Ready
Yuna's POV
Half running and half walking to make myself less suspicious, I crept into the city. So many thoughts running through my head, and I kept pushing them all aside. All but one. This is something I had looked forward to for a long time, and I wasn't going to turn back now. Not for Wakka, Lulu, Rikku, or Tidus.
I made my way through the streets until I stopped at a door. I kept telling myself I'd never end up here, but deep down I always knew I would. With a heavy sigh, I raised my hand and knocked on the door hard three times.
A slender woman opened it and folded her arms across her chest, leaning against the door frame. She wore a tight, black leather outfit. Her silver hair blew wistfully in the wind, and her blood red eyes stared into mine. A smirk rested in her lips.
"It's time." I simply stated firmly.
"I was wondering when you'd drag your ass back out here. Why now?"
"They've got Rikku. I'll explain it on the way. You still up for it, Paine?"
"Hell yeah I am. Especially if they have Rikku."
"Alright, let's do this." I nodded.
"Lead the way, Yuna." she nodded as we rushed off to the airship agency.
It's now or never.
Tidus' POV
"You're going to hurt yourself, Tidus!" Lulu cringed as I slammed my shoulder into the door for what I was sure the tenth time.
"Yuna! Open the door dammit!" I yelled out as I rammed myself against it harder.
Finally, it gave way. Wakka, Lulu and myself nearly knocked each other down trying to squeeze through the door frame at once. But when we stepped in, Yuna was nowhere to be found.
"Yuna!" I yelled out and rushed through the room looking everywhere.
"She's not here, Tidus." Wakka finally answered.
I sighed and rubbed my hand against my forehead trying to think of where she might have gone. I had an idea, but I pushed it back further in my mind. It wasn't possible.
"Look, over there on her desk." Lulu whispered.
There was an envelope on the desk. I walked over and picked it up, holding my breath as I did. Taking a quick glance over and Wakka and Lulu, their faces were pale. I looked back down at the unsealed envelope, and it was kind of heavy for just leaving a note.
"Do we want to know what's in there?" Wakka whispered.
"I don't know, but do we have a choice?" Lulu replied.
I quickly extracted the note and unfolded it. The hand writing was obviously feminine, but I shook my head in denial. I started to read the letter out loud.
"I know what I need to do, and I do it alone. Don't forget me.
Love, Yuna"
All I could hear were gasps.
"Lulu..." I whispered, "please tell me this isn't Yuna's hand writing. Tell me I'm imagining it, even if it is a lie."
Wakka took the note out of my hand and gave it to Lulu. There was silence, and I looked up at Lulu's expression.
"I wish it wasn't, Tidus. But it is..." she trailed off as a tear slipped down her cheek.
I felt the envelope slip from my hands and fall to the desk, making a thud noise as it landed. I felt as the wind had been knocked out of me. I felt sick to my stomach, and I just wanted it to be a dream. I glanced back down at the envelope and noticed something hanging out of it. It was silver, and shined in the sun. I carefully ran my fingers over it as I slipped it out of the envelope.
It was a necklace. Along the chain, rested a charm in the shape of a "V"...or maybe a shallow "Y", I couldn't tell. At the end of the charm, dangled a single flower. Kind of like a hibiscus flower I'd seen around Besaid. And in the middle of the flower, were two gems. A sapphire, and an emerald.
"Where did this come from?" I managed to say through my rushed breaths.
"It's a necklace that was given to Yuna on her seventh birthday." Lulu sobbed.
"By who?"
"Her best friend bought it for her the day he mentioned he was leaving. She wore it every single day since it was given to her. Never taking it off." Wakka muttered.
This necklace...looked so familiar. The more I studied it, the closer I felt to Yuna.
"Lulu...you said Yuna and I were more connected than we thought. Right?" I whispered, still studying the necklace.
Lulu just nodded.
"Why?"
Wakka looked at Lulu, and Lulu looked back at Wakka before they looked at me.
Finally, Lulu walked up to me and seemed to study my face carefully, "Because you look so much like him. Maybe that's why Yuna felt she could trust you."
"Like who? Her childhood friend?" I stumbled back away from her grasp.
She nodded again, and I looked to Wakka who seemed to be eying the floor.
"I don't know anything about him."
"She's not going to talk about Aldo. She never does really, because she loved him. They were young, ya? But they were fated to be together." Wakka approached me slowly.
Aldo? Where do I know that name? I've heard it...my dream!
The room started to spin, and I sat myself on the bed. I don't know what was going on, but suddenly I was having flashes of familiar images running through my head as I fainted on to Yuna's pillow.
Yuna's POV
"Why now?" Paine asked me as the airship took off.
