32 Go to Heaven
Yuna went up to a loitering Guado, who seemed to be fruitlessly trying to eavesdrop on our conversation. "Excuse me, Ma'am. Do you know the way to the farplane?" The Guado woman nodded. "Yes. Just that way." She pointed up a path to the right. "Follow that and take the first two lefts. Travel all the way to the end and you will reach a tunnel. Go through the tunnel and you will find the entrance." "Thank you very much." Yuna bowed.
We did as she said. After some time, we arrived at the tunnel. I had never been claustrophobic before, but I felt like sometime creepy was waiting at the end. The tunnel wasn't dark, on the contrary, it was completely lined with blue lights along the walls and floor. And there were some stray pyreflies wandering about. But I didn't feel too good. Maybe part of that was Yuna's looming decision about Seymour.
Yuna looked back at me as she walked. "I don't remember if we told you. The farplane is where I send the deceased. Their souls reside here for eternity." I gazed at her. "So your father is here." I said softly. She looked away sadly.
There were several short flights of steps leading up to a portal. Covering it was rainbow film. As we headed up the stairs, Auron stayed back. I turned around. "Aren't you coming?" "I do not belong there." He said dryly. "Ha!" I laughed. "You're scared!" Auron scowled at me. "Searching the past to find the future. That is all that is there. I need it not." Rikku had also stayed back.
"You're not really going to see the dead. Only your memories of them. The pyreflies search your mind, so whoever you think of, the pyreflies react to that. They take the form, an image, of the dead person. An illusion, nothing else." "Hm." It was an interesting concept. "Well, have fun!" Rikku waved me on. "You're not going either?" I asked. Rikku shook her head. "I keep my memories inside. Memories are nice, but that's all they are." "Whatever." I said dismissively. I had determined I would see this for myself. So I went up the stairs and tapped the portal.
The others had already passed through, so I figured it must be safe. I walked through it, and it was a strange, buzzing sensation as it grazed across my skin. The sight I beheld was truly amazing. Now, we were on a relatively small, floating platform in a vast expanse of clouds. Below us was a massive waterfall, and below that was a gorgeous meadow filled with flowers of all colors. And everywhere flew fathomless numbers of pyreflies. Their screaming which I had heard in Spira was reduced to a harmonious song, an incredibly beautiful one that nearly brought tears to my eyes.
I looked at Yuna. She stood on the opposite end of the platform, and before her stood a richly dressed man, and a woman in Al Bhed garb. I could only assume that they were her parents. They stood together, holding hands. Neither spoke, they just gazed straight ahead, simple images. The farplane was way beyond cool, but I couldn't stop thinking about Yuna. Her parents looked so happy together. That got me worried that maybe seeing them would make Yuna really consider Seymour's proposal-even more than she already had.
I was hoping she would be okay with me interrupting her. I went up to her uncertainly. "So...Yuna?" "I've decided." She said. "Oh. Really? That's good..." I trailed off. It could either be good, or very bad. I really hoped she wouldn't marry the Guado. I knew it really wasn't my business though. I mean, I was her guardian and all, but she was in charge. "I remember, when I was only seven years old, in Bevelle that day. My father had defeated Sin, and the whole town was out in the streets. Everyone was laughing. They all seemed so happy. If I defeat Sin, that would make everyone happy. I must do what everyone wants, not just what I want."
I wasn't sure what she meant by that. I wasn't sure if I should be happy, or worried. It seemed to me like she was saying that everyone would want her to marry Seymour, and I couldn't imagine that was what she wanted...but I just wasn't sure. She turned around to look at me, sadness in her eyes, but she quickly wiped the look away. "Call Sir Jecht." I had still not gotten used to her calling him that. "Don't worry. He won't come." I wondered why she was so sure.
I didn't want to call him, I didn't want to see him. But trying not to think of him only did the opposite. When nothing happened, Yuna said, "See, told you! That means he's alive!" He wasn't there, because he wasn't dead...he was Sin. I didn't know what to say. I knew it was true. I wondered what I could possibly say to Yuna-to everyone in Spira, for that matter.
But then I realized that his actions weren't my problem. I didn't have to apologize for the loser that called himself my old man. "I'd rather never see him again." I said, meaning two things. I didn't want to see my old man in person, and even more, I didn't want to see him as Sin. Yuna frowned. "What makes you hate him so?"
