Chapter 21
 
They returned to the engine room after breakfast, Auron spoke first.
 
“We must formulate a new course of action.”
 
“Let’s go kick his ugly ass.” Buffy suggested, shrugging.
 
“If we rush this we will fail.” Auron said.
 
Buffy gave Auron a patented Slayer glare. “Okay then, ‘humphie’ what do you have in mind?”


Auron lowered his head. Kimahri stepped forward and spoke.
 
“Yevon’s teachings.”
 
“The teachings won’t help us fight Sin.” Yuna interrupted.
 
“No answer in the teachings, answers lie outside. Must know both sides to find answer.”
 
“Both sides…” Yuna contemplated this.
 
“Mika knows much, find him, make him talk.”
 
“That’s it!” Tidus yelled. “Kimahri, you rock!”
 
Buffy balled her hands into fists, looking down at them. “Make him talk, you said?”
 
Spike was surprised, it wasn’t like his slayer to be so intent on violence towards humans- even evil bastards.
 
Cid was setting co-ordinates on the airship, Wakka and Rikku were talking excitedly, Lulu standing near them, arms crossed.
 
“Hey guys.” Wakka called out. “I just had a great idea.”
 
“It was my idea.” Rikku argued. “Let me tell them!”
 
“It’s like this, ya.” Wakka continued.
 
“I just thought..” Rikku jumped in front of him.
 
“The Hymn is the key.” Lulu said.
 
“The Hymn?” Tidus asked
 
 
“Sir Jecht likes the Hymn of the Fayyh, correct?”
 
“Yeah.” Tidus answered.
 
“That’s why he was listening to it in Macalania.” Rikku announced, as though having solved a particularly difficult riddle.
 
“Sin, violence incarnate, listening peacefully.” Lulu mused. “If we attack Sin head on we stand little chance of winning, however if he is weakened by the hymn.”
 
“Yeah.” Wakka said.
 
“Yeah, it could really work.” Rikku said.
 
“But first we get to bash Mika, right?” Buffy asked.
 
“It would seem the correct course of action, pacifying him alone will not be enough. We need to be able to defeat him.” The dark sorceress purred.
 
“Okay, so we talk to Mika and then find Sin?” Buffy summed up.
 
“It is an acceptable plan.” Auron said, walking out of the room.
 
They all spilt up, walking off to various parts of the ship, Spike followed Buffy as she found a place near the window and stared out.
 
The scenery beneath them was beautiful, all of it untamed wilderness, forests and fields, dotted with ancient ruins and the occasional settlement.
 
The ship began to slow and Bevelle came into view, Buffy shuddered, remembering what had happened last time they were there.
 
Spike noticed. “Buffy, you alright, pet?”
 
“I’m fine.” Buffy answered.
 
Spike put his arm around her. “It’s gonna be okay, luv.”
 
“Yeah, I know.”
 
“That’s my brave girl.” He pulled her close, she rested her head on him. Suddeny she pulled back, her nose wrinkled.
 
“What.”
 
“Your coat smells.”
 
“It does not.” He looked offended.
 
“Yes it does.” She answered.
 
He took it off, sniffing it. It did have an overworn smell to it, he opened his mouth but whatever answer he had was lost as Cid called over the speaker.
 
“Get your lazy behinds back on deck.”
 
They landed in the calm lands, near Macalania woods, the walk through the forest, to Bevelle was uneventful and silent, each engrossed in their own thoughts. Kirrel ran around, catching butterflies and plucking berries from bushes, they soon reached the Highbridge.
 
“Infidel!” The guards at the gate to the temple announced as they approached. They raised their guns, pointing them at Yuna’s party.
 
“One, two, three..” Buffy began to count the members of their group. “That’s ‘infidels’- plural.”
 
“You’ll regret showing your face here, we’ll strike you down in the name of Yevon.” They answered, annoyed.
 
“Blah, blah, blah.” Tidus commented.
 
“If they want a fight let’s give ‘em one!” Rikku announced.
 
“Prepare to charge!” One of the guards said.
 
“Stop!” They heard a female voice call out.
 
The guards lowered their weapons as Shelinda, the girl Buffy had met in Macalania, ran towards them.
 
“Captain?” One of the soldiers asked.
 
“Lady Yuna is not to be harmed.” Shelinda said. “She’s no traitor, that is an evil rumour spread by the Al Behd!”
 
“What!” Rikku asked angrily.
 
Spike glowered at the newcomer.
 
“Maester Mika himself told me.” Shelinda continued.
 
“Then, what are we to do?” The guard asked.
 
“Stand down!” Rikku ordered.
 
“As she says.” Shelinda agreed.
 
The guards walked back to their post.
 
“What was that about evil Al Behd?” Rikku asked.
 
“I… Truly I do not understand it myself.” Shelinda answered. “All Yevon seems to be in a state of confusion. Why, yesterday they called me out of the blue and made me captain of the guard!”
 
“Short on Believers?” Auron said.
 
“Yes, the chaos in the temples is worse than I’d imagined.” Shelinda answered. “It’s horrible and all the priests do is blame each other. I worry what will become of Yevon. But no! I must be the rock that stands against the swirling tides, right?” Shelinda looked at Yuna as she said this. “Lady Yuna, I must tell you, your courage has become a great inspiration to me.”


Tidus interrupted. “Yeah, that’s great but we came here to see Maester Mika, is he here?”
 
