CHAPTER SEVEN: ARRIVALS
He came down from the air his blonde hair and colorful clothing flying behind him. In the midst he saw her, she looked different but it was her.
She looked up from the battle as he came down; he still smiled in the face of danger. She always admired that about him. She found herself calling out his name
"TIDUS!"
He smiled as he got into combat
"Hey." He returned his voice youthful and energetic as ever. "I go away for a few minutes and your fighting off the boys?" Yuna giggled but turned her attention to the fight at hand.
"I can't keep them away!" she responded. "I think it's my fighting."
"You really changed." He observed. As he fended off his last opponent.
"I have you to thank for that." Yuna returned. She fended off her last opponent. The squirmishers where gone all had fled, but so did Ardonix and Charx. Yuna didn't seem to notice as she returned to her gunner dress and embraced Tidus.
"Are you back for good?" she asked.
"Afraid not." Shaden said as she approached. "I called him with call of the hero. With the danger past he will return from whence he came. I'm sorry Yuna. We'll give you time together." Yuna nodded she watched Rimoru and Shaden leave.
"All this time." Yuna started. "I hoped for this moment, now it's here and I don't know what to do."
"Cherish it." Tidus said. "I'm here if only for a few minutes." He held her close. She pressed her head against his chest. She then looked at him, he smiled and she drew closer to him and they met in a kiss. After seemingly forever for the two lovers they parted from the kiss. Yuna then felt a strong breeze, she blinked away the tears, and she needed to show strength.
"Will I ever see you again?" she asked.
"I'll always be with you." He said his voice serious.
The wind then howled Yuna cried something about, he cried something in response but their voices seemed to be drowned out by the roar of the wind. Then Tidus vanished. Yuna sat down the tears ran down her cheek but at the same time she smiled. He had heard her just as she had heard him. She admitted her love for him and he returned it.
Yuna went to her friends, Shaden looked at her concerned. She went to Yuna and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You going to be ok?" she asked. Yuna nodded.
"Thank you Shaden." She said. Shaden nodded with a smile. "You going to join us in the treetop city?"
"I'm afraid I must decline my friend." She said politely. "My kind isn't on good terms with the wood elves. Besides I need to make a stop and gets some supplies. Just tell Willowcroft when she's done to have everyone meet me at the Doggie Bank in Plane of Knowledge. She'll know what you mean. Oh and gives these back to Tifa." Shaden handed Yuna a bundle of clothes. Yuna nodded and Shaden vanished.
Yuna and Rimoru made their way back to lavastorm; they saw no guards, which they counted themselves lucky. They sat and waited, not knowing where to go. After roughly a half hour of sitting Rimoru sprung to her feet and pointed. Yuna looked she saw two people one looked like Willowcroft the other like Marjorie, both looked distressed.
"Marj." Yuna started. "Is Tifa?"
"She's awake." Marjorie said. Yuna sighed relieved but noted the distressed look.
"Then why the look?" she asked.
"She lost her memory." Marjorie said. "Lenne and Katey are trying to help her, sometimes she even has a faint flash but most the time. She looks at us as if we are strangers."
"Can you take us to her?" Yuna asked. "Maybe she might remember me."
"Of course hon." Willow said. "Your friend as well?" Yuna glanced a Rimoru she seemed to be starring off into space.
"Rim?" Yuna asked. Rimoru jumped as she snapped out of her daze.
"Yeah?" she asked. Yuna went to her.
"You ok?" she asked. Rimoru nodded.
"Fine." She said. "We ready?" Yuna nodded. She couldn't help but worry about Rimoru. She seemed aloof and distant, they all gathered around Willowcroft. They became encircled in leaves as they left Lavastorm Mountains.
"Do you remember who you are?"
"For the third time I don't! You insist I am Tifa Lockhart though."
Katejina sighed and rubbed between her eyes, she was getting nowhere fast with this method. For the better part of two hours they tried to jog Tifa's memory. It was frustrating to say the least. They then heard something they all turned and saw Yuna a bundle in her arms. She looked at Tifa and Tifa returned the look.
"No luck?" she whispered to Katejina.
"None." She responded. Yuna nodded.
"Get some rest Kate." She told her. "I'll try to talk to her." Katejina nodded wearily and left. Yuna approached Tifa.
"Tifa?" she asked softly. "Do you remember me?" Tifa blinked. She looked familiar a word sprung into her mind which she said.
"Yunie?" she asked. Yuna smiled, as did Lenne.
"You do remember!" she exclaimed.
"It's still cloudy." Tifa confessed. "I still don't remember a whole lot. I'm really scared too." Yuna went to Tifa and kneeled down before her she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"If you want." Yuna said her voice soft and gentle. "We can help you, there is no reason why you should do this alone Tifa." Tifa nodded.
"Thank you." She said. Yuna smiled and handed her a bundle.
