Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ A Separate Thread ❯ New Colors Added ( Chapter 7 )

A Seperate Thread

Chapter 7: New Colors Added

The next morning the group gathers outside of the temple, waiting on Yuna. Tidus decides to go looking for her, and finds her in one of the temple rooms, sleeping on a bed. A woman standing beside the bed begins to talk to him.

"She was working until dawn. Healing the wounded, sending the fallen."

"Okay...I guess I'll just let her sleep for now, then," he replied quietly.

Yuna, as if sensing him there, awakes and sits up slowly on the bed. "Ah! Morning!" Tidus greets.

"What? Morning!?" Yuna cries, voice filled with panic.

"Don't worry," he tries to assure her.

"But it's morning!" she says as she jumps up. "I am so sorry! I-I'll get ready right away! Just a moment!" She runs around frantically, making panicky noises as she attempts to get ready.

"Don't worry! It's okay...really. We'll be waiting outside for you when you are ready," he tells her as he exits out of the room and then out of the temple.

Yuna comes racing out of the temple a few moments later.

"Yo! Sleepy head!" Wakka teased.

"Sorry! I am so sorry!" she apologized, running up to Auron. "Please forgive me," she asks with a bow.

"Really, there's no rush...Here, your hair," Marina soothes, sounding motherly as she reaches up to brush back Yuna's errant bangs. Yuna attempts to straighten out her hair.

"A summoner with bed hair! What's the world coming to?" Wakka chides.

"You could have woken me up!" Yuna jokingly complained.

"We called to you, but with all that snoring..." Lulu began.

Yuna gasped. "Hmm...what is it today? Everyone's picking on me!"

The group begins to laugh, all but Auron, who soon laughs afterward.

"You too, Sir Auron?" she asked, giving him an indignant look.

"Once Lady Yuna fixes her hair, we leave!" he replied with a sly grin on his face. He felt Marina's gaze...sensed her feelings of warmth and love. He turned to her, and saw the knowing smile on her face...the mistiness in her green eyes.

"What?" he asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"You're going to be...a wonderful father," she answered softly. She can sense the happiness her words gave him. He shook his head slightly...looking a little uncomfortable...but with a slight smile on his face. She loved when his face softened with happiness...contentment. He walked up to her, and took her hand in his, leading her off down the path after the others.

Further down the path away from the temple, they run across the three Chocobo Knights again.

"Off so early?" asked as she performs the prayer gesture. "Lady Yuna, you must be exhausted after working so hard last night. Will you be okay?"

Yuna giggles softly and returns the prayer gesture. "I feel that I have rested enough. But, thank you for your kindness. Will you be leaving too?"

"Yes, first we cross the Moonflow, and then we head north in search of chocobos to replace those we have lost," Lucil answered.

"Once we find chocobos, our Mounted Forces will ride again!" Elma added confidently.

"Um...aren't you missing someone?" Tidus asked.

Just then Clasko comes running up the path, shouting: "Captain! Waaaaait for meee!" He finally catches up to them, breathless.

"What took you so long? We're leaving!" Elma complained with a look of annoyance.

Clasko answers, still panting, "You expect me to keep up with a chocobo!" he exclaims in exasperation.

Lucid shakes her head at him in slight annoyance, and speaks. "Lady Yuna, I wish you good fortune. Elma! Clasko! Let's go!" she ordered.

"Ma'am!" Elma replied.

"Eh! C-can't I just rest a sec...?" Clasko pleaded.

"No complaints!" Elma shouted. Clasko rolled his eyes and sighed loudly, but followed along behind the two women.

"Where to next?" Tidus asked after the knights had left.

"We cross the Moonflow," Lulu answered

"All right! Let's go!" he said eagerly.

As they continue on to the Moonflow, they come across the two Ronso from Luca, Biran and Yenke.

"Look! One of Kimahri's friends. Looks just like him," Biran teases.

"What?" Tidus asks in confusion.

