"I like it here. I'm the only living thing that exists in this place, there's nothing else. No anger, no sadness, no happiness, not even a future. The only thing that's here… is me. And that will eventually fade away. It feels good. This is exactly what I've been searching for all this time... you'll eventually find yourself here too… I'm sure of it... it won't be much longer. I know, I can tell…" – Xenosaga, Cherenkov
Chapter One: Apocrypha of Zanark / Valefor's Crest
The Shera – God's Eyes
Cid had really gone all out on the Shera. The Shera was colored parchment crème and a warm, dark wine red. It had the basic shape of an airship, but instead of a large, circular wind generator, it had two, smaller circular generators on either side of the ship. The deck was made out of a mix of diamond chips, metal and fiberglass, and its skeleton was made of stainless steel. It allowed for a wider range of vision, and ideal place to hang out, if Cid didn't throw the perpetrator out on his carcass. The Control Room was sparse, having only two stations for controlling the ship, one on the left and the other on the right. And a large control station was in the center, and a small holographic sphere below the main station. The rest of the Control Room was filled with weapon cabinets, spare parts, and other nick-knacks.
Leaving the Control Room was a semi-long hallway filled with bluish-purple doors that led to different rooms. Farther down the hallway were two branching paths, the right going to the storage and another path branching from the right, going to the hangar. The left went to another storage room and another path branched off to spare boarding rooms and a small lab. A small kitchen was located below the Control Room.
Cid had no crew members, only cyborgs and battle androids who he had bought from the military and from the laboratory he made them for. He was only able to scrap four androids, three males and one female. The three males were Brother, Wilhelm, and Kimahri. The one female was Sister. Brother was bald and had a tattoo of a phoenix on his cranium; he had dark caramel skin and lively claret eyes. Wilhelm had a mop of wintry white hair – much like Yuna's – , amber-red eyes and light skin. Kimahri had grey shoulder length grey hair and a goatee, and shrewd black eyes; his skin was a dark caramel. Sister had brown hair and lively, naive blue eyes with crème colored skin.
Yuna's room was the second door on the left from the exit of the Control Room. Her room was meshed between Cid's and Kimahri's. Her room was painted a soft bluish-lavender. A single bed was attached to the wall, drawers beneath it, and a soft and warm twilight blue fleece coverlet spanned the bed. A desk was across from the bed and two book cases to either side of the desk. A small blue-grey chest was on the desk that was filled with mechanical parts and self-maintenance tools and upgrades. And that was Yuna's current location.
She wasn't mad, no; she wasn't programmed with that emotion. But she was annoyed. And she was annoyed at Cid. Why? Cid had told her she needed to find a job. Oh, she found a job alright, but it was a pity she had to exchange three locks of her hair for it. Yeah, hair, but hair held DNA and in voodoo rituals, hair can be used to curse someone. And in Yuna's case, that someone was Kimahri. She had traded valuable DNA for Kimahri's job as the navigator. And it was rather sad that the navigation computer frame was bugged.
Bambi looked up at Yuna and butted her mistress with her large head.
"Oh! Yunie! Cheer up! We'll be in Besaid in two days!" Bambi chirped. Yuna dropped a computer chip on the desk.
"I havefinally completed fixing the mainframe. Bambi, fixing the navigator's base is very important right now. I must talk to you later." Yuna stated clearly and tucked the square computer chip in the pocket of her crimson pants. She left the room in graceful strides and left a bamboozled Bambi behind, whom had her head cocked to one side.
Entering the Control Room, Yuna crooked her head to look at Cid. He was currently taking to Sister, who held a parcel in her hands. Yuna walked over to Cid and placed an ivory pale hand on his tanned, broad shoulder. Cid turned to look at his daughter as she studied him. Cid had sandy blond hair, glass-green eyes and stubble along his sharp cheekbones.
"Yeah, what is it, darlin'?" Yuna cocked her head to one side, as if in a childish manner. Her hair tumbled to the right as her emotionless eyes scanned her father.
"My name is Yuna, Cid, not 'darlin'. I have fixed the data chip. May I be permitted to log on and begin my job so I won't be kicked off the Shera?" Yuna solicited plaintively. Cid let a small grin cross his face and rubbed his short, blond hair.
"I know, darlin'. It's called a nickname. Yeah, go on, darlin'. Start a new account, think of a password, and fix the navigation data up." Cid instructed. Yuna nodded slowly and walked off to the right computer. The previous person who worked the navigation was very messy. With a small frown on her pale face, Yuna brushed the mess to one side and sat in the chair. She took the chip from her pant's pocket and opened the small panel that covered the precious mother board. With deft fingers, Yuna reattached the chip and rerouted wires. One spark later, and a muffled grunt, Yuna fixed the navigation.
"New password…?" Yuna mused. With a moment of hesitation she wrote in her password. Marienkind. The computer 'hmm'ed and a translucent claret screen popped up. With the large keyboard spanned in front of her, Yuna began to type.
"Cid? There is an 89.99999998 chance that we might miss the next jet stream. But if we change our flight pattern to a height of 34 thousand feet, it is probable we can catch the jet stream and reach Besaid within six hours. Shall we change our pattern?" Yuna brought a map up and showed the changed pattern. Cid nodded. Yuna turned back to her computer.
"You will need to make a fifty-six degree turn to make the next four thousand feet. I can assist, if needed."
"Naw. I can drive this beauty by myself. Yuna, call in the Besaid Airship Harbor and tell 'em we're commin' in early." Cid instructed. Yuna nodded and placed a pair of headphones over her ears. A screen of a brown haired woman appeared.
"Who is this?" The woman demanded. Yuna looked at her coolly.
"This is the Shera asking permission to enter the Besaid Harbor six hours early. We are catching the south-southeast monsoon." Yuna rattled off. The woman looked down, mumbled something, and looked back up.
"Yes. We can change that. Six hours you said?" Yuna nodded. "OK, we'll see you then." Yuna exited the woman from her computer screen and looked at Cid severely.
"Cid, why are we going to Besaid?" Cid turned the wheel in his hand, and looked down.
"I have to pick up cargo, get repairs, and let you explore. But Besaid is the first place for racers to sign on to sponsors. I've offered to sign on two." Yuna turned her attention back to the computer screen.
"Cid….what does 'Marienkind' mean?" Yuna asked softly. Cid's head jerked up and blinked unintelligently at Yuna.
"What? Where did you come up with that?" Yuna caressed locks of her snowy-white hair and ducked her head.
"It came into my head, like a forgotten memory. Like it was something I needed to know. What does it mean?" She reiterated.
"Child of Mary. Yuna, don't think about it too much. I'll figure it out. Just keep your eyes peeled." Yuna nodded slowly and began to type on the computer. She wondered why Marienkind popped into her head. More questions flooded to her. What was Zanarkand? Who was Baralai? She shook her head. Maybe Kimahri was performing a voodoo ritual on her.
"Yuna!" Yuna looked up to Sister. Sister had her hands on her hips, and her brown hair twisted in her fingers. Her blue eyes flashed hazardously.
