(Beta'd by Awesomeness, aka Twiliprincess047)

::Chapter Eleven: Aftermath::

"The Phoenix is the Aeon of Rebirth." I heard my mother's voice. "Where there is death, she brings life. Where there is despair, she brings hope. Where there is feuding she brings peace. Where there is hatred she brings…"

"Shut up, Mom," I grumbled. "Phoenix may be your favorite Aeon, but she's not mine."

"My feisty little girl," mother only laughed, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You were so full of Hellfire that I sometimes wondered if Ifrit would call to you to be his priestess." I paused before turning around and gripping her in a tight hug. Yes, I was often at ends with my mother, but right now, I was so confused, so lost, I needed her. "It'll be okay, my little mudpuppy. Just stay strong."

x.X.x

I woke coughing, and found myself underwater. I quickly swam to the surface, taking a big gulp of air before coughing again. Between coughs, I managed to swim towards the shoreline before collapsing gratefully in the sand. I felt like a herd of Shoopufs had a parade over my body and Bombs had exploded in my head and chest. Add to the fact the sick feeling that rushed through me as I remembered the few moments before I lost consciousness. All that hatred and anger, I had wanted to destroy everything, everyone. Like it was their fault that Zanarkand was gone, that I somehow ended up a thousand years into the future.

Alexander, I was a wreck.

Scratch that, I was a catastrophe the size of the Holy Aeon himself.

"Terra!" I looked up and, with relief, I recognized Tidus running towards me. "Are you okay?"

"F-fine!" I answered with one last cough before jumping to my feet. "What about the others?" I had been having a pity party for too long that I was almost lost in it. It was time to put on a smile and get this mess over with!

Instead of answering, he looked back out over the ocean. Yuna was dancing on the water, thousands of pyreflies swirling around her like a hurricane of colors. Never in my life had I seen such a Sending: the sheer number of the Pyreflies made the ritual beautiful, but even more haunting. How many had lost their lives?

"I don't like to watch her dance," Tidus said quietly.

"Sendings are hard to watch," I agreed. I had watched my sister and friends perform, and usually that was just a few lives lost in some form of an accident. Lenore had told me that she could feel all the emotions of the souls she was Sending. I remembered one story, where a family had crashed into the automated tram, but only the eldest child out of three had died. The boy, so angry that only he died and not his younger siblings, had come close to becoming a fiend.

"Just a little bit longer," Lenore cried into my shoulder. "He wanted to kill them, Terra! So badly! If he couldn't be with his parents, he believed his brother and sister shouldn't either. I had never felt that much hatred before."

What kind of pain was Yuna feeling now? It had to be so overwhelming and, to continue to dance as she did, I knew she had to be strong. Maybe not physically, but spiritually.

"Come on, the others are waiting for us." I nodded, looking from Yuna to the sand, where her Guardians and Belgemine were watching.

"What happened?" I asked as we walked down the shoreline. "I just remember a big flash then boom, I'm drowning."

Tidus looked at me as if I had grown a second head, "You don't remember trying to jump off the cliff?" I shook my head, and a small smile appeared on his face. "You went totally berserk after Sin appeared! If Auron hadn't caught you, you would've ran right off the cliff!"

My stomach squirmed as hazy memories surfaced. "Auron saved me?"

"And earned a right hook for it," his smile grew to a grin. "I have never seen someone catch him by surprise like that! All a sudden you turned and pow!" He punched his fist into his open palm for demonstration. I was pretty sure I was as white as snow at this point.

"I…punched…Auron…"

"Yep! But don't worry, Bel healed him."

I stopped and turned to Tidus. "I punched AURON. How is that okay?" Oh Alexander, he probably hated me now! How could I have done something like that? He had saved my life! And I punched him! My mind couldn't seem to grasp that thought. I didn't punch people, let alone people I liked. And especially Auron! He was…Auron!

Tidus' grin faded away. "Are you okay?"

"No," I whined pitifully. "Could this day get any worse?"

"It could be raining," he pointed out, and I just glared at him halfheartedly. Right now, rain would actually be fantastic. "Anyways, Lulu said Djose temple isn't too far from here, if we hurry we can make it by nightfall."

