A/N: Alright here we go. This is quite possibility one of my favorite
moments in the entire story, so I made sure to make this chapter as good as
possible.
I can't thank everyone enough for their support through this entire experience with the story so far. We're almost done with the fic, but I'm not sure if I want to make Chapter 16 the last chapter or if I want Chapter 17 to close it. We'll just see later on and if I want to include a surprise for the end as well. ^_~
One more thing. What do you all think about a possible GippalxRikku fic for the future? I've received a few questions wondering if I'd ever consider it, and it's a possibility. I can't make any promises though since my schedule is full as of late, but I'm toying with the idea of this pairing. As for the plot, I'm not entirely sure what I want to incorporate into it, but I have a faint idea in my head right now that I haven't seen anyone do yet, and I want to try it out. The only thing I can tell everyone is this: if you've played FFX-2 and speak to Rikku again on the deck of the Celsius near the very very very end of the game before entering the Farplane for the third time, the dialogue that Yuna has with Rikku is what I'm referring to. That's going to be the basis of my story along with more of course. It's such a turning point in Rikku's character in my opinion, and it was a bold move on Square's part to wait to show it until the very end. I want to expand more on what Rikku says in a GippalxRikku story since I was expecting her to talk more about her feelings. Besides, I think this couple is adorable. ^^
But for now, here's the chapter that people have been waiting anxiously for and have been biting their nails over. Enjoy it everyone. =)
** Chapter 15 **
Tidus drew his blade out in one quick motion and prepared for the attack. He hadn't fought in nearly two years, but he could still feel his anger welling up from the thought of what Shuyin did.
He raised a gloved hand and beckoned Shuyin and Lenne over, trying to provoke them.
"Show me what you got," Tidus mocked them, clutching his sword tightly in one hand.
Lenne's eyes narrowed at him. "Silly boy. You are still too naïve to understand anything," she spoke. Raising her staff high into the air, the wind began to blow furiously. Yuna watched as Tidus' body froze, an expression of shock plastered on his face from the Stop spell.
A movement caught the corner of her eye as she saw that Shuyin had moved dangerously close to her while she was staring in horror at Tidus. Turning to look at him, she began to back away but no sooner saw the glint in his eyes as he swung the sword at her mercilessly.
Yuna threw herself on the ground as the blade barely missed her exposed shoulder. Her eyes flew to him in shock, and the blade landed with a high shrieking noise in the dirt where she felll.
Shuyin looked down at her with no emotion in his eyes as he raised his sword at her once more.
"N-no..." Yuna whispered, the realization of death looming ahead. Her eyes widened as Shuyin came closer. Yuna glanced back to where Tidus was, his body still frozen in mid-attack. She was alone now.
"I won't let you leave here," Shuyin stated plainly. His sword came up once more and he smirked at her as Yuna watched him, frozen from the shock. He swung.
Trying to compose herself, she threw her body away from the blade's sharp surface and winced as her shoulder hit the hard ground. She felt a trickle roll down the side of her head and wiped it away with the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw that it was her own blood. Yuna winced again as she tried to move her ankle. A burning, painful sensation shot through her leg as she tried to move it.
Rolling herself away at a safe distance, she reached behind and felt the familiar coolness of the pistols resting at her hips. With one smooth motion she drew her weapons and fired at Shuyin twice as she rolled safely away.
But Shuyin was quicker. He dodged the two bullets as it grazed his upper arm, tearing the fabric and piercing the skin underneath as pyreflies promptly began to erupt from the wound. He looked down at himself and laughed at her attempts.
"You think you can kill me? I'm already DEAD, remember?" he said to Yuna.
She watched in silent horror as Lenne raised her staff once more. The ornament released a faint glow before the wind picked up and began to blow violently once more. Yuna's eyes widened in horror as the two began to approach her. She could hear her heart pounding loudly in her chest, dots beginning to dance in her eyes as her blood was pumping too fast in her head. She began to feel lightheaded as time began to slow down. Yuna could no longer hear what Shuyin and Lenne were saying. She only saw their mouths move as memories of her life sparked quickly in her mind.
Yuna always thought that it was strange whenever people told her about their near-death experiences and how their lives at flashed before them. These were the people that had survived danger and lived to tell her of their experiences. Now she understood what they meant and how they felt.
She remembered when she was a young girl in Bevelle and how her father had carried her through the temples while her small hands had reached up toward the statues of Lady Yunalesca. Although Yuna was still very young and her mind could not understand everything yet, she could still hear her father's words as clearly as if they were a tangible thing.
"You were named after that lady, Yuna," Braska had whispered softly to her as her small hands had clutched his robes. "Your name comes from her, Yuna. She saved our world once a very long time ago, and gave us all another chance at life. Now it's my turn, Yuna. It's my turn to save Spira and give you a chance at living as well."
