Chapter 74 – Prickly Situation


Fiddling with the three strawberries remaining on her plate, Yuna sighed. She used her fork to draw circles on her plate formed from the juices left over from moving the strawberries around. She hadn't touched the water Barkeep had poured for her. Too much weighed on her mind for hunger to take precedence.

She kept replaying her outburst at Paine repeatedly in her head. Why Yuna got so upset at her friend for pointing out the obvious eluded her. She had been wrestling with the thought of herself finally telling Baralai about the conflict warring within her. He deserved all her love, especially since she was happy to take his.

She jumped in her seat when a hand clapped against her shoulder. Looking behind her, Rikku's glowing face greeted her. She hadn't heard her cousin get out of bed and come down to the bar. She let out a sigh of relief, feeling her racing heart start to slow down.

"Ah, sorry, Yunie. Didn't mean to scare you," Rikku apologized.

"It's okay. I didn't hear you come down."

Rikku peered over her shoulder. "That looks yummy. Where's Barkeep? I'm hungry!"

She watched her cousin take a seat next to her and pound her hand on the table. Yuna stifled a laugh. Her cousin's impulsiveness, while irritating at times, endeared her to Yuna. She explained to Rikku that Barkeep left to deliver food to Brother and Buddy on the bridge. She scoffed and said something demeaning in Al Bhed. Yuna offered her the three strawberries on her plate to tide her over.

"Thanks! Why aren't you hungrier?" asked Rikku.

"A lot on my mind I guess," replied Yuna.

"Like what?"

Yuna hesitated. "Do you think I'm being fair to Baralai?"

A trickle of juice streamed out of the corner of Rikku's mouth. "Whoa, that's a deep question for so early in the morning. Why do you think you're not being fair to him?"

She rested her head on her hand. "I can't get over the past. It's the same fault I've always had."

"Hey, it's not a fault. You got . . . a lot from the past to deal with."

Yuna sighed. "I do. And it's preventing me from feeling free to love Baralai. I know Tidus is never coming back, but I just can't . . ."

Rikku looked thoughtfully at Yuna while her words trailed off. "Do you think there's some remote possibility that isn't true?"

"No," she replied.

"Have you told Baralai?" asked Rikku.

Yuna sighed again. "No, and I know I should."

"I'm sure he would understand. The big softy has eyes enough for you to give you time to figure things out."

"You're probably right," Yuna said. "But it's tough for me to fight with. Paine said the same thing to me last night and I blew up at her."

Rikku chuckled. "Paine can be super blunt. It agitates me, too."

"No, it had nothing to do with that. She was in the right. I just got so mad, and I don't know why."

Rikku patted her cousin on the back. "Don't worry, I'm sure she's already over it."

"Maybe," murmured Yuna. "But I still need to apologize."

The CommSphere blared with Brother's voice. "Oh, Rikku! We have arrived back at our home!"

Rikku immediately perked up. "Awesome! Yunie's here with me. We'll come up in a sec."

"Roger!"

"I better get myself ready," said Yuna while cracking a smile at her cousin's reaction.

Rikku noticed Barkeep emerge from the lift. "And I need to get some breakfast in a hurry."

Relegating herself back upstairs, Yuna sat on her bed readying herself for a day in the desert. Looking out the windows, she witnessed a troupe of Al Bhed roaming around the excavation camp. Though she hadn't been back to the camp since she left over two years ago, a flood of memories, both good and bad, came rushing back to her. On top of all her emotions, a sense of fondness enraptured her. It was here that she got herself right after so much inner turmoil.

Falling into deep thought, she dwelled on the past and the feelings this place stirred within her. Finally, she shook her head and snapped out of her funk. She found Rikku had already left by the time she went downstairs. Walking to the lift, she inhaled deeply, trying her best to release the tension in her chest.

Standing at the end of the platform leading off the Celsius, Yuna stuck a boot into the desert below. Its sand firmly squished underneath her foot. The near cloudless sky let loose the superheated sunlight from high above unfettered. Brushing hot sand out from her ruffled hair, she took in a level of satisfaction returning to Bikanel.

"Hey, are you coming or not?" called Rikku, waving her hand at Yuna.

She laughed. "Sorry, I'm coming!"

Taking her time to catch up to Rikku and Paine, she glanced around the modern state of the excavation camp. It had sprawled considerably since she last worked here. The ramshackle tents and shacks had been replaced with permanent structures. Where once random crates sat disorganized in the sand, they now rested neatly stacked underneath a partially finished warehouse. A large, domed steel structure had been constructed next to the headquarters.

