You know, it occurred to me that in the entire first four chapters that I had been misspelling farplane. And nobody corrected me! What is wrong with you peeps? Now that that is off my chest, time for the dreaded thunder plains!
Disclaimer: I just can't think of anything interesting to say here, so just accept that I nothing.
We came to the entrance of the Thunder plains. Or exit of Guadosalam depending on how you want to look at it. A scene from my first pilgrimage with Lord Braska came to mind. We were making good time when Braska said he wanted to rest for a moment. I pulled out a sphere as Jecht had asked me to. I looked around the plains and caught site of Braska. He seemed to be deep in thought.
"Something troubling you, My Lord?" I asked him.
"No. Just thinking." He answered calmly.
A gruff voice shouted to us from our right. "Hey! What are you doing?" Jecht was standing in the middle of the plains not paying attention to the sky above. That was his mistake. There was a flash of light before I heard him fall.
I moved to see him laying on his back in the mud. "Now there's a scene for posterity." I said. Braska laughed as Jecht grumbled and made his way to his feet.
Rikku's voice brought me back to the present. "I, um, think I left something in Guadosalam. I'm going to just, um, go get it."
"Nice knowing you." I told her. If she didn't want to come with us, that was one less worry on my mind.
"Fine then. I'm coming." She marched in front of me strait to the first tower. She didn't get far when the sky flashed and lightning hit the tower above her. She squeaked and dropped to the ground holding her head in her hands.
I sighed. Getting across this was not going to be easy. The trek across the plains was just as I expected. Tidus running ahead daring the lightning to hit him, and Rikku half crouching as she walked. About half way a particularly bold chose that moment to hit a tower next to us.
Rikku screamed and dove for cover, not that there was any.
"That was a close one, ya?" Wakka laughed. Lulu scolded him and I gave a slight smirk under my collar at them.
A frightened laugh from behind us made us turn to look. Rikku was in the mud on her hands and knees. Another bolt of lightning struck and she made a bee line crawl strait for Tidus' leg. "I'm scared of thunder. I'm scared of lightning. Could we please go rest over there? Please?" She begged as she pointed out at an Al Bhed travel agency that was just ahead of us.
I stepped up next to her. "This storm never stops. It's better to keep moving and cross quickly." I said rougher then I planned to.
"Pretty please. Just for a little while?"
"Well, what now?" Tidus asked as she still clung to him. Ignoring them, I gave a small grunt an moved on. Now was not a god spot to stand around wasting time and talking.
I walked down the path past the travel agency to the north end of the plains. Everyone followed, except Tidus and Rikku. He stood behind her at the door of the agency as she shouted how mean we were. Glancing back I could see him pleading with his eyes to let her stay. "Fine. We stop. She's worse then this storm." I conceded, much to Rikku's delight.
She ran in quite happy in her little victory. I shoved my way past her and stood in the corner reading over some of the books Rin had on the shelves. Yuna headed strait for the desk and asked for a room claiming she was tired. I knew better though. She was hiding something, but it was up to her when she would tell us.
I picked up an Al Bhed primer and began to read. Since we were going to be here for a while, I might as well brush up on the language. Who knows when I would come across someone other then Rikku. As if thinking about it, it happened. Rin walked out of the doorway Yuna disappeared into. I kept my back turned hoping he would not recognize me. Unfortunately, Tidus was not so intelligent. Rin stepped up to me.
"Sir Auron. That is you, is it not?" He spoke in Spiran, but his accent clearly showing through.
"It is. I suppose I should thank you for helping me all those years ago." I told him only turning slightly.
"It is good to see you alive. A weaker man would not have made it."
I let out a low chuckle. If only he knew. "I would.. rather not discuss it."
"Hmm. I understand. Very well." He walked away leaving me to my thoughts, and Rikku's insistent squeaking every time thunder rolled. This was going to be a long night.
Tidus, Wakka, Yuna, and Kihmari had all gone off to bed leaving three of us left. I sat at a small table talking with Lulu about what the plans were for the next day. We had hoped we could be across by that day, but with Rikku in the corner cowering from the storm, we would have to wait for the next day.
"You do know we will have to do something with her? We can't have her spent the entire night here in the lobby. She needs to get some rest if she is to be able to fight tomorrow." Lulu changed the subject as she pointed to Rikku.
I followed her finger with my eye and sighed. Rikku was curled in a ball precarisly sitting on the balls of her feet. She had fallen asleep, but every time thunder would rumble her head would dart up as she searched around before dropping again in sleep. "She is going to be useless in the morning unless we can do something with her." I grumbled.
"We could always get Wakka to knock her out with a sleep spell." She suggested as she stood to wake him up.
I waved my hand in front of me. "No, don't wake him up. He will need his sleep as well." She sat back down. "Check her pouch. She may have some sleep grenades in there."
"Sir Auron, you can't possibly..." She began.
"Do not worry. She'll be fine by morning. The sleep will counter any effects the grenade would have." I explained to the mage.
"No, I don't think so. Maybe she just need to be with someone for the night." She smiled and raised an eyebrow at me before heading off to bed. "Besides, you two have gotten along so far."
