Chapter 25: Killing You Softly

Yuna's POV:

It was only what seemed like an hour later and I had re-entered the same cell that I had broken out of last time…except now the glass door had been replaced with a hard steel one.

I spent an hour being examined for objects that might assist in my escape once again…and it wasn't very pleasant.

Now I was outside the cell…waiting for the door to open and when it did I was shoved in by another sentinel that had taken over from Seraph.

"Now stay in there!" the man yelled before closing the door shut forcefully behind me.

Not that there was any way out of this place anyway.

I stared around and saw the same bed sitting against the far wall, lifelessly covered in white sheets.

What else was there to do except lie down and wait?

So I sauntered over to the bed, sat down apathetically and lay my body down, closing my eyes and trying to block everything out. My memories, my life and…him.

I rolled over on my side to face the wall and remained in that position for quite some time.

"But sir…do you think this is right? He is the master after all."

"Seraph…I don't have to explain myself to you…all that you need to know is that this will work…she is under my control…and his life will be mine."

"But what of Docile…he saw the master after he had been told that the girl was captured and that I was taking her back."

"Docile is merely a small obstacle which can be taken care of in seconds if he tries anything."

"But he knows that the girl didn't hurt him in any way…how will you explain to the rest of the men that the master was killed by her, if he was last seen alive heading back towards the temple to see you? You will be under more suspicion then the rest of us."

"Don't you think that I have thought this through? You, Docile and myself will be the only ones who will know anything…you will not say a word of this to anyone. I will take care of Docile later. But for now help me get him in here…he's not as light as he looks."

I had been listening to this whole conversation from the beginning. I knew whom they were talking about and I knew who was talking. It was Seraph and Auron and they were planning on killing Tidus.

My heart pounded in fear…what had they meant that I was under Auron's control and that his life would be his? And why were they putting him in here with me?

I heard a small groan escape Tidus's lips, but I dared not look around…afraid that I would receive something physically or mentally painful from either Seraph or Auron.

"Do you want me to wake her up?" came Seraph's voice.

"No…she's already awake." Answered Auron.

My eyes widened and I held onto my breath in fear. I didn't hear them speak or move until Tidus groaned once more and Auron said, "Quick, make a move before he wakes up."

I heard them leave and the door shut behind me and it was then that I was able to relax my lungs.

I sat there breathing heavily and waited for some kind of noise that would indicate that he was awake.

"Mmm…where are you guys?" he mumbled.

I frowned in confusion and waited to see what he would say next.

There was a long silence and then, "Did we do it…is she…alive?"

"What?" I whispered in mystification to myself.

"I said is she alive." He yelled this time.

Had he heard me?

It suddenly occurred to me that maybe he was sleep talking and maybe…I could get a few answers from him.

"Who?" I asked.

He shuffled on the ground for a moment before saying, "Her…the summoner…is she alive?"

"What's her name?"

This time he spoke to himself quietly as if contemplating something and then said, "Lenne…"

Anger arose in my body and I felt myself turn bright red.

It was then that I heard him gasp and sit up abruptly.

"Huh…where am I?" he said in puzzlement.

I closed my eyes once again and dared not look around, but it didn't matter because he saw me anyway.

"Hey you…where are we?"

I didn't answer. I was too upset and furious with him for speaking about Lenne every time we met.

"Hey…answer me…are we in Spira somewhere?"

I opened my eyes and felt my emotions subside for a moment when I heard him say this.

"Spira?" I repeated questioningly.

"Yeah you know…hey you kinda sound like someone I know…" he trailed off.

"Who? Lenne?" I answered feeling my anger come back once more.

Silence followed.

"Uh…who's she?" he asked.

This time without hesitation I turned to face him in a sitting position and whispered threateningly, "You know who I'm talking about…don't play mind games with me."

It was then that I saw realization sparkle in his deep blue eyes from the torch on the side of the room.

"You're alive…" he said in what seemed like both surprise and relief.

Barely.

