Moon Says: It has been forever since I've updated. I just finished Spy, six years later; I hope I don't take that long for this one (looks to see how long it's been…five years, oh joy). Honestly, I don't plan on abandoning this fic, but I may, as seen below, start to not writing every little thing that happens in the game. Maybe I will just start paying attention to the important bits. Like cut scenes or something? IDK…we'll see.

Pages/Words: 16/6990

Written/Posted/Edited: 15-19 Sept 2015/ 19 Sept 2015/

Challenge: Still the same: what is the meaning/purpose behind her name!

Intervention

Chapter 5

This anger just kept on growing and growing until I felt I was about to burst. It was righteous anger. How dare they…

I made my way back to the dock not really focusing on anything or anyone. I just let it boil and boil until I heard a little child crying. Immediately, my attention shifted and the anger started to drain from me. The child was curled in on herself in some dome like structure—it must have been the hut the girl lived in. I was about to ask her if I could help, if there was anything I could do (was her parents dead or missing?), when the dome thing she was in started to shake.

I gritted my teeth, jumped into the dome and quickly wrapped my arms around her. Once she was secured in my arms, I threw myself backwards back onto the dock.

I landed on my back, cradling her in my arms as I watched what was left of the hut, maybe, crumble into the water.

She quickly jumped out of my arms once she got over the shock. I nodded when she bowed because she was unable to put into words what was going on with her and said nothing when she ran off.

When she was gone, I was left…empty. The anger, the righteous fury…gone. Seeing that girl…it reminded me of Emma. Before we became close, she would often find places to just sit and hide away from the world and its cruelty. She had no one but her sister; her parents long since dead. I at least had a mother, absent though she may have been.

I honestly don't know what I was doing on that side of the docks in Zanarkand as my boat house was on the opposite side…this one was dangerous as those who were homeless or up to illegal trades found themselves at home.

But when I saw her folded in on herself, stuffed in some sort of corner, something inside of became unstable. I was moved by her.

I had only seen her a few times at Guardian practice, and she was so strong then. But now? She looked so fragile and everything inside of me wanted nothing more than to protect her. To scoop her up, hold her tight, and never let her go.

I was careful with how I approached her. A cornered animal was the only thing I could compare her to. When I got closer, she just seemed so small and needy. She was shaking, and by the way her breath was sounding, I could tell she was soundlessly crying.

I called to her softly, and when her eyes snapped open, the void that I saw, the emptiness, just tore me apart. I made a vow to myself then and there that I would be whatever she needed me to be, to do, anything. I would never deny her anything because from this point on in my life, I knew she would be my world because she needed something and, damn it, I wanted to be the one to give it to her.

I was child and didn't know shit, but I knew she needed something.

Then the structure collapsed on her. I didn't have the reflexes to get her to safety, and neither did she. I did jump in the ice, cold water after her as soon as I unfroze my body and shook the shock off.

From then on, I followed after her like a lost puppy. I was always there for her until the situation at home with my absent mother and deadbeat dad just almost broke me. I had only missed a few meetings, but she came after me. She didn't even have to say anything. All she did was find me, hold out her hand, and I wished to Kami I never let it go.

Over the years, I had wondered if there was ever a line between me and her, of things I wouldn't do for her. I destroyed an entire ecosystem for her, from the rage of thinking she had died on me and I hadn't been strong enough, fast enough, hadn't been enough of anything to save her. In hindsight, I wish that line had been her sister. If so, we be long dead by now but happy.

But enough about the past—I shoved those thoughts away, and when I came to myself and my surroundings, it was night. Not just night, but almost morning. I had been so lost in my mind that I didn't even notice the day had gone by and so had the night.

I still had a few hours I estimated before the ship was living for Luca, so I decided that I would pitch in and help repair what I could before I left. There were plenty of people that couldn't seem to sleep, so I knew that someone would have work for me.

