Chapter 15: The Eternal Calm

It was a beautiful day in the city of Luca.

The people of Spira had flocked to this city in droves, for a variety of reasons. With Bevelle in ruins and much of the surrounding land torn asunder by battle, the official capital of Spira was in no condition for anyone to call home. As the second largest city, and with relatively less damage from tsunamis, Luca quickly became the unofficial new capital. In addition to refugees and the usual blitzball crowds, even more people came in by boat from all the islands across the ocean. Everyone in the world wanted to be in Luca today, even if the city couldn't possibly hold them all.

Yuna was standing at the end of a dock, looking out to sea hearing all the seagulls calling to each other. She put her fingers to her lips and blew, whistling as loud as she could. She whistled again and again, calling out to sea from the dock. The only response was from the seagulls, cawing even louder than before, as if to drown out the whistles but failing to do so. Yuna didn't care about them, and she kept on whistling, even though she knew it was futile. Though Tidus was gone, Yuna still cherished the time they had, and the whistles were a reminder of him.

Lulu walked down the length of the dock, stopping almost at the end. "Yuna, it's time."

Yuna stopped whistling to the sea, and even from here she could hear the sheer amount of noise from the people in Luca. Reluctantly, Yuna turned around and walked down the dock, heading into the city to fulfill her role in the celebrations. Her remaining guardians were there to escort her through the packed streets, and the people made way to let her pass. Though everyone had come to Luca to see Yuna, they did not dare delay her, allowing the summoner and guardians to reach the blitzball stadium without any delays.

The blitzball stadium was completely packed, the crowds spilling out of the stands into the stairs and halls around them, people standing shoulder to shoulder and barely able to move. All eyes were fixed on the Maester's Balcony, the only part of the stadium that still had empty space. It was reserved for Lady Yuna, scheduled to give a speech to the people of Spira, and it would be broadcast to the entire world. This speech was to be the official start of the Eternal Calm, and the people eagerly awaited the arrival of the new High Summoner.

There was intense cheering when Yuna walked into view, nearly deafening to everyone present, certainly painful for Yuna at first. She couldn't help but bask in the glory of the moment, having so many people looking at her right now. It was overwhelming to say the least, and she waited a bit longer than she knew she should have, though the people didn't seem to notice her hesitation. Fortunately the cheering stopped when she was ready to deliver her speech, as everyone wanted to hear what Yuna had to say.

"Everyone…" Yuna said, hesitating in front of such a large audience, but persevering nonetheless. "Everyone has lost something precious. Everyone here has lost homes, dreams, and friends. Everybody, Now, Sin is finally dead. Now, Spira is ours again."

There was a roaring applause from the crowd, but it quickly subsided to let Yuna continue.

"Working together, now we can make new hoes for ourselves, and new dreams. Although I know the journey will be hard, we have lots of time. Together, we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, so let's start out today."

Even greater applause came forth, and many in the audience cheered Yuna's name. It seemed like she was done after all, until she turned back toward the audience.

"Just, one more thing. The people and the friends that we have lost, or the dreams that have faded, never forget them."

That was all she had to say, and the people took it to heart. Yuna basked in the applause for a moment, and then she turned to leave. As she left, and walked where no one could hear her, she said something meant more for herself than anyone else.

"I just wish… I wish we could bring them back."

In the far flung depths of the cosmos, a blue and green world hung in the void around a distant set of stars. Plants with blue colors covered the land, a green sky blanketed this world, with shallow seas the same green color as the sky. Most of the planet was uninhabited, only a few pockets of civilization from a few hundred colonists, relocated here after their original home world was destroyed. They were a peaceful people, content to work the lands and live their lives without regrets, slowly but surely repopulating their species.

Seven magical orbs pulsed in rhythm, each the size of a person's head, and a bright pillar of light sprung forth from the gathered orbs into the sky.

That green sky turned pitch black, and the bright light cast deep shadows across the blue landscape and the green seas. The pillar of light pierced the heavens, coiled around itself, and took physical form. It became a massive dragon towering over the landscape, with a thick chest and muscular arms, as well as a massive fin on its back. This dragon set its gaze upon the land immediately in front of it, looking down at a group of people that had summoned it into the world. Those people had to strain their necks to look at the dragon, but that small discomfort was of little concern when summoning Porunga.

"I AM PORUNGA, DRAGON OF DREAMS. I WILL GRANT YOU ANY THREE WISHES."

Of all the Namekians in attendance, Elder Moori was tasked with making wishes, as the people who wanted them weren't physically present. "As you requested, I have summoned Porunga. What would you like to wish for first?"

The requests were being made telepathically, all the way from the afterlife. The voice of King Kai could be heard in the minds of all the Namekians here. "Quick question Elder Moori, is Porunga still limited to one resurrection for each wish?"

Moori laughed at that question. "I took the liberty of increasing Porunga's power. After our entire race needed to be revived by Shenron, it seemed necessary for Porunga to have the same ability."

"Ah, good, just what we need," King Kai said. Then he seemed to be talking to someone else. "Okay, go ahead, let him know who you want revived, and be specific."

Although Sin was gone for good, work was never done for the Crusaders.

Much of the organization remained in what was left of Bevelle, still pulling people and bodies out from the rubble of collapsed buildings. In the absence of Yevon Maesters, all of whom having either died or vanished during the chaos, it was left to the Crusaders to maintain order. Despite all odds, survivors were found in collapsed buildings, and their wounds were stabilized before being returned to any family they still had. It was grim work to be sure, but needed to be done, if only to provide closure to the people of the city.

