A/N: Alright here it is, the chapter that will clear up some mysteries in
the plot, and one that I know most people have been waiting for. ^^ I've
gotten more wonderful reviews from everyone, and thank you again.
** Chapter 5 **
"You want to see him?"
Her heart skipped a beat, as she tried to confirm if her ears had heard correctly.
"Him?" she heard herself ask, her mind still echoing with the words that she had just heard.
"Yes. You want to walk together again?" the fayth asked.
Yuna's mind reeled. The image of his clear blue eyes flashed before her. Golden locks fluttering gently in the breeze as his arms held her protectively in an embrace.
Nodding her head in decision, her lips spoke out the final words. "Yes," she answered.
***
Her vision cleared as her eyes focused to meet the deep blue orbs of Shuyin. Putting a hand to her head, she struggled to remain standing. Luckily, she felt him holding her in place, arms still wrapped securely around her waist.
"Now do you remember?" his voice spoke, as if she would understand everything it was he wanted her to know.
Yuna did not reply. Using the little strength that was left in her, she pulled his arms off of her body and threw herself away from him, backing away slowly.
"What was that?" she weakly replied, the remnants of the memory slowly clearing away from her mind. She saw him slowly smile. Collapsing on the ground, she gasped for breath as she tried to clear her clouded vision.
He stared down at her, expression completely neutral. Yuna watched as his form loomed over her, and he slowly leaned down. Yuna's eyes widened as she saw his face nearing hers. He continued to lower his head, eyes never breaking away their stare. She felt her own eyes flutter close as the feeling of his warm lips met hers in one quick instant.
Then, there was darkness.
***
She was falling. Darkness enveloped her from all around. She struggled to grasp hold of something, but she felt nothing but the emptiness of air. The silence that surrounded her echoed through her ears.
But just as quickly as she began to fall, her feet suddenly felt the ground as she landed very softly on its surface. Turning her head in search of any sign of light, a faint shimmer could be seen in the distance. Running blindly towards the direction of that single ray of light, Yuna could see the form of a person begin to come to view. She slowed her pace and stopped.
Her eyes narrowed knowingly as his face finally came into view. "Shuyin," she calmly stated, not a hint of fear left in voice.
Stepping towards her, he beckoned for her to follow him, his expression still except for the hint of a smile on his face.
Yuna stood her ground. "What do you want?" she began. Her eyes quickly scanned the area. It was pitch black, the only brightness that glowed radiated from his form. "Where are we?" Yuna's voice spoke again, bringing her hand to her chest.
"A mere place where we can speak alone," Shuyin simply said. His eyes followed her as he watched her turn her back to him.
After a moment of silence, he heard her speak once more.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, a slight tremble in her voice.
He began to step towards her then. Looking up, he sighed. "I brought you here so I could thank you without interruption."
Yuna spun around to face him. "Thank me?" she asked in disbelief.
His eyes were void of emotion. "Yes. If it weren't for you, Lenne and I wouldn't have another chance.." he trailed off. Yuna saw his features suddenly turn dark. "You thought I had given up, yet it's you who brought me back. Ironic, isn't it?"
She stared at him, eyes wide in fear as his words felt like a slap in the face.
He began to walk towards her. "Now do you remember?" he asked her, stopping right in front of her.
Her breath caught again, as her eyes fell downward. She refused to answer him, knowing full well why he was there now. She heard him laugh quietly then.
"Why do you look so shocked?" he pressed on. She suddenly felt herself pulled towards him, her back hitting the solid surface of his chest. His arms held her tightly from behind. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, voice whispering into her ear.
"Are you afraid he'll find out?" he asked softly.
She froze.
He pressed on, his breath breathing hotly against her face. "You are, aren't you? Afraid he'll find out about me?" he whispered, his teeth nipping her earlobe softly.
She broke free of his grasp and spun around to face him, eyes blazing with fury. "Let me go."
He simply smiled at her, showing his teeth as he shook his head in amusement. "Very well, but we'll meet again and you will cooperate when we do," he spoke, a sudden breeze making his hair flutter gently. He smirked at her and raised a glove hand to her face. She froze.
"Next time I won't be so generous," Shuyin said darkly. "And you'll soon find out the truth."
She felt her breath catch at his words. He smirked.
"Wake up."
***
Soft. It was so soft. It felt as if she was floating on a cloud. Was she floating? No..
She could hear something faint. A voice? It was silent again. Wait, but there it was again. A few seconds passed before she heard it again, louder this time.
