Memories of Light and Waves

Inspired from listening to EternityMemories of Light and Waves

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The Farplane.

It was a fascinating other world plane where the dead souls could finally find their solace and rest for eternity. Of course, those were the ones who accepted their death, severing themselves of all connections to Spira. The stubborn ones, however, persisted on living for whatever goals that had not been fulfilled. They were filled with anger and sorrow, becoming the unsent. They roam Spira to agonize the living so they can share the same pain.

Shuyin...where are you? The young songstress whispered under her breath. The words easily slipped away into the air, dissolving into nothing but faint echoes.

Lenne sighed. She watched her hands flicker from a tangible to a translucent phase. She tried to curl her fingers over her palm but they just simply went through. It took her awhile to accept that she no longer had a body, only a vessel that carried her soul and spirit that would occasionally materialize if her will was strong enough. She silently treaded her form across the plane, looking for the one man who was suppose to join her.

She watched in awe as pyreflies danced around her while tiny budding flowers would flutter underneath her light steps and yet, they would never collapse or die. Lenne smiled at the clutter of small pink roses that laid beneath her feet. It was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes after being sent to the Farplane. Kneeling on the soft grass, she gently caressed the pink petals. Her smile faded as she briefly made contact with the rose before the sense transpired. She just wanted to hold on to the only life form that existed around her but that was not possible.

Lenne watched sadly as her eyes roamed around the other dead souls that surrounded her. She had already grown accustom to her new life in the Farplane, but there were others who were just sent and therefore, they would need time to adjust.

Time.

She was living in a state where time did not exist, where every step made was a step into Eternity. Sometimes, she would think what her life would have been like if she were still alive. Surely, the war must have ended. Lenne knew nothing was definite but she was was quite certain that she would have been a famous songstress with Shuyin by her side as a star blitzball player.

The couple had been popular in Zanarkand even with the war spawning. However, the people found peace and comfort in the two. They would distract themselves by watching the star blitzball player score for his team. She remembered cheers would shatter through the stadium whenever Shuyin appeared. His cocky attitude would always bring a smile to the fan's face, not because he was arrogant, but because his confident demeanor reminded the people that there was hope that Zanarkand would prevail Bevelle. After the game, Lenne would usually perform her songs of the healing. She was proud knowing that her songs helped soothe people's anxious hearts. She wanted to use her talent to help people, not to attract the media and fame.

And that was the cause of her demise.

Lenne knew that her summoning arts was both a blessing and a curse. Unfortunately, Shuyin saw it as the latter no matter how hard she tried to tell him that she was prepared to give her life for the people of Zanarkand. She knew he was being selfish only because he loved her, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't call out to his restless soul.

Multi-colored orbs freely glided through the dense region only to merge together to form a thin blue fog. The orbs gently fell apart, becoming nothing but mere vapors that shrouded the outline of a familiar man.

Lenne gazed up from the ground. Her large brown eyes hesitantly narrowed as she watched the figure before her take shape. Her lavender lips parted slightly, releasing a sigh of awe as she watched myriad pyreflies helping the man temporarily materialize. A young blonde clad in the traditional blitzball uniform submerged from the dispersing haze. It was his clear azure eyes that instantly caught Lenne's attention. The young songstress gracefully stood up, her thick ruffles billowed against her leg as a gentle breeze whizzed past her. Perhaps her prayers had been answered after all.

Yes, he looked like him. He had to be him, right?

she called again. This time, she hastily ran towards him with her arms wide opened, prepared for an embrace.

She rested both hands on his shoulders before glancing up. She was stunned to find a confused look adorned on the mysterious man's face. He even backed away at the force of impact the woman exerted on him.

he questioned.

The songstress let out a gasp of horror as she instantly withdrew her arms. Embarrassed, she clasped her hands behind her back and turned away to avoid letting the stranger see the small trail of tears leaving the corner of her eyes. He was only that---a stranger.

