Story:ORPGS/Yojimbo's stories
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Author Notes - Table of Contents / List of Chapters - Appendix |
Zanarkand Reborn: Dome - Freedom
Rowen woke up with a start. A blinding light pierced his eyes and the noise assaulted his ears. This wasn't his familiar prison at the bottom of the Calm Lands gorge.
- "Oh, sorry buddy, didn't mean to wake you... What the hell ?!" said the stranger alarmed at seeing Rowen's sword one inch from his throat.
Rowen looked at the man who had tripped on him: Young, with baggy overalls, no weapons and a broom in hand. He seemed harmless. Rowen lowered his sword without saying a word.
- "Thanks, I think I'll just clean up the other wing, if that's ok by you buddy. All right ?" said the man slowly retreating, wanting to put as much distance as he could between him and this stranger.
The boss better not complain that wing F was not well swept! Dealing with a maniac with a sword sleeping on an empty blitz stadium on broad daylight wasn't part of his job description!
After the man left Rowen looked around puzzled. Where was he ? He could see a blitz sphere, but in a much more luxurious stadium than Luca's. No, this was new. Never in his 800 years he had seen a place like this.
He had heard that some fayth were coming back to life but never expected himself to be one of those. His was a different case. He was not from the age of Zanarkand's prime, he was created much later, by a completely mad undead Summoner.
Zanarkand! That must be where he was. He recognized the stadium now. Many in the Farplane had described it for him.
It made sense. His body had died at Zanarkand, at Yunalesca's Dome. This must be on top of where the dome was, or at least near it. This craziness in the Farplane wasn't very predictable but one thing seemed to be constant: revived people would wake up close to the site they died. And he had died in Zanarkand, giving his life to a Summoner, to be his Final Aeon.
The memory of his betrayal by Ghirlon still felt heavy, even after all those years. He had given his life willingly, but he had not included his family honor in the gift. With his betrayal Ghirlon took away from Rowen his only chance to redeem his family name and his own name. And that would take a lot more than 800 years to forget. Even if it had granted him his Yojimbo form.
Being back to life was a nice surprise. A cool breeze was blowing, the day bright and sunny. Rowen could smell food being cooked nearby. The sun hurt his eyes but it felt good on his skin. He wondered if he would be able to taste the food. Taste! Smell, touch, taste, how wonderful they felt, after 800 years without it!
He hated the reason he was back - Amon's evil meddling - but he was glad fate had given him this second chance to be alive on Spira.
His stomach complained loudly. He had forgotten the downside of being able to taste food. One must eat to stay alive. Oh well, that kind of problem would be a welcome change from his life.
Up to now his life had been spent either locked in a deep dark cave waiting for Summoners or being at a Summoner's beck and call to be their Aeon . Not that he had minded serving Yuna or Braska, those two last Summoners had been outstanding masters, honorable, dutiful, committed to good and respectful of him / Yojimbo. But their predecessors!
Another pang of hunger reminded him that his days of endless meditation were over. Rowen walked out of the stadium following the smell of food. He was glad he always kept his pocket full of gil, he would need it now to pay for the food.
Zanarkand Reborn: City - A stroll through a city reborn
Rowen looked at the vibrant city fascinated. So this was the famous Zanarkand the other Fayth missed so much!
No wonder, just in his walk from the dome he was able to see that this city was much more vibrant and active than Luca. The people smiled more and there were no Church vultures around, no Yevon signs to revere or make the bow every five minutes. A very pleasant place, but he couldn't stay.
Given another opportunity at life, Rowen had set himself on the quest that had dominated the last 3 years of his previous life: Clean his name, his family's only legacy.
To do that he needed to find out if the snakes on Bevelle had also come back to life. He also had to seek for his family, as they too could have been revived by this madness in the Farplane. And they would be revived at sea!
The thought alarmed Rowen. He knew his father and his older brothers were good swimmers but he couldn't remember if his mom could swim. He had been only 10 when they drowned, their ship attacked by Sin near the Omega ruins.
If they came back, they were in serious danger, even if they made it to shore. The Omega ruins was no place for exhausted castaways to land. Many a Summoner party, well rested and composed of trained fighters, had perished there. He himself had been in one of those while being Yojimbo to a Summoner.
Rowen cursed himself at the memory. He hadn't held back, he could see the dungeon was too dangerous for his usual games with the Summoner. Every time he was called he performed Zanmato. But the Summoner had called him too late, many of the larger beasts there were immune to his Zanmanto and Break moves. To make matters worse, all the other Aeons were gone by then. He and Daigoro had truly done their best but the Summoner and his entire party had died unsent. They probably were fiends by now.
