"Shion…will feeling pain make me complete?" KOS-MOS, Xenosaga Episode I
Chapter Two: Zanark's Looking-Glass / Cruel Tenshi
Food Market, Besaid Isle – God's Eyes
The Besaid food market was on the old property of the once small village of Besaid, before the giant earthquake that unearthed large amounts of land. The bazaar covered more than fifteen square miles of the old village with a small wicker fence encircling the large bazaar. The bazaar was like the old fashioned bazaars with the well-built wooden stands, the colorful tarps, and banners and the large, bold signs that expressed to the world what they were selling. In the middle of the bazaar was a giant fountain in the shape of Valefor, blood-red water spewing from its mouth and wing tips. Benches spaced the fountain and small food courts stood stoic in the street corners selling fish-and-chips, pizza, hot-dogs, corndogs, and hamburgers. The bazaar was loud, hustling, and reeked of take-out food. Then why were well-bred, arrogant Yuna and austere, rudimentary Cid in the bazaar?
Simple. The Shera had run out of all edible food, in Yuna's critical, pessimistic point of view. The crew was reduced to eating two week old pastries and drinking warm, fruity carbonated water. They had come alone, leaving the still sleeping Wilhelm behind to divulge his person in the later hours of the afternoon. Baralai and Tidus had offered to come, but being the winners of the Besaid Isle Minor Racing Legion had pushed their popularity sky-high. So Baralai was reduced to reading old racing magazines in his room. And Tidus would have been found cuffed to his bed, a large lump growing behind his ear – all courtesy to Yuna. So Yuna and Cid walked off the Shera and began the long shopping process of buying fruits – to Tidus' utmost horror – vegetables, water and other healthy food.
Yuna was looking at a wicker basket of strawberries, her mechanical eyes showing various readings about the sweet, red fruit. Cid was across the way, looking at carrots, radishes, and zucchini. Yuna placed the strawberries in a larger basket and scrutinized a crate of ripe blackberries. She added that to the basket and glanced down over her shoulder where a black, leather backpack lay innocently. Bambi, the Apocrypha, Valefor's crest and other do-dads lay inside the leather, ready to be used. She handed the purveyor a handful of Gil and moved to the next stand that sold cinnamon, nutmeg, basil and cloves.
"Now you look at that an' tell me that isn't a bruise!" Cid argued to a harassed-looking vendor. Yuna looked over her shoulder and left the spices stands behind, sauntering over to Cid. She placed a cool hand on his shoulder and looked at the purveyor.
"Sir, please forgive my father. I give my humblest apology. Cid, go to the spice purveyor. I want you to get one-and-a-half pounds of everything on this list." Yuna took a perfectly folded list with Yuna's perfectly and angular writing, handing it to Cid. Cid skimmed the list and nodded.
"Sure, darlin'. Be careful with this one. He smarter than those other ones." Cid warned before he trotted over to the spice stand. Yuna looked at the plastic basket Cid had left behind, filled with carrots, zucchini, turnips, radishes, lettuce tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. Beside the basket were heads of broccoli and cauliflower. Yuna picked the heads up and glanced at them. She picked two heads of each vegetable and placed them in the basket. She pulled out a handful of Gil and placed them on the counter.
"That is a satisfactory amount, I believe. Thank you for your cooperation." Yuna stated before adding the vegetables to the fruits. Cid was just finishing buying the last spice on the list – garlic – when Yuna walked up to him. The woman vendor was finishing dicing the garlic and placing it in a circular glass. Cid was blandly looking around, his arms crossed.
"Cid, we still need beverages. I will be right back." Cid nodded distractedly, watching as two woman fought over the last watermelon. Yuna walked away from Cid and walked down a little further. The stand she found sold coffee beans, bottled water, juice, milk and spirits. She looked at the bookcase that held the packet and bottles. She looked to the vendor and pulled out the bag of Gil.
"I would like five pouches of black coffee, two of mocha and one of decaf, please. As well as six packets of bottled water and six variety pack of fruit drinks, please." Yuna instructed, looking at the price list of the coffee, water and juice. The woman nodded and grabbed a burlap bag, gently packing the water and fruit followed by the coffee.
"Two thousand Gil, please." The woman intoned in a bored tone. Yuna took the coins out and placed them on the stand, taking the burlap sack in her left hand. The woman thanked her and placed the coins in the till. Yuna turned on her heel and promenaded through the throngs of people, heading to her father. The woman vendor of the spice stand just finished topping the garlic bottle when Yuna arrived. Cid looked at Yuna and grinned. The woman purveyor placed the potbellied bottle in a small stand and handed it to Cid. Cid pulled out his money bag and looked up at the woman.
"Five hundred Gil, please." The woman said in a dreamy, breathy voice, holding out a blue tattooed hand. Cid dropped five gold coins in the vendor's hands. The woman closed her palm over the Gil and opened the wooden box that was used for a till and dropped the currency inside. Cid handed Yuna the spices, which she tucked in the basket and placed his money bag in his deep pockets.
"Hungry, darlin'?" Cid questioned as the father and daughter made their way to the food court. Yuna nodded and looked at the different food stands. "What do ya want to eat then, Yunie?" Yuna's eyes rested on the fish-and-chips stand with the potbellied stove where the scent of fish lingered. Cid followed Yuna's gaze and peered at the stand, at the woman who was spicing the fish.
"Fish-and-chips, please." Yuna replied, sitting down at a small table with an umbrella above it, blocking the bright sunbursts from the pale faces of the inhabitants of Besaid and its tourists. Cid nodded and walked off to the food stand. Yuna plopped her black backpack on the table and pulled Bambi from the hot leather. Bambi hopped about, waving her chubby arms about, smiling at the sun, her floppy ears flapping in her eyes.
"That e-mail Seymour gave me, please let me read it once again." Yuna instructed. Bambi nodded and patted her round belly twice. A small screen the size of Yuna's two palms put together appearing in Bambi's short arms after the mechanical bunny patted her belly. Bambi handed the VDT to Yuna. Yuna read each line carefully about the store called the Amethyst Lily where Seymour said he found an object she might be interested in. Yuna tapped her peach painted fingernail on the screen, where it scrolled down to the last part of the e-mail. Yuna placed her thumb and pointer finger on the sides of her mouth, her brow furrowed. She handed the computer screen back to Bambi, who strangely ate the entire thing whole and looked at the on coming Cid with a wooden tray in his hands, two Styrofoam bowls filled to the top with fish-and-chips.
"Here ya go, darlin'." Cid said, handing Yuna on of the plastic bowls and a cup of mocha coffee. Yuna thanked him and gently picked up the food, stuck the tip of her tongue out and laid the fish on it, and gently brought it into her mouth, where she chewed it slowly, in slight awe of the taste. Yuna nodded at the taste and continued to eat, every once and a while taking a sip of coffee.
"Cid," Yuna began, Cid looked at his surrogate daughter, "after we drop the food off on the Shera, there is a shop I want to check out, with Wilhelm. May I go?" Cid nodded. Bambi snatched a piece from the bowl and began to munch on it, hopping around. Cid watched the bunny go round and round. He blinked his eyes and looked up at Yuna.
"Did you do this to her?" Yuna looked up and Cid then down at Bambi, who was purloining another snatchet of food. Yuna smiled at the bunny and gently scratched the bunny with her peach colored fingernails.
"Yes. I changed her main database by a small margin. She was like me, arrogant and cynical, so I changed her into an opposite of me." Yuna explained, handing the said bunny-rabbit a piece of fish. Cid smiled and continued to eat. Yuna looked down at her food for a moment and looked up. She licked her lips, a strange air of uneasiness and shame about her.
"Cid, the shop I am going to is…a witch's shop. Seymour told me about the shop in an e-mail he sent me two day previous. I need to go into the slums. May Wilhelm come with me? His magic may become handy if we are attacked." Yuna confessed, stirring a plastic stirrer in her coffee. Cid peered at Yuna and sighed. Bambi stole another piece of food, staring at Cid then Yuna.
"Yuna, I trust that you can take care of yourself. And, yes, Wilhelm can come with you. God only knows what you two can manage when you're teamed up." Cid stated. Yuna bowed her head and gave Cid a sweet smile. They finished their food, tossed it into the nearby recycle bin and left the food court, bags in hand. They traversed back through the market and walked to the port where the Shera was harbored.
