AN: Someone asked me why the portal did not react as violently to Yuna and Paine as it did to Gippal. The answer is simple. Baralai explained that the portal could not be activated by anyone but the Phoenix and that it would violently reject any males. Well that meant that the barrier would throw back any men that tried to activate it and would simply ignore any women except the Phoenix.
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Previously in Tears of the Phoenix:
"Don't worry Baralai, we'll be back before you know it!" She walked to the portal. "Alright guys! Let's do this!" She placed her hands on the portal and then pushed through.
Chapter 8: RebirthRikku blinked in the unexpected light. It was suddenly noon and she was suddenly outdoors. "Holy shhhhhhhhhh!" she said, looking up.
"You said it!" Gippal said, appearing beside her. They were standing at the foot of a long set of stairs. At the top of the stairs was a huge tower made or crystal! The way the light refracted through it sent cascades of rainbows pouring out in all directions.
"It's so beautiful!" Yuna exclaimed staring up at the tower.
"What is this place?" Tidus asked. "Do we have to walk up all those?" he asked, pointing at the stairs.
"Unless you know a way that we can fly," Paine said, shifting all her weight to one foot and crossing her arms. "I sure wish that Baralai could see this."
"Oh, what I would give for an elevator," Tidus sighed, shaking his head.
"What? What's an eskalaaaatuur?" Rikku asked, blinking. Tidus laughed and shook his head.
"Never mind," he said. He looked around. "Doesn't seem to be any sign of fiends."
"Good, that means we don't have to fight. Yet," Paine said. "Now we climb."
"Oh maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan," Tidus whined.
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"That took forever," Tidus panted, his hands on his knees. Yuna laughed.
"You need to get into shape again," she said, patting him on the shoulder. Tidus stood up straight.
"Yeah well you can't get much exercise on the Farplane," he muttered indignantly.
"How long were you on the Farplane?" Gippal asked.
"Two years," Tidus replied. "Not much to do there but talk. Gave me a chance to make up with old man though. We didn't get along very well before that."
"Jeez," Gippal said, amazed. "I was an unsent for all of three hours and I was bored out of my mind already. I was contemplating becoming a fiend simply because it would be something to do." Rikku stared at him, appalled. "I'm just kidding!" he said quickly.
"So now we go in the tower right?" Yuna asked. Rikku nodded. "I wonder what we'll find in there."
"Only one way to find out," Paine said, pushing the large double doors open. "Are you all coming?" She called over her shoulder, walking through the entrance. Gippal shrugged and followed.
"Scary!" Tidus said and joined them. Yuna giggled and took Tidus' hand. Rikku stared after them for a second. Something just wasn't right. But as Paine said there was only one way to find out what. No sense just standing out there worrying about it. She followed the others inside.
"I must have been standing out there longer than I thought," Rikku thought aloud. No one else was there. She found herself standing in the center of a large chamber. "Guys? Where are you? Don't leave me behind!" She called. Her voice echoed eerily about the chamber. There was no answer. "Guys!" she called loudly. Rikku was suddenly afraid. This place, for all its beauty, gave her the willies. She didn't want to be there alone. "GUYS!"
"They won't come," said a voice from behind Rikku. Startled, she whirled around. A woman was standing there, facing her. She was strikingly beautiful. She had knee-length golden hair and as the light changed it became either bright orange or an even paler yellow. It reminded Rikku of fire. So did the pale blue of her eyes that burned with such intensity. She wore long flowing robes of white and upon her head was a headdress of feathers that changed in the same manner as her hair. "They will not come," said the woman. "Because they cannot."
"Who are you?" Rikku asked, worried for her friends. The woman laughed and spread her arms wide.
"Who am I, you ask. Why, I am you, of course. Or rather, you are me. My reincarnation." Rikku stepped backward, shocked.
"You are the original Phoenix Guardian!" The Phoenix nodded.
"Correct. My name is Niliya. Four thousand years ago, when Spira was new, I cast the demons back into the blackness from whence it came. And now they have returned, seeking revenge. So I have been reborn as you, so that I may defeat them once more. But this time, for good."
