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Chapter 8 part 2

Postby Stormforce » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:01 pm

amazonaa - In the words of robotguru "all will be revealed soon." But I can say that yes, they are getting closer. And since I'm changing some of the game, and the script...well you'll see. :)



robotguru - ~shocked~ You would tie me to my chair? *thinking* That might be fun...atleast I would get out of going to work. :cool



BurningWhiteRose - Sorry, but yep you're gonna have to wait for the W/T goodness...but not too long, I have an idea...but it'll be a few chapters up. :)



Well here it is part 2 of Luca.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for language and violence

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em and never will.



Chapter 8 part 2



“This is it, folks! In just a few minutes, the championship game! But who could have imagined… A championship game between these two teams. Our legendary Luca Goers going against…the horrendously ill-fated Besaid Aurochs!” Bobba said as the two teams swam into the pool.



“This looks like history in the making, Bobba.”



Over by the stands Giles is walking up the stairs, and looks into the pool. Willow and the Aurochs are swimming over to meet the Goers. Bickson sticks his hand out, Willow went to shake it but Bickson made a fist and swung at her. Willow glared at him before turning and swimming over to the team.



The Blitzball shot up with Willow and Bickson after it, Willow got to it first, and threw it to Letty. He swam toward the goal, and was surrounded by two Goers. Abus tackles him as he tries to pass the ball to Jassu. Graav grabs the ball and passes to Bickson, who shoots and scores the first goal. Keepa throws the ball to Jassu, who dodges a tackle by Bickson and passes the ball to Letty. Letty swims toward Willow and passes the ball to her. Willow performs the Super shot scoring, and tying the game. The goalie throws the ball to Graav, who shoves Letty out of the way, and swims toward the Aurochs goal. Jassu and Botta block his path. He dodges Letty’s tackle, and throws the ball to Abus. Abus kicks the ball into the goal as the buzzer sounds off for halftime.



“What’s that?” Jimma asked.



“Looks like everyone is calling for Xander.” Bobba says.



Willow looks up and can hear Xander’s name being called out over and over.



“Hey, where’s that player going?” Bobba asks watching Willow swim out of the pool. “She maybe injured!”



Tara stands up and starts to leave when she hears that, but Faith takes her hand. “Don’t worry, she isn’t hurt. She just went to get Xander.” Faith grins.



“Come on Xander! Your fans are calling for ya!” Willow says running into the locker room.



Anya smiles at Willow then to Xander. “Go on.” She says and watched Willow walk Xander to the sphere pool.



To be honest, I did feel kind of left out, but… It really was the Aurochs and Xander’s show, after all.



“What’s going on? The crowd is going wild!” Bobba said as the fans started screaming and shouting. “Ah! It’s Xander! He’s back on the field and ready to go. The Aurochs seem glad to have him back.”



The buzzer sounds signaling the start of the second half.



The ball is up. Bickson grabs it and takes off, with Xander right behind him. He passes the ball to Abus who shoots; Keepa is ready and catches it. He throws the ball to Botta, who swims away from Graav, and dodges a tackle from another Goer; he passes the ball to Letty who shoots. The Goers goalie catches it, and throws it to Bickson. Xander tackles him, causing him to drop the ball; Abus tackles Xander as Graav takes the ball. Swimming toward the goal Letty tackles him, and Jassu takes the ball throwing it to Xander. Xander swims toward the goal, and looks at the timer, only fifteen seconds to go. He dodges away from Abus, and around Bickson, and shoots. The ball goes into the goal as the buzzer sounds the end of the game. Xander slowly floats to the bottom of the pool with a huge goofy grin on his face.



“Unbelievable! The Aurochs win! This is one for the record books!” Bobba shouts.



Willow swims out to Xander who is still lying on the pool floor. He looks over and gives her a thumbs up, then his eyes widen when he sees four Sahagin’s behind Willow. The fans start screaming and running as fiends invade the stadium. Willow gets hit across her back by a clawed fin, cutting her back open. Xander throws his ball bouncing it off one to another until two of the fiends are dead. The one that wounded Willow was getting quite a beating, when she turned she had kicked in the face, then punched it five times, before kicking it again, killing it. Willow thinks as she and Xander swim for the door.



Willow and Xander run though the stadium killing any fiends that got in the way. Turning a corner they see Giles sever the head of a brown, four legged scaly fiend.



“Giles!” Willow shouts surprised.



“Sir Giles!” Xander shouts just as surprised as Willow.



“So you do know him.”



“Yeah. Best guardian there ever was.” Xander said and was thrown to the ground by a strong gust of wind. Willow looked up to see a giant bird fiend, with red wings, and long neck, and a long tongue hanging out of its mouth.



[Flash]

Name: Garuda

HP: 1400

MP: 50



Xander rose and threw his ball hitting the fiend in the face. Willow and Giles both swung their swords slicing the fiends chest. Garuda flew into the air, and tried to grab Willow with its claws. Willow jumped back, and as it settled down again, she ran at it and swung her sword slicing its chest open. Xander hit it again killing it. As the fiend disappeared more fiends surrounded them on all sides.



“Oh man, gimme a break!” Willow said just as a black portal opened in the sky. A giant three-pronged anchor fell out and into a portal on the ground. When the anchor rose up Willow thought she was seeing things. A face appeared first; the top of its head was covered in bandages, with the left eye showing. It had huge spikes down the middle of its head. Two of its top teeth curved up at least a foot, and two bottom teeth were the same. Decayed hands crossed over a decayed chest came into view with chains holding the arms in place. A blue opened pod surrounded the upper half of its body. Its waist and legs were still in the portal when the anchor disappeared. Lady Glory was standing on the balcony behind it. Its left eye glowed red, before shooting out an energy blast, killing every fiend it hit.



“What the hell is that?” Willow asked staring at it.



“That is Anima, an Aeon.” Giles said.



Willow angrily looked at Giles “And you! I want to talk to you!”



“Uh…I’m gonna go check on the team, ya?” Xander said and ran off.



[With the Aurochs]



“You really leavin’, Cap’n?” Datto asked staring at the ground.



“Shouldn’t you heal up first?” Letty asked.



“Tara needs me with her, not laying around in some bed.” Xander said handing the Blitzball trophy to Jassu. “Well… See you boys! Be good.



“Are you sure?” Tara asked as Xander approached.



“Never did like long goodbyes anyway. Sorry for making you wait, Tara. I had some promises to keep, ya? But from now on, I’m your full time guardian.”



“Then welcome back, Sir Xander.” Tara hugged him “It’s good to have you back.”



“It’s good to be back.” He then turned to Anya. “Any news on what happened?”



”Not really. We still don’t know where the fiends came from. Maester Snyder is safe and sound, thanks to Lady Maester Glory. That’s about it.”



Tara looks over to the ocean “Lady Maester Glory’s Aeon… It was so powerful.”



[With Willow and Giles]



Willow is standing by dock two giving Giles a “go to hell look” that doesn’t seem to be fazing him. “Don’t just stand there! Say something! This is all your fault! Getting swallowed by Sin! Ending up in Spira…wherever the hell that is! Not being able to go back to Zanarkand, everything! I’m telling you it’s all your damn fault!”



Giles stands there and laughs



“Who are you, anyway, chuckles? You knew my old man, didn’t you? And you also knew Tara’s mother?



Giles nods “That is correct.”



“There is no way. That’s just impossible.”



“Noting impossible about it. Ira, Mythe, and I… Together we defeated Sin ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira.”



“Just why did it have to be me?”



“Ira asked me to.”



“Is he alive?”



“It depends on what you mean by ‘alive’. He is no longer human. But then…I saw something of Ira in that shell, couldn’t you? You must have felt him when you came into contact with Sin.”



Willow thinks for a moment “No…it can’t be.”



“It is. Sin is Ira.”



“No! That’s ridiculous! It can’t be, I don’t believe you!”



“But it is the truth, Willow. You’ll see for yourself. Come with me.”



“And if I say no?”



“Every story must have an ending.”



“I don’t give a damn about your stories, Giles.”



“I see. Sorry you feel that way. Fine, then. Come or don’t come. It’s your decision.”



“Dammit Giles! What am I supposed to say? You tell me it’s my decision… but I don’t have a choice, do I? You’re the only one that can tell me what’s going on! I have to go with you! I have to!” Willow said falling to her knees.



“Irritating. I know. Or are you afraid? It’s all right.” Giles said putting his hand on Willow’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be afraid.



When Willow calmed down she stood and looked at Giles. “Will I ever go home?”



“That is up to Ira.” He said then turned to leave “I’m going to offer my services to Tara. Come.”



[Meanwhile]



“Do you think that she’ll stay here?” Xander asked leaning against the guardrail on the walkway.



“Sir Giles knows her, apparently. You were right, she did meet someone she knew.” Anya said standing by the stairs leading up.



“Ha! Told ya she would.”



“Do you think she’ll find a way back to Zanarkand?” Tara asked not turning around not wanting them to see the tears in her eyes.



“All I can say is I’ll miss havin’ her around.” Xander said straitening up.



“She’s still in town, isn’t she?” Tara asked wiping her eyes. “I think I’ll go see her.” When she turned she saw Giles walking toward her with Willow following behind. “Sir Giles?”



“Tara.”



“Sir?”



“I wish to become your guardian. Do you accept?”



“You serious?” Xander asked as his jaw hit the ground.



“You refuse?” Giles said and turned to leave.



“No! No, we accept! Right everyone?”



“O-of course! No problems here! Not a one!” Xander said picking his jaw up off the ground.



“But…why? Don’t get me wrong, Sir Giles, but why after all these years?” Anya asked slightly confused.



“I promised Mythe.”



“You promised my mother? Thank you, Sir Giles! You’re welcome to join us.” Tara said bowing.



Giles reached over and grabbed Willow by her wrist and pulled her around. “She comes to. This one I promised Ira. And I think she would be a good guardian, also.”



“Is Sir Ira alive?” Tara asked and gave a half smile to Willow.



“Can’t say, haven’t seen him in ten years.”



“Oh, I…see.”



“You’ll meet eventually.”



“I’m looking forward to it.”



“What’s our itinerary? Where are we headed?” Giles asked Anya.



“Hey, Willow, come with me.” Tara says taking Willow’s hand and leading her over to the view of the ocean. “Watch.” She says then whistles.



“Hey, you got pretty good.” Willow sadly says.



“You sound sad.”



“Yeah, maybe.”



“Wanna scream?” Tara giggles out.



“I don’t think that’ll help.”



“You know what? It’s embarrassing to say this myself… But Summoners and their guardians are kind of like Spira’s ray of light. Everyone in Spira depends on us to defeat Sin… So, I learned to practice smiling when I’m sad, you know? I know it’s hard, but smiling helps.”



“Yeah… I understand…I think.”



“Right, now let’s see what you can do!”



“Huh?”



“Come on! It’ll be fun.”



Willow looks at Tara trying to smile, and covers her face. “This is weird!” She says embarrassed.



“Next, try laughing out loud.”



“What!”



“Come on, show me, please!”



Willow turns toward the ocean and takes a deep breath. “Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.”



“Um…you probably shouldn’t laugh anymore.” Tara says as Willow continues to mock laugh.



When Willow takes another deep breath Tara steps beside her and she too takes a deep breath. Looking at eachother, they both start mock laughing. Tara begins to actually giggle with Willow following not far behind.



“That was too funny!”



“It was you idea, Tara. But it worked I feel better now…a little on the crazy side, but good.”



“Thank you. I want my journey to be full of laughter.” Tara said giving Willow a hug.



“Okay.” Willow says with a goofy grin.



“If we should get separated, just whistle. I’ll come running. I promise.” Tara says.



Nodding Willow touches Tara’s shoulder. “Well, let’s go.” When they turn Xander, is staring at them, along with everyone else. “What’re all you looking at?”



“We were just worried you guys might’ve gone crazy! So, nothing serious…I suppose.” Xander told them grinning.



“Sorry! Well then, a-alright. Now, we will go to the Temple of Djose. And guardians?” Tara said and everyone turned to her. “Don’t forget to smile!”



I'm working on chapter nine as I post this...sooo I might have it out tonight. This chapter would have been out late last night, but the freaking power went out, taking my comp with it. Well hope you enjoyed this one. :)



To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 8 part 2

Postby amazonaa » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:17 pm

That was funny.:lmao



Quote:
Nodding Willow touches Tara’s shoulder. “Well, let’s go.” When they turn Xander, is staring at them, along with everyone else. “What’re all you looking at?”



“We were just worried you guys might’ve gone crazy! So, nothing serious…I suppose.” Xander told them grinning.






That was hilarious. Great job.





more soon. pleeeeeeeeeeease.:D





brittney







~Kiss this axe, bitch!---Tara "Bargaining part2"~

amazonaa
 


Chapter 8 part 2

Postby PaleBlueDot » Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:54 am

:bigwave Big Yay for update.:)

Wow.The match was pretty interesting.!

And the W/T's short but sweet moment.

"Willow turns toward the ocean and takes a deep breath. “Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha".” OK. I can imagine this.:D



And the Sir Giles and Ira hmm...Can't wait see next update.



Yeah."Suteki De Na" is another great work by Nobuo Uematsu. And don't forget "To Zanarkand".:love Both are great and one of my theme song.:wink Actually My all the time fav song is Faye Wong's "Eyes on me" from Final Fantasy VIII. :p

PaleBlueDot
 


Re: Chapter 8 part 2

Postby BurningWhiteRose » Tue Jul 20, 2004 5:39 pm

Love it. Absolutely love it.



I hoped that they would win the tournament. But I hate how Willow had to sit out. Poor Wills. Although, at least now she is an official guardian. Maybe her and Tara will end up defeating Sin...That'll be cool...Even if Sir Ira is Sin...or...



Ok, I didnt get that. But I will.



So continue!



Sincerely,

:flower BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

BurningWhiteRose
 


Re: Chapter 8 part 2

Postby robotguru » Wed Jul 21, 2004 1:16 am

I'm still loving this :p



Yay, i managed to get past the bit of the game i was stuck on, damn Seymour. I've been prewarned for the next battle, i have 99 jars of Holy Water lol



Aww, i just got to a sad bit, for those who have played FF 10, i'll just say "mountain" so i don't spoil it for anyone else, if you think i'm barking mad, so be it :p

------------------



There can be no rainbow without rain, you cannot know true happiness until you know sadness first.

robotguru
 


Chapter 9

Postby Stormforce » Wed Jul 21, 2004 2:19 am

amazonaa - Glad you liked that part :)



PaleBlueDot - The match was a pain the first time through the game, cause it's the first time you play Blitzball and you're just getting used to the controls... at least it was for me. :) Yeah, Faye Wong's 'Eyes On Me' is great, it's one of my favorites, I also liked 'Melodies of Life' from Final Fantasy IX.



BurningWhiteRose - That was the part I didn't like writing...making Willow sit out of the game half-way through. Ah yes, the one part in the game where Auron said to Tidus "Sin is Jecht" that made me go "HUH!?". But yep you'll understand it later on.



robotguru - Oh I know what you're talking about, so I don't think you're "barking mad" :) And the Holy Water will come in handy if you are fixing to fight who/what I think you are. But since you said "mountain" then yeah you'll need them.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for language and violence





Chapter Nine: Mi’ihen Highroad



When the group topped the stairs Willow looked around. She didn't see much besides a few people, and ruins on both sides of the road.



"Hey, just how long is this road, anyway?" Willow asked looking off into the distance.



"The Mi'ihen Highroad is four miles long, and it's two miles to the nearest Inn." Giles said and walked on.



"Well, that's nice." Willow sarcastically said to his back.



Walking along the road, Xander was tossing his ball into the air and catching it. Faith was keeping a keen eye out for fiends, with Anya's help. Giles was in front, not saying a word, and Willow was walking with Tara.



"This is nice no fiends, ya?" Xander said catching his ball, and not seeing the fiend that sunk up, and bonked him on his head. “Ouch!”



Willow looked up when Xander hollered, and saw a red floating ball with eyes.



[Flash]

Name: Bomb

HP: 850

MP: 30



Anya shook her head and cast a Blizzard spell knocking it out of the air and on to the ground beside Giles. Giles looked down at the Bomb, and swung his samurai sword down cutting the fiend open, killing it.



"Xander! You know not to say something like that, when things are calm!" Anya said to Xander, who was still rubbing his head.



"Geez, I'm sorry."



Willow and Tara stopped at some old ruins on the left side of the road and studied them. An old man wearing a green robe walked over and stood beside Willow.



"Do you know what these ruins are from?" The old man asks looking at over to the two young women.



"An old city?" Willow shrugged her shoulders.



"Correct. A city most ancient! A terrible testament to Sin's power. I tremble every time I see them. Compared to Sin, humans are mere mudpuppies!"



"But I believe humans are the only ones that can truly defeat Sin."



The old man smiled to Tara. "A good reply. I am relieved to hear you say that, M'Lady Summoner. Where are my manners? I am Maechen, a scholar. At your service, M'Lady. I am on a journey, studying the history of our world, Spira, seeking its stories and secrets... My travels have taken me to many places, and I am troubled by what I have seen. Fragile smiles on people's faces crumbling at the mere mention of Sin. They are counting on you, M’Lady. Give them a reason to rejoice once more."



Tara nods "I will."



The girls caught up with the group who had stopped a little ways up. As the group tops a slight incline Willow looked over her shoulder, at the road behind them, and sighed. She looked over and saw Tara's shoulders shaking.



"What're you laughing?" Willow swatted at her.



Tara held her arm in mock hurt. "I was just thinking. You shouldn't mind walking, but here you are... sighing, and for all of Spira looking tired!"



"Hey, now. I'm a Blitzball player… I don't walk…I swim. Now if it was a lake or the ocean I would be ahead of all of you... well, except for Xander, cause you know...he's a Blitz player to. But I can say Giles would most likely be lagging back."



Tara giggled then looked hurt. "What if I couldn't swim? Would you leave me behind?"



"No! No, I wouldn't. I would carry you on my back, and nothing and no one would stop me...or they'd meet the business end of my sword." Willow said and pretended to fight off an enemy.



Tara shyly ducked her head, and grinned at Willow.



"Hey, heads up." Xander called back to them pointing out three Chocobo riders wearing the Crusaders uniform.



"Lady Summoner, I presume?" A dark haired woman said speaking to Tara.



"Yes, I am Tara."



"I am Drusilla, captain of the Djose Chocobo Knights."



"I'm Darla. And that is William." She said pointing to a brown haired man. "We've been charged to guard the Highroad."



"Yes, there have been reports of a large fiend appearing in this area, with a taste for chocobos. Do take care, Summoner Tara, if you are to rent any chocobos." Drusilla said turning her Chocobo.



Tara bows. "Thank you. We will be careful."



"Good. We should get back to our rounds. Farewell."



"Our prayers are with you." Darla says and follows Drusilla with William behind her.



Willow watched the riders leave, as the thinks. "A large fiend... Let's go get him!"



"Why?" Giles asked turning to face Willow.



"It's the right thing to do."



"It's the right thing to do?" Giles says laughing



"What'd I say now?"



"Ira said that a lot, too. And every time he said it, it meant trouble for Mythe and me." Giles says and walks off still chuckling.



When the group reached the next area of the Highroad, fiends surrounded them. Three Bombs, two fiends with a gray body and brown paws, and a curved horn on each shoulder. And three brownish gray hard-shelled fiends with huge paws. Willow looked at the gray fiends then to the shelled ones, as she grabbed her sword.



[Flash]

Name: Dual Horn

HP: 1875

MP: 18



Name: Raldo

HP: 240

MP: 10



Giles ran at the Raldo fiends, his samurai sword cutting through the hard shell like it was butter. Xander threw his ball at one of the Bombs, as Anya cast Blizzard spells on the other two. Faith and Willow had taken a Dual Horn apiece. Willow swung her sword around slicing the large fiend's shoulder open; it rose up on its hind legs and swiped at her. Willow ducked under the fiends paw, and rose up cutting it off at the second joint. The fiend roared and hit the ground; Willow took the opportunity and thrust her sword in the fiend’s heart killing it. Faith had waited for the right moment when the Dual Horn rose up, and shoved her spear in its neck, and ripped its throat out. Willow didn't see a third Dual Horn charging at her before it was too late. The fiend hit Willow in her side; she felt her ribs break on impact, making her fly to the side of the road. Anya was casting Blizzard spells on the Bombs, and Water spell on the newly arrived Mi'ihen Fangs, a dog like fiend. Willow stood up holding her ribs, and watched Faith and Giles kill the Dual Horn, looking to Anya her eyes went wide. Anya's eyes turned red, as her body glowed bright, changing from red, to blue, to yellow, and finally white, as she screamed. Still holding her throbbing side Willow ran over to her, and caught her before she fell. Tara helped Willow to sit Anya on the ground and looked her over. The glowing stopped, and her eyes returned to their normal color, and Anya smile to Tara then to Willow as she stood.



"Okay, what was that?" Willow asked



"Are you okay?" Tara asked examining Anya for wounds.



"I'm fine, it was just my magic. I've upgraded to intermediate."



"Whoa! Um...it won't do that when you go Adept will it?" Willow asked worriedly.



"My body should only glow, but it won't be painful."



"Anya can you walk? If you can't I'm sure Xander won't mind carrying you to the Inn, will you?” Tara looked over to Xander. “ It's only about a mile away now." Tara said causing Xander to look like a Chocobo had just laid a golden egg.



Anya smirked. “Oh I would love to be carried!” Xander almost fainted for the second time in a day. “But I could use the walk.” She said and Xander sighed in relief.



“Willow let me heal you. I know you got hurt, because I saw it.” Tara said and cast a healing spell over Willow.



“Thank you.”



When the group moved into the next to last area of the Highroad Xander started looking around for fiends, making sure they wouldn't bonk him on his head again. But he wasn't ready for the attack that he got.



"Will you stop that!" Anya gently hit Xander on the back of his head, making him jump and scream like a girl. Anya grins at Xander who is giving her a 'death glare'.



A little girl runs in front of the group and over to her mother.



"My Lady Summoner!" The woman says surprised



"You're a Summoner?" The little girl asks looking up at Tara.



Tara kneels down and smiles "Yes, my name is Tara."



"I'm Calli."



Well it's nice to meet you, Calli."



"Lady Tara, are you going to bring us the Calm?"



Tara nods and stands "Yes, very soon."



"Yay!" Calli jumps into the air



"We're looking forward to another Calm, My Lady Summoner." The woman says taking her daughters hand.



"I'll do my best."



"And the best of luck to your guardians as well." She says and leads Calli toward Luca.



Willow looks over to Tara "What's the Calm?"



"The Calm is a time of peace. It comes after a summoner defeats Sin, and lasts until Sin reappears." Anya said to Willow walking over.



"Sin dies and is reborn." Tara says sadly as she looks to the ground.



"Now, I get it! I thought it was weird. Tara's mother defeated Sin ten years ago, right? But Sin's still here! Didn't make much sense till now. Wait... If it just comes back..." Willow trailed off.



"Please, don't say it isn't worth it... Because it is." Tara says looking up at Willow.



Even for a little while...people can sleep in their beds without being afraid. That kind of time is worth anything. Don't say it isn't worth it. Your words that day, Tara, I remember them well.



The group saw carriage slowly moving along the road in front of them, when the got to the last half-mile of the two mile walk. When the group catches up to the carriage Riley and Oz run off into a side alcove to rest.



"Hey, we saw the game, you guys were great!" Oz said to Xander.



"Congratulations, Xander." Riley shakes Xander's hand.



"Hey, you two! Stop loafing around!" Darla says riding up on her chocobo beside Drusilla.



"Uh... Well...you see...The lady summoner and her guardians..." Oz stammered



"This mission requires our full attention. We do not have time to waste! Is that understood?" Drusilla looks down from atop her chocobo.



"Yes, ma'am! My apologies, ma'am!" Riley said saluting



"Then, carry on with the mission." Drusilla says turning around and leaving.



"See? Keep your head down, say "sir" a lot, and you'll do fine." Riley told Oz



Oz looked to the ground "Right...sir."



"Hey, Tara. Even though Yevon rejected us...we still believe in you. Never forget that, cause it won't ever change." Riley said and bowed.



Tara bowed before speaking, "Thank you, Sir Riley, Sir Oz. But...you know... It's not too late for you to go back to Besaid..."



"Riley, sir! I think we should be going now." Oz says before running off, and Riley right behind him.



Sighing Tara lowers her head, Willow seeing this takes her hand and smiles when Tara looks up. "Come on, don't worry about them, they know what they want to do with their lives." Willow says squeezing Tara's hand.



"You're right, it's just... They would have been great Summoners, or even guardians." Tara says as she and Willow walk ahead of the group.



"We'll defeat Sin any way we can! And if using machina is the way, then that's how we'll defeat Sin!" Willow heard a guard saying to a woman in green and blue robes.



"But the teachings of Yevon says" The woman said and was interrupted.



