7. Discussion with a Summoner
The sun was just climbing over the horizon, by the time Buffy found herself back at the travel agency. The journey back seemed to pass by without her even noticing it; she was too lost in thought, trying to understand everything she'd learned.
Buffy slipped almost soundlessly into the travel agency, hoping to get a couple of hours of sleep in, before she had to get up again. That hope was dashed, when she slipped quietly into the room she shared with Yuna and Lulu.
Yuna was sitting up in bed, almost as though waiting for Buffy. "Where have you been?" The young Summoner asked quietly. In the bed farthest from the door, Lulu was asleep.
"I had some business to take care of," Buffy whispered. She removed her jacket, unbuckled the sword from around her waist, and kicked her shoes off. The girl removed her trousers, then slipped underneath the covers.
"Are you alright?" Yuna asked. She reached over, gingerly touching the deep gash on Buffy's forehead, the one Angel put there. It had long since stopped bleeding, but her face had to be covered in dried blood still. Buffy flinched at Yuna's touch.
"I'll be fine. I just need a couple hours' sleep," Buffy responded.
"Buffy, you are my guardian," Yuna whispered. Here it came, the rebuke for disappearing into the night. "But you are also my friend. If there is anything you require, I want to help."
"I'll be fine," Buffy repeated, a little quieter. In truth, she wasn't so sure. Yuna lay back in her bed and closed her oddly coloured eyes. An uncomfortable silence fell over them.
"Yuna?" Buffy whispered, checking to see if her friend was still awake.
"Yes?" Yuna whispered back.
"What happens… when you reach Zanarkand?" Buffy asked, a little hesitantly. Zanarkand was at the end of the Summoner's pilgrimage; it was the final destination. But Buffy still found herself a little uncertain about what happened after that.
The Kilika temple priest explained that, if a Summoner was strong enough to reach Zanarkand, then he or she would be granted the Final Summoning, a weapon with which to defeat Sin. Buffy knew from experience that a power like that couldn't come without a price, and Xander told her that performing the Final Summoning would kill Yuna. To be honest, she was looking for a reason not to believe him.
"I will be granted the Final Summoning," said Yuna quietly, and Buffy knew instantly that it was a well-rehearsed line. She still wanted to hear the truth from Yuna's mouth. She needed to hear it from Yuna's mouth.
"What… happens after that?" Buffy asked.
Yuna remained silent for a long moment, before sitting up, fixing her attention now fully on Buffy. "Does it matter?" Yuna asked quietly.
"It does to me," Buffy responded. "You have to tell me."
"Buffy, why do you ask?" Yuna asked.
"I… just need to know. I need to know what happens in the end. I can't explain it," Buffy whispered. At least, she couldn't explain it in words that she was willing to speak. Buffy needed to hear from Yuna that the Final Summoning would kill her. She needed some irrefutable proof, because part of her still wanted to believe that this was all a dream, a nightmare.
"I will die," Yuna said soberly.
There it was. Whatever deniability Buffy's mind still held on to, it slipped away with those three words. Yuna would die if she was allowed to perform the Final Summoning. Buffy guessed that was why there weren't any High Summoners who beat Sin twice.
So Xander was right. She hadn't wanted to believe him, even though she'd agreed to help him. That left Buffy with just one course of action.
Buffy sat up, looking Yuna straight in the eye. "I can't let you do that, Yuna," the young Slayer said, after a long moment. "I can't let you throw away your life for nothing."
"It's not for nothing!" Yuna said, her voice louder than even she expected. Both girls glanced over at Lulu, to see if the black magician would wake, but if Lulu had woken up, she only turned over and went back to sleep.
"Even for a little while, people can sleep in their beds without being afraid," Yuna told Buffy, her tone more controlled this time. "They can live without the threat of Sin looming over them. That kind of time is worth anything."
"Not your life, Yuna," Buffy told her, her tone even. "Listen, I know where you're coming from. What's one life against all those lives you'd be saving, right?"
"If my life is the price for defeating Sin, then I pay that price gladly," Yuna said, nodding her agreement.
