FFX1b.3

Summary:
Yara had been studying as a Summoner for four months already when she finds out she is pregnant. Seika, Yara and their friends are happy but concerned. When Yunalesca finds out Yara and Seika want to quit she transforms Seika into a fayth to force Yara help her train another Summoner. Yara has no choice but comply and stays studying with Yunalesca until she completes her training, so she can at least talk with Seika. Seika is now Ifrit 's fayth. Seika meets the Zanarkand fayth, Yumeko and Lord Kyouyu

--- 10 years after the machina war (990 years ago) – Seika and Yara have a surprise

Four months had passed quickly and pleasantly when a surprise changed everyone's plans. It all started one morning when Yara, uncharacteristically, overslept and almost missed her morning class:

- "Wake up sleepy head. Pretty soon your ghostly teacher will be here to drag you out of bed!" said Seika to Yara

- "Mmmf.. What ? Goodness, look at the sun! I'm so late! I'll have to skip breakfast, but I'm so hungry…" said Yara getting up and dressed in a hurry

- "Take some berries and nuts with you then." said Seika

- "Bye love, see you at dinner!" she said and ran downstairs clutching a clump of berries.

At night they were animatedly discussing Seika's battle with a snow flan when Seika noticed Yara had barely touched the food.

- "What is it love ? Are you getting tired of fish ?" asked Seika

- "Yes, perhaps you can try to snare some rabbits tomorrow, can't you guys ?" asked Yara

- "Birah traps some rabbits tomorrow for Summoner but Summoner eats now. Summoner looks pale" grunted the Ronso

- "Yes milady, you don't look well. Perhaps some soup to settle the stomach ?" asked Airi solicit but looking at her intensely

- "I'm fine. I'll just retire now if you guys don't mind. A full night of sleep is what I need" answered Yara and left the table

Airi didn't say a word but wheeled Seika's chair to his bedroom with Yara. He and Yara put Seika on the bed and he left, still mute, giving Yara a piercing look.

- "I guess Airi is hinting that we should talk" said Seika

- "Oh Seika…" started Yara in tears

- "What is it love ? Are you ill ? Don't cry!" said Seika worried

- "Airi knows what "illness" affects me. Seika I'm.." she started but couldn't finish

- "What ? Tell me please love!" he said cursing his body for not being able to hold her

- "Seika, I think I'm with child!" she said and looked at him anguished

- "What ? Since when ?" he asked dumbstruck by the news

- "For two weeks I have been suspicious. But today I had my first bout of morning sickness.. That is why I asked for the rabbits. We can use them to run a test to confirm it. We did it at the hospital all the time" she said

- "But why are you crying ? This is wonderful news!" said Seika

- "Seika we are both scheduled to die soon. Who will raise our child ? What will Yunalesca do when she finds out ?" said Yara

- "That does put a damper on things… What can we do ? Will our trials never end ?" said Seika now feeling as anguished as Yara

They spent the night discussing their alternatives. He and Yara couldn't leave Zanarkand alone. They would need the help of Birah and Airi and at least 3 additional people to carry Seika through the mountain trails. Yara refused to leave without him. Would Birah and Airi help ?

- "We will find out soon. Airi knows. He knows the symptoms and looked at me very oddly today at dinner" said Yara

- "Well, how about I discuss the issue with Birah and Airi tomorrow at the beach ? I'm sure both of them will help" said Seika

- "What about Yunalesca. She won't be pleased" said Yara

- "Can't she just train another candidate ? Our son needs you!" said Seika

- "I know, but what other candidate is there to train ? You don't see a line forming at the dome, do you ? Besides, she is in a big hurry to kill Sin. It's almost as her life depends on it" said Yara

- "Her life.. ha, ha. Good one Yara… You don't think she is capable of harming you and the baby, do you ?" asked Seika worried

- "No, not now. That would risk killing me, her only student. Nor you, my Final Aeon. I fear more for the child after it's born. Then I cease to be at risk and who knows…" said Yara

