Final Fantasy X: The True Adventure

[Ashley_Winston]

"Oh I see," she said, "Haha. Yes luckily I do remember what a summoner is." She slowed down as they caught up to Yuna and some other people. She stared at the big blue thing towering over her, a little terrified. "Umm..." She backed up and hid behind Katsu.

Whispering to Katsu, "What is that?!" she said still hidden behind him.  

[Maha1930]

Katsu motioned to Kimarhi that the girl was harmless and he relaxed his muscles. "That's Kimarhi," he said addressing the girl. "He's with us. And that's Yuna and Lulu." Pointing to the girls who were now curiously studying their new companion.

Yuna smiled at once, bowing. "I'm the summoner Yuna from the isle of Besaid, what's your name?"

"Uh, she doesn't have a name," Tidus replied nervously laughing.

"Oh?" replied Yuna.

"No name, huh?" Lulu said circling the girl. "She doesn't look like a commoner with that outfit on. I would ask what happened to you, but if you don't even know your own name, I doubt I'll get a suitable response. You can come with us to the temple, no further. We don't need some little lost girl impeding our pilgrimage."

"Lulu's in guardian mode again." Katsu thought to himself. "If I was the girl I would be scared too, it's looks as if she's quivering in fear. But, she's a stranger, and so that's reason enough for Lulu to convey her rather, prickly demeanor."

"Which way are we headed?" Tidus asked the group. "I mean, I know we're headed towards Kilika temple, but which way do we go? This forest seems so dense in foliage, it's hard to pin-point a suitable path."

"We go that way," Wakka said pointing ahead. Not to far from them stood Luzzu and Gatta, the members of the crusaders. Behind them however, stood a rather large plant, that was...moving.

"Why are they just standing in front of that fiend?" Katsu asked pondering the reasons as they walked towards the men.

"Company halt!" Gatta addressed the party barring their path.

"The Fiend before us is Ochu, Lord of the wood." Luzzu spoke. "We've had trouble with this one before. Remember, discretion is the better part of valor."

“Right, right.” Katsu replied mocking Luzzu. “Hey, new girl, you should stay here. Let us guardians...and Tidus handle this.”

“Hey!” Tidus yelled back.

“My first real fight as a guardian,” Katsu’s body was exploding with adrenaline. “Let’s make it a good one!”

“Um, Katsu?” Yuna spoke.

“Yeah?” He said turning to her.

“I think there’s something wrong with that girl,” she said pointing at the girl. She was starting to shake convulsively as if possessed by something.

“This is no times for Jokes ya!” Wakka shouted angrily at her, grabbing her by the shoulder, which immediately cause Wakka do get blown back, flying several feet into the air, then slamming down hard on his back.
“What was that!” Tidus screamed.

“Magic? No. Something else.” Lulu spoke, more curious than terrified.

Yuna ran to Wakka’s aid and the girl’s body started to glow an iridescent blue color, engulfing her body and carrying her up into the air by some unseen force. Her body converged into the fetal position and then her head and limbs snapped back, suspending her body in the air as if she was on a cross. The blue light grew three arms, latching onto the nearby trees, feeding off their energy.

“We have to stop her!” Lulu yelled above all the noise that was being produced by this energy. Kimarhi drew his lance at once, ready to strike. But Lulu shook her head. “No! We mustn't hurt her! I fear she’s not in control of what’s happening to her!”

“Do you think seeing that fiend caused this?” Katsu yelled asking Lulu.

“I don’t know!” She replied back. “But whatever she’s doing to those trees can’t be good.”

The three arms ripped out of the bark of the trees, slicing thorough the air and plunging into the earth below. Then, everything stopped. The girl’s Aura disappeared, and she begun plummeting towards the ground. Tidus sprung into action, catching her right before she fell.

“Thanks for that,” Wakka said angrily as he and Yuna rejoined the group, Yuna helping him to stand up straight. “What was the point of that fancy light show? Just to injure me?”

“No.” Lulu said staring at the three indentations where the energy had pierced into the soil. Three vines appeared, worming their way out of the holes, converging into one being. An arm, a leg, a head starting forming out of the vines. Until, a whole body, a female body was produced. The creature’s entire body was formed out of still moving vines, with her face made up of soil, holding her rose petal eyes in place.

“What...is that...” Katsu said gaping at the creature.

“A fayth?” Yuna said, not believing her own words. The creature started to move towards Katsu and Lulu.