Coordinating the Crusader operations were the members of Crimson Squad, who had taken control when no one else rose to the challenge of leadership. Amongst them the de facto leader was Nooj, though he considered himself equal with Baralai and Gippal. Paine was assisting them as usual, recording the effort as she worked with them, even though she didn't need to anymore. All four of them were getting their hands dirty alongside the Crusaders, doing everything they could to clear out the rubble for even the slightest chance of finding survivors.

Baralai was moving a slab of fallen masonry aside, and he found an unpleasant sight. "Oh dear…"

It was Maester Kinoc, his broken body laid prone in the rubble, still fresh and prior to decay. Gippal saw the body, and he quickly averted his gaze. "Well, now we know where he ended up."

Nooj slowly made his way through the rubble, stopping next to the others and looking at the body. "Let's put him to rest properly. It's the least we can do for him."

"Do we have to?" Paine asked, having been walking by Nooj's side this entire time. "He did send all of your comrades to their deaths in that cave, orchestrated an operation that would have wiped out both Crusaders and Al Bhed alike, both times we only lived because of Goku. I for one wouldn't mind if we just left Kinoc here to rot."

"I wouldn't recommend that," Nooj said. He nudged the body with his cane, and it came loose from the body easily enough. "If he comes back as Unsent, he might just go after you first for that remark."

"Ha Ha," Paine said. "Fine, let's bury him proper or something."

Baralai crouched beside the body, performing various hand gestures considered sacred by Yevon for respectful treatment of the dead. "Rest in peace. May you find solace in the Farplane."

Suddenly, Kinoc's eyes opened, and he gasped for air.

Everyone stepped back, let out a shocked scream, and Paine drew her sword. "Unsent!"

Kinoc wasn't the only one.

All around them the bodies of the dead began to move, rising up from the rubble en masse. Thousands of people rose up from the clutches of death, returning to the world of the living in droves. Not just here either, but across all of Spira, the dead rose up as if awakening from a deep sleep. All wounds they may have had were completely healed, not even scars remained in their flesh, and their clothes were made whole. Every single one of them was greatly confused and on the verge of panic, just as horrified as the people seeing them return to life.

"I'm alive?" Kinoc questioned, sitting up in the rubble and staring at his hands. "How can this be?"

"What is going on?" Gippal said, head turning every which way and seeing many more people rising from their resting place. "I've never heard of so many people becoming Unsent at once."

"I don't understand," Kinoc said. "I was in the Farplane, everyone I've lost was there with me. I was at peace. How can I be here?"

"Someone get a summoner over here," Nooj ordered. "We need the Sending, now."

Fortunately, someone was already working on that, bringing a summoner to perform the Sending ritual. It happened to be the young man Isaaru, his formal robes were dirtied up from assisting in rescue efforts, still willing to perform his duties as a summoner. He spun his staff round and round, going through the motions for this ritual, more formulaic and less elegant than when Yuna performed the Sending. It would get the job done nevertheless, and the ritual would force the dead to return to the Farplane.

But no pyreflies emerged from the rubble, not even the faintest glimmer of light. None of the revived dead felt a thing, no sensation of being pulled away from the world of the living. The Sending had no effect whatsoever, both here and everywhere a summoner attempted the ritual. It made no sense whatsoever, for these people had been clearly dead a moment ago, yet the Sending did nothing. But seeing the ritual helped to calm their fears, leaving only confusion amongst the masses regarding this strange predicament.

"This doesn't make any sense," Gippal said, watching Isaaru attempt the Sending again. "All these Unsent should be disappearing."

"Unless… they are not Unsent," Baralai said. "Could they really have been restored to life?"

"How is that possible?" Nooj asked. "What kind of sorcery are we dealing with?"

"YOUR WISH IS GRANTED. I HAVE RESURRECTED EVERYONE ON SPIRA THAT HAD BEEN KILLED DURING BATTLES AGAINST SIN AND YU YEVON. NOW, NAME YOUR SECOND WISH."

Every Namekian was reminded of their own mass resurrection, save for the children hatched since the temporary extinction. That had been the darkest time in their history, averted only by a wish made with another world's set of dragon balls. The experience had convinced them of the need to have their dragon possess that ability, in case such mass death ever happened to them again. And it felt good to take the favor and pay it forward, helping to give another civilization a second chance at life, even if they would never meet the people that were brought back from death.

Elder Moori relayed the confirmation of the wish to King Kai. "It is done. What else do you require?"

"Next one is a little more complicated," King Kai answered. Then he spoke to someone else, though Elder Moori still heard him. "I'm going to let you explain this one."

That was when another voice appeared, speaking through King Kai's telepathic link. "Hi Moori, it's nice to talk to you again."

Moori almost didn't recognize the voice, between hearing it in his mind and being several years since hearing it in person. But the face did come to mind, remembering when he came to visit. "Ah yes, Goku was it?"

"Yeah," Goku said. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has," Moori said. "Please, what wish do you want Porunga to grant."

"Oh yes, the wish," Goku said. "On that same planet Porunga revived everyone, there's this gateway into the Other World. They call it the Farplane. It's how I was able to cross back into the living world for a while, and I'm told it is a common thing to happen there. I need Porunga to close off the Farplane, so that the people who deserve to be dead stay in the afterlife."