"Yuna!"
"Yuna!"
***
Her eyes snapped open. Struggling to focus her clouded vision, she slowly saw two deep eyes of azure staring down at her. Tidus was gazing down at her in concern. Slowly standing up, she fell back down when a sudden surge of dizziness washed over her. She felt a hand gently catch her head.
"What happened to her?!" a female voice asked in alarm.
Yuna heard the voice of another female speak.
"I don't know. He just brought her in like this," the woman spoke.
Feeling her mind finally steadying itself, she focused her eyes to the people gathered around her, and clearly saw them now. Tidus, Rikku, and Paine were around the bed, watching her in worry.
She whispered quietly, evidently still weak. "Rikku..Paine," she called to them. Turning to face him as well, she spoke. "Tidus..."
Their eyes instantly flew to her.
"Yuna!" Rikku exclaimed and grasped her hand. The younger girl searched Yuna's face with alarm. "Are you alright? What happened to you?" the girl demanded. The young Al Bhed suddenly burst into tears.
Yuna smiled weakly at her cousin, struggling to calm her. "I-I'm okay Rikku. Don't cry," she whispered softly.
"Yuna.." she heard Tidus suddenly speak. Turning her head to face him, she gently sent him a smile. "Hi there," she whispered to him, yet still weak.
She watched as his eyes softened. Bringing her into a light hug, his voice shook. "I-I thought you were gone for good," he choked.
Yuna reached out to grasp his hand, trying to calm him. "Sshh. It's okay. I'm here now, and I'm fine," she assured him.
Paine bent down and looked at her closely. "Yuna, are you sure you're alright?" she asked, still studying her carefully. "You're not hurt, are you?" she said, concern evident in her normally even voice.
Yuna nodded, feeling a bit of her strength returning slowly. "I'm fine, don't worry," she tried to assure them. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. 'It's because of me that they're so worried. I should have been more careful.'
Struggling to stand up, they gasped in alarm.
"Yunie! Are you sure you can stand?" Rikku exclaimed, supporting her cousin's back with one arm as Yuna slowly sat up in the bed.
She nodded, smiling gently. "I can stand."
As they helped her up, Yuna's mind cleared and she was no longer dizzy. Her vision was clear again and she now looked upon their faces. Hearing a soft sob coming from the other side of her, she turned her head to see who it was.
"She's fine now. Look, she's sitting up," Buddy's voice said.
"Ed'c ymm so vyimd! E cruimt ryja paah suhedunehk ran yht drec fuimth'd ryja rybbahat!" Brother's voice wailed.
Yuna heard Buddy sigh. Smiling a bit to herself, she slowly stood up. Nodding to the three that she could walk on her own, she slowly made her way to Brother, who had his back turned to her.
As she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, he spun around and saw her. His sobbing stopped as he spoke shakily. "You're alright?" he sobbed with a heavy accent. She nodded in response, a smile forming on her face as she tried to reassure him.
"Oh, Yuna! I'm so happy you're alright!" Brother exclaimed, instantly taking up Yuna into a tight hug.
Caught off guard, she could only smile at his happiness. "I'm sorry I worried you, Brother," she told him.
His hold loosened on her and he stood up, taking her along with him. She watched as he glared at Tidus, who stood on the other side watching them. Brother pointed a finger at him accusingly.
"Ev E veht uid drec fyc ouin vyimd, E'mm gemm oui," he spoke.
Rikku gasped. "Drec fych'd rec vyimd, oui eteud!" she yelled after Brother as he ran out of the room. She turned to the other confused man.
"I'm sorry about him," Rikku said, pointing in the direction Brother had ran off to.
"Nah, don't worry about it," Tidus told her, his golden hair fluttering as he nodded. "I can understand how he must feel," he spoke with a sigh.
Yuna turned to face them. "Sorry everyone," she said while looking down. "I was careless."
Paine looked towards her. "Yuna, what exactly happened to you?" the warrior asked.
Yuna looked up and hesitated. She really couldn't tell them now. It would put them all in danger, and she hated herself even more because it was her fault. "I guess I must have slipped and hit my head while climbing out of the hot spring," she lied.
"The hot spring? What were you doing there?" Rikku inquired, a finger scratching the side of her face in deep thought.
Yuna met his Tidus' blue eyes and she saw him smile at her weakly. He spoke.
