[Eeee, very sorry for not updating for a while. I've been working on my other story…but I'm mad with that one because the stupid disk lost my chapter…But anyway, I'm back on this one for a little while lol Thanks a lot, Shadowsin!]
The Unknown Half-Fiend
"Flesh?" Serenity repeated, disgusted, before Silver had pushed her aside. She tripped over a loose rock and fell harshly onto the floor. She shook her head, a bit disoriented, and looked to see Silver running out into the other hall. "Silver!" Serenity yelled, and pushed herself up to run after him.
The humanoid beast jumped down from where it was. Four arms, all of them strong and powerful. The face was no human; it would fit a reptile better. He was taller than Silver, and broader. He saw a large chain with a spiky ball being held from its neck, as a long tail shaped like the sting of a scorpion waved behind him. "You that know it all..." Silver began, "... do you know what the heck could that thing be?" He got his gunblade ready, standing in front of Serenity as he put on his mask once again. Not only did it look cool but also it was protection for the eyes for it was made of a light but resistant metal.
Serenity looked at the beast in horror. "What are you saying? I don't know it all! You've been on Spira longer than me!" Serenity blinked, taking in its features. "Maybe it's just a stray fiend?" She offered, hoping. "Or a experiment gone really wrong!" She said, throwing away the previous idea. "In either case, what's it doing in a temple?"
…
"It's a beautiful song," Zephyr said softly from a few feet away, where she was playing around with her gun, fine-tuning it. She squinted through her cobalt lenses at the triggers and barrels and catches, attempting to find just the right amount of oil to put here, the exact number of turns for a certain screw.
"Well...It's something I picked up from my mother, like most of my musical skills…It's called 'Wave over Wave'," Calix stated as he paused from the playing, then once finished he began to play again, but softly, so it was easy to hear the Guado's reply.
Zephyr chuckled slightly; given the context, she couldn't help it. "I picked up my demolition skills from my mother," she said, peering through the sight of her gun. "Not as romantic as musical ability, unfortunately," she added as she polished the cobalt lenses of her glasses. "Hey . . ." she said after a moment. "I won't interrupt anymore . . . I like just listening." The song, like her dreams, brought Zephyr a rare moment of peace.
Calix continued to play the song until the verse was over then he stopped. "Any requests?" He asked sheepishly, then sat back relaxing, his right hand still holding the flute on his lap.
The halfling took a moment to think, then glanced at him curiously. "If I sang a song …could you play the melody?"
"Well, I could, if I got the timing from you. It may not be right but I could try..." He answered, not to sure of his ability to do what he asked, but none the less he wouldn't let her down. This was the least he could have done to repay for his rude actions earlier... then he remembered. " Oh and by the way I'm sorry, my name is Calix..."
…
Kai was on the beach waiting for Silver and Serenity; it was taking longer then it should of. "They should be here by now, what is keeping them?" Kai couldn't help but worry about his sister right now till they find their parents she was the only family he had left.
…
"Calix . . ." she said, tasting the world, feeling its sound roll off of her tongue. "Interesting name," Zephyr noted. "Um . . . I wrote a song a while ago . . . I'm not a great singer, but . . . here it goes." The halfling's voice, while not especially remarkable, was clear and pleasantly alto. The tune to which she sang was in an odd mode, neither major nor minor.
"Do you see that bright star,
Twinkling from on high,
While I, a lowly comet,
Am streaking through the sky?
I will not last the night,
But that shining, perfect star
Will always give its light.I am falling, oh so quickly,
As I sob my tears of fire,
I am murdered by my emptiness
And tortured by desire.So catch me, star, catch me,
As plummet down I do,
And know that, through my anguish,
I am in love with you.As my last hour draws closer,
I understand my plight,
For who could love a comet
That will not last the night?"
Calix sat and watched the girl, until the third line, where he picked up the tune, well slightly caught on. It sounded better with the music covering up the scrapes in the Guado's voice, but it was nothing against her singing. By the time they had made it to the last 5 phrases there had been a crowd growing. By the time the two had finished the crowd was cheering for more "Umm, well..." Calix then looked at Zephyr. "Do you know any other songs?"