“Yes, I shall arrange an audience.” Shelinda answered. “Please wait in the courtroom.”
 
“Hey!” Rikku called after her. “Hey, wait! What was all that about the Al Behd lying and stuff?”
 
“Simple.” Auron answered, Rikku turned to look at him. “Yuna has become Mika’s only hope.”
 
“Oh… Okay.” Rikku said.
 
“Just what does he think he can get away with?” Lulu enquired, one hand on her hip, the other scratching her head.
 
“Let’s just get this over with, this place gives me the super wiggins.” Buffy said.
 
“Yes, let’s.” Yuna agreed.
 
 
“Why are you here?” Mika asked, standing on the balcony, overlooking the city. “You must go and defeat Sin quickly! You have obtained the Final Aeon from Yunalesca, have you not?”
 
“Well, we did meet her.” Tidus said.
 
“We fought and defeated her.” Yuna said.
 
“What!” Mika turned, shocked.
 
“Summoners and guardians will be sacrificed for the Final Summoning no more.” Auron said.
 
“You have profaned and subverted a thousand year old tradition.” He complained.
 
“Ah, I do that a lot.” Buffy said dismissively.
 
Mika shook his fist. “Fools, infants, do you realise what you’ve done? You’ve taken away the only means of calming Sin.”
 
“Hey, maybe that’s not the only way, we think we’ve got another.” Tidus said.
 
“Why… Preposterous, there is no other way!”
 
“The grand Maester running away?” Auron asked.
 
“Spira has lost its’ only hope, destruction is inevitable. Yu Yevon’s spiral of death will consume us all. I have no desire to watch Spira die.”
 
“It won’t die.” Yuna answered.
 
“Who is this Yu Yevon guy?” Tidus asked.
 
“Lady Yunalesca also mentioned him.” Lulu said.
 
“Wait, gramps, who’s Yu Yevon!” Rikku asked.
 
“He who crafts the souls of the dead into unholy armour. An armour called Sin. Clad in it Yu Yevon is invincible. And the only thing that could have pierced that armour you have destroyed! Nothing can stop it now.” He raised his arms in the air, beginning to glow, pyreflies floated upwards as he faded away.
 
“Disappear on us will ya? Rotten son of a shoopuf!” Wakka said.
 
“That was unexpected.” Spike said, surprised, Buffy put her arm around his waist.
 
“Well I didn’t expect for us to be attacked by a dead hooker with silicon implants and a g-string bikini. Life’s full of surprises.”
 
He looked down at her, then grinned. “Have I told you that I love you, slayer?”
 
“Maybe once, better tell me again in case I forget.” Buffy answered.
 
“A thousand times.” Spike said, his voice filled with passion.
 
Shelinda ran towards them. “Where, where is the grand Maester?”
 
“He, um…” Yuna began.
 
“He’s not here yet. How long must we wait?” Auron said.
 
“That’s odd, I’ll go look for His Grace.”
 
“I think he left his grace in his underwear drawer, with his looks and his brain.” Buffy said dryly under her breath, to her surprise Kimahri’s blue muzzle pulled into a reluctant smile.
 
A flicker of colour in the air nearby caught Buffy’s attention. A figure she recognised floated in the air.
 
“It’s you.” Tidus said to Bahamut’s Fayth.
 
“Come, to my room.” The Fayth answered.
 
“Okay.” Yuna said.
 
Wakka, Lulu, Auron and Rikku turned to look at them. “Who you talking to?” Wakka asked.
 
“Oh, uh, no-one.” Tudus answered.
 
“I must go see the Fayth.” Yuna told Auron.
 
“I see.” Was his only response.
 
They waited, impatiently outside the chamber of the Fayth for Yuna and Tidus to return.
 
Tidus came down the stairs, turning back towards the chamber to where Yuna came walking out.
 
“I..” They turned, seeing Shelinda run in. “I’m afraid the Grand Maester is nowhere to be found!”
 
“S’okay we were just leaving.” Tidus said.
 
“Oh… I see.” She looked downcast.
 
“Hey!” Rikku announced. “Maybe you could help us, with the Hymn.”
 
“Hey, good idea!” Tidus said.
 
Rikku continued. “It’s like, we need you to tell as many people as you can.”
 
“What should I tell them?” Shelinda asked.
 
“A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth. When they hear it we need everyone to sing along!”
 
“Everyone in Spira.” Wakka said.
 
“I’m not sure I understand.” Shelinda held her head in one hand, puzzled.
 
“You don’t have to, just tell everyone.” Rikku ordered her.
 
“A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth? So.. when they hear it, everyone should sing along, correct?”
 
“If they do we might be able to defeat Sin!” Tidus answered.
 
“Truly?”
 
“Yes!” Yuna answered.
 
“That’s wonderful, you can count on me, I shall tell all of Spira!”
 
When she left Buffy turned to the others. “No offence, but, there’s only one of her, how many people is she supposed to be able to tell, and how many are going to listen to her.”
 
Auron ‘humphed’ a wry grin on his face.
 
“She is very… insistent.” Lulu said.
 
“And persistent, also.” Auron added.
 
They left Bevelle, heading back to the airship, Tidus and Yuna insisted that they had all that they needed to defeat Sin. They flew the ship to an inn, near what Buffy was told was the ‘Mi’ihen highroad.”
 