"That's not right!" The two girls glanced over at Lulu again, as Buffy raised her voice. The black magician didn't stir. Buffy and Yuna both breathed a sigh of relief. "Yuna, you're my friend. You know that, right?"
"Of course," Yuna said.
"Then why are you doing this?" Buffy asked quietly. She didn't expect an answer, didn't want one. She shook her head, frustrated. "I don't understand. I can't."
"This is something that I can do," Yuna said. "To make this world a better place."
"But it won't change anything," Buffy responded. "Sin will just come back again. It always comes back, remember?"
"You don't know that," said Yuna sincerely. "Maybe this time it won't come back. You have to have faith."
"Please, Yuna," Buffy pleaded. "Don't do this."
Buffy couldn't make herself meet Yuna's eyes. The young Summoner reached out, her fingertips brushing Buffy's cheek, gently tilting Buffy's face until her eyes met Yuna's.
"I will understand if you don't want to be my guardian anymore, but this is something that I have already decided," Yuna smiled at Buffy, a warm and understanding kind of smile. She lay back down, pulling the sheets up over her shoulders.
Buffy let herself lie down too. Alone in her own bed, Buffy curled up
into a ball, pulling the sheets tightly towards her…
Everything was going wrong, and I'd only been in this world for a
little under two weeks. I felt so alone.
Morning, or to be more precise, later that same morning, came far too quickly for Buffy's tastes. She felt herself being shaken gently. Opening her eyes, she saw Lulu standing over her, already fully dressed.
"What time is it?" Buffy grumbled, blearily blinking back the sleep. She glanced around, her mind taking a moment to update her on her surroundings.
"It's time to wake up," Lulu told her, not in an unkind tone of voice.
Buffy leaned over the bed, reaching for her jacket. She fumbled for a moment, before pulling out her watch. It was already nine thirty in the morning. At least that wasn't too early.
Lulu sat down on her bed, waiting for Buffy to wake up. The young Slayer found herself wondering where Yuna was. "I heard your conversation with Yuna last night," Lulu said.
Buffy stopped. "You were asleep," Buffy said.
"Next time you shouldn't raise your voice," said Lulu, with a hint of a laugh in her voice. She gave Buffy a stoic smile.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up," said Buffy, offering Lulu an apologetic smile.
"That's alright," said Lulu. "Where did you go last night?"
"I saw a friend. I had to follow him," Buffy answered, her eyes becoming distant as she thought back to Angel.
"Did you learn anything?" Lulu inquired.
"Nothing to help me get back home, or to make me want to get back home, if that's what you're asking," said the young Slayer. She paused to give Lulu a look, wondering if that really was what the black magician was asking about. As ever, Lulu's face was unreadable. "I found out about the Final Summoning. I don't agree with it. But I guess you already know that."
"Yes," said Lulu, with a slight nod.
"How do you do it, Lulu?" Buffy asked. "Isn't Yuna like a sister to you?"
"Don't think we didn't try to talk her out of it," Lulu admonished gently. "When Yuna sets her mind to something, there is no stopping her."
"I hadn't noticed," Buffy muttered sarcastically. Yuna was too strong-willed for her own good.
"You have made quite an impact on her," Lulu said. "She stayed up all night waiting for you to come back. I think she really likes you."
"Then why won't she listen to me?" Buffy asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"That's just the way Yuna is," Lulu said. She stood up, motioning for Buffy to follow. The young Slayer grabbed her clothing from the heap on the floor, and followed after the black magician.
Lulu led Buffy into the bathroom. It wasn't exactly the level of indoor plumbing that Buffy was accustomed to, but at least it wasn't anything along the lines of a latrine either. "You may want to get cleaned up," Lulu suggested.
Buffy caught sight of herself in the mirror. She was filthy, covered in dirt and her own dried blood. As expected, the superficial scrapes and bruises she'd sustained fighting Angel and his pet fiend were already gone; they hadn't even leave scars.
All she had to do now was wash the blood from her face and hair and shirt. It took her the better part of a half hour to do just that. Drying herself off, she pulled her wet blonde hair back into a messy ponytail. She slipped easily back into her clothes, buckling her sword around her waist, and shrugging her jacket on over her shoulders.
