A Summoner's Zanarkand
Chapter one: Black Heartache _________________________________________________ Yuna sat alone on the cliff over looking the beach on the isle of Besaid. The night sky was lit with a thousand tiny stars, and casting little flecks of light on the dark sea below. It was actually very breath taking and she was so glad to be back on the island she so proudly called home. To be back in the warm tropical climate, beautiful green forest and wide clean beaches filled with sparkling white sand and crystal clear water. The people here were very generous and friendly, unlike the hostile Ronso clan that lived in the cold desolate Mt. Gagazet. Besaid was paradise.
She heard the beating of the ceremonial drums intensify in the distance, breaking her train of thought for the moment. Besaid was glad to have her back. Smiling slightly, she shook her head. The people here were too nice.
The Ronsos on Mt. Gagazet were a different story. Yuna could not get the memories of that frozen place out of her head tonight. Maybe it was because being back in paradise had taken a harsh toll on her.
It had been a mere two months before, when Yuna and her group had traveled up the perilous mountain to reach Zanarkand on the other side. The Ronsos had met the group at the foot of the mountain. They would only let the summoner and her guardians pass if Yuna could prove her strength. With her group standing loyally by, Yuna shouted at the Ronso leader, demanding that they pass. That was when Biran and Yenke stepped up and challenged Kimahri.
There was a sigh in the dark as the young woman stared back out at the rolling black blanket that seemed to stretch on endlessly. In those two short months she had grown tremendously, not physically, but inside. She had learned heartache and tragedy. She had learned the politics of Spira. And she had learned how to care again.
After the Fayth had died and the dream world Zanarkand was gone, Yuna closed up her heart, vowing never to love again. She grew distant from those friends she had left and she no longer wanted to fulfill her duties as a Hi-Summoner. The one man she had given her heart forever had been ripped away from her, for reasons neither one of them could control. He was gone for an eternity. Yuna had no reason to live any longer. But her friends wouldn't just sit back and let their friend rot away in grief. Wakka, Lulu, Rikku and Kimahri were with Yuna constantly, and after three long, miserable weeks she finally brightened up and began her task of traveling from Luca back to Besaid. Her uncle Cid had told her she had free reign of his airship, and she took him up on his offer. She wanted to go home, but first she had to make a mandatory stop in Guadosalam.
Guadosalam. Even the thought of the word made Yuna shudder. Guadosalam no longer welcomed Yuna since the death of their leader, Seymour. Yuna did not want to step foot in the place, but the small town harbored the only entrance to the Farplane. That had been her reason for going.
She had believed her love was still alive somehow. He had not faded away into nothing, but that he was still with her.
Lulu and Wakka told them they would go with her, but she shook them off, saying she would like to go alone. She didn't know what he would do if he was there. They nodded in understanding and she took off up the long flight of stairs to the other world.
The platform in the Farplane was empty, and Yuna took a deep breath before stepping out onto the stone edge. Closing her eyes tightly, she remembered the last time she saw him. That cocky smile with those bright blue eyes and that scraggly blonde hair streaked with ash brown. With the image still fresh in her mind, she slowly opened her green eye, and then her blue in shock.
Instead of seeing the form of her dead love, she saw nothing but swirling orange clouds and a small cluster of spiritflies that normally hovered around the large stone platform. Nothing had changed.
The realization of it hit her so hard that she had to move backward or she'd fall. Was he actually alive? She had had a feeling but-
"Lady Yuna?"
The eerie voice caused Yuna to glance up and see the spirit of the one person she had not wanted to see.
Yuna took a wary step closer to the edge. "Seymour?" she asked, surprised that he could speak.
He nodded and then smiled. "I was hoping I would see you again Yuna. I have a message for you."
"For me?" she was shocked. Seymour seemed to have changed since the last time she had seen him as Seymour Omnis.
"Yes." Seymour's pale ice blue eyes danced with excitement. "From the Fayth of one of your Aeons. They said the city of dreams is still dreaming due to massive heroism by Auron and Tidus."
Yuna gasped. "What are you saying?" she demanded.
