Author's Note: As promised! Here's the next chapter... and we're getting nearer to the ending of this one! I was planning to install this tomorrow but... oh what the heck! Here it is!
Chapter Thirteen
"Hey guys..." Aeris straightened her posture beside Shinra after receiving a message, "I just received an encrypted message from Louise." Everyone gathered near the young knight, waiting for more information. "It looks like they're aware of what we've been planning." All of them sighed and switch glances with each other.
"I wonder who you're replacement is..." Yuna wondered out loud, still looking at Aeris if ever she knew the answer. Aeris' blue-green eyes twinkled in delight. "Well, I'm sure that whoever he or she is, I think my sister trained my replacement... only..." Aeris frowned. "I'm not sure who among them..."
"Is your sister THAT good?" Tidus asked wonderingly.
"Remember the steel chain that she sliced back in the hangar?" Aeris smiled, the twinkle in her eyes was enough to confirm how much she admires her sister. "That steel chain is made of the hardest metallic element that exists in Spira. It cannot be scratched by any normal weapon but my sister..." She stopped and looked at them with a smile, "given any weapon, she can slice ANYTHING into two within no time..."
Shinra smirked at this, "You better believe her... I was foolish enough to challenge her in a dual."
"What happened?" Yuna asked.
"You don't wanna know..." Shinra answered, all the color on his face drained at the thought of that horrifying moment.
"Anyway," Aeris said out loud, snapping them from their current state of curiosity. "My sister also told me not to worry since she's got it all planned."
"But what about those in the front lines? I'm sure that they're the first one to get hurt..." Yuna said, looking down on the ground. "Maybe I should-"
"No!" Everyone exclaimed, horrified at the thought.
"Look Yuna..." Tidus said, "The Black Knights are after your life and we're not about to throw away the efforts that everyone made to save you and Rikku. You've done everything for Spira, Yuna..." Tidus rested his hand on Yuna's shoulder. "It's now Spira's turn to return the favor."
Yuna looked around the bridge and saw that everyone was smiling determinedly- urging her to agree. Finally, after a few seconds, Yuna smiled and nodded, "Okay..."
"Alright then!" Aeris smiled at Yuna, "I assure you, Yuna... everything's gonna be fine and no one will get hurt in the process..." She stopped and thought for a moment. "Well," She sighed heavily, "with the exception of a few hearts if he remains stubborn..."
Everyone- except Paine and Shinra- threw her a confused look.
"Err..." Aeris nervously looked at them with a very nervous smile, "Just... Just... relax! Everything's gonna be okay! I promise!" She stammered.
The rest of them threw her a skeptical look but dismissed it in a few seconds anyway.
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Falcon Island
Rikku was sitting on the chair of the balcony that night, trying to relax a little. She then, remembered Louise's conversation with her siblings earlier. I haven't given it much thought... She told herself as she recall Rexus saying that she's staying in the chateau no matter what happens. The Al Bhed frowned at the thought. Louise is right... I wouldn't stay here if he kills Yuna... I'll hate him for as long as I live! Even if I do like him a lot... Her frown deepened.
"Ooh poopie..." Rikku sighed at the thought. "This is not just like as I thought it was..."
When you find somebody that confuses you or somebody whom you really hate a lot, search your feelings Rikku... maybe... you're just not aware of it... maybe... you're too absorbed by your own hate to even pay attention to your true feelings. Louise's words came back to her. When they were walking around in the village that afternoon, she shared a wisdom that was way beyond her years. The realization and the advices that Louise were giving her awfully felt like she KNEW something was going on with Rikku... and Louise's brother.
Rikku blushed at the thought. "No! No! No! I refuse to admit that-"
"Admit what?" A deep voice suddenly reached her ears making her jump up in surprise.
"You!" Rikku exclaimed.
"Me..." Rexus replied. Rikku sank back again on the chair and sighed heavily. I refuse to admit that I am in love with him... well... at least not out loud... A small smile formed on her lips. This was certainly unexpected.
Totally...
"Can I sit?" He asked in a tone that says that he doesn't want to argue. Rikku nodded at him, "It's your house..."
Rex chuckled and sat on the chair directly in front of her- staying silent for a few seconds. Gathering enough courage, Rexus sighed heavily and looked up at the Al Bhed. "I just came to apologize for the... incident... yesterday..." Rexus swallowed a lump on his throat and looked down on the ground uncomfortably.
