The story concludes, and from the ashes - a new beginning.

Most of this chapter is the same save for grammar/spelling and adding bits of dialogue here or there. This chapter also has a different name as this is not the ending but the beginning.

Thank you for the follows/reviews (the support through this story has been fantastic.).

italics = denotes thought or memory

Not Mine

Epilogue: How we Begin

It was over - Yuna realized as she stood on top of the ship, her staff flying around her head, finally sending the Aeon's and their dreams away to rest. It seemed almost magical to her. Almost, if the thoughts of what had just occurred floated away into the wind with the pyreflies. Behind her Tidus stood looking around almost as if a baby. It had been so long since he had looked out on this world with nothing but a desire to live and to care for the things in it. For so long his life had been driven by the thoughts of death and chaos. But now he was just Tidus a boy from Zanarkand who had come here to end the sins of his father, but who had found a meaning to life far deeper than any could know. He didn't think that Yuna, who had gone through something so similar yet so different could understand it. Inside of him there were so many emotions, so many thoughts. Things that he had learned while inside Sin.

Behind him all the Aeon's burst into colors, the light of them reflected in everyone's eyes. It wasn't often that you saw a show like this. This was something special indeed. Yuna turned to look at him, and for the first time in ages, despite Wakka's death and Paine's choice smiled a genuine smile. It made him smile in return. But he still knew, Yuna was different. She had not come out of this unchanged.

Speaking of things that had changed, he turned and looked at Auron who was looking down at the small Al Bhed girl who looked as if she were being smothered by his giant cloak. However she seemed to find comfort in it. Like it was a shield or protective barrier to keep the bad things at bay. What surprised him most was the way that her eyes glinted, showing that while Auron looked like the dangerous one, that she too would and could do her own sort of damage.

And then there was Lulu who stood next to a man he had never met in his life. But something about the language in her posture told him that Lulu and this man understood each other beyond what lay there between them. And the way that he looked at her and the way his eyes shone spoke only of love. An odd love but a love none the less, and Tidus could tell that she had come to depend on him too. And even love.

Finally there was the man with the silver hair, who he did not know nor understand. Who Yuna had insisted they bring onto the ship. It was an odd world they lived in where the dead loved the living and those who wanted nothing but death could find life in the arms of someone so similar that they could save each other. Yuna finished her final twirl and the colors faded. And after a pause she turned to faced him, "I knew I would save you." she said as if she had never worried about it at all.

He laughed at that, a happy laugh - one that she hadn't heard in some time and had her wanting to make him laugh again, "You did, didn't you." he said.

Behind them Rikku broke free from Auron and twirled around Tidus, "Well she didn't really know, no one really knew. But we believed, and then you were here."

Yuna watched in astonishment as Rikku put one foot out and bounced into the air right in front of Tidus, "I like that, I haven't seen you bounce or bound in so long." Yuna said.

Rikku turned to her cousin all wide eyed and undone, looking at the sun that had appeared on Yuna's face, "Well you haven't smiled in ages. I'm not the only victim!"

Lulu pushed off of the ships hull of which she had been leaning and spoke, "We were all victims, but it's over now. We must move on."

At this Tidus had to feel guilty, Wakka was dead because of him. Paine was gone because of him, Yuna was changed because of him. He had done too much damage, "Guys, look I'm -"

Auron was the one who stopped him, "If that's an apology about to come out of your mouth save it. You didn't make the right choice. But we didn't stop you, I didn't stop you. That's all there is to it, we grow up, we move on. End of story."

He wanted to protest but a look from Yuna shut him up, there really wasn't anything to say. His story had ended ages ago, this was no longer his. It was theirs, and it really was the end of the story. He linked arms with Yuna and together the two of them headed back into the airship. Perhaps he would grieve later, but today he would celebrate.

Yuna stood in the great Bevelle hall and gazed around her. Occasionally people would glance her way and whisper but no one moved to intercept her, no one moved to bring her to some sort of false justice. So different from the last time she had been in the Capitol. Yuna had felt that she had to come here alone. And Tidus has finally entered into a period of mourning so she could not ask it of him. She needed this time alone as well. After Wakka's funeral, and everything that happened, she just needed it - desperately.. A guard waved her over to him and lead her into an empty office. The clock on the wall told her time and she wondered where her host was, she did not have to wait long.

The door in front of her opened and Baralai stepped into the room and smiled at her, "Please sit, I'd hate to be the man who was rude to his guests."

Yuna bowed and then sat down at the chair next to the large oak table in the middle of the room. Baralai pulled out a chair and sat next to her and pulled out a few papers, and placed them on the table, "How have you been?" she asked.

Baralai looked at Yuna a little confused but otherwise in good spirits, "Fine, why do you ask?"

"We never had a chance to talk after defeating Sin, after Paine…" she didn't want to say died, Paine was gone the moment Yu Yevon was, no Paine hadn't died, "after Paine chose to do what she did. I just wanted to know."

His lips turned into a grim line after hearing Paine's name, he didn't hate her. Not any more. In fact he wished he could see her again, just to apologize for what he had done. However he didn't think that Paine would have accepted his apology, she would have just known that he had been sorry that would have been enough, "I've been better. There's so many things to make up for, so many mistakes that I'm still working on changing here in government. Some of them my fault, some of them not. But I will go on. And you?"

There were so many answers to that question, had she cried at Wakka's funeral? Yes, she wasn't heartless. Had she been rejoicing now that Tidus was back? Also a yes. Right now she felt so many emotions she didn't really know what to feel. All she knew was that it was over, and that Spira would never have to go through this ever again. And nor would she, "I'm fine I guess. Sometimes I find myself missing that wholeness that came when I had the Aeon's. But then I remember why they're gone and find myself angry for even wanting them back."

