Chapter 17

"Yuna!"

Auron and Lulu awoke with a start as Tidus yelled their Summoner's name. The girl had woken up, and was fumbling in the dimly-lit chamber, trying to get her bearings.

The two Guardians rushed to her side, taking either hand, leading her to a rock where she could sit comfortably. "Are you alright?" Lulu asked her, not bothering to wait for an answer before checking her eyes and looking for bruises or cuts. Auron followed suit, finding nothing seriously wrong. "She's fine," he asserted, nodding to his companions.

"Now," the elder Guardian asked, looking directly into her eyes. "What were you doing?"

The girl dropped her gaze to the floor, mumbling apologetically. "I - I wanted to confront Seymour about Jyscal," she explained. "I wanted to try and make him turn himself in to Yevon's judgement."

"In exchange for marriage?" Lulu asked. Yuna nodded. "If that's what it took, yes."

"So," Tidus broke in, pushing Auron aside. "What did Seymour say?"

The Summoner sighed. "He didn't say anything. Now, I don't even think this was worth it. I should've told you all what I was doing," she admitted.

"Enough. Dwelling in the past is futile."

Everyone turned to Auron. "Hey!" Rikku objected. "You didn't have to say it like that." The red-clad ronin narrowed his eyes, scowling at the young Al Bhed. "If you want to say here listening to her regrets, that's fine by me. I, on the other hand," he hefted his mighty sword, "don't."

The girl whimpered, mumbling her previous statement under her breath.

"Our immediate concern," he said, raising his voice a bit, "is Yuna's pilgrimage." He turned to face his Summoner. "Are you willing to go on?"

"Yes," she said slowly, looking troubled. "But do you really think that Yevon would allow it?"

"It is the fayth that grants a Summoner power, not the temple or teachings." Auron flexed his left hand, using his thumb to crack the knuckle of each finger in turn. "If they come against us, we will defy Yevon if we must."

The entire group nearly got whiplash, they snapped their heads around so fast to look at Auron.

"Whoa!" Wakka cried, backing up a bit. "I can't believe you said that!" Rikku exclaimed. "Sir Auron?" Lulu asked timidly.

Wakka shook his head firmly. "No way, man," he said. "We gotta atone for our sins. I mean, I'm not saying I ever liked Maester Seymour, ya? And I ain't never gonna forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal, but - but -- " He sighed. "Let's face it. The bunch of us going against Yevon? I don't think so."

Lulu silenced him with a finger to his lips. "Still," she affirmed. "We have transgressed and must accept the punishment for our sins."

Yuna stood up. "We must go to Bevelle. There, we can speak with Maester Mika, and explain what has happened. I believe that is the only way."

Wakka stood up. "Okay, I'm down with that."

The young Summoner turned to her veteran protector. "Sir Auron . . ."

The crimson warrior nodded. "So it is decided."

"Will you come with us?" Yuna asked.

Although his high collar masked his lower face, the slight crinkling of the corners of his eyes betrayed his smile. "I am the troublemaker, after all."

Tidus bounced into the conversation. "Yeah, that's right! You can always count on Auron to complicate things!"

Hm. Complications . . . she didn't notice it, but he let his gaze snap to Yuna's face for a brief moment. He'd told Rikku, and he needed to tell his Summoner as well.

Speaking of Rikku, she was speaking just then. "Yeah! Kimahri roars, and Auron runs off, and . . ."

"I never asked you to follow me," he interrupted, staring daggers at the young Al Bhed. "Hey!" Tidus broke in. "But what are friends for, huh?"

Rikku nodded, smiling gaily. "Yep!"

Yuna bowed. "Thank you, Sir Auron."

The Al Bhed muttered under her breath, but the Guardian ignored it. Wakka was saying something now.

"Man," he was stuttering, looking terrified. "How can y'all act like nothing's wrong? Must got nerves of steel or something."

Lulu placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You're too edgy," she said. "Relax, listen to the hymn."

Auron took the momentary lapse in conversation to think for a moment. He had to tell Yuna about himself, that he would have to leave her after the Pilgrimage. He knew it would break her heart, but it was necesssary.

He sensed Tidus' approach. Auron shifted his weight to his right foot, and spoke softly to his adoptive son. "Jecht used to sing this song."

The boy nodded. "Except definitely not this well." The Guardian laughed. "Another trait you seem to share," he remarked.

"What, you were listening?" He stopped, reminiscing about his childhood. "Say, how'd you get back to Zanarkand anyway? Sin?"

Auron didn't answer. He knew that if he did, Tidus would know.

The Blitzer slurped a tooth. "Yeah, I thought so."

The older man's head snapped to one side, his brow furrowing and his ears perking up. His eye narrowed at a small crack in the ground. He stood up, drawing his weapon. "Shit, the ground." He looked over his shoulder and yelled to the others, "It's Sin!"

Yuna grabbed her staff. "Sin?" she asked incredulously. "Watch out, the toxin!" Lulu was screaming, dragging her Summoner back.

Auron smiled, his body shaking with silently laughter. Just a short while ago, everything had gone black. Now his world faded into a blissful, calming white . . .

Chapter 18

"Hey, buddy."

It was Jecht's sharp, biting voice that met his ears. He opened his eye, finding his old friend seated in front of him. He raised an eyebrow, then realized. "The toxin . . ."

"Yeah, the toxin," Jecht nodded, smiling. "Sorry about that. Guess you're still in good enough shape to realize it, huh?" Auron shrugged.

"So," the former athlete asked. "How's Tidus?"

