All around him, the raging activity was little more than a blur. Wakka moved slowly, stuffing his sleeping roll into its bag with carefully trained precision. His hands shook, and his russet eyes were glazed over in thought as the other soldiers hurried to make the departure a swift one.

Wakka had no idea what to do.

Help Tidus . . .

Or shut up and follow orders?

Who was right?

Who was wrong?

If he abandoned one, he would be a traitor either way, but whom could he afford to betray in the end? His best friend, his god, or himself?

"Hey, red!" someone barked nearby, jolting the young man out of his pensive daze. "Get a move on. The Maester's got a giant bar up his ass lately, ya hear? Don't slow us down."

Nodding mutely, Wakka forced himself to move faster, wishing vainly that he had been blessed with the gift of Foresight. It would be so much easier to make this precarious decision if he knew for certain what the outcome for each choice would be.

Slinging his bags over each shoulder, he stood up and jogged towards the makeshift corral where the horses were kept. At the moment, two guards were opening the gate and leading horses out four at a time for their masters to collect them.

Although often lacking in physical grace and sometimes common sense, Wakka did possess uncanny vision and hearing (which came in handy during his Yevonite training). These talents suddenly kicked in when a flash of white caught his eye. Without faltering a single step, the Yevonite Warrior followed the distraction through his peripheral sight, automatically recognizing the garb of a cleric. The priest was rushing towards another of his order, having been ushered over for an urgent talk. Wakka's keen ears strained above the bustling noise long enough to catch a single phrase:

"Brother, have you not heard? Lady Yuna is with the Al Bhed!"

And quite abruptly the two of them disappeared into a small tent, one of the few remaining that had not yet been taken down. But Wakka had heard all he needed to convince himself to follow them. Wherever the Lady Yuna was, Tidus was there too.

Careful to avoid being noticed, Wakka smoothly veered off his course and headed towards the tent, keeping his strides even and unhurried. His pulse quickened with nervous anticipation as he slipped around the back of the tent, glancing over his broad shoulder to make sure no one had seen him sneak off. The last thing he wanted was for someone to catch him eavesdropping on a delicate conversation between two holymen.

He crouched down between the back wall of the tent and a wide bush that Wakka hoped would do a good job of concealing him. His ears tuned in suddenly to catch the beginning of the dialogue.

" . . . they lay one hand on her, so help me I'll curse them to the Dead Lands myself! She must be in perfect condition, or else - "

"Preposterous. You know that law of theirs . . . chances are they are helping her across the Rammvena as we speak."

"They will burn for it nonetheless, the heathens."

"I doubt Meister Seymour is very worried about the Al Bhed, brother."

"Has he mentioned why he wants to make it to Bevelle so quickly? Surely at the pace he plans to travel, we will be ahead of Lady Yuna and Master Tidus by at least two days."

"I believe that is what he has anticipated already. Do you not see what he means to do?"

"Of course I see, but . . . would it not make more sense to arrive shortly after they do? If they show up at the temple and see us lying in wait, they could turn tails and run."

"So we'll remain hidden. Let them snoop around the temple all they want, searching for answers to whatever little questions they have concerning Sin and the ceremony, and then, when the moment is right, we take them by surprise."

Wakka felt his stomach clench painfully with shock. Sin? What on Spira were these priests doing talking about Sin? Surely it had been destroyed ten years ago . . . he remembered the way the world had practically trembled with the sounds of celebration when the news spread that Lord Braska had finally vanquished the age-old demon.

"But why? What if somehow they stumble across a way to defeat the monster once and for all?"

"It matters not what they find. Ultimately, they will be unable to resist this army. We are too powerful for them, and no matter how hard they fight back, Lady Yuna will be sacrificed."

"It'll be a real shame to hand her over to Sin. She was always such a kind child, and-"

"I advise you not to dwell on it, brother. There is nothing we can do to change her fate. Either Sin has her and Seymour takes in her magic, or Sin rises again and we all suffer for it."

"And that boy with her? Tidus? What will become of him?"

