*****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 song, "Moondance" was written and performed by Van Morrison. "You Have to Hurt" was written by Frank Musker and Dominic King, and performed by Carly Simon. The song "Seven Wonders" was written by Sandy Stewart and Stevie Nicks, performed by Fleetwood Mac ******
At breakfast, they decided to continue on to the Thunder Plains. There were two marks on the map to investigate, a sigil challenge at the Travel Agency, and a weapon quest south of it, although no one could recall anything from their previous visit to the area that resembled either a quest or a challenge. Still, they could collect more fiends for the arena while they puzzled out both problems.
As the group made their way through the northern section of the Thunder Plains, Mercy and Auron were on point, leading the party and watching for fiends on the path ahead. It wasn't a position that Auron had customarily taken; he had been more comfortable guarding their backtrail than leading, before Mercy had joined them. Tidus figured it had been Auron's way of compensating for his blind spot without drawing attention to it, as rearguard, it was no problem, as point, it would have been a distinct handicap. Mercy covered Auron's right, so the problem disappeared. Yuna pointed out to Tidus that Auron was talking to Mercy as they walked. They both still kept a sharp lookout, but they also carried on a conversation; it looked like Mercy had asked a question about the lightning towers, and Auron was trying to explain something about how they worked. "Sir Auron seems more relaxed since Mercy arrived," Yuna ventured.
"Yeah," Tidus agreed.
"He seems to be," she hesitated a moment, "more of a participant, and less of an observer. He has truly joined us at last."
Lulu had noticed the same phenomenon, but she found it infuriating. She stared at Mercy's back as they progressed through the Thunder Plains, looking rather as though she wished the lightning would strike the other woman directly, or maybe wondering if she could 'help' it along. Her inner turmoil at her own emotions, seeing Yuna's happiness with Tidus, remembering her own lost love and her uncertainty about pursuing a relationship with Wakka and Auron's rejection, the strange scene she had witnessed on the airship, her suspicion that Yuna had gone to Mercy for advice and that Mercy had actually encouraged Yuna in that madcap escapade in Macalania, left Lulu confused and upset. The mage did not like that feeling. It made her angry, and she focused her anger on the one she felt had caused it all, the one who was, even now distracting Sir Auron from his duties as Yuna's guardian. He was actually talking with her when he was supposed to be watching for fiends on the road!
Mercy felt like she was being watched, and searched for fiends in the area. Great, it was just the witch again. I wonder when one of her spells is going to accidentally go through me on its way to the target? I think we're going to have to have a little talk soon. I'm tired of this, Mercy thought. She's practically burning a hole in the back of my shirt with her eyes.
By the time they reached the shelter of the Travel Agency, they were all soaking wet, footsore, scorched in a couple of places where they hadn't quite dodged the lightning fast enough, and they had a nice collection of fiends, but nothing that seemed to fit the parameters of either a challenge or a quest. Still, they were glad to reach the warm, dry (especially dry) confines of the agency for a night's food and lodging. As everyone sorted themselves into their rooms, Mercy noticed that Lulu stayed outside, she actually seemed to be enjoying the storm. Oh what the hell, she decided, might as well take care of this now. "Auron, I'm going outside, to talk to Lulu. I think it's about time we cleared the air between us. I'm getting tired of watching my back."
She caught him off-guard. He stared at her in astonishment. "Are you sure that is wise?"
"I'm sure it is not wise," she replied with a laugh. "But I think it's necessary. We need to be united to face Yu Yevon. Things can't go on as they are. But just in case this turns out to have been really stupid, promise you'll send her to the Farplane right after me? If she kills me out there, I'm going to have quite a bit left to say to her." She was partly joking. She still didn't believe in this Farplane of his, not really.
Completely serious now, he gave her his word, "If anyone takes you away from me now, they will meet you on the Farplane very quickly, I promise you."
Mercy found Lulu standing outside, beyond the shelter of the Agency porch, using just her spells to keep herself dry. It was a subtle, but effective display of the mage's power. Mercy was impressed, but didn't let it show. The two women eyed each other cautiously. "I came out here to try to clear the air between us," Mercy opened.
"Why?" Lulu responded.
