Disclaimer: Square-Enix Incorporated owns all copyrighted material this fanfiction may include. All other materials, such as characters, events, dialogue, et cetera, all belong to Zeshin-kun.
Author's Note: Well, no need to beg Haruka as the next update is here!
Unlike Eternal Love, this story can very nearly be an entirely new concept in the continuity, which gives me much more freedom for how I want the story developed. In that sense, input from readers via reviews might just influence the direction of Spira. Naturally, since I've stopped considering this an AU, I must now keep mindful of important pieces of Last Mission's plot, that being a much more open Paine, three months of normal life, no more Shinra, etc, but those are only minor details that shouldn't be too difficult to keep track of.
Now, on to the story. When we left off last, another enemy from Shuyin's past revealed himself. It was the unsent of major blitzball rival and wartime arch-nemesis, Areth. For those who've read Eternal Love, you'll know a few bits to Areth's personality and history and may wonder just why he never revealed himself in modern Spira after feeling Shuyin's unsent awaken. Why now has Shuyin's return stirred the restless spirits? The answer may yet elude this story's telling for some time, but as smarties, you may pick up on hints in future chapters.
Furthermore, what does all this mean to start with? Why Seymour? Why Dark Shuyin? Why Areth? What's the overall plot behind everything that's happened since day one? Some of you may wonder if it's due to my personal opinion that all four had similar motives and that just may be the case, but I'm not going to blow that whistle just yet. ^_~ Now, without further adue, please enjoy the next chapter of Spira: The Eternal Discord!
Spira: The Eternal Discord
Chapter 24: Consequence of Sin
Tidus
"Hopefully, you don't have the same wretchedness."
After the run-in with Areth, Shuyin went dead silent on us for a long time and didn't even head for the airship. Rikku tried calling out to him a few times, but he just kept walking. For a while, it seemed like he was stuck on zombie mode, but that's when it happened. A stray fiend that was alerted by all the pyrefly activity came up sniffing for something to kill and Shuyin went ballistic. In a split second, the guy went from practically catatonic to violently vicious and the fiend never saw it coming. This would keep going since more fiends were being alerted to the killing spree, but Shuyin didn't stop. Actually, we were standing in the middle of the Calm Lands because of the path the guy ended up plowing down for us.
While he was at it killing fiends in droves, Yuna and Rikku explained to me and Paine about who this Areth was. Apparently, he was a very big bad back in Shuyin's day, the one who ordered an attack on the Zanarkand Dome that killed all of the Zanarkand Abes. I remembered that attack, too. For me, it was Sin that struck, but I remember leaving my teammates behind in the rubble. There were barely any survivors and Auron was all I had left. Then, he brought me to Spira where I was given a new life with Yuna. I could only imagine having to stay in Zanarkand after something like that. Just what Shuyin must have had to deal with was enough to make me hate that Areth. And Shuyin…
"Wow, I can't believe how stupid I was. Shuyin, that guy's been through a lot…" I mumbled while watching him continue to vent his anger on those fiends.
"After what he nearly did, it was hard to see his good origins." Yuna commented as she came up to me, hugging my arm close.
"I remember my Zanarkand…" I started to say.
"Your Zanarkand?"
"Remember what I told you and the others about how I came to Spira? Sin attacked Zanarkand, tore it to pieces. Well, the long version was that I was playing a blitzball game that night Sin attacked. From what Shuyin told you, I think he was in that game, too. My team was killed that night and there were barely any survivors from the stadium. If it wasn't for Auron bringing me to Spira, I don't know where I would have gone after that. The city was crumbling all around." I told her, recounting the horrible details.
"That's awful. I'm glad Sir Auron watched over you then. I would've hated for you to lose yourself like he did."
"But I can feel the same things he does. When we were trapped by Seymour in Bevelle, I hated him so much I wanted to tear his spine out." I said, clenching a fist.
"You never let your anger go too far, though. I think Shuyin fell far into the darkness of the war and being cast into the Den of Woe for so long. I know he was better than he thinks he is, but I think so much time has passed that it will take a lot to make him understand that."
