Author's Note:
Hello, before I go on, I would like to say this takes place after Final Fantasy X-2's common ending and a year after Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. This is a canon divergent meaning some things will be altered, such as Gaia and Spira being part of the same world as continents, and many other things you'll discover along the story. I hope you enjoy.

001: Start.

There were a few things she couldn't seem to understand—one seemed to be about these strange rumors of a race other than the Al Bheds, of an old race capable of communicating with the earth beneath their feet, with the planet itself. Another of a more 'technology advanced' continent, that even the Al Bhed have come to wonder about in both envy and amazement. But again, they were nothing but rumors. There were many secrets of this world, and she has yet to explore it all. Though Yuna hadn't thought about it at all, nor had she known of the existence of how large her world can exactly be. It all started with a journal.

One sunny, silent, and slow day, Yuna raided through her parents' old belongings locked away in a chest hidden somewhere in the temple, pesky thing was always hard to open though. However one day, as if by some miracle, she found the key to the lock in her own belongings. Sadly, being occupied with saving her homeland, with personal issues that seemed to have been added to that, along with maintaining her "celebrity" status and tending to others had her too busy to really give her enough time to do anything for herself anymore. But now, she was able to find that missing key to her parents' chest as it was tugged away in her old things, and now, she was able to open said chest and explore every inch of it. It was nice to step back and visit memory lane. While most of their past had been troubled due their race and many criticisms among their society, they were good people, they were her parents from what little she remembers of them.
The chest contained small trinkets, fabrics, clothing, and even photographs of the past and familiar faces, including a couple of her parents.
Though there was a photo in particular she didn't seem to quite understand, a face she had never seen before, along with scenery that seemed so unfamiliar, and she could tell, there was something really different about this picture.

A single woman smiled in the picture, she donned strange yet simple looking clothing, such as a red dress with a purple sash tied to the waist. Parts of her long, thick light brown wavy hair flowed in the wind, and she viewed the younger woman with her blue eyes; it certainly caught Yuna's attention. But…who was she? Why had there been a photo of her in her parents' belongings? Clearly, it was someone either of them knew. Then, she found her father's journal; a small, leather book with crisp pages smooth and soothing to the touch, the scent brought back a lot of blurred memories that ran through her mind, memories that she desperately tried to remember – it was her father's scent. It's been so long, her emotions build up inside her, practically leaving her in tears. She opened and took note at how fragile the pages were, how yellowed they had been with old age; she could still make out the words just fine though...
It mostly told of daily everyday things at Bevelle, trouble at Bevelle, and spoke of her Al Bhed mother too. A beautiful and understanding woman who seemed to radiate with kindness and creativity that somehow separated her from other women he's come with contact with. She hadn't cared nor judged him for who he was as the Al Bhed and Yevonites had always done with each other, all that mattered was that she was there for him, that she cared and listened. That was what Braska wrote in his journal. She felt her heart overwhelming again, her father had written passages of his life that she could drink in and it felt wonderful.

Yuna turned each page with care, she continued to read, her finger brushing against every word written on each page, and then she paused. A particular name had been written upon the page with her father's handwriting – Ifalna. It was a beautiful but a name she hadn't heard of before, a name she hadn't recognized at all from any stories of her father or anyone among her. In the writing, it said Ifalna was friendly, creative, funny, and kinder than the rest of the civilization of the 'land far from Spira'. She was a woman so different from the rest that he could immediately sense it as they first met, a woman with a unique gift that humans have lost centuries ago; she was a Cetra. She kept repeating the word over and over again in her head, any memories of this word had been a complete blur but she knew she had heard this word before in her life, but from where she cannot recall.

As she read on, she learned more of this Ifalna, of her heritage and her abilities, of her relationship with her father and how they came to meet each other. He was lost, others shunned, only one woman actually took the time to speak to him and hear of his questions, in fact, she did much more than that, she befriended him. Braska explained how he felt strangely drawn to her, she was highly different among the rest and he hadn't known why, other than she was incredibly polite and easy to speak with.
She was just like her, Yuna's mother, whom he had already known at the time. Ifalna reminded him so much of her and that made him miss her even more. So Yuna could rule out that this Ifalna woman had been a past lover to her father but by the way he described her he still cared very much for her as a friend.
When he arrived in Gaia, a mixture of all sorts of interesting people blended in, different cultures and races had spread around, it was an amazing sight; it was then that Yuna had learned the technology rumors had been true. Though this 'vacation' had its up and its downs – people knew how different Braska had been, how different he dressed and looked, they often glared at him for it. But Ifalna didn't. Eventually Braska had returned to his own homeland of Spira to meet up with Yuna's mother again, it was then he had decided that no matter how different he was to her, no matter how different she was to him, and no matter how many living creatures populated this large, large world they have yet to explore entirely – he loved her, so he proposed to her.

