A/N so I haven't updated in four years! I've always meant to, but I feel like my writing is now acceptable enough to continue. Please review and help me make this story the best it can be!

"Almost there!" Brother called euphorically. His Spiran was getting much better, but his accent was still thick and humorous to his family and friends.

"Alright! Time for Operation Relaxation!" Rikku cried, a little more enthusiasically than she meant. She and Paine were still trying to guage which approach was more appropriate around Yuna, who was still deep in a depression. Though their pilgrimage ended two whole years ago, the memory of Tidus still weighed on Yuna. They were all lulled into a sense of closure about a year after his disappearance, but the discovery of an old sphere that Rin gave them that Tidus took of himself on accident as they shopped at Rin's Mi'hen store put Yuna into a futile longing that never ceased. She watched it every day, and even Rikku knew not to mention it.

"How very boring," said Paine, a little more sardonically than intended. This was rewarded a small chuckle from Yuna that her friends both knew was forced.

"You're finally awake! We've arranged to have a nice quiet swim with Wakka today! He's been dying to see you, Yunie!" Rikku hugged her cousin, and Paine smiled at her companions. For all three of the girls, smiles were never truly genuine, and their value had seemingly decreased since they were always shot at Yuna in an attempt to make everything seem okay.

"That sounds.. nice." Yuna replied in her civil tone. This effectively ended the jovialty, and everyone instead waited for the landing quietly, and even Rikku was uncharacteristically still. She stared at her forlorn cousin, as if a long enough gaze would cause her thoughts to be audible. Yuna was somber and quiet as ever, despite her falsely contented face. She stopped talking about him to her friends, because she had already said everything she could a thousand times over. Before arriving on the bridge, she watched the sphere of Tidus goofily looking at and accidentally knocking over Rin's wares unaware of the sphere recording him. The embarrassed smile that Yuna knew so well was bright on his face, and his cerulean eyes ducked in shame as he apologized to Rin for crashing his display. The sphere abruptly ends with Rin picking up the sphere and muttering about Tidus' clumsiness in Al Bhed, and the last image is of Tidus face lighting up when Yuna walks by him, laughing at his mistake. Rin could never know what a weight he tied to her ankles by giving them the sphere.

A lurch and sudden stop jolted everyone out of their inner monologues, and with Brother's cry of "We're here!", everyone resumed their tenuous smiles.

While they walked down the ramp of the Celsius to the white-gold sand, shouts of joy were heard from the villagers who waited for their arrival. Even after two years, they were still grateful for Yuna and her guardians, throwing parties and celebrations for the High Summoner. It made Yuna bitter inside, but of course she couldn't show it to them. She just wanted to move on from the past, but it seemed that she would never be allowed this peace.

"Greetings, Yuna and her Guardians!" cried one of the villagers, which evoked a scowl from Paine. People still thought she was Lulu for some reason..

"Alright you guys, Yunie is here for some quiet! Thanks for the love, people, but we gotta cruise! Sorry!" Rikku cried as she cleared a path through the small congregation. Although disappointed, the people still called praises out to them as they continued down the path to Besaid villiage. Although it was her home for 10 years, the sight of Besaid made Yuna think even more of her lost love, and his face was written in every hill on the island. She regretted going along; the excitement of seeing Wakka and Lulu was drowned out by her longing for her lost friend. Rikku and Paine noticed this, but kept on their encouraging smiles and walked with her, the three arm in arm.

"You should see how chubby ol' Wakka got!" Rikku laughed. "Good thing we beat Sin for good!"

"Don't throw stones in a glass house, Rikku" Paine teased as she dodged an ill-humored blow from Rikku.

"That's not funny, Paine! I've been closely watching my figure, and you're just jealous!"

"Why, hoping Gippal will show up?" Paine smirked.

"What!? Of course not!" Rikku replied defensively, her face obviously red. The two were on either side of Yuna and playfully fighting each other, much to Yuna's amusement. She let out a soft giggle, which immediately halted her two friends.

"See! I told you coming home was a good idea!" Rikku said victoriously. As they entered the village, they were greeted by a familiar face.

"Lulu!" Rikku squealed as she embraced her old friend. The look on her face was a mix of happiness and discomfort of Rikku's invasion of space, but she returned the gesture nontheless.

"It's great to see you guys," Lulu said. The motherly smile on her face took the edge off of Yuna's sadness and she smiled back as they embraced.

"Wakka is inside with Vidina, let's go see him."

They followed Lulu to the couple's hut to see their other friend, who helplessly tried to calm his son's crying.

"Thank God, Lu! Here, he's been crying for you!" Wakka handed his son over, a look of desperation slowly fading to relief when Vidina's crying ceased.

"Hey, Chubby! We're here!" Rikku teased.

"Hey, who you callin' Chubby?" Wakka replied, unoffended. He hugged the arrivals and smiled as he displayed his son to them.