"Uh, Yuna was showing me the hot spring and we decided to jump in," he said nervously, scratching the back of his head with a small chuckle.
Rikku narrowed her eyes mischievously. "Ah, I see.." the younger girl's voice trailed off, looking back and forth between Yuna and Tidus.
Yuna sighed, her features suddenly turning serious. As she heard Rikku and him begin to argue about how he should have been watching her, her thoughts began to drift elsewhere. One way or another, she had to figure out a way to get to the Farplane at Guadosalam. If she was correct, then the one person that could answer her questions would be there.
Paine's voice suddenly cut through her reverie. "Yuna," she spoke gently.
Yuna's eyes met Paine's deep ruby orbs.
"Are you sure you're fine?" Paine asked again, obviously concerned.
"Yes, I'm feeling better now," Yuna answered with a short nod. Although she had answered the other woman, her mind had clearly been in another place.
Paine had seen right through all of this.
***
"Yuna.."
Her eyes flew open. Scanning the darkness of the room, there was no one in sight. She turned her head to the right and saw Tidus' sleeping form beside her, his arm holding her loosely to his side. He was sound asleep. Frowning in the darkness, she simply stayed awake; the sound that awoke her remained on her mind.
She had definitely heard something. Turning herself so she was closer to him, she snuggled up to his chest and tried to shake away her uneasy feelings. She could feel him breathing evenly next to her.
She let her eyes drift shut again. Yuna had spent the remainder of the day trying to help the others track down Brother, who had left the airship in a fit of despair. She was still puzzled as to why he was still in sorrow, but she soon realized his emotions had been one of jealously rather than anger.
Yuna sighed inwardly to herself. Since that moment when she had overheard the conversation between Brother and Barkeep regarding his feelings for Yuna, she had never lived with herself knowing she could not return Brother's feelings. She guessed it was just like Rikku had told her once. Yuna couldn't make everyone happy, but she still wished that Brother would just accept her relationship since she was finally happy again.
They had found Brother sitting alone on the last room in the temple at Besaid. It wasn't a long walk, yet Yuna and the others would have never thought of searching for him there. After finding him, he sulked back into the airship and locked himself in the cabin.
She suddenly felt the warm hold on her loosen a bit, until his arms had let go of her completely. Strange, it was not like Tidus to let go of her while they slept. He always held her close to him every night. Now however, Yuna felt a bit empty with his familiar warmth gone.
But at that moment she paused. Perhaps this what she needed for just this one night.
Quietly and carefully slipping out of the covers, she moved towards the edge of the bed, trying not to move so he wouldn't awaken. She heard him stir. Stopping her movements, she waited for him to be silent again. A few moments passed before she heard his even breathing once again.
She took a deep breath, unaware that she had been holding it. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Yuna pulled on her boots and secured her weapon on her waist. Turning to look at his sleeping form again, she saw that he was still asleep. The glow of the statue he had given her caught her eyes as she walked out. The figure of Tidus shone brightly, yet she could see that the small figure of her was not glowing as brightly as his was. She frowned a bit before quietly exiting the hut, running lightly towards the Celsius.
***
A light sound shook Buddy out of his sleep. He sat up from his bed and listened again. No sooner had he stepped out of his bed, the door to his room opened and Yuna had entered.
Struggling to focus his eyes in the dim light, he confirmed that it was indeed she and not just his imagination. He rubbed his eyes and blinked at her.
"Yuna?" Buddy asked. He checked the time. It was nearly midnight.
She went over to him and whispered. "Buddy, I have a favor to ask," she told him, seating herself next to the Al Bhed on the bed.
He yawned and scratched the back of his head. "Huh? This late?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you sure you should even be awake? You're-" he began but was cut off by her voice.
"Buddy, please. It's very important. And yes, I feel like myself again," Yuna assured him, pulling the Al Bhed to his feet.
"Ok, but where do you need to go this late?" he asked her.
Yuna paused. She stopped walking, causing him to falter in his steps as well to look back at her.
"Buddy, I need you to keep this a secret from them," she began. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"All right, if that's what you want," he replied slowly. She continued.
"You see, I need you to take me to the Farplane at Guadosalam," she declared, eyes now visible in the little light coming from the moon. They had reached the bridge.
"Yuna, I just want to know one thing," Buddy said.
She nodded. "Sure."
He took a deep breath and raised a hand to his chin in deep thought. After a moment of silence he finally spoke. "Whatever it is you're going to do up there, promise me you'll take care of yourself, alright?" he asked.
