The confrontation with Sin begins - and foe becomes friend.

I don't think I could poke or prod this chapter for more clarify if I tried. The name has also changed as I don't think the old chapter title really worked the way I wanted it to.

Thank you for the follows/reviews (each and everyone).

italics = denotes thought or memory

Not Mine

Showdown

Yuna blinked a few times trying to come to grips with where she was. She was surrounded by water. Dying and destroyed buildings scattered like so much refuse around her. If she stared far enough into the distance she was met by waves upon waves of fog and nothing more, it was empty here. No sound, no animals, only death and decay surrounded her.

She looked up and found that everyone was strewn around her in various degrees of health. Behind her she saw that Nooj was not in any position to move and neither was Lulu, both Auron and Rikku were hurt as well but not as badly. All of their bodies were scarred by the fight with Seymour. Which, Yuna figured was just what Yu Yevon wanted. To wear them down before they got to him, before she got to him. However, Yuna was stronger now just as Yevon was and knew that she was going to give Yevon, and Sin her very best - whatever that happened to be. She picked herself up and walked to where Rikku and Auron were; her hand glowing with white light and she saw both of them blink a few times as they healed. Rikku looked at her, "Where are we?"

Yuna pivoted her body, so that she now faced the rest of her wounded company and walked over to where both Nooj and Lulu were. She healed them both as well, "I don't know. Outside the temple somewhere I guess." she answered.

She didn't like it; it was too quiet and peaceful. Just like when Seymour had appeared. And something was different about this place that they were in, it seemed confused - twisted in on itself. It was an odd word, but that's what the place felt like, confusion. She looked around, "Where's Paine?"

"I'm here."

Behind her Paine was leaning on one of the pillars and looking, for all the world to see, as if she hadn't even been touched or even in a fight. Even though Yuna knew that the last time she had seen Paine the woman had been scrapped and hurt. Paine glanced around at where they were, "I'm guessing that this is the netherworld."

A bizarre look of bewilderment and something akin to being startled passed over everyone's features. Everyone but Auron's. He knew this place, had visited it many times in his dreams. And the quiet was something that he welcomed, it felt how he supposed the Farplane should feel even if it the scenery was different, and he didn't question the joy that came with being there. Lulu settled into Nooj's lap, which caused the man a great deal of surprise although he didn't comment on it. Instead he seemed pleased by the development, "The what?" she asked.

"The Netherworld. It's the realm between the dream world of the fayth and our world. Not many people come here, or can come here. "

"I've been here once." Tidus said.

Tidus's voice felt good to hear, but it felt faint as if he was dying. And so Yuna closed her eyes and came to understand - he was dying. Sin was taking over, consuming him and she knew that soon the man she set out to save wouldn't exist anymore. And it scared her as she supposed it should - to think that she would soon have to go on alone. Her eyes opened and they glistened with unshed tears. Tears she promised would not fall, "He's dying."

Paine looked at her, "I know. The stronger my father becomes the stronger my connection, he's been dying for a while, I didn't know how to tell you."

It was felt endlessly sad; she could feel it now that she knew the taste of it. Like honeydew, rotting away torn and ripped at by birds until it was left to simmer in the sun. His body would soon no longer be his own, taken over by the insects that would come to roost. Rikku looked up at Paine, "Why are we here?"

"Protection." she answered.

The sound of Auron huffing made Paine turn to look at him. His brow crinkled and his eyes looked at her as if attempting to read her, or trying too without much success. Her mind was clouded and closed off for anyone to read. Impenetrable as the fog around them. Even with his connection to this world he could detect nothing, "You're hiding something." he said.

Red eye flashing Paine looked him dead in the eyes and a cold wind swept through him, "We all hide something. It is as much a part of human nature as is breathing."

Behind her Yuna sighed and turned her eyes down at the ground below her, realizing that arguments and conflict were not what she needed right now. Paine bit her lip and stopped, she had said enough. Now was not the time for her anger to get the better of her, if she hurt Auron or did anything to anger him there was no chance that Yuna would continue to seek friendship with her - what little of if there was left to seek. Auron had been there first, and would remain there first, "I'm sorry." Auron spoke before she could.

"No, don't apologize; I don't fault you for anything."

She was lying but right now she assumed that they all were, lying to themselves and those around them, "I don't know how long this going to last." Paine gestured to the world around them, "We should rest while we have the chance."

Nooj had remained silent the entire time and spoke now feeling it was time to voice his questions, "Speaking of rest, how is it that you seem to not need any?"

