Ok, so this is the first FanFiction I've ever done… Sad to say… Not really. I'm more of an original stories type of person, but my love of Final Fantasy 10 has inspired me to write this. This story is based on a very long time-line, and yes, it does interfere with the game you all have played. But, I like this idea, so bear with me, and if you don't like it, don't read it. I know it doesn't flow precisely to the storyline, I try and keep it close enough, but also keep it interesting. So, please enjoy!

Final Fantasy X

The Avamarine Legacy

Part 1

A Long Road Ahead…

Prologue:

The Beginning of it All

The night that started it all, the beginning and the end of Sin's horrible legacy throughout the ravaged ruins of what we have all become familiar with as Spira, the night Ject returned is the beginning of my story. As did it prove to be the end. As the great machina city of Zanarkand fell, homage to the great and looming destruction that would ensue for the next one-thousand years, Ellias sat in her room, weeping the loss of her husband and son…

They had gone against her wishes, Roark having left to go fight the immortal beast, taking her only son with him. She begged to go and fight with them, more than capable of carrying a blade, but Roark denied those please, and in his own loving way, incapacitated his wife to flee to battle.

That was the last time Ellias ever saw her beautiful, loving husband, and the last time she got to see her son's face. The face that she and her husband had created; a mixture of Roark's dark eyes and hair, and her soft features and kind lips. She sobbed, alone.

Her room overlooked the city, great panes of cyberglass opening up the falling city to her tear-filled eyes. She wished only for death. With her husband gone to give her strength, and her son for confidence, she was empty.

She watched as Sin, who had been motionless for several hours now over one of the eastern bridges finally moved once more. His grotesque whale-like figure shifted, blubbery folds overlapping and shifting over his frame as he turned, taking three earth-shaking steps to do so, clearing a good portion of the city with him. He stared at the building which held Ellias, and so many other uncertain and anxious patrons. For a long moment, he was motionless, simply staring, watching, waiting. But Ellias saw it.

She saw it before it happened, and the pain poured through her veins. Sin had given her reason to die without vengeance. A reason to end her life without fear of his own wellbeing, taking away her very soul to do so, and suddenly the dumb animalistic look on his gray features warped into a very real, hideous grin.

He knew…

Even then…

Sin opened his jowls, and a great blue orb of light began to waver in the air before him, summoned as if from the heavens to grant her that oh-so-prolonged wish of death.

He had created an enemy, one among thousands.

He had created a monster, with lust in her soul…

A lust to kill…

A lust to see the end…

He knew.

For almost a decade, Ellias had concealed herself as a commoner. With the love of a husband and the joy of a son, she wished to bring no unnecessary strife, and thus had hidden the great and powerful warrior from the world. She denied herself to Spira, and now, Spira was fighting back.

The blue orb Sin had created took off, screaming. Composed of thousands of dead cries and widowed souls, such power sent a frightened shiver down Ellias's spine. She had never seen anything like it, so strong that the heavens shuddered, that the air itself seemed to dissolve into impure vapors or nothingness.

This should have been her demise.

She stood swiftly, summoned up all the power she had stored over the years and years of desolate immobility, and threw her arms out with all of her strength…

The cyberglass windows shuddered and cracked, an opaque golden black shield fell over the great building that housed her, larger and more sturdy than she had ever in her life created.

The collision was spectacular. Such power of two forces seemed to deafen the world to complete dumb silence as Sin's energy met her shield. The shield rippled and wavered, the energy whirled and shook and thrust itself against what she had created. An unlikely equal match.

Ellias stood there, dumbfounded by this.

There was one last powerful shudder, and her shield failed her. Ellias watched in horror as the cyberglass exploded outwards, her shield shattered and the death sphere turned everything white… Her world was gone… Her life was gone…

Sin knew…

He had created his most deadly enemy. A creature so strong that could even for a moment stop his immense power. He created it. And he feared it.

Ellias Yevon died that day, in the wake of Sin's birth.

And from the ashes of Ellias Yevon, arose Avamarine. The first of many, the last of one.

Chapter 1:

Comrade or Guardian?

One might not, on first impression, know that Ava was one thousand years old. Perpetually trapped at the age of twenty-eight, with the beauty of a woman five years younger. She was strong and independent, free and wild. She was followed by a feral nature, a sharp and unforgiving physique built upon instinct and lust, with wise gray eyes and short cropped hair the color of fresh barley.

She stood against every element, the wild unpredictability of fire, the fluidity of fire, the speed of lightning and the cold gaze of ice. Ava was obviously a woman with intent, someone with a goal. Nothing was going to stand in her way – aside from seasickness.

She stood at the bow of the S.S. Liki, a very raggedy wooden ship, arms wrapped around the rope rails of the ship and stared down into the water. Who would believe that someone like Ava would be so plagued by the wicked sea. Although, she never had liked it anyway.

