Author's Note: There's no cause for the Songstress to appear in this chapter, but I still wanted to give a shout out to Aretha Franklin, one of the most influential greats of our time. Even if you don't know / appreciate her musical style, she's one of the reasons you can listen to the music you DO like today. She'll be sorely missed.
Additionally, Chapter 56 has been beta-read and updated with a few minor changes to dialogue.
57: Honor's Price
The dim passage soon widened, opening into a much larger cavern. A single beam of sunlight shined through a crack in the ceiling, almost blinding after their stint in the cave's darkness. Black mist curled lazily around them, as if trying to push back the light.
"This feels familiar," Braska murmured. "You and I, alone in a dark ruin fraught with danger, an unknown aeon awaiting us at the end of our adventure together."
"Oh come on. It's not as scary as Baaj. And compared to Anima, Yojimbo's almost cuddly!" Rikku led them further into the depths, trying to recall the path to the Fayth stone—it was a lot harder without Lulu as a guide. "Now I gotta warn you, there's some pretty tricky enemies hiding in the dark here, so stay close—"
Braska, of course, had already wandered to the ornate tile embedded into the floor of the otherwise rough cavern. Sighing, she halted her march and about-faced, moving back towards him.
"Strange." He knelt by the tile and ran his hands over it. "I've seen something very similar in the upper floors of the Temple in Bevelle. I wonder what use it has here?"
She squatted by his side, tilting her head to study the tile. "You really don't know what that is?"
"No. I had always believed them to be decorative." He looked pained. "You mean they, too, are machina? Do the Maesters have no shame?"
"The more you know," she said, pointing at the carefully disguised arrows along the pattern. "It's a Trial, sorta. Not like the official ones in the Temples, though. This whole cave is the Trial! Make it to the end without getting killed, y'know? If you can do that, the Fayth will release the seals on these things and they'll power up and teleport you out, nice and easy."
Braska sat back on his heels, blinking owlishly. "Teleportation? You're not jesting?"
"No, but I couldn't tell you how they work; no Al Bhed could, actually," she admitted. "Best we were able to figure, these tiles are tied to the Fayth somehow and use them as a power source." She shrugged. "So I guess they aren't really machina. More like… magic-machina. Kinda like my Garment Grid, come to think of it. Except my Grid pulls the power from its user, not a Fayth."
"That does not make it any easier to swallow," he said, standing up and looking around. "Well. Yevon keeps no official records of this place, though rumors of the existence of abandoned Fayth are commonplace. The scribes prefer to keep the official libraries purged of any unsavory records, however. I'm afraid I have no idea of what to expect down here."
"Luckily, you have me, your personal walking cheat-sheet," Rikku said, tossing her braids. "I know exactly where we're going!"
"You said the same thing about reaching this cavern three days ago."
"Can it! I got us here, didn't I? Have a little faith!"
"That is my purpose in coming here, after all." She winced. He grinned. "So, where shall we go?"
"Nowhere, really, if you ask me," she replied, pointing up towards the ceiling. "Let's make our way in a little further before the light disappears. We'll have to camp out in here, but it's less creepy than doing it outside with all those patrolling mechs. At least the fiends sleep sometimes."
They trudged together into the darkness, which was periodically broken up by drifting clumps of pyreflies. It was almost as if they were being guided further inwards by the Fayth itself. The air vibrated with the presence of magic, making Rikku's skin prickle. Even Braska seemed affected by the charged atmosphere, his steps slowing to observe the clusters of pyreflies each time they drew near.
Before long, one of the cavern's residents appeared to greet them.
"...These are the fearsome opponents you were warning me about?" Braska stared at the giant pot that had landed in front of him, tracking the glowing bobble waving from the top of the Urn with a frown.
"Great, a Magic Urn. I hate those things," Rikku mumbled. She'd lost count of how many Phoenix Downs Yuna had had to use on the entire party after her repeated stealing attempts ended in failure. I really thought they were hiding something incredible! How was I supposed to know they didn't have anything useful? Shaking herself from her reverie, she shouted in dismay as Braska reached out with a questing finger and poked an eye etched onto the middle of the pot.
"No, don't—!"
The Urn shook violently. Rikku covered her eyes, groaning.
"Augh!"
Peering between her fingers, she saw Braska sprawled on the ground, one hand clapped over his face. His other hand was clutching a small sack.
"That… thing just giggled and struck me with this bag!"
The Urn trembled at his words, glowing bobble bouncing.
"What in Yevon's name is it?" he asked, struggling to his feet and backing away from the Urn, which seemed to want to follow him. The skin around his bruised eye was already turning purple.
