Chapter 16: Two Worlds One Undecided Future
The Celsius arrived promptly the next morning. However, I was anything but ready to board, having had a serious bout of morning sickness that'd seemed to last an hour, putting us behind schedule. Tidus, of course, was fretting the entire time, worried it could be something more. And even though I'd assured him it was perfectly normal, I wasn't entirely certain it had been at that point either.
Once we arrived in Luca, my fiancé hadn't wasted a moment in whisking me away to the closest infirmary to have me and our unborn child seen by a doctor. The famous blitzball capitol had some of the best physicians and healing mages in all of Spira. And it was no wonder with how quickly they'd tended to me—running bloodwork and doing a sonogram.
Thankfully, the results concluded that our baby and I were healthy and doing well. What we hadn't expected though was to learn that I was nine weeks into my pregnancy. I suppose my time in Dream Zanarkand had something to do with it somehow. And since time travel was still a bit of a mystery to us all, it would only stand to reason.
Released with a clean bill of health—and a new prescription for prenatal potions—my fiancé and I took to the streets, searching for the pair of unsents, who would hopefully shed some much needed light on what was happening to me as of late.
Our friends were way ahead of us though on the search, having begun as soon as Tidus and I had entered the infirmary. But they hadn't had much luck, until now…
"Hey guys!" Rikku chimed in through the commlink. "I think Gippal and I found a lead."
Adjusting the tiny device into my ear, I glanced over at Tidus, who was doing the same and issued a hopeful smile. "What is it?"
"Well, Paine and Baralai were tailing a guy earlier who matched your description of Zeltic in the market square, but they lost sight of him when he went near the docks. I guess he likes playing hide-and-seek like Maechen."
"Okaaayy…" Tidus drawled, waiting to hear more.
"So we went down there to see if we could find this guy with no such luck, but… We overheard this couple complaining about their neighbours that live in a penthouse on Seaside Avenue. They'd kept calling them a strange pair, and are convinced they're involved in some shady activities."
"Seaside Avenue…" I echoed in thought. "That's the Staffold building, isn't it—the condos behind the port?"
"Yup! That's the one!"
"There's a lot of strange pairs in Luca, Rikku," Tidus indicated with a touch of annoyance. "We need more to go on than that."
"Well, if ya'd let me finish, ya big meanie, I'd tell ya more!"
"Ugghh…" Tidus groaned, rubbing his brow. "Go ahead."
"According to them, the pair is rarely seen, especially together. But this couple… They were pissed! They just moved into a unit underneath them and they kept complaining about the strange odors coming through the vents—like burnt rubber or something, and hearing loud voices all hours of the night—almost like they're involved in the manufacturing and selling of illegal potions.
"They've complained to management several times, but they insist it's all in their heads. If ya ask me, it sounds like someone is trying to keep their shady business hidden by offering the right amount of gil."
Glancing over at Tidus, I took note of the strained look on his face. He was thinking the same thing I was. "That does sound like something Zeltic would do. We know about the potions he was selling in Zanarkand."
"Yeah, I know."
"I got a name too—for the woman living there, at least. She doesn't go by Brie though. They called her Lenette."
Tidus' eyes slightly widened. "That's them."
"How do you know?"
"Because Lenette was Brie's favorite character from a book she'd read a thousand times over called, 'The Edge of Dawn.' She'd mentioned it all the time, and how it was the kinda love story she'd always wanted to experience."
"Then it's settled," I confirmed with a nod. "Thanks Rikku. We'll head over there."
"Let us know if you need backup!"
"Will do!"
"Time we pay Miss Lenette and her dad a visit, whaddaya say?"
"Let's go!"
Staffold Tower was one of the more illustrious condo buildings in Luca, housing residents such as entertainers, doctors, and entrepreneurs. So if Zeltic and Brie were living in the penthouse there, they had to have come into a large chunk of gil somehow. And offering illegal potions to the population would've certainly been one way in doing so.
The ten-story, concrete building had arched entryways, leading to many shops located on the ground level. But the lobby for the condos was sealed off behind bulletproof glass that led to a wide, mahogany desk and a set of gold-trimmed elevators.
In a way, it was set up like a five-star hotel with tall, colorful plants nestled into the corners, marbled floors, expensive artwork adorning the taupe-colored walls, and a well-manicured man, standing behind a rich, wooden desk, all dressed up in a black suit.
Tidus and I approached the attendant at the desk, who in turn issued us a charming smile that broadened once he recognized who we were.
"Ah, Lady Yuna, Sir Tidus, what can I do for you this lovely afternoon? Are you interested in purchasing a unit? I can assure you we have the finest—"
"Nah, we're happy with our current residence," Tidus interjected, a tinge of agitation infecting his tone. "We're here to see someone actually."
"Oh… I apologize." The man shifted uncomfortably behind the desk, his smile waning at my fiancé's abruptness. "Who are you two here to visit?"
"A Miss Lenette."
"I see. One moment." The attendant disappeared into the room behind, only to return a few moments later with a regretful smile. "I'm sorry, but she's not expecting a visit from you today. Maybe try a later date."
Seriously!? What reason would she have to turn us away?
Tidus' brow shot up then dipped low into an unforgiving frown. "Tell Miss Lenette that if she doesn't want birds to sing, she'll see us today. Otherwise, all bets are off."
With a curt nod, the attendant exited to the room behind once more, but this time, he returned with a relieved expression and presented us with a key-card. "You'll need this to access the elevators." He then handed it over to Tidus and gestured behind. "Top floor."
"Thanks."
Following my fiancé over to the set of elevators, he swiped the key-card against a small, round sensor at the side, opening one of the doors.
"That was…rather strange," I mentioned, tailing him inside the metal structure.
"Yeah, and I got a feeling our visit will be even weirder."
I pushed the button for the penthouse and the doors slid closed.
"Why do you think she's hesitant to meet with us? It's not like we came to send her."
"I dunno. This is strange—even for Brie. I guess we'll find out soon enough though."
The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open, revealing a short hallway with a door directly in front.