"What I'm saying is that the dream world Zanarkand still exists!" the Guado-human moved closer to the platform, close enough to touch her, if he was real. "The Zanarkand the Fayth created after the Machina War and all it's people are still alive for now. The Fayth thought it cruel to destroy it after your guardians helped save Spira. There were given a second chance for now."
"What do you mean 'for now?'" she asked.
"The dream world is only living off of the dead dreams of the Fayth spirits. It is slowly diminishing bit by bit. It will be gone soon, but those people will move on to the Farplane."
Yuna looked away. This was a lot to take in in only a few minutes. She finally met his glance again. "Then Tidus is-"
"Tidus has gone back to the dream world with no remembrance of you or anyone else in Spira." Seymour cut her off sharply. "And before you get any wild ideas Yuna, you can't see him. The only gate between dream Zanarkand and Spira was cut off when Sin was killed."
"I don't believe that!" she snapped back, almost with out thinking.
"Believe what you want Lady Yuna." The spirit sighed. "I am weary in the after life." He paused. "My soul is still repenting for all the things I did in Spira." He jerked his head up suddenly. "I must go now. Until we meet again." He bowed, lifted his hands and made the sign for prayer.
"Seymour, wait!" Yuna cried, but he was already fading back into the clouds. She peered out at the Farplane, trying to see anything she hadn't seen before, but it was no use.
There was a bright flash of light above her that made her instantly look up. A huge bird came into view, brass rings gleaming at the end of its wings.
"Valefor!" the young summoner called out in surprise and happiness as the bird's spirit dropped down onto the platform. She reached out to caress him and her hand went straight through the once crimson red feathers on his neck. Glancing up, she saw the happy melancholy look in the bird's amber eyes. Suddenly, Valefor ruffled his wings and flew back off into the orange swirling clouds. Yuna watched him go before stepping back from the edge of the platform, and almost crushing a feather lying on the weathered stone. There was no doubt from the intricate design that the feather was Valefor's. The only thing odd about it was it's color- turquoise blue. Yuna wondered if she could pick it up, or if her fingers would go straight through. Sighing, she reached down and found that the feather materialized in the palm of her hand. She also realized as she held the feather that it was Tidus's favorite color. Was her beloved bird trying to tell her that he and Tidus were okay? Yuna left the Farplane with the feather Grasped tightly in her hand. She never said anything to her friends about what Seymour had told her or about the feather.
Even in the dark, Yuna found the delicate feather around her neck. She had put it on a beautiful silver chain that made the feather fall right over her heart. To remind her that Valefor and Tidus were still with her. She knew he was still alive. She had always known it. He was off in Zanarkand, where he played Blitzball every night, went out with his friends and flirted with other girls, and he didn't even know she existed. He didn't even know they had loved each other with everything they had.
She sighed again. It just wasn't fair. He was alive, but she could never see him again. The Zanarkand he lived in was slowly disappearing every possible day and it would be gone soon, and she couldn't didn't do anything about it.
She remembered the time, almost a year ago, when Tidus had taught her how to whistle. "Just whistle, and I'll come running." He told her, Putting her fingers in the sides of her mouth; she let a loud, high-pitched sound out into the night.
"Yunie, you know he's gone."
The young summoner didn't even have to turn around; She knew it was her cousin Rikku.
Rikku walked high up on the cliff and dropped by Yuna's side.
"You've been out here for hours. What are you doing up here?" she asked.
"Thinking." Yuna stared at the Al Bhed girl and then out to the ocean. "And remembering."
"I hope it's happy stuff you were remembering about. Today is not a good day to be sad. You're home." Rikku told her, stretching. The younger girl turned to the summoner, her bright green eyes with their unique swirls bright with excitement. "Lulu and Wakka wanted me to come get you. They're about to serve dinner in your honor."
"I'm not hungry." The other said softly watching the endless night and water.
"Oh, come on! You have to be! You haven't eaten all day! And besides you have to be there. Wakka's demanding it." The girl jumped up, startling her older relative. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
Yuna laughed slightly and stood up. "Okay, okay. Lead me to the food."
Rikku jumped up and down. "Yeah! Let's hit the party!" she grabbed her cousin's hand and the two ran off into the forest. The town of Besaid is on the other side. Just before they lost it's sight, Yuna looked back to the cliff near the sea.
