[Fic] Dissidia: Final Fantasy - Moon Guardian
Title: Moon Guardian
Pairings: Yuna x Cecil Harvey
Rating: G
Summary: Even in war, beauty can be found.
Warnings: None
Notes: Request for xukty. Contains some cameos of FF characters from other games.
A new cycle had begun. The dragon dutifully revived the warriors he deemed fit to battle again and did away with those that were not. Restored to full strength, the gods began the process of seeing into the distant realms and hand picking individuals to become their new champions, and only when that was complete was the fighting allowed to begin. Harmony always chose to summon more than Discord, for being surrounded by her warriors always gave her a sense of comfort. It left her weaker for the battles ahead, but that was a price she was willing to pay.
The Order's Sanctuary was beginning to fill with her warriors. The ones who had survived the previous conflict were helping the ones who hadn't, patiently giving them the information that they had lost during the purification ritual. Kain Highwind was one of her most powerful warriors, having served her since the very first cycle. He was strong and fiercely loyal, and Cosmos allowed him to be by her side as she gazed into the many worlds in search of new fighters to recruit. From the ground, some of the sanctuary's tranquil waters rose up, forming a sphere of water that would allow them to peer into the many worlds. It glowed as Cosmos used her powers to search one of them, and finally the image of a blond youth appeared in the sphere, grinning as he ran on fleet feet with stolen goods in one hand.
"A thief?" Kain asked. "Do you really intend to enlist the services of a lowlife?"
"A thief is but merely one part of who he is," Cosmos replied. "He has bright eyes and a gentle soul filled with kindness, empathy, and love."
Kain grunted. While she certainly listened to his advice, the decision of who to call was up to Cosmos and Cosmos alone. He knew her well and could easily tell she was adamant on this one. Cosmos turned her attention to another world.
"That young woman," Kain said, as the image of a summoner appeared. "Her command over the arcane beasts is masterful." As a survivor, Kain's memory was more or less complete. He had seen summoners before, and despite the fact that this one was from a different realm, he felt a pain of guilt and regret in his heart, as if he had personally wronged her. "Her will is strong and her heart is pure. She is a perfect candidate."
Cosmos nodded in agreement. Although she had called warriors many times, it was never easy for her emotionally. In this particular case, that summoner's world needed her. It pained the goddess to take her, but she knew that she must. Before she did so, however, there was another one she wanted to look at. A young man who was traveling with the summoner. From watching him, she could tell that he was strong and had a bright disposition. But the hate he carried for his father, it was frighteningly powerful and wild. She could not take him. Not while he was like this.
The father, on the other hand. He was the "rough around the edges" type, but a genuinely good person. Powerful, too, with the makings to become one of her best warriors. Kain fully approved of that choice.
"Are you finished?" Kain asked.
"One more," Cosmos replied. "I wish to pick one more. I saw this one last cycle, but did not have the strength to summon him. Tell me, what do you think?"
Kain gasped as the image appeared. He knew that man. Cosmos had to know he knew that man. Was she playing a joke on him? No. Kain knew that she was not capable of such cruelty. "Must you?" he asked. "I have no desire to bring him into this endless conflict."
Cosmos shook her head sadly. "I must. Were it up to me, none of you would be here, this world would be at peace, and he could be happy."
Kain didn't know who "he" was, but did not ask.
"One day, Kain, you will be able to escape this cycle, but unlike you, I am forever bound to this conflict and its rules. Because he is suitable and because I have the power to, I must summon him."
Rationallay, Kain knew that there really was nothing Cosmos could do. But he was still angry. The selection process was over, and Kain quickly retreated to a remote area of the sanctuary to ponder this turn of events and what he could do about it. The answer? Nothing.
In the tenth cycle, Zidane Tribal, Yuna, Jecht, and Cecil Harvey were conscripted into the conflict of the gods as servants of Harmony.