"Everything he does just makes me mad! He would drink all the time, and he was just a full time jerk! And, it was his fault that me and mom..." Suddenly I looked up and there my mom was. Standing right there. She stared straight ahead, and she floated in midair away from the platform. I let out a breath. "Mom..." I steeled my face, refusing to let my grief show. I missed her so much. "But wait. No one ever performed a sending for her." "Well...a person doesn't have to be sent in order to show in the farplane. They just have to have died. But people who die of natural causes, or people who accept death before they die, they go to the farplane without having to be sent." I hung my head. I knew it was the latter. Mom gave up living. She was too said without Jecht.
"I think...I think I just figured out why I hate my old man so much...Whenever my old man was around, Mom wouldn't even look at me. Maybe that's when I started to resent my old man, maybe even hate him. When he left us...Mom just lost her energy. They lady next door told me...when a lovebird dies, the one that's left behind, it just gives up living, so it can be with its mate. It was just like that. I hated Jecht even more..."
What Yuna offered in response was only a sympathetic silence. It was rudely interrupted by Wakka. "Well? Need some more time?" He asked Yuna. "No, I'm ready." She glanced back at me giving me an encouraging smile as she went back through the portal. I looked back over the beautiful scene, and saw my mother one last time. I frowned as tears stung my eyes. "Bye Mom." I whispered when everyone else was gone. Then I left, back to the world of living.
"Now I will go give my answer to Maester Seymour." I nearly jumped out of my skin when from behind me came a zombie-like moan. I ran down the steps away from the ghostly creature that had followed us out of the farplane. "It does not belong here!" Auron said with a commanding tone to his voice. "Yuna. Send him." She went up to the specter. "Lord Jyscal..." She whispered. "He is Lord Jyscal no more. Send him now!" Lulu created a pool of water on the floor. She began her sending, but he faded away before she finished. But in the place where he disappeared, there lay a tiny blue sphere. No one saw it but me and her.
She picked it up as we left, and tucked it into her belt. I didn't mention it, because for some reason, she looked like she wanted to hide it. As we traveled again through the tunnel of light, Wakka mumbled, "What was that? Was that really Lord Jyscal?" "He died an unclean death." Auron said flatly. Apparently, everyone except me knew what this meant, and why. I didn't bother asking. I figured I would ask Yuna about it later. "I will go speak to Maester Seymour." Yuna sounded nervous. I shuddered. I deeply hoped I was wrong about my suspicion that she would marry him.
She went into the manor alone, and the others split up in different directions. Auron sat by himself and Kimahri stood guard outside the mansion. Rikku and Wakka went into a nearby shop.
I followed Lulu into a corner. "Ummm..." I wasn't sure what to say. "What?" She asked, actually sounding a little curious, for once. "What do you think about Yuna getting married?" Her expression softened, if only a bit. "As long as the pilgrimage continues, either way is fine." I frowned. I just didn't get it. "That's it? What if she doesn't even like the guy? Is that okay?" Lulu looked up as if begging some higher power to help her to answer my foolish questions, though they truly weren't foolish at all.
"People marry for many reasons. Sometimes marriage doesn't require love. Defeat Sin, bring joy to the people of Spira. Get married, bring joy to the people of Spira. For Yuna, they're just two ways down the same road. All you need is determination. If you have that, you don't need love." I shook my head slowly from side to side. "I don't know...I just don't get it." "But." Lulu said abruptly. "If she is to marry, I would want her to marry for love. But if Yuna wanted to marry the one she loves, I would have to object.
I didn't understand this woman. "Uh...you're not making much sense." "I know." She said dismissively. "I have spoken enough on this subject. Just forget about it." This time it was my turn to look to a higher power for help. "You'll understand one of these days." Lulu seemed sad. "I just don't want to give it words. Not yet." She started to walk away, but she turned back and looked at me very seriously, not accusingly, but clearly what she was about to say held an intense importance.
"Don't fall in love with her." I put my hands in my pockets and stiffly turned around, my face heating up. I didn't answer. I wandered away, though not too far from the group. I struggled with my thoughts as I went, mulling over what Lulu had said. And also what Rikku had said. Rikku asked if I was jealous if Yuna married Seymour. I started to worry maybe it was too late...I told myself I didn't love her, but I was starting to really wonder.
