Hiya! SakuraBubbles here!! … Not much to report from vacation. HOWEVER, as I'm sure most of you have heard… September first is GIPPALAI DAY!!! Most of you probably heard it from Hidama's fic, Love and Duty, while in truth, the both of us came up with the idea. ::cough:: Anyway, we should all try to come up with something to put out there!! ::imagines the many many one-shots that are to come:: YAY…
Usually, I would do a word to all of my loverly little reviewers but I have a feeling that none of you want to hear my useless babble. Plus, I just love you all… ::looks at one particular author:: one more than others. ::grins:: WELL, then, on with this juicy chapter, filled with wonderful controversy and even better! SEYMOUR!!!
Chapter Eight: Push
No one had ever corrupted his judgment before. He was Baralai, rightful praetor of Yevon and Bevelle. He was born and raised as a Yevonite, strict to the teachings (which were said to ward off Sin), and yes, he was a bit of a liar. But honestly, who has never in their lives lied? It was never much of a big deal.
Until now. Baralai was bitterly conscious of how much his lies could and were going to hurt someone. Gippal had saved him out in the desert that day even though things had gotten off to a more than rocky start. He had helped get his wings removed and tried to protected him against Seymour. And of course, during the sandstorm he had put himself in danger to keep Baralai safe.
Okay, okay, the way he got excited when Gippal kissed him was also desirable. And the way he pressed himself up against him was…
There was a knock on the door. Baralai opened his eyes to the morning sun and looked to his door, sitting up.
"Breakfast is ready, sleepy head!"
It was Rikku and Baralai felt some disappointment in not hearing Gippal's voice like he was used to. He tossed the white sheet off of him and hopped out of the bed.
Gippal, Brother, Cid, and Rikku were awaiting him at the table. Gippal had a towel around his neck to block the water from his wet hair dripping onto his shirtless torso. Gippal looked up to him and gave a sly smile. Baralai ignored it and opened the fridge. He looked at the empty chair next to Rikku as he poured milk into a glass.
"Oh… where's Paine?" he asked.
"Went for a walk," answered Rikku. "I don't blame her; she's cooped up all day in here!"
"Ah…"
/-/
"Well, what are you going to tell him?" asked Lulu. Yuna sighed, tugging on her necklace as she though.
Seymour had asked for her hand in marriage two days ago and was tired of waiting for her answer. One of his Guado priests had told her that morning that she must give her answer that day. Now, she didn't think that Seymour was a bad man. However, Baralai had told her that he and Seymour had been seeing each other for a bit although they had a mutual break up. So Yuna had though that Seymour, like Baralai, was only interested in men. Perhaps he enjoyed both genders?
But Yuna was in love with someone else and never had intentions of marrying Seymour. She felt bad, but she had to turn him down.
"I'm going to tell him 'no.' It's that simple," answered Yuna.
"And if he asks you why?" Lulu wanted to know. Yuna nodded.
"Because I have no intentions of getting married yet, and I'd rather not commit myself to him."
Lulu nodded and then put her hand to her stomach, wincing.
"Ooh… it kicked…"
Yuna's mismatched eyes brightened.
"Really?! Let me feel!"
Yuna cautiously put her hand to Lulu's expanded belly. She giggled as she felt a bump near her hand. Lulu ruffled Yuna's hair.
"All right, get going then."
Yuna smiled, nodding and flying off toward the main temple where the Guado praetor resided.
When she met with the temple guard directly inside the temple, she was informed that the new praetor was in the garden outside and wished not to be disturbed. She pouted and went to leave.
But what fun would that be? She flew to the roof of the temple and headed for the garden, which meant taking a small artificial dirt path through a fake forest. The garden was built in order to view Lower Spira and to keep a sense of peace between the two separate worlds. It was filled with water fountains, flowers, and statues to maximize its own beauty. Even the low fence that bordered Bevelle's land from the sky was covered in green vines that stretched the entire length of the white picket fence. Yuna gazed at it and rested her eyes on Seymour. He was speaking to another Guado, standing near a statue of a woman holding out her arms tragically. Obviously, neither Guado knew that she was there, so she eavesdropped, feeling incredibly rebellious, hiding behind a statue of a dragon.
"… and what of Praetor Baralai?"