"He is inconsequential. Whether he lives or dies does not matter in the end. No doubt Seymour has some private scheme cooked up for him. Either that, or the assassin has already taken care of him and left Lady Yuna on her own for us to handle."

Wakka blanched and his breath caught in his throat.

"So the rumours are true? Tremath was summoned at last? I wondered what he was doing, following our troops around like that."

"Seymour always keeps him at hand to do his dirty work. Yes, he sent that criminal out a few days ago with instructions to kill Tidus."

"Any news of what happened?"

"Only disappointing news, judging by the Maester's attitude lately."

Unconsciously, Wakka sagged with relief.

"How peculiar."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I once heard whispers that Maester Seymour had his heart set on Tidus' mother long ago, and . . ."

But Wakka was no longer listening. Practically reeling with nausea, the young man rose shakily to his feet and backed away from the tent, unable to grasp what he had just heard. Some small, rational part of his mind that had not been fully crushed by shock and indignation told him that he should not consider the gossip of temple priests the absolute truth. There was no evidence he could clearly identify to back up all that had been unintentionally bestowed upon him.

But the other, stronger, more instinctive part of him was blinded by horror and rapidly growing anger. How dare the temples lie to Spira! How dare they plot such things as murder and sacrifice!

Sin was still alive (if you could call it a living creature), kept in secret like some hideous pet ushered into hiding. That alone was the greatest evil Wakka could imagine of the priests capable of doing. Sacrifice and death were bad enough, but to declare publicly that a monster of unimaginable power had been finally destroyed while in truth it was being held in captivity was a crime too grave for any punishment.

Wakka stumbled into the small knot of trees behind the tent, his knees shaking as if weary under the weight of all these dark thoughts. Swallowing the urge to vomit, he forced himself to calm the racing of his heart and think. There was so much noise all around him, so much commotion . . .

He had lost a brother to Sin.

'What do I do?'

Both his parents fell to its clutches soon after.

'This can't be what it seems . . .'

Tidus was going to die, and he was powerless to stop it while standing in the middle of an army obliviously following instructions without knowing what its true purpose was. The knowledge of that fact slammed into him like a raging bull, leaving him somewhat stunned and senseless for a moment.

Suddenly Wakka spied Maester Seymour, standing on top of a small hill, watching imperiously as the soldiers dispersed. Campfires glowed eerily beneath him, lighting up his grim features in a pale orange glow, glittering in the depths of his grey soulless eyes. For the first time, the Besaid native truly realized just how utterly frightening the Maester looked, how sharp and angry his presence was. He left a cold wake wherever he went, and people could not help but fear, loathe, and respect him. His voice was enough to make anyone's skin crawl with its false gentleness, masking maliciousness that always lay beneath the surface, hidden in every syllable he spoke.

Wakka's finger knotted into tight fists at either side. He was not going to stand by and let some mindless assassin murder his best friend. He was not going to follow the orders of a crazed Guado mage and bestow Lady Yuna's spirit to the demon creature Sin. For once he was going to take a stand and fight for what he truly believed in, and more than ever he found himself believing in Tidus and Lady Yuna's word.

While carrying on the typical moving out ritual, the other soldiers and officers were too preoccupied to notice a single redheaded rider crossing the river in the dark. They would not realize his absence until very late the next day.

00000000000000000000000

Rikku was surprisingly accurate in her earlier prediction. By the end of the first day of travel, the other members of the party were on the verge of begging her to have mercy and stop. The spunky Al Bhed girl came to a halt atop a sand dune, after practically skipping ahead of the others. Shielding her verdant eyes against the dying evening light, she surveyed the desert before her with trained vision.

"There!" she called suddenly, tossing the word over her shoulder to her companions. She pointed downwards to a small cluster of trees some distance away. "I knew it was around here somewhere. We can stop at that oasis for the night. That is, unless you want to keep going?"

"NO," they gasped in chorus, all save Auron. The normally stoic warrior simply let his head fall back as if scanning the heavens, panting heavily and ignoring the beads of sweat rolling off his face.