~Tidus~

I had decided to stay in the hurl of the ship until all those Blitzball players started getting on my nerves. Okay, maybe it had to do with the fact that I couldn't play…no, wouldn't play, but that was beside the point. I think what really made me upset was that they were so concerned with a stupid game when the whole world was coming down around!

I left as soon as I could, but on the way up, some stupid merchant grabbed me. I gave him gil just to get away from him, and finally, I got to the top of the ship. I went straight to the end where we were battling Sin before. Straight past the girl and her little entourage.

It was peaceful until those Blitzers from Kilika started to talk trash. Apparently, someone had let it slip I was a good player but refused to play. I was doing a good job ignoring them until the girl came into the conversation and blurted out where I was from.

"As if anyone lives in those ruins," the guy snorted.

Fuck my life.

"It's not ruins, there's a big city there. There is." Yuna stubbornly insisted.

Groan. I turned around to see everyone, it seemed, on the boat looking at her like she was a crazy person.

She repeated herself and then decided to look at something next to my body and stare off into space.

Damn my being nice nature.

"I got close to Sin…and now my memories are fucked up," I spoke softly so they heard me, and I saw a few of them nod.

"Whatever your Lady Worship says," he guy who was behind all the trash talking said before they backed away slowly and went down into the hurl of the ship to do whatever. Maybe they would play with the giant yellow birds.

She was so silent, and the look on her face was beginning to start looking dark; a part of me was worried, so I asked her if she was okay and she only sighed.

"They were being really rude…but, I really believe your Zanarkand exists. I really do, you know," Yuna was so into it that I almost took a step back. It was like seeing her all over again…before she…helped…ruined everything.

But her words…I knew my old Zanarkand was dead. I believed that without a doubt, but she was right. My fake-Zanarkand was real. I just had a feeling it wouldn't be for long. Does anything ever last?

Before I knew it, I was confiding in her about the both of them.

Mistake. Was this mistake number two?

"I think…in the end, both of you are right. There is a Zanarkand in ruins, and there is one out there that is still thriving. The only question is who is creating the one that I was in not too long ago?" I mused out loud.

Yuna didn't seem to understand, and before I let her speak such confusion, I started talking again.

"It's no use trying to figure out the meaning behind my words or the secret behind the two Zanarkands. Because in the end, it doesn't matter because none of us will be going to the one that seems to still exist. At the end of this road, all roads, there are only ruins and death."

Maybe it was my tone or the look in my eyes, but she dropped the subject and walked off after staring at me sorrowfully for a few seconds as if she wanted to comfort me.

That is my line right there. Ignore her. No more.

I turned away from her and continued to stare at the sea. The waves were soothing me somehow. Maybe it was all the memories of being on a boat with her. She was always by my side.

Until now.

~Tidus~

About an hour or so till we hit shore, I got curious about the top part of the ship. That and the bottom front (where I was) was starting to get crowding.

When I got up there, I caught a conversation that I don't think I needed or wanted to hear. Lulu was getting onto Wakka.

"What are you going to do with him? What if he doesn't find her? What if there is no 'her' in the first place?"

"You think Sin messed him up that much? Since when does Sin give people memories?"

I rolled my eyes; it seemed that I had made an impression on the woman to the point that this woman, one who didn't like people, was worried about me. Why is it always me?

"Yuna wants to make him her Guardian."

"And he already has a Summoner!" Wakka protested.

"What if she doesn't exist? Or she isn't in Luca?" Lulu insisted.

"You heard that other Summoner lady….she knows the kid's Summoner. Besides, you seen him; he doesn't really want anything to do with Yuna. Why would I ask him to be her Guardian if he distances himself from her?"

"It's because of his father, you idiot."

I had had enough of this conversation and went to set them both straight. I popped up on the stairs and my appearance startled them. I gave them both long looks before I sighed.

"There is no way in the Fade that I will become her Guardian. I already fucked up once when it came to Emma and choosing someone else over her, I won't be doing it again. She will be in Luca." My voice was very confident; I wanted them to know I meant business.

