Author's note/disclaimer/whatever: Okay, apparently I use too many words…well, I apologize for that, but it's my style. I'm a very descriptive writer. It's like what Treebeard says in The Two Towers "We do not say anything unless it deserves taking a very long time to say," or something close to that. (Yeah, you got an LOTR nut here)

All: Oh damn!

Me: -_-

Anywho…if I use too many words for you, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to change my writing style just so that one person can read it (although I am making a few changes to my style here, but in a very different way and for a very different reason). I appreciate you reading my story, and I thank you for leaving me a nice, polite note (because I do love them ever so much), but, I can't grant your request to use less words, sorry.

So, moving on. I wasn't going to have this event take place yet. I was going to wait a few more chapters, but then I decided that there is an important character in this chapter that it probably wouldn't be wise to wait to bring in, seeing as how I'm going to make her sort of my protagonist. So, I'm bringing her in now. Welcome back to Besaid, folks! And prepare to meet everyone's favorite summoner, Yunie!

All: ::cheers::

Yuna: Well, it's about damned time, Manda! ::primps herself::

Me: -_- ::sighs:: It ain't easy being a writer…

So yes, on with the story! This chapter was brought to you in part by Evanescence! ^_^ (Well, not really, but I basically listened to their CD nonstop while writing it)

And yeah, you know the drill. Squenix owns FFX, I expect you to know what was pre-existing in the FFX world and what I made up myself. I'm a poor college student, not making any money off this, but instead forfeiting precious homework time just to write it…

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"Yuna!"

"Hm?"

"Yuna, help us!"

"Who's there?"

"Please, we need your help!"

"Who's talking to me?"

"We need you again."

"Who are you? What do you need me for?"

"We need you to save them."

"Who?"

"They are everything to us…"

"Who?"

"…and you."

"WHO? Tell me!"

"Our…children…"

With a sharp gasp Yuna sat bolt upright in her bed. She had been dreaming, dreaming a dream that she had dreamt before. It was always the same. The world seemed dark, yet in the distance, all around her, there was a soft, creamish-orange glow. And there were dark figures of people that she could not make out.

At first there had only been one person. They were small, and appeared to be wearing a hood over their head. They talked with an almost child-like voice. But slowly, as the dreams continued, more people began to call to her as well. They each appeared one by one. There were now around ten people in her dreams that she could count. Every night they said the same things.

But this night they had said something else. One of them, one with a woman's voice and what appeared to be long braids, though Yuna couldn't quite tell in the dark, had said something about their "children." She had never heard any mention of children before.

Yuna shivered. She had been sweating profusely and thrown off her covers, but now the chill night air began to nip at her skin. She reached over the side of her bed and pulled up her blankets and covered her legs. The rest of the blanket she squished together into a ball and hugged to her stomach.

"What's..happening…to me?" She dipped her head and buried her face in her arms. "What are these…these dreams?" She then lifted her head back up and looked around. "Who's calling to me?"

There came no answer.

"Who are you? Why must you wake me in the night?"

A cricket chirped somewhere. She ran her right hand through her brown hair to get the strands sticking to her face and neck to un-stick themselves.

With a sigh Yuna threw herself down onto her back, her head sinking into her pillows. She pulled the covers up to her chin and rolled over onto one side. She closed her eyes and tried to fall back to sleep, but sleep would not come. Not this night.

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"Yuna!"

"Uh…wha…?"

There came the sound of a slight chuckle from someone beside her. "Have trouble sleeping last night?"

Yuna shook her head. She had fallen asleep sitting up, and her head had lolled over onto her companion's shoulder.

"Sorry, Lulu," she replied with a laugh and a slight yawn.

"You've been doing that a lot, lately."

"Doing what?"

"Falling asleep during the day, and often in odd places. Are you all right?"

"Yes, Lulu, I'm fine."

Lulu turned her head and faced forward again. Yuna could tell that she hadn't been very convincing.

The two of them were riding upon a small, chocobo driven wagon down a narrow path through a lightly wooded area. Yuna closed her eyes and listened to the 'tump tump tump tump' of the chocobo's feet upon the ground.

"How are your dreams?" Lulu interjected.

Yuna's eyes went wide. "Oh, um…fine, I guess. They're fine."

