Chapter 33
With the help of ropes, Aurochs and villagers had climbed the mechanical towers standing on the path of the ruins and had started examining them in every nook and cranny.
These vestiges were older than the village, and yet, everyone had always ignored them. The team which was searching them this day appeared to be excited. The teachings of Yevon had always forbiden the inhabitants to come closer to them. Seeing so many people gathered there was kind of new.
Even since the temple had lost his power, nobody had dared to transgress the rules. Sometimes, a foreigner climbed one of the towers, but the locals ignored this incursion.
"That's a bit much, isn't it?"
"Normal, if it's for Yuna," Wakka answered.
"That's the only reason?"
"You remember the monk who had worked here for several years and disappeared recently? Lulu suspected Bria of having killed him but, without proof, how could she make accusations? Futhermore, the culprit was very popular among the old women of the village. And she didn't want to interfere in the internal affairs of the Church. It had been the right thing to to."
"The death of the monk was accidental?"
"It seems so. He fell from a tower and was severely injured. Bria, who just came from Bevelle, found him and took him to the temple. The elders tried to save him, in vain."
"But why not tell him to the others ? Why did they hide his death?"
"The grandmothers had insisted. According to them, if the world learnt that a monk from Besaid had fallen from a machine, the disgrace would rain down upon the temple and all people who come to pray there."
"They judge severely a quite harmless behavior," Tidus declared.
He raised his head towards the top of the tower, from where the search party was going down, sliding down along ropes. They appeared to be having fun.
"I still don't understand what they're doing here. Why look for Bria in this place everyone hates?"
"Before the death of the monk, Bria had promised him to inspect the ruins and to send a report to Bevelle. He had planned to finish it today."
Tidus was not managing to determine the link between that and their search, but he decided to stay silent.
"The grandmother has come to say us he might have left to keep his word. As for how he has proceeded... that's another story."
"And you really think that after the return of Yuna, the storm, our disappearance... he would have run away in order to finish a report?"
"Every day, the elders asked him to do a wealth of things for them. It's not surprising if he fell behind. The grandmother was afraid. There is a chance that he took the risk of climb the ruins too fast and he fell."
"Unbelievable..."
"That must be how old women think."
"No, I meant Bria. I didn't know that the elders trusted him that much. He has hit a child, right?"
"Yes. In my opinion, Shinra hasn't made up this story. Yet, even for me who knows a little Bria, it's difficult to think he did such a thing."
"We must find him quickly."
"Okay, but what will you do after? You haven't told us anything."
"He knows where I must go."
"Go where? To do what? How will this new outing help you to bring Yuna back?"
"If the grandmothers trust Bria, you can trust me, right?"
Tidus was happy to have come back to Besaid and had not thought before involving Wakka and the others in his search. At present, he was regretting it. He could not explain to them what he had to do.
Push gently the shoulder of a woman seated beside a window...
He knows that there was more, behind this request, than what the words could let presage. He could not be delighted with this mission, even if Kush was smiling when she had explained it to him. He could see her dimples.
She had taken his two hands at that time, whilst they barely knew each other.
Had she tried to charm him in order to convince him to accede to her request? Without that, he might have not agreed. He had to do it alone.
"Listen, Wakka, thank the villagers for me. And say goodbye to them for me, too. I have to find Yuna alone."
As he was coming closer to the cove, he was constantly forcing the pace.
I wonder what Yuna is doing...
He was so impatient to see her again!
" A spell which will allow you to reach the place of your choice. "
But of course-- that's it!
Was he going to succeed?
He ran with all his strengh and focused on Yuna. When he reached the beach, the sand slowed him down, but he continued, until he stumbled.
The impact was more violent than he thought. Instead of dry sand, he had rolled onto planks, hard and soaked, until bumping into a soft object.
"Eh, you could be careful!" A exasperated voice let out.
He opened his eyes and discovered Yuna, seated on the ground, keeping her balance with the help of her two arms in order for her to not fall backwards.
She was glaring daggers at him.
"That really hurts!"
She stood straight slowly, adjusted her clothes and put her hands on her hips.
"Sorry!" He stuttered.
"Can you stop apologizing all the time?"
"Yes, sorr..." He closed his mouth and jumped on his foot.
"That's awesome, Yuna! Thanks to Kush's magic, I can go anywhere! Just a moment ago, I was on the beach, in Besaid. I just had to focus on a place to reach it. That's great, isn't it? By the way, where are we?"
"You've thought of this place to reach it, but you don't know where we are?"
"You could tell me, since you know it."
Delighted to have found Yuna, he came closer to her to kiss her. She was smiling, but showed quickly a displeased look.
"Let's take advantage of our momentum," he declared. "That's the principle of bliztball."
"And what's the next step then?"
"To talk with Kush."
"Where is she?" Yuna asked, surprised.
"No idea."
He could only rely on magic. He placed himself behind Yuna and embraced her with his arms. Yuna put her hands on his. He closed his eyes and thought of Kush. He immediately felt pins and needles run up and down his body. He ignored them and continued to concentrate. Soon after, he could smell pyreflies. He opened his eyes. Yuna and himself were envelopped in a powerful white light. Blinded, he closed his eyes.
He sensed that something was leaving him from the back of his head, something that he knew but yet could not identify.
He felt fright:
"We may have a problem..."
"Stay against me," Yuna answered with a resolute tone.
A heat flow transfered from the hands of the young girl to Tidus' arms, who took confidence from them.
