"All right next is the Thunder Planes. Then we'll head to Macalania Temple." Stella said to her Guardians, "We're almost there, just two more temples."
"Yes!" Garet said happily, "I can finally show all of you that Zanarkand isn't ruins." He smiled smugly at Noah and Mia.
Mia rolled her eyes, "I still don't buy your 'I'm from Zanarkand' story. I just don't believe you. Now where are you from really?"
"I told you Zanarkand."
Stella slipped her hand into his, "I believe you." she whispered, "There are many things in this world that we are not to understand. Perhaps your Zanarkand is one of them."
Noah and Mia exchanged
a glance, "Maybe Garet really is from Zanarkand." Noah shrugged,
"He doesn't know anything about Spira. He proved that back in
Guadosalam."
"Ah so we meet again Lady Stella." Belgemine
approached the group.
"Lady Belgemine, how has your pilgrimage been going?"
"I have but one temple more in Besaid, that's where I'm headed now. And you?"
"I am on my way to Macalania and then Bevelle."
"Belgemine we have to go now." Her guardian said.
"Ah yes well we must be going now. If we meet again before the final battle, I would like to test your Aeons strength."
"Very well, I'm always ready for a challenge." Stella smiled and performed the prayer.
Belgemine nodded, and then continued on into Guadosalam. "She's nice. If you don't become High Summoner I want her to." Garet remarked.
"You actually want me as High Summoner?"
"Of course! You're my summoner and the best one of the bunch. I'd say you make a great High Summoner…uh what do High Summoners do anyway?"
"They defeat Sin."
"How? I mean the thing is huge."
"The Final Summoning. The goal of the pilgrimage is for a summoner to pray at all the temples so that he or she may obtain the Final Summoning and call the Final Aeon."
"And where do we get the Final Aeon?"
"In Zanarkand, That's why we're going there."
"Oh…That makes sense now. All right everyone let's go." Garet said happily walking forward. However, he jumped back as lightening struck the ground.
"Be careful. This place isn't called the Thunder Planes for nothing." Noah shouted, "See those towers. They will hopefully draw the lightening. All we have to do is stay close to the towers and avoid wide open areas. Now that that's been cleared up we can cross the planes. Just be careful everyone."
The group continued walking along. Mia occasionally glanced around almost as if she was looking for someone. "Is something wrong?" Noah asked her.
"No. Just trying to stay on guard. I don't want another Djose incident."
"Good point." Noah smiled in approval and nodded.
"We should be coming up on the Travel Agency pretty soon. We can rest there if you guys want to." Stella said.
"I could use something to eat." Garet held his stomach as it growled loudly.
"You ate before we left Guadosalam." Mia replied.
"Yeah but we've been walking for almost 3 hours. I'm hungry."
"We'll stop. It's fine." Stella smiled sweetly.
"I am guarding the best summoner in the whole world." Garet said running for the Travel Agency entrance.
The other three lumbered after him and but went their separate ways once inside. Mia and Noah sat at a table in the corner and began talking while Stella went over to a lone window and watched the storm outside. Garet walked over to her, stuffing his face with food, "Hey…" he said with a mouth full. Stella gave him a gentle half smile. He studied her features and that's when he noticed how tired and sad she looked. "What's the matter?" he asked concerned.
"We're almost there. My pilgrimage is almost over." She said.
"But hey, that's a good thing. That means Sin is gonna be toast." He smiled, "Then I can show you Zanarkand. Mia and Noah can come too. They'll believe me then. Then we can watch Blitz and the sunrise or sunset whichever you prefer."
"I wish I could go with you."
"You can once Sin is history."
"A new Sin will be born anyway."
"Well we'll come back to Spira and take it out again. We can even skip the pilgrimage, since you have the Aeons already."
Stella shook her head, "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way."
"The dining area will be closing in a few minutes." The attendant announced.
"Are we staying?" Noah asked walking up to them.
"We might as well." Stella sighed and walked to the front desk, "We need two rooms please."
"All right my lady summoner. The rooms are right through that door." She smiled and pointed to the door on the right.
