Hello everyone! Yeah I'm coming out with a new fic so you better sit back
and relax! Oh I know I know. The horror! Hopefully it'll be over soon.
I got this idea from a friend (Hiya Rikku!) and I just wanted to state that our fics are completely different and that I did not copy hers nor did she mimic mine. No use of plagiarism was used here so don't bug me about it! Now that that's over...
Thankies a bunch to everyone who inspired me to write this especially Dreamy and Rikku. Dreamy for putting up with Shuyin and Yulie. And Rikku for rocking hard! You both are, as they say in Zanarkand: Totally awesome!
If you haven't finished the game, or just don't like spoilers I'd advise you not to read the beginning, for it does contain many spoilers. And this fic does contain a few spoilers so...yeah. But hey! It's your choice! You want spoilers? You got 'em!
Standard disclaimers apply. Please enjoy this fic!!
~*~*~*~*~*
[]= Al Bhed translation
'' = Thoughts
++++ = Scene change
~*~*~*~*~*
LennexYunaxShuyinxTidus
GippalxRikku
BaralaixPaine
NoojxLeBlanc
~*~*~*~*~~*~*~
Eternal Rhapsody
Chapter One: "Weather Problems"
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~*
The ocean's depths were dark and murky, not even the bravest of men ventured to its eerie depths. It seemed if you entered the water it would destroy you mercilessly. But as two ocean-blue optics flickered open, it seemed not to mind the darkness that surrounded it.
A slight grin was etched across the figure's face, illuminated by Pyreflies that seemed to appear from nowhere. The higher it swam to the surface, the wider the smile on its face grew.
When the figure finally surfaced, it inhaled a deep gust of cool ocean mist. Seemingly glad that its lungs were able to intake sweet oxygen once more. After being trapped in the Farplane for two years, I would think so too.
Wiping the water clear off his face, the blond haired man looked around with a clueless look upon his calming features. As his gaze darted around the area, from the clear blue sky to the endless waters before him, his smile now was effortless.
Placing two fingers to his lips, he blew outward with force, allowing a whistling sound to echo across the bay. Now that he knew he had been heard, he leaned back and took a few moments to enjoy the endless canvas that was the sky.
'Much better' he thought, closing his eyes for a few moments.
Retreating to his original upright position, he grunted and started swimming towards the shore. Once he arrived, he turned around to see a rather large flying machina heading his way. Though he was unsure of what it was-he assumed he knew who it was carrying.
As the airship drew near, his assumptions were proved right. After dodging a wave that seemed to have been directed purposely at him, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen ran came into view.
As she hurled herself off the ramp that had been lowered from the massive airship, her smile practically reflected off the ocean.
The blond haired man grinned at the woman's excitement. As she drew near he started walking towards her and accepted her hug as she threw her arms around him. The embrace felt almost natural to both, something they had wanted for two years was now being completed.
As the woman pulled away, she expected to see kind features that welcomed her, features that would make her smile and laugh. What she got instead frightened her. Instead of the welcoming look he had given off at first, his bright gaze was deadly and he came off as a bit more mature than before. His features now rough, and his hair a darker shade of blond.
As the woman ripped away form his grasp, she stumbled backwards and fell onto the shallow sandbar. She gasped; causing everything around them to disappear in replacement was an endless void of darkness. He man simply let out a low and dangerous chuckle as he strode towards her with a grin plastered on his face.
"G-get away from me!" she pleaded, using her hands to scoot backwards.
A dark chuckle was all she got in response, nothing that implied he was going to consider her words in the least.
"Please! Who are you!?" the woman cried again, eager to get something out of him.
"My dear," he responded, faking a hurt tone of voice. "Don't you recognize me?"
Her multi-colored optics widened as his masculine voice echoed through the cold surroundings.
"S-Shuyin...?" She stuttered, gaping with horror.
"It's because you wanted to see me again isn't it?" he replied, not confirming what she had thought.
"What are you talking about?" she gasped.
But before she got an answer, she felt herself being pulled into his deadly grasp once again. She tried to wriggle herself free, but his grip was too strong compared to hers. As he wrapped his arms around her, she clamped her eyes hut and tried to make this horrible nightmare go away.
"It's okay." He whispered, stroking her hair with one gloved hand. "I'm here now. Everything will be okay."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yunie will you hurry up already!?"
