*****Standard Disclaimer. I do not own FFX or the characters in it. They are owned by Square-Enix. I do own this story, and my original characters. The title of this chapter is from a song performed by Phil Collins.******
Ten days after Elder Kelk Ronso had granted the party safe passage over the Sacred Mountain, they were over the peak, and for once, had managed to reach one of the rare Ronso settlements at the right time to make camp. For one night, they would be able to sleep between four walls, maybe even in real beds, certainly not on permanently frozen ground, eat food someone else had cooked. And they wouldn't need to post a guard. Everyone would be able to get some much-needed rest. The lift to all their spirits was probably more beneficial than the night's sleep would be, Yuna thought to herself, as she bestowed one of her beatific smiles upon the Ronso villagers.
The travelers' rest mostly served as the local pub, it was really the only way that the owner could make a go of it. He only had three rooms upstairs that he rented to any summoner's parties that happened to stop in the village. The publican was startled to see such a large party, but he still did as he always had, assigning the Summoner to a separate room, leaving the rest of the group to sort themselves out and inform him of whatever arrangements they might have made later. Auron remembered this place from his pilgrimage with Braska, there was only one bed in each room. They made their sleeping arrangements accordingly. Lulu and Rikku would share one room, he, Tidus, Wakka and Kimahri would nominally share the other, but he knew Kimahri would probably spend the night guarding Yuna's door. So be it. Auron asked the innkeeper for sleeping furs to be placed on the floor of the room he was sharing with the two young blitzers for himself. He had unfortunately had many sleepless nights to observe all of his fellow guardians. Both of the young men kicked viciously in their sleep. Let them kick each other black and blue, I intend to get some sleep.
The group met in the inn's Common Room for dinner. The stew was excellent, possibly even more so since none of them had to catch it, cook it, or clean up after it. Yuna seemed to be rather tired, so, after one speaking glance at Tidus, she excused herself from the table and retreated to her room immediately after dinner. Kimahri followed her without a word. He seemed uncomfortable in the company of so many of his own people, after so long away.
They remaining party members continued to keep up a desultory conversation, as Tidus' gaze kept wandering to the door of the Common Room, and then back to the table. He seemed to be making up his mind about something. Lulu was watching him, waiting to pounce if he tried to leave before the rest of the group. She knew what he was thinking about, all right.
I need a distraction, Tidus thought. He looked across the table at Auron, and saw that his dark glasses had slipped down. Good, I'll know when I've got him. Then he stood up, turned his chair around, so that the back of the chair was against the edge of the table, and sat back down again, straddling the chair, with his chin on his crossed arms. He had made plenty of noise in the process, drawing the older man's attention. Their eyes met. Tidus rolled his eyes to the ceiling, then slid his eyes across the table, in Lulu's direction, and finally, raised his eyebrows quizzically, all in a few seconds. Auron blinked in astonishment. For the first time, he saw, not a boy looking back at him, but, for the first time, another man. In this case, a man who wanted him to keep Lulu distracted while he went upstairs to attempt to convince Kimahri to let him into Yuna's room. Very well. He would deal with the mage. Tidus was on his own with the Ronso. Auron nodded, imperceptible to all except the young man.
Tidus asked the older guardian a question about the road ahead. "Auron, you've been here before, what can we expect on the rest of the mountain trail?"
Very good, he thought, her curiosity is her abiding weakness. No one expected him to answer. He almost never answered straightforward questions about the road. But he had tacitly agreed to make an exception in this case, so he began, "The next two or three days will be much the same as the rest of the mountain, then we will reach the caverns…"
As soon as Lulu's eyes were focused on Auron, Tidus slipped from the room, and headed up the stairs, two at a time.
When he reached Yuna's door, Kimahri barred his passage. Tidus spoke to the Ronso, "Kimahri, I think Yuna needs me." He tried to sound confident, but he still blushed.
"Kimahri think so, too," the Ronso replied. He stood aside, to let Tidus knock on Yuna's door. If Yuna need him, Yuna let him in, if not, Yuna send him away. Kimahri not need to protect Yuna from her guardians.
"Yuna, it's me. Can I come in?" he asked shyly.
"Yes, please," she said, with a glad cry. He heard the sound of her quick footsteps, as she flung open the door. Her warm smile was like the sun. He stepped quickly inside, and she shut the door behind him. And bolted it. Kimahri smiled.
