A little late, but here it is. This is the finale for MoW. I'll have an epilogue up soon. ^.^ This is a looong chapter by my standards. ^.^; I didn't know it would take up so much space.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Our Destiny

  We were back above ground, staring out to the sea, where I knew Guardian's temple lay in wait. I was feeling nervous. There were many ways that my plan could turn out, and not all of them were good. I grimaced as a scrap of metal dug itself into my fragile skin, and red blood billowed down on it. It felt like a bad omen to me. I winced as I was shoved along by the scientists in their haste to present me to their Guardian. I couldn't blame them, really. I had never known what it was like to live in the shadow of anything as horrible as Sin, but Yuna's story and Guardian's brief image had been enough to convince me of his power.

  One of the scientists stopped the group and said, "This is where we leave you, Summoner Destiny."

  I turned, surprised. "I have to go alone?"

  The man raised an eyebrow at my reply. "Of course. It would be taboo for us to follow you into the temple."

  "Oh," I said nervously. "O-of course!"

  Smooth, Destiny, Guardian said with a snicker.

  Matthias, the scientist from before, began brushing aside the debris until a platform was clearly visible. "This," he said, taking my arm and leading me onto it, "will protect you from the water as you head down into the temple." He smiled and stepped back. "When I flip the switch on this remote control," and he held it up for me to see, "a glass dome with extend above your head. When I push the button again as you enter the temple the glass will retract back into the platform." He smiled genially, and I tried to return it, but I could only manage a weak sort of half-smile. I didn't want to entrust my life in a glass dome and a remote control. "Are you ready?" Matthias asked.

  I nodded. I heard the beep as his finger pushed down on one of the many buttons on the remote control, and I grimaced as the glass dome rose slowly with a 'swoosh'. The platform rose into the air slightly and began moving towards the sea. I didn't understand how it piloted itself, and realized that I didn't really want to. I had a feeling that it had something to do with the little knobs on the remote control, and I didn't trust that little thing at all.

  Stop worrying, Guardian said. We'll be fine.

  We were underwater now, and I was feeling a little better as Guardian exerted a little bit of his fearless strength into me. It felt a bit silly to be afraid of something that Guardian felt so nonchalant about. I smiled a little bit and slumped to the bottom of the platform, pulling my legs up to my chin. I watched the bubbles cascading around the glass and smiled a bit more as a fish dared to peek into the dome before swimming off quickly.

  Better stand up again, Guardian warned. I peered over my shoulder and saw that we were descending towards the temple. I was more than a bit happy that it had been over with quickly, but the journey down hadn't been as bad as I'd thought it would be, either.

  I bit my lip as we came near the temple entrance. I couldn't see a door anywhere, and how would that work anyways? I began to worry again, and I clenched my hands into fists as the platform headed towards the blank wall, seeming to me that it was gaining speed as it neared it. GUARDIAN! I screamed in my head, and it involuntarily came out of my mouth as well. I closed my eyes tight, cursing the scientists mentally as I prepared for the impact.

  It didn't come.

  My eyes shot open. We were inside. Guardian was laughing harder than I'd ever heard him laugh in a long time. I blushed in embarrassment as the dome seemingly dissolved into the floor of the platform. You knew that we'd go through! I berated him in the most annoyed tone that I could muster.

  Sorry, he said, still chuckling, but you have to admit, that was pretty funny!

  I smiled to let him know that there were no hard feelings. He sent me an image of his own giddy grin back. It felt good to know that he had that grin. It made me worry a little less about what we were going to try and do.

  I turned my attention to the temple itself. It was dark, but I could tell that we were in a very large room. Blue flames flickered inside of strange orbs sat on pedestals in front of what looked like a large hallway, but they weren't nearly enough to provide the room with adequate light. Strange statues decorated the room, some of them looking quite frightening. I took a cautious step towards one. It looked like a bird, but it wasn't like any I'd ever seen. Its eyes were emeralds embedded in beautifully sculpted marble that took the shape of a fearsome eagle-head with a wickedly curved beak. I looked down and realized that the eagle influence ended not far below there. Its body was obviously not an eagle's, with its large paws and tufted tail.

