Hey! I'm now continuing the writing of Amour et Haine; and I want to thank you for all of your reviews (it truly means a lot to me!). I am really happy to finally be progressing with this story, and I hope you will enjoy. I do not own Square Enix, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy X, or Final Fantasy X-2! Okay, please enjoy!
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"Well, this is just disasterrific," Rikku said, pointing her magical pistol downwards and sitting down. She brushed a dried piece of seaweed that had somehow landed on the edge of her Gun Mage's robes with a hint of both disgust and glum. "You mean that we're stranded here?"
"Until Buddy and Brother can navigate through that thunderstorm, yes," Yuna said with a sigh. She made sure her White Mage's robes didn't get wet as she sat down, and she laid her staff across her lap and took off her hood. "It sure is humid."
Paine made no comment. She stood at the top of a high stone precipice that jutted dangerously from the water, her Trainer's robes fluttering in the wind as the breeze blew past. She looked to the darkening horizon to see Flurry, her loyal pheasant, flying back. She landed on Paine's arm with an ominous message that the airship was not in her sight.
"Flurry can't find the Celsius," Paine said, gazing down at the others. "I sent her out, and it wasn't in her line of sight which is a lot more than ours."
"That's not good," Rikku said. She sat back up, and then looked off in the direction Flurry had flown. "Are you sure she went in all directions?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Paine said with a sigh. "What do you think I'd do?"
Tidus popped up from under the water with a laugh. "Feels good to swim again," he said with a smile. Yuna laughed.
"What Dressphere did you end up using?" Rikku inquired, looking at Tidus. At least he wasn't wearing the Songstress or Lady Luck Dresspheres... That would be a little odd.
"Yeah, which one did you choose?" Yuna asked, turning to Tidus, both of her eyes shining just a brilliantly as the vanishing sun upon the water.
"I chose..." Tidus thought, looking up. "It was the... Gun Dressphere?"
"You mean the Gunner Dressphere?" Rikku corrected him with a playful smile. "Good choice. It served Yuna well, at least."
"Yeah, especially when she had to save your hide," Paine said. Rikku fired a glare at her.
"Be quiet, Paine. She saved your hide too!" Rikku called back. Paine merely shook her head.
"I would've been fine without you. It was only made harder because I had to keep you from getting hurt," Paine said, eyes narrowing. Rikku quieted.
Tidus got out of the water, wearing his normal yellow shirt. However, he didn't wear his normal pair of black overalls but instead a pair of black pants with two black shoes. He held his gun in its dark holster that was outlined in yellow. With a laugh he said, "This whole Dressphere thing is kinda confusing."
Yuna laughed. "You look... interesting," she said. Tidus grinned, and sat down next to Yuna, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She smiled. Rikku smiled. Paine growled.
"We haven't found that sphere!" she said angrily. "Come on, you slackers."
"I am not a slacker!" Rikku said defiantly, and before she could stop herself she jumped into the water. Yuna grinned and followed, not nearly as fast due to the sluggishness of her robes. Tidus jumped in after her, and she latched onto his back and together they swam to the actual base of the Baaj Temple. Paine jumped from rock to rock, making sure that she had correct footing before proceeding.
Before they knew it, TYRP had reached shore. Tidus knew it all too well. He drew his pistol, ready to fire if any fiends approached. Yuna walked between him and Rikku, who also had her gun ready. Finally, Paine walked with Flurry, who was ready to unleash an aerial assault if needed.
"What was that?" Rikku exclaimed, pointing her gun at a rock. Again, she heard a squeaking noise. "Aaaah!" she shouted, and then began to rapidly fire a barrage of sizzling shots at the rock. Nothing happened.
"Rikku! Flurry was the one making those squeaky noises," Yuna said to her high-strung cousin. Rikku nodded, and then continued walking, however the squeaky noises continued.
