Sorry it took so long for this chapter. A combination of writer's block, and the next semester of college starting is a very annoying thing. Anyhow, on to the replies!
Auron's Fan: Uh huh. A fate worse than death, that.
Zexion72: Sir, yes sir!
desert-tiger: Indeed. They can handle it...or so we think...
AKM: Nope.
MoombaRave: Thanks.
MysticSuperSaiyanGohan: Lol, try and get 100. It'll drive ya nuts.
shadowkiller27: Well, simply put...I've got college now, which puts a definite crimp in my writing time. Which annoys me, but anyway. There can always be a bit more detail, but I usually reserve my best detailing for major boss fights. And I'll read your story, as well.
Daniel Wesley Rydell: Yes, yes I did. And you're planning on doing...what, exactly?
XxCougarxX: (cough) Yeah, subtle enough of a way.
Now, finally, on to Bevelle!
Chapter 15—Deeper And Deeper
The Celsius sails smoothly through the sky, parting the clouds with ease as we fly towards the heart of New Yevon, Bevelle.
'I really can't stand that place...' I think to myself, staring out the window of my room. I've always had a hatred for Bevelle, and it just intensified when Seymour killed Rikku there. So, it's no surprise to me that my hands are clenched into fists.
"You're awfully angry. Giving in so soon?" Shuyin's voice in my mind causes me to look around for a moment, before I realize that it's him.
"Stifle it, jerk," I growl, sitting down on my bed.
"And how, exactly, do you plan to make me?" he taunts. Remaining silent, I punch the bed beside me out of anger. He knows exactly how to grate on my nerves.
"When I find you..." I mutter, and Shuyin just laughs.
"What? Did I hit a sore spot?" he asks, mockingly.
"You're only making me want to kill you that much more," I respond, somewhat calmer now.
"I'm shaking," he says, flatly.
"Ben? Are you okay?" Rikku's voice makes my head snap towards the door.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You sounded like you were talking to yourself in there," she says, and I hear Shuyin mentally chuckle, before I feel his presence leave.
"I'm fine, Rikku. How far are we from Bevelle?" I ask, standing up.
"Not far, only a minute or two more before we land, I think," she replies, and I nod to myself, before opening the door to find Rikku's grinning face staring at me.
"Alright. I'm going to the bridge. Let's hope Leblanc hasn't driven Brother insane yet."
"What do you mean, 'yet'? He's already crazy!" Rikku responds, and I laugh.
"A valid point, indeed," I say, chuckling and walking to the elevator as Rikku follows.
As we arrive at the bridge, I can see Leblanc, Logos, and Ormi arguing about something with Brother and Buddy. Ignoring the fighting, I step over to Yuna, who is sitting nearby and watching the shouting match.
"So, what do you think we're going to find at Bevelle?" I ask her, and she shrugs.
"I'm not really sure," she replies, and I nod.
"Better to expect anything," I tell her, before spinning to the still shouting group. "Will you guys shut up!" I yell, instantly quieting the five of them as they see the look in my eyes. "Thank you. Leblanc, Logos, Ormi, are you three going with us?"
"We'll be right behind you, love," Leblanc says, and I nod.
"Good. Don't let your guard down. It's Bevelle, we can't really know what to expect," I tell them, before standing up. The Celsius begins to land, and I take a deep breath, before stepping out of the bridge, everyone else following me.
Bevelle. The headquarters of New Yevon, and the home of the praetor. The city is seemingly the area with the most political power in all of Spira.
"So, how we gonna do this?" Rikku asks.
"It's obvious!" Leblanc says, looking over at the blond girl. "We nab the head honcho. Then, we make him lead us to Vegnagun, and...checkmate."
"Not bad," Yuna says, nodding slightly.
"I got no problem with this," Ormi adds, looking around. "Our target is the New Yevon praetor, Baralai!"
"A girly man like that doesn't stand a chance without his escort," Logos says, nodding.
"Careful. He's much stronger than he looks," Paine says, looking over at the trio.