"I believe that can be done," Moori said. "I will make the wish for you."

Guadosalam was unrecognizable.

The ceiling of rock and roots had been torn apart by Yu Yevon, exposing the underground settlement to open sky. Rain had fallen into the small city for the first time, feeding the growth of new plants that sprung up in moist dirt. The native guado didn't mind the foliage, preferring plants to other forms of life. Still, there was plenty of work to do cleaning up what remained of the settlement, in addition to their normal responsibilities. It was going to take years to restore some semblance of order in Guadosalam, though it would never be the same again.

At the center of the destruction was the entrance to the Farplane, where the souls of Spira's dead had been forcibly extracted, only to be returned there by the Sending ritual. Some worried that the dead could come pouring out of the Farplane, now that the entrance was exposed to the surface of Spira. Dozens of guado tended to the entrance, using spiritual practices to stabilize the colorful barrier between the living and the dead. Still, the ethereal surface shimmered and flexed back and forth, seemingly ready to rupture if anyone made the slightest mistake.

Tromell was overseeing the efforts of his people, ensuring they did everything they could to keep the Farplane stable. He was the only guado willing to accept the role of leadership, now that it was clear that Maester Seymour would not be returning to Guadosalam. Tromell had served under several guado leaders in his lifetime, had seen the inner workings of guado society for over half a century, more than any other guado in the history of their people. He was the only man for the job, and he took his new role very seriously.

So when the ground began to shake, Tromell was very worried. "What is that?"

The tremor was only just beginning, steadily becoming worse with each passing second. It nearly shook Tromell off his feet, almost falling from the edge of a crater around the Farplane. Then he saw the colorful surface of the Farplane shimmer and glow, the colors fading out into a simple white light. Rock around the Farplane moved, shifting from the edge toward the center, covering up the bright light bit by bit. The bright light vanished, leaving an empty void behind, only to be filled in by the rock moving into the empty space.

After just a few minutes the rock stopped moving, and Tromell was left staring at nothing but barren ground, falling to his knees in pure shock. "The Farplane… it's gone…"

"YOUR WISH IS GRANTED. I HAVE REMOVED THE ENTRANCE TO SPIRA'S FARPLANE. THE REALMS OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD HAVE BEEN SEPARATED THERE. SOULS OF THE DEAD CAN NO LONGER RETURN TO THE LIVING WORLD. I AM READY FOR YOUR THIRD WISH."

Although Elder Moori didn't fully understand the implications of the wish, he relayed the confirmation to King Kai. Once again all the other Namekians listened, trusting that he knew who he was speaking to. He received thanks from King Kai, but that was not the end of the telepathic call. Moori overheard a conversation on the other end, muffled due to it not being directed at him, barely understanding any of it. The muffled conversation went on for a while, and Moori knew that Porunga would get impatient if it went on too long.

"There is one wish left to make," Elder Moori said, ending the telepathic eavesdropping. "What would you have Porunga do?"

"Good question," King Kai said. "Goku, did you have anything in mind."

"Not really," Goku answered. One could imagine him turning to someone else. "You had something to wish for, right Bardock."

A third voice appeared, whom Moori presumed to be this Bardock. "Just bear with me for a moment. This probably won't make a lot of sense to you."

Moori made sure to pay close attention, as it seemed he would need to remember every detail. "Okay, tell me what you want Porunga to do."

Bardock cleared his throat before getting started. "On Spira, there was an ancient city called Zanarkand. It was destroyed a thousand years ago, but was recreated in the form of a living dream. It was maintained by beings called the Fayth, and the dream city was lost with their passing. I want the dream version of Zanarkand made a reality, to replace the ruins of the city it was based upon. Can your magical dragon grant this wish?"

"I will see," Moori said. "Give me a moment."

After everything that happened, everything she had experienced, Yuna finally completed her pilgrimage to Zanarkand.

She owed it to herself to do that much, to pay her respects to all the summoners that had come and given their lives before her. The road had been a long one, but easier than it should have been, as not a single fiend or Unsent had attacked along the way. It was like those threats had simply vanished from the face of Spira, allowing anyone to travel without risking their lives. With her remaining guardians along for the journey she entered the ruins, or what was left of them after the battle. They stopped at the threshold, taking a moment to share the view.

"It's… really something, isn't it," Yuna said. She stood on a small hill and looked at the ruins, nearly every building destroyed and the ravaged streets flooded by the ocean. "If only Tidus and Auron could be here to see it with us."

Lulu was standing behind her, staring at the ruins, and a tear came to her eye. "Do you want to keep going? We don't have to enter Zanarkand if you don't want to."

"We've come this far," Yuna said. He eye followed the remains of a highway, broken into pieces and half submerged in water, but still a path to the ruined stadium. "We might as well go all the way."

The group continued into the flooded ruins of Zanarkand, walking down that broken highway while trying to stay out of the water. It was a surprisingly peaceful walk, no fiends or wildlife getting in their way, nothing testing the summoner and guardians at the end of the journey. The ruins seemed empty, both of inhabitants and in purpose, nothing left for anyone to come here for. They made their way through the ruins to the stadium, the only building that was still standing. Its walls had large holes and the ceiling was collapsed, a hollow shell of its former glory.

Once inside the ruined stadium, they found an ancient blitzball arena, and Yuna stood at the base of shattered stands. "If only you could have seen this with me."

Wakka walked up beside Yuna, resting his arms on the one piece of handrail still intact. "Maybe it's best that Tidus didn't see this. He knew the real thing, after all."