His words were so soft as he told her this, but she never understood why his voice seemed to tremble as he finished. She had looked up into his face to see a tear fall from his eye and land gently on her cheek. Now she understood that he was silently saying goodbye to her. The next morning, Braska had left, and Yuna remembered riding on the back of a large creature with blue fur. He was very kind to her and held her very gently on his back. Kimahri had always been a loyal guardian...and an irreplaceable friend.
She remembered Wakka and Lulu and her home in Besaid where her years leading up to being a Summoner had carried her. They had acted like the siblings she never had, always watching over her and acting much wiser than their years had revealed.
An image of Tidus flashed in front of her eyes as she first saw him from above the temple steps. It was on the same day that she had become a Summoner, and that night when they first spoke to each other, Yuna could feel it. She felt that he was different, as if he was from another world. But her heart could not deny it. She felt his warmth and kindness when they spoke again on the boat, and how her feelings had started to grow for him. Her eyes began to water.
Rikku and Paine -- the two people who had kept her smiling when Tidus was not there. Their tears, laughter, joy, and strength as friends together could never be replaced. They were the rare and loyal friends one always sought but hardly ever found. But Yuna was one of the lucky ones. She had found them, and the thought of leaving them was painful.
Her vision cleared once more and she looked ahead to see Shuyin and Lenne standing before her, the wind blowing their hair wildly about, eyes cold and uncaring.
'This is it...everyone...I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them...'
Two more tears leaked from her eyes before she felt nothing more. She had no more tears left to cry.
She raised her eyes up once more, and froze as a red cloak grazed her face softly, an unknown person standing directly in front of her. A glow resonated from the figure's body as his figure was illuminated with pyreflies. Yuna's eyes followed the red cloak up past a high collar and saw the silver-streaked dark hair behind it. She looked down and saw the unmistakable heavy sword on his waist as a white jug hung on his hip.
"S-Sir Auron...?" Yuna asked in disbelief as her eyes registered his form in pure shock. She winced again as another sensation of pain shot through her leg.
"It's not your time yet, Yuna," Auron's voice echoed. He turned around and regarded her through his dark glasses.
Shuyin and Lenne stopped in mid-step as they watched the red-cloaked guardian standing in front of Yuna.
Auron bent down and studied her leg carefully. Yuna watched her former guardian with soft eyes as he remained in front of her. His body glowed brightly from the energy of the pyreflies that surrounded him.
"You'll save yourselves," Auron spoke gently. Yuna watched as his hand hovered over her ankle as a faint glow was released. She could feel a cooling sensation replacing the pain on her ankle until she felt nothing. Her eyes trailed up to Auron's face.
"You're healed. Now go," he said quietly, his form beginning to fade once again. Stopping once, Auron turned back around to look at her.
"Remember Yuna, your friends are always with you."
Yuna looked on and raised a hand out to him, trying to grasp his fading form.
"Sir Auron...thank you..." she whispered. Auron nodded once to her and a bright light shot out from his body, the pyreflies taking over once more. Then he was gone.
"My, my. Not strong enough to save yourself, are you?" Shuyin's voice suddenly spoke.
Yuna's eyes flew to him. She stood up on both feet, the pain in her ankle now gone. Her gaze drifted over to Tidus. She paused as a flicker of movement caught her eye. Did he just move? Deciding that there was no other person that could help her, Yuna brushed her hair out of her eyes as she tried to figure out how to save Tidus. She carried no healing items with her, and no dresspheres at all. Mentally chastising herself for being so unprepared, she focused her attention on the bigger problem.
"You are outnumbered, Yuna. There is no one left to help you," Shuyin continued to speak.
Suddenly, he unleashed a cry and swung at her, the blade just barely missing her again. Yuna saw from the corner of her eyes that Lenne had stopped. The other woman was standing on the other side of the garden with a horrified expression on her face as she watched Shuyin.
"Sh-Shuyin...what...what are you doing?!!" Lenne screamed, one hand coming up to her mouth in shock. It appeared that she was back to normal again, the original color returning to her eyes.
Shuyin turned to her furiously after hearing her words.
"So, you were able to break my spell? Are you going to betray me as well, Lenne?" he sneered at her.
Lenne fell to her knees and cradled her head. "Who has possessed you? The real Shuyin would never do this!!" she exclaimed at him.
Yuna paused as Shuyin had stopped in mid-attack. She backed slowly away and inched her way to Tidus' frozen form quietly. Stealing a quick glance at Shuyin, she saw that he was not looking in her direction. Yuna turned her gaze back to Tidus and touched his face with one hand. She shook his shoulder's gently, trying to shake him from the spell. In all her years fighting, Yuna had not known any other way to cure a Stop spell except with an Esuna spell. She looked into Tidus' blue eyes hopefully, trying to reach his soul.
"Please, look at me..." Yuna pleaded with him, trying to keep her voice low. She looked back at Shuyin and Lenne. They were still arguing with each other. Yuna turned back to Tidus.
"I need you now. More than I ever did before," she whispered to him again. One hand grasped his still hand. "Come back..." Yuna continued to plead.
"He cannot hear you now," a voice spoke from behind her.
