A Generation of Legacies

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X, X-2, or any of its characters

Last Time:

The son shook his head. "Then we'll see what happens. In the past few hours, you've redefined the past eighteen years of my life." Heading out the door, it slid open as he glanced back. "How much worse could it get?"

Koiray let the door close behind him as he made his way to the lift. It took him down with a whir until he was able to make his way out of the building's lobby.

He felt slightly better at the fact that he now knew that his parents weren't murderers… but they had kept so much from him. Just thinking about it made him feel angry…

A wave of dizziness suddenly came over him as he ducked into the nearest ally. He leaned his head against the wall, shrinking in pain.

"No… No…" Koiray moaned before crying out again.

He yelled out one last time before he disappeared from sight.


Time seemed to rock back into place as Koiray's senses returned like a bullet, completely overwhelming him. He toppled backwards until his back slammed against a brick wall. Looking around, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar place.

"Shit…"

He turned again to see an elderly looking couple staring at him curiously from the main street. Koiray ground his teeth together awkwardly and waved. "Practicing my magic… It backfired on me…"

The couple frowned nervously, and the man began to lead them away.

Backfired was an understatement… Koiray frowned, and as soon as the two had disappeared, he ran out into the street. It looked the same as the last time he had vanished into Bevelle's history, but he couldn't be sure.

He couldn't rush back to the temple looking for Alor, so where could he go?

Turning around a little too quickly, Koiray found he had stumbled into something solid with an umph. Stepping back slightly, the young man turned see someone standing behind him. He looked to be the same age as himself and was dressed in what Koiray assumed to be normal Bevelle clothing. It was slightly on the simple side, with tan pants and a green and white top. His hair was a neat, light purple, and his eyes were a curious gray that looked to be helpful and friendly.

"Oh shit!" Koiray immediately began. "I am so sorry! I had no idea there was anybody behind me! I don't know what happened."

The young man looked at him with a half amused smile on his face and motioned with his hands towards Koiray. "It's all right. I'm fine. Don't concern yourself with my welfare."

He continued to shake his head. "I'm so sorry! Really, I feel bad. I didn't look where I was going, and I hit you. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," the stranger repeated. "Really, try not to worry yourself too much."

Koiray grinned sheepishly as he scratched his head. "Are you sure?"

"Quite."

"I mentioned I was sorry, right?"

The stranger just laughed softly. "Indeed."

Koiray opened his mouth to speak again but saw from the corner of his eye two warrior monks eyeing him suspiciously.

The man caught sight of it and cocked his head. "Maybe you're addressing the wrong person. Are you all right?"

"Sorry?"

He nodded his head in the direction of the patrolling warrior monks. "You seem a little on edge."

Koiray shook his head. "Me? No. I'm fine…"

"Are you sure?" the stranger continued, "because I was just headed home and was planning to have dinner. If you would like, you can join me."

The Deputy Crimson Knight looked at him unsurely.

The young man held out his hand. "I have nothing to gain by turning you in. I'm not exactly a fan of the warrior monks either… and if I do turn you in, I promise you can stalk me for the rest of my natural life. I'm Syan."

Koiray nodded and took it. "Koiray."

He felt slightly strange, getting help from two complete strangers in the past few days… at least, to him it had been a few days…


Syan's home was of medium size and near the temple. It was quite simple, made up of a bathroom, kitchen, and two bedrooms. It was also quite clean, Koiray noticed, sitting down at the dinner table. The young man called Syan had gone to the shelf and grabbed two glasses. "Water?"

Koiray nodded. "Sure." He continued to look around. "Do you live here by yourself?"

Syan shook his head, handing Koiray a glass. "I live with my father. I suppose since I'm turning eighteen in a few weeks I could be living on my own, but I worry about him. He works too much for someone his age."

"What does your dad do?"

"He's a mage in the temple."

"What about your mom?"

Syan grimaced. "….she died, giving birth to me."

Koiray put down the glass of water he had begun to bring to his lips awkwardly. "I… I'm… I'm sorry."

