The perky thief caught sight of Yuna's gasp as the blades of her Survivor neared her flesh, and she waved off the girls surprise nonchalantly. “Oh don’t worry. Pops designed this for me when I was like 6, so it’s practically a second limb to me. I may seem kind of, the klutzy type but I won’t get myself with it.” Not that she hadn’t, at first. The initial make of the armlet had not been intended as a weapon - but as a last means of “grasping for dear life” so to speak after she nearly tumbled off the skyship. That part of the story, did not seem necessary to share. She wanted to prove her stuff as a guardian. Not seem like some kid that was going to fall overboard.
Bounding along, the blonde’s hands were in constant motion. Shaping out her words and excitement. “Of course you should meet pops!” She thrust her hands skyward with the exclamation, as though he might show up at any moment. Then she brought her blade clad hand downwards, leaning her chin to the dull end as she pondered a bit, “Well. You better let me tell him about you planning to go on pilgrimage.” So that you can’t understand what he says in reply. Hey, maybe she wasn’t as bad at keeping quiet as everyone thought. “You don’t know Al Bhed, do you?” Whoops, that pretty much made what she had not said clear.
For that matter, how was she supposed to explain to her father that she was now a guardian. That she was fighting for a cause of Yevon? At fifteen? Rikku winced, her eyes squinting slightly as she imagined Cid’s loud and obnoxious responses. She absently tucked back the braid with her feather, “He’d still love to meet you.” The sentence was said with clear certainty, though its short length made it clear the blabber mouthed girl was keeping things unsaid. Such as, how she was going to argue her father out of locking his niece away in the Summoner’s Sanctum to prevent her from committing religious suicide.
The girls reassurance caused Yuna to calm slightly, wrapping both of her hands around the Rod of Wisdom. She was quiet, imagining all the possibilities. Would Cid look like her Mother at all? Would he be willing to tell her all the stories that she had always wanted to hear? What did her voice sound like? "N-No," she confessed, "I don't know Al Bhed." Or rather, she never gave herself the chance to learn.
From a young age, Yuna often locked herself away inside of the temple, studying magic, the aeons, the sending -- she spent the best years of her life with her nose tucked in a book. Until, of course, the Blitz season came around. It was like a summer vacation.
"Did you say... that you had a brother?" she questioned further, trying to learn as much as she could in the short time that she had left. If she was going to get to know her remaining family at all -- it was sadly going to be rushed, she thought to herself.
Rikku made a sound or relief. Of course the girl wouldn't know Al Bhed - why would she? But with the kind of bantering that would be likely to take place between her and her father. Less knowledge in what was being said was for the better, especially for so shy and meek a girl. Breaking to her father that Yuna was a Yevonite would not have been the worst thing in the world. Afterall, Yuna's father most obviously had been. She had never heard the end of that, growing up. And the response would probably have just been along the lines of, "Oh really? You're going to fix that, right!?" But his bloodline forfeiting their life as High Summoner? Ug, there she was going with the thinking ahead of herself again. The thief forced her teeth to unclench.
"I can teach you! I had a Summoner teach me your language." Resting her hands atop her head, the girl looked skyward, honing in on their position as they continued along. "Yeah." There was a harsh annoyance in her voice, and if a word had eyes in which to roll, that's what the outcome would have sounded like. "I've got an older brother. So! You've got a second cousin along with me!" If, you could consider adding Brother into your family a good thing. At fifteen, who would?
"I would really like that," the brunette said softly, her eyes drifting up to the sky as well. To think, back home, they all lived under the same sun and moon, but there was so much distance between them. The Yeonvite and the Al Bhed were constant enemies. Wasn't it a little bit selfish of her to think that she could be some sort of tie that binds? If a half-Al Bhed were to become High Summoner -- then maybe the hatred would deeter off a little.
Sin was a threat to everyone, no matter who you were.
Truly, it was Yevon's blessing that had led them both to Desai. In this, Yuna believed.
As her eyes wandered back down again, the building ahead caught the girl's attention immediately. The pillars arched downwards until they gently touched the ground. The steps were shallow and few, up to the grand entryway. Even from her position, Yuna could make out the Yevonite characters that were painted along the door.
