The Gunslinger

by Nataku's Wrath

Vincent Valentine: A hero of legend, sleeping through time. What happens when he wakes up in Spira to find a new terror destroying the land and a new group of heroes asking for his help? Final Fantasy VII x X crossover. Read and Review!

30. Chapter 30

Author's Letter to his Readers,

I started this fic on July 19th, 2006 as a way to distract myself in a very boring summer seminar class on Art History-whose only payoff was a trip to the National Gallery in Washington DC and a very pretty brunette who sat in next to me in class, but I never had the courage to do more than flirt with. Seventeen years later, I am posting chapter 30 of the fic, more or less at the halfway point in Final Fantasy X.

A lot has changed in those seventeen years for me: three unfinished original novels, two completed but unpublished original novels, two career changes, five jobs at five different companies (none that I've managed to actually enjoy), one apartment, two houses, marriage, and two wonderful kids. I fought in kickboxing smokers and still train to this day, now one of the old lions in the gym. I'm trying everyday to see the glass as half full and not half empty.

I have gained and lost friends, lost family members to time, disease, and the accidents of the universe. I miss them all terribly and wish I could have more time with them.

And throughout it all, The Gunslinger. I know that I haven't updated as quickly as the majority of my readers would have liked and one would have assumed I would have finished the fic after 17 years…but here we are.

To all my readers: past, present, and future; thank you for joining me on this continuing journey.

-XXX-

CHAPTER XXX

Trials, Combat, and Cait?

Vincent walked behind Tidus and Yuna, the summoner leaning exhausted against the blitzer. Her wedding dress was rumbled and dirty with dark streaks that marred the pristine white cloth. Dark bruises on her arms and certainly in other places hidden by the dress showed the day's difficulties. Her steps were heavy and her breathing was labored from physical and magical fatigue.

They reached the heavy stone door and Yuna tried to perform the Yevon prayer to open it. She raised her hands to start, but lost her balance. Tidus quickly caught her and she smiled weakly at him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem," he replied. "You just take it easy."

Vincent stepped past the two teens and wedged his claws into the bottom seam of the door. With a mighty heave, Vincent raised the stone slab and held it for the two teens to walk through.

"Wait, don't come out!" Rikku yelled, but it was too late. Tidus, Yuna, and Vincent emerged from the Chamber of the Fayth to find the rest of their companions bound and surrounded by temple guards. Wakka, Kimahri, and Auron bled from fresh wounds while Lulu lay unconscious on the ground. Vincent's sharp eyes didn't see any new wounds on her, only slow deep breaths. She had been hit with a powerful sleep spell. Vincent scanned the room for the caster and saw Maester Kinoc smiling, aiming a rifle at Tidus.

"There's the last of them," he said. "You are all to stand trial."

"For what?" yelled Tidus. "You're the ones who kidnapped Yuna!"

"The charges are still being ironed out," Kinoc said. "But I am sure they will be numerous, especially considering you all tried to assassinate the Grand Maester."

Auron spit out a mouthful of blood and let out a loud humph. "I expect it will be a fair trial?"

Kinoc shared his own smile. "Of course it will, old friend. Now if you'll all peacefully surrender, we can conclude this with no more unnecessary violence."

"I'll show you unnecessary!" Tidus yelled. He drew his sword, heedless of the dozen armed guards training their weapons on him immediately. He almost took a step before Yuna gripped his arm. She was exhausted, but her grip still felt like steel.

"Don't throw your life away," she whispered to him. "Where there is life, there is hope." Tidus looked into her green and blue eyes and let out a heavy sigh. He dropped his sword and it clattered to the ground. Kinoc motioned for one of the soldiers to pick it up.

"And you?"

"I do not go gently," Vincent said, his cloak snapping and billowing out behind him. The Crusaders and Kinoc took a wary step back, their weapons raised, and their eyes wide with fear.

"Please, Captain Vincent," Yuna pleaded.

Vincent saw Rikku struggling to get away from her guard, trip, and fall to the ground hard. The guard pushed her with the toe of his boot, pushing Rikku over. Vincent bared his fanged teeth, started forward, and suddenly felt the room twist and shift around him. His feet lost their purchase on the ground and Vincent slid down to one knee. He raised his hand to cover his eyes as the room took a gut-wrenching, topsy-turvy spin.

"There will be no more violence this day," an elderly, but firm voice spoke out. Vincent could barely make out the form of Grand Maester Mika stepping out from behind a row of Crusader guards. Green waves of magic wafted off his thin frame as he raised a glowing green orb in his right hand. The waves grew stronger and brighter as he pointed the orb towards Vincent, Tidus, and Yuna.

"Sleep," Mika commanded, and the world faded to blackness and haunted dreams.

-X-

The sound of a gavel hammering into a bowl of bronze woke Vincent from his nightmare. Before he opened his eyes, he felt heavy chains wrapped around his arms, legs, and torso. He lightly flexed his muscles and felt the chains tighten around him. A gag was shoved into his mouth and he quickly went to work on slicing through it with a fang. When he opened his eyes, Vincent was in a tall, cylindrical chamber, hollow like the barrels of his gun with golden balconies set throughout. The hymn of the fayth echoed throughout the chamber over and over, an everlasting psalm.

It made Vincent want to tear his ears off.

Vincent spat the remains of the gag out of his mouth and looked around him. Tidus, Lulu, Wakka, Auron, Kimahri, and Rikku were beside him. All of the guardians were bound in some way. Lulu's hands were tied and a small magic nullifier hovered just over her head. It was similar in size to the one the Al Bhed had used near Lake Macalania, but more arcane and ancient looking. Wakka, Tidus, and Rikku were tied up in thicker cord, but were not gagged. Kimahri and Auron were bound in chains, but not as massive and heavy as Vincent's were. Surrounding the guardians on the platform, and gathered on every other platform and alcove within Vincent's eyesight, were Crusader guards, armed with the largest rifles and cannons Vincent had ever seen the Yevonites use. Nine out of ten were pointed at Vincent. Under different circumstances, Vincent may have felt a bit of pride at that.

A gunslinger knows pride, that invisible bone that keeps the neck stiff.

Vincent sat up straighter as a large ronso bedecked in jewels, feathers, and more ornamentation than Vincent ever saw on Reno at the Gold Saucer stood up and approached the edge of the platform. Behind him, sat Maester Kinoc and Seymour. And above, on an elaborate dais befitting his station, sat Grand Maester Mika.

"The High Court of Yevon is now in session." The ronso's voice boomed across the chamber like thunder. "The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth, in Yevon's name. To those on trial: believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth."

Vincent couldn't help letting out a disgusted hmph at the ronso's directives.

"Bring forth the accused," the ronso ordered. On an adjacent platform, Yuna was brought forward by a pair of guards, her hands were tied before her and a magic nullifier hovered over her head like Lulu. Vincent's eyes narrowed. The girl still looked tired, but at least had been allowed to change out of her ruined wedding dress. She wore her regular clothes and looked like had received a matter of rudimentary healing from the lack of visible bruises.

"Summoner Yuna," the ronso greeted.

"Maester Kelk Ronso," Yuna returned and bowed to the maester. Kelk returned a nod before standing ramrod straight and strong.

"Summoner Yuna, you have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, true?"

"No, I have not."

Rumbles of muttering filled the chamber. Maester Kelk raised a hand for silence. "You are a sworn summoner of Yevon, are you not?"

"Yes, I am," replied Yuna. "But the oaths I swore to were to protect the people of Spira, not just of Yevon."

"Indeed," Kelk smirked. "Then consider: you and your guardians have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado, conspired with the Al Bhed and joined in their violent insurrection, and allowed heretics into our most sacred of spaces."

Vincent could feel eyes on him and couldn't help but smirk. If they only knew what really resided inside their temples.

"These are traitorous and unforgivable crimes that endangered many lives, disturbed the order of Yevon, and has been witnessed by many," Kelk continued. "Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence and heresy."

"Violence? Take these ropes off and I'll show you violence, you assholes!" Tidus yelled. Immediately, three Crusaders approached and grabbed onto his arms and shoulders, pushing him down to one knee. A knife was drawn and placed near enough to Tidus' throat for him to settle down.

"This court will not be threatened!" Kelk roared. "Another outburst and you will be sent back to your holding cells and will remain there indefinitely! Summoner Yuna, I see this only as more evidence against you. What kind of summoner surrounds herself with heretics and ruffians for guardians?"

"I am honored by my guardians, Maester," Yuna said defiantly. "I trust them with my life and consider them my dearest friends and family. Maester Seymour is the real traitor!"

More rumbling filled the chamber. Kelk scoffed and held out his hands again. "Order! Order! This is a grievous accusation on a Maester of Yevon, Summoner Yuna, and has little to do with your own crimes. What evidence do you have?"

"Maester Seymour murdered his father!" Yuna shouted. "He killed Maester Jyscal in cold blood with his own hands!"

"This is outrageous!" Kelk growled and looked towards the other maesters. "Maester Seymour is a Maester of Yevon, he would never commit such a heinous act!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hadn't you heard? It's all true, of course," Seymour laughed.

"What? Impossible!" Kelk said, shocked.

"And Seymour kidnapped Yuna!" Tidus shouted, the guards around him too in shock to stop him. "She didn't want to marry him; he cast a spell on her!"

"Seymour also had his men release fiends into the blitzball stadium in Luca," Auron added. "All so he could kill them and increase his standing with the public as a 'hero'."

"And Seymour's men were the ones who attacked the Al Bhed to kidnap Yuna!" Rikku shouted, conveniently omitting that the Al Bhed had already kidnapped Yuna. "They killed anyone in their way, even kids!"

"Seymour Guado has committed war crimes against the people of Spira, murdered his own father for power, and is already dead!" Yuna yelled, staring at Seymour with fire in her eyes. "He died in battle when my guardians and I confronted him upon learning of his crimes. He is Unsent!"

"It is the summoner's sacred duty to send the souls of the departed to the Farplane!" Lulu added. "Yuna was only doing her duty as a summoner!"

"Please Maester Kelk, Grand Maester Mika…please, perform the sending! Send Seymour to the Farplane!" Yuna pleaded.

Maester Kelk looked around, unsure what to do. "These accusations are-are severe. Investigations will need to be made, evidence gathered…"

"Maester Kelk Ronso, please send Seymour now!" Yuna pleaded.

"Send the dead to where they belong, hmm?" Grand Maester Mika said as he rose from his dais.

"Yes!"

Mika chuckled. "Leave us," he said. The crowd of temple guards and gathered Crusaders murmured in shock, but no one stirred.

"I said leave us!" Mika roared with sudden ferocity. Magic amplified his voice into a thunderclap that shook the entire chamber. "That is a command from the Grand Maester!"