"It's some kind of creepy… animal, maybe, that hides itself in the pot," she explained, stepping in front of Braska and stopping the Urn's advance, careful not to disturb any of the symbols on the pot with her touch. "It never really attacks, but it can be dangerous if you don't know how to deal with it. Down boy! Shoo!" She clucked at the Urn.
It trilled in dismay, glowing bobble wilting.
Ignoring the sulking Urn, she shoved Braska back. "I think it just wants to play with us, but if you poke it in the wrong place, boom!"
"Boom?"
"Boom," she repeated with emphasis.
"...How might we, ah, transfer its interest to a more suiting target?"
"Usually by running like hell the moment you see one," Rikku said.
The pot vibrated, clearly unhappy.
"Not that we were thinking of doing that right now, no siree!"
Braska glanced between her and the Magic Urn. "And what happens if you poke it in the right place?"
"Besides your black eye?" Rikku gestured at the small sack in his hand. "It gives you a little reward. But then it won't leave you alone, either. You kinda have to keep playing with it until it gets bored."
"And for how long might that be? We only have so many eyes to sacrifice."
"I dunno," she answered. "I always got to the boom part first."
"I see," Braska said, paling.
The pot wriggled impatiently.
"What about Jecht's sphere?" he said suddenly. "You've never made it to the end of this creature's game, correct? Perhaps all you were lacking was the fortune to see things through."
"But then I'm the one who has to play with it! I'm the one who'll get the boom!"
Braska, quickly retreating, was all smiles. "Do your best to defend your summoner, my Guardian!"
Rolling her eyes, Rikku activated her Garment Grid; Jecht's warm, welcome presence filled her with confidence. When the light faded, so did her annoyance.
"Ooh, games!" she cooed, sauntering up to the pot and tickling the glowing bobble with her finger. It shivered, and she laughed. "Let's make a wager," she said, tapping her lips with a card she had trapped between her fingertips. Coming to a decision, she pointed at one of the Urn's outer designs.
"There!" Her cards snapped against the painted eye.
The Magic Urn jumped, squeaking.
A slow grin spread across her lips. "Hmm, liked that, did you?" Holding a hand before her mouth, she cackled, channeling her best Dona. "Well, well, well. Who wouldn't want to be spanked by the Mistress of Charm? Looks like today's your lucky day, Pottie-Pie!"
"Err… Rikku, are you certain you are on the same page as that thing?"
"Of course," she said airily, cutting Braska off. "Our cute little Magic Urn here has been a very, very naughty! All that tension it's holding back, just waiting to explode! Why, it's practically my duty to help the poor thing out." As she spoke, she rapped her cards against another one of the pot's eyes.
This time the Urn let out a high-pitched yelp and rotated in place.
"That's right," she cooed, the cards twisting around her arms in preparation. "Take that!" A loud thwap echoed through the cavern as her cards hit the Urn again. Before it could recover, she sent the deck flying back towards it, grinning wildly. "And that!"
SMACK!
"Don't fight it baby, you know you want it!"
SMACK!
"Now I'm getting excited!"
SMACK!
"... I think I am learning more about Jecht than I ever wanted to know," Braska groaned.
"I don't know about you, but I'm having the time of my life," Rikku crowed. "Now hold still, darling, it's time for the grand finale!"
The little creature in the pot screeched. A large pile of treasure sacks were haphazardly tossed to the ground.
Rikku ignored them, licking her lips as she took aim. "There!"
Her cards lashed out at the same time the creature within the pot rocketed out of the container. The abandoned Urn shattered into shrapnel.
None of it hit her, of course. All that dust would have been murder on her sequins.
But where did my little friend go? Waving away the dust, she scowled. "Hey! Come back here! I wasn't done playing yet!"
A loud crack sounded, followed by a sudden burst of light. Rikku shielded her eyes until the brightness faded; looking upwards, she spotted a brand new Urn-creature-sized crack in the cavern's ceiling. Sunlight streamed in from the outside.
"Oh, so that's where those came from?" she speculated, collecting her scattered cards with a gesture. Then she pouted. "Such a spoilsport! I was this close to winning the game!"
A hacking cough interrupted her musings. "...On further consideration, perhaps you should remove Jecht's sphere," Braska wheezed, struggling to his feet. He didn't seem to have shared in her luck; once again, he was covered with a fine layer of dirt, looking worse for the wear. Spitting out a pebble, he gave her a flat stare.
Sheepishly, Rikku deactivated the dressphere. "Next time, we run?"
"Indeed," he deadpanned.
.x.x.x.
