Chapter 4: The Calm

All of Spira was celebrating.

News traveled fast from the Mushroom Rock Road, reaching the island of Besaid and the peaks of Mount Gagazet and everywhere in between. Operation Mi'ihen may not have proceeded as planned, but the desired result was achieved. Sin had been destroyed, and the world was free from the terror Sin brought in its wake. Everyone in the world could sleep in peace, no longer needing to fear death coming at any moment. That was enough to celebrate with all the passion anyone could muster, for this was a time that rarely came to Spira.

The destruction of Sin had brought the Calm.

Word of the man that did the deed also spread across the world, word of the golden warrior that cast away the darkness with his light. The people of Luca recognized the description from the Blitzball tournament, though the ones that had seen him could swear he had black hair instead of blonde. Either way that man had achieved the impossible, through a power that defied all expectations. This was no summoner or Final Aeon, but a single man prevailing through sheer raw power. This man was a hero to all of Spira, the slayer of Sin.

Goku was not celebrating.

The black pyrefly, the thing that formed the core of Sin, had survived and escaped the battle. Goku didn't know how, he didn't know when, but he knew it would return. But he could not bring himself to shatter the joy felt by the people of Spira, not before he knew more about the nature of Sin. He couldn't sense whatever form of energy the black pyrefly possessed, stopping Goku from tracking the thing down. So he decided to play the part assigned by the people, that of the victorious hero after saving the day.

It was the day after Operation Mi'ihen, and Goku was standing in the command center atop the Mushroom Rock. Standing across a table from him were Maesters Kinoc and Seymour, the highest authority figures available here. Those two were not in celebratory moods either, though Goku figured that as government figures they weren't allowed to have fun. Outside the command center there was a crowd of people wanting to see Goku, if only to personally thank him for saving their lives and bringing the Calm.

"So… Goku was it…" Seymour said. "That was quite the display you showed."

"Just doing what I came here to do," Goku said.

"Oh it was more than that," Kinoc said, clearly having forgiven Goku for leaving his side, given what had come of it. "You really have no idea what this means for the people of Spira, do you?"

"You have given them peace of mind for the first time in a decade," Seymour said. "And you get to see it with your own eyes."

"It is simply unprecedented," Kinoc said. "You are the first to defeat Sin without the Final Aeon."

"Yeah, about that…" Goku said. "What exactly is this Final Aeon?"

Both Maesters had a confused look, as if the idea of someone not knowing that was unfathomable. Kinoc cleared his throat before answering. "The Final Aeon is a being of great power, acquired by summoners at the end of their pilgrimage. It was the only way to defeat Sin, until you came along."

"The last summoner to call it was Lord Braska," Seymour said, remembering exactly where he was when the last Calm began. "That was ten years ago. It is rare for the Calm to come twice in one generation."

"Hang on a minute," Goku said. "If this Calm thing has come before, and that's when Sin is destroyed, that means Sin comes back, right?"

"Yes," Seymour confirmed, like it was obvious. "Every time Sin is destroyed, Sin returns in a new form. It has been that way for a thousand years."

"How does Sin come back?" Goku asked.

Kinoc couldn't look him in the eye. "No one knows. It just does."

"But for now, we will enjoy the Calm," Seymour said. "There is still a matter that needs addressing. What title should be awarded for your accomplishment?"

"That's really not necessary," Goku said.

"I'm afraid it is," Seymour insisted. "High Summoners… Legendary Guardians… but you are neither summoner nor guardian. We will have to use something else."

"I don't really need it," Goku said, even if those words fell on deaf ears.

"He did ask to join the Crusaders," Kinoc said to Seymour. It didn't take long to think up an appropriate adjective. "I think… Supreme Crusader will work."

Goku groaned. "Just go with Super. I use that all the time for something else."

"Super Crusader, I like it," Seymour said. "It has a nice rhyme to it."

"Then we are agreed," Kinoc said.

"You are, sure," Goku said. "I am leaving."

Without another word Goku left the command center, exiting the large tent and entering the sunlight. He saw Crusaders all around him, going about their business in this camp, preparing to pack up and head out. The Al Bhed were already salvaging what remained of their machina weapons, disappointed that their big gun had been destroyed, but grateful that its job had been accomplished nevertheless. There was some goodwill between the two groups, having survived the battle together, bonds forged in battle that bridged the differences between them.

Amidst all the people moving about the camp, there was a pair Goku recognized, and he walked over to them. "Luzzu, Gatta, good to see you two made it out in one piece."

"Goku, that was quite a show last night," Luzzu said, the memory of it still fresh in his mind. "It was certainly a big surprise."

"Yeah, I suppose it was," Goku said. He gave a weak smile and patted the back of his head. "Look, I need to apologize for something. When I asked to join your Crusaders, it was just a ruse to get to Sin. I never meant to stay with your forces, and I'm sorry I had to lie to you."

"You know, I should be mad about that," Luzzu admitted. "Desertion isn't something I can take lightly, but given what you wanted to accomplish I understand why you did it. And you succeeded at that, so I don't think anyone will mind if you left the Crusaders."

"I'm just glad I could see it," Gatta said. "It was amazing, the bright lights, the big explosion, it was like something out of a dream."

"Oh that was just a sample," Goku said. He gave a proud smile, and could almost see Gatta imagining what he meant. "I didn't want to destroy the whole plateau and everyone around Sin, after all."