Silence filled the space where they all were and Paine struggled to find the words to explain what had happened, simple truth was best she decided, she had deceived them enough for one day, "In this place, I need no healing. But when this fog clears, I will be weak again."

It was then that Yuna noticed the potion that Paine held in her hand - to drink, she understood when the fog cleared. There would be little precious time, no time she rationalized, and that was something they desperately needed. Auron seemed to look at the sky, "The fog is lifting."

"No, we have time to spare. Rest I will wake you when the time comes." Paine said.

Yuna didn't complain. She slumped down on the cold stone of the structure they had found themselves on and leaned her head against the pillar behind her, closing her eyes.

"Are you there Yuna?"

"Tidus?"

"Yes."

"This is a dream isn't it?"

"I've come to say goodbye."

The darkness she had found herself in started to disappear and she discovered herself in a large field surrounded by flowers. The variety of colors surprised her; it had been so long since she had seen things this beautiful. Across the way she could see a figure, and when it came close she let out a gasp, "Tidus!"

She race forward and traced his features, she had forgotten the warmth of skin. She knew his voice, his mannerisms, but his warmth had all but faded from her memory. It was a sweet dream, "Yuna."

His voice was soft when he spoke, and she leaned against his chest. Her hands came away bloody, she looked down at them and then at him her face a mask of confusion and worry, "You're bleeding."

"I'm not bleeding."

"Why are you bleeding?"

"I'm not."

She looked at her hands again, they were clean. The lines that a woman had said could tell her future: love, death, rebirth, and sorrow although she couldn't tell the order, were laid out here to see - a map of the stars. She looked up at him, "Then what's wrong with you?"

"I'm dying."

Yuna shook her head, she had lost him once, she would not lose him again. Not in this paradise, not when they had just found each other, she wouldn't let it happen, "No, let's stay here. Together, just the two of us."

"We can't do that, the others need you."

"But I need you."

"I know."

And then he kissed her, in the field of flowers glowing red, blue, purple, and pink. And it was if time hadn't passed since they had last seen each other, since he had last looked at her, 'I love you' and 'I know, I love you too.' Now they were just words. Now only actions were what guided them. The flowers swayed in the breeze, and Yuna could swear she heard music from a far off place. Under them the ground shifted to the floor of the temple of Yunalesca. They had come full circle, she would not cry this time though, for things had made her stronger than perhaps she would have been otherwise. Finally he pulled away and looked down into her eyes and at the steps, "It begun here."

She looked at him her face hardened with resolve, "I know."

"End it."

"I will."

Her hands were bloody again, she could feel them dripping down onto the floor. She had killed him here once, and she would kill him again. She loved him and he loved her, there was nothing more to be said. He was her pain, her everything, she was his light, his joy. This is what the connection had brought about, this complete love. This knowledge, "There is nothing more to say."

The garden appeared once more and their hands fell away from each other as the sky darkened. Tidus's form started to shimmer blue, "There is only goodbye." Yuna said.

He shook his head, "No, not even goodbye. I felt goodbye the moment I truly died. This second death, it is nothing."

"It's the beginning, it is the ending. I love you."

He said nothing. The world faded away and he sent her one last message as the voice that she had held dear in her mind went dead, "I am Sin, I am here."

And she was only left with the memories of ghosts.

Paine shook Yuna awake, and she looked up at the sky where the fog was clearing. The silence in head told her all that she had already known. Tidus was faded. Sin in his place. She vaguely wondered if Yu Yevon would speak to her now, but the connection still remained dead, pieces of it rambling around her head like static. And as the fog finally lifted the destroyed city of Zanarkand sparkled in front of her. Sin's body wrapped around one of the spires on one of the buildings, long tentacles reaching down to the ground for support - thickening like tree trunks to hold it's body steady. It looked at her with empty eyes, "Is it time?"

Paine nodded, "He held my father off for as long as he could."

Beside them Auron held on to Rikku tightly and she held on to him. But that was not what Yuna noticed - it was the spark of life that flared in everyone's eyes. They had all been waiting for this moment, and now it was here. Yuna raised her staff and a hail of snow came from the sky, Shiva descended and flew at Sin. The beast did not wait and one of the tentacles that had ripped open the top of the temple snaked towards her. Shiva dodged it deftly and sent a crystal shard of ice down upon the head of Sin. It merely flinched and reached out at her once again, capturing her and squeezing. Yuna felt her pain and called her back. The Aeon disappeared and Sin became unmoving once more, "Aeon's aren't any good right now."

Paine looked at Yuna, "I could have told you that."

Beside her the unnoticed Baralai twitched and his eyes opened, "Is that Sin?"