They set up camp when the few bits of natural light from the outdoors began to fail; twilight on the plains was already looking like the deepest night inside the sunken cavern.
"I am starting to reconsider my position on the sanctity of those bridges," Braska said as they settled by the light of another modified glowing sphere. "Could we not have brought some wood with us for a fire?"
Rikku snorted. "Who were you expecting to carry it, me? Besides, we don't want to draw the fiends to us. Just think, what if a Tonberry ambushed us in our sleep?"
"That tiny green lizard creature we faced earlier? Come now, it was not all that terrible. I thought it adorable, the way it waved its miniature weapon about."
She made a face at his smug expression. "Well, excuse me for not having your blessed knife-repelling karma. For some of us, that encounter was pretty painful!"
"Yes, well—" Braska abruptly fell silent.
"Wha—"
He shushed her, deactivating the sphere and plunging them into darkness.
It was then that she felt it: a sudden drop in temperature, chilling her to the bone. A strange, cold light floated by, giving off a different sense than the innocuous pyreflies drifting through the cavern. It paused as it neared them, a few of the lights solidifying into a translucent, skeletal face.
A Ghost! Rikku held her breath, motionless, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead. She wanted to close her eyes, but didn't dare move.
It looked in her direction with unseeing eyes. Despite appearing to sense them, it couldn't seem to pinpoint their presence.
If fiends really were nothing more than the discontent of the formerly living, Ghosts were the purest essence of that rage and hopelessness. Spending too long in the presence of one was a sure way to find death, even if it wasn't directly attacking. The sheer weight of its depressive aura could eventually break a living mind down.
That sense of hopelessness sapped her willpower; to distract herself, she dared a look at Braska. His features were hidden in darkness, but he was also holding himself still.
Did being a summoner gave him the ability to weather the Ghost's presence better?
A lone pyrefly drifted by his face and Rikku had to stop herself from twitching in surprise. It didn't appear like he was suffering. Instead, he was looking at the Ghost with a strange light to his eyes, his lips twisted into a sad smile.
After a few more excruciating moments of inspection, the Ghost moved on. Only after the oppressive atmosphere faded—plus a full extra minute, just in case—did she let out her breath.
"How'd you do that?"
Braska re-lit their sphere, blinking in surprise. "Feel it coming? You could not?"
"Well, when it was right on top of us," she said, confused. "But I meant, 'How'd you act so put-together when it was breathing down our necks like that'? Weren't you scared?"
Braska looked down, folding his fingers together. "I have always been sensitive to the feelings of others. I suppose… that is quite literal, in a place like this. Perhaps it has to do with my capacity for magic. Perhaps it is because those Ghosts still cling to the hopes and aspirations of those who passed on in discontent. I don't truly know. But as for feeling fear… no, I do not fear them. I feel pity."
"You first thought isn't to run screaming?" Even Kimahri's fur got ruffled around Ghosts! "You're braver than I thought!"
"Quite the opposite," he mused. "I suppose… I fear death. I fear I will become like them, one day, tied to this world by my regrets and my anger. I do not fear them. I fear I understand them."
She shivered. "We could Send the next one we meet, if you want."
"The souls trapped here are ancient," he observed. "Old souls can resist the Sending if a summoner is not powerful enough or if the grudge that holds them here is too great. We would have to battle them into submission first, and even then, it is no guarantee of success. Would my Sending be powerful enough to allow the pyreflies in this place to escape, or would they simply reform into something just as bitter as before, called back to one another by their lost companions?" He lifted a hand, allowing a few of the floating pyreflies to pass through his fingertips.
"They are as bound to their path as I am," he concluded. Then he gave her a wan smile. "Although I am hoping for a better end, at least. One with more meaning."
Rikku slumped. This place sucks. "Maybe we should just get some rest so we can start out bright and early tomorrow morning," she said, reaching for the sphere.
"Wait."
Rikku looked up in surprise.
"I've a favor to ask of you," he said, rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a small pair of scissors. "Would you be so kind as to tend to this mess on my head? It will take my mind off of things and also certainly remove these bothersome bangs."
Grabbing the scissors out of his hands, she shrugged. "Sure. Whaddaya want? And no dirty jokes, please."
"Perish the thought." He held out a length of his hair. It had grown longer since his impromptu cut in Baaj; now, it was brushing the edge of his chin, eerily reminiscent of the style Yuna wore after Tidus' disappearance.
Yeah… it'd be better to make him look a little less like her.
"I'd like to keep it shorter, if you will. Closer to my head." He indicated with his fingers where to make a cut, and Rikku nodded.
