Well, another chapter is done, and now we have a co-host, co-commenter, whatever you want to call it.
Nightfire: Hey! What's this 'co' stuff? I'm more important that you are!
Eh, don't mind him folks. If you've read FF8: The Shadow Slayer, you'll recognize him. He wanted to be here, and unfortunately, I agreed. I may have to kill him before long, but it'll be better than nothing for now.
Iron-Reaver: I've got one now. Can I do multiple encounters now? Vegnagun wasn't that tough, but it did help to have a healing spell. Never know when the bosses will pull something tricky out.
missmanga90: Sounds good to me. I'll let you know. May start work on it sooner than I think.
beastboy-had-a-brain: Yup, still going. Doesn't look like I'm gonna stop, either.
anbu713: I'm glad you like it! Your suspicions are right, for the most part. Won't show up until a long time from now, though.
Now, onto the chapter!
Chapter 12—Deception
As we arrive back at the stadium, and walk to the locker room, I hear about how the Aurochs pulled off an amazing come from behind victory, winning 3 to 2. Apparently, they were holding out to see if we were successful or not. I trail behind the group, rummaging through my shorts pockets for the moment. Finally finding what I was searching for, I pull out several small spheres, 2 marked with an 'A', one with an 'M', and another with an 'S'. Speed, mana, and 2 more abilities, the next 4 nodes on my Sphere Grid. Taking a moment to unlock them, I feel a little faster, and mentally stronger, as well as gaining knowledge of my next two abilities. One will be a very nice addition.
"Sure you're all right, Cap'n?" Datto says, looking at Wakka, who is slumped against the wall, sitting on one of the locker room benches.
"The game starts in a few minutes. You sure you okay?" Letty chimes in, as Jassu shakes his head.
"We're playing the Goers, too."
Wakka drops the ball he had been holding, and slumps back on the bench again. An audible groan can be heard from the members of the team, as we walk in the door. Tidus stops the ball with his foot, and kicks it up into his grip, smiling.
"Miss me?" he says, throwing the ball to Datto.
"Lady Yuna!" he exclaims, standing up.
"Are you okay?" Letty asks, Yuna nodding.
"All this because of me. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she says, feeling guilty for being the cause of the Aurochs' troubles.
"How can you let some Al Bhed kidnap you?" Wakka says suddenly, causing me to wince inwardly.
'Tactful, Wakka.'
Tidus seems to catch it as well, speaking up. "Hey, let it go, all right?" he says, as Wakka turns back to his team.
"Don't go near Al Bhed any more, okay? They're trouble." he says, as we all turn to leave, sans Tidus. Yuna stays behind a moment, as does Kimahri, which leaves just Lulu and I to exit the room. After a moment of waiting, Yuna walks out, followed by Kimahri.
"So, is Wakka gonna play?" I ask. Yuna shakes her head.
"I don't think so. He looked pretty beaten up in there, but he might." she replies.
"Didn't really think so. How much time left till the game starts?"
"About...five minutes. Why?" Lulu asks.
"I've got something I need to do. I'll meet up with you guys sometime during the game." I say, walking off.
"Okay." Yuna says, as she, Lulu, and Kimahri walk off, towards the inside of the stadium.
"Now. I don't like you, Seymour, and I know you're up to something. It's no accident that those fiends show up after the game. I'm going to find out why." I say to myself, exiting the stadium. As I leave, I can hear the announcers over the loudspeakers.
"This is it, folks! In just a few minutes, the championship game! But who could have imagined...a championship game between these two teams! Our legendary Luca Goers going against...the horribly ill-fated Besaid Aurochs!" Bobba says.
"This looks like history in the making, Bobba." Jimma says, as I make my way around the stadium.
"This place has to have a back entrance, but where in the heck is it?" I mumble, looking around the outside. Finally, reaching the very back, I notice a small set of double doors.
"Bingo." Walking over to the doors, I pull on them. They don't budge.
"Crap, locked." Suddenly, I hear voices from the other side. Flattening myself against the wall, right next to where the doors will open, two men walk out, pushing a small cart. Seizing the chance, after they clear the doorway, I get myself in the door before it slams closed again. Now, I'm in a long hallway, lined with doors on each side. Walking down the hallway, not making a sound thanks to the bottoms of my shoes being softer than my tennis shoes, I look at the names on the doors. I hear footsteps again, and duck into the first door I see. Luckily, it's unlocked. As I shut it, I breathe a sigh of relief, and then have to keep myself from screaming as I look around. Several cages on wheels line the walls, each holding a type of fiend. Vouivres, Dingo fiends, even 2 large Garudas are caged up in the room. Also, several of the fish fiends, Sahagin Chiefs, are in a large aquarium on one side.
