"So...you're really going through with this?" Fang asked, sounded neither happy or disappointed. Remora shook her head slowly in reply.
"I really don't have a choice. It's like a new fate to me."
"You know I'm still staying with you. I didn't come here for nothing."
"So I hear. But...you have no problem with this at all? I gather you came here to try to come and get me."
"Well...yes...but, I see that you're taking this really seriously."
Fang agreed to everyone that she'd be another guardian to Remora and Yuna, so they all continued the pilgrimage. All three of them were outside the entrance to Guadosalam sitting on the tiled ground explaining what happened in each of their places, but everyone else except for Kimahri was inside already. The sun was slowly setting as the three girls talked about their experiences. Yuna was the one who had questions for Fang mainly.
"So, Fang, if you don't mind me asking, did you share the same interest in Spira as Remora does?"
"Well, not at first. To admit it, whenever we'd go to the library together back at home, she'd be looking through all sorts of books like there was no tomorrow and I'd be standing sluggishly looking at something as though life was never going to end." All of them laughed at her description. "But now that I know what role Remora plays here, I see it's just as important and she describes and takes."
"This isn't a situation that can be rushed...or have an overtime." Remora replied. "I'm just glad that once you saw me, you didn't start pulling me away from everyone else like they were fiends."
"How can I? They're called you're 'guardians', right? It's obvious they won't hurt you."
Remora and Yuna both smiled, but as they all laughed, someone came by the entrance to Guadosalem, eyeing the girls meekly.
"Pardon me ladies, but our master wishes to have a word with…Remora, Yuna, and their guardians. I suppose you are with them?"
The girls stood up to look at the Guado who was smiling intentionally at them and Kimahri.
"But this is for later. I heard that Yuna had a task to do first, which was the main reason for coming to Guadosalem?"
Remora looked at Yuna slightly confused and interested at the same time. "You did?"
"I have to speak with my father. This is where the Farplane resides as well." Remora did remember Seymour telling her about the Farplane as where it's the final resting place for the dead. It must have been where all of the people that they both had sent had gone to.
"So…everyone that's…passed on is in the Farplane…and the Farplane is here?"
Yuna nodded. She then twitched her head forward to tell the other two girls to come and follow her inside where the others awaited them.
Vera sat in her chair in front of the nearby table unfocused and stiff. She had just received a call from one of Fang's friends, concerned that she no where to be reached, and tried to ask if she knew where she was or for assistance, despite that she was already suffering with the long-distant loss of her daughter at the moment. Jeckt appeared out of the shadow of the living room in front of Vera, quiet but eyeing her suspiciously.
"So…you know where Fang is too?" Vera had guessed. Jeckt stepped closer to her.
"You're relatives really love to meddle in other's property."
"I had nothing to do with the disappearance of Fang. All I know is that she's gone too; nothing more."
"She is in Spira as well."
Vera's head raised up to look at Jeckt, her face reading confusion. "They're both in Spira?"
Jeckt's head cocked to the side as if he thought she would have known that already. "Where else would she have gone where people can't be tracked down?" He asked sarcastically.
Vera beamed. "Why would Fang, of all people, be there though? She's not into Spira as much as Remora is!"
Jeckt walked until he was right next to her, and begun to fondle with a few thin hair strands. "A spirit had warned her about the whereabouts of Remora, and who's endangering her."
"Endangering her?" Vera repeated. "Someone's after her!?"
Jeckt stayed quiet for a moment, giving Vera a chance for the announcement to sink into her head so he wouldn't have to repeat himself.
"And you're not even going to try and stop or warn her? What was the point of coming to me then?!"
"Last I checked you were her mother. And I've been keeping up with her often to make sure she stays out of trouble. But I'm telling you it's not exactly my full-time job."
Vera then slapped his hand away from her hair. "Isn't there anything that I can do to help them…!?"
"There is one way, although it should be left unsaid until the time is right, dear. I'm not exactly sure if you'd approve or not."
"What do I have to do? Tell me now!"
Instead of telling her exactly what to do, Jeckt backed up into the shadowy corner from whence he came. "The less you know Vera, the better."