"C'mon…" With a protective hand at the small of my back, Tidus led us out and over to the penthouse entrance. He then pressed a button at the side of it, prompting the doorbell to chime.
"It's open!" Brie's voice came from inside in a distant holler.
I frowned and cast a quick glance at my fiancé. "She can't come to the door?"
"Told ya this was gonna get weirder." Twisting the knob, Tidus pushed open the door and stepped inside into one of the most luxurious suites I'd ever seen. "Wow…" he breathed, taking in the exquisite ambiance. "Looks like illegal potions are way more lucrative here than in Zanarkand."
And he wasn't wrong. The living room was massive and filled with modern, high-end furniture, panoramic windows, a staircase leading to a floor above with a glass banister, and another matching one to the left, leading to a level below. It was…breathtaking. And to top it all off was a gigantic, crystal chandelier hanging high above us in the middle of the room.
"Down here!" Brie's voice echoed from the bottom of the staircase.
We exchanged a wary glance, before I took the lead, ascending down the steps to yet another level of awe. It was as though we'd stepped into lounge in Zanarkand, complete with low-sitting tables and sofa-sets, a fair-sized bar, elegant lanterns lit on the table-tops—only adding to the dim lighting—and a hot-tub where Brie was submerged up to her neck in bubbling water, sipping on a cocktail.
"Someone sure misses Zanarkand," Tidus indicated with a slight chuckle.
"What can I say?" Brie shrugged. "You can take the girl outta Zanarkand, but you can't take Zanarkand outta the girl." Her smile faltered some. "How'd you find me—and why are you here?"
"Our friends helped in locating you," I answered, hands clasped behind my back. "There have been some developments that you and your father need to be aware of and…I need some answers in regards to Mystics."
"I see…" Abandoning her drink, Brie shamelessly stood up in the hot-tub, completely devoid of a swimsuit, catching Tidus and I entirely off guard.
I looked away, and my fiancé did the same, meeting my gaze in an uneasy glance.
"Oh c'mon, it's nothing you haven't seen before." A comment squarely issued to Tidus that left my cheeks burning with fury.
"Yeah well, I didn't know back then I was involved with a dead chick."
Seeming quite smug, she proceeded to climb out of the tub and dry off with a towel draped over the side of it. "You were a dream. I was an unsent. What does it matter? It all happened once upon a dream."
"You gonna wrap that towel around yourself anytime soon?"
"Why? Find it hard to keep your eyes from wandering?"
Now, I'd finally had enough. "He's not interested in you! I think he made that clear in Zanarkand."
After wrapping the towel around her naked form, Brie came closer, her damp, blonde ponytail clinging to her neck, eyes narrowed at my fiancé in an angry glower. "You broke my heart, Tidus."
He glanced up at her, mouth slightly agape. "We agreed to break things off."
"I was in love with you."
Folding his arms, Tidus shook his head and scoffed. "This is the first I'm hearing of it."
"Would you've really listened?"
"Look Brie, we don't have time for this. I'm in love with Yuna. We're getting married in two weeks and we have a baby on the way. Where's your dad?"
"Out…gathering materials."
"Right… Gotta keep the illegal potions coming to sustain a place like this, huh?"
"If you want our help, this isn't the way to go about it."
"And parading around in the nude, flirting with my fiancé isn't wise either," I fumed, folding my arms as well. "I'm still a summoner, you know."
"One that still needs our help apparently. So, I wouldn't be too quick to send me or my father if that's the case."
This woman certainly had changed from the time we'd met with her in Zanarkand. Gone was the sweet and polite eighteen-year-old who'd been eager to help, and in her place was this bitter, arrogant young woman, who appeared quite brazen now.
"What happened to you?" Tidus asked, narrowing his gaze at Brie. "I don't ever remember you being this way."
Making her way over to one of the sofas, Brie plopped down onto the cushions then looked up at the ceiling, lips kinked to the side in thought. "Oh, I dunno… Maybe losing another home had something to do with it. And being burned by so many guys I'd fallen for probably hadn't helped either."
"But I… I thought you said you'd never found love."
"I did." Her gaze drifted over to me, possessing a hint of envy. "But it was never reciprocated."
That made sense, I supposed.
Hanging his head in regret, Tidus rubbed the back of his neck and huffed. "Look, I never meant to hurt you." He then lifted his gaze to meet Brie's in a silent apology. "We weren't meant to be. It would've never worked out. For so many reasons..."
"Yeah, I know," her tone suddenly softened with a mixture of shame and regret. "I'm sorry for earlier. I haven't been myself since…Zanarkand."
Just then, the door upstairs opened and shut.
"Brie!?"
The young woman, who'd been so smug earlier, bounded to her feet and hugged her arms, seeming anxious all of a sudden.
"D-down here father!"
"What's this I hear about—" Zeltic froze half-way down the steps, gawking at us as though we'd all been caught in some kind of compromising position. "So, it's true then." He continued down the stairs, his long, graying hair and deep-blue haori, swaying with every step. "The attendant mentioned something about you two paying us an unexpected visit."
"We came here because Yuna needs your help again."
"And also…to bring some unsettling news," I added in a grave tone.
"I see…" Stroking the end of his goatee, Zeltic's gaze shifted over to his daughter, brow now creasing into a look of disgust. "Put some clothes on."
"Y-yes father." Dipping her head in shame, Brie walked briskly over to the steps, and retreated up to the main level.
Zeltic stared up at the top of the staircase and gave a disapproving shake of his head. "That girl has been insufferable ever since we'd been forced to leave Zanarkand—pardon me, Dream Zanarkand."
"Yeah, we noticed," Tidus groused.
"I hope she wasn't too…overbearing while I was gone."
I released a sardonic laugh. "No, not at all."
"I'm sorry," he apologized, throwing his arms up in defeat. "It's been quite the adjustment for us here."
Gesturing to our surroundings, Tidus echoed my laugh from earlier. "Yeah, it's so horrible, I see."
"Gil can only buy you so much comfort. It's a far cry from where we'd called home." He then took a seat on one of the sofas and gestured for us to do the same. "Sit. I have a feeling this won't be a short visit. Can I get you two anything to drink?"
