A/N:
ross heuchan: yea, vibrava love desert. But the thing is, there aren't major battles in Bikanel Island, just brawls.
OCAdam: Lake Macalania? Uhm... that was all part of Macalania. It made the chapter really long, I must confess... And as for the violence thing, it's not the violence itself. It's me, the author. I don't think like that, I have a hard time making up violent stories. I'm too peaceful a person. But Icewind has his share of kills, he blew up bases reguarly. And not with tactical explosives, with blasts that totaled the bases themselves. And he killed in hand to hand too... occasionally.
Bikanel Island:
I woke up to heat. Lots and lots of heat. I moaned, and rubbed my eyes. Once they were cleared up, I slowly opened them to the blinding sun.
No one was nearby. "Oh, great." I went to grab Erastrani's ball, but it wasn't there. I panicked, and looked around – I sighed in relief when I saw the pokeballs. Six balls were lying scattered around me. I don't know how they fell off my belt like that.
I let Erastrani out, and she gave a glad cry. Flygon territory is desert, and she just loves heat.
I sighed, looking out at the desert. "Erastrani, you're a desert pokemon. Can you find the others?"
She perked up, looking happy. "Fly! Fly fly gon!" She bent down to let me on, then gave another glad cry as we went up into the air. I grinned. The spirit of the desert pokemon… well, Flygon deserved THAT name.
&&&&&
A small form caught her eye, and she dove. I grabbed on tighter, and managed to shout over the wind "Don't land next to whoever it is! Land nearby, or we'll blast them with sand!" She nodded, and adjusted her wings.
Turns out I was right. We landed in a STORM of disturbed sand. After it settled, I jumped off Erastrani. "Thanks. Gimme a moment, and you can take off again. I know you love these places." "Fly!"
She gave me an expectant look, and I ran off. Even before I was out of range, she took of, stirring up a mini-sandstorm.
Rikku was looking up at Erastrani. "Wow. She really seems to love it here!"
I smiled. "Flygon: the Desert Spirit pokemon. Well… they really love the desert, they naturally live there. You see anyone else? And where are we?"
"I… haven't seen anyone. But I know where we are, this is my home, Bikanel Island."
I looked out at the scorching desert, and shook my head. I zipped off the leg parts of my cargo pants, and placed them in my pack. "Well, first we've got to find everyone else… and Yuna. Damn, where is everyone?" I raised my hand towards the sky, and Erastrani flew down, landing with a whirling of sand. I glanced at Rikku, and started walking. "Uh, where's Vib?"
She dug into her pockets, and held out his ball. "Here. Why?"
I shrugged. "Try to have him fight with you whenever you can. Once he gets enough battle experience, he'll evolve…"
She sighed, and I helped her up onto Erastrani – then jumped on myself. "I know… but… it's hard to handle him! I can't even remember what you said his attacks were!"
I shrugged, patting Erastrani as she flew up higher. "Well… then tell him to take care of himself. Pokemon can defend themselves without a human's input, but we… well… we have a better sense of timing. When you're fighting, it's hard to notice small details, but if someone's calling out advice… it helps."
She fell silent, thinking something over. I guess she was about ready to say something when we dove for the ground at a steep angle. Everyone except Yuna was walking in a trench, looking depressed. Erastrani cried as we flew over them, and set down a little off from them. I closed my eyes, and jumped off even before the sandstorm Erastrani's landing had kicked up subsided.
&&&&&
"Anyone know where Yuna is?"
Rikku looked at me, and gave me a nervous look. "Umm... There's something I wanna tell you, but promise not to say anything."
I looked directly at Wakka, who was glaring at Rikku. A crack cut off his glare, and he backed away steadily as I glared at him. "Nice try, Wakka. How much more do you need to see to know that Yevon's bad news? Rikku, go ahead. I'll keep him quiet."
Rikku nodded, relieved. "I know where we are. We're on Bikanel Island. There's a place us Al Bhed call Home near here. Yunie's there. I'm sure of it! Other Al Bhed must've come and rescued her!"
Wakka nearly shouted "Rescued? You mean kidnapped!" I sighed, and rolled my eyes. "Damn idiot." I tapped him on the side, and clearly made a fist. He backed a few steps away.
