FDB- Am I the only one that thinks Spring Break rocks? Anyways, sorry for not updating in a while. Major writer's block. And I've been working on another story I've thought about submitting. Not sure if I want to do anything with it, though. Now, I want a serious opinion. How many of you out there like The Calm: Broken? I want to know before I dump it. Anyways, on to the reviews.
Anbu713- Glad to know I'm not the only lazy ass mofo out there.
Sephirothxx- I know I need to proofread. Refer to the above statement.
CorStrikeEX- I'm looking forward to reading your stuff.
Lord batman- I think I've screwed myself with the insults to Tidus because of Auron blackmailing Jamie. And I KNOW that Auron is out of character in that sense, but he's not perverted.
()()()()SPOILER()()()()
Auron didn't record Jamie and Rikku all the way through.
Now, time for some Ex-Lax.
Chapter 12- When you cried.
Tidus finished his story. Finally! At the rate he was going Sin was going to die of old age before Yuna even got to Zanarkand. But we finally got moving. That same damn leg that's been giving me trouble since Moonflow had fallen asleep and had that pins-and-needles feel to it. It was only after we had seen this huge Aurora Borealis looking cloud that it stopped bothering me.
We eventually got to the entrance of a huge building and some strange spirit appeared. It spoke with Yuna, and we passed. I was seriously freaked out when I saw more spirits. And some of them were even talking to each other, saying something about sacrifice. Something one of them said caught Lulu's attention.
"This dome is filled with pyreflies," Auron said. "It's like one gigantic sphere. People's thoughts remain here. Forever."
Creepy. But you wanna know something even creepier? Seymour was once a little kid. Really. And his mom was there too. It looked like little Seymour was crying over something.
"No! Mother, no! I don't want you to become a Fayth!"
"There is no other way. Use me and defeat Sin. Only then will the people accept you."
"I don't care about them! I need you, mother! No one else!"
"I don't have much time left."
Wait a minute. If Seymour's mom is a Fayth…then…not only is she responsible for bringing me here…but she's…OH MY GOD! She's Anima! She's fucking Anima! Oh…my…God. How did that happen to her?
Next we saw Braska, Yuna's dad, Jecht, and a young Auron. Gasp! Auron was completely opposed to the whole Final Aeon thing. I can understand that. Sounds just like Tidus. I still can't believe Auron was young once. I found that I actually kinda liked Jecht. He had style. And Auron…young…it defies the laws of space/time. Jecht was actually expecting fireworks and a parade after Sin was defeated for the…99th time. And have I mentioned that Auron was once paying normal prices instead of the Senior Citizen discount? I still can't believe it.
With that still on my mind, we moved on. Damn, this place is a wreck. We eventually got to the Cloister, forcing Tidus to run around like a retard off his leash, stepping on lights and doing a bunch of pre-K colored block puzzles. He eventually lit up all of the weird seals on the platform in the middle, and I was ready to just get this over with. But things weren't going to be that easy. A huge thing rose from the center, ugly, scythes for arms, the works. You know, I've found that all the things we've had to fight here, the Chocobo Eater, Sinspawn, Crackhead Chewbacca, Anima, everything has been ugly. Why can't we ever be attacked by crazed swimsuit models? Why?
I suppose it would suffice to say that this thing won't be easy to beat. It looked like we were on a bunch of platforms surrounding it, and as you know, the Wind Scar can't cross gaps. I just happened to be on the same one as Rikku. At least I have some luck. I gave her cover as she pelted the thing with grenades and whatever other shit she kept…God knows where. She's wearing next to nothing…not saying that's a bad thing…but as scantily clad as she is, she keeps pulling grenade after grenade out of nowhere. What the hell? …Haven't said that in a long time. Goes to show how used to Spira I've become.
Rikku only stopped when she noticed a purple light underneath us. Auron said it was a bomb, so naturally I stayed cool, assessed the situation, decided on a course of action, and executed it. No…wait…that's what you do while driving. Let's see…You are standing on a bomb while battling an ugly horror movie reject that's standing between you and saving a world you're not from. You A) calmly assess the situation B) panic C) grab a cold Miller Light. ...B.