"Because I'm tired of wondering when one of your spells is going to go through me on it's way to the target. 'Accidentally', of course, " Mercy shot back. Lulu just gave her one of her cool stares. Mercy went on, "Of course, if that were to happen, if I survived, one of my throwing knives would 'accidentally' hit you. If I didn't survive, Auron would just cut you down where you stood. He wouldn't bother to pretend it was an accident. If we are to defeat Yu Yevon, we can't afford this kind of petty little game, so we need to settle whatever is between us, now, before it gets out of hand. It is clear to me that you either have some questions for me, or about me, or just plain have a problem with me. Which is it?"
Lulu was surprised now. She wasn't used to being challenged, and she felt vaguely threatened by the other woman's forthright tone. The mage drew lightning from the sky around her, and formed it into a ball, which she began to pass from hand to hand. It was a basic exercise for a beginning mage, so it served to calm her, and it bought her time while she considered her next words. She knew it usually impressed and sometimes even frightened those without much magical talent; she wanted to regain the upper hand in this discussion.
So this was the game now, Mercy thought, watching Lulu form the lightning ball, and juggle it back and forth. Two can play, and she let a throwing knife drop from its wrist sheath to her palm, and began to toss it into the air, and catch it one-handed. It was all about concentration, and control. The game was to continue the conversation, and the 'trick', at the same time, and not let anything your opponent said or did, or the lightning overhead, cause you to mishandle the knife or the ball. Whoever dropped the object or injured themselves first, lost.
"May I ask you any questions I wish?" the mage began.
"Some topics are off limits, but not many." Mercy laughed. "None that should affect the outcome of this journey. We are both adults, I believe. I have the right to my privacy, as do you. For example, if you want to ask what kind of lover Auron is, forget about it. You had your chance to find out the answer to that question for yourself. We both know that you lost that round. You don't get to satisfy your curiosity now."
"Are you that certain?" Lulu asked archly.
"Oh yes. I am that certain. We would not both be standing here if I wasn't." Mercy's grin was absolutely lethal. Let her think what she likes about that one.
"What about Tidus?" Lulu tried again.
"You could ask Yuna, but I can't imagine you would want to embarrass her that much." Mercy was puzzled by the question.
"I just thought you might know. I saw you on the airship. You two looked pretty cozy." Lulu didn't really think there was anything to this, but she decided to try the question on for size, just to see what sort of reaction she would get.
Mercy just shook her head. This girl was so far off target; she couldn't find it with a map. "Let me get this straight, you were skulking at the end of the corridor, after everyone went to see if Isaaru was still in Bevelle, while Tidus and I were talking, and then Auron came in?"
Lulu nodded, ready to argue about the word 'skulking', but Mercy plunged on. "Then you saw everything, right?" Lulu nodded again. Mercy caught the knife she had been toying with, and replaced it in its sheath. If the witch was desperate enough to try this tack, whether she believed it or not, Mercy figured she had won this round too. The swordswoman just shook her head at the mage, and then she began to laugh.
Lulu's anger exploded. How dare she laugh at her like that? She was the one who had caused all the trouble. Lulu's temper got the better of her, and she let the lightning ball fly out of her hands towards her tormentor. In an instant, the knife dropped back into Mercy's palm. Regretfully, she sidestepped slightly, so the knife's trajectory wouldn't go through the mage if it didn't fall after it contacted the magical construct, and let it fly toward the 'ball'. When the weapon reached its target, a crackling sound filled the air, as the electrical charge dissipated in contact with the metal, then the knife dropped to the ground, blackened around the edges.
"Don't even think about trying that trick again." Mercy addressed Lulu calmly. "I have more knives. We will discuss this like civilized beings until we come to some mutual understanding," Mercy bared her teeth, "or there will be hell to pay. Now, girl, I say again, what is your problem?"
Lulu caught both the insult, and the threat. Her mouth worked for a full minute, then she practically spat out her real question. "Did Yuna come to you for advice?"
So that's what's really eating her. She's not the only font of wisdom anymore. "Yes, she did," Mercy replied.
The silence stretched out uncomfortably between the two women. What, was the woman stupid? Was she going to make her beg for the obvious? "So what did she ask you? And what did you tell her? Lulu finally capitulated, and asked.