Walking up behind her friends, she waved to Nhadala, who had been conversing with them.

"Oh, Lenne, it's good to see you again!" Nhadala declared, hugging Yuna.

"Don't you mean—" started Paine before realizing the mistake wasn't a complete mistake.

Yuna chuckled. "It's good to see you, too! Thanks for having us again."

"You know you're always welcome back. Can I interest you in some digging? You still have the luckiest hand in the desert."

"I wish we had leisure time to dig," explained Yuna. "But we have more pressing matters."

"Brother mentioned that to me on the CommSphere yesterday. So, what's up?"

"A delicate situation between the Youth League and New Yevon," Rikku chimed in.

"The Youth League and New Yevon?" Nhadala looked at her in confusion.

Paine brushed away sand from her face. "Yeah, one of New Yevon's members ran off with a sphere taken from the Youth League. It has led to some bad blood."

Nhadala's expression soured. "The last thing the world needs is the Youth League and New Yevon to get pissed off at each other again."

Rikku nodded vigorously. "Precisely!"

"Now, what does that have to do with us?" asked Nhadala.

Yuna replied, "The member ran off to Bikanel last we heard. His name is Issaru. Heard of him?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"We were hoping Gippal might have an idea."

Rikku scoffed. "Yeah, where is the big lug anyway."

"You're in luck, Rikku. Your boyfriend should be coming in from the Eastern Expanse any minute now."

Paine grinned with a mischievous look on her face. "Boyfriend huh?"

"Yeah, well, kinda . . . maybe," Rikku said while rubbing her cheek.

Yuna giggled. "Why do you say maybe?"

Rikku winced. "Well, I haven't checked in on him since I left to rescue you."

"But that was a while ago now," Yuna said. "Why haven't you at least tried him on the CommSphere?"

"I've kinda been distracted . . . and forgot. I hope he's not mad."

"Sounds like the attentive lover I'd always known you'd be," joked Paine.

Rikku shoved her. "Oh, shut up!"

In the distance to the east, a cloud of sand approached the encampment. A large hovercraft blared across the desert, helmed by a familiar one-eyed Al Bhed. Shrinking behind Yuna, Rikku grimaced at the sight of Gippal's arrival.

Sand kicked all around the hovercraft as it entered the encampment. Two familiar Al Bhed men hopped off the back of the vehicle covered in sand. They took a minute to brush off the crust from another excavation run before noticing the Gullwing's presence.

The shorter man noticed Yuna and scampered over to her. "Well, ain't you a sight for sore eyes!"

The taller man smiled immediately. "Looks like she's back to take your job."

Yuna laughed. "Hi Keppel and Nomma. Don't worry, your jobs are safe."

"What brings you back to this stinkin' desert?" questioned Keppel.

Pausing for a moment, she contemplated her response. "Um, helping out a friend. We need to talk with Gippal."

Emerging from the driver's seat, Gippal perked up at the mention of his name. Removing the thick, leathery goggles from around his eyes, he peered over at Yuna. Ignoring the shadowy figure lingering behind her, he strutted over in an over-the-top manner, a cocky grin smattering across his face. He took a moment to dust off the sand stuck to his clothing.

"Sorry for the lackluster attire," he said. "I wasn't expecting company."

"It's good to see you again, Gippal." Yuna smiled.

"Likewise," he replied.

Paine smirked. "Looks like the desert hasn't swallowed you up yet."

He shrugged. "It certainly has tried. How ya been, Paine?"

"Busier than before," she said while nodding toward Yuna.

Gippal folded his arms. "You have a knack for that, Yuna."

"It's good to be busy again," she retorted. "Well, at least for me."

"So, what are you doing way out of the middle of nowhere?"

"Tracking a thief," Yuna explained. "He stole something from the Youth League."

Gippal rubbed the bridge of his nose. "And Nooj sent you to be his errand girls?"

Yuna shook her head. "No, we're here on Baralai's behalf."

"Baralai? Don't tell me he got possessed again and is causing trouble." Gippal belted out a laugh.

Yuna frowned. "No, not him. You're not far off, unfortunately."

Gippal's boisterous expression quickly melted away. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I wish I was, but the whole incident is causing a bit of tension."

"Yeah, I've noticed people have been getting on edge with each other more lately. I thought all that was over with."

"As much as we wish people could get over their prejudices, it's not that simple," Paine chimed in.

Gippal rolled his eyes. "And this is why I keep to myself out here digging in the sand."

"Somehow, I doubt that's all you do out here," said Paine.

