Tides of Time

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X, X-2, or any of the characters in such.

Author's notes: This takes place after Final Fantasy X, but before X-2. It won't follow X-2 much at all, but might and will take some aspects from it. This is also in response to a challenge I was issued almost a year or maybe more ago by Refugee (Wonderful author of the greatest crossover I have ever read 'Knight of Spira', and it's sequel 'Genesis') . Also know that FFX isn't my norm, usually I'm a VII, VIII girl, but for this idea, X seemed like the best to use it with. Plus the challenge was for X so yeah. Hope everyone likes.

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.

-Albert Camus

Chapter 1: Smiles of Lies

Happiness comes in many forms. Sometimes we find joy in something so simple as a warm cup of hot chocolate, or the smile of a loved one. Sometimes we feel the deep comfort of being with our lover or friends. It is found in many places in many ways. Often though, happiness is fleeting. One might find delight in a toy or object, perhaps in reading a story; but it soon falls away. Then what? It is within human nature to seek happiness, to try and find the joy in everything around us. All anyone ever wants is to be happy. Some don't find it, or can't keep if for very long. And what of those who do find complete bliss only to have it disappear do to uncontrollable circumstances.

Happy. That was Yuna, daughter of high summoner Braska, destroyer of Sin, savior of Spira. She was happy. And why wouldn't she be? She had ever right, all the means. Everyone adored her, she had friends who were family, she delivered Spira from the evil that had plagued them for a thousand years. So of course she was happy, right?

To all outward appearances she was. She smiled at the right times, spoke the right words, was as kind and caring as ever. Yet those close to her knew otherwise. They knew of the pain and anguish she suffered through each day. They could tell how hard it was to wake up each morning and go about a normal way of living. To wake from her blissful dreams only to realize that he wasn't there. And never would be.

Yuna never showed her sorrow, not even to those dear to her. She didn't want to drag them down and depress them and she knew it would. They would sympathize, and hug her, and tell her how truly very sorry they were. They would worry about her, and dote on her, and would make sure that she was going to be okay. And she couldn't burden them with that. They had enough troubles of their own to worry about, they didn't need to take on hers as well.

They were all happy themselves.

Lulu and Wakka had moved back to Besaid with her. For a while all they did war argue from the simplest disagreements to the massive explosions. Wakka was having trouble adjusting the idea that everything they believed in was built on a lie. He had always been a faithful follower of Yevon, never breaking rules or laws, he detested the forbidden Machina and argued every step of their journey about how they should quit as it was against Yevon. Everyone knew he was having a hard time now that the entire religion was falling apart. But no one, not even Yuna could note the difficulty his Black Mage counter-part was having.

Lulu had always been the calm, collected one. She was the one that didn't panic, she kept a level head, and in turn the rest did the same. Yet she too had been a blind follower of Yevon. She wasn't allowed to breakdown though. It was something she had in common with her Summoner. Her faith however had also been shattered. And not a single person realized how lost she really was.

Not until she broke down at least. It had randomly happened on afternoon. She and Wakka had just finished cleaning the road of Fiends for a few travelers. Before Sin was defeated, after they had done something like this, they would go to the temple and pray. So that afternoon on the way home out of habit Lulu turned toward the mostly abandoned shrine. Wakka followed unsure of what she had been doing. She'd gotten all the way inside before her companion asked what she was doing.

"I'm praying to Yevon of course" She'd snapped back. She had completely forgotten that this wasn't their norm anymore.

"Um Lu… it's a, uh, false religion, ya? Based on lies and all. Remember?" He scratched his head confused as to how she of all people could forget something like that.

Lulu had frozen right then as everything came rushing back to her. The lies, deceit, and sacrifice it had all been built on. If ever there was a time Lulu had wanted to disappear, to just curl up and die it was right then. It had been a simple mistake, but a stupid one at that. And after everything she had always scolded Wakka with. She fell to her knees then weeping silently.

Since that moment things had been fairly good for the two of them. For once Wakka had to be the strong one and he took on the role well. H assured her that everything was okay and even summoned up the courage to admit his feelings for her. She was a bit shocked at first, but soon grew to the idea. Everyone knew that she loved him as well because how else cold she put up with him?