  That is a gryphon, Guardian informed me. As I understand he was one of the earlier 'Guardian' projects.

  I stepped back in surprise. What did they do to him?

  It's obvious, isn't it? Guardian said with a scowl. They knew that they had failed, and so they locked their project away, stuck forever in a tomb of stone.

  I hurried away from the gryphon statue, swallowing as I imagined being stuck in marble for the rest of my life. Once again I realized the cruelty of the scientists. I pursed my lips. There were some things I couldn't bear to forgive, no matter how much Sin was torturing Spira at the time. My hands balled into fists and I started down the hallway that was lit by the two orbs. I didn't want to stay in the statue room any longer.

~*~*~*~

  The door into Guardian's chamber towered high above me. It wasn't the same door that had been in my dream. It had Guardian's image carved into it, just like the last, but it was much larger. They needed a larger room for this, Guardian said. I couldn't fit into any of the others.

  How do we get in? I asked, pushing against the door. Guardian's face seemed to grin smugly back at me as I tried, teasing my poor efforts. I sighed and backed away, surveying the door for some sort of secret opening. How did they expect a girl my size to open that?

  Guardian chuckled. Don't forget, you're also supposed to be a summoner, he reminded me.

  Why can't you come out? I growled as I banged my fist against the door.

  I heard a shuffling around behind the door. I froze. Guardian had heard my pounding. I quickly thanked the heavens for my luck.

  "Who's there?" the living Guardian asked, his voice a bit monotonous. I felt my Guardian shudder.

  "My name is Summoner Destiny," I said as loud as I could, hoping that he could hear me through the door.

  The Guardian past the door was silent for a few moments. "Why have you come?" he bellowed.

  What do I say? I asked my Guardian.

  Nothing but the truth, he said firmly.

  The other Guardian was growing restless. "Well?" his booming voice queried. "Say what you want or get out!"

  I flushed with indignation, but reminded myself that Guardian was going through some hard times. I suppressed any annoyance that might've leaked into me and said in the surest tone that I could muster, "I've come to set you free!"

  There was a silence again, and then booming laughter. It continued on for a few moments, in which I simply stood, feeling very, very uncomfortable behind the door that hid the great dragon, and then it abruptly stopped. "Come to use me as a weapon against that abomination the people call 'Sin' is more like it!" he roared at me, the mirth leaving his gruff voice.

  "No!" I began. "I haven't come for that!"

  He snorted. "Then what, Lady Summoner, have you come for?"

  I stood firm. "I've already told you what I've come for," I said to him. "I want to set you free."

  I heard the great dragon sigh and then another silence elapsed, in which my Guardian informed me that he was most likely thinking about my offer as the only sounds to be heard were heavy steps going back and forth behind the door. "Come inside so that I may see you," he said. The door creaked open only a tiny bit, big enough for me to squeeze through, and then it shut with a loud bang.

  I found myself staring straight into one of Guardian's bright blue eyes and yelped as I realized just how big he was and how much space he took up. Had I not spent so much time with my Guardian I would've been scared half to death. If Guardian suddenly decided that I wasn't the kind of summoner he wanted to go to he would have no trouble killing me with any of the natural weapons on his extremely large, reptilian body. Lucky for me I knew that such killing wasn't in his nature.

  He blinked slowly and began to rise from his position on the floor. "So," he said, breathing heavily, "this is the Summoner who has come to set me free." He narrowed his eyes as he peered down at me. "The question is: do I believe you?"

  "Why shouldn't you?" I asked him. He smiled at me.

  "Good question," he said, chuckling a little bit. "Alright then, Lady, my next question: why do you want to set me free, if not to defeat Sin?"

