Ah...another chapter finished. I feel like I've accomplished something! (crickets chirp) Okay, maybe not. Anyhow. The replies!
Iron Reaver: Thank you. And...yeah. I won't forget to smile. --
Neassa: Welcome to Eternal Requiem, Neassa! Hope you enjoy it. As for the Magus Sisters...I believe I used a combination of Lady Luck, White Mage, and Berserker/Warrior to beat them. Just make sure you have some decent form of healing.
Shadowkiller27: Indeed he is. And as for orders...I don't take too kindly to being ordered around. (eyes narrow)
KamiKaze no Kage: For a time, at least. And nothing to do...tis the worst fate of all.
Bracey Face Anime Gurl: (chuckles) Interesting. Interesting, indeed. May want to consider adding Yu Yevon to that little list. Hehe.
Astral Slayer Asuka: Now, where would be the fun in that? He's still got quite the major role to play, yet...
Daniel Wesley Rydell: I think T3h Shadow can take Drante.
XxCougarxX: Want me to be perfectly honest? No. But...you really haven't seen Darius' true power, yet. Just wait...
tom harrison: Welcome to Eternal Requiem, tom! Glad to see you're enjoying it.
Well, now that that's out of the way, on to the chapter!
Chapter 18—Trouble In Paradise
"Settle down, you two!" Buddy yells. The reason? Only Rikku and Brother, who have been arguing point and counterpoint for the past 15 minutes about our next destination.
"Aqlica sa!" Brother says, folding his arms. Rikku just pouts, as Yuna turns to Paine.
"Where do you think we should go?" she asks, and Paine just shrugs.
"We need to figure out what's going on in the temples. Djose is the closest one, so it might be a good place to start," she replies, and Yuna nods.
"Good thinking...everyone agree?" Yuna says, looking around the room. I simply nod, the others nodding as well. "Alright, then let's go!" she says excitedly, as Buddy gives a thumbs up and begins to pilot the Celsius towards the temple of Djose. Silently, I turn and step out of the bridge, headed for the deck once again.
"This is just crazy...Darius has the sphere that can control aeons, we've got two other people that appear and disappear whenever they feel like it, and apparently, there's more to the fayth than I originally thought." Muttering, I yawn for a moment, before sighing.
"I feel like I'm being left out of the loop. There's something I'm missing, one key thing...one thing that would clear all of this up. But I can't figure it out for the life of me."
"Maybe you're not looking hard enough," Shuyin's voice replies to me. Just who I don't need to help.
"Maybe."
"Pretty soon, it's not going to matter. You know that."
"Quit playing mind games with me. You're not getting away with this," I retort.
"Am I? I think I will. I don't think you have what it takes," he sneers back, and I just remain calm.
"We took Sin down. That's all the proof I need to know in my mind that we can wipe you off the face of Spira," I spit back, smirking. Shuyin is silent for a moment, and I chuckle. "What's wrong? No witty response?"
"Rest assured, soon I'll be the one laughing," he tells me, leaving my mind once again.
"Well, we're close," I say, seeing the land change from the grassy land near the Mi'ihen Highroad to the dry, rocky land near Djose Temple. As I step back to the elevator, it suddenly opens, revealing the smiling face of Rikku.
"Hey, I've been looking for you! Yunie said that we're almost to Djose," Rikku says, and I nod.
"I saw. I was headed back inside."
"Okay!" she says, stepping back to let me inside the elevator, as we head down and prepare to land at Djose Temple.
Djose Temple. The temple of lightning, and now the new home to some of the Al Bhed. After their home was destroyed two years ago, most of the Al Bhed relocated to various places. A small group of them moved into the temple, and eventually took the name of the Machine Faction. The group has gotten bigger, but it still isn't as big as New Yevon or the Youth League.
"Hey, it's Cid's little girl!" Gippal shouts, seeing the four of us approach. Rikku walks up to him, smiling, and he shoves her back a little, playfully.
"I have a name..." she says, still smiling.
"You seem close," Yuna says, and Gippal nods.
"We made quite the couple," he replies. Now, it's Rikku's turn to shove Gippal.
"Fryd yna oui cyoehk?" she asks, Gippal merely chuckling in response, before speaking.
"Rikku's always good for a laugh," he says, turning to Yuna. "If you're here about digging, this isn't the best time."
"Well, there were fiends here too, right?" Rikku asks, not waiting for Gippal to answer. "Want us to clean up for you?"
"Fiend hunting?" he asks, looking at Rikku again, before turning to Yuna. "What, you guys give up the sphere gig?"
"Temporarily. Right now, we're helping people out," Yuna replies. "Maybe...you'd like to hire us?" Gippal seems to pause for a moment, thinking the offer over, before he shakes his head.
"Nope. You already took care of Sin," he says, looking between me and Yuna for a moment. "We can't go running to you every time we get into trouble." Stepping forward to Yuna, he looks down into the shorter girl's eyes. "I watch my own back." I just ignore Gippal's attitude. Rikku, however, doesn't.
"Hmph. Show-off!" she says, Yuna simply nodding to Gippal.
