(A/N: Sorry this took so long to get posted xXWolfMan95xX, but I hope you enjoy it. I agree Kimahri needs more love too since he was such a cool character. And I figured I'd start closer to where he first appears so Sarah could meet him sooner. :3)


So then it wasn't a dream. I really am in another world….

Ocean blue eyes gazed around the good sized hut after the person they belonged to had sat up on the small pink and green sheeted bed where she had previously been resting, a sigh leaving her lips.

Sarah still couldn't fathom how this had happened, but she had been whisked away to another world known as Spira alongside her younger brother, Tidus, after their home had been attacked by a monster known as Sin. Not only was this world completely different from Zanarkand with its rather unusual customs, but it seemed much more dangerous as well. And if it hadn't been for a man called Wakka who had offered to help them after they had washed ashore on the island known as Besaid, they would probably be completely lost in this unfamiliar land.

Another sigh left Sarah's lips while she ran a hand through her long brown locks, and she glanced over at Tidus who was sprawled out on a rather short couch, snoring away as the slightly amusing sight made her chuckle and shake her head.

"Tidus! Tidus! I hate to wake you, but it looks like Wakka's gone," Sarah called out, gently shaking the blond haired teen once she was beside him.

"Ugh…But it's too early for blitz ball practice, sis…." Tidus moaned out, turning in his sleep and right off the couch where he let out a yelp of surprise.

"You alright?" Sarah asked through light giggles, holding out a hand to help the goofball up with.

"Yeah…Man, I was having such a weird dream…!" Tidus sighed out, after he was back on his feet. He stretched while letting out a long yawn before looking around. "Where did Wakka go?"

"I'm not sure, but I thought he said he'd have supper ready for us when we awoke," Sarah said softly, placing a finger against her lip thoughtfully. "Hope nothing happened…."

Tidus frowned at this, running out of the hut with Sarah close behind. Seeing no one else in the small village around made things seem a bit more unnerving, and the two headed for the temple; the largest place in the village and the most likely place where everyone would be.

I'll never get over how mysterious this place is Sarah thought when entering the grand and barely lit building. The statues standing around were a bit on the creepy side, yet the temple was rather soothing to the blue eyed girl mainly because of the gentle hymn that resounded throughout the place.

Sarah's attention turned off the people who were praying in front of the statues or whispering in panicked voices, and onto Wakka who seemed to be talking to the head priest of the temple. Yet the priest walked away when Tidus and her approached them. She figured it was because Tidus and her had gotten close to Sin and had apparently been affected by his toxin. At least, that was the lie they were having to go with. It was more believable than trying to tell people they came from Zanarkand, a place that no longer existed in this world, even if it hurt seeing people looking at them with both pity and fear….

"Is something wrong?" Tidus asked with a hint of concern.

"The summoner hasn't returned from the trial," Wakka said in a murmur, a deep frown on his face. "Well, apprentice summoner, really…"

"Ah!" Tidus said, still not quite sure what was going on, though.

"There's a room in there called the Cloister of Trials. Beyond is where the apprentice summoner prays," Wakka continued to explain, looking over at a staircase that led to a door the head priest had previously been blocking. "If the prayer is heard, the apprentice becomes a full fledged summoner, remember?"

"Eh…So, someone is in there somewhere and they haven't come back out. Right, I got it," Tidus said with an understanding nod.

"A days already gone by,"

"Is it particularly…dangerous in there?" Tidus questioned with a small frown.

"Sometimes, yes." Wakka affirmed in a quiet tone.

"Can't you go in and help?" Sarah asked, a frown of concern appearing on her own fair features.

Wakka just shook his head and placed his hand on his hip. "There's already guardians in there. Besides, its forbidden."

Sarah just let out a small huff of frustration, surprising both Tidus and Wakka when she started to run up the stairs, but turned to look back at Wakka with an incomprehensible expression.

"Forbidden or not, if someone's in danger, you should at least try to help them instead of just standing around doing nothing!"

"The precepts must be obeyed!" the priest yelled out, looking at Sarah like he had never met someone like her before.

