A/N: Well here we go. Chapter 8 is finally here. This one will uncover more
to the plot, yet there won't be any shocking twists or anything.at least I
don't think there will be as of now. Maybe in the next chapter. ^_~
** Chapter 8 **
"Buddy! Where are you?" Rikku demanded, her footsteps echoing across the metal flooring of the Celsius.
Silence.
Rikku groaned. "Forget it. I can pilot this thing myself!" she declared, running to the front and hopping into the pilot seat.
Paine watched her and paused in her steps. "Rikku, are you sure you've done this before?" she asked hesitantly.
The girl nodded, her blonde hair bouncing slightly. "Sure have!" Rikku answered as the engine roared to life. "Alright, here we go!"
"Hey, hey! What're you doing?" a voice suddenly asked from behind them.
Rikku turned around to see Buddy coming down the steps onto the bridge. "Well there you are!" she exclaimed at him.
Buddy looked from Paine to Rikku. "Where's Yuna?" he asked them.
Paine turned her back to him. "We need to go to Bevelle," she simply stated, ignoring his question.
Rikku interjected. "Yup! I was just about to fly us there!"
The other Al Bhed sighed. "First Yuna, and now you two?" he said in defeat. Walking over to the pilot seat, he looked down at Rikku and the girl stood up for him. He sat down in her place.
"I don't know what you all are doing, but whatever it is, I have a right to know since I'm doing all these favors," he said, punching the buttons to input the airship's course. He turned his head and looked at them.
"Where to?"
Paine walked to the front where Rikku and Buddy were. "To Bevelle," she answered him.
Buddy sighed and adjusted his goggles. "Alright, but Brother sure isn't going to like this," the Al Bhed remarked.
Rikku snorted. "Ah, who cares what he thinks!" she exclaimed. Looking around the bridge she chuckled. "Where is he, anyway?"
"He's still in the cabin, depressed like always..." Buddy replied.
"Still? Man, he needs to get over it!" Rikku replied. She paused. "Geez, I'll go talk to him.," Rikku said quietly as she began to walk up the steps towards the elevator.
Paine smiled inwardly to herself as she listened to the conversation. Although she hadn't known Rikku as long as Buddy and Yuna had, she still saw that Rikku truly cared for Brother, even if the girl never really showed it much. Rikku didn't express the same type of affection towards her brother like she did for Yuna or Paine.
Still, Paine saw through the girl's insults and through her arguments with her brother. The warrior knew it was somewhat normal for siblings to argue such as Rikku and Brother had. Of course, Paine never had any siblings to argue with, so she never really experienced what it was truly like and what it meant to have a brother or sister. The only people Paine had begun to consider family were Yuna and Rikku and even those on the airship who had shown her kindness since she had met them. Even Nooj, Baralai and Gippal had won a place in the warrior's heart, even if she hadn't admitted it to anyone. Her heart had opened up once again when she hadn't thought it ever would.
"Alright then. Next stop, Bevelle," Buddy's voice cut in.
Paine turned and faced him. "Thanks."
***
The soft mist of the waterfall gently sprayed across her face, causing her to blink at the sudden water in her eyes. Following the wooden bridge up, she listened to the soft sounds her boots made on the ground's surface. Her eyes fell downward as the silence between them echoed in her ears.
Tidus walked a little ahead of her, and the sudden emptiness in her hand caused her to wonder why he didn't seem as if he wanted to walk hand in hand like they usually did. She nodded her head a bit to herself and quickened her pace until she caught up to him.
Reaching down to lock their fingers together, she watched as he suddenly turned around to face her, as if he was startled. She smiled at him.
"Sorry, did I scare you?"
He sent her a sideways grin. "No, you just surprised me a bit," Tidus replied. She felt his grip tighten around her hand.
Yuna laughed softly. "Ah, so I did scare you."
He turned his head to look at her with an amused smile. "I suppose you did," he replied with a sigh.
