January 18, 2013
Chapter 6: The Race for Freedom
The guards rushed towards Tidus and Yuna, their clubs at the ready in case the two decided to put up a fight. Tidus pushed Yuna hard into the wall, letting the guards fly passed them. Making a mad dash for the exit, the two were able to close the chamber doors behind them, locking the guards inside. But their celebration would have to wait. On the other side, Tidus easily heard the soldiers calling for backup.
Grabbing the young ambassador's hand, he dragged her into the lighted corridors that led back to the surface. They had to move quickly, the translucent walls provided no place to hide if need be. His lungs struggled to breath and muscles pulsated from the lack of use, breathing laboriously, he continued to move up the steep inclined pathways.
The elevator grumbled as it descended to the lower levels of the temple. Glancing over, Tidus caught Yuna's peach colored skin pale suddenly. Looking behind them, he also saw what she had. Guards, at least four or five of them, crammed onto the transporter. He thought of doubling back to the chambers, maybe a secondary exit laid in waiting, but it was unnecessary as the two guards from before had freed themselves. Surrounded by the Yevonites, Yuna and Tidus backed up to a ledge with a drop that had seemingly no end. Complete and utter darkness.
"What do we do now?" she asked. They were holding hands. Tidus felt Yuna's hands break out into a cold sweat. He looked down thinking about their next move. It's take the plunge or be thrown into that cell again.
"Let's go," he commanded. She yanked his arm hard, surprising him with her strength. "What are you doing?" He could already tell what her answer was by the horror in her eyes as she shivered with fear. "If we don't jump they'll throw me back into that cell and probably you too." The elevator was creaking to a stop; however, that didn't stop some of the more impatient guards from vaulting over the transporter rail and onto the floor.
"Maybe if . . ."
"There's no time!" He took her relaxation and distractedness to tug her along with him. Her screams echoed until they were just whispers.
-FFX-2-
They were swallowed whole by a mess of murky, thick water that felt gooey and sludge-like. Tidus was the first to surface after having taken that frightful plunge. Yuna came up next, gasping for air. "Where are we?" she asked, but the darkness was so overwhelming, not even the hand she held in front of her was recognizable.
"I guess we're in the lower chamber of the temple, the old waterways perhaps," he answered. Yuna stammered, trying to line up her thoughts, but Tidus gave her no time. "Can you conjure some light?"
Yuna glared, not that it did much. "No," she said, almost in a pleading groan. "I'm not that skilled to just hold fire in my hand, I would have to physically light something . . . something dry." Tidus growled, this wasn't how he had planned to leave Bevelle. He was growing worried, Yuna's breathing was becoming increasingly raspier and raspier, she was losing strength and Tidus didn't have the power to carry her.
"Do you have anything we can use?" His tools had been taken away weeks ago and probably sold. He was empty of things to offer to get them out.
"I, uh, yes!" A bright flash flickered several times before bringing day to the darkness of the tunnel they were residing in. It was a very small marine excavation hand light. Where Yuna had retrieved it, Tidus didn't want to know, but he was very grateful. With the added ability to see, Tidus had realized he was right about where they had landed. "Oh no! It only has a little battery left."
"We'll have to take a chance and move on. We can't stay here any longer." His body shivered at the thought, the water dropping in temperature the longer they continued to bob in the darkness.
"No, no, no. We have taken enough chances already and look where we are! We will stay here until help arrives. I will straighten things out." Tidus rolled his eyes, already imagining his and Yuna's imprisonment. No, he couldn't have that. Not again.
"If they find us," he retorted. "We really need to try and find an escape," he insisted. "Half charged or not, it's better than trying to survive here and having the battery to completely die while we wait for help to come."
Yuna nodded. "But, once we dive under, who knows how long the travel might be. We might drown before we are able to be free again." This wasn't about getting caught, Tidus finally understood. It was more than that. She was a weak swimmer and scared out of her mind. She was feigning her rationalities of being rescued in order to hid the bigger issue – her fear of drowning in some dark, forgotten water tunnel.
He quickly rummaged in one of his pockets, finding his Abes necklace. The trinket that hung from the heavy silver chain represented his home, Zanarkand. The charm was shaped in the form of his team's logo. It was heavy and sturdy, easily workable for his plan. It was one of the few things that the Bevelle soldiers didn't take from him, and that was primarily because he hid it inside his mouth. He wrapped the chain around one his and her wrists, tightly. "There, now we won't be separated and I promise, I give you my word, I won't let us drown down here, " seeing her face, he corrected himself, "anywhere."
Relenting from her stand on the situation, she sucked in as deep a breath as she could and submerged herself underwater with the man she had only spoken to twice in her life.
-FFX-2-
Behind iron bars, Tidus almost believed everything had been a dream, except he was sopping wet and the High Summoner's daughter was right by his side. They had reached a spot for air, a sewage drain for the streets of Bevelle. Through the bars they saw the long road that led to the temple that New Yevon was housed in. "Wouldn't happen to have another gizmo that could help us somehow?" Tidus asked, looking at her expectantly.