Gippal waved his arm. "Yeah, yeah. Now, how can I help with all of this?"

Yuna said, "Well, the one who stole the sphere is named Issaru. He fled to Bikanel shortly afterward. Have you seen anyone new come through here?"

He rested his hands on his hips. "Hard to say. We've got a bunch of new people in to dig recently. Besides, administration is more Nhadala's thing."

"She never heard of him before."

"If he is here, I'm sure he's using an alias."

"Right! I didn't think of that."

Gippal chuckled. "You of all people should have realized that."

She groaned. "Yeah, you have a point."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but just who is possessing this guy?"

Yuna froze, unsure of how to answer him. She felt guilty for hiding Shuyin's return from Gippal but also didn't feel right telling Gippal the truth. Looking over at Paine, she caught a sharp glare from her friend. Biting her lip, she relented.

"He's possessed by Shuyin," she said.

Gippal's mouth dropped open. "Wait, Shuyin? Isn't he dead?"

"No, he survived and has returned to see his plans fulfilled. He has possessed Issaru for some time now, using him to take the spheres he needs."

"Please tell me you're kidding," he pleaded.

Yuna shook her head. "Sorry, I'm not."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Great, I can't believe that jackass is back. What's so important about this sphere he stole?"

"We don't know."

"Let me guess, you didn't tell Nooj or Baralai about Shuyin," he stated.

Yuna looked at the ground and didn't answer. Paine stepped forward with her arms tightly crossed in front of her.

"No, Yuna thought it was best not to tell them, so they don't get all stirred up," she said with contempt in her voice.

He shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. Anyway, I'll keep my eyes peeled. Feel free to make yourself at home while you play detective."

Yuna bowed. "Of course!"

"If you'll excuse me, I have to unload our findings," Gippal said while motioning like he was tipping a hat.

When he started to walk away, Rikku emerged from behind Yuna. "Hey! Aren't you even going to acknowledge me?"

Gippal gave her a sidelong glance. "It's been so long. I think I forgot your name."

He smirked and resumed walking back to the hovercraft. Clenching her hands into fists, Rikku stomped on the ground, kicking up a small cloud of sand. Yuna and Paine began to laugh, causing her cousin to tramp back to the Celsius while pouting. The remainder of the Al Bhed had dispersed, leaving Yuna and Paine standing next to the hovercraft by themselves.

"Hey, Paine. I—" she began.

"I'm going to check out around the mess hall. Maybe I'll overhear something if we're lucky," stated Paine.

Yuna reached out to stop her friend, but Paine whisked herself away before she could grab her arm. Reeling her hand back into her chest, she felt a pang reverberate through her psyche. Desperately she wanted to apologize to Paine, but she wasn't going to push the matter.

Left to her own devices, she wandered around the camp. The wind started whipping sand up into her face. Pulling out her old mask attached to her belt, she donned it to prevent herself from eating any more sand. The tinted lenses colored the world in a familiar shade of the past. She managed to aimlessly meander in a circle, finding herself back by the hovercraft again.

A small Al Bhed boy stood by one of the hovercrafts. He wore a bright yellow jumpsuit with brown pantlegs and yellow goggles. His mouth puckered in a concerned expression until he spotted her walking nearby. He waved to her. Looking around to see if she misinterpreted his intent, she approached him.

"Do you know how to pilot a hovercraft?" the boy asked.

Yuna pointed to herself. "Me? Well, I probably could."

"Oh, great! Could you drive me to the Cactuar Nation?"

"The Cactuar what?" She scratched her head.

"Oh, sorry, you must be new here. My name is Benzo, and I am the translator for the camp."

Yuna waved awkwardly. "Uh, hi. My name's Yuna. And who are you translating for exactly?"

"The cactuar!" he declared.

"Why do you need me to drive you to . . . wherever they live?" Yuna questioned.

Benzo grunted. "They say I'm not old enough to trust with a hovercraft yet. Everyone else is busy digging or working so much that I have no one else to take me."

She looked around, searching for either Paine or Rikku, but neither of her friends was in sight. With a shrug, she agreed to take Benzo to the Village of the Cactuars, home of the cacti who lived here. A fresh sense of adventure invigorated her—a short jaunt into a new part of the desert seemed harmless.

Climbing into the driver's seat, Yuna glared at the primitive controls. She recalled the one time she watched the driver man a hovercraft on the Mi'ihen Highroad. The controls appeared simple enough at the time. Pressing the ignition button, the engine behind her roared to life, spinning the hefty propellor attached to the back of the craft. Pulling the lever on her right back, the hovercraft thrust itself backward, knocking over a stack of crates.

