~Chapter 20~
The group continued on through the thunder plains until they reached the outskirts of the Macalania Woods. The woods gave off a surreal look, almost as though there was a mystical presence in the wood of the trees. The group was starting to continue forward when Auron suddenly said, "Hey, Tidus-hang back a second."
Tidus turned to face his mentor. "What's up?" he asked.
"Stay close to Yuna," he said in a serious, almost grim voice. Tidus looked quizzically at him.
"Why is she marrying Seymour, anyway?' Tidus suddenly blurted out. Auron looked at him, then back to Yuna. "You're falling for her, aren't you," he said in a strangely understanding voice.
"No," Tidus said shiftily. Auron frowned at him.
"I think the reason is," Auron said, "in exchange for marriage, she hopes to. negotiate with Seymour. Whatever she's planning, she doesn't want us involved. She's trying to protect us. But from what, I cannot imagine. It's obviously got something to do with the sphere she spoke of earlier."
"How do you know?" Tidus asked. Auron chuckled.
"Yuna's easy to read," he said, "but guarding her is a whole other story. Stay by her." Tidus nodded in agreement as Auron walked away.
The group continued through the forest, but the fiends seemed to be particularly nasty through this area. Auron beheaded several with a mighty swing of his sword, Wakka stunned a few fliers, and Tidus and Kimarhi took out tougher enemies, such as a three headed creature that could use magic. Needless to say, the Summoner party was put through quite a few paces that day. After the last fiend, Lulu started casting fire spells into the distance ahead to not only illuminate the path, but to catch fiends off guard instead of the other way around.
About halfway through the woods, the group heard someone crying out, "DONA! WHERE ARE YOU? DONAAAA!"
To the group's surprise, Barthellow came bursting through the low hedges, panting in exhaustion. Upon seeing the Summoner party before him, he stopped and asked in exasperation, "Have you seen Dona anywhere? We got separated."
"Nope. Sorry, brudda," Wakka said.
"Damn it all," Barthellow said. "I can't find her!"
"Running around hysterically won't solve anything," Auron said, and he instantly had Barthellow's rapt attention. "First, guard your emotions, then your Summoner."
"I see," Barthellow said, calming down slightly. "Thank you, Sir Are- in."
"Shall we search?" Auron asked, indicating the Summoner party, who murmured their agreement; as much as they disliked her, no one wanted to see her harmed or even dead.
"No, no, I've wasted enough of your time," Barthellow said. "Nonsense," Yuna replied. "Are you sure you won't need help?"
"Yes, my lady," he said. "I'll try retracing my steps."
With that, Barthellow turned and headed off down another path. Rikku came forward suddenly. "What's up?" Wakka asked.
"Nothing," Rikku said, a little too quickly. "I just wanted to wish him good luck, that's all."
"Let's continue," Auron said. "The temple is not far."
Somehow, the temperature started to drop, and the woods slowly started to have snow on their branches. Along the way, Auron stopped, looking at a large, fallen tree in a reminiscent way.
"What is it?" Tidus asked.
"It's here," Auron said. He turned to Tidus and freed his left arm. "There's something here I need to show you."
"What is it?" Tidus asked, but Auron had already started hacking away at the tree with his sword. In a few minutes, the tree had fallen, opening up a new path, which he followed into a new area of the woods. The others followed him into this area, and found it to be a small pond. Auron was crouching down at the edge, staring into the water. He seemed to be looking for something.
"This pond," he said suddenly, "is what spheres are made out of. It can trap and contain memories, and when coupled with a few machina that Yevon approves of, the spheres can be used to record and play back images." Suddenly, his face brightened, and he stuck his hand into the water. He pulled out a very old looking sphere, and held it in front of Tidus.
"This is for you," he said. Tidus took it, and looked it over. "What is it?" he asked.
"It was Jecht's," Auron said. "He wanted me to give it to you."
Tidus looked at the sphere before him. He apprehensively pushed the 'playback' button and watched as the old thing flickered to life. It showed an image of a grand city, and two men walking away from it. One was wrapped in brilliantly colored robes and wore a monk-like hood. It was none other than Braska. The other had a pert face, and wore a red trench coat, except he wasn't wearing the left sleeve; he let that half of the coat hang at his side. It was Auron, ten years younger.
