The Eternal Calm
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or world of Final Fantasy X. But I do own this story.
A/N: Welcome to my third fanfic: Final Fantasy X: Her Eternal Calm. This was an idea that I had the other night as I was writing another chapter to one of my other fanfics.
Summary: For a thousand years, Sin ravaged Spira. Every ten years, only the strongest Summoners and their Guardians lay down their lives in hopes to bring an age of peace known as the Calm. A young Summoner named Yuna, finds herself following in her father's, Lord Braska, footsteps. Despite the protest of her friends, Yuna carries on, determined to bring another Calm. Together with Wakka, Lulu, Rikku, Auron, and a mysterious man named Tidus, she completes the task at hand. During their journey, Yuna finds herself in a fleeting romance with Tidus, only to find that he is nothing more than the Dream of the Fayth, and will disappear with the defeat of Sin. The story takes place after the seven of them erradicate Sin for good, bringing what would be known as the Eternal Calm. Her Eternal Calm.
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The airship hung in the sky that day. As the dawn of a new day greeted us, there was an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. We had finally done it. The age of Sin had finally come to an end. No more would it ravage towns, and take the lives of Spira. No more would people cringe in fear. No longer would Summoners give their lives so that people could sleep in peace. More importantly, Yuna would go on living her life.
I inhaled the atmosphere around me, taking in, and relishing our accomplishments. For this would be the first, and last time that I could. Once the Fayth stopped dreaming, I would no longer exsist. My story would end here.
"We finally did it!" Rikku beamed as Yuna sent the last of the Aeons.
The seven of us exchanged smiles, silently patting each other on the back for our efforts. I strained to hear the last of the life being drained out of Fayth's Scar, hearing their cries fade off into the dawn. Looking down at my hands, I braced myself mentally, expecting to see a translucent outline of what once use to be whole. But my eyes winced when I noticed it was quite the opposite.I felt all over my body, expecting to come upon a piece that had started to fade, but I found none. I wasn't disappearing at all. I was still whole. Was I dreaming?
It wasn't until I heard gasps fill the air, that I looked up at my friends. Their eyes were wide, and mouths were opened. And at first, I had expected the sudden display of surprise to be over the fact that I wasn't joining the throng of pyreflies that circled the airship, but that was forever wiped out of my mind when I settled my gaze upon Yuna. She was just smiling, as she always did, and I had caught her as she was turning her back to the rest of us. What was everyone staring at?
"Yuna?" I questioned, taking a step forward.
Her head had hung low, but at the sound of my voice, it raised to meet the horizon. She turned to me slowly, and her eyes met mine. Those eyes...a deep cerulean blue, and an endless emerald shimmered. Tears danced on the rims of her eye lids, but still, she smiled. Behind that glorious smile of hers, laid sadness. But...why?
I smiled at her and whispered, "I'm not going anywhere, Yuna. We can finally enjoy this together."
Almost as if my voice had triggered it, a tear rolled down her cheek. Of course my first instinct was to wipe it away. I didn't ever want to see Yuna cry unless it was out of happiness. She looked happy, and yet pained. I looked back down at my hands to make sure I wasn't dreaming, and slid the glove off my right hand. And chuckled when I noticed my hands were in fact, still whole. I looked back up at Yuna, and brought my hand to her cheek, only to have it go right through her.
I took a step back, hearing my friends find their voices, only to be replaced with sobs. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. All I could do was stare into Yuna's eyes, searching for an answer. As time passed, the once bright and cheerful woman in front of me started to dissipate.
"No..." I exhaled as a lump rose to my throat.
"Tidus, I have to go. I'm sorry I couldn't share the Eternal Calm with you." she whispered as she turned to the rest of the ship.
Before I could stop myself, I felt my face become hot with sadness, and salty tears ran freely down my tanned face.
"Everyone, I thank you for helping me along the way. Goodbye." Yuna bowed slowly as she made her way to the edge of the deck.
I watched her summoners kimono sway in the breeze, and her body glowed brighter with a spectrum of colors as the sun shined right through her. Almost as a reflex, my body took off after her, only to be met with the cold, steel of the airship on my knees. I had completely went through her.
"Tidus!" Wakka yelled out to me, a little too late. But I could only faintly hear him. All my thoughts focused on Yuna.
"This can't be," I whispered, choking back desperate sobs, "It was supposed to be me, Yuna. I was supposed to be the one to go!" I cried out as I regained my footing with my back toward the group.
Her footsteps echoed through the atmosphere. Even though she was approaching me, the sound of her tiny feet seemed to echo eerily, almost as if she was becoming less and less real. More proof that she would be gone in a matter of minutes. Gone forever from the place she'd called home for seventeen years. Vanishing from the place she was willing to give her life for.
She crept up behind me, and stood there, "I love you, Tidus." her voice faintly lingered, echoing in the recesses of my mind.
She leaned in, and attempted to kiss my cheek. And though she never really touched my skin with her lips, I could feel the warmth of her envelope me. Closing my eyes, I tried to will her to stay. I never wanted her to leave me. I wanted to be with her always.
As I tried to form those three words, she slipped through me. As time stopped, we were one. All my fears and worries died, and I was replaced with love. Her soul lingered there long enough for me to feel her spirit smile, before she came out the other side. I watched as her toes grazed the edge, and she turned to face us, letting her eyes meet her friends one by one, until they finally fell to mine.
My gaze pleaded with hers, and she just smiled. With one final bow and a single tear that sparkled in the morning sun, she brought her hands to her chest, and let her fingers intertwine with each other. Closing her eyes slowly and nodding, she let herself fall. As if in slow motion, she drifted into the clouds away from us forever.
The seven of us had fought, bled, cried, and loved our way to the end. Defeating Sin forever, and ridding Spira of it's shackles. It was only then, when I felt the sting of bitterness which left a sour taste in my mouth. The price we paid, had been great. Yuna was nothing more than a memory. One that would be with us until our last breath. We had found a way to save her, yet she didn't stand here with us.
The Eternal Calm broke with the dawn, as did my heart.
A/N: This chapter is short, but it has it's purpose. I added in some of the original dialogue of the ending, but I added things in here and there, making this my own ending. Great opening for a story I think.