Lust for Sin

A Story by Rikku-Hoshi

Are you all ready for a VERY long chapter? I'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter I've ever written! But I just couldn't find a good place to stop, and I just kept going! It's not necessarily the most exciting, but it's very important. Perhaps it's even the most important of the story. I guess it's too early to say yet! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it, because I spent a lot of time writing it! (Especially since it's so long!)

Oh, also, just so you all know, this isn't really thoroughly based off of "The Scarlet Letter". It's only what fully inspired me. That's all! There were other things too, like Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" and even the PS2 game "Shadow of Destiny"—in fact, that game started it. So don't worry, it's completely original, but was just inspired by those! Heck, you could even say Gackt's song "Lust for Blood" inspired me…

Also, it might be a while until I can update. I have relatives coming over, which might not give me much time to write! Cries Oh well, hope for the best!

Chapter 2: Witches and Beasts

"Miss Yuna," a voice said into Yuna's ear.

Yuna rolled over in her sleep, trying to escape the voice that was calling her.

"Oh Miss Yuna!" the voice continued to call.

Finally, Yuna's eyes opened, only to be met by two green eyes, whose pupils had the most queer spirals in them

Yuna jumped a bit, but then regained herself, as things began to come into focus. She realized that it had only been her new personal servant that had awakened her.

"Ugh, let me sleep," Yuna said, again rolling away from her servant.

"Nuh-uh Miss," Rikku said, "Your father requested that I awaken you. You need to get to the temple pronto."

"The temple?" Yuna said, suddenly sitting straight up, "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get going," Rikku said simply, "Your clothes are laid out before you. I am to walk you there."

"Are you not Al Bhed?" Yuna said, standing up, "Why are you going to the temple?"

"Miss, I've to convert myself, you know that. Did I not manage to explain it to you yesterday?"

"Sorry," Yuna said, as she ducked behind her screen to change, "Bevelle's rules are slightly different. A full Al Bhed never goes to the temple, even after they've been converted."

"I take it your mother never went then?" Rikku said, causing Yuna to jump.

Yuna poked her head out from behind her changing screen and said, "How did you know about my mother?"

"It's common knowledge that you're Al Bhed," Rikku said with a shrug, "I can just tell that kind of thing."

"Well I'd rather you didn't spread that around!" Yuna said, as she finished changing, "Are we going to be late?"

"Of course not, they'd beat us," Rikku said, but then looked at the ground, "Or at least, they'd beat me. In public, too, to say the least. Speaking of beatings...Miss Yuna, did you hit yourself or something last night? Your eye is mighty black."

Yuna's hand went to her face, which still burned.

"Oh, yes, I did hit myself," Yuna said.

"For sinning?" Rikku asked.

Yuna bit her lip. What was she thinking? She could not lie about hitting herself. Her father had told her long ago that there was a difference between a good lie and a bad lie. A good lie, her father had said, was something that would save her.

"For sinning," Yuna said, glad that it was the truth for once.

Rikku didn't say anything, but led Yuna through the house and out the door. It was a very warm and sunny day, Yuna noticed, and Rikku skipped along, leading Yuna down a worn path down the hill.

"Oh, you'll like the village," Rikku said, as they walked along, "It's very pleasant-very pleasant indeed."

"Are there many Al Bhed around this area?" Yuna asked.

Rikku stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Yuna as if Yuna had just asked Rikku to kill her.

"No, Miss," Rikku said, her voice sounding suddenly angered, "There are no Al Bhed."

"So you're all alone?" Yuna asked

"I am not Al Bhed anymore!" Rikku said, and turned away from Yuna and continued walking, although she was no longer skipping, "No one is Al Bhed here in Besaid."

"Then why are you still servants?"

"That is a foolish question, Miss Yuna," Rikku said, walking faster, almost as if to get away from Yuna, "and I shall not be answering it."

"Well excuse me for asking," Yuna said, herself growing slightly angered by Rikku's attitude, "I was only curious."