Lulu seemed to consider my words and conviction. "Why are you so sure that she'll be there? What if Sin affected her as it did you?"

I turned away from the two and looked out on the water. "Because if there is one thing I know with absolute certainty, is that my girl is a masochist. She'll always go back to the pain." My eyes grew distance as I thought of her.

"Why would someone be willing to do that?" Wakka cried as it seemed completely incomprehensible to him.

I chuckled bitterly. "A way to remember she's alive. Sometimes to keep on living, one needs to be cold. She needs a way to remember that she is still alive and able to feel."

When I turned to look back at Lulu, her face was even paler, and understanding shown in her eyes. I could tell she understood exactly why I needed to go back to my Summoner. To give her a reason to live, to feel, to exist.

Lulu nodded to me, and I headed to the other side of the top half of the ship, sat down on the edge, and let my legs hang.

I wasn't just going to find Emma so I could help her continue living, to have some sort of meaning in her life (because if you were alone in your suffering, the madness set it). That was why she needed me, and I had forgotten.

Or maybe I hadn't. Maybe I knew that she would always have someone there. She had our Squad. She had our mentors. She had me every now and then toward the end. She always had the Faith…but maybe that was the problem. The Faith had forgotten what it was like to live, and they barely existed. All they allowed themselves was the contact of those who came to visit them.

Chosen were rare, but it happened, though with only a few Faith. There were only a few that wanted to risk getting attached to something that died quickly. Maybe Ifrit and Shiva had gotten lucky with Emma and me.

We were still alive, yeah?

But for how long?

Would Sin kill us? Would we do anything about Sin…could anything be done?

I figure if my girl had figured out a solution, one that not only would be permanent but optional, she would have killed the damn thing long ago.

After all, she was the one who had found the Final Faith, the Faith of Zanarkand after all. I figured when I got there, I would know exactly what it asked of her. Something that has almost destroyed her.

I remember when she came back to me…she had asked me and our Squad to wait for her at the exit of the Trail. And when she came back…she was changed, damaged, and something so much more.

I think then I knew, we all did, what she had accomplished, but we refused to believe it. After all, punishment couldn't be taken away…

Punishment from the Creator had to be completed. Maybe that was why we were still alive. We were the reason why Spira was being torn apart. We helped create Sin, and we helped unleashed it on the world. We didn't stop the war. We didn't keep Spira safe…we let Civil War drive the world into the ground.

Yeah…that had to be it. The Creator kept us alive so we could bear witness what we have done…

I think that's the worst punishment there…to watch and not be able to do anything…

Or was this a chance at Redemption?

I guess I won't be able to find out until I know everything.

~Tidus~

Damn me. I could resist all manner of women and men hitting on me; I could resist getting into fights (sometimes); hell, at times I could resist throwing Emma up against the wall and having my way with her…but I couldn't resist that ball.

I had made my way down to the bottom floor of the ship's top, where I had been peaceful before until it became crowded, and there it was…so innocent.

Fucking Blitzball.

Just staring at it made me remember my old man…so much anger, disappointed, and hatred…at least I knew mine and could feel such toward them. Emma couldn't really remember her parents. That bastard used to taunt me, saying I would never be as good as a player as him. And the one time I tried that shot of his…I failed.

Mother was off to the side, just watching him belittle me. Did it matter that he said I wasn't the only one failing? No. But she still didn't comfort me or stop him.

Just staring at the ball…fuck it.

I remembered every step, and as I completed them, I heard his voice in my head, that taunting prick.

I was so in the zone, so into the move, like I usually am when it comes to Blitzball, that when I spun that last bit and kick the shit out of the ball that it just disappeared into the horizon, I didn't even notice Wakka and his crew behind me.

"Whoa, man, what was that shot called? Amazing…" his awestruck tone seemed to irritate me. Of course he'd be impressed with anything of Jecht's. "You still won't reconsider about just joining us for a few games in the tournament?" You said your Summoner will be there right? She likes to watch? What do you think about playing for her?"