"Enough! I don't want to hear it!" The guard says and walks off.



"I-I only meant to..." The woman says sadly and trails off.



"Are you all right?" Tara asks.



"Lady Summoner...?" The woman asks turning around.



"Yes, I am Tara."



"Oh my! It is an honor, my lady. My name is Shelinda. I am a disciple of Yevon."



“Was that about the Crusaders' operation?" Xander asks watching the guard.



"Oh, you mean the one Riley and Oz are participating in?" Willow asks looking over to Xander who nods his head.



"I heard that they were going to use the forbidden machina! I had to try and stop them." Shelinda said to Tara.



"What? Why?" Willow asks confused



Anya walks over to Willow "The use of machina is strictly forbidden by the priesthood of Yevon."



"That's bad, ya?" Xander nods.



"Humph! Let them use all the machina they want. They still won't be able to defeat Sin." Giles says looking at the disciple.



"But, the teachings of Yevon must be upheld!" Shelinda says looking at Giles.



"Yeah! That's right!" Xander shouts agreeing with Shelinda.



"But...you don't understand, the Crusaders won't even listen to me. All because I'm just a lowly acolyte."



"Don't say that. Well, I haven't been a Summoner for very long myself, you see. Still, I can't put myself down every time I fail. People are depending on me. They're depending on both of us!" Tara said causing Shelinda to smile.



"Yes, you're right, My Lady. Absolutely right! Thank you so much, Lady Tara! Now I feel I have the courage to finish my training." Shelinda says happily and walks off.



The group moves on with Willow and Tara still leading.



"Hey, Willow?"



"Yeah?"



"Do you think that I really did help Shelinda? I mean I'm not very good at giving advise, so I don't know if I helped her or not."



"Tara, I don't know the girl, but I can safely say that you did in fact help her. I don't think she would have gone through with her training if it weren’t for you. So yes, you did help."



"Thank you."



Willow looks over to Tara "For what?"



"Just being here." Tara says and slightly leans against Willow.



"I'm glad I am here."



Giles moves in front of the group looking over to the Inn. "We will rest here."



"But, this is an Al Bhed Shop!" Xander says not liking the idea.



"And is that a problem?" Giles says coolly looking over to Xander.



Xander shakes his fist "They don't believe in Yevon, and in Luca... They kidnapped Tara!"



"And just where were her guardians?" Giles asks and Xander looks up at the sky whistling an innocent tune.



"Sir Giles is just concerned about your health." Tara says turning to Xander.



"I'm not tired at all!"



"Well I am." Giles said as he walked over the Inn.



The group gets rooms Xander and Giles sharing one, Anya and Tara in another, and Faith and Willow in the third. Willow tries to rest, but her mind is going a mile a minute not letting her get to sleep. She gets out of bed and leaves the room.



"Can't sleep!" Willow grumbles to herself walking out the Inn door. "Whoa! Check it out!" Willow says aloud looking at the sunset. Willow thinks then sees Tara sitting on the small hill in front of the Inn, by herself. As she approaches she can hear Tara talking to herself.



"Hey, whatcha up to?" Willow asks causing Tara to hide something in the pocket of her dress.



"The sunset is beautiful."



"Sure is." Willow says looking at Tara and not the setting sun.



"I wish I could live in a place like this. Peaceful... Living with a smile on my face every day." Tara says watching the sun.



"Once you beat Sin, you can, right?"



"But a new Sin will be born anyway." Tara sadly says looking to the ground.



"Well, then all you have to do is beat is again."



"I wish I could."



"Hey, you can! Trust me on this, you are the best Summoner anywhere on Spira!" Willow says making Tara blush. "Tara...why does... Why does Sin always come back?"



"Sin is our punishment for our vanity. And it will not go away until we've atoned."



"Okay, just how do we do that? I mean, what was it we did that was so bad in the first place? Wait, was it using lots of machina or something? Oh... Wait, was that really such a bad thing?"



"It's funny...I never questioned it, even when I was young, it was just something we were taught. But now that you ask me if it is that bad or not...I don't know. There are so many things I don't know."



"Hey! We're the same! Ohh, such thinking is very unbecoming of a Summoner! Sound like Snyder?" Willow said making Tara giggle.



"You know that is not very nice!"



Willow winks at Tara "He can't punish me if he doesn't hear it." Tara giggles again. "You know, during a game you have to think of nothing but Blitz."



"Okay."



"You can't think, "That's a cute girl in the fifth seat from the right." And you can't be thinking about where you're going to go on that date, because the minute you do, that's when you lose! Well... Um... You see, uh, Tara, what I mean is, you really shouldn't worry, you know? After we beat Sin, that's when you can start worrying about the future."



"Yeah. I guess."



"But, Tara, how are you supposed to beat something big like that?" Willow asks motioning with her hands.



"I have to get the Final Summoning. It's the only way to defeat Sin. The only way. With it, we can call the Final Aeon. That's the goal of the pilgrimage. The Fayth of the Final Summoning lies waiting in the far north, to greet Summoners that complete their pilgrimage. At the world's edge...in Zanarkand."



"In Zanarkand?"



"What Tara means is, the pilgrimage ends in the ruins of a city destroyed a thousand years ago." Giles say walking up to them.



"Are you sure it's ruins? I mean it can't be a huge city... can it?"



"Zanarkand is ruins is what I've heard." Tara says turning to Willow.



"You'll see it for yourself soon enough. Tara, come back inside." Giles says before walking back to the Inn.



"Will you go with us...with me...to Zanarkand?"



"Yeah, I'll go. I'll go to Zanarkand to see it with my own eyes."



I knew it couldn't be my Zanarkand. But I had to make sure.



The next morning, Xander was banging on the door, yelling for her and Faith to get up. "Xander! If you don't shut up, I'm gonna shove your Blitzball up your ass!" Faith screamed causing Willow to get dressed in a hurry and leave the room.



Willow thought and bumped into a dark headed woman.



"Bentuh sa." The woman said. (Pardon me.)



"Huh? Sorry?" Willow looked at her confused.



"Ah, forgive me, young lady. I meant to say, "pardon me," but it came out in Al Bhed."



"Oh, you're an Al Bhed?"



"I am Jenny, the owner of this establishment. Heci du saad oui." (Nice to meet you.)



Willow looks at Jenny even more confused than before.



"It means, "nice to meet you." Jenny says laughing.



"Well, helly doo sad wee to you, too." Willow says butchering the language.



"You know, if you are interested...Al Bhed primers can be found all over Spira. Finding them and learning our language might be fun. Here, let me give you one in commemoration of our meeting. Although you might want to be careful where you speak our language." Jenny says handing a small book to Willow.



"Yeah, I've heard the Al Bhed aren't liked much." Willow says causing Jenny to look at her puzzled. "Oh! I'm sorry!"



Jenny shakes her head "Ed ec y chesa." (It is a shame.)



Willow was about to walk out the Inn door, when a woman screamed for someone to help. Giles stepped in and looked at Willow.



"That's our cue, let's go."



"Oh. Thank you for your help. Please, take this." Jenny says handing Willow two Mega-Potions.



Willow runs out the door with Faith behind her only to see a giant dark bluish green fiend. Its back had shell like armor; its arms were five foot long with huge brown hands and claws. A forked tongue shot out of its mouth licking the Chocobo in its right hand. The chocobo pecked the hand causing the fiend to let go, and the chocobo ran off. Willow ran at it with her sword held high she jumped over a large hand as it grabbed for her, and sliced the left arm. Anya stood back and cast a Fira spell; Xander used his 'Dark Buster' attack making a dark cloud surround the fiends face. With the cloud blocking the fiends vision Faith got close enough to make a small wound on its stomach. Giles, even with his piercing blade couldn't harm it. The fiend took a wild swing and hit Willow knocking her over the ledge of a fifty-foot drop.



"No! Willow!" Tara screamed as she glowed bright white. The wind picked up blowing Tara's hair back over her shoulders. "Ifrit! Come to me!" She shouted. The ground beneath Tara's feet glowed red, and a circle of flames surrounded her. The ground broke apart shooting upward and taking Tara with it as Ifrit broke through. Ifrit caught Tara in his huge hand and sat her on his shoulder; when he landed Ifrit gently place Tara on the ground.



“Use your overdrive Hellfire!” She told him. Ifrit threw a huge fireball at the fiend surrounding it in flames, he then jumped over and tore the ground under the fiends feet and threw it and the fiend into the air. A fireball shot out of his mouth, hitting it with his hand the fireball grew bigger until it reached the fiend. A massive explosion occurred, blowing the fiend to pieces. "Thank you Ifrit, you may go now." Ifrit nodded his head and vanished as Tara ran towards the ledge.



"No! Tara, you don't want to look!" Anya screamed "Faith hold her back!" Faith grabbed Tara when she ran by, and held her.



"I'm sorry, but that's a long way down, you either don't want to look, or you won't be able to see anything." Faith quietly spoke.



"No...she can't...be." Tara quietly whispered and Anya ran over pulling her and Faith into a hug.



"Xander go look." Giles calmly spoke.



"Why me? I don't wanna see her broken body laying down there."



"Xander!" Anya shouted as Tara started crying harder. "You moron! Tara can hear you!"



"Aw dammit! I'm sorry Tara...I didn't mean to...ya know?" Xander said and walked over to the ledge and slowly looked down. What he saw made him laugh.



"Xander this is no time to be laughing!" Faith shouted at him.



"Hey! Xander! A little help!" Everyone heard Willow shout out.



Reaching down and taking Willow's out-stretched hand Xander laughed harder. "We thought you had went to play Blitzball on the Farplane!"



"Not yet I haven't!" Willow said reaching the top.



Still crying, Tara broke away from Anya and Faith, and rushed over to her. "I-I t-t-thought I h-had l-lost you!" Tara stuttered out hugging Willow, and putting her head on Willow's shoulder.



Willow wrapped her arms around Tara and pulled her closer. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here, and I won't leave you, okay?"



"Okay." Tara said sniffling but not letting go.



Jenny walks over to the group and smiles. "Thank you, that Chocobo Eater has been giving us problems as of late. As a token of our gratitude, you may ride the Chocobos free of charge. Just ask the attendant when you are ready to leave."



"Tara? You okay?" Willow asks quietly rubbing Tara's back.



"Yes, I'm fine...but don't leave me, please." Tara whispers too low for anyone but Willow to hear.



"I won't. I'm not going anywhere." Willow whispers back.



"Tara?" Faith asked picking up her spear. "We really should get going."



Tara straightens up, and gives Willow a small smile. "Okay, you're right, let's go."



The group walks over to the Chocobo pen where and young woman is waiting.



Thank you so much for saving the Chocobos! Jenny said you could ride them for free, so here you are. Sorry but you'll have to ride double."



Willow watched Anya climb up on one of the Chocobos, then looked at hers. She did exactly like Anya, and still almost fell off. Xander and Giles were already theirs, watching her wobble from side to side.



"Hey Tara, you wanna show me how to ride this bird?"



"Sure" Tara said and climbed up to sit behind Willow. Taking the rope Tara gently nudged the Chocobo into a fast walk. Faith sighed and climbed up behind Anya, Giles was already following Willow and Tara.



"How do you like riding a Chocobo?" Tara asked as they crossed over a bridge overlooking the Mi'ihen Old-road.



"It's fun, we didn't do this in Zanarkand!"



"Why not?"



"There were no Chocobos around then, or if there were no one ever saw one."



"Oh, well what else did you do for fun?"



"I had a friend who took me fishing alot."



"Fishing? In the ocean, or in a stream?"



"Usually it was in a stream, but sometimes we fished in the ocean."



They rounded the last corner of the Mi'ihen Highroad, to fine the Crusaders blocking the path. Cordelia was speaking to one of the guards, with Angel standing behind her.



"How many time do I have to tell you? I am a Summoner!" Cordelia snapped.



"I'm sorry Lady Summoner, but there are no exceptions!" The guard said calmly



"You dare impede a summoner's pilgrimage?"



"Like I said, no exceptions!"



"This is useless!" Cordelia growled out and turned to see Tara and her guardians. "Oh, it's you. Well you can see, not even us Summoners may pass. Just wait, they'll call on us in the end. Till then I think I'll take a nap. Oh, Angel?"



The group watched at Cordelia and Angel walked back toward the Inn, passing Riley and Oz who was escorting in a carriage. Running over to the guard Oz saluted.



"Oz and Riley reporting for duty, sir!"



Riley saluted "This is the last of them."



"Good to have you with us. Go on through." The guard said saluting



Willow and Tara look into the carriage as it past them, a Sinspawn was in the cage trying to get out.



Oz turned around "Hey, teach me how to play Blitz sometime!"



"Just wait here, we'll have Sin beaten in no time at all!" Riley said to them.



Willow walked over to one of the guards "You're Summoner Tara, right? I'm sorry I can't let you pass."



Tara walks over to Giles and speaks to him while Willow stayed with the guard.



"Can you tell me about the operation?"



"Sure. We're going to lure Sin into a trap with the Sinspawn we've brought in from all over Spira."



"Will that work?"



"Yes, because you see the Sinspawn always draw Sin back."



Ah, I see. Thanks." Willow heads back to the group, and sees Glory walking off the Highroad. Tara and Glory pray.



"We meet again, Lady Tara."



"Y-Yes?"



"You look troubled, is there anything I can do to help?"



"Well..." Tara looks over her shoulder at the guards blocking the path.



"Oh, I see. Not to worry, it will be done."



The guard ran up to Glory "Lady Maester Glory. Let me show you to the command center."



"Hold, I have a request." Glory says holding her right hand up.



"Yes, Your Grace?"



"I wish to have Summoner Tara and her guardians let through to the command center."



"But, Lady Maester Glory, ma'am."



"Do not worry, I will take full responsibility."



"Very well. Lady Tara and her guardians may pass."



"You may pass." Glory speaks to Tara.



Tara bows to Glory "Thank you. Your Grace."



Glory nods and follows one of the guards.



Tara stands and moves toward the gate with Anya and Faith beside her.



"And just who does she think she is?" Willow asked glaring at the spot Glory was standing in.



"She is a Maester. So, I'm thinkin' you'd better get used to it, ya?" Xander said and walked toward the Mushroom Rock Area.



Well that's all for 9. Chapter 10 will be out tomorrow night. Hope you enjoyed it. :)

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 9

Postby BurningWhiteRose » Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:14 am

Brilliance. Sheer Brilliance.



Im starting to understand Sin a little bit. And as for the W/T, even though the action will wait, I love the friendship. There is also the plus of riding a Chocobo thingy infront of Tara...that could be yummy!



Cant wait for more! Love it!!!



Sincerely,

:flower BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

BurningWhiteRose
 


Chapter 10

Postby Stormforce » Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:33 am

BurningWhiteRose - Sin is hard to understand at first...but everything will become crystal clear...eventually. I'm glad you like the friendship... I'm a lot better at starting out like that at first, but once I get to certain parts...anyway :) As for the Chocobo ride...I might find another place to put one in...actually I think I know one.



Well here is 10 hope you enjoy it.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for language and violence

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em



Chapter Ten: Mushroom Rock Road



"All hail Lady Maester Glory!" A guard shouted as Glory stepped in front of the Crusaders and Al Bhed.



"Brave Crusaders of Spira, protectors of all Spira. Believe in the path you have chosen, let faith be your strength! I, Glory Guado, a Maester of Yevon, will bear your witness to your deeds today."



"Ma'am!" The Crusaders said as one.



"Hey! What the hell is going on? Why's Lady Maester Glory backing the Crusaders, eh? They're using the Al Bhed's machina! They're violating the teachings!" Xander was shaking his fist in the air as he bounced from one foot to the other.



"Even going against the teachings they're willing to risk everything for the greater good. Xander, I think Lady Maester Glory sees that, too." Tara says turning to Xander.



"Anya?" Xander asked almost defeated.



" I don't know Xander... in a way it's good, but it's also going against the teachings. I don't know what to say."



"Why don't you ask her yourself." Giles nods toward Glory who is making her way over to them.



"Sir Giles, it is an honor to meet you. I would be most interested in hearing what you've been doing these past ten years."



"I've got nothing to say about it." Giles says and walks off.



"I...see. Sir Giles must be a great asset as a guardian."



"Your Grace!" Tara says and bows.



"Please, Lady Tara there's no need for formalities."



Xander walks over to Glory scratching the back of his head. "Excuse me... Lady Maester Glory? Why is your Ladyship...presently...present here...My Lady?



"Please, speak as you normally would." Glory waves her hand in the air.



Xander sighs. "Uh. Isn't this operation again the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you gonna stop them?"



"It's true... I should. However... Both the Crusaders and the Al Bhed truly wish peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'ihen was born from that wish they share. Although it may be sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Glory Guado-the person, not the maester of Yevon... As a denizen of Spira, I wish them well in their endeavor."



"But, My Lady, using machina... That's bad, isn't it?"



"Pretend you didn't see them." Glory says causing the group to gasp and Willow narrowed her eyes.



"Beg your pardon, but that's not something a Maester should say!" Xander said wide-eyed.



"Then, just pretend I didn't say it."



"You've got to be kidding me!" Xander said as Glory left.



From the first time I laid eyes on her, I never did like Glory... But you know, some of the things she said that day... They made a lot of since to me.



William runs up to the group out of breath. "E-Excuse me, Lady Summoner Tara?



"Yes?"



"The command center...Lady Maester Glory request your presence there, ma'am."



"Thank you."



" Just take the road to the left to get to the command center. It's not far. We're still in the midst of preparations this way. Sorry."



As the group walked the path to the command center a Bomb floated out and attacked Faith, she used Lancet on it learning Self-Destruct from it, before Anya cast a Blizzara spell killing it. When Willow looked ahead she saw three fiends one red, one white, and something like a mad mushroom.



[Flash]



Name: Red Element

HP: 450

MP: 130



Name: White Element

HP: 390

MP: 120



Name: Funguar

HP: 540

MP: 60



Anya started casting Blizzara spells on the Red Element, as Xander hit the White Element with his ball, Giles slashed the Funguar down the middle, as it died it released a poison gas. Giles jumped back to avoid the gas, and turned in time to see a Thunder Flan behind him. With the Red Element gone Anya turned her attention to the Flan. Faith and Willow were helping Xander destroy the White Element, with thrusts of either a sword or, spear. Tara cast a healing spell on Faith when a Mi'ihen Fang ripped her arm open; Willow brought her sword down severing the spinal column. Reaching the small platform the group proceeds up.



"Why is it only you, sir? I want to fight, too!" Oz was saying



"Look orders are orders. And the orders say you guard the command center." Riley said watching Oz hang his head.



"I'm not a cadet anymore, sir! Let me go with you, and I'll prove it to them!"



"Guarding the command center is important too, you know."



"Yeah, but I came all the way from Besaid to fight Sin, sir! Not guard a command center that has enough guards as it is."



"I know, but it is an order. To your post, Crusader."



"But, sir!" Oz storms off



Riley looked up "So, they let you through, huh?"



Willow looked over to where Oz disappeared. "You know Oz deserves better..."



"Hey, at least there's no chance he'll get hurt." Xander said to Willow then turned to Riley. "Why are you guys fighting, anyway? Aren't the almighty Al Bhed machina enough?"



"They still need some time to get them ready. Our job is to keep Sin at bay till they're done. Xander... I might not get another chance to say this. It's about your sister."



Anya's eyes widen "Riley, no!"



"What?" Xander asks.



Riley looks to the ground. "I'm the one who convinced her...to enlist."



"What!" Xander yells



"I'm sorry, Xander. I didn't know what was going to happen."



"You bastard! My little sister! My only sister! You killed her!" Xander punches Riley in the face knocking him down, Willow and Faith grab Xander restraining him.



"Xander! That's enough, Xander. Please… it won't bring your sister back." Willow says as Xander falls to the ground on his knees.



"When we used to play Blitz together, Hikari would say to me... She'd say that... after we won the Cup, ya? That she'd marry and make me an uncle, and Anya an aunt. And then one day... she goes off and becomes a Crusader. Just like that." Xander says as Riley gets up.



Hikari also told me... That being with the ones you love is good... But keeping Sin far away from them is better."



"Anya, you knew?" Xander asks looking at her.



"Riley told me...before we left Besaid."



Riley laughs and rubs his jaw. "She hit me, too."



"All Crusaders in the vanguard are to assemble on the beach!" Drusilla called out as she rode past.



"Well that's my cue. I'd better go."



Riley, Don't you dare die out there."



"Why? You want to hit me some more?"



"Yeah, lots! Lots more!"



Riley turns to leave and finds Tara blocking his path. "Sir Riley, don't go! Please!"



"I'm sorry, but I have to Tara."



"Let him go, Tara. The man has chosen his path to walk... As you did when you decided to become a Summoner." Giles says.



Riley sadly looks at Tara. "I truly am sorry, Tara."



It would be a long time...before I ever really understood the reason why Tara let Riley pass that day.



The group rode the platform up, and before entering the command center; they saw cannon lined up near the ledge.



"Damn these!" Xander said kicking one of the cannons, and grabbed his foot in pain.



Willow watches Xander jump around holding his foot. "Man, he really hates them, huh?"



Anya turns to Willow giving her a sad look. "The sword Xander gave you...Hikari left it behind in Besaid, and fought with an Al Bhed machina weapon instead."



"That has got nothing to do with it! I just hate these sacrilegious contraptions!"



When the group enters the command center they watch as the Sinspawns are all loaded into one cage. The Sinspawn started fighting with eachother, making the cage shake.



"Dammit don't they know it won't work anyway?" Xander said watching the cage for any sign of escape.



"Don't say that. It might be a hopeless campaign, and it might mean defying Yevon... But the Crusaders and the Al Bhed-they're doing their best to defeat Sin. They want to rid Spira of Sin forever. And that's just what we want, too, isn't it? Isn't it?" Tara said looking at Xander.



Xander looked up then to the ground. "Hmph! All right, all right! But I still think machina are bad news.

They're forbidden for a reason!"



"Lady Summoner! There you are! The command center is that way. Maester Ethan is also there." Drusilla said walking up to them.



"Maester Ethan is here, too?"



"Yes, My Lady, please hurry."



The group moves on and runs into Oz who is standing beside a tent. "The operation will begin shortly. Please, check all your equipment."



"Hey, you okay?" Xander asks



"Of course not! I came here to fight Sin! And look at where they stick me!"



"If you want to prove yourself..." Giles says looking at Oz "First you must complete the tasks you are given."



"Huh?"



"Just doing what they say? It just won't be enough."



"Yeah, but being on the front line... is that what you want?" Willow asks



"Yes, It's not fair!"



Willow looks at Oz "It's your decision. You came here to fight Sin...okay, and guarding the command center is important to..."



"I'll do something...even if it means bending the rules. I've got to show Riley what I can do."



Leaving Oz to his thinking the group walks into the command center, and meets a man with yellow robes.



"Glory was saying you were here, but I didn't know if we'd meet. It's good to see you, Giles! Ten years, isn't it? The man said to Giles and shook his hand.



"That's Ethan Rayne, one of the Four Maesters of Yevon. He also leads the warrior monks, and commands the Crusaders." Anya explained to Willow.



"Sir, all troops ready to move at your command!" Oz said saluting.



"Good. Dismissed."



"Sir!"



"So, Giles. Where have you been to these past ten years?



"We don't have time for this now, do we?" Giles asked trying to ignore Ethan.



Ethan laughs. "You know this plan won't work. But we'll let them dream a little longer."



"What?" Willow asks overhearing what Ethan said.



"Lord Ethan?" Glory asked



"Oh, yes. Proceed."



"That Ethan, a Maester?



"I heard that, Giles. Things have changed the last ten years. What were you doing, and where?



"I was fulfilling a promise I made to a friend. And I still am."



"Giles, tell me one thing... Have you seen Zanarkand?



Giles turns and walks away not speaking, and not looking back.



"Tara, you okay?" Willow asks walking over.



"I... really don't think we belong here. This place is making me feel...odd."



Willow takes Tara's hand and cocks her head to the side. "Do you want to leave? If you do then we go...I know Xander would jump for joy."



"No, I think we should stay." Tara smiles.



"Ladies?" A guard spoke as he walked over. "The time has come. We have to tell the Al Bhed to begin the operation at once. Please be prepared to defend yourselves if needed. The fiends could possibly break through at any time. Are you ready?"



"Yes" Tara nods.



"Maester Ethan, if you would please." The guard said and Ethan nodded and left.



Tara turned to the guard "Will Sin come?"



"Sin always returns for its spawn... And to make sure, we're going to encourage them to call out."



Giles was standing behind the guard looking board "You won't have to. Sin will come."



I remembered Giles telling me. Sin is my old man. Sin is Ira.



A man screamed causing Willow and Tara to turn and see that the Sinspawn had merged and was now out of the cage. It looked like a mutant centipede. It stood twenty-five foot tall, it had a red head, two armor covers as hands, and another head in the stomach area of its body. There were five legs on each side of its upper body.