"Yes, Sister?" Yuna asked. She stood up and cracked her neck.
"Cid says to change!" Sister ordered. Yuna nodded her head shortly and looked to the computer clock. Five and a half hours had gone by. She shut down the computer and left the Control Room and walked the short distance to her room. Bambi was in Yuna's clothes, dragging a heavy jacket to Yuna's bed.
"Bambi, what are you doing? You know quite well I don't wear dresses." Yuna crossed her arms over her chest. Bambi stomped on Yuna's foot gently.
"Jeez! Yuna, Besaid is a very aristocratic state. They demand women to wear dresses. I though you knew that." Bambi chirped, her voice holding a tone of chiding. Yuna gently picked up Bambi and placed her on the oak desk, near the book Cid had gotten her. Yuna walked back to her bed and picked up the dress Bambi had dragged out for her. The skirt of the dress was a deep forest green and the top was a crème white. A tight, leather corset went around her lower chest, over her shoulders and tied in the front with a black, lace ribbon.
Tight, black, thigh length knee socks and ankle length boots with one inch heels adorned her legs. She grabbed the jacket Bambi was unsuccessfully trying to drag over to Yuna's bed. The coat was a creamy white, and dark brownish-grey fur adorned the lapels. The upper arm of the sleeves was the same brownish-grey; the rest of the sleeve was decked out in a leather, black gauntlet. She had kept two small clumps of hair on either side of her head and pulled some of her hair up and clipped it with a phoenix shaped hair brooch studded with emeralds and made of silver.
She looked to Bambi and turned her head to a mirror. She dropped her eyes to the desk and grabbed a sleek, black two tone m9 military pistol and placed it in the deep pocket of the trench coat. She pulled a drawer open and pulled out a knife wrapped around in iron wire. She tucked that in her other pocket and looked at Bambi.
"This is satisfactory?" She murmured. Bambi nodded.
"Yup-yup! Ohhh, you have a new e-mail!" Bambi chirped. "Umm. I'll let you check it later. I think it's the pistol upgrade from the BM." Yuna nodded and pulled a small bag from the drawer. She grabbed three magazines of bullets, Gil, and a pocket watch. She tucked the pouch in-between the corset and her dress.
Kimahri knocked on her door and slowly entered. Kimahri was dressed in a claret male kimono with a forest green obi with a golden-bronze border and a golden-brown over kimono. His grey hair was placed in a tight braid and a sheathed poleax was slung on his back, the iron spearhead glinting in the fluorescent white light.
"Yes, Kimahri? What is it?" Yuna solicited. Kimahri looked at Yuna's room.
"Cid informed me that I was to guard you and be an escort for the duration of our stay on Besaid." Kimahri instructed in a bored tone. Yuna blinked and sighed.
"When are we disembarking?" Yuna queried, smoothing invisible wrinkles in her dress.
"Now." Kimahri replied. Yuna kissed Bambi on her head and followed Kimahri, closing the door behind her. As she walked, she thought. She thought about that sort of feeling of precognition. She checked the hair brooch with her hand and ran her fingers down her snowy locks. Why were the suppressed feelings of worry, uneasiness and happiness awakening? She stopped for a moment. After a moment of hesitation, she entered the Control Room.
The Dancing Glyph: Hotel (Qualifications for Racers) – Sky's Looking Glass
The Dancing Glyph was a large hotel, consisting of five floors. The first floor was separated into three large parts, a bar/diner, a recreational room and a large ball room/dining room. The bar/diner was a warm wine-red with a dark cherry/oak bar counter and shelves filled with wine, and spirits. Tall bar stools with soft cushions around the bar counter, and twenty circular tables made of dark oak or cherry spanned the room. Chandeliers made of wrought iron and black steel studded with light bulbs circled the ceiling. Red, green, crème and clear pieced together stained glass windows circled the bar/diner room. Pictures of aeons of Valefor, Shiva, Ixion, Ifrit, Bahamut, Yojimbo, Anima and the Magus Sisters decorated the walls and black and white pictures of random people. Wooden railing and stairs separated the bar/diner from the recreational room.
The recreational room was peacock green, blue and purple, mixed together in a marble print. Dark cherry tables swathed the room, with small oil lamps surrounded by red roses, pink hibiscus and violet begonias. Pots of tall, evergreen shrubs and bushes stood stoic around the room. Stained glass windows of angels, peacocks, unicorns, phoenixes and Sendings; painted green, blue, purple, silver and clear, adorned the walls. Chandeliers made of crystal, porcelain, and diamonds were chained to the ceiling, slight breezes causing the delicate stone to shimmer and touch each other. Pictures of royalty legions and of Hierarchs enveloped the walls. Table with silk and velvet table cloths and velvet backed chairs were evenly placed around the room. Small statuettes of aeons were positioned around the large room in confronting and fashionable ways. Obsidian glass doors with silver outlines of Shiva and Yojimbo separated the recreational room from the ballroom.
The ball room was painted marble white, light pearly pink, and light silver; complete with marble pillars with icons of nymphs, dryads, naiads, pixies, fairies, and demons. Chandeliers made of nothing but teardrop pearls, crystals and diamonds with find wires of gold. Marble statues of Shiva, Yojimbo and Ixion were dotted about the extravagant room. Tables painted silver, gold and bronze were placed two yards from the wall. Satin and lace table cloth adorned by plastic bouquets of roses and begonias covered the wooden tables and metal chairs with velvet cushions were placed around the tables. Stained glass windows of angels, aeons, and princesses; colored gold, silver, bronze and clear, were studded on the walls. Diamond-pained doors lead to a fragrance, indoor garden.
The garden was surrounded by a nearly non-existent glass dome. Broken pieces of conglomerate stone and cobble stone made a path, grass squeezing in-between the cracks between the stones. Trees of cherry blossoms, crap apples, Japanese Weeping Willows, begonias, roses, hibiscus, geraniums, and other colorful flowers made sweet-smelling aroma, and benches, fountains and statues of ceramic were dotted through out the garden and a small gazebo was in the heart of the garden where a fountain was in the middle, clean enough for drinking.
The second floor was a consistence of a kitchen, servants, and store rooms. The three other floors were made up of rooms. After the turn of the seventeenth century, multiple eruptions of volcanoes and earthquakes had unearthed a large portion of fertile land, connected directly to Besaid had made the island much larger (1). The island was separated into different districts, each appropriated named after their uses for the island. But in the current time frame, the Market District was the most popular, mostly because of the Racers. And the most popular place was the Dancing Glyph, and that's were Yuna was located.
She set the glass of wine down on the bar counter and looked blankly at the different urns of wine and spirits. The mahogany liquid moved smoothly as it sloshed gently in the cusp of the glass. Small bubbles rose to the surface slowly. She gently wrapped a delicate hand around the stem of the glass and raised it to her lips. She was told to wait here, wait for Cid and the two Racers he was sponsoring. Kimahri was sitting beside her, looking blankly at the sake he had ordered and paid a grand total of three Gil. Her wine was seven Gil, pretty cheap in such a nice place, though it was understandable due to the fact the hotel brought in millions of Gil each day. She had placed her knife surrounded by wire on the counter next to her unoccupied hand, a delicate threat to any male for them to stay away. Kimahri was an obvious threat on his own with his well muscled body, practiced glare, and sharp poleax that lay innocently on his back, restrained by a leather strap.
