FIC: Crooked Wings -- FFX-- Chapter 8 -- T

[batsutousai]

Title: Crooked Wings
Author: Batsutousai
Beta: Shara Lunison
Rating: T
Pairings: Tidus/Seymour
Warnings: AU, major canon-fuckery
Summary: On that fateful day when Yunalesca faced Sin, only part of her died, and the part that stayed alive finds itself in Spira a thousand years later.

Disclaim Her: Ugh. Translating of Al Bhed. *stare* If it's bold, it's Al Bhed.

-0-
Poisonous Drugs of Hate
-0-

Tidus groaned as the waking world forced itself on him in the form of a very full bladder. There was an arm draped over his waist which he shoved aside before stumbling out of the shelter to find a place to relieve himself.

Feeling better, he glanced around and took note of the setting sun as well as the disturbingly familiar aeon who was watching him. He offered her a tired wave and got a nod in return.

Waiting for him at the entrance of the shelter was a scowling Seymour. "You spoke to my mother," he said a bit more sharply than he'd intended.

Tidus sighed. "I want to hit myself with a Cure and get something to eat and then you can demand all the grisly details," he offered.

Seymour nodded and let Tidus by, absently shooting a Cure at him.

Once he'd finished his travel rations, Tidus waved a hand at Seymour, leaning back against the wall of their shelter. "Shoot."

Seymour frowned into his own rations pack. "You spoke to my mother," he said again, but much gentler.

Tidus shrugged. "Yeah."

"How?" Seymour asked, glancing up at the teen. "Even I cannot communicate with her unless I'm at her crystal."

"I..." Tidus sighed and rubbed at his eyes. I should have known this would come up. Dammit. "I have...an unusual connection to the fayth."

"More of your secrets, then?" Seymour sneered.

Tidus ignored him, trying to think of the best way to explain what he was. A dream of the fayth. Ah, of course. "I'm...kind of an aeon," he decided, wincing at how that might have sounded, but he was tired of calling himself a dream.

Seymour blinked at him, disbelieving. "An aeon," he repeated blandly. "That is the biggest load of shi–"

"You're an ass," Tidus snapped, glaring up at the older man. "You want to know my fucking secret, well that's it. I'm an aeon, summoned by Yu Yevon through the fayth on Mt Gagazet. Or where ever. I exist to destroy Sin, same as Jecht. He failed, so it's my turn."

Seymour was completely speechless, shaking his head.

Tidus looked away. "Your mother said she's not happy because you're not happy. Oh, and that you shouldn't go around killing people; it's not nice." Okay, not actually true, but it sounded better than 'If you don't stop wanting to kill everyone in Spira, Sin is going to make it his personal duty to kill you'.

The maester had moved on from shaking his head to frowning in thought.

Tidus sighed and climbed to his feet. "I'll be outside," he offered before slipping back out of the shelter. Once outside, he sat on a dune not far from Anima and asked, "All you fayth can communicate, right?"

Anima nodded, looking curious.

"Do you know if Gina's okay?"

Anima nodded again, then motioned in the direction Seymour had said Home laid in.

Tidus smiled. "Good. And Rikku? They're together?"

Anima nodded.

"Thanks." He wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin on them. "I feel better knowing they're okay. I don't..." He closed his eyes. "I hate being separated from Gina like this. She's my best friend."

Anima sighed silently and glanced back at where her son was standing in the entrance of the shelter. She gave him a stern look, which made him scowl, then disappeared.

Seymour scowled a bit longer at the empty desert, then moved over to where Tidus was sitting. "We should move on."

Tidus glanced up. He was a bit surprised to find Anima gone, but he nodded and got to his feet. "Yeah, okay." Once he'd joined the maester, they started off to the south again. "I don't suppose you know how much further it is?" Tidus wondered.

"It's difficult to judge distance in the desert," Seymour returned, determinedly not looking at the guardian. "Another day, maybe two."

Tidus sighed, wishing he knew what was going on in Seymour's head. He hated waiting for the other person to make up their mind about something.

