Elysium

(Eh - lee - z - uhm)

- A state of ideal happiness.

- In Greek mythology, it is the paradise located at the end of the world. Spirits chosen by the gods dwell there.

A Final Fantasy X fan fiction.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X.

What was behind me, I do not recall. The memories flash back as quick as how lightning strikes. I hear the sound, and the split moment of brilliant light. Then I see and hear nothing more. Just images that hum and flit away from me before I can see them clearly. The ominous curtain of forget has closed upon me, and I am afraid that I am alone. My hands had been paralyzed during that moment. So had been my voice. I was as close to a porcelain doll as any one has ever gotten. Tuneless and still. Fortunately my spirit was intact. Praise Yevon that it was. But the moment motion penetrated my frozen fingertips; I tensed profusely. My knees bent as my head lay upon it, secured by my quivering arms.

At last I brought my attention to my surroundings. To my shock and disbelief everything and anything below, over, next to, ahead- anything was blank white. There was no sign of life other then the beating of the drum in my ears. This impacted my greatest dread: I had been correct. I am isolated. Alone.

I had to clamp my teeth together to keep them from shivering. New thoughts and old memories whizzed past like a speeding highway- the ones that Tidus had spoken about during their days in the Pilgrimage. It took me a moment to realize that my lips had curved to a petite smile at the thought of it. My cheeks rushed with blood as I caught myself, driving my palms to the surface.

"Yuna, you are stuck all alone in a world unseen and all you can think about is him!" I talked to myself as openly as I had ever in my entire life. Not even my echo turned to respond. A undiscovered peace was found here. It was privacy; perhaps the only comfort that existed in this blank world. After minutes of wandering and finding nothing, I jumped and kicked and danced and tumbled to my liking. I screamed till there was no air left in my lungs. I left myself completely tired out. My inner conscience was declaring that my actions no longer needed to be restrained, and I let it free because there was no one here to restrain it from.

A faint snicker barely audible by the human ear riveted on the walls. Now I didn't know the reason why it laughed, nor did I care. Out of instinct, my hands swept over my waist for some type of weapon. There were no objects around that seemed suitable. Nothing, not even a pebble lay in sight. I braced myself, thinking the impossible. The force that had brought me here surely had other victims, I assumed. I hoped that they were more inoffensive then perilous. I searched the wall for a sign of a figure. But as I turned in circles, not even a shadow had emerged.

Then, again I heard the faint laugh. This time it was stronger, and I could sense it nearby. My head swiveled left and right trying to locate the source of the snigger. My arms crammed themselves close to my chest in an effort to protect myself for what seemed to etch closer. Again, the cackle. It was more maddening then I thought it would be. The voice wrapped itself around me as if the floor itself was projecting it. The twitch of my muscles ached, and I longed to run. I fought hard to keep control of my fear, although it was a losing battle. Finally I could take no longer. My knees bent and I embraced myself as tightly as possible. My eyes clamped shut in an instant, and I could didn't dare open them. I had never feared clowns or jesters but the niggling sound was enough to drive the most deaf man wild.

There came the time when the laughter was nonstop. This being had unlimited breath and seemed never to tire. It was clamorous and insane! I no longer heard my own screaming, neither did I hear my thoughts. Even from my obvious calls of distress, I couldn't settle the deafening laughter down. A hot liquid permeated my skin and I felt it flood my ears like a living fire. I was swept in a trance of my own kind. Only a single thought reiterated in my mind: 'Stop the laughing. Stop the laughing. Stop the laughing. Stop...'

It must have been hours since I had last opened my eyes. It certainly felt like it, although I knew better then to trust my assumptions. The greatest magicians could not perform such wicked trickery. As my eye lids fluttered and opened, a shower of colors suddenly replaced the solitary white world. What surrounded me seemed oddly familiar- although I could hardly recognize anything without some form of doubt. beneath

I was beneath several layers of cushiony blankets and tucked in so firmly that I was drenched with sweat. I gently pushed away the covers and perceived the rest of the setting. Beams of sunlight peeped through the gapes and punctures of the tiny hut. Some brightened upon the remains of an open fire that had died recently. Wisps of smoke still escaped the ash and drifted to the ceiling. Others radiated upon a uplifted pole with dried fish tied to it on its end; a certain few lay their sheen on a stack of clothing. This simple setting baffled me, for it reminded me of my younger days. I debated with myself, using setting to determine my location. There was no doubt that I was somewhere in the coasts of Spira. I was ambiguous at this point, for the conclusion I had summed up was that I was in a hut located in Besaid. Home.

The high shrill of laughter peeked though the corners of the hut. However, this sound was not bewildering like what I recalled before. I found a smile tucked neatly in my expression. It was high pitched and quite similar to a child's youthful squeal. To my relief, I was right again. A small boy crept into the hut, balancing a blitz ball in his hand. Small tufts of auburn hair protruded from a blue head band wrapped around his forehead. After he successfully twirled it around on his finger tips, he turned to face me- a grin clearly displayed upon his face.