She leaned forward and attempted to snip off some hair, but after a few cuts, she realized their position was too awkward. "Sit up straight," she commanded, scooting closer and rising to her knees before him. "This is really tough without a comb." Frustrated, she ran her fingers through his fine, brown hair, working out the snarls in it. "Alright, I got it now."
Braska remained silent, likely enjoying all the attention she was showering on his scalp… or the view of her boobs as she leaned forward to work. Pausing, she glanced down; he was wearing a blissful expression as he stared at her chest. Yep. Conniving jerk.
Still, she was the one holding the sharp, pointy object in her hands, and it was hard enough to see anything by the weak light of the pyreflies and their lone sphere. Maybe he should know that.
"Now hold still," she said, tugging sharply on a lock of hair. "One false move and you might just lose an appendage." She snipped the scissors dangerously close to his ear.
Braska swallowed and schooled his features into respectful aloofness. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good." Concentrating, she resumed cutting; soon, wispy clumps of hair littered the floor around him.
Hmm… a little more from the side… make it shorter at the top… and there! Done. Humming, she fluffed up his hair and sat back to appraise him.
Braska raised one brow. "How is it?"
"Better," she said. "You look less like a girl now!"
He frowned, but she didn't elaborate.
Really better, she thought as he cleaned up. While the resemblance to Yuna was still there, it wasn't as striking. Plus, he looked younger with the shorter hair.
What would he have looked like had he lived to her time in the future?
Shaking the stray thought away, she handed back the scissors. "You'll just have to trust me on this one."
"I trust you with my life. Trusting you with my hair is a matter of lesser importance." He smiled briefly at her as he packed away the scissors.
Rikku scrambled away from him, confused and uneasy. He's not even doing anything this time! What is wrong with me? Shivering, she reached out and shut down the sphere. "Should be a big day tomorrow. Get some rest, I'll take first watch."
"As you wish," she heard him say in the dark, followed by the rustle of cloth as he settled down for the evening. Soon, his breathing evened out. Although he did his best to hide it, their journey was still pushing his limits. Sleep overtook him in moments.
Gradually, her eyes adjusted to the low light in the cavern and she spent several minutes watching him. Her heart thumped, remembering the way he'd looked towards the Ghost. A fierce desire to shield him from that pain rose up in her, surprising in its intensity.
After all he's done and everything he's said, why do I still feel so drawn to protect him?
She clenched her fists, unsettled, and resigned herself to another long, restless night.
.x.x.x.
There was a split in the tunnel ahead; Braska leaned his staff against one of the cavern's walls, pulled out a coin, and flipped it.
"Hey! What're you doing? I know where we're going!"
"You said that three Imps, six Yowies, two Valahas, one Nidhogg, eight Thorns, and fourteen Dark Elements ago." After lifting his palm and inspecting the coin, he grabbed his weapon. "We will take the right."
"Geez," she mumbled. "You didn't have to keep count…"
"I didn't count the Coeurls. I am attributing that to your appreciation for cats."
"Fine! Lead on." Grumpily, Rikku lowered her head and followed. They traveled the narrow path, lit only by pyreflies, until it ended in a larger clearing. Looking up, she stopped and grabbed onto Braska's robe. "Wait," she whispered. "I really do recognize this place. We're close."
With trepidation, she passed the area where Ginnem had appeared—only a shadow of the vivacious young woman she'd met in Besaid. Nothing emerged from the darkness this time, however, and she felt a sharp pang of guilt.
Ginnem was still alive right now, but she hadn't even tried to stop her. I'm sorry, Lulu.
She stood, remembering Lulu's graceful, pale neck bowed in the darkness as she wiped away her silent tears. It had been a shock to her fifteen-year-old self back then, to see her idol so emotionally affected by anything. It spoke to the depths of the pain Lulu had experienced.
Could I have prevented it?
She tried to steady her breathing, feeling suffocated by the memories.
"Are you all right?" Braska's question jolted her back to the present. He placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her.
"Y-yeah," she said faintly. Clearing her throat, she pointed towards the back of the cavern. "Over there. This is what we came here for, right?"
As if sensing her turmoil, he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "There is no need to rush."
Taking another deep breath, she pushed away her regret and placed her hand on his. Focus on the now. One step at a time. "Yeah. We all have our demons, right? Don't worry about it."
After a long moment, he nodded, dropping his hand and turning towards the faint light ahead of them.
The Chamber of the Fayth was unguarded. There were no stone doors to pray before, and the light they'd seen originated from the unnaturally glowing purple-hued torches. Hastily-layered seals indicated that whomever had stolen the Fayth stone had still wanted to protect the soul it contained. There was little else between them and the Fayth this time, however.
