A/N: Sorry about how long it took me to post this chapter. I was busy with sending out college applications, and than I whiled the hours away playing Final Fantasy IV. That game is addicting if you ignore the horrible graphics.
In one of the reviews I received I was told that I am following the game very closely. I know that I am, and I apologize. It's just certain events in the game are critical in what helped Tidus and Yuna build a relationship. And I am following Yuna's Pilgrimage---However a lot is going to be changed to fit my story.
Special thanks to all those people who left me kind comments! SavannahX; Warui-Usagi; TgIiDgUis; JJ Chow; bbychrangel; Crimson Okami; Damson; and Lirael Black.
Disclaimer: I don't feel like saying anything special this time. Everyone knows I do not own any rights to Final Fantasy X(Edited May 2, 2006)
Angel WingsChapter Eight: Luca and Possession
Yuna knew she was in her Uncle Cid's airship, but how or why she was there she wasn't sure. She looked down at her body, and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her clothes were different! Where was her Summoner's outfit, comforting in its familiarity? Why was she wearing something different?
Her clothes were strange, a white sleeveless shirt with Tidus' insignia in the center, just barely covering her chest, black shorts, and something else hanging off her hip! She would never willingly dress in such clothing! How could anyone take her seriously dressed as she was?
Rikku walked up to her, her green swirled eyes sad. Her cousin was different too! Her hair was longer and braided, her clothes as skimpy as hers.
"Yunie…" Rikku whispered, her voice uncertain. "He's not coming back…"
Yuna stared at her cousin, confused. Why were they talking about Tidus? She was back at the start of her Pilgrimage, and she knew from the Fayth how to keep Tidus from fading…Yuna opened her mouth to tell Rikku what she had just thought, but she was a prisoner in her own body, witnessing all, but incapable of both movement and speech.
"You've been waiting for over year, and he still hasn't come yet, Yunie. You need to move on, Tidus isn't everything, you know." Rikku said, and Yuna found herself flinching.
"You don't understand, Rikku! Tidus is my life! Without him, I have nothing! I can't live without him!" Yuna cried, and to her horror, she collapsed, her legs too weak to support her. Yuna's hands shook as they moved to her face, and hid her tears from her cousin, who stood horrified over her weeping figure.
"TIDUS!"
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"TIDUS!" Yuna screamed, her voice cracking. Yuna sat up so quickly her head spun, sighing with relief when she recognized her small cabin in the SS Wino. Noting the sun shining through the small port sized window, Yuna assumed it was near noon, and Lulu had long since woke. Yuna looked down and was relieved to see her Summoner's clothes and not the strange garments she had seen herself wearing moments before.
"A dream, that's all it was, thank goodness," Yuna said as she stood and smoothed her ruffled hair. "Maybe it was a glimpse of what's to come, or could happen if I weren't here."
Yuna paced her room, deeply disturbed by what she had seen. Breaking down and crying in front of Rikku, while she had done so on the night when the Fayth had appeared, was not something she would normally do.
Her Pilgrimage had steeled her and given her incredible self-confidence and strength. In order to survive, she had needed to dull her emotions, and focus solely on defeating Sin and sacrificing herself in order to gain the Final Aeon from Lady Yunalesca.
Yet Tidus had been there every step of the way, boosting her flagging resolve, motivating everyone to continue on when all hope failed them, had even followed her against the powerful, deranged Maestor, and Lady Yunalesca.
If Tidus hadn't been there she would have died, there was no doubting that. Maybe she would have still questioned the Lady, but she wouldn't have been quiet as willing to find another way without Tidus there to support her.
One of her main motivations to go against the teachings was her love for Tidus, and her complete faith in him. He had opened her eyes to the lies Yevon spread, that she had believed without doubt for her whole life. He had shown her that something existed outside of her Pilgrimage, that she wanted more in life than to just defeat Sin.
She had fought her feelings for much of her journey. She had felt it was wrong, perhaps even selfish, to desire more. Who was she to mourn over a love she could never have when so many people suffered? Her mission was to defeat Sin and die, and she couldn't have anything else, and she had to accept that.
Yet Tidus was always there. He talked to her about his Zanarkand and his life there, constantly said that he wanted to visit certain places with her after her Pilgrimage. He talked so much about the aftermath of her Pilgrimage that it hurt at first, but she later learned to listen and use her imagination, and envision herself in Zanarkand, held in his arms.
Their night in Macalania Woods was forever burned into her memory. She had gone to the spring so that she could think over her actions and try to resolve what she had shattered, the life that her and her Guardians had taken.