~*~
The summoning process was messy, and the newcomers were scattered across the world. One by one, each was found by their new allies and brought back to the stronghold of their assigned side. The battles would begin soon and the warriors would be unleashed to roam the world and fight any enemy they came across.
In the Order's Sanctuary, the four new Cosmos Warriors were given an introduction of their new roles as pawns of war by Kain, and that the reward for their service would be the return of their memories and the opportunity to return to their homes. Homes that they could not remember. Like all new warriors, all of them were uneasy about their fates, but Kain knew they would come to accept it in time. The four of them stuck together, even though they had no idea who the others were, the fact that they all shared a common predicament of being newly recruited, soldiers without memories thrust into a war that they knew nothing of gave them something to connect to each other about. This was also common, and eventually, they would be able to form relationships with the veteran warriors. That was the way things went. It was the way they always went.
"Kain," the voice of another warrior interrupted his thoughts. Kain already knew who it belonged to, another warrior he often worked with in previous cycles. He remembered gawking at her appearance at first. She looked exotic and lethal, and her long ears and pure white hair commanded everyone's attention when they first saw her. "Every cycle it is the same. You look at them, and you lie. Why?"
He didn't have to answer her. Another warrior did. He was a young boy, one who looked as if he didn't belong on the field of battle, yet was a remarkable fighter for his age. The fact that he survived the ninth cycle, his first cycle, was a testament to that. "To give them hope," he said. "Chasing a fantasy is what will keep them going. It's what keeps us going, isn't it?"
The first warrior shook her head sadly. "You are wise beyond your years."
"Well, I've been through things no normal kid should have. It's not the first time I've been dragged across time and space," the second laughed, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Even if it'll never happen, every day I still hope that I can go home. And the first thing I'll do when I get back is throw a snowball."
~*~
The four new warriors of harmony introduced themselves to each other and shook hands. It was quite awkward when all they knew little more than their own names.
"Yer sure you're sixteen?" Jecht asked, scooping up Zidane in his arms and giving him a noogie. The thief struggled, but Jecht's arms had strength that would make an Iron Giant jealous. "'Cause yer a pipsqueak. Look like you could be twelve or something."
Oblivious to (or simply ignoring) Zidane's suffering, Cecil and Yuna were trying to strike up conversation. It was difficult, however, due to their lack of memories and basic understanding of the new, strange world they found themselves in.
"You seem awfully calm," Cecil said, "for someone who was just taken from her home and drafted into war with no memories."
"Is that what it seems like to you?" Yuna asked, and then laughed softly. "No, I'm not calm at all." She was simply good at keeping her expression level. "But, even in a strange land with no memories, I do understand this: this world needs us to protect it."
"There is no reason for us to turn our backs on it just because it's not ours," Cecil agreed.
"Count us in," Ject said, still holding a helpless Zidane. "Us rookies gotta stick together. Ain't that right, Tail Boy?"
"...right."
~*~
They had been warned about it beforehand, but actually experiencing the war was something else. You fight and fight and fight some more, and the only thing you could think about was defeating the enemy before they did the same to you. Chaos' forces were no laughing matter, every single one of his warriors skilled in battle.
Yuna knew she had to retreat, but the man in the trench coat was not going to let her escape easily. She had never seen a weapon like his before, and he seemed to have no fear of her Aeons, as if he had fought such powerful beasts before.
Valefor screeched as she shielded her from attack with her wing. She was safe for now, but Yuna didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. She had been backed into a corner, and the man wasn't getting any less aggressive. There was no room for counterattack, and even Aeons will eventually fall from enemy blows.
"Yuna!"
And just like that, Cecil was there to her rescue, getting between her and the man in the trench coat, driving him back with ferocious blows. The man glared at him and fought back, his pride not letting him retreat.
His pride would be his downfall, when the air around him suddenly grew cold and he found himself trapped in an ice prison. Through the clear ice, he could see Yuna with Shiva by her side. Shiva snapped her fingers and the ice shattered, and the man in the trench coat faded into darkness.