"Kimahri, is Cid anywhere near our current premises within seeing or striking view?" Yuna queried quietly, rubbing her finger against the lip of the wine glass. She reached her hand into her jacket, and touched the m9 military pistol, just for reassurance. Kimahri looked up from the large glass and took rectangular frames off his face, placing them next to his cup. He looked around the crowded bar/diner, the pupils of his eyes dilating and expanding.
"No, there is no sign of Chief Cid. But he will be here soon. But, Yuna, why do you express worry? That emotion is usually suppressed." Yuna took the wine glass and held it up to the light, and marveled at how the light delicately infiltrated the dark liquid.
"I know that my emotions of hate, anger, loathing, bitterness, and other spiteful emotions were completely eliminated. I also know that my emotions of annoyance, love, worry, and sadness were just merely suppressed as a cautious logic. I have no probable proof why my previously suppressed emotions are awakening." Yuna replied. Kimahri looked around once more before bowing his head in an almost embarrassed motion.
"Is it possible for an android or cyborg to fall into the feeling of love?" He muttered quietly. Yuna looked at the crisply dressed bartender, whom was wiping a glass freakishly clean and turned back to Kimahri.
"It is unenviable for an android like me to fall into love. Each emotion – even jealously, hate and anger – are needed to keep a solid relationship. Yes, it is possible for a battle android like you to fall into love because emotions such as anger and even jealousy are programmed and suppressed in your genetic coding and DNA. While the relationship may not be fully stable, it is indeed probable." Yuna responded mildly. Kimahri gave Yuna a small grin and picked his cup of sake up.
"I believe I am going to mingle with the others to see if I can glean any information." Kimahri announced. Yuna nodded and began to look around for her father. She felt him sit beside her before she laid eyes on him. He was a blonde with golden-bronze/beige hair that was short and a goatee went around his mouth and under his nostrils. It was nothing more than peach fuzz and his hair flopped lazily around his face. His eyes were a sharp, crystalline sapphire blue. His skin was a healthy island tan and well muscled. He was wearing a pair of black shorts, and a yellow jersey. He seemed to be about nineteen.
"Hello, there. Who are you?" He asked casually. Yuna quirked an eyebrow and sipped at her wine. The man blinked at her.
"Fru yni oui?" He tried again. Yuna pierced him with a gaze by wintry eyes.
"So hysi ec Yuna." She replied in a monotone voice. "E cbayg Lussuh." The man laughed.
"The name's Tidus. Why didn't you speak Common the first time?" Yuna grabbed her knife-wire and tucked it into her jacket. Tidus held up two fingers and the bartender handed him a cup of sake.
"I didn't wish to speak to you." She articulated matter-of-fact. Tidus chocked on his drink and looked at Yuna dumbly.
"Why not? I'm one of the best Racers in the world!" He howled. Yuna's left eyebrow twitched. Her hand reached for the knife-wire. She wasn't angry; God have mercy if she ever did; she was highly annoyed. Tidus must have caught her vibe of annoyance because he slowly stood up, ready to bolt…
"Yuna!" Yuna's head gently inclined as Cid waved his hand, behind him was a man. Cid and the man walked over to Yuna and Tidus. Cid looked at Tidus and gave him a nod.
"Ah, good. Yuna, I see you have already met Tidus, this is Baralai. These are the men I'm sponsoring. Tidus controls the guns and Baralai is the driver." Cid said in a quick introduction. Yuna looked at Baralai. He had spiky, queer silvery-grey hair that traveled down to his chin, bangs framed his face and a small goatee was on his chin. His eyes were a sharp onyx-grey. Baralai's skin was a deep caramel with a well muscled body. He was wearing a pair of black pants and a crème colored jacket, he wore no shirt. He seemed to be around twenty-two.
"It is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance." Yuna stated in a monotone voice. Baralai stuck his hand out and firmly gripped Yuna's hand in his own.
"Pleasure to meet you as well." Baralai replied. Yuna looked at her father with a severe gaze.
"What am I suppose to do?" She demanded. Cid looked at her before laughing nervously and rubbing the back of his neck. Yuna crossed her arms.
"Well, darlin', I want you to keep the boys safe from those fans of theirs." Cid stated. Yuna nodded and went back to her drink. Baralai and Tidus sat on either side of her, both of them drinking sake. Yuna removed her pocket watch from the satchel she placed under her corset and opened the top.
"Yo! Baralai!" Tidus called. Baralai looked up.
"What is it, gunner boy?" Baralai asked. Tidus bristled at the name of his occupation of his Racing status.
"Look, those dorky Knights of the Sacred Glyphs are coming this way." Tidus sneered as three men approached. One man had bright burnt orange hair, another had icy-blue hair and the last had sandy-blonde hair. When they were a few yards away, the trio of men bowed awkwardly to Yuna.
"We have felt you aura reach out and grab us and pull us to you!" The man with the orange hair proclaimed dramatically.
"I have no aura." Yuna replied. The orange haired man winced and laughed anxiously. The man with the blue hair moved forward.
"I'm sorry about Wakka. My name is Seymour. You are a Berserker, are you not? The blood called to my Berserker blood." Seymour queried. Yuna took a sip of her wine.
"Yes, I am a Berserker. What is it you want?" Yuna replied. Baralai and Tidus exchanged looks.
"We were wondering if you would like to join the Knights of the Sacred Glyphs. We've been wanting to recruit another Berserker." Seymour responded.
"That would be quite problematic. I live and work on an airship. There would be no probable way for me to join." Yuna objected. Seymour's face broke out in a grin.
"That's even better. There are temples all around Spira. You can visit all of them. You can an ambassador." Seymour argued a smile plastered across his pale, tattooed face.
"Fine. I shall join." Yuna responded crisply.
"Good, the first meeting is the day after tomorrow. See you then." Seymour and his allies turned on their heels and left. Yuna turned back to her drink, ignoring Baralai's incredulous gaze and Tidus' muffled laughter.
"See you ingrains later. I'm going to have fun." Tidus called and walked away, mingling with the females. Baralai turned to look at the strange albino girl. She turned her wintry gaze on him. Baralai froze.
"What is it?" She demanded.
"Why did you agree, little Neige?" Baralai asked. Yuna looked at him.
"I was supposed to join. It was already preordained." Yuna replied. Baralai shook his head and drank the rest of his sake. Yuna frowned a bit and looked to Baralai.
"Little Neige?" She stated. Baralai looked up and grinned.
"It means 'little snow'. You don't mind, do you?" Yuna shook her head. Baralai gave her a small smile. "So, little Neige, tell me about Cid and his airship."