The Guado's voice was ear-piercing and whiney ((think of Baralai's sphere, the guy recording…)) as he spoke to Seymour.
"Currently," Seymour answered, "he's seeking refuge with some Al Bhed in the desert. It seems as though he's falling for some one-eyed Al Bhed."
This struck Yuna, her mouth gaping. Baralai's alive? And Seymour knows this?
"You sound angry, your grace…" said the unnamed Guado. Seymour scowled.
"Well, I don't see what Baralai sees in him. He must need him for something. Maybe he's good in bed or something."
"Are you jealous of this Al Bhed?"
Seymour smacked the other Guado across the mouth with the back of his hand. Yuna winced, having not seen it, only heard it.
"I don't recall asking your opinion…" Seymour snapped. The other Guado made a sound.
"Forgive me, your grace…"
"… Anyway, Baralai's wings are completely gone. He must have gotten them surgically removed. The stumps that were left after I severed them are gone."
"Honestly it surprised me that you chose to remove his wings rather than kill him."
"I tried to kill him but he is much too strong. I ended up having to seal up his magic and remove him of his weapon in order to finally get the upper hand. He was flying much faster than my lift could take me. Once I caught up with him, I took one of his wings in my hands to halt him. He tried to escape and so I cut the wing off. He dropped quick but he was not incapable of flight. He tried to fly down with only one wing… now that I think about it, it's strange that he chose to fly downward instead of back up to Bevelle… but I suppose it saved him in the end.
"I was able to catch up with him and cut off the other wing. I was hoping that the drop would kill him but obviously he survived. He must've been dropping too slow or the ground was closer than I thought."
He… he tried to kill him?!
"What of this Al Bhed?" asked the Guado.
"Weak… but he was… desirable… you probably would like him," Seymour replied. "We'll ambush them again and I'll make sure to bring you, how's that?"
He's… he's sick…
"Thank you, your grace. I don't deserve it. … And what of Lady Yuna?"
Yuna's heart jumped and she straightened.
"Well, of course, I'm using her like I did Baralai."
"But for what?"
"For my war, of course…"
A war?
"Baralai's coat is not enough to spark the war. Obviously not… seeing as we're still not at war… I figured that if I forced her to summon her aeons, I could attack Zanarkand with them. Only Bevellians have the power to possess aeons, after all." ((by the way, I hate the word 'Bevellians' but I have nothing better and typing 'those from Bevelle' gets tiresome….))
Some people have trained all their lives in order to receive the title and power to be a summoner. Not all who tried passed the trials however. Apprentice summoners were taken to temples (the first in Besaid) to test their strength and will. If the apprentice passed the trials within, the aeons would grant the apprentice its power.
"I need to purge this world of those filthy groundlings… the first to go is Zanarkand… that city dare boasts to show off its sinful technology… they wouldn't know a proper thought if it came up and bit them on the ass… It's a pity that my father couldn't see that. That's why I needed to kill him, of course. I couldn't let him get in my way. … Those pitiful groundlings… if only they knew half of what we did, they would probably have wings too." ((AKA he's a psycho bastard))
"You're wrong!!" yelled Yuna, not being able to stand it anymore. She would not be used for war, nor would her aeons. Seymour looked to her with a bored expression on his face. The other Guado looked like he was about ready to freak out.
"You don't agree?" asked Seymour, smiling.
"Never!"
She stormed up to him, her wings flustered and poised up high in anger. His smiling face was even more intolerable up close.
"Now you're done for… I'll tell everyone what you've done to Lord Jyscal and Baralai and what you're planning to do to Lower Spira!!"
"Look, Lady Yuna," Seymour said, gesturing past himself and toward the fence overlooking the world below. "Look at that place underneath us."
Yuna hesitated but walked toward the fence anyway, her knees touching to top of it. She saw many clouds before her and as she looked down, she noticed a dark blue-black sea bordering what looked like a large island made up of entirely sand and what looked like toy houses and villages from where Yuna was overlooking. It looked perfect to her.
"What about it?"
"It's disgusting."
Yuna turned and was startled at how close Seymour was. She wanted to back up but that would literally flying out of Bevelle. Bevelle was a large city in the sky, but it had to have its borders.
"It is not. There is no reason for us to destroy them, nor is there one for them to destroy us. We could live in harmony if it wasn't for people like you."
