Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ A Time for Reflection ❯ Marriage is Forever ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter XVIII: Marriage is Forever

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In the Farplane
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"Good morning, Jecht." Auron looked at his friend wade in the clear pool of water… the pond that he would always blitz with Tidus in.

"Hey there… come to check up on poor little me?" Jecht said humorously, trying to hide his troubled condition.

"Well, yes, actually. Braska is at my home for lunch, and I was wondering if you would like to come." Jecht nodded as he got out of the body of water.

"What the hell, I don't have anything better to do…" He grabbed a towel that was lying haphazardly on the ground and talked to Auron as he dried himself off.

"So, I've been kind of a hermit since the wedding. What's been happening?"

"Nothing at all," Auron lied.

The shrewd one-eyed man looked carefully at his friend. Auron mused that Jecht was very right about the hermit part… the wedding had depressed him.

"It's weird," Jecht thought ruefully to himself.

"I loved her so damn much, but I never really groped for her attention."

Right now, though, Jecht knew that he wanted her embrace badly… he needed it. He noticed Auron staring at him as they walked to his house, and he realized what he had done.

"I believe you were thinking out loud again, Jecht." Auron's friend looked at the ground for a moment and sighed.

"Auron… I've always been tough! In control, you know? Why the hell am I like this right now?" Auron sighed and looked at him.

"Jecht… you're not made of steel. I would like to think that I am sometimes, but I *know* my limitations… you don't." He looked his friend in the eye. "It is okay to talk about things sometimes, you know."

Jecht looked wildly at his friend. "You wanna talk? Okay, we'll talk!" Jecht's gaze pierced into his friend's strong eye, causing even Auron to wince slightly.

"We need to do something! Auron, she's here… she's in that damned city, I can feel it!" Auron looked at him stoically, causing Jecht's anger to flare.

"Dammit Auron, you need to believe me! I think Zanarkand is in trouble!" He looked at Auron… if he was getting through to him, it wasn't showing.

"And what the hell are we doing? We're sitting here, waiting for something to happen… we're not helpless, we can fight that bastard Kaemon!"

Auron looked despondently at his friend. "We can do nothing… not yet."

Jecht was angry, and Auron looked around carefully to make sure that nobody was listening in on their conversation. He leaned carefully to his livid friend.

"I lived there for ten years, Jecht," Auron said vehemently, looking at his friend in earnest.

"I feel it too… something is wrong, and Braska and I both realize it. Right now, though, we can do nothing! We need time to think up a strategy." Jecht looked at Auron as he continued. "Kaemon is powerful… Braska knows this much for sure."

"So, what the hell are we gonna do?" Jecht asked passionately, looking at his patient friend. Auron looked around once again.

"Kaemon is hungry for supremacy… he threw Yumiko and Akeno off of the council. He wants to rule this place with an iron fist, Jecht." Auron started walking once again, and Jecht followed him carefully.

"Braska believes that we can get Akeno and Yumiko's help, but we *need* patience from you Jecht. We have to think this through… they may be our only chance to break the barrier surrounding Zanarkand, and we do not want to ruin our chances by doing something ignorant."

Jecht nodded as they neared Auron's home and walked past the numerous flamingos.

Auron turned around to look at Jecht as they walked through the door.

"Akeno says we may need your son's help as well…"

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In Spira
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The rest of the voyage was pleasant… it arrived on schedule at a dock to the northeast of the Thunder Plains. A chocobo drawn carriage was awaiting Tidus and Yuna, and the ship's crew loaded their luggage quickly. They were on their way to Bevelle.

It was a lovely afternoon… Yuna surveyed her surroundings as Tidus looked curiously at her.

"Hey," Tidus said thoughtfully. "We never really came around these parts on our pilgrimage, did we?" She glanced at him and nodded.

"No… if you remember, our first visit to Bevelle was a little out of the ordinary." Tidus smiled at Yuna and looked out the window; he quickly turned his attention back to his wife.

"What road is this? I've never seen it before…" Yuna gazed at him and smiled at his question. She realized that Tidus still had much to learn about Spira. He was adorably asking questions and soaking everything in just as a small child would do. It was humorous… then again, he had no way to be familiar with the area, so she nicely answered his question.

"This… is the Bevelle Highroad," she stated solemnly, looking at Tidus. Yuna's husband started to say something, but she continued before he could put the words together.

"It was a massive project after sin was defeated… It was constructed to connect Bevelle with the rest of the world." Tidus smiled.

"So," he started. "No more going through that hell hole lightning place?"

Yuna nodded and giggled at her memories. In her mind, she could still picture him frantically dodging the powerful electric bolts at the Thunder Plains. Tidus smiled ruefully and looked at Yuna.