The brunette was shaken from her daydream that had once been a dream as the call of a familiar Al Bhed echoed through her mind. As she returned to reality she remembered what she had been doing out here on the cliff anyway.
Rikku's birthday celebration.
That's right, the quirky AL Bhed that everyone loved was turning 18 that day and she had forced everyone in Besaid to attend her birthday celebration. She, of course, had organized everything herself and made sure she didn't miss anyone. After all, less people meant less presents right? Well that's how she thought of it anyway, a rather optimistic/pessimistic point of view. After all this is Rikku we're talking about here.
"What's taking everyone!?" she cried, stomping around in a circle. "Drao cruimt ryja paah rana po huf!" [They should have been here by now!]
Yuna sighed and looked over at he table that was set out on the edge of the cliff, lights and streamers were strung from tree to tree with a long picnic table set out in the middle of a clearing. Food was decked out upon the tablecloth that featured about a million Chocobos.
Running her palm along the rough surface of a palm tree, she plopped down on the end of the table and sighed once more. She was excited and happy for her cousin, but in truth she couldn't stop feeling depressed. Something wasn't right, either that or it was her moon time again. She felt like dieing yesterday and this morning she wanted to bite someone's head off.
"I'm not sure, Rikku." The gunner admitted, looking at Brother's poor attempt to make a potato salad. "Maybe they got lost or something."
Of course Rikku was so not going to fall for that lame excuse. It was just like them, to forget something like this. Especially Gippal. Mostly Gippal. Knowing him, he probably would have missed the party just to piss her off. Though she was sure Baralai and Nooj (maybe...) would have gotten to him and forced him to come. That was good at least, but still something about the thought of Gippal not coming stung something inside of her. Something she really didn't like.
"Yunie? This is Wakka, Lulu, Gippal, Nooj, Baralai, and Paine we're talking about here! Not the entire city of Bevelle!"
"They're probably busy then," Yuna suggested, looking at the blond form the corner of her eye. Things had been busy lately and the three most important men to Spira's culture would be the most assiduous.
"Either that or they don't wanna come!" a familiar voice mocked, grinning wryly at the Al Bhed.
A small smile crept across the ex-summonner's face as she heard his voice from behind a tree. She had spent so much time with him that the thought of him being gone was nothing more than a dream to her.
"Oh shut up, Tidus!" Rikku snapped, glaring at him with frustration. Even on her birthday he was messing with her, the little sister role was starting to get on her nerves. Though everything lately was seeming to annoy her. From the way Yuna spoke to how many Flans' inhabited the island, all was rather irritating in her point of view.
Putting on a forced smile every morning was also something that aggravated her beyond the point of annoyance. She just wasn't her usual self. Maybe it was because the thought of being split up had saddened her, or maybe she wanted Paine back. The thought of her sitting inside all day like a secretary wasn't really normal.
"I was just kidding kiddo," he insisted, ruffling her golden locks of hair.
"Eh don't do that!" she cried, trying to fix her hair in the way it was before the blitzball player had messed it up.
Who could blame her? It would probably take me hours to do my hair that way; if someone messed it up I'd probably strangle them to death.
"They'll be here Rikku." Yuna assured, rolling her eyes at the two. "I'll make sure of it."
It was had to believe year had gone by since the brutal defeat of Vegnagun, Yuna could still picture Lenne and Shuyin fading off into the Farplane together. It made her happy they could help, but somehow made her saddened. Jealous even. This wasn't something she could explain though.
Every night since then she had slept with that round sphere that gave off a dull blue light, as sphere that once held a brilliant spirit. A sphere that at one time served more of a purpose than a decoration on a bedside table, a sphere of memories. Lenne's sphere. The songstress dressphere was something she'd always treasure.
Along with those memories, she had gained valuable friends and the reunion with her love. Tidus had been more than a friend to her ever since she had met him. And even now he was the same old person she had met in the Besaid Temple.
And that was the way she wanted it. Everything was...perfect. Well, at least she thought it was.
++++++++++
"Go you damn Shoopuff go!!!!"
"It's not going to go any faster if you hit it or yell at it, so shut up."
"Aw Nooj what do you know?"
"A lot."
The three ex-Crimson squad members hadn't really planned on Rikku's party, nor riding a Shoopuff to get there. Yet somehow it had come up in their plans.
Baralai had been rather busy preparing for some ceremony he was to attend that had something to do with the joining of Spira's leaders. To say the least he was more than busy.