Besaid Island (Valefor) Temple – Valefor's Eyes
The Holy Temple of Aeon and Fayth Valefor formed a rough shape of a rectangle with two half-circles on all four sides, made entirely of cobblestone and flagstone. Most of the large rectangle was a prayer room, colored a sober black-brown. In the middle of the prayer room was an encryption of a half-woman, half-phoenix. The encryption had two large parchment colored wings with splotches of light forest green and blood red, the wings were mounted on the back of a female with vibrant red hair and dark brown skin. The woman wore an indigo dress, red fringing the edges and the bottom of the skirt an icy-blue, and a single tombstone hid the females feet. A gold bell was above the woman's head and thick crimson tubes were on either side of the bell. The encryption was painted in vibrant colors. On the walls and most of the floor in close proximity of the fortification were stone and wooden benches, filled to the brim with statues of Goddess and Gods, their faces were worn away, only remnants of the nose, and shape of the lips visible on the stony faces.
On the right and left walls were two wooden double doors, one with a depiction of Valefor with a rising sun in the background and the other of a dark Valefor (2) with a crescent moon in the backdrop. Two statues of Valefor touching claws welcome priest, priestesses and shrine maidens into the rooms. Each room was split into three bedrooms, all branching off from a small prayer room with a circular table in the middle and cushions surrounding the desk. Red and gold treasure chest filled with Holy Water, Golden Needles and Sacred Water swathed the room, and banners, candle sticks stood stoic in corners.
In the back wall of the large rectangular sanctum was a staircase covered in red velvet, above the stair case was a balcony, the tip of the lanai coming down to create the face of Valefor, her wise eyes looking severely at her worshippers. The lanai sparked off the sides and figured a statue of Valefor, wings wide and welcoming on each side. Behind the large, granite double doors lead to the Labyrinth to the Fayth, where the meeting of the Knights of the Sacred Glyphs were held.
Yuna met Seymour, Gippal – the blonde Knight – and Wakka. Seymour was dressed in the vestments of white, green and orange – colors of an acolyte – with an extravagant headdress. Wakka was dress in the crimson uniform of the Crimson Blades, and a sword in a sheathe at his hip. Gippal was dressed in the standardized clothing of a worker in the Machina Fraction. Yuna was dressed in the black thigh length knee-socks, the black boots, and jacket, but had changed into a thigh length dark blue dress that went an inch above the knee socks. The skirt was the dark blue and the top a dark crème color, and the same black corset circled around her chest.
Seymour nodded to Yuna as she stopped at the base of the stairs. Seymour, Wakka and Gippal bowed slightly. Seymour moved forward, Yuna noticed a book tucked securely under his arm. Yuna shook Seymour's hand, looking at the book and nothing else. Seymour followed her gaze.
"Oh. This is the Apocrypha of Zanark. Our scared tome you might say." Seymour stated, holding the Apocrypha of Zanark out for Yuna to hold. Yuna took the Apocrypha in her hands and looked at the depiction on the front of the blood-red book. The Apocrypha was three inches thick, the pages leaf thin, made of parchment. A rectangular silver clasp held the book close; no keyhole was obvious on the clasp. The depiction was a circle, colored a granite gray. In the very centre of the loop was a dark indigo ring, and three smaller rings within the indigo, colored burnt orange, lime green and lemon yellow. Golden-brown wings spanned the indigo ring and a large indigo ring was inside the three smaller ones. Thick lines of pink spanned the indigo circle, a light pink loop followed after the indigo circle and a acid green circle finished the inside of the circle, a large symbol of Yu Yevon in the centre. People surrounded the glyph, only their backs showing, some people had dark skin, other wore dresses, and others gripped each other like lovers. Around the people were the gentle look of waves, colored burnt orange, tarnished gold and indigo (3).
Yuna touched the book like a lover. Her fingers traced the glyph, and touched the individual people's backs. The Apocrypha seemed to thrum under her touch, almost as if it had its own pulse. Yuna reached for the clasp, grasped it in her thumb and pointer finger and gently pried it open with ease. The Apocrypha's pages began to ruffle and in a beautifully deep, throbbing, masculine voice; someone spoke.
"Tis the scared glyph thou barest. Tis named 'Apocrypha of Zanark. It sacrifices stray souls to summon unearthly forces. Unearthly forces shall obey and serve thee (4). Tis both the hand of integrity and inequality. Tis the creature of existence and bereavement. Tis the knowledge of Zanarkand, the Holy Capital. Let the bearer bring the atonement and punishment to the sinners." The voice fell silent as the book closed itself, the clasp closed with a small ting. Yuna caressed the book once more and kissed the book gently.
"Why…? How…? What was that?" Wakka stuttered, backing away from Yuna slowly. "The Apocrypha has never opened for anyone else." Yuna looked at the book and gently tucked the book under the corset.
"I am the bearer of the Apocrypha of Zanark. We must not speak of this every again. Now don't we have a meeting to attend?" Yuna posed quietly, coldly. Wakka ran up the stairs and pushed to heavy, granite doors open and disappeared into the stone maze. Yuna looked at the shell shocked Seymour and Gippal. Gippal's mouth was open, looking at Yuna dumbly and nodded.
"Yeah. Sure. What ever you say mistre, I mean Yuna! I'll see you later Seymour. I think I'm suffering from subliminal brain damage." Gippal raised his pointer and middle finger to his temple and walked up the stairs in a drunken fashion. Seymour looked at Yuna as she calmly gazed back at him.
"Yes?" She whispered softly to Seymour. Seymour brushed his icy-blue hair from his eyes and swallowed.
"We – we'll have to wait until the elevator gets back. Now beyond those doors and below the elevator is the Cloister of Trials. The Cloister is a maze of the sorts, I believe I should show the way…?" Seymour purred, musing at the strange Albino girl in front of him.
"No. I can find my way. She calls to me." Yuna informed him in a snappish tone and walked up the velvet covered stairs and easily pushed the granite doors that had a depiction of Valefor open. A narrow hallway decorated with glyphs met Yuna's gaze and a circular chamber was at the very end. In the very centre of the circular room was a bronze elevator with tubes going straight up to make a handrail. In the heart of the bronze elevator was a black-inked symbol of the Besaid Island Temple.
As Yuna approached the elevator, a portion of the handrails came down and Yuna stepped inside. Seymour easily cleared the railing and jumped inside as the elevator began to descend. Seymour gripped the metal bar in his hand as he took in large gulping breaths.
"Please…don't…do that…again…" Seymour begged, gasping for breath. Yuna gave him a slightly amused gaze and looked at the cobblestone walls filled with graffiti of different Temple glyphs and snippets of holy words echoed deeply within the temple, sounding both masculine and feminine. Black glyphs danced provocatively and tauntingly around the two Knights.
"OK. Now, Yuna, when we get into the Chamber of the Fayth, there are a number of steps to become a Knight. Firstly you must go to the Spirit Glass, cut your wrist and let blood flow onto the Glass. Then you will become a true Knight. OK?"