Luzzu laughed for a bit, but he stopped when he realized Goku wasn't bluffing. "Oh, you're serious. Well, then I guess we'll have to wait and see what you can really do."

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Goku said.

"At least for a few months, I would think," Luzzu said. "After that, who knows?"

Meanwhile the mood was more somber at the shoreline, though still very much relieved after the battle. Despite the victory there had been casualties, yet it could have been so much worse. Sin had been destroyed before it could unleash its full wrath on the battlefield, sparing the lives of so many people. Those that lived were grieving for the fallen, honoring the dead with the knowledge that their sacrifice had not been in vain. A summoner was present to perform the Sending ritual, ensuring that the dead would reach the Farplane and rest in peace.

Yuna was performing the Sending, her second time in the course of a week. She didn't enjoy doing it, not when it was a reminder that the dead were well and truly gone. Fortunately she would not have to perform the ritual again for quite some time, for the Calm was a time when the Sending was rarely needed. Yuna had been just a little girl during the previous Calm, living in Bevelle when it started and then Besaid when it ended. Right now it felt surreal that the Calm had come again, even if she had seen Sin's destruction with her own eyes.

After the Sending Yuna returned to shore, where her guardians had watched and waited for her to finish. "Did I do better this time?"

"You were perfect," Lulu said. She walked up to Yuna and put a stray strand of hair back in place. "They will have reached the Farplane by now."

"So what happens now?" Tidus asked. He leaned back against a smooth boulder, arms resting behind his head. "I mean if the pilgrimage is so that Yuna can destroy Sin, and Sin is already destroyed, what are we supposed to do?"

"Whatever Yuna wants to do," Auron answered. "There are no pilgrimages during the Calm. Summoners are free to do as they please during such times."

Lying back on the shore, Wakka looked at Yuna. "So what do you want to do?"

Yuna sat down and stretched her arms. "I want to sleep. After that, I don't know."

Lulu smiled and sat down next to Yuna. "There's no rush, take all the time you want. We could all use the rest, and maybe you'll think of something in your dreams."

Kimahri was already setting up Yuna's tent, anticipating her need for rest. Yuna smiled at the big guy, and though he never smiled back she knew he appreciated it. "Thank you."

Kimahri nodded and quickly finished. "Yuna sleep, have good dreams."

Yuna fell asleep the moment she lied down, that exhausted from the last few days. Some of her guardians were not far behind her, enjoying the opportunity they had to rest. Wakka and Lulu were next to sleep, and they could sleep deeper than they could ever remember sleeping before. Kimahri stood guard just outside Yuna's tent, eyes watching everything that might disturb her. Tidus and Rikku stood by the shore and made idle conversation, neither in any mood to sleep. Auron stood alone further down the shore, eyes to the sky looking for someone up there.

From here on the beach Auron could see Goku standing on the cliff face, speaking with some Crusaders while glancing out at the sea. "Where have you been all this time?"

There was no response of course, what with Goku being out of earshot. Auron turned his attention to the two blondes in the group, the oddities that belonged with each other more than with the others. Auron knew that Rikku was an Al Bhed despite her claims to the contrary, an obvious charade to someone that knew some Al Bhed personally. It was none of his business to expose Rikku's identity, particularly when only one of Yuna's guardians was fooled by it. He was a little amused by Wakka's naivety, and wondered just how long it would last.

Standing at the shore and skipping rocks on the water, Tidus was trying to show Rikku the right way to do it. "So are you going to head back to your people now? It sounds like the pilgrimage is over."

"For now," Rikku said. She threw a rock and watched it make a big splash. "But Yunie will want to continue it after the Calm ends. We'll be right back where we were yesterday."

"Wait, what happens when the Calm ends?" Tidus asked. "Does Sin come back?"

Rikku nodded. "Yes, Sin always comes back."

"Well Goku beat it once," Tidus said. "I'm sure he will do it again."

That got Rikku to smile, as if the idea of the same person beating Sin again was the most wonderful thing in the world. "Maybe Yunie won't have to finish her pilgrimage after all."

By then Auron had walked over to them, and he was looking at Tidus. "We need to talk."

Tidus nodded, and when Auron walked down the shore he followed right behind. "This is about my old man, isn't it? Back at Luca, you told me that Jecht is Sin."

"I did," Auron said. "He wanted you to end his suffering. It's why he pulled you into Spira."

"Yeah, I get it now," Tidus muttered. He looked out to sea, to the spot where Sin had been destroyed. "Bet he wasn't expecting someone else to do it."

"He hoped someone might," Auron said. "Regardless, Jecht is free from his torment. You are free to do as you please. Remain Yuna's guardian, or seek some other life for yourself, the choice is yours."

"I want to go back to Zanarkand," Tidus said. "But that's not possible, is it?"

"No, it is not," Auron confirmed.

"Then I guess I'll stick around," Tidus said. "It's not like I have anywhere else to be."

Although the command center atop the Mushroom Rock was being dismantled, the largest tent remained standing for the moment. It was being used by the two maesters that had overseen Operation Mi'ihen, still here to discuss the unforeseen turn of events. Neither of them had actually expected the operation to succeed, and they had been just as surprised as everyone else when Sin had been destroyed without the Final Aeon. Just about every plan they could possibly have from here on out had been put into question, for the mere existence of someone like Goku was an unknown variable.