A nod in his direction from Paine told him all that he needed to know, yet she felt like confirming his thoughts, "It is."

"We're doomed."

Glaring at him Paine's hard red eyes caused him to shiver, "You could help."

"How?"

Anger filled Rikku and for a second they got a reaction that only Rikku could give, "Why don't I show you?" she snapped back.

A white light surrounded her and when it cleared she was once again in her macina battle suit. And she began to fight, firing missile after missile at it. Then her machine threw on thrusters she didn't even know that it had and flew up at the large creature. Paine looked down sadly at Baralai, "I think I shall follow Rikku's example - follow when you are ready."

For some reason she could not give up on him yet - this was the man who through tragedy had become Spira's new leader. And she sensed that there was the will to do good in him yet, although she was not sure why she felt this way.

Then her body changed into her most powerful dressphere as well. Flying at the large body that was in front of her. The two girls surrounded it, the swords on Paine's and the bullets that Rikku's stored flying at the creature. And finally, after only reacting and not fighting back - Sin unleashed its destructive force.

A tentacle violently spewed thousands of beams and balls of energy at the two of them. Before the one directed at Rikku could hit it was directed away by a tornado. On the ground Auron stood his sword shouldered. He looked up at Rikku, "Don't die. You have a promise to keep." he reminded of that moment between them in the storage closet and the item he had given her then.

A ball of energy was sent at Auron which Rikku blocked with a well placed bullet, "Same goes."

And Auron joined the fray, attacking the massive tentacles wrapped around at the bottom of the building. Meanwhile Paine and Rikku attacked where it's face should have been, if it had a face at all. From behind its head on a cone like body wings started to unfurl, each also boasting their own deadly arsenal. Lulu felt Nooj squeeze her hand, and at that moment she knew that maybe things would be okay. And also that something about the way he had squeezed her hand felt warm, and right. In the same way being in his arms felt. She drew his eyes to her and a quiet message was exchanged, she moved her eyes acknowledging both wings, "Right or left?"

"Right."

And they were off, Lulu sent two bolts of thunder at the left wing and Nooj took out a gun that he had been concealing since their meeting and fired six quick shots at the right. Above them Paine had to dodge to avoid being pelted with thousands of energy balls. And Baralai continued to stare at the battle eyes wide, shock and awe etched into his features, "You're not doing anything, it's not helping. Why fight?"

Looking up at the giant monster that was breathing down their throats Yuna thought about his question, why did they fight? Paine, the warrior that kept secrets, whose past had killed many. Auron, the dead who could no longer return to where he truly belonged. Lulu, a woman whose lover had betrayed them all. Rikku, a girl who had damned her loved one. Nooj whose body had been destroyed by the man in front of her. Finally herself, who had lost the one she loved, who had to kill the one she loved. She turned so she look at Baralai, "We fight because there is nothing left to fight for, we fight because we love, because in the end everyone wants peace, even if it costs us everything."

Baralai looked shocked, as if no one had told him to fight for himself - for a better way of living. It was a foreign concept to a man used to following orders. He had always fought for what people had told him was the truth. The government had said that the Al Bhed were wrong, that everything happened for a reason. Death was the cycle that they lived in, Seymour had told him this, their greatest and most powerful leaders had explained it over and over to him. Their culture was dead and he was all that was left of a world gasping it's last breath. He would fight on - on his own terms now, "I think I understand."

"So?"

Baralai took out his sword, "I'm in." he told her.

And he joined Auron on the ground. His circular blade cut a wide chunk out of bottom of Sin and Auron looked at his partner, "Welcome."

Yuna turned and looked back at Sin, they weren't enough she realized as both Rikku and Paine cried out in distress. They seemed to hover as they fell and for a second she was afraid that they were going to hit the ground and die. But they didn't. A flash of red and they were safely on the top of a large airship, the voice blaring out of the speakers of the ship was pure Cid, "I thought you might have problems" and then, "Fire!"

The ship fired twice into Sin's body, missiles tearing into the creature's body. Yuna summoned Valefor and climbed on letting the Aeon fly her up to where Rikku and Paine both lay injured. She cast two quick curing spells and then spoke to Cid using the com system she knew was implanted some place on the deck, "I told you not to come."

"You needed the help and we're here now." he told her voice brooking no argument.

She wasn't going to squabble back, there was no point in it. And honestly she was glad he hadn't listened, this was the help they had needed. Both Rikku and Paine stood back up and looked at Yuna, "The head is almost finished."

