A/N: Well, you're all lucky enough to get two chappies in one day (only 'cause I thought the first one wasn't all that great). Member to R&R!
Disclaimer: I don't own any Final Fantasy characters (yet). Lol.
As soon as we all appear inside, I hear Rikku give a squeal and turn back toward the portal.
"Whoops. Wrong way."
I grab her wrist before she can go back through. "Allow me to point you in the right direction, then." I turn her toward the center of the cloister and let her go, making sure she didn't attempt to run back.
I hear Yuna laugh and it makes me smile lightly. She has the most beautiful laugh and smile, I swear I could melt on the spot...
I sigh at my thoughts. Okay, so I'm in love with Yuna. What's the problem?
Yuna takes a step forward, standing in front of us and scanning her surroundings. "After we defeated Trema I haven't seen to many fiends down here."
"You've been down here without us since then?" I ask, suddenly becoming worried.
"Well... yes. I came down here to see if I could find a sphere showing me something. To at least give me some kind of hint of where to go or where to look..."
She's talking about him... I thought sadly, but trying to remain stable. I couldn't let Yuna notice.
Rikku glances at me. I knew she couldn't tell I was upset by looking at me, but I knew she was aware I was upset somewhat.
She walks over to her half Al Bhed cousin and sets a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving her a caring look.
"It's okay, Yunie. We'll find 'em. Don't worry."
I sigh. As selfish as it may be, I wished differently.
"Do you hear that?" "Hear what?" "Shh, listen."
I was too caught up in my thoughts to hear much more. The next thing I heard was a loud explosion. Then flames erupting around me.
"Yuna!" I had called. That was the last thing I remember happening before I fell unconscious.
---
I wasn't sure how long I was out. The only thing that kept going through my mind at that moment in time was Yuna.
I opened my eyes rather slowly, the feeling of cold steel on my skin not being very welcoming. I force myself up and scan the area around me.
"Yuna?" I say, in more of a whisper than anything else. My voice still echoes, though, throughout the chamber in which I had fallen into after the explosion.
The explosion... What had caused it? I don't recall ever seeing any type of device in the Via Infintio that could do such a thing.
Pushing the thoughts away, I begin to look around for my friends.
"Yuna? Rikku? Can either of you hear me?"
No response.
I feel a cold chill go down my spine as I continue to hear myself echo off into the vast expanse of the cloister I was in. Which raises the question of how far I had fallen. It couldn't of been too far, otherwise I wouldn't have woken back up...
I looked to my right and was rather surprised to see a horizontal type beam, emitting a strange red glow. I proceed toward it and run my hand just along the top of it, being careful not to touch it for fear of what it may do.
It suddenly disappears with a zap and I continue walking forward, the hall before me being extremely dark.
I don't have a very content feeling about this... I thought, looking around me nervously, for the only source of light was that of a small lamp on the wall up ahead, a good thirty or fourty feet away from me. It was the only one I could actually see, truthfully, which wasn't too good, either.
I heard it, then. The silent thudding of footsteps behind me. I turned swiftly, readying my blade for what was to come.
Nothing. I thought, becoming strangely nervous. I could've swore I heard something...
I continue on my way, and surely enough, I hear it again. I knew something was there in the dark. I couldn't see it, but that didn't mean it couldn't see me.
I place my blade back in it's proper position and start into a dead straight run. It's not like me to do so, but I had to find Yuna and make sure she was okay. Fighting would take me more time, considering I'm alone and it sounds like there's more than one of whatever it is.
As I near the light source, I hear a low growl. It was strange to me, at first, it sounded to be in pain, whatever was following me.
I notice an intersection just a ways after the lamp, containing a left and right hallway. At least it's hidden in the shadows.
I turn the corner and get close to the wall, holding my breath. I hoped to Yevon whatever it was wouldn't see or hear me and go on about it's business.
I sat there for at least five minutes, just to make sure the coast was clear. I heard nothing, so I suspected it to be safe.
"Bring it, beef steak!"
Rikku.
I ran toward the sound, a battle commencing making it easier for me to find my friend.
"Need some help?" I ask, butting in beside Rikku as I get into my battle stance.
She looks at me and smiles. "I almost have 'em. Elder Drakes aren't so tough once you're in the Dark Knight dressphere."
A swift blow to the chest from my blade and it dropped to the ground. I give a 'Hmph' and turn to Rikku.
"Have you seen Yuna?"
She looks at me, her eyes showing worry. "N-No. I was looking for you. I thought she might have been with you."
I sigh. "So, she's somewhere in this hell hole alone. There's something in here, Rikku. And believe me, it's not just some walk in the park."
"I think we should go back and get the others." Rikku says, looking down at her boots in a nervous manner.
"Go ahead. I'm not leaving Yuna alone for another minute." I then walk off to my left, blade once again at the ready.
"I'm coming with you!" I hear Rikku call as she falls into step with me.
A few minutes pass and I hear a silent humming noise from a darkened room in front of me.
"Um... Paine?"
"Be quiet." I command, slowly entering the room.
That's when I saw it.
No.
"Yuna!" I yell upon seeing her unconscious, laying in front of a large dragon-like machine.
"No way." I hear Rikku say from behind me.
"What is that?"
"Bahamut. It's a aeon, or some kinda machine resembling Bahamut. Whatever it is, it's got Yunie!" Rikku says, stating the obvious once again.
"Hold on... It doesn't seem to be moving..." I comment, looking at the aeon.
I move forward at a slow pace, my eyes never leaving this so called "Bahamut". Once I reached Yuna, I kneeled down and gently nudged her. "Yuna, please wake up." I whispered, hoping for the best.
I see her eyes begin to slowly open and I sigh in relief as I pick her up.
"Paine..."
"Don't worry, Yuna. It'll be okay."
"No, Paine. You don't understand." She pulls herself from me and stands, looking me straight in the eyes.
"What's the matter, Yuna..?" I ask, afraid of her response.
She sighs. "This is, more or less, the power room. It provides a minimum amount of light to each of the one hundred and one cloisters in here. If you defeat the machine posing as Bahamut, it'll cause a explosion and... I'm sure you understand. If it catches us and uses Mega Flare in this room, we're done for and so is the temple. We have to get out of here, quickly."
I nod, understanding her worry, and grab her hand as we make our way out of the room.
Too late.
A/N: Yayness! That's all I gotta say. Lol.