Return of Light
"Zeoron, Lulu… is that—is that smoke up ahead?" Tidus asked, shading his eyes and peering ahead, frowning as he studied the rising peak of Mt. Gagazet above them.
Yuna gasped and her hand flew to her mouth, the other reaching out to grip Rikku's. Zeoron and Lulu hurried ahead of the group, reaching out with their sources to search for signs. Zeoron swore an oath heavily and Lulu cried out.
"War on Gagazet!" Zeoron shrieked; her eyes blazing as she looked back at the others. The dark purple orbs were alight with flame and a dangerous glint in them.
Chappu and Wakka stepped up, Chappu, drawing out the Shattered Heart. Tidus growled and cursed, taking the point of the group, passing up Lulu and Zeoron. He whirled around.
"All right. Wakka, you're going to hit first. As soon as you get a shot, let World Champion fly. Chappu, strike when you can and make it count. Yuna, stay near the back. Rikku, Lulu, you're on guard. Zeoron, take them out. I'm going for Kimahri. Got it?" he ordered, not even giving them a chance to answer. He spun back around and took off at as much of a run as he could manage in the snow.
"Come on!" Chappu shouted, racing after Tidus up the slope. The others quickly followed.
—
"Kimahri!" Tidus yelled, slashing out at the shadowfiend that attacked him. He swore an oath and jammed Caladbolg though its midsection, killing it. It burst into hundreds of pyreflies and vanished.
"Kimahri!" Tidus tried again, fighting his way through. Snow was falling now, another blizzard coming in. It was difficult to see, nearly blinding. He hissed in frustration. Furious at not being able to see, he leapt up onto a snow-covered boulder and looked around.
A fiery ball whipped by him and then, through all the shouts and screams, he heard Yuna's voice, strong and clear. "Shiva! Release us from this winter spell!"
Without delay, the storm halted and Tidus had a clear view of the battlefield. Ronso and humans and shadowfiends were dueling it out, even fiends coming in to join in the plight. Tidus growled in irritation, his cerulean eyes scanning the battleground, searching still for the Ronso leader and his friend, Kimahri. Tidus held onto the jagged pole and swung, one arm out for balance.
"Tidus! Kimahri say come down now!" a gruff voice commanded, and something seized Tidus by the leg and jerked him unceremoniously to the ground. Tidus yelled out in surprise and landed on his back, the rough claws still gripping his ankle. Tidus winced at the pain, but gripped Caladbolg tightly in his hand as his looked up at his assailant.
"Kimahri!" Tidus said, scrambling to his feet. The blue-furred Ronso growled and slapped him upside his head. "Ow!" Tidus snapped, rubbing his head and glowering at the ex-Guardian.
"Tidus stupid for being above. Tidus make himself easy target to shadowfiends. Tidus know better than to make spectacle of himself!" Kimahri said flatly, meeting Tidus's glare with one of his own. He pushed Tidus aside suddenly, swinging the Spirit Lance sharply up in the air with a deafening, echoing roar that shook the mountains as he vanquished a leaping fiend.
"Ronso!" Kimahri shouted with a snarl. "Fight for not for Gagazet; fight for the Light!" He let out another strengthening roar, Tidus getting to his feet beside him, using Caladbolg for his support.
"Come on! Fight the Shadow!" Tidus called, the Caladbolg taking on a luminous sapphire-emerald glow as Tidus began calling power forward.
At once, all across the battlefield, power lights begin to spark and then shine. Dark and light purple and deep blue, orange and green, and, strongest of all, the purest of white that Tidus instantly marked as Yuna's, his beloved wife's. Kimahri's own Spirit Lance gleamed with his own pale blue aura.
"FIGHT!" he half-roared, half-shouted.
More roars answered him as the Ronso redoubled their battle tactic efforts. Flames shot high in the air and Tidus heard the unmistakable sound of Zeoron's shrieks mixed in with howls of fiends being defeated. He smiled, but only for a moment as he, too, charged into battle at Kimahri's side.
Chappu watched as Ifrit was called to the struggle, the beast's roars boisterous and forceful. He drove through a ground of fiends, his sharp claws tearing them easily into shreds. He snarled and growled low in his throat, fire shooting out in all directions. The ice fiends stood no chance and then, to Chappu's shock, the Magus Sisters, flanked closely by Bahamut, zoomed into the plight, giggling and taking shots wherever they could. Bahamut was swiping shadowfiends left and right, occasionally the wheel on his back spiraling sharply with streaks of lightning.
"For the Light!" Chappu yelled, spinning with the Shattered Heart. Ahead, he could make out Yuna battling bravely with Rikku and Lulu at her side, the Al Bhed and Black Mage holding their ground. Lulu was Doublecasting whatever spell she could get out and Rikku was Copycating everything Lulu did, occasionally mimicking Yuna's castings of Holy.
Kimahri flung his arms out. "ULTIMA!"
As soon as the casting wore out, Tidus heard a shrill scream of pain, followed by a second, echoing shriek. He whirled and his eyes went wide. "YUNA!"
"ZEO!" Chappu ricocheted, sprinting toward the fallen young Mage just as Tidus fled to Yuna's. Chappu knelt beside her and pulled up into a sitting position. She moaned and closed her eyes, holding her head, leaning against him.
"Not now, Mom," she murmured. "I wanna sleep."
