Yuna was having a dream. A dream she would not admit to, but one that was somewhat necessary, where she was killing Rikku and Tidus. This was because Yuna worried. She worried that she was only Tidus's girlfriend because he had thought Rikku was dead and only loyalty had keep him by her side. No one had mentioned his reaction in home. After all stay by the summoner's side until she dies and then go to the real love. She saw him whispering with Rikku and how he looked at her. And the difference on the airship. Rikku had said, "I'll see you again, right." But to her "I love you." he had only said, "I know."

Now since Yuna cannot admit to herself she is worried about that, Yuna will be very jealous around Rikku, even though she has no need to be, for two reasons: - Tidus is gone and he actually loves Yuna. But though unnecessary the worry is an unceasing presence in the back of her mind.

She got up and checked her pistols. Ever since Operation Mi'ihen she had started to question her beliefs. Tidus had asked why machina was wrong. And she had seen the operation different to the others. They felt it was a complete failure. She had seen it as a success. Sin had not been hurt, more due to the inability of the gun to manoeuvre while recharging. She had seen the amazement on everybody's faces, not least the Maesters, as the Al Bhed looked as if they would succeed. And when they failed, what she now recognised as relief.

She really had to thank Rikku for her pistols. Operating them was simple enough but Rikku had pointed out, if she really wanted to learn about the Al Bhed she ought to learn about their history. But Rikku and Tidus together had forced her to look again at her beliefs. She still wondered why the Al Bhed had blown up their home. Later she had asked Brother about it.

"Not because we couldn't force the Guado out of our home, but because of the machina they might remove. Better to destroy home, than let those power-hungry priests get hold of it."

"But machina is against the teachings."

"But they use it often enough. The Yevon monks were armed with flamethrowers and muskets. Machina accompanied them. Military machina far worse than our sphere balls or our general machina. Tougher than even the one military machina you fought from us. I was severely reprimanded for even using one of those."

"Oh, dear. Still it wasn't that tough."

"To you maybe not, but it took you a fair amount of time, and because of the anti-magic field it was unable to use its mana beam as effectively as usual."

Yuna remembered how powerful the mana beam was. She wondered why that had never developed a backup power source for that thing. The anti-magic field may have limited stopped Aeons but it had also limited the tanks own power. She now believed that was a mistake. Though if it hadn't been for Rikku it wouldn't have been. Rikku could replace a magic user easy enough, by her ability to combine items.

Yuna's mind drifted back to the present and wondered why she wasn't really looking forward to seeing her cousin again. Okay so Rikku always acted as if she was the elder cousin, which got on Yuna's nerves, but it was worse than that. Still she was decent enough at acting which helped. Unfortunately if there was one person better at acting than she was it was Rikku.

"The betrayer of Yevon must be silenced. She is the cause of the Aeons disapproval. Flaunting her heathen heritage, she is a canker gnawing it our very bosom. One, which we must excise, no matter how painful. Sin can be hidden or look enticing but the truth is it always shows. She is and always has been Al Bhed at heart. Only a heathen would use machina. It worked you say? But if it worked why did the Aeons vanish except as a sign of disapproval?"

The crowd had started umming and aahing. This crowd mostly didn't care. All sinners who deserved to be devoured by the Al Bheds unholy machinery. Always hard to preach to the crusaders, who were the main arm of the Al Bhed. Still a few listened and believed. Soon Yevon would rise again and give the heathens a civilising influence. Especially if the information the Council of Maesters held was true. Some Aeons had been missed. The first would be the dangerous Aeon who lived in the broken lands, trying to repair it. He was protected by his monsters, which were only powerful in the cave. A Titan, who fathered the monsters. But where were the others?

"Yunie!" Rikku screamed. "Glad to see ya. How are you?"

"Glad to see you too Rikku."

Both Yuna and Rikku were very tense, and though they still loved each other, at the moment neither liked the other 'boyfriend stealer' very much. Though neither of them had acknowledged it too much they had been engaged on a cold war during Yuna's pilgrimage, which is why they were usually at opposite ends of rest areas when they had paused, whereas normally they were close sisters. And this dance would drive them apart unless they admitted the depths of their feelings for Tidus, who both were still grieving over.