Yuna smiled. "I will, Buddy. Thanks."
***
"Yuna, I'll be waiting at the deck."
She nodded to him. "I'll be back soon, Buddy. I just need to confirm something," she told him as she turned to look at the entrance to the Farplane.
He looked at her seriously. "Be careful."
She smiled at him and began the walk up to the path.
As she neared the Farplane, she noticed that her feelings were starting to get heavier, as if a flood of emotions were washing over her. She shook her head of the sensations and stepped up into the area.
Looking around for a moment, she made her way to the other side of the floating isle. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, she nodded her head that this was what she wanted to do.
"Maechen, I need your help. Please, if you can hear me, I want to speak with you about something very important," Yuna spoke aloud, watching for any sign of pyreflies.
Silence.
She sighed. What made her think that Maechen could return? He had faded away right? But wait. He had not been sent properly so there was a chance that--
A swooshing sound made her turn around. Her face lit up with joy as the form of the old man appeared before her.
The pyreflies gave way to the form of none other than Maechen himself. He smiled at her and then bowed lightly.
When he straightened up again, she heard him finally speak.
"The Lady Yuna," his familiar voice said, a hint of joy evident.
Yuna smiled at the old man and bowed to him as well. "Maechen, I'm glad you were able to hear me."
He walked toward her, hands clasped behind his back. "Not many of us can just appear like this again," he began. "Yet..there are exceptions. Especially to those who have been unsent for a long time," he said quietly.
His words echoed through her mind.
"Like Shuyin.." she heard herself whisper. She gasped. Looking at the old man, she hoped he had not heard her.
Yet he had.
Studying her face carefully, he nodded knowingly. "Lady Yuna, something tells me that all is not exactly at peace, now is it?" he asked her.
She lowered her eyes to the ground but nodded in agreement.
"Ah, so I was correct."
Yuna heard the old man clear his throat before he spoke again.
"Well then. What is the problem?" he asked her.
She looked up into the old man's face.
"I need you to tell me everything about Shuyin."
The old man raised his eyebrows slightly. "Shuyin? And who may that be?" he asked, not recognizing the name.
"I know you told us the story about Lenne and her lover already, yet there must be more to it, right?" Yuna asked him with hope.
Maechen brought a hand up to his chin. "Shuyin.." he repeated the name to himself as if trying to recall the past once again. "Ahh. I remember it now," he said quietly after some time had passed.
Yuna's eyes widened. "Really?"
"This I do."
"What is it?" Yuna asked, her breath shaking a bit.
Maechen paused. "If I may, could I ask why you wish to know of the young man?"
"He's come back," she heard herself say. The old man turned to her.
She continued. "We had reunited him and Lenne again, and I thought they had faded together in peace but.." her voice trailed off. She couldn't continue.
"Come back?" the old man asked in disbelief. He walked slowly around the isle. "But that's impossible...unless someone willed him to return..." he didn't continue. A moment of silence passed as Yuna watched him. Finally turning to face her, he pressed on.
"I'm here because I've been wandering for a thousand years, and I also never received a proper sending. Yet I've returned to this time and place now because you willed it to happen."
The old man walked towards her, already knowing her answer. "Lady Yuna, perhaps Shuyin has returned because someone had willed it?" he proposed wisely.
His words, although softly spoken, was the harsh realization she had tried to avoid. Turning to him, her voice shook.
"But Maechen, I didn't. I didn't ask for him!" she exclaimed, tears threatening to fall. She fought them back. "He spoke to me today in a dream and said I had given him and Lenne another chance," she continued. "What did he mean?"
He paused and looked at her before nodding his head. Another moment of silence passed between them. "Lady Yuna, I'm glad you called me."
She looked up at him curiously.
"Because if I'm understanding you correctly, then I may know of a way to help."
** End of Chapter 5 **
A/N: First, a few translations:
"Ed'c ymm so vyimd! E cruimt ryja paah suhedunehk ran yht drec fuimth'd ryja rybbahat!" Brother's voice wailed. ("It's all my fault! I should have been monitoring her and this wouldn't have happened!")
"Ev E veht uid drec fyc ouin vyimd, E'mm gemm oui," he spoke. ("If I find out this was your fault, I'll kill you."
Rikku gasped. "Drec fych'd rec vyimd, oui eteud!" (Rikku gasped. "This wasn't his fault, you idiot!")