"Understood." Yuna replied as the elevator went to a screeching halt. A long hallway stretched out in front of Yuna, brackets of gold and silver wall lampposts swathed the entire hall, the gold and red flames greedily licked the soot and charcoal covered walls and glyphs were painted on the wall. Pictures of Valefor and her Fayth covered the walls and pillars stood stoic every few yards. At the very edge of the hallway were two, bland wooden doors, colored red and gold in alternating layers.
Yuna disembarked from the elevator and began to head to the wooden doors. Seymour walked cautiously behind Yuna, touching the walls lovingly. When Yuna touched the doors, they swung open on their own accord and welcomed Yuna.
Beyond the double doors was a single rectangular room made entire of pearly grey marble. Across from the stone arch, were the scars of a glyph burned into the wall. Illusions of glyphs danced across the room. A single staircase wound down to a lower level where a single protruding piece of marble held an acid green sphere. Another staircase wound around to pair of marble doors painted in blue, gold and red. Beyond the door was a long, spiraling path, different spheres leading to different rooms and right in the middle of the pathway was half an altar, with a single indent for a sphere. Beyond the illusion wall was a large square room, holding hanging bronze dense bowls holding hallowed water and floating candles in the shapes of lilies and violets. Statues of Valefor and other goddess dotted the room and large candlesticks with burning candles casted a warm glow across the floor. A circular elevator similar to the one at the very top stood stoic below the wall across from the illusion wall.
Yuna traversed her way through the Cloister of Trials, Seymour placidly walking behind her. When they arrived at the elevator, Yuna and Seymour embarked. The elevator met a smooth ride, until it began to reach the bottom where the elevator scratched at the walls. At the end of the elevator shaft was a large room, the same size of the room above. It was covered entirely of claret velvet and large basins of hallowed water scattered the room. Paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, floating candles hung from the lanterns. A small staircase led up to a small platform where a shield-shaped door made entire of gold and rubies was located. Beyond the door were leaf thin crimson dragonfly wings and beyond the dragon's wings was the chamber.
The chamber was of medium size, a gaping arroyo of three feet led down to the deepest bowls of the Farplane separated the Chamber from the silky smooth walls. In the center of the gold platform was an ocher glass dome surrounded by ruby inlayed glyphs of the Besaid Temple. Within the dome was the same encryption as the one in the Temple's entrance. Gold light pulsated from the dome and an eerie blue light echoed from the chasm. Four other people, excluding Wakka, Gippal and Seymour, surrounded the dome. Yuna looked at each one, two black mages, one white and one blue. The mages parted and let Yuna walk onto the dome.
She took the knife from her jacket pocket and placed it gently at the tip of her wrist. With slow movements, Yuna perforated a small fissure and let a small flow of droplets fall from her lacerated wrist. The dome began to pulsate. The Hymn of the Fayth echoed in beautiful voices. Yuna backtracked off the dome as the gold light began to grow more vivid than ever. The mages, Gippal, Wakka and Seymour covered their eyes as Yuna remanded stoic. A silhouette of a woman become visible as a shadow appeared.
"Who are you?" Yuna demanded, looking at the shadow with severity. The light began to diminish, the specter initiating to plausible viewing. When the entirely of the woman was finished forming, everyone – not including Yuna – bowed. The Knights began to pray and sing the songs of Valefor's beloved Fayth as the Fayth looked at each person.
"Eris. I am Eris (5)." Eris was tall, almost as tall as the real form of Valefor, her body was covered with taught and well formed muscles. Her body was a dark caramel, though her upper torso and arms were dusted in a thick layer of gold dust. Her abdomen was enveloped in a dark wine red, her legs were colored a violet-blue and her face was swathed in a silver mask with all the attributes of a human face. Her eyes were almond shaped and her lips firm, and her nose was perfectly curved. Two large parchment colored wings – exact copies of Valefor's – erupted from her back and three hooks came from her shoulders in curving thorns that gently scratched at her face. From the left hooks were four golden loops were chained together. Eris had long, tumbling wine hair that ended in snowy white strands and a golden tattoo of the Besaid Temple was on the forehead of Eris' mask. A large indigo and wine red tail came from Eris' posterior. To Yuna, Eris was extremely beautiful.
Yuna stretched her hand out, offering her wrist to Eris' talons, if Eris found Yuna unpleasing. Eris took Yuna's hands into her claws and rubbed Yuna's palm with a golden talon.
"I have been waiting for so long for my savior. The one to take my name and take my crest. Are that woman? Are you Her?" Eris mumbled, words only meant for Yuna to hear, gently scratching Yuna's cheek. Yuna looked at Eris with an innocent gaze.
"Yes. I am that woman, I am ready." Yuna responded. Eris smiled and from her very soul took a crest from her breast. Yuna took the crest and looked at her new relic. It was made of pure gold, and made of ruby, topaz, silver and indigo quartz inlays that formed the exact same picture of the Fayth. Yuna gently shoved the crest under her corset, beside the Apocrypha and looked back to Eris. Eris smiled gently and took Yuna's hand in her own. She gently ran her talon across Yuna's wrist and did the same to her own. Eris then placed her wrist of Yuna's and let their blood mixed. Eris breathed in deeply and healed Yuna's wrist.
"Your name is now Eris, Yunalesca-Eris. I am now Valefor. I can finally rest in peace. Farewell, Yuna-Eris." Valefor stated weakly, and bowed before Yuna. In a wisp of golden light, the apparition vanished. Yuna took the crest from her corset and looked at it. Her brow furrowed; she turned the gold cartouche over. In delicate twilight blue writing wrote out the letters of Yunalesca-Eris. She tucked the crest back in her corset and turned around at the awed Knights. The seven Knights bowed their torsos. Yuna looked at them.
"Do not bow to me. Your loyalty only belongs to Valefor. Pray and worship her, not me. I shall visit the temple as soon as I can. Farwell, I believe this meeting is terminated." Yuna verified. She turned on her heel and gracefully promenaded out of the Chamber of the Fayth.
Besaid Island Racing Port (Baralai & Tidus' Hangar) – Heaven's Weeping Eyes
The racing port was located at the Southeast part of the island. The racing port was rather large, taking up more than thirty-nine square miles. The port held a small hangar for each team (one from every island, city and small republic). A large practice racing track was located southeast to the hangars and tune-up shops, accessory shops and hotels were located to the southwest of the hangars.
Baralai and Tidus' hangar was next to the chicken-wire fence, the team's name Painful Oblivion was emblazed in silver and black coloring. Inside the hangar was a large room, used to hold the racing car. Two staircases went on either side of the back wall and met vertically to make a small catwalk. Two rooms made the upstairs, one on the far left and the other on the far right. The one on the left was Baralai's and the one on the left was Tidus'. Baralai's room consisted of a simple military style cot, a desk, a dresser and a simple potted plant. Tidus' was much more lively, having pictures of famous female actresses, singers and spokes models. He, too, had a bed, a dresser, and a desk, but no potted plant. Each room had a small bathroom. On the lower level of the hangar was the den that had a few lounge chairs, a couch, a table and a Comm. Sphere, and the small kitchen.