One of the Guado had lead the group to the Farplane after they all took a tour of most of the land. The road to it was like a cave inside filled with many built in minerals and crystals, but nothing to worry about. It didn't take long to get to what looked like a cloudy entrance. The Guado man pointed a long slightly tainted finger towards the clouded area. Some of the group slowly went to go inside, but it was to their surprise that Auron and Rikku decided to stay behind and wait. Fang got to neck and neck distance with Remora as the rest of the group entered. At first Remora's vision of the Farplane was a little cloudy, but then the fog began to clear away, and it looked as though they were standing on a tiny island; not an island, but just an abandoned piece of sacred ground. When Remora walked towards the edge of the field, she had gaped. From ahead of her, it looked like a garden filled with many flowers and colors. Surrounding the garden were what looked like waterfalls, it's beauty beyond those of Niagara Falls (even though these people never heard of the place), it was like a fantasy, but nothing that Remora was looking at was delusional.
"This is the Farplane?" She asked in awe. Yuna nodded, but looked as though she had other thoughts. She stepped out towards the edge of the hardened land they stood upon, and stared out for a moment. Remora was farther away from her, but she could see that after a moment of wondering what Yuna would do next, a sudden figure appeared in front of her. It looked like a man, and it seemed a little faded like it was a ghost…unless.
Is that…Yuna's father?
Remora's thoughts were interrupted by a hand on her shoulder.
"So…anyone here you need to talk to?" Tidus said eagerly yet interested at the same time.
"How could I? I don't belong here. Unless people on Earth come here too." She joked.
"Doubt it. It that were so, this place would be stuffed, don't you think?"
Remora chuckled slightly. "Well…where I'm from, the dead get buried."
"Buried? In like, dirt? That doesn't sound like a comfortable resting place."
"Compared to here, no, it's not. But they wouldn't know anymore, so…"
"…So…?" Tidus wondered.
"…So I guess it's just fine for them."
Yuna wasn't the only one that was talking to a loved one, Lulu and Wakka were stood to different spots of the area as well. Lulu looked as though she was staring past the clouded sky ahead of them, and Kimahri was also standing looking dazed in his posture, while Wakka was talking to someone who looked a bit like him, possibly his brother. But then that would mean…I'm thinking too much.
Fang had left the area without anyone realizing, thinking that Remora wanted to speak to someone privately. So far, she didn't see anything suspicious about anyone towards Remora. She didn't realize that she kept walking outward until a rough voice interrupted her pace.
"Going somewhere?"
It was Auron. She had totally forgotten that he and Rikku existed once he went inside of the Farplane with the others.
"Oh. No. I was just, pacing without even realizing."
"Of all people, you would leave Remora alone."
"She's not alone, the others are with her. I was actually going to come and wait with you all until I dazed a bit."
That's not the point.
Fang gasped, startled by the sudden voice in her head. "Was that you!?"
"My point is that I'm not sure if you're ready to be a guardian or not."
"Of course I am, I would risk anything to keep Remora safe."
"I don't see it in you."
"Don't you?" Fang asked sheepishly.
"You look like you're in the mood of conspiracy to me."
"You wouldn't even think…" Fang said, feeling a little shocked. "You should have seen me back at home after Remora left us! If I were to be a traitor to her or all of you, then there would be no point in coming here!"
Rikku looked up, her eyes reading that she didn't know whether to trust or the question. Fang glared at Auron, who's expression didn't change, but he laughed instead.
"Some things are meant to be left unsaid, you know…!?"
Auron stood from his spot, noticing that everyone was re-appearing from the mist that led to the Farplane. "I'm not the one to judge, but I'll let you off with a warning, don't let me catch you plotting against any of us."
The whole group gotten together again and were about to depart back into the main town of Guadosalem, until someone had unexpectedly cried out.
"Ah! Lord Jyscal!"
Everyone that was about to leave turned, in front of them everyone was shocked to find a spirit seeming to be wandering out of the farplane, reaching out like a cry for help.
"He's unsent?" One of the frantic Guado asked.
"Yuna. Do it." Auron stated. Remora had a feeling that he wanted her to go and do a sending for the spirit. She walked up to it before it could go any further out of place, and began to twirl her wand, beginning to send Jyscal to his resting place. The moment of slight terror was over and some of the Guado rewarded Yuna with the prayer routine. She did the same thing back as she and the group finally departed out of the area. The group was greeted by what looked more like an elderly Guado yet he looked like a servant of a kind.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tromell Guado. I take it your ready to see Lord Seymour?"
Yuna's face shrunk a bit as though she forgot all about his invitation, and Remora surprisingly did the same thing without realizing it.
"We're ready." Yuna stated.
Tromell bowed and turned around. "Follow me."