She had been horrified to find that she didn't regret killing Maestor Seymour, but realized it was the only way to destroy what he had become. Maestor Seymour had wanted her to join him; he had wanted her to help him become Sin, just as Sir Jecht had once been.
Than Tidus came and talked to her and she knew. She loved this man so much that it consumed her entire being, it seemed every breath she took was for him. Against her will she had been secretly planning ways she might spend the rest of her life with him, after Sin. Her hopes were always dashed, though, for regardless of what she may want, her destiny lay with Sin and dying.
Their kiss was mind blowing, and yet, it made her sad. She once again railed against fate and cursed it for showing her a heaven she could never have. And she was sad.
Tidus' spirit never wavered, though, and after Lady Yunalesca's death, he kept his promise. Tidus helped her find a way to defeat Sin, and the rest was history. She lost Tidus, and a piece of her soul.
And now she had a chance to save her dream, the man she loved and cherished above all others. She never felt right unless she was near Tidus or held by him; for her, Tidus was heaven.
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Yuna watched Tidus hang off the side of the SS Wino, his left hand clutching the corded rope tightly. Yuna felt a smile tugging at her lips at the sight of Tidus' barely concealed amazement. More than likely Tidus had never dreamed that a Blitzball tournament would be held in such a big city, that what he knew from Zanarkand would be carried over to this reality.
"We're here!" Wakka said unnecessarily, and Yuna giggled at the look Lulu shot Wakka.
Poor Wakka, he never catches a break from Lulu. She is really hard on him, though; I wonder if she realizes how much she hurts him? Yuna looked at Lulu from under her eyelashes. Probably not. She still isn't over Chappu, but if she doesn't let go, she'll never see what Wakka feels for her…
Yuna walked over to Kimahri and watched as the dock came closer, the sounds coming from Luca deafening. Yuna followed a red balloon with her eyes as it floated into the vibrant blue sky, and silently wished she could be as free as it was.
"Ah man," Wakka complained, "We missed the reporters because we were so late getting to the ship."
Lulu shook her head and Tidus shrugged his shoulders. Yuna, on the other hand, wasn't sure whether she was happy or disappointed. After all, Tidus had made a spectacle out of himself, and while the publicity had been good for the Besaid Aurochs, Tidus had looked like a clown.
"Let's go see Maestor Mika!" Yuna said brightly. While Maestor Mika hadn't been too kind to her later on in her Pilgrimage, she still respected the unsent Maestor, and the wisdom he possessed.
"Okay! Let's go!" Tidus cried enthusiastically, jogging in place.
"Hey! Hey! Save some of that energy for our match!" Wakka chided, though his eyes shone with excitement.
Lulu exchanged a look with Yuna. "Boys will be boys."
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"Thank you people of Spira," Maestor Mika said softly, his words strong, as he gazed at the crowd gathered around his boat. "I am happy to be here with you all on this glorious day."
Yuna followed the crowd as they bowed and performed the Prayer of Yevon. She wasn't paying any mind to Maestor Mika, though, her eyes were glued to Seymour, as the arrogant Guado bowed before Mika than took his place beside the ancient Maestor.
"I am Seymour Guado, Maestor Jyscal's son. I will carry on all that my father wished, and do so with all of you in mind." Seymour's voice was silky and smooth, all the more deceiving. If she hadn't known what Seymour was capable of doing, the evil he harbored, she would believe him too.
Seymour bowed once more, and Yuna saw that everyone was impressed. Her eyes locked with Seymour's, and a chill ran down her spine when she saw his eyes glow red for a moment; but when she blinked it was gone. On his wrist, supported by a bronze chain, swung a small blue gem, no bigger than a penny.
It's one of the gems! Yuna thought, her breath catching in her throat. There it is, so close!
Yuna watched, frozen in place as Maestor Mika and Seymour took their leave, her eyes never leaving the small gem swaying on the chain, departing with the Guado. She followed her Guardians and Tidus automatically, her mind alternating between what she needed to do to defeat Sin, and the gem that carried Tidus' fate….
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Yuna ran down the locker room hallway, Lulu and Kimahri close behind. She was so excited she could barely contain herself; she needed to share the good news with Tidus and Wakka!
"Wakka! Tidus!" Yuna cried as she threw the Besaid Auroch's changing room door open, ignoring Wakka's protests. "I have great news! Sir Auron is here!"
"What?" Tidus asked confused. "How could he be here? He's back…" Tidus trailed off before he could say anything damaging.
"He is! And I know where to find him!" Yuna insisted, pretending not to see Lulu's startled look. She wasn't worried about the consequences, though. If she went exactly where Sir Auron had met up with them, than she could not only avoid being kidnapped, but also have Sir Auron make Tidus her Guardian along with himself.
