Author's Note: (Grins sheepishly) I am oh-so-grateful with your reviews and... I really don't mind flames! And I admit that I have bad grammar & the spelling... well, FF.net is partly to blame. Dunno why it's not showing the right stuff but hey... S'long as the story's there, I guess I don't mind at all!! :) Once again, thank you for your reviews. I really hope that you're going to give me the hundred reviews... well, at least I'm hopeful... Thanks to Serene Ice Mage, Kurei, JesiLee, guiltyFICreader (by the way, you have a REALLY bizarre name... mind telling me in my email? Thanks!), cute-and-fluffy-moogle (I agree! Moogles are cute and fluffy but that thing about the huge penguin and stuff...? That sorta creeps me out.) and everyone who reviewed this story... J'taime! (Did I get it right?) Te amo! I love you! Aishiteru! Mahal ko kayo! Iche liebe diche! Wo ai ni!
This chapter is for you guys... I was sooooooooooo inspired!!!
Chapter Eight
"What the heck do you think you're doing!?"
Rikku squealed when she saw Rex barged inside her assigned room. Her green eyes were fixed on the sapphire-eyed man, pacing around the room, closing and then locking each and every means of escaping or even viewing. Rex went around without a word to the extremely furious and irritated Rikku. "Just what the heck do you think you're doing!?" Rikku screamed while he was padlocking the last window of Rikku's room. A small smile crept on the man's lips but he immediately rid of it when he whirled around to face the Al Bhed.
"Locking the room... you should've observed that by now..." He answered without plastering any emotions on his face... save for sarcasm of course.
"Why!?" Rikku demanded, pouting at the knight after hearing his irritatingly sarcastic answer.
"To prevent you from escaping..." He gave her a smirk. Rikku's pout deepened. She wasn't exactly getting why he did just that after weeks of being in the open.
Unless... Rikku's eyes glittered in delight when she thought of the possibility that Yuna and the others must be plotting on a rescue already. She decided to make their job easier by stalling Rex and the others and Louise, she may be able to convince her to do something. She smiled involuntarily and then turned a glare at Rex, "Hello...? I've been behaving myself as what you have observed for the past week! And what made you think that I'm planning on escaping after that... that... doggie almost tear me up to smithereens!?" How Rikku hoped that she sounded convincing.
Rexus raised a mocking eyebrow and walked towards the door. "Just a precaution... I'll never know what's really going on in that pretty blonde head of yours... blondie." He grinned menacingly.
Rikku pouted and stomped her feet, "YOU BIG CANTANKEROUS-GOOD-FOR-NOTHING-ARROGANT-AND-MEAN-MEANIE!!!!!!!! YOU'RE WORSE THAN A FIEND!!!!" She snapped. Rex winced at her accusation and turning a look over his shoulder, he saw Rikku stick her tongue out. He basically knew that this woman wouldn't stop blabbering about how mean he is no matter what he does. Deciding on a plot to shut her up, Rex concluded that the best way to shut a woman up is to really treat them as a woman... and he knows how to treat a woman.
He was just hoping that his control would be enough to work when he snaps...
Rexus dismissed her accusations and immediately went out of the room hearing Rikku's last sentence: "OUI PIMMO!!!!" (YOU BULLY!!!!)
He locked the door with a loud click and then leaned his back against the door of the room. He didn't know why but her accusations, pouting and antagonism seems to keep him amused. Never had he met a female who was this rude and courageously putting up a fight with him. Well, Rex always hated damsels-in-distress- the type of girls who didn't even know how to face danger chin-up... he prefer them feisty and daring...
And Rikku certainly isn't the usual girl-next-door-damsel-in-distress waiting for her white knight to rescue her... he can now safely conclude that she's one in a million...
Definitely a force to reckon with...
Guilty at the thought, Rexus frowned at himself and shook his head with a heavy sigh. She's too skinny, always blabbering and much too... complicated to be my type. He assured himself again before looking up with a chuckle...
Only to see Louise's suspicious gaze over him...
"I'm not hearing this..." Rex immediately whirled away from her sister's arced eyebrow. She was obviously suspicious about Rex's "unexplainable" chuckling after exiting the Al Bhed's room. "I don't seem to see why-oh-why my dearest brother should be so evasive..." Louise turned on a more suspicious look on her brother, "I came here to report that our people are in position and so is our Angel..." She flashed a small fascinating smile at her brother. Even though she was strictly formal about her intention, Rex could really sense Louise's slyness. He knew that she was up to something and her trap is just lying somewhere around the corner. "I'll go then..." Before giving her any chance to trap him completely, Rex walked away.
Louise looked on the ground and then let out a soft and amused chuckle, thinking about how she "captured" her brother into one of her traps again- without him knowing it again. The mind of a genius is really a friendly thing to possess if you know how to make it serve you. Seconds later, Riley appeared on the hallway with a bright smile on his handsome face, "You seem to be amused about something..." He inquired immediately after seeing the smile on Louise's face.
"I was just thinking about something..."
"What did you do to my twin again?"
"Excuse me..." Louise rolled her eyeballs and locked her eyes on Riley, "I didn't DO anything..." A radiance of confidence illuminated through the hall as Louise dragged her gaze away from her brother with a wise smile. "I was just reporting to him and he's the one who acted defensively..." Louise and Riley laughed at the same time.