"But how?" Rikku asked, her friends momentarily forgotten. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. It seemed that, at last, those answers were finally within her reach. She just never expected it would be like this.
"The demons are weak when they are disorganized. Without their leader they are mere sheep. Large and dangerous sheep, yes. But sheep still. Only the Demon King has the power to break through the barrier that I used to seal them there. If you kill him, and then send them back, they shall never be able to return again. You will need my power to do that."
"But how do I use your power I don't even know what powers those are!" Rikku exclaimed.
"My, no, our power is largely instinctive. You have already used the power of resurrection, have you not? But you will need the staff to be able to channel the power or it will destroy you. And there is the matter of your transformation…"
"Transformation?" Rikku asked, blinking in confusion. Niliya hesitated.
"We will speak more of this later. Right now you need to rescue your friends."
"What about my friends? Are they in danger!" Rikku cried. Niliya nodded sadly. She turned and gestured down a long hallway at the opposite end of the chamber.
"You brought outsiders here. They have been imprisoned within the tower, their souls trapped for eternity. Only you can save them. You must use your powers to rescue them. Do not worry child, I shall be there to guide you. After all, I am a part of you. This place gives me from. That is why you see me now. When you leave again I shall once again disappear into the far regions of your mind for you to call on when you need me. For now, let us go save your friends."
Together, Rikku and Niliya walked down the hallway, only to find themselves in another chamber. This one had four doors. Rikku groaned. "What now?" she asked.
"Pick one, you'll find one of your friends down each one. Choose quickly, child, or you may not be able to save them all." There was a great urgency in the voice of the former Guardian.
"I wish you would stop calling me a child," Rikku said absently. "That one!" She pointed to the one directly to the left of her. She pushed the door open and walked through. Rikku gasped, she was suddenly on the Thunder Plain! "What the fuck?"
"Language child," Niliya said with amusement. "This is not the real Thunder Plain. This entire place exists solely in your mind. Nonetheless it holds real danger. Look!" Rikku looked where Niliya pointed. Yuna was dodging lightning bolts. But she was tiring. Any moment one might hit her. Rikku didn't want to think what would happen then.
"I hate lightning! What do I do?" She asked, turning to Niliya in desperation.
"Protect her!" Niliya replied. Rikku rolled her eyes. Could she be any more obvious? "Shield her from the storm." It was plain that Rikku would get no more out of her than that. She would just have to think of her own way to save Yuna. Suddenly, she somehow sensed that the next bolt of lightning would strike Yuna. She raised her hand and concentrated on blocking its shock. Instead of striking Yuna it split a foot above her head and splintered into a spidery dome and vanished.
"Very good!" Niliya said, clapping Rikku on the back. "I knew you could do it. This is your journey and your feet must walk the path. I can guide you somewhat but I cannot tell you where to place each footstep now can I?"
"I suppose not," Rikku said thoughtfully. "Yunie!" she called, waving her arm.
"Rikku!" Yuna cried, running to her. "There you are! This place is so strange! One moment I am walking with Tidus in that crystal place and the next I am on the Thunder Plain and there are no lightning rod towers. How did you do that anyway?"
"Phoenix power," Niliya answered making her presence known to the High Summoner. "We had better leave this place or we may be struck by lightning. Rikku blocked the last one but it would be best not to be caught unawares, no?" She gestured again and the door appeared in front of them. Without checking to see if Rikku and Yuna followed her, she passed through.
"Who was that?" Yuna asked.
"Talk later, leave now," Rikku said, following Niliya. She was standing in the chamber when Yuna strode up next to her, hands on her hips.
"Alright Rikku, I want answers!" Yuna demanded. "I was nearly fried to a crisp back there and suddenly we're back in that tower. How? And who is that lady?"
"Not now, Yunie. We have to save the others. That one next, Niliya," Rikku said, pushing open the door directly in front of her. They were suddenly at the base of a huge cliff. Strong winds blew about them. "What the? Anybody here?" she called.
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPP!" she heard Tidus shout from above them. Rikku looked up. Tidus was clinging desperately to the cliff face. Rikku felt a pang of fear for him. The winds were buffeting at him, threatening to tear him away at any moment.
