Chapter 6  

Chapter 6  


Buffy yawned, stretching luxuriously, she could hear a faint thumping in the distance, like thunder. “Dawn…” She opened her eyes, disappointed to see the strange inn. “Hey Kirrel, so much for this being a dream.” She walked over to the small mirror, staring at her hair, bed hair and she had no brush.

The door open and Lulu came in. “I thought you were still asleep.” She noticed Buffy’s problem. “Here, let me.” With great expertise she pulled Buffy’s hair into a high ponytail, something like Rikku’s, leaving the fringe out, then upon procuring another chopstick, seemingly from nowhere she flicked the hair, sticking two chopsticks into it. Buffy looked in the mirror, her hair was in a messy bun, two chopsticks coming out of it.

“Er, thanks.”

“It is no matter, come, they are serving breakfast.”

Buffy came out to find Tidus, dressed and ready to go, shovelling food into his mouth, she wrinkled her nose up. “Eww.”

“He is somewhat uncouth.” Lulu replied.

He stopped eating to cough for a minute before continuing on.

Buffy was given a bowl of cereal and dry fruit, along with bread, jams and herbal tea. Buffy was happy to eat the cerial and bread but she steered around the herbal tea.

Yuna excused herself, coming back, moments later, in her normal clothing. Buffy pushed her chair back, heading to the bathroom. Her clothes, along with Lulu’s and Rikku’s were laid out, waiting. Gratefully Buffy pulled on her clothes, folding the others and taking them back out into the dining area.

Rikku came walking out, rubbing her eyes sleepily and yawning loudly. She saw Buffy and frowned, then proceeded to make some incomprehensible noises, sitting down at the table and beginning to pig out.

“Everyone, today we go to the Farplane.” Yuna announced.

Buffy frowned wasn’t that..

“Hey, isn’t that where the dead go?” Tidus asked, looking as confused as she was.

“Yes, here in Guadosalam we can visit those who have been sent to the farplane.”

“You mean, talking to the dead?” Buffy wasn’t sure about this, she talked to the dead too often as it was.

“Exactly.” Yuna nodded.

“Oh.” Buffy remembered the clothes. “Oh, who do I give these to?”

Yuna smiled. “Well, normally you would put them in your bag but as we are going to be here for a while today the Guado have offered to wash them for us.

“Wait, you own these?”

Rikku nodded. “Yeah, like, every inn sells them, we bought yours yesterday, brand new!”

Buffy was taken aback. “Oh.”

Yuna’s eyes widened. “If you don’t like them we can give them back…”

“Oh, no. No, they’re great- really. I just didn’t know..”

Auron came walking out into the room. “Are we going?”

“Don’t you eat?” Buffy asked, offering him a bowl of dried fruit.

“I woke up on time.” Was his gruff answer.

…

 

“Hey, hand me the spanner, no, not that one, the spanner shaped one.”

“Here you go.” Brother gave Spike the requested instrument and the vampire went back down the hatch.

“Okay.” Spike said. “Now try it.”

Brother sat at the control panel, pressing a group of buttons, the engine roared to life, the floor shaking beneath them.

“Ed fungc!” Brother proclaimed.

“Yes it does.” Spike answered, his other problems momentarily forgotten and his face covered in a childlike enthusiasm. “What say we go for drinks?”

 

…

 

The walk to the Farplane took about fifteen minutes, now Buffy stood on the steps that led up to what looked like something from Stargate.

“Coming?” Lulu asked, walking up the stairs.

“Uh, yeah.” Buffy shook her head, she may as well. Kirrel stayed with Rikku and Auron who had chosen to wait outside.

She stepped through the strange door onto a round section of rock, about the size of her house. She walked to the edge to look over and was shocked by what she saw, miles below ran fields of flowers, everywhere she looked the glowing orbs known as ‘pyreflies’ danced around. A gushing waterfall finished off the scenery, while a full moon glowed in the sky.

As Buffy watched Wakka walked to the edge and a boy, identical to Tidus with short, red hair appeared, wearing identical clothes to Wakka. Buffy frowned in thought, turning to see Kimahri standing guard.

“Why don’t you try calling someone.” Lulu asked, startling Buffy.

“Oh, I, I don’t know..”

“All you need to do is think of them and they will appear, come.” Lulu led Buffy to the edge, try it.”

Buffy thought of who she would call, maybe Kendra? She looked up, startled, to see Kendra appear before her, arms crossed in front of her chest.

“See.” Lulu said. “It’s easy.”

Thinking about Kendra led to thoughts of Drusilla and, suddenly, Buffy found herself thinking of Spike, to her surprise someone appeared in front of her.

Dressed in Victorian style clothing, with the look of a dreamer and golden curls covering his head, his eyes were a sparkling blue that went deeper than colour, it was as though, by looking into them, you would see the heart, the soul of everything and the poetry of life.
Buffy found herself staring in wonder at this apparition, then her eyes widened with a sudden realisation. Under the golden curls and soft smile was a face that Buffy recognised, high cheekbones gave way to hollow cheeks, stretched across with skin that was usually ivory white.

“Spike!” She said, strangely she felt none of the emotions she had predicted she would in her daydreams of when she next saw him. Instead of bitter anger and loathing, instead of a lust for his death, a desperate need to see his ashes scattered on the wind, she felt a strong relief. Here was part of her normal, everyday life and she gratefully welcomed its’ presence.

The figure in front of her shifted uncomfortably. “Well, well, I suppose I am.”

“Huh?” Buffy had a blank look on her face.

“Oh, forgive me, my name is William, I am , in essence, he who you call Spike.”

“William? I don’t `get it, why are you here.”

“I wished to converse with you.”

“Uh, huh.. ‘Converse’ away.” Buffy waved her hand.

“You have been sent here against your will, have you not?”

“Well, yeah..”

“It is as I thought, Spike, too, has been. It is imperative that the two of you are reunited.”

“Wait! You’re saying Spike didn’t send me here?”

William shook his head. “No, no. He was sent here just as you  were, he believes both you and Dawn to be imprisoned here as he is. In this he is mistaken, Dawn is safe, with Mr Giles.”
Buffy looked relived, looking around at the scenery. ”You know, imprisoned is a strong word, it’s more like a compulsory holiday..”

“I see, then what I have to tell you will carry no great weight.”

“Wait, you have something to tell me, about how to get home?” Her eyes lit up.

“Not a means so much as a course. You cannot return home unless you are reunited with Spike.”

“Wow, so if I find Spike, I can get home?”

 “You will be on your way home. With Spike by your side you will be given the light to find the way, but only inside yourself will you find the path to follow.”

“Alright, so I find Spike and I can get home. Where is he? I haven’t exactly seen him around.”

“He is in a place called Bikanel.” William answered. “Though beyond that I cannot help you.”

“I see, well, thanks..”

“Yes, it would seem my time is running short.”

“Oh, okay, well, see ya.”

William seemed to fade, suddenly blinking back to reality. “One more thing, if I may, Buffy, there are times when it is better to follow that which you know inside yourself to be true, logic notwithstanding and regardless of that which those around you may deem to be untrue. To hold strong against those who mean the most to you requires more courage and strength than to stand against all the armies of hell.” With this he faded, leaving a surprised Buffy blinking into the air.

 

…

 

“So, you wanna take her for a test drive?” Spike asked Brother as they sat at the bar.

“I think we’re gonna have to.” An unfamiliar voice answered.

Spike turned around to see a warm and friendly face, head covered with yellow hair, standing behind him. Spike frowned.

“I’m Keyakku.” He said in answer to Spikes’ unspoken question.

Spike frowned, Keyakku, he knew that name, from where?

“Father says you helped fix the airship.”

“Yeah.” Spike said.

“So, do you want to come with us?”

“Where to?” Spike frowned.

“Macalania, some summoner is going through there soon, we’re going to save her as well.”

“Macalania? Why not.” Spike answered.

 

Chapter 7

 

Buffy met up with Auron and Rikku outside of the Farplane, Kirrel came running, happily, over to her, jumping onto her shoulder and rubbing affectionately against her.

“Are you ready?” Auron asked.

“Yes.” Yuna answered, bowing.

“Well, let’s go.”

They walked out of the Farplane, walking in silence back towards the inn, each of them thinking about what they had just seen.

“Excuse me.” A wheezy old voice interrupted.

Auron ‘hmphed’ loudly.

“What is it?” Yuna asked.

“Maester Seymour requested to speak with you at once.”

Buffy frowned, Seymour? She’d heard that name somewhere recently, where?

“Doesn’t the Maester know we are in a hurry?” Auron asked sternly. A little too sternly- Buffy thought- for concern over the pilgrimage.