Rikku did not say anything, and soon the two entered the village. Yuna had to smile upon seeing it, for she had wondered for some time what it would look like. It looked exactly as she had imagined it. Horribly, horribly as Bevelle had looked. Only smaller.

People dressed in their finest clothing were pouring into the temple, both poor and rich and both young and old. However, Rikku stopped at the doorway and said, "Your father requested that you sit in the same pew as a Miss Dona. She should be looking for you."

"What about you?" Yuna asked.

"I sit on the balcony, along with the other servants," Rikku said, "No go along, find the Miss Dona I told you about."

"But...," Yuna protested, but Rikku had already left. Sighing, Yuna followed the flock of people who were going into the temple, a little worried about where she was to sit. She had only just walked in to the temple when all of a sudden, she heard her name being called.

"YUNA! Oh Yuna! Over here! Over here!" Yuna looked across to see a girl about her age-maybe a few years older-waving at her from the front of the surprisingly large temple. She was of dark skin, but had pretty features.

Yuna gave a shy little smile and walked down the aisle toward the girl who was waving to her.

"Welcome Yuna!" the girl said, giving Yuna a hug, "I'm Dona, and this here is Barthello." Dona nodded to a very large brute of a man, who just nodded in return at Yuna.

"Um, pleased to meet you, Dona," Yuna said, "As well as you also, Barthello."

"Here, your father requested that you sit right here," Dona said, pointing to the vacant seat next to her, "I'm the daughter of the minister."

"Ah, really?" Yuna said, "What honor it must be!"

"Of course," Dona said, but her smile suddenly turned to a frown, "Just make sure you don't forget it."

"I wouldn't dare to," Yuna said.

"Look here, Yuna, "Dona continued, "I am the most respected woman here. I don't expect you'll take my spot, just because your father is the retired governor of Bevelle, the greatest city of Yevon–Oh, good morning Governor Seymour!" Dona then said, and stood up, beaming, "How are you?"

Yuna turned quickly around, suddenly eager to see this governor that she'd heard so much about. What she saw was something she hadn't at all bargained for.

Her mouth dropped as she realized he was half guado, a being she had always considered to be inferior, and half human. Unruly blue hair grew from his scalp and his face was hideous. He did have beautiful eyes though, Yuna noticed.

As she found herself lost in his eyes, he suddenly turned and looked into her eyes as well. Blushing, she turned her face from his, embarrassed that he had caught her staring at him so.

"Good morning, Dona," he said then, and Yuna realized he had a strange sounding voice, "And you are...?"

Yuna looked back up at him, noticing that he was looking at her again.

"Y-Yuna!" Yuna said.

"Ah, the lady Yuna!" the governor said, "I'm Governor Seymour, and very happy to make your acquaintance."

He made a move to take the seat next to Yuna, but Dona had already pushed Barthello out of the seat next to her and said, "Governor, right here! I had Barthello save you a spot."

"Oh, of course," Seymour said, and nodded to Yuna again, and then took his seat on the other side of Dona.

"Oh, and by the way," Dona said then, leaning toward Yuna, "Whatever happened to your face?" Yuna couldn't help but notice that Dona had said this just loud enough to get Seymour's attention.

Yuna remained quiet for some time, choosing not to answer. She didn't want to lie, and yet she didn't want to tell the truth, either.

"A bible hit my face," Yuna just said with a shrug, "It happens quite often."

Dona smirked, and Seymour just gave her an odd look. The sermon started then, luckily, so Yuna didn't have to say any more.

The sermon was very long and tedious, and Yuna actually found her mind wandering, as much as it was a sin to do so. She knew everything about Yevon that was taught, so she knew it anyhow, but still. She should have been listening.

Instead, her thoughts were on her new village, the Al Bhed, herself...Basically everything. Suddenly, though, she felt Dona stand up beside her. Dona cleared her throat and said, "I have not sinned."

She sat back down, and Yuna only stared at her. What was she doing?

"Ah, you're new," she heard the minister, Dona's father, say, "All you need to do is stand up and confess your sins."

"Oh," Yuna said, and stood. Suddenly though, her heart pounded. This was something new. Confessing that she lied in front of everybody? What would they do to her? Her father had already beat her for it. Wasn't that enough?

