Categories > Games > Final Fantasy X-2 > Unwavering Symphony
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to FFX-2, nor do I claim to. All settings and characters therein (excluding Yasuo) belong to Square-Enix.
*
"Lady Lenne!" cried the attendant as Lenne stumbled from the Chamber of the Fayth, leaning against the wall before ungracefully tripping to one knee. A thin layer of sweat glistened on her forehead and her breaths suggested more than moderate strain. Still, she was able to wave a hand in the attendant's direction, establishing that she was unharmed.
"I'm all right," she breathed. "Just tired."
Quickly, the attendant, a jittery looking woman at least twice Lenne's age, snatched up a container of water and forced it into the summoner's free hand. "Thank you," Lenne said, wearily unscrewing the top and gulping down the contents. When she'd had her fill, she gently set the bottle down beside her and took a few more deep breaths.
Staring at Lenne with a cautious eye, the attendant slowly asked, "Lady Lenne, were you able to obtain the aeon?"
"Yes," Lenne answered, momentarily glancing over her shoulder into the chamber. Though the stone engraving was out of sight now, she could still see its warrior depiction in her head, all brawn and sword and intimidation. This fayth had been a proud one, not to mention rather impatient with her. From what she had heard from others, this was not unusual. "Is it late?" she asked, brushing a few stray hairs away from her face and wiping away the sweat there.
"Not very," the attendant responded. "It's hardly even five yet."
Slowly, Lenne got to her feet, picking up the water bottle as she stood. "Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry I kept you so long."
"N-no! Not at all," the attendant said nervously, holding up her hands. Lenne of course, knew this to be lie. She had entered the chamber hours ago, leaving the attendant with nothing to do but sit and wait for her reemergence. It was common practice for a summoner to have someone accompany them into the temple, if for nothing else than safety purposes (though the accompanying parties weren't always helpful in this matter, since they were not allowed to enter the actual chamber). While it was generally a summoner's guardian who accompanied them, there were other options for when exceptions had to be made. The woman before her, someone she hardly knew, was one of those options.
"...Lady Lenne?" the attendant questioned, looking across the large, dimly lit room to the door leading outside. "Have you found a...replacement yet?"
Lenne paused for a moment, looking at the architecture of the temple ceiling with far more interest than it should have been given. "No...no, not yet." She gestured for the attendant to go ahead of her, and then followed the woman toward the temple's main doors. Behind them, she heard the door to the Chamber of the Fayth shut with a thud, the way it always did.
"My lady, I suggest you try to find someone quickly," said the attendant as she pushed open the doors to the outside. Both summoner and aide covered their eyes to avoid the fading-yet still harsh-sunlight, and then continued on. "The next attack could come at any time, and you might end up at a terrible disadvantage."
Lenne responded with a small, reassuring smile. "Thank you for your concern, but I'll be all right." She promised.
"Lady, you cannot be sure of that," the attendant said, a minute bit of forcefulness behind what was otherwise complete courtesy. "Last time was that burn. You may be hurt even worse next time if you don't have someone to help you."
For a moment, Lenne cast her eyes downward, regarding the dust that clung to her shoe. Then, the moment was over, and the smile returned to her face. "I'll do my best. Please, don't worry about me in the meantime," she said, pulling her hood up over her head as they moved onto the more crowded paved streets. "I'm sorry, but I best get going," she announced. "I have an engagement tonight. Will you be all right on your own?"
"Of course lady," the attendant assured her, nodding. Returning the nod, Lenne smiled and hastening into the crowd, headed toward the blitzball dome. Before the attendant disappeared from view, Lenne turned and gave her one last wave of farewell and thanks. Though the woman politely returned the gesture, her face showed something hardly akin to contentment. Instead, it showed what little faith she had in Lenne carrying out her 'promise'. Taking it in stride with merely a sigh as her acknowledgement, the summoner turned once again toward her destination and set off.
*
Come two hours later, Lenne's white robes had been exchanged for a more recognizable outfit, one of cobalt silk and black lace. From above, beyond the lower levels and the stage over that, she could hear the cheering of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
It was astonishing sometimes, hearing all those voices. To anyone else in Zanarkand, something like that would have sounded ridiculous, since silence was a hard thing to come by, no matter where one was in the city. Of course, it wasn't that all the voices were together that was so nearly bewildering to Lenne; it was that they were cheering for her. A summoner-a role she had been playing longer than the songstress-hardly got such attention. Still, that just made each concert feel as if it were the first.
With a quick smile and wave to the stage workers, Lenne jogged up the steps, the microphone held securely and comfortably in her hand. As she reached the top and stepped onto the stage, what once was flesh became silhouette, hardly distinguishable against the blackness that encompassed the platform. All around, she could hear the crowd buzzing noisily, excitement hanging about the area like a brilliant haze.
With a quick breath to ease her anticipation, Lenne shut her eyes, shielding them as the spotlight above came to life with an echoing clack. Immediately, the crowd around her exploded into applause, the black collective of bodies surging like some sort of strange tidal wave. As the soft sound of a piano began to grow it pitch about the stadium, a smile graced her lips. It was always fun singing for a crowd.