“Get back!” Lulu yelled at Katsu and they both created an opening for the creature to pass by, but it didn’t seem to be headed for them, but for Lord Ochu. The fiend retaliated by releasing a poisonous gas. However, the gas was completely absorbed by the unknown creature’s body. The creature outstretched a single finger, touching a part of the fiend.

“Die.” it spoke. Lord Ochu suddenly exploded into millions, upon millions, of tiny rose petals, showering down onto the earth below. The creature turned to the party, bowed, then let out a scream. The vines that had held it together collapsed in a heap, melting into the earth below.

“What the hell just happened.” Tidus spoke looking at everyone still holding the girl who was still unconcious.  

[Ashley_Winston]

She opened her eyes, coming back, to look up at Tidus. "Oh hey.. What just happened, and why do I feel funny?" She asked getting off of Tidus and falling to the ground into a sitting position, a little dizzy. Then she looked up over at the beast that was about to attack just a few moments ago to see it no longer. "Wow. Did you guys do that?" She asked looking at the party.  

[Maha1930]

“No, you did.” Katsu replied, still in shock after what just happened.

“I think she summoned a fayth,” Yuna said, reinstating her previous thought.

“But that’s impossible!” Wakka cried out. “How can a regular person summon a fayth?”

“She must be a summoner,” Yuna said going over towards the girl, bending down to look at her. “Did you not know you were a summoner?"  

[Ashley_Winston]

" I'm..a..summoner?" She asked very confused. "I didn't know since I can't really remember a thing." She said to Yuna. "Hmm. What exactly happened?" She got all excited to know the details. "Tell me every little detail please!" She got up and walked over to the remaining millions of bits of the beast. 'Interesting' she thought to herself.  

[Maha1930]

“Well, you kinda made the fiend...explode.” Katsu said, not even believing what his own words.

“Young Lady,” Lulu said walking over to her. “You say you don’t remember a thing, but if you were able to summon a fayth, there’s no denying that you are indeed, a summoner.”

“But I’ve never seen an aeon like that before!” Yuna interjected.

“Nor me.” Lulu replied. “You’ve peaked my interest, and since you’d be even more lost without us, I implore you to come with us to Kilika temple. Once we reach thte temple, you can decide whether you would like to join us.”

“Lu! She’s just a kid!” Wakka complained.

“So, is Katsu, and he’s now a guardian,” she said shooting back a dirty glare that silenced Wakka.

“So, you’ll come with us?” She asked turning back towards the girl.  

[Ashley_Winston]

"Me? Making a fiend explode...?" She said thinking then saying, "Sweet!" She got up and turned around thinking about Lulu's question.

As she is about to answer Lulu she remembers Wakka's remark. "Excuse you Wakka. What's wrong with me being a 'kid'. I'm sure glad i'm not an adult that seems to have serious problems like you. I'm sorry if I did something to upset you. But you're just going to have to learn to deal with tough and weird situations and just move on!" She stopped to catch her breath.

She peered at Wakka. "So please shut your mouth and leave your opinions to yourself unless its of dire importance."

Turning to Lulu making her mind up, she said, "Thank you. And yes, I'd like to go with you to Kilika Temple. And I guess from there I'll make my final decision to stay, or keep on going with you guys."

She looked at Tidus. "Thanks for catching me." Then walked in the direction of the temple, not realizing she already knew where to go. "You guys coming?" She asked turning her head back at them.  

[Maha1930]

“Hey wait a sec!” Wakka yelled after her but the girl turned back around and trotted away as everyone followed. “Ah, forget it!”

“Well, you must have some sense of direction if you know the way to the temple,” Tidus said smiling warmly at the girl.  

[Ashley_Winston]

She laughed sliently at Wakka. "Yea, I guess I do." She said smiling back at Tidus and kept walking.

They made their way around the woods. Finally coming through to the seemingly endless stairs. Grunting, she said, "Do we really have to climb these? Seriously. Look how high up it goes. That's going to be tiring." She didn't mean to complain, but seriously. She was still a little dizzy from back there.

"So, shall we get started?" She started making her way up the stairs soon to be followed by the rest of the party.  

[Maha1930]

Katsu groaned along with the girl as they trudged up the stairs. He hated exercise if it wasn't necessary. He looked behind him and stared at Wakka, then turned back around to face front. "What is with him?" He said thinking to himself. "He was fine last night. Everything was going...well, up until I stepped out of the shower. Then he was all mopey."

"Wakka?" Lulu whispered to Katsu, synchronizing her pace with his own.