Tromell led the group to what looked like a manor of sorts. When they went inside, the inside of the cave was very well painted and designed, also of colorful tiles. The sound of shoes and heels clacked as everyone walked towards another door they were led through. The next room they walked into looked like a first-class dining room. It looked like there were delicacies in the middle in two different tables facing each other. There were two longer tables on each side of the wall mainly for beverages from what everyone saw, and the walls themselves were painted a beautiful pale blue color. Tromell walked over to the middle of the room before turning back towards the group.
"Seymour will be here shortly. Make yourselves at home." He stated before everyone found themselves a seat on the cushion lounge chairs.
"So this is Seymour's home?" Remora asked Tromell curiously. He smiled as he begun to reply.
"Why, yes it is. You may know already, but Lord Seymour plays three very important roles in Spira, but also four. He's a Maester, a summoner, the high priest of Macalania Temple, and the leader of the Guado. He's been working very hard ever since his childhood."
Tromell continued to talk onward, but Remora had another thought in mind blocking everything else. Someone who played in all those roles and is a higher rank of summoner than her (even though he says he's not) agreed to help her out so quickly. She suddenly felt as though she owed him so much, and she would face him once more today, possibly questioning Fang's arrival. It was actually that she realized that Tromell wasn't exactly through talking about him until she suddenly heard a door open from afar, a familiar aura filling the room.
"Enough please, Tromell. Do I really deserve this much praise?" Seymour said, sounding a little uncomfortable. Remora would be too if she were him. Seymour stepped passed the reluctant Guado to face the others, who stood once they all noticed his arrival. "Welcome to my humble abode." Seymour smiled at the group, but Remora could see the curiosity in his face once he noticed someone new to the group. "Ah- there's another, I see."
Fang seemed to have faked a smile, from what Remora could tell. "I just arrived. I'm Fang, a close friend to Remora."
"Ah, another one from what you call 'Earth'?" Seymour chuckled. "Well, the more, the merrier. Welcome to Spira, for whatever reason you're here as well. You seem...different."
"I came to bring Remora back home, but after I found out that she was a summoner, it seems like I'll have to wait, so I'm just her guardian."
"Back home? Something the matter back there?"
"No, it's something to do with someone following her, possibly endangering her. But I have her back till then."
"I see. Well, it's a very nice thing for you to do." Seymour had said, smiling grimly, but not intending to worry anyone. "But anyhow, I have invited all of you here to show you something that has to do with future outcomes of Spira, and the past that made it happen."
The past that made it happen. The words echoed through Remora's mind, bringing back a thought she'd wish never come back. The words immediately reminded Remora of her dream- or nightmare- of Zanarkand. She remembered how Yuna and Tidus told her it was possible for it to be in ruins during the time, and it made her heart sink a bit, and it seemed to have shown on her face.
"Something troubling you, Remora?" Seymour asked sounding concerned.
"Ah, its nothing. I just got a little absorbed in thought."
"I see. Well, if there aren't any more problems. Allow me to lead the way to our next destination."
The group walked where Seymour directed. It seemed like a black room, nothingness. Fang had leaned to Remora's ear to whisper something, like a hint of doubt.
"Do you know him?"
"He helped me when I arrived at Spira. I owe him a lot."
Fang's expression looked a little resentful, yet she didn't show any vocal sign of disapproval. Everyone stood still, yet Seymour continued forward as though there was actually something you could step on. He turned to face the others, mainly Yuna, and gestured a forward motion with his hand. She took two small steps, and suddenly, the black floor began to fade into what looked like a whole cluster of stars. The sight startled Remora a bit, thinking they would all fall through, but they didn't. It was like the entire room was a theatre as the blackness faded and it seemed like they were all going through a galaxy. The sight amazed Yuna, who was struck with awe as a few comets had brightly passed by into space. Everyone had begun to sound fascinated with the sight of the universe all around them. Seymour stood behind them all as though he were a tour guide, but then he began to walk slowly until he was in-between Yuna and Remora while talking at the same time.
"This sphere…is a reconstruction created from the thoughts of the dead that wonder the Farplane."
While he spoke, something appeared that greatly startled Remora. The same buildings, towers, and waterfalls that she was struck with awe with in her dreams. They were now right above Zanarkand. Tidus however seemed to be the one with the most awe. He did tell Remora that it was his hometown. While everyone stared in amazement, other people had suddenly shown up, seeming to walk through the group as the setting changed to inside of main parts of Zanarkand, which is where Remora remembered walking by.
"Zanarkand?" Remora and Tidus asked at the same time.