"These are yours." She said. "Shaden, gave them to me to give to you. Get some sleep, maybe it will help." Tifa nodded.
"Thank you both." She said to Yuna and Lenne. "And goodnight." Yuna and Lenne smiled as they both left.
Alone in the room, Tifa looked at the bundle she unwrapped it to find a white shirt and pants. Tifa looked down at herself she was in a dark robe, she removed the robe. She looked on her right arm are there was a burn scar, she saw a flash of bright flame followed by a scream of a woman in intense pain. Tifa shook her head, she had another vision this one a silver hair man who slashed at her. Tifa blinked, where these her memories?
If so maybe she was better off how she is now. But then she thought of those people, they did so much to try to help her. She owed it to them if not to herself to find answers. Tifa slipped on her shirt and the pants she noticed her locket that hung over her heart. She took it in her hands and looked at it, she noticed a button on the side. She pressed it and the locket opened. She saw a picture of a lovely woman holding a small baby.
The woman looked like her only older. Tifa closed the locket, who was the woman? Her mother? Her sister? Tifa shook her head, she was exhausted. She flopped down on the bed and within moments her eyes closed and she was in a sound sleep.
Down bellow the city of wood elves a lone girl had two short swords out. She hit the tree opposite her with a
THOK!
She hit the tree several more times each sound louder than the next. Rimoru paused her breathing heavy sweat dripped down her neck.
"Rim?" Yuna asked as came to her. "You ok?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Rimoru asked. "I was only kidnapped, held hostage and watched them nearly kill a friend!" Rimoru drove one of her swords into the trunk of the tree.
"Tifa's awake and she's ok." Yuna assured her. "We'll help her get her memory back." Rimoru shook her head.
"This should have never happened!" she protested. "I should have been more aware! Tifa is like this because of me!"
"That's it beat yourself up." Katejina snorted as she jumped down from the nearby tree she was in.
"Shouldn't you be resting?" Yuna asked.
"I'm fine." Katejina retorted. "At least I'm not taking out my anger on a tree." Rimoru glared at Katejina.
"I'm upset!" She exclaimed.
"Why because you got caught?" Katejina asked. "Your human, you're not perfect, despite what you think!"
"And Viera's are perfect?" Rimoru retorted the anger rising in her voice. Katejina snorted.
"I don't think I ever said that." She replied. "Just learn to relax." Rimoru glared at Katejina.
"Rim." Yuna interjected. "It's ok, Katejina's just trying to advise you." The girl shook her head as she collected her swords and left. Yuna glanced at Katejina.
"Don't look at me." Katejina said. "I wasn't trying to be a jerk this time. Just let her cool off." Yuna nodded.
"It's ok I'm just going to take a walk." Yuna stated. Katejina smirked.
"You mean find her and try to console here don't you?" Katejina asked. Yuna looked shocked then managed a smile as she nodded and left. Katejina sighed as she watched Yuna leave
'Some people will never change.' She thought. She then turned as she heard someone come up behind her. It was Marjorie Katejina smiled as the young swordswoman approached her.
"Um Katey." She said nervously. "There's something I need to tell you." Katejina nodded and sat cross-legged on the ground, Marjorie sat next to her and she told her about her brother and the prophets promise to free him if she obeyed the Prophet. Afterwards Katejina was silent a minute and Marjorie thought the worst!
'She's going to yell.' Marjorie thought. However Marjorie was surprised when Katejina placed a hand on her shoulder. Marjorie looked at her friend, Katejina didn't seem angry at all!
"I understand." Katejina said. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to see him again." Marjorie looked at Katejina her eyes quivered as she fell into her friend with a hug. Katejina smiled as she hugged Marjorie.
"I only want to see him again." Marjorie explained. Katejina nodded.
"And we'll help you find him hon." Katejina whispered. The two friends embraced under the woodelven city. Oblivious to all else around them.
Yuna only went a little before she found Rimoru she sat cross-legged on the ground eyes closed. Yuna could tell she was meditating, back on Besaide when she was a summoner in training Waka made her do the same thing to clear her mind. Yuna saw the girl open her eyes.
"Better?" she asked. Rimoru shrugged as she sighed.
"With all that's going on I don't know what to think anymore." Rimoru confessed as she rubbed the back of her neck. "As if me being dumb enough to get knocked out wasn't bad enough. Seeing what they did to Tifa… it was unbearable! To think she was dead, to know she died because of me. Can you picture living with that?"
"Tifa's alive." Yuna countered. "With our help she'll be ok. Everything will be ok Rim." Rimoru shook her head.
"I want to believe that in the worst possible way." She said. "There's this nagging feeling inside of me. Telling me 'It's just the beginning, this will get worse, much worse, and nothing can stop it.' And I can't help but think, what if it's right? What if our best efforts aren't enough? Then what?"
"I don't know." Yuna admitted. "I want to believe we can stop this, if we fail I guess we keep trying until we win."