"Go ahead," she heard Dona say, as she nudged Yuna, "Just confess already!"

Did they know? Yuna felt choked and honestly couldn't speak. She began to shake, and felt like she was going to faint.

"Um...Well, yesterday I told a lie," Yuna said, and blushed as she said so. She waited for someone to throw something at her–whether it was more bibles or rotten fruit. Nothing hit her though, but there was a shocked silence throughout the entire church.

"The punishment for such a sin," the minister said, "Is a course with a minister in training. Wakka, I shall set you up with her."

Yuna's eyes went to a red-haired man that was sitting a ways down from the minister.

"You are to go to Wakka's hut later this evening," the minister continued, "And talk with him. Next."

And on it went. All through the stands, people would stand up and confess their sins, or say they didn't sin, and the minister would set them up with some sort of punishment. Yuna actually found it quite cruel. One man confessed that he'd had improper thoughts about another women than his wife, and was forced to stand in front of the church as the minister beat him.

Another confessed to having learned to say 'hello' in Al Bhed, and was then forced to sit with the Al Bhed people on the balcony, as the rest called him a vermin and a skunk.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of unjust punishment, the sermon ended. Sighing with relief, Yuna followed Dona and Governor Seymour out the door, almost in a hurry to get out of the temple.

"My father is the most just minister there is," Yuna heard Dona saying to Seymour, "And one of the best Spira has."

"I agree," Seymour said, nodding.

They both turned to Yuna then, and gave her an almost disgusted look. It wasn't like Yuna was the only one that confessed to lying, but they acted as if she were.

"Is that why you have those marks?" Dona asked, "Because you lied?"

"Yes."

To her surprise Seymour smiled and put his long fingertips on her shoulder and said, "Your father seems to be a very good man."

Yuna felt like blushing, as she noticed there was something in Seymour's eyes that she really didn't like. He was almost staring at her dazedly, and his eyes scanned her face, making her uncomfortable.

"Come now, Governor," Dona said, pulling him away from Yuna, "Let's get going. Yuna, care to join us for lunch?"

"Um...Actually, I'd like to have a look around the village, if it's alright for me to decline," Yuna just said. She couldn't help but notice that Dona looked plenty happy at her decline, although Seymour looked upset.

"Goodbye then," Dona just said.

"It was very pleasant meeting you, Miss Yuna," Seymour said, outstretching his hand for her to shake. Yuna couldn't help but realize how creepy he seemed.

Yuna did the polite thing though, and took his large hand in her petite one, and he shook her hand for quite some time. Then, the two left, leaving Yuna alone in the little village.

Yuna stood in the gravel path outside of the temple for a long while, waiting as Seymour and Dona dipped out of sight. She seemed almost confused, and couldn't decide what she thought of Seymour and Dona. They both seemed nice enough, and they both came from prestigious home lives, as she had, but yet they seemed...different. In fact, everything about the village seemed different. She sighed though, reminding herself that she came from a different background as well.

She had spent all of her childhood in her home in Bevelle, barely leaving. Her mother had always been sickly, but was not allowed in any hospitals, despite who her husband was. Yuna knew her father didn't often tell people that his wife used to be Al Bhed, but the people at the hospital knew. They wouldn't take her in.

Yuna's mother had suffered for the longest time from her many diseases, until finally passing away, only a week before Yuna's seventeenth birthday. It was only then that Braska decided to move his daughter away from Bevelle, as he retired from his role as governor. Yuna knew the reason he kept her locked and hidden away from the public eye was because of the fact that she was half Al Bhed. He seemed so ashamed of it. Once her mother passed away though, it was as if the Al Bhed lineage no longer existed. It was something Yuna would never forgive her father for.

Honestly, it made no sense. If her father was so ashamed, why had he married her mother in the first place? Surely he knew it was some sort of sin, even if she was no longer Al Bhed. Now that she was gone, the only one to remain ashamed of was Yuna, and it wasn't her fault that her mother was Al Bhed. Even though Braska did seem to believe it that way...