The Shera – Heaven's Peering Eyes
Yuna placed the last mocha coffee mix in the cabinet and closed the cabinet door. Bambi was hauling the decaf packet to the other cabinet as Yuna began to place the fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator. Baralai was stacking the spices to the left of her, grumbling that he could have been working on the Deus Ex Machina. Tidus was still knocked out, snoring solidly.
Wilhelm was cooking the crew and passengers dinner, as it took an hour to traverse through the hustle and bustle of the bazaar and a half-hour to get on to the Shera, as the Besaid Isle Harbor Police Force kept on asking for registration, ID, and other useless information. After that, Yuna and Bambi had to unload and persuade Baralai to help her.
"Yunalesca," Wilhelm said softly, "Please hand me the Malboro wine, and tentacles. As well as the Coeurl tips and back meat." Yuna placed the last basket of blueberries in the fridge and grabbed a green glass wine bottle filled with a burgundy liquid, a plastic container filled to the top with purple, green, wine red and orange tentacles, and two other containers filled with white, periwinkle and lavender meat. Yuna walked over to Wilhelm and placed the said items on the counter beside the pewter stove and peered down at the sizzling pans of meat and vegetables.
"Shall I do anything?" Yuna asked quietly, opening the Malboro tentacles and tossing half onto a large skillet. Wilhelm picked a wooden spoon and handed it to Yuna. Yuna stirred the Malboro meat as it began to sizzle and cackle. Yuna looked over at Baralai who was stacking the herbs with unneeded vigor. Yuna gently placed the spoon down and wiped her hands on a cotton towel.
"Baralai, please go and check Tidus. If Tidus has awoken, please continue and work on the Dues Ex Machina. I can take care of the rest of the herbs." Yuna commanded, taking Baralai's shirt cuff and gently pulling him to the door. Baralai gave Yuna a salute and trotted out the door. Yuna walked over to the herb rack, placing the herbs in their own individual pockets. Wilhelm looked over at his sister.
"Yunalesca, please come and check the Malboro tentacles. I think they are ready to be turned." Yuna finished stocking the last glass bottle. She walked back over to the pewter oven, stirring the Malboro meat. Yuna looked down at her peach colored fingernails as she stirred the meat. Wilhelm was whistling a cheerful tune under his breath, adding herbs to the Coeurl meat.
"Wilhelm, I was wondering if you would like to come with me to the Amethyst Lily. Cid said you may come with me if you so desire." Wilhelm looked up, his pale hand stopping as he peered at his sister. He licked his lips and smiled mischievously at his sister. He continued to stir the meat, nodding.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I would love to." Wilhelm sang. "But wait until after dinner. We'll have enough time. Now help me get these plates down." Yuna moved to the right of the stove and opened a small chest, pulling out the approximate number of Shiva and Anima emblazed plates. Wilhelm, beside her, picked out cups and cutlery. Yuna went back to cooking the Malboro meat, adding some of the Malboro Wine.
"Yunalesca, please dish out the food while I get the drinks." Yuna began to place food on the plates as Wilhelm poured wine in all the cups. Yuna began to place the plates on her arm like a waitress as Wilhelm placed the cups on a small platter. Together the siblings exited the kitchen and walked the short distance to the small dining room. The members of the crew and the two racers were sitting, talking. Yuna placed a plate in front of each person as Wilhelm passed out the wine. Baralai looked at the cooked fiend meat and poked it with his fork, a look of disgust on his face.
"What is this exactly? Is this edible?" Baralai demanded. Yuna speared a Malboro tentacle and looked at it for a moment. The others stopped eating, waiting for Yuna's usual curt and terse response. Wilhelm took a sip of his wine, peering at his albino sister.
"Yes, it is indeed edible. It is a source for a large amount of calcium and potassium." Yuna explained, eating the fiend meat, looking blandly at her plate of food. Baralai looked at the food forlornly. "I suggest if you want to keep eating for the rest of your duration on this ship, eat that." Baralai winced and ate his food, a look of pain on his face. Yuna sniffed delicately and ignored the man in question.
Besaid Island, Slums (Northeast) – Sky's Looking Glass
The Besaid Island Slums was located where the old village was once established. The village was to be the market district, but the earthquake had put ruin to the village and the bamboo pipes that held up the delicate structures of buildings. The damaged was too great for the Besaid Island Federation Alliance to fix with their poor income. So they left the ruins behind and began to cultivate the newer part of the island as the city, placing thousands of people in poverty. Some moved to the old Besaid Island slums to live.
The Amethyst Lily was located where the old Crusaders tent was, on the boundaries of the slums where tall piles of debris kept the slums from the temple. The Lily owned by a woman named Kagura. Kagura was thirty-five with vivid red hair and violet eyes. Kagura had one son, named Reno, who was nineteen. She had Reno when she was sixteen, a love child. Reno, himself, had red hair, like his mothers, that went half-way down his back. The hair on that touched his scalp was spiky, and the hair past his neck was held back with an elastic band.
Reno had very few friends, them being Rude, Cloud, Riku and Sora. He and his cohorts had their own little racing team, whom they called the Seraphims. They worked in the Lily for a small weekly check of three thousand Gil every two weeks. Reno also worked as a personal bodyguard for Mr. Shinra. Mr. Shinra was the leader for the Bevelle Laboratory Materia/Mako Facility and owned the small researched center in Besaid.
"Reno! Put that stuffed toad down right now!" Kagura bellowed. Reno winced and put the purple and red poka-dotted amphibian down on the velvet cushion. Kagura rubbed her temples with her pointer and middle finger and sighed. She looked down at the VDT below her. I have a friend who might find some of your merchandise quite pleasing and interesting. Seymour had sent her that e-mail yesterday.
"Anything wrong, Kagura?" Cloud asked in his soft way. Kagura smiled at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy and smiled. She shook her head and motioned to the VDT below her.
"No. I'm supposed to be getting a customer soon who wants to look at the mirror." She explained. Reno and the other men perked up in surprised. All came jogging to the desk in surprise.
"Some one wants to buy that old mirror?" Sora mused, running his fingers through his brunette hair. Kagura nodded as the others looked to the door. "Wow." Sora continued, "That mirror supposedly holds some sort of old magic."
"Yeah. But no one knows how to activate it." Riku replied, crossing his arms over his chest. Rude nodded.
"True. The only things that could activate it, where the old archetypes N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M.s from when the World that Never Was; when it was still ruling. None of the originals survived." Rude added, Reno sat up on the counter and looked down at Rude. Cloud walked behind the desk and took an ebony box with a gold lock. He placed it on the counter and thrummed his fingers on the sachet.
"N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M.s?" Reno asked. Rude shrugged his shoulders, as if saying: don't look at me. I only know the names. Reno sighed and kneaded his forehead. Cloud fiddled with the lock before he spoke up.
"Nano-Electronic Pre-Humanoid Illusionary Legion Influential Machina-Fighting-Force." He stated. "They were a special type of android with the features of angels that could use the powers of the aeon's special attacks and overdrives. The World that Never Was used them along with Summoners to defend themselves against the threat of Bevelle one thousand years ago before The World that Never Was disappeared."
"What?" Cloud demanded, looking at the incredulous looks on his friend's faces. "Kagura, can I see that e-mail?" Kagura took the purple VDT screen and handed them to Cloud's callused hands. I believe that the newest member of the Knights – Yuna – is an archetype. She seems to carry the same looks and personalities as the N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M.s. I'm too sure about her being an archetype, but let her look at the mirror.
"Seymour thinks she might be an archetype?" Cloud solicited, handing the e-mail back to Kagura. Kagura nodded her head and stashed the VDT in the drawer below the till. Sora looked at Cloud.
"An archetype?" Sora asked, "But I thought you said they were gone. And our old history books say that all the archetypes were destroyed along with the sister cell chip and the Y chromosome program." Riku and Rude nodded.
"But hasn't there been gossip about N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M.s alive and kicking? I mean what about that rumor about one of Bevelle's top-secret invention? Rumor has it that the invention is one of those old androids." Reno objected, tapping his one hand on the counter and the other laying behind him. "A group of agents and traitor Knights have been seen sniffing around the temples." Tink, tink, tink. Heads shot up as the saw two people entered the shop. One was a female dressed in a racing standardized uniform. She had white hair and twilight blue eyes. The other was a male wearing the vestments of an airship worker. He had the same white hair of the racer and deep red eyes.