"Oh… No, I'm…I'm fine."
"Yeah, we're good."
Tidus and I sat next to each other on the sofa adjacent to our host, trading awkward glances for a couple moments.
"So, I see you've gotten the module to work."
"Oh, uh… Not exactly."
"Well, this should be quite the story then."
"You have no idea."
At that moment, Brie came scampering down the stairs and over to us in a pair of shorts and a tank-top, taking a seat next to her father. "So, what'd I miss?"
"Nothing yet," Zeltic stated, gaze defaulting back to me. "Yuna was just about to tell us how she managed to return home."
"Right…" So, Tidus and I told them everything that'd happened—about my deal with that goddess, the life-force I'd consumed to get me home, and all about Yunalesca and her catastrophic plans for Spira.
Their reactions were far more grim than what our friends had been, but also possessed a glimmer of realization. It was as though we'd given them a piece to a puzzle they'd been searching for throughout the years. And I found that rather unsettling.
"So, it is as we'd feared," Zeltic indicated with great concern. "Yunalesca is indeed a Mystic gone mad."
"I'm afraid so. But I have a plan in place to evacuate all of Spira, including the souls in the Farplane."
"You do?" Brie's expression grew hopeful.
"Mhm…" So, I proceeded with caution to tell them all about my plans, hoping they'd be more understanding than our friends had been at first.
Thankfully, they'd processed everything I'd suggested with a sense of optimism, which I found a tad odd, since Brie would have to yet again abandon another home for a completely different world.
"You guys aren't…freaking out about any of this? Not that we wantcha to! It's just that—"
Zeltic silenced my fiancé with a wave of his hand. "Believe me when I say—we're grateful. Yuna is presenting us with a solution to a catastrophic problem. Why would we be upset?"
"Because you've been through so much already," I offered with a look of empathy. "And Brie has already expressed how displaced she feels after leaving Zanarkand. Now, you'd be faced with not only leaving a city you love, but a whole planet you've called home your entire lives."
A hint of a smile appeared on Brie's lips, just then, that we'd all caught, prompting Zeltic to shoot her a stern glance, resulting in its quick departure.
"What the hell is going on here!?" Tidus demanded in a raised voice. "What're you guys hiding from us?"
"Let's hear what Yuna needs our help with first," Zeltic insisted.
"Let's not!" Tidus fired back. "Y'know what—Auron never trusted you guys from the beginning. I'm starting to think he'd been right all along."
"We're not your enemy," Zeltic assured. "And we have a common one at that."
"Yeah, more than you realize," Brie added, tone firm and serious.
Feeling the heat rising in my cheeks, I tightened my fists on my lap, fed up with their cryptic nonsense. "Then why not tell us what you're hiding!? If we're on the same side, why would you keep information from us that could help?"
"I can assure you, we won't."
Tidus scoffed and poked the inside of his lower lip with his tongue. "Then what does it matter if you tell us now instead of later?"
"Because we need to be sure of a few things first," Zeltic emphasized.
"Yeah, I don't think so." Bounding to his feet, Tidus glanced down at me and reached for my hand. "Let's go, Yuna."
"Wait!" Brie stood, imploring us to stop with a hand. She then peered down at her father and pleaded in a soft voice, "Give them something, right now. After all, Yuna is giving us more than we could ever hope for."
By abandoning their home? I was more confused now than ever.
With a resigned sigh, Zeltic motioned for Tidus to sit. "Alright, have a seat. We'll tell you part of what we'd been keeping secret for so long. In turn, we'll hear what Yuna needs our help with. And then, we'll tell you the rest. Fair enough?"
Tidus exhaled heavily, easing himself down onto the spot beside me with Brie returning to her seat directly after. "Fine. Go ahead."
Casting a quick glance over at his daughter, Zeltic inhaled deeply, hesitating for a moment, before returning his gaze back to us. "Brie and I didn't die during the Machina War. We've been unsent for far longer than that."
"How long?" I asked with caution.
"Around two thousand years. We've honestly lost count."
Eyes narrowed, Tidus proceeded to question, "Why lie about something like that?"
"Because of what we were involved in."
"Which was what?" Tidus pressed.
"Experimenting on Mystics."
I hitched a breath and exchanged a stunned glance with my fiancé.
"Yeah no, we're outta here."
"Wait—it's not what you think!" Brie protested, half-leaving her seat to stop us from bailing. "We were involved in analyzing the data from them. We never aided in the…butchering process."
"And because of that, we eventually paid with our lives." Brie eased back into her seat as her father continued to explain. "You see, Brie was set to be part of one of the capturing squads, and I in turn, was asked to start administering the lethal injections as part of my daily routine. When we both refused…well, that was something you didn't do.
"We knew too much about what was being conducted in Bevelle's top-secret bases. So, of course, we were a liability that needed to be eliminated. A simple dismissal would not suffice.
"We'd tried to escape but we never made it out of the facility. Once we were captured, we were tied down and injected with the same death serum I refused to administer to the imprisoned Mystics."
"So Bevelle was behind the experiments," I whispered in disgust. "Figures."
Tidus' frown only deepened. "Why work for them at all to begin with?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, we both believed in the lie to a degree—that Mystics were a danger to society. But the longer we worked there we realized not all Mystics were capable of being a destructive force. In fact—none of the ones we'd come across there ever were. Once our opinions had changed—it was already too late. As I'd mentioned before, one did not simply turn in resignation papers at a Mystic research facility."
"So they conducted these experiments outside the law?" I clenched my fists once more, rage festering inside. "Those were inhumane crimes!"
A sad, distant look swirled in Zeltic's hazel eyes. "Yes, well… There were plenty of scientists who conducted inhumane experiments over time. And those in power always found a way to keep it hidden from the public for their own nefarious reasons."
"What about your wife and son?" I asked, curious as to why they hadn't been mentioned as of yet. "Were they killed as well?"
"Yes." He swallowed hard and looked away. "That… That is another matter we'll touch on later though. But first…" Gaze trained on me once again, Zeltic stroked his goatee and leaned forward with a keen interest. "First we'd like to hear about what you need our aid with."