Yuna thought about the world Tidus came from, this other Zanarkand, and she looked up at the sky through the collapsed ceiling. That was when the sky took on a bright golden glow. "What?"

It was like the heavens had been set ablaze, spanning from horizon to horizon, as if some divine being was about to cast judgement on the world. A hole appeared in the burning sky directly above the broken stadium, and within the hole golden light took shape and form. It was like the stadium beneath it, but completely intact and made of golden light, descending from the heavens on top of the ruins. The golden stadium phased through the ruined stadium, coming to a stop where foundations overlapped.

Sparkling lights of every color erupted from the foundations, rising up to the surface, destroying old material and creating new matter in its place. The ruined stadium was obliterated, and the golden stadium became solid, properly colored and so clean that every surface shined. The summoner and guardians inside watched the stands be remade, the blitzball arena be restored, and the stadium ceiling rebuilt. They stood on a brand new floor, amazed by the bizarre magics at work, and they hurried outside to see it work on the rest of Zanarkand.

More constructs of golden light came down from the burning sky, enough to create an entire new city. Skyscrapers, highways, a harbor with ships, and all the accessories that came with them, all of them descended upon the ruins to surround the new stadium. A city of golden light formed atop the ruins, spanning from the sea to the base of Mount Gagazet, settling into position in a few short moments. The sparkling lights appeared again and swept across the ruins, erasing them from existence, clearing the land and sea to make way for a brand new city.

From the cleared bedrock the sparkling lights ascended, recreating the foundations of Zanarkand first and continuing upward. Entire skyscrapers were created in seconds, elevated highways appeared from one end of the city to the other, and an extensive harbor appeared in the sea, all of it following the designs laid out by the golden structures. In a few minutes the sparkling lights finished going through the city, every last bit of the golden light replaced by solid matter, completing the creation of a brand new Zanarkand.

Exiting the stadium into a restored parking lot, Yuna and the others stared at the sight before them. "Are we hallucinating? We have to be hallucinating."

"Could be one of my nightmares," Wakka said.

"I've never imagined anything like this," Lulu admitted. "I don't think we're hallucinating this."

"It is amazing!" Rikku said. She wanted to explore the restored city right away, like something out of her wildest dreams, to see what all the underwater ruins were like before their civilizations fell. "Where do we even start?"

The sky returned to normal blue, but the magics weren't finished just yet. Power returned to the city, lights turning on in the stadium first, spreading across the city like a wave of light. Trains and cars became active and moved by themselves, following autopilot in their routes through the city. Billboards turned on and displayed all sorts of images, accompanied by the sounds of announcements and advertisements. Yet the city still felt empty, devoid of people to occupy the buildings and fill the streets, the only souls here belonging to Yuna and her guardians.

That abruptly changed.

Small plumes of golden smoke appeared across the city, their cores moving down to the ground before dispersing. People appeared within the smoke, standing straight and looking around, as if surprised to be here. Entire crowds were conjured together, walking down sidewalks and coming to a sudden stop, many people bumping into each other by accident. They even appeared around Yuna and her guardians, going into the stadium for a blitzball game, pausing at the sight of strangers in their midst, but only for a moment.

One final plume appeared behind the summoner and guardians. "Yuna…"

She turned around, faced the entrance to the stadium, and saw someone she thought was gone for good. "Is it really you? Tidus?"

Sure enough, Tidus was standing there, just as surprised as everyone else to be here. "I don't understand. We were just in Bevelle. How did we get back to Zanarkand so fast?"

Yuna ran over in a second and threw her arms around him, holding on tighter than ever before, tears flowing freely from her eyes. "Don't ever leave me again!"

Tidus returned the gesture, holding onto Yuna until she was ready to let go. "Could someone please tell me what is going on?"

"YOUR WISH IS GRANTED. I HAVE RECREATED THE DREAM ZANARKAND IN PLACE OF THE ORIGINAL. ITS PEOPLE MAY NOW LEAVE IF THEY WISH, AS IF THEY LIVED IN THE REAL WORLD ALL ALONG."

Elder Moori hadn't fully understood the wish when he conveyed it, but it was good to know that Porunga understood it clearly. "Thank you for granting those wishes."

"FAREWELL."

Porunga ascended into the sky, taking the dragon balls along with him. The dragon's body glowed with bright golden light, and his physical form vanished within it. The light separated into the seven dragon balls, spread out a short distance, and came down with loud thuds around the Namekians. They now looked like simple white spheres, until their power would recharge in one Namekian year. The sky returned to its normal green hue, an end to the rare night on this world. It would be a simple matter to collect the dragon balls again, if their power would be needed again.

"It is done," Elder Moori said. "I trust you are satisfied with the wishes?"

"Yes, thank you," King Kai said. "Your assistance is very much appreciated. Maybe next time we do this we can wish for my planet's restoration, and my resurrection."

"Wait, what?" Moori blurted out.

"Long story," King Kai said. "Actually, no, it's a short story. I was minding my own business when Goku teleports to my planet with a bad guy about to explode."

"I said I'm sorry," Goku interrupted.

"You're going to have to tell me about that," Bardock said.

"Another time," King Kai said, silencing them both. "Elder Moori, thank you for your time. Your assistance is very much appreciated."

"You are welcome," Moori said. "Don't be a stranger."

