Hi again :-)
Right, here is the 4th chapter! I think I've already replied to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and thanks for doing so! I really do appreciate the support!
Just to let you know, this will be the last chapter put up until February 7th… because I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks soon. But don't worry, I'll be back writing up the next chapter as soon as I get back… and chapter 5 will be up by February 7th, I promise!
Okay then, hope you all enjoy the 4th chapter. Please read & review :-)
Disclaimer: All things FFX are owned by Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yoshinori Kitase & Square-Enix
4. Surprise
"I awoke the next morning, excited about my journey. I clambered out from the bedclothes and began to get changed. Walking over to the desk in the corner of my room, I picked up a small frame, enclosed within a picture of my parents.
"I'll be back soon enough" I remarked, as if actually being able to contact them. Little did I know that the next time I would enter the gates of Bevelle, I would be marked a traitor… and left to wander Spira a lonely ghost of a man." Auron continued.
"I proceeded to gather my things, my katana… passed down to me from my father, and from his father before him." Auron picked up his katana from its position leant up against a nearby tree. Staring at it closely, he moved it left and right; using the suns rays to see his reflection within the folded steel. "Such a fine show of workmanship, and so many memories. My father would always tell me as a child…"
>>(Flashback)>>
"You wait till you're old enough to fight sonny… you'll be having this sword, the same as I did when I first turned 18!"
>>(End of flashback)>>
"So many memories…" He glanced yet again at the blade, reflecting on the many battles; people he had fought alongside, most of whom had long made their journey to the Farplane. "Heh, sorry… a little carried away there. Where was I? Oh yes, I had just finished preparing myself for the long journey ahead…"
>>(Flashback)>>
"You know Auron, it's going to be rather hard being without you to look to for guidance." Kinoc stated. "I'll miss you my friend."
A tear had formed and just began rolling down his left cheek. I'll never forget that. Never before had I seen such care within Kinoc, and evidently never since.
"Farewell my friend, we will meet again soon I hope." I replied.
Just then, as I turned to walk through the huge gates of Bevelle… a loud voice beckoned me. It was a familiar voice, however I simply couldn't place it. It did, however, stop me in my tracks… such intrigue evidently causing me to forget the importance of my trip.
"Auron! I can't believe it is you! I am so glad that I have found you!"
Suddenly it hit me. There was no mistaking it; that was Braska's voice! But what was he doing here? I was about to leave for Besaid in order to meet him, yet he was already here, in Bevelle?
"Braska? Is that you? I can't believe it!" I cried out, my voice full of surprise, joy… this was truly a magnificent occurrence. But why was he here?
>>(End of flashback)>>
"Kinoc had left a minute or so before Braska had arrived. Turned out, Braska was in more of a rush to begin his pilgrimage than Maester Jyscal had predicted. He was in no mood to wait for me to arrive in Besaid; he simply couldn't abide staying there for a week or two not doing anything. He had already waited long enough, too long even." Auron explained.
"What? Waited too long? Hadn't he only just sent that letter to Jyscal? What, 3 weeks was too long for him?" Tidus questioned, ever wanting to prove Auron wrong.
"Given time, I could explain why it was too long. Or do you wish to continue the story from here yourself?" Auron asked in return.
"…Fine, carry on… do what you want." Tidus replied irritably. Evidently he had realised within the last few hours, whoever questioned Auron's details ended up angering him, and inevitably prolonging the story.
"Braska did indeed explain. Yuna's mother had decided to return to the Al Bhed Home, in order to see her brother Cid and her other family there. Braska had decided to stay home with little Yuna, he didn't explain why… but had blamed himself ever since for doing so." Auron began to explain.
"Why? What happened?" Rikku chirped in.
"You see, whilst travelling towards the Al Bhed Home, Sin had attacked her ship. All people onboard had been killed… and the news had destroyed Braska. He blamed himself for not being with her, to protect her." Auron continued, sadly.
"Upon thinking of it, Braska wouldn't have been able to stop it happening had he been there. I think though, that he just couldn't bare the fact that she had died alone… without her husband at her side." He concluded.
"That's so sad…" Wakka's head dropped, as he began staring at his feet. "I mean, I always blamed myself for Chappu, I shouldn't have let him go… ya know? Somehow, being a guardian, it helps me ya? I mean, ever since Chappu, I always wanted to be a guardian… I s'pose it makes me feel like, I can help defeat the thing that took him…ya?"
"That is understandably how Braska felt. Shortly after hearing the news, he decided to become a summoner. He felt that he had to gain his revenge upon the monster that had taken his wife away from him." Auron agreed.
"He continued to explain to me the last 3 years of training he had undergone as an apprentice summoner, and how hard it had been for him having to wait 3 whole years before he could actually do anything. It had made him feel, useless… in a way. But as soon as he was ready, he sent that letter to Jyscal… and proceeded to travel towards Bevelle shortly afterward. I don't believe he even received Jyscal's reply." Auron continued.
"It… it helps to know the feelings my father underwent." Yuna had stood up confidently, beginning to speak her mind. "It calms me, knowing that these feelings I am experiencing… these feelings of loss… he had them too. I am… not on my own."