Something struck her—or rather, the lack of something. "Where's the Hymn?"
Braska stopped. "I can sense a presence here, but it is very faint. It is as though the Fayth here is dormant."
"Maybe it is. Maybe without people to pray to it and keep it alive in their memories, they fall asleep. Go into hibernation until someone remembers to wake them up, or something." She peered into the pit containing the stone.
The brightly painted statue was no worse for the wear from its transport away from its original temple. The cloth wards even kept it free from debris and dust. It didn't change the fact that for all intents and purposes, Yojimbo had been abandoned. She felt a twinge of sympathy for the soul trapped inside of the statue; forgotten, unable to serve its purpose, but still condemned to its eternal vigil. "Try praying to it. Maybe you can wake it up."
Approaching the statue, Braska kneeled. He cupped his arms in prayer and bowed. "Oh, ancient servant of Yevon, I humbly request your aid."
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, despite the burning torches, the cavern darkened and shook. Small pebbles fell from the ceiling and energy built up around them, old and powerful.
When the floor finally stopped vibrating and the light returned, the Hymn's low baritone filled the room.
The air over the stone wavered, forming into a warrior monk. His outfit was antiquated, bearing little in common with the current uniform in Bevelle. At his side, a ghostly dog sat.
"I am the blade of vengeance," the Fayth stated. "They dare only whisper my name: Yojimbo."
Braska bowed once again, awe splayed in stark relief over his expression. As far as she knew, Yojimbo was only the second aeon to reveal his human form to Braska. Maybe third, if you count Jecht. Except Jecht's not all that awe-inspiring. Suppressing her snigger, Rikku did a quick spot check for her own mobility. Looks like Yojimbo doesn't have it out for me, at least.
The Fayth was addressing Braska; it was the first time she'd ever been so completely disregarded by one of them.
Then she noticed Koimanu staring at her, ears lifted and tail wagging. Its gaze was sharp and intelligent, and she waved back uncertainly. Great… at least his dog acknowledges me, I guess. She redirected her attention back to Braska.
"... to train as a summoner," Braska was saying.
She blinked. Wait a second. "Why didn't you ask him to help you defeat Sin?"
The Fayth hesitated, then crossed his arms. Almost petulantly. "Yes, summoner. Why did you not make that request instead?"
Uh-oh.
Braska turned to look at her in consternation. "I thought you expressly wished for me to obtain this aeon to challenge Belgemine!" he murmured.
"Yeah, but I think you hurt his feelings!" she stage-whispered back.
Braska's eyes widened in disbelief. "Me? You are the one who just pointed out my error in excruciating detail for him!"
Yojimbo cleared his throat. "IF YOU DESIRE MY STRENGTH…"
They stopped bickering, turning wide-eyed glances his way.
"... then you must pay my price."
Braska looked at her again, and Rikku rolled her eyes and threw over a few of her money pouches. "Don't screw this next part up!" Then she looked at the Fayth and grinned. "Umm, hi. Don't mind little old me over here!"
Koimanu barked, and Yojimbo seemed to repress a sigh, addressing Braska once more. "Very well. Make your offer."
"Ah, yes. I was hoping that this amount would be sufficient." He offered up the two bags towards the Fayth.
Yojimbo waved a hand, and the two pouches rose into the air, hovering over the ground. "...An adequate offer."
Rikku nodded, relieved. It's a good thing I padded out those bags a little more than usual.
"Adequate? Might I request you stay your decision for just a moment?" Braska blurted.
Yojimbo froze, and the two bags plummeted to the ground.
"What are you doing?" she hissed.
Braska turned towards her, a look of panic on his face. "He said adequate! Are you sure that was enough? Didn't we bring more than this with us? Look, I can see at least three more bags on your belt!"
For once in her life, she was stripped of the ability to respond, only able to gape.
Unfortunately for both of them, Yojimbo suffered from no such restraint. "Would you like to rethink your offer, summoner?" he intoned.
Depressed, Rikku detached the rest of the pouches from her belt. My money… my precious money...
Stomping over, she slapped them into Braska's outstretched hand, bowling him over. When he managed to pick himself off of the ground, she pinched his arm, hard. "It's called haggling for a reason," she snarled. "I'll make you regret it if you promise him the entire pot!"
Gulping, Braska nodded, then firmed up his expression when he faced Yojimbo. "Indeed," he told the Fayth solemnly. "My first offer was uninformed, for which I apologize. I wish to rectify that mistake now."
Some of the tension seemed to leak out of Yojimbo's offended posture.