  I smiled back at him, glad that his volcanic temper had receded a bit. "It's a long story," I said, "one that you're probably not gonna believe."

  "Try me," he said, grinning.

~*~*~*~

  I had been very reluctant to agree when the living Guardian had proposed that we make a grand display of bursting above the waters together. It meant that I had to hold my breath for as long as it took to reach the top of the waters, and I wasn't looking forward to anything like that, especially after the ride down on the platform. "It'll be fine," he assured me as I hesitantly climbed onto his back. "I can swim faster than anything alive."

  My Guardian tried to tell me that I had nothing to worry about anyways. You can make it underwater for more time than any normal person. I don't see why you're afraid. I swallowed. I'd forgotten about that. Still, the feeling deep down in my stomach wouldn't go away, and I told myself that it was probably not because of the coming journey upwards. It had been there ever since I had begun the story that would explain everything to the other Guardian. I was beginning to fear what we were to do. I wasn't sure of what was going to happen to me.

  The Tidus Yuna had come to know and love had been the dream of a sleeping Guardian. He had vanished into thin air, right after committing one of the greatest acts of courage Spira had ever known. It takes a lot to do something that you know could kill you. I knew that now, because I was afraid that the same thing would happen to me when I brought Guardian into the future. There would be no need for a Destiny anymore. That much I understood. I had never told Guardian what Sophia had come to make me understand, even if she hadn't meant to do so. It struck me, as Guardian began to break through the roof of the temple and water began to fill the room, slowly at first, and then with great intensity. I wasn't only endangering my life by doing this, I was risking Oryon's as well.

  Oryon and the Lion were the same as Guardian and I. Vessel and soul. I felt my heart stop for a second as Guardian threw himself into the sea, trumpeting triumphantly. I didn't want the same thing that had happened to the Dream Tidus happen to Oryon and I. 

  But then again, what else was there for me to do? 

~*~*~*~

  The sky was a beautiful mural of orange, pink, and red as Guardian burst above the cold waters. Night was falling quickly. The moon seemed to shine down on us as we landed on the clearest spot we could find among the rubble and debris of Zanarkand. Guardian looked truly noble, even grinning as he was. I slid down off of his back. "When're we going to do it?" I asked as I climbed off of his tail.

  "Whenever you're ready," he said. "Take as much time as you want." He winked. "I'd like to take a nap before we get going." He stretched and yawned lazily. "You wouldn't believe how cramped that room was!"

  I laughed and waved at him as he snuggled himself in between a torn down building and a ruined shack. "Alright, I'll be back soon."

  Going to say goodbye? my Guardian asked.

  What?

  Guardian sent me a smug smile. You're not very good at hiding things from me, Destiny.

  Oh.. I frowned. Yes, I'm going to say goodbye to them.

  Guardian warmed me with a feeling of encouragement. You'll see them again soon enough.

~*~*~*~

  "DESTINY!!"

  I winced as Ruka bowled into me, almost throwing me to the ground. "Where have you been?" she said, practically screaming into my ear. "We found Oryon and he told us that you'd just disappeared, and we've all been looking for you for almost a whole day! This place isn't that big! Where did you disappear to? Why did you leave Oryon?" She stared me down as she blabbered out questions.

  I started laughing. She looked hysterical. "How 'bout I tell you when we get everyone else here too?"

  "Fine," she said. "C'mon, we're s'posed to meet over here." She grabbed one of hands and dragged me towards another, less spacious empty area in all of the wreckage. "Everyone'll be back when it's all the way dark," she informed me, plopping down on a fallen pillar and looking at me through searching eyes. "No chance that you'll tell me what was so important that you had to worry us all to death before they get back?" she questioned.

  "Nope," I said, grinning at her sheepishly. I stared up into the sky that was slowly darkening into a navy blue. "I hope they get back soon."