"Jecht, this isn't a pleasure cruise," Auron's younger, slightly higher voice said to the "lens". Jecht's voice chuckled.
"What, I want to record this journey. You know, so I can show it to my kid and wife when I get home."
"To Chicago?" Auron asked. He sounded doubtful.
"Yeah," Jecht said. The image turned so that the Summoner party was now seeing Braska's back. "Hey, Braska!" Jecht said. "You should get one of these, too! I'm sure little Yuna would love it!"
"Indeed," Braska agreed. The image faded.
"So?" Tidus asked.
"There's more," Auron assured. Indeed, the sphere flickered back to life, showing only Jecht this time, sitting in front of the same pond they now stood at. He looked solemnly into the sphere, and said, "Hey, Zach."
Tidus watched on, staying silent. The others were slowly looking from the sphere to Tidus and back again.
"Look. If you're seeing this, it means you're stuck in Spira now, too. I know I haven't always been there for you, but. I, uh."
Jecht faltered. He looked away for a moment, and looked back at the sphere.
"I really miss you. And your mother, too. But, if you do find this thing, and I'm not there, I just want to say that I. uh."
"Jecht! It's time to go!" Auron's voice called off-screen. Jecht shook his head.
"Never mind, I'm no good at this," he muttered, and Tidus actually heard him sniffle slightly. Had Jecht been crying?
The image faded and the sphere shut off. Tidus looked at Auron. "So what? He couldn't even say it on a sphere."
They al knew what "it" was; Jecht hadn't been able to say he loved Tidus. Auron looked away.
"He wanted you to have that." He turned to the others. "Go on ahead," he said. "Tidus and I will catch up."
The others left the clearing, leaving Auron and Tidus alone. Auron looked at him.
"When he recorded that segment," Auron said, "he began to accept the fact that he wasn't going back to Chicago. That was one of ten spheres he bought when we left Bevelle. he gave one to Braska and one to me. Braska left his will and good-bye to Yuna on his. I recorded my last night in Bevelle, saying good-bye to Kinoc." Auron looked away. "Jecht truly loved you," he said. "He just couldn't find the words." With that, Auron left the clearing, and after a bit, Tidus followed.
The group left the woods and was suddenly slammed with cold air. Their feet met snow instead of dirt and leaves. They had reached the northern part of Macalania, and were mere feet away from the frozen Lake Macalania. The group shivered in the cold-having come from Besaid, most of them were wearing short sleeves and shorts. Again, they spotted an Inn owned by Rin, and they raced to get inside.
Inside, they all sat and let the heat wash over them. Wakka was talking things over with the desk clerk, who luckily spoke English, about buying warm clothes. In the end, he managed to get seven heavy parkas for an extremely low price; Tidus suspected Rin had told all of his agencies to give them a discount.
Rin himself was not here at this agency; it was being run by an Al Bhed man whom Rikku identified as Clyde. The group stayed inside until Auron told them it was time tog, so they bundled up and trouped back outside, surprised at how well the parkas kept them warm. They started to go down a small hill that led to the surface of the frozen lake itself. Tidus, looking at the lake in apprehension, leaned over and whispered to Auron, "It's safe to walk on. Isn't it?"
Auron nodded. "It's been frozen since before anyone can remember," he said. "Jecht, Braska, and I were apprehensive as well. But I can assure you it is very solid, although slippery."
"Ah, Summoner Yuna!" called a voice, and none other than Tromell Guado came walking up the hill to meet them. Bowing, he said, "Maester Seymour sends his apologies for not being in Guadosalam. He wishes for you to join him at the temple."
Tromell held out his hand, and said, "Yuna. If you will come with me." Turning to the Guardians, he said, "Someone will be along to collect you shortly."
"We don't get to come?" Auron asked, frowning.
"We must follow tradition, you know," Tromell said, with an air of annoyance. "It is all right," Yuna said to the group. "I will be fine."
"Come this way, my lady," Tromell said, leading her down the hill. Tidus suddenly raced forward, saying, "Hey, Yuna! Wait up!"
He stopped next to her, and looking her in the face, he said, "Look. After we defeat Sin. Let's go to Chicago."