Other pages far ahead continued to mention usual things, conflict caused by her parents' engagement, letters in which he wrote to Ifalna that often arrived weekly as best as they could. Letters…
Yuna's mismatched colored eyes left the pages of the journal looking back at the chest that contained the old belongings, her hand brushed away a cloth and pushed aside knickknacks, a pile of envelopes lied stacking beneath one another. "Are these the letters…?" She murmured to herself, plucking the first one from the pile, her father's name had been written on the front in feminine writing. This had to be it; this had to be the letter that Braska spoke of. Gently, she opened up the envelope, taking the parchment out and unfolding it, she immediately began to scan the words written there.

Braska,
I hope this reached you, I have no clue how the courier will manage to travel all the way to Spira and find you, but I hope this reaches you somehow. It's been silent most of the time but…they've left me alone for now. They've captured me, Braska, imprisoned me for weeks! I couldn't even properly say goodbye to you… It's alright now; I managed to escape with the help of a man, he's a professor. We're traveling up north from here and we'll find somewhere to stay for a while. It is rough being the only one left of my race and for that I am heavily wanted by Shinra. But it's alright though, I'll be fine.
Maybe one day I can visit your home and get to know you and your girlfriend better, it would be nice to escape…
Take care,

Ifalna.

"Shrina…last of her race…" The letter was short and blossomed a lot of questions in Yuna's mind, this only made her reach for the next letter and continue reading.

Braska,
You shouldn't worry about me so much, I'm fine now! Professor Gast has found us a place to hide at Icicle Inn. You may have not been there before, you didn't travel too far but it's farther up north up in the mountains. I think you mentioned you had snowy mountains as well…Mount Gagazet, I believe? Oh, well, it's peaceful…for now. I'm glad my last letter got to you though, I was worried it wouldn't. Your letter put me in good spirits; I just hope Shinra doesn't end up tracking down these letters. I might be able to convince Gast to travel further so we can see you. A place that Shinra cannot touch…I know your home has problems too, but anywhere I'm not being pursued is fine by me.

I wish to see you again,

Ifalna.

P.S. Congratulations on the engagement!

Two letters down, another to go…

I'm so tired,
Professor Gast recorded me today, and he wanted to hear everything about the Cetra. You remember the stories I told you as well, right? After all, it was just the same story. We spoke so much our throats were sore by the end of the day. You spoke of Sin; I spoke of the Calamity of the Sky…
We both suffered, our people have suffered together, and we'll continue to suffer, won't we? The Cetra have all come together and tried their best to keep this planet safe, and then our numbers grew limited. It seems that danger is unavoidable sometimes.
I hope your peace returns, I hope I find my own peace too. I am lonely but Gast is with me. You are with me too. I don't know what I would do without you two.

Ifalna

…

Braska,
it's been a while, I meant to write sooner but so much has happened.
You should know, Gast and I are…very much in love. He understands me like no one else does, kind of like you. He was the only one to help me rather than use me; he cares about me – Ifalna the person, not Ifalna the 'Ancient'. It's only fair that you know, you also have someone very special to you (have you gone through the wedding yet? I would love to hear details!)and I have to tell you that I'm pregnant. I'm already starting to show and knew I had to write you; wanted to tell you as soon as I found out but I recently got your response, and Gast hardly lets me lift a finger, says I need to concentrate on resting, he's so silly sometimes. Braska, do you have children yet? I would like our children to be friends one day; I would like to watch them play together…
Ifalna

…

How are you, have you been busy?
I just got your letter! You must've been as you sound quite occupied for a priest. I'm so sorry to hear things are still hard for you but I'm sure you'll turn out just fine; after all, things are starting to look up for me. What incredible timing I end up receiving your letter just this morning, I had my baby two weeks ago! It's really been a long time, hasn't it? I've missed speaking with you and maybe now that my daughter is born I can finally convince Gast to travel to Spira to meet up with you again. Don't try to talk me out of it; I've made up my mind! Nor Sin or Shinra can stop me from seeing you. I really want you to meet her…

I miss you, and once Aerith is a little older I want to see you again. Will you wait for me?
Ifalna.

The letters end there, there hadn't been very many but they had already sparked so much questions, as well as concerns. There was a woman out there – a woman and her daughter who probably never saw Yuna's father again. The letters stopped and she could only assume…he never got the chance to write her back. The letters didn't exactly state a clear date of which they were sent, but she could only theorize that her father simply stopped receiving them, they've developed incredibly busy lives, or he died before he can properly reply to her. A tiny idea popped to her head and she wondered if she could write this woman back…but how would she even begin to find where she might've been? This was the first she heard of the continent called Gaia.

For the longest time, all she wanted and all she needed was another purpose to move forward to.
Determination lit a fire inside her and she set out of her home, into the sunny island breeze of Besaid Island's day.
It was time for her to go on a trip.