"Oh, shit!" I yelled as I tried to sort through the pandemonium that was wreaking havoc on the 'danger assessment' lobe of my brain. My first thoughts were of Rikku. Not in that way, you pervs. Without even thinking, I grabbed around the waist and threw here to the next platform over. When she hit and looked back, I put as much distance between me and the edge of the platform I was on, and got a good running start. A good running start, but a badly timed jump. The bomb went off right on my right leg. I barely made it to Rikku's platform.
Rikku immediately went to work fixing my leg. I pushed her away, and yelled, "Kill that thing first, worry about my leg later!"
She nodded and went back to barraging our opponent. I managed to get up on my feet and shield her with Tetsusaiga. After summoned a couple of her Aeons, the thing finally died. I was relieved, but I don't think I was the only one. Yuna went down the lift and I limped over to the door leading over to the other area, followed closely by Rikku, who was more than ready to fix my leg. I sat on the ground, hearing Auron tell the others that we needed some time. Jeez, he makes it sound like we're an old married couple.
Rikku started mixing up the concoction she gave me on the other side of Gagazet. I though I saw tears stream down her face, which was turned away from mine. I reached over and turned her towards me. I was right. She was crying. I looked into her eyes and knew why. She thought it was stupid of me to save her first, with no concern for my own well-being. She saw in my eyes that I understood and threw her arms around my neck. I put my arms around her, and after a while, pulled her away and pressed my lips against hers. She broke the kiss and rested her chin on my shoulder.
"You are so stupid," she whispered in my ear between sobs. "I don't want to lose you Jamie. It's bad enough knowing you have to go home after all of this. I…I don't want you to die."
"Don't cry, Rikku. Shhh…don't cry. I'm right here." I gently rocked her back and forth in my arms, trying to calm her down. "There's no reason to cry. I'm stubborn. I won't die easily. Besides," I said pulling her away so I could look into her eyes. "I've been thinking about staying when the time comes."
"Really?" she squealed. She shifted her weight and we kissed again. This time, when we pulled away, tears were coming from my eyes. I was struggling to fight them back, and failing.
"I thought you said there's no reason to cry."
"Rikku…you're on my leg…"
"Oh," she said, jumping off of it. She fixed me up, though it still hurt like a bitch. We heard Yuna yell, "Sir Auron! Everyone!" and we ran in.
We rode the lift down and entered the Chamber of the Fayth. Yuna was just looking down at the Fayth statue with a look of confusion on her face.
"This isn't a Fayth. It's just an empty statue."
The ghost man Yuna spoke to earlier appeared again. "That statue lost its power as a Fayth long ago. It is Lord Zaon, the first Fayth of the Final Summoning. What you see before you is all that remains of him. Lord Zaon is...his soul is gone."
"You mean, there is no Final Aeon?" Rikku exclaimed. If you ask me, I'd say she seemed almost happy about that.
"But fear not," the ghost said. He sure rained on Rikku's parade. "Lady Yunalesca will show you the path. The Final Aeon will be yours. The summoner and the Final Aeon will join powers. Go to her now. Inside, the lady awaits."
We entered the room, Kimahri going first to protect Yuna. Tidus accused Auron of knowing this would happen. Yet another thing that drives me nuts about him. He's one of those people that go by the 'You didn't ask' policy. If not for that stupid sphere… Wait…maybe I should kill him. After all, dead men tell no tales.
That silver-haired chick in the bikini we saw back at Seymour's appeared before us. She was pretty hot in person, but discovering someone is over 1000 years old is a major turn-off for me.
"Welcome to Zanarkand. I congratulate you, summoner. You have completed your pilgrimage. I will now bestow you with that which you seek. The Final Summoning...will be yours. Now, choose. You must choose the one whom I will change...to become the Fayth of the Final Summoning."
Whoa. So one of us has to become the Final Aeon? This is just plain nuts.
"There must be a bond, between chosen and summoner, for that is what the Final Summoning embodies: the bond between husband and wife, mother and child, or between friends. If that bond is strong enough, its light will conquer Sin. A thousand years ago, I chose my husband Zaon as my Fayth. Our bond was true, and I obtained the Final Aeon. There is nothing to fear. You will soon be freed of worry and pain. For once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end. Death is the ultimate and final liberation." Does this sound familiar?
