Come, Anima!

That was disheartening to say the least. Such a beautiful creature transformed into something that wasn’t of her own volition. At least it survived to tell the tale. To see another day. To get transformed back into what it was meant to see. “I’m sorry to hear about that. Yet, here you stand, alive to speak about it and as what you meant to be. Such cannot be said for many others that might have been in your place.” It was nice to feel the slight optimism in herself again. She had long wondered if it was even still there.

“The name of this world is Spira. You are currently in the forests that run along the Moonflow and to the city of Guadosalam.” It was quite fortunate that the creature had come from a forest and now found itself in one again. That was how Anna saw it. “You need not leave if you don’t feel safe to. Though fiends do prowl this forest, so I wouldn’t be comfortable leaving you by yourself.” While she had been a skilled white mage, physical strength had never been her strong suit. Perhaps the creature was best suited for Guadosalam. She had seen many different species pass through there and perhaps one such as her companion might be more unnoticed there then anywhere else. 

“May I suggest we head towards the city? I was headed there initially to visit a friend.” 

“Truly, in the end the others in my place had survived. Freed to live as they please. But had I let fear overcome me I would not be standing here talking to you.” 

She continued to listen as the woman spoke. So. This world was called Spira, certainly far away from the forests she once knew. And the forest she was in ran along this area called Moonflow and a city Guadosalam. Odd names for places though she did think Moonflow sounded like a very pretty name. Amalthea then shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I had left my own forest and cannot return, so leaving will not be a problem.”

Even as the creature seemed to mirror a human characteristic, Anna couldn’t help but admire the beauty and the grace in it. Such a beautiful thing that stood in front of her and only now was she able to appreciate it’s beauty. “So long as it does not bother you.” It seemed that even a different forest bore no comfort. The differences must have been striking if one knew what to look for. Not that Anna would be comfortable leaving the other in such a place. Hearing that such a being later wound up dead would forever leave a mark on her consciousness.

“Perhaps. You mentioned before that you were able to change, will you be alright?” Anna wondered if it was painful to do such a change. “Maybe we should find a more secluded place for you to change. If a stranger happens to wander past, I might get labelled as something more than I am. Much less, you might get labelled as something someone wants to capture.” Neither would be ideal and Anna didn’t want the creatures experience with Spira to be tainted but such an act. While Spira had indeed changed, she wondered if it had changed enough. For if someone wandered past while a creature such as this changed into a human, they might brand Anna as a new type of mage. She had wanted her new life to be one of peace and rumours like that wouldn’t help.

     Blurred memories tried to make their way through, though Vanille couldn’t make sense of any of them. Slowly, she drifted back into consciousness, the wet sensation of water becoming apparent when it began to sting in her nose. Startled, she inhaled, causing herself to choke and cough. Thankfully, the water wasn’t very deep, so she must’ve been washed ashore – even if it was dark and she could barely see a thing, she began to crawl out, just to get out of the water for now. She assumed it was nighttime, though she wasn’t really sure. Perhaps her senses have yet to fully return to her after whatever it is that knocked her out. Finally, she stood, still letting out a few small coughs.

Taking a walk along the docks of Luca had become one of her favourite past times. Having spent the majority of the day in the shop, Anna nearly always felt the need to get out for a walk sometime during the evening. While she loved the smell of the flowers, sometimes they got a little overpowering. The sea breeze was the perfect aroma to counterbalance it. It was toward the edge of the docks, where the docks and the concrete ended, that Anna heard a sputtering, coughing and something that didn’t sound like the usual crash of waves. Edging a little bit further, being careful not to get too close in case it was a fiend, Anna peered into the darkness. Granted, the darkness didn’t help her with trying to see who was making the noise, but she could make out the same of a human all the same. The words that travelled toward her confirmed it as much.

“Are you alright over there? It’s not well lit around here and you could hurt yourself being that close to the water.”

It was true. There wasn’t much light around this part of Luca, though there probably should have been. It was still part of the docks and to avoid any ships potentially crashing into the main city, there needed to be plenty of light. 

“Come, let me help you. Mind your footing.”