"Yunalesca, are you sure that blueprint is you?" The male solicited, stopping to peer at a crystal mounted on the forehead of a Coeurl skull. The female – Yunalesca – nodded briefly and continued to the back, which held old Zanarkandian artifacts Kagura dug up. The male looked at Yunalesca and sighed and walked after her. Reno and Sora looked at each other, asking the same question: are they twins or N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M.s? Rude narrowed his eyes as the two androids came back up front, the girl, nonchalant and the boy a bit frazzled.
"Why are we, or more directly I, here?" He demanded. Yuna looked at him over her shoulders. She sighed and stopped, causing her bother to narrow his eyes almost suspiciously. Was this normal behavior for the girl? The boy didn't think so, apparently. He took two steps back as the girl neared him. What happened next put Reno into a shock, made Sora and Riku gasp, made Rude cock an eyebrow gently and send the boy into a half-coma. She hugged him. The boy's eyes had widened.
"You promised me, Wilhelm." She replied warmly, linking her arm through his and leading him up to the counter. Wilhelm looked down at Yuna and smiled down at her. As they neared the counter Cloud looked down at his hand resting on the ebony case. Cloud pushed the case towards Reno, whom was sitting on the edge of the counter. Reno picked up the box and set it on his lap, taping the case.
"You are…Yunalesca, am I correct? And you want to buy the mirror?" Kagura guessed softly, waving towards the box. Yuna, whose eyes were only on the box, nodded and reached for her money bag. But, from her bag came a bunny. She placed the bunny on the counter. The bunny hopped over to the box and tapped it twice. The bunny chirped.
"Yunie, this is the real thing! I told you I'd be useful!" The bunny chided, "But no, you just had to lock me in your room! Do you know how cold it is in there? Not even Ru…" Yuna crashed her hand down on the counter as a warning. Rude looked at the girl then to the bunny. Ru…? Rufus. Rufus Shinra. Rude pushed the box to Yuna, whom took it and placed a handful of coins in his hands.
"I know that, Bambi. I am not a fool, nor am I stupid. He is dead." Yuna replied coldly, arrogantly. Bambi whimpered out an apology. Yuna tucked the ebony box in her pack and picked Bambi up in her arms. Rude cleared his throat before speaking. Yuna snapped her eyes to him, almost with an air of curiosity. Her eyes seemed to loose that frostiness, almost a curious, if not stone-cold glance.
"Are you talking about Mr. Rufus Shinra?" Rude asked softly. Yuna placed Bambi inside her pack. "Mr. Shinra is quite alive, Yuna." The confused look was replaced by a surprised, shocked look. "Reno and I are his bodyguards." He further explained as Yuna composed herself. She tapped her chin in thought and pierced him with a sharp gaze.
"Is Vincent Valentine alive, as well?" Rude nodded. "Can you take me to them? Rufus has something of mine I truly wish to possess." Yuna continued in a bored, almost nonchalant tone. Rude made a sound at the back of his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. How exactly did Mr. Shinra and Yuna know each other? She pulled a pistol out of her bag and tossed it to the counter. Evangelina 0000000001 was encrypted on the side in the color of Yuna's eyes. Below that was: N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M. Yunalesca 0000000001. She was nothing experiment, and archetype, the first of her breed, Rude realized as he tenderly picked up the gun. But he couldn't take her to him.
"Rufus needs to pay an old debt. He has one gun and weapons in his possessions that are mine. Tell him he owes an old friend a debt. Tell him to come to the Shera with Yunalesca's things in his arms." Yuna instructed severely. "Take that to him and he will understand." She linked her arm through Wilhelm's and promenaded out of the store. Rude let a frown cover his face as he watched Yuna and Wilhelm leave. Vincent and Rufus must have had a momentary alliance with this girl, this android.
Besaid Isle Research Center, Besaid – Valefor's Eyes
The Besaid Isle Research Center was located three miles away from the agora, taking up more than twelve square miles with a barbed wire fence, smaller buildings, and the larger building itself. It had nearly twenty floors, the first five being nothing more than laboratories. The next six were experiment rooms and hospital rooms, holding experiments and specimens. The next five were related solely used for the experiments themselves. The other three were used for the scientist's bedrooms, expansive libraries and bathrooms. The topmost were Rufus Shinra's own rooms.
"How do you know Yuna?" Reno asked Rufus bluntly, arms cross and nightclub lying against his thigh. Rude made a short nod, as if he wanted to know, too. Rufus Shinra, who was sitting in a spinning computer chair, sighed and spun around to face his two bodyguards. He crossed his legs and arms and archly raised an eyebrow. So, Yuna was alive. Rufus rested his arms on his knees and gave the two men brooding looks.
"Shall I start at the beginning?" Rufus turned around to face his computer and keyed in a security code, opening a screen picture of Yuna. "We came from the World the Never Was. Yunalesca, Wilhelm, Vincent, Cid and myself. Vincent, Cid and I were scientists for the World that Never Was. We were trying to find a way to create the ultimate fighting legion to stop the war, permanently. Even if it meant eradicating ourselves and the entire city. We succeeded in creating three N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M.s, Yunalesca 0000000001, Wilhelm 0000000001, and Lenne 0000000001. But Yunalesca was our greatest accomplishment, she herself could harness the powers of the aeons, she alone could stop the war. Wilhelm out second greatest, he had the power to manipulate all magic sources into one concentrated attack. And Lenne, out last creation, could seduce by her voice." Rufus showed Reno and Rude all of the three scientist's work before continuing his story.
"Yunalesca was given three weapons to use, she was our long-ranged attacker. Wilhelm was our short-ranged attacker and Lenne could be both short and long ranged. Together those three could stop the war. The war turned for the worst. Casualties were left and right, never stopping. Lenne was destroyed by Bevelle's soldiers. Yunalesca, our darling Yunalesca, put herself into stasis and completely locked us out of her system. We now had no control over our greatest weapon, she was her own person. We all cried that day our darling shut herself down, refusing to be awoken. Wilhelm, soul brother to Yunalesca, pined without his sister. So we did the most humane thing, we put him in stasis along side his sister. He loved her dearly, Wilhelm did." Rufus continued, unbuttoning his shirt and taking the article of clothing off.
"You are probably wondering how I survived. How we survived. It was a single program Vincent created, stemmed off of two programs. The Sister Cell program and the Y-Chromosome Chip is what created the Life Chip, a chip that could prolong life by thousands, even millions of years. Only three were ever created before the war took the turn for the worst. After all of our 'children' were shut down, we placed each chip in ourselves at the backside of our necks. We placed both programs in Yunalesca, after we had no need of it anymore. The war was lost and the World that Never Was, our beloved Zanarkand, was gone. Like Atlantis in old myths, Zanarkand sunk, disappeared. We separated after that, Cid took the remains of Lenne, along with Wilhelm and Yunalesca, as he, himself was the creator. We didn't keep in touch. Nearly a thousand years passed before I saw the strangest thing." Rufus buttoned up his shirt, after showing his guards the spider shaped tattoo on the back of his neck. He motioned towards the screen emotionlessly.
"Yunalesca was booted up and alive. Cid had somehow awoken her. And by that time he enrolled her in a prestigious boarding school. When the three of us had a meeting, Cid told us our darling Yunalesca awoken by herself. But something disturbed Cid, as Yunalesca's first words were: relinquish your pain unto me. He didn't understand why she said that. And he didn't know why she woken up. But he did reckon that when he imported a part of the destroyed Lenne, the Ether Circuit, it might have given her artificial heart the needed jolt. Our darling was awake. We thought her as a harbinger, the foreboding of a new war. We thought that Zanarkand was back. We were wrong." Rufus clicked on a button and typed in Zanarkand in a search box. Nothing came up.
"Zanarkand never existed to the modern day history. The Bevellian government had lied to the public, saying that Zanarkand was a warring tribe of Ronsos. They said that Zanarkand was nothing more than a small village of Ronso-Human half-breed. The public believed them and Zanarkand ceased to exist. Yunalesca's weapons are in those black boxes. Take them to her. And before you ask why I don't want to see Yunalesca, was because I loved her. This is also hers. She will know what to do with this. Do not, under any circumstances, bring my darling here. Go." Rufus waved his hand at two black boxes and one chest. Rufus looked back at an intercom and pressed a red button.