"It never gets any easier," Cecil said. That man was their enemy, sure, but for no reason other than they were told they were enemies. There was no personal stakes in this war. No loved ones to protect, no countries to serve, just a promise that they will regain what was lost and be able to leave. Perhaps the man in the trench coat had done terrible things back where he came from, but nobody knew. For all they knew, they might have just killed an innocent man.
"Thank you, Cecil," Yuna said, dismissing Shiva. "If you hadn't saved me, I might have..."
"If I hadn't tried to save you," Cecil interrupted, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself. A knight protects what is important to him, and you and the others are what's important to me."
Yuna could not help but think that was very noble of him.
~*~
"Guardians?" Cecil repeated.
Yuna nodded. "I remember now. I suppose it's true what they say. The more we fight, the more our memories return. Where I come from, a guardian is someone-"
"-who has sworn to protect a summoner on their journey." Jecht finished, then shook his head. "I...uh...just remembered too. I was a guardian for a summoner."
She stared at him with wide eyes. This meant that she and Jecht came from the same world!
"I don't think it was you," Jecht continued. "But...you do seem kinda familiar. Like I should know you. Outside of how I already do here. Hard to explain."
"Maybe you guys knew each other in your world?" Zidane suggested.
"Maybe," Yuna replied. "but I suppose we can't be sure until more of our memories come back."
"I can wait. I'm not gonna try to rush it," Jecht said, and then stretched his arms using Blitzball warm up exercises.
"Hey Yuna, does this make us your guardians?" Zidane asked.
Yuna tapped at her chin playfully. "I suppose so! You three are my guardians. Sir Jecht..."
Something stirred in Jecht's memories.
"...Sir Zidane..."
The thief looked ridiculously proud.
"...and Sir Cecil."
Sir Cecil, she thought. That has a nice ring to it.
~*~
Just because a summoner had guardians to protect her, it did not mean the summoner needed to be protected all the time. This was a fact that Cecil had learned quickly in the following days.
They came across another warrior of Chaos, a conceited man wearing gold armor. Although he was alone, he didn't look the least bit concerned being faced down by four enemies.
"So you are the newest warriors of harmony," he said. "What a motley looking bunch you are." The man crossed his arms and gave an exaggerated sigh. "Cosmos must truly be scraping the bottom of the barrel if you four are the best she could come up with."
Knowing they were being provoked, none of the four warriors rose to take the bait. They had heard it all before. This was nothing new to them.
"Allow me to do you a favor and eliminate you all right here," the man continued, holding his arm out. The rod he carried floated in the air, as if gripped by an invisible hand. "You should feel honored that the Emperor Mateus of Palmecia is personally going to end your worthless lives."
Unlike the man in the trench coat, the Emperor was far more experienced in the war of the gods, having participated in many cycles. He knew how to deal with groups. Stay out of harm's way. Separate them. Isolate them. Watch them. And most of all, maintain control of the battle. He would snare one of them in his many traps, and then move onto another, effectively reducing the number of enemies he had to fight at one time as they struggled to break free, were sent flying, or were forced to retreat to avoid getting hit.
Jecht could barely move. A tiny spark of light had exploded when he got near it, and damn did it hurt. Zidane wasn't faring any better, laying on the ground and unmoving except for the occasional twitch as electricity crackled around him. Cecil had gotten in close, but the Emperor swung his rod, catching him square in the head. He was too good. Were they really going to die?
The Emperor laughed and began twirling his rod over his head. Cecil didn't know what he was preparing to do, but from his diabolical laughter...it could not be good.
"Bahamut!"
All eyes turned to Yuna, as she sat on the shoulder of the mighty dragon Aeon. She raised her own weapon over her head as Bahamut bent over to stand on all fours and spun it quickly. The wheel that hovered over Bahamut's back began to spin along with it. The dragon roared, growing stronger as she channeled power into him. The Emperor stopped and knew he must flee.
