Illusions of Truth

we know what Yuna experienced in the Farplane glen, but what did Shuyin see?

I don't own FFX-2

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At last he'd made it to the Farplane, he was home after a fashion, at least, where he belonged as an Unsent. He hated his continued existence, couldn't stand every second he was parted from Lenne's side. But now, now he was one step closer to his ultimate goal, he was in the Farplane, it would only be a matter of time now until he found Vegnagun again and used it to destroy Spira, surely then, when the planet stopped existing anymore, he could rest.

Though there were some amusements, those three louts he'd allowed to survive his touch two years ago, for instance. The self-righteousness on the part of the white-haired Yevonite, the body in which he was existing now, had been particularly entertaining. The look on his face when the three-way stand-off had fallen into place, it had been all he could do to avoid laughing out loud. And the Al Bhed! His reaction had been the best of them all.

But enough of them. Nothing mattered anymore but his revenge, and the means of achieving it. The sooner he found Vegnagun, the sooner he could be with Lenne again.

Finally the mist he was moving through began to clear, and dimly, through the thinning cloud, a familiar female figure began to resolve itself. Could it be…? Was it… possibly… Lenne? He'd heard stories that thinking about a lost loved one on the Farplane caused an image of them to appear, or even possibly that they appeared in truth, though he'd never given much credence to those tales. Lenne had loved them, loved any legend, song, or story that related in any way to the summoner's arts. He'd never had much time for them, not between Blitzball, his music, and his love, though he was always willing to listen to whatever Lenne wanted to teach him.

The mist finally cleared away completely, revealing a face and body he'd never forgotten. There she was, standing before him, wearing her favorite blue performing outfit that she'd died in, but it had never looked more beautiful on her for all the ugly connotations in his memories, an expression of disbelieving joy on her face. He'd found her, they wouldn't have to wait to be together until after he purified Spira with Vegnagun, and then they could disappear together when everything was over. Lenne would understand his reasons, she always understood him. She'd always supported him, like he had her. The relief was heavy in his voice as he said, half in a whisper, "I've finally found you."

She spoke. "Is that… really you?" hope lightening her voice. He thought his heart would burst with joy, at seeing her, at hearing her lovely, incomparable voice. And no, he was not biased in any way right now. At least three tabloids a week had raved the exact same thing when they'd been alive and been able to dedicate their lives almost exclusively to music and Blitz.

He smiled indulgently at her question. "It is me, Shuyin. " He paused, then continued, the weight of all the years apart in his voice. "I've waited so long, Lenne."

For some reason she turned away from him at that, but it didn't matter. Nothing did, except her, and Vegnagun. "Lenne, we disappeared together, but when I awoke, I was alone." He entreated; tying to get her to turn around and let him see her face again, a note of heaviness entering his voice at the mere thought of those interminable ages separated from her side. "I looked for you for so long." His voice tried to show her just how agonizing those endless years had been.

Still no response. Undeterred, he continued on. "While I wandered, I realized something. Spira hasn't really changed at all." Almost against his will, his voice dropped, letting a note of danger and disgust enter it. "Everyone's still fighting over nothing, people are still dying like they used to." He paused, then hammered the next point home. "A thousand years have passed, and they can't leave the hatred behind!"

Again she didn't respond. That didn't matter, he would still tell her his plans, just like they used to. The one time he didn't share, the one time he'd planed and excused an operation without Lenne's involvement, he'd gotten her killed, so there was no way he would leave her uninformed now. "I'm through waiting. I'll fix it." He promised.

"This world continues to fail us, and what's worse, I failed to protect you." He pressed on, willing her to understand his point. "Vegnagun will make that all go away." A fist clenched in solemn promise of his resolve, then relaxed, because there was no way he'd make even the slightest threatening gesture in Lenne's presence, even if she was annoyed with him for some reason. He couldn't think of any at the moment, with the exception of letting her die like she had, but he'd have time to make amends once Spira was gone, once everything was gone. "Then we'll fade again, together." He promised. He was right behind her, within touching distance of that smooth skin he so loved. He couldn't help himself he had to feel it under his gloves again. "Help me do it, Lenne." He entreated, gathering her up in his arms.

For a long moment they stayed like that, pressed close together like they hadn't been for millennia. Abruptly he felt the need to see her face again and pulled away briefly, then folded her back into his arms as she relaxed into them, cradled to his chest, feeling her perfect form flush against him. For that moment, he felt peace settle into his heart, the aching loneliness that had been his constant companion for far too long temporally banished by her presence.

Abruptly, the moment was shattered, as his former host urgently shouted "Open your eyes." Lenne gasped, then jerked away like she had forgotten who he was, sinking to her knees in shock. He relaxed his hold, aware always of her comfort, then daggers glared at the two intruders. Just who he'd thought they'd be, the Cripple and the Al Bhed, so they had followed him into the Farplane like he'd thought they might, and they'd finally caught up to him. Just to torment them further, he let slip the semblance of his true appearance and let them see their friend, the self-righteous Yevonite who had once been so horrified at his actions. Let them see their friend one last time, before he destroyed them all. It was more than he'd received when he'd died.

He exerted his will upon the pyreflies, using all his might as a powerful Unsent to forge them into a conduit to straight to Vegnagun. He sneered at his host's friends as the vortex began to from, a poisoned tunnel that held the shortcut to Vegnagun's hiding place. "The end is not far now," he told them spitefully, all he dared to say or do to them in Lenne's presence. And no matter how she seemed to have forgotten him, he knew that she would come around before long, and she hated to see him jealous. Like she'd told him on multiple occasions, while all her fans loved her, and she loved them to a certain extent, the only one who held her heart was him. He couldn't count the number of times he'd been in the doghouse with her before she'd pounded it through his skull that he was in no danger of losing her heart, no matter how many young men haunted her steps, that his jealously put that at greater risk than anything. She hated to see him jealous. More to spare her the sight than any other reason, he turned and left, Lenne would know how to find him later, he'd leave the pathway open for her to follow. And maybe, just maybe, if his host's friends followed him before she did, then perhaps he could dispose of them in a way she wouldn't find out when she followed.

He walked through the portal, toward Vegnagun, and his vengeance.

//\\

Owari

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A little peak into Shuyin's mind during that famous scene. I hope I did a good job, of all the final fantasy villains Shuyin is my favorite. Seymour is ridiculous, Sephiroth, too insane to take seriously, Ulimecia is a joke, Sin and Yu Yevon are more animal than human, but Shuyin? Of all of them, Shuyin is the only one who honestly scares me. He's human, not obviously insane, if obsessed. He also doesn't have anything to lose, he's already lost everyting and has brooded on that loss until it has become his existence. And as his mind is still intact, he is capable of committing untold cruelty and it still wouldn't be enough for him. All he wants to do , really, is to die, but that becomes difficult when you consider that he's already dead and the rest that the dead hope to enjoy is denied to him. Thus, he'll do anything to get it, and the only check on his actions, Lenne, isn't around to stop him. Thus, scary.

Just a quick drabble, something the bunny bit me with and I tried to get down before it disappeared on me. Hope you enjoy.

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