[Episode 166433] [Episode 166433]They entered the antechamber. In front of them, they could see the closed entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth. Next to the door, there was a big, muscular person with blue fur and a cat-like muzzle. Ranma shuddered, but this guy certainly didn't look that much like a cat to trigger the Neko-ken.
Then, he heard a voice directly next to them. "What are you doing here? Didn't think we'd be able to handle it?"
Wakka whispered to Tidus: "See, she gets mad easily!"
But Ranma looked past his two companions and saw... Akane standing next to them, an angry frown on her face.
"Is the apprentice summoner all right?" Tidus asked her.
"Who are... RANMA?"
"Yo, Akane," he grinned. "Long time no see, huh?"
Akane ran up to him. "Ranma, where have you been? I was so worr... um, I - I mean..." she coughed and got back into her 'see if I care' stance. "You certainly took your time getting here, you jerk!"
"I thought you'd know each other," Wakka said. "After all, he seemed to know your big sister as well, ya?"
"Well, I'm certainly relieved that you made it," Akane said. "But still that doesn't explain why you're here! Didn't you know that the Cloister of Trials are off limits for other people than summoners and guardians?"
Ranma blinked. "Akane," he said. "Are you telling me that you're..."
"Yup," she grinned. "I'm a guardian now! It's definitely my kind of job! Good fighting practice and always on the road. I planned to join Yuna on her pilgrimage around Spira. I hoped I would meet any of you others on the way."
"Yuna?" Ranma asked. "Who's...?"
Then the door to the Chamber of the Fayth opened, and a girl stepped into the room. The girl was very pretty, with shoulder-long hair and wearing a dress that sorta looked like a kimono. She looked pretty beat, but she shook her sweaty hair and happily smiled. "I've done it," she said. "I've become a summoner!"
She really looked tired, as she almost collapsed. But the blue-furred cat-man quickly jumped up the stairs and caught her.
Akane smiled. "This is Yuna!"
----
That evening, the villagers were sitting around a big fire. They all congratulated the young summoner for her success, and cheered on their blitzball team to do their best.
Well, doing your best is okay, I guess, Ranma thought. But they should also hope for their victory, right?
Tidus was thinking the same thing, as he was telling the team: "When I ask you: What's our goal? you answer with: Victory! Got it?"
The players seemed to be surprised at first, but they grew to like the idea, as they pumped their fists in the air and cried: "Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Yeeeaaaah!"
He sat down near Akane. Kasumi was going around and offering several snacks to the villagers. Akane was watching Yuna, who was sitting next to some older people and children.
"Hey, how do you feel?" he asked her. Akane made a small smile. "Nervous," she said. "I mean, I have you and Kasumi, and after what you told me, Nabiki's doing fine by herself, so I'm not too worried about her... But I'm worried about Ukyo... When Kasumi and me met her on sea, we got separated when this... thing called Sin attacked. I certainly hope she's okay. And Shampoo... I mean, they're both my rivals, but besides that, I think they're not that bad... I'm worried about them."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I understand! I'm worried too, you know? But think about it: Shampoo is an Amazon warrior, and Ucchan is a tough girl as well... I'm sure they will do fine."
"But who worries me the most is P-chan... I mean, he often wanders around by himself, and he always came back, but... this is a totally different world. What if he's scared..."
Ranma snorted. "I'm pretty sure pork-butt will be all right..."
That made Akane angry again. "Ranma don't tease P-chan!" She considered pulling out good ol' Mr. Mallet.
Ranma was about to say something, when he saw Tidus approaching Yuna. "Hey Akane, look at that!"
They couldn't understand every word when Yuna talked to Tidus, but they seemed to get along pretty fine.
Akane giggled quietly. "I guess he likes her," she said. Ranma nodded. "Yeah, looks like it..." Akane decided to tease him a little. "You jealous?"
Ranma shook his head. "Nah, not really... I mean, Yuna's a pretty girl and all, and she sure seems to be a nice person, but... I'm thinking of someone else right now..."
Akane blushed. "Um, and who would that be?"
Ranma groaned. Damn, that was gonna be difficult. "Akane, I... I..."
Then Wakka stormed up to them. "Yo, you two! You thinking of getting to bed early tonight, ya? It's gonna be a long journey tomorrow!"
Phew! Ranma thought. Saved! "Um, gotcha, Wakka! We'll go to bed soon!"
"Okay! See ya then!" And he stormed off again.