Then she left the bathroom.
Yuna was waiting for her outside. The young Summoner gasped when she saw Buffy. She moved a little closer, her hands gingerly probing where Buffy had so recently been hurt. "You're all better," she said, with something akin to awe in her voice.
"Yeah," said Buffy, with a nod. "Listen, Yuna, I want to apologise for this morning. I shouldn't have tried to talk you out of… well, you know."
"It's alright," said Yuna, with a bright smile.
"I still want to be your guardian, if you'll have me," Buffy offered.
Yuna smiled. "Just so long as you remember to smile," she said, with a slight laugh. "Come on. The others are already waiting for us outside." She took Buffy by the hand, and led her to where the other guardians were waiting for them.
"Look who's back, eh," Wakka said. "You find what you were lookin' for?"
Buffy shook her head. "Wakka, about last night, I… I hope I didn't hurt you too much," she said, embarrassed.
"Nah," said Wakka. "It'll take more than that to hurt me."
"He was moaning all night about how much it hurt," Tidus said. Wakka glared at him, but he just grinned back.
"Are we ready?" Auron asked, sounding like his usual gruff and emotionless self.
"Sure," Buffy said, with a shrug.
"Hey! Wait!" Tidus cut in, before they could go. "What about that Chocobo-eating fiend? I thought we were gonna take care of it."
The door to the travel agency opened up. Rin and an Al Bhed woman walked out. "Forgive me, but I could not help but overhear your conversation," Rin said, bowing his head. "I have just been informed that the particular fiend you were going to stop has already been taken care of."
"Huh? When?" Tidus asked.
"Last night," Rin answered, smiling. He gestured to Buffy. "This young lady killed it."
"I did?" Buffy asked, sounding as confused as Tidus looked. "I don't remember killing any fiends last night."
"Maybe it was that fiend you ran after," Wakka suggested.
"I already told you," Buffy said through gritted teeth. "Angel's not a fiend. It'd help if I knew what the fiend looked like."
"It would have appeared vaguely reptilian," Rin said.
"Oh," said Buffy. Had she fought any reptilian fiends last night? There was that one she killed because it got in her way, but that couldn't be it, could it?
"Have you an interest in renting some chocobos?" Rin asked. Buffy's eyes lit up. To be able to ride one of those big yellow birds had to be such a thrill. "As a token of our gratitude, the first time is free of charge. Please ask the attendant if you wish to rent."
He gestured to the Al Bhed woman standing next to him. "She will show you to the corral. I wish you a pleasant journey." That said, Rin turned and walked back into his travel agency.
"Way to go, kiddo," said Tidus, tousling Buffy's hair affectionately and earning himself a glare from the young Slayer.
"Ya," Wakka agreed. "We should reach the end of the highroad much faster this way."
"Oh! Thank you so much for protecting the chocobos," the Al Bhed woman said.
"And we actually get to ride them?" Buffy asked eagerly. "The big yellow birds, I mean?"
"That's what they're there for," Auron answered coolly.
Before Buffy could think of a snappy comeback, the old man moved off,
following the attendant towards the chocobo corral. Buffy felt robbed.
Yuna laughed at the look on Buffy's face. She and Tidus took Buffy by the
arm and they followed after Auron.
To ride a chocobo faster than the wind... I can't really describe
it. It's so exhilarating. It was like I was flying or something, like I
was free. You guys would have loved it; it felt great.
There weren't enough chocobos to go around, and two of the group had to share. At Buffy's suggestion, Yuna rode behind Tidus, holding on tight. The young Summoner was almost certain that was exactly what Buffy had intended, even without Buffy's knowing smile. Yuna had to admit that she enjoyed being this close to Tidus, even if she couldn't admit it to him in words.
"What a kick!" Buffy exclaimed happily, jumping from the chocobo. They'd arrived at the end of the highroad in record time, and they hadn't even been bothered by any of the fiends. "We have to do that again sometime."
"I enjoyed it too," Yuna said. She and Buffy shared a conspiratorial smile, before breaking down into giggles.
"Hey guys," said Tidus. "Look who's here."