"Thank you." She went through the door and into the waiting room. Mia on the other hand waited nervously for the arrival of the Al Bhed. "Oui'na myda (you're late)!" she whispered.
"Frana ec cra (where
is she)?"
Mia pointed to the room, "Hu secdygac drec desa (No
mistakes this time)."
The Al Bhed followed Mia's directions and went into Stella's bedroom. As soon as he was out of sight, Mia took refuge in an empty room and listened. The Al Bhed walked into the room and found Stella sleeping soundly. He covered her mouth and her eyes opened, "Tu hud clnays (Do not scream). Drec ec vun ouin ufh kuut (This is for your own good)." He uncovered her mouth and took her hand. He led her out of the room and down the hall. As they passed the boys' room, Stella pushed opened the already slightly ajar door waking Noah suddenly, "Garet something's up. Come on." He said standing.
"What's up?"
"The
door, somebody pushed opened the door. Come on." He walked out into
the hall and looked around. He spotted the Al Bhed just as he pulled
Stella outside. "Hey you stop!" He yelled running forward, "Mia
where the hell are you?"
After a few seconds, Mia didn't appear. Noah shrugged and dashed after the kidnapper. "Stop you!" he yelled as the lightening flashed. Stella and her kidnapper appeared. "Kad pylg (Get Back)!"
"Let her go!" Noah demanded.
"No! I won't let an Al Bhed be sacrificed for Yevon."
"She chose her own path. You can't stop her."
"I won't let her sacrifice herself needlessly."
"Stop! Oh okay…Now let her go." Garet said running up to them.
Another flash of lightening brightened up the scene. Garet had an arrow ready to fire.
"Please let me go… someone has to stop Sin…I can do it."
"No…"
"Would you rather someone else does it?" His tight grip on Stella's hand loosened slightly, "If I can help the people of Spira, then I know I haven't traveled for nothing. I want to help everyone including the Al Bhed. Please don't try to stop me anymore. I want to stop Sin, and that's it."
The Al Bhed sighed, "I want to protect you."
"Her guardians are doing a fine job of that." Garet said raising his weapon.
He closed his eyes and dropped Stella's hand. She ran to safety behind her guardians. "I have to go back to Luca…."
"Luca?" Stella asked confused.
"Yes. I have to tell Marcus that I couldn't go through with this." He turned and ran for Guadosalam.
"Uncle Marcus…I knew he didn't want me to become a summoner but I had no idea he would actually try to stop me…" Stella burst into tears and sank to the ground.
"Come on Stel let's go back to the Travel Agency." Garet helped her to her feet and she leaned against him. They walked through the doors, Stella crying. Mia walked out of her room and found them in the lobby. "What's going on?" she asked rubbing her eyes.
"We've found out some bad news."
"Uncle M-Marcus is trying to stop my pilgrimage." Stella stammered.
Mia covered her mouth but Noah easily saw through the façade. "Why would he do that?" she asked getting in front of her.
"I-I don't know."
"Why don't you go to bed. I'll be in a moment."
Stella nodded and walked into the bedroom.
"I'll take it from here." She said standing, "I should've been there."
"It's all right. Noah and I took care of it." Garet stretched and walked toward the hall of rooms, "I'm turning in for the night."
"What about Stella?" Noah asked.
"The best thing to do is let her rest. We'll figure out what to do in the morning."
Mia smiled and nodded. Garet walked into his room leaving them alone. "I'm glad that's over."
"You had me fooled." Noah said, looking at her.
"What?"
"I
thought you actually wanted to protect Stella."
"I do."
"Then
why did you betray her?"
Mia's face dripped with guilt, "I
didn't betray her."
"You pretended to be her guardian all this time."
"I didn't pretend! I wanted to protect her! I can't just stand back and let her die like the rest of you Yevon lapdogs."
"She is your family…I can't believe you would trick someone you claim to care about."
"I never tricked Stella. I really want what's best for her."
"Wanna know something funny? That last part wasn't about Stella." He said walking away.
"Are you going to tell her?"
"Nope. You are." He answered disappearing around the corner.