Lulu shot a quick glance at Yuna. "I see." She then turned her attention back to steering the chocobo.

When Yuna first started to have the dreams, she had gone to Lulu, for she was a black mage, and mages usually knew about such things. But Lulu had been quite stumped as to what Yuna's dreams meant.

"Are you under any unusual stress? Is there something that is bothering you?" she had asked.

"No, nothing," Yuna had replied.

As time went on, and the dreams began to slightly change, Yuna wasn't entirely sure if she should worry Lulu. After all, they were just dreams, and Lulu had more important things to worry about now. She and Wakka had married, and were now expecting a child. Very soon, in fact.

"I've been thinking about what you told me of them," said Lulu.

"Oh?" Yuna asked.

"Perhaps the dark figures in your dreams represent all the people of Spira."

"How so?"

"You are High Summoner now, the first living High Summoner. You have defeated Sin for good, and exposed the Yevon religion for the lie that it was. Many people now look to you for guidance. Many anonymous people whom you will probably never know. That is probably why you can't see them properly in your dreams."

"But I didn't do it all myself. I had lots of help."

"Yes, but since you are the summoner, the people give you all the credit."

Yuna uneasily adjusted her skirt. "Perhaps, but I wish they wouldn't. All my guardians deserve recognition as well. I couldn't have done it without them." The young High Summoner smiled at her former guardian, who in turn smiled back.

"I think we get enough recognition as it is, thank you."

At that moment, three young boys on small, motorized scooters came whizzing down the trail, whooping and hollering as they went. They frightened the chocobo, causing it to let out a loud screech and violently flap its wings. The black mage desperately pulled on the reigns to bring the chocobo under control.

"Would you watch where you're going?" Lulu snapped at the boys.

"Well maybe you should get with the times and not use a chocobo!" one of the boys retorted as they whizzed on pass.

"Did you hear that? I know him. I guess I will be paying his mother a visit."

Yuna covered her mouth to suppress a giggle.

"It's a sign of the times," she grinned.

Lulu merely surveyed Yuna, then she, too, broke into a small smirk and turned her attention back to steering the chocobo onward.

"I suppose it is."

Yuna gave a sigh. "Every time I see machina, I think of Rikku. I wonder when she'll come and visit? I really miss spending time with her."

Lulu shrugged. "I'm sure sometime, what with all the machina that the Al Bhed are salvaging. And didn't she once say in a letter that she wanted to start a sphere-hunting group?"

"Yes, she's already got another member, and she claims that her and Brother are fixing up some sort of airship for themselves. So, you're probably right. You know how Rikku can be."

The two women continued talking as they rode on. Eventually, the trees thinned out, and the wagon emerged out onto a beach from in between two small cliffs. In the distance, a group of men could be seen near the water, tossing blitzballs back and forth to one another. One of them turned to see the wagon, then quickly spun around to his teammates.

"It looks like lunch time!" he exclaimed.

Another man, tall, muscular, with red hair, also turned. It was Wakka. With a wide grin, he called to the others.

"I think so, too, ya? All right, let's break!"

The wagon came to a stop as every member of the Besaid Aurochs surrounded it. With a smile, Yuna hopped down from her seat and went around to the back. She then unlatched the back of the wagon and swung it down.

"Hey Yuna! What's up?" asked Datto.

"Oh, the usual. Nothing real exciting, except for coming to visit all my boys," she grinned, handing Datto his lunch.

"Oh, this looks beautiful. Thanks, sweetheart!" he said, giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

"We got Yuna today! To what do we owe the pleasure?" chimed a rather plump-looking man from beside her.

"Well, Keepa, I decided to take a rare morning off to make you guys lunch. I'm allowed to do that, right?"

"As often as you like. Should be every day!" he replied.

"I wish it were," she sighed.

Upon her return to Besaid after the defeat of Sin, Yuna had made it clear that no member of the Aurochs was to address her in the formal way. She considered them all her friends, and wanted them to treat her as an equal.

"Uh…L-lady Y-yuna!" came a small voice from behind her.

Yuna turned around, lunch in hand and a gentle smile upon her face. "Now Shaicoy, what have I said?"

"No formalities," he replied. "Sorry." Shaicoy took his lunch and went off to eat it with the rest.

