Yuna receives an early morning guest and the two spend the day together.

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italics = denotes thought or memory (for the most part)

Not Mine

Memory - 4 Days Until the Coronation

Light streamed into Yuna's office, casting away all shadows. Sound filtered in from an open window. Her office was located near one of the smaller New Zanarkand gardens, somewhere in the Imperial district. The front had no markings that would hint that it was a government building. Which was how the Summoner liked it. Hidden and tucked away from prying eyes. If people really paid attention to who came and went, they could easily deduce what the building was for. And yet most did not.

Yuna glanced outside and watched people move about their daily lives, taking in the way they hastily moved from one place to another. On a street corner a man stood holding a bouquet of flowers, swaying back and forth nervously. He was dressed well, and every once and awhile would check his watch. A few minutes passed and then Yuna caught him being approached by woman in a sundress. They shared a few words and then he gave her the flowers. She smiled and brought the flowers up to her nose to take in their aroma. A pleased look came over her face as she smelled what he had brought for her. Linking arms with him the two of them walked down the garden path and eventually disappeared from sight.

Up here in her office she could see everything in the garden below. Sometimes that meant that she saw kindness and love, in the vein of what she had just witnessed. Other times though she saw unkindness, arguments, fights, and anger. People yelling and shouting, getting into spats. It should have frustrated her, but instead it made her want to fight harder. To do her best to make this world where they lived a place where that sort of aggression didn't happen as often.

Yuna looked down at the mess of papers on her desk. She knew the words on them had to resemble a speech in less than five days time, Yuna sighed. Shelinda had told her that she had aides that would do the work for her but Yuna had been adamant that no one write her speech but her. A few of her past speeches had been written by aides- with how busy she was it unavoidable. But Yuna refused to have her most important moments written by anyone who wasn't her. All of her aides were good writers, some of them even better than her - but their words always felt a little odd in her mouth. Like she was speaking words that were not hers, even if she believed everything she said. No, she would find a way to finish this, even if she worked late into the night on the day before her coronation.

A knock on the door dragged her out of her musings, "Who is it?"

"Elma her Lady Emissary!" The voice answered.

"Come in." She spoke loudly as to be heard through the thick wooden door.

The door opened and Elma stepped inside. While Yuna could protect herself, and Tidus was a more than adequate bodyguard she had long ago discovered that the rest of Spira's population did not feel that way. Some of them saw him more as a hindrance instead, as the newest issue of Spira Now proclaimed - while others just didn't see him at all. It also didn't look good to the general populace that her only guard was one she was sleeping with in bed every night. In the end she and Lulu had gotten into a long and drawn out argument about it, Yuna citing that she didn't care about what people said and Lulu exasperatedly telling her that how Yuna felt didn't matter on this issue at hand. That Tidus couldn't be there to protect her all the time. She had been right of course, once Tidus's career had exploded he often couldn't be by her side at every hour of the day.

In the end Elma had been their compromise. Originally Lulu had wanted Lucil to be the one who would accompany Yuna everywhere she went. Lucil had nixed that idea when she had announced that she and Nhadala were moving in together, and that she would be following the adventurer on her deep sea excavations. Upon her retirement a week or so later, Elma had been put in charge of the Chocobo Knights. While Elma had been upset about it at first, she had understood more than anyone that her Captain needed to follow her heart. Now, while she missed her Captain - she was happy. Leadership suited her, despite her original fears. Elma wasn't the force of reckoning that Lucil had been, but her open and jovial nature made up for it, "You have a guest here to see you."

"Why such secrecy?" Yuna asked perplexed.

Another head of black hair walked into the room and Yuna couldn't help the wide grin that broke over her features, "Lulu! I thought I wouldn't see you until the meeting."

"Nooj is handling things for both of us today. I thought I would slip away and kidnap you."

"Um." Yuna wasn't sure what to say to that.

"It's all arranged, even Tidus knows."