Yuna almost choked on her own tongue when she heard Shuyin's voice. Her eyes drifted over to Lenne, who was standing behind him with a sad and mournful expression on her face.
"Shuyin, please. Stop this..." Lenne spoke.
"As soon as I kill you two, the process will be complete. Your friends will end up bringing Lenne and I back instead of you, and we will finally be reborn again," Shuyin continued to speak.
Her head bowed low, Lenne's eyes filled with tears as she ran to Shuyin.
Yuna gasped quietly as Lenne snatched Shuyin's sword from his hand and pointed it at herself. Shuyin watched with fear-filled eyes as the blade hovered dangerously close to Lenne's heart.
"Y-You can't kill yourself, Lenne. We're already dead and-" Shuyin began, yet was promptly interrupted by Lenne.
"Our bodies ARE dead, Shuyin. But what will happen if I kill my spirit as well?" she questioned.
Shuyin seemed to freeze when she said this. "But you wouldn't-"
"I will if you don't stop this," Lenne declared. She raised her arm and slashed it quickly in front of Shuyin's horrified eyes. Pyreflies immediately began escaping from where the wound was. Shuyin watched as her arm began to grow translucent.
"You want to lose her again?" Yuna heard someone speak. She slowly turned around and met the blue eyes of Tidus. He raised a hand to draw her body near him protectively. Yuna choked back a sob from her joy and relief.
"Thank goodness you're back," she said.
He smiled weakly at her but suddenly let go. Yuna watched as Tidus picked up his sword where it had fell and advanced towards Shuyin.
Shuyin raised an eyebrow at him. "I see you've finally come to," he began with amusement.
"Takes more than that to slow me down," Tidus replied coolly.
Before Yuna could even open her mouth, Shuyin had swung his blade down suddenly just as Tidus had blocked the attack, their blades letting out a loud, metallic shriek as the swords clanged. Shuyin grunted and slashed out towards Tidus again. This time Tidus was too slow and he winced painfully as the blade had sliced the surface of his exposed chest.
"Hmph. So much for being the 'dream' of me," Shuyin mocked. He raised his blade again.
Tidus had looked up just in time to deflect the attack with one of his own. The sword slashed right through Shuyin's body, pyreflies erupting from the opening. Yuna watched with wide eyes as the gash closed again, as if Shuyin was never hit.
He looked up at Tidus triumphantly. "Told you I was already dead."
Tidus froze. "Damn..." he cursed under his breath.
Lenne shook her head violently as she watched the two men fighting. But suddenly she stopped. Yuna's eyes followed after her as she walked towards the two.
"Shuyin," she suddenly spoke, her voice surprisingly even. This surprised Shuyin as well. He turned to her.
"Your true form has returned," Lenne whispered. Her hand gestured to the empty space next to her as a swirl of pyreflies began to take shape. First the head, then the body, and finally the face. Yuna watched in stunned silence as another vision of Shuyin had taken form.
"I-It can't be!!" Shuyin yelled as he saw his other form standing before him. The other Shuyin simply stood still with his eyes closed, pyreflies swirling about his bright silhouette as his golden hair fluttered in from the breeze.
"I-I had abandoned those feelings long ago!" Shuyin said quietly as he stared at his other form.
"You abandoned the person you once were," Lenne's voice trembled. A solitary tear trailed down her face. "Y-you forgot about the Shuyin I fell in love with and now look at you..." Lenne sobbed, her voice cracking.
Yuna clutched Tidus, the emotion Lenne was displaying wrenching her heart as well. Tidus held her gently on his side as the two watched the other couple in silence.
"I want you to go back, Shuyin. Go back to your old self," Lenne whispered as her hands gestured towards the other spirit of Shuyin.
He suddenly dropped his sword, as if he forgot about fighting. Yuna watched as Shuyin's eyes stared straight ahead at Lenne and his other apparition. He suddenly fell to his knees with a look of pure pain and agony across his face. The color in his skin drained and his pupils turned a frightening shade of dark blue. Yuna held onto Tidus in fear as Shuyin began to shake his head violently from side to side, his breaths coming out in short, almost choking sounds.
Shuyin looked up at Yuna and Tidus, his face full of sorrow and pain. Yuna could see the perspiration on his forehead as he met their gaze with sad eyes.
"K-Kill m-me..."
Yuna felt Tidus hold onto her more tightly as the two watched Shuyin in frozen shock.
"Do it...and I can finally cease to become this 'shadow' that I have become...please..." Shuyin continued to whisper, his eyes looking back at his other apparition standing next Lenne.
Yuna looked from Shuyin to Lenne in a desperate attempt. The other woman gently nodded once to Yuna before her eyes promptly started to fill with tears. Nevertheless, she smiled at Yuna sadly.
"Don't worry, Yuna. Shuyin can finally reunite with his real self and cast away this shadow that he has become," Lenne whispered. She couldn't believe she was encouraging another to kill her love. But...it was the only way to save him.