They continued past the final bridge. Yuna turned her head to the side as they neared the waterfall. Since the winds had begun to blow considerably hard that morning, she didn't want to get sprayed by the water again.
She wondered why he was so quiet during their walk. That morning he seemed playful and at ease with her, yet right now he seemed a bit removed. Deciding not to question him about it, her eyes wandered down to their joined hands. She frowned at the sight of his wrist. Something didn't seem right.
Yuna slowed her pace until he stopped as well. She raised her eyes to look at him.
"Where's your bracelet?" she asked, motioning to his empty wrist.
Tidus held his wrist in front of him and examined it with a puzzled expression. He looked up at her.
"What?"
"Your silver bracelet. You always wear it, right?" Yuna replied.
He raised both wrists up and examined them closely as the memory returned to him. 'Ah, I remember it now.'
"Oh, it must have dropped while I was in the cave looking for you last night," Tidus explained to her.
'It dropped off his wrist when he fell. Yes, that's right. I remember now.'
Yuna nodded. "Do you want to go back there and try to look for it?" she asked, beginning to walk towards the cave overlook.
Tidus slowly nodded, as if trying to recall something. "Sure."
***
"Paine, Rikku. It's nice to see you two again."
"Hey, Baralai. What's up?" Rikku greeted with a grin.
The young man simply sat down and motioned for the two girls to take a seat in the chairs as well. "Nothing really. I've been settling some last minute matters regarding New Yevon here," he began. Raising a hand to straighten his collar, he continued. "But it's nothing to get concerned over. Hostilities between the factions have grown considerably peaceful now."
"That's good to hear," Paine commented with a nod.
"Yeah, I'm glad that's taken care of," Rikku agreed.
Baralai looked at the two. "So, what brings you both here?" he asked them with a soft smile, a solitary lock of his silver hair falling past his headband.
Paine's expression turned somber. "We came to ask you something.." she began.
Rikku turned her eyes from Paine to Baralai for a moment. "Yeah, it's about something with Yunie and-" Rikku stopped as Paine's eyes shot across the table to meet the Al Bhed's gaze. Rikku hesitated and caught herself. The expression on the warrior's face clearly wanted her not to reveal the whole story yet.
Baralai's eyes drifted between the two.
"Uh, yeah. It's something Yuna made us wonder about," Rikku replied instead.
"Oh?" Baralai asked curiously. "Go on."
"Baralai, I know you may not want to speak about this, but..." Paine trailed off.
He raised his eyes to meet hers. "No, please go on."
Paine sighed and continued. "We need to know everything that you remember when Shuyin took control of your body," she said finally.
Rikku watched the other man's reaction. She saw him look down and stand up from the chair to walk over to the window. Paine's eyes followed him.
After a moment of silence, the young man began to speak once more. "Shuyin, yes. Although I don't remember every moment of that time, there are small fragments I do recall," Baralai explained.
Paine and Rikku said nothing but continued to listen to him. They watched as he hung his head low for a moment before finally speaking once more.
"I don't recall ever being able to control myself," he began. Paine watched him smile, perhaps one that held remorse. "I suppose I was too weak to break free of Shuyin's control over me," Baralai said shamefully.
"Too weak?" Rikku echoed him. Her green eyes watched him.
Baralai turned to the Al Bhed. "Yes, I was too weak to grab hold of my own feelings, that's why Shuyin was able to control me easily," he explained again.
Paine stood from the chair. "I guess you're wondering where this is all leading to.." she began, anxious to find the answers she needed.
He stopped and turned to her. "Yes, I am," he said while a soft chuckle escaped his lips.
"There's just something I want to know," Paine began.
"What is it?" Baralai asked, his eyebrows knitting slightly as he listened to Paine.
A moment of silence passed before Paine found the words she was looking for. "I once heard that even if a person is sent, they can still return to the world if there's something strong enough to pull them back there.." she trailed off to gather her thoughts. "..like Vegnagun was to Shuyin, right?" Paine asked.