"Remember the last time we were here, Yuna?" I ask, and she nods.
"I remember," she replies. "It was such a happy time..."
"Yeah. It was," I say, stepping towards the main temple, everyone else beside me. 'Unfortunately...times change. And there's nothing we can do about it.' I think to myself. Suddenly, a trio of guards run up to us, leveling guns at the seven of us.
"It's those Youth League spies!" the lead guard yells. "We won't have you defile this place like you did in Kilika!"
"Well, good luck!" Leblanc says, backing away. Quickly, I turn to her.
"Oh, no you don't. You're staying with us. We can handle these guys," I say, right before a shot goes flying past my shoulder. My eyes narrow, as I turn back to the guards, drawing my sword and taking my stance. Everyone else does the same, as Paine and I rush the guards, our swords flashing out and into two of the guns as the guards block. Yuna shoots at the third guard, causing him to step back, as Rikku runs in and attacks the same guard, forcing him to try and use his gun as a shield.
Ducking under a wild swing from one guard, Paine slashes him in the chest, causing him to drop his gun, before kicking him in the stomach, sending him off his feet and to the ground. Quickly, I dodge a swing of the rifle from the second guard, and twist, my heel slamming into his side in a spinning kick. As he winces, bending over some, I bring the handle of my sword into his face, causing him to fall backwards while clutching his nose. I can hear a cry of pain from the third guard, and see him fall as well.
"Simple enough," I mutter, sheathing my sword.
"So, where do we start looking?" Rikku asks, causing Leblanc to step beside her.
"It's obvious, love. The main temple, of course."
"Leblanc's right. It has to be the main temple," I say, nodding. "We better go, now. No telling when they might send more guards against us." Quickly, we all run towards the main temple, pushing the doors open and stepping inside. The inside of the temple looks exactly the same as I remember it, several rooms on each side of the main room, with elevated platforms on the top left, center, and top right of the room. A floating platform sits near the middle of the room, to take people either down to the lower floors, or up to the elevated platforms.
"Where to now?" Logos asks, and Yuna looks for a moment, before pointing to the platform.
"We go down. It has to be down there somewhere," she says, stepping over to the platform. As we all step on, the platform begins to descend, quickly taking us down into a very familiar place. The Cloister of Trials.
"Great. We have to navigate this thing again," I mutter, and Yuna smiles, looking over at me.
"Hey, we did it once, right?" she says, and I shrug.
"Yeah, true enough. Let's just get through this place. I hate it."
The Cloister is much the same as I remember it, floating platforms and transparent walls everywhere, forming a veritable maze. It takes us nearly 10 minutes to get through and make it to the Cloister of Trials. As we step near the doors of the Chamber of the Fayth, they suddenly open, as a familiar figure steps out.
"You!" I exclaim, staring down the slender figure of Lenna.
"Yeah, me. What about it?" she says, putting a hand on her hip.
"Nothing, really...just curious why you're here, is all," I reply. The attitude is beginning to annoy me, but I can handle it.
"I'm a sphere hunter. Why do you think I'm here?" she replies, and I roll my eyes.
"Why are you really here? You're after more than just spheres." Sighing, Lenna leans against the door, and begins to speak.
"Alright, fine. I know New Yevon's hiding something. I've been listening to Youth League members talk about some kind of machina down here, or something, and I wanted to see for myself," she explains, and I nod.
"Same reason we're here. We intend to find out just what they're hiding."
"This isn't the place for kids, and especially not a brat like you. So why don't you just run along, little girl?" Leblanc says, and Lenna glares daggers at the purple-clad woman.
"Excuse me! You want to step over here and say that?" she spits, beginning to step over to Leblanc. Quickly, I move in between the two, glaring at Leblanc.
"Look. As long as you're with us, you will show respect to others, or I will beat some into you. Clear?" I say, thoroughly annoyed by the attitude that the woman has.
"Fine, sheesh. Don't get so upset, love," she mutters, stepping back. Turning to Lenna, I look down some at the shorter girl.