"Err..." Rikku couldn't look up and make eye contact anymore. Her face was as red as a tomato and she swore that she saw Rex blushing too. "No harm done..." Gathering enough wits, Rikku inhaled and forced herself to look up at him. "But that's a rude way of making a girl stop talking, you meanie!"
Rexus chuckled and looked up at her, never letting his defenses down as always, "I guess you still hate me..." He smiled. "I won't blame you anyway..." Rex stood up and advanced a step towards the Al Bhed before kneeling down in front of her... Now Rikku's face was beet red. The sapphire-eyed knight raised his hand and after a second, a green light emanated from his hand, materializing into three stems of red roses. "Please accept this as my peace offering..."
She was speechless...
She was wondering if this guy was the same guy that she knew back then. "Not until you stop trying to kill Yunie..." She said, trying to sound as stubborn as possible.
Rexus' face hardened as he looked down on the ground. He knew that she would say that... Louise warned him. Gathering enough strength, Rexus grabbed her hand gently and kissed it before placing the roses there. Rikku felt herself stiffened. She was totally immobilized by his disarming charms. She's confused at the moment, not knowing exactly what to do as she watch him get up on his feet and leave without answering her question.
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Rexus sighed as he closed the door behind him. When he looked up, he saw two familiar and vaguely accusing stares from his siblings. Louise raised an eyebrow and was the first one to recover from the shock that the three were in from the moment that Rexus went out of the room.
"I was just wondering if there would be any change of plans tomorrow morning?" Louise asked poker-faced.
Rexus snapped back into reality and shook his head, saying a silent and less energetic "no" to them before leaving.
"This is getting harder than I thought it would be." Riley commented, shaking his head in utmost disbelief. "Is this the thing that he meant by Rikku staying here? He's seducing her?"
Louise sighed deeply, with the glint of amusement evident in her twinkling eyes. "Like I was saying brother... Rikku isn't the typical girl who gives in easily to men's charms. She's a very powerful antagonist..." She finally smiled mischievously. "I'm not giving up yet... He'll change his mind... Tomorrow..."
"Ooh... he better do it... quickly..." Riley shrugged again in disbelief.
"He will..." Louise grinned evilly, "Trust me... Even if it takes me a hundred rounds in the chronoportal..."
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Next Day
"Ahh... what a nice day!" Rikku exclaimed as she trudged along the pathway near the chateau's tower. "At least I can walk freely now..." She smiled.
Rikku suddenly noticed that everyone was hurrying towards his or her posts. She doesn't know what was going on but when the sudden deafening loud sound of the siren loomed through the air... only then did she figure out what exactly is going on.
"THEY'RE HERE!!!!" A knight shouted from the top of the tower, alarming everybody else. "THEY'VE COME TO ATTACK!!!!"
"Yunie..." Rikku muttered in distress... He's gonna kill Yunie! Without any thought, Rikku rushed towards the control room, hoping that she would find Riley, Louise... or maybe even Rexus to stop him.
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Celsius
"Well..." Buddy said, hopping on to his seat, "This is it, Gullwings..."
"It's time to rock and roll baby!!!" Brother shouted before jumping into his seat right after Buddy did.
"Never runs out of stupid exclamations as ever..." Shinra smirked and opened up their radar.
"I'm receiving something..." Tidus said, pushing buttons on his panel before looking up to the others, "It's from Baralai's ship."
"Everyone, this is the Airship, Ares. I'm giving out orders... do not open fire until I told you so or if they make their first move... do you copy?" Baralai's soft-spoken words vibrated through the bridge.
"Copy that..." Tidus answered, "I'll leave the comm. on just in case..."
Aeris looked around the bridge, feeling rather queasy about everything... "It's gonna be alright..." She muttered to herself before standing up from the staircase where she was sitting.
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Falcon Island: Control Room
"Rexus, listen..." Louise said. "You can just forget about all of this... just think about it..." She whispered, trying her best not to let the other officers hear their conversation.
"Yeah, bro... let's just forget it... Rikku will hate you for as long as she lives if you do this..." Riley said.
Rexus stopped and leaned his hands on the railings. He was deep in his thoughts as he watched the wide screen view of the attacking armada of Spira, speeding towards Falcon Island. "Sir! The cannon is set up and ready for release..." One of the technicians reported with a salute. Riley and Louise were silent, knowing that the cannon that the technician was talking about was the most powerful weapon that they have. "Your decision, Rex..." Riley muttered making Rexus look at him hardly.
