Yuna tries to have a smile for everyone who approaches her. It falters and fades as she registers what’s been said. “I...”
The question sounds like it should be rhetorical, but the woman who asked it is watching her expectantly, head cocked to one side, waiting for an answer.
“It’s a burden I shoulder gladly,” Yuna says. “For Spira’s sake.”
She wants the people of Spira to sleep easily after she defeats Sin. If she lets them believe she feared her fate, they might feel sad; they might feel guilty. It’s important to be brave.
“People won’t remember who you were, you know,” the woman says. “They’ll remember this... this perfect version of you. It’s kind of frustrating. I don’t like being jealous of myself.”
Yuna doesn’t take her staff in hand, not yet. But she touches it, to make sure it’s there. “You... have experience?”
“You could say that.”
Her clothes are unusual, now that Yuna is paying attention. From an earlier time? They look like they could be machina-made.
“I’m Aerith, by the way,” the stranger adds, after a moment. “Maybe I should have led with that.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Yuna says.
Aerith laughs. “Really? I think I’ve kind of messed this meeting thing up.”
It’s Yuna’s response to any introduction; it came out without thought.
“It’s... a little strange to meet you, too,” Yuna admits.
“I wasn’t planning to be so intense,” Aerith says. “I just have some complicated feelings about sacrifice. I thought maybe you’d want to talk to someone who might... kind of understand.”
“You’re unsent,” Yuna says.
“Apparently,” Aerith says. “I don’t really understand how death works here. I think I somehow returned to the wrong planet.”
Yuna has no idea what to make of that.
“I just think you’re facing something really difficult,” Aerith says. “I wanted to help you talk it through.”
Yuna tilts her head. “That... sounds like you want me to change my mind, perhaps.”
“I don’t know,” Aerith says. “Maybe? You remind me of myself, a little. It’d be nice to see one of us live out her life.”
“There are other lives at stake,” Yuna says. “I’ve made my decision. I’m sorry. But I will not abandon my pilgrimage.”
Aerith laughs again. “You definitely remind me of myself.”
Yuna hesitates. “But... I appreciate the concern.”
It feels like she shouldn’t say it, somehow. Like she’s admitting that, if she had the choice, if she wouldn’t be kept awake all her life by the thought of Sin’s victims, she would want to live.
The world needs her to walk to her fate with a smile.
Aerith’s expression softens. “You’re carrying a lot, huh? You sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
Yuna shakes her head. “It feels selfish to complain to someone who has... who has already passed on.”
“I’m not important here,” Aerith says. “There’s nothing that can be done for me. You’re still alive.”
Yuna finds it difficult to hold her gaze.
She should send Aerith, she knows. It’s her duty as a summoner. But when she’s faced with an unsent who looks and moves and speaks like a person—
The unsent aren’t alive. But it feels like removing Aerith from the living world would be killing her.
All she can think to do is seek permission. “Did you approach me because you wanted me to send you?”
Aerith blows out a long breath. Yuna finds herself wondering how that works, for the unsent. Do they need to breathe at all?
“Honestly, no,” Aerith says. “I mean, I – I understand the natural order. The cycle of life. You return to the Lifestream; that’s how it’s meant to be.”
“The Lifestream?”
“Oh. Never mind. The Farplane, I mean.” She pauses. “But... I’d like to stay a little longer, if I can.”
It’s probably Yuna’s responsibility to argue against that. “The unsent... lose themselves, eventually. They become fiends.”
“Weeeeell,” Aerith says, adopting a conspicuously thoughtful pose, “I’ll just have to stick close to you. That way there’s always someone there to send me if I start trying to eat people, right?”
“You’d like to travel with me?” Yuna asks, taken aback.
“I’m kind of invested,” Aerith says. “I’ve heard so much talk about the lady summoner. And, now that I’ve actually met you – I don’t know, you’re interesting.” She pauses. “If you beat Sin, I want to see it. And, if you get to live your life, I want to see that, too.”
It’s hard for Yuna to envision her life extending beyond this pilgrimage. She knows she won’t give it up. If another summoner brings the Calm, she might have a few more years, at least. But the summoner who died in her place will haunt her.
“This is... very sudden,” Yuna says.
“Give it some thought.” Aerith startles her with a quick kiss. By the side of the mouth, not quite on the mouth; it’s hard to read the intent. She pulls back and winks. “I promise not to be boring.”
Yuna has had very little idea of how to react for most of this conversation, but she finds herself laughing now. “I think I can trust you to keep that promise.”
Aerith would be a strange addition to their travelling party, perhaps. It makes Yuna shiver, the idea of being guarded by someone already dead. But she can’t deny that she’s curious about Aerith, her life and her death, her use of strange phrases.
And, if Aerith really does understand what Yuna is facing, perhaps it truly would help to talk about it.