Standing in the ruined city of Bevelle, surrounded by the people that worked hard to rebuild, Maester Kinoc was still perplexed by his resurrection.

It was a second chance at life, though Kinoc didn't know if he deserved it. The other people restored to life certainly did, for they had done nothing to deserve death in the first place. Kinoc, on the other hand, had been one of the leaders of Spira, and responsible for a great number of mistakes. Many of Kinoc's mistakes had been for self-serving goals, for he had valued his wealth and power over the people he was supposed to protect. Having been unable to take any of it with him beyond death, Kinoc realized just how unimportant such things really were.

Now he watched the people of Bevelle hard at work, eagerly accepting help from those that came from elsewhere in Spira. The Chocobo Knights had just arrived, bringing in supplies on the backs of their mounts. Lucil was tending to the wounded, Elma handed out medical supplies for others to use, and Clasko was bringing food to hungry children. Seeing them care for those that needed it moved Kinoc, something that wouldn't have happened before his death and resurrection, and he didn't like the bad feeling he got from realizing that.

Lucil finished bandaging a young woman's arm. "There you are. Try not to move it around much for about a week."

"Make sure they swallow these whole," Elma said, handing some herbal medicine to a couple of men. "Wrap them in cheese if they won't do it."

"Be sure to share, your families need to eat too," Clasko said, handing packages of food to some children. "This needs to be enough to go around."

Still watching them help, and plenty of other people helping the less fortunate, Kinoc didn't dare interrupt them. Kinoc heard footsteps approaching him, and he turned to see Nooj and his comrades coming his way. He felt a strange sense of pride in Crimson Squad, glad that he had gone through the effort of creating it, even if it was not for this purpose. He was secretly glad that Goku had prevented him from having them all killed, but he wasn't going to tell anyone that, especially not when they were nearby.

"If you're planning on putting me back in the ground, I won't hold it against you."

"I'm sure some people are considering it," Nooj said. He stopped and stood beside Kinoc. "But I imagine they'd rather spend their time with their revived families."

After a long sigh Kinoc turned to face him. "I wish I could do the same."

"Do you not have any family?" Nooj asked.

"My parents died decades ago," Kinoc answered. "I never had children. I was always too busy with my work as maester."

"It sounds like you regret it," Nooj said.

"Of course I do," Kinoc said. He looked out at the rubble of the city, spotting Gippal and Baralai helping to clear one of many streets. "There are many things I wish I could have done differently."

That was when Paine walked over, just in time to hear that last part. "Would you care to be more specific?"

Kinoc looked away from Nooj and Paine. "If I must confess my sins, then I should start with the worst against you. When you and the other two survived your final test, I had every intention of not letting you leave that cave alive."

"What?" Paine blurted out, shocked by what she had heard.

"The point was the vision of that machina weapon," Kinoc continued. "The other maesters knew about it all along, but didn't know what it was capable of. We hoped the visions from the cave would show that to you."

Everyone could still see the head of Vegnagun resting just outside the city, menacing even without its body. Paine didn't want to look at it. "Well we don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Guys, we've got someone trapped in here!"

Gippal's call for help had Nooj and Paine hurrying over to him and Baralai, while Kinoc followed close behind. Kinoc watched Crimson Squad work together to dislodge a large chunk of a collapsed building, clearing a way into the part that was still standing. Doing so allowed a survivor to emerge from the rubble, and Kinoc was surprised to see Maester Kelk Ronso alive and well. He had trouble standing and needed to rest on Baralai for support, and he was certainly grateful for the rescue. They brought him over to a large chunk of rubble, allowing him to sit down and recover.

"Thank you," Kelk said. He looked to each of them in turn. "Thank you very much."

By then Kinoc had walked over, and he held out a hand to his fellow maester. "It is good to see you alive and well. You deserve it more than I do."

"What do you mean?" Kelk asked.

"Weren't you brought back to life too?" Kinoc assumed.

"I was trapped in the rubble for a while, but I was never dead," Kelk said. Then he realized the implication of Kinoc's choice of words. "Are there a lot of Unsent?"

"Actually, no," Gippal answered. "That's exactly the problem. The dead have come back to life, but they aren't Unsent. They are actually alive."

"How?" Kelk asked.

"We don't know," Baralai answered. "It truly is a miracle."

"And a new beginning," Kinoc said. He sat down next to Kelk, looking out at everyone present. "The era of Yevon is over."

"We knew that before the city was destroyed," Kelk said. He forced himself back onto his feet, even though he was still weary. "I will return to Gagazet to live with my people. Maybe we can live out our lives in peace and quiet."

Kinoc nodded and stood back up, facing the members of Crimson Squad. "You four look like you have things well in hand. I believe Spira will be better off in your hands."

Nooj nodded. "Thank you for the confidence."

It was quite strange to be back here again, after accepting that it was never going to happen.

Tidus had believed he would never return home again, having come to terms with that sad reality in the aftermath of Operation Mi'ihen. He had even given up his own existence, albeit unwillingly, before even having a chance to see the ruins of Zanarkand with his own eyes. Tidus had been sent to oblivion, and brought back to reality just as quickly, his perception of time being instantaneous. Now he was back, with his friends to confirm that he wasn't imagining this, and they had brought him up to speed on events he had missed.

The others would have been lost without him, for the ruined road they had taken to reach the stadium was no longer there. So Tidus brought Yuna and the others to his penthouse apartment instead, which was in a skyscraper not too far from the stadium, which had one of the best views in all of Zanarkand. But the trip here had seemed like something out of a dream, for it seemed unbelievable to do this with his newfound friends from Spira. Now looking out the window at the Zanarkand skyline, Tidus found his reflection in the glass alongside Yuna's.

