The Decision

The downpour was constant and heavy the whole walk through the Thunder Plains. It wasn't incredibly cold and the drops were huge. We weren't even sure what time it was because of the thick, black overcast. Flashes of lightning would strike around us or be drawn to the towers we neared at regular intervals. We were soaked to the skin with the rain though and Rikku was getting more panicky the further we went on. We had actually hardly said anything to one another since we started walking; I felt a little mad, maybe upset, that we left Lysander behind with no indication as to where he might be. I was really worried because I didn't want the worst to happen but the nagging feeling was there in the back of my mind, as was the idea of Grace still being alive. She was meant to have been Sent so not being in the Farplane must have meant she was alive. It must have.

"Can't we rest? Just for a few minutes?" Rikku suddenly whimpered out after roaring thunder had passed. At first I didn't notice the inn she was indicating to over a hill on the path. At first it looked just like a glowing illumination over the hill but as soon as we walked up the path the whole building became apparent. I assumed this was also the halfway marker across the Plains.

"The storm never passes," Auron answered sternly when we had arrived. "Best to move quickly."

"I know but... maybe just a little while?" Rikku pleaded. The group did just seem adamant in passing quickly but Rikku started to become more adamant. "Pretty please?" I stood by Rikku, as did Tidus, who wasn't sure what to do. "You're mean- cruel! Your moms would be ashamed of you!"

"Please can we just rest?" I joined in, really wanting to get out of this storm. The group stood and stared at us for a moment until they had finally given in, walking back to the building. Rikku was the first to dart in followed by the rest of the party.

"She's worse than the storm," Auron remarked and made a small smile cross my face. It was kind of funny. Yuna went up to the desk, her face in deep thought, and got rooms for us all for the next few hours. The people working offered us a change of clothes while ours got cleaned and dried before we left, nothing special just a plain top and trousers. There was a huge fireplace at the back of the inn as well as loads of fur pelts to wrap yourself in. We all took the opportunity to get into dry clothes but Yuna was nowhere to be seen. She must have been really tired and worried over having to talk with Seymour. I didn't know what her choice would be but she did worry a lot.

I sat with Rikku at the fireplace for most of the time while everyone else did their own thing. She looked really scared and flinched at every bolt that flashed outside.

"You always been scared of thunder?" I asked.

"Yeah..." Rikku whispered. "I was out swimming when a fiend came out and attacked. My brother tried to get it away with a lightning spell," I could see where this was going already. "But it missed and hit me instead," She made a buzzing noise to emulate the spell and I had to stop myself from laughing at the interpretation. "I've been scared of lightning ever since."

"So this is your first time here?" Didn't need to be asked since it was so clear. "You ever tried to get past it?"

"Not really..." She frowned. "Although Lysander said to me 'if I go on this boat then you have to camp in the Thunder Plains for a week'!" I laughed at her awful impression of his accent. "I guess it's fair, he's said he's been on more boats since then, right?"

"And a Shoopuff," I added. "You're not planning on doing it yourself though? Wouldn't it be better if someone went with you?"

"I guess, yeah," Rikku nodded. "But I'm trying not to think about it, not until I really have to do it, anyway," I agreed with her on that because we had too much to worry about. We ended up changing the subject. "So how much Al Bhed do you know?"

"Some phrases Lysander's taught me between practice," He had been teaching me a lot more since Grace vanished and he'd been slipping into Al Bhed when no one was around to hear it. "He's really fluent in it, but he said he's just always known it."

"Yeah when he first came to us he just started talking in Al Bhed, it really surprised us that he spoke it just like one of us," Rikku put a finger to her lip in thought. "He never really said how he knew it. Just that he did, like you said. He never really talked about what happened to him before he met us."

"No he never said," It was kind of a lie. Okay it was a lie. We were from Earth so he didn't hide it from me. Everyone else he lied to. We lied to. I started to think about what would happen if the truth got out and what it would mean for us. Would they wave us off as crazy? Hit by the Toxin? Would we be thrown into prison for being perceived as raving lunatics?

We kept talking for a while longer before Rikku decided to get a bit of rest before we went out to brave the second half of the Plains. I stayed by the fire to warm myself up more, not really feeling tired or wanting to try to sleep. I was waiting for everyone else to feel ready to go, that was it. Angel had been sitting over at one of the tables, patiently waiting and saying nothing to anyone. I went to get changed into my regular clothes and headed to sit with her.