"You'll have to ask Yuna. She came to me in confidence, and I respect her right to her privacy as well," Mercy replied.
"But I need to know. I only want what is best for her." Lulu tried to sound superior, but didn't come close to succeeding.
"Lulu, you may want what is best for her, but that doesn't mean you have the right to decide what is best for her, not anymore. That's up to Yuna, now," Mercy said, shaking her head at Lulu's unwillingness to see Yuna as a grown woman in all respects.
"You distract Sir Auron from his duties as Yuna's guardian," Lulu accused.
"I certainly hope so," Mercy replied outrageously. "The day I stop distracting him is the day I'm going to worry about."
"That is a serious accusation to level against a guardian!" Lulu practically shouted her indignation.
"I probably don't distract Auron half as much as you distract Wakka. At least Auron is certain we'll be sharing a bed every night, instead of trying to guess how I feel about him," Mercy riposted.
"What are you talking about?" Lulu was completely shocked. No one ever talked to her like this, and she didn't like it.
"I'm telling you that Wakka is in love with you, and that when Yu Yevon is defeated, you either need to fish or cut line with the poor man."
"What do you mean?" Lulu was stunned; she gave advice, she never took any. No one, no one dared even try to give her any.
"You should know what I'm talking about. Isn't Besaid a fishing village? Wakka loves you. A blind woman could see it with a cane. Nothing says you have to love him in return, but if you don't want him, there will be lots of other women who will. But he'll follow after you forever if he thinks he has a ghost of a chance. If you decide he's not for you, I do think you owe it to him to set him free. He's a good man," Mercy finished.
"Wakka is not the man Chappu was," Lulu stated with finality, standing defiantly, her arms crossed under her breasts.
Mercy knew the story. Rikku had told her all about it, on the airship, when they had been searching for the music machina. Rikku had filled her in on everything the girl had thought she ought to know. Poor Wakka, competing with a dead man. What is it with this place? Doesn't anyone ever let the dead rest in peace? Time to move on, girl. Time for this whole damn place to move on.
"So what?" Mercy retorted, hands on her hips. "Chappu was not the man Wakka is, either. Chappu ran away, he abandoned his responsibilities at home to try to be some kind of hero. Wakka stayed home, and minded his responsibilities. He's the real hero,"
Lulu found her temper again. "How dare you say such things? How dare you presume to give me advice?" Her voice rose in anger.
Mercy was very cool in response. "I dare because you tried to seduce my husband instead of sorting out your feelings for Wakka. I think I still have quite a ways to go to catch up with that bit of presumption, girl."
"Why do you keep calling me 'girl'?" Lulu asked, practically seething with frustration.
"Because you are acting like one at the moment. And, because I'm twice your age and I'm real tired of the game we've been playing. I'd like to call a truce if we can manage that much. What do you say?" Mercy sighed.
Lulu looked the other woman over as she did the math. "I thought you must be younger than Sir Auron." Now she understood. She'd been the responsible one for such a long time, and it had seemed like Mercy was usurping her place without much right to it. Perhaps she could learn something from this woman, if she chose. Her advice had certainly been…interesting.
"Tidus didn't tell you, apparently, and I know I never mentioned it. The years haven't been kind to Auron, so he looks older, but he isn't. I'm afraid I'm old enough to be everyone's mother, except his, of course." Mercy chuckled softly.
"So when I asked if you knew about Tidus…" Lulu began.
"Please, don't go there again." Mercy interrupted, waving her hands in front of her face. "Auron and I can't have children, but we ended up raising Tidus. He's the closest to a son we'll ever have."
Lulu's blush was visible under her makeup, as the full impact of her barbed suggestion hit home. She hadn't intended to be quite that nasty. "I apologize for my earlier remark. It was in very poor taste."
Mercy extended her hand. "Truce?" she asked.
"Truce," Lulu answered, extending her hand in return.
The storm outside was permanently raging, but Mercy thought that the truce in the party was as good as it was going to get, so she wanted to return inside the Travel Agency while she was still ahead. But…she couldn't resist one last bit of advice before she left. "Please think about what I said about Wakka."
"I will, on one condition," Lulu replied. "Will you answer a personal question?"
Not again. "Perhaps," Mercy said aloud.