"Both follow summoners on all fours! Hornless goatlings!" answered Biran with a smirk on his face.

"Hornless! Hornless!" Yenke chanted.

Marina felt the waves of anger coming off her friend...saw the annoyance on his face, but he held it in well.

"You come to insult Kimahri?" he inquired.

"Wrong. We come to warn little Kimahri," Biran answered smugly.

"Summoners disappear. Never return," added Yenke.

"Next will be Kimahri's summoner," warned Biran.

"Poor Kimahri! Lost his horn, next lose his summoner!" Yenke said.

"Pitiful Kimahri! Howl alone! Howl alone!" teased Biran. They laughed and ran on down the path.

"Do those two got something against you?" Tidus asked. Kimahri shook his head. "What, they were just picking on you?"

"Kimahri, will deal with them," Kimahri answered.

"And I'll help!" Tidus insisted.

"Kimahri alone," the large man warned.

"But..." Tidus began.

"It's Kimahri's problem. We can't interfere: it's a rule," Wakka informed him.

"I'm worried," Lulu mused, looking lost in thought.

"Let the Ronso deal with Ronso problems, ya? That's how it's always been," Wakka replied.

Lulu shot him a withering look and sighed in annoyance. "I mean I'm worried about those summoner's disappearing," she told him.

"They aren't just disappearing into thin air," Auron remarked thoughtfully.

"Hey, if we guardians do our job...no problem, right?" Tidus responded assuredly.

"Whoa!" Wakka replied, looking at him in surprise.

"Confident," commented Lulu.

"You know it!" Tidus stated with a laugh. As he turned away he caught Yuna's eye, and gave her a quick wink. She blushed, but smiled happily.

Marina witnessed his sly wink, and Yuna's reaction to it. "Good..." she thought. "They belong together."

They continue along the path until Tidus stops with an exclamation of "Whoa!" He looks out over the Moonflow--a gray river dotted with water lilies, and numerous little globes of light, pyreflies, flit along the surface of it.

"This is the moonflow," Lulu informs him.

"These are moonlillies! They say that clouds of pyreflies gather here, when night falls," Yuna replies excitedly.

"It's true. The entire river glows...like a sea of stars," Marina remarked wistfully. She'd seen this place before...twice. The first time was joyous. Auron had surprised her, bringing her here after their wedding. They had been lucky...the fiends weren't very active around the lake that night, and they had been able to spend the night beside the water, making love under the stars. Afterwards, he had built a fire to keep away the fiends, and they had watched the pyreflies flit around in the night sky above the water...before drifting off to sleep. It had been wonderful.

The second time had been a time of sorrow. A time of new beginnings. She had traveled to Besaid with Kimahri and Yuna. She went to join the only other family she had left alive, other than her sister...whose whereabouts at that time were unknown. She was alone, she was pregnant and she now had to be the sole parent to the orphaned Yuna. It had been a hard journey. Her thoughts were interrupted by Tidus.

"Really? Hey, I got an idea!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"We're not waiting till nightfall," Auron informed him roughly.

"Ah...aww," Tidus replied quietly. Marina saw the look of disappointment on his face. Then he brightened. "Then once we beat Sin, we're coming back," he finished.

Everyone around him is silent and solemn, as they continue to watch the pyreflies flying in the air.

Auron can sense the feelings of anguish Marina feels as she watches Yuna. He realizes that while Kimahri has been the protector, the father; Marina has been the nurturer, the mother; to Yuna. For longer than she has loved her own child, she has cared for Yuna. "This must feel like she's losing one of her own," he thought sadly. He took her hand, and pulled her to him, hugging her. "I am sorry," he whispered, confusing her. Wakka interrupted before she could ponder his words, causing Auron to release her.

"Hey, we better hurry or we'll miss the shoopuf!" Wakka informed.

"Shoopuf? That some kind of boat?" Tidus asked.

Wakka answers with a "Hmmm," and points over to the side. Tidus looks over there, and the walks into the direction Wakka pointed.