Sarah just ignored him and the shocked gasps from the villagers, running inside of the trial grounds. When coming to a small area, the walls covered with strange glowing symbols that she couldn't recognize, she wondered if maybe her decision had been too rash?

"Wow, sis! I never expected you to do something crazy like that!" Tidus exclaimed, causing the brown haired girl to jump since she hadn't even heard him enter. "But guess we think the same. There was no way I was going to just stand around either!"

Sarah placed a hand on her chest and smiled faintly. "Well, maybe I got a little carried away, but I just can't understand these silly laws of theirs…I just hope we can figure out how to reach the summoner…."

"This place doesn't look too difficult to solve," Tidus mused, walking over and touching what looked like a door, only to jump back a bit startled when it glowed and a green glyph appeared where the words on the far wall had once been.

Sarah tilted her head, touching the glyph where a light gasp left her lips since the wall violently shook before opening to reveal a hidden passageway. She exchanged a look with her brother before the two of them nodded; Tidus taking the lead as they headed further into the Cloister of Trials.

Using spheres to help them overcome the trials, the two soon made it to a circular area, yet a familiar voice turned their attention off the pedestal that was sinking into the ground and would no doubt lower them to another room.

"I didn't expect you to just run off like that, Sarah," Wakka said with a shake of his head, causing the young woman to rub awkwardly at the back of her neck. Seeing the slight guilty looks on their faces, Wakka sighed before moving to stand beside Tidus. "Hey, its okay. Only summoners, apprentice summoners, and their guardians can enter here. It's a tradition. Very important."

"So what about you?" Tidus inquired, peering at Wakka with a raised brow.

"Me? I'm a guardian." Wakka answered, shaking his head at the confused look on both of the siblings faces.

More than likely because of Wakka's arrival, the decorative red floor gave off a vibrant glow before slowly beginning to descend.

"Summoners go on a pilgrimage to pray at every temple in Spira," Wakka spoke up, stepping off the platform when it came to a shaky halt. "Guardians protect them. The guardians in there now…one of them's got a short fuse, and who knows what the other's thinking. Well, now that we've come this far…might as well go all the way!"

The first thing Sarah saw when they entered the surprisingly large room was a stern looking woman with her dark hair styled in cornrows that were pulled up into a tight bun, garbed in a black and grey dress that hung low to display her cleavage, sitting on some steps. She was beautiful, but from the look in her ruby red eyes, she clearly wasn't happy to see them.

"What are you doing here? Didn't think we'd be able to handle it?" she questioned coolly, her eyes locked directly on Wakka.

"No, it's uh…it's just…" Wakka tried to explain, but the tan skinned male looked completely lost for words as he ran a hand through his oddly orange colored hair. He leaned in closer to Tidus and whispered, "See, I told you she gets mad easily."

Sarah laughed lightly when Tidus and Wakka both froze up when the woman was upon them, blinking as her attention turned on the other figure in the room. Her eyes slightly widened seeing a blue furred male who had a very lion-like appearance. His white hair was pulled up into a ponytail, with braids on the sides, while his beard was also pure white. He was taller than anyone she had ever met before, not to mention quite muscular, and he seemed to be wearing nothing but leather straps that held up his armor that had a skull motif upon it.

When his piercing yellow eyes met hers, she couldn't help but blush and shyly look away since she knew it was rude of her to just stare at him like that, and she realized Wakka seemed to be trying to explain who Tidus and her were.

"So Lu, this is Tidus and his sister, Sarah. They washed up on shore and I've been helping them out. Seems they got attacked by Sin, so they forgot they weren't supposed to be in here…Anyways you two, this is Lulu and the quiet guy over there is Kimahri."

The woman known as Lulu seemed to be analyzing the two of them, wondering whether she could believe Wakka's words or not, but her attention, as did everyone's in the room, turned on the only door in the room that was slowly rising up.

A girl with shoulder length brown hair wearing clothes that reminded Sarah somewhat of a priestess, shakily emerged from the room. A hand moved to her exhausted looking face as she stumbled forward, and horrified gasps reverberated around the room as the young woman slowly began to fall forward.