Chapter one: Black Heartache _________________________________________________ Yuna sat alone on the cliff over looking the beach on the isle of Besaid. The night sky was lit with a thousand tiny stars, and casting little flecks of light on the dark sea below. It was actually very breath taking and she was so glad to be back on the island she so proudly called home. To be back in the warm tropical climate, beautiful green forest and wide clean beaches filled with sparkling white sand and crystal clear water. The people here were very generous and friendly, unlike the hostile Ronso clan that lived in the cold desolate Mt. Gagazet. Besaid was paradise.
She heard the beating of the ceremonial drums intensify in the distance, breaking her train of thought for the moment. Besaid was glad to have her back. Smiling slightly, she shook her head. The people here were too nice.
The Ronsos on Mt. Gagazet were a different story. Yuna could not get the memories of that frozen place out of her head tonight. Maybe it was because being back in paradise had taken a harsh toll on her.
It had been a mere two months before, when Yuna and her group had traveled up the perilous mountain to reach Zanarkand on the other side. The Ronsos had met the group at the foot of the mountain. They would only let the summoner and her guardians pass if Yuna could prove her strength. With her group standing loyally by, Yuna shouted at the Ronso leader, demanding that they pass. That was when Biran and Yenke stepped up and challenged Kimahri.
There was a sigh in the dark as the young woman stared back out at the rolling black blanket that seemed to stretch on endlessly. In those two short months she had grown tremendously, not physically, but inside. She had learned heartache and tragedy. She had learned the politics of Spira. And she had learned how to care again.
After the Fayth had died and the dream world Zanarkand was gone, Yuna closed up her heart, vowing never to love again. She grew distant from those friends she had left and she no longer wanted to fulfill her duties as a Hi-Summoner. The one man she had given her heart forever had been ripped away from her, for reasons neither one of them could control. He was gone for an eternity. Yuna had no reason to live any longer. But her friends wouldn't just sit back and let their friend rot away in grief. Wakka, Lulu, Rikku and Kimahri were with Yuna constantly, and after three long, miserable weeks she finally brightened up and began her task of traveling from Luca back to Besaid. Her uncle Cid had told her she had free reign of his airship, and she took him up on his offer. She wanted to go home, but first she had to make a mandatory stop in Guadosalam.
Guadosalam. Even the thought of the word made Yuna shudder. Guadosalam no longer welcomed Yuna since the death of their leader, Seymour. Yuna did not want to step foot in the place, but the small town harbored the only entrance to the Farplane. That had been her reason for going.
She had believed her love was still alive somehow. He had not faded away into nothing, but that he was still with her.
Lulu and Wakka told them they would go with her, but she shook them off, saying she would like to go alone. She didn't know what he would do if he was there. They nodded in understanding and she took off up the long flight of stairs to the other world.
The platform in the Farplane was empty, and Yuna took a deep breath before stepping out onto the stone edge. Closing her eyes tightly, she remembered the last time she saw him. That cocky smile with those bright blue eyes and that scraggly blonde hair streaked with ash brown. With the image still fresh in her mind, she slowly opened her green eye, and then her blue in shock.
Instead of seeing the form of her dead love, she saw nothing but swirling orange clouds and a small cluster of spiritflies that normally hovered around the large stone platform. Nothing had changed.
The realization of it hit her so hard that she had to move backward or she'd fall. Was he actually alive? She had had a feeling but-
"Lady Yuna?"
The eerie voice caused Yuna to glance up and see the spirit of the one person she had not wanted to see.
Yuna took a wary step closer to the edge. "Seymour?" she asked, surprised that he could speak.
He nodded and then smiled. "I was hoping I would see you again Yuna. I have a message for you."
"For me?" she was shocked. Seymour seemed to have changed since the last time she had seen him as Seymour Omnis.
"Yes." Seymour's pale ice blue eyes danced with excitement. "From the Fayth of one of your Aeons. They said the city of dreams is still dreaming due to massive heroism by Auron and Tidus."
Yuna gasped. "What are you saying?" she demanded.