Kinoc rested his arms on a table and folded his hands. "Where did this guy come from?"

"I am not sure," Seymour said. "He is certainly otherworldly, that much is obvious. However, he is not merely Unsent, but something far greater than that."

"Surely you have a guess more specific than that?" Kinoc asked.

"Only suspicions, nothing more," Seymour admitted. "If I am wrong, I would rather keep it to myself. You know how Mika can be when people give him bad information."

"He expects too much," Kinoc said. "What will you need to confirm or deny your suspicions?"

"Time," Seymour answered. "Go to Bevelle ahead of me and smooth things over with Mika and Kelk. I will need to pass through Guadosalam first. Hopefully, communing with the Farplane will provide much needed answers."

"Stick me with the worse job," Kinoc complained. He sighed and shook his head. "Take Crimson Squad with you. They need something to do."

"Ah yes, your elite squadron," Seymour said. "Weren't all of your recruits supposed to die down there?"

"They were," Kinoc answered. He remembered that particular botched operation very well. "It was Goku's work again, appearing from nowhere and acting as he pleased. It would not look good to execute them all then and there. I had to do something with them."

"Understandable," Seymour said. "Very well. I will take them off your hands."

"Thank you," Kinoc said. "I'm sure they will serve you well regardless."

"We will see about that," Seymour said. He turned away from Kinoc and took a step toward the exit. "I will see you in Bevelle."

Much to Goku's surprise, there was no end to the number of people wanting to thank him.

Eventually he had to disappoint someone by leaving, not wanting to spend the entire day in the Command Center. He simply walked off the edge of the plateau, much to the shock of people that were nearby, only for them to see him gently descending to the beach below. People down there were just as shocked as the people above, but when he gently landed on the sand he received some applause. Goku looked around for a bit, found the campsite made by Yuna and her guardians, and he walked over to it while other people gathered behind him.

Goku saw the big blue cat man standing beside a tent. "Hi there, can I talk to Yuna?"

"No."

"Why not?" Goku asked.

"She is sleeping," the guardian said. "Wait until she wakes."

This exchange had drawn Auron over to them. "Don't mind Kimahri. He's very dedicated to his role as Yuna's guardian. If you have anything to say to her, you can say it to us."

"Ah, well fair enough," Goku said, turning to Auron now. "I wanted to see how all of you were doing."

"None of us are harmed," Auron answered.

"Good, good…" Goku muttered. He saw Wakka and Lulu standing by the beach, seemingly arguing with each other over something. "What's their deal?"

"They're young," Auron said. "They'll sort it out, or they'll kill each other. It doesn't really matter to us."

That was when Tidus was coming over. "Hey, Goku!"

Rikku was right behind him, and she punched Goku in the arm. "You're such a big tease! You had that kind of power hidden in your pocket and waited this long to use it!"

"I was trying to find Sin as soon as I could," Goku reasoned.

Realizing that her punch did nothing, Rikku smothered the urge to do it again. "It's just… couldn't you have done that the last time Sin went on a rampage?"

"I did stop it from completely destroying that one island," Goku said. "I forget the name…"

"Kilika," Auron said.

"Right, that," Goku said. He turned back toward Rikku. "And it was the first time I saw Sin."

"Really?" Rikku said. She looked over Goku a bit closer. "You've got to be, what, forty something years? You mean to tell be you've never seen Sin before that?"

"Honestly, yes," Goku answered. He knew he shouldn't tell anyone more than that, the reason why would only make things more complicated. "I've only been here for-"

"It doesn't matter," Auron said, cutting him off. "He is here, and Sin is not."

Rikku let out a long sigh and threw her hands up. "Fine, keep your secrets."

She turned around and walked away, though Tidus remained for a moment. "For what it's worth I appreciate what you've done. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been for Yuna to defeat Sin."

"That is true," Auron said.

Goku watched Tidus run off to follow Rikku, and then he turned back to Auron. "I'm told that Sin has been defeated before."

"Yes, with the Final Aeon," Auron answered. "I think we can all agree that your way is preferable."

And he wasn't just referring to himself and his fellow guardians, not if his gaze was anything to go by. Goku turned around and saw a crowd gathering on the beach, the people in it keeping their distance from him out of respect, but still wanting to see him with their own eyes. Goku seemed to be unassuming at first glance, his clothes being the only thing that stood out from a crowd. But they were aware of the power that lay hidden beneath the surface, and they wanted to see it again, though none were brave enough to directly ask.

Goku walked toward the gathering crowd, and the whispers among them were quickly silenced. "Alright, show of hands, who got a clear view last night?"

About a quarter of the people here raised their hands.

"Okay, we need to fix that," Goku said. He saw people lower their hands. "Alright, just so everyone knows exactly what it is, I'll show you one more time."

"Not here," Kimahri said. "You will wake Yuna."

"Oh, okay," Goku said. He looked around a bit, and then pointed to the command center atop the Mushroom Rock. "We'll do it up there instead. Does an hour from now sound good?"

The crowd could accept that.

Once the maesters had finished discussing other matters, Seymour emerged from the command center to prepare for his journey.

