FicWad

Chapter 4: Strange Yet Special

Lulu stepped off the boat and onto the shaky docks of Killika. From the far off distance the boat had been earlier she was unable to tell how severely devastated the town was due to the dim light the night sky had provided. The sailors that picked her and her guardian up from Luca told her about the tragedy. They had also informed her that the Summoner Yuna had already passed through the destroyed town and sent the fallen. It relieved her slightly; to know that there had been a summoner to send the dead before they turned to fiends.

The town was a rather sad sight; those who had gotten too close to Sin's toxin wondering the docks with confused looks on their faces. The now orphaned children being gathered by priests and priestesses of the temple. The wreckage of ships and houses littered the water and half crushed docks. Some people slept along the docks, others taking up what little rooms the inn had to offer. She bowed her head, praying to Yevon for the people of Killika.

A group of the Crusaders who had stayed behind to protect what was left of the town wandered over to the Summoner. She was surprised to see even these few protectors here, having witness the large amount of Crusaders at Djose and the many others on their way there. Making the symbol of Yevon she bowed to them, "I am Summoner Lulu form the temple at Djose." she informed the men who quickly saluted her.

A man in dark purple armor with a metal mask spoke up, obviously their leader. "Lady Summoner, do you travel alone?" He asked, seeing no one in the immediate area.

Shaking her head Lulu gestured to a man in a dark red coat speaking to the captain of the ship they just parted. "No, my guardian is making arrangements for us to leave once we return from the temple." Having found a private ship that was able to travel much faster than the normal ferry that carried travelers to the islands, Lulu and Auron were making record time in their travels. It had actually been Auron's idea since their itinerary had been sped up by the upcoming tournament and Operation Mi'ihen.

The man nodded, "Will you be staying at the inn tonight, My Lady? I can arrange for a room to be cleared."
He asked, offering the room up eagerly to the Summoner.

She shook her head once more, the beads holding her braids in place clinking together. "That will not be necessary, we are heading straight to the temple and back." Lulu glanced around the town once more then back to the Crusader, "Besides, I would not deprive someone of their room just for my comfort."

The man saluted her, "You are too kind Lady Lulu. If you require assistance getting through the forest please just come to us at the tavern." He gestured back towards one of the few lighted structures.

Lulu nodded, "Thank you, but we should be fine." All the Crusaders nodded in unison at her gratitude and left for the bar. Turning to the area where her guardian still stood Lulu called out to him, "Sir Auron, are you ready to continue?" She asked, taking a few steps closer to the lighted torch he stood under.

Auron peeked over his shoulder at Lulu and nodded then turned back to the captain of the boat, "Just wait here. We will be back in a few hours." He slipped a hefty amount of gil into the man's hand and turned to walk away, but hesitated after taking a few steps. "Don't get yourself drunk before we get back." It was almost a reflex warning that issued from him. Having traveled with Jecht it was something he had said all too often. The smell of alcohol had assaulted Auron's senses once he stepped aboard the ship in Luca and he did not want to have to be stuck in Killika for a night because the captain had to sleep it off.

The man behind him grunted in annoyance, but nodded anyways. With the transportation secured Auron continued along the docks, walking past Lulu with hardly a glance. She would follow him, she always did. He never had to hold her hand or prompt her to get moving like he had to do so often with Jecht and Braska on his first pilgrimage, for that he was thankful.

Lulu followed Auron, staying only three steps behind her guardian which was always the safest was to travel. As they passed the Crusaders she heard them mumbling about the man leading her towards the forest. They were shocked to see that the 'Legendary Guardian' had come out of hiding to assist another Summoner in defeating Sin. Their verbal musings made her start her own silent ones. It had been nearly a week since she joined with Sir Auron.

The journey, so far, had been made in a comfortable silence. Each keeping mostly to their own thoughts and space, only for the exception of the night at the Mi'ihen Travel Agency. In battle they were instantly compatible; both being veteran guardians they knew how to handle each fiend with quick accuracy. This made their battle styles complimentary, giving them a special advantage in battle over every enemy they faced. Thankfully the older man did not need too much rest, because she had a mind to get back to Djose before Operation Mi'ihen was carried out and they needed to get back to Luca before the Tournament ended. Apparently the young man Auron had been traveling with was a Blitzball player and would most likely turn up there.

