Disclaimer: OKAY! I think I had better make this the last chapter before my cousin kills me out of sheer suspense… The only characters that are mine are Connie, her family, her friends, and her family's friends. All the other characters are from FFX, FFX-2, FFVII, and Yu Yu Hackusho. Unless you count the dog and cat's names which are from Kingdom Hearts, the animals are mine, but the names are from Kingdom Hearts. Thanks to all who read the story, and for those who reviewed it. If you stick around there may be an epilogue coming later. In fact, I can almost guarantee it. If anyone is interested in a sequel then let me know. I'll see what I can do! Be sure to check out other stories I have on this sight and on as well. It's the same pen name, be sure to look into it, if you are REALLY bored. Okay, enough of this, let's go on to chapter 15, the exciting conclusion! LET'S WATCH! O.O

Close Encounters of the FFX Kind!: Chapter 15 (last one!)

Max and I headed into the Dining room. Grandma Jill set down the food on the table. "Hold these for a sec, will ya hun?" she asked as she handed me a plate of chicken. I couldn't exactly say no, so I held it for a minute. "Thanks," she took it back and set it on the table. "Sit, sit! Don't just stand around like cows, sit down!" She basically forced Max and me into our seats. "EAT!" she said. "You're all acting like hawks. Someone eat something."

Max and I looked at each other from across the table and shrugged. He picked up a bowl of mashed potatoes, and I grabbed for the green beans. We dished some out and passed it down. Slowly, yet surely everyone started picking things up. Conversation started to pick up. Things floated around. Eventually I struck up a conversation with Grandma Jill. "Have you ever had this many people over for dinner?" I asked.

"Well… how many people are here?"

I counted all of them, including Max, Grandma Jill, and me. "Well, everyone around the table, you me, and Max included that makes…16 people."

"Wow… really? Hope I made enough."

"I'm sure. These people don't eat much. How could they? They all are as skinny as poles!" I said. Grandma Jill and I laughed.

Then I joined in on Silly and Max's conversation. "Hey Max?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you and Connie could tell us now? I think everyone is about to go crazy. And, I'm pretty sure Tidus is gonna cut straight through the plate, maybe even the table if you don't talk soon." We all looked down to him and saw him cutting his chicken, and maybe putting a dent in the plate already.

"Connie? You ready?" I nodded. "Okay, stand up. Who first?"

"Why don't you go first, Connie. I asked you first after all, then Max, okay?"

I nodded, "Okay," said Max, "Let's do this." We both stood up and Silly leaned toward Tidus to see if he would whistle.

He agreed, and whistled loud. "Connie and Max are gonna tell us!" he said. Everyone looked at us and shut up instantly. I bit my lip and looked at Grandma Jill. She nodded back at me.

"I'll start," I said. "Now, this was kinda a hard decision, but…" I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to stay here. You all seem like great people, and I'd love to spend time with you all, but I just don't think I can. My life is here now. Maybe in the future, like in college I can do it. I'd love to learn even more than I do now, and I'd love to learn it with all of you, but I think I'll stay here." I looked at everyone's faces. They looked disappointed, but they understood. I could tell.

"Hey, it's okay! We might take you up on that offer for later though!" said Yuna.

"Okay, Max, you're up!" said Aeris.

"Oh! Okay, ummm…" he did the same thing I did. He looked at everyone. Eventually I could tell his eyes resting on Aeris. "Yeah, I'll come with you all, if you'll have me."

"Are you kidding?" asked Silly. "Of course we'll have you!"

"Great!" said Max a huge smile on his face.

"Yay! So, can we eat now?" asked Tidus.

"Yes! Please! Plenty of food, and cookies!" said Grandma Jill. "Eat!"

We all sat down at the table and the second we did I looked at Max. He smiled at me. Then I looked at Silly. "It is okay, if I said no, right?"

"Yeah, happens more often then you think. Sure we're disappointed, but it's okay."

I smiled and turned back toward Max, and my eyes grew wide. I nudged Silly, and everyone grew quiet for just a second. Max and Aeris were, in fact, kissing. No one said a word. When they stopped they looked at us.

"Uhhh…" said Max, at which I just raised an eye brow.

"I'm just really happy he's coming!" said Aeris.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiight," I said.

"Sure!" said Silly.

Other similar random comments came from everyone else around the table. We all finished eating, and had dessert.

"Anyone want another cookie?" she asked.

"No!" said everyone, in a different way.

"Okay, well, I'll give 'em to Max to take with him. Come back when you run out."

We all laughed. We sat around and talked a little longer. "Well…" said Silly.

"Uh-oh," said Tidus. "She said it. She said the 'Well…' You know what that means?"

Max and I looked a little confused. "Call Brother. Tell him we'll be there soon," said Silly. They all stood up.

"Wait, should I come with you now?"

"No, we'll be back to pick you up in about a week. We'll let you finish up your winter vacation, and fill out all the paper work. But, we'll be back." Yuna called Brother, and everyone headed for the door.

One by one they waved and said good-bye. There were no tears, no long faces. I guess they had all taken Yuna's advice from the first game. "When ever you are sad smile." Because, they all seemed sad, but they wouldn't show it. They said their good-byes and left.

THE NEXT WEEK

Max was getting frequent letters from "Headmaster Yuna." The school was called the Gulwings Academy. Most people said they'd never heard of it, but the second we told them it was an exclusive school in Rome they nodded, and agreed. The only people who really knew what it was were me, Grandma Jill, and Max. One day Max said his good-byes too, and headed to a nearby forest, where they said the air ship was. I didn't see him for quite a few months. Grandma Jill and I got letters, and e-mails, and every so often phone calls. I went to Grandma Jill's everyday, nearly. Especially while Max was gone. He would always send mail to her house. That way it would look more… authentic, and believable. But, he would send me letters through her. Sure I missed him, but I got used to it. But still, I don't care what the officials say, the characters that people make up can become more than imaginary. I guess, as Final Fantasy 10 proved more than once, "Dreams can become reality."