Temptation be gone!

I knew what Wakka's deal was: he was giving Blitzball one last shot before completing dedicating himself to his Summoner…did he really think that would work for me?

Yeah, if Emma was there, I had no doubt she'd be okay with it, but the point is, I wouldn't be okay with it.

No. I needed to make this choice; I needed to make this stance. I didn't have lines before, but I sure as hell have them now.

The tournament was a distraction. I would use it to find her.

I felt someone come closer and turned just slightly to see Yuna behind me to my right clapping and smiling.

If that wasn't a sigh, her approval, then I didn't know what was.

"Sorry, man, I made my choice. Nothing comes before her again."

~Tidus~

When we docked, I ignored the trash talking about the Besaid Aurochs. Just hearing it, though, made me want to get in that tournament and win it. I had absolutely no doubt that if I joined in, there would be no losing for Wakka's team.

I wonder what she would say about my commitment to avoid Blitzball, especially if I broke it to help Wakka win.

I do own him…

"Let's go see Maester Mika!" the girl suggested, and I felt Wakka dragging me with them.

On the way they explained that he was in office for fifty years…but what office? Running Spira.

Spira was never united…it had different cities, different leaders…if Spira had anything close to someone being leader, it would have been Emma and I, leaders of the Squad. But we were only there to protect it not govern it.

When we got to the dock, someone else came off the ship first. A few in the crowd called him a Guado, but just from looking at him, I could tell he could only boast for half. And I had a feeling about him…a bad one. Maybe not too bad, but just looking at him and feeling the magic come off him…I knew this man would do whatever it took to get what he wanted. Death was already clinging to him.

Then the half-man-Guado turned around, got on his knees, and started doing the Blitz player. It took everything in me to not laugh at the sight.

When I saw her, I would have to laugh and tell her. I wonder if she started it. I could see that; mocking, my Emma did the victory sign, and bamm, some idiot thought it was much more than it was.

Hilarious.

The old man that walked down, however, had my full attention. There was something off about him; he didn't just feel like death but smelt like it too. And not in the way that Emma, I, or this Seymour guy had death…no, he was death.

We had an Unsent in our mists. Where was Emma when I needed her?

I caught the tail end of the Guado-Man's speech. A Maester of Yevon, going for friendship and peace, huh? Maybe, maybe not. I didn't care. If he wanted to rule this world, I had no problem with it. My only problems were Emma and Sin.

I guess his plans, good or bad, really wouldn't matter if I was to destroy the world…actually destroying this backwards shithole seemed like fun in that second.

Wakka grabbed my arm. "You too, bow your head."

I glared at him; I was tired of him trying to inflict his religion on me. "Hell no. I ain't bowing to the dead. At least one that hasn't earned my respect. Besides, I'm not some Yevon fanatic like you are. In fact, while he was living, I kind of despised the brat." I whispered harshly at him, yanked my arm free, and walked off.

Before I went though, I saw the look the Guado-Man gave Yuna. Recognition in his eyes and I could tell that it was more than just whose lions she came out of.

It made me wonder if eye color was still a good way to tell the Al-Bhed apart from the rest of Spira.

As I walked off, it didn't take long before someone caught up with me.

It was Yuna. I wasn't even two docks over when I stopped for her. I would tell her here, that I was done with her and her little group. Yes. Clean break.

"Please don't be mad at Wakka. After all the death in his life…he needs something to believe in. Spira needs it. I know you don't care for Yevon, but…"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "So what you saying, asking, is that I be respectful of this religion based on so many falsehoods? It's not like Wakka respectful of anything that he doesn't believe in. That boy is so fall of Yevon's ass that he's ready to fight and kill someone if they go against Yevon."

Wakka protested my words as he came in at the tale in of our conversation.