While her words said one thing, her body language said another. Anima could tell that the young summoner was not as rested as she let others believe she was. The slumped shoulders against the interior of the room was the biggest giveaway. “Yuna, we both know that is not true. Any summoner would know to rest well, regardless of if the fate of the world rested on their shoulders.” She had made sure Seymour had rested as well as he could during his pilgrimage. Even at the expense of her own health. She could not imagine Yuna’s guardians wouldn’t let her rest well. “You would not. Your guardian’s would tell you that as well.” The young woman would have it coming from all directions. From the Fayth she had built a connection with, the guardian’s that were there to protect her, from the people that Yuna had sworn to protect. All would want her to succeed in the fact of Sin.

Anima listened to the young woman’s woes. It was a cause for concern. Even if they had stopped Yunalesca from creating any more Final Aeons, that did not mean that Sin could not find a way to come back anew. “I hear your concern and it is one that troubles me too. Nobody has stood up to Yunalesca like you and your guardians have. I do not know the consequences of your actions.” Nor would anyone else in Spira. The cycle of the death had continued since the war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Even Anima had sought to continue it with her own sacrifice. “But I cannot imagine a Sin without it needing a Final Aeon. There has to be some way of defeating it without one.” Or perhaps Yuna’s journey was pointless. Anima herself was a Final Aeon, though it was Yuna that was wielding her, would it have the same effect. From what she knew from the Guado, Anima doubted it would work if Yuna was the one wielding her. But it was worth trying.

For a brief moment, she had forgotten the reason she had set out to connect with the young summoner. Now that she had been reminded, her mood sobered even more. “If you do not mind me asking, how did it come to pass that you walked the Summoner’s path?”

» ⑆ ❀  “ Perhaps that I am so caught up in the what-ifs that I’m not focusing on the present. I’m also worried that if I were to use an Aeon against Sin, would Sin use the Aeon to be reincarnated? I would presume not— but we never had this path before. I’m going to remain hopeful for this.” Sighing heavily, Yuna stared at her dirtied black boots. “ I just… Don’t understand why our Maesters would keep a false belief around knowing that innocent lives would be taken forever.”

 It really was no use to worry about it. Her questions would go unanswered. 

 “ They were dead themselves. It makes no sense, Anima,” head resting against the paint chipped wall, eyes looking up at the ceiling above, “ what would happen if Spira noticed they were not with the living but among the dead? Would the people have revolted in fear? I wonder if my father knew the truth. I assume Auron knew all the along and hoped I would make the right choice—- huh?” 

 “ The path…? At first, it was a way of thanking the temples for taking care of me, for being closer to my father, and hope that I could give his wish of ending it all… But throughout the pilgrimage, I realized how selfish Spira has become. Maesters for themselves, people praising so high of Summoners after they had shunned them. They turned their back on my father for marrying an Al Behd and had me. Once he chose to become one, they thought of him as a fool… Then he brought a calm.” Hands clenched. It pissed Yuna off.

 Braska went through hell, suffering every waking moment to give a world where Yuna could be herself. “ Then they treated me like I was fragile. I was his blood, daughter of the High Summoner… I wasn’t Yuna. I was Braska’s daughter. That was all I was ever known as.” Yuna’s eyes darken slightly, wishing she was raised as someone else. “ Now, I will gladly die for the people of Spira to prevent their tragedy. I will give them a reason to live instead of surviving. That is my new purpose. Whether my father had wanted me to follow his footsteps or not, it is my decision to make. No one can take that from me.”

“What-ifs are a part of life, Yuna. While it can be necessary to think about them to help us reflect on our chosen course of action, thinking about them too much stops you from being able to appreciate the present and look to the future.” It was something Anima learned too little, too late. Hopefully Yuna would not make the same mistake. “I cannot answer that, I know about as much as you in that regard. We will have to experience it together.” She was a Final Aeon, but would a Final Aeon used in the wrong person’s hands be enough for Yu Yevon? She wasn’t sure. She didn’t think so. Yu Yevon needed that bond, the strength, between the Final Aeon and the summoner. Without that, Anima doubted it would be the same. But she couldn’t be sure. 