"So that's how they got in. From the inside. That's what I thought, you rotten, sneaky Maester." I say, to no one in particular. Just then, the door opens, and 2 men walk in, as I cower behind a large crate in one corner of the room, listening intently.
"Seymour expects us to handle these things? You're kidding." one says, and the other slaps him over the head.
"You dolt. All we have to do is take them back to the room we just left from. Then, we're outta here."
"Psh. Fine." he says, grabbing one of the carts and wheeling it out. The other grabs the tank with the Chiefs in it, and follows the other out, leaving the door open. I creep to the door, looking to the left to make sure no one is there, and follow them down the hallway silently.
We don't go far, maybe a hundred feet, before they turn and walk into a large, open room, where the bottom of the blitzball sphere can be seen. It's solid metal, not glass as the top is. We must be directly under the bottom. One of the men hooks a large hose up to a part of the bottom, as the crowd cheers, now able to be heard by our proximity to the sphere. The man sticks the other end of the hose into the tank, and wheels the other cart over to a side of the room, next to a door. I duck behind another stack of crates, with what I assume are more maintenance tools for the sphere. Seymour walks in then, smiling.
"What are you waiting for? The game is almost over!" he orders, the two men scurrying off quickly to retrieve the other cages. As the men leave, Seymour looks around, before walking over to the tank. I stand up to make my escape back to the stadium, when he suddenly turns around and looks at me.
"I knew someone was watching me. It's not polite to spy on a Maester." he says, smiling evilly the whole time. I glare back at him.
"Not exactly polite to let fiends loose on the innocent bystanders up there, now is it?" I say, venom almost dripping from my voice.
"Touche. What can I say." he says, shrugging, before pointing his hand at me. "Fira!" he says, the great ball of flame rocketing at me, as I throw myself to the floor.
"Haste!" I say, suddenly regretting my actions. At this point, he's a lot more powerful than I am. To attack him would be suicide. Smiling, I use the first of my new abilities. "Slow!" I yell, and the time magic does its work, slowing Seymour's actions down dramatically. That was in vain, however.
"Dispel!" he says, eliminating the slowing effect, before casting another spell. "Blizzara!" A powerful burst of ice smashes into my chest, knocking me down. Before I can get back up, Seymour walks over to me, and grabs me by the throat, lifting me up with surprising strength.
"You will keep my little secret for now, or I will crush you where you are. The choice is yours." he says to me, and I realize I have no choice. Besides, no one would believe me anyway at this point.
"Fine, you win." I say, and he drops me to the ground. Quickly regaining my breath, I run out, and faintly hear the announcers.
"Unbelievable! The Aurochs win, folks! This is one for the record books!" Bobba says, as I glance back only to see Seymour throw a lever, and the piece of metal over the tube opens, allowing the Sahagin Chiefs full access to the sphere.
"I gotta move!" I say, running as fast as my Hasted body will go. While I'm running, I take the chance to use my second new ability.
"Cure!" I yell, and the familiar wave of sparkles washes over me, healing me fully. As I burst out the back door, and sprint towards the front, I can see people running around in the distance, screaming. The fiends have already made it inside. Finally making it to the front gate, I dash back towards the sphere, hoping I'm not too late to help.
As I enter the area holding the blitzball sphere, I'm greeted by what can only be described as mass pandemonium. People are running every which way, trying to escape the fiends that Seymour has let loose on them. Faintly, I see Tidus and Wakka fighting off the Chiefs in the sphere, and a growl to my left catches my immediate attention. Looking over, I see Auron standing there, facing down a Vouivre. Refreshing the Haste I had cast on myself, I run over to try and help, only to see him strike it down with one blow.
"Easy enough." I hear him mutter, as he turns, noticing my approach. "Ben. I assume the others are here as well?" I nod.
"Yeah, they're all here. I haven't seen Yuna, Kimahri, or Lulu, though, and Tidus and Wakka are up there." I reply, pointing to the sphere, just in time to see Tidus cut through the last fiend, and head for the door. Quickly leaving the sphere, I watch Tidus and Wakka kill 2 Dingo fiends, before running towards us.
"Where's Yuna and the others?" Wakka yells, shouting to be heard over the crowd's panicking. Looking around, the 4 of us scan the stands and floor of the stadium, before Auron finally spots them, over near the west side of the floor.
"There!" he shouts, running over to them. But, after we move a few feet, we're stopped by a massive Garuda, swooping down from above. Joining the Garuda a moment later, is a Dingo fiend, and another Vouivre.