Aerith/Yuna, Across the Distance, G
Yuna tries to have a smile for everyone who approaches her. It falters and fades as she registers what’s been said. “I...”
The question sounds like it should be rhetorical, but the woman who asked it is watching her expectantly, head cocked to one side, waiting for an answer.
“It’s a burden I shoulder gladly,” Yuna says. “For Spira’s sake.”
She wants the people of Spira to sleep easily after she defeats Sin. If she lets them believe she feared her fate, they might feel sad; they might feel guilty. It’s important to be brave.
“People won’t remember who you were, you know,” the woman says. “They’ll remember this... this perfect version of you. It’s kind of frustrating. I don’t like being jealous of myself.”
Yuna doesn’t take her staff in hand, not yet. But she touches it, to make sure it’s there. “You... have experience?”
“You could say that.”
Her clothes are unusual, now that Yuna is paying attention. From an earlier time? They look like they could be machina-made.
“I’m Aerith, by the way,” the stranger adds, after a moment. “Maybe I should have led with that.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Yuna says.
Aerith laughs. “Really? I think I’ve kind of messed this meeting thing up.”
It’s Yuna’s response to any introduction; it came out without thought.
“It’s... a little strange to meet you, too,” Yuna admits.
“I wasn’t planning to be so intense,” Aerith says. “I just have some complicated feelings about sacrifice. I thought maybe you’d want to talk to someone who might... kind of understand.”
“You’re unsent,” Yuna says.
“Apparently,” Aerith says. “I don’t really understand how death works here. I think I somehow returned to the wrong planet.”
Yuna has no idea what to make of that.
“I just think you’re facing something really difficult,” Aerith says. “I wanted to help you talk it through.”
Yuna tilts her head. “That... sounds like you want me to change my mind, perhaps.”
“I don’t know,” Aerith says. “Maybe? You remind me of myself, a little. It’d be nice to see one of us live out her life.”
“There are other lives at stake,” Yuna says. “I’ve made my decision. I’m sorry. But I will not abandon my pilgrimage.”
Aerith laughs again. “You definitely remind me of myself.”
Yuna hesitates. “But... I appreciate the concern.”
It feels like she shouldn’t say it, somehow. Like she’s admitting that, if she had the choice, if she wouldn’t be kept awake all her life by the thought of Sin’s victims, she would want to live.
The world needs her to walk to her fate with a smile.
Aerith’s expression softens. “You’re carrying a lot, huh? You sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
Yuna shakes her head. “It feels selfish to complain to someone who has... who has already passed on.”
“I’m not important here,” Aerith says. “There’s nothing that can be done for me. You’re still alive.”
Yuna finds it difficult to hold her gaze.
She should send Aerith, she knows. It’s her duty as a summoner. But when she’s faced with an unsent who looks and moves and speaks like a person—
The unsent aren’t alive. But it feels like removing Aerith from the living world would be killing her.
All she can think to do is seek permission. “Did you approach me because you wanted me to send you?”
Aerith blows out a long breath. Yuna finds herself wondering how that works, for the unsent. Do they need to breathe at all?
“Honestly, no,” Aerith says. “I mean, I – I understand the natural order. The cycle of life. You return to the Lifestream; that’s how it’s meant to be.”
“The Lifestream?”
“Oh. Never mind. The Farplane, I mean.” She pauses. “But... I’d like to stay a little longer, if I can.”
It’s probably Yuna’s responsibility to argue against that. “The unsent... lose themselves, eventually. They become fiends.”
“Weeeeell,” Aerith says, adopting a conspicuously thoughtful pose, “I’ll just have to stick close to you. That way there’s always someone there to send me if I start trying to eat people, right?”
“You’d like to travel with me?” Yuna asks, taken aback.
“I’m kind of invested,” Aerith says. “I’ve heard so much talk about the lady summoner. And, now that I’ve actually met you – I don’t know, you’re interesting.” She pauses. “If you beat Sin, I want to see it. And, if you get to live your life, I want to see that, too.”
It’s hard for Yuna to envision her life extending beyond this pilgrimage. She knows she won’t give it up. If another summoner brings the Calm, she might have a few more years, at least. But the summoner who died in her place will haunt her.
“This is... very sudden,” Yuna says.
“Give it some thought.” Aerith startles her with a quick kiss. By the side of the mouth, not quite on the mouth; it’s hard to read the intent. She pulls back and winks. “I promise not to be boring.”
Yuna has had very little idea of how to react for most of this conversation, but she finds herself laughing now. “I think I can trust you to keep that promise.”
Aerith would be a strange addition to their travelling party, perhaps. It makes Yuna shiver, the idea of being guarded by someone already dead. But she can’t deny that she’s curious about Aerith, her life and her death, her use of strange phrases.
And, if Aerith really does understand what Yuna is facing, perhaps it truly would help to talk about it.