A Generation of Aeons
Chapter Forty-Three

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

Last Time:

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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The water was calm, and the breeze was light. The sun was high but had not yet hit its peak. A few birds flew overhead, and the sound of nature filled the air.

Four young men and women sat on the edge of a cliff with their legs hanging over the side. Large walls of rock lined the edges of the small outlet of ocean water.

Sitting to the far left was a young man with bright red hair dressed in the traditional blue uniform of a guardian. Next to him was a young Al Bhed with dirty blonde hair that was cut in a short military style and wore the purple uniform designated to Crimson Knights with the patch of Bevelle sewn onto his right shoulder. To his right was his twin sister, who looked somewhat like a female mirror image, who had dirty blonde hair that was worn in several small braids and was dressed in a not quite modest blouse with light capri pants. The last person, on the right, was a young woman with fair, light brown hair that had blonde streaks and went slightly past her shoulders. Her eyes were mismatched, one green, the other blue, and around her neck was a silver chain and plate.

"Do you really think they won't find us here?" Lenne asked.

"You worry too much, cuz," Gaia answered.

She groaned in response and fell against the rock next to her. "I want to go to sleep."

"Hey, I'm on leave, and when I come to Besaid for a visit, I get put to work," Garren retorted.

Vidina laughed dryly. "I'm on leave, too, ya? You'd 'tink plannin' your own festival wouldn't be so tirin'."

Lenne groaned again. "Uh… have I mentioned that I don't want a festival in my honor?"

"Several times, in fact," Garren commented. "I think the count was twenty-seven times the first year, sixteen last year, and ten this year…"

Gaia shrugged. "Eleven if you count what she said five seconds ago."

"I'm tired of telling everyone I don't want a festival in my honor, but they're not listening," Lenne returned. She groaned. "I don't want to deal with the council meeting next week, either. Councilwoman Dona won't back off. She keeps trying to negate everything my council proposes. Not to mention she keeps comparing me with the old summoners of her time."

Garren frowned. "You know the Council of Guardians backs you up, Lenne, but we don't have much influence when it comes to Councilwoman Dona. Councilmen Lucil and Nooj maybe, but definitely not her."

"Too bad," Lenne spoke. "You know what? I quit. Right here and now. Darka can take over for me."

"Lenne…" Gaia drifted.

"I quit!" she repeated. "I mean it this time!"

The Crimson Knight of Bevelle swallowed hard. "Lenne… you know you can't do that."

"But I'm so tired," Lenne said wearily. "I don't want to do this anymore. I barely sleep anymore, and when I'm awake, I can't get a minute by myself because I'm always being bombarded with something."

"But ya do so much for Spira," Vidina insisted.

She shook her head. "All I did was help supervise the reconstruction of the temple in Bevelle. Jesa took care of the temple in Macalania."

"Oh, don't even, cuz," Gaia said in a warning filled voice. "Don't even try to ignore the fact that you single-handedly stopped that outbreak of fiends last year."

"So?" Lenne asked, almost bitterly.

"So, the council needs you," Garren answered automatically.

"And besides," Gaia added, "there is no way the council's going to accept your resignation."

The Crimson Knight dropped his head in despair. "She's nineteen, and still, she has no idea what subtlety is." He paused. "I have to admit though, Gaia has a point."

The high summoner heaved a sigh loudly. "I know…"

Gaia smiled brightly. "Look on the bright side, Lenne! In two years the council won't have a reason not to except your resignation! It'll be five years, and they won't have any more excuses!"

"Cheribum…" Lenne shook her head. "I can't believe I've been on the council for that long…"

"Yeah," Vidina agreed. "Three years since the aeons first showed up."

"Things sure have changed since then," Gaia commented.

Her brother laughed. "No kidding. Especially since you were made deputy director of the Gullwings."

She frowned. "Hey! It's not as much fun as I thought it would be! I never knew being in charge was so much work!" Garren and Lenne laughed. "Anyway, how many summoners are there now?"

"All over Spira?" Lenne asked. Gaia nodded. "Nine altogether. Not to mention one just passed Suzaku's test yesterday. There's also twenty-three enrolled in summoner training right now, too."

Vidina's eyes widened. "Are you kidding?"

"No, and the number keeps getting bigger. Not to mention every time I walk into the temple, and the trainees see me, they get all tongue-tied and become completely useless for anything while I'm there."

Garren laughed. "It's not like you're the only High Summoner in Spira. Not forgetting you're one of the three leaders of the Council of Factions."