By the time she fell out of her musings they had reached the bridge near the center of the forest. All through her train of thought she had been outwardly vigilant, never dropping her guard. She held her staff tightly in her left hand, ready to cast spells with her right. The pray to Ixion always on the tip of her tongue, should he be needed.

Just as she stepped off the bridge a large Ochu jumped out of the trees, attacking with its tentacles. Lulu jumped out of the way, rolling on the ground for a few feet before landing in a safe position. She lifted herself off the ground as she struck the violent plant with a Fira spell. It curled back from the attack, a good portion of it charred badly.

Auron reacted immediately to the attack, cutting off the offending tentacle before it touched the ground where Lulu had been. He rushed over to Lulu, standing in front of her protectively

Lulu looked Auron over quickly with her right eye to make sure he was unharmed. The Ochu remained curled up in pain only long enough for her to do this before it attacked again. It brought down one of its tentacles right above them. But was unable to land the attack, because just as the limb came within four feet Lulu raised her hand and cast another Fira spell; setting the whole tentacle ablaze. She watched, carefully as the fiend stumbled back, flailing its ignited limb in a frantic attempt to put out the blaze.

With the Ochu effectively distracted Auron went in for another attack. He ran forward, cutting one of the fiend's legs out from under it and causing it to slump to one side. The weight of the creature's body crushed the remaining legs, crippling it.

Once more, Lulu cast Fira, this time focusing her power on the core of the Ochu's body. The plant burst into flames from the inside out. With a great shrill of pain the fiend burst into pyerflies, leaving empty space where its immense body had once been.

Heaving his sword back onto his shoulder, Auron walked over to Lulu and gazed down at her. "Are you hurt?" He asked even though he saw that she was not. Often he spoke just to break the silence she so often lapsed into that would cause him to go slightly nuts. He was so used to a constant flow of conversation being directed at him by Tidus and his father before him that silence bothered him a great deal.

Lulu shook her head, "No, I'm fine." She said as she brushed a few leafs from her dress and hair. "And you, Sir Auron? Are you well?" She asked coolly, looking up at him as he began to walk off now that he had his answer.

Auron did not halt in his stride, "Yes." He said curtly and waved dismissively at her question. He remained silent as they walked the path through the forest.

They came upon the great set of steps that lie between the forest and the temple at the top of the mountain minutes later. Both Summoner and guardian stopped to gaze up at the distance they had to climb before ascending the stairs quickly. They passed a small resting spot that was half destroyed without a second glance. There was no real question as to what had occurred there. Most likely a Sinspawn made its way to that spot and was cut down by either the Summoner and Guardians that had passed by here before them or a group of Crusaders.

When they made it to the temple grounds they were deserted, save a few Warrior Monks on look out. Lulu passed them without giving any real recognition to their presence, not wanting to start up a lengthy conversation at the moment. She led the way into the large structure and was greeted by a priest who was up late attending to the wounded.

"Lady Summoner, It is an honor." The old man said, bowing to her with a wide smile. "Will you be resting before heading to the Cloister? I can arrange for a bed."

"Thank you," Lulu bowed in return, "But we are just passing through quickly. We are in a bit of a hurry." It was amazing to her how much people wanted Summoners to linger in their towns and temples. It was probably because of the sense of security the people felt when a Summoner was near, that made them wish for them to stay a while.

"Oh, I understand. May Yevon guide you on your journey." He said, bowing to her again and retreating into one of the back rooms.

Stepping passed the entryway, Lulu walked over to the statue of Lord Braska and dropped to her knees in prayer. Auron just followed her, staring up at the statue of his friend. A wistful smile spread across his face. /So you are a champion of Yevon now, are you Braska? /It was ironic to see Braska represented in stone like some sort of hero, when ten years ago he was teetering on the edge of being a traitor. Because he married an Al Behd he had been nearly excommunicated, but somehow he charmed his way out of that one thanks to the new Guado Maester, Jyscal.