Taking one last long lingering look at her paperwork Yuna exhaled, "Alright. But just for a little while." She grabbed her staff which she had leaned on her desk upon coming in that morning, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Elma opened the door for them and they walked down to the first floor of the small building. Past the bottom of the stairs Yuna stopped to pop her head into the room closest to the front desk. Inside it Shelinda looked up clearly surprised to see Yuna who had told her that she would be working all day, and to try not to interrupt unless the world was falling apart, "I have decided to take the day off. Please cancel anything I had planned today. And record all inquiries in comms so that I may look over them tomorrow."

"My Lady Emissary, shouldn't you be working -."

"Not today Shelinda. I've found I've hit a roadblock in my speech. I might find inspiration elsewhere."

While she didn't look completely happy by it, who was Shelinda to say no, "I'll see to it then. Have a good day. I do expect to see you in the office bright and early tomorrow.'

At the demand that Shelinda made of her Yuna couldn't help but laugh a little, "Count on it."

They stepped outside into the sunlight and Yuna closed her eye at the warmth of it. Spending all day cooped up inside an office had almost made her forget how beautiful the sun could feel. Almost being the key word, because the instant the warmth hit her face she could not deny the joy she felt. In front of them an open air carriage sat, drawn by two large chocobos. Lulu climbed inside and then helped Yuna up. Elma followed and settled in the front seat, eyes scanning forward on the lookout for any and all potential threats. The carriage lurched forward down the street, and it dawned on Yuna by the path that they were taking that Lulu planned to take her out of the city, "We're going to the mainland." Lulu told her, no sense hiding it when Yuna could already infer it herself.

"It will be good to get out of the city." Yuna said.

The one problem with working in New Zanarkand was that it lacked so much privacy. Eight years ago while Yuna hadn't always been able to go around unnoticed, she had been able to walk among people without them rushing to touch her or to take a picture. Now that sort of comfort was gone. Instead she had to take carriages everywhere she went if she wanted to avoid the hustle and bustle that came with the job. As the cart rolled down the street people followed until they could follow no longer. Some waved and pointed before continuing on with what they had been doing.

Eventually they crossed one of the long sea bridges and entered the island mainland. Compared to the main city the island mainland wasn't as busy and from here they could walk. Yuna much preferred this. Behind them Elma trailed along at a safe distance, but close enough that she could spring to action if needed. As they meandered past the market, and onto the dirt path that lead further into the island Yuna laughed, "Is this still supposed to be a surprise?" She asked.

"I suppose not." Lulu commented, "By now you must recognize the path."

Yuna did but she didn't say anything. Eventually the path ended, and large overgrown bushes blocked their way, "I don't think you'll be getting through this miss Yuna." Elma said from behind them.

"I expected it to be overgrown, but this is a bit overkill." Yuna sighed.

"Only one way in now." Lulu told them.

Without saying another word Lulu begun to snap branches and push aside large sections of the bushes. Not one to let Lulu do all the grunt work Yuna stepped next to her friend to help her clear the brush away. Behind them Elma let out a little gasp clearly scandalized, "Your arms miss Yuna! They will get all scrapped up and the scrapes will show during the ceremony. Shelinda will be so mad."'

"Then help!" Yuna said grunting and pulling up a rather nasty looking weed.

Properly chastised by what would be the leader of the free world Elma stepped forward and begun to help them clear the path. After what felt like a good thirty minutes the greenery had been defeated and a smaller dirt path, clearly long forgotten and not created with the intention of leading to any main area on the island - presented itself to them. The three women traveled down the path until it opened up into a modestly sized clearing. A large cliff face scaled upward near the back of it, and cut into the face a waterfall - if it could even be called that, trickled down into a small pool and then even smaller stream. The stream disappeared into the woods where Yuna knew from childhood, it died off - instead of carrying off into the ocean, "Summoners and Guardians." Yuna said softly.

"What?" Elma asked.