"Sometimes all you need to help yourself along is to know that you're not the only one walking this path… it can help to know that others have gone through the same ordeals." Auron consoled her. "Anyway, after explaining himself to me… Braska suggested that we leave Bevelle at once. He knew there was an aeon in Bevelle to collect, but had decided he wished to begin from Besaid, so that he could see Yuna one last time before he began his journey…"
>>(Flashback)>>
"Auron? You know that this is important. If I were to begin my pilgrimage here, and not make it to Besaid, I would never see her again. I know it seems illogical, maybe even nonsensical… but I need to do it this way. I hope you understand…"
He looked at me, such a pure look of sincerity within his eyes… I knew that it would break his heart not to see her again. I decided that it couldn't really hurt, it would only add another week or so to our journey, it may even have given me more time to talk him out of this… stupidity. You see, Braska was all I really had left in this world, my family had already passed to the Farplane… the only person left who was a link to my childhood was Braska. He was my best friend… I couldn't let him sacrifice himself like this.
"Then it shall be… as you wish. I will guard you all the way Braska."
I always did think that, after all… this was his journey, realistically it was solely his choice as to how it played out.
"HEY! Get off of me! I don't belong here, YOU HERE ME? You can't kill me… I need to get home to my family!"
Just then a hoard of guards passed by with a criminal. He was fighting them off, quite easily I might add. He seemed hysterical, or maybe drunk… it was hard to tell. But he seemed so genuine at the same time; evidently he loved his family very much. Or maybe it was the drink talking… again it wasn't easy to tell. Whatever the case, it seemed the guards couldn't cope with him. Wave after wave of them kept trying to hold him down, only to be thrown 5 feet into the air and land on the other guards who had failed to restrain him.
"Hey YOU! Monk! Get over here and help restrain this criminal!"
Evidently they were talking to me. I had been trained to deal with special cases, people who were too much for the guards to handle. But, for some reason I felt for this guy. I don't understand why, but something inside was telling me that whatever they claimed he had done, it wasn't his fault.
"Hmmm… maybe I should help them?"
I looked over to Braska. He nodded confidently, allowing me to do this one last thing for Bevelle before we left. I walked calmly over to the man, and looked directly into his eyes. They swirled, I could only imagine because of the alcohol, which was now evident by the smell of the man's breath. He looked into my eyes, almost seeming confused. I'll always remember the words he spoke as he looked at me…
"You know this isn't right… don't you! Do you know how to get to Zanarkand?"
Right then, I swiftly hit him in the stomach. Whilst he winced from the pain, I knocked him once over the head to render him unconscious. The last thing I needed was a powerful drunk running muck over the streets of Bevelle whilst I was gone. He would be safe in a cell for now.
I picked the man up on my shoulder, and carried him over towards the guards, who were still picking themselves up off there feet. The Head Guard nodded to me, as a sign of respect I should imagine… probably a little shocked at how easily I handled the problem. I laid the man on the floor, and told the guard he should get him in a prison cell before he awoke. The guard was all too happy to comply.
"Well, that seemed easy. He just… let you hit him. Why do you think he did that?" Braska asked me. I looked up at him, a little confused myself.
"He… he asked me how to get to Zanarkand."
I stood there, pondering over what had occurred. Something didn't seem right.
"But, why would a drunk want to see Zanarkand? Seems a little suspicious to me…" Braska pointed out. I nodded my head in agreement, but still wondered why he asked. I couldn't understand, he said 'You know this isn't right… don't you!' What did that mean?
"I suppose, we could just consider it the ramblings of a drunken man. Or then again, maybe there is something more to this… maybe something he... isn't telling you? Maybe, just maybe… there is more to his story than meets the eye."
An old man stood in front of us both… wearing a green cloak, with a green hat to match. I didn't recognise him, yet something did feel familiar… although I thought nothing of it. Nothing weird about meeting someone you recognise in Bevelle, after all… there are thousands of people residing there. Chances are I had seen this man walking around Bevelle before at some point.
"How rude, where are my manners? My name is Maechen, pleased to meet you both. I have little time to explain, but I know that man they just took away… and I know he isn't the criminal they believe him to be. In fact, he isn't a criminal at all. He claims to be from Zanarkand, and they will imprison him for claiming such a thing. Whether he claims such because of the alcohol, or something far greater… I am not to tell. After all, this is your story… and it will play out how you would like it to."
He had said the last words to Braska… and we were both very confused. The man seemed fine, but he was talking nonsense. The man claimed to be from Zanarkand? That was preposterous! Still, in a weird way, the man seemed to be making sense.
"Oh, I do apologise… I seem to have rambled on a little. I must leave, I thank you for your time gentleman."
And with that, the man walked away… leaving Braska and I utterly bewildered.
>>(End of flashback)>>
"Maechen? Haven't we met that man before?" Yuna asked, recognising the name.
"Indeed we have, a number of times on our journey. He is a well travelled man, there is little of Spira he hasn't seen." Auron confirmed.
"So… what happened then? I'm excited to hear… you know?" Rikku asked excitedly.
Tidus looked at Auron suspiciously, he knew very well who the drunk was. He opened his mouth to speak, but Auron looked over at him and shook his head. Tidus stared at him disgruntled, but he knew that Auron would soon reveal the identity of the stranger, and that finally the story of Braska's Pilgrimage would begin.
There is the 4th chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it, and like I said… chapter 5 will be up by February 7th. Thank you all again for all of your support!
As always, please review… and thanks again :-)
Til next time…