- "Surely she can't harm a baby!" said Seika

- "She seems to have a good heart but she scares me sometimes. As I said, she just is very obsessed with killing Sin. She puts it above all, she told me she wants to kill it now even more than she did when alive. I just don't know what she will do…"

- "Well, let's wait for the confirmation tomorrow. I'll talk to the guys, we will think of something. Let's try to get some sleep, OK ?" Seika said

- "OK love…" said Yara and nestled herself close to him

The following day Seika talked with Birah and Airi, on their way to the beach. Both guardians were at loss for solutions. They spent the day at the beach very quietly, Seika, Birah and Airuman thinking furiously to themselves, trying to find a way to protect Yara and the child. Birah trapped 2 rabbits as requested and Airi got a bucket load of tubers. "To settle Milady's stomach" he said. At night they got confirmation from Yara's test. Her urine had killed the bunny, which meant she was definitely with child. "I told you it still works! Score one for Kilika.." Seika said, unable to contain himself. He was so proud! Perhaps his body wasn't all that bad. It sure could have been a lot worse, he thought…

Seika and Yara tossed and turned all night but were unable to sleep, worried about their child's future. Birah and Airuman slept soundly, but had a worried face at breakfast time.

--- 10 years after the machina – Seika and Yara go back on their word to Yunalesca

The following morning Yunalesca finally decided to introduce Zaeon / Sin to Yara.

- "Sin here ! Lady Yunalesca, I beg you, I have leave! I have to go protect Seika and his guardians at the beach!"

- "Relax child. Your lover is under no threat. Can't you see the beast is merely floating on top of the dome ?" said Yunalesca

- "Yes but what is it doing here ? It must sense our presence and want more blood!" said Yara in panic

- "Yes and no child. It does sense your presence here but it will not attack you. Lord Zaeon is inside it, holding off the beast. You are his saviors" Yunalesca answered

- "Saviors ?" said Yara puzzled and worried

- "When Zaeon and I attacked Sin the beast did not die, it merely was wounded. It took possession of Zaeon in his Aeon form and rebuilt itself around it. It is now the prison where Zaeon suffers an agony worse than death" answered Yunalesca.

- "And I can save him ? How ?" asked Yara

- "When you and your Final Aeon defeat Sin it will release Zaeon" said Yunalesca

- "But… Won't the same happen to Seika's Aeon ?" asked Yara terrified

- "It's very possible… But I can teach to remain as an unsent and you can make sure your Seika gets rescued later" said Yunalesca

- "I can't! Milady, I beg you, please don't ask me to submit Seika to such an awful fate! He has suffered so much with Sin already ! Sin killed his mother right in front of him, how can I ask him to be Sin now ?" said Yara, unable to contain herself

- "Suffered too much ? Child, this suffering is but a tiny spec of dust compared to the pain of seeing your entire city, your entire family wiped of the map by Sin!" bellowed Yunalesca

- "Sin trapped my father inside it too! It trapped him so much, made him so oblivious to the world that he mortally wounded me, his only daughter! And pretty soon Zaeon will be as oblivious as my father. Don't talk to me about suffering! You have no idea what it is to truly suffer…" continued Yunalesca enraged

- "Milady I feel for your husband, but I can not go trough with this. I can not do this to Seika, and I can not give away my life any longer. I have just found out that I am with child. I can't give up my child's life !" said Yara firmly

- "What !" bellowed Yunalesca blind with fury, gathering energy for a death spell that would kill all 4 traitors that had led her on for months..