"How many lives will that take?" Rimoru asked.
"What do you mean?" Yuna asked, she didn't like the direction this was heading. Rimoru had a good point but Yuna wished she hadn't asked.
"You, Tifa, Lenne all nearly died." Rimoru started. "Me, Hastings, Katejina, have all been hurt one time or another. At this rate it's only a matter of time until someone's luck runs out!"
"You have that little faith in me?" Yuna asked. "You believe so little in what we are trying to do?"
"I don't even know what you're trying to do!" Rimoru exclaimed. "All I see is a lot of stumbling more luck than anything else! Maybe Tifa should have died! Then maybe we would be motivated!"
"No one has to die." Yuna said softly. "I've had to much death in my life. Watching those loyal to you lay their lives down without a thought. The pain is great watching someone die, it's crushing when you watch him or her fade from sight. It's even greater it hurts the most when you considered them your allies, you fought along side them and you have to kill them for the supposed greater good. Then the excuses, the 'we had no choice' they always seemed to be the magic words. The magic never came, Rimoru if you think this is a waste then maybe you should leave. I know in my heart I'm doing the right thing."
Rimoru paused, she never heard Yuna speak with such raw passion yet do so, so evenly.
"Your saying have faith?" She asked.
"I'm asking that you believe in me." Yuna explained. "That you trust me, I know it will be hard, but I need your faith and I need your trust Rim." The teenage priestess nodded. Though she never said it Yuna's quest was her quest too, she wanted to see it out to the end. With an unspoken understanding between the two they went back to the treetop city.
Far from Kelethin a robed figure lurked near the entrance to the dread Crushbone. It entered and made it's way to the castle itself. Then they found a hidden stairwell in which they descended. A dark elf sat there in a silk robe.
"Now Miss Fyretosser is that really needed?" he asked. Shaden removed her hood.
"I didn't wish to be spotted Dvinn." She replied. "You know how your general view to the public is."
"Ah yes." He sighed as he snapped his fingered. A shapely high elf came out in a simple robe with a jug, She poured them two glasses and set the jug down. Before being sent away with a wave of Dvinn's hand.
"New slave?" Shaden asked. "Don't you have servants to do that kind of work?"
"Ah well, Dark Elves are ravishing." He admitted. "But nothing is quite as interesting as a high elf woman. Never a dull moment. Now what brings you here?"
"What do you know of the Black Pentagram." Shaden asked. Dvinn made no movement he only raised his head.
"Lets take this to the tower shall we my dear?" he asked. Shaden agreed sensing something was going on. Once they got out of the passage Shaden felt a point of a weapon at her back. She glared at Dvinn.
"Damn you." She cursed.
"You must curve these ambitious tendencies of yours my dear." Dvinn explained sipping whine from his glass the he took with him. Shaden saw a crushbone orc with a spear at her back. Within a second the orc had a dagger to his back. Shaden smirked. The smirk vanished when Dvinn drew his Dragoon Dirk and placed it at her throat.
"Shaden!" Drassalana cried.
"Call off your friend." Dvinn ordered. He held the dagger at Shaden's throat. Suddenly an arrow struck his hand and the dagger fell. With a gasp he looked, he thought he saw something or someone. He squinted he thought he saw a slender female but when he blinked it was gone.
"In case your wondering she's behind you now." Shaden stated. "As long as you face me and remain still she won't fire. I warn you if she does fire she won't miss."
"Who is she?" Dvinn asked.
"She is Shara." Shaden replied. "An associate of mine. She's a Viera, heard of them?"
"Yes." Dvinn responded. "Savages from a savage world…" he let out a yelp as an arrow nicked his leg. Shaden smiled.
"She has great hearing far better than us." Shaden continued. "So tell us what you know." Dvinn sighed.
"I only know that they hide a dark purpose. Something of a coming of sorts of a fallen god or something among those lines. I simply dismissed it as babble, It's impossible to do what they plan."
"What do they plan?" Drassalana demanded.
"To bring back their fallen god I suppose." Dvinn sighed. "However to do so they need the blood of two people."
"How is that impossible?" Shaden asked.
"One has been dead for a millennium." Dvinn laughed. "The other is on another world my dears. Now have I satisfied your inquiries?" Shaden nodded. Drassalana removed her dagger from the Orc's throat.
"You can turn around now Dvinn." She said. "She's been gone since she shot you." Dvinn glared at her before leaving with a huff. Shaden and Drassalana left Crushbone. When they left Drassalana looked at Shaden.
"Well?" she asked.
"We go to Plane of Knowledge and wait for three days for them to come. Then we'll tell them what we learned. Until then we can decide exactly what it means." Shaden stated her voice distant.
"Shaden." Drassalana said. "Yuna and Lenne are in no danger, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Shaden put her hand on her own shoulder.
"I hope your right my friend." She whispered. The two friends walked the events weighing heavily on their minds.
END CHAPTER 7