At that point, I nearly walked right into a human girl. I recognized her from somewhere, but I couldn't think where. She clearly knew who I was. "Is the lady summoner not with you?" "No. She's at Seymour's place." "That's Lord Seymour." She corrected me. "Sorry." I mumbled. "I believe that Maester Seymour left Guadosalam just a short while ago. He was going to the temple in Macalania, if I'm not mistaken. Maester Seymour is also the high priest of that temple." "Oh, well thanks for telling me. I'll tell the others." She nodded her head. I retraced my steps back to the manor, but Yuna was already out by the time I arrived.
"Yuna! Some girl said that Seymour went to Macarena Temple." "Macalania Temple." Wakka said. I waved my hand. "Whatever." "But...why would the Lord Maester head off without waiting for Yuna?" Wakka scratched his head. "Well maybe he wasn't expecting Yuna's answer so soon." Rikku offered.
Yuna coughed. "What is it?" Auron asked. "Oh. Nothing." Auron half closed his good eye. "You're a poor liar." "It's true, it's nothing! Come on. Let's go." After getting directions, we found our way through the maze of a city and reached the exit. Where we came out, there was a storm on the rage. It was dark; thick clouds covered the sky. Lightning flashed at intervals and thunder crashed loudly every few seconds. There were towers constructed haphazardly around the plain, and lightning frequently struck said towers. "That looks...really dangerous..." I watched as a rock sitting atop a hill was struck with lightening and momentarily lit up with a blueish hue.
"The lightening is usually drawn to the rod towers." Lulu calmly replied. "We head north, not too near, and not too far from the towers. We have to stay on the lower ground and we should be fine." Wakka began forward, resolutely. The rest followed. I heard a quiet whimper, and looked behind me to see Rikku trembling, and flinch every time lightening struck nearby. I ignored the girl's antics, as did everyone else, though, because I knew that we had to travel across this treacherous expanse as fast as possible.
After about an hour, it started pouring rain. Our feet squished in the mud, and overall, it was really unpleasant. Eventually we reached a small building hiding in a large, deep ditch. We entered it, taking shelter from the storm. At first I was worried about dirtying the floor, but when I saw that it was already covered in mud tracks, I realized that they didn't even bother to try to keep it clean. A young woman Guado sat in a chair in the corner, watching something on a sphere.
When she saw us, she turned off the sphere and rose up. "Lady Summoner." Yuna bowed, though her it was more shallow than usual. "I'm a little...tired." She said to the group. "Do you have a room available?" "Yes." A clerk called from behind the counter. "You can take the last one on the right." "Thank you." She hurried into the back room. Wakka raised an eyebrow after she disappeared down the hallway. "That's not like her..." I knew he was right. Something was up. It probably had to do with marrying Seymour.
The Guado clerk helped Lulu, Wakka, and Auron at the front desk. They paid for the room and stocked up on some supplies. I stood warily near the door. I was creeped out by all these Guado people, they looked too much like that bug-haired weirdo, Seymour.
The girl approached me, slowly, as if trying to appear calm, when she was not. "Is it true? I heard that Lord Maester Seymour and Lady Yuna are to be wed! It is such great news!" I cringed inwardly. "Where'd you here that?" She raised the sphere in her hand. "I watch this, to keep up with the latest Guado news. I don't leave this place very often. Everyone's really excited." I wasn't sure what to say. It made me sick that it was already on the news that she was going to say yes. I figured Seymour must have decided to make her feel bad if she said no, by getting all the Guado excited about it. Jerk.
"Uh...I'm afraid they've got it wrong. Yuna's not gonna marry him. She's gonna turn him down." I only hoped I was right. "Oh...I see. That's unfortunate." She sighed. "Well I'm sure that people would have rejoiced all over Spira." She walked dejectedly away and slouched into her chair. The corners of my mouth twitched up, I couldn't help but feel good about saying Yuna wouldn't marry the guy.
I meandered down the hallway, with my hands in my pockets. Suddenly, I heard a male voice coming from the last room on the right, and I Yuna gasp. I instantly leaned over with my ear to the door, listening intently. I glanced behind me to make sure no one was watching, and then I tried to crack the door open to hear a little better. I didn't do it right, because the door opened all the way, and I had been leaning on it, so I stumbled right into the room.