He emerged into a flurry of activity among the Crusaders, all of them getting ready for departure. Just about everything was being packed up and ready to ship out, nearly all of it bound for Bevelle to protect the celebrations sure to happen there. Among them were the three members of Crimson Squad, still accompanied by their recorder, waiting for Seymour to come to them. It was strange to see that group of varied individuals, an older Crusader, a former Yevon priest, and an Al Bhed mechanic, bound together by a history of shared battles, all documented by the teenage girl.

Seymour faced the older Crusader. "Nooj, I believe it is, Maester Kinoc has placed you and your squad under my command."

Nooj made the Yevon bow to the maester. "It is our pleasure to serve you, Maester Seymour."

"Indeed," Seymour said. He turned toward the former priest. "I believe you will be most interested in our journey, Baralai. We will be visiting the Farplane."

Baralai nodded and crossed his arms. "I will be looking forward to it."

Then there was the Al Bhed mechanic, and Seymour had to address the elephant in the room. "Gippal, you may want to keep your head down while we're there."

Gippal sighed and shrugged. "Keep my head down, same as usual, got it."

And then Seymour turned toward the odd one out, eyes narrowing as he looked at the girl in the group. "Why are you still here? Your services are no longer required."

Paine simply crossed her arms. "If I had somewhere else to be, I wouldn't be here."

"If I may be so bold," Nooj said, taking a few steps toward Seymour. "I think Paine should remain with us. She has been good for morale."

"Among other things," Gippal said, smiling at Paine. "There's still a place for her here."

"Yeah," Baralai said. "If Crimson Squad is to be official, it should be documented. And I can think of no one better suited for the task than Paine."

"Very well," Seymour said. It wasn't worth the effort to force her out, especially when there was nothing to gain from doing so. "You may remain with us, if that is what you desire."

Paine nodded. "Thank you."

"If there is nothing else, we should get underway," Seymour said. He walked past the group, leading the way out of the command center. "I would like to reach the Moonflow before nightfall."

But a growing crowd was starting to get in the way, and Nooj recognized one Crusader among them. "Yaibal, what's going on?"

The young messenger stopped and bowed to Crimson Squad. "Nooj, sir, it's Goku. He's promised to demonstrate the power he used to defeat Sin."

"When is he going to do it?" Gippal asked.

"He said in an hour," Yaibal answered. "And that was half an hour ago."

"Well now that's a reason to stick around," Baralai admitted.

Paine already had her camera at the ready. "Someone's got to record it."

Since that had everyone's interest, Seymour had to admit that he was interested as well. "I suppose we can stay long enough to enjoy the show."

The hour was up, and Goku found himself in front of a massive crowd.

He was standing at the top of the Mushroom Rock, his back to the edge of the highest cliff, facing the crowd that had gathered before him. There had to be hundreds of people squeezed into this plateau, all of them eager to witness this demonstration. Most were Crusaders that had been spared from death, and the rest were Al Bhed equally grateful to still have their lives. Goku saw a lot of the faces he had seen over the last few days, picking out the members of Crimson Squad amongst the crowd, cheering alongside everyone else that survived Operation Mi'ihen.

Goku couldn't help but stare at the crowd before him, seeing all those happy faces filled with joy. Rarely did he bother to stick around long enough to see the praise of people he had saved, often preferring to stay out of the limelight and return to training instead. The cheerful mood was an infectious one, leaving Goku with a smile so wide it made the people even happier. He just couldn't bring himself to disappoint them and leave without doing something for them, and he decided to put on a little show to entertain them.

Goku raised a fist. "Do you want to see it?!"

Everyone cheered yes.

"Alright then, brace yourselves!" Goku announced, widening his stance and clenching his fists. "Here it comes. Enjoy!"

For the sake of theatrics Goku took it slow, drawing out the transformation so the audience could fully comprehend it. He started with a surge of power, pulsing in the air with a rhythm akin to a heartbeat, vibrating the ground in tandem with the air. Then a strong gale blew out from around Goku, ruffling through the hair of everyone present, and people in the front were pushed into the people behind them. That had everyone backing up a step or two, and some made sure to get further from the edge of the plateau, lest the winds knock them off.

Then the physical changes began, starting with Goku's hair rising upward. He had it turn yellow and change back a couple times, making it clear that he could control it, before making the color change stick. Then his eyes turned bright blue-green, and took on a more fierce quality. A bright flash of light flared from Goku, nearly blinding people in the front, shining like a miniature sun brought down to earth. A golden aura enveloped him, pulsing in tandem with his heartbeat, and bathing everyone in the light of a Super Saiyan.

There were gasps and awes and cheers from the crowd, followed by much applause that did not seem to end, though Goku wasn't quite finished. "You may want to brace yourselves for this one. And maybe cover your ears. This is going to be loud."

Goku bent his knees, turned to his left, and cupped his hands at his right side. The wind around Goku intensified as he focused his power, and bright blue light appeared in his hands. He thrust his hands straight up into the air, fired the Kamehameha directly into the sky, sending it harmlessly into space. He let it continue for a brief time, and when he stopped the blue light shined for a while, until it went out in the void of space. Then it was just the light of the Super Saiyan, and Goku turned to face the crowd before him.

"That's all folks," Goku said. He reverted to his normal form, waved for everyone, and started ascending into the air. "See you around."

When the ground trembled beneath her, Yuna was roused from sleep.