~*~*~*~

  The stars had already begun to sprinkle the sky when the first came back. Oryon stormed over to me, looking like he was ready to tear my head off. I smiled apologetically as he stomped up to me, staring me down. "Where," he began in a hoarse voice, "have you been?"

  "If it'll make that look go off your face, it wasn't my fault!" I said truthfully. He glared at me.


  "Right."

  I frowned. "I'm telling the truth."

  "Start talking," he said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning against a large metal support beam.

  "We have to wait until everyone's here," I said.

  He smirked. "Stalling so that you can make up a believable story?" he asked.

  "Fine!" I said angrily. "I'll tell you exactly what happened." And I shot off into a description of how I'd spent my last day and a half, complete with the kidnapping, the defeat of the Behemoth, and my journey into and out of Guardian's temple. Everyone had returned by the time I had finished, and by Oryon's skeptical eyes I could tell that he wasn't buying my account. I narrowed my eyes at him as he rudely expressed what he thought of my 'lies'. Frustrated, I grabbed him by the arm and said, "Come with me, then, if you don't believe me. I'll show you!"

~*~*~*~

  Guardian's snores reverberated against the crystalline night air, which was otherwise not broken by any other sound besides the gentle sloshing of the Zanarkand Sea against the ruined city's edges. I stomped up to him and slapped him in the side of his leg roughly to rouse him from his nap. "Get up, you big lug," I said, then turning triumphantly to Oryon and the small congregation of the others. Guardian yawned and stretched himself sleepily.

  "Are these the people you told me about?" he asked sluggishly, blinking his big blue eyes at the group.

  "Yeah," I said. I glared at Oryon. "I believe an apology is in order," I growled.

  Oryon sighed and bowed slightly. "Sorry," he grunted. I smiled.
 
  "Good."

  Ruka and Sanya had both trailed over to Guardian, who had risen into a sitting position. He watched them curiously as they ran a hand over his scaly flesh. Sanya giggled. "Aww, he's cute, ya?" she said.

  Guardian looked at her indignantly and was about to protest, but someone else had caught his eye. He turned away from the giggling friends and met eyes with Yuna. "I'm guessing that you're the summoner Destiny told me about," he said. "Yuna, was it?"

  She nodded, lost for words. He was grinning at her, showing off each one of his dangerous-looking teeth. She bowed at him respectfully and he did the same. I couldn't help but smile. I was glad that he was taking to her quickly; you could tell that he was by looking into his eyes.

  My Guardian surveyed the scene with the same, warm feeling. This is a definite good omen, he said happily. On a more serious note, he added, I still think you should've told everyone about your plan.

  What does it matter? I asked him. It's not like it'll make a difference once it's done anyways. Besides, they'd probably just try and stop me.

  He sighed. You're right. He was quiet for a few moments after. We both watched the group fawning over the living Guardian, Sanya and Ruka gushing, Yuna and Guardian themselves just enjoying being in each other's presence, the twins sitting on his back and laughing as he, irritated at being disturbed from his silent conversation with Yuna, attempted to buck them off of him. Nathan teased Sanya about being jealous of the dragon, Kimahri stressed over his two children, Rikku giggled, and Wakka and Lulu watched their daughter and her boyfriend through proud eyes. I blinked as I realized that Oryon was the only one not joining in the general merriment beside myself. He was staring at the ground with a very thoughtful look in his chocolate eyes. I wondered whether or not his Lion had told him about what to expect. I felt a pang of guilt that was quickly brushed aside. We're leaving tonight, right? Guardian's voice broke into my thoughts.

  As soon as everyone's asleep, I said. Guardian and I acted as one to twist my head towards the scene surrounding the living Guardian.

  That might not be for a while, he commented as the other dragon flicked a pesky Kiro off of his tail.

~*~*~*~

  Guardian was dozing when I impatiently rapped him on his nose. The campfire the group had made had died to a small ember. He blinked sleepily and yawned as quietly as he could. "Is it time?" he rumbled in a low voice.