"Yu…na…you're alive." He said again, except this time he said my name and rushed forward to embrace me in a breathtaking enfold.

I felt everything around me disappear for a moment and all I could see was him and feel his arms around me.

I wish it could stay this way forever.

But what was his game? He talked of this girl Lenne and then he would want to be with me…and then he locked me up again and…I'm so confused…I want everything to make sense…I'm losing my mind.

I forced him away from me and said, "I'm not Lenne."

I looked down and waited for him to speak.

He however knelt down in front of me and whispered with a confused expression, 'I know…you're Yuna."

I bowed my head down even further determined not to look at him. This time instead of speaking about the present I spoke of the past.

"Why did you come back here that day? Why did you not stay in Spira?"

I felt his hands rest on my shoulders and he said, "What day…and aren't we in Spira now?"

I shook my head and said, "Why are you doing this…"

"Doing what?"

"THIS!" I yelled.

I forced myself to breath in long deep breaths before saying more calmly, "You left Spira two years ago and came back here…now you speak of this girl Lenne and then you refer to me as Yuna…then you lock me up…and tomorrow night…" I rushed out, but was cut off by his fingers pressed up against my lips, as he tilted my chin up to face him.

I still had my eyes closed but I felt his gaze upon me.

Suddenly I felt my lips being taken over by his and although every inch of my body was telling me to stop…a part of me cancelled out everything and allowed me to risk being hurt once more.

As the kiss got more intense I felt his hands move towards the back of my neck and it was then that I felt something trigger. Something in my mind wanted me to kiss him even more but…it wasn't exactly in a loving way…more of a longing way…almost as if I wanted to suck the very life out of him.

I opened my eyes and stared at his face. He had his eyes closed and for a while I just watched him and then…something inside of me longed to breath in his life. I wanted to suck his body dry of the life that he had within him.

I was afraid and also very intoxicated from the long and sweet kisses that I had received so far. I wanted more.

As I closed my eyes once more I heard a familiar voice re-enter my mind.

"Take it Yuna…you know you want it…take it all in."

The voice sounded so evil but at the same time I felt I should obey it.

So slowly I began to breath in…not through my nose, but through my mouth. I was slowly taking in the air from his lungs…I could feel it entering my body and although it felt weird…it also felt so good.

I could feel him starting to squirm and decided that I needed to position myself in a way so that he could not escape. So summoning all the strength I could gather I pulled him on top of me onto the bed and then forced him to lay on his back so that I could sit on top of him.

I held his arms down on either side and continued to kiss him so dangerously. I could feel the vibrations of him trying to scream within my mouth and it only made me want to keep going.

Suddenly I heard another voice inside my head…it too was familiar…it was a girl.

"What are you doing? Can't you see? You're killing him…"

With these words being said I opened my eyes to see that his too were open…and had a look of sheer horror radiating within them.

My mind became somewhat clearer and I suddenly began to realise what I was doing.

I was killing him softly.

I removed my lips from his and lifted myself up from his body…only to see him breathe in a long-awaited breath of air.

He was gasping and his face looked as if it was on the verge of turning from red to blue.

My legs were situated around his waist in an almost very sexual position.

He stared up at me as if he had just experienced the most terrifying thing ever…it was much the same look that I had upon my face the day he went away.

"Yuna…I couldn't breathe." He gasped.

What had gotten into me?

"I…I…I don't know what happened." I stuttered out in a whisper.

I looked towards his face once more and saw that he was gazing at me in confusion for about the thousandth time that night.

He seemed to forget everything that had just happened as he whispered, "Yuna…you seem different…you look older…your hair and your clothes."

He seemed to drift off into his own thoughts as he stared up at me thoughtfully, as if examining me.

He had absolutely no memory whatsoever of this place. Instead of completely forgetting about Spira…he had now absolutely no memory of Zanarkand.

It was one extreme to the next.

But at least now he knew who I was…but right now…I had no idea who I was.