Nooj was also making preparations for their joining and was scheduled to meet with an Al Bhed about their recent agreement. Supposedly Bikanel Island was to be the group's main headquarters, for what reason was beyond him.
And Gippal? Well he really hadn't been doing much of anything, if sitting back and relaxing counts as anything. He had tried and failed to think up an excuse to go to 'Cid's girl's' party. Right now he really didn't wasn't to see her. Recently he had been thinking too much about her. Most likely the problem.
In the end all of them had decided to pay the Gullwings a visit, seeing as it would do no harm.
"I don't care what you say I'm getting this frickin' thing to move faster!!" the leader of the Machine Faction hollered, kicking the Shoopuff on it's side.
Baralai grinned at Gippal's pathetic attempts to speed up the stubborn animal, for of course it was useless.
"You're going to upset it," he warned, outstretching an arm to show emphasis. Gippal snarled in response, debating whether to bite it or not. "It's an animal. It doesn't have feelings."
Baralai sighed and focused his attention to the mountain that lie east of the Moonflow. He wrinkled his nose slightly as he caught wind of a curling black rising form the area of Guadosalam. 'Smoke?' Of course this was impossible, well not really impossible just unethical. Why would there be smoke in Guadosalam?
The white haired praetor shook his head and looked back up at the mountain, only to find the smoke gone. 'An illusion perhaps?' Of course the Meyvn and the leader of the machine faction hadn't been paying him any attention. Both were either too absorbed in getting the Shoopuff to move, or trying to stop getting it to move. Which is rather confusing when you think about it.
"I said go you demon from hell!!" the Al Bhed roared, sinking his fist into it's back with as much force as he could input. But of course, the Shoopuff made no movement except a sound that was close to a sneeze.
Nooj rolled his eyes at the youth and started to speak. "I told you it wouldn't w-"
"YAHOO!!!" Indeed Gippal had succeeded in speeding up the animal, now it was shooting itself through the water like a bullet. Baralai laughed as Gippal waved his hands above his head with excitement. All Nooj had to say was:
"Brats."
+++++++++
"I said run!!!"
"I'm not going without you!"
Raging flames surrounded the once peaceful Farplane Glen as painful shrieks and cries echoed through the meadow. Trees twisted themselves into knots as sweltering heat waves threatened them with an angry growl, changing their appearance to that of an ugly twig. The appealing flowers that once dotted the elegant field had been transformed into to dangerous infernos, setting ablaze to the nearest flammable object. The flower itself seemed to be wrenching with pain as it curled itself up into a black weed then burst into flame. A dark cloud of black had settled over the sky that had once held chromatic twists of color, making the place of peace seem like a death trap.
The two figures running about many others seemed to fear the worst. Being separated wasn't something they were about to go through again.
"Lenne if you don't get out your spirit will perish! Don't you understand that!?" the blond man cried, shaking her absurdly.
The brown haired songstress bit her lip and held back a sob, gaping at the fact of life or death. "I do." She nodded, touching his arm slightly. "But your spirit is at stake as well, Shuyin! I don't want to lose you again."
"Lenne I-"but before he could finish his sentence a shrill metallic sound thundered through the area. The couple turned their heads to see a shadowed outline of something arising from the far hill. It's presence almost caused both to fall into a state of shock, but both were able to resist it.
"Run." Shuyin demanded almost angrily, shoving Lenne in the opposite direction.
"I won't leave you, but promise you won't forget me." He said assuring her, he too on the brink of tears, something very rare for him.
Lenne wanted to cry her eyes out, she wanted to shake her head and stay there with him forever. Bound by destiny as a few others in the Farplane had said, always making her laugh. But now she couldn't laugh, it was a sin to laugh in a situation like this. It was so deadly, so painful to others that it could wipe out an entire world. She closed her eyes and nodded.
All she said before running away from the massive creature was, "I promise Shuyin. I promise."
+++++++++
"Oi!!! Lu, he did it again!"
"Wakka babies do these things, you know that. Don't get angry at him for it," the black mage scolded, picking up the one year old from the sandy ground.
"Well ya could have kept him away from the blitzball, ya?" Wakka suggested, giving his wife a look.
Lulu returned the deadly glare and shrugged Vidina to a higher point on her side. "He's a child Wakka. If he ruined your blitzball get a new one, it isn't that big of a deal." She spoke in her firm yet kind tone of voice.