"We'll rest at the oasis, Rikku," Lulu quickly inserted, pushing damp locks of black hair away from her forehead. She at least managed to deal with her weariness with some grace. Tidus, on the other hand, was bent double, elbows resting on his knees with his head hanging low. He was still clutching Kyrida's reins in one hand, and the black mare stood by him in an unusually subdued manner. Her glossy black sides were slick with sweat, and the corners of her lips were foaming. Her nostrils flared widely with each heavy snorting breath she took. The poor horse had been given the task of carrying much of their heavier supplies, and although she was strong and still in her prime, the animal was certainly not used to desert climates and the heat was not doing her any kindness.

Yuna was leaning against a sun-baked rock, not caring that the stone's raw surface was scorching hot. It was solid. It was support. Nothing else was important.

Rikku's doll-like lips drew together in a pout. "Oh, you guys, it's only another twelve miles to the next one! We can make it if we go at a fast jog."

Yuna gave her newly discovered cousin an outraged look of disbelief, still too worn out to say anything. Rikku wasn't even sweating, for goodness' sake!

"No," Auron cut in, striding ahead to make his way down the dune towards the oasis ahead. "We are stopping at this one right now. We will start again early tomorrow, rest at noon, and continue on until dark."

Throwing him silent looks of gratitude, Lulu, Tidus, and Yuna followed him down the sandy hill with thoughts of water and sleep driving them on. Rikku frowned after them and sighed with resignation, glumly taking the rear.

When at last they reached the tiny oasis, at least ten minutes later, they sank into the tall grass with relief. Yuna relished the cool blades against her skin, untouched by the sunlight due to the trees providing shade above. Rikku casually strode towards the pool and began removing her clothes, humming under her breath. Then, naked as a newborn, she slipped into the water and began cleaning the sand and dirt from her skin. Auron and Lulu took no notice or interest, but Tidus' eyes widened in surprise at her unabashed display. Yuna quickly nudged him in the side to get his attention.

"Al Bhed aren't concerned with modesty like Yevonites are," she told him in a hushed whisper. "You should not stare like that! It's rude to watch someone bathe."

"Are you sure you're not just jealous?" he replied teasingly. She glared at him, but a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Of course not," she muttered, although she had to admit that part of her turned sour at the thought of him staring at other women. Still, it would have been entirely understandable. Rikku was a very attractive young lady. "It's nothing like that. It . . . it just isn't polite, that's all."

At that moment, Lulu followed Rikku's example and promptly stripped off her corseted dress, easing into the pool with a surprising amount of dignity. Auron watched her out of the corner of his eye for a second and smiled secretively with appreciation. The somewhat discreet affection he gave the mage in front of them had not escaped Yuna's notice. She didn't doubt for a second that they were lovers, and found the match to be quite smart.

Tidus glanced over at the nude priestess and dropped his jaw with an exaggerated look of intrigued surprise. Yuna followed his gaze and then slapped his arm in a jokingly reprimanding fashion.

"What did I just tell you, you sneaky little prat?" she demanded, fighting even more to suppress her grin at his game.

"Don't worry Yuna, I only have eyes for you," he told her, compliantly turning his gaze away from the two bathing women. "How could I take interest in someone else?" His voice was laced with humour, but his eyes were completely serious and reassuring. She could not help but release her repressed smile and blush at his comment.

"I know," she replied softly, moving closer to his side. He was about to slip his arm around her waist when Auron called him over to help unravel the sleeping rolls. Sighing with mock exasperation, Tidus moved to help the warrior while Yuna took initiative to take away Kyrida's load.

After removing the horse's tack, Yuna led Kyrida to the pool to take a well-deserved drink. She knelt next to the animal and did the same, scooping handfuls of water to her parched lips with abandon.

"Yuna, jump in! The water feels great," Rikku invited, splashing a few drops towards her cousin.

"I can see the sand in your hair all the way from over here," Lulu added by way of motivation.

