Chapter 4 - Sleepless Nights/Amorus Vortum
"I hate the darkness," Lulu whispered to herself as she stumbled forward through the blanket of sightlessness laid before her.
Her vision blurred as a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. A doorway? Hoping for a way to escape from the nightmare around her, Lulu raced forward. A figure appeared in the doorway as she approached it.
"Who's there?" Lulu called out. The figure did not answer, "Who are you?"
Squinting her eyes as she inched forward, Lulu noticed the man seemed familiar, although his features were still clouded in the haze of her vision. He looked even more familiar as she stood only a few feet from him.
"Chappu!" Lulu gasped, leaping into her lover's arms, wrapping herself around him.
His lips lowered down and they met in a warm kiss. Around Lulu, the darkness began to recede to reveal she was back in Besaid.
"Oh, Chappu," Lulu smiled, pulling away to look into his green eyes. Green? Chappu's eyes were blue, "What?"
Lulu, her vision clearing, was more able to recognize the character in front of her. It was Wakka.
"No!" Lulu screamed, pushing her fellow guardian away from her, "Get away!"
Shrieking, Lulu sprinted as fast as she could away from Wakka, running in the opposite direction. As she ran, her dress seemed to melt into the ground, slowing her down to where it was painful to move. Wakka walked slowly, devoid of life, to where Lulu struggled to free herself.
"Please, get away!" Lulu begged as Wakka placed his muscular hands on her cheek.
Lulu screamed again as he closed in for another kiss.
* * *
"No!" Lulu shouted, bolting upright out of her bed. She took a few moments to calm herself, brushing her black hair out of her face. Looking around, she saw she was in the grand hotel in Luca. It was still night as she watched the stars glitter outside the window.
Standing up, she walked across the room to where her things were sitting. Her moogle doll was sitting on the chair, staring innocently at her. Smiling at the doll, she lifted it up and hugged it closely.
"Oh, Chappu," she felt a tear run down her cheek, "Please forgive me."
* * *
Wakka had heard Lulu's screams from her room. He was having a hard time sleeping anyway and thinking about Lulu was making it much more difficult.
"Man, I need some air," he stretched his sore muscles and tiptoed quietly out of his room.
The lavish hallway glowed in the lights from the candles as Wakka made his way towards the stairs to the lobby. He stopped at Yuna's door and listened for a moment. Inside, he could hear Kimarhi's heavy breathing.
It was amazing to Wakka, the loyalty that Kimarhi showed for Yuna. Of course, they were all guardians, but Kimarhi was the best out of them. When the Ronso had brought Yuna to Besaid almost twelve years earlier, it was hard for Wakka to understand the devotion he had for the young girl. Growing up, he had always been taught the only true followers of Yevon were the Yevonites. Then the Guado joined, and then the Ronso, it was astonishing to him.
Joking, he had commented to Chappu one day the Al Bhed would be accepted by Bevelle. Little did he know that he would have a hand in making it come true.
The nights in Luca weren't much different from the days. The only thing not open, ironically, was the stadium. The season wouldn't start for another month and Wakka was looking forward to some quality time in the stands watching the fresh crop of blitzers showcase their talents.
"Man," Wakka leaned against a light pole and watched some people milling around in the town square, "This sucks."
"What?" a voice asked.
"Huh?" Wakka turned quickly to see Felix, "What are you doing out here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Felix responded, "You should be asleep, we leave for Djose in the morning."
"I don't feel like sleeping."
"Fine," Felix walked past him back to the hotel.
Wakka crossed his arms under his chest, watching the mysterious man disappear into the hotel lobby. What was he doing out so late? It worried Wakka, for Yuna's sake.
* * *
Yuna's dreams were stoic, for the most part. For years, she had dreamed of the pilgrimage she would undertake as a summoner, bringing joy to the people of Spira with the Aeons defeating Sin in an epic battle like the one her father undertook.