Auron's eyes fell on his new Summoner who, seemingly wrapped up in prayer, had her eyes closed. The woman was a sharp contrast to Braska who had always been bright, cheerful and very open with his emotions when speaking to his guardians. But Lulu, she was darker, more subdued and mysterious. It gave him the odd sense that she had felt a lot of pain in life and did not care to share it nor complain about it. Strong and wise, too educated in the woes of the world for one so young. Of course, at her age Auron himself had already helped defeat Sin, lost countless loved ones including Braska and Jecht, and forfeited his life in a fit of rage. He had even crossed over into Zanarkand to take care of Jecht's son, so he couldn't exactly say he had it any better. But that fact did not make it seem any more fare that she would have to give up her life to defeat Sin for the happiness of others when she had never experienced any of her own.

Lulu picked herself up off the ground and turned to Auron. She was faced with his hard gaze and was slightly startled by it. He didn't often stare at her--at least from what she had seen-- and the way he was looking at her made it seem as if he was trying to figure something out. "Is something the matter?" Her voice was steady even if her nerves weren't.

Auron shook his head, dragging his eyes away from the beautiful Summoner and directing them towards the door to the Cloister of Trials. "No, we should get moving." He turned from her, and ascended the set of stairs that lead to the fiery chambers beyond.

Nodding, Lulu followed after her guardian up yet another set of stairs. All the climbing was actually getting a little annoying to her as the lack of sleep ate away at her patience. She watched as Auron completed the Trials quickly without having to second guess himself. She walked through the rooms slowly as Auron progressed onward, memories of past pilgrimages filling her head as she did so. Amazing how he remembered exactly how to get through the Cloisters even with ten years between now and the last time he had to perform the task.

Once she passed into the antechamber she took a long glace at Auron, it was almost a strange feeling to be on the other side of the fold. The last time she had entered this room she had not gone past it, now she was the Summoner and her guardian would wait patiently for her return. Pulling her gaze from the red-clad man, she straightened herself up and walked up to the door. It slid open for her and she entered the small chamber beyond.

Once within the recess of the chamber she stepped up to the Fayth and gazed down at the statue. It was not too different from the statue of Ixion that she was so familiar with. The darkly tanned and muscular man that was trapped there bore a very out of place golden claw. Flames were frozen in stone above his head in the shape of a demon's face. The Hymn that drifted out of the statue entranced Lulu and she dropped to her knees reflexively. "Ifrit..." She whispered and the Aeon appeared above the statue momentarily before transforming into its human form. The Summoner bowed to him and began praying; opening her heart to him fully, holding nothing back.

It took several minutes before the Fayth nodded and floated off the glass that protected its stone body. "You are worthy of my strength, young one. May your passion light the path you walk upon." He flew at her, fusing with her body.

Lulu's arms fell to her side and her head dropped back, her eyes wide and clouded over with flame. She remained that way for a few minutes before her eyes drifted close and the Fayth left her body. Fully conscious once more, she was able to catch herself before her body gave out under her. Picking herself up off the ground, she exited the chamber slowly without a backward glance. Her skin burned at least ten degrees over the normal temperature of a human and her red eyes glinted with a strange fire to them.

Once more her eyes found Auron and they focused on him for a long moment before she walked out of the doorway and to the center of the room. "Ready?" She asked, the tenor of the Fayth's voice somehow mingling with her own and causing the word to be doubled. Lulu shook herself and grasped at her throat, looking bemused for a moment before dropping her hand again.

Auron nodded, his brow furrowing at the reappearance of his Summoner so soon. Braska usually took much longer and did not come out looking as if he was feverish. Dazed and flushed, yes, but not to this extent. Something was strange about her and the abilities she had. Never before had he seen a Summoner with such a connection to the Aeons. He could have sworn he had actually heard her conversing with Ixion while on the Highroad--Not the normal 'Summoner talks to the Aeon and it fights' stuff, but carrying on an actual conversation with the ethereal being. The language was something he had not understood and the Aeon didn't respond back in words so much as in the normal sounds of a horse, but there was something to it. Something strange yet special...

"If you are ready...then yes." Auron finally responded, taking in her swaying stature skeptically. Unsure about even her ability to walk, he walked only two steps in front of her so that should she fall there would only be a short distance between them.

Lulu followed her guardian, silently, out of the Cloisters. She had little to say and was still slightly under the trance of the Fayth. It felt as if fire now ran through her veins along with the electric tingle that flowed over her skin that had been constant since receiving Ixion. This was one side effect she had never heard of and she was beginning to wonder if it was unique to her alone. A mingling of the Aeon's and her own powerful magics that caused a new fusion of power in her body. Would the acquiring of the other Aeons create similar effects? Time would only tell.