The pain of failure couldn't make Rowen forget his duty to his family. Time was of the essence. He had to make his way to the Omega Ruins shore and stand guard there, rescuing his family and /or any others who were revived at sea!
Remembering he was human now he stopped at a market to gather some supplies, healing and shielding items, tinder for fire, etc... Rowen knew exactly what he needed, having done this kind of trips many times with his past Summoners but he was still awed and confused at the variety of new goods this revived Zanarkand merchants had for sale. In a rare deviation from his penny pinching ways he even allowed himself to buy a gun with some dreadfully expensive "Cry in the Night" bullets . Those were guaranteed to work on Break immune opponents had said the vendor. If this was the same "Cry in the Night" Yojimbo had seen when Yuna conquered the Bevelle Cloisters dungeon those bullets were priceless. If they weren't that vendor would feel his wrath later.
Well fed and with supplies bulging from his travel pouch Rowen left Zanarkand on foot, taking the ramp to Mt. Gagazet
Mt. Gagazet Summit - Giant Flan Attacks
Rowen quickly got to the summit, not bothering to stop at the Fayth Scar and the Hot Springs. He had only paused long enough to glance at the statue of Yuna that the Ronso made.
While trekking the mountain Rowen was absorbed in his thoughts. He was almost fond of the serene and brave High Summoner. Of the Summoners that he had aided over the years she was in a class apart, along with Gandof and Braska. Not only they had defeated Sin, but they had been friendly, respectful and honorable.
But of the 3 three High Summoners he had had the honor to accompany Rowen had only allowed himself to befriend Gandof. He owed that much to the man. Six hundred years ago Gandof had saved him from going slowly insane abandoned and alone as he was in the bottom of a deep fiend infested cave. He had been there for 200 years, in a cave at the Calm Lands Gorge, immortal, unable to rest his wondering spirit. Thanks to Gandof he had had a goal in his afterlife: to preserve his mentor's dream. He started to take part on pilgrimages, and that had brought in enough Gil to fund the Crusaders for the past 600 years. Lord Mi'hen would be very proud of him, wherever he was.
The pilgrimages added variety and spice to his life and he was not allowed to brood for centuries like Yunalesca and Shuyin had. Rowen felt his anger rising. Yunalesca had her deffects, but she had never manipulated him or brought dishonor to his name, so he could forgive her insane actions. Forgiveness for Shuyin was much harder. Shuyin had used Vegnagun to force him and the other Aeons to control fiends and to battle Yuna. By making Rowen turn into a dark Aeon Shuyin had cast him in even more dishonor and shame. Rowen could not make himslef forgive this insult. He knew Shuyin had been insane at the time but that was no excuse. Not for what he did. One day he would settle this score.
Lost in his memories but not distracted enough to miss his surroundings Rowen saw a Giant blue Flan jump in front of him. With his cat like reflexes he quickly dodged the fiend's first Blizzara attack while he reached for his sword.
With a skilled leap he delivered a "Break Armor" hit with his sword. No effect.
Darn it! His body's 25 year old guardian reflexes had come back as sharp as ever, but his mind was still of an 800 year old. He had forgotten the giant flans on this cave were immune to physical attacks.
Cursing himself Rowen rolled on the floor to avoid the fiend's Osmosis attack that was coming. Yet another failure of his clumsy old brain: He should have gotten himself a Reflect shield already!
He got up close to the fiend and used his Wakishasi knives to deliver a "Break Magic" spell. A back flip got him away from the beast, far enough to allow him time to look for a Mana Spring item on his pouch. This would drain the Flan's magic points constantly while Rowen's "Break Magic" hits chiseled away at the beast's life points.
But the beast was no dumb Water Flan. It had already cast a Reflect around itself and Rowen's Mana Spring was useless. Cursing himself Rowen rummaged his pouch for his Dark Mage dressphere. He hated having to use this artificial method to enhance him - true Warrior Monks and Crusaders never did it - but he wasn't about to lose his second chance at life here on the Summit. As soon as he arrived at Omega Ruins he would set himself on a grueling training routine to get his brain as combat ready as his body was.
The beast landed a Blizzara attack while Rowen's dressphere was still activating. Brrrr! He had forgotten how miserable a cold spell made one feel. His teeth chattering Rowen concentrated and cast Darkness on the fiend. He felt a searing pain on his skin, it was only for the briefest moment, but the surprise almost made him drop his sword. His befuddled brain had forgotten Darkness exacted a price in pain from the spell-caster. Again his 25 year old body had taken in stride what his 800 year old mind was still struggling with.