So far, so good. She nodded, holding her breath.
Braska held up one lonely bag.
Just one bag?! Wait, what is he—
"I hope this salary will be adequate compensation for your employment."
Rikku was certain part of the reason the cavern began to rumble at that moment was because of the force of her jaw drop. When it finally stopped, the Fayth was seething.
"You ask for a phoenix, yet you offer chicken feed!" he roared. "No deal!" Koimanu barked sharply in agreement. The image of the Fayth began to waver and fade from view.
"Wait!" She ran forward, waving her hands. Yojimbo ignored her, continuing his fadeout until she tripped over one of the seals, accidentally ripping it out of the ground.
His image came back into sharp focus. "Impudence! First your summoner offers insult and now you dare threaten me!"
"It was an accident!" Standing up awkwardly, she tried to stick the seal back in the ground; Braska stopped her before she could tear the cloth any further.
"This is a holy seal, Rikku. It requires a priest's blessing to repair properly. Fortunately, I am a priest." He bowed to Yojimbo. "I apologize, and shall restore this seal immediately, sir. We meant no disrespect."
Yojimbo grunted. "And yet you both sow it abundantly. Very well. Make your amends, summoner."
Braska knelt down to deal with the seal, leaving her to an uncomfortable stare-off with the ghostly image of the waiting Fayth.
The tension was unbearable, so she decided to cut it with her long-standing curiosity. After all, when will I ever get another opportunity like this? "Say, Yoji, my man… like… Fayth… dude. What do you do with all that gil anyway? It's not like you could spend it in your state."
Yojimbo uncrossed his arms. She didn't think it was possible for the Fayth to look any more upset, but the nickname sure wasn't softening him up any. To her surprise, Yojimbo still answered her. "Upon leaving the Temple, my ties to our leader were severed. I require other methods of sustenance or my Dreaming will end. The Fayth thrive upon mortals' desires, and your mortal currency is both an embodiment and a vehicle for them. Humanity's individual passions may be fleeting, but its collective greed is eternal."
"Geez. That's not a very sunny outlook on life."
Braska clucked his tongue at her.
"...Existence, I meant!" She laughed weakly, trying not to choke.
Shaking his head, Braska looked up at Yojimbo. "Poor as she may be with words, my Guardian is not entirely incorrect. A creature of your power and glory should not be reduced to scrounging after the leavings of the few who manage to discover your presence here by chance. If we were to assist you, could you reestablish your ties to Yevon and regain your original power?" he asked.
Yojimbo's expression didn't change, but the air grew colder around them. "Favored supplicant of Bahamut, I have no desire for your aid."
Braska bowed his head and returned his attention to the seal. He murmured a low prayer, the tear in the cloth knitting itself back together. The lettering began to glow, and Braska sat back, keeping his hand outstretched to channel power into the half-restored seal. He returned his gaze to the Fayth, who had yet to disappear. "But why?" He glanced at Rikku. "And… why can you speak to her as you do to me? She is no summoner."
"Hey!"
Braska shrugged. "He is speaking to us, rather than trying to annihilate us. When will we have another opportunity such as this?"
"Wait a sec," she said. "So if you can notice him talking to me and I can notice him talking to you, does that mean… you've noticed whenever time got all funny around me in the Chambers?"
"Time got… 'funny?' " Braska frowned. "I have never personally witnessed it. Of course, time seems to drag by slowly when I offer my initial prayers to the Fayth. I assume it is part of the challenge. Or are you referring to our struggle against Anima? Of course I was aware of that, as you well know."
Yojimbo twitched. "You are both servants of Bahamut. Naturally you are subject to the King's will."
Rikku looked up at the Fayth. "You mean Bahamut is the one who controls time?"
"Rikku!"
Startled by Braska's exclamation, she tore her eyes away to see him staring at a few pyreflies floating past his head. Or at least, they had been floating. Now, they were completely motionless. As if on cue, a child's voice rang through the air.
"The impudence is yours."
Rikku jumped as Bahamut's tiny child-like figure strode past her to address Yojimbo. "You can't reject the prayers of a Summoner."
"I am not beholden to your whims any longer," Yojimbo said slowly. "Your faction is weak. King you may be but your power shall never defeat Sin."
"Alone for too long, you have forgotten your purpose," Bahamut replied, a dragon's growl lacing through the child's voice. "Kneel and serve, as is your duty."
Rikku edged closer to Braska, watching the two eyeless Fayth stare each other down, which was pretty weird in itself. "What did we just step into?" she whispered. She'd never had a good encounter with an unhappy Fayth to date, and neither Yojimbo nor Bahamut looked particularly pleased.
