Title: Broken, Beaten, and Damned

By: Aina Song

Fandom(s): Final Fantasy X/ Yu Yu Hakusho

Genre: Yaoi

Rating: PG-15

Warning(s): Crossover; Slightly AU; Language; Some OOC; Direct Quotes; Altered Quotes; Altered Scenes (and other such subtle storyline changes). Italics = thought bubbles, Fayth speech and/or telepathy, and Al Bhed.

Pairing(s): Yusuke x Tidus

Reviews: Yes, please! For the love of God, someone give me a cookie!

Author's Note: Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Would you believe someone dared me to do this one?

Teaser: When Yusuke finds himself in a world far unlike his own, the most pressing questions on his mind - how he got there, and how he might get back home - gradually take a backseat to the sacrificial urgency of his new friends' seemingly futile crusade…

Chapter Seven - Witness

The Mi'ihen Highroad.

Lulu explained to Yusuke that it was a famous piece of Spira's history. Apparently, some warrior named Mi'ihen had journeyed along this same road long ago on some quest or other and had made quite a name for himself. Thirty minutes of traveling along the road themselves, their own little group paused before a stone statue of the man himself, aged with time but still standing strong as though to protect the road and those who traversed it.

Yusuke cast a glance over his shoulder as they passed the statue by, wondering what it was that had earned Mi'ihen his fame.

Another couple of hours along the road, Tidus suddenly paused again. The blond's eyes were cast to the side of the road, where stood a woman in a gown of several shades of green. Tidus caught his sister's hand in his own, and together they approached the woman.

Her soft brown eyes lit with interest as they drew near. "Here's an encounter to record in the history books."

"Then you are a summoner," Tidus muttered, a small touch of respect in his voice.

"Yes," she smiled. "My name is Belgemine. You are…?"

"Tidus," he introduced himself. He turned his head, tugging slightly on his sister's hand to bring her forward. "And this is Yuna."

"Nice to meet you," she greeted.

The woman looked from one to the other, a knowing light beginning to dawn in her eyes. "Ah, of course. The descendents of High Summoner Braska. Already, I have heard much of you from those leaving Luca before you. But you are still fresh on the road, are you not?"

They nodded.

Her eyes grew sympathetic. "I might have a few things to teach the two of you. If you would accept my help, of course."

Yusuke decided he liked this woman. Her kindness and unassuming smile was in stark difference to Dona's haughty greater-than-thou demeanor.

"What do you have in mind?" Yuna politely wondered.

"You are twins, yes? Are you close?"

Tidus and Yuna nodded again.

"Then I surmise that one is both strength and weakness for the other?"

Yusuke glanced at Tidus, and he knew the blond was only giving out the tiniest fraction of the truth as he confessed, "Yes…"

Belgemine seemed to hear his reluctance in saying even that much, for she offered another soft smile. "The strengths outweigh the weaknesses, child. The unfortunate are those who ever dare challenge that." Still smiling, she returned the conversation to its original topic; "Now. Shall we put those strengths to the test with a friendly duel? I will pit one of my own aeons against one of yours. You need not worry that I'll let it go too far, of course. What do you say?"

The two exchanged a look, as though in silent debate. Yusuke did not need to wait for the decision; grabbing Wakka's arm, he quietly urged the others to back away with him to a safe distance.

It was Yuna who voiced the verdict, confirming what Yusuke had anticipated.

"We'll do our best."

Belgemine summoned first. Conjuring a long thin brass rod into her fist, she lowered her other hand before her and closed her eyes. Fire ignited below her down-turned palm, its flames licking at her fingers. Opening her eyes, Belgemine fisted the flames and threw them to her side. A fiery rune lit the ground where they landed, and the earth shook in response.

Hell. Yusuke's hands fisted at his sides, and he braced himself for the surge of energy that preceded the great-horned feline aeon. The fiery beast gazed at Tidus and Yuna for a long moment before turning its attention to the summoner that had called it.