"Wow, I wish that was here during our pilgrimage! Say, where is this road exactly?"

"It's a little to the northeast of the Thunder Plains… it starts at Guadosalam and circles around the Thunder Plains," Yuna said, watching Tidus as his gaze once again returned to the scenery outside.

"At this point on the Highroad, it's to the south of…" Tidus cut her off as he finished the sentence for her.

"Macalania."

She nodded as Tidus moved his head so that Yuna could take in the view. Directly north of the newlyweds and their carriage was an entrance to the Macalania Woods. The eerie, yet gorgeous forest luminously glowed in front of their eyes.

The memories… the wondrous, sensual, loving, beautiful memories flooded Tidus and Yuna's minds. He looked intently at Yuna and turned his attention to the driver.

"Sir!" Tidus yelled as he poked his head through the window. "I have a request!" The driver nodded, and Tidus continued to speak.

"Stop the carriage… Lady Yuna and I want out. Make sure that the luggage gets to Bevelle safely, please."

The bewildered driver pulled the carriage over, and Yuna's shocked expression did not deter her husband in the least.

"Come on… we're walking the rest of the way." Tidus grabbed her by the hand and led her through the field in the direction of the beautiful forest they fell in love at…
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Yuna was frustrated… as they neared the forest, she looked scornfully at her rowdy husband. "I can't believe you did this! That poor man, he's probably wondering what in the world he's going to do!" Tidus looked at his perturbed wife in amusement as he continued walking purposely to Macalania.

"Aww, come on Yuna… you know it'll be fun!" Tidus exclaimed, racing excitedly to the incandescent entrance.

Yuna sighed as her husband continued to walk briskly to his desired destination. She stopped for a moment to pick a wild flower growing in the field; it was one among many, and it was beautiful.

"Blue," she mused… the color of his eyes. She realized that she couldn't stay very mad at him for very long. He was… hypnotizing, and even something as simple as a flower somehow reminded her of him.

"Hurry up!" Tidus said energetically, looking at his wife. Yuna nodded as she walked up to her husband, who was now waiting impatiently beside the entrance. Upon reaching him, Tidus noticed the flower she was holding delicately in her hand.

"It's pretty, Yuna." She blushed, thinking of how it completely resembled Tidus' bright cerulean gaze. Drowning in her sentimental thoughts, she strode purposely into the forest of Macalania…
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Tidus and Yuna walked down the narrow path, holding each other's hands as they took in the familiar surroundings. "Yuna… there's no fiends here anymore, right?" Yuna looked at him and started giggling.

"You should have thought about that before you took me here!" Tidus looked embarrassed, and Yuna decided to go easy on him. "No, it's pretty clear right now. Most of the distressed souls found solace and went to the Farplane after Sin was destroyed."

Yuna regretted her words when she noticed Tidus wince at the mention of his former home. She decided to change the subject. "You were right though… it's nice being back here." Tidus looked at her and sighed happily.

"Yeah, it is…" His face brightened when he found familiarity with his surroundings. "Hey, follow me!"

Yuna complied as she made her way down the winding path. Upon reaching Tidus' desired destination, she breathed in heavily at the sight that greeted her eyes.

The lake… memories flooded Yuna's mind.

The way his gentle touch and loving embrace felt that evening… it was so comforting. She had been able to experience that kind of comfort and serenity for over two months now. But being able to see the sparkling body of water in which they shared their first kiss… it sparked magnificent emotions in her body and soul.

"It… it's just as I remember it." Tidus nodded at his wife's words and ran to the lake. He merrily jumped in the crystal blue water and started splashing around.

"Come on, the water's great!" Tidus exclaimed happily as he waded around in the warm lake. Yuna giggled at his spontaneity. Although she didn't particularly want to get in the water, Yuna was afraid of spoiling the moment if she declined. It was their spot, and she was going to make the most out of her opportunity to be there with her husband.

So, she let go of her inhibitions and jumped happily into the water. Her dress clung tightly to her attractive figure, and Tidus playfully whistled at his wife.

"Oh, hush!" Yuna shouted in between laughter as she made her way to her naughty husband. Upon reaching Tidus, she lazily collapsed in his strong embrace. This time, she didn't feel like crying… instead, she felt nothing but pure and total joy.

"So," she said slyly. "It's just you and me in Bevelle for a whole week… I have you all to myself." Tidus nodded and lovingly placed his head on her slender shoulder. He looked up at her and gave her a gentle kiss.

"Yuna… do you remember…" Yuna interrupted him quickly, looking adoringly into his sparkling eyes.