My mind remembered only a few small details. I remembered Spira…Lulu, Wakka, Rikku, Kimahri, Tidus and Auron.

Auron…

That thought immediately made me want to ask Tidus something.

"Tidus…do you remember anything about Auron after I sent him?"

He gazed up at me with a small smile, "Yeah…a bunch of pyreflies…that's about it."

"Pyreflies? That's it? Nothing else?" I asked trying to make him remember something that he had obviously forgotten.

He nodded and said, "I swear that's it…nothing more."

Suddenly I noticed the position we were in and gasped a little. I saw his face too slowly begin to redden.

The closest we had ever been was that night in Macalania and just a few hours ago in the spring in the forest. But on both occasions we had merely shared a kiss.

I looked away to hide my embarrassment and slowly began to remove my body off of his…but then I felt a hand take hold of my left arm. I quickly turned to face him…and saw that his face showed an expression of both passion and lust.

I loved the feeling it gave me…but I didn't want him to do anything with me. I mean I still had to find out who this Lenne was.

But even though my mind told me to leave…my heart wanted him more then anything. My emotions were suddenly not my own…they felt like someone else's. I felt love and sadness envelop my body and in the last few moments that I remembered before his lips met up with my own he whispered the name, "Yuna."

But I heard the distant echo of Lenne behind it.

Auron's POV:

"Citizens of Zanarkand…" I said as my voice boomed over the large mass of people who stood below me as I looked down upon them from the Blitzball arena.

Their attention turned towards me and I felt every set of eyes bore into me, just waiting for me to get what I had to say out so that they could go back to partying.

"I regret to inform you…that…that our masters life has been taken by the girl herself."

There was no need to explain who the girl was. By now Yuna had become known to every person in Zanarkand as 'the girl'.

Gasps and murmurs were heard throughout the crowd, as people turned to one another and proclaimed their shock to each other.

I spoke up once again.

"However do not fret…although he has now gone from this world…we will hold a celebration tomorrow night at Mt. Demise where we shall send his soul to a place of peace. The girl's life will be taken at this event as well. Everyone must be present. If you are not, I shall find out and have the sentinels bring you there…even against your will."

This time there were small whispers of curses and annoyance directed towards me. They of course would rather be partying then have to attend such a formal occasion.

With that I stepped down and turned to face Seraph and said, "Okay…now all we need to do is check on them both. I told her what she must do…she should be fully under the influence of the device by now. Nothing should have stopped her."

"Do you really think that she would have done it?" came Seraph's voice doubtfully.

I glared at him and stated, "Seraph, do not dare question me. I have planted the same device on you. It worked perfectly."

"If you can call it that…" began Seraph, but continued on once he saw the evil glare I was shooting his way, "But don't you think that she would find that her love for him is much more stronger then your orders?"

I sighed and replied, "By now she would have forgotten most things and my orders will therefore become much more powerful then her emotions. Even if she remembers him…she will still be confused, allowing me to take advantage of that and make her do as I say."

He shrugged in what seemed like sadness and said, "You're the boss."

I sensed something wasn't right.

He went to walk down the stairs, but I grabbed him by the shoulder and said, "It was unfortunate what happened to Lenne Shuyin, but right now I suggest you leave and wait until tomorrow night."

The look I received was one of pure shock. It seemed that Shuyin…a man that had lived in the real Zanarkand one thousand years ago, from when Tidus had first landed in Spira was now roaming the Dream Zanarkand in search of his Lenne.

It was I to blame. I was the leader of Zanarkand then, and I had sentenced her to death for helping out Shuyin during the war, who was in fact a citizen of Bevelle. She was killed at Mt. Demise much like Yuna was to be tomorrow night.

My plans were in the best interests for everyone…of course everyone here would perish along with me…but first I needed to make Yuna as much of a dream as possible. And having the life of Tidus within her should fool the Fayth. I couldn't kill her as a real person in a Dreamland. It could ruin everything.

She was real, this world wasn't. Although I myself had come from a real world, I was dead and therefore was no longer real.