Tidus gave Wakka a look as well. "What does it matter as long as she's safe?"
Rikku smiled, reassured. "That's right! Anyway, I will take you there if you promise...that you won't tell anyone about it. Especially not Yevonites, okay? You know they don't like us Al Bhed. Who knows what they'll do if they knew?"
Wakka snorted. "Gimme a break. What are you accusing Yevon of this time?"
I laughed hollowly. "Where do you want me to begin?" Rikku cut me off, before I could vent my spleen at Wakka, saying sadly, "Yevon did something really bad to us before."
"Well, you Al Bhed must've deserved it."
I tried to lunge for him, but Auron anticipated that, he had restrained me before I could move. "Damn it, what the hell did the Al Bhed DO TO YOU? Quit quoting the goddamn Yevon teachings, and come up with something that they've done TO YOU!"
Tidus backed away, but said "Can't you guys...talk about this later?"
"Just promise you won't tell anyone about this island. Promise?"
Tidus fired a look at Wakka. "Wakka, come on! Icewind, RELAX!"
I stopped trying to break loose, and Auron let me go. I really was fed up of Wakka… but now wasn't the time.
"All right, I promise! Lead the way."
Rikku jumped up into the air (but I could faintly see water landing on the sand nearby). "You got it!" She then ran off. I shrugged, as everyone else ran after her. Call me lazy, I don't like to run. Erastrani walked over to me (she hadn't taken off), and bent down to let me on. I grinned "Thanks", and jumped on.
&&&&&
We had a better angle than them. I saw a massive building smoking, and Erastrani went down, so I could yell out to them. "The place ahead is under attack! HURRY!" Rikku looked up for a moment, then dashed off. Erastrani flew forward, and landed in a hurry near the place Rikku was making for. I nodded to her, and returned her. I looked around, and swore softly. "Damn it…"
Rikku ran up to a man I'd just seen cut down by attackers. "Keyakku! Who? Who's attacking us? Fru tet drec du oui?" He gasped "Yevon... Guado...", then died. Rikku cried "Keyakku? Keyakku!", but it was clear he wasn't coming back. Damn it…
Lulu looked at the devastation. "A war? Between Yevon and the Al Bhed?"
A man towards the still form of Keyakku. "Dryd ec fnuhk! Guado ku vun dra summoner."
Rikku looked strangely at the man, and whispered "Vydran...". I swore softly, and ran towards the building. I concentrated on trying to activate my overdrive again… and something worked. I felt my hairs stick up, and my ears relocate themselves to the top of my head. Things were really moving slowly now – I guess I'd drawn on Jolteon, and instinctively used Agility.
I raced over to the Guado I'd seen making a gesture, and swung hard with my sword. The Guado gasped, and burst into flame. He'd been casting a fire spell, but when I'd disrupted his casting, it rebounded onto him. I smiled sadly as he burned up. Then I ran back to the rest of the group, the Jolteon change wearing off.
The man gave me a thankful look, and then said. "You Rikku's friends? Well, just don't stand there, come on! Let's go kick those Guado out of our Home!" He ran into the building.
"Who...?"
Rikku looked at where he'd run into the building. "Cid. Leader of the Al Bhed... He's my dad."
I shook my head. "Family introductions later. Find Yuna now."
Another Guado appeared, and summoned fiends. Three of 'em. Lulu smiled, and hit one of them with a blizzara spell. It grew bigger, not dying from the hit – but it looked like that hurt. Don't ask why, I guess ice and fire are weak to each other. I thought water kicked fire's ass, but I guess not – here, anyway.
I ignored the fiends, and went for the Guado. He drew a staff, smirking. "You shall pay for what you did to Lord Seymour!"
I snorted, stopped short of him, and ducked. A blitzball flew over me, and took him off guard. Before he could recover, my sword was already in his stomach. I pulled it out, and smirked over him. "Now, where's Yuna?"
He spat at me, and died.
I turned to fight the fiends – in time to see one blow up in Tidus's face, and Vib and Rikku working together to finish off another. The last one weren't there. Luckily, Tidus was only scorched, and not fried by the blast. He shook it off, though.