"Burn everything in sight!"
The great dragon opened his jaws, shooting forward a bright burst of energy straight at the Emperor. Seconds before it hit, however, he disappeared, using all the magic he had to make a quick getaway.
"I won't forget this," his voice snarled, echoing throughout the area.
"Yuna," Cecil said as the Jecht and Zidane stumbled to their feet. "That was incredible. Perhaps you should be the guardian instead of us."
She laughed, a bright, cheerful laugh that made him smile. But what really caught his attention was the immense dragon behind her. There was no mistake. Bahamut was staring right at him. Cecil felt as if the dragon was judging him.
I will warn you now, a voice echoed in his mind. Cecil looked around, but it seemed like the others did not hear it and were too busy talking to Yuna to pay any attention to them. And then he realized Bahamut was speaking to him.
Take care of her, Bahamut growled, eyes narrowing. Or you will answer to us.
Yuna dismissed Bahamut, and although he was known as the Dragon King, he obeyed her every command. Before he disappeared, he saw Cecil bow to show he understood what he was saying.
Cecil did not understand why Bahamut had singled him out. Weren't Jecht and Zidane Yuna's guardians too?
~*~
"Go. Talk. To. Her."
Cecil nearly lost his balance when Zidane shoved his back.
"What in Leviathan's name are you talking about?" he asked, and Zidane threw his arms up, one of his hands nearly smacking Cecil's face.
"You seriously don't know? Look, I'm just gonna make this clear because if you haven't picked it up now, nothing but the direct approach is going to work. Yuna likes you." Zidane punctuated the last word by poking Cecil's armored chest. He didn't give Cecil time to process what he just said and went right back to pushing Cecil towards...something. "Yuna is alone at the lake right now. Perfect opportunity for you."
Lake? He must have been talking about the Crescent Lake. "And you're not taking this opportunity for yourself?" Cecil asked, giving up and letting Zidane steer him in the lake's direction.
"Of course not!" Zidane sounded offended at that. "Why do you think I stopped flirting with her? Because she likes someone else. I'm not someone who's going to get between a girl and her happiness."
That's surprisingly noble for a thief, Cecil thought, and Zidane gave him one last shove before climbing up a tree to watch. With little choice, Cecil made his way through the bushes and emerged to see Yuna standing on the lake's shore. The moon was full, and its image was perfectly reflected on the water's surface as gentle waves lapped at the sand. She turned around when she heard his footsteps.
"Cecil!" She greeted warmly. "Just look at the lake. Isn't it beautiful?"
He took a moment to take in the sight of the lake again. Yuna was right, it was gorgeous. And the sight of Yuna on the lake's edge put it to shame. Cecil blinked. He had to say something and not gawk.
"This place is wonderful," he replied. "It feels like we're miles away from the war."
"It feels like it's safe," Yuna said, then bent down to touch the water. "But...I always feel safe, because I have my friends with me. Because I have you with me."
Cecil was at a loss for words. He could exchange fighting words with warriors of Dischord all day, but his mind was a complete blank. He also bent down, and Yuna leaned against him, unbothered by his armor. Cecil looked up to the sky and towards the moon, which was glowing brightly. The moon...it meant something to him, but he couldn't remember what. The memories that had returned to him were vague and didn't tell him much at all. The moon told him no answers, so he looked back down to Yuna. She told him that her name meant moon once. Under the moonlight, Cecil decided it was very fitting.
"Yuna, I..." he trailed off and Yuna looked up to him. She leaned closer to him and Cecil found himself moving to meet her. They were so close. Cecil closed his eyes and...
THUD!
Yuna gasped and stood up. "It sounds like something just fell out of a tree! Should we investigate?"
Cecil also got up and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Nothing to worry about. It was just a nosy animal," he assured her. He heard the bushes rustle as the 'nosy animal' slinked away. "It sounds like it's all right. Come, let's enjoy the rest of the night."
