Epilogue
Wakka: Da slotted spoon CAN catch da potato, ya?
Maester Mika: Every knot was once straight rope…
Auron, Rin: The harder to wake, the better to have…
Crusader, Shelinda [Yawning]: Excuse me.
Cid: The greater the good, the harder the blow…
Donna: [Glaring at Baltero] When going to hide, know how to get there.
Baltero: And how to get back...
Clones: And eat first...
Anima: The knife that is sharp today may be dull by tomorrow...
Shiva: Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah...
Braska: Maybe I just wasn't meant to have children—
Seymour: Don't say that! Of course you were meant to have children...
Braska: But how will I go about being a father with no one to mother my child?
Seymour: Just calm the child.
Braska: Yes, calm the child.
Seymour: Look, tell him the story of how it all happened. Be father and mother, you'll know what to do.
Braska: Alone…
Seymour: Sometimes people leave you
Halfway through the wood.
Do not let it grieve you,
No one leaves for good.
You are not alone.
No one is alone.
Hold him to the light now,
Let him see the glow.
Things will be all right now.
Tell him what you know...
Braska: Shhh.
Once upon a time...
In a land called Spira...
Lived a young summoner...
A sad young blitzer…
And a childless shopkeeper...with his wife.
Lulu [simultaneously with Braska]: Careful the things you say,
Children will listen.
Careful the things you do,
Children will see.
And learn.
Children may not obey,
But children will listen.
Children will look to you
For which way to turn,
To learn what to be.
Careful before you say,
"Listen to me."
Children will listen.
Company: Careful the wish you make,
Wishes are children.
Careful the path they take,
Wishes come true,
Not free.
Careful the spell you cast,
Not just on aeons.
Sometimes the spell may last
Past what you can see
And turn against you...
Lulu: Careful the tale you tell.
That is the spell.
Children will listen...
Company [in three groups: round]:
Though it's fearful,
Though it's deep, though it's dark
And though you may lose the path,
Though you may encounter fiends,
You can't just act,
You have to listen.
You can't just act,
You have to think.
Though it's dark,
There are always fiends,
There are always spells,
There are always beans,
Or a giant dwells there.
[Unison]
So into the woods you go again,
You have to every now and then.
Into the woods, no telling when,
Be ready for the journey.
Into the woods, but not too fast or what you wish, you lose at last.
Into the woods, but mind the past.
Into the woods, but mind the future.
Into the woods, but not to stray,
Or tempt the fiends, or steal from the giant—
The way is dark,
The light is dim,
But now there's you, me, her, and him.
The chances look small,
The choices look grim,
But everything you learn there
Will help when you return there.
Braska, Tidus, Yuna, Rikku: The light is getting dimmer…
Braska: I think I see a glimmer—
All: Into the woods--you have to grope,
But that's the way you learn to cope.
Into the woods to find there's hope
Of getting through the journey.
Into the woods, each time you go,
There's more to learn of what you know.
Into the woods, but not too slow—
Into the woods, it's nearing midnight—
Into the woods to mind the fiend,
To heed the mage, to honor the giant,
To mind, to heed, to find, to think, to teach, to join,
To go to the Festival!
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Then out of the woods—
And happy ever after!
Yuna: I wish...
The End
Author's Notes: This fic was originally written as a present for a specific person, so it is not the most creative or thourough writing I've ever done. However, I was encouraged to post it by others, so I did. Thank you for those who liked it - I left the finale as is, basically, because I think it's a wonderful show, and there was no good way to end it in a humorous vein without completely re-writing. Thank you to everyone who left a review, positive or critical - it's nice to know someone is reading this stuff, as weird as it is.