She dashed out of the tent in a second, wanting to see what was going on. She emerged in time to witness the blue beam of light shooting off into the sky, and her gaze was instantly fixed on it. The light show was over all too soon, and the golden light on the plateau went out as well. Yuna wanted to run up there and see Goku up close, only to spot him flying up and away from the Mushroom Rock. She could only stand there and watch as Goku flew away, heading off to some other part of Spira at great speed.

"Aw man…" Yuna muttered. "He's gone."

Still standing nearby, Kimahri seemed a little annoyed that Yuna had been disturbed despite his concerns. "Yuna will see him again."

Yuna groaned and took a second to straighten out her robes. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours," Kimahri answered, having kept track of the time. "You should get more sleep. You deserve it."

Standing a little further away was Auron, and he had turned to face Yuna. "We could all use sleep. None of us got nearly enough last night."

"Yeah," Yuna said, fighting a yawn. She looked around a bit and didn't see any of her other guardians. "Where is everyone?"

Auron pointed at the top of the Mushroom Rock. "Lulu and Wakka wanted to see the show. And I believe Tidus and Rikku are out for an evening swim."

"Oh…" Yuna muttered. She sat down on the sand of the beach, facing the western sky with the sun slowly going down. "I think I'll just rest here until they get back."

She didn't have to wait very long, not for Lulu and Wakka anyway. They were coming back from the massive crowd that had seen Goku's display of power, and Wakka seemed absolutely ecstatic from the experience. Lulu was as reserved as ever, though she was still smiling, and walked in silence while Wakka was constantly talking about what they witnessed. He wasn't the only one gossiping about it, nearly everyone else walking away from the Mushroom Rock was, except for those that had been terrified into silence by the raw power one man wielded.

"Hey there," Yuna said, standing up to properly greet her oldest friends. "How was the show up close and personal?"

"It. Was. Amazing!" Wakka said. "Seriously, I could feel it all the way in my bones, he was that powerful. I can't even imagine what it must be like to have that kind of power."

"Certainly a sight to behold," Lulu said. She looked Yuna in the eye. "And I see it woke you up anyway. Kimahri needn't have bothered insisting Goku do it elsewhere."

Kimahri simply grumbled at that remark.

Yuna laughed a bit at that, but stopped when she saw two other friends approaching. "There they are."

Walking down the beach were Tidus and Riku, the former waving as they came over. "Wakka, you should have seen the waves a few minutes ago. They were huge and flowing the wrong way."

"Glad we didn't go for that swim," Rikku said. "We'd be halfway out to sea by now."

"Something to keep in mind whenever Goku does his glowing thing," Tidus added.

"I know, right?" Wakka said. "No wonder he doesn't do that constantly. Good thing he's considerate about it, keeping things to a minimum when he's not fighting."

"Enough about Goku already," Rikku said. She walked past Tidus and over to Yuna. "So Yunie, what's next for us? Is there some place you want to visit, you know, since there's no pilgrimage right now?"

"I haven't decided yet," Yuna admitted. She took another look at the sky, figuring that it would be dark in a couple of hours. "I think we should camp here one more night. We wouldn't get anywhere before nightfall anyway."

"A wise decision," Auron said. "Sin may be gone, but fiends are still active. It will still be better to travel during daylight."

"Sounds good to me," Tidus said. "Maybe this time we can all sleep in?"

"Unless Goku comes back to show off some more," Wakka said.

"I'm sure he only meant to do that once," Lulu said. "Unless he needs to use that power again, I doubt we will be seeing it anytime soon."

"I suppose," Yuna said. She looked up at the sky again, eying the horizon Goku had vanished behind. "Where do you think he might be now?"

It wasn't until Goku was across the world that he realized he didn't know where he was going.

He had simply picked a random direction when he left the Mushroom Rock, simply wanting to be out of there and not having a particular destination in mind. Once again Goku had no idea where to find and fight Sin, when it would eventually turn up again, certain that it would happen sooner or later. All he really could do was wait for Sin to come back, and try to figure the how and why of Sin's resurrection. Goku figured that someone on this world had to know that, he just needed to find the right person and ask.

The best odds were at the largest city on this world, which would surely house the people most likely to know anything about Sin. Goku found it by sensing the greatest concentration of people in one place, and grumbled to himself about going the wrong way before turning around to fly in the right direction. He found a city filled with tall and ornate buildings, dominated by a large bridge that spanned much of the city's heights. At the center was a large building that appeared to be a temple, as well as the seat of government for the city.

The city's streets were filled with people celebrating in every conceivable way, for word of Sin's destruction had already reached this place ahead of Goku's arrival. It was unrestrained chaos in those streets, no organization to the celebrations whatsoever, simply pure passion and joy in every sense of the concept. Even from the sky the mood was infectious, and Goku couldn't help but smile for them, thinking that they deserved this moment of happiness. It was tempting to fly right down there and join them, to lose himself in the celebrations below.

Someone spotted Goku in the air pretty quickly, and pointed him out to everyone nearby. This led to the people cheering for him so loud that Goku could hear it from high above the city, and the cheering grew louder when Goku started his descent into the city's center. Goku landed in a plaza in front of the large temple, and crowds formed at the sides and moved toward him. It seemed that word of his role in Sin's destruction had reached this city as well, and the people here treated him as a hero returning home, even if it was not Goku's home.