"Well, why did Zanarkand kill our praetor?" asked Seymour. Yuna frowned.
"Didn't you say that you tried to kill him?"
"As far as Bevelle and the rest of this ugly world are concerned, Baralai is dead thanks to Zanarkand officials," he replied. His eyes narrowed. "As for you…" He grinned. "Pretend I didn't say it."
Then he shoved her backwards, simply hoping to add emphasis to his statement and scare her into submission. However, he didn't anticipate how strong he was compared to Yuna's frail body. She hit and lost her balance over the fence and fell into the sky. Seymour and his Guado guardian leaned over the edge, happiness etched across his face.
Yuna was obviously panicking. She was falling fast and although she had her wings, her back was facing toward the ground that was crawling closer. Her wings were being pressed harshly against her back, therefore making it difficult to spread them to fly back up. The sea was getting rapidly closer and she had to try harder. She got her left wing stretched out, however, due to the amount of pressure--
C R A C K.
She screamed as she felt a bone in her wing snap in two. She immediately retracted it, trying to think of something else. She closed her eyes, clasping her hands together, praying to Yevon for an answer.
Wait… Yevon… prayers…
"Please! Lend me your strength! Valefor, I summon you!"
She slowly brought her arms forward as a circular aura surrounded her. A bright light descended from the sun and rushed toward Yuna. A dragon was born from the light, its bird-like face accented by a thick red mane. It swung itself under Yuna and she landed in its torso on her broken wing. She winced and turned on her side.
"Valefor, thank you…" she breathed, stroking her dragon's mane. She closed her eyes. "Take me… somewhere safe…"
She slipped into unconsciousness as Valefor swooped toward the desert.
/-/
Paine let out a yell as she swung her sword downward, splitting the fiend she was fighting in half, causing it to explode into pyreflies. Paine had walked a mile or two away from Home and was now fighting her way on back. After the battle, Paine sighed, wiping her brow with the back of her gloved hand and pulling her water canteen to her lips. She placed the skulled breaker guard at her left hip as though sheathing it and the blade vanished in a small presentation of sparkles, leaving only the menacing skull breaker guard behind.
"Damn fiends…"
She covered her eyes as she gazed toward the sun. Luckily, there were signs and the like pointing in the direction of where Home stood, so she needn't worry too much about getting lost.
Something was caught in the corner of her sight. She looked behind her and noticed what looked like some time of Zu coming at her. Instinctively, her hand fled to her hip where her sword could have been brought out, but she saw that there was no need. The so-called Zu was actually smaller and more colorful. Its wings were that of a dragon's, large, bat-like, and strong. It landed on its back about fifty feet from Paine, which made her wonder if perhaps the dragon was injured. She rushed toward it.
She found herself stopping fifteen or so feet from the beast. It was cradling something in its wings… a woman? Paine continued to it. It hissed at her, obviously thinking her a predator.
"No, no, it's okay! I won't hurt you or her!" Paine explained, making gestures. The dragon watched her for a moment and then lowered its wings, exposing the woman. Paine slowly walked over.
Well, she was beautiful, that's for sure. She was from Bevelle but her wings weren't very long. One was bent at an odd angle and Paine went to touch the girl but the dragon hissed.
"Hey, hey! I'll lead you somewhere safe where someone can take care of her."
Originally, the dragon was going to bring the girl back up to Bevelle after it rested itself. However, Paine had said "somewhere safe," which was where the girl had told the dragon to take her. Therefore, the dragon decided to let Paine do as she pleased and lead her to somewhere safe.
It moved its wing, beckoning for Paine to join the woman on its torso. Paine slowly got the message and climbed next to her. The silent dragon took to the air.
"Head southeast from here," Paine commanded the beast. It headed off toward said direction as Paine gazed at the woman with her, comparing her to an injured bird. She definitely looked fragile but her clothing was elegant as if she was highly respected. Paine found that she was still studying the girl even as the dragon descended before Home. Paine directed it toward Rikku's place.
Brother, meanwhile, was staring out a window as he did the dishes after breakfast.
"Uhhh… drana'c y tnykuh uidceta… (there's a dragon outside…)" he said, pointed. Cid spit out his coffee and Gippal halted his conversation with Baralai, rushing to the door. Baralai followed him, trying to find out what was going on.
