Author's Note and Disclaimer: Square Enix owns FFX-2. I own my characters and creativity that I have added to this.
It's been a long time, my friends. Welcome back. Now, please sit back, sip your favorite drink, and sink yourself into the sequel of "In My Arms" titled "Resurrection." You won't be disappointed.
Written in first person for Cynyr and third person for all other characters. Just as a reminder, Cynyr's name is Al Bhed and is pronounced: "KUaenae-ra" or "KU-near-a" if that's easier to say in your head. ;)
Chapter One
~Cynyr~
The Farplane was beautiful. A wonderful, peaceful plane for the dead...so very far away, yet so near to the living. It was hard for me at first; those first few months without him, without them, without anybody I truly knew. Ida said I could always look for my parents, but I was too scared. I wasn't so sure I wanted to see them. Would they even remember me? Just how young was I when they died? Too young.
They were faceless figures in my mind that I had never gotten a chance to see. It hardly bothered me that I had never known them, so why start looking for them now?
At war with myself -for the millionth time- as I walked slowly in a daze through the grasses; I barely noticed the other people around me, the Pyerflies I loved so much, or the voice that called my name somewhere behind me. Eventually, I came to the edge of the Farplane, to the Window, and sat down before I finally heard someone approach from behind.
"Where is your mind, Cynyr? I've been calling you for some time now." Startled, I spun around and looked up to find a beautiful woman called Ida, my foster mother. She smiled as she came to stand behind me and I stood up again.
I gave a small apologetic smile before looking back up at the Window, the impenetrable wall that separated us from the living. Just outside of it was where so many of the living went to visit in Guadosalam...to see their loved ones.
When we were summoned by the living the Pyerflies would form a motionless image of us before the caller. If we wanted to, we passed through a layer of consciousness and stood just behind the image to look upon those who called to us. We were even allowed to speak, though they could never hope to hear us. Unfortunately, I had yet to experience this.
"Why haven't any of them come?" I whispered, a hint of sadness in my voice. It's been at least two years.
"Perhaps they can't quite accept your death yet." Ida replied softly. She remained standing behind me, quiet and still. I looked down at my hands and began twisting at my fingers as the image of Auron entered my clouded and dazed mind.
"You miss him." Came Ida's voice again. I didn't reply for a moment as I closed my eyes and slowly let go of the image.
"I miss all of them." I finally answered and rubbed at the tattoos etched on the back of my left hand, absently. "As hard as it is for you to be here," she began again, "it is just as hard for them to accept your choice...your death."
"I guess..." I dropped my hands to my side before raising it to a Pyerfly that ventured close by.
As it twisted around my hand, I remembered the young blitzer from Zanarkand and asked, "I haven't seen Tidus around in a while." Though it sounded like a statement, it was meant as a question and Ida didn't reply right away. Frowning, I turned to look at her as the Pyerfly scurried away from my sudden movement.
"He's with Yuna now, isn't he?" Ida shifted her eyes before answering. "Yes." She sounded uncomfortable when she said it and I turned away from her before she could see the hurt and disappointment on my face.
"Isn't there any way back...for me?" I asked nervously, already anticipating the answer, but I still hoped.
"You are dead, Cynyr, unlike Tidus, who was a dream and could be given a body."
"Then give me a new body." I spun around as I said it, hope rising up inside my chest but Ida was shaking her head with a solemn expression on her face.
"Your form is lost; only your spirit remains."
"But I am still me." I said quickly "So why not find a new form? Cynyr is still Cynyr, my shell is what no longer exists, like you said, but what if I had a replacement?"
"How?" Ida retorted back. "Three States of Mind, Cynyr, remember? The first: Any body that dies without being sent forms into a fiend when the spirit is corrupted. The second: you have too strong of an emotional attachment to the world and subconsciously refuse the Farplane becoming what Auron, Seymour, Mika, and many others had become, wandering spirits that collect Pyerflies and form their own body that is fragile and ultimately not real."
"Then lastly, a body disperses into Pyerflies that carry a calm spirit to the Farplane. Or do you want what Shadow had, because I don't think you want that." Ida's voice had become stern at the mention of Shadow, her eyes locked with mine. Eventually, I looked away as I found I was unable to hold her gaze. She was right, there was no way I was going to be like Shadow just so that I could be among the living again.
