SkewedViolinist is back!!!!!! laughs maniacally
Sorry about not updating fast enough…I was going to wait until you all left me with some reviews, but I decided not to. I was itching to get this chapter up.
So you all got lucky…but really guys, consider the point of view of the author. If you happen to suck at writing, instead of continuing and embarrassing yourself, wouldn't you want someone to let you know? Or wouldn't you want to be appreciated for taking time out of your very busy schedule to create works of literature to amuse total strangers? Consider it….and please have respect for the position I and many others hold on this site.
And 985 hits are great, but not as fulfilling as getting a bunch of reviews. So I'm really asking you, please let me know your opinion, good or bad. That's all I ask.
Without further ado….
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Auron
Advantages of Macalania-
1) Rikku has stopped screaming.
2) Rikku has stopped calling me mean.
3) Rikku has stopped following me.
4) We can rest.
Chocobo-girl hadn't left me alone since I walked out on her at the agency. She annoyed me. Following me around, trying to poke me, yelling repeatedly that she wasn't scared yet wincing a little every time a bolt came near. One could say that she had improved, but couldn't she have done that and not focused all her attention on me? I remembered once we had entered the woods how she had twirled, danced, and jumped high into the air, her high-pitched chirp returning with a vengeance upon my poor ears.
"YAAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! WE'RE OUTTA THERE!!!!!!!!"
She had then proceeded to grab Yuna's hands and skip around with her while trying to spin at the same time. Yuna giggled madly and tried to retain her dignity at the same time. The boy had looked like he wanted to join in, Wakka laughed, and the mage had shook her head. I could have stayed the way Kimhari was, quiet and unbothered, but no, she had to come up to me and poke me in my armor.
"HA, HA, NO MORE LIGHTNING!" She had screeched, and I was consumed by a violent urge to grab her throat to make the burning in my ears stop. But she danced away, just out of my reach, and began to skip down the blue-iced path of the Wood.
The journey was relatively uneventful to the end, except for when the boy developed a strange fetish for capturing blue butterflies. He had tried to get all of us into it, and with the exception of myself, Lulu, and Kimhari, everyone was trying to catch all the blue butterflies. I was reminded of that day…ten years ago…
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"Whoa…what the hell are those?" Jecht yelled, pointing off into the distance.
"What do they look like," Auron snapped, sarcasm lacing his voice, "butterflies, perhaps?"
"Like hell that's a butterfly. Butterflies aren't blue all over, and I'm damn sure they aren't supposed to glow." Jecht replied sharply, glaring in the monk's direction.
"You've never seen them before?" Braska said, in that quiet tone of his, looking curiously in Jecht's direction with a gentle smile.
"Nope. Zanarkand's a kick ass city…but no suburban characteristics there. Definitely no trees that I saw…except those in the Garden Square. And butterflies? The only ones I saw were the ones on those kid shows…eh…think one of 'em was called Abbie the Adventurer…stupid, Spanish-speaking runt…" He then began to mutter to himself, cursing the so-called adventurer named Abbie and someone called "Scarves". (A/N: Haha, three guesses where this one comes from…) Braska looked confused, and murmured with curiosity, "Spanish?" to himself.
"My lord…I said it then, and I say it now…may we please just drop him off at the next town we reach?" Auron pleaded.
Braska sent a stern look in Auron's direction. "Auron, you would leave a defenseless man in a place where he knows no one and no purpose?"
"…No, but…my lord…I…I-" Auron stuttered, slightly rattled.
"Then accept the fact that he is here to stay. We have a duty to help him, as he is helping us now, and I will not be the first summoner to relinquish my duty to the people by refusing to aid someone…regardless of who it is." They were interrupted by a happy roar from Jecht, and both the men turned around to see him jumping up and down near a small caved-in section of a tree. Apparently, while Braska had been lecturing Auron, Jecht had attempted to catch the butterfly. He was now holding something in a vial in his hand, and both the other two men wondered what it was.
"Once I caught it, it disappeared and new ones started poppin' up everywhere! Damn, guys, I got an X- potion for catching all of 'em…hey, maybe if we catch a few more than last time, we get more stuff! Woohoo!!!" Jecht yelled giddily.
Braska chuckled and looked at Auron. "It seems we have a new task ahead of us."