One-by-one, the rank and file of guards and Crusaders left, leaving Yuna, her guardians, Rikku, and Vincent alone with the four Maesters of Yevon.

"I see the farce is finally over," Vincent spoke for the first time.

"What are you talking about?" asked Rikku.

"This was all a sideshow," Vincent explained, loud enough to carry through the chamber. "Bad theater put on by a bunch of hacks for their own egos. This was never a real trial."

"Preposterous," Kelk growled. "By Yevon law…"

"By Yevon law all trials and criminal proceedings are open to the public," interrupted Vincent. "But I see only the accused, accusers, judge, and our would-be executioner. There is no public, no press, not even a remote camera like they used for the blitzball tournament in Luca. Even all the guards were just scenery in your little play. Why would your Grand Maester dismiss them if this were a real trial and not an unjust sentencing?"

Kelk looked around the chamber, truly noticing for the first time how empty it really was. He had been so wrapped up in the pomp and circumstance, the audacity of the charges against Yuna, the High Summoner's own daughter for Yevon's sake, that he failed to notice.

"This is wrong," he said. "As High Justice of Yevon, I, Maester Kelk Ronso, declare this trial invalid and…"

"That will not be necessary," Seymour said. He was standing at the edge of the platform and suddenly stepped off. He plummeted for a heartbeat, his hair still solid and unmoving even against the force of wind and gravity, and, with a casual wave of his wand, floated gently to a stop beside Kelk.

"Thank you for your service," he whispered to the Ronso and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kelk didn't have any time to react before the point blank Firaga spell exploded and shot him, burning, across the chamber and into a dark corner.

"Now then, without further interruption," Seymour smirked and turned back toward Yuna. The poor girl was shocked and frozen in horror. Her eyes darted in the direction Kelk Ronso had flown, unable to see anything beyond darkness and flames.

Kimahri let out a desperate roar and struggled against his chains. So did Auron, Wakka, and Tidus. Vincent closed his eyes, mentally battling the Galian Beast from bursting forth in its own gout of flame and burning the Guardians in its haste to extract its own version of justice.

"Grand Maester Mika! You have to put a stop to this!" Lulu screamed. "Send the dead to the Farplane!"

"Send the dead, hmm?" Mika said. His voice had returned to the whispery, kind grandfather tone.

"Yes!" shouted Lulu as she pulled at her bonds.

Mika raised his frail arms and, after a second, a trio of pyreflies fluttered out of his body. The courtroom chambers echoed with gasps of shock.

"You will have to send me too."

"What?" uttered Wakka.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," groaned Tidus.

"Vilg Fuck !" blurted Rikku. "Ec ajanouha tayt, Ihlma Jehho Is everyone dead, Uncle Vinny ?"

"Muug'c mega Look's like ," Vincent replied as Seymour let out a single, black shaded pyrefly of his own.

"Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader," Kinoc said as he joined Mika on the Grand Maester's dais, apparently the only maester still amongst the living. "Even in death, he is invaluable to Spira."

"Don't you mean, to Yevon?" Rikku sneered.

"Enlightened rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living."

"And you?" Auron asked.

Kinoc shook his head and shrugged, "My time has not yet come."

"Yet," Auron growled.

"Life is but a passing dream, but the death that follows is eternal," Seymour cooed like a poet. "We offer our guidance to those who have yet to embrace the truth."

"What truth is that?" Lulu asked. All color had drained from her face and she shook in fear, rage, and broken-heartedness.

"Men die. Beasts die. Trees die. Even continents perish," Mika explained. "Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting its powerful truth is futile."

"But what of SIN?" Yuna asked. Vincent could see her shaking with wrath. Above her, the small magic nullifier jittered and struggled to stay aloft.

"I am a Summoner, like my father before me. I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that SIN brings. Are you…are you telling me that, too, is futile? The others…I am not alone! All the people who have opposed SIN…the summoners…guardians…crusaders…children…their battles…sacrifices…were they all in vain?"

The magic nullifier sparked.

"No, my child," Mika patronized. "Not in vain. No matter how many summoners give their lives, SIN is the embodiment of death. And death cannot be stopped. Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. It keeps them calm and working and providing for all of Spira. There is nothing futile in the life and death of a Summoner."

"An opiate for the masses," Vincent snapped with disgust.

"Never futile…but never ending," Auron said sadly.

"Indeed, that is the essence of Yevon," Mika nodded. "Of Spira itself."

"No!" screamed Yuna and she fell forward, catching herself against the railing, her chains rattling like metal snakes.

"Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, Summoner Yuna," Mika continued.

"No…that can't be right."

"And those who question these truths—they are traitors!" Mika concluded. "And the sentence for treason is death!"

"Lord Mika!" Yuna screamed and the magic nullifier let out a final warble before falling to the ground in a burst of sparks. White light flowed from Yuna's hands, down her chains, and the steel burst into white and blue light! Freed, Yuna raised her hands, burning with holy fire, and began to dance. The chorus of the Yevon prayer that echoed through the room grew in volume and pitch, turning into a thunderous roar of heavenly damnation. Yuna opened her eyes and they burned with the same white fire. She turned her gaze at the Maesters and they trembled.

"My god," Lulu uttered.

"Yuna!" Tidus yelled and pulled harder at his chains.

On the dais, Kinoc turned tail and ducked behind a stone column. Seymour and Mika felt the unnatural bindings that kept them from the Farplane stretch and weaken.

"Stop her!" Mika ordered Seymour. Seymour waved his wand and fired the same Firaga spell that had mortally surprised Kelk. It arced across the chamber, neared Yuna, and suddenly veered up and into the ceiling as if blown away by a fierce wind.

"Must I do everything myself," muttered Mika. He raised his hands again, Materia orb glowing, and commanded: "Down with you all!"

'How does he know about Materia?' Vincent wondered as he felt the world start to spin again, just as it had in the chamber of the fayth. He summoned all the fortitude he possessed to fight against Mika's spell, but felt himself slipping backwards into darkness again. Mika's command of the Materia was strong, stronger than anything Vincent had felt since he awoke in Spira. Around him, the guardians and Rikku succumbed almost immediately. The last thing Vincent saw was the white light around Yuna flicker and fade before she fell and the world turned black once again.

-X-

He always dreams when he sleeps, always has nightmares. Sleep is never a peaceful, resting activity for him. It is atonement for his sins.

He's fighting fighting fighting, against what he never knows. People? Things? Demons, monsters, fiends? Fate itself? All of that? None?

He hears himself scream with rage, with pain, all sense of self completely given and swallowed to the darkness.

In his dreams, he has no clothes, the better to see the marks drawn on skin that's been stripped of hair and dignity, the better to see the livid scars that follow the marks as he's been opened from crown to crotch, shoulders to fingers, hips to toes.

He sees himself in the reflector, overhead, lying on a bloodstained examination table, dissected like a frog, skin peeled back, organs laid bare. His heart beats, his lungs pulse to their own accorded dance.

He hears voices, dissecting him cleanly as the scalpels. He hears his voice, asking over and over what was happening, why are they doing this? The other voices laugh, they aren't interested, they don't care, they are amused. His questions turn to threats of bloody violence, then turn, impossibly, to words he never imagined saying, begging, pleading for their mercy.

They are all out of mercy.

He can't wake up. He must watch. To atone.

He was conscious when they started, the only anesthetic the oblivion of pain.

They are taking lots of notes.

He's in a tank, lights flashing red and green, resolving into what looked like a pair of eyes in a face too horrible to be remembered except as repeating images of pain and horror. The tank fills with clear liquid, too thick to be wholesome, covering him, drowning him, turning bright yellow as the horrible face spits venom at him like a cobra, burning him inside and out.

Pinpoints of ink dot his body, targets for the four large, stainless steel needles that hang like the Swift Steel Sword of Odin overhead. Doctor, no, Professor looms overhead, aligning the needles with the pinpoints. An assistant walks towards the tank, carrying the tray of samples: a small glowing purple, a twitching yellow, a vile green ooze, and a large black swirling vapor. One sample per needle. He watches as the slowly lower until the needle tips graze his skin, gentle like a lover.

The Professor smiles.

Rage now. Beyond comprehension, beyond control. Chaos.

He's fighting fighting fighting

No more yellow cobra venom, but black and lots of red.

Not alone…someone, some 'things' in his head.

No more tank, no more floors beneath his feet. Only earth, rock, then nothing…

Tumbling out of the abyss.

Vincent woke to searing bright light and pain across his neck and shoulders. He felt numb and his body was cool, close to almost room temperature. His cloak and gunbelt had been removed and his body suit opened to the waist, exposing his chest, arms, and back.

Vincent tried to take in his surroundings, but could only see the ceiling above him. He looked to his sides and saw his arms strapped to a surgical table in a crucifix position and heavy chains wrapped around him from chin to toes. A short, rotund person in a surgical gown and mask was swabbing his bare arm.

"I see you're finally awake," Kinoc's voice called from Vincent's right. He turned his head and saw the fat Maester sitting at a small desk, reviewing notes in a white lab coat. In his daze, Vincent immediately saw flashes of Hojo, always in his stained lab coat, rising from his work table to check on how his experiment was proceeding. Vincent could see the beakers and test tubes from his nightmares, the syringes filled with horrific compounds, acids, and liquid corruption about to be injected into his flesh. The stench of blood, burning hair, machine lubricant, and human shit assaulted him, and the sound of screams from an already torn and ragged throat echoed in his mind. Vincent's vision turned red at the edges as the memories and nightmares battered his already dazed and confused senses. For an instant, Vincent felt two heartbeats in his chest, out of sync, the exposed Protomateria thundering like a war drum.

"Ever since I saw you in action at Operation Mihelm, you've raised the curiosity of many of my colleagues within Yevon and the Crusaders," Kinoc said. "Most have called for your immediate execution, that you're too dangerous to remain alive, let alone galavanting around Spira with a summoner. Especially when that summoner is such a visible person like High Summoner Braska's daughter. Shame your influence turned her traitor."

"Yes, I'm sure your kidnapping, attempted murder, and institutional hypocrisy had nothing to do with it," Vincent muttered. "What are you doing here? If it is a matter of my execution, I would prefer a bullet or even beheading over having to listen to you."

"It is about your execution, as a matter of fact," Kinoc said with a gentle, almost charming, smile. He picked up a small instrument from his work table and held it up to Vincent's left eye. A small light shone into Vincent's eye and Kinoc jotted down a note. "And while my colleagues and fellow maesters were unanimously in agreement to put several bullets, swords, and spears into you, and then have your remains thrown into the sea, I lobbied for this opportunity to see just exactly how you do the things you do. I'll admit, this is costing me a great deal of political and personal capital."

"Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Such an opportunity is more than worth any price," Kinoc crowed. "With your help, there is no limit to what I could accomplish!"

"And what do you think you'll discover?" Vincent asked as the nurse finished prepping a large hypodermic needle.

"Everything! Your abilities! Flight, strength, how you can cast such powerful white and black magic, how you transformed into that, that…" Kinoc struggled to find the words to describe the Death Gigas, "...that thing at Mushroom Rock with the bolts and lightning and body parts!"

"Undo these bonds and I can give you a personal introduction," Vincent growled.

"And then there's that fascinating machina weapon which I cannot wait to disassemble!" Kinoc continued without hearing Vincent. "Your black market contacts; your Al Bhed contacts; that flying machina you arrived in-I heard it went down in the ocean though, too bad-," Kinoc shrugged and took the syringe from the nurse. He stepped on a small control at the base of Vincent's exam table and it raised up and tilted forward, standing Vincent up while keeping him confined. "But I will start with your blood. Such wonderful stuff, don't you agree? Just a tiny amount can reveal so much."

"And if I refuse to cooperate?" Vincent growled and his eyes flashed red. The Protomateria let out a pulse of energy, forcing Kinoc to take a step back and for the nurse to scurry away in sheer terror, throwing open the lab door and scaring the guards outside..

"I thought you might," Kinoc said, taking a deep breath to recompose himself. "Which is why there are such things as contingency plans."

Kinoc stepped away from Vincent and went to the open lab door. "Send her in," he said to the guards. He stepped back in and stood in front of Vincent patiently as the guards carried in a struggling blonde bundle. They dropped the bundle on the floor and it let out a muffled oof.

"Thank you," Kinoc said to the guards. "You may return to your posts." He reached down and grabbed the bundle, heaving Rikku up by the scruff of her shirt. She was bound in chains, though smaller than Vincent's, and had a gag shoved in her mouth. Her exposed arms and legs were covered in long, thin bruises, the kind you get from a stick or cane.

"As you can see, there are other ways to guarantee your cooperation," Kinoc gloated.

Rikku snarled something beneath her gag.

"Sorry, what was that?" Kinoc asked, flicking the gag from her mouth with a single finger.

"Ayo'hi e pecc-cimm, lohtihurk, buisi yw mnud, wuirt-mosgih You're a ball-less, murdering, piece of shit, fiend-sucker!" Rikku repeated and snapped her teeth at Kinoc's neck.

"Such a filthy language," Kinoc muttered as he pushed the gag back into Rikku's mouth. "It offends the ears."

"So you use the girl as leverage to ensure my cooperation?" Vincent muttered and managed to roll his eyes. "How original."

"I use the tools I have at my disposal," Kinoc smiled and shrugged. "So to complete the cliche, you allow me to conduct my experiments, take my samples, run my tests, or you watch her suffer and die. Then you'll die and I'll find out what I can from your corpse and compare it to the old journals."

Vincent's breath hitched in his throat. "What journals?"

"Over the years, Yevon researchers, archeologists, and librarians have discovered multitudes of relics, documents, memorandoms, technical schematics, and other bits and scraps from the Shinra Electric Power Company. They ruled the world before the rise of Zanarkand and Bevelle, you know?"

"I'm familiar with them."

"Yes, I thought you would be," Kinoc grinned. "As I am sure you are familiar with the great Professor Hojo?"

"Vile, not great," Vincent growled. "He was more cockroach than man."

"He was brilliant!" Kinoc exclaimed, his voice full of wonder and admiration. "His theories on mutation and unlocking the genetic code are remarkable. If only I had access to his level of technology…but Yevon's blessings, I am not faced with such temptation."

"Good for you. Was there a point you were aiming for, or is listening to your pathetic hero worship part of our torture?"

Kinoc frowned. "You know, Professor Hojo spoke very poorly of you in one of his journals, Vincent Valentine. I can see why."

"He experimented on me and the woman I loved, turned me into a monster, and started the chain of events that nearly ended this world. I'd call that a poor relationship." Vincent smiled, "I put bullets in his brain, set his corpse on fire, and scattered his ashes to the winds."

"That's not what I was referring to," Kinoc said as he put down the syringe and pulled a small booklet from his robes. "While the original journal is massively damaged, I transcribed what I could into new volumes for study. He wrote: 'Aside from my failure to fully understand and utilize the power of the Ancients, Vincent Valentine remains my most persistent failure. My experiments with grafting the Protomateria and binding Chaos and the lesser demons to his body and soul is a complete success, and an utter failure in the inability to control them.' Such words are like poetry to me."

"I'm happy to disappoint him and you."

"What did Professor Hojo mean?" Kinoc asked, getting right in Vincent's face. "What was his experiment? His journals mention something called Mako and the Protomateria, which I assume is that jewel embedded in your chest, and something about a lofty squire?" Kinoc checked his notes. "It doesn't say in the journals, but what would happen if I removed it?"

Memories of Deepground and Avalon flashed through Vincent's mind.

Didn't I say back in Luca that there would come a time when I would make you pay for neglecting me?" Chaos repeated his words from the Farplane to Vincent and a chill swept down Vincent's spine.

"Chaos," Vincent answered Kinoc.

"Yes, I'm sure. Specifically, please. My scientific curiosity was wetted by Profesor Hojo's journals. He mentioned the Protomateria, but it seems a Dr. Crescent was responsible for implanting it in your chest. She is mentioned often in the professor's journals, even more often than you, and in much better terms, except for in the later journals."

Vincent barely managed to steel his features at the mention of her name. "She tried to save my humanity."

"Marvelous job," snickered Kinoc. "So, if I removed it, would you transform into a fiend like you did at Mushroom Rock or perhaps a different one? The journals mentioned that there was more than one."

"Calling Chaos a fiend is like calling SIN a whale," Vincent muttered. He felt his eyes glow red on their own accord as Chaos bristled at the insult. "If the Protomateria was removed, Chaos will reign free. He will destroy Spira, absorb the souls of every man, woman, and child, turn SIN into a new Omega WEAPON, and journey into the stars to help Omega start life somewhere new. But first, he will rend you asunder, feed on your innards, and sup on your soul like a fine wine. He also wants to use your empty skull as a goblet."

Kinoc paled and pulled back. "He…it said that to you?"

"We share similar feelings toward you," Vincent grinned, letting his fangs shine. Kinoc's bravado finally snapped and he took three large steps away from Vincent.

"Perhaps, perhaps we should leave best alone for now," he said. "Too many variables."

Then Kinoc shook and steeled himself before pulling the large syringe out of his pocket again. "Hojo wrote: "a scientist cannot let morality and the judgment of lesser beings stand in the way of progress. Forward, always forward!""

Kinoc walked behind Vincent and felt for the ridges of his spine with his fingertips. Once he found the gap between the seventh and eighth vertebrae, Kinoc plunged the needle into Vincent's spine. Fire shot through Vincent's body as the steel speared through flesh and bone. Kinoc grinned as he pulled on the plunger, staring at the sample of spinal fluid. He held it out for the nurse to take, forgetting that she had already fled. Cursing, he prepared the specimen vial and injected the sample into it. Without stopping or wasting movement, Kinoc grabbed another prepared, even larger syringe and stabbed it into the vein in Vincent's right elbow, tearing the skin but not caring in the least as he drew a large amount of blood. He repeated the specimen process, needing two jars to hold all the blood.

"Have you ever seen something so miraculous?" he wondered aloud, holding the jar of spinal fluid up to the light. "Such proof that Yevon exists?"

Vincent couldn't answer until his body healed and the pain lessened, but Rikku had managed to spit out her gag.

"You're a complete bastard," she growled and pulled at her chains. Kinoc ignored her, focusing on an ancient Shinra microscope. He placed a single drop of blood on a glass slide and peered in it, his smile growing with each passing moment.

"Extraordinary," Kinoc whispered. "Absolutely extraordinary." He stepped back from the microscope, jotted down a quick calculation in his notebook, and dove back to stare at the slide again. This continued for several minutes, completely ignoring Vincent and Rikku, until a guard stepped into the room.

"Sir?"

"Sir?"

"Sir!"

"SIR!" the guard finally yelled at the top of his lungs.

"What is it?" Kinoc snarled. "I said I was not to be disturbed."

"Yes, sir, sorry sir," the guard stammered. "But you said that you wished to be present for Sir Auron's execution. The sentence will be carried out in five minutes."

"Very well," Kinoc signed. "I suppose I owe him that much at least." He stood, putting the slide and specimen jars into a special pouch at his side. He uttered a word under his breath and the pouch rapidly cooled, with bits of frost covering the exterior.

"So much to do, so little time," Kinoc said to Vincent cheerfully, his spirits obviously bolstered by what he'd seen in the slide. He pressed the small control in the table again, lowering Vincent back down to a prone position. "But do not worry, I shall return to continue our discussion and experiment."

"I can hardly wait," Vincent deadpanned. Kinoc smiled and gave a little wave, leaving Vincent and Rikku chained, guarded, wondering what could be happening to their comrades, and burdened not knowing what would happen next for them.

-X-

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen," Tidus said as a pair of Crusader guards held him at spearpoint while another handed over Tidus's sword and shield. "First they hang us in those giant bird cages and now this?"

"Yeah, doesn't make a lot of sense," Wakka agreed as he finished fastening his arm guards into place and secured his item pouch. "But I'm not gonna complain, ya? I'll take all the breaks we can get right now."

"It's kind of ironic," one of the guards said. "If you hadn't won that last tournament in Luca, you'd both be hanging from the gallows like that traitor Sir Auron and the ronso."

"Good thing you broke that losing streak," laughed the other as he pulled on a heavy chain.

"Enough!" said a gruff looking Crusader with a fancy tri-corner hat and a pair of golden sergeant stripes on his arms. He held up a folded scrap of paper and used it to gesture toward the grated opening in the floor. "Open it up already."

The guard heaved the heavy chain and the gate slowly crept open with a low, grinding noise. The sergeant opened the paper and held it in front of him.

"Wakka of Besaid and Tidus of Zanarkand? What kind of nonsense joke is this?"

"Sorry, sir," one of the guards said. "It isn't a joke. That's the information he gave in the high court."

"Well, someone got it wrong," the sergeant said. He shoved the paper back into his subordinate's chest. "Get back upstairs and have it corrected. I will not allow this execution to be made a mockery of!"

*2 hours and 3 copies later*

"Wakka of the Besaid Aurochs and Tidus of the Besaid Aurochs…"

"And Zanarkand Abes!" interrupted Tidus. The sergeant shuddered and grimaced, but continued on. The guards did their best to contain their snickers.