"Hey, you OK?" A strong hand of a dark bronze tan gripped her pale shoulder, "You looking a little green there, ya?" His accent was thick, but his voice was jovial.

She didn't bother to look up at him, but instead snapped, "I'm not ok. If I were ok, I would have both legs on solid land. I would not be trapped on some Yevon Forsaken boat traveling out of some Yevon awful, Backwater Island." She gave a slight dry heave.

"Sheesh, you don't gotta be so snippy about it, I was only asking." Said the man, "You know, we got a White Mage on board, maybe she could help."

Ava finally looked up at the man. He wore a strange orange garb, big puffy pants and one shoulder pad. A fish necklace stood out on his collar bone, and he wore a blue bandanna over outrageously red and spiky hair curled in a gaudy loop. He was frowning, but his eyes were smiling.

"I'm not damaged I'm ill my oddly dressed friend." She quickly turned back over the boat and gagged again, "Thank you for your offer, but I believe I'll suffer alone on this." She gagged once more.

"Whatever you say, come find me if you change your mind, ya?" He waved his hand as he started to walk away.

"W-wait!" Ava hung herself over the rope rail and tried to keep her composure, "H-how good is this mage of yours?" she asked, almost bashfully.

The man grinned and laughed a concealing laugh, "She's kinda new, but she'll do."

Ava sighed as the man ran off to get her. Just what she needed, a half-rate newbie white mage who probably couldn't cure a scratch. She stuck her head back out and prayed that the road to Kilika would be a smooth one, and vowed not to eat until they got on land.

The sound of approaching footsteps encroached her futile prayers, making Ava glance up at the sight before her. The orange haired man had returned with a woman by his side, this one just as oddly dressed. Long purple skirt laced with flowers in the shapes of stars, a white top and large yellow belt, and sails on her arms. But it wasn't the clothing that peaked Ava's interest – the way this smiling brown haired woman held herself, the staff in her hands, the sheer power she held within her.

Ava scrambled to her feet, "A Summoner?" she demanded.

The woman nodded and smiled, but Ava could see that her eyes held a strange sort of emotion, something akin to sadness, "I am Summoner Yuna. From the isle of Besaid."

She held it in her face, her features, "Lord Braska's daughter?"

Another wave of nausea hit and she turned back to the sea, trying to withhold her dry heaves, "My apologies, Lady Summoner, I'm not in the best of conditions." She once more cursed the sea for all that it had wrought.

Lady Yuna giggled, "Here, this should help." She stood back and took up her staff, muttered a quick prayer and waved it before her.

The air around Ava turned cool, and as she took in a deep breath, her stomach slowly settled and the once violently rocking boat slowly stopped being such a nuisance. Ava blinked from behind a curtain of her short blonde hair and turned to Yuna, "And here your friend said you were new at this. I feel so much better now, thank you."

Yuna nodded, "My friend here is Wakka. He is one of my Guardians."

Ava tried and failed at a smile. She had never been good at showing emotion, "Well, Wakka, I thank you. The sea has never been kind to me." She turned to Yuna, "And, young Summoner, I must implore to you the greatest and deepest gratitude. You are going to the Kilika, are you not?"

Wakka took on a hardened expression that appeared so foreign on his face.

"Yes," said Yuna, slowly, as if choosing each word carefully before saying anything, "I come from the temple in Besaid. I am only just starting my pilgrimage."

Ava smiled at the young Summoner, an idea sparked in her mind, "And to Luca beyond?" When Yuna nodded, Ava continued, "Then allow for me to travel with you. The Kilika woods can be a nasty place, even with a Guardian. I too am going to Luca."

"Yuna don't need any more Guardians." Wakka said firmly.

Ava's smile faded, "Not a Guardian." She shook her head, "Think of me as a comrade. I'll be needing the Lady's help from here to Luca, it is the least I can do to offer my services to her in compensation. Besides, I don't want to get tangled in the affairs of the temples…" She turned to the sea and sighed, "Not again, at least."

"You were a Guardian to another Summoner?" Yuna asked with a certain child like wonder.

"Once, long ago."

"We'll have to talk it over with the others." Wakka finally said.

Bring it on, thought Ava.

The S.S. Liki was a large, flat ship. Wide white sails for gulls to screech and play through, a small bridge and a large area underneath. The once seasick Ava now found herself in a small room down below the wide open skies, trapped in a room with five other people, each as outrageously dressed as the last.

Ava took each one in with care, having been previously introduced as she, Yuna and Wakka had collected the rabble of Guardians from various parts of the ship.

The very sour-faced Lulu, garbed in a black outfit and a skirt made entirely of belts. As Ava took a glance at her chest, she honestly wondered if the woman had back problems, but for fear of her own physical wellbeing, kept the comment to herself.

