Chapter 2: What Happened Here?

Dinner was a quiet ordeal, it was rare that anyone would ever speak, everyone was too busy eating to bring up a topic of conversation. Today, however, Yuna broke the silence.

"Eve…Everyone?" Four pairs of eyes looked at her curiously, and Kimahri could be heard shifting his weight from his stance near the door. "I have something to tell you."

"What is it Yuna?" Tidus asked through a mouthful of pork. Smiling gently, Yuna continued.

"There will be two more guardian's joining this group very soon… I saw it in a dream…"

"What do you know of them?" Lulu inquired, picking up her glass to drink from it.

"One is a young girl, no older than 15. She's an Al Bhed," Wakka cleared his throat uncomfortably. He hated the Al Bhed as they disobeyed Yevon's teachings about the strictly prohibited use of machina. "The other is a male… he is the same age as myself. He is not from this world… he is lost, yet, he fights the fiends in his path with great skill. And there is this…" Yuna paused, trying to describe the vehicle that her dream revealed to her. "…this… um… vehicle, it seems to be balanced on two wheels…"
"It's a motorcycle." Tidus interjected.

"Yes, that's what he told me. A motorcycle. He named it Fenrir."

"You seem to know a lot about this male." Tidus said coolly. Yuna blushed and poked at her food with her fork.

"Well… um…"

"Is there anything else, Yuna?" Lulu asked, only to get a stiff shake of Yuna's head.

"Please, excuse me." She said quickly, getting up and running from the table to her shared cabin with Tidus.

Slamming the door behind her, Yuna threw herself face first on to the bed. That look on Tidus's face as she'd told her guardians about the vision she'd had… It was nothing short of jealously and hatred towards the male they were yet to meet. Yuna had a feeling that Tidus could read her thoughts. She hadn't stopped thinking about that short glimpse she'd had of her guardian-to-be. She smiled as she recollected his pale ivory skin, bright blue eyes which seemed to glow in the dim light, pastel blonde hair which appeared to stick up at every odd angle. And that smile. That warm, gentle smile he'd given her. He could be no more that seventeen years old. But he wielded that buster sword with great skill and little effort, even though it looked so heavy.

Frowning into the pillow, Yuna closed her eyes. Why was Tidus being so cold all of a sudden, did he know something Yuna did not? Was there something in the vision she'd missed? Or did her face give everything away? That snippet of the vision she'd purposefully missed out… the one part she'd kept to herself. She didn't want anyone to know… it was personal.

Yuna's thoughts lulled her off to sleep, she didn't even flinch when Lulu peered around the door to check on her. Not even a whimper when Lu changed her in to her nightclothes and tucked her in to bed. Not even a stir when Tidus came to bed… when he confessed…

Tidus sat on the edge of Yuna's bed, gently reaching out to stroke her hair.

"Yuna? I need to tell you something…" He whispered to her sleeping form. "I guess you could call it a confession. At the table earlier? You know? When you told us about those two guardians who are destined to meet us? Well… I kind of knew you were going to tell us Yunie. I wasn't expecting you to hide that other bit of your vision from us though. You probably want to keep that to yourself, don't you? I thought so… I don't blame you for not telling us, but I just wish you would. I can read what goes through your head, I can see every thought, every vision, every dream… every fantasy. I know you want…" Tidus broke off as Yuna stirred, tugging at the duvet to pull it over her shoulders. "…I'll finish my story another night… one where you're listening to me." Standing up, Tidus turned back to pull the duvet over Yuna's shoulders.

"Good night… Lady Yuna." Tidus placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, coaxing a small smile out of Yuna. She looked so at peace, so carefree. He only wished that the burden she carried would disappear. He didn't want her life to end like this. She was too young. But he'd find another way. Tidus would save Yuna, he'd sworn to protect her… he'd sworn it to her father's spirit.

Unbuckling his complicated attire, Tidus slipped in to bed, pulling the duvet only to his waist and resting his arms behind his head, propping himself up enough to watch Yuna sleeping on the other side of the room. Finally, his weariness got the better of him and he fell into a deep slumber.

When Yuna finally opened her eyes, it was daybreak. She lifted her head and gazed across the room and the sleeping Tidus. One arm lay across his stomach whilst the other lay dangling off the side of the bed. His feet were poking out of the duvet and his mouth hung open. Taking in the way he slept, Yuna was quite surprised he didn't snore.

