Chapter 3
---Don't Burn that Temple!
As soon as they got from Bevelle the Celsius started getting all sorts of distress calls. It seems fiends had started pouring out of Spira's temples, starting with Besaid's, with a serene but troubled Lulu asking for some backup for Wakka and Beclem. Yuna was on Lulu's hut as soon as they landed but she said that she was fine, Wakka was the one who needed help stopping a determined Beclem from burning Besaid's temple. Horrified, the 3 girls rushed to the temple. Surely they could stop the destruction of the place where Yuna's pilgrimage started, the place where she first met Tidus, became a summoner, got her first Aeon, Valefort…
Wakka was running into the temple's inner chambers when the girls arrived and saw an angry Beclem bellowing at him, saying that Wakka was being too sentimental and irresponsible for a leader and a father.
"Perfect, the clown went in now the dancers arrive to join the circus!" said and angry Beclem at the sight of the Gullwings running into the temple.
"I will not have you insult my friends!" said an angry Yuna with a steely tone
"As you wish, summoner" Beclem said, spitting out the words in barely controlled anger
"Can't you wait until we check things out ?" pleaded Rikku
" Going to help him? I won't wait much longer. It's for the safety of the village!" Beclem answered moodily.
Beclem was furious at Wakka's cavalier attitude. ! It would be so simple to burn the temple down and take the fiends with it. Praying to them never did anyone any good… There were countless fiends pouring out of the temple, attempting to make the people from Besaid part of their morning snack. Sure, he and the Aurochs could try to keep them contained but if they let even one escape some of the village's children could get hurt, or worse, killed. And Wakka was putting his life at risk, on the eve of being a father! Having spent his childhood in Bevelle's orphanage the sight of Wakka putting himself at risk, without a single thought about his wife and baby, just to save a pile of rubble, made Beclem sick to his stomach. He felt he could tear up the huge guardian with his bare hands, such was his anger at his lack of responsibility. People like that shouldn't have kids
--- The Dark Aeon
Yuna, Rikku and Paine sped up behind Wakka battling several fiends along the way. Wakka was lying on the floor slightly wounded just before the faith's chamber when they found him.
"Are you OK?" a worried Yuna asked Wakka
"Been better, but I'm OK" answered Wakka
"What's going on ?" inquired Paine
"Beats me.. The fiends just stared pouring out of the faith chamber this morning and that mad Beclem wanted to burn the temple without even a look see" complained Wakka
"We'll take care of it from here, Dad" said Yuna and jumped on the lift stone with Rikku and Paine right behind her already getting their dresspheres on
"Watch out" pleaded Wakka
Inside the faith chamber there was an eerie silence then a piercing scream. Yuna looked horrified. There, right in front of her was Valefort, glowing with an odd black / red tinge and looking very ready to strike at them.
"An Aeon, here?" Rikku asked out loud
"Stop Valefort!" shouted Yuna
"Stay back! We have to fight him." Paine said pulling Rikku and Yuna behind her, casting a Protect spell on the group and using her Sentinel skill to absorb all attacks on the group
"Forgive me" pleaded Yuna to Valefort and donned on her White Mage dressphere, immediately casting a Shell spell on them to help fend off Valefort's fierce magic attacks.
"It's all on the wrist" said Rikku as she pilfered some gil and magic items from the dark Aeon and prepared to cast her Darkness attack on the next turn
Valefort used his overdrive attack on them which would have burned the girls into cinders had Yuna not raised Shell to block it right before he attacked. Luckily the Aeon now needed at least 3 turns to be able to gather energy for another overdrive and that gave the girls plenty of time to defeat it with their powerful Darkness, Excalibur and Holy attacks. Valefort dissolved into pireflies right before their eyes just after a limping Wakka entered the chamber.
"An Aeon !" asked Wakka alarmed
"Not an Aeon, something else, something wrong" answered Yuna
"What's that huge hole on the Faith stone ?" pointed Wakka
"Wow! Who or what could have done that ?" asked Rikku
"I don't know, but it would take an immense power to be able to pierce a faith stone like that" said Yuna as she peered into the bottomless hole
"Well, we are not going to find out who did this if the temple gets burned. Let's get back before Rikku's boyfriend torches the place" cautioned Paine
"Before WHO torches the place !" asked a surprised Wakka while they rushed back to the temple's hall
"Long story" said Paine
"Ahhh! So that's why the Sergeant has been even grumpier lately.. " said Wakka suddenly realizing the source of Beclem's extra moodiness since the girls last visited
"Shut up all of you gossip mongers!" yelled Rikku while she ran past them
--- The Value of Memories
Rikku found Beclem fuming , his bright green eyes sending nasty looks at the door when she emerged.