"Whoa...what the....Whoa!" Tidus shouts in awe, as he sees the shoopuf, and incredibly massive, elephant-like creature. A passenger cabin is strapped to the top of its back.

"That is a shoopuf," Wakka informs him.

"Whoa...Let's ride! Come on, let's go!" Tidus yells with enthusiasm.

"All right! We board as soon as we're ready, ya?" Wakka replies.

Yuna begins talking excitedly, "Shoopufs! I haven't ridden one in so long!"

"What? You've been on one of those?" Tidus asked, looking at her with surprise.

"Well...just once. then years ago with Kimahri and Marina. Remember?" she asked, looking at both of them.

"Shoopuf shook, Yuna fall in water. Shoopuf scoop up Yuna with long nose. Yuna jump in three more times for fun. Kimahri worried," the large male answered softly.

"Yes...you nearly gave me heart failure! And that wasn't a very nice thing to do to a woman in my condition!" Marina scolded teasingly.

"Whoops!" Yuna apologized bashfully.

"Yuna had fun. Kimahri happy," he assured her.

Marina hugged her. "You needed the little bit of fun you had...we didn't mind," Marina agreed.

"I lived in the city of Bevelle until ten years ago. I moved to Besaid with Marina after my father defeated Sin. Kimahri was with us the whole way," Yuna told the younger man.

"Bevelle?" Tidus asked.

"It's the biggest city in Spira! The main temple of Yevon was there," Yuna replied.

Marina continues: "It is where Braska, Auron and I grew up. Braska's family took care of me...after my father left me with them as an infant. He was, in my mind and in my heart...my brother. But our lives there were over, so we moved to somewhere smaller, more close knit," she finished softly.

They move on to the boarding area for the shoopuf, where they see the three Chocobo Knights are talking to the Shoopuf driver.

"No, I don't shink sho. Ish bad idea, yesh," the driver informs them.

"Please, we beg of you!" Lucil pleads.

"Imposhibibble! Imposhibibble!" the driver argues.

"What's wrong?" Tidus asks the knights

"This guy won't let our chocobo on the shoopuf!" Elma complains.

Tidus looks at the chocobo appreciatively. "Ah...it is kind of big," he replies.

"Its just not fair!" Elma whines.

"He does have a point, though," Clasko points out, earning him harsh looks from the two women.

"So what? We just leave him behind?!" Elma asked angrily.

"Hey, I didn't say that. Just..." Clasko tries hurriedly to explain.

Lucil sighs. "It is no good. We will have to find another way. We'll find a ford where we can cross on foot."

"Yes. Captain, sir!" Elma agreed.

"But...that'll take days!" Clasko remarked in exasperation.

"Where there's a will, there's a way," Lucil told him.

"Oh, boy..." remarked Clasko.

"That's our captain!" said Elma.

Lucil jumps on the chocobo and rides off. Elma and Clasko run after her.

Lulu, who had seen Tidus' excitement over the chance to ride the shoopuf, speaks up. "Riding a shoopuf isn't THAT much fun."

"How little you know! Some things little boys never grow out of," Wakka answers. He and Tidus look at each other and both remark, "Right?" before bursting out laughing.

Lulu just sighs in frustration and shakes her head slowly.

Tidus joins Marina and Auron, standing off to the side near the shoopuf.

"Ten years ago..." Auron began.

"A history lesson?" complained Tidus, interrupting.

Auron continued on, ignoring him. "Jecht saw his first shoopuf here. Surprised, he drew his blade and struck it."

"Why?" Tidus asked.

"He was drunk...thought it was a fiend," Auron answered.

"Oh brother..." Tidus remarked in annoyance.

"We offered all the money we had as an apology. Jecht never drank again." He turns and looks toward the shoopuf they are waiting to board, and continues, "But it would seem that shoopuf still works here."

Tidus nods, but is pulled away by the old traveler they had met earlier. He begins to explain about the shoopufs, and their drivers.