"And you can come with us, but don't start any trouble. Got it?" I say, and she nods.
"Whatever..."
"Um...can we get going again?" Rikku says, and I nod.
"Yeah, soon as we figure out just where to go," I reply.
"Hey, look at this!" Yuna says, standing near a pit of some sort. Quickly, we walk over to it, looking down into the hole. It's quite large, and has a ladder on the side.
"So, what is it?" Paine asks, and Yuna turns to the black-clad girl.
"I'm not quite sure."
"Well," I say, looking down into the hole, "it certainly can't hurt to go take a look." A series of nods follow my suggestion, and I begin to climb down the hole, everyone else following right after me.
As we arrive at the bottom of the pit, we look around to find a massive room, with a large pit in the center. Taking a moment to scan the surroundings, we don't get more than a few feet into the room before an alarm goes off. Quickly, Yuna turns to Leblanc and her group.
"Watch the exit!" she says, pointing to an enormous door behind where we entered.
"I don't take orders!" she retorts, before thinking for a moment. "But, I'll make an exception this time. Leave it to us, love!" she says, Logos and Ormi joining her in guarding the massive door.
"So, just what is this place?" Lenna asks, looking around.
"Looks like...a hangar of some sort, for a giant machina," Rikku says, and I nod.
"Reminds me of the airship hangar. But we all know what this one is for," I say, and Yuna nods.
"Vegnagun," she says, and Lenna's face turns to confusion.
"Vegnagun? Is that the machina I heard so much about?" she asks, and I nod slowly.
"One and the same. And it's extremely powerful. I don't want to take an uneducated guess...but I'd say it could have held Sin at bay. Maybe even beaten it." Lenna's face turns to horror at that, and I nod again. "Now you see why it needs to be destroyed." Walking away, I move near the edge of the pit, examining it closely. It's deep, a hundred feet or more at the least. Careful not to fall, I begin to move around it.
"Anyone see a panel, or something, that we can use to deactivate this alarm?" I yell, and everyone begins to look around, before Rikku suddenly sprints towards something, examining it and beginning to work. After a minute or two, the alarms stop, and a rumbling sound comes from the pit. Platforms begin to extend from the sides of the pit, in a circular formation leading down. Leblanc and her gang walk over, as we move to the first platform.
"Ladies first," I say, smiling at Rikku, who just sticks her tongue out at me. Jumping to the first platform, Rikku gives an 'ok' motion, and we all follow, beginning to jump from platform to platform. The platforms are large, but thankfully not too far apart. Soon, we jump to the ground, and look around. Rikku seems to recognize the place, turning to Yuna.
"Yunie! That sphere with you-know-who in it. Wasn't it recorded here?" Yuna looks around for a moment, before Leblanc rudely cuts in.
"Get your heads out of the clouds and move it!" she says, pointing to a door at the other side of the room. Quickly, we all run to it and open it, moving into the next area. A long hallway leads to another room, and as we step into it, we see a man dressed in fine clothing, with white hair held up by a headband around his forehead.
"The Gullwings?" he says, turning to us. "I was wondering who was there."
"Praetor Baralai," I say, nodding.
"High Summoner. It's a pleasure," he replies, nodding. "You don't have to tell me. I know why you've come. You're here to destroy the weapon that threatens all Spira. Vegnagun. Am I right?" he continues, looking over our group. "If it could be destroyed, we would've done so long ago. But Vegnagun must not be touched. Neither you nor Nooj seem to understand that."
"You talked to Nooj?" Paine asks, stepping forward.
"He...cannot be trusted," Baralai responds, and Paine folds her arms.
"And you can be?"
"Touche," Baralai replies after a moment. "Yes, I suppose Yevon has brought that distrust upon itself. At any rate, you need not interfere. Leave Vegnagun to me."
"What are you planning to do?" Yuna asks, as Baralai grabs a long staff from his back, stepping into a defensive stance.
"The only thing I can do. Keep those who would seek to harm Vegnagun away. Please leave."