"Your son is a moron. He's almost gotten all of us killed on numerous occasions, he doesn't know Yu Yevon from Guado dung, and I caught him trying to look up an Aeon's skirt."

"Shiva?"

The red-clad warrior nodded, grinning widely. "And that's not the only thing you and he share in common."

Jecht punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Oh, shut up. You were that stupid at one point." His brow furrowed, and he looked up into the sky, scratching his head. "I think . . ."

"No," Auron objected, laughing loudly. "That was Kinoc!"

His old friend clapped, pointing his fingers at Auron. "Right, Kinoc! Oh man, he was good for a laugh."

"Yeah, and then he came onto you."

"And I kicked him in the -- "

"Oh, that must've hurt!"

The two warriors rolled back, cackling with glee. They sat there for hours, reminiscing and talking, laughing and joking. It seemed like only a moment later when Jecht sighed. "You've gotta go, man."

Auron hung his head. "Yeah, I know." He swallowed audibly. "I - I missed you, Jecht." The Blizt champion nodded. "Me, too."

They caught each other in a fierce embrace. They pulled away, Jecht clapping Auron on the shoulder. "Keep lookin' out for Tidus, no matter how stupid he may be."

"No problem," his comrade confirmed.

"See ya."

Auron awoke. Where am I now?

He found a plant by his side. Some water, fruit. It was an oasis. Well, at least he dropped me off someplace with food . . .

The Guardian drank some of the spring water and consumed what he took to be dates. He lifted his mighty sword onto his back and started walking. Sand stretched out before him in an endless expanse of yellow. This sucked.

He laughed at his juvenile remark so hard that tears came out of his eyes. He stopped abruptly, scolding himself for wasting so much moisture. More walking.

One foot in front of the other. Then again. And again. Sand in the boots, itchy; not pain, annoyance. Elusive mirage on the horizon, tempting him, luring him. Footsteps are heavier. Heat. Sun. Sand. White, yellow, black.

Black?

"Lulu!"

The warrior monk dropped his weapon and stooped low to reach for the mage's hand. He strained a bit, planting his feet in the slipping desert floor, and pulled her from beneath the tiny grains of sand. She moaned, blinking dust from her eyes and running her fingers through her hair, loosening minute bits of rock from each strand.

"You okay?" Auron asked, slicking back her hair to see if there were any cuts or abrasions on her forehead. "You seem to be fine," he decided, patting her on the back. The action drew more clouds of fine yellow from her body.

A few coughs, a sigh and a disgruntled nod satisfied the robed swordsman, who picked up his weapon, already half-buried in the sand. He handed her the dirty voodoo doll and grinned lightly. "Aren't we a little old to be playing with dolls?"

She gave him a cold smile and an ice spell dangerously close to his flank. "There's schmutz on my doll," she chuckled. "It made me miss."

"I give the schmutz my sincerest appreciation," Auron murmured, turning to walk away.

"Aren't you gonna give me a hand?"

"Dream on, dollface."

He kept walking. One foot in front of the other. No talking. No complaining. Just walking. To open one's mouth was probably suicide anyway - a sudden storm had sprung up in their midst, whipping stinging sand into whatever presented itself as a good target. The elder Guardian thanked Jecht for getting him back to Zanarkand - the sunglasses he'd become so fond of there kept the biting grains of sand from tearing the delicate matter of his eye. With his collar pulled up about him, he was protected for the most part. Lulu wasn't so lucky.

Her black robe was practically white from the bombardment of dirt it had taken. Her hair was gritty with the stuff, and she was forced to keep her eyes and mouth shut with a hand over her nose just so that she could do anything at all. Auron held her hand tightly, guiding her through the desert, hoping to find someone else amidst the violent whirlwind.

It stopped.

The monk dropped his partner's hand and raised his weapon. Tapping her shoulder, he moved ahead of her, sensing something over the next hill.

"Hang on," he told her, his hands on both shoulders as though he could push her straight into the earth. He crested the dune and swore to himself.

An exceptionally large Zu was harassing Tidus, who was swinging back feebly with the weapon he'd been given back in Zanarkand. A particularly nasty blow took out an eye, and the creature made to kill the boy before Auron stepped in.

"Need a hand?" he asked, not waiting for an answer before taking a sip of sake and spitting it into the creature's eyes. It screamed in pain, opening its mouth. The sword swung into the beak and severed the tongue, the blow almost simultaneous to the vicious fire spell that set its back ablaze.

The monk smiled at Lulu, who was standing atop the hill and clutching her doll in one hand, firing magic mercilessly. He got back to work, coordinating with Tidus to slash at its sensitive areas. The boy, Auron noted, actually got the kill; a misguided blow to the jugular that ended up severing the carotid. He flopped to the sand, not wanting to get up when his mentor walked by and grabbed his shoulder.

"Let's go."

"But Auron," he was complaining, "I don't wanna get up now."

Lulu broke in. "In this situation, we're supposed to stay put." The blonde jerked his head in their leader's direction. "He sure ain't." The mage shrugged. She made to follow Auron, and Tidus spat in the dirt.

"Stupid Auron, can't even rest, makin' me walk and my feet hurt . . ."

The older man didn't bother addressing the complaints; he'd have probably ended up negotiating with extreme prejudice. He toyed with the idea of killing Tidus; they could use his moisture. They'd cut back on walking time, and also decrease expenditure of healing supplies on him, too. It would probably be the smartest thing to do, economically at least.

But it was his story. Stupid story, can't even let me kill him, makin' me support him and I'm getting' migraines . . .