And the Moon never shined... (Plot Thread 4.3)

[Yeligar Maelstrom]

Yeligar listened to everything Eli said, and pressed his hand to his chin, cupping it, with his index finger and thumb. "Alright, so we know everything except where is the Sky Hook." Yeligar said as he started to think, "It sounds like she needs all 3 crystals to overload it. Ask Juno if she knows if she knows a way to get onto the Sky Hook, or if she knows where the third crystal is?"

[King Roxa Hiaten]

Roxa watched as the others formulated a plan for what they were going to do next and he took a moment to decide his own combat efficiency. His headache was fading and he felt as strong as he did before Ave took over yet a lingering thought still hung in his mind, one he couldn't quite explain... Still, another problem for another day.

"I'm ready to go when you guys are!" he proclaimed as he stood up, swords clanking against one another as he did so.

[Tidus]

Tidus heard Yuna, but didn't want to speak just yet. He sighed and said, "Yeah Yuna? What's wrong?"

[Andy Jammer]

"We already have one crystal," Andy said, "that alone gives them a reason not to try to overload it...but Eli said they would only need two, why bother with a third? That would be like...overkill."


"It would destroy all of Allorum," Jasmine inputted, "maybe...but maybe they want the third as backup. The armored man said something about Ketulunanox, maybe there's something there."

[Yuna Kaname]

She flinched, her hand dropped to her side.

"I... I'm sorry. About what happened," she said, looking away.

[Tidus]

"I know," Tidus assured, a bit more gentle this time. "I know..."

He punched his fist in his palm and walked to the others, who were making plans.

"Guys, about Volkmar. If we run into him on the way, you let me handle him, alright?"

Andy was the first one to turn to Tidus, looking at him with concern. "Are you sure?"

"It's something I have to do," Tidus nodded.

[Yuna Kaname]

Yuna followed, smiling.

This was the Tidus she remembered. Even when he wasn't sure of himself, he charged ahead anyway, relying on his sense of what was right, rather than his sense of what was intelligent.

"It's something we have to do," she reminded him with that same smile, putting a hand on his shoulder; forgetting, for the moment, that they were no longer on good terms, that this wasn't Spira again, on the Pilgrimage, where she trusted him completely and he always had her back - the perfect Guardian.

[Andy Jammer]

Andy looked back at the two of them and reluctantly nodded, "Alright...I understand. Do what you have to do."

"You would wouldn't you?" Jasmine came in on his side, reminding him.

"I know, it's because I do that I am doing what I don't want to do." Andy said.

"And that is...?"

"Letting them handle it alone." he said.

[Leah Hart]

"You're not gonna help them Andy?" Leah asked, to which the older teen shook his head.

"No, as much as I want to it's not my fight to do so. Tidus and Yuna need to handle this fight." he said. "Just like they let me fight my own battles last year."

Leah turned her head a bit at the mention of that, she wondered what he meant...his own battles that he fought last year. However the current situation outweighed her curiosity.

"I guess we're gonna head to this Ketu...Ketu..."

"Ketulunanox," Andy finished, following a prompt dodge from the slap she aimed at the back of his head.

"I was gonna get it!" she yelled, chasing after him.

"Yeah in a million years maybe!" Andy taunted back, to which Jasmine just sighed...

[Kevin Uruhane]

Kevin began to review the facts in his head before he walked to Juno, "Alright, you're coming with us."

"I am?" Juno asked, seeming unsure. "Why?"

"Many reasons," Kevin said, "One is I can't trust you alone right now. Now on your feet, we're heading to Ketulunanox."

Now...

As the group found themselves among the ruins of the city, Juno told them one more thing before they left. She had realized why Ketulanox was where the Shade would be, it's the location of the Sky Hook from the ground. At the Birth Crater, beyond these ruins. However, there was a tense feeling in the air...they were on their guard.

[Juno Runè]

"I hate this place..." Juno said, looking around at the ruins. "So dead...it's hard to believe Ketulunaians wanted to live here, only to have their supposed ruler and protector fail to prevent their near genocide..."

She shuddered, "I hate it here...I hate it..."

[Seth Dezari]

Seth looked back at Juno as she talked about her fear and hate for this place, Eli pulled her around for a comforting one armed hug. Seth felt a lot of familiarity in the action. Seth could say his opinion of Eli changed a great deal after he learned of his past, it was as if his cloud of bitterness parted for a moment...and he knew what he had to do.

"Hold up," Seth announced, looking around. "I think we're being watched."

[Yuna Kaname]

Yuna shuddered.

"It's like... being in Zanarkand again," she whispered, her eyes sweeping the empty ruins. She wasn't a summoner anymore, but that empty, desolate place had stuck with her, embedded itself, in its own, desolate way, in her soul.

[Vash, the Angel's Moon]

Lunatopia.

Home.

He had only been back here once after the city was destroyed; he preferred not to come here.

"Hold on, Seth!" he called down to them. "Just me."

He landed, then dispersed his wings; away from Guasto, the wisps mostly faded away, though he would have no problem calling more. Too many restless souls haunted this place.

"Sorry that took so long," he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "And I didn't mean to startle you."

[Volkmar Gamlxltoe]

"VASH!" Sayara said as she ran up to him, still wearing his coat, as she hugged him, "You are ok!" She was happy to see her brother was ok, but then that meant... "Did... Did you kill Volky?"