"There are many things we do not know about the shoopuf. For example, what does it eat? It eats nothing! The water it sucks through its shnoz somehow supports its considerable size. Some theorize it eats teeny-weeny waterborne organisms. The shoopuf handlers belong to a race of water dwellers known as the Hypello. They may be slow on land, but in the water they're quick as silvery fish! You'd think they'd make admirable players of blitzball. But their lackadaisical disposition draws them to less strenuous past times. And that, as they say, is that," the old man finishes.

Marina had been watching Auron intently as he shared his tale. When he finished, and the younger boy had been pulled away by Maechen, he noticed her gaze. He turned to her. "Yes?" he inquired.

"Will you...ever share the past ten years with me?" she asked.

"Maybe," he said softly. He felt her sorrow at his response. He touched her face briefly. "Yes. When this journey is over. Those memories...they are still difficult," he explained.

She nodded. "Those years, without you...It was hard." Her gaze shifts to the young people that make up the rest of the group. He see's the love, the happiness on her face. She continues, "I was raised as Braska's sister, have been part of his family for so long. I cared for Yuna before your pilgrimage, after her mother died...it was easy to step into the role of sole parent for her. And after we made our home in Besaid; Wakka, Chappu and Lulu....they all took to Yuna and I quickly, like we were family. Lulu was older when Sin took away her parents...she remembers them a bit. But Wakka and Chappu were so young...their memories so faint, they accepted us as family. And even though the whole village tries to care for orphaned children, we bonded very quickly...and very strongly. I feel like I have been blessed with five children, not just one. Having them helped a lot. They have showered Aurowen with love," she paused, taking a deep breath. She turned to look at him solemnly.

"I haven't told her....Auri...what will happen to Yuna. I didn't know how. It was so hard for her, when we lost Chappu." He saw the tears gathering in her eyes. "I had to follow Yuna on her pilgrimage. To give her support, strength...and most importantly, to be here with her until the end. But, it is tearing me apart. I don't know if I can watch her...." her words were stopped with a sob. He pulled her to him...not caring who saw...because it hurt him to see her cry.

"I know....I understand your pain. I couldn't accept it either...when it was Braska. But we have to allow her to follow the path she has chosen...no matter how much it hurts," he told her.

She pulled away, wiped her tears away, and gave him a small smile. "When did you get so sage?" she asked.

He chuckled softly. "I had a lot of time to think," he replied.

Her heart ached at his words. "It saddens me, you being alone for so long. Having to be responsible for a child you hardly knew. It must have been hard," she said sadly.

"Let's not dwell on the past. We are here together now. I think it's time to leave," he told her.

They board the shoopuf and get settled in the open air cabin. Wakka notices something beneath them.

"Hey," Wakka says to Tidus.

"Huh?" asks Tidus.

"Take a look."

Tidus stands up and looks over the side of the cabin into the water. "Whoa!" he exclaims. "A sunken city!" Under the water, the debris of a large ancient city is seen..

"A machina city--a thousand years old!" Wakka exclaims. "They built the city on top of bridges across the river."

"But the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and it all sank to the bottom," Lulu added.

"Right. It's a good lesson," Wakka stated.

"A lesson?" Tidus asked in confusion.

"Yeah. Why build a city over a river, ya?"

"Uh...well, it would be convenient, with all that water there," Tidus replied.

"Nope, that's not why. They just wanted to prove they could defy the laws of nature!" Wakka argued.

"Hmmm...I'm not so sure about that," Tidus remarked, unconvinced.

"Yevon has taught us: when humans have power, they seek to use it. If you don't stop them, they go too far, ya?"

"Yeah, but don't you use machina, too? Like the stadium and stuff, right?" Tidus pointed out.

"Yeah...but Yevon, it decides. Which machina we may use, and which we may not," Wakka answered.

"So what kind of machina may we not use, then?" Tidus asked.

