Chapter 65 – Reflecting Back to Move Forward (Part 1)

Happy 20th anniversary to FFX-2! Even after all these years, this game has had such a big impact on me and allowed me to creatively exhale so very much in writing—I'll love Yuna forever! As always, thank you for reading!

Uncoiling like a spring, Rikku launched herself off the ground. She swiped at Yuna's face with her curved blade. Flinging her head back, Yuna felt the sharp edge of the blade slice against the tip of her nose. A slight trickle of warm blood meandered its way down her lips. Too horrified to acknowledge the wound, Yuna held out her arm toward her cousin.

"What are you doing? Snap out of it!" she yelled.

Rikku's feral gaze locked itself onto Yuna once more, the control over her mind unhindered by Yuna's plea. Stomping in behind Rikku with her sword at the ready, Paine swatted at Yuna with wild strokes. Barely missing her torso, the sword drove into the soft earth underneath her. Yuna used the opportunity to flee while Paine worked to free her sword from the ground.

Throwing her curved blade at Yuna's head, Rikku stood and watched her cousin dart out of the chamber. Catching a glimpse of Rikku out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a legion of pyreflies swarming around her. Were they controlling her, Yuna thought?

She didn't waste time dwelling on the cause of her friend's madness. Running aimlessly through the corridors of the cave, Yuna took shelter in a slender alcove. She pressed her hand against her chest, desperately trying to calm her pounding heart. Even the cold air of the cave did little to stop the sweat pouring from her brow.

The blood trickling from the tiny slice on her nose finally registered with her when a drop of it crossed her tongue. Its saltiness melded with the taste of the damp, mildewy air. Immediately she spat, trying to rid herself of the disgusting taste.

Two sets of footsteps growing closer to her location alarmed her. Crouching behind a stalagmite in the alcove, she watched as Rikku and Paine rushed past her with their weapons still drawn. A trail of pyreflies followed close behind them like a streak of glittery clouds.

Slinking out of the alcove, Yuna hesitated to reach for her pistols. No matter how dangerous her friends were to her, she couldn't bring herself to hurt them. She wracked her brain to devise a way to free them from the pyreflies' control without harm.

Footsteps rumbled behind her. Yuna barely had time to spin herself around to see Rikku charging out of the darkness directly at her. Rikku launched her forearm into Yuna's chest, knocking her to the ground. She coughed from the cloud of dirt kicked up by the impact. Lunging on top of her, Rikku held her curved blade in both hands and thrust it down.

On the first strike, Yuna lifted her shoulder enough for the blade to miss her body. On the second strike, Yuna grabbed onto Rikku's hands, preventing her from attacking. The two held the blade just above Yuna's head in a stalemate until Rikku broke free from her cousin's grasp. She went to drive the blade straight down into Yuna's head again when Yuna used Rikku's momentum to push her with her boot, catapulting Rikku into the cave wall.

A booming thud sounded when Rikku's head impacted the wet stony wall. The pyreflies surrounding her dispersed, scattering away in every direction. Scared out of her wits, Yuna scrambled to her feet and instinctively drew her pistol. Her hands shook as she aimed it directly at her cousin, who still lay collapsed on the ground.

"Please, try to resist!" Yuna pleaded.

Rikku began to stir, shaking her head and tapping it with the palm of her hand. She mumbled something under her breath as she lethargically rose from the ground. She shrieked when she realized Yuna stood pointing her pistol at her.

"Whoa, hey! What are you doing, Yunie?"

Yuna gasped. "Rikku? Are you normal again?"

"Uh, that's a really backhanded question," she grumbled.

Before Rikku could continue expressing her displeasure, Yuna ran up and embraced her cousin. Rikku didn't reciprocate the sentiment.

"Thanks for the hug, but I'm so confused right now," said Rikku.

Yuna ended her embrace. "Sorry. I guess you don't realize you were possessed by the pyreflies."

Rikku's eyes popped open wide. "Wait, what? I mean . . . now that I think about it, the last thing I really remember is being so scared I was screaming."

"Paine is still under their control," explained Yuna. "We have to help her."

"How do we do that?"