"You have been found guilty of treason against Yevon and the people of Spira. The sentence is death by hanging. However, in reverence to your Blitzball victories and dedication to the enjoyment and life enrichment of the people of Spira, your sentence has been commuted. In gratitude, you have been sentenced to traverse the sacred Waterway. Should you prove your valor and faith in Yevon, and survive the trials and combat that await you, may Yevon forgive and resolve you of your transgressions."

The sergeant rolled up the proclamation, bowed, and performed the Yevon prayer to Wakka and Tidus.

"You gotta be kidding me," Tidus groaned. "This is ridiculous."

"It's procedure," growled the sergeant. "May Yevon guide and protect you. Now, get in!"

Tidus and Wakka laughed at the flustered sergeant and stepped to the edge of the open grate. "Stay close, ya?" said Wakka before he dropped feet first into the water.

"See ya!" Tidus smirked and gave a one-fingered salute to the red-faced sergeant before jumping after Wakka.

-X-

"I can't believe this is the only idea we could think of," said Auron as a guard bound his hands behind his back. "We dangled in that cage for hours, and this is our best plan."

"It will work," Kimahri said, his own hands already bound.

"That doesn't mean it's a good plan."

"Silence in the line!" the head guard, wearing a very tall and feathered hat, yelled as they marched down a hallway. "If you're in such a hurry, I'll come back and execute you right now!"

"Then hurry up," Auron said. "I don't have all day to die."

"Easy, old friend," Maester Kinoc said, waiting for them in the courtyard. "Give Lieutenant Obenga a break. He's only doing his job after all."

"Is that how you justify this? 'You're only doing your job'?"

"Coward," added Kimahri to both Kinoc and Lieutenant Obenga.

"I've done what needed to be done to protect Yevon."

"With no thought of benefit to yourself, of course," Auron mocked. "No thought to how your experiments could bolster your own position?"

"A completely unforeseen and unexpected benefit, I assure you," Kinoc smiled like a spider to a fly. "After all, increasing my own knowledge and power allows me to provide and aid Yevon all the more. I'm actually putting very important research on hold to come down here and see you off."

"Worm," said Kimahri.

"Agreed," nodded Auron. "Roach."

"As if the opinion of two traitors matters to me," laughed Kinoc.

"But I think it does," said Auron. "That's why you're here, isn't it? So your 'old friend' can sign off and validate what you've become?"

"Sad," said Kimahri.

"I came down here as a courtesy to a once great man, to say goodbye to an old friend, someone I once fought beside," Kinoc replied sadly. "But I see that the man I knew died long ago. All I see now is an old man who history will remember as a traitor, not as a legendary guardian to High Summoner Braska. And I will be remembered as the maester who made the crusaders stronger than ever!"

"Sad," Kimahri repeated.

"Delusional," Auron added.

"Executed," laughed Kinoc as he gave them a parting wave and left the courtyard.

"Old friend?" Kimahri asked with a growl-like chuckle.

"He wasn't an asshole back then," Auron shrugged. "At least, I don't remember him being such a tool..perhaps he always was and I couldn't see it."

"Enough chatter! You two! On the gallows, now!" ordered Lieutenant Obenga.

Auron and Kimahri stared at the man until two guards behind them pushed them forward with the tips of their swords.

"Have I said that I think this is a bad idea?" asked Auron.

"You have."

"I will be very upset if you ruin my glasses. They are difficult to replace."

"Kimahri be careful, but have never been hanged before."

"Me neither," said Auron, "but dying is easy."

"Kimahri Ronso. Sir Auron of Bevelle. You have been found guilty of treason against Yevon and the people of Spira," said Lieutenant Obenga. "The sentence is death by hanging. Is there anything you'd care to say before the sentence is carried out."

"No. Please. Stop," Auron deadpanned and cracked his neck inside the noose. "We're innocent."

"Ronso not beg," Kimahri growled. "But Kimahri consider mercy for you if you do."

"Are you serious?" Lieutenant Obenga laughed.

"Have you ever heard a Ronso joke?" Auron asked. "And for the official record, I think this is a terrible idea and object to the potential damage to my person."

"Noted," Kimarhi nodded in his own noose.

"But I would consider his offer very seriously," Auron told Lieutenant Obenga. "Or you and all your men will probably die very soon."

Laughter from the gathered guards and Lieutenant Obenga filled the courtyard.

"I don't care who you used to be," Lieutenant Obenga sneered. "Or how serious the hornless here is. I only regret that you won't die screaming like you both deserve."

"You shouldn't have said that, but so be it," Auron sighed and straightened his spine. "Just make sure you don't miss the timing."

"What?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

Kimahri inhaled deeply.

"Enough of this foolishness! Proceed!"

Kimahri narrowed his yellow eyes and watched the hooded executioner's hand surround the gallow's trapdoor level. He watched and waited until the executioner's grip tightened and the lever moved the tiniest bit. Then he let out the breath he had been holding in a noxious, yellow and gray stream of smoke.

The cloud of Stone Breath petrified Auron, turning his flesh and clothing into rough, hard stone. Heavy stone.

The trapdoors fell beneath their feet. The thick hangman's rope flexed and held strong, but the gallows did not. The wooden crossbeam, old and rotten from years of sun and storms, gave way in a splintering crash!

Kimahri landed on his feet in the space left by the trapdoor. His head and upper torso remained above the gallows floor and he let out a deep roar at the guards. The roar snapped the guards out of their shocked stupor and the nearest swung his sword at Kimahri. Kimahri leapt out of the trapdoor, twisting so the sword sliced through the hangman's rope just enough for it to snap as Kimahri landed in the courtyard.

Freed, Kimahri launched himself at the guards. Even though his hands were still bound behind his back, Kimahri attacked fearlessly, dodging their blades and striking with his powerful legs. The claws on his feet tore through their uniforms like paper and bludgeoned them like a battering ram. In a matter of seconds, all the guards, save Lieutenant Obenga, were unconscious or unmoving on the ground.

"Help!" bellowed Lieutenant Obenga, but no answer came. He turned to run, but a heavy leaping kick to his spine sent him careening across the courtyard and into the far stone wall. Dazed, he struggled to his feet and turned in time to see Kimahri cut his hands free with a fallen ax. It was a large, double-bit blade almost as wide as the Ronso's chest. With a single leap, Kimahri covered the distance between them.

"Please, no more…" Obenga groaned as he cowered behind raised arms. "Mercy! You said you'd show mercy!"

Kimahri's yellow eyes narrowed and he grabbed Obenga by the throat, raising him up to eye level.

"P-please…" he stuttered and closed his eyes as Kimahri raised the ax. He heard a dull thunk, terrified it was the sound of the ax splitting his skull and it would be the last thing he ever heard.

Then Obenga felt Kimahri's hot breath on his face and slowly opened his eyes. The ax was buried to the shaft in the wall no more than a finger's breadth from his face. He turned back and stared into Kimahri's raging yellow eyes.

"Remember. Mercy," Kimahri said. Obenga nodded fast and hard enough to make his teeth rattle. Kimahri nodded once and slammed the back of Obenga's head into the wall. Obenga let out a gurgling moan and collapsed, joining his men in unconsciousness.

Kimahri quickly scanned the courtyard. Not a single guard was moving beyond their breathing and he couldn't hear the sound of reinforcements on their way. He smiled.

The plan had worked.

Kimahri quickly went through the guard's gear and packs until he found a Soft. Smirking, he thumbed off the cap and poured the bottle over Auron's granite head. Immediately, the craggy features returned to flesh, hair, cloth, and an undamaged pair of sunglasses.

Auron took a deep breath and coughed out a puff of dust. He looked at the broken gallows and unconscious guards scattered around the courtyard.

"It looks like your plan worked after all," Auron grinned as Kimahri cut his bonds and removed the noose. "I suppose it was a good idea after all."

"Kimahri said Ronso tactics work," he said and returned the smile. Auron climbed out of the ruined gallows and picked up one of the discarded swords. He frowned at its small size, but beggars could not be choosy.

"They probably started sentencing the others by now. We need to recover our things and make for the Via Purifico. Yuna and Lulu will need help getting out of that labyrinth."

Kimahri nodded his agreement, pulled his ax out of the wall, and they ran out of the courtyard to find another fight.

-X-

Yuna awoke on cold, stone ground to the sound of steady dripping water. It was dark, the only light coming from two small torches on a far wall, and from the cryptic, glowing glyphs on the handcuffs she was wearing. Yuna had been wearing the magic-suppression cuffs ever since she shorted out the suppression drone at her "trial". Just thinking about the trial made Yuna scoff and grit her teeth. She never suspected that the self-serving corruption went beyond Seymour and Kinoc, but not even in her darkest nightmares could she have imagined that Grand Maester Mika was not only aware of the other maester's actions, but was an Unsent! The entire hierarchy of Yevon, save for poor Maester Kelk, was nothing but lies and death!

"Did you sleep?" Lulu asked as she stirred. She had been lying on the stone floor beside Yuna, huddled close for warmth and comfort. She was also wearing glowing handcuffs.

"Not much, you?"

"In such plush and luxurious accommodations?" Lulu smirked. "I only woke up in anticipation for our exquisite breakfast."

"And 'ere it is," Cait Sith said as he appeared in an air vent above their heads. He climbed down and smiled at the two mages. He unfolded his cape, revealing two crusts of bread, a chunk of bacon, and a pair of small apples. "I'm sorry there isn't more. These guards are a fat lot. I saw one of 'em, the one with the wee bit of beard, eat a whole fish and bacon pie! Was as big as his lump of a head!"

"Thank you for the food," Yuna said and gave the automaton a quick scratch behind the ear. Cait looked at Lulu, hoping for similar affection.

"Thanks," she muttered and gave him a quick pat once on the head.

'That's progress,' Cait thought and smiled.

"Did you find out when they are coming for us?" Lulu asked.

"Could be any minute. I saw them take Tidus and Wakka earlier and they were just marching Auron and Kimahri off a few minutes ago in the opposite direction. I think Kimahri was actually happy to go and get out of those bird cages they kept them all in."

"Kimahri won't go quietly," Lulu smirked.

"None of us will, lass," agreed Cait Sith. "That's why I got your backs."

"Thank you," Yuna said. "With these cuffs on, we can't use any of our magics. I kind of wish I took Wakka more seriously when he wanted me to play blitzball. At least then I would be a little stronger."

"Same," Lulu said, "though I would never play blitzball."

"Meh, you're both plenty strong," Cait Sith praised. "Especially you," he nodded at Lulu, "you hit me harder than anything since I helped ol' Vincent battle Azul and those Deepground bastards."

