Inside Ranma's mind...
A person was sitting cross-legged on the ground. He looked like Ranma, but he had cat ears and a tail.
He wasn't acting like a cat at all. He was sitting there like he was... meditating.
Fenrir walked up to him. 'Hey, Neko.' No response.
The big wolf seemed irritated. 'You seem... different.'
'I am,' the embodiment of the Neko-ken replied. 'After today's battle I realized that nothing about me will ever change if I keep up that playful kitten act. Ranma is a hardened fighter, and so I must become one as well. I always saw him as someone that I had to protect... but you and Carbuncle helped me see the truth:
Ranma doesn't need my help... but he would appreciate it, if I would ever help him.
The problem is: I really never helped him before. So I must turn from a wild cat to a strong fighter like himself.'
THAT made Fenrir think about what happened. He left Neko alone in his meditation and went over to Carbuncle.
'You know... Neko's change in behavior is rather radical, don't you think?'
'Maybe it has something to do with our presence?' Carbuncle pondered. 'Perhaps the fact that he has to share Ranma's mind with two summoning spirits is affecting his behavior. I will send the boss a message about this new event. Perhaps he has a better solution.'
'Maybe you're right,' Fenrir agreed. Then he realized the rather complex battle moves Carbuncle was going through. 'Aren't you taking this 'Martial Arts' stuff... too far?'
'Nope,' Carbuncle replied while going through his training routine. 'A martial artist must keep his body fit for all cases... And besides, this is kinda fun...'
Fenrir shook his head. He'd never understand the green little guy.
----
From outside, the Temple of Djose was not as impressive as the temple in Kilika... but when the rocky structure on his surface broke apart and floated around its roof, supported by magnetic bolts of lightning, all Tidus and Ranma could say was: "Awesome..."
"A summoner must be inside and addressing the fayth," Yuna explained. "Who could it be, I wonder?"
"Perhaps that stuck-up broad we met in Kilika," Akane grumbled.
Wakka laughed. "You mean Dona, right? Well, we'll never find out by just standing here, ya?"
Yuna nodded. "Let's go in!"
----
"My lady," the monk guarding the entrance mumbled in confusion. "Where are you taking all these people? You mean to tell me that all of these are... guardians?"
Yuna nodded. "Well, most of them, actually. But they are not solely my own guardians. You see... Ranma is a summoner as well." And she gestured towards the young martial artist.
Ranma waved. "Yo! What's up?"
"A... a summoner?" the monk stuttered. "Him? Surely, you must be joking. Yevon never gave him his blessing. And these clothes... they truly are unworthy of a real summoner."
"What makes a person a summoner, then?" Auron asked the man. The monk scratched his bald head. "Well, the only thing a summoner really must be able to do, is summoning Aeons so he or she can receive the Final Aeon at Zanarkand and defeat Sin."
Ranma grinned. "Well, if that's all..." He made a little circle with his hand, and out of a hole in the ground, Carbuncle popped. He made a small martial artist's stance. 'Hiya!'
The monk really was perplexed. "Um... I see, I guess... Well then... apparently, he IS a summoner... then I suppose I might as well let him in..." He sighed. "Fine, he and his guardians may enter."
Ranma smirked at Yuna. "Toldya, piece of cake!"
They entered the main hall, where big columns of stone were standing. They were tipped with small rods and a metal sphere. Around those spheres, fields of blue, dancing electricity were hovering.
At the same time they entered the hall, three people came out of the entrance to the trials. They were two men and a small boy.
"Excuse me," one of the men addressed Yuna. "But are you, by any chance, summoner Lady Yuna?"
"Um, yes, I am," Yuna replied.
The man smiled. "As I thought. The daughter of Lord Braska. You have the look of your father."
"You knew my father?" Yuna asked surprised.
"No, I've never met the man. Ah, my apologies. I am Isaaru. I am a summoner, like you."
"And I'm Maroda," the other, dark-skinned man introduced himself. "This is our brother Pacce." He meant the boy. "We are our big brother's guardians.
"Pleased ta meetcha," Pacce said while jumping up and down.
"Since I was a child, I've always looked up to Lord Braska," Isaaru explained. "I wished I could someday become a summoner as he was. You must have some of your father's talent in you. I believe you might some day defeat Sin."
Yuna blushed and said: "I... I'm not really... I've just become a summoner..."
Isaaru grinned. "Of course, I have no intention of losing, either. So perhaps we should race to see who can defeat Sin first, no?"
Yuna chuckled. "Very well then, I accept your challenge."
"Hey, hey," Ranma intervened. "You won't ignore me, Yuna?"
"Oh, of course not," Yuna said. "Isaaru, this is Ranma. He is a summoner, like the two of us."
"Really?" Isaaru asked surprised. "A summoner? I would have never guessed by your appearance. But, looks can deceive, can they? So I guess I should wish you good luck as well."
"Thanks," Ranma grinned. "Best to you on your own pilgrimage, too."
"We will leave tomorrow morning," Maroda explained. "We're staying in the inn next to the temple. Tomorrow, we will go to Luca, and from there, take a boat to the temples of Kilika and Besaid."
"What, what?" Pacce asked, for some reason always hyper and wacky. "What'cher talking about?"
"We're talking about doing your job as a guardian," Maroda told him.
"Hey, I'm doing good. Right, big brother?" Pacce asked Isaaru. Isaaru smiled and nodded.
While Isaaru and his brothers exited the temple, the friends were approaching the Cloister of Trials.
"Our first time in the temple with that many guardians," Yuna said. "I'm looking forward to my next Aeon."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I'm too."
What Aeon will it be?
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(Posted Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:18)
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