Yuna tapped her cousin on the top of her head. "It looks like a hit to the head works."

Rikku threw her arms up behind her head. "Oh, she's not gonna like that."

With no other choice, Yuna and Rikku snuck back in the direction she last saw Paine traveling, slinking through the shadows. Only the illumination from stray pyreflies lit their path. Distant cackling carried by the frigid air startled Yuna.

"Hey, keep it together," said Rikku, jabbing her cousin in the side. "We gotta find Paine."

"Right. It's just . . ."

Rikku's crinkled her nose. "What?"

"It's not important now. Let's just save Paine."

No sooner did Yuna round a bend in the path did she spot Paine. Still encircled by pyreflies, Paine took soft, methodical steps, prowling the cave while hunting for Yuna. Turning to her cousin, Yuna felt her hands tremble.

"Do you have a plan?" asked Rikku.

Yuna bit her lip. "I wish I could say yes. How do we do this without hurting her?"

"That didn't stop you with me," replied Rikku while pointing to her head.

Yuna rolled her eyes. "That was an accident!"

"Well, I hate to say it, but it did work. We might have to hurt Paine . . . just a little bit."

"You might be right." Yuna sighed. "Just try not to be too forceful."

Rikku snapped her fingers. "Hey, I have an idea! She probably doesn't realize I'm not under mind control. If you can get her attention, I think I have a way to knock her down."

"That's a good observation. How should I distract her?"

Rikku's mouth curled into a heinous grin. "I'll chase you in. Just play along."

Pulling out her two curved blades, Rikku winked at her cousin and shoved her forward. Taking the cue, Yuna belted out a fake cry and rushed ahead. To truly sell her lackluster acting, Yuna fired a shot from her pistol into the ceiling. Following suit Rikku growled and lunged at her, swiping at her with her blade.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yuna spotted Paine racing closer toward her. She held her sword out in front of her. Her red eyes glowed with wild, fiery aggression. Unleashing a battle cry, Paine lifted her sword over her head, dashing without restraint at Yuna. Freezing in place, Yuna didn't know what to do—her heart skipped a beat. Shielding her face with her arms, Yuna screamed.

"Here comes the Rikku surprise!"

Rolling in from behind her, Rikku launched her body just off the ground at Paine. With a crash, she cut Paine's legs out from underneath her, sending her friend falling face-first into the dirt. Paine stopped moving, and the pyreflies around her retreated to other parts of the cave. She eventually let out a groan.

"Did it work?" Rikku questioned, using her boot to nudge Paine.

Yuna leaned down. "Oh, I hope so. Paine, can you hear us?"

"Just . . . what the hell hit me?" Paine started to stir.

Helping their friend to her feet, Rikku and Yuna both sighed in relief. A trickle of blood seeped out of Paine's nose. Yuna offered her a handkerchief from her pouch, which Paine reluctantly accepted.

"I'm so confused right now. Did we get attacked by fiends? I feel like I did," she commented, wiping the blood from her face.

Yuna frowned. "No, sorry. You were taken possession by the pyreflies in here."

Paine scoffed. "It must be Shuyin. When I find him, I'm going to flatten his—"

"It wasn't him," Yuna interjected. "Well, not like how you think."

"Can we talk about this more outside? I wanna leave!" Rikku cried.

"Yeah, me too," said Paine.

Yuna offered no resistance, and the Gullwings left the dank, shadowy cavern. When she exited, Rikku picked up a rock and threw it at the entranceway to the cave.

"I never want to go back in there ever again!"

"That makes two of us," agreed Paine.

Rikku folded her arms. "So, just what was Shuyin trying to do to us in there?"

"He wasn't doing anything in there," Yuna responded.

Rikku shot Paine a confused glance. "Uh, I know I hit my head, but did I miss something?"

Yuna laughed. "No. That wasn't the real Shuyin. It was his memories projected by the pyreflies."

Paine rubbed her chin. "So, the pyreflies were playing back his memories?"

"That's right. Just like with the Crimson Squad, it was only the memories imprinted in the pyreflies."

Rikku looked around. "Well, whatever it was, the fog is gone."

Turning around, Yuna brushed her gaze over the underbelly of the ravine. No fog inhibited the cloudy day above.