Ok, so that ends this chapter. The next one will sum up a bit more of the revelations, more than this one did. I promise to update very soon, since this was ended at a cliffhanger. ^^;
** Chapter 5 **
"You want to see him?"
Her heart skipped a beat, as she tried to confirm if her ears had heard correctly.
"Him?" she heard herself ask, her mind still echoing with the words that she had just heard.
"Yes. You want to walk together again?" the fayth asked.
Yuna's mind reeled. The image of his clear blue eyes flashed before her. Golden locks fluttering gently in the breeze as his arms held her protectively in an embrace.
Nodding her head in decision, her lips spoke out the final words. "Yes," she answered.
***
Her vision cleared as her eyes focused to meet the deep blue orbs of Shuyin. Putting a hand to her head, she struggled to remain standing. Luckily, she felt him holding her in place, arms still wrapped securely around her waist.
"Now do you remember?" his voice spoke, as if she would understand everything it was he wanted her to know.
Yuna did not reply. Using the little strength that was left in her, she pulled his arms off of her body and threw herself away from him, backing away slowly.
"What was that?" she weakly replied, the remnants of the memory slowly clearing away from her mind. She saw him slowly smile. Collapsing on the ground, she gasped for breath as she tried to clear her clouded vision.
He stared down at her, expression completely neutral. Yuna watched as his form loomed over her, and he slowly leaned down. Yuna's eyes widened as she saw his face nearing hers. He continued to lower his head, eyes never breaking away their stare. She felt her own eyes flutter close as the feeling of his warm lips met hers in one quick instant.
Then, there was darkness.
***
She was falling. Darkness enveloped her from all around. She struggled to grasp hold of something, but she felt nothing but the emptiness of air. The silence that surrounded her echoed through her ears.
But just as quickly as she began to fall, her feet suddenly felt the ground as she landed very softly on its surface. Turning her head in search of any sign of light, a faint shimmer could be seen in the distance. Running blindly towards the direction of that single ray of light, Yuna could see the form of a person begin to come to view. She slowed her pace and stopped.
Her eyes narrowed knowingly as his face finally came into view. "Shuyin," she calmly stated, not a hint of fear left in voice.
Stepping towards her, he beckoned for her to follow him, his expression still except for the hint of a smile on his face.
Yuna stood her ground. "What do you want?" she began. Her eyes quickly scanned the area. It was pitch black, the only brightness that glowed radiated from his form. "Where are we?" Yuna's voice spoke again, bringing her hand to her chest.
"A mere place where we can speak alone," Shuyin simply said. His eyes followed her as he watched her turn her back to him.
After a moment of silence, he heard her speak once more.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, a slight tremble in her voice.
He began to step towards her then. Looking up, he sighed. "I brought you here so I could thank you without interruption."
Yuna spun around to face him. "Thank me?" she asked in disbelief.
His eyes were void of emotion. "Yes. If it weren't for you, Lenne and I wouldn't have another chance.." he trailed off. Yuna saw his features suddenly turn dark. "You thought I had given up, yet it's you who brought me back. Ironic, isn't it?"
She stared at him, eyes wide in fear as his words felt like a slap in the face.
He began to walk towards her. "Now do you remember?" he asked her, stopping right in front of her.
Her breath caught again, as her eyes fell downward. She refused to answer him, knowing full well why he was there now. She heard him laugh quietly then.
"Why do you look so shocked?" he pressed on. She suddenly felt herself pulled towards him, her back hitting the solid surface of his chest. His arms held her tightly from behind. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, voice whispering into her ear.
"Are you afraid he'll find out?" he asked softly.
She froze.
He pressed on, his breath breathing hotly against her face. "You are, aren't you? Afraid he'll find out about me?" he whispered, his teeth nipping her earlobe softly.
She broke free of his grasp and spun around to face him, eyes blazing with fury. "Let me go."
He simply smiled at her, showing his teeth as he shook his head in amusement. "Very well, but we'll meet again and you will cooperate when we do," he spoke, a sudden breeze making his hair flutter gently. He smirked at her and raised a glove hand to her face. She froze.
"Next time I won't be so generous," Shuyin said darkly. "And you'll soon find out the truth."
She felt her breath catch at his words. He smirked.
"Wake up."
***
Soft. It was so soft. It felt as if she was floating on a cloud. Was she floating? No..
She could hear something faint. A voice? It was silent again. Wait, but there it was again. A few seconds passed before she heard it again, louder this time.
"Yuna!"
"Yuna!"