Head still swirling in a haze from all I'd just learned, I drew in a deep breath, focusing my thoughts, and told them all about my experiences since my return and the young woman I was connecting to in another world.
Needless to say, they appeared stunned by my claim at first. However, the more I revealed, their reactions took a strange turn. The shock and awe was to be expected. But the emotions that'd cycled over their faces afterward were certainly not. Relief, elation, joy, hope—none of which made any sense to me, unless my powers as a Mystic had advanced somehow to where I may be able to defeat Yunalesca after all.
"This is extraordinary!" Zeltic all but gushed, sitting up straight.
Practically vibrating in her seat, Brie cupped her face in her hands, grinning from ear-to-ear. "It's better than we ever dreamed! How's this even possible?"
"Well, that's why we're here—to get answers from you guys." Tidus' expression soured some, clearly finding their reactions to be as odd as I had. "And what the hell are you guys so excited about? What're we missing here?"
A sense of hope swelled inside me. "Has something changed with my powers? Can I defeat Yunalesca somehow?"
"Oh no, that's still not possible," Zeltic explained with an ardent shake of his head, growing serious once more. "Yunalesca is different from you in many ways. Your soul hasn't been corrupted like hers."
That quickly took the wind out of my sails, leaving me to wonder why they were still so excited about all I'd revealed. "I don't understand. Why are you all but celebrating my experiences if they can't change anything?"
"Well, that remains to be seen," Zeltic indicated with a hopeful smile.
Brow creasing in further agitation, Tidus cast a quick glance my way then shot our hosts a menacing glare. "Stop messing with our heads! You just said Yuna can't stop that psycho! Why give us false hope?"
"My apologies." Zeltic offered us a curt bow. "It's not our intention to offer you false hope. Both Yevon and Yunalesca have dished out plenty of that over a millennium."
Tilting my head slightly to the side, I persisted to interrogate them. "Then why does my connection to this girl seem so important to you both?" Or was it something else entirely, I wondered. "Do you believe I have the power to split timelines?"
Brie's grin widened as she sank further into the sofa's cushions. "That's what we're hoping."
"And you may have already done so," Zeltic added.
Squirming in his seat, Tidus continued to issue them both a hardened look. "Yeah but that would've been for a different world—the one she keeps seeing."
"Well, I'm not certain if she was successful. It would be a remarkable feat though if it were true, changing that world's fate in the process."
Tidus furrowed his brow. "Why do you care? It's not like that changes anything here."
"Unless…" Hope sailed through me anew. "Unless I can do that here and save Spira."
"You'd need a connection here to do so," Zeltic advised with some regret. "And the only one you have certainly won't aid you in that cause. Yunalesca is driven by only one thing—the power to destroy."
"So why the hell does any of this matter then!?" Tidus all but shouted in frustration.
Leaning forward, Brie calmly rested her hands onto her lap, and licked her bottom lip as though she were contemplating on how to answer. "Because Yuna may have the ability to save that world and change the fate of a few from there. People who were killed needlessly…or even those transported elsewhere against their will."
My breath stalled, pulse bounding… "What are you saying?"
"That what happened to you, being transported through time into the fayth's dream, wasn't an isolated incident. Something like it happened before."
"To us," Zeltic revealed. "Our home—our real home is Gaia."
It was as though all the oxygen had emptied from my lungs, leaving me breathless.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. And judging from the dumbfounded look on Tidus' face, he was experiencing something much the same. The planet Gippal had shown us the other night—we'd never mentioned it to them. Well, not the name anyway. There was no possible way for them to know. And their reactions to everything earlier…they made sense now. But…how?
"I can see you're both stunned by this revelation," Zeltic's voice broke through the silence, penetrating my chaotic thoughts. "But I can assure you, it's true."
Rubbing the tension at the back of his neck, Tidus released a sharp puff of air and finally found his voice. "You're saying you travelled to Spira thousands of years ago through a time machine built in Gaia's distant future? That sounds insane!"
"It's certainly a unique situation—one you're both a little familiar with now, I'm sure."
"But…it was a time machine!" Tidus emphasized, still not entirely convinced by their claim. "You go through time, y'know? That doesn't explain how you guys came to Spira."
"It wasn't just a time machine," Zeltic clarified. "It was a quantum bender—a type of stargate that can portal one not only through time, but through space to another world."
"Shinra's technology," I mentioned in a voice barely above a whisper, glancing over at Tidus. "Even you suspected it was more than a time machine."
"Yes—Shinra technology, tweaked by Professor Hojo no doubt."
"Professor who?" Tidus accentuated.
"Gaia's own mad scientist if you will," Zeltic began to elaborate. "He was the executive director of the Shinra Electric Power Company's Research and Development division, tasked with creating various biological weapons for them. But as any mad scientist, he pursued his own research in secret, conducting inhumane experiments on his test subjects without any morals or ethics. There's no better example of that than what he'd done to his very own wife, Lucrecia Crescent."
I drew back in shock. "He conducted inhumane experiments on his wife!?"
"Oh yes, he was certainly not above that. He even injected Jenova cells into the fetus of their unborn child, resulting in her birthing an abomination of sorts."
"Bastard…" Tidus breathed.
"What are Jenova cells?" I inquired, curious of what had been done to the poor woman.
"That, my dear, is a very good question. An even better one would be—what is Jenova?"
"So, you gonna tell us?" Tidus impatiently asked, to which Zeltic returned with an amused grin.
"Jenova was known as the calamity that came from the sky to Gaia thousands of years before the time we'd lived in—an alien that tried to destroy the planet. Her remains were found in what we now call the North Crater and mistaken for that of a deceased Cetra by Hojo and his associate, Professor Gast, who collected those remains in order to bring them back to the Shinra building for research."
"The Cetra!?" I gasped, recalling where I'd heard that name. "The girl I'm connected to—she'd mentioned that she was the last living Cetra! What's a Cetra?"
"The Cetra, also known as The Ancients, are Gaia's equivalent to a Mystic, and a race that Jenova had used as a weapon. She approached the Cetra upon her arrival, assuming guises of their departed loved ones while injecting some of them with a virus that turned them into monsters, nearly wiping out both the Cetra and the human civilizations.