By the time they exited the temple her skin had returned to its normal temperature, but she could still fill the heat in her veins that caused her to feel a great surge of strength along with the constant alertness that the electrical sensation in her skin brought on.

The sun hadn't even begun to rise yet; their journey through the Cloister hadn't taken over a half hour. They were ahead of the predetermined schedule Lulu had set in her mind. She decided it would be good to make contact with her Aeon now, before heading to Besaid. Stepping up to the small glass circle in the center of the temple grounds that housed a bright flame, she prepared to summon Ifrit for the first time.

Holding her staff in front of her with her left hand, she set the top of it a blaze with her right. Lulu spun the staff quickly and taping the bottom of it on the ground after making one full circle. Flames shot out from where the rod made contact with the ground and made the Aeon's symbol appeared beneath the Summoner's feet. The ground burst open, a cage of stone and fire, holding Ifrit, shot Lulu into the air atop it. When the Aeon broke free it sent Lulu free falling towards the ground, but Ifrit caught her on his shoulder well before they hit the ground. The fire Aeon helped her down from his shoulder and roared a welcome to her that she alone heard as true words. She softly pet his head then began to walk away, the Aeon walking closely behind her as she began to descend the steps.

Auron jumped ever so slightly when Lulu was shot into the air by the Aeon. It was more of a reflexive tightening of muscles as he prepared to run forward and catch her than a jump, but it was the equivalent for him. Never having see Braska summon in such a way, he was obviously ill prepared for the event and surprised by it. Her safe landing made him relax almost visibly as his shoulders fell momentarily from their constant tense, upright posture. When she walked away from the temple without dismissing the beast he thought it strange since keeping the being there would take an undo toll on her already exhausted body. But he did not question her methods and followed her loyally down the steps and into the overgrown jungle.


Lulu walked through the forest, humming the Hymn of the Fayth or so it seemed to anyone who was listening. In reality she was speaking with the Aeon idly, mostly about his abilities and listening to how best he enjoyed fighting. His responses were all in growls and roars, but she understood Ifrit fully. She found Aeons to be the best company and that was why she had never opted to take a guardian before Auron. Even before becoming a Summoner herself she had the ability to communicate with Aeons as no other could. During her travels with Seymour and her first Summoner she had never seen them interact with their Aeons as she did.

The progression back through the foliage seemed to slow with the presence of the Aeon, even though Ifrit was cutting down the fiends faster than they could have hoped to themselves. But this feeling was only brought on by the lack of fighting that Auron was engaged in causing him to feel a slight pang of boredom. On top of the lack of preoccupation Lulu's constant humming was causing him to feel slightly dull and numb around the edges, effects the Hymn often produced in him. It was just as he was beginning to wonder if he had allowed them to stray from their path when the torches from the town appeared through an opening ahead. He sighed, relived that they were finally out of the suffocating greenery.

Once stepping foot onto the first plank of the dock Lulu spun around and looked at Ifrit. She reached out and rubbed the rough auburn fur that covered the Aeon's head. As she drew her hand back the fire spirit disappeared in a cyclone of flame and dust. Suddenly the Summoner felt exhausted, with hardly the energy to make it back through the port town to the boat.

Auron sensed this and stepped up to her side, grasping her right arm firmly. He allowed her to lean some of her wait on him and lead her along the shaky docks. As they walked he took special care not to step on the edge of her dress and send them both falling onto the hard wood planks. It was more difficult than he thought it would be to be so close to her and not stare down at her. The woman seemed to have a magnetic effect on him that puzzled him and slightly annoyed him. He was becoming attached in spite of himself. Without realizing it he allowed his eyes to fall to Lulu and it was then that he noticed she was staring up at him with a slightly bemused look on her face.

They stood there, staring at each other for a moment before their silence was broken by the sound of the captain's voice. "We leavin' yet?" The man's gruff voice pulled both Summoner and Guardian's attention to him. "You do want to get back to Luca in time for the Finals, right?" The round man crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

Releasing Lulu's arm Auron stepped away from her and nodded. "Yes, we're ready."