As soon as we stepped foot on the the Mi'ihen Highroad, Rin was waiting for us. While Yuna was preparing for the concert, I had been busy. I had checked in with everyone where a comsphere was placed while the fiends were running amok. I had put them there for Shinra. So I knew that the investigation into the machina uprising had taken place. And i had figured out how it happened. So when Rin looked at me and asked what i had found out, I laughed.
"Rin, I was checking into the matter you asked and found something troublesome. I saw you fiddling with the box that controls the machina and I started to wonder about the crash as well. So I investigated the site in question and to my surprise, you were already there and looking for something. I also have been able to check where others were during the time in question and while The Prophet would have made a great scapegoat, he was seen on the other end of Mushroom Rock Road getting treated for a fiend injury. And that baby Chocobo Eater you have found, it looks newly formed. I give it's formation in the last couple days. So how could it be the one to cause all this? And I am sure Yuna can vouch for Rikku, as they are always together. So that leaves only your suspicious behavior. What say you?" I laid my hand on the table and waited. Rin smiled and said that he was right to choose me to handle it.
"I guess I was not sneaky enough to fool you, Rose. I am glad you actually looked into the matter. I caused the hover to crash and the machina to go haywire. I wanted to see if anyone would actually check the facts or just point to whoever they wanted to. In return, I have a sphere for you that I found about two years ago. And I will also give you an item of your choice." Rin admitted. I looked at the boys who smiled, then whispered something into Rin's ear. He looked taken aback, but quickly told me it would be handled. Just as we were walking away, we got a com.
"Hey Rose. We just received word that your stepmom just lost her balance, and drowned in the ocean between Kilika and Luca. What do you want to do?" Buddy said, and I looked at the boys.
"Ummm I didn't like her that much. Do I have to go? I would rather stay with Yuna." Sora stated and Zaon seconded that. So I ended up telling Buddy that was fine, that we had a journey to finish and would deal with it later. He said he would speak on our behalf, and handle it. Yuna looked at me questionably, but I explained.
"My mom was the better parent, and my dad married her just because he thought that would make his death not so lonely. She was the type of person that used others to keep her comfortable. She married my dad to get his house and savings. They were both horrible people. My dad had me work as a servant, and I left his house when they got engaged. Never even attended the wedding either. So no love lost on that one. Plus she offered to babysit the boys only if I paid her lots of money. My mom did it for free." The boys nodded, knowing all too well how horrible my stepmom was.
Yuna looked sad, so I started telling her about my mom. My mom would always watch the boys when i had to work, be there when I needed advice, never missed a event, and even supported me when i didn't have enough money for gifts on holidays and celebrations. So as we told Yuna about my mom, she seemed to cheer up.
"Anytime Grandma knew we were showing up, she would start baking cookies and even sent us home with extra food and cookies!" Zaon exclaimed joyfully. Sora told Yuna that after I had told my mom about her, she started a box of things for Yuna too. And ,of course, shocked Yuna completely.
"But how?! She doesn't even know me." Yuna looked stunned. I laughed and told her what i had told my mom. That the boys had a half-sister who was 6 when Zaon was born, but she lived far away with her guardian. And that my mom still insisted on buying this half-sister gifts every year, just in case she stopped by. Zaon also spilled that they put gifts in there as well. Yuna looked ready to cry so I told her that even though I wasn't around all those years, she was always loved and on my mind.
"Zaon and Sora would ask me when they were little what you looked like, so I told them and they would draw themselves and what I described you. Then they added me and dad. And even years later, they would make sure the picture was in good condition or they would redraw it. Even asking for better details!" I laughed. Yuna smiled and asked if they would draw a picture of us all for her. The boys agreed.
By this time we had made it to the entrance to the Youth League, and to help the league blow off steam we agreed to battle to the lift. We actually didn't need to come along. The boys took out everyone except Elma and Lucil. Those two were left to us. But Lucil actually gave us a good reward. A sphere.
I told Yuna that we were going to see Braska's statue at Djose before we left for the Farplane, and she agreed that we should do so now. So the airship picked us up and dropped us at Djose Temple. We walked in to getting challenged by the Machine Faction to defeat the Experiment. We took the challenge, and won. After taking a moment with Braska's statue and promising him that I would protect all his children, we left.
We made it to the Moonflow, and decided to participate in Tobli's show there. Tobli then pulled me aside and thanked me for paying his debt. He asked me if he could do anything for me, and I asked for one thing. A sphere of Yuna, the boys, and me.