Author's notes: Lots of mental scenes going on in this chapter. It may get confusing. I would like to thank the reviewers so far. You guys are awesome…


As soon as they left the cave, they continued their journey eastwards. There was a small village there from what Tidus and Leon learned from the ship, and it would be a welcome change to sleep in a bed again. The whole trek was uneventful and free from random monsters. From their vantage point they could see the village of Kalnier.

"That's strange." Yuna said, "The sun's about to set, but I don't see anyone starting a bonfire in the village."

"Not just bonfire…" Tidus said slowly. "I don't see people in there either."

Leon frowned, he felt bothered by the lack of enemies in the road.

"Yuna, what do they say?" Yuffie asked her as her friend was now asking the guidance of the spirits.

Yuna finished the song, and for the first time, she looked perplexed by the answering hymns. "I don't understand."

"What?"

"The spirits of the trees and the winds aren't answering… they sounded gibberish… I've never heard anything like this before." The songstress began to sound panicky, clearly unprepared for this kind of situation.

The ninja stared at her friend, who seemed he was aching to comfort her somehow. "What are you waiting for, molting season? Say something!" Yuffie whispered to Tidus, nudging him violently.

Tidus managed to say "Um…" but Leon beat him to it. "It's no good for us to stand here until nightfall. Let's just investigate the village first."

Yuna somehow managed to regain her composure. "If there were any danger… I'm sure we would have been warned properly." She said slowly, in an attempt to take control of the present situation. "I don't like it that we're in the open with evening coming fast. We need to find shelter somewhere."

They really had no choice. And so the four adventurers continued their journey towards that abandoned village. Leon moved back to stand side by side with Tidus and Yuffie, warning them to be careful.

"Have you been here before? It may help us." Leon asked her.

"No…" Yuffie replied, after thinking hard from her recollection. "I can't climb that mountain back then. I've never been in this side of the forest."

"So how'd you get through it the last time?" Tidus asked her.

"A friend came along and helped me out. It's a pretty long story…" Yuffie said, waving the questions that would obviously come from her usually curious friend. "I'll tell you some other time."

Tidus knew she meant she may never say it. But here's for hoping, anyway.

Yuffie frowned as she got a good look on the muddy road leading towards the vicinity of the village. "Odd. There seems to be no foot marks anywhere at all."

That was all he managed to hear, he was too busy frowning at the nearest hut that seemed to threaten to collapse on itself before that shadow emerging from beneath his ground out of nowhere and as he heard Yuffie and Leon call out in warning too late…

Tidus can only see darkness…


Tidus walked in the familiar looking house, and was surprised to see that a feast was prepared in the dining room.

"Hey!" His mom protested, "You're supposed to keep him out from the house till evening!" chiding Wakka as he followed his younger brother inside.

Wakka scratched the back of his head. "Well, I tried to make him go to Yuna's place, but he keeps insisting he left something behind here and had to get it."

"You mean this?" Jecht said, tossing the Blitzball to Tidus. The young man caught the ball in his hands, his eyes widening in shock.

"Dad!" Tidus said, breaking into a huge smile as mom sighed again in exasperation.

"Two surprises you found out!" she said.

"I'm glad to see you safe, dad!" Tidus said, running up to him, breathless.

"Damn, and miss your birthday?" Jecht replied, patting his back. "Not in your life."

Mom had already placed her last home cooked dish on the table. "Since we're all here we might as well eat while the food is hot." Tidus sat down on the chair, after his family gave him a very badly chorused birthday song, and he was listening and laughing as they swapped stories on today's activities, and their future plans to go together to see Yuna as she becomes a Songstress. Tidus was looking forward for this as well.

He felt so happy…


Weird… her last brief memory was her sinking onto something. But she found herself safe and unscathed…

"Hey…" she knew that voice so well. She shook her head, she must have been imagining things again.

"Hey!" Yuffie sat down, at the wall where the little boy was frequently staying in the afternoons. It had almost become their private place… away from the rest of the world.

"I've saved this spot for you." The boy said, scooting a bit from where he was sitting to give her some room. "Let's wait for Sis to come, alright?"