Pairings: Yuna x Cecil Harvey
Rating: G
Summary: Even in war, beauty can be found.
Warnings: None
Notes: Request for xukty. Contains some cameos of FF characters from other games.
A new cycle had begun. The dragon dutifully revived the warriors he deemed fit to battle again and did away with those that were not. Restored to full strength, the gods began the process of seeing into the distant realms and hand picking individuals to become their new champions, and only when that was complete was the fighting allowed to begin. Harmony always chose to summon more than Discord, for being surrounded by her warriors always gave her a sense of comfort. It left her weaker for the battles ahead, but that was a price she was willing to pay.
The Order's Sanctuary was beginning to fill with her warriors. The ones who had survived the previous conflict were helping the ones who hadn't, patiently giving them the information that they had lost during the purification ritual. Kain Highwind was one of her most powerful warriors, having served her since the very first cycle. He was strong and fiercely loyal, and Cosmos allowed him to be by her side as she gazed into the many worlds in search of new fighters to recruit. From the ground, some of the sanctuary's tranquil waters rose up, forming a sphere of water that would allow them to peer into the many worlds. It glowed as Cosmos used her powers to search one of them, and finally the image of a blond youth appeared in the sphere, grinning as he ran on fleet feet with stolen goods in one hand.
"A thief?" Kain asked. "Do you really intend to enlist the services of a lowlife?"
"A thief is but merely one part of who he is," Cosmos replied. "He has bright eyes and a gentle soul filled with kindness, empathy, and love."
Kain grunted. While she certainly listened to his advice, the decision of who to call was up to Cosmos and Cosmos alone. He knew her well and could easily tell she was adamant on this one. Cosmos turned her attention to another world.
"That young woman," Kain said, as the image of a summoner appeared. "Her command over the arcane beasts is masterful." As a survivor, Kain's memory was more or less complete. He had seen summoners before, and despite the fact that this one was from a different realm, he felt a pain of guilt and regret in his heart, as if he had personally wronged her. "Her will is strong and her heart is pure. She is a perfect candidate."
Cosmos nodded in agreement. Although she had called warriors many times, it was never easy for her emotionally. In this particular case, that summoner's world needed her. It pained the goddess to take her, but she knew that she must. Before she did so, however, there was another one she wanted to look at. A young man who was traveling with the summoner. From watching him, she could tell that he was strong and had a bright disposition. But the hate he carried for his father, it was frighteningly powerful and wild. She could not take him. Not while he was like this.
The father, on the other hand. He was the "rough around the edges" type, but a genuinely good person. Powerful, too, with the makings to become one of her best warriors. Kain fully approved of that choice.
"Are you finished?" Kain asked.
"One more," Cosmos replied. "I wish to pick one more. I saw this one last cycle, but did not have the strength to summon him. Tell me, what do you think?"
Kain gasped as the image appeared. He knew that man. Cosmos had to know he knew that man. Was she playing a joke on him? No. Kain knew that she was not capable of such cruelty. "Must you?" he asked. "I have no desire to bring him into this endless conflict."
Cosmos shook her head sadly. "I must. Were it up to me, none of you would be here, this world would be at peace, and he could be happy."
Kain didn't know who "he" was, but did not ask.
"One day, Kain, you will be able to escape this cycle, but unlike you, I am forever bound to this conflict and its rules. Because he is suitable and because I have the power to, I must summon him."
Rationallay, Kain knew that there really was nothing Cosmos could do. But he was still angry. The selection process was over, and Kain quickly retreated to a remote area of the sanctuary to ponder this turn of events and what he could do about it. The answer? Nothing.
In the tenth cycle, Zidane Tribal, Yuna, Jecht, and Cecil Harvey were conscripted into the conflict of the gods as servants of Harmony.
