Politics are discussed.
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italics = denotes thought or memory (for the most part)
Not Mine
Diplomacy - 3 Days Until the Coronation
"I don't see why we can't give them the money for their education center. The east side of the largest part of main continent near the sea is relatively empty and there is nothing wrong with wanting the Guado to start teaching." Yuna said staring Gippal and Baralai down as Shelinda furiously took notes beside her.
"The money will be better served if it's used on the school in Bikanel instead, there are many who live in the dusty mining town there now. Not just Al Bhed either, Yevonites too. A school could help with greater integration of both sides. As someone with Al Bhed and Yevonite blood you must understand this best Yuna." Baralai told her in his most soothing voice, which Yuna hated - it meant that he was trying to placate her into agreeing with him.
"The school there is already going to get money, that's not up for debate. It's a mining town and already rather rich in resources." Yuna said, "But I do not see why we cannot put money into the new Guado homeland. I promised Tromell forgiveness and I intend to see it done."
"And we have given it - by leaving their people alone and cleaning out their home in the Moonflow. A home, I will mention - they have not returned to. The latter cost us time and money and amounted to nothing. Instead we discover that they had already made home by the east sea." Gippal told her eyes hard like steel.
"It wasn't all for nothing. Yevonite Priests and Al Bhed scientists have moved into Guadosalam to study the farplane. Guadosalam has become a hot spot for those who wish to study the unknown. If you could let go of your prejudice for just a moment you would see that." Yuna looked at her cousin not flinching nor backing down.
"You of all people should understand my hesitance. Every time the Al Bhed step up to help the Guado they have turned their shoulder at us. Why then should we give them more resources when time and time again they have given us nothing in return." Gippal continued to argue, "Why not spend the money on Al Bhed ideas which will further our growing Spira and have always continued to further our growing Spira. When her Ladyship was it trouble it was not the Guado who came to her aid, no. Let us give our money where our money will be best spent."
"I unfortunately agree with Gippal on this one, as loathe as I am to admit it." Baralai said.
"What if it happens again?" Yuna asked staring at all of them.
"What if what happens again?" Baralai asked confused.
"Yuna wants to know what happens if we ignore the plight of the Guado. If we ignore them when they need us most. If we continue the tradition of distrust and anger instead of kindness and peace. It was this sort of attitude that created Seymour Guado after all. The othering and splintering of both our community and theirs. They wish to use the money to make a school to urge against that sort of thing, to attempt to educate instead of misinform. To bring people together." Lulu said.
The meeting, which had been going on for about a half an hour had not yet reached resolution. But Yuna, who was sitting at the end of the table could tell that they were close to a breakthrough. And she was glad of it. After all, their petty bickering could not go on for much longer. The whole purpose of this meeting had not been to argue over the building budget for the Guado school, but instead to give her any information that needed to be passed down before her coronation not 3 days away now. It had been her fault for bringing up the Guado in the first place she held no illusions about that, she should have just waited until no one but her had any say in the matter - but she wanted to go into her administration with good will towards all and not with this hovering in the background.
If she could get everyone to agree together, when the decree came down there would be less tension. With the backing of the current legislation people would have no choice but to agree with it. It was easier to get people to agree to something when it wasn't just one person telling everyone to follow. Trust was better fostered when multiple people from different backgrounds agreed. In the coming days people would have to get used to the ideology of one, there was no way around it - but for now there were other people who could back up her final say in the matter of law and policy and she wanted to take advantage of that, "You agree with her Lulu?" Baralai asked.
"We both do." Nooj told him, "As someone who has seen Seymour's rage up close Praetor I do not know how you couldn't agree that giving the Guado the tools for a better and more open education is the way to go."
Having heard both sides Yuna sighed, "I think the problem is that we are treating it as an either or. Why don't we do this - agree that one fourth of our current pool for these two current education budgets will go to the Al Bhed and three fourths will go to the Guado. Then in an effort to apologize for not giving either side the full budget they desire we will send a few educators over to both areas. I already know of some Yevonites and Al Bhed who would love to work with both camps and get to know all sides of the war. We can make it part of the rebuilding effort that these scholars help each side set up the schools and get the system in place. If either people reject the help then it is no longer on our shoulders."
It wasn't a perfect solution nor was it - as Yuna had hoped, the total agreement to send the money over to the Guado. Still it was a compromise, and as Yuna had learned life was full of compromise. It was how big picture things got done. As the room sat in silence contemplating what she had said Yuna hoped that they would eventually agree with her. Finally after a few minutes Baralai let out a breath, "Fine. I don't completely like it, but I agree on the terms."
"I agree as well." Gippal said, "Although I want it on record that it was not my original decision."
"Thank you." Yuna said.
Next to her Shelinda handed Yuna the data pad she had been scribbling on, "If you could just sign here?"
Yuna took the blunt pen from her assistant and signed her name in long loopy letters, "Done."
"Perfect." Shelinda said storing the pad and taking out another from the bag next to her feet, "I'll have our records division put together more legal paperwork for signature later on, but for now that's going to be the document of record if no one has any objections."
"You'll find none from us." Lulu told her.
Sometimes Yuna didn't know how Shelinda did it. She had to be at least somewhat frazzled but through it all the woman was able to keep a calm composure. Often times she got snippy with Yuna for slacking off or not doing what she had promised but that was a bit different than the manic energy Yuna thought one in Shelinda's position must feel every now and then. Even Yuna was sometimes overcome by everything going on around her. Now for instance, where all she wanted to do was relax on the beach with a cold glass of water. As she considered this she felt a calming presence that felt like gentle waves and sunlight fill her mind, "Tidus?"