Tidus took his impatience out on the few fiends they came across as night fell over the desert. They kept on even when the cold made them shiver, neither mentioning the possibility of stopping; Tidus wanted to get back to his summoner and fellow guardian, and Seymour was too distracted by his own thoughts to notice the cold.

Seymour's thoughts kept going around and around in a circle: Tidus is an aeon? If he's being summoned by Yevon, what will happen once Sin is gone? How can an aeon have a human form? How hume is he, actually? How real is he? But, he seems so human, so normal... Maybe he's mistaken? But then, how else could he speak with Mother? Tidus is an aeon...?

He finally shook himself from his thoughts when the sun started peeking over some of the taller dunes in the distance. His attention brought back to the real world, he realised that he was a little chilled as well as hungry. A glance to his left showed him Tidus, who was swinging his sword around to keep warm. Seymour had vague memories of the teen handling most of the fiends they'd come across, with Seymour himself only tossing out an occasional spell to help.

He opened his mouth, an apology on his tongue, but then closed it again. He was a maester, for Yevon's sake! He didn't apologise to anyone.

But Tidus isn't just 'anyone', he reminded himself, he's my lover, and apparently an aeon, too. Guardian to High Summoner Yunalesca Yevon. And he couldn't care less about some title I carry.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Tidus' sword paused for a heartbeat – the only sign he'd heard – then he commented, "We should probably find another shelter. I saw a sign a while back that said we've got about another half-day 'til we reach Home. We could both use some food and a little sleep, I think, before we keep on. No point arriving exhausted, especially since Gina's probably going to want to leave as soon as possible."

Seymour frowned. "She doesn't care that defeating Sin might mean you'll be gone?" he asked.

Tidus glanced at him, eyes tired. "Hm, so you did catch that," he commented before returning to looking for a shelter. "Of course she cares."

"And yet she still–!"

"Seymour..." Tidus sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "Gina and I have known since the moment we met, practically, that defeating Sin would mean I'll disappear. Despite her father and the people of Spira's suffering, I think she would have left Sin if I wasn't okay with it. Don't think she's some sort of heartless bitch."

Seymour looked away from the teen. "If you defeat Sin for good, you'll be gone," he murmured, hating the way his voice shook.

"Summoners pilgrimage knowing they'll die if they succeed," Tidus pointed out. "How am I any different?" He smiled. "Other than knowing that, if I disappear, Sin is gone for good, that is."

"I don't want you to disappear!" Seymour shouted, turning to glare at Tidus.

Tidus smiled at him sadly. "Come on, I think I see a shelter over there." He pointed his hand towards a suspicious lump a few dunes over.

But Seymour was distracted by his own words: I don't want him to disappear. I don't want him to die. I don't–

"Seymour?" Tidus questioned, stepping closer to the wide-eyed maester.

Seymour blinked at the teen. "I don't want you to disappear," he whispered.

Tidus set a gentle hand on the other's arm. "I know."

Seymour wrapped Tidus in a hug, closing his eyes against the world. If I became Sin, if I destroyed everything, I would have to destroy Tidus, too. And I can't... I won't lose him.

Tidus relaxed in Seymour's arms. He was tired from their evening trek through the sand, tired from the emotional roller coaster of the past few days and tired from the headache that was still lingering, just out of reach of a Cure or potion. For all his faults and insanity, Tidus felt safe in Seymour's arms, and he liked that, even though a part of him told him to run the other way.

Seymour finally cleared his throat. "You said something about a possible shelter?" he murmured into the spiky blond hair.

Tidus nodded and slipped out of Seymour's embrace. "Yeah. This way."

It was just starting to get hot when they reached the shelter, having run into a couple fiends on the way. Seymour summoned Shiva to both cool off the shelter and watch them while they rested, then they climbed under the small machina. Seymour set out his over robe on the ground and laid down on it, motioning for Tidus to join him.

"Too tired for sex," Tidus muttered even as he joined the older man on the robe.