There, the beast was half dead already! he thought, satisfied with himself.
But he had crowed victory too early. He still did not have a Reflection shield in place and the Flan easily retrieved it's lost health by using a Drain spell on Rowen.
Dizzy with the draining Rowen decided to end the battle: He cast the "Dark Sky" spell from his Dresphere skill set. With his 200+ strength attribute it would trounce the Flan with 10-12 hits of 500-1,000 damage points each. That spell could make even an Aeon pause in it's tracks.
The spell worked as planned and pretty soon Rowen was alone in the cave again, the Flan melting into pyreflies after the 10th blow. Exhausted, Rowen quickly lit a fire to keep fiends away and made camp.
You are pitiful Rowen! he said to himself. Physically and mentally drained after just one battle with a flan ?
He wasn't being fair to himself. The giant flans in this cave had killed many Ronso and many Summoner parties. Besides, after spending 800 years battling only in his Aeon form he was bound to have some troubles adapting back to his body's physical limitations. Aeons didn't get cold, didn't bleed and had innate shielding ability. Braska and Yuna had been smart and kind enough to give Yojimbo the Aeon versions of Esuna, Cure, Reflect, Protect, Dispel and Shield spells. As Yojimbo he had not had to battle so unshielded for centuries! And usually when Yojimbo got called in battle the fiend already had received a healthy dose of powerful hits and dispel potions from the Summoner and his party. This time Rowen had had to do it all by himself, in a completely unfamiliar body. Well, not completely unfamiliar but unfamiliar for the larger part of a millennium...
Rowen cursed himself: Excuses, dresspheres.. Taking the easy way out was not the way of the Warrior and he knew it. His lack of preparation was unforgivable.
Ashamed he once again vowed he would get himself back into fighting shape. Remembering that his fayth body needed food Rowen swallowed a piece of hard bread with cheese, forcing himself to eat the bland cheap food he had bought for the trip. He would need all his gil to rebuild the dissolved Youth League. He had had so high hopes for Nooj and his group! He hadn't liked the name change but there had been nothing he could do. He was stuck in the Farplane like all Fayth and Aeons were after Yuna defeated Yu Yevon. Hence he had been forced to accept the dissolution of the Crusaders to form the Youth League. A League that had lasted just over two years before dissolving! This could not be allowed to stand. Not with evil coming back to haunt Spira.
He was not to blame. How could he have known that Nooj would get himself on a power contest with New Yevon and then dissolve the League? With his absence his front men had used his gil to fund Nooj's troops. A name change, nothing more, he had thought at the time. One must adapt and change with the times after all! But the League had been dissolved. He would have to rebuild the crusaders all over again, like he and Gandof's older brother had to do 600 years ago, Rowen thought to himself grumpily.
Adapt - that was the key word. He needed to adapt to his new/revived body, adapt to this new Spira where Zanarkand was a vibrant city, where the long dead roamed the world and many evils lurked in the shadows... So many changes!
While meditating on his new challenges Rowen made his bed by the fire and settled down for the night. Eventually he dozed off, his many worries forgotten for a brief interval
Mt. Gagazet Summit - Meeting Ikari
Rowen woke up before dawn, his trained senses hearing noise and movement around him. Quick as lightning he was on his feet, sword in hand, scanning the cave depths for the source of the slightly metallic rhythmic sound.
After a brief interval he saw a short hooded figure climbing the stone stairs with some difficulty. This was no fiend. He called up to the stranger.
Rowen: - Who are you and why do you travel alone in this area ?
Surprised Ikari looked up, a bullet sliding down the chamber of the pistol mounted on his mech arm. He tried to scan the tall man but his eye scanner gave him completely absurd readings. No man could have that many health points and mana points. And what were those strange skill readings ? Zanmato ? Wakishasi ? The darn thing must be malfunctioning again!
Ikari decided to tell the truth. At least part of it.
Ikari: - I'm not alone, I'm just meeting my party at the summit campgrounds. And my chocobo is grazing on some cave moss below. And you ?
Rowen: - Just passing by. But you must be mistaken, there is no party at the Summit campground. I passed by there yesterday and no one was there
That didn't surprise Ikari although it made him disappointed. He had hoped to find his parents at the Summit campground, like he had left them before waking up in this crazy new Spira. It was a faint hope, but he had to check it. It had taken him a year to gather courage to get this close to Zanarkand and now he had to see it for himself.
Ikari: I thank you for the information but I must still go there to meet them.
