DISCLAIMER:  I do not own any locations, characters, or names associated with Final Fantasy X or Final Fantasy X-2.  I do, however, own this story J

I was on a good streak these past few days, so to thank all of you for the great reviews, I have decided to post the final two chapters of Silver Wings as well as the first chapter to Silver Wings 2 at the same time.  Thanks so much and keep the reviews coming.  They really mean a lot to me!

Author's Notes:  This is a "song chapter".  It's sort of like a "songfic" but instead it's just a chapter.

Below is the last chapter of Silver Wings.  I hope everyone enjoys it.  Leave a review and let me know what you think J

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SILVER WINGS

by akksgurl

Chapter Twenty-One:  1000 Words

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The silence permeated the cave as Shuyin sat in a daze staring at the cave wall.  Lenne wanted to hold him and tell him it would be okay, but she knew he'd only feel cold just like the fayth had said.  She didn't want to add to his discomfort. 

She sat memorizing his face and all the fine dips and curves that made him the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on.  Crawling closer to him, she whispered, "I finished the song I wrote for you.  I was going to sing it for you…but…well, you know what happened.  So why don't I sing it for you now?"  Lenne crawled in front of him and stared into his eyes silently praying that he'd see her, but all he did was stare blankly in front of him.  She needed to reach him.  She needed to try and let him know how much she loved him.  She would only have a few more minutes with him and needed to know that he could sense her there. 

She would sing the song she wrote and her words would reach him.  That was the only chance she had.

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I know that you're hiding things

Using gentle words to shelter me

Your words were like a dream

But dreams could never fool me

Not that easily

Shuyin's breath became ragged as he suddenly climbed to his feet and began clawing frantically at the rock, "Let me out!!  Let me out!!" he shrieked, "I don't want to die in here!!!"

Lenne ran to him and placed her mouth close to his ear.

I acted so distant then

Didn't say good bye before you left

But I was listening

You'll fight your battles far from me

Far too easily

Shuyin calmed down slightly and backed away from the wall.  His fingers grasped the golden locket around his neck before screaming in anger, "Damn Bevelle!  This is their fault!!!"  He spun frantically around, "There's got to be another way out of here!" he shrieked as he began running toward the back of the cavern. 

Lenne watched in tears as Shuyin desperately began scraping at the back walls of the cavern.  She stepped closer to him and wiped a tear from her cheek.  Shuyin sank in despair, "Lennie…." He sobbed, "Lennie…"

Save your tears 'cause I've come back

I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door

But still I swore to hide the pain when I turned back the pages

Shouting might have been the answer

What if I cried my eyes out and begged you not to depart

But now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart

His sobs stopped suddenly and he stood with a smile on his face, "My phone!" he cried.  He reached into his pocket and thanked the heavens that they hadn't confiscated his phone.  Running back to the front of the cavern, Shuyin turned it on and moved it around…and around…and around, "Shit!" he screamed, "No damn signal!  Shit!!"

Oh a thousand words

Have never been spoken

They'll fly to you crossing over the time

And distance holding you

Suspended on silver wings

In a fit of anger, Shuyin threw his phone across the cavern and watched it shatter as it hit the rock wall.  His panic rose again as he scrambled on hands and knees over to the phone, "Shit!  What did I do that for?  Now I can't call anybody!"  He frantically tried to piece the phone back together and Lenne watched as his desperation rose.

And a thousand words

One thousand confessions

Will cradle you

Making all the pain you feel seem far away

They'll hold you forever...

His fingers cradled the locket in his hands again and he gently removed it from his neck.  Opening it slowly, he ran his fingers over the picture inside, "I'm so sorry, Lennie…" he whispered, "I'm sorry I let you down."