Her father was a character all in himself. He was one of the most well-known men across all of Spira, being that he was the notorious governor of Bevelle. Recently though, he'd become a fragile and frail being compared to what he had once been. The more his wife became sick, the more fragile he seemed to become. Fear was shone in his eyes, and soon, he was sure to keep his wife locked away, where the diseases could not spread. It wasn't long before Yuna was no longer allowed outside of the house. As diseases began to spread, Braska's fear grew wider. In fact, he would never admit it, but the reason he quit his job and moved his family out of Spira was because of his growing fear of disease. Only Yuna knew that though.

When her mother died, her father cracked. He'd been cracked ever since. He turned ghostly pale at the mere mention of disease and stayed to himself quite frequently. All because of a little thing called disease.

Yuna walked slowly down the dirt path leading to the village. The paths throughout the village were cobblestone, but there were many little dirt paths all around. People were out and about, hanging laundry, talking, while little children ran around.

Yuna took a moment to take in her surroundings. A quick look up the hill showed her large towering house, right down a ways from the governor's, and then the house that she assumed belonged to Dona. Compared to those three mansions, the rest of the little houses looked like huts.

The children that ran past her were dirty, but so were their parents. They looked like friendly people just the same, as they all smiled at her as she passed, even though she had admitted to sinning only earlier.

She continued walking, passing by two Al Bhed children who were standing on the road with their dirtied hands outstretched, trying with little luck to get some food. Yuna shook her head, wondering how the Al Bhed had all seemed to spread throughout Spira. She knew their hideout on some island had been discovered years ago, and they had been gathered up and originally brought throughout Spira to be used as slaves. Now they were just servants–except basically slaves–that were forced to work as punishment for not following the ideas of Yevon. Many of them, like her own mother and Rikku, were converted, but their sins of being Al Bhed would never be forgotten.

Yuna sighed and continued walking. No one knew, but it crushed her something horrid that she was part Al Bhed. In a way, she felt as if she should be working alongside the unfortunate. She should be punished as well. The only thing that kept her from begging to be punished was the fact that she hadn't asked to be part Al Bhed. It wasn't her fault. Still, it wasn't the hungry children on the road's faults either. It was really nobody's fault. In that case, the only thing that kept her from being imprisoned was her father. It was a fact that her father sure wasn't going to tell anybody of her true lineage. He was ashamed, after all.

It still confused Yuna as to why her father had married an Al Bhed. She supposed it was something she didn't like to ponder.

Yuna was now walking through Besaid's forest, on the opposite side of the ocean. It was a very quaint and quiet forest, the type she had always dreamed of. Bevelle was so packed with people that any forest was quickly destroyed to make room. It made sense for Bevelle to be packed though. It was the Yevon headquarters, after all, and held the largest Yevon temple in all of Spira. It was a plain honor to live there.

A smile crept across the young brunette's face then as she looked up, realizing that she couldn't even see the sun for the trees were so thick. The forest was absolutely dazzling. She could hear all kinds of birds singing softly. Her smile disappeared though, as she suddenly realized that she heard a different kind of singing. A woman's singing.

Her body tensed up as she looked every which way, trying to find the owner of the voice. The voice was remarkably beautiful, but the song that was being sang had a horribly creepy ring to it. It sounded like something an un-dead child would sing. Yuna shivered, reminding herself that there was no such thing as an un-dead child.

Her eyes caught something then, hidden in the forest. There was a woman kneeling by a tree, dressed completely in black. Her hair was pulled back in numerous braids, and Yuna realized that she wasn't singing at all–but chanting.

Again, Yuna felt her body tense up. Chanting was a pure sign of Yu-Yevon, the exact opposite of Yevon. To make matters worse, only Yu-Yevon worshippers would be caught dressed all in black.

Yuna continued to stare at the woman, almost as if entranced by her. Yuna's body told her to walk away and to ignore her, but she couldn't bring her legs to move her. She just kept going closer and closer to the woman.

Suddenly, Yuna stepped on a twig, causing the woman to turn around. Her head turned, causing her braids to flail in the air, and Yuna was surprised to see to crimson eyes on her own mismatched ones.

