Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mercantile Law ❯ No Encounters, Indeed ( Chapter 2 )

[Author's Note: Sorry…I hate to pester you with one of these again, but I've got to comment on a few things. First, Jerryk isn't an original character; he's the Al Bhed that speaks to you through the CommSphere at Djose on various occasions. I just gave him a name and a minor role. ^_^ Also, while I'm on this note, I wanted to say that I'm going to try to create as few original characters as possible. It really becomes a hassle trying to look after all of them so I'd just prefer to use already established characters like, well, blitzball players. They're plentiful, and very few are given personalities. Anyway, be on the look out for some you know. If you're easily amused, you could think of it as a game. ^_^ ]

II - No Encounters, Indeed

Convincing Baralai hadn't nearly been as hard as Rin had thought. The man proved to be ready to welcome change, especially if it meant the uniting of Spira. After a few brief meetings, he had been given the go-ahead and left almost immediately.

Rin had started out for the nearest temple, which, after visiting Mi'ihen to pick up a few supplies, was in Djose. By the time he had arrived, Gippal and most of the Machine Faction had left for Bikanel. Jerryk, the Al Bhed left in charge, was kind enough of offer Rin an escort. He declined, preferring to do his scouting alone. Jerryk nodded understandably, quickly taking his leave of the older man.

The Chamber of the Fayth was not as Rin had expected. Somehow, over his thirty-odd years, he had become disillusioned into thinking the room would be more lavishly decorated. Maybe with silk or tapestries…or something. Instead, he was greeted with cylindrical stone walls, glowing faintly with questionable light. Most peculiar of all, was the gaping maw in the center of the room. Staring down in that depth, his pack of supplies slowly sliding off his shoulder, Rin felt a wave of unease wash over him. He had the sudden impulse to drop everything, to turn back; to run outside and breathe in the daylight.

Don't be silly, he reprimanded himself. After all, Gippal had made it back and forth unscathed. Rin wasn't nearly as good a warrior as he, but he had something the man hadn't: a no encounters accessory. Smiling grimly to himself, Rin slipped the tight bracelet onto his wrist, dismissing the fact that it had been made for a woman.

Rin sighed, stepped closer to the hole, and fell-

--to his knees, keeping his balance by extending his free hand. Soft, strangely warm sand slid against his fingers as he got back to his feet. Looking about him, Rin was faced with a bizarre landscape: twisting walkways and precarious ledges, twined in some unintelligible pattern. In the distance, Rin could barely make out what looked like small fires, flickering faintly in the encompassing darkness.

He exhaled, pulled the strap of his pack back up on his shoulder, and began walking.

For hours, it seemed, Rin trekked the serpentine trails, marking each route with a colored flag: blue for Djose, orange for Kilika, and so forth. For those he was uncertain of, he planted a grey flag, intending to explore each more thoroughly on his way back.

Rin had no real way of knowing how much time had passed. He had, however, satisfied his curiosity. He hadn't expected things to go as smoothly as they had, and he was quite pleased with himself. Since the last Sphere Break tournament, no, since the final defeat of Sin, Rin hadn't felt like he had been doing much of anything. He felt as if he was only wasting time. But now… Now, he had a goal, a mission if you will, and a dangerous one at that. Who, besides Jerryk, really knew he was down here? He had neglected to tell Baralai the date of his departure. What if something happened to him? What if he fell?

Rin crinkled his nose at this sudden hint of paranoia. If he fell, he fell. There really wasn't that much he, or anyone else for that matter, could do about it. There was no use worrying about things you had no control over, he had learned that a long, long time ago. Why then, he asked himself, are you so scared?

Rin stopped dead in his tracks, drawing in a sharp breath and flicking his eyes nervously over the trail in front of him. He had seen…something.

Holstered loosely at his hip was a small gun, designed by Gippal and given to him on his last birthday. Fingering the weapon uncertainly, he started forward, searching for the source of movement. His bracelet, theoretically, should have kept all fiends away. Except for the really big ones. The really big, extra nasty ones that ate chocobos and little girls. You knew something was evil when its diet consisted of chocobos and little girls…

"Stop it," Rin hissed, becoming irritated with his wandering imagination.

Yep. Big, drooling, snarling fiends. With claws longer than your arm and teeth fatter than your fist. Fiends that can decapitate you merely by breathing hard.

Rin shook his head as if to fling the traitorous thoughts from his mind physically.

Just wait till you get around that bend. It'll be waiting for you. Saliva pooling at its feet, claws digging trenches in the dirt; its breath so rancid that-

"Sir Auron?"

The man turned, his eyes forever hidden behind his dark glasses. "Rin?"

The merchant stopped. Something was…off… "Sir Auron," he began unsteadily, the imaginary fiend ordeal still leaving him a bit shaken, "I didn't expect to see you down here."

"I could say the same of you," the man replied in his familiar, gruff manner.

Rin grinned, the sight of another living being eased his mind considerably. "I hadn't expected to see anyone down here, really," he confessed, stepping a bit closer. Auron remained stationary. "But it is good to see you again. Two years is too long to stay missing, Sir Auron. From what I've heard, Lady Yuna could have really used your help."

Auron cocked an eyebrow quizzically, an expression Rin found somewhat comical, especially on a man of Auron's notoriety.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sir Auron," Rin continued, "What are you doing down here?"

Auron let out a wry, disheartening chuckle. "You haven't heard, I take it?"

Rin felt his entire body go cold. Auron's presence was suddenly very clear to him. His mouth formed a soundless "o." He couldn't think of what to say, or what to do even. He became very conscious of his hands and had the urge to move them.

Gripping the strap of his pack, Rin struggled to find his lost voice. "I-I'm very sorry. No one… I didn't know. Lady Yuna never said anything… And then young Sir Tidus went missing… I just assumed…" Rin was aware that he was babbling, but he couldn't stop himself. In the back of his mind, like an incessant itch, was the fact that he was talking to a dead man. It was a thoroughly mellowing experience.

Auron grunted. "I guess Yuna didn't announce it then?"

Rin shook his head, feeling that if he opened his mouth again, he wouldn't be able to shut up. The whole situation was kind of surreal. He felt as if he were standing outside his body, watching the entire episode with barely concealed amusement. He looked back at Auron, able to see now that he was, quite obviously, for that matter, transparent. The ex-Guardian also seemed to be leaking pyreflies. Rin shivered as one drifted by his ear, brushing against his skin and leaving behind a clammy, eerie feeling, as if thousands of tiny legs were crawling, not just on the section of touched skin, but all over his body. He had to physically resist rubbing at his ear.

Trying to ignore the odd sensations, Rin opened his mouth to reestablish their conversation when an odd thought struck him. "You didn't," it was a struggle to say the next word, "die fighting Sin, did you."

Auron shook his head, the large collar hiding any emotion, though Rin could sense quiet resignation in the man's voice. "No. Long before that, Rin."

"When I found you…"

Auron's terse nod was affirmation enough. Rin sighed for the both of them, again overcome with the same strange urge to just do something with his hands. He quickly gave in, linking them behind his back in his usual fashion, already pondering what to say next. This was quite an odd situation he had landed himself in.

"Well," Rin said at last, "perhaps you can help me with something?"

"It depends…"

Rin nodded, dismissing the insubstantial answer. "Good, good." He strolled forward, his mind already converting to business mode, and soon their awkward, disconcerting conversation had no place and was easily usurped by one of a more direct nature. "I'm building a road," Rin said, "down here." He turned to see Auron's reaction; there wasn't one, at least not one visible to him.

Deciding to take this as a good sign, Rin continued, "You're aware the Farplane is connected to the temples, yes?" He stopped again, waiting for Auron to reply.

"You're going to turn the Farplane into a highway, aren't you?"

Rin smiled, delighted in the response. He had always suspected Auron of having a head for business, even if the man didn't know it himself. "Yes. I plan to connect all of Spira through a single route."

"How did Yevon stomach that?"

"Quite easily, actually. Their young praetor, Baralai, was eager to assist in such a project."

Auron "hmph-ed" and came to stand next to Rin, looking the younger man directly in the eye. His dark glasses, as immaterial as they were, still held Rin's reflection. "And you want me as a guide?"

"More-or-less. Yes."

Auron held his gaze a few seconds more before looking away, presumably at something only his eyes could see. Rin looked anyway, seeing only the shifting darkness. The old warrior seemed to sag, as if his body had suddenly become too heavy for him. Rin knew that if he could see the man's face, it would hold more emotion than Rin had ever given him credit for. He wanted to ask him what was wrong, but was afraid of any answer other than the obvious, "I'm dead." He...didn't handle emotional situations well. With business deals and philosophical speculations he was fine, but when it came to comforting a crying girl…Rin backed off.

With Auron it was the same, worse even, because, by nature, Auron wasn't a very emotional man. Besides, Rin genuinely liked him, and didn't want to do anything to arouse his displeasure.

After an eternity, it seemed, Auron turned, his features as expressionless as a stone wall. "What do you want me to do?" he asked in a husky voice, a signal to Rin that the man was still trying to contain whatever had seized him a moment before.

"Walk with me," Rin said simply, "and tell me where it is I'm going."