She grimaced at the sound of cracking wood and chattering metal hitting the sandy ground. Benzo peeked his head over her headrest to glare at her. After giving him a timid apology, she pulled back the left level and steered the craft forward out of the encampment. The boy leaned over with a map in hand, directing Yuna northeast through the desert. What she thought would be a short journey extended over three hours. Rumbling over a dune, a grove of towering cacti loomed in the distance.

"That's it!" Benzo shouted. "There's the village!"

Slowing down the hovercraft, she did her best to gently stop near the cluster of cacti. Yuna never realized a whole enclave of cactuar lived out in the desert. She heard of this place four years ago during her pilgrimage, but a sandstorm prevented her party from venturing out into this part of Bikanel.

Originally perplexed by the boy's request, fascination overtook her as she walked up to the cacti, shooting high up into the sky out of the dusky sand beneath. Ignoring the oppressiveness of the hot air she breathed, she stood underneath the shadow of the largest cactus in the grove. It had sizeable red thorns protruding from its green body.

"What do you talk to them about?" she asked.

Benzo cracked a smile. "Well, in this case, I just came for an update on how things are going for them."

"That's it?"

Disregarding Yuna's comment, Benzo began speaking in gibberish to the towering cactus. Much to her surprise, the cactus responded in gibberish of its own. Her mouth agape, she furiously tried to wrap her mind around a talking cactuar. How was it possible?

"What? How?" she stammered.

Benzo chuckled. "Amazing, isn't it? This is Marnela, leader of Cactuar Nation."

"Leader? Oh, well, tell her it's a pleasure to make her acquaintance," said Yuna.

After a minute of intense listening, Benzo replied. "Hello to you, too, sphere hunter. I am Marnela of the Cactuar Nation. It does not surprise me that you are startled."

Yuna glared at the cactus in confusion. "Wait, how does she know that?"

"Marnela is very perceptive," answered Benzo. "Oh, she's smiling by the way."

"I'm glad for that. Tell her I hope everything is well for her people."

Benzo talked to Marnela for a few minutes, his expression increasingly turning to concern. Yuna wished she could understand the conversation. Every so often, she noticed the boy glancing over to a cartoonish, green seal over a cave entrance.

"Something seems to be the matter," she finally spoke.

Benzo nodded. "She brought a strange matter to my attention."

"What's that?"

"A peculiar man visited here recently. Well, I don't think visit is the right word. Anyway, Marnela says he was snooping around the entrance to the Cactuar Hollow, which is strictly off limits."

Yuna peered back at the sealed-off cave entrance. "Dare I ask why it's off limits?"

"She says it holds secrets that shouldn't be revealed. That's the gist of it."

"I wonder," Yuna whispered to herself.

"Wonder what?" the boy asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Does Marnela have any idea who the man was or his objective here?"

"She doesn't know who the stranger was. Before the cactuar children chased him away, one of them stole a sphere he was holding."

"Really? Can I see it?"

Benzo conversed with the giant cactus for another moment then nodded to Yuna. He led her to a small, prickly green cactuar. True to Marnela's word, the cactus had a blue sphere in its possession. Benzo knelt and spoke to the creature.

"His name is Lobivia. When he chased the man away with his friends, he was able to snatch this off the intruder," explained Benzo. "But he doesn't understand what's on the sphere."

Yuna knelt and extended her open hand. "Please allow me to take a look."

The cactuar hesitated for a moment before twitching. He placed the sphere in her hand. Activating it, a dim video began to display. Its periwinkle glow reflected in her eyes.

She instantly recognized the rolling dunes as the same as when they entered the cactuars' territory. Unlike the day's blazing sun, the cloak of night covered the land. A light breeze swirled up sand into the air periodically. The camera shifted to reveal a teenage boy draped in a uniform like that of Bevelle, but not with the symbols of Yevon on it.

"Are you sure this is a good place to hide it?" the boy asked.

A baritone voice behind the camera replied, "They thought well enough to bury Vegnagun's soul out here, so why not."

"It's not the desert, but here with all the cactuar. Can they really be trusted, Iutycyr?"

"More than anyone else," he replied. "This is the last of the three spheres to be hidden. The cactuar will make sure it never sees the light of day again."

The boy led Iutycyr to a cave entrance on the other side of the cactuar village. He stood just outside of the entrance, pausing to look around at his surroundings. Drifting clouds ambled in front of the moon, blocking its light from shining down. The camera turned again to display the boy, who had already entered the cave, nearly hidden in darkness.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" Iutycyr questioned.