"Shut up and go to sleep," Seymour replied, pulling Tidus closer so he could curl around the teen.

Tidus sighed and relaxed back into the hold, perfectly content.

-0-

Tidus woke first and took care to slip away from Seymour without waking him. Once free, he went outside to relieve himself, then wandered over to Shiva who, despite her frosty appearance, offered him a smile, which he returned. "Gina thought the ruins under your temple were maybe Macalania City?" he wondered.

Shiva nodded then, much to Tidus' surprise, spoke: "It was destroyed almost seven hundred years ago by Sin. I was from there, though I was training to become a summoner in Bevelle at the time of the destruction. We were unable to rebuild because of the lake, so the area was just going to be abandoned. I became a fayth so that my home would forever be important, even if it no longer stood."

"Why is everything about this world so sad?" Tidus wondered and Shiva smiled. "You can talk."

The aeon laughed. "I have a human form, as you do. It gives me human vocal cords and the ability to form words."

"But the other aeons don't. Do you choose your forms, or..."

"Not really, no." Shiva shrugged. "I studied black magic in life and had an affinity for ice, which gave me my elemental affinity. I also thought a lot of my appearance, which I believe is the reason behind my aeon's appearance, but it wasn't something I consciously decided on." She cocked her head to one side. "You are studying white magic?"

Tidus blinked. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Seymour said he'd taught you a bunch, didn't he?" He paused for a moment, then added, "I'm not, actually, sure how that works. I mean, he only knows Cure, right? So how could he have taught you higher level white magic?"

Shiva laughed. "Aeons learn spells through the consumption of items which are given to us by our summoners. Those abilities can only be used by us when called by that specific summoner, but that's just the way of the world." She smiled at him. "You, too, might learn through the consumption of items, though I doubt Lord Yevon is much of a mind to provide them to you."

Tidus snorted. "No kidding. He's too busy summoning and wrecking stuff."

"I believe he is more concerned with attempting to control the armour, personally."

Tidus sighed. "Yeah, I suppose." He rubbed at the back of his head. "It's kinda hard, sometimes, to remember that Yevon isn't actually that bad a guy, for all that he's made a mess of the world."

"The only person now alive with any memories of him is High Summoner Yunalesca," Shiva added, "and she knew him as a father first. Her thoughts on him might be biased."

Tidus smiled. "Yeah, they probably are."

The aeon glanced back towards the shelter in which her summoner was sleeping still. "If you could learn any white spell, what would it be?" she asked of the teen next to her.

"Holy," Tidus replied without hesitation.

Shiva laughed. "Perhaps I can teach that to you, then."

Tidus' eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really."

-0-

Seymour woke without Tidus next to him. He was momentarily struck with the fear that the teen had vanished, but then he heard laughter outside and got up to go see. Tidus and Shiva were standing near each other, laughing over something or other. From the pyreflies swirling just past them, Seymour thought they might have just battled a fiend. Tidus didn't have his sword out, but Seymour had found the teen capable of handling fiends without his favoured weapon, since he had picked up some explosive mixes from his Al Bhed friend.

Shiva said something to Tidus then, and the teen glanced over at the shelter. His smile turned uncertain, but he still started over, calling, "Afternoon, Seymour! Shiva's been teaching me white magic!"

Seymour smiled at that. A part of him had hoped that the teen would get to learn something from Shiva when he'd summoned her. "We should get something to eat, and then set back out," he offered once Tidus was within range for him to not have to shout.

"Yeah, sure thing," Tidus agreed, slipping back into the shelter and to his large pack, which had his travel rations. They sorted out their food, then packed up their meagre supplies and started off, Shiva fading away as Seymour allowed her to return to where ever aeons went when they weren't being called into existence.

Their trip was mostly in silence, only speaking to point out a sign that told them which direction to go in or to warn about a couple of incoming fiends.

When they reached the last dune between them and Home, according to Seymour, Tidus dashed up it to look, grinning. The grin died on his face when he saw the flames and suggestions of an ongoing attack. "Seymour!" he called back.