"Remember Operation Mi'ihen? That kind," Wakka says forcefully.

"Or war will rage again," Lulu added.

"More than a thousand years ago...Mankind waged war using machina to kill!" said Yuna.

"They kept building more and more powerful machina," Wakka commented.

"They made weapons so powerful...it was thought they could destroy the entire world," Marina added.

"The people feared that Spira would be destroyed," Yuna said.

"But the war did not stop!" Wakka replied angrily.

"Wh-what happened then?" Tidus inquired.

"Sin came, and it destroyed the cities and their machina," Yuna answered.

"The war ended...and our reward...was Sin," Lulu added.

"So, Sin's our punishment for lettin' things get out of hand, eh?" Wakka said.

"Man, that's rough," Tidus exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is," Wakka agrees.

"But it's not like the machina are bad," Tidus comments.

"Only as bad as their users," Lulu said.

"It's because of people like the Al Bhed screwin' everything up!" Wakka added angrily.

The cabin suddenly shakes.

"Whatsh could thatsh be?" the driver asks.

The cabin shakes again and everyone stands up.

"Sit down!" Auron warns Yuna.

"S-sorry!" she stammers apologetically.

An Al Bhed suddenly appears from above the cabin, grabbing Yuna and jumping into the water.

"The Al Bhed!" Wakka exclaimed.

Tidus and Wakka jump out of the cabin and into the water. They swim toward a large machina which has Yuna contained in a sphere of energy on top of it.

They engage the machine, an extractor, in battle, and are soon able to rescue Yuna.

Back in the cabin, Lulu asks Yuan worridly, "Are you hurt?"

"No...I'm fine."

Marina sits beside her and puts an arm around her. "Are you sure?" she asks softly, but sternly.

"Yes...I'm okay...I wasn't hurt," Yuna assures.

"Grrah! Those Al Bhed!" Wakka yells.

"Ish ebullibody okay?" the driver asks.

Yuna stands up. "I'm sorry! We're all okay now!" she calls to him.

"Yuna!" Auron scolds.

Yuna quickly sits back down. Marina joins Auron again, taking his hand in hers.

"Damn the Al Bhed!" Wakka fumes. "What do they want from us? Could it have something to do with Luca? What are they after Yuna for?" he sits thinking, then exclaims excitedly. "Wait! They're mad they lost the tournament! Or wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen!"

"I wonder...didn't Kimahri's clansmen say something...about summoners...disappearing?" Lulu asked.

"Ah! So the Al Bhed are behind that! Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!" Wakka said indignantly.

Auron feels Marina tighten her grip on his hand. He can sense the hurt coming off her. He remembers that her sister is part Al Bhed. He tries to send his love through their link to calm her. It seems to work, because she begins to relax.

Tidus notices Yuna looking upset, for Wakka is talking about part of her family too. "Hey, Wakka...It's no use complaining about the Al Bhed now, right? We'll protect Yuna from anyone, anywhere. It's that easy. That's all I need to know!"

"Well....I guess so," Wakka agrees reluctantly.

"You're right," Lulu adds.

Yuna looks to Tidus appreciatively. and mouths "thank you".

They reach the other side of the Moonflow, and disembark. Auron stops Marina, holding her back from the others.

"Are you all right?" he asks her.

"Hmmm? Yeah. I am used to Wakka's outbursts. I understand his feelings, because of Chappu. But my sister is one of the innocent ones. She had no control in being Al Bhed. It just hurts to hear people condemn the entire race," she said sadly.

"I know. How are you feeling, physically?' he inquired.

"I feel well. A little tired is all," she replied, smiling at him.

"Good," he says, brushing her cheek briefly with his finger. "Let's catch up to the others."

Tidus runs into the forest ahead of the others. He see's a body lying on the shore. He looks at the person, realizing they may be from the machina they had destroyed.

"You're....not dead?" he asks when the person moves slightly.