"Correct. Zanarkand; as it looked one thousand years ago." The area looked like a golden and silver kingdom. The scene had disappeared and everyone was floating by the towers and buildings once more, going by every arch they seemed to see. Fang also looked amazed, so she might have known now that this was what Remora saw in her dream back home.
"The great and wondrous machina city, Zanarkand." Seymour stated again. He looked as though he had another thought on his mind. "She once lived in the metropolis."
Remora could hear Auron chuckle as they passed by another arch. But what she really wanted to know what 'she' was, and apparently Yuna did too.
"She who?" She asked curiously. Seymour looked down at her with mesmerizing eyes, but said nothing for the next moment. He looked what was at his front as the group stayed in place and continue to examine everything around them. He made a slow blink before suddenly the setting of the moving imagery was what looked like someone's room. It was well cleaned and designed like a royal suite. Remora looked to see a woman sitting on her bed, looking down to her feet. Her hair was long and very straight with a silver color as pale as her skin. Remora had realized that they were just in a presentation since the woman didn't seem to look up from the group suddenly appearing.
"It's Yunaleska!" Yuna had stated.
"Yunaleska?" Remora questioned. The only thing that seemed important about her at the moment was that she had the word 'Yuna' in her name.
"The high summoner that vanquished Sin a thousand years ago."
"She must be really special." Remora said, astonished. Another man had entered during their conversation, seeming to embrace Yunaleska, guessing that he was her lover. Seymour had turned to look at Remora. She guessed that he also heard the out-of-nowhere 'ping' sound that her charm made suddenly, and there was a faint color glowing through her dress again, only it was blue. He walked up to where the both of them were face to face even though he was looking at the blue glowing spot. His large had slowly reached out towards her chest and traced downwards until it was inside of her dress aiming to clutch the charm. If Remora didn't know any better, she would have thought he was trying to seduce her (even though there was a possibility), and it made her face light up into a pink color, and she could feel her cheeks burning slightly as well. Seymour had took his hand out and let the charm lay on it to be examined. The blue color seemed more sharp when exposed, and it had grabbed Fang's attention.
"What does all this mean?" Remora asked. And not just about the moment, but to the fact that the different colors that her charm glows could have a different meaning.
"As unusual as it sounds, I can sense the feeling too, but blue means that one of your friends could be on the vow of conspiracy." Remora's eyes read confusion, but Fang's heart felt as though it was beating a lot deeper and she had a sudden sinking feeling. She remembered Auron's warning back at the Farplane, and it slightly frightened her. She couldn't imagine herself betraying the group, especially Remora. Seymour had then turned to Yuna, who was just on the other side of him, and seemed to have whispered something to her, and at the same time the projection ended. They were all back in the living room, and suddenly Yuna looked extremely desperate for something. She had walked fast to one of the tables to chug a glass of water, and everyone was confused.
"Yuna? Are you okay?" Fang asked as Yuna approached them.
"You're face is beat red." Tidus had said, and he was right. Yuna was red as red could get and she had a lot of trouble speaking.
"Yuna?!" Remora asked, slightly concerned. Seymour had approached them from behind and Yuna looked up at him with no change in expression.
"Don't let this limit you, take all of the time you need to answer my request."
"He asked me...to marry him." Yuna had announced as everyone stood outside the manor. Fang's eyes had widened and Tidus had gaped.
"Seriously!?" He asked, sounding both excited yet disappointed at the same time. Yuna only nodded in reply.
"What are you going to tell him?" Fang asked.
"Well...I am Lord Braska's daughter, and Maester Seymour is the leader of his kind and a maester. So, if we were to marry, it could possibly help some of Spira's conflicts."
"So...is that a yes?" Tidus asked. There was a moment of silence, but then Yuna spoke up.
"Yes." She answered.
"Are you okay enough to go back and answer?" Lulu asked. Yuna nodded once more. Remora would have guessed they would have went back inside, but then they saw Tromell pass by in their direction.
"Ah...Tromell!" Yuna said.
"Oh, Lady Yuna, I have heard the splendid news." He said, grinning as everyone approached him.
"Where's Seymour?"
"He said he's sorry for such a short noticed, but he had errands to run down at Macalania Temple, and if you want to you may give him your answer there."
"So we're headed to Macalania?" Remora asked.
"To Macalania temple." Yuna said. She sounded awfully confident about the moment that just passed inside of Seymour's manor. If Remora were her, she'd probably be sweating buckets from anxiety and excitement. But she had to think also about a few things, and she let a few of them slide as they made there way through their entrance to the Thunder Plains.