Laughter, A Medicine Much Needed.

(Our heroes continue their journey onward toward their next stop; The Temple of Yevon, Djose. As they enter the area they come upon a bridge, and are greeted by what's left of the Crusader's Mounted Chocobo Forces.)

Lucil: Yuna, it is good to see you and your companions are well.

Yuna: Yourselves as well, Captain. We were worried. Praise be to Yevon!

Lucil: "We escaped with our lives, but our troops were decimated.

Elma: Of all our chocobos, only this one made it.

Clasko: We make pretty poor Chocobo Mounted Forces without chocobos.

Lucil: We turned our backs on the teachings and cast away our faith. This... this is our just reward.

(he team parts ways with Lucil, Elma, and Clasko, and head to the front of the Temple proper.)

Link: That the Djose Temple?

[The rock surrounding the structure blows apart, but floats in place due to heavy electricity. Inside is a large temple, much larger than it looked before.]

Link: Not too shabby...

Lulu: The Lightning Mushroom Rock. It only opens when a summoner is addressing the fayth.

Wakka: That means another summoner's already in there.

Yuna: Another summoner?

Link: Most likely its... Dona.

Yuna: We have to hurry.

Link: Right.

[They walk in, just in time to see a summoner returning from the fayth. It's a man, though; not Dona. Two guardians - a man and a kid - are with him.]

Link: Well... guess I was wrong.

Summoner: I beg your pardon, but may I ask your name?

Yuna: I am Summoner Yuna, from the Isle of Besaid.

Summoner: As I thought! The daughter of Lord Braska. You have the look of your father.

Yuna: My father? You knew him.

Summoner: No, I have never met the man. Ah, my apologies. I am Isaaru. I am a summoner, like you.

Pacce: I'm Pacce. Pleased to meet you.

Maroda: And I'm Maroda. I'm guarding my big brother here.

Isaaru: Since I was a child, I've always looked up to Lord Braska. I wished I would someday become a high summoner like he was. You must have some of your father's talent in you! I believe you might someday defeat Sin.

Yuna: I...I'm not really... I've only just become a summoner.

Isaaru: Of course, I've no intention of losing, either. So perhaps we should race to see who can defeat Sin first, no?

Yuna: Very well, then. I accept your challenge.

Maroda: Isaaru!

Isaaru: Yuna, I beg your leave. Good luck, to both of us!

Yuna: Yes.

[As Issaru and his guardians leave, our heroes turn and head towards the Cloister, but as Link starts inside, Isaaru calls out.]

Isaaru: Hey, you.

Link: Hmm?

Isaaru: You are Yuna's guardian, no? Maroda's heard a curious rumor. I thought you should know.

Maroda: I heard it from those Crusaders. Seems that summoners have been going out on pilgrimage and just...disappearing.

Isaaru: It could just be the fiends got them...but not so many so quickly.

Link: That does sound a bit suspicious...

Maroda: Sorry I don't know more, but...watch your back. Ain't much future for a guardian without a summoner, eh?

Pacce: What? What? Whatcha all talkin' 'bout?

Maroda: We're talking about doing your job as a guardian!

Pacce: Hey, I'm doing good! Right, big brother?

[Isaaru nods.]

Isaaru: Please, be careful.

Link: You got it.

Isaaru: Pacce!

(Isaaru turns and begins walking out)

Pacce: Oh... What?

Isaaru: We're leaving!

Pacce: Be right there! See ya!

[Link runs up to the Cloister.]

Monk: The Cloister of Trials lies within. Are you prepared?

Link: About as ready as I'm going to be.

(Link runs inside and catches up to the rest of the group)

Wakka: All right! Guardians, at attention!

Yuna: We are ready.

Wakka: All right... Let's do it!

[They go through the trials to the antechamber. Yuna goes into the fayth; just then, Dona and Barthello enter.]

Link: ... great.

Dona: Well, well. You again. Still travelling with quite the crowd, I see.

[Barthello walks over to Auron.]

Dona: What is it, Barthello? You know this riffraff?

Barthello: You are...Auron, no?

Auron: What of it?

Barthello: Can...I shake your hand? Auron-no, Sir Auron. You're the reason I became a guardian!

[Auron chuckles and shakes his hand.]

Barthello: Thank you, sir! This means so much to me!

Wakka: Calling the personal guardian of Lord Braska riffraff?

Lulu: And you call yourself a summoner?

Dona: Barthello, enough! Get back here!

Link: Uh ... you hang in there.

[After what seems like a few hours, Yuna exits the Chamber of the Fayth, exhausted.]

Dona: You owe much to your father. All these guardians...and Sir Auron, too? And I hear Maester Seymour's quite taken with you. The world must look different when you're the daughter of Lord Braska.

Yuna: This has nothing to do with my father! I am travelling on my own, as a full-fledged summoner!

Dona: Oh, is that so? Then try standing on your own two legs for once. Your guardians won't be able to protect you when the time comes.

[Dona enters the chamber of the fayth and the party leaves to go rest after a long day. The next morning Link goes into the nuns' chambers and finds Yuna still sleeping; everyone else is waiting around outside for her.]

Nun: She was working until dawn. Healing the wounded, sending the fallen.

Link: No problem, I'll just let her sleep for now.

[Yuna wakes up.]

Link: Morning, sleepy head.

Yuna: What? Morning?

Link: It's not a problem.

Yuna: But it's morning! I'm so sorry! I-I'll get ready right away! Just a moment!

Link: Don't worry! It's okay!

[Back outside, Yuna runs out in a hurry.]

Wakka: Yo! Sleepyhead!

Yuna: Sorry! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me.

Lulu: Really, there's no rush... Here, your hair.

Wakka: A summoner with bed hair! What's the world comin' to?

Yuna: You could have woken me up!

Lulu: We called to you, but with all that snoring...

Yuna: Mmm...what is it today? Everyone's picking on me!

[Everyone chuckles, including Auron.]

Yuna: You, too, Sir Auron?

Auron: Once Lady Yuna can fixes her hair, we leave!

[Everyone starts to walk out.]

Link: (narration) I hadn't really laughed like that since... I lost 'her', and I failed in my duties as the 'Hero'. But it was only later that I realized... I was the only one really laughing. Laughing must have been the only thing keeping them going.

[The party comes back to the bridge again and stop when they meet the Chocobo Knights.]

Lucil: Off so early? Lady Yuna, you must be exhausted working so hard last night. Will you be okay?

Yuna: I feel that I have rested enough. But, thank you for your kindness! Will you be leaving, too?

Lucil: Yes, first we cross the Moonflow, and then we head north in search of chocobos to replace those we have lost.

Elma: Once we find chocobos, our Mounted Forces will ride again!

Link: Hmm, is it just me or are you missing a person?

Clasko: Captain! Waaaaait for meee!

Link: Well, speak of the Devil...

[Clasko runs over.]

Elma: What took you so long? We're leaving!

Clasko: You expect me to keep up with a chocobo!?

Lucil: Lady Yuna, I wish you good fortune. Elma! Clasko! Let's go!"

Elma: Ma'am!

Clasko: Eh!? Can't I just rest a sec...?

Elma: No complaints!

[They leave, and Yuna's team heads to the crossroads again.]

Link: So... where to now?

Lulu: We cross the Moonflow.

Link: Right, Moonflow... here we come.