Baralai put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "That is true. I once remember Kinoc speaking about that some years ago as well," he remembered.
Rikku listened to the two, suddenly remembering something. "Now that you mention it, I remember two years ago when I first went to the Farplane with Yuna, Lord Jyscal of the Guado came out from the Farplane with a sphere," Rikku spoke, her memory recalling the moments. Her eyes gazed down at her hands. "It's because something terrible had happened to him, and he needed to tell someone about it.."
Paine looked up at the girl.
"It was so strong that his spirit came out of the Farplane just so he could let someone know," Rikku finished, recalling the events clearly. Lord Jyscal had brought a sphere with him then, and when they watched what it held, the revelations were truly shocking.
"So it's true then," Paine spoke with realization. "The soul can return again if something that strong is pulling them back.."
"Yes, it makes more sense now," Baralai agreed quietly. His eyes stared ahead before slowly drifting to Paine. "So what does this have to do with you coming here?" he asked suddenly, the story catching his interest.
Paine looked at him solemnly. "It's something I don't feel too comfortable talking about," she simply replied.
Baralai's face frowned a bit, yet he looked away so they wouldn't see it.
"I see," Rikku heard him speak.
"But will it ever end?" Paine pressed on, still speaking to Baralai, his back still facing them. "When will the person rest without having something on this plane pulling them back here again?" she asked softly. Her eyes fell to the floor.
Baralai's robes swished softly as the two watched him walk over to stand in front of the large window, the afternoon sun casting a brilliant glow on his dark features. He sighed softly.
"When that person gets what it is that's drawing them back here, they'll be able to rest," he answered quietly.
***
Yuna's eyes squinted in the darkness. She struggled to focus her vision in the cave's poor light, trying to look for the silver bracelet. Spinning around on her heel, she turned to head back to Tidus in defeat.
She saw him look up as she approached.
"Any luck?" he asked her.
"None," Yuna replied.
She watched him head down the left path, scanning the ground quickly. Deciding to follow him, she looked at the ground as well.
After another moment, she heard Tidus chuckle softly before he bent down. Running over to him, she saw the unmistakable glint of the bracelet dangling from his fingers.
"Found it," he said.
She smiled. "Good."
He stopped to fasten the jewelry back on his wrist. Yuna watched him and giggled. He looked up at her, blue eyes curious.
"What?"
She clasped her hands behind her back. "Don't you always wear it on your other hand?" Yuna asked.
Tidus looked down at his wrist and chuckled nervously. "Ah, you're right," he said while fastening the bracelet on his other hand.
Yuna suddenly stopped laughing and watched him seriously. She noticed that he had been acting strangely since the previous night. Not only that, but she could tell that he hadn't been doing the same things he normally did. He had been reluctant to hold her hand earlier that day, and although Yuna was slightly embarrassed to admit it as well, she noticed that he had kissed her differently - almost as if he had changed overnight. She shook her head of the unwanted thoughts and focused on him once more.
"Ready?" Tidus suddenly asked her, beginning to walk towards the cave's exit.
She turned to him, hoping he hadn't caught on to her suspicion. "Ready," Yuna agreed.
***
"Impossible. Two cannot simply return back to the world in the way you are describing it."
"Yes, but they are both there now," a childlike voice spoke, soft but wise beyond its years.
"And what's worse! One is merely a shadow of the other!" the other voice spoke, louder and more fully this time. "Can you even claim that they are separate entities?"
The hood fell over the child's eyes in shame, hiding the dark eyes beneath.
"You will correct this problem."
The child looked up at the other figure. "What?"
"If the problem is not fixed, I will bring one of them back here myself," the voice continued on. He stepped into the darkness of the shadows, crossing his arms at the child.
"But how can they both be there at the same time at the same place?" the child spoke, turning his back on the other figure.
"There is a balance that must not be disturbed. It seems as if one appeared soon after the other left," the voice responded solemnly.
The child hesitated, but the voice continued to speak.
"Do you understand what he is?"