Most of the hangar was used to hold the Deus Ex Machina. The Deus Ex Machina was roughly in the shape of a hang glider with a bottom, sides, a back and a front and two long wings in three different sections. It was made of stainless steel and the Painful Oblivion logo on each side. An automatic machina gun was on the front, and two on each side. Two cockpits were in the heart of the Deus Ex Machina, the one in the front was for Baralai, the driver, and the back cockpit was for Tidus, the gunner. A myriad of buttons and joysticks swamped the front cockpit and two joysticks were located in the back cockpit.
The Painful Oblivion's logo was a silhouette of a woman with a cat's tail and ears, and a lion's claws, sitting on her buttocks, with one paw holding a large sword that was pointed down to the ground. Her cat's tail was wrapped around the hilt and two demonic wings came from the cat-woman's back. The uniforms for Painful Oblivion were varied between Baralai and Tidus. Baralai wore black pants and a black jacket with the logo sewn on the back. Tidus wore black shorts and a silver jerkin with the logo sewn on the back.
The Painful Oblivion was known for their ruthlessness and daring racing style of breaking rules and making a few rules of their own. And fans loved daring racer and often fell into a one-sided love and would try to snag the racers in a web of complements. Because of those dangers, Baralai and Tidus needed constant protection and that's where Yuna came in. Yuna was the wayward guardian and protected her protégés like a lioness would protect her cubs. She never showed herself until needed, and she was often found pouring over the Apocrypha of Zanark.
As a large race was coming closer and closer, Baralai and Tidus were often found cleaning and working on the Deus Ex Machina and in a rare passing; sometimes Yuna could be seen helping.
Yuna looked at the tin of sickly grey grease and handed a rag to Baralai. She stood up and looked down at Baralai.
"You have visitors, Baralai. Shall I turn them away, or permit them to enter?" Yuna queried, her hand traveling to her gun.
"Who are they?" Baralai asked. Yuna closed her eyes.
"There are three girls. One named Hikarae – a Dark Songstress, Shizuka – a Fire Songstress and Yuma – an Ice Songstress. Shall I turn them away, Baralai?" Yuna reiterated. Baralai stood up and sauntered over to the large, metal double doors and kicked them open and looked at the three Songstresses. Hikarae had black hair and red-violet eyes, in her hands was an indigo wand with the top in the shape of a microphone. She was dressed in a blue Songstress (6a) uniform. Shizuka had vibrant auburn hair and blazing bronze eyes and dressed in a yellow Songstress (6b) uniform, in her hands was a wand with a music note shaped top. Yuma had light blonde hair and icy-blue eyes and dressed in a white Songstress (6c) uniform, in her hand was a wand with a snowflake shaped top. Yuna looked at each of them in turn, her hand traveling to grab her wire wrapped knife.
"Hikarae, Shizuka, Yuma what is it you desire? This hangar is closed to non-racers. Be gone before I must use unneeded force." Yuna commanded. The three girls regarded Yuna coldly.
"How do you think you can stop us? We are accomplished Songstress Mages. We are fully trained and we demand to see our loves!" Hikarae mocked. Yuna looked at the three girls with a bored, non-caring gaze.
"Have you ever fought a Berserker immune to magic?" Yuna demanded quietly. The three girls shook their heads.
"No. Berserkers are gone! Extinct!" Shizuka sneered. Yuna's head jerked up.
"Fools! You shall feel the pain of Berserker!" Yuna stated. She closed her eyes. A wind whipped through the hangar. A cherry blossom tree grew from the cement floor, the petals white and pink, the tree glowing an ethereal white. Cherry blossom petals began to ride the wind, coming from a large cherry blossom tree bloomed in white and light pink. Yuna's clothes began to disappear, being replaced by a fine coat snowy-white fur. Two cat ears perked at the top of a marvelous mane of snowy-white hair. Yuna's eyes were a pure twilight blue and beautiful claws grew from Yuna's fingernails and disappeared. Three whiskers grew onto Yuna's face and her delicate nose twitched. Twilight-blue stripes streaked Yuna's cheeks. Two demonic wings came from her back, flaring and dancing. Long fangs gleamed in the sunlight as Yuna let out a roar of ferocity, calling to the ancient ancestors for strength. Cold, pupil-less eyes looked at the three Songstresses.
"Do you still wish to fight this Berserker?" She stated in a calm voice, sounding like wind caressing silk and velvet. The three Songstresses gripped their wands. Yuna blinked her eyes slowly, licking her clawless hands with a delicate pink tongue.
"Dance of the Firewall!"
"Song of the Abyss!"
"Samba of the Blizzard!" Yuna continued to lick her paws, the spells flying off her like water off of glass. She clenched her right hand tightly and a second later reopened her hand with quick reflexes. Long claws came from her fingernails and shimmered the color of her aura – white, nothingness. Yuna slashed her hand to the side and the claws disappeared in beads of sharp spirit daggers, rushing to the Songstresses. The spirit daggers met their targets, tore through their bodies. And the girls withered in agony. Yuna blinked and looked to Baralai.
"What shall I do next, Baralai? Shall I kill them or wound them as a warning?" Yuna mused. Baralai looked at Yuna surprised.
"Just…wound them." Yuna nodded and brought her right hand up to her cheek, the fingers pointing to the ground. Long claws grew from her hands. The wings on her back dithered and beat, sending Yuna gracefully up into the wind. Once above the Songstresses, Yuna dove down and drove her claws through Hikarae. The claws disappeared once they entered the Dark Songstress's body. Hikarae's eyes grew wide as blood pooled on the cement floor. Yuna loomed over Hikarae, her eyes sweeping over Shizuka and Yuma.
"If you do not want the same fate to befall you, leave right now. Hikarae will not die, she just needs a healer. Be gone, Shizuka, Yuma." Yuna instructed, her eyes regaining the black pupils and the whites. The fur vanished as her ivory pale skin came back, her ears receded and her wings grew back within her back. Shizuka and Yuma picked up their fallen ally and ran from the hangar. Yuna turned her back to the Songstresses and walked over to Baralai.
"Perpetrators are eliminated, Baralai." Yuna informed her protégé. Baralai grabbed Yuna's arm.
"Why did you ask me the Songstresses fate?" Baralai demanded softly. Yuna stared at Baralai serenely.
"Though you maybe my protégé, I still must listen to you, and obey your decisions." Yuna replied. Baralai blinked at Yuna as she breezed by him. She gave a curt nod as Tidus emerged from his bedroom and disappeared to God-knows-where. Tidus walked up to Baralai.
"What was that about?" Tidus mused. Baralai shrugged his shoulders and left in a swirl of jacket. The racer looked at his partner's retreating back and crossed his arms, bemused.
Painful Oblivion Hangar (1 week later) – God's Eyes
Yuna looked down at the package in her hands. It was square, wrapped in brown paper, the Painful Oblivion logo stamped on the paper in black wax. Baralai was standing in front of her, wearing the racing uniform, goggles around his neck and hands gloved.
"What is this?" Yuna muttered, slowly picking the wax off the coarse brown paper. Baralai grinned at Yuna.