Buffy recognised the place from the sphere Yuna had dropped, it was afternoon and they gave all of their clothing- including, much to his dismay, Spikes Coat- into the care of the receptionist. As they were so close to the sea Buffy bought herself a black, high-cut string bikini and sheer sarong in sapphire blue. To her surprise, as she sat on the warm sand looking out over the sea, Spike walked out with a towel wrapped around his waist, taking it off to reveal his absence of clothing and diving into the water. To her horror she felt a her cheeks warm and redden at the sight, luckily the vampire was underwater at the time, she giggled softly to herself, laying her sarong gently on the sand and jumped in after him.
 
The sun glided across the sky, falling behind the distant ruins in the sea and Buffy found herself, on the starlit beach, lying sleepily on Spike’s chest. She heard the door to the inn open, she turned around, curiously and saw the figures of Tidus and Yuna slipping off into the darkness, she smiled warmly, if the world could remain this way forever it would be perfect. She snuggled contentedly back into Spike’s bare chest and didn’t even feel him pick her up and carry her back into the darkened inn.

Chapter 22
 
“Okay, I’ve done some insane things in my time, but this is nuts.” Buffy pointed out.
 
“I… It will work. It must work.” Yuna said.
 
“Yeah, no problem.” Tidus enthused.
 
“Kinda gives meaning to ‘into the belly of the beast’, right luv?” Spike grinned.
 
“Yeah, let’s just hope we get out of its belly afterwards.” Buffy said darkly.
 
Buffy wore her Sunnydale clothing, the purple top, leather pants and string belt. She also wore a long, black coat of a very light material which flowed in the breeze. Apparently jackets weren’t the fashion here. She packed her jacket, along with the other clothes she had with her, into a bag, boarding the airship and placing the bag with everyone else’s belongings.
She then left the airship and sat by the road. She cleaned and sharpened her sword and performed some practise shots with the crossbow she had just bought. It was surprising how much Gil fiends carried around with them and Buffy was regularly given donations by the people they met. As such Buffy had a small stash of Gil with her and she’d blown most of it that morning on the crossbow.
 
“Buffy.” Buffy turned, Lulu stood behind her.
 
“Uh, yes?”
 
“May I?” Lulu motioned to the crossbow.
 
“Sure.” Buffy handed the weapon over to the black mage.
 
“If you wish I can teach you to enchant the weapon.” Lulu said.
 
“How.”


“Here.” Lulu showed Buffy some of the small gems. She placed them on the crossbow, they flashed with light, adhering to it.
“You need only to focus, the way you did on the Calm Lands and you can call the elements to your aid.”
 
“Um, thankyou.” Buffy looked down at her weapon, firing off a couple of electrically charged shots.
 
“Very good, you have an aptitude for magic as well as combat, if you would apply yourself you could be very good at it.”
 
“Uh, thanks.”
 
“Everyone, boarding the ship!” Rikku announced, running down the ramp and waving her arms energetically.
 
Buffy boarded the ship, Spike began talking with some of the Al Behd so she walked off through some of the halls. To her surprise she heard a muffled sniffling coming from behind one of the doors. She opened it a crack, peeking in. She muffled a gasp as she saw Tidus, sitting on a couch, his hands clasped together and his face taught with holding back emotion.
She frowned severely, Tidus didn’t have any negative emotions she knew of, what could it be..?

She leant on the door too hard and it opened, Tidus looked up in surprise. “I was.. looking for you.” She lied.
 
Tidus ran his hand through his dishevelled hair. “Yeah?”
 
“No, I heard you and came to see what’s wrong.” Buffy conceded.
 
“Oh.” He looked down. “Uh, nothing.”
 
“What is it?”
 
“It’s… ah, I don’t really wanna talk about it.”
 
“Okay.” Buffy said. “But… If you go into battle with this and screw up, it will be your fault.”
 
“I…”
 
Buffy waited, trying to look patient.
 
“When we face Sin, when we kill him, when that happens… I’ll die too.”
 
“Okay, I’m officially confused.”
 
“Sin… Sin calls on the Fayth, he makes them dream.”
 
“Yeah.” Buffy said, prodding him to continue.
 
“What they dream… It’s more like a summoning… They dream of Zanarkand, my Zanarkand, before it was destroyed by Sin. They dream of it and it sorta becomes real. Well… I’m one of their dreams.”
 
Buffy’s eyes widened, disbelieving. “What?”
 
“The Fayth dreamed me into being, they… summoned me kinda. And when, when we kill Sin they will stop dreaming, stop summoning and I… I will fade.”
 
Buffy had little to say to this. “Tidus… I’m sorry.”
 
“It’s not a big deal. I just wish… I wish Yuna and I had more time together, you know?”
 
Tears sprung to Buffy’s eyes and she blinked to banish them. “Well, we’ll tell the others, we can stop this, they don’t need to kill Sin. I… We don’t have to.”
 
Tidus grabbed her arm. “No, you can’t tell anyone.”

”What, why?”
 
“Yuna… All of Spira, they need Sin gone, I- I have seen what Sin can do and I can’t let that happen. We have to kill Sin!”
 
“Okay.” Buffy said, reluctantly.
 
“Promise you won’t tell anyone?”
 
“I promise.” Buffy said, solemnly.
 
They heard footsteps coming up the hall. Spike poked his head in through the door. “Is this a private matter?”
 