"I'm restoring this seal as quickly as I can," Braska muttered back, sweating. "Let's leave them before we are drawn into their feud."
"Your methods of fighting this war are childish," Yojimbo said, full of contempt. "But what is one to expect from a mere child?"
Bahamut floated until he was eye-level with the adult Fayth. "I lead because I am eldest. Pay feasance to the summoner."
"To be consigned to oblivion is preferable to stagnation," Yojimbo said. "You are as powerless as your subjects, King. On your path, the spiral of death shall remain unbroken."
"He's like Anima," Rikku breathed.
"Pardon?" Braska looked up from his work, alarmed. "He wants to kill us?"
"No! He's got free will! This is great!" She jumped up and down and waved her arms at the Fayth. "Umm, sorry to interrupt your creepy little staring contest there—"
"Rikku, what are you doing?"
"—but see, we have this friend named Jecht who could really use your advice—"
"I shall not serve your summoner."
She wasn't sure if Yojimbo was answering her or Bahamut, who was still floating nearby.
But, since Bahamut wasn't speaking up anymore… I hope this doesn't mess things up between Braska and his aeons.
"Wait! I'll make you an offer you can't refuse!" Yojimbo tilted his head and she plowed on despite Braska's look of dismay. "You need belief to have power, right? So hook yourself up to Lord Braska here. It's not like you'd be doing this for the Temples," she said quickly. "You're the one saying Bahamut's way won't work. How are you going to challenge it without any power of your own?"
A crushing pressure washed over her, locking her joints. Chill out, shorty! she thought, gritting her teeth and glaring at Bahamut. I'm trying to help!
She forced her mouth open—her tongue felt like it was stuck, but Bahamut couldn't have been too upset with her, because she managed to spit out the words somehow. "My summoner… can help you! Wanna… prove the King wrong? Now's... your chance! Join… Braska!"
"Rikku!" Now Braska looked worried, likely noticing something was amiss. He started to break off his spell.
"No!" she managed.
He subsided unhappily but his hand returned the seal.
Yojimbo crossed his arms and her heart stuttered. But, on the bright side, she felt herself regaining control. If Bahamut is cutting me some slack, then I must be doing something right. Maybe Braska's favorite Fayth is as crafty as he is. She decided to gamble on it and pressed on. "Are you just gonna wait another couple of hundred years for someone else to find you?"
"I see no purpose in following Bahamut's dog," Yojimbo said coldly.
Braska recoiled, and Rikku flushed in anger. "How can you say that? You're a dog owner yourself!"
Koimanu whined in agreement.
"I don't believe you are helping our cause," Braska murmured, hastily finishing his work on the seal. "Sir, pay no mind to her—"
"No!" Rikku repeated, cutting him off. "If he doesn't want to help us, then he's no better than Bahamut!" She lifted her chin towards Yojimbo, challenging. "You talk big about your independence, but now you're just being lazy. If you don't do something, nothing will ever change—and you can't blame Bahamut or anyone else for that!"
Koimanu whimpered, butting his phantom head against Yojimbo's leg, and the Fayth looked down. "So you, too, would agree to this nonsense?" Koimanu barked, tail wagging. With an audible sigh, Yojimbo addressed her. "I will hear you. Make your offer, child."
Sucking in a deep breath, Rikku fell to her knees, trying to score some points with the Fayth. After a brief internal struggle, she even forced herself into the Yevonite bow, arms raised.
Braska inhaled sharply behind her.
She bowed her head. "Lord Braska will give you that purpose you're looking for. You don't need to stay a forgotten dream. He can be your vessel right now, and he can bring the knowledge of your shrine back to the rest of Spira, even without the Temples!" She looked up, trying to gauge the Fayth's reaction—no success. "You wouldn't be lost anymore. You could taste freedom again, and work on defeating Sin. Working with Bahamut doesn't need to mean conceding to him, you know? You became an aeon to serve Spira first, and Spira needs you more than ever. Don't just sleep away your time here and leave us hanging."
Braska kneeled next to her, also bowing deeply. "I, an outcast of Yevon's Church, will do whatever it takes to defeat Sin. If that means being a servant of Bahamut, then so be it." He glanced up at Yojimbo, a fierce look in his eye. "I know of a monk who also threw away his pride and reputation to better serve Spira. You, too, were once a great warrior monk, were you not? You understand the weight of duty. Does your pride truly matter more than your mission?"
Wow, talk about laying it on thick.
Bahamut walked by them. He paused next to Braska. "Whatever may happen, you are no dog." Then he continued, fading away into the darkness.
