AN: I'm so sorry, everyone. I almost left this story behind. I'm going to read the script again to get a better feel for the story, so I'm writing and y'all should be happy… or not, apparently. I probably deserve this for taking so long to update. sigh Well, I suppose I'd better keep writing anyway. By the way, please review? You don't have to, but reviews make me feel all warm an' fuzzy inside. On with the tale.

Chapter 6: Fiends and Memories

"What the… Tidus, what are you doing?!"

"The butterflies! There are so many, I must catch some!"

"Lu, Tidus, we should get going, ya?"

The traveling party had come to a halt when Tidus had brushed against a large, multicolored butterfly. The blonde's pupils had dilated slightly, and now he was wandering along the tree branch, occasionally reaching out to grasp at the air and mutter to himself. This continued for some time, until Tidus reached out too far. He teetered, then began to fall off the branch- until Kimahri, who was nearby, yanked him backwards by the neck of his shirt.

Tidus shook his head, blinked, and looked up with a confused expression. "What… just happened?"

Yuna grinned behind him. "Nothing. Let's get going." The group continued onward, carefully walking along the great wooden path in single file. Kamer was enjoying herself, jumping from branch to branch above their heads. Soon, the tree limb descended to the ground, and they found themselves in a small clearing.

Auron turned aside to look up at a tree, causing Wakka to almost walk right into him; the redhead had to jump back and nearly landed on his backside. Rikku giggled, and Wakka opened his mouth, annoyed- but Auron had drawn his blade and was now attacking the poor tree.

"Auron?" Tidus stared at him, afraid to get too close lest his fate be the same as the tree.

"Wait. It is here… somewhere."

"What's here?" Tidus was staring at Auron as one would stare at a man in a straitjacket; confusion, pity, and not a little fear.

"Something you all should see." As he said this, the tree fell to the side, leaving a fairly recognizable path.

"But, Sir Auron-" Now Yuna also seemed worried about the legendary guardian's mental health.

"It won't take long." With that, Auron moved into the opening he had just created, and the party had no other choice but to follow him. Soon the path opened out into a lake similar to their camping spot the previous night.

Kamer was the last to walk onto the scene; when she saw what was before her, memories of the game- which, to her considerable dismay, had been fading from her mind- returned instantly. This time, however, she was able to put them into perspective, and the picture was not something she ever wanted to see again. With a yelp, she was suddenly a bristling wolf, scrambling back from the edge of the pond. She retreated until she hit a tree, and then resisted the urge to simply run for her life.

Tidus glanced back at her, concerned. Then he looked back over the strange lake with crystals seemingly rising from it. "This place… it's just water, isn't it?"

Auron shook his head. "This is what spheres are made of. It absorbs and preserves people's memories, like the other pool." The water began to ripple, and some of it rose up around a single, large amoeba-looking creature. It floated above the lake menacingly.

Wakka stared. "What's that?"

"These places also attract fiends."

"WHAT?!!"

And so, the battle began. Kamer, however, didn't see it very clearly, as she was watching through a tree limb from several feet away. She felt ashamed at her own cowardice, but at the same time she knew that she would be of little help in this particular battle. She couldn't even hurt the thing- the shapeshifter felt utterly useless. She turned her attention back to the battle, and watched as Tidus took a swipe at the water creature with his blade. It was as she'd expected- the sword passed right through, leaving the monster unaffected. Once he was out of the way, however, a flash of dazzling light and heat- a Thundara spell- sizzled through the monster, electrifying its substance and frying its core. It sunk to the ground and dissolved, the water flowing back into the lake.

Tidus bent down to retrieve the sphere floating at the lake's edge. Kamer moved out from behind the tree and saw that it was a video sphere- the kind used by Spirans to record memories.

Wakka took it from him and examined it. "Whoa- this is old! Don't know if you can play it anymore."

Auron nodded. "Jecht left it here ten years ago. Play it back."

As Wakka turned it over, the sphere began to play its recording. The sphere was faint enough that only Tidus and those surrounding him- Wakka, Auron, and Yuna- could hear it. Kamer, however, managed to remember enough to know that it was a recorded message from Jecht to Tidus, and that there were several more throughout Spira. Soon enough, the sphere's message ended, and it shut off.

Tidus looked contemplative. "He sounded almost serious… but it was too late…"

"He was serious."

Auron looked ready to start lecturing Tidus about his father's journey, but Kamer cut him off. "Hey… you said it was too late. Too late for what?"

"Isn't it obvious? Too late to tell me! Too late for me to realize my father knew I existed!"

"He left you a message, for exactly that reason." Auron broke in again.

"Oh yeah? Well, how did he know I'd find it?"

"…He realized that he hadn't been the best of fathers, and he wanted to make up for it. He loved you."

"Yeah, right." Tidus shook his head. "Let's go."

The ace blitzer left the area last, deep in thought.

Dad… why did you leave this here? Did you know I'd be stuck here like you?

…Did you want me to come?

Well. I apologize for the shortness, but I really did think that here was a good spot to end it. I hope to have some more finished soon. Really, I mean it. See you around, everyone.