Now, her dreams were more like nightmares. It was the same, every night. She was standing on the deck of the Al Bhed airship. Sin was vanquished and the sky over Bevelle was littered with dancing pyreflies. All of Spira was finally happy, just as she had hoped. However, she was not happy.
He stood there, his form fading as the dreams of the fayth across Spira ended. How hard it must have been for him, to find out he was just a dream and that he didn't really exist. Yuna tried to call out to him, but he silently looked at her, saying his final goodbyes.
Then he took off running, towards the edge of the ship to join his father, her father, and Sir Auron. She thought, maybe they had gone to the Farplane and she could go visit, but when she went to Guadosalam, he wasn't there.
"I guess," she had told Kimarhi, "Dreams don't get to rest. They just fade away."
Yuna awake, a small puddle of tears soaking the part of the pillow where her head had rested. Sitting up, she saw Kimarhi sitting in the chair, snoring lightly.
"Maybe," she whispered, "Maybe I'll never see him again."
* * *
Tidus sat on the edge of the house/boat thinking. He had told Miki he didn't feel good and came home. Jecht wasn't there, but he was probably at the party drinking the night away. Sighing, Tidus slumped his chin in his hand.
"Who was that little girl?" he wondered, "And what were those visions?"
Then there was that other girl, the one he had mistaken Miki for. Yuna. Who was that? Tidus felt like the answer was in the back of his mind, pawing at its confines trying to escape.
"Aagh!" he screamed," shaking his head, "What's going on?"
"You gonna cry?" he heard his father's voice.
"Shut up, old man," Tidus cursed his father.
"Hah," Jecht rubbed his neck like his usually did, "Auron said you had some trouble at the festival. Something about at girl."
"Yeah, so?"
"Hah, I see it's trying to come back," Jecht laughed, "He also told me he wanted to see you tonight at the stadium. I suggest you go."
"How come?" Tidus snorted, "Want me to leave so you never have to see me again?"
"No," Jecht shook his head, "Look, you're my son and you've done some great things in your life so far," he walked across the deck of the ship and put his hands on Tidus's shoulders, "I want you to know I'm proud of you, son."
"Dad...?" he stared at his father, it was a side of him he had never seen before. It was almost, like he cared.
"Take this," Jecht presented a red sword, "You might need it again."
"Again?"
"Trust me."
* * *
"Djose Temple is up ahead, just pass the Mushroom Rock Road" Wakka announced, "Not sure if I want to pass through there again."
"The battlefield serves a memorial now," Felix continued walking across the grassy highroad, "You should at least stop and pray for your fallen comrades."
The highroad was more populated since people were able to travel across Spira without fear of Sin again and it seemed the increase in activity led to a decrease in fiend activity along the highroad. Still, everyone was on his or her guard.
"Odd," Wakka whispered to Lulu, "Hearing him say something like that, ya?"
"He's a deeper person than you think, Wakka," Lulu remarked.
"I still don't trust him."
The crowds of people recognized Yuna and her guardians as they strode across the highroad towards the Mushroom Rock Road. The people traveling back and forth parted to allow the high summoner to pass uninterrupted although a few stopped the group wishing the guidance or blessing that Yuna could give them.
For the most part, Yuna obliged, answering the questions and reassuring the prayers of the people, though her words carried hopeless meanings in them. Most asked for the blessings of happiness or for the souls of those that rested in the Farplane. Yuna did her part, reassuring them and giving them all smiles on their faces, though her speech did not bring her happiness.
Looking around, she saw Felix standing on the edge of the highroad, his arms cross and a smug expression on his face. He looked, almost angry. Yuna tilted her head while she stared at him and he walked off towards the end of the highroad.
"Excuse me, I must go," Yuna passed through the crowd and followed Felix towards the Mushroom Rock Road. When she finally caught up to him, he was standing on the beach where the crusaders were crushed by Sin, torn asunder by the mighty powers Yu-Yevon had granted Sir Jecht.
"I suppose," he spoke as she approached him, "It's stupid to dwell in the past, but I had to stop here."