"No..." I spoke softly, "that's not what I meant." Ida sighed before speaking again.
"Regardless, Cynyr, you can never return to the living. It is impossible for you." Her voice grew gentler now. "I'm sorry." But I wasn't satisfied with her answer, I wasn't satisfied with this ending at all. There had to be way!
"What about Tidus?" I spun on my heel to face her fully, my brows furrowed slightly.
"He was a dream." She said simply.
"But you brought something that had never been truly alive, to life!" I retorted. "Body and all! That to me sounds more impossible than bringing me back to life, don't you think?" This time Ida was silent. Her eyes down cast. I clutched at my hands until my knuckles were white and glared up at the Window. They chose Tidus over me. ME! The girl, half Fayth and half human who saved Spira from Shadow's wrath! I was jealous of Tidus. I didn't want to be, but I was. I didn't hate him...I just envied him greatly. It wasn't fair!
"Are you saying you regret your decision?" I spun back around to face her, confused at first.
"Don't forget...this was what you bargained with. Your life...for his." She held out each hand as she said the last part. "You knew you would never be together again. You sacrificed yourself without faltering, but now...you seem to be having second thoughts."
These words hit me like a ton of bricks and I quickly looked away from her once more, guilt, pride, and sorrow filling up inside me. It festered deep within my heart, the heart that rested motionless inside my rib cage, no longer beating, frozen in time, yet it ached like it could burst right out of me.
"I just thought...maybe there could be a way back...a way to reverse my death but still keep Auron alive."
"You cannot cheat death my love. You're lucky I was able to make the trade in the first place. It was hard to convince the others of it; there's no way I could do something like that again."
Feeling defeated and tired but unrelenting, I asked one last question. "I truly am grateful for what you did for me...for us, but aren't you the High Fayth's Regent?" I allowed just a tinge of hope to enter the still aching heart inside me, but held my breath anyway. Breathing...it was a habit none of us could break, like blinking.
"I don't make the decisions alone, Cynyr." Ida replied with a shake of her head. "The Fayth come together and vote together under me. Though I am the head of the council, I have to consider everyone's vote. I cannot make every decision without putting them and their concerns first, especially the Farplane."
The hope left me and I nodded quietly. I didn't trust my voice to speak and decided to turn back to the dead Window before more, anger, frustration, jealousy, sorrow, hurt, and loneliness creeping inside me. It filled up every dark place inside and once it was full I bottled it up and masked all emotions.
Now, the only sounds that could be heard was that of the Pyerflies and the far away water falls behind us. As we stood in silence for a while, the Pyerflies came floating back, curiously. One landed gently on my open palm as it began to sing a different tune than I was used to. It sounded like one of the songs I had once sung.
"It appears you have an admirer." Ida said softly from behind me, hearing her smile. Then, out of no where, a soft and low boom echoed off the Window in front of us and I looked up in surprise as ripples began to form on its surface before me. My eyes widened and I quickly turned to Ida as the Pyerfly danced away still singing my tune.
"Somebody's...calling me." I said softly, barely able to control my voice as both excitement and nervousness rushed through my empty veins. Has he finally come? After all this time, has he finally come to see me? Ida smiled and nodded. She seemed just as excited as I was, though she controlled hers better than I.
"Go on. Enter the Window." I nodded and turned back to it and reached out a hand to touch it. The ripples continued as if I hadn't even disturbed its surface and I quickly slipped inside. To my surprise, it was dark and eerily quiet. It was so quiet that my ears seemed to ring as they desperately tried to catch any sound.
"Um...hello?" I called out into the darkness, though I knew no one could hear me. I turned slowly as my eyes darted about trying to search for light as well. As I did this, I was suddenly hit with the memory of being blind so long ago when I was alive on Spira. Fighting the fear that rose up inside me, I called out again before something flashed behind me and I turned to it immediately.
Like a curtain, the darkness parted away and revealed a soft light on the other side of the Window. I walked slowly toward it, excitement rushing through me. Once I reached the Window's light, I pressed a hand to it and looked for the one who had called to me. Blurry objects and forms sharpened as I was finally able to see clearly.