The men that were attacking it were thrown to the side as the Sinspawn moved forward. After telling Tara to stand back, Willow ran over to the Sinspawn attacking the base head. The armored hands covered the head before her sword hit, protecting it. Giles used his piercing samurai sword and cut through the right armored hand. The Sinspawn screeched in pain as the hand was cut in half, and swiped at Giles with the left hand. Giles jumped back, and the head of the fiend was suddenly hit by a Fira spell. Turning Giles saw Anya and Xander beside Willow and Faith. Xander threw his ball hitting the fiend’s head, along with another Fira spell. Faith hit the right hand cutting it down to the middle; Willow followed up and severed it. The fiend spit poison venom at the group hitting Xander, Anya, and Faith. The three of them were turning green around their eyes and getting weak, but still fought. Tara seeing this hurriedly cast an Esuna spell healing their bodies of the poison. Giles and Willow were hitting the base head at the same time as Anya cast another Fira spell on the top head. Both heads turned gray, and the fiend fell to the ground.



Before the group had time to rest there was screaming from their right. Turning to look they saw Sin rising out of the ocean.



"Hold your positions!" Drusilla hollered out as she and the Crusaders drew their swords.



"Fire!" Ethan called.



A blackish barrier surrounded Sin's body and Sinspawn fell into the water as the cannon balls hit Sin's skin. The Sinspawn swam toward the shore, where the Crusaders were waiting.



"Charge!" Drusilla ordered charging her Chocobo forward. The Crusaders followed as they got to the knee-deep water they jumped off the Chocobos, and started killing the Sinspawn. They didn't see the protective barrier fall and energy surround Sin's body.



"Look out!" Giles shouted making everyone hit the ground face down.



The energy formed into a huge ball and flew straight toward the Crusaders, and disintegrated them upon contact. Only a few Crusaders made it out of the blast alive, but they were injured badly. As Tara got up she only saw Giles and Glory, and they were fighting off the Sinspawn from the cage.



"Stay back Lady Tara. We shall take care of this." Glory said the cast a Fire spell on the Sinspawn, as Giles cut off one of the armored hands. The Sinspawn spit venom out of its mouth, Giles and Glory jumped back avoiding it. Giles ran forward and cut the other armored hand off, leaving the base head defenseless. Glory cast another Fire spell on the top head causing it to turn gray and go limp. Giles thrust his sword in the base head and twisting it. The fiend fell to the ground and burst into bright lights and disappeared.



"Where are the others? Where's Willow?" Tara asked as Giles cleaned his sword off.



"They are around. Do not worry about them, you should be worrying about what is going to happen." Giles said showing no emotion in his voice.



Tara ran to the ledge and watched the fighting going on below with a hopeful look on her face.



Sin turned to a huge tower on the right shore where the Al Bhed had set up a two pronged energy cannon. The Al Bhed men inside the tower were aiming the prongs at Sin, and hit the switch to release a steady stream of strong energy. The energy hit the barrier surrounding Sin's body pushing it inward, Sin fought back pushing his energy out. The cannon overloaded and exploded killing the men and women in the tower. Tara hung her head and fell to her knees as tears fell from her eyes.



Willow groaned and turned over on the sandy beach where she fell to after Sin's energy hit. She rose and looked around, the bloody, torn and tattered bodies of the Crusaders, Al Bhed were laying all over the beach. Willow checked a few of them that, and still found that they were dead she looked over and saw Oz sitting against a boulder. Running over she kneels and looks him over.



"Oz? Come on, Oz! Wake up!" Willow says shaking him. Oz falls over to the side with his eyes closed. Willow hangs her head knowing he's dead. "Dammit!" Willow shouts and turns toward the ocean to see Sin turning and diving under the water. "Don't you run from me!" She screams at Sin, and dives into the water not hearing or seeing Tara.



"Stand back everyone! I'll summon!"



Glory holds Tara back "No, you won't hurt it!"



"I have to do something!" Tara says starting her summon.



"You can't. It won't do any good!" Glory says grabbing Tara's staff stopping her from summoning.



In the water Willow is furiously swimming after Sin, but can't catch up and stops. She turns and heads back to the shore.



I have no idea what I was thinking when I ran after Sin that day. But before I knew what I was doing, there I was chasing him down like a thief at market. Maybe I was angry, maybe I wanted to go home. I kept thinking of Zanarkand, and my old man.



When Willow reached the beach she sat down in the sand and thought about the operation, and of home.



[Flashback]



Oz appeared and looked around before walking away. A hooded character appeared and disappeared just as quick.



"What?" Willow hears Ira say



"Everyone is saying that you're gonna retire, that you don't practice anymore."



"Let them talk. I'm still the best."



"Everyone is saying that you're no good 'cause you're drinking all the time." Her young self said.



"Ha! I can quit drinkin' anytime I want!"



"Then do it now."



"What did you just say?"



"You just said you can!"



"Yeah, tomorrow maybe."



"Why not today?"



"Why do today what you can leave for tomorrow? Oh hell don't you start your cryin' again!"




[End]



I thought I sensed my old man there. Somewhere... Or maybe it was just Sin's toxin playing tricks on my mind.



Willow gets up and starts walking down the beach among the dead bodies of hundreds of men and women. Some were torn in half, and others were just bloody.



How many died today? People die, and Tara dances. When will she stop dancing? When will is stop? Tara won't stop dancing... not until Sin is gone. Those were my thoughts then... I think.



"You're still here, I see." Giles said as Willow came into sight.



"Huh?"



"Many stories ended here today... But... Yours still goes on."



"What?"



Sin had come and gone, but I remained here.



Giles walks over to Ethan who is about to leave for Djose. "A swift retreat. Satisfied?"



"What do you mean by that, Giles?"



"Those who turned from the teachings of Yevon died, while the faithful live on."



"I see the past ten years have changed you." Ethan says as Glory walks by him and over to Tara.



"You do not look so well. But now more than ever, you must be the people's strength, their confidence. Anyone else would be expected to show their sorrow. But you...are a summoner. You are Spira's hope. Until Sin is defeated, you must not relent. You do understand don't you?"



"Yes. I understand."



"Are you afraid? Tara, take me as your pillar of strength. As Yunalesca had her lord Zaon. Lady Tara. Until we meet again, farewell." Glory leaves with Ethan by her side.



Willow walks over to Giles as she watches Glory leave.



"Sin is Ira."



"Yeah, for a while there, I thought I could feel him. But that doesn't mean I believe you."



"Sin is Ira. And he came here for you."



"What? You're telling he killed all those people just for a chance to see me?"



"That's what Sin does. He wanted to show that to you. Do you know why, don't you?"



"And just how am I supposed to know that?"



"So you would kill him. As long as he is Sin, Ira will keep killing. He wants you to stop him."



"You gotta be kidding me. Just how do you know all of this, anyway?" Willow asks and Giles walks away. "Dammit! You're just like my old man! Don't run away from me, I'm not done talking to you!"



Giles stops and turns to Willow. "You are the one running away.



Willow growls as she walks toward the group.



"Are you ready?" Xander asked standing up.



"Yeah, let's go." Willow replies and walks behind the group with Faith following.



Tara turns back and smiles "Hey, you two! Hurry up!"



"Well she's awfully cheerful." Willow says more to herself but Faith overheard



"In dark times she must be." Faith looks to the ground then back to Willow. "She must shine bright. And right now are dark times... So Tara is trying hard to be bright."



"We should help her, then."



"If we worry, she'll only try harder."



"Well...that sucks!"



Catching up to the group was a bit of a problem when a huge snake fiend slithered in front of her and Faith. It was white and orange with two fin like arms, and a glowing orange oval shape in the middle of its head. It struck at Willow who dodged left, and Faith learned Stone Touch from it. Willow flipped over its body pulling her sword from the sheath, and stabbing the midsection when she landed. The fiend turned and a laser shot out of the oval turning the grass at Willow's feet to stone.



"Damn!" Willow jumped back wide-eyed.



"This is a Basilisk and it can turn a person to stone. So, watch out." Faith said slicing one of the arms off.



Willow nodded and swung at the fiend cutting its throat making it hiss at her. Faith finished if off with a swing from her spear. The fiend disappeared as they walked on and finally caught up to the group.



"Hey, how much longer till we get to Zanarkand?" Willow asked when they reached a fork in the road.



Xander tossed his ball in the air and caught it as he turned. "It's still a ways to go."



"Yes" Anya said frowning at Xander childish act "First we go down the Moonflow to the Guado city of Guadosalam... Then we cross the Thunder Plains to the Temple of Macalania."



"Oh, boy." Willow sighed.



"And before all of that, we get to pray at the Temple in Djose!" Tara said excitedly.



Willow snapped her fingers "We can't just skip all that? Can we?



"I have to pray to the fayth in every temple in order to earn the Final Aeon."



"You see that is a summoner's training. She's gotta prepare mind and body, all just to get ready for the Final Summoning." Xander said tossing his ball again just to annoy Anya.



"That must be tough...huh, Tara?"



Tara smiled "I'll be fine with you here." she whispered in Willow's ear making her smile.



The group began walking towards the Temple grounds with Willow and Giles last.



"Hey" Giles said making Willow turn.



"Huh? Me?"



"And who else would I be talking to? The fiends?"



"What can I do for ya, boss?"



"I want you to keep Ira being Sin quite. I don't want Tara to know. You know her...she would...distance herself from you. And you do not want that."



"I think I understand... But even if I did say something, no one would believe me, you know?"



"Tara would."



"That's true...Hey, did I really need to know about Ira? What about how I feel?"



"It was better you finding out now, than at a critical moment, and becoming emotional."



"What? Me, emotional? I don't think so."



Giles grinned. "I heard you were quite the crybaby." He says and walks off.



Yeah, maybe when I was a kid. Maybe even a little now. Just a little.



"I still don't believe your story, you hear?”



Well there's chapter 10 hope you enjoyed it. I'm working on 11 right now, and it should be out tomorrow. :)

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Edited by: Stormforce at: 7/22/04 5:35 pm
Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 10

Postby justin » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:00 pm

I'm really enjoying this story :clap



Actually it's making me want to start playing FFX again :)



looking forward to :read more

What other people think of me is none of my business - Ellen Degeneres

justin
 


Re: Chapter 10

Postby amazonaa » Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:33 pm

That was great and a little sad how oz and all those people died.



But i have one question. Did Riley die? I couldnt really tell. Well great job. more soon i hope.





brittney







~Kiss this axe, bitch!---Tara "Bargaining part 2"~

amazonaa
 


Re: Chapter 10

Postby BurningWhiteRose » Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:20 pm

Oh Wow...



A beachfull of dead people, and Tara still smiles. Being a summoner must be one hell of a tiring job. Oh well. At least Tara has good ole Willow to help her out of all the crappy shtuff.



Loving it.



Sincerely,

:flower BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

BurningWhiteRose
 


Chapter 11

Postby Stormforce » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:09 am

justin - Glad you're enjoying it. lol...actually I've started to play FFX again :)



amazonaa - Nope Riley didn't die, he's in this chapter. :) Actually in FFX you could choose who died Oz (Gatta) or Riley (Luzzu) if you picked "Yeah, you should be fighting too." twice Gatta would die. Or if you picked "Guarding the Command Center is important too" Luzzu would die. I really didn't want to put in how Riley would have died...being torn in half.



BurningWhiteRose - With all of the sendings that Yuna preformed in that part of the game it should have just tired her out...but she was still smiling. So when I wrote it...I just left it the same. And a big Yep, Willow will be helping Tara out. :)



Well here's chapter 11



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for violence and language

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em



Chapter Eleven: Djose



When Willow caught up she stared wide-eyed at the Temple. There were rocks floating all around the Temple with lightning sparkling in between them.



"Whoa! Is that Djose Temple?" Willow asked as Tara prayed and the rocks floated up revealing the door. "Awesome!"



"Lightning Mushroom Rock. It only opens when a summoner is addressing the fayth." Anya said walking forward.



Xander was watching the rocks in amazement "That means another Summoner's already in there."



"Another Summoner?" Tara asked turning to Xander then looking at Willow



"Oh, man. What if it's Cordelia?" Willow asked Tara



"We have to hurry."



"Right! In we go!"



Just before the group walked into the Temple they saw Riley standing to the side of the door hitting the Temple wall.



He looked up with red puffy bloodshot eyes. "Oz...he's...he's dead. He was a good fighter...just not lucky enough." Riley said and started hitting the walls again. "Ahh, dammit! He was so young! He pushed his luck! What the hell was he thinking going to the frontlines like that? He should have stayed at the command center! Dammit! Damn. It. All!"



Xander ran over and pulled Riley away from the wall "Knock it off!"



"You don't know what it's like!" Riley said grabbing Xander's overalls



"I do know...Hikari's dead! You know that!"



"I...I'm so sorry Xander."



"Hey go home...go back to Besaid... and take it easy, ya know, just rest.



"Yeah, that sounds good."



"Good. I can't beat up on you when you're all depressed, ya?



"Yeah, right."



The group watched Riley leave before going into the Temple. Inside they met another Summoner and his guardians coming from the Trials.



"I beg your pardon, but may I ask your name?"



"I am Summoner Tara, from the isle of Besaid."



"It is as I thought! The daughter of Lady Mythe. You look just like your mother.



"My mother? You knew her?"



"No. I never had the pleasure of meeting the Lady. Oh! My apologies My Lady. I am Jonathon. I am a Summoner, like you.



A little boy jumped up and down "I'm Warren. Pleased to meet you."



A boy about seventeen stepped forward. "I'm Andrew. I'm guarding my big brother here."



"Since I was a child, I've always looked up to Lady Mythe. I wished I would someday become a High Summoner like she was. You must have some of your mother's talent in you! I believe you might someday defeat Sin."



"I...I'm not really... I've only just become a Summoner."



"Of course, I don't intend to lose, either. So perhaps we should race to see who can defeat Sin first, no?"



"Very well, then. I accept your challenge."



"Jonathon, we'd better go now. We still have a long journey ahead of us." Andrew said from the door.



"I, beg your leave! Good luck, to both of us!" He says praying



"Yes." Tara prays



The group walks up the stairs with Willow at the back.



"Hey, you." Jonathon says walking toward Willow



"Who? Me?"



"You are Tara’s guardian, no? Andrew has heard a curious rumor. I thought you should know about."



"I heard it from those Crusaders." Andrew says walking up "Seems that summoners have been going out on pilgrimage and just...disappearing."



"It could be the fiends got them...but not so many so quickly." Jonathon says looking to the statue of Lady Mythe.



" I'm sorry I don't know more, but...watch your back. Ain't much future for a guardian without a summoner, eh?" Andrew said then looked down to Warren



"What? What? Whatcha all talkin' 'bout?"



"We're talking about doing your job as a guardian!"



"Hey, I'm doing good! Right, big brother?"



Jonathon nodded "yes".



"Please, be careful." Jonathon spoke to Willow



"Don't worry nothing will get to Tara, I'll make sure of that!"



Willow watches the three leave and enters the Cloister of Trials.



"All right! Guardians, at attention!" Xander said looking over the group.



Faith grins, "We are ready."



"All right... Let's do it!"



Willow and the group walked into the Trials and found the room had bluish walls, and there were two glowing white spheres in slots on the left and right walls. Willow grabs one and places it in the right slot, as Xander places the other one in the left slot beside the door. The door opens to another room; they find a pedestal with a bluish white sphere, and slots in this room but no white spheres.



"Maybe we have to take the spheres from the other room, and bring them in here." Faith says as she and Anya run back to get them. Bringing them back the group looks at the four slots.



Okay? Which ones do we put them in?" Anya asked confused.



"Try one of the slots on either side of the door." Xander says examining the other two slots.



The door does nothing but stay in place, but a floor glyph appeared in the middle of the room. Sighing Anya takes her sphere out of the slot and moves over to Xander. Looking at the slot she shrugs her shoulders and places the sphere into the slot, causing a bright light to shoot up the wall and into an upside down pedestal.



"Hey, Faith bring yours over here." Willow says looking up at the pedestal.



Faith places the sphere into the slot another light shoots up to the pedestal, and electrifies it. Willow looks over to the pedestal with the bluish white sphere on it, and smiles. She walks over and pushes it forward and under the upside down pedestal. That pedestal drops onto of the other one electrifying the bluish white sphere.



"Well, how do we get it back?" Faith asks as Tara touched a sparkling silver light on the floor. The pedestal appeared back in the middle of the room.



"Try the electrified sphere in one of the slots." Giles says leaning against the wall.



Grabbing the sphere Willow walks over the right one first and places it, the door opens revealing a room with a pit full of lightning.



"Well how do we get across? I know I can't jump that far." Willow says as she looks at the pit



"Maybe if we shove the pedestal into the room..." Xander trailed off.



"I don't think so." Tara said looking into the room and back to the pedestal. "It doesn't have anything to hold it up."



"Maybe" Willow thought out loud. Walking over she took the spheres from the slots and placed them on the pedestal, and pushed it into the room. The pedestal fell down a foot the rose, and stayed floating in place. Looking over her should Willow smiled then jumped on to the pedestal and across and found a pedestal sticking out of the wall. she thought the pushed on the pedestal causing it to go into the wall. She jumped back into the room and smiled to everyone.



"The glyphs on the floor light up, so I'm thinking that if they're all lit up we can get to the Fayth, ya?" Xander said holding a sphere. He placed it into the slot on the left of the main door causing another glyph to light up. Anya placed the other one, and Tara placed the last in the left of the lightning door. Lighting up all the glyphs an elevator appeared. Willow was looking at the wall and saw a lightly glowing glyph, placing her hand on it, the wall slid away revealing a purple sphere. Willow took the sphere and got on the elevator with the group, and rose up to the next room.



Giles stood back as the group walked forward and found five spokes hanging from the walls, with five pedestals under each one. Xander leaned against one causing it to move forward and under the spoke charging it with lightning. The group smiled, and took a pedestal each and pushed them in. Each spoke charged with lightning, and a stairway appeared along with another pedestal. Before the group walked up the stairs Willow placed the purple sphere on to the pedestal. A purple light shot out and destroyed a section of the wall; Willow walked over and opened the chest getting a Magic Sphere. Willow gave it to Anya as they walked up the stairs.



The group waited as Tara entered the Chamber of the Fayth. Willow was sitting on the steps with Faith to her right. Xander and Anya were quietly talking near the right wall, and Giles was leaning on the wall beside the door. Willow looked up rolled her eyes when Cordelia and Angel came strutting in.



"Oh, it's you again. She is still traveling with quite a crowd, I see." Cordelia says as Angel approached Giles and looked at him. "What is it, Angel? Do you know this riffraff?"



"You are...Giles, no?"



Giles glances at the guardian "What of it?"



"Can I shake your hand? Giles...No! Sir Giles. You're the reason I became a guardian!"



Giles holds out his hand, and Angel wipes his hand on his pants before shaking Giles' hand.



"Thank you Sir Giles! This means so much to me!"



"Calling the personal guardian to Lady Mythe riffraff?" Xander says before turning and walking over to Willow and Faith.



Anya looks at Cordelia and shakes her head "And you call yourself a Summoner."



"Angel! That is enough, get over here!" Cordelia says as the chamber door opened, and Tara stumbled out, and nearly fell down the stairs. Willow beat Faith to Tara and caught her before she could fall. "You owe so much to your mother. All of these guardians, and Sir Giles, too? And I've also heard that Lady Maester Glory is quite taken with you. The world must look different when you're the daughter of Lady Mythe."



"This has nothing to do with my mother! I am traveling as a full-fledged Summoner!" Tara said leaning against Willow.



"Is that so? They why don't you try standing on your own two legs for once." Cordelia says approaching Tara. "Your guardians won't be able to protect you when the time comes."



Tara had stood and was holding Willow's hand to keep her from hitting Cordelia. "My guardians will protect me till the end!"



"You got that right! And you, why don't you just shut the hell up!" Willow said to Cordelia and leads Tara out of the door.



"Thank you, Willow...for helping me. When the Fayth merges with me it is tough." Tara said still leaning against Willow.



"I'll always help you...whenever or where ever you need it...I'll be there. Okay?"



"Okay."



When the group emerged from the Trials the Temple was beginning to fill with the wounded from the ill-fated operation. One of the Priestess saw Tara and moved over to her.



"My Lady Summoner! Would you mind helping us?"



Tara looked around and nodded "I will help."



"Thank you My Lady Summoner."



Turning to the guardians Tara smiled. "This is my job, and you need your rest."



"Are you sure?" Faith asked.



"Yes. You all go rest."



Faith and Anya went into a room on the right, and Xander and Giles went into the one on the left. Willow watched them go and turned to Tara.



"I'll help you. I'm not tired."



"But...Willow..."



"No, trust me I don't mind, and besides like I said I'm not tired."



"Okay."



Willow helped carry the wounded into the Temple for Tara to heal. Some of the wounded was poisoned, so Tara cast Cura and Esuna spells on them. Most of them Tara got to in time, but the others died either on the way to the Temple, or inside the Temple. Tara preformed the Sending on those that died, and Willow helped wrap the bodies that would be taken home, and carried the others to graves and buried them. Every once in a while Willow would walk by Tara and touch her shoulder, just to let her know that she was still there. When the last of the Cura and Esuna spells were cast, Tara was performing more Sendings, and Willow either wrapped them, or buried them. After it was over there were thirty graves near the Temple, and another forty waiting to be taken to their families. The sun was starting to rise as Willow and Tara walked into the room where Anya, and Faith were sleeping. They saw only one bed left near the right wall and looked at each other.



"Willow, you can have the bed." Tara whispered tiredly



"No. You take it. I'll be fine on the floor." Willow whispered back and lead Tara over to the bed.



Tara took off her boots, and watched Willow take a blanket from their traveling pack and lay it on the floor. Willow was taking off her shoes as Tara lay down.



"Willow?" Tara whispered turning on her side facing Willow.



"Yeah?"



"Will you..." Tara said then looked down. "Umm...will you...uh...stay with me...you know, hold me w-while I-I sleep?"



Willow could see Tara blushing in the dim light and smiled. "Yeah, I can do that." She rose from the floor and gently lay down beside Tara, and wrapped her arms around Tara's waist. Tara laid her head on Willow's shoulder and closed her eyes.



"Goodnight, Willow."



"Night, Tara."



Neither of the girls saw Anya look over to Faith, as they fell asleep. Faith turned and faced the wall, and Anya quietly cried herself back to sleep. Xander had stepped into the room and shook Faith awake before waking Anya. He looked over at Tara who still had her head on Willow's shoulder, and a small smile on her face. Xander sighed and walked out the door with Anya in front of him, and Faith behind.



"Where are Willow and Tara?" Giles asked when the three of them walked outside.



"They are still sleeping, the priestess said they had been working till sunrise. So, I thought we could let them sleep a little longer, ya?" Xander said scratching his head.



"That was a wise decision." Giles said and looked over the graves. "They will need their rest."



A couple of hours later Anya woke Willow and told her to get ready before she left the room. Willow gently kissed Tara's forehead and slowly climbed out of bed, and heading to the Temple baths. After she had bathed and dressed Willow ran out to the courtyard. Not seeing Tara anywhere she approached Xander.



"Hey, where's Tara?"



"Still sleeping, why don't you go wake her, ya?"



"Yeah sure." Willow ran back into the Temple bedroom and sat on the bed. She gently stroked Tara's cheek easing her out of slumber. When Tara opened her eyes Willow smiled. "Good morning."



"Morning!" Tara shot up in bed looking to Willow with wide eyes.



"Hey, don't worry. It's okay. I've only been up for thirty minutes anyway." Willow said taking Tara's hand.



"We have to be going! I need a bath, too! Please, just give me a few moments, and I'll be ready!" Tara ran off to the bath, and Willow shook her head smiling. She waited until Tara raced out the bathroom door and walked her out to the courtyard.



"Hey! Sleepyhead!" Xander said waving.



"I'm sorry." Tara says and bows to the group, then turns and bows to Giles. "I'm so sorry!"



Anya smiled and walked over to Tara "Really, there is no rush...here, your hair." Anya says causing Tara to look at her puzzled.



"A Summoner with bad hair! What's Spira comin' to?" Xander said seriously.



"Why didn't you wake me?"



"We called out to you...but with all that snoring..." Faith said grinning.



Tara looks to the ground, and then back to the group "What is today? Everyone is picking on me!" She said causing everyone to laugh, and Giles chuckled. Tara turned to him. "You too, Sir Giles?"



"Once Lady Tara fixes her hair, we leave." Giles said making everyone laugh harder.



I hadn't really laughed like that in a long time. It was only later that I realized... The only one really laughing then...was me. Laughing must have been the only thing keeping them going.



Tara took Willow's hand as the two of them followed the group over a small bridge. They stopped when Drusilla jumped off her Chocobo.



"Off so early? Lady Tara, you must be exhausted after working so hard last night, as well as your guardian." She said looking to Willow, and back to Tara. "Will you be okay, My Lady?"