She brightened, pointing towards the Temple. "There it is!" she cried, putting a slight spring in her step. She turned to the blonde beside her and smiled, "That has to be it! Come on, I'll race you!" she was visibly excited now, skipping forward in her attempted jog.
Rikku's gaze followed the pillars to where they pierced the sky. A touch of awe painted her features. She'd seen many a temple in her day during travels, but normally from afar so as not to instigate trouble. It was more extravagant than she'd imagined, and even more welcoming. They had always seemed a dark and foreboding placebefore. It was strange, despite Yevon's distaste for her kind, the familiarity of it was a comfort to her. Even if the very building seemed to loath her, it was still a piece of something she knew.
"Alright!" Rikku bounded swiftly ahead of the girl, then with a breathless giggle eased the speed of her strides to jog in beside her Summoner. Leaving her Cousin in the dust of her boots would not be the best way to protect the girl. Besides, those robes were hindering. She'd wait for a day when they could have a fair race - like, what did Yuna wear for pajamas?
Rikku bounded the steps two at a time, as she reached the top platform she screeched to a startled halt, nearly barreling into a clergyman who seemed to have melted from the temple walls themselves. The young Al Bhed froze inches from the Yevonite priest. Forcing down her urge to flee, she met the man's harsh stare with a wince, backpedaling a few steps to fall beside Yuna. Should have worn her glasses, it was clear by the man's hateful glare at the young Al Bhed that he knew what she was. She’d practically brushed noses with the man, he probably knew what she’d had for lunch.
His voice was gruff, the stone platform seemed to vibrate under its deep tone. "You!” He pointed a finger at Rikku, then made a sweeping motion with the hand as the the girl were dust he intended to brush away. “You have no business on holy grounds." His attention shifted to Yuna, "Has she troubled you m'lady? Mugged you in some manner? You are aware she's a decrepit, or has she tricked you?"
The race -- really wasn't much of one at all. Yuna knew this, but still, she continued forward with a smile on her lips. It was easier to face the days with a smile. Those were the ideals she had been riding on so far. When the time for ascending the stairs came, the brunette decreased her speed, and tip toed up the way, a strange expression crossing over her as she reached the top.
She stepped close to her cousin, a mix of frustration and anger building up inside of her. If there was one thing Yuna had always strived to do -- it was to keep her emotions in check. No one would think very highly of a vocal Summoner.
"She has done no such thing!" the apprentice cried out, a half step jetting out so that she could step slightly in front of Rikku. "I am the Apprentice Summoner Yuna and this -- " she semi-turned, looking at the blonde with a soft smile, as though the man wasn't even there. "Is my Guardian."
Decrepit? There was a new one. And Rikku did not mug, she only stole from people. There was no injury involved in pickpocketing. The young thief stood rigidly through the verbal beating. Her expression remained unchanged, hiding what emotion his slander had stirred. She was born and raised an Al Bhed. She was used to it.
The jittery, vibrant mouthed girl even remained quiet. She had learned, long ago, that openly responding to the beatings of hatred. Whether in defense or retaliation, only served to ignite it further. When Rikku realized that his attacks were silently hitting Yuna as well, for the blood of the mother her cousin had longed to meet, Rikku had to bite her lip to keep from exploding at the man. Damn. Yuna would not have heard all this if she had not tagged along.
The clergy man stared blankly at Yuna as she claimed the swirl-eyed heathen as her Guardian. “Yuna…Lord Braska’s daughter? But…is this….. allowed? An Al Bhed” He pronounced the last part with a deep accent of disgust, and Rikku caught the clergyman off-guard by flashing him a dazzling, obnoxious smile. Purposely raising his discomfort several notches as the man stared upwards, pretending to have not taken notice. She chimed a merry response, positively beaming from Yuna’s proclamation and smile, “Hey, why not. Summoner’s pick their own Guardians right? And she gave me the title! So, can we go in now?”