"Thankfully, that hadn't occurred, since the Cetra banded together, ultimately quarantining the creature within the North Crater. But that hadn't stopped the Cetra from falling into legend, much like a Mystic in Spira, for almost the exact same reasons.
"It should also be noted, from what we'd learned in Gaia, that Jenova was able to absorb her prey's memories and form, enabling her to wipe out all civilizations on a planet before consuming it entirely into her being, which brings me to my latest theory—that Yunalesca and Jenova are one in the same."
Tidus' eyes grew huge. "Wait—you think Yunalesca is this Jenova alien thing!?"
"Yes." Zeltic gave a sure nod to confirm. "And because of that you shouldn't waste any time in emptying all the souls out of the Farplane and infusing them into those spheres."
A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. "Or else she'll start using them against us."
"Precisely," Zeltic agreed. "Also, I suspect that your unique bloodline, Yuna, may have cross-bred with some of the Cetra's, resulting in your connection to the last surviving one. I'm assuming the planet you'd found to be inhabitable is in fact Gaia."
My head was spinning from all the information. All these…revelations I would never have thought possible. Yunalesca had mentioned that once she'd consumed Spira, she planned to move on…move onto another world to do the same. She intended to follow me. Follow me to Gaia. That sick, twisted….
"Assuming this is all true," Tidus jumped in, "and I'm not saying it isn't—how's Yuna's connection to whoever that is in Gaia's future gonna change things?"
"It may already have. You see, the city in her visions is that of Midgar. And the young woman she's connecting to, no doubt, is Aerith Grainsborough, daughter of Ifalna—the final line of Cetra that carries her Mystic bloodline it seems. Yuna had mentioned that while in Spira's Lifestream, she'd found Aerith praying somewhere in Gaia—praying to the planet no doubt. But what is fascinating about all that is that Yuna had heard it. She'd essentially answered her call."
"But I don't know how!" I shouted in exasperation. "I don't know how I'm doing any of this!"
"Unfortunately, neither do we. But from everything you'd told us, it appears that this unique union between a Cetra and a Mystic is far more powerful than we'd ever imagined. Aerith may have been the one who'd reached out to you, unknowingly of course.
"But the fact that you'd connected to her, experienced events through her eyes… Something happened on a spiritual level. Something that may have changed Gaia. This connection has somehow meddled with fate, causing that world to splinter into several different realities—or so it seems. Whether this is a good thing or not, is yet to be determined. At this point, it may be solely in Aerith's hands, going forward."
Hearing that hadn't put my mind at ease, especially since I suspected Aerith had died in one of those timelines. But I wasn't about to mention that. I was too afraid of what it could mean. Then, suddenly, something occurred to me.
"You keep mentioning that my Mystic bloodline had mixed with that of the Cetra's. How do we know it's a mixed bloodline? When we arrive in Gaia, it'll be way before Yunalesca does. So, who's to say that the Cetra aren't a continuation of my Mystic bloodline?"
"You make a valid point," Zeltic indicated, stroking his goatee in thought. "You could very well be right. All the research we'd done here on Mystic's—they did seem very similar to the Cetra. Maybe that's why I found it fascinating and horrifying all the same. I never allowed myself to consider that Spira could be connected to Gaia. But it all makes sense now. That and I suppose I didn't want to believe that the Cetra were linked to Jenova in any way."
"That's why she chose Gaia," I declared. "It's because we escaped there. Revenge. And I promised her that it would be her very own bloodline that would end her one day."
"Well, so long as Jenova—I mean, Yunalesca's cells remain, she will never truly be defeated. Someone else could use them to attempt godhood—perhaps another abomination of sorts."
And I had to wonder if that hadn't already happened. That presence I'd felt when Aerith was praying… I could've sworn it was Yunalesca. But maybe…it was someone injected with her cells.
"So explain to us again how you'd managed to get your hands on this souped-up quantum bender," Tidus pressed.
"We didn't 'get our hands on' anything," Brie clarified with disdain. "We were tossed inside as test subjects as a form of punishment."
"Wow…" Tidus scoffed. "You guys sure like repeating past mistakes, huh?"
Elbowing my fiancé in his ribs, I shot him a look of warning.
"Ow! What!?"
"We never worked for the Shinra Corporation," Zeltic insisted. "Or for Professor Hojo for that matter."
"We were disgusted by them," Brie broke in, brow now creased in offence. "We were part of an organization called Avalanche—an insurgent group working to thwart the Shinra Corporation and their misuse of mako energy."
"Mako?" I echoed, confused.
"Basically the energy sapped from Gaia's Lifestream," Brie went on to explain. "The Shinra Corporation had been harnessing so much of it to power a city like Midgar that the planet was starting to die."
Tidus sputtered a sardonic laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like Shinra alright." He then threw me a smug grin. "Told ya he sold us out."
"President Shinra could not have been your little Al-Bhed friend, you'd mentioned. But from everything you'd told us, it would stand to reason, he was the founder of the Shinra Electric Power Company, and that President Shinra was a descendant of his."
"Anyway," Brie interjected. "Our family was on a mission with one of the smaller groups when we were captured at a mako reactor."
"Our punishment was to be one of Professor Hojo's lab rats for some of his current projects. Being fascinated with the idea of travelling the cosmos, Hojo must've somehow come across Shinra's work on the Quantum Bender and expanded on it. Though it wasn't perfected, of course—that's where we came in.
"With the intent to split us up, he used it on my wife and son at first, which didn't go quite as planned. They were vaporized into a pile of ash." He winced at the painful memory. "Brie and I, however, were successfully transported through time and space."
"To Spira..." I whispered with empathy.
"Yes…to Spira. Thousands of years into the past from which we came."
A long, awkward silence followed.
When Tidus and I first arrived there, I'd thought we'd learn some much needed information about Mystics that would explain my strange experiences. But I hadn't dreamed it would be anything on this level. Not only had my actions impacted all of Spira and its fate, but the fate of this other world as well. And worst of all, I couldn't undo any of it.
