Final Fantasy X:  Journey

            "NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

            Seymour chuckled darkly. "Did you really think it would be that easy, Lady Tida?  Did you really think the Shadow would be willing to give up the battle so early on?  Foolish girl," he murmured, shaking his head, an evil smile playing his lips.

            He raised his hand, preparing to deal the final blow.

            Chappu, along with the rest, stared, frozen in horror.  Yuna released a sob and Valefor vanished; her staff clattered to the ground.

            Helpless.  They were all helpless.

"Goodbye, Lady Tida," Seymour said curtly.  He released the energy in his hand.

And then—

Tida blinked, her eyes glassy and dripping with tears. "Let it end… let—let it end—"—she gasped a breath—"—end now…"

            An aura of light surrounded Tida, waving and glowing softly. 

            "No!  I will not be defeated!" Seymour roared, throwing a beam of power at her.  The light surged forth—

            CRASH!

            A loud clang of thunder erupted as the two forces, light and dark, met midway.  Tida floated in the light around her, eyes still glazed and glassy—pure Prussian blue and sea green with no black pupil in the middle.

            The platform began to crumble as the two powers battled with each other.  Chappu ran to Zeoron's unconscious form and lifted her.  Auron vanished into a white beam of light and swept into the power of light, adding more strength.

            Chappu stumbled toward the others, fighting against the strikes of lightning flashing around the platform, effects of the two forces.  He fell to his knees in front of them, holding Zeoron's torso against him.

            "Zeo!  Wake up!" Chappu shouted and Rikku slapped her face trippingly, bringing the young Black Mage back to the conscious world.

            "Wha—?" Zeoron mumbled, placing one hand to her forehead to try and regain her mind.  She shook her head and sat up, eyes wide.

            "We've got to give Tida our power!" she yelled over the howl of the wind.  Her own hair whipped in her face but she ignored, pushing herself to her feet.

            "Give her your Overdrive!" Zeoron called, closing her eyes and holding her arms out to her sides.  She concentrated, seeing the small flower bud in her mind.  Slowly, she helped it begin to unfold and then—

            "SILENT SCREAM!"

            Darkest purple came from her body and Zeoron quickly moved her hands in to cup the power in her hands.  It formed into a small-bloomed flower and Zeoron held it, waiting for the others.

            "FURY!" Lulu shouted, picking out Thundaga as her spell.  She held both hands over her head, a clear ball of lightning flashing around inside.

            "AUROCHS REELS!" Wakka shouted, spinning World Champion on one finger easily, the four elements of Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and Water surrounding its sphere.

            "MIX!" Rikku chimed, quickly selecting what she believed would do the most damage—Trio of 9,999.  She charged them together and held them out, ready to release.

            "BLITZ ACE!" Tidus yelled, slicing with Caladbolg before leaping into the air to kick the blitzball—

            "MIDNIGHT REAPER!" Chappu roared, swinging the Spirit Keeper with all his might as sounds of the dead screaming filled the wind, nearly singing along with its howling.

            "MAGUS SISTERS!" Yuna commanded, twirling and waving her rod.  The three aeon sisters appeared and charged up with their Delta Attack.

            "Now!" Chappu shouted.

            All seven released their collective powers almost as one, some physical, some magical.  They joined instantly with the light beam and Tida's body jolted.

            "Storm Rhapsody…" she whispered.

            At once, the light flashed brightly—the platform began to fall—Seymour yelled as the dark beam faltered and disappeared—Seymour screamed in anguish as the light destroyed him. 

            It was over.  The Eternal Calm had returned.

            —

            Tida smiled as the light began receding and only glowed faintly around her.  Tears were evident in her eyes and she looked peaceful, simply floating there as precious few pieces remained of the platform, holding her party members up but away from each other.

            "Tida!" Chappu gasped hoarsely, along with the rest of them.

            Tida smiled, tears spilling. "Goodbye…"

            Tida inhaled one final time and her eyes closed.  The light abruptly stopped glowing and Tida fell, sprawling, onto a piece of the puzzle platform.

            Chappu stared, frozen, before he found his voice in a wailing, heart-wrenching cry.  He reared back, eyes wild.  One hand reached out for her.

            "NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

*          *          *

            Yuna clutched at Tidus's shirt, sobbing as hard as she ever had. "T—to have—fuh-found her at—at last only t-to luh-lose her aga—again!" she cried.  Tidus's smoothed her hair, tears trailing down his own cheeks as well.

            Wakka was holding Lulu, who was a complete mess; her black tresses were now snarled witches' locks.  Rikku and Zeoron were cradling each other, sobbing quietly.  And Chappu—

            Chappu was sitting silently, staring back down at the Sunken City.  The Spirit Keeper was stuck in the ground next him, the sun reflecting off of its steel blade.

            The wind blew around him gently.

            "You're in my heart, always."

            Chappu lifted his head, looking around.  He sighed, tears leaking from his eyes.  He shut the blue orbs tightly before opening them, revealing tear-streaked soft eyes.

            "And you will forever be in mine."

            Disclaimer:  All belongs to Squaresoft.  Tida, Chappu, Aeon of Light, etc., are mine.