'But,' she thought, 'that would just make this whole situation quite… well… funny.' The Summoner rose from her bed and proceeded to gather up her shower bag and towel. An early morning shower wouldn't hurt her. Sneaking as quietly as she could past Tidus, she opened the door to the en-suite bathroom.

The morning seemed to pass as a blur. Just like the day before, Yuna spent the majority of the voyage stood at the front of the boat, overlooking the ocean ahead of her. Her thoughts lay on the mysterious guardian who kept appearing in her dreams. Night after night, without fail he was there. It was almost like he was stalking her, making sure she was safe, even in the fantasy world that lay safe in her mind. But she never saw the youngest guardian. No, the young girl had only ever appeared to her once. Yuna had recognised her, but she couldn't think where from. Yet, Yuna couldn't seem to think at all, her head was pounding. Raising her forefinger and her thumb to the bridge of her nose, she closed her eyes.

"Whatcha up to?" Tidus appeared behind Yuna, stretching his arms in the air as he went. Yuna started, spinning around and fixing her guardian with a disapproving look.

"Oh, it's just you…" She resumed her position and sighed. "I'm just thinking."

"Too much thinking will give you a headache, Yuna." He joked, gently nudging her shoulder with his hand. She gave a small laugh and smiled.

"Oh, it's too late for that."

"Do you wanna lie down?" Concern flooded in to Tidus's tone, he was quite obviously worried about the young summoner beside him.

"No… it's okay. I have to be prepared." Frowning slightly, Tidus turned to quizzing Yuna.

"Prepared?" He scratched his head as he phrased the last part of the question. "Prepared for what?" Bowing her head, Yuna replied.

"Kilika was destroyed by Sin early this morning. When we arrive, I will perform the sending." Tidus should have known. But Yuna's mind had been filled with images of a young male, and Tidus had immediately tuned out. In his eyes, Yuna was his, and she always had been. Unfortunately, she didn't see things his way, but maybe she would if her fate wasn't so death shaped. Clearing his head of thoughts, he stared straight ahead.

"Oh… look." Yuna mumbled quietly.

"Huh?" Tidus queried, glancing at her. She pointed straight ahead.

"Land." She said simply, stepping away from Tidus and down to the deck.

Sure enough, land lay straight ahead. Tidus would have been pleased to see it, but there was an aura of destruction and heartbreak surrounding it. Debris from Sin's attack lay scattered in the water. Possessions belonging to the fallen were floating all around the ship. No matter where Tidus looked, all he could see and feel was damage. Sin had struck again, claiming yet more lives. It had to be stopped, if only there were a way to save Yuna as well.

The day passed rather quickly. Everybody lending a helping hand wherever it was needed. The citizens of Kilika offered what little food and drink they had to Yuna and her guardians. Yuna humbly refused, telling them that they needed to conserve what they had.

Finally the day came to a close with the sun setting on the horizon. Its rays highlighted the sky with seductive pinks and reds. The air was warm, it wouldn't be so bad for those who would be sleeping on the pier that night. Tidus had helped rebuild as many homes as he could throughout the course of the day, never letting Yuna out of his sight. She had entertained the children, healed the injured and offered guidance and comfort to the mourning. Neither of the two teens had seen the older guardians since they'd docked in Kilika port earlier that morning. They'd only made an appearance at sunset, when it was announced that the dead had not been Sent. Tidus felt his stomach knot as he glanced sideways at Yuna. She hated Sendings, she'd confessed to Tidus shortly after her first.

"It's painful, it hurts right here." She'd said as she'd put her hand to her heart. "I never want to do that again." And yet here she was, following two of Kilika's citizens to the place where she would Send the dead. Sighing heavily, Tidus fell in to step beside Yuna.

Just as they reached the port, he caught her wrist. She stopped and turned to look at him.

"Be strong, Yuna. You can do this." He said solemnly, before giving her a boyish grin. Yuna merely smiled and nodded. Tidus dropped her wrist so she could go talk to the leader of the destroyed town.

It was a sight he hoped he'd never see again. It was a process he wished Yuna would never have to go through again. It was a task he'd prayed she wouldn't take on.

What rotten luck he had.