What I See
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X. It belongs to Square-Enix. Nor do I claim ownership for the song "What I See." It belongs to the awesome Lacuna Coil.
Hope sees the invisible. It achieves the impossible. If in doubt…there are no limits.-Lacuna Coil
Tidus gazed at the devastation around him, simply trying to take it all in. It was beyond anything he had ever imagined. The sheer destructive power that the creature had left in its wake was awe-inspiring. He didn't remember anything after he and Wakka had fought that…thing underwater. He had no idea what it had been. After the fight, he'd ended up in laying in Yuna's lap without quite knowing how he'd gotten there. It had all happened so fast. However, her words still echoed in his mind. "I will defeat Sin. I must defeat Sin." He could remember hearing the hard determination in her soft voice.
Hear what I say
I'm gonna get out of my mind where I'm going to
Be on your way your spirit is crawling after
Will I disappear?
After he'd recovered with an antidote, he stepped off the boat and he watched as Yuna rushed off the boat in a hurry. She'd said something about performing a sending, and the people had seemed grateful to her as they eagerly gathered around. Then he watched as she left with the crowd. He could see that they were already starting to rebuild, so soon after the…catastrophe. No, wait. Catastrophe wasn't the right word. Catastrophe didn't even begin to cover it. Chaos. Calamity. Ruin. Tragedy. All these words, all these adjectives, ran through his mind. None of them quite seemed to cover it. None of them could quite adequately describe the horror that had transpired here.
Everything dies nothing to worry about
Everything goes on goes on goes on
Morbidly curious, he ran along the dock until he approached Lulu, the leather-clad black mage that always seemed to carry herself with a quiet elegance and an air of sorrow. She was a woman of few words, though well spoken and eloquent. She was not one to mince words. She was also as intimidating as all hell when she stood over Yuna like a female dragon, and one glare from her single visible red eye was enough to make Tidus keep his distance from the beautiful summoner.
I just don't know why everything has to go away
I just don't know why everything has to fade away
I cannot escape there's nothing more I can do
I just don't know why do I need you?
As he slowed to a walk and came up next to the usually laconic black mage, he finally asked her his question. "Uhhh…what's a sending? Are we going somewhere?" He'd never heard of such a thing. Letting out an irritated sigh, Lulu answered him. "You truly are clueless. Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?" She retorted with a touch of sarcasm as she turned her head to look at him. "The dead need guidance." She began, hertone softeningas she turned back to look out on the sea, continuing with her explanation.
See what I see
I'm gonna get out of my mind where I'm going to
...no more no more
I'm ready to go serene to find
there's nothing to hold to reach you
Then, they both turned their gazes toward the sea as the ceremony began. He watched as she walked out onto the water, the decorated coffins floating beneath the surface. All of them different shapes, all different sizes. She looked about her, sadness written across her face as she prepared herself to perform her unhappy duty. Then, she closed her eyes, and the dance began. First, she began to wave her staff in great arcs, every movement precise. She began to focus her energies as the dance became more complicated, more intricate. Her movements were…hypnotic. Willowy. Tidus watched, unable to tear his eyes away from her. As she performed her sending dance, he began to see the souls emerging from the coffins, their poignant, haunting cries echoing through the sea, reaching the ears of their loved ones. Cries of anger, cries of sorrow, cries of grief and unspeakable despair emanated from the coffins.
Everything dies nothing to worry about
Everything goes on goes on goes on
He watched as the survivors clung to one another, sobbing. Those that had lost mothers, daughters, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, cousins, siblings-many who had lost everything. He felt pity stir in his heart and could not even begin to imagine the suffering they had endured. The torches next to them erupted into blue flames and he turned to look, momentarily startled. Then he turned his attention back to the spectacle before him and watched as a wave erupted from the sea, and the souls floated away, towards the Farplane and eternal rest. Yuna pointed her staff downwards, and the dance was over.
I just don't know why everything has to go away
I just don't know why everything has to fade away
I cannot escape there's nothing more I can do
I just don't know why do I need you?
Yuna walked out of the sea, seemingly weary after finishing theheartbreaking ritual. Finally, now that it was over, Tidus spoke. "It must be tough, being a summoner."
Lulu answered. "Yuna chose her own path. She knew, from the beginning, what it meant." Her tone was cold, matter-of-fact. "All we can do is protect her along the way. Until the end." She was interrupted. "Until the…end?" Asked Tidus in confusion. "What's the end?" All the people that had been gathered around Yuna turned to look at him, in unison, includingYuna herself. With a sigh, Lulu threw her arms up in the air in a gesture of exasperation. "Until she defeats Sin." She said curtly, her patience with him clearly exhausted as she left him standing there to attend to her young charge.
I just don't know why everything has to go away
I just don't know why everything has to fade away
I cannot escape there's nothing more I can do
I just don't know why do I need you?
"Oh." Was his reply. Yuna ran up to Lulu, an anxious look on her face. "I hope…I hope I did okay." Lulu smoothed back her hair in a motherly fashion. "You did very well!" She said approvingly. "They've reached the Farplane by now. But…no more tears next time, hm?" Tidus felt sickened. He hoped that there would never be a "next time." No more violence. No more death. No more suffering. No more sendings. It was all too awful. And, he came to a realization, then, as they all stared at Yuna. He could see the desperation, the terror in their eyes of the great menace known only as "Sin." And Yuna was all that stood between them and that awful thing. Their one and only defense. She carried Spira's salvation on her delicate shoulders. It was a terrible burden that she was forced to bear. She was their final, fragile hope. Her, and so many others like her. Every summoner carried this terrible burden. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel the weight of her duty, her obligation, to the people of Spira. She was willing to make any sacrifice necessary for her people.
It wasn't until later that he would learn the sickening truth of just what kind of sacrifice would be required of her.
Fin
AN: Errr yeah… I know, kinda angsty/depressing. But while listening to the song and the lyrics I got the image of Yuna performing the sending in Kilika. It's one of my favorite scenes in the game because it's so emotional and powerful. I find it profoundly moving and sad. Hope you liked! Reviews and constructive criticism appreciated! (I know, it could have been better. Please, no flames.)