Chapter Two: The Return
~Dream~ (Tokiko's Pov)
It was dark. Not a thing could be seen. Where am I? Am I dead? Am I dreaming? To answer my question a memory starts to play. It was of my last pilgrimage. Braska was filming something in his sphere as Jecht, Auron, and me were talking by the sidelines.
"Why are you so serious all the time Auron?" Jecht asked looking at Auron with a gleam of mischief in his eyes. Auron just glared at him.
"Hey! What did I do this time?!" Jecht exclaimed as my past self just gave a faint laugh. "Maybe he was just born like that Jecht. Ever think of that?" Jecht began laughing hard when Auron started to glare at me.
"What's that suppose to mean Toki." My past self glared at Auron as he began to grin slightly. "What did I tell you about-" Before she could finish, Jecht pounced on her back. "AHH!"
"Lighten up Toki! You and Grouch Pants over there need to enjoy yourselves once in awhile. He needs to crack a smile while you need to have more fun! I mean come on! You're like 20 or something." Both glared at him but Tokiko's glare turned soft, but only for a bit.
"Jecht, you idiot." They said in unison before they stared at each other. Jecht began to laugh even harder then before. Braska soon joined the three guardians.
"So what did I miss this time?" Jecht just laughed harder as the two other guardians glare only grew harder. "JECHT!" That was a sign for him to run. And run he did. I gave a laugh at this memory. It was one of those times that they all could just enjoy themselves. Soon, the memory faded into nothing. "I miss those times…"
I could feel myself float in the darkness of my mind. "Am I even in Spira? Damn you Jecht." Before I could say anymore, pyreflies began to form and a very familiar fayth appeared before me. "What are you doing here Bahamut?"
"I came to speak with you." He says.
"About what?"
"I came to ask you, will you end the dream this time? We are tired of dreaming. We want to rest." I stared at him with sadness. I've guarded so many to their death. I think it's time that I repented for my sin.
"I will. Its time I step up and try and end this madness once and for all. I've lead so many to their doom." Bahamut just stared at me before nodding his head.
"Thank you Tokiko…" Before I could say more I could feel a pull from reality.
"Its time that you wake Tokiko. Please, end the dream and save the summoners."
~End of Dream~
Waking up from my memory, I could feel a hand shaking my shoulder. Opening my eyes I could see a man in red. I only know two guys who wear red coats and that's Auron and Vincent. As my vision clears up, I could see the golden gauntlet. 'It's Vincent.'
Finally deciding to sit up, I began looking at my surroundings. "Dear Yevon, it's the Mi'ihen Highroad." I'm back in Spira. Vincent just looks at me confused.
"Mi'ihen Highroad? Yevon? Tokiko, do you know where we are?" I just looked at him. Should I tell him? Might as well tell him something about Spira. Giving him a nod, I stood up. After walking this road many times, I could see that we were near Luca. I turned to Vincent and pointed to the direction to Luca. "We head this way."
"Why?" He asked. No, more like demanded. Rolling my eyes slightly I began to walk.
"Cause I said so. For once in your life Vincent, just trust me on this. I'll explain to you later. Right now the closest town is that way, so we should hurry up and get there. So hurry up and walk." He just stared at me before began he began to follow me. 'I wonder…how much has happened since I left?'
With the rest of Avalanche (End of Tokiko's Pov)
"Look! He's waking up!" A voice yelled. Clouds' eyes began to open. They were blurry at first but soon became clear as daylight. Looking at his surroundings, he saw a tan man with weird orange hair and a boy with blondish hair. Suddenly, he sat up quickly.
"Hey man, take it easy! You and your friends just had an encounter with Sin yeah!" The tan man said.
"But!" Before he could continue, he heard a group of familiar voices.
"CLOUD!" Turning to the entrance of the hut, he saw Tifa, Barret, Cid, Nanaki, Reeves, Cait Sith, and Yuffie. Looking straight at them he quickly notices both Tokiko and Vincent were missing. "Where are Vincent and Tokiko?"
"They didn't land with us, where ever we are." Saying the last part quietly. Deciding to fill him in, Tifa sat next to him. Taking in the information, he stood up. The others left to wander the island. Tifa and Cloud followed Tidus and Wakka to the Temple of Besaid. It was fine and all. Tidus and Wakka did most of the talking. Tifa and Cloud on the other hand, had their own conversation.
"Cloud, do you think that fiend that we saw in Edge transported us here?" He just shook his head. "I don't know Tifa but lets check this temple out." Walking into the temple, they both looked at the statues. They were statues of men and women. People bowed as they paid their respects to the statues. "Who are they?"
A temple monk nearby looked at them in shock. "You do not know of the past High Summoners?!" Tifa and Cloud just looked at him. Using the excuse Tidus was using, Tifa said swiftly, "Me and my other companions were too close to Sin's toxins." The monk bowed down into a prayer.