"So this place was conjured into existence right on top of the old Zanarkand?" Tidus surmised.

"Pretty much," Yuna said. She was looking out at the skyline, amazed by a view she could never have imagined. "We're just as surprised as you are."

"It's a shame Auron couldn't be here," Tidus said. "Sure he never liked this place, but it was home."

"Auron had been to this Zanarkand before?" Yuna asked.

"He must have used Sin to get here," Tidus said. "Sin was how I got to Spira after all. Makes sense that it let him make the trip in the other direction."

That was when Rikku walked up to them, taking a break from studying old-world machina restored to mint condition. "So what are we going to do now? We're the only ones in Spira that know about this brand new Zanarkand. It's going to be quite a shock to everyone else out there."

"Yeah," Tidus said. "When it was just me people could simply write it off as Sin's toxin at work. A whole city of people isn't going to be dismissed so easily, and there's actual proof now."

"Someone's got to head this off now," Lulu said from across the room. "A misunderstanding could easily lead to a repeat of the Machina War."

"Bevelle is in no shape to fight anything," Wakka said, standing next to Lulu. "If another war were to start, I'm pretty sure Zanarkand would win this time."

"There doesn't need to be a war at all," Yuna said. She looked at Tidus, imagining the role they would need to play to avert pointless conflict. "We just need to make proper introductions. It won't be easy, but I think we can establish peaceful relations between Zanarkand and the rest of Spira."

"I can picture it already," Tidus said. He held up a hand as if to follow words on a billboard. "The daughter of High Summoner Braska, the Star Player of the Zanarkand Abes, reuniting Zanarkand and Spira a millennium after being torn apart by war."

Yuna smiled at him, and heard the others trying to suppress their laughter. "I'm sure we can make it work. At this point, anything is possible."

"Yeah," Tidus said. He looked out at the skyline again, imagining all the possibilities, but wishing that an old friend was here to see them with him. "Too bad Auron couldn't come back. He lived in both worlds more than anyone. This sure would have been easier with him around."

"I can imagine," Yuna said. She looked up at the sky, unable to see the stars due to all the city lights. "At least Auron is in a better place now."

When he arrived at his final destination, it was not what Auron had expected.

The journey had been quite bizarre to say the least, though he believed his was an exceptional case. At first he wound up in this dark passage that led to a barren wasteland, where he was greeted by a pair of ogres. They informed him that Hell was merely a stopping point for him, and the ogres escorted him out of this place of eternal torment. They brought him to some sort of check-in station, where a much larger ogre judged him worthy of passage to a better place. From there he was given transport aboard a strange vessel, heading to what he assumed at first to be purgatory.

He arrived at a strange world populated by a variety of fighters, possessing all kinds of shapes and forms, coming from many different planets across the galaxy. They were very welcoming to Auron when he arrived, accepting him as another honorable warrior to add to their society. It seemed that they were expecting him, and they directed him to a particular part of this strange world. Eventually Auron found himself face to face with a short and wide man with blue skin and antennae, whom Auron assumed to be a master amidst so many students.

Auron made a respectful bow to this strange person. "I presume you are why I am here?"

"I just relayed the message," the strange person answered. "I am King Kai, and you are Auron, correct?"

"Yes," Auron said. By now he recognized King Kai's voice, only now it wasn't coming from inside his head. "I remember now, you're the one Goku talked to for information."

"I am," King Kai confirmed. "And when Goku got back he wanted to set as much right as he could. So I pulled some strings and arranged for you to come up here."

"Thank you," Auron said. He turned his head back and forth to look around. "Where is Goku?"

There was a tremor in the ground and a shockwave in the air, and King Kai faced the direction it came from. "That would be him now."

Moving through the sky in their direction, Goku was sparing with Bardock, fighting for the sake of fighting and nothing else. Their fists and feet were moving faster than Auron could follow, though that was to be expected. Their fight brought them directly above King Kai and Auron, where they could watch the sparring match from below. Auron could barely comprehend the sheer speed of their movements, most of it being an indistinct blur. Still, it was a relief to see them here, knowing that there was at least one person familiar to Auron here.

"I see they have nothing better to do," Auron commented.

"Eh, it's what everyone does around here," King Kai said. "This is where all the greatest fighters that die end up. They spend all their time fighting because time never runs out."

By then it seemed that Goku and Bardock noticed Auron, and they stopped their match to come down and land in front of him. "Hey Auron, it's good to see you made it up here alright."

Bardock smiled for once in his life, or death as it were the case. "It's about time we got the band back together. Thanks to Kakarot here, and his little blue friend, we can make it happen."

"You know, you can show some respect," King Kai said. "You only got to come up here because I convinced King Yemma to approve Goku's request to let you keep your body."

"Thanks for that by the way," Goku said. "Anyway, you deserve to have your buddies back. And now that you're here we have everything we need to make it happen."

Auron raised one eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Put your hand on my shoulder," King Kai instructed. "Picture your friends in your mind, give me an image to search for, and I will be able to find them wherever they are in the Other World."

"If you insist," Auron said. He did as instructed and placed his hand on King Kai's shoulder. "Couldn't Bardock have done this? He knew them too."

"You knew them a lot better than I did," Bardock admitted.