The disgruntled priest flashed a weary glance at Yuna, attempting to ignore her shorter counterpart. Not knowing what to say or do, or which of Yevon’s precepts this was against - though he was sure it must be against one of them, somewhere (most things were). He stepped aside, immediately pretending to be oblivious to the two. He just hoped he wasn’t going to get in trouble for this.
Rikku bounced a victory hop and voiced an excited,“Alright!” Obstacle one clear. The girl had a feeling Yevonites were going to present more of a challenge than any upcoming fiends. But then, people generally are more difficult to deal with than monsters.
Well, she had managed to get through the first trial. Yuna had to admit, she had never seen herself speaking out, against a Priest of Yevon no less! But when it came to defending a friend, no... family, she drew her strength from a well of pride that otherwise remained untapped. With her head high, and not another word to speak to the man, she moved forward inside the Temple.
She breathed a sigh of relief once the roof covered her head completly. She had made it to her first Temple with relatively no problems. The Hymn sang through over and over as she took in the surroundings, her two toned eyes washing over each of the High Summoners' satues. Lord O'Halland, Lady Yocun... And of course, her father.
With no words to share, she moved forward to the base of the statue, looking upwards into her Father's stone face. She pressed her lips together as her head drifted back down, and she bowed in Yevon's prayer.
With the motions complete, the aching in her heart subsiding slightly, Yuna nodded towards her Guardian. "Are you ready... for the Cloister of Trials?" she paused, "I can... I can go myself if you don't want to come. I don't... I don't mind at all."
Rikku held her breath as they stepped through the threshold. A Yevon temple, and she was walking through the front doors! She gazed in wonder about her, soaking in sights she thought forbidden to her. At the hymn the blond cocked her head slightly to the side. She knew that song! Yet she held her tongue, too overwhelmed with where she was to follow any thoughts through to words.
As her cousin paused before Lord Braska, Rikku tilted up to her toes to try to get a better look at the man. So this was her uncle. She peered at his countenance, trying to pick out which features looked like Yuna. She beamed a sleepy smile, calmed a bit under the watch of the kind countenance of her uncle’s memorial. That was her family, carved in stone up there, and that was pretty wicked cool.
“Huh?” Rikku blinked as Yuna’s question pulled her from her thoughts. “Oh!” The blonde winced as her voice came out a little too loud, and overcompensated by speaking in a whisper, “No I want to go with you Yunie! That’s what guardians do, right?”
Yunie? That was... new. The brunette smiled. Yunie. She liked that. It was a small endearment that no one else had ever taken with her before. If only she could think of an interesting nickname for her cousin, too!
Pulling herself away from her thoughts, Yuna nodded. "Summoners and their Guardians are the only ones allowed inside the Cloister. So if you're ready... then so am I," she announced, flashing one more smile towards the blonde.
She started forward, up the high tower of stairs that led to the Cloister. She paused for a moment at its entrance, took a deep breath, and walked in. There was no more time for hesitation. The people of Spira were depending on it.
Ahead, she saw the Sphere. She had never been in a Cloister at all, even back home. But now, she needed to prove that she had done her homework in her apprenticeship. That she, like her Father, could become a Summoner. "We'll have to navigate our way alone from here," she called to Rikku, without turning around.
She reached forward, taking the Sphere in her hands. As she lifted it from its resting place, a blinding light shot out! With her long sleeves, Yuna covered her eyes with a small cry as she hopped backwards.
"F-Fiends!" she cried, grasping the Sphere tightly as an orange coloured dingo readied itself in a fighting stance, growling menacingly.
The beast shot forward, bearing its teeth and aiming for the Sphere in Yuna's hand.
Returning the smile, Yuna’s guardian pranced her way after her summoner. Squinting her swirled eyes at the transition in light, she tried not to show her agitation at Yuna’s explanation of the cloister. Like they made the summoner’s work so hard to lay their life down? It seemed like some, terribly twisted game.
The disquieted girl gave an overly quiet nod to indicate she followed what was said. Alright, she was good with riddles. Machina were just riddles played out in circuits after all.
At the flash of light, Rikku cried out in surprise. So much for Summoners and their Guardians only!
