Chapter 42: Fade Away

Bahamut had been keeping a distant, but diligent, eye on Shuyin's activity in the Farplane ever since he recovered from his dark aeon's banishment. He watched as the unsent spirit used the praetor's identity to cajole Vegnagun into a partnership. He hoped the machina's fear and intellect would reject him, but charismatic Shuyin played all the right notes to win its trust. The Fayth believed that Gippal and Nooj could reach Baralai despite the possession and send the unsent spirit, but the fiends within the vortex proved too much for them. Now Shyuin was powering the cannon of the most powerful weapon on Spira, and there seemed to be no way to stop him. "Oh no … Oh no, oh no!"

The boy's spirit flew to the meadow of moonflowers and swept low to dust pyreflies over as much of the area as he could. "Wake up! Wake up! Shuyin has activated Vegnagun! He's trying to destroy the Farplane, and if he succeeds, he'll destroy all of Spira with it! We have to find a way to stop him!"

All around the Farplane, spirits began to awaken. Dannae was among the first. "Shuyin would never do such a thing! He's a good boy! He's just … Jecht! Go talk to him! Tell him to come home and rest!"

"You know he won't listen to me," Jecht answered with equal concern.

"He might, if you try talking rather than yelling," Auron inserted as he appeared.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jecht countered. "Oh, I get it. A few minutes in a fake reality, and suddenly you're a better father than me?"

"I could never fill the void. But if you're going to go there …"

"What has passed is past," Braska gently but firmly reprimanded both of his former guardians. "Now is not the time for regrets or blame."

Kaila appeared by Bahamut's side. "We have to at least try talking to him."

"No way!" the boy protested. "You saw what happened the last time I tried talking. He turned me into a dark aeon." The other Fayth who had been victims of Shuyin's possessive magic looked at each other and nodded, as well.

Kaila remembered the harrowing confrontation, but it gave her an idea. "Lord Braska, could you summon one of the Fayth back as a good aeon? An aeon may be the only thing that can stop him."

"I don't think that's possible," Braska answered her.

"But … Shuyin did it, and he's not even a summoner."

"He made me attack Yuna," Bahamut admitted, lowering his gaze. "I never wanted to hurt her."

"I know." Braska placed a thin hand on the boy's shoulder, but he was more puzzled than angry. "Summoning spirits into reality involves being able to draw life from one world into another," he explained to Kaila. "Few humans can do it, even fewer spirits. It's not like summoning illusions within a dream or summoning a simple fire spell. To become a summoner, I had to endure many trials and gain the trust of the soul on the other side before it could be pulled back through the plane of magic. Had the Fayth not trusted me," Braska glanced to Bahamut with a small smile, "I would not have been able to force their obedience. Shuyin shouldn't have been able to do what he did unless it has something to do with the fact that, as an unsent, he exists in both the material and spirit realms at the same time. But if that was the case, other unsent souls would be able to do it, too."

Bahamut suddenly realized the answer to a question that had been plaguing him for centuries. "That's it. That's how he does it. Shuyin exists between realms, not like an unsent, but like Sin. There's a thick, dark energy inside of him … energy that I've only felt once before when I accidentally touched Sin while taking Jecht into reality. If Shuyin can manipulate people's minds and summon aeons just like Yevon, maybe when he became tainted by Sin's toxin, he absorbed Yevon's magic. That has to be what allows him to have such a firm grip on reality without completely turning into a fiend."

"Shuyin's tainted with Yevon's magic?" Kaila decided it made perfect sense, but it also meant something dreadful. "Does that mean Shuyin could turn into another Sin?"

"It looks like he's bent on self-destruction before that happens," Auron noted. "It also means that engaging him directly in any kind of lengthy battle to send him could have results just as catastrophic as allowing him to take out Spira with that machina. Perhaps the only defense against him one-on-one is Yevon himself."

Jecht frowned. "Don't you even think about turning Yevon loose on my boy. 'Cause I can tell you right now that ain't gonna happen."

Bahamut didn't like that idea any more than anyone else in the circle, but right now, Shuyin posed a bigger threat to Spira than Yevon. He was trying to think of an alternative solution when he spotted the Gullwings racing through the Farplane in pursuit of something, and he had an idea what that something was. "Yuna!" he blurted.

Kaila's pyreflies swirled with worry. "Oh, no! She's going after Shuyin, isn't she? If he can cast Yevon's spells, she doesn't stand a chance without any aeons!"

