Yuna

'What do you mean?' I ask myself that question in response to Tidus saying it. What do I mean? I mean, I like being with you and I want to be your friend.It's so hard to say that outloud. In my head this all worked out a lot better, but apparently there is some communication error here.

"It's just that, well..." I'm totally blank on what to say.

After a few seconds of silence Lulu wisely interjects,

"We're all going to the temple, can't this wait until later?"

I feel so stupid for messing that up. I totally assumed the feelings were mutual, but apparently not.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." I begin.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, I'm just not really sure what's going on." Tidus responds.

"My apologies." I say as I bow, not wanting anyone to see the tears I feel forming. I feel stupid and embarrassed by that. I wish things worked out better. But they didn't.

Kimarhi senses my distress, I think, because he immediately starts leading us all into the jungle. With the silence I now have I think over what went wrong. But as I think about it nothing really went wrong, we just didn't communicate very well. I look at him. He seems to be completely normal, unfazed by what happened. So all that cause for embarrassment might be unfounded. He looks up at me, and realizes that I'm staring at him. He smiles at me and walks over saying,

"So what's going on? I'm still confused, and I really would like to know."

I'm caught off guard even though I could see the question coming. I don't know what to say. I want him to trust me, but I don't want to trust him with my dream. It's impossible to try without trusting so I decide to venture a little,

"I had this dream last night."

"And?"

"You were in it."

"What happened?"

I still don't want to completely trust him, what if he doesn't feel the same way? I need to answer him somehow, so I tell another part truth,

"Uh, I don't really remember much."

"So why is it important?"

"Well, in one part of the dream we talked. And I enjoyed talking with you, and I... well I want to keep talking with you." I kind of blurt out all at once.

"You're not the only one." He says as he flashes me a smile.

"Really?!" My heart leaps for joy in my chest.

"Yeah, when we were back on the S.S. Liki I really enjoyed talking with you. I wish we could've kept talking, but Sin came, and all thathappened, and then the summoning, and this morning... It's been hard to find a time. But when I saw you looking at me I decided I might as well try."

"Well I'm glad you did."

"Me too." Again with the smile, he seems so happy, I wish I could feel like that, and not the constant reminder of a summoner's duty.

Just then 2 crusaders from Besaid, Luzzu and Gatta if I remember correctly, come up to us and say,

"Ahead is Ochu, Lord of the Wood. This fiend has given us trouble before and we're about to take it on, can you spare some time to help us?"

I step to the front of the group and automatically say,

"Of course, we would be glad to assist you."

We walk for maybe another hundred feet before we see Ochu. This fiend is huge! The fiends we've fought before were as big as dogs, but this is as big as, as... as big as maybe 12 small huts stacked together. I also notice perhaps 20 soldiers surrounding it. Luzzu speaks to me and says,

"All we need you is to send it. We've killed it before."

I nod my head, I want for them to succeed, but without getting hurt. I don't want for them to die. Out of fear I ask,

"Have any of your soldiers died fighting Ochu before?"

"Yes, the first time we fought him one of us died from his poison. We've already prepared several dozen antidotes that have been sufficient to defeat Ochu's poison in the past. Since then no soldiers have died, but several of the travelers between the village and the temple have. And that's also because of the poison. It's very fast acting and can bring death within a day."

"Oh."

Luzzu looks at me, and satisfied he answered my question shouts an order to his soldiers,

"On my mark men!"

The soldiers' weapons suddenly bristle and shine in the sun. Luzzu starts advancing on Ochu, and the other soldiers also start to close in. When the first soldier closes to within ten feet Ochu reacts. A tendril whips out with incredible speed and grabs the soldier around the leg. The nearby soldiers react in a trained pattern. While the tendril is pulling the soldier towards Ochu the nearest soldiers rush him. This causes more of the tendrils to shoot out. But for each soldier that is grabbed two or three soldiers are close enough to rush in and cut off the tendrils. In what seems like an hour, but really took less than a minute, Ochu is disarmed and defeated. With the Pyreflies leaving the carcass I perform the sending. Satisfied that I sent it for good I begin walking towards the Temple. Shortly after that I hear someone yell my name.

"Lady Yuna! Captain Luzzu wanted me to give this money to you. He thought it could be payment for your assistance."

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly take payment for what is my duty."

"The Captain said you'd have trouble with that, so he also gave me these, the remedy we use for Ochu's poison. They are very, very potent, and should counter any poison. Use these when you are in a dire situation, should the need arise."

"If I accept these, will your group still have enough?"

