A/N: HEY EVERYONE! I am still alive and I'm sorry for such a late update. I feel really bad about it...so please forgive me. Sadly...the one that was supposed to be making the picture has never gotten back to me so...idk if I'll be able to get out a picture. SO! I decided to submit two chapters today and I'm starting on more chapters. ^^ I promise to keep updating just keep reading please until the very end and I promise things will be good. -hearts much love- Sorry for my bad grammar and spelling errors but I hope you love this chapter. ^^
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X! Again I DO NOT own! xD the only person who can claim FFX is Square Enix and I only claim all my OC characters. So have fun reading this chapter and I will submit the second one once I write into it. Thank you for being patient and hopefully I get a bunch of reviews or at least reviews in general.
A campfire was built at the bottom of the mountain side...Yuna had suggested we wait here until we continue on. I had been sitting next to Auron as I watch the others sit around the fire...deep in thought. I notice that Tidus had gotten up to take a walk but not before laying a assuring hand upon Yuna's shoulder.
I watched their exchange and stuck to staring deep into the fire.
'This is exactly how Yumi, Kayla and myself felt...' I thought letting out a big sigh. 'we never stopped here for a nice goodbye like this...we just kept on going.'
As I saw Tidus return back to sitting next to Yuna I decided to take a little break myself and head up to where Tidus had stood.
As I reached the top I took a seat on the ground and watched the sun slowly set behind the fallen city.
'I wonder if I still have it...' I thought searching through my clothing. 'Found it.' I smiled holding it tightly
~With the group~
The sun had started disappearing behind the mountain making the others wonder what was going on with Yue on the hill top.
"Hey...maybe you should go check on her." Rikku suggested nodding upward, hoping Auron could catch the hint.
When no one said anything Lulu let out a grunt to clear her throat.
"Auron?" She addressed earning a attention of the older guardian. "Rikku's right...Yue has been up on that hill for quite sometime. Go see if she's alright please?" Lulu asked smiling a little.
Auron just sat there for awhile and even though everyone else couldn't see it, under his glasses and collar he was smiling. Auron got up and headed up the hill as Rikku, Lulu and Yuna watched the guardian walk up to check up on the other older guardian.
"They're made for each other." Yuna said smiling.
"You can say that again." Rikku agreed smiling to her cousin.
Kimahri looked up to where the two guardians where sitting and the two could sorta feel that Kimahri knew something that they didn't know.
~With the two guardians on the hill~
I was sitting down with my back toward the campfire when I heard the crunching of footsteps behind me. I looked behind and noticed that Auron was standing there looking down at me with a little smile playing on his lips.
"I wanted to see if you were alright." Auron said coming over to sit next to me. "What are you doing?" He asked looking at what I was concealing underneath his coat.
I laughed a little and pulled out a little sphere and showed it to him.
"I wanted to record something in case something where to happen." I said smiling nervously.
"Nothing will happen..." Auron said scooting closer and bringing my body close to his. "I promise everything will be alright."
I snuggled closer to him and kissed his check when I jumped out of his grasp and put the sphere in front of us.
"Let's do a little thing for the sphere." I said turning it on. "Just like my parents did." I smiled and waved at the sphere.
"Why?" Auron asked raising his eyebrow at the sphere.
"Memories." I said playfully glaring at him. I nudged him gently in his ribcage and pointed straight to the sphere. "Please? I would want memories of us...happy memories." I said smiling up to him.
I heard Auron chuckle besides me and then suddenly my eyes were covered in darkness. I touched my eyes and felt Auron's glasses on my face.
"Looks good on you." Auron said taking my chin in his grasp and bringing his lips down on my own.
I smiled into the kiss and kissed back. I felt his arms snake around my ways as I leaned in more to his chest.
We pulled away slowly and I caressed his face in my hand and gently traced the scar across his left eye.
"I love this scar of yours...and you shouldn't be ashamed of it. It's a decoration that only enhances your features." I said smiling up to him. I took his glasses off and placed it back on his eyes. "Thank you Auron for everything. I love you." I said smiling and going to turn off the sphere.
We had all walked back down together hand in hand to sit next to each other by the fire.