"Wait, she's got Lenne's spirit." Bahamut blinked at the other spirits with renewed hope. "Lenne sang to me from Yuna's dress sphere."

Kaila practically read his mind. "She's going to ask Lenne to talk to him!"

"If anyone can convince Shuyin to come home, it's Lenne," he anxiously agreed.

Not wasting any more time talking about what they should do, Braska flew through the ethers of the Farplane toward his daughter and stayed close behind as she ran. Auron, Jecht, and Bahamut followed.

))((

Kaila almost joined them, but one look at Dannae's expression stopped her. All this talk about destroying an unsent fiend … This was her son they were talking about. At a loss for words, Kaila embraced Dannae with a sympathetic, reassuring hug. She could not erase the memory of Dannae's slow deterioration and self-destruction. But as Kaila once comforted her childhood friend in his time of need, she could also comfort his mom.

))((

The spirits following the Gullwings ran with them up the perilous path toward Vegnagun and hovered near Yuna as she and her friends debated the best way to approach the machina … and Shuyin. However, hearing her speak about the sorrow she felt after what happened two years ago was humbling. Though she could not hear them, each spirit apologized to her for their roles in following a path in which they thought they had no choice. But Tidus taught Yuna there was always a choice. So she was determined to find a solution that didn't sacrifice any more friends.

Unable to physically help and not wanting to distract her, Jecht, Braska, and Auron remained unseen. But they called out battle strategies for tackling Vegnagun and cheered her on. Yuna did not respond because she did not hear. All the same, Bahamut thought her actions seemed guided by the souls of her father and mentors.

))((

The Gullwings and their friends split up to attack Vegnagun from different angles simultaneously. As Yuna ran up the main path to break down the machina's primary functions, she recalled her fight against Yu Yevon and Sin without the Final Aeon. All she had then was the "Hymn of the Fayth," the inspiration of those who came before her, and the help of her friends. She still had that now. And if Yevon and Sin could be defeated, so could Vegnagun!

Responding to Shuyin's input in the command console and sensing the Gullwings' intentions to take it apart, Vegnagun amped up the charge building in its proboscis-like cannon. It used its enormous tail to cast offensive magic and sweep the high, floating platform on which they stood.

The blast forced Yuna to drop her guns and catch the cliff-like edge of the platform. A fall from that height into the rock formations below would have been deadly. But with determination, she got back on her feet, switched to her dark knight sphere, and drew Caladbolg, the prized sword Tidus left behind. Caladbolg could cut through almost anything.

Paine nodded in agreement with Yuna's no-nonsense choice and switched to her own dark knight sphere. Then both of them delivered unforgiving blows to the machina's armor and offensive nodes. At the same time, Rikku utilized her thief sphere's agility and speed to spring around it, slicing circuits in critical places. When the tail was finally taken down, they ran to help Leblanc, who was having trouble disabling its legs.

Leblanc and her bodyguards fled as the glowing red, green, and yellow orbs filled with glowing offensive magic. The explosion of spells that immediately followed the warning injured all three young women rather severely. Healing potions kept them going, but the attacks kept coming. No matter what they did to the orbs, they kept regenerating. As Rikku complained about the futility of their effort and Yuna shared more healing potions, Paine noticed one orb was casting magic on itself and the others instead of them. Growling through clenched teeth, the warrior changed into her black magic sphere and sent a blast of dark energy into the regenerative orb. With regeneration disabled, Rikku and Yuna came back into the fight, and all the other leg orbs were quickly rendered useless.

On the next platform up, on the spiraling column high above the entrance, they found Nooj, Gippal, and Leblanc attempting to take down the machina's enormous torso. They fired magic and heavy missiles at Vegnagun's head, but they were already badly injured and losing ground. Vegnagun's return fire and arms proved to be overwhelming. The Gullwings tried to help, but as soon as one of them scored a solid hit on one arm, another would brutally push back. Just like when they battled the legs, their efforts seemed futile until Rikku located the sensors and hit them with Darkness spells. As soon as she saw her strategy, Paine copied it. Then, Yuna used every ounce of strength she had to drive Caladbolg deep into the machina's chest. One arm regenerated to strike back, but Paine changed back into her warrior sphere and immediately took it out with one strategically placed thrust of her sword. It wasn't long before Rikku opened the rest of the machina's chest and stabbed or sliced through several primary function nodes and cables.