"Vincent, please come here." Rufus demanded, running his hands through his blond-silver hair. He turned back to Reno and Rude. "Vincent is my last ally, you are to accompany Vincent aboard the Shera and keep a close eye on Yunalesca, but mostly her brother. Ah, Vincent, thank you for coming. Reno, Rude, this is Vincent creator of the Life Chip." Rufus waved a hand at the black hair and red eyed scientist. Rufus pierced Vincent with a say-so gaze. "Vincent, I want you to board the Shera and spy on Yunalesca. I want to know why my darling is awake. You can go." Reno raised a casual hand, though his eyes were all but casual. Rufus nodded and waved a hand.
"I can't go spying on these people. I have a racing team! We can't join the minor leagues, we only have five people! And a team needs to have at least two mechanics!" Reno exclaimed, holstering his electric nightclub. Rude nodded as well, arms crossed. Vincent coughed and looked at Rufus pointedly, and waved a hand, covered by a mechanical claw. Rufus sighed and opened a folder, promptly named Painful Oblivion.
"These two men, Tidus and Baralai are two racers. They have no mechanics, though Yunalesca makes needed adjustments and the such. If you can their team, you're set. You can become famous racers. Now what do you say? Will you join Vincent in this operation? This mission is a way-point for your future. Reno, do you want your mother to stay in the slums?" Reno shook his head, then nodded, to show his willingness for the mission. Rude nodded shortly after. Rufus looked at Vincent.
"Vincent, it is up to you to give her that enhancement. Go." Rufus waved his hand in dismissal. The three men left. Rufus stood up as the door slammed shut and walked to a rectangular shaped coffin. He opened the box and looked down at a dark chocolate brown face with closed eyes. Tears surprisingly sprung to Rufus eyes and he looked down at the newest N.E.EP.H.I.L.I.M android named Belladonna. This android was stronger than Yunalesca. As this was Yuna's destroyer, her liberator and her adversary.
"Forgive me, Yunalesca, my darling. Forgive my unworthy soul. Destroy this woman, destroy Bevelle's spawn, and destroy this pawn on this chessboard. Save me from her." Rufus pleaded, closing the lid. "I have taken her most prized possession, the very thing that can destroy you. I have given you her gift. I have changed it to your coding. For the love of all the aeons, destroy this pawn, before she destroys you."
The Shera, Besaid Docking Port – Seraphim's Eyes
"The probability of such an event is nearly improbable. The World that Never Was does exist. It cannot and will not be destroyed." Yuna stated in a firm voice. Tidus snorted and pointed a finger at a page in a history book and smiled smugly at Yuna. Baralai peered over the edge of his book and arched a brow delicately. This argument had been going on for nearly half and hour, and Yuna was winning, ten-to-zero, the latter being Tidus. Wilhelm laughed and waved his hand and created a hologram image.
"The World that Never Was – Zanarkand – was not and is not a Ronso tribe. It is the greatest city in Spira, its power overriding Bevelle's own government. It is a powerful city, even more powerful than our holy city of Bevelle." Yuna pressed, snapping the book shut firmly and standing up. "Cid is in need of my help. Wilhelm, try and reason with this imbecile." Yuna instructed and turned on her heel. She left the small den and walked down the hall, past the bedrooms, to the control room.
"Ah, Yuna you're here. Good. Give me hand with this, darlin'. Just grab the wire and attach it to your hard drive. I want ya to upload the newest Ether spells into the Ether Circuit. Most of 'em are healin' and revivin' spells, but a few are self-help. Thought you might want to get a few, since ya only have Dex Down and Medica and Analyze." Cid explained as Yuna attached a wire to her wrist. "Choose which ones you want and add them to your list." Yuna nodded as a small list appeared in front of her eyes.
"Medica All, Boost 1, Jamming, Medica Rest, Reverse, Refresh, Mode A7, Down Force, Down Ether, Gate and Safety Level." Yuna wrote off as her chosen Ether skills. "Fourteen skills are more than enough, as Wilhelm is the spell caster and I am the sheer strength of our team." Yuna decided, tugging the wire off her wrist and rotating it experimentally. Cid nodded and closed a screen before turning to his daughter.
"Bring Wilhelm down next, I want him to learn a few new spells, too. You an' Wilhelm can only learn a few special spells. I'm going to be downloading Ethers especially for you, Yuna. You haven't been able to use any of your special attacks lately. So is that okay with you?" After Yuna gave a short nod, he sent her away with a wave of his hand. Yuna left the control room and went back to the small den. Wilhelm and Tidus were in a heated argument about the physics of the human body, say as, a said person – Cid, Tidus had declared in a rather loud, boorish tone – was dropped from the top of the Shera, would the said person's weight double.
"The person's weight would double, of course. Wilhelm, Cid wants to see you. He wants you to download more Ether spells to your hard drive." Yuna interjected, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of Cid's location. Wilhelm gave Tidus a dirty look and a rude hand gesture and left with an air of dignity and wounded male pride. Yuna looked back at Tidus, before walking to the small window and peering through the clear flexi-glass. She spotted three people rapidly approaching the Shera. Yuna turned around and pierced Baralai with a gaze.
"Baralai, please go inform Cid that we will have three guests boarding the Shera. We will need two rooms and tell him to expect them for dinner." Yuna instructed crisply, turning to face the door. Baralai nodded responsively and trotted out through the door. Yuna followed Baralai a short while at a dignified pace before heading off down to the launch pad. The three people, Yuna recognized. One was an old – Yuna was hesitant to call him a friend – ally from Zanarkand, Vincent Valentine, Yuna remembered. And the other two worked at the Amethyst Lily. Reno and Rude, Yuna recalled. Vincent looked at Yuna, both happy and saddened.
"Yuna." Vincent was now beside the said android, as he had teleported to her side. Yuna turned to look at the ex-scientist and looked at him. His ruby eyes were locked to Yuna's pretty twilight blue ones. The man hesitantly touched the girl's cheek and her forehead. His mechanical fingers twined themselves in the android's long tresses of moon. Yuna's hands halted Vincent's clawed one. Her gaze was strangely raw with emotion. She brought his hand to her lips and gently kissed them. Reno and Rude looked at each other, startled and down right bamboozled. Yuna's free hand reached back and traced the spider shaped scar. She looked at him, saddened.
"You did not have to choose that path. You could have joined me stasis." Yuna accused gently. Vincent shook his head. Yuna motioned for the three males to follow her. Yuna started a commentary. "The Shera is an A-Class transport ship of both passenger and cargo. While you are on the Shera you are expected to follow all rules, regulations, protocol and commands. Refusal or rebellion of any rules or protocol, you will be dropped off the ship, no refund, whether we are on land, in air or over water. We are a well oiled machine and we do not welcome infidels and fools on our ship. Curfew is at exactly midnight and anyone caught out of their rooms shall spend the next day cleaning the engine."
Breakfast is at six each morning, if you are late, you do not have the luxury to eat. Lunch is at twelve and the same rules apply." Yuna padded in a key-code and the door in front of them opened. "Dinner is at six exactly, and the same rules apply as lunch and breakfast. Failure to comply will result in an early departure. These are your rooms. Vincent, you are on the left. Reno, Rude you are the right. My door is five doors down, if you need assistance, otherwise, do not bother me." The three men nodded their heads slowly.
"Yuna, I have a gift from Rufus Shinra. He said when you saw it; you would know what it is. I've brought your old weapons and military uniform. Rufus did not come himself because of his own personal agenda." Yuna nodded her head and accepted the box in Vincent's hands. "This is the Omega Relic, as you already know. It enhances your powers and gives back your old skills. Shall I add it to your circuitry or can you do that yourself?" Yuna motioned for Vincent to follow her. The serene, enigmatic man followed his old comrade.
When they were in the safety of Yuna's own tune-up room the two got to work. Yuna laid her body out in the stasis coffin and closed the lid. Vincent locked the lid and placed the Omega Relic in a small porthole above the head. The said man walked over to the computer next to the box and typed in a long line of numbers and letters. He frowned as ACCESS DENIED flashed across the screen in bold, red block letters. He re-typed the access codes in and scratched his forehead in thought and frustration.
"Yuna, you need to let me to type in your access code. I promise I won't do anything funny. I just need to hack into your system fifteen minutes, thirty tops. Okay? I promise I won't hurt you." The screen cleared. "Vitals are up and working…conundrum vitality is zero. No signs of any previous hack-ins, bugs or virus in the last thousand years. Y Chromosome Chip and Sister Cell program are still up and running…no signs of problems within the programs. You've added a few spells….healing and self-help. Good. No bugs or viruses in your battle system…but there was one six months ago…? Jennova Virus….that is a serious problem if not completely destroyed…hold on a moment and I'll get rid of it…" Vincent looked through a stack of CDs and computer programs and picked up one in a black case.