Yuna shook her head, too busy catching her breath. Tidus undid his makeshift handcuffs so that he could put his arm around her waist to prop her up as she slowly came to; having nearly drowned. She didn't, but at one point even the blitzer was beginning to question his ability to keep his promise to her. As he patiently waited for her to settle down, he was suddenly aware that the marine flashlight had died in the meantime. Discarding the tool in the water, he maneuvered himself to better prop Yuna up.
-FFX-2-
Tidus pushed against the grate, throwing his shoulder into it, which only resulted in having a sore shoulder. "There has to be another way out." He looked down the drain system; yet, every filter of light that he spotted was guaranteed to house a similar barrier. They could swim the way they came, but that too, seemed to be just outside the realm of possibility given Yuna's current condition.
"Let's just call for help, there are always priests and priestesses that are walking the roadway," she suggested. Before Tidus could warn her against it, she was hollering for help. Immediately a priestess was crouched down inspecting all the noise.
"Please help us! We're stuck in here," Yuna cried out. Her hands clasped around the rungs, a sad depiction of an ambassador looking up at the middle-aged woman.
"How did you get in there?" the woman asked, "Are you a party-goer?"
"No!" Tidus cut in. "We were working on the drains when we had an onsite accident."
"I'll go get a guard to help you." She hurried off away from their little view that the grate provided.
"Why did you lie?" Yuna queried, looking a little annoyed.
"I didn't. I wasn't a party-goer. I'm a captive." Looking at her increasing agitation, he continued, "I know it's still a lie, but she wouldn't have helped us if I had told the truth, and your truth would have gotten daddy and everyone else involved."
They stopped talking as they heard a parade of footsteps. The blitzer held his breath, praying she hadn't alarmed everyone of their breakout. Luckily, she hadn't, just a handful of guards who must have been oblivious to the escape.
As the bars were removed, Tidus and Yuna climbed out together, looking worse for wear. The priests and priestesses were very attentive, inspecting them for any serious injuries other than Yuna's embarrassment of her appearance. "I can't believe you were repairing the drain," a priest voiced, looking at the torn and tattered ball gown of Yuna's.
"That's because they weren't." A captain and several of his subordinates had appeared, the priestess who had called for search for help was standing worriedly behind him. "They're fugitives, recently escaped from prison." A resounding gasp rippled through attendants as they quickly backed away from the two. An impatient guard attacked with his sword, but was caught off guard and relinquished of his weapon. Tidus moved behind Yuna, positioning the blade at her throat.
"No one move! Throw your weapons in the side water trench and lay on the floor." Immediate recognition that the captive wasn't a fugitive but the High Summoner's daughter, they obeyed all of the requests made. Tidus, with Yuna in tow, boarded a transport to take them to the edge of the city.
-FFX-2-
Yuna was heaving, near hyperventilating. She had been shaking with fear when Tidus realized she was truly afraid for her life. For some reason, this notion bothered him that she would believe he would have hurt her after all this.
They were at the edge of the city, only a few dirt roads and some scattered homes lay between them and the city crossroads that led to Macalania Woods, the Calm Lands, or the springs. Beyond that was the Guadosalam, the Guado's home and Seymour's birth place.
Taking the sword away, he looked at her sheepishly. She was watching him like an animal does when face to face with its predator, backing away, she circled around him.
"Hey . . . I'm sorry. I . . . just didn't . . . I just didn't want to go back." He was scratching the back of his neck with his free hand, looking at the ground with shame. "Listen, if you stay here they'll find you. You can tell them I forced you to –"
"No! I-I should come with you." Tidus looked at her like she was crazy. "I can be used as leverage in case you come across anymore guards. She was straightening the tattered remains of her gown, her make-up smeared down her face.
He didn't believe he would meet many guards on the outskirts of the city or that he couldn't avoid them, but if she was willingly to help him out a little longer than what could it hurt?
"Oh, okay, well than, we better get going." He took her hand and they began to take off again toward the crossroads.
-FFX-2-
The party had come to a complete standstill when the guards had burst in the ballroom to find the High Summoner. While it wasn't really any of the patrons' business, eavesdroppers quickly spread word about what the guards were conversing with Braska about.
A small group met the priests and priestesses that had helped Tidus and Yuna from the drainage grate. As crossed as Braska was with their naïve helping, he couldn't belittle their open mindedness to help anyone. It was that notion that really amplified New Yevon in the people's minds.
"Lord Braska, I am deeply sorry," the most senior ranking priest said, prostrating himself in front of Braska. "We did not know he was a prisoner until the guards had arrived." The elderly man was crumpling under the weight of his faulty judgment, tears were strewing down his face.
"I am not condoning your well wishes to help all that are in need. In fact, you saved her without knowing it. All the priests and priestesses murmured to each other at his words. "You made us aware that she had been taken. Your part in this has been filled and done." He smiled warmly and was returned with a brighter smile at the gratitude and sparing of the priest's life.
Braska turned to Seymour, remembering he had tried the young man in front of the council. "Where was this man being held that Yuna was able to cross his path?"