Seymour hurried up the dune, fighting against his robes. When he saw what had shocked Tidus, he grabbed the teen's arm. "Tidus, please believe me that this was not my doing," he whispered.

Tidus stared at him, distrust and belief warring in his eyes. "But you knew this might happen?" he demanded.

"The Al Bhed have been kidnapping summoners," Seymour hurried to explain, "and we maesters have been in arguments about what to do about it for a while. Mika wanted to punish them, and Kinoc was sort of with him, but Kelk and I have been holding them off, trying to get them to talk to the Al Bhed. But the Al Bhed haven't wanted to talk, they think they're in the right, but if something isn't done... Summoners are the hope of all Spira, and the people were getting antsy. I am... I'm not surprised that this happened, but it wasn't my doing. Please, believe that."

Tidus watched Seymour's eyes throughout his explanation and, seeing his honesty, decided to believe the maester on his being not to blame for this attack. A part of the problem, certainly, considering his station in the main religion, but not directly at fault for this. "Okay," he agreed. "Okay, I believe you. We need to get down there; you're a maester, maybe you can stop this."

"Thank you," Seymour whispered and they both started running down the dune towards the madness.

The first person they came across was a guado who was summoning fiends. Tidus tensed at seeing one of Seymour's people obviously assisting in the attack, but Seymour himself looked furious. "What is going on here?" he demanded of the guado.

The guado turned and relief suffused his features. "Lord Seymour! You're alive!" he breathed, stepping forward to touch the half-guado's arm.

Seymour frowned. "Itsuki, I told Tromell I didn't want anyone doing anything about the Al Bhed without my permission. What are you doing here?"

Itsuki shuffled a bit, looking ashamed. "Sin took you and we didn't know what to do. Maester Mika said he'd heard a rumour that you were being held captive by the Al Bhed. We came to free you!"

Seymour sighed. "Damn it."

"As you can see, he's fine," Tidus cut in, scowling at the machinations of Yevon's leaders. "He was never with the Al Bhed. Now would the lot of you call this ridiculous attack off?" He looked back towards the blazing fires of Rikku's home. "I think you've done more than enough damage."

Itsuki turned to Seymour, who waved a hand at him. "Listen to Sir Tidus. We'll be going in to tell Cid we're calling a ceasefire."

"My Lord, that's not safe!" Itsuki complained. "What if one of the heathens attack you?"

"I suppose you'll just have to trust that Maester Seymour and I can take care of ourselves," Tidus snapped, turning furious eyes on the guado. "Someone needs to go in there and tell the Al Bhed you idiots are pulling back, preferably before they blow something up and kill everyone. Moreover, my summoner is in there. If one of your fiends did her any harm, I swear to Yu Yevon I'm going to–"

Seymour clapped a hand over Tidus' mouth. "Give the order to retreat," he ordered, then led the teen past the guado. "Berate them later, Tidus. We don't have the time right now."

Tidus scowled. "I know," he muttered, pulling out his sword and cutting down an already wounded Dual Horn.

The two of them hurried through the wreckage, taking down fiends on their way. If they saw a guado or hume, Seymour ordered them to retreat. Any unconscious Al Bhed, hume, or guado they came across were checked and if they were dead Seymour would perform a quick sending, seeing no reason to add even more fiends to the mix. Those that remained alive – never Al Bhed – were spared a quick healing and sent out.

The first time they came across a live Al Bhed, she was losing against a guado.

"Halt!" Seymour shouted and the guado sort of froze, the sickly smirk on his face stuck as it was.

Tidus ran over to the Al Bhed, murmuring a Cura under his breath. He was content to leave Seymour to deal with his follower at the moment, more concerned with how the Al Bhed was tilting to one side, holding a gash in her side. "Here," he said, offering an Al Bhed potion.

"Thank you," the woman whispered, swallowing the offered drink in one gulp. As her side stitched back together, she took another look at her rescuers and her eyes widened. "You... Why is he helping us?" she hissed, pointing at where Seymour was ordering the guado to retreat.