"Ben, you and Tidus take the Dingo. Wakka, hold off the Garuda for a moment, as you're the only one who can easily strike it. I'll handle the Vouivre." Auron says, charging the fiend, as we do the same. Tidus jumps in, cleaving downward, as I jump in with a horizontal swipe. The fiend dodges my strike by ducking, but doesn't avoid Tidus', which cuts it clear in two. Auron simply charges in, and dodges a claw swipe from the Vouivre, before decapitating it on the spot. Wakka is having a little more trouble with the giant Garuda, though, and we rush back to help him.
"Dark Attack!" he yells, throwing the blitzball, but the Garuda dodges. I run up and try to slash at the fiend, but it flies out of my reach. Same thing happens with Auron and Tidus. Wakka finally gets a hit in on it, which causes the fiend to swoop down and claw him with its talons.
"Cure!" I yell, causing Tidus to look at me strangely.
"Since when did you know that?" he yells, as I ignore him for the moment, focusing once again.
"Slow!" I yell, the magic slowing the Garuda down to a crawl, as I drop to my knees, unable to cast anything else for the moment.
"Dark Attack!" Wakka repeats, the attack connecting this time, blinding the Garuda. Auron pulls his sword back, and leaps up into the air, using Dragon Fang on the Garuda, weakening it, as Tidus runs in.
"See ya!" he yells, slicing across the creature's chest twice, causing it to fall and explode into pyreflies.
"Let's go!" Auron yells, running towards Yuna and the others, who have just defeated several of the Dingo and Vouivre fiends, and are taking a quick breather. Two more of the Vouivres appear next to me, and I yell to Auron, taking up a defensive stance.
"Go on! I'll hold them off!"
Running in, I deliver a quick slash to the front legs of the first, before spinning aside, out of the path of a headbutt from the second. Bringing the sword up, it cuts an arc through the air, before going straight over the face of the second, blinding it in one eye. The other gets in a headbutt, connecting squarely with my head, sending me tumbling back through the air. It growls, advancing on me, as I stand up, my vision spinning as I try to regain my orientation. I manage to get the sword up just as it tries another claw swipe at me, but it knocks the sword back down to my side, and cuts me across the chest.
"Agh!" I cry, falling backwards again. Just then, I see a bolt of magic fly overhead, a Blizzard spell from Lulu slamming into the chest of the Vouivre, killing it at last. The other, half-blind one now tries to charge, but only ends up getting impaled on the end of Auron's sword.
"Cure!" Yuna yells, using the healing magic on me once again. Standing up, I sheath my sword, just as Seymour decides to make his grand entrance. Doing the prayer gesture, a massive anchor descends from the sky, burrowing into the ground and stopping. The chain attached to it starts to rise once again, and the anchor is now carrying a massive, mummified fish creature, with one eye missing. It is also chained up, from top to bottom, preventing it from moving anything other than its head.
"So that's Anima..." I say, eyes widening at the sight of the powerful aeon. Letting out a screech, the aeon turns its head to the remaining fiends, as its eye starts to glow. After a moment, powerful beams of energy begin to shoot from its eye, obliterating any fiend it comes in contact with. Several shots of this, and the fiends start to decrease in number. After another minute, they are all destroyed, a massive swarm of pyreflies replacing the numerous fiends in the stadium.
"Uh, wow." I stammer, amazed at the power in the aeon's attacks. 'And to think, we have to fight that thing later...'
Seymour smiles evilly at me, though no one else seems to catch it, before walking off. Glaring at the spot he was just standing on, I put my hand on my hip. 'Can't keep your little secret forever, Seymour. I'll find a way to get them to see it. Just watch me. Who says the storyline has to go as planned...'
"Ben, are you okay?" Yuna asks, looking me over for a moment. Turning to her, I nod.
"Yeah, I'm fine. So, where's the next destination on this adventure?"
"The Mi'ihen Highroad." Lulu says, beginning to walk out of the stadium, everyone else, including me, following her after a moment. Before we can leave however, the Aurochs come running up to Wakka.
"You're really leaving, Cap'n?" Datto says, as Letty looks at Wakka.
"Shouldn't you heal up first?" he says. Wakka shakes his head, looking at his teammates.
"Yuna needs me with her now. I can't be lying around in some bed." he says, the Aurochs hanging their heads at his response.
"Yeah, but..." Datto protests.
"Come on, look sharp!" Wakka cuts in. "The blitz season just started. Don't make those faces, ya?" he says, handing the statue of the Crystal Cup to Datto. "Well...see you, boys! You be good."