"You said it was your aunt?" I asked to start a conversation. I was hoping she'd be open about such a touchy subject.

"She died when I was young, I was close to her while she was alive," Angel replied. "She raised me when my mother was unable to."

"So your aunt, was she a sister to your mum or your dad?"

"No, she was a family friend," Was the answer. "She was married to my uncle but he's just a family friend as well." She must have meant the one she said was in Bevelle. It was only a guess since he was the only uncle she had talked about. I remembered that she mentioned her parents had died, so I didn't go down that road. She may not have even remembered them at all.

"So where did you grow up?"

"Not here, anyway," Angel said. "We went to Bevelle for a while before the Tournament."

"Have you heard from your uncle at all? Since Luca?" She paused at the question and avoided eye contact with me.

"Some, not a lot, just check ups," She answered quickly. "But he knows what I'm doing," We heard Yuna coming down the stairs then she started to ask the group if we were ready to go. She did look as though she had something on her mind. "Let's go." Angel got up from the table and headed to the door to wait for the others. I reached into my pocket and looked at the silver orb. It had been glowing a little but the light faded as Angel made a distance with it. I closed the pouch over and headed over to the others.

Back on the road we got soaked by the rain pretty soon after we left the inn. Rikku looked a lot better than she did earlier but she was still jumping at the lightning bolts. Tidus was looking over to Yuna constantly, both of them in deep thought. She eventually stopped as we were almost at the edge of Macalania Woods.

"Everyone, wait," She said. "There's something I have to tell you." I looked over to Tidus, who was thinking the same thing as me: it wasn't good news.

"But we're almost out of here, let's go!" Rikku pleaded.

"I have to say it now," Yuna's voice was firm and sure. We looked over to a shelter not far off from where we were, Auron leading the way. Yuna looked down to the ground the whole way there, still staring as we arrived under shelter. She held her hands together and took a deep breath, looking at us all. "I've decided to marry."

"I thought so," Lulu said flatly. She did seem to be for it but she did mention to Tidus that she'd prefer Yuna to marry for love.

"What made you change your mind?" Wakka asked, his expression was completely shocked and probably the most out of us all really.

"For Spira's future... and Yevon's unity," Yuna answered weakly. "I thought it would be the best thing to do."

"That's not good enough," Auron spoke. He was very much against the whole idea, I knew that, though I wasn't sure why. I decided to put in my piece, although it wouldn't change her mind most likely.

"Yuna, I know you're doing what you think's best," I started. "But you can't keep putting everyone else first. None of it's going to matter if you're not happy." I knew there was no changing her mind; she was set on her path. I just wanted her to be happy, that's all. Wasn't it enough that she was going to defeat Sin? Did she have to get married as well just to make people happy?

"Hey! What about that sphere?" Sphere? I looked at Tidus, as did we all, when he brought it up. No one had mentioned a sphere at any point until now. Auron stepped closer to Yuna.

"Show me."

"I can't," Yuna answered. What was she hiding? "I truly am sorry but this... it is a personal matter." There was silence. A bolt struck in the distance.

"Just one thing," Auron began. Yuna's eyes showed deep determination and strength all of a sudden, knowing the question that was going to be asked.

"I won't quit my Pilgrimage," She and Auron locked eyes for a time. Yuna's eyes never faltered.

"Then it is... fine," What? No it wasn't fine!

"Wait that's it?" Tidus spoke up, completely astounded that it was over just like that. "You don't care? You're not going to stop her?" It proved more to me that Tidus cared for Yuna more deeply than just as a Guardian.

"No. I'm not. As long as she's willing to face Sin... all else is her concern," Auron told him. I could tell he wasn't happy about it but... we didn't have a choice. "That is a Summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys."

"Can't you just talk to Seymour? You got to marry him?" Wakka asked.

"I don't know. But I think it is the right thing to do," I wasn't happy with the answer, I really wasn't. I was a strong believer in marrying for love, making that choice because it's what you as person wants and not what everyone else wants or believe you should do for other people's benefit.

"It's not the right thing," I said and shook my head. "Yuna it's not." I knew her mind was set but I really couldn't let her go through with this if it wasn't for love. It was going to be such a huge mistake if she did. We all just wanted to know why she was doing it and if we could help her. I didn't want her to make a mistake.