“Nah, he’s having pre-battle jitters.” Buffy said, slapping the boy on the back. “I had to give him the pep talk thing.”
 
“Ah, well, we’re kinda ready to go. You’ll wanna come to the bridge for this.”
 
Buffy followed Spike to the bridge. Cid was standing by the control panel, a demented looking grin on his face.
 
“The final showdown with Sin! I say let’s get this show on the road!” He announced.
 
He set the coordinates for where Sin was supposed to be, stepping back from the panel and turning to the group. “Well, this is it, eh?”
 
“Yu Yevon’s hiding somewhere inside Sin, and we’re gonna find him.” Tidus said, confidently.
 
“Well that sounds pretty simple.” Cid said doubtfully.
 
Tidus laughed at the man. “Simple is the way you like it, right?”
 
“You got that right!” Cid agreed.
 
Rikku sat at a control, she turned around. “Pops, I’m countin’ on ya!”
 
“Right, got you covered.” He answered, walking over to a computer on the wall.
 
He pressed some buttons and the hymn of the Fayth came forth from the ship’s loudspeakers. It vibrated throughout the ship and Yuna held her hand up to her chest, a dreamy look on her face.
 
“How’s that?” Cid asked.
 
“Right on!” Rikku answered.
 
“A singing ship in the sky…” Lulu mused.
 
“I hope everyone got the message.” Wakka said, worried.
 
Suddenly Brother called out. “Sin!”
 
“Alright we’re going in!” Tidus exclaimed.
 
“How we gonna get inside?” Wakka asked.
 
“The easy way, how else.” Tidus answered.
 
“Figures.” Rikku said.
 
“Well, let’s go.” Lulu told them.
 
As they ran from the room Cid called after them. “Hey, how d’ya plan on getting inside.”

Tidus turned. “If we can’t get in through the mouth, we’ll rip open a new one, you with me?”
 
Cid gave a demented cowboy laugh. “Now that’s what I call a plan!”
 
Buffy lost the rest of their conversation as she followed the others up onto the deck, moments later Tidus joined them, they were approaching Sin, its slug like body was clearly visible, looming in front of them.
 
“I can hear the song!” Rikku proclaimed.”
 
Buffy listened, the Airship’s speakers had stopped and from far below she could hear it, the notes of the Hymn wafting up to them.
 
“Yes, I can hear the Hymn too.” Lulu said.
 
“They listened to us!” Tidus said triumphantly. “We won’t let them down.” He turned to Yuna, pulling the blue sphere out of his pocket. “Yuna, you don’t need this anymore, right?”
 
Yuna gasped, making strange inaudible noises.
 
“Right?” Tidus asked again.
 
Yuna nodded and he threw the sphere off the edge of the airship. The ship rumbled, throwing them off balance.
 
“Hey, guys? Guys? That’s not good, ya?”
 
Sin summoned a glowing ball around him, the ship seemed to be drawn towards him almost as though he had created a gravitational well. Everyone on the airship fell to their knees as the rumbling increased. Suddenly Sin shot the energy from around himself in various directions, creating enormous holes in the earth, the sea and rent the sky. They pulled themselves, unsteadily to their feet, looking around.
 
Buffy stared at the sky, it was like something from a nightmare, she knew what she was seeing couldn’t be real. It was as though someone had carved a perfect circle out of the sky and the earth. The clouds still floated in the sky with an enormous semi circle carved out of them, the trees, ground and even the sea were carved in the same manner, an enormous hole was missing from the world, like a tunnel and Buffy could look through the tunnel far off into the distance. Rikku made sounds of astonishment, which suddenly turned to sounds of despair. The waves which had been parted in a ‘Prince of Egypt’ way were suddenly falling in on themselves causing and enormous wall of water to race along the tunnel Sin had created, coming directly towards the airship. The earth itself began to collapse and the wall of water was joined by flying rocks and fiery debris.
 
They raced towards the door which lead back inside the ship, hoping to take cover near it, Spike grabbed Buffy, throwing himself protectively over her, his coat flying around her like wings in the hot breeze. The airship was pelted with rocks, some the size of basketballs. What had once been the branch of a pine tree flew through the air, impaling the wall three feet to the right of Spike, Buffy stared at it, eyes wide and tried not to imagine what would have happened had that hit her vampire.
 
The rumbling stopped and the apprehensive party stood up on wobbling legs.
They came face to face with Sin. “Damn you old man.” Tidus said, true hatred in his voice.
 
“Hey, I saw something shine at the base of Sin’s arm!” Cid called over the speakers. “I reckon it’s a weak spot.”
 
“That or the remains of the last dragon slayer.” Buffy said fatalistically.
 
Brother said something in a panicked voice over the speaker.
 
“Translation?” Buffy asked.
 
“We’re being pulled by Sin.” Spike answered.
 
“Everyone, back inside!” Cid ordered.
 
“Duu myda! Ed lusac!” Brother yelled.
 
Buffy fired off enchanted crossbow bolts into the putrid grey flesh, Lulu threw bolts of lightning while Rikku hurled explosives.
Spike pulled a gun from under his coat and Buffy was vaguely aware that a giant bird took to the air, raking Sin’s underarm with its claws. Wakka hurled his large, spiked ball at it while Kimahri used the gems to hurl firebolts at it.
Tidus and Auron looked aggravated, incapable of landing a blow at this distance, to Buffy’s surprise pieces of him peeled off each time they hit him, falling towards the ground and slowly eating away at the arm joint. Cid called out. “Here goes! Everyone, hold onto something!”
 