"I can be civil, Yuna, when I'm giving the same courtesy." I turned toward Wakka then. "I had actually considered breaking my vow and playing with your team, to help you because the Creator knows you need it, but I refuse to play with someone who is so narrow-minded that he couldn't see the truth if it fucked him in the ass."

That was when I left.

I had been alone for like ten minutes before something occurred to me. Where were the fucking Guado hiding out? In my time, they had taken over the Moonflow area, blinding into nature and all that.

My thoughts were disrupted when Lulu found me. I looked at her wary-like. Honestly, I never really knew what to expect from her expect protecting Yuna and catering to her wishes…it kind of reminding me of Emma.

"Wakka's an idiot," were her first words, causing me to snort.

"You've got me," I confessed, and decided if she was so blunt and honest, that I would go with her until I found Emma. Just for entertainment purposes of course. "So, Yuna started crying yet?"

Lulu looked at me oddly for a second, then she seemed to dismiss my question. Which just totally confirmed my theory that the girl had indeed been crying. No doubt Lulu chewed Wakka the fuck out and now was coming to get me so Yuna could have another shot at me.

Or something like that.

"While we walk, I've got a question. Where's the Guado live now?"

"The Guado live in Guardosalam. It's the area that houses the Farplane," Lulu answered simply.

I raised an eyebrow. "That's called Guadosalam now? It used to be headquarters for the Squad, even though most of us lived in Zanarkand."

The Squad's mission was to protect Spira, living and the dead. Speaking of dead, shouldn't a Summoner have realized that Maester was dead by now? But I guess if they're really all beginners, then they really wouldn't know how to recognize that shit.

But, really, the Guado living there since forever? I doubted it. It seemed when Sin was unleashed, a whole lot of shit got turned around and upside down in Spira. Bevelle and "Yevon" are so called heroes and holy places…I wonder what Wakka would say in regards to Machina if he knew what was beneath Bevelle right this minute. Besides a faint glimpse of Dungeons, which really were the best and inescapable (for those that didn't know them), I once again lost track of my old memories.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, and as soon as I got in the room Lulu lead me to, Wakka went straight to me. He seemed to have trouble saying what he wanted, but lucky for him, Yuna burst in with the Ronso on her tail, and demanded that I come with her. Apparently, Auron had been seen. In a café.

I don't know; once again, just the thought of a big man doing something so out of place, just set me in laughs. I didn't, of course.

Wakka then protested.

"Yuna, I was going to apologize, and then, he's going to help us win. You can't go dragging him off. Especially since we only have to win two matches! For the first time, we have a chance not to be kicked out the first round." Wakka pleaded to his Summoner.

Yuna assured him we would be back in time if I wanted to play. Then she dragged me outside and started telling me all sorts of history on Auron.

Her father's Guardian, huh? I bet he knew Emma.

Maybe he could help me find her; that, and I remembered when we were in the fake Zanarkand, he talked about my girl. Or at least I think he was. I got that feeling again.

She ran off with the Ronso right behind her.

I rolled my eyes. Yep, I was going to follow here and then that would be it.

As I started down the hall, I heard two Al-Bhed.

"Y myto Summoner!"

"Fa sicd nabund."

So, this must be what Rikku was talking about. They would make sure that the Summoner's didn't do stupid stuff like killing themselves for temporary relief. And it seemed they were going to go after Yuna.

Should I save her?

Emma would want me to, but I wonder what would be the best type of saving. Let them have her and thus she is protected from Sin, or keep her from the Al-Bhed so that she can latter on kill herself?

Alive would be better.

I decided to ignore the two and wandered after her.

So after running around for a while, finding nothing, the most interesting thing to happen was Yuna's Ronso getting insulted by other Ronso.

I told him to kick their asses, because by the sounds of it, they're the ones who tore off his horns.

Turning around after he took care of them, Yuna was gone.

Apparently, the Al-Bhed took her.

I sighed. "Let's head back to Lulu; maybe Yuna's there."