"He didn't call this attack," Tidus replied, glancing back towards his lover as the man met an incoming fiend with a Blizzara. "I know what it looks like, with all the guado running around, but he and I have been lost in the desert for the past few days. Mika is the one who called this attack; we're trying to call a ceasefire."

The woman laughed bitterly. "Bit late for that," she commented, glancing at the wreckage that had been Home.

Tidus closed his eyes. "I know. I'm sorry. If we hadn't stopped for a break this morning, we might have been here in time to stop this."

"Being here wouldn't have been enough," Seymour offered as he joined them. "It would simply have been proof to the Yevonites and guado that Mika had been right and I was being held prisoner by the Al Bhed."

"Have I mentioned recently how stupid I think you people are?" Tidus wondered rhetorically, earning him a quiet chuckle from Seymour. He turned back to the Al Bhed woman, who was looking between them in disbelief. "Please, I'm looking for my summoner, Lady Gina. And Rikku."

The woman shook her head. "You're Rikku's friend?"

"Yes." Tidus smiled. "Is she still here?"

"Yes, but they should be going to the lower levels to evacuate." The woman threw a distrustful glance towards Seymour. "I was headed there myself."

Tidus breathed in relief. "Might we come with you?"

She looked again towards Seymour, who sighed and offered, "I have no intention of doing any further damage to your people or Home."

"And if he suddenly goes crazy, I'll hit him until he calms back down," Tidus promised, grinning.

The woman blinked, half disbelieving, but nodded and led them quickly into the building. The three of them worked together dealing with fiends. Al Bhed that they came across joined their party, shooting distrustful looks at Seymour, while any guado or humes were ordered out. Sendings weren't performed, the Al Bhed insisting there wasn't time, although they looked pleased that Seymour would want to stop and perform the kindness, for all that they still saw him as an enemy.

When they reached the airship, the Al Bhed all ran aboard. Seymour froze for a moment, but Tidus grabbed his wrist and pulled him along. "Stare at the machina after we're out of here," he ordered.

Seymour nodded and followed after the teen, mentally cackling at just how screwed the other maesters were. None of them knew the Al Bhed had an airship. That's what you get for ordering an attack, you dead fool, he thought at Mika.

They were met at the door by one bouncy Al Bhed girl and a grateful summoner. "We weren't sure you'd make it before we left," Gina commented as Rikku rushed into Tidus' outstretched arms for a hug. The summoner looked past her missing guardian at the maester. "Seymour."

"Lady Gina," the half-guado returned stiffly. "I believe we should get into the airship before it takes off?" he added to Tidus and Rikku.

"Why'd you have to bring that jerk?" Rikku complained as they got back on the ship.

"He was invaluable in getting past the guado outside," Tidus returned drily. "And we reached an accord while we were trapped in the desert."

Rikku huffed and hit the intercom button as the doorway closed up. "That sounds like it's the last of them, Pops.

""What's this I hear about you letting on that half-guado bastard?" Cid called back even as the airship vibrated with the engines starting up.

Seymour tensed, knowing enough Al Bhed to understand what Cid was complaining about. He looked for a moment like he might shoot an unpleasant response back up to the bridge, but then Tidus touched his arm and shook his head. Rikku and Gina were both surprised to see the maester relax at that.

"Seymour was just as appalled as I was to see the attack," Tidus offered. "Not surprised, since it's an ongoing debate among the maesters, but he wasn't behind it actually occurring. One of the guado said Mika told them you lot had Seymour captive and that they had to go save him."

There was a moment of silence, then, as the intercom was still open, Cid offered, "Right, then. The lot of you, get up here."

"Better do as he says," Rikku suggested, shutting down the intercom and motioning for them to follow her towards the bridge.

On the bridge, Cid was waiting for them. He glared at Seymour, but offered a small microphone to him. "We're blowing the place up. Your people have ten minutes to evacuate," he said, then turned away and started calling out directions to his people.

"You're destroying Home?" Tidus whispered to Rikku even as Seymour stepped a bit away to use the airship's loudspeakers to give orders to the guado and humes on the ground.