"I take it I can proceed with the burning now" he said icily
"Not at all, the fiends are gone. See for yourself if you don't believe me" said a smug Rikku sticking out her tongue, happy to remove that arrogant smile from his face
"We will see" said a defiant Beclem speeding past her into the faith chambers
Minutes later a slightly less arrogant Beclem emerges from the inner chambers lecturing Wakka on how he took too much risk on himself, particularly being a father now. Yuna and Paine were rolling their eyes in disgust, The guy simply wouldn't admit when he was wrong!
"Aren't you going to be a father soon? What if something had happened to you? What then?" an angry Beclem was asking Wakka
"Quiet, meanie!" whispers Rikku
"It's okay. What can I say. He's got a point" says Wakka.
"Wakka..." pleads Yuna
"He's right girls. I am going to be a father soon and I better remember how much Lulu and the baby will depend on me from now on" said a conciliatory Wakka as he saw their faces
"Well , yes, that is what I mean. I see you got my point" said a surprised Beclem and stopped his lecture
"Yuna, next time I may have to burn the temple myself" said Wakka softly
"I know Dad. Just give me a chance to save it before you do it, OK? This place is very, very special for me" answered Yuna
Beclem was going to voice a scornful retort about summoners and their precious memories but kept quiet. He had been wrong about the Summoner's ability to clean the temple. Thankfully, Wakka wasn't gloating and being conciliatory instead… But how on earth did that useless summoner got rid of all the fiends ? Beclem wondered
--- Who is A Big Meanie ?
"Well, it seems we are done here. I will be at the Youth League lodge if you need me" Beclem said, eager to leave before someone decided to gloat
"Wait a minute you big meanie" said Rikku and started following him
As soon as they were out Beclem pushed Rikku towards the back of the temple and looked at her angrily saying:
"OK. Go ahead and gloat. Isn't this why you came after me ?" he asked her
"Ohh! You can be such a pain sometimes!" said an exasperated Rikku
"Me a meanie ? Who was the one who rubbed my nose on your high summoner's skills ?" Beclem asked angrily
"Well, you asked for it" said Rikku equally angrily
"No, I didn't! I was just trying to protect the village and to protect the family of an idiot who was too eager to make his son an orphan!" shouted back a furious Beclem
"Me too you blind big meanie! Can't you see Yunie, Paine and I had it under control ? There was no need to freak out and burn a temple!" Rikku shouted back
Upon hearing her angry but accurate words - the girls had stopped the fiends after all - Beclem's anger started to leave him and his yearning for her filled his mind instead. Beclem grabbed Rikku and started kissing her roughly, with an urgency born of longing and anger in equal parts, pushing her against the temple walls and undressing her fast, almost tearing up her clothes.
"Watch it buster! This is my favorite shirt. Watch it or I will have to teach you a lesson again" she threatened playfully
"But my favorite little minx, you are the one who makes me wild beyond reason!" Beclem whispered in her ear, hotly, covering her mouth with hungry kisses and lowering her towards the ground slowly
"Well then, carry on!" giggled Rikku happily and started kissing him back eagerly.
Despite their urgency, their lovemaking lingered, as they both wanted to savor each detail and make it last as long as they could. Their climax came with an intensity that was almost painful, then wonderful, then almost never ending and left them looking at each other for a long time transfixed, panting, exhausted and dizzy with pleasure.