"You really know how to manipulate people around, huh?" Riley said matter-of-factly. Louise's eyes glittered mischievously, "It's been a life's job..." She said. Riley gazed back at her sister with a satisfied smile, assessing the wise and confident expression glowing on her face. "But I DO think that Rexus needs a girl." He scratched his head and then sighed in defeat. His brother has always been finicky with girls and he was thinking up the excuse that his twin has always been busy planning out his whole move about destroying Yevon. But like Louise, he didn't also like the idea of annihilating New Yevon and taking over Spira and stuff. But unfortunately, Riley also knew that the two of them share the same quality that is hard to manipulate: stubbornness.
"Yeah..." Louise voice broke the ice. Her green-gray eyes glittered mysteriously as it fell upon the doorknob of Rikku's room, "I think so too..." A small plotting and wise smile flashed on her lips. "He needs someone to keep him in line..." Her smile widened thoughtfully as she dragged her gaze towards her brother. Amusingly letting him guess about what she was supposing for starters. Louise always had the unquenchable passion for puzzles and mysteries set for solving. And if she fails to find one, she's willing to invent things just to mold it her way.
"Are you thinking about a potential princess for our revengeful and desolated white knight?" Riley grinned at his sister, his eyes bearing the same glitter of her eyes seconds ago.
"No... not exactly... not just a possible princess..." She closed her eyes with a light smile and began walking away with Riley beside her, "More different... someone daring... stupendously courageous... someone who can out-wit him and catch him off-guard... someone who doesn't admit defeat unless necessary... and I was thinking about something else..." Louise looked up to his brother with glittering eyes, hinting signs of mischievous plots, ingenious plans and lots more in the unthinkable category.
"And that is...?"
"A possible formidable antagonist..." A gentle smile brightened up the doctor's wise and pretty face. "... A formidable antagonist... who would yield only when necessary."
Riley's face lit up amusingly at his ingenious sister. "Count me in..." He grinned and then turned in a juncture with Louise, bearing another scheme that may turn the tide against the Black Knights and the whole of Spira. "And I believe your plans are already on its third layer? Mind sharing it to a partner?"
Louise flashed a mysterious grin on her lips. She just knew that things really are going according to plan... A plan that she and Angel plotted five years ago...
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
"Suspicious guy at three o'clock..." Tidus' eyes never left the monitor as he warned Paine and Aeris about the suspicious character lurking about at their right flank.
"Got him..." Paine answered through audio.
"Already at four, Tidus..." Aeris added, confirming that she was also aware of the following character.
"Roger that..." Tidus manipulated the monitor and focused the additional monitor towards the surrounding area of the Bevelle high bridge. Garik was leading the Ronso that are currently in position in "protecting" Aeris and Paine. Beclem, Lucil and Elma were worryingly glancing around the place, aware of the whole plan that was going on while Yaibal kept on blabbering about how safe Aeris is with them. Obviously, Nooj and the others didn't bother explaining the whole plan to him since they wanted to keep the whole operation in top secret... because they know what the consequences are if something goes wrong.
"They're making a move!" Yuna almost shrieked when a troop of black-cloaked people attacked the highly protected entrance of an official.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
Rikku's head flew towards the opening door of her room when she heard a gentle knock. It was Louise. "Hey..." The green-gray-eyed knight closed the room and walked towards where she was sitting. "I'm really sorry about this..." Louise sat down on the bed beside Rikku, bearing an apologetic expression. "I couldn't convince him..." She said in remorse. Rikku smiled cheerfully at the knight with a big and luminous smile.
"That's okay..." The Al Bhed chuckled and then looked warily towards the door, "But can you tell me what's happening? Is someone planning to rescue me?"
The arrested expression on Louise's face was enough to convince Rikku that she was shocked about something. Unbeknownst the thief, Louise was thinking about what she just said, "Impressively perceptive of you..." Louise raised an eyebrow. Rikku let out an appreciating giggle. "Aw! It was just a hunch!" She continued giddily, making Louise chuckle amusingly.
"Yuna and the others are helping you out..." Louise stopped and stared intently at Rikku, "Better prepare yourself for an escape, okay?"
Rikku unbelievingly shot a shocked stare at Louise. "What?!" Now it was Rikku's turn to show a seriously arrested expression on her face. She hadn't expected Louise to take the initiative of igniting an escape plan but at her current situation, who would care? The thing that completely matters now is to get out of this place... get away from this palace...
Get away from the arrogant meanie as far as possible...
She grunted at the thought of the sapphire-eyed knight and then smiled cheerfully at Louise, "So like... what are we going to do?" her green eyes were shimmering in delight. Louise obliged her by turning in a satisfied look on her face. The thief also noticed that she could've sworn she saw a glint of mischief in her eyes. Shrugging the thoughts aside, Rikku exactly knew what she has to do. She just had to trust Louise on this one no matter how impossible that may seem. After all, Louise mentioned that she wanted this whole thing to end...
Or maybe Rikku should take precaution... she's childish to boot with but she's not entirely a dumb blonde.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
The bells of Bevelle were ringing.
The warning of an attack has alarmed each infantry of New Yevon and the recruits of the Youth League. Everyone was fighting the seemingly "helpless" troops of the Black Knights. The odds were a hundred to twenty-four yet the knights clad in black cloaks fought with all of their might valiantly. The Ronso Youth were fending their left flank, trying their best not to let the knights get closer to their target, on the right flank were Commander Lucil's company and on the Major's back were Elma, Beclem and Yaibal; joining forces to fend off attackers that were attacking from the backside. Purposely, the plan is to leave the frontal attack in the hands of Aeris and Paine. And as expected, the Knights did attack them on the front, leaving the two ladies no choice but to "defend" their selves.