  "Yeah," I whispered. I patted his nose. He bent down so that I could climb up on his back.

  "Let's get going, then," he said, standing up as I seated myself in a comfortable position right above his two large wings. He grinned back at me and flapped them as a test, making sure that they wouldn't bother me. I stayed firmly seated. Happy with the preparations, Guardian began trundling forward at a leisurely pace. It quickly became a stride, and then a gallop. He had reached Zanarkand's boundaries. I closed my eyes, preparing for the liftoff.

  "Destiny!"

  I felt Guardian's claws dig into the ground as he tried to stop himself from falling into the ocean. His takeoff had been interrupted by Oryon's voice.

  "I'd have thought that after today you'd learned your lesson," he said. His voice wasn't harsh, though. I knew then that he understood what I planned to do, and wondered whether or not Sophia had spoken to him as well. He sounded a bit sad.

  "Oryon," I began, unsure of what to say. "You know that I've got to do this," I said almost pleadingly. Guardian's tail flicked back and forth as he regarded the man who had walked in front of us, blocking our way.

  "I know," he said.

  My hands gripped a bit tighter on Guardian's neck. "You could come with us, you know," I said hopefully. I couldn't be responsible for this. I wanted to cry. I'd be fooling myself if I said that I wasn't having second thoughts about the flight I was about to make. I was unsure about what would happen to me, but I knew for certain what would happen to Oryon.

  The meeting at Guardian's temple would never happen in the future I was about to create. It wouldn't be needed. Auron wouldn't be reincarnated. Oryon would never be.

  "You know I couldn't do that," he said. "Two of the same soul at the same time doesn't work well."

  I felt a tear slide down my cheek. Oryon had become a good friend to me. "I-I can't do this to you," I said.

  "You will!" he commanded, drawing his blade and laying it at Guardian's feet. "I've lived one life already. That's good enough for me."

  Guardian was getting impatient. He shifted his feet restlessly. "Are we going to go?" he grumbled. I slapped him on the neck.

  "You're going," Oryon said, standing aside.

  Guardian nodded and began backing up to begin the takeoff again. I looked away from Oryon as we trotted past him. The guilt was unbearable.

  I felt Guardian leap into the air. His wings began pounding madly. We were gaining altitude fast, rising higher and higher until all of Zanarkand was within sight. The scientists had seen us. They were pouring out of their underground laboratory, watching us ascend. I saw the figures at the campsite begin to rouse.

  "Destiny!!" I heard Ruka call in alarm.

  I waved down at them, hoping that they could see me and suddenly regretting my decision on whether to tell them or not. Out of my tunic I pulled a little red feather, glowing with its magical energies. Are you ready? I asked my Guardian.

  His encouraging grin strengthened me. Let's do it!

  We were so high above the others that they were nothing but tiny dots among the mess. I nudged the living Guardian, indicating that it was time to dive. He glanced back at me and his grin mirrored the one my own Guardian had sent me. "Hold on tight!"

  I'd never felt anything so much like the rush of falling from so high up, with naught but Guardian's large body to protect me from falling into the rolling sea below. I turned my thoughts away from the drop and to a picture that was slowly forming in my mind, one that Yuna had described to me in her retelling of the pilgrimage. I saw the waves sloshing gently against Besaid's shore, a younger Wakka and his team passing a ball back and forth on the shore. The sun was high in the sky, the sky itself a clear blue. It was a perfect image of the day Yuna had first met Tidus. Guardian echoed my image with a more correct one, clearly from his memory. I silently hoped that the Guardian I was riding had remembered what I'd told him.

  The feather burst into flame and I almost dropped it. The fire spread to surround us as we dropped we were almost at the end of the dive now. I could feel Guardian pulling out of his dive. We were a red streak in the night.

  You're ready? Sophia's voice echoed in my mind.

  Yeah.

