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The Son and the Daughter	By : Ceefax Category: Final Fantasy X > General Views: 954 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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The Son and the Daughter

by Ceefax.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters or settings, and I'm not making any money off of this.

***

Chapter Three

Leavetaking

***

Jecht had effectively commandeered a corner of the marketplace and was teaching Yuna to shoot with his brand new blitzball. Auron watched Braska watch them. "I'll buy him a sword, anyway," he said. "Regardless of his claims, you can't fight fiends with nothing but a blitzball. Besides that, we're ready to go."

Braska nodded, his eyes not leaving his daughter. "Then we leave tomorrow morning."

The blitzball lesson worked it's way towards them. "...no, no, with the side of your foot," Jecht called, jogging over to retrieve the ball. "'Cos if you kick it with your toe, it'll hurt, and you don't know where," he kicked the ball, "it'll end up." The blitzball shot straight up in the air, and came down on the top of Jecht's head. He let it bounce once, then ducked precisely beneath it, absorbing the momentum to bring it to a carefully balanced stop. "You see?" he said over Yuna's laughter. "You knock yourself out, and the other team scores. Now," he tipped the ball back onto the ground, "try coming at it from the side, like this..." He bounced the ball gently off his instep toward her, and she kicked it back.

"I'm not saying he's purposefully lying," Auron said softly, "but if he has been affected by the toxin, then perhaps the shock of losing his memory - losing his entire identity - has made him... invent a new one. It seems completely real to him because there's nothing left in his mind to contradict it. Braska... he needs help, he doesn't need..."

Yuna cannoned into Braska. "Did you see me?"

"Yes, you were very good. Wasn't she, Auron?"

"Mmm."

Jecht strolled up, blitzball tucked under his arm. He ruffled Yuna's hair. "She's gonna be a pretty awesome blitzer in a few years. So, where are we off to, now?"

"We're going to get something to eat..."

"I hear that." Jecht rubbed his bare stomach appreciatively, and Yuna giggled.

"...stop at the weaponsmith's, then drop Yuna off at the temple. We're leaving tomorrow at first light, so we need to get plenty of rest tonight."

"Gotcha." Glancing down, he gave Yuna a quick squeeze. "Aw, don't be sad, we won't be gone long. And we're going to find a way back to Zanarkand, where I'm from, so then you could come round my place to visit. I've got a little boy, you know? Few years older than you. He wants to be a blitzer, too. We could all go down to the beach and kick the ball around, and you can swim right out into the ocean and watch all the fish swimming around underneath you, 'cause there're hardly any fiends there at all. And if any do show up..." he drop-kicked his ball. It arced back to him, leaving a wake of startled shoppers. He stomped on it, stopping it dead. "Huh? What do you say?"

She gave a sad little laugh, and trustingly slipped her hand into his. Auron casually rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Braska gave him a disapproving look and put a restraining hand on his sleeve. "Give him a chance," he murmured.

"I am, lord," Auron replied, equally softly. "But I'm also being cautious."

Braska smiled a serene smile. "You're going to have to sleep at some point on this pilgrimage, Auron. You can't always be cautious."

"Perhaps not. But I do intend to try."

***

The highbridge at Bevelle, just before the entrance to the temple. Braska was trying very hard to communicate with a sulking seven-year-old.

"I know, sweetie, I want to go home too, but we can't."

Yuna didn't respond, but angrily fiddled with her dress.

Her father knelt and put his hands on her shoulders. She stared defiantly down. "Yuna... you know I don't want to leave. I love you, I don't want to leave you, but I have to. I have to go and stop the thing that hurt Mamma, so nobody else can get hurt. Yuna? You understand?"

"No." Reasonable. Why should she lose all she had left of her family for the sake of strangers?

"Can I have a hug?"

"No."

He picked her up. She twisted her face away, so he kissed her on the ear.

"I don't like it here."

"This is the most important place in Spira. You'll see all sorts of exciting things, and meet lots of interesting people..."

"I don't like it here."

Braska changed tack. "You be a good girl, and do everything the sisters say, all right?"

Nothing.

"Yuna? Can you be a good girl for me?"

"No."

He squeezed her close. She struggled, half-heartedly. "I know you will be. You're a very good girl, and I'm going to miss you so much."

She relented a little, stopped fighting, and allowed him to arrange her into a more comfortable embrace, which lasted for half a minute before she started squirming again.

"Come on, then," he said, hearing the false brightness in his own voice. He stood, took her hand, and headed for the temple gates where Ghionee, the nun in charge of the orphanage, was waiting for them.

"I don't want you to go," Yuna said, quietly.

He squeezed her hand. "I don't want to go either, but sometimes you have to do things you don't want to."

She sighed - a strangely adult sound.

They reached the gates and Ghionee held out a hand, seizing Yuna's when she didn't immediately take it.

Braska knelt down and kissed her cheek. "Goodbye, Yuna."

He turned and walked away. Behind him, Ghionee was encouraging Yuna to wave goodbye. He didn't stop, but turned to return her unsmiling wave. Then he faced forward and kept walking, not turning back again, even after he heard the doors close.

***

The pier was full - it seemed all of Besaid had turned out to see their summoner off. Yuna stood next to Kimahri and lifted herself up on tiptoes to wave at the departing ship.

Zuke was - or had been - the high priest of Besaid temple; Yuna's teacher until that morning. She watched him sail away, taking her two best friends with him as guardians, and she waved until her arm ached.

Kimahri laid a heavy hand on her shoulder, and she covered it with her own, grateful for the support. Many of the villagers were in tears, but that was a luxury she, an apprentice summoner, was not permitted. She squeezed Kimahri's strong fingers and swallowed, hard. He was still here. He had always been there for her, ever since her father had died to bring the Calm.

Her father had died to bring the Calm. The Calm that was already over. Only a few months ago they had lost Chappu, and now... That was the reason Wakka had followed Lulu onto the guardian's path. It was obvious to anyone who knew him that this wasn't what he wanted to do with his life, but he had to pay Sin back for killing his brother.

Just as, deep in her heart, Yuna knew she wanted to pay Sin back for destroying her family. Hardly the pure and noble motivation a summoner should strive for.

The ship was smaller now. They could no longer make out the people on the deck, and the crowd was beginning to disperse.

A brisk breeze blew back her hair, and with the sharp smell of the sea air, came a memory. She was very small, and she was running down to the pier with Wakka and Chappu. They were going to meet the ship from Kilika, full of merchants and all the interesting things they had to sell. It was the beginning of the Calm, so the trading ships came often. Kimahri was with them, so Wakka could run and play with the two younger ones instead of having to watch for fiends. She had been safe, and happy...

Yuna found she no longer wanted to cry. She wanted to be done with her studies. She wanted to be a summoner. She wanted to go with them.

***
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The Son and the Daughter