Chapter 14

Just to warn you. I've skipped some parts of the game because i don't want this story to drag on too long.

I'll be doing a bit of that in the next few chapters so don't have a go at me please.

Chapter 14

Tidus and the party entered a network of tree like structures. Tidus looked around in wonder at the beautiful and surreal pathways that made up the home of the Guado: Guadosalam. Tidus must have had a truly laughable expression, as he heard Kai chuckle next him. He looked at Kai who was smiling.

"Unbelievable…isn't it?" Tidus nodded as Kai looked around. "Guadosalam…. home of the Guado, the Keepers of the Farplane and the Protectors of the Afterlife…" He looked back Tidus "Respect what happens here Tidus…"

"Don't worry I'll stay in my place…Sir." Tidus answered with a smirk. Kai rolled his eyes and playfully slapped the back of Tidus's head before a guado approached.

He was an elderly guado, with long green hair, and like most Guado had long arms with large hands. He bowed before Yuna with a smile.

"Lady Yuna we've been expecting you…" he went to take her arm but was cut off abruptly by Wakka.

"Whoa…whoa!" Wakka planted his arm in front of Yuna as Kai stepped up, hand gliding to the hilt of his katana.

"Back up old man" The guado did so, the sight of Wakka alone was intimidating but with Kai and Wakka, it's not wise to push the line.

"Ah where are my manners? I am Tromell Guado my lady direct servant to Lord Seymour…" he said with a bow. Kai satisfied that the man means well, let go of his katana and tapped Wakka on the shoulder, who lowered his arm. "Lord Seymour has been expecting you…he has very important business with you…"

" Business with me?" Yuna replied, "Whatever could it be I wonder…" Tromell signals with his hand towards the large red door on the other side.

"Please come inside the manor, all will be explained." Tromell walked towards the manor. Wakka looked at Kai who nodded and Wakka led the way after Tromell followed by Yuna and Lulu. Auron stepped up next to Kai and looked at him for a second.

"Be on your guard" Kai nodded and Auron followed while Kai turned to Kimahri.

"Stay close to Yuna".

"Kimahri do so" the Ronso replied and followed Auron. Kai stretched and made his way after them. Tidus saw the look on Kai's face, the dark green of his eyes. Kai was in alert mode he could tell he didn't like the situation.

As Tidus stood still, the newest member of the group approached him. A young and bright girl of 15, wearing green shorts, with orange shirt with a long gauntlet on her right hand and a glove on her left. She had long blond hair tied up and her green eyes sparked with mischief. She smiled brightly at Tidus and patted him on the shoulder.

"Come on…we've gotta follow them" she said. Tidus chuckled and went after her.

"You seem happy Rikku…even after I kicked your butt at the Moonflow" Rikku was an Al Bhed and had tired to kidnap Yuna for an unknown reason. Tidus and Wakka had foiled her effort and she had subsequently joined them as a Guardian.

"Yeah…well you had help big shot," she said thumping him on the shoulder. "If it was just you: I'd woulda whopped you" Tidus smirked and ruffled her hair.

"You keep telling yourself that" Rikku huffed and followed him as they walked towards the red door, muttering to herself.

"Meanie…" she jogged past him into the manor. Tidus sighed and entered after her.

The manor was a strange sight filled with ancient pictures of fallen Guado leaders. It was a strange blend of colours, ranging from light blue to green, and these colours helped add to the wonder of the place. But there was a strange undercurrent to it. Something quite not right, dark, almost twisted. Tidus looked around and he could sense the strange currents in the air.

Kai was leaning against the wall next to Auron. He looked around suspiciously as if he expected something to jump out of the walls. His katana was held sheathed in his hand, but Kai's thumb occasional brushed the hilt of it. Auron turned and said something quietly to him. Kai nodded and moved next to Yuna. She offered a smile and they spoke quietly.

The door behind them opened and Tromell appeared once more.

"Please this way…" he said bowing the party entered one by one. Tidus moved in after Kai. Once again Kai and Auron looked over the room they were in before settling against the wall nearest the door. Tidus moved over to them while the others stood around the room.

"Stay on your guard" Auron advised as Tidus approached. Tidus frowned.

"Why? This guy's just a priest, right?" Auron smirked.

"Those who have power use that power" Auron looked at Tidus. "Maester have power" Tidus looked at him.

"You sure you don't have something against Yevon?" Auron chuckled dryly.

"I lived a long time in Zanarkand" Tidus made an "ah" movement with his mouth. Kai's eyes opened and he scoffed impatiently.