"I guess we're still on the hunt for Shuyin then," said Paine.

Rikku threw her hands up in the air. "Yeah, we are."

Yuna continued to ponder. "I wonder if this whole incident is a result of his return from the Farplane. Maybe that's why the pyreflies went haywire."

"It's an interesting theory," Paine commented while walking away. "Let's tell it to Shinra after we report back to Nooj."

Rikku scurried next to Paine, but Yuna didn't follow them. She turned her head to look back at the cavern, hating the strange feelings of anguish and malice lingering from her connection with Shuyin's memories. Dwelling on them more, she picked out a tinge of longing and regret.

She had only experienced those memories of their tragic past from Lenne's perspective. Yuna already knew just how much Lenne loved Shuyin, but she never contemplated how much he loved Lenne. She kicked herself for it because the lengths he went to save her and later try to enact revenge made it blatantly obvious.

For as much as she and everyone else demonized Shuyin for his terrible actions, Yuna could relate to the dark emotions which fueled his pursuits. She spent many nights tossing and turning in bed, haunted by Tidus fading away on the deck of the Fahrenheit. Yuna had fallen asleep many times sad and with tears in her eyes, but she had fallen asleep angry and full of resentment just as often.

She couldn't blame Lenne's emotions for these feelings—they were Yuna's alone.

"Hey, are you coming or not?" Rikku called from up ahead, waving her arm at Yuna.

Yuna snapped out of her deep thoughts. "Huh? Oh, sorry, I'm coming!"

Using the walk back to Nooj to clear her mind, Yuna pushed aside the misgivings she still held onto about the past. Paine spied Nooj in the distance on his way to the lift. At the entrance to the lift up to the old Youth League headquarters, Nooj stood giving his associates orders. He quickly limped over to greet the Gullwings.

"A job well done," he said. "Although you look worse for wear."

"That place sucks," Rikku blurted.

Paine rubbed the bridge of her nose. "What she said."

Nooj glanced curiously between the three. "I'm afraid to ask what you encountered."

"Shuyin!" Rikku announced.

"Shuyin? But he's gone."

Paine's fist tightened into a ball. "Well, you'll be surprised to hear—"

"We saw his ghost," Yuna interjected, making a panicked face at Paine. "Or his memories projected by the pyreflies, more precisely."

"I can't imagine that was pleasant," said Nooj.

Rikku waved her hand at Nooj. "Ah, it was fine. There's nothing we can't handle."

"The road should be safe again," Paine cracked a smile at him.

"It is. I appreciate your help. Hopefully, I'm not too late to call Baralai."

"Aw, having a chitchat with your buddy? That's cute," teased Rikku.

Nooj shrugged. "I wish that were so. I have to smooth over some differences."

"Differences?" Paine questioned. "Is the New Spiran League having some trouble?"

"It's nothing major, I think. Just a misunderstanding. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Yuna peered intently while Nooj walked away, disappearing from view as the lift rose high above. She wondered if those within the New Spiran League might be fracturing over their different beliefs again. Still lost in thought, her head clouded by Shuyin's memories, she hadn't fully paid attention to Nooj's body language.

"Man, that guy is always so bleak," Rikku said, throwing her arms behind her head.

Paine folded her arms together. "Hopefully it's no big deal. The last thing the world needs is everyone bickering at each other."

"Eh, he's got it. Let's head back to the Celsius. I've had enough of this place for one day."

Returning to the airship, Yuna reported their finding to Brother and Shinra. By the time she had finished her report, she found herself exhausted and mentally done with the day. She retreated to the cabin, where Barkeep made her a delicious lunch. He made small talk with her, although she hadn't the energy to reciprocate with her usual attention.

With her meal eaten, she quietly slipped upstairs. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she stared out the window, a vista of Mushroom Rock presenting itself to her. Streaks of sunlight cut through the curtain of grey clouds above, and a faint rainbow arched across the horizon. Farther in the distance, a ray of sunshine highlighted the ruins of Operation Mi'ihen still littering the beach.