"This really isn't necessary," Goku said once people were close enough to hear him. "I just want to talk with whoever is in charge around here."

The people here were happy to help, telling him that the temple was the right place to speak with someone in charge. Some of them even opened the doors for him, even when he pointed out that it wasn't necessary. Inside the temple Goku found a large antechamber, though the space on this floor curved in the shape of a smoothened double arch. Men and women in robes were going about their business inside, priests that suddenly stopped what they were doing when Goku entered. They too had heard the news, and it was easy to tell who he was.

"Hello," Goku said with a wave. "Is the boss here, I'd like to talk with him."

Some of the priests left to get that person, heading into another part of the temple to do so. When they came back they accompanied someone in fancier robes, and Goku was immediately reminded of Kimahri. He was the same cat-like species, though considerably older and with an intact horn. Much of his fur had turned white with age, including the short beard framing the bottom of his face. He stopped in front of Goku and made a formal bow, and Goku tried to return the gesture. Everyone else gave them some space, respecting this meeting between a powerful man and a renowned leader.

"Greetings, I am Maester Kelk Ronso," he introduced himself. "I have heard the rumors of your accomplishments, but they did not come with your name."

"It's Goku." He looked around a bit before meeting Kelk's eyes again. "Could we talk in private? I don't like crowds very much, and I don't think you would want them listening anyway."

Kelk nodded, and he pointed in one direction. "This way please."

Goku followed him deeper into the temple, soon reaching a small room meant for confidential meetings. He closed the door behind them, and saw Kelk take a seat behind a table. "It's about Sin."

"I figured as much," Kelk said. He gestured to another chair on his right, where only the corner of the table would be between them. "Please, have a seat. We may be here for a while."

"Thank you," Goku said, sitting down in that chair. "What can you tell me about Sin?"

Kelk sighed, clearly not wanting to talk about the sore subject. "Sin is an eternal blight on the face of Spira."

"But it comes back, doesn't it," Goku said.

"Yes," Kelk answered, though reluctantly. "Sin's physical form may be destroyed, and has been several times, but the essence of Sin remains. It creates a new form, forged from the soul of the Final Aeon that slew it, and returns to lay waste to Spira again."

"I slew Sin, and I'm not this Final Aeon thing," Goku said. "This essence of Sin, that thing inside it, it tried to possess me. I forced it back out of my body, but it disappeared and I don't know where it went. If it failed to do what it always does, what will it do instead?"

Kelk closed his eyes and folded his hands, thinking deeply on the matter. Then he opened his eyes, and worry shone through them. "I honestly don't know. This has never happened before."

"Do you know anyone that might be able to tell me?" Goku asked.

"Well there is the Grand Maester," Kelk answered. "But he is not scheduled to return for a few more days, though I'm sure he will quicken his pace once he hears about you. He may even return by tomorrow if his entourage can move fast enough."

"Okay, I'll wait," Goku said. Although he could swear he had heard something about this Grand Maester, he didn't know the person to lock onto for Instant Transmission. "Is there a place that I can stay for the night, if it I not too much trouble?"

"Of course, I will have a room prepared," Kelk said. He went to the door and opened it, gave a few commands to someone outside, and then turned back to Goku. "And there will be a feast in your honor. It is the least we can do to thank you."

"Oh you won't be thanking me afterward," Goku warned. He followed Kinoc out of the room, letting him lead the way through the temple. "You can be certain of that."

Although the sun was setting on the western horizon, Tidus wasn't ready to sleep just yet.

Everyone else was far more tired than he was, so he didn't bother them when they wanted nothing more than to sleep through the night, being able to do so for once without worry of waking up dead. Tidus didn't want to disturb any of them, thinking that he would never hear the end of it. So after enjoying his supper Tidus left the campsite, looking for anything that he could do tire himself out. He wandered amongst the Crusaders still occupying the Mushroom Rock, most of them making preparations to leave this place far behind.

It seemed that all of the important people had already left, for Tidus didn't see either of the maesters or their personal entourages anywhere. But he did find Luzzu and Gatta, both packing up the last of their things. "Hey guys, heading out soon?"

"Yes we are," Luzzu answered. "We were going to head back to Besaid, but Maester Kinoc left orders to march for Bevelle."

"I can't wait to get there," Gatta said. "So where's Yuna? Shouldn't you guys be leaving too?"

"We're staying one more night," Tidus answered. "She certainly deserves the beauty sleep."

"Well don't be too long," Luzzu recommended. "The roads are going to be crowded soon, what with it being safer to travel now. Only dangers left are the fiends, and most people can take care of them."

"I'll pass on the advice," Tidus said. "Hey, I don't suppose you saw the show earlier today. I missed the whole thing."

"You bet we saw it," Gatta said, smiling brightly just thinking about it. "We were right up there and saw everything. It's still hard to believe anyone can do that."

"All the more reason to respect him," Luzzu said. He turned back to Tidus. "I believe we have taken enough of your time, and we really must be going."

"Okay," Tidus said, waving to both of them. "See you guys around."

Tidus resumed his wandering around the Mushroom Rock, looking for anything else he could do to kill time and energy. He found a high peak with a good view of the shoreline, where he could look down at the campsite below. From there he could see a couple of people still up and about, Auron and Lulu standing watch while everyone else had gone to sleep already. They wouldn't be going anywhere, and there were still more places Tidus could explore. So we walked down the Mushroom Rock Road, looking for something that had caught his eye on the way here yesterday.