Standing to the other side of Yusuke, Auron spoke almost inaudibly: "Ifrit…"

Belgemine held up her free hand, signaling for her aeon to wait. Her soft brown eyes were nothing but kind as she looked again to her opponents. "Please, don't be shy. Choose your aeon, and show me what you can do."

But Yuna and her brother had little choice. Because the fire aeon had already been brought forth by another, they had only the winged aeon at their call. They turned to each other and clasped their hands together, flinging their free arms wide as their weapons forged themselves in their fists. A ring of runes slowly spun around their feet as beams of light shot toward the skies.

"…and Valefor," Auron gruffly added beneath his breath. And Yusuke realized that the older human was referring to the aeons by what could only have been their true names.

Of course. Auron had already safeguarded one summoner, a decade past. He had already been introduced to the aeons that could empower a summoner's abilities; it would only make sense that he had learned their names as well.

A piercing Scree! announced the winged aeon's arrival as it plummeted down from the skies, rolling in the air before flinging its wings wide to catch a wind only available to the great bird. It hovered in the air a moment, its luminescent yellow eyes glancing among the three summoners. Like the great-horned feline, the winged aeon seemed to understand the situation, calmly settling upon the ground to accept Yuna's welcome before lifting up into the air to await its summoners' command.

As with everything else, Tidus and Yuna battled in perfect synchronization. Belgemine's aeon, the one Auron had called Ifrit, raced forth and tried to claw their winged aeon down from the air, but the great bird - Valefor - swerved and swayed beyond its reach. It could not risk drawing close enough to attack the fiery aeon physically; instead, the brightly colored bird threw cutting gusts of wind at its opponent.

When it became apparent that Ifrit would not be so quick to tire, Yuna and Tidus lifted their weapons high, both shouting their command in unison. Valefor whirled as it lifted higher in the air; it opened its beak and drew back its head. Light and energy began to gather in its mouth, powerful and bright. Tidus and his sister gave the signal, and their aeon spat the energy at Belgemine's fiery beast in a single burning beam of light. The earth exploded in a cloud of earth and dust, and when it had cleared Ifrit had collapsed to the ground and was shaking its head as though dizzy.

"Stop." Belgemine smiled, "That is enough."

Both aeons were dismissed, though not without some show of gratitude from each summoner. Belgemine's smile remained strong as she approached the two who had risen to her challenge. "For ones so young to show such promise… I fear I underestimated you." She glanced from one to the other, "With more training, the two of you could defeat Sin."

Yuna gave a shy smile of her own, quietly embracing her twin brother's arm; Tidus' expression was solemnly grateful. "Thank you," he answered. "But I think you might defeat Sin before we are able to."

The woman's smile slackened, briefly. "I cannot, I'm afraid. It shames me to confide that I… have already tried."

Yuna's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a sudden cry. Tidus grew very still, and Yusuke glimpsed a deadened light in those flame blue eyes.

Belgemine's smile returned, and she dipped her head in a slight bow. "Farewell, descendents of Braska. Trust that we may meet again."

As she walked past their small entourage, Yusuke sucked in a quick hiss of breath and clenched his teeth, turning his head to watch as the woman followed along the road toward the city they had left behind. And he wondered that Belgemine's aura had the same, if somewhat diluted, nonhuman feel to it as did Auron's.

"We've got a few hours of daylight left," Tidus eventually spoke, his voice gruff and inexplicably emotional. "And then we'll need to find somewhere to camp for the night." He paused, glancing down to his sister, whose face was now buried in his shoulder. He lightly smoothed his free hand along her back in a comforting manner, before he looked up again. "Auron?" He requested, "Will you lead us?"

The man nodded, hefting his heavy-bladed claymore atop his shoulder.

"Yuna?" The blond softly spoke once more, turning his eyes again to his twin. The brunette nodded against his shoulder, and after a moment she lifted her head, passing her fingers under her mismatched eyes. Tidus kissed her brow; her mouth lifted in a small smile. They fell in pace behind Auron as the red-robed warrior began to lead them onward.

