Chapter 9 – The Dream Isn't Over Yet
Towering over Yuna, a hulking machine, and not a sea monster, cast its shadow over her. Her mind refused to fathom the monstrosity before her—could it be that this was Vegnagun? She screamed as she saw Tidus dangling from chains, floating in the darkness next to the machina. Sounds of footsteps could be heard racing towards her. She snapped her body around and glimpsed her friends standing in front of her.
"Why don't you let him go?" asked Lulu sternly.
"Don't cha know it's better that way, ya?" scolded Wakka, his hands on his hips.
Yuna panicked, turning her back on her friends. She blocked out the words she never wanted to hear. Words she could never accept. Not words she wanted to hear from people she beheld so deeply—those she loved and cherished so profoundly.
"But, I love him. I don't want to let him go!" she shouted, tears rolling down her eyes.
"Aw, c'mon, Yunie. You should move on," chimed in Rikku, looking goofily at Yuna.
Paine growled harshly. "You live in the past too much. You'll only hurt more if you keep it up. I thought you would know better!"
Yuna fell to her knees, covering her ears tightly with clenched fists. She cried uncontrollably, screaming out in rage. When her tears subsided enough to open her eyes, Yuna found she only cursed at the darkness. The place where she had been faded into stardust and only a black void remained in its place.
Footsteps again echoed from someplace unknown. This time, only one person approached, walking gently towards her. Wiping away her tears, Yuna looked up and saw a blurry figure standing before her. A beam of light dawned upon the figure, a woman. The woman looked deeply into Yuna's eyes, shining the grandest smile she had ever seen. The woman embraced Yuna's face with her hands. Her flowing brown hair wrapped around her body.
"They say I should forget," Yuna choked. "But how can I? I love—"
"Shh . . ." calmed the woman, kissing Yuna on the forehead. "Don't worry. I'll return."
The woman wiped away the last tear from Yuna's cheek. For some reason, her smile, her eyes, and her words cradled Yuna with a comforting embrace she hadn't felt in a long time. If only she knew what sparked this feeling. She wanted to ask more questions to the woman. She couldn't force out the words but only watched as the woman walked away into the shroud of darkness. Suddenly the woman paused, turning around once more.
"Be strong and follow what's in your heart, for both our sakes. The dream isn't over yet," she said, fading away into the darkness.