"Hang in there, guys..." Yuna muttered from the secured wavelength of their communication link that Aeris created for the mission.
Aeris stared at the commsphere for a while and flashed a small smile on her lips, knowing that Yuna and the rest of the Gullwings were watching them in action.
"Aeris!! Look out!!" She was immediately dragged away from her musings when Paine shouted back in full horror. She turned around to look at what was happening and when she turned a full 360 degrees, a gun was pointing at her direction. Aeris turned her shocked blue-green eyes and gazed at the pair of steel gray, towering above her.
"NO!!" A ripple of shock surged throughout Paine's remotely mortified body. She heard a gunshot that boomed almost at the same time with the uproar of the infantry that were fighting each other. She realized that she couldn't move. Her feet were rooted on the ground; her grip on her sword was loosened. She knew what was happening yet she couldn't do anything to save Aeris... Her friend was dying! Why the hell couldn't she move?
Move!!!
Paine's crimson eyes widened; her grip on her one-hand sword tightened as she charged forward towards the knight that was carrying Aeris' already limp body towards the airship that was hovering above Bevelle. "You!!" She heard herself shout- her voice, full of rage and hate as she stared dangerously at each of the knight. They were fending her away from the airship but somehow, she managed to wipe them out of her path... rage was consuming her... hatred... revenge...
This wasn't the plan! Don't die on Yuna and Rikku... Don't die on me yet!!! Not now!!!
Desperately, Paine dashed towards the airship but was immediately blocked by three lesser knights, firmly holding their grounds. "Get out of my way!!" Slashing her swords in ten ways in just a matter of minutes, the three lesser knights were immediately eradicated from her path. She didn't know how the hell did she do it but every time that someone she cares for needs her, this kind of Paine goes out of control: the true warrior side of Paine.
At the entrance of the airship that Aeris was on, the man who was carrying the young officer turned around and gazed at Paine. Those eyes... She recognized him. It was the general who she had encountered the day that Rikku was kidnapped. "You..." She muttered in disgust, immediately dashing off towards the airship, entering it until it closed down behind her, trapping her completely inside the airship... they've done it... they're finally inside...
And they've paid a very expensive fee to come aboard an enemy ship...
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
"Aeris was shot!!" Tidus' blue eyes were round as crystal balls. Yuna sank back; her eyes were beginning to form mists of tears as Tidus rushed towards her for comfort. "Easy Yuna... They got in and I'm sure that they're not going to let her die yet..." Not very reassuring at all but that was the best and possible excuse that he could think off to calm Yuna down.
"I should've gone with them..." A pang of guilt was evident in Yuna's face.
"If you did then Aeris would be dead by now... and who knows what they will do to Paine... or Rikku for the matter..." Buddy began, crossing his arms across his chest calmly. He was obviously trying to justify Yuna's guilt and it seemed to ease her up even just a bit when the bridge's entrance suddenly opened up, making way for a young male Al Bhed on his early teens...
"And I have my doubts about the gun that the knight used..." The teenager smiled at them boyishly, hinting a wise little smile and that vaguely familiar smart-ass voice.
"Sh-Shinra?" The adults in the bridge blinked back and almost shrieked in chorus.
"It's good to know that you haven't forgotten. And I'm sorry if I barged in like this..." His face was suddenly lit up in a mischievous grin. "I was just wondering if you guys needed a help in tracking them down? I understand that Major Aeris did some incredible upgrading on this panel." Putting a little weird emphasis on Aeris' rank. "Can I see the record of the shooting?" Tidus immediately ran towards the panel and played the whole scene again.
"Stop it right there..." Shinra said, making Tidus stop the scene when it focused on the gun. The whiz teen frowned, puzzled by the gun's unremarkably ingenious design, "That gun goes a thousand years ahead of our knowledge." He wrinkled his nose and searched for more clues. His eyes turned towards something that made his face crumple in puzzlement. "Strange..."
"What is it, Shinra?" Brother almost shrieked, surprising the others that were gathered around Shinra's panel. They didn't know when he jumped off of his pilot seat.
"Look..." Shinra zoomed in on Aeris' body. The teenager pointed out on Aeris' abdomen, "This is where the wound should be... I was wondering why there aren't any blood." He pointed out making the other stare at the monitor- and into each other- in bewilderment.
"Yeah..." Buddy said easily but his face is completely showing puzzlement, "That is strange..."
Everyone went dead quiet for a while and it would've gone longer if they didn't receive a beep on Buddy's station. "Hey..." Buddy jumped in and pressed a couple of buttons, "Yikes! It's from Nooj! He said that we'll loose them if we continue to lie around here!" Everybody's attention went back to their rescue operation. Brother jumped into his seat and immediately started the airship to run after the Black Knights.
"We move OUT!!!" The Mohawk-moron shouted and blasted away from Bevelle, following the trails of the abductors in stealth mode.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
"Well... They're finally running after them..." Baralai said, half smiling to himself as he stared at the Celsius flying out of Bevelle.
