"I- don't think. They were a summoner?"

"Perhaps not now. But there is a possibility that they were once. Can someone still be a summoner once they are undead?" The last question is more to himself, wondering at the idea. Belgemine, a summoner they had encountered a few times, was a fiend and still summoned, but perhaps she was an isolated case.

-He wants to try and argue that further, but he doesn't know how to, so instead, he falls quiet.

Auron notices. He makes himself a little more comfortable.

"You know, Tidus would've argued more with me. He argued everything. It was like the world was against him," Auron chuckles. 

"I- I wouldn't know where to start, sir?" Aten says, a little timid.

"It's all right. I don't mean to disregard your feelings. I forget that you had many lives, and your thoughts about a familiar person are probably correct."

Aten shrugs a little, curls his knees up to his chest. "I-it's fine."

Auron nods, not willing to push the boy.

"I'll get some rest. I'll see you in the morning." He stands and makes for the sleeping girls, lying near them and closing his eyes.

Kimahri meditates.

Aten keeps watch.

The next morning, everyone is up, fed and walking quickly, eager to put distance across the plains.

Yuna walks with Aten, creating little puffs of fire to try and continue Ifrit's teachings.

Aten mimics her, quiet and thoughtful.

About midday they'll run across...a machina? Except the air is thick with magic as well. It's hissing, and spluttering and-

Exploding.

Aten is immediately a protective wall of fire between Yuna and the explosion.

Kimahri roars, pointing his spear.

Lulu casts watera across the explosion, expression furious.

Yuna quickly casts shell and protect, trying to help her guardians.

"Thank you!" She says to the wall of fire.

There's abruptly rapid-fire yelling in Al Bhed. "Cdub. Cdub. Fryd tu oui drehg oui'na tuehk?! E ymsucd ryt ed! Cdub dryd, oui eteudc!"

A slightly bedraggled woman in Al Bhed garb appears. "Kad net uv dryd fydan!"

AN: Al Bhed Translator.

Yuna recognises one word. "Stop! Lulu, she's saying stop!"

"She's exploded a machina! I won't have it hurt you!"

"I'm fine! Aten's protecting me! Stop!"

Lulu, begrudgingly, calls off the water.

"Drana fych'd cibbucat du pa yhouha rana! Yht ed haynmo fungat! Oui tecdnyldat sa!"

She doesn't seem inclined to slow down her speech, or switch from Al Bhed.

Aten flickers, slightly uncertainly.