Chapter 20 – No Time for Aftermath
The cavern grew darker, and the streaks of grey fog inside thickened. Heat swelled around Yuna, clouding her sight. She choked on her fear, sweat beading down her face. She darted around the corner, only to find another endless corridor of stone walls. Through the blurred view, she saw a figure in the distance. It walked slowly in the opposite direction. Standing strong and upright, no calamity afflicted this person.
Overcoming her distress, Yuna ran towards the figure. As she came closer, the blurry silhouette cleared into the figure of a man—young and tall, with sweet blond hair like straw. He turned to her, flashing a pearly smile in her direction. The man appeared so familiar, so much like her love. Yet at the same time, he was nothing like the man she desired. The curdling feeling in her soul wouldn't relent. To both know and not know someone existed beyond her comprehension.
As she drew nearer to the man, and his undeniable smile, she began to feel faint. She felt as if her soul left her body and she floating in the air. Stumbling to her knees, she watched another person walking toward the man.
It was the woman she knew from her previous dreams. The woman she knew nothing of, yet the woman who knew everything of her. Closer and closer the woman moved, reaching her hand out toward the man. When she was about to touch him, he evaporated into a swarm of pyreflies, flying up into the darkness above before disappearing. Sighing with stillness, the woman turned to face Yuna. Her face expressed the melancholy reflection of Yuna's own emotions.
"How unfair you must believe the world to be," she stated, walking closer to Yuna.
She remained still, not responding to the woman. She knew not what to do at all. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. The sweat on her skin felt icy cold, still beading down her face. Her breath weighed heavy in her chest as she stared in awe at the woman.
Stopping at arm's length from Yuna, the woman knelt. She outstretched her hand, cupping it in Yuna's face. "I'm sure my presence has tormented you. Truly I'm sorry for that."
Yuna now opened her mouth, feebly uttering, "Who are you?"
The woman cracked a smile. "You already know who I am. My name is Lenne."
Yuna's eyes widened—she had known this woman before. She thought back to the story Maechen spoke of. This woman—this summoner—she was the songstress who was in love with that strange man. It was a thousand years ago when she died with her love. Yuna's head dipped, and tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
"Do not cry for me," spoke Lenne, holding Yuna's face up to look at her with both hands. "Too many have cried for our tragedy. I only want it to end."
Yuna's eyes crept open, wincing at the morning light. She rubbed her hands against her face, wiping away the tears that formed during her dream. Suddenly she burst out a sob, but no more tears fell. Only the dry dust of painful emotions remained in her. It was two days now since the terrible struggle in Kilika Temple. While the tension in Kilika had partially subsided, and the Gullwings were lauded for saving those in the temple, Yuna could only think of the dead priest. Images of his head rolling in a pool of his blood haunted her in the daylight.
At night, her puzzling dreams continued to torment her. In her mind agitated that woman, Lenne. Yuna couldn't understand who this woman was. Whatever purpose she played, it was breaking Yuna down. Another restless night, she felt, and she would go mad.
Footsteps sounded from the stairs. Hoping it was Barkeep, Yuna rose from the bed, her face still marred with the redness of her tears. Instead, she found Paine approaching her. Trying her best, she gathered herself together and put on an unconvincing smile. Paine cracked her own saddened smile. Yuna could read the distress on Paine's face.
"Good morning. I was just about to wake you up," said Paine, plopping down beside Yuna on the bed.
"Oh, thanks," Yuna replied. "But I was already awake for a while. You know, just lounging."
Paine quickly frowned at her. "Hey, Yuna, I know I'm not the best at sharing feelings. But if you wanna talk, I'm here for you. We all are."
At this remark, Yuna did smile more honestly. "Thank you, but I'm fine."
Paine simply nodded and rose from the bed, offering no resistance to Yuna's false claim. She began to leave but then turned again to speak.
"By the way, we got a message from Gippal."
Yuna perked up at this surprise. "Oh? What did he say?"
"Well, it seems the same problem Besaid and Kilika had is happening in Djose."
"Oh," Yuna whispered, her face instantly turning melancholy.
