Again, again: I don't own Final Fantasy.

Chapter Three

Rikku sat with Lulu and Wakka on the bridge, pouring them a hot Al Bhed drink from a mauve thermos.
"It's lrye!" She said excitedly, waving her arms and nearly burning Wakka's tan hand. Lulu laughed a little. She had forgotten how fun it was to be around Rikku. Wakka sat on the floor, sipping his drink, leaning heavily against the wall. One of his callused hands rested on Lulu's leg. Lulu was beginning a conversation with Rikku, talking about how Rikku had fallen behind on her magic studies. Rikku just giggled at her.
"I'm going to be myself, remember? I'm not ready to be as grown up as you!" She and Lulu shared a giggle. However, they fell silent as the doors opened and Tidus shuffled in. He smiled a little at them.
"I'm still not used to walking in these huge robes." He was right. He shuffled around slowly, unable to walk correctly in the heavy clothes. Lulu and Wakka laughed a little, but Rikku jumped to her feet, beginning to flail her arms uselessly.
"I still haven't thought of anything! You can't do this!"
"But I have thought of something." Rikku's mouth fell open and she was still. Lulu and Wakka sat, gazing at Tidus with curious eyes, wondering if now he would tell his plan to kill Sin - forever. But Tidus merely smiled at them.
"Let's head for Kilika." He nodded to the pilot and turned to sit next to Wakka. Wakka offered him a sip of his lrye, and Tidus took it gratefully. Rikku simply stared after him, too speechless to even argue.

They arrived at Kilika around noon time. The sun was at its highest point in the sky, and it beamed down on the small village. Kilika had been re-built beautifully. The homes were perfect and the bridges and docks sturdy. The water sparkled. This was a place that was free of suffering. Seymour was wrong about Spira. It was a land of hope. Tidus remembered the hope they all had, the hopethat Sin came and took from them when it destroyed Kilika. So many villagers...dead. He remembered...theyasked Yunato sendthier loved ones to the Farplane. That was one of his clearest memories.

Yuna took out her rod and began to walk on the clear water. Underneath, bodies were wrapped in brown cloths, adorned with flowers. Tidus remembered he felt sick, looking at the infant sized bundles. And then, Yuna began to dance. Water lifted her up, and dancing, the tears cascading down her face, but she was smiling. . .

Tidus shook the memories out of his head. They weren't things he really wanted to think about right now. He instead focused on the crowd welcoming him, cheering for him. There were tears and laughing; mingled feelings of joy, sadness, and hope. Tidus smiled at them, and bowed. The people clapped as he and his three guardians passed through them and head for Kilika Woods. Tidus made sure he smiled at each and every one of the people as he passed. He remember, a summoner's smile is a ray of hope.

The shade from the trees felt good on Tidus' face, after walking through the midday sun. He walked in the lead, surrounded protectively by his guardians. It wasn't a hard walk, they were well trained and the monsters were weak. The walk was actually nice. Tidus had trouble fighting in his robes, but Rikku's speed, coupled with Lulu and Wakka's new combined magic Blitzball attack kept the fiends at bay.
"Tidus, aren't you gonna tell us?" Rikku asked from behind curiously.
"It's too long to explain." He said again. "You'll just have to see." Rikku sighed.
"Man, Tidus, that's not fair! You're just like Auron!" Tidus smiled at that, remembering back when he and Auron were the one's protecting.

"Hey, you know something! Spill the beans!" Rikku ordered. Auron just smiled. Auron and Rikku got along well, despite all their arguing. Tidus knew that Rikku had a crush on the older man. But that was before - before any of them knew he was really dead - an unsent.

Tidus turned and continued walking to the temple, ignoring Rikku's high-pitched begging and pleading along the way. Finally, the huge temple loomed before them. Hundreads of stairs led to it. Tidus remembered when he, Wakka, and Aurochs were going to race up. But Yuna cheated and started first, and won. He chuckled a little, seeing Wakka smiling as well. It was a good memory for all of them. He began running up the stone stairs, reliving that moment and nothing else.

End.