with Rikku and the guard. Once they were out the two guardians were escorted to the palace gates and kicked out.
"We have to get Auron out of there." Rikku said.
"How?"
The girl shrugged. "I don't know. Let's go somewhere safe and get some plans going."
Kimahri was on top of a building scouting out the palace when he spotted Rikku and Rin. He poked Lulu and pointed down.
"They're alive!" She cried
Lulu jumped on Kimahri's back and he climbed down the building.
"Rikku! Rin!" Lulu called.
"LU!" Rikku jumped her girlfriend placing kisses all over the woman's face.
"Where's Wakka? Is he all right?" Rin asked.
"He's fine. We got a few rooms at the inn just over there. He's having a shower." Lulu replied in between Rikku-kisses. "We were trying to see if there's any way in."
"It's too bad we don't have any more of those parachute things." Rikku said.
"What Rikku mean?" Kimahri asked.
Rikku pointed. "If we jumped off the bell tower there it'd be high enough for us to parachute into the cell block areas."
Lulu and Rin exchanged excited glances.
"Rik. You're a genius." Rin said.
*********************
Wakka watched his blood swirl down the drain. He wondered if everyone else was all right. He wondered if Tidus was still alive. He sighed sadly and soaped his hair up. The shampoo dissolved the gel in his hair and his red locks fell into his face. Wakka barely even noticed the soap stinging his eyes and he gave his scalp a good scrubbing before rinsing off. He turned the water off and exited the shower. He toweled off and dressed in his jeans and chaps. His vest was soaking in the sink. He heard voices and exited the bathroom.
"Wakka!!"
"Oof!"
He barely managed to catch Rikku as she glomped him. He hugged the girl close and looked around. Lulu, Kimahri, and Rin were busy sewing away. Rin looked up and smiled at him.
"I'm glad you're ok, Wakka."
"I'm glad you two are ok as well. Where's Tidus and Auron?"
"Seymour's making Tidus go to Zanarkand with him. We have to go after them as soon as we save Auron from the firing squad...!" Rikku explained in one breath.
"So we're making parachutes. We're going to parachute in, bust Auron out, and run like hell." Lulu added.
"How are we getting out?" Wakka asked.
"Through the water-logged portion of the Via Purifico." Rin replied.
---------------------------
It didn't take long for Lulu, Rin, and Kimahri to whip up five parachutes good enough for one jump. They stood side-by-side on the bell tower.
"When you jump just spread your arms. The wind will force the cloth open like a parachute." Lulu said.
Everyone nodded. Wakka jumped first. He was only a meter or two off the ground when he let go of his chute and dropped to the ground. Rikku went next. Her chute ripped at the seams just as she landed. Rin and Lulu jumped at the same time. Rin's chute stayed intact but Lulu's ripped when she was a few meters off the ground. Wakka caught her. Kimahri jumped last. One of his cords snapped but he managed to make a clean landing.
"This way. We were in cell block two." Rikku said.
The guardians ran over to cell block two. Rin took care of the guard with a Sleep spell and they carefully snuck into the cell block. Auron was sitting in his cell.
"Auron...!" Rin whispered, grabbing the cell key from the wall.
Lulu blasted the metal cupboard that was against the right wall open and grabbed Rikku, Rin, and Auron's weapons. Rin unlocked Auron's cell and smiled at the man.
"Didn't think we'd leave you here did you?" He asked.
"Of course not." Rin blushed as Auron leaned in close, "By the way... thanks for the kiss, Rin."
Rin smiled. "No problem."
"Catch."
Auron caught his katana and Rin's nunchaku, which he handed to the man. Rikku strapped her Jammer back on.
"Ok. The entrance to the Via Purificos is over this way. Let's go." Lulu ordered.
The guardians followed Lulu into the Via Purifico. Rikku and Lulu helped Kimahri along since he couldn't swim that well. Rin swam beside Auron in case the older guardian had troubles swimming with his coat on. They got through the Via with no problem at all. Lulu took care of all the fiends with a well-placed Thunder spell. Once they were free of the Via they quickly left Bevelle.
"I'm going to hang Seymour from a cliff by his balls." Wakka vowed.
"Ouch. Wouldn't want to be Seymour." Rin teased.
Wakka grinned at the Al Bhed. "Got that right."
"Enough macho talk. We have to dry off and buy winter skins. Mt. Gagazet is damn cold!" Rikku ordered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*singing* "But the Seymour came back the very next day. They thought he was a goner but the Seymour came back. He just couldn't stay a-waaaaay..." Remember that song from your childhood? Except it's "cat" instead of "Seymour" but I thought the song suits the Maester well ^^;; R&R Please.