Syan shook his head. "It's all right. You did not know. Anyway, I never got a chance to really know her, so I can't be offended if someone brings her up. I don't miss her because I never knew her, but I miss having her. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah… Do you have any idea of what she was like?"

"Father says she was the kindest person he ever met and that she would always see the best in people, no matter what."

"At least you know what your parents are really like…" Koiray suddenly blurted out, unable to stop himself. "Just before I ran into you, I was coming from a huge fight with my parents… All my life they kept this secret from me, and it's like I don't even know them anymore…"

"Are you close with your parents?"

Koiray scoffed unsurely. "I was, but when I found out about that secret, I attacked my dad. I wasn't thinking when I did it, and now that I am, it was so stupid!"

Syan didn't answer right away, instead, he took another sip of water from his glass as he chose his words. "I would think it would be better to have a mother that you're mad at temporarily, than not having one at all…" He shrugged. "But that's just what I think. Although since I didn't have a mother growing up, I may be slightly bias."

"I don't know if it's going to be temporary, Syan…"

"What was so horrible about this secret?"

The Deputy Crimson Knight frowned. "It had to do with my dad's family. There's this whole other side to him I didn't know about. I'm just so confused about the whole thing, and I don't know what to do about it."

Syan frowned. "I wish I could help you; I really do…" He stood up and shuffled through various items on a far shelf mounted on the wall before sitting back down. Syan smiled as he sat, revealing a sphere that projected an image from the palm of his hand. "I think that sometimes, people hide things for a reason. I told you I don't know much about my mother… I'd like to, but my father never speaks of her. I think it's too painful for him. But sometimes I get so frustrated with him… There is so much I want to know, but I can't ask father because I'm afraid to hurt him."

Nodding in Syan's direction, Koiray pointed to the sphere. "Can I…?" His counterpart nodded as Koiray saw the image for himself. The sphere projected an image of a young woman who looked to be around the age of twenty. Her blonde hair was worn shortly to her shoulders and flowed as if the wind were blowing through it at the time the sphere was taken. Her bright green eyes were nothing but joy and kindness, and an equally bright smile greeted whoever happened to be watching the sphere. "She's beautiful."

"Yeah… unfortunately, I don't look a thing like her, and I don't look a thing like my father either. I still can't figure out where I came from…"

Koiray laughed. "Everyone says I look like my dad, hell, I'm even named after him."

"Your father's name is Koiray?"

"…Yeah."

Syan nodded again, taking the sphere back and taking one last glance before the image withdrew back into the small object. "Sometimes I'm kind of glad that my father doesn't tell me everything about her."

Koiray turned to him curiously. "Why? Don't you want to know everything you can?"

"Sure, but I think as her son, I have this image of her being the perfect person that no one could live up to, and now that I'm old enough to understand, she probably couldn't live up to the image I set for her either. Nobody's perfect, not even my mother. So, I guess by not telling me, my father's just protecting the image I have of her. It doesn't change who I am by knowing or not knowing what her life was like. This is my life now, and I control it, not her memories."

Koiray stayed silent at his words, thinking on them hard. Somehow, it made sense to him. It even made more sense for the situation he was in. It was true that his dad had hid what had happened to his family, but that didn't affect him. So why should it matter to him so much? His mom and dad did what they thought was right, and that should have been enough for him… but the only way to solve everything was to find a way home.

"Could I ask you a question?"

Syan shrugged. "I don't see the harm in it."

"What do you know of the time before Sin?"

His host gained a thoughtful pose. "Time before Sin… not much I'm afraid. I was taught that Sin appeared because of a war that took place between the royal families of Zanarkand and Bevelle."

The Deputy Crimson Knight laughed dryly. "Yeah… that's what I hear…"

The front door suddenly sounded and shook as a deep masculine voice was revealed behind. "Hello? Is anyone in there?"

The two young men suddenly froze. Standing up, Syan grabbed Koiray by the shirt as he opened a door to the side that revealed itself as a closet. Syan frowned. "Stay here and don't make a sound." Before Koiray could begin to respond, the door was shut in his face.

