Tidus yawned and slowly opened his eyes.

"Ahh!" He cried, startling Wakka awake. "Rikku! What are you doing!?"

"Waiting for you to wake up so you'd freak out." The girl grinned. "You two did it last night."

"Ya? So?" Wakka grinned, slinging one arm around Tidus.

Tidus turned red and flinched away from Wakka's touch. The redhead frowned and Rikku coughed slightly.

"Yeah. Well. If it makes you feel less embarrassed Lulu and I did it last night too."

"Rikku!" A female voice laughed outside the tent. "You pervert!"

Rikku giggled and exited the tent. "Tidus was all embarrassed! I had to make him feel better some how...!"

"This is what I get for traveling with horny teenagers..." Auron's voice grumbled.

"Oh Shiva...everybody knows?" Tidus groaned, hiding under the blanket.

"What's wrong with that?" Wakka asked.

Tidus sighed and pressed a kiss to Wakka's stomach. "Nothing. I'm sorry. I embarrass easily."

Wakka lifted the cover up and smiled at his lover. The summoner smiled back, his face red as a tomato.

"Ya. I see that. Don't worry about it."

Tidus laughed as Wakka snuggled under the blanket with him. The redhead smiled and kissed Tidus.

"C'mon. We should get going before Auron blows a fuse." The guardian grinned.

"I heard that." Auron grumbled.

Tidus chuckled.

----------------------

The group packed their campsite up and made sure their fire was completely out before continuing on. They were almost out of the woods when Auron stopped.

"Sir Auron?" Tidus asked.

The swordsman didn't reply. He turned into the ice-laden brush and started hacking away at it. The group exchanged glances.

"This is something you should see." Auron suddenly said. "It won't take long."

Tidus shrugged and then joined Auron in hacking away at the brush. They broke through the brush and into a clearing. There was a larger sphere pond with a giant tree in the middle of it.

"So?" Rikku asked. "What are we supposed to be looking at? We know this is where spheres come from..."

Auron gave Rikku a look before examining the nearby bushes.

"Here..." He grabbed something out from under one of the bushes and handed it to Tidus.

Tidus examined what Auron had given him. It was a movie sphere.

"Wow. This is old. Don't know if you can play it back." Wakka said.

"Jecht left this here for you...ten years ago."

The group let out a collective stifled gasp. Rikku plucked the sphere from Tidus' hands before he even thought of smashing it.

"Should I care?" Tidus asked.

"Yes." Auron replied, reaching over and turning the sphere on.

Tidus sighed and leaned against Wakka as an image of his father came up.

"If you're watching this...that means you've either become a guardian or a summoner. Either way...you know what this journey entails, but you'd better not be cryin'!! Although, I guess I'd understand. I always thought you were stronger than you appeared to be. You'll be fine. Remember, you're my son. And...well...uh... Oh fuck. Never mind. I'm no good at these things."

The image went blank then turned on again. The image of the tree was seen. Jecht was obviously holding the sphere, filming the tree.

"Anyway...'cuse my language. I believe in you. Be good. Good-bye..."

"Gee. He almost sounded sincere." Tidus said, dropping the sphere on the ground.

"He was sincere." Auron insisted.

Tidus snorted softly.

"Jecht changed." Was all Auron said.

The summoner said nothing.

"Well. Let's get going." Rikku said, finally breaking the silence.

Everyone nodded and slowly walked off. Auron stopped Tidus.

"What?" The blonde asked.

"Jecht loved you."

"Oh, come on...!"

"He just didn't know how to express it...or so he told me."

"Ten years too late, Auron."

"...I just thought you should know."

"Okay...thanks..."

The group was at the edge of the Calm Lands when Tidus felt two arms wrap around his waist. He laughed as Wakka gave him a hug and swung him around.

"Ah, finally!" Rikku smiled, tumbling onto the grass. "It's so nice here!"

Lulu nodded her agreement and bent over to tickle the blonde. Kimahri turned his nose into the wind and took a good, long sniff.