Vegnagun's torso erupted in several mini-explosions and fell, but its head landed hard on the platform where the girls stood. When the ground stopped quaking beneath the tremendous weight of the precariously balanced, disabled machina, their other friends joined them to survey the damage. For a moment, all was quiet, and Rikku wondered aloud if they were done.

Yuna looked toward the control panel on top of the head. Baralai—Shuyin—was still in control. And he had issued new commands. Vegnagun regenerated just enough to hold on. Still afraid of being dismantled, the machina clung to the side of the spiral column the way a dragonfly might cling to a long, thin blade of grass that defies logic supporting its weight. Heavily injured, it could not save itself a fall at that height, but it could still fight. Its skull-like, horned face roared, looking as if it might open its jaws and devour them at any moment. But then its proboscis-like cannon extended and charged again. No longer concerned with the Gullwings, it was ready to engage its programmed target.

Exhausted but refusing to give up, Yuna and her friends raced up Vegnagun's arm to the flat surface at the base of its cannon.

The tusks charged with a magical blast, catching the girls by surprise, making them thankful they brought lots of restorative potions. But using the same strategy on the tusks that they used on the arms and chest, they managed to destroy the head and disable Vegnagun's central processor, preventing the cannon from firing into the Farplane's Heart. Vegnagun was finally finished. But their fight wasn't over.

Waiting for Shuyin's inevitable retaliation, Yuna changed back into her gunner sphere. "Lenne, … what should I say to him? I feel so lost when I look into his eyes. I … I don't know if I can do this."

Shuyin jumped down from the controls and focused a scathing glare on the trio for destroying his intelligent weapon.

Rikku blinked at Yuna with growing worry, and Paine was clearly on edge and poised to attack. But Yuna drew a sad, nervous breath and changed into Lenne's dress sphere.

The angry, unsent spirit started toward her, his transparent, true form now completely visible over Baralai's body. But he stopped a short distance from her, tilting his chin in a skeptical stance—one that Yuna had seen many times on Tidus's face when he spoke of something for which he felt contempt. It nearly killed her to see him focus that contempt on her now. She froze beneath it. I can't do this ...

))((

"Yes, you can, Yuna. Yes, you can!" Within the dress sphere, Lenne struggled and strained to break free from her sanctuary. Her magic was weak, but she managed to summon enough pyreflies to project a weak image of herself over the singer sphere. Hopefully, it would be enough to hold off Shuyin's ire while she poured the rest of her energy into breaking free from her self-imposed confinement.

"Shuyin," Yuna spoke, anxiously searching for the right words.

"Lenne?" Shuyin remained doubtful despite seeing her in Yuna's place.

"I want to talk to you. There's words … undelivered for a thousand years." Yuna paused, lowering her gaze. No, this was coming out all wrong. (1)

"Thank him," Lenne begged.

"Thank you." Yuna lifted her chin to look at him again, realizing Lenne was trying to help.

"We walked together, to the end, and … I was happy," Lenne told her.

"We walked together, to the end, and … I was happy," Yuna repeated the spirit's message.

Shuyin's anger softened. "But … I couldn't handle it."

"It's okay. Please ... don't grieve alone," Yuna continued repeating Lenne's thoughts.

"Please sleep," Lenne added, but this time her voice pushed through the pyreflies to speak aloud with Yuna.

Shuyin still seemed torn whether to trust Yuna or not. After a moment of painful indecision, he released his living hostage and stepped away from him.

Baralai slumped to his knees on the floor.

Paine hurried to her friend's side to see if he was okay.

Shuyin cast a brief glance toward the pair behind him, acknowledging he had no refuge now from the magic of the Farplane.

Yuna sighed with relief at his willingness to surrender. But he still looked apprehensive, considering what surrender meant for an unsent spirit.

Lenne was relieved, too, but at the same time, her magic was weakening.

))((

"Can we fade now … together?" Shuyin reached out to Lenne but slowed to a stop when distortion blurred her face and hair. Then, Lenne's illusion melted away, leaving him facing Yuna once more. He'd been tricked, and now, he was trapped. "This is wrong," he answered the betrayal with a threatening glare.

"Wait!" Yuna needed a chance to explain.

