The group had almost finished their journey climbing Mount Gagazet and we're coming close to Zanarkand.
"We're almost at Zanarkand. Just over these cliffs." Lulu spoke to everyone.
Tidus was deep in thought as they continued to cross the cliffs and wasn't' playing much attention.
"Tidus!?!?!?! Are you okay!?" Rikku asked.
"Huh?" He asked confused.
"Tidus, Tidus, Tidus. You have been acting SO weird these past couple days now. What's up?" She asked.
"It's nothing Rikku." Tidus ensured her.
"Why is it that when you say that, something bad is bound to happen?" Rikku asked.
"Rikku, really. It's nothing. I'll take care of it." Tidus told her.
Rikku then walked up to Yuna and began to tell her about all the things about Tidus acting weird and distant from everyone else.
"Tidus, what's wrong?" Yuna asked as she walked beside him.
"What makes you think that something is wrong?" Tidus asked.
"Rikku said that you've been acting weird ever since Macalania. You know if there is anything on your mind, you can tell me." Yuna replied.
"I know. I just need some time to think since we're almost at Zanarkand." Tidus told her.
"Of course." Yuna told him then walked off with Lulu.
The group then continued and came across a mountainside that overlooked the ruins of Zanarkand.
'A city destroyed for a 1000 years. I thought I wanted to see it for myself. The final goal of Yuna's journey. The final chapter of my story. All sorts of feelings flooded me, and I pushed the down. It was more then what words could describe.' Tidus thought looked out at the ruins.
"And no one has a problem with this!? When we go down there, Yunie will............" Rikku blurted out finally as everyone looked out over the ruins.
"Rikku............" Yuna spoke softly.
"I won't have it Yuna. I don't want you to die............There must be a way we can save you Yunie!!" Rikku told her.
"Rikku............I'm grateful that you have stayed with me up to now and will until the end. But, this is something I must do. Not just for myself, but for Spira. They're depending on me. Rikku try to understand." Yuna explained.
"It just won't be the same without you here with us." Rikku told her.
"I know." Yuna said as she hugged her cousin.
"We should get going." Auron told Yuna.
Yuna pulled away from her cousin. "Yes."
Yuna then trailed down the mountain with the others meanwhile, Tidus on the other hand just stood there. There was no other way to save Yuna, was there? But he was determined to find a way before they would confront Sin.
"This is our.........This is my story." Tidus told himself. As he then began to walk, he suddenly stopped feeling dizzy and very light headed. "Uah!?" He grunted falling into an unconscious state.
"Hello again." A young boy said.
"You're..................?" Tidus tried to place the familiar child into a memory that was just out of reach.
"Do you remember me? You saw me in Zanarkand. Before all of this happened." The boy said knowingly.
"Oh.........yeah."
"But that wasn't the first time, was it? I knew you from long, long ago." The little boy told him.
"I think.........I remember too." Tidus said.
"Tidus!? Yo Tidus!?" The image of Wakka flickered in front of him but before he could reach out to him, Rikku replaced his image. "Hey, wake up!!" She yelled worriedly.
"Maybe............it was all a dream." Tidus thought thinking back to Spira. But then Yuna............was she a dream too? The thought itself saddened him.
"Correct." The boy told him.
"A dream!? But that can't be! I couldn't have been dreaming all this time!" Tidus began yelling at him.
"You haven't. You haven't been dreaming at all. You are the dream." The Prayer Child told him as if it was common knowledge.
"Eh? What do you mean?" Tidus asks.
"Long ago there was a great war. A huge war between Bevelle and Zanarkand. Beville's armies we're taking the lead upon Zanarkand because of the power of the machina. There was no hope for the people of Zanarkand. However, Yu Yevon was a powerful High Summoner who had the ability to possess Aeons. So he asked the people of Zanarkand to sacrifice themselves to turn into fayths so that they can create a powerful life energy he could merge with to create an invincible living armour coupled with a demon of destruction. Unfortunately, this demon fought mindlessly and destroyed both Bevelle and Zanarkand. This demon was Sin. From within Sin, Yevon used the fayths to summon the dream of Zanarkand, as it was before it's destruction to act, in fact, as if they had won the war and we, the fayth have been awake ever since." He clarified.
"I don't understand. All the people of Zanarkand, my Zanarkand are all dreams too? And me.........too?" Tidus asked.
"You are the Prayer Child's dream. Everyone, your father, mother, all dreams. And when the Prayer Child's dream ends............"
"Stop! I believe you but............don't end me yet............Yuna...............the others...............I just can't end yet." Tidus argued.
"We have been dreaming for so long. We are so very tired. But you and your father just won't let us sleep, will you? The two of you have brought up Sin. Sin is the heart of Spira's spiral of death." The boy said.
"I don't understand what you're saying..............."
"The two of you are nothing more then dreams." The Prayer Child told him.
"Open you're eyes, please!" Came Yuna's worried voice, the image appearing briefly then disappearing.
"You cannot be a dream that doesn't come to an end........." And with the child's words, Tidus felt the ground beneath and his head cushioned on what he could only guess was Yuna's lap.
He then slowly opened his eyes.
"Are you okay!?" Yuna asked.
Tidus nodded.
"Grrr, you had us so worried!" Rikku yelled at him.
"Are you sure your alright?" Lulu asked betraying none of her worry in her words.
"I'm fine." Tidus replied cautiously, the conversation he just had with the Prayer Child running over and over in his head as he stood up. "It was just a dream when I fainted. I called out to everyone then woke up. Whew, that rest sure made me feel better! Well, let's get going."
Yuna was obviously worried about him but knew that what Tidus said made her feel better.
As the group continued down the path, Tidus suddenly paused.
"Is something up?" Wakka asked.
"It's just.........we're so close." Tidus replied, but his voice seemed to be hollow like his mind was somewhere else.
"We've gotten here at last." Wakka told him.
"I know, it just feels so strange." Tidus replied.
"I felt the same way. When I first came to Zanarkand, I felt that premonition too. We fought our way here and Braska obtained the Final Aeon. He fought Sin and died. From the beginning I had been ready for it, but.........at the moment of truth, I was afraid." Confessed Auron.
"That's surprising to hear. That something like that could get to a legendary guardian like yourself." Wakka told him.
"Legendary? I was much less experienced when it happened. I pleaded for a way to change things but in the end I accomplished nothing. That is my story." Auron told him obviously done talking as he continued down the path.
Soon after the 7 of them had reached Zanarkand. The depressing and gloomy city was just a pile of rubble and ruins just like everyone had told Tidus from the beginning.
"We go and see Lady Yunalesca soon." Auron told everyone pushing them to continue onwards.
'This may be the end so I want to tell everything.' Tidus thought as he climbed a hill not to far away from the group. Tidus wondered if he had the courage to tell Yuna his thoughts when deep down he just wanted to burst them out, but knew he couldn't.
"This is my story. I may not even have a chance to what is coming ahead of me but the time for worrying about this............is, well............over now." Tidus said to himself staring into the horizon and began to think.
And that is the chapter. A little shorter then some but that's it for now. Don't forget to RR. I love you all!!