A Generation of Aeons
Chapter Forty-Two

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or X-2

Last Time:

"I summoned?" Genbu's head summoner asked in disbelief.

"Mhm," Lenne answered. "You summoned the same way I did, only I used Byakko's essence while you used Genbu's." She paused, dusting off her clothes, and looked around, finding the newcomer. "Okay, who do we have here?" He was definitely taller than her and was dressed in the simplest of clothes. He also had startling blue eyes… startling lively and honest eyes. She had seen them somewhere before.

"Uh, you're High Summoner Lenne? I'm, uh, I'm Oryon. I'm-I'm, well… I'm not quite sure how to put this…" the young man drifted.

Lenne grimaced. "You must be Byakko's new head summoner?" She watched him nod his head. "Cheribum…"

"Did I do something wrong?" Oryon asked.

"No," she shook her head, "it's just… you look exactly like the last head summoner of Byakko before the war."

Oryon raised his eyebrow in genuine interest. "Really, who was he?"

Lenne smiled. "His name was Ryak. He was a friend and a good man."

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"I don't know… It just doesn't feel right."

"Well… you certainly look different."

"I'm just glad I don't have to wear a cape."

High Summoner Lenne stared at her reflection in the mirror within her spare apartment built in Bevelle. She wore a deep purple, modest shirt and blouse. Two stripes were sewn onto each shoulder, red and silver on her left with hunter green and icy blue on the right. A black and brown chain hung from her shoulder, and she grimaced as she spotted it.

"I look like Kiron except that I'm not a guy and I'm wearing this maester chain," Lenne whined.

Gaia shrugged. "Well, we needed something to distinguish normal high summoners from high summoners who passed the Cheribum's test."

Lenne stared at her. "With a maester chain?"

She shrugged back. "You're the one who described all the clothes to Myra. She just picked up on the maester chain."

"I look like a maester…"

"From what you told me, you were a maester in the old days anyway…"

"Yeah…" Lenne muttered, "but I changed that here."

Gaia rolled her eyes. "Be grateful. Did you see the outfits you put Jesa and Oryon in? Not to mention the alterations you made to Darka and Kathurn's uniforms."

"But they're head summoners," Lenne insisted.

"They still answer to you."

"Not really… technically if I hadn't passed the Cheribum's test, I'd be on the same level as them."

"But you did," Gaia answered forcefully.

Lenne rolled her eyes and straightened her clothes as she looked into the mirror. "Where is everyone anyway?"

Gaia shook her head sadly. "Sheesh, I'm becoming your personal secretary…"

"Thank you, Gaia…"

Her cousin waved it away. "Yeah… Yeah… Kathurn just came in an hour ago; he had to train that new summoner. Jesa's coming in about two hours because they're having some construction problems at the temple, and Oryon should be coming in right about now."

"What about Darka?" Lenne asked.

"He's going to be on the Summoner Council and act as a liaison to the Guardian Council. They're moving Crimson Knight Varell of Guadosalam onto the Council of Guardians. He's talking about it with Garren right now."

"Oh boy…" Lenne muttered. She paused and sighed. "I can't believe it's been six months since Darka became a head summoner…"

Gaia shrugged. "You know I'm headed back to Djose once today's council session is over, right?"

She nodded. "I know. Thanks, Gaia. You've really helped me out these past few months."

"I do what I can," the Al Bhed answered, "but you don't need me anymore."

Lenne stopped suddenly and froze. She had heard that before…

She nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, I can get along without you now…"

Gaia nodded, putting a hand on Lenne's shoulder. "You've been home a little more than six months, you've moved out of your parents' house, you've managed to train four head summoners, and today you're going to lead them and join the Council of Factions. Not too shabby if I say so myself," she finished jokingly.

"Do you think I'll be able to handle it, Gaia?" Lenne asked. "Being a high summoner, leading the Council of Summoners, and going head to head with Councilwoman Lucil and Garren? In front of all those people?"

The Al Bhed shrugged. "If Garren can do it, I don't see why you can't."

Lenne sighed.

"Would you just tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" Gaia forcefully asked. "I know you still think about him everyday," she said in a softer tone. "Does it still hurt?"

"Sometimes," Lenne answered, "you know? It still hurts, but I can live with it. Sometimes it hurts so much it just seems unbearable, but then I remember all the good times we had. Those kinds of memories are what get me through. I miss him. I always will. I don't think I can ever feel for anyone what I did for him, and I'll always regret not telling him my feelings sooner, but I can't spend my entire life living in the past…"

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"Everybody knows what they're doing, right?" Lenne asked, looking around.

For only the second in her life, Lenne found herself at the entrance to where the Council of Factions met. For the second time, Darka stood with her but in very different circumstances.

