Sphere One: Return

I awakened underwater. One moment I hadn't been there, the next moment I was. Trying to breathe where there was no oxygen to breathe, I instinctively kicked for the surface. When my head broke the divide that separated the water from the air, I took in my surroundings. They were very familiar. Besaid, the place where it had all truly began. Where I had first met her, the woman I had sworn to protect. Images of the pilgrimage flooded my mind, right up to the last minutes with her. Pushing my memories aside, I began to swim to the shoreline. I was farther out than I had imagined. Even with my faster-than-normal swimming speed, it took me several minutes to reach the shore. As soon as I had emerged from the water, I released an ear splitting whistle. I did not hear a whistle in reply. What I did hear was a roar that belonged to neither beast nor fiend, but rather the roar of an engine. I felt a large object approaching from behind. I turned only to see a large red airship. It seemed to drop like a falling stone. I ducked under the water and before it even landed the loading bay door opened and someone dropped to the ocean below, running towards me at high speed. It was her, the woman I had hurt. She had cut her hair and on her now revealing top she wore the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes. She threw herself into my arms before I could protest and she was hugging me tightly.

"Are you real?"

She asked me. How could I not be real? We stayed there for a long time wrapped in each other's arms. Then I saw two more people emerge from the airship. Rikku and a silver haired woman I did not know. Rikku smiled at me and I smiled back at her. Yuna took my hand into her own and we ran for the shore. Yuna told me about everything that had happened since I had been gone. And then it happened. She kissed me, full on my lips. Shocked, I pushed her away. She cast her eyes at the jungle floor and she spoke in a cracked voice.

"Two years I've waited for you, and now you won't even kiss me?"

I could hear the pain in her voice. I spoke to her and I sighed.

"That is exactly the problem. It has been two whole years since I've seen you, and this is nearly the first thing you do. Surely you think our relationship was fragile at best? We knew there was never any certainty to us. Until Yunalesca, we thought you were going to die. And then I did. We can't just go back to the way things were. Not that easily."

She looked up at me with sad eyes and she moved closer to me and she pressed her lips to my cheek.

"You are right. It will take some time before the situation readjusts to normal for us, will it not?"

I said nothing further and I nodded. Defeated, she pulled away from me and she turned and ran for the village. There would probably be a celebration tonight, so I'd see her later. After she had left, I heard footsteps, lighter and almost silent this time. A giggle gave them away as Rikku. A flash of braided blonde hair later and I was face to face with her. She had grown considerably taller, but so had I. She now stood to my neck, roughly the same with Yuna now.

"Hiya! Welcome back!"

I smiled at her and she smiled back at me brightly.

"You know, we all missed you! You big meanie! Yunie and I missed you a lot. I missed being able to talk to you."

She said and she twirled a little and I couldn't help but watch her. She had grown up a lot.

"Sorry. I won't leave again."

She grinned and she locked her eyes with mine and she hugged me tight.

"You better not. It felt like I lost a part of my family when you disappeared. I don't want to lose you again. Neither does Yunie or Wakka or anyone."

I was a little shocked at first, but I put my arms around her and I held her. Rikku and I had always been extremely close, almost to the point I had developed feelings for her. But I kept those aside. I embraced her warmly. She looked up at me with her emerald green eyes and I smiled for the first time since I'd returned.

"We should get back to the village. If we're the last ones back, Wakka will make a snide remark about us."

I said to her and she let me go. I knew it would be easier to be around Rikku, Wakka and Lulu than it would be to keep Yuna close by. We were all platonic friends and comrades-in-arms. Yuna and I had been lovers, or as close as lovers could be with but a single kiss. I pushed those thoughts aside and I sped past her, calling back to her over my shoulder.

"I'll race you!"

She yelled as she ran by my side. She had gotten faster.

"You'll find I've gotten quite athletic since I last saw you. See if you can keep up."

She darted past me and I strained every muscle in my body to keep up with her. I felt the strain on my body and I faltered. I stumbled down the hill and I laughed as I stood up. Rikku came jogging back to help me.

"Clumsy! You ok there ace?"

She asked and she smiled at me. I laughed and I brushed myself off.

"I will be fine, aside from my bruised ego. Come on, let's get to the village."

She nodded slowly and we walked together, talking about how she wanted to excavate undersea machina once this party was over.

"That sounds like a lot of fun. Can I help?"

She smiled brightly again and she nodded fervently.

"You bet! Just like when we first met!"

The truth was, I needed to be around someone who wasn't going to make a pass at me right away. Rikku and I had always been close without being lovers. Rikku and I had always been and always would be close, and we'd probably grow closer as time went on. It felt like there was a rift between Yuna and I right now, and I thought in my own mind that some time apart might just be the best thing right now. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, or so the saying went. We'd see if that held true. We reached the village and the bonfire was already going. Darkness hadn't even fallen yet, but the flames were high in the sky. Lulu stood there with a baby in her arms. It was Lulu's and Wakka's, a boy Wakka had named Vidina, which was the al Bhed word for future. It showed me that Wakka had finally accepted the al Bhed. Then I heard his voice.

"Hey brudda! Come over here and say hi to my son eh?"

I smiled at Wakka and I nodded.

"I'll be there."

I said and I strode over to where Wakka sat with Lulu and his son. I chuckled softly and smiled serenely.

"He looks like you both. He has Wakka's hair, but Lulu's eyes and lips. Hopefully he grows up to be one happy child."

Lulu smiled, which was rare for her. Her calm voice triggered a memory in my mind.

"He almost didn't have a name too. Wakka chose a good one for him though. Where is Yuna? I assumed she'd be with you. When she did visit home, you were all she ever talked about."

I backed up slightly and I sighed.

"I had hoped to relax. I haven't even been back a day. She tried to kiss me in the jungle. I pushed her away. It has been two years. It is almost like there is a great chasm between Yuna and I."

Lulu nodded and to my surprise she smiled.

"Do what you feel is best. If you choose not to pursue what you once had, at least let her know."

I nodded and smiled.

"I will."

We talked all night long, and then Yuna and Rikku showed up. Rikku sat to my right, Yuna to my left. We talked about things, mainly the Farplane. I didn't know it, but this one night was the start of a lot of confusion and turmoil for us all.

END OF SPHERE ONE