She wasn't, but I didn't expect anything else. What I didn't expect was the Al-Bhed using Yuna as a bargaining check with the game. Like they would give her back.

"Help us get our Summoner back," Lulu pleaded when it looked like I wasn't reacting or going to do anything when she told me what happened to Yuna.

"She'd be safer with the Al-Bhed then going after Sin," I hinted, and Lulu's eyes widened.

"You know a Summoner's fate then," she stated.

"I was picked up by Al-Bhed before getting hit by Sin again and winding up on Besaid." I confessed.

Lulu narrowed her eyes. "So just because they saved you, you're going to let them take Yuna? You don't know what they'll do …with her!"

I snorted. "They will protect her a lot better than you will; you taking her straight into death."

Lulu seemed taken aback. "It is her choice."

"Is it? I really wonder about that considering just who her father is."

I had her there, and we both knew it. But in the end, what I knew was that Yuna had made her choice and so had I. I wanted nothing to do with Yuna…but she needed me. Emma would never forgive me if I left her alone, even if it was the better option, safer option, for the girl.

Fuck it.

I turned around and started toward the docks. Lulu and the Ronso, I heard, scrambled after me.

By the time we hit the docks, old machina started coming after us. There were three in front of us. I narrowed my eyes…these were the ones we left on highways and roads to keep travelers safe from fiends.

With that thought, I knew exactly which elemental spell was its weakness. I tilted my sword and channeled some old magic into it. One swing of my sword from the right end to the left, my Lightning striking and dismantling them all in one go.

The spell had me panting a bit; after all, I had no stamina for magic because, really, in fake Zanarkand, what use did I have for fighting beyond the occasional physical one?

Lulu gasped as she took in my magic. "I thought you were a physical fighter?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you ask? Besides, don't we have a Summoner to find?"

With that, she nodded, and the Ronso just grunted.

As we made our way toward Yuna, I started thinking about back toward that line. Was I really crossing it if I was saving the girl? I know I didn't want anything to do with her, but would I be compromising myself if I left her to her fate?

The Squad's purpose was to protect, and if I left her, then what did that say about me? What kind of person have I become? What had the Faith, life, done to me that I would be willing to leave this child on her own?

Emma, what have we become?

~Tidus~

After we saved her, I saw the hero worship in her eyes just get so much fucking larger.

Oh Creator, why have you cursed me with attracting women?

I ignored the two females and the male on our way back to Wakka. When we did get back to the guy, he started sprouting off all this shit about Al-Bhed.

Two of our Squad were Al-Bhed; her so called boyfriend was Al-Bhed. I couldn't count how many times I owe them my life. They were my family.

"That's enough with your prejudice. I guess that apology from early meant nothing. I saw the beating you took on our way back. I doubt you can play. Can the team play without you?"

I refuse to play and help a man like that win. Blitzball was about all coming together and putting aside everything (the war, hate, grudges, differences), and have some kind of fun, light, in our lives. And here he was destroying that.

Fuck Blitzball. I didn't need it to become anymore tainted than it already was.

"No, man, please," one of the other players begged. "We need you! We've never got this far before, and with Wakka out, you're our only hope."

I turned toward Wakka and looked him in the eyes. "You know, even your precious Yevon didn't mind the Al-Bhed; in fact, he frequently how Al-Bhed advisors."

Wakka looked scandalized. It was only then that it dawned on me why he disliked them so much: machina. We were just attacked by a machina that was old. That machina was actually an old Blitzball trainer. And the Al-Bhed I met before…they were specifically looking for machina, a damn airship to be honest. And here was Wakka, still under the impression that machina destroyed the world, and Sin was the result. So it made since that he didn't like the Al-Bhed; not only did they dismiss Yevon, but they still interacted with machina.

The only reason I could think these Yevonites would be so anti-machina was because of control. There was no way Bevelle didn't have machina. That place was just like Zanarkand; it ran on machina of all types. So either it was about control or just an excuse for something to blame.