"I'm… I'm so sorry." I dipped my head low in shame. "If I could travel back and change things, I would. I would've never gone to Djose that day."
"Yuna…"
"This is not your fault," Zeltic assured in a kind, gentle voice. "Regardless of what happened, it was meant to be, it seems. Otherwise, from what we'd concluded, the Cetra would not exist."
"And neither would Jenova," I refuted.
"Stop doing this to yourself!" Tidus demanded. "Stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong in Spira, Gaia, or…wherever. You're not some kinda god that can control all these things. Even that goddess, Materia couldn't. You gotta let go of all this guilt and realize…" his tone softened some, "that some things are just beyond your control."
"Then who is in control?" I argued. "All these unjust things that happen… It's just so unfair."
"Tis' the age-old question we'd all like to know. Perhaps the Cetra really did have the answer to it with the fabled Promise Land that'd led to so many being captured. I suppose we'll never really know though."
"What's the Promised Land?" Tidus questioned.
"It means something different to everyone, apparently. But according to the Cetra, it's a state of supreme happiness, attained only at the end of their journey—most likely the moment in which one returns to the planet's Lifestream from which they came. Some believe it to be a physical place filled with copious amounts of mako, which had led to the Shinra Corporation to seek out and capture a Cetra in order to find it."
"Figures…" Tidus muttered.
Contemplating Zeltic's words, I began to formulate my own theory on the matter. Something I never really thought about before.
"But if the Cetra are really a continuation of my Mystic bloodline, wouldn't that conflict with them being born from Gaia's Lifestream? Those lives—their origins are from Spira."
"Maybe it's like the Farplane," Tidus suggested.
"Or maybe…" I paused to rub my chin in thought, "maybe it has nothing to do with that at all. Spira has always been known for its cycle of death but… That's only physical in most cases—the unsent being an exception of sorts. We never truly die. Our souls live on. We're…eternal. Eternal beings that originated from somewhere—from some type of source."
"Perhaps that line of thinking died along with the early Ancients. But your theory is quite thought provoking." He then glanced over at his daughter with a satisfied smile. "Imagine having a riveting conversation with the first of the Ancients. Because you, my dear…" His gaze returned to me in absolute awe and adoration. "You are just that."
Unfortunately, it felt like another heavy burden I'd have to carry, along with so many others. But I dare not voice those thoughts. Tidus would surely scold me again. And I could already hear Auron's voice doing much the same.
"I just wish I knew how to be more useful with these powers of mine. They're still very much a mystery to me."
"I reckon that will come in time," Zeltic offered. "But even if Brie and I cannot return to our original timeline from whatever had happened when you connected to Aerith, you're still presenting us with a way home to Gaia. And for that we're both eternally grateful."
Brie gave a firm nod to confirm. "You should focus on that and the plan you've devised to save us all."
"Yes, well… I just hope we can do so before Yunalesca…well, you know."
"You already know the future. Your plan will be successful. Besides, from what we do know of Jenova—the calamity cannot simply absorb a planet and its entirety in a few short years. It takes at least a millennia."
"It does!?" Tidus balked in his seat, stunned but relieved by the wide grin sweeping over his face. "See Yuna!" He peered over at me, beaming. "Told ya we got this!"
Suddenly feeling light-headed and a bit queasy, I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed my brow.
"Hey—you okay?" Tidus' hand was now resting between my shoulder-blades, fingers drawing soothing circles on my exposed skin.
"I… I don't feel so well."
"Then our meeting should adjourn for now." Rising to his feet, along with his daughter, Zeltic issued us an empathetic smile. "Perhaps the information revealed here today was all a bit too much for one sitting, especially for someone in your delicate condition."
Normally, I'd take offence to something like that, but in lieu of everything, I couldn't argue against it. My mind was still spinning. That young woman—Aerith… She was a descendant of mine—mine and Tidus'. I would be the first Mystic in Gaia—the first of the Ancients. And she was the last—the last of our line.
Had I somehow meddled with fate in that world—meddled with hers? What had been happening in that time that she needed help so badly? There was still so much I didn't know, but one thing was clear—she needed Holy for something. And somehow, I'd find a way to get it to her. I wasn't sure how as of yet, but I knew I'd figure it out one day.
"C'mon Yuna." Tidus helped me to my feet, and I managed to offer both Brie and Zeltic a grateful smile.
"Thank you…for all you'd revealed to us. It may have been confronting but…it answered a lot of our questions."
"I only hope it doesn't deter you from your path. You're truly a remarkable young woman, who offers hope to us all." He then dipped his head in a grateful bow. "Until the next time we meet."
And I had to wonder at that moment if knowing the future, no matter how distant it was, would change things. If I learned anything at all from everything I'd gone through, it was that fate didn't like to be messed with—that maybe some things weren't meant to be undone. We're all set on a path it seems. And even if we change some things along the way, the results may be the same in the end. The universe would set things right. We just didn't know what that would be.
Bidding our hosts farewell, Tidus led me over to the stairs, taking us up to the main level where we exited the penthouse, ready to share with our friends all we'd learned.
After an exhausting evening, relaying all of what we'd discovered to our friends, which had gone shockingly well this time, Tidus and I headed home to our condo for the first time in what seemed like ages.
Our simple, yet modern dwelling had been a welcoming sight to the both of us. It was a little strange being there after having been gone for so long though—more so for me than Tidus. But being mentally and emotionally drained as we were from everything, we'd immediately retired to our bedroom, and turned in for the night.
Those satin sheets felt wonderful against my skin—not to mention the warmth of Tidus' arms holding me close. I'd fallen asleep rather quickly, hoping to finally get a good night's rest without any strange occurrences. But I suppose that wasn't what fate had in store…
At first, I thought I was in the midst of having a peaceful dream, staring out at the horizon on the sands of Besaid, watching the sun dip out of view, giving way to pink and purple ribbons of light. It was warm, windy, and beautiful. The last of the sun's rays made the ocean waves shimmer as they rolled and crashed in the distance.
Then, a voice broke through all that, addressing me in a calm soothing manner.
This is not the end, only the beginning.