I wasn't really paying much attention from that point. She sounded so much like Seymour it was creepy. Why do so many people around here have an obsession with death? Will this go on forever? Why did the kid send me here if Yuna was just going to die, and ten years later, Sin comes back? Why? What's the point of even trying? What's the point…
Tidus was still trying to find a way to save Yuna. We decided to ask Yunalesca about it. We went and talked to her, and she gave us the same damn speech we had heard over and over. 'Sin is never ending. Death is never ending. It will never end.' Whatever. We have to hope that the cycle will end.
"Yes, hope is...comforting. It allows us to accept fate, however tragic it might be. The summoners before you…they chose to die...because they had hope. Yevon's teachings and the Final Summoning give the people of Spira hope. Without hope, they would drown in their sorrow. Now, choose. Who will be your fayth? Who will be the one to renew Spira's hope?"
"No one," Yuna said. "I would have gladly died. I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them. But no more! The Final Summoning...is a false tradition that should be thrown away."
"No! It's our only hope! Your father sacrificed himself to give that hope to the people. So they would forget sorrow."
"Wrong. My father... My father wanted...to make Spira's sorrow go away. Not just cover it up with lies!" Cat fight.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try."
"My father... I loved him. So I... I will live with my sorrow, I will live my own life! I will defeat sorrow, in his place. I will stand my ground and be strong. I don't know when it will be but someday, I will conquer it. And I will do it without...false hope."
"Poor creature. You would throw away hope. Well... I will free you before you can drown in your sorrow. It is better for you to die in hope than to live in despair. Let me be your liberator." Does this sound familiar?
Yunalesca floated over a strange seal on the ground and prepared to fight us. I stepped forward and drew Tetsusaiga. I did so to protect Yuna, but also because this world is crazy enough with one Seymour. We do NOT need two.
"I can handle this, easy." Yes I am a cocky, arrogant bastard. It became apparent to me right when, right after I said that, a bunch of tendrils emerged from Yunalesca's back, went into the seal, and pulled out a big fucking Medusa head.
I just stared at it for a few seconds before I turned, wide-eyed, and said, "Well…I've done all I can do. Bye!" I took off running just as Auron grabbed the collar of my shirt. I struggled, but he dragged me right back into the fray. It was a tough battle, especially when Yunalesca cast a spell to kill all of us a couple of times. But it didn't always work. That was good. No one was seriously hurt. I even got in the killing blow. Booyah!
"If I die, so does the Final Aeon. And with it, Spira's only hope."
"Then we'll find Spira a new hope!" Tidus shouted. Huh, the only intelligent thing he's said since I've known him.
"Fool. There is no other way. Even if there was... Even if you did destroy Sin... Yu Yevon the immortal would only create Sin anew."
Who is Yu Yevon? What does he have to do with Sin? I didn't have much time to ponder the answers to these questions, because right before Yunalesca died, she threw something at me. I looked like a small dagger, but all I know is that it hit me right in the arm. It hurt like a bitch, just like when the bomb exploded on my leg. I pulled it out and dropped it.
"We must talk."
I turned to find Auron addressing Tidus. I don't think he knew I was still there. Maybe he thought I went on with the others. "There is something you should know."
"I know...it's about you, right?" Damn. Tidus is on a roll today.
"I am also an unsent." Holy shit. I guess dead men can tell tales. When Braska and Jecht died defeating Sin... I just couldn't accept it. I came back here...tried to avenge them. But she, Yunalesca, struck me down. Somehow I made my way, crawling, down Mount Gagazet. But my strength left me just outside Bevelle. That's where Kimahri found me. I told him about Yuna...just before I died. I've been wandering ever since, never going to the Farplane. But being dead has its advantages. I was able to ride Sin and go to your Zanarkand.
"And you've been watching over me since then, haven't you? Why? What's the big idea? Why me?" I'm convinced. Tidus must have sold his soul for this new found double digit IQ.
"Remember when Yunalesca said that what makes the Final Aeon strong enough to beat Sin is the bond between the summoner and the Fayth? I thought the bond between you and Jecht would work the same way."
Why the hell is Auron turning pink? And why does it feel like I'm drunk? Everything was spinning around me…it looked like a description of adrug high I heard. The colors…
Next thing I remember was Rikku kneeling over me, crying. I saw Sin behind her. Laughing at me, and with every laugh, blue bunnies spewed from its blowhole. Damn you, Sin. I reached up and gave him a good look at my social finger before passing out.
FDB- I'm not a pot, crack, coke, or any other drug –head, okay? But my dad was once. Don't know which. Whatever. REVIEW!