"Warrior goddess, what am I going to do with you ?" moaned Beclem, rolling away from her
"Why darling, make mad passionate love with me, what else ?" said a sassy Rikku, her eyes glinting with mischief and happiness
"Truce, my warrior goddess, truce. There's only so much energy your faithful servant can muster after our passion!" Beclem answered back in a mock complaint
"Then just hold me tight" said Rikku nestling herself into his strong shoulder and caressed his muscular chest lazily
"Your wish is my command, goddess" he answered happily, his eyes also glinting with mischief as he caressed her bare tummy playfully
They spent a long time like that, too exhausted to make love and too lustful to let go of each other, until reality finally made his way into Beclem's mind and he remembered he had scheduled some drills for the Aurochs in the afternoon. Gently he extracted himself from Rikku's embrace and told her he had to leave to bark at his soldiers. "Wmmph ?" she groaned and got up slowly
"If you put a single tear on my favorite shirt you will pay, Mr. Drill Sergeant" Rikku said in mock anger while getting dressed
"Never, my warrior goddess, never" Beclem said kissing her cheek and rushing towards Youth League lodge
"Awww poopie! We didn't even get to do it twice" Rikku complained softly to his back
"The day is not over yet goddess" he shouted without turning back
"That man has the ears of a shoopuf and the energy of a Macalania Gel!" Rikku thought happily to herself and trotted out to meet the girls. Soon she was being quizzed by a curious Wakka, Lulu, Yuna and Paine who wanted all the details of her latest exploits.
"Well you guys will have to imagine it all, 'cause I ain't telling" Rikku told her meddling friends
"Oh, so NOW you like secrets ?" teased Paine
"Aw, come on Rikku, just a little on how you get this snarling drill sergeant to stop growling long enough for you to kiss him.. " teased Wakka
"You guys are worse than my Pops!" she fumed and went to hide behind Lulu, the only mature one in the group, causing a burst of laughter in all present.
---Remembering Mi'hem
Lulu had prepared them a hearty breakfast, which they gulped down hungrily after the hard battle with Valefort (and the exertions with Beclem… but that was just Rikku). Soon they were talking excited about the baby's imminent arrival and giving Wakka some suggestions for names, as Lulu had left the choice up to him. Yuna gave the expectant parents a beautiful Star Necklace for the baby, to ward off fiend poisonous attacks. Rikku handed Lulu large bottles of Elixir and Remedy, to instantly heal the baby and replenish his life points and magic points, whenever it was needed. Paine gave Wakka and Lulu a sphere of the Gullwings singing a lullaby, to help them put the baby to sleep. Lulu showed the girls all the neat things the weavers in Besaid had crafted for their kid. The girls and the couple spent a pleasurable morning laughing and reminiscing about the old times on the pilgrimage and Yuna's childhood in the island.
This time Yuna was not as saddened by her memories. The realization that Tidus loss had not been in vain and that no one would go through the constant sorrow Spira had endured for the past 1,000 years made her stronger somehow. She still missed Tidus dearly, every day, particularly at night, which was when they both would sneak out from the camp during her pilgrimage to talk endlessly to each other under Spira's star filled sky. But the pain was more bearable somehow, now that she had reached peace with his decision to sacrifice himself to save Spira from Sin. Funny how it took her two years to even be able to confront her feelings on the issue. She wondered if that was how Tidus and her friends felt during her pilgrimage, when it was she, Yuna the High Summoner, who was scheduled to die to save Spira from Sin, for a mere 10 years of Calm, not this permanent Calm that Tidus gave his life for…
"What is this sad look for Yuna ?" scolded Lulu, always the big sister
"Nothing, never mind" Yuna answered forcing herself to smile
"You don't fool me with this summoner smile! Let him go Yuna!" said Lulu sternly
"Oooh! Now I remember what I wanted to ask! Why did you giggle and smile on the beach right after operation Mi'hen, Yuna ?" asked Rikku, suddenly remembering Beclem's anger at a Yuna, the High Summoner smiling in front of all that mayhem
"Seymour ordered me to do it" groaned Yuna, remembering the Guado Maester that had caused them so much grief
"A summoner has to be the beacon of hope for the people!" groaned Wakka and Lulu in unison, mocking Maester's Mikka reedy voice
"So you were ordered to smile in front of all the dead that day ? How awful!" said Paine
"Yes, and Seymour wouldn't let me interfere and battle Sin either!" Yuna said unhappily
"Now on that Seymour was entirely correct! You didn't even had all your Aeons, let alone the final summoning then. Battling Sin on that day would only get you killed too" said Lulu
"Seymour correct for once, and even protecting you! That must have been a miracle!" said Rikku
"Nah! He just wanted Yuna alive long enough to marry him and give him clout to be the head honcho. That rotten son of a shoopuf!" said Wakka angrily.