Kimahri furrowed his brows, about to rush forward, but he was surprised when the girl Wakka had called Sarah had actually beaten him, gently catching Yuna in her arms. He had never expected someone to be quicker than him, especially a young human female.

"Are you alright?" Sarah asked in concern, wondering what the girl had to go through to end up in this state? She looked to be only around Tidus' age too….

Yuna gave a gentle nod, smiling gratefully at her unknown savior as she slowly stood up, dusting herself off before swishing her hair backwards; beaming at everyone in the room. "I've done it. I have become a summoner!"

Sarah smiled as the young summoner ran straight for Lulu who actually wore a small smile on her purple colored lips as she gently patted Yuna's head like an older sister would, but she blinked when Kimahri approached her, causing Sarah's cheeks to grow warm since it almost seemed like he was studying her before he was holding out a hand to help her down the steps.

"Thank you." Sara said, sending the male a kind smile before taking his hand, surprised by how warm and soft it was. The feeling oddly enough sent a shiver down her back, not realizing Kimahri was experiencing the same sensation.


"I still can't believe that's the summoner. Here I thought they would be old geezers," Tidus mumbled when Sarah and him followed Yuna and the others back through the trial toward the exit.

Sarah just chuckled seeing Tidus staring at Yuna's back in a slight daze, their group being met with a large crowd who instantly began doing the odd prayer that seemed custom here when seeing their new summoner. It made Sarah wonder how they would feel if they knew it was just a simple gesture people did to wish their favorite team good luck during blitz ball tournaments in her world?

"I'll put your transgression aside for now, let us celebrate the birth of a summoner!" the priest said when Sarah walked past him before he followed the others who had headed outside.

Sarah stuck her tongue out at the priest which made Tidus snicker before the two were heading outside where they saw Yuna standing in the middle of the village square. Sarah couldn't help but glance curiously over at Kimahri who seemed to be staying away from the crowd, but seeing Wakka with his arm locked around Tidus' neck as he dragged him to the front of the crowd, she followed after the two; not realizing Kimahri's orbs were watching her with curiosity.

"Ready!" Wakka called out to Yuna who's back was turned to them.

"Okay," Yuna replied back briefly, walking forward a few steps as she extended her arms, and the staff she held, above her head before bringing the staff down slowly in front of her, turning her body where the staff was now behind her as a magic circle appeared beneath her form.

Sarah watched in awe as a wyvern like creature appeared in the sky, soaring above them and causing the brown haired girl to slightly wince from the harsh gust of wind it caused before the creature was landing nearby its summoner.

Yuna hesitated for moment before reaching out to gently stroke the aeon's red feathered head, which let out a gutteral purr as it moved it's head in content from the affection it was receiving.

Sarah couldn't help but feel fascinated by the creature which she heard Yuna call Valefor, wishing she could touch it herself. Though when the aeon's eyes met hers, she couldn't help but blink as the creature actually approached her, causing the people around to back up in slight fear.

The aeon locked eyes with Sarah, and she could see the gentleness within them, keeping her own eyes on Valefor to show she wasn't afraid. Yet she didn't expect the aeon to actually nuzzle into her chest, and the affectionate gesture made her giggle while she hugged Valefor's head back.

"It seems she likes you," Yuna voiced a bit surprised, but a smile appeared on her face as she approached the two, gently resting her hand on the side of her aeon's neck.

"I'm glad. She's very beautiful," Sarah said, smiling back at Yuna before scratching lightly at Valefor's beak before the wyvern was floating up into the sky before disappearing.

The shock that had fallen over the crowd faded, and loud cheers erupted as Wakka and Lulu were the first to approach Yuna, praising her for mastering such a feat.

Sarah smiled faintly noticing that poor Yuna seemed a bit overwhelmed when the rest of the village surrounded her, glancing over at Tidus who was staring at her with an open mouth, and she giggled at this. Feeling another pair of eyes on her, she found that it was Kimahri, who also seemed a bit taken a back. Yet when he actually cracked a faint smile, Sarah blushed and sent him a small smile back, looking away and strangely feeling a warmness creeping up inside of her.