"I am unsure now.." the child replied quietly.
The other figure began to walk, the distinct sound of a robe brushing the ground gently as the figure moved toward the center.
"The dream has been reborn," the voice began. There was a brief pause. "And the fayth has granted the wish by letting the dream continue on."
The child turned to face the dark figure, a small pyrefly forming from one of the arms, the faint shimmer of light reflecting upon the child's face.
"Yet what of the other? Must we assume that he is of no importance?" the voice asked, the sound echoing in the still silence.
"Yes, but she hadn't willed him to return," the child answered.
The figure paused and turned to the child. "Ah, but can you correctly assume that this is so? How are you sure she did not want the true entity to return?"
There was another moment of silence between the two before the child spoke. "Because I saw the way they acted when they were together. I know she was close to him and I felt how strong their connection was," the child answered.
There was a soft chuckle from the other figure. "Don't you find it rather ironic that the dream has been given another chance and the true one has not?" the voice asked.
"I do not know.." the child replied quietly.
"Ah, but you do know," the voice replied. The cloak continued to brush the ground as the child watched the figure turn his back. "You see, it seems that there are two possibilities that can explain why they are both there now."
A pause.
"You said that she had originally intended only the dream to return, yet that does not explain the true entity's sudden reappearance. If I am assuming that what you had mentioned is correct, then her bond with the dream is strong, so he is there with her now. Yet who or what had summoned the real one to return as well?" the voice asked.
The child did not reply but continued to listen.
"There are only two ways in which one can return, yet they all have one aspect that is in relation to each other. If there is something in the real world in which they hold dear to them long after departure, then their feelings will be so powerful that it allows them to return to the world once again, if only for a brief moment."
"And what is the other reason?" the child asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
The figure began to chuckle lowly once more. "The answer is simple, yet I still do not understand how it could have occurred," the voice began. "The only other explanation to this matter is that she has made them both return through her will."
The child's hood fell slightly, the light revealing a glimpse of the dark eyes that lay beneath. "But how can she hold feelings that strong for both to return?" the child asked incredulously.
"Interesting indeed. Yet one fact is certain," the other replied. "Now that they are both there, their presence has caused an imbalance in the planes. If her bond falters with even one of them, then they will disappear forever."
"But you said they were not even separate entities."
"I did say that didn't I? Well, I suppose that is true to an extent, yet their return to the world gives them one more chance at living, and it's up to the girl to determine which of them stays."
** End of Chapter 8 **
A/N: Ok, I feel that I should explain a few things first. I'm sure that those who have completed FFX and FFX-2 know which two people I'm referring to in the last dialogue above. To those who have not finished FFX or X-2 yet, this may not make any sense, and it's a spoiler for both games.
** For those who have not finished FFX or FFX-2 AND don't care if I spoil it for you**, here's what I'm trying to explain in the dialogue:
**STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT IT SPOILED** =)
In FFX, Tidus was a dream of the fayth. The fayth had dreamt of the old Zanarkand from their memories, and Tidus was among this dream. Coincidentally in FFX-2, the game elaborates more on this story of the Zanarkand dream in an indirect way when they reveal Shuyin's story. Shuyin lived in the real Zanarkand during the war with Bevelle and he and Lenne died in their time. Shuyin was a real person in the real Zanarkand. When the fayth dreamed of Zanarkand based on their memories of the city, Shuyin was among this memory, so it is assumed that Tidus is the dream of who Shuyin was in the real Zanarkand 1000 years ago. Hence why they look so similar to each other.
** END OF SPOILER **
Also, to any who do not know yet, Tidus is possessed by Shuyin at this very moment in the story. When the two figures were speaking in the above dialogue, there is a reference to this when one of them mentions how they are "not even separate entities of each other" which explains that Tidus is the dream of Shuyin, so they aren't totally "separate." Yet this story makes them completely different people, which they are. But at this moment, they are in one body. It all adds to what I'm trying to tell in the story, so I hope this clears up some confusion for some people, and I will elaborate more in future chapters of course.