The guardian pointed towards the gate, currently guarded by two crusaders. The Summoner Dona was arguing with one of the guards. "It's Dona," Tidus said, his voice distinctly lacking in anything even approaching enthusiasm.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Dona asked, sounding more infuriated than frustrated. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at the man. "I'm a Summoner!"
"Sorry, ma'am! No exceptions!" The guard said.
"You dare impede a Summoner's pilgrimage?" Done threatened.
"Sorry, ma'am! No exceptions!" The guard repeated mechanically.
"Useless!" Dona huffed, turning away from the guard with a look of annoyance on her face.
"She's such a snob," Buffy told Tidus. He nodded in agreement. Yuna wanted to reprove her two guardians, but she really couldn't find it in her heart to do so. "Let's go rub it in. Hey Dona!"
Dona turned to look at them. "Oh, it's you," she dismissed. "As you can see, not even Summoners can pass. But they'll call on us in the end."
"Confident, aren't you?" Buffy asked, smirking smugly.
"I'm a Summoner," Dona said, as if this was some kind of justification for her confidence. Yuna wished she could be as confident as Dona sounded, but as much as she wanted to defeat Sin, she had her doubts. "Just wait and see. In the meantime, I think I'll have a nap. Oh, Barthello?"
Yuna watched as Dona's muscular guardian move off after the other Summoner. Buffy laced her fingers together behind her head and watched the two go. "She's not very pleasant, is she?" Buffy asked.
"Not really," Tidus agreed.
"Stop that you two," Wakka warned. "She's still a Summoner."
"Wonder what it's like," Buffy murmured. Yuna wondered at the question, even as her guardian turned to her. "Tell me about it. What's it feel like to summon one of those thingies?"
"Thingies?" Tidus asked, giving her an odd look.
"Aeons," Yuna corrected Buffy, with a warm smile. She grabbed Buffy by the arm. "Come on. I'll tell you all about it, while we wait for them to open the Mushroom Rock Road again."
That said, the young Summoner dragged her friend away from the group, to the side of the Highroad, where they wouldn't be in the way. Tidus scratched the back of his head, giving the two girls a look.
"You think they're acting weird?" Yuna heard him ask Wakka. For his part, the Blitzer just shrugged.
"Why did you want to know?" Yuna asked, once they were comfortably seated and safely away from any eavesdroppers.
"Remember I told you I left because I had some business to take care of?" Buffy asked. Yuna nodded. Maybe now her friend would tell her where she'd disappeared to so abruptly. "Well, I saw a friend, and I had to follow him. I found…"
Buffy's voice trailed off, and Yuna was left to wonder what her guardian was going through. She reached out and put a comforting hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Take your time."
Buffy smiled, and covered Yuna's hand with her own. "Thanks," Buffy said, smiling. "I found another one of my friends. He was… Well, he was one of the fayth."
Yuna gasped. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Buffy said, nodding. "I'm pretty sure. What I saw… well, the Kilika priest described what a fayth looked like, and I'm sure that's what I saw. Plus, you know, Xander kinda admitted to being a fayth."
What did that mean? Was Buffy really from this world, from Spira? It would explain her friend being one of the fayth.
"I was wondering what it feels like, being a Summoner and all," said Buffy after a long moment's silence. "I can still kinda feel him inside, like a warm fuzzy feeling in the back of my mind."
Yuna found herself shocked again. When she became a Summoner, Yuna learned to accept the fayth. The fayth joined with her, becoming a part of who she was. It felt very much like what Buffy described: a warmth, a kind of support.
"What you describe, it sounds like your friend has agreed to become your aeon," Yuna told her honestly. She closed her eyes. If Buffy was a Summoner now, did that mean she'd stop travelling with Yuna's party?
Buffy shook her head. "I thought so."
"What… will you do now?" Yuna asked uncertainly.
Buffy gave her a reassuring smile. "It doesn't change anything," Buffy said with a shrug. "I'm just your guardian. I'm not a Summoner like you."
"Not yet," Yuna said. "But, with a little practice, you could learn to summon aeons."