"Why not now?" I simply shrugged.
"I guess you're right. You still got the stuff I gave you back then?"
I patted my bag as a grin slid across my face, "Of course. I was going to call you, but I was already in town. Figured I'd just drag you along with me."
"Are you sure you want to go through with this? You know we probably won't make it out alive, right?" Paine said in a hushed manner as we made our way back to the cabin area.
I sighed and dropped my bags, throwing myself on the bed. I studied the bags from the corner of my eye, and then sat up looking at Paine who was leaned up against the wall, again with her arms folded.
"Look, they've got Rikku. Either way, they won't stop until I give them what they want. Besides, I've come up with a plan of my own. One that will ensure Rikku and you can return alive."
"I really don't care either way, to be honest." Paine grumbled, "I honestly have nothing left to live for, dying for a cause such as this would be as good as any."
I smiled. Paine and I met when I was making my escape out of Bevelle. Rikku knew her more than I did, and Paine helped me get to her. I owe her so much.
This is the right thing to do. I just know it is. And when I'm finished carrying out my plan, I can be with my father again. And I can be with Aldo. I have no regrets.
"Yuna, what are you gonna do?" Paine asked as she tilted her head slightly.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because I know when you're up to something. And you're definitely up to something."
"Nope. Just thinking about our plan, is all."
"Right." Paine scoffed.
Tidus' POV
"You can't go, Aldo!"
"I have to, Yuna. Believe me, I don't want to..."
"I won't let you! You'll have to take me with you, because I'm not going to stop hugging you!"
"Yuna, remember our promise?"
"But..."
"No buts. I will never forget you, and I will come back to you. I promised."
"Aldo..."
"All aboard!"
"Son, we have to go. Goodbye, Braska and Yuna. We'll keep in touch."
"Goodbye, Yuna."
"Goodbye, Aldo."
"Dad?"
"Yes, son?"
"Did we really have to go? I don't want to leave Yuna all alone."
"I'm afraid we did, Tidus."
0-0-0-0-0
My eyes shot open and I raised up to see Lulu and Wakka standing over me with fear in their eyes.
"You're awake!" Wakka said as Lulu smiled.
"I've got to find Yuna!" I shouted as I jumped out of bed.
"W-what? What's wrong?" Lulu whispered.
"Because..." I started to fumble with the necklace still in my hand, "I have to tell her I never forgot about her."
Wakka and Lulu turned around and just stared at me like they'd seen a ghost. At the same time, they both spoke.
"Aldo...?"
"More or less." I responded flatly, "It's...it's a long story. But I know where she's going. And I have to tell her before she does something stupid."
"Tidus, you can't. She'll never believe you...she's come to terms with it." Lulu said sternly.
"We can tell you all about it when I come back." I replied as I made my way out of the hut and started off to the airship agency.
It all makes sense now, Yuna. I'm coming back to you like I promised.
Yuna's POV
I fumbled with the boxes as Paine slept. Stepping into the bathroom, I stacked the boxes on the toilet so that they were in reach.
Glancing in the mirror, I took one last look at myself before opening the first box. There laid my old outfit. The one I used to wear when I was with Yevon. I removed my clothes, and piece by piece, I put on the old outfit. I raised the dress above my head and allowed it to settle over me. Fixing the blue skirt that was designed with flowers, I reached behind my back and tied the yellow obi so that it would hug my figure closely.
Pulling on my boots, I reached for the other box. Inside it, laid a piece of blue jewelry. Taking it in my hand and letting it dangle, I smiled. It was the last thing my father ever gave me. I looked in the mirror, and fastened it, letting it dangle on to my shoulder. Staring at my reflection, there was only one thing left missing. My neck seemed bare without it, but I left it in Besaid for a reason. After word got out, I wanted Lulu and Wakka to bury it in my favorite spot on the north beach.
I looked down at the last box. The lock box. Taking out the key, I unlocked it and caressed the edges of the smooth surface. Inside it, laid an envelope addressed to Lulu and Wakka. Under the letter, laid my guns. Not just any guns. Guns I had made on my first trip to Zanarkand. They were silver, with gold trimming. Underneath the handle of each gun, there were names etched into them. The right read 'Aldo' and the left 'Yuna'. I tucked them safely under my obi, and took a deep breath, and gave myself another look in the mirror.
I stepped out of the bathroom to see Paine leaning against the door frame.
"You ready?" she smiled.
I took a deep breath as I felt the ship shutter, and I knew we were landing in the Calm Lands.
"As ready as you could ever know. Let's do this." I whispered, grinning.
As we walked off the ship and headed toward Macalania Woods, I smiled inwardly.
This is it. My gun will end it, and so will Aldo's.