Sacreda Chapter 2: It Begins, a final fantasy x-overs fanfic

Disclaimer:

Note: When Yuna and her guardians visit each Final Fantasy the events in my fanfic are set AFTER the games' endings therefore there will most likely be spoilers for the endings of 9,8 and 7.

1. " It begins"
"This is it. This is your story…"

"…It all begins here."
"…It all begins here. This is what determines whether you are a true summoner. I know it may seem trivial in comparison to what you will face in reality but still, I hope you are ready for what lies ahead… we must be prepared."
"I-I-It all begins here?"
" …Well I know that you have thought of yourself as a summoner since you were small but…"
"Why does it begin here? What begins here?"
And this was when a guardian began to get a little worried.

This was the third time in the past few days that Lulu had become concerned over her summoner. Yuna had been adamant from a young age that she would take on the responsibility of being Spira's ray of light yet recently she was frequently losing her concentration leaving her guardians, and in particular Lulu, concerned.

It had started of as nothing much to worry about. After all it was only a few mentions of a long dead city in her sleep and some wild crazy talk about a blitzball event in a huge stadium "all lit up at night". Problem was, there was no such stadium with tall buildings and blinding lights with thousands upon thousands of spectators roaring as the match began at night. As far as Lulu could recall the only blitzball matches that happened were in the day and even then, the crowd that Yuna talked about sounded nothing like anything she could imagine happening in Spira.

Initially the dark guardian had put it down to nerves at the young summoner's first trial but after it had began affecting her concentration, she felt she had to say something. Sitting down with such superiority it was as if the temple stair was actually a majestic throne, she took a deep breath.

"Yuna. Are you truly ready for this?"
Her dark eyes peered narrowly at the younger girl who sat on the stair below her. They appeared concerned yet; somehow, they struggled to conceal the venomous glare she often sported. The battle for her to remain patient as no reply came became apparent as she pulled back her moogle puppet as if it was a misbehaving bulldog.

Its loud frightened cry seemed to have no effect on Yuna. She was muttering a little.
"Sin… spawn… attack…"
" Yuna? Yuna? Would you stop that?"
It was then the young woman's eyes opened. One blue, one green- together like sparkling gems. Lulu smiled a little, the relief flooding her face.
" Just what is wrong with you today? You've just been dreaming all of the time, no wonder you're tired. Are you scared, hmm? It's alright to feel apprehensive you know…"
Yuna shook her head and her light brown hair shook with it, as if the mere suggestion of her being apprehensive was an offence.
" It's not that Lulu… I… I… I don't know," she finally concluded. She knew Lulu would never understand. Not even she understood why she kept seeing and hearing these blurred visions in her mind. "Maybe you are right… maybe I am worrying…"
"Well it is a big step. This is what you have spent your life dreaming about. I'm just worried. You appear to be in another world half the time. Perhaps you are not ready?"
"I am ready Lulu. I have made my promises to Spira and I will make my sacrifice to help them."

Such determination was not unexpected of Yuna yet Lulu hoped she had changed her mind. She didn't say anything but her eyes gave a look of disagreement. This was no pleasant experience. Lulu was best compared to a leather python - one with bitter cud hanging on the end of its hissing tongue.

"If you are sure…" Her voice tried, and on the most part, succeeded in masking disappointment but it became more like herself, confident and informative, as she continued.
"To become a summoner, you must first take on the Pilgrimage of Sacreda. It is a world created by all of the Yevon temples to test out those who truly seek to become a summoner and go on the journey to defeat Sin. It is a test of strength and determination amongst other things. Once you have passed each challenge you will gain access to Sacreda's trials then you will fight Sacreda's sin. Then, and only then, may you receive your first aeon and we can begin journeying."
Yuna felt a little shiver of fear.
"Sacreda is different to every summoner but is always made up of three separate worlds together-"

"WHOOOOOOOOA!"

A loud noise from the temple entrance made Lulu unnaturally end her sentence. It soon became clear what it was. Unfortunately for the offender, the flying blitzball landed straight into the palm of Lulu's hand. She wasted no time in destroying it with a simple bolt of thunder, leaving it melting in defeat over her purple fingernails as out of the doorway appeared a red face that was as round as the flying (now deflated) blitzball.

" You do realize that that game is forbidden inside the temples? I would have thought that as a guardian Wakka that you would have known that!" Lulu raged in unstoppable fury, making her way past the stairs to face the culprit. Yuna could see that her eyes were piercing through him just like an eagle's- razor sharp and just as unpredictable.

" Well… um… the boys just got a little carried way, ya? You know-"

His explanation was sliced in two as Lulu's face was shaking with anger that only she could produce and it reduced the big-built Wakka down to a weary sigh.

" It'll never happen again…"

" Good, I would hope not."

