The Truth Beyond the Dream (A Final Fantasy X/X-2 Fan Fiction)

Chapter 7: Mirage of Verity

The rose-colored sky faded into an inky-black with dark, billowing clouds obstructing the soft glow of the moon. Tidus sat on the steps of his front porch, listening to the soothing symphony of crickets as he reflected on the conversation he had with both his children in Yuna's absence.

He had managed to convince his daughter to wait until they had arrived home, so he could include her brother in the bombshell of information he had been withholding from them their entire lives. Surprisingly, the conversation went better than he had anticipated. At first, they were understandably upset with his confession, but had handled the news maturely and allowed him to explain his rather skewed motives. Instead of reacting in the hostile manner he had envisioned, they had stunned him by showing compassion and understanding to which he truly felt he didn't deserve.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open then shutting softly a moment later. Craning his neck to look behind, he was met with his son's forced smile as he walked over and sat next to him on the steps.

"Waiting for Mom?"

"That's if she comes home," Tidus replied with a heavy sigh.

"It went that bad, huh?"

"Worse," he lamented, remembering the fury in his wife's eyes. "I'm actually surprised you and your sister don't hate me, especially you."

"C'mon Dad, it's not like you agreed for them to come and take me."

The nonchalant tone of his son's voice disturbed him a little. Did he not understand the severity of the situation? Maybe that was the problem—reality hadn't sunk in yet. "You're awfully calm about all this."

Zak shrugged then slouched forward, lacing his hands together as they rested between his knees. "I just have this feeling. It's kind of hard to explain. I know you'll think of something. I have faith in you."

If only he could share in his son's sentiment. "Your confidence in me is astounding."

"You doubt yourself?" Zak's blue eyes bore into his in a scrutinizing manner as if he were the parent lecturing a child.

Slightly uncomfortable with the situation, Tidus adjusted himself on the steps, now sitting hunched forward with his hands tightly clasped between his knees. "I swear on my life, I won't let anything happen to you, your sister, or your mother."

"Dad, you're not in this alone."

Yes, he was. At least, it sure felt like it at moment. "It's my job to protect you."

"Tris and I are the same age you and Mom were when you fought Sin and Yu Yevon."

"This isn't the same!" Tidus cringed immediately upon hearing the hostility in his voice. He didn't mean to lose his temper. He was just so damn frustrated with the whole situation. "Look, I'm sorry for—"

"I get it. You're stubborn, but so are we. Tris and I are involved in this. So, don't think for one second we're gonna sit idle and do nothing, because you're wrong."

At that moment, a pair of bright lights shone in his eyes, practically blinding him. The soft hum of an engine settled a few feet away, announcing his wife's return home. "You better get inside, Son."

Zak rose to his feet and laid a comforting hand on his father's shoulder. "Mom will come around. And for the record, Tris and I would've done the same thing. That's why we're not pissed at you, in case you were wondering."

Now that he wasn't expecting. It made perfect sense, no less, judging from their earlier reactions. However, it didn't put his mind at ease. If anything, his son's confession troubled him.

The car door slammed, snapping him out of his paranoid thoughts. He watched as Yuna tentatively walked around the front of her vehicle and leaned against the side of the hood with her arms folded over her chest.

"I gather you've had time to think. Maybe even, cool down?"

Her expression seemed strained, making it difficult for Tidus to read. He didn't expect her to forgive him, right away. Hell, he wasn't sure if she still loved him anymore.

"The only documented case of someone using force magic was over two thousand years ago. It was rumored then only ancient deities harbored such power. By that, I'm assuming they're referencing these realm keepers."

The fact that she had done some research with her time instead of just fuming over his betrayal gave him a renewed sense of hope. "You went to see Lulu, then?"

"No. I met with Baralai in Bevelle."

When he heard the praetor's name leave her lips, a fiery rage culminated inside him, threatening to erupt. He stood and clenched his fists, desperately trying to control his fury. Tidus never really hit-it-off with the Yevon sympathizer, but after learning the reason behind his short-lived engagement to Paine was due to a secret obsession he had with Yuna, he downright hated the arrogant prick. The lewd comments he'd said about his wife hadn't helped his cause either, resulting in Tidus' fist connecting with the praetor's jaw on more than one occasion. He was definitely not pleased Yuna had chosen to meet with such scum.

"Why him?" he seethed. "Lulu was the one looking into this in the first place. Is this some kind of revenge tactic?"

Yuna glowered at him. "Oh, grow up, Tidus. Where do you think she'd get the information from? He's the one who has access to those kinds of records, not Lulu!"

"Just what exactly did you have to do to get this information?"

The suggestive nature behind his question clearly enraged his wife, her glower twisting into an angry scowl. At this point, he didn't care with an increase of testosterone now pumping through his veins.

"I'm not the one who betrayed someone in this marriage!" Yuna spat. "If you seriously believe I'd do something like that for information, or to get back at you, then you don't know me at all!"

Just as he was about to continue lashing out in a fit of rage, his daughter burst through the door and hollered, "Stop!"

He flinched, startled by the sudden outburst. Had she been eavesdropping? Thankfully, she interrupted when she had. He was certain he would've made an even bigger ass of himself had she waited a moment longer, now realizing how childish he had been acting.

"Get back inside, Tris!" Yuna demanded. "This is between me and your father!"

"No!" Trista persisted. "Spira could burn to the ground and you guys are out here fighting over petty stuff? We have four weeks before Zanarkand's keepers come for Zak!"

Yuna shot him an intense glare. "You told them?"

"I had to," Tidus confessed. "Especially after what happened at the docks."

Yuna's angry expression quickly faded into one of concern. "What happened at the docks?"

"I was showing Dad something I could do with the water. Then this old man came and he knew like everything. How I'm summoning a Leviathan and something about our lineage. Then this big wave hit us and—"

"Wait—what? Slow down," Yuna urged, inching toward the steps. "What old man?"

"It was Maechen." Tidus studied his wife carefully as her eyes slightly widened at the name. "Only now he refers to himself as Thaliak."

Yuna frowned. "I haven't seen Maechen since I was searching for you with the Gullwings. I assume he'd be an unsent. But his timing and this new name... Do you think he's one of them?"

"What—a realm keeper?" Tidus shook his head. "No, but my gut tells me, he's not human."

"And what's this about a summoning?"

"He referred to it as an ancient primal. And that Tris is summoning it through sheer will."

Yuna pressed her lips together tightly in the way she normally would when she was deep in thought. "We need to find Maechen and make him talk. He's involved in this somehow. I'm sure of it."