"You are not Lenne!" With rising anger, Shuyin backed away and shook his head at his own gullibility. Furious that Yuna had used Lenne as a lure, he clenched fistfuls of pyreflies from the air and summoned them into a spirit sword. Then, he summoned more pyreflies into his own body, making his illusion solid enough to pack some serious physical force. Shuyin was completing his transformation into a full-fledged fiend.

))((

Yuna pleaded with him to stop but was abruptly forced to defend herself from an attack she saw Tidus use many times—a fast attack from opponent to opponent, slashing with quick, agile strokes. His perfect execution of Tidus's fighting style took her by surprise. Her concentration floundered.

"He's not Tidus," she told herself. "He's an unsent fiend trying to kill us!" Switching to her dark knight sphere once more, Yuna used Caladbolg to block and push back Shuyin's assault. "You are not Tidus!" she felt like shouting as she swung again, angry at him for not being who she hoped he was. Tears filled her eyes as she blocked another thrust from the spirit sword, but she kept her resolve until finally, with the help of her friends, Shuyin staggered and fell on his back, dropping his sword.

He could have cast magic to control their minds and continued the fight to win. But instead, Shuyin sat up and buried his head into his forearms over one knee. Though not physically defeated, his heart could take no more. And with his head bowed like that, he did look exactly like Tidus.

Yuna lowered her sword, then sheathed it. Gesturing for her friends to hold back, she switched her dress sphere back to the gunner node. "Shuyin ..." She started to approach.

He started to stand but paused on his knees, refusing to look at her. "You couldn't possibly understand," he quietly, resentfully responded. His voice carried so much regret, even now.

But she did understand. That was the problem. Tidus wouldn't have lost heart and quit like that unless he felt like he had nothing left to lose. Shuyin surrendered only because he thought he had lost Lenne. Yuna winced at having to reconcile Tidus's and Shuyin's similarities again. "Lenne," Yuna called within. "Please talk to him. He needs to hear it from you, not me."

))((

"I know." Lenne tried not to use any magic during the battle to put all of her efforts into pushing through that dress sphere once more. Knowing that in leaving the sphere, she would never be able to seek its sanctuary again, she fortified herself with the pyreflies in the magic of the dress sphere and summoned the strength to break free. With one more tremendous effort, Lenne's spirit finally penetrated the sphere grid's restraints and stumbled through Yuna's body. Standing on her own for the first time in a thousand years, she felt a little wobbly, a little afraid. But this time, she did not hesitate to walk away from Yuna to Shuyin.

))((

Still kneeling, Shuyin had not expected to see Lenne again. But he knew this was her true spirit this time, not just an illusion. "Lenne?" He shook his head, suppressing hope that might suffocate him if it was another trick. He didn't want to hear any more of what she had to say. It would hurt too much. He tried to push her away, but she caught his hand between her own. Lenne didn't fight back. She didn't even scold him. She had released Yuna to come to him. "Lenne ..." His voice faltered as he raised his other hand to grasp both of hers. Shuyin felt as if he was about to fall apart beneath her gaze. Was that sympathy? Or pity? After a thousand years, there was so much to say he hardly knew where to begin.

His overwhelmed, tongue-tied expression drew a warm smile of understanding. "Finally, ne?" she repeated his initial greeting in the Farplane glen.

"Ah." He tried to smile as a tear that he could no longer restrain slid down his cheek. "All of a thousand years spent ... and finally … we get only this?"

"'Only this' is fine," she softly reassured him. Then, shaking her head, she corrected that outlook. "It's more time. Your feelings alone are enough to fill my heart." She lifted his hand to her cheek. "So … let's end this already. Let's go home."

He shook his head, wondering how she could ever forgive him. "Are you sure?"

Placing her hands on his shoulders, she looked him squarely in the eye. "Anything and everything that happened was a thousand years ago. We've come too far to turn back now." Her expression softened once more into a plea. "Let's sleep, Shuyin. Always together ..."

How could she want to be with him after what he let happen to her? Like a child hiding in shame and silent tears in his favorite plushy toy, Shuyin wrapped his arms around Lenne's legs and let his head rest against her skirt.

Lenne smiled and gently smoothed down some of his unruly blond hair as she cradled his head. "I have a new song to sing and give to you," she promised, picking up right where they left off with their daily lives before the war tore them apart.