"Yes, Captain Drusilla. I have gotten enough rest. But, I do thank you for your kindness. Will you be leaving, too?"



"Yes, My Lady, first we will cross the Moonflow, and then head north in search of Chocobos to replace those that were lost."



"Once we find more Chocobos, our Chocobo knights will ride again!" Darla said as she held the Chocobo reins.



Willow looked around then to Drusilla. "Uh... Aren't you missing someone?"



William could be seen running from the Temple "Captain! Please, waaaaaait for meee!"



"Geez! What took you so long? We're leaving!" Darla said when William caught up.



"What? You think I can keep up with a Chocobo?"



Drusilla shook her head "Lady Tara, I wish you good fortune on your journey." She said bowing to Tara. "Darla! William! Let's go!"



"Yes, ma'am!" Darla said followed behind the Chocobo.



William was slowly walking. "Can't...I just rest a sec?"



"No complaints!" Darla said and continued on.



The group walked back to the fork in the road, and stopped as Tara turned and looked at the Temple.



“So, where to next?” Willow asked when Tara turned around.



“Okay, gotcha! Moonflow here we come!” Willow said and the group headed up the path.



There ya have it. Hope you enjoyed. Anyway chapter 12 will be out tomorrow.



To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 11

Postby BurningWhiteRose » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:17 am

Wait...



Did they just leave without Giles, Faith, Anya, Xander...all those guys? Cause if they did...THATS COOL! Willow, Tara, William, Darla, and Drusilla...out on a whirlwind adventure. Even if its not all that safe.



So...did they just leave without the crew?



Sincerely,

:flower BWR



ps: *sniff* Im gonna miss tommorrows update...:(

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

BurningWhiteRose
 


^_^;

Postby Stormforce » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:52 am

BurningWhiteRose - O_O Crap! I should have reworded that... umm...sorry. No they didn't leave without Giles, Anya, Xander and Faith. They are there...I just didn't word that part right. >_< Forgive me please.... Why are you gonna miss tomorrows update? But look at it this way there'll be tomorrows and sundays update for you to read. :D

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: ^_^;

Postby amazonaa » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:18 am

that was great but like BurningWhiteRose i to will miss tomorrows update and sundays. Im going out of town.:cry



but ill be okay. Then ill be able to read two or maybe three updates. I will look forward to that.:D





great job.





brittney







~Kiss this axe, bitch!---Tara "Bargaining part 2"~

amazonaa
 


Chapter 12

Postby Stormforce » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:02 am

amazonaa - Don't cry like you said you'll two or three updates to read. :)



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for violence and language

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em



Chapter Twelve: The Moonflow



As the group followed the Moonflow path Willow was hit with a flash as four fiends blocked them from going any further. Two silver bee fiends, a purple hard-shelled fiend, and a bluish flan.



[Flash]



Name: Bite Bug

HP: 200

MP: 10



Name: Bunyip

HP: 400

MP: 15



Name: Snow Flan

HP: 600

MP: 120



Willow and Faith attacked the Bunyip, Anya cast a Fira spell on the Snow Flan, and Xander hit one of the Bite Bugs with his ball. Willow didn't do much damage with her sword but it was enough to cause the fiend to fall over on its side and allow Giles to finish it off. Xander hit the other Bite Bug knocking it to the ground beside Willow, who split it open with her sword. Anya finished off the Snow Flan with another Fira spell.



"Well that was..." Xander started to say but shut up when Anya glared at him. "Yeah, yeah, I know."



"Hey, isn't that the two from Luca?" Willow asked looking ahead of the group.



Harmony and Hallie were scaring off a man away from them. The group approached the two as the man ran off.



"Look! That's one of Faith's friends. Looks just like her don’t it, Hallie?"



"What?" Willow asked already mad.



"Both follow their Summoners on hands and knees. Honorless, babies!" Harmony said laughing.



"Fuck you! What? Did you come here to insult me?" Faith said crossing her arms.



"Wrong! We come to warn Honorless Faith!" Hallie said looking Faith over.



"Summoners are disappearing, and never being seen again." Harmony spoke grinning.



"Yes, and next will be your Summoner!"



"Poor little Faith. Lost her honor, and next lose her Summoner!" Harmony said and left with Hallie following.



Willow walked over to Faith and stood beside her. "Tell me...do those two by any chance, have something against you?"



"No."



"You can't be telling me they were just picking on you."



"I will take care of those two...when the time comes. So, don't worry about it."



"And I'll help!"



"No, it's my problem. Not yours." Faith said and walked forward.



"What?"



Xander put his hand on Willow's shoulder "Like Faith said it's her problem. We can't interfere; it's a rule."



"I'm worried." Anya said staring after the two Dragons.



"Hey let the Dragons deal with Dragon problems, ya? It's always been that way."



"No, Xander. I'm worried about those Summoners disappearing."



"Well they are just disappearing into thin air, now are they?" Giles said walking by.



Willow looked at his back. "Hey! If we guardians do our jobs, then Tara will be fine!"



"Whoa!" Xander stepped back.



"Well you're confident." Anya said and smiled.



"Damn straight!"



The group continues up the road with Willow and Tara behind them holding hands. Tara leans her head on Willow's shoulder as they walk.



"Hey Tara, you never did tell me what Aeon you got at the Djose Temple."



"Oh, I got Ixion."



{Ixion is a male Thunder Aeon. He has a dull silver body and white hair covering the top of his head, tail, and legs. He has a horn in the middle of his head that curves back in a half circle and forward into a sharp point. His overdrive is Thor's Hammer.}



The group walks into an area with a mile wide river covered in flowers near the bank. Willow and Tara look at the area in amazement, and kneel looking at the flowers.



"This is the Moonflow." Anya said looking over the river.



"These are moonlillies! They say that clouds of pyreflies gather here when night falls." Tara said as she touched one of the flowers.



"Yes, the entire river glows, like a sea of stars." Anya says looking at Tara.



"Really?" Willow straightens up "Hey, I got an idea!"



"We're not waiting till nightfall." Giles said with his back turned



"Damn! Then, once we beat Sin, we're coming back!" Willow said nodding.



Xander looks toward the end of the path "Hey, we better hurry or we'll miss the shoopuf!"



"Huh? Shoopuf? What's that? Some kind of boat?" Willow asked and Xander pointed to the direction of a large dock. Willow jumps up and down trying to get a good look. When she didn't see anything she took Tara's hand and ran forward. When they reached the end a giant shadow passed over them as a huge tree trunk of a leg stepped in front of them. Willow looked up and saw a giant gray four-legged creature, with a long trunk and a thick tail.



"Whoa, what the...whoa!" Willow says stunned.



Grinning Xander stood beside her "That is a shoopuf."



"We gonna ride that! Cool! Come on, let's get going!" Willow said excitedly



"Don't worry we'll board as soon as we are ready." Xander said and walked over to the shoopuf driver.



Willow ran ahead of a giggling Tara and over to a small shop and saw Drusilla, Darla, and William talking to someone she couldn't see.



"Noo, I don shink sho. Ish bad idea, yesh." Willow heard and cocked her head to the side.



"Please, we beg of you!" Drusilla said



"Imposhibibble! Imposhibibble!"



"What's wrong?" Willow asked Darla who was standing beside a Chocobo.



"Oh, this guy won't let our Chocobo on the shoopuf!"



"Ah. I can see why. It is kinda big."



Darla stomped her foot. "It's just not fair!"



"He does have a point, though." William said walking up.



"So, what? Are you saying we just leave him behind?"



"Hey now, I didn't say that. Just..."



"It is no good. We will have to find another way. We will find a ford where we can cross on foot." Drusilla said mounting the Chocobo.



"Yes ma'am, Captain" Darla saluted



"Oh man! But...that'll take days!"



"Where there's a will, there's a way." Drusilla nudged the Chocobo into a walk



"Oh, man..." William groaned



“That’s our Captain!” Darla said and left with William following.



Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Those words stayed with me. I wonder how Captain Drusilla is doing.



Willow turned and started to say something to the man that Drusilla was talking to, but stopped and stared in horror at the thing standing in front of her. He was blue with eyes on the top of his head, and long arms with long fingers. Willow took a step back and ran into someone looking back she saw Tara standing behind her. Willow ran behind Tara and peeked over her shoulder making Tara laugh, and look at her.



“What is that? It looks like a blue frog!”



“Willow, that is a Hypello. He’s harmless, and I don’t think he has any frog in him.” Tara said giggling.



“Are you sure? I don’t like frogs…they just wait for you to let your guard down, and then they’ll attack you!”



“Yes, I’m sure. So don’t worry. Anyway I’ll protect you…okay?”



“Okay.” Willow said and let Tara lead her to the Hypello.



The blue Hypello looked up when the two girls approached. "Ride ze shoopuf?"



"Yes, we are ready." Tara spoke with Willow still peeking over her shoulder, and the group approaching from behind.



"Al aboards!" The Hypello said and climbed into the drivers seat. "Shoopuf launchin'!"



Tara took the seat at the back with Faith to her left, Willow was sitting on the right seat and Giles was beside her, Anya was sitting on the seat in front of her, and Xander took the seat right behind the Hypello. As the shoopuf moved toward the north area of the Moonflow, Xander looked to the side then looked at Willow.



"Hey, look in the water." He said with his arms behind his head.



Willow turned in her seat and looked over. "Whoa!" She saw a huge city under the water. "A sunken city!"



"Yeah, a machina city, a thousand years old. The people back then built the city on top of bridges across the river." Xander said and stood.



"But the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and the city sank to the bottom." Anya said as she too looked over the side.



"That's a good lesson, ya?" Xander asked Willow.



"A lesson?"



"Yeah, why build a city over a river?"



Willow turned and sat down. "Well, it would be convenient, you know...with all that water there."



"No, that's not why. They just wanted to prove they could deft the laws of nature!" Xander leaned forward.



"I'm not so sure about that."



"Yevon has taught us,” Xander said speaking to Willow. "That when humans have power, they seek to use it. And if you don't stop them, they go too far, ya?"



"Yeah...but don't you use machina, too." Willow looked at everyone. "Like the stadium and stuff, right?"



"Yevon, it decides...which machina we may use, and which we may not."



"And just what kind of machina may we use then, Anya?" Willow threw her hands up in the air angrily



"Remember Operation Mi'ihen? That kind." Xander said remembering the destruction Sin caused at Djose.



"Yes, or war will rage again."



"War? Anya what are you talking about?" Willow asked confused.



"More than a thousand years ago... Mankind waged war using machina to kill!" Tara said lowering her head.



Yeah, they kept building more and more powerful machina." Xander said resting his arms on his knees.



Anya then leaned back "They made weapons so powerful... It was thought they would destroy the entire world."



Tara looked up at Willow with a frown "The people feared that Spira would be destroyed."



"But the war did not stop!" Xander sighed pulling at a loose string on his pants.



Willow looked from Xander to Anya and finally Tara "Wh-What happened then?"



"Sin came," Tara said gripping her rod. "and it destroyed the cities and their machina."



"That ended the war...and our reward...was Sin." Faith spoke and turned her head.



"So you see, Sin's our punishment for lettin' things get out of hand, eh?"



"Man, that's rough, Xander."



"Yeah, it is. But, it's not like the machina are bad. Some machina are good like the stadium you mentioned."



"Only as bad as their users." Anya looked down at her mog doll



"It's because of people like the Al Bhed screwin' everything up!" Xander said before they felt a shaking in the water.



The Hypello was looking from side to side "Whatsh could thatsh be?" he said as another rumble could be felt. Tara was standing with the others looking into the water.



"Sit down!" Giles told Tara.



"S-Sorry!" Tara started to sit down when someone jumped from the water and grabbed her, and pulled her under with them.



"The Al Bhed!" Xander said and he and Willow jumped into the water. "We'll save you, Tara!" Xander said swimming to a giant machina with three legs, three small towers around a giant sphere that Tara was beating against from the inside. It had purple flags surrounding the body, and bigger green and yellow flags floating out from under the sphere.



[Flash]



Name" Extractor

HP: 4000

MP: 100



Xander threw his ball at the midsection knowing if he hit the sphere, it could crack and drown Tara. Willow was doing the same thing hitting the midsection with her sword, and something inside her snapped. A blue energy surrounded her, and she hit the machina another six times before swimming back. Two large barrels shot from the machina and floated down toward her and Xander. Willow watched them as Xander threw his ball again. Willow's eyes went wide, and she franticly motioned for Xander to move out of the way, he too looked at the barrels before moving away. The explosion could be seen and heard above water when the barrels exploded. The shockwave sent Willow into large jagged rocks cutting her left leg open, and breaking her left arm. Xander was thrown down on to the river floor, where a piece of metal stabbed him through the stomach. Tara watched all this from inside the sphere, and tried to cast a healing spell on Willow and Xander but found there was an anti-magic field surrounding her. Xander grit his teeth, and swam back up to the machina and threw his ball. Willow had put her arm under the strap of her overalls and swam up behind the machina. She saw a small hatch and opened it and saw a bunch of wires she thought and thrust her sword into the wiring. A small jolt of electricity shot up the sword and into Willow's body as she pulled the sword away. The sphere opened at the top, and Tara swam out meeting Xander at the top. Willow joined them and they swam to the surface as the machina exploded.



Back on the shoopuf Giles helped pull Xander up as Faith and Anya help Willow and Tara. Giles looked over Xander and grabbed the metal sticking out of his stomach. "Tara, you need to cast a healing spell as soon as I pull this out." Giles said and Tara nodded. Xander screamed and a tear ran down his cheek when the metal tore more of his muscle and flesh as Giles jerked it out.



"Gaaahhhh! Those...damn...Al Bhed!" Xander screamed when the healing started.



"Ish ebullibody okay?" The Hypello asked looking back at the group.



"You may get the shoopuf moving again." Giles said throwing the metal back into the water.



"Are you hurt?" Anya asked as Tara moved over to Willow.



"No, I'm fine."



The wound on Willow's leg was pouring out blood, her pant leg was soaked with blood, and her shirt was starting to turn red. Willow stopped Tara before she could cast a healing spell. "No! My arm is broken...it needs to be reset."



Faith walked over and unsnapped the latch on Willow's overalls, and gently took Willow's arm in her hands. "This is going to hurt." Faith said and Willow nodded gritting her teeth. Faith snapped the broken bones back into place, and Willow screamed as tears came to her eyes. Tara cast a healing spell over Willow who relaxed with her head laid back on the seat.



"How do you feel Xander?" Tara asked as she checked the still healing scar on his stomach.



"Better." Xander said giving Tara a boyish grin.



Tara smiled back and went to check on Willow. "How are you feeling?" Tara asked helping Willow back into the seat.



"A lot better...now."



"Damn those Al Bhed! Why are they after Tara? Oh! They're mad cause they lost the tournament. No, wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen!" Xander ranted with a red face.



"I wonder...didn't those two Dragons say something about Summoners...disappearing?"



"Yeah, Anya. That's what they said." Faith said sitting beside Tara.



"Ah-ha! So the Al Bhed are behind that! Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!" Xander stomped the floorboard with his foot, and not seeing Tara hang her head.



"Hey, Xander. Don't worry about it, okay? We'll protect Tara from anyone, and anything. It's that easy, right? And that's all I need to know!" Willow said leaning back with her hands behind her head.



"Yeah, I guess so."



"You're right." Anya said smiling and nodding at Willow.



Tara looked over to Willow with a half smile and silently said "Thank you." Willow winked back.



When the shoopuf docked Willow was the last one off, looking around she didn't see much. She ran into O'aka and bought a few Potions and Antidotes from him. She walked along the bank as the group looked around, when she saw something laying on the bank. Blinking a few times thinking she was seeing things she ran over. The something turned out to be a girl, a girl that surprised Willow.



"You're...not dead?" Willow asked as the girl stood up.



She reached behind her and started unzipping the wetsuit she was wearing, as Willow's eyes widened. She threw the suit to the side and slid the headgear off. She shook the water from her hair and looked at Willow. "Whoa! Thought I was done for, back there." She said and fell to her hands and knees



"Buffy! You're Buffy! You're okay! How ya been?" Willow asked excitedly



"Terrible!"



"Yeah...you don't look so good. What happened?"



Buffy looked up "You beat me up, remember?"



"What? When? Oh! That machina? That was you?"



"Yes!" Buffy said, standing up. "That really hurt, you know. You big meanie!" She hit Willow on the arm.



"Wait! You attacked us!"



"Nuh-uh... It's not exactly what you think."



"Hey!" Willow and Buffy turned and saw the group heading toward them. "Friend of yours?" Xander asked looking at Buffy.



"Umm...yeah! You could say that."



"Pleased to meet you! I'm Buffy."



"Tara, Anya...I told you about her, remember? She helped me before I washed up on Besaid. She's and Al Bhe...beh... she an all around cool person!" Willow said as Tara and Anya looked at her puzzled, then realization dawned on them when Xander spoke.



"Wow. So you...like owe her your life! What luck meeting here, ya? Praise be to Yevon." Xander said praying then he looked to Buffy. "Uh...Buffy...you, uh...look a little beat up! You okay?"



"Damn! Look at the size of that fish!" Willow shouted pointing out to the river.



Xander looked at the river looking for the fish Willow had pointed out. "I don't see a big fish. All I see is pieces of that machina we beat up." Xander said making Willow choke on air.



"Um… Xander, there's something we need to discuss with Buffy." Anya said when Xander turned around.



"Oh, go ahead."



"Just us three." Tara said smiling. Anya, Tara, and Buffy walked over beside a tree out of hearing range of the others.



"I wonder what they're talking about." Xander asked Willow, who shrugged her shoulders.



"Don't know...but if they want us knowing, I'm sure they will tell us, right?"



"Yeah, suppose so."



"Sir Giles, I would like Buffy to be my guardian." Tara asked when she walked over with Buffy who was hanging her head.



Giles stepped over to Buffy "Show me your face. Look at me."



"Oh, um...okay." Buffy says as she raises her head with her eyes closed.



"Open your eyes." Buffy opens her left eye. "As I thought." Giles says when he sees her eye has a swirl.



"Uh...no good?"



"Are you sure you want to be Tara's guardian?"



"Yes! A hundred percent!" Buffy nods her head furiously. "So, can I?"



"If it is Tara's wish."



"It is Sir Giles." Tara says standing beside Buffy.



"Buffy's a nice girl. She help me out a lot!"



"Well, I'm for it! The more, the merrier!" Xander grins at Buffy.



"Cool! Then I guess I'll just have to be the merriest."



It was strange. Even though Xander had always hated the Al Bhed... He never realized Buffy was one of them.



There's chapter 12, chapter 13 will be out tomorrow.. Hope ya'll enjoyed. :)





To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 12

Postby veiled isis moon » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:24 pm

Wow, man.......you've got talent. Gotta say i'm really enjoying this fic, you write so well, and that's one hell of an imagination you've got there. How do you come up with all these bad guys?? There're really good, and the way you explain the fighting, i can picture it perfectly. I like how everyone has made an appearane in the fic. We've heard of Joyce but are we going to actually see her? And will Dawn be included at some point? Just curious! I was just wondering..........have you made up this whole entire world yourself or have you used something to model your worl around? And you update so quickly as well, and it's not even like there're small chapters! Not that i'm complaining!



Can we have more please?



Michelle.x

veiled isis moon
 


Chapter 13

Postby Stormforce » Sun Jul 25, 2004 5:40 am

veiled isis moon - Thank you. I'm glad you are enjoying the fic. I had made it a point to put have everyone in the fic. Glad you like the fighting I was hoping that when I wrote it, the readers would be able to picture it. :) Yes, Joyce and Dawn will be in the fic in later chapters. The world I modeled this fic around is from the game Final Fantasy X. The enemies are actually from FFX, but I have made some up myself, and they will be making an apperance. And here's another chapter for ya.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for violence and language

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em



Chapter Twelve: The Moonflow



As the group followed the Moonflow path Willow was hit with a flash as four fiends blocked them from going any further. Two silver bee fiends, a purple hard-shelled fiend, and a bluish flan.



[Flash]



Name: Bite Bug

HP: 200

MP: 10



Name: Bunyip

HP: 400

MP: 15



Name: Snow Flan

HP: 600

MP: 120



Willow and Faith attacked the Bunyip, Anya cast a Fira spell on the Snow Flan, and Xander hit one of the Bite Bugs with his ball. Willow didn't do much damage with her sword but it was enough to cause the Bunyip to fall over on its side and allow Giles to finish it off. Xander hit the other Bite Bug knocking it to the ground beside Willow, who split it open with her sword. Anya finished off the Snow Flan with another Fira spell.



"Well that was..." Xander started to say but shut up when Anya glared at him. "Yeah, yeah, I know."



"Hey, isn't that the two from Luca?" Willow asked looking ahead of the group.



Harmony and Hallie were scaring a man away from them. The group approached the two as the man ran off.



"Look! That's one of Faith's friends. Looks just like her don’t it, Hallie?"



"What?" Willow asked already mad.



"Both follow their Summoners on hands and knees. Honorless, babies!" Harmony said laughing.



"Fuck you! What? Did you come here to insult me?" Faith said crossing her arms.



"Wrong! We come to warn Honorless Faith!" Hallie said looking Faith over.



"Summoners are disappearing, and never being seen again." Harmony spoke grinning.



"Yes, and next will be your Summoner!"



"Poor little Faith. Lost her honor, and next lose her Summoner!" Harmony said and left with Hallie following.



Willow walked over to Faith and stood beside her. "Tell me...do those two by any chance, have something against you?"



"No."



"You can't be telling me they were just picking on you."



"I will take care of those two...when the time comes. So, don't worry about it."



"And I'll help!"



"No, it's my problem. Not yours." Faith said and walked forward.



"What?"



Xander put his hand on Willow's shoulder "Like Faith said it's her problem. We can't interfere; it's a rule."



"I'm worried." Anya said staring after the two Dragons.



"Hey let the Dragons deal with Dragon problems, ya? It's always been that way."



"No, Xander. I'm worried about those Summoners disappearing."



"Well they aren't just disappearing into thin air, now are they?" Giles said walking by.



Willow looked at his back. "Hey! If we guardians do our jobs, then Tara will be fine!"



"Whoa!" Xander stepped back.



"Well you're confident." Anya said and smiled.



"Damn straight!"



The group continues up the road with Willow and Tara behind them holding hands. Tara leans her head on Willow's shoulder as they walk.



"Hey Tara, you never did tell me what Aeon you got at the Djose Temple."



"Oh, I got Ixion."



{Ixion is a male Thunder Aeon. He has a dull silver body and white hair covering the top of his head, tail, and legs. He has a horn in the middle of his head that curves back in a half circle and forward into a sharp point. His overdrive is Thor's Hammer.}



The group walks into an area with a mile wide river covered in flowers near the bank. Willow and Tara look at the area in amazement, and kneel looking at the flowers.



"This is the Moonflow." Anya said looking over the river.



"These are moonlillies! They say that clouds of pyreflies gather here when night falls." Tara said as she touched one of the flowers.



"Yes, the entire river glows, like a sea of stars." Anya says looking at Tara.



"Really?" Willow straightens up "Hey, I got an idea!"



"We're not waiting till nightfall." Giles said with his back turned



"Damn! Then, once we beat Sin, we're coming back!" Willow said nodding.



Xander looks toward the end of the path "Hey, we better hurry or we'll miss the shoopuf!"



"Huh? Shoopuf? What's that? Some kind of boat?" Willow asked and Xander pointed to the direction of a large dock. Willow jumps up and down trying to get a good look. When she didn't see anything she took Tara's hand and ran forward. When they reached the end a giant shadow passed over them as a huge tree trunk of a leg stepped in front of them. Willow looked up and saw a giant gray four-legged creature, with a long trunk and a thick tail.



"Whoa, what the...whoa!" Willow says stunned.



Grinning Xander stood beside her "That is a shoopuf."



"We gonna ride that! Cool! Come on, let's get going!" Willow said excitedly



"Don't worry we'll board as soon as we are ready." Xander said and walked over to the shoopuf driver.



Willow ran ahead of a giggling Tara and over to a small shop and saw Drusilla, Darla, and William talking to someone she couldn't see.



"Noo, I don shink sho. Ish bad idea, yesh." Willow heard and cocked her head to the side.



"Please, we beg of you!" Drusilla said



"Imposhibibble! Imposhibibble!"



"What's wrong?" Willow asked Darla who was standing beside a Chocobo.



"Oh, this guy won't let our Chocobo on the shoopuf!"



"Ah. I can see why. It is kinda big."



Darla stomped her foot. "It's just not fair!"



"He does have a point, though." William said walking up.



"So, what? Are you saying we just leave him behind?"



"Hey now, I didn't say that. Just..."



"It is no good. We will have to find another way. We will find a ford where we can cross on foot." Drusilla said mounting the Chocobo.



"Yes ma'am, Captain" Darla saluted



"Oh man! But...that'll take days!"



