DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A WORK OF FAN-FICTION, NOTHING MORE. FINAL FANTASY X BELONGS TO SQUARE ENIX.

NEGOTIATION & PERSUASION

A Final Fantasy X fan-fic

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

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The freed summoners and their arrival by an ancient machina airship was kept secret by Sir Auron's orders. As predicted the people on Besaid Island were surprised and at the same time ecstatic that the summoners were out and fine in health and mind.

When Tidus asked why that all this had to be kept secret, Auron slyly said that it would be easier later for Spira to take the truth about the Temple of Yevon. With all its sham and drudgery. All the lies and how it all became a false culture in the space of a full millennia, and how they were actually worshipping the fayth of an insane old man. Yu Yevon, wearing the pyre flies of former final aeons as its reputed to be– invincible armour.

Telling Spira now that the summoners were back, although it would calm them will only raise once more their faith in the Temple of Yevon. Auron said that it would be more difficult for the moment of revelation.

They had stayed for a few weeks already, Yuna was not allowed to go back to wooded Guadosalam, and so she only wrote short and plain letters to a worried Seymour. Auron had warned her not to tell her husband of their plans. He said, he could feel the time was soon. Auron when asked of what he meant by that, and how he knew, would reply in a very cryptic and mysterious manner in which no-one understood what he meant, at the same time doing his familiar gesture of adjusting his black sunglasses.

Other than the summoners training, they had managed to get their relieved guardians back. For now there seemed to be no greater summoner or lesser guardian. They all were nervous and uncertain, no final aeon. No final summoning. Just raw might and bravery required. Some of them felt that it all was not real or unreal, there was only unconditional faith that they would succeed. They had to.

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Back in Guadosalam, Seymour stared at his clear reflection in his full body mirror. "Yuna..." He breathed softly in the dim light. "Yuna." He repeated, fingering the silver chain around his neck.

He closed his eyes briefly, thinking of her. He was unsettled by the things that were going on. He shivered, he could not sleep tonight. There was danger, and few things were safe anymore. Mesmir had prepared Guadosalam for war if needed.

Plants and thick poisonous vines, with their inch-long thorns covered the outsides of the forest, making Guadosalam so much more enclosed than before. There was a definite stillness about the place, like something could happen although his Guado went about in their daily affairs as per normal.

Maybe it was the different way light penetrated the place, the shapes of the thorny vines, the way the sinister shining thorns threatened and protected at the same time. Seymour sighed at the thought.

He pulled off his robes and grimaced slightly, his back now tattooed. The design of a ferocious behemoth was sprawled covering it, claws and teeth all bared and at the ready. Naked, he made his way down to the bath downstairs, he needed some way to help him sleep!

The young Maester found that he could barely think sharply, he squinted as the hot water poured into the stone pool slowly, the area in the soft light fogging up in vapour. He had decided that when there was a chance, irresponsible or not he had to see his Yuna at Besaid Island.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The crowd chanted together in unison.

Where are the summoners?

Where are the summoners?

"Push the crowd back, before they demolish the temple!" Cried maester Kinoc. His eyes were wide at how the crowd was behaving, waving their little protest signs. They had been there for hours, and their impatience was growing and growing.

A monk nearby whispered to Kinoc, "Sir, you must tell them something. Tell them the truth!"

Amidst the screaming and protests Kinoc half-glared at that suggestion. "Are you crazy? What, you want me to say that the Al Bhed are holding the summoners captive?!"

The monk bowed his clean shaven head apologetically, his eyes following the rows and rows of faces, and mouths protesting loudly and without uncertainty. He was sad that the crowd just was doing this simply because they had nothing left to do. Protesting was simply to make them feel better, because they could not accept the hard and painful truth that the summoners were all gone.

Kinoc turned to the crowd and brought his arms up, "No. We do not have the summoners. Times are changing! Including the temple of Yevon!" He then turned away, sweating profusely from the faces of the people and walked down the red carpet, away from them knowing that a single slip of the tongue could mean absolute and complete disaster.

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Three weeks later...

"I must say that Sir Auron is as usual, his withdrawn and solitary self?" Remarked Seymour, twirling his stave expertly. He was squinting in the light of the bright sun, and was doing something he rarely did. Sweating.

Yuna looked up at him and smiled, feeling the Besaid beach sand under her feet. Finally Seymour had come to visit although the situation was getting worse and worse in Spira. Now, for reasons due to gossip, there were riots now, focused against the Al Bhed. The anti-Yevon terrorists had not acted for all this while, and Mika was expecting that they do sometime soon. Everyone, although outwardly calm were on their toes.

Seymour brought his stave against Yuna's, "Why will he not tell the public that the summoners are all here? All this fighting practice?"

Neatly avoiding Seymour's attack, Yuna stepped back nimbly her odd-coloured eyes twinkling in the bright sunlight. "A secret that I mustn't tell you about."

Seymour sighed frowning, and held his red ornate stave lowered to the fine white sand. "I dislike secrets." He smelt her tense slightly, as she twisted her fingers around her staff.

