When Yuna chooses to return to Bevelle for the summer, will that spell disaster in every single way? The summer supplement to "A Foreign Home"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PART IV
The Summer Supplement
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Okay, something tells me my chapters are getting shorter and shorter! I'm really, really, REALLY sorry that they're so short! Believe me, it bothers me too. Still, I don't believe in dragging on chapters just to make them longer, although people who can successfully do that are amazing! I just can't do it though. When I feel it's time to stop, I have to stop. Shrug I just do. Anyway, I really liked this chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!
Also, I completely forgot that I have tennis camp this entire week...Blech...I really don't want to go. Because of it, though, I won't be back home 'till Friday, so you can expect an update then!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter 9: Turn to Betrayal
"He's probably already back in Zanarkand...I wish you could have at least told me what happened!"
Yuna finally stood up, deciding it time she went on with her life. Tidus was gone. He just was. Her father was gone. He just was. Really, she was now alone.
She sat up then. She was lying in a makeshift bed next to Rikku's bed. Rikku was still slumbering.
Yuna stretched out her hand that had shaken Tidus' the night before and examined it, as if she was looking for something. Sighing, she then stood up and stretched. She got dressed, and then went to the hallway.
The entire house was quiet and calm, and she figured Cid and Brother were still sound asleep, just as Rikku was. She paced the hallway for a while, wondering what she should do. Finally, she knew exactly what she was going to do.
She scribbled a quick note for Rikku, and then rushed out to her car and climbed in. She was so tired of things not making sense. Why was Gippal dead? Who killed Gippal? Why were they after Baralai and Paine as well? Were they after Tidus, too? Was the man she saw with Tidus the same that released Baralai, Paine, and Gippal? And finally...Who did kill her father and why?
Yuna contemplated all of these questions as she drove quickly, wanting to get to her destination. She figured that if Tidus knew what she was up with, he'd come right to her and drag her away. But he didn't know–and he wasn't going to find out.
Yuna suddenly slowed down. Perhaps this is what Tidus had wanted her to do. After all, he knew her...Did he really expect her to go on living without knowing?
Yuna finally pulled into the driveway of the house she'd been after, telling herself there was nothing to fear. Nothing could be worse than not knowing the truth.
She got out of the car, and knocked on the door.
"Miss Yuna?" it was the same servant from the night before.
"Is Sir Jyscal here?"
"Of course...He's in the same room. Go ahead and speak with him."
At that, Yuna walked into the house, making her way back to Jyscal.
"I'm surprised to see you," Jyscal said, nodding toward a seat, "But I see you've chosen the right path."
"I'm sorry, I really have no idea what's going on," Yuna said then, taking a seat as directed, "I-I was hoping you could tell me."
"Really? I figured you knew the whole story!" Jyscal said, although he looked somewhat relieved, "Well then, I shall explain it for you. Are you sure you can handle it? Tidus may have proven to have lied to you..."
"Tidus hasn't told me anything," Yuna said quickly, "I don't think he's involved."
Jyscal laughed, and said, "Oh, he's involved..."
Yuna bit her lip. For some reason, she didn't like the fact that Jyscal knew of his involvement. "Please tell me everything you know," she said, almost begging.
"Of course. Well...I suppose you know about the Youth League, am I correct?"
"Of course."
"Well, the three youngest members jailed, Baralai, Paine, and Gippal, were all let go by some unknown source. The same night, Braska was killed."
Yuna swallowed. That was what she'd assumed.
Jyscal cleared his throat and continued, "Right before, the gun that killed Seymour–which was in a lab, although the testings were finished–was stolen. It was proven the next morning that that gun killed Braska. Right away, people knew there was more to it than that. I did research, and found that Seymour had not killed himself, which was what I figured." At that, Jyscal gave Yuna a questioning look, and said, "That's how I knew you were involved."
"What?" Yuna asked, her heart dropping, "I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"You were there...You said Seymour killed himself," Jyscal said then, standing up, "And somehow, Braska knew that there was more to it. So, he hid the gun away from the testing, and persuaded them to change the tests...I think...Perhaps...It was to save a certain daughter?"