"Hey! There was more, right? I mean like that time...uh...Anyone?" Tidus said standing up and looking to each of us.
"I think..." Yuna said contemplating on her next words.
"Yes?" Tidus asked turning toward her.
Yuna stood up turning toward Tidus and smiled.
"I think that we should stop...maybe. For now." She smiled.
As the sun set behind the ruins of Zanarkand, the beautiful stars started popping up every where...lighting the path to the dead city Zanarkand.
"Let's go." Yuna said nodding toward Tidus as we walked ahead to Zanarkand.
'This path...seems all too familiar...' I thought to myself walking in the middle of Kenta and Jin. 'Mom...Yumi...was the sacrifice worth it?'
"We're so close..." I heard Rikku mutter from behind me.
I took a glance behind and notice that Rikku was looking up sadly to Tidus.
"Have you thought of anything?" Rikku whispered to Tidus.
"None..." Tidus confessed in defeat.
~Flashback~
"Hey have you come up with anything?" Kayla asked whispering in my ear.
"Not a clue..." I said sadly.
"Well we're almost there!" She said almost yelling it out for Yumi to hear.
"Shhhh!" I ushered.
"Yes, yes...but come one Yue! There has to be another way...some way to prevent the Final Aeon from being summoned..." Kayla said getting upset at me.
"I told you I don't know! I may have been on this road before but back then I didn't even know what would happen..." I shook my head and kept a close eye on Yumi as she walked forward a little faster.
"What exactly does happen at Zanarkand Yue?" Kayla questioned seriously.
"The Final Aeon..." I muttered earning a slap from Kayla.
~End~
"We're here..." I said staring at the entrance to the Zanarkand Dome.
A old man stepped forward looking toward each of us and then his eyes falling upon Lady Yuna..
"Journeyer of the long road, name yourself." He stated firmly never blinking.
"I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the island of Besaid." Yuna said nodding her head.
The man took steps closer to Yuna and stared deep into her eyes...searching. After a minute or so he smiled in understanding.
"Your eyes, my dear. Show me the long road you have traveled. Very good. You have journeyed well. Lady Yunalesca will surely welcome your arrival. Go to her now, and bring your guardians with you. Go." The man said walking passed the others but when he passed by me I stopped and put a hand on my shoulder. "Lady Yunalesca has another guest...someone who is causing a ruckus. I never thought I would see you again Lady Yue...but please be rid of the nuisance." He said finally disappearing.
'Nuisance?' I thought to myself finally catching up with the others. 'Who?' I thought shaking my head.
As we took a step in ward a flash of pyreflies flashed and two woman clad in armor walked passed Tidus and I.
"If it might benefit the future of Spira, I will gladly give my life. It is the highest honor for which a guardian might ask. Use my life, Lady Yocun, and rid Spira of Sin." She said looking back to the person I'm guessing was her summoner.
After they disappeared Rikku took a shaky step forward and looked around.
"What...what was that?" Rikku asked a little afraid.
"Our predecessors." Auron stated looking a different way.
"She said 'Lady Yocun,' didn't she?" Lulu asked stepping forward. "Wait! She guarded High Summoner Yocun?" Lulu asked in disbelief.
"This dome is filled with pyreflies. It's like one gigantic sphere. People's thoughts remain here. Forever." Auron explained, a little sadness in his eyes.
We started walking further in ward and I had caught up to fall in step with Auron.
"You know...if you keep being sad how am I supposed to enjoy what little time we have left." I muttered quietly to him.
Auron looked down at me and then stared back to the path before us.
"This...is where I met my end..." He stated sadly.
"Here?" I asked in disbelief.
"I'll explain...later." He silently promised as we mushed onward.
Another flash, followed by floating pyreflies and out walked...
"Yumi..." I muttered in shock watching my friend stop in front of me.
"I don't know if I can do this..." She said looking down sadly.
"If it's for the good of Spira...then take me Yumi." Kayla said walking right through me to stand in front of Yumi. "It would be an honor...to help bring the calm...the way the High Summoners did before us." Kayla smiled the biggest smile she could muster up.