"Three…two…one…virus destroyed. No signs of obvious damage due to virus destruction…okay…we're moving to the next system. Sector three…virus core…my God…there are thousands of virus in here…its okay. Don't panic…I can get rid of it…commence virus destruction…okay…the viruses are gone. Moving on to next sector. Okay, were here. Let me add a few things…code please. Okay, I've got it. 986253722…count down stared to add Omega Relic. Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one. Omega Relic added. I need to add a few things to make sure this will work…" Vincent added backup programs and codes to re-enable the Omega Relic if it was shut down. Then, he added one, last program. He hooked up his Comm. Device/cell phone with a design of a silver Cerberus to the computer and downloaded the same program. 986253722, he added to a password protected document. Now he could freely check and fix any problems Yuna had, if the opportunity arrived.
"Logging out of system. Okay…you can come out." Vincent shut the computer down and lifted the flaps of the stasis coffin open. The black and grey Omega Relic was on Yuna's forehead like a circlet. The circlet starts as a single, solid piece of metal, a few centimeters wide, colored grayish-black. Once it went half-way through her eyebrows it became thinner where it traced the upside-down silvery-grey triangle. The bottom tip of the triangle was in perfect alignment with the bridge of Yuna's nose. In black letters read her true name: YUNALESCA.
"Here are your clothes and old weapons. Change into them; I'll wait for you outside." Vincent placed the packages on the stasis coffin, turned on his heel and left the room. Yuna opened the larger box. Sachiel0000000001 and Leyna0000000001 were two large shruiken. In the center was a circle with a fist-sized hole. From the south, east, north and west directions came three-foot long spikes with barbed edges. It was shaped like a giant, hellish cross. The names were tattooed on the north spike with the word Yunalesca0000000001 on the southern edge. They were extremely heavy that only one with a large multitude of strength could freely wield. That was why they were made specifically for Yuna. Next was a gun similar to Evangelina, though it was imprinted with Evangeline0000000001 with her name below it.
The uniform was colored black and grey, the colors of the Omega Relic, as Yuna belonged to the Omega Fraction Military Unit. The pants were ankle long and skin-tight. On either side of the pants, on the upper thigh, were pockets, just made for carrying her twin pistols with a small flap to secure the finger hold in the pants. Covering the cloth holster on each side were pieces of Omega Breed chocobo hide that wrapped tightly around her legs and secured by belts, a single inch apart from each other and the top and bottom, Cerberus shaped buckles held the leather straps in place. Around her waist was a black belt with a silver buckle in the shape of the Cerberus logo on Vincent's own gun. Boots went up half-calf made of steel-enforced Omega Chocobo leather with silver Cerberus buckles and tight leather straps. Heels made of black steel made a sole a few centimeters thick.
An extremely tight camisole covered the upper body, followed by a light Omega Chocobo leather breastplate. Over the breastplate came a much looser long sleeved shirt. The shirt was tucked into the pants and secured by the belts. A heavy, but extremely thin, bullet proof vest of Omega Chocobo hide came over the long sleeve and was tightly secured with Cerberus buckles and straps. Elaborate leather straps with the occasional Cerberus buckle held the two large shruiken in place. Gauntlets went up to the elbow and were tightly held with leather straps every inch, held with Cerberus buckles. The middle, ring and pinky fingers were covered by the hide, whilst the thumb and pointer were uncovered. Around the neck is a blood red cloak, with a high collar, adorned with belts and small silver buckles around the high collar.
Yuna put her hair up in small French cornrows with small silver and black Cerberus coins at the edges, she then proceeded to put her hair up into a high ponytail with two braids framing her face that looped under her ears and connected to the braid above her ear. Around her neck she placed a heavy necklace made of a metal/cloth alloy colored back with a grayish-silvery piece of rectangular metal, followed by two vertical rectangle ones, one on each side and a circular piece of metal on each side. N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M. and her name were in black letters on the large rectangle.
She met Vincent outside with a nod. Vincent looked at Yuna's old military apparel and nodded his consent. Vincent was dressed in similar attire, though he had no breastplate and vest, as he was the leader of the Omega Fraction Military Unit. His Cerberus pistol was in a pants holster similar to Yuna's with the protective amour over the upper thigh. Vincent fished something out of his pants pocket and tossed it to Yuna. The said female android snatched it out of the air and strung it on her pointer finger and peered at the gift. It was a Cerberus charm, an exact prototype of the charm hanging off Vincent's pistol. Yuna met Vincent's eyes curiously.
"That's for your gun. All members of the Omega Fraction have an exact copy. You were my only gun wielder, so it seemed appropriate. It will give you passage to all sectors in Bevelle, including the palace, citadel, fortress and military base." Vincent explained softly, walking up to Yuna. He placed his clawed fingers on the underside of her chin. He tipped her face to one side and kissed the underside of her jaw softly. Yuna peered at him through unbelievably narrowed eyes. Vincent stepped back.
"You've a job to do, am I right? Oh, stop by my room later. I have a mission for you." Yuna nodded shortly and turned on her heel. She tossed one, last suspicious glance at Vincent and continued down the hall to the main room. Cid was waiting patently, absentmindedly running his fingers over the grooves of the steering wheel. His glass green eyes sought Yuna's blue ones lethargically and his mouth gave her a lazy grin. Yuna nodded her head and walked up to the said captain.
"Hey, there Yuna! Vin and his boys on the ship, eh? Ah, never mind. I need ya to load in a new security system for the Shera and add a new navigation program to your computer data. Sister will be by to help ya. Can ya do that? I need to head back into town; I forgot to get a few parts for the engine. I'll be gone for a few hours. Can you handle it?" Yuna nodded indolently and gathered the CDs Cid accumulated in his hands. Cid kissed Yuna on her pale forehead and whistled a tune as he turned around and walked to the large, sliding double doors.
"Afternoon, Yunie!" Sister chirped cheerfully as she entered right as Cid left. Yuna bobbed her head at Sister as she bowed her body to insert the first disk into the hard drive. A large screen appeared, with multiple smaller screens, all flashing obnoxiously. Sister jogged over and pointed to the smallest screen. She instructed Yuna to press yes, proceed, no and connect to mainframe. Yuna exited out of the screen and Sister commanded her to go to the largest screen on the desktop. Proceed, install, connect, yes, yes, yes, proceed, install and I agree to the terms and protocol were pressed and the main screen for the new security system was installed.
"Okay, go to the screen with all the blank, white boxes. Use Kimahri's, Bother's, Wilhelm's, my own, and your connection code as the passwords. Good, now press proceed and let it load. Okay, now exit out. You can handle the rest, right? Good, give me the navigation program and I'll log into your account to add it. Two birds with one stone, no?" Sister giggled as Yuna wrote down her password. Sister took the scrap of computer paper and skipped over to her own console. Yuna turned her attention back to her own screen and continued to work.
"Sister, I would like you to help me translate something. I bought a special mirror, and I need to figure out how to add it to the Omega Relic. You are proficient in the Al Bhed and Old Zanarkandian language. Will you aid me?" Yuna asked as she shut down her computer console. "I would also like you to look at my sketches for a new layout for the Control Room." Sister nodded her agreement and the two females left the Control Room, locking it with the new passwords for the security system. They two female androids wandered down a few doors and entered Yuna's room. Yuna motioned for Sister to look at the mirror on her desk.
"This is the item I purchased. It is called the Mirror of Zanark. It is a weapon of great power and only one of my kind can use it. I have changed the molecular code so it matches my own DNA, however, I cannot fathom how to add it to my system or the Omega Relic. Do you have any idea of how to add it to my system?" Sister bent down to look at the golden mirror. It was an old thing, probably made before the war, and most likely came from the most exclusive parts of the Farplane, the Id of the Farplane. Sister looked more closely at the mirror.
The looking glass was eight inches in diameter, made of gold alloy with whorls all about the one inch gold border and back side. One the back were bronze and copper people, their backs showing, much like the people of the Gagazet Fayth. Their arms were out stretched, reaching towards the middle. The woman wore long skirts on their posterior, and the men simply wore X shaped straps on their backs. Some wore jewelry on their arms, other had armlets or gauntlets.