Shuyin met Yuna's gaze again. "I...I'm ready. The anger and loneliness I've felt all these years..." he paused and turned to Lenne. "I've forgotten why I was so angry. But you've made me remember," Shuyin continued. He looked at his apparition in silence.
"Yes, that's who I was. I remember now. It's been so long since I've been that Shuyin, but I was him. The only thing I wanted to do was save you...Lenne..." he spoke softly.
Yuna listened, her eyes beginning to water. Her heart felt heavy. Tidus said nothing but watched in silence.
"I wanted to destroy everything when they took you away from me...I vowed that one day we would be together again. No matter what happened...and no matter how long it took. I knew that one day I would find a way for us to be together..." Shuyin paused. He stood up this time and walked slowly over to Lenne.
She was crying, the tears cascading down her face as she listened to him.
"It's taken a thousand years...but here we are. I didn't accept it the first time...I-I wanted more for us. I wanted us to live as real people again and experience life...but..." Shuyin trailed off.
"...but our time is finished here, Shuyin," Lenne spoke sadly. She raised a hand to brush the hair away from his face gently. "This time we can rest together. I'm here now."
Yuna watched as Shuyin turned slowly around to smile at her sadly.
"I'm ready, Yuna. Kill me, and I can join my spirit," he spoke, voice even.
Yuna's eyes flew to Tidus. He was staring back at her sadly, his blue orbs clouded. With one short nod, he backed away from her.
Shuyin stood opposite Yuna, his arms held out to his sides. Nodding once to Yuna as well, he smiled weakly at her.
Yuna's hands trembled. "I-I can't...I can't do this!!" she screamed at them. Her eyes landed on Lenne. She was still crying, her bright eyes glistening. Shuyin stood next to her.
"Save us, Yuna. Save me..." he whispered.
The wind seemed to stop this time, leaving only the still of silence. Yuna felt her hands gripping the cool surface of her pistols as she raised them up.
It was strange actually. A moment ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to shoot him. Now however, it was...different. It felt wrong and was the last thing she would have done at that moment. Yuna could see the pain it caused Lenne, and also the pain it caused Shuyin. Both were trapped in an eternal struggle to free themselves from the chains of betrayal. Shuyin had wandered as a shadow for more than a thousand years, and the pain and emptiness were so strong that he had become a different person. He had become a shadow of himself.
Yuna's eyes drifted over to Shuyin's apparition. That was the real Shuyin, and she needed to save them both.
Her hands steadied themselves. She couldn't seem to stop trembling as a tear leaked from her eye. Yuna's finger hovered near the trigger as she looked at Shuyin one last time. He nodded to her again, and closed his eyes sadly.
"Do it."
As if time began to slow down, she felt herself pull the trigger. The deafening shot rang in her ears as she watched the bullet spark and fly out of the gun, the sound making her sick to her stomach. Her eyes flew up to Shuyin and she saw a single tear fall from his eye before the bullet entered his body. He simply stood there, his face looking up into the sky. Pyreflies immediately began to fly out from the wound.
Yuna gasped in horror as she dropped the gun. Tidus ran to her side.
"Wh-what have I done?" her voice trembled as she buried her face in Tidus' chest.
He looked over to Shuyin. "Yuna, look..." he whispered.
Yuna forced herself to glance over at Shuyin and Lenne once more. Through her tears, she saw something that made her heart stop.
As she watched, the apparition of Shuyin suddenly entered his body. Lenne stood back and waited for the two spirits to join as a bright explosion of light was released. Pyreflies erupted as Shuyin stepped into his apparition. After the last of the pyreflies had vanished into Shuyin's body, the joining was complete.
Casting one last glance and Tidus and Yuna, Shuyin spoke one last time.
"Please forgive me for the trouble I've caused you both," his voice echoed.
"Forgive me as well, Yuna..." Lenne spoke.
Yuna wiped her eyes hastily with one hand and watched in silence. Lenne stepped over to Shuyin and they embraced each other. As their bodies began to grow translucent and the pyreflies emitted a bright glow from their forms, the couple turned one last time to them.
"We can finally rest now," they both spoke at the same time, their apparitions barely visible.
After another moment, the spirits of Shuyin and Lenne had vanished completely.
"Thank you..." their voices echoed one final time.
Yuna stood up and walked over to the spot where they had stood. She felt Tidus reach down to hold her hand as he stared ahead. She looked up into the now-blue sky where they had faded away.
Although her heart carried the burden of what she had just done to Shuyin, she was glad that she had helped the couple find peace. Shuyin and Lenne's struggles had finally ended, and the two could now rest knowing that they had found forever.
A gentle nudge shook Yuna out of her thoughts. Her eyes drifted over to Tidus and she saw what was happening to them.
"Yuna...I think we can finally go home," he spoke as his hands grasped her's gently. His body was beginning to fade again.
She looked down at herself and nodded with a hopeful smile. Yuna could barely see her hands as she watched herself begin to fade as well. Joining their hands together, she looked up into the clear sky and then back at him.
"Let's go home."