"Stop it, Flurry!" Rikku protested, turning back to the bird. However, Flurry was not on Paine's shoulder. Flurry was currently scanning the water for fish off on a ledge elsewhere. Rikku knew the squeaky noise was too close for Flurry to have done it.
"Fiends!" Rikku shouted, and then tripped over her own robes. Flurry immediately flew back to Paine's arm, and Paine sighed as Rikku picked herself up. Sure enough, a band of Sahagins had decided to give the party a "little" ambush.
The enemy party consisted of three normal Sahagins and one rather large Sahagin with a different hue. One Sahagin threw itself at Rikku, claws ready to dig in. However, she fired a shot at it before it could connect and it landed squirming on the ground before exploding in a cloud of pyreflies.
The others, fearing their own end, retreated back to where the oddly colored one stood, ready to attack. Paine merely smiled as Flurry shot into the air like an arrow and landed down on one of the frightened Sahagins, its scaly flesh collapsing under her sharp beak. It too collapsed in a cloud of pyreflies.
Tidus picked up his pistol and fired a shot that landed in the final normal Sahagin's heart, and Tidus whooped as the Sahagin evanesced into a swarm of pyreflies that faded into the air. "That was good!" Tidus shouted. Yuna grinned, but Paine rolled her eyes.
The oddly-pigmented Sahagin then launched its move, shooting at Tidus in vengeance over his fallen comrade. At that moment Yuna prayed, and Rikku shot the creature with her gun, causing it to stagger followed by a finishing attack by both Tidus and Paine. The Sahagin exploded into another cloud of pyreflies which faded into the air.
"TYRP wins again!" Rikku said, trembling on the 'T' in 'TYRP'. She still wasn't used to using the phrase TYRP, all though she was happy that Tidus was now in the group. She grinned a bit to herself. Yuna laughed as did Tidus, and Paine just shook her head, similar to how Lulu would do it if she had still been there.
"If Shinra's calculations are correct, the sphere should be down there," Paine said, pointing at the surface of a large, undisturbed pool of water. Tidus recognized it as the place he had fought that monstrous water fiend, Geosgaeno, during his first "visit" to Spira.
"Don't worry, they always are," Rikku said with a laugh. Paine rolled her eyes again.
"We have struck a predicament, however," Paine said. "Yuna and I aren't going to be able to get down their in our... current attire."
"I'm changing Dresspheres too, then," Rikku said. "These robes aren't easy to swim in, either."
"What about me? Am I okay?" Tidus said. Yuna nodded and smiled.
"What Dressphere should I change into, then?" Yuna asked.
Rikku thought for a moment, and then said, "How about you change into Gunner? I'll change into a Thief, and Paine..."
"I'm not changing into a Gunner or a Thief," Paine said obstinately. "The Gunner makes me look stupid, and the Thief makes me look fat." At this comment Rikku couldn't help but laugh, and Yuna giggled a bit. Tidus chuckled to himself and wrapped his arm around Yuna's shoulders. Yuna smiled.
In a flash of white feathers and runic symbols, Rikku appeared again as a Thief and Yuna appeared as a Gunner. The two – make that three – stared on at Paine, who seemingly refused to budge.
"I'll become a Berserker, then," she said gloomily, and in a flash of rock and steel she appeared again, clad in animal skins. "Let's go."
Rikku nimbly flipped into the water, followed by Tidus and Yuna who jumped in at the same time laughing. Paine, still rolling her eyes, dove in after that. TYRP regrouped at the surface of the water.
"The sphere is supposed to be somewhere down, under the water," Paine explained, then effortlessly dove into the water and swam madly towards a statue, looking around it. Yuna and the others nodded, following her example.
While Yuna swam, she discovered a round hole that seemed to go on forever. She was tantalized by it, but alas she found no sphere around it. She didn't dare venture too far into it, as she was afraid something could be in it, waiting for something to eat... Like her.
Several minutes later, Rikku swam back to the surface, followed by an exasperated Paine. "I couldn't find it," Paine growled. "I feel something else about it, too... I think something's guarding it."
