Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Golden Silence ❯ The Power of One ( Chapter 13 )

Golden Silence

Lady Mars

Chapter XIII: The Power of One

Disclaimer: I don't own FFX.

* * *

Tidus sat on the edge of the bluff, his legs dangling limply in the crisp morning air, watching the sun rise. The blaze of red, orange, and yellow cut through the last shards of the dark night that had embraced the land not but an hour ago when he had gotten up. He was lucky to escape with his hide after the bomb he had dropped the day before. 'Why did I have to keep it from them? Why didn't I tell them sooner? Why? Because I didn't think I'd make it through the last fight anyway, so it wouldn't have made a bit of difference.' The boy sighed; nothing seemed to be going right anymore and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I thought I would find you here." Tidus looked up to see the bulky form of Auron standing above him. "I know you too well to think that you would miss a sunrise." Tidus chuckled lightly.

"I guess you do then," he replied. Auron slowly sat down next to him.

"Where's Jecht?" He asked. Tidus snorted at the question.

"It's dawn," he replied bluntly. "He's still in bed like he always is."

"I forgot that your father likes to sleep in," Auron replied.

"Well, that's his problem, not mine," the youth replied. "If he wants to waste the day away, let him." Auron noted the slight animosity in Tidus' voice.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Tidus sighed.

"You know exactly what wrong," he said back. "I'm either getting scorned or smothered because I'm leaving in three days. It's not like I really have a choice in the matter."

"You don't?"

"Nope. If I did, I wouldn't be leaving. I love it here too much; it feels like someone is tearing me to shreds over this. I feel so guilty for doing this to all of you, but I don't have a choice. It was me or you and I chose you." He smiled weakly. "Why is it that all the good decisions come with unsurpassable pain as a result?"

"Because," Auron replied. "If there wasn't pain involved, it wouldn't be worth it. One can not live on pleasure alone. The pain that comes from making those choices makes life that much sweeter than it all ready is." Tidus shifted his gaze from the sun to the elder guardian. "In the end, it doesn't matter what anyone else says or thinks, it is how you feel after making that choice. As long as it feels right to you and only you, then you have made the right choice." Tidus smiled.

"Lord Braska was right."

"What?" Auron questioned, rather confused.

"He said you were always good at saying the right things at the right times to make someone feel better about themselves. Thanks Auron." Auron smiled back.

"Anytime." The pair turned back to watch nature finish it's morning ritual.

* * *

Tidus sat behind the temple, watching the open water in front of him idly. He was wrapped up in his thoughts and never heard the other approach. He was roughly hauled up from his resting place and spun around to stare in the cold face of his father.

"What the hell is the MATTER WITH YOU?" Jecht hissed.

"Well it's good to see you too father, how is YOUR day?" Tidus spat back bitterly. Tidus' gaze locked with Jecht's equally as cold.

"How the hell could you keep this from us?" the man hissed again.

"Simple," Tidus spat back. "I made the decision not to tell you, so I didn't." Jecht roughly dropped Tidus back to his feet.

"Didn't you think of the consequences?" he growled.

"What makes you think I DIDN'T, old man?" Tidus growled back. "You don't think I've been mulling over this since I had to make the choice? Do you think that this hasn't crossed my mind in every WAKING moment? Do you think that I wanted it to END THIS WAY?" Jecht stared at his son; the boy's eyes were cold and unwilling.

"Then why didn't you tell us? Why did you keep it to yourself?" Jecht said in a low tone.

"Because I didn't expect to live past the last battle," Tidus hissed back. "I thought I was going to DIE after killing that, that THING and I wouldn't have to deal with this. But some cruel twist of fate has landed me here. Great, isn't it? Now I have to deal with a double does of guilt and the king of bad habits breathing down my neck!" Tidus turned his back on his father. "If you are going to continue to chastise me, save your breath, the rest of the world has done it enough. If you're here to give advice, leave; my time isn't worth your half assed attempts at being a father." Jecht stood for another moment, before leaving Tidus to his thoughts again.

***

Jecht hurled the small pile of rocks by his side into the gentle ocean currents.

"That not going to solve problem." Jecht continued his rock throwing.

"I'm aware of that you walking rug," Jecht spat. "But at this point, nothing will. Might as well take it out on something that I can't hurt." Kihmarhi stared at the man.

"You sure this is way to fix problems?" he replied. Jecht stopped for a moment.

"No," he replied before continuing his action. "But what will?"

"Talking," the Ronso replied.

"Right," Jecht scoffed. "I tried that, he won't listen to me."

"You sure?" he asked. Jecht sighed.

"He doesn't care, he never cared," Jecht replied quietly.

"How can Jecht say that? Tidus seems to care."

"He doesn't. He hates me with every fathom of his being."