“I can only speculate at their motivations at keeping that information close to their chest. As can you. Neither of us will truly know their intentions other than them wanting to perpetuate the cycle. To keep everyone enveloped in the embrace of Yevon for as long as possible.” With how indoctrinated Spira had become under Yevon, Anima wondered whether the people would revolt. Perhaps she had too little faith in the people considering they had seemingly not changed much. While humans and the Guado had accepted Seymour as a Maester and the leader of the Guado, they still actively shunned the Al Bhed. If they had found out what Seymour had done and that the majority of the Maesters were dead, would they truly be that shocked? Would there be some great revolution? Would their faith be shattered enough for them to raise up? Part of her doubted greatly, but perhaps Yuna was right. Perhaps her optimism was in the right place this time. 

She let the young woman talk. The words seemed to flow out of mouth well enough. It was interesting Yuna’s reasoning and she could draw parallels between her story and Seymour’s. Anima knew how and why Seymour had become the way he had, but she wondered what it would’ve been like if he hadn’t. It was one of the what-if scenarios that she had looped around in her head in the early days of becoming a Fayth. It had reappeared once she had learned what sort of man he had become, after he’d finally accepted her Fayth. “That is very noble of you, Yuna.” It seemed to tiptoe on the line between selfless and selfish. Selfless in the respect that she was still willing to go through with defeating Sin, despite not knowing how it would end and after the way the rest of Spira had treated her. Selfish in the sense that she was doing it for her own reasons and not because of what anyone else said she should do. She could’ve quit a number of times and didn’t. 

Her hands grasped the reins as tightly as she dared. Not too tight as to spook the mare, but not relaxed enough so that she didn’t have enough control. Once Anna had settled a little bit more, after shifting her weight a little bit, she let the reigns go in one hand and gentle stroked the mare’s neck. The horse felt stable beneath her, which provided some comfort. She hoped the horse would be as sure-footed across the terrain as she was with carrying Anna’s weight. 

It was out of the corner of her eye that she saw Fang swing up into her own saddle. She made it look so easy, but if previous conversations has told her anything, the woman had been doing this for years. For a second, Anna considered doing this more often, but the realistic part of her brain battered that down. There was no way she was going to be able to leave often enough to do something like this once they were back in Japan. It would look suspicious and the family would question whether she was dedicated enough. Their suspicion worked both ways; on members and their leader. It had been bad enough that Anna had been an outside and had to prove herself, if she started straying away from their goal, their suspicions might come back and prove fatal.

Fang’s words snapped her out of her own bubble. Looking over at the brunette, she nodded. It had been many a year since she had ridden a horse so she was expecting to feel sore at some point during and afterwards. Both hands gripped the reigns as Fang led the way, her legs gently squeezing the mare’s sides to get her going into a walk after Fang.

Even though they were here to relax, Anna couldn’t help but keep her guard up. She made sure to keep an eye on the horse and where it was going, having to readjust it’s direction a couple of times because her mind was elsewhere. Her eyes were constantly scanning the area, her mind consistently suspecting that someone was going to jump out behind a tree and aim a gun at her. She wondered how fast Fang could move if such a thing could happen. She thought about how many people knew where she was. 3 if she was lucky. Fang, Tromell and her other bodyguard that she had brought with her to Japan. She had told the last two that if she hadn’t returned by a certain date, to assume her and Fang were dead and to tread carefully. All 3 parties knew who she was out here with, so unless the information got leaked by one of them, someone was going to wind up dead. 

Eventually, Anna was able to relax a little bit. The watch that sat on her wrist told her that a couple of hours had passed. After the part of her that was always suspicious of her surroundings figured they were safe, she could start to appreciate her surroundings. It was a sight to behold and most definitely an American one at that. There were views like this in Japan, she was sure, though perhaps a little less rocky, but the ones back home where different. When she thought of beautiful, scenic walks or views, she pictured the bamboo forests or the rice fields out in the countryside, not woodland. It was a contrast and an experience that she welcomed.

Though it did leave her wondering how much longer they were going to be on this trail for. Her legs had started complaining a little bit ago and she was beginning to wonder if her mare might need a rest as well. “Fang, how much longer to the cabin?” Depending on the woman’s answer would depend on her next question. If it was only a matter of a few more minutes, then Anna would wait. 