~*~
The summoning process was messy, and the newcomers were scattered across the world. One by one, each was found by their new allies and brought back to the stronghold of their assigned side. The battles would begin soon and the warriors would be unleashed to roam the world and fight any enemy they came across.
In the Order's Sanctuary, the four new Cosmos Warriors were given an introduction of their new roles as pawns of war by Kain, and that the reward for their service would be the return of their memories and the opportunity to return to their homes. Homes that they could not remember. Like all new warriors, all of them were uneasy about their fates, but Kain knew they would come to accept it in time. The four of them stuck together, even though they had no idea who the others were, the fact that they all shared a common predicament of being newly recruited, soldiers without memories thrust into a war that they knew nothing of gave them something to connect to each other about. This was also common, and eventually, they would be able to form relationships with the veteran warriors. That was the way things went. It was the way they always went.
"Kain," the voice of another warrior interrupted his thoughts. Kain already knew who it belonged to, another warrior he often worked with in previous cycles. He remembered gawking at her appearance at first. She looked exotic and lethal, and her long ears and pure white hair commanded everyone's attention when they first saw her. "Every cycle it is the same. You look at them, and you lie. Why?"
He didn't have to answer her. Another warrior did. He was a young boy, one who looked as if he didn't belong on the field of battle, yet was a remarkable fighter for his age. The fact that he survived the ninth cycle, his first cycle, was a testament to that. "To give them hope," he said. "Chasing a fantasy is what will keep them going. It's what keeps us going, isn't it?"
The first warrior shook her head sadly. "You are wise beyond your years."
"Well, I've been through things no normal kid should have. It's not the first time I've been dragged across time and space," the second laughed, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Even if it'll never happen, every day I still hope that I can go home. And the first thing I'll do when I get back is throw a snowball."
~*~
The four new warriors of harmony introduced themselves to each other and shook hands. It was quite awkward when all they knew little more than their own names.
"Yer sure you're sixteen?" Jecht asked, scooping up Zidane in his arms and giving him a noogie. The thief struggled, but Jecht's arms had strength that would make an Iron Giant jealous. "'Cause yer a pipsqueak. Look like you could be twelve or something."
Oblivious to (or simply ignoring) Zidane's suffering, Cecil and Yuna were trying to strike up conversation. It was difficult, however, due to their lack of memories and basic understanding of the new, strange world they found themselves in.
"You seem awfully calm," Cecil said, "for someone who was just taken from her home and drafted into war with no memories."
"Is that what it seems like to you?" Yuna asked, and then laughed softly. "No, I'm not calm at all." She was simply good at keeping her expression level. "But, even in a strange land with no memories, I do understand this: this world needs us to protect it."
"There is no reason for us to turn our backs on it just because it's not ours," Cecil agreed.
"Count us in," Ject said, still holding a helpless Zidane. "Us rookies gotta stick together. Ain't that right, Tail Boy?"
"...right."
~*~
They had been warned about it beforehand, but actually experiencing the war was something else. You fight and fight and fight some more, and the only thing you could think about was defeating the enemy before they did the same to you. Chaos' forces were no laughing matter, every single one of his warriors skilled in battle.
Yuna knew she had to retreat, but the man in the trench coat was not going to let her escape easily. She had never seen a weapon like his before, and he seemed to have no fear of her Aeons, as if he had fought such powerful beasts before.
Valefor screeched as she shielded her from attack with her wing. She was safe for now, but Yuna didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. She had been backed into a corner, and the man wasn't getting any less aggressive. There was no room for counterattack, and even Aeons will eventually fall from enemy blows.
"Yuna!"
And just like that, Cecil was there to her rescue, getting between her and the man in the trench coat, driving him back with ferocious blows. The man glared at him and fought back, his pride not letting him retreat.
His pride would be his downfall, when the air around him suddenly grew cold and he found himself trapped in an ice prison. Through the clear ice, he could see Yuna with Shiva by her side. Shiva snapped her fingers and the ice shattered, and the man in the trench coat faded into darkness.