In the center was a woman, the woman was shapely and tall. Her hair was long and flowing in a breeze, most the tresses flowed away from the scalp, though some stood stoic by the woman's posterior. The woman wore nothing, having only the shape of a woman and only wearing webs of silver. The woman was barefoot, and going up her legs were silver webs, holding clusters of circles every few inches. On her arms were the same webs, studded with diamonds and crystals and White Materia. On her each of her cheeks was a small cluster of circular White Materia. The woman's right arm was clasped, and held to her chest, the other arm was held straight out. And the surface of the mirror was like water, it held the same crystal clear quality, though only Yuna could make the mirror properly work.
Sister frowned and traced the smallest lines of Al Bhed. Translated it simply meant that whoever had this held a phenomenal force of power, something that could alter the power of the Farplane and change the strength of the aeons. Ye who holds this holds the power of the unfettering of ye world. Ye be warned that ye who uses it can change ye power of ye eons, and ye own strength. Sister frowned and ran her fingers through her chestnut brown hair, thoroughly frustrated. She turned to look at Yuna.
"The only way," Sister began, irritate, "to use the mirror, I think, is to find something from the Farplane. Or at lease I think so. But I'm not all that sure. Maybe you should as Seymour or another one of the Knights. I'm sure they'd know." Sister continued, a bit more cheerful. Yuna gently took the mirror in her hands and placed it back it the mirror's respective box. Sister hugged Yuna consolingly and kissed her cheek. Yuna looked at the box, thinking of the mirror, what it said and the possible interference of the Farplane.
"I am going to the temple. I will find answers there." Yuna announced, whispering. Sister smiled and patted Yuna on the cheek. Sister gave Yuna a scheming wink and skipped out of the room. The android tucked the mirror under her vest along with the Crest of Valefor and the Apocrypha of Zanark. Yuna left her room shortly after Sister left and made her way down to Vincent's room. Reno, Rude, Baralai and Tidus were talking in the racer's room. Arguing, mostly likely, by the shouts and heated discussions. Yuna arrived outside Vincent Valentine's door and knocked loudly. Vincent's voice came and told the android to enter.
"Your assistance is needed. I would like you to join me; I need to revisit the temple. It is of the utmost importance." When Yuna saw no response from Vincent, she played her trump card. "It is about the significance of the Omega Relic. I believe it deals in the importance of the Mirror of Zanark. I ask you again, do you wish to join me?" Vincent nodded shortly. He placed Cerberus in its holster, his cloak around his neck and grabbed a few other do-dads. Once the man was ready, the two left.
Besaid Isle (Valefor) Temple – Valefor's Eyes
It was a little girl who gave them the needed information. She was blind, but Vincent and Yuna couldn't see her eyes. They couldn't see the youngling's eyes for one simple reason. The little girl's eyes were sewn shut. When Yuna first seen the girl – who called her self Aeris – she had known something was different about the girl, the way she spoke. She didn't seem corporeal or tangible, even though Vincent had stopped the girl from tripping over her own feet. This little girl held all the answers.
"This way. This way is the end." Aeris told them gravely. They were at the elevator that would lead them down to the Cloister of Trials. Her hand was linked in Yuna's, as the girl seemed to like the android. Yuna didn't openly object, or enjoy it; her face was set in stone, the strange sadness in her eyes and mouth and the coldness around her. Same old, same old. The girl didn't seem to notice the android's rigid stance, or, perhaps, the girl ignored it. Vincent's hand seemed to always stray to his gun, as if he felt uneasy in such a holy place.
"Do not fear me, do not fear Valefor, do not fear Eris and do not fear the Farplane." Aeris said to Vincent, as they descended into the cloister. Vincent didn't seemed shocked or surprised or even suspicious, he just gave the girl a short, curt nod and turned his attention to a dancing glyph in front of him. Yuna seemed indifferent, as she blandly looked at the walls, not even her eyes flicking around to look at the dancing glyphs. The young girl pulled them off the elevator and to the large double doors.
"I can fix cloister, wait here." The girl instructed softly as she darted through the double doors. Yuna and Vincent followed the youngling girl through the doors and fell into step with the girl, as she touched the glyph. The glyph turned acid green and a stairway descended into the lower levels. The walls were painted with glyphs and drawings of Valefor as Aeris took the sphere from the protruding altar. The youngling girl danced over to the large, red, double doors and placed the glass green sphere in the centre of the door.
"Come on, we have to get to the end. We must be free." Aeris rushed, tugging Yuna's unresponsive hand. Yuna's fingers curled around Aeris' hand and let the youngling lead Yuna further in. Vincent's hand rested on Yuna's free wrist. The pathway beyond the door seemed darker, more ominous than when Yuna was first here. The said android was casting glances every where, waiting if a creature would jump out and attack the three wanderers. Vincent must have caught Yuna's uneasiness – if one could call it that – as his grip on Yuna's wrist increased.
"Come on, we're close now! Hurry up! We can't keep mother waiting!" Aeris hastened, tugging harshly on Yuna's hand. "She's got what you need! I need to find Valefor! She needs me!" Yuna lets the girl tug and rush her beyond to where the next elevator was awaiting them. Vincent rushed beside them, casting glances from Yuna to Aeris. The youngling girl pushed Yuna into elevator and waited for Vincent. Yuna and Vincent locked gazes as the girl paced like a caged animal as the elevator descended.
"Eris…Aeris…Eris…Aeris. Strife…Harmonia…Strife…Harmonia. Rivalry…peace…rivalry…peace." Yuna murmured softly. "Sister or daughter? Eris is older …twenty…Aeris…younger…six. Aeris, is Eris – Valefor – your mother?" Aeris looked at Yuna, then nodded slowly. Yuna made a noncommittal sound and her hand rested on the butt end of Evangelina. Vincent followed suit in Yuna's action and placed his fingers on the end of Cerberus. Aeris seemed happier now, as she seemed glued to Yuna's leg.
"Come on, mother is waiting! Eris can't wait much longer! Don't be a cruel tenshi! Please, we must hurry!" Aeris ran off the elevator, Yuna jogging instantaneously behind the young girl. Vincent walked behind them at a slower pace, looking in every shadowy place and every nook and cranny. Yuna and Aeris already disappeared into the Chamber as Vincent walked up the velvet staircase. The shield-shaped door slammed down, right before Vincent's feet. He took his clawed hand and ran it down the door. It shuddered and opened.
"Be my liberator, my cruel tenshi." Vincent watched as Yuna drew Evangelina and aligned the pistol to Aeris' heart. The girl opened her arms wide, threw back her head and thrust her chest forward, as if she was Moses. The Cerberus charm jangled against Yuna's wrist as she snapped Evangeline from its holster and pointed at Vincent's neck. Yuna glanced at Vincent, as if telling him: move and you shall meet a swift end. The said female android snapped her gaze to Aeris, who was waiting for her verdict from her executioner.
"Relinquish your pain unto me." Evangelina went off. The silver bullet logged itself in the young girl's heart. The girl smiled warmly at Yunalesca-Eris Megami and fell to the amber-red glass below her. The girl's blood leaked out onto the surface, where it began to shimmer. Aeris began to sink into the surface, slowly, like a body being put at sea. It was a slow descent, like watching a coin sink in honey or thick oil. The female android named Yunalesca-Eris holstered both her pistols as Vincent walked up to her.
"It's over. We're together now." It wasn't Yuna's voice. It had a strange watery quality to it, as if she was speaking underwater. Yuna's eyes had glowed an unearthly twilight blue, as it was her color, but darker, like an extremely light turquoise. She held her arms out, as if Vincent was to go into the android's arms. The man didn't refuse. The said man walked into the girl's arms, where she placed her hands softly on the back of his head and guided the man's head to the conjunction between her neck and shoulder. Then a flash of darkness, a silvery-blackish-platinumish flash – a pretty flash really – blinded Vincent's blood red eyes. Yuna forced his head to her collarbone.
"Welcome to the Id of the Farplane, N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M. Yunalesca-Eris Megami 0000000001 and Scientist Vincent Valentine of the Omega Fraction. Sincerely from Aeon Valefor, Spirit of the Spirits, Protector of Besaid and from Eon Aeris, Sub-Spirit of Spirits and Protégé and Daughter of the Protector of Besaid." The spirits were speaking through Yuna. Vincent let go of Yuna and looked around. Id was a dark place.
