Bevelle, the glittering jewel in Yevon’s crown, rises before her. Some say the city was great enough to repel Sin. 

She will blend in here, one of many repentant souls. 

She's not really all that repentant. Although she has, for a change, taken pains to hide the weapons she carries. She makes her way through the city, stopping only when necessary to quietly find her way to the prison.

The prison is only accessible through the temple of Yevon at the city's heart. It's heavily guarded, and there is a good chance of being found out before she got any where near the Via Purifico.

The guardhouse, sprawling two streets back from the temple, may give her better insight to how to get inside. Or, at least, will give her the opportunity to wring some necks.

Well. She needs to do something with all this anger. So she approaches, intent on getting answers. By force if necessary.

A couple of guards try to stop her when she gets close, pointing “forbidden” machina at her. 

She lifts an eyebrow. "Guards of Yevon using machina. How delightfully hypocritical."

“What are you doing here? Civilians are not allowed!” 

Guns cock. 

"I wouldn't exactly call myself a civilian," Hasira's smile is far from pleasant as she aims a thunder spell at their weapons. She'll give them a chance to cooperate with her before she hurts them.

The weapons jolt and die, becoming useless. 

One of the guards pulls out a sword. “You can’t do that! Our weapons are the gift of Yevon!” He sounds truly insulted. 

"And I'm Al Bhed. Who Yevon decried as heretics because we use the machina." Lightning sparks at her fingertips, anger lending her strength.

“An Al Bhