Kimahri woke up shortly after Reno left and stood up diligently, grabbing onto his Knight’s Lance for support. He looked on as Yuna ran by, towards Seymour’s living quarters.
Where’s Yuna going? He wondered as the others walked by.
"Kimahri! What happened?" Rikku asked as the Ronso limped to the party.
"Reno fought Kimahri… both hurt bad… Reno run away… Yuna?"
Auron stepped up and was about to speak when Rufus pushed him out of the way.
"Which way did that idiot go?!" he demanded. Kimahri shook his head as Yuffie examined something on the ground.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "What if we follow the blood trail?"
"That’s one way to find him…" Vincent agreed. Rikku shuddered.
"It leads to the Thunder Plains," she whimpered. Tidus blinked and followed the trail of blood to the exit, where he ran into Shelinda, the Yevon-follower.
"Where’s your Summoner?" she asked.
Tidus pointed, "Seymour’s place,"
"You should address him as either Maester Seymour or Lord Seymour. And he left for Macalania Temple a while back… and I saw another heading in that direction. I tried to warn him about Thunder Plains but…"
Tidus blinked. Thunder Plains again…
"But?"
Shelinda shook her head.
"He yelled something back in another language."
Rufus grumbled as he loaded his shotgun.
"You gonna shoot him when you see him, brudda?" Wakka questioned.
"Exactly."
Vincent shook his head. "I guess he deserves it, would I be right?"
"Exactly."
"Hey!" Tidus called as Rufus finished loading his saw-end shotgun. "Seymour and the other guy’s gone to Macarena Temple…"
"That’s Macalania…" Wakka corrected. Rufus narrowed his eyes and headed off alone.
"Hey! Hey hey hey hey hey! Where ya goin’?"
"To kill Reno." Rufus said simply and exited Guadosalam.
Macalania. The name echoed in my head as I dodged bolt after bolt of lightning, also trying to find a way to recharge my nightstick, since it "ran out of juice" in the brawl with Fido. I finally stopped at another of Rin’s places and stayed a few hours to rest up. That’s how Rufus caught up to me.
"You…" Rufus started as he aimed his shotgun at the Turk, "are a worthless sack of trash."
"I know." Reno said bluntly. Rufus blinked.
"You’re supposed to be my bodyguard, since you’re the new Leader of the Turks."
"I know."
"Well, you’re doing a shitty-assed job of it!"
"Just shoot me and get it over with, t’avére?"
"…"
"Pull the fucking trigger, damnit!"
"Reno…"
"If you’re gonna do it, then do it now!" Reno screamed, voice cracking.
"… ne…"
"¡¿Perché?!" he demanded, clenching his fists. He jumped out of the seat he was in and ran at Rufus. The young president stood dignified.
"Because you’re not worth it." Rufus replied bluntly. Reno stopped short of the young president.
"Rufus… you came here, shotgun fully loaded and ready to kill…"
"Reno…"
"Why don’t you just do it and get it over w—"
"Reno!"
The Turk stopped and looked at Rufus, who only smiled. "Reno, you piss me off," he continued, "but I’d never actually attempt to kill you."
Sephiroth watched as the lightning struck inches from the party. Both Rikku and Yuffie yelped.
"I so love the rain. Its gentle, playful, kisses—"
"Kuja…" Cloud moaned, exasperated, "For once… stop talking poetically and NOT talk about rain…"
"I quite enjoy the break from the sun," Vincent replied.
"Well, I’m not…" Cait Sith complained, "I feel as though I’m rusting…"
"Speak for yourself," Zidane giggled. Steiner gave the Genome a death glare.
"Can we please not complain? Focus on the road ahead… including that threesome of fiends that are about to attack us," Sephiroth sighed. Tidus looked forward and nearly jumped back when he saw an Aerouge, Iron Giant and a Melusine in front of them.
"An Iron Giant!" the sextuplet native to the Planet cried out.
"This one doesn’t look as tough… as the ones… at… the Crater…" Sephiroth said, slowing down as another headache plagued him. He, despite the pain, stepped forward, Masamune in hands and ready to attack. Wakka stepped next to him.
"You okay, brudda?"
"Fine…" Sephiroth replied through clenched teeth. Vivi stepped next to Wakka and the others followed in behind.
"That thing… the fast one… looks like it’s vulnerable to ice…" Vivi squeaked as he readied Blizzaga and cast it at the Melusine. The fiend dropped at the feel of ice. "YAY!" he cheered. Wakka chucked his Blind Pass at the Aerouge, knocking it down.
Despite his strength, Sephiroth managed to only injure the Iron Giant slightly.
"By Odin…" he growled, dodging the large sword. Yuffie gripped her Conformer as she attacked the giant, giving it even less damage than the six-foot blade had caused. Cid looked at Sephiroth.