“Yes, it will not take too long.” The old Guado answered. He led them into a large manor, staircases led upwards to a balcony high above the floor. Large portraits lined the walls next to the stairs. Buffy frowned, looking at the pictures. Most of the were more Guado, they all looked the same to Buffy- and they all looked like something she  would slay without thought back home. She walked halfway up the stairs to the right, where Lulu and Wakka were looking at the pictures. She frowned, suddenly noticing one she hadn’t seen before he had pale white skin and blue hair that stuck out all over in weird shapes.

“Who.. who are they?” She asked.

“They are the past leaders of the Guado.” Lulu answered.

“Maester Seymour looks different though, ya?” Wakka turned to look at Buffy.

“Yeah, he looks kinda wonky.” Buffy answered, frowning.

“Don’t you know, Maester Jyscal wed a human woman. Maester Seymour is only half Guado.”

Buffy turned in time to see Tidus nearly get hit in the face with a door as it opened downstairs.

The old Guado made a shuddering noise before he spoke. “This way please.”

Buffy followed Wakka through the door, Tidus coming through last.

She found herself in a large room, a huge table of fruit in the middle of the room. In the ceiling were three, strange, blue orbs, a string hanging from them and swinging like a pendulum.

“I will go inform lord Seymour, please wait here”

Rikku, though she had eaten breakfast only a couple of hours beforehand, was shovelling in the fruit at an incredible speed. Lulu stood by the table, delicately picking at them while Wakka and Auron leant against the wall. Yuna stood by a table to the side of the room, laid out with cheeses and breads, Kimahri stood about a metre away, golden eyes scanning the room.

Kirrel made a strange, chirping noise when he saw the table- Buffy had decided to call it ‘he’ for now- and now he sat on the table with a large peach in his tiny, white paws, chewing madly.

Tidus was walking, agitatedly, around the room, he came to Buffy and stopped in front of her as if expecting something.

“So, what do you think about all this?” He asked, clutching his big, blue, sword like a lifeboat.

“I don’t know.” Buffy said. “I’ve only been here nearly two days. I gotta say, I have major wigginess vibes coming from this place.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Tidus ran his hand through his hair.

“So, what’s your deal, you don’t seem like the others. You’re not from around here?”

Tidus looked sad. “I’m from Zanarkand.”

“Hey, that’s where we’re going, right?”

“Yeah, but.. The Zanarkand I come from is, like, one thousand years in the past. I was brought here- by Sin.”

“By, Sin? The thing we’re going to fight. The thing Yuna’s father killed and yet, somehow, it’s still here. And where is Yuna’s father anyway, he killed it once, why can’t he kill it again?”

Tidus put his hands behind his head. “Yeah, Sin kinda, comes back. They kill it and bring the ‘calm’ and then it comes back, like- ten years later.”

“Oh.”

“And I don’t know what happened to Yuna’s old man, he killed Sin, I know that. But no-one talks about him after that. I know he’s dead though, Yuna was talking to him on the Farplane.”

“Truly it is good to have guests again.” Buffy was startled as the Guado re-entered the room. “Since Lord Jyscal passed away these halls have been too quiet.”

Yuna bowed. “The death of Lord Jyscal was a great loss for all of Spira.”

“Lord Jyscal, that’s this ‘Seymour’ guy’s father, right?” Buffy asked, her head beginning to ache with all these names. If only Giles was here, he was more the name rememberer. He did the research, she did the killing. And Willow, Willow would make this place a whole lot cheerier, she had the ability to make you feel alright no matter what. Plus, Buffy thought, Willow would just about kill to spend half hour with Lulu.

Lulu was into the dark arts big time- summoning anything from fire to lightning, pools of acid and spearing shards of ice. And Xander… Xander would love to be here for the sole purpose of making bad jokes about everyone and everything they came in contact with. Buffy’s thoughts were shattered by the Guado. He seemed to be halfway through saying something.

“…But now a new leader, lord Seymour, has come before us. Lord Seymour is the child of a Guado and a human he will be the tie that binds our two races together but that is not all I think he will surely become the shining star that lights the way for all the peoples of Spira.”

Buffy almost felt like applauding, this whole thing seemed to be a big setup, a show of power. Almost as though this ‘Seymour’ had set it up, sure enough a voice floated into the room, a silky voice, high pitched for a man. Buffy heard the voice and her ‘Spidey senses’ went crazy, every part of her was saying that there was something wrong here- no good could come out of this.

“That is enough, Tromell.” The person belonging to the voice walked into the room, his

‘hair’ looked more like an elaborate headdress, his clothes were ridiculous, making Wakka’s attire look good. A long- well, Buffy could only describe it as a dress- covered most of him, although for some reason it was open at the front, revealing his unreasonably hairy stomach. The sleeves were long and puffy, the whole thing looked like it was made of a quilt. She noticed that one hand finished with blue claws, the other with fingernails. His mouth pulled into a Cheshire cat type smile, the lips thin and evil looking.

“Must I always endure such praise?” He walked into the room, standing under the three spheres, he bowed low, bringing his hands together in a ball shape in front of him, something Buffy had seen a lot of people do, but this guy, he seemed to almost make a mockery of it.

“Welcome.” He said.

“You.. wanted to see me?” Yuna asked, looking concerned.

“Please make yourselves at home, there’s no rush.”

“Please keep this short, Yuna must rush.” For once Buffy was grateful to have Auron there, his gruff answers aimed at this man were engineered to be forceful while worded politely.

“Pardon me.” Seymour said. “It has been a long time since I had guests, Lady Yuna, this way.”

Buffy shook her head, who was he to order Yuna around like a dog, she was the chosen one, and from what Buffy could pick up Seymour was nothing but a priest, there to guide Yuna.”

Everyone stepped forwards, coming to stand with the strange man under the spheres, Buffy heard a singing and then a bright light flashed and she closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes she seemed to be standing in a void, the singing was louder, under her feet something shimmered, a field of stars appearing all around her, as though she were in space. Small, brightly coloured comets whirled past her face and she found herself making sounds of amazement like those around her.

Her thoughts of the beauty of this place were cut of short when Seymour stepped forward, beside Yuna, reminding the slayer of his presence.

“This sphere is a reconstruction created from the thoughts of the dead that wander the Farplane.” As he spoke the scenery changed and they were standing above a city, it could have been New York except for the giant walls of water that seemed to be held in midair, somehow defying gravity. Tidus frowned, staring across the city as they flew over it.

Much of the city was built into the ocean itself, buildings standing in the water and on boats.

The scene shifted again, almost like a dream and now they stood on a road, lights flashing everywhere, people hurrying by. Buffy felt almost at home, but Tidus..

“Zanarkand!” Tidus gasped. Buffy remembered him talking about Zanarkand, so this was it? No wonder he seemed nearly normal -in a really blonde way- this city was kinda like her world.

“Correct, Zanarkand, as it looked one thousand years ago.”

Buffy could hear a loudspeaker in the background. “The Blitzball stadium is experiencing difficulties, we advise that this area remain off limits until further notice. ”

Seymour continued speaking. “She once lived in this metropolis.” Buffy heard Auron ‘humph’ loudly.

Yuna turned to Seymour. “She who?”

Buffy blinked as they suddenly appeared in a room, sitting on the bed was what appeared to be a naked woman, blue hair zigzagging in pieces like Seymour’s though falling down her back, not sitting over her head.

Yuna gasped. “Lady Yunalesca.” Buffy realised that the woman in question was wearing a tiny bikini, suitable -Buffy thought- for a city with so much water.

Seymour nodded. “She was the first person to defeat Sin and save the world from it’s ravages and you have inherited her name.”

Buffy frowned, she could feel him leading somewhere, though she couldn’t understand what showing them all this scantily clad summoner was going to do.

Yuna spoke softly. “It was my father who named me..”

“Lord Braska was entrusting you with a great task he wanted you to face Sin as Lady Yunalesca did.” Buffy shook her head, what was with this guy? Just ‘cause her dad named her that didn’t mean anything. If her father had called her ‘Joan’ it wouldn’t mean he wanted her to lead an army and be burnt at the stake…

“However,” Seymour continued. “Lady Yunalesca did not save the world alone..”

A clashing noise was heard entering the room and a man, dressed in golden plate armour, entered and Buffy worked out what Seymour wanted.

“To defeat the undefeatable Sin it took an unbreakable bond of love, the kind that binds two hearts together for eternity.” He did the weird bowing thing again.

Buffy opened her mouth to say something when the flashy light thing happened again and they reappeared in the room, Seymour whispering in Yuna’s ear.