As the tempo began to slowly increase, Lenne took a turnabout look at the crowd, the smiling never receding an inch. Then, at her queue, she raised the microphone and started to sing.
"It's far too hard to trust," she sang, her voice quiet, though still confident and low. "To let someone touch those broken wings. Too many times, they've fallen under the strain of those who would tear them apart."
It wasn't a monumental song, really. No one would remember it in a few years, or maybe even a few hours. Still, it was nice for a starter.
"I want to mend your wings, and see you fly, but I know I never will. You can't soar to heaven with someone holding you back."
She hadn't been crazy about it at first, given the city's current situation. What with the constant havoc and gloom that befell these people, the last thing Lenne wanted to do was sing something that would add to their melancholy. She had hoped to stick to more upbeat lyrics, at least for the time being. However, it had continued to nag at her for quite some time until she finally decided that that a semi-happy song would be good for a change. Hopefully, the audience would agree.
The monstrous cheers that had accompanied her entrance had by now died down completely. The crowd was exceptionally quiet, save for a few murmurs here and there that never reached Lenne's ears. A minute ticked by, then two, then three, and still the only sounds in the stadium were Lenne's voice and the piano.
"I want to see my angel fly, again," she breathed, letting the songs final lyrics roll from her tongue. There, she held it for a second or so, and was then silent. A second's pause followed, and then came the thunderous applause and cheering. Hollering, whistling, clapping, screaming, and all other sorts of acknowledgment flowed down to her, warmer and brighter than any spotlight. So, they had liked it.
As was her custom, she waved a hand in thanks, turning full circle to see as much of the crowd as she could. It really was wonderful, making them cheer like this. Delight and bliss was held in every note from that bizarre choir, and it only made her smile grow. It was wonderful to think that, for even a few minutes, she could bring that kind of joy to these people. It didn't matter what the day's attire was, be it her songstress outfit, or her summoner's robe. Either way, the ambition, the attitude, and the goal were all the same.
Soon enough, loud, nearly obnoxious techno music began to sound from the speakers, and she started into her dance steps.
Momentarily, as the crowd's cheers once again began to die down (though this time did not fade completely), she wondered briefly if Shuyin was somewhere in the crowd.
*
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh, no reason."
"Then knock it off. It's annoying."
"I was just wondering why you were so willing to come this time."
"That isn't 'no reason'."
"Well, I was just wondering. I practically had to drag you to see her last show. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"...Shut up."
*
A/N: Yet another filler chapter. Please forgive me, but I wanted to do a bit of an insight into Lenne as well. Hopefully you'll all still love me.
*
"Lady Lenne!" cried the attendant as Lenne stumbled from the Chamber of the Fayth, leaning against the wall before ungracefully tripping to one knee. A thin layer of sweat glistened on her forehead and her breaths suggested more than moderate strain. Still, she was able to wave a hand in the attendant's direction, establishing that she was unharmed.
"I'm all right," she breathed. "Just tired."
Quickly, the attendant, a jittery looking woman at least twice Lenne's age, snatched up a container of water and forced it into the summoner's free hand. "Thank you," Lenne said, wearily unscrewing the top and gulping down the contents. When she'd had her fill, she gently set the bottle down beside her and took a few more deep breaths.
Staring at Lenne with a cautious eye, the attendant slowly asked, "Lady Lenne, were you able to obtain the aeon?"
"Yes," Lenne answered, momentarily glancing over her shoulder into the chamber. Though the stone engraving was out of sight now, she could still see its warrior depiction in her head, all brawn and sword and intimidation. This fayth had been a proud one, not to mention rather impatient with her. From what she had heard from others, this was not unusual. "Is it late?" she asked, brushing a few stray hairs away from her face and wiping away the sweat there.
"Not very," the attendant responded. "It's hardly even five yet."
Slowly, Lenne got to her feet, picking up the water bottle as she stood. "Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry I kept you so long."
"N-no! Not at all," the attendant said nervously, holding up her hands. Lenne of course, knew this to be lie. She had entered the chamber hours ago, leaving the attendant with nothing to do but sit and wait for her reemergence. It was common practice for a summoner to have someone accompany them into the temple, if for nothing else than safety purposes (though the accompanying parties weren't always helpful in this matter, since they were not allowed to enter the actual chamber). While it was generally a summoner's guardian who accompanied them, there were other options for when exceptions had to be made. The woman before her, someone she hardly knew, was one of those options.
"...Lady Lenne?" the attendant questioned, looking across the large, dimly lit room to the door leading outside. "Have you found a...replacement yet?"
Lenne paused for a moment, looking at the architecture of the temple ceiling with far more interest than it should have been given. "No...no, not yet." She gestured for the attendant to go ahead of her, and then followed the woman toward the temple's main doors. Behind them, she heard the door to the Chamber of the Fayth shut with a thud, the way it always did.
"My lady, I suggest you try to find someone quickly," said the attendant as she pushed open the doors to the outside. Both summoner and aide covered their eyes to avoid the fading-yet still harsh-sunlight, and then continued on. "The next attack could come at any time, and you might end up at a terrible disadvantage."