Until then. ^^
** Chapter 8 **
"Buddy! Where are you?" Rikku demanded, her footsteps echoing across the metal flooring of the Celsius.
Silence.
Rikku groaned. "Forget it. I can pilot this thing myself!" she declared, running to the front and hopping into the pilot seat.
Paine watched her and paused in her steps. "Rikku, are you sure you've done this before?" she asked hesitantly.
The girl nodded, her blonde hair bouncing slightly. "Sure have!" Rikku answered as the engine roared to life. "Alright, here we go!"
"Hey, hey! What're you doing?" a voice suddenly asked from behind them.
Rikku turned around to see Buddy coming down the steps onto the bridge. "Well there you are!" she exclaimed at him.
Buddy looked from Paine to Rikku. "Where's Yuna?" he asked them.
Paine turned her back to him. "We need to go to Bevelle," she simply stated, ignoring his question.
Rikku interjected. "Yup! I was just about to fly us there!"
The other Al Bhed sighed. "First Yuna, and now you two?" he said in defeat. Walking over to the pilot seat, he looked down at Rikku and the girl stood up for him. He sat down in her place.
"I don't know what you all are doing, but whatever it is, I have a right to know since I'm doing all these favors," he said, punching the buttons to input the airship's course. He turned his head and looked at them.
"Where to?"
Paine walked to the front where Rikku and Buddy were. "To Bevelle," she answered him.
Buddy sighed and adjusted his goggles. "Alright, but Brother sure isn't going to like this," the Al Bhed remarked.
Rikku snorted. "Ah, who cares what he thinks!" she exclaimed. Looking around the bridge she chuckled. "Where is he, anyway?"
"He's still in the cabin, depressed like always..." Buddy replied.
"Still? Man, he needs to get over it!" Rikku replied. She paused. "Geez, I'll go talk to him.," Rikku said quietly as she began to walk up the steps towards the elevator.
Paine smiled inwardly to herself as she listened to the conversation. Although she hadn't known Rikku as long as Buddy and Yuna had, she still saw that Rikku truly cared for Brother, even if the girl never really showed it much. Rikku didn't express the same type of affection towards her brother like she did for Yuna or Paine.
Still, Paine saw through the girl's insults and through her arguments with her brother. The warrior knew it was somewhat normal for siblings to argue such as Rikku and Brother had. Of course, Paine never had any siblings to argue with, so she never really experienced what it was truly like and what it meant to have a brother or sister. The only people Paine had begun to consider family were Yuna and Rikku and even those on the airship who had shown her kindness since she had met them. Even Nooj, Baralai and Gippal had won a place in the warrior's heart, even if she hadn't admitted it to anyone. Her heart had opened up once again when she hadn't thought it ever would.
"Alright then. Next stop, Bevelle," Buddy's voice cut in.
Paine turned and faced him. "Thanks."
***
The soft mist of the waterfall gently sprayed across her face, causing her to blink at the sudden water in her eyes. Following the wooden bridge up, she listened to the soft sounds her boots made on the ground's surface. Her eyes fell downward as the silence between them echoed in her ears.
Tidus walked a little ahead of her, and the sudden emptiness in her hand caused her to wonder why he didn't seem as if he wanted to walk hand in hand like they usually did. She nodded her head a bit to herself and quickened her pace until she caught up to him.
Reaching down to lock their fingers together, she watched as he suddenly turned around to face her, as if he was startled. She smiled at him.
"Sorry, did I scare you?"
He sent her a sideways grin. "No, you just surprised me a bit," Tidus replied. She felt his grip tighten around her hand.
Yuna laughed softly. "Ah, so I did scare you."
He turned his head to look at her with an amused smile. "I suppose you did," he replied with a sigh.
They continued past the final bridge. Yuna turned her head to the side as they neared the waterfall. Since the winds had begun to blow considerably hard that morning, she didn't want to get sprayed by the water again.