"He's a bit bigger than last you guys saw him! Not walking yet, but he sure can cry, ya?" Wakka said.

"Just like his father," Lulu replied with a scowl.

"Hey... that stuff's between us.." Wakka trailed off.

"So anyway!" Rikku interjected.

"Oh yeah! I thought you guys might enjoy a nice swim over in the lake, ya? Lu will come and Vidina too! We can catch up!" Wakka said.

After some preparation, and a lot of Wakka bumbling about trying to find Vidina's diaper bag, the group was about to set off. While Wakka and Lulu were in their room gathering towels ands other supplies, the woman quietly spoke to her husband.

"Wakka, don't mention that dream you had to Yuna. You can see how troubled she still is."

"It wasn't a dream. More of a feeling, ya? Besides, she didn't look that bad! She was smiling!" Wakka replied under his breath.

"Wakka, you know that she smiles even when she is sad. She is still depressed over the loss of Tidus, and it would be best not to mention him. As odd as it was, we shouldn't get her hopes up."

"Ach, I know. It's just I miss him too, ya? We all do. Maybe that's why it felt so significant." Wakka said somberly.

"I know, dear. But Yuna needs to move on, and we need to help her. Tidus is gone, and it's time to live life again." Lulu sighed. They all missed him.

Zanarkand

"Wait up, dammit!" Tidus called. Auron was walking along the outskirts of Zanarkand; C-South and Tidus' boat house were lst to the skyline of the massive city behind them The setting sun made Tidus painfully aware the time that had elapsed since they left his house.

"There's no time to waste. Walk faster!" Auron replied without turning his head or slowing down. They were beginning to see less and less urban area and more grass and dirt.

"Where are we going? I've never even been this far before, man! Tell me where we are going! Tidus yelled as he jogged to catch up. Auron gave no reply, but instead pointed at the empty field in front of them and stopped.

"A field. THAT'S where we're going? While we're stopped, why don't you tell me how you got in my house! Or how you knew about my drea-"

"Mount Gagazet." Auron interrupted.

"What?"

"Mount Gagazet!" he repeated. Tidus' anger abated and he felt that familiar pang of recognition. He closed his eyes, and opened them to see a massive snow-topped mountain where the empty field once was.

"Whoa!" he screamed as he took a step back. A mile in front of them, where there was once empty field, now harbored the path that wound upward for what looked like miles. The suset was now blocked and the moon lighted their way.

Seeing his justified beffudlement, Auron continued.

"This mountain has always been there. You just weren't seeing it because you couldn't remember it."

"Wh- what!? How could I not see it because I couldn't remember it? That doesn't make any sense!" Tidus yelled, his confusion turning into anger and panic. He turned around to look at the city, now a large skyline behind them, and was upset to still be able to see the mountain when he turned back around.

"Everything that you see around you is a lie. You don't belong here." Auron flatly stated. Tidus' face morphed from surprise to disbelief, then to impatience.

"Wonderful! I was beginning to think I had superpowers, but that's even better!" When Auron made no reply, he spat, "Please continue!" His brain was spinning. What Auron said was ludicrous, but part of him, the part that had seen Yuna and that orange haired guy, believed every word.

"What's the name of your high school?" Auron questioned, ignoring Tidus' remarks.

"That has nothing to do with this! Why are you asking me dumb questions!?"

"Just trust me, Tidus. Tell me the name of your high school." Auron replied, still no hint of temper in his voice.

"It's.." Tidus, began. To his bewilderment, he couldn't think of a name! He was just there today! How could he forget the name of the place he goes five days a week?

"You can't tell me because it doesn't have one. In fact, I'd be surprised if there were any other rooms aside from the ones you frequented. You've never gone to a classroom you weren't enrolled in, have you?" Auron continued, allowing Tidus time to process his words. Upon fierce review in his head, Tidus found that he had indeed not ever thought to venture or even look in another classroom..

"But what about Mr. Maechen? Are you saying he's fake?" Tidus blurted, desperate to make sense.

"You mean you aren't worried about your other teachers being real?" Auron offered. After a silence, Tidus stared at Auron. "Explain," was all he said. They were now alone in a field at the foot of the massive Mt. Gagazet, and Tidus noticed the temperature suddenly change. In fact, he noticed for the first time that there was a temperature.

"You know me from another world. Another two worlds, but I'll not confuse you so early on. To put it simply, your memories have been lost. You remember Maechen because he existed in the other world, and you don't know the name of the school or anyone else because they didn't. You are trapped in this world where you live with the little memory that remained, and a few embellishments that were put into your consciousness so that you didn't notice your world made no sense."

A blank stare covered Tidus' face. So many sarcastic comments came to mind, but he knew that they were only disguising his shock of what he was hearing.

"Put in? Who put memories into my head? What do you mean!?" he sputtered.

"The fayth, before they faded, gathered as much of your soul as they could, and created one last dream for you to exist in, until you could return to Spira. If you noticed that people around you had no faces or names and that beyond the city was blank abyss, you couldn't be nurtured back into completion."