** End of Chapter 15 **
A/N: Final chapter coming soon.
I can't thank everyone enough for their support through this entire experience with the story so far. We're almost done with the fic, but I'm not sure if I want to make Chapter 16 the last chapter or if I want Chapter 17 to close it. We'll just see later on and if I want to include a surprise for the end as well. ^_~
One more thing. What do you all think about a possible GippalxRikku fic for the future? I've received a few questions wondering if I'd ever consider it, and it's a possibility. I can't make any promises though since my schedule is full as of late, but I'm toying with the idea of this pairing. As for the plot, I'm not entirely sure what I want to incorporate into it, but I have a faint idea in my head right now that I haven't seen anyone do yet, and I want to try it out. The only thing I can tell everyone is this: if you've played FFX-2 and speak to Rikku again on the deck of the Celsius near the very very very end of the game before entering the Farplane for the third time, the dialogue that Yuna has with Rikku is what I'm referring to. That's going to be the basis of my story along with more of course. It's such a turning point in Rikku's character in my opinion, and it was a bold move on Square's part to wait to show it until the very end. I want to expand more on what Rikku says in a GippalxRikku story since I was expecting her to talk more about her feelings. Besides, I think this couple is adorable. ^^
But for now, here's the chapter that people have been waiting anxiously for and have been biting their nails over. Enjoy it everyone. =)
** Chapter 15 **
Tidus drew his blade out in one quick motion and prepared for the attack. He hadn't fought in nearly two years, but he could still feel his anger welling up from the thought of what Shuyin did.
He raised a gloved hand and beckoned Shuyin and Lenne over, trying to provoke them.
"Show me what you got," Tidus mocked them, clutching his sword tightly in one hand.
Lenne's eyes narrowed at him. "Silly boy. You are still too naïve to understand anything," she spoke. Raising her staff high into the air, the wind began to blow furiously. Yuna watched as Tidus' body froze, an expression of shock plastered on his face from the Stop spell.
A movement caught the corner of her eye as she saw that Shuyin had moved dangerously close to her while she was staring in horror at Tidus. Turning to look at him, she began to back away but no sooner saw the glint in his eyes as he swung the sword at her mercilessly.
Yuna threw herself on the ground as the blade barely missed her exposed shoulder. Her eyes flew to him in shock, and the blade landed with a high shrieking noise in the dirt where she felll.
Shuyin looked down at her with no emotion in his eyes as he raised his sword at her once more.
"N-no..." Yuna whispered, the realization of death looming ahead. Her eyes widened as Shuyin came closer. Yuna glanced back to where Tidus was, his body still frozen in mid-attack. She was alone now.
"I won't let you leave here," Shuyin stated plainly. His sword came up once more and he smirked at her as Yuna watched him, frozen from the shock. He swung.
Trying to compose herself, she threw her body away from the blade's sharp surface and winced as her shoulder hit the hard ground. She felt a trickle roll down the side of her head and wiped it away with the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw that it was her own blood. Yuna winced again as she tried to move her ankle. A burning, painful sensation shot through her leg as she tried to move it.
Rolling herself away at a safe distance, she reached behind and felt the familiar coolness of the pistols resting at her hips. With one smooth motion she drew her weapons and fired at Shuyin twice as she rolled safely away.
But Shuyin was quicker. He dodged the two bullets as it grazed his upper arm, tearing the fabric and piercing the skin underneath as pyreflies promptly began to erupt from the wound. He looked down at himself and laughed at her attempts.
"You think you can kill me? I'm already DEAD, remember?" he said to Yuna.
She watched in silent horror as Lenne raised her staff once more. The ornament released a faint glow before the wind picked up and began to blow violently once more. Yuna's eyes widened in horror as the two began to approach her. She could hear her heart pounding loudly in her chest, dots beginning to dance in her eyes as her blood was pumping too fast in her head. She began to feel lightheaded as time began to slow down. Yuna could no longer hear what Shuyin and Lenne were saying. She only saw their mouths move as memories of her life sparked quickly in her mind.
Yuna always thought that it was strange whenever people told her about their near-death experiences and how their lives at flashed before them. These were the people that had survived danger and lived to tell her of their experiences. Now she understood what they meant and how they felt.
She remembered when she was a young girl in Bevelle and how her father had carried her through the temples while her small hands had reached up toward the statues of Lady Yunalesca. Although Yuna was still very young and her mind could not understand everything yet, she could still hear her father's words as clearly as if they were a tangible thing.
"You were named after that lady, Yuna," Braska had whispered softly to her as her small hands had clutched his robes. "Your name comes from her, Yuna. She saved our world once a very long time ago, and gave us all another chance at life. Now it's my turn, Yuna. It's my turn to save Spira and give you a chance at living as well."
His words were so soft as he told her this, but she never understood why his voice seemed to tremble as he finished. She had looked up into his face to see a tear fall from his eye and land gently on her cheek. Now she understood that he was silently saying goodbye to her. The next morning, Braska had left, and Yuna remembered riding on the back of a large creature with blue fur. He was very kind to her and held her very gently on his back. Kimahri had always been a loyal guardian...and an irreplaceable friend.