"Oh boy. Now, how am I gonna save him?" she wonder aloud. Yuna had already begun to attempt to climb the cliff. Rikku could already tell that she would never get there in time.
"Um, I believe it's one of those times that I shall have to guide you," Niliya said. "I had hoped that this could wait. But it seems I was wrong. Remember that transformation that I mentioned before? It looks like it's time. Come here Rikku. Give me your hands." Rikku walked to Niliya and placed her hands in those of the Guardian's. Niliya's grip suddenly tightened on Rikku's hands and Rikku could feel power surging through her.
"W-what's going…. on?" she gasped.
"Concentrate Rikku! Feel the fire within you and focus that power into lifting you off the ground! Only you can save Tidus! Become what you were born to be!" Rikku delved deep within herself, channeling the power running through her like an electric current. She could feel it changing her, she felt suddenly light and heavy at the same time. Rikku tried to beat down the growing fear that she would somehow lose herself in this strange transformation. And then, as suddenly as it began it was over. She let out a deep breath that she had not known she had been holding and opened her eyes.
Everything looked different. More real, if that were possible. More somehow. She could see things in greater detail than she could have ever imagined possible. It was like she was looking through a sphere-cam on superzoom. She could see strange flecks of even paler blue in Niliya's eyes that she had never noticed before. Niliya's robes, which Riku could have sworn were the purest white, were actually veined with threads of gold and silver. And her hearing was much better too. She could hear the frantic beating of Yuna's heart as she slipped on the cliff and scrambled to try and reach Tidus. As Rikku had guessed Yuna had not gotten far. It was up to Rikku to save her friend.
She beat her wings and took flight. Wait just a minute here! Since when do I have wings? … Oh. Right. She barely had time to recognize this new element of her transformation before she was spiraling up to be level with Tidus. She flew as near to the cliff as she dared. As she neared it the winds seemed to grow in strength. She did not want to risk crashing into the cliff face and scraping a wing. She hadn't gotten used to this whole flying thing yet. "Tidus!" she shouted over the force of the gale. The blitzer turned his head and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
"RIKKU! Is that you?" he cried in amazement. Rikku attempted to circle closer.
"Yeah it's me. Listen, I can't get any closer than this, so I need you to do something for me. This is going to sound crazy but… I need you to push away from the cliff as hard as you can."
"WHAT! Are you crazy! I'll fall!" If it was possible, he clung even tighter to the rock. Rikku sighed with vexation.
"Yes, Tidus. That's the idea. I can't reach you if you're on the cliff. I can't get any closer. But if you push away I'll be able to get to you. Don't worry. I'll catch you. I promise. You have to trust me!" Tidus winced as another strong gust threatened to tear him away.
"Alright I trust you!" He pushed away from the cliff as hard as he could. Rikku could hear Yuna's scream of horror. Rikku folded her wings tight against her back and rocketed down after Tidus. As soon as she was just below him she turned on so her back was facing the ground and stretched her wings out to their full span. She instantly slowed and Tidus fell into her arms. "Woah! Cool!" Tidus said as they floated gently to the ground. She set Tidus down.
"Well done child!" Niliya said, running forward. She took Rikku's face in her hands. "I knew you could do it!" She put her arms around Rikku's shoulders and embraced her.
"But what did I do…. Exactly?" Rikku asked, folding her wings against her back. She was a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. You try and have wings suddenly sprout from your back and not be the least bit freaked out!
"You harnessed the Phoenix flame within you and channeled it into a more corporeal form. But more on that later. We still have to save Gippal and Paine." Niliya made the door appear again and they moved into the chamber again.
"Hey, Yuna, who's that?" Tidus asked, pointing at Niliya.
"I have no idea, Rikku won't tell me anything. She says we don't have time. But I think that her name is Niliya. Who, or what, she actually is I have no idea." They watched as Rikku and Niliya passed through another door. "But we'd better follow after them. Rikku's right about one thing. We've got to save Gippal and Paine as soon as possible."