Because I could just see how everything would go if the world knew Sin was the result of Zanarkand protecting itself from Bevelle's death machina.

Wakka, once he got my attention, preceded to swallow his pride and apology with a promise to try and be more open minded.

I sighed as I knew this was the best I could hope for. I nodded and joined the team for the final round of Blitzball.

~Tidus~

We were winning the game three to zero when halftime came and the fans were screaming for Wakka. While I could be that douche that won the game, I was going to be the better man, and let Wakka have it. Even if he was the douche.

Once he won the game, which really wasn't that hard with my three point lead (though he did let the Goers get at least one point), those stupid fin Fiends started attacking. Good thing I was watching otherwise he would have had to face them alone.

I jumped into the sphere, raced toward him, and with the two of us, we defeated at least four ways of the bastards.

Once we got out of the water tank, Wakka and I ran into Auron being such a badass. He killed that thing in one hit. But I guess that's what you get when you've got a big ass sword. I'm fast and strong, but while Auron is slow, he's a heavy hitter.

He says nothing when I call out his name in recognition because some giant bird comes attacking us.

Wakka's pretty beat up. Auron's hits will do some damage, but he's slow and that things probably a bit faster. But what kind of damage can that thing do? A few hits, Wakka may be dead…and I'm a bit winded myself from the magic earlier and the playing ball. My magic will help, but it won't last. That is if I'm able to get more than a few spells off. Fuck, I wish I had practiced a bit more.

But when did I think I would need magic? There was like nothing attacking the fake-Zanarkand till Sin popped out of nowhere. Shit…that reminds me, where the fuck did all these fiends come from?

Shit! I dodged an attack from that things foot. Need to make sure it doesn't hit anybody; especially Wakka…I wonder…

"Wakka, you got anything to blind it?"

With a quick grin, he sends a Dark Attack at that damn thing.

Once it's blinded, Wakka and I get like two attacks in each before Auron swings his damn sword and hits it good.

Then the thing goes after him. He dodges, but I could see that the Darkness receded from its eyes.

"Wakka hit it again!"

Five more minutes with the same strategy, and we kill the thing.

We move down the row and get surrounded on both sides.

"Shit. Give me a break!"

As soon as I say these words, I see Seymour move out of the corner of my eye. I begin to feel the buildup of power, the circle and power surrounds him, then a chain drops.

But something stops the chain. Another buildup of magic, counteracting the one Seymour Summoned.

I already know who it is before I trace the source back to her. She's standing on a small tower stick to the right of him. I see her hair color and wonder when it turned all red, but that was something to ask her after the battle.

Her blood red flows to the side just like her the tails of her corset top. She was in mostly black today. She had those tight leggings on with her knee-high ice-silver lace up boots. Her top was black with her thread the same color as the thread. The corset top was plain except for the design of the thread looking like veins. There was a section that was half as long as my index finger on the sides that went straight up and down. There was a line no bigger than the width of my nail coming down the middle of her front. The zipper was hidden, there. She hated those lace up ones that were the fashion of some of the female hardcore battle Summoners and Guardians. Back in Zanarkand, the women wore these corset topped dresses and leggings into battle. The Summoners tended to favor the dresses while the Guardians liked the pants—even if a few like Emma went half way between the two. I couldn't directly see, but I figured this armor was the one that favored triangles like designs. Inside these triangles (which were on each breast and her stomach/back, however, had suspicious vein like designs. Where the bottom of her top met her leggings, the sides and back continued down like if she were wearing a dress while the front of her legs from her waist down to her boots were uncovered.

My observations of her beautiful form stopped when she looked Seymour dead in the eyes. "Do you know how she feels each time you Summon her and use her power? Those chains are to keep her power bound because of the pain. You are a poor excuse for a son."

"Then what will you do?" Seymour demanded. "These people need help."

She only turned her gaze toward the center of the arena, the big gaping hole in front of him.

Her own Summoning circle came to life as she summoned her own power.