She remembered Wakka and Lulu and her home in Besaid where her years leading up to being a Summoner had carried her. They had acted like the siblings she never had, always watching over her and acting much wiser than their years had revealed.
An image of Tidus flashed in front of her eyes as she first saw him from above the temple steps. It was on the same day that she had become a Summoner, and that night when they first spoke to each other, Yuna could feel it. She felt that he was different, as if he was from another world. But her heart could not deny it. She felt his warmth and kindness when they spoke again on the boat, and how her feelings had started to grow for him. Her eyes began to water.
Rikku and Paine -- the two people who had kept her smiling when Tidus was not there. Their tears, laughter, joy, and strength as friends together could never be replaced. They were the rare and loyal friends one always sought but hardly ever found. But Yuna was one of the lucky ones. She had found them, and the thought of leaving them was painful.
Her vision cleared once more and she looked ahead to see Shuyin and Lenne standing before her, the wind blowing their hair wildly about, eyes cold and uncaring.
'This is it...everyone...I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them...'
Two more tears leaked from her eyes before she felt nothing more. She had no more tears left to cry.
She raised her eyes up once more, and froze as a red cloak grazed her face softly, an unknown person standing directly in front of her. A glow resonated from the figure's body as his figure was illuminated with pyreflies. Yuna's eyes followed the red cloak up past a high collar and saw the silver-streaked dark hair behind it. She looked down and saw the unmistakable heavy sword on his waist as a white jug hung on his hip.
"S-Sir Auron...?" Yuna asked in disbelief as her eyes registered his form in pure shock. She winced again as another sensation of pain shot through her leg.
"It's not your time yet, Yuna," Auron's voice echoed. He turned around and regarded her through his dark glasses.
Shuyin and Lenne stopped in mid-step as they watched the red-cloaked guardian standing in front of Yuna.
Auron bent down and studied her leg carefully. Yuna watched her former guardian with soft eyes as he remained in front of her. His body glowed brightly from the energy of the pyreflies that surrounded him.
"You'll save yourselves," Auron spoke gently. Yuna watched as his hand hovered over her ankle as a faint glow was released. She could feel a cooling sensation replacing the pain on her ankle until she felt nothing. Her eyes trailed up to Auron's face.
"You're healed. Now go," he said quietly, his form beginning to fade once again. Stopping once, Auron turned back around to look at her.
"Remember Yuna, your friends are always with you."
Yuna looked on and raised a hand out to him, trying to grasp his fading form.
"Sir Auron...thank you..." she whispered. Auron nodded once to her and a bright light shot out from his body, the pyreflies taking over once more. Then he was gone.
"My, my. Not strong enough to save yourself, are you?" Shuyin's voice suddenly spoke.
Yuna's eyes flew to him. She stood up on both feet, the pain in her ankle now gone. Her gaze drifted over to Tidus. She paused as a flicker of movement caught her eye. Did he just move? Deciding that there was no other person that could help her, Yuna brushed her hair out of her eyes as she tried to figure out how to save Tidus. She carried no healing items with her, and no dresspheres at all. Mentally chastising herself for being so unprepared, she focused her attention on the bigger problem.
"You are outnumbered, Yuna. There is no one left to help you," Shuyin continued to speak.
Suddenly, he unleashed a cry and swung at her, the blade just barely missing her again. Yuna saw from the corner of her eyes that Lenne had stopped. The other woman was standing on the other side of the garden with a horrified expression on her face as she watched Shuyin.
"Sh-Shuyin...what...what are you doing?!!" Lenne screamed, one hand coming up to her mouth in shock. It appeared that she was back to normal again, the original color returning to her eyes.
Shuyin turned to her furiously after hearing her words.
"So, you were able to break my spell? Are you going to betray me as well, Lenne?" he sneered at her.
Lenne fell to her knees and cradled her head. "Who has possessed you? The real Shuyin would never do this!!" she exclaimed at him.
Yuna paused as Shuyin had stopped in mid-attack. She backed slowly away and inched her way to Tidus' frozen form quietly. Stealing a quick glance at Shuyin, she saw that he was not looking in her direction. Yuna turned her gaze back to Tidus and touched his face with one hand. She shook his shoulder's gently, trying to shake him from the spell. In all her years fighting, Yuna had not known any other way to cure a Stop spell except with an Esuna spell. She looked into Tidus' blue eyes hopefully, trying to reach his soul.
"Please, look at me..." Yuna pleaded with him, trying to keep her voice low. She looked back at Shuyin and Lenne. They were still arguing with each other. Yuna turned back to Tidus.
"I need you now. More than I ever did before," she whispered to him again. One hand grasped his still hand. "Come back..." Yuna continued to plead.
"He cannot hear you now," a voice spoke from behind her.
