D.E.666 ~ A Guardian's Summons ~ Jugger82

Lyra retreated to the privacy of the bath where she scrubbed her fur. She felt horrible after what had happened in the temple and even worse because she knew that Nathan didn't like her. It hurt a bit because she did find him rather attractive, but she knew better. No one would find someone like her attractive. Deep down she knew that was part of the reason she became a summoner. Lyra knew that most summoners either gave up on their pilgrimage or they died while traveling. Or if they did get every aeon, they would die fighting Sin. It was something that no one spoke about, as if it were some kind of Taboo. With a sigh, she ducked her head beneath the water and ran her hands through her hair before standing up in the water. After squeezing out her hair and tail, she stepped out and shook out her fur before sitting down on a rock to dry like she did the day before.

Once she was mostly dry, she picked up the other dress she'd been given and slipped into it. This one was luckily a little bigger and longer then the last one. This one reached just past her knees and while it was a bit snug over her chest, it covered everything while it tied at the back with a nice bow. With a sigh, she returned to the village and began speaking with the older villagers about the food and the next ship that was to sale from the island to Luca.
 
Nathan eventually grew bored of mending his weapons that did not need such treatment and he stood around, waiting for Lyra to return so that they could get out of Besaid. He was growing tired of this island...Though he did enjoy the peacefulness, aside from the rape ghost within the temple. He eventually walked out of the tent and began to roam, walking along a trail to the nearby beach and he began to walk up and down the shore, as if waiting, looking out to sea and wondering if Sin would attack Besaid whilst he was here. He always wanted to see a Sin attack up close and to see the destruction it could cause.
 
Lyra was gone for a while. She'd asked about the food and then went the next ship was leaving, only to find out they'd have to wait until a little later that night while the villagers told her that they would package some meat for them. After that, they asked her if she could do a sending for a couple of elderly villagers who had passed on and she agreed to do so later that evening. As he wandered the beach, she could be found at the far end just looking out over the water with a frown on her face and her eyes were shadowed by her bangs.
 
As he walked down the beach, Nathan soon saw Lyra down across the beach and something was bothering her. She more than likely still felt bad about the situation before, and he had already made his decision to stay with her at least until she found another Guardian. Nathan figured he should tell her the news, maybe this would cheer her up a bit, so he proceeded down the beach until he was able to pat her on the shoulder. "Hey...You alright?" He asked as he looked out to the ocean. "Hey...Look, I may stay a little longer than just Luca...I figured it would not be right to leave you on your own without a guardian, so until we find someone else to replace me, I guess I'm stuck with you if you want."
 
Lyra heard him before he touched her shoulder and she looked at him. "Yes, I'm fine." she said to him while turning back to looking at the water again. When he told her that he may stay with her past Luca, she looked at him curiously. "If you do not wish to come with me past Luca, you do not need to. Luca is a large city, I'm sure I can find another guardian there." She became quiet for a while before sighing and turning to him. "The next ship that leaves is later today. The villagers said that they will pack some meat for us. However, they wish for me to do a sending this evening. I told them I would do it before we go."
 
"Do what you need to do. And if you do not find another guardian by Luca, then I will simply stay with you. Until you find another. It is not right of me to just leave you alone where you might die so easily. You could not even fend off some villagers who were insulting you, I doubt you could have stayed safe by yourself in the wilderness. So I will simply accompany you until." He nodded. "I hope that when we do get to Luca, however, we get to watch the Blitzball tournament. It is one of the few things of humans that I actually am interested in viewing."
 
She slowly nodded at what he spoke, telling her to do what she needed to. "Very well." she told him softly before she turned to him again and gazed at Nathan in the eyes. "I... I know you don't like any humans or anyone similar to them, but could you come to the sending?" she asked softly. "I've... I've never done one before and having you there would at least offer me some kind of comfort." She looked away after a moment with an embarrassed look on her face and she ran her fingers through her hair slowly.
 
"I guess. Though the idea of sending the departed souls of humans to the afterlife doesn't amuse me. But I'll go. For my summoner." He said as he patted her shoulder to reassure her that he'd be there for her when she'd do the summoning, that being the least he could do for her given what happened in the temple. He knew she needed comfort as much as possible after what had happened and hoped nothing like this would happen at the other temples. "Well, lets get it over with so we can get on that boat and get out of here."
 
She nodded slightly as he told her that the sending of spirits didn't amuse him before she smiled gently after he said he'd go for her. "Thank you Nathan." she said softly, sincerity filling her words as she looked at him. After he spoke again, she nodded slightly. "The villagers are getting everything ready. They will let us know when they are ready for the sending. I think in the mean time, we can go and get something to eat. I heard that they're roasting a large boar on the large fire in the middle of the village." She smiled a little wider at the thought of some actual meat that wasn't mixed with anything else.
 