"Friends of yours die here?" Yuna asked, trying to ease the pain that her question might cause.
"No," he shook his head, "It's another reason. These people died for you, Yuna. Over one hundred thousand men and women gave their lives to protect you from Sin," he bent over and picked up a small stone half buried in the sand, "And here you are now, a shell of that person they fought for."
Yuna stood stunned at the comment, was she really only a shell. Remembering the fateful events of the infamous day, the tears flooded her eyes.
"It's awful," Yuna sobbed, collapsing to her knees, "You're right, I am nothing but a shell."
Felix did not reply. Instead, he reared back and chucked the small stone into the water, watching it splash lightly against the clear water.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, putting his hand on her shoulder, "I shouldn't have said that. It was just, seeing you there with those people, seeing the expressions on their faces. They were so happy, but you were sad. It just.... got to me."
Yuna faced him, seeing his eyes stare at hers. What was going on beneath that layer of mystery he held on him. What was the truth?
"Hey you two!" Wakka shouted, obviously a bit annoyed in his speech, "Wait up!"
The three guardians ran up, followed by a fourth person.
"Look who we found!" Wakka announced, pushing the fourth character to the front.
"Yunie!" Rikku squealed, hugging her cousin around the neck.
"Oh, Rikku," Yuna hugged the Al Bhed girl back, "So nice to see you again. Why are you all the way out here?"
"Oh, I was running errands for father and was on my way back from Djose when I ran into you guys," Rikku explained giggling. She then turned her attention to Felix, "Who's this guy?"
"Felix," Yuna introduced him, "He's a new friend."
"Nice to meet you," Rikku stuck out her hand and Felix shook it.
"Charmed," he quipped, "We should get going."
"Where you guys going?" Rikku asked.
"Zanarkand."
"Oh!" Rikku gasped, not sure of what to say next.
"Yes," Yuna smiled, "We're going to bring him back."
"Awesome!" Rikku shouted, "I definitely have to go with you guys!"
"Let's get going," Felix turned and started walking along the beach, "We're wasting time."
"I hate the darkness," Lulu whispered to herself as she stumbled forward through the blanket of sightlessness laid before her.
Her vision blurred as a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. A doorway? Hoping for a way to escape from the nightmare around her, Lulu raced forward. A figure appeared in the doorway as she approached it.
"Who's there?" Lulu called out. The figure did not answer, "Who are you?"
Squinting her eyes as she inched forward, Lulu noticed the man seemed familiar, although his features were still clouded in the haze of her vision. He looked even more familiar as she stood only a few feet from him.
"Chappu!" Lulu gasped, leaping into her lover's arms, wrapping herself around him.
His lips lowered down and they met in a warm kiss. Around Lulu, the darkness began to recede to reveal she was back in Besaid.
"Oh, Chappu," Lulu smiled, pulling away to look into his green eyes. Green? Chappu's eyes were blue, "What?"
Lulu, her vision clearing, was more able to recognize the character in front of her. It was Wakka.
"No!" Lulu screamed, pushing her fellow guardian away from her, "Get away!"
Shrieking, Lulu sprinted as fast as she could away from Wakka, running in the opposite direction. As she ran, her dress seemed to melt into the ground, slowing her down to where it was painful to move. Wakka walked slowly, devoid of life, to where Lulu struggled to free herself.
"Please, get away!" Lulu begged as Wakka placed his muscular hands on her cheek.
Lulu screamed again as he closed in for another kiss.
* * *
"No!" Lulu shouted, bolting upright out of her bed. She took a few moments to calm herself, brushing her black hair out of her face. Looking around, she saw she was in the grand hotel in Luca. It was still night as she watched the stars glitter outside the window.
Standing up, she walked across the room to where her things were sitting. Her moogle doll was sitting on the chair, staring innocently at her. Smiling at the doll, she lifted it up and hugged it closely.
"Oh, Chappu," she felt a tear run down her cheek, "Please forgive me."