At this moment Sin started to fly closer to the dome, Zaeon was trying to get her attention before she cast her deadly spell. Yunalesca paused her casting while Yara prepared a shield like her teacher, now her attacker, had taught her. Yara knew she had little chance against Yunalesca or Sin but she would put up a fight nonetheless. Seika had thought her that. Luckily Yunalesca looked up at Sin and opened her mind for Zaeon

- "Lesca stop! I don't want to be free that badly, not at this price, seeing you murder a woman with child! I can't help it when Sin does it but you can!" Zaeon yelled at her

- "But Zaeon… She won't help us.. Sin will consume your soul if we don't free you soon.." Yunalesca answered

- "Lesca, to me seeing you kill a innocent woman is a lot worse than being inside Sin! It's more than I can bear love… Please stop ! I would rather let Sin engulf me in it's madness than be here to see you changing into a Sin like beast right before my eyes." he said with despair in his voice

- "Fine, I won't kill her. But I won't let them get away so easily! I will get you your freedom, you will see!" said Yunalesca angrily

- "Promise me you will kill this young woman and her child, nor you will force her to be the High Summoner who defeats me. Promise me now or I will surrender myself to Sin" said Zaeon worried. He knew his wife's hot temper well

- "I give you my word. She will live and so will the child. But I will take you out of Sin even if I have to give my soul in exchange!" Yunalesca answered hotly

- "Not your soul love, not your soul. Besides, you gave me your word that you would make sure Spira had hope, remember ? You need to be outside Sin, guiding summoners to keep your promise." Zaeon answered softly

- "Yes love.. Forgive me, my temper has gotten the better of me" said a calmer Yunalesca sighing deeply

- "Love, I grow weary with all this. Sin will take over soon so I have to leave now, or risk having all 4 down there killed, including the woman with child. Farewell love.." said Zaeon and left floating away

Yunalesca looked at Yara casting a shield spell and laughed. That flimsy thing wouldn't hold a flare spell. Not one cast by her. She had an idea on how to make sure her four months spent on training that stupid child weren't lost. She cast a sleep spell on Yara and left to look for Yara's lover. Seika, Airi and Birah were still at the beach oblivious to what had just transpired when Yunalesca appeared right beside Seika, immersed in his hot water bath. Perfect! Yunalesca thought, casting another sleep spell, this time on Birah and Airuman. Yunalesca called Seika

- "Your lover has just told me the news. You two are deserting me and Spira" Yunalesca told him

- "Where is Yara ? Is she alright ? If you harmed a single strand of hair from her.." started Seika

- "She and the child are unharmed. For now. I have a proposition to you to keep things this way" Yunalesca said

- "What proposition ?" Seika answered

- "If you agree to being turned into fayth I will not harm Yara and your child" Yunalesca said

- "No. Our child needs a mother. I will not let Yara die. She can't be your High Summoner. I won't be your Final Aeon"

- "That is not my offer. What I am proposing you is that you turn into a fayth for a different Aeon, not the Final Aeon. If you agree Yara and your child will be sent back to Bevelle unharmed and Yara will not be asked to be a High Summoner"

- "Keep talking.." said Seika

- "I will make you into an Aeon that Yara can summon, if she keeps studying the arts here with me. When she is ready she will be sent to Bevelle, as promised, where she will train new Summoners for me. She will only send them here when she can be sure they are committed to the task of defeating Sin. I will test them myself."

- "Why turn me into an Aeon ? Yara can teach Summoners with me by her side as I am now" Seika asked

- "To make sure Yara keeps her word this time! If she stays here studying I will teach her how to summon you and how to talk to you. Later, if she sends me a suitable Summoners I will let her join you when she is near her natural death." said Yunalesca

- "How so ?" asked Seika

- "She will be turned into a fayth herself. This way you two can be together for eternity, and still help Spira as you once wished. I am not a heartless monster." said Yunalesca

- "If you are not then allow me some privacy to think" said Seika and she complied, fading away

Yunalesca was still hurting from Zaeon's harsh words to her. Comparing her to Sin, how dare him! But she was glad Zaeon stopped her before she harmed her apprentice. Her temper almost made her do the unthinkable. How she missed Zaeon by her side! He was able to bring out the best in herself, and helped her curb her hot, reckless temper. His presence was like a balmy breeze cooling her internal fires, or stoking them until they both exploded with pleasure… She missed being alive! Those stupid kids didn't know how good they had it. Being unsent and alone like she had been the past 10 years was like being in an endless dark tunnel, not being able to smell, touch, taste, not having anyone by her side to share her thoughts and ease her pain..

