Chapter Three:

Her Story

"Auron! Why did you take me away!?" I screamed.

"I've much more to tell you…" He said, "Now clam down, and sit down."

I did as he said and I surveyed my hands in silence.

"…Auron…where is she now…did she die? Is she gone…?" Silently, I said. Auron laughed,

"Dead?" He laughed again.

"What is so funny!? She said she was going to die! I knew it too…Auron it's not funny!!" I screamed jerking my head up.

"She didn't die, thanks to you…"

"What?"

"She didn't die, you, Lulu, Wakka, Rikku, Kimahri, Yuna, and I, we all defeated Yunalesca. Yuna never summoned the final Aeon that would bring her to her final demise."

There was silence again.

"Then…What happened? What happened to her? What happened to me? What happened to us?" I asked switching my position. Auron sat,

"Oh, Yuna lived on, in fact, she's living today. But you, well, this will be hard for you to handle…you never existed…"

My jaw dropped.

"You were an illusion, you accidentally appeared in Spira 1000 year later, to you it was, that is. You were never meant to leave your Zanarkand, that Eden…But you did. You met her and destiny was altered. Sin was destroyed and Yuna's life was saved. But you, you faded. With Sin gone the Fayth were gone and with the Fayth you left. Now you are here…you are trapped between existence and dream."

My mouth remained open after Auron's extensive explanation. I had one of three choices to ask.

'How do I get out of here?'

'What is Yuna doing now?'

And

'What do you mean "Faded"?'

After the Lake scene I was compelled to choose choice two, so I did.

"What's Yuna doing now?" I inquired.

Auron stared me right in the eyes, "Searching for you." He stated. I felt like some one had shot my in the heart. That pleasant girl spending her days searching for me?

"She enjoying herself, but she misses you."

That answered my question. But I had another.

"Can I see her?"

"Yes."

That cliché blast of light again and I saw the scene roll out. I saw that Rikku girl, Yuna, and another girl. I didn't recognize her. There were looking down at me, like in some giant hole.

"Whaddya think is down there?" Rikku asked in that high squeaky voice of hers.

"I don't know, but I don't wanna find out…" Said the girl I didn't know. Her face disappeared from my sight.

"I wish I could find out…" Yuna said. Her voice was the same, gentle. All of a sudden a small buzzing sound was heard. It grew louder and then.

"YUNIE WATCH OUT!!!" Rikku screeched. Yuna had no time to run, she was thrown back and fell, fell, fell, fell, down into the hole, towards me. Everything went black. I couldn't see a thing but I could hear her voice.

"Where am I?"

"What am I doing here?"

"HEEEEEEEEEEYYYY!!!"

"I'm alone! I'm so alone…"

"IS ANYONE THERE!!??"

I felt compelled to answer her. But how? Was this now? Or did this already happen? Whatever the case I had to answer her…I remembered the first scene I experienced. The whistle…I had to…whistle…

'Hey, use that if we get separated. Then I'll come running, okay?'

I whistled, long and loud. The shrill sound danced the wind. Yuna jerked up,

"…What?"

I wanted to appear to her, if I could, I wanted to reach out to touch her so I tried. I reached out my hand. A faint gold outline of me appeared, looking at her. Yuna chased it but then it disappeared. Yuna looked as if she was to cry. I whistled again, and the figure came back, again she chased after it,

"Wait…Wait! Wait please!!!" She yelled desperately, stretching her arm to full length. The figure faded again. I felt out of breath from whistling, but I had to whistle again. With what seemed like my last bit of breath I whistled. Finally she caught up to me but before she could reach out to touch that world was gone and the picture disappeared from me as well. Again the blackness,

"Auron…this…pains me…" I breathed. A scared feeling welled up inside me.

"I'm sorry…" Auron apologized. I punched the air and then threw my hands up and covered my face.

"Isn't there anything I can do!? I want to go back…I have to go back!!" I screamed at him running my hands through my hair. Auron let out a sigh.

"I knew this would happen…"

I looked at him with a frightened look, "What do you mean?"

Auron shook his head, "Watch…"

"What about you, Yuna? Shuyin wasn't who you thought it was, was he?" That nameless girl remarked in her nasal voice.

"…No…He wasn't…" Yuna responded, "Maybe you're right, Paine, maybe I should give up…"

"Give up on what, Auron?" I asked once the scene ended.

"Give up on you. She's lost and confused. Nothing she has leads to you. Accept for one thing, the one place she hasn't looked." Auron said solemnly.

"Where's that? Tell me Auron! Where hasn't she looked?"

Auron chuckled, "You should know this one…in her heart. She hasn't searched herself. You too should search yourself."

I scowled, "What kinda test is this!?"

"Exactly…" Auron answered cryptically.

"You mea-"

"Yes, this is all a test. You see, you are a Dream of the Fayth. You came to this place, between reality and dream."

"You said that before…"

"I know." Auron said. There was a pause. Then I spoke,

"…So…what?"

"This was all to see if you have what it takes to go back."

I growled in fury, "I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! I know who I am! I am Tidus, born in Zanarkand, my father is Jecht pro Blitzball player. I know who my girl is! Yuna, former High Summoner, perfect, flawless. I knew where my home really is! My home, my heart is in Spira. I just want to go back!"

"Ah yes, but…does she want you?"

Again silence was eminent.

"…Why…why wouldn't she…"

"But you doubt."

I gulped. Did she want me back? It seemed like it…but how do I know she didn't give up?

"How do I know?"

"Speak to her."

The flash of light. I wasn't watching something, I was in it. And it wasn't a flash back, it was now. Glancing around me I saw three figures running toward me. I stayed in the same spot and waited for them. Finally they ran up.

"Yuna!" I called out, it was the three of them, Yuna's little group.

"Yuna! Rikku! Paine!" I screamed waving my arms. But they didn't seem to notice me, they ran straight through me. I looked at my hands, "I'm an illusion…but…wait…" I paused and watched the three of them run up the path. Then I decided to do it. Drawing my hand to my mouth I whistled a shrill whistle. Immediately Yuna stopped, so did Rikku and Paine.

"What's wrong Yunie?" Rikku questioned. Yuna said nothing, instead she whistled back. I smiled and they ran on. The place disappeared and I was back with Auron.