***
Her eyes snapped open. Struggling to focus her clouded vision, she slowly saw two deep eyes of azure staring down at her. Tidus was gazing down at her in concern. Slowly standing up, she fell back down when a sudden surge of dizziness washed over her. She felt a hand gently catch her head.
"What happened to her?!" a female voice asked in alarm.
Yuna heard the voice of another female speak.
"I don't know. He just brought her in like this," the woman spoke.
Feeling her mind finally steadying itself, she focused her eyes to the people gathered around her, and clearly saw them now. Tidus, Rikku, and Paine were around the bed, watching her in worry.
She whispered quietly, evidently still weak. "Rikku..Paine," she called to them. Turning to face him as well, she spoke. "Tidus..."
Their eyes instantly flew to her.
"Yuna!" Rikku exclaimed and grasped her hand. The younger girl searched Yuna's face with alarm. "Are you alright? What happened to you?" the girl demanded. The young Al Bhed suddenly burst into tears.
Yuna smiled weakly at her cousin, struggling to calm her. "I-I'm okay Rikku. Don't cry," she whispered softly.
"Yuna.." she heard Tidus suddenly speak. Turning her head to face him, she gently sent him a smile. "Hi there," she whispered to him, yet still weak.
She watched as his eyes softened. Bringing her into a light hug, his voice shook. "I-I thought you were gone for good," he choked.
Yuna reached out to grasp his hand, trying to calm him. "Sshh. It's okay. I'm here now, and I'm fine," she assured him.
Paine bent down and looked at her closely. "Yuna, are you sure you're alright?" she asked, still studying her carefully. "You're not hurt, are you?" she said, concern evident in her normally even voice.
Yuna nodded, feeling a bit of her strength returning slowly. "I'm fine, don't worry," she tried to assure them. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. 'It's because of me that they're so worried. I should have been more careful.'
Struggling to stand up, they gasped in alarm.
"Yunie! Are you sure you can stand?" Rikku exclaimed, supporting her cousin's back with one arm as Yuna slowly sat up in the bed.
She nodded, smiling gently. "I can stand."
As they helped her up, Yuna's mind cleared and she was no longer dizzy. Her vision was clear again and she now looked upon their faces. Hearing a soft sob coming from the other side of her, she turned her head to see who it was.
"She's fine now. Look, she's sitting up," Buddy's voice said.
"Ed'c ymm so vyimd! E cruimt ryja paah suhedunehk ran yht drec fuimth'd ryja rybbahat!" Brother's voice wailed.
Yuna heard Buddy sigh. Smiling a bit to herself, she slowly stood up. Nodding to the three that she could walk on her own, she slowly made her way to Brother, who had his back turned to her.
As she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, he spun around and saw her. His sobbing stopped as he spoke shakily. "You're alright?" he sobbed with a heavy accent. She nodded in response, a smile forming on her face as she tried to reassure him.
"Oh, Yuna! I'm so happy you're alright!" Brother exclaimed, instantly taking up Yuna into a tight hug.
Caught off guard, she could only smile at his happiness. "I'm sorry I worried you, Brother," she told him.
His hold loosened on her and he stood up, taking her along with him. She watched as he glared at Tidus, who stood on the other side watching them. Brother pointed a finger at him accusingly.
"Ev E veht uid drec fyc ouin vyimd, E'mm gemm oui," he spoke.
Rikku gasped. "Drec fych'd rec vyimd, oui eteud!" she yelled after Brother as he ran out of the room. She turned to the other confused man.
"I'm sorry about him," Rikku said, pointing in the direction Brother had ran off to.
"Nah, don't worry about it," Tidus told her, his golden hair fluttering as he nodded. "I can understand how he must feel," he spoke with a sigh.
Yuna turned to face them. "Sorry everyone," she said while looking down. "I was careless."
Paine looked towards her. "Yuna, what exactly happened to you?" the warrior asked.
Yuna looked up and hesitated. She really couldn't tell them now. It would put them all in danger, and she hated herself even more because it was her fault. "I guess I must have slipped and hit my head while climbing out of the hot spring," she lied.
"The hot spring? What were you doing there?" Rikku inquired, a finger scratching the side of her face in deep thought.
Yuna met his Tidus' blue eyes and she saw him smile at her weakly. He spoke.
"Uh, Yuna was showing me the hot spring and we decided to jump in," he said nervously, scratching the back of his head with a small chuckle.