"Yuna. Rikku. I'm going," Paine says, stepping in front of us and grabbing her sword.
"You're not the only one," I add, drawing my sword as well.
"Paine!" Baralai exclaims, seemingly annoyed. Charging us quickly, he brings the staff around in an arc towards our heads. Ducking under the strike, Paine stabs out with the sword, only to have Baralai jump back out of reach. As I charge now, I bring my sword in for a horizontal strike, to which Baralai knocks aside with the staff. Spinning, he brings the staff towards my knees, and knocks me off my feet, before stabbing down with the tip. I roll away from the strike, just as Paine runs in with a vertical slash, forcing Baralai to evade. Standing back up, I focus, spherechanging to Black Mage instead and grabbing a staff of my own.
"Fight fire with fire. Or this. Water!" I yell, the magical attack bursting in Baralai's face, stunning him for a brief moment. That moment is all that Paine needs to send her foot intothe back of Baralai's knee, knocking him to one knee, before she slams his side with the flat of the blade. Baralai winces, but brings his staff up into Paine's chest, knocking the wind out of her, before throwing her off her feet with a quick sweep.
"He's good with that staff..." I mutter, a plan forming in my head. Before I can react, though, Paine stands back up and swats another attack away with her sword, bringing the handle down on Baralai's wrist. He grunts in pain, letting go of the staff with his right hand, before Paine jabs her left fist out, catching Baralai in the chest and causing him to stumble. Another strike knocks the staff away from Baralai, and Paine trips him with a leg sweep, before sighing and sheathing her sword.
"Sorry, I'm going ahead," she says, and Yuna nods, stepping over to Paine.
"You have your reasons."
"Fill us in later, kay?" Rikku adds, and Paine nods.
"Much later," she says, beginning to run towards the next area.
"Wait up!" Rikku cries, as the three of us follow Paine.
"Hey, don't leave me!" Lenna shouts, running after us.
As we enter the next area, Yuna stops, staring at the sight in front of us. I stop as well, looking up at the massive form in front of us, a form that we both thought we wouldn't see again.
"No way..." Rikku says, looking up at the towering figure.
"What is it?" Paine asks.
"It's an aeon!" Rikku exclaims, as the mighty figure of Bahamut gives a powerful roar.
"An aeon..." Yuna says, before stretching her arms out wide and stepping in front of us. "You must stop!" Paine runs to Yuna, shoving her back some.
"You wanna get killed? We have no choice!" she exclaims, drawing her sword. Reluctantly, Yuna grabs her guns, as Rikku, Lenna and I draw our weapons as well.
(Play FFX theme Summoned Beast Battle)
Lenna begins to dance, staring up at the creature, but is surprised to see that Bahamut isn't blinded.
"It didn't work!" she cries, as I slash hard into the aeon, Paine joining me.
"Aeons are immune to any kind of magical effect like blinding or silence!" I yell back, quickly spherechanging to Black Mage. Aiming my staff at the creature, I cross my fingers.
"Fira!" I yell, a bigger burst of flame flying from my staff to strike Bahamut. The aeon simply growls, before four black balls appear and fly towards us, one striking all of us except for Lenna. Stumbling back from the attack, I clutch my stomach, Yuna kneeling down and firing rapidly at Bahamut. The bullets aren't having much of an effect, and Rikku spherechanges to White Mage quickly, pointing her staff at me.
"Cure!" she yells, a wave of sparkles washing over me and healing some of my wounds. With a quick nod to her, I smile, before moving my fingers into a diamond shape, blue light beginning to surround me. I notice blue light begin to surround Rikku as well, and as I begin to spherechange, I look over at her. A wave of light surrounds her, before something suddenly appears, seeming to appear from the very floor itself. Rikku leaps on top of the creature, now dressed in a blue bodysuit, and pumps a fist in the air. Getting a good look at the creature, I notice that it's covered in armor and some sort of weapons. As my change into the Blade Knight dressphere finishes, I take a moment to look over at Rikku's Machina Maw dressphere, before focusing my attention back on Bahamut.