Ranma looked at Akane's face. He certainly couldn't read her face very well. "Ranma, I have to talk to Kasumi. See you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah... sure... Um, g'night!"
She smiled. "Good night, Ranma!"
----
Akane was walking to the crusader's tent, where she and Kasumi were sleeping, when she heard something coming from behind Wakka's hut. It sounded like... Wakka? What was he doing there?
Careful not to wake up Ranma and Tidus, she tiptoed around the hut. She could make out some words: "It's my fault... I'm sorry, Lulu..."
She decided to talk to him. "Wakka?" she quietly asked. Wakka was startled and hid something behind his back. "A-Akane? Wh-what are ya doing here?"
"I heard your voice and I wanted to make sure if you're all right."
Wakka sighed. "It's nothing, ya? It's just... well..."
She put a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He reluctantly nodded. "Yes... yes, I think... Come on... let's go for a little walk, ya?"
They walked around the border of the village. Wakka held something in his hands. It looked like some sort of stuffed animal, maybe a teddy bear. It had crossed eyes, small purple wings on its back and a little red pompom on its head.
"What's that?" she asked.
"It belongs to a girl that lived here in Besaid," Wakka sadly said. "Lulu! She always was like a big sister to me, Yuna and my little brudda, Chappu!"
"Where is she now?"
Wakka closed his eyes. "She's dead..."
Akane gasped. "Wakka, I'm... I'm sorry..."
He shook his head. "Nah, it's all right! You couldn't know! But still... knowing that it was my... my fault..." He looked like he was ready to cry.
Akane looked into his eyes. "What happened?"
Wakka wiped his nose. "It all started when my brother was going to join the crusaders. I was against it... I said to him, he could do something more important: Guarding the village, be a blitzball player, become Yuna's guardian... but he said: 'I'm doing it for the people I love, you know? I'm gonna protect you and Lulu from Sin!'
You see... Lulu and Chappu were in love. First, I thought it was only Chappu, because Lulu always could hide her feelings pretty well. But then I realized: She loved him as well! At first, she thought he was right, that he should follow his dreams and fight for a safe Spira... But I was a big oaf! I just had to walk up to her and convince her that joining the crusaders was the biggest mistake Chappu had ever done! And then... she started to think about it. If what I told her was right! And then she... she..." Again, he looked like he was going to cry.
Akane hold him. He was not her boyfriend or part of her family, but she felt like he needed her support. He needed to tell someone all of this.
Wakka calmed down a little. "She... went to the Djose shore, where the crusaders had their camp! All by herself! She wanted to convince Chappu to come back to us! Just because I talked to her! I don't know if Chappu would have listened to her... I guess I'll never find out. Because when she arrived the camp, it was under attack by Sinspawn... you know, fiends that are made of Sin's body parts! She saw Chappu fighting some some of them, and it looked like he would lose. So when one of them fired his spines towards my brother, she... she jumped in the way.
The spines hit her back while she was protecting my brother! And just because I had convinced her that he made a mistake.
I... I know it could easily have been Chappu that would have died out there, but still... I cannot be sure of that! I only know that Lulu sacrificed herself for him because of what I said. And that's something I'll never forgive myself for."
"Where's your brother now?" Akane asked.
"He's still with the crusaders. He blames me for Lulu's death - and he's right, you know? - and he said, that the Sinspawn probably never would have hit him... so Lulu's sacrifice would be in vain! He said he never wants to see me again in his entire life... I tried to forget the entire thing and continue my life as blitzball captain and as Yuna's guardian... But the strange thing is... When Tidus came into the village today, I thought: He almost looks like Chappu! And so I was reminded of everything what happened..."
Poor Wakka, Akane thought. He sounds like he cared for Lulu as well. She stroked his back. "Don't worry! It'll be all right! Don't blame yourself for something in the past! Concentrate on the future, and you'll feel better! Learn from your mistakes and don't let it distract you! Guard Yuna successfully, and I think you will feel better!"
He nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was trying to tell myself as well... you're right! Thank... thank you, Akane! I'm... very glad I met you! And I'm glad that a girl like you became one of Yuna's guardians!"
They shared a quick hug, then Wakka said: "Well, we... We should go to bed, ya? Like I said, it's gonna be a long day..."
Akane nodded. "Yes, I know! Good night, Wakka! And... try not to brood anymore, okay?"
"Yeah, thanks! Good night!"
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(Posted Thu, 13 Jul 2006 12:46)
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