"Leviathan?" The Demigod nodded.
"The weakness… water…"
Cid summoned the large dragon and, not only did he nearly kill the fiend, but he also gave Sephiroth a reason to respect the pilot. Sephiroth, the last to attack again, performed Climhazzard, slicing the Iron Giant in half.
"Is that all you got…?" he muttered, particularly to JENOVA.
You want more?
Sephiroth cursed loudly as he turned to Cloud.
"Yo! Snap out of it!" Zidane exclaimed as Cloud’s eyes held an eerie glow to them, on top of the Makou. The puppet unsheathed the Ultima Sword and held it in attack position. Sephiroth’s cat-like Makou green eyes narrowed.
"Cloud… get a hold of yourself…" Vincent replied, placing his golden metallic arm on the puppet’s shoulder. "You had your revenge…"
Cloud slapped Vincent’s claw away.
"He wanted more of a challenge…" JENOVA stated through Cloud. Sephiroth’s lip curled as he heard her shrill voice. Both warriors readied their swords.
Cloud gave a quiet, cold laugh and used his Limit break, Omnislash. Sephiroth couldn’t dodge, getting the full-bladed sword stabbed into his middle. The Demigod made a small sound, collapsing as the Ultima Sword was pulled out. Cloud laughed again.
"Sephiroth…" JENOVA, again, said through the puppet, "you poor, pathetic fool. I had given you so much more than you could have imagined and you failed me, you insolent child!"
The black-clad silver coughed pathetically, blood seeping out of his wound and mouth. Cloud walked over and was about to finish the Demigod off when he was engulfed in a golden pyramid.
"Jeezus… did anybody call for a psycho?" a voice called from above. The party looked up and saw Reno and Rufus on top of a rock formation. They jumped down and Reno kneeled by Sephiroth.
"It was JENOVA… wasn’t it?"
Sephiroth nodded slowly and delicately. Lightning lit the scene as the bloodstains on the ground deepened and grew larger.
"Me… mori… facias…" Sephiroth whispered. Reno shook his head.
"I’m afraid I can’t let’cha. Ya see… there’s this little thing called I care for someone other than myself… and I have that… Yuna! Whoever-you-are!"
Garnet and Yuna stared at the Turk and walked over to him and Sephiroth.
"Please… help him…" Reno pleaded. Yuna looked at Auron, who nodded. She turned back to Garnet.
"Do either of you two have Curaga?"
Both shook their heads. Reno sighed. "He’s gonna need a double-Cura then…"
"We’re willing to help," they said and did what they were told. Within a matter of minutes, the silver-haired Demigod stood up shakily.
Auron silently sighed, relieved.
Where would they be without me?
We rested up slightly at a place near the edge of the Thunder Plains, and after about twenty minutes of walking again, Vivi collapsed. I picked him up, the poor guy was losing will—this Black Mage was known for his fire techniques. I tried to keep him warm, but when you’re drenched and barely holding on as well, it was tough.
Out of the Plains and into the forest. Rufus was complaining about his ankle, so, adding to the weight on me, I gave him a ride, along with Vivi in my arms.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if Reno collapsed…" Cloud said softly, watching the Turk balance Rufus on his back and Vivi in his arms. The others nodded.
"I’m willing to carry Master Vivi if you wish," Steiner offered. Relived of the young Mage, Reno focused on keeping up with the rest of the party with a half-asleep Rufus on his back.
"The sheer beauty of this forest is… unimaginable," Sephiroth stated, gazing at the scenery. A butterfly settled on his shoulder and he almost welcomed the tiny creature. Amarant shrugged and picked up the Turk, placing the young president in his arms and Reno on his shoulders.
"Hey… thanks, Sal."
"… Whatever."
I almost kissed Amarant for his… generosity in letting me be carried by him.
We made it nearly out of the forest when Auron stopped the group, slicing falling trees down, giving us another path to walk. He showed the newcomers to Spira a beautiful place that housed pyreflies, as they called them… and it also housed another fiend. Yuna called on her Aeon, Valefore and pounded it until the bird couldn’t take anymore damage from the sphere. Sephiroth, Auron and Zidane, along with the others except myself, Amarant, Vivi, and Rufus, fought. Within a few minutes the fiend had been destroyed and a sphere of some sort dropped out of it. We watched as we saw Braska, Jecht and the Auron of ten years ago.
After a while of Tidus staring at the sphere, we headed on our way again, resting at another of Rin’s shops. Yuna walked to a room and locked herself in. Tidus, concerned, followed her.