"Smell nice here." He said.

"No more towns. No more villages. Only endless plains..." Rin murmured.

Tidus blushed as Wakka placed a kiss on his ear.

"I won't let you die. I'll find a way...somehow." He whispered.

The summoner smiled softly and reached one hand up to ruffle his guardian's hair.

"Let's go." He said quietly.

They traveled the long sun dappled expanse of the fields until they reached the Item Shop. Naida greeted Lulu and the two women started to talk. Tidus sat on the fence surrounding the Item Shop with Kimahri. The Ronso's tail twitched.

"We are close to Kimahri's home." The cat said.

"Yes. Are you nervous?" Tidus asked.

Kimahri shook his head. The blonde smiled and leaned his head on the feline's shoulder.

Wakka bought some Hi-Potions from Naida's assistant then went over to Tidus and Kimahri. Auron walked over to Rin, who was standing by himself. The Al Bhed looked at Auron briefly and smiled. The swordsman was about to attempt conversation when a familiar man walked into the fenced-in area.

"Father Zuke..." He said.

"Auron." The man nodded.

The rest of the group walked over to Auron and Rin. Zuke looked at Tidus.

"You are Tidus?"

"Yes sir." Tidus replied.

"Hmn. You certainly don't look like Maester Kinoc's murderer."

"What did you say!?" Rikku gasped.

"Please. Tell us what's happened?" The summoner asked.

"Maester Mika has just issued a personal order, you know. It said that you and your guardians murdered Maester Kinoc and fled. We are to kill you on sight, or so it says."

Tidus said nothing but his grip on Wakka's shirt tightened.

"And what of Bevelle?" Auron inquired.

"Things are calm on the surface, but the depths are turbulent. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Kelk Ronso left Yevon."

"Convinient. Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray." Rin commented.

"But be careful, my friends. You have been branded enemies of Yevon. You should avoid temples for the time being."

"Thank-you, Father Zuke, for your warning." Tidus said softly.

"You came all this way just to warn us?" Auron asked.

"To tell the truth I was curious to see this summoner you're guarding. I hope his pilgrimage goes well."

With a Yevon's Prayer Zuke was off again, heading for Bevelle.

"Who was that?" Lulu asked.

"A monk I used to know." Auron replied.

"Come on. We have many places to visit today..." Tidus said.

The group nodded and they continued on their way out of the Calm Lands. Rikku was worried. Tidus hadn't said a word since the Item Shop. He just walked along quietly with Wakka's arm in his grasp and his head on the redhead's shoulder. The sun vanished behind the high cliffs as they entered Pyre Canyon. They crossed one wooden bridge and were heading towards the path that lead down into the canyon when a voice shouted,

"Halt!"

Everyone looked up to see two Guado guardians walk across the second wooden bridge.

"Summons from Lord Seymour. Come with us!" They said in unison.

"That bastard is still alive!?" Rikku exclaimed.

"We have nothing to discuss with Lord Seymour." Tidus growled, releasing Wakka's arm.

"So move your asses out of our way." Rin added.

"Lord Seymour's orders must be obeyed!" The purple-haired Guado said.

"I warn you, the Maester doesn't need you alive." The other threatened.

The guardians formed a tight circle around their summoner as a huge stone robot lumbered up from the bottom of the canyon.

"Defender-X bring their lifeless bodies to Lord Seymour!" Purple hair commanded before running off with his buddy.

The robot roared and lunged at the group. Lulu knocked it off course with a Flare spell and Wakka smacked it with his blitzball. Rikku mixed up a Mighty Guard and cast in on the group. Tidus rushed the robot, driving Liquid Steel into its knee cap. The robot hit Tidus away sending the blonde skidding through the dirt.

"Tidus!" Wakka cried, running to his summoner's side.

"I'm ok." Tidus smiled, wrapping his arms around Wakka's neck.