Yuna chuckled quietly to herself. Shaicoy was a shy young boy, but a great blitzer. He was the newest member of the team, and he was also quite taken with the Lady Summoner.

She passed out lunch to the rest of the team. Wakka hopped up onto the seat of the wagon with his wife and gave her a quick kiss.

"How you doin'? I see you managed to drag Yuna along today."

"I'm afraid that it had nothing to do with me. She needed to come down here anyway. She's expecting a visit from Isaaru and Dona. They're coming in on the S.S. Liki at one o'clock."

"It's almost one now," Wakka said, standing up in the wagon and scanning the ocean. Sure enough, off in the distance, a ship could be seen.

Wakka sat back down with a sigh. "She's way too young to be so busy, ya?"

"I hope you guys aren't talking about me," came Yuna's voice from at his feet.

"Lulu was just tellin' me how Isaaru and Dona were comin' in on the S. S. Liki. That's all," Wakka replied innocently.

Yuna laughed. "Yeah, Dona wrote to me a few weeks ago. She said they had something urgent that they both needed to talk to me about. Never stated what, though."

They all continued eating their lunch as the S.S. Liki sailed closer and closer to the island. Sure enough, right at one o'clock, it finally docked. Yuna bid farewell to her friends and made her way to the dock to greet her fellow summoners.

"Lady High Summoner Yuna," each said with a bow when they exited the ship.

"Summoner Lord Isaaru, Lady Summoner Dona," Yuna replied with a bow in turn.

"It is very good to see you again," said Isaaru.

"That it is," added Dona.

"Likewise. I've made accommodations for you at the Crusader's headquarters. Will you be staying here long?" the High Summoner asked.

"As long as we need to," Dona replied.

"I have a wagon on the beach you can place your things in and ride back to the village on."

"Thank you, Lady Yuna," came Isaaru.

Yuna called to Lulu, who then proceeded to steer the wagon over to where they were standing.

Isaaru had brought his brothers and guardians, Pacce and Maroda, with him, while Dona brought her guardian (and now husband), Barthello. Each helped carry luggage off of the ship and load it onto the wagon. When that had been done, they climbed aboard and proceeded along the path through the woods towards Besaid village. Pacce took Yuna's place up front with Lulu so that Yuna could discuss matters with Isaaru and Dona in the back, but also because Pacce ever so loved chocobos.

"So, what is it that is so important that you would come all the way to Besaid just to talk with me?" Yuna asked.

"That…is something that we feel should be addressed in private," answered Dona.

"All right, then. We can discuss it at my house. But in the mean time, what news do you bring of the outside world? I always have people constantly coming to me and giving me mixed comments all the time. It would be nice to hear about things from a peer."

"Peer?" asked Barthello.

"Well, we are each a summoner and their guardians, no more, no less. Let us talk as friends, and that means no formalities," the high summoner explained.

Dona smiled. "You are just as I remember. I'm actually glad that being high summoner hasn't changed you. I was afraid that it might have, since we haven't run into each other since..."

"My guardian's and I defeated Sin?"

"Yes. Either way, I agree. No formalities should be needed."

"I agree as well," nodded Isaaru.

"Well, Lady Yuna, I can say that there is definitely a lot of competition going on between all of the political groups that have popped up. Some would do almost anything to come out on top. Isaaru, Pacce, and I, have been approached by the Youth League many times," Maroda spoke, forgetting not to add a formality.

"Yes, I'm actually greatly considering joining them. Though the head of New Yevon has approached me as well. He seems to think having a summoner join his cause will aid him greatly," Isaaru added.

"Yes, I know how that is. Both groups have approached me numerous times. And the People's Republic. But I've decided not to side with any group. I need to stay neutral," said Yuna.

"Yes. Many other summoners that I have come across are following your lead. Everyone is very wary of any group trying to gain power. I think we've all learned our lesson," said Isaaru.

"All this political business is just too much for me to worry about. It makes my head spin. As both a summoner and a wife I have so much more to worry about then people running back and forth trying to…manipulate everyone's minds," said Dona.

"And what's worse is that the son of the head of New Yevon says he wants to marry me! It makes me feel as if I'm swimming past a baited hook," Yuna whined.

"Well, what have you said to him?" asked Dona.