She looked at him blankly. "We'll all go," he said. "Wakka and Lulu and Kimarhi. everyone. So, let's get Sin, and we'll all go to my Chicago. and to your Zanarkand."
"That sounds nice," Yuna said quietly. Tromell said, "Please, my lady. We mustn't keep the Maester waiting."
The two of them went down the hill, and Tidus found that Auron was standing next to him. "What was that all about?" he asked.
"I don't know," Tidus said, looking at his mentor. "I just felt like I had to say it."
"Hmm," Auron said. Tidus looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," Auron responded. Tidus frowned.
"Don't give me that," he said. Auron chuckled.
Suddenly, they heard Wakka yelling, "Al Bhed! Everyone, quick! Down on the ice!"
Tidus and Auron turned to look down at the frozen lake and saw that there were several Al Bhed men riding on what looked like snowmobiles, circling Yuna and Tromell on the ice. One of them was standing on the opposite side of the lake, cheering them on. "Come!" Auron yelled, and he bolted down the hill onto the ice. The Guardians followed, and soon, Auron had knocked the snowmobile-men off of their rides with a few mighty swings of his sword as the rest of the Guardians formed a ring around Yuna.
"Thank you," Tromell said fervently, and he tried to lead Yuna away from the scene of Chaos that was quickly arising. She, however, broke away from Tromell's grip and stood next to her Guardians, Tidus in particular. The man on the other side of the lake suddenly spoke, and Tidus was surprised; it was Rikku's brother.
"Rikku!" he yelled. "Hedda fo ti gwo!"
"Faid!" Rikku cried back at him. Her brother laughed, and yelled over his shoulder. A huge machina on wheels suddenly came over the hill and stopped next to him. He turned back to Rikku.
"Sava ni togo weeba," he said, "I seva de ho qui, Rikku."
Rikku shook her head. "Ku sova?" She yelled back.
"Fer Aeons geg magic sef essle!" he yelled back. "Uh-oh," Rikku said. "What'd he say?" Tidus yelled.
"He said that machina would block out magic and Aeons!" she cried at Yuna.
"Well then," Auron said, stepping forward. He had already hoisted his sword over his shoulder. "We'll just have to take care of it the old- fashioned way."
The group continued on through the thunder plains until they reached the outskirts of the Macalania Woods. The woods gave off a surreal look, almost as though there was a mystical presence in the wood of the trees. The group was starting to continue forward when Auron suddenly said, "Hey, Tidus-hang back a second."
Tidus turned to face his mentor. "What's up?" he asked.
"Stay close to Yuna," he said in a serious, almost grim voice. Tidus looked quizzically at him.
"Why is she marrying Seymour, anyway?' Tidus suddenly blurted out. Auron looked at him, then back to Yuna. "You're falling for her, aren't you," he said in a strangely understanding voice.
"No," Tidus said shiftily. Auron frowned at him.
"I think the reason is," Auron said, "in exchange for marriage, she hopes to. negotiate with Seymour. Whatever she's planning, she doesn't want us involved. She's trying to protect us. But from what, I cannot imagine. It's obviously got something to do with the sphere she spoke of earlier."
"How do you know?" Tidus asked. Auron chuckled.
"Yuna's easy to read," he said, "but guarding her is a whole other story. Stay by her." Tidus nodded in agreement as Auron walked away.
The group continued through the forest, but the fiends seemed to be particularly nasty through this area. Auron beheaded several with a mighty swing of his sword, Wakka stunned a few fliers, and Tidus and Kimarhi took out tougher enemies, such as a three headed creature that could use magic. Needless to say, the Summoner party was put through quite a few paces that day. After the last fiend, Lulu started casting fire spells into the distance ahead to not only illuminate the path, but to catch fiends off guard instead of the other way around.
About halfway through the woods, the group heard someone crying out, "DONA! WHERE ARE YOU? DONAAAA!"
To the group's surprise, Barthellow came bursting through the low hedges, panting in exhaustion. Upon seeing the Summoner party before him, he stopped and asked in exasperation, "Have you seen Dona anywhere? We got separated."
"Nope. Sorry, brudda," Wakka said.
"Damn it all," Barthellow said. "I can't find her!"
"Running around hysterically won't solve anything," Auron said, and he instantly had Barthellow's rapt attention. "First, guard your emotions, then your Summoner."