Sin was apparently too worn out to fight back after his Moses impression, Cid aimed the ship’s missiles, firing them at the arm. As the people on deck watched the arm detached itself from the body, falling down towards the ground, Buffy hoped there was no-one beneath them.
 
“Alright!” Cid called out. “Everyone look sharp, time to hit the other side!” The ship lurched into action, flying beneath Sin and emerging over the other side with a clear shot of his arm, as they attacked it tried to turn, reminding Buffy of a beached whale. Its clumsy efforts to evade their attack were futile and the second arm began to plummet towards the ground.
 
“Yeehaw, where next!” Cid called.
 
“Ed ec ujan.” Brother said.
 
“Fryd? Fa ryja uhmo pakih!” Cid answered.
 
“What are they saying?” Buffy asked. Spike listened to Brothers answer.
 
“The guns are overheated, they can’t fire on him any more.”
 
“Dang it! All right, back inside, time for another plan!” Cid called.
 
“No, we’re going in!” Tidus called back. “Every blitzer knows, when you got the ball, you gotta score!”
 
“I wonder if Sir Jecht is in pain.” Yuna said.
 
“Let’s just get this over with, the fayth said they’d help us, right?” Tidus said.
 
“It bothers me, the way they said that.” Yuna answered. “I mean they’ve been fighting alongside us this whole time but now they say they’ll help?”
 
“I guess so.” Tidus said.
 
“Wait!” Yuna called out. “Sin is reborn when Yu Yevon merges with an aeon, isn’t that right?”
 
Buffy hadn’t heard about this and so said nothing.
 
Tidus nodded. “If I summon an Aeon.” Yuna continued. “Yu Yevon will join with it. But at first it will be small, won’t it?”
 
“Yeah…” Tidus nodded again. “Then we might be able to defeat it without the final summoning.”
 
“I don’t know, what if Yu Yevon jumps again?”
 
“Then we’ll take it down again!” Tidus said.
 
“We’ll fight him ‘till there’s no place left to run!”
 
“I never thought it would come down to this.”
 
“Yeah, I know. Hey, the Fayth, they’re tired of this whole thing too. Let’s let them rest.”
 
Buffy threw Tidus a look which he pointedly ignored.
 
“The Fayth said.” Yuna began. “It’s pointless to keep dreaming. The dream will disappear, he said. What did he mean? And, what is it that Yu Yevon is summoning from within Sin?”
 
“The dream of the Fayth.” Tidus answered.
 
“You won’t… Go away, will you?” Yuna asked. Buffy’s eyebrows shot up.
 
 “Hey, something’s happening to Sin!” Rikku suddenly called out.
 
Sin seemed to collapse downwards, the airship followed, as they broke through the clouds they saw Sin hovering above the highest tower in Bevelle, giant shining wings came from its back.
 
“Let’s go!” Tidus yelled.
 
“Okay, take us up flush to the mouth!” Cid yelled at Brother. “No mistakes or I’ll tear out that mop you call hair.”
 
Buffy shuddered, she much preferred the ‘no mistakes or I’ll cut your allowance’ threat.
 
Kimahri walked over to Buffy, placing a large paw on her shoulder. “Slayer Buffy. You worry.”
 
“Uh, no. I don’t think so.” Buffy looked confused.
 
“When you fight, evil come back?”
 
“Oh, that.. yeah, it kinda sucks.”
 
“No worry.” Kimahri told her, shaking his head solemnly. “Stand against evil. Already won.”
 
He gave her a very solemn look and walked over to the edge of the ship as they came, once again, face to face with Sin.
 
As Sin pulled them closer and closer they rained upon him blow after blow, slowly his mouth opened and as the ship lurched violently from side to side they were sucked into its gaping mouth.
 
When Buffy’s eyes adjusted to the dim light she looked around. She had been half expecting a Pinocchio type situation, trapped inside his stomach but instead the airship was landing on solid, misty ground.
 
The ground was crisscrossed by paths, all heading in the same general direction, they began to follow one of them.
 
The mist soon gave way to higher ground, they rounded a corner and gasped. There in front of them was what appeared to be a crystal statue of Seymour, dressed like a fairy.
 
“Lady Yuna, we meet again.” He said.
 
“Shut up, Seymour.” Buffy called. “We’re so gonna kick your ugly ass to death, so just..”
 
“You do not understand, no mere mortal can defeat me.” He said smugly.
 
“That so?” Spike asked, leaping over his crystal head he then jumped up and wrapped his arms around Seymour’s throat. “Sorry you big poofter, I aint mortal. Yuna, send him!” He called out. Yuna nodded, stepping forward.
 
Seymour opened his mouth to say something and Spike stuck his thumbs in the Maester’s eyes. In the middle of considering how disgusting this was he found himself sprawled on the ground. Seymour was gone- for good.
 
“Way to go, Spike!” Tidus called.
 
“Yeah!” Rikku pumped her fist in the air, dancing on the spot.
 
They continued to walk for what seemed like forever, eventually ending up in what appeared to be Macalania Woods. Rikku saw a crystal on the ground.
 
“Oooh.” She went to pick it up but as she touched it they were all pulled upwards, landing on a round platform. At the other end of the platform a man stood with his back to them, though Buffy would recognise that back anywhere, crisscrossed with deep scars.
 