"If he hate you, why he let you live?" Jecht froze mid throw. "See? He do care." Jecht watched as the Ronso walked away, leaving as suddenly as he appeared. Jecht realized in that one split second that this was his last chance, his last chance to make it better.

***

Jecht stood in the shadows of the trees. This was his last chance to make it all right. Tidus had avoided the man all of the pervious day, making this ungodly hard. Jecht had followed his son out when he left to watch the sun rise on his last day.

He slowly made his way to the ledge where Tidus sat.

"Mind if I sit down?" Tidus looked up in shock.
"Yeah, I guess," he replied, slightly confused. The pair sat in silence a few moments before Tidus spoke again. "Why are you here?"

"I can't enjoy a sunrise with my son now?" Jecht asked.

"Dad," Tidus replied. "You don't know of any hour before lunch; what do you want?" Jecht chuckled nervously.

"Caught me, didn't you?" Jecht said. "I just… I just…." He sighed. "Why does this have to be so hard?" Tidus stared at his father in wonder. "I'm sorry Tidus. I'm sorry for everything; I never meant for it to go this wrong. All I wanted was for you to be happy, but it didn't turn out that way, I'm sorry." Tidus stared at his father, dumbfounded.

"Dad…I…" Jecht shook his head and stopped his son.

"It's ok Tidus, I made the mistake and I understand that you don't want me around." Jecht got up and began to leave.

"Dad wait!" Tidus shouted. Jecht stopped. "I'd rather you stay." Jecht turned back to his son.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's our last chance to act like a real family." Jecht chuckled and sat back down.

"I wish we had more time."

"Me too, but at least we can savor what we have." Jecht nodded and turned back to the sunrise. The pair sat there long into the morning, enjoying the other's company.

***

Tidus sat on the temple steps, his eyes glued on the outside of the small village. This was it. Everyone had gathered to say their final goodbyes and was now waiting. Jecht and Auron stood behind Tidus, not willing to give in to the emotions. Tidus slowly stood when he appeared at the edge of the village. The boy nodded to Jecht and Auron and slowly walked towards him.

"Are you ready?" Tidus nodded. He took one last look at his friends before moving towards the man. The boy was trying not to cry, but he was slowly loosing that battle.

Auron watched in silence, trying to quell his warring emotions. He showed his hands in his pockets, trying to block out the scene, but his hand brushed across something cold. He pulled the trinket out to reveal the small phoenix pendant that Yunalesca had given him. 'Use it as a second gift of life. You deserve it for all that you've done.' Her words rung though his train of thought. He swung the pendant up into his hand and walked down the stairs.

"BRASKA!" His brassy voice cut through the air like a knife. The guardian strode up to where the summoner had stopped. "I can't let you do this Braska."

"It isn't your choice Auron. It never was," Braska replied.

"Well I'm making it my choice," Auron growled. "How can you do this? How can you do this to him, to us? Do you know how much damage you are going to cause by doing this? Why? Because you need a life for ours? What good is a life if it hasn't been spent? What life is worth taking over something so trivial? What life is worth living with that on your head? Hell, what life is worth living if it cannot be lived without happiness? What life is worth taking at seemingly free will despite the grief of others? Is he really worth all of that? Is he really WORTH ALL OF THE PAIN YOU ARE ABOUT TO CAUSE?" Auron stared at Braska. "I've got one choice and I'm making it." He shoved the trinket into Braska's hand. Braska stared at it.

"Are you sure you want it that way?"

"Yes."

"Fine." A cloud of pyreflies floated up and Auron could do nothing but smile.

***

Tidus smiled at the children gathered around his father. They had heard the tale hundreds of times before, but it kept getting more and more interesting each time they heard it.

"You planning on letting him continue to make a fool of himself?" Tidus looked up at Auron. The man had sacrificed the greatest gift ever given for a new chance at life for Tidus.

"Yeah, for a bit longer," Tidus replied. Auron chuckled and walked past him.

"Just don't let it go on much longer."

"I won't." He watched as the older guardian walk away. He was glad everything seemed to be normal, but the lingering scars on his arms always spiked his curiosity. Braska chalked it up to him being an aeon, but something felt wrong about that. Tidus shook the thought out of his head and got up. "THAT'S NOT HOW IT WENT DAD!" The children giggled as the pair began to bicker over the newest rendition of the tale, not knowing how true the story, the prophecy had been.

***

And we're done! Wow…What a strange trip that was, but I'm not done with these guys QUITE yet. So, for here for your reading pleasure, is the THREE SENTENCE TEASER for the sequel: Night of the Aeon.

The beast swung his head in long arcs, checking the surrounding area for any lurking foes. Finding nothing, he turned back to his prey. The girl in his grasp was terrified, but that terror would be ended in one short snap of his jaws…

I'm too evil. ^^