All the fiends stopped moving as the cold spread from her to all corners of the arena.

In that hole, an Aeon started to rise. Rising from the bottom of the arena, a giant shard of ice rose rapidly. When it got to her level, stopped, nothing happened for a second before it exploded. The shards of ice went every-fucking-where.

Each one hit a fiend and destroyed them. In the center of that ice shard, I saw the frozen Aeon take life and shape. She was devastating in her beauty as well as the power she held—the power of death.

The fiends that weren't by her welcoming shards of ice were soon disposable of by a combined effect of magic from the ice blue Aeon and her Summoner.

Once the fiends broke up and dissolved into the little light particles confirming their Sent status (as it is only through the death of fiends that they head to the Farplane), she dismissed her ally with a bittersweet smile.

Wakka saw Yuna and ran off leaving me alone with Auron.

But me, I couldn't take my eyes off her. I had found her.

"I found you," I breathed as I let lose some of my magic, power, soul at her.

Her eyes snapped to mine. Her face was schooled; she let none of her emotions be revealed.

"Come, she's meeting us near one of the docks." Auron's voice gave nothing away just like her face.

~Tidus~

"What the fuck are you saying?"

"Sin is Jecht."

So it was true. He was Braska's Guardian. For the first time in that man's life, he put someone else above himself. But how did he become Sin? He was Braska's Guardian, right?

That's when it hit me.

My eyes widened and I knew they were filled with horror. I stopped breathing as I snapped my head toward my love. Would she really be part of something like that?

How the fuck did someone even know how to do that…that…

"Summoners and Guardians defeat Sin," I barely spoke above a whisper as everything dawned on me. "And the Summoner is sacrificed but what about the Guardian? How much power was needed to power that damn thing?"

Her face finally revealed something: guilt.

"By the time I got to Zanarkand, she had already come up with the plan, I just didn't know it until much later. She had spoken with the other Faith…and this seemed to be the only way. Only a Faith as an Aeon had enough power, enough soul to kill, but it needed something extra. It needed more, just a bit more than the average power of an Aeon."

"It needed a Summoner as well: two for one. Body of a Guardian and the combined power of the Guardian and Summoner." I finished.

Auron only raised an eyebrow, but I knew what he was thinking. How the fuck did I get all that out of 'Sin is Jecht?'

"So…the old man finally got the damn thing to work…figured out exactly what was needed," my voice was bitter.

She turned away. "When he heard that the three of us had been taken by his son…the leader of the only threat to Zanarkand…he panicked. He had thought we died. And in a way, he was right. We all did die."

Pushing aside my feelings on what happened, the regret and guilt, I went straight to her and wrapped my arms around her front and molded my chest to her back. Finally, after all these years, she would have some type of comfort.

I couldn't see her face, but I felt her body shake. I buried my face in her neck as she cried soundlessly.

For everything. Us, Spira, our family, the people of Spira for the past thousand years. Everything.

I didn't count the minutes or seconds it took for her to let it all out. But when she was done, she wiped her face, turned around in my arms, and her right hand cupped my left cheek. I leaned into it.

I finally had her. Here she was, finally, back where she belonged: my arms. I would never let her go.

But first we had a few problems had to take care of before we could have a second chance.

"The past doesn't matter anymore," I told her. "We made mistakes, but now is the time to figure out where we go from here. How are we going to spend our second chance?"

"We are going to fix those mistakes. It's our job after all. Squad for life," she responded without a second of hesitation.

I grinned at her response. She was by my side and never leaving. I had a feeling this was going to be like old times, but this time, we were going to do things the right way. Me and her, nothing else would get in between us. No sister, no Faith, sure as hell no Sin.

We played a part in fucking up Spira, so we had to fix that. I accepted the mission laid out before us. So I asked her a question I asked her so many times before we headed out for our current assignment.

"Fire or Ice?"

To be continued…

Translations:

"Y myto Summoner!" : A Lady Summoner!

"Fa sicd nabund." : We must report.