She smiled a bit as she sat down beside him. It had never occurred to her that she was eighteen years old… and the boy was still at the age she had last seen him. "Of course!" she said cheerfully. "Any moment now, Sis will come walking in that road, carrying presents for everyone! She'll tell us what the ocean is like, and how nice her new parents are…"

"I hope she doesn't have any gift for Seifer." The boy said, eyes frowning.

Yuffie laughed in spite of herself. "Of course she'd have a gift for him! She's nice to everyone."

"I guess so… but I'll be the first person she'd look for!" the boy said, getting excited. "I can't wait to see her."

"Me too."

The boy held out his hand, and out of instinct she took his warm palm in hers. Yuffie was glad that he was safe and sound. Just as she promised Sis…

and for once, she no longer felt so sad…


What… what is this?

Leon could only stare at the strange patterns that were flashing before his eyes… switching between the blue sky and black night. Not understanding what all of this means.

"It's just…" a familiar voice whispered in his ear. "You have not decided what you really wanted."

"That's why it couldn't affect you." Another voice said. "You are confused… on your own feelings… it's a good thing, I think."

Leon looked at the other person where that other voice was. "You…"

The figure shook its head violently. "I don't know you… right?" It asked him, perplexed. "Should… I know you?"

The figure with the familiar voice extended its arms and said, "I thought you dislike people talking stuff about you behind your back… as if you were never here. You were always afraid of that, even when you never told me."

The other figure mocked, "You are just deluding yourself… chasing after a foolish hope. You are nothing at all."

Maybe he is. But he can no longer back from it now…

The familiar form began to disappear, as Leon's mind began to break free…"But still… I'm letting you know… that I never minded it at all. Just be careful…"

Leon grasped his weapon tightly. He had to get out of here.


Yuna was running. She just gotten news that her father has returned safely back from the war with Jecht and Auron… he can now stay with her forever, becoming Besaid's Singer for the rest of his life. Where he can never leave them ever again.

"Father!" she shouted as she ran in the beach, she can hear her friends cheering her on, as Braska's arms opened wide to embrace her.

"STOP!"

It sounded so powerful, so beyond her thoughts, which Yuna did stop on her feet. And then she realized that everything else…her father, the ocean, the people were also rooted on the spot, frozen like statues.

"What… what is this?" Yuna asked.

"These are just dreams. Dreams that you secretly wanted all your life to come true." The disembodied voice said gently. "This village was attacked by this new monster that recently appeared. It has devoured everyone."

Devoured.

"Yes, and it will devour you and your companions, slowly but surely." The voice continued. "You must break free from it."

But… but how? Yuna hugged herself, feeling goose bumps prickling her arms.

"I may teach you something… a voice that I've learned so long ago. But once you've summoned that song, you will see the terrible truth and pain of the past of the people you are helping to break free. But that is the only way to awaken from such sweet dreams… the cruel hand known as reality. You must see their heart with their own eyes, and force them to see…"

And somehow, Yuna knew that song in her heart… and with all the strength she can muster, her voice managed to sang that tune… and she felt herself waking up… to the pain of she was relieving now.

The brief scenes from the past…

That's right… my father whom I loved with all my heart… will never return to his family from the war. I never even got to see his body. All I can depend on was Sir Auron's stories…

I can only watch as my mother slowly died from heartache. She couldn't cope with the loss, couldn't bear to share her pain with me. I blamed myself when she finally gave in. I should have tried harder.

That's why I became a Songstress… it was my only link to them… and I hope it was a way to be with them somehow. People told me that the spirits of those who were close to us responded through the songs. I want to experience that… I want to glimpse my parents that way.

But I realized then, even before I became a Songstress… I will never see them again.

Yuna watched as Braska disappeared, and found herself in the darkness. A rather negative omen for her possible future…

"You'll be alright. For what it's worth… your father will be happy to see you so strong." The voice said quietly.

"Who are you?" Yuna asked out loud.

"You'll find out when you're ready…" the voice said evasively. "But more importantly… never let your vision color your judgment in regards of others… you will undergo so many trials. So many difficult decisions…but… everything will depend on you, now. As I have once been…"

"Wait!" But Yuna felt a strong grasping her shoulder, and dragged her roughly away from the darkness.


Yuna coughed as Leon cut the black vine like monster into ribbons with his sword, forcing it to separate itself from the songstress. The swordsman grunted in pain as some of its tentacles wrapped on his arm. But Leon was more mentally focused, and so he was unaffected by the mental images it was trying to show him.