"If we don't, it'll become a nest for fiends," Rikku replied sadly. "At least if we destroy it, there's more of a chance that everyone can rest in peace."

"We can't do a sending?" Tidus asked, looking to Gina. "Other summoners are onboard, right?"

"There's no way we could send everyone, especially not with how unstable Home is," Gina said, looking as sad as Rikku. "This is far from being the most optimal solution, but it's the only one that's feasible." Her gaze flickered towards where Seymour was handing the microphone back to a scowling Cid. "Papa says he's a threat."

"I know." Tidus sighed and looked over towards his lover himself. "He told me. I think I got through to him, though, a bit. Anima helped." He looked back at his summoner. "Does your father know about you?"

"He's not sure." Gina shook her head. "Going to Zanarkand seems to be our best option. Still."

"Sorry to break into your usual code," Rikku commented a bit drily, "but who is Anima? And in what way is the jerk a threat? Gina wouldn't tell me."

"Anima is my mother," Seymour offered as he rejoined them, making Rikku jump. "And I'd like to think I'm only a threat to Mika right now." He smiled a bit grimly. "Cid is going to launch the missiles."

Rikku glanced at Gina, who nodded her okay, then hurried over to her father's side as he gave the order to fire.

Under the cover of the Al Bhed singing the Hymn, Seymour sidled closer to Tidus and murmured, "What, exactly, does your summoner know? And how?"

"Seymour, I swear, if you do anything to Gina–!" Tidus hissed, glaring at the maester.

"I'm not going to hurt your summoner!" Seymour hissed back.

"My father told me about your urge to kill everyone," Gina offered quietly. "If it weren't for your mother's plea, you would already be dead." She glanced up at the maester, who looked a little sick and was gripping Tidus' arm. "Make no mistake, Seymour, I like you about as much as my father does, but I was taught as a child to listen to the fayth, and both Anima and Jecht think Tidus and you are good for each other. But I swear, on my father's name, if you ever trying 'saving' Tidus–"

"Gina," Tidus cut in, reaching up to try and loosen Seymour's death grip on his arm. If nothing else, he'd rather Seymour be squeezing the life out of his left hand over his right arm. "I care about you too. Now stop it."

Gina huffed, but subsided.

The pilot was still sobbing dramatically when Cid and Rikku walked back over to the others. Cid gave Seymour's hand in Tidus' an odd look, but wisely didn't say anything about it. "I expect you want to be dropped off in Bevelle, then?" he asked them.

"Yes, I need to pray to the fayth there," Gina agreed.

Seymour shook his head. "And I have a pressing need to speak with Mika."

Cid shot a glance at Seymour, then looked fully at Gina. "You'll keep an eye on my daughter, right? I can't seem to talk her out of this foolish journey."

Gina smiled. "Of course. She's practically family." She glanced at her other guardian. "Isn't that right, Tidus?"

Tidus smiled. "Don't worry, sir, we won't let any harm befall Rikku. We'd sooner die, I think." He winced minutely as Seymour tightened his hold on Tidus' hand.

Rikku took a deep breath and managed a crooked smile. "Let's not let it come to that, okay?"

"Do you know how long until we reach Bevelle?" Gina asked.

Cid rubbed at the back of his head. "Can't say for sure, since this is the first time we've taken this thing out. Probably by morning, if you wanted to get some rest." He turned to Seymour again. "You know that damn city best; where do you think is a good place to let you lot off? Preferably somewhere that won't get us shot out of the sky."

"We don't have any weapons powerful enough to take down an airship," Seymour reported with certainty, "so it should be safe to drop everyone off anywhere you'd like. The Palace of St Bevelle would probably have the easiest access for an airship, though the Highbridge is another option." He paused in thought for a moment, then added, "If you get any closer than the Calm Lands, however, you will have to contend with Evrae, the city's guardian wyrm."

"You can't stop it from attacking us?" Cid wondered.