Zephyr blinked, thoroughly confused. "What's going on? There's a real songstress on this boat, I mean . . . it doesn't make sense . . ." Regardless of this, she shrugged it off. "I know another one." She launched into another tune, longer. It was in major, but had a strange, dark undertone. This one, it was clear, Zephyr didn't write. She sang it much better, and one can always sing a song better if it has nothing to do with them.
"I see you're back, sweet sailor,
Was your family worried about you?
Did your daughters cry
And your sons ask why
Papa had to leave again? I know they didn't
'Cause I followed you back,
As a whisper on the wind
Or a wolf in the pack . . .
I saw their wide eyes, sweet sailor,
Your wife wondered, have you been okay?
Shook her fire-crowned head
Asked whatever happened to the red
In your cheeks? You just realized again
Because I took it from you,
You have no home back there
I'm sorry, it's true . . . I wanna take you to my island,
I'll hush the howling waves for you,
The rocks will turn their malice away from you,
If I tell them to,
And could you keep me company
Just for a day or two
If I asked you to?
You're a sail on the horizon, sweet sailor,
Didn't you know all currents lead to me?
Every moment you're closer,
Will you be mine to hold here
Warmed by downy wings? You just realized again,
Because my eyes shone from above you,
You have no home back there,
I'm sorry, I love you . . ."
…
Kai put his pack down and began practicing his swordmanship while waiting for Silver and Serenity. "Man, if that girl has gotten into trouble I will never let her out of my sight again," Kai says, but since Silver is with her, he feels she will be safe…but that wasn't the point.
…
(What's taking so long?) The Ronso wondered, watching the point where anyone coming from the village would step onto the beach. (I went in that temple and out quickly. They might've run into trouble from the priest though. But Silver could easily scare them into submission and Serenity is very important to them. So any human would not stop them. Unless...unless there was something there...but why did it not attack me if there was anything there?)
Lhinx looked to the ocean and back at the entrance to the beach. (Or I could just be imagining things. I'm too paranoid for my own good I suppose.) The Ronso relaxed on the boat, the sight and sound of the Guado halfling and the human making some music catching her attention. (Not exactly Ronso music...but it does sound nice....) Lhinx sat down on the deck and leaned against one of the guardrails.
…
"I don't know what it is but it isn't getting out of the temple alive," Silver said, taking one step forward. "I want you to go into the Chamber, when I call you'll takes the chance to run outside, I'll deal with this beast." With that he took off, charging towards the fiend and tried to slash, but it jumped once again and tried to strike Silver with its sting. "Damn he is fast!"
More like he's not getting out of the temple alive. Serenity shook her head angrily, standing at the top of the flight of stairs. "I want you to juggle apples but it's not like that's going to happen, is it?" She yelled at him. "I am not running away. I am not leaving you here, and you are not fighting this thing alone." Serenity grabbed hold of the Twin Bees and went into a fighting stance. "I'll distract, you attack."
…
Before Zephyr finished the first phrase Calix had begun playing. This song was one of the songs he knew fairly well, coming from Kilika there were lots of sailors, so one of them taught him this song long ago.
…
Another try and again Silver managed to avoid being striked. "Serenity, you have to get out!" He jumped back and next to her. "Most likely you run out and I'll catch up with you," he said, lifting his ball that was on the floor using his feet and kicking it. The ball hit the beast right in between the eyes and made him fall. That moment Silver striked and sliced off one of its arms. "BINGO!" The monster roared in pain as Silver stood grinning, showing off his fangs.
"Why are you so stubborn!" Serenity whispered under her breath, and she waited for the right time to run it across. The time came when Silver had hit the fiend with his ball and went to slice its arm off. Serenity took off, making it to the other side of the room safely, which lead to the elevator up to the Cloister of Trials on the floor above. She took one last look at Silver, who stood grinning after attacking the horrifying monster, baring his fangs. It was as if Serenity didn't even know who Silver was at the moment.