"Baralai!? Would you quit gawking like an idiot and help out?!" Gippal acidly snapped. He was tending a wounded Youth League recruit on the ground. "I'm a medic of machines! Not live human for goodness' sake!!" He added, applying pressure on the open wound of the Youth League. "Hey! I need a little help here!" Gippal shouted back at the Yevonite healer who quickly scrambled towards them to heal the wounded.
Nooj sighed and limped towards Baralai and Gippal. "Aeris was shot..." He said in despair. "I wonder if she's alright..."
"What would your condition BE if you were shot?" Gippal angrily kicked the empty medical box beside her. "I'll kill myself if something happens to HER or Rikku!!"
"Double conscience I see..." Nooj chuckled.
"I don't see anything funny about it, Noojster." Gippal's remaining eye darted a glare at Nooj. "Fine. I haven't been a nice boyfriend to Rikku but I swear! I loved her! It's just that-"
"Aeris appeared and mesmerized you..." Baralai continued with a small amused smile.
"Wow..." Gippal smiled thoughtfully. "I didn't expect you to finally get my point."
"And let me quote that you also told me the same thing with the women before Aeris... and before Rikku and before-"
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Gippal frowned at Baralai's words as he cut him off. "I wasn't serious about the others! I was only serious with Rikku and Aeris..."
Baralai and Nooj grunted and turned away from him to pay attention to the wounded.
"Whatever, man..." Gippal scratched his nape and signaled them to stop their antagonism.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
Shinra and Tidus were looking around the panel and saw the "X" mark that Aeris pointed out to them. "North; coordinates 8097 and 6560..." Shinra said out loud. "Are we going in?"
"Let's go!" Brother immediately maneuvered the airship skillfully and landed in the area where Aeris directed them to be.
"Hey..." Buddy frowned at the panel; the intruder alert rang throughout the airship, "We've got intruders in the deck and in the engine room!! We've been detected!"
"What?!" Yuna's eyes widened in shock instead for fear; wondering how advanced their technology is to detect something as planned like this. "How?"
"I don't know but we have to move quickly if we're going to-!?" Tidus ran towards Yuna with his sword on hand when the bridge's door opened...
"High Summoner Yuna..." A pair of cold sapphire blue met the shimmering eyes of Yuna; "My name is Rexus, the patriarch of the Black Knights... and I would like to welcome you in Falcon Island personally... along with the rest of the Gullwings of course." Rex pulled down his cloth mask, revealing a small- and totally unreadable- smile. "Put this fascinating airship in the hangar..." A sly grin flashed on Rexus face as he turned a mocking look at Brother, "And take our "guests" away..." He raised an arm and the soldiers immediately seized them as captive.
"Frana ec Rikku, oui pycdynt!? Frana ec so cecdan!?" (Where is Rikku, you bastard!? Where is my sister!?) Brother shouted at the top his lungs making Rex dart a quizzical look at the Al Bhed.
"Wait!" The soldiers stop at Rexus' command, a woman beside her stared with a very amused smile, "Cecdan?" Rexus turned and stared icily at Brother.
"Oac!! Cra'c so cecdan!! Fryd tet oui tu du ran!?" (Yes!! She's my sister!! What did you do to her!?)
Rexus stared in shock at Brother and then turned to the green-gray-eyed woman beside her. "Are you sure this airhead's her brother?" He added making the other Gullwings chuckle guiltily at what he just said.
"Crid ib!!!" (Shut up!!!) Brother shrieked in disgust.
"Not quite what you expected..." The woman finally spoke with a certain coolness and softness in nature that was vaguely familiar to their ears. The woman removed her cloth mask and revealed a very beautiful face. "Louise is the name..." She flashed a smile at the Gullwings and ordered the soldiers to take them away immediately.
"Cripes..." Rex muttered, sinking down on the ladder case of the bridge. "That's HER brother?"
"You seem to be disappointed," Louise chuckled and motioned towards the door. "I know, I know... He's not what you expected," A disappointed look on Louise's face was evident making Rexus sigh in defeat.
"No..." He said, sighing heavily as he stood up and motioned for the door beside his sister, "I was thinking about something else..."
Louise's head darted to her brother and gazed in satisfaction. "Oh..." Her eyes glimmered, sending waves of caution towards Rexus.
"What?" Rexus asked defensively, careful not to throw in hints of something that may give her sister another weird idea again.
"Nothing... really..." Louise charged a mysterious smile on her face as pressed a button on the Celsius' lift, "A thought just occurred to me..."
Rexus grunted at her sister, "I don't like your thoughts lately, Louis..." He said, frowning at the green-gray-eyed menace. "What kind of thought?" He added curiously, trying to extract clues of what her sister is cramming up in that ingenious head of hers.
"A femme antagonist's thought..." She grinned mischievously at her brother, making him grunt again.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
"How convenient..." Riley flashed a charming smile at Paine. Her crimson eyes were burning with anger fervently. "I see that you went through all that trouble just for a rematch with me."
"Where's Aeris?" She demanded acidly as a couple of soldiers drag her out of the airship, gently and into the palace's hallway.
"I'm alright, Paine..." Paine recognized the voice immediately. The weight on her chest has been lightened. At least she knew that she's all right. "Perfectly, all right..." Aeris' boots tapped on the marbled floor of the palace and Paine noticed that she was being made to walk in front of her... wearing the Black Knight's complete uniform. Bearing the five circular star insignia.