Casting a quick glance around, I tried to find whoever was speaking to me. But there was no one to be found. I was completely alone. And yet, it felt as though I wasn't.
The voice came again, gentle as before.
This is but a brief experience—a blip in time.
It was strange to say the least. The voice—I couldn't discern if it was male or female, or where it was coming from for that matter. But I responded to it in an equally odd manner without so much as moving my lips.
What do you mean? What's happening to me?
You're experiencing life as all souls do at one point or another. But this fear and guilt… You need to let go of it. You have nothing to fear, and nothing to feel guilty of.
Calm, yet intrigued, I continued to have a telepathic conversation with whomever...or whatever presence was near.
But Spira will be obliterated because of me. And all those people in Gaia, many will die as a result of my actions.
None of which is your fault. You are not the one who will consume Spira. And no one ever truly dies. You know this. We're eternal. We're all connected as one.
I… I don't understand.
You don't have to right now. Your soul knows. Let it guide you. You have your own path to follow.
But I'm… I'm afraid.
And that is what's holding you back—holding you back from ascension.
Ascension?
Release all fear and embrace what drives your being—love. It will lead you to your promised land.
The Promised Land!? They knew about the Promised Land? It was real!?
Just as I contemplated what that could mean, I felt an odd sense of peace settle over me. The world grew hazy and began to fade from view, plunging me into the deepest, tranquil slumber I'd ever experienced.
I woke the next morning to the melodic chirping of birds and the sun's bright rays stinging my eyes from the partially-open curtain. With a yawn, I stretched and rolled over to find Tidus softly snoring on his back, an arm draped above his head on the pillow.
For the first time in a long while, I was optimistic about the future. And I wanted to share that with the man who was set to be my husband in two short weeks.
"Tidus, wake up." I gently nudged his bare chest with my hand, earning a faint grunt and a frown that made me giggle.
Back in Zanarkand, Tidus had always been up before dawn. And even during my pilgrimage he'd been an early riser. But lately, when he didn't have to be up for blitz practice, he'd grown accustomed to sleeping in more and more. So, I knew he wasn't going to be too happy about me waking him at seven in the morning. Still I persisted to do so anyway, taking my chances.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." Now, tickling the tip of his nose, Tidus scrunched his face and batted my hand away with a groan.
"Ughh… What time is it?"
"Seven."
Finally opening his eyes, my fiancé peered over at me with a tinge of concern. "You okay?"
"Uh-huh."
Tidus snorted a laugh, clearly mistaking the grin on my face to mean something more. "Yeah, I need another hour or so before doing something like that, okay? I'm worn out."
He then rolled over and draped an arm over my waist, snuggling the side of his face into the pillow.
"I didn't wake you for that," I insisted. "I want to tell you about what I experienced last night."
Those dreamy eyes snapped open, possessing a hint of confusion. "I thought you said you were okay?"
"I am! It was a good thing, for once. A little strange—okay, very strange—but good."
With another groan, Tidus rolled over onto his back and adjusted himself up against the headboard, rubbing a hand over his face. "Okay… What happened?"
I adjusted myself into a similar position, leaning more onto my side, facing him as I prepared to share my unique experience.
Tidus listened patiently to all I had to say, not once interrupting, which I'd attributed to him being so tired still. His facial expressions, however, were not so quiet. That creased brow and those skeptical glances spoke volumes.
"Look, Yuna… When Zeltic mentioned this Promised Land, you were already drawing your own conclusions. This whole dream was probably an extension of all that, y'know? Not that it's a bad thing! I'm glad you feel more at ease and hopeful."
"But you don't believe any of it was real, do you?"
"Who were you talking to then? I mean, it was probably, I dunno…" He shrugged. "Your inner-self."
"I see…" Looking away, I released a dejected sigh, disappointed in my fiancé's cynicism.
Tidus rested a hand on my thigh and offered me a tight smile. "I know you wanna believe it's something more. And I don't wanna take that from you, it's just… I don't think it's anything but a dream this time. But that's me. If you wanna believe—"
"How are you even here then?" That question seemed to leave him paralyzed, mouth slightly agape. "You were just a dream, remember? One that obtained their own soul by some miraculous means that even the fayth couldn't explain. So, go ahead, Tidus—explain it to me."
Blinking several times in surprise, he drew back, mulling it over, lips pressed into a thin, perplexed line. He couldn't, of course.
"What're you getting at, Yuna?"
"That… That your existence doesn't make any sense on a scientific level."
He winced, obviously feeling the sting of my words, which I hadn't intended to come out quite as harsh as it had.
"What I'm trying to say is that…" I paused, contemplating on presenting him with an example for better clarification. And I had just the one. "Do you remember two months ago when Shinra and Rin were doing that experiment with an Al-Bhed couple, who were having trouble conceiving a child? The one you said had been normal practice in Zanarkand? In vito… Umm…"
"In vitro fertilization? Yeah."
"Right! Where a woman's mature eggs and a man's sperm are collected and fertilized in a petri dish."
"Yeah, okay…"
"Well, I was there with Rikku at the lab Shinra had rented out with Rin here in Luca the week after we moved in. He was so proud at finally being able to successfully fertilize an egg that he'd summoned us there to see for ourselves. But what he'd found most fascinating about it all was what he'd discovered happens at the moment of conception. According to him, there was a flash of light that he couldn't figure out at first. He then went on to offer an explanation about how it must be due to the zinc attaching itself to molecules or…something along those lines."
"Okay…" Tidus gave me a guarded look. "I'm still trying to figure out where you're going with this."
"That didn't happen to you, of course. You… You were contrived of a dream—a shadow of a memory that used to be…Shuyin, I suppose."
Tidus' frown deepened. "So, you're saying I'm not real now?"
"No, no, not at all," I protested with a firm shake of my head. "What if it's not as it seems? What if… What if we create the vessels…these bodies with our genetics and that flash is something else…like our soul entering the vessel?"
"And how exactly does that happen?"