How can you enjoy it so much…? Serenity thought to herself, before closing her eyes and turning away, tediously making her way to the elevator. "Even you need help sometimes," Serenity said to herself, her tone filled with both sadness and anger.
"Awww, you want your arm back?" Silver mocked, taking the arm from the floor and moving it teasingly in front the monster. "You must take a bath more often." He threw the arm away and charged again, the monster trying to bite him this time. Silver grinned once again and jumped on its head, just to be knocked by the chain. "Aghh!" He fell on the ground, his gunblade rolling away from him. "Damn, I forgot about that!"
Silver stood up, the monster standing between him and his weapon. "You leave me no choice..." He took his gloves off and scarf, showing off his fangs and claws. He really looked like a beast himself at that moment, his animal instinct coming out. The monster attacked again with the spiky ball and chain but Silver jumped and rolled on the ground. Silver's claws ripped another of the beast's arms off. He made a low roll kick and made it fell, then his fangs sank on the monster's neck and that was the end of it.
Silver spat the horrible tasting blood and tried to clean himself using his gloves as he put them one, along with the scarf. "You sure were tough, I'll give you that," he told the dead monster at the same times he was taking his gunblade and blitzball. Walking slowly he left the Chamber and got on the lift, appearing on the surface just a few moments later. "There is a fiend on the Chamber, I've already taken care of him," he told one of the priests.
Serenity was leaning against one of the statues as Silver came in and told one of the priests that he had destroyed the fiend that was inside the Chamber of the Fayth. Relieved that he was all right, though still genuinely angry, Serenity stood up straight and uncrossed her arms. "Ready, are you?" She asked bluntly, and without waiting for a response, she left the temple and to the docks. Though Serenity acted differently and more outgoing than her mother, she still shared some personality traits. Serenity sometimes gets easily angry if someone annoys her, as her mother, and right now that someone was Silver.
No hero's welcome for me then... Silver could smell the angry mood of Serenity's, and simply sighed, catching up with her. "That wasn't too bad, but I've never seen anything like that before... looked like a fiend with humanoid body." He scratched his head, and sighed again. "How could that thing get inside the Chamber of the Fayth? I just don't get it." Silver looked at Serenity and took off his mask. "You hurt?"
Serenity moved her bag to her other shoulder, but continued to walk silently. She listened to Silver ramble on and slowly felt her anger ebbing away. She had to get something out in the open before she lost the confidence to say it. Serenity stopped suddenly in the middle of the second bridge under the waterfall. She turned around and faced Silver, looking him in the eyes now that he had took off his mask, though her eyes were not filled with anger, but with worry.
"It's hard to be injured when yours truly here decides to take it upon himself to play hero and go after the—the thing, all by his lonesome," Serenity said matter-of-factly. "Why exactly did you do it? Did you do it for the praise and utter personal satisfaction? Because you seemed like you were really enjoying yourself back there, Silver. Or maybe it was because you felt the need to protect the Summoner's daughter. Was that it? Because if it is…" Serenity's voice faltered, looking like she was on the brink of tears.
"…I can hold my own, Silver. What if something happened to you back there! I would never, ever have forgiven myself. For I had left you…Oh Yevon!" She yelled into the cliffs, and her voice echoed of a few seconds. Serenity looked at him, wanting to say so much more but have lost the courage and the words to, and ran off into the woods to the docks.
"Hey, Serenity!" Silver yelled as she ran away. This time you've done it, hero... He shook his head and took off running after her, being much faster and catching up with her pretty soon. "Wait up," he called, still running next to her. He moved a little faster and stood between her and the path that led to the beach and towards the docks.
"Hey, I'm sorry about that. It's just... well, to be honest I kinda felt weird when I saw it. I think it was in part my own pride, still... how do you think I would have felt if something had happened to you if you stayed for me? How would I be able to look at your brother, at your parents, or at anyone else if something had happened to you..." He placed his hand on her shoulder and fixed a smile.