Knowing it was definitely too late to hide my presence, I hurriedly glanced around the room for the owner of the male voice I had heard. Just before Yuna grabbed a sphere and turned it off, I saw what I thought was a Guado hovering above it. Needless to say, I was relieved that no guy was in here with her. And I figured she had been watching the sphere that that ghost thing dropped.
She turned around, jittery, and tried to look undisturbed, though she clearly was. "Y-yes?" I laughed awkwardly. "A...um, it's nothing, really. I just uh...sorry-I shouldn't have come in..." Yeah, that was real smooth. "What's that?" Yuna took a split second to answer, just long enough for me to be suspicious as to whether or not she was telling the truth.
"The sphere is Lord Jyscal's will...It says, 'Take care of my son.' Seymour." I squinted. "Well I know one way to 'take care' of him." I said the words low, under my breath. I was implying that we kill him. At this point, I would be happy if he died. Then, Yuna wouldn't marry him. Yuna's hand went to her mouth. "I'm sorry." She turned and rushed into a room connected to this one. I wasn't sure what she was doing.
She left the sphere on the desk, so I did the obvious thing and decided to watch it. But before I could, I realized someone was approaching me from behind. At the moment I realized it, Wakka grabbed me and put me in a headlock. "What do you think you're doing?" I struggled to remove myself from his grasp. "Yuna-Yuna was acting funny, so-" Wakka let go, and interrupted my sad attempts at fighting him.
"Yeah, yeah! She'll tell us when she's ready, so hold your chocobos till then!" "Alright! Fine!" I cracked my neck and we marched out. I still wanted to know what was really on that sphere, and obviously, Yuna wasn't going to tell me, so I determined to find out as soon as I could get at it.
A few hours later, Auron woke me up, and we all left the agency. Yuna was very deep in thought. I walked beside her, and eventually asked if she was okay. "I-I'm fine." She wasn't convincing at all. Right near us, ahead, there was a shelter. Yuna yelled over the thunder, "Let's stop here for a moment. "Why?" Auron demanded.
"I have to say this now!" She was very distraught, and I dreaded what I was about to hear. Once we reached the shelter, she took a deep breath and burst out, "I've decided to marry." My heart dropped into my stomach. Thunder crashed. I fought not to start yelling out all the reasons why she shouldn't marry. Lulu sighed. "I though so." "B-but why?" Wakka spluttered. Yuna looked down. "For Spira's future, and Yevon's unity. I thought it would be the best thing to do."
Auron was not pleased. "That's not good enough." Lulu gave Auron a sharp look signaling that she did not approve of the way he spoke to our summoner. "Is it because of Lord Jyscal?" She asked gently. I knew that Yuna didn't want other people to know about the sphere, but these were dire circumstances, so I decided to break her trust. "Your sphere, the one that Jyscal's ghost dropped. What was on it?" She looked at me, disappointed. The look she gave me made me want to swallow my words, but it was too late.
Auron approached Yuna menacingly. "Show me." Yuna stepped back and put her hands up signaling for him to stay back. "I can't. I must speak to Maester Seymour first. I am truly sorry, but this...it is a personal matter." Auron relented, knowing that Yuna's place as a summoner trumped his experience and age status. "As you wish. Just one thing." Yuna interrupted him. "I will not quit my pilgrimage." "Then...it is fine." Auron turned to leave.
"You're kidding!" Like me, Wakka couldn't believe what he was hearing. I grabbed Auron by the shoulder, seeing that he was Yuna's last hope to stop her from making a horrible mistake. "Wait a minute, Auron! You don't care? I mean, you're not going to stop her?" He looked back at me coldly. "No. I'm not. As long as she is willing to face Sin...all else is her concern. That is a summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys. "But thats..." I frowned and my mouth hung open as I tried unsuccessfully to find words that would make her change her mind.
Wakka attempted to help. "Yuna, just one question...I mean, can't you just talk to Maester Seymour? Do you gotta marry him?" Yuna shook her head. "I don't know. But I think it is the right thing to do." Rikku went up to Yuna and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Yunie..." She used the nickname that she had made up for her cousin a while back. "I wish we could help, somehow...someway!" Yuna put a hand over one of Rikku's "It's okay...I'll be fine." With that, the conversation ended, and we headed out of the storm lands. I was still completely dumbfounded and desperate to get Yuna to reconsider her decision. I knew, though, it was no use.