"Well, be careful," Yuna tells him, and he nods.
"You too," he replies.
"Right," Yuna says, Paine motioning to her to head back to the Celsius.
"Come on," Paine says to all of us, beginning to walk back. I stop for a moment, turning to Gippal as everyone else starts back to the Celsius.
"What?" he asks.
"Do me a favor. If you see a kid in a long, brown coat around here anywhere...let me know. As soon as you possibly can," I say. Gippal just shrugs.
"Alright, fine. I'll let you know," he replies, heading back inside the temple. Quickly, I run back to the Celsius, heading inside to meet up with everyone again.
As I enter the bridge, I'm met by Rikku, who pulls me over to where Yuna and Paine are standing before I can react.
"Wha-hey, what are you doing?" I ask, confused for the moment.
"Guadosalam or Macalania?" Yuna asks, and I quirk an eyebrow.
"What now?"
"Where to next? Guadosalam, or Macalania?" Yuna repeats, the question now making sense.
"Hm...well, we never did figure out where Leblanc and her group went after we left Bevelle...maybe we should go to Guadosalam and see," I reply, looking over at Yuna.
"Sounds good," she says, turning to Buddy. "You heard him, let's go!"
"You got it!" he says, the Celsius shaking before lifting off once again. Sighing, I sit down in one of the chairs on the bridge, silently waiting for the Celsius to land at Guadosalam.
A while later, the Celsius lands outside Guadosalam, all four of us stepping out and looking up at the large tree containing the hidden city. Macalania Woods lies behind us, and I turn to look at the woods. They're beginning to look worse, slowly but surely, and I sigh. Soon, I know, all of this beauty will be nothing more than a memory. Yet another to add to the ever growing collection.
"Are you coming?" Paine asks, and I turn, nodding.
"Yeah. Sorry."
Quickly, I follow the trio of girls into the city, heading for the manor at the back. Nodding at us, the guard at the front steps aside to allow us entry to the large building. When we enter, the first thing we can see is Logos and Ormi, standing in the living room.
"Leblanc, there's nothing to worry about," Ormi says, sounding different than usual. Apparently, he's trying to mimic someone's voice.
"Not even close."
And failing, according to Logos. Ormi just scoffs, looking up at the taller man.
"Let's see you do it, then." Logos clears his throat, before speaking.
"Leblanc, there's nothing to worry about." Ormi just starts to laugh upon hearing his partner speaking.
"Look who's talking!" he says, chuckling.
"What are you doing?" Yuna says, causing both Logos and Ormi to turn to us.
"The boss has been rather...depressed since Nooj went missing," Logos explains.
"We wants to comfort her, see?" Ormi adds.
"Oh, was that supposed to be Nooj?" Rikku asks, and Logos nods.
"That bad, was it?" he asks.
"Yup," Yuna and Rikku say simultaneously. Logos and Ormi just look down, sighing.
"Even if you did sound like Nooj, do you think it would actually help?" Paine asks, skeptical.
"It would!" Logos and Ormi reply.
"Whatever you say," Paine replies, shrugging.
"Think we should go talk to her? We might have some luck," I ask, and Logos shrugs, pointing to her room at the top of a set of stairs.
"You can try, but I doubt you'll have any more luck than we have." Nodding, the four of us ascend the stairs leading to Leblanc's room. Another goon is in front of the door, and he turns to us as we approach.
"Maybe the threat of a little competition would help bring the boss's fight back?" the goon asks, having overheard our conversation.
"Maybe," I reply, as Yuna opens the door, stepping inside. The three of us quickly follow, to see Leblanc sitting in a chair and looking quite depressed.
"Leave me alone," she says, upon seeing the four of us.
"Don't you want to hunt some spheres?" Rikku asks, smiling slyly. "The Gullwings are gonna get all the spheres in Spira, you know."
"Fine by me," Leblanc replies, tiredly. "There's no point in chasing after spheres if my Noojie-Woojie isn't there to smile. What difference does it make?"
"You're a mess," Paine says simply. Leblanc just sighs, shrugging.
"Say whatever you want."
"We might as well leave. If she wants to do nothing, that's her choice," I say, stepping out of the room. Yuna, Rikku, and Paine follow after a moment, shutting the door behind them as we descend the stairs again.
"Any luck?" Logos asks, and I shake my head.
"Nothing. She's really out of it." Logos sighs again, before Ormi suddenly looks over at all of us, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"What if we showed her a sphere of Nooj?" he asks.
"Why ask us?" Paine replies. "Go for it."
"Of course!" Logos says, snapping his fingers. "That sphere! We took one in Bevelle. Care to watch it?" he asks.
"What's on it?" Yuna asks in response, to which Logos shrugs.
"We haven't looked yet," he says. "Meet us in our room. We'll have a little screening!" Quickly, the two walk towards the secret panel in the back of the dining room, all of us following. Logos presses the button, the panel spinning around to lead us into the secret passage, before the two of them walk down a side hallway. The four of us walk down the main hall, headed to Logos' and Ormi's room. Stepping inside, we quickly sit down on the beds, as Logos and Ormi walk in a minute later. Each of them has one sphere in hand.
