A Generation of Aeons
Chapter Six
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or X-2
Last Time:
She turned around from the sink with a towel to dry her hands. "I had a dream last night."
"You asked me all about how to become a summoner because you had a dream?"
"Well, kind of."
"Well, kind of what?" Takoire persisted.
Lenne twiddled with her hair for a moment with hesitation. "I think that the fayth sent me to this time so I could become a summoner."
Two days after Lenne's disappearance, the former group of Gullwings briefed the younger generation of protectors on the events that had occurred twenty-three years earlier. Starting from the disappearance of Tidus at the same time as the end of Sin all the way until the fayth had brought the former guardian back to Spira; not forgetting everything there was regarding the fayth.
The story was not well known in Spira. All that had been made public revolved around Vegnagun, while those who saw Yuna in the thunder plains, briefly remembered the images of two people, but it was never given a second thought.
Gaia was the first to acknowledge the fact that the stories were true, having access to spheres all the way from the time that her mother and aunt were aboard the original Celsius. Garren came next, trusting his sister in the matter and accepting her decision. Trusting his father's words, Vidina came after, finding no reason not to trust his parents and mentors.
Four days after the disappearance of the high summoner and the appearance of the new natural aeons, a small group found themselves deep within the Farplane; consisting of Tidus, Wakka, Garren, Darka, to no one's consent, and most surprising of all, Yuna.
On the way down, the two Crimson Knights and guardian handled most of the fiends, with a helping hand offered by Tidus and Wakka every so often. Standing there in amazement, the three young men gazed at the endless fields of flowers and waterfalls and endless amounts of pyreflies that seemed to swim through the air like water. A paradise for the souls of the departed.
Yuna sighed as she looked around. "It's been a long time."
"Maybe not long enough, sweetheart," Tidus responded, rather jumpy at the prospect of being on the Farplane. "I would have liked to stay away from this place. But, for Lenne, I'll make this one exception."
"Well ya…" Wakka said, "being here kinda gives me the creeps. The last time I was here, I had a view from the top."
"Sir Wakka, if it's just the same, I've never been down here before. The Farplane has been closed off since your time, but how come?"
Darka scoffed. "Let's save the history lesson for a lunch date shall we? Cut to the chase, let's find this Maechen, figure out how we can get Lenne back and get out of here."
"Remind me again how you were made a Crimson Knight. And a knight of the council no less."
"The same could be said for how you became Crimson Knight of Bevelle… but then again…"
Through clenched teeth, Garren tightly gripped the hilt of his sword. "If Lenne was anyone else but my cousin, you'd be on the ground eating those words right now."
"It's such a shame," Darka said, almost as if he were agreeing with Garren for a moment, "there's a bad seed in every family. How unfortunate for Lenne that it had to be you." Garren held his sword even tighter. "Something wrong, Sir Garren?"
"Watch your place, Darka," Garren warned.
"Enough antics you two!" Tidus said, tiring of their constant arguing. "I don't think Lenne can wait for you to stop fighting. Right now, the only thing we need to worry about is finding Maechen."
"Ah, one feels so appreciated when they are sought after on the Farplane."
A cloud of pyreflies gathered together and soon, a familiar cloak of emerald green appeared which was followed by a friendly and recognizable face. "Maechen?" Yuna asked.
"Ah, High Summoner Yuna!" Maechen came towards her. "I had hoped we would meet again. Although I sense that many years have passed, I now have my memory at the fullest."
"Then maybe you could help us out, Maechen," Tidus said in turn.
"Oh my! Sir Tidus as well! Yet again, another honor, and yet, might I ask what you need of me?"
"Well," Yuna stepped forward, twiddling her fingers, an old habit she had never rid herself of, "it's about our daughter, Lenne."
"A daughter you say, Lady Yuna!" Maechen exclaimed, ecstatic at the proposition. "And if I might be so bold and take a gander at a husband and father?" Yuna nodded unsurely. "Sir Tidus?"
"Yes, I'm Yuna's husband," Tidus said, "but we were asking you for help-"
"How splendid! As I once said, there might be a way to bring you back, did I not? Once I had learned you were a dream of the fayth no less. And to think you have a daughter! How wonderful! I don't believe I can say enough times to you two congratulations!"