Seymour snorted. "I haven't yet been a maester so long that it would listen to me. No, it's under Mika's control."

"What are the chances of us defeating it?" Gina asked.

Seymour frowned in thought. "How many other summoners are aboard?"

"Lady Dona and Lord Isaaru," Gina reported. "Dona doesn't have her guardian, and one of Isaaru's guardians isn't doing well. Why?"

Seymour shrugged. "Normally, I would say we shouldn't try facing off against Evrae, but with four summoners, three guardians, and an airship, we might just manage it." He glanced at Cid. "If you wanted to chance it."

Cid smiled. "There's something about flying into Bevelle among the pyreflies from their precious guardian." He narrowed his eyes at the maester. "You would fight?"

"I have no love for that beast," Seymour informed him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "And I see nothing wrong in warning Mika what fury he has unleashed upon attacking your people. I will fully enjoy telling him 'I told you so'."

Cid held out a hand, which Seymour took with his free one. "You're not half bad, for a maester."

"And you're not half bad, for a heathen," Seymour returned with humour.

Cid nodded. "There should be rooms on the second level. I'll make sure the other summoners are informed. We'll wake you all before we reach Bevelle," he promised. "For now, get some rest; we've got quite the battle coming."

"Good night, Pops!" Rikku offered, hopping up to kiss Cid's cheek. Then she led the way off the bridge and to the second level quarters. "Alright, pick a room."

"It would probably be best to double up," Gina commented neutrally, eyeing Tidus and Seymour's joined hands and briefly wondering which of the two was actually refusing to let go.

"The ship is sort of full to capacity," Tidus agreed with a smile.

Rikku grimaced and turned away from her fellow guardian, grabbing Gina's arm. "Let's get a room on the other end of the level from them."

Gina and Tidus both laughed. "Come on," Tidus said to his lover, moving towards an open room at the opposite end from Rikku and Gina.

"You're not going to fight me this time?" Seymour wondered, a little amused.

"Haven't decided yet," Tidus returned.

Seymour chuckled.

"I can't decide if I'm disturbed or happy," Rikku commented to her summoner as the door on the far end of the hall slid closed behind the lovers.

"He's not so bad, I suppose," Gina offered as they slipped into their own room.

"Do you think we're stuck with him?" Rikku wondered as they made for their separate beds.

"I suppose that depends on how things go in Bevelle."

-0-

Evrae really wasn't much of a challenge, as Seymour had predicted. Distance fighting was easy when most of your party was made up of spellcasters. Tidus and Rikku stayed back to act as healers and to give directions to Cid, while the summoners and Isaaru's elder guardian all utilised summons or black magic to take down their opponent. (Other than Seymour's single Cure spell and some mid-level healing spells Dona had learned, they all used black magic. Tidus and Rikku had both shared a laugh over the knowledge that Yuna was the only summoner they knew who specialised in white magic.)

Cid set them down atop the Palace of St Bevelle with well-wishes. There, the groups separated: Dona to Macalania Woods in hopes of finding her guardian, Isaaru's party to Macalania Temple for Shiva, Seymour to the library, and Gina's party to Bevelle's temple. Isaaru and Gina had discussed traversing the Temple of Bevelle together, but the male summoner thought it would be best if he and his brothers took the long trek to Macalania to sort themselves out, especially with the way Pacce had been acting since the attack of Home.

Mika met Seymour just outside the library, commenting, "I told you the Al Bhed were up to no good. They've been hiding an airship with their stolen summoners. I see you managed to free yourself from them." He smiled.

Seymour didn't smile back. "What gave you the right to send my people on an attack that I never agreed to?" he demanded.

"You could hardly agree to it since you were being held prisoner at the time–"

"I most certainly was not," Seymour snapped. "I didn't even reach Home until the attack was almost over. I distinctly recall telling you not to attack the Al Bhed until we knew what they were capable of. I hope, for the sake of this city, that they don't decide to take their losses out on Yevon's seat of power!"

"Since when have you cared about the people of this city?" Mika returned, frowning. "And whatever happened to your plan to become Lady Yuna's Final Aeon? She's long passed through the city by now."