Lenne responded with a small, reassuring smile. "Thank you for your concern, but I'll be all right." She promised.
"Lady, you cannot be sure of that," the attendant said, a minute bit of forcefulness behind what was otherwise complete courtesy. "Last time was that burn. You may be hurt even worse next time if you don't have someone to help you."
For a moment, Lenne cast her eyes downward, regarding the dust that clung to her shoe. Then, the moment was over, and the smile returned to her face. "I'll do my best. Please, don't worry about me in the meantime," she said, pulling her hood up over her head as they moved onto the more crowded paved streets. "I'm sorry, but I best get going," she announced. "I have an engagement tonight. Will you be all right on your own?"
"Of course lady," the attendant assured her, nodding. Returning the nod, Lenne smiled and hastening into the crowd, headed toward the blitzball dome. Before the attendant disappeared from view, Lenne turned and gave her one last wave of farewell and thanks. Though the woman politely returned the gesture, her face showed something hardly akin to contentment. Instead, it showed what little faith she had in Lenne carrying out her 'promise'. Taking it in stride with merely a sigh as her acknowledgement, the summoner turned once again toward her destination and set off.
*
Come two hours later, Lenne's white robes had been exchanged for a more recognizable outfit, one of cobalt silk and black lace. From above, beyond the lower levels and the stage over that, she could hear the cheering of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
It was astonishing sometimes, hearing all those voices. To anyone else in Zanarkand, something like that would have sounded ridiculous, since silence was a hard thing to come by, no matter where one was in the city. Of course, it wasn't that all the voices were together that was so nearly bewildering to Lenne; it was that they were cheering for her. A summoner-a role she had been playing longer than the songstress-hardly got such attention. Still, that just made each concert feel as if it were the first.
With a quick smile and wave to the stage workers, Lenne jogged up the steps, the microphone held securely and comfortably in her hand. As she reached the top and stepped onto the stage, what once was flesh became silhouette, hardly distinguishable against the blackness that encompassed the platform. All around, she could hear the crowd buzzing noisily, excitement hanging about the area like a brilliant haze.
With a quick breath to ease her anticipation, Lenne shut her eyes, shielding them as the spotlight above came to life with an echoing clack. Immediately, the crowd around her exploded into applause, the black collective of bodies surging like some sort of strange tidal wave. As the soft sound of a piano began to grow it pitch about the stadium, a smile graced her lips. It was always fun singing for a crowd.
As the tempo began to slowly increase, Lenne took a turnabout look at the crowd, the smiling never receding an inch. Then, at her queue, she raised the microphone and started to sing.
"It's far too hard to trust," she sang, her voice quiet, though still confident and low. "To let someone touch those broken wings. Too many times, they've fallen under the strain of those who would tear them apart."
It wasn't a monumental song, really. No one would remember it in a few years, or maybe even a few hours. Still, it was nice for a starter.
"I want to mend your wings, and see you fly, but I know I never will. You can't soar to heaven with someone holding you back."
She hadn't been crazy about it at first, given the city's current situation. What with the constant havoc and gloom that befell these people, the last thing Lenne wanted to do was sing something that would add to their melancholy. She had hoped to stick to more upbeat lyrics, at least for the time being. However, it had continued to nag at her for quite some time until she finally decided that that a semi-happy song would be good for a change. Hopefully, the audience would agree.
The monstrous cheers that had accompanied her entrance had by now died down completely. The crowd was exceptionally quiet, save for a few murmurs here and there that never reached Lenne's ears. A minute ticked by, then two, then three, and still the only sounds in the stadium were Lenne's voice and the piano.
"I want to see my angel fly, again," she breathed, letting the songs final lyrics roll from her tongue. There, she held it for a second or so, and was then silent. A second's pause followed, and then came the thunderous applause and cheering. Hollering, whistling, clapping, screaming, and all other sorts of acknowledgment flowed down to her, warmer and brighter than any spotlight. So, they had liked it.
As was her custom, she waved a hand in thanks, turning full circle to see as much of the crowd as she could. It really was wonderful, making them cheer like this. Delight and bliss was held in every note from that bizarre choir, and it only made her smile grow. It was wonderful to think that, for even a few minutes, she could bring that kind of joy to these people. It didn't matter what the day's attire was, be it her songstress outfit, or her summoner's robe. Either way, the ambition, the attitude, and the goal were all the same.
Soon enough, loud, nearly obnoxious techno music began to sound from the speakers, and she started into her dance steps.
Momentarily, as the crowd's cheers once again began to die down (though this time did not fade completely), she wondered briefly if Shuyin was somewhere in the crowd.
*
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh, no reason."
"Then knock it off. It's annoying."
"I was just wondering why you were so willing to come this time."
"That isn't 'no reason'."
"Well, I was just wondering. I practically had to drag you to see her last show. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"...Shut up."
*
A/N: Yet another filler chapter. Please forgive me, but I wanted to do a bit of an insight into Lenne as well. Hopefully you'll all still love me.
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