Along the way he came across the Chocobo Knights, remembering them from the Mi'ihen Highroad, and he waved them down as they approached. "Hey guys. How are you doing?"

The knights stopped in front of Tidus, all three chocobos in good health, and Lucil climbed off her mount first. "We're doing pretty well. Most of our people made it through okay."

Elma climbed down next. "Some chocobos were injured, but they're going to make it."

Clasko stayed on his chocobo, smiling for the first time in a long while. "Things are looking up for us. How about you? How's Lady Yuna doing?"

"She's been better," Tidus answered. "The whole Sending thing, I get the feeling she doesn't like doing it. I know I find it very depressing just to think about."

"This should be the last time she will need to do it," Lucil said. She had a bright smile as she looked out at the ocean. "Sin is gone, the Calm is here, and for a time we will have peace. Summoners can take their well-deserved break from their pilgrimage."

"I'm sure Yuna will enjoy the peace and quiet," Tidus said. "I know I will."

"Everyone will," Clasko said. He took a moment to stretch and twist his torso a bit. "All that's left to worry about now is the fiends. And they won't be much trouble."

"I'm sure you guys are used to fighting those," Tidus said.

"Of course we are," Elma said. "And with Goku helping out, our ranks are sure to swell with recruits wanting to meet him in person."

"If he decides to remain in the Crusaders," Lucil said. "I get the feeling he only signed up to get in on Operation Mi'ihen."

"That sounds about right," Tidus said. "Well, I barely know the guy, but it did seem like he was here just to fight Sin."

"And defeat it for us," Lucil said.

Elma sighed and blushed a little, putting a hand on her cheek and closing her eyes. "I just wish he stuck around a little bit longer. I really want to get to know him better."

"I think I know what you mean," Tidus said. He nodded to all three of them. "Don't let me keep you."

"Take care," Lucil said.

Lucil and Elma got back on their chocobos and rode off, Clasko riding right behind them. Tidus watched them leave, off to rendezvous with the rest of the Chocobo Knights. Alone again, Tidus wandered around the Mushroom Rock some more, heading for the place that he had noticed yesterday. He had to walk all the way down the winding road to get there, looking down at the crevice below, wondering what was down there. Near the end of the road were some staggered stone platforms, allowing relatively easy access to the lower land and into the crevice.

Tidus wondered what might lie at the end of the crevice, passing through the narrow gorge that had blocked the end of the path from view. He remembered seeing some crusaders leave the place when he had arrived, but didn't have the time to investigate then. Now the place looked completely deserted, and Tidus figured no one would mind if he looked around to see what was here. Tidus climbed down the stone platforms and walked down the path, soon reaching the gorge and walking through it to the other side.

Past the gorge was a cave, and right in front of it was a sign. "'Do not enter, by order of Yevon,'" Tidus read aloud. He shrugged and walked past the sign anyway. "Wonder what's in here…?"

Kelk had to admit, Goku wasn't kidding about not wanting to thank him later.

A feast had been prepared in the main dining hall of the temple, with Goku as the guest of honor for his service to Spira. All of the clergy had been invited to this banquet, along with some of the most well-known members of the general public, and despite the late hour they all attended. A long table had been covered in just about every dish imaginable, with plenty more being cooked in the kitchens. There was enough to food to feed a small village for a month, plenty of excess for even the richest citizens of Bevelle.

It wasn't enough for Goku.

He absolutely devoured everything put in front of him, no matter what kind of dish it was or how large the serving was. It seemed like his stomach was a bottomless pit, everything going down with little resistance, save for when Goku needed to burp. It had people speculating that this was how Goku fueled his power, from sheer tons of mass in calories. Other guests lost their appetites just from watching, and he didn't mind taking the food they weren't eating. The kitchen staff could barely keep up, constantly taking away empty dishes and bringing in fresh ones.

At one point Goku did stop to complement the chef. "This stuff is really good." He paused to swallow. "I haven't had food like this in years."

"I'm glad it is to your liking," Kelk said, sitting across from him. He had barely touched his plate, stomach turning a bit from the sight before him. "I was planning on a public feast tomorrow. That might need to be postponed."

"It's alright," Goku said. By now even his appetite was being sated, and he leaned back in his seat. "I think I've had enough for now."

"Ah, good," Kelk said. He pushed back his chair and stood up. "If you will follow me, I believe your room will have been fully prepared by now."

"Okay, Goku said, getting up to follow him.

Kelk led Goku out of the dining hall, ignoring everyone else that had been invited to this feast. They all dispersed shortly thereafter, and the kitchen staff was left with quite the mess to clean up. Kelk and Goku walked to another part of the temple, entering the residential wing normally reserved for the priests. There was one room in particular that wasn't in use until today, at the far end of one corridor, prepared in near record time. Servants had finished just moments ago, leaving the room just as Kelk and Goku arrived.

"Here we are," Kelk said, opening the door. "You may stay here as long as you wish."

Goku looked inside, and he whistled. "This has to be the fanciest place I have ever stayed in."