Belgemine was the first to notice us approaching, and a look of relief spread across her face for a moment when she saw us. Then her usual cold, angry expression returned. I returned her glare with a chipper grin. "Hey-ya!"

"Your performance as a Guardian was unacceptable," Belgemine started as she stalked towards me. "What were you thinking, Terra?"

That Sin destroyed everything I knew, thrown me into an impossible situation. That it was the reason why my sister was dead, my friend's Fayth, and I had Yunalesca's reincarnation as my summoner. I still had an urge to scream, a new vigor to destroy Sin. Not just because I had to, but because I needed too. "That it was the reason I'm stuck with you," I gave a grin, showing I was kidding. For the most part, anyways. I tried my best not to notice the shocked and even appalled looks I received from not only Yuna's Guardians, but the few survivors mulling around, trying to help out.

"Oh come on, we need some laughs!" I proclaimed loudly. "What good is moping about? It won't change anything!"

"You should at least pay respect to those have died," Lulu scolded. "They gave their life in attempt to save Spira from Sin."

I crossed my arms, "I know that! But back in Zan"-crap-"I mean Baaj, we didn't mourn their loss, but celebrated their life! I mean, if I died saving someone, I don't want them to mope, I want them to live, smile, and be happy!"

"You are one messed up girl, ya?" Wakka muttered, and I made sure to give my biggest grin.

"Thanks!"

"I agree with Lady Terra," Yuna's soft voice cut through the tense situation. I wondered if my forced smiles were as obvious as hers were. "That's why I became a Summoner-so people can lead their lives in peace and happiness, not in mourning."

"Yeah, but you're not gonna die, Yuna!" Tidus claimed, quite adamantly. To my confusion, everyone seemed to flinch a little. "That's why you have us, to protect you!"

Yuna's smile brightened a little, a little less strained. "You're right."

"As amusing as this conversation is," Belgemine said with a sarcastic tone. "We should leave if we wish to reach Djose before nightfall."

I hung towards the back as our group begun the trek towards the road, knowing I wasn't the most liked person at the moment. That, and it was kind of fun watching the others. Tidus and Yuna took the front, the two teens talking. I would say "quietly," but I don't think Tidus came with a quiet tone. Only a few feet behind, Kimahri kept sentry over the two like a big blue guard dog.

I was pretty sure if I ever said that, I wouldn't be anything more than a smear on the ground. Ronsos, at least what I had learned from books and lectures, were very prideful people. And they didn't like being compared to animals despite their appearances.

I really didn't want to know what Lulu and Belgemine were talking about in hushed whispers. Wakka did, however, and kept getting stung by some kind of Black magic every time they noticed he was trying to eavesdrop. And since the Blitzball player wasn't the subtlest person, that was quite often.

And then there was Auron, walking just a few feet away from me. My heart jammed in my throat as I tried to end the uneasy (for me, anyways) silence. But really, what do you say to the guy you apparently clocked as he was trying to save your life? Sorry didn't seem strong enough. Neither did thank you.

But since no other ideas were popping up in my head, I had no choice. "Tidus told me I punched you," I started. "Um, I don't think there's a word to say how sorry I am."

There was a long stretch of silence, making me wonder how angry I had made him. "I mean, I am really, really sorry," I begun to babble. "I mean, you were trying to stop me from jumping off the cliff! You saved my life, and in return got a left hook. Or was it a right hook? I guess I should be thankful you're not one to hold grudges…or are you? I guess I don't really know. Can I just ask that if you do decide to carry out revenge, can it not involve weapons? I mean, your sword is as big as I am! And with those muscles of yours, I'm sure I would be plain knocked out if you decided to punch me. But I guess I really don't have a…"

"Terra," his deep voice cut off my rant. I winced a little as I looked over at him. His sunglasses had slid down his nose a little, and his lone eye was giving me warning look that practically said 'be quiet.'

"Yes?" I asked meekly, trying to give small smile. It didn't even want to think how it really looked. Probably like my cheek muscles were having a spasm attack.

"You're forgiven."

My squeal of joy echoed through the road, and before I could even think about it, I practically pounced on him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I jabbered before Auron eventually pried me off. That was when I realized I had virtually glomped the poor man. And I was still alive.

That was just plain awesome.

I was going to have to do that more often.