Id seemed to be the dungeon or hell of the Farplane. It was pitch black with stone pillars either made of reddish-black ebony or dried blood. Purple flames in brackets and torches covered the walls on all levels, shedding light on depictions of death, blood, pain, anguish and discord. The floor was sticky and wet and it smelled of both dried and flesh blood. Dead bodies with cut throats pinned open and eyes gouged out littered the floor in piles. Other had spikes out of their heads, others were riddles and threaded with spiked or razor ridded chains.
Yuna's pale hair was the only whiteness in the room. The coins sparkled purple as she grabbed Vincent's wrist and led him between the piles to the most horrifying thing. It was a throne of bones from both human and animals alike. The bones weren't the normal pure white they were, instead, a dull, dead purplish black. The skeletons reached a great height, nearly one hundred feet, with stairs made of human and animal femurs, calfs, and tibias. At the very tippy-top there was a slight curve where twenty coeurl and basilisk skulls laid right above the throne itself. Two human skulls – both male, Vincent noted dryly – made the heads of the tibia armrests. A woman was splayed, sitting sideways on the throne, drinking marrow from a Chocobo femur.
The woman wore a shaving of an old frock; it was once a pretty color of pale lavender. But the pinafore was now a dulled grayish purple, with the hem in thin strips that stopped about the pubic bone. The sleeves were all but gone, only having the smallest of strips dance down the woman's moonshine pale skin. The neckline was almost nonexistence, the remainder barely covering the woman's breasts. The woman had many bracelets covering both of her ankles and wrists. Three necklaces adorned her pale neck. On the woman's bony hip was a kusari-gama stained with blood, guts and bone fragments alike. The woman spotted the two intruders of Farplane Id and slinked down the stairs with cat's grace.
"Welcome to Id," The woman said in a prettily raspy-like voice, waving her Chocobo femur down. "I am Sire, the darker side of Eris. I suppose you want the Alpha Relic or maybe the Beta Relic. Oh, which one is it? Alpha or Beta? The first or second? Chose correctly and you will survive. Chose wrong and you will join my other children." Sire absentmindedly waved her femur at a random pile of bodies. Yuna looked at Sire and stepped forward, holding out a single hand, leaving the other to hover at the butt end of one of her guns.
"The others before me were greedy and said both were the correct. Others before me said Alpha because it is the first. Other before me said Beta because it was the second and why would Alpha be the correct one. They are all wrong. It is neither Alpha nor Beta. It is Alpha-Omega Relic." Yuna answered Sire. Sire nodded and smiled. Sire motioned for Yuna to follow her up to the throne. Yuna placed her hand on the gun and followed Sire up the stairs of bone. She motioned for Vincent to stay behind.
"No one before has ever said that. You are very much different from both human and android alike. But you aren't even full android are you? Well, Yunalesca-Eris, sister dear, take what is rightfully yours. I have awaited the longest time for my sister to save me from my burden. Where did I put that…? Ah, there you are. Sister dearest I present the Alpha-Omega Relic. Now listen, dear, this allows you to place the mirror and all other crests in the Omega Relic, it also allows you to any of the Farplanes you've ever been too. So far you can come to the Farplane Id. Visit me often, dear. But you better get back to your ally and back to the real world. Ta ta for now." Sire cawed brilliantly. She handed a small box to Yuna and unbuckled the kusari-gama from her belt and handed it to the android.
Without further ado the said female android rushed down the stairs – leaping actually. Yuna latched her hand onto Vincent's clawed ones and once again placed his head at her collarbone. The flash came once again, darker and more blinding than before. Even Yuna was affected, as she had to shield her eyes thirty seconds in. When the light faded, the two were back at the Valefor Temple, hanging onto each other for dear life. Yuna gently pushed Vincent away and looked down at amber-red glass dome. The blood was gone and Yuna held a box and a bloody kusari-gama in her left hand.
"A blood sacrifice was needed and Aeris needed to be reunited with her mother." Yuna explained, wiping blood from her hands onto her pants. Vincent frowned and rubbed his temples. Yuna's nose curled slightly as she hefted the kusari-gama into her hand and blood smeared her hand. Vincent offered Yuna his cloak. She took the red article of clothing and wrapped the kusari-gama in it. Vincent winced slightly. Blood was hell to get out. Yuna slung the weapon in her belt and motioned for Vincent to leave ahead of her.
"Why did you kill her, Yuna? You could have simply cut her." Yuna turned around to look at Vincent. She waved to the amber dome vaguely with her left hand as she placed the Alpha-Omega Relic under her vest. Vincent, to sedate Yuna, turned on his heel to look at the glass dome. The dome seemed happy, as it was pulsating slowly, as if content.
"Aeris wanted death, so she could be reunited with her mother. I did the most humane thing…just like what you did with Wilhelm." Yuna told him, with her matter-of-fact tone. Vincent nodded his acknowledgement and gently took Yuna wrist with his hand. They were done here, they're job here was complete. They got what they needed. The two left the Chamber.
The Shera, Besaid Docking Port – Seraphim's Eyes
When Vincent and Yuna boarded the Shera, the first thing on their mind was to revert the crest and mirror in the Relic. The ship was quiet as the two made their way down to the tune-up room. They didn't honestly question why the ship was so quiet, they were just worried about the Relic and protecting Zanarkand's history. Only a few of the lamps were on as they walked down the hall to the tune-up room, casting shadows of the two on the walls in a demonic, twisted fashion. Yuna padded in the key code and opened the door smoothly.
"Take out the Ether Circuit and add the Alpha-Omega Relic to it, wire them together. Place the mirror, crest and kusari-gama in the Omega Relic. Nothing destructive will happen. Use the computer, please. I do not like to be touched during a tune-up. It is a simulation of a woman's monthly cycle shortly after or during if I am touched." Yuna instructed coldly. Vincent let Yuna place the items in his hands. Yuna laid out in the coffin, much like before, waiting for Vincent to lay the newest relic on her under forearm, right on top of the Ether Circuit.
Vincent placed the circuit on said arm and closed the lid, snapping it shut. He walked over to the computer and turned it on. The male typed in Yuna's code and merged the two circuits together; the stench of burning metal reached his nose as he continued. Once he was done, he fixed Yuna's arm and placed the mirror and crest together on the head piece. Vincent walked back to the computer and added the mirror and crest to the Omega Relic. Finished with the two more important items, he walked to the coffin and opened it.
"The kusari-gama is dirty. We better clean it first before we add it to your system. The blood might funk up your system and lead to viruses or shut downs." Vincent explained handing the cloak covered weapon to Yuna. Yuna took the weapon with a nod and attached it to her belt. "We can clean it in the kitchen, they won't mind if we use the sink. Besides, we can cook them breakfast as an apology. It is only five in the morning." Vincent waved to the clock on the wall, with archly raised eyebrows.
"Good. Shall you go to your room and sleep? Or shall you come with me? I am going to get Bambi from my room. She will be able to read the exact make of the weapon and power damage I can cause if I wield it." Vincent made a noncommittal sound and followed Yuna. Bambi was blissfully unaware of the return of her mistress and the scientist that helped to co-create her. Yuna placed a stealthy hand on Bambi's mouth and picked the bunny up, precautious and nodded for Vincent to head out in front of her.
"Bambi tends to have a voice that carries over the entire ship," Yuna explained as the left her room and walked down the hallway to the kitchen, "So I simply had to stifle her cries if she would have awoken. Yes, I know that you helped to create my familiar of the sorts, she was too much like me, so I re-created her into my polar opposite." Yuna interjected, holding up her free hand to stop Vincent from speaking. "It was needed. Bambi is the only thing that can make me smile. If she was like me, I would still be unhappy and emotionless." Yuna opened the door to the kitchen and let Vincent pass her.
Inside the kitchen, Yuna deposited the mechanical bunny on the table and walked to the sink. She reached under the skin and pulled out a large, wide ceramic basin. She filled it with boiling hot water and dish soap. Yuna carried the basin over to the table and gently placed it on the table. She grabbed the kusari-gama and unwrapped it from the cloak. Once the weapon was free of the cloak's binding, the android dropped it into the hot water. Vincent's hand wandered over the basin, and dipped down to touch the water. Yuna's right hand went down on a vice grip on Vincent's wrist.