"And don't you forget it, you little pervert," Lulu growled, but her eyes were light and shining with laughter. Yuna let out a little laugh, but was cut off by the sound of the cell door opening. Cait Sith ducked behind Lulu and used her dark skirt and belts to hide.

"It's time," a large guard with a very patchy beard said solemnly. He gestured for them to rise and head toward the door. Yuna rose gracefully and Lulu followed, shielding Cait Sith as best she could in the process. The guard quickly checked their magic-suppression cuffs and led them out of the cell. Three other guards were waiting for them and led the way down the hall. Cait Sith kept close behind Lulu. Halfway down the hall, he clambered up the wall and back into the air vent. He slipped inside and crept forward, listening and watching through the small gaps in the grating.

"This way, Lady Yuna," the guard said. He managed to sound sincere, if not a little sorrowful and wasn't able to look her in the eyes.

"What is your name?" Yuna asked.

"Mordun, my lady."

"You can relax, Mordun," Yuna said softly. "I promise, we aren't going to hurt you. What is troubling you?"

"Of course, my lady," Mordun smiled sheepishly. "I'm not really sure what to do with myself around you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're a prisoner and we're supposed to treat prisoners like prisoners. But you're also a lady summoner and High Summoner Braska's daughter..."

"It is alright, Mordun," Yuna said, her voice as gentle and kind as if she were speaking to a group of children in Besaid, not a hardened prison guard. "We are not in a normal situation or place, are we?"

Mordun looked at the handcuffs snapped around Yuna's wrists and at the dark, dank walls of prison. " I am sorry about this," he said with a deep sigh. "I can't believe that you're a traitor like they've been saying."

"What are "they" saying?" Lulu asked.

"Um, I'm sure Maester Kinoc will present the charges before..."

"You said "they"," Lulu pressed. "I'm sure the Maester will have a lot to say, but I would like to hear what you've heard."

Mordun stopped and looked at his feet. "We were told that you betrayed Yevon and the people. That you're looking to take power away from the Maesters and help the Al Bhed take over Spira."

"What nonsense," Lulu scoffed. "Yuna has done nothing of the sort."

Yuna gave her a short, but heated look before turning towards Mordun. "My guardians and I were accused of defying Yevon's Maesters and their belief that Spira should dwell in the realms of death and despair, rather than life and hope. If they find this traitorous, so be it."

"But they said you attacked Maester Seymour!" another guard said.

"In self-defense," Yuna said. "Seymour attacked me when I confronted him about murdering his father, and he attacked the Al Bhed in order to kidnap me and force me into marriage."

"I was there," one of the guards interrupted. She stepped past Mordun and started daggers at Yuna, red hair shadowing her face. "My company was sent to Bikanel Island. Our mission was to rescue you after the Al Bhed kidnapped you from Macalania Temple! We were attacked by the Al Bhed and that giant castle that appeared. We were caught in its blasts as it targeted our fiend troops! I was wounded by a heathen Al Bhed rifle!" she yelled and pointed at a bandage wrapped around her right shoulder. "My friends died; I almost died trying to rescue you!"

"I am very sorry you were injured," Yuna said, bowing her head. "If I could use my magic, I would use my magic to heal any pain you still may be in. But I am afraid the maesters used you and your fellow Crusaders for their own purposes. I was sent to Bikanel Island when SIN attacked us underneath Macalania Temple. They took me in from the harsh desert and died protecting me. Maester Seymour only wanted to force me into marriage to increase his own power. Everything else is lies he told to enforce his rule and gain more power."

"So it was all meaningless? My friends died for you to turn traitor?"

"Yuna was attacked by Maester Seymour and betrayed by Yevon when she confronted him. We all nearly died trying to expose his crimes!" Lulu snapped back.

"And where is your evidence?" the guard yelled.

"Seymour destroyed it," Yuna said. "All I have is my word, the truth."

"The words of a traitor mean nothing to me," the red-haired Crusader said and turned to leave, only to run right into Maester Kinoc.

"Easy, easy my child," he smiled, hands out to steady her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes sir" she stammered, still angry and now embarrassed. Kinoc looked at her face carefully, noting her distress, but also a faint recognition.

"You're a member of Crimson Squad, aren't you?" he asked.

"Sir, yes, sir!" she replied, standing straighter.

"I thought I recognized you; that hair of yours stands out. Your squad has done great work, great work for the Crusaders and for Yevon. Are you injured, my child?" he asked, noticing her bandage.

"I am fine, your holiness," she said. She looked away, as if suddenly repulsed by something. She leaned away from Kinoc like there was a bad odor drifting off the maester.

"Nonsense," Kinoc smiled. "We can't have a member of our top squad at less than 100%. Please wait for me in the hall; I'll take care of you personally, I have just the thing to take care of that wound." Kinoc's face remained friendly and smiling, but his eyes and tone made it clear that it was an order, not a suggestion.

Kinoc watched the girl stride away without giving them a glance back before he turned towards Yuna. "Hello, Lady Yuna. How are you today?"

"I am fine, Maester Kinoc," Yuna replied, her tone completely without emotion. "I see you remain popular as ever with the troops."

"And fat," Lulu growled. Kinoc gave her a joyless smile.

"I'm so glad I had a last chance to see you, Lady Yuna. Your presence always lightens my spirit."

"Only light thing about you," Lulu sneered. "You seem quite jolly today. Are your executions and tortures going well?"

"Such horrible tasks never go well," Kinoc said with a dour frown, but his eyes sparkled. "This whole business has just been the most dreadful affair."

"I am surprised you have the courage and fortitude to come yourself," Yuna said.

"And defy the will of Yevon? No, no ma'am, I cannot defy the will of the people and the natural order of Spira. We all must do our duty, no matter how unseemly it may be. And it is my duty to preside over justice being done. Master Sergeant!"

Mordun snapped to attention and stepped towards Kinoc.

"Please lead the way to the Via Purifico. I do not have all day," Kinoc ordered. Mordun sketched a sharp salute to the maester, turned on his heel, and marched down the corridor, his past guilt and unsureness vanished. Yuna and Lulu followed without further complaint and followed, a guard just behind them. Maester Kinoc brought up the rear, humming the Yevon prayer to himself.

They walked the short way in silence, while Cait Sith followed hidden in the vents above, until they reached a large stone door. Mordun stepped toward it and waved his hand before the Yevon glyph carved into its face. The glyph glowed dark green and purple before the door slowly slid upwards. Inside was a short, narrow passage lit with a single dim torch.

"Step forward, please," Mordun said. Yuna and Lulu did as instructed and stepped into the passageway. It was so narrow they had to shuffle to turn around and stood shoulder-to-shoulder. As they did, a small trio of lines carved into the floor glowed a dim white light. Mordun stepped to the side and nodded to Maester Kinoc.

Kinoc smiled and fingered the vial of Vincent's blood inside the cold pouch. The cold against his body sent small jolts of pleasure up his spine and he relished the anticipation of working with it. Already his mind was whirling with potential experiments and individuals that would make wonderful test subjects—starting with that young, wounded Crusader girl waiting in the hall. Yes, she would do very nicely...

"Maester Kinoc?" Mordun whispered, bringing Kinoc back to the moment at hand.

"Yes, thank you Master Sergeant." Kinoc smoothed the front of his robes and cleared his throat. "The accused have been found guilty of high crimes and treason against the Sovereignty of Yevon, its Maesters, Crusaders, and loyal subjects of Spira..."

"We never betrayed the people of Spira!" Yuna roared, suddenly showing emotion for the first, furious time. "The Maesters did!"

Kinoc's smile never wavered as he raised his arms in benediction. "As a summoner and mage, you are both sentenced to walk the Via Purifico. May the mercy of Yevon purify your souls and deliver them unto the Farplane. Master Sergeant, proceed."

Mordun stepped forward, refusing to meet the women's eyes, and produced a small ring of keys. He reached through the doorway, uncuffed Yuna, and then Lulu.

As soon as her cuffs were released, Lulu leaned past Mordun and raised her hands to smite Kinoc with a fury of thunderbolts; she felt her magic and rage swell within her; but only a small, impotent trickle of sparks sputtered out of her fingertips. She looked at her hands and then heard Kinoc's laughter.

"That glow at your feet," Kinoc pointed as he giggled, "is part of the magic suppression system spread throughout the Via Purifico. Not quite as effective as the cuffs, but sadly the cuffs don't have a strong enough charge to last more than an hour. Not long enough to ensure your demise. After all, justice must be served and we couldn't have you blasting or summoning your way out of your sentence."

"You are a cruel monster, Wen," Lulu growled, refusing to lower her hands or use his title.

"The real monsters lie before you, not behind," Kinoc said and gestured to Mordun to seal the door. "Farewell."

Kinoc turned away as the stone door slowly lowered shut. The remaining guards and Mordun also turned away, but they turned away in shame, unable to look at the gentle, but defiant face of the young summoner they had sentenced to horrific death.

So no one, other than the condemned, noticed a small black shadow slip through the door just before it sealed shut.

-X-

Tidus took one last swing at the Sahagin, killing it in a small burst of pyreflies, and pointed for Wakka to join him at the surface. Wakka nodded and the two blitzers swam upward.

The waterway was sewer-like in construction with narrow tunnels opening into large, circular chambers. It sprawled for probably hundreds of yards in every direction. Tidus wondered if it was in fact Bevelle's old sewer system from back when it was a proper machina city, before SIN and Yevon.

But the water was clean and clear, slightly brackish at times, like there was an inlet from the sea somewhere. Fortunately, the larger chambers all had air pockets; one even had a small floating platform, just big enough for three people to lay on. Tidus and Wakka were both elite blitzers, able to hold their breath and play blitzball at the highest level, but even they couldn't hold their breath and fight fiends indefinitely.

"This isn't so bad, ya?" Wakka said as he brushed water off his face. "No worse than a light practice with the Aurochs."

"Yeah," Tidus agreed, "except practice ends and you can eat afterwards. We gotta find a way out of here."

"I haven't seen any signs or anything. Did you?"

"Nothing. And we can't trust any lights, not after that big squid-thing lured us into that dark passageway."

"That wasn't much fun, ya?" Wakka said, nursing the sucker-shaped bruise on his shoulder. "The current is pulling a little bit that way."

"What do you think?" Tidus asked.

"It's a better idea than none at all," Wakka shrugged. The pair took several deep breaths before diving back into the water. They swam with the gentle current, following it through narrow passages and expansive chambers-one was easily the size of a blitzball pool-dispatching the occasional fiends that crossed their path. This continued for over an hour and the situation was starting to grind on the blitzers. They were starting to get tired and hungry and, despite being completely at ease in the water, were sick of swimming and treading water.

