Unanswered Prayers, Dark before the Dawn
A Tokyo Kitty Production
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X or any of its magnificent characters. Those rights belong to Square and Tetsuya Nomura respectively.
Warning: THIS STORY IS SPOILER FULL! This story contains most of the plot from the in game play and all of the information from the Jecht Spheres! It will spoil many things early on so please play the game before you read this. I've learned from experience reading fan fiction before or while in the middle of playing a game is a BIG MISTAKE! There's my warning you can heed it or ignore it. But, it would behoove you to listen.
A/N: Hello everyone! It is I, here to start yet another epic story. I'm thinking of dropping Fallen Angels to write this one considering I know what I want to do with this one. If you don't like this idea, give me a review. It's the best way to knock me upside the head and tell me I'm an idiot. Just don't be abusive...we writers have feelings too...I hope this story goes well and that I prove that I can write Final Fantasy anything given I've already messed in FF7 and Kingdom Hearts. Without further ado, let's get started!
'This is my story...' He thought staring at the sunset behind Bevelle Temple. 'I feel it in the wind, the air...the sky screams to me that this is the beginning...but the beginning of what?'
"Auron dear!" A woman in a long dress that billowed in the wind called from the door. Her long black hair flew out behind her as she ran to him on the balcony. She wrapped her arms around his waist burying her head into his back. "You aren't really leaving are you? What about me? What about our wedding day?"
"Millerna...I'm leaving with Braska tomorrow. I have chosen the path of a guardian. Once Braska has received the Fayth of Bevelle I will leave this place. Understand that this is the path that I have chosen." he said still staring off into the distance. Suddenly he turned lightly pushing the woman off of him and left with out looking back.
"Do you choose such folly? To defy my father, head priest of Bevelle? If you leave me, all of Bevelle will be against you." She called anger crossing her normally blank face.
"The Temple doesn't matter anymore. I have made my decision." He said reaching the glass door that lead back into the room.
"You will not hear the end of this Auron!" She yelled her voice filling the open sky. He was gone. He had already left shutting the door to the room behind him. He could no longer hear her calls. She fell to the tile floor in sobs. Auron was gone and she had a feeling he would never return to her, or the world she lived in again.
"Auron...what are you doing here? I thought you were with Lady Millerna," Braska asked turning as he saw his friend coming up the path into one of the many gardens of Bevelle.
Auron said nothing. He sat on a bench next to Braska staring up into the sky. Twilight had ended and now the quiet sky was covered in a sheet of stars. In the center was the moon, which covered the garden with a faint bluish white color.
"No, I told her I have to leave. I'm going with you Braska just like I always promised. I have said my good byes to her."
"Auron...she's the head priest's daughter...all of the Temple will be against you by sunrise tomorrow...what about the warrior monks? Kinoc, your friend, aren't you worried about never being able to join them again?"
"The warrior monks never meant much to me...so what if I can't go back. Some paths aren't worth continuing on."
"Auron..." Braska looked at his friend then at the foliage around them. The trees rustled with a light breeze. The sounds of the night gave Braska a sense of peace.
"Don't worry about me, I've got everything worked out. Oh don't look like that...smile...tonight is your last night before becoming a full-fledged Summoner. You should be happy, partying...I don't know, anything but moping in a garden." Auron patted him on the back waiting for the older man to respond.
"I guess you're right," Braska smiled, "I should get back to Yuna. It's close to her bedtime.
Auron nodded, "Alright, see you tomorrow at dawn outside Bevelle Temple."
Braska nodded turning and leaving the trees heading out of the garden and into the empty night streets. Auron watched him leave then slumped down on the bench.
"The last night...how many more nights like this will he suffer knowing what will happen if we do reach Zanarkand?" He said to himself looking up at the clouds.
'It is a Summoner's purpose...to die for Spira and destroy Sin to bring The Calm...but even to bring so many people happiness...does that make it right?' Auron thought. As he looked up at the sky a shooting star sped across the sky disappearing into the abyss of night.
'This world is so beautiful...but is it truly worth dying for? The tradition of The Summoner. A process steeped in 1000 years of practice...Can something that's lived that long be wrong?'
"...No...that can't be..." He said aloud standing up from the bench to stretch. He decided he should probably head back to his room if he wanted to get any sleep before tomorrow.
He walked out of the garden and turned left toward his room in one of the high towers. A few minutes later he arrived looking down at the doorknob. It suddenly occurred to him that Millerna was most likely still there waiting for him and most likely would be very angry with him for being out so late and refusing to marry her.
Agreeing with his better judgment he turned away from the door going down the hallway he had traveled only a few seconds ago. He found himself in the square near the garden where he had been not to long ago. He went right this time going up the flight of stairs that lead to the other half of the residential district of Bevelle. The areas were near exact replicas of one another, the same hallways on a different set of streets with different umbers.
" Coulda' sworn it was down this street..." Auron thought out loud looking from one house to another. "163...165...There we are 167!" He stopped in front of the town house walking around the back to the stairs. "167B...that should be right up these stairs..." He said to himself walking up the stairs and knocking on the door. ' Hope I haven't disturbed them...'
It seemed that the door opened of its own accord. That is, until a little head poked out from behind the thick wood door. Small green and blue eyes looked up then ran from the door. "Daddy! Someone's here!" The little girl called running from the door.