"How long is he gonna keep us waiting?" he asked. Tidus smirked and moved over to talk to Lulu. She offered some explanation about Guadosalam. Tidus couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" she demanded and Tidus just returned with a smile.

"You're already answering questions I didn't ask." Lulu gave him a look.

"You'd rather I say nothing then?" Tidus shook his head.

"No, no." he replied. "Maybe this means that you believe I don't know anything about Spira and that I'm actually from Zanarkand" Lulu thought for a moment before smiling. It was a rare thing to see Lulu smile.

"Well…there are many things I don't know. Your Zanarkand is one of those things, I suppose I can't say either way." She looked at him with a strange gaze. "Still be careful. You shouldn't tell other people" her tone was serious and slightly protective. Tidus nodded.

"I know…" he moved over to stand with Kai who was in the same place he had been before, leaning against the wall.

In present time Seymour entered the room. Yuna, Lulu and Wakka all did the pray gesture of Yevon. Auron, Rikku and Tidus just remained standing, but once again Kai's eyes bored into Seymour. It was like Kai was trying to see Seymour's soul.

"Welcome…please make yourselves at home. There is no rush," Seymour said with a smile. Auron pushed himself off the wall and looked at Seymour.

"Can we make this short? Yuna needs to rush" his tone was brusque. Seymour smiled and nodded.

"Please forgive me. It has been a while since I had guests." He turned to Yuna. "Please follow me Lady Yuna"

As Yuna stepped forward, the whole room began to change. It changed from the dining hall to an image of great machina city. The ceiling above was changed into pryeflies flying across space.

"This sphere is a reconstruction created by the thoughts of the dead on the Farplane" Seymour explained. The party looked around in awe but no one more so than Tidus.

The tall buildings, the bright lights, the people walking along the roads it was a place he knew very well. He thought he would never see it again. He looked around his eyes wide, his jaw dropped. It was his home; he knew it like the back of his hand. He turned seeing the blitzball stadium and felt a strange feeling of peace in his gut.

"Zanarkand." He stated. Seymour looked at him and nodded with the same polite smile.

"Correct. Zanarkand… as it looked one thousand years ago." Lulu and Wakka looked around with amazed expressions. "The great and wondrous machina city of Zanarkand." He smiled again. "She once lived in this metropolis" Yuna looked up at him.

"She?" she asked. Seymour did not answer and the room changed once more. This time it became a single room, a bedroom. Within the room stood a woman with long sliver hair by the bed. Yuna smiled softly.

"Lady Yunalesca…" she breathed.

"She was the first person who defeated Sin." He looked at Yuna. "You have inherited her name" Yuna shook her head.

"It was my father who named me."

"He was entrusting you with great task, the task of defeating Sin. Your very name signifies you must do this." Seymour turned and looked at Kai who was leaning against the wall a little ways off. "Kai's name too suggests his part in this. Such a name means strength and dedication. You know you must not do this alone" Kai scoffed and looked away.
Out of the corner of his eye Kai saw Seymour whisper something Yuna's ear. Yuna gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Seymour stepped back and nodded slowly. As he did so the room changed back to the dining room. Kai's eyes narrowed very dangerously, as Seymour stared at Yuna.

Yuna turned to the party and moved towards them. She stopped and seized a cup of water. She gulped the water down as Rikku and Tidus approached her followed by the others apart from Kai who remained against the wall. Yuna looked up and her face was bright red.

"Whoa…your bright red…." Rikku said. Tidus frowned and put his hand on her shoulder. Seymour's own eyes narrowed at this.

"You ok?" Yuna looked up at him and took some hasty breaths struggling for her words.

"He…he asked me to marry him…" The entire party almost fell over in comical fashion. But the sound of a snarl like reply greeted their ears before they could so.

"Excuse me?" Tidus turned to see Kai. The red-clad guardian had pushed himself off the wall and his eyes were set on Seymour. "You know what Yuna must do" Seymour nodded. "Then you know we have no time for this." Tidus frowned at Kai and looked at Seymour.

"I am not saying she needs to answer this straight away." Seymour said with the same polite smile. "Please think about" Auron stepped and signalled for Kai to cool off.

"We will do so, then" Auron glanced at the party. "We leave" As the party began to move Seymour called after them

"Lady Yuna I await your favourable reply" Auron stepped towards the door, Tidus just behind him and turned round. Kai had not moved he remained perfectly still, his eyes staring a hole through Seymour.

"Kai…" Auron called to him.

"Go on ahead Auron" Kai replied. Tidus looked between them and Auron stepped forward.

"Kai you need to…"

"Auron!" Kai's reply was quick and brutal overriding the elder mans voice. Auron remained where he was for a few seconds before he did something Tidus thought he would never do. He backed down and exited the room.

