In Zanarkand

*Hitomi casts Thundara on the Ahriman.*

*The Ahriman dies. The Bashura promptly punches him in the face while his knife is in its stomach. Luna wisely elects to blast it with lightning.*

~Hitomi is out of MP! Silence has worn off!~

*Hitomi casts Osmose on the Dark Flan once again followed by a Firaga to the Bashura.*

Ingrid casts Protect and Reflect on herself, and begins to spam Flare and Osmose in a repeating cycle on the Dark Flan.

*The Dark Flan repeats Ingrid's plan back at her. When the Bashura slumps over, Luna slices it up the torso, killing it.*

*Hitomi casts Holy on the Dark Flan.*

*Ark stands back 'cause he isn't going to stab a flan.*

The Flare the flan used is reflected back at it, along with another Flare from Ingrid.

*The Flare dissolves into a puddle, & then into Pyreflies. The merchant walks past them along the bridge of ruins to stand by the Zanarkand Dome. Of course, the top was blown off a thousand years ago, so it's more like the Zanarkand Box: A great stone building with broken statues & machina laying all around it.*

"Okay. So we were attacked. But surely we can't be attacked YET AGAIN before we get there."

"Don't jinx it..." Ingrid said with a bit of a groan, "Now we'll probably have to fight something again." She said, half hoping she double jinxed it and they wouldn't have to fight anything else.

*Hitomi stands at the back of the group waiting to enter.*

*Luna starts to walk in, but stops when the merchant shouts, "Oi, lady!" & turns to him.*

<You might not be able to come back after you enter the dome. Who knows what kind of crazy stuff Yunalesca has the prospective summoners do. Make sure to buy anything you need now.>

*She turns to the group, looking doubtful.*

"Umm...do any of us even know what Yunalesca or her Fiends can DO?"

"Kill us I would imagine, that sounds pretty bad."

*Unlike every other Fiend, Hitomi doesn't shit about Yunalesca's fancypants Fiends, so she just stands by.*

Ark: <No. Of course not. What?>

"Then I guess we'll just have to go in blind. I just wondered if there was anything we should buy, first."

*She turns around & heads inside the dome.*

*Ark follows her in.*

*Hitomi goes in after them.*

*They walk up a flight of stairs littered with downed pillars & crushed in places. They then come into a series of square chambers with tiled floors. At the last chamber is a pedestal surrounded by Yevon glyphs in the center of the room.*

"That must lead to Yunalesca somehow...."

*As the group piles onto it, the glyphs glow & the pedestal becomes an elevator, descending into the city. They appear in an antechamber reminiscent of the main rooms of the temples, including a staircase to a Cloister of Trials. The door opens & Yunalesca walks out of it, staring down at them all with a slight frown.*

<Why have you come here? I thought I made it clear that your pilgrimage was no longer considered valid. I was even kind enough to allow you all to live.>

Ark: <No longer valid? A pilgrimage is a pilgrimage! Luna is doing it for the right reasons, she wants to defeat Sin and help Spira. Isn't that what counts?>

"In my defense, you didn't tell me anything."

*She looks at Ark.*

<No, are you stupid? Besides, I heard that little speech about not really liking Spira. I think you'll find that the reasons for her actions are far less noble.>

"You heard that?"

<Not important or interesting.>

*She turns to Ingrid.*

<I don't even know you, but if you choose to remain with them, you will have made your own demise. I cannot allow the summoner to leave her with the Final Aeon.>

"But we didn't even ask for it!"

<Foolish girl. Did you not realize that you already HAVE your Final Aeon?>

Ark: <What are you talking about?>

Ingrid let out a sigh, "Not the first time I heard that." She replied. "And what do you mean she already has her final aeon, why did we need to come here then."

[How? That hasn't even been brought up until now.]