"This is love," he whispered.
"Really?" She teased him
Thereafter, he felt a shock under his foot. Anxious, he opened his eyes once again: the light had disappeared, Yuna and himself were standing in a dilapidated room. A smell of rust was fluttering in the air. Before them, a pillar eroded by the corrosion, and a square window.
"I know where we are," Yuna said. "Look down, this is the cove of Besaid."
They came closer to the opening and noted that she was right. The ground was far away from them, but a familiar voice reached them.
"But where has he gone?" Rikku was grumbling.
The teenager and the Gullwings were walking away on the path which led to the village. Tidus immediately stepped backwards and bent down.
"Why are we hiding?" Yuna asked, squatting beside him.
he turned round and let out an exclamation of surprise:
"Kush!"
Wearing a pale green dress, the woman was sitting on a magnificent seat, which appeared to be moved in the empty and ruined room.
"You wanted to come... here?" Yuna asked.
She came closer to Kush and brushed her shoulder. She immediately stepped backwards: particles of light were dancing around her fingertips and the shoulder of the woman. Tidus examined Kush more closely. She was sitting straight on her seat, her hands joined together on her tightened legs, her eyes closed, her face lowered. She seemed half-asleep. But soon enough, Tidus could understand that there was no spark of life in this body anymore. Yet, Tidus was not sure about her death.
"Yuna... Who was the Kush we have talked to?"
"A Summoning."
"I see. You've been aware of that for a long time?"
"Since our first meeting, on the hill of the false Besaid."
"So, this island has been created, too? By who?"
Yuna was silently staring at Kush.
"There was a summoner who was in love with this woman," she ended up saying. "But he doesn't exist in this world anymore."
She seemed sad.
"Kush asked me to push her shoulder. If I do that..."
"She will fall from her seat and will break on the ground, like glass."
"Is that what she wants?"
He started to have doubts.
"And what if it was this Summoner who wanted to use me?"
"I don't know," Yuna answered. "But without the consent of the fayth, he's powerless."
"Then what do I have to do?"
"I don't know," her partner answered with a tired voice.
Outside, a crowd was forming. They could hear quite well Rikku, who was looking for Tidus. "There's light up there!" someone exclaimed. A blinding brightness had just flooded the room.
Tidus embraced Yuna to protect her. They stepped back against the most distant wall. Where could they run away if need be? The young man asked himself. But the light ended up vanishing and they could now discern the silhouette of a man.
"Bria!" Tidus exclaimed.
The man answered with an vacant look, before turning away and scanning the place. Finally, he looked at Kush.
He came closer to her, went down and bended knee and put his right hand on hers. With his left hand, he brushed Kush's leg, while murmuring her name.
Particles of light were slowly fluterring where they were touching. More went caressing Tidus' face, who discovered with surprise that they were coming from where his body was touching Yuna.
Bria stood up straight, leaned on Kush and put his forehead against hers.
"It's time to forgive and to put an end to this story."
They could feel tenderness and exhaustion in Bria's voice.
"Yuna and Tidus, am I correct?" He suddenly asked while turning towards the young people.
"You're not sure?" Tidus protested.
Bria came closer to them with an unstable walk. He put one hand on the young woman and the other on her partner.
"Am I mistaken?"
"No, but..."
"Pardon me. By dint of jumping from a place to another one, I've lost a lot of myself on the way. I wonder how I could have been ignorant of her location..." he told them with a sour laugh.
"Ifahnal's magic was powerful," Yuna answered.
"Ah, that one..." Bria said, without particular animosity.
He looked at Kush, then through the window – from his position, he could probably only see the sky – before turning towards Yuna, Tidus and finally Kush.
"I've loved two persons from the bottom of my heart: Meroh and Mohra. Jealous, Ifahnal has used his magic against me... Well, I think so."
"Isn't it Kush, that you've loved the most?" Yuna asked.
"I owe her a lot. She allowed me to stay in his world and to meet my wife and my daughter. After losing so much, I've finally understand it. Now that Ifahnal's power has disappeared, my mind is only composed of memories of my true self."
"And Kush?" Tidus insisted.
He was feeling a dark anger building inside himself.
Bria turned towards Kush, and his face lighted up with a large smile. He seemed serene.
"That's a puppy love, a story from a distant past."
On that note, he emitted a strong light.
"Wait!" Tidus exclaimed.
"I've been able to see her one last time. I'm glad."
"Don't leave us like that!"
"I have to go see a lot of people in order to apologize to them... ah, ask that young Al Bhed's forgiveness for me, will you? And tell him this, too: 'Guard, protector of the Farplane, grant us calm and explosion'. Bedohls have guaranteed themselves a social status thanks to their mastery of explosives. That's all I know. As for the rest, he'll have to search by himself."
"You've given your word!" Tidus took apart. "The report, the report!"
He wanted to hold Bria back by any way possible.
"Who cares about this paper?" The man answered while laughing.
The bright silhouette dilated, lost his human form and vanished.
Some pyreflies were still fluttering around Kush, as if they were reluctant to leave her. Soon enough, they were aspirated and disappeared in their turn.
"He has left," Yuna ended.
Tidus let out a cry of astonishment: Kush was starting to gleam.
"She's leaving, too."
"Will it be alright?" Tidus asked.
He had imagined a much more touching reunion between Kush and Bria.
"There are things we cannot change," Yuna answered with a serious tone.
Tidus was worried. His partner gently put her hand on his with a comforting gesture.
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