Yuna almost choked on her own tongue when she heard Shuyin's voice. Her eyes drifted over to Lenne, who was standing behind him with a sad and mournful expression on her face.
"Shuyin, please. Stop this..." Lenne spoke.
"As soon as I kill you two, the process will be complete. Your friends will end up bringing Lenne and I back instead of you, and we will finally be reborn again," Shuyin continued to speak.
Her head bowed low, Lenne's eyes filled with tears as she ran to Shuyin.
Yuna gasped quietly as Lenne snatched Shuyin's sword from his hand and pointed it at herself. Shuyin watched with fear-filled eyes as the blade hovered dangerously close to Lenne's heart.
"Y-You can't kill yourself, Lenne. We're already dead and-" Shuyin began, yet was promptly interrupted by Lenne.
"Our bodies ARE dead, Shuyin. But what will happen if I kill my spirit as well?" she questioned.
Shuyin seemed to freeze when she said this. "But you wouldn't-"
"I will if you don't stop this," Lenne declared. She raised her arm and slashed it quickly in front of Shuyin's horrified eyes. Pyreflies immediately began escaping from where the wound was. Shuyin watched as her arm began to grow translucent.
"You want to lose her again?" Yuna heard someone speak. She slowly turned around and met the blue eyes of Tidus. He raised a hand to draw her body near him protectively. Yuna choked back a sob from her joy and relief.
"Thank goodness you're back," she said.
He smiled weakly at her but suddenly let go. Yuna watched as Tidus picked up his sword where it had fell and advanced towards Shuyin.
Shuyin raised an eyebrow at him. "I see you've finally come to," he began with amusement.
"Takes more than that to slow me down," Tidus replied coolly.
Before Yuna could even open her mouth, Shuyin had swung his blade down suddenly just as Tidus had blocked the attack, their blades letting out a loud, metallic shriek as the swords clanged. Shuyin grunted and slashed out towards Tidus again. This time Tidus was too slow and he winced painfully as the blade had sliced the surface of his exposed chest.
"Hmph. So much for being the 'dream' of me," Shuyin mocked. He raised his blade again.
Tidus had looked up just in time to deflect the attack with one of his own. The sword slashed right through Shuyin's body, pyreflies erupting from the opening. Yuna watched with wide eyes as the gash closed again, as if Shuyin was never hit.
He looked up at Tidus triumphantly. "Told you I was already dead."
Tidus froze. "Damn..." he cursed under his breath.
Lenne shook her head violently as she watched the two men fighting. But suddenly she stopped. Yuna's eyes followed after her as she walked towards the two.
"Shuyin," she suddenly spoke, her voice surprisingly even. This surprised Shuyin as well. He turned to her.
"Your true form has returned," Lenne whispered. Her hand gestured to the empty space next to her as a swirl of pyreflies began to take shape. First the head, then the body, and finally the face. Yuna watched in stunned silence as another vision of Shuyin had taken form.
"I-It can't be!!" Shuyin yelled as he saw his other form standing before him. The other Shuyin simply stood still with his eyes closed, pyreflies swirling about his bright silhouette as his golden hair fluttered in from the breeze.
"I-I had abandoned those feelings long ago!" Shuyin said quietly as he stared at his other form.
"You abandoned the person you once were," Lenne's voice trembled. A solitary tear trailed down her face. "Y-you forgot about the Shuyin I fell in love with and now look at you..." Lenne sobbed, her voice cracking.
Yuna clutched Tidus, the emotion Lenne was displaying wrenching her heart as well. Tidus held her gently on his side as the two watched the other couple in silence.
"I want you to go back, Shuyin. Go back to your old self," Lenne whispered as her hands gestured towards the other spirit of Shuyin.
He suddenly dropped his sword, as if he forgot about fighting. Yuna watched as Shuyin's eyes stared straight ahead at Lenne and his other apparition. He suddenly fell to his knees with a look of pure pain and agony across his face. The color in his skin drained and his pupils turned a frightening shade of dark blue. Yuna held onto Tidus in fear as Shuyin began to shake his head violently from side to side, his breaths coming out in short, almost choking sounds.
Shuyin looked up at Yuna and Tidus, his face full of sorrow and pain. Yuna could see the perspiration on his forehead as he met their gaze with sad eyes.
"K-Kill m-me..."
Yuna felt Tidus hold onto her more tightly as the two watched Shuyin in frozen shock.
"Do it...and I can finally cease to become this 'shadow' that I have become...please..." Shuyin continued to whisper, his eyes looking back at his other apparition standing next Lenne.
Yuna looked from Shuyin to Lenne in a desperate attempt. The other woman gently nodded once to Yuna before her eyes promptly started to fill with tears. Nevertheless, she smiled at Yuna sadly.
"Don't worry, Yuna. Shuyin can finally reunite with his real self and cast away this shadow that he has become," Lenne whispered. She couldn't believe she was encouraging another to kill her love. But...it was the only way to save him.
