Return of Light
It was a quiet party that left Macalania Temple, even to the surprise of the priest that bid them goodbye a little overenthusiastically as they exited out into the new snowstorm that had begun to rule while they were in the Cloister of Trials.
"Take care now, High Summoner Yuna and her Guardians!" he said cheerfully as they passed by him with nods and faint smiles. The priest beamed at them all—though he did wonder where the boy had gotten that watery-looking blue sword.
"You be sure and keep her safe!" he added, stopping Tidus with one arm as he walked after Yuna. Tidus clapped the priest on the shoulder and nodded, moving on.
—
"That priest was kinda scary, don't ya think?" Zeoron said later; she was actually the first to speak since they'd left the temple. Traveling had been silence all the way; they were nearly halfway to Bevelle by now and had not uttered a single word to each other.
Chappu merely nodded. Unconsciously, he reached up behind his shoulder again, touching the handle of the Brotherhood, still unsure if it was really there, strapped next to the Spirit Keeper.
Zeoron sighed; this was starting to get a little irritating. Part of her wanted to kick Chappu but the other half knew she'd fall or Chappu would hurt her in the attempt—either way, it was highly doubtful she would succeed.
"What's the—"
"Zeoron, please shut your mouth."
Zeoron clamped her mouth shut; Tidus's voice had a slight edge to it. Vaguely, she wondered why everyone was so quiet. Sure, Tida's sword sticking out of Seymour's body was a little unnerving, but really, was it honestly such a bad thing? I mean, couldn't Tida have killed him for them?
Yuna stopped. "We rest here for now."
Tidus opened his mouth to protest but Yuna shook her head sharply, narrowing her colored eyes at him. Tidus clamped his mouth shut, but his eyes said more than words; the cerulean orbs were on fire and nearly shooting sparks.
Chappu silently took a seat against a tree trunk, sighing. He leaned his back and stared unseeingly up through the branches and leaves to the bright blue sky. He closed his deep blue eyes against it, shutting it out. "Why? Why do I have glimpses of her? Is she returning to me—to us—or is the Shadow playing tricks on us? Tida… I need to see you… I need to feel you…"
—
Chappu opened his eyes and blinked before sitting up and yawning, stretching his arms high over his head. Oh, Light, he thought abruptly, Tidus was going to kill him for falling asleep.
Chappu bounded to his feet. "Damn, Tidus, I'm so sorry! I must've… must've aaahh…"
"I don't think my father can hear from here, Chappu."
Chappu whipped around and gawked for a few moments before he clamped his jaw shut, his eyes flashing. "Oh, for the love of Spira, what did I do now?"
"You tell me, Chappu," Tida muttered wryly, folding her arms and rolling her vibrantly colored eyes. She tapped one booted heel behind the other and placed her hands on her hips. "I didn't bring you here to lecture you or anything else of that sort. I brought you here to confess. Yes, I killed Seymour with the Brotherhood, but," Tida hesitated, then pressed on, "it's no longer my sword."
"What? What do you mean, 'it's no longer my sword'?" Chappu said, crossing his arms and raising one eyebrow quizzically at Tida, who heaved a sigh.
"Exactly what I said. The Brotherhood isn't my weapon anymore. It's… well, it's yours, Chappu," Tida said, shrugging slightly and looking away from his suddenly piercing gaze.
"Mine?" Chappu laughed, but his laugh was slightly edgy. "It's not mine."
Tida nodded. "Yes, it is. And it's no longer the Brotherhood. Just—just look at it, Chappu," she sighed, jerking her head at the sword materializing on his back, strapping itself on. Chappu frowned and reached back over his shoulder; he'd felt the added weight already. Silently, he pulled the sword from his back. His eyes widened as he studied the sword.
Yes, it was indeed the Brotherhood, but it was… well, it was different. The sword, once a luminous watery, bubbly blue was now a deep, shadowy scarlet with a spaced jagged edge placed at intervals along the blade. Silver lightning bolts ran up either side of the blade sides and the handle, still black, held not a crimson ribbon, but instead a midnight black ribbon, darker than the darkest of nights. It was light in his hand and he spun it easily. Puzzled, he looked up at a grinning Tida.
"What…?"
"Chappu… I'd like you to meet your legendary weapon: the Shattered Heart."
" 'The Shattered Heart?' Why is called… Never mind, never mind." Chappu turned it in his hands, avoiding looking at Tida, who had abruptly looked away, and he knew she was fighting back tears.
Chappu decided a change of subject was in order. "And Zeo? The others?"
Tida turned her eyes back to him, clear, but there was still pain underneath the crystal orbs. "I can't tell you, Chappu. I can only tell you your part, not the others'. That's how it's done."
Tida smiled and walked forward in his one-armed embrace. "I love you," she whispered, hugging him as hard as she could. She stood on tiptoe to kiss him and Chappu murmured against her lips. "I love you, too, my Tida… my heart…."
"Goodbye…"
—
"Chappu? Hey, Chappu, wake up!" Zeoron called, grinning and shaking the older boy awake. Chappu grunted and opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. Hastily, he swiped away at tears and stood, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as well.
