4

They had travelled in silence through the forest, none of them being able to contemplate the lack of Fiends. Could it have been that that one fiend had frightened away all the others? Seymour doubted it. He stayed close to Belgemine, protecting her like a guardian, only he knew he did not have what it took to be a true one.

They finally reached the end of the forest. Seymour looked over the snow towards Rin's travel agency. "Why did you not just stay there, my Lady?"

Belgemine looked warily at the building. "I do not trust the Al Bhed, Seymour." She said coldly. "And besides, Guadosalam is a holy place. It was an honour to stay with honest Guardan folk."

Seymour smiled slightly. "What makes you think the Guado's are more honest than the Al Bhed?"

"They are the guardians of the Farplane. They are trustworthy."

He laughed slightly to himself… for someone who seemed so open-minded at first glance she had a distinct racist streak in her. "If that is your opinion, My Lady."

She glanced at him coldly, and then walked on. Seymour exchanged a smile with Touka and they continued.

"Y'know, Belgemine isn't really that bad," whispered Touka as they progressed through the snow. "Well, she can be sometimes, but she doesn't mean to be. She just… thinks she knows best, you know?"

Seymour smiled. "I know. I'm a Guado, remember? All Guado's are convinced that the Guado way is the right way. And they're right, of course!"

Averus came up behind them. "What are you two laughing about?"

"I was just telling Seymour here about Belge-meanie."

Seymour stifled a laugh. "You call her that?!"

"Only behind her back!" laughed Touka, earning a glare from Behel. "You are talking again"

"It's not against Yevon to talk, Behel."

"Is when you do it."

Seymour could not suppress his laughter any more. With a great snort the joy erupted from his mouth, causing all around him to stare.

"Are you alright, Lord Seymour?" questioned Belgemine, looking down at him from further up the long path. "Of course, my Lady" he managed to say, noticing her puzzled look. "Good. Because… we are almost at the end of our journey."

He noticed the smiles of the Guardians disappear. He pondered over her words for a moment, then he realised. It was not just a reference to the fact that Macalania temple was on the horizon. She meant that soon the pilgrimage would be over, and they would face the ultimate test.

He looked over at Touka. The young Kilikan was smiling slightly to himself, obviously thinking about the implications of His Lady's words. He noticed Seymour's attention and laughed softly. "You understand, don't you?"

He nodded. "I was wondering… how can you laugh in such a care free way when you carry such a burden?"

Averus came up beside him. "You know, we gave up a lot to do this. To… die." He added, shrugging his shoulders. "It's little moments of joy, no matter how fleeting, that remind us why we're doing this. The way I look at it, we can give ourselves a few minutes of happiness with our actions. But by facing Sin..."

"We can give joy to the people of Spira forever!" finished Touka, grinning ear to ear. "That is worth everything!"

The two men went on ahead, leaving Seymour with Behelkhia. He looked at her, trying to determine her mood.

"You are quiet, Behel."

"Yes." She said simply, walking on ahead of him. He followed her quickly. "Have I done something? Please, tell me what is wrong?"

She turned and looked at him, her eyes slightly blurred. "If… If I become Final Aeon, I… not want to be like Anima."

He frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

"When Belgemine chooses Final Aeon, I do not want to be… ugly. I could not be ugly for eternity."

He looked at her pitiful expression. "You will not be like Anima as long as Belgemine doesn't want you to" He replied curtly, walking ahead of her. "Aeons react to their masters. If she has fond memories of you, then you will be forever beautiful."

"Forever beautiful…" she echoed, upping her pace so she fell into stride with him. "Wait!" she cried suddenly, halting. Seymour turned back to her. "What is it now?"

"If summoner holds Aeon's appearance, then… why you make your mother so…"

"Hideous?" he replied, going back to take her hand and lead her along the temple path. "Let me tell you something of my childhood, Behel. When I was young, I would make this journey to the temple every day, much as I do now, to study Yevon and the summoners with my fellow Guados- Pah, Zazi, Yuma… I would study alone, play alone, pray alone… come break times I would go sit outside the temple and watch the others as they frolicked in the ice and snow. Then, come home time I would get company at last. Some of the Guados would pick on me; verbally at first, but it was not long before taunts became fists, words became bruises… I would run home crying to mother every night, begging her not to send me back. She would soothe me and dress my cuts, but still she would send me out there, telling me 'You must not be afraid, Saimouri, you are my son. You are beautiful, and one day you will be happy.' I believed her for so long… then one day I returned from the temple and she did not bathe my wounds, instead she lay in bed, pale as death… each day she got worse until father returned. He told me that my mother was going to leave me… and I could not bear it. The only person who had ever cared was dying. I did not want her to leave me, and she did not want to leave either. So she became an Aeon- my Aeon, to always protect me… she honestly thought that was enough. When she died, I lost everything, and therefore Anima became more and more twisted…"

He looked over to see Behelkhia's face blank and expressionless. "I know it is hard to understand, but she abandoned me. All the hurt, everything, she was not there for me…"

They arrived at the temple doors. He looked over to her. "It is almost over, Behel. For you at least."

She smiled back at him. "Yes. No regrets past here."

She entered the temple to join the others. Seymour lingered, remembering the hardships of his youth, and then entered also.