I glared as I watched her go. I wasn't serious about using a grenade, it was just a desperation suggestion. But Lulu's idea of Rikku rooming in with me was absurd. She was still a child, and I was, well I was much older. I stood and looked over at the young girl. She was still balanced on the balls of her feet. I walked over to her and carefully picked her up as best as I could. She uncurled and leaned into me as I carried her to her room.
I lay her in her bed and covered her up. Just as I was about to leave she called out. "Auron, is that you?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Yes, You are in your bed. Now go back to sleep. You will need your rest for the day ahead."
"I'm scared, Auron. Could you, would you, stay with me? Just until I go back to sleep." She had sat up strait now, and was pleading with me with those swirled irises. Damn those eyes.
"Alright. But only until you go back to sleep." I warned her. She nodded vigorously and I closed the door behind me. I pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat there. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited until I could leave.
"Thank you, Auron." She whispered as she moved down to wrap herself in the comforter. I said nothing as I watched her sleep. Now I must have been more tired then I had thought, because pretty soon I had fallen asleep as well.
The next morning I awoke to see a pair of green eyes staring at me. Ignoring her I stood and stretched. "Get ready. We leave soon." I told her before walking out the door.
I waited in the lobby for the rest of the group to arouse from their slumbering. Lulu was the first one out after me. "How did you sleep, Sir Auron?" She asked.
I merely gave a humph before turning back to the bookshelf I was looking through the night before. The rest were not far behind.
"Do we really have to go back out there?" Rikku whined. "I'm scared."
"Fine then. Stay here." I told her as I walked out the door. I could hear her saying something to me as I did so. I wasn't too far away when she came running after me. I knew she couldn't stay there without us. I chuckled to myself, but hid it quickly when she ran in front of me.
She stood in front of me, in the rain, jabbing her finger in my chest. "That was mean of you. I was really scared, you know. What happened to the nice Auron who stayed with me last night?" Her fury turned inward as she wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. "You were so nice, I felt safe." She confessed.
"But it did get you out of the inn, did it not?" I asked indicating as to where we were.
She lifted her head to look around. Rain had plastered her hair to her face. "Yeah, maybe. But you were still mean!"
I laughed at her lightly. "Let's move on. It looks like the rest of the group is coming to join us."
Nobody said anything this side of the thunder plains. Everyone had something they were thinking about. I could see Tidus giving the summoner glances like he was hoping she would tell him some big secret she was hiding. He wanted to help carry her pain, but she would not let him in, at least not yet.
Suddenly she stopped walking. "Everyone, I have something I need to say."
"Here?" Rikku asked. "We're almost out of here. Let's go."
"No, I have to say this now." Determination filled her voice.
I glanced around quickly. "Over there." I said when I saw a tower that would fit all of us under.
When we were all safe Yuna told us what she was about to do. "I have decided to marry."
This was a shock to just about everyone. Wakka was the first to get over it first and speak. "Do you have to marry Measter Seymour? I mean do you really have to?"
"I'm not sure. But I think this is the thing to do."
"Wait. What about that sphere? Show them the sphere." Tidus spoke up.
This caught my attention. I pushed Tidus out of my way to stand in front of her. "Let me see it."
"I, um, I can't. This is something I must do on my own."
I turned away from her. If she married, "Just one thing."
"I won't quit my pilgrimage." She answered my unasked question.
"Then it is... fine." I struggled to speak. She was throwing away what she had, to marry.
"Wait a minute. Auron, you're not going to stop her? You're just going to let her do this without saying anything?"
"No, I'm not. She is a summoner. It is her privilege whether or not she chooses to marry. The choice is up to her." I moved back to standing in my spot on the outside of the group. It was true I didn't want her to marry Seymour, but it was not up to me. I would deal with it.
Rikku, who had been standing quiet this whole time, moved forward. She lifted her hands and placed them on Yuna's shoulders. "Yunie," She tried to begin, but an unusual loud clap of thunder sounded across the plains. "Quiet!" She shouted. "Yunie, I wish we could help you somehow. Isn't there something we could do for you?"
"Rikku, just the fact you are here with me is enough. Thank you."
We made it out of the Thunder plains (much to Rikku's delight) and began our trek through the crystal forest of Macalania. We walked along the north end of it when we heard someone shouting as they yelled to us. Turned out to be Lady Dona's guardian, Bathello.
"Have any of you seen Dona. We got separated on the way here."
"Dona, can't say we have." Tidus answered.
"Damn it all! I have to find her!" He shouted as he tried to push his way past us.
"Calm down." I spoke up. "Guard your emotions. Then you can guard your summoner." I finished when he tried to protest. "Would you like us to help you hunt for her?"
"No. I have wasted enough of your time. I will hunt myself. Thank you Sir Auron." He turned and ran back the way he came.
I noticed Rikku shifting from foot to foot beside me before she pushed her way to the front of the group.
"Something wrong, Rikku?" Wakka asked her.
"No, I just, uh, wanted to wish him luck. That's all. I can't imagine how I would feel if something happened to our summoner." She said as she looked to Yuna.