"I see," Barthellow said, calming down slightly. "Thank you, Sir Are- in."
"Shall we search?" Auron asked, indicating the Summoner party, who murmured their agreement; as much as they disliked her, no one wanted to see her harmed or even dead.
"No, no, I've wasted enough of your time," Barthellow said. "Nonsense," Yuna replied. "Are you sure you won't need help?"
"Yes, my lady," he said. "I'll try retracing my steps."
With that, Barthellow turned and headed off down another path. Rikku came forward suddenly. "What's up?" Wakka asked.
"Nothing," Rikku said, a little too quickly. "I just wanted to wish him good luck, that's all."
"Let's continue," Auron said. "The temple is not far."
Somehow, the temperature started to drop, and the woods slowly started to have snow on their branches. Along the way, Auron stopped, looking at a large, fallen tree in a reminiscent way.
"What is it?" Tidus asked.
"It's here," Auron said. He turned to Tidus and freed his left arm. "There's something here I need to show you."
"What is it?" Tidus asked, but Auron had already started hacking away at the tree with his sword. In a few minutes, the tree had fallen, opening up a new path, which he followed into a new area of the woods. The others followed him into this area, and found it to be a small pond. Auron was crouching down at the edge, staring into the water. He seemed to be looking for something.
"This pond," he said suddenly, "is what spheres are made out of. It can trap and contain memories, and when coupled with a few machina that Yevon approves of, the spheres can be used to record and play back images." Suddenly, his face brightened, and he stuck his hand into the water. He pulled out a very old looking sphere, and held it in front of Tidus.
"This is for you," he said. Tidus took it, and looked it over. "What is it?" he asked.
"It was Jecht's," Auron said. "He wanted me to give it to you."
Tidus looked at the sphere before him. He apprehensively pushed the 'playback' button and watched as the old thing flickered to life. It showed an image of a grand city, and two men walking away from it. One was wrapped in brilliantly colored robes and wore a monk-like hood. It was none other than Braska. The other had a pert face, and wore a red trench coat, except he wasn't wearing the left sleeve; he let that half of the coat hang at his side. It was Auron, ten years younger.
"Jecht, this isn't a pleasure cruise," Auron's younger, slightly higher voice said to the "lens". Jecht's voice chuckled.
"What, I want to record this journey. You know, so I can show it to my kid and wife when I get home."
"To Chicago?" Auron asked. He sounded doubtful.
"Yeah," Jecht said. The image turned so that the Summoner party was now seeing Braska's back. "Hey, Braska!" Jecht said. "You should get one of these, too! I'm sure little Yuna would love it!"
"Indeed," Braska agreed. The image faded.
"So?" Tidus asked.
"There's more," Auron assured. Indeed, the sphere flickered back to life, showing only Jecht this time, sitting in front of the same pond they now stood at. He looked solemnly into the sphere, and said, "Hey, Zach."
Tidus watched on, staying silent. The others were slowly looking from the sphere to Tidus and back again.
"Look. If you're seeing this, it means you're stuck in Spira now, too. I know I haven't always been there for you, but. I, uh."
Jecht faltered. He looked away for a moment, and looked back at the sphere.
"I really miss you. And your mother, too. But, if you do find this thing, and I'm not there, I just want to say that I. uh."
"Jecht! It's time to go!" Auron's voice called off-screen. Jecht shook his head.
"Never mind, I'm no good at this," he muttered, and Tidus actually heard him sniffle slightly. Had Jecht been crying?
The image faded and the sphere shut off. Tidus looked at Auron. "So what? He couldn't even say it on a sphere."
They al knew what "it" was; Jecht hadn't been able to say he loved Tidus. Auron looked away.
"He wanted you to have that." He turned to the others. "Go on ahead," he said. "Tidus and I will catch up."
The others left the clearing, leaving Auron and Tidus alone. Auron looked at him.
"When he recorded that segment," Auron said, "he began to accept the fact that he wasn't going back to Chicago. That was one of ten spheres he bought when we left Bevelle. he gave one to Braska and one to me. Braska left his will and good-bye to Yuna on his. I recorded my last night in Bevelle, saying good-bye to Kinoc." Auron looked away. "Jecht truly loved you," he said. "He just couldn't find the words." With that, Auron left the clearing, and after a bit, Tidus followed.