"We used to play Summoners and Guardians here. After a little bit, Lulu didn't like playing but she kept coming. I used to pretend that I was a hero like my father - I think she came mostly to try to persuade me out of it. I had almost forgotten this place existed."

"Myself as well." Lulu said, "But as Nooj and I were cleaning up our house in Bevelle, I found a box of things that I had brought over from Besaid." She pulled a small red journal from the pouch she was wearing and passed it over to Yuna, "Here."

Yuna turned the journal over in her hands a few times, unsure and a little hesitant of what she would find inside. However Lulu would not have given it to her if she had not wanted her to read it. Turning to the only marked page she stared down at the slightly messy handwriting and begun to read, "We found the coolest spot, Yuna, Chappu, Lu, and I." She stopped, and looked up, "This is Wakka's."

"Yes." Lulu said, "I don't know why I kept it, but I did."

Clearing her voice Yuna continued, "It's this tiny little clearing and so cool. I'm namin it Club Besaid although I won't tell anyone else that because Lu would mock the Chocobos outta me. Yuna loves the waterfall, loves playin around in it. Chappu says she'll get sick playin in the water like that but I think we should let her play. She wants to start a new game - Summoners and Guardians. Lu's against it like usual but that can't be helped. We're gonna play anyway, maybe it will help her get over her sister's death. Who knows." There was a pause, "You should keep this Lulu."

"I don't want it." Lulu answered.

"You kept it for a reason, even if you don't know what the reason was. It's the last we have of him isn't it? Like the last of Chappu is Tidus's sword. What he did - what he became, it was terrible and feels unforgivable. But once upon a time we called him friend, and his last action was not one of hate - but of love. To save you. That I think is important, that is who he was."

With a little hesitation Lulu took the journal back and tucked it back into her pouch, "What did happen?" Elma asked behind them.

"Wakka was infected by Sin." Lulu told her.

Seeing the look of worry that came over Elma's face Yuna interjected, "It's not like Sin toxins or anything like that. Those aren't really real, we know that. It's more like he opened his heart to Sin, to what Sin represented, and Sin took advantage. Sin could only really influence you if you were open to it." Yuna remembered the feeling of being open to Sin's despair clearly but instead of fearing it now, she had long ago conquered and defeated it, "Let's honor those who have fallen." Yuna decided after a time.

Walking over to the small waterfall Yuna stuck her hands under the flow and cupped them to gather the water there. She drank and when she was done she clapped her hands twice. Then she bowed to the waterfall, "That was for my father and mother."

Lulu wasn't sure about the whole thing but followed Yuna anyway cupping her hands under the water and mirroring Yuna's actions, "That was for Ginnem and both Wakka and Chappu."

Turning to look behind her Yuna smiled, "You too Elma."

Joining the two women Elma did as they had done and sipped delicately before performing her clap and bow as well, "For Luzzu and Fan."

Fan had been the young girl who had died to protect Yuna on the podium all those years ago. She hadn't had time in the aftermath of the attack to find the girl's family, too focused on saving Spira but once things had finished - when she'd had a quiet moment, Yuna had gone to their house and helped them plan her funeral. Although it hadn't been asked of her she had been glad to pay out of pocket, and to performed a specially created dance to send Fan's spirit, "That was lovely Elma."

"Thank you Your Emissary."

Turning to look at Lulu she found her friend staring at her in an odd way, "What?"

"Truthfully I came here to confess something to you. But after this, I think it can wait a little longer."

"Hm." Yuna titled her head, "Can it?"

"Absolutely."

While she was curious Yuna knew better than to pry, if Lulu wanted to tell her something she would. Years had not put a dent in the woman's skill for bluntness after all. No - it seemed like whatever it was could wait, and Yuna did not fear the waiting. They had so much time now, after all.

A/N: This chapter serves mostly as a look at what the friendship between Lulu and Yuna has become after the last story. I'm rather pleased by it. And so far Lulu is choosing to hold her tongue about Paine and Baralai. Will she tell? Only I know ;)