"Lady Yuna had her guardians, all of them would've given their lives for her. Well, I would give mine for you..." He pat her shoulder and turned around, walking towards the dock, his tail waving happily behind him as he covered his extremely red cheeks with the scarf.
She's out of your league, man. What the Hell are you thinking?! What about Tallulah?
That was a long time ago, I have to live my own life.
So you're hurting her feelings?
She hurt mine didn't she?
And you're the kind of guy that takes an eye for an eye?
No, I'm not. It's just…well, our story was a long time ago.
So?
…
Serenity stood there for a moment, first in shock, for she wasn't sure what had just happened, but then she smiled brightly inwardly. She laughed to herself, and not at him, as she watched his tail wave around happily behind him. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so ecstatic since her parents disappearance, other than finding Kai was still alive and well just the day before, and having a whole group of friends to find the missing people with. She followed after him, kicking playfully in the sand.
"Ok, we're finally here," Silver called at the others, getting on the ship. "Sorry we're late." He decided not to tell anyone about the monster, and really hoped the Ronso wouldn't catch the scent of its blood. Silver looked back at Serenity and smiled under his scarf, but then saw Tallulah and sighed.
Ok Silver, you're in big trouble you stupid tiger. You are already an adult and still your hormones keep controlling you... "Well, I guess that's all of us, we can go now." He walked to the back of the boat, placed his blitzball on the floor and sat on it, arms folded.
What do you want me to do, toss a coin?
It would be at least better than to puzzle yourself.
Yes, easy to say. Why am I still talking to you?
Because I am you, idiot.
Oh, right. Almost forgot about it.
…
"Kai!" Serenity called to him. She looked back at Silver, who didn't say anything about the fiend, and figured it was for the best. She smiled at Kai. "Hope you guys weren't waiting long. Let's get going!" She started off towards the boat, motioning for him to follow.
Kai turned at Serenity's call and smiled. He followed his sister onto the boat. "What took you so long, Serenity? And don't try to lie because I'll know that you are."
…
As the last note of the song rang out, Zephyr smiled as she smiled but rarely. "Want to do another one, Calix? I think she ship's leaving soon . . . our comrades might want to hear a tune in the background." Although, she knew, Tallulah was the one to sing it, not her. She felt almost traitorous for singing her song, Star, to Calix before to the songstress.
…
Silver took out a bullet from his gunblade's chamber and began playing with it as he sank deep inside his own mind.
Hard to be a man already, now try to be a man in love...
It's because you make it hard, why not just decide?
Yeah, like if it was that easy... decide? One is the daughter of the High Summoner Yuna, who you claim to be the most beautiful woman alive. And her daughter looks just exactly like Yuna did in her youth. The other, a famous Songstress, beautiful and loved by all Spira. Both are out of my league. I'm not even human, and I'm only a Blitzer.
Lady Yuna's husband is one as well, isn't he?
He was her Guardian.
And didn't you say you were becoming Serenity's Guardian?
That's different, Lady Yuna's husband had no one else in his mind.
Oh, then you want Tallulah eh?
I don't know! Leave me alone for once!
I can't, I'm bound to you because we are the same!
Talk about tragedies…
…
Serenity laughed apprehensively, and walked over to the side of the boat that faced the beach. She wanted to be able to watch Besaid until she wasn't able to see it anymore. Serenity put her arms on the ledge and leaned against it. "Well…if I'm not to lie, then, Kai, I think I shouldn't say anything at all," Serenity said to him.
Kai walked over and stood beside her. "I see. Well, that's good, yet also bad." He looked out on the beach, and turned to Serenity and smiled.
Serenity looked over at Kai and smiled back. "Well, I'm here now, alive and well, I think that should be enough, don't you?" She nudges him playfully with her elbow, before looking back out on the beach. "It feels like this is going to be on long, difficult journey."