He stared at the dragon, his jaw hanging open.
"Valefor?"
The dragon stared at him, craning its neck to do so. Paine poked her head up.
"You know this thing?"
"It's an aeon…"
"Eyon?" Gippal repeated. Baralai shook his head, briefly explaining aeons and summoners to the confused Al Bhed. Paine grew impatient, calling to Baralai.
"I happened upon it on my way back. And this girl… she's from Bevelle--"
"You guys are dropping like flies!" Gippal remarked. Baralai continued and Paine hissed at him. She continued, "Her left wing seems broken, but I'm not sure. Baralai, could you take a look?"
Baralai nodded, scratching his head embarrassedly and walking. He was shocked to see the girl in Valefor's care.
"Th… That's Yuna!"
"Rikku's cousin?!" Gippal wanted to confirm. Baralai stared at Yuna's sleeping body, nodding. What happened to her? Did… did Seymour do this?!
He picked her up, careful of her wings, and cradled her in his strong arms. Paine jumped off of Valefor, staring at it. Baralai faced Gippal.
"Tell Rikku about this and get something that could be used as a sling for her wing."
As Gippal obeyed, Baralai looked to Valefor.
"You've done a good job, Valefor. You are dismissed."
Valefor swooped its magnificent wings and lifted up into the air, dissolving into light and raising at a high speed back to the sun. Baralai looked to Paine, giving his final and most important order.
"Hold the door open, please."
Well, now Yuna and Baralai are reunited, which shall prove useful to…. me! Yay!!
Now then… I have a serious question… ::looks this way and that:: I'm thinking of also making this into a Yuna/Paine because I love that couple and I wish that there was more fandom of it. However, I'm not exactly sure if I should do it or not and I need yoooooour help, reviewers!!! Whether or not I add that coupling in decides a few things later on… I can't continue until I've made a decision.
Some Pros of Y/P addition: A look into that shoujo-ai side of me, angsty Yuna, angsty Paine… some good things may in fact come.
Some Cons of Y/P addition: Death of author due to serious Yuna/Tidus or ::shudder:: Paine/Rikku fans, some focus on a different relationship, focus on a shoujo-ai relationship (if you can call that a con…)… some bad things may in fact come.
Please, I need your help. ::faints:: This chapter was oddly very easy to write but also very long… woo! Seymour's such an asshole…::bows and runs away::
Usually, I would do a word to all of my loverly little reviewers but I have a feeling that none of you want to hear my useless babble. Plus, I just love you all… ::looks at one particular author:: one more than others. ::grins:: WELL, then, on with this juicy chapter, filled with wonderful controversy and even better! SEYMOUR!!!
No one had ever corrupted his judgment before. He was Baralai, rightful praetor of Yevon and Bevelle. He was born and raised as a Yevonite, strict to the teachings (which were said to ward off Sin), and yes, he was a bit of a liar. But honestly, who has never in their lives lied? It was never much of a big deal.
Until now. Baralai was bitterly conscious of how much his lies could and were going to hurt someone. Gippal had saved him out in the desert that day even though things had gotten off to a more than rocky start. He had helped get his wings removed and tried to protected him against Seymour. And of course, during the sandstorm he had put himself in danger to keep Baralai safe.
Okay, okay, the way he got excited when Gippal kissed him was also desirable. And the way he pressed himself up against him was…
There was a knock on the door. Baralai opened his eyes to the morning sun and looked to his door, sitting up.
"Breakfast is ready, sleepy head!"
It was Rikku and Baralai felt some disappointment in not hearing Gippal's voice like he was used to. He tossed the white sheet off of him and hopped out of the bed.
Gippal, Brother, Cid, and Rikku were awaiting him at the table. Gippal had a towel around his neck to block the water from his wet hair dripping onto his shirtless torso. Gippal looked up to him and gave a sly smile. Baralai ignored it and opened the fridge. He looked at the empty chair next to Rikku as he poured milk into a glass.
"Oh… where's Paine?" he asked.
"Went for a walk," answered Rikku. "I don't blame her; she's cooped up all day in here!"
"Ah…"
/-/
"Well, what are you going to tell him?" asked Lulu. Yuna sighed, tugging on her necklace as she though.