When I saw them, my breath caught in my throat as I stared down at the person before me. If my heart could have skipped a beat, it would have skipped three times. He wore the same clothing I had always seen him in and his hair was still the same length. The only thing different was his expression.
He looked at me with a mixture of sorrow, relief, and a hint of joy. Unfortunately, as surprised as I was to see him, I was also hit with a feeling of disappointment. It wasn't Auron. It's wasn't Wakka, nor was it Tidus. It was Rin. Though I was glad to finally see one of my friends and to finally be called upon, there was a huge part of me that had been hoping for Auron.
Then, my thoughts were interrupted as Rin's voice echoed through to me, speaking to me as he gave me a small smile. Though he had no idea I could hear him from behind the image that was projected on his side, I pretended like he knew I could hear him and smiled back. As he spoke, a tear slipped down my cheek and I rested my forehead against the Window's clear surface, yearning to be on the other side.
"It's been a while...I'm sure you've wondered why I haven't been here sooner or as often." He was saying. "There's been a lot of work to do...lots of things have happened here in Spira. I'm not sure if any of your other friends have visited you...but I'm sure they miss you too." Another tear escaped me, my vision blurring as I quickly wiped at my eyes.
"It's hard to believe that you're gone...it's almost unfair, you know? You saved the world but you don't get to be apart of it." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sure Auron thinks the same thing." He shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets, a look of distress on his face. I quickly turned away, unable to watch any longer. The pain on his face was practically a reflection of my own, but seeing it for myself hurt the most.
Eventually, the darkness faded around me and I was back in the Farplane with the Window at my back, empty and clear like it had been before. I stood alone in the field of flowers again, Ida long gone now with only the Pyerflies for company. They seemed to sense my sadness and sang a mournful song of sorrow.
~Ida~
Ida walked quickly down the long corridor of the top floor inside the Dwelling Palace. It was the place where every soul and every Fayth resided for meals, sleep, the Hymn, and for mingling. The top floor, however, was a restricted and reserved area specifically for only the High Fayth like herself.
She had called for a meeting earlier that day and requested that all the High Fayth under her be present. Of course, they were all very surprised considering their last important meeting had been recently about the dream boy who was returned shortly after to the living. So, why was there another meeting being called?
Ida knew this meeting would be a hard one, harder than the last one because of the dire situation that was at hand. This was a meeting concerning Spira and it was only a matter of time before Cynyr found out about it, then she would have another dilemma at hand to deal with. She would much rather just tell Cynyr before she found out herself, but now was not the time. She didn't feel like Cynyr was ready to hear the information she had just learned that morning right now. Soon. Ida thought with a heavy sigh.
Passing the last of the bed rooms for those of the High Fayth, she reached the colossal double doors at the end of the hall made of ivory and marble, carved intricately of the majestic beasts called Aeons that her friends had once been. It was the meeting place for only those who had attained such power and herself, the High Fayth Regent.
Upon reaching the doors, they opened as if sensing her presence and she walked into a gigantic room where deep purple and red curtains hung from the twenty foot ceiling, tapestry on every wall that told stories through their embroidered pictures, gold and silver vases on marble pedestals filled with exotic flowers of the Farplane. And at the center of the large room was the beautifully carved wooden oak table that all ten of the High Fayth, in their human form, were gathered around.
A small feast had been placed in the middle of the table going from one end to the other. It had all been served to them by the other fayth of the Farplane, like those from Zanarkand. There was chatter between her friends as they ate delicately at the table. They all seemed relaxed, happy, but she could sense their curiosity and suspicion.
Once they noticed her arrival though, one by one, they stopped their chatter and stood from their chairs in respect as they watched her walk to her seat at the head of the table. She smiled as Shiva greeted her first. She sat at her right side, the seat for the Regent's consultant.
"High Fayth Regent Ida, welcome."
"Thank you, Shiva." Ida nodded. "I'm glad everyone could make it to this meeting without complaint. Please sit."
"Well, we're all quite curious as to what this is about considering we just had a meeting." Ifrit, a former Crusader when he was alive, replied as Ida sat down.