"Praise be to Yevon you survived!" He quickly stood up. "These statues here were made in recognition of past summoners who were able to defeat Sin and bring the Calm. It's been just ten years since Lord Braska became High Summoner. Only now we have received a statue for our temple." Looking at the monk confused, Tifa asked, "What is a Summoner?" Coincidentally, Tidus also asked the same question. Gasps were heard through out the room. Stuttering, Tidus made the classic 'rub your neck in embarrassment' move. "I…I got too close to Sin's toxins too." The monk made the prayer once again before answering the question.
"Summoners are practitioners of a sacred art sworn to protect the people of Yevon. Only a chosen few become summoners who call out entities of great power; the aeons. The aeons hear out prayers and come down to us. They are the blessings of Yevon." Tifa and Cloud grew into thought before going to Wakka. "You two looked bushed! Take a nap." Tifa gave him a smile before leaving to the hut. Cloud just nodded.
As they made their way to the hut, Cloud asked, "Where are the others staying?" Tifa turned to Cloud. "They're staying in the next hut near us." He gave her a nod before entering the hut.
"Hey Cloud, do u think we'll find Tokiko and Vincent?" Cloud stayed silent for a bit before replying with a smirk.
"I'm sure we will. We are taking about Tokiko and Vincent." Tifa smiled and nodded. "Lets get some shut eye."
Time Skip to Kilika
Everyone one was getting along just fine. Yuna, Tifa, Lulu, and Yuffie quickly bonded. Cid and Barret stay together most of the time. Kimahri, Nanaki, Cait Sith, and Reeves quickly bonded with each other's silence. Wakka, Tidus, and Cloud all were another group. Even though Cloud was silent most of the time, he would voice in his thoughts once in awhile.
They had just witnessed what Sin could do. On the way to Kilika, Sin ambushed them. Even thought they fought it, they couldn't stop him from practically destroying all of Kilika. Yuna was asked to perform a Sending for the departed. Of course the Avalanche members and Tidus asked what a Sending was of course. As they watched, they could see the sorrow and pain on Yuna face.
The Next Morning
Cloud woke up late. Tifa and the other Avalanche members waited for them as they began to walk to the Kilika temple. "Sorry we're late!" Yuffie said as they crossed a small stone bridge. Wakka just waved at them.
"Its alight! Yuna, Tidus, Kimahri and Lu are waiting so lets get going yea?" Wakka said before turning to the Kilika woods. As they approached the group ahead, they knew something was up.
"What's up?" Wakka asked Lulu. She just shook her head.
"She wants them to be with us. Same with Tidus." Avalanche looked at Yuna with curiosity.
"I want them to be my guardians." Wakka looked at Yuna in shock. "Yuna! What? This is no time for jokes, yea! Tidus may be a blitz ball whiz kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie. And the others, we don't know much about them yea! They might fight good but we don't know if they can even defend you."
Yuna looked sad for a second and said, "Not as a guardian then, but I just want them nearby…" Wakka's expression was of shock. Tidus and Avalanche looked at Yuna and Wakka weirdly before they all started to walk to the Kilika Temple. On their way, the Crusaders, Gatta and Luzzu stopped them. Apparently, Ochu, lord of the woods was in the way to the temple. It was defeated with great difficulty, even Cloud had a hard time! It was Reeves (using Cait Sith, magic robot doll!) and Lulu who delivered the last blast with a powerful fire spell.
"Are all fiends here this hard?!" Yuffie exclaimed. The other Avalanche looked at Yuffie with wide eyes. 'Damn it Yuffie!' Was all on their thoughts. Tidus and Wakka didn't see anything wrong with the question but Lulu, Yuna, and Kimahri saw the flaw in her question.
"Not really yea. But it will get harder." Wakka said. As Yuffie gave a nod, Cid and Barret came close to her and grabbed the collar of her shirt. "HEY! Let me go you meanies!"
The other Avalanche members gave a sigh of relief while the others looked confused. Soon, they all began to walk towards the temple. Cid and Barret walked slowly behind with Yuffie. "What the &*##$ do you think you were doing you )$)(*$ idiotic girl!" Cid yelled.
"YEAH! You could of spilt out-" Barret was cut off when he saw Tidus looking over his shoulder with confusion. They both quickly put her down to her feet.
"Geez! Calm down! I could go deaf you know?!" Yuffie said in a hush voice. Barret just looked at her again. "Don't do it again. In this damn place, who knows what the hell will happen." Both finally calmed down but Cid let out strings of curses once and awhile.
End of Chapter 2
(P.S: I would like to thank moon82993 for being the first to review this story :3. Thanks for the comment and of course I'll update it when I have the time to. Enjoy!)