Below them two explosions and a "Watch out!" from Lulu and Nooj was heard as the wings of Sin came crashing to the ground. It's impact threw gravel at both Auron and Baralai, who had to protect themselves from the shrapnel. Sin took their distraction as a chance to send two beams at them and both hit their marks. She watched as both Lulu and Nooj ran to their two downed companions and took out potions, "Let's finish this - if there is no way inside, we will make one. Uncle, get ready to fire at it on my mark." Yuna said.

"Roger!" Cid's voice showed his excitement over the plan.

Rikku, Paine, and Yuna rose up in the air. Below Baralai and Auron stood up cured of their wounds and charged the bottom of Sin once more. At the same time as their charge Rikku's machina let out a barrage of bullets. Auron hit his mark as Rikku's bullets zoomed down to join his strike and Sin groaned in protest at the attack. Then the swords of Paine's outfit started to swirl over and around her and were loosed to fly at the head, Baralai hit the bottom of the monster and that was enough. Sin's mouth opened all the way in a silent scream. They could now see the beak like apparatus that made up it's mouth. A black light started to pour outwards from the beak. Paine's swords delivered their final blow and then she looked at Yuna, "Now!"

From inside the ship Cid watched and spoke into the com, "Any time now would be good Yuna."

He was worried that black light would kill them, no doubt about it and he was not ready to die. Home still had to be rebuilt, he had people he loved. He would not be defeated here.

The large bird like Aeon that Yuna was on started to fly up to meet Sin head on. She swirled her long neck and head, causing the tassel atop it to draw a glowing circle before her, the symbol of the fayth's temple inside it. This happened even as black lights begun to flash around them them signaling the beginning of Sin's attack. It was now a contest to see who could finish first. Rays of light came from her Aeon flying into the symbol in front of her body - amplifying them and then shooting them out once more. The two attacks meet inside the darkness that Sin had summoned. Everyone on the ground looked up at where Yuna was, hoping and praying that she was not dead. An explosion and a blast of fire from the outside of where the black met sky and Valefor came flying from the darkness at great speed, pyreflies surrounding her body and for a second Rikku thought that Yuna was dead. Until she saw the girl clinging to Valefor. The darkness disappeared and the head was finally thoroughly beaten - enough that all attacks had stopped, "Fire." Cid said.

The ship let out a moan as two final salvos shot at Sin and forced it to re-open its maw of a mouth - replacing it with a gaping hole. Finally and to the relief of all, it stood still - unmoving. Rikku moved to pick up Nooj and Lulu as Paine moved down to help up Auron. Although it took a moment for Auron to settle on one of the huge shoulders that made up part of the dressphere. Paine could not keep the chuckle in which earned her a cold stare. Valefor flew down to Baralai and although a little frightened Baralai joined Yuna on the huge bird. Yuna looked at him, "She's not going to hurt you."

"She?"

"They mirror the gender of their fayth. Valefor's fayth was female."

As they rose Yuna spoke to the ship, "We're leaving Uncle."

Something that sound akin to a grunt came from the ship's com and then a sigh, "Okay, just come back in one piece you here?"

Yuna nodded even though she knew that Cid couldn't see her, "Okay, I'll try my best."

A blast of sound came from the ship, "You better," his next comment wasn't directed at her, "And you protect her or else. My daughter disappears it's on your head."

Auron only huffed, "She has a promise to keep to me, and I her. We won't be dying anytime soon."

Valefor reached Rikku and Paine and Yuna looked at Sin and felt the force they had inflicted upon it tug at her heart strings. Even though he was dead she still felt as if she had hurt Tidus somehow. Paine saw her fear and turned to her, "He's dead. It's not him. Inside he still lives, but that… that part of him that you love - it doesn't."

Yuna nodded, "I know."

Valefor moved to the mouth and as they all entered the large Aeon what they saw caused them to gasp. A huge cityscape lay before them, the lights almost blinding. There inside the city lay a circular platform centered like a stage, with a giant burning effigy shaped like a Y the backdrop. The fire from the Y cast a shadow over the platform as it loomed above all.

Suddenly the connection Yuna had with Tidus was alive and more vibrant than it had ever been. Yu Yevon was here, and as they came closer to the platform she noticed, so was Tidus. There was also one other person Yuna could not have foreseen no matter how hard she tried. On Rikku's machine Lulu held onto Nooj's hand harder than she had ever held on to a person's hand in her life, "Wakka." she whispered.

It was time.

A/N: I imagine that Tidus's Sin is smaller than Jecht's not by much, but smaller. It also in my mind looks like a giant Lovecraftian squid monster (but with wings!). And squid mouths oddly look like beaks? The next chapter, when I wrote this story way back when was my favorite chapter of the whole thing. Will it hold up? I don't know.