"Come Tidus," he ordered and Tidus quickly followed. Kai remained staring blades at Seymour who gazed right back.

"Is there a problem?" Seymour asked.

"You barely even know my sister and yet you wish to marry her?" Kai replied darkly. "Forgive me Maester but its absurd" Seymour chuckled.

"I simply wish to bring Spira closer together. A marriage between Lady Yuna and myself could do this. Surely you understand what I am doing here," he answered. Kai's dark green eyes narrowed very dangerously.

"No I do not and that's what troubles me" Kai replied. He took a breath and stepped closer to Seymour. "Just so we're absolutely perfectly clear: I don't trust you." Seymour cut him off.

"Careful Son of Braska" Seymour warned him. "You are speaking to a Maester of Yevon" Kai hissed a breath and took another step closer.

"Then I'll put this into a language you can understand" his voice became very dark and dangerous. As he spoke, Kai's body became framed by a red aura, a blood coloured and deadly looking red. "If you so much as look at my sister the wrong way after this: I will kill you" Seymour raised his eyebrows but felt a small twinge of intimidation at Kai showing no fear of the repercussions his words could have.

Kai's aura slowly faded away as turned away and began to exit the room. "And if I incur Yevon's wrath by doing so, so be it" And with that Kai exited the room. Seymour watched him leave with an amused yet serious look on his face.

"Brave and foolish. You truly are your fathers son" Seymour turned and made preparations to leave for Macalania.

Kai exited the mansion to find Auron, Tidus and Wakka waiting for him. As he descended the stairs, he saw Auron and Wakka give him a look.

"What?" he demanded as he came to their level.

"What did you do?" Wakka replied. Kai scoffed and walked past them.

"Nothing…".

"Kai…" Kai sighed and turned back to Wakka.

"I simply reminded him of who he was proposing to" he answered. Auron nodded but added with a small smile.

"And you did not hold your blade to his throat?" Kai smiled darkly.

"I did not" Auron nodded.

"Yuna wished to your father, maybe you should go too" Kai sighed.

"I'd rather not. To see him again would be to lose him again" Auron inclined his head understandingly.

"As you wish"

About half an hour later, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri and Tidus emerged from the Farplane as Auron, Rikku and Kai waited for them. Yuna and the others came down the stairs as a pair of guado moved past them. Yuna looked at Kai and smiled sadly at him. Kai smiled in return and when she came near him, he placed his hand on her head lovingly.

He turned his gaze up and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Yuna…" She looked up at him and turned to see a truly other worldly sight. The form of an unsent was emerging from the Farplane. The two guado backed up as the form of their long dead leader staggered towards them.

"Who's that?" Tidus asked his hand slipping towards Brotherhoods hilt on his back. Kai stepped forward in front of Yuna.

"It's Jyscal…" Kai replied. Tidus turned to him.

"I thought he was…"

"Yuna…" Auron interrupted "Send him" Yuna nodded and hurried forward and after a moment's hesitation with some encouragement from Lulu she sent him quickly. She knelt down as if to pick up something and Auron who was breathing heavily stood up.

"Talk later…we leave now" The party hastily turned round and left the Farplane.

"I don't understand it." Kai exclaimed as through the long corridor leading to the Farplane. "I sensed Jyscal's energy just before he vanished and from what I could pick out, he had already been sent once" Auron laughed shortly.

"You and your ability to sense the unsent" Auron remarked. "It never ceases to amaze"

"If he was sent once…then isn't that a but suspicious?" Tidus remarked as he walked beside. The entire party stopped and all of their eyes were on him.

"What're you implying kid?" Kai asked

"I'm just saying…" Kai looked at him and Tidus sighed. "Maybe it means the way he died was a bit…you know?" Kai raised his head a bit and the others all looked at each other with worried glances.

"I hate it when you do that" Kai remarked. Tidus frowned, confused.

"Do what?"

"When you just so happen to be right" Kai replied walking forward before stopping.

"What do you mean?" Tidus inquired.

"When a person is sent once already and returns it usually means they died an unclean death" Auron replied. Tidus nodded and then looked down in thought, as did the others.

"Which makes me wonder just how did Jyscal die?" Kai muttered to himself and then a thought struck him. "Seymour just what is you agenda?"

Kai would find out soon that his darkest fears were in fact reality...

Ok there you have it. Expect a massive leap forward in the next chapter. I know its a bit of a spoiler but I want to get to a certain favorite part of mine in the story in the next chapter. I know its a bit selfish

Anyway reviews please...