Buffy shook her head, this wasn’t her business.

Yuna suddenly gasped, then, making strange noises,  Yuna walked over to a table, grabbing a glass of water in both hands and gulping it down, she held her hand in front of her face, then ran over to where her guardians were standing.

Rikku looked at the distressed summoner. “Wow, your face is beet red.”

Buffy shook her head. “He didn’t, did he, ask you..”

Yuna nodded at Buffy, grateful that she had worked it out.

At the confused looks on the others faces Yuna clarified. “He, he, asked me to marry him!”

Wakka looked shocked. “You serious?”

Auron frowned, obviously displeased. “You know what Yuna must do.”

“Of course..” The way he spoke so quickly gave Buffy the impression of a prepared speech. “Lady Yuna, no, all summoners are charged with bringing peace to Spira. But this means more than just defeating Sin she must ease the suffering of all Spira she must be a leader for the people.”

Buffy had a nagging feeling that the Maester was using a play on words, as though he were saying what Yuna wanted to hear yet at the same time the truth lay somewhere in those twisted words.

“I proposed to Lady Yuna as a master of Yevon.”

Auron grunted. “Spira is no playhouse. A moments diversion may amuse an audience but it changes nothing.”

Seymour gave him a dirty look. “Even so the actors must play their parts. There’s no need to answer right away, please, think it over.”

Auron took over, seeming to wrap the party under protective wings. “We will do so then.

We leave”

Seymour kept his smiling face, though his eyes had a flame in them, showing his displeasure at Auron’s interference. He seemed smug at getting in the last word, as they left the room.

“Lady Yuna. I await your favourable reply.”

Buffy looked at Tidus who seemed to want to say something, Auron gave him a ‘let’s go’ look and headed after all the others.

“Why are you still here, sir.”

Buffy spun around to stare at Seymour, all sense of a friendly host was gone, malice sat openly on his face, he covered it a moment later, lowering his lashes. Buffy had the feeling that he’d just struck at Auron’s weak point.

“I beg your pardon we Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane.”

Tidus walked over and began sniffing Auron like some kind of dog.

“Tidus, cut it out.” Buffy said as Auron shoved him away.

The three of them left the room in silence, gathering around Yuna who sat on the ground outside, where Lulu spoke.

“Yuna, the high summoners daughter, Seymour, the leader of the Guado, married in the name of Yevon, overcoming the barriers of race… It would give Spira something cheery to talk about for a change.”

Wakka screwed up his nose, waving his hand in front of his face. “Sounds just like a passing daydream, like Auron says.”

Tidus shook his head, gesturing wildly with his arms. “Come on, lets just get on with the pilgrimage I mean, Marriage?”

Rikku surprised Buffy, thumping Tidus on the shoulder. “Hmm, jealous?”

“What, no way! We gotta defeat sin, romance can wait.”

Wakka looked torn. “He sure picked a fine time to lay this one on us.”

“Maybe it is a fine time.”

Tidus looked at Yuna as though she’d gone nuts. “You serious?”

“If my getting married would help Spira… If it would make people happy… If I can do that for people… Maybe I should do what I can. I never imagined doing anything like this but I wont answer till I know what's right.”

Buffy sat on the ground, taking Yuna’s hands in her own, the summoner looked up at her.

“Listen, Yuna. I know you respect Seymour, and I know Spira means a lot to you but.. Those things Seymour said, he said them on purpose.”

Yuna looked confused.

“You are a summoner, you have been chosen to help Spira, right? He must know that as a summoner you would do anything to make people’s lives better, but.. Not this, Yuna. Don’t do this. People get married for a bunch of reasons but.. Unless you love him- I mean really love him.. Marriage is too big. My parents got married, but, later, they didn’t love each other anymore and- yes the wedding made people happy- but afterwards, when they left each other, it just made people sad again. As the chosen one it is your duty to save lives. If you save the lives of all these people, they can get married, they can have their own little children and just think, how happy would that make them? I know it’s hard, Seymour really struck at a weak point, but.. God! You can’t just be dangled like a puppet for people. And, Yuna, when you find someone you do love you can marry them and just think how happy that would make everyone, Lu’ said that the overcoming of race and.. Yada yada, but a happier story is you overcoming all odds and finding someone you really love, I know it would make me happier.”

Buffy looked up for the first time, away from Yuna’s green and blue eyes, filled with emotion, she looked at those around her, Rikku looked entranced, absently scratching the side of her face. Tidus and Wakka looked relieved and Lulu just looked decided.

Yuna, suddenly looked up, directly at Buffy. “I remember, when I was only seven years old, in Bevelle that day. My father had just defeated Sin and the whole town was out on the streets, everyone seemed so happy. If I defeat Sin, that will make people happy.” She looked at her friends. “I am a summoner I must fight and defeat Sin.”

Auron nodded, seeming to understand what she meant. “Like Braska before you?”

“Mm.” Yuna agreed. “Let us return to the Inn to collect our belongings then I will take my answer to Lord Seymour.”

 

Chapter 8   

 

“Lady Summoner, you’re clothes are ready.” The Guado said as they entered the inn, she handed them neatly folded piles of clothes which Wakka stashed in a surprisingly small bag and slung it over his back.

“Thankyou for your kindness.” Yuna bowed.

“It was a small thing, I wish you luck on your journey.” The Guado bowed low.

“Thankyou.” Yuna left.

They headed back towards the manor when they ran into a green clad girl.

“Shelinda?” Yuna said, bowing.

“Lady Yuna.” The girl bowed back. “Where are you going?”

“We are going to speak with Lord Seymour.” Yuna answered.

“Oh.” Shelinda looked concerned. “But Maester Seymour just left to go to Macalania Temple.”

“Oh!” Yuna held her hand in front of her mouth. “Are you sure?”

“Why, yes. Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no. We shall have to go to Macalania Temple.”

“He sure left in a hurry.” Wakka observed.

“Perhaps he did not expect Yuna’s answer so soon.” Lulu said.

“Well.” Shelinda answered. “I will be going to Macalania myself, shortly.”

Lulu pointed. “It is this way.” She led them through a tunnel and they came out on a huge, wide plain. Buffy stared, green eyes wide with wonder and fear. She had never seen anything so scary, never even conceived it as possible- well, finding out about what her mother and Giles did under the influence of those chocolates, that kinda came close. Thunder sounded and Lightning arced down towards the black, rocky, plain, rain sliced through the air at random intervals and a permanent smell of ozone filled the air. As lightning arced out of the sky Rikku squealed, falling to her knees.

“Uh, I think I left something back in Guadosalam.”      

“Nice knowing you.” Auron answered.

“Alright, fine, I’ll go.” A peal of thunder shot through the air and she squealed again.

“Let’s go.” Auron said.

The journey across the thunder plains was nerve wracking, the  entire plain was dotted with lightning rod towers, designed to draw the lightning towards them, they had to stay close to the towers without getting close enough to be affected by the lightning that hit the towers. Every time an arc of lightning came out of the blackened sky Rikku would scream which only made things worse. Finally, half way across the thunder plains Rikku stopped, a strange, haunted sounding laugh coming from her.

“Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.”

Everyone turned around, Rikku fell to her knees. “Eh heh heh eh eh heh.”

“Heh heh heh heh?” Tidus said. “Your freaking me out!”

Buffy knelt down, staring into Rikkus eyes and noticing, for the first time, the way a black spiral ran through them, from the outside to the centre. “Well.” Buffy said. “She’s either scared crazy or doing it for attention, my sister does it all the time.”

Thoughts of Dawn flooded her, worry coming back in truckloads, she knew Dawn was ‘safe’ but probably worried sick not knowing where Buffy was. She stood up and to her surprise Rikku crawled across the ground, latching onto Tidus’ leg.

“I wanna go home I hate lightning I hate thunder lets go rest over there, please?”

Buffy frowned. “Rikku, get up.”

The other girl made a whimpering noise.

Auron stepped forward. “This storm never stops better to cross quickly.”

Buffy, too, was anxious every time the lightning arced out of the sky, but as Auron said, the sooner they crossed it the sooner  they were out.

“I know but.. just for a little while?”

 

Auron turned and left, the others following him. Buffy put a comforting arm around the girls shoulder. “Come on Da.. Rikku, the sooner we get out of here the sooner you never have to worry about lightning again.

“Oooh.”

They approached the building, a lightning rod tower with an inn at the base, Rikku broke free of Buffy, standing in the doorway.

“Pretty please, just a few minutes?”

“Ignore her.” Auron said, continuing to walk.