I saw Yumi nod slowly and the image before us vanished.
I shook my head and continued forward not even bothering to look up to anyone.
"Those were your friends..." Rikku said looking up to me.
I nodded but said no more as I kept on going forward.
Further up ahead I saw a little boy standing in the middle of the broken path crying...as we got closer I took note of the blue hair and blue eyes.
"No! Mother, no! I don't want you to become a fayth!" He pleaded tears welling up in his eyes.
A woman with long beautiful black hair, golden necklaces hung around her neck as she wore a beautiful white and blue dress walked up to the young boy and looked down at him with such love in her eyes.
"There is no other way. Use me and defeat Sin. Only then will the people accept you." She said sounding exhausted.
"I don't care about them! I need you, Mother! No one else!" The little boy cried and pleaded to his mother.
"I don't...have much time left." She said closing her eyes as the scene before us again disappeared.
"Hey, wasn't that...?" Wakka asked looking to each of us.
"Seymour?" Rikku finished, shivering a little.
"I'm getting so dizzy with all these memories popping up on and off." I said pinching the bridge of my nose.
As I walked forward another flash appeared and my father stood tall and proud in front of me. Piercing eyes staring straight forward...almost looking through all of us. Chills ran up my spine remembering that even though my father always was a goof ball...when he was serious...that look became ice cold.
"I will protect our little girl...choose me for the good of Spira." He said sternly getting on one of his knees with his head bowed low.
"Father..." I sighed sadly. 'I hate how this place chooses these memories to replay...' I shook my head.
"I don't want to do this..." A woman suddenly appeared in front of my father. She laid a hand upon my fathers shoulder making him look into the eyes of the woman he loved. "But...our daughter deserves to live with a calm...live free of Sin." My mother said sadly bringing my father up to his full height.
"Free of Sin..." My father muttered enveloping my mother in a hug.
I walked through the memory, destroying the memory from going any further.
"Tired of reliving the past...lets keep on going." I muttered sadly.
Everyone agreed and walked past me, leaving me behind with Auron.
"The Dome...can be a little depressing." I said walking forward slowly.
I heard footsteps walk close to me and when I heard it stop I felt two strong arms encircle around my neck from behind. Auron had placed his head next to mine and I leaned into touch.
A couple minutes passed and he let me go to take a hold of my hand.
We both walked forward across a raggedy metal bridge when another flash and three men passed by us in a hurry. As the three came to a complete stop before us the three men were non other then Lord Braska, Sir Jecht...and Auron.
"Ah!" Tidus let out in shock, his hand outstretched.
"Hey, Braska. You don't have to do this." Jecht said looking up to Braska.
Braska had turned his head back to his guardian and gave him a small smile.
"Thank you for your concern." Braska said giving a slight nod.
"Fine. I said my piece." Jecht said grumpily crossing his arms across his chest.
"Well, I haven't!" Auron said shaking his head. "Lord, Braska, let us go back! I don't want to see you...die!" Auron yelled to him angrily.
"You knew this was to happen, my friend." Braska said dryly.
"Yes, but I...I cannot accept it." Auron confessed sadly, his eyes glued to the ground.
I looked toward the Auron standing next to me and grab hold of his hand giving it a squeeze for I knew what it felt like to watch a good friend walk to their death. Only did hearing Braska chuckle did I look back to the three men...the memory in front of me.
"Auron, I am honored that you care for me so. But I have come to kill grief itself. I will defeat Sin, and lift the veil of sorrow covering Spira." Braska said turning back to his two guardians, his eyes never leaving the young Auron. "Please understand, Auron." Braska begged as he turned to continue forward with the other two close behind.
In a flash the memory of them disappeared leaving us to mush on forward. I nudged Auron a little and after a few couple of tries to finally get his attention I smiled up to him, trying to make sure that he, too, was okay.
Getting my message, he nodded his head and started walking forward with my hand in his.
As we went into the next room another flash and we saw the three men run up the flight of stairs stopping close to the entrance to the cloister of trials. All of us started to run forward to catch up when Tidus decided to check out something close to the bottom of the steps.
"Come one Tidus!" I yelled to him as I stopped at the bottom of the steps while everyone else ran forward.