* * *
Wakka had heard Lulu's screams from her room. He was having a hard time sleeping anyway and thinking about Lulu was making it much more difficult.
"Man, I need some air," he stretched his sore muscles and tiptoed quietly out of his room.
The lavish hallway glowed in the lights from the candles as Wakka made his way towards the stairs to the lobby. He stopped at Yuna's door and listened for a moment. Inside, he could hear Kimarhi's heavy breathing.
It was amazing to Wakka, the loyalty that Kimarhi showed for Yuna. Of course, they were all guardians, but Kimarhi was the best out of them. When the Ronso had brought Yuna to Besaid almost twelve years earlier, it was hard for Wakka to understand the devotion he had for the young girl. Growing up, he had always been taught the only true followers of Yevon were the Yevonites. Then the Guado joined, and then the Ronso, it was astonishing to him.
Joking, he had commented to Chappu one day the Al Bhed would be accepted by Bevelle. Little did he know that he would have a hand in making it come true.
The nights in Luca weren't much different from the days. The only thing not open, ironically, was the stadium. The season wouldn't start for another month and Wakka was looking forward to some quality time in the stands watching the fresh crop of blitzers showcase their talents.
"Man," Wakka leaned against a light pole and watched some people milling around in the town square, "This sucks."
"What?" a voice asked.
"Huh?" Wakka turned quickly to see Felix, "What are you doing out here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Felix responded, "You should be asleep, we leave for Djose in the morning."
"I don't feel like sleeping."
"Fine," Felix walked past him back to the hotel.
Wakka crossed his arms under his chest, watching the mysterious man disappear into the hotel lobby. What was he doing out so late? It worried Wakka, for Yuna's sake.
* * *
Yuna's dreams were stoic, for the most part. For years, she had dreamed of the pilgrimage she would undertake as a summoner, bringing joy to the people of Spira with the Aeons defeating Sin in an epic battle like the one her father undertook.
Now, her dreams were more like nightmares. It was the same, every night. She was standing on the deck of the Al Bhed airship. Sin was vanquished and the sky over Bevelle was littered with dancing pyreflies. All of Spira was finally happy, just as she had hoped. However, she was not happy.
He stood there, his form fading as the dreams of the fayth across Spira ended. How hard it must have been for him, to find out he was just a dream and that he didn't really exist. Yuna tried to call out to him, but he silently looked at her, saying his final goodbyes.
Then he took off running, towards the edge of the ship to join his father, her father, and Sir Auron. She thought, maybe they had gone to the Farplane and she could go visit, but when she went to Guadosalam, he wasn't there.
"I guess," she had told Kimarhi, "Dreams don't get to rest. They just fade away."
Yuna awake, a small puddle of tears soaking the part of the pillow where her head had rested. Sitting up, she saw Kimarhi sitting in the chair, snoring lightly.
"Maybe," she whispered, "Maybe I'll never see him again."
* * *
Tidus sat on the edge of the house/boat thinking. He had told Miki he didn't feel good and came home. Jecht wasn't there, but he was probably at the party drinking the night away. Sighing, Tidus slumped his chin in his hand.
"Who was that little girl?" he wondered, "And what were those visions?"
Then there was that other girl, the one he had mistaken Miki for. Yuna. Who was that? Tidus felt like the answer was in the back of his mind, pawing at its confines trying to escape.
"Aagh!" he screamed," shaking his head, "What's going on?"
"You gonna cry?" he heard his father's voice.
"Shut up, old man," Tidus cursed his father.
"Hah," Jecht rubbed his neck like his usually did, "Auron said you had some trouble at the festival. Something about at girl."
"Yeah, so?"
"Hah, I see it's trying to come back," Jecht laughed, "He also told me he wanted to see you tonight at the stadium. I suggest you go."
"How come?" Tidus snorted, "Want me to leave so you never have to see me again?"
"No," Jecht shook his head, "Look, you're my son and you've done some great things in your life so far," he walked across the deck of the ship and put his hands on Tidus's shoulders, "I want you to know I'm proud of you, son."