"Ya I know," the blitzer agreed, laughing slightly. "Sorry kiddo." He ruffled Vidina's bright red hair that had grown measurably since he was born.
With a shake of her head, the ebony haired woman shifted across the beach and sat down on a wicker chair with Vidina squealing in her arms.
"Strange weather, ya?" Wakka inquired, looking up at the swirling black clouds that lay overhead.
"Indeed," Lulu agreed, stroking her son's hair. "We haven't had a good thunderstorm in quite a while."
"I meant the clouds Lu." The man muttered, annoyed that she hadn't really comprehended what he had meant. Then again, no one really understood Wakka's words or meanings. Rikku was probably the only person who could translate everything he meant to say, or said but not in the right terms. Sort of a twisted speaker you could say.
"So did I."
"Look at the way they're shaped though. Strange, ya?"
"I suppose they are a bit odd for Besaid." The dark haired woman nodded. It was true, Besaid rarely got clouds that looked like this. In fact, Besaid rarely got clouds all together. Any that they had received were either blowing in from Kilika or simple fluff clouds.
"To me, they'd look odd everywhere."
The swirling masses of dark, puffy pillows that loomed over the island seemed to stretch out for miles on end. Vibrant streaks of blood red and violet lined the inner core of the clouds, while striking blue and black coveted the outside. Each cloud was mounted together by what looked like a sliver fog, if one where to get high enough to engulf themselves in it the density would appear to be extreme.
The strange thing about them was the fact that they appeared to have a mind of their own. Any sliver of light that made its harmonious appearance in the sky would instantly be swallowed by the nearest cloud. The sun had been swallowed by what looked like a whirlpool in the air, tossing clouds together in a spiraling motion so that it blocked out the sun completely.
"Maybe we should head up to the cliff now..." Wakka said uneasily, scrambling up the sand dune towards Lulu.
She merely rolled her eyes and nodded. Whatever was up with the clouds certainly wasn't normal, it wasn't accidental or caused by nature either. Something was causing those clouds. But...what?
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~*
Fwee! I hope you like that chapter, even though it was a tad short. All the work on this plot has been done carefully and everyone who was involved with it is really happy I'm sure.
Well read and review! I have to go kill an annoying pigeon!
+~+Songstress Yuna Diamond+~+
I got this idea from a friend (Hiya Rikku!) and I just wanted to state that our fics are completely different and that I did not copy hers nor did she mimic mine. No use of plagiarism was used here so don't bug me about it! Now that that's over...
Thankies a bunch to everyone who inspired me to write this especially Dreamy and Rikku. Dreamy for putting up with Shuyin and Yulie. And Rikku for rocking hard! You both are, as they say in Zanarkand: Totally awesome!
If you haven't finished the game, or just don't like spoilers I'd advise you not to read the beginning, for it does contain many spoilers. And this fic does contain a few spoilers so...yeah. But hey! It's your choice! You want spoilers? You got 'em!
Standard disclaimers apply. Please enjoy this fic!!
~*~*~*~*~*
[]= Al Bhed translation
'' = Thoughts
++++ = Scene change
~*~*~*~*~*
LennexYunaxShuyinxTidus
GippalxRikku
BaralaixPaine
NoojxLeBlanc
~*~*~*~*~~*~*~
Eternal Rhapsody
Chapter One: "Weather Problems"
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~*
The ocean's depths were dark and murky, not even the bravest of men ventured to its eerie depths. It seemed if you entered the water it would destroy you mercilessly. But as two ocean-blue optics flickered open, it seemed not to mind the darkness that surrounded it.
A slight grin was etched across the figure's face, illuminated by Pyreflies that seemed to appear from nowhere. The higher it swam to the surface, the wider the smile on its face grew.
When the figure finally surfaced, it inhaled a deep gust of cool ocean mist. Seemingly glad that its lungs were able to intake sweet oxygen once more. After being trapped in the Farplane for two years, I would think so too.
Wiping the water clear off his face, the blond haired man looked around with a clueless look upon his calming features. As his gaze darted around the area, from the clear blue sky to the endless waters before him, his smile now was effortless.
Placing two fingers to his lips, he blew outward with force, allowing a whistling sound to echo across the bay. Now that he knew he had been heard, he leaned back and took a few moments to enjoy the endless canvas that was the sky.
'Much better' he thought, closing his eyes for a few moments.
