Tifa & Yuna

[Yuna Braska]

Tidus was surprised by Cloud's compliments, he found it w bit weird to be hearing it from him though he gave a weak smile. " I'm not going to get attached, I'm just helping her out you know" He replied, why was everyone warning him not to get so close to Yuna?

Kilika was beginning to come in sight from the boat, and it was not what everyone was expecting. The once known village port was completely destroyed. Planks of wood and pots floated in the waters, palm trees were bent and broken. Huts were demolished and boats were torn in half. It looked like a tidal wave had broken over the village over and over again until it was sure that nothing was left. Tidus grabbed the rope of the boat and stood on the edge to look out to the small island as they slowly got closer to it. People gasped in horror at the sight and hid their eyes from the devastation. Wakka quickly rushed in to get Yuna and Lulu out from the cabin below, his feet could be heard running on the floorboards as he reached the cabin.

Yuna quickly rushed ahead of Lulu up to the upper deck of the boat, brushing her now dry hair from her face to look upon Kilika. It was a scene she had seen a few times before, but no one could get use to the sight of the people who did survive. Their teary faces are what keep Yuna going on her journey. She held her hand to her mouth to cover her shock and watched as the boat slowly came into the last remaining dock site.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud had moved to the bow of the ship the moment Killika came into view, and he'd stood with a look of devastation on his face ever since. Now that they were nearly at the dock he simply jumped off the still moving boat, ignoring the height from which he'd leaped, landing in the shallow waters with a slight splash.
He waded towards the smashed boardwalks and destroyed houses, blue eyes wide with horror.
This was the destruction of Sin... this was... worse... then Shinra had ever been... the tear stained faces were too familiar, it was all too horrible, ice crept through his veins.

Khimari stood beside Yuna, silent and solemn.

[Yuna Braska]

Tidus slowly went to exit off the boat, distort with a stone face as he looked at the small village. It seemed deathly silent and all Tidus could hear was the swashing of the water against the posts that use to hold up the decks. Yuna was the second person off the boat after Cloud who had dipped straight into the water. Yuna scanned her eyes over the islands edge and frowned. her hands were shaking slightly but she held the two of them together to stop them.

Lulu was last off after Wakka, not really keen to get off the boat at all though she knew that they would be the only people apart from the surviving villagers, if there were any, to know of the tragedy. Wakka got into the water as cloud did but quickly made his way to the edge of the water to fetch a blue blizball which floated in the water. It was too small to be a tournament qualified ball, it was one that usually a kid plays with.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud was still waist deep in water at this stage, staring with glassy eyes at the destruction around him, at was Sin had done to these people...
They lived humble lives in hopes of atoning for whatever crimes had created this menace... and how were they repaid? With death and destruction... it was all wrong. Everything he'd worked so hard to accomplish had unraveled already. A doll floated by him, and the blonde plucked it from the debris filled water, staring at it an unseen silver droplet slid down his face and dripped onto the dolls torn and tattered body. He thought of Marlene... and the suffering she had endured, and the ice in his veins began to burn with rage. He turned and headed for the docks where the others were, his blue eyes glowing with his rage.

[Yuna Braska]

Yuna could here the rocking of the deck from beneath her, It was very unstable but then she realized it was just stimulated by a young woman who was running towards them. "Lady Yuna!" She screamed with a wash of relief on her face. She caught her breath as she stopped before the Summoner. "Oh thank Yevon you are here!" Lulu interupted the explaination the woman was about to give cause it was obvious to what had happened.
"How many are there of you?" She asked gently walked up to stand beside Yuna. The woman paused and shook her head.
"There is quite a few though also a lot are missing. " The woman seemed to be dealing well with the tragedy though you could hear the shock the days events in her voice.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud came to stand just behind Yuna. He had the doll clutched in his hands still and his mouth was a grim line, a shadow cast over his eyes as he kept his gaze pinned to the floor.
He'd await instructions from Yuna, though his instinct was to begin searching the rubble for survivors. This felt like Midgar all over again.

[Yuna Braska]

Yuna took a deep breath and looked to her guardians, they were all as distraught as she was. "We will help you, where is everyone gathering?" Yuna asked the woman as she placed her hand in hers to comfort her. "Oh thankyou Lady Yuna! Everyone is at the east dock, some people have already been out searching the moment that Sin went."
"Take me to them" Lulu said walking ahead and then waiting for the Woman who said godbye to Lady Yuna traditionally.

"So are we joining the search?" Tidus asked in a depressing voice. Yuna nodded and refused to look as the tragedy so instead kept her head down as she walked along the rickety deck.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud didn't need any more of an indication from Yuna to join the search, moving off shortly after the summoner to help the people search for survivors or dead. As he passed Yuna he touched and shoulder, the gesture intended to be comforting.
Soon he was deep in the ruins of the city, pulling aside broken roof beams and searching through rubble, looking for someone, anyone.
He stopped to wipe his brow after one particularly heavy beam and turned to see several village men watching him and whispering to one another, pausing from their work.
Cloud avoided their gaze and went to move another beam, but just as he took hold of it someone tugged at his leg. Frowning he turned, realising there was a small girl standing in front of him. She was covered in dirt and bruises.
"T-That's my dolly sir..." She said, pointing to the tattered doll that Cloud had slipped into his belt.

In an act of unbelievable tenderness Cloud knelt to the girl's level, pulling the doll from his belt and handing it to the girl. She snatched it up and hugged it as Cloud brushed her hair with his hands, whimpering quietly as she held the damaged toy.
Cloud looked up to see if anyone was watching, and when he was certain they weren't, he reached out to gently wipe the tears off of the girls grimy cheeks.
"Don't cry." He said, his voice more tender then anyone in this world would have heard, he had a soft spot for children, and this girl reminded him of Marlene. "If you cry, it means Sin is winning."

The little girl sniffed and looked up at him, the last few tears dribbling down her cheeks. She then moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Smiling tenderly Cloud picked her up.
"Let's go find the rest of your townspeople hmm?" He suggested, heading for the dock where the rest of the survivors were gathering.

((*wants someone from Yuna's crowd to have witnessed that*))

[Yuna Braska]

Tidus was searching through the rubble as well, though mainly through the water underneath the old plank bridges because he was able to hold his breath longer than most. He couldn't find anyone but he watched as others found some bodies that had washed a shore. It was heartbreaking to see woman cry over their husbands bodies and children roaming around looking for their parents. He went to take a deep breath again but spotted Cloud could over by one of the broken down huts, he watched the scene as a young girl walked up to the blonde haired man. He smiled at the way cloud acted. he seemed so good with children as he scooped up the child and comforted her back to the east side dock.

'Yuna send them... their family's don't want them becoming fiends. " Lulu said glumly as she and Yuna watched each widow wife, torn brother, sister, mother, and friend push out a quickly made coffin decorated with flowers gathered from the forest. The people of Kilika wanted to quickly say goodbye to their loved ones and move on. Though they will grieve, Yuna know that in a few years, Kilika will be back to normal again. Wakka didn't find the child who owned the ball but decided to keep it. Tidus got out of the water after a long search and went to the gathering point.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud arrived soon, holding onto the small girl, who despite his prompts, did not point out anyone she knew. He feared that maybe her family was dead and she would be alone in the word.
Just like he had been at 16.
He came to stand on the dock where the others were, watching curiously as they pushed away hastily crafted coffins. He wondered what would happen now.

[Yuna Braska]

Tidus arrived a few moments after Cloud and went to stand next to him. He was breathing heavily a bit but then spotting the child again in his arms. He didn't say anything, he simply smiled at the child and waved.

The villagers were on the edge of the deck holding each other as the coffins floated just below the surface. Lulu had brought Yuna's staff from the boat knowing that she would need it, and she was right. Yuna took hold of her long gold staff and walked towards the edge of the deck. There was a slight breeze in the air so the rattling of her beads from her waist could be heard lightly like a chime as she walked out onto the water. her feet lightly touching the surface and creating a ripple, one foot at a time. She walked out into the middle of the rested coffins, stopping when she knew she was far enough. Some of the villagers had lit fires surrounding the water, the crackling of the embers created a calm and soft atmosphere. Yuna took in a deep breath and began to dance on the water. She spun her staff around her as she turned in a circle, beginning her sending of the pyraflies.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud frowned slightly as Yuna walked out across the water and began her dance, watching as the glowing orbs of rainbow light rose up and danced around, disappearing into the sky like shining stars.
So Yuna was guiding these lost spirits into the Lifestream... it made sense, and perhaps this practice was the reason monsters seemed less prominant than during his time. Sure, they were still many, but his home had been infested with thousands of different varieties. Perhaps it was because the lost spirits of the dead that never found their way to the lifestream had become monsters?
The child in his arms sniffed and buried her face into his neck, the blonde could feel her warm tears sliding down his neck, but he knew it would not due to stop her tears this time. People had to cry for the lost in order to heal... he knew that all too well.
In silence he watched Yuna's dance with a heavy heart.

[Yuna Braska]

Soon the water began to rise around Yuna, pushing her further and further above the sea level, towards the sky. The light of the souls who died circled her before heading towards the sky, leaving this world forever. The fire flashed from a bright red to a deep blue and people fell to their knee's in sorrow. Everyone watched as Yuna began to finish her sending, the waves bubbling around her.

Tidus couldn't take his eyes off Yuna, her grace was stunning. Though Tidus really didn't want to see Yuna dance again, it was so sad. He continued to stare on as if no one else was there apart from him and Yuna with the sun slowly setting in the west. His eyes were soft on her, and he felt like his body was going to crash on him by how sad and light watching Yuna made him. The blue flames of the torch beside him swirled in the air as did the shinning orbs, as the last guided soul made it's way up to the sky, Yuna made her way back to the dock, she seemed a little bit happier. Tidus understood a little about this dance, though he was too distracted to think on the topic for too long.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud clung to the child for a moment longer before he looked into the crowd of survivors, willing a relative of the girl to come forth... he didn't want the girl to be alone.
As if answering his prayer and cry of joy came from the crowd, a called name and running footsteps as a woman emerged from the crowd and came straight towards him.
The girl wiggled in his arms and so he let her go, watching with tender eyes as she went to her mother.

The woman clung to her child with sweet relief, but when she looked up to thank the man who'd saved her daughter, she could no longer see him. He was already gone, as if he'd never been there at all. She did not see him standing in the group surrounding the Summoner Yuna.

Cloud joined Yuna once the little girl was safe with her mother. His eyes were dark with sorrow and he did not utter a word.

[Yuna Braska]

Lulu went up to Cloud and decided to brief him. "We are setting sail again, we will reach Luca in the morning. " She seemed a lot duller than usual. Lulu took a glance towards Wakka then to the rest of the group and sighed. " Yuna these people will be fine for now, we have done all we can"

Yuna understood, she just didn't like leaving a place so quickly. Though she said a quick goodbye to Kilika by looking around at the surroundings once more. "Ok.."
She turned to Cloud and smiled lightly, putting her hand on his shoulder to comfort him as he did for her. Tidus walked with Wakka and Lulu followed by Khimari back to the4 boat, where everyone boarded again. He couldn't believe a punishment for this beautiful land could be one such as this.