Chapter 23: One Blue Eye

Tidus's POV:

"Huh?" I exclaimed in shock, as I spun around in confusion to face the familiar voice from behind.

Just as I was about to state his name in puzzlement, another voice spoke it for me.

"Seraph?" came a soft voice, which still had the slight hint of sorrow still lingering within her tone.

However as soon as I heard her say this, yet another look of bewilderment appeared upon my face…this time however it was directed at her.

As I faced her, I noticed her raise her right hand to her lips quickly, as if she had just spoken something dangerous and was trying to force the hazard back into her mouth.

My head quickly turned back and forth from both Seraph and her, until finally I rested my gaze upon her again and asked, "What…how do you know him?"

She simply looked away and seemed as if she was too afraid to tell me anything.

So with one last look at her quivering shoulders I focused my attention back on Seraph. This time I had a gaze of anger as I stared into his uncertain eyes, knowing that somehow, he had something very important to explain.

"Seraph…do you have something to share with me?" I asked calmly, as I totally forgot about his previous statement, about the girl being dangerous.

I began to make my way a little closer and waited for him to reply. He looked around nervously as if he was hiding something serious.

"Seraph…how does this girl know you?" I asked, noticing that my tone was becoming irate.

He parted his lips nervously and was about to speak when…

"He was the sentinel who kept watch over me in the Zanatorium." Whispered the girl from behind.

I turned around slowly in the water to face her as I heard these words.

She was now facing me with crystal clear eyes, shining from the remainder of her tears.

"So…why do you seem as if you know him…apart from the fact that he may have guarded you?" I questioned as I folded my arms, waiting for someone to just give me all the answers so that I could put my mind to rest.

"Um…well…" she began, but was cut off by Seraph.

"Master…there really is no time for this…the girl is dangerous…we must get you away from here." He rushed out, as he began to reach for his weapon.

"What are you talking about?" I practically yelled, as I threw my hands up over my head, slamming them back down into the spring and sending splashes of water in every direction.

He seemed startled slightly but continued to try and persuade me to follow his orders.

"Master, if I have to force you out of here then I will…but just keep in mind that it is for your own good." He growled, letting his eyes darken, as he finally drew his sword from his sheath and pointed it towards me. A long sharp sword, causing the moonlight to hit off it and shine for no more then a millisecond.

I was of course shocked by his words and actions.

Was he threatening me?

He quickly tried to make his tone more respectful towards me as he said, "She may not have hurt you yet, but she will soon enough."

My mind suddenly flashed back to just a few moments ago when I had been hurled backwards by the neck into the spring.

Maybe he was right. Maybe this girl really was dangerous. She should be in the Zanatorium. So why am I here with her now? What am I thinking?

I decided then that I couldn't let her get away and that I had to make sure she was taken back to the Zanatorium, until her time came to face Mt. Demise.

I turned to face her and saw that she was still standing there in the spring, looking at me with hopeful eyes, as if silently asking me to help her.

I shook my head, forcing myself to be strong and to do the right thing. She was an enemy, she had practically attacked me and the device attached to her neck didn't make things any easier for her.

I frowned at her and shouted back to Seraph, "Take her back to the Zanatorium. Back to where she belongs."

Her expression of hope, suddenly transformed into a fearful one as she gazed at me with hurt.

"Yes master, as you wish." He obeyed, as he began to walk into the spring to recapture her.

She then did something completely bizarre. She began to wade through the water towards me as fast as she could, breathing heavily in fear. I became worried by her strange behaviour and shouted back to Seraph, "Hey come on man, she's coming for me and I don't have a weapon."

I could hear her fearful sobs floating towards my ears and her face screamed with fright.

"Please…don't…" she trailed off, as she began to cry once more.

I began to back away, hoping that Seraph would be here soon to take care of her.

However it was too late. She suddenly lunged at me and clung onto me with her soaking wet body, pressing herself up against me with all of her might. She seemed determined not to let go, and it sent a sensation of warmth throughout my body.

Why?

I could hear Seraph coming up from behind and for some unknown reason I held onto her just as tightly. It was as if something from within wanted to break free so desperately and just let me be…someone I once was.

My arms wrapped around her back as I pressed her against my body even closer, and as I rested my face into her neck I whispered, "It's all right…it's all right."

I wished that the moment could have ended a bit more peacefully, but it was disturbed by Seraph yanking her out of my arms so forcefully that the both of them fell backwards into the water, with her back against his chest and her arms held back tightly.

I knew then that everything that we may have shared was over. As from now, she was going to be taken back to the Zanatorium and taken to Mt. Demise the next night.

I frowned at the thought, but I knew that it must be done.