I knew that once I had gathered everyone tomorrow night, that I would be able to free the world of Sin forever. That meant that Sin would never exist and there would be no dreaming.

No one would ever suffer from the terrible plague Sin had over Spira. There would be no summoners and no Yevon teachings.

I had struck a deal with the Fayth that day and had asked to be taken back to this place. I knew that I could change Spira for the better. I would destroy the dream that Yu Yevon had created and therefore destroy him. He would create havoc no longer. He would perish. His dream would perish. I was part of his little world now…I would vanquish him from the inside.

Suddenly the spirit of Shuyin left Seraph's body in a mass of pyreflies and I felt him pass through me, seeing the remainder of the pyreflies float towards the forest, as if threatening me. It was as if he was telling me that he would get me back one way or another.

Seraph stood there, gasping for air and looked at me in perplexity. He of course was prone to this kind of thing. Having a device like his and Yuna's created an easy entrance to their bodies.

"All right…lets go."

Tidus POV:

Sleep had come to me so peacefully for the first time in what seemed like years. I felt calm and content and then I felt myself brush up against something smooth and warm as I shifted under the sheets a little.

I lazily opened my eyes to see that I was facing the face of an angel.

She was so beautiful and as I looked downwards I saw that she was also very naked.

I quickly covered her small frame up with the white sheets and brushed back a few strands of silky honey brown hair behind her ear. A small but very noticeable smile played upon her lips as she moved her head against the pillow softly.

I smiled and leant in to press my lips against hers lightly. I didn't want to wake her. We had just beaten Sin and she must've been so tired.

But then I felt her lips gently kissing back and I knew that she was awake. I saw her bi-coloured eyes slowly revealing themselves to me from under her fluttering eyelashes. She let her lips part away from mine and just smiled before saying, "Did we…"

But I simply nodded, as I knew what her question was.

She looked a little thoughtful and somewhat self-conscious of the fact that she was in a bed with me completely exposed.

I noticed her struggling to pull the sheets around her more securely…however I boldly made my move and pulled her closer towards me, in an attempt to make her feel more comfortable.

In a way I was surprised at how quickly she became at ease in my arms. She even snuggled up to me a little closer, resting her face in my chest, letting her eyes close peacefully.

I let my face rest in her hair and for a while I just breathed in long deep breaths and smelt the sweet scent of my Yuna's hair. I loved that scent and I loved the fact that she was my girl…well I hoped that she was anyway. If she would let me…I would cherish and look after her always.

"Yuna…" I began as I lifted my head away from her tresses.

She mumbled under her breath, "Mmm."

I breathed in deeply causing my chest to rise and her small head moved with it, causing her to jolt a bit and look up towards me.

She seemed to sense that something was troubling me…well it wasn't exactly troubling me but it was sure bugging the shit out of me.

"Um…I want to know…what are we?" I blurted out vaguely.

She looked at me strangely and then said, "What do you mean?"

I closed my eyes, reopened them and said, "Are we…you know…together…are we more then just friends?"

She flushed a little and then said, "Well…I'd think that we are more then friends if we just did…what we did."

I flushed a little also and said, "So are we…"

She however cut me off and said, "You know, things are complicated right now…so I think that we should wait a while…until we say we are anything."

I saw her face seem to turn somewhat sad and I tilted her chin up and whispered, "We don't have to say anything to anyone just yet…although I think that Lulu and Wakka won't be too against it."

It was then that a small tear rolled down her cheek and she stared at me in sadness.

I wiped it away and soothed, "Hey don't be sad…we've got the rest of our lives to spend with each other."

She nodded, putting that brave smile on, like she always did and then whispered, "Just hold me tonight Tidus. Just let me fall asleep in your arms."

I nodded and kissed her forehead before saying, "Always Yuna."

A/N: Well here you go. The next chapter of the story. Sorry to disappoint those of you who were hoping for a sex scene…but this is a PG-13 story. So until next time…enjoy.

Yunie Tidus