The question was brought up as Fang had them crest a hill. Over in the distance a log cabin stood along with a small lean too and a shed. Hearing Anna, the woman turned and nodded her head in the direction of the buildings. It was obvious it was only a few yards off and then they could rest. Fang intended to set the horses out into the small corral and get them some feed out once Anna was able to relax a bit.

“Right ahead. We’ll dismount and then I can help you get settled.” Her horse pushed on ahead and within minutes Fang was dismounted. The pack horse remained by the house as she left it ground tied along with her own horse. The two stayed still and watched her move to the front of the house and inside.

Taking a look through, Fang had her gun in hand just to make sure a clear sweep of the small place was clear. Once satisfied, she opened some of the windows to air out the place a bit. It was a bit stuffy and Fang set to work dusting out the things that needed it. Her work was quick taking count of the bedroom and the small kitchen with a main room. There was also a small room where a bare washroom was. An old school tub which would need to be hand filled from buckets at the water pump out to the side of the house. There was only one bed given it was a cabin on a string line for the ranch of her grandfather’s. There had been no need to make it fancy and large when only a hand or two were able to rest there for a few weeks at a time.

Stepping back outside, Fang rolled up her sleeves and glanced toward Anna. “It’s all clear and safe inside. Feel free to stretch out and get yourself comfortable however you wish. There is an outhouse not too far from the cabin in the back, and a washroom inside once I get it set with water in the bowls. If you need a bath, I’ll get to work bringing in the water from the pump.”

Once they were outside the house, Anna dismounted as gracefully as she could. Thankfully, she didn’t get tangled in the stirrups or the reigns so both feet hit the ground without her tumbling over. She still held onto the reigns for a few moments to regain her balance though. The pressure on her thighs was gone but even after a couple of hours riding, her legs felt off. Leading the mare over to where the other two horses were, she thought it best not to try tying it up like Fang had. Having little idea of how to properly tie horses up, she didn’t want to attempt to, only for the mare to end up untied and off somewhere in the woods in the middle of the night. Anna figured as long as she kept an eye on the animal, she would be okay to stay where she was for the time being.

Fang had seemed to have gotten the good idea of checking the house for possible intruders. Without having to say a word, the woman had already gone off to do it. Part of Anna relaxed slightly at that. She had learned well. The house didn’t seem terribly big, so it was no surprise that Fang returned rather quickly. Perhaps it was the demounting that had kept Anna busy that she hadn’t noticed the time go by. 

At the mention of an outhouse, Anna’s ears perked up. If she hadn’t needed to relieve herself before, she did now. “I may need to visit the outhouse sooner rather than later. Would you mind sorting the washroom out first?” She paused, contemplating whether she wanted a bath now or later. “A bath would be much appreciated. Perhaps a little later on though.” She needed to stretch out her legs anyway and a walk to the bathroom and then around the house would be beneficial. She doubted the house was big enough that Fang would need to give her the tour. Anna would be able to find out where things were easily enough.

“Would you mind tying her up? I would have done it myself but I’m afraid my skills at tying up equestrians are minimal.” She gestured at the mare she had ridden in one, her tone taking on a teasing edge to it. “I’ll find you once I’ve finished getting settled. If there’s anything I can do to help unpack, I’ll be more than willing to help.” She wasn’t adverse to getting her hands dirty. Even if there wasn’t too much to unpack, there was bound to be something she could help out with. Would Fang let her though? Anna had a gut feeling that she’d take it all in stride and not let her lift a finger but perhaps the feeling would be wrong. She hadn’t brought much with her to relax with. A couple of books, maybe throw in a walk or two around the area. They weren’t there for all that long, but Anna still had the nagging urge to spend her time working and to do something. Perhaps it was a side effect of constantly working the past few months that meant she’d developed this feeling. Like this trip could’ve been spent doing something for the Guado or tracking down someone that needed seeing to or developing a relationship with a potential client. She felt like she needed to be doing something, anything, more than she currently was.

With a soft sigh, she turned and left Fang to do what she wished.