"Yeah." He replied glumly. "You saw how happy we both were yesterday, and then bam! He's Mr. Doom and gloom all of a sudden. Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"Yup." She replied.

"What? What is it!" He replied back trying to keep his voice as low as possible so Wakka wouldn't hear.

"Wakka's always like that."

“When? I’ve never seen him act this way before,” Katsu replied back. Not understanding what Lulu was trying to make him understand.

“Wakka,” she said sighing. “Is like an onion.”

“An onion!” Katsu replied making a disgusted face. “I don’t like onions though.”

“Neither does Wakka, but that’s besides the point. You see, Wakka; being an onion; has many layers. If you keep peeling off the layers you get to the core of the vegetable.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Well, the core just sits there, powerless. Not able to be completely whole anymore because the pieces it once held dear are far apart.”

“So...I’m a layer in his onion?” Katsu said, still trying to comprehend the message.

“Yes,” Lulu said laughing. “Your a layer in the many that make up Wakka. But the man’s get several layers, and each of them different. The core of Wakka is ultimately his faith. Yevon and blitzball. Anything else? The layers in the onion. If one of the layers gets in the way of the core? He peels it off.”

“Wait, what?” Katsu replied, not understanding anything in her ridiculously long metaphor.

“What you had with Wakka the other day? Yevon forbids it. If a layers gets in the way of the core-”

“He peels it away.” Katsu replied sorrowfully, finally understanding. “So, that’s it huh?”

“Oh god Katsu, no way. You go after him.”

“What?” He said completely shocked at her response.

“You heard me. Just because Wakka thinks it’s against the teachings doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue your feelings. I saw you two yesterday, I’ve never seen him that happy in a long time. I wouldn’t care if the teachings said you weren’t allowed to wear yellow overalls!” She leaned in, whispering in Katsu’s ear. “But then that’s something Wakka’s already doing.” She laughed, messing up Katsu’s hair. He liked this side of Lulu.

“Thanks Lulu, Katsu replied nudging her in the side. “Why aren’t you like this all the time?”

“Like what?”

“This. You know-”

“Kind?” She replied raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Katsu said laughing nervously.

“I don’t know. Chappu always said it was to hide my insecurities. I think he was right.”

“Do you miss him?” Katsu asked making Lulu stop.

“I-I do miss him,” she said back hiding her face and continued the climb up the stairs ahead of Katsu. He just smiled and ran after her.

They were just directly below the temple, when everyone decided to take a break from the tiresome climb of the seemingly, never-ending sets of stairs. The Auroch’s had caught up with the group and started stretching and laughing to themselves, looking as if they were getting ready for a race.

“Hey, these stone steps have a history you know.” Wakka said speaking to the group like he was his own self-employed tour guide. “Yup, Lord Ohalland trained here at his peak.”

“A race huh?” Tidus said crossing his arms noticing the Auroch’s stretching and snickering to themselves. “Think you can beat me?” The Auroch’s laughed in response and Tidus, two of the Auroch’s and Wakka got ready to floor it up the following sets of stairs to the clearing up ahead.

“Yuna, if you would?” Wakka said and Yuna stood next to the boys raising her right arm in the air.

“Ready!” But instead of shouting “go!” She began laughing and running up the stairs herself.

“Hey!” The boy shouted running after her. Tidus shook his head sticking with the rest of the party as he watched Wakka and the Auroch’s try and catch up to Yuna. Then, without warning the Auroch’s came barreling back down the stairs.

“Look out!” They shouted.

“Everybody, quick! Sinspawn!” Wakka shouted signaling for the party to follow and quickly.

Katsu stopped, seeing the girl shaking. “Hey, you’ll be okay. Why don’t you sit this one out, okay?” She nodded and Katsu bolted up the stairs after the party, reaching the clearing. There were two large tentacle arms protruding from the clearing’s stone floor whipping around in the air. The ground then started to shake and another creature emerged from the stone floor, a large shell. Katsu assumed that the tentacles belonged to the shell as they seemed to react when it’s main body emerged. “Lulu!” He shouted as one of the arms hit her, she realized and dodged in time, but the other tentacle arm smacked into Wakka, throwing into the creature’s shell structure.

Katsu quickly went after him, helping him up.

“I’m fine!” He shouted, taking out his blitzball to fight.

“I was just trying to help.” Katsu said as Wakka whipped around and hit the creature with his ball. But it wasn’t any good, the shell seemed impenetrable. Katsu withdrew his guns and with Kimarhi, took down one of the tentacle arms. With him shooting the tentacles themselves and Kimarhi dealing the final slice towards the base of the arm. Before they could focus their attention on the other one however, the girl appeared right next to it coming up the stairs.