“Look out!” Rikku’s warning call sounded as the swift pickpocket shot into motion with the fiend, dashing in-front of her cousin and towards its attack. She swung her Survivor clad arm full force, aiming its vicious claws towards the creatur's eye socket and snout.
Yuna took another hop back, as she clutched the Rod of Wisdom tightly in her hands. A panicked expression crossed over her features as she tried to muster up some words of encouragement. She wanted to dash in and deliver a few shots of her own, but! ... What if she just got in the way?
The Dingo growled at its foiled plans, and bore its teeth instead in the Al Bhed's direction. The blow to its eye connected as the fiend cried out in agony. It retreated a half step, the claw just brushing its snout.
After a moment's hesitation, it lept forward again, teeth and claws ready to dig into the girl's midsection. She was the one disturbing its slumber! Trespassing on its territory! She had to pay!
Rikku’s savage claws narrowly missed a second score on the abomination as it hoped back from her first blow. Crouching in a defensive position, the girl moved to circle the bloodred dingo. A feral glint chimed in her eyes, her motions accelerating even further as the adrenaline hit.
At the creature’s attack the young guardian faced a dilemma; she could easily dodge it to the side, but that would leave Yuna wide open. Thrusting her Targe before her, she tried to deflect the blow as best she could, and its fangs clanked against her small shield, dodging the most fatal component of its attack. But the strength of its pounce was more than the small girl could handle, and its claws managed a satisfying blow into the girls side to rake down her thigh.
She stumbled back with a shriek, hunching down as her shield clad arm clasped to the wound already streaming blood. But the little thief managed to stay upright, even as pain laced the foreign words she threw at her foe, “Oui'na naymmo eh vun ed huf! Dryd fych'd jano hela!”
At the sight of her cousin's blood, Yuna panicked slightly. This wasn't her first encounter with a fiend, but back home, Lulu would have been poised ready with a spell, or Wakka already delivering the fatal blow with his Blitzball. But she couldn't give up. This is where she could at least help out.
Careful not to drop the Sphere that had gotten them into this mess, she concentrated on her whisperings as she chanted the only curative spell she knew right now.
"Aid us!" she cried out, with a sweep of the staff in her arms as she cast the spell onto Rikku.
The Dingo was all snarls by now. It was running low on energy at this point, and had resolved itself into one final attact of all or nothing. Winding up from a short distance away, it lept forward, not caring which of the two morsels it dug into now.
Rikku took a faint breath as her pain started to ease, the relief coming as a surprise, but not stealing her fierce attention away from the fiend. The gentle tingle of the white magic made the hairs on the back of her neck stick up, Yunie was a white mage? Lucky. She couldn’t distill her irritation that the fiend had managed to score on her, these guys were normally so easy to handle!
She was just used to wide open spaces, and her dash-and-slash technique worked fine for self preservation, but not as a guardian. No excuses Rikku, she chided her chain of thought. She’d just have to re-wire her technique a bit so the fiends would be distracted and not go for Yunie. And now she looked like a weakling in front of her summoner, time to fix that. As the fiend targeted Yuna with its good eye and went for its death strike, Rikku cut a V-line in front of it. Then, to any sane observer’s surprise, the girl punched her Survivor-clad hand into the creatures fang chiseled mouth. The momentum of its pounce thrust her hand deep into its mouth, already open with the intention of claiming flesh, but the punishment of her claws prevented its jaws from clamping down.
Retrieving her arm, the lithe fighter slammed her shield to the side of the demon’s head, dazzling it slightly. She then dashed back, turning her back to it and dashing in retreat. “Yunie, Run!” Rikku hardly gave the girl the time to remember how to move her own feet, tossing the brunette in a 180 away from the furious creature and forcing her into a stumbled run. Rikku counted down in her head, “5…4…3…2”, not willing to chance Yevons were familiar with grenades, the blond tripped her cousin to the ground, using her form to shield her summoner, and her arms her own head.
The grenade she’d lodged in the Dingo’s throat detonated, and then, the world exploded.
Yuna pulled back slightly, ready to cast another spell if need be. But there was only so much you could do with Cure. Maybe if she had learned Protect then she could have been of more use! Feeling helpless... wasn't something she wanted to do often.