"Of course I do. How could I forget?" She looked happily at the sky; the sun was beginning to set, and it made the lake shimmer brightly.

"What do you remember about it?" Yuna blushed brightly, slightly turning her head to look at Tidus.

"I remember…" she thought out loud for a moment. "Peace… I remember peace."

Tidus nodded slowly. "I remember how badly I wanted to show you Zanarkand… to, uhh, run away with you there." Yuna smiled brightly at him.

"Yes… I wanted to run away with you. Spira could've…"

"Could've fallen off the edge of the universe?"

"Yeah…"

They stayed in the warm water for a while, enjoying the wondrous embrace that they were sharing as husband and wife. In between their loving kisses, they talked quietly amongst themselves.

"… and when I kissed you, I swear… I've never been so scared in my life! I had no clue what you were going to do," Tidus said softly to her. Yuna laughed nervously.

"I… didn't know what to think."

"But you… liked it?" he asked inquisitively, staring quietly at her.

"It really didn't take much convincing to make me realize that I liked it."

Her smile disappeared for a while as she continued, her cheeks becoming redder with every passing moment.

"My mind was screaming at me… telling me to stop you. I mean… I had a job to do, right?" She looked carefully at her husband, her gaze frantically searching for Tidus' reaction. He nodded slightly, and she continued.

"My body, though… my body kept arguing with my mind. It wanted me to keep going… to kiss you just a little longer. I… was confused."

"All that over one little kiss?" he asked curiously. "Well, I'm flattered that you took it so seriously." Yuna looked at him earnestly.

"Flattered? It was so much more than *flattery* Tidus! It meant a lot to me, because…" She paused for a moment and looked down at the water.

"Because?" Tidus asked gently, urging her to continue pouring out her soul to him.

"Because, I felt what it was like to finally love someone like this..." She hugged him tightly.

"I wish I would have told you that when we were here the first time." Tidus shook his head in response.

"Naww… Yuna, it's not time for regrets. If I were to look back on my life, I see so many things that I could've done differently."

Tidus sighed, staring contentedly at his wife. "Now that I'm with you… it just doesn't seem to matter anymore. Everything fits."

If certainly didn't matter… they were given a second chance to be with each other. Yuna smiled at him and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"You're right," she said gently, and her lips once again met her husband's.

They kissed each other passionately, letting their affection for each other swell in the water where they first embraced. Tidus broke their kiss to look lovingly at his wife's gorgeous face.

"Do you want to leave soon, Yuna?" She looked at him and smiled slightly.

"Not really, but we probably should. It's almost dark… what fiends remain come out at night." Tidus nodded as he lovingly picked her up and carried her out of the water. They began walking to Bevelle, with Yuna in her husband's strong arms.

"Tidus?"

"Hmm?" Tidus replied quietly as he continued to carry his wife carefully.

"Can we… come back here before we have to leave?" Tidus nodded at his wife, and Yuna happily rested her head on her husband's muscular chest.

"I love you," she sighed contentedly. "Don't ever leave me, please."

"Hey there!" Tidus said quickly. "Don't talk like that… marriage is forever, right?" Yuna nodded, and Tidus continued.

"I made you a promise… always, remember? I'm definitely not backing down…" He laughed merrily, swinging her in his arms.

"I love you too much to let go of you… you're never getting away!" Yuna looked at him and smiled.

"Good," she said cheerfully. She kissed him on the cheek and snuggled closer into her husband's embrace.

As they neared the Highbridge, Tidus gently put her back on the ground. She walked slowly beside him, her hand tightly gripping his.

Tidus thought about the past two glorious months. The beautiful relationship that they shared with each other… he could only describe it as incredible. Now, she was his wife. He realized that *now* was the time for reflection. He could look back at the wondrous gift that had been given to him. He could be with Yuna for eternity. It would be all he would ever need.

Yuna pondered her time spent with Tidus. Every second of it had been special to her. Regardless of that, she knew that she had eternity to be with him. That is why she realized that it wasn't a time for reflection any longer. Yuna wanted to look ahead to the future, to the time could spend with him. She had forever with her husband, and it would be all she would ever need.

"We're here." Yuna nodded and walked forward to greet the driver that they had ditched.

"Lady Yuna… I am pleased that you and Sir Tidus are safe." Yuna nodded in appreciation, and they picked up their luggage.

"You ready?" Tidus asked sweetly. Yuna nodded vigorously at her husband… it was time to make some good memories in Bevelle.

They had… forever. It was their obligation and pleasure to forever love one other and to cherish one other for eternity. Their story had only just begun, and they would face obstacles, pleasure, joy, anguish and happiness… together.