Rikku narrowed her eyes mischievously. "Ah, I see.." the younger girl's voice trailed off, looking back and forth between Yuna and Tidus.
Yuna sighed, her features suddenly turning serious. As she heard Rikku and him begin to argue about how he should have been watching her, her thoughts began to drift elsewhere. One way or another, she had to figure out a way to get to the Farplane at Guadosalam. If she was correct, then the one person that could answer her questions would be there.
Paine's voice suddenly cut through her reverie. "Yuna," she spoke gently.
Yuna's eyes met Paine's deep ruby orbs.
"Are you sure you're fine?" Paine asked again, obviously concerned.
"Yes, I'm feeling better now," Yuna answered with a short nod. Although she had answered the other woman, her mind had clearly been in another place.
Paine had seen right through all of this.
***
"Yuna.."
Her eyes flew open. Scanning the darkness of the room, there was no one in sight. She turned her head to the right and saw Tidus' sleeping form beside her, his arm holding her loosely to his side. He was sound asleep. Frowning in the darkness, she simply stayed awake; the sound that awoke her remained on her mind.
She had definitely heard something. Turning herself so she was closer to him, she snuggled up to his chest and tried to shake away her uneasy feelings. She could feel him breathing evenly next to her.
She let her eyes drift shut again. Yuna had spent the remainder of the day trying to help the others track down Brother, who had left the airship in a fit of despair. She was still puzzled as to why he was still in sorrow, but she soon realized his emotions had been one of jealously rather than anger.
Yuna sighed inwardly to herself. Since that moment when she had overheard the conversation between Brother and Barkeep regarding his feelings for Yuna, she had never lived with herself knowing she could not return Brother's feelings. She guessed it was just like Rikku had told her once. Yuna couldn't make everyone happy, but she still wished that Brother would just accept her relationship since she was finally happy again.
They had found Brother sitting alone on the last room in the temple at Besaid. It wasn't a long walk, yet Yuna and the others would have never thought of searching for him there. After finding him, he sulked back into the airship and locked himself in the cabin.
She suddenly felt the warm hold on her loosen a bit, until his arms had let go of her completely. Strange, it was not like Tidus to let go of her while they slept. He always held her close to him every night. Now however, Yuna felt a bit empty with his familiar warmth gone.
But at that moment she paused. Perhaps this what she needed for just this one night.
Quietly and carefully slipping out of the covers, she moved towards the edge of the bed, trying not to move so he wouldn't awaken. She heard him stir. Stopping her movements, she waited for him to be silent again. A few moments passed before she heard his even breathing once again.
She took a deep breath, unaware that she had been holding it. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Yuna pulled on her boots and secured her weapon on her waist. Turning to look at his sleeping form again, she saw that he was still asleep. The glow of the statue he had given her caught her eyes as she walked out. The figure of Tidus shone brightly, yet she could see that the small figure of her was not glowing as brightly as his was. She frowned a bit before quietly exiting the hut, running lightly towards the Celsius.
***
A light sound shook Buddy out of his sleep. He sat up from his bed and listened again. No sooner had he stepped out of his bed, the door to his room opened and Yuna had entered.
Struggling to focus his eyes in the dim light, he confirmed that it was indeed she and not just his imagination. He rubbed his eyes and blinked at her.
"Yuna?" Buddy asked. He checked the time. It was nearly midnight.
She went over to him and whispered. "Buddy, I have a favor to ask," she told him, seating herself next to the Al Bhed on the bed.
He yawned and scratched the back of his head. "Huh? This late?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you sure you should even be awake? You're-" he began but was cut off by her voice.
"Buddy, please. It's very important. And yes, I feel like myself again," Yuna assured him, pulling the Al Bhed to his feet.
"Ok, but where do you need to go this late?" he asked her.
Yuna paused. She stopped walking, causing him to falter in his steps as well to look back at her.
"Buddy, I need you to keep this a secret from them," she began. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"All right, if that's what you want," he replied slowly. She continued.
"You see, I need you to take me to the Farplane at Guadosalam," she declared, eyes now visible in the little light coming from the moon. They had reached the bridge.
"Yuna, I just want to know one thing," Buddy said.
She nodded. "Sure."
He took a deep breath and raised a hand to his chin in deep thought. After a moment of silence he finally spoke. "Whatever it is you're going to do up there, promise me you'll take care of yourself, alright?" he asked.
Yuna smiled. "I will, Buddy. Thanks."
