"Commence."
The room suddenly filled with light, and he looked around the large hall. It was filled with several people sitting in benches, wearing uniforms displaying the New Yevon insignia.
"The New Yevon High Magistrate Court Case No. 1984. The defendant, Tidus Of Zanarkand. The plaintiff, New Yevon, who will be represented by the Maester Seymour Guado."
Tidus gasped as the doors of the court creaked open.
"Thank you, Chief Justice," the confident voice replied.
Seymour Guado strode up the pathway and into his bench. He smiled at Tidus and sat down in the bench.
"Tidus of Zanarkand, you have been accused of fraternising with the High Summoness Yuna of the Isle of Besaid. Do you plead guilty to this crime?"
"It isn't a crime," Tidus retorted, "We saved Spira."
"Sustained. Let me ask again. Do you plead guilty to this crime?"
"Yes," Tidus answered defiantly.
"So you do you plead guilty to assist in the destruction of Sin by unholy means?"
"It was a false tradition," Tidus spoke.
"Sustained. Do you plead guilty?"
"Yes."
"Then your punishment…"
Seymour rose up from his bench.
"May I have a say, Chief Justice?" Seymour murmured coolly.
"Yes, maester."
Seymour walked out of the bench and walked up to Tidus'.
"Tidus, my, my. You disappoint me. You had the chance to save your father and to truly save Spira…"
"Destroy it, you mean," Tidus shouted.
"Yes, Spira is a spiral of death and destruction. I could have saved Spira. Put everyone out of their misery. Now, you, Tidus, son of Jecht, have a second chance in saving everyone. Saving Yuna, as well. Do you accept?"
"Never, I'll never put Yuna's life at risk."
"Well, then," Seymour whispered threateningly, "We shall have to make you, then. Guards…"
The New Yevon guards shuffled towards Tidus. Tidus began to struggle, tried to break free from his bonds…
"By Mandate of the New Yevon Court, I am placing you under arrest for espionage and fraternising with the High Summoness Yuna." One of the guards droned, and placed a restraining spell on Tidus.
"No, Yuna…" he whispered, before slumping eagle-sprawled on the floor.
"Tidus!" Yuna screamed, suddenly sitting up in her bed. The soft hum of the airship's engines was audible in the eerie moonlit cabin.
"Wha…?" Rikku yawned, turning in her bed to face Yuna, "What's wrong?"
"Ummm…nothing…go back to sleep…" Yuna muttered, as she stepped out of her bed. Rikku groaned and buried herself under her blanket.
"Was it a dream?" she wondered.
Or was it real?
"I can feel your anguish, Tidus, but…" she faltered. She gazed at out the window, at the moon shimmering radiantly in the starry night.
"I'll find a way…we'll find a way."
It was morning; the sunlight pouring into the cabin and the crew began to awaken.
"Where's Yuna?" Paine asked, as she rubbed her eyes.
"Ummm…she got out of bed last night, " Rikku groaned, squinting at the bright glare reflecting off the railings.
"She's probably on the deck," Buddy said, as he walked towards the lift.
"Wait for me!" Rikku shouted, as she ran after him.
"Yunie, what's wrong?"
Yuna gazed motionlessly towards the horizon, the wind sweeping across the deck, rippling her brown hair.
"Yuna?" Paine asked, arms folded, "Something you want to tell us?"
Yuna turned around and looked at the ground..
"It's him, isn't it?" Rikku spoke worriedly.
Yuna nodded.
"I had a dream…" she began, "He's in trouble. I can feel his pain. I have to find him."
"We can't get to Zanarkand, Yunie," Rikku faltered, "We destroyed Sin, remember?"
"Yes…don't worry, then," Yuna muttered downheartedly, and strode past the crew and rode the lift down.
"Yuna is so tormented by her past, sometimes I wonder if she was too young…" Paine spoke under her breath.
"Let's get ready, then."
Rikku stared boredly at her breakfast and pushed the morsels around with her fork. She reached over and turned on the wireless and switched through the various radio transmissions and listened to the news frequency.
"Now, we will read the breaking news. A large airship just moments before, was uncovered in the Bikanel Desert. Scientists and archaeologists have concluded that it is an old airship from the machina era, with possible origins from Zanarkand…"
A voice of the lead scientist dictated:
"We have reason to believe that this airship is relatively new, testing has shown that the exterior is only 8 years old. Our research team have tested certain variable and we now have conclusive evidence that this airship possesses Sin's capability to warp space and time and in fact even project people to through the portals of time!"
Rikku rose from her uninterested stupor and stared at the radio in wonder.
"Portals in time? Zanarkand?" she pondered, and left from the barstool. She ran down to the lift and pressed the button for the bridge. She leapt out of the elevator and crashed into Paine.
"Something you want to tell me, Rikku?" Paine said, pulling Rikku up from her fall.
"Yeah!" Rikku squealed with pleasure, "I found a way for Yunie to get to Zanarkand!"
"Rikku," Paine said in a serious tone, "Yuna needs to move on with her life. She never should have gotten tangled up with that Tidus in the first place and now she has she has to let go of him."
"I know, but…" Rikku pleaded, "She won't give Tidus up though. They loved each other, Paine. They shared…something. I just want to give her back something. She's done so much for me, for Spira…"
"That's not the point," Paine raised her voice. She looked around and spoke softly, "There are times in your life, when you need to let go of the things you love," Paine whispered urgently, "And I beg you, do not tell Yuna."
They exchanged long stares and then she departed into the lift.