Braska's Story
Final Chapter
Braska's personal journal, Utzuki, day 23:
My lessons with Quentin are going well. I have worked my way through most of the first level black mage spells and we have started on the second. I can now use the white magic's as well, although I will need a lot more practice before I am confident with them, since there is such a potential to cause harm if I cast them wrong. Bahamut's aeon has not appeared since the day at the quarry, to my relief, since I had a hard time explaining his actions that day and Quentin still looks oddly at me when I complete a difficult casting. The power linkage is still there, but I am relying more and more on my own mana as my skill increases. I still find it unsettling when his fayth appears to me - he has come to me twice more since that day, asking me questions about Spira as it is now, and how it got this way. I told him what I learned from the ancient journal Tomi gave me, and what I've read in the archives, and he seemed displeased when he heard what role the Temple has played through the years. From some of the questions he asked I think he has somehow visited the Farplane. He has apparently spent time listening to people talk, but I don't understand exactly what information he is searching for.
Braska's personal journal, Utzuki, day 30:
Jecht finally showed us some of his blitz ball moves this afternoon. We were quite impressed, and Yuna was ecstatic. He demonstrated a move where he jumps high into the air, does a mid air somersault, spins, and kicks the ball upside down. The ball hit the back wall of the garden so hard it cracked the stone. I am not a particular fan of the game, but even I could see how difficult that would be to defend against. Perhaps he does deserve the acclaim he says he had in Zanarkand. He has spoken of his love for his wife, and the pride he has for his young son, and it always saddens me that Jecht was taken from them. I wish I could promise him he will be able to return to his Zanarkand when this journey is over. Bahamut hasn't said anything about this, and I am honestly afraid to ask.
Braska's personal journal, Satsuki, day 3:
Jecht happened to see Bahamut's necklace this morning and asked to look at it. Apparently it is one that is only awarded to a team who wins the world wide blitz ball championship held every year in Zanarkand. There is engraving with the team member's name and a date on the back of the necklace; he didn't recognize the name but he says it is very old, from more than a hundred years before his time. I didn't explain where I got it, I don't know if Bahamut wants him to know, but I am curious as to how the fayth came to have it.
Braska's personal journal, Satsuki, day 6:
Auron still has his doubts about Jecht, but in the last two weeks of training he has found out what an exceptional athlete the man is. Once Jecht figured out how to handle his sword, he quickly became proficient with it. With enough training he could possibly surpass Auron, not that he will admit that. Jecht has started wearing a heavy pack during our early morning runs; he says it is the only way he gets a workout. I had not realized how out of shape I had become, but I am at least keeping up now. If nothing else, I will be able to run from the fiends. It bothers me that they still have not become friends, though it seems they are at least beginning to respect each other's skills. Auron still seems reluctant to entrust my safety to Jecht, so our argument about being my guardian is still an open subject, a very touchy one on his part. I had hoped I could persuade Auron to stay here, but I don't think I will be able to stop him from coming, not if I want to keep him as my friend. He says it isn't my decision to make.
Braska's personal journal, Satsuki, day 7:
I think we will be leaving within the next few days - our preparations are complete and all we need to do is say our goodbyes. That is going to be harder than I thought. How do you say goodbye people you've grown to love, nearly everyone you've ever known? It wasn't as hard the first time, when I was younger. It was all an adventure then, and I didn't have much to leave behind, since Auron was with me. We were immortal back then, totally invincible, hero's out to save the world. This time... I know better. The odds of surviving the journey to Zanarkand are low, and even if we do live long enough to gain the final aeon, I know that I won't be coming back, no matter what the outcome of the final battle is. My greatest sorrow is that I also know one of my companions will have to die to gain that aeon, and I can't tell them.
I have written several letters, to be sent after we leave Bevelle; the hardest one was to Cid. I spoke to Rin two days ago when he first got in to Bevelle and he says Cid is still withdrawn. Although he has resumed some of his duties, he still won't speak to anyone about Ohani's death. Rin brought a letter from Aja confirming this and he will take my answer back after he drops us on Besaid Island. Everyone is worried about Cid - apparently he has become obsessed with destroying Sin and spends hours at a time researching old records, searching for a method. Apparently he doesn't think the beam canons are the answer either. The Crusaders are still working at the Mushroom Rock site, but work is going slowly since I no longer control the shipment of their supplies.
Braska's personal journal, Satsuki, day 8:
I received a note with some very disturbing news this morning. One of my friends on the Council of Lords has heard of a plan to publicly honor me for continuing my pilgrimage, and apparently I am not to be given a choice in the matter. Somehow they have learned we intend to leave tomorrow, and the Temple will be having a lavish ceremony honoring me for my 'sacrifice', with a festive parade as we leave the city. I find this...I can't even describe how it makes me feel, other than sickened. My decision to restart my pilgrimage was made for personal reasons, and having the grief I still feel turned into a publicity event is abhorrent to me. I have asked Auron to find out more information about this - I don't intend to let the Temple use me.
Braska looked up with surprise as his friend stepped back through the office door only a few minutes after he had left. "Auron, why are you back so soon?"
"I didn't even need to go to the temple to find out what's happening," Auron replied. "I was heading up the High Bridge when one of Maester Chuham's acolytes stopped me. He gave me this," he said as he handed Braska a folded note.
"I can't believe they would do this to us," Braska muttered as he read the note. "Guards at both ends of the street with orders to bring us to the temple as soon as we step out the door? Arrest orders if we don't cooperate?" He sat for a long moment, anger turning his eyes hard. "How dare they!"
"The acolyte says the guards on duty at dawn tomorrow will be loyal to Maester Chuham, and he suggested that the sunrise would be best viewed from outside the city," Auron answered quietly.
"What did the acolyte look like?" Braska asked.