Lulu knocked the robot over with a Thundaga spell and Rin smashed its optical sensors with his nunchaku. The robot roared again and threw Rin off him. Auron pulled the man to safety before the machina could stomp on Rin. Tidus summoned Leviathan and the water serpent summoned a huge magickal tidal wave. The wave passed over Tidus and his guardians harmlessly, but it slammed Defender-X up against the cliff side. The high-powered water wore away at the stone robot. It wasn't long before the massive machina was nothing but a pebble.

"Whoa..." Rikku blinked.

Tidus thanked and dismissed Leviathan and cured those who needed it.

"I think your lips are bruised. Here let me cure them..." Wakka grinned, kissing Tidus.

The blonde turned red and laughed shyly.

"Shall we?" Auron said.

Tidus turned a darker red and nodded. "Y-yes."

The group made their way down into the chasm. Rikku shivered at the sight of the cave they were supposed to enter.

"What's a Fayth doing in a place like this?"

"They say it was stolen from a temple long ago." Lulu said.

"Why?"

"With no Fayth, summoners cannot train. Without training, they cannot get the Final Aeon. Without the Final Aeon, they cannot defeat Sin. That is why." Auron replied.

"So the summoner won't die." Rin added.

"Yes. That is probably what the thief was thinking." The swordsman said.

"I kinda agree with him." Wakka mumbled.

Tidus looked over at the redhead.

"Let's go!" Rikku exclaimed, skipping off.

Tidus sighed and followed the girl. Everyone else followed Tidus. The cave was dark and gloomy. Purple mist and pyreflies drifted through the caverns and tunnels. The only sound was the slow drip of water and the hum of pyreflies. The summoner and his guardians were deposited in a rather large antechamber. Large cracks in the ceiling of the cave provided most of the light but the pyreflies provided some as well. They had reached a dead end.

"So...? Where's the Fayth?" Rikku asked.

Everyone took a step back and readied their weapons as a bunch of pyreflies started to form something. The entities formed a human form before melting away to reveal a woman. She was dressed in semi-traditional summoner's robes and carried two katanas. Her dark hair was cropped short and she had honey-gold eyes. Everyone blinked, astonished. Tidus was the first to speak.

"She looks like..."

"Me." Lulu murmured, taking a step forward.

"Lulu..." The woman said softly.

"Who...are you?" Lulu asked.

"You do not remember? I am your mother."

"Holy Shiva!" Rikku exclaimed.

"Y-you're..."

A flash of memories ran through Lulu's head. The brunette shook her head, stumbling back a step. Kimahri stepped forward, steadying Lulu.

"I-i...I'm starting to remember..."

"My name is Aiyana Ravenholme. Your father is Wakiza Ravenholme. Ten years ago I made the stupidest decision of my life. I decided to become a summoner. I decided to bring my husband and my twelve year old daughter along as my guardians."

"We were told of this cave..." Lulu said.

"We went inside to discover that the Fayth here was long gone."

"We were attacked."

Aiyana nodded, "Yes. We were attacked by a large group of fiends. I told you to run...and I never saw you again. As your father and I lay dying he made one final desperate act. He prayed to Yevon to make him a Fayth so that I could summon and destroy the fiends. Yevon answered your father's prayers. Your father was transformed into the Dragon Fayth. I summoned him and he killed all the fiends in this cavern and put a protective spell over it. But...I was severely wounded and the summoning took too much of my strength. I died despite your father's great sacrifice. The only thing that kept me here as an unsent was the desire to see my daughter again."

"As I was running from the cave...I tripped and hit my head. When I woke up there was a woman and a man leaning over me. They asked me where my parents were...but I couldn't remember. My head hurt so much. Since that day I couldn't remember any of my past or who my real parents were. The only thing I remembered was my name because I had a locket on that had "Lulu" carved into it."

"Yes. Lulu Ravenholme. That is your name."

Everyone, even Auron, was astonished by the turn of events. Kimahri brought Lulu close to him as tears rolled down the woman's cheeks. Aiyana looked at Tidus.

"You know what you have to do, Summoner."