Retreating to his original upright position, he grunted and started swimming towards the shore. Once he arrived, he turned around to see a rather large flying machina heading his way. Though he was unsure of what it was-he assumed he knew who it was carrying.
As the airship drew near, his assumptions were proved right. After dodging a wave that seemed to have been directed purposely at him, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen ran came into view.
As she hurled herself off the ramp that had been lowered from the massive airship, her smile practically reflected off the ocean.
The blond haired man grinned at the woman's excitement. As she drew near he started walking towards her and accepted her hug as she threw her arms around him. The embrace felt almost natural to both, something they had wanted for two years was now being completed.
As the woman pulled away, she expected to see kind features that welcomed her, features that would make her smile and laugh. What she got instead frightened her. Instead of the welcoming look he had given off at first, his bright gaze was deadly and he came off as a bit more mature than before. His features now rough, and his hair a darker shade of blond.
As the woman ripped away form his grasp, she stumbled backwards and fell onto the shallow sandbar. She gasped; causing everything around them to disappear in replacement was an endless void of darkness. He man simply let out a low and dangerous chuckle as he strode towards her with a grin plastered on his face.
"G-get away from me!" she pleaded, using her hands to scoot backwards.
A dark chuckle was all she got in response, nothing that implied he was going to consider her words in the least.
"Please! Who are you!?" the woman cried again, eager to get something out of him.
"My dear," he responded, faking a hurt tone of voice. "Don't you recognize me?"
Her multi-colored optics widened as his masculine voice echoed through the cold surroundings.
"S-Shuyin...?" She stuttered, gaping with horror.
"It's because you wanted to see me again isn't it?" he replied, not confirming what she had thought.
"What are you talking about?" she gasped.
But before she got an answer, she felt herself being pulled into his deadly grasp once again. She tried to wriggle herself free, but his grip was too strong compared to hers. As he wrapped his arms around her, she clamped her eyes hut and tried to make this horrible nightmare go away.
"It's okay." He whispered, stroking her hair with one gloved hand. "I'm here now. Everything will be okay."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yunie will you hurry up already!?"
The brunette was shaken from her daydream that had once been a dream as the call of a familiar Al Bhed echoed through her mind. As she returned to reality she remembered what she had been doing out here on the cliff anyway.
Rikku's birthday celebration.
That's right, the quirky AL Bhed that everyone loved was turning 18 that day and she had forced everyone in Besaid to attend her birthday celebration. She, of course, had organized everything herself and made sure she didn't miss anyone. After all, less people meant less presents right? Well that's how she thought of it anyway, a rather optimistic/pessimistic point of view. After all this is Rikku we're talking about here.
"What's taking everyone!?" she cried, stomping around in a circle. "Drao cruimt ryja paah rana po huf!" [They should have been here by now!]
Yuna sighed and looked over at he table that was set out on the edge of the cliff, lights and streamers were strung from tree to tree with a long picnic table set out in the middle of a clearing. Food was decked out upon the tablecloth that featured about a million Chocobos.
Running her palm along the rough surface of a palm tree, she plopped down on the end of the table and sighed once more. She was excited and happy for her cousin, but in truth she couldn't stop feeling depressed. Something wasn't right, either that or it was her moon time again. She felt like dieing yesterday and this morning she wanted to bite someone's head off.
"I'm not sure, Rikku." The gunner admitted, looking at Brother's poor attempt to make a potato salad. "Maybe they got lost or something."
Of course Rikku was so not going to fall for that lame excuse. It was just like them, to forget something like this. Especially Gippal. Mostly Gippal. Knowing him, he probably would have missed the party just to piss her off. Though she was sure Baralai and Nooj (maybe...) would have gotten to him and forced him to come. That was good at least, but still something about the thought of Gippal not coming stung something inside of her. Something she really didn't like.
"Yunie? This is Wakka, Lulu, Gippal, Nooj, Baralai, and Paine we're talking about here! Not the entire city of Bevelle!"
"They're probably busy then," Yuna suggested, looking at the blond form the corner of her eye. Things had been busy lately and the three most important men to Spira's culture would be the most assiduous.
"Either that or they don't wanna come!" a familiar voice mocked, grinning wryly at the Al Bhed.
A small smile crept across the ex-summonner's face as she heard his voice from behind a tree. She had spent so much time with him that the thought of him being gone was nothing more than a dream to her.
