Thought I'd go ahead and get everything in order with this story before turning in to night. Anyway, thanks for reviewing guys even though you've already read this part. I greatly appreciate it.
Rikku and Paine have been questioning Tromell for what seemed like hours now, for everything that he said made no sense to them. It was as if he were speaking in riddles, leaving more questions than answers.
"Please." Tromell begged. "I can say no more, for I haven't the answers."
"Is Tidus there in the dimension of souls?" Rikku asked."Can you at least tell us that?"
"I'd like to know that myself." came a soft voice from the distance as they all turned to see Yuna approaching them.
Yuna was beside herself with anger and grief and it all could be seen within her bi- colored eyes. Seymour's words pierced her heart like knife. She knew in her heart of hearts that Seymour was lying. He just had to be. However, she couldn't help but to wonder what if he were telling the truth. And if that was even true, then why did he try and stop her? Seymour had to be lying. There was just no way around it.
Tromell sighed. "Lady Yuna, heed my words. Seek and you shall find, however, the search will be treacherous."
"I don't understand." Yuna said.
"You were already challenged, were you not?" Tromell asked and Yuna nodded her head.
"I don't care what I have to do or what the cost may be!" Yuna almost snapped. "I will find Tidus! I'll die trying!"
"It very well may come to that, My Lady." Tromell warned. "Please take caution." And with a nod of her head, Yuna turned and walked away with Rikku and Paine not too far behind.
"So where we going?" Rikku asked, coming to a stop and Paine stopped beside her though Yuna kept walking.
"The Thunder Plains." Yuna said, stopping at the entrance before proceeding onward. She then turned to Rikku and Paine.
"Why there?" Paine asked.
"We're already here." Yuna shrugged. "A good place as any to start. I heard everything that Tromell said. Spira is a big place and that dress sphere could be anywhere. So, lets start here and work our way upward."
"Ohh, poopie! I hate lightening!" Rikku whined as they then headed into the Thunder Plains.
"I thought you got over your fear of lightening?" Paine pondered.
"I did." Rikku said. "Doesn't mean I have to like it though."
Moments later. . .
Lightening struck the towers above as the rain falls down from above. YRP proceeded onward, however, as they progressed, Rikku couldn't help but notice that the ground was a bit like slush underfoot. After studying it for a second or two, she just shrugged her shoulders and proceeded onward with the rest of the group.
Yuna walked a few more inches, coming to an abrupt stop as she noted something strange before her.
There, midst the Thunder Plains, was a rather large circle of water that appeared to be rising. Rikku and Paine walked up beside Yuna and are as shocked as she was at the sight before them.
"What the- -" Rikku trailed off.
"My thoughts exactly." Paine said.
"Wonder how deep it goes?" Yuna thought.
Out of curiosity, Rikku picked up a rock and tossed it into the middle of the transforming water. And to their surprise, the rock hit hard and sank fast.
"Whoa!" Rikku said. "Talk about being deep there."
A few small bubble ripple to the surface followed by a huge one, which only puzzled YRP even more so, however, as the large bubble came to the surface of the water, a small tremor is felt underfoot.
Yuna gasped. "Did you guys feel that?"
Another tremor is felt, however, this one was a bit more robust.
"There is it again!" Rikku said.
Suddenly becoming more stronger by the very second, YRP are knocked to the ground by the quaking ground. The bubbles spew up from the hole of water as if to be boiling over when, out of no where, the ground literally collapsed, causing water to break through and rise. And out of the depths of the water, appeared an Azure Drake, which flew straight up into the air, spiraling around in the air before coming to an abrupt stop.
With wings spreading out far and wide, a long snake like body, crimson glowing eyes and a forked tongue. Sharp jagged teeth, a body the color of a dark fuchsia, and a head the color of ebony. YRP look on in astonishment. Never had they see anything like this in Spira before in their lives.
As the water rushes up towards YRP, they scattered, however, the water raised into a near tidal wave and as it prepared to strike down upon them, three small pieces of ground speared upward, rising high as the tidal wave crashed down. Yuna's standing upon one of the towering pieces of land, Paine on one and Rikku on the other, forming a triangle.
Flying downward at a very deadly speed, the drake curved, striking the ledges of the towering pieces of land, which caused them to shake violently. YRP try to maintain their balance, however, can barely do so. As the drake neared Paine, she struck its side, but it was as if her blade of steel bounced back from it upon contact.