"'No', of course. I hardly even know him! And besides, he only wants to marry me so that he can use my title to help his father gain power. I've learned a lesson regarding that, too."

The people in the wagon continued to talk all the way back to Besaid village. Once they got there, they unloaded their things from the wagon and deposited them in the Crusaders' headquarters, then, leaving Maroda, Pacce, and Barthello behind, made their way over to Yuna's house.

Besaid used to consist of small huts gathered together around the temple there. It was built that way out of fear that anything else would attract Sin. But in the two years since the defeat of Sin, small houses had begun to spring up everywhere. Out of their gratitude, a group of villagers had managed to erect a small, two-story house for Yuna. It had felt far too empty and lonely living there alone, so Yuna had asked Lulu and Wakka to come live with her.

The summoners all came in through the door of the little house. Yuna bade them to make themselves comfortable in the living room while she and Lulu got them beverages. After everyone was settled, drink in hand, they began to discuss what Dona and Isaaru had come to discuss. Lulu excused herself to go knit a sweater for her unborn child out on the porch, for Dona and Isaaru had mentioned that they wanted to conduct this discussion in private.

"I have been served tea by the Lady High Summoner," Isaaru smiled as he took a sip. He was lounging in a deep, cushioned chair with a high back.

Yuna blushed and pushed her hair behind her ears. "Oh please, that's just a title that the people of Spira wanted to give me. It's like Dona said before, I'm not any different because of it."

Yuna sat down on the couch next to her fellow Lady Summoner. "So, let's get down to business, shall we?"

Isaaru sat up and placed his tea on a coffee table positioned in the center of the room. "This…will be rather difficult to explain. I have come across other summoners who are experiencing the same thing that Dona and I are experiencing. But all of them were too busy to be able to come to you about it."

"Isaaru and I decided to take it upon ourselves to come to you about it because it is, well, troubling," Dona added.

"What is it?" asked Yuna.

"Lady Yuna, er, Yuna… you haven't been having any strange dreams at all lately, have you?" Isaaru's voice was barely above a whisper when he asked this.

Yuna stared back at him in shock for a few moments then turned to Dona, then stared foreword before she spoke again.

"There are ten people who cry out for help. All though everything around you is glowing, there are shadows covering them, and their faces can not be seen."

"Ten?" Dona interrupted. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued. "I suppose. You did get them all, including Measter Seymour's."

"All of who? What of Measter Seymour's?" Yuna asked.

"We aren't sure, but we think that the people in the dreams may be the fayth who were the aeons. Dona sees only four people, because she only received four of the aeons. I also only see four people, because I only received four of the aeons. Everyone I have talked to has said that they see the same amount of people as aeons they had received," Isaaru explained.

Yuna counted on her fingers and spoke under her breath. "Valefor, Ifrit, Ixion, Shiva, Bahumut, Yojimbo, Cindy, Sandy, Mindy, Anima…"

"Ten aeons, ten people," said Dona.

Yuna looked back and fourth between them. "Are you…are you sure?"

"There's more. Though they stand in the dark, if you look hard enough, you can make out certain features. Like, there is a woman in my dreams. I can tell that she has large, thick, long braids. The fayth in the Macalania temple was a woman with similar braids. Isaaru, though, never received that aeon, and he doesn't see her."

"And I see a child wearing a hood, much like the fayth in the temple of Bevelle. But Dona doesn't see a hooded child, because she never received that aeon."

"The hooded child. When the dreams first started, I only saw him. Then slowly, one by one, the others started to come as well." Yuna whispered.

"Really? For us everyone came at once," Dona whispered in suit.

Yuna sank far back into the couch. She breathed deeply, then let the air out slowly. Then she remembered how she had had a dream just the night before. That dream had been slightly different than the rest.

"Has any of the fayth made any mention to you our anyone else about saving their children?"

The other two summoners looked at each other, and then both shook their heads.

"No one has mentioned hearing such a thing. Dona and I surely haven't."

"Because just last night I had a dream. It was the same as all the others, except the woman with the braids, the fayth from the Macalania temple, if it is her, mentioned that they needed me to save their children. The fayth all said that they needed me again, because I helped them out before. I sent them to the farplane. I set them free. But now they need me again, to save their children. Their children mean everything to them, and to me…"

"They do? Who are these children? Have you met them?" Dona raised an eyebrow.