Though she performed a sending for those who died that day four years ago, she never dwelt on the aftereffects of war and death in the context of Shuyin. War ultimately drove him to attempt to hijack Vegnagun and end his aggressors because so many people had died—chief of who could have been Lenne.

Knowing now some of the fuel to his rage, she wondered what set him apart from so many others affected by strife and suffering. Plenty of others she knew were impacted by the battles against Sin. Gatta lost his friend, Luzzu, on the beach outside her window. The horror of finding his friend's body cut in half must have shocked Gatta beyond comprehension, yet he didn't turn into a maniacal tyrant.

Countless villagers in Kilika had lost their loved ones when Yuna first arrived at the town on her pilgrimage. Sin had destroyed much of the village when it attacked. Closing her eyes, she pictured her dance on the water, a sending to pass the dead to the Farplane. Many orphans and widows were created that day, but no murderers seeking blind revenge were formed.

She continued to ponder on what plunged Shuyin to such depths of hate over so many others until a hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts. Standing beside her, Rikku bared a goofy grin at her.

"Sorry to scare you, Yunie. I was just looking around for you," apologized Rikku.

Yuna pressed her hand against her chest. "Oh, Rikku! No, you're fine. Sorry, I guess I was just too lost in thought."

Rikku glanced out the window. "It's a pretty view, for the most part."

"It is. Good and bad."

Rikku sat on the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?"

Yuna smiled. "Oh, yes. Please don't worry. I've just found I sometimes need a little time to reflect every now and then."

"You have a lot up in your noggin," said Rikku, poking her cousin on the forehead. "I can believe it."

Yuna chuckled. "We all do. We've been through a lot together."

"And we're still adding to it!"

Yuna nodded. "Hey, why don't you tell me more about your digging? I've never really got to hear a proper tale of your adventures in Bikanel."

Rikku tapped her chin. "I guess you're right. Let me think . . . well, it was mostly hot."

Yuna rolled her eyes. "I already know that silly."

"I forgot you do," said Rikku with a grin. "Well, a lot of what we were doing was like when you were there. Rin would buy the sphere coins we dug up. We excavated a ton of old machina parts to refurbish and sell. Oh, and we explored some of the outer reaches of the desert."

"Are you sure that's all you did," joked Yuna.

"Oh, stop," said Rikku, sticking her tongue out. "You better believe that isn't all."

Yuna giggled. "So is Gippal your boyfriend now?"

Rikku sighed and rested her chin on her hand. "Wish I knew the answer to that."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes he'd be all into me, and sometimes I felt like I was just a bother to him."

Yuna poked her cousin on the cheek. "That sounds about right."

"You're funny. I tried asking him what he wanted for the future. You know, in a roundabout way," explained Rikku.

"And what was his reply?"

"All he was focused on was helping rebuild Home. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a wonderful idea. But like . . . yeah that might be what you want, but who do you want to be with when Home is done."

Yuna put her hand on Rikku's shoulder. "Well, if things don't work out with Gippal, I'm sure there are plenty of other guys who would be great for you."

"Other guys? Don't think I'm giving up that easily," blurted Rikku. "Besides, have you seen how that man glistens in the sun when he's all sweaty?"

Yuna blared out a laugh. "I'll let you keep that image for yourself."

"It's forever imprinted right here!" Rikku pointed to her head while giving Yuna a wink. "I'm not worried what you think of Gippal. I know you already got another guy on your mind."

The statement caught Yuna by surprise. "Huh?"

"Oh, don't play dumb. You and Baralai are close to being a thing, right?"

Yuna waved her hands in front of her. "Oh, no I wouldn't say that."

"If you want, we can go visit him in Bevelle," Rikku suggested.

"I don't want to divert us all the way there just for my sake."

Rikku leaned back on the bed. "Ah, Brother will do whatever I say. You know he's a pushover."

Yuna smiled. "Poor Brother."

"He's fine. Besides, it's my gal pal who I'm concerned about. You haven't seen him since the blitzball tournament, have you?"

Yuna frowned. "No, it has been a little while. Now that I think about it, I haven't been able to write him."

"Why write when you can see him in person?"