"Cap'n..." the Aurochs mumble, not at all happy with the departing of their captain. Wakka frowns.
"I can't hear you!" he says loudly.
"Cap'n!" the Aurochs yell, brightening up a little.
"Well, then, off to the Highroad?" I ask, looking at Yuna. She nods, and I nod back, as we all walk out of the stadium.
Walking into a large, open area, similar to a town square of some sort, we all stop to rest for a few minutes. Yuna seems to notice something troubling Wakka, and turns to face him.
"Are you sure?" she asks, referring to his decision to leave the Aurochs. Wakka shrugs, smiling back at Yuna.
"Never liked long goodbyes. Sorry for making you wait, Yuna. I had some promises to keep, ya. From now on, I'm your full-time guardian."
Yuna smiles at Wakka. "Then welcome back, Sir Wakka. Good to have you with us."
"Hey, it's good to be back, ya? So, any news on what happened?" he asks us, now referring to the fiends' attack on the stadium. I debate between saying something, and keeping my mouth shut. The latter option wins out, as Lulu speaks up.
"Not really." she says, crossing her arms over her chest. "We don't know where the fiends came from. Maester Mika is safe and sound, thanks to Maester Seymour. That's about it."
'Yeah, cause that lying, arrogant Guado set the whole thing up. That's why Mika's safe, cause they're both in on everything, I bet.' I think, angrily.
"Maester Seymour's aeon...it was so powerful." Yuna says, staring off into space. I look around, noticing Tidus and Auron are now gone. Catching a glimpse of Auron's red coat, over near a corner of the square, I walk over, silently hoping to listen in on the conversation. Tidus isn't going to take this well, I can already tell.
"Hey, you! Don't just stand there! All of this is your fault! Gettin' swallowed by Sin! Ending up here in Spira! Not being able to go back to Zanarkand—everything, everything! I'm telling you, it's all your fault." Tidus half-yells at Auron, furious at the warrior. Auron simply stands there, before beginning to chuckle.
"Who are you, anyway?" Tidus asks, to which Auron remains silent. "You knew my old man, didn't you?"
"Yeah." Auron answers bluntly.
"And you also knew Yuna's father?" Auron nods.
"That's correct."
"Hey, man, no way! Hey, man, there's no way. That's just impossible." Tidus says, disbelieving. Auron simply shakes his head.
"Nothing impossible about it. Jecht, Braska, and I...together we defeated Sin, ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand...where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira." Auron explains.
"Why did it have to be me?" Tidus asks.
"Jecht asked me to." he says, causing Tidus to pause a moment.
"Is he alive?" he says, looking intently at Auron, his apparent hatred for his father seemingly broken by the question. Auron continues to look at the ground.
"It depends on what you mean by 'alive'. He is no longer human. But then...I felt something of Jecht there in that shell, couldn't you?" he says, looking at Tidus now. "You must have felt him when you came in contact with Sin."
Tidus' face goes a pale shade of white at this. "It can't be..." he breathes. Auron reluctantly nods.
"It is. Sin is Jecht."
"No! That's ridiculous! No way!" he cries, violently denying the true statement. "I don't believe you!"
"But it is the truth. You'll see for yourself. Come with me." Auron says.
"If I say no?" Tidus replies, Auron staring at the ground again.
"Every story must have an ending."
"I don't care about your stories!" he cries again, visibly angry, or maybe just sad. Despite all his open admittance of hatred for his father, I can see a glimmer of affection underneath the surface.
"I see. Sorry you feel that way. Fine, then. Come or don't come. It's your decision." he says, turning to walk away.
"What am I supposed to say?" Tidus says suddenly, causing Auron to stop. "You tell me it's my decision, but I don't have a choice, do I? I have to go with you! I have to! You're the only one who can tell me what's going on anyway!" he yells, crouching on the ground. I can't help but smile. Auron just used an age old trick to get Tidus to agree. It's so much fun to watch.
"Irritating, I know. Or are you afraid?" Auron asks, walking over and placing his hand on Tidus' shoulder. "It's all right."
"Auron?" Tidus asks, looking up at the older man. "Will I ever go home? Back to Zanarkand?"
"That's up to Jecht." he replies. "I'm going to offer my services to Yuna. Come." he says, and I look around, noticing the others are gone.
"Ben. Come along." he says, not even looking towards my hiding spot. I stare, dumbfounded for a moment, before speaking.
"Wha...How'd you know I was listening?!" I exclaim. Auron just smirks, and if anyone had been watching, they would've seen my eye twitching. "Stupid, no good, warrior monk person..." I mutter, following him reluctantly.