He wore his Crimson Knight uniform with the exception of certain alterations that had been made. Besides having a patch on his right sleeve to recognize him as a guardian of Besaid, a new patch had been sewn onto his left shoulder with the image of Suzaku on it. His cape was made up of red and had the seal of Suzaku in the center.

Lenne looked at the other three head summoners she had trained and gazed at them carefully.

Wearing the outfit she had helped design, there was no doubt that Oryon was the spitting image of Ryak. She had even almost called him just that on several occasions. Lenne had him outfitted in clothes of silver that distinguished him with the symbol of Byakko placed on the upper right of his chest.

Jesa wore a modest dress of icy blue that seemed to fit her body perfectly. It had a high cut collar with two white buttons off to the side. On her back was the image of Seiryu, the aeon's tail twisted.

Kathurn, Genbu's head summoner, was dressed in the traditional uniform of the guardian. Like Darka, Kathurn had a patch added on his left sleeve with the difference that his had the image of Genbu. His cape was a hunter green color with Genbu in the center.

"Kind of…" Kathurn answered.

Lenne's eyes widened. "Define kind of."

"What I think Kathurn is trying to say," Oryon attempted to answer calmly, "is that we go up there, you ask permission to join the Council of Factions, and then… dot, dot, dot."

The high summoner groaned and rubbed her eyes.

Jesa smile sheepishly. "Maybe you could push this council thing another six months?"

"If you haven't noticed," Darka said abruptly, "almost all of Spira has been crammed into that council chamber. The ones that aren't crammed in there are most certainly watching it on a sphere somewhere."

"Look who's talking! You've been on the Council for two years already! That's longer than Sir Garren! You've even been sitting in the council in between training for the past six months! Sir Varell's only joining the Council of Guardians today once you've resigned!" Kathurn retorted.

"True," the Crimson Knight of Besaid agreed, "but do I ever say anything unless prompted?"

Oryon shrugged. "He's got you there, Kathurn."

"How is that working out anyway?" Jesa questioned. "When is Darka supposed to resign?"

Lenne smiled sheepishly and looked to the Crimson Knight.

He rolled his eyes. "I go in. I resign. You guys go in. I ask to rejoin. Lenne asks permission to join the Council of Factions. The end."

Without a word, Darka left the group and nodded to the two Bevelle guardians standing outside of the grand doors.

"Here we go…" Oryon muttered.

The doors opened, and the council chamber quieted. One of the Bevelle guardians stepped up.

"Presenting Crimson Knight of Besaid and Head Summoner of Suzaku Darka."

Darka stepped onto the red carpet toward the council. Lenne, Oryon, Kathurn, and Jesa peered into the room, freezing at the sight.

As Darka calmly walked, they saw the council filled with people; true to the Crimson Knight's words. The Council of New Spira now sat in the center with Councilmen Lucil, Nooj, Dona, and Bairan elevated on it. To the left was the Council of Guardians. The Crimson Knights sat in order from Garren, Malthus, an empty seat meant for Darka, and Bannerd. Finally, to the right of the Council of New Spira was an empty platform, the high summoner and head summoners' destination.

Sphere recorders scrutinized Darka's every movement, but he didn't seem to notice. He stopped where the carpet ended, bowed his head, and rendered a salute to Garren. "Sir Garren, I, the Crimson Knight of Besaid, wish to resign my commission as a representative on the Council of Guardians."

Garren nodded. "This council accepts your resignation, Sir Darka. Do you have a replacement?"

"I do," Darka answered.

Coming out from the side was a young Guado, dressed in clothes befitting a Crimson Knight. He looked slightly nervous and wore murky, dark green hair in the typical Guado style. He bowed his head to Darka and turned to salute Garren.

"Sir Garren, I, the Crimson Knight of Guadosalam, Varell, ask your permission to join the Council of Guardians."

"Granted," Garren answered.

Varell made his way up to the platform and took the seat that was once meant for Darka.

"Okay," Lenne said ruefully. "I guess we need to get going." She nodded to the same Bevelle guardians.

"Announcing High Summoner Lenne; Head Summoner of Seiryu, Jesa; Guardian of Mushroom Rock and Head Summoner of Genbu, Kathurn; and the Head Summoner of Byakko, Oryon."

Together they began to walk toward the platforms.

So here it was. It had come sooner than she had expected. The beginning of something new. The beginning of her new life as the head of the Council of Summoners. One of the three heads of the Council of Factions.

It was also the end of her childhood.

'Destiny is nothing more than living with the consequences of our actions.'

They reached the platforms, and Darka bowed his head to her. "High Summoner Lenne, permission to rejoin you?"

She nodded.

He took his place behind her and on her right.

Lenne sighed and bowed her head in Garren and Lucil's direction.

"Councilwoman Lucil, Sir Garren, and all members of this council, the Council of Summoners asks permission to join you."

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Author's Notes:

Final Revision