Yuna cast an uncertain glance towards Auron and Tidus. Auron was setting up a fire and Tidus was rooting through one of the many haversacks to look for food. The idea of bathing in front of them made her nervous, although Tidus had seen her nude before on two very intimate occasions. But what about Auron? He had been her father's best friend, and had looked after her as an infant. He was a sensible man who clearly held a great deal of respect for the human body, and he seemed to be enough of a gentleman not to stare at his own lover while she swam in front of him. He had not even glanced at Rikku while she undressed before all of them. Perhaps it really wouldn't be a big deal after all, and besides, the water did look awfully tempting.

In spite of her conclusion, Yuna moved to stand on Kyrida's other side so that she would be at least partially blocked from view. She tentatively peeled off her clothes (a white desert travelling robe and soft brown leather boots) and then tiptoed her way into the pool, darting cautious glances towards the two men still on solid ground. Auron, true to her first guess, didn't send a single glance in her direction. But she was fairly certain she had seen Tidus sneak a swift look at her before turning his head away, a slightly distracted look on his face.

Languorously swimming towards the other two women, Yuna reflected that they were indeed correct. The water was blissfully cool, and it was a relief to be able to wash the grit out of her hair and off her skin. Thanks to some Al Bhed concoction Rikku gave them to rub on their flesh, the sun did not appear to have left any burns on their bodies.

"So, Rikku," she said, pausing to float on her back. "Tell me. How exactly did I manage to not find out I am related to you?"

Rikku titled her head back to let her golden hair spill into the water. "Oh, right. Well, it turns out that my Pop and your mom were separated as kids, after the Yevonites attacked their village one day. Cid ran off with a bunch of Al Bhed families that managed to escape and lived with them until he was old enough to go out on his own. But your mom was captured by some of the soldiers, and they were going to make her a . . . well, uh . . ."

"A chamber slave?" Yuna supplied in a low voice, knowing that many Al Bhed girls that were taken as slaves were often used in that way. Rikku nodded sympathetically.

"Right," she said quietly, "at least that's what they planned to do with a bunch of the girls they caught. Luckily, though, she found a way to free herself and took off into the desert. She was trying to make her way to another Al Bhed camp, I guess. But then she collapsed after two days with no food and water, alone in the middle of the Rammvena. Not long after, a group of priests passing through the desert found her body and took her back to their temple on Besaid. They raised her as a Yevonite so that she could live with them peacefully."

"That's when my father must have met her," Yuna voiced, allowing the story to sink itself into memory. "But how does Cid know all this? He was never reunited with her, was he? How did he know she lived long enough to meet Lord Braska and have a child?"

"Ah," Rikku beamed, winking at her. "You see, that's the story your mom told Braska, who told Sir Auron, who later told Pop, who later told me." Seeing Yuna's surprised expression, she quickly added. "Don't get mad at Auron for not telling you, Yunie! I'm sure he has his reasons."

"It's true," Lulu spoke finally, reaching her arm up to scrub sand off her elbow. "Auron told me earlier that he wanted you to find out from Cid himself. He said that he knew sooner or later you'd run into the Al Bhed after your first meeting with him, and when that happened, he was going to be sure Cid would be able to tell you the story."

"Oh, I'm not mad," Yuna managed to say after a moment of consideration. "Just surprised, really. It didn't occur to me to ask Auron myself if he knew whether or not I had any relatives on my mother's side."

The women were interrupted then by a loud commotion nearby, sounding like several branches and twigs snapping at once. They all whirled around in the water while Auron and Tidus quickly pulled out their weapons. Yuna felt her heart leap into her throat as a single figure crashed its way into the clearing, garbed in a world-famous crimson jacket. The man was a giant, with strikingly familiar orange hair that she could distantly remember seeing somewhere. He collapsed to his knees next to the water, wheezing and sweating profusely.

Somehow, in the face of his obvious exhaustion, the Yevonite Warrior managed to lift his head long enough to catch sight of Tidus, standing there wide-eyed with his azure blade drawn out.

"T-Tidus," the young man gasped, beginning to cough hoarsely. "They . . . they . . . Bevelle . . ."

A name suddenly came to Yuna's mind, but Tidus beat her to it.

"Wakka!"