  Good, she said. We were flying in a straight line towards Zanarkand. In approximately five seconds you will leave behind this past.

  It must've been the longest five seconds I had ever experienced. We were right above Oryon's head when it happened. Yuna was there too, her hands clasped together. Her green and blue eyes were apprehensive. I had a sickening feeling that she knew everything. Oryon saluted us.

  And then we were gone.

~*~*~*~

  I wobbled slightly as I stood up. There was a strange feeling of déjà vu as I once again watched the shores of Besaid through a cloud. Guardian stood beside me. "It really worked!" he said. "We're here!"

  I looked up at him. I was feeling odd. I shuddered as an unusual feeling spread up my spine. "Ugh.."

  That was different, I remarked.

  No response.

  Guardian?

  No response.

  I looked around in dismay. The Guardian on the side of me smiled and tapped me on the shoulder. "I'm back in here," he said.

  "Oh," I said. I smiled weakly. I felt like I was about to faint. I blinked. "It didn't work!" I shouted in dismay. Guardian was back in his own body, but he wasn't Tidus like he was supposed to be.


  Guardian looked at me in surprise. "Of course it did!" he said.

  "But-"

  "We're dreaming again," he said, laughing. "Why else would there be a cloud? We're not seeing right." He grinned. "I'm sure you've felt it."

  The odd feeling twanged again.

  "But then-"

  He laughed heartily and grabbed me by my shoulders. "Don't you understand, girl?" He picked me up. "We couldn't even become human without you!"

  He dropped me and I flailed around in the water for a bit, my mind taking in what he'd just told me. I smiled and leaned back, floating on the clear blue waves, staring up into the beautiful summer sky. "So now we just wait until we wake up?"

  "That's what I'm guessing," he splashed down into the water beside me.

  "Wonder if we'll remember any of this," I mused.

  He slapped water in my face. "Don't think so," he said.

  "It'll be better off that way."

  "Definitely."

  We fell silent, and I noticed the cloud beginning to disperse. "Are you ready?" I asked him, staring into the blue eyes that so matched mine.

  "I have been for the last thousand years or so."

  I blinked in surprise as I turned to splash him and the water flew through him. He was disappearing with the cloud. I yelped as I began to do the same.

~*~*~*~

  Blue eyes opened up, and a familiar figure shot above the waves, panting and looking around in surprise.

  Where am I? he mused. A blitzball conked him on the head and he shook himself out of his daze. Blitzball!

  He threw it into the air and executed a perfect Sphere Shot back at the players on the beach. One of them was a man with red, tidal wave fashioned red hair. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. As the man in the waves moved towards the shore he grinned. "You mind showin' us that shot again?" he asked in his accented voice.

  The man grinned.

  And so began the story of Yuna's pilgrimage.

~*~*~*~

Fly like an eagle to the sea. Fly like an eagle let your spirit carry me.

I wanna fly.

Fly right into the future.

The End or the Beginning?

Decide for yourself. It may help you see whether you're a pessimist or an optimist.

To ask Destiny she would decide the beginning.

What about you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There you have it. I hope MoW has lived up to its expectations. I'm very proud of this end.

Expect an Epilogue soon, and maybe some clarifying Author's Notes.

Please tell me what you think of what I've done.

One day a twelve-year-old girl beat FFX and was shocked with the ending. It was so underdone. There had to be more! So she conceived the write her own ending. She went to fanfiction.net and found a lot of good ways to bring Tidus back, but she had to do something different. She wrote out her own beginning of the end to satisfy herself. She never meant to put it up. She expected that she'd only do one chapter. She thinks she sucks. :L

If it weren't for everyone who's read this, there would be a one-chapter MoW floating around the backdrops of FF.net right now.
So for the credits I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed, and even those who haven't. You guys are great!
I'd also like to thank Squaresoft for creating FFX.

I LOVE YOU SQUARESOFT!

~*IceWolf645*~