Rikku sat down, as did Yuna. Neither wanted to talk and both sat down looking miserable. Though they wanted to scream and shoot at each other, neither wanted to rip their relationship apart.

Wakka looked up. "You should talk, ya? He's gone."

Lulu was more to the point. "Your feelings are obvious even, no especially if you hide them. Each of you thinks the other is up to something when she's trying to spare yours just like you are for her."

Lulu shook her head as she walked of with Wakka. This was a drastic method and she prayed it would work. This could stop them speaking to each other for the rest of their lives. If it worked though they would recover and be close again, but never as close as they were before. The only reason they had done this was because they other route was certain destruction of their relationship.

"Kill or cure, Lu," Wakka pointed out. "Kill or cure."

Rikku and Yuna sat with their mouths open. Being driven apart by a dead guy seemed stupid now. This was how family feuds got started. A little misunderstanding blown out of all proportion. Still things might not be so bad if they had realised earlier that there was one other person who realised how much they were missing Tidus.

"We'll never be as close again, will we, Rikku?"

"No, after all, we fell for the same guy. And you spent more time with him."

"He liked you a lot, and I think he started learning Al Bhed for you."

"That only makes it worse."

"Sorry, should have realised. And I think it was closer than you realised. After all he was never sent instead he chose to return to the dreaming. I hated how he would stare into your eyes."

"Everyone does that. You as well. Why do you do it?"

"At first your eyes seem normal, then I notice the spirals, finally I notice the subtle colour difference. One greeny-blue the other bluey-green. You have fascinating eyes." Yuna notices Rikku staring at her in shock. "Okay point made though. If I your straight cousin find them fascinating, I have no right to criticise Tidus."

The Monster Keeper was worried. Not since Yevon's death had he felt this kind of determination. And the way it was focused, not since Yevon. He lived here in the calm lands to protect Yojimbo's diary. He must not let it fall into the wrong hands. It was time to destroy it.

"Monk's fan out and find the rogue Aeon." the robed figure commanded.

There was a massive roar, and standing in front of them was a head with short legs and long arms. A Chocobo Eater? They were tough enough without the Aeons meddling. So a fiend summoner like the Guado, and could summon boost their power far more than Guardians could.

"This fiend is the legendary Earth Eater. Only one group has ever beaten it and you are not they," the Aeon mocked.

The robed figure smiled evilly. And smiled. "I have found the magic to prevent your power, Titan. Eater - Float!"

Now the Monster Keeper was truly worried. Without his ability to feed off the pyre flies in the ground he was nearly powerless. With it he was unstoppable. He lit the fire and hurled the diary into the fire. And then he heard the ancient Yevon imprisonment rituals. Unlike Alex and Leviathan he had nowhere to flee since his chosen vessel had died long ago.

"So why try to burn this. Yojimbo's Sphere. I wonder...

"Well, the Al Bhed are giving me a lift. Not much surprise when I summoned their god. Here we are: the Baaj Temple. Surrounded by water. I enter carefully and place my items, each discovered by careful research, on the six pedestals. The door opens and there it was the powerful Aeon. The once all-powerful King of the Seas - Leviathan."

"Why should I accompany you, Yevonite?"

"I plan to end Sins reign. Would you not like the Seas back Leviathan? Or will you give up, staying here until the end of time? For now we have a chance to stop Sin permanently and free the Phoenix."

"It cannot be done. Asura is sent. And my best friend, their body destroyed under an avalanche. Without the machina god we are doomed."

"She might have something to say about that."

"Damned right I will. I'm alive. Why didn't you search for me?"

"How come? Sin is farmore powerful than I. And why did you not leave for me?"

"I cannot cross the thunder plains unassisted, now can I? I'm machina! So we two have survived. The ones who should not have: - the machina god and the king of the seas. Without the machina my power is weak. But it is growing again thanks to my priesthood."

Leviathan speaks, this time in a rumbling roaring voice, as his confidence seems to flood back, "I am Leviathan and I will destroy this impostor. I shall accompany you."