The battle was over. Ranma and his friends went out to take out every single fiend that was out there. The few remaining Guado fled.
Home was saved.
They were back in the Summoner's Sanctum, where they took a little break. Pacce was walking up to Tidus. The little brother of Isaaru was staring up to the blonde boy's tired face.
"Hey, what's 'sacrificed'?" he asked. "The Al Bhed said summoners were being 'sacrificed'. That summoner's shouldn't do a pilgrimage..."
Tidus looked back at the little guardian's face. "It means that the summoners are in danger from being killed by fiends. But still, that doesn't justify their kidnapping. After all, that's why there are guardians, right?"
Rikku walked up to him. "The pilgrimages have to stop. If they don't, and they get to Zanarkand... They might defeat Sin. Yunie could, but... but then she... Yunie will die, you know?"
Silence.
"What... did you... just... say?" Ranma asked with a strained voice.
"That's what the Final Summoning does," Auron said. "It's really powerful, stronger even than the most powerful of all the other Aeons... strong enough to beat even Sin. But it also takes a lot of energy to control them... You saw Yuna, when she received her Aeons... it is an enormous strain. And now imagine how much power will be needed to summon an Aeon that is powerful enough to defeat Sin."
"No," Ranma shook his head. "That can't be! That's not right! Even if Sin wouldn't come back! I don't have any trouble summoning my Aeons, and Yuna... Yuna just has to die? That can't be right..."
"You all knew, didn't you?" Tidus threw accusing glances towards Wakka, Kimahri and Auron. "Tell me! Why were you hiding it? Why didn't I know?"
"We... weren't exactly hiding it," Wakka explained. "It was just... too hard to say."
"See, I told you," Nabiki angrily replied. "That's why the pilgrimage is a farce. Why should the world be saved if the one who does it dies? And even worse, Sin will come back, but not the ones that defeated him. What kind of tradition is that?"
Kasumi gasped. "Nabiki... So that's why you were so intent in helping the Al Bhed... Oh Nabiki, I'm sorry! If I only knew..."
Nabiki shook her head. "It's okay, Kasumi... you couldn't know..." Then she glared at Wakka. "But you knew! How could you? How could you even defend that rotten system? And you're even proud of being a disciple of Yevon."
Wakka just looked down in shame.
"But that's our choice," Dona explained. "We all live in fear of Sin. You know that."
Isaaru nodded. "A world without Sin... that is the dream of all Yevon's children. And we will use that power, even if it means giving our lives."
Tidus was almost in tears by now. "And I've been telling Yuna... Let's go to Zanarkand together! Let's beat Sin! I told her all the things we could... we could... And all along, the whole time, I didn't know anything! But Yuna, she'd... just smile."
"We can't let that happen," Ranma decided. "We won't let her die. I'll use the Final Aeon in her place... and it won't kill me."
That statement made everyone gasp. "How do you know that?" Ukyo asked. "Do you want to throw your life away just like Yuna did?"
Ranma shook her head. "I won't... I somehow know it, I'm different. You all know that, I'm no normal summoner. The Aeons are in my mind... but I didn't get them on the same way like Yuna. I got those gems. They're really not true Aeons, even if I call them that. They're Espers. And perhaps the Final Aeon is just a powerful Esper, forced into a fayth statue, just like the others are: Valefor... Ifrit... Ixion... and Shiva! Yuna can help me, of course... her Aeons are powerful by themselves. But if it takes the Final Aeon to defeat Sin, I'll do it."
"Why don't you ask Carbuncle?" Kasumi suggested. "He should know."
Ranma nodded. "Good idea." She summoned the small Esper who looked out of his hole.
'I heard everything Ranma... so I know what you're going to ask...'
"Well, is it true?" Ranma asked. "Is the Final Aeon nothing else than an Esper?"
'No.'
Ranma looked at his friend puzzled. "Wha...?"
'It's true,' Carbuncle said. 'All your summons are pure Espers, no Aeons. That's why you didn't have to strain yourself like Yuna did. But the Final Summoning... that's a different case altogether. The normal Aeons are transformed Espers, channeled through the statue of the fayth... But the Final Aeon... is a transformed human.'
"Great..." Ranma sighed. "Just great... So there is no way to defeat Sin without dying?"
'I didn't say that,' Carbuncle replied. 'There is a way... but I can't tell you which way.'
"Why not? You told me to save Spira from Sin, right? All your talk about that 'Spiral of Death'... It was in the ocean ruins, remember?"
Carbuncle looked really uncomfortable now. 'Look, Ranma... you were send here to free Spira from Sin, forever. That is correct. But while we Espers know many things, we cannot tell you everything. It's hard to explain, but... it would disrupt the balance of things. You have to find out the hard way. This is the way of a true hero. But if I'm correct, and you are the chosen one, you WILL find a way, and neither Yuna or yourself has to be sacrificed.'
Ranma stared at him. "I hope you're right... but listen up! The only reason why I don't take your gem and throw it out into the desert is that I fought alongside you for many days now... and I know that you're my friend. And I trust you. But never, ever keep a secret from me if it's the only thing that prevents the death of an innocent victim, got it?"
Carbuncle nodded sadly. 'Yes, Ranma...'
"Good. Okay, that's all for now."
Carbuncle vanished back into Ranma's mind. Sometimes, this job just sucks.
'Damn you, boss,' he thought. 'Why can't we tell Ranma everything? Why don't you tell me? Am I destined to be the scapegoat every time?'
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(Posted Sun, 30 Jul 2006 13:25)
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