(no subject)

[onwingedsilver.livejournal.com]

Who: Shuyin and Lenne
What: Talking and visiting loved ones
Where: Guadosalam, Farplane
When: Night time
Rating: G


The sky wasn't visible from inside Guadosalam, though if you stood at the entrance to the Thunder Plains you could watch the rain. Yet, she'd already passed through there with Shuyin and Maiyah, and whilst she loved the rain, and had danced in it when they'd passed through, she wasn't prepared to get wet again. Lenne was seated on the wall that guarded the edge of the bridge to the Farplane. Whilst Guadosalam was all lit up at night, it was dimmer than the daytime and candlelight was what guests and residents spent their nights by. The songstress had acquired a notebook and pen from a passerby, paying them with a potion, and now sat writing words. Just random words, all over the page.

Shuyin leaned against the wall near to where Lenne sat, looking around and enjoying the closeness to her. After a damn long time hurting, he just liked to be close to Lenne, as she soothed his ancient pain. "I wonder what happened to the Guado.." he mumbled to himself, raising his brows as he laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back, smiling.

"I asked a woman. She said they live in Macalania now. It's a little sad, but their leader brought it on them, aparently." Lenne mumbled as she spoke, writing down more words. After a moment, she closed her notebook and put the pen down the rings binding it. "...you're not useless, y'know?" She didn't look at him as she spoke. Her eyes remained on her notebook resting on her lap.

The blonde man had nodded along with her words, "Yeah, that sounds kinda sad.. wonder what Maester couldn't live up to th--guh?!" he nearly choked on his words, and stared at her in surprise. Lenne had always been a master of finding just how to catch him off guard. He crossed his arms, and looked to the side almost petulantly, "Says the Summoner with the failed Guardian." his words were quiet; it seemed he bore a heavy cross.

"You didn't fail me, Shuyin. I chose to stay with you in Bevelle's Underground. I could've ran while you held them off but losing you and living alone would've been far more painful that dying with you." Her voice was soft and she wasn't really sure it'd do much to lift the weight off him but it was something that needed saying. Looking down still, she sighed softly. "The only way you could've failed me would be if you'd left me alone."

"I could never!" he stepped towards her, shock bordering on outrage at the very idea. Then he drew back, well aware of his natural inclination for losing his temper. "Lenne.. I couldn't leave you alone to be hurt, let alone alone and without a Guardian.." he knelt beside her, and stroked her cheek, smiling sweetly.

Lenne gave him a soft smile, resting her hand on the back of his gloved one. "I know you couldn't. Which is why I couldn't leave you on your own either," she laughed gently, lowering his hand and curling both of hers around it. "I'm sorry I never had the chance to say it, and I tried when we were shot, and even if I said it in Zanarkand... I love you, Shuyin. You must believe in that."

Shuyin blushed lightly, and nodded, smiling softly, "I know.." he hadn't stopped to think about it, being forced to relive watching her die.. the light leaving her beautiful eyes.. again and again for a thousand years and more.. "I knew.. I just didn't think to.. think." he squeezed her hands with his, and ached inside, "I.. wish I could have protected you.."

"I wish I could've protected you, too. All this power, the ability to summon creatures beyond imagination... and I did nothing." Lenne shook her head, closing her eyes for a brief moment, gathering herself before she looked at him again. "Did you like my new song for you? I know you heard it, in Zanarkand, if not when we returned to the Farplane." She smiled sweetly at him, looking towards the doorway to that place. "It's in there. Remember?"

The Blitzer sat beside her, settling back and sighing, "It is not your job to protect me, Lenne.. you have all of Spira to worry about, with me worrying for you." he knew how Summoners and Guardians operated, but he felt flattered that she would want to protect him. Shuyin spoke a few words of her new song, then smiled broadly, "I heard every word.. like a knife though the fog."

"I'm glad." She smiled and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Remember when we used to play together? You'd play the piano and I'd sing... I was always so happy when we did that." Lenne gave a soft laugh, looking at his face for a moment before resting her head down again. "How many years has it been now? Five? Six? Plus a thousand. We've been together so long."