Rowen was intrigued. He had not seen anyone in the path from Zanarkand to the summit yesterday. Something was odd. Like the Guado, the fayth could sometimes feel some Farplane "scent" on the unsent. This stranger had a vague hint of it, but was alive. He decided to try to find out more. He asked the stranger.
Rowen: What do you expect to meet at the end of your quest after I just told you the campground is empty ?
Ikari answered: It may be empty but I have to see it for myself. You see, I was supposed to meet some people very dear to me there.
Rowen said chuckling: Relax, I'm not saying I saw any bodies, just that I saw no one and no camp in the entire trail up to here. Your party must be somewhere else. Are you sure they have already left Zanarkand ?.
Ikari felt the familiar pang at the mention of Zanarkand. Was it guilt for not going there right after waking up that fateful morning not so long ago ? All he knew is that he felt almost physically ill at any mention of the city of his birth. And he didn't know why. He wanted to know, but asking or thinking about Zanarkand was like staring at the sun. It made him burn inside and made his world dark for a long time, every time he attempted to do it.
But the stranger needed an answer so he said:
Ikari: I will find out with my own eyes, thank you. I must be on my way, I just came here to gab some ice to refill my water pouch...
That was an odd one all right, thought Rowen. Right in front of the stairs there was a short trail that ended in a shallow pool formed by the cave's subterranean streams.
Rowen: Why risk climbing all the way to the summit in this fiend infested cave if you could just take the water from the cave spring ?
Ikari was getting annoyed at all the questions so he pulled his sleeve up and showed his armed mechanic arm saying:
Ikari: - "Don't really care for getting my weapons wet, but I'll do what I must" he said, now glaring angrily at the stranger
Rowen held the other's glare without flinching but sensed the mood shift so he said.
Rowen: "Just trying to save you a trip, that's all. But if you must, you must. None of my business anyway..."
Ikari answered flatly: You got that right and resumed climbing the cave steps, his eyes never leaving Rowen and his hands.
An Uneasy Truce
Rowen eyed the man wearily. As he got closer he could feel the Farplane's peculiar "scent" even more strongly. But he was quite sure the man was alive. Weird.
Then it hit him: The man must be a "reborn" just like him. Not a fayth though. Rowen would have felt the presence of a fayth from several miles away.
Which meant the guy had lost part of his memory, as the "reborn" who weren't fayth usually remembered nothing of the war and events afterward... Rowen pitied the guy. There probably was no party waiting for him at the campground, it was just an incomplete recollection of an event that took place long ago. And the poor sap was trekking Gagazet all by himself chasing after an old memory fragment.
He felt inclined to help. Yuna, Gandof and Braska would have. He could at least acompany the stranger to the campgrounds without getting too delayed to his trip to Omega Ruins. He said to the man:
- "Wait, don't go alone. There are some fierce Dark Flans and Behemoth fiends ahead. I'll trek with you to the campgrounds, it's not that far" he said, forcing himself to smile.
Ikari glared at the stranger. First he had pestered him with a game of 20 questions now he wanted to be friendly ?
Still, if the stranger wanted to harm him he could have just followed him from a distance or attacked him now on the stairs... He decided to test the man and said:
- "If you are willing to help then meet me down at the cave's main chamber with a full canteen. My chocobo needs water and the trek to get ice is tiring" there, he had feigned an exhaustion that he didn't feel, so that the stranger would feel confident enough to attack him. And he would get a big surprise when he did so...
He went down the stairs with his back turned but on his guard. Any noise behind him and he would knock his hammer fist on the stranger's head.
Ikari's ears were no match for Rowen's ninja like silent leap so he got the fright of his life when he saw a full canteen inches from his face, Rowen holding it with a satisfied grin.
- "Hmpf.. I guess you pass the test. With moves like that you could have harmed me any time you wanted to. You are welcome to join me, but just until I find my party. And no one mounts Mist but me" he grunted annoyed.
Frozen Land, Melted hope
Pretty soon the two were out of the cave, Ikari using a wooden staff and Mist for balance on that frozen wasteland and Rowen walking resolutely ahead of the two to scout for trouble.
Rowen tried to pry more from the reborn but all he got was a name - Ikari - and some icy glares. He decided to drop it, the guy would tell him when he felt ready. Or not. All Rowen wanted was to make sure the stranger would be OK after seeing the deserted campground.
Ikari was feeling that foreboding that he had felt before. In all honesty he didn't want to go see the campground, but his parents would never forgive him if he ruined his mother's apprenticeship with the famous Yu Yevon due to his irrational actions. Six month ago the thought of getting away from here had been stronger than his willpower. This time he had to persevere.