"I've mentioned I don't want the job, right?"

"Twelve!" Gaia volunteered.

"Lenne," Vidina started, "I think you need some time off. Seriously."

"You think I haven't thought of that?" the high summoner answered. "Everywhere I go I'm recognized. There's no where I can go just to relax."

"Well," Gaia said comfortingly, placing a hand on Lenne's shoulder, "you could always come over to our house. You know my parents would be thrilled to see you."

"Gaia's right," her brother agreed. "Mom was just saying how she never sees you anymore."

"Thanks," she said, "maybe I'll stop by next week."

"High Summoner Lenne!" a voice called out.

"High Summoner Lenne!" another voice yelled.

She groaned. "An hour… is that too much to ask? I just want one hour by myself." Wearily, she stood up. "Duty calls."

"Hey," Garren said, pointing a finger at her, "at least try to have some fun tonight."

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"High Summoner Lenne, we wanted to try something a little different this year."

The daughter of High Summoner Yuna and the guardian Tidus had made her way back to the main city of Besaid. Dozens of people were running around the main square in front of the temple, hanging decorations or on their way elsewhere. In a matter of forty-eight hours, the normally calm and serene square had been highly decorated, with lights strewn all around for when it got dark. There were going to be a lot of people later on that night. For some reason, not only citizens of Besaid came to participate in the festivities but citizens from all over Spira.

And Lenne was becoming very tired of it very fast.

This was the third festival being held in her honor. Lenne thought the first festival was unbearable at the time, how wrong she was… People from all over Spira had come to Besaid, and all spoke of how grateful they were that she had helped them through the ordeal. Last year was even worse. Somehow, every young man in Spira had gotten the idea in his head that they would win the high summoner's heart. She had spent most of the evening trying to hide.

Cheribum… what could possibly happen this year?

And why did she promise Garren, Gaia, and Vidina she would attempt to have fun?

"What is it, Sir Loust?" Lenne asked, slightly annoyed.

She looked at the guardian of Besaid. Loust was two years younger than her and had supposedly become a guardian at the same time Lenne had returned. He had also taken it upon himself to organize the first festival in her honor, the year after's, and this year's. To be frank, she found him slightly annoying. He barely stood taller than her and had a murky color of blonde hair that he wore in a badly done military cut. Although, she had to admit, it would have been worse if he had been an attempted suitor.

Lenne felt slightly guilty about it sometimes. Not just how she sometimes found Loust annoying, but how she never felt grateful. Was that wrong of her? She knew the people just wanted to express their gratitude, but she felt none to them for their appreciation. Her ideal way to spend the day would have been to go out with Garren, Gaia, and Vidina and not be bothered with any kind of problem.

Which was definitely not going to happen.

"Well," Loust started, "I was taking a five minute break about three hours ago, and I think it was Sir Wakka who was playing a sphere of a blitzball shot Sir Tidus was once able to do."

Lenne nodded. "Yeah. The Jecht shot. What about it?"

The guardian grinned eagerly. "Well, I thought that whoever was able to perform that shot would win a dance with you, milady."

She opened her mouth to speak.

"Now I know what you're going to say, Lady Lenne, but think about the potential. It would provide a good, new source of fun and probably no one is going to able to do it because it's such a complicated shot. The only people who have managed to do it are your father and grandfather, Lady Lenne."

She pointed a finger at him. "Now I want you to think about it. I know you remember last year, and I know you remember how long it took to get all those suitors to back off. Can you imagine how many men are going to be trying this? The line will never end!"

"I've thought it all out," Loust insisted. "Each man can only attempt it once."

"Every eligible young man in Spira's going to be lined up in Besaid tonight!"

"Don't worry about it," Loust continued to insist. "I will have everything under control, milady."

"That's what you said last year."

The guardian frowned uneasily. "Uh… but I've learned so much since then, Lady Lenne! Nothing will go wrong that went wrong last year."

Lenne exhaled deeply and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "You know, Loust, I think you're right. You just don't realize how many new problems are going to come up."

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People in Guadosalam scurried around, trying to find an open airship headed to Besaid.

The current major event in Spira tonight would be High Summoner Lenne's festival.

There were no pilgrims to the city today; they had all gone to Besaid instead to join in the festivities taking place there. The Farplane remained empty.

So no one noticed the lone, young man who managed to climb up onto the cliff, where the living stood, from the field of flowers.

He stood up and looked around. His stormy gray eyes missed nothing.

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Author's Notes:

Final Revision