Auron groaned. And thus began the butterfly-catching tirade.
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Ten years ago….Jecht caught a butterfly…and that was the start of something…
The battle of the spherimorph, then, was a big difficulty…but the mage and Yuna held out well against the elemental attacks of the big jelly-like fiend. Rikku was very well prepared with her gems, and soon the thing was down and gone. No surprises for me, as Jecht, Braska, and I fought the same thing ten years ago…though now for some reason it seemed a bit tougher.
After we had entered the lake area, however, both Rikku and Yuna began to shiver slightly. Tidus took the first under control, by offering her his arms as warmth, and she politely accepted, refusing the blush that threatened to creep across her cheeks. The second, being the annoying little chocobo that she was, began to whine again.
"Aww…it's cold!!"
"No surprises there." I remarked dully, taking a once-over of her shorts and sleeveless shirt.
"Shut up, you meanie." She growled, and she shot me a glare. Her gaze wasn't as blinding, due to her anger, so I was able to stare back. For a few seconds we glared at each other, and then she was the first to look away, I remember, and I almost smirked. How old am I again?
"I used to live in the desert, for your information, so these clothes were perfect for that kind of weath-" She stopped short of finishing her indignant sentence, her eyes widening with fear.
"You used to live in the desert?" Wakka asked curiously. Oh hell…
"Uh…heh heh heh…well, just near the desert…not completely in it, you know….hey look! A butterfly!" She suddenly remarked, pointing spastically towards a tree.
Tidus immediately stood up straighter, his eyes darting around. "Where?!" He yelled. Nice one, I couldn't help admitting to myself. The others immediately groaned and the subject of Rikku's childhood had died down for the moment.
Finally, we forced her to shut up by offering to stop at the agency, lest she and I should get into another fight…
We had reached said agency and were resting. Tidus had gone out to talk to that annoying little man, the chocobo lover…Clasko, if I remember correctly. He always had agitated me…maybe because his lack of courage…Lulu was standing in a corner, pensively, and Wakka was trying unsuccessfully to start a conversation with her about blitzball. Kimhari was watching Yuna, who was sitting on a chair, thinking. I myself was standing near the door, remaining vigilant in the hope that Seymour should appear suddenly. And I might need to crush his face.
Hold on, Auron. This isn't your story. So stay out of it.
Chocobo decides to come up to me and talk, then.
"So…" She says lowly, sneaking a furtive glance around her, "anything new on the dead scene?"
Slightly irritated by her lack of tact in referring to my current state, I decide to keep it simple. "No."
She pouts, and I'm overcome by this sudden feeling of nausea. "Aww…come on, don't you get some kind of reception or something? A sixth sense? Being Unsent, and all?"
"No."
She looks up at me with those green eyes of hers, and I try to avoid them. Though this time, they're filled with something akin to anger, and I'm curious. "Y'know…I'm really ticked off. Seymour has no damn right to come in now, when Yunie's going to die, and try to get her to marry him. What, does he want more confusion for her? Vilg, he's a selfish rat! I HATE HIM!" She suddenly added at the end, with fervor.
I am…glad. She feels the same way I do. No, Auron, she doesn't. You need to keep your mouth shut. Don't let her know that…So I don't say anything. She suddenly squirms.
"I mean…doncha think he's going a little too far with this?" She squeaks meekly.
"I don't care what he wants, as long as Yuna is able to continue her pilgrimage." I say, and suddenly want to take my words back when I notice her reaction. Stupid, Auron. Very stupid.
Her face crumples up, looking shocked and sad. Her smile and passion for hatred of the half Guado are gone. Her eyes threaten to be filled with tears, but then her expression hardens. She stands up stiffly, and glares at me with her eyes, though now I am able to face them because the sun has been obscured….by clouds.
"Sorry you feel that way. Guess we can't wait for Yuna to die, can we?" She says, and her voice is full of scorn. It…hurts me….strangely. She turns to go and I have half a mind to follow after her, to explain that I didn't mean it the way it sounded. But I don't, because the boy walks in and says he's ready to leave. Everyone moves from their positions, and then all go towards the door.
She doesn't look at me. She avoids coming near.
We reach the lake…and the idiot Tromell is here. I don't like the way he carries himself.