Catching a breath and sniffling within the folds of her skirt, Shuyin shifted so that his hands blindly, restlessly settled around and then on her hips. After such a long, miserable journey trying to find her, he was never letting go again. Closing his eyes, Shuyin was tired of fighting. He was tired of living a half-life. He just wanted to go home, wherever that was now.

Lenne turned to Yuna with tears in her eyes. "Thank you."

))((

Yuna smiled and nodded as she watched the spirits fade, entwined in a spiral of magical light and color. She didn't have to send them. They both found what they were looking for, and they were already where they belonged. It wasn't the outcome she hoped for when she was given that first sphere of Shuyin, but it was enough to be truly happy for them … and perhaps a little envious.

))((

During Yuna's battle, while the spirits of her father and his guardians cheered her on, Bahamut couldn't ignore the fact that one soul was noticeably missing. As soon as Lenne and Shuyin faded, the boy flew back to the glen. "She did it! Yuna beat Vegnagun and Shuyin!"

Most of the spirits that had awakened and waited for word on the outcome shouted in celebration. A massive flurry of pyreflies burst over the Farplane glen like shimmering fireworks. But Dannae clasped her hands in worry, and Kaila gave Bahamut a look warning to break the other news to her gently.

"Everything's going to be okay," Bahamut told her, beginning to feel nervous about seeing them again ... after everything. "Shuyin's coming home with my sister."

Dannae's relief formed happy tears, and Kaila shared a smile with Bahamut that only the two of them could understand after laboring so hard over that little remnant of Shuyin's soul.

That reminded Bahamut of the other reason he returned so quickly. "Tidus! Can you hear me?" He flew to various lows and heights among the flowers and the falls. "Yuna's here! If she could just hear from you, I know it would make her very happy!"

When the entity did not show itself, Kaila caught up to him and shook her head. "I haven't seen Tidus since … Well, since you were turned into a dark aeon."

Bahamut flew to the outer planes and checked each of the exits beneath the chambers of the Fayth. When he finally found the collection of pyreflies that housed Tidus's memories, they were beneath Vegnagun's warehouse, still waiting where Lord Braska ordered him to lead Yuna out.

"Tidus? Yuna's here! Would you like to see her again?"

These unique pyreflies did not take form because they could not on their own. But a faint thought touched Bahamut's mind—a memory. And the voice belonged to that of a child.

"Auron, where do people go when they die?"

"They go where their hearts lead them," Auron's voice from the past answered.

"Auron, where do dreams go when they die?" the voice asked again, slightly altered.

"They fade away," Auron alternately answered.

Bahamut was stunned. The pyreflies that once illuminated these remnants of Shuyin's broken soul had scattered too far and wide to communicate conventionally. Yet his conscience was altering pieces of its own unique memories to express itself. "Okay, I know she can't really see you again, but … Ugh! Just ... come with me. We'll figure something out."

))((

Yuna and her party headed for the teleporter the Gullwings crew placed in the Farplane glen for a safe and easy return to the ship when she heard a familiar whistle echo throughout the meadow. Holding her breath, she came to a halt and scanned the field. The whistle seemed to come from everywhere at once and nowhere in specific.

Pyreflies coalesced near her as Bahamut materialized. "Thanks," he offered heartfelt gratitude for saving him and Spira once more.

"You're very welcome." She smiled. So, the Fayth still existed down here in a state of rest. That was nice to know.

"You heard it, didn't you?" he hinted. "You want to see him?"

"Him?" The question caught Yuna off-guard, but there was only one person he could be talking about.

"Yes. You want to walk together again?"

She was hesitant to appear eager or selfish. And she didn't want to get her hopes up, only to be disappointed again. Still, her heart ached at the possibility. Yuna answered his question with a small nod and a quiet, "Yes."

"I can't promise anything, but we'll do what we can," Bahamut told her.

Yuna smiled as the spirit started to fade. Then, she reached to detain him just a moment longer to ask what he meant by that, but the Fayth was already gone. Straightening, she looked around the magical glen once more. The whistle did not repeat, and no other familiar spirits appeared. Confused and already somewhat disappointed again, Yuna hurried to catch up with her friends.

))((

"Bahamut!" Lenne gave her little brother a big hug as soon as she arrived in the center of the glen. "We're home! We're finally home! Oh, it's so good to see you again!" Behind him, her mother and other spirits from within her family began appearing to welcome her.

"Lenne!" The boy returned her exaggerated hug that nearly bowled him over. But when she released him, his gaze shifted past her to where Shuyin stood.