“Get out of here!” Katsu screamed and the remaining arm swung, hitting the girls body and cascading her down a whole two flights of stairs. Katsu shot at the base of the arm, paralyzing it and Kimarhi sliced it off once and for all. They had to get rid of this creature before they dealt with any casualties.

“Lu! We gotta use magic on that thing!” Wakka yelled.

“I know,” she replied raising her left arm and closing her eyes. She opened them and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Fire!” An explosion of flame materialized out of the very air, catching the shell of the creature on fire, which caused the creature to emerge. It had another set of tentacle arms and a rather disgusting face that let out a menacing growl at the party.

“Oh, I’m so terrified.” Katsu replied cockily aiming his guns at it’s head and firing, both bullets soared straight into the skull of the creature, it’s brains exploding out the back of it’s skull. It erupted into balls of light before finally disappearing completely. Before anyone could utter a word Katsu ran back down the stairs, stopping when he spied the girls motionless body. “Yuna!” He screamed kneeling down and checking for a pulse. He dare not move her, her right leg and left arm were twisted in the total oppostie direction and she was losing blood.

Yuna rushed down the steps, “Oh no!” She said kneeling next to Katsu as the rest of the party followed.

“She has no pulse,” Katsu said withdrawing his fingers from the girls body.

“Quick, out of the way!” Yuna commanded pushing him away.

“What are you going to do Yuna? She’s dead!” Tidus yelled at her.

“Oh, shush! Her soul is still lingering here somewhere, if I can find it. I can put it back into her body before the farplane gets a hold of it.” She twisted her staff through the air, lightly tapping it on the girls body. “Life!” Yuna shouted, the sun seeming to brighten up the exact spot where the girl’s body lay, casting a ray of sunshine down upon it. The girl gasped for air as she came to, screaming at the sight of her twisted ligaments. “No! Sh! It’ll be alright!” But before the girl could say a word she passed out in shock. Yuna waved her staff over the girl’s body and their limbs and injuries all healed, her bones snapping back into their appropriate places.

“Amazing.” Katsu and Tidus said in unison.

“Alright!” Yuna said completely cheerful again. “Who’s going to carry her the rest of the way?”

“I will,” Tidus said volunteering himself.

“Oh, okay then. Well, let’s go! The temple awaits!” She said running back up the stairs followed by the others and Tidus, carrying the girl in her arms. Everyone that is, except Wakka and Katsu.

“Look Wakka I-” Katsu started to say but Wakka just followed the group not saying a word.

Katsu stomped his foot on the ground. “Ugh! This is so frustrating!” He yelled at himself tugging at his hair in frustration. “No Katsu, breath, breath. Think about what Lulu said. Oh, screw you onion boy!” He yelled catching up to everyone else as they finally reached the temple.  

[Ashley_Winston]

She opened her eyes to see pitch black. Looking around she sees a cloaked figure watching her. "Hello?" She calls to him. He doesn't reply but simply walks toward her. "We've been expecting you." He says with a sly smile. "We?" She asked, surprisingly calm. He swept his hand to the side, making five more cloaked men appear.

She got up and peered at them, a little nervous. "Who are you? What do you want?" She asked. "That, my dear, is not of any importance to you." He replied in a quick tone. She had this strong feeling she had to get out of there, and fast!

She turned and ran from the six men as fast as she could. Noticing they all of a sudden started running after her, flames erupting from their hands and firing at her. One of the men got her in the shoulder, making her spin and fall on her back.

She screamed in pain. Looking up at the men now surrounding her, making no possible way for her to escape. 's**t.' She thought in her head, not having enough strength to talk aloud. One of the men was standing next to her side, holding something. It was too dark to see what exactly he was holding.

"Goodbye, Kimiko." His hand burst into flames and just as he was about to kill her, she woke up screaming, quickly sitting up in the bed she found herself in. Still feeling like the dream was real, she checked her left shoulder, expecting to see the burn. But nothing was there, thankfully. She sighed in relief.

"That was a horrible nightmare." She said as she climbed out of bed, not really recognizing where she was. Then she remembered the fiend attacking her at the temple stairs, and then everything going black. 'Oh god, is everyone else ok?' She thought to herself. Freezing where she was remembering her dream.

"My name..." She remembered her name. "Kimiko." She got excited, then heard a little comotion going on outside. Kimiko ran outside to find the party there too. All except Yuna, Kimarhi and Wakka.