They reached another large chamber with an intake fan pulling the water into it. There was an air pocket at the top of the chamber, but there was no hatch or accessway in sight.

"Great, we managed to find a dead end," groaned Wakka. "What are we gonna do now?"

"Maybe we should light a fire, sing some songs," Tidus replied. "Maybe we can catch the second half of the Aurochs game."

"Don't be a jerk! I'm serious, we're never gonna find our way back."

"What if we messed with that thing?" Tidus said and pointed at the intake fan. "It's gotta be taking all this water somewhere. If we get through that grate, we could swim past those fan blades easy."

"A bad plan is better than no plan," Wakka said again. "Go on down and see if you can get through that grate. I'll watch your back, ya?"

-X-

Yuna stood in front of the sealed door with clenched fists, while Cait Sith brushed himself off and straightened his tail.

"Those lads are truly a thick, stupid lot," he muttered. "Not a single one of 'em could be bothered to look up. Why, if I had a rifle like ol' Vinny, I could have popped 'em all before they could squawk like the chickens they are."

He finished dusting himself off and looked at the two women, but neither were paying any attention to him. Yuna was still staring at the door, fists clenched at her sides. It looked like tears were welling up in her eyes, but her small frame seemed to vibrate with barely controlled rage. Lulu looked at her carefully before approaching.

"Yuna?" she whispered and gently grasped her upper arm. At her touch, Yuna shuddered in surprise as if she had been in a deep sleep. "We can't stay here," Lulu whispered. "Our only hope is to keep moving forward and find the end of the maze."

"She's right, lass," Cait Sith added. "I'd love to scream at that hunk of stone until me voice modulator was spitting sparks, but we'd still be in a mighty shitty situation and you wouldn't be able to hear me sing the aria from Loveless; Act II."

"That would be a real shame," Yuna said and gave her friends a small, forced smile. "I'm sorry, I..."

"No apologies," Lulu said. "We all made our own choices and we're all overwhelmed right now. But until we're safely out of this maze and have access to our magics again, we need to stay together and stay focused on getting out of here."

Yuna nodded. "Together, right."

"C'mon now," Cait Sith said. "I can hear something skitterin' through the walls and its not far enough away for me to be feeling too comfortable. Maybe we can take this pep talk on the road a bit?"

Lulu and Yuna nodded, and the three companions made their way out of the entranceway and into the Via Purifico. The first room was thrice as large as the entranceway, the ground and walls lined with the dim white light from the magic suppressors. Lulu could hear faint skittering sounds now too. The sound sent a shiver up her spine. For the first time since was a young girl, Lulu felt defenseless. For years, magic had been her sword and shield against the world. With the magic suppressors surrounding her, only letting her feel the farthest periphery of her magic, Lulu felt like an amputee feeling an itch on a lost hand or foot. It was somehow worse than the cuffs. The cuffs had completely cut her off from magic; but to still be able to feel it, while not being able to embrace and use it, was humiliating. Lulu could just picture Kinoc's face when he laughed and smirked at her impotent attempt at a spell. She would never forget it.

Lulu did her best to hide her face from Yuna and Cait Sith and focused on the ground before her feet. She helped Yuna toward one of the walls for support and took her first real look ahead. The room split into two passageways. The left passage was dark and shadowy, only lit by the dim lines of the magic suppressors. The right passage was brightly lit with orbs embedded into the walls and ceiling. There was an overly sweet smell coming from beyond her line of sight, like fruit that had been left out for too many days. It wasn't a bad smell, Lulu decided, but it was so out of place that it triggered horrible ideas and images in her mind as to what could possibly be making that smell in this dungeon. Whatever it was, Lulu was certain it wasn't fruit.

"Which way should we go?" Yuna asked.

"I don't know," Lulu admitted.

"I'm not liking the look of either of 'em," Cait Sith said. "Those lights look a bit too inviting for my taste; nowhere to hide. And I think I can hear something creeping around in those shadows."

"If you say the summoner decides her road, I will hit you," Yuna deadpanned and the three let out a guffaw of uneasy laughter.

"That would make choosing our way much easier," Lulu teased. "I saw we stick to the dark. We can hide in the shadows."

"But we also won't be able to see anything comin' toward us,'' Cait Sith said and gestured toward the lit tunnel. "At least that way, we can see what's comin'."

"And be completely exposed and out in the open," Lulu argued. "Yuna and I can't use our magic to defend ourselves."

"Hmm, I wonder if I still can?" Cait Sith hummed. "Materia is different from what you do after all." Cait Sith held out his megaphone and said: "Fire."

A tiny spark, no bigger than a thimble, puffed into existence before winking out.

"Heh, that's never happened before."

"Performance issues?" Lulu smirked. Yuna giggled.

"I'm sure I could do better if I put a little more umph behind it," Cait Sith said.

"Sure you could," Lulu said.

The robotic cat's whiskers drooped and he let out a sigh. "Alright, ye dinnae have to rub it in. It's not like you did much better back there. And if I cannae cast my magic, I'm not much good to ye. I'm not any good in a stand-up fight."

"No," Yuna whispered as the idea dawned on her, "but you can be sneaky. Cait, would you be able to sneak off on your own and find the exit or how to shut down the magic suppressors?"

"Aye, I suppose I could," Cait Sith nodded. "I'm not sure how I feel about leaving you alone."

"To be honest, being with us isn't much of a help," Yuna admitted. "No offense," she added when she saw his face of hurt shock, "but none of us can use magic and none of us are very strong in a fight without it. Lulu and I can't sneak around like you can and probably wouldn't know how to turn off the machina controlling the magic suppressors either."

"Are you sure about this? You're putting yourself in great danger," Lulu said.

"We are already in great danger," Yuna said. "This may be our only chance to survive."

Lulu turned to Cait Sith. "Do you think you can do it?" Her eyes bore into the little automaton, searching for any sign of doubt in them.

"Aye, I think so," Cait said. "I've gotten through tougher places than this wee maze. Course, I always had my magic to help me out of a jam…but, aye, I can make a go of it."

"Ok, you take the darker path. Lulu and I will go the other way and try to draw all the attention we can handle," Yuna decided. "Hopefully we can buy you enough time to shut down the suppressors. Then any one of us can blast our way out of here."

"Well, it's a better plan than I have," Cait Sith said. "As soon as I shut it down, don't wait for me. You two get out as fast as you can; I'll catch up down the way."

"Likewise," Yuna said. "Be careful."

"You too. Don't raise too much of a ruckus now," Cait Sith said. He removed his crown, swept it in a low bow over his extended left leg, and smiled at the two ladies. "Long days, pleasant nights, and good luck to you, my dears."

He stood, replaced his crown, and ran into the darkness without another word. Yuna and Lulu watched until he disappeared from sight.

"Are you sure about this?" Lulu asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Magic or no, I am done being afraid of them."

Lulu smiled at her surrogate little sister and held out her hand. Yuna took it and, together, they started down the lighted tunnel.

-X-

Wakka had been a blitzer ever since he was old enough to swim and hold his breath. He was more comfortable in the water than on land. And this was the first time, for as long as he could remember, that Wakka felt afraid underwater. It wasn't the silence or any lack of visibility; Wakka could see through the clear water for at least one hundred yards and could hear the dull, thumping vibration from the fan, the sharp thwack of Tidus' sword against he grate, and a low groan as he tried to pry the metal away from the wall.

No, it was the pyreflies that unnerved Wakka. A large number of the glowing orbs had drifted into the chamber, swirling like a brilliant school of tropical fish. There hadn't been any pyreflies in the tunnels before, except when they killed one of the watery fiends along the way, and they had faded away after a few minutes like they always did. The drifting pyreflies reminded Wakka of Yuna performing the Sending in Kilika. So many dead, rising out of the bodies while Yuna danced. But those pyreflies had also faded away and Wakka could swear that these were growing brighter by the second. When they started to swirl together, no longer at random, but schooling together into a thick concentration of lights, Wakka swam up to Tidus, tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the surface.

"What's up? I was finally making progress on that grate," Tidus asked.

"Look at the pyreflies," Wakka said and pointed. "Something's strange goin' on, ya?"

Tidus stuck his face back under the water, looked for a second, and let out a gasp, spewing water everywhere! Wakka wiped the spittle off his face.

"What the hell?" he started to yell before Tidus pulled his head back under water. Wakka's eyes bulged and he let out an underwater burble of terror!

Below them, the pyreflies had schooled into a singular, distinct shape. It was long, coiling its massive length in tight rings to fit inside the chamber. Bruised flesh began to stretch taunt over pallid bone, skin patchworked in scabs and festering wounds. Limbs and a long tail formed out of the coils and a head complete with fearsome jaws took in a lungful of water. But the creature neither breathed nor drowned. It was already dead; Tidus and Wakka had watched it die hours ago.

The two blitzers hung in the water, watching Evare drift back and forth. Its gossamer wings were gone, leaving only two tiny stubs of exposed bone on its back. When a remora crossed into Evare's sightline, the dragon stretched out its limbs, snatched the fiend with unholy quickness, and bit it in half. Blood, ichor, and something green oozed out of the dragon's mouth and Wakka wasn't sure if it was all from the remora or not. The remora's tail drifted into the depths while Evare swallowed the head. Tidus could see the head through gaps and tears in Evare's long neck; he gagged and choked on seawater when it got stuck and partially hung out of a particularly long and jagged rip below Evare's jaw.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Wakka sputtered. "I thought we killed that thing back on the flying machina! What's it doin' down here?"

"Who cares!" Tidus yelled, dragging Wakka towards the small opening he'd made in the grate. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

Wakka and Tidus pushed and pulled at the grate, widening the gap. Tidus swam through sideways, but Wakka got hung up in the small hole. Tidus turned back and pulled on the larger man's arms, trying to squeeze Wakka through.

Evrae noticed their frantic movements and its big head turned toward them. Its claws reached out and scraped against the grate, barely missing Wakka's left boot as he popped free and safe on the other side of the grate. The blitzers, completely submerged in the new tunnel, relaxed now that there was a metal barrier between them and the once dead fiend. They turned and started down the new corridor as fast as they could, putting as much distance as they could between them and the revived dragon as they could.

Wakka swam down the tunnel and felt his blood freeze when a loud screech tore through the water. He spun around and saw massive claws stab through the gaps in the grate and rip the barrier away like it was made of tissue paper instead of steel. Tidus and Wakka screamed and turned away, swimming for their lives!

Behind them, Evrae forced its head and body into the tunnel, dislocating its shoulders and arms in the process. The injuries didn't slow the fiend down for a moment; it barely registered the inconvenience as it surged forward. Even wedged tight, Evrae forced itself forward, pushing and thrashing its tail to get at the blitzers.