Shuyin met Yuna's gaze again. "I...I'm ready. The anger and loneliness I've felt all these years..." he paused and turned to Lenne. "I've forgotten why I was so angry. But you've made me remember," Shuyin continued. He looked at his apparition in silence.
"Yes, that's who I was. I remember now. It's been so long since I've been that Shuyin, but I was him. The only thing I wanted to do was save you...Lenne..." he spoke softly.
Yuna listened, her eyes beginning to water. Her heart felt heavy. Tidus said nothing but watched in silence.
"I wanted to destroy everything when they took you away from me...I vowed that one day we would be together again. No matter what happened...and no matter how long it took. I knew that one day I would find a way for us to be together..." Shuyin paused. He stood up this time and walked slowly over to Lenne.
She was crying, the tears cascading down her face as she listened to him.
"It's taken a thousand years...but here we are. I didn't accept it the first time...I-I wanted more for us. I wanted us to live as real people again and experience life...but..." Shuyin trailed off.
"...but our time is finished here, Shuyin," Lenne spoke sadly. She raised a hand to brush the hair away from his face gently. "This time we can rest together. I'm here now."
Yuna watched as Shuyin turned slowly around to smile at her sadly.
"I'm ready, Yuna. Kill me, and I can join my spirit," he spoke, voice even.
Yuna's eyes flew to Tidus. He was staring back at her sadly, his blue orbs clouded. With one short nod, he backed away from her.
Shuyin stood opposite Yuna, his arms held out to his sides. Nodding once to Yuna as well, he smiled weakly at her.
Yuna's hands trembled. "I-I can't...I can't do this!!" she screamed at them. Her eyes landed on Lenne. She was still crying, her bright eyes glistening. Shuyin stood next to her.
"Save us, Yuna. Save me..." he whispered.
The wind seemed to stop this time, leaving only the still of silence. Yuna felt her hands gripping the cool surface of her pistols as she raised them up.
It was strange actually. A moment ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to shoot him. Now however, it was...different. It felt wrong and was the last thing she would have done at that moment. Yuna could see the pain it caused Lenne, and also the pain it caused Shuyin. Both were trapped in an eternal struggle to free themselves from the chains of betrayal. Shuyin had wandered as a shadow for more than a thousand years, and the pain and emptiness were so strong that he had become a different person. He had become a shadow of himself.
Yuna's eyes drifted over to Shuyin's apparition. That was the real Shuyin, and she needed to save them both.
Her hands steadied themselves. She couldn't seem to stop trembling as a tear leaked from her eye. Yuna's finger hovered near the trigger as she looked at Shuyin one last time. He nodded to her again, and closed his eyes sadly.
"Do it."
As if time began to slow down, she felt herself pull the trigger. The deafening shot rang in her ears as she watched the bullet spark and fly out of the gun, the sound making her sick to her stomach. Her eyes flew up to Shuyin and she saw a single tear fall from his eye before the bullet entered his body. He simply stood there, his face looking up into the sky. Pyreflies immediately began to fly out from the wound.
Yuna gasped in horror as she dropped the gun. Tidus ran to her side.
"Wh-what have I done?" her voice trembled as she buried her face in Tidus' chest.
He looked over to Shuyin. "Yuna, look..." he whispered.
Yuna forced herself to glance over at Shuyin and Lenne once more. Through her tears, she saw something that made her heart stop.
As she watched, the apparition of Shuyin suddenly entered his body. Lenne stood back and waited for the two spirits to join as a bright explosion of light was released. Pyreflies erupted as Shuyin stepped into his apparition. After the last of the pyreflies had vanished into Shuyin's body, the joining was complete.
Casting one last glance and Tidus and Yuna, Shuyin spoke one last time.
"Please forgive me for the trouble I've caused you both," his voice echoed.
"Forgive me as well, Yuna..." Lenne spoke.
Yuna wiped her eyes hastily with one hand and watched in silence. Lenne stepped over to Shuyin and they embraced each other. As their bodies began to grow translucent and the pyreflies emitted a bright glow from their forms, the couple turned one last time to them.
"We can finally rest now," they both spoke at the same time, their apparitions barely visible.
After another moment, the spirits of Shuyin and Lenne had vanished completely.
"Thank you..." their voices echoed one final time.
Yuna stood up and walked over to the spot where they had stood. She felt Tidus reach down to hold her hand as he stared ahead. She looked up into the now-blue sky where they had faded away.
Although her heart carried the burden of what she had just done to Shuyin, she was glad that she had helped the couple find peace. Shuyin and Lenne's struggles had finally ended, and the two could now rest knowing that they had found forever.
A gentle nudge shook Yuna out of her thoughts. Her eyes drifted over to Tidus and she saw what was happening to them.
"Yuna...I think we can finally go home," he spoke as his hands grasped her's gently. His body was beginning to fade again.
She looked down at herself and nodded with a hopeful smile. Yuna could barely see her hands as she watched herself begin to fade as well. Joining their hands together, she looked up into the clear sky and then back at him.
"Let's go home."
** End of Chapter 15 **
A/N: Final chapter coming soon.