She wondered why he was so quiet during their walk. That morning he seemed playful and at ease with her, yet right now he seemed a bit removed. Deciding not to question him about it, her eyes wandered down to their joined hands. She frowned at the sight of his wrist. Something didn't seem right.
Yuna slowed her pace until he stopped as well. She raised her eyes to look at him.
"Where's your bracelet?" she asked, motioning to his empty wrist.
Tidus held his wrist in front of him and examined it with a puzzled expression. He looked up at her.
"What?"
"Your silver bracelet. You always wear it, right?" Yuna replied.
He raised both wrists up and examined them closely as the memory returned to him. 'Ah, I remember it now.'
"Oh, it must have dropped while I was in the cave looking for you last night," Tidus explained to her.
'It dropped off his wrist when he fell. Yes, that's right. I remember now.'
Yuna nodded. "Do you want to go back there and try to look for it?" she asked, beginning to walk towards the cave overlook.
Tidus slowly nodded, as if trying to recall something. "Sure."
***
"Paine, Rikku. It's nice to see you two again."
"Hey, Baralai. What's up?" Rikku greeted with a grin.
The young man simply sat down and motioned for the two girls to take a seat in the chairs as well. "Nothing really. I've been settling some last minute matters regarding New Yevon here," he began. Raising a hand to straighten his collar, he continued. "But it's nothing to get concerned over. Hostilities between the factions have grown considerably peaceful now."
"That's good to hear," Paine commented with a nod.
"Yeah, I'm glad that's taken care of," Rikku agreed.
Baralai looked at the two. "So, what brings you both here?" he asked them with a soft smile, a solitary lock of his silver hair falling past his headband.
Paine's expression turned somber. "We came to ask you something.." she began.
Rikku turned her eyes from Paine to Baralai for a moment. "Yeah, it's about something with Yunie and-" Rikku stopped as Paine's eyes shot across the table to meet the Al Bhed's gaze. Rikku hesitated and caught herself. The expression on the warrior's face clearly wanted her not to reveal the whole story yet.
Baralai's eyes drifted between the two.
"Uh, yeah. It's something Yuna made us wonder about," Rikku replied instead.
"Oh?" Baralai asked curiously. "Go on."
"Baralai, I know you may not want to speak about this, but..." Paine trailed off.
He raised his eyes to meet hers. "No, please go on."
Paine sighed and continued. "We need to know everything that you remember when Shuyin took control of your body," she said finally.
Rikku watched the other man's reaction. She saw him look down and stand up from the chair to walk over to the window. Paine's eyes followed him.
After a moment of silence, the young man began to speak once more. "Shuyin, yes. Although I don't remember every moment of that time, there are small fragments I do recall," Baralai explained.
Paine and Rikku said nothing but continued to listen to him. They watched as he hung his head low for a moment before finally speaking once more.
"I don't recall ever being able to control myself," he began. Paine watched him smile, perhaps one that held remorse. "I suppose I was too weak to break free of Shuyin's control over me," Baralai said shamefully.
"Too weak?" Rikku echoed him. Her green eyes watched him.
Baralai turned to the Al Bhed. "Yes, I was too weak to grab hold of my own feelings, that's why Shuyin was able to control me easily," he explained again.
Paine stood from the chair. "I guess you're wondering where this is all leading to.." she began, anxious to find the answers she needed.
He stopped and turned to her. "Yes, I am," he said while a soft chuckle escaped his lips.
"There's just something I want to know," Paine began.
"What is it?" Baralai asked, his eyebrows knitting slightly as he listened to Paine.
A moment of silence passed before Paine found the words she was looking for. "I once heard that even if a person is sent, they can still return to the world if there's something strong enough to pull them back there.." she trailed off to gather her thoughts. "..like Vegnagun was to Shuyin, right?" Paine asked.
Baralai put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "That is true. I once remember Kinoc speaking about that some years ago as well," he remembered.