“I’m scared of lightning let’s rest please pretty please?”

“I swear, she acts just like my sister.”

“How old is your sister?” Lulu asked.

“Fourteen, my Mom’s away for the week so I’m supposed to be watching her, somehow I ended up here.”

“I’m too young to die.” Rikku wailed as they continued to walk.

“It is evident that you are a warrior.” Auron observed. “Where do you come from?”

“It’s not exactly where I come from, it’s who I am, I am the Slayer, the ‘chosen one’ a bit like Yuna. I have to save the world and protect the innocent, it’s a whole big thing. But mostly I just kill demons, vampires, zombies.”

The faces of those around were blank. “You know- dead stuff.” She frowned, looking at Auron. “I mean, not all dead things, some dead people are perfectly nice. I had a boyfriend once, a vampire, well, he used to be nice and now- there’s Spike. Well, he’s mostly nice, a bit annoying but perfectly harmless…”

Her talking was interrupted as Rikku called out in one last attempt.

“You’re mean, cruel your moms would be ashamed of you…Are you having fun doing this to me.”

Auron sighed. “Fine, we rest she’s worse than the storm.” Buffy raised her eyebrows, Auron giving in to a fifteen year old girl? She grinned.

 

An hour later they escorted an apprehensive Rikku back outside and continued on. In next to no time they reached the edge of the thunder plains, as it gave way to a huge, dense forest, thick with giant trees- and crystals.

Buffy looked in wonder as they entered the forest, Rikku breathed a sigh of relief. The forest was comprised of long paths which gave way to thick branches and roots, as wide as a road which they often had to walk up, their path snaked through the trees, up and down, often they were attacked by fiends breathing frosty air or summoning small blizzards. These were soon dealt with and they continued on their way. Soon they reached the edge of the forest, icy air blew out at them, Buffy was glad for her jacket and watched in horror as Rikku walked out across the snow in her shorts.

“Rikku.” Buffy ran up to her as she began to shiver.

“Here, wear this.” She fished her white coat out of Wakka’s bag, putting it on Rikku, it covered her arms and provided some shelter around her legs.

Yuna stood there, teeth chattering, as she cast a spell over each person. The spell, she told them, was actually designed to prevent them from being hurt by fire magic, but it created a small whirlwind of flame around each of them which warmed them slightly.

“This way.” Auron pointed.

Yuna ran on ahead, looking at the icy landscape, she stepped onto a wide sheet of ice, perfect- Buffy thought- for skating on, as she was thinking this Rikku gasped.

“Oh no!”

Buffy ran to the edge of the ice to see men in what looked like scuba gear, wearing goggles like the ones Rikku wore on her head. They were dressed mostly in yellow and either drove snowmobiles or ran along the ice carrying guns.

“I thought you said there were no guns in this world?” Buffy asked as they ran to surround Yuna.

“The Al Behd!” Wakka spat.

Someone stood on a ledge, high above, his chest bare but for a large blue tattoo. “Rikku.” He called out. “Tuhd ehdanvana un oui kad drec.”

Rikku shook her head. Buffy spun around, the Al Behd were surrounding her as it began to snow. Through the snow she could see that not all the Al Behd wore yellow, some were dressed in blue, some in green, red and even purple and one of them was completely dressed in black.

“Ouin bnaleuic magic yht Aeons yna icamacc.”

As he said this a huge machine, like a tank, drove over the snow, something zipped around through the air like a wasp.

Tidus turned to rikku. “Translation?”

“He's going to use an anti magic field on us.” Rikku answered, distressed.

The machine came rolling towards them. “Where do I aim?” Wakka called.

“Aim for the flying thing.” Rikku answered. “If you knock it down Yuna can summon.”

“Okay.” He hurled a large, blue and white ball at the wasp thing, the ball smacked into it, damaging a propeller and causing it to list slightly.

“I can get it.” Buffy said, confidently. She ran at the machine, using it to jump off, she leapt into the air and delivered her best knock out, slayer kick, to the device, shattering it and knocking off it’s propellor. She landed like a cat, the machine falling out of the sky with her.

“Yuna, summon.” She called.

Yuna nodded, holding her staff before her as a circle of light appeared underneath her. She flicked the staff sideways, pointing it into the air as lightning shot from it, as Buffy watched a mirror appeared in midair. She stared at it as it shattered, a horse diving through the glass and landing on the ground. Lightning sparkled off it’s fur and Buffy realised it had a huge horn on it’s head.

“A unicorn?” The creature shot towards the machine, digging its’ horn into it as the machine shot round after round of bullets at it, one lot imbedded deep into the unicorns side and blood began to drip onto the snow, disappearing with a sparkle as it hit the icy surface.

The unicorn suddenly neighed, rearing up and shooting a blast of lightning at the machine, disabling its’ wiring and leaving it a useless lump on the snow. Almost without thinking Buffy leaped on the machine, ripping off the hatch and pulling a terrified looking ‘Al Behd’ out and holding him up by the throat.

“It works like this.” She said calmly. “Either you leave Yuna, me and all my friends alone or I snap this guys neck.”

The bare chested one made hand signals and all the Al Behd ran off, where? Buffy had no idea, but as long as they were gone… Buffy dropped the one she was holding off the vehicle, he fell to the snow, scrambling to his feet and running off.

“Rikku E femm damm vydran!” The, now angry looking, tattooed man roared.

“E ys dra guardian uv yuna, oui caa, Yuna ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran, cra ec cyva!” Rikku answered, waving her hands.

“Oui tu drec ymuha cecdan.”

“I told him I was a guardian well, I guess I had to really.”

“How come u speak Al Behd?” Wakka asked. “Why?”

Buffy shook her head. “Where I come from the answer to this question would be ‘duh’.”

Rikku lowered her head. “Because I’m Al Behd and that was my brother.”

Wakka stared at everyone else. “You knew?”

Everyone nodded. Buffy put her hand up. “I didn’t ‘know’ I worked it out.”

“Why didn’t u tell me?”

“We knew you’d be upset.” Lulu answered.

Wakka groaned. “This is great, I cant believe I’ve been travelling with an Al Behd, a heathen.”

Rikku shook her head emphatically. “you’re wrong, we have nothing against Yevon.”

“God!” Buffy announced. “That’s what this is about, she’s a different race and religion to you? Can I say ‘get over it’ enough? I can’t believe I’m travelling with a racist prick!” Buffy folded her arms in front of her chest.

“But.. the Al Behd use the forbidden machina. You know what that means, Sin was born because people used machina.”

“I don’t know why your Sin was born, but we have ‘machina’ in our world and there’s no Sin. Do you know what most people use it for? In hospitals, to help sick people get better, we have cars to get us from one place to another, this walking business, really sucks. Of course, I can’t drive but that’s what friends are for.. Oh, and, entertainment, Seymour wouldn’t have been able to pull off that ‘it’ll make people happy’ crap if you had television, or computer games, even the vampires have computer games- Spike..” Buffy frowned, her mind going into overdrive.

 

“Hey, just leave it.” Spike said, “I’m about to beat the snot out of Seymour.”

“Uh huh.” Buffy sounded sceptical. “What, you can’t be violent in real life so you have to play video games?”

 

Buffy stared at Wakka, a look of horror on her face, she shook her head, top lip beginning to curl upwards. “No way, it’s impossible...”

She stared at the people around her. “I can’t believe it.”

Wakka looked incredibly sorry, he thought the look on Buffy’s face was attributed to his reaction to the Al Behd. “Hey, I’m sorry, you’re right, I was a big jerk. I just, I can’t stand the fact that the Al Behd defy Yevon like dat.”

Auron called out. “Rikku.”

The girl ran over to where he was playing with one of the snowmobiles. “Will this move?”

Yuna walked over to Buffy, looking concerned. “Are you, are you alright?”

Buffy bit her bottom lip. “Yeah, I.. I’m fine.”

“Kimahri think not.” The Ronso said, frowning at Buffy. “Slayer sad?”

“No, really, I’ll be fine.”

“Kimahri hopes.”

Wakka looked upset. “W-we’re not using that are we? Wait- sir  Auron isn’t Al Behd too is he?”
Tidus waved his hands. “Come on Wakka, you just said you were sorry.”

“Okay, alright, I just hope Yevon will forgive us.”

“Let’s go!” Tidus said, pumping his fist in the air.

 

Chapter 9  

 

Spike boarded the airship, he grinned to himself, thinking, by the time he found Buffy he’d be able to add ‘saving damsels in distress’ to his resume. Of course he knew whichever summoner he was ‘rescuing’ probably wouldn’t appreciate his efforts but she’d be safer for it.

“Ready to go.” Brother said flicking controls.

“Ready.” Keyakku added.

“Everything’s good down here.” Spike added, pulling himself out of the engine hatch and lighting up a cigarette with an oversized lighter.

The airship took off, hanging, precariously in the air. It then began to move, sliding freely through the sky and taking on a grace like a swan on water.

The Al Behd back in Home waved as they flew over.

The flight to Macalania took very little time, they landed a little way off so they could catch her unawares, snowmobiles were brought out of the airship and Spike was glad for his coat as Brother, who had no shirt on, began to shiver. They didn’t need to wait long before the summoner came into view and when she did Spike had to bite his lip to stop himself from groaning, it was Yuna.

He knew this part of the game too well, Tromell would come to take her to Seymour, the Al Behd would attack while Tromell took Yuna off, Yuna would break free and beat the snot out of the Al Behd, Spike didn’t want to be around when that happened, he looked up as the snow began to fall.

Yuna came walking out onto the ice, Spike frowned when Tromell didn’t arrive. “What’s taking so bloody long?” He whispered to herself.

Keyakku looked at him, surprised. “We have to wait for her to come further out.”

The snow wasn‘t so heavy that Spike couldn’t make out the shapes of her guardians. Keyakku could see her guardians too.

“Seven guardians?” Keyakku said in surprise.

“Yeah.” Spike said. “This is gonna be fun.” He began to think, remembering her guardians, there was Lulu, he remembered her easy enough, Tidus, Wakka and Auron. Rikku was probably the weakest of the lot, and there was Kimahri. Spike frowned, thinking them over. Lulu, Tidus, Wakka, Auron, Rikku and Kimahri, that was six, he didn’t think he was forgetting any.

“Keyakku, she only has six guardians.”

 “No, she definitely has seven.”
”Spike, I think there’s a leak in the coolant.” A voice called from behind him

“I’ll be there in a minute.” He stared out across the snow one last time before he remembered Oaka, the salesman who followed them from place to place, he was probably with them. He did come out of Macalania woods with them.

…

 

“Whoa!”

“I’ll see your ‘whoa’ and raise you a holy cow!” Buffy said to Tidus.

As they walked along a narrow ledge made completely of ice the Macalania Temple loomed up before them. And it didn’t just go upwards, looking over the edge Buffy could see the base of the temple went down into the ice far below them, it resembled some sort of palace more than a temple. The icy path led into a wide door, the building itself was enormous and lavishly decorated, going higher in the air than Buffy cared to look whilst walking along a narrow piece of ice suspended in midair. Her and Tidus stopped to admire the place, Buffy had never seen anything like it. Well, she’d seen the palace in Disneyland, she’d seen giant palaces at ice shows, made of coloured ice but none of these things compared to the feeling this place gave off, it was more than size and looks, it was a feeling. This place seemed as though it came before time and would continue long after, the same way it went through the ice and high into the sky, but it didn’t look crumbly, it was- perfect.

As they approached the door they saw a priest, standing in front of the door. When Tidus and Buffy arrived the others began to walk into the temple. Rikku ran in first, the priest held up his hand. “Halt, the likes of her are not permitted in this hallowed place.”

Auron kept his voice level. “She is a guardian.” He said.

The priest looked outraged under his very high collar, Buffy sniffed, Auron pulled off that look way better. “An Al Behd, a guardian? Preposterous!”

Buffy wanted to yell, some things about this world were perfect but other things.. Like this constant racism. Rikku, however, remained calm.

“I’ve decided to be Yuna’s guardian now and that is all I want.”

Auron began to walk up the stairs. “And that’s all one needs to become a guardian.”

The priest shook his head. “Very well.”

Everyone ran into the temple, Buffy came second last, followed by Tidus.

As they entered the temple they were stopped by Tromell, he gave them a long and slow speech about his thanks and gratitude and hopes for the future, yada yada, boredom, boredom, she was surprised that Yuna took this all the time, Buffy would have ordered them to leave her alone. She looked past the guardians, looking for Yuna, she wasn’t there, Buffy’s eyes widened in panic.

“Another Guado took her away the moment we arrived.” Lulu told her.

Buffy frowned. “I should have been keeping a closer eye, I really suck at this, first Dawn, now Yuna.”

“It is okay, you will learn given time.”

Buffy didn’t know whether to feel insulted or uplifted.

“…And so I thank you again and ask that you make yourselves comfortable.”

Buffy watched as he did the funny bow, it looked even more ridiculous on him because Guado’s arms were hugely long.

Tidus went to look at the group of musicians playing in the temple while Buffy, more out of curiosity than anything tried out the weird bowing thing. She laughed at the thought of the look on Giles’ face if she acted Spiran when she got back, she silently vowed to try it to see what happened.

“It goes like this..” Lulu said.

“Huh?”

“Watch.” Lulu slowly stepped back with one foot, holding her arms to the side, she made cups with her hands and brought them together, elbows still out to the side, in front of her chest, so that they made a shape like a ball.

Buffy watched and nodded, executing a neat bow.

“It’s called the ‘prayer’.” Lulu explained.

“Oh, thankyou. I didn’t need to know it, I was just..”

“You do not have to know it- that’s true- however learning to fit in would not be a terrible thing, you have a unique personality, however some situations require a little more tact.”

“Oh, Lady Yuna’s guardians.” A voice came from behind them.

Lulu turned. “Forgive me.” Shelinda said to Buffy. “I do not believe we have met..”

“Oh.” Buffy shot a worried glance at Lulu who gave an almost imperceptible nod. Buffy turned back to the girl, doing the ‘prayer’ back.

“My name is Buffy.” She said, in what she hoped sounded like the same way Yuna talked.

“It is an honour to meet you Lady Buffy.” Shelinda answered. “I.. I wish you luck in your pilgrimage.”

“Where is Yuna.” Lulu asked.

“Oh, I believe she went to the Cloister of Trials with Maester Seymour.”

“Thankyou.” Lulu inclined her head.

As Shelinda left Buffy turned back to Lulu. “See, that was uber embarrassing.”

“I thought you did it very nicely, come, let us go to the Cloister of trials.”

Kimahri heard her and began to head up the stairs, Auron and the others following suit. The priest blocked their way.

Suddenly a voice was heard from downstairs. “Lord Jyscal!” A girl came running out of a room.

“I was cleaning and I found a sphere under some cushions.”

Auron walked in the room first, they all crowded in. Out of a small, blue sphere came the figure of a Guado.

“Listen carefully, what I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth about my son, Seymour. His heart is closed, even to me, a Maester of Yevon, but I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado and even the summoners. If he is not stopped he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira.I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son. But I do not fault him. Because I was not wise enough he has suffered, and become twisted. I could not protect him and his 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 Seymour, stop my son.

Auron grunted. “Wonderful.”

Rikku frowned. “Will Yuna be alright?”

“Without us, no.”

“Let’s go kick his ass.” Buffy said, happily. Now that she no longer wanted to slay Spike she required some violence to keep her going.

“Perhaps.” Lulu said. “Though possibly with a little more discretion, hmm?”

“Where you all goin?” Wakka asked in a panic.

“Come on Wakka, the guys evil.” Buffy pointed out.

“He’s bad news.” Tidus added.

“But.. but, he’s a Maester.”

Lulu intervened. “Let’s at least hear him out.”

“This can’t be happenin.’ Ohh.” Wakka groaned.

Buffy ran out into the main room as the priest tried to block the way. Kimahri’s answer to this was to pick him up bodily and toss him down the stairs like a beany baby.

As Buffy walked past the priest grabbed her leg. “That Ronso, he.. Bevelle will here about this.”

“Could I care less?” Buffy kicked his hand, continuing up the stairs.

 

They ran through an icy tunnel, coming out into a round room with stairs at one end.

“Seymour!” Tidus yelled, running into the room.

“Please be silent. Lady Yuna prays to the fayth.”

“Make me.” Was Tidus’ answer.

“You’re heading for a hell of a fight.” Buffy added, clutching her sword. “By the way, what’s with the clothes, and the hair. I mean talk about ‘individual’ you look like you’ve thrown on every item in your grandmothers closet. And can you say ‘wax.’ If you’re gonna walk around with your stomach hanging out- never a good look I might add- at least apply some wax so the rest of the world doesn’t want to hurl every time they see you. And really, what’s with the bow, it’s cute on Yuna, on  you.. well, I don’t wanna go there but I know what my frien... what Spike would call you and it’s not friendly.” Buffy felt pleased with herself, she thought she had successfully channelled Cordelia.

Seymour headed down the stairs, giving them the death stare, suddenly the door at the top opened and Yuna stumbled out.

“Yuna!” Tidus yelled.

Yuna noticed her guardians looking like they were going to kill Seymour. “But why..?”

“We saw a sphere Jyscal had, a recording.”

Auron put the full force of his disapproving gaze on Seymour. “You killed him.”

“What of it?” Seymour answered. Yuna gasped, her hand in front of her face, as Buffy watched her face hardened and Yuna looked like an avenging angel, a slight wind came through, blowing Yuna’s hair out and ruffling her skirt and arm things.

“You.” Yuna stared.

“Yes?” Seymour asked.

“I..I shall have to stop you!”

Seymour turned. “I see, you’re going to punish me then?”

“Eww.” Buffy said. “Talk about wording something badly, that’s wrong on every level.”

Seymour stared at her strangely before turning his eyes back to Yuna. He held out his hand to her, she stared at it for a second, stepping back..

“What a pity.” Murder was in Seymours eyes. Buffy pulled Yuna behind her as Auron and Tidus stepped in front.

“Ah, of course. ‘protect the summoner even at the cost of one’s life’ the code of the guardian, how admirable.” He stuck his arm into the air, the two Guado either side of him stepping forward. “Well, if you’re offering your lives I will have to take them.”

“Maester Seymour, these people may be my guardians but they are also my friends, I will not stand by and watch them be hurt.” Yuna held her staff up. “I will fight you too.”

“All right!” Tidus exclaimed.

Buffy pulled her sword out of its’ sheath, slashing at Seymour,  to her surprise one of the Guado stepped in the way, putting off her balance and taking the blow on its’ armoured arm. At this time Tidus slashed at the other Guado, ripping a gaping hole from it’s chest to its’ hip. Instead of dying it simply healed itself magically.

In a second the room was full of flying fireballs, electricity and ice. Buffy gasped as a shard of ice erupted from the ground beneath her feet, using reflexes and strength that only a slayer has she leapt from the ground, spinning through the air and delivering a kick to the Guado’s head. Obviously unused to this form of combat the Guado fell, unconscious to the ground and she rammed her sword deep into its’ chest. At this moment Tidus, Kimahri and Auron slashed at the other Guado simultaneously. It too didn’t get up.

“Seymour!” Tidus called. “You coward, you can’t hide behind them any more, watcha gonna do?”

Seymour smiled unpleasantly, raising his arm as a dark mist seemed to fill the room, a dark pattern appeared on the floor as the room shook.

“Tidus!” Buffy called.

The room groaned and a creature appeared, it was the most disgusting creature she had ever seen, chained and bound with only one eye exposed. It appeared to be wearing a straightjacket and as it appeared it let out a moan of torment beyond Buffy’s imagining.

Yuna stepped forwards, staff in hand. She stood before the massive creature, staff clasped in front of her chest, suddenly she held the staff towards the ground as red symbols began to glow, spinning around and shooting upwards, where they joined a shape appeared, flying downwards and taking the form of a giant bird, it spread its’ wings as it approached the ground, landing beside Yuna and purring as it nuzzled her hand.

It was obviously a supernatural creature, back home Buffy would have slain it the minute she saw it, but now.. It was beautiful and gave off an air of peace. Buffy began to think, in Spira it was almost like, it didn’t matter what kind of creature you were, you could be a priest and evil, or a giant demon bird and be good. She shook her head, it couldn’t be this way everywhere, certainly not back in Sunnydale, could it?

As she watched the bird flapped into the air, dodging what appeared to be a laser beam, shooting from the eye of the giant creature. The bird then swooped down, digging claws into its’ flesh, raking a large chunk from it.

The beast that Seymour gloatingly called Anima writhed in pain, roaring and shooting another laser beam which grazed the birds wing, causing it to fly awkwardly.

Yuna’s Aeon flew upwards, staring down Anima, it made a circular motion with its’ head, a circle of light appearing before it, light seemed to come from its’ beak, intensified by the circle in front of it, the light then shot in four beams towards Anima, greatly weakening it. Even as it struggled to remain upright it shot a laser beam straight through the birds chest and it fell to the ground, dissolving into pyreflies as it hit the ground.

Yuna gasped, seeming to deflate. Almost without thinking Buffy jumped in front of Yuna as Anima shot a laser towards her.

“Buffy!” Yuna called, half stepping forwards, Buffy didn’t hear anything, the pain in her side where a large chunk of her was missing was nothing to the pressure that seemed to be trying to escape from her, it was almost..

Tidus, Lulu and Kimahri seemed to sink into the ground as Buffy seemed to grow, she remembered this feeling. When she’d fought Adam her friends had mixed their power with hers, essentially turning her into a super slayer, this is what was happening now.

Her eyes glowed and, as Anima shot at her with another laser, Buffy waved her hand, waving his attack away. She stepped forward, leaping into the air she placed a kick into his chest, where her foot met flesh ice seemed to sprout like a weed, weaving its’ way into his body, causing him to roar in pain, his writhing caused him to break free of his straightjacket. Buffy ignored his flailing arms, jumping almost weightlessly from the ground, landing on his giant shoulder, almost two storeys from the ground, she grabbed his head from behind, twisting sharply. His neck snapped and he slumped forward as Buffy jumped lightly back to the ground.

He dissolved the way the bird did and Buffy was suddenly left, collapsed, on the ground, all the extra power gone from  her body and her side hurting. Rikku pulled her towards her, casting a spell much like the one the Guado were casting before. Her side began to super heal, flesh knitting back together and she found she could stand without pain, she turned to see Tidus, Lulu and Yuna standing in front of Seymour as he called out through the room.

“That power that defeated Anima, it will be mine!”

Bull, Buffy thought, she stepped forward to help but Auron placed a hand on her shoulder. “Your part of this is done, Yuna must do this.”

“Why?” Buffy asked.

“Your power is diminished.” Auron answered. “And this is Yuna’s story.”

As Tidus attacked Seymour the Maester cast a spell, deflecting his attack, he glared at Lulu as she threw a ball of fire at him.

Buffy watched all this in silence, it wasn’t until Yuna summoned again that she gasped.

Ice flew out of the sky in chunks, imbedding in the ground and something floated from the sky amidst sparkling lights. As it reached the ground it threw its’ arm out, smashing the ice and that’s when Buffy gasped.

 

 

“Can’t you tell I’m busy?”

Buffy looked past him. “Uh huh, because god knows naked blue women are of the important.” She placed her hands on her hips.

“Wait a minute, she’s not naked.” He held his hands up. “That’s not.. it’s a computer game.”

 

 

In front of her stood the woman from Spikes television, down to the last icicle, long, blue, dreadlocked hair, pale blue skin, a tiny little bikini with a string hanging down from the back like a tail. Buffy shook her head. Her suspicions were true, it was like she’d been sucked into a computer game- which made her sound like a science fiction nut or a character out of one of Xander’s comic books.

She suddenly felt angry, if Spike knew where they were why wasn’t he looking for her. She glared at the ground, looking up sharply when she heard gasps of shock. Seymour collapsed to the ground, talking even to his last breath. Buffy stood up, pulling away from her thoughts- she had know she was in another world, now she knew which one- she walked over to where the others were standing, Seymour lay on the ground, motionless.

“Yuna, send him.” Auron said, gruffly.”

“Okay.” Yuna answered.

“Um.” Buffy said. “Send him?”

Lulu turned to her. “She is going to guide his soul to the Farplane.”

“Oh.” Buffy frowned, watching as Yuna stepped back, clutching her staff, just then a large roup of Guado burst into the room.

“Get away from him.” Tromell groaned.

“But he needs to be sent.” Yuna answered.

“You are traitors, infidels.” Tromell said. “Seize them!”

“Yuna, come.” Auron pushed Yuna back into the icy tunnel they came in through, they raced along, coming out into the temple where they all raced out through the door and along the icy ledge. Buffy couldn’t look behind her as they ran for fear of falling off the narrow, slippery ledge. She was amazed that the others could run along it, it was taking all of her slayer agility and years as a cheerleader to remain on the thin piece of ice.

They came out on the ice where they had been attacked by the Al Behd, Buffy’s breath was coming in short gasps, icy mist hung around her face as she breathed.

She turned around and saw two Guado, running out after them.

Buffy pushed her hanging fringe back, angrily. Usually she was against the killing of anything with a soul but these guys were really starting to piss her off. They held their hands out and something jumped from the ice. Buffy rolled her eyes. It stood about twice the height of a man, covered in thick, coarse fur, it had an ape like face and grunted as it approached.

