Differing Opinions

We'd cleared a really good stretch of the Highroad now and it was just past midday. Lulu and Wakka said there was still a long way to go yet but we were making good progress. One of the best things about the entire trip was seeing Auron pretty much decimate everything in our way. They weren't lying about the Legendary part of him, the guy was something else. Okay, yeah he was something else but none of us were meant to know that.

He was a man of few words and no matter how much Christie talked he'd give very small answers or chuckles. Well he's all about people finding their own answers and the whole 'look not to others for knowledge' bit. Still I heard him mentioning to Christie about other Guardians he knew and that was something I didn't know about. As far as I knew Braska only had Jecht and Auron as his Guardians but there was now a Pyre, Siren and Karma to think about. Actually now that I thought about it the name Karma sounded familiar.

We were taking a small rest just off the main road at the moment and I had climbed onto some old ruins to see how much longer it would take before we got to Rin's shop. By the looks of it we had a long way to go. I looked down at the group to see what everyone was doing. Kimahri was with Yuna, as usual, as she was talking to Tidus, I guess it was about Zanarkand. Lulu, Wakka, Grace and Auron were in a group talking about something while each of them took a glance about in search for fiends. I wasn't sure what they were talking about I guess it was the Pilgrimage route or something. Off on a rock Christie and Angel were talking but Christie was the one carrying the conversation.

I'm sure Angel was only slightly younger than Christie and there was something about her that made me feel not pleasant, I guess unsettled was the best word for it, maybe on edge or something. A girl her age would could fling fire spells and wield a sword that good wasn't right but she blended in well because there were so many orphans who had to defend themselves because of Sin. Grace had the feeling that Angel was from Earth like us but I wasn't getting that impression for the reason she could fight so well. Me and Grace had excuses: there's shooting ranges near where I live and Grace has been dancing since she could walk. We've got experience in the things we fight with or have a style set. Christie hasn't got a clue but Angel can fight as well as she can? I really did think something was up.

I took the silver orb out of my pocket and took a look at it. It was really bugging me that I couldn't figure out what it was for or if it was even useful. Grace kept talking about things we had to do now that we were definitely sticking together but she was thinking of too many things at once and it was getting annoying. We could do this, we could do that, I just want to know why we had to get brought into this and how to get home. I don't care about this Siren, Pyre, Karma stuff or what Angel wanted or the red head with the Maesters or this damn stupid orb.

Okay, maybe they bugged me a little, but not enough to make me start investigating them. I just wanted to get through this and get home. I wonder what was going on back home? I hoped my mum wasn't getting too worried.

I looked ahead of the path and noticed Chocobos that were being ridden. There were three of them and they were coming our way. It looked like a patrol and they had noticed us and started to come towards our group, Grace in particular. I stayed up top while they talked for a while, saluting each other before parting ways. I dropped down the ruins when I saw that we were setting up to leave.

"Hey who was that?" I asked, faking ignorance like I'd done the whole damn trip.

"Those were Crusaders, Chocobo Knights to be exact," Grace said. "They're patrolling the Highroad and they were letting us know that there's a fiend that eats Chocobos running about. So Tidus had the great idea of going after it." Tidus rubbed the back of his head, a bit embarrassed.

"Well we could take it on."

"With you on that one mate," I nodded. Christie smiled a little in agreement while Angel's face remained unreadable.

"They were also saying that Grace will need to leave for the Mushroom Rock Road tomorrow," Yuna added, which put a heavy atmosphere into the air.

"The Crusaders are gathering for the Operation," Grace said sheepishly. "It means I probably won't be able to rejoin the Pilgrimage until the entire Operation is over and I don't know how long it'll take." She'll be fine, she won't die, she can't. At least that's what I keep telling myself. A lot of people will die but she won't be one of them. I don't know how she'll take it though, once the Operation's over. Or Christie for that matter. At least I know what happens and I can be ready for it. I don't have any emotional attachments to any of them. None of them but Grace. She was becoming a friend and having her at the Operation...

"It'll all be fine," I said, knowing it was a complete lie. Grace smiled at me before we all started walking up the Highroad. I noticed Yuna's face was kind of sad but she quickly hid it. She didn't want Grace to do this and everyone knew that. She was the same with Luzzu and Gatta.

Further down the road we noticed more Crusaders. Grace wasn't familiar with any of them, apart from Luzzu and Gatta, but she was saluting them anyway. They were walking with a huge carriage that contained something very angry. We didn't question it and Grace didn't have any idea herself but we did hear a Crusader arguing with someone and winning.