"Short, round, bushy black hair," Auron answered briefly,"no neck."
"That's Barius, Maester Chuham's under-secretary. He's always been an honorable man, and we used to be friends," Braska replied thoughtfully. "This information agrees with what Lord Lippen sent me."
"Do you trust him?" Auron asked.
"I think we have to," Braska said finally. "Anyway, we have no choice, unless you can think of another way out of the city?" Auron sat on the edge of the desk as he thought.
"Can you be ready to leave before dawn?" Auron asked, after thinking through their options. There was a good possibility the acolyte was telling the truth, and if he wasn't at least there would only be a few guards to get past and nobody on the street to witness a fight. It would give them at least a couple hour's head start if they left well before daylight, especially if they made the Maesters think they went inland instead of making the first leg of their journey by boat as they intended. Rin would undoubtedly agree to leave early in order to confuse the issue.
Braska looked at his friend for a long moment and started to grin, a calculating expression on his face. "Wouldn't it be terrible if they're all set up for a going away ceremony, and the guests of honor neglect to show?" He started to laugh softly. "I like it."
Auron laughed as well when he thought of what the priests expressions would be when their 'guests' couldn't be found. "It would be a shame to miss such a nice party...," he added with a smirk, "but I think I could survive the disappointment."
The street was dark and empty when the three pilgrims stepped out of Braska's house, closing the door quietly behind them. A cool breeze was blowing off the ocean, and the stars were still shining brightly at this predawn hour. The birds were still sleeping, and the city was nearly silent. Each wore a small pack, and Auron and Jecht had their swords. Braska had long ago resigned himself to his role as a mage, and now carried a staff, its ornate top specially made to enhance spell casting and provide protection with built in spells of protection. An added benefit was the fact that the bottom was capped with sharpened steel, making it a formidable weapon as well.
They moved quietly down the street, keeping to the side where the shadow's were deepest, then stopped when they saw two men in temple uniforms waiting beside the steps of a neighboring house. "There they are," Auron whispered, pulling the other's back into a darkened corner beside a wall to watch the guards for a moment. "Two of them. Now we find out if we were lied to or not."
Auron stepped out from the darker shadow and led the other two forward as they walked calmly towards the waiting guards. The two men watched them come, seeming to totally ignore the approaching men, until one turned slightly as Braska passed and whispered quietly, "Good luck, may Yevon be with you," before he turned back to his companion and calmly started discussing the latest blitz ball scores.
"That was...odd," Braska muttered, shaking his head as he glanced back at them. "How much trouble are they going to get into?"
"None, if they are smart. Especially if they can lay the blame on one of the other guard shifts," Auron said with a smirk. "Its hardly their fault if we found a different way out of the city."
They walked quietly for several minutes, passing through the residential section of the city without notice. They were nearing the edge of the city and walking through an industrial area when Auron's curiosity finally brought him to speak to Jecht. "What are you taking?" He asked quietly, looking at Jecht's bulky pack. "I don't remember packing that many supplies for you."
"Well, you said it was gonna be a long trip," Jecht answered, stopping to pull off his pack and take out a movie sphere. "We'll be seeing a lot of neat things, right? So I thought I'd record it all in this, to show to my wife and kid, you know." Jecht said, lifting the sphere and turning it towards his companions to record their reactions.
"This is no pleasure cruise!" Auron snapped in answer, irritated at how casual Jecht was about this. "This is serious, its going to be a dangerous trip!"
Jecht ignored the swordsman's comment and turned to Braska with a grin. "Hey, Braska?"
Braska turned to look at his companion and lifted an eyebrow questioningly.
"Ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion?" Jecht asked, waving one hand at the empty street. "Where're the cheering fans? The crying women?"
Braska smiled slightly, thinking about the ceremony they were avoiding by leaving before dawn. "This is it, too many goodbyes and people think twice about leaving."
Jecht looked skeptical, but nodded finally. "Hmm... If you say so," he shrugged and put the sphere into his pack and then lifted it back onto his shoulders again. "Well, it better be a lot more colorful when we come back." He grinned suddenly and flung his arms out, gesturing at Braska as if he were presenting him to a cheering crowd. "A parade for Braska, vanquisher of Sin!"
"We should go. Day will break soon," Braska answered, grinning at Jecht's theatrics. Auron snorted and turned away, amused despite himself but refusing to admit it.
The stars were fading and the sky to the east was turning purple with the first touch of dawn as the three left Bevelle. They stopped to look back one last time when they reached the top of the first hill, imprinting the view of the city in their minds as they watched the slowly rising sun turn the buildings pink and lavender, with golden reflections off the spires of the temple of Yevon.
"Lets go, Rin will be waiting for us," Braska said finally, turning to take several steps down the road leading towards the fate he had chosen. He hesitated for a moment as he looked back again towards his companions, and his eyes met those of the fayth standing to one side of Auron. "We have a long way to go," he added softly.
"I will be with you," Bahamut said quietly, then nodded slightly in approval and disappeared.
Many things would happen to them before they completed their journey, but that is another story...
(Epilogue coming soon - the story isn't complete until the fat lady sings!)
Author's Note:
The month names are old Japanese, and translate as follows:
Mutsuki - January - Harmony, or Happy Spring
Kisaragi - February - Seasonal change of dress (take off jacket?)
Yayohi - March - Grass grows dense
Utzuki - April - Summer, plant rice
Satsuki - May - Month when rice sprouts
Minatzuki – June - Watering month
Futzuki - July - Month of letters/poetry
Hatzuki - August - Month of leaves
Nagatzuki - September - Autumn, long month
Kannatzuki - October - Month of no Gods
Shimotsuki - November - Month of falling frost
Shiwasu – December - "Poor looking" Winter, or Month of running priests (as they preside over all the year end ceremonies)