Epilogue

The battle was won but there was still work to do.

When we returned to Besaid, I'd realized that the rest of the world still needed fixing. Rikku proposed the idea of taking another trip around Spira to fix all the damage that this monster has caused. That I had helped cause. Along the way, Rikku and I made it one of our missions to collect the ancient relics and history deep below the depths of the temple and place them in a museum. It had been a dream of Rikku's for some time now and I was more than happy to be able to help her achieve that goal.

Kilika was our next target for reconstruction. It felt strange, traveling the world again, after I had taken the past year to become the kind of person I was today. I was trying my hardest to not have only myself in mind when we made each stop. I helped anyone I can whenever they needed it, but Rikku kept reminding me that it was okay to take time for myself. Sometimes, I found myself sitting on a small hill, watching the sun lower itself into the mountains, or below the sea. Rikku told me I seemed like an old person whenever I did that.

I wasn't sure what exactly I had planned for the remainder of my life. Saving the world meant that anything was possible for a third time. Rikku told me I could always continue with her on the never-ending hunt for spheres.

It didn't feel right to be away from Besaid for so long, and yet, I found myself not wanting to return to Besaid, either. But I decided not to spend this time worrying so much about where I would be a year from now, or even a month. I could let the decision come to me as I made my way across the world. It didn't have to be permanent.

Chuami was appointed to be an advisor of the Bevelle Council. They were impressed by hers and Kurgum's performance in saving Spira. Kurgum said he was relieved they no longer had to work at such a close distance. She carried Sir Auron's sword with her wherever she went. It was practically attached to her. People have asked her about it, mainly how she acquired it in the first place. She came up with a new response each time they asked.

Kurgum sometimes visited me. He still calls me "Lady Yuna", even though I said he didn't have to. He said it was because he respected me and wanted to honor me for all the work I'd done. Once, he asked me if I wanted to come with him for an afternoon tea while we watched the sun set over the Bevellian streets. As flattered as I was, I told him that now wasn't the time. It wasn't the first time he'd ask me to accompany him on a friendly get-together, just the two of us.

I told him that though he was a kind man and entirely helpful to me when I needed him, I just didn't see him in any other way, aside from a loyal friend. And a wonderful sender. He told me he understood.

And at times when I did separate myself from the rest of the group to ponder life's meaning, I wasn't there just for that reason. I was listening. When I first heard it after everything that'd happened, I was hopeful that I would see him again, even just for a little bit. I whistled back to him. Even though I didn't receive a response, I just knew that somewhere, somehow, he heard me. And that I would find him, again.

Yuna had just finished touring the new Bevelle Museum for what seemed like the hundredth time. She'd seen these corners so many times, she could walk them blindfolded. The Al Bhed architecture combined with the historical relics made for one of the most interesting and popular attractions in the city. Every piece of history was so carefully placed in its area from different time periods.

It was like stepping into other worlds for a brief moment. Spheres rested in their displays, accompanied by a rusty old machina, or a part of an abandoned building, each one recorded with its own backstory. People came to visit not only from Bevelle, itself, but from all around Spira. Occasionally, Yuna would explain things to them, adding commentary to each of the stories.

"And you actually saw these things?" one of the guests would ask.

Yuna nodded.

It had been after a long day of searching and Yuna felt as though it would have been time to rest. It was getting close to quitting time, anyway. Apparently, there was someone that didn't want her to retire from the day just yet.

Rikku had arrived in her newly reconstructed, and repainted, Kelvin 2.0 and was currently rushing through the streets of Bevelle, now more crowded than they've ever been, to get to the museum. She'd been bumped, shoved, and pushed getting there and though she sent a few swift apologies towards the people, they only gave her the look of disgust and shook their heads.

"Yunie!"

Yuna was interrupted from a small speech about the latest adventure she'd had when her cousin burst into the most fragile area of the entire building. A staff member had to remind her to not run frantically like a chocobo in a glass shop.

"Sorry!" she turned to her cousin. "Yunie! You gotta come quick!"

Rikku was already tugging at Yuna's sleeves without waiting for a response. Although Yuna trusted that whatever it was Rikku needed her for, it had to be urgent, she stopped for a moment and looked at the visitors anxiously waiting for a continuation of her story.

"Rikku, I don't think-"

Rikku placed her hands in front of her face and waved them erratically. "It's an emergency!"

The last time Rikku told her that it was an emergency, their ship had been raided and they were stranded in the desert far longer than they would've been had Rikku listened to Yuna about keeping a close eye on the ship.

And Yuna wasn't convinced when all that was presented before her was her yellow and orange painted ship. But it was the person that arrived from within it that gave her the impending excitement. The blonde blitzer, dressed in his best, had arrived. She didn't need a second word or thought before running into his open arms.

"Sorry I'm late." he told her. "It took me a lot to get here."

Yuna smiled as she rested her head in his shoulder. "I know what you mean."

From the other side of where they stood, Rikku was smiling at her cousin.

Wakka was sitting on the beach of Besaid, watching Vidina play in the sand nearby. Lulu told him to make sure the small boy didn't wander too far away, as he was far too young to learn how to swim. Wakka didn't protest. Lulu did know best.

He was, however, getting to that age when he would start learning to play blitzball. Wakka was holding the blitzball that was inscribed with his mother's name on it. Soon, it would belong to the tiny boy currently digging a trench deep enough for his small body.

"We shouldn't let him do that." he heard a subtle voice tell him. Wakka turned his head to see Lulu lowering herself to sit next to him. Normally, she didn't like to sit on the wet sand. It got all over the place, she would tell him, and stuck to her black dress. This time, however, she was willing to do so. She watched Vidina enjoy the aspects of island life. That meant trying to keep him from running straight into the water from time to time.

"He's just a hyperactive kid, ya?" Wakka said, resting one hand on the blitzball.

Lulu sighed. "And soon, he will be old enough to decide whether he wants to live an island life or not." her eyes shone.

"Bah!" Wakka said. "It'll be a long time before that happens. No need to worry 'bout that now."

"I suppose you're right."

The boy came running towards his parents, excitedly babbling nonsense as he landed straight into his father's lap. Wakka and Lulu both shared a laugh as Wakka picked up the small child.

"You're getting so big!" he said to the boy.

"Look!" the boy pointed to an oncoming ship. The colors were unfamiliar to all three of them, but based on the gaudy paint job, they could easily guess who it was that had come to pay them a visit. There was only one person that could operate a vehicle with such nauseatingly bright colors.

"It's about time, ya?" Wakka said as he and Lulu shared a look.

Once Kelvin landed, Rikku came rushing towards the family, more than elated to see them after months of being out in the world. Yuna and Tidus stayed behind, just before giving their grand entrance. After months of not having seen Besaid and not having seen the blonde boy's smiling face, she felt as though she'd been living an entirely different life.

Because she had. She had spent the longest time away from the life she'd known for so long because now she felt as though she had the strength and freedom to do so. Thanks to him. But regardless of the amount of time she spent away from Besaid, she always knew she could return to it whenever she wanted.

And now, he could, too.

Yuna smiled and turned her head to look up at the cloudless sky, basking in the genuine sense of euphoria before once again running towards the shore, tugging the not-as-fast boy with her.

THE END