"Do you ever regret your choice of Sir Auron?" Lulu asked her.
Mercy considered for a moment, then replied, "If you mean, do I regret that I chose Auron instead of a different man, or none at all, then the answer is no, I do not." Then Mercy grinned at her, and continued, "But if you mean, do I ever want to hit him over the head with a blunt instrument, then the answer is yes, of course I do, frequently. And you will, too, no matter how much you love the man you do choose, whether it's Wakka or someone else."
For a moment, the two women smiled at each other in complete accord, then Mercy entered the warm, dry Travel Agency.
In the morning, Rikku asked the girl at the desk about the chest outside the Agency, and discovered that it held prizes for those who were especially good a dodging the lightning bolts on the Thunder Plains. It seemed there was supposed to be a really fantastic reward if you dodged 200 lightning bolts in a row, but no one had ever won that particular prize. The girl thought it was just a gimmick to get people to stay at the Agency and keep trying to win it. Tidus read a book on the counter about some Qactaurs that were trapped inside stones that you had to pray to. They'd seen the stones along the path. Now they had both challenge and quest in hand, so they split up and took care of both objectives at the same time. By the end of the day, they had both Kimahri's Spirit Lance and the Venus Sigil.
They returned to the airship that evening, and Mercy sought out Rin in one of his usual haunts. "How may I be of assistance?" he greeted her. "I believe we can assist each other, Master Rin." "I certainly hope so, Lady Mercy."
Mercy decided she needed all the help she could get with this one, so she kept the title. "I have a business proposition for you, sir."
"I am, as they say, all ears."
"I noticed, that you made a sphere recording of my impromptu musical 'practice session', without my permission," Mercy began, easing around to the point of the whole discussion.
"You have a beautiful voice, Lady, and the music is unusual. You are yourself an…interesting person. I do not believe that anyone in Spira was aware that Sir Auron had married. Any one of those reasons would make the spheres quite popular. Taken together, well…" Rin spread his hands, indicating wordlessly that he expected to do quite well out of the deal.
"I plan on doing more concerts aboard ship, and also recording some private practice sessions as well. Would you also like to distribute spheres of those, Master Rin?" Mercy asked.
"Yes, I would, Lady Mercy."
"Good. Then these are my terms. You may record any public performances, and distribute the spheres. I will make spheres of my private practice sessions, and deliver them to you for safekeeping. You will not distribute the practice session spheres until I either give you permission or in the event of my death. As my agent, I think that the proceeds from the sale of the spheres should go 90% to me, or my heirs, and 10% to you. Do you agree?"
"Lady, you drive a hard bargain. I believe that I can agree to all of your terms, except for the sharing of the proceeds. I think that 10% is much too small considering all of the time and effort my Agents and Agencies must expend in shipping and handling. Spheres are quite fragile, you know."
They settled on a 60/40 split, 60 for Mercy or her heirs, 40 for Rin, and had it all drawn up in a contract. Mercy named her heirs as Auron, Tidus, Yuna, Rikku, Kimahri, Wakka and even Lulu, knowing as she signed the contract how it would turn out in the end.
They returned to Zanarkand, to see if Lulu's surmise at the submerged temple had been correct. Yuna thought it was time to get Seymour's aeon, and that they had recovered from the sorrow they had found there the first time. The second trip was anti-climactic. Without Yunalesca, the Dome had lost much of its power. It was still filled with fiends, and pyreflies, but ghostly images no longer stalked its halls. Their predecessors only walked in their memories, not by their sides. One final puzzle awaited them in the Chamber of Trials; they solved it with ease, and returned to the airship for the journey to the watery temple on Baaj Island.
In the former front portico of the submerged temple Tidus' prize mirror led them to yet another one of the Celestial Weapons, it turned out to be an Onion Knight moogle doll, clearly intended for Lulu. In the Cloister of Trials of Baaj Temple, they found that all the statues were now activated, and that the door to the fayth was open. Lulu had been right; Zanarkand had been the last key to the puzzle here, as well.
Anima was Seymour's mother! Mercy remembered the scene they had witnessed in Zanarkand. His mother had expected him to use her to defeat Sin. He had been a child, a lot younger even than Tidus when she first met him. She thought Seymour had been no more than eight, maybe younger, the way he had been wiping his eyes when he cried. He would have died if he fought Sin. What had the woman been thinking?