He says something….but all I really am focused on is Yuna…and the boy, who is obviously twitching with anger and anxiety next to me, unwilling to let her go. She asks if she can continue her pilgrimage…and he says yes…I doubt it very much.
She is leaving…we all nod as she says good bye. Then the idiot spins his gaze to us.
"Well...we must follow Guado tradition. I'll have to ask you to wait here a little while longer. I'll send someone to escort you." Like hell you will.
She turns around to leave…but then she stops and looks back at us.
"I..." She is scared. Frightened. That we are disappointed.
"We're all with you. Do as you will." I say, looking at her and urging her to understand the meaning of the statement.
"Thank you." Relief. That's good.
I am hit by a rather amusing idea. I glance at the boy sideways. "Sorry."
"Hmm?" Obviously he is not paying attention. His eyes, I notice, are fixed on Yuna's back.
"That was your line." I smirk. Suddenly, his face lights up and he runs forward.
"Yuna!"
He whistles. A loud, piercing noise….though it cannot do much more harm to me than the girl does…
"Yessir!" Yuna turns around and smiles. Really smiles. Hmph. Don't let them get to you Auron…one will have to go while the other stays.
I sigh to myself. I'll have to let them work it out by themselv-
What was that?
"Oh no!!" Panic in her voice. An unadulterated panic.
"Al Bhed!" Wakka confirms my worst fears.
I immediately run to Yuna, as the Al Bhed encircle her and the idiot on their snow mobiles…scooters………..things….
I take in the surroundings quickly…alright. Around ten of them…I can take three at once. The boy and Wakka can handle two each…the mage and Rikku can team up on the other three. "Stand back." I order quietly, to the two prisoners in the center.
The idiot mutters, "Thank you." And begins walking away, and I get ready to face off, when- Yuna….?
….That's my girl.
Yuna runs to us, and suddenly we see a man…and a rather large machine…he yells out Rikku's name, and something else in Al Bhed and I pray the chocobo will keep her large mouth shut for once…
"Oh, no!" Too late.
"Translation?"
"He's gonna use an anti-magic field on us!" Bad. Very bad.
"Kad dras!"
The machine moves forward, and we all get ready.
The fight is a difficult one. It relieves the mages of their summoning and magic…yet Rikku is able to easily defeat it with the numerable lightning gems she caught in the Thunder Plains. Tidus, Wakka, Kimhari, and I slash at the negator until it goes down….and then….
My eye widens. It's doing something big…we need to take cover…now!
"SHIELD!" I yell loudly, and everyone ducks under their protective armor as the wave of energy passes through all of us, depleting our mana and reducing our health considerably. I look up, the lone, healthy survivor. All of the others are either unconscious or indubitably almost so. I fumble within my coat for a mega-phoenix, and I throw it upon the injured members of our party, who immediately stagger to their feet and begin healing themselves and everyone else.
"Now. We attack!" I shout, and charge at it with Tidus and Kimhari. Wakka stands back, throwing his blitzball at the machine until its many dents and scratches seemed to be taking effect. It gurgled unpleasantly, sputtering oil and various metal parts as its last power began to fail. Finally, it explodes with a loud bang. Everyone stops.
"Rikku!" We look up and see the man again….is that a mohawk? I resist the urge to make a face. What kind of hellish design is that to put on a head? Focus.
"E femm damm Vydran!" He yells, sounding annoyingly smug. Oh, so you'll do that, will you?
"E ys dra guardian uv Yuna, oui caa? Yuna ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran! Cra ec cyva!" Rikku yells back, and this time it isn't so painful because her voice sounds almost hurt, pleading and begging. I implore the man within my mind to take heed of her statement.
"Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!" Sister?
The man runs away and Rikku turns to us with a nervous giggle. "I told him I was a guardian. Well, guess I had to, really." I almost groan. Not good for you, chocobo.
"How come you speak Al Bhed? Why?" Is he honestly that slow?
The boy stutters something incomprehensibly, but then Rikku draws herself up and I know what she is going to say.
"Because I'm Al Bhed. And that...was my brother."
There is silence.
"You knew?" Wakka speaks, angrily, turning to Lulu and Tidus. They both nod guiltily.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Stupid question.
"We knew you'd be upset." Smart response.