It was very hard though. Each step towards Zanarkand seemed to stir a deep well of pain inside him. He felt about to die. What cursed spell was this that had been put upon him ? And why on him ? Ikari needed answers to those questions and the answers lied in Zanarkand so in spite of his painful feelings he pressed on.
He eyed the stranger walking ahead of him. Rowen was the guy's name. Rowen was so confident on his fast moves that he had his back turned to Ikari, a stranger he had just met. That guy wouldn't last long with that carefree attitude, that's for sure!
Rowen saw the empty campground right ahead and stopped. He put his back against the frozen stone to wait for Ikari. The cold from the stone seeped through his cape and leather jacket, making him shiver. Bad idea! He stood up disgusted, patting down the snow from his clothes. Being in his mortal body took some getting used to!
Ikari arrived with Mist, looking at Rowen curiously.
Ikari: What is up ? Why did you stop ? Is something ahead ?
Rowen just pointed ahead and make a gesture indicating that Ikari should go first now. It was his trip, his memory. He should see it first.
Slowly, his leg limp worse than the usual, Ikari made his way to the barren campground. He looked around at the desolate windy place. Nothing. Not a soul. His hope of finally finding his friends and family, of finally getting his life back to normal started melting. He felt sick to his stomach. He turned around to Rowen and said:
Ikari: "You knew this is what I would find. Tell me, what is it that I will find at the end of this trail ? What awaits me at Zanarkand ?"
Rowen: "A vibrant city, a blitzball stadium, a large market. It is what I left yesterday before my trip to the summit. What.. Who do you expect to find at the end of the trail ?"
Ikari: "Myself. Answers.... Hope"
The pain was getting to be more intense now, with his hope of finding his parents and his world being shattered, the shards of it burrowing deep within his heart. Ikari collapsed on the frozen floor, his head buried in his hands and Mist nudged him worriedly.
Rowen was glad he had opted to follow the man. It was obvious Ikari was having a very hard time with his new circumstances. No wonder! With all his 800 years Rowen was having troubles himself! He could only imagine what it must feel to someone plucked out of a familiar world and left into this new, odd and dangerous Spira without the benefit of memory and experience, clueless to his whereabouts or the reason why he was where he was...
Rowen approached Ikari slowly, passing him his flask of sake. He had bought it more for his samurai fire move, but now it seemed to be the closest thing he had to a confusion and shock healing potion . He said:
Rowen: Here, have some of this. Don't beat yourself too hard. Sometimes answers can only be sought when we are ready for them. It is useless and painful as hell to try to get them sooner.
Ikari raised his head and took a long sip of the flask without a word. Then another. The warmth brought by the sake proceeded to chase away the despair that had just gripped Ikari. He let out a great sigh and said.
Ikari: Thank you for your kindness. You may be correct, it seems I am not ready to see what awaits me in Zanarkand. I just can't bear the thought of not finding what I seek there... Of loosing the last shreds of hope..
Rowen interrupted him.
Rowen: Shh... Speak not of what is unknown. You have done enough for today. Let us return to the cave, the wind is shifting and pretty sure it will be much colder. We can camp there for the night and perhaps you may want to help me in my quest tomorrow
Ikari nodded in agreement and Rowen helped him stand up. They made their way back to the cave slowly, as a blizzard was forming and the wind was whipping around thick snow flurries, making it hard for Rowen to keep his eyes open without any eye protection. Ikari had his Al Bhed goggles but had trouble moving with his limp on the slippery and seemingly shifting ground.
Without a word Ikari passed his goggles to Rowen, they would have a much better chance of making it to the cave if one of them could both see AND move quickly enough to guide them safely through the fiend infested slopes.
After half an hour they made it to the cave, covered with semi melted snow, the damp chill starting to penetrate the inner layers of their clothing. Mercifully the caves had a hot spring running through it. To get rid of the chill they took turns, one swimming on the warm water while the other kept the many water fiends at bay.
Ikari quickly lit a large fire with his flame thrower and they both settled around it for the night, Mist and Ikari ant one side, Rowen on another (OOC - no yaoi here Asamodai!). Before sleeping Ikari asked.
Ikari: This thing about you needing my help tomorrow, was that true ?
Rowen had included the bit about needing help to make it easier for the lad to leave the mountain with him. He didn't nee or want any help but it would give Ikari a good excuse to leave this frozen wasteland. Once down in the sunny, warm Calm Lands he was sure Ikari would feel much better and would be itching to go his own way. And Rowen could go on to Omega Ruins with his conscience at ease, so he answered:
Rowen: Yes, but let us leave this discussion for tomorrow. Good night.