Even as she was still lying on the ground, Yuna weakly sang that song she learned from that dream. And somehow it worked, the monster tried to flee, to get away from the sound. But Leon's fireball finished if off once and for all.

Yuna coughed as Leon helped her on her feet. She can see he looked tired as well, he somehow had been physically and mentally drained by the monster. "Where are the others!" she asked.

"Somewhere here, these shadows make it hard to find the real ones. I heard you humming back then, that's how I manage to find you." Leon scanned the area wearily, his weapon in a ready position. "We have to get them out of there soon or it'll be too late for them."

They have no time…"Leon." Yuna said. "Please keep the monsters away. I'll have to wake them up so they can get out on their own."

Leon made a sound that almost sounded like a chuckle. "I'll see what I can do."

Yuna closed her eyes and began another song that the voice instructed her to… feeling dread for what horrible reality she will see to save her friends.


Yuna found herself standing beside Tidus' chair, watching with quiet ache as she realized Tidus' ideal world… of a real complete family where he can go home to.

In a way, I was jealous of Yuna… Tidus voice echoed in the small room. Possibly why I feel I need to be near her somehow. Because she was happy with her own father, she cried a lot when he died. When Sir Auron told me my own died as well… I felt nothing.

I feel terrible because of that. My father died in some foreign land protecting our world. What kind of son am I?

Jecht had stopped, his spoon hang midway towards his mouth.

But that dad happens to be Jecht… Jecht was not a good father in a way. He always blamed me for Mom's death.

Tidus mom disappeared from her chair, leaving a strange cold void in the table.

Mom was the only one who understands him. Dad never got over it losing her that way, he became a drunkard. He never seemed to notice Wakka exist, in a way brother was pretty lucky. But Dad… whenever he looks at me, he always has his way for mocking me… putting me down…

Making me wish I was never born…

Tidus was earnestly crying now… and Yuna found herself doing it as well.

But… the table, the food, the house disappeared, and Tidus and Yuna were staring at the beach of Besaid. Everyone was kind to me, so I never felt alone. Wakka took over when Dad died, and he seen to it that I don't go around on my own. Lulu loves me as a sister I never had, and Yuffie was there to make me laugh… and Yuna…

Yuna blinked as Tidus impishly smiled at her. "I'm sorry I can't tell you yet." He said matter of factly.

When Yuna snapped out of her reverie, she saw an arm extending from the shadows in which Leon did not hesitate to grab it and pulled it with all his might.

And from her view she could see Tidus also was holding his sword, and he was hacking at the tentacles with his free hand all his might.

But she knew she can't worry for Tidus right now. Yuffie was still in danger.


Yuna saw the wall, where Yuffie and another boy was leaning against, holding hands, watching the road together.

I never knew my parents. I never bothered to look. Yuffie said aloud, as though she had sense the songstress' presence. So I figured this was the next best thing.

This boy… Yuna squinted, somehow she can't see his features pretty well. Is very special to me. He acts tough and stuff, but he's really scared and insecure. I haven't reached that level on what he likes and pet peeves… but he is opening up to me. Only big sis managed to do that. And I promised her I'll take good care of him…

But they died…Yuna turned around when she felt heat from her back, and watched in horror as the stone building burning against the night sky. She can hear some of the children trapped in there screaming for help, begging for anyone to come get them. Instinctively, Yuna ran towards the fire, and went through it. She realized that she couldn't get to them, as they were only memories conjured by her friend.

I wasn't there when it happened. Matron Edea and I left that afternoon to get something. On the way back, she was attacked by someone and got killed, protecting me. And somehow, I broke my legs…

The children were being burned alive now, Yuna vainly clamped her ears trying to block out the sounds of their dying sounds.

I tried to get back to them, I literally crawled back here… But I couldn't. Back then all I wanted to do is to be with them in the end. But I couldn't…

I always see them like this…maybe they're blaming me for not coming. I don't know.

Yuna could see the little girl lying on the road, that same road where she and that boy usually watch. She was still, silent and spent, now waiting to die and follow them.

But somehow I'm still alive. And that's that.