The elegant and silent blue furred Ronso, Kimahri. A lion-like frame on wide back legs, white silver hair and very tribal clothing. She was sickly at ease around Ronso people, having to spend so long with them on Gagazet. Some small part of Ava knew that this one was familiar…

Then her eyes fell to the child-like Tidus. She had to hold herself back on this one, his very presence made her nervous. She knew who he was before anyone had said anything. This was Sir Ject's son. The cry baby. A nasally voice and outlandish clothes, lots of zippers and nets with the spiky blonde hair.

"A comrade?" Asked Lulu incredulously, "Why do we need her?"

Yuna stood by Ava's side, obviously defending the offer, "How will one more pair of hands impede us? Besides, she says she was a Guardian long ago."

Lulu turned her red-violet eyes on Ava's frame. "To whom?"

Ava remained stock still, and folded her arms over her chest. "My apologies, friend, but for my own reasons I would dare not speak of my past." She shook her head, "It's not a kind place for me to revisit. Let me just say, he was a brave and valiant man."

"I don't believe you." Stated the black mage calmly, shrugging one of her long black braids behind her shoulder.

Ava glared the woman down, "I never said you had to believe me. I am only offering my companionship to Luca. We're to travel together until then anyway, so there is no reason to do so without each others help."

There was a long silence, and the tension in the room slowly grew as the two stiff figured women sized each other up and glared one another down. Finally, the Ronso stood between them, and stared at the wall seemingly without purpose, "I believe her."

Everyone seemed slightly taken aback by the otherwise silent creature. He turned, and moved back to the wall in which he had been leaning on, spear clasped tightly in one hand.

"If she moves out of line, we're all right there to protect Yuna." Tidus said, his sharp voice quelling the final strings of tension held in the room, "You guys trusted me, you know?"

There was a silent agreement infectious throughout the room. Some piece of the story that Ava knew she was missing from this boy. Ject's son. The missing page in her story.

Slowly, one by one, the Guardians filtered out. Tidus, then Lulu, then Wakka and Yuna, until only Ava and Kimahri remained.

The wood of the board groaned out loud, shattering the silence of the small room as everything slowly tilted to one side. The room fell silent once more. "Thank you, old friend." Ava finally said to the blue feline.

Though the Ronso said nothing out loud, his eyes said everything. He knew what was about to happen, he knew that this woman who stood so close to him held many an untold secret, that she had rebellion in her heart. Rebellion against Sin… Rebellion against the man who had stolen her revived heart… The Ronso secretly knew that everything was about to fall apart, and from the pieces, who knew what could be rebuilt.

An hour later, and poor Ava was hanging back over the ships railing. She had nothing more to bring up, but it was still natural for her to flee to the edge of the boat. Although, such manners brought back powerful memories for the woman, vivid recollections…

A man who sat laughing behind her, a small and rare chuckle from him that should have comforted her. He knew all too well of her sensitive seasickness, and found it amusing. She allowed herself to be lost in these memories for a moment, when more footsteps made her look up.

Tidus was moving up the stairs towards the mast of the ship. The boy was alone, and Ava took this opportunity to stumble after him on wobbly legs. She climbed the stairs and was instantly regretting her decision; as she got higher up, the motions of the rocking boat increased and made her feel all the worse.

Tidus looked up as the woman stumbled into the mast and held on. He was laughing a little bit, "You don't look so good."

"That appears to be the general consensus." She admitted with failed humor. She paused a moment, gauging the rocking of the boat before she stumbled up beside him and held to the railing now, "I hate boats…" she muttered to herself, "With disdain and passion, I loathe these Yevon awful contraptions!"

Tidus was laughing again, and she shook her head at him.

"You…are Ject's son, are you not? A boy from Zanarkand?" Tidus sobered up immediately.

He sighed, and produced the excuse she felt he had practiced unwillingly time and time again, "I got too close to Sin, the toxin made my head fuzzy."

Ava shook her head. "You're a poor liar." She said, making the boy look up at her, "I knew Ject. I too thought that he was crazy the first time he spoke of being from Zanarkand. Being from my Zanarkand. I tested him, bombarded him with questions until I came to no other terms, except that he was telling the truth."

Tidus blinked, his mouth hung open in disbelief, "You're from Zanarkand?" he gaped.

Ava sighed and clutched the railing a little harder as she fought back waves of nausea and bad memories that threatened her sanity, "Once. Several lifetimes ago."

Confused, Tidus shook his head, "Lemme guess, you're gonna say that my old man was some great person, right?" he drawled, "And that I should respect him and honor him and all that?"