The only light that Koiray could make out was the crack at the bottom of the door. He could barely move without hitting something, and although the sounds behind the door were muffled, Koiray could still hear what was going on.

"Syan," the deep voice from earlier began, "where is your father?"

"Working at the temple," he answered. "I expect he'll be there for the next few days; he's helping to train new guardians, Sir Gant."

"Well, be wary. A patrol reported seeing a wanted criminal sometime this morning. He could be dangerous. They say he's about five eleven, light brown hair, has gray eyes, and carries two swords. Have you seen him?"

"No… I can't say I've seen anyone matching that description. I'm sorry." He paused. "If I may, Sir Gant, what is this man wanted for?"

"He's brainwashing innocent people and committing sacrilege against Yevon's name."

"So why have you come to my door?"

"He was seen in this area, and I thought your father should now about it."

"Well, I'll be sure to pass it along to him. Thank you, sir."

"Be sure it gets to him."

"Of course."

Koiray heard the monk's footsteps move to the door until they suddenly stopped.

"You said your father was at the temple?"

"Indeed."

"How long?"

"He left early this morning," Syan answered. "He hasn't been back since."

"Then why are there two glasses on your table?" the monk answered.

Shit…

Koiray suddenly tensed up and waited to hear what Syan would say in response.

"Oh no… You caught me, Sir Gant. Do you remember one of the apprentice summoners from the temple, Laika? Well… since my father's busy, I figured it would be all right if I were to have some company over… You understand, don't you, Sir Gant? It was harmless fun, really. Nothing happened…" He paused suddenly. "You won't tell father, will you? He'd kill me! Please don't tell him, Sir Gant! Please!"

The warrior monk simply grunted, and his footsteps changed from the hard wood of Syan's kitchen to the paved way in the street until the sound of the door closing followed. A moment later, Koiray was blinded by light and held up his hands to cover his eyes.

"Hm… light brown hair, five eleven, gray eyes, and two swords? You sound vaguely familiar, Koiray..."

He froze. It was true he knew virtually nothing of this Syan character. Could he have been unknowingly turned in? How could he have been so trusting? He had been trained better than this. But there was something about Syan that had given indications that he didn't care much for the situation that Koiray had found himself in. But what if Syan had the same amount of training he did? And could hide it just as well as Koiray?

As if sensing Koiray's sudden change of mood, Syan smiled. "Don't worry. If growing up surrounded by temple priests and warrior monks has taught me one thing, it's that they always have an over-inflated ego. You have nothing to fear from me."

Syan moved away and back into the kitchen as Koiray stared at him open-mouthed. "But… I thought you and that warrior monk…"

"Let me guess…" his host began, his voice tinted with amusement, "from my conversation with Sir Gant, you thought I was a complete pushover, didn't you, Koiray?"

The Deputy Crimson Knight opened his mouth but found it difficult to speak. "I…"

"It's called letting them think they're the ones in charge. As long as you do that, everything will work out fine." Koiray scratched his head, and Syan laughed. "Let me put it in more simple terms, we call it politics. I take it you don't have to put up with such things."

Koiray shook his head. "No. That was always my mom. She tried to keep me away from politics growing up."

Syan chuckled. "I wish my mom could have done that for me."

The front door suddenly knocked a second time, and the young men's gaze shot towards it. Wordlessly, Koiray moved back towards the closet as Syan moved to the front door. Syan suddenly moved back and threw the second glass into the sink as Koiray shut the door in front of him.

The Deputy Crimson Knight heard the front door click open and Syan's voice say, "Uncle Alor! What are you doing here?"


Author's Notes: Okay, everyone, here's the deal. Most of us know that I update this story every Friday, but why do I do this? Because I'm just like the rest of you and get frustrated when someone doesn't update their fic for three months. But I'm seriously starting to reconsider my current situation. Most people review to get the author/authoress to update faster, but with this fic, such a thing is not necessary. I need to know that there are more than two people reading my fic every week. I need reviews and suggestions so that I can become a better writer. That's the main purpose of a review after all. Even if it's to criticize me, I don't care. In order to grow as a writer, I need feedback, and the way you give feedback on this site is through reviews. So please review.