"I'm calling for backup!" Rikku shouted to Yuna and Paine as she then tuned in her headset. "Brother, get here a.s.a.p! We need stability!" The ground beneath her shook and knocked her to the ground. "Literally!"
"I am on my way!" Brother announced over the headset.
The drake arised, its body spiraling around in the air. Energy began to raise quickly around it, which then scattered across the surface of the raging water, causing it to ascend upward into the air. As the wave hovered midst the air, rising high into the air, it quickly clashed down upon all that was around it. Parts of the mountain sides are torn asunder from its power. The rushing waves neared the towering pieces of ground that the girls are on, however, as they neared, the drake itself flew towards them. It was as if it were leading the angry waves of ephemerality.
Thinking quickly, Yuna changed into her warrior dressphere and as the drake neared her, she leaped from the towering piece of land she was standing on. Paine and Rikku called out to her as the waves comsumed both her and the drake itself.
As one tidal wave fell another approached though as it were about to fall down upon Rikku and Paine, the Celsius came swooping down and as it neared Rikku and Paine, they jumped from where they were standing, landing upon the top of the Celsius, which flew away just as the wave came down upon all, destroying the towering pieces of land. The waves clashed against each other and all about as Rikku and Paine gained control of the balance atop the ship.
"Where Yuna!" Brother demanded to know over the headset.
"We don't know!" Rikku yelled to Brother. "She jumped into the water below as that dragon flew by and we haven't seen her." Static is heard over the headset as well as footsteps. "Brother!"
Seconds later. . .
Brother busted through the door as he ran passed Rikku and Paine towards the edge of the ship. "Yuna, I save you!" He then leaped from atop the ship, however, once realizing what he just done, he let out s girlish squeal as he plunged into the raging water below where he quickly surfaced. "Rikku, help me! I can no swim!"
Rikku rolled her eyes. "I'll get dumb ass. Keep an eye out for Yunie." She then headed below. "I hope he set this thing on auto pilot."
Moments later. . .
An eerie silence befalls what was once the Thunder Plains. The once raging waters began to calm as a think mist formed atop its surface. The rope ladder is lowered as Rikku descended it to get her half witted Brother before something else did, however, as she neared the bottom, reaching out her hand to grasp Brothers, the Drake appeared out of no where, flying by them at great speed. They quickly turned their attention to it.
"I see Yuna!" Brother shouted.
And it was indeed Yuna. She had landed upon the Drake as it flew by her and inched her way up its back where she has locked her legs around its neck, which cannot be good for the drake.
Yuna withdrew her sword. "Let's see how well you command those waves without any sight!" And without a moment to spare, Yuna took her sword and pierced it into the Drake's right eye. The beast screeched in pain, tossing its head about, however, Yuna clinched tighter as she then dug her sword into the left eye. Crying out, the Drake fell from the sky and into the water below, taking Yuna into the water's depth along with it.
Plunging deep into the water's depths, the drake then fades into pyerflies, allowing Yuna to quickly surface for air. Upon breaking the surface, all are relieved that things are okay. . . for now.
Minutes later. . .
What has only been minutes seems like hours to Yuna. She had not emerged from within the cabin since boarding the ship where she laid on her bed lost in thought.
Yuna turned over to her side, tears falling from her eyes as she sighed.
"Tidus, where are you?" Yuna cried softly. "Why aren't you here with me?"
"I'm here." a strong, gentle voice whispered.
Upon hearing that whispering voice, Yuna sat straight up in bed. She looked around as the nervousness began to rise within her. Who was there? She didn't hear anyone enter the room. Therefore, she got up, walking over to the railing and leaning over only to see Barkeep staring back up at her. With a sigh, she departed from there and took a few steps forward.
A hue of light began to form behind her, growing dimly when suddenly, he appeared. Feeling her heart break within his own, knowing that she wants him there, he wrapped his arms around her.
Yuna softly gasped, for she felt a warm touch surrounding her and it was as if all her pain had been taken away as a smile slowly traced itself upon her lips. "Tidus."
And with a small kiss to her cheek, he faded into the dim hue of light, which then slowly faded itself.
Meanwhile, beyond the heart of the Farplane where the dimension of souls dwell, the specter soon came to realize that Yuna had defeated the Azure Drake.
"Curses!" The specter shouted in anger. "She defeated the water drake. How she figured out its weakness, I cannot say, but no matter. Three remain. Surely one will make her meet certain doom. Then if not, may my Gatekeeper take her out." With a toss of her ebony locks, her one visible eye glowed a dark crimson.