"I guess for now they've been handling it, but from what Gippal said, it's getting pretty bad. The Al Bhed have kept this quiet for now at least. He wanted to know if we could help."
Yuna didn't answer. She didn't want to answer. After the terrible mayhem in Kilika, the absolute last thing she wanted to do was fight in another temple. To possibly face Kinoc again, both terrified and infuriated her. From the bed, she rose and paced over towards the window. She placed her hands behind her back, and let out a long sigh.
"Yeah, I think we should," she spoke softly, then looked back at Paine for a moment. "Because perhaps Gippal knows more about Kinoc and Vegnagun."
"Right, I thought so too," replied Paine. "Um, I'll go tell Buddy we'll do it."
Yuna remained staring blankly out the window, not acknowledging Paine's comments. Paine opened her mouth to speak, but only walked away. As much as Kilika pained her, Yuna knew Paine and Rikku took it that much harder. As she peered out the window, the scenery below changed. She pounded her fist against the window, letting out her frustration. She breathed in and out a few times, calming her nerves a little.
She walked down to the lower level where Barkeep was washing up some glasses. With him was a female Hypello. She pranced about with a beaming smile on her face. Yuna looked at her with confusion.
"Who is that?" Yuna asked while sitting down on a stool at the counter.
"Thish, why she ish my wife! Ishn't that right, Darling?" he replied gleefully.
She replied with equal glee, "Of coursh I am!"
The two kissed and rubbed their noses for a moment. Yuna scratched her head, remembering when Barkeep told her that his wife died during Sin. How could she be here if she was dead? She wondered if she just misunderstood him, or perhaps she was unsent. Then she shook her head, lamenting how dumb she could possibly be.
With a few more kisses, Darling picked up a platter of drinks from the bar. Barkeep sat down a tall glass in front of Yuna. In it bubbled a dark green liquid.
"Thish should make yoo feel better, Yoona." he promptly said, smiling at Yuna.
Uneasily, Yuna picked up the glass and put it to her lips. With a wrenching gulp, she downed some of the foreign substance. Barely swallowing it, she let out a horrible cough.
"What is this stuff?"
Barkeep chuckled. "Well, it'sh a shpecial Hypello drink, eshpecially made for rainy days. Doesh does it make yoo feel better?"
Yuna shook her head, not wanting to tell him that it felt like her stomach lining was disintegrating. With a huff, she plunked down her glass and pushed it to the side. Then she remembered what she wanted to ask him.
She pointed towards the other Hypello leaving the cabin. "Barkeep, I thought your wife died from Sin. I don't understand how, um . . ."
He immediately raised his hand. "She ish actually my schecond wife. Ash I told yoo before, my beloved Moonta died becush of Sin, and I was terribibly heartbroken. But, even with my shad pain, I evenshually got beyond it."
Yuna understood his words, taking them to heart. She tapped a few times on the counter, then nodded to nothing apparently in particular. In a snap, she got up from the counter and walked to the elevator. Barkeep had a satisfied smile on his face.
"Thish drink works every time!"
On the bridge, everyone else had already assembled. Noticing Rikku's starkly glum mood, Yuna immediately patted her on the head. Rikku smiled a little and hugged her cousin. When Rikku wasn't chirping, Yuna knew Rikku hurt inside. Neither Rikku, Yuna, nor Paine spoke much of their battle in Kilika; all Brother, Buddy, and Shinra knew was that an old Yevon priest died in a disturbing manner. Brother peered over at them, a little frown showing on his face. He uncharacteristically drove silently. Buddy focused on his screen with little fanfare. Shinra toyed with a CommSphere.
As they flew over Mushroom Rock Road, the girls readied themselves to meet Gippal. He wanted to explain the details about the fiend problem in person. Although each of the girls wondered just how big the actual threat truly was, Yuna was especially interested in what Gippal may know about Maester Kinoc. It sickened her stomach to think Kinoc could work so fast.