The woman had, as mentioned, burning crimson eyes, pale skin, even paler than Yuna's own, and dark purple lips. She wore hair ornaments in her hair, and to even more of Yuna's dismay, held a poppet in her arms.

To Yuna's astonishment, however, the woman smiled a welcoming smile at her, and said, "Hello there."

"H-Hi..." Yuna just stammered, continuing to stare at the woman.

The woman gathered her skirts and stood up, still smiling a little smile, as she said, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"N-No," Yuna just said, "I-I just heard you...Singing...That's all."

"Ah," the woman just said, nodding, "I enjoy singing. I come out here to be alone."

"Y-You have a lovely voice," Yuna managed to murmur, "But it sounded kind of like chanting."

The woman laughed and said, "Nonsense. Everyone knows that chanting is the sign of Yu-Yevon."

"You're dressed in all black," Yuna said then, pointing to the woman's dress.

"That I am," the woman said, "The only fabric I could manage to get a hold of was black. It's very expensive in these parts for died fabric other than black."

"And your hair..." Yuna managed to say.

"It's quite the fashion here on the islands...You're not from around here, are you?"

Fashion? Yuna was shocked.

"No, I'm not," Yuna said just the same.

"I could tell...Ah! You're the daughter of Lord Braska! I've heard so much about you!"

"Really?"

"Well, you two have been on everybody's tongues. You're all anybody talks about!"

"Really?"

"Really. You were at the temple as well today, were you not?"

"Oh, yes, I was," Yuna said. So this woman really wasn't a Yu-Yevon worshiper. She had been at the temple, after all.

The woman just gave another little smile and said, "I'm Lulu."

"Yuna, as you probably know," Yuna just said, "What's that?"

"Oh this? It's just a little doll I've been working on," Lulu said, "There's a little child next door who has caught a cold. I'm making it for her."

"That's very nice of you," Yuna said, still staring at the doll in Lulu's arms.

Lulu gave a little laugh and said, "I make them for all of the sick children."

"Really?" Yuna just said, "That's so very nice."

Lulu had a faraway look in her eyes though, and she suddenly looked sad. She gave Yuna a little smile and said, "You apparently haven't heard the gossip?"

"Gossip about what?" Yuna asked.

Lulu just shook her head and said, "I'm not going to spread it. You'll hear it from Wakka, after all. He seems to be the one that started it."

"Wakka...He's the one I have to see later!"

"Yes, he is. He used to be a very good friend of mine," Lulu just said, and looked at the ground.

"Can you tell me where he lives?"

"Sure," Lulu said, "There's a little house directly left of the temple. It's an orangish color. That's Wakka's place."

"Can I go there now?"

"I don't see why not."

"Good...Um, thanks Lulu! I hope to see you around!"

Lulu was silent, but then said, "No problem. Bye, Yuna."

"Bye!" Yuna cried, and started off, suddenly eager to get the meeting over with Wakka. She was afraid he might beat her as well...He did look like a big guy, after all.

She found his place with little difficulty, and ran up to the door, knocking on it gently. She then looked up at the sky, realizing that it was already getting late, although it was only late afternoon. It would probably be dark by the time she left Wakka's place.

The door opened and she immediately recognized it's opener as the man they called Wakka. He was hard to miss, after all, why with his red-orange hair.

"Hey dere," he just said, crossing his arms, "Miss Yuna, right?"

"Yes," Yuna just said, not looking him in the eye, to show her respect.

He laughed though, and said, "Don't be so formal. Come in, come in."

He led Yuna into his very small house. The first room was basically a room with a bed in it, and Yuna noticed that the next room was the kitchen. It was only a two-roomed house, compared to her house that had at least thirty-five rooms in it.

He motioned for Yuna to sit on the bed, and he sat on a chair that he brought in from the kitchen.

"Well, as you may have guessed," Wakka said, "I'm a priest in training. I'll probably never make it, but it's worth a try. But you have committed a sin...The sin of lying."