"Watch yourself. That feeling of wanting to summon, needing to summon is what got us here."

Yuna smiled, she knew that. He didn't have to reminder her at all. She wasn't Yu Yevon, not any more. When she had been him, there had been this separation between them like she was staring into a mirror it was her but it wasn't really - all that her had wanted to do was summon and destroy things. She wasn't like him, and she knew it, "I know. Shall we get to business?"

"Yes I dare say we should."

Papers were opened and Yuna looked down at what would become the documented proof of the end of her fugitive status. The ticket to her band of friends' freedom. On the papers were in deep description what she and her friends had done to stop Sin (omitting the parts where she broke the law she realized), and how because of this they would be free of the world traitor. However on the bottom there was something written next to her name, three words - High Master Summoner. She looked up, "I don't want that title."

He looked down at it and sighed, "I know, but with Sin gone and the government just starting to rebuild, the people need someone they can look up to. I saw how you lead your friends. Right now although this isn't something you want, it's something that Spira needs that only you can provide. You will be announced as such at the ceremony in a few weeks."

The paper laid before and her she looked up at Baralai and then back down, she wasn't sure if this was something she wanted. But he was right - Spira needed this, needed her. Spira would only have a fighting chance if someone gave it stability. It was only for a little while after all, and only a title. No harm came from a title, "Okay."

She took the feather pen that Baralai offered her and signed her name down on the bottom of the paper. It was freeing but also felt like in that moment that she had signed her life away. The title clung to her and she questioned what she had just done. Yet when Baralai smiled at her she was sure she had made the right choice, "You are now a free woman, go converse with the masses."

Yuna stood up and walked down the hall and out of the doors to the city of Bevelle and looked around, a small smile gracing her lips. There was still one more place to visit. On her way there she purchased a bouquet of Besaid Lilies - after all they had been her father's favorite flower.

Yuna looked out over stadium of Luca. She and Tidus were just outside it, on one of the long piers. She kept glancing at him still amazed he was there at all , "This is the city where you became my guardian."

"I remember." he said.

She turned towards him, "Look, I'm even better than last time!"

She looked out over the sea and placed her fingers to her lips and blew. A purer note was never heard and Tidus nodded, "Soon you'll be better than me."

"I already am better than you."

He laughed and was about to take her up on that challenge when the sound of shifting fabric and metal was heard behind them. The pair turned to find Lulu standing there, "It's time."

Yuna turned and they followed Lulu into the stadium and up the steps where Baralai and the rest of her friends were waiting. He escorted her up to the booth and she sat down in the chair that he had provided. Baralai stepped up to the microphone. As he did, the crowd which had been talking quieted down, and he begun to speak, "People of Spira, a thousand years ago, a great monstrosity called Sin, was born from our hatred. Three weeks ago, that threat was finally put to an end. Today I would like to introduce you to the woman who ended that looming fear." It was at this time that Yuna stood up and joined him at the podium, "Yesterday she was Lady Yuna, traitor to all. However she loved Spira enough to go after Sin even under great odds and she defeated it."

At this the crowd went nuts cheering and hollering and Baralai had to silence them, "Today Lady Yuna becomes the first and last High Master Summoner of Spira."

At this all those behind her looked shocked, Yuna wasn't someone who would take a title like this. Nor allow it to be used. For one split second they wondered why, but when the crowd went crazier than it had when they learned that Sin was gone they knew why. Yuna would always continue to do things for others, even if it went against the very person she was. Baralai then turned to Yuna and bowed, "Lady, if you may?"

Yuna stepped up to the podium thanking Barlai with a nod. She looked over the thousands of people who she had helped save and knew that they were not even the half of it. Finally she spoke, "It does my heart good to see so many smiling faces. But...everyone.. everyone has lost something precious, everyone here has lost hopes, lovers, and friends."

As the crowd went crazy again as Yuna remembered her journey - meeting Tidus for the first time, her first summon, then the loss of Tidus, the kisses that they shared, meeting Nooj, and Baralai, all that she had been through, all the death, the pain, and even the small amount of laughter Tidus had given her before he knew about what would happen when they reached Zanarkand, before she had turned him into Sin. She turned to those who had stood by her during her journey, been by her side during the highs and the lows and smiled - then looked back at the crowd. "Everybody, now Sin is finally dead." More cheer's from the crowd, "Now Spira is ours again. Working together we can make new homes for ourselves, and new lives. Although I know the journey will be hard we have all the time in the world. Together we will rebuild Spira. Resurrect it from the ashes. The road is ahead of us, so let's start out today."

For a second she paused causing those in the crowd to think she was done. However she wasn't and continued, "Just one more thing… The people and friends that we have lost… or those who have faded…"

Paine's burning body jarred her memory for a second and she remembered the very clear, straight forward message Paine had given her…

"Live for them."

A/N: Time for a long ass author's note. When I started this project a few months ago I had no idea how time consuming it was going to be. However I'm glad I did it. It was eye opening to see how far I had come as a writer and the improvements I had made. It was fun to go back and change a few things. The biggest change being the added chapter to explain the relationship between Auron and Rikku more soundly. But there were other changes - Baralai's thoughts on Paine are expanded upon a little and Wakka's POV was made more sympathetic then I think it originally was. Yuna's dialogue too was toned down and softened. I cannot wait to start posting the sequel and I cannot wait to finally write my answer to Final Fantasy X2. It's going to be very different as you can see from the ending of this story, but it's also going to have some similarities. The characters still have a story to tell after all.

Finally - I'm still very proud of this story - when I started it I had no idea where I was going and kept pushing on until the end - with the promise that I would write a sequel and I would finish it. Well I have (it just took me 13 years -_-). I hope that you'll join me on that journey too, and cannot wait to write more.