"I don't want to be a Summoner," Buffy responded. Yuna couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Very few people had the aptitude to be Summoners; it was considered a great honour to be gifted in the Summoner's arts. And Buffy didn't want to be one? Was there something wrong with the Summoner's life?
Her disappointment must have registered with Buffy, because the girl gave her a reassuring grin. "I got enough problems to worry about just keeping you on the straight and narrow. Speaking of which, how'd you like your chocobo ride?"
Buffy was changing the subject on purpose, trying to deflect attention
away from Yuna's feelings of disappointment. Yuna stood up, a little more
disappointed. "I liked it fine," Yuna said.
I told Yuna about you, Xander. I'm not sure it was the right thing
to do; I think I may have hurt our friendship. How would you have handled
it, I wonder. Or you, Will?
Then the young Summoner moved over towards her other guardians. She was acutely aware of the fact that Buffy was watching her go. She probably didn't even know why Yuna was so disappointed in her. "Everything okay?" Tidus asked.
"Everything's fine," Yuna said, giving Buffy a distant look. "Why doesn't she understand?"
"Understand what?" Tidus asked.
"Oh! Nothing. Never mind," Yuna responded quickly. This wasn't something she should share. This was something that she had to deal with on her own; only she could help Buffy understand. Only, she didn't know how, just yet.
"Let's see if they'll let us through," Yuna suggested. Buffy stood up, and joined the group of guardians, as they approached the guarded gate. A cart rumbled by, escorted by Crusaders.
"Gatta and Luzzu reporting, sir!" The younger of the two Crusaders said, pulling off a smart salute.
"This is the last of them," the older Crusader said. Buffy poked at the cart, and Yuna could see the surprise on her young guardian's face, when something in the cart moved. To be honest, Yuna felt a little surprised herself. What exactly were the Crusaders up to, anyway?
"Good to have you with us," the guard said. The same guard that had turned away Dona motioned for the others to open the gate. "Go on through!"
The younger of the two Crusaders, Gatta, turned to Tidus. "Show me how to blitz sometime!"
"Wait around," said Luzzu. "We'll have Sin beat in no time!"
The two Crusaders followed the cart through the open gate, but when Tidus attempted to follow, the gate's guards stopped him. "I'm sorry. I can't let you pass," he told the guardian. Then he noticed Yuna. "Hey, you're a Summoner and her guardians, right? Sorry for the inconvenience."
"Tell me about the operation," Tidus said.
"Yeah," Buffy agreed, from the back of the group. "What's with all the security."
"What, they didn't tell you?" The guard asked. Yuna saw Buffy bite back a sarcastic response, and she was grateful for the girl's developing restraint. "We're bringing Sinspawn from all over Spira here. Sinspawn inevitably draw Sin, right? We're going to lure it into a trap!"
"The security is there so innocent people do not get hurt," said a new voice. Yuna turned, and saw Maester Seymour. "So we meet again, Lady Yuna."
"Y-yes?" Yuna asked. She felt a little intimidated by the Maester's presence, if she were being honest with herself.
"You look troubled. Is there anything I can do?" Seymour asked.
"Well…" Yuna didn't want to impose, but she really did need to get to the Djose Temple, and these Crusaders barricading the way didn't help her much. She wondered how to put her request into words.
"I see," said Maester Seymour, almost as if reading her mind. He turned to the guard who had so recently barred they way.
"Maester Seymour," the guard recognised. "Let me show you to the command centre."
The guard was about to turn to the ones operating the gate mechanism when Maester Seymour raised his hand. "Hold. I have a request," Maester Seymour said.
"Yes, Your Grace?" The guard asked.
"I need to have Summoner Yuna and her guardians let through to the command centre."
"But, Maester Seymour, sir…" The guard started to object.
"Do not worry," said Seymour, his voice placating. "I will take full responsibility."
"Very well," said the guard, a little more relaxed. "They may pass."
"It is done," Seymour told Yuna, with a smile that made Yuna feel uncomfortable, despite herself.
"Thank you, Your Grace," Yuna said, bowing gratefully. She and her guardians watched, as the Yevon Maester and his two guado bodyguards moved off down the Mushroom Rock Road, to the Crusader command centre no doubt.