Even In Death
Akara Usagi
ACK so sorry it took so long. I was so busy with school and I had mono .
Chapter 3
The tiny Al Bhed girl sat in a corner; her jade eyes emitting tiny tear drops. Her pupils, though black like all the others, were coiled instead of a solid spot. Thus marking her as a child of the Al Bhed. Her shoulders shook gently with each sob. She lifted her wearisome head to find that Yuna was making her way towards her. Rikku, the Al Bhed girl, was Yuna's own cousin, her own flesh and blood. Rikku's father, Cid, was Yuna's mother's brother, and leader of the Al Bhed. Though Rikku did not agree to Yevon's teachings(nor did any Al Bhed), she protected Yuna along her journey as she promised.
"Yunie!" Rikku cried as she locked her thin arms around Yuna's frame. Though startled, Yuna hugged Rikku close to her.
"Rikku... Rikku it's alright. There's no need to fear for me. I chose this path. I'm just glad I got to meet you on this journey and i'm glad that even though you went against your own people to join me, that you stayed with me until the end. Don't cry..."
"I know you chose this path, but you also know that we don't want you to die! Yunie, there has to be a way. I know we haven't thought of it yet, but just give us more time! Isn't there a way! There has to be! I can't lose you, my own cousin! I... I just can't!" she cried. Yuna's eyes filled with worry and hurt. She did not want anyone to feel this way. She... she wanted them to rejoice in a time when Sin did not stalk the earth. Yuna gently pulled back, and looked deeply into the vortexes that were Rikku's eyes.
"Do not be afraid. Be happy that you will be able to witness a time when Sin is not attacking, and raise a family, Rikku. You'll make a good mother. You'll make someone very happy some day." A tear slid down Yuna's rosy cheek, and she withdrew from the hug completely, moving slowly towards Auron. Rikku sat down, her head in her hands, crying. She did not want to lose any family, especially since she did not have much family left. "I can't lose you, Yuna... and I know Tidus can't either..."
"Sir Auron?" Yuna called out to him. "May I speak with you?" Auron laughed a bit. "Of yourse you can talk to me, but do you really think you need to? You need to talk to someone else a lot more than you need to talk with me." A small redness crept over Yuna's face. "I..thank you, Sir Auron for protecting me on this journey." Yuna bowed and walked away. Auron sighed to himself. "It's going to be hard on Yuna... saying goodbye to the man she loves."
"Tidus?" Tidus' head rose up as he heard Yuna call out his name. Without even thinking for a moment he ran over to her and took her into his arms. "Yuna..." he breathed, taking in the sweet smell of her hair. "Tidus, I... you know what fighting Sin means... I just wanted to properly tell you... everything." she stuttered. Tidus just nodded and continued to hold her. "Tidus... you've been by my side this whole journey. You've risked your life for me. I know that nothing I do could ever possibly repay the debt that I have to you... but I-" Yuna began saying before she was cut off. "Yuna, you are not in my debt. I did those things because I wanted to. Yuna, I love you..." he sobbed, tears falling freely down his cheeks. "I fell in love with you the moment I met you, and no matter what happens during the battle with Sin, that will never change. I'm not real- i'm a dream of the Fayth... yet I refuse to believe that I am not real... because these feelings I have for you are true... I know that they are there. If Sin dies... I die... if Sin dies... you die... Yuna I don't want you to die... I want you to be happy." Yuna's tears spilled down her already tear-stained cheeks. "Tidus... I love you too... I have for the longest time now... Tidus I don't care who or what you are- you're real to me, and so are your feelings. If I die, I now know that I have no regrets. If we are both destined to die, then so be it- we will both die... but I am not scared of death... because I know that when you die... whether real or not... your soul will rest with mine in the Farplane... i'll always be with you, even if I die." Yuna sobbed, clutching at his chest. Tidus brushed a tear away from her face. "I do not fear death either... just knowing that one day we will be reunited on the farplane is enough for me." he smiled. Though he knew that was a lie. For if he was correct about Sin, and his suspisions about the Yevon religion were true... the farplane does not exist for the dead- only for the living- a place to create false images of the dead whose souls do not rest there. Whose souls were devoured by Sin... and Yevon himself. Tidus knew these things, yet he could not tell Yuna. He knew that if he did, she would battle Sin anyways... and die just the same.
Yuna walked to the center of the room, shaky but confident. "Alright, everyone. Let's... let's go see Lady Yunalesca." Tidus' heart sank. In the next room lay Yunalesca- and Yuna's decision of who would become the final aeon... and ultimately who would become the next Sin.