"Launch the cannon..." Rexus ordered, immediately making the other officers follow his orders.
"Please!! Don't do it!!!!" Rikku appeared in the doorway, making everyone in the room look at her. "Please... don't..." Rikku said, making her way slowly towards Rexus without breaking their eye contact...
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Celsius
"Whoa!" Buddy exclaimed as his eyes narrowed at the huge cannon. "What on Spira is that machina!?"
Everyone rushed to see what Buddy was talking about. "Oh no..." Aeris exclaimed. Her eyes widened at the sight of the cannon, horrified. "That's the flare cannon... It can pulverize anything that it touches..."
"Who designed that thing?" Tidus asked, dumbfounded at the sight. "Whoever designed that must really be a genius..." Tidus looked at Aeris for an answer.
"You're looking at her..." Shinra said, matter-of-factly. Everyone just stared at the genius.
"If there was a time that I regretted designing and building that cannon... this is it..." Aeris said, looking at Yuna. "Everything will be okay... my sister got everything according to plan..." Aeris looked back at the Island... her home.
I HOPE she's got everything according to plan... She thought, uncomfortably.
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"The cannon is ready and good to go sir..." Another knight reported, making Rexus look back on the wide screen.
"Test it... Give them a warning..." Rexus said making the navigator pull the controls to target a ship. Rikku paled, Louise and Riley looked away. "Wait..." Rexus said, pushing a button on his controls. "Send an unmanned craft and use it to test the cannon..." He said. The others sighed heavily at this sudden change of thought... and the corner of Louise's lips raised in a faint, mischievous smile.
"Firing sequence in five... four... three... two... one..."
KABOOOM!!!
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The airships shook from the stray impact that the cannon released.
"How bad was the damage?!" Tidus shouted as he tried to look through the cloud of smoke, forming around the targeted craft. When the smoke cleared, the only thing that they saw was thin air...
"Uh..." Aeris looked at them, "Is that enough to answer your question?"
Everyone looked horrified.
BEEP! BEEP!
The sudden alarm from Shinra's console alerted everyone in the bridge. "I got something..." Shinra said, opening the link...
"Celsius..."
It's Rex...
"Aeris, get out of there immediately... I don't want you to get hurt..." Rexus said coolly.
"Who are you ordering around you numbskull!!? I won't!!!" Aeris exclaimed. Her brother just stared worryingly at her and ordered his men to target Celsius.
"Aeris, please..." Her brother said.
"No!" Aeris exclaimed through gritted teeth. When she saw his brother's lips thinned, she knew exactly what he's going to do. "Cut the link, Shinra... Cut the link! NOW!!!! He's tracking me!!"
Shinra immediately stops the transmission but to no avail, Aeris was transported back to the control room... and so was Shinra...
"Damned..." Buddy exclaimed, sighing heavily as he bravely eyed the cannon that was currently pointing towards them. "Well, it was nice meeting you guys!"
"Buddy!!?" Everyone exclaimed in unison.
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"Shinra, take them away..." Rexus ordered in almost a whisper but it was loud enough to be heard by everybody in the room.
"But sir-!" Shinra exclaimed as Aeris glared at her brother with misty eyes.
"Take them away!!!" Rexus shouted, glaring at the panel in front of him that ironically, mirrors himself. Shinra half-heartedly followed his orders, taking Aeris gently by the arm.
"If you continue this, forget that I even exist..." Aeris threatened her brother as Rikku threw herself into Aeris' arms. "This is a déjà vu, Rexus... Only this time... you're worse than that bastard Seymour..." With that, Shinra led Aeris and Rexus out of the room.
Rexus' fists were clenched on the panel as he angrily stared at his reflection. "It's not too late to change your mind... nobody's been hurt physically yet, Rex..." Louise said.
"The cannon's power is at 100 sir... awaiting orders for firing sequence." The knight reported, poker-faced though his forehead was sweating uncontrollably out of nervousness. The turn of events rely solely on one man now... his decision will change the course of Spiran History...
The course of everybody's life...
Of his life...
Forever.
"Well?" Riley walked towards the control panel of the firing sequence set for the Celsius. "Is it a go? Or is it a no?"
Rexus stares at his reflection on the panel and then looks up to where his brother was standing...
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Author's Note: I'm guessing that you guys know what's next... Smiles evilly... Then again... It's for me to know and for you to find out! Until then... ciao!! :)