They spent the next hour discussing Yevon's Maester's many betrayals during Yuna's pilgrimage and which Maester was more corrupt or evil after Seymour: Kinoc or Mikka. Paine listened eagerly as she had never heard the whole story told by the protagonists themselves before. The real facts behind Yevon's and Yunalesca 1,000 years old treason where even more mind boggling than all the rumors she had heard to date combined. She didn't need to be told Kinoc was a scumbag but Mikka being a dead unsent was a big surprise, as were all the details behind Yuna's engagement to Seymour. And she finally learned the mystery behind all the 3 Maester's deaths.
Paine's respect for Yuna and her guardians nearly doubled. Paine wished she could tell the truth to all the rumor mongers but for some reason Yuna and her guardians did not want to shatter all the illusions the people from Spira still held. Yuna said that people needed some of their illusions and heroes so she would let the harmless ones stand, such as Yunalesca's much touted - and non existent - heroism…
---Doesn't this guy ever relax ?
After lunch Yuna and the girls went to battle some fiends around the village, to do some training and help clean up the island of all the extra fiends brought in by the dark Valefort. Rikku took the opportunity to replenish her alchemy stock with fire gems, dragon scales, poison fangs and the like while Yuna captured some chocobos for Clasko's new Chocobo ranch. Paine decided to level up on her dancer dressphere and got 2 new magic songs out of the exercise. They were almost up to the beach when they met Beclem and the Aurochs panting and sweating, after a hard battle with a Gemini fiend.
"You guys can go rest now, we took care of all remaining fiends" boasted Rikku happily
"Aw… Did you at least leave some flans for us ?" asked Keepa wistfully as they were his favorite fiend to battle on the island: slow, easy to kill and chockfull of magic gems
"Nope, just the Gemini" Paine teased
"Bummer!" said Datto
"She's kidding! We got most of them" said Yuna jovially
Beclem stayed away from the joking with a stern face, looking at the setting sun in the sky impatiently.
"Doesn't this guy ever relax ? Sheesh!" whispered Paine
"He does, but only after…" whispered Rikku blushing
"Take a sphere movie of a relaxed Beclem one of this days or no one will believe it" Yuna whispered to Rikku
"You think I'm able to hold a sphere camera after all our exertions ? I can barely.. !" Rikku blurted out, stopping herself before she said too much
"Yes, we know… we noticed you didn't even make it to Lulu's spare bed last time" Paine reminded Rikku
At that remark all the 3 girls burst up laughing, causing Beclem to fume in anger once again. Damn it! Did the summoner had to rub his face on her teams battle skills all the time ? Now he had to reschedule his next drill as it seems the girls had cleaned Besaid of all the monsters he was going to use on it. And they were laughing at him!
"I see we have already provided enough amusement to the High Summoner. May we get back to training now lads ?" he asked the Aurochs with a chilling sweetness
"Sir, yes Sir!" answered the Aurochs and trotted up the hill for some endurance drills
"Niah, niah, niah na,na, na" said Rikku to his back, sticking out her tongue at him.
That was when Beclem did an incredibly quick spinning back flip and stood facing her with an annoyed look on his face, leaving Rikku speechless. She wasn't sure if she was more surprised by his skillful move or by his astounding fitness. He was built like a skilled blitz athlete. She wondered if he played… He must, she thought, he swam so well and had such flexible and agile moves. Paine was right, the guy was a grouch, but ooh so hot! He moved like a panther and his deep green eyes made him resemble a panther even more … She couldn't wait to visit the back of the temple tonight!
The minutes dragged on and everyone noticed Rikku was unusually quiet and distracted during dinner. Being her friends, Lulu, Wakka and the girls pretended not to notice and planned on taking turns helping out Lulu with the dishes to leave Rikku free for her escapade. A dreamy Rikku slipped out of the hut even before trying some of Wakka's prize fruit that he had gathered just for their visit. Rikku headed stealthily towards the Youth League Lodge.