"Where there's a will, there's a way." Drusilla nudged the Chocobo into a walk



"Oh, man..." William groaned



“That’s our Captain!” Darla said and left with William following.



Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Those words stayed with me. I wonder how Captain Drusilla is doing.



Willow turned and started to say something to the man that Drusilla was talking to, but stopped and stared in horror at the thing standing in front of her. He was blue with eyes on the top of his head, and long arms with long fingers. Willow took a step back and ran into someone looking back she saw Tara standing behind her. Willow ran behind Tara and peeked over her shoulder making Tara laugh, and look at her.



“What is that? It looks like a blue frog!”



“Willow, that is a Hypello. He’s harmless, and I don’t think he has any frog in him.” Tara said giggling.



“Are you sure? I don’t like frogs…they just wait for you to let your guard down, and then they’ll attack you!”



“Yes, I’m sure. So don’t worry. Anyway I’ll protect you…okay?”



“Okay.” Willow said and let Tara lead her to the Hypello.



The blue Hypello looked up when the two girls approached. "Ride ze shoopuf?"



"Yes, we are ready." Tara spoke with Willow still peeking over her shoulder.



"Al aboards!" The Hypello said and climbed into the drivers seat. "Shoopuf launchin'!"



Tara took the seat at the back with Faith to her left, Willow was sitting on the right seat and Giles was beside her, Anya was sitting on the seat in front of her, and Xander took the seat right behind the Hypello. As the shoopuf moved toward the north area of the Moonflow, Xander looked to the side then looked at Willow.



"Hey, look in the water." He said with his arms behind his head.



Willow turned in her seat and looked over. "Whoa!" She saw a huge city under the water. "A sunken city!"



"Yeah, a machina city, a thousand years old. The people back then built the city on top of bridges across the river." Xander said and stood.



"But the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and the city sank to the bottom." Anya said as she too looked over the side.



"That's a good lesson, ya?" Xander asked Willow.



"A lesson?"



"Yeah, why build a city over a river?"



Willow turned and sat down. "Well, it would be convenient, you know...with all that water there."



"No, that's not why. They just wanted to prove they could deft the laws of nature!" Xander leaned forward.



"I'm not so sure about that."



"Yevon has taught us,” Xander said speaking to Willow. "That when humans have power, they seek to use it. And if you don't stop them, they go too far, ya?"



"Yeah...but don't you use machina, too." Willow looked at everyone. "Like the stadium and stuff, right?"



"Yevon, it decides...which machina we may use, and which we may not."



"And just what kind of machina may we use then, Anya?" Willow threw her hands up in the air angrily



"Remember Operation Mi'ihen? That kind." Xander said remembering the destruction Sin caused at Djose.



"Yes, or war will rage again."



"War? Anya what are you talking about?" Willow asked confused.



"More than a thousand years ago... Mankind waged war using machina to kill!" Tara said lowering her head.



Yeah, they kept building more and more powerful machina." Xander said resting his arms on his knees.



Anya then leaned back "They made weapons so powerful... It was thought they would destroy the entire world."



Tara looked up at Willow with a frown "The people feared that Spira would be destroyed."



"But the war did not stop!" Xander sighed pulling at a loose string on his pants.



Willow looked from Xander to Anya and finally Tara "Wh-What happened then?"



"Sin came," Tara said gripping her rod. "and it destroyed the cities and their machina."



"That ended the war...and our reward...was Sin." Faith spoke and turned her head.



"So you see, Sin's our punishment for lettin' things get out of hand, eh?"



"Man, that's rough, Xander."



"Yeah, it is. But, it's not like the machina are bad. Some machina are good like the stadium you mentioned."



"Only as bad as their users." Anya looked down at her mog doll



"It's because of people like the Al Bhed screwin' everything up!" Xander said before they felt a shaking in the water.



The Hypello was looking from side to side "Whatsh could thatsh be?" he said as another rumble could be felt. Tara was standing with the others looking into the water.



"Sit down!" Giles told Tara.



"S-Sorry!" Tara started to sit down when someone jumped from the water and grabbed her, and pulled her under with them.



"The Al Bhed!" Xander said and he and Willow jumped into the water. "We'll save you, Tara!" Xander said swimming to a giant machina with three legs, three small towers around a giant sphere that Tara was beating against from the inside. It had purple flags surrounding the body, and bigger green and yellow flags floating out from under the sphere.



[Flash]



Name" Extractor

HP: 4000

MP: 100



Xander threw his ball at the midsection knowing if he hit the sphere, it could crack and drown Tara. Willow was doing the same thing hitting the midsection with her sword, and something inside her snapped. A blue energy surrounded her, and she hit the machina another six times before swimming back. Two large barrels shot from the machina and floated down toward her and Xander. Willow watched them as Xander threw his ball again. Willow's eyes went wide, and she franticly motioned for Xander to move out of the way, he too looked at the barrels before moving away. The explosion could be seen and heard above water when the barrels exploded. The shockwave sent Willow into large jagged rocks cutting her left leg open, and breaking her left arm. Xander was thrown down on to the river floor, where a piece of metal stabbed him through the stomach. Tara watched all this from inside the sphere, and tried to cast a healing spell on Willow and Xander but found there was an anti-magic field surrounding her. Xander grit his teeth, and swam back up to the machina and threw his ball. Willow had put her arm under the strap of her overalls and swam up behind the machina. She saw a small hatch and opened it and saw a bunch of wires she thought and thrust her sword into the wiring. A small jolt of electricity shot up the sword and into Willow's body as she pulled the sword away. The sphere opened at the top, and Tara swam out meeting Xander at the top. Willow joined them and they swam to the surface as the machina exploded.



Back on the shoopuf Giles helped pull Xander up as Faith and Anya help Willow and Tara. Giles looked over Xander and grabbed the metal sticking out of his stomach. "Tara, you need to cast a healing spell as soon as I pull this out." Giles said and Tara nodded. Xander screamed and a tear ran down his cheek when the metal tore more of his muscle and flesh as Giles jerked it out.



"Gaaahhhh! Those...damn...Al Bhed!" Xander screamed when the healing started.



"Ish ebullibody okay?" The Hypello asked looking back at the group.



"You may get the shoopuf moving again." Giles said throwing the metal back into the water.



"Are you hurt?" Anya asked as Tara moved over to Willow.



"No, I'm fine."



The wound on Willow's leg was pouring out blood, her pant leg was soaked and her shirt was starting to turn red. Willow stopped Tara before she could cast a healing spell. "No! My arm is broken...it needs to be reset."



Faith walked over and unsnapped the latch on Willow's overalls, and gently took Willow's arm in her hands. "This is going to hurt." Faith said and Willow nodded gritting her teeth. Faith snapped the broken bones back into place, and Willow screamed as tears came to her eyes. Tara cast a healing spell over Willow who relaxed with her head laid back on the seat.



"How do you feel Xander?" Tara asked as she checked the still healing scar on his stomach.



"Better." Xander said giving Tara a boyish grin.



Tara smiled back and went to check on Willow. "How are you feeling?" Tara asked helping Willow back into the seat.



"A lot better...now."



"Damn those Al Bhed! Why are they after Tara? Oh! They're mad cause they lost the tournament. No, wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen!" Xander ranted with a red face.



"I wonder...didn't those two Dragons say something about Summoners...disappearing?"



"Yeah, Anya. That's what they said." Faith said sitting beside Tara.



"Ah-ha! So the Al Bhed are behind that! Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!" Xander stomped the floorboard with his foot, and not seeing Tara hang her head.



"Hey, Xander. Don't worry about it, okay? We'll protect Tara from anyone, and anything. It's that easy, right? And that's all I need to know!" Willow said leaning back with her hands behind her head.



"Yeah, I guess so."



"You're right." Anya said smiling and nodding at Willow.



Tara looked over and half smile and silently said "Thank you." Willow winked back.



When the shoopuf docked Willow was the last one off, looking around she didn't see much. She ran into O'aka and bought a few Potions and Antidotes from him. She walked along the bank as the group looked around, when she saw something laying on the bank. Blinking a few times thinking she was seeing things she ran over. The something turned out to be a girl, a girl that surprised Willow.



"You're...not dead?" Willow asked as the girl stood up.



She reached behind her and started unzipping the wetsuit she was wearing, as Willow's eyes widened. She threw the suit to the side and slid the headgear off. She shook the water from her hair and looked at Willow. "Whoa! Thought I was done for, back there." She said and fell to her hands and knees



"Buffy! You're Buffy! You're okay! How ya been?" Willow asked excitedly



"Terrible!"



"Yeah...you don't look so good. What happened?"



Buffy looked up "You beat me up, remember?"



"What? When? Oh! That machina? That was you?"



"Yes!" Buffy said, standing up. "That really hurt, you know. You big meanie!" She hit Willow on the arm.



"Wait! You attacked us!"



"Nuh-uh... It's not exactly what you think."



"Hey!" Willow and Buffy turned and saw the group heading toward them. "Friend of yours?" Xander asked looking at Buffy.



"Umm...yeah! You could say that."



"Pleased to meet you! I'm Buffy."



"Tara, Anya...I told you about her, remember? She helped me before I washed up on Besaid. She's and Al Bhe...beh... she an all around cool person!" Willow said as Tara and Anya looked at her puzzled, then realization dawned on them when Xander spoke.



"Wow. So you...like owe her your life! What luck meeting here, ya? Praise be to Yevon." Xander said praying then he looked to Buffy. "Uh...Buffy...you, uh...look a little beat up! You okay?"



"Damn! Look at the size of that fish!" Willow shouted pointing out to the river.



Xander looked at the river looking for the fish Willow had pointed out. "I don't see a big fish. All I see is pieces of that machina we beat up." Xander said making Willow choke on air.



"Um… Xander, there's something we need to discuss with Buffy." Anya said when Xander turned around.



"Oh, go ahead."



"Just us three." Tara said smiling. Anya, Tara, and Buffy walked over beside a tree out of hearing range of the others.



"I wonder what they're talking about." Xander asked Willow, who shrugged her shoulders.



"Don't know...but if they want us knowing, I'm sure they will tell us, right?"



"Yeah, suppose so."



"Sir Giles, I would like Buffy to be my guardian." Tara asked when she walked over with Buffy who was hanging her head.



Giles stepped over to Buffy "Show me your face. Look at me."



"Oh, um...okay." Buffy says as she raises her head with her eyes closed.



"Open your eyes." Buffy opens her left eye. "As I thought." Giles says when he sees her eye has a swirl.



"Uh...no good?"



"Are you sure you want to be Tara's guardian?"



"Yes! A hundred percent!" Buffy nods her head furiously. "So, can I?"



"If it is Tara's wish."



"It is Sir Giles." Tara says standing beside Buffy.



"Buffy's a nice girl. She help me out a lot!"



"Well, I'm for it! The more, the merrier!" Xander grins at Buffy.



"Cool! Then I guess I'll just have to be the merriest."



It was strange. Even though Xander had always hate the Al Bhed... He never realized Buffy was one of them.



Well there's chapter 13 hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 14 will be out tomorrow...



To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 13

Postby amazonaa » Sun Jul 25, 2004 5:56 am

That was great.:applause I'm glad i didnt miss much. Geez what is it with the Al Bhed. I mean Buffy said it isnt what you think when they stole Tara, the second time. So what is it. im kind of confused.:hmm





Anyway great job. More soon please.







brittney

amazonaa
 


Re: Chapter 13

Postby BurningWhiteRose » Sun Jul 25, 2004 6:26 am

YAY!!



Im all caught up! *happy*



Moonflow sounds beautiful. Flowers...water...I...I love flowers and water. What Id love, is a small house with a big backyard overlooking a lake. With flowers and grass, a big ole cotton tree blowing cotton all over the place. A little tree house, like the ones in "Harriet the spy", maybe a pool.



A gal can dream.



Love the Fic!!!!!!!!



Sincerely,

:flower BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

BurningWhiteRose
 


Re: Chapter 13

Postby veiled isis moon » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:36 pm

Hi

Do you realise you posted Chapter 12 Moonflow twice??



I was getting all excited about an update so soon, and what do you know, your just teasing!!



Michelle.x

veiled isis moon
 


Chapter 13

Postby Stormforce » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:28 pm

amazonaa - The reason the Al Bhed are trying to kidnap Tara, ties in with the reason why the others don't want Willow and Tara to get close. The answers to those questions will be in chapter 16 or 17 so not too far away.



BurningWhiteRose - What you described sounds beautiful. I'm just a country girl and was raised on a farm, so I would like to live by a river with different flowers on the bank. Anyway I just wished they would have waited till dark in the game...but *sigh* they didn't.



veiled isis moon - I just caught my screw up. I apologize. I pulled up the wrong file with chapter 12 instead of chapter 13. So I'm going to post 13 now, and chapter 14 will be the next post.



Ok here is chapter 13, again I am sorry about screwing up.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for language and violence

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em



Chapter Thirteen: Guadosalam



Guadosalam was on the inside of a mountain they could see a small shop in front of them, and a walkway over the path. A young Guado woman approached them and bowed.



"We have been expecting you Lady Tara. Welcome to Guadosalam. Please follow me this way My Lady." The woman said and started to take Tara's hand, but was stopped when Willow stepped in front of her.



"Whoa! I don't think so. Who are you?" Xander said from beside Willow.



"Oh, I'm truly sorry. I am called Amy Guado, and I am in the direct service of our leader, Mistress Glory. Lady Glory has very important business with Lady Tara."



"Business with me? What could it be?"



"Do not worry, all will be explained inside the manor. And your guardians are also welcome." Amy says and leads the group to a red door with blue and green steps.



"Geez, twist our arm, why don't ya?" Buffy whispered to Willow.



"This way please." Amy says and leads them into a large banquet room with several different kinds of fruits. "I will go inform Lady Glory of your arrival. Please wait here, and have all the fruit you like." She says and walks through a blue door at the back of the room.



"Whoa! Don't mind if I do." Buffy said and grabbed a piece of fruit and put several more in her pockets.



Willow shakes her head and walks over to Anya. "There's no temple in Guadosalam, you see? The Summoners usually pass through here on their way elsewhere." Anya said and Willow laughed. "What?"



"It's funny I didn't even ask you a question, and you're explaining things."



"What? You'd rather I say nothing then?"



"No! No, it's not that...It's just that...maybe you are starting to believe that I don't know anything about Spira. And just maybe you're starting to believe me about Zanarkand, too.



"Oh, I see...well there are many things that I do not know about. And your Zanarkand is one of them. I suppose I can't say what I think either way. But you'd still better be careful. You shouldn't tell other people."



"I know Anya. I would upset people if I said that."



"Ya know, I get the feeling she called up here for more than just dinner." Xander said walking over.



"Why do you think that?"



Xander sighed and looked to Willow shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know...it's just a feeling, ya?"



"I think I'll go see what Giles thinks about this." Willow said and headed over to Giles.



"Stay alert." Giles says leaning against the wall.



"Okay, but why? Glory is just one of those Maester people isn't she?"



"Yes, but she has power. Maesters have power, and will use it."



"You don't have something against Yevon do you?"



"I lived a long time in Zanarkand." Giles says as Faith walks over.



"I don't like this Lady Glory." Faith said causing Tara to quickly turn around.



"Aa! Shhh! Don't let anyone here hear you say that!"



"Don't worry you're not the only one." Willow whispers to Faith.



Amy came back in to the room at that moment causing everyone to turn to her. "It is truly good to have guests again. Since Lord Jyscal passed away, these halls have been too quite."



"The death of Lord Jyscal was a great loss for all of Spira." Tara says hanging her head.



Willow walks over to Xander "Was this guy Jyscal really such a great guy?"



"Yes, he brought the teachings of Yevon to the Guado. He was a great man."



Yes, but now we have a new leader; Lady Glory has come before us. Lady Glory is the child of a Guado and a human. She will be the tie that binds our two races together. I do believe that Lady Glory will surely become the shining star that light the way for all the races of Spira." Amy said passionately.



"Amy, that is enough. Must I always endure such praise?" Glory said stepping through the back door then turned to Tara and her guardians. "Welcome to my home, I do hope you are enjoying your stay."



"My Lady you...wanted to see me?" Tara asked confused.



"Please, make yourselves at home. There is no rush."



Giles stepped beside Tara and looked at Glory. "Please, keep this short. Tara must rush."



"I am sorry, Sir Giles. It has been a long time since I've had guests. Lady Tara, this way." Glory says as the room goes dark and lights up with thousands of stars. Xander is turning in a complete circle; Buffy is jumping up and down trying to touch the stars. Anya and Faith just stand looking at the scene, and Giles has a board look on his face. The group looks around as everything changes from stars to a huge city, with buildings twenty and thirty stories tall. Willow's eyes go wide when the room changes again, to the city streets.



"Zanarkand!" Willow exclaimed as a man passes through her body.



"Correct, this is Zanarkand as it looked one thousand year ago. The great, and wondrous machina city, Zanarkand. "Glory said and turned to Tara. "She once lived in this metropolis."



Tara looked over to Glory puzzled "She, who?"



Glory turned and faced forward with a small smile on her face, as an image of a young silver haired woman appeared sitting on a king size bed. She was wearing a gray thong and bra, with a silver cape.



"Lady Yunalesca!" Tara said surprised.



"Yes, she was the first person to defeat Sin and save the world from its ravages. But Lady Yunalesca did not save the world alone. To defeat Sin...it took an unbreakable bond of love...the kind of love that binds two hearts for eternity." Glory said as a man appeared and embraced Yunalesca. The screen flashed as Glory whispered something in Tara's ear.



When the room was back to normal Tara was blushing and looking around. Seeing a glass of water she grabbed it and it down in two gulps.



"Wow! Your face is beet red!" Buffy said looking at Tara.



Willow put her hand on Tara's shoulder "Are you okay?"



"She...she asked me to marry her!" Tara said blushing even more.



"What!" Willow screamed and glared at Glory then looked back to Tara. "Are you serious?"



Giles looked over to Glory showing no emotion "You know what Tara must do."



"I do. Lady Tara...no, all Summoners are charged with bringing peace to Spira. But it means more than just defeating Sin. She must east the suffering of all Spira, and be a leader for the people. I only proposed to Lady Tara as a Maester of Yevon."



"Spira is not a playhouse. A moment's diversion may amuse an audience, be it changes nothing." Giles said



"Even so, the actors must play their part." Glory said to Giles then turned to Tara "There is no need to answer right away. Think it over, and then give me your reply."



"She will think it over until then, we are leaving." Giles said and began walking to the door.



"Lady Tara, I will await your favorable reply... Excuse me Sir Giles, but why are you still here?" Glory asked getting a confused look from Willow. "Please, forgive me. We Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane."



Willow looks from Glory to Giles and starts sniffing around Giles' body. "Sorry to break it to you Giles, but you need a bath." Willow says as Giles shoves her away from him.



When the group stepped outside the door Tara found herself surrounded by her guardians. Willow was watching Tara closely while she listened to the others talk.



"Tara, a High Summoners daughter, Glory, the leader of the Guado. Married in the name of Yevon, and overcoming the barriers of race. It would give the people of Spira something cheery to talk about." Anya said thinking more out-loud than anything.



"It sounds just like a passin' daydream, just like Giles says." Xander said scratching his head.



"Oh! Come on! Let's just get on with the pilgrimage! I mean, marriage?" Willow said getting mad.



Buffy smiled and punched Willow on her left shoulder "Ohhh, me thinks...you're jealous!"



Willow's eyes went wide as her face turned red. "What? No way! It's just we have to defeat Sin, right? Romance can wait!"



"Well she sure as hell picked a fine time to lay this one on us." Faith said frowning.



"Well...maybe it is a fine time." Tara said quietly with her eyes downcast.



"What! You can't be serious!" Willow shouted and felt her heart shatter.



"If my getting married would help Spira...and make the people happy...maybe I should do what I can. But I never imagined doing anything like this. But, I won't answer till I know what's right."



"Seriously?" Willow asked even more surprised than before.



Buffy was still munching on a piece of fruit she'd grabbed on their way out "Well, you could always quit the pilgrimage and get married."



"I will go on. I'm sure that Lady Glory will understand."



"Well I guess so."



"Buffy, I am a Summoner! I must fight and defeat Sin."



"Yes, like your mother before you." Giles said.



I had to stop myself from shouting: What's there to think about?



"I'm going to the Farplane. I'm going to see my mother and think on this."



"Go on, we'll be right behind you." Anya said placing her hand on Tara's back.



I wondered why none of the others ever asked Tara. Do you love Glory? Do you even like her?



The group walked up the ramp and through a round door; there was nothing to see in the small hallway except for a flight of stairs leading up to another round door with a liquid like barrier.



"Umm...I have a question! About the Farplane... You said when somebody dies; a Summoner sends them to the Farplane, right? So their souls, or whatever they might be, they go to the Farplane, right. But that's the Farplane we're going to, right? And Tara's mother's there, too? Do...umm...dead people live there or something?" Willow asked and imagined ghouls, zombies, and monsters surrounding her and shuddered.



"You're thinkin' those funny thoughts again, ya?" Xander asked and started up the stairs. "You'll see once we get there."



Willow moved toward the stairs and watched Giles sit down. "Hey, aren't you coming?"



"I do not belong there."



"Ha! You're scared!"



"Searching the past to find the future... This is all that is there. And I don't need it. You'd better be going.



"Hey, Wills! Don't worry, you're not really going to see the dead...more like your memories of them. You see, people think of their loved ones, and the pyreflies react to them. They take on the form of the dead person...it's just an illusion, and nothing else." Buffy said and sat down across from Giles.



"Oh, I get it now."



"Good. Well have fun."



"What? You're not going either?"



"I keep my memories inside."



"Huh?"



"Memories are nice, but that's all they are."



Willow walks up the stairs and pushes through the liquid barrier, and she looks around in amazement. A river with a huge waterfall, and red, orange, purple and green flower surrounded the river, with different colored pyreflies floating around. There is a large moon in the sky surrounded by black smoke rising from the ground, and stars shining bright.



The Farplane was cool, but I couldn't stop thinking about Tara. Her parents...they looked so happy together. But it got me worried that maybe seeing them would make Tara really consider Glory's proposal.



Willow looks over to Xander and sees him talking to a young redheaded girl a year or two younger than him.



"Yo, Hikari! I meant to come and see you earlier, ya? Sorry! I know you won't hold it against me. Well you should know that I gave up the game. Now, I'm a full-time guardian from here on, you know? Oh! This girl...looks a lot like you...showed up. Traveling with her, I thought, maybe...you were still alive somewhere, ya? But then again, here you are on the Farplane. Guess your favorite place is here. So, how ya been? Oh, that girl I just told you 'bout...I gave her your sword. She likes it."



Not wanting to intrude on Xander's private conversation anymore Willow walked over to Anya.



"Hey, you okay?"



"Yes, it's just seeing a girl that was a sister to me...makes me think. I miss all the things we did together...she always said she'd get married before me...but that won't happen now. And I'm just...I don't know."



"Anya, I think you should put everything behind you. You know, start over. Don't forget her, but just...just remember her, and when you have kids you can tell them all about her."



"I guess...but I haven't found a man yet."



"Well...how about Xander?"



"What? Me with Xander?"



"Why not? You two get along great!"



"That isn't enough, it doesn't even come close."



"Yeah, well I still think you should think about it." Willow says and walks over to where Tara was staring at her parents. A beautiful woman who looked just like Tara was sanding beside a dark blond man.



"I have made my decision." Tara said when Willow stepped beside her.



"Oh, really? That's good."



"I remember, when I was only seven years old, in Bevelle that day. My mother had defeated Sin, and the whole town was out in the streets. Everyone was laughing. They all seemed so happy. If I defeated Sin, that would make everyone happy...wouldn't it? I must do what everyone wants, not just what I want."



"Then let's go back! You gotta tell Glory."



"Before that... Please, call Sir Ira."



"Huh?"



"Don't worry. He won't come."



Trying not to think about my old man made me think about him, of course.



"See, told you!" Tara smiles



He isn't here because he's not dead. He's Sin.



"You know? That means he's alive."







"Willow, why do you hate him so much?"



"Everything he does just makes me so mad. It was his fault that me and my mother." Willow stopped when an image of a woman that looked exactly like her appeared. "Mom? It's her!"



Tara looked from the image then to Willow "She's very pretty."



"How? No one ever performed the sending on her." Willow asked confused.



"She must've accepted death while she was still alive."



"Please don't say that.



"Oh, I'm sorry!"



"It's okay. I think I just figured something out." Willow said looking at the ground.



"What?"



"Why I hate my old man."



[Flashback]



"See? I told him what I thought of him, right there!" Ira was leaning against the railing of the balcony talking to his wife.



"Really?"



"'Course!"



"I suppose, but..."



"Mommy..." A young Willow called out



"Just a sec, dear."




"Whenever my old man was around, my mother wouldn't look at me. Maybe that's when I started to resent him, even hate him. When he left us... Mom just lost her energy."