What were fayths? They gathered his soul, as in he was dead? Was it true, he never even looked at people's faces? Before Tidus could ask his questions, more visions fluttered in his mind. An airship. More people whose faces he knew he must have known, but whose names escaped him. Blitzball. Sin. Tidus dropped to his knees. He knew he recognized these images, but not fully enough to know the memories belonged to him. Fear and frustration welled up inside him as he watched the countless images of a forgotten world, a forgotten existence play before his eyes.

"I'm sure you have more questions than you can manage. I wish I could answer all of them, but you'll just have to find them. Get up, we leave now." Auron said, lifting up his companion. Tidus' eyes met Auron's, and more images played in his mind. The two of them together, fighting a giant monster- no, an aeon- and the two of them fleeing from a large temple inside ice.

"Why is this all happening? Who am I?" Tidus gasped. The gravity of everything he heard was beginning to push on him, and he didn't even understand everything he was trying to "remember".

"You were a great man in Spira. Come on now, we climb. You'll get more answers along the way." Auron replied as he turned and continued walking, this time slower to allow Tidus some recompense. Tidus turned back to the Zanarkand skyline, and saw a mystifying swarm of strange lights floating around the entire city, as if they were alive. They didn't seem to be any kind of threat, and some part of him knew they weren't. Zanarkand looked much paler and darker than the previous time he turned around, and he knew returning wasn't an option. Without an answer as to why the city looked so dead and what those things were floating above and within it, he turned and bounded after Auron.

The ascent was not easy, but Auron never slowed. It was cold at the foot of the mountain, and it was frigid on the trail where they began scaling rocks. After a long climb, they rested in a small cave and made a fire. They were only three quarters of the way up, and Tidus' head was filling with more and more questions. Auron sternly asserted that he would answer no more questions, and mentioned something about the "authenticity of the memory". After a fire was made, Auron urged Tidus to sleep while he stood guard. From what, he never said, but Tidus obliged his request, though he wasn't sure how easily sleep would come. To his surprise, however, he drifted off quite deeply immediately after his head touched the ground and his eyes were closed. Was this really sleep, or another vision? He didn't know...

Besaid

"Wakka, wake up!" Lulu hissed, careful not to wake Vidina, who was nestled in a crib next to their bed. It was the dead of night, and the whole village was asleep. The group was tired after a pleasant time at the lake, and were staying in Wakka and Lulu's now- renovated hut.

"What is it?" he replied with a stir, barely awake.

"Wakka, I saw him too. I had a dream and I saw him just like you did!" Lulu breathed, her eyes wide.

"What ya talking about? How?" Wakka asked, now fully alert.

"He was standing in a field... It was like he.. was thinking about us, or something. I can't explain it, it's just a... feeling."

"That's what I felt, too! I dreamed I was standing on a road and he was riding some weird machina and looked right at me! I told you it was significant, Lu! But what does this mean?" Wakka's voice was now rising, but he quickly hushed himself and looked expectantly at his infant son.

"I have no idea... But I got this intense feeling.. I don't know how to explain it. Did you get that too?" Lulu questioned, her normally stoic face was now quizzical and somewhat worried.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't feel like no dream." Wakka answered. They were completely awake now, and lie awake in each other's embrace. With no answers, they simply held each other. A knock on their threshold, which was sealed with hanging beads instead of a door, jarred them.

"Guys, I just had the weirdest dream!" Rikku entered their room with a commotion, which amazingly didn't wake Vidina. After a silent apology, she beckoned for them to follow her outside. After making sure to be out of earshot, especially Yuna's, they conferred with hushed voices.

"You saw Tidus, ya?" Wakka eagerly questioned.

"How did you know?" Rikku replied, amazed.

"We both had similar dreams," Lulu added. After a silence, Rikku continued, "He was climbing Mt. Gagazet. But it wasn't a dream, it was like..."

"Like a vision, ya?" Wakka finished.

"Yeah! It's like I could sense he was thinking of me, of us! I wouldn't have woken you, but it was the stangest thing I've ever experienced! Such an intense feeling..

"Well, what do we make of this?" Lulu after another silince. They all looked to the hut, as if asking each other about Yuna. The three exchanged worried glances, and talked further about their similar dreams, about how visceral they were, and how vividly they felt the emotions he was feeling. What was this phenomenon? No one dared to postulate that he could be alive. After two whole years, there was no way. So what could explain this enigma? With no way of knowing and no course of action to take, they quietly returned to their beds, with hardly a wink to sleep.

Had any of them looked at Yuna while she slept, they would have seen a smile she had not made in over two years.

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A/N: So in this story I'm pretty much ignoring the canon of X-2, so keep that in mind. Also, I started this four years ago and never added a chapter, so I think I'm going in a different direction than I orignally planned. If you have any feedback, please leave a review! I'm very happy to be criticised!