Wakka asked the empty air, "What in Yevon's name are those Guado thinking?"
I said harshly (my voice was strained), "Ask yourself. You're the one that hates the Al Bhed so much, you must love this."
Wakka looked at me, a twisted expression of shock on his face. Rikku didn't give him a lot of time, she ran into the building, and everyone followed her. Vib was resting on her head again, looking content.
&&&&&
The same guy's voice (Rikku's dad, if I remember correctly), came over the intercoms this place had, and said quickly "Drec pedac! Rikku! Oui nayt sa? Oui ku ihtan, duu! E ys majamehk Home! Yht dra fiends fedh ed! (This bites! Rikku! You read me? You go under too! I am leveling Home! And the fiends with it!)
Rikku gasped, and said "Oh, no!" Damn it, this is irritating. Multi-lingual, I am NOT. Hell, I have a hard enough time with my own language.
Wakka asked meekly (without any accusation this time) "What'd he say?"
Rikku shouted "We have to get underground!" Right… what the heck is going on?
Auron said loudly (over the screams of battle), "Where's Yuna?"
Rikku shouted back, "The Summoners' Sanctum! This way!", and raced off, us following her.
Well, until we were stopped by a Guado and two fiends. The Guado smirked at us, and waved his 'pets' on, into the fray.
I wasn't amused anymore. No more sympathy. Only annihilation for these bastards. I threw open Psymachine's ball, and he filled up most the available space, blocking off the fiends. "Psymachine, get rid of them. The Guado's trying to stop us from getting to Yuna."
You're walking a dangerious path, Icewind. You just recovered, and you might slip. But… it'll be done.
Psymachine floated into the air, and used his Psychic attack to explode the fiends. The Guado hurled a bunch of spells at him, but they just bounced off his Light Screen… until he was punched out of the way by a Meteor Mash. I recalled him the instant the Guado was thrown out of the way – that attack isn't survivable if Psymachine doesn't hold back. It breaks all your bones, including your spine, and skull. From what I can guess, the pain is horrible… but you black out quickly, if your brain hasn't been severed from all its connections (and ejected from the head, which HAS happened a few times).
After a few moments of shock, Rikku raced off, directing us again, Vib protecting her from sneak attacks with Dragonbreath.
&&&&&
Wakka said (on the run), "This place done for."
I was about to say something, when Rikku stopped (I nearly crashed into her, so I couldn't speak at the moment).
Rikku sadly said, "You're right. You're right, Wakka. We Al Bhed, we...we weren't always like this. Sin destroyed the island where we all used to live. After that, we were scattered to every corner of Spira. But then, my dad brought the Al Bhed together again. We few put our minds to it and worked together, then we could make a new home. Everyone worked hard, we had our Home back again... But now... Why did things have to turn out this way?"
She hung her head, her shoulders shaking. Vib fluttered off her head, and rubbed against her like a cat. She scratched him, but didn't seem to cheer up. Wakka said simply, "Rikku... Damn those Guado! What are they thinking?"
"I don't know, you tell me. You're the one who hated the Al Bhed so much, you explain it. Or can you even explain yourself?"
Lulu snapped at me, "That's enough! We can deal with this later, first we must find Yuna."
I shook my head, but remained silent. Rikku recovered quickly, and led the way again.
&&&&&
We were almost there, when Lulu asked Rikku, "Rikku, what is the Summoners' Sanctum?"
Rikku explained weakly, "The Summoners' Sanctum is where we keep the summoners. We keep them safe here."
Wakka accusingly said, "You kidnapped them."
Rikku countered by saying, "I know it's against the teaching and all that..." but they're saving the summoner's lives.
Wakka reluctantly said "I get why you did it, but..." Well, I'll be damned. He actually isn't as stupid as I thought. Doesn't mean I won't resist the urge to pound him in the gut, given a chance… but I won't try to hurt him as bad.