Shuyin hummed a few bars of one of the many songs he would play to accompany her voice, "Well.. if I can find a machina that acts as a portable piano, I will be able to play for you regardless of where we are." he kissed her cheek sweetly, holding her hand and leaning back with a little, happy sigh. It was nice to be together but not in pain.

Lenne smiled brightly, almost like she was made entirely carefree by just that single kiss to her cheek. With a soft laugh, she curled her free hand around Shuyin's arm, still resting against him. "I want to see you Blitz again, too. I used to love being in the stands with all the other fans, cheering you on. There's... just so much I'm going to miss about Zanarkand and Spira on a whole..."

"Ah, well, I dunno if you'll see me do much Blitzin'." he put an arm around her waist, holding her hand in his other hand, and leaned on the girl, "The Abes are long, long gone, and I don't know anything about the other teams. Except that they lost a lot." he smirked, ever-confident.

"Well, that was thanks to you, Mister Ace Blitzer," she teased, smiling up at him. "Well, even if I don't get to see you play a match, I don't want you to just give up on the game. The Shuyin I know isn't a quitter, after all." Lenne smiled more, tapping her boots on the floor before hugging his arm a little tighter. "I... you know when we returned to the Farplane... I don't remember what happened but... I'm sorry we were apart."

"Oh, I ain't quittin', just takin' a break from the ball, least 'till I find a team t'play for." he nuzzled her hair, and held her close. "Well.. we could return to the Farplane now, while we have the chance, and give it another shot. Being together with the Fayth, that is."

"You'd want to? Go back to being pyreflies? Go back to death?" Was that really what he was saying? He wanted to return there instead of living out their lives together. "I mean... I don't know... I... I'm kind of glad we're here now. I mean, sure, Zanarkand is gone and that hurts. It really, really hurts, but... being with you now, like this, it's more than I could wish for."

He blinked, and shook his head, "No~ I've been dead for way too long! I wanna be alive, but the door to the Farplane's just over there. We could walk in, and just.. stand there, together, before we come back out into Spira." he smiled brightly, thinking it to be a marvelous idea.

The summoner gave a soft laugh and stood, holding her notebook to her belly as she did, keeping his hand in hers. "That sounds like a good idea." With a smile, she began to walk inside, knowing he'd follow with her. She didn't speak as she climbed the stairs, walking straight into that orb that signified the end of the Farplane and the beginning of Spira. There were so many people she wanted to call upon but, really, the only person from Zanarkand she needed was the man holding her hand.

Shuyin smiled, fearless in the face of the place where the dead resided. He squeezed Lenne's hand, and tugged her into the Farplane with him, eager to prove that, given the chance, he would stand behind her forever, even there. "C'mon, Lenne.."

Lenne smiled and laughed lightly, stepping out onto that platform and taking a deep breath. The atmosphere felt different to when she'd visited a thousand years ago. It was scary back then but now... it just felt natural. Peaceful. Frowning softly, she knew this wasn't a place Maiyah would come. Or... she believed she wouldn't. There were no people here. Only the pyreflies and the flowers and the mist. "Who do you want to call on, Shuyin?" Her question came as her gaze remained on the big blue moon.

The blonde thought for a moment, then shrugged, "There isn't anyone I wanna call on. The girl I want to see is here already." he took a deep breath, finding the calm atmosphere of the Farplane to be welcoming, caressing him almost like a loved one's touch. "Who else would you like to see?"

"Everyone! Everyone..." She frowned a little, moving closer to the edge. She knew the pyreflies had recreated a ghost of Zanarkand whilst they'd been there but she didn't want that. If anything, she just wanted to see her family and friends. Though, she couldn't remember their faces. Frowning more, Lenne looked up at Shuyin. "I don't remember what anyone was like. When I was dead, I spent my time dreaming of you, only you..."

Shuyin nodded, and stepped up to the edge, casting his considerable awareness out into the field of Pyreflies. He forced his will upon them, begging silently for them to recreate the people he remembered. He knew Lenne's parents, and many of their friends were mutual. Slowly, a crowd of people walked from the mist, bidden by Shuyin and his many, many years of experience with the dead.