Good observations to note. Humans were more complex than animals. While the former might only fight out of territory, mating rites or something more mundane, humans had a different streak to them. They were multi-faceted and sometimes to their detriment. “It’s good to see you noting the differences. I’d be worried if you thought humans and animals were similar in that regard.” Sometimes she wondered how much easier it would be if she were an animal instead of a human. Less complicated, fewer things to comprehend. Perhaps that was the part of her that yearned to run away from it all. To start something new and different. To shed her current life like a spider shed it’s old skin.

But that wasn’t how the world worked. She had willingly stepped into this position in an attempt to guide the family in a new direction. Perhaps one day she might hand the reigns over to Tromell or someone that was worthy, but she would never be free of it completely. They might let her leave to somewhere remote, but only somewhere they could keep an eye on her. To make sure she didn’t say too much. 

Anna let a small smile push at her lips over Fang’s judgement. “That was the intention. We can hope they won’t know that it was the Guado that sent the hit.” Having Fang take them out was a smart move too. As far as their rivals were concerned, or at least Anna hoped so, Fang was still a bouncer somewhere. She wouldn’t be connected back to the Guado unless someone had figured it out. The whole thing had been kept quite quiet. Not that it mattered too much, there would have been talk about Anna being in America anyway, let alone having an unfamiliar bodyguard. Whether or not anyone had figured out who Fang was, Anna wasn’t entirely sure but it was something she was keeping an eye on.

Her eyes dipped down to the floor at the mention of missing the quiet. When was the last time she ever experienced true quietness? Her mind was always loud, even if the room was quiet. Not to mention it had certainly been a while since she’d appreciated her surroundings for what they were and to question if there was someone hiding behind a wall or a tree. That kind of thinking had wormed its way into her brain to the point where she couldn’t appreciate the natural beauty of the world surrounding her. She had been so dedicated to her work that that kind of thinking felt like it had been locked away from her. “I hope that your commitments to me don’t make you lose that appreciation.” Anna didn’t want another to succumb to her kind of thinking. 

“I think you would like the countryside of Japan, should you choose to come back with me.” While they did have similar scenes to what Fang had described, the country did have it’s own share of natural beauties that should be appreciated. Fang seemed like just the type of woman to be able to do so. Not that Anna had much time to go out to the countryside these days, but even she was aware of how peaceful the places could be. “It is a different type of peaceful, from what I’ve heard.” Like they lived in their own little bubbles, separate from the rest of the world.

“I’m not that far into the dark, although I have moments if I am shoved hard enough to get into that sort of mindset.” It was best to be honest and Fang was always that way toward her new boss. While they were still learning one another, the woman made certain she was an open book for Anna on any questions or concerns that had to be brought up. Fang could shift into a darker mindset in order to get more dangerous things handled. She was not one to shy away from making others scream if she had to, it just took getting into a solid mind to handle it.

Fang had always been a bit more warm to those that earned that right to see her. She had been kind to friends and family before being wrapped up into Anna’s life as a bodyguard. Her warmth still remained toward Anna and would eventually grow to involve those in the Guado as a whole. It would take time however for that but Fang would mix in just fine after getting through growing hurdles and learning how things worked in Japan properly.

“Those after you wouldn’t know my killing style yet or how swift I work. They won’t connect the dots.” Fang had been quite thorough in her job in dispatching the trouble. Working with those who had also come with Anna to her land, she made it clean and unknown. Knowing some background in keeping details away from being detected, she had worked in tandem well with the other bodyguards to keep things hushed. It was progress to show she had a chance to one day blend in with them all.

As the subject changed, Fang rose from her bed and adjusted her hooded sweatshirt sleeves down over her tattoo and along her other arm. She felt a slight chill and kept warmth that way. She listened as Anna spoke about the countryside in Japan for a moment as well as the remark of choosing to go with her back to her homeland. Since being picked as an American bodyguard, the Yun woman had kept Anna out of trouble and kept them blended in well enough. It would take time to adjust to life in Japan but she wouldn’t be able to go back to a normal life once it was discovered an American was around the Guado as a whole. People would eventually connect those tiny dots to realize she was who the details meant.