Tidus said "Well, I sure don't get it, Wakka. They might get hurt on their pilgrimage so you kidnap them? I mean, if the summoners don't do their job, then who will beat Sin?" Idiot… don't you know yet? "You want to protect them, I know. But the guardians are there for that. If guardians do their job well, summoners will be safe! Right? Right?" No, they won't. If the guardians do their job, the summoner dies. If they don't, the summoner dies. Well, that does it. Sin's dead, and there's no way I'm letting Yuna call the Final Aeon. I'll knock her out, if I have to.
While I was thinking that, a dead silence had fallen. Kimahri said into the silence (he's talking?) "It's quiet. Kimahri goes now.", and walked into the next room (the Sanctum). Rikku begged the empty air, "Yuna, please be here!" "Vi!"
&&&&&
Kimahri shouted, "Yuna!" She wasn't there.
The bitch was though, and she said "She's not here. Hello again. Wait there until we have performed the sending." Well, I take it back, she's not a total bitch. But I'm not telling her that.
Isaaru explained (while performing the sending) "They died...protecting us. It's not much, but the least we can do is give them a proper sending."
His little brother (Pacce?) asked us, "Hey, what's "sacrificed"? The Al Bhed said summoners were being "sacrificed." That summoners shouldn't have to do a pilgrimage..." I'm with the Al Bhed. They shouldn't. Sin should have died a long time ago. Something's seriously wrong here.
Tidus shook his head. "Why couldn't they trust guardians to protect the summoners? The Al Bhed had no right stopping their pilgrimage!"
Rikku looked depressed, and angry at the same time. "The pilgrimages have to stop! If they don't, and they get to Zanarkand... They might defeat Sin. Yunie could...but then she... Yunie will die, you know? You know, don't you? Summoners journey to get the Final Aeon. Yuna told you, didn't she? With the Final Aeon, she can beat Sin. But then...but then... If she calls it, the Final Aeon's going to kill her! Even if she defeats Sin, it will kill Yunie too, you know!"
Rikku started to cry, falling to the floor. I went over and held her, while Vib floated in the air, on alert for fiends. She hiccupped, but didn't stop.
Tidus was glaring at everyone else. "Was I the only one who didn't know?" I looked up, and they were all stone silent. I sighed, and nodded. Tidus bent down to talk to Rikku, but I shook my head. "Leave her alone. How could you NOT know? Why didn't you ask when those awkward silences rose up? Whenever you talked about coming back after Sin was dead? That's what told me something was up, dunderhead. I just ASKED, so WHY DIDN'T YOU!" I have to admit, I'm still pissed about the Final Aeon thing. That, and he was SO THICK…
Tidus fell to the ground, and started pounding the floor. I think he was really pissed at himself, and everyone else. He shouted "Lulu! How could you? How could you? Isn't she like a sister to you? I thought you were family! Wakka… why don't you do something, Wakka?"
Lulu's voice was very soft. "Don't you think we tried to stop her? She follows...her heart." I guess she was upset, but I can't tell with her.
Wakka added "Yuna, she knew what she was doing when she chose to become a summoner. To face Sin, ya? Yuna knew!" Yea, Yuna knew. Maybe. She knew she'd have to die… but what about hurting someone who loves her?
Rikku shook herself loose from me, and nearly shouted "But Wakka, that's just totally wrong! Summoners shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves...just so the rest of Spira can be happy, right?"
A fiend appeared. Isaaru and Dona summoned their Aeons, and the fiend died rather quickly (Vib hadn't been amused, and hit it with Dragonbreath, making it helpless under the Aeons). Tidus was screaming something, but I wasn't paying attention after the Aeons were called.
"Rikku… I know the price they pay is… wrong. But… I sort of understand why they do it. It's self-sacrifice, for a time of peace."
She turned to me, a flame in her eyes. It died rather quickly, as she looked at me. "But…"
"I know, it's wrong. And there's NO way I'm going to let some stupid Aeon take Yuna's life. There's another way; we just have to find it. Yuna's fairly open-minded, maybe we can convince her to try to kill Sin without the Final Aeon."
"Maybe…"
I sighed, and ruffled her hair. She caught my hands on reflex, but I freed them. "We'll worry about that later. Let's get out of here, and find her first." She nodded, pulled out Vib's pokeball, returned him, and got up, leading the way towards an airship (well, I think it was one, anyway).
Tidus was quiet as he followed everyone else.