"Aeris..." Paine muttered. Her eyes round in shock at the sudden revelation. She can't be the spy!!!
"Welcome back, Angel..." Riley smiled tenderly at Aeris, giving him a light kiss on the forehead.
"Hey...?! I told you not to call me with my op name!" She frowned and glanced over at the furious Paine. "Sorry Paine..."
"You promised me that you'd never betray us... You promised that you'd never betray your friends!!" Paine looked up to face Aeris.
"I'm really, really, REALLY sorry, Paine..." Aeris stressed the words with so much force as if she was trying to convince Paine that she was sorry. Well, she really should be sorry at any rate: she betrayed the Gullwings... she betrayed her friends. She sold them to the Black Knights without giving any thought.
"I never should've trusted YOU in the first place..." Paine shrugged and maintained his usually stoic attitude, "I guess I was wrong about you being the worst liar that I've ever met." Paine looked directly into Aeris' blue-green eyes. "Because obviously... you're the best liar that I've ever encountered." She looked defiantly at her and saw Aeris flinch. Obviously, the knight was hurt by her piercing words and Paine could've sworn that- for a split second- she saw Aeris' eyes glimmer desperately... puzzling the wits out of the warrior.
"You seem quiet..." Riley smiled down at her youngest sister. "Don't tell me that you've been affected by her mere words..." Aeris forced a smile on her lips, making her older brother frown, "Aw damn... You ARE affected. Geez... they must've softened you with all these missions... C'mon, I'll tell Rex that-"
"I don't want to see him!" She snapped and marched out of the hangar. Riley stopped and stared at her back for a few seconds before deciding to speak again. "Still haven't forgive him?" Riley continued, striding after her sister who stopped halfway of her walk. "Go figure..." She said coldly- in a manner that the Gullwings have never heard her use against them. "Of course..." Riley smiled, "It's not your fault that our parents died, Aeris... they've been murdered."
"I'm not hearing this..." Aeris answered, similar to the way that Rex uttered the same words.
"But-"
"Shut up and listen to me, Riley!!" Aeris shut her eyelids closed and breathed deeply before facing her brother again, "I was there! I know that I could do something to stop that bastard from killing them! I was there with Rexus and we didn't DO anything to stop HIM from torturing them like guinea pigs!" Aeris swallowed a lump on her throat and breathed shakily, stopping the mists of tears forming in her eyes. "I would've stopped him if Rexus never would've stopped me from dragging my sorry ass over there to stop that murderer!" She couldn't hold her tears any longer.
"... And I continued living at the thought that they should've live if I only killed that bastard..." Tears were streaming down on Aeris' cheeks. She knew that she has been fighting that all along while she was traveling around Spira, gathering intelligence and reconnaissance for the Black Knights. The real reason why she did it isn't because of Rexus' orders... it was because of Louise's persuasion and advice that she take the trip.
"Aeris..." Riley wrapped his strong arms around her sister and stroke his hair gently, "Do you really think that mom and dad prefer that they live while you die for their cause?" Aeris' sobbing stopped. She looked up intently on her brother. He was shimmering in her sight due from the tears that kept on falling down to her cheeks. "No..." She answered disappointedly. "Ah..." Riley's eyes glittered in delight, "I see that my angel has finally grown out of her immature thoughts..." He grinned down on her sister and planted a light kiss on her forehead. "Then I was wrong from stopping you run intel and recon ops... the trip was good for you." He smiled triumphantly at her sister. "Clever Louise..." He chuckled.
"I've traveled a lot, you know..." She said in almost a whisper, snuggling closely into her brother's arms. "I've missed you..."
"Of course..." He smiled and looked down on his sister's tearful eyes, "Now, tell me what changed you... so I may pay my debt to the fine things that enlightened my angel's unclear path." Riley locked her sister's face with his palms and dried her tears with his thumb.
"... A child in Besaid..." Aeris smiled; her face brightened at the thought of the little Vidina, "And the Gullwings made me realize that we must move on after receiving a suffering blow. Nooj and the Youth League became my family and the Gullwings... sort of adopted me..."
Riley frowned at her sister, "If you're planning on making me jealous, you're doing a fine job... " Her brother's frown deepened, "Have you also found someone who replaced me as your dashing debonair white knight?" Aeris chuckled and poked her brother's forehead.
"Don't be silly!!" Aeris chuckled cheerfully and wiped the tears away from her eyes, "You know that no one can take your place..." She flashed a grin at her brother, "And besides... didn't I promise you that I'll only search for my guy after you and Rex married?"
"Hm..." Riley raised an eyebrow, "I don't think I'm far off..." She grinned. "But Rex... wait..." Rexus' glittering gray eyes flashed in question. "Tell me first if you've forgiven him for stopping your reckless heroic attempt..." Aeris looked directly into Riley's eyes and then nodded without hesitating. "I told you that the child helped me..." She smiled in pure delight at her brother as silence fell upon the two siblings, walking out in the halls of the palace.
"Then tell me your plan of actions..." He smiled tenderly and pinched Aeris' cheeks. "You mean it?" Aeris asked, staring up at her older brother with glittering eyes. "I am under their debt you know... they must be a bunch of good guys to make you change your views in a snap..."
"You're aware that I'm planning on betraying my own family for them?"
"Correction..." Riley stopped and gazed mischievously at his sister, "WE'RE planning on betraying a SINGLE family member..." He winked at Aeris. "It's for his own good... For everyone's good."