Rikku found Beclem alone outside the tent, pacing restlessly like a caged tiger. He stopped on his tracks at the sight of her
"Came to laugh at me some more ?" he asked
"You are so silly! The girls were laughing at me, at the way I melt when you are around" she said
Upon hearing those words Beclem couldn't hold himself anymore. He dragged Rikku urgently into the League tent. Worried about the Aurochs returning to the joint sleeping quarters Rikku asked in a whisper:
"But here ? Won't the boys come back soon ?" she fretted
"I told them to camp on the woods tonight as a drill. And that I would personally feed to an Ochu the first one who returned here before daylight " Beclem said smugly
"Well, then come here hottie!" she said happily jumping on the bed in front of her
---Hot Buns and Shoopuf Ears
Lulu poked Paine for the 3rd time. "What a heavy sleeper! What if I was a fiend ?" Lulu thought exasperated. But this time Paine opened one sleepy eye then another, sitting up slowly.
"What ?" mumbled Paine at Lulu
"Rikku is still not back and the sun will rise soon" whispered Lulu
"So ?" inquired Paine sleepily
"So if that airheaded girl fell asleep somewhere, she may get seen by someone" Lulu whispered furiously at Paine
"So ?" Paine asked yet again, still too sleepy to see a problem
"So she may be embarrassed by whoever sees her" said Lulu loudly this time
"Ouch! Ok, ok, no need to yell. I will look for her. Any suggestions ?" said Paine getting up slowly
"I would start looking behind the temple, then check in the Youth League tent. They may also be at that alcove overseeing the small inlet, the one right after the cave you girls rescued Wakka's last month" said Lulu
"All right, leave it to the Gullwings" Paine said drolly. Peppy wasn't her "job" in the team and she felt awkward just for trying to say it
On her way to the temple Paine chanced a look into the Youth League tent and saw Rikku and Beclem sleeping in each other's arms, both naked. "Why do they had to be naked ?" Paine groaned. Trying to make the most matter of fact, droll face she could, Paine poked Rikku gently. Nothing. Again.. No reaction
"Will you wake up you airhead!" Paine hissed, a bit louder than she intended and Beclem sat upright with a start at the sound
"Hum… Err… Tell Rikku we are waiting for her for breakfast!" Paine managed to blurt out before ducking out of the tent in a hurry
That was too close, Paine thought. The guy had the ears of a shoopuf ! What if the Sergeant had stood up instead of just sitting up ? She should strangle Rikku! Paine thought but decided to feign sleep instead.
A rushed Beclem started to prod Rikku awake and 5 minutes later Rikku showed up sheepishly at Lulu's tent. Mercifully for an embarrassed Rikku, Lulu and Paine were already deep in slumber so Rikku didn't have to face anyone until next morning when they left on the Celsius. Having breakfast aboard the airship Yuna and Paine quizzed Rikku without mercy but were only able to pry some wistful, longing sighs from her before she pelted them with barkeep's delicious cinnamon buns, starting a food fight to make them stop pestering her
---Yuna's meets Shuyin on the Farplane
In Besaid, Beclem wasn't as moody as before to everyone's surprise but Lulu and Wakka's. Some said he was even seen smiling once or twice, but those rumors were unconfirmed…. After their Besaid trip, the girls proceeded to Luca where Yuna won Rin's sphere break tournament and scored a new dressphere. The girls couldn't wait to try it on, but they still had many, many distress calls to take care of.
The 3 girls proceeded to rid Kilika and Djose temples of fiends, but only after all other distress calls were answered, including Nhadala's plea for help with the Cactuar Nation, Seeing a 200 year old Cactus like Marnella shake and trill like a bird was an unforgettable sight, even for Rikku and Yuna who had seen more than their share of weirdness during their battles with Sin two years prior. At Djose, when a Dark Ixion rammed himself into her .Yuna got thrown into the gaping hole left on the faith stone. She landed in the Farplane. In there Yuna saw Tidus look alike Shuyin and learned of his plans of using Vegnagun to destroy Spira.
Yuna also met with Nooj, Baralai and Gippal at the Farplane, with a worried Nooj and his friend Gippal trying to stop Baralai (possessed by Shuyin's spirit) from using Vegnagun to destroy Spira. Nooj asked Yuna to take care of things "topside" while he and Gippal continued to chase Baralai / Shuyin on the Farplane.