"You're part of our team, Yuna. Open it." Baralai urged. Yuna tore the brown paper. "We tried to find the strongest material. We know you're going to be famous for getting into scraps." Yuna pulled out a pair of black shorts, a black military style jacket, an icy-pink tank top, and a thigh gun holster. Yuna picked up the tissue paper, pulling out a patch. She looked at the pink small sew-on patch of the Painful Oblivion logo.
"It is much appreciated, Baralai. Now, if you would leave so I can change?" Yuna murmured softly. Baralai turned on his heel and left. Yuna took off her dress, jacket and boots. The thigh-length knee-socks stayed on and on went the thigh-length shorts, the icy-pink tank top, the jacket and the boots. She strapped the gun holster on her thigh and placed the gun in the strong leather. She placed her knife in the right large breast pocket, and shoved the patch in the lower left pocket.
Yuna combed her hair and shook her mane of hair. She wandered over to the door and left. Baralai was leaning against the doorframe, dozing. Yuna cocked her head to one side and blinked. She walked up to Baralai and placed a cool hand on his shoulder and leaned towards him, her breath tickling his neck.
"Good luck, Baralai. I believe in you." She murmured lowly and gently shook him awake. Baralai's eyes fluttered open as he looked at Yuna, who was looking at him in her stoic way.
"The race will begin soon. Come, Baralai." Yuna urged and gently clasped Baralai's hand. Baralai's eyes widened as Yuna tugged him along, leading him to the racing track. Baralai glanced down at his and Yuna's clasped hands. He remembered that her hands were as dangerous as they were soft and warm. Yuna looked up at him and let his hand go as they neared the racing track. She gave him a curt nod and placed her hands in the two lower pockets and wandered to the sponsor seats.
"Today we have Bevelle's Painful Oblivion versus Luca's Miasma Poison!" The announcer blared out as Baralai and Tidus drove in Deus Ex Machina and Bickson and Graav – the Miasma Poison's racer and gunner – brought out Envenom, their gold machina with chicken-like legs (7) out onto the racing track. Yuna looked at Envenom severely. She turned to Cid.
"There is a 98.9999999999 percent chance that the Envenom will crash taking a sharp turn. And there is a 50.88888888889 percent chance Deus Ex Machina will be taken along with Envenom." Yuna stated in a wintry tone. Cid looked at Yuna, stricken and reached for his cell phone. Yuna halted his hands. She shook her head.
"No. This is a test of their strength and intelligence. If they win, they are worthy. If they loose, they are deemed useless." Yuna stated firmly, coldly. Cid sighed and cradled his head in his hands. Yuna rubbed his back.
"Cid, do not worry. Baralai and Tidus are very smart. I have seen their racing styles. They are satisfactory, and are almost in good light on my part. Cid, the race is starting. See how brave and astuteness my protégés are." Yuna soothed. Cid tore his head from his hands and looked panicked as the race started. His eyes stayed glued to Deus Ex Machina as they rounded the first shoulder, as Envenom drove ahead of Deus Ex Machina as Tidus used the machina guns to shoot the offending machina. Yuna blinked as Baralai jerked the machina to the right and weaved around the falling debris of the Luca's racers. Yuna drew her hand up just as Envenom was about to ram Deus Ex Machina. Every one held their breath as Baralai jerked Deus Ex Machina behind as Tidus began to shoot at the offending machina.
"Cid. They have won. Come, we are to go to the Winner's Circle." Yuna inculcated, standing up, gently dragging Cid with her. Cid looked at his winners and grinned widely and patted Yuna on the back. They walked down the cement stair, down across a dirt path, and into the winner's circle. Baralai and Tidus were both holding up a large, bronze award. Yuna walked up to Baralai and gently placed her pointer and middle finger on his coat cuffs.
"You are deemed valuable in my eyes. Do not let me nor Cid down." Yuna told him in a low tone, made for his ears only. She turned on her heel and made her way to leave. Baralai caught her sleeve cuff. Yuna turned and looked at Baralai. With a grin he kissed her forehead. Yuna gave him a hard gaze and turned away.
"I do not take well to failure, Baralai." She warned before she disappeared into the crowd. Baralai sighed and pushed his way over to Cid and Tidus – who were in a heated argument.
"Listen, Gramps, that is totally unfair! Why do we have to work on your airship!" Tidus howled. Cid scowled at Tidus.
"It's Cid, boy! C-I-D! Cid! Got that! C-I-D! Not 'Gramps'!" Cid shouted. Tidus gave Cid a dirty look.
"Fine…Gramps." He snorted. Cid 'hmphed' and crossed his arms. Baralai walked over Cid and Tidus and clapped Cid good-naturedly on the shoulder. Cid broke his glaring contest with Tidus and peered at Baralai. He grinned at Baralai and clapped him on the shoulders.
"Cid." A cool voice said. Cid turned to look at Yuna. "I am heading to the airship. Shall I take Baralai and Tidus with me?" Cid nodded and pushed Baralai to Yuna. Yuna gripped Baralai's cuffs and leaned over and grabbed Tidus by the wrist. She tugged and began to walk out of the racing track, blandly ignoring the fans of Baralai and Tidus.
The Shera – God's Eyes
"This is your room." Yuna's cold voice informed the two racers. Baralai looked at his new room. The room was painted midnight black with a silver border of leaves and Celtic knots. Two beds were on either side, built into the wall and colored black with silver fleece blankets and pillows covering the soft downy mattress. Drawers were built into the beds. A desk with a book case on either side was crammed in a corner. Yuna looked at the room with unwavering eyes.
"Cid made the room especially for you. Your luggage will be here soon." Yuna swiveled on his heel and went to leave through the sliding door. "If you need me, my room is right next to yours." Baralai grabbed Yuna's black jacket's cuffs.
"Where are you going?" Baralai questioned, curious. Yuna pulled the Apocrypha and the Crest out of her pocket. She looked at the items in her ivory pale palms, a strange quality of innocent curiosity about her.
"I am going to my room. I am currently trying to uncover the secrecy of the book. If you truly desire so, you may join me." Yuna replied, touching the sliding door. Baralai looked at Tidus and followed Yuna. Outside Yuna looked at Baralai and led to him to her room. She touched her door and entered her room.
"Yunie! I've missed you!" A cheerful voice chirped. Yuna looked down and picked up a bunny from the floor. Yuna kissed the bunny's head and smiled at it. Baralai looked at the creature and Yuna. So his little Neige had a weak spot? A chink in her iron-clad amour? Yuna caught his air of surprise. She froze him with an icy gaze.
"Cid gave her to me. I have every right to love her. Bambi, it is wonderful to see you once again." Yuna replied in a balmy tone. She set Bambi down on her bed and looked at Baralai. "You said you would help. Sit down." Baralai quickly crossed the room and assembled on the soft, downy bed. She pulled the Apocrypha and the crest from her pocket. She took Baralai's hand and placed it over the book.
