5. Besaid Besieged
"Hooooo-oooooo-WEEEEEEEE!" Rikku exclaimed, doing her little dance on the main deck. "Now that's what I call fun!"
"Aww HAILZ yeah! We whooped those boys butt GOOD!" Brother yelled animatedly.
"Now, now...," Yuna said.
"Oh come on, Yunie! Those punks attacked us first!" Rikku replied. "Admit it, girlfriend: that was a fuckin' RUSH!"
"Well...," Yuna replied modestly. "Maybe a little."
In truth, however, she knew Rikku was right. Her heart was still pounding, endorphins coursing as her nipples stood hard. "But that encounter proved one thing: Baralai and New Yevon really are up to something. I suspect they didn't want us snooping around, and wished to silence us before we could leave."
"No surprise there," Shinra said. "After all, New Yevon is now the largest faction in Spira. Absolute power corrupts absolutely."
"I can't believe that turncoat bitch Dona is Baralai's new puppet. Talk about selling your soul to the devil," Rikku said.
"That figures. She always used to give us a hard time, especially two years ago. Old habits die hard, I guess...," Yuna said.
Just then, an alarm sounded from the cockpit. The crew's eyes went wide, looking to the flashing red beacon.
"What's that?" Yuna asked.
"A distress signal. It's coming from Besaid Island," Buddy said.
"Besaid?!" Rikku exclaimed, hopping into her navigator's seat. Yuna followed her from behind, the two looking down at the console. "...Damn! It says they're under attack! Is it New Yevon?!"
"It can't be. There's no way they could react so quickly," Yuna said. "Buddy! Set a course for Besaid Island! Brother! Engines, full speed ahead!"
"Roger," Buddy said.
"You got it, baws! YEEH-HAW!" Brother said, throttling the engines.
The Celsius sped through the sky, making for the island of Besaid. Upon nearing the area, the crew looked out the main window. Dark clouds hovered over Besaid, the sound of screams echoing from below. As the ship made a landing, Rikku gazed out at the village. Her eyes grew wide, spotting charred bodies strewn around.
"What the hell?!" she said worriedly.
"Come on!" Yuna said, she and Rikku racing off the deck.
They quickly left the ship, kicking up sand as they raced across the beach toward town. Upon reaching the main square, they froze, eyes wide as they noticed someone familiar.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" a villager shouted, flying back from a woman in black. As the man fell dead, Yuna and Rikku stood in disbelief.
"...Lulu!" Yuna exclaimed.
Lulu stood silent, eyes cold as thunder rolled in from a distance.
"...Rikku. Yuna. We meet again," Lulu said. She exuded an aura of darkness, voice low and eery. Yuna's eyes twitched, looking at the death and destruction surrounding them.
"...Lulu. Did you...?" Yuna asked hesitantly. "...Did you kill all of these people?!" she yelled.
"And what if I did?" Lulu asked. "Vidina was taken from me. Nothing else matters."
"What?! You mean...?!" Rikku asked.
"...Your son?!" Yuna added.
"Yes. He's gone. Taken by an unknown illness six days ago," Lulu said. Yuna and Rikku froze, sadly looking on at the mage.
"No...!" Rikku said, hands over her mouth.
"Lulu... I'm so sorry...!" Yuna said.
"But... all this chaos! What will destroying Besaid do? Why are you doing this?!" Rikku asked.
"Why not? My son was healthy, but in a matter of days he was dead. For all I know, one of these wretched villagers may have poisoned him," Lulu said. Yuna gave a pause, spotting a hint of madness in her eyes.
"Lulu... what are you talking about? Why would anyone possibly do that?!" Yuna asked.
"How should I know? We live in a time of treachery and confusion. Anything's possible in this day and age," Lulu replied.
"And... what about Wakka? Where is he?" Yuna asked.
"...Oh. That useless man?" Lulu asked. She then reached back, pulling his severed head from behind. Rikku and Yuna gasped, eyes contorting in horror at the sight. "I relieved him of his empty head. He was more obsessed with blitzball than he was with his own family. He was always such a fool... a real man wouldn't have let our son die!" Lulu tossed the head up, spiking it toward Yuna and Rikku as though it were a ball.
"EEEEEEK!" Rikku screamed, she and Yuna dodging out of the way.
"Lulu... how could you...? Wakka loved you!" Yuna said.
"Hmph. Love. Such a deluded concept," Lulu replied. "I never loved Wakka. I just saw a bit of Chappu in his eyes. It's cruel, I know. But then I realized... love in itself is fake. It's a fantasy: a made up notion to provide people with false comfort. I need no such thing. My son is dead. Now, I will make everything else as such."
As Lulu looked on at Yuna, lightning suddenly crashed in the distance. Lulu raised an arm, preparing to charge up a spell.
"...Lulu. Don't do this. Please!" Rikku yelled tearfully. Yuna heaved a sigh, slowly closing her eyes.
"...Forget it, Rikku," Yuna said. She slowly stepped forward, drawing her guns. "...She's utterly lost her mind. I hate to do this, but... we have to put her out of her misery." As Rikku deeply frowned, Yuna raised her firearms, taking aim. "...Lulu. I used to love you. You were like a big sister to me. I hate that it's come to this, but you've killed Wakka and dozens of innocent people.
I can't let you live."