The Machine Faction's base, Djose Temple, grew larger in view as the airship descended to the ground. As they approached the former Yevon temple, Yuna still admired the bizarre, floating rocks that hovered around the temple. Several Al Bhed and amateur diggers milled about the grounds near the temple. Brother found a clear landing spot on the outskirts of the temple, clear of any people or equipment. Gippal stood next to the inn nearby, watching the Celsius intently. Upon spotting the girls, he waved and jogged over to them.
"Hey, what's up guys?" he casually greeted.
Yuna nodded concisely. "Hello, Gippal."
He opened his mouth to speak but held his tongue. Gippal noticed each of the girls had a lowly presence about them. His smile quickly turned to a neutral expression. With a hand wave, he guided them inside the inn. They all sat down cloistered close together in a room in the back.
Gippal cleared his throat. "Well now, since I've got the Gullwings here with me, this should be no problem."
"Maybe. What is happening in Djose?" asked Paine.
"Basically it's the same as in Besaid and Kilika. Around the same time as Besaid, we've had fiends running madly in the temple. We figured out they're coming from the Chamber of the Fayth. Unfortunately, when they started coming out in larger swarms, we couldn't investigate any further."
Yuna crossed her legs and spoke uneasily, "You didn't see any people in the temple besides your members?"
Gippal glared at her oddly. "No, why do you ask?"
Yuna looked at each of her friends, not wanting to, but knowing she should explain what they knew to him.
"You see, we know why, at least partially, why fiends are coming from the temples," explained Yuna.
Rikku continued, "Yeah. The old Maester Kinoc is controlling them somehow. See, Seymour had killed him, but he was never sent. Now he's back for revenge I guess. It's him and some guy named, uh, Shuyin, I think."
Gippal perked up after hearing this. "Wow! That's some story. Kinoc was a real tyrant I've heard. Great, now he might be wreaking havoc in my base."
"Gippal." Yuna directed with more emphasis. "Do you know anything about all this? Anything at all?"
He shrugged. "Afraid not much, at least about Kinoc. After Vegnagun broke out of Bevelle, I've been trying to track it down. Then this fiend outbreak happened."
"Just how bad is the fiend problem?" Paine questioned, leaning in closer.
Gippal chuckled a little to himself. "Well, it's worse at some times more than others. We've been able to keep it under enough control to not have the problem leak out. The last thing I want is a bunch of reporters floating around."
"Should we go into the temple?" asked Yuna promptly.
Gippal shook his head. "Nah, at least not today. We have plenty of sentries set up."
Rikku gave Gippal a hairy eyeball. "Then why call us if you have plenty of goons?"
Gippal grew starker, and edged closer to the girls, speaking in a low voice. "Because I'm running out of men. Many have been hurt or killed by the fiends. I'm trying to prevent a total panic."
Yuna nodded and understood his position. With that resolved, the girls had a nice dinner with Gippal. Night fell across the world, and the temple grounds were cast in darkness under a twilight sky. Yuna and Paine went to bed early, knowing that tomorrow may be filled with strenuous hardship.
Rikku also hit the sack, although she could not fall asleep. She laid down on her firm bed, thinking back to Gippal's behavior when they were together in Bevelle.
The twinkle in his eye, the bounce in his step—she figured Gippal had some kind of feelings for her. Still, she wasn't sure just what they were. After rolling around a bit, kicking her pillow and her sheets off the bed, she gave up on sleep and decided to find Gippal. Perhaps another rendezvous with him would resolve her questions, she thought. Sneaking quietly out of the room to not disturb her friends, Rikku skulked over to the room where they had their meeting and dinner at. Gippal wasn't there, but another Al Bhed man was.
"Aqlica sa, pid frana ec Gippal huf?" Rikku asked, tapping the guy on the shoulder.
The man turned around and answered grumpily, "Ar? Ra'c ehceta dra dasbma."
Feeling it better not to pester the man, Rikku left the inn and traveled over to the temple. A guard standing next to the big entrance doors extended out a hand, promptly stopping her. Standing with pigeon feet, Rikku flashed him a goofy grin.
"Halt! No entrance into the temple," he stated, shaking his head.
Rikku broke out her big puppy-dog eyes. "Aw, c'mon. I need to see Gippal. Pacetac, E's Al Bhed duu!"