“You’re late, Auron.” The figure said.
 
“I know.” Auron answered.
 
He turned around and waved to Tidus. “Hey.”

”Hi.” Tidus said.
 
“Hah! You got tall but you’re all bones!” Jecht laughed. “You eating right, boy?” He lowered his head to eye level with Tidus. “You’ve really grown.”


“Yeah, but you’re still bigger.” Tidus pointed out.
 
“Well, I am Sin, you know.”
 
“That’s, not funny!” Tidus said angrily.
 
Jecht laughed as though he thought it was. “Well, then… I mean… You know.” He began rubbing his neck as though it was sore. “Let’s end this.”
 
“Dad.” Tidus said.
 
“Yeah?” Jecht asked.
 
“I hate you!” Tidus said fiercely.
 
Jecht gave a small, dry laugh. “I know, I know. You know what you have to do.”
 
Tidus looked up. “Yeah.”
 
“I.. I can’t hear the Hymn so well anymore.” Jecht pointed out. “Pretty soon I’m gonna be Sin, completely. I’m glad you’re here now. One thing though… When it starts I won’t be myself anymore. I won’t be able to hold myself back. I’m sorry.”
 
“That’s enough!” Tidus yelled. “Let’s finish this, okay?”
 
Jecht crossed his arms. “You’re right.”
 
He turned, walking slowly away. He suddenly turned back to them, crossing his arms in front of his chest, a white light formed in his hands and he raised them above his head, the light flashed out of his chest and he began to walk backwards off the platform, Tidus suddenly broke off, running towards him, Buffy crash tackled him to the ground.
“What are you doing you idiot!” She demanded.
 
“I..” As he said this a light flashed below, lighting up Zanarkand, a giant ‘J’, Jecht’s symbol appeared above the city, composed of floating rocks and burning fiercely. A giant hand grabbed the edge where Jecht had fallen off, pulling a monstrous creature into the air. It was vaguely humanoid in shape with clawed hands, feathers, scales and coarse hair. A giant J was emblazoned on its chest where Jecht had his ‘J’ tattoo. It lashed out with claws, fiery attacks and laser beams.
 
They attacked back just as fiercely and, suddenly, he roared. The ‘J’ floating behind him burst into even more flames as a light poured from the Aeon/Jecht’s chest. To Buffy’s horror he pulled an immense sword from his own chest, ready to cut them all down at once. He swung the sword and they leapt or ducked, only Kimahri was wounded, his stomach slashed open as he tried to jump backwards.
 
“Kimahri!” Yuna raced over to heal him.
 
Buffy felt something go through her, something both strange and familiar. Spike, Lulu and Kimahri fell to the floor as their power became one with Buffy. This time Buffy accepted, almost welcomed the alien power that filled her body, Lulu’s black magic crackled around her. Deep within she felt a pool of strength so deep and powerful whilst still warm and caring- she knew that strength, that poetry could belong to only one person.
 
She walked calmly up to Jecht, her slayer abilities mixed with the sheer power of Kimahri launched her through the air, she planted her foot into Jecht’s head, snapping it around backwards even though it was the same size as her. She then took a floating step from his shoulder down to his arm where she calmly broke it in half, the sword falling onto the platform below and imbedding deeply into it.
 
She leapt again, gathered her strength, and smashed her hand through Jecht’s stone hard ribcage, ripping out the pulsating light within. The crystal-like heart seemed to shatter, dissolving into the air as the giant Aeon dissolved into pyreflies, The motionless form of Jecht falling to the ground.
 
“Dad!” Tidus ran over to him, if Buffy wasn’t falling over from sudden fatigue she would have been surprised as Jecht moved.
 
“You’re gonna cry, you always cry, see you’re crying.” He said.
 
“I hate you dad!” Tidus sniffed.
 
“Save it for later.” Jecht said.
 
“Right we’ve got a job to do, don’t we?”
 
Buffy slowly pulled herself to her feet, head throbbing and spinning.
 
“Good, that’s right, you are my son after all.” Jecht told Tidus.
 
“You now for the first time I’m glad, to have you as my... Father.”
 
“Heh.” Jecht said.
 
“Sir Jecht, I should…” Yuna began.
 
“No, Yuna, there’s no time! Yuna, you know what to do! The aeons!”
 
Before them Bahamut’s Fayth appeared. “We Aeons.” He echoed.
 
“Call them!”
 
“Call us!”
 
“Yes.” Yuna said as Jecht fell to the floor, disappearing into a column of pyreflies.”
 
“Here it comes!” Lulu called.
 
Here what comes? Buffy thought to herself. She looked up, a small black and red, glowing shape flew downwards, hitting the hilt of the sword and causing a blinding flash of light.
 
They all found themselves lying on the ground, all around them, metallic and echoing the Hymn of the Fayth could be heard.
 
They held their hands over their ears, trying to diminish the brain numbing noise, Tidus leapt to his feet. “Yuna!” He called over the racket. Yuna nodded and a second later an immense rumbling could be heard as the Aeon, Bahamut, flew down through the sky, landing on the ground. As he did so the black and red shape flew down, sinking into him and taking control of his body. Either side of him floated two pillars, made up of various blocks, rotating madly.
 