A sick feeling began to grow in Yuna's stomach, but she didn't say anything about it. No, she couldn't. She didn't know enough about what she was thinking to tell anyone. She wasn't sure if she was even supposed to tell anyone. She had made up a lie for the whole world to believe.

Isaaru looked worried. "Lady Yuna?"

Yuna decided to play dumb. "I don't have any idea who these children could be, or why I'm the only one to have been told about them. The fayth told me that the children mean everything to both them and me. I was told that they did. I don't understand any of this. Perhaps it's because I'm a High Summoner?"

"I thought you said that was only a title," Dona narrowed her eyes slightly.

"It is, but…we're talking about the fayth here, so, who knows?"

"Well, it's apparent that neither of us has any answers," Isaaru sighed.

"How long do you both plan on staying here?" Yuna asked.

"As long as we need to," Isaaru replied.

"I cleared my schedule. This seems more important than anything else," added Dona.

"Maybe…we should all just think on it. Perhaps we should end this discussion for now. Perhaps tonight we shall all dream again and learn something new." Yuna got up and walked over to a window. She peered out at the village; children could be seen running in the streets on their way home from school. "I need time to think on this. Shall I escort you back to the Crusaders' headquarters?"

Isaaru and Dona both raised their eyebrows at her.

"I'm sorry, that was a horribly thought out, rude thing to say," Yuna hung her head as she spoke.

Isaaru smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's all right. You appear to be greatly troubled by these tidings, as we all are. We can return to the Crusaders' headquarters by ourselves, I think. You, though, Lady Yuna, should probably take the rest of the day off and rest."

"Thank you. I haven't been able to sleep much lately."

"Neither have we, Yuna," Dona replied. "Good day."

"Good day, Yuna."

"Good day Dona, Isaaru."

Yuna opened the door for them and let them out. She stood there leaning on the doorframe for a good long while, staring at them as they walked away, but not actually watching them.

All this talk about dreams, and fayth; it stirred up memories. And the children of the fayth? It had to mean the same thing. The fayth apparently needed her to save their children. Their dreams.

But how? I watched him… The young paramour couldn't bare to finish her thought.

"Yuna?"

Yuna started. She had forgotten that Lulu was sitting out on the porch, knitting.

"Yuna, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Lulu, really."

Yuna turned and went back into the house. She picked the empty teacups up off of the coffee table and brought them into the kitchen where she placed them in the sink. When she came back out into the living room, she found Lulu waddling in through the door and closing it behind her.

"That was a horrible acting job you just did there," Lulu said flatly.

"Lulu…"

"Don't tell me not to worry. Even if I can't be a true guardian anymore because of my…present status," Lulu gestured toward her stomach, "I still think of you as somewhat of a younger sister, and I still feel obligated to protect you." Lulu gave a small laugh. "Maybe it's just my motherly instincts kicking in, but who knows? It doesn't matter anyway."

Yuna gave a small laugh as well, then sat down on the couch. Lulu joined her.

"Lulu…I…I'm not the only summoner having the dreams. Isaaru and Dona and all the other summoners are having them, too. And I…I think…" Yuna's voice broke off.

The expectant mother put her arms around her adopted younger sister.

"It's all right. You don't have to tell me now, if you don't want to."

"I…I just need some time to think about this. I have so many questions, but I'm not sure how to ask them. I need time."

"Then take time. You can take all the time you need."

Yuna sat up and wiped her tears. "I think I'll go take a bath."

"That sounds like a good idea. It'll clear your head."

"I hope it does," Yuna replied in a weak voice. "I have so much in there right now that I don't want."

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AN: This chapter was going to be a two-part thing kind of like chapter one, but it took so long to write, so long for me to make it go anywhere, and it's just SO long…so I decided to move the event that was to take place at the end of this chapter to the beginning of the next. I think it will work better that way anyway.

So rest assured! My next chapter shall be action-packed (well, I shouldn't make any promises, but it sure as hell won't be as dull as this one was)! The plot shall begin to pick up more, now.

But no promises as to how soon the next chapter will be up. ::rubs wrists:: I'm very busy, and I may have carpel tunnel.

All: ::gasps:: No!

Me: Yes, but I don't know for sure…