Tidus and Wakka quickly reached the end of the tunnel and stopped at another grate. This grate was larger and thicker than the last one and there was a small crack of what looked like sunlight several hundred yards past its bars. They were close to the end of the sewers, but had no time. There was a small airpocket above them, an ancient manhole exit that was sealed shut centuries ago. It provided no more than six inches of space for them to catch their breath. And that was all the time they had. A quick inspection showed that the thicker bars of this grate had none of the rust the last one had. It would take much longer to force their way through it; and Evrae was never going to give them time they would need.

The dragon bore down on the blitzers, inching its way down the tunnel. Even though its arms and legs were dislocated and wedged tight, its powerful tail churned the water behind it and the head and jaws wormed their way closer. Tidus and Wakka swam back until their backs hit the grate. They could feel the water swirl and pull them towards the snapping jaws. Every time Evrae opened its mouth, a vacuum-like suction tried to sweep Tidus and Wakka into the massive gullet. They held onto the grating and pulled themselves into the airpocket. They took gasping breaths and looked at each other in terror!

"What the hell do we do now?" Wakka shouted between gulps of air.

"How am I supposed to know?" Tidus yelled back. "You're the senior Guardian here. You don't have a story or something about fighting dead dragons?"

"I'm not Auron, fool! I have no idea what to do! Maybe we can squeeze through the gaps in the grate?"

"I already tried! Maybe Rikku or Yuna could fit…"

Evrae squirmed another three inches forward.

"Try to pry it open like the last one!" Wakka ordered.

Tidus held out his sword and ducked back underwater. He jabbed the edge into the corner of the grate and pulled back, but felt the deadly suction nearly pull him away from the grate. In a desperate lunge, he grabbed onto the grate and hung on tightly. There was no way to pry at the grate without letting go and getting sucked into Evrae's waiting jaws.

"I can't get it!" Tidus yelled as his head broke the surface next to Wakka's. "Not without letting go."

"Yevon help us," Wakka muttered out of habit, staring at the top of Evrae's spiny head. It was still more than twenty feet away, but every second brought it closer.

"Forget that Yevon nonsense!" Tidus yelled. "They're the ones who threw us in this pit to begin with!"

"I know! It's just an expression!" Wakka yelled back.

"It's still not helping any! I'm going to keep trying, do something to stop that thing!" Tidus shouted before ducking back underwater.

Wakka rolled his eyes and followed. The snapping jaws were still several feet away, but gained inches every time Evrae squirmed. Wakka could see horrible tears and wounds along the dragons neck and body from scraping against the tunnel walls; one of its arms had nearly been torn off completely!

'What the hell has possessed that thing to do that to itself?' Wakka wondered. 'How is it still pushing forward with those wounds? It should have died again by now!'

Wakka picked up his blitzball and took aim at one of Evrae's dark eyes. The blitzball whirled in the water and slammed into the eye, bursting it in a cloud of milky cataract and black blood. The blood seemed to ooze rather than flow from the ruined orb, but the dragon didn't react to the blow. There was no roar of pain, not even a flinch; it just kept creeping forward and snapping its jaws.

Wakka caught the rebounding blitzball and tried to make sense of what he saw. He hefted his weapon of choice, looked at it pitifully, and finally admitted to himself that Vincent had been right; he really needed to stop playing games and get a proper weapon that could do more damage than a game ball with some junk metal jury-rigged around it. Maybe something with spikes or rotating blades on it, like one of those circular-shaped saws on the Al Bhed machina…Wakka scoffed at himself. He must be in bad shape if he was starting to get his ideas from heathen machina.

Wakka was pulled out of his musings by the vacuum from Evrae's jaws. It pulled him through the water in the strongest current Wakka had ever felt. Blindly, he reached out and caught a crack in the tunnel wall. He clung to it for dear life until the suction ended and Evrae's jaws snapped shut. Wakka watched in horror as the dragon pulled itself closer. It would be close enough to grab him much sooner than he'd care to admit. Wakka stole a glance behind him. Tidus had wrapped a leg through the bars of the grate to serve as an anchor. He was still working his sword into the corner, but the metal was thick and barely moved beneath the sword's leverage. Wakka was sure it would give way in time, but that was a luxury they had run out of. They would be speared and swallowed by the undead dragon before Tidus made any real headway…

A light went off in Wakka's mind. He was not a formally educated man; most of what he knew about life he had learned in the blitzball dome and locker room, from the teachings of Yevon, and what Lulu had drilled into him over the years. But the one thing Wakka had a mind for were stories. Blitzball legends, Yevon parables, big fish stories-living on an island, everyone had a story about the big one that got away-, and the amusing jests of "remember when" stories told at bars and around campfires; Wakka knew and remembered dozens, if not hundreds of them.

Including Vincent's story of how he defeated Raff in Luca when the Al Bhed had tried to kidnap Yuna and blackmail the Aurochs into losing the game against the Psyches. Vincent had said Raff had been transformed or corrupted by some evil crystal or something and that the only way Vincent could defeat Raff was with healing magic!

The light in Wakka's mind exploded at solving the puzzle bearing down on him and Tidus. Evrae wasn't alive, it was undead! It was practically a zombie, tearing itself apart to get at them! He just needed to use healing magic to 'kill' it once and for all!

The light of discovery burnt out as Wakka remembered that Yuna was the white mage of the group; that knowing how to kill this undead monster wasn't worth a pile of fiend shit since neither he or Tidus knew any healing magic! A string of curses flew through Wakka's mind and he would have spat them aloud if he wasn't underwater.

'If only Yuna had really started training and joined the Aurochs last year, she might be here!' Wakka thought.

Evrae pushed closer. Another lunge and it was almost on top of Wakka. It's long tongue, a putrid purple muscle covered in lacerations and pustules, whipped out and tried to wrap around Wakka's arm. It slid off, but left a nasty scrape behind. It stung and started to bleed. Wakka pulled back, hurled his blitzball at Evrae again, useless but habitual, and reached into his belt pouch for a potion…

"That's it!" Wakka yelled, even though he was underwater. It came out garbled and Tidus paused for a second to look at him. Wakka pulled out that potion and, rather than use it on himself, threw it at Evrae. It broke on the monster's snout, its contents a different color and density than the water, and the healing liquid burned through a small patch of scales!

'Ya don't need magic, ya nincompoop!' Wakka chastised himself, 'you got potions!'

Wakka swam back to Tidus. He didn't bother signing his intent or gesturing for the teen to head back to the airpocket; Wakka just grabbed at the teen and reached into his pockets. Todis tried to swat Wakka away on instinct, but Wakka kept at it. He grabbed Tidus's item pouch and tore it off Tidus's leg. The teen held out his arms in a 'what-the-hell' gesture; Wakka didn't even see it, he was too busy tearing through the pouch. Inside was nearly a dozen Hi-Potions, three Phoenix Downs, and an Elixir. Wakka grinned. Evrae moved closer.

Wakka removed his own, larger item pouch and dumped Tidus's items into it. The bottles clinked dully in the water. Wakka grabbed onto his pouch strap and began to spin underwater. Wakka spun like a top, faster and faster and faster until he was blur in the water and started to generate his own pulling current.

Evrae bore down on the blitzers, its size engulfing the narrow tunnel and blocking out the light. Tidus squeezed against the grate, trying to make himself as small as possible, closing his eyes as he waited for the feel of piercing teeth and hot breath.

Wakka let go of the pouch. It torpedoed through the water, through Evrae's open maw and smashed against the back of its throat. The glass bottles inside the pouch shattered and spilled their contents down Evrae's undead gullet.

Wakka shook off the vertigo and grabbed the grate for balance as he stopped spinning and the world slowed around him. The first thing he noticed was that Evrae was almost close enough for him to touch. The second was that a shower of green, red, purple, and bright white sparks began to spurt out of the holes and tears in Evrae's neck, each spark carving through the undead flesh. Wakka grinned and slapped Tidus on the shoulder to get him to come out of the fetal position and look. When Tidus did, he grinned almost as big as Wakka did. The sparks were growing into fireworks of healing energy, bursting inside of Evrae's neck and body, traveling down to its tail. The healing bursts began to blow out the sides, through the tears and rends Evrae did to itself as it squeezed down the pipe. Pyreflies began to appear along the body until, suddenly, the dragon reared its head back and let out an unearthly bellow. Wakka wasn't sure if it was in pain or in disappointment that it wasn't going to catch its prey after all. With another quiet, almost whimper of a roar, the head burst in a brilliant flash of green and white flares! The body quickly faded and a handful of pyreflies, much fewer than had appeared to create the undead beast, drifted away into the shadows.

Tidus let out a whoop underwater and pulled at Wakka to join him in the air pocket.

"That was amazing!" he said. "How did you know that would work?"

"Remembered somethin' Vincent once said after Yuna got kidnapped back in Luca," Wakka said, trying to shrug off the teen's elation and remain humble in victory. 'Act like you've done it before.' That was what Wakka's first blitzball coach, Coach Aalto, said when he saw Wakka celebrating scoring a goal against the Kilika Beasts. Wakka was acting like a fool, flipping and posing in the water. Coach Aalto wasn't having it. After telling Wakka to swim thirty laps around the pool, he told him that it was ok to be proud of any accomplishment in life, but one doesn't have to bask in it or rub it in their opponents' faces. "Act like you've done it before," Coach Aalto told Wakka when he finished his laps. "Let people remember your accomplishment, not your celebration afterward."

It was a valuable lesson in humility and sportsmanship; one that Wakka had taken to heart and it was one of the reasons why he hated showboating players like Bickson.

"Whatever you say, but man, that was awesome!" Tidus cheered and thumped Wakka on the shoulder. "We'd be dead if you didn't figure it out."

"Good thing, ya?" Wakka smiled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Make sure you tell Lulu I used my brain for once; she'll never believe me."

"Pfft, like she'd believe me," Tidus laughed.

"How far along are you?" Wakka asked and pointed at the grate. "Think you can get it loose?"

"Now that there isn't a giant dead dragon trying to eat me, I think so," Tidus said.

"Get to it," Wakka said. "I'll watch your back; we gotta get outta here and save Yuna, ya?"

-X-

Rikku let out a deep breath. She was tired, still chained, and, worst of all, bored. And as Cid, Brother, or any of the Al Bhed Stalkers could attest to, a bored Rikku was a dangerous and unpredictable Rikku.

She had already determined that her chains were too strong to break, but was confident she could pick any lock on Spira. She just needed to find it first.