The dream isn't over yet

Though I often say I can't forget

I still relive that day

You've been there with me all the way

I still hear you say, "Wait for me I'll write you letters"

Shuyin rose to his feet and began to wander around the cave.  Luckily there was light streaming in from holes in the cave roof, but Lenne worried what would happen to him once night came.  He traveled toward the back of the cave again, this time going more toward the right.  His feet were dragging and he was getting tired and hungry.  He didn't pay attention to where he was walking until his foot caught on something and he landed on his stomach.

I can see how you can stand there with your eyes to the floor

But still I swore to hide the doubt when I turned back the pages

Anger might have been the answer

What if I hung my head and said that I couldn't wait

But now I'm strong enough to know it's not too late

Shuyin pushed himself up, "What the hell…?" he asked as he climbed to his feet.  He turned to look more closely at what he'd tripped over and immediately let out a horrified scream.  Shuyin backed away frantically and Lenne ran over to see what the matter was.  She gasped. 

Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were two bodies.  One was President Reiber Ackmard with a bullet wound to his head.  The other…was Allyn.  Shuyin started shaking as he backed into a wall and slid to a sitting position.  He couldn't tear his eyes from the bodies and Lenne went over to him.  She wanted to badly to hold him but instead resorted to finishing her song.

'Cause a thousand words

Called out through the ages

They'll fly to you

Even though we can't see

I know they're reaching you

Suspended on silver wings

"Damn Bevelle…damn Bevelle…damn Bevelle…" Shuyin chanted in a monotonous voice as his eyes continued to caress the bodies that lay before him.  He grabbed at the necklace again and opened it to look at Lenne's beautiful face.  He frowned, "They killed you too…" he said quietly.

Oh a thousand words

One thousand embraces

Will cradle you

Making all of your weary days seem far away

They'll hold you forever...

"Reiber…Allyn…Skirpa…Bruttam…Wargna…and my Lennie…" he whispered, "They killed you…my Lennie.  But it was my fault too.  I should have protected you."  His eyes took on a dark look that Lenne had never seen before.  She shivered unconsciously.

Oh a thousand words

Have never been spoken

They'll fly to you

They'll carry you home and back into my arms

Suspended on silver wings

"I'll make it all better." He hissed to himself.  He silently closed the locket and placed the necklace firmly back around his neck, "I'll make them pay."  He sneered, "They killed my friends, my Lennie…now me.  I'll make them pay."

And a thousand words

Called out through the ages

They'll cradle you

Turning all of the lonely years into only days

They'll hold you forever...

Lenne looked deeply into Shuyin's eyes.  She knew that her time was almost up and could hear the fayth calling to her.  Shuyin let a few salty tears fall from his eyes and whispered hoarsely, "We were supposed to be together until the end, Lennie, but I failed you.  I failed us."

She wanted desperately for him to hear her as she leaned closer to him, "Not until the end…always.." She whispered, "Shuyin…I love you.  I love you always."

She turned and joined the fayth in the bright white light that was streaming down from above.  A quick glance over her shoulder proved to her that Shuyin didn't see the phenomenon that was happening before him.  She let a tear slip at the thought of what lay before him, but took solace in knowing that his suffering wouldn't be forever and that they'd be together again soon. 

The light vanished without Shuyin even realizing it was there and the young blitzer looked at the locket again, "I'll make them pay, Lennie." He whispered menacingly, "They'll regret what they've done to us."

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THE END

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NOTE:  I know that this is a 'cliffhanger' but since we all know what Shuyin does in FFX-2, I thought ending it like this was appropriate.  Silver Wings 2 is in production.  It is NOT a FFX-2 novelization but rather a post FFX-2 fiction (like an FFX-3).  I've worked out the basic plot of Silver Wings 2 and what exactly is "wrong" with Tidus and where Shuyin comes into it all.  Lenne will also be featured briefly in it and there will be more of an explanation behind the whole "fayth/reincarnation" thing that was talked about in Chapter 20.  I hope that you all enjoyed the ending to Silver Wings and I hope that you'll enjoy its sequel just as much.  Thanks for all the great reviews!  They really mean a lot.