A laughing Yuna erupted from the water, followed by a laughing Tidus. Tidus splashed Yuna with water and Yuna laughed and splashed him back. Paine rolled her eyes as Rikku joined in the fun. Soon, water was flying everywhere and splashing everyone, including an exasperated Paine.
"Stop it!" teased Yuna with a smile as she attempted to tackle Tidus. Tidus smiled and gripped her in a tight hug, which was only broken by Rikku who splashed Tidus in the face with a clear, cold blast of water.
"Gotcha!" she shouted with a smile, and then dove underwater to dodge Tidus who was charging at her while Yuna laughed.
"Stop it!" Paine shouted, and everything stopped. Tidus and Rikku arose to the surface, and Yuna stopped laughing. "We came here to hunt spheres, not play water polo!"
Rikku just grinned her devious grin and looked Paine straight in the eye. "I think someone's a little grumpy," she said with a smile, and then splashed Paine right in the neck with a sharp slap of cold water. Paine turned around and splashed Rikku right back.
"Water fight!" Yuna shouted and the battle initiated. Tidus splashed Rikku, and Rikku splashed Paine. Paine splashed Yuna who began splashing everyone. Water flew everywhere, coating everyone in a fresh layer of cold water. Even Paine couldn't keep from smiling.
However, this "water fight" created quite a disturbance upon the water's surface, and soon enough a monster awoke from the depths. TYRP stopped fighting to feel the water begin to shake, as if an earthquake was coming.
"Find a sphere and the fiends appear," was all Paine had to say before the enormous water dragon rose out of the hole, a maelstrom of water coming with it. Tidus grabbed Yuna and leapt out of the water back onto the stone platform, heaving and panting for air. Rikku jumped onto a rock and narrowly missed being sucked into the swirling waters, then climbed onto the platform. Paine mightily jumped from in the water onto her feet on the platform before collapsing. She then got back up.
"What in the..." Yuna said. The dragon was obviously some sort of burrowing water wyrm, and it was covered in cerulean scales lightly tinged with muddy brown. Three horns shot out from its head and two small claws protruded from its snakelike body.
"This reminds me of that Ever thing back on the airship," Tidus said, getting up. He pulled out his pistol, ready to fire.
"You mean Evrae?" Paine said with a bored tone. Tidus looked at her, and then nodded. In a flash of white feathers, Yuna returned yet again into a White Mage. Rikku transformed into a Gun Mage in a whirl of runes and strange glyphs. Paine and Tidus stayed just as they were.
The dragon roared, and at that moment the dark skies unleashed their rainy fury. Rain pelted down from a thundering sky of lightning and water. The dragon soaked it all in, then gazed hatefully down at the four who had disturbed its nest.
"I think it's pissed off!" Tidus shouted. Rikku agreed with a frightened look upon her face.
"The sphere radar is going crazy!" Rikku shouted, who had taken it from Paine during the water fight. "I think the dragon is either holding the sphere, or it's hidden somewhere nearby!"
"We have no choice. We fight!" Paine shouted, and lightning struck a nearby rock. "Rikku, Scan it!"
Rikku nodded, and then brought her hands in front of her face. In a few seconds she brought her arms back to her sides in one quick motion, and immediately she began to Scan the creature.
"Its name is Saharyuu... There's some background about how it is the King of Sahagins or something, and it is a water-based fiend!" Rikku shouted amidst the roar of the storm. Yuna, Paine, and Tidus nodded.
At that instant, the Saharyuu began to sparkle and unleashed a barrage of Waterga attacks. Tidus grabbed Yuna as they were enveloped in a huge sphere of rushing water. Rikku jumped, only soaking her feet. Paine took the full force of the aquatic blast.
"Someone's getting hurt," she breathed as she somersaulted and jumped up, digging her claws into the Saharyuu's chest. The Sahagin King roared, then dove down from its height and slashed her, countering her move. Paine easily dodged the counter.
Yuna closed her eyes as she felt herself caught in a glistening sphere, instantly restoring her and the party's energy. Curaga had always been one of her favorite spells to target the party with. She triumphantly rose her staff up and pulled it back down in a slashing motion, however she didn't attack. White Mages were too frail to deal much damage, anyways.
Rikku yelled as she was enveloped in a ring of fire and instantly transformed into a Black Mage. "I hope you like to get shocked!" she taunted before sticking out her tongue at the roaring creature. "Thundaga!" she bellowed, raising her rod into the air. A barrage of white-hot volts poured down from a hole in the stormy clouds, shocking the Saharyuu. The creature groaned in the pain, dove down and slashed Rikku who was hit with the full force of the blow.
The Saharyuu's body was enveloped in sparkles as it charged up for another spell. However, this was not Waterga. The waters around its base began to churn and surge back and forth, as if a forceful gale was pushing the surface. The waters began to roar up in a titanic tsunami which then rose up, ending up near the Saharyuu's own height. The tsunami rolled forward, crashing upon TYRP with a cataclysmic boom. Paine was knocked off her feet and sent plummeting into the water behind the platform, struggling for breath. Tidus grasped onto Yuna's hand, but the force of the attack separated the two and Yuna was sent surging towards Saharyuu while Tidus shot backwards, landing headfirst into the water. Rikku jumped up, but her feet were caught and she fell backwards, keeping herself on the platform.
Yuna struggled for air and struggled to catch on to something. The last thing she wanted was to be on the side with the fiend. She grappled a piece of rock that jutted from the platform's edge, and when the rushing water finally subsided she found herself staring down at the water. She scrambled back up and quickly regrouped with Rikku, but stared into the water. Where was he? And where was Paine?
Paine leapt for breath, gasping and heaving for air. She erupted upon the surface at least half a minute after the tsunami struck, then quickly looked around. "Look for him, Paine, and hurry!" Yuna shouted.
"We'll hold the Saharyuu off while you look! Now go!" Rikku shouted, and with Yuna the two Magi looked back at the Saharyuu, who looked entirely energized.
"Oh crap," Rikku said. "Feel the thunder! Thundaga!" she shouted, and a barrage of white-hot volts once again fell upon the Saharyuu and the King of Sahagins shook violently with the shocks. He dove down and thwacked her across the chest with his claws, sending her to her feet.
"Please be safe! Curaga!" Yuna cried, and a sphere of glistening energy enveloped Rikku, lifting her to her feet and restoring her lost energy. Yuna nodded, and then looked back behind the platform.
Paine struck a loose Sahagin who decided that it was the perfect opportunity to attack. She fended them off until she found Tidus, who lay unconscious upon a rock near the bottom of the water. She picked him up, immediately awakening him. He swam with her to the surface and together they began to climb up the side of the platform.
Saharyuu unleashed another round of Waterga attacks, weaving powerful spheres of rushing water onto not only Rikku and Yuna but also Paine and Tidus. Tidus hopped back on the platform, thanking Paine before returning to his place. Paine somersaulted to hers just as the Saharyuu's form began to sparkle.
"He's charging up again!" Yuna shouted and once again healed the party with the sparkling spheres of Curaga. Rikku grinned widely as she shocked the creature again with Thundaga, in conjunction to a hasty blast from Tidus's gun. Paine then somersaulted, lunged, and dug her claws once again into the Saharyuu's flesh.
The Saharyuu roared and began to form the tsunami again with the waters surrounding him. However, TYRP would not let this happen so easily. Yuna healed the party once again as Tidus fired an angry blast from the pistol. Rikku loosed another Thundaga spell as Paine rolled and clawed the Saharyuu's flesh repeatedly. Suddenly, the King of Sahagins let loose a ferocious roar as it exploded into a long pillar of pyreflies, which dispersed and headed for the Farplane. A sphere twinkled in the light of the dying storm as it plunged into the water, and to everyone's dismay began to descend in the dark hole.