Chapter 14: Get Up and Move! (Song: youtube - watch?v=KvXh6MVsqmI)

FLASHBACK START

Humming the familiar tune to herself, Dylan trotted over to the CD player. She pressed play for the fourth time that afternoon, and began to practice her dance for the talent show.

Though...it wasn't really hers. It was actually Koda Kumi's, and she was not dancing it by herself.

For the fourth time in two years, she, Emi, and Trisha would perform a Koda Kumi song for the talent show. They were a hit every time. The crowd loved them, and the judges were starting to. They were ranked higher and higher each time. But it wasn't enough.

They wanted to win.

Though...it wasn't that each one wanted to win on her own. All three of them wanted to win together. It was pointless if they couldn't be in it with each other. It was pointless if they had no one else to rely on. They needed each other. And, especially with Trisha's recent diagnosis, these were the times they needed to remember forever.

There wouldn't always be that trio there, so they had to make it last.

*I won't be a weak link here,* Dylan thought as she danced her way through Koda's "Get Up & Move!". *I'll show them we're all equal here. We all have each other. That's all.*

FLASHBACK END

"I won't leave Kimahri behind!" Yuna cried as the doors shut behind them.

"He is a guardian," Auron said with a slight bit of sympathy. "Protecting you is everything."

"Auron!" she insisted.

"That's right!" Tidus said suddenly, putting his hands on his hips. He grinned at Dylan, and she grinned back mischieviously. "We're all guardians! Yeah, and you know what that means? Yuna... Anywhere you go, I'll follow!"

"Anywhere I go?" she gasped quickly.

"Yeah, anywhere!"

"Well, then!" Yuna grinned now, too.

"Let's go!" they exclaimed in unison, running back toward the doors.

"Hey, Kimahri! Leave some for us!" Tidus shouted, nearing the entrance.

"Wait up!" Dylan shouted, sprinting after them.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Wakka whined, following her.

"Me, too!" Rikku added.

"I'll go, too!" Lulu said to Auron, smiling. She hurried after them, and soon, Auron was right behind her.

They would do this together.

}{}{}{

"So you, too, seek freedom from this painful life?" the Seymour monster asked us as we ran toward it.

"You talk too much, Seymour," Tidus said, almost playfully.

"It is good to see you again, Lady Yuna," it continued, ignoring Tidus' jab, "but you don't seem pleased..."

"I'll only be pleased when you're gone to the Farplane!" she snapped.

"The Farplane, eh?"

"Actually," I said, holding up a finger, "the Farplane is too nice for you. Murderers should go somewhere different."

"Then you'll be right with me!" he pointed out.

"True," I said, shrugging. "Still, we didn't seek out innocent people! Jyscal, Kinoc...now you're trying for us!"

"Kinoc was anything but innocent," Seymour argued.

"Although he was not the man I once knew, Kinoc was still my friend, Seymour," Auron said angrily. "You will pay for his death!"

He nodded to Yuna, who flung her arms to the sky, summoning an aeon.

"Bahamut!" I gasped, wide-eyed.

Oh-kay, so Bahamut has always looked really cool in this game, not to mention other games and Advent Children... But I was completely shocked by the real-life version of this aeon.

It was enormous, to start, over five times the size of Yuna. Its wings nearly knocked us all over when it flew down. And its roar was so low it rocked the floor and reminded me of my car back on Earth with its pimped out subs and what not.

"This'll do him in for sure," Tidus said to me, grinning.

"Let's hope so," I murmured.

The aeon began to use its overdrive, Mega Flare. And when everything started to explode, I realized Tidus was completely right. That was all we needed.

It really was. Seymour lifted his head and let out a silent wail as his morphed body began to explode into pyreflies.

"Alright, let's go!" I shouted, waving Yuna over. She nodded and dismissed Bahamut, who disappeared into the clouds. "We need to leave before Mika or Kelk comes out next!"

"For all we know, Kelk could be dead," Auron muttered, running off. The rest of us followed him closely.

"Yeah, considering Mika already is," I said quietly.

As we ran back to a place where we could rest in peace (no pun intended!), I noticed the devastated look on Yuna's face. She looked as if she'd lost everything. I guess I understood that, though. Her faith was completely shattered, right in an instant. Everything she once stood for was useless.

Or, at least, right then it was.

Tidus was also looking at Yuna, more concerned than I was (obviously). I wondered if he really realized then that he was in love with her.

I didn't want to think about it. That moment...was too close for me to stay calm.

Thinking of what was to come gave me an adrenaline rush, and I sprinted it off. I didn't dare look back until my feet were suddenly pounding against leaves and dirt.