“Great, the abominable snowman.” Buffy groaned.

Lulu stepped forward, summoning a pool of fire underneath it which erupted like lava. It grunted, stepping back, then ran forward, ramming it’s fists into Auron, throwing him through the air. Buffy ran towards it, sword in front of her, she rammed the sword into its’ throat, causing bright red blood to gush all over the ice. It roared, stomping its’ feet and making a funny, cracking noise. Buffy frowned, cracking noise? As she thought this the ice gave way beneath her feet and she fell through the air for what felt like forever.

 

Chapter 10

 

“Oww.” Buffy anounced, pushing herself to her feet. She was standing knee deep in freezing water in what appeared to be ancient ruins. She washed the blood off her sword, sheathing it and beginning to look around. She could hear a singing, the same as the song she had heard back in Guadosalam. She walked through a pile of rubble, finding herself face to face with Rikku.

“Oh, do you think Yunie’ll be okay.” Rikku asked.

Buffy looked in the direction Rikku was looking, Yuna lay on a piece of timber, the remnants of some old building. Her usually ivory white skin was bluish in colour.  

Buffy looked around, remembering that Wakka had all their spare clothes in his bag, she ran over to him, he was shaking his head and moaning, Buffy snatched the bag off him as Tidus approached.

“I have to help Yuna, can you deal with him?” Buffy said.

“Yuna’s hurt?” Tidus’ eyes were full of concern.

“She’ll be fine just.. Wakka.” She turned and ran back to where Yuna lay.

She pulled Aurons long, black coat from the bag, laying it over Yuna as she lay on the platform.

“Come on.” Buffy said. The blue tinge slowly faded away and Yuna’s eyes fluttered open.

“Yuna!” Tidus called, running over.

Buffy looked at the summoner as she sat up, pulling Auron’s coat over what she was wearing. Auron came walking over, Buffy realised that the black coat was identical to the one he wore during the day with long, open sleeves and a piece of material around the middle to hold it on.

Buffy listened to the singing in the background, it was repetitive and slow. Lulu spoke.

“We are under the ice, aren’t we, that’s the base of the temple over there.”

Buffy looked in the direction Lulu pointed, the base of the temple was there and the singing seemed to be coming from it.

“What’s that singing?” Buffy asked.

“That is the hymn of the Fayth. It is Yevons gift to us, the Fayth sings and it lifts the hearts of the faithful.”

As Buffy listened the singing stopped, no-one else seemed to have noticed, the ground suddenly shook and Rikku called out.

“The singing, it stopped.”

“What’s that!” Wakka yelled as the ground shook harder.

“Sin!” Tidus yelled.

“Watch out, the toxin!” Lulu said warningly.

Huh? Buffy thought, Toxin? The ground gave another heave and Buffy blacked out.

 

Buffy turned in her sleep, a faint buzzing noise could be heard in the background, she rolled over and reached for her pillow, it wasn’t there. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around, she appeared to be in the desert, though how she got there she didn’t know. She was asleep at the base of some sand dunes, she stood up, rubbing her eyes.

Off in the distance she could hear a faint buzzing, almost like machina, she shook her head. Why would there be machina in the desert. She decided to look for the others, walking between the dunes she looked around, there didn’t appear to be any life or water either. She came around a corner to see Kimahri trying to walk up a sand dune, he kept slipping down and trying again. “Kimahri!” She called, running over to him.

“What’s wrong.”

“Kimahri lose Yuna.” He answered, dismally.

Buffy shook her head. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”

After walking around for ten minutes they located Lulu, Tidus, Wakka and Auron. Rikku and Yuna were nowhere to be seen. They continued walking between the sand dunes, seeing a pile of rubble in the distance. Kimahri sniffed. “Rikku this way.”

They walked over to the rubble and found Rikku, she was examining a blue monitor.

“Rikku!” Tidus called, she looked up, waving.

“I think I know where we are.” She explained as they approached.

“Where?” Buffy asked.

“Well..” Rikku stubbed the toe of her boot into the sand. “It’s kinda a secret and, well, I need you all to promise not to tell anyone.”

Buffy looked at Wakka’s face, a look flitted across it, one she had seen so many times before on Xander’s. Wakka was a lot like Xander, not that either of them were bad people, just very set in their ideas, often making them seem pigheaded. She knew, as she would have with Xander that he was going to argue the point to death.. She glanced at the sky, if they stood around much longer they were going to bake, and the longer they stood around the less chance they had of finding Yuna again.

“Wakka..” Buffy said, glaring at him.

Wakka took one look at Buffy’s face and his arguments slipped away, he held his hands out defensively. “I promise, ya.”

“Okay, we’re on an island owned by the Al Behd, our Home is here, it isn’t far and I can lead you all there.”

“We need to find Yuna.” Auron pointed out.

“Well, if the Al Behd found her, that’s where she’ll be.” Rikku said.

“Take us there.” Auron answered.

After walking for over half hour Rikku pointed to a sand dune. “Right over there.”

 

Rikku reached the top of the sand dune and stopped short, holding her head in her hands. “Aahhh!” She cried.

Buffy ran up the hill as Tidus yelled “What?”, stopping short at the sight before her, a giant city sprung out of the ground, the buildings at strange angles, resembling a tussock of grass but the strange architecture of the city wasn’t the problem, the giant bird creatures were flying around the city, fire sprung out of the walls and people were running everywhere, calling in a strange language.

Rikku raced down the slope, Buffy ran after her, as they reached the bottom they saw fiends running everywhere.

Rikku stared in shock, how could this be happening? She stared in fright as a fiend jumped out of nowhere, attacking her brother, Keyakku, she couldn’t get to him through the chaos. “Keyakku!” She yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Keyakku!” She watched in horror as the fiend knocked him to the ground, ready to finish him off. At that moment a black clad leg swung through the air, connecting with the side of the fiends head. An Al Behd that Rikku had never met helped Keyakku to his feet. Rikku waved her hand at them, Keyakku waved back.

Rikku looked around, Buffy was battling fiends away from some children as they huddled in the corner, Rikku raced through the mess to where her brother was.

“Keyakku, what happened?” The Al Behd that had helped her brother frowned, Rikku stared at him as he seemed to sniff her.

“Hey..”

“The Guado.” Keyakku cut him off. “They attacked Home, everything is chaotic.”

“Hey, Rikku, can you believe the Guado?”

“Vydran!” Rikku gasped as her father, Cid came out of nowhere, looking furious.

“Everyone here has to get to the airship. Come on Keyakku, Spike, let’s go.”

 

Buffy stabbed with her sword one last time, the fiend dissolving into pyreflies, she pulled the frightened children to their feet, spinning as she felt the ‘danger’ tingle at the back of her neck, the area, however, was clear of fiends. She frowned, herding the children towards where Rikku was waving her over.

“Hey, where’re the others.”

“Right behind you Buffy.” Tidus called cheerfully, running up.

“We must decide on a course of action.” Auron said.

“The summoners sanctum.” Rikku said, drawing blank looks from everyone.

“The what?” Buffy asked, blinking.

“This way.” Rikku headed off at a jog, into the burning building. As Buffy ran through the place she looked around. The place was huge and carefully put together. They came out on a set of stairs and looked around, Wakka shook his head.

“This place done for?”

Rikku hung her head, tears welling in her eyes. “You’re right, you're right, Wakka we Al Behd weren’t always like this our island was destroyed by Sin we al Behd were scattered, spread to all corners of the earth my father united us, he brought all the Al Behd together again. He told us if we put our minds to it and work together we can make a new Home for ourselves. We worked hard, we had our Home again.”

Wakka shook his head. “Damn the Guado what are they thinking?”

Buffy ducked as an explosion sounded. “We’d better go.”

Rikku nodded. “This way.”

 

“Rikku.” Tidus called, stopping to catch his breath.

“No time, we have to get going.”

“what is the summoners sanctum?”

“The summoners sanctum is where we keep the summoners, we keep them safe there.”

“You kidnapped them!” Wakka said, more a statement than a question. 

“I know it’s against the teachings and all that..” Rikku started.

“I get why you did it, but..”

“Well, I sure don’t get it, Wakka. They might get hurt on their pilgrimage so you kidnap them? I mean, if the summoners don’t do their job, then who will beat Sin?”

Buffy gasped to herself, the whole time, a curtain of sadness had been in the air, everywhere they went, they acted happy but.. The looks Yuna got, Buffy remembered when she found out she was going to die fighting the master, she knew what it felt like, she realised that Yuna wasn’t going to defeat Sin and eat cake. Puppies and bunnies weren’t in her future. Somehow, Yuna knew she was going to die.