At least, Yuna had Anima, the aeon of pain.
They mapped out a route that would accomplish their goals, visit the remaining aeons, capture more fiends for the arena, investigate the rest of the symbols on the map, and return to Belgemine in order for Yuna to acquire the Magus Sisters. Auron believed that by the time they had completed those tasks, they would be ready to face Omega. If he was correct, they would then face Sin, and Yu Yevon. If his confidence in their abilities proved misplaced, they could all discuss it on the Farplane, if Yuna lived long enough to send them. They would return to Bikanel first, to fulfill the sigil quest marked on the map, return to Kilika, then Luca, and retrace their steps north until they reached Guadosalam, then board the airship again to use Gagazet and Yojimbo's Cavern as final tests before reaching the Calm Lands and the Arena and Remiem.
As the ship flew toward Bikanel, Mercy spent the evening in their cabin, trying to program a few more songs into the little machina. It was not going well. She decided to take a shower, before she threw the machine across the room in frustration. It was ironic, she thought, that in Zanarkand, she had always intended that her music would be what she left behind her. Not children, like most women, but songs. Then, when Auron had come into her life, she had learned that of everything and everyone she had known and loved, or who had known her or known of her, only he and Tidus would go out into the 'real' world, and that they were both on different kinds of borrowed time. But she had grabbed her life those five years and wrung every second of joy out of it she could, and then, in the last moments, asked for another way, and it had been given, and here she was, trying again to make song children, on her own borrowed time, and still wringing joy out of every second. Maybe not quite every second, she thought, glaring at the machina again.
In the shower, she wondered where Auron was, and then realized that he was using the gymnasium to spar with Kimahri. The Ronso had discovered that he had a lot of spare time, since it was now rather awkward for him to keep watch outside Yuna's door every night. In her mental background, her brain was going over the machina again, and she had an idea about the programming again. As soon as she got out of the shower, she slipped on her robe and sat cross-legged on the bed, trying it out. By the time Auron returned, she was just as frustrated as she had been before, hunched over the machine, a small tool clenched between her teeth, cursing softly and incoherently as she worked.
She was oblivious to his presence when the door opened, so he simply watched her work, an indulgent smile on his face at first, then it was replaced by an expression that was much more bittersweet, filled with sadness, as well as love. He understood why the music was so important to her. He had accepted, long ago, that a guardian's fate was to be forgotten. He believed that they would be together, in some form, on the Farplane. It was one of the few beliefs that he had left. She had told him, back in the ruins of Zanarkand, that she did not believe in the Farplane, she only believed in him. He loved her, but he thought her belief was misplaced. She thought the only continuance of her soul would be through her music, and she was trying to ensure that through the machina she was cursing at so vehemently at the moment.
She was still, and would always be, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The silver in her hair, the lines of laughter beside her eyes only added to her allure. Her robe hopefully served to keep a chill off her back, because it gaped open over her breasts as she bent over the machine. He removed his coat and armor, making significant amounts of noise as he did so. He was concerned that, if he startled her, she would swallow the tool she was chewing on. She finally looked up when he sat on the bed to remove his boots. "What is the matter with the machina?" he asked cautiously.
She sighed in frustration, and took the probe out of her mouth. "Daf used to make this look so easy. It's not. I wish he were here right now." She blinked rapidly.
His hand caressed her cheek. There was nothing he could say that would make this pain any easier to bear. Gently, he took the machina out of her hands, and tucked it under the edge of the bed. She opened her mouth to protest, but he could tell it was going to be half-hearted. "It will still be there in the morning. Stop for now," he urged.
"It will still be a Zu in the morning," she muttered, as he gathered her into his arms. There was still some joy to be wrung out of this night.