"There's a chest hidden here." He stated while bending down.
I didn't see it through the rubble but as I looked more carefully I noticed that the treasure chest was well hidden between the cracks of the ruins.
"Open it and lets head on up!" I shook my head waiting for him.
"Alright already!" He yelled taking whatever was in the chest with him and running up with me towing behind.
We had stopped short at the last flight of stairs when I saw Jecht cross his arms across his chest.
"Are the Trials ahead?" He questioned looking to Braska.
"Probably." Braska said turning to walk to the glowing sphere to his right.
"Here, too, huh?" Jecht said in annoyance, letting out a sigh. "Gimme a break. I was expecting, you know, parades and...fireworks!"
I watched as Jecht flung his arms all over the place, emphasizing what he was imagining.
Braska turned around to Jecht and gave a little smirk.
"You can ask for them after I defeat Sin." Braska suggested as he turned to walk through the broken double doors followed by the young Auron and Jecht.
Tidus turned to Auron and I and looked at us in wonderment.
"Is there really another trial on the other side?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yes, but it's a little different from all the past trials." I said shaking my head. "It's sorta fun I guess...it's been awhile I can't really remember what we really had to do."
"It was annoying..." Auron mumbled shaking his head and started walking forward.
"Take his word over mine...it's been at least 20 years since I've been here..." I smiled sheepishly following Auron through the double doors.
As we walked through to the next room I saw a bunch of dots separated by all the tiles and a sudden memory hit me.
~Flashback~
"I want to push daddy!" I stood trying to push one of the pedestals inward.
"Be careful baby girl." My dad laugh as he watched my failed attempts.
After a couple minutes I fell to the ground with little tears prickling the corners of my eyes.
"Daddy...it's not moving." I sniffled trying to wipe the tears that were about to fall.
"Try again." He smiled down to me.
I stood up again and pushed the pedestal and this time it slid inward easily. I turned around and beamed up to my dad, giving the biggest, toothiest grin ever.
"I did it! I'm getting stronger daddy!" I yelled, laughing as he engulfed me in a hug and lifted me up in the air.
"Yes, you really are." He smiled up to me as he looked toward my mother.
Back then...I thought I did it by myself but I soon came to find out that my father used his finger to push it in at the same time I did."
~End~
I smiled and then looked as the screen went static and flashed before us.
NOW, I remember!" I explained in realization shaking my head. "It was a fun trial but one wrong step and...you have to start all over again." I said laughing and watching as the screen in front of us flickered on showing colorful shapes.
"So...what happens if we step on the wrong one?" Tidus asked trying to find the right shape to step on.
"I'll let you figure that one out." I said stepping on one of the shapes. "If we all step on the right one we'll finish it faster then when my friends and family did it."
"Is this the one I need to step on?" Rikku questioned about to step on one of the glowing dots.
"No, step on the one diagonal from it." Lulu said stepping on another herself.
"Got it!" Rikku smiled taking a step on a tile making it glow green.
Once we stepped on all the right ones the panels on all sides opened up bringing forth six pedestals making the door open up.
"Push this one," Auron said nodding to the pedestal next to the door. "and lets get through this trial." He said walking through the opening to the other side.
"Kenta you stay by the door way and watch us pick the right shapes and after we finish you can tell Jin here to push the next one." I commanded as I started walking to the next room.
"Why do I gotta push it?" Jin asked standing in front of the next pedestal.
"It'll make things go by faster...so we don't have to keep going back and forth." I yelled, already in the next room.
"What now?" Rikku asked looking between Auron and myself.
"Touch the screen and it'll show us where to stand." I said standing at the far edge waiting to see the tiles glow.
"I'll stand by the screen." Yuna smiled already touching the screen.
The same shapes that were on the screen glowed on the ground for a second and then disappeared.
"I got this one." I said standing on one of the tiles that glowed besides me.
"This is sorta fun..." Rikku said going toward the tile that she remembered glowed along with the others.
After we stepped on all the tiles that was shown on the screen a symbol of the temple in Macalania glowed on one of the six Hexagons.