Kimiko walked over to Tidus, Lulu, and Katsu asking, "Hey where is Yuna and the rest?" "Oh yea! Guess what?! I remember my name!" She said smiling. "I had this horrible nightmare, and these guys called me Kimiko and it's very familiar. So I figured that's my name."  

[Maha1930]

“Um, okay?” Katsu replied awkwardly. “And Yuna’s getting ready to go pray to the fayth, we were just about to join her. Do you feel up to coming along? You did die a little while ago,” he said laughing nervously.  

[Ashley_Winston]

She gaped at Katsu. "I what?! That stupid fiend! Oh, the next thing that attacks me is soooooo gonna wish it never did!" Kimiko said, seriously pissed off. After taking a few moments to chill and relax she replied to Katsu, "Yea, I guess I'll join you."  

[Maha1930]

"Whoa, settle down there tiger, we don't want you summoning Mrs. Vine again," Katsu said patting Kimiko on the shoulder. "Okay guys, let's meet up with the rest of the gang." They headed down the staircase into the main room of the temple. Wakka was kneeling under a statue of Lord Ohalland, praying for good luck on the tournament presumably since Lord Ohalland used to be an admirable blitzball player.

Tidus prayed along with Wakka and everyone was about to head into the cloister of trials when another Summoner and her guardian appeared coming out of the cloister. The summoner was a woman, and had tan skin and black hair. Wearing rather skimpy clothing and a big red lace bow on her back. Her guardian however, was quite the brute, who was completely shirtless, and had rather beady eyes.

“A Summoner are you?” The woman said, addressing Yuna condescendingly.

“My name is Yuna,” she replied, “from the isle of Besaid.”

“Dona,” she said surveying the group with a menacing glare. “So, you’re High Summoner Braska’s daughter? That’s quite a name to live up too. My, my, my and are all these people are your guardians? My, what a rabble. As I recall, Lord Braska had only two guardians. Quality over quantity my dear, whatever were you thinking?” She said starting to laugh to herself. “I have need of only one guardian, right Bartello?” The brute nodded in reply.

“I only have as many guardians, as there are people I can trust.” Yuna replied sternly.

“You go Yuna!” Katsu said jumping up and down inside his own head. “Put that summoner in her place!”

“I trust them all, with my life,” she continued. “To have so many guardians, is a joy and an honor. Even more so, than being my father’s daughter. Of course I would never think of questioning your ways either. So, Lady Dona? I ask of you, please leave us in peace.”

“You do what you want,” she remarked in a nasty tone. “Bartello we’re leaving.” The summoner and her guardian left and everyone was ready to go into the cloister of trials.

Katsu was getting so anxious because it was his first time getting to participate in the cloister of trials as a fully fledged guardian.

Tidus walked over and whispered something in Katsu’s ear. “I wonder if Yuna feels that way about me,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Katsu asked.

“When she said she only has as many guardians as she can trust with her life. I mean, I’m flattered truly, but we’ve only just met,” he said looking longingly at Katsu for an answer.

“Tidus,” Katsu said with an endearing tone, putting his hand on his shoulder and whispering into his ear. “She’s fond of you.”

He pushed Katsu away. “Shut up.”

“Hey, just telling you,” he said sticking his tongue out at Tidus. They all then followed Yuna and company up a large staircase and into a room that housed an elevator leading down towards the cloister of trials. Lulu, Wakka, Yuna, Kimarhi, Katsu, and Tidus got on while Kimiko looked rather confused about her current predicament.

“Kimiko, you can’t come with us into the cloister of trials. Your not a guardian.” Lulu spoke up. “And neither are you for that matter Tidus,” she said looking over at the boy. Kimarhi pushed him off the platform as the elevator activated.

“Sorry,” Katsu said smiling weakly at his friend before descending with the rest of the party below.

“Lulu, how did you know that girls name?” Yuna asked as the elevator came to a stand-still.

“Oh, she said she remembered it when she awoke a short while ago,” Lulu replied.

“It’s a pretty name,” Yuna replied smiling. “I shall tell her that later.”

“Let’s just focus on the trials right now Yuna, ya?” Wakka said leading the group into the trials.  

[Ashley_Winston]

"Well then." She said. Kimiko sat back against a wall next to the elevator. "At least neither of us were left alone." She said smiling at Tidus.

"So do you know what exactly they do down there? I mean I know the whole praying part to the fayth. But what's the cloister of trials all about?" She asked.