Yuna felt her heart was broken. She could not understand what it felt like losing everyone she knew in such a violent way. She approached the little girl, stumbled, and somehow picked her form in her arms…

And hugged her tightly.


Now the monster… a few meters away outside the abandoned town merged from the shadows, attempting to regenerate its appendages. Angry that it was deprived of all its recent preys it now attempts to capture them once more by overwhelming them with its new limbs. It knew it had weakened them somewhat, they will not put up a struggle the second time around.

It was still plotting when it was sliced neatly into two by a very long blade. And instantly died in seconds, not realizing that it had revealed itself to the person hunting it down.

"Hmph, and this is the monster that caused all the trouble?" the man said, whipping his Masamune quickly to shake off the black blood from the blade.

"Apparently, sir." His subordinate replied quickly. "Last time I look it wiped out our last patrol who were assigned in this area."

The man sighed in annoyance. "And so I've been sent here because of incompetence on the part of their lord here?"

"He's a friend of Lady Yunalesca. I suppose favors were in order that she had to personally ask you to do this."

The man hesitated. "I suppose so." He said slowly. He had to admit though, he was forced to fly a bit for him to enable to track the beast without alerting it of his presence. As it turns out from his partner's research that the unidentified monster seems to pick up its prey from the slight pressures of their feet in the ground. But flying with one wing was not an easy task, though of course he'll never admit to such a weakness.

"Sir," his subordinate quietly intruded. "Do you think we should check the village?"

The man snorted. "Zack, that's not part of our job. And besides, I doubt there are any survivors left there anymore."

Zack scratched the back of his head, conceding. "That's true…"

He had already sheathed his sword in the scabbard and tucked it under his arm. "So I'll leave the paperwork to you, as usual."

"Fair enough, since you killed that monster without waiting for me." Zack retorted. They were quite a strange pair… Zack was the easygoing man who never takes stuff too seriously and taking things in stride. And Sephiroth the General of Mainland's army, cool as ice with an attitude that backed up with it. A lot of people were intimidated by just even looking at him.

It was indeed very strange to see Sephiroth to be sent on simple monster hunting. But it seemed to be a welcome respite, ever since the war ended. And he knew that the general was eager to use his sword again somewhat, though he'll never said it out loud.

Zack paused a bit to collect samples from the monster's corpse, before following Sephiroth closely behind.


Yuffie barely heard someone crying on her shoulder as she felt herself drifting back into consciousness. She felt light-headed, tired, as if she had just spent a whole week fighting. She recognized that the person crying on top of her was Yuna, and that she was sobbing as if her heart was broken. "Hey…" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

But Yuna held her tighter that it was almost painful, and Yuffie closed her eyes for a bit, feeling more exhausted as she should have been. She saw Leon and Tidus too, tiredly leaning over them, and they both looked like hell.

She looked at them blearily "What just happened?" she asked them.


Though Leon told them what happened from his point of view, Tidus and Yuffie had no recollection on what happened to them in their brief imprisonment within the monster. When Yuna hesitantly asked them if they saw anything in their heads, both of them could only stare at her in confusion.

Yuna slowly realized one thing… the reason why they couldn't see it because of the one thing they had in common: they both were not ready to face their own fears and doubts. Tidus for his own place in his father's eyes… for not vocalizing the pain he had bottled up all these years, and Yuffie for her own failures to protect her younger siblings… and her somewhat hidden obsession with that special child she lost.

Yuna glanced at Leon and wondered what his pain his mind showed him, and how he coped with it. She was impressed that he somehow managed to free himself on his own. But felt worried just the same.

For Leon he felt he died a bit. But it had always been that way for him for as long as he could remember.

He took perverse assurance that he'll get over it. As always.

As for Yuna, she was happy that she can understand the spirits again, as she began to heal her friends, to allow them some strength for them to leave this accursed place as quickly as possible. She had no plans to stay here for the night.

And the other three anonymously agreed with that.


"Yuna's been acting weird…" Yuffie said, massaging her temples with her hand. They had successfully camped after forcing themselves to walk a couple of miles away from that place. And it seemed the shadow creature who lived there apparently ensnares other monsters in its wake and thus they managed to travel without any trouble along the way. "She keeps asking me if I'm doing ok or if I'm going to sleep early today."

"She's doing that to me too." Tidus said. "Though I don't mind the attention."