"Rough Divide!" I cry, charging Bahamut and slashing upwards, the sword leaving a tiny cut along its chest. Growling, it slaps me out of the air, and I land hard on my back, my vision going blurry.
"Take this, you big meanie!" I hear Rikku cry, and faintly see two explosions engulf Bahamut, who growls in pain. Quickly, the aeon flies over to her, slashing down hard, but Rikku's 'pet' leaps out of the way, firing another duo of missiles in retaliation. Yuna is still firing at Bahamut, the bullets having little effect on the monster's thick hide, and Lenna is now dressed in the Black Mage dressphere as well.
"Water!" she yells, the magical spell splashing into Bahamut's face, and distracting the creature for a moment. Another glow of light, this one yellow, turns my attention to Paine, who has now spherechanged into her Full Throttle dressphere from Black Mage.
"Aestus!" she cries, slashing Bahamut in the chest as a burst of fire strikes the aeon. Roaring, Bahamut steps back, four balls of dark energy appearing once again. As they fire, this time they strike Yuna and Paine, the other two striking Lenna and I, sending us both to the ground. Quickly, I take out a Hi-Potion and gulp it down, checking on Lenna as well. Slowly, she stands up, looking annoyed.
"Watera!" she yells, the second-level spell slamming Bahamut in the face. Quickly, I grab my other sword, and charge Bahamut, leaping into the air with a battle cry.
"Renzokuken!" I yell, my movements speeding up to allow me quicker strikes. I land several slashes on Bahamut's face, before falling back down to the ground. Bahamut seems quite weak now, a far cry from the powerful creature he was just minutes ago. Paine decides to strike the finishing blow.
"Levin!" she cries, lightning coursing through Bahamut's body as she slashes him one final time. Roaring in pain, the aeon slumps to the ground, slowly dissipating into pyreflies as we all spherechange back to our normal dresspheres.
(End FFX theme Summoned Beast Battle)
"Why..." I hear Yuna mutter, looking quite saddened now. Paine walks over, placing an arm around Yuna and saying something to her that I can't quite hear. Yuna nods, looking over at Paine.
"Thank you, Paine. You were right. We had to fight it, didn't we?" Paine simply nods, as Rikku walks over to something near the back of the area, staring down at the floor. As we all walk up to her, we see that the object she's staring at is a large hole in the floor. I can't see the bottom, either, so it must be quite deep as well.
"This hole was made recently," Yuna says, looking down into the pit.
"You think it was Vegnagun?" Rikku asks, looking over at Yuna, who just shrugs. "Unreal...how deep do you think it goes?" Before anyone gets a chance to answer, a noise behind us alerts us to the arrival of Leblanc and her gang.
"What? Where's Vegnagun?" she asks, stepping towards us.
"Not here," Yuna replies.
"It must have fled in terror, knowing I was coming," Leblanc says, dramatically.
"Oh boy..." Lenna mutters, and I just shake my head.
"I don't think so," Rikku says.
"I must report to Noojie-Woojie at once," Leblanc says, turning to Logos and Ormi. "Boys, record this. Don't miss a single detail!" she commands, and they nod.
"Yes, boss!" they say, pulling out blank spheres and beginning to record pictures of the pit and surrounding area.
"Vegnagun. Was it really here?" Paine asks, and I shrug.
"It had to have been. You saw the sphere." Before I can continue, however, a transmission comes over the comlinks.
"Yuna! We are in super doo-doo! Get back to the Celsius on the double!" Brother shouts, and I nod.
"We gotta get out of here! Le-hey...where'd she go?" Confused, I look around for the girl, who seems to have vanished while we were talking. "Oh well, no time for that now..." I mutter, beginning to run back the way we came, as Yuna and the others follow.
If my description of the underground of Bevelle is a little off, I apologize. It's been a while since I did that part, and my memory is a little fuzzy about how it looks. Next chapter, the group finds themselves in a bigger situation than they thought, and Ben finds himself in a whole lot of trouble! As always, please review!