Bahamut roared in anger. “Kill me!” He called, struggling within himself to hold back. The battle was short and fierce, as he dissolved Yuna’s face was fraught with sorrow and pain. Buffy had never considered how close to these incredible creatures the summoners really were.
 
Yuna bit her lip, summoning Shiva, the beautiful ice goddess lasted about as long as Bahamut. Shiva was followed by Ixion, the silvery unicorn, crackling with electricity, Ifrit, the fire demon and finally Valefor, the gentle bird, warped and twisted, taken over by Yu Yevon.
 
Buffy had burns, frostbite, bad hair- due to the electrical charge thrown at her by Ixion- as well as slashes, cuts and bruises. She realised that she wasn’t the only one. Everyone was wounded in some way or another, Yuna tried desperately to heal everyone as Valefor lay, dying, on the ground.
 
The red and black Yu Yevon rose into the air, instead of waiting for another Aeon to be called it span around
 
And this was when Buffy got the largest surprise she’d had since arriving in Spira.
“A tick? The fierce, evil, rampaging monster that has ravaged your lands for over a thousand years is an overgrown tick!”
 
It really was a tick, everyone stood there in silence, regarding it sceptically. Tidus took this opportunity to talk. “Everyone this is the last time we fight together okay? What I’m trying to say is after we beat Yu Yevon I’ll disappear.”
 
“What are you talking about?” Lulu asked as though he’d gone insane.
 
“I'm saying goodbye.” Tidus said.
 
“Not now!” Rikku pleaded.
 
“I know it’s selfish but this is my story!” Tidus exclaimed.
 
“I still don’t get that kid.” Buffy told Spike.
 
Without his ‘armour’ Yu Yevon was incredibly weak. They hit him a few times with various weapons and spells before he began to shimmer. Buffy expected him to turn into something big and hairy but instead he floated upwards, the pillars either side of him stopped spinning then came crashing together.
 
There was an immense flash of light and they felt themselves falling, they fell for what seemed like forever, Buffy was sure they were going to hit the ground and die but she felt a pulling as though she were in an elevator which was slowing down. The misty ground became visible beneath their feet and they landed very lightly not far from the airship.
 
The airship took off as the group raced through the ship to get back up on deck. As the airship burst from Sin they came out onto the deck.
 
A sky, filled with stars, shone overhead, the air was crisp and pure if a little thin, a faint light lit up everything as Yuna began to perform what would become known as the Last Sending.
 
It wasn’t the last Sending that would ever be performed but it was the last time she would be sending the souls of those who had died because of Sin. It was the ultimate Sending, the sending that would end Sendings. The Sending of Sin.
 
All over Spira, deep within the temples in the Chamber of the Fayth, the round resting places of the Fayth were changing as the Fayth themselves were sent the elaborate coffins which housed them lost all colour, becoming nothing more than grey stone carvings. Now the Fayth would sing no more.
 
High on the airship, battered by the cold winds, the fierce battles and her own emotions Buffy clung to Spike.
 
Yuna danced, spinning and twirling, each movement coaxing the dead on to the next world, she span back towards the group and stopped, a surprised look on her face.
 
Behind the group Auron stood there, pyreflies dancing off him.
 
“Don’t stop.” He ordered.
 
“But I…”
 
“It’s all right.” He said, walking through the group, he stopped next to Kimahri, thumping him on the chest. He then walked past them all. “It’s been long enough.”
 
He put his sword over his shoulder, turning to the group. “This is your world now.”
 
With that he dissolved, the pyreflies floating upwards.
 
Yuna continued her dance, in the sky around her the Aeons floated upwards. Suddenly Sin exploded into Pyrelfies, lighting up the sky like daytime, the glow subsided until everything was bathed in a soft, golden light.
 
Far up on the peaks of Mount Gagazet the pillar of blue water began to collapse, in each of the tiniest drops were faces, as the water sparkled out of existence so too did the faces.
 
Tidus looked down at his hands, through them he could see the deck. The final sorrow hit him and he knew, he turned to where Yuna was completing her Sending. She was beautiful, her dark hair shone in the golden light, with every movement she made he fell in love with her a little more and it ripped his heart out that now, after all this, he had to leave her. But he knew he had to be strong. He hadn’t always been good, honest, faithful or brave, he hadn’t always been able to swing a sword or catch a ball, these things didn’t matter anymore though, all these things he left behind. Now he had to be strong, for Yuna.
 
She turned, staring in shock at Tidus, through Tidus. She shook here head hard, hair falling messily and the long earring she wore pulling on her earlobe. “No.” If she denied it, maybe it would go away.
 
No matter how he tried Tidus looked pained. “Yuna I have to go.”
 
Yuna shook her head again.
 
“I’m sorry I couldn’t show you Zanarkand. Goodbye.”
 
Rikku couldn’t bear it anymore. “Were gonna see you again?” she called out, maybe she was too young, she didn’t understand it. After everything was finally perfect, Yunie was safe and very much in love, sin was dead, why was he leaving them, how?
 
Tidus walked past them, towards the edge of the ship.
 
“Yuna!” Kimahri called out as she ran towards Tidus, arms outstretched, as she ran through him, landing face down on the deck.
 
He looked around, the pyrelfies floated upwards, each one calling to him, he knew he couldn’t stay here, he wouldn’t fade away in front of his friends. Yuna got to her feet, her back was still to him.
 
