Seeing isn't believing. Or what it's cracked up to be… either.
…Blackness? Where the heck am I? What? I can breathe? Underwater… what is this?
Well just waking up, you kinda get a huge shock when you just wake to an unfamiliar surrounding. More importantly, that you don't believe in it either. I was just floating around and I remembered the surrounding from somewhere. Although still my vision, it wasn't too hot, still getting used to watery sting after resting. Wading around in the watery pit, I looked down below the soles of my shoes, resting in the bays of the ground, were several, full on cities. Same cities as
"Zanarkand"
I whispered in disenchantment. I just couldn't believe it. Murky and hazy… I swam in circles and looked left and right
…This place… it goes on forever …
Getting lost in the surroundings… I heard a familiar voice the tickled my curiosity and made me stop thinking and draw attention down wind. A pirate looking guy about mid forties… broad shoulders and mid complexion, red bandana similar to what
"Jecht"
Wears. Exactly.
"Hey"
Jecht motioned, half assed welcome and in a well worn drawn out and concerned tone. He was on a familiar platform. The hopes of the remaining Zanarkand. This place? This is his home now, so I don't blame him if he has this sunken city, the lost battle of hope… as his prison. Home is where the heart is… Zanarkand… is his home. But where all of Zanarkand in this day and time, is a wasteland. And I know where this brash greeting of Jecht and me is going; I can see it in his eyes… even from floating up here. I went down there to Jecht to return his greeting. Allowing myself to float down to him I stood right next to him.
Opening my mouth to speak to him…
"Monsieur Jecht?"
Although I found myself to say his name without him telling me so, I didn't feel out of place saying it. It was as if Jecht knew of my where bouts in sin. And how I got here. Seeing as how, as big as sin is, nothing gets past him… I suppose so, but why am I here. I thought that T was enough to satisfy the end for sin. Why me?
"Um, why am I –"
"Ssssh!"
Jecht place a finger to my lips and waited for his signal to click in to my well-drenched brain of mine. I fell silent. In instinct of his, he lifted his finger drawing his attention elsewhere. He looked up and in doing so he spoke:
"We're not alone"
With that, he pointed upwards and a familiar young boy that resembled the spiky yellow-headed boy I tried to save floated where I was. I have come to think as T as my own brother. I get like that. Too close, so I turn them into family. I think that's what Jecht wants. No matter how old T gets. He's still vulnerable to certain things, what measures the heart and what have you.
One that thing that did occur to me. Is that my meeting him, was not a coincidence. That and the possiblelity that I could be his bride of choice should I step in, I think that's the end sin is giving me. Jecht however, doesn't want that … hence, Yuna. I sighed. Jecht was easy to read. What was easier… was that fact that I knew where everything was. Believing in that… that's what got me here. To discuss the relationship between me and T, and T and Yuna. The forbidden love triangle. I tried to excuse that feeling, with the reason that T is too young. I am all of 22 years of age. I don't think it's appropriate. Although the heat is there. It's too early.
Reassuring? Nope. Not even close.
"You know who this is, regarding me and him?"
Oh of coarse I knew. So I nodded. He nodded back. T just finally regained composure. He moped around like I did. 'Cept I looked dopier. I smirked. I realised he was exactly where I was, and that means that T and Me where right next to each other. I spun around and looked and the father of that above. Confuzzeled as ever.
"So he was –"
Jecht nodded. He smiled. He's using Sin and it's powers to satisfy his own whims. Just to make all the drawn loneliness more comfortable. Surrounding him was small conjured up windows of the growing days…months, years? Of Tidus. I guess Jecht had ten years to repent of all the hate he down casted T when leaving him and his mother. His mother. Looked at one of the windows… while T swam around above us. Hopelessly unaware of us down below. It was of Jecht's beautiful wife. I sighed in amazement. Then in sadness, I know he misses his woman. Boy did I feel his sorrow. It made the whole of sin sad. I can tell it was taking all that J could muster to not let Sin harm his now only 'alive' remembrance of his wife. His beloved son. All that he ever wanted…saddens him that what he wanted… now hates him. That's not what he wanted from his product of love.
"Can..c, can he … see us?"
I sounded like a little school kid peering up at his master. You have no idea on how puny I felt next to him, even though I was almost one inch taller than him. He shook his head. I knew it. It's not his time to meet his father. Not yet anyhow, but I'm not special enough, I have to meet him. Sucks.
"HEY!"