***
"Yuna, I'll be waiting at the deck."
She nodded to him. "I'll be back soon, Buddy. I just need to confirm something," she told him as she turned to look at the entrance to the Farplane.
He looked at her seriously. "Be careful."
She smiled at him and began the walk up to the path.
As she neared the Farplane, she noticed that her feelings were starting to get heavier, as if a flood of emotions were washing over her. She shook her head of the sensations and stepped up into the area.
Looking around for a moment, she made her way to the other side of the floating isle. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, she nodded her head that this was what she wanted to do.
"Maechen, I need your help. Please, if you can hear me, I want to speak with you about something very important," Yuna spoke aloud, watching for any sign of pyreflies.
Silence.
She sighed. What made her think that Maechen could return? He had faded away right? But wait. He had not been sent properly so there was a chance that--
A swooshing sound made her turn around. Her face lit up with joy as the form of the old man appeared before her.
The pyreflies gave way to the form of none other than Maechen himself. He smiled at her and then bowed lightly.
When he straightened up again, she heard him finally speak.
"The Lady Yuna," his familiar voice said, a hint of joy evident.
Yuna smiled at the old man and bowed to him as well. "Maechen, I'm glad you were able to hear me."
He walked toward her, hands clasped behind his back. "Not many of us can just appear like this again," he began. "Yet..there are exceptions. Especially to those who have been unsent for a long time," he said quietly.
His words echoed through her mind.
"Like Shuyin.." she heard herself whisper. She gasped. Looking at the old man, she hoped he had not heard her.
Yet he had.
Studying her face carefully, he nodded knowingly. "Lady Yuna, something tells me that all is not exactly at peace, now is it?" he asked her.
She lowered her eyes to the ground but nodded in agreement.
"Ah, so I was correct."
Yuna heard the old man clear his throat before he spoke again.
"Well then. What is the problem?" he asked her.
She looked up into the old man's face.
"I need you to tell me everything about Shuyin."
The old man raised his eyebrows slightly. "Shuyin? And who may that be?" he asked, not recognizing the name.
"I know you told us the story about Lenne and her lover already, yet there must be more to it, right?" Yuna asked him with hope.
Maechen brought a hand up to his chin. "Shuyin.." he repeated the name to himself as if trying to recall the past once again. "Ahh. I remember it now," he said quietly after some time had passed.
Yuna's eyes widened. "Really?"
"This I do."
"What is it?" Yuna asked, her breath shaking a bit.
Maechen paused. "If I may, could I ask why you wish to know of the young man?"
"He's come back," she heard herself say. The old man turned to her.
She continued. "We had reunited him and Lenne again, and I thought they had faded together in peace but.." her voice trailed off. She couldn't continue.
"Come back?" the old man asked in disbelief. He walked slowly around the isle. "But that's impossible...unless someone willed him to return..." he didn't continue. A moment of silence passed as Yuna watched him. Finally turning to face her, he pressed on.
"I'm here because I've been wandering for a thousand years, and I also never received a proper sending. Yet I've returned to this time and place now because you willed it to happen."
The old man walked towards her, already knowing her answer. "Lady Yuna, perhaps Shuyin has returned because someone had willed it?" he proposed wisely.
His words, although softly spoken, was the harsh realization she had tried to avoid. Turning to him, her voice shook.
"But Maechen, I didn't. I didn't ask for him!" she exclaimed, tears threatening to fall. She fought them back. "He spoke to me today in a dream and said I had given him and Lenne another chance," she continued. "What did he mean?"
He paused and looked at her before nodding his head. Another moment of silence passed between them. "Lady Yuna, I'm glad you called me."
She looked up at him curiously.
"Because if I'm understanding you correctly, then I may know of a way to help."
** End of Chapter 5 **
A/N: First, a few translations:
"Ed'c ymm so vyimd! E cruimt ryja paah suhedunehk ran yht drec fuimth'd ryja rybbahat!" Brother's voice wailed. ("It's all my fault! I should have been monitoring her and this wouldn't have happened!")
"Ev E veht uid drec fyc ouin vyimd, E'mm gemm oui," he spoke. ("If I find out this was your fault, I'll kill you."
Rikku gasped. "Drec fych'd rec vyimd, oui eteud!" (Rikku gasped. "This wasn't his fault, you idiot!")
Ok, so that ends this chapter. The next one will sum up a bit more of the revelations, more than this one did. I promise to update very soon, since this was ended at a cliffhanger. ^^;