Lulu turned away in disgust as the distraught Wakka, who was nursing the found remains of his once best blitzball, dissolved slowly into a sullen heap (like most things faced with her fiery temper) and dared not to argue more.
"Now where is Kimarhi?"
Lulu's once fuming voice had returned to its normal tone and she was doing her best to ignore the full grown man who was fretting about the loss of his ball behind her.
" Kimarhi is here. Ronso protect Yuna."
A large, dark, spidery shadow wavered from behind one of the stone statues and grew increasingly larger before out came a tall beast- Yuna's final guardian that had protected her ever since she was child and who was now in his usual position of standing behind his young summoner and breathing heavily down her thin neck.

Yuna felt his grave breath and knew what she had to do.
" When you are ready…" Lulu prompted her.
Yuna nodded in understanding and turned to the statue of a man dressed in a long outfit that covered his body whole and bent down in prayer as the guardians waited patiently, each of their eyes quietly watching the young woman they had watched since she was little.

She was only seven years old the day her father was confirmed dead and was brought from her hometown of Bevelle to the little island of Besaid where she had grown up and, although her father had died, Yuna had grown strong (under theguidance of her guardians of course) and had decided from a young age what her future path would entail. Lulu had to say that she did not quite agree with the decision of her summoner, while at the same time she did not disapprove, but whatever she thought it meant nothing in the way of changing Yuna's mind and no one, not even Kimarhi, could even come close.

He admitted his true feelings only in his mind but never had he told of it. After all, he preferred to remain quiet on the subject or indeed on any topic of conversation that he did not regard as 'important' but he always made sure that the little girl he had taken from Bevelle all those years ago was protected best to his ability. He was determined to never fail and, as his little black eyes surveyed Yuna, he thought in his mind again...If only he could protect her from everything...

And he folded his arms and waited. Not long after he felt a purple heated glow upon his wet nose that then vanished quietly. The sphere was entered.

It was quite some time before they left and the once burning sun was now a pallid eclipse of masked light hidden behind a grey cloud. There was a distinct cold chill in the wind that rustled through the guardians' hair and all were glad to board the small ship that lilted upon the water, its sail fluttering furiously beneath the wind's wrath.

" M'Lady Summoner. It is a pleasure to have you board our ship on such an afternoon. The wind may be high, but I have been informed by the crew that this will not be a problem."
The man that spoke was small in height with little half-moon spectacles that rimmed his beady black eyes. He was dressed in a long green chiffon robe that crowned his ankles and he spoke in a soft manner that could have been best compared to that of a whisper.
" If all goes well then we should be in Sacreda by sunrise."
The man nodded as he finished his last sentence and off he went, floating upon the ship's floor, his robes shimmering in the sun's light.

"Yuna. We should go inside," Lulu suggested, once the man was out of sight. Yuna agreed and reached towards the cabin door's handle to pull it open. Just as she clasped her hand around it, it dissolved in her hand in a blur of brown, green and blue. She jumped back in surprise as suddenly it flew from her hands and quickly built back into a form of the handle. Still not sure exactly what was going on, she clasped it again- it was as solid as she was and it swung open as if nothing had happened with a loud "Creeeeeeeek."

Inside, it was a lot smaller than Yuna expected with very few people sitting around. There was a girl about the same age as Yuna, who was gently clasping a shining staff, a woman with dark black hair who confidently strode back and forwards in thought and, last of all, there was a man dressed in identical clothing to the one Yuna had met on the ship's bridge who bowed his head when Yuna entered. "This is the lower cabin," he said, smiling. " Please feel free to take a seat."
And once more he gave a little bow.

Yuna also smiled and bowed before she took in a closer look of the queer room that lay before her. It was oddly shaped with leather seats that reeked strongly of raw bark she had often smelled in her visits to Guadosalam and a slight musty scent, as if it was a kennel of a wet dog. Despite this, she decided to take a seat in the corner and she could feel its ginger hairs tickling her arms…

" YEOUWH!"

A piercing cry, like that of cat, made Yuna drop her rod and jump up as the woman with the dark hair made a rude gesture and left for the door.

" You'd better be careful with this."
The girl, who before now hadn't spoken, handed Yuna's trusty rod back to its owner.
" You'll be the summoner Yuna."
Yuna wasn't too sure what to say at this bold introduction and, learning a lesson never to sit on something she didn't quite understand in this new world, she sat away from the ginger fur seat and next to her.
" That's a moomba, if you didn't know already. They are creatures of the earth… and I don't suppose they like to be sat on either."
The stranger had a gentle way of speech and glowing green eyes that lit up when she spoke.

Yuna turned to look at the ginger rug and was surprised to see that it had sprouted a pair of black eyes from underneath its masses of fur and a snout that housed its damp nose.
" You see… things that look as if they are not alive actually are. They are full of life like the sky and the trees around you. Moombas are special because they are evolving endlessly so even if they are too be sat upon"- the girl smiled - " It will live again so don't feel too bad."

Yuna looked, rather sorrowfully, at the poor moomba she had accidentally used as a cushion cover and, just as the girl had said, it seemed somewhat different with a bigger snout than what Yuna had seen it previously.
" I guess I've learned one thing about this strange new world then… moombas are alive. I better make sure Lulu doesn't get a hand on the poor thing".