He yelled at T, just letting him know where to go to get out of here. All and all, in reality, T is still floating in the mid ocean, off coast of Besaid. The Morecra (Mo'yor-Ey-Khar that's how it's pronounced) of Spyran. The sacred ocean of the lonely besaid sea serpent, the leviathan. Spyran is the olden day word for spira. People just got lazier I suppose. Pronunciation is lacking in both worlds … Grand… ( -_-' ). Right in front of J's sin. Really it's night-time, and T is being blinded and being pushed by sin's rather large nose, towards Besaid. Thankful, I remembered that T could survive and breathe underwater. That I reassured myself.
T Looked down and floated down to what he could see, which was the ten-year-old version of him self, sort of a holographic person. So what J wanted him to see?
He reached the platform and approached the little version of him. At once, he snapped in to reality and it was daytime. He was floating face down in a balmy place we all final fantasy legions call 'besaid'.
J looked happier that he knew his son was safe. Then he turned around to me, his other catch of the day. He walked up to me, and held out his hand.
"I see you have the pride of a lion Ms Kerrigan, loyal. I am honoured to see someone such as yourself side with my son"
I smiled and bowed. And took his hand. Overwhelmed. I beamed in my enjoyment. It's like going to a comic book stand and getting your favourite person to autograph your work. That's the pleasure of it all, meeting Jecht.
"Oh-ho-ho-hoooo! It's all my pleasure to meet you. You are a true legion."
"Quite.
Allow me to continue with 'why've I've brought you here', then shall we?"
I nodded.
"From how you know my name and such, I take it you knew my son and pretty much all of spira. Am I correct?"
"Yeah. Sorry if that killed everything for you. I didn't mean for this to happen."
He laughed humorously to what I said.
"Ha. No one means for these things to happen. Mainly, if or when it does… you should take action."
"I see, you want me to do something about it … right?'
I lifted an eyebrow. And smirked.
"It's gonna cost yah."
"You drive a hard bargain miss Lahtinah. But I will square with you just this once, only this one time. What is it you need? Name your terms… think though, however. This may change the coarse of action. So for what ever YOU decide, may change everything that you already know of. And perhaps, because of it. You may never ever see the light of day of which YOU know of…"
With horror. I didn't want to loose my child memories… However some I could easily let die. Others, I would rather die then let waste to nothing. Jecht could see that. He didn't want me, Lahtinah as the next child of Sin's madness.
"Home? My Home? I don't want, to, I… Um."
"Listen. Don't give hope on what you don't want to come true. But don't give up hope on what you do. But other than that, it's in your best interest to tag along with these people…."
With that… all these other windows following my memories vanished and resurfaced with others of Lulu, Wakka, Rikku, Kimahri, Auron, T and Yuna. There was another window. It was blank and hazy. Then the window turned in to a sphere. A black sphere. I played the sphere back, it showed of my world. It showed of someone in my world… only I didn't know this person, I have never met this person in my life. But I did know the strange way this person wrote.
"I know of one person whom could share your personal enquiries with… This child, this human of your world, he will aid you in this prophecy so that you will not fall from the path."
Then the black orb of tranquil, I obtained a new partner. It showed a hologram of a person I never thought I would have the honour of meeting. I fan fiction writer just like myself, was lying on the floor unconscious of him humble home.
"What happened to him?"
"I acquired for him to assist you in your needs in the call of duty to battle. Only you."
"Why just me? Why are you doing this? Why am I here? I thought, just only T was here, only needed was him. What of me, and of this personal 'slave' you so called 'acquired me?"
He laughed,
"So many questions so little time…"
He turned away from me. Then looked down, his laughter died. He sighed heavily. Then scratched the back of his head and rubbed his arm.
"See, Lahtinah. My wife and I, we were thinking of having another child. When Tidus's twin died I-"
"WAIT wait… wait… Hold up, did you say TWIN? You mean to tell me TIDUS HAD A TWIN?"
J nodded his head and slowly turned around and looked at me.
"I know it must be hard for you to be separated from 'your' twin sister, Lahtinah. That's why the child in that orb was needed. I had no choice. I had to choose some one, or you wouldn't be able to be summoned and eleveate the pain of my son."
"Okay, okay, okay… okay. Let's start over…."
I was pacing around mad as ever, finding it really hard to believe what I thought all of bullshit. I had to try.
"Tidus's twin sister died. Her name was"
WAIT FOR IT!
"Lahtinah."
Oh hell no. Not even. NO WAY!
"Bullshit!"
"I know this must be difficult for you. But I-"
"You're damn straight it is. What you expect me to walse up in here pretend this is all pretty lah lah, and take this rubbish. That's it I'm outta here. Let me out of this dump."
"I'm sorry Lahtinah. I can't."
"Yeah, you can. AND YOU WILL"
Can you believe this? Listen to myself talk to this guy, he's huge. I don't even know what I was thinking. But, if I knew then what I knew now, I would have helped. No questions asked. But me being the most arrogant little bitch on this god-forsaken heap of sand called earth, I just didn't want to hear the word of it. Not short of a break either.