Lenne gasped, squeezing Shuyin's hand and smiling at the sight of her parents. Just seeing them was enough. Really, she couldn't apologise enough to them for getting wrapped up in the war and dying young so all she could do was smile back at their faces. Of course, the majority of the Zanarkand Abes were there, waving and grinning like idiots like they always did. Lenne recalled frequent times that she'd be ambushed after a concert by them all wanting to help Shuyin protect her from crazed fans. It made her smile... but also a little sad.

He knew that they were all dead, dead and gone, and it saddened him to see them all again. "Sorry guys.. we couldn't do it. But we'll do better this time, and when we join up with ya again, we'll have all kinds of new stories, and Lenne'll sing new songs for everyone." he held her hand tight, and nodded, trying to be a rock for Lenne.

"Mmhm... and I'll dance too." She nudged Shuyin playfully. "Maybe we'll even have some children to finally make you all stop nagging us." She laughed softly, clutching her notebook and Shuyin's hand tightly. "We'll get married one day, too, before the babies, just give us time to get a feel on this new Spira." She smiled at Shuyin, laughing lightly. "I promise we'll do you guys proud."

The man nodded brightly, then looked at Lenne in shock. Marriage, babies? This was new.. but he didn't much mind the idea. "Yeah, Lenne's got it all down right, so don't worry about us right now, and just enjoy yer rest."

She might not have mentioned it but their friends always nagged her about marrying Shuyin and settling down. Hey, she was young still, she hadn't felt the need for such acts, but now she'd been given a second chance with Shuyin she knew it was right to want those things with him. "We love you guys. Just enjoy your rest and we promise we'll make sure everyone knows that Zanarkand wasn't at fault. It was Bevelle. It always was."

Shuyin held them there a moment or two longer, before letting them vanish on their own into clouds of Pyreflies. Then, still somewhat behind Lenne, he drew on his memories and called forth their parents, his and hers, once the rest of the crowd had dispersed. He really hadn't thought, before, of using his abilities to see good memories.

Lenne smiled lightly, squeezing Shuyin's hand a little. It was nice to see their parents all together again, like the old days. In fact, it was nice just being able to hold Shuyin's hand and feel warmth from him. It'd been too long, far too long, since she'd stood at his side like this with a real smile on her face. It felt right.

The blonde man smiled back at her, and stepped up, "Don't you guys worry. We might be a thousand years off stickin' with you, but we gotta live our lives right? When we're ready, we'll come back t'the Farplane." he smiled brightly, and kissed Lenne's cheek.

"We'll come back, for sure, but we'll bring lots of new stories and songs for you. I promise." She nodded firmly, smiling up at Shuyin. "We've just got to make each other happy first." She grinned at him, giving him a playful nudge as she stood beside him. "I need to be with Shuyin... so... I'm sorry, but we'll come back one day."

He let them go, too, and as they drifted away, he clasped Lenne and smiled down at her, "I'm happy with you, always have been. Hope we don't tick Maiyah off too much, 'cause she's yer pal and all, but I ain't gonna act like bein' with you ain't the best thing I've ever had."

Lenne laughed softly. "She'll be okay with it. Maiyah might seem kind of rough, and I don't know her all too well, but she's nice. She's a good person inside." The summoner smiled and curled her arms around Shuyin, resting her head on his chest. "I'm happy with you too, Shuyin. I always have been."

"Well, that's reassuring.." he smiled, and stroked her back comfortingly, then nodded softly, "We should probably get back soon.. it ain't every day people go walkin' into the Farplane, and Maiyah doesn't know we're out here. She's supposed to be yer Guardian, too, so she's gotta know stuff like that."

She gave a nod but leaned up, tiptoeing, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. With a smile, Lenne slipped from his grasp, heading back towards the exit of the Farplane, clutching her notebook to her. It was going to be strange to be away from the Farplane, since after a thousand years there, you get kind of used to things. She'd remembered her parents calling on -her- at the Farplane. It was strange for it to be the other way around.