Tidus looked at her uncertainly, but after a moments hesitation he gave in. "Alright, let's go." Though his voice was less than enthusiastic.
"Don't worry, Wakka," Yuna said before Wakka could protest, "I'll make sure he's back in time for the tournament." Yuna grabbed Tidus' hand and ran out the door, Lulu and Kimahri close behind.
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She had tried, she really had, to convince everyone that Sir Auron was in the stadium, but Lulu, and even Kimahri, who usually backed her up, could not be swayed. They had heard Sir Auron was in town, and that's where they would look.
Yuna had asked Tidus what to do if they got separated, and Tidus had shown her how to whistle. She had surprised him when she was able to whistle back on her first try. Her heart fluttered when she thought of what Tidus had said to her:
'If we get separated, just whistle and I'll come running.'
Yuna followed Tidus closely, taking two steps to Tidus' four, so close to him that she was nearly getting double vision. She was tense and anxious; every patron that got too close, Yuna backed away from.
Yuna was too late to prevent Kimahri from seeing Biran and Yanke, and before she could react, he had stalked over to them, Tidus close on his heels. Yuna groaned silently; she was by herself. She looked around for Lulu, but the Black Mage was nowhere to be seen.
Yuna cried out when she was grabbed from behind and dragged out of the bar before she could struggle. The hands wrapped around her waist were as tight as iron, and Yuna feared that if she even tried to get away, she would break in two. Before Yuna could even formulate a plan, she found herself in a small bland room, and tied to a chair. She gasped, shocked, when she saw who had taken her: Bickson and Graav.
Yuna's heart stopped beating for a second, and her eyes fluttered closed and reopened; the two men were still there. But this wasn't right! The Al-Behd Psyches were the ones that had taken her the first time, not the Luca Goers!
Bickson moved closer to her, and Yuna's mouth went dry when she saw his eyes glowing red. "Lady Yuna…"
"Let me go!" Yuna cried, trying and failing to keep her voice calm. "My Guardians will be here any second!" She felt so useless and she didn't like that. Maybe she could summon Valefor or Ifrit…
"Lady Summoner," Graav said, his voice low and emotionless, which frightened Yuna. If Graav showed some emotion, than she could reason with him. But if there was nothing…
"We brought you here so that…he could deal with you personally." Bickson said in the same tone as Graav.
"Who…" Yuna started, but her words died in her throat when Pyreflies appeared, swirling in the air until they formed Maestor Seymour. "That's not possible!" Yuna cried, horrified. "You're at the tournament!"
"Lady Yuna, my wife, don't play dense," the fiend said, his tone mocking. "I know of your knowledge, and of your quest."
"You can't be here!" Yuna cried, her mind reeling. "You already exist!"
"Au contraire, my lady," Seymour said, his voice dripping with malice. "Just as the Fayth sent you back, so too was I. You see the power the Fayth used to send you back was so great that the vortex used to send to you where you are now dripped into the Farplane, where I happened to be. I simply moved through, and here I am."
"Whatever you have planned, you won't get away with!" Yuna said. She had destroyed Maestor Seymour once before, and she would again. The thought was enough to calm her, and she glared at Seymour angrily.
"You see this, Lady Yuna," Semour held out his hand and jangled the chain around his wrist so that the gem swung in front of her face, "This particular gem allows me to control weak minded persons around me. It was quiet easy to possess these fools and my old self at will, and influence his actions. So you see, my lady, I'm going to make your life a living hell!"
Yuna remained silent, though her intense stare never wavered from the deranged Maestor. Seymour paused for a moment, uncertain, and Yuna allowed a mocking smile to flit across her face. "I defeated you once, Seymour, and I'll do so again."
Seymour laughed, the sound so awful that Yuna flinched. He moved so that his face was close to hers, his fetid breath hitting her face. "That's why, Lady Yuna, you're going to die."
Yuna gasped in shock as Seymour's hands wrapped around her neck, cutting off her air. Yuna had no leverage; she couldn't use her arms to break free, nor could she kick Seymour, as he had her legs pinned.
Oh Yevon, Yuna thought desperately, He's going to kill me!
End of Chapter
Okay, okay, bare with me! I know that Maestor Seymour's sent self-coming back is weird, but I promise, what I have planned with him is very interesting. Just think of Seymour as the equivalent of Auron, except a Ghost that can possess people. Also, of course Seymour could have just Summoned Anima…but he's insane, and he isn't thinking logically.
Kristen