As she was grabbed and tossed, the girl let out a meek peep of surprise, before the countdown reached its conclusion, and the great bang occurred.
The Dingo, at the moment of detonation, seemed to freeze in its steps as the trigger blew, and its body exploded in a cloud of pyreflies.
From behind her hands, Yuna's two-toned gaze cautiously searched the area before speaking. "What... What was that?"
Bounding along, the blonde’s hands were in constant motion. Shaping out her words and excitement. “Of course you should meet pops!” She thrust her hands skyward with the exclamation, as though he might show up at any moment. Then she brought her blade clad hand downwards, leaning her chin to the dull end as she pondered a bit, “Well. You better let me tell him about you planning to go on pilgrimage.” So that you can’t understand what he says in reply. Hey, maybe she wasn’t as bad at keeping quiet as everyone thought. “You don’t know Al Bhed, do you?” Whoops, that pretty much made what she had not said clear.
For that matter, how was she supposed to explain to her father that she was now a guardian. That she was fighting for a cause of Yevon? At fifteen? Rikku winced, her eyes squinting slightly as she imagined Cid’s loud and obnoxious responses. She absently tucked back the braid with her feather, “He’d still love to meet you.” The sentence was said with clear certainty, though its short length made it clear the blabber mouthed girl was keeping things unsaid. Such as, how she was going to argue her father out of locking his niece away in the Summoner’s Sanctum to prevent her from committing religious suicide.
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From a young age, Yuna often locked herself away inside of the temple, studying magic, the aeons, the sending -- she spent the best years of her life with her nose tucked in a book. Until, of course, the Blitz season came around. It was like a summer vacation.
"Did you say... that you had a brother?" she questioned further, trying to learn as much as she could in the short time that she had left. If she was going to get to know her remaining family at all -- it was sadly going to be rushed, she thought to herself.
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But his bloodline forfeiting their life as High Summoner? Ug, there she was going with the thinking ahead of herself again. The thief forced her teeth to unclench.
"I can teach you! I had a Summoner teach me your language." Resting her hands atop her head, the girl looked skyward, honing in on their position as they continued along. "Yeah." There was a harsh annoyance in her voice, and if a word had eyes in which to roll, that's what the outcome would have sounded like. "I've got an older brother. So! You've got a second cousin along with me!" If, you could consider adding Brother into your family a good thing. At fifteen, who would?
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Sin was a threat to everyone, no matter who you were.
Truly, it was Yevon's blessing that had led them both to Desai. In this, Yuna believed.
As her eyes wandered back down again, the building ahead caught the girl's attention immediately. The pillars arched downwards until they gently touched the ground. The steps were shallow and few, up to the grand entryway. Even from her position, Yuna could make out the Yevonite characters that were painted along the door.
She brightened, pointing towards the Temple. "There it is!" she cried, putting a slight spring in her step. She turned to the blonde beside her and smiled, "That has to be it! Come on, I'll race you!" she was visibly excited now, skipping forward in her attempted jog.
It wasn't so easy to run in robes.
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"Alright!" Rikku bounded swiftly ahead of the girl, then with a breathless giggle eased the speed of her strides to jog in beside her Summoner. Leaving her Cousin in the dust of her boots would not be the best way to protect the girl. Besides, those robes were hindering. She'd wait for a day when they could have a fair race - like, what did Yuna wear for pajamas?
Rikku bounded the steps two at a time, as she reached the top platform she screeched to a startled halt, nearly barreling into a clergyman who seemed to have melted from the temple walls themselves. The young Al Bhed froze inches from the Yevonite priest. Forcing down her urge to flee, she met the man's harsh stare with a wince, backpedaling a few steps to fall beside Yuna. Should have worn her glasses, it was clear by the man's hateful glare at the young Al Bhed that he knew what she was. She’d practically brushed noses with the man, he probably knew what she’d had for lunch.