"Dad...?" he stared at his father, it was a side of him he had never seen before. It was almost, like he cared.
"Take this," Jecht presented a red sword, "You might need it again."
"Again?"
"Trust me."
* * *
"Djose Temple is up ahead, just pass the Mushroom Rock Road" Wakka announced, "Not sure if I want to pass through there again."
"The battlefield serves a memorial now," Felix continued walking across the grassy highroad, "You should at least stop and pray for your fallen comrades."
The highroad was more populated since people were able to travel across Spira without fear of Sin again and it seemed the increase in activity led to a decrease in fiend activity along the highroad. Still, everyone was on his or her guard.
"Odd," Wakka whispered to Lulu, "Hearing him say something like that, ya?"
"He's a deeper person than you think, Wakka," Lulu remarked.
"I still don't trust him."
The crowds of people recognized Yuna and her guardians as they strode across the highroad towards the Mushroom Rock Road. The people traveling back and forth parted to allow the high summoner to pass uninterrupted although a few stopped the group wishing the guidance or blessing that Yuna could give them.
For the most part, Yuna obliged, answering the questions and reassuring the prayers of the people, though her words carried hopeless meanings in them. Most asked for the blessings of happiness or for the souls of those that rested in the Farplane. Yuna did her part, reassuring them and giving them all smiles on their faces, though her speech did not bring her happiness.
Looking around, she saw Felix standing on the edge of the highroad, his arms cross and a smug expression on his face. He looked, almost angry. Yuna tilted her head while she stared at him and he walked off towards the end of the highroad.
"Excuse me, I must go," Yuna passed through the crowd and followed Felix towards the Mushroom Rock Road. When she finally caught up to him, he was standing on the beach where the crusaders were crushed by Sin, torn asunder by the mighty powers Yu-Yevon had granted Sir Jecht.
"I suppose," he spoke as she approached him, "It's stupid to dwell in the past, but I had to stop here."
"Friends of yours die here?" Yuna asked, trying to ease the pain that her question might cause.
"No," he shook his head, "It's another reason. These people died for you, Yuna. Over one hundred thousand men and women gave their lives to protect you from Sin," he bent over and picked up a small stone half buried in the sand, "And here you are now, a shell of that person they fought for."
Yuna stood stunned at the comment, was she really only a shell. Remembering the fateful events of the infamous day, the tears flooded her eyes.
"It's awful," Yuna sobbed, collapsing to her knees, "You're right, I am nothing but a shell."
Felix did not reply. Instead, he reared back and chucked the small stone into the water, watching it splash lightly against the clear water.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, putting his hand on her shoulder, "I shouldn't have said that. It was just, seeing you there with those people, seeing the expressions on their faces. They were so happy, but you were sad. It just.... got to me."
Yuna faced him, seeing his eyes stare at hers. What was going on beneath that layer of mystery he held on him. What was the truth?
"Hey you two!" Wakka shouted, obviously a bit annoyed in his speech, "Wait up!"
The three guardians ran up, followed by a fourth person.
"Look who we found!" Wakka announced, pushing the fourth character to the front.
"Yunie!" Rikku squealed, hugging her cousin around the neck.
"Oh, Rikku," Yuna hugged the Al Bhed girl back, "So nice to see you again. Why are you all the way out here?"
"Oh, I was running errands for father and was on my way back from Djose when I ran into you guys," Rikku explained giggling. She then turned her attention to Felix, "Who's this guy?"
"Felix," Yuna introduced him, "He's a new friend."
"Nice to meet you," Rikku stuck out her hand and Felix shook it.
"Charmed," he quipped, "We should get going."
"Where you guys going?" Rikku asked.
"Zanarkand."
"Oh!" Rikku gasped, not sure of what to say next.
"Yes," Yuna smiled, "We're going to bring him back."
"Awesome!" Rikku shouted, "I definitely have to go with you guys!"
"Let's get going," Felix turned and started walking along the beach, "We're wasting time."