"No. The water is too hot for humans to touch." Yuna warned as she dipped her own hands it to scrub the dried blood away. "Please wake up Bambi for me. I need her to check the weapon." Vincent nodded shortly and poked the bunny in the stomach. The bunny rubbed her eyes and rolled over to her stomach. She greeted the two cheerfully. Yuna waved at the kusari-gama and Bambi looked at it for a moment. She squinted a moment before answering.
"The mace and scythe combination, just what you need." Bambi snorted. "But, anyways, it is made of a hybrid mix of what you were made from and a mix of frozen preflies and very much alive ones. A strange combination, but very powerful one at that. If you were to use it, the hit rate would be off the charts and you'd almost be unstoppable." Bambi continued as Yuna continued to wash the weapon. Vincent handed Yuna a towel as Yuna dunked the weapon once again underneath the water.
Farplane, Realm of the Aeons – Her Eyes
No-Name – Valefor – was worried, extremely worried. Her processor – Yunalesca-Eris – had accepted Sire's gift, which meant that Yuna was now the very creature that No-Name was. Her successor could freely use No-Name's power. Perhaps was No-Name too hurried to give the power to the female that smelled of him? No-Name was worried that Yunalesca-Eris would abuse her power as the Aeon of Spirit – in the so-called-real world – and bring destruction on the world.
"No-Name, I am next." Ifrit thundered, his fire man sending sparkles everywhere. "Do you trust this woman? Did she smell of our master? Did she carry herself like the queen?" No-Name folded her wings against her back and pressed herself into the back of her alcove. She nodded her head slowly, fearfully. Only she fears the mighty fire wolf, as she is the weakest aeon. Ixion snorted disdainfully and threw her head back, her golden horn catching the light of the Prefly sun. No-Name bristled.
"Yes, she does smell of him! Rather strongly, I might add." No-Name growled back. "And I have been given a name by our lord himself. I can to be called Sorano from now on! The lord demands it! It is the greatest glory to give our powers to someone who can use them to bring back our ancestral home! She will be revered as our goddess!" Sorano continued, her wings flaring and writhing in the space above the alcove. Ifrit and Ixion looked at Sorano, awed. This girl first took Sorano's powers, thus meaning that her attacks would be stronger than all the others.
"Sorano," Shiva began playfully, "Do not bother to trust these infidels, they will only side with you because of this female's power. Do not be fooled by their play-acting. You and I have always gotten along, haven't we, Sorano? We've always sided with each other and protected each other – not to mention Anima – from the others. Think about that, shouldn't you pact with old friends?" Shiva concluded, picking at her blue nails, smiling winningly at Sorano. Sorano thought of what Shiva said, her words were very much true and made plenty of sense.
"You are very much right, Shiva. I will stand beside you and Anima." Sorano said and smiled back at Shiva. "But our lord is coming right now. We will conclude this later." Sorano sat back in a bed of flowers, outside the boundary of her alcove, and began to weave flowers into crowns. Their lord was the most powerful of beings, strong and powerful. Their lord entered their realm. He smiled at each of his creations before his face merged into something that was both serious and frightening.
"Sorano, I am glad to say you gave your power to the correct being." He began and smiled lovingly at Sorano. "But for the rest of you, I have grave news. A false goddess is out, trying to steal your crests. Her name is Belladonna, and she wields the same power as Yunalesca-Eris. Each and every one of you must make a false crest to keep her off of Yunalesca-Eris' scent. The mirror and two of the Omega Relics are in Yunalesca-Eris' grasp, which is good. It is up to you to keep our savior safe." Their lord finished quietly.
"This Belladonna is a N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M. just like Yunalesca-Eris, am I right?" Sorano asked quietly, brows furrowed. "Then, can't she tell a fake from the real? Each has its own personal scent. It will take weeks to make a new one, one crest." The lord nodded sadly and turned on his heel to leave. "But – wait, lord, if we work together, it would take much shorter. Can we be permitted to do that?" The man turned and smiled. He nodded his head serenely and kissed Sorano on her forehead.
"Exactly. It is up to you to keep our savior safe, darling. It is up to you." Their lord turned to look at the other aeons. "It is up to you to work together to protect Yunalesca-Eris from Belladonna. She has one companion named Barthello who is not a N.E.P.H.I.L.I.M., but is very powerful all the same. Be careful, my children. I would be lost, if I lost you." The male turned on his heel and left. Sorano and Shiva exchanged glances and held their hands out together, they clasped them. The offered their free hands to the other aeons.
"For once let the blood of the world work together in peace, to protect the only one that can save us." Sorano whispered quietly. Ixion and Ifrit looked at each other and clasped hands, unabashed and Ifrit linked hands with Sorano. Cindy, Mindy, Sandy, Yojimbo, Anima and Bahamut linked hands as well. Only this once they would work together. "This is the quickest way to make the false crests. State your name and your element. Valefor, I am the Spirit of the Spirits. I give my crest to the one most worthy." A crest made only out of Preflies wrapped around Sorano's neck. An exact copy of the one she gave Yunalesca-Eris nearly two weeks ago.
"Ifrit, Spirit of the Flames. I give my crest to the one most worthy." Ifrit's wild mane of hair sparked as a crest wrought its way around his wide neck, much like a flame. It burn against his skin and he smelled Ixion and Anima underneath his own fiery, musky, overpowering scent. He felt weaker than before, as it took a great deal from his own strength to create a false. He gently sagged against Valefor gently.
"Ixion, Spirit of the Lightning. I give my crest to the one most worthy." Ixion's golden horn grew brighter as a lighting borne crest wrapped around her neck and sparkled and snapped light lightning and thunder. Underneath her own scent of ozone, rain, smoke and grass was the sent of Ifrit, Bahamut and Anima. She did not feel as weak, as she had three who helped her.
"Shiva, Spirit of the Waters. I give my crest to the one most worthy." Shiva's neck felt extremely heavy; as a necklace made of ice, frozen chain and capture Preflies and wind froze her neck. Shiva smelled of frozen water, wet parkas, frozen fish, Preflies and ozone and underneath her strong, robust scent was Valefor, Anima and Yojimbo. Shiva was still standing strong.
"Bahamut, Spirit of the Elements. I give my crest to the one most worthy." Around Bahamut's childish neck came a pure gold necklace studded with stones of value. Bahamut smelled of the burning flames of the hearth, the scent of ozone before a lightning storm, the smell of freshly dewed grass, the scent of the flowery breeze and the sent of upturned earth. Underneath the smell was Ixion and the Magus Sisters.
"Anima, Spirit of the Winds. I give my crest to the one most worthy." Around her neck was a crest made of ebony that was lighter than wind and breezes. It was light and smelled of the winds of death, the winds of life, flowery breezes and the breezes that carried the sent of war, and sadness and anger. Underneath the sent was Ifrit, Ixion and Shiva.
"The Magus Sisters, Spirits of the Earth. We give out crest to the one most worthy." Around Sandy's neck – as she was the eldest sister of the three – came the crest that wrapped around her neck like a vine of thorns. It smelled of the rain forest, the upturned earth, the smell of flowers, the smell of moss, the smell of the trees and most of all the smell of pristine woods. And underneath the pretty sent was Ixion alone.
"Yojimbo, Spirit of the Metals. I give my crest to the one most worthy." Yojimbo's neck was weighted down with a heavy crest made of a multitude of metals, and it burned fiercely against his skin, life fire. And it smelled of newly burn and melded metal. It smelled of liquefied and wielded alloys and it smell of sweat, and smoldering heat. And underneath that strong scent was Shiva.
The aeons had worked together this once, and it was doubtful if they ever would again. But they had enough to stop Belladonna from killing their darling Yunalesca-Eris, and that was enough for them.
Fin. Second chapter.
Good, bad or otherwise? Sorry this took me so long to update. I had one hell of a writer's block, you see. No, really, I did. And the Plot Bunny was sick with the influenza, don't have any medicine for Plot Bunny influenza. Any ideas…bounce 'em off me. Hmm…I don't have any idea who the coupling will be, so give me ideas. But not Tidus…anyone but him…
(1) Sire – pronounced Cy-Ra. Spell it backwards and what do you get? Eris! Woo! Eris Sire and Sire Eris.
I used the Ether crap from Xenosaga, so I don't own that. On another note: Thanks for those who reviewed…and I'll see you next time! PAR-TAY!
Alexandria, Writheheart, and the Plot-Bunnies-that-Live