His voice was gruff, the stone platform seemed to vibrate under its deep tone. "You!” He pointed a finger at Rikku, then made a sweeping motion with the hand as the the girl were dust he intended to brush away. “You have no business on holy grounds." His attention shifted to Yuna, "Has she troubled you m'lady? Mugged you in some manner? You are aware she's a decrepit, or has she tricked you?"
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She stepped close to her cousin, a mix of frustration and anger building up inside of her. If there was one thing Yuna had always strived to do -- it was to keep her emotions in check. No one would think very highly of a vocal Summoner.
"She has done no such thing!" the apprentice cried out, a half step jetting out so that she could step slightly in front of Rikku. "I am the Apprentice Summoner Yuna and this -- " she semi-turned, looking at the blonde with a soft smile, as though the man wasn't even there. "Is my Guardian."
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The jittery, vibrant mouthed girl even remained quiet. She had learned, long ago, that openly responding to the beatings of hatred. Whether in defense or retaliation, only served to ignite it further. When Rikku realized that his attacks were silently hitting Yuna as well, for the blood of the mother her cousin had longed to meet, Rikku had to bite her lip to keep from exploding at the man. Damn. Yuna would not have heard all this if she had not tagged along.
The clergy man stared blankly at Yuna as she claimed the swirl-eyed heathen as her Guardian. “Yuna…Lord Braska’s daughter? But…is this….. allowed? An Al Bhed” He pronounced the last part with a deep accent of disgust, and Rikku caught the clergyman off-guard by flashing him a dazzling, obnoxious smile. Purposely raising his discomfort several notches as the man stared upwards, pretending to have not taken notice. She chimed a merry response, positively beaming from Yuna’s proclamation and smile, “Hey, why not. Summoner’s pick their own Guardians right? And she gave me the title! So, can we go in now?”
The disgruntled priest flashed a weary glance at Yuna, attempting to ignore her shorter counterpart. Not knowing what to say or do, or which of Yevon’s precepts this was against - though he was sure it must be against one of them, somewhere (most things were). He stepped aside, immediately pretending to be oblivious to the two. He just hoped he wasn’t going to get in trouble for this.
Rikku bounced a victory hop and voiced an excited,“Alright!” Obstacle one clear. The girl had a feeling Yevonites were going to present more of a challenge than any upcoming fiends. But then, people generally are more difficult to deal with than monsters.
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She breathed a sigh of relief once the roof covered her head completly. She had made it to her first Temple with relatively no problems. The Hymn sang through over and over as she took in the surroundings, her two toned eyes washing over each of the High Summoners' satues. Lord O'Halland, Lady Yocun... And of course, her father.
With no words to share, she moved forward to the base of the statue, looking upwards into her Father's stone face. She pressed her lips together as her head drifted back down, and she bowed in Yevon's prayer.
With the motions complete, the aching in her heart subsiding slightly, Yuna nodded towards her Guardian. "Are you ready... for the Cloister of Trials?" she paused, "I can... I can go myself if you don't want to come. I don't... I don't mind at all."
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As her cousin paused before Lord Braska, Rikku tilted up to her toes to try to get a better look at the man. So this was her uncle. She peered at his countenance, trying to pick out which features looked like Yuna. She beamed a sleepy smile, calmed a bit under the watch of the kind countenance of her uncle’s memorial. That was her family, carved in stone up there, and that was pretty wicked cool.
“Huh?” Rikku blinked as Yuna’s question pulled her from her thoughts. “Oh!” The blonde winced as her voice came out a little too loud, and overcompensated by speaking in a whisper, “No I want to go with you Yunie! That’s what guardians do, right?”
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Pulling herself away from her thoughts, Yuna nodded. "Summoners and their Guardians are the only ones allowed inside the Cloister. So if you're ready... then so am I," she announced, flashing one more smile towards the blonde.
She started forward, up the high tower of stairs that led to the Cloister. She paused for a moment at its entrance, took a deep breath, and walked in. There was no more time for hesitation. The people of Spira were depending on it.
Ahead, she saw the Sphere. She had never been in a Cloister at all, even back home. But now, she needed to prove that she had done her homework in her apprenticeship. That she, like her Father, could become a Summoner. "We'll have to navigate our way alone from here," she called to Rikku, without turning around.