"Yes. I am aware." She said simply before she sipped at some of her wine that had been waiting for her at her plate. Ida pulled a few delicacies onto her plate before she spoke again, the clinking of silverware the only sound in the vast room.
"Sin has been destroyed," She began slowly, "Shadow in his footsteps, the Farplane restored with the lost soul, Shuyin; and the living world rid of Vegnagun." She paused to take a bite of her food and Bahamut, who sat to her left, took the opportunity to speak next.
"But all is not well." The former Aeons exchanged glances and Ida cleared her throat before replying.
"Unfortunately, this is true. As I was taking great care to be sure that everything from the living to the dead was in perfect order, spiritually speaking of course; the world will always have its ups and downs, but I found something...disturbing while looking into the world's spirit."
"Disturbing?" One of the Magus sister's asked in a quivering voice as she exchanged looks with her other two sisters.
"Correct. And it concerns Cynyr's friends. One in particular." Ida sighed softly before placing her hands in her lap and looked around at everyone's faces.
"Oh, no!" Shiva gave a small gasp as worry set in and she looked around at the others who looked equally worried but quickly looked to Ida for explanation.
"Unfortunately, Shadow did not leave without a trace."
"What!?" Valefore, a small girl seated beside Shiva, gasped with widened eyes. She looked as though she might start crying. She was the youngest in the group and Shiva quickly placed an arm around her. The rest of the High Fayth, however, sat frozen and stared at Ida in disbelief.
"He left a piece of himself behind and it now resides within one of Cynyr's friends." Ida explained carefully. "They are unaware of its presence, but in time, he will. Unfortunately, by that point, it will be too late because whatever Shadow left behind will begin to fester and take over his body before claiming it as its own. Thus, a new Shadow will be born."
"This cannot be!" Yojimbo boomed as he pounded his large fist on the table with rage. His dog barked loudly from beneath the table, sensing his anger. Immediately following, murmurs went around the room and an uneasy feeling filled the room.
"Please...calm down everyone."
"Who is it?" Ixion shouted over the others, the old man looking angry and impatient as he stared down the table at Ida. "Who is the one with the parasite?" Slowly, everyone began to quiet as they listened carefully to Ida's next words.
"I'm afraid it is the man called Rin. But that isn't the worst of it." She quickly added when gasps and more chatter began around the room.
"Rin is not the only one corrupted by Shadow. Do we not all recall the many other souls he devoured during his rampage through Spira? I fear he has left little pieces of himself in each. We have underestimated him yet again." Valefore immediately began to cry and Shiva hugged her close as Bahamut abruptly stood from his chair. Everyone looked up at him in surprise.
"This cannot go on any longer. The world will be destroyed if Shadow's disgusting, parasitic spawn erupt from these humans." He exclaimed angrily. "As the former Regent, I ask Ida, who is our new leader, what is it you wish to do about this? You've thought this through I'm assuming."
"Yes, Bahamut, and I thank you again for passing down the power of Regent to me. I've thought this through so much my head hurts and have kept it from Cynyr for as long as I can. I realize she will soon catch on if we don't inform her of this as well, but I only just fond out this morning."
"Why did you not invite her to this meeting?" One of the Magus sister's asked as she sat higher on her chair.
"As everyone knows...Cynyr is not happy here in the Farplane." Ida began slowly.
"No one is at first." Bahamut pointed out.
"Granted." Ida replied quickly with a nod of agreement. "But I sense a deeper pain within her. To tell her of this now would only crush her further."
"But you will have to tell her eventually." Shiva pointed out. "She's not so easily blinded- er, no pun intended." Ida smiled.
"I understand what you're saying, Shiva, and I completely agree. We will have to inform her of this eventually, which leads me to my proposed solution to this mess."
"Pray tell." Ifrit said in a gruff voice, a serious look on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. Ida, nervous about how her friends would take her idea, she took in a deep breath and slowly let it out before beginning.
"Please...bear with me a moment as I explain. Hopefully you will understand and come to an agreement."
Well, I certainly hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! It only takes a few seconds. :) I'd love to known what you thought and it always motivates me more when I see your reviews. Thank you for waiting so patiently for this!