Aeris' smile widened, her grasped tightening around Riley's wrist, immediately dragging him towards the ladder that led towards Louise's office...
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
A day Later...
Too long... Baralai paced around his office. His head is unclear and he certainly is worried about the welfare of not only Paine but the rest of the Gullwings too. "What's taking them so long!?" Slamming both of his fists on the desk, the startled Nooj and Gippal threw over a shocked look on their friend. "A rescue operation shouldn't take this long!" He snapped, shutting his eyes tightly.
"Calm down..." Nooj recovered from the momentary shock, dragging his gaze towards the praetor's unrest. "I'm sure that they're finding ways to escape now..." He added not much to the comfort of Baralai and Gippal.
Gippal shrugged and turned towards Nooj, "Calm down? Hey Nooj, are you forgetting that Aeris was shot?" He grunted and then shook his head, "What if those bastards didn't even bother healing her? What if she-"
"Don't say it!" Nooj snapped. He hasn't forgotten that Aeris was shot and the possibility that she's still alive lies between the lines. All day, Nooj was summing up every reason why the Black Knights should keep her alive and why shouldn't they... the end doesn't justify the means. Nooj was completely distressed at the thought from day one of this plan. He knew how much Aeris means to them and how valuable her knowledge is to the League and New Yevon. "We don't know anything for the mean time and it's safe to assume that something happened to them."
"In other words, we wait until their bodies are piled up in our doorstep..." Gippal frowned at Nooj. "This is absolutely ridiculous, man!! We can't just sit on our behinds all day, knowing that they're in some kind of danger!" Gippal stood up and paced across the room towards the window to take a look at Bevelle. "Man, this really sucks!"
"It does..." Baralai sank back to his chair and buried his face on his palms.
"And Rikku..." Gippal's head threw up; he immediately turned towards Nooj and Baralai, "What would..." He trailed off, his eye narrowing in disgust at a certain thought, "What the fk have they been doing to her!?" His feet almost kicked a table as it carelessly swung around.
"Worrying here all day wouldn't solve anything..." Baralai shook his head and then turned his brown eyes towards his friends. "If we're going to move then we have to do it quick..."
Nooj and Gippal nodded in agreement, fixing their gaze towards the young praetor. "What do you suggest?" Gippal asked.
"Nooj," The praetor sat up straight from his swivel chair and formally laced his fingers together with the other. "How many skilled recruits do you have?"
Nooj eyes glistened. "Just enough to launch an all out attack and be back for more..." He said. Gippal turned a look at them and raised an eyebrow. He's beginning to get what the others are thinking.
"The machine faction has been working on a couple of airships and warships on dock for your Spiran Army project..." Gippal looked at them determinedly. "And they're ready to kick some sorry behind of any Black Knight..."
Nooj and Baralai nodded in satisfaction thinking of all the possibilities that are currently on the loose in their heads. The business is risky but this is the only way that they could help the others to stall their attention in surprise and catch them off-guard. By launching this attack, the Black Knights that has been menacing them for years now could finally be wiped out from the face of Spira... and get their friends back safely: alive and unscathed.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
Rikku sat down on a chair and boringly browsed the books that were piled neatly on a shelf. She was supposed to be walking out in the open with Louise today but as she had pointed out, the mean leader of this organization has locked her up in this room. Sighing heavily, she placed the book back in its proper position and began pacing around the room to think of something to do. "Ooh... this isn't any fun at all!" She pouted and flumped on the soft bed.
"Rikku?" The door suddenly opened and much to Rikku's relief, it was Louise... with somebody else...
"You..." Rikku's green eyes went wide as she recognizes the girl who entered the room. "You're one of those who... who... attacked the..."
Aeris smiled brightly at her and bowed down apologetically, "I was one of the kidnappers..." She immediately supplied Rikku's sentence with enough words. "I'm surprised that you didn't recognize my sister though... or did you?" She flashed a grin at Rikku and then turned a look at her sister.
Rikku smiled brightly at her and nodded jerkily. "Yeah! I recognized her." She answered cheerfully and then turned in a puzzled look at Aeris again, "But I could've sworn that I saw you somewhere before..."
"How about Djosé Temple?" Aeris added; her smile faded into a small sad smile. "Remember?"
Rikku's eyes widen in horror at the realization: this IS the girl that Gippal has been going out with.
Or was...?
Aeris chuckled and waved a hand to Rikku. "I dumped him minutes only after you did..." The arrested look on Rikku's face suddenly morphed into puzzlement and question, "Why?" The Al Bhed asked immediately. She wasn't getting all of this in a punch since Gippal left her for this- obviously- beautiful girl and now she's saying that she broke up with him minutes after she did?
After Gippal broke up with her...?
The blue-green eyes of Aeris glittered in mischief as she walked towards her, "Mind if I sit down?" She smiled kindly. Rikku looked up at her, dumbfounded about everything that has been happening around. When she recovered and realized that she was asking permission, she immediately nodded her head. She needed explanation after all. "For starters, you're not the only one who's Gippal been toying around..." She grinned. "I didn't know that she has a present girlfriend a year ago before the break-up..." Aeris saw her flinch. It was all a sudden surge of shock and Rikku was having a hard time grasping the situation clearly inside her already confused head.