"Push in the next pedestal." I heard Kenta tell Jin from the other room.
When nothing happened I looked in the small hallway and saw Kenta with his arms crossed, glaring toward I'm guessing Jin.
"Push in the pedestal." Kenta yelled impatiently.
"I'm trying!" I heard Jin yell, making Kenta glare toward the open space.
Then suddenly Kenta disappeared from my line of site and I heard a big echo of metal coming in contact with something solid.
"Ow!"
"Like this!" I heard Kenta yell and suddenly the screen in front of us flickered and showed another set of colored shapes.
"We gotta do this six times?" Rikku asked in irritation.
"Yup." I said popping the 'p' and smiling sheepishly.
So after spending at least half an hour repeating the process the symbols from all the temples glowed and slowly started to disappear one by one. As Kent and Jin rejoined us back into our room the center started glowing white and disoriented...the room changed and from the middle came a hideous fiend that resembled a snake, scorpion and a praymantis combined...the Spectral Keeper.
"We have to keep standing on these circles!" Auron yelled as I stood across from him.
"Be careful not to move at the same time and bump into each other!" I told Kenta and Jin who stood next to me.
I watched as Tidus made the first move, slashing down on the Keeper making it retaliate by swinging his tail upward, piercing his shoulder.
I switched quickly to the circle Tidus was standing on and pulled him up by his arms.
"You alright?" I asked while Yuna cast Cura on him.
"I'm fine..." He mumbled standing shakily on his own two feet.
I saw Tidus point his finger at the Keeper, earning a growl and his attention fixated right toward both of us.
"Don't provoke him!" I yelled angrily next to Tidus, blocking another swipe of his tail.
"I have to do something to keep him from attacking Yuna..." He muttered through gritted teeth helping me push back the Keepers tail.
I rolled my eyes and knocked the tail upward, bringing my sword down and slashing through his tail. The fiend gave off a howl of pain and bought his two pincers together trying to cut us in two.
"Jump!" I yelled moving toward another circle almost bumping Wakka off his.
"Hey watch it!" I heard him yell trying to balance both of us.
"Sorry!" I said to him apologetically.
"There's not enough room here!" Jin yelled taking a swipe at the Keeper from behind almost knocking of his brother.
"Be careful!" I yelled to both of them casting Protect on me and Wakka just in time for the Keeper bought his pincers up and dealt a lesser amount of damage.
Lulu had used multi-cast and cast Blizzaga and Firaga dealing a great amount of damage.
Kimahri let out a roar and slashed down with a lot of power making a huge gash on his back. The Keeper, seeming to have snapped out of Tidus Provoke, turned toward Kimahri and slashed his tail upward piercing Kimahri.
Then from beneath my circle, Kenta's circle and Tidus circle appeared a purple dot covering the whole circle.
"What is this?" Tidus asked looking down, clearly taken back.
"We have to move to a different circle." Auron stated as I was about to jump to another circle.
"What will happen?" Tidus asked questioningly.
"Just move!" I yelled pushing him to another circle as I landed with Auron.
So right at the last minute Tidus jumped onto the same circle as Kimahri and Yuna while Jin came with me and Kenta landed with Lulu and Rikku along with Wakka.
"It's too crowded!" Rikku yelled trying to dodge one of swipes the Keeper made toward the circle they were standing on.
"Lets finish it quickly before we fall off." Lulu said casting another spell on the Keeper.
Suddenly the spot where the five of us stood one at a time started to explode.
"Oh...I see why I had to move..." Tidus said in defeat.
Everyone started to move back to a different circle while I stayed on the same circle as Auron.
"It's about time we finish this don't you think." I said lightly nudging Auron in his side.
I saw him smirk through his coat collar and in one final blow from Wakka the Keeper had let out an agonizing howl and exploded in a puff of pyreflies, descending into the darkness.
Thank you to Eidolon02, Rainbow Haired Girl, Funsized-killjoy, The Sword of Salvation, and mercenarybunny. Please keep reading till the very end! Spread the word about my story if you enjoy reading then maybe others will love it too ^^ Review, favorite, follow, spread the word. ^^ Love you all! -Shay