She reached forward, taking the Sphere in her hands. As she lifted it from its resting place, a blinding light shot out! With her long sleeves, Yuna covered her eyes with a small cry as she hopped backwards.
"F-Fiends!" she cried, grasping the Sphere tightly as an orange coloured dingo readied itself in a fighting stance, growling menacingly.
The beast shot forward, bearing its teeth and aiming for the Sphere in Yuna's hand.
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The disquieted girl gave an overly quiet nod to indicate she followed what was said. Alright, she was good with riddles. Machina were just riddles played out in circuits after all.
At the flash of light, Rikku cried out in surprise. So much for Summoners and their Guardians only!
“Look out!” Rikku’s warning call sounded as the swift pickpocket shot into motion with the fiend, dashing in-front of her cousin and towards its attack. She swung her Survivor clad arm full force, aiming its vicious claws towards the creatur's eye socket and snout.
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The Dingo growled at its foiled plans, and bore its teeth instead in the Al Bhed's direction. The blow to its eye connected as the fiend cried out in agony. It retreated a half step, the claw just brushing its snout.
After a moment's hesitation, it lept forward again, teeth and claws ready to dig into the girl's midsection. She was the one disturbing its slumber! Trespassing on its territory! She had to pay!
"Rikku! Watch out!!" Yuna cried from her post.
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At the creature’s attack the young guardian faced a dilemma; she could easily dodge it to the side, but that would leave Yuna wide open. Thrusting her Targe before her, she tried to deflect the blow as best she could, and its fangs clanked against her small shield, dodging the most fatal component of its attack. But the strength of its pounce was more than the small girl could handle, and its claws managed a satisfying blow into the girls side to rake down her thigh.
She stumbled back with a shriek, hunching down as her shield clad arm clasped to the wound already streaming blood. But the little thief managed to stay upright, even as pain laced the foreign words she threw at her foe, “Oui'na naymmo eh vun ed huf! Dryd fych'd jano hela!”
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Careful not to drop the Sphere that had gotten them into this mess, she concentrated on her whisperings as she chanted the only curative spell she knew right now.
"Aid us!" she cried out, with a sweep of the staff in her arms as she cast the spell onto Rikku.
The Dingo was all snarls by now. It was running low on energy at this point, and had resolved itself into one final attact of all or nothing. Winding up from a short distance away, it lept forward, not caring which of the two morsels it dug into now.
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She was just used to wide open spaces, and her dash-and-slash technique worked fine for self preservation, but not as a guardian. No excuses Rikku, she chided her chain of thought. She’d just have to re-wire her technique a bit so the fiends would be distracted and not go for Yunie. And now she looked like a weakling in front of her summoner, time to fix that. As the fiend targeted Yuna with its good eye and went for its death strike, Rikku cut a V-line in front of it. Then, to any sane observer’s surprise, the girl punched her Survivor-clad hand into the creatures fang chiseled mouth. The momentum of its pounce thrust her hand deep into its mouth, already open with the intention of claiming flesh, but the punishment of her claws prevented its jaws from clamping down.
Retrieving her arm, the lithe fighter slammed her shield to the side of the demon’s head, dazzling it slightly. She then dashed back, turning her back to it and dashing in retreat. “Yunie, Run!” Rikku hardly gave the girl the time to remember how to move her own feet, tossing the brunette in a 180 away from the furious creature and forcing her into a stumbled run. Rikku counted down in her head, “5…4…3…2”, not willing to chance Yevons were familiar with grenades, the blond tripped her cousin to the ground, using her form to shield her summoner, and her arms her own head.
The grenade she’d lodged in the Dingo’s throat detonated, and then, the world exploded.
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As she was grabbed and tossed, the girl let out a meek peep of surprise, before the countdown reached its conclusion, and the great bang occurred.
The Dingo, at the moment of detonation, seemed to freeze in its steps as the trigger blew, and its body exploded in a cloud of pyreflies.
From behind her hands, Yuna's two-toned gaze cautiously searched the area before speaking. "What... What was that?"
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