Seymour had asked for her hand in marriage two days ago and was tired of waiting for her answer. One of his Guado priests had told her that morning that she must give her answer that day. Now, she didn't think that Seymour was a bad man. However, Baralai had told her that he and Seymour had been seeing each other for a bit although they had a mutual break up. So Yuna had though that Seymour, like Baralai, was only interested in men. Perhaps he enjoyed both genders?
But Yuna was in love with someone else and never had intentions of marrying Seymour. She felt bad, but she had to turn him down.
"I'm going to tell him 'no.' It's that simple," answered Yuna.
"And if he asks you why?" Lulu wanted to know. Yuna nodded.
"Because I have no intentions of getting married yet, and I'd rather not commit myself to him."
Lulu nodded and then put her hand to her stomach, wincing.
"Ooh… it kicked…"
Yuna's mismatched eyes brightened.
"Really?! Let me feel!"
Yuna cautiously put her hand to Lulu's expanded belly. She giggled as she felt a bump near her hand. Lulu ruffled Yuna's hair.
"All right, get going then."
Yuna smiled, nodding and flying off toward the main temple where the Guado praetor resided.
When she met with the temple guard directly inside the temple, she was informed that the new praetor was in the garden outside and wished not to be disturbed. She pouted and went to leave.
But what fun would that be? She flew to the roof of the temple and headed for the garden, which meant taking a small artificial dirt path through a fake forest. The garden was built in order to view Lower Spira and to keep a sense of peace between the two separate worlds. It was filled with water fountains, flowers, and statues to maximize its own beauty. Even the low fence that bordered Bevelle's land from the sky was covered in green vines that stretched the entire length of the white picket fence. Yuna gazed at it and rested her eyes on Seymour. He was speaking to another Guado, standing near a statue of a woman holding out her arms tragically. Obviously, neither Guado knew that she was there, so she eavesdropped, feeling incredibly rebellious, hiding behind a statue of a dragon.
"… and what of Praetor Baralai?"
The Guado's voice was ear-piercing and whiney ((think of Baralai's sphere, the guy recording…)) as he spoke to Seymour.
"Currently," Seymour answered, "he's seeking refuge with some Al Bhed in the desert. It seems as though he's falling for some one-eyed Al Bhed."
This struck Yuna, her mouth gaping. Baralai's alive? And Seymour knows this?
"You sound angry, your grace…" said the unnamed Guado. Seymour scowled.
"Well, I don't see what Baralai sees in him. He must need him for something. Maybe he's good in bed or something."
"Are you jealous of this Al Bhed?"
Seymour smacked the other Guado across the mouth with the back of his hand. Yuna winced, having not seen it, only heard it.
"I don't recall asking your opinion…" Seymour snapped. The other Guado made a sound.
"Forgive me, your grace…"
"… Anyway, Baralai's wings are completely gone. He must have gotten them surgically removed. The stumps that were left after I severed them are gone."
"Honestly it surprised me that you chose to remove his wings rather than kill him."
"I tried to kill him but he is much too strong. I ended up having to seal up his magic and remove him of his weapon in order to finally get the upper hand. He was flying much faster than my lift could take me. Once I caught up with him, I took one of his wings in my hands to halt him. He tried to escape and so I cut the wing off. He dropped quick but he was not incapable of flight. He tried to fly down with only one wing… now that I think about it, it's strange that he chose to fly downward instead of back up to Bevelle… but I suppose it saved him in the end.
"I was able to catch up with him and cut off the other wing. I was hoping that the drop would kill him but obviously he survived. He must've been dropping too slow or the ground was closer than I thought."
He… he tried to kill him?!
"What of this Al Bhed?" asked the Guado.
"Weak… but he was… desirable… you probably would like him," Seymour replied. "We'll ambush them again and I'll make sure to bring you, how's that?"
He's… he's sick…
"Thank you, your grace. I don't deserve it. … And what of Lady Yuna?"
Yuna's heart jumped and she straightened.
"Well, of course, I'm using her like I did Baralai."
"But for what?"
"For my war, of course…"
A war?
"Baralai's coat is not enough to spark the war. Obviously not… seeing as we're still not at war… I figured that if I forced her to summon her aeons, I could attack Zanarkand with them. Only Bevellians have the power to possess aeons, after all." ((by the way, I hate the word 'Bevellians' but I have nothing better and typing 'those from Bevelle' gets tiresome….))