"Is she all right?" Giles asked the young Willow



"And why should you care?"



"If she dies, I wouldn't know what to do."



"Don't say my mom is gonna die!"



"I apologize." Giles said and left.




"The old lady next door told me...when a lovebird dies, the one left behind... It just gives up living so it can join its mate. It was just like that. I hated my old man even more. But really, my old man..."



Mommy...



"Just a sec, dear."



"Ah, Shelia, go to her. She'll cry if you don't." Ira said.




[End]



"You must think I sound so stupid." Willow said with her head down



Tara grins and shakes her head. "I don't think so."



"Talk about embarrassing!"



Xander walked over with a goofy smile on his face with Anya, and Faith behind him. "Well? Need more time?"



"No, I'm ready."



"Okay, did I miss something?" Anya asked when she saw the smile on Tara's face mirrored on Willow's.



When the group walked out of the liquid barrier Giles and Buffy met them at the bottom of the steps. Before they could go any further, a spirit tried to break through the Farplane barrier.



"It's Lord Jyscal!" A Guado shouted and kneeled.



"He doesn't belong here. Tara send him." Giles said and kneels fighting off two pyreflies.



Tara walks up to the Farplane entrance "Lord Jyscal..." she says sadly.



"Tara, he is Lord Jyscal no more, send him now!" Faith shouted from the bottom step.



Tara sighs and performs the sending, when the spirit disappears it drops something on the ground. Tara kneels and picks it up hiding it in her dress, as Giles stands up with sweat running down his face. "Talk later. We leave now!" Giles said walking down the hall.



"Can someone tell me what just happened back there? Was that really Lord Jyscal?" Xander asked looking over his shoulder.



"What I don't understand is how a man like Lord Jyscal could die and not be sent." Tara said confused



"I think that he was sent, but he stayed on Spira. Something, a powerful emotion could have bound him to this world." Anya said hugging her mog doll to her chest.



Buffy looked over to Anya raised eyebrows "Isn't that against the rules?"



"It means that he died an unclean death." Giles said from the front of the group, as they reached Glory's home.



"Everyone, I'll go meet with Lady Glory." Tara said and walked over to the red doors.



Giles held his hand up to the doors "Tara! Jyscal is the Guado's problem, not yours." Tara nods and proceeds through the door.



"Anya, what do you think about Tara getting married?" Willow asked.



"Well, as long as the pilgrimage continues, either way's fine." Anya said motioned for Willow to follow her.



"Is that all?" Willow asked upset "I mean, what if she doesn't even like her? Do you think that is okay?"



"Willow you have to realize that people marry for many reasons."



"What's that mean?"



"It means that sometimes marriage doesn't require love, you know? Defeat Sin, and bring joy to all of Spira. Get married, and bring joy to Spira. For Tara, they're just two ways down the same road. All you need is determination. If you have that, you don't need love."



"I don't know...I just don't get it."



"Listen, if Tara gets married...then I..."



"What?"



If she is to marry, I would want her to marry for love."



"See!"



"But, if Tara said she wanted to marry the one she loves...then I would have to object."



"You're not making much sense, Anya."



"I know."



Willow shakes her head and walks off and runs into Faith coming out of the Item shop. "Hey, buy some of the Guado Potions before leaving. They are some of the best made." Taking Faith's advice Willow go into the shop and buys a couple of Potions. When she comes back out she heads over to stand with the group.



"Hey Anya?"



"Don't, I've talked enough about that."



"Huh?"



Sighing Anya faces Willow "I'm sorry, just forget about it."



"Damn! You are grumpy!"



"You'll understand one of these days. I just don't want to give it words...not yet. I shouldn't have to say this, but don't fall in love with Tara."



"Too late."



"I...see. But, please, you must keep your feelings inside, at least until the pilgrimage is over."



Willow nods her head slowly and decided to walk around a bit more, near the entrance to the Thunder Plains she ran into Shelinda.



"Is Lady Tara not with you?"



"No. She's at Glory's place."



"That's 'Lady Maester Glory' or 'Lady Glory'"



"Oh, I'll be careful. Sorry." Willow says scratching her head.



"That's all right. But Lady Glory left Guadosalam a short while ago."



"You serious?"



"Yes. She went to the temple in Macalania. Lady Glory is also the High Priestess of that temple."



"Excuse me, I have to tell the others." Willow thanks Shelinda and runs over to the group. "Hey guys! Glory isn't here she left for another temple."



Tara is inside looking at a picture of Lord Jyscal "Please tell me Sir. What can I do to help?" She asks as Buffy runs in.



"Tara, let's go!" Buffy says grabbing Tara's hand and leading her outside.



"Hey, Shelinda said that Glory went to Macarena Temple" Willow says mispronouncing the name.



"That's Macalania Temple" Xander corrects her.



"Whatever, either way Glory isn't here."



"Why would the Lady Maester head off without a peep to anyone? That's what I don't get." Xander says looking confused.



"Well, maybe she wasn't expecting Tara to answer her so soon." Buffy say cocking her head to the side.



"Ah, yeah that's probably it."



"What is wrong Tara? Giles asks when he sees the sad look on Tara's face.



"Oh, it's nothing."



"You're a poor liar"



"It's nothing Sir Giles. Come on, let's go." Tara says and heads off to the Thunder Plains entrance with the group following.





Well that's 13 and 14 is coming up.

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Chapter 14

Postby Stormforce » Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:10 pm

Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for language and violence

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em…but I do own the Killer Spike fiend in this chapter…and if there is something similar in any other games, don’t sue me because I haven’t played that certain game to know.



Chapter Fourteen: The Thunder Plains



When the group came to the end of the path they saw huge towers by different parts of the path. Lightning would hit the towers or the ground every few seconds making the plains light up. Buffy was behind the group holding her hands up to her chest, and every time lightning would strike she would flinch. "Oh, no...we're here,” Buffy said in a scared voice. When the lightning struck five foot in front of them Buffy screamed.



"Whoa!" Willow said jumping back "Now, how are we suppose to cross that?"



"See the towers?" Anya asked pointing to the towers in the distance "Those are called lightning towers. And the lightning is drawn to them...well hopefully drawn to them."



"When head north along the path, not too near and not too far from the towers, ya?" Xander said



"That means we should avoid wide, open areas." Faith told Willow



Lightning struck again causing Buffy to shriek again. "You know what? I left something in Guadosalam!"



"It's been nice know you." Giles said turning to Buffy.



Buffy straightened up "Okay, okay! I'll go! But if I get fried it's your fault!"



The group ran to the first tower avoiding a strike of lightning two foot from them, as they started for the second tower fiends attacked. A floating man-like fiend with orange hair, a green fiend with one large red eye, was flying toward them, and a small dragon like fiend with a reddish brown body, with a purple chest, and fire could be seen coming from its mouth.



[Flash]



Name: Aerouge

HP: 200

MP: 220



Name: Buer

HP: 230

MP: 250



Name: Kusariqqui

HP: 445

MP: 31



Xander threw his ball at the Buer fiend knocking it from the sky for Faith to stab with her spear. Anya cast a Watera spell on the Aerouge, as Willow and Giles took on the Kusariqqui fiend. The fiend swung its tail hitting Giles on his side and knocking him five foot away. Willow brought her sword down cutting into its long scaly neck and jumped back. The Aerouge cast a Thunder spell on Faith knocking her to the ground, Anya cast another Watera spell killing the fiend, and ran over to Faith. Willow had just dodged a ball of fire the Kusariqqui shot out of its mouth she struck its neck again, making small souls float out. Buffy was trying to fight off a blue and purple fiend with a triangular shape body that had floated up behind her. Tara was healing Faith and Giles when Willow finally severed the Kusariqqui's head from its body. Buffy screamed when the fiend she was fighting cast a Thunder spell on her. A bright green light surrounded her body and she glared at the fiend. She mixed two scales together and tossed it at the fiend, "Take that!" she shouted, when the scales hit, a flood of water rushed over the fiend killing it.



"Are you okay, Buffy?" Tara asked watching at smoke rose from Buffy's hair.



"I really hate this place." Buffy said then screamed again when lightning struck one of the towers.



"We best be moving along. Otherwise we'll all be smoking like Buffy." Faith grinned and winked at Buffy.



The group moved from the second tower and on to the third. Running up a small incline they saw a small lodge just as lightning struck a foot in front of them.



"Whoa! That was a close one! Ya?" Xander said laughing.



"Will you stop kidding around!" Anya said giving Xander a glare.



"Yes, ma'am!" Xander saluted causing Anya to roll her eyes.



"Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh..." Everyone turned around and saw Buffy holding her hands up to her chest looking around wildly.



"Yo, Buffy. What's wrong?" Xander asked worriedly



"Eh heh heh heh heh heh heh..."



"Heh heh heh... Dammit! Buffy you're givin' me the creeps!" Willow said and lightning struck making Buffy to hit the ground and crawl forward. The group takes a step back and look at her strangely as she crawls over to Willow and grabs on to her leg.



"I wanna go home! I hate lightning! I hate thunder!" Buffy says gripping Willow's leg like a life raft "Let's go rest over there! Please?" she said pointing to the lodge.



"Buffy" Giles said stepping forward "this storm never stops. It's better to cross quickly."



"I know...but it'll only be for a little while. Please?"



"Now what?" Willow asks trying to pull Buffy off her leg.



"We move on." Giles says turning and walking away.



The group passes by the lodge and Buffy looks at it pleadingly. "Pretty please? I swear just a few minutes." Buffy asks only to be ignored. "I'm scared of lightning! Please, let's rest for a while, okay?" The group is still ignoring her. "I'm too young to die!" Buffy whines stilling being ignored. "You people are mean...you're cruel! Your moms would be ashamed of you! Are you having fun doing this to me?"



Giles stops and turns "Fine, we rest. By Ifrit's Hellfire! She's worse than the storm."



The group steps inside the lodge and sees a small table and four chairs to the right beside a bookshelf. To the right are items and weapons for sale. And in front of them is the lodge clerk.



"You know, I am a little tire." Tara says and walks over to the clerk "Excuse me do you have an available room?"



"Yes, Lady Summoner. Please follow me." The clerk says and leads Tara to her room.



"What's up with Tara?" Xander asks Anya



"I don't know this isn't like her."



Willow watches Buffy flinch when a loud boom echoed throughout the lodge "Buffy, are you really that scared?"



"When I was little, a fiend attacked me while I was swimming at the beach. My younger sister tried to beat it back with a spell. And she was just learning how to use magic." Buffy said and screamed when lightning hit outside the lodge door. "But she missed the fiend and hit me instead! It was a Thunder spell...Bzzzzzzt!" Buffy said pretending she'd been struck by lightning.



"Ouch!" Willow said



"And I've been scared of thunder and lightning ever since."



"Yes, but Thunder magic is very effective against marine fiends." Anya said sitting in one of the chairs.



"That's what my little sister said too."



"You know...you should learn some spell, too. It would be very useful." Anya said, and Buffy squeaked again.



"I think she should learn them later...a lot later." Faith grinned "Or she might freak out and hit one of us."



Jenny walk in the door and smiled when she saw Willow "Hello it's very nice to see you again. "Welcome to Jenny's Travel Agency." She said and looked at Buffy "Oh?"



Buffy waved her hands in front of her "Shhh!"



"Ah." Jenny said and walked behind the counter.



Willow walks down the hallway looking around when she hears a sound coming from Tara's room. "Huh?" She quietly walks up to the door and listens, hearing someone talking she puts her ear next to the door. Pushing forward a little more the door opened and she stumbled into Tara's room. "Whoa!" Willow says as Tara turns the image of the talking Guado off.



"Y-yes?"



Willow rubs the side of her head, and looks around nervously "I... well that is...umm...nothing really. I just...uh... I'm sorry, Tara. I shouldn't have come in. Hey! Wasn't that...umm...Jyscal Guado guy?" She asks looking to the movie sphere Tara had turned off.



"Yes, the sphere is his will... It says, to take care of his daughter."



"His daughter? Glory? Well, I know one way to take care of her." Willow said with a frown



"I-I'm sorry." Tara said and ran out of the room. Willow watched her go and sighed, she cocked her head and looked at the movie sphere. She didn't see Xander sneaking up behind her until he had her in a headlock. "And just what do you think you're up to?"



"Tara! Tara was acting...f-funny, so I-I thought."



"Yeah, yeah! Don't worry she'll tell up when she's ready...so hold your chocobos tell then, ya?"



"All right! Xander, all right! Let me go."



Xander laughed and released Willow "Now, go to bed we gotta leave early in the morning." He said and dragged Willow over to a room and gently pushed her in. Later that night Willow was still wide-awake and staring into the darkness when her door opened. She looked over to see Tara stepping in she watched Tara close the door, and slowly make her way over to the bed.



"Willow are you awake?" Tara whispered in the darkness.



"Yeah" Willow raised up in the bed. "What's wrong?"



"I-I can't...umm... sleep. Could I s-stay with y-you?" Tara asked as a flash of lightning lit up the room enough to where Willow could see that Tara was blushing.



"Climb in." Willow said raising the covers. Tara slipped in and smiled in the darkness, as Willow wrapped her arms around her waist.



“Good night, Willow.”



“Night, Tara.”



The next morning Faith opened Willow's door and looked in to find Tara wrapped in Willow's arms. "Anya, don't worry I've found her." Faith whispered to Anya who was running around worriedly.



"What?" Anya asked and looked into the room, she shook her head with a sigh "What are we going to do Faith?"



"Just let them be for now. If it gets to out of hand we'll put a stop to it." Faith said watching Tara snuggle closer to Willow in her sleep. "I'd better wake them, Sir Giles is waiting on us."



"Yeah right! You just want to get close to Buffy!" Anya teased.



Faith looked over her shoulder with a grin "Hey, I can't help it if I think Buffy is a hottie!" she quietly walked over to the bed, and gently shook Willow awake. "Hey, Will. Wake up; it's time to go. Oh, and if you don't mind...wake Tara up also."



"Okay." Willow said still half asleep as Faith walked out the door. "Tara? Wake up." Willow smiled when she saw Tara's blue eyes half open.



"What is it Willow?" Tara asked yawning.



"Time to go."



"Oh" Tara said sadly and got out of bed. "I have to go get dressed, I'll meet you and the other's out front,” she said walking out the bedroom door.



When Willow emerged from the hallway she found Buffy staring at the door like it was going to attack her at any moment. "What's up?"



Buffy jumped and looked over to Willow "It's not going to stop, is it?"



"Don't tell me you were hoping it would." Giles said and walked over to the door as Buffy squeaked when the thunder boomed overhead. "Fine. Have it your way, stay here." he said and walked out the door.



Geez! You didn't have to say it like that, you know! Couldn't you be more comforting or something! You know, try to cheer me up? But nooo you just tell me to stay here! Hey, are you even listening to me?" Buffy shouted at Giles' back and again squeaked when lightning flashed. "I'm not scared! You hear me!"



"Well that's good to know." Faith said walking up from behind "Are we going to be able to make it across the rest of the plains?" she asked grinning and then winked at Buffy. "Come on, we won't let you get hurt."



Willow watched Faith lead Buffy out the door, while she waited on Tara and Anya. When the two finally made up front Willow followed them out the door. A man running by snapped the groups picture and ran off. The group made it down the slope before being attacked by four fiends, a small green cactus with three large thorns on its head, a huge twenty foot tall armor fiend with a ten foot long sword, a small dark green lizard with orange spikes, and a black and purple ape like fiend with spikes all over its body.



[Flash]



Name: Qactuar

HP: 500

MP: 1



Name: Iron Giant

HP: 3600

MP: 1



Name: Melusine

HP: 265

MP: 65



Name: Killer Spike

HP: 765

MP: 35



The Qactuar bent forward and moved its small arms rapidly throwing shape needles at the group. "I hate needles!" Buffy said jumping back and dodging to the left. Willow jumped forward over the path of the needles and brought her sword down on the Qactuar cutting it in half. Faith and Giles ran at the Iron Giant, as Buffy punched the Killer Spike. Anya cast a Blizzara spell on the Melusine, and Tara hit it in the head with her rod. Xander helped Buffy by throwing his ball at the spiked fiend, causing it to turn toward him. Faith flipped over the giant's sword as the huge fiend swung at her, when she landed her brought her spear down, severing the hand at the wrist. Giles swung his sword at the fiends’ knee severing it, the Iron Giant fell to the ground and burst into souls and disappeared. The spiked fiend jumped into the air and balled it's body up, it flew threw the air at Xander who dodged to the right. Willow seeing this ran over as the fiend turned in mid-air and flew at them again. Willow grabbed the tip of her sword and held it up in front of her, as the fiend hit it was knocked to the ground, Willow thrust her sword into its chest holding it down as Giles severed the head. Anya finished off the Melusine with another Blizzara spell, and sighed when she saw no more fiends.



The group started to move on but stopped when Tara spoke. "Please wait."



"What is it Tara?" Xander asked watching her closely.



"I-I have s-something to tell y-you."



"Here?" Anya questioned raising her eyebrows



"Tara, please can't this wait... We're almost out of here!" Buffy said wanting to leave the Thunder Plains for good.



"I'm sorry, but I have to say it now."



"Over there." Giles said pointing to one of the towers with a small roof.



Willow walked beside Tara watching her out of the corner of her eye



Somehow, my bad feeling always come true.



Tara kept her eyes on the ground not looking up "I've...decided to marry."



"I thought so." Anya said covering her eyes with her hand.



"Tara?" Xander asked wanting her to look up "Why...why did you change your mind?"



"For Spira's future...and Yevon's unity. I-I thought it would be the best thing to do."



"That is not good enough, Tara" Giles said shouldering his sword.



"Is it because...of Lord Jyscal?" Anya asked



"Hey! That sphere you were watching!" Willow shouted remembering seeing the sphere of Jyscal



"Show me." Giles said stepping forward.



"I can't" Tara said with her head down "I must speak to Lady Glory first. I truly am sorry, but this is...a personal matter."



Xander crossed his arms "You're kidding, ya?"



"As you wish."



"I'm sorry, Sir Giles."



"Just one thing."



"I won't quit the pilgrimage. I've made my mind up on that."



"Then it is...fine." Giles sighed



Willow thought, "Now just you wait a minute, Giles! You don't care? You're not going to stop her?



"No, I'm not" Giles said facing Willow "As long as she is willing to face Sin...all else is her concern. That is her privilege. As long as she journeys."



"But that's just..." Willow threw her arms up in the air



Xander was pacing under the small roof before stopping and turning to face Tara. "I have just one question. Can't you just talk to Lady Glory? You've got to marry her?"



"I don't know...but I do think it's the right thing to do."



"Okay, I guess." Xander hung his head feeling defeated.



"Tara..." Buffy said as the lightning struck "Quite!" she shouted to the sky "I wish we could help somehow, or some way!"



"Don't worry, Buffy...I'll be fine."



She says, "I'm sorry," He says, "It's fine." She's "willing" to face Sin. She's "privileged." I didn't understand. But somehow, I felt I didn't belong. But if I didn't belong with them, I'd be stuck in Spira, alone. And being alone in that place, well, I didn't want to think about it.



"Next, we're gong to Macalania Temple. Tara can talk with Glory there. And we guardians will wait until they're done, and plan our next move. Understood?" Giles said and received nods from the group, as they moved out of the Thunder Plains and into Macalania Woods.



That's 14 and 15 should be out later tonight hopefully...if not, then most certainly tomorrow. Hope ya'll enjoyed. :)

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 14

Postby veiled isis moon » Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:14 am

OHMYGOD i can't believe it! What is she doing?? No, no, no, no, no! It's wrong and unnatural and if she is going to be getting married she should be marrying Willow, not Glory! I bet Glory is evil and she's manipulating Tara's sense of honour just to get what she wants and she'll no doubt screw her over first chance she gets. Evil Glory!

And what is Willow doing?? Say something already



Please make it better

veiled isis moon
 


Re: Chapter 14

Postby CEsgirl13 » Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:21 pm

hey this is a pretty cool fic, I hope you update real soon!

~Jamie

When you choose to hold the rose you are also agreeing to bleed.

CEsgirl13
 


Chapter 15

Postby Stormforce » Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:31 pm

veiled isis moon - Don't worry it will get better...I really can't say anything else or it'll ruin the story line. But it will get better. :)



CEsgirl13 - Thank you. And here's another chapter. :)





Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for violence and language

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. But I do own the Spinner fiend…and if there is another beast/monster in any other game that is similar to this one…please don’t sue me, cause I haven’t played that game to know.



Chapter Fifteen: Macalania



Willow was following behind the group as they headed into Macalania Woods. The trees were twenty and thirty feet tall, and the woods had a bluish overcast making even the grass look blue in spots. Willow watched as a blue butterfly flew past her face and land on the trunk of a tree. Giles had stopped and was waiting for her to catch up.



"You're worried about Tara, aren't you?"



"Of course, Giles." Willow said and stopped beside him. "Just what is she thinking?"



"I would think in exchange for agreeing to marry Glory...she hopes to negotiate with her."



"But what is she going to negotiate?"



"That is what I'm wondering about myself."



Willow looked at the ground then back to Giles. "Do you think she can? You know do this by herself?"



"Tara is a strong young woman, but Glory is the better negotiator."



"Can't we do something about it?"



"No. This is the way Tara wants it."



"Argh! I don't get it!" Willow threw her hands in the air. "Doesn't she trust us?"



"Willow, it isn't about her trusting us...It's just that she doesn't want us caught up in whatever it is she's planning."



"Yeah...but that just makes me worry about her more." Willow hung her head "She could just tell us." she said quietly.



Giles chuckles "That is just the way she is. She's naive, serious to a fault, and doesn't ask for help...and she is very easy to read."



"Yeah, she is."



"But, she is hard to guard. Willow I know what the others have told you...but please, stand by her...always." Giles said and continued on with Willow following.



"Hey, slowpokes!" Buffy laughed, "What took so long?"



"Sorry." Willow smiled and walked up the tree path over the woods.



It's funny how calm I was. Maybe it was because I'd realized that Tara wasn't marrying Glory for love. Not really. It was just her duty...something she had to do before returning to her pilgrimage. That's what I kept telling myself, anyway. And well, maybe... I realized that Tara and I'd never... You know.



The group encountered four fiends, a gray and silver bee, a white flan, a huge two headed fiend, one head was in the shape of an eagle, and the other had a bull head with horns, the tail was a long green snake. The last fiend that showed up was a white wolf.



[Flash]



Name: Wasp

HP: 360

MP: 30



Name: Ice Flan

HP: 1350

MP: 160





Name: Chimera

HP: 9000

MP: 200



Name: Snow Wolf

HP: 400

MP: 50



Xander hit the Wasp with his ball knocking it back into a tree, and stunning it. Willow swung her sword at the bullhead of the Chimera, while Faith hit the eagle head. Anya was casting Fira spells on the Ice Flan. Tara jumped to the left as the Snow Wolf attacked her, and hit it on the head with her rod. Buffy swung her gloved hand down on the wolf’s back breaking the spinal column killing it. Anya cast another Fira spell on the flan killing it. Faith dodged a clawed hand as the Chimera swiped at her, Willow flipped over the snake tail and cut the head off when she landed. Giles brought his sword down the middle of the two head cutting the fiend in half. Xander threw his ball one last time killing the Wasp. No one saw the giant eight-legged green spider with red and blue markings sneak up behind them until Willow shouted. They turned and saw her being wrapped up in the spider's web. "It's a Spinner!" Faith called out. "Anya it's weakness is Water." Anya nodded and cast a Watera spell on the spider causing it to drop Willow; Xander threw his ball hitting it on the face. Faith swung her spear in an upward motion cutting one of the large fangs off, Buffy spun in a circle hitting the fiends’ right front leg. A red glow surrounded Giles as he screamed out "Tornado!" the fiend was picked up by a huge spinning vortex of wind, and was dropped from thirty feet up it exploded in different colored souls when it hit the ground.



Tara was slowly cutting the web away from Willow trying not to cut her in the process. "Tara, please get it off." Willow said squirming a little. Tara grinned holding back her laughter when Willow made a disgusted face. With the last of the thick web cut away Willow jumped up brushing at her body. "I really hate spiders...especially ones that big!" Willow said and began walking along side Tara as the group continued along the path.



They entered the next area with Willow watching the trees for any sign of more over sized spider when she saw Angel running toward them.



"Hey! You...have you...seen Cordelia?" Angel asked out of breath.



"Cordelia? I'm sorry but we haven't" Willow said still pulling the spider web from her hair.



"What's wrong?" Xander asked worriedly



"We got separated on the way here. Dammit! I have to find her." Angel said close to panic.



Giles put his hand on Angel's shoulder "Calm down."



"But...if anything were to happen."



"Running around in a panic will not help. Right now, you have to keep a cool head, and search for her."



Angel slumped over and hung his head "Yeah, but"



"Guard your emotions, then guard your Summoner."



"You are right, Sir Giles." Angel said straightening up.