Kimahri had also wanted to go back to Besaid with Yuna. Instead he ended up going to Mount Gagazet. The Ronso had been looking for a strong leader and approached the Guardian about it after Yuna's speech in Luca. It was a bit of an Ironic twist because Kimahri had always been one that they outcast, shunned because of his shameful broken horn and short stature. He had first refused the offer telling them that his place was with Yuna. So what changed his mind? Yuna of course. She had pulled him aside and gave him her best advice. Advice she herself should probably heed.

"Kimahri you should go with them, I can tell you want to. Don't stay with me out of obligation. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself, plus I have Lulu an Wakka. You have done so much for me, it is time you do something for yourself. You'll always remain special to me. Like a big, furry brother. But right now the Ronso need you more than I do."

So Kimahri returned to Mount Gagazet with the Ronso who had asked him before. And as Yuna figured he would be, he was a splendid leader. He had done much to improve conditions for them, and had enriched relations both among themselves and with other nations. The Ronso now held an active role in Spira.

Rikku and Cid have been overwhelmed with work. Now that Machina was no longer forbidden everyone wanted to use it. But of course only the Al-Bhed knew how to operate such things. They had been getting requests from all over that they build something , or fix something. Other Al-Bhed were taking this on too. Rikku and another guy that Yuna had heard her cousin complain about on more than one occasion, Gippal, had started up the Machine Faction for building and distributing Machina. It was doing quite well.

Rikku had also developed a new passion for sphere hunting. After uncovering the spheres Jecht left behind on their journey, the idea fascinated her. Finding records of someone's past, being able to see the things they saw, learning about something completely new. Her mastery in the art of Thievery was very helpful in this line of work. Yuna had heard it was very competitive.

Every now and then the younger girl would send the Summoner letters, often containing little knick-knacks or treasures. Yuna appreciated every single one. Her cousin was often curious of what she was up to. She certainly never held back about her doings and where-abouts. It made Yuna smile as she found the temporary joy in her friend's enthusiasm. Rikku had this way of making those around her happy. She thought that you should get joy out of every aspect of life that you can and that was the way she lived. There wasn't a person out there who wasn't effected by the events before the Eternal Calm, although some more than others. But broken pieces had to be picked up. Maybe they couldn't be put back together again, but you couldn't fret over them for too long. Rikku just wished her cousin would understand that.

What about the Summoner herself?

All Yuna wanted was to live in peace away from all the anarchy and confusion rampaging Spira. Of course everyone else wished for exactly the opposite. They wanted her to take a leadership role equal to that of the Maesters, who had since fallen out of power. She however declined time and time again. Even so she was requested repeatedly to solve disputes; whether minor or not.

After Sin the lies of Bevelle had been revealed to the world, the secrets of Zanarkand exposed. One would like to say all, but no one could ever be sure of the amount of deceit that had been festering over the last thousand years. Sometimes Yuna wondered if it was fair to exploit the falsity that they knew. It would take away the faith and hope of many. Rikku had assured her it was for the best and keep inside Yuna knew that. He would agree one-hundred percent. He'd probably spear-head the whole thing.

Spira had become a state of anarchy when they found out. The Maesters were ripped from their positions and tortured much to her horror. Then there were the hard-core followers who wanted nothing to do with the idea. You can't have told someone one thing all their life and then randomly one day tell that all this time it had been a lie. It was devastating, as they all knew. It didn't help that an Al-Bhed had been the original one to open that door.

So Yuna had been left to clean up the mess. She was getting tired of broken pieces that needed picking up and secretly wished that sometimes, she was doing the breaking. It took her confirming the falsity of the Yevon religion on several occurrences before things began to calm down. She'd become a regular public speaker against her will. Only she did it for the well-being of others. Everything she did was for the good of everyone else, it left her wondering about her own good. In a way she almost resented that fact, but was a very minor way.

What she was ever sure of though was one thing. The only thing she ever wished for herself was the one thing denied to her. Tidus.

End Chapter 1

Author's Note: Okay, if I have any of my main facts wrong I would appreciate if someone would tell me. Like I said Ten isn't my normal area of fiction and that's part of what makes this a challenge. This is the first time I've ever really attempted to seriously write something of this nature so all feedback would be really great. Tell me how I'm doing and what you thought.

Also I know some of the things I included from X-2 I changed slightly. That's what I love about the power of Alternate Universes, which ultimately this is.

Thank you!