She thought about Rikku's suggestion. After the invasion of Shuyin's memories dredging up ghosts from the past, she felt vulnerable. Her thoughts drifted back to when she and Baralai stood together in the square. His arms around her gave her security.

"You have a point. If we don't have a better place to go, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a trip to Bevelle."

Rikku slapped her on the back. "Yeah! Now you're talking. Let's go see Buddy."

Dragging her down the stairs and to the lift, Rikku bubbled with exuberance. Yuna couldn't help but swell from her cousin's contagious vibrance. She rushed her cousin over to Buddy, who sat examining something intently on his console screen with Shinra standing by his side.

"Hey, guys! I hope your schedule is free because Yuna has somewhere she wants to go!" Rikku shouted.

Buddy glanced up from the screen. "Hey, I was about to call you. Shinra found something big!"

Yuna perked up. "What's that?"

Shinra gestured with his hands. "I believe I've properly calibrated our sensors with the sphere you found in the Omega Ruins. It detected a signal similar in the Calm Lands."

"The Calm Lands?" Yuna glared at him in confusion.

Shinra nodded. "The signal was faint but I'm sure it's correct."

Rikku tugged at Yuna's wrist, making a face at her. Yuna knew she wanted her to brush off Shinra's information, but the importance of preventing Shuyin from finding another time travel sphere took precedence in her mind.

"Tell me more," she said to Rikku's agitation. "Why is the signal so weak?"

"At first, I thought it was because it's really old, but concluded that's a wrong reason. My guess is the sphere is somewhere far underground."

"See, nobody can get to it. Problem solved!" Rikku belted.

"I'm not so sure," said Shinra.

Rikku groaned. "Of course not."

"If it's buried that deep, how could anyone get to it?" asked Yuna.

Shinra answered, "The location. I upped the resolution of the scanners to pinpoint the location better. Turns out, the sphere is somewhere in Clasko's chocobo ranch, or under more specifically."

"That was the old monster arena. Do you think Clasko knows about the sphere?"

Shinra chuckled. "I doubt it."

"Regardless, we need to investigate." She glanced over at Rikku.

Rikku threw her arms behind her head. "Yeah, yeah, we should go check it out."

Buddy buzzed Paine to join them to catch her up. Walking onto the bridge, Paine eyed everyone with some reluctance.

"I'm here, so what's up?"

Rikku put her hands on her hips. "Our dutiful friend has a mission for us."

"Hey, don't say it like that," retorted Yuna.

Paine smiled and folded her arms. "Why am I not surprised? I thought we were taking a few days to rest."

"Sorry, but Shinra detected the location of another ancient sphere Shuyin is after. He found it in the Calm Lands."

"The Calm Lands? I'm almost afraid to ask where."

"Clasko's place!" Yuna declared.

Paine's eyebrow rose. "Clasko? Well, I wasn't expecting that."

"There's no hurry. If Shinra could barely find it, there's no way Shuyin would," said Rikku.

Yuna shook her head. "We don't know that for sure."

"Before we go running off again, I have a question," Paine said, looking right at Yuna.

"Oh, of course."

"Are we not telling anyone about Shuyin and his new crusade? You were quick to keep it a secret from Nooj."

Yuna shuffled her feet. "Maybe . . . I think we should, just for now. I don't want to alarm everyone."

Walking closer, Paine eyed Yuna sternly. "Or you feel responsible for what's happened and want to take care of it yourself."

"No, well, um . . ."

"It's okay to be honest with us."

Yuna sighed. "I know, but I still feel guilty about the whole mess. If I didn't screw up in the Farplane, none of this would be happening."

"Hey, stop beating yourself up, Yunie," comforted Rikku, placing her arm around her cousin. "You did what you had to. There's nothing more you could've done."

"That's right. Shuyin is who he is because of a past you had nothing to do with," added Paine.

Yuna smiled, and a tear formed in her green eye. "Thank you. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I just can't shake it."

"How about if we beat Shuyin's ass?" Paine's lips curled into a devious grin.

Rikku giggled, playfully shoving Yuna. "We're behind you! Even if you drive us crazy sometimes."

The tear rolled down her eye. "Thank you so much. With so much at stake, I want to make sure Shuyin can't take this sphere."