The island of Bikanel! It's surrounded by water, but if you leave the coast, it will get drier and drier by the minute, until you reach the desert.
Almost the whole landmass of Bikanel island contained this desert. Inside this desert, only very few living beings could exist.
Mostly fiends! Being creatures made of pyreflies, they didn't have to fear starvation or dehydration.
Then there were a few desert animal that had managed to survive in spite of the heat, the dryness and the fiends.
The cacti! Normal ones and smaller ones that had the ability of moving on their own two legs. They're called cactuars!
And finally, the only humans living on Bikanel island, inside their underground base called Home: The Al Bhed!
Home was not only the home of the Al Bhed! It was a fortress made of hope and resolve. The Al Bhed had nowhere to go after Yevon went after them, so they hid on this previously uninhabitated island (except for the previously mentioned cactuars and fiends).
From all of Spira's people, they were those who knew most of machines - or machina, as they were generally called. But because of Yevon's ban of machina researching, their knowledge was average at most...
Most of the things they knew they had to learn from ancient scripts. And most of their machina were patched up devices made from different machina parts they dug up in the desert or fished out of the ocean.
The biggest and most well-preserved machina that was in their possession was the Airship Rikku and her team found at the bottom of the sea, near the ruins where they met Ranma and Tidus.
Nabiki anxiously walked up and down the giant maintenance hall in which the most cunning Al Bhed technicians were working on the Airship. "I don't understand it," she grumbled. "Why can't you just bring me to the next coast and let me find my friends? You certainly have enough people, do you?"
Rikku, who was busy carrying various containers inside the hall, put down the heavy box on the floor and wiped her forehead. "Because we're not as many people as it may seem," she said. "And we have to be careful! Yevon is looking for us, so we can't just go over to the continent all the time."
"I understand that, but I fear that my sisters won't be able to look after themselves on such a big and dangerous continent!"
"They will be fine! And besides, you gave Ranma the dresspheres, right? With them, they won't be entirely helpless."
"But we don't know if he managed to find them yet," Nabiki pointed out.
"Ya know, I think that's quite enough," a gruff voice admonished her. Cid, the elected leader of the Al Bhed tribe, stepped out of the Airship's shadows.
Rikku's father wasn't a really big man, but he was muscular and had a body that was hardened by heavy work and life inside the desert. His head was bald and he had a short beard surrounding his mouth. He liked it rough, but if someone would look into his eyes, he would recognize the steely glint of determination that was traceable in every good leader.
"Girl, we can't just give up men and machines right now! We need a large amount of people and tools for the Airship's maintenance! And that's not all, because at this moment, most of our people are spread throughout Spira, waiting in position! We are planning to secure the people of Spira from disaster, and we cannot be distracted by silly little rescue missions if your friends manage to survive by themselves! If you want, you can join the next special mission, but until then, you'll have to wait... And you'll better help us as best you can - I won't be havin' any slackers around here!"
"But I'm no Al Bhed," Nabiki protested. "Whatever you are planning is of no concern for me! I just wanna go home with my friends!"
"Are you sure about that?" Buddy asked. He and his friend Brother had just finished attaching an important part to the Airship's hull and were approaching them. Unlike his friend, Buddy spoke the general language of Spira pretty well. "I mean, you're practically one of us now, aren't you?"
He winked at her. Nabiki tried to ignore him. Buddy turned around to his leader: "Hey Cid, we're done here! Should we go down to the Summoners' Sanctum and prepare everything?"
"Quiet, you moron," Cid hissed through clenched teeth.
Nabiki blinked. "What's the Summoners' Sanctum?"
"Oh, nothing, hehehehe..." Rikku nervously giggled. "Nothing you have to worry about!"
"It's where we are planning to quarter the summoners after kidnapping them," Shinra said from his working place.
Buddy groaned. Brother looked around in irritation, as he didn't understand one word. Rikku whined: "Shinra, you idiot!"
Cid just glared in Shinra's direction. The little genius didn't even flinch under the stare. "Hey, if she is to help us, she has to find out sooner or later. Better we tell her than she finds out by herself, right?"
"You know, that actually made sense," Buddy agreed.
Cid shook his head. "All right!" he said. "Everyone, continue your work! Nabiki, come with me! There's plenty I have to tell you!"
And while Cid lead a confused Nabiki into the next room, Rikku stormed up to Shinra's desk. "Shinra! I know you're right and all! But shouldn't you know that actively disobeying pops' orders is NOT a good idea at all?"
"Must have slipped my mind," he said.
"Aren't you supposed to be the genius around here?"
Shinra tilted his head. "I'm just a kid?"
----
An exhausted Ryoga collapsed on the soft, muddy ground of the swamp. He was trying to find his way through the wilderness for days, and he was starving. The last time he ate something was when these crazy moogles invited him to that horrible meal of Kupo Nuts.
But by now, Ryoga didn't care. He would eat ANYthing that crossed his path, if it was edible.
That's when a big green frog hopped in front of his face.
A few days ago, Ryoga wouldn't even think of eating frogs, but now, he didn't care. Besides, in several countries, frog's legs are supposed to be a delicacy!
Greedily, he tried to grab the frog, but the little amphibian was too slippery to get a good hold on it. It slipped through his fingers and hopped towards the swamp water.
"Wait," Ryoga desperately called. "Come back!" In his despair, he made a big jump into the frog's direction.
And landed inside the shallow swamp water with a loud 'splash'!
After several seconds, a small black piglet pulled itself out of the water. Could this day get any worse, P-chan thought.
Then he bumped into something big and white. Looking up, he saw an odd figure wearing an apron. The... person was fat and had white skin. His face looked like that of a grinning clown, with an enormous tongue hanging out of his broad mouth.
The strange being was curiously looking down on the small pig. "What are you? Is you delicious? A new delicious sort of frog? Oh yes, a small black frog you must be! Come to Quina!" And Ryogas eyes got wide when it pulled out the BIGGEST fork he ever saw.
The creature licked its lips. "Time for lunch!"
"BWEEEEEEE!!!"
----
When Cid and Nabiki returned from the other room, the middle Tendo's face was darkened with an angry frown.
"If what you told me is true, then... then... those bastards!"
Rikku jumped back when Nabiki suddenly snarled. "I won't let them get away with this! I'll help you with your plan! And if it's the last thing I do!"
Rikku looked a little worried. "You know, it probably will be pretty dangerous..."
Nabiki smirked. "Don't worry! I thought this over! And be sure of it, I WILL help you! After all, Nabiki Tendo doesn't lose!"
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(Posted Fri, 14 Jul 2006 10:59)
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