- "Milady ? I have decided!" said Seika to thin air, interrupting her thoughts

- "What is your decision ?" she answered reappearing in front of him

- "I accept. Give me your word that you won't harm Yara and my child for as long as they live and I will be your fayth." said Seika

- "Very well. You have my word. Let's get this done with" she answered

- "Not so fast. I also need your word that Yara won't be forced to defeat Sin herself" said Seika firmly

- "I give my word on that too. Do you have any preference for what kind of Aeon you will control ?" asked Yunalesca

- "A fire Aeon" said Seika

- "Ok, here it comes" said Yunalesca and started encasing Seika into a fayth stone made with the hot spring water.

The young man had some magic in him, she thought a bit surprised. Good, he would create a strong Aeon, with his bravery and his magic. Yunalesca decided to give him Ifrit, the mighty fire Aeon she had learned to create at Zanarkand's school. Just a couple of decades ago, but they felt more like centuries after all that had happened in the past 10 years! She finished the casting and deposited the fayth stone at the foot of the sleeping Ronso. He would know what to do, having seen Zanarkand's fayth before.

--- 10 years after the machina war (990 years ago) – Seika meets the Fayth

Yunalesca returned to the balcony where she had left Yara and awoke the young woman

- "Wake up child. We need to talk about your future" said Yunalesca to Yara, neutralizing her sleep spell with an esuna spell

- "What.. Where is Sin ? What happened to my friends ?" asked Yara worried

- "Sin left long ago. The Ronso and the other guardian are unharmed" answered Yunalesca

- "What have you done with Seika ?" asked Yara in panic

- "He is fine. He can even walk now. He is a fayth" said Yunalesca

- "Noooo! How could you ? You are not human!" cried Yara

"I will never be your Summoner. I will let Sin kill me before I let it take possession of Seika" Yara shouted at Yunalesca

- "Settle down child. All this excitement is not good for the baby you carry. I did not make your lover into a Final Aeon. He was converted into a fayth of his own free will. You will be able to ask him yourself!"

At the prospect of seeing Seika, Yara forced herself to shut up and listen. Yunalesca proceeded to tell her about the deal they had made, and of her demands to Yara. Yara would stay at Zanarkand for a month or two, so that she could complete her training on how to summon. Yunalesca told Yara that it would be easier now, since you she would not be summoning the Final Aeon. Seika was to learn the ways of the fayth from the fayth at the foot of Mt. Gagazet. This would allow him to move freely around Spira and Yara's summoner training would allow her to speak with Seika at any time he was near her. A bit calmer, but with her mind still reeling at the news Yara asked if she could go see Seika.

- "He is encased in a heavy stone now. You two won't be able to communicate without my help, not until you complete your training" said Yunalesca

- "Please Milady, I need to see him!" said Yara in tears

- "Very well. But just for a short time. Making a fayth visible to the untrained eye requires a lot of energy and I grow weary" said Yunalesca and closed her eyes.

Seika materialized right in front of Yara, crouched like a blitz player preparing to jump. He jumped high and stood still in front of her. His eyes were alight with happiness at seeing her in front of him

- "Wow, did you learned to summon me that fast ?" he asked Yara

- "No, Lady Yunalesca is the one doing it. Seika, she told me about your agreement. She told me you accepted being a fayth" said Yara gravely

- "Yara… I had to protect you and our child. I had no other way, I was just a crippled husk of a man.." Seika started

- "Oh Seika, you were never like that! What makes a man is his heart, his spirit… You are the strongest man I have ever met. Your condition never bothered me, you know that!"