"I guess pork is better than no meat. Though I prefer chicken." He said with a shrug. "Beggars can't be choosers though. Lets go then." He said as he patted her shoulder and turned to walk toward the village, but he called out to her. "I will be in the tent until the sending starts! Please come and get me when it happens!" He said before climbing the path toward the village so he could go ahead and pack their things while he waited for the sending to happen.
 
The fox softly chuckled. She preferred chicken as well over pork, but her favorite would always be beef. "That is true. At least it's not mixed with other things like that stew from this morning." she said, a slightly teasing lilt to her voice. After he patter her shoulder, she turned and followed him up the hill towards the village. As he called back to her and said he'd be in the tent, she grinned. "Alright. I'll let you know when it's time." she called back, following at a slightly slower pace. It seemed that the two had come to some kind of unspoken truce after the attack in the temple. While he was still distant, he didn't seem as cold as before and she has relaxed around him a bit more.

A little later that day, after everything was ready for the summoning, Lyra appeared in the doorway of the hut and gazed at him. In her hands was a bundle. "Here's some meat from a couple different animals." she said while holding up the bundle for him to see. "I managed to get a bit of pork, beef and chicken. I made sure to get some of the last because you said you preferred chicken." She offered a gentle smile while she set the bundle down on the table. "It's also time for the sending. I'm heading down now if you wish to accompany me or you can just follow with the others."
 
"I will follow." He said as he picked up the plate. "But I will eat while I am there." He said as he followed her out, slowly eating off of the plate as they followed down the hill and stopped where all the other townspeople had stopped. He assumed that this was where she was to do the sending, so he moved to a secluded spot where he could still see her without getting in the way and without being near the other villagers, and sat down to watch and eat. "This'll be interesting." He murmured as he finished off the rest of the beef on the plate.
 
With a nod, she turned and grasped her staff before silently making her way back down to the beach where the villagers had gathered. She could feel their gaze upon her as she neared and she tightened her grip upon her staff. The villagers parted so she could pass through and she stopped on the edge of the water. Looking out at the clear waters, she could see the bodies of the dead bundled in the way that most of Spira wrapped their dead for a sending. She looked over her shoulder at Nathan before squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath. With her head held high, she walked out onto the water. Instead of sinking, she was able to walk on top of the water until she was among the dead and she began to perform the sending.

Closing her eyes, she began dancing and the atmosphere on the beach changed as the spirits of the dead began to rise from the bodies, swirling around the dancing summoner. The sounds of crying started as the villagers watched on. The burning torches that had been set up on the beach flared up and the orange flames changed to a bright blue. The water around Kira swelled, waves forming a bit as she was lifted while she danced. As the spirits swirled around her, they moved higher before drifting off towards the sky, heading for the farplanes. Once they disappeared, the water slowly calmed and Kira opened her eyes as she made her way back to the beach. As her feet touched the sand, a couple villagers approached and thanked her before they all began making their way back towards the village. Kira sighed softly before looking out over the water once more.
 
Nathan finally approached Lyra once the sending was over and the people had left. "Well that was quite the show. Now then...Unless you require some rest, we should get on the boat and wait before it shoves off without us." He said as he patted her head once more. "Come now Lyra. Go and rest, if you do not need it, then find me on the ship. I will make certain they will not leave without you...But I would rather not talk to anyone on there." He said before walking out toward the docks so that he could board the ship to Luca. He went inside and went to the cabin they were assigned to and sat down, looking out the window and looking into the distant ocean as if waiting for Sin.
 
Lyra felt tired, but she didn't show it as he approached her and spoke to her. "I will be fine." she told him softly before closing her eyes as he patted her head. She smiled slightly as he told her to find him on the ship and she nodded, watching him go to the ship that would take them to Luca. Turning, she head up to the village where she was given something to eat and she thanked the villagers for their hospitality. After bidding them a farewell, the summoner returned to the beach and she soon joined him on the ship. Entering the cabin, she rested her staff against the wall and looked out the window as well before she sat down as well.
 
As soon as Lyra had arrived on the ship, it casted off and took them across the waters to begin taking them to Luca. As the ship moved, Nathan watched the waves through the porthole and eventually moved to go and see Lyra when she got on. "There you are." He said as he walked over and patted her shoulder. "I am glad to see you made it. I had dozed off while I waited. I would have returned for you to Luca had they taken me off." He assured her and looked out to the sky. "The sky is getting dark. From the clouds. A storm may come. I want you to stay inside the entire time. Should they require me, I will have to assist the men on the deck to keep the ship from sinking. They will need all the help they can get for a storm. Now then, let us go to our cabin and relax, yes?"
 