Yuna looked around the cabin, just to make sure that her dark guardian wasn't about (and gladly she wasn't) before she felt a slight wet feeling on her finger that had been aching since she had boarded the ship. She quickly turned to see that it was the little orange creature mopping up, rather like a hungry vampire bat, a slight trickle of blood from one of her slim fingers. Yuna couldn't help but to be completely horror-stricken at what she saw and by the look on the girl's face she could tell exactly what she was thinking.
" Do not be afraid, it is not hurting but healing. Now it will forever recognize you, forever at your service. "
The finger that the moomba had licked was now shining in saliva and Yuna raised it to see if what the girl had told her was correct.

" Yuna"
A stern voice Yuna was surprised to hear, after all of the tranquillity in the stranger's voice, came from the side of the cabin and, once it had set in her brain, Yuna had no shock in seeing it belonged to Lulu.
" Yuna. I came to tell you that, according to the crew, we may well be arriving shortly so I thought it was best to let you know… Yuna?"
" Huh?"
Yuna, in not the first time in her life, had not even listened to a word Lulu had said but was now looking around her for signs of the conversation she had just had.
" Are you o.k? A little scared now… hmm?" Lulu checked, her hand stroking down her young summoner's hair.
" I guess"

By now Yuna was tired and could feel her lids shutting and her voice closing in. Forgetting all about her encounter, she took her rod and followed Lulu out onto the deck.
" It wouldn't be possible for a sleep, would it?" she asked and a large yawn interrupted it mid-flow.
" Hey! That you tired already? Summoner's got to be at her best!" Wakka said in his usual cheery mood, closely followed by Kimarhi (who's hair, under the strain of the wind, was messed up in all directions)
" That may be so Wakka but if you didn't know already, the boat will soon be arriving." Lulu flicked back her plaits and leaned over the side of the ship. "I really do hope that it is as soon as the crew say. Yuna can't hold out any longer after all it is…"

Lulu hadn't completed her sentence when suddenly, the wind abruptly changed leaving the ship stranded upon the waters, rocking furiously as if it was under a silent storm and the guardians found themselves tossed onto the ship's wooden floors as loud rumbling noises crashed from underneath the boat.

" W-What's going on?"

Wakka was holding onto the floorboards for dear life that were shaking so hard it felt as though the water beneath him would burst through. The sky, no longer in its calm state, was looking as if someone had taken a sponge, dipped it into thick grey paint and smothered it over the once fluffy clouds. All around the ship strong flashes of distant lighting and low rumbles of thunder were heard and the S.S Spektril tossed like a mere ragdoll amongst the strength of the angry waves and wailing winds.

" Try to remain calm, this stage of the journey is completely normal and all will be restored as soon as possible!" a crewmember, easily recognisable in his green outfit, yelled out from underneath the predominant noise of the waves crashing alongside the ship's sides.
He, unlike the others, was still fully standing and it seemed that no matter how much the ship was tugged by the wailing gales, he still didn't move a muscle. When he did finally turn around to leave the deck, the weather had instantly cleared like the massive storm hadn't even occurred and out from the grey came a sudden flash of orange light.

" What in Yevon's name was that?"
Wakka lifted himself and the sleeping Yuna from where they had been shoved by the invisible storm and saw that Lulu was already standing. As he thought more, he realised that she hadn't been thrown anywhere.
"That is a sign our destination is near approaching. I'm used to it by now," she informed him.
Wakka had to think some more to eventually remember that she was experienced in such matters, having taken her previous summoners on the same sort of pilgrimage. It made him a little less nervous knowing this but still it felt as if they were journeying into the unknown- something Wakka didn't like to uncover.

Kimarhi scooped Yuna into his arms and made his way into the cabin while Wakka and Lulu turned back to face the gentle lapping waters. There, as an aftermath of the recent events and floating upon the horizon like a red buoy was the sunset and, even though it seemed faraway, they could strangely feel its rays burning their faces and it soon became clear why for the ship was now swimming directly towards it.

Wakka turned to face Lulu, who seemed to have not even noticed that they were about to be swallowed up by the sunrise's engulfing light.
" Eh, Lu?" he started slowly, cautiously approaching her and holding his breath in the hope that she wouldn't be angry at the interruption.
" Hmm?"
Lulu stirred from where she had been staring into her own world. Unexpectedly for her, a spark flew from the burning ball and hit the bow with such force that it caused a massive rumble and spread like a big orange blanket curtaining them and creating a passage of intense fire circling all round the ship. The S.S Spektril was in the heart of it, travelling faster and faster as it got deeper into this road of fire.

Wakka looked once more to see if the dark guardian had shown any emotion but, just like Lulu, she smiled weakly from the side of her thin lips and walked away, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to be sailing through a sun.

" Sacreda here we come."

" My watching is complete, it's all on him now."

" … It begins."

(Please R&R! Feedback is what keeps me going and I'm determined to keep updating until I reach my ending lol. Thanks! O;) )