"Of course M'lady Summoner."

"Then I will accept it. Praise be to Yevon for his blessings." I say giving a short prayer and bowing.

"Praise be to Yevon." I hear the chorus coming from my guardians and the surrounding soldiers. But I don't hear Tidus' voice. I look around and don't see him.

"Have you seen Tidus?" I ask.

"Ya, he already started up the Temple stairs." Wakka replies.

I look up the stairs and see him with some other Aurochs partway up the stairs.

"Ok, well let's continue shall we?"

When we reach the Tidus and the other Aurochs they seem to be having a friendly conversation about blitzball.

"Datto said we should wait for you." Tidus says to Wakka.

"Oh, why's that?"

"He said you wouldn't want to be excluded."

"From what?"

"A race, up the Temple stairs."

"You know, these stairs have a history, Lord Ohalland trained here at his peak."

"So you up for it?" Tidus smirks at Wakka as he speaks.

"Ya, of course, you're gonna wish you never tried to beat me though." Wakka replies in a competitive tone.

"Yuna, if you would." Wakka asks me.

I step up to the stairs where they are and raise my arm,

"Ready!"

And then I start sprinting up the stairs. I thought it would be fun. It's fun to be playful, to be more my age, to be more carefree, more like Tidus. But because of my dress I'm quickly outpaced by Wakka. As I start running up the next set of stairs I see Datto running back down. Confused, I look up and see Wakka as he shouts down to us,

"Everyone, quick, Sinspawn!"

We all hurry up the stairs to find a giant shell with two arms in the meditation courtyard. Lulu and Kimarhi gang up on one of the arms while Tidus and Wakka engage the other. I summon Valefor to attack the shell. The arms are quickly dealt with but the shell maintains its resistance. Soon the others help me destroy this shell. After it's taken some serious damage the Sinspawn inside peels away what's left of the shell to attack us directly. At this point Valefor does some real damage causing this massive beast to shudder and collapse. Pyreflies exit its body from all over and I send them.

"Yeesh." Tidus says as he leans on his sword.

Wakka laughs a little and says,

"Sorry about that, hoped to break you in a little slower."

"Being a guardian's tiring!"

"You handled yourself pretty well. I'll admit, you got talent."

"Nah, so what are 'sinspawn' anyways?"

"Fiends. They fall from Sin's body, and are left in its wake." Lulu answers.

"And ya gotta be quick in taking them out, otherwise Sin will come back to pick them up." Wakka adds.

Tidus

A few hours ago Wakka was telling me that I'm a newbie and now he's complimenting my skill in battle? I'm kinda shocked thinking about it, maybe I'll become a guardian if I can't get back to Zanarkand. My old man didn't make it back and he became a guardian. How hard can it be to follow his footsteps? If I don't become one I think I'll join a blitzball team and become famous here. If all players are as bad as Botta, Jazzu, Keepa, etc. I can easily become the greatest player in Spira. But for now I'll let that decision wait, I've got time.

As we continue up the stairs Wakka asks me,

"Hey Tidus, do they have fiends in Zanarkand too?"

"Yeah, but not many. When one shows up it's a big deal. Wait! Since when do you believe me about Zanarkand?"

"I've been thinking, maybe the people Sin gets to don't die. Maybe Sin carries them through time, like a thousand years through time."

Lulu interjects with bone chilling contempt,

"Amazing. Simply amazing. You make up one excuse after another refusing to face the simple truth. Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere. Sin left his crushed body on the Djose shore years ago."

Wakka looks completely crushed and even Yuna seems crestfallen. She is looking back and forth between the two. It's pretty obvious she is uncomfortable and doesn't like what is happening. Even Kimarhi seems stiff. Lulu can really be icy if she wants to apparently. I wonder why she is acting like this.

"And no matter how much you might want it, no one can take Chappu's place. No one can replace Sir Jecht for that matter. And there's no replacement for Lord Braska either. It's pointless to think about, and pitiful." Lulu says with her voice cold enough to freeze fire.

Lulu really slams Wakka down with this. He sits down on the stairs, his hands to the sides of his face. It looks like he's about to cry. Lulu turns away from him and quickly paces up the stairs. Yuna seems to be in anguish, I see the pained look on her face before she runs after Lulu.

"I... I never could be what Chappu was." Wakka says aloud as he slams his fist into the ground.

"Are you gonna be okay?" I finally ask.

"Yeah, well, stuff happens, best not to worry." He says as he composes himself and starts walking up the stairs.