"We'll defeat Sin any way we can!"

"But Yevon's teachings say-"

"That's enough," The Crusader said, utterly exasperated with the girl he was talking to. He had enough and just walked away from her with the last word.

"I... I only meant to..." The girl said, looking down at the ground. She was really upset and Yuna approached her with concern.

"Are you all right?" She asked. The girl looked at her and gasped, recognising her.

"M'Lady Summoner," She bowed and Yuna returned the greeting. I folded my arms and looked away, knowing where this was going. "I am Shelinda, I'm a disciple of Yevon. I'm honoured to make your acquaintance."

"My name is Yuna," Yuna smiled.

"What was that all about? The Crusader Operation?" Wakka asked. Grace was rubbing her shoulder and looking off into the fields. I think she knew she was going to be drawn into this at any moment.

"I heard they were going to use forbidden Machina," Shelinda said. Some of the group looked at Grace, who avoided eye contact. "I had to stop them."

"You knew about this?" Wakka said.

"Why were you trying to stop them?" Tidus asked, completely confused at the conversation already. Christie was the same but didn't want to say anything.

"A lot of Machina's banned by Yevon," Grace explained. "That's why all the Crusaders have been excommunicated; because the Operation uses a lot of forbidden Machina," She looked to Shelinda and I knew she was going to go to the Crusader's defence. "But we're not using them for war, we're using them to stop Sin. We're doing it for the right reasons."

"Let them use what they want," Auron voiced. "They still won't defeat Sin." Grace looked annoyed at Auron's observation but he was right. It would take a lot more to stop it.

"But it's not about defeating Sin!" Shelinda objected. "The Teaching of Yevon must be upheld!"

"Yeah, that's right," Wakka agreed.

"But if there's a chance, wouldn't you take it?" Grace asked. "If there's a chance this could defeat Sin, then we should try, shouldn't we? It's not a pointless cause and we need to do everything we can to stop Sin!"

"But the Teachings say that Sin will be gone with complete atonement, Grace," Wakka said. "And that the Summoners are the only ones who can beat Sin, ya? The Machina's forbidden for a reason and it's important we keep the Teachings upheld." Grace was getting more frustrated at the argument because they wouldn't understand.

"Look if you want to believe in Yevon and all, that's fine, you do that," She said. "But we're trying to stop Sin, and if it means breaking the rules then I'll do that. I'll do that knowing I tried everything I could to stop Sin." I noticed Wakka's face turning a bit pissed. They must have butted heads over this a lot. I decided to step in with what I thought.

"I don't get it," All participants in the argument looked at me. "So you're saying the Teaching should be upheld and the Operation abolished, right?" Shelinda nodded and was about to speak but I cut her off. "That's pretty selfish on your part. I mean I thought it was anything goes when defeating Sin. I really thought it didn't matter what killed Sin permanently, as long as it was dead, right? You want Sin gone, I want Sin gone, everyone on bloody Spira wants Sin gone so it shouldn't matter what we do to stop it. You think a religion and its rules are more important than destroying something that's causing pain to hundreds of thousands of people? Fine, do that, but you're being selfish in stopping a possibility of Sin being gone for good." I left the scene to avoid getting my head cut off. I'd deal with that later when I had better comebacks. A couple of yards up the road and I noticed Grace was chasing after me.

"Hey wait up Sandy," I turned around, not expecting a telling off from her. I was on her side after all and she looked really pleased. "Thanks for that. It's nice to hear someone support what the Crusaders are doing for once."

"Don't mention it, mate," I said. "I'll probably get my head torn off later about it," Grace gave a short laugh and smiled. "Just don't listen to them. You're doing the right thing," It was true, we had to think outside the box to stop Sin and the Crusaders were the first to do that. Still there was that bad feeling that I knew what would happen. "Listen, Grace?"

"Yeah?" I really wanted to tell her that the Operation wouldn't work, but every time the mission was brought up she defended it and was determined to see it through. Plus it would make her mad that I wanted to tell her not to do it. She wanted to help so badly. I didn't want her to be distraught at seeing it all go to waste. Fuck why did I care so damn much? "Sandy? You were talking?"

"Just come back quick," I told her. I just couldn't tell her without having to explain everything. It was too complicated. At least I knew she wouldn't die. We were part of Yuna's Pilgrimage. We couldn't die.