Braska watched the small child running through the street, playing with friends. He wondered about leaving her, but he knew she would be safe. She would grow up well – she already was. His little daughter was not the only thing that made him think twice about leaving this place. He had friends that were like family to him, though his blood kin had been killed by Sin several years ago. There were so many ghosts, asking him to stay in this place – holding him here – but now he was a summoner. It was his will to go; it was his duty to go.
"Daddy! Watch!" Yuna called, chasing one of the other children around.
He smiled as he watched her. Yes. He would miss her greatly.
"When will you depart, Lord Braska?" came a voice from behind.
Turning, Braska caught sight of Auron, leaning against a tree, carrying his red coat over his arm.
"Auron," he said rising. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Well, if I am going to be your guardian, we might as well begin to prepare for the journey," he said.
"So you accept?" asked Braska, quite pleased.
"How could I refuse?" was the man's reply.
"Somehow I thought you'd be returning to the temple," said Braska.
Auron shook his head, not prepared to look the summoner in the eye.
"Lord Braska, I was excommunicated," Auron said, quite frankly.
The man looked back at him with astonishment in his eyes, but held from asking.
"I was offered the hand of the priest's daughter, but refused it. It was a disgrace, they said. I am no longer welcome in the monastery. I thought you should know this before you accept me as your guardian. It's becoming quite well known through the city."
"A scandal?" asked Braska.
"Yes. You should know before you truly accept me as your guardian."
Braska held up his hands.
"It is fine. You do not have to explain yourself to me. I do not care what you have done."
Auron looked at him quizzically. How could that not matter? This man – he cared not?
"But – will it be fitting for your image?" Auron asked.
Braska laughed.
"I did not offer to reject you now," he said.
Braska laughed again.
"What is funny?" Auron asked.
Braska shook his head.
"I'm sorry. I believe the real question is: if you would be willing to accept me," he said.
"Why would there be a problem in that?" Auron asked.
"I was a priest of Yevon – married to an Al Bhed woman. I'm not much different from you in society's eyes."
"I have heard of that, Lord Summoner."
"And that does not bother you?" Braska asked.
Did it really? Could this bother him? Auron had never had too much of an opinion either way about the Al Bhed. They were definitely widely regarded as heathen. Auron thought back to the dedication he saw in this man. One flaw was not enough to turn him away. He finally gathered the nerve to speak after thinking for a moment. He shook his head.
"That matters not. Our intentions now both come from Yevon's goodness and for our love of Spira," said Auron.
"Well said," Braska commented. "So, you would still accept me as your summoner then?"
"If you would have me as your guardian," Auron said bowing. "It would be an honor."
"Then let us beat this common talk together – when we defeat Sin."
Auron nodded. Through this, he knew he was with the right summoner.
"I wish to leave in two days," said Braska.
"Of course, my Lord," Auron consented.
"I would like to go get tickets for the boat today… so that I am not tempted to change my mind."
"Of course."
"Would you come?"
"Yes," said Auron.
Braska looked out to his daughter, running about the street. He smiled as he watched her, playing innocently. He would soon no longer be able to look on at this.
"She is your daughter?" Auron asked, following the summoner's gaze.
"Yes," Braska said with a nod. "She's the only family I have left."
"And you are hers," Auron said.
Braska turned to face him, already knowing what the man was thinking.
"She will be taken care of," he assured the guardian. "She will not be alone. She accepts my departure."
"And – she knows you will not come back?" Auron asked.
"I haven't told her – not in so many words. I don't want her to think of it that way. I want her to realize what I am doing. If I tell her that I will die, she will not understand why I am going; she will only concentrate on the death."
Auron nodded in understanding.
"Yuna," Braska called.
"Yes?" the girl asked, stopping her running motion and looking to her father obediently.
"It's time for you to go inside now. I'm going to make a trip to the docks."
"But you'll be back for dinner!" she said, her eyes begging for confirmation.
"Yes. I will be back," he promised.
The little girl smiled and cast a glance up to Auron as she scurried into the house. Braska sighed as Auron looked on without words. This was the fist time that Auron had seen this summoner in distraught. It was almost as though he was unsure of himself. Auron didn't like the reflective feeling, but he said nothing. This man now looked – sad and old.
Only a moment later though, Braska regained himself and his emotional wrinkles faded.
"Let's go."
