Chappu shot down the last of the zombiefied members of the Crimson Squad. "Good," he said. "And now let's get out of here before more of them show up."
Together, they ran through the dark tunnels, not really knowing where they were leading them. Sometimes they took a turn left, sometimes a turn right, but still didn't manage to reach an exit.
"Oh no," Kasumi finally shouted. "I remember this junction, Chappu-kun. We've been her before. I believe we've run in circles..."
Chappu looked around. "Man... which way did we come from again?"
Kasumi pulled out something from her dress. "Maybe it would be better for you to use a dressphere, too, Chappu? Nabiki gave us more than the two we usually use. It was certainly helpful for me."
Chappu shook his head. "Sorry, Kasumi. I just don't trust these weird half-magical gadgets. I prefer to use in battle what I learned by myself."
'It's no use,' Lenne sobbed inside Kasumi's mind. 'We'll be trapped here forever...' The strange intense feelings of pain and anger she felt overwhelmed her.
Chappu pointed to another tunnel. "Let's try that way."
But then, they entered a different cave, filled with natural pillars of stone. In the middle of the cave, they could see a strange, floating light.
"W-what's that?" Kasumi asked. "A fiend?"
"I don't think so..." Chappu mumbled while carefully approaching. "Is it an unsent again?"
But suddenly, the floating pyreflies floating through the caves intensified their eery light at this point, and a dark silhouette could be seen. The shape of a human...
"Finally..." a voice could be heard. "After all this time, someone managed to come to this point. Now, I will be able to leave this place for good."
The figure stepped forward, so they could see its face. Kasumi gasped. "T-Tidus-kun?" That couldn't be. He was upstairs, with her sister and Yuna. He shouldn't be down here.
'No...' Lenne's thoughts reached her. 'It can't be him... not after... that long time...'
Chappu raised his gun. "Freeze! Don't come any closer."
The figure huffed. "Please... as if you could hurt me with that ridiculous weapon... But you certainly are strong... you will be a good host." The visage, that seemed so similar to Tidus' face, formed a diabolical sneer. "And you will help me with my revenge."
But before he could do anything further, Kasumi found her ability to control her body slip away, as Lenne started to take control.
"Please," she shouted. "Don't do this, Shuyin!"
He turned to face her. "What? Who are...?" Then he gasped. He saw the dress, the familiar body movements and Lenne's soothing tone of voice.
"Is that... you, Lenne?" he managed to stutter. "But, I saw... I saw you die..."
"Please, don't harm that man," Lenne pleaded, using Kasumi's voice. "I don't know what happened to you, but I promise, we'll think of something."
But when she stepped into the light of Shuyins swarm of pyreflies, he could see her face. Kasumi's face...
His face darkened in anger. "You... you're not Lenne!" His fury hit Kasumi in the form of an angry burst of power, that shoved her down onto her knees. "It's all a trick, isn't it?" the spirit growled. "You plan to trick me... like you did before, right? Your wars... your schemes... everything just to pull me and Lenne apart, right?"
He raised his hand and a black sword appeared in it. "I'll make you all pay for that!"
At that moment, his form was being hit by a bright Fira spell.
Kasumi stood up in surprise. "Carbuncle?"
'Go, Kasumi! Run!' The little summon spirit prepared another attack, when she heard footsteps. Behind her, Ranma and Akane were entering the cave.
"Kasumi," Akane cried. "I'm coming!"
Chappu quickly stood up, fired another bullet at Shuyin and stepped back.
"You... take this," the embodied sorrow of the ancient swordsman yelled, while hurling a metal ball at Chappu, which was blotched with numerous blades and spikes.
Curiously, it looked like some sort of twisted blitzball.
Akane stepped before Chappu and deflected the incoming projectile with a boulder.
"Carbuncle! Finish him with your new attack!" Ranma shouted.
'Got it,' the little imp replied. He rushed Shuyin with a headbutt, followed with numerous kicks and charged up his tiny fists with magical energy.
'Anything Goes Fiery Esper assault,' he cried out and hit his enemy with both fists at once.
Shuyin cried out in pain, while Akane helped Chappu and Kasumi. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Shuyin stood up. He wasn't ready to give up just now. He raised his sword and stormed at Ranma. "Terror of Zanarkand," he cried while raising his blade high above his head...
And ran directly in Akane's outstretched fist. "End of the line," she said.
With a loud clatter, Shuyins sword fell onto the ground. His form seemed to waver and flicker. "Lenne..." he slowly said. "I won't fail you..." and then his body vanished in a cloud of a billion of sparkles.
Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. "Good work, Carbuncle! Now let's get out of here!"
"How... did you manage to get here?" Chappu weakly said while Akane helped him.
"We found another cave entrance," Akane told him. "I got the idea it would lead to where the two of you broke through the ceiling... and I was right. But we better hurry, the crusaders are already getting ready for battle... against Sin himself!"
And while they were hurrying to reach the exit, no one of them noticed the small trail of sparks that was floating through the air, following them around, and finally vanishing into the bag Kasumi was carrying...
The bag with the dresspheres...
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(Posted Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:07)
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