The boy frowned. "That you must conceal your life's work."

"I appreciate your concern for me, but what I've discovered is knowledge too dangerous for the world to know."

"Just like Vegnagun?" the boy asked.

Iutycyr sighed and entered the cave. Everything around him went dark.

Shutting itself off, the glow of the grainy picture from the sphere faded away. Yuna closed her eyes, stopping to process what she just witnessed. The remaining time travel sphere lay somewhere beyond the sealed cave entrance. Knowing Shuyin already possessed the other two spheres, anxiety rushed through her.

Looking at Benzo, who stood in silence with a perplexed look on his face, she handed the sphere back to him. "I know what you just saw won't make any sense to you, but this is a very critical situation."

"Critical? What was all that about hiding spheres?" the boy asked.

"It's a long story. Right now, I need to ask Marnela a few more questions if you would help."

"Of course!"

She walked back to the towering mother cactus. "Can you ask her about the sphere residing inside the cave? Does she know anything about it?"

Benzo translated. "It was many generations ago, but a man had come to hide what he called a dangerous object. He wanted the Cactuar Nation to safeguard it. Marnela's ancestors agreed to seal it away."

Yuna thought to herself that Shuyin must be devising a way to break the seal and enter the cave. She had no clue how he would go about it. Knowing that he must be somewhere in the excavation camp, she requested to return. Still confused by the recent revelations, Benzo hesitantly agreed.

The long drive back gave her ample time to dwell on what might happen if Shuyin obtains all three of Iutycyr's spheres. The notion of time travel seemed impossible, but her coexistence with Lenne challenged her grasp of what should and shouldn't be possible.

The sun had set over the sandy horizon line by the time she reached the encampment. Darkness engulfed the camp. Only the light from yellow lanterns hung around the buildings gave any indication that the camp still existed. They looked like a constellation of tiny pyreflies from a distance. After parking the hovercraft, she searched for her friends.

Happy to be out of the elements and free of her mask, she found all of them aboard the Celsius except Paine, Yuna explained her findings in the Cactuar Nation. After her scolding from Rikku and Brother for running off without telling them, they contemplated what Shuyin's next move could be without much success. Thinking it best to include Paine in the discussion, Yuna left the ship to track down her friend.

The eerie quiet of the camp at night sent a chill up her spine. Walking alone through the camp she knew so well caused goosebumps to form on her arms and legs—not because of the cold, but because Shuyin lurked somewhere in the shadows. Without any wind to create a rustle, the sound of her footsteps seemed to rumble in her ears.

When she walked up to the entrance of the mess hall, a creak behind her startled her. Spinning around, Yuna had her hand on one of her pistols ready to draw and shoot. She huffed a sigh of relief to see Paine standing next to her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," she said.

Yuna laughed nervously. "It's okay. I was looking for you anyway."

"I was taking a walk," Paine said. "And I was getting hungry."

Yuna looked through the dark window on the door into the mess hall. "I think it's closed."

Paine shrugged. "Just my luck."

"I'm sure Barkeep can make you something back on the Celsius. What are you in the mood for?"

"I'm . . . not sure," answered Paine.

"Oh."

Walking beside Paine, Yuna glanced over, hoping the dark hid the jittery hands. She couldn't ignore the tension filling the air between them. The stoic expression on Paine's face did little to quell her apprehension.

Swallowing hard, Yuna finally broke the silence. "Hey, Paine. I'm sorry for what I said last night."

Paine stopped. "You are? Well, so am I. I didn't mean to pry too much into your personal life. I was out of line."

"You weren't. I was just mad because you were right."

"Well, I hope you and Baralai can figure it out." Paine's voice trailed off while looking away from Yuna.

Catching the defeated tone in her friend's voice, Yuna asked, "Does it bother you?"

Paine's expression turned defensive. "What? No, it doesn't."

"You know, I never thought about your relationship with him."

"I just don't want to see Baralai get hurt, that's all," Paine said while rubbing her arm.

Yuna smiled. "Neither do I. You can be honest; do you also have—"

An explosion erupted from the structure connected to the headquarters, drowning out the rest of Yuna's words. Shattered glass flung into the air, raining down like a hailstorm. Using her arm to shield her face, the fragments of falling glass cut into her skin.

She gasped when she saw a giant machine emerge from the billowing flames shooting up out of the rooftop. The sound of panicked workers' screams filled her ears. Paine ran over to help the Al Bhed flee from the building. Yuna watched helplessly as the iron-clad monstrosity charged out of the camp and fled into the night.