"What I'm saying is that the dream world Zanarkand still exists!" the Guado-human moved closer to the platform, close enough to touch her, if he was real. "The Zanarkand the Fayth created after the Machina War and all it's people are still alive for now. The Fayth thought it cruel to destroy it after your guardians helped save Spira. There were given a second chance for now."
"What do you mean 'for now?'" she asked.
"The dream world is only living off of the dead dreams of the Fayth spirits. It is slowly diminishing bit by bit. It will be gone soon, but those people will move on to the Farplane."
Yuna looked away. This was a lot to take in in only a few minutes. She finally met his glance again. "Then Tidus is-"
"Tidus has gone back to the dream world with no remembrance of you or anyone else in Spira." Seymour cut her off sharply. "And before you get any wild ideas Yuna, you can't see him. The only gate between dream Zanarkand and Spira was cut off when Sin was killed."
"I don't believe that!" she snapped back, almost with out thinking.
"Believe what you want Lady Yuna." The spirit sighed. "I am weary in the after life." He paused. "My soul is still repenting for all the things I did in Spira." He jerked his head up suddenly. "I must go now. Until we meet again." He bowed, lifted his hands and made the sign for prayer.
"Seymour, wait!" Yuna cried, but he was already fading back into the clouds. She peered out at the Farplane, trying to see anything she hadn't seen before, but it was no use.
There was a bright flash of light above her that made her instantly look up. A huge bird came into view, brass rings gleaming at the end of its wings.
"Valefor!" the young summoner called out in surprise and happiness as the bird's spirit dropped down onto the platform. She reached out to caress him and her hand went straight through the once crimson red feathers on his neck. Glancing up, she saw the happy melancholy look in the bird's amber eyes. Suddenly, Valefor ruffled his wings and flew back off into the orange swirling clouds. Yuna watched him go before stepping back from the edge of the platform, and almost crushing a feather lying on the weathered stone. There was no doubt from the intricate design that the feather was Valefor's. The only thing odd about it was it's color- turquoise blue. Yuna wondered if she could pick it up, or if her fingers would go straight through. Sighing, she reached down and found that the feather materialized in the palm of her hand. She also realized as she held the feather that it was Tidus's favorite color. Was her beloved bird trying to tell her that he and Tidus were okay? Yuna left the Farplane with the feather Grasped tightly in her hand. She never said anything to her friends about what Seymour had told her or about the feather.
Even in the dark, Yuna found the delicate feather around her neck. She had put it on a beautiful silver chain that made the feather fall right over her heart. To remind her that Valefor and Tidus were still with her. She knew he was still alive. She had always known it. He was off in Zanarkand, where he played Blitzball every night, went out with his friends and flirted with other girls, and he didn't even know she existed. He didn't even know they had loved each other with everything they had.
She sighed again. It just wasn't fair. He was alive, but she could never see him again. The Zanarkand he lived in was slowly disappearing every possible day and it would be gone soon, and she couldn't didn't do anything about it.
She remembered the time, almost a year ago, when Tidus had taught her how to whistle. "Just whistle, and I'll come running." He told her, Putting her fingers in the sides of her mouth; she let a loud, high-pitched sound out into the night.
"Yunie, you know he's gone."
The young summoner didn't even have to turn around; She knew it was her cousin Rikku.
Rikku walked high up on the cliff and dropped by Yuna's side.
"You've been out here for hours. What are you doing up here?" she asked.
"Thinking." Yuna stared at the Al Bhed girl and then out to the ocean. "And remembering."
"I hope it's happy stuff you were remembering about. Today is not a good day to be sad. You're home." Rikku told her, stretching. The younger girl turned to the summoner, her bright green eyes with their unique swirls bright with excitement. "Lulu and Wakka wanted me to come get you. They're about to serve dinner in your honor."
"I'm not hungry." The other said softly watching the endless night and water.
"Oh, come on! You have to be! You haven't eaten all day! And besides you have to be there. Wakka's demanding it." The girl jumped up, startling her older relative. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
Yuna laughed slightly and stood up. "Okay, okay. Lead me to the food."
Rikku jumped up and down. "Yeah! Let's hit the party!" she grabbed her cousin's hand and the two ran off into the forest. The town of Besaid is on the other side. Just before they lost it's sight, Yuna looked back to the cliff near the sea.