Downstairs, Lulu realized that Tidus' chair had been empty for too long for his absence to merely be related to a "call of nature." She rose from her own seat, and set sail for the stairs herself, at a somewhat statelier pace than Tidus had used earlier.
Rikku took in the entire situation in a single glance, then cast Auron a beseeching look. Why is this my problem? He thought ruefully. Still, he pushed his chair back, and pursued the black mage, his longer legs eating up the short distance, reaching the foot of the stairs just before she did. He used his greater height and bulk to loom over her, blocking her way to the upper floor of the small inn. Then he waited, in silence, for her to explain herself. He knew it would not take long.
"Please let me pass. I need to go upstairs."
He didn't even bother to respond. He continued to wait, letting the silence between them stretch out until she felt compelled to break it.
"Tidus went upstairs some time ago." She continued, adding more than a hint of mockery, "I believe he intended to 'keep Yuna company'." Coldly, she went on, "I don't believe that it would be proper for the situation to go on any longer than it already has."
Auron finally spoke to her. His tone was quiet, but even colder than hers had been, and slightly menacing. "Who are you to say what is or is not proper?" he reminded her.
"I only want to do what is best for Yuna," Lulu replied, her temper rising.
"That is Yuna's privilege, to decide what is best for herself."
"But it will only make things more difficult for her later."
"Perhaps. But that is also her choice," Auron replied gravely. He held Lulu's eyes, until she bowed her head in acknowledgement of his words, and Yuna's right to make her own decisions, at least for this one night. He motioned to the mage with his arm, and she turned back to the Common Room.
As they resumed their seats, Wakka asked Auron another question about the Gagazet caverns, as though they had never left, but Rikku was clearly relieved to see them both return to the table unscathed. A few minutes later, as she and Lulu passed Auron on their way upstairs, the young Al Bhed was chattering something about "trying to braid my hair like yours when it's a little longer", as though she hadn't a thought in her head. But he felt a tentative touch on his back as Rikku passed, as though the girl were trying to say, "Thanks."
As soon as Lulu was out of earshot, Wakka finally got around to asking Auron, "Is Tidus with…?" not even bothering to finish the question.
He certainly has developed some survival skills, Auron thought acidly, as he answered, "Yes." This was getting to be a long night.
"Sir Auron, do you think that's such a good idea?" Wakka was honestly concerned about Yuna.
"I think," he replied with some sarcasm, "that it is none of our concern. I am going up to get some rest. I suggest you do the same. Good night."
"If you say so," Wakka replied, still in considerable doubt.
Tidus woke Auron before dawn, as he quietly opened the door to their room. When he saw the older man sitting up in the furs, Tidus knelt beside him on the floor. "Thanks for covering for me last night," he whispered.
"You're welcome. But don't ask again. It is time for you to fight your own battles," he growled in reply.
"I know, Auron. But Yuna's the one Mercy sang about, in that last concert. She's a lot like her. Strong, you know?" The young man paused, and tried to read Auron's expression in the dark. "I miss her so much, sometimes," he added, with a catch in his voice.
Auron turned away, so Tidus had no chance to see his face. I miss her, too. I miss her too much. "Auron…" Tidus called softly, but the older man kept his face resolutely turned toward the wall.
But Tidus thought that since he had already started, he might as well keep going. It seemed easier in the dark. "Mercy knew, didn't she? About all this, I mean. Sin, Spira, everything. You told her what was going to happen."
"Yes," Auron choked out. It was all he could manage to say.
"Why didn't you tell me, too?"
Auron still couldn't face him, as he whispered, in a hoarse, croaking voice, "She wished it, but I thought it would be too much for you to understand. She disagreed. We argued about it. Frequently. But Mercy saw it as my decision, even though she never agreed with me." She never stopped arguing with me about it either, not until almost the end, Auron remembered with regret. I should have listened to her. I should not have wasted time 'discussing' it.
Tidus wanted desperately to ask why Auron hadn't brought Mercy with them, but Wakka unfortunately chose that moment to utter a sleepy "Whassup?" and began to get out of bed. Nearly dawn and bitter cold. Tidus could almost hear Auron's mask slip back into place.
End Chapter fourteen