"Let's see...this should be it," Logos mutters, fumbling with the sphere for a moment before turning it on. The sphere fades in on the underground part of Bevelle, showing Yuna and our group leaving. The sphere pans around some to show more of the underground, before fading out again.
"This must be a dud," Logos says, putting the sphere aside.
"Who you calling a dud!" Rikku exclaims, and I just chuckle.
"Now, now, settle down. There's another sphere, you know," I tell her, and she rolls her eyes at me, as Ormi turns the next sphere on. This one also fades in on Bevelle, but as this sphere pans around, a figure can be faintly seen.
"There's someone there!" Yuna exclaims, pointing at a part of the sphere as Ormi pauses it.
"Really? Where, where?" Rikku says, looking carefully.
"I'll zoom in," Logos says, pressing a few buttons on the sphere, which causes it to zoom in on the figure.
"It's Nooj!" Rikku exclaims, as Ormi unpauses the recording, which pans for a moment longer before fading out. "What was he doing there?" she asks.
"I don't like it." All eyes turn to Paine at this statement.
"What?" Yuna asks.
"All these secrets. It's just one thing after another," she replies.
"If I may," Logos says, interrupting. "You're free to do as you please, but I'd prefer you not mention this to the boss."
"Why not?" Rikku asks Logos.
"Whatever this Vegnagun thing is, it's clearly dangerous," Logos replies, looking over at Rikku. "Nothing the likes of which we sphere hunters have any business fooling around with. But if the boss knew Nooj were involved, well, there'd be no stopping her. If anything were to happen to here..." Logos trails off at this, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"You guys got it rough, don't you?" Rikku asks.
"If only she noticed," Logos replies, sighing.
"Is this one from Bevelle, too?" Yuna says, holding up another sphere taken off of a dresser.
"Ooh, been taking naughty pictures again?" Rikku teases. I just facepalm at her antics, as Logos looks over at Yuna.
"I didn't shoot this one," he says, stepping over and taking the sphere from Yuna. "I found it." Silently, he turns the sphere on, frowning at the slightly fuzzy and faded picture. "The image is badly deteriorated. Must be old." The image in question is a cell or cage of some sort, sitting in the middle of a small, dark room. There's a figure in the cage, but at the moment, we can't see who.
"Bah! The only reason the war's dragging on is because Zanarkand refuses to surrender," the holder of the sphere says, stepping towards the cage. Apparently, he's a guard of some sort. As the guard gets closer, the figure in the cage becomes clearer, revealed as the same person shown in the sphere that Yuna has.
"You're wrong!" he shouts. "If you'd stop attacking, there wouldn't be a war!"
"We're not falling for that," the guard replies, stepping back from the cage. The figure inside continues to glare at the guard, before slumping a little, looking down at the ground.
"Someday...your precious weapons will end up destroying you," he says, sinking back to the floor as the image begins to fade out.
"He's probably referring to the Machina War of a thousand years past," a voice behind us says. As we all turn, the source of the voice is revealed to be Maechen, who steps inside the room.
"When did you sneak in, old man?" Logos asks, Maechen simply ignoring his query.
"Would you like to hear more?" he asks, and Yuna nods.
"Please go on," she tells him.
"Lady Yuna, a rumor has been going around of late. Perhaps you've heard it. They say that High Summoner Yuna was accompanied by a guardian from, of all places, Zanarkand!" Logos and Ormi listen attentively, as Maechen continues. "Oh, yes, that young man raised quite a few eyebrows at the blitzball tournament in Luca. I spoke to him myself on a number of occasions. I could sense that he belonged to an otherworld. That he should look so much like the man in that sphere cannot be mere coincidence, I should think."
"There's a connection," Yuna says simply, and Maechen nods.
"There is. I would very much like the chance to ask him, and clear this matter up once and for all." Yuna looks down at the floor for a moment at that, before speaking.
"But...he's gone. Just like the fayth said, 'Our dream will vanish.'"
"A dream of the fayth?" Maechen asks, suddenly looking thoughtful. "Is that right..." Maechen seems to think for a moment, before snapping back to attention. "Oh, my!"
"What is it?" Rikku asks, tilting her head in confusion.
"I had something on the tip of my tongue. But then it slipped away...something very important..." he mutters. "Frustrating. Well, I suppose I'll just have to think on it a little more. Until next time, Lady Yuna. We are all connected. There may yet be a way to reunite with those who have gone." At that last statement, Yuna stands up quickly from her position on the bed.
"What?" she asks, eyes wide.
"Watch what you say," Paine says sharply.
"Forgive me," Maechen replies. "Consider it the ramblings of an old man."
"Thank you, Maechen," I say, nodding to the man, before standing up. "Let's get out of here."
"I agree. We've found out a little more now," Paine says. "No sense in staying."
"Thank you for your help," Yuna says to Logos and Ormi, who nod.
"Maybe the boss will come to her senses soon," Logos says, stepping aside to let us exit.
So, the plot continues to thicken...just what does Maechen know? As always, please read and review!