The room was huge, and decorated with all kinds of luxuries. The bed alone had to be bigger than Goku's house, a full four-poster that was covered in the finest fabrics. A variety of tapestries were draped on the walls, depicting different aspects of the Yevon religion, though Goku understood none of them. He walked inside and looked at everyone, having no comprehension for how much all this was worth. Goku went to the bed, turned around, and dropped backwards to fall on it, finding the bed surprisingly comfortable.

"Thanks a bunch," Goku said. "I'll try not to mess it up for you."

"I appreciate it," Kelk said. He turned to leave. "I will see you in the morning.

For the first time in weeks, Yuna got to sleep in.

It seemed weird when it happened, getting to dream for hours on end, only noticing when she finally woke up late in the morning. No one had bothered to wake her up at the usual hour, instead preferring to let her sleep as long as she could. It did leave her feeling better than ever, not remembering the last time she had slept so well. She didn't notice the bed hair when she stood up, but everyone else certainly did. Yuna saw the suppressed giggles and discreet smirks all around, quickly realized exactly what was going on.

"Oh come on," Yuna complained. She quickly ran her hands through her hair, trying to straighten it out as best she could without a comb or mirror. "You let me look so silly."

Surrounded by her guardians and others on this beach, Yuna saw them all start to laugh. Even Auron was getting in on her misfortune, starting later and stopping sooner than the others. Yet she could still laugh with them, and it felt good just to laugh for no reason. And it was good to see strangers laugh with them all, good to know that people could find joy in the simplest things. Still, like all good things, it didn't last, and the laughter came to an end. The smiles remained, a sign that people were starting to truly enjoy the Calm.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Yuna said. She looked around at everyone here. "The Calm I mean, it's strange to be living in it."

Lulu smiled, happier than she had been in a long time. "I'm just glad we could all get to see it."

"We live in unusual times," Auron said, knowing from experience. "Two Calms in a generation. That is unheard of."

"Maybe we'll get many more of them," Wakka suggested. He put his hands on his waist and looked up at the sky. "When Sin comes back, Goku can just kill it again."

"Hopefully," Auron mused, looking at the horizon.

By now Yuna noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Tidus?"

"He wandered off last night," Lulu answered. "He hasn't come back yet."

"Maybe he went too far before nightfall," Wakka speculated. "If he got lost somewhere I'm sure he wouldn't want to try to find his way back in the dark."

"He'll figure it out," Rikkus said. She wished she had gone exploring with him, if only she hadn't been sleeping when he left. "I'm sure he will."

"Probably," Wakka said. "The kid's lost enough even with us all here to guide the way."

"We can wait for him to come back," Yuna said. "It's not like we are in a hurry to leave."

"Speaking of leaving, where are we going to go," Wakka asked. "We never did get a chance to ride chocobos down the Mi'ihen Highroad. That sounds like a lot of fun."

"Well I wanted to visit the Moonflow instead," Yuna said. "And we should stop at Djose Temple. It is on the way there."

Rikku didn't like that train of thought, given the obvious implications. "Maybe we can focus on finding the other Zanarkand."

"Other Zanarkand?" Wakka repeated.

"Yeah, the one Tidus is from," Rikku said. "The city I mean, not the ruins. We can totally do that right?"

Silent on that matter, Auron was looking away from everyone, not wanting to raise anyone's hopes.

Yuna, on the other hand, was curious about this other Zanarkand. "Did Tidus ever say where this other Zanarkand is?"

"Not really," Rikku answered. She made a mental note to ask about that. "I met him out in the ruins near Baaj. I suppose that would be a good place to start looking."

"Isn't there a temple out that way?" Lulu asked.

"I don't think so," Rikku said. "Well, all I've seen is ruins. There might be something there if you dig deep enough. I never bothered to check the whole place."

"Sounds like a wild goose chase to me," Wakka said. He crossed his arms and looked out to sea. "Are we even sure he's really from this mythical Zanarkand? He was exposed to Sin's toxin after all."

"We could just ask him," Yuna said. "I don't know about you guys, but I can wait until he comes back."

Rikku crossed her arms and smiled. "It's not like we have anywhere else to be."

That was when Kimahri interrupted, pointing a finger toward the Mushroom Rock Road. "There."

Sure enough, off in the distance, Tidus was walking back toward the shore. He seemed rather content with himself, finished with exploring the places around the Mushroom Rock. He even came back bearing gifts for everyone, having gotten some supplies from Crusaders that wanted less baggage for the road. He had plenty to go around, and gladly shared the burden with his fellow guardians. Tidus stopped and stood next to Auron, though he couldn't stop looking at Yuna. He was certainly glad to be back, and was ready to get on the road.

"So, where are we heading?" Tidus asked.

"Djose Temple," Lulu answered. "It's not too far away from here. We could get there by noon if we hurried."

"Good," Tidus said. "Lead the way."

The matter settled, and everything they had packed up and ready to go, they walked off the shore and went to the road to resume their long journey. It would take a bit of time to walk down the Mushroom Rock Road, but at least they would have a good view of the sea during part of the journey. Yuna and Lulu were in front and leading the way, while Wakka and Kimahri were right behind them. Auron was on the left and keeping an eye out for trouble, while Rikku was on the right and regularly looking out at the sea.

Tidus was following at the back, looking at everything around him as they journeyed to the next temple. There was still so much he did not know about Spira, and he was content to let others lead him along.

And when no one was looking, pyreflies flickered around him, and were gone in an instant.