But he looks so much like...Shuyin. What is going on?

I'm sorry... the woman whispered apologetically. I don't know what came over me. I thought you were someone else. You two just look so much alike.My...name is Tidus. I'm sorry...that I wasn't the person you were looking for... The male kindly answered back with sympathy in his voice.

A moment of silence hung in the air as neither spoke. Tidus was unsure of what else to say being that he had never met the woman who was standing beside him. He didn't want to admit it but as soon as she touched him, he felt his whole body coursing with energy. He chuckled bitterly to himself. It was not like he really had a body', at least not one that would remain permanent or else he would have held his summoner in his arms forever.

Yuna?

Yuna?

The songstress suddenly muttered.

What? What did you say? Do you know a Yuna? Alarmed, Tidus walked in front of the stranger and lowered his gaze until it was at her eye level. If he had the ability to, he would have grabbed her shoulders, nearly forcing answers out of her. Sorry...it's just that I got excited when you mentioned Yuna. Do you know her?

She frowned, her head deep in thought. I don't know where that came from. I don't think I know her but yet, I feel as if we are somehow connected. Tidus exclaimed in surprise. Who are you?Lenne. My name is Lenne. I was a resident of Zanarkand and was mostly known for being a songstress. However, I am also a summoner and Shuyin was my guardian. During that time, there was a great war between Zanarkand and Bevelle and we got caught in the middle of it. Using my summoning arts, I left to fight in the war but Shuyin would not let me. Eventually, we got caught by the soldiers of Bevelle and were shot. The only problem was that I accepted my death but Shuyin didn't... She closed her eyes, allowing thousands of memories to swarm her mind as she recalled images of her whole life flashing before her. I waited for Shuyin...but he never appeared. I wonder how long it has been...It has been a thousand years since the war between Bevelle and Zanarkand started. A summoner...you sacrificed your life because you felt as if were your destiny to?

Lenne nodded. Yes, but how did you know? Normally, only guardians understood their summoners and what their goal was. That was MY story, what's yours?I...don't even know where to begin... Tidus honestly stated. He nervously scratched his head, thinking where he should begin his story. He could feel Lenne's eyes burning into his spirit as he unconsciously waltzed around her. The woman beside him was a summoner as well, but how was she connected to Yuna? He didn't want to admit it, but all of a sudden, he was receiving an overwhelming sensation of being connected to Lenne.

I guess my story is similar to yours. I was also a resident of Zanarkand...and we ended up losing the war. However, the Fayth conjured up a dream' Zanarkand so in a sense, it was as if Zanarkand had never perished. I was also part of the dream' but when Sin attacked, I was brought to the other world, the real world---Spira. Heh...it was the most fascinating experience I had and one I will never forget.

The pacing ceased as Tidus stood still. His gaze traveled beyond the plane as if he was trying to force his eyes to penetrate once more into Spira to see her face again. Saying good-bye to her was the hardest thing he ever had to do. It was even harder than defeating Sin, his own father. His voice quivered a bit as he continued. I ended up in Besaid and met this young beautiful summoner named Yuna. She asked me to be one of her guardians and I agreed. I was hoping that I would find Zanarkand again and she was hoping to defeat Sin. Sin was a creature that was created from people's hate and anger and it took thousands of lives every ten years. Later, I found out that the only way to defeat Sin was for the summoner to die and I just couldn't allow Yuna to sacrifice herself. The good news was that we eventually defeated Sin without Yuna dying, but...the bad news was that it ended the dream' Zanarkand...and therefore, I was banished. I guess we both lost the one we love...Tidus...I can't even begin to describe how much your story means to me. Lenne forced a weak smile. She finally found someone who understood her feelings and someone who actually knew Yuna'. Her brown eyes glistened with fresh tears from the fascination of hearing true stories of what happened to her beloved city after she moved on.