We were back on our pilgrimage, however, this time I had a reason to stop them. There was something here that Tidus needed to see. Jecht left something for him ten years ago. I pulled out my Kotetsu and began chopping away at the branches that stood in the way.
"What is this place. It just looks like a lot of water to me." He said once we entered the clearing.
"This is what spheres are made up. It absorbs and preserves memories." I explained just before something began to take shape in front of us. "Fiends are also attracted here." I said as I shifted into my battle stance.
Lulu's magic was invaluable in the fight. Yuna cast a shell on her and let her go. Each time we would physically strike the fiend, it would retaliate with some elemental magic. Lulu quickly cast whatever was of opposite element. In no time the fiend was just another gathering of pyerflies. Once it was gone, I saw what we had come for. I picked the sphere up and handed it to Jecht's son.
"Jecht left this here for you. Play it back." I ordered.
We gathered together as he played it back. "What was the point? It's not like it was some pleasure cruise." He said when it stopped.
"Um, I think there's more." Rikku said.
He looked at it hesitantly before playing the rest. Slowly the group filtered out of the clearing giving him his space until it was only the two of us left. "Jecht loved you. He just did not know how to show it."
"Come on! Enough about my old man. I'm tired of hearing it."
"I just... thought you should know." I told him before joining the rest. He was not far behind.
We rested at the travel agency there before the next leg of our journey. After that last battle, we were all in need of sleep. The next morning we were greeted by Seymour's assistant, Tromell, outside.
"I'm sorry to do this but we must follow Guado tradition. If you will wait here, we will send someone for you shortly." He said as he led Lady Yuna by the hand.
I could tell she was waiting for Tidus to say something to her. When he did not, I took the initiative. "Do as you will. We are all with you." I said.
She accepted it, but I knew it was not what she needed. "Sorry." Tidus looked at me dumbly. "That was your line." I told him.
"Oh." He then took off for the edge of the hill and began to whistle. I could hear her laugh as she shouted something back. But we had something bigger to worry about.
"Al Bhed!" Wakka shouted in warning as we all took off to protect our summoner.
We all squared off against someone before they took off running. I glanced in Rikku's direction to see what she would do. If she was behind this...
/Rikku/ A blond with a Mohawk shouted down to us from the top of a hill. /Stay out of this./
/I can't. I am a guardian of Yuna. She will be safe, We will protect her, you see./
/You do this on your own! I warned you. Now you will get this./ A machina rolled up next to him. /Now your magic and aeons are sealed./ It then flew off the ledge and landed in front of us.
"Machina, huh?" I heard Tidus say before switching to a weapon with a lightning strike ability. Wakka did the same.
"Lu, after we take out that flouting thing, start casting your spells." He said as he charged into battle.
(A/n: Because I don't feel like typing up another battle, fill it in with whatever you did when you fought the crawler.)
/I will tell Father about this/ The angry blond shouted as Yuna was led away to the temple.
/I told you. I am Yuna's guardian! I will protect and keep her safe./
He scoffed and ran away. Wakka then turned on the younger blond in front of him.
"How come you speak Al Bhed?" He asked.
I could see her squirm under his gaze. I stayed back seeing how this would turn out.
"Because, Wakka, I am Al Bhed. And that was my brother. I told him I was a guardian now."
"You mean I have been traveling with an Al Bhed this while time? A heathen!"
"You're wrong! We have nothing against Yevon."
"Then how come you don't listen to the teachings? You use forbidden machina. Sin was born because of people like you!" He accused.
"That's not true!" Tears began to fill in her eyes, but she ignored them to defend herself. "What makes you so sure that is where it came from?"
"It's in the teachings. Not that you would know that."
"Yevon says this, Yevon says that. Can't you even think for yourself?" She shot back.
"Fine then, you tell me where sin came from." He challenged her.
She stumbled at this point. "I, I don't know. But that doesn't mean we have to follow blindly. Nothing will change like that."
"Nothing has to change. We are fine just the way we are, with Yevon."
"Why do I even try?" She asked no one in particular. I saw the tears falling and took this chance to distract her.
"Rikku, will this move?" I leaned over one of the skidders that was laying in the snow.
She brightened up and came running over.
"What? We are not going to use that thing, are we. Wait. Sir Auron isn't Al Bhed too, is he?"
I sighed. Even as a worrier monk, I was not this close-minded. Wakka began walking down the trail that would lead to the temple. I could see Tidus getting ready to stop him. "Let him go. He needs the time to think."
Rikku stood from what she was doing. "I'm sorry. I didn't know he would react this way."
Lulu was the one to comfort her. "You have done nothing to apologize for. Now let's be on our way, shall we?"
Kihmari took a skidder for himself, as Lulu climbed on behind Tidus.
"I guess it's just you and me then." Rikku said as we climbed onto the last one.
Okay, this is a good place to stop. You know, I have played through this game at least ten rimes or more. And this last time I actually got someone different at this part. I was attempting to get Rikku, but Auron rode with me. (He had his own vehicle) Has this ever happened to anyone else? Just wondering. I'll probably pick up from here on the next chapter, but this was getting long enough, twelve pages, time to stop. Well anyway, as always, please review. G>