"I was already punished," Yuna said, taking her hand and putting it on one of her bruises, "and I've learned my lesson."

Wakka just smiled and said, "Good. Then we shouldn't have too much trouble. Have you had a chance to look around the village?"

"A little bit," Yuna just said, "I kind of got side-tracked and went into the forest though."

"It's a beautiful forest, dat one," Wakka said, smiling, "Have you met anyone?"

"I met Dona and Governor Seymour," Yuna said, "And of course you...But otherwise..."

"Isn't Governor Seymour the greatest? Well, not quite as great as your dad, ya, but close."

"Oh...Sure...But don't you find it odd that he's part Guado?"

Wakka looked shocked and said, "His father, Lord Jyscal, was the governor before him. Lord Jyscal brought the teachings of Yevon to the guado. He was a great man, that Lord Jyscal."

Yuna just nodded, as if she understood, and then said, "Oh yeah, I also met a woman named Lulu..."

Wakka's smile suddenly disappeared.

"Did you say Lulu?" he said softly.

"Yes, Lulu."

"Where'd you meet her at?"

"In the forest."

"Figures."

"She was very kind."

Wakka gave Yuna a look that showed hatred, and he said, "She's a witch."

"That's what I thought at first too," Yuna said, smiling, "but then I realized–."

"No. You don't understand, Yuna. Last year, she was sentenced to burn."

"Sentenced to burn?"

"At the stake. Don't you do dat in Bevelle?"

Yuna shrugged. She'd been cooped up for so long in her house that she realized she really didn't know much.

"Well, Lulu is a witch...A no-good Yu-Yevon worshiper. Dat's why she dresses the way she does. She makes poppets, too."

"Yes, for ill children," Yuna said.

"That's what she says she does," Wakka said, "But really, she practices voodoo on them."

"What?"

"Voodoo. She steals the children's souls."

"Can that happen?"

Wakka looked shocked, and said, "Of course it can happen! It happened last year, and she should have been burned!"

"Why wasn't she?"

Wakka was silent.

"Because a beast turned up," he finally said.

"A what?"

"A beast. It hunts at night and kills. Twenty have died since last year. The first killing was the night Lulu was supposed to burn. After that, everybody forgot about burning her and went after the beast. But no beast was found. Over the year, people forgot that Lulu was supposed to burn. But they didn't forget that she was a witch. Governor Seymour said we should all just ignore her and cast her away, which we did. But the beast remains.

"Every month or so, it takes a victim. People have hunted and hunted, but it can't be found. Some people say it's Lulu's demon and she unleashed it the night she was to die. Others say it's just a crazed dog. Still...Some say it's one of us...One of us that has a thirst for blood."

Wakka's voice had dropped while saying this, almost as if he was telling some kind of ghost story.

A strange sort of silence followed then, and Wakka looked outside.

"It's getting dark," he said, "Have they told you not to be out after dark?"

"No...Why?"

"The beast, Yuna! It doesn't choose a victim–it just kills. That's why you can't be out a night!"

"But if it only attacks every month or so..."

"Sometimes, Yuna, it attacks every week. It all depends on the beast's thirst. Now come on, I'll take you home."

Yuna just stood up, as did Wakka, and she followed him out the door. It was indeed growing dark.

"What about you?" Yuna asked, walking alongside Wakka as they started up the hill, "Won't you be alone at night on your way back?"

Wakka was silent, but he then said, "I should be okay. After all, the beast attacked only two days ago..."

"Oh," Yuna just said.

They walked in silence, through part of the forest, toward the lights of the three large mansions on the hillside.

"Does the beast attack in the forest?" Yuna asked then.

"It has," Wakka said, "But mostly it's in the town."

"Has anyone seen it?"

"Nope."

"How do you know it's a beast then?"

"Because!" Wakka just said, "Every victim has two large bloody holes located on the side of their neck. Well, every one but the first..."

"How's the first related then?"