Rikku listened to the two, suddenly remembering something. "Now that you mention it, I remember two years ago when I first went to the Farplane with Yuna, Lord Jyscal of the Guado came out from the Farplane with a sphere," Rikku spoke, her memory recalling the moments. Her eyes gazed down at her hands. "It's because something terrible had happened to him, and he needed to tell someone about it.."
Paine looked up at the girl.
"It was so strong that his spirit came out of the Farplane just so he could let someone know," Rikku finished, recalling the events clearly. Lord Jyscal had brought a sphere with him then, and when they watched what it held, the revelations were truly shocking.
"So it's true then," Paine spoke with realization. "The soul can return again if something that strong is pulling them back.."
"Yes, it makes more sense now," Baralai agreed quietly. His eyes stared ahead before slowly drifting to Paine. "So what does this have to do with you coming here?" he asked suddenly, the story catching his interest.
Paine looked at him solemnly. "It's something I don't feel too comfortable talking about," she simply replied.
Baralai's face frowned a bit, yet he looked away so they wouldn't see it.
"I see," Rikku heard him speak.
"But will it ever end?" Paine pressed on, still speaking to Baralai, his back still facing them. "When will the person rest without having something on this plane pulling them back here again?" she asked softly. Her eyes fell to the floor.
Baralai's robes swished softly as the two watched him walk over to stand in front of the large window, the afternoon sun casting a brilliant glow on his dark features. He sighed softly.
"When that person gets what it is that's drawing them back here, they'll be able to rest," he answered quietly.
***
Yuna's eyes squinted in the darkness. She struggled to focus her vision in the cave's poor light, trying to look for the silver bracelet. Spinning around on her heel, she turned to head back to Tidus in defeat.
She saw him look up as she approached.
"Any luck?" he asked her.
"None," Yuna replied.
She watched him head down the left path, scanning the ground quickly. Deciding to follow him, she looked at the ground as well.
After another moment, she heard Tidus chuckle softly before he bent down. Running over to him, she saw the unmistakable glint of the bracelet dangling from his fingers.
"Found it," he said.
She smiled. "Good."
He stopped to fasten the jewelry back on his wrist. Yuna watched him and giggled. He looked up at her, blue eyes curious.
"What?"
She clasped her hands behind her back. "Don't you always wear it on your other hand?" Yuna asked.
Tidus looked down at his wrist and chuckled nervously. "Ah, you're right," he said while fastening the bracelet on his other hand.
Yuna suddenly stopped laughing and watched him seriously. She noticed that he had been acting strangely since the previous night. Not only that, but she could tell that he hadn't been doing the same things he normally did. He had been reluctant to hold her hand earlier that day, and although Yuna was slightly embarrassed to admit it as well, she noticed that he had kissed her differently - almost as if he had changed overnight. She shook her head of the unwanted thoughts and focused on him once more.
"Ready?" Tidus suddenly asked her, beginning to walk towards the cave's exit.
She turned to him, hoping he hadn't caught on to her suspicion. "Ready," Yuna agreed.
***
"Impossible. Two cannot simply return back to the world in the way you are describing it."
"Yes, but they are both there now," a childlike voice spoke, soft but wise beyond its years.
"And what's worse! One is merely a shadow of the other!" the other voice spoke, louder and more fully this time. "Can you even claim that they are separate entities?"
The hood fell over the child's eyes in shame, hiding the dark eyes beneath.
"You will correct this problem."
The child looked up at the other figure. "What?"
"If the problem is not fixed, I will bring one of them back here myself," the voice continued on. He stepped into the darkness of the shadows, crossing his arms at the child.
"But how can they both be there at the same time at the same place?" the child spoke, turning his back on the other figure.
"There is a balance that must not be disturbed. It seems as if one appeared soon after the other left," the voice responded solemnly.
The child hesitated, but the voice continued to speak.
"Do you understand what he is?"
"I am unsure now.." the child replied quietly.