By this time, Rikku had gone over to the guy to get him to stop his rampage, but it just wasn't getting through this time. Shuyin was embittered, but Lenne wasn't around for him like Yuna was for me. I think our summoners kept us in perspective and made sure we never went too far. Shuyin was without Lenne for over a millennium. There was no telling how far gone he was. From what Yuna and Rikku told me later, they got her back to him, but that was just a short while before he came back to Besaid so that must have broken him even more.
"There should be something Rikku can do, though." Yuna continued, taking a few steps forward.
"I'm not sure. She's not having much luck with him right now."
"But if Rikku can't do anything, who else can? Do you think we should take him to the Farplane to see Lenne?"
"I don't think that's really necessary, Yuna. Besides, I don't think seeing the person you can't be with would help things." I answered, putting my gloved hand up to my chin, "I lost Zanarkand, too, but very soon, I had Rikku who let me stay with the Al Bhed. After Sin attacked again, there was Wakka and then you. I think Shuyin just needs to know he's got us, too."
"I've tried that already. He doesn't seem to understand." Yuna sighed.
"Maybe he just needs to know we trust him." Paine suddenly interjected, walking up to my other side, "We wouldn't trust him before. We thought he was up to his old tricks. Maybe we still do."
Turning to her, I noticed a Garment Grid in her hand, clutched to her chest. She turned to the two of us next and handed Yuna the tablet. With a nod to both of us, she went to the nearby gaming station. Looking at the grid, I smiled at Yuna and set off. Rikku was still struggling with the guy who was taking up the activity of torturing a Nebiros fiend. By the time I reached the two, the fiend was wingless and spewing pyreflies from its many minor wounds, which Shuyin surgically incised. He was currently working at each of the segmented legs until I finally put the thing out of its misery.
"What was that for?!" He immediately snapped, grabbing me by the collar.
"For your own good." I told him, removing his hand from me, "You're losing it, Shuyin. Rikku's on the verge of tears because of you. You took us from Zanarkand all the way here. Did you even realize that? Just look around at your handiwork."
Shuyin made a few nonchalant glances around the Calm Lands before turning back to me, "A few less fiends to worry about might help the agencies here."
I took a deep breath and started again, "You and I both know that's not why you did this."
"Listen to him, Shuyin. Stop this. You have to calm down and let us help you." Rikku pleaded.
"I'm helping myself. It was just some harmless venting. I thought the shadow was the end of it. I wasn't expecting more garbage to show up." He grumbled, sheathing his sword, which was a good sign.
"That Areth, he could fight, too. When we were clashing, it felt almost like I was taking you on again. Was he…"
"Don't compare me to that monster!" Shuyin roared, his eyes darkening, "Areth slew many innocent lives in the name of his brother and shamed his memory. He manipulated others, ended up having thousands in his own military die at a whim and it was to get back at Zanarkand for an accident. His best friend warned him about the path he was headed towards and he shot him in the face without a second thought."
Both Rikku and I were absolutely shocked. Shuyin's Spira had guys like that running around? Seymour was the worst I ever saw of Yuna's Spira. He murdered his father, abused his mother's Aeon powers, and killed hundreds of Al Bhed and ronso to meet his ends, but that wasn't anything compared to what I'd already heard Shuyin and Bevelle do in the past. Now there was this sociopath Areth, too? Just what was the real Zanarkand like? No, there was a war. Things probably happened that created all this.
"Now, angry or not, confused or not, I've got to deal with this again. I should've dealt with him when I was an unsent, but I couldn't think about the possibilities of Areth lingering on as an unsent. All I could do was turn this Spira into a nightmare, too."
"You didn't know any better. Besides, we've all got to deal with…" I tried to say.
"No, he's after me again just like he was before. He's fixed on that, which puts anyone around me in danger. Maybe you guys should find and contain the shadow. I'll handle Areth."
"We're not going to separate now! You're not thinking straight, Shuyin! Last time you went off on your own, what do you think happened? Stop running away from us! Let us help you!" Rikku cried, hitting the guy's chest a few times.
"Hey, let's head back. I think we could all use a break, recharge the chargeables, eh?" I suggested, taking a palm to Shuyin's back and pushing him on.