As we arrive back at the front of the stadium, at the bottom of the steps, I see Yuna, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri, all sitting down, conversing among themselves.
"Oh!" Yuna exclaims, standing up, the others following suit after a moment.
"Whoa." Wakka says, in awe at the almost legendary guardian.
"Sir Auron!" Yuna says, happy to see him.
"Yuna." Auron says, looking at the summoner.
"Sir?" she replies.
"I wish to become your guardian. Do you accept?" he says, causing her eyes to go wide, as well as Lulu and Wakka's.
"You're serious?" Lulu says, in shock.
'Does he sound like he's kidding?' I think, chuckling inwardly.
"You refuse?" he says, almost seeming to play the same game he did with Tidus.
"No, no! We accept! Right, everyone?" Yuna says, turning to look at her guardians, who all nod.
"O-Of course! No problem at all!" Wakka stutters.
"But...why?" Lulu asks, a bit confused.
"I promised Braska." Auron says simply. Yuna's eyes light up at this.
"You promised my father? Thank you, Sir Auron! You're welcome to join us!" she exclaims, doing the prayer gesture.
"And...these two come too." he says, grabbing Tidus and moving him in front of him.
"Hi...guys. Eh...howdy!" Tidus stammers, nervous.
"This one I promised Jecht." Auron explains, causing Yuna to look concerned.
"Is Sir Jecht alive?" she asks, causing Auron to shake his head.
"Can't say. Haven't seen him in ten years."
"I...see." Yuna says, pausing a moment. I almost think for a moment she suspects what we already know.
"You'll meet eventually." Auron says, and I almost stare in amazement.
"Yes. I'm looking forward to it!" Yuna says.
'If you knew what I knew, you wouldn't be looking forward to it, Yuna.' I think to myself, as Auron grabs me now.
"This one I promised a friend." he explains, and I simply do the prayer gesture, as Yuna speaks up.
"Ben is already my guardian. I asked him to become one after he saved me from a group of kidnappers earlier." she says, to which Auron simply nods.
"I see." he says, walking over to Lulu. "So, what's our itinerary? Where are we headed?" he asks.
"Hey! Come with me!" Yuna says to Tidus, who follows her over to another part of the area. A whistle breaks in, and I turn to see Yuna smiling.
'Well, she finally learned to whistle.' I think, smiling, as I listen to Auron and Lulu's conversation about the next destination. Deciding to take a moment of rest, I walk over and sit down next to Wakka on the steps of the stadium entrance. Suddenly, the lull of the conversation is broken by Tidus, who is laughing quite loudly, Yuna standing by about to laugh herself. Suddenly Yuna joins in, and I shake my head.
'Crazy. Just...crazy.' I think, as they turn around to find everyone, myself included, staring at them.
"What're you looking at?" Tidus asks us, and Wakka shrugs.
"We were just worried you guys might've gone crazy!" he says, causing me to laugh.
"Sorry!" Tidus says, chuckling along with me after a moment.
'Well, then, alright. Now, we will go to the temple of Djose." Yuna says, beginning to walk towards the Mi'ihen Highroad. "And guardians?" she says, looking back. "Don't forget to smile."
Leaving the stadium, we walk down the road for a short distance, coming to a large bridge. Off in the distance I can see what I recognize as the Sphere Theater, and I chuckle at the thought of it.
'Wonder if you can buy blank spheres there, to record things on?' I think to myself, and an idea crosses my mind. "Guys, I'll be right back." I say, as we pass the road that leads to the theater.
"Ok, but make it quick, ya?" Wakka says, waving his hand to hurry me along. Nodding, I sprint down the path towards the theater. After a minute of running, I walk up to the front door, and look around. This place reminds me of a typical movie theater, to be exact. Even has the little snack bar, and stuff. But that's not why I'm here.
"Excuse me. Do you have any blank spheres for sale, or know where I could buy some?" I ask the receptionist, who nods.
"We have some for sale, 500 Gil if you want one." she tells me, and I reach in my pocket, grabbing 500 Gil out of my wallet.
"I'll take one." I tell her, and she takes the money, handing me a blank sphere from behind the counter.
"It's very simple to operate. Push this button to start the recording, and this one to end it. You can start and stop it as many times as you like, until it won't hold any more video. It holds quite a bit, though." Nodding, I place it in my backpack.
"Thanks!" I say, walking out the door, and dashing back down the road to the group. "Okay, let's go." I say, following the party once more, as we step onto the long stretch of road, leading to the Djose Temple.
Nightfire: Haha! You got your tail kicked! Twice, no less!
Grr....shut up. I'll deal with you later. Next chapter will be up soon, but for now,please review!