Their entourage followed where the road led, only occasionally encountering a fiend or two in their path. Auron swiftly proved his unquestionable worthiness in battle, freeing his left arm from the folds of his robe to wield his claymore in a two-fisted grip. And yet, despite the history of greatness seeming to shadow his steps, he was strictly business. Nothing like the showoff Yusuke remembered Kuwabara to have been.

Though Yusuke had already found that he worked best alongside the blue beast Kimahri, he was now discovering that the older warrior's fighting style was not so incompatible to his own, either. Auron was actually very generous in battle, and he never hesitated to guard an ally's back whenever needed. He was especially protective of Tidus and Yuna, and yet at the same time respectful of their abilities to defend themselves.

Finally, as the sun began to set, they happened upon a turn in the road, and beyond that turn stood a modest building and an expanse of fenced-in land which accommodated a number of yellow ostrich-sized birds.

Auron nodded, seeming satisfied. "We rest here."

"But this is an Al Bhed shop," Wakka quickly protested.

"Is that a problem?"

"They don't believe in Yevon," the redhead answered, as though in obvious reminder. "And in Luca… They kidnapped Yuna."

"They tried," Yusuke corrected under his breath, letting his fangs peek through in a self-deprecating snarl. The near-success of that abduction still left a foul taste in his mouth.

Auron turned his head, silently regarding the tattooed youth.

Yuna tried to appeal to Wakka; "Sir Auron's just looking out for our health."

But the redhead would have none of that, loudly proclaiming, "I'm not tired, one bit!"

"Well," Auron replied, unimpressed. "I am."

When the others began following him into the building, Wakka cussed and fumed but soon gave up his argument for the lost cause it was.

~o~

Yusuke sat outside the shop with his back to the side of the building. He had refused to let anyone waste good coin on a room for him, nor would he bunk with them, firmly declaring that he was quite used to sleeping on the ground. He even preferred it. So, while everyone else was making ready to settle in for the night, he stared off toward the cliffs and bit through a chunk of smoked meat that Yuna had insisted upon buying for him. Yusuke hadn't really wanted it, could have gone days more without a bite to eat, but he'd found that he could not disappoint her over so trivial a matter.

The shop's front door opened, and the dark youth peered around the building in time to watch Auron lead Tidus away toward the cliffs. Yusuke remained where he was, sensing from the tension pouring out of them that the two needed a moment alone. Turning his head, he borrowed a technique taught to him by Kurama and focused all his senses toward a number of blackbirds hiding in the grass some several yards away. How they looked, how they moved… his sharp ears picking out their every infinitesimal sound so that he would not overhear the conversation a handful of paces to his right. He sat back against the side of the shop, folding his free arm behind his head, tearing off another mouthful from his chunk of meat.

Completely absorbed in the distraction. In his own little world.

For about three minutes.

"What?"

Tidus' voice broke through, forcibly jarring Yusuke back to reality. Shaking his head to clear it as his senses re-centered themselves, he turned his gaze toward where he had last seen the blond summoner.

Tidus still stood near the cliffs, the late sunset gleaming off his silver armbands and chains and casting a fiery glow in the tawny strands of his hair. Yet it did not compare to the heat in those blue eyes. He was glaring at the ground before his feet, and his fists were flexing at his sides. Auron stood before him, hands gripping Tidus by the shoulders as though he wanted to shake the boy.

Auron's low voice reached Yusuke's sharp ears. "I know about Kilika. And I know you were there. You must have felt him." He paused, one hand leaving Tidus' shoulder to lightly jab two fingers at the center of the blond's chest. "You must have felt him, when you encountered Sin."

Sin? Well, damn. Yusuke hadn't wanted to eavesdrop, but now they'd gotten his undivided attention.

Tidus looked sharply up. "Does Yuna know?"

"I wouldn't do that to her," Auron gruffly replied, as though offended. "But you needed to hear it. He wanted me to make sure you understood, and at the earliest opportunity."

"You won't tell her?"