"I have no interest in becoming Sin," Seymour replied calmly, burying shaking hands in the folds of his robes. A part of him still wanted – needed – to destroy this broken world, but Tidus... He could never destroy Tidus like that. And he couldn't possibly protect Tidus if he was Sin.

Mika laughed an unpleasant laugh. "Don't tell me you've suddenly developed a conscience, Seymour. You've come much too far for such nonsense."

"And if I have?" Seymour wondered.

Mika smiled cruelly. "I have no need for a maester with a conscience."

-0-

Gina was surprised to find the fayth already waiting for her when she stepped into his sanctum. "Hello?" she asked, frowning.

The boy inclined his head. "I know of you, Lady Yunalesca, and I trust in your journey. Time is of the essence; Seymour is in danger on the Highbridge."

"You wish me to save him?" Gina wondered, surprised.

"His twisted ways untwist even now," Bahamut replied. "Tidus has given him something to fight for, just as you once did for Zaon. In the same way you were lost without your husband, I fear Tidus may become lost without Seymour, and Lady Yuna is too far ahead of you to chance a set-back. Without Jecht, there is no guarantee that you can succeed."

"I understand," Gina whispered and braced herself to accept Bahamut. Within moments, she was dashing back outside to her guardians, both of whom looked surprised.

"Gina, what is it?" Tidus asked, standing from where he had been sitting with Rikku.

"Seymour's in trouble. On the Highbridge," Gina offered.

Tidus' eyes widened, then he was off like a shot, through the doors back into the trials without a pause.

"Did you get the aeon?" Rikku wondered as she joined Gina in following the guardian at a slightly slower pace.

"Yes," Gina whispered, smiling sadly at the evidence that Bahamut had spoken true; Tidus, for all his bravado, had become attached to Seymour – perhaps too attached – but it was too late to turn him away from the maester now. Gina could only support them, and do everything in her power to give Tidus his happiness. "Come on," she said to Rikku.

Rikku sighed. "Do we have to save the jerk?" she complained, moving quicker even as she spoke. She had no love for Seymour, but she'd never seen Tidus so happy as when he was with that jerk.

Gina just smiled in reply.

Tidus ran out onto the Highbridge, uncaring that he'd left the girls behind. Far ahead of him, he could make out Seymour fighting against lines of humes armed with machina guns and machina constructs. As he ran, he saw Seymour crumple to the ground and felt his heart in his throat. It was too far for one of Rikku's mixes, too far for a sword...

'Use Holy,' a boy's voice that he thought he recognised whispered.

He hadn't fully mastered the high-level white magic spell, but he was left with little other choice. "Please let this work," he whispered even as he brought his sword around to bear. "Holy!"

The Highbridge flashed with white and everything fell silent.

0-0-0-0-0-

-0-0-0-0-0-

A/N: I couldn't help myself. Sorry. XD Go on, you know you hate me.

I know Holy doesn't quite flash white like that, but, come on, artistic license.

~Bats ^.^x

Chapters:
1 - Otherworld ||| 2 - Neither Friend Nor Foe ||| 3 - Sometimes Good-Bye is a Second Chance
4 - Heaven Sent a Hurricane ||| 5 - My Secrets Become Your Truth ||| 6 - Every Clap of Thunder
7 - Throw Your World Away (For Love) ||| 8 - Poisonous Drugs of Hate ||| 9 - Wisdom, Justice, & Love
10 - Turning on a Dime ||| 11 - Kings and Queens of Promise ||| 12 - Stepped Into a Cruel World
13 - ???
Incomplete

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Comments

[hekelachan.livejournal.com]

Damn.

I love it actually. By the time this is over I'm going to have to repay the game (again). Tidus really does have the best character development in the whole FF Series, and I love what you're doing with him.

I can't persuade you to update before next Wed?

[batsutousai]

LOL. Glad you're enjoying. And, no, 'fraid not. (If only because then it gives me another week to work on chapter 10. XD)