I could see her face below the waters surface, staring into my eyes, blinking so slowly that I thought that time might have been coming to a standstill. But then she rose up out of the spring, gasping for air and coughing up water from her lungs. I could see that Seraph still had a firm grasp on her and that he could have possibly drowned her if he wanted to. Her hair was stuck to her face and I could see only one blue eye through the tresses.

One blue eye that said every emotion that I have ever known. One blue eye that finally blinked, as she was shoved away from me and forced to wade towards the bank.

Yuna's POV:

The same thing was happening all over again. I was being taken back to that place and this time I would not be able to escape.

And to my surprise it was Seraph who was taking me there. After he had saved me every other time before from the other sentinels…why was he doing this to me now?

Then I realised.

I was wrong to trust him in the first place. I had a feeling from the beginning that he was suspicious. When he gave me those weapons and helped me get to The Mask…I had thought that something was up. Now here I was. I was probably even set up.

"Ouch." I whimpered, as I stumbled out of the spring and fell onto the bank, landing on my body face down with a thud.

"Get up." I heard Seraph growl and I half-expected to hear Tidus call out from behind, "Don't hurt her." and then he would come over to me and force Seraph away from me.

But I didn't hear a thing except for my own heavy breathing, and then the next I knew I was being pulled up by my arms and being shoved forward. I noticed that I was now covered in mud and would soon attract unwanted bugs to start living off my moist body.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered angrily, as I felt sharp rocks and sticks cut up my bare feet.

"Hush up and just walk." He growled.

I desperately wanted to turn around to see Tidus. I wanted to see him run after me. I wanted to run back into his arms. So I turned my face slowly to the left and almost instantly suffered a blow to my left cheek with the back of Seraph's hand. It was so forceful that it sent me falling to the ground in front of me. I had felt the strike, but I didn't feel any pain.

And then it seemed as if my prayers had been answered.

"SERAPH! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? TAKE HER BACK TO THE ZANATORIUM UNHARMED OR IT WILL BE YOUR NECK AS WELL AS HERS." Tidus shouted, as I heard Tidus shove him into something solid, like a tree from behind.

I began to lift myself up from the ground slowly. I put my palms down on either side and raised my chest up from the harsh pathway, which led towards the Zanatorium.

I forced my knees to bend forwards along the rough surface. Most likely scraping them and causing each one to bleed slightly. I used them to support myself as I began to rise up from the ground, when suddenly I felt a hand grasp onto my wrist. I gasped in shock, thinking that it was Seraph ready to hurt me some more.

But as I turned my face up to the person next to me, I saw that it was Tidus and his eyes showed concern and I thought I even saw guilt.

He helped me to my feet and without another look at me, he spun me around so that my back was facing him and tied my hands up behind my back, with what I thought was a rope that he had probably gotten off Seraph.

He tightened it and although it didn't hurt, I still whimpered because I knew that this was the end.

Tomorrow night I would cease to exist. Tomorrow night my life was over for good.

"Now, when she arrives back at the Zanatorium, I want her to be intact in every way. I will be checking up on you Seraph. Got it?" came Tidus's demanding voice.

I heard Seraph grunt in agreement and start to make his way closer towards me.

"And you my lady, I expect you to cause as little trouble as possible. That means no trying to escape." Tidus said to me, sounding quite unsure of himself at the moment.

I didn't answer. I knew that if I kept quiet I wouldn't have to agree with him. Because I knew that I would most likely take the chance of escaping as soon as the opportunity arrived. And I didn't want to break my word to Tidus.

"Okay, if you're looking for me when you get back, I'm going to meet up with Sir Auron. I have a few things to talk to him about." Tidus whispered to Seraph.

I shouldn't have been able to hear it from where I was standing. But lately my senses had improved dramatically and it was actually quite useful at times.

"Yeah all right then." Mumbled Seraph.

He seemed so out of character. But maybe this was the real Seraph. Maybe the one that I had come to trust was nothing more then an act.

"All right miss we're going." Growled Seraph, as he walked up to place a hand on my back, to lead me to the Zanatorium.

I knew that if I didn't look at Tidus one more time now, the next I would probably see him was when I was at death's door tomorrow night.

So I glanced back at him and saw him staring after me with a look that seemed like he just wanted to run after me. It was as if he felt the same way as me. But he shook his head, causing his blonde hair to fly over his face.

He then headed off in the opposite direction, down the path towards the city, his black attire completely soaked and it seemed as if it was weighing him down as he ran.

Or was something else holding him back?

A/N: Sorry this is so short people. The next chapter is going to be longer I reckon. So until next time. Byes.

Yunie Tidus