"I'll leave that decision to you."

Tidus turned his head, gazing toward the setting sun for a long minute before finally answering, "I hate the thought of lying to her, but we can't let her know the truth. I nearly lost her once, Auron. I can't tell you what it took for me to bring her back." He returned his gaze to the older man, a dark threat flaring in his eyes. "If Yuna learns of this… it will destroy her. And that will destroy me."

A look of aggrieved acceptance passed between the two, until at last Auron turned toward the shop. As the man approached, his good eye caught sight of Yusuke, who did nothing to hide that he had been sitting there the whole time. The red-robed warrior returned the favor by not pretending that Yusuke hadn't possibly just overheard enough to guess that they were hiding something. Auron passed him by, entering the shop without a word.

"Yusuke…"

He turned his head. Tidus had remained where he stood, gazing again toward the setting sun. At first glance, he might have appeared at ease, comfortable with the chance to spend a moment alone. Yet something in the way his hands were still fisted at his sides beckoned the reassurance of another's company.

Tossing aside his last bit of meat, Yusuke stood and came over. Tidus turned slightly at the sound of his approach, though the blond's gaze remained fixed upon the last changing colors of the sunset. Yusuke paused just behind him, the feel of grief and sorrow emitting from Tidus' aura so strong he could literally taste it. He didn't pretend ignorance, instead gruffly offering, "I'd help, if I could."

"I know," Tidus murmured, not yet turning around. "Thank you."

Yusuke said nothing more for a long minute, watching the motionless summoner, watching the graying dusk play against the blond's silhouette. Tidus' aura was spilling over with a sense of spiraling helplessness. Swearing under his breath, the tattooed demon stepped forward and carefully set his hands to Tidus' shoulders. The blond released a quiet sigh, shifting slightly back, accepting Yusuke's wordless support. Another long minute passed in silence, as the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon, allowing the earliest stars to peek through.

The silence was gently shattered by Tidus' whispered lament; "I'm afraid for her…"

Yusuke gazed up at the unfamiliar constellations, choosing his words carefully. "I've seen some of what she can do. She's got talent, and she's got spark. Not a bad combination, where I come from. When the time comes… Whatever it is, I think she'll be able to handle it."

Appearing somewhat mollified, the blond nodded in agreement, sinking back more comfortably against Yusuke's chest. The dark youth reined in his shock and did not complain, sensing a weariness in the blond that had little to do with physical exhaustion. Unable to think of anything better with which to reassure the young summoner, he said, "Don't worry. Nothing lasts forever. Even this pilgrimage thing's got to end someday, right? Then you'll have those ten years of peace to look forward to."

Tidus' next breath caught quietly in his throat, and his torso tensed for a moment against the tattooed demon's chest before relaxing once more. "And would you still be there?" He wondered, "Yusuke… Would you follow us all that way, to the very end of our pilgrimage?"

Something in the way those words were spoken gave Yusuke pause, his core murmuring uncertainly. It was doing that a lot, lately. He tried to smirk, "Wasn't that my challenge to the old man? Two guardians, for the price of one?"

Tidus nodded.

Gnawing a fang at the corner of his bottom lip, Yusuke slowly admitted, "Your sister felt sorry I didn't find my exit in Luca, by the way. But then she said something to me that made me think maybe she was hopin' I'd stick around."

The blond youth did not respond for a handful of seconds, but then seemed unable to resist. "What did she say?"

Yusuke sensed the sorrowful vulnerability in Tidus' aura curling in on itself until it was no longer so potent, and he very quietly breathed in relief. His smirk widened. "Well, she gave me the impression that my attitude and bad mouth would be more than enough to keep this party on its toes. And then there was something about the two of you needing my 'resolve'…"

"Resolve," Tidus echoed, and Yusuke nearly believed he had said the wrong thing. But then the blond's shoulders shook with quiet humor, a second before a true, uninhibited laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep within Tidus' chest. "Yes," he agreed, still chuckling. "Your resolve should prove very interesting to witness."