"This is great. I can't believe I've been travelling with an Al Bhed! A heathen!" His words are snide, scornful, and full of hate. I don't like it.
"You're wrong! We have nothing against Yevon." I look at her curiously. Really, now?
"But you Al Bhed use the forbidden machina! You know what that means? Sin was born because people used machina!" I resist the urge to break his face in half. He'll find out soon enough, Auron. Wait for it.
"You got proof? Show me proof!" Yes, Wakka, show us proof.
"It's in Yevon's teachings! Not that you'd know!" Not good enough.
"That's not good enough!" I like her way of thinking. "Yevon says this, Yevon says that. Can't you think for yourself?" I look again at her. I really like her thinking.
"Well, then you tell me! Where did Sin come from, huh?" Wakka is beginning to annoy me…quite a bit.
"I...I don't know!" She loses her fighting spirit slightly...but don't worry, Rikku, you will know soon.
"Hmph!" There he goes again, taking my line. "You bad mouth Yevon, and that's all you can come up with?" No, that's all you can come up with.
"But...that doesn't mean you should do whatever they say without thinking! Nothing will ever change that way!" Spoken like a true capitalist, actually.
"Nothing has to change!" Communist bastard.
"You want Sin to keep coming back? There might be a way to stop it, you know!" Yes. And all we have to do is wait. Until we reach someone I really want to kill.
"Sin will be gone once we atone for our past mistakes!" Fool.
"When? How?" Good questions.
"If we keep faith in Yevon's teachings it will be gone one day!" Delusion. Yevon has once again done its job well. There is no point in continuing to listen to this conversation. It has to stop…
Ah. I look over at the scooter-mobiles and begin walking over. Time to tinker with machina, and end this stupid fight. It's killing the chocobo-girl, and forcing Yuna to stay with Seymour longer. Now is not the time to discuss the pros and cons of institutionalized religion.
"Why do I even bother?" She sounds tired…defeated.
"Rikku! Will this move?" I say loudly, bending over the handlebars of the scooter-mobile.
She looks at me, and the sadness in her eyes suddenly lifts. She smiles at me, and I think there is a spark of understanding between us…she runs over, and begins moving around machinery with her hands.
"We're not using that, are we? Wait... Sir Auron isn't Al Bhed too, is he?" Yes I am, Wakka, and I've been hiding it all this time just to spite you.
"Come on, Wakka..." The boy sounds ticked.
"What?"
"I mean, getting angry just 'cause you found out Rikku's an Al Bhed...you guys got along fine till now, didn't you?"
"That's different. I mean..."
"Well, I don't claim to know that much about Spira. And I probably know even less about the Al Bhed, but...I know Rikku's a good person. She's just Rikku!" …Spoken like his father. I sniff suddenly, and begin to turn my attention back to the scooter-mobile.
"Lu?"
"Just think of this as an oppurtunity to learn more about the Al Bhed." Ever the peace-maker, that one.
"Ha!" His laugh sounds like mine...not good.
Wakka walks away. Tidus begins to follow, but I stop him.
"Let him go. Give him time to think." I suppose we should all have some quality time to ourselves, even after acting like a spoiled child.
"I'm sorry." She has gotten up and is looking down at her toes. Her voice sounds so sad it tightens my chest. I am still not used to the image of her tears that night.
"You've done nothing to apologize for." Lulu speaks gently to the girl, and she perks up slightly.
"All right! Let's ride!" The boy yells, excited to catch up with Yuna at last.
"You sure you know how to drive this?" Rikku sounds slightly worried.
The Ronso suddenly strides over and flips one of the scooter-mobiles up. He proceeds to sit on it and steps on the pedal with his huge foot. The machine guzzles to life, and the vehicle suddenly takes a sharp turn and swerves to the right. Then to the left. And, with its wiggling start, Kimhari drives away…dangerously.
"Better than Kimahri does!" Tidus laughs and gets on a scooter. The mage sits behind him and they drive off. That leaves me with….her.
Oh, boy. It's going to be one hell of a ride.
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Oh em gee, I do believe I actually left you all with the second cliff-hanger of my fanfiction-writing career!
Well now…what shall we do then?
I see that there is a blue box in the bottom left hand corner…maybe we should click it?
And let me know of the goodness or horribleness of this chapter? And my story as a whole, perhaps?
Loves.
-SV