Auron and Braska walked through the street in silence for a few moments. The warrior was unsure of where to begin conversation with this summoner. Sure, he had met his acquaintance before, but Auron was meaning to be careful now. He was not going to let himself become attached to this man. He knew what would come: they would travel a long way and then Braska would die to defeat Sin. It always happened; there was no way around it. Auron had heard stories of the bonds between summoners and their guardians, but he was determined not to let that happen to him. There would be no friendly chit-chat. He should stick to business. Before Auron had decided what he should ask first, Braska spoke.
"Besaid," he said.
"I'm sorry," said Auron, not understanding.
"We will be going to the temple at Besaid first. You – did want to know where we were going, right?"
Auron nodded, stirring the dust when he walked. He trudged on along the road, not showing any discomfort to the heavy sword that hung about his waist; it did not seem to slow him down in the least bit. He wondered what awaited them on the journey beginning soon. He would wonder that for quite a while along this street, before Braska spoke to him again, breaking a long silence.
"Any family?" he asked Auron.
The man in red shook his head, watching the people on the street.
"No. They – were killed by Sin several years ago: my parents and two sisters," said Auron, somewhat eager to change to subject.
"Sin brings turmoil to us all," commented the summoner.
This statement made Auron change his mind about the chosen topic. Could this man truly understand? Did he have answers? Perhaps it would hurt to ask. He was a priest, after all.
"For years I pondered the meaning of it all and the teachings offered no real answers. I couldn't understand why it was only said that Sin was our punishment. How can we ever make it go away? Will we atone? What about all the innocent ones?"
"Perhaps, with the final summoning, one day it will end for good," said Braska as they walked.
"Do you think that there could ever be one strong enough to rid us of Sin completely?" Auron asked, his voice full of hope for what the summoner would say.
"I – do not know. But we must keep trying. Perhaps one day, our efforts will pay off and we will be rid of Sin."
"Lord Braska," Auron began, asking something he had been pondering to himself for quite some time. "The final summoning… is it… wrong?"
Braska paused before he gave an answer as the path split before them: one way to the docks and one headed for Miihen Highroad. The men stopped, looking up at the signs, splitting the path. Braska turned to his guardian.
"I don't quite understand what you mean," he said finally.
"In the teachings, is the summoning wrong? Yevon has given us this horrible burden, yet he has given us a way to postpone the death? Has Yevon really given us the choice, or is it something that we just do. I mean, the summoner still dies. Is that his punishment for getting rid of Sin?"
Braska thought for a short moment.
"I suppose – if I thought it was wrong – I wouldn't be a summoner. And – if you thought it was wrong – you wouldn't be my guardian."
Auron nodded in thought. He wasn't saying that he didn't believe in it, but what he really wanted to know was if he was actually right. Braska continued on.
"I don't think Yevon could look down on anyone who loves the people of Spira as much as the summoner does – knowing that they are to give there lives, yet they still continue. It may not be direct in the teachings, but – we must do what we can. Yevon does not command this of us, but he allows it to us in his words. It is the only way he has made possible."
The summoner turned from his guardian then and walked off down the path toward the docks. Auron stood for a moment in silence before he followed. Braska's answer… was exactly what Auron believed. He was content in knowing that there was someone else who thought those things, too. Now, he could go on without question of Braska's action; this summoner was traveling for the right reasons.
Braska stepped up to find a place in line while and Auron followed close behind, the two of them drawing the attention of a few people scattered about. They knew about these men. Though it had only been a day, the scandals were abroad. Auron couldn't help but notice the strange looks they received. It bothered him, while Braska simply overlooked it.
"News seems to be getting around pretty fast," Braska mused. "Wouldn't you say?"
Auron shook his head in disgust.
"Perhaps this was a bad idea," he said in a guilty tone.
"Nonsense," said the summoner reassuringly. "You do not disgrace me any more than I disgrace myself. I do not think I am a disgrace. You should feel the same way."
"I don't want to let you down, my Lord."
"Relax, Auron. All will be well. We will prove them wrong."
Braska sounded so sure of himself. Auron sighed. Perhaps he was right. He looked up at the sound of two men approaching them across the way. One of the men was tall and muscular, wearing a large collar. The other man was shorter, but still just as muscular, with a long robe much like the one Braska wore.
"Lord Braska," pronounced the shorter man. "I see you are coming along quite quickly."
"As well as can be expected," Braska said, as Auron looked over the two men.
"I'm sorry, my name is Faanan. I am a summoner, as are you." He bowed to Braska; the motion was copied. "This is my guardian, Balto."
The taller man gave a nod in acknowledgement as Auron examined him carefully.