Rikku looked at Vincent, who was still strapped and crucified to the special exam table, and had been silent since Kinoc left. She was worried about him. She didn't understand all the back and forth between Vincent and Kinoc; mechanics were her field, not genetics; but she knew that whatever happened scared Vincent. Rikku, who knew and loved the gunslinger, saw through the bravado and nonchalance in Vincent's words. He was scared, deeply scared, and that scared her more than any torture or death sentence the Maesters could come up with.

"Hey, you awake over there?" she called out. Vincent turned his head towards her and gave her a small smile.

"How's your back?" she asked.

"Fine," Vincent said. "Healed."

"Must've hurt like hell. You know, I bet Lulu has lots of back pain from carrying all that in front, you know what I mean? I betcha she probably knows lots of remedies she could share with you if you're sore."

"I'll be sure to ask her later," Vincent said with a wry grin. "I'm sure she'll appreciate my attention on her front and back sides."

Rikku laughed. "That sounds like something Cait Sith would say and then get hit for."

"I probably will get hit too."

"Nah, she knows that won't do anything. She'll zap your ass for sure!"

"What is your sudden fascination with ass?" Vincent teased. "Next you'll be telling me how you rate Tidus's ass over Wakka's."

"Don't be gross, Uncle Vinny!" Rikku exclaimed with fake disgust. "And there is no comparing Tidus's ass to anyone else's. He's got some prime Blitzer buns!"

"Will you two shut up!" the guard shouted, breaking up Vincent's chuckles and Rikku's all out laughter. Rikku gave the guard that patented-annoyed-teenager-stare that all teenage girls know instinctively how to do. The guard was dressed in a Crusader uniform with a high collar and steel helmet, but Rikku could see beads of sweat dripping off his pale skin.

"So, you drew the short straw?" she smirked at him. The guard didn't reply.

"You must have," Rikku continued, "or you must have really pissed someone off to get stuck guarding the most dangerous prisoners. It's like you're the one who got the death sentence, not us."

"Be quiet," the guard barked and put a hand to his sword.

"Don't upset him, Rikku," Vincent said. "I'm sure he did nothing wrong to deserve this. There is no need to mock him for being Kinoc's sacrificial lamb."

"What are you talking about?" the guard asked, taking a step towards Vincent, his hand still on the handle of his sword.

"He doesn't get it?" Rikku asked Vincent.

"Afraid not," answered Vincent.

"How can he not get it? How do you not get it?"

"What do you mean?" asked the very confused guard. "Get what?"

"Seriously, you don't see what's happening?" Rikku asked. "Uncle Vinny, we have to tell him."

"Tell me what?"

"It won't change anything," Vincent said and looked at the guard. "We both know it's already too late."

"I feel bad though," Rikku whined and shifted in her chains. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy."

"They never do," Vincent said, a little sadness in his voice. "Some are just supporting their families, others just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"What do you mean, families? My family? Did you do something to them?" the guard shouted, his sword drawn out of its scabbard.

"Ah, see! This is what I was talking about," Rikku said and waved her hands in the air. "Now I'm gonna to dream up some little mini-version of him asking me: "Why did you turn my daddy inside out?" in some cute little voice with tears streaming down his little fat cheeks!"

"I actually have a daughter," muttered the guard, his face getting paler.

"That's even worse!" groaned Rikku. "She'll be adorable, with little pigtails, holding a little doll that is missing a button eye or something cute like that!"

"I can do my best to make it quick and painless," said Vincent. He rolled the stiffness out of his shoulders and stretched his lower back.

"Painless? What in Spira are you talking about?" yelled the guard. "I am the guard here, you are the prisoners. And I demand you both sit back down, re-chain yourselves, and stop trying to distract me…from my…duties," he trailed off as he realized exactly what he just said and saw before him. "Yevon help me."

"Relax," Rikku said as Vincent confiscated the guard's sword. "Just tell us how to get out of here, where the others are, and you won't be too much worse for wear."

"What are you going to do to me?" whimpered the guard. "You're not really going to turn me inside out, are you?"

"I'd rather not," Vincent said, flexing his clawed fingers. The guard gulped, tried to turn away, but was held tight in place.

"Where are the others?" Vincent asked, allowing just a hint of demon into his voice.

"The summoner and mage were sent into the Via Purifico as per tradition. The blitzers were sent to the waterway to be cleansed and possibly redeemed. And the old warrior-monk and Ronso were sent to the Crusaders to be hanged."

"Which way?" Rikku asked, already wrapping the guard's arms and chest in the discarded chains.

"Um, the Via Purifico is in the temple sub-levels, so is the waterway. I think the execution was going to be held here in the Crusader's training yard."

"Where should we go first?" Rikku asked.

"The Via Purifico," Vincent and the guard answered together. Rikku couldn't help but laugh at their random synchronicity.

"Auron and Kimahri will not go gently or quietly. I expect they are already escaping and on their way towards Yuna. And Wakka and Tidus will be fine in the waterway. If memory serves, blitzers are sentenced with their weapons and equipment to earn a chance at redemption."

"That's right," said the guard. "Since they won the last tournament, they got special designation for bringing joy to the people of Spira."

"Small favors," Rikku muttered as she finished collecting Vincent's gear. Fortunately, Kinoc had been too excited about Vincent's genes and fluids to start tinkering with the gun or materia. Her own equipment was nowhere in sight. "Where are my things?" she asked the guard.

He looked at his feet. "They were all destroyed because they were Al Bhed."

"You what?" growled Rikku.

"I didn't do it personally!" the guard yelled in fear at the burning look in Rikku's eyes. Vincent stepped between them before Rikku could take out her wrath on the poor man.

"We don't have time," he said.

"That's easy for you to say, you have all your stuff!" Rikku snapped, still glaring at the guard. "Do you know how hard it was to find some of those components, not to mention my materia necklace."

"Some new ones then," Vincent said and handed her Mastered Fire and Ice Materia. "These are much more powerful than your old one, I hope you've been practicing."

"Every night before bed," Rikku smirked. She held the materia one in each hand and felt the magic swell within her. It made the hair on her arms and back of her neck stand on end and she shivered slightly at the power. "Whew, you weren't kidding about them being stronger."

"Just be careful where you aim," he smiled. Vincent completed checking his own gear, making sure there was no damage or sabotage to his gun and accounting for each and every Materia he'd collected. Fortunately, the broken summon Materia and other irreplaceable items were still magically hidden in his cloak and could not be touched.

"Everything accounted for?" Rikku asked, looking at Vincent's gun.

"Seems so. But we can't leave anything behind," Vincent said and gestured toward the materials and experimental setup Kinoc had left behind.

"Does that mean me too?" the guard whimpered.

"I will take care of this," Vincent said and gestured toward Kinoc's samples and equipment. "You take care of him."

"Sure thing, Uncle Vinny. C'mon you, you have a date with a closet."

As Rikku frogmarched the guard out of the room, Vincent went to work. With a swipe of his long arm, he knocked over all of Kinoc's sensitive medical equipment and samples onto the floor. Vincent felt himself grin at the sound of glass shattering and various chemicals and concoctions spilling across the floor. He focused on the fire materia in his claw and felt the warm magic travel into his fingertips. A thin stream of white-yellow flame, hot and focused enough to shear through steel in seconds, spouted from his forefinger. Vincent ignited the pile, melted the glass, and destroyed the samples. Vincent held the spell in place like a flamethrower, making sure it touched every inch of the area. Several of the chemicals appeared to be combustible and small explosions shook the room.

The door opened behind him and Rikku stepped into the room, shielding her face from the blaze. She held the guard's sword in her hand and had commandeered his helmet as well. Because of her longer hair, it didn't fit quite right and tilted to the left.

"Everything good?" VIncent asked, not looking toward her and still waving his fire-spouting finger across the blaze.

"He's taking a nap in the closet down the hall. No one saw us and he'll be out for a good while."

"Good," Vincent said. He ended the fire spell and looked at Rikku. "Quick practice, try and put out the fire with your Ice Materia."

Rikku nodded, the helmet shifting on her head. She put the sword in her belt and drew a materia orb from her pocket.

"ICE!" she shouted and a thick sheet of ice sprang into the air above the fire. It fell onto the blaze, smothering part, and began to melt. The water spread, extinguishing the bulk of the fire. A few bits of the more flammable chemicals continued to burn; Vincent stepped over and snuffed them out with the toe of his boot.

"What's next?" Rikku asked. She was slightly winded from using the mastered Materia, but was extremely proud she had been able to cast the spell.

"We head for the Via Purifico," Vincent said. "Find the others, rescue them if we need to. And put an end to Kinoc, Seymour, and Mika."

-X-

Kinoc continued to hum to himself as he walked back down the hall, enormously pleased with himself. Everything was going well: the executions were all underway; the fabled Vincent Valentine was strapped to his exam table, ready to assist, however unwillingly, in experiments to further the power of the Crusaders and his own power and influence; and he had his first test subject obediently waiting for him.

"Thank you for waiting, my dear," he said as he approached the young, red-haired Crusader. "Shameful business, but Yevon's will be done."

"Of, of course," the girl said. She rubbed at the bandage on her shoulder like a talisman and tried not to look Kinoc in the eyes. There was something about the short, fat Maester that was making her skin crawl. "I'm really alright, sir. You shouldn't be wasting your time or energies on healing someone like me, it's almost healed already."

Kinoc drank in her unease. "Nonsense, my role is to serve all whom I can. Come, child, let's take care of that arm properly. With so much going on, I am sure we're going to need you sooner than later back with your squad."

"Um, yes, I guess so."

"Come along...oh, I'm so sorry, what was your name? I'm afraid I've forgotten with all the commotion. Hard to think when having to preside over such awful things."

"It's Elaine, sir."

"Elaine, of course. Forgive me. Elaine of the Crimson Squad. I'm sure I will remember from now on. Come along, Elaine. I have just what you need to ease your pain."

-XXX-

Author's Notes:

This was a difficult chapter to write. I started with a draft that was very close to the in game script and scene and I hated it. There is a lot going on in several locations all at once, and, frankly, I hated some of them in the game. The Via Purifico made no sense to me, same with the waterway, and why the specific characters were sent to where. Like why would you let everyone go with their weapons? Why would you have Yuna fight other summoners in the Via Purifico? It just didn't make sense when I was playing the game and it didn't make sense from my story perspective either.

Hence all the changes I made. I knew I had to do something special with Vincent and Kinoc, I wanted to make things a little more dire for Lulu and Yuna, and, since the battle with Evare Altana is kinda a joke with the undead vulnerability, so I made that scene a little bit of a joke for Wakka and Tidus. Let me know what you think of my changes and stay tuned as our heroes are not out of trouble yet!

And a bonus point to anyone who figured out the easter egg at the end!