Braska's head dipped, his expression unreadable, before he gathered his resolve and resumed staring intensely at the Fayth.
"Very well." Yojimbo broke the uncomfortable silence. "I entrust myself to you henceforth, summoner. My sword shall guard you on your journey. But..."
Rikku's wide smile dropped, and Braska, in the midst of bowing again, froze.
"... it will cost you dearly."
Braska quickly scooped up a few of the pouches of gil and offered them once more. Rikku suppressed her sigh as she watched them float away and disappear with a wave of Yojimbo's hand.
The Fayth looked at her. "Your impudence is not without its consequence, child. When we next meet, my price will be steeper."
Rikku cringed. "Yeah, I think I figured."
The Fayth disappeared, transforming into a translucent glowing orb that flew towards Braska's chest. A nimbus of light surrounded him and Braska gasped, falling forward onto his hands. After a few moments, he managed to sit up.
"How many more rebel aeons will we be collecting, I wonder?"
Rikku thought about Belgemine's challenge and decided not to enlighten him. Maybe Auron's right. He needs to learn to do this stuff for himself. I can't always be there to hold his hand.
Shaking his head, he turned towards her. "I never thought I would see the day that an Al Bhed would willingly perform a Temple bow."
She shrugged and tried her best to ignore the enormity of her gesture. "Well, the ends justify the means, right?" She wrinkled her nose. "I still feel like I need a bath now, though."
Braska gazed at her, his expression both soft and warm. "I didn't think you would—for me," he said.
Embarrassed, she blushed, then cursed herself for doing so.
Shaking himself, he gave her a firmer smile. "You have my thanks." It quickly morphed into a look of concern. "Are you well? Something happened to you again, didn't it? Was it that child's doing?"
"It's fine," she said, climbing to her feet with a wince. Kneeling on rock hurt a lot more than it looked—maybe summoners wore knee pads under their long robes? "I guess you figured out that was Bahamut, right? The Fayth like to do that to me sometimes, but so far there haven't been any lasting effects."
Scrambling to his feet, Braska looked cowed. "I am beginning to understand why some of them rebel. I apologize—"
"Stop doing that. It's annoying and my knees hurt and I just sorta betrayed everything my people stand for! I wanna get out of this cave. We got what we came here for, right?"
He stiffened, another apology on his lips, before he stopped and frowned. Resignation danced across his expression.
The defeated look really wasn't a good one for him, she thought, trying to rein in her temper. This wasn't really his fault. "Look, it was my choice to take you here and I can deal with the consequences. Don't take on my problems when you have enough of your own."
"...As you wish, then. Although I shall be the one to leading us out of the cavern, if you do not mind."
"Fine, fine, I'm sure you know what you're doing, too," she said, sulking and starting toward the exit. "Not like I haven't been here before or anything, right? Just make sure you let me deal with the fiends that throw themselves at us first."
"Of course," he called as she stalked away. "…But Rikku? The exit is over here."
A/N: I find the enemies in the Sunken Cavern to be fascinating. They're my Northern Crater of FFX, for anyone who ever read "Growth."
Magic Pot: An annoying little enemy in the Sunken Cavern that uses Self-Destruct to wipe your party if you try to steal from it. Poor Rikku (and Yuna and crew). If you attack one of its seven eyes normally, you have a chance to either get some items... or have it blow up in your face. There's no way to end this battle painlessly besides fleeing from it, as hitting the proper eyes can go on indefinitely.
Tonberry: Its "Karma" counter deals damage based on the number of enemies defeated by individual characters. Considering how smug Braska was about this "easy" encounter, you can make a guestimate of his contribution to the party body count thus far.
Ghost: No, it's not a Dementor, it auto-casts Doom on someone at the beginning of the battle. I thought psychological pressure was a more fun way to explain than magic. Also, it makes Kimahri's Doom special a lot more badass if it's NOT a spell.
Yojimbo: When Yojimbo asks you what you want him for, you have three possible answers: to train as a summoner, to destroy fiends, or to defeat powerful enemies. Each progressive option makes his asking price cheaper; I'm of the opinion this affects Yojimbo's pride as a samurai. If you tell him you want him as a sparring dummy, of course he'll be insulted and make you pay more, whereas if you tell him you want him for the Honor of Defeating Sin, he'll be pleased and offer his services for less. Well, you can see what Braska chose…
Also, you can get three possible outcomes to the monetary negotiation with Yojimbo - a fail, in which he chastises you for offering too little, the standard protocol, in which he calls your offer adequate and joins, and the excessively expensive option, in which he lauds you for knowing his true worth. Again, you can see what Braska chose...