Ordinarily, and under different circumstances, Chappu would have thought the situation funny but not exactly right now. He winced and shook her gently, mindful of the blood seeping through her dark amethyst long-sleeved shirt at the shoulder. He studied her then and noticed a cut above one eye and a scrape on her left leg.
"What now?" Chappu called to Tidus, who was cradling an unconscious Yuna against his chest while Rikku and Lulu fended off fends. Wakka quickly came to Chappu's aide, blocking off attacking fiends.
"I don't know! They just keep coming!" Tidus shouted back, ducking something that looked like an arrow. He let out an annoyed breath, glancing around, thinking.
Chappu lifted Zeoron in his arms and hurried over next to Tidus, setting her down with them. "We're backed into a corner!" he yelled so Tidus could hear him over the sounds of the ongoing battle.
"I know, I know!" Tidus stretched his hand out for Rikku's bag and drew out two Phoenix Downs, shaking them in his hands to stir them into action. He tossed one to Chappu. "Make her drink it!" he ordered, jerking his head at Zeoron, who had gone deathly pale.
"Right!" Chappu pulled Zeoron upright and held her with one arm, yanking the cork out of the bottle savagely with his teeth. He put the bottle to her lips, tilting it up so just a small amount went in. Zeoron's body jolted and she swallowed. Chappu released her as she took the bottle in her hands, drinking deeply. Her eyes opened and she gazed around dazedly.
"Wha—?"
"Get on your feet!" Chappu hoisted Zeoron up by her uninjured arm, holding onto her while his dark blue orbs darted around for something to help them.
"Chappu… let me go, please."
Chappu's head whipped around to stare at Zeoron. Her voice had been unusually soft when she'd spoken and her eyes had a strange look to them. Unnatural, Chappu distinguished.
Obligingly, he released her and watched in astonishment as Zeoron stepped forward, closing her eyes and raising her arms out and up. Chappu felt something come from and then, abruptly and flashing, her eyes burst open, blazing with purple fires and she shouted, "FLEETING MOMENT!"
Chappu fell backward onto his rear, clutching the Shattered Heart as he gazed at Zeoron in disbelief. Now, on her hands and forearms, she had what was unambiguously a pair of dark lavender and black bladed claws. She spun, her arms above her head. Power lashed out around them and then—
Darkness.
* * *
Chappu felt like he was dying. No, he knew he was dying. Light, just let the pain win. Just them him pass on where there was no more hurting. He'd be… yes, let him reunite with Tida; he'd be with her forever then. No more worries, no more aching… perfect…
Chappu moaned; he was awake now instead. His vision was blurred but as he blinked, he began making out Yuna's smiling face floating up above him. "Good morning, Chappu. Welcome back."
Chappu tried to sit up but found her was too weak to rise; besides, Yuna wouldn't let him. She placed a hand on his chest, holding him back down gently, shaking her head with a rueful smile.
"You took quite a hit, Chappu. You were right in the middle of Zeoron's power clash with the Shadow's. You're really quite lucky to be alive," she said.
Chappu struggled for his voice, and when he managed to speak, his voice was hoarse and cracked. "The battle? It's over? Did we—" Chappu broke off in a hacking cough.
Yuna gave him a smile of sympathy. "Easy, now, Chappu. Yes, we won the battle. Everyone save you walked away with only a few scratches. We couldn't find you at first. Zeoron was nearly beside herself. We actually had to restrain the poor girl. Took quite a lot." Yuna giggled. "Tidus screamed like a girl when she accidentally clawed him with those new talons of hers."
It clicked in Chappu's mind then. Zeoron's legendary weapon… The Fairy Talons. He smiled softly. Tida had come through; now he and Zeoron were at full strength. All that was left was…
Chappu coughed again and Yuna patted his shoulder, brushing his bangs out of his forehead. "You poor dear. There's not much else I can do for you right now, I'm afraid."
"That's okay," Chappu said, giving Yuna a weak smile.
Yuna sighed. "You're on the Titan, Chappu, in one of the cabins. We're on our way to Baaj Temple, and then we'll fly back to Zanarkand. The Final Battle is almost upon us."
Tidus came in, coming up behind his wife and putting his hands her shoulders. Yuna covered one of his hands with her opposite hand, turning her head enough to smile graciously up at her husband.
"How ya doin', Chappu?" he asked, his cerulean eyes radiating seriousness.
"I'll be outta here in no time," Chappu croaked, wincing slightly and fighting down another bout of coughing.
"Good, good. Yuna, we're almost there," Tidus said, speaking to the summoner.
"Yes; thank you," she told him, nodding.
Chappu frowned. "How long have I been out?"
"Nearly a week. We boarded the Titan about two days ago. We helped take care of the injured Ronso tribe members and they in turn helped us find you. It was difficult. Kimahri found you a hundred yards from where the clash had taken place, buried under several feet of snow. Oh, you were a mess. Those first days, we were afraid you wouldn't make it, but you pulled through, the Light willing," Yuna said delicately. She shrugged her shoulders and stood.
"If you need anything, just press that button," she said, indicating the small control lying at his side within easy reach. "Someone will come to you."
Yuna turned to go and Tidus flashed Chappu a grin and a thumbs up before following his wife out of the room. Chappu nodded to him.
He settled down into the pillow, sighing. He closed his eyes, a half-smile gracing his lips. The Light wasn't the reason he was alive; Tida was. She was coming; she was coming…
She was with him.
Disclaimer: All belongs to Squaresoft. You people know what's mine, okay?