"You doing okay? Felt a bit of stress from you so I figure I should send you some of what I'm feeling right now." He told her.
"They've been arguing about budget for a little over a half hour now." Paine said.
"How do you -" Yuna asked.
"I'm in the waiting room. Baralai wanted to go over unit information with me after this, and he thought the meeting would be short. I heard the fleeting thought of money cross my mind, and since the thought wasn't mine -" Paine trailed off letting Yuna fill in the blank.
"It's my fault really. But we've decided so the bulk of the meeting can start now."
"If you need anything just let us know." Tidus told her.
"Of course!" Yuna said.
"By the way, where are you father? Feels nice. Share the feeling. I'm sitting in this cold steel room..."
The conversation faded as Paine and Tidus continued on with their chatter but filtered her out of it. Still there was a small tickling feeling in the back of her mind that told her that if she wanted to she could summon them back to her without much trouble. Across the table Lulu stared at her, "Yuna?"
"Ah. Sorry, Paine and Tidus were helping me destress."
Beside her Shelinda didn't even raise her head from whatever she was working on. In bringing her assistant into her fold of friends Yuna had been forced to be honest with Shelinda about a few things, mainly that Tidus had once been Sin and upon being brought back to life, the two of them had been given this connection as he had been her Aeon. At first Shelinda had been shocked, but eventually she had promised to keep the secret. It was better this way Shelinda had said, and above all she trusted Yuna to protect people. It wasn't the full truth but it was a truth that was easy to swallow.
Sometime in the future Yuna wondered if it would all come crashing down on them, if her house of cards would come tumbling down into nothing but ruin. But something told her that it would be okay. Once they were gone it would no longer matter anyway. She would die and Sin and Yu Yevon would follow and Tidus would not allow himself to be used again in such a way ever again. He was her small evil to pay for the protection of a whole country and even then, in her heart of hearts she knew he was nothing but good - nothing but loving. Some people would never see it that way though and so she would guard him close to her chest for all time, "Ah." Lulu said but something passed over her face that confused Yuna, it was the same look she had worn when they had been in their hidden grotto.
"Is everything okay Lulu?" She wanted to know why her friends looked the way she did.
"Everything is fine." Lulu reassured her but Yuna knew that it wasn't the whole truth.
"As long as you say so."
"I do. Now come I have 15 pages for you to look over and not much time to do it in."
"As do we all, although I admit my document is smaller." Gippal said.
After that they fell into easy conversation. Lulu covered the expenses of the Youth League while Nooj told her where they wanted to go - how they had just started exploring the cave system under Mushroom Rock Road. How they were thinking about setting up an underground transportation system that could potentially take one from Luca directly to Mushroom Rock, although he wasn't sure if the money or resources were there yet. Baralai talked about the project to save whatever they could of the Bevelle Underground and how he wanted to make it habitable but how the project was also slow growing. Together he and Gippal also presented a new idea that the two of them had come up with: The Spira Fair. This would be a once every four years event they explained, with a big blitzball competition and machina show. Maybe even some rides could be set up. The fair would be done in different locations every time to show off different cultures and different cities. But it was still deep into the planning stages and New Yevon wasn't sure they had the funds to commit to such a project either. Currently a lot of Spiria's budget was going to rebuilding efforts and would have to do so for a long time. The notes that they all had in front of them did not lie.
Yuna took everything they said under advisement but tucked the idea of the fair away to come back to later. While they might not have the funds to do one every four years yet the idea of doing one at some point, maybe as a one off appealed to her. A little under an hour later and they were finally done. Shelinda saved the notes she had taken to her pad and then made a audio copy of the conversation on the record sphere on the table. This she tucked into her satchel with her pad. When she got back to the office she would make a third paper copy for their records. The record sphere would most likely end up on Yuna's desk tomorrow for a second review.
Then they were done, and after short goodbyes everyone splintered off to go their own ways. Freedom, sweet freedom Yuna though as they exited the building. Stepping out into the mid-afternoon sunlight felt like a shot of tea or something equally warm and soothing had been injected into her veins. Next to her Lulu blinked up at the bright rays. Despite what she had said earlier Yuna saw her wearing the same expression she had worn when Yuna had mentioned Paine and Tidus by name, "I know you said - " Yuna started.
"I know. I'm still thinking about it, telling you what's on my mind - what I'm hiding, but it's none of your business and if I want to tell you I will."
"Sometimes I feel like the whole of Spira is my business." Yuna said laughing.
"This is unrelated." Lulu told her.
"Ready to go?" Nooj asked appearing next to Lulu.
"Yes." She turned back to Yuna, "I'll see you later."
"Yes! Later."
The couple walked away and as they did so Yuna loosened the reigns of her connection with Tidus just a little bit, "I'm on my way home. You up for a late lunch?"
"I'll start making something right away." Tidus answered her.
Comforted, and just a little bit hungry Yuna signaled Elma letting her know that she was ready to go home and wondered just what Tidus would have ready for her when she go back. Whatever it would be she was excited to try it.
A/N: This chapter was a bit of a challenge to myself to see if I could handle something a bit more dialogue heavy. Also Paine is very good at lying ;) "unit information" has got to be code for something.