&&&&&
Rikku's dad was standing at the hatch, shouting "Hu desa! Ku, ku, ku," (No time! Go, go, go!) which made Rikku wave us in desperately.
&&&&&
&&&&&
Cid shouted at the guy at the piloting station (I guess it's that, anyway), "Rinno, rinno! Oui ryja uha sehida!" (Hurry, hurry! You have one minute!)
Tidus shouted "Where's Yuna?"
Cid asked another Al Bhed, "Ajanouha uh puynt?" (Everyone on board?)
The Al Bhed woman replied wryly, "Ajanouha ymeja." (Everyone alive.)
Tidus spun Cid around, and shouted at him, "I said, where is she?"
Cid remained silent, and Tidus shouted, "Answer me! Answer me, damn you!"
Cid asked him "What'll you do when you find her, eh?"
Tidus looked away, then at Icewind, who was looking sadly out the window, at the corpses nearby. "I didn't know anything about what a summoner is supposed to do. And I told her all those things without even thinking. I've got to tell her. I've got to tell her I'm sorry!"
Icewind looked pained as he winced.
Cid must have felt the same, because he roared "That's it? You're gonna tell her you're sorry? And then you just drag her to Zanarkand and make her fight Sin, huh? You're all the same-let the summoner die so we can live in peace!"
Cid tried to grab Tidus, but Icewind's voice stopped him (it was ragged as hell), as he said "Stop. Save the fighting for later. We've got to live now." How he'd known that was hard to say, he hadn't been watching them at all. He then quietly started to talk with Rikku.
Tidus shouted back, "No! I'm not gonna let Yuna die!"
Cid laughed harshly, and crossed his arms. "Hah! Words! Show me action!"
Tidus shouted at thim, "I'm telling you, she won't die!"
Cid laughed, and said "Boy, don't forget those words, 'cause if you do...I'm gonna make you regret it." He also spent a moment to gaze significantly at Icewind, who still hadn't turned around. Rikku was standing beside him, looking out the window too.
Tidus said, "I won't." After a breath's worth of time, he said "So you know where she is?"
Cid laughed. "'Course not. That's why we're gonna look! Using this airship!"
Wakka gasped, "A-Airship?"
Brother said, "Vydran! Nayto du ku!" (Father! Ready to go!)
"Oaaryy! E vmekrd 100 oaync ujantia!" (Yeehaa! A flight 100 years overdue!)
The airship shook, and escaped the crumbling Home, bursting into the open air.
&&&&&
&&&&&
I listened in to him (Tidus) arguing with Cid about Yuna. But I stayed out of the conversation, except for that one time (I'd known what was coming, so I'd stopped him). I was looking out the windows at the dead. "They leave behind more corpses than I ever did… for what? To prove a stupid point? Sin's bad enough, everyone has to squabble as well?" I zipped my pant legs back on, and shook my head.
Rikku rested her head on me. "I… don't know. I just wish that this had never happened." "Me too." The airship shook, and began to move forward.
&&&&&
Once we were out, I heard the song that this world was so fond of. I heard Wakka say "What's going on?"
Rikku's lip quivered as she said "We're… we're going to blow up our Home."
"How?" I think that was Lulu. I sighed bitterly, as missiles blew up the building. "Uh, that's your answer. Missiles, and I'd say they're fairly powerful ones."
Rikku buried her face in my shoulder. Wakka tried to cheer her up, saying, "Hey, look. Don't get so down. Boom! Like happy festival fireworks, ya?"
Rikku pulled her face from my shoulder, and yelled "You can cram your happy festival, you big meanie!" She then ran out.
I shook my head, and started to walk after her. "Wakka, your head is thicker than a Rhyhorn. Just leave her alone. Haven't you done her enough harm?" As I said that, I left the bridge. I followed the sound of stomping feet at a run, until I found Rikku at an observation deck.
I walked up next to her, but she didn't react. I quietly said "Rik?"
She turned from the window, a miserable look on her face. "Did they find Yunie yet?"
I shook my head. "Rikku… will you…"
She looked out the window. "I… think so. Stay with me?"
I gently held her – gently, but I wouldn't let go. "You got it."