"You are heading for Besaid soon?" asked Faanan.
"Yes. You are as well, I see."
"I am. I may as well state my intent on beating you to the punch."
Braska smiled and a chuckle escaped his lips.
"We shall see. Fate will decide, I think."
"It will indeed," said Fannan, bowing again. "The journey will take us far. You are well prepared for what is to come?"
Braska nodded humbly while others bustled around them, making sounds against the boards of the doors as they boarded the ship in the harbor.
"I am as prepared as I will ever be."
"That is good to hear. You are probably going along the same route as I am; I plan to go onto Kilika from Besaid and straight on through until Mt. Gagazet, then right on to Zanarkand!"
At Faanan's last statement, Balto began to laugh as he looked out over the water. Braska looked on in confusion and curiosity as Auron was alerted to be defensive, while Faanan smiled in laughter himself.
"Something is funny?" Auron demanded, a bit contemptuously.
Balto crossed his arms as Faanan raised his hands in the air and shook his head.
"No; not you. He was remembering something earlier… about Zanarkand."
"What would that be?" Braska asked inquisitively.
Balto laughed more as Faanan began to explain.
"Some lunatic in Bevelle earlier… said he was from Zanarkand," said Faanan, trying to keep himself from laughing.
"Really?" asked Braska, while Auron just looked on.
"He… started a bar brawl when one guy wouldn't tell him how to get back to Zanarkand from Bevelle, which he'd never heard of before!" The man paused to laugh. "When they came to take him away, he said, "Do you even know who I am? I'm the star player of the Zanarkand Abes!""
Both men were cracking up now, holding there sides in laughter. Braska looked on at them in amusement and thought. Auron simply peered on, trying to understand exactly what was so funny about another man's disillusionment. Finally, the two men pulled themselves together.
"Perhaps he was just too close to Sin's toxin," Braska suggested.
"Maybe," said Faanan. "But all that blind rage he used on those men at the bar… it's a wonder they are still alive! They locked him up in Bevelle."
"Then a man like that is where he belongs," Auron said honestly.
"You are right," said Faanan, giving another bow. "Perhaps some other summoner will pick him up and take him back to "Zanarkand", eh, Braska?"
Faanan and his guardian walked away, still sharing in the laugh. Braska and Auron watched them go in silence. Auron shifted his weight and looked over to his summoner.
"That seemed rude," Auron commented, but Braska didn't even seem to hear him.
"Perhaps I will…" the summoner muttered.
"My Lord?" asked the man in red.
Braska turned back to him, a strange gleam in his eye. Auron tried to decide what he was thinking, but he didn't have to wonder long, for Braska told him just what he wanted to know.
"There is something I must see," Braska said.
"But… the tickets…" Auron protested.
Braska shook his head.
"The man from Zanarkand… I am… curious."
Auron stared on in disbelief at the summoner. What was he thinking? A man that had done such damage needed to be locked away. He was obviously insane. What would Braska want with him?
"My Lord, I am afraid I will have to object."
"Then I am afraid I must insist, Auron. I would like to see him."
Braska brushed past Auron and headed to leave the docks. Auron just stood and watched him, a confused look upon his face. Braska had already reached the road before he turned, facing Auron, who had not moved an inch, a look of disbelief upon his face. Braska laughed slightly.
"I am going with or without you. You do not wish to follow me?" he asked.
"I just find this to be… spontaneous and unnecessary behavior."
"It is," Braska assured him. "Come if you wish. It is your choice."
Auron lowered his head in thought, but he already knew that he wanted to travel with this man; he had never felt so right in anything before.
"No," the guardian said. "I am a man of my word. When I pledged to be your guardian – I meant it. I will stand by you."
Braska smiled and nodded cordially.
"Thank you, Auron."
With a deep breath from Auron, he followed Braska's path to the road just as the boat in the harbor called for its departure. Braska trudged on through the streets towards the prison. Finally Auron felt the need to ask his burning question:
"Lord Braska, what exactly do you plan to say to the man from Zanarkand? You just want to see him?"
Braska stopped in his path and laughed.
"Of course not," he said, not turning. "I want to ask him to come with us."
"What?" Auron asked, not sure he had heard correctly. "Why?"
"Someone has to help him get back to Zanarkand," said Braska.
Auron shook his head, but followed on. Everyone knew that Zanarkand was nothing but ruins now. There was no way someone could have lived there. The man was quite perceptibly insane… but, what did that make Braska for believing it?
