AUTHOR'S NOTE: So looks like you guys didn't mind my slightly rubbishy writing last chapter! I have to say I was slightly dreading writing that last chapter as I knew it would have to be pretty emotional and I wasn't sure I could write that, but bleh. It's up now.
Hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review!
This chapter is dedicated to Teon.
DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy X, its characters, locations and plotlines are owned by Square Enix. I do not claim to own any of these. However, I do own my original character Sakura, also known as Suki. If you wish to use her in any form of media then please ask my permission first.
Chapter 27 - Blunt
The walk back up to the Command Centre was decidedly longer than it had been on the way down. The fact that I was dragging my feet and stopping every few minutes because I couldn't get the image of Gatta lying dead in a pool of blood out of my head was playing a big part in that.
When I eventually reached the Command Centre the fiend was gone and everyone was back on their feet.
Suddenly there was an almighty roar and I spun around to face the sea. Sin was back.
I heard the rumbling of a machina which was positioned on a tower on a part of the beach which had been slightly sheltered from Sin's earlier blast. Sin looked like it was readying itself for another attack, and the machina was also charging up.
I frowned. I had never seen a machina like that before. It looked pretty powerful.
At the moment Sin blasted again, the machina also let out an energy beam. Red hit blue. They seemed to have equal power at first, but Sin began to overpower its opponent, and before long the entire tower exploded.
I heard a cry behind me and turned to see Yuna watching the whole thing. Seymour was standing behind her. The rest of our group was standing slightly further along the cliff edge, also watching. Sin let out another bellow. We all just stood there in shock for a few minutes, unable to look away from the tower burning.
At some point Yuna snapped out of whatever trance the flames she was watching had put her in and she ran over to me. I hadn't heard her coming so I jumped when she put her hand on my shoulder.
"Suki, are you alright?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
I was looking down at my feet, refusing to meet her worried gaze. I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to cry.
I took a deep breath, opened my eyes and looked up at her, not letting any emotion cross my face. I didn't want to beat about the bush so I just said it.
"Gatta is dead."
Yuna's hand flew to her mouth and she stepped back, her eyes filling with tears. Lulu noticed and quickly walked over, putting an arm round Yuna's shoulder.
"Yuna, what's wrong?" she asked.
Yuna just turned her head to Lulu's shoulder and began to sob. I instantly felt horrible for being so blunt. She had known Gatta since she was a child. I couldn't believe I'd been so stupid.
By this point Tidus, Wakka, Kimahri and Auron had noticed the commotion and had walked over. Tidus saw that Yuna already had Lulu, and then he saw my face and walked over to me.
"Suki? What is it?"
Tears spilt over even though I tried to hold them back. "Gatta's dead. I told Yuna but I just blurted it out. And now I've made her cry…" I started to sob myself, knowing that Yuna always made a point of never crying in front of us.
Tidus pulled me into a hug and I cried into his shoulder, very aware that we were pretty much mirroring Lulu and Yuna.
After a few minutes I felt a hand on my shoulder again. It was Yuna, her eyes red from the tears.
"Did…did he say anything?" she sniffed.
I nodded, rubbing an arm across my face to wipe the tears away. "He asked if you would perform the Sending."
Before Yuna could say anything more, Sin roared again before turning and sinking back into the sea. Tidus screamed in frustration, running to the cliff edge.
"Don't you run away from me!" he yelled, before jumping off of the cliff and diving into the sea.
"Tidus!" I screamed, ready to jump in the sea after him.
Wakka grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Suki, don't! He'll be fine. He'll never catch Sin."
Yuna gritted her teeth. "Everyone stand back!" she yelled. "I'll summon!"
"You won't hurt it!"
I turned to glare at Seymour. Yuna just looked frustrated.
"Your powers are still too weak," he continued.
"But I must do something!" Yuna insisted.
Seymour shook his head but Yuna ignored him, beginning to twirl her staff.
"You can't!" Seymour maintained.
I lost it.
"Just shut up!" I screamed at him, causing everyone to gasp. "She just wants to help!"
Credit to Seymour, he didn't look angry at me. He just smiled sadly.
"She can help by carrying out Gatta's final wish," he said.
I stopped myself from saying anything else stupid before turning to face the beach again. I spotted someone washed up on the sand.
"Tidus!" I cried before running down to the beach before anyone could stop me.
By the time I reached him he had sat up. I sat down next to him.
"You alright?" I asked.
He shrugged, not looking up at me. "I sensed Jecht. I could sense my old man just now."
I frowned. "It might have just been Sin's toxins messing with you," I suggested.
He shrugged again. "Maybe…"
We sat in silence for a few minutes. I noticed lights flashing up at the Command Centre and I knew that Yuna had begun the Sending.
"How many died today?" Tidus asked suddenly.
I knew that he wasn't intending me to answer.
"People die and Yuna dances," he continued. "When will she stop dancing? When will it stop?"
I swallowed. "Yuna won't stop dancing," I murmured, only just loud enough for Tidus to hear. "Not until Sin is gone."
We both sighed and looked down at the ground.
"I see you're still here."
We both looked up to see Auron. I wasn't entirely surprised to see him. He seemed to always pop up at moments like these.
"Many stories ended here today," he continued. "But, yours goes on I see."
Tidus frowned. "What?"
But Auron had already walked away.
Tidus jumped up, and I followed him.
"Sin's come and gone, but I'm still here…" he muttered to himself.
Before I could say anything to him he'd started to follow Auron back up to the Command Centre where Yuna was still standing. Lulu had walked down to meet us. Tidus just walked past her, but I stopped when she approached us. She watched Tidus walk away before turning to me.
"He's been in contact with Sin again, hasn't he?"
I nodded.
"The toxin…" she mused. "Is he okay?"
I nodded again. "I think so. He's pretty shaken up though."
Lulu was still looking at me. "And are you okay?" she asked softly.
I looked up at her, and she was smiling gently. I smiled back, stopping myself from crying yet again. "Yeah, I'll be fine."
She sighed under her breath, as if she didn't believe me, but she nodded and began to walk back up to the Command Centre. I followed her.
AN: Sorry this was really short. These will start getting longer again, I promise!