And part of her was glad Fang had stuck it out for as long as she had.

She was sure word had spread of Anna’s new bodyguard. An unseen face, one with a unique style of dispatching her leader’s enemies. It wasn’t something that was part of the Guado’s usual style, so who could it be? It was this reason that Anna enjoyed bringing in new blood from outside of the Guado’s usual style. It kept their enemies on their toes and taught the current members new ways of thinking. It would stop them growing stale and would keep their minds fresh. “The rumours that I’ve heard so far are still trying to decide what to make of you. You’re way of doing things are similar to that of the Guado, but not similar enough to make them think you are one of us.” A sense of pride edged into her words. “I think we have a few more weeks, if not a few months, before they connect the dots yet. Provided we don’t give away anything too obvious.” She knew her enemies weren’t stupid. They would figure out the connection sooner or later.

The jacket was rather warming and she found herself a lot warmer than she had before. She dared not take it off though, in case the chill came back and she was forced to put it on again. The weather hadn’t been the greatest that day and the despite the warmer weather they’d previously had, this seemed to be an anomaly. Not that she minded. It reminded her of home. It was small comforts like that that kept her feeling connected. 

“That is...good to know.” Originally, Anna hadn’t intended to take Fang back with her. Their situation was only intended to stay in America. But it had gotten to a point where that was no longer possible. Fang knew too much and it would pose a risk to the Guado if Anna left her in America. The amount of trouble they could find themselves in, even back in Japan, if Fang decided to switch sides was more trouble than bringing Fang back with her. “Though I had hoped...” She trailed off, a sense of awkwardness setting in. Perhaps she was lying to herself with thinking that they’d be able to shirk their duties to go to the countryside. Perhaps she was optimistic in thinking a job would take them out there. The slight optimism surprised her, she thought she’d run out of that. 

“Things will be difficult, in your case.” She was still trying to wrap her mind round what the beast was. Spira was full of a variety of fiends and her initial thoughts had been that maybe it was a new kind. But then it talked. The fact that it had talked had knocked her theory of it being a special kind of fiend out of the window. Whatever it was, it did not seem to be dangerous to Anna.

“The name of this world is Spira. You are currently in the forests that run along the Moonflow and to the city of Guadosalam.” It was quite fortunate that the creature had come from a forest and now found itself in one again. That was how Anna saw it. “You need not leave if you don’t feel safe to. Though fiends do prowl this forest, so I wouldn’t be comfortable leaving you by yourself.” While she had been a skilled white mage, physical strength had never been her strong suit. Perhaps the creature was best suited for Guadosalam. She had seen many different species pass through there and perhaps one such as her companion might be more unnoticed there then anywhere else. 

“It is.” And still was. It had almost felt like a safety blanket for when she felt lonely or was in need of some company. Anima was careful with how often she went in though. A safety blanket could easily become a crutch if one wasn’t careful. “It is…intriguing to see how Zanarkand once was in its former glory. I never imagined such a place out exist outside the realms of our imagination.” Intriguing was putting it mildly. Few were able to see inside the confines of the dream and she had never thought such a construction existed until she saw it for herself. Anima wondered if the Guado knew of such things, whether it had been written in their records. Part of her doubted it. The Guado knew a lot of things, but they certainly couldn’t know this.

“These questions are giving me the inclination that you might have an interest in this place. How is it that you never attempted to visit? Your presence reminds me of a Fayth and yet..” And yet there was something Anima couldn’t put her finger on. Fayth but not Fayth. Real or not real? Was she a dream like Anima was or something different? A pleasant smile pushed her lips upwards. “You should come and see it.”

A smile crept up on her lips at the hopeful gleam in the other’s eyes. “I see no reason not to. You are a Fayth as much as I.” Neither knew of the other’s origins. Neither had gotten to that point in their conversations and Anima relished in the fact that the conversation could wait until another time. Picking at old wounds wouldn’t help them in their current situation. “Granted, my talents at entering the dream are not as refined as some of the other Fayth, but I can tell my process.” Partially due to the other Fayth having been around a lot longer than her. They’d had hundreds of years, whereas Anima had only had a few. She had felt like a child compared to them at first.