Macalania Woods again. Only this time, things would be different.

After walking for a while, I sat down, leaning up against a rock. Rikku soon plopped down next to me, and Lulu stood beside me. Both were completely silent.

I was okay with that.

}{}{}{

Yuna was the last of the eight to enter Macalania. She couldn't help it. Her heart was so heavy with grief that it made it impossible to run fast.

Everything...was a lie.

With that thought repeating in her mind, she walked right past Rikku and Dylan, away from the rest of her companions.

"Yunie?" Rikku murmured, prepared to get up.

Yuna slowly shook her head.

"I just want to be alone," she whispered, walking away.

She walked and walked, in circles and other various patterns, until finally she was so tired, she couldn't walk anymore. So she sat.

She desparately wanted to cry. For some reason, her tear ducts were not cooperating. Something was holding her back.

So she began to think.

Everything she had been working for was a lie after all. All those years, she had slaved over teachings, never toeing the line with anything questionable, working hard to understand Yevon and the sacrifices that were made.

Anger overtook her for a moment as she thought of her father. His death was completely in vain. She could still remember people celebrating that Sin was gone, and she remembered Kimahri comforting her. Everyone there-no, everyone in the world-thought that sacrifice was the only way.

How stupid. It was all a lie.

How long had it been that corrupted? Was it always in vain?

She didn't know.

Maybe Dylan knew. Dylan knew everything, apparently, like some fortune teller. She knew what the outcome of this struggle would be. For a moment, Yuna wanted to ask Dylan, to beg her, to tell the truth about her future. Would she die in vain as well?

Yuna really started to consider taking action on this for a moment, but then she came to a horrible realization: knowing the future was probably causing Dylan more grief than she could ever imagine. It would be impossible for her to just ask Dylan whatever she wanted, and besides, Dylan couldn't help her anyway. Dylan was just as stuck as Yuna was.

In that moment, Yuna pitied Dylan. She had never thought of that before. She had never thought to feel sorry for such a strong young woman, but then again, she had never thought of that particular young woman's struggles before.

"I don't even know why I'm here," Dylan had supposedly said, according to Rikku. Yuna wondered why, too. Not that she would have it any other way. Dylan was great company, almost like another Rikku, even though she and Dylan had never talked much. No, Dylan usually kept company with Rikku, Lulu, and Tidus.

Tidus...that was a whole other dilemma.

Yuna couldn't quite know for sure, but she thought, maybe, she might love him. But she didn't want to take any action just yet. After all, her fate was still undecided.

But why should she have to wait? What for? What good would it do?

Troubled, Yuna stood up at last and began to wade into the spring's water.

}{}{}{

"Well?" Wakka said when Auron finally walked toward us. Tidus stood; I wondered why.

"We're all clear," Auron replied. "We will have to avoid Bevelle in the future." Auron looked at all of us, then jumped a bit. "Yuna?" he asked.

"Said she wanted to be alone," Rikku said in dismay. I nodded once, pulling my knees to my chest.

"Of course."

Auron walked over to Wakka and stood by him, but neither of them said anything. They were both still in shock. I think everyone was, except Tidus, who walked away like a man on a mission. That he was...

"Dyl?"

"Hn?"

I looked at Rikku, who was staring at me, concerned.

"Are you alright? You're being awfully quiet," she said.

"So are you," I pointed out. She sighed.

"True."

"But to answer your question..." I thought for a moment on how to answer this. "I am troubled, but also...I'm tired." I stood. "I think I'll take a walk."

"Do you need a buddy?" Rikku grinned. I managed to grin back.

"Nah, but thanks. I'll be fine."

So I walked off without another word.

At that point, I kind of just wanted to walk off the edge of the world and fall. I didn't know what to do with myself. I had never felt so alone. More than ever before, I missed Emi and Trisha, and especially Addy. They would've known exactly what to say to make my head spin in the right direction again. But I would have to manage without them...but for how long?

I hated that I knew everyone's future but mine!

Where was I supposed to go after this was all over? Would things ever be the same...?

No, I did know that. Nothing would ever be the same again, whether I stayed in Spira or went back to Earth.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a shiny blue butterfly that dove right in my face. Its brilliance distracted me. ...It reminded me of childhood dreams that had faded as I grew older.

I was stunned as the butterfly landed on my shoulder, then crawled down my arm.

"If I follow you, will you take me where I belong?" I asked it.

As if in response, it flew away. Or maybe it was just startled by my voice. Either way, I followed it. I had nothing to lose.