"Because. Well...You see, it was our governor. Our governor at the time was none other than Governor Seymour's father, the great Lord Jyscal. As we prepared to watch Lulu burn, there were suddenly shrieks of "Lord Jyscal is dead!" We all ran over, and there in the alleyway lay Lord Jyscal, covered in blood. Directly after that, we discovered a townsman dead, with the two holes in his neck. We decided they must be related. Ever since then, most of the deaths have the holes, but others don't."

"I see," Yuna just said, and suddenly realized they'd reached her house, "Well, it was very nice meeting you, Wakka."

"Yes, same here," Wakka just said, although he was looking quite distracted, "Now remember, no more lying."

"Of course," Yuna said, "Goodbye Wakka."

"Bye Yuna."

She waited until he disappeared around the corner before going in.

The main hall was empty, and Yuna, deciding she'd rather not see her father, headed straight up the stairs toward her bedchamber, anxious to have the day over with. Besides, she had much to contemplate.

Beasts...Witches...Yevon. Somehow, it seemed all connected. She realized that Bevelle had probably been the same way. She supposed she'd heard of witches, but had never actually met one.

There was a knock on her door then, which startled her. She realized it was probably her father, so decided to pretend she wasn't there. However, there was yet another knock.

Sighing, Yuna said, "Come in."

To her surprise, it wasn't her father that entered, but Rikku instead.

"Hey Yuna," Rikku said, walking in, "What took you all day to get home?"

"Well, I wandered around town for a bit," Yuna said, "And then went and saw Wakka."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you had to see him," Rikku said, "'Jya meet anyone new?"

"Not really...Only the governor and Dona...And Wakka," Yuna said, purposely leaving Lulu out.

"Whadya think of Wakka?" Rikku asked then.

"He seems okay," Yuna said, "He's a little high-strung though, and has some odd beliefs."

"People say he follows Yevon closer than Dona's father," Rikku said, "He wasn't always that way though."

"He wasn't?"

"Nope. His parents died when he was very young, and he was left with a little brother. He basically raised Chappu–that was his brother–from birth. They used to play all the time by the beach, with a girl named Lulu."

Yuna's eyes popped open, and without meaning to, she said, "Lulu? The witch?"

"Ah, so you've heard," Rikku just said, "Did Wakka tell you that?"

"Tell me what?"

"About Lulu being a witch. It's a shame, really. They used to be such good friends. Rumor has it that Chappu and Lulu were sweet on each other."

Now Yuna's curiosity was coming in.

"Really?" Yuna just said, and sat down on her bed, motioning for Rikku to have a seat in a chair by the bed, "Where's Chappu now?"

"I'll just tell you all I know," Rikku said, "See, Chappu and Lulu were actually obviously sweet on each other. But I don't know if Wakka noticed. He might have. Anyway though, one day, Chappu was caught using a forbidden machina weapon."

"What?" Yuna said, as she leaned forward, "Machina? But that's forbidden!"

"Exactly," Rikku said, "He was caught, and sentenced to death. We all went and watched as he was killed on the scaffold."

"But why did he use it?" Yuna asked.

"No one knows," Rikku said, "Everybody basically forgot about it, and never really said anything much. But Wakka–he was devastated. It was almost like his son was killed, and not his brother. Soon, Wakka started...Seeing things. He came to the temple and declared that Lulu had used some sort of black magic to force Chappu into using the weapon. Everybody was shocked, and at first, nobody believed him. But then, children started going awol. The doctor said it was from a greater force. Wakka said it was Lulu, controlling the children. She was then sentenced as a witch."

"But that was the night the beast showed up..." Yuna just mused softly.

Rikku jumped and said, "How do you know about the beast?"

"Wakka told me," Yuna said, almost defensively.

"I see," Rikku just said, "Well, everybody's scared to death of it. Utterly to death."

Yuna just shook her head and said, "I guess once it hits close to me, then maybe I'll care."

"It could kill you at any given time!" Rikku just said, her eyes wide, "Aren't you scared of it?"

"Not really. Rikku, how can one be frightened of something they've never seen?"

"Easily," Rikku just said, standing up, "Goodnight Yuna. And take care, okay? I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight," Yuna just said, and waited until her door was closed. She then sighed, and got ready for bed.