-----
As planned, they stopped in Bikanel. The quest to gain the sigil seemed endless, but it was eventually accomplished. Mercy decided to pass on seeing the wonders of the desert after the first day, and spent the second day practically beating the little machina into submission, and making private recordings of songs that she did not believe she could, or in some cases should, manage to sing in public. She was not certain Auron would ever forgive her if she sang "Slow Hand" in public anywhere on Spira, ever. She recorded "Go Insane" as well. The song had only required one public performance, and that, it had had. "Moondance" was the most difficult one to sing. It had always been Dafydd's solo. When she sang it, she couldn't help but hear his voice in her mind, in her heart. As she laid down the track of the recording, she promised herself that she would try to sing it for an audience, one more time. She thought Daf would want it that way. It was her way of keeping her brother alive, too.
---
Kilika; a visit to Ifrit, then on to Luca, where all the Blitzball games that Tidus and Wakka had played during the journey finally paid off. Three symbols were lined up over Luca, crest, sigil and weapon; one seek and two challenges. It turned out to be a package deal, as they all reacted to one another. Wakka had found the crest in the Aurochs' old locker room, and they collected the weapon from the bartender in the Luca café because she recognized Tidus and Wakka from all the games they had won. The sigil turned out to be the prize for a tournament that afternoon, and the team they had recruited around the Aurochs won easily. The weapon awed Wakka, there were still legends about it in Blitzball. The World Champion was rumored to have been Lord Oholland's.
They collected fiends on the Mi'ihen Highroad, then used the airship to reach a section of Mushroom Rock Road that gave them access to one of the weapons, it turned out to be Rikku's Godhand. On foot, they traversed the road, hurrying past the site of the disaster named Operation Mi'ihen. The map led them to a section of Mushroom Rock that had not been accessible during the "operation". They found a rather battered statue of a warrior standing over a defeated behemoth, in the location marked on the map, but no indication of what they should do. Lulu, a little paler than usual, said, "This was a quest, correct?" "Yeah," Tidus agreed. "Sir Auron, do you remember that rusty sword you picked up, near Yojimbo's cavern?" Lulu asked, trying not to look at him. "Doesn't it look like the sword in the statue?" Auron pulled the old blade from his pack, and studied it carefully, comparing it to the statue, then he thrust it into the ground next to the figure, using perhaps more force than was necessary. Mercy hid her mouth behind her hand, but her eyes danced at his embarrassment. A symbol appeared on the rock wall, one that opened in the light of the mirror, revealing Lord Mi'ihen's sword, Masamune.
Djose; Ixion, then on the road between the temple and the Moonflow, another weapon quest symbol to investigate. They had to cut through the undergrowth, halfway down the road before the first bend. When they cleared away the greenery, they found a statue, a woman this time, mounted on a chocobo, with an open swordcase at the chocobo's feet. "Who was she?" Yuna asked. Auron answered, "Lady Atna, founder of the Djose Chocobo Knights." "I thought she was just a myth," Lulu broke in. "She was supposed to be either Lord Mi'ihen's daughter, or his wife, wasn't she?" the mage asked. "She was no myth," Auron answered. "There were few references to her in the libraries in Bevelle, but there were some. She was real enough." Mercy stared at the open swordcase at the feet of the statue, and swung her pack from her back. "I knew I kept these for a reason," she muttered, as she reached into the bottom, drawing out a crackling package of broken bits of blades. She opened the wrappings over the case, and shards of two swords, with two hilts and two tangs fell into the waiting receptacle. With an audible "creak", the case snapped shut, and a mandala appeared on the stone wall next to the statue. In the light of the mirror, two blades were revealed, one long and one short, inscribed with runes that read, Goro Nyudo. Mercy took up the wakizashi, compared it to Auron's Masamune, and nodded. Although the Goro Nyudo were the traditional, slightly curved blades, based on the proportions, the colors of the metal, the hilts, the crafting, everything, it seemed, at least on initial inspection, that all three weapons had been forged by the same hand. The Masamune was the katana, and the Goro Nyudo were the wakizashi and the tanto of the same set.
---
In Guadosalam, Lulu asked to visit the Farplane alone. She emerged, after several hours, considerably lighter of heart, with the Venus Crest in her hands.
---
They collected fiends in Gagazet, and on the way to Yojimbo's cavern. Auron was grateful that Yuna wished to visit all of the fayths again; it provided him with the excuse he needed to visit Yojimbo himself. When they all stood before the fayth, the swordsman fayth addressed Tidus first, as many of his brethren had done.