She was about to argue with him when he told her to stay inside. It showed on her face, but she closed her mouth as it sank in that he wanted her to stay safe and out of the way should a storm come along. Lyra took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. I'll stay in the cabin." she told him softly. At the mention of relaxing, she nodded again. "Yes. I could probably take a nap." she said with a slightly sheepish smile. She'd never done a sending before, but it took more out of her then she thought that it would.
 
"Then...Allow me to stay with you for a few moments then..." He said gently, though not in any way to show a sense of lust in his voice. He walked her down to their cabin and sat down on the bed. "Like the night before, I will be here for you while you sleep." He laid down on the bed and left a large space for her to lay down on. "Unless you would prefer that I do not sleep with you...given what happened in the temple possibly making this awkward for you?"
 
She looked over at him as he spoke, but she didn't say anything as they made their way down to the cabin. Upon entering, she glanced around a little before glancing at the bed as he sat. Lyra smiled gently as he spoke and she shook her head slightly. "No, it is not awkward. What had happened was neither of our faults." she told him as she moved to the bed as well and she sat down on the edge. "I will be fine with this as long as you are." With that she laid down as well and she curled up a little on her part of the bed with her back towards him and she yawned. It didn't take the fox too long to fall asleep and soon she was in a deep sleep.
 
Nathan reached over and pulled her close to him and buried his face in her hair, nuzzling her ear as he held her close. His eyes were open as he began to contemplate on things while she slept against him. Why was he so attached to her? He cared for her, this much he knew. Why did he decide to step in that day when the other girl was making fun of her? Perhaps its because she was the very border of animal and human, something he hated and something he could tolerate. He wasn't a sick pervert that found actual animals amazing, no. He just could relate to them more. Maybe because she was so different...he felt he could be with her more. He took in her scent and thought she smelled nice as she laid with him.
 
As she was pulled close to him, Lyra shifted on the bed a little and relaxed in his arms with a soft sigh, her ear twitching a little as he nuzzled it. The fox laid there peacefully while the man held her, her tail occasionally flicking between them or her ear would twitch slightly, much like an animals while it slept. Her scent, as he took it in, was unlike that of other humans or humanoid beings. While the humans used soaps and perfumes when bathing and the other beings always had a scent similar to an animals, hers was more like the wild. The gentle scent of the wilderness, of trees and the grass mixed with a very faint undertone of some kind of wildflower. It was a scent the was distinctly and uniquely hers.
 
Nathan looked down at Lyra as she slept and leaned down slowly, his eyes gleaming as they were half closed and ready. He kissed her lips gently, eyes slowly closing as he kissed her passionately and gently so that she would no awaken so easily. Soon he pulled back and took a deep sigh as he pulled her into him more, pulling the blanket over the two of them so they could rest together peacefully until he'd have to help with the storm, shoudl it be a bad one.
 
Lyra felt him move a bit closer, her body having turned towards him a bit when she was pulled closer. His kiss was gentle enough that she only stirred a little but she did not awaken, the fox softly sighing in her sleep until he pulled her into him. This caused her to turn towards him a bit more and she curled up against him as the blanket was pulled over their bodies. As they rested, the storm moved in and a while later there was a bright flash of lightning that lit the cabin, shortly followed by a loud boom of thunder. The sound caused the fox to jerk awake and she sat up a bit, her eye wide and her ears laid back from fright.
 
Nathan jumped in surprise when the fox girl suddenly jumped awake. "Hey hey...Calm down..." He said as he pulled her back down. "Its just the storm. Its not even bad yet...the boat isn't rocking violently. Thats my cue to go back up." He said as he pulled her back into him, hugging her close to him. "I'm here. Don't worry Lyra..." He said gently as he closed his eyes, still being sleepy as he held her close to him. Though, he couldn't sleep and he sighed and opened his eyes. "You still awake? I can't sleep now."
 
Lyra felt him jump in surprise when she woke up and she slowly laid back down on the bed, her ears folded back to muffle the loud sound of the storm a bit. As she was pulled closer to him, she softly whined while wrapping an arm around him and resting her head against his shoulder as he held her close. She still felt tired and she knew she should get more sleep but with the storm raging, she wouldn't be able to. When he asked if she was still awake, Lyra nodded slightly. "Yeah." she murmured. "I'm... I'm kind of afraid of the thunder and lightning." she told him, her voice gentle with a slight tone of embarrassment in it. She knew that when it came to crossing the Thunder Plains, she was going to have a hard time, but she was determined to do it when it came time to.
 
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