"And believe me..." Aeris' voice was pleadingly soft and honest, "If I knew, I never would've paid him any attention... I'm sorry." She added immediately and apologetically. "And I'm doing this to make up to you somehow to remove the guilt that I've been feeling inside..."
After a few moments of shock, Aeris saw the Al Bhed's face brighten. She nodded happily at her and shook her hands, "I'm not blaming you..." Her smiled widened and then suddenly fell into a pout, "Ooh... that meanie!! Yunie and Tidus should never have stopped Paine from killing that... that... meanie!!!" She snapped and then immediately blinked in confusion when she noticed Aeris stiffen. "Do you love him?" Rikku asked, trying to get the truth out of her.
"Compared to your feelings? I don't think I match yours..." She smiled and then flashed a certain hint of confident mockery, "And because of that, I punched him real hard on the nose after I saw him break up with you... he's such a jerk." She shrugged and sighed in disappointment, "It's a pity that I didn't break it though... oh and by the way, that punch is for you." That was enough to send Rikku's jaw dropping on the floor and her heart swell in pure happiness. She didn't know that Gippal has been double-crossing them for a year now and honestly speaking; Rikku sort of pitied the man for receiving two blows on the same day. One from Aeris and one from Paine...
He deserve it anyway...
A grin of mischief flashed across Rikku's face as she turned again towards Aeris. "Now I know why Gippal was nursing his nose when Paine marched off towards Djosé two years ago..." She chuckled at the thought and then stopped when she saw Aeris look down on the ground sadly. "Don't tell me that you're sorry for the guy..."
Louise grunted, making them know that she was still around on the room, "Excuse me for my... rude... intrusion of the matter but..." A grin that was so like Aeris' lit up her face, "You seriously should know my sister better..." She smiled tenderly at the Al Bhed and sat on the bed beside them. "She's thinking about another thing..."
Rikku placed her forefinger on top of her bottom lips and turned to look at them quizzically, "What is it?" She inquired curiously.
"Paine and the others..." Aeris sighed heavily and then turned to face her. "They're currently being held in the prison house..."
"They've been captured!?" Rikku stood up and faced them immediately in horror. The rest of the Gullwings have been devising a plan to rescue her all this time while she has been easing things around the palace. Rikku felt terrible and she couldn't think of any other thing that can make her even more depressed. "But, but, but... Yunie!" She immediately shouted when she remembered her cousin, "Yunie! You have to get her out before... before..." She trailed off and swallowed a lump on her throat. "Please... forget about me and save Yunie... I'd rather stay here knowing that she's safe and sound."
Louise and Aeris switch glances. Their eyes glowed with amazement and respect for the young and definitely daring Al Bhed. After regaining their senses, Louise smiled at her and patted her shoulder gently to calm her down. "Why should we forget you? You're the main cause of this rescue attempt anyway so don't worry..." A mischievous smile formed on Louise's lips. "We've got it all planned already..." She assured Rikku with so much honesty, it almost made her weep in happiness.
Rikku threw her fist up in the air and began swinging her hips in a sort of a happy uncontrollable dance. "Thanks a bunch!" She cheerfully added and clasped one of their hands to her.
"Promise me one thing though..." Aeris smiled at her. "Help me recover Paine's trust again... I think she's forgotten my promise to her, thinking that I've forgotten mines." She added sadly.
"What?!" Rikku rolled her eyeballs and chuckled, "Paine may be a bully most of the time but she never forgets a promise!" she grinned at Aeris and grasped both of her hands. "And after helping us escape... I doubt that she'd even find any reason to hate you, you know..."
"Thanks..." Aeris said, "That really feels good..." She sighed heavily in relief and got up on her feet with her sister. "And besides that, I've made a promise to a boy in Besaid that I'm teaching him a blitzball technique after I rescue you..." She winked back at Rikku, giving her an obvious hint about who the boy is.
"Vidina?" The thief's green eyes glittered magnificently, "You've met him?" She added, questioningly. Aeris chuckled with a nod. "He was angry with you for breaking a promise but I guess we're partly to blame... he told me that he didn't want his wish to go to waste just because you were kidnapped by... er... meanies..." She added quite awkwardly making Rikku laugh in delight. "He can be a little annoying at times but... Vidina's really a nice little boy!" Rikku immediately added, praising the cute redhead in Besaid.
"No wonder both of you has a fondness for each other..." Aeris rolled her eyeballs, "You see each other in the same point of view." She added. Rikku winced in disbelief and chuckled guiltily at Aeris. "I guess so!" The Al Bhed added chummily, thinking about how Vidina has been these past weeks.
"Anyway, Aeris and I would make arrangements so be ready to escape anytime this week..." Louise turn her gaze towards Aeris and nodded at her direction, "She'll help you go through the guards and into the prison house to "see" the rest of the Gullwings, okay?" Seeing Rikku nod eagerly, Louise patted the Al Bhed's blonde head gently. "You do remind me of my sister..."
"Hey...?" Aeris' eyes glistened in wonder, "Yuna told me that I reminded her of Rikku."
Rikku wrinkled her nose and then stared at Aeris for a while. "Um... I'm certain that it isn't the aspect of physicality of any thought..." She frowned at the realization, "Aeris is beautiful and when compared side-by-side... I'm a Ronso..." She pouted disappointedly, making the two female knights with her burst out laughing. "Aw..." Aeris frowned at Rikku, "I think the Ronso are cute!" Rikku flinched at her. "You've got weird taste..." The Al Bhed added making Louise chuckle.