- "My love, I love you so much! How could I let you fight Sin ?" said Seika

- "Seika.." she started

"How could I leave our child motherless ? Could I risk having your angry teacher harming you or the baby ? I had no choice Yara..."

- "I know.. But that was not because you were paralyzed. Anyone, even Birah Ronso would have no chance against Yunalesca and Sin.."

- "You are right. It's just so easy to blame my body sometimes… But now look at me I can move again! And I can run! And touch…" he said as he tried to touch her face but his hand went right through Yara's head

- "Oh well, I guess touching is out then.. Darn it, it was my favorite! I will miss your hot caresses" said Seika disappointed and started fading away

- "Farewell my love, I'll miss you to! We will talk soon, I promise!" she said waving him goodbye

Yara thanked Yunalesca for her talk with Seika and requested permission to leave. Yunalesca consented. They were both very tired, emotionally and physically drained after all the events of the day. Yara met Birah and Airi at their quarters, inconsolable.

- "I'm sorry Lady Yara, I could not protect Lord Seika!" said Airuman devastated

- "Birah brought Lord Seika stone in his back. No one will touch or defile his stone while Birah alive" said the Ronso equally sad.

- "It is ok Lord Birah, Lord Airi. Seika told me he agreed to this" she told them and explained their agreement with Yunalesca to the two guardians

- "Lady talked to Lord Seika ?" asked the Ronso

- "Yes, through Yunalesca. But I will not rest until I learn to do it myself!" she answered fiercely

- "But Milady! No rest is bad for the baby. Please be reasonable!" said Airi alarmed

- "Always protecting me, heh Airi ? Thanks friend, for all your help with Seika. You can return to Bevelle now!" she said and held his hand

- "You too Birah!" she said to the Ronso

- "Birah will not leave Summoner side until she and her litter are safe" said the Ronso

- "Neither will I milady." said Airi firmly

- "Oh very well… I'm glad you are staying then. Lets eat, I'm starving!" said Yara

The followingmonth passed slowly for Yara, Birah and Airi were nice enough, but she missed Seika dearly. She even asked Yunalesca to let her see him again but Yunalesca had answered: "Best not interrupt his lessons with the other fayth. As someone with no training he has a lot to learn" and that was that. Things went slowly for Seika too as his fayth teacher, an impatient woman who demanded he called her Lady Rahla, insisted on teaching him the history of Zanarkand before she gave him any practical lessons. Seika yearned to see Yara, to hear her stories, to see how she was doing with their child inside her..

Being a fayth was kind of being paralyzed he thought. He still could not do what he wanted, what he needed to do, he still was at the mercy of other people. Except this time his helpers weren't friendly like Airi and Birah, nor loving like Yara had been. Damn! Of all things to lose he had to lose the ability to touch her ? He remembered the first time they made love, at his hospital bed in Bevelle. At the time he had feared she was doing it out of pity for him but got so carried away by her that he had been powerless to stop it. Then the monk and the healer at Bevelle had made their offer to her. And she only accepted if he was the one to join her. His dad had been so surprised! Immersed in his thoughts, while he waited for Lady Rahla to finish her "dreaming" he barely noticed two new fayth appearing by his side. Yumeko the boy fayth had come to visit his friends, accompanied by his fayth teacher Lord Kyouyu.

- "Hi there. Have I seen you before here ?" Yumeko asked Seika, interrupting his recollections of his time with Yara

- "Huh ? I guess not, I have only been a fayth for a month.." answered Seika

- "A month ? Who created you ?" asked Lord Kyouyu

- "Yunalesca" said Seika

- "To what purpose ?" asked Lord Kyouyu

- "It's a long story.. Why don't you ask someone at the spring ? I'm sure they will give you her account of the events" said Seika dryly.

- "What about your version ? Is it different ?" asked Yumeko

- "Perhaps.. But it doesn't mater anymore. What is done is done." said Seika warily.

Seika didn't want to pick a fight with the only people who could aid him now. He and Yumeko watched in silence while Lord Kyouyu talked to an elderly man at the spring.