Some people have trained all their lives in order to receive the title and power to be a summoner. Not all who tried passed the trials however. Apprentice summoners were taken to temples (the first in Besaid) to test their strength and will. If the apprentice passed the trials within, the aeons would grant the apprentice its power.
"I need to purge this world of those filthy groundlings… the first to go is Zanarkand… that city dare boasts to show off its sinful technology… they wouldn't know a proper thought if it came up and bit them on the ass… It's a pity that my father couldn't see that. That's why I needed to kill him, of course. I couldn't let him get in my way. … Those pitiful groundlings… if only they knew half of what we did, they would probably have wings too." ((AKA he's a psycho bastard))
"You're wrong!!" yelled Yuna, not being able to stand it anymore. She would not be used for war, nor would her aeons. Seymour looked to her with a bored expression on his face. The other Guado looked like he was about ready to freak out.
"You don't agree?" asked Seymour, smiling.
"Never!"
She stormed up to him, her wings flustered and poised up high in anger. His smiling face was even more intolerable up close.
"Now you're done for… I'll tell everyone what you've done to Lord Jyscal and Baralai and what you're planning to do to Lower Spira!!"
"Look, Lady Yuna," Seymour said, gesturing past himself and toward the fence overlooking the world below. "Look at that place underneath us."
Yuna hesitated but walked toward the fence anyway, her knees touching to top of it. She saw many clouds before her and as she looked down, she noticed a dark blue-black sea bordering what looked like a large island made up of entirely sand and what looked like toy houses and villages from where Yuna was overlooking. It looked perfect to her.
"What about it?"
"It's disgusting."
Yuna turned and was startled at how close Seymour was. She wanted to back up but that would literally flying out of Bevelle. Bevelle was a large city in the sky, but it had to have its borders.
"It is not. There is no reason for us to destroy them, nor is there one for them to destroy us. We could live in harmony if it wasn't for people like you."
"Well, why did Zanarkand kill our praetor?" asked Seymour. Yuna frowned.
"Didn't you say that you tried to kill him?"
"As far as Bevelle and the rest of this ugly world are concerned, Baralai is dead thanks to Zanarkand officials," he replied. His eyes narrowed. "As for you…" He grinned. "Pretend I didn't say it."
Then he shoved her backwards, simply hoping to add emphasis to his statement and scare her into submission. However, he didn't anticipate how strong he was compared to Yuna's frail body. She hit and lost her balance over the fence and fell into the sky. Seymour and his Guado guardian leaned over the edge, happiness etched across his face.
Yuna was obviously panicking. She was falling fast and although she had her wings, her back was facing toward the ground that was crawling closer. Her wings were being pressed harshly against her back, therefore making it difficult to spread them to fly back up. The sea was getting rapidly closer and she had to try harder. She got her left wing stretched out, however, due to the amount of pressure--
C R A C K.
She screamed as she felt a bone in her wing snap in two. She immediately retracted it, trying to think of something else. She closed her eyes, clasping her hands together, praying to Yevon for an answer.
Wait… Yevon… prayers…
"Please! Lend me your strength! Valefor, I summon you!"
She slowly brought her arms forward as a circular aura surrounded her. A bright light descended from the sun and rushed toward Yuna. A dragon was born from the light, its bird-like face accented by a thick red mane. It swung itself under Yuna and she landed in its torso on her broken wing. She winced and turned on her side.
"Valefor, thank you…" she breathed, stroking her dragon's mane. She closed her eyes. "Take me… somewhere safe…"
She slipped into unconsciousness as Valefor swooped toward the desert.
/-/
Paine let out a yell as she swung her sword downward, splitting the fiend she was fighting in half, causing it to explode into pyreflies. Paine had walked a mile or two away from Home and was now fighting her way on back. After the battle, Paine sighed, wiping her brow with the back of her gloved hand and pulling her water canteen to her lips. She placed the skulled breaker guard at her left hip as though sheathing it and the blade vanished in a small presentation of sparkles, leaving only the menacing skull breaker guard behind.
"Damn fiends…"
She covered her eyes as she gazed toward the sun. Luckily, there were signs and the like pointing in the direction of where Home stood, so she needn't worry too much about getting lost.