Seymour's one eyebrow twitched for a second. "Where all the captives that have been found guilty are held, my lord. I have been made aware that he must have broken free prior to meeting her."
"That makes more sense. Because the containment halls are across the city, away from everyone . . . but then why here?" Braska was in good assurance that his daughter would never willingly help a criminal escape, but his appearance at the temple was madness.
"But to avenge his sentencing, of course. I am the one who took responsibility to see he is given the justice he deserved and so he probably wanted to repay me for my services."
Braska nodded despite the sour feeling that he was missing something. He asked no more questions, even if more were mounting. If there was a weak link somewhere amidst the chain of information asking more questions would do no good.
-FFX-2-
Rikku, Paine, Baralai, and Gippal hung back and looked around at the bars that had been removed from the broken sewage system and waterway lining.
"What's up?" Rikku asked Gippal.
"It doesn't make sense," Paine answered for him. "Yuna isn't one to disobey orders. It doesn't make sense that she would just leave the ballroom without reason or permission."
"I just hope she's okay," Rikku said, worried that her cousin, who was so fragile, was in grave danger.
Baralai was on all fours looking at the sewage drain tunnel. Black as black could be even in the day, he couldn't see to where it mght have led. "Where were they going or had been that they wound up here?"
"I'll go check!" Rikku was already bending down to unloosen her heels when Paine put a hand on her shoulder to stop. The evidence of their absence would bring more trouble than they all needed right then. In spite of their golden opportunity to find out where they had been, they had to go back. Even though they all understood that before the party was over the grate would be fixed. Gippal and Baralai agreed with Paine's logic. Rikku growled low in her throat and was surprised by Gippal lightly squeezing her hand as they walked back to the party.
Paine and Baralai were out of ear shot when Gippal murmured, "I know you want to find her right now, but it's too risky. Paine's right. But . . ."
"But what?" Rikku asked a little louder than expected as the two in front looked back momentarily at them. Baralai and Gippal had served with Paine for a short term in the Crusader Army. Their parents thought it would be good to see how their front line of protection worked. In that time, the trio were grouped together for missions, along with another man that Rikku had yet to meet. Nonetheless, they had grown close as friends and were made to lean on and trust each other. So, when odd or dangerous situations came up, they were in sync, which resulted in the Al Bhed Princess feeling a little left out.
"E'ja sad – ir, lnuccat dryd pmedwan'c bydr. De, E drehg rec hysa fyc. Ra zicd tuach'd caas mega dra rucdyka doba. Cusadrehk tuach'd vaam nekrd. (I've met – uh, crossed that blitzer's path. Ti, I think his name was. He just doesn't seem like the hostage type. Something doesn't feel right)"
"Oui drehg dra Oajuhedac yna moehk (You think the Yevonites are lying)?" Rikku accused, eyes wide with alarm.
"E tuh'd drehg draen crynehk ajanodrehk, mad'c bid ed dryd fyo (I don't think their sharing everything, let's put it that way)," he offered. Gippal stopped talking as they were re-entering the temple towards the party. It was an awkward restart to the festivities, but everything soon was on its way again and people were enjoying themselves.
-FFX-2-
There was a briskness about the air and jovial happiness about the sky as the sun began to set. Tidus realized it was the first time in months that he had seen the outside world. Never would he take it for granted again.
Standing on the outskirts of Bevelle, Tidus addressed Yuna, "Say good-bye, princess. This will probably be the last time you see this place." The city was so far away, it looked untouchable. Looking at the city she called 'home sweet home' for so long, Yuna realized she was gifted with her wish . . . freedom.
The young woman breathed in the remains of the familiar smells of her home before joining her friend on their way to the crossroads.
-FFX-2-
Baralai was traveling back to his quarters after the party when voices from the main hall of the temple of Yevon were heard. Normally, he would have walked the streets, but wanting some extra moments with Paine, they had stole away to the more deserted parts of the Yevon temple.
"Kinoc, will you please cut to the chase. I am busy having to put together a bounty party to fetch the prisoner that escaped," Seymour seethed.
"The project, my lord" Kinoc snarled, "in your father's journals, he notes that it needs an operator." The two Yevon maestors were in a very heated discussion over something. Baralai remembered feeling great remorse when Maestor Jyscal died of a rabid and unexpected fiend surge at Guadosalam. And despite the wonderful response Seymour received from all of Yevon and New Yevon members, Baralai lacked their enthusiasm for the half-Guado half-human maestor.
Baralai was tucked behind a large pillar, listening as best he could. Seymour's eloquence was so polished, it almost felt forced. It was not unknown among New Yevon that Seymour was in line for being the grand maestor one day, but with the shake-up of Yevon about a decade ago, Mika refused to relinquish his hold on his position. The gentle, humble, and ambling old man gave off the embodiment of trust and civility. Seymour didn't compare in Baralai's comparison.
As they moved away, Baralai considered the importance of telling his father, but with no proof, he knew his accusations would be pushed aside. For now, he would have to settle for keeping a careful eye out for any peculiar behavior.
~ End Chapter 6