"Fair enough," Auron said. He focused on his memories of Braska and Jecht, painful though it may be to think of what he had lost long ago. "Do what you have to do."

King Kai raised his long antennae, using them to search the Other World through telepresence. There were several places stranded souls could wind up, those that hadn't gone through the check-in station to be judged properly. Still, it took longer than King Kai expected, even with the mental picture Auron provided to make the search a little easier. They were not in the same place, which was to be expected given one died a decade before the other, and that one had ceased to exist then was restored to existence by a magical dragon.

"Ah, found one," King Kai said. He continued his search a little while longer. "And there's the other one. You can go pick them up now Goku."

Goku put his hand on King Kai's other shoulder, allowing him to see the places King Kai had found. Goku put two fingers to his forehead, locked onto one of the two people, and he let go of King Kai before disappearing. Auron and Bardock were left to wait with King Kai, who could watch Goku teleporting around the Other World picking up a pair of lost souls. He couldn't come straight back with them, needing to take a detour to the check-in station, so that the two of them could keep their physical bodies in this part of the Other World.

Eventually he reappeared with two other people in tow, both holding onto Goku's shoulders. On the left was Jecht, free from the prison that was existence as Sin, grateful to have his will restored even if he happened to be dead. On the right was Braska, pulled from his final resting place, barely keeping up with the course of events that led to this welcome reunion. Goku took a few steps back, letting the four old comrades have this moment without him intruding. At first there was only silence between them, none certain of what to say after being apart for so long.

Auron struggled to speak, and when he did his stoic composure finally broke down. "Braska… Jecht… I'm so sorry I failed you."

Braska walked over first, and he put one hand on Auron's shoulder. "You don't have to apologize."

"You did everything you could," Jecht said, walking over and crossing his arms.

"But your sacrifices were for nothing," Auron said. "Everything we did, it was all for nothing."

"It all turned out in the end," Jecht said. He held out his arms, placing his hands on the shoulders of Auron and Braska. "And we're back together again."

"We all died pointless deaths," Auron said.

"Death doesn't seem so bad," Braska said. "Not if this place is anything to go by. It looks a lot livelier than where I was for the last decade."

"There are worse places to end up," Bardock interjected, remembering the years he spent dead before arriving in Spira. "I know that firsthand."

Jecht looked at Bardock, and then gestured for him to come over. "Come on, it's been a decade since I could do this. Do not leave me hanging."

Bardock groaned and shrugged, tossing his hands up in the air. "If it'll shut you up about it for eternity, I can do that this one time."

He walked over to the group, and they shared a big group hug.

Discreetly looking away from this sentimental moment, Goku was facing King Kai. "So I was thinking about recreating something we discovered down there. It happened during fusion, but I think I might be able to reach that level on my own."

Ignoring their hosts' beginning conversation, Braska kept his attention to his friends. "So I missed a lot over the last decade. Could you guys start filling me in."

Auron nodded, and the others let him go first. "Well… after I died I didn't make it back to Spira right away. I got lost in another part of the afterlife."

"How'd you get back to Spira then?" Jecht asked.

Thinking back to that maze of dark caverns, Auron believed it had been the most bizarre portion of his existence since his death. "It all started with a young boy called Sora…"

Two years seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye.

At least, that was how Yuna and Tidus perceived it, both being very busy during that time. They had worked diligently to ensure the peaceful integration of Zanarkand into the rest of Spira, doing everything they could to avert potential conflict, keeping the peace every step of the way. It had been difficult, introducing civilizations that had been completely unaware of each other, in extremely disparate circumstances that all but begged for resentment and suspicion. But they persevered, being a part of the negotiations at every stage, no matter how stressful the task may have been.

Their efforts led to Zanarkand assisting in the reconstruction of Bevelle, still in progress after two years, likely to need decades before the city could be restored to its former glory. Zanarkand sent aid to the rest of Spira as well, helped in no small part by the Al Bhed providing ships to transport people and resources across the sea. They coordinated their efforts with the Crusaders, ensuring that support could get to where it was needed most, no area of Spira left forgotten. And in exchange the people of Zanarkand were fairly compensated, once the economy of Spira was operational again.

The Calm Lands were transformed into a grand crossroads, being the main route between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Gone were the lonely outposts where summoners and guardians said farewell to civilization, replaced by waystations and proper roads to link the largest cities in Spira. Mount Gagazet served as the midway point between the cities, both visible from the mountain's peak, the path between watched over by the Ronso. Thousands of people crossed every day in both directions, and they did not need to fear for their lives along the journey.

The threat of fiend attacks was becoming a distant memory, as not a single fiend had been seen since final battle with Yu Yevon. There were no reports of Unsent either, if one did not count the mass resurrection that still went unexplained. It seemed that people who died since then were staying dead, no longer returning to Spira to attack the living. As such summoners were no longer required to Send the dead to the Farplane, relieving Yuna of that responsibility. One less burden was more than appreciated, being hard at work nearly every day.

After two busy years, Yuna finally got to return home.

A few inches taller now, most of her hair cut short save for a single long braid in the back, Yuna walked into the village on Besaid Island. Having traded in her old robes for a more revealing shirt and shorts and half-skirt, she looked and seemed like a different person from when she left on the pilgrimage. Back then Yuna had thought she would never return, and doing so now felt like a dream come true. She walked through the village outside the temple of Yevon, seemingly unchanged by the years, as if she had never left at all.