Something was caught in the corner of her sight. She looked behind her and noticed what looked like some time of Zu coming at her. Instinctively, her hand fled to her hip where her sword could have been brought out, but she saw that there was no need. The so-called Zu was actually smaller and more colorful. Its wings were that of a dragon's, large, bat-like, and strong. It landed on its back about fifty feet from Paine, which made her wonder if perhaps the dragon was injured. She rushed toward it.
She found herself stopping fifteen or so feet from the beast. It was cradling something in its wings… a woman? Paine continued to it. It hissed at her, obviously thinking her a predator.
"No, no, it's okay! I won't hurt you or her!" Paine explained, making gestures. The dragon watched her for a moment and then lowered its wings, exposing the woman. Paine slowly walked over.
Well, she was beautiful, that's for sure. She was from Bevelle but her wings weren't very long. One was bent at an odd angle and Paine went to touch the girl but the dragon hissed.
"Hey, hey! I'll lead you somewhere safe where someone can take care of her."
Originally, the dragon was going to bring the girl back up to Bevelle after it rested itself. However, Paine had said "somewhere safe," which was where the girl had told the dragon to take her. Therefore, the dragon decided to let Paine do as she pleased and lead her to somewhere safe.
It moved its wing, beckoning for Paine to join the woman on its torso. Paine slowly got the message and climbed next to her. The silent dragon took to the air.
"Head southeast from here," Paine commanded the beast. It headed off toward said direction as Paine gazed at the woman with her, comparing her to an injured bird. She definitely looked fragile but her clothing was elegant as if she was highly respected. Paine found that she was still studying the girl even as the dragon descended before Home. Paine directed it toward Rikku's place.
Brother, meanwhile, was staring out a window as he did the dishes after breakfast.
"Uhhh… drana'c y tnykuh uidceta… (there's a dragon outside…)" he said, pointed. Cid spit out his coffee and Gippal halted his conversation with Baralai, rushing to the door. Baralai followed him, trying to find out what was going on.
He stared at the dragon, his jaw hanging open.
"Valefor?"
The dragon stared at him, craning its neck to do so. Paine poked her head up.
"You know this thing?"
"It's an aeon…"
"Eyon?" Gippal repeated. Baralai shook his head, briefly explaining aeons and summoners to the confused Al Bhed. Paine grew impatient, calling to Baralai.
"I happened upon it on my way back. And this girl… she's from Bevelle--"
"You guys are dropping like flies!" Gippal remarked. Baralai continued and Paine hissed at him. She continued, "Her left wing seems broken, but I'm not sure. Baralai, could you take a look?"
Baralai nodded, scratching his head embarrassedly and walking. He was shocked to see the girl in Valefor's care.
"Th… That's Yuna!"
"Rikku's cousin?!" Gippal wanted to confirm. Baralai stared at Yuna's sleeping body, nodding. What happened to her? Did… did Seymour do this?!
He picked her up, careful of her wings, and cradled her in his strong arms. Paine jumped off of Valefor, staring at it. Baralai faced Gippal.
"Tell Rikku about this and get something that could be used as a sling for her wing."
As Gippal obeyed, Baralai looked to Valefor.
"You've done a good job, Valefor. You are dismissed."
Valefor swooped its magnificent wings and lifted up into the air, dissolving into light and raising at a high speed back to the sun. Baralai looked to Paine, giving his final and most important order.
"Hold the door open, please."
Well, now Yuna and Baralai are reunited, which shall prove useful to…. me! Yay!!
Now then… I have a serious question… ::looks this way and that:: I'm thinking of also making this into a Yuna/Paine because I love that couple and I wish that there was more fandom of it. However, I'm not exactly sure if I should do it or not and I need yoooooour help, reviewers!!! Whether or not I add that coupling in decides a few things later on… I can't continue until I've made a decision.
Some Pros of Y/P addition: A look into that shoujo-ai side of me, angsty Yuna, angsty Paine… some good things may in fact come.
Some Cons of Y/P addition: Death of author due to serious Yuna/Tidus or ::shudder:: Paine/Rikku fans, some focus on a different relationship, focus on a shoujo-ai relationship (if you can call that a con…)… some bad things may in fact come.
Please, I need your help. ::faints:: This chapter was oddly very easy to write but also very long… woo! Seymour's such an asshole…::bows and runs away::