Yuffie sighed. Wondering if her friend found out something she shouldn't have. She stared blankly at her right palm where she usually hold that boy's hand… she suddenly clenched it tightly, a sinking sensation knowing that even at this state, she can never sleep properly for tonight.

Both she and Tidus had volunteered to guard camp today. Leon, for once, didn't put up the fight… it seemed that out of the four of them he took the most heavy beating from the monster he never vocalized. In fact, he went asleep as soon as he landed on the ground. The fire blazed a bit stronger than usual, cackling as it consumes the wood. And for once, the two friends could not find something to talk about.

"I…" Yuffie began. "I never told you who I was looking for, didn't I?" She didn't know why she brought it up, but she realized that she can trust her friend regarding this.

Tidus nodded. Prodding her to continue.

"There was this girl from the orphanage whom all of us liked a lot. Ellone, that was her name.. But back then we just called her Big Sis, even though there were kids who were a lot older than her…" Yuffie sighed again. "Anyway long story short she left, and she asked me to take charge in her absence. I thought back then I did a pretty good job."

"So why are you looking for her then?"

"To apologize. And then see what happens."

"Such as…"

"If I can ever sleep easily again." Yuffie replied quietly. "I've been stuck in this road for so long, and it's beginning to suck. I was sick of it."

"Yu…"

"I don't know what she looks like now, or if she was even alive." His friend shrugged. "I know it's a vain mission in the long run. But it's something I should do, really."

"If finding her is so important, I'll help whatever I can."

"Thanks, Ti…"

"Man, I wish you told me sooner…"

She nodded reluctantly, "Maybe I should have."

"You're agreeing with me without a fight." Tidus frowned, thrown off by her unlikely answer. "That's kinda spooky…"

"Don't push it." Yuffie cracked her familiar smile. But the ice was broken, and they began to chatter lively as though everything had gone back to normal. Even though deep down, they've been aware that they've scratched the surface of something they could not identify.


Yuna had been unusually kind to her two friends in the days that followed that even Tidus was starting to get worried. But Yuna could not tell them the private visions she saw in their hearts, knowing they were not ready to reveal it in the open. For now, she could only vocalize her untiring support, and that she shouldn't burden them with her own problems. She had decided to keep the strange voice who helped her in the dream a secret for now, determined to figure it out on their own.

And so the group managed to reach the outskirts of a major city in Mainland. Timble was a place of commerce, and despite the fact that the city seemed to be surrounded by giant oak trees, it was reputed to be the trading center between Mainland and the Bastion Mountains in the north… where the Ronso tribe and the other indigenous clans were located. Tidus inwardly wondered if they'll meet Kimhari one day. Strange he missed the glares the blue Ronso usually gave him for any misbehavior, but in a way he knew he was being kind in his own way.

But Timble was unusually packed, and upon inquiry they found out why. A celebration was currently under way, in dedication for the deity Bahamut, the patron of their city. And as such, tradition dictates that no one was allowed to leave until that celebration was finished which would last for two whole days.

"I guess it's a good thing." Yuffie said, "We've been walking for almost a week. It'd be a good thing to unwind."

"I guess so…" Yuna said slowly watching the crowd converging from the entrance as well when something caught her eye, and immediately scooted behind Leon's back, hiding her completely from view.

Leon started, but Yuffie held his arm to prevent him from moving away, also noticing what Yuna just saw. Tidus frowned by their odd behavior when he caught sight of a very familiar head…

"Lord Seymour from the Guado tribe…" he whispered. True enough, the crowd respectfully moved away from the road, allowing the guest and his entourage to enter the city. Tidus and Yuffie even bothered to lower their heads and attempted to hide. Fortunately they were way far back, and the crowd gave them a perfect cover.

"Why are you hiding?" Leon asked, finding this utterly ridiculous. "Did you owe him money or something?"

"He's my fiancé." Yuna answered for him quietly, as Leon turned around to look at her in surprise, Yuffie glanced at Tidus to see him involuntary flinch in pain. "I was promised to him by my father when I was a child."

Leon was at a loss for words. "Oh," he said shortly. Yuffie groaned as she rolled her eyes by his insensitivity.

"Trapped with him for two days." She replied sarcastically instead. "That'd be fun."