Yuna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's good to be home."

Behind her was Tidus, his hair a little longer and having started to grow a mustache. "We took way too long to come back here. It was worth it though."

They walked through the village together, taking their time and looking at all the friendly faces. Nearly all of them recognized Yuna on sight, and they approached to welcome her home, grateful to have her back in their lives again. The more than welcome fanfare slowed them down, but Yuna didn't mind the delay, basking in the nostalgia of returning home. They slowly made their way to one of the huts on the far side, but they did not need to go inside. The couple that lived here had heard the commotion and come outside, and Yuna was glad to see Lulu and Wakka again.

"Hey Yuna," Wakka called out, waving as she and Tidus approached. "It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too," Yuna said. She got up close to Wakka, looked over to Lulu beside him, and looked at the newborn in Lulu's arms. "We had to come see the baby."

Lulu held up her newborn child, wrapped up in baby blankets, eyes open and looking around. "This is our baby boy."

Yuna leaned forward, getting a close eye on the baby, hearing him giggle at her. "He's so cute!"

Tidus got a good look at the baby, eyeing the red hair poking out from under a fuzzy hat. "Looks just like his old man."

Wakka laughed and patted Tidus on the shoulder. "I hope not. We wouldn't want to curse him with my ugly mug, that's for sure."

"Do you want to hold him?" Lulu asked.

"Of course," Yuna said. She eagerly took the baby into her arms, gently rocking him and seeing the newborn's innocent smile. "Hi there little guy, welcome to the world."

"Does he have a name?" Tidus asked.

"Yes, he has a name," Wakka said. He gently stroked his son's cheek, getting a cute giggle from the baby. "His name is Vidina."

"Vidina," Yuna repeated. She gently handed him over to his father. "I like it."

"Thanks," Wakka said. He held his son with great care. "It took forever to come up with that name."

"It was worth the wait," Lulu said.

"Yeah," Yuna said. She watched Lulu and Wakka dot over their child, and that alone was enough to make all her struggles worthwhile. "Vidina, you lucky boy, you get to grow up in peace."

Two years seemed like days, utterly meaningless to the dead, when their existence was eternal.

Goku spent the time training every day, often sparring with Bardock, enjoying the fights for the sake of fighting. Bardock wasn't the only sparring partner, he often fought with other dead warriors, though they didn't enjoy it nearly as much as he did. Time that wasn't spent training or fighting was spent getting to know his old man better, having all the time he could want with his dad. Bardock told him long tales of what life was like for Saiyans on his generation, before the destruction of Planet Vegeta, albeit embellished to varying degrees.

However, today was a very special day.

A month ago Goku had inquired about the World Martial Arts Tournament back on Earth, and he found out that his son was going to compete. It seemed an appropriate time to cash in on the good karma earned during his life, having been given permission to return to the living world for a day. Not to mention the opportunity to meet the second son he had, the little boy having been born after he died and was just shy of seven years old. It was going to be quite a treat, getting to see all his friends and family again, even if it was just a day.

Right now Goku stood next to King Kai, waiting for Fortuneteller Baba to come and bring him to Earth. "Has anyone arrived to the tournament yet?"

"Hang on," King Kai said. He telepathically surveyed the island on Earth that hosted the tournament. "Not yet. You've still got time before anyone gets there."

That was when Bardock flew in and landed next to them. "So this is your special day. I hope you have fun down there."

"It's a shame you can't come with," Goku said. He faced Bardock and smiled. "I would have loved to introduce you to everyone."

"Actually… that could be arranged."

The voice of the Grand Kai had everyone's attention, and King Kai smiled as he approached. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well I've been reevaluating your record, Bardock," Grand Kai said. He had a thick binder in his hand and was flipping through the pages. "Your assistance in the Spira situation has been sufficient to forgive your transgressions in life. In light of good behavior since coming here, I may be willing to look the other way this one time."

"Are you sure about this?" King Kai asked. "That is bending the rules quite a bit."

"I do have conditions," Grand Kai said. He glanced at the two nearly identical Saiyans before him. "First of all, I expect Goku to keep an eye on you. Earth is a whole new world to you, and it would be for the best if you had a chaperone."

"Can do," Goku said. "Is there anything else?"

"Just don't get into trouble," Grand Kai insisted. "I know that can be difficult for you Saiyans. But if it is just for a day you should be able to get by without any problems."

"It's just a martial arts tournament," Goku said. "What could possibly go wrong?"

A/N: And then Majin Buu happened, and we all know how that story goes.

For a while I considered writing a "Buu Saga plus Bardock" story, but I've decided to leave that to reader imagination. If anyone wants to take a shot at writing it, go right ahead.

Alternate title for this chapter: Goku Replaces His Divot

To anyone wondering why I used Baroku for the Goku/Bardock fusion instead of the official name from the Dragon Ball Fusions video game, well it's because I don't like the official name Barlot/Barotto. Simple as that.

I hope this has been a fun ride for everyone. The whole reason I picked Final Fantasy X was for the setting, since it allowed for Goku and Bardock to meet without using divergent timelines or misguided dragon ball wishes, and the story grew from there. The use of Sephiroth's design came from a need for a thematically appropriate final boss, since I believed it needed to be a Final Fantasy character in some fashion. I'm glad I got to tie in a bunch of stuff from FFX-2 as well, though it should be obvious that the events of that game don't happen here. I'd like to think I left Spira in better shape than it is at the end of that game.