"I don't think so..." Louise smiled and pinched Rikku's cheek. "Because if you're not as beautiful as Aeris, you wouldn't get the attention of a certain stoic man..." She winked at Rikku making her eyes widen in puzzlement. "What?" Rikku exclaimed. Louise and Aeris chuckled again and walked towards the door leaving Rikku in question. "Who?" She fired, feeling a tingling excitement taking over her.
"We're not sure for the mean time but..." Louise turned around; a very menacing smile was on her lips, "You're good at hunches... why don't you give it a shot?" Flashing one last smile at the Al Bhed, Louise and Aeris left her room, locking it on their wake. They left her utterly confused but happy. She was going to finally escape this pretty prison but she doubt that the others weren't as lucky as she was in every sort of way... other than being free from the arrogant knight that she had encountered since day one.
A hunch... She chuckled and remembered lots and lots of moments that her hunches were right ones. She thought of several names that she has encountered throughout her stay here in the palace until it fell upon a name that she didn't even dare think that she would like nor he would like her in return.
It certainly made her cringe the senses out of their proper consciousness...
Just a hunch... she smiled thoughtfully and lay back on her bed, thinking about her escape and her hunch.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
"What do you think, sis?" Aeris began talking after she heard the loud clicking of the door's lock.
"Definitely an antagonist material..." Louise breathed in satisfyingly with a content smile.
"She's been traumatized by my little incident with Gippal and I don't think that she's ready to let a guy into her world again..." The 22-year-old knight shook her head, mortified at the thought. "I've ruined it..."
"No..." Louise smiled sardonically at her sister until it suddenly faded into a slightly amused smile, "That even made things better for our part... A challenge, yes... but if you know what buttons to press then we may just hit the jackpot." The two leading female knights walked across the hall, continuing their conversation with each other. "And besides, I'm not exactly planning about forcing her to fall in love with our dashing debonair..." She chuckled. "It's up to them if they're going to continue... We're just going to help..."
"Debonair?" Aeris rolled her eyeballs in disbelief. "Sis, you've gotta be kidding me! Rex? A debonair!? Geez! You've must've lost your senses while I was gone!" She shook her head in total disbelief.
"Well, you're not so yourself after you've left Falcon... Having relationships with a man without even telling me..." Louise smiled tenderly; her marvelous green-gray eyes glittering with a hidden wisdom and intellectual capacity that has been lurking around since she was born. "Shame on you, Aeris..." Louise added making Aeris grin defiantly. "I was just having fun..." Aeris answered matter-of-factly. "And what if Rikku isn't the superb woman that I know?" Louise gazed at her sister, testing her capacity of thinking out an excuse if ever the things turn the other way around.
Aeris smiled sagaciously at her sister; eyes burning with a delighted fervor and the uncanny wisdom over the years that she had existed in Spira, "Then we'll never know..." She chuckled making Louise nod in agreement. "Good point..." She chuckled back at Aeris. "Did you talk with Rex, already? He's been dying to talk to you ever since you came back..." Louise's concerned voice was evident for Aeris to hear, catching her off-guard again.
"Sister, you're sly and heartless!" Aeris pouted. She never could bear hearing her sister worry over her and whenever she does that, Aeris immediately makes a move to remove her concern away before it explodes completely on her. "Of course..." She pointed out with a small confident smile.
"You're a poor liar, Aeris..." Louise pointed out, making Aeris smile mischievously.
"Certain flaring but I did talk to him..." Another grin flashed on the 22-year-old knight. "Without giving him a chance to talk."
"And you're calling me sly and heartless?" Louise rolled her eyeballs, "Talk to him..." It was a command but Aeris knows that her sister has this incredible habit of ordering people about without even using the brute force of her commanding voice. Louise is- by nature- gentle with sarcastic and even ironic words but everyone should be warned not to make her angry or she'll explode in pure rage. The last person, who angered her, was rushed towards the hospital and almost died an agonizing death. "Alright..." Aeris pouted and turned towards the west wing of the palace.
"I forgot to tell you, sis..." Aeris immediately uttered quickly after a thought occurred to her. "I met this really cool lady in Besaid Island that reminded me of you..." she added making Louise raise an eyebrow.
"I hope she's not that disappointing when I see her..."
"Believe me... you'll like her too..."
"And may I know the name of the woman whom I was compared with...?"
"Lulu... she's a black mage and one of Yuna's guardian in her pilgrimage. Currently, she's married to another of Yuna's guardian named Wakka and they have a five-year-old boy named Vidina. He's adorable sis, you should meet her." The blue-green eyes of Aeris glittered amazingly under the soft rays of the sun, penetrating through the barriers of the transparent windows of the hallway.
"Ah... A mother and sister figure, a good wife, an excellent black mage and the fascination of the black arts..." A very amused and relieved smile tugged on Louise's lips, "Then I know that I'm going to like being acquainted with your new friend..." She smiled tenderly at her sister and wrapped an arm around Aeris' shoulders affectionately.
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-
Author's Note: I was planning on prolonging this chapter but I don't think that it'll be a good idea because if I do, it'll mess the whole outline in my plot. Anyway... I already have classes on Monday, June 14, 2004 and it'll take an awfully long time before I update again after the 14th of June so bear with me. But I promise that I'll update as soon as I get the chance... okay? That's a promise! :)