Never Forget Them

By LastCetra

"Run dream; Run on,

Pass beyond the waking,

And walk into the daylight."

Yojimbo, Final Fantasy X.

As soon as Yu Yevon was destroyed, Yuna ran to Jecht's body and started dancing. She remembered the first time she had done this, in Kilika dock. It was her first sending. She remembered dancing on the water and seeing all the souls of the dead swirling around her. She was crying. It was also one of the most beautiful sunsets she had ever seen. What made her sad was that the people below her in the water at the time would never see one again. Now, Yuna's staff, Nirvana, was flying around her as she danced, becoming one with her movements. This was the worst part of being her. Having to see dead people all the time. But she was a summoner. She had to do this. It was her job. The only thing was that she didn't have her aeons any more. She had killed them, summoned them to their death. Valefor, Ifrit, Shiva, Ixion, Bahamut, Yojimbo, Anima and the Magus Sisters. They were all dead. It tore her up inside, because they were a part of her.

Yuna looked up and immediately stopped. There was Auron, being sent right in front of her without her realising. She was shocked.

"Don't stop," he said in his low, slightly gruff voice.

"But I," she replied, unsure of continuing. He was her friend, after all, even if he was an unsent.

"It's all right," he said. She looked in his eyes and saw something she had never really seen before. He was accepting death. He gave her a reassuring smile and walked towards her, and looked at everyone in turn. He didn't say anything, but she thought they all knew it was goodbye. He stopped at Tidus and looked in his eyes. She saw this mutual understanding being shared between them, but didn't for her life try to understand what it was. He looked away from him to look at them all.

"It's been, long enough." He walked to the centre of the platform where they were standing and put his sword on his shoulder. A stance they all knew very well.

"This," he said. "Is your world now." Then he was gone, in a blast of colours.

They had to return to the airship. She couldn't really remember the journey there, all she could remember next was that she was dancing the deck of the airship for her aeons, sending the fayth to the farplane. She saw their souls travel into the night sky, the colours blending in with the stars. The light from Sin's explosion made it look almost like day. She danced for what seemed like hours.

She finally stopped. She looked at everyone, then finally to Tidus. He was looking at his hands. They were a blue colour and what was worse, they were see-through. This was what he had meant. Her thoughts flicked back to before the fight with Yu Yevon:

"Everyone!" said Tidus looking around at them all. "This is the last tine we fight together, okay?" At that time Yuna was extremely confused. She didn't know what was wrong, but she knew he was finally revealing something that he had kept from her, from all of them, since Mount Gagazet. The thing he wouldn't tell her in Bevelle.

"Huh?" asked Wakka, voicing all their thoughts.

"What I'm trying to say is, after we beat Yu Yevon, I'll disappear!"

He walked past them and stopped at Yuna. He looked her in the eyes. How could he not tell her? Disappear? No! It just couldn't happen. It wasn't right. Would he die? Would she never see him again? Her eyes started brimming with tears. First her aeons and now this?

"What are you talking about?" demanded Lulu. She seemed just as confused as Yuna was.

He walked past her and drew his sword.

"I'm saying goodbye," he finally choked out.

"Not now!" cried Rikku.

"I know it's selfish," he said. "But this is my story."

It had hit her hard. Reality was harsh. After all they had done for Spira they could do with giving her some happiness. Good things should happen to good people. But no. Spira had this thing called the cycle of death. And even though they had killed what caused the cycle of death, Tidus still had to die. She looked at his hands again.

"No," she said, her voice starting to choke on the tears she was trying to hold back. He looked at her, his almost invisible hands on his hips.

"Yuna," he said with a sad smile. "I have to go."

She shook her head furiously. She couldn't bring herself to believe that this was it. Stories like these should have happy endings. Why?

"I'm sorry I couldn't show you Zanarkand," he said taking a few steps back. "Goodbye!" He started walking to the edge of the deck.

"Hey!" called Wakka.

"We're going to see you again?" Rikku was trying to be hopeful. After all, it was her nature. It sounded very uncertain though. The question was almost like a statement, even a plea. He didn't listen. He just kept on walking.

Yuna couldn't take it anymore. She had to be with him. Even if his death was inevitable, she

had to at least say goodbye. She needed to tell him everything. Yuna ran to him.