He was reluctant; something told me he wanted to keep at it on those fiends a little bit longer, but I wasn't going to let him fall back into that rut again. We have enough to deal with without having our senior resource indisposed. The trek back toward Yuna didn't take all that long, but the awkward silence and the menacing aura pouring from Shuyin made it tiring nonetheless. When we got to Yuna, she revealed the Garment Grid that Paine offered her.
"What's this?" Shuyin mumbled as he looked at it in Yuna's extended hand.
I patted him on the back and tried messing with his hair, since that's what Wakka'd done to me when I zoned out about going back home. Since that wasn't doing it for him, I decided words might do a better job. "You're not a one-man army here."
"No, I'm not an army. I'm just a soldier and that war from long ago just won't give me a break and end." He grumbled again, attempting to take off.
Yuna quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back, saying, "And that's what this is, Shuyin. This Garment Grid is called 'The End'."
"And? I know what you're trying to do, Yuna, I really do, but I don't need the dresspheres and…"
"The End Garment Grid: It symbolizes your strength to put an end to this old life of yours. You have a new one… with us." Yuna continued, stopping Shuyin's loner retort by handing him the tablet.
Shuyin only looked at the device and sighed, "Thanks, but I've realized where I stand. This goes beyond a new life, a chance to start over, a chance to live again with Lenne. Something happened. It brought me, Seymour, Areth, and even another me back from the grave."
"We can work it out." Yuna interjected.
"I don't want to work it out! I want Shuyin and Areth gone for good! They cause enough trouble!" He growled, gripping the grid tighter.
"Being angry isn't going to help you get rid of them, Shuyin!" Rikku yelled.
"No, but I'm tired. I'm tired and I just want to be finished."
This time, I chimed in, "Then, let us help you. We'll finish this together. We'll get to a true ending, The End." Following my statement, I pushed the grid against his chest.
Unfortunately, I think it only set him off, "You just don't understand. It's not about ending this problem to start over again. There is no starting over again! This is Spira; it's just the way it is, an eternal discord."
"We'll change that. It was a long hard road that brought the Eternal Calm to Spira. Let's go the distance and make sure it stays that way." I said, pumping a fist at him.
He seemed seething with anger instead, "Stop! All this motivational speechifying isn't going to do anything! You know what would? Areth's head on a pike! My stupid dark side evaporated into the abyss! All of the nonsense in this wretched world just needs to die!"
With that, he slammed his fist into the Garment Grid. Suddenly, an orb lit up and began pouring light all over the guy. As his eyes went wide, the rest of us stared, knowing he'd activated a spherechange. Paine had seen what was going on and made her way back to us then, but it was too late. The sphere was active and transforming Shuyin against his will. The light changed from a bright yellow into a dark violet and then navy before Yuna identified it as the Berserker Dressphere when she heard a shrill howl. After the light died down, Shuyin was shuddering, slightly hunched over and breathing very ragged breaths.
"Shuyin?" Rikku said, inching her way to him.
Looking up, his eyes pierced through all of us, a vacant but furious glare stemming from his feral state. I had seen the girls' Berserkers. This one was nothing like it and it seemed as though Shuyin wasn't in control. With a fearsome roar, he fully extended his claws and began stalking towards us. His eyes darted back and forth like he was seeing what we'd do to gauge us. But, before any of us could react, he lurched forward and charged…
Author's Note: Well, talk about a temper. With all the chaos that keeps ensuing, will Shuyin ever have the chance to live out his life? Actually, the more imminent question should be, will the group be capable of bringing Shuyin out of his self-pitying parade so they can focus on the tasks at hand? As the old saying goes: "united they stand, divided they fall", their enemies in Areth and the shadow know this all too well and their individual scheming seem to have taken their toll on a major asset to the team. If they can't elicit the information Shuyin has on them, it may be much more difficult to stop their rampages through a Spira that only recently regained the rewards of peace.
However, another pertinent question might just be, "Just where is Lenne?" This seems to be on the minds of a great many of you. Rest assured, that still lies ahead, but it may not be the solution everyone is hoping it to be...