Tidus nodded. Lenne, your story means a lot to me too. I am just so sorry that your life ended so tragically and you never found Shuyin.I really thought he was you. It's just that...you two almost look exactly alike...and both of you were guardians, blitzball players, and had a summoner... She wanted to believe so much that the man standing in front of her was Shuyin. He looked exactly like him, so why couldn't he be? At that moment, she was surprised to find her emotions wavering out of order. She felt a surge of anger rising inside of her. She was not angry at Shuyin and she never could be; she was angry at the situation. She knew being a summoner would have its ire consequences and she accepted it. She accepted her death, but even in the Farplane, she had to be cursed and deceived. A thousand years had passed and she was still torn from her lover.

You remind me of her too...You mean, Yuna? The songstress asked although she already knew the answer.

Yes Lenne. I know how you feel. You feel bitter and resent the whole situation. You wonder why an innocent being like yourself had to be dragged into the middle of the war that had absolutely nothing to do with you. Above it all, you wonder what you did to deserve the torture you're going through now. You wonder why the evil soldiers of Bevelle get to live their lives filled with bliss. Why? There are no answers. It is simply because Life is unfair and that was why I couldn't let Yuna be a victim of Life's wrath.

He felt his own eyes start to brim with tears as he watched crystallines snake down Lenne's delicate features. His reached out a hesitant hand, wanting to erase her pain but knew the action would just be voided. In that instant, Lenne's own slender hand met his. A spark of iridescent light filled the space between them as the two hands came into contact. The songstress could only gasp in pure shock as she felt her fingers intertwined with Tidus'. For the first time in one thousand years, she felt real body heat from another source. She closed her eyes, savoring the tiny warmth being absorbed into her fingers and through the rest of her body. She could feel her heart rejuvenating to life, her body actually holding weight, and her voice maintaining substance without having each word slip into thin air the moment she uttered it.

When she opened her eyes, the light faded and she was no longer standing in front of a transparent ghost. Instead, she was standing in front of a real human. Tidus gently tugged her hand, drawing her closer to him. She was scared to advance towards him at first, afraid that her body would would just flicker into a spirit and fall right through him. However, she let out a real' sigh of relief that sustained in the air as she pressed herself against his chest. Her anger and sorrow melted away as she felt his arms tightly wrap around her back.

The guardian gently caressed the female's hair as he leaned his cheek against her head. He didn't know why he felt so complete holding the stranger in his arms. She was not Yuna but somehow, he felt Yuna's presence. How could that be possible? She was in Spira, he was in the land of the dead. Maybe he missed her so much that he was becoming delusional but it just felt SO right holding the summoner in his arms.

If this is an illusion, then so be it. I have lived half my life in a dream' and then having it robbed from me.

His blue eyes narrowed before they fluttered shut. The small hint of anger he felt boiling instantly vanished with the breeze that ruffled the woman's silken strands. He knew it was selfish of him to indulge himself in merely a substitute of Yuna but Life had stolen too much happiness from him and only gave him fleeting dreams in return. No, he would no longer be a victim of Life.

The future was uncertain, but right now, he was going to live for the moment.

the songstress murmured under her breath while she tucked her head underneath the male's chin. She knew the man embracing her was not Shuyin, but yet, she felt a compelling force to be with him. Her heart drummed at an unsteady tempo as she felt a rush of foreign emotions running through her. She felt bittersweet sorrow merged with absolute pure love flowing through her as she remained in Tidus' arms. Perhaps she forgot how powerful a single hug could be after being isolated for one thousand years. But, were these really her feelings?

Are these my feelings...or Yuna's?

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Author's Notes: I had this in mind for a year now and I finally decided to create a small fic out of it. I've always been fascinated of what the connection between Tidus and Lenne could have been like since we mostly saw what happened between Shuyin and Yuna in FFX-2. I guess you can call this the parallel' scene to the Farplane Glen FMV in X-2. Anyway, I am aware that this story does not flow 100 smoothly but I tried my best! Thank you for reading and please leave a review!