At this, Ava laughed. A real laugh that made her double over the post she clung to. When she straightened back up to look at the confused blonde male beside her, she was still smiling wondrously, "A great person? Hardly! He was pompous and arrogant, self-centered and greedy! He always tried to make everyone around him bow to his excellence, but oh he hated it when I could name off his record of defeats, back in Zanarkand." Ava shook her head again, "But that doesn't mean he didn't change. He never stopped being 'Ject,' but he also turned into a hero of sorts…"

Tidus was staring out at the ocean, "You really did know my old man…" he said, "He brought you here?"

Ava shook her head, "Too many stories that don't need telling." She admitted just before another wave of nausea brought her to her knees, "Ugh… I gotta find Yuna."

Tidus smiled and offered out a gloved hand, "Come on, I'll help ya."

She took the offered hand and let the boy guide her down to the lower part of the ship, where thankfully her nausea slowly eased up. They headed to the front of the boat, where the sun was strong, and the white mage stood amid a group of spectators. Wakka and Lulu stood sentient by the bridge, and Kimahri faithfully by her side.

She and Tidus pushed through the small crowd and up to Yuna, who knew what was needed the second she saw Ava's green face.

Yuna gave a small giggle, as if some part of her knew that the one-thousand year old Avamarine, struck down by mild seasickness was an amusing sight to behold. She took up her staff and gave it a wave with a small muttered prayer, and Ava took in the cool and gentle air quickly made the ill feeling shrink away in fear.

Slowly Ava straightened, and the crowd around them was dissipating quickly as the players returned to their practice, and the commoners fled under the Ronso's powerful glare. "Thank you, Lady Yuna." Ava gave the bow everyone was familiar with, folding her hands in a circle before her stomach and gave a deep bow. "I'm swearing off ships after this." She said with a small chuckle.

Yuna was smiling, but her eyes strayed from Ava's face, to Tidus. Ava suddenly knew that this wasn't her place to be, "Thank you once more lady Summoner." Yuna smiled at her before Ava turned to move away.

"It's not often you see someone travelling all alone." Ava paused as she passed Lulu, who had not looked up from watching Yuna and Tidus just out of hearing distance, "There's something different about you. I don't like it."

"Most people don't." Admitted Ava, "I'm not here to stay, you know. I'm just accompanying the Lady to Luca. Then I'm on my own again."

Lulu fell silent once more.

Although, Wakka apparently overheard, "Why you headed to Luca anyway?"

Ava smiled at the native, a frightening smile, "Why, for the tournament of course." She said, though it was an obvious lie.

"You don't look like a fan to me." Wakka said, waving his big hand.

Ava shrugged, "Fans are supposed to look a certain way?" With that, she started away when the sea gave an uneasy churn.

The woman stopped dead where she was as a ripple echoed through her heart.

"Sin…" she whispered, so soft it was hardly audible. Lulu turned her head up at the sound as Ava turned and ran out towards the front of the ship, "SIN!" she shrieked, sending a wave of fear down everyone's spine. Everyone was suddenly on full alert as Ava leapt onto one of the rail posts, balancing almost inhumanly atop it.

She stared out at the quiet sea as everyone slowly calmed down. They didn't feel what she did. They didn't see it, but she felt it.

"Hey, hey!" Wakka bellowed, "The hell were you thinkin'? You don't just call –"

The sea groaned and gave a massive churn as one enormous fin split the waters just over a hundred yards away. Ava's heart sped up, and she quickly glanced behind her as Kimahri lunged for Yuna, as all the Guardians fell into formation.

Some of the Kilika men ran for the harpoon, and were aiming at the monster in futility.

Ava turned her eyes back on the monster, "SIN! It's been fifty years! You're not running away from me again!"

The harpoons launched from their resting place and screamed through the air until they dug firmly into the fin. The boat lurched, and Ava only just heard the sounds of protest as she ran to the prow of the ship, and threw herself into the sea…

It had been fifty years since she last saw Sin. There were so few times that Sin would dare be near the woman, she repelled him in every sense. But Ava had felt it. Ava knew deep in some part of her that Sin's desire to end the boy was far more deeply rooted that Yevon's desire to flee Ava.

Through the crystal clear waters, Ava gazed upon the created monster. The pain and suffering of Spira. The bane of her existence for the last thousand years.

The whale like monster turned his great head to look back at her as she swam towards him. She summoned up her magic and threw her arms behind her. Great jets of water formed, propelling her forward faster than the powerful lug could flee her. Except…Ava could not breathe underwater like some of the people…

She held her breath as best she could. She didn't even know what she would do if she caught the beast, except to perhaps have the satisfaction of being close enough to frighten it.

Ava quickly discovered, though, she the pressure was too much. Her air supply was quickly lost as she grasped onto the monster's flabby gray skin, tightening her fists around the locking mechanisms in her palms which released the foot-long blades that lodged into the creature's skin.

As the world went dark, all that Avamarine could see was the fading form of the monster just before it reared out of the water…