"What is it dear?" Braska asked Yuna picking the little girl up into his arms, "Oh, Auron...is something wrong?"
"No, nothing at all. I just figured it wouldn't be the best idea to go back to my room tonight. I would rather not be hit with flying objects." He chuckled.
Braska laughed as well, envisioning the Lady Millerna throwing things across the room at the poor unsuspecting guardian. "I guess you need a place to stay then," he said putting down Yuna so he could open the door more to let Auron in.
"Yes, thanks Braska," Auron said stepping in to their apartment.
"Daddy? Why is Auron staying with us tonight?" Yuna asked following her father over to the chair he sat down in. She struggled into his lap and snuggled against his chest.
"Auron and I are leaving very early in the morning, Yuna. Remember I told you that Daddy was going away? I'm going to leave and defeat Sin for you and all of Spira," he said petting the little girl's brown hair.
"Hee hee...Daddy is so strong!" Yuna smiled giggling when her father tickled her.
"Strong enough to get you to go to bed?" He inquired tickling her faster. He picked her up swinging her around.
"Hahahaha...Never! I wanna stay up with you and Auron, Daddy!" She laughed and laughed until Braska set her down on the floor again just as she was recovering from her laughter.
"I don't think so little missy! You've got a big day ahead of you! You have to go live in the Temple for a while since I'm gone. Be happy I let you stay up this late...the monks would be furious if you don't obey the curfew..." He picked her back up putting her on his shoulder.
"Okay, Daddy," Yuna said snuggling against her father's shoulder.
Yuna calmed down when her father put her under the blankets, kissing her forehead and then blowing out the gas lamp on the table near her bed. "Good night, Yuna." Braska whispered backing out of the room.
Yuna sighed, a long yawn disproving her ability to stay awake. "G'night Daddy..." she said turning on her side and wrapping the blankets around her. Braska closed the door quietly leaving it open just enough to let in a thin beam of light. Braska walked back into the main room falling into a chair next to Auron.
"She's a wonderful girl," Braska sighed, "but I'm getting too old to deal with her multitude of energy." He laughed brushing the long blue hair from his face only to have it fall back into place.
"Yuna will be fine. You've raised her well." Auron commented.
"She's only seven. Is it the right thing for me to leave her here? Her mother died only four years ago...I'm the only one she has left..."
"Braska...You mustn't worry. You're doing the right thing. Any parent would give their life to know their child will grow up in a good world. You fight for Spira...and for Yuna..." Auron said.
Braska smiled. It was true, what Auron said. He wanted to make Yuna happy. Getting rid of Sin could do that. "You're right Auron. But promise me one thing: after...I defeat Sin...take care of Yuna. Just as after tomorrow you are my guardian, be hers, please."
Auron nodded, "I will do this for you Braska. I promise."
A kind smile graced Braska's face. When he smiled his face seemed to reflect a bright summer day, even in the darkest nights, Auron reflected. He wanted to see him smile again. He wanted Braska to be happy.
"Thank you Auron. You are a good friend. I am glad to have you with me for this journey. Ah, look at the time! We should go to sleep or we'll never be able to get up in time to go to the Temple before the Priests catch up with us." Braska said stood up walking past Auron to the right. Auron nodded standing as well. "This way, you are free to share my room with me. Unless you'd like to fall asleep on your feet out here..." Braska laughed at the dazed, tired look in Auron's eyes.
Auron laughed as well following Braska into his room. "I thank you for your hospitality, Braska." Auron said helping Braska to pull out some of the blankets stored in a closet.
"It's nothing. Besides, we won't waste time waiting for each other this way." Braska said placing the blankets at the end of the bed.
Auron nodded, "If we're quiet Yuna may not wake. Long goodbyes are not good." Auron said shedding his red coat and armor, leaving him in a thin cotton shirt and baggy pants. "Good night Braska." He said lying down on the bed and pulling a blanket up over himself.
"Good night..." Braska nodded removing his own robes. He was wearing pale, light pants under it. He lay down next to Auron turning to face towards him. Braska closed his eyes taking in the quiet sounds of the nearing dawn. 'Tomorrow starts our journey...I don't know where it will take us. But we will travel along the path, until the end...wherever that may be.'
A/N: Sorry it took so long guys! I will now tell the story of why...First I had it all done and I said 'yay! now I can give it to my editor!' and so I printed it, and took it to school the next day and presented it to my lovely editor. (shameless plugging for my friends) I got it back a few days later, made the changes, but then said: 'It's late...I'll post it in the morning.' So I shut down my computer and then...disaster struck! My computer died a horrible death due to the many viruses I've caused it from my obsessive downloading of Final Fantasy Original Soundtracks I was able to revive my computer, but at the cost of every file I had saved. Me being the nitwit I am, hadn't saved any of it so I lost it all. Only things that I saved because I had them already posted were all of Battles Lost, Our Little Secret and Fallen Angels 1-3. I had already written chapter 4 of Fallen Angels, all of Unanswered Prayers and some of Battles Lost 5. Most likely about 15 pages of work. So it took me about a month to get it all back. I thank you for you patience and will try to get on a more reliable schedule. See you in Unanswered Prayers 2! Enter Jecht and the return of the bane of Auron's life: Millerna!