Shuyin offered a sad smile but made no move otherwise. It was the first time in a long time that he saw Bahamut for what he really was—a small boy. If the boy wanted nothing more to do with him, he completely understood.

Bahamut moved around his sister to approach his "big brother" with caution, then wrapped his arms around his waist in the same child-like manner with which Shuyin held onto Lenne moments earlier.

"I'm sorry," Shuyin spoke, resting his hand on the boy's purple-hooded head. But as he lifted his gaze, he saw more spirits forming in the mists. So many dead souls—too many to count. Among them, he saw faces he knew. His father, his mother, and Kaila appeared. He saw teammates and classmates. But one face he hoped to see was absent.

"Koji?" he asked of Kaila.

She sadly shook her head.

Stunned, Shuyin exchanged a worried look with Lenne. Leaving Bahamut's side, he drew Kaila into a hug. Kaila broke into tears, so relieved to finally have her childhood friend back. Lenne moved forward to embrace them both, sharing their sorrow.

"He may never be able to forgive me, but he'll come home ... someday," Shuyin insisted. Then, lifting his head above Kaila's to check the crowd one more time, he saw other familiar faces—the faces of his victims.

Burdened by the guilt of a thousand years, Shuyin let go of Lenne and Kaila and lowered himself to his hands and knees, bowing his head to the ground before the entire gathering. "I am so sorry," he spoke in a broken whisper as tears filled his eyes once more. It didn't matter. That whisper could be heard all across the Farplane. "I won't ask for forgiveness. I know I don't deserve it. But I'm starting to figure things out now, and I promise I will do everything I can to make amends somehow ... even from this place."

"Shuyin, everyone here has made mistakes and needs forgiveness."

Shuyin lifted his tear-streaked face to meet an unfamiliar spirit standing before him. The man wore a heavy, layered robe and an elaborate headdress but met his confusion with a gentle smile. He was sure he'd seen his likeness somewhere before, but he couldn't place him.

"Please, call me Braska." The man offered his hand, encouraging him to stand. "Trust can be complicated to fix once it's broken. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is not earned. It is given. Your mistake led to a miracle that gave my daughter life and hope, even if she doesn't know it yet. And for that, I am grateful to you."

Shuyin looked at the extended hand and hesitantly accepted Braska's help to stand again. "Your ... daughter?"

"Yuna."

Surprised at meeting the high summoner's father, Shuyin lowered his gaze in shame again. He had tried to kill her, yet her father was thanking him?

Jecht folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, in a weird kind of way, your stubborn refusal to come home led to something good." He then extended his hand. "Can you forgive an old fool who regrets not being able to see his son grow into a man?"

Shuyin hesitantly accepted his father's hand, and Jecht drew him in for a long-overdue hug.

"I'm proud of you, boy." It was hard to say and almost stuck in his throat, but Jecht coughed it out. "You got that crybaby business from your mother, but you got those fancy sword moves from me," he jokingly added, giving his son's shoulder a firm pat.

Shuyin snorted at the teasing remark and pulled back with a sniffle. "You wish, old man."

Everyone in the gathering laughed.

"Yep, you're Jecht's kid, alright." Auron smirked in amusement at finally getting to meet the source of his headaches in Dream Zanarkand. "Your shirt used to be good for that kind of thing when you were seven, by the way," he added just as Shuyin was about to wipe his cheek on the upper sleeve of his uniform.

Shuyin paused. "Do I know you?" He was certain he would have remembered a man with a long scar on his face.

"No," Auron happily answered. "But knowing one of you is enough."

Confused, Shuyin pulled a face that made everyone laugh again.

"Shu ..." Dannae gave her son a tearful hug. "I'm so sorry I didn't pay more attention to your needs. You took better care of me than I did of you, sometimes." His mother stepped back to admire him with a sad smile, but then her attention drifted to the pretty girl beside him. "This must be Lenne. It's so nice to finally meet you, Lenne."

Lenne smiled somewhat bashfully and returned a small, polite bow. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"He came here looking for you once and ..." Dannae started crying again. "You have no idea what you've given back to me. I'm so glad to see him again, and now both of you can rest with us."

"Yeah, but … what if I'm not ready to rest just yet?" Shuyin turned around to survey the surreal landscape of the meadow and beyond. "This place looks like it might be kinda fun to explore." He whirled back around to face Lenne. "Hey! We should go back to Zanarkand! The pyreflies there are thick enough that it wouldn't be any problem to walk around a little."