Tidus nodded sadly.

"I warn you. Wakiza is not the same as he used to be. He thinks my death was his failure. Being trapped in this cave with his torment has changed him. He may be violent."

The blonde nodded once more before starting Aiyana's sending.

"I love you, Lulu and I'm sorry..." Aiyana said before devolving into pyreflies.

Lulu wiped her eyes. There was a teleportation pad where her mother was just standing.

"Let's go, Tidus."

Tidus nodded and he and Lulu stepped onto the teleport. Wakka and the others watched as Tidus and Lulu vanished in a flash of green light.

"Poor Lulu..." Rikku sighed, sitting on the nearest rock.

Kimahri growled softly in agreement and sat down as well. Auron leaned against the wall and Rin stood beside him. Wakka started to restlessly pace around.

*********************

Tidus looked around the dark Chamber of the Fayth. Lulu had a hold of his hand and she gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back and they went to look at the statue Lulu's father was trapped in. More memories flooded the mage's head.

"It looks like him." Lulu whispered. "I remember when I was little...if I felt sad father would tickle my nose with his hair. It was always much longer than mother's..."

Tidus and Lulu stepped back as purple mist emerged from the statue and formed into a man. The grip Lulu had on her summoner's hand tightened. Her father looked different, almost hostile. His skin was not the golden tan she remembered but a deathly alabaster. Wakiza's raven hair whipped around him like snakes but there was no wind. His deep yellow eyes looked from Tidus to Lulu. Tidus swallowed hard as his eyes settled on the mean-looking long sword Wakiza was shouldering.

"Dad...it's me..." Lulu said quietly.

Both Tidus and Lulu jumped as Wakiza drove his sword into the ground, missing both their toes by inches.

"Lulu..." The Fayth murmured in a deep, surprisingly sensual, voice. "I don't believe you. My daughter died along with my wife..."

"No. I am your daughter. I saw mother outside..."

"MY WIFE IS DEAD!" Wakiza shouted, pulling his long sword from the dirt.

Tidus immediately put himself between Wakiza and Lulu.

"She's not lying! Aiyana remained an unsent because she wanted to see her daughter again! Lulu didn't die! Lulu escaped, but her head was injured and she got amnesia. She was taken in by two Al Bhed. They raised her."

Wakiza lowered his sword. "Lulu...I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, father. You did everything you could..." Lulu replied softly.

"Did...they...give you a good life?"

"Yes. They even tried to find you guys for me...but everyone told them that you had just disappeared..."

Wakiza's eyes slid shut and his hair settled down, framing his face and settling over his shoulders.

"You're a guardian now..." He whispered.

"Yes. This is Tidus, my summoner."

The Fayth opened one eye to regard Tidus. "Summoner."

"Yes sir?"

"I wish to come with you...as your Aeon."

Tidus' eyes widened. "R-really?"

"Yes. I wish to be called Bahamut when you summon me."

"Yes sir."

"You care about my daughter...so I will tell you a little secret. You need to return to the Calm Lands before you journey to Mount Gagazet. There is a temple hidden up high in the Calm Lands. A very powerful Aeon lives there."

"Th-thank-you sir. I will journey back to the Calm Lands."

Wakiza laughed a little and took a step towards Tidus, turning transparent. The blonde braced himself, expecting the physical troubles he got with the other Fayths. He was surprised when he felt little pain before Wakiza settled into his subconscious.

"You have a cool family, Lu." Tidus grinned.

Lulu laughed and hugged the summoner. "Thanks. Oh...and thanks for...putting yourself between us. You didn't know if Wakiza would hurt us or not but you protected me regardless. Thank-you."

"No problem. I do like to return favors once in a while." The blonde teased.

Lulu smiled. "Come on. Let's go back before Wakka starts to miss his widdle Tiddle-kins."

The summoner rolled his eyes and gave the mage a playful push. Lulu laughed and pushed back before they stepped onto the teleportation pad together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenji: R&R Please ^^