Several minutes later, everyone but Maechen and Darka was sitting on the ground, too exhausted at hearing Maechen's voice continually. Yuna was leaning up against Tidus who was fiddling with a flower he had picked while Wakka rolled his blitzball back and forth between his hands. A little ways off, Vidina and Garren were going over strategies using the ground and flowers for a visual aid as Darka stood alone by himself, isolated from the others. Holding the sword bestowed upon a Crimson Knight, he practiced and went through the routines of fighting.
Maechen continued on in a cheerful mood, not bothering to notice that everyone had blocked him out. "Ah! But here I am ranting again, one would think after all this time I would have discarded that nasty habit, but alas. But before I begin to reminisce again, Sir Tidus, you called upon my aid, did you not?"
Wakka jabbed Tidus sharply before his friend finally realized what was happening. "Ow! Hey, Wakka! What was that for?" Seeing Maechen had finally finished, the former Zanarkand resident quickly stood up, bringing Yuna with him as he dusted off his clothing. "Yeah! Uh… Maechen?" Tidus looked around for some help.
"Do you know of a player who was once on the Zanarkand Abes?" Yuna asked, holding a certain boldness that had left since Lenne's disappearance. "Takoire?"
"Why yes, Lady Yuna! I most certainly do! A very gifted blitzball player if I recall correctly. He was also the captain who appointed Shuyin after him."
"So," Garren began to piece the information together, "Takoire would be how long before the machina wars?"
"Hm," the old man rubbed his beard, "well, from the time he left the Abes, maybe a year or two prior."
"Good, that means Lenne is all right."
"Lady Lenne of Zanarkand? I believed that matter to be solved."
"No," Yuna shook her head, "Lenne is the name of our daughter."
"Well, if my memory is correct, then I believe that-"
"Sir, we really don't have time for this." Darka rudely interrupted, Garren gave the knight a stern glaring look. "Tell us more about Takoire."
Tidus looked at Darka exasperatedly. "My sincerest apologies, Maechen, but in Darka's crude way of saying it, we need to know as much about Takoire as you know."
The old scholar gave a small bow. "As you wish, Sir Tidus, but I'm sorry, I only know what I've told you, besides a few facts other than that."
"Uh, Mr. Maechen," Garren approached, slung over his shoulder was a tattered old bag he had brought down with him and pulled out the sphere given by his sister, "could you tell us whether or not the man in the picture is Takoire."
"However I can be of service, young man."
The Knight of Bevelle forwarded the sphere past the blitzball game to the part where the fiend first appeared, Maechen watched with a keen interest as the others watched it again. Whereas for Tidus and Yuna, maybe it was their fourth or fifth time watching it.
"Yes, yes. I recall this game rather well, the last game of Takoire before he handed the team to Shuyin. There was quite an outrage in Zanarkand when that young man announced his resignation."
"And the Shuyin that Takoire passed the team to, is the same one…." Yuna began to drift off.
Maechen nodded his head. "Indeed, Lady Yuna, they are one in the same."
"If you could," Darka said, speaking slowly, "would you be able to identify the young woman standing with Takoire?"
"Alas, officially her name is unknown. When venturing Spira during the reign of Sin, I found her name lost to history. Although, from my time living in Zanarkand, Takoire's absence from blitzball caused quite a stir and many citizens wished to know the whole story of why he left, you might say. Before his announcement, many suspected it had something to do with the young woman who aided him in his fight against the fiend that day, and his official announcement only confirmed it."
"Well, Mr. Maechen," Garren started, "could you tell us what you can of her?"
"I'd be glad to, although, it is a rather lengthy tale."
Everyone but Garren resumed their seat on the ground, Maechen joined them as well, while out of curiosity, the Knight of Bevelle asked a question of the historian. "If you don't mind, why did Takoire leave the Zanarkand blitzball team, officially."
"Ah ha! I was hoping one of you would ask! Ironically, it ties with that young woman, you see, Takoire became…."
Author's Note:
Final Revision