"Yuna!" yelled Kimhari.

She reached him, her tears flowing freely now. Desperately she opened her arms out to hug him, to hold him, but instead of being given that one luxury she ran straight through him, as if he were nothing. That's what was happening. He was becoming nothing. She fell on the floor hard. Tears were streaming down her face. She had so much to tell him, so much to learn about him. She wished that this was all a dream. But that was all that Tidus was. A dream. And he was waking into death. It didn't make sense. She couldn't make sense of anything anymore.

She stood up and wiped the tears from her face. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't let him see her like this. She couldn't watch him disappear. But she had to tell him. She had to let him know what he had given her. What he had let her experience and enjoy.

"I love you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The wind blew her hair back from her tear stained face, and gave her a clear view of the night-sky at which she was staring. She took none of it in, but smiled, knowing that she had at least told him, and that he knew what she felt for him. She didn't see his utter surprise, or the look of how touched he was, how accepted he felt by hearing her say that. She didn't know it, but those words made him feel like he was truly at home.

The next thing she saw was his hands come around her and rest on her chest. She closed her eyes and for a while, she thought she could feel him, feel his touch and fell his gentleness and warmth. She felt his presence, his sympathy. It was what she needed.

All too soon he had to leave. He walked through her. It was the strangest sensation she had ever experienced. It made her realise that this would be the last time she'd ever see him again. Except for visits on the farplane of course, but they wouldn't be real. His pace soon quickened and he broke out into a run. He reached the edge of the airship and dived, into the farplane perhaps. She knew he would get there, and be with his family again. At least he would be happy, and that was a comforting thought.

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay Yunie?" She looked behind her to see Rikku, Kimhari, Lulu and Wakka all around looking very concerned.

"No," she answered. "But give me time, and I will be."

Yuna whistled, the sound piercing through the air at Luca dock. It disturbed the sea-gulls, and they screeched in reply. Tidus had told her to just whistle, and he'd find her. She didn't think it would work, as promises are hard to keep when you're dead, but it was worth a try. Hope was what kept Spira alive all these years, why give up on it now?

"Yuna," called Lulu gently. "It's time."

She ran after her to the stadium. There was a big crowd there, waiting for what she had to say. Waiting to see if their hopes had come true. Waiting to see if they could celebrate the eternal calm. Yuna looked around and behind at her friends before beginning. They smiled encouragingly. She

smiled back and faced the people of Spira.

"Everyone," she began. "Everyone has lost something precious. Everyone here has lost homes, dreams, and friends. Everybody, now, Sin is finally dead. Now, Spira is ours again."

A huge cheer erupted from the crowd. Yuna smiled at their joy. It was an amazing thing that they

didn't have to live in a world of fear anymore. She let the cheer die down a little before continuing.

"Working together, now we can make new homes for ourselves, and new dreams. I know the journey will be tough, but we have lots of time. Together, we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, so let's start out today."

She stopped and turned around. The crowd started cheering and applauding. Wakka gave her a thumbs up and Lulu was nodding approvingly. Rikku was clapping along with the crowd and Kimhari had a smile on his face. It was then she realised that she wasn't finished. She turned back to the crowd.

"Just, one more thing." she said. "The people and the friends we have lost. Or the dreams that have faded…"

Yuna's thoughts lay with Tidus. She found it easy and yet hard to remember all the times she had spent with him, right at the start on Besaid Island to the last moment she saw him on the airship's deck.. But one thing stood out above all else; That magical night at the lake. She loved the way she was able to confide in him and trust him, tell him all her doubts and fears. He understood. He looked into her eyes and she found no reason to cry anymore. He just let her look in them and she could get lost in that crystal blue for hours. The best thing to remember was the feeling of happiness that swept her away when his tender lips touched her own, letting her taste him, hold him and love him. What made it hard was that she would never experience that again.

Yuna looked back at the crowd. They were all standing there, patiently waiting for her to finish.

"Never forget them."

The End

A.N. I never realised how much of a romance freak I am! Man, it's worrying…. anyway, this is definitely not my best work, so I am accepting flames for this one! It just didn't turn out the way I planned. Oh well. Bye for now people!

LastCetra