"You ain't gonna get any arguments from me! Let's go!" Before Yuna could even say another word Tidus was already running after the two Phoenix. Rikku and the others found themselves in some sort of jungle. Huge tree rose so high that the canopy appeared a solid green, as if there were no leaves to distinguish between. Snake-like vines wound about the trees and hung from the branches.
"Gippal! Paine! Are you here?" Tidus called. Rikku looked about. There was no sign of either of them. Suddenly Paine's angry cry echoed through the trees.
"Paine!" Rikku shouted. "Where are you?" She looked about in desperation. Where could she be? Well, there was nothing to do but pick a direction, so she did. This direction happened to be the most obvious choice. That direction was forward if you couldn't guess. I bet you couldn't.
She skidded to a halt and stared. The vines were moving! And they were winding themselves around Paine, threatening to crush the life out of her. Not that Paine wasn't fighting back. She was struggling something fierce and cursing in such a way that would make a Youth League captain turn green. Her sword lay forgotten on the ground next to one of the trees. The vines had somehow managed to disarm her. "What now?" Rikku said, shifting her weight from foot to foot.
"Take this," Niliya said, handing Rikku a staff. "This is the Guardian staff. You cannot yet use it's magic but it should still suit your purpose." Rikku looked at the staff. It was perhaps a foot taller than her and made of ebony. Strange runes were carved all along the shaft and they glinted blue with hidden magic. At its head several feathers of a gold-coloured metal were arranged in a sort of half fan. At first glance they appeared to be purely ornamentation, but at closer inspection they turned out to be very sharp blades with serrated edges. Rikku was glad she had been really bored one day and gotten Kimari to teach her how to wield his lance. This was something similar after all.
"Hold on Paine! I'll save you, but I'd better get respect points for this!" Rikku zigzagged across the mossy ground until she was at the base of the huge entanglement of vines. She grinned and leapt into the air. Making several quick slices with her staff she loosened the vines enough that Paine was able to free herself and jump down. The two Gullwings landed on the ground simultaneously.
"Gippal's all that's left now right?" Tidus said as they found themselves in the chamber once more.
"Yes," said Niliya. "And then Rikku shall have not only rescued you all, but learned how to harness all her powers as well. Perhaps it was fate that you followed her into this place where all but the Phoenix are forbidden. It is time for the last door." They walked to the door and Rikku pushed it open. Tidus went to walk through the door but Rikku stopped him.
"No," she said. "I sense… I sense that… I must do this on my own somehow. It will not allow anyone but me through." Niliya nodded, pleased that Rikku was able to sense the limitations of the gateway. "Wait for me her guys."
Tidus snorted. "As if we had anywhere else to go." Rikku laughed shortly and nodded. As soon as she passed through he turned to Niliya. "So, who are you? I'd introduce myself but you seem to know who I am anyway. Yuna too."
"I am called Niliya. I am the previous Phoenix Guardian." Yuna started.
"But that's impossible!" Yuna said. "Rikku is a reincarnation of you. That would mean that you are the same person, of the same soul. There's no way you could exist outside her body." Niliya smiled mysteriously.
"Well that would be true… if we were outsider her body. This place," Niliya said, looking around. "Is in Rikku, of a sort. We are within her soul, I should say. So I am able to take form here."
"We're in… Rikku's soul?" Yuna whispered in disbelief. "This place is so gorgeous."
"Yes its crystalline beauty should stand as a testament to the purity of that girl's soul. There is not a hint of tarnish anywhere."
"But why is this place so dangerous?" Paine asked. "If it is so pure." The smile vanished from Niliya's face.
"Do you honestly think that Rikku would be able to stay so cheerful all the time without building up defenses. The only way that she has been able to stave of despair at time was with the shields she built within herself." Paine's face showed rare emotion.
"So what now?"
"Now… we wait."
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AN grins evilly Well you guys asked for longer chapters. How was this? Lots of things were explained in this chapter and I am quite proud of it. But I want to know if you like it. The only way I'll know that is if you review. And I want to know what you honestly think. Flame me, I don't care. I am a bit of a pyro after all.