"It never gets any easier," Cecil said. That man was their enemy, sure, but for no reason other than they were told they were enemies. There was no personal stakes in this war. No loved ones to protect, no countries to serve, just a promise that they will regain what was lost and be able to leave. Perhaps the man in the trench coat had done terrible things back where he came from, but nobody knew. For all they knew, they might have just killed an innocent man.
"Thank you, Cecil," Yuna said, dismissing Shiva. "If you hadn't saved me, I might have..."
"If I hadn't tried to save you," Cecil interrupted, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself. A knight protects what is important to him, and you and the others are what's important to me."
Yuna could not help but think that was very noble of him.
~*~
"Guardians?" Cecil repeated.
Yuna nodded. "I remember now. I suppose it's true what they say. The more we fight, the more our memories return. Where I come from, a guardian is someone-"
"-who has sworn to protect a summoner on their journey." Jecht finished, then shook his head. "I...uh...just remembered too. I was a guardian for a summoner."
She stared at him with wide eyes. This meant that she and Jecht came from the same world!
"I don't think it was you," Jecht continued. "But...you do seem kinda familiar. Like I should know you. Outside of how I already do here. Hard to explain."
"Maybe you guys knew each other in your world?" Zidane suggested.
"Maybe," Yuna replied. "but I suppose we can't be sure until more of our memories come back."
"I can wait. I'm not gonna try to rush it," Jecht said, and then stretched his arms using Blitzball warm up exercises.
"Hey Yuna, does this make us your guardians?" Zidane asked.
Yuna tapped at her chin playfully. "I suppose so! You three are my guardians. Sir Jecht..."
Something stirred in Jecht's memories.
"...Sir Zidane..."
The thief looked ridiculously proud.
"...and Sir Cecil."
Sir Cecil, she thought. That has a nice ring to it.
~*~
Just because a summoner had guardians to protect her, it did not mean the summoner needed to be protected all the time. This was a fact that Cecil had learned quickly in the following days.
They came across another warrior of Chaos, a conceited man wearing gold armor. Although he was alone, he didn't look the least bit concerned being faced down by four enemies.
"So you are the newest warriors of harmony," he said. "What a motley looking bunch you are." The man crossed his arms and gave an exaggerated sigh. "Cosmos must truly be scraping the bottom of the barrel if you four are the best she could come up with."
Knowing they were being provoked, none of the four warriors rose to take the bait. They had heard it all before. This was nothing new to them.
"Allow me to do you a favor and eliminate you all right here," the man continued, holding his arm out. The rod he carried floated in the air, as if gripped by an invisible hand. "You should feel honored that the Emperor Mateus of Palmecia is personally going to end your worthless lives."
Unlike the man in the trench coat, the Emperor was far more experienced in the war of the gods, having participated in many cycles. He knew how to deal with groups. Stay out of harm's way. Separate them. Isolate them. Watch them. And most of all, maintain control of the battle. He would snare one of them in his many traps, and then move onto another, effectively reducing the number of enemies he had to fight at one time as they struggled to break free, were sent flying, or were forced to retreat to avoid getting hit.
Jecht could barely move. A tiny spark of light had exploded when he got near it, and damn did it hurt. Zidane wasn't faring any better, laying on the ground and unmoving except for the occasional twitch as electricity crackled around him. Cecil had gotten in close, but the Emperor swung his rod, catching him square in the head. He was too good. Were they really going to die?
The Emperor laughed and began twirling his rod over his head. Cecil didn't know what he was preparing to do, but from his diabolical laughter...it could not be good.
"Bahamut!"
All eyes turned to Yuna, as she sat on the shoulder of the mighty dragon Aeon. She raised her own weapon over her head as Bahamut bent over to stand on all fours and spun it quickly. The wheel that hovered over Bahamut's back began to spin along with it. The dragon roared, growing stronger as she channeled power into him. The Emperor stopped and knew he must flee.