“I love you.” She said in a voice barely more audible than a whisper. He turned, his heart filled beyond bursting point, he walked over to her, placing his arms around her, her hair blowing into his face, he then took a step forward, walking through her, he stopped, one last time before running and jumping off the deck.
 
Somewhere, with Braska and Auron, his father waited for him.

CHAPTER 23
 
 “The.. the, pillock.” The expletive falling from Giles mouth without thought.
 
“You found him?” Willow asked.
 
“Here.” Giles showed her a map. “He’s been here in Sunnydale the entire time.”
 
“So, why are we still here, we find him, hit him and make him bring Buffy back.” Xander said, grabbing a jacket.
 
“Well, we should… I mean, Buffy… back here. We need her.” Willow said.
 
“Yes, yes, well, let’s not rush off too quickly.” Giles said. “Ethan is a very powerful sorcerer, one simply does not just walk in and say…”
 
“Ripper?” A surprised voice came from the Summers’ door. “I thought you would have gone back to England by now… I mean..”
 
“Get him.” Xander said, they raced to the door as he turned to run, he tripped over several of his demon minions who scattered, leaving him sprawled on the grass.
 
 
“Ripper, Rupert old pal, maybe we should think this through… Ow!” He yelled as Xander maliciously tightened the ropes.
 
“I mean this kind of spell could go horribly wrong, you don’t want the young lass trapped in a demon dimension for eternity.”
 
“You listen to me you bloody git, you’re going to bring her back and you’re going to do it now!”
 
“Alright, alright, you couldn’t.. loosen the ropes, could you?”
 
Giles glowered at him and he flinched, beginning to intone. “I call Arkhon..”
 
…………
 
Buffy and spike stood near the pier, not far from the Blitzball stadium in the large and colourful city of Luca. The entire town was done up with ribbons, balloons and entertainers, all of Spira was celebrating.
 
Buffy smiled at Spike, he was dressed in loose fitting, black pants similar to those Auron wore, a heavy black silk top, shot through with silver threads like pyreflies against the night sky. It was fitted to his shape, with a high collar and buttons down the front, stopping half way down the shirt. His coat was safe aboard the airship, he had locked it in small box to protect it from any unfortunate mishaps. He was guarding it closely, he wasn’t going to be the one spending eternity in this place without his coat.
 
Far off, at the edge of the pier stood Yuna. As they watched she put her fingers in her mouth again, letting out a piercing whistle over the empty sea, her only answer was the cry of gulls. Buffy watched the girl, she had asked Lulu before about the whistling. Was it a Spiran tradition? Lulu had been as clueless as Buffy and they could only watch as she stood, whistling over the sea.
 
Lulu walked up to them. “She is still..?”
 
Buffy nodded. “I wish… I wish we could give her more time. Do you want me to..?”
 
“No, I shall do this.” Lulu walked up the pier to where the summoner stood.
 
“Yuna, it’s time…”
 
Yuna turned, giving one last glance at the sea as if it were to suddenly deliver to her the one thing she wanted most. She then turned, resigned, and followed Lulu back to where Buffy and Spike waited.
 
The walk to the Blitzball stadium was conducted in silence. The streets were surprisingly empty, whereas earlier they had been impossible to walk through, as full as they were with people.
 
They emerged high up in a balcony seat, near the top of the stadium. Kimahri stood far to the right, with Rikku next to him then Wakka, Lulu, Buffy and Spike.
 
Buffy looked like a native. Her white dress was halter necked, coming down the front like Yuna’s shirt, it crossed over in the front and the skirt hung underneath that, long, white and flowing with a slit up to her hip. Around her waist she wore a thick, electric blue belt and in her right ear was a long earring like Yuna’s, blue stone beads and a tassel. The earring was surprisingly light. She wore a necklace of blue and silver beads and attached to the back of her dress, from the neck were flowing pieces of gauzy white material which attached to small, silver bangles around her wrists, hanging down and looking like butterfly wings when she moved. Rikku had told her she looked like an angel and Spike had been all too ready to agree.
 
Yuna stood, alone, near the edge of the balcony while thousands of people looked expectantly at her. Buffy couldn’t imagine being in that position, the whole world was literally watching her.
 
“Everyone.” The crowd silenced as Yuna spoke. “Everyone here has lost something precious. Everyone here has lost homes, dreams and friends. Everybody, now Sin is finally dead, now Spira is ours again.”
 
This statement was met by wild cheering and applause, when it died down Yuna continued.
 
“Now, working together we can make new homes for ourselves, and new dreams. Although I know the journey will be hard we have lots of time, together we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, let us start out today.”
 
The crowd, touched by her words and inspired by her strength gave a quiet applause. Buffy squeezed Spike’s hand and he smiled gently down at her.
 
“Just one more thing; the people and friends we have lost…”
 
She lowered her head for a moment before saying quietly; “and the dreams that have faded.” She blinked, memories flooding back to her.
 
“Never forget them.”
 
The crowd cheered again, some threw confetti, some embraced each other. Buffy looked up at Spike, whether she was caught up in the moment or the sapphire depths of his eyes drew her in she found herself drawn to him. They kissed, long and hard, their eyes closed and they became aware of only each other as everything else melted into insignificance.
 
They finally broke from the kiss, looking up at where Giles, Willow, Anya, Xander, Tara and Dawn stared at them, their shocked faces, chalk white.
 
THE END

Read the sequel 'Revolution of Tranquility'