"Oh shut up, Tidus!" Rikku snapped, glaring at him with frustration. Even on her birthday he was messing with her, the little sister role was starting to get on her nerves. Though everything lately was seeming to annoy her. From the way Yuna spoke to how many Flans' inhabited the island, all was rather irritating in her point of view.
Putting on a forced smile every morning was also something that aggravated her beyond the point of annoyance. She just wasn't her usual self. Maybe it was because the thought of being split up had saddened her, or maybe she wanted Paine back. The thought of her sitting inside all day like a secretary wasn't really normal.
"I was just kidding kiddo," he insisted, ruffling her golden locks of hair.
"Eh don't do that!" she cried, trying to fix her hair in the way it was before the blitzball player had messed it up.
Who could blame her? It would probably take me hours to do my hair that way; if someone messed it up I'd probably strangle them to death.
"They'll be here Rikku." Yuna assured, rolling her eyes at the two. "I'll make sure of it."
It was had to believe year had gone by since the brutal defeat of Vegnagun, Yuna could still picture Lenne and Shuyin fading off into the Farplane together. It made her happy they could help, but somehow made her saddened. Jealous even. This wasn't something she could explain though.
Every night since then she had slept with that round sphere that gave off a dull blue light, as sphere that once held a brilliant spirit. A sphere that at one time served more of a purpose than a decoration on a bedside table, a sphere of memories. Lenne's sphere. The songstress dressphere was something she'd always treasure.
Along with those memories, she had gained valuable friends and the reunion with her love. Tidus had been more than a friend to her ever since she had met him. And even now he was the same old person she had met in the Besaid Temple.
And that was the way she wanted it. Everything was...perfect. Well, at least she thought it was.
++++++++++
"Go you damn Shoopuff go!!!!"
"It's not going to go any faster if you hit it or yell at it, so shut up."
"Aw Nooj what do you know?"
"A lot."
The three ex-Crimson squad members hadn't really planned on Rikku's party, nor riding a Shoopuff to get there. Yet somehow it had come up in their plans.
Baralai had been rather busy preparing for some ceremony he was to attend that had something to do with the joining of Spira's leaders. To say the least he was more than busy.
Nooj was also making preparations for their joining and was scheduled to meet with an Al Bhed about their recent agreement. Supposedly Bikanel Island was to be the group's main headquarters, for what reason was beyond him.
And Gippal? Well he really hadn't been doing much of anything, if sitting back and relaxing counts as anything. He had tried and failed to think up an excuse to go to 'Cid's girl's' party. Right now he really didn't wasn't to see her. Recently he had been thinking too much about her. Most likely the problem.
In the end all of them had decided to pay the Gullwings a visit, seeing as it would do no harm.
"I don't care what you say I'm getting this frickin' thing to move faster!!" the leader of the Machine Faction hollered, kicking the Shoopuff on it's side.
Baralai grinned at Gippal's pathetic attempts to speed up the stubborn animal, for of course it was useless.
"You're going to upset it," he warned, outstretching an arm to show emphasis. Gippal snarled in response, debating whether to bite it or not. "It's an animal. It doesn't have feelings."
Baralai sighed and focused his attention to the mountain that lie east of the Moonflow. He wrinkled his nose slightly as he caught wind of a curling black rising form the area of Guadosalam. 'Smoke?' Of course this was impossible, well not really impossible just unethical. Why would there be smoke in Guadosalam?
The white haired praetor shook his head and looked back up at the mountain, only to find the smoke gone. 'An illusion perhaps?' Of course the Meyvn and the leader of the machine faction hadn't been paying him any attention. Both were either too absorbed in getting the Shoopuff to move, or trying to stop getting it to move. Which is rather confusing when you think about it.
"I said go you demon from hell!!" the Al Bhed roared, sinking his fist into it's back with as much force as he could input. But of course, the Shoopuff made no movement except a sound that was close to a sneeze.
Nooj rolled his eyes at the youth and started to speak. "I told you it wouldn't w-"
"YAHOO!!!" Indeed Gippal had succeeded in speeding up the animal, now it was shooting itself through the water like a bullet. Baralai laughed as Gippal waved his hands above his head with excitement. All Nooj had to say was:
"Brats."
+++++++++
"I said run!!!"
"I'm not going without you!"