"Now, shall we help you search?"



"No thank you, Sir Giles. I have taken up enough of your time." Angel said and ran back the way he came. Buffy tried to stop him but he was already gone.



"Yo, what's up?" Xander asked looking at her



"Oh! I...uh...just wanted to...um...wish him good luck."



The group moved into the next area, Tara and Willow were watching the blue and red butterflies floating around. Willow's thoughts were interrupted when Tara took her hand. Looking over Tara gave her a half smile and lowered her head.



Anya, Faith, Buffy, and Xander were watching all of this with sad expressions.



"Willow told me that she loves Tara." Anya quietly said



"We all love her."



"Xander that is not what she meant. What Anya means is that Willow has fallen in love with her." Faith told him.



"Oh hellfire. That's bad."



"Yes, Xander it is." Faith nodded



"Oh man, hearing Tara say that she's going to marry Lady Glory must have shattered her heart, ya?"



"Fuck! Why in the hell is she going to marry her? I don't like her one bit." Faith said angrily



"Wait." Giles said from the front of the group and walked over to two trees that had grown together. "It's around...here." he swung his sword cutting the tree bark away revealing a closed off path. He leads the others into a small area with a large sparkling tree in the middle of a small body of water.



"This place..." Willow said looking around "Is just mostly water, isn't it?"



"This is what movie and music spheres are made of. It absorbs and preserves people's memories." Giles said as something rose up from the water. The fiend was a large bluish green body of water with a small sphere in the middle.



"And you just had to bring us straight to a fiend." Willow said grabbing her sword



[Flash]



Name: Spherimorph

HP: 12,000

MP: 100



Willow's sword went through the water and hit the sphere inside causing the fiend to shape up in a pillar and rise into the air. Willow dodged when the fiend came down almost on top of her, "Lovely! Swords won't hurt it!" Willow screamed.



"Its weakness is Fire!" Faith screamed scanning the fiend. Anya cast a Fira spell on it, the fiend shook and the sphere inside opened and changed color. Anya cast another Fira spell on the fiend doing no damage.



"Faith! The damn thing changed elements, what's the weakness now?" Anya asked and jumped back as the fiend tried to stomp her into the ground.



"Thunder!" Faith hollered and Anya cast Thundara spell.



"Willow you've got to help me!" Anya screamed. "Look inside yourself and find a gray magic spell...you'll know it. It will make me cast faster." Anya said and waited for Faith to finishing scanning the fiend. Willow concentrated and looked deep within and came to a spell that was pulsing with a green light. Willow unlocked the spell, and went stiff.



The magic flowed through her body and down to her right palm, she held out her hand facing Anya. "Haste!" she yelled. When the Haste spell hit Anya, she cast three Watera spells on the fiend killing it.



With the Spherimorph out of the way Giles walked over beside the tree, and picked up a movie sphere and handed it to Willow.



"Whoa! That is one old sphere! Don't know if ya can play it back." Xander said examining the sphere in Willow's hand.



"What is this?" Willow asked turning the sphere over in her hand.



"Ira left it here ten years ago. Play it back."



Willow presses the button and the sphere lit up.



[Sphere Recording]



"What are you doing?" A younger version of Giles asks looking over the sphere to Ira.



"Hey, you said it was going to be a long trip. And we'll be seeing a lot of neat things, right? So, I thought I'd record it all, and show it to my wife and kid, you know."



"This is not a pleasure cruise!" Giles says and begins walking beside a beautiful woman with long dark blond hair.



"Yo, Mythe? Ain't this some sort of grand occasion?" Ira asked looking around, "So where's the people to show you off? Ya know, the cheering fans, and the crying women?"



"You're looking at it. Too many goodbyes, and people start to think twice about leaving." Mythe said smiling.



"Whatever you say. Well, there better be a huge party when we get back. And a parade for Mythe, the vanquisher of Sin!"



Mythe turns her eyes skyward "I think we should leave. Day will be breaking soon."




[End of first recording]



"Why are you showing me this?"



"Please Willow, just watch it." Giles says and Willow hits the button again.



[Second recording]



Giles and Ira are standing in front of an icy cliff looking into the sphere.



"Giles, would you please stand closer to Ira." Mythe asks from behind sphere, and Giles moves a little closer. "Good, thank you. And that should do it."



"What's the matter, Giles? You 'fraid I might bite you?"



"Do shut up Ira." Giles sighs and walks off screen.



"Mythe, why don't you make one, too? It would be a great gift for Tara!"



"Yes, I suppose you're right."



"Lady Mythe... We shouldn't waste our time like this!" Giles says from the side of the sphere.



"Oh, come on G what's the hurry?"



"Don't call me that! And I'll tell you what the hurry is!" Giles stepped forward, but was stopped by Mythe.



"Giles! Please, don't fight."




[End of recording]



"What's the point in watching this? He wasn't on some pleasure cruise." Willow said about to toss the sphere to the ground, but Buffy grabbed her wrist.



"I think there's more." Buffy said causing Willow to sigh and hit the button once more.



[Third recording]



Ira is sitting in the same spot Willow is standing and looking into the sphere.



"Hey. If you're sitting there, and watching this...it means you're stuck in Spira, like me. You might now know when you'll get to go back home, but you better not be crying!" Ira looks to the ground. "Although, I guess that I'd understand if you are. But you know what? There's a time when you gotta stop crying and move on. You'll be fine. But I want you to remember… you are my daughter. And...Well, uh...Oh never mind, I'm no good at these things." Ira picks the sphere up off the ground and points it toward the trees. "Anyways...I do believe in you. Be good, and...Goodbye."




[End of recording]



Willow puts the sphere in her pocket "He actually sounded almost serious, but it was too late."



"He was serious. Ira had already accepted his fate, when he recorded that."



"His fate?" Willow asked looking up at Giles.



"He was always talking about going home, to Zanarkand. And that is why he took all of those pictures...to show them to you when he returned. But as he journeyed with us he came to understand Spira, and Mythe's resolve. It happened gradually, but Ira changed. So, he decided that he would join Mythe in her fight against Sin."



"So, he gave up on going home?"



"That was his decision." Giles said and started walking back to the path.



I guess I understood. My old man... he knew there was no way back home, back to Zanarkand. He wanted to go home, but he knew he couldn't. And he couldn't go on until he had accepted it. Besides...even if he had found a way back... I don't think he would've left his friends behind before their journey was complete.



"All right! Let's get going!" Willow said following after Giles.



And maybe I had to start accepting my own fate.



Giles was waiting beside the path when Willow approached he touched her shoulder "Wait."



"Yeah?"



Giles waited until the group was on the path before speaking "Ira loved you."



"Oh, come on, Giles."



"He just didn't know how to express it, he told me."



"Enough about my old man, okay?"



"I just thought you should know, is all."



Willow smiled sadly "Thanks, Giles."



The group moves on to the lake area of Macalania to the Travel Agency, Willow smiles when she spots William standing beside the building. William smiles at the group as the go inside to get warm, Willow stays behind and nods to him.



"Would you look at this? They're always leaving me behind." William said shaking his head, as the Chocobo ruffled its feathers. "Oh, you want me to scratch you, don't ya?" He scratches the Chocobos chest and smiles "There that's a good boy!"



"Whoa! That's cool! How'd you know what he wanted?" Willow asked watching William pet the big bird.



"Oh, I've always been able to tell how Chocobos feel. I'd probably be a better breeder than a Chocobo Knight. What do you think?"



"I think you are a great Chocobo Knight."



"Really? Wow, for a minute there I thought you'd say I'd be better off breading them." William said and shook Willow's hand. "Well I'd better get going, and try to catch up with the captain. Good luck on your journey!" Willow watched him rind out of sight before going into the Agency. Willow leans against the wall waiting on the others.



"Is everyone ready?" Giles asked standing beside the door, receiving nods he walks out the door with everyone following. Willow was the last one out behind and saw Amy running over to meet them.



"Lady Tara, we have been expecting you. We were surprised that you decided to come so soon, pleasantly surprised, of course. Lady Glory sends her apologies for having left without notice." Amy said then bowed to Tara.



"That was fine, I'm sure Lady Glory has many things to do. But, I do have one question?"



"Yes, My Lady what is it?"



"I want to keep journeying, even if I marry. Do you think that Lady Glory would let me?"



"Why of course, My Lady. Lady Glory wishes nothing else, I'm sure."



Tara turns and looks at each guardian "Goodbye."



"We must follow the Guado tradition." Amy says taking Tara's hand. "So, I must ask you to wait here, and I'll send someone to escort you to the temple."



"I..." Tara starts to say something but stops.



"Do as you will, Tara. We are all with you." Giles says and touches Tara's arm.



"Thank you, Sir Giles." Tara said before Amy led her off



Giles turns and looks at a down cast Willow "Sorry."



"Huh? What for?" Willow asks looking up.



"That was your line."



Willow looks at him and smiles, and runs to the side of the snow bank "Tara!" she shouts then whistles.



Tara turns and nods her head "I'll remember!" she says and is shoved out of the way by Amy, when a machina snow sled comes racing by.



"Oh, no!" Buffy shouts and runs off with Willow and the others following.



"Those damn Al Bhed again!" Xander curses running behind Faith.



Giles stands in front of Amy and Tara "Stand back! We'll take care of this!"



"Thank you, Sir." Amy says and try’s to lead Tara away, but Tara breaks the hold on her hand and rushes over to Willow. "My Lady! We must go!"



"I'm going to stay and fight beside my guardians." Tara says and smiles at Willow, as a young Al Bhed girl appears on the snow bank to the left.



"Buffy! Tuh'd ehdanvana un oui kad du vekrd drec!" The young girl shouted, as a large gray tank with orange and silver marking appeared. (Buffy! Don't interfere or you get to fight this!) "Fedr drec ouin bnaleuic magic yht aeons yna caymat!" (With this your precious magic and aeons are sealed!)



"Dammit!" Buffy stomped her foot.



"Umm...translation?" Willow asked looking at the machina



"She's going to use an anti-magic field on us!"



"Well shit!" Faith said and twirled her spear



"Ked dras!" The girl shouted and the machina tank rolled off the bank. (Get them!)



The tank stopped ten foot from the group, and a small round machina with a propeller on the end flew up into the air. With the small machina in the air an anti-magic barrier surrounded the group. Xander threw his ball hitting it and knocking it back. Faith tried to hit it with her spear, only to find it wasn't a long enough reach. Willow watched as the small machina floated there, and got an idea. "Faith!" she called. When Faith turned to her Willow locked her fingers together and held them down in a cup. Faith grinned getting the idea, and locked her fingers together. Willow ran over and put her right foot in Faith's hands, Faith tossed Willow up into the air with her sword drawn she struck the machina knocking it to the ground. Buffy ran over to it and pulled the wires, cutting the power and taking the barrier down. The cannon on the tank began to glow, and shake.



"Get back!" Buffy screamed and dived to the right, as the group dodged a beam shot out of the cannon and into the snow bank, melting the snow twenty feet away. Anya hurriedly cast a Thundara spell on the tank, and looked over her shoulder when she heard Tara speak.



"Ixion, please come to my aide." Tara spoke and a black portal opened in mid-air behind her. A golden horn appeared first, then Ixion jumped out of the portal, and reared up on his hind legs beside Tara, and snorted. "Use Aerospark." Tara said to him petting his face, and stepped back. Ixion bowed his head, and his horn glowed, and shot out a large amount of electricity, hitting the tank. The tank began to shake then fell silent, and started backing up. "Thank you, Ixion. You may go now." Tara said and pats Ixion on his neck.



"My Lady!" Amy ran over to Tara and checked her for wounds, and found none. "Please we must go now." She said and led Tara off. Willow watched her go sadly.



When the tank rolled to the top of the snow bank it came down the young girl got out. "Buffy! E femm damm Sudran!" she shouted. (Buffy! I will tell mother!)



"E ys Tara's guardian huf, oui caa? Tara ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran! Cra ec cyva!" Buffy shouted back. (I am Tara's guardian now, you see? Tara is safe! We will guard her! She is safe!)



The young girl shook her head "Drah oui du drec ymuha, cecdan!" the girl shouted and left. (Then you do this alone, sister!)



Buffy sighed and turned to Willow, who had Xander standing beside her. "I told her I was Tara's guardian...I guess I had to, really."



"Why do you speak Al Bhed?" Xander asked very confused.



"Because Xander...I'm Al Bhed. And that was...my sister Dawn." Buffy said looking at the ground.



Xander looks over to Willow "You knew?" he asks and receives a nod from her. "Why in the hell did you tell me?"



"We knew it would upset you, and you would have went against Buffy becoming a guardian." Anya said putting her hand on Xander's shoulder.



"This is just great!" Xander shoves Anya's hand away. "I can't believe that I've been traveling with a damned Al Bhed! A heathen!"



"You're wrong, Xander! The Al Bhed has nothing against Yevon!" Buffy shouts facing him.



"Al Bhed use the forbidden machina! And do you know what that means? Sin was born because people used machina!"



"Do you have proof? I want you to show it to me if you do!"



"It's in the teachings! Not that you'd know!"



"That is not good enough! Ha! Yevon say this. Yevon says that. Can't you just think for yourself, for once?"



"Well, then you tell me! Where did Sin come from, huh?"



"How the hell would I know?"



"You put Yevon down, and that's all you can say?"



"You shouldn't have to do whatever they say! Nothing will ever change that way!"



"Nothing has to change!"



"What? You want Sin to keep coming back, is that it? There just might be a way to stop the rebirth, you know!"



"The only way to make that happen is to atone for our past mistakes!"



"When, huh? And, how?



"We have to keep faith in Yevon's teaching and it will be gone one day!"



"Holy hellfire! Why do I even try?"



"That is enough!" Giles said walking over "You want to fight, then get the hell away from here. We have a Summoner to guard, and fighting each other will not help!" He said causing Xander and Buffy to lower their heads. "Buffy? Will this move?" He asked looking over the machina snow sled.



"Umm...yeah. Just let me put these wires back." Buffy said fixing the sled.



"We're not gonna use that, are we?" Xander looked horrified "Wait...Sir Giles isn't Al Bhed too, is he?"



"Dammit, Xander!" Willow threw her hands up in the air.



"What?"



"This is getting out of hand...no it got out of hand when you started you screaming match with Buffy. Geez! You got along fine with her, until now."



"That's different, I mean..."



"How is it different, Xander? I don't know that much about Spira, and I know even less about the Al Bhed...but I know Buffy's a good person. She's just Buffy."



"Anya?" Xander turned to Anya.



"Well, just think of it as an opportunity to learn more about the Al Bhed."



"Ha! Yeah right!" Xander says and walks off toward the temple.



"Let him go." Giles said to Willow who was trying to stop Xander. "He needs time to think."



"I'm sorry." Buffy said looking at the ground.



"You've done nothing to apologize for." Anya said smiling at her.



"Yeah, Xander just needs to learn a few things." Faith said and jumped on to one of the sleds.



Willow hopped on the one closest to her "All right! Let's ride!" She said causing Buffy to look at her worriedly.



"Will, you sure you can drive that?"



"Yeah, I'll figure it out. Don't worry." Willow said and took off with Giles following on the one he took. Anya climbs on behind Buffy and hangs on when she takes off.



Willow caught up to Faith and drives up to her side. "Hey, what do you think about Buffy being Al Bhed?"



"My clan, the Dragon clan follows Yevon. And the Dragon clan dislikes the Al Bhed."



"Oh...I see."



"No! Wait, but not me. Al Bhed is Al Bhed, and Buffy is Buffy. And she swore to protect Tara on the journey, just like you did. And I can tell Buffy is not a liar. So, she is our friend, and I like her even if she is Al Bhed."



"I think you might want to tell her that later. Buffy needs to know that we still want her here with us."



"You know? I'm surprised."



"Why?" Willow asked looking at Faith.



"Well...I think you are kind."



Willow giggles, "Just don't tell anyone, okay? It'll be our little secret."



Faith laughs, and nods her head as they reach the temple.



There's chapter 15, and I'm working on 16 at the moment...only three or four more pages to go. And I plan to have it out tonight...hopefully. Till then...I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. :)



To be forgotten is worse than death.

Edited by: Stormforce at: 7/27/04 2:33 pm
Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 15

Postby Persifore » Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:33 pm

I'm more a FFVII girl, but this fic it's great.

And Glory as Seymour?

That fit very well!



Great job

Persifore
 


Chapter 16

Postby Stormforce » Wed Jul 28, 2004 12:35 am

Persifore - Thanks glad you like the fic. I don't know how many times I've played FFVII, it was a great game. I was hoping that Glory was a good fit for Seymour, glad I got that right. :)



Here's the next chapter.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for violence and language

Disclaimer: If I owned them Willow and Tara would have been treated better. And if I owned FFX I’d be Japanese… which I’m not.



Chapter Sixteen: Macalania Temple



"Halt!" A guard shouts, as the group walked up the steps "The likes of her are not welcome in this hallowed place." He said pointing to Buffy.



Giles steps up the Guado "She is a guardian."



"That is preposterous! An Al Bhed, a guardian?"



"I've decided to be Tara's guardian from now on, and that's all I want." Buffy said looking at the Guado



"And that's all one needs to be a guardian." Giles said staring the Guado down.



"Very well she may pass."



Shelinda pulled Willow to the side when the group entered the temple.



"There you are! Lady Maester Glory and Lady Tara getting married! I couldn't be happier even if it was my own wedding. Now the victims of Sin will have something to be joyful about." Shelinda said excitedly.



Willow looked to the floor "I guess so."



"You're not happy? Why not? This is a joyful occasion.



"It's complicated. Hey, do you know where Tara is?"



"She has gone into the Cloister of Trials with Lady Glory." Shelinda says as a Guado runs out of the right room and falls to her knees.



"Lord Jyscal! A sphere, in Lady Tara belongings." The Guado woman said.



Giles runs into the room with the others following, he pushes the button on the sphere and an image of Jyscal appeared.



"What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth. I swear it on my honor as a Guado. Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my daughter, Glory. Her mind is closed even to me, a Maester of Yevon. But I can feel flames of darkness burning in her heart. She is using Yevon, the Guado, and even the Summoners. If she is not stopped, she will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I will leave this world soon, killed by my own daughter. But I do not fault her. Because I was not wise enough she has suffered, and become twisted. I could not protect her and her mother from the world and its cruelty. I will accept death as punishment for my deeds. But whoever is watching this...I implore you to stop Glory! Stop my daughter." The recording stopped.



"Wonderful." Giles says pacing the room.



"Fucking great!" Faith says and grips her spear.



"Tara! Will she be all right?" Buffy asked worriedly



"Without us there to protect her? No." Giles says and walks out the door.



"Hey! Where ya'll goin'" Xander asks watching Faith and Buffy leave.



"You saw it, didn't you? Glory is bad news!" Willow nearly shouted



"But...she is a Maester!"



"Fine then! Stay here if you want! But I'm not letting the woman I love stay with that murdering bitch any longer. I was stupid not to stop her in the first place!" Willow runs out of the room.



"Xander, come on. Tara could be in trouble!" Anya said and grabbed Xander's arm dragging him behind her.



"This just can't be happening."



"If she truly did kill Lord Jyscal, it must be done." Anya pulls Xander up the stairs to the Cloister door, and goes in.



"Faith and Buffy are up ahead. Let's go." Giles says and leads the way down the hall. They run into the Chamber and find Glory standing beside the Fayth's Chamber door.



"Glory!" Willow shouts causing Glory to turn around.



Be silent! Lady Tara prays to the Fayth."



"Make me!" Willow yells as Tara steps out of the Prayer room. "Tara!"



"But why?"



"We saw Jyscal's sphere." Willow says gripping her sword.



Giles glares at Glory "You killed your own father."



"Yes. What of it?" Glory says waving her hand around in a board manor "Lady Tara, you knew of this, correct? Well, why have you come here?"



"I came...I came here to stop you!" Tara says walking down the stairs.



"Oh, I see. You came to punish me, then." Glory says watching Tara back up, Willow and Faith step in front of Tara. "Ah, of course. 'Protect the Summoner even at the cost of one's life' The Code of the Guardian. How admirable. Well, if you're offering up your lives... Then, I will just have to take them."



"Lady Glory. I trust my guardians with my life. But they are also my friends, and I will not stand by and watch them be hurt. I will fight you, too!" Tara says raising her rod.



"All right!" Willow shouts.



"Lady Glory, please, we must stop this." Xander says pleadingly



"So be it! I will show you true power."



Two Guado stand on either side of Glory and cast a Protect barrier and a Shell barrier around her, as she casts a Thunder spell on Willow. Willow falls to the ground, but grits her teeth and stands up glaring at Glory. "I knew you were bad news the first time I saw you!" Willow says and runs to Glory and swings her sword, Glory steps back only getting her robe cut open. Xander hits the right Guado on the head with his ball knocking him out. Anya casts Fira spell on the left Guado, setting him on fire. He falls to the floor and rolls putting the flames out before passing out in pain. Faith runs at Glory with her spear held out, Glory grabs the spear and throws Faith over her head, and into the wall knocking her out. Buffy tries to punch her, but she caught Buffy's hand and shoved her into Xander, knocking them both to the ground. Giles sneaks up from her right and swings his sword, cutting Glory's stomach. She casts a Thunder spell on him knocking him to the ground.



"Have it your way. Feel my pain! Come, Anima!" Glory calls on the Aeon that she used in Luca. Anima rises up out of the floor and roars.



"Tara! Use the new Aeon!" Willow shouts



"O Fayth, lend me strength!" Tara prays as three huge blocks of ice appear and fall into the floor, one standing straight up, and the other two leaning to the right and left sides. A woman with a light blue body and dark blue hair, and a silver cape floats down and lands behind the ice. She tosses the robe to Tara and throws back her hair, breaking the ice. "Shiva, please help us." Tara says to the Aeon. Shiva raises her right hand in the air and a block of ice hits Anima shattering on impact. Anima roars as its eyes glows red and a laser shoots out hitting Shiva. Shiva puts her hands together and a bright light surrounds them, she raises them above her head, and twirls around throwing a path of ice at Anima freezing the huge Aeon. Shiva holds her right hand up and snaps her fingers, causing the ice to shatter and Anima disappears. "Thank you, Shiva. You may go now." Tara says as Shiva disappears.



"That power that defeated Anima...I must have it!" Glory said casting Blizzara spell on Anya; she did not see Willow slowly walking up behind her. Willow thrust her sword into Glory's back, and jerked it out when Glory fell to her knees. Tara runs over to Glory and knees down.



"Tara? You would pity me now?" Glory asked before she died. Tara reached over and closed her eyes, as Amy and two Guado’s ran through the door.



"Lady Glory!" Amy shrieks, "What happened here?"



"By Yevon, what...what have I done?" Xander says falling to his knees.



"Wait, just a minute! It's not our fault! Glory struck first! She's the one who started it!" Willow shouts.



"What! You all did this?" Amy angrily asked



Giles steps forward "Tara, send her."



"No! Stop! Stay away from her, you...you traitors!" Amy shouts as the two Guado’s pick up the body.



"Traitors?" Tara quietly says.



"We're finished." Xander says still on the floor.



"Wait! Hold on! Glory's the bad guy, right? We'll just explain to everyone what happened!" Willow says taking Tara's hand.



"It won't be that easy." Giles says from beside the door. "Let's get out of here."



Willow and Tara follow Giles out the door as Anya and Buffy help Faith walk, with Xander following behind. Reaching the hallway the group watches the floor disappear.



"Oh come on! Gimme a break!" Willow grumbles and walked down the slope leading to the Trials, with Xander and Giles following leaving Faith to rest, and the others to watch over her.



At the bottom of the ramp Willow looks around, then to Giles. "You've been to this temple before, right? Well then how do we solve this?"



Giles carefully looks around the room "I don't know...the Cloister has been changed."



"Well, then. Let's solve it and get the hell out of here." Xander says taking a blue sphere from one of the columns. "I think I got this part figured out, ya?" We put the sphere into the pedestal over there, and push it down the ramp, over there." He does exactly as he explained and watched as the pedestal smoothly slid down the ramp to the lower level. They follow it down, and Willow takes the sphere from the pedestal, and finds a slot on the wall. Placing it there makes a small section of the wall to slide up reveling another sphere.



"Don't touch it. There is a sphere up top exactly like that one, I'll go get it." Giles says and runs up the ramp, he takes the sphere from the slot on the far wall, and heads back down the ramp. He places the sphere in the pedestal and pushes it over to a half column, when it locks in place a section of the hallway appears. Willow and Xander grab the other two spheres. Xander runs over to the far column and puts the sphere into it, causing the second section of the hallway to appear. Willow runs up the ramp and puts her sphere in the slot on the central column, and the last section appears. Out of the corner of her eye Willow sees a purple glow, turning she sees that its one of those sphere that makes the wall explode. Taking it she examines the each empty slot, and goes back to the lower level. Finding an empty slot she places the sphere into it, causing part of the floor to explode, reveling a chest. Opening it she gets a Luck Sphere, and runs back to the group. When the group enters the main temple they see ten Guado standing behind Amy.