"You are a fading dream, but one touched by reality. Spira will not forget its reality, nor the one who saved it. Run dream; run on. Pass beyond the waking and walk into the daylight."
"Yojimbo," Auron called the fayth's name.
"Guardian, would you beg a last boon of Yojimbo?"
"I would ask a question of Yojimbo."
"Ask your question, then, Guardian, and be satisfied with the answer this time," the fayth warned.
"Has everyone played their parts?"
Yojimbo turned to Mercy. "You know the part you must yet play, Lady?"
"Yes, I know. I will play it, and gladly."
"Then that, Guardian, is your answer. Be content with it."
"Sir," Mercy addressed the fayth somewhat hesitantly.
"Yes, child."
"Are you the one who opened the door, that night in Zanarkand?"
"Yes, child, I am"
"Then, I thank you, sir, from the bottom of my heart. I will not forget you, either."
"Nor I," Auron echoed her.
---
The arena master was extremely happy to see them, especially when he realized that they had nearly completely restocked his training ground. He rewarded them with two more sigils, Mars and Minerva, Auron's and Mercy's, as well as a number of other interesting items and potions, and an opportunity to fight some of his more ferocious creations. "I wonder how long before his monsters escape again?" Mercy asked Auron as they left. "He'll be lucky if that is the worst that happens, considering some of the fiends he has created this time." Auron replied under his breath.
---
Belgemine sent herself when Yuna defeated all of her aeons, but not before she had given Yuna the greatest rewards she had to give, the Moon Sigil, and final aeon, the Magus Sisters. After they returned briefly to the Macalania Woods to reunite the powers of all their weapons, they were as ready to face Omega as they would ever be.
They spent one night aboard the airship, where Mercy gave another small performance, just to whoever happened to wander in. It was really more like a practice session that got out of hand, she thought, as someone else tried to cram into the room. Rin was recording, so she treated it like a concert, trying not to curse at the little machina too often. It was doing its best, poor thing. She looked at the list of songs she had managed to force feed into the little one's brain, and thought of the three young women sitting in the room tonight, Rikku, Yuna, and Lulu, and began,
You have to hurt, to understand
You have to get by, the best you can
Until you hurt, until you cry
You won't know about love
Or the reason why you have to hurt
---
It took them two weeks to beat Omega. They had to drag themselves back to the ship twice to heal and rest up before they finally managed to reach the foul fiend and defeat him.
---
They had all needed a couple of days to rest and to heal before they could face Sin. Omega himself hadn't been half as challenging as the dungeon that surrounded him. But, they could only put it off for a little while, Spira couldn't afford for them to take a long vacation. This would be their last night aboard the airship. In the morning, they would fight Sin. Mercy had said something to Rikku about wanting to sing tonight, and Rikku had gone a little overboard on the idea. Somehow, it had turned into a big concert.
History repeats, Auron thought in the shower, remembering Mercy's last farewell concert. At least this time, we will leave together. He finished shaving and left the bathing room that evening, still naked from the shower, to find Mercy waiting for him, dressed in a complete replica of the clothing she had worn for her concerts in Zanarkand, right down to those laced up shoes of hers. She smiled mischievously at him. She found his instantaneous reaction quite…gratifying. He crossed the room swiftly, and grabbed her with his strong hands, backing her towards the bed. She laughed, a glorious sound, at the success of her "surprise", before his lips found hers.
She was keyed up before this concert. She was always on edge before any performance, and with this one, it seemed, doubly so. And his touch set her skin on fire. She tried to keep it light, to tease him, to save it for later, but she didn't think she was going to succeed. Her hand on his chest now, she brought her fingers down and traced the length of him with one fingertip. He groaned. She teased, "I just wanted to give you something to think about, for later." "Lady, you do that again, it will be now. And later," he promised huskily. She did it again. His questing fingers found the tie on the back of her tunic. Just like in Zanarkand, when he pulled it, the shirt disintegrated, as they fell onto the bed.
It was fast and furious, and just like in Zanarkand; there was no time to linger, because she had a concert to do. "This is all your fault," she said to Auron, as she tried to find her scattered clothes. "No, it is not. I warned you what would happen," he said, grinning, as he started to reach for his usual attire. "Nah-ah." Mercy shook her head. "Your clothes are over there," his wife pointed to something hanging on the back of the door. He looked, and found a pair of black slacks, and a black collarless shirt, similar to the type he had worn in Zanarkand, waiting for him, a pair of soft black boots on the floor. "Please?" she asked.
