In Zanarkand

"That's what you did, isn't it?"
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Yunalesca<Guard! Guaaaaard!>

*Hitomi steps back some more, electricity circulating around her hand.*

<Someone, help! I'm being threatened by a misogynistic autistic mage!>

*Hitomi turns away and continues on her way, the electricity still circulating around her hand.*

Ingrid is shocked, "Wha- How, do you know, how are you here, were you with us when we got sucked into the blackhole?" Ingrid took a second to breathe. "And if this is just a fake, then who is controlling it and how do we get out?" She asked, though she was still unsure if she wanted to.

<I don't know. I can come and go as I please because I am an Unent.>

"Dun dun duuuuun!"

<May I continue?>

"Err...sorry."

<I lived in Zanarkand many millennia ago. When the city was destroyed, a memory of me became one of its inhabitants. Because we are the same person, in a sense, I can see what goes on here in my dreams. Imagine my shock when "I" met you all in Ancient Zanarkand!>

"So this city is just a bunch of memories?"

<Yes. Pyreflies respond to memories. So if many different souls focused on one general memory, and were preserved well beyond their natural lifespan, then that memory could exist forever, a near-perfect replica. It would even be capable of interacting with non-memories, such as yourselves.>
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*Hitomi bumps into a pair of Shinra grunt looking guys with guns.*

1<I'm afraid you'll have to come with me.>

*The electricity intensifies for a brief moment then disapates.*

Ingrid raised an eyebrow, "Wait, if this is a memory for you, then you already knew us when we first met in the Calm Lands?"

<No. This is merely a reflection of what Zanarkand was like in the years before Sin. In reality, it is just an illusion floating in the oceans of present-day Spira, a thousand years after Sin destroyed Zanarkand. There is no time travel involved.>
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*They step to either side of her & each grab a shoulder.*

*She doesn't resist. She just clutches her book to her chest.*

"Oh, okay." Ingrid said, a bit disappointed.

*Ark groans and runs off.*

*He encounters the Hall of Infinite Alleys with a trio of guards hot on his tail.*
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*They walk down the alley until they get to a wall. Pushing some buttons beside it causes doors to open onto a closet-sized chamber.*

<Get in.>
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"Are we in any danger here?"

<Only if you run afoul of the city guard. Zanarkand is protected by powerful machina weapons & even more powerful magic. Oh, & do not speak to Lady Yunalesca under any circumstances. If you do, the real Lady Yunalesca will know that you are in Dream Zanarkand, & there is no telling what she will do about it, though she probably will not appear in person. I understand she has quite a busy afterlife.>

*She enters the cell.*

*Ark runs off into an alley.*

"Lady Yunalesca is here as well?" Ingrid thought, "Wait, why shouldn't we alert her to our presence, I thought she was supposed to help Summoners finish their pilgrimage?" Ingrid added.

*They enter too. Turns out it's an elevator. It takes them down to a long, dark tunnel with cells encased by bars on either side. One of the guards presses more buttons to open one of the cages.*

<Okay. You're under arrest for attempted assault, if you can pay bail, then you are free to go until your trial, you know the drill. Now hop in while we get you on file, then pay up if you have the Gil.>
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*Ark ends up in a shipping yard.*
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"Well, she wasn't big on helping us when the Maesters sentenced us to death. And she hadn't sent any Fiends to test us. So I don't really know what she'd do."

<She does not aid heretics unless she must. Although, I must admit, the reasons for which your heresy was declared were...somewhat vague. Allegedly, you participated in "conspiracy against the church" with Senthose.>

Ingrid sighed, "Right, I forgot who I was partied with, of course the normal channels wouldn't help us, we're enemies of Yevon..."

"How much is bail?"

*He wanders around, looking for nothing in particular.*

Ark: <Weird city.>

*The guards enter the shipyard, searching the docks for him. They're about 5 docks down & most of the lights are blown out.*
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<1000 Gil.>
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"So, how did we end up here?"

<I...do not know. How did you get here?>

"Well, see, we got to the top of Mt. Gagazet, & there was this Unsent, & he summoned a black hole called Atomos, & then we all woke up here."

<I see. Then I surmise that it was the Fayth atop the peaks of Gagazet that intervned, to prevent this "Atomos" from, say, teleporting you into open ocean.>

*She holds out a hand with the amount of gil.*

"So this is the best they could do?" Ingrid asked, "Save us from death by putting us in a dream?" Ingrid laughed a bit, "Not that I'm not thankful, with all the metal I'm wearing, open ocean would not be a good thing for me."

*He starts running through the docks.*

<The Fayth only have the power to summon Dream Zanarkand. They can do nothing else. So they simply summoned you into it.>

*Ark eventually ends up back on the scene.*
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<First things first. We need your name & a strand of hair.>