"You remember what it was like in Dream Zanarkand. Your friends… All the people there. They were shadows of themselves, empty, soulless vessels that had no real thought of their own. They… They were part of the fayth's hive-mind. You even found it strange how they all acted. They were as you'd described an NPC in those video games we played. You… You weren't like them. You weren't going along with the dream anymore because you were no longer part of it. You became a separate consciousness—a unique soul."
"Yeah but how?"
"The fayth created the vessel. And you…your soul found it. You didn't gain a soul, Tidus. You just found a vessel for it. You're eternal. That's what I'm trying to tell you. And that eternal soul came from somewhere. Nothing just happens by chance. We're learning that now. Behind every design is a creator—a source."
"Oh man…" Tidus shut his eyes and rubbed his brow. "This is too deep a conversation to have first thing in the morning. I guess I can expect more of this being hitched to the first of the Ancients."
Something I now chose to wear as a badge of honor. "Does this offer you any relief at all about your existence?"
Peering over at me, Tidus arched a brow. "I dunno… It's got my head spinning, that's for sure."
"Maybe… Maybe we're a part of something much bigger than we'd ever imagined—something greater than us that offers hope, love, and a way to return to perfect harmony. I know that may sound strange to you but… I believe it to be true."
He sat there in silence for a few moments, mulling over everything I'd mentioned, and judging from the look of deep concentration forming on his face, drawing his own conclusions.
"What're you thinking?"
"Well, before meeting you in Zanarkand, for so long, I believed the dead were lost to us. I didn't know about pyreflies or the Farplane, or any of that. Ghosts, spirits—they were just stuff you read in books or saw in movies. It wasn't real to me. And then that all changed when you explained things there about Spira. And then there's Auron... Well, him being an unsent. Even when those memories were gone upon coming to Spira… Seeing how so much of the dead weren't really dead. It kinda turned my whole world upside down, but in a good way, y'know?
"For a long time, I questioned everything, but the one thing I never questioned was death, what happens after, and even my own existence. Maybe it's because I found it too confronting. I dunno... But you're making me think about these things in a very different way. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't wanna believe them. In fact, you're the only one who offered me a tangible explanation as to how I became real. So, to sit here and dismiss everything you just said… I can't."
I went for his hand and laced our fingers together, earning a faint smile.
"Y'know…" Licking his bottom lip, Tidus shifted more onto his side to face me, eyes gleaming with a sense of hope and understanding. "I remember you telling me about how your dad said that everything in nature has a voice, and that if you listened closely you could hear their whispers. And I'll admit—I thought that was a bit weird. But I gotta wonder though… Maybe it's not limited to only those things or to just Mystics for that matter."
"How so?" I asked with a slight tilt of my head.
"That maybe it's not just the flowers whispering, y'know? Maybe…something else is speaking—something greater than us as you say. And only Mystics can hear it because the rest of us haven't been listening."
My smile broadened. "Then we believe in the same thing."
"Maybe we do." Leaning in, Tidus captured my lips in a sweet, tender kiss that ended far too quickly than I would've liked. He then drew back to issue me a warm smile that faltered almost as quickly as it appeared. "I know we got a lot of work ahead of us with all you'd planned. Just promise me that it won't consume every moment of our lives. Our time in Spira is short—I get it, we got a world of people to save. But we're also gonna have a kid to raise, and I dunno…maybe more someday, who knows. I just don't wanna miss all those special moments. We risked so much to be together—to be where we are now."
I understood where he was coming from. Really, I did. "We'll find a way to balance it all, I promise. But you also know what's at stake."
"Yeah, I do. But you gotta learn to let other people take the reins sometimes, okay? This is a team effort that will involve more than just our crew."
"I'm sure many will offer their assistance once we inform the public."
"That's another hurdle I'm not looking forward to," he muttered, expression turning grim. "If our friends freaked-out about what we have to do, just imagine how the rest of the world will react."
"We'll make them understand."
"And if we can't?"
"We have to. No one will be left behind."
"Gotta admire your resolve." Tidus threw me one of his winning grins that receded into a look of caution. "But maybe we should consider only telling people part of the truth until the time comes to…well, y'know…board and jet outta here."
And I could certainly understand his concern. "It would have to be before that, but not by much. By then the plant life would be dying and everyone will know the world's ending. I don't suspect much resistance then. So, you're probably right. Only a select few will know what we're actually doing, while others unknowingly aid the cause. It's not how I'd like to go about this. But we also can't afford for any sort of factions to emerge and start a rebellion."
"Exactly."
Unsure where to go from there, I heaved a tired sigh. "So…"
"So…" Our eyes locked in an intense gaze that'd almost completely derailed my train of thought.
"So, we should start by gathering everyone and going to the Farplane to begin making some of those spheres."
"Not before breakfast, we aren't." There was a mischievous gleam in his eye that I knew all-too-well. "And not before we have a proper homecoming in this bed." He then pounced on me like a playful puppy, pinning me down onto the mattress.
I giggled and shook my head. "You're a bad influence."
"Gotta start the day off right, y'know?"
"I suppose."
"You suppose?" Apparently that was the wrong answer, resulting in Tidus tickling my sides.
"Okay, okay, you win!" I conceded through a fit of laughter, squirming underneath to the point that my nightie had ridden up.
"I love you, y'know?" His smile waned, eyes laden with love and adoration. "And whether we're in Spira or Gaia or…wherever, as long as I'm with you, I'm home."
I couldn't agree more.
"C'mere…" Sliding a hand to the back of his neck, I pulled him down for a deep, sensual kiss that'd led to a morning of fiery passion that even Shiva couldn't hope to douse the flames to.
We all had a daunting task ahead of us. And I was honestly a little concerned about how we would juggle our family life with it all. Knowing what I did though, I knew it would all work out somehow.
Spira would come to an end. But our journey through life would not. Not yet anyway, or even after for that matter. It would continue on with a new hope in a new world with a future still undecided perhaps. Either way, it was our future. And it would be a good one.
A/N: There will be a fair-sized epilogue that will follow this, eventually, to tie-up one final loose end in regards to the origins of the Holy Materia, and offer a look twenty-some-odd-years into the future just as our main characters and their kids prepare to board the arks and leave a dying Spira.