The other figure began to walk, the distinct sound of a robe brushing the ground gently as the figure moved toward the center.
"The dream has been reborn," the voice began. There was a brief pause. "And the fayth has granted the wish by letting the dream continue on."
The child turned to face the dark figure, a small pyrefly forming from one of the arms, the faint shimmer of light reflecting upon the child's face.
"Yet what of the other? Must we assume that he is of no importance?" the voice asked, the sound echoing in the still silence.
"Yes, but she hadn't willed him to return," the child answered.
The figure paused and turned to the child. "Ah, but can you correctly assume that this is so? How are you sure she did not want the true entity to return?"
There was another moment of silence between the two before the child spoke. "Because I saw the way they acted when they were together. I know she was close to him and I felt how strong their connection was," the child answered.
There was a soft chuckle from the other figure. "Don't you find it rather ironic that the dream has been given another chance and the true one has not?" the voice asked.
"I do not know.." the child replied quietly.
"Ah, but you do know," the voice replied. The cloak continued to brush the ground as the child watched the figure turn his back. "You see, it seems that there are two possibilities that can explain why they are both there now."
A pause.
"You said that she had originally intended only the dream to return, yet that does not explain the true entity's sudden reappearance. If I am assuming that what you had mentioned is correct, then her bond with the dream is strong, so he is there with her now. Yet who or what had summoned the real one to return as well?" the voice asked.
The child did not reply but continued to listen.
"There are only two ways in which one can return, yet they all have one aspect that is in relation to each other. If there is something in the real world in which they hold dear to them long after departure, then their feelings will be so powerful that it allows them to return to the world once again, if only for a brief moment."
"And what is the other reason?" the child asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
The figure began to chuckle lowly once more. "The answer is simple, yet I still do not understand how it could have occurred," the voice began. "The only other explanation to this matter is that she has made them both return through her will."
The child's hood fell slightly, the light revealing a glimpse of the dark eyes that lay beneath. "But how can she hold feelings that strong for both to return?" the child asked incredulously.
"Interesting indeed. Yet one fact is certain," the other replied. "Now that they are both there, their presence has caused an imbalance in the planes. If her bond falters with even one of them, then they will disappear forever."
"But you said they were not even separate entities."
"I did say that didn't I? Well, I suppose that is true to an extent, yet their return to the world gives them one more chance at living, and it's up to the girl to determine which of them stays."
** End of Chapter 8 **
A/N: Ok, I feel that I should explain a few things first. I'm sure that those who have completed FFX and FFX-2 know which two people I'm referring to in the last dialogue above. To those who have not finished FFX or X-2 yet, this may not make any sense, and it's a spoiler for both games.
** For those who have not finished FFX or FFX-2 AND don't care if I spoil it for you**, here's what I'm trying to explain in the dialogue:
**STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT IT SPOILED** =)
In FFX, Tidus was a dream of the fayth. The fayth had dreamt of the old Zanarkand from their memories, and Tidus was among this dream. Coincidentally in FFX-2, the game elaborates more on this story of the Zanarkand dream in an indirect way when they reveal Shuyin's story. Shuyin lived in the real Zanarkand during the war with Bevelle and he and Lenne died in their time. Shuyin was a real person in the real Zanarkand. When the fayth dreamed of Zanarkand based on their memories of the city, Shuyin was among this memory, so it is assumed that Tidus is the dream of who Shuyin was in the real Zanarkand 1000 years ago. Hence why they look so similar to each other.
** END OF SPOILER **
Also, to any who do not know yet, Tidus is possessed by Shuyin at this very moment in the story. When the two figures were speaking in the above dialogue, there is a reference to this when one of them mentions how they are "not even separate entities of each other" which explains that Tidus is the dream of Shuyin, so they aren't totally "separate." Yet this story makes them completely different people, which they are. But at this moment, they are in one body. It all adds to what I'm trying to tell in the story, so I hope this clears up some confusion for some people, and I will elaborate more in future chapters of course.
Until then. ^^