The group left the woods and was suddenly slammed with cold air. Their feet met snow instead of dirt and leaves. They had reached the northern part of Macalania, and were mere feet away from the frozen Lake Macalania. The group shivered in the cold-having come from Besaid, most of them were wearing short sleeves and shorts. Again, they spotted an Inn owned by Rin, and they raced to get inside.
Inside, they all sat and let the heat wash over them. Wakka was talking things over with the desk clerk, who luckily spoke English, about buying warm clothes. In the end, he managed to get seven heavy parkas for an extremely low price; Tidus suspected Rin had told all of his agencies to give them a discount.
Rin himself was not here at this agency; it was being run by an Al Bhed man whom Rikku identified as Clyde. The group stayed inside until Auron told them it was time tog, so they bundled up and trouped back outside, surprised at how well the parkas kept them warm. They started to go down a small hill that led to the surface of the frozen lake itself. Tidus, looking at the lake in apprehension, leaned over and whispered to Auron, "It's safe to walk on. Isn't it?"
Auron nodded. "It's been frozen since before anyone can remember," he said. "Jecht, Braska, and I were apprehensive as well. But I can assure you it is very solid, although slippery."
"Ah, Summoner Yuna!" called a voice, and none other than Tromell Guado came walking up the hill to meet them. Bowing, he said, "Maester Seymour sends his apologies for not being in Guadosalam. He wishes for you to join him at the temple."
Tromell held out his hand, and said, "Yuna. If you will come with me." Turning to the Guardians, he said, "Someone will be along to collect you shortly."
"We don't get to come?" Auron asked, frowning.
"We must follow tradition, you know," Tromell said, with an air of annoyance. "It is all right," Yuna said to the group. "I will be fine."
"Come this way, my lady," Tromell said, leading her down the hill. Tidus suddenly raced forward, saying, "Hey, Yuna! Wait up!"
He stopped next to her, and looking her in the face, he said, "Look. After we defeat Sin. Let's go to Chicago."
She looked at him blankly. "We'll all go," he said. "Wakka and Lulu and Kimarhi. everyone. So, let's get Sin, and we'll all go to my Chicago. and to your Zanarkand."
"That sounds nice," Yuna said quietly. Tromell said, "Please, my lady. We mustn't keep the Maester waiting."
The two of them went down the hill, and Tidus found that Auron was standing next to him. "What was that all about?" he asked.
"I don't know," Tidus said, looking at his mentor. "I just felt like I had to say it."
"Hmm," Auron said. Tidus looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," Auron responded. Tidus frowned.
"Don't give me that," he said. Auron chuckled.
Suddenly, they heard Wakka yelling, "Al Bhed! Everyone, quick! Down on the ice!"
Tidus and Auron turned to look down at the frozen lake and saw that there were several Al Bhed men riding on what looked like snowmobiles, circling Yuna and Tromell on the ice. One of them was standing on the opposite side of the lake, cheering them on. "Come!" Auron yelled, and he bolted down the hill onto the ice. The Guardians followed, and soon, Auron had knocked the snowmobile-men off of their rides with a few mighty swings of his sword as the rest of the Guardians formed a ring around Yuna.
"Thank you," Tromell said fervently, and he tried to lead Yuna away from the scene of Chaos that was quickly arising. She, however, broke away from Tromell's grip and stood next to her Guardians, Tidus in particular. The man on the other side of the lake suddenly spoke, and Tidus was surprised; it was Rikku's brother.
"Rikku!" he yelled. "Hedda fo ti gwo!"
"Faid!" Rikku cried back at him. Her brother laughed, and yelled over his shoulder. A huge machina on wheels suddenly came over the hill and stopped next to him. He turned back to Rikku.
"Sava ni togo weeba," he said, "I seva de ho qui, Rikku."
Rikku shook her head. "Ku sova?" She yelled back.
"Fer Aeons geg magic sef essle!" he yelled back. "Uh-oh," Rikku said. "What'd he say?" Tidus yelled.
"He said that machina would block out magic and Aeons!" she cried at Yuna.
"Well then," Auron said, stepping forward. He had already hoisted his sword over his shoulder. "We'll just have to take care of it the old- fashioned way."