When Auron walked into the long deck that had been prepared as the concert hall a few minutes later, and took his seat, Wakka gasped in astonishment at his attire. "Sir Auron, wh-what happened to you?"
The older man replied coolly, "My wife...wished it." To everyone's complete surprise Auron went on, addressing Wakka in an indulgent tone, "Someday, if you are very foolish, and very lucky, you will understand." Wakka's mouth opened, and he forgot to close it. Lulu eventually put her hand under his chin, and shut it for him.
Mercy walked up the stairs, and through the crowd to the end that had been set up as a stage. As she passed Auron, she put her arm around his neck and kissed him briefly, as she had always done before a performance, and he hugged her, one-armed, as had been usual. Everyone except Tidus was mildly shocked at their behavior.
Mercy reached the makeshift stage, and used the machina to amplify her voice so that it would reach everyone in the crowd plus those who were tuning in from other parts of the ship. She knew that Cid, Brother, and another Al Bhed named Buddy were listening from the Bridge.
"Everyone, I want to thank you for being here tonight, to listen to this concert. I know that the music that I am going to sing for you is not familiar, because it is the music of my home, but you all know what we are going to try to do tomorrow, and it is my fervent hope that Spira will have time for music again when we are done. So, I would like to share with you the songs that I know, that I love, in the hope that you will enjoy them, too. Music is the language of the heart; its themes are universal. I am going to sing of love; and as she said the word, she looked over the audience, and smiled at some of the more obvious couples, including Tidus and Yuna, looked pointedly at Lulu, and smiled at Auron; and of hope; at this, she opened her arms wide to the entire audience, they all had hopes, tonight; and sex; she grinned mischievously at a few couples who couldn't keep their hands off each other, even in public, and winked at Auron, who suddenly had the wild thought, was she going to sing that song tonight, here? and dreams; those lost dreams, faded but not forgotten, and those bright, precious ones that we have found."
And with that, she bowed her head, flipped a switch on the machina, and opened with "Anticipation".
She sang the songs that she loved, the songs that made up the life they had shared together. She came within a hairsbreadth of singing "Slow Hand", but she resisted the temptation. She did sing, "All I Want is You", and still saw the steam come out of his ears.
As the concert wound toward its end, both Auron and Tidus were astounded to hear the opening bars for Dafydd's solo, "Moondance", but Mercy wanted it to be part of this legacy she was leaving, and it was perfect for this night. In her mind, she could almost hear her brother's clear tenor singing with her, as she poured her heart out into the song.
Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love
Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love
Well, I wanna make love to you tonight
I can't wait 'til the morning has come
And I know that the time is just right
And straight into my arms you will run
And when you come my heart will be waiting
To make sure that you're never alone
There and then all my dreams will come true, dear
There and then I will make you my own
And every time I touch you, you just tremble inside
And I know how much you want me that you can't hide
One more moondance with you in the moonlight
Can't I just have one more dance with you my love
They would face Sin in the morning. She did not know if there would be another chance, and she was very uncertain about the nature of the Farplane. Tonight might be their last Moondance, indeed. She smiled wickedly at her husband. They would have at least one more dance tonight.
Then she bowed her head for a moment, and said, "I will close, as always, with Seven Wonders."
So long ago
It's a certain time
It's a certain place
You touched my hand and you smiled
All the way back you held out your hand
If I hope and if I pray
Ooh it might work out someday
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
Yuna heard the words of the song, and thought how sad it was, that this person had had their chance at happiness, and had let it slip away, never realizing how much Auron had seen his own emotions reflected in the song, the first time he had heard it, five years before.
Mercy had written a new version of the words at the end of the song for this last performance, to match the gift she and Auron had been given, and repeated the chorus one extra time.
We have lived to see the seven wonders
We've made the path to the rainbow's end
And we have lived, to match the beauty again
At the rainbow's end
End of Chapter nineteen
******Author's Notes: Please let me know what you thought of the chapter, or of the story so far. Thanks for reading.