"Oh, good lords," Jecht grumbled. "You sound just like your brother."

Shuyin blinked in astonishment. "Brother?" Stepping back, he waved his hands. "Woah, woah, woah. Alright, which one of you had an affair?" He looked accusingly at his parents but then jabbed a finger into Jecht's chest. "It was you, wasn't it? It had to be you."

Everyone laughed once more, including Dannae. "No, dear. Your father has always been faithful to me." She met Jecht's gaze, and they shared a smile. "Always."

Bahamut stepped forward and reluctantly tugged at Shuyin's shirt to reclaim his attention. "Actually, remember that time I came to see you in the cavern, and we had that big fight?"

Shuyin sighed. "I'd rather not, but … yeah. What about it?"

"Well, since you refused to help with our plans to fight Yu Yevon, I stole a little part of your soul to … make someone who would."

Shuyin blinked in mute surprise. Then he started to laugh. But then, he realized he was the only one who seemed to think that was a joke. "You're kidding, right?"

The boy shook his head.

Shuyin was incredulous. "You cloned me?"

Lenne gasped. "Bahamut, how could you? Wait …"

"He's not really a clone," Bahamut quickly answered in his own defense.

"They created an illusion of me first," Jecht explained. "But when Yevon possessed me and turned me into Sin, they decided to use you to break the spell."

"And it worked," Braska spoke up. "Or my daughter wouldn't be alive today. That's where your mistake became a miracle."

"But ..." Shuyin's brows dipped in confused anger. "Wait, you were Sin?" He pointed an accusing finger at Jecht. "That thing that blew away Operation Mi'ihen and Kilika and—"

"Yevon possessed my mind and my body when I became Braska's Final Aeon, but I held back as much as I could so that your other half could end it."

"My other—" Shuyin's protest was abruptly silenced when he remembered the day he escaped the Den of Woe—the day that he saw Yuna traveling with someone that looked like him. "He's the one Yuna must have been looking for in my spheres," he slowly realized.

"That's right!" Lenne echoed. "Yuna kept a sphere in her drawer of a guy that looked and sounded exactly like you. Oh my gosh! He really was you?"

Shuyin couldn't wrap his head around this. "So, you didn't clone me, but there are two of me?"

"Not exactly." Kaila gave him a guilty, somewhat uncertain smile. "He may look, sound, and move like you. And sometimes he's just as cheesy as you. No, I take that back. He's actually more cheesy than you. But Tidus is somehow different from you now."

Shuyin's expression went flat. "Tidus?"

"Actually, he's different from everyone else, too. He's around here somewhere, but he's kinda all over the place ... restless." Kaila looked around for the tell-tale cluster of pyreflies.

"You actually named him Tidus?" Shuyin still couldn't believe it. "That stupid nickname was my signature—my trademark. You can't give someone else my trademark, Kaila."

"Yeah? Because there are soooo many blitzballs for you to sign here in the Farplane?" Kaila scoffed and his complaint. "And technically, he's not someone else. He's part of you." Kaila pointed to the pyreflies above them that were beginning to drift and spread like a nebula in their own small universe.

"Okay, that doesn't look anything like me." Still, Shuyin was amazed that they had been able to do such a thing. And he was astonished that they had chosen him of all people to supply the soul.

"It used to look like you because the magic that made him was drawn from my memories of you. But when the Fayth were sent, so was the dream magic. So … he's like this now." She saddened as she looked up at the cluster of memories wrapped around the little bit of soul. "His memories are scattered all over the place, but he refuses to let go and rest—just like someone else we know."

"But he won't last this way forever," Bahamut added. "Tidus is fading."

))((

Author's Notes:

1) Disclaimer repeat on game dialog, and once more, I switched to Japanese version and my own loose translations. The main reason this time is pretty much the same as last. The English version Shuyin is too emotionally distant to be consistent with the Shuyin I've presented in this story, so I fell back on the original Japanese to draw inspiration for a more emotionally vulnerable, unstable Shuyin. But there is also the matter of Yuna once again saying, "I love you," instead of her original "Arigatou/Thank you" dialog. And finally, I didn't want to pass up Lenne's use of "Zutto issho ni/always together" at the end—something Yuna would somewhat envy.