His face didn't change though, so I'm still worried. I wonder what happened between Wakka, Lulu, and Chappu so long ago. I'm sure that something happened. Something that really made a rift between Wakka and Lulu. But it isn't my business, so I'm not going to pry. I continue up the stairs thinking the whole time. I really don't want to deal with problems like that if I become a guardian. I want my life to be simple. And that's how it was in Zanarkand. Everything was simple except for my girlfriend. I wish it had been simple with her too, but if I didn't go through some pain I would never learn. I wish I could've understood better. But when I learned why I was bothering her it was already too late. She ditched me without a chance. I understand why she did it, but that doesn't mean I like her for it. Relationship drama isn't worth it I finally decide.

I get to the top of the stairs in time to see some blitzers in heated discussion with the Aurochs. As I approach I overhear someone on the other team say,

"Pray for victory? Hah! We prayed that this year we might get some competition. We never get any, especially from the likes of you Aurochs."

"So what's your motto this year, you gonna 'do your best' again?" another blitzer jests.

"It's too bad your best isn't good enough, why even bother showing up? You'll never win a game." another mocks.

I step in and stand up to these guys, none of them look particularly talented, just prideful and vain.

"This year we play to win." I say with stolid determination.

"Oooh, play away boys, just remember that even kids can play." the one with red hair remarks. He seems to be their leader.

"We'll see you in the finals, then we'll take the cup." Wakka says backing me up.

The red haired one scoffs and walks off with his team. The Aurochs walk into the Temple and Yuna's guardians follow. I stay behind, just mad because of what I'm thinking.

"We'll beat them, we have to." I say under my breath.

"You know that team?" Yuna asks.

"No, but putting people down. They're as bad as my old man!"

"But Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man." Yuna defends.

"Well not my Jecht."

Yuna looks down at her boots. It's pretty obvious the way I said that hurt her. But that's the way it is. I hate my old man for what he's done. He robbed me and I hate him for all the wrong he gave me. I never had a proper role model for how to treat a woman, and maybe if it weren't for him I could still be with Miku.

"Hey, sorry about that. Thinking about my father, he... it gets to me"

"Oh don't worry about it, I don't need to know why you talk like that about him. It isn't my place to know. I'm sure you have your reasons."

"Yuna... it's just complicated."

"I understand. You don't need to explain."

"But, sometime I might like to. It would be good to talk I think. Right now isn't good, but let's talk later."

She seems still down a little, like she just doesn't have enough fun in life. So I add,

"And we can talk about other stuff, whatever will make you happy."

"You mean that?"

"Of course Yuna! Why wouldn't I?"

"It's just..." she says with some serious hesitation in her voice.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I offer.

"Yeah... but as you said, let's talk later."

"Okay, later it is."

She nods and walks into the Temple. I stay outside and look around at the Temple. It's beautiful and definitely a work of art in addition to being a place of worship. When I want to enter I will. There's no rush for me, since I'm not a guardian I'll need to stay outside the Cloister anyways.

When I do finally enter I see Yuna talking with another woman. As I get closer I hear Yuna saying,

"I only have as many guardians as I trust with my life. To have so many guardians is a joy, and an honor. More so than being my father's daughter. Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways either. So Lady Dona, I ask of you: Leave us in peace."

"You do what you want, Barthello we're leaving."

Yuna's shoulders relax as she breathes in a visible sigh of relief.

But I think to myself: A guardian is someone a summoner can trust with her life. I wonder if Yuna feels that way about me. I look at her and notice she's smiling. I smile back, and wonder what she's smiling about. I probably missed that part of the conversation.

Yuna's guardians are already at the gate to the cloister and I follow Yuna up to the gate.

"The fayth is below, let's do it!" Says Wakka.

"The fayth?" I ask. Oh great another question.

"But first the cloister of trials." Lulu says in response.

"Strength everyone." Yuna says as she offers a prayer.

They all step onto the elevator and I decide I don't want to be alone out here. Maybe I can just go along, everyone else will think I'm a guardian, and Yuna probably won't mind, so I risk it. Only to be met with the swift justice of a forceful shove from Kimarhi.

"Hey! What gives?!"

"You're not a guardian yet." Lulu remarks.

"Sorry, we'll be out as fast as we can." Yuna says with some regret.

"Well, be out before tomorrow, okay?" I joke, but really wishing that it will be shorter than a day.

AN: I wanted to post in time for Christmas, but I went to Disneyland! So that delayed me a bit, but I'm still posting! I'd like to give a shout out to yunabesaid, #1 Follower, and and excellent writer. To everyone else, please R&R, I really do like hearing back!