It had been difficult at first. She’d had not recollection of what Zanarkand, real or otherwise, had looked like. She’d heard the stories, yes, but they could’ve been myth for all she knew. Tales spun by Yevon to give a false illusion of what they deemed Zanarkand to be. “In the beginning, I found closing my eyes helped.” As a matter, she still did, provided she had manifested herself physically. Even when she hadn’t the illusion of closing her eyes and letting herself drift off had helped. “And usually I’ve found it easier to enter when we’re not manifesting physically, but it is doable when we are. Even when I’m not in Spira, the thought of closing my eyes helped too.” Anima didn’t really know how to describe the feeling. It felt like being pulled into a dream, but not. There usually had to be a conscious effort to go into the dream, but she had always felt the call to go as well. Like there all she needed to do was open a door, walk through and there she was.

“In truth, it is a little difficult to describe,” Perhaps this was the best way to start; by being honest. “When nobody is calling on my Aeon, my consciousness seems to drift toward it, as if I’m being pulled toward it by some unseen force. It feels peaceful and exhilarating all at once.” If she tried her best to describe what the process was like for her, the young woman would be able to conjure up the feeling as well. “Though I do not automatically go into the dream, I’ve always found that there’s a door there. If I choose to go into the dream, all I have to do is open it. If I don’t, it remains closed.” She wasn’t entirely convinced by the words the left her mouth, but it was the best she could do. “Sometimes it feels like I’m walking into a dream. Do you remember what they felt like? Dreams, I mean. Even more so when you realised that you were dreaming?” Anima wasn’t sure how long the girl had been a Fayth. Was it silly of her to ask if the other remembered what dreams felt like? 

“You may not need to use words to tell me that we are drawing to a close on our journey together. Pray tell me, young summoner, how are you feeling as we draw nearer?” Every time they connected, each time Yuna summoned her Aeon, Anima could feel how close they were to defeating Sin. She did not know the details. The conversations the two of them had had were not detailed in that regard. Rarely had they a chance to speak like this. The Guardians the Summoner chose kept her entertained enough, as did the other Fayth. Whatever the young woman did in how own time, Anima wasn’t privy. She could feel the drain on the woman though. But whether that was emotional, spiritual or phyiscal, she couldn’t identify right now.

 “ I have been unable to sleep well as of late, Anima. Worried that what we have done will allow Sin to come back once again- however if that is the case and I were to somehow survive, I will gladly come back to fight Sin again, and again as much as it takes.” Using Aeons continuously was great for bonding and strength— only in return to wearing Yuna out if her health wasn’t in excellent condition. 

While her words said one thing, her body language said another. Anima could tell that the young summoner was not as rested as she let others believe she was. The slumped shoulders against the interior of the room was the biggest giveaway. “Yuna, we both know that is not true. Any summoner would know to rest well, regardless of if the fate of the world rested on their shoulders.” She had made sure Seymour had rested as well as he could during his pilgrimage. Even at the expense of her own health. She could not imagine Yuna’s guardians wouldn’t let her rest well. “You would not. Your guardian’s would tell you that as well.” The young woman would have it coming from all directions. From the Fayth she had built a connection with, the guardian’s that were there to protect her, from the people that Yuna had sworn to protect. All would want her to succeed in the fact of Sin.

Anima listened to the young woman’s woes. It was a cause for concern. Even if they had stopped Yunalesca from creating any more Final Aeons, that did not mean that Sin could not find a way to come back anew. “I hear your concern and it is one that troubles me too. Nobody has stood up to Yunalesca like you and your guardians have. I do not know the consequences of your actions.” Nor would anyone else in Spira. The cycle of the death had continued since the war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Even Anima had sought to continue it with her own sacrifice. “But I cannot imagine a Sin without it needing a Final Aeon. There has to be some way of defeating it without one.” Or perhaps Yuna’s journey was pointless. Anima herself was a Final Aeon, though it was Yuna that was wielding her, would it have the same effect. From what she knew from the Guado, Anima doubted it would work if Yuna was the one wielding her. But it was worth trying.