"Please..." Tara lowers her head.



"At least give us a chance to explain." Giles says as he steps in front of Tara.



"There is no need for that, I already know what I'll tell the other Maesters."



"And that means?" Giles said with a glare



"Lady Glory was the leader of the Guado before she became a Maester."



"I'm going to take a wild guess, and say...That you're not going to let us go." Willow said and gripped her sword hilt.



"Let you go? Ha! Lady Glory would never forgive us if we did."



"Hey, wait! Jyscal's sphere! We can show it to them!" Buffy said taking a step forward.



"You mean this?" Amy asks holding up the sphere. "Guado take care of Guado affairs." She said and shattered the sphere, as the Guado men advanced on the group.



"Stay away, you bastards!" Faith said shoving two of the men away from Tara.



"Run!" Giles said and shoved a Guado out of his way.



The group rushed past the Guado, and out the door. With no time to start up the snow sleds they leave them, and run up the pathway with several Guado following. When they reach the lake area the ground shakes causing the group to slide down. When they stand back up and turn around they see two Guado men approaching with a huge ape-man like fiend. The fiend has a blue body, with white hair covering its arms, legs and head, and the hands and feet have sharp brown claws.



Xander hit the left Guado on the head with his ball knocking him out, and Anya cast a Thunder spell on the right Guado sending him flying back ten foot into a snow bank. Willow and Faith rush at the fiend, the fiend ducks under Willow's sword and blocks Faith's spear. Buffy runs up and hits it in the mid-section, with her spiked glove. The fiend swings at Buffy knocking her back, and had its arm sliced open when Willow made contact with her sword. Giles swings his sword cutting the fiends’ chest open, and ducked under the clawed hand. Anya cast a Fira spell setting the fiend on fire, and Faith took advantage of its distracted state, and thrust her spearhead into its side. The fiend let out a roar and raised it's hands above it's head, and brought them crashing down on to the frozen lake breaking the ice. The ice fell to the bottom of the lake taking the group down with it.



When Willow awoke she noticed three things, one she was laying on her back on the bottom of the lake, two she was freezing, and three, she had the worst headache ever known. Groaning she sat up and rubbed her face.



Praise be to Yevon. That's what I would have said, if I was a follower of Yevon. We were all there, and in one piece. Even if I did have one hell of a headache from wondering what was in store for us next.



Willow slowly gets up and walks over to Anya. "We're under the lake, aren't we?"



"Yes, see there. That's the bottom of the temple." Anya said pointing to a cone shape in the distance. "We fell a long way down."



"Yeah, we have." Willow said and groaned when her head started pounding again. "Hey, Giles? What's up?"



"I'm thinking about what we should do now."



"What? You're the kind of person that acts first and thinks later aren't you? You know you could be a little more responsible; we're all depending on you. You know?"



"Are you giving me a lecture?" Giles asks turning to face her.



"No, no, no!" Willow said waving her hands in front of her face. "It was just a suggestion. That's all."



"You need to trust your friends, because you can't expect someone to protect you all the time. You'd do well to remember that."



"Now, are you giving me a lecture?"



"No. Just some advice."



"Yeah, thanks." Willow walks over to Xander.



"Would you cheer up? You look like a fiend ate a baby Chocobo. We only did what we had to, if it wasn't for Glory...we'd already be on our way to the next temple."



"It doesn't matter any more! I've always walked the path of Yevon... but now, I'm a traitor. How could this happen?" Xander says and starts shaking his fist at Buffy "Damn!"



"Hey! It's not Buffy's fault either!"



Xander lowers his head "You don't know how I feel... Please just leave me alone, for now."



"Okay, Xander. Whatever you say." Willow sighed and walked over to Faith and Buffy, who were watching over Tara. "Tara! Is she hurt? Do we need a Potion?" She asked when she saw Tara laying on a piece of wood asleep.



"Don't worry, Tara will wake soon." Faith said and leaned on her spear.



"You okay?" Willow asked looking Faith over. "Do you need a Potion?"



"Thank you, but no. I'm fine just tired."



Willow nodded and checked Tara's pulse. "I'm sure Tara's fine, she's breathing fine and all. How are Anya and Xander?" Buffy asked kneeling beside Willow.



"Xander's in shock... really can't blame him, either. And Anya, well, she's just the same as always."



"She's so together. All grown up, I guess."



"Yeah, I guess you're right. She's as young as we are, but she is mature."



Buffy runs her hands down the sides of her body causing Willow's eyes to go wide "Well, give me a few more years, and I'll be just like her."



"So, uh...Faith, how do we get out of here?" Willow asks turning from Buffy.



"Hey, don't change the subject!" Buffy said lightly shoving Willow to get her attention.



Faith grinned, "We climb up to the top."



"You too, Faith!" Buffy said



"Buffy, I think you should stay just like you are. It was the way you were made, and besides...I like you just the way you are." Faith grins and winks at a blushing Buffy, as Willow laughs.



"Hey! How can you laugh at a time like this?" Xander asked shaking his fist.



Willow rolls her eyes "Tara!" she says when Tara's eyes open. Faith and Willow help Tara to stand.



"Thank you."



"Tara, I want you to tell us what you were thinking?" Giles says as he steps around a block of ice.



"I-I wanted to confront Lady Glory about her father. I wanted to convince her to turn herself in to Yevon's judgment."



"In exchange for marriage?" Anya asked.



"If that's what it took, then yes."



"So, what did Glory say?" Willow asked as she gently rubbed Tara's hands to keep them warm.



"She didn't say anything. And now...now I don't think it was even worth trying. I guess I should've told you what I was going to do." Tara said looking at the ground.



"That is enough. Dwelling in the past if futile." Giles says glancing at Tara.



"You don't have to say it like that!" Buffy glared at him.



"I'm with Buffy...Tara isn't feeling good, and you go and make it worse!" Willow said shooting her own glare at him.



'What? Do you want to waste time listening to her regrets?"



"You still could have said it a little nicer.'' Faith said picking Tara's rod up.



"Look, our immediate concern is Tara's pilgrimage." Giles turned to Tara. "Are you still willing to continue?"



"Yes. But...do you think Yevon will allow it?"



"It is the Fayth that gives power to the Summoners. Not the teaching or the temples. And if the temples try to stop us...then we will defy Yevon if we must."



"Whoa!" Willow said with wide eyes



"I can't believe you just said that!" Buffy nearly shouted.



"Sir Giles?" Anya and Faith said at the same time.



"You can count me out! We have to atone, to make up for the sins we have committed. Of course...I didn't like Lady Glory. And there's no way I'll ever forgive her for killing Lord Jyscal... and trying to kill all of us too, you know? But still...just our group going against Yevon? There's no way!" Xander said shaking his head.



"We have transgressed and must face our punishment." Anya said in a firm voice.



"We must go to Bevelle, to speak with Maester Snyder, and explain what has happened. There is no other way." Tara said to Giles.



"And I'll agree to that." Xander nodded.



"So you have decided." Giles says and pulls his samurai robe closer to his body.



"Sir Giles...will you come with us?" Tara asked hopefully



"I am the troublemaker, after all." He replies with a chuckle.



"Yeah! You can always count on Giles to complicate things!" Willow grinned.



"I never asked you to follow me."



"Oh come on, Giles! That's that friends are for. Right?"



"Yeah!" Buffy jumps into the air.



"Thank you everyone." Tara says and takes Willow's hand.



"How can you all act like nothing's wrong?" Xander sighed, "You've all got nerves of steel I think."



"Listen to the Hymn and calm down. You're a little to edgy." Anya said patting Xander on the back.



"Hey, is that coming from the temple?" Willow asks hearing a female voice singing.



"Yes, it is Yevon's gift. It soothes the hearts of the faithful." Tara said leaning into Willow.



"Not as soothing as some things I can think of."



"What kinds of things?" Tara asks laying her head on Willow's shoulder.



"Uh...umm...you know just things."



"Tara can we speak to you?" Anya asked as she and Faith approached.



"And that's my cue to go and talk to Giles...I think." Willow says and walked over to where Giles was leaning against an ice block.



Ira...he used to sing this song." Giles said as she approached.



"Yeah, I remember...but he didn't sing it this good, that's for sure."



"Another trait you share." Giles chuckled



"What!? You were listening?" Willow asks as she remembers



[Flashback]



Willow is sitting on a boat dock singing the Hymn, when she spots Giles leaning on a post.



"Damn...can't I get a little privacy?" Willow asked standing up.



"I'm sorry, it's just that your singing reminded me of Spira."



"Oh, that's right. You not originally from Zanarkand, are you? You homesick?"



"Maybe a little."




[End]



"Giles? I've been wondering something... how'd you get to Zanarkand anyway? Was it Sin?" Willow asked and received no reply. "Yeah, I thought so." She said sadly.



That proved it. Sin was the link between Zanarkand and Spira. Which means, that if we kill Sin, then I'll never be able to go home.



"Why has the singing stopped?" Anya asked confused before the ground started shaking.



"There's something here!" Xander shouted.



"The ground!" Giles ran over to the group.



"It's Sin!" Tara said looking around trying to find Sin.



"Watch out for the toxin!" Anya said and took Tara's right hand, as Faith took Tara's left. The group passed out, leaving Willow the only one awake.



It was then I knew... that Sin really was my old man. For the first time, I was finally able to believe it.



"You were listening to the song, weren't you?" Willow asks and feels something inside her head "What is it this time?" Willow sees a flash of Zanarkand. "You homesick, too? That isn't you world anymore...you're Sin now." Again another flash, this time it was of her seven-year-old self. "Hey, I'm older now, you know?" Another flash and she saw Ira "I know... You want this to end. I'll find a way. That's a promise." Willow says before she too went unconscious.





Well, there's 16 and 17 will be out tomorrow. Hope ya'll enjoyed :)

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 


Re: Chapter 16

Postby veiled isis moon » Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:29 am

Great update, and yay!! Tara isn't going to marry Glory......i knew she was evil! Very selfless of Tara to agree to marriage in order to make Glory confess. I'm a little confused about Sin though. It goes round kiling people and destroying villages, but all it wants is to go back home?? Does it know the damage it's causing? And when will we get Willow and Tara doing something other than holding hands.........i need my fix!



Michelle.x

veiled isis moon
 


Chapter 17

Postby Stormforce » Wed Jul 28, 2004 11:15 pm

veiled isis moon - About Sin...yep, he knows the damage he is causing. Ira/Sin wants to make Willow mad enough to kill him, that's why he's doing all the killing/destroying. As for Willow and Tara doing more than just holding hands...if I have counted the chapters right, that will come around in chapter 20 or 21. So, not too far ahead :)



Ok, here's the chapter that will explain just why Xander told Willow "Don't get no ideas" when she met Tara.



Final Fantasy X Retold

Pairing: Eventually W/T

Rating: R for violence and language

Disclaimer: Really do you think I would be writing fanfiction if I owned either one?



Chapter Seventeen: Sanubia Desert



Willow awoke to find herself face down in water. Raising her head she notices that she's in a small oasis in a very hot desert. Sighing she swims over to the bank and climbs out, turning around she stares into the water.



"Where am I? I'll forgive you, this time. Be good for a while, okay?" Willow says to the water, and turns toward the desert. "Well, no time like the present." she began walking toward a sand dune, when Willow topped the dune she was knocked back down by a huge orange-clawed foot. Looking up she saw a giant black bird with a thirty-foot wingspan; its mouth opened showing long sharp teeth, and a long black tongue.



[Flash]



Name: Zu

HP: 12,000

MP: 50



Willow pulled her sword and struck the birds’ foot as it tried to pick her up. The bird swooped down again, and she jumped into the air flipping over it, and landing on its back. She thrust her sword into the right wing joint, before she was thrown off and hit the sand face down. Spitting sand out of her mouth Willow rose and looked over to the bird that was now standing on the ground ten foot away.



"Need some help?" Willow looked to her right seeing Giles standing beside her.



"Sure." She said and grinned. They rushed at the bird swinging their swords around and hitting the birds’ chest. It squawked and tried to bite Giles, but was knocked back when electricity shocked it. Willow and Giles glanced back and saw Anya coming down a sand dune to the left.



"Another one of those damn birds!" Anya said angrily as she cast another Thundara spell on the Zu, causing it to explode into souls and disappear.



"Where're the others?" Willow asked when Anya stopped in front of her.



"I didn't see anyone on the way here. But we're supposed to stay in one place if we get split up."



"Wait here if you want." Willow points to Giles who is walking away "He isn't."



Anya sighs and follows Giles. "This is just great! First we end up at the bottom of Macalania Lake, then Sin comes, and then I wake up under the hot sun in some Yevon damned desert. And you know what else? One of those damn birds tries to eat me for lunch. This hasn't been a good day." Anya rants, as Willow tries to hold in her laughter.



"I feel your pain. I woke up face down in water...again!" Willow said looking ahead and spotting Xander. "Yo! Xander!" she hollers and Xander looked up. "You alone?" Willow asks looking around and not seeing anyone else.



"Yeah, is Tara with you?"



"No, we were hoping she was with you." Anya said looking at bits and pieces of machina.



"Dammit! First I can't find Tara, then I'm ambushed by machina! This has been one hell of day." Xander sighs and follows Giles. When the group rounds a dune they are attacked by blue and silver machina. One of the machina has a shield and the other has a machine gun equipped.



[Flash]



Name: Machina Guard

HP: 1280

MP: 1



Name: Machina Gunner

HP: 2800

MP: 1



Anya cast a Thundara spell on the Guard, and Willow followed up with a swing from her sword cutting the machina's head off. Xander threw his ball at the Gunner knocking it over to Giles, who sliced it open with a single swing from his samurai sword. Two more machina showed up on got a hit on Giles slicing his leg open, Willow threw him a Potion and twisted her body around to avoid the blow from the Guard machina. Xander threw his ball hitting the Gunner machina knocking it back and into Willow's downward slash. Anya cast two Thundara spells on the Guard machina knocking it back the first time, and destroying with the second.



"Hey Giles, you okay?" Willow asked as Giles tossed the empty Potion vile in the sand.



"I'm fine." Giles said then quickly turned when someone screamed. The group ran around the corner to see Faith finishing off two machina Gunners.



"Fucking machina!" Faith grumbled looking at her bleeding right shoulder.



"Faith!" Anya shouted and ran over with the others following. "You're hurt." Anya looked at the wound on Faith's shoulder.



"Those damn machina shot me!" Faith said and took the Potion from Willow's out stretched hand. "Thanks" she said and drank it down. The wounds healed and only left a small scar. "Dammit! Tara's gone!"



"Faith, it's not your fault! Don't worry we'll find her." Willow said sounding confident.



"You're right, we will find her." Giles said and began walking again.



The group followed Giles and ran into more of the machina Guards and Gunners quickly dispatching them, the group walked on. Topping another sand dune they saw and heard Buffy taking apart machina.



"Stupid...damned machina." Buffy grips "They're not strong enough she tells me. They have to be stronger, or the fiends will get them, she says. Ha! These damn things are just fine they attack anything that moves! Including me! Dawn I'll get you for this!" Buffy shouts and takes the last machina apart and turns around "Oh! Hey guys... Where's Tara?"



"We can't find her." Willow says and lowers her head.



"Some guardian I turned out to be." Anya says near tears.



"Umm... There's something I need to tell you, but you gotta promise not to say anything." Buffy says and gets a glare from Xander. "Do you be glaring at me either! I know where we are. This is Bikanel Island. Up ahead is a place we Al Bhed call Home. I'm sure Tara's there. The other Al Bhed must've come and rescued her!"



"Rescued? Don't you mean kidnapped?!"



"Xander! As long as Tara's safe what the hell does it matter?"



"That's right! Anyway, I'll take you there, but only if you promise...that you won't tell anyone about it. And especially not the Yevonites, okay? You all know that they don't like the Al Bhed. So, who knows what they'd do if they knew about Home."



"Come one, gimme a break! What are you accusing Yevon of this time?" Xander asks angrily.



"Yevon did something really bad to us before."



"Well, you Al Bhed must have deserved it."



"Can't you two talk about this later?" Willow said getting frustrated.



"Xander, just promise me you won't tell, okay?"



"Come on Xander. We have to get to Tara!" Willow said



"Damn, all right, I promise!"



Okay, it's this way." Buffy said and lead them to the fourth sand dune to the right, "It's right over here.... Noooo!" Buffy screamed and ran off.



"Buffy!" Willow and Faith shouted and ran to the top of the sand dune and looked down on a war zone.



The Al Bhed Home had ten square red towers with pulleys circling a larger round silver, blue and red tower, and it was being attacked by a large amout of fiends, an explosion could be heard as a mushroom cloud rose into the sky. They could see and hear the gunfire coming from inside and outside of the large structure.



"Tara's down there?" Xander said in disbelief



"Of all the places." Anya said shaking her head. "Let's go"



The group catches up with Buffy outside the building, and sees an Al Bhed man get his throat ripped out by a canine fiend. The fiend turns and runs at Faith, who thrusts her spear into its head killing it. The bodies of fifty or more Al Bhed men and women are lying on the ground. They hear a machine gun go off and look up to see a young Al Bhed girl getting hit with the rain of bullets and fall to the ground. Buffy screams and runs over.



"Miki! Who? Who's attacking us? Fru tet drec du oui?" Buffy asked crying (Who did this to you?)



"Yevon... Guado..." The young girl says before she dies.



"Miki! Miki!" Buffy sobbed out.



"A war? Between Yevon and the Al Bhed?" Anya asked confused.



"Dryd ec fnuhk!" A pretty dark blond woman says approaching. "Guado ku vun dra Summoners." (That is wrong! Guado go for the Summoners.)



"Sudran!" Buffy said, standing up. (Mother!)



The woman kneels down and checks Miki's body and shakes her head. She kisses the girls forehead and stands.



"Are you Buffy's friends? Well, what are you standing there for, come on! Let's go kick those Guado out of our Home!" She says and runs off.



Willow watched the woman go then turned to Buffy "Who was that?"



"Joyce. Leader of the Al Bhed... She's my mom."



"Oh, okay. Well let's go!" Willow says and the group ran over to the door Joyce walked through.



"Yeah, we have to save Tara" Buffy says sadly



Willow smiles "Not just Tara, right?"



"Right!"



Willow and Buffy run through the door, and see that the group had stopped in the middle of the room, looking from one hallway to another.



"Tara! Where are you?" Xander hollers down the left hallway. The glass above them breaks and falls around them. When they look up the group sees three Bombs floating in front of them. The middle Bomb flies threw the air and hits Anya, causing her body to glow as she raised her hand. "Blizzaga!" she shouted freezing the Bomb in mid-air, when it hit the ground it shattered. Faith thrust her spear into the Bomb on the left and pulled it to the ground, and Giles cut the Bomb in half. Xander knocked the last Bomb to the ground with his ball, where Willow advanced and thrust her sword straight through it.



"What the hell are those Guado thinking?" Xander says and glances at Buffy sadly.



"This is terrible!" Buffy says and runs down the right hallway.



"Drec cilgc! Buffy! Tu oui nayt sa? E fyhd oui yht ouin vneahtc du ku ithan, duu! E's kueha du majam Home! Yht dra fiends fedr ed!" Joyce said over the intercom. (This sucks! Buffy! Do you read me? I want you and your friends to go under, too! I'm going to level Home! And the fiends with it!)



"Oh, no! This can't be happening!" Buffy say nearly in tears again.



"What? What'd she say?" Xander asks worriedly



"We have to go underground!"



"Where is Tara?" Giles asks from beside her.



"She's in the Summoners' Sanctum! This way!" Buffy said and ran down a flight of stairs.



The group runs into two Dual Horns, at the end of the steps. Buffy hits one on the head with her spiked glove, and twisted out of the way as Willow brought her sword down splitting it's head open. Faith stabbed the second in its side, and pushing her spear into its heart, as Giles severed its head.



"Come on, through this door!" Buffy said and lead them into a room with two flights of stairs going down. Red lights are flashing on and off, and the overhead lights are flickering, as alarms are going off.



"This place...is done for." Xander says and looks over to Buffy.



"You're right. You're right, Xander." Buffy says sadly with her head down. "We Al Bhed, we... we weren't always like this, you know? Sin came and destroyed the island where we all lived. After that, we...the Al Bhed were scattered to every corner of Spira. But then, my mom...she brought the Al Bhed together again. She told us that if we few that were left put our minds to it, and worked together...we could make a new home. Everyone...all of us, we worked hard, we had our Home back again... But now...just look at what's happened... Why did things have to turn out this way?"



"Buffy... Damn those Guado! What the hell are they thinking?" Xander said getting mad again.



Anya gently touched Buffy's arm "Buffy, what is this Summoners' Sanctum?"



"It's the place where we keep the Summoners...we keep them safe here."



"You kidnapped them." Xander said lightly



"I know it's against the teachings and all, but..."



"I get why you did it."



Willow walked down three of the steps and looked up "Well, I don't get it, Xander. What they might get hurt on the pilgrimage so you go and kidnap them? I mean, if the Summoners don't do their job, then who's gonna beat Sin? I know you want to protect them... But that's what the guardians are for. And if the guardians do their job, then the Summoners will be safe! Right? Right!?" Willow said and didn't get a reply except everyone turning their heads.



"It's quite, I'm going to go to the Sanctum." Faith said and walked off with Buffy by her side, followed by the others.



Willow thought walking behind Giles.



"Tara! Please be here!" Buffy said running through the door.



"Tara!" Faith shouts



"She is not here." The group saw Cordelia approaching "Hello again. Please wait there until we have performed the sending." She turned and walked over to five bodies.



"They died protecting us." Jonathon said sadly "It's not much, but at least we can give them a proper sending." He then begins to send more bodies.



Warren runs over to Willow and looks up at her "What's sacrificed? The Al Bhed said that the Summoners were being 'sacrificed'... That Summoners shouldn't have to go on a pilgrimage."



"Why couldn't they trust the guardians to protect the Summoners? The Al Bhed had no right stopping their pilgrimage!" Willow shouted.



"The pilgrimages have to stop!" Buffy said angry and almost crying. "If they don't, and they get to Zanarkand... They might defeat Sin. Tara could...but she... Tara will die! You know, don't you? Summoners journey to get the Final Aeon. Tara told you, didn't she? With the Final Aeon, she can beat Sin. But then...but then... If she calls it, the Final Aeon's going to kill her! Even if she defeats Sin, it will kill Tara too, you know!" Buffy then breaks down crying.



Willow kneels down and grabs Buffy's shoulders and begins to shake her "Tell me why! Why were you all hiding it!? Why didn't you tell me?"



"We weren't hiding it..." Xander says sadly



"It was just...too hard to say." Anya says with tears running down her face.



Willow falls to the floor on her hands and knees, and pounds the floor with her right fist. "Anya! How could you? Isn't she like a sister to you? I thought you were family! Xander! Why didn't you do something!?" Willow shouted crying.



"Don't you think we tried to stop her? Tara, she follows...her heart." Anya says crying on Faith's shoulder.



"Tara knew. She knew what she was doing when she chose to become a Summoner. To face Sin, ya? Tara knew!" Xander said nearly in tears himself.



Buffy stands up and faces Xander "But that is just wrong! Summoners shouldn't have sacrifice themselves...just so the rest of Spira can be happy!"



An image of a Dual Horn appeared as Jonathon stepped through it "That is our choice..."



"We all live in fear of Sin, you know that." Cordelia said standing beside Jonathon.



"A world without Sin... That is the dream of all Yevon's children. And we will use that power, even if it means our lives!" Jonathon said as the Aeons appeared.



Willow run over to Valefor and began pounding on her chest. "I've been such a damned idiot! Here I've been telling Tara... Let's go to Zanarkand together! Let's beat Sin!" Valefor wrapped her wings around the crying Willow "I told her all the things that we could...we could... And all along...the whole fucking time, I didn't know anything! Nothing! But Tara, would...she'd...just smile." Willow fell to the floor, and remembered back to Luca.



[Flashback]



"Watch." Tara said then whistled.



"Hey, you go pretty good."



"You sound sad."



"Yeah, maybe.



"Wanna scream?"



"I don't think that'll help."



“You know what? It’s embarrassing to say this myself… But Summoners and their guardians are kind of like Spira’s ray of light. Everyone in Spira depends on us to defeat Sin… So, I learned to practice smiling when I’m sad, you know? I know it’s hard, but smiling helps.”



“Yeah… I understand…I think.”



“Right, now let’s see what you can do!”




[End]



Willow then remembers she and Tara laughing out loud. "I want my journey to be full of laughter" she hears Tara say.



"I can't let her die! I won't let her die! I'm going to find her." Willow said and runs out the back door and on to the airship with the group following.



Well there's 17...and 18 will be out tomorrow. Hope ya'll enjoyed :)

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Stormforce
 

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