Lord Kyouyu came back to meet them and said.

- "I fear Yunalesca has not acted very properly with you. You must forgive her. She has been under a lot of strain for a very long time. The poor child has lost her father and her husband to Sin, in a way that you or I can't even imagine…"

- "What do you mean Master ? What has happened to Lord Zaeon ?" asked Yumeko curious.

- "Might as well tell the story to both of you" sighed Lord Kyouyu

The elder teacher, which thanks to his skills now looked like a young men, proceeded to tell them the story of how Sin came to be. He told Seika about the end of the war and how, at seeing the impending destruction of Zanarkand, Yu Yevon had hatched a plan and had created that giant column of fayth at the foot of the mountain. How all people from Zanarkand had agreed to be in that massive fayth sculpture and how it was there for Yu Yevon, who was using the thousands of fayth to summon a dream version of Zanarkand, a Zanarkand safe from war and mayhem.

Yumeko already knew this part but had been spared the pain of learning the rest. Lord Kyouyu now proceeded to tell them both about the accident that happened when Sin, which was to be a mere armor to protect Yu Yevon, was finalized. Sin, the massive fayth sculpture and an entire city made from magic had been too much energy, even for Yu Yevon to control. He lost his consciousness and Sin was unleashed into unsuspecting Spira, destroying everything it came in contact with, starting with Zanarkand, the city that had created it. Lord Kyouyu the told them how he and Yunalesca had thought that by defeating Sin they would free her father and save Spira, and how she and her husband Lord Zaeon gave their lives willingly to do it. But that was not to be. He told them how out of pure instinct, without a conscious thought, Yu Yevon had killed his own daughter, and worse, used Lord Zaeon as the basis to create a new Sin. And how now Lord Zaeon had to hold off Sin with all his might, to keep it from killing non stop. But the effort was enormous and eventually, when Zaeon grew too weary Sin overwhelmed him and attacked anything in it's path yet again.

- "So the rumors were true! Zanarkand did unleash Sin in Spira! But it was an accident.." Seika said and got interrupted

- "What rumors ?" Lord Kyouyu asked suddenly interested

- "Well, there have been several wild rumors floating about the origin of Sin… A lot of them involve you mages creating it for some sinister purpose, such as avenging your people by destroying machina, or by destroying Bevelle.." started Seika

- "But it was an accident! No one knew Sin was going to be a monster. I myself had some misgivings about the amount of magic energy involved, but I feared a giant explosion that would destroy Zanarkand, not a killing behemoth! Don't you think our people would have stopped Yu Yevon if we knew ?" said Lord Kyouyu angrily

- "It gets worse.. Some of the worst tales even say you Zanarkand mages created Sin to destroy all life in Spira, as revenge… That has caused some trouble to people who are kin to you." Seika added

- "What kind of trouble ?" asked Lord Yokum, joining the conversation

- "Yara told me when she was growing up everyone shunned her and mistreated her, treating her either with fear or with hate, just because she inherited her father's looks and his white hair. Then 2 years ago things got worse, when Sin came back." said Seika

- "How much worse" asked Lord Kyouyu

- "On our journey here we had bodyguards as much for her as for me… Oh! I guess I forgot to mention I was paralyzed from the neck down for the last 8 months. That is why we had an escort at first… But later it proved to be very good that we did. People with Zanarkand ties were being attacked and Yara looks a lot like a Zanarkand mage" said Seika

- "This new development is worrisome Kyouyu… Can't this people remember Yunalesca gave her life to rid Spira from Sin ?" said Lord Yokum

- "I agree Yokum. I must talk with Yunalesca at once. As an unsent, she can still talk with non-magic mortals. We need to do something!" said Lord Kyouyu and left

Next:

Hate against Zanarkand endangers Yara. Hiding in Bevelle underground. The church of Yevon. Braska's ancestor is born. Shiva. Happily ever after