"Whoa! What is that?" Zeoron cried suddenly, bouncing around behind Chappu and touching the glittering Shattered Heart with her hand. She shuddered. "Ooh… powerful…" she said, awestruck.
Tidus, Yuna and the others glanced around at Zeoron's outburst and were instantly alert as they studied the single blood red sword strapped to Chappu's back. Tidus himself was the first to ask about it.
"Where did it come from, Chappu?" he asked in a dead, hollow sort of voice.
Chappu met his eyes and Tidus suddenly understood. "The Brotherhood… Tida fulfilled its use and it became the legendary weapon the Shattered Heart… Your legendary weapon."
Chappu nodded, confirming it. Yuna's hands covered her mouth as she stared wide-eyed at the sparkling sword. Lulu and Wakka reached for each other's hands and exchanged glances. Rikku came up behind Yuna and placed her hands on her cousin's shoulders, peering over Yuna's shoulder at the Shattered Heart.
"Let's—let's go!" Tidus said abruptly, turning and marching ahead, strapping Caladbolg to his back as he went. It clear he was upset. Yuna gave Chappu one last glance and followed Tidus, calling ahead for him to slow down. Lulu and Wakka followed, linking arms. Zeoron and Rikku trailed them, whispering under their breaths hurriedly to each other.
Chappu glanced back at the road behind them and simply looked at it for a few moments. Then, bowing his head and smiling with a nod, he turned, walking in the other's wake.
* * *
"Ah!" Zeoron inhaled strongly. She grinned and put her hands on her hips, turning her head to look back at the others. "Bevelle at last!"
Chappu strode up next to her and looked over the balcony at the grand city spread out before them. Rikku joined him, her swirled emerald Al Bhed eyes roaming across the ex-capital of Spira. She smiled.
"Hasn't changed, really, except for a few new buildings here and there," she murmured. "Since I first saw it, anyway," she added. Rikku turned her head to Chappu, whose stare was riveted to the Bevelle. Rikku saw his eyes darken a shade and he whirled around, stalking away and heading for the stairs leading down. Zeoron appeared at Rikku's side.
"He's withdrawing into himself again," she muttered just as Yuna, Tidus, Lulu, and Wakka began to descend after Chappu. Wakka and Lulu were obviously arguing back and forth in hushed whispers while Tidus and Yuna clasped their hands together, swinging their arms as one, completely nonchalant and ignoring the other couple. Rikku sighed and looked at Zeoron, her eyes showing fatigue.
"That's a battle we can't fight, Zeo. It's Chappu's," she said, turning to look after Chappu. Her eyes followed his back as he stepped off the first flight. She watched as he paused, glancing around before striding purposely for the next set.
"Battle? What battle?"
Rikku rolled her eyes and let a soft sigh. She pushed one hand down her face. Honestly, how could the girl be so—so naïve? Had she grown up in a hole somewhere?
—
"Just Yuna and I will handle this one, guys," Tidus said, stopping at the foot of the stairs leading up to the entrance to the Cloister of Trials.
Chappu nodded, already expecting it. He turned on one foot and marched off in the opposite direction, heading for one of the side rooms. Zeoron started to follow but Rikku seized her by the wrist, dragging her off to the other spare room. Lulu and Wakka both bowed their heads to Tidus and Yuna and started off after the other two women.
Tidus turned around and looked up at his wife, who was gazing down at him through soft colored eyes. She smiled and Tidus grinned back up at her.
"Ready?" she asked, her nameless staff appearing in her hands. Tidus shook his head yes and jogged up the steps to her, leading the way into the Trials.
* * *
"How did you know the Brotherhood would become the Shattered Heart?" Yunalesca demanded, nearly pouncing on Tida the moment she set foot back into the small cottage by the lake of pyreflies.
Tida shrugged and hid her grin. "None of your business." She stepped past Yunalesca and entered the kitchen, taking a glass out of one of the cabinets. Tida paused, smiling as she peered out the window at the lake. In actuality, it was the Lake of Dreams—all the dreams of the fayth in truth. She'd gazed into its mirror-like surface only once, and didn't dare look in it again. What she'd seen had unnerved her beyond belief. She shuddered and poured herself some water. At least it was beautiful.
"Liar! And where and what is Zeoron's legendary weapon? A doll? A staff? A bloody flower?!" Yunalesca raged. Tida raised her eyebrows and took a drink. Yunalesca was on a full blown-out fury trip.
"What's gotten into you?" Tida said, putting her glass down and staring hard at Yunalesca.
Yunalesca moaned and put a hand to her forehead. "I don't know. I think the Shadow's starting to affect us here."
Tida paled. "Oh, no."
I apologize for the lateness of the update. My laptop was indisposed and I was unable to post this chapter. Believe me, it was painful. This chapter was finished and waiting to be put up but I couldn't use my laptop. . Arigato.
Disclaimer: All belongs to Sqauresoft. You people know what's mine, okay?