"This is the Apocrypha of Zanark. It is a sacred book of the once forgotten city of Zanarkand." Yuna placed his other hand on the crest. "This is the Crest of Valefor. The Fayth of Valefor – once named Eris – gave it to me as a gift of taking her curse away. The curse of being apart from her significant other – Valefor. I was given her name as well." Baralai felt the book thrum under Yuna's touch. With loving hands, Yuna opened the Apocrypha and flipped through the leaf-thin pages.
"This is the page that unlocks all the secrets of Besaid." Yuna explained, pointed to a drawing of Valefor. She placed the crest on the drawing, roving the crest about. Baralai watched in amazement as the book grew several inches thicker. Yuna looked at Baralai and placed the crest on the bed.
"Drec ec hyikrd pid dra kmunq uv Besaid. Oy ymm py fynhat dra pintah crymm pa knayd. 'This is naught but the glory of Besaid. Ye all be warned the burden shall be great'." Yuna translated, running her fingers down the long line of Al Bhed.
"But why is it in Al Bhed?" Baralai questioned.
"Most of it is in Al Bhed because that was the universal language before Bevelle took hold." Bambi chirped. Yuna was busy reading the Apocrypha, her hands flitting over the paper as she turned page after page, absorbing information. Her twilight eyes flickered back and forth. Her body began to glow a fluorescent blue. Baralai laid a tentative hand on Yuna's shoulder.
"Yuna. Yuna! Yuna! Yuna, come out of it!" Baralai shook Yuna's shoulders. Yuna's head jerked up, the back colliding with Baralai's forehead. With a groan Baralai fell onto Yuna's bed, gripping his head in his hands. Yuna looked at Baralai as Bambi laughed in spiteful mirth.
"Baralai do not fear that glow. That glow is my magic…my aura now." Yuna explained as she snapped the book shut. Baralai kneaded his forehead.
"Damn! Little Neige! Bloody hell…ow….damn that hurts…" Baralai moaned. Yuna grabbed Baralai's forearm and yanked him upwards. She placed a cool hand on his forehead and dragged him to the door.
"Where are you taking me?" Baralai demanded, still wincing from his and Yuna's head-on-head collision. Yuna spared him a withering gaze.
"Wilhelm is a White Mage. He can cease your head pain." Yuna explained as she dragged him down the hall, stopping outside a door. She knocked three times, then once, then twice. She opened the door and pushed Baralai inside. The room was quite the same as Yuna and Baralai's though the theme was a calming peach and crème. A boy with white hair that looked strikingly like Yuna's and red-amber eyes was sitting on the peach colored blanket, a large book called Pride & Prejudice in his lap and a mug of coffee in his left hand.
"Wilhelm?" Yuna called, Wilhelm looked up and grinned at her. "Wilhelm this is Baralai. Baralai this is Wilhelm…my half-brother. Wilhelm, I have a patient for you." Baralai gaped at Yuna.
"Brother?" Yuna nodded as Wilhelm stood up and placed a pointer finger in the centre of Baralai's forehead. Wilhelm closed his eyes.
"Yes." He began; Wilhelm's voice was mellow and deep. "Yunalesca and I share the same father – Cid. We have different mothers. Yunalesca and I are illegitimate children of Cid. Kimahri, Brother and Sister are all of Cid's nieces and nephews."
"While Wilhelm and I are brother and sister, we believe Kimahri, Brother and Sister are our own siblings. But we know Wilhelm and I are Cid's favorites." Yuna replied, her musical, honest and wintry voice holding a rare moment of amusement.
"Yunalesca, he is suffering from a minor concussion. Did you happen to have a head-on-head collision?" Wilhelm questioned, amused. Yuna spared Wilhelm a warning glance.
"Wilhelm…" She warned. "Can you heal him?" Wilhelm smiled at his 'sister' and placed his palms on Baralai's temples. His hands glowed an amber-red as he murmured a long line of Latin words of Cure. Yuna looked up abruptly as Baralai fainted into Wilhelm's arms. Yuna walked forward and helped carry Baralai to Wilhelm's bed. Yuna placed her ivory pale hand on Baralai's dark caramel skin.
"Wilhelm…I do not want you to peer into my mind. I suffer displeasure when you do that. Send me a message of some kind before you enter. It is courtesy. And you did not have to knock Baralai out. He was not suspicious." Yuna chided. Wilhelm sighed.
"Yunalesca…we must keep our linage under serious protection. I will from now on, send a message. Now tell me, am I to come with you to the next Knight meeting?" Yuna nodded her head and let Wilhelm lay his head in her lap.
"What is your name now, Yunalesca?" Wilhelm murmured. Yuna wrapped her hands in Wilhelm's hair.
"Yunalesca-Eris." Yuna replied. Wilhelm sighed and buried his head deeper in Yuna's lap. Yuna preened his hair slowly, thinking. It was many hours later when Cid came upon Yuna laying on the bed discombobulated, her head laying in her arms, and Wilhelm resting his head on her stomach, his fingers curled in her black jacket. Cid looked at his 'children' and thought of only one thing:
"Damn. I really hope this isn't what it looks like."
Fin. first chapter.
Good bad or other wise? Ah, to help me with my story are my muses: Kaze and Riki. Riki is my muse of everything bad (drama, angst, horror, blah, blah, blah) and Kaze is my muse of all the good things (romance, humor, blah, blah, blah). So expect a lot of mystery, drama and dashes of romance. If you have any ideas, send them to me.
(1) Besaid is now the size of both Kilika and Besaid put together (holy crap, huh?)
(2) In Final Fantasy X-2, you have to fight all your old aeons, so in Bevelle….yeah that Valefor
(3) The mural in Final Fantasy X just before you fight Seymour (I think) or right before you enter Zanarkand, or if you have the strategy guide (like I do) just look through it, the mural is pretty much a bunch of people with their back to you
(4) I got the first part (Tis the scared glyph thou barest to Unearthly forces shall obey and serve thee) from the game Chaos Legion, except for the name, I do own that XD.
(5) Eris is one of the Greek goddess, more specifically the goddess of strife (rivalry), I though this would fit, because Valefor seems to be the weakest aeon, so you can imaged in the plane where the aeons are waiting to be called, there's rivalry between them, especially Valefor.
And special thanks to:
Miko no Kaze: Yeah, I actually did really think of Yuna actions, it took me a while (because I though of this idea in Driver's Ed and I had lots of time to burn) because I didn't want Yuna to be the same nice and genial Yuna we know, I really wanted her to be more cynical and colder. It took me a while to think of her reactions to other people, and not directly her family, I though since Cid was her creator/father, she should be kind and warm, and with the mail lady (someone she didn't know well) to be cold and to the point. I made her speech as correctly as possible because it just added to her direct personality. I'm glad this got you hooked from the start and I'm even more pleased how you're eager to see how this will turn out and I'm glad you like the concept. And by the way, does your user name happen to mean Priestess of Wind
ThePirateJilt: Hmm…I tend to do weird things, but I'm glad you like the story and that it intrigued you. Well renegade racer….the word renegade itself means rebel. And racer…so it is pretty much a racer that doesn't follow the rules to well and likes the taste of danger.
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