The guard stumbled a bit to answer her. Those big, glaring eyes of hers scared and enchanted him. Stumbling for a reason to say no, he surrendered his will and allowed her to pass. She skipped into the temple, searching around for Gippal. Piles of machina parts littered the floor in tall piles. She spotted him standing on the far side of the main hall, speaking with one of his mechanics. Narrowing her gaze on Gippal, she bounced over to him. Noticing her goofy presence immediately, he gave her a cross look.
"How did you get in here?" he asked sharply.
Rikku pouted a little. "Hmph! Some way to greet a lady."
He smiled at her paradoxical comment and eased up his tone. "Lady huh? Well, "my lady," whatcha need?"
"I was tracking you down. See, I want to talk about, you know . . ."
Gippal scratched his head. "Uh, actually I don't know."
"You know, about what you said to me in Bevelle—"
"Oh that!" he interrupted, grabbing Rikku by the arm. "Um, why don't we go for a walk outside."
The two quickly fled the temple. Gippal led her to the wooden bridge leading to the entrance to Djose. A blanket of lumpy grey clouds blocked the moonlight, casting dark shadows on them. Only their footsteps clattering against the stone tile decking of the bridge made any noise around them. Gippal leaned up against the railing of the bridge. Rikku traipsed around him, feeling her face become warm.
"So anyway, about what you said to me," she said faintly, butterflies twitching in her gut.
Gippal smiled smugly. "You ready to take up my offer then?"
"Huh?" she blurted, not understanding what he was eluding to.
"You know, my kiss."
She rolled her eyes at him. "Ya know Gippal, sometimes you're just such an—"
Unable to finish her sentence, Gippal suddenly grabbed Rikku's arm and pulled her toward him. She felt his other hand firmly against the small of her back, pressing her body close to his. Gippal's lips connected with hers. Before Rikku could even realize what happened, they were in the middle of a deep, passionate kiss. She felt his tongue swirling with hers. Her body tensed from the shock of the suddenness of his kiss until the realization of her situation sank into her mind. Closing her eyes, she felt her body heat up and her muscles relax. When his muscular arms wrapped around her body, Rikku wanted to melt together with him.
After what seemed like a blissful eternity, the kiss ended. Her legs wobbled like jelly. Rikku stumbled backward, nearly tripping over her own feet. She touched her lips with the tips of her fingers, not yet believing what just occurred. The taste of him still resided on her tongue. The moonlight broke through an opening in the clouds, revealing her bright red face to the world. She could hardly think, only that he was forward before in Bevelle, but never had he tried to sweep her off her feet.
"Well, how did you like that?" he asked, again with a smug smile plastered on his face.
"Um, uh, what did you just do?" she mumbled, still in shock.
Gippal shook his head. "Rikku, Rikku, Rikku. You really are dense aren't you."
Before she could retort, he patted her head and put his arm over her shoulder, leading her back to the temple. Even though she still trembled from what just transpired, she grabbed ahold of him. The rush of adrenaline and endorphins subsided; she felt comfort in his arms. Guiding her back to the tent, Gippal directed her to get some sleep.
"I think it's past your bedtime kid," he chuckled, rubbing Rikku's hair around roughly.
Rikku puffed out her cheeks. "Hey! I'm no kid!"
Gippal eyed her up from head to toe. "Yeah, you got that right."
Rikku scoffed and smacked him on the arm. Then she locked gazes with him for a moment, appreciating the feelings she shared with him. Butterflies floated around in her stomach and her head felt a little light. She flashed him a cute little smile and waved before returning inside the inn. Before she closed the door behind her, Rikku took one last peek at Gippal. With his hands in his pockets, he trudged back toward the temple. She noticed a little bounce in his step—perhaps preferring this view of Gippal than from the front.
Silently creeping in, Rikku slipped back into her bed. Both of her friends rested sound asleep. Rikku lay for a while, replaying her first kiss over and over again in her mind. She beamed, feeling a different kind of feeling she'd never truly felt before. He may be an idiot, she thought, but he sure was handsome. And with the taste of his tongue firmly entrenched in her mind, she fell softly to sleep.