"Your father told me to check up on you. Seems like you woke up without any hassle, eh?"

I didn't answer. He paused, and then started off again, babbling about the latest news about blitz ball and the greatest catches from today's fishing. "...and it was this long," he blared, extending an exaggerated space between his palms. I nodded absent-mindedly, catching phrases here and there. The boy turned his head down and shook his head.

"Wakka?" I questioned, my arms instinctively reaching toward him. I stopped abruptly, keeping myself distant while awaiting his answer.

Wakka nodded his head briefly, his brow quirking as if questioning me. He made no movement to ask verbally. Instead, he continued on with the subject. "Ah, now that reminds me. Some traveler was tellin' me something. He said that when you fish for love, you had to bait with your heart. Not your brain. Sly guy with words, he ih-ahhh,"

I didn't care whether or not he was screaming in alarm. All that mattered was that he was there- miniature version or not. Wakka squirmed a little under my grasp, but seemed to shrug it off and lay quiet and still. I was so relieved, so happy that I was home again. I was so glad th-

All merry and gleeful thoughts now seemed to bolt away. I scrutinized at my fingers, chubby palms and clumsy movement. I gasped then, and frantically searched for a mirror. My hands found a polished bronze mirror and I positioned myself in front of it. I think Wakka misunderstood my trauma, since he only turned his head as if pitying me.

"You're fine, Yuna. There's no need to be upset by your outside looks, right?" he seemed to lose hope when I didn't answer, then sighed and shook his head again. "The traveler says that fishing for love means to bait with your heart, or something like that. Girls bait with their looks," he grumbled.

As much as I wanted to deny Wakka, I was in too much of a shock to comment at all. I felt my fingers touch the cheeks of my skin- which looked increasingly rosy then ever before. My entire body had been reduced to a smaller mass of flesh and blood. I certainly looked so young as to consider Wakka as an older brother. Once again, praise Yevon that my mind was still intact. If my mind had also been altered to fit my looks, I'd have a brain of a clueless five year old.

I couldn't believe it. This was certainly some type of joke, and I was determined to prove it wrong. My jaw moved, adjusting itself so I bit my lower lip. I attained a small cut and a bead of blood protruded from the surface. I licked it, morosely accepting the fact that my soul had claimed this young version of me as its own.

"You sure you wanna get up?" he inquired in a questioning tone. Wakka reached over from behind me and placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine,"

"I'm not falling for that again,"

"But I'm serious,"

"You just cut yourself the lip,"

"So?"

"So how can you be fine?"

"I just am,"

"...I doubt it," A raspy voice reached my ears. The cold remark did more to brighten my spirits then to darken them. I shone with greater comfort.

"Lulu!" I exclaimed, turning around. I paused and resumed a dead stare. My eyes locked hers, and then examined the petite Lulu that turned to my call. She had changed just as much as Wakka had, although her distant aura was still intact. Unlike the one I knew so well, she seemed more dark and ravenous then ever. The black belted dress I was accustomed to see her wearing had been replaced by a ruffled one and a tight bodice. Draped around her arms was a clock rimmed in fur. Held in her arms was a raggedly brown plushy. All were in musty brown and black colors. It seemed suitable for her.

She approached me with quick feet, her fingers clasping my cheeks and chin. I grimaced under her shadow, for she was colossal compared to me. Her eyes stared into my face. I could have sworn I felt her gaze dig right through my very skin and eyes. Seeming satisfied, she let go of my hand.

"You should rest for tonight," she concluded. I knew better then to plead. The calmness in her voice had yet to fool me, however. I had known her too long to be fooled by the evitable.

"I'm fine," I repeated.

"No you are not." was the reply. Apparently, Lulu had lived by me long enough to recognize some things as well...even as a apocalyptic ten year old.

Wakka twitched slightly, an uneasiness spreading through Lulu's presence. He opened his mouth to speak but Lulu interrupted with smooth entry. "We will be outside. You can walk around if you want, but don't wear yourself out. That includes practicing," she exclaimed. Without stating her leave she walked out, her steps as smooth as a leisurely walk by a sunny beach. Wakka sent me a shrug and smile, then rushed out of the hut to follow her. I stood there motionless as a few minutes went by. My mind was blown and I was near my limit, yet was determined to find out what, when and why. Some asinine theories came up to head. One of them explained that I had just went through a portal to the past. Another was that I had died and this was my new utopia. I quickly doubted this, the thought of Tidus sweeping into my mind again. If my utopia was divine, then he would be here. My heart knew it as well as it knew that he was gone.

Agonizingly, I fell back onto the sheets of the bedding. Home. Was I really home?

The quote used by Wakka was actually by Mark Twain. The original quote is:

""When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain"