Hello everybody. FINALLY, a new chapter for you to read. I'm sorry I've been gone for so long and left this story hanging. I hate it when stories I enjoy are left unfinished and always promised myself I'd never leave any story I wrote in that state. I've failed miserably so far but I will fail no more, I'm back and ready to rumble!

The reason I've left this story and another story in the FF9 section unfinished isn't because I stopped writing, to the contrary it's because I've bene busy writing other stories under other accounts for other games. I got really into another sotry I was doing and made over 20 solid chapters, I let it completely be the focus of my attention and put my other stories on the backburner. I now wish I hadn't done that but hey, it's been done now.

The wait is over and I've finally going to dust off my other unfinished fanfics and finish them off, promise!

So here we go, let's pick this up where I least left it. Please forgive spelling or grammar mistakes.

Chapter 7

Tidus stood in a Luca café having himself a coffee as he went over in his head what he and the mysterious boy had discussed out on the pier. The boy had gently but essentially told him that his dream of returning home to his Zanarkand was impossible. Instead of blindly dreaming for something he'd never get he had to return to Yuna and the others to help them in the pilgrimage. It was hard for him to argue with anything the boy had said. Tidus wasn't stupid, he knew his best option was to go back. The only thing holding him back was his pride.

If he went back he'd be facing the wrath of his former friends. It hurt to call them that, FORMER friends but the reality was is that they likely weren't his friends anymore after what he'd done. If he went back, tail between his legs and begging to be allowed to join them in Yuna's pilgrimage again would they even accept him? Would they want him back or would they tell him to get lost? The latter was surely the more likely scenario.

"What will they say?" he wondered to himself. "Will they be angry? Or just sad and disappointed? Will they even speak to me at all? I can't really blame them if they just choose to ignore me completely."

Tidus barely touched the coffee he'd ordered as he sat in the corner thinking. He was snapped from his trance though when he something on the café's television that caused him to sit up.

"Earlier today, Lady Yuna and her guardians were apprehended here in Luca after several days on the run from Yevon authorities. The wedding of Lady Yuna and Maester Seymour and the subsequent events that happened on the day had caused huge uproar all over Spira. The group had gone into hiding after controversy to hide from justice but surprisingly turned up earlier today in the middle of Luca town square. They were arrested without a struggle and in the coming weeks will stand trial for crimes against Yevon."

Tidus listened intently, hanging on the news reporter's every word. When she'd finished he turned away from the television and store into space, open mouthed. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"They were here? They came back here to Luca? Why, why would they come back here? Surely they knew they'd be caught, why didn't they just head off to Zanarkand?"

He could think of no logical answers to any of these questions. He was completely dumbfounded.

"Dumb broad, what the hell was she doing thinking she could hide from the authorities here in Luca? She really isn't as smart as people made out."

This was said from a man sitting at the bar who'd also been watching the television news. Tidus' eyes shot over too him to see who it was who'd said this about Yuna.

The man was short and stocky and looked about forty. Clearly he was a person who worked locally and had popped in here for something to eat after work. Tidus was furious by the man's disrespectful statements. He stood up from his seat and left his barely drunk coffee on the table. He walked over to the man and got right up in his face.

"You want to take that last thing you said back?" he asked angrily.

"What? Who are you and what are you talking about kid?" asked the man feeling affronted.

"You heard exactly what I said," Tidus told him not backing down. "Take that mean stuff you just said back. Yuna's not a broad or stupid."

"What's it to you?" the man snapped getting angry himself. "What do you care about that traitor and her friends?"

Careful not to expose himself Tidus gave him a false answer.

"I know Yuna, I grew up with her in Besaid. She's a wonderful woman. This has obviously been some misunderstanding."

"Yeah right," the man snorted. "A misunderstanding eh? You saw how she behaved at her own wedding didn't you? She treated Maester Seymour and Yevon appallingly. Forget the fact she's High Summoner Braska's daughter, that gives her no right to act how she did. Lock her up and throw away the key I say."

Tidus lost his temper and snapped. He drove his fist hard into the man's face, knocking him right off his stool. The man crashed to the floor and landed very heavily. He was well and truly out for the count, Tidus had really clocked him good.

The blonde blitzer began to breathe heavily as he looked down at the man he'd attacked. After the he saw that the man wasn't getting up again he finally looked away and began to focus on the whole room again. He suddenly noticed that it had gone very quiet (you could hear a pin drop) and EVERYBODY was looking at him in shock at what he'd just done. Realising he was in a very bad situation Tidus turned around and bolted out of the door, not daring to look back (or pay for that coffee). He didn't stop running until he was well away from the crime scene, and certain that nobody had followed him.

He finally stopped and caught his breath. Once he'd done so he began to think so more.

"I shouldn't have done that, I should have held my temper," he scolded himself. "They'll likely call the guards and have them search for me. I can't afford to deal with that, I have other stuff to do."

You see he'd reached a decision. It was a very bold and brave one, but it was something he felt he had to do. He owed it to his former friends to do it after abandoning them.

"Hold on guys, I'll get you all out. I won't let Seymour and all those other creeps stop Yuna from completing her pilgrimage. She was born to destroy Sin and I will do everything in my power to help her achieve that. Before I was doing it because I wanted too, now I'll be doing because I feel I owe to her too."

He was defiant and for the first time since before he found out the awful truth in Home, the real Tidus was shining through. His mission was set.

Meanwhile, in the Luca prison…

The group all sat cramped inside the dungeon cell they'd all been imprisoned in, shivering and hungry. After being arrested they'd been whisked away by arm guard to the station building where authorities took trouble-makers. It would have been pointless to resist. As strong and adept as they all were as guardians to fighting fiends they were too heavily outnumbered by Luca guards to try and fight their way out of this one. Yuna had told them all to stand down anyway, she had never liked taking part in pointless battles.

Now they all sat and stood waiting for someone to come and speak to them, likely the maester who'd arrested them himself.

"Curse that Seymour," Wakka suddenly said now, unable to keep his frustrations bottled up any longer. "Didn't I tell you all we shouldn't have come back here ya? We played straight into their hands."

"We had to come back Wakka," Rikku told him now. "We had to look for Tidus and this was a likely place he'd be."

The tall man just "hmped" in response.

"I don't get why he had to look for him in the first place. I liked the guy but he walked out on us and didn't look back. Why should we worry about him? He clearly didn't worry about us."

"Enough Wakka," ordered Lulu now. She decided to step in and end this potential argument right then, Yuna didn't need this. The summoner herself was cuddled up to Kimahri in the corner for warmth (the dungeon they were in was very cold and damp) and hadn't said a word.

"We took a risk and we paid the price," Auron said wisely now to everyone's attention. "We take whatever they throw at us. Let us not forget, we are Yuna's guardians. We protect her with our lives, even if means fighting against any guards or other Yevonites who attempt to hurt her. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Good," was all he finished with before going back into his usual introverted silence. Not long after the door to the dungeon opened and sure enough a master with several guards did enter. It was Kinoc.

"So, you all came back here eh?" he asked mockingly. "I was confident of catching you all but no so soon admittedly. I expected more of a search. I thought you all smarter than to just walk straight back into Spira's second largest and most guarded city. Still, we all make mistakes."

A smug grin then came onto his chubby, round face. None of the group gave him the satisfaction of rising to his taunts, not even Rikku or Wakka. They all remained silent, as if ignoring him.

"Right, let's get down to business," Kinoc declared eventually. "Lady Yuna (she looked up at him) you are to come with me. Maester Seymour wishes to see you. The rest of you are to stay here until Maester Mika arrives, then we can begin passing sentences."

"No way is Yunie going with you!" Rikku told him angrily now. "She's staying here with us. We go together or Seymour comes here!"

"You're in no position to make demands," Kinoc spat. "Sit down and shut up you Al Bhed filth!"

Rikku didn't respond to that insult. She kept quiet but continued to scowl. Kimahri however stood up from the corner, marched forwards and planted himself firmly in front of Kinoc and his guards. He towered over all of them.

"You take Yuna, you have to go through Kimahri," he told them plainly. Kinoc stepped back intimidated and the guards all tightend their grips on their rifles.

"No Kimhari," Yuna said now finally speaking up. Everyone watched as she stood up and came to stand in front of Kinoc herself.

"I will go with Maester Kinoc without a fuss. I will not let you all fight for me anymore. If Maester Seymour wishes to harm me then I will deal with him myself. It's time I fought my own battles, alone."

Upon here order Kimahri slowly (and relucatnatly) stepped back. That led Kinoc to smile and step forward again.

"Finally, you show some sense Lady Yuna," he stated in a mocking tone again. "Now come on, we haven't got all day."

He ordered her out of the door and she did as was told. Surrounded by the guards she walked forwards and exited, followed closely by Kinoc who closed the door and locked it behind him.

"Do you think Seymour will hurt Yunie?" Rikku asked of everyone when they were once again alone.

"I'm not sure," Auron answered her now truthfully. "He may or he may not, it's impossible to know exactly what that man's thinking. If he does then Yuna will have to make good on her promise and fight him."

"Yuna has improved her battle capabilities tremendously but she's still no match for Lord Seymour alone," Lulu stated sadly now.

"Dammit!" said Wakka pounding the dungeon wall he'd been leaning against in frustration now. "Come on guys, we can't just sit here and rot ya whilst Yuna deals with Maester Seymour. We have to bust outta here and help her!"

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter back. I truly put effort into this and that honestly can't be said for all chapters I write. I'm really feeling this story again which is something I wasn't doing when I first put it on hiatus. Enjoyed writing it so much I may start writing the very next chapter now! It won't be up though until tomorrow at the earliest, have other stuff too write too. Please keep reading, reviewing, favouriting and following, I can't tell you in words how much I appreciate it. Until the next chapter then.