"You were the one that got me here in this pit of shit. Get me out of this pit of shit. Get me in; get me out, how hard is that? HUH? Do it for crud sakes"
I walked around throwing my arms around gallivanting like a lost lunatic. But J? He was patient; actually I take it, that he was expecting me to be like this. Where nothing hidden my entire sleeve. Out in the open, which is sure as hell what I am doing. No doubt about it.
I would have helped. No questions asked. But me being the most arrogant little bitch on this god-forsaken heap of sand called earth, I just didn't want to hear the word of it. Not short of a break either.
"You know I can't"
"Wtf is that supposed to mean. I know you can. Why won't you?"
"It's not a matter if I could. Which I am telling you. I'm not forcing you to be here against you own will. If I had the power to take you back. I would."
"So what you're saying –"
"I'm sorry Lahtinah, I just thought it was nice to have a daughter around. Then sin brought you here. Just to satisfy my wish. But it's regretting your wish to bring you back to your humble abode. For that I sorry."
That just tipped it. I was stuck and it was in my best interest to follow through. Oh the aggravation. Giving up I reluctantly had chosen to take part in his plan to intervene with his wishes. So I nodded.
"So you simply can't."
"Exactly. I knew how you got here. I didn't mean for you to get here. But you are a walking blessing in disguise. I will tell you that. See not only are you a living breathing version of Tidus, but you also have the name of his twin. And for that, you even so look like a splitting image of my wife."
I didn't want to hear it. I soo didn't want to. But Now that I know. It's going to make me fell a little different about spira.
"Argh, enough already."
"So you will do it?"
"It's not like I have a choice do I?"
Jecht laughed.
"No I guess you don't, thank you. Becides. The boy? His name is mark. See to it that he tends to you well."
"Yeah, about that, just one question."
"Why?"
"Yeah, why was it that I needed him to accompany me?"
"For you to be summoned you have to have another. As the spirit. Sort of like a walking fayth."
"That is wrong. You can't use another as a living sacrifice. Does he know?"
"I will leave that to your choosing. Please look after my son well… do it as in place of me, his father."
"Wait, before you banish me to my hell hole of sin's sentiments. Let me lay down a few rules to this accord."
J crossed his arms and nodded, thinking; 'You so remind me of me' he smirked with that he listened.
"Okay. When I get out there. One of my terms is that I have a sword. I'm sick of getting the beats out there. It's hard enough laying the smack down, but when 'your' little demons are taking the piss outta me and not the rest…. I kind think it's a bit embarrassing when you are the only one who's using up all the potions. One sided don't you think?"
"Little things go along way"
"Yah think? Just do it."
"As you wish."
With that a sword similar to T's brother hood, only it was the twin of that sword. It appeared out of nowhere. The only one chappu didn't receive. Mainly because Wakka didn't know there was another like it. It's mate. I nodded.
"That is your final sword your final weapon. You will upgrade it, collect spheres like this one, and if you collect all four, your sword will be restored to its full capacity. It's heat is full blown if you pair it with it's mate. Wether you are fighting with one in one hand and the brotherhood in the other. Or one with you, and one with Tidus. Keep that in mind"
I nodded and looked at it.
"Do we have an accord?"
"No. I want something else."
"I'm listening…"
"Don't make me do anything stupid. I don't want anything of my past to surface here. You got that? And another thing. Don't go telling T that I'm his sister or his mother or anything… It's a pain in the neck that I am here any way."
"Very well, have you considered your deal in the bargain?"
Well I didn't know what else to conjure at this point but I didn't want to end to his deal. I felt like there was something I was missing.
"Well…? Have we come to an agreement?"
"No. I don't want to be used this way."
Objectionable heavy like. Jecht shook his head. His final and last lead … all fell to me. I didn't know that. But I sure as hell do now.
"What do you want from me"?
"Im not liking this well. I just like this one bit."
"It's far be it for me to actually think that you would like this sort of thing. I did not expect you to take it full throttle. But as you say, like it or not, you have no choice. Pride of a lion or no pride. I will be pleased either way."
So Lahtinah? Where do your loyalties lie? Will you do it for a good cause? This is like the opportune moment in time to choose; I guess I have no other things to plead for. Nothing else to name or mention. At least that's what I thought.
"I think I will agree. For now. Next time I meet, I will have something else in mind."
"Ya'know Lahtinah, I wouldn't have it any other way. You just go out there and show 'em what's what."
"It's a done deal. Mate."
So we settled it. And then I was kicked face first into spira. The land of besaid.
Ha!
It can't get any worse can it?