Raging flames surrounded the once peaceful Farplane Glen as painful shrieks and cries echoed through the meadow. Trees twisted themselves into knots as sweltering heat waves threatened them with an angry growl, changing their appearance to that of an ugly twig. The appealing flowers that once dotted the elegant field had been transformed into to dangerous infernos, setting ablaze to the nearest flammable object. The flower itself seemed to be wrenching with pain as it curled itself up into a black weed then burst into flame. A dark cloud of black had settled over the sky that had once held chromatic twists of color, making the place of peace seem like a death trap.
The two figures running about many others seemed to fear the worst. Being separated wasn't something they were about to go through again.
"Lenne if you don't get out your spirit will perish! Don't you understand that!?" the blond man cried, shaking her absurdly.
The brown haired songstress bit her lip and held back a sob, gaping at the fact of life or death. "I do." She nodded, touching his arm slightly. "But your spirit is at stake as well, Shuyin! I don't want to lose you again."
"Lenne I-"but before he could finish his sentence a shrill metallic sound thundered through the area. The couple turned their heads to see a shadowed outline of something arising from the far hill. It's presence almost caused both to fall into a state of shock, but both were able to resist it.
"Run." Shuyin demanded almost angrily, shoving Lenne in the opposite direction.
"I won't leave you, but promise you won't forget me." He said assuring her, he too on the brink of tears, something very rare for him.
Lenne wanted to cry her eyes out, she wanted to shake her head and stay there with him forever. Bound by destiny as a few others in the Farplane had said, always making her laugh. But now she couldn't laugh, it was a sin to laugh in a situation like this. It was so deadly, so painful to others that it could wipe out an entire world. She closed her eyes and nodded.
All she said before running away from the massive creature was, "I promise Shuyin. I promise."
+++++++++
"Oi!!! Lu, he did it again!"
"Wakka babies do these things, you know that. Don't get angry at him for it," the black mage scolded, picking up the one year old from the sandy ground.
"Well ya could have kept him away from the blitzball, ya?" Wakka suggested, giving his wife a look.
Lulu returned the deadly glare and shrugged Vidina to a higher point on her side. "He's a child Wakka. If he ruined your blitzball get a new one, it isn't that big of a deal." She spoke in her firm yet kind tone of voice.
"Ya I know," the blitzer agreed, laughing slightly. "Sorry kiddo." He ruffled Vidina's bright red hair that had grown measurably since he was born.
With a shake of her head, the ebony haired woman shifted across the beach and sat down on a wicker chair with Vidina squealing in her arms.
"Strange weather, ya?" Wakka inquired, looking up at the swirling black clouds that lay overhead.
"Indeed," Lulu agreed, stroking her son's hair. "We haven't had a good thunderstorm in quite a while."
"I meant the clouds Lu." The man muttered, annoyed that she hadn't really comprehended what he had meant. Then again, no one really understood Wakka's words or meanings. Rikku was probably the only person who could translate everything he meant to say, or said but not in the right terms. Sort of a twisted speaker you could say.
"So did I."
"Look at the way they're shaped though. Strange, ya?"
"I suppose they are a bit odd for Besaid." The dark haired woman nodded. It was true, Besaid rarely got clouds that looked like this. In fact, Besaid rarely got clouds all together. Any that they had received were either blowing in from Kilika or simple fluff clouds.
"To me, they'd look odd everywhere."
The swirling masses of dark, puffy pillows that loomed over the island seemed to stretch out for miles on end. Vibrant streaks of blood red and violet lined the inner core of the clouds, while striking blue and black coveted the outside. Each cloud was mounted together by what looked like a sliver fog, if one where to get high enough to engulf themselves in it the density would appear to be extreme.
The strange thing about them was the fact that they appeared to have a mind of their own. Any sliver of light that made its harmonious appearance in the sky would instantly be swallowed by the nearest cloud. The sun had been swallowed by what looked like a whirlpool in the air, tossing clouds together in a spiraling motion so that it blocked out the sun completely.
"Maybe we should head up to the cliff now..." Wakka said uneasily, scrambling up the sand dune towards Lulu.
She merely rolled her eyes and nodded. Whatever was up with the clouds certainly wasn't normal, it wasn't accidental or caused by nature either. Something was causing those clouds. But...what?
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~*
Fwee! I hope you like that chapter, even though it was a tad short. All the work on this plot has been done carefully and everyone who was involved with it is really happy I'm sure.
Well read and review! I have to go kill an annoying pigeon!
+~+Songstress Yuna Diamond+~+