On their way to Macalania Temple, they were confronted by the old Guado, taking Yuna by the hand. Reno blinked, taking Rufus by the hand as well. As Yuna walked away with he old Guado, Tidus whistled and Yuna looked at him.
"Yes sir!"
Tidus smiled, stopping when the Al Bhed surrounded the Summoner and the Guado. The party ran to join Yuna and the Guado.
"Rikku!"
Rikku glanced at the direction her name was called. It was Brother!
Brother surveyed the party… the lady Summoner… her guardians and… Wait… there are fourteen others…he thought. He glared at them, arms folded.
Amarant didn’t much care for the events unfolding. First, the blondes and their language, then the machine they had to fight. In fact, he was getting sick and tired of being on Spira. And he showed it, too, when he attacked the Crawler.
"Who’s ready for a magic attack?" Vivi called as he tried to ready Thundaga. "Huh? It’s not working…"
Cid shook his head.
"The Negator is the key… c’mon everyone… hit the Negator, then blast it with magic…" he replied. Steiner nodded.
"Have at thee!" the Pluto Knight cried, hitting the Negator. Sephiroth and Kimahri followed suit, destroying the miniature machine.
"Uh oh…" Rikku coughed nervously. The Party looked at her. "It’s gonna do Mana Beam… we gotta destroy it!"
The Mages nodded and cast Thundaga (Thundara for Lulu) at the Crawler.
"Two minutes… hurry…!" Rikku cried. Yuffie looked at her.
"Shut up."
"Yuna… Garnet… summon!" Cloud called after hitting the Crawler. The Summoners nodded and called forth Ixion and Ramuh, destroying the machina.
"Woohoo!!!" Reno cheered, still undoubtedly trying to recharge his nightstick. "Uhmm… somebody help me here? I need an electrical attack."
Cid sneered. "Gladly, guys?"
Cloud, Vincent, Cait and Yuffie caught on and readied their Lightning Materia.
"Bolt3!"
It was a painful experience, but my nightstick was fully charged. Yuna left with the old Guado, Tromell, and Wakka spazzed when he learned that Rikku was an Al Bhed. On top of that, there were only a few machina that reminded me of snowmobiles… and they only held a few passengers.
Kimahri took one for himself, and there were three snowmobile things left. I agreed to summon ZERO and let the fourteen of us ride him to the temple.
We arrived at the ice temple. I shivered whilst dismissing ZERO. It excited me to think that this was where she was housed on Spira.
Kuja tapped his foot impatiently. "Are we going or not?"
Reno nodded.
"Go on ahead, I’ll be there. They’re already inside," he replied. Kuja sighed and entered the temple. Reno shivered again.
Amarant sidled beside the Turk.
"You okay?"
Reno stifled a giggle and nodded.
"…"
Reno smiled and responded, "I gotta piss now."
Amarant was clearly clueless. He shrugged it off and walked away, smirking when he heard Reno giggle again.
Zidane folded his arms.
"Whew… it’s kinda cold here," he said softly. Vivi nodded and looked at Sephiroth.
"Aren’t you cold, Mr. Sephiroth?" he squeaked. Sephiroth snapped out of his thoughts to look at Vivi.
"No, little one… I’m used to this kind of climate."
"Of course you are, Sephi," Cloud giggled. Sephiroth scowled at the ex-SOLDIER.
"Eep!" Cloud squealed. Yuffie rubbed her arms while Vincent folded his.
"Are we going in or not? I’m becoming quite impatient with waiting," the ex-Turk said flatly.
"We’re waiting for Reno," Rufus replied.
"Ugh, Reno or no Reno, I’m going," Yuffie shot and headed in. The others followed suit except for Rufus and Vivi.
"Why is Mr. Reno taking so long?" Vivi wondered. Rufus narrowed his eyes as he saw the Turk skip through.
"You’re cheery," Rufus growled. Reno smiled.
"We can’t wait any longer, c’mon!" Reno cheered as he took Rufus and Vivi by the arms and skipped in to the temple.
"Hey… where’s Yuna?" Reno asked Tidus. He looked back at the Turk.
"She’s with Seymour… we’re gonna go up there, but these guys won’t let us through…" Reno cocked a brow.
"With Seymour?" he repeated, "Why?"
"Were you listening when Yuna gave her decision?" Lulu asked exasperatedly. Reno shook his head slowly.
"Maester Seymour proposed to her, and she said yes, brudda. You understand, ya?" Wakka replied. When Reno shook his head a second time, Rufus hit him hard.
Someone screamed about Lord Jyskal and, naturally, the Party ran to her aid.
"A Jyskal sphere…" Auron replied. Tidus set it down in front of the Party and they watched as the elder Guado confessed of his doings and how Seymour had become twisted. Steiner shook his head and Wakka gaped at Jyskal.