The person stands up. It seems to be a female, and she seems somehow familiar to Tidus. The woman removes her outer wet suit to reveal a young girl wearing short green shorts and a sleeveless orange shirt with long blue ribbons attached to the back.

"Thought I was don for back there!" she says as she falls to her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Rikku! You're Rikku! Hey! You're okay! How you been?" he asks excitedly as he runs up to her.

She shakes her head, trying to clear it. "Terrible!" she answers.

Tidus crouches down to look at her. "Yeah, you don't look so good. What happened?" he asked.

She points at him angrily. "You beat me up, remember!?" she shouts angrily.

Tidus falls back with a "huh?", then stands back up. "Oh! That machina...that was you?"

Rikku nods and stands up, placing a hand on her forehead. "That really hurt, you know. You big meanie!" she exclaims.

"W-wait! But you attacked us!" Tidus pointed out.

"Nah-ah. It's not exactly what you think," she replied.

"Yo!" Wakka called out as the rest of the group joined them. "Friend of yours?" he asked.

"Uh, you could say that," Tidus replied.

"Pleased to meet you! I'm Rikku!" she tells them enthusiastically.

"Uh, guys...I told you about her, remember? She was the one who helped me before I was washed up on Besaid! She's and Al Bhe...beh..." he catches himself, almost too late. Wakka is the only one who isn't aware of what Tidus was about to say.

"Wow, so you like, owe her your life! What luck meeting here, ya? Praise be to Yevon!" he says as he performs the prayer gesture. He turns to the girl. "So, uh...Rikku...You look a little beat up! You okay?"

"Uh, Wakka..." Lulu begins.

"Huh? What?" he asks.

"There's something we need to discuss," Yuna replies.

"Oh, go ahead," he says.

"Girls only! Boys please wait over there!" Rikku insists.

"Right. Sorry Wakka," Marina tells him.

"Huh?" Wakka remarks as the four women walk away. He replies with an "ahhh" of annoyance at the "girlie talk".

"I'm sorry about that. I really was just trying to protect her," Rikku began. Lulu tried to interrupt but Rikku stopped her. "I'll tell you what I can. My father Cid sent me to protect Yunie. She's my cousin, you see? We just want to save her...we don't want to see her...you know..." Rikku said softly.

"I understand. But i must do this," Yuna told her. "So you're father is my Uncle Cid? What an interesting coincidence," she added.

Marina spoke up. "Cid? My...my sister Abra, her mother was Riva. She was also Cid's sister...so that means..."

"We're all family!" Rikku said excitedly.

"It would seem so," Yuna replied. "Rikku, if you want to help me...why not become a guardian?" she asked the girl.

"All right! I would love too!" Rikku exclaimed.

"Let's go inform the others of your decision," Marina told them. They walk back to join the others.

"Yuna approaches Auron. "Sir Auron...I would like Rikku to be my guardian."

He turns to the young girl, walks up to her and looks at her intently. She lowers her head. "Show me your face," he tells her.

Her only reply is a confused "huh?"

"Look at me," he states more forcefully.

"Oh okay," Rikku replies. She lifts her head, but her eyes are closed.

"Open your eyes," he scolds her, as if her were talking to a disobedient child.

She opens one eye, it is green with a spiraled black iris.

"As I thought," he answers lightly.

"Um...not good?" she asks timidly.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

"A hundred percent!" she exclaims. "So anyway...Can I?" she asks hopefully.

"If Yuna wishes it," Auron answers, looking to Yuna.

"Yes, I do," Yuna replies happily.

Auron walks away. When he reaches Marina, she leans close to him and talks low so the others can not hear. "She's...Yuna's cousin. And it looks like Abra's as well. I can't believe it!"

He nods with a contemplative "huh".

"Rikku's a good girl. She helped me a bunch!" Tidus said.

"Well, I'm for it! The more, the merrier!" Wakka replied.

"Then I'll just have to be the merriest!" Rikku said excitedly. "Rikku at your service!"

They continued on to the underground city of Guadosalam.