"Seymour, they're going to fight Sin. That's all you're getting out of me!" She laughed. "Do you trust me Seymour?"

The young maester nodded his blue-haired head once, and continued sparring with his wife. How could he doubt her? He decided to change the subject for now. "Have you always been this good?"

"No. I would say that I've improved alot since." Yuna admitted, stepping aside neatly.

Seymour came closer to her, brushing his knuckles through her soft hair. "At least I need not worry so much, you can protect yourself." He frowned and looked away towards the blue waves.

"Don't think of that."

He turned his veined Guado face to her and gave her a wry smile. "How did you know?"

"If there was anyone more traumatised than you, it was me. Don't worry, I will be very careful with Maester Kinoc."

From the two, further down the beach being watched by the Besaid Aurochs was Isaaru and Donna having an aggressive aeon fight. The fight was getting wilder and wilder by the second, and before anyone knew it the two were walking on the waves with their aeons doing battle between them.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It was long after dinner, and the crickets could be heard singing in the grass through the thick cloth of Yuna's tent. The night was blue and peaceful, white stars were scattered in the velvet blue sky and clouds were wispy grey shapes among them.

Seymour and Yuna lay close together, half-asleep.

"Yuna, I must return soon. When I am gone... Can you assure me that you will take care of yourself?"

In the dark she reached for his huge hand. "Why?" She asked, confused at the sudden question.

"I shall not answer. The reason is obvious with me as your husband. You taught me that I had wrong values and beliefs. I feel so strongly for you. I never want to lose you, or let you get harmed in any way." He whispered, his tenor voice softer than usual. Now, so clandestine and tender.

"Okay."

He closed his eyes and pulled her to him, breathing in her smell. He could tell that she felt safe with him presently, and he was so glad in the trust she put in him. "Promise me..."

"I promise."

"Oh Yuna, I'm sorry for my damned insecurity... You trust me more than I trust you!" Hissed Seymour through his teeth guiltily.

"It's okay. Trust can only come in time, faster for others, longer for some." Yuna tried to calm him by rubbing his pointed ears.

"I will try my best not to worry." Seymour answered. "By the way, have you decided if or not you would like to come for the invitation for diplomatic relations at Mt. Gagazet?"

"Yes, I want to go. I'm just a little sad that Kimahri isn't." Said Yuna in the darkness.

"Must be his past issues with some Ronso there I presume?"

"Specifically Biran his brother." Yuna sighed. "I'll tell you more on the way there."

"I wonder if we should take a leaf out of his book and skip it altogether, Kinoc will be there. Our favourite enemy."

"Oh Seymour don't say such things, it's mean!"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Lady Yuna. How was journey here to sacred mountain Gagazet?" Intoned a gruff Ronso guard against the howling wind.

Yuna who was arm-in-arm with Maester Seymour replied politely, "It was long but I liked it."

While Kelk, Kinoc and Mika were conversing with other at the lodging lobby, the Ronso guard took Seymour's and Yuna's baggage and led them to their room. The guard said, "Jumb hopes Maester Seymour and Lady Yuna to enjoy stay here."

"Of course we will." Seymour said, giving him a formal crooked smile as the tall dark blue-furred Ronso led them through the carved stone corridors.

Opening the massive wooden door, first removing its bolt, Jumb stood aside and bowed his great head watching Seymour and Yuna go in. Then he quietly shut the door and went off.

Seymour smiled as Yuna waltzed around the spacious room in delight.

"It's huge. I thought the Ronso boat had large rooms but this!" She looked up and around slowly in awe.

The ceiling was predictably high, for an adult Ronso (though not too common) could be as tall as ten feet. Yuna felt as though she was a child again, when the furniture was disproportionately large.

"Strange is it not? In a good way I mean. Very refreshing." Seymour commented sitting himself down into an armchair draped with rugged fiend's fur.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

At the dinner hall, Kelk Ronso said, addressing all who were present that night, "The Guado and Ronso traditionally have been enemies in folklore, but now during this crises we come together as one. Where each race is lacking, the other will help."

All were in silent agreement as they ate. Guadosalam and Gagazet seemed to be hotspots now for vigilantes and the A.Y.G. (anti-Yevon Group). Presumably because they were the homes of two non-human maesters.

Although no more were dying, the home lands of these two races were forced to be barricaded for security. For the Ronso, presently towering walls of ice covered the entrances and exits. Metres thick. Still, they were not without style. Ice statues. On the external sides of the walls, colossal, white, shimmering crystalline figures of fierce Ronso warriors bearing their teeth and weapons stood there challenging all intruders. On the insides facing the young and the old, were gentle figures of Ronso sages with their shining horns held high, with differing gestures of reassurance that all was safe. A traditional one in times of war meaning; "never fear," with one paw raised up with the palm facing forward.

When Yuna asked what it meant, a Ronso nearby told her that it was part of their culture. To show that although none were allowed out because of the dangers all around, it was a strong reminder that it was a safe haven and not a prison.

"Let us hope that the conflict will be resolved soon." Said Maester Kelk Ronso.

End of Chapter 29

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This is dedicated,

to the ones I love...

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