"Burn everything in sight!"
The great dragon opened his jaws, shooting forward a bright burst of energy straight at the Emperor. Seconds before it hit, however, he disappeared, using all the magic he had to make a quick getaway.
"I won't forget this," his voice snarled, echoing throughout the area.
"Yuna," Cecil said as the Jecht and Zidane stumbled to their feet. "That was incredible. Perhaps you should be the guardian instead of us."
She laughed, a bright, cheerful laugh that made him smile. But what really caught his attention was the immense dragon behind her. There was no mistake. Bahamut was staring right at him. Cecil felt as if the dragon was judging him.
I will warn you now, a voice echoed in his mind. Cecil looked around, but it seemed like the others did not hear it and were too busy talking to Yuna to pay any attention to them. And then he realized Bahamut was speaking to him.
Take care of her, Bahamut growled, eyes narrowing. Or you will answer to us.
Yuna dismissed Bahamut, and although he was known as the Dragon King, he obeyed her every command. Before he disappeared, he saw Cecil bow to show he understood what he was saying.
Cecil did not understand why Bahamut had singled him out. Weren't Jecht and Zidane Yuna's guardians too?
~*~
"Go. Talk. To. Her."
Cecil nearly lost his balance when Zidane shoved his back.
"What in Leviathan's name are you talking about?" he asked, and Zidane threw his arms up, one of his hands nearly smacking Cecil's face.
"You seriously don't know? Look, I'm just gonna make this clear because if you haven't picked it up now, nothing but the direct approach is going to work. Yuna likes you." Zidane punctuated the last word by poking Cecil's armored chest. He didn't give Cecil time to process what he just said and went right back to pushing Cecil towards...something. "Yuna is alone at the lake right now. Perfect opportunity for you."
Lake? He must have been talking about the Crescent Lake. "And you're not taking this opportunity for yourself?" Cecil asked, giving up and letting Zidane steer him in the lake's direction.
"Of course not!" Zidane sounded offended at that. "Why do you think I stopped flirting with her? Because she likes someone else. I'm not someone who's going to get between a girl and her happiness."
That's surprisingly noble for a thief, Cecil thought, and Zidane gave him one last shove before climbing up a tree to watch. With little choice, Cecil made his way through the bushes and emerged to see Yuna standing on the lake's shore. The moon was full, and its image was perfectly reflected on the water's surface as gentle waves lapped at the sand. She turned around when she heard his footsteps.
"Cecil!" She greeted warmly. "Just look at the lake. Isn't it beautiful?"
He took a moment to take in the sight of the lake again. Yuna was right, it was gorgeous. And the sight of Yuna on the lake's edge put it to shame. Cecil blinked. He had to say something and not gawk.
"This place is wonderful," he replied. "It feels like we're miles away from the war."
"It feels like it's safe," Yuna said, then bent down to touch the water. "But...I always feel safe, because I have my friends with me. Because I have you with me."
Cecil was at a loss for words. He could exchange fighting words with warriors of Dischord all day, but his mind was a complete blank. He also bent down, and Yuna leaned against him, unbothered by his armor. Cecil looked up to the sky and towards the moon, which was glowing brightly. The moon...it meant something to him, but he couldn't remember what. The memories that had returned to him were vague and didn't tell him much at all. The moon told him no answers, so he looked back down to Yuna. She told him that her name meant moon once. Under the moonlight, Cecil decided it was very fitting.
"Yuna, I..." he trailed off and Yuna looked up to him. She leaned closer to him and Cecil found himself moving to meet her. They were so close. Cecil closed his eyes and...
THUD!
Yuna gasped and stood up. "It sounds like something just fell out of a tree! Should we investigate?"
Cecil also got up and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Nothing to worry about. It was just a nosy animal," he assured her. He heard the bushes rustle as the 'nosy animal' slinked away. "It sounds like it's all right. Come, let's enjoy the rest of the night."