"A-Are you saying that I killed Seymour?" Yuna practically shouted.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Jyscal said, "Unless...Someone else did it?"
Yuna was shocked, but she said, somewhat shakily, "I-I was there, Jyscal. Seymour killed himself."
Jyscal leaned forward and looked at Yuna, and said, "It's my word against yours. And I have proof. You only have your word."
"What kind of proof?" Yuna asked.
"Fingerprints."
Yuna's heart sank lower. She had touched the gun. She had!
"Seymour's prints were on there too!"
"But you touched the gun!"
"After he killed himself!"
Jyscal just shook his head, and then gave a satisfied smile and said, "There's another set of prints on there, too."
As if it was possible, Yuna's heart sank even lower.
"Yuna, you know as well as I know who did it. All we need is a confession."
"I-I really don't know what you mean!" Yuna said, although tears were threatening to spew. Why did she have to break at the most critical moments?
"It doesn't matter, I suppose," Jyscal said then, "I know as well as you know who did it. Who killed not only my son, but also your father. It wasn't you. It was someone else. And you know it."
Yuna remained silent, but finally said, "What does this have to do with Paine, Baralai, and Gippal?"
"I talked with all three of them," Jyscal said, "I tried to prod some information out of them. Paine and Baralai held their mouths closed. However, Gippal wanted to talk. Before he could tell me anything though, he died."
"And who told whoever that killed him that he was going to talk?" Yuna questioned.
"Baralai was here the whole time."
"Are you saying Tidus killed Gippal because Gippal was going to—." Yuna stopped and clamped her hands over her mouth. What had she been thinking?
"Ah...So you knew Tidus did it."
"No..." Yuna said, trying not to start sobbing, "I–Tidus..."
"Yuna, just admit it. Everything will be all over then."
Yuna shook her head, and said, "No."
"Yuna, Yuna, Yuna...Protecting him...Is he here, protecting you?"
Yuna stood up, "I don't want him to be involved."
"Ah, but he is. He is whether you want him to be or not. You know it as well as I do. All you need to do is confess."
"Why do you care?" Yuna suddenly snapped.
Jyscal was silent, and he finally said, "Because he killed my son."
"Your son killed himself!" Yuna snapped again.
"You had something to do with it, didn't you? You knew that your daddy was powerful enough to get you off of the hook. But he's not here anymore, is he?" Jyscal said nastily, "Is he?"
Yuna sat back slowly, and said, "No."
"Yuna, Braska tried to protect you. Tidus did not. He'd let you take the blame. Why don't you understand that? He doesn't love you. You were just a toy to him–something he could use."
"That's not true!" Yuna cried, tears running down her face.
"Ah, but it is."
"Tidus saved my life!" Yuna cried, "Your son was going to kill me! He was! It was all to save me!"
"But he did it, did he not?"
"No! He did not," Yuna said through clenched teeth.
"You hurt Braska when you started seeing this Tidus. Braska was a different man. He–."
"Shut up!" Yuna cried, and then ran out the door. She stopped in the hallway, however, trying furiously to wipe off her tears. Tidus had betrayed her–more than once. And then he just left her. He wouldn't tell her anything. He wouldn't.
"Damn you Tidus," Yuna cursed under her breath, "You know you could trust me. You know you could! But...If you want it to be this way, then...it's going to be this way."
At that, Yuna knocked on Jyscal's door again.
"Come in," Jyscal could be heard.
Yuna slowly entered and said, "Tidus did it."
Jyscal looked shocked, and said, "What?"
"Tidus killed Seymour. And-And...I'm pretty sure he killed Braska too. But...He didn't kill Gippal. I can assure you that."
Jyscal continued to look shocked, but he finally smiled and said, "Thank you, that's all I need."
Yuna just nodded slowly, and turned around, toward the door.
"Oh, and Yuna?" Jyscal said, looking up at her.
"Yeah?" Yuna said, turning around.
Jyscal gave her a smile and said, "Braska would be very proud of you."
Yuna couldn't return his smile, but she just said, softly, "Thanks."
At that, with a horrible gut-stabbing pain, she walked out the door.