“Tidus, shut up.” Buffy said.

Tidus turned to her. “Don’t you see, Buffy, we all want to protect Yuna, the Al Behd want to protect Summoners, I know but Guardians are there for that. If guardians do their job well, summoners will be safe!”

An explosion sounded behind them, filling the room with a bright flash of light and a smell like burning rubber.

“Right. Right!?”

Another explosion sounded as if emphasising Tidus’ desperate tone, Buffy shook her head, as he tried not to believe what his every instinct was screaming at him, and for some reason, in that moment, Buffy thought about Spike. She didn’t know why, it was completely crazy but recently when she had finished a fight with Riley she would sometimes go patrolling with Spike to calm her nerves. It was at these times that she saw in the vampire the qualities that she seemed to be missing in Riley. She had told herself that it was the stress, she had even reasoned that some part of Spike must be good and it was her minds way of searching, in futile, for his good properties. But the look on Tidus’ face now was one she had seen, flickering across the blonde vampires features recently, a look she hadn’t been able to place until now. It was sorrow, mixed with something that made the slayer sick, and yet strangely comforted, love. In some crazy way she realised that something had changed in Spike, something good- granted unendingly disturbing and never EVER going to happen- but the fact that Spike could feel it, that it etched it’s way across his face the way it was on Tidus now, it told Buffy that he was something more than the beast she knew him for. Her mind snapped back to the present, to the look of sorrow on Lulus face, the worry she had seen so often on Wakkas, the gut wrenching pain she saw in Tidus’ deep, blue eyes and the tears Rikku tried to blink back.

Kimahri stepped forward, long, determined steps showing his emotion where his lion-like face seemed blank. “It’s quiet, Kimahri goes now.”

Buffy nodded. “Yeah, we should find Yuna, maybe.. maybe if we can find her we can help her.. maybe.” The look on Lulu’s face told Buffy that this wasn’t likely but with a purpose matching that of the Ronso Buffy turned and headed down the stairs, the purple scarf blowing in the hot breeze.

“Yuna, please be here!” Rikku called as they walked into the huge, room.

“Hello again.” A woman said, walking over to them. Buffy frowned. She’d seen some strange clothes on Spira, some she didn’t mind, some she hated, but these.. up until now she hadn’t seen anything truly skanky.

“Dona.” Tidus said in the same tone of voice one would say ‘plague.’

“Wait there until we have performed the sending.” She said, walking away.

The room was littered with the bodies of dead Al Behd “They died protecting us, its not much, the least we can do is give them a proper sending.” A young man said as he walked over.

Buffy frowned. “They’re both summoners?”

Tidus nodded as a little kid came running over.

“What’s sacrificed? the Al Behd said summoners were being sacrificed, that they shouldn’t have to do the pilgrimage.”

Tidus shook his head, Buffy wondered why, surely by now he knew.. “Why couldn’t the Al Behd trust the guardians to protect the summoners, the Al Behd had no right stopping the pilgrimage.”

“The pilgrimages have to stop!” Rikku called, desperation in her voice. “If they don’t and they get to Zanarkand they might defeat Sin, Yunie could but then she’d.. Yunie’ll die you know, you know don’t you?”

Tidus shook his head, he didn’t want to know, he couldn’t know..

“Summoners journey to get the final Aeon, Yuna told you didn’t she? With the final aeon she could defeat sin, but then.. but then.. It will kill Yunie too. Even if it kills Sin it’ll kill her too.”

Tidus’ eyes widened with shock, fiends he could have faced, for Yuna he would find a way around anything, but the final Aeon, the one thing that could defeat Sin. He shook his head, they really were sending Yuna to die. He remembered on the way to Macalania temple, he had been riding with Rikku and she’d said that Yuna was sacrificing herself. He didn’t understand at the time, he had thought- no, he had known -that as long as he and the others were protecting her nothing could happen.

“Was I the only one that didn’t know?” He looked at them all reproachfully, turning to grab Rikku by the shoulders. “Tell me why, why were you hiding it?”

Buffy grabbed him, pulling him away from the other girl before he broke her, he tried to push out of Buffy’s grip, as she held his arm behind his back, but she was too strong. A sob escaped his throat.

“Why didn’t I know?” He almost whispered.

“We weren’t hiding it..” Wakka began.

“It was just.. too hard to say.” Lulu finished.

“Lulu! How could you, how could you isn’t she like a sister to you? I thought you were family! Why didn’t you do something, Wakka!?”

“Don’t you think we tried to stop her she follows.. her heart” Lulu’s red eyes filled with emotion, sorrow and pride made a strange combination, playing across her face.

“Yuna she knew what she was doing when she chose to become a summoner, to face Sin, ya, Yuna knew.”

“But Wakka that’s just totally wrong!” Rikku called. “Summoners shouldn’t have to sacrifice themselves just so the rest of Spira can be happy, right?” She turned to Buffy. Buffy frowned, thinking of what she would do to protect the people she loved.

“Rikku, I.. I fight evil every day, okay? And I.. I would do anything if it meant that the people I loved, my friends, my family, were safe. I would die for them. I have died for them once.”

Isaaru, the male summoner nodded in agreement. “But that is our choice. We all live in fear of sin, you know that 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.” As he spoke Aeons filled the room, coming to rest on the ash covered floor.

Tidus groaned, turning to Valefor, the giant bird that had helped Buffy defeat Anima. “And I’ve been telling Yuna ‘lets go to Zanarkand, let’s defeat Sin, I told her all the things.. we could, we could and the whole time, she’d just smile.” He stopped beating his wings on the muscle bound chest of the Aeon, sinking to his knees on the ground. In a gesture so heartbreaking that Buffy’s breath caught in her throat, Valefor placed his large wings around the distraught boy, rubbing his softly feathered cheek on him and purring gently.

Tidus rose to his feet. “I can’t let her die, I’ll find her!”

Valefor looked pleased with himself as Tidus found his feet again, flapping into the air he disappeared, the other Aeons all disappeared in much the same way and the two summoners followed the group as Rikku led them out of the room and across a huge bridge, following the direction  the children had gone in.

They stopped outside of what appeared to be some sort of spaceship, Rikku looked around as though she were saying goodbye, then they ran through the door.

Cid stood at the control sphere as they ran into the ship. “Hu desa! Ku ku ku!”

Buffy blinked, not understanding a word he said.

“Draa sehidac mawd” The guy from Macalania with the big tattoo called.

Cid called to the Al Behd. “Rinno rinno, oui ryja uha sehida”

“Where’s Yuna?” Tidus yelled at him, Buffy blinked in surprise, the guy was fairly big, built much more strongly than Tidus.

“Ajanouha un puynt?” Cid called in the strange language.

“Ajanouha ymeja.” Someone else called back.

“I said where is she! Answer me, answer me, damn you!” Tidus yelled.

“What’ll you do when you find her eh?” Cid said, suddenly speaking English.

“I.. I didn’t know anything about what a summoner is supposed to do, and I told her all those things without even knowing. I’ve gotta tell her.. I’ve got to tell her I’m sorry!”

“That’s it, you’re gonna tell her you’re sorry?” Cid’s voice was heavy with sarcasm and bitterness. “And then you just drag her to Zanarkand and make her fight Sin? You’re all the same, let the summoner die so we can live in peace!”

Buffy stared as Cid hurled Tidus over his shoulder.

“I’m not gonna let Yuna die!” Tidus jumped to his feet, dusting himself off.

“Hah, words, show me action.”

Buffy realised with a start that Cid was testing Tidus.

“I’m telling you she wont die!” Tidus yelled at the bald man.

“Boy, don’t forget those words, cos if you do… I’m, gonna make you regret it.”

“I won’t.” Tidus said.

“Uhla fa kad dra ahkeha nabund fa lyh ku.”

One of the Al Behd said.

“Huh?’ Buffy asked Rikku, tired of not understanding what was being said.

“Once we get the engine report we can go.” The blonde girl answered.

“Ymm naydo du ku.” A voice stated, coming out of a hatch, Buffy turned to see the Al Behd who had spoke as he stood up and turned to look at the group waiting on the bridge.

They both seemed to freeze in time. Spike looked- and Buffy laughed at the possibility- but he looked as though he would cry . She stared at him, her face completely white.

“Spike.”

“Buffy?” They both spoke at the same time.

The thoughts rolled round and round in Spike’s head, she was here, he had found her, she was here and alive and Buffy. He lost everything in that moment, nothing was important and he collapsed to his knees, heedless of anything but the beautiful, fierce goddess , the golden warrior who’s light outshone the sun of any world.



tbc