Shuyin was just glad to be with Lenne. Being alive was secondary, truth be told, as he would have gladly spent another thousand years as an Unsent, if it meant he got to spend those years with the Summoner he loved. It was a selfish thought, but Shuyin knew he was a selfish person, and had known it a good, long time before he'd died, deep in Bevelle. "Any idea what you wanna do with yourself once we're outta Spira?"

"I... haven't really thought. I mean... becoming a famous songstress again is probably a bit reckless, because of being a wanted criminal..." She frowned, wrinkling her nose up. "I can still summon, I can -feel- that, but... I don't know. Being a street performer sounds kind of like what I'd want. Since I was one before I was famous," she shrugged slightly, tucking some hair behind her ear to reveal those long, beaded earrings more.

The blonde nodded softly, and shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna be a star Blitzer, though I won't pass up the occasional game. Maybe you, me'n Maiyah can be just.. a travelling group of adventurers or something? You can sing, I can play the piano, Maiyah could learn an instrument.. and we could just go places, and see places.

"I wonder if Maiyah could already play something..." Lenne pondered for a few moments before bouncing on her heels, smiling at Shuyin. "We'll be safe, right?" She gave a soft laugh. "Of course we will..." Shaking her head, she stepped further ahead. "Where will we find an airship in Luca? If we don't find one, we'll have to use a boat, right?"

"Maybe. A woodwind would be nice, like a flute or something.." he walked along beside the brunette, tapping his chin slowly as he did, "But yeah, you're right. If we can't land a bird in Luca, we'll have to get a boat. Shouldn't be too hard, though.. Bevelle might have wanted posters for you and Maiyah up, but I can pose as one've 'em, and tell 'em I'm takin' ya offshore for an execution're somethin'."

"Yeah..." She bounced a little on her feet as she walked, smiling softly. "Perhaps we could... masquerade as... as Yuna and Tidus. We've got their faces, though my skin is a tad darker than hers... All we'd have to do is disguise my hairstyle, since Yuna's is far different." She gave a slight shrug, watching the odd pyrefly that escaped the Farplane every so often. "Tidus is a dream of you... you could just pretend to be him. Then... we could disguise Maiyah."

"Hmm.. maybe. You think I can be that spazzy?" he'd heard stories about the other man, and had wrenched others' memories of him, some Ronso who'd tried to expunge him from Zanarkand. None had been safe from him, truth be told. "Well, maybe.." he bared his teeth in a sharklike grin, "He smiles like this?"

"Oh, believe me, you have your moments, Shuyin." She smiled playfully, laughing at his grin. "I think he looks a little less malicious. I saw him when I showed Yuna a dream of herself and him experiencing what we did..." She brought her hand to her mouth, thinking for a moment. "He seemed to love her as much as you love me. Perhaps." She laughed gently, hugging her book.

"Hmm.. well, if he's anything like me, Lenne, then he must love 'er." he smiled sweetly, probably just like Tidus.. it must have been her influence that did it, because he had been quiet on his own, unless playing Blitzball. "I have spazzy moments, eh? Like when? I don't spaz." he smirked, and put a thumb to his chest.

"Oh? You don't?" She grinned at him, huffing hair from her eyes. "You do enough of it at my concerts! You're the rowdiest one there!! And you've heard all the songs before anyone else has, anyway!" Lenne laughed, poking him on his nose. "He's a dream of you. That means he's just like you. Crazy and all." With that, she headed on, pushing open the door to the travel agency.

"Well, you're the best Songstress Zanarkand and Spira ever saw! Plus I'm yer guy, I gotta make everyone all hyped up for your shows!" he grinned, and pumped one fist, "Woulda been a shame if they weren't as hyped up for yer singin' as I was, Lenne." he followed her in, laughing softly.

"I suppose so... though the brawls and such weren't necessary. Amusing, but unnecessary." Lenne was teasing, since usually, there weren't many brawls. Though, alcohol fuelled a lot of violent dancing in the stands. She smiled at him, heading to their room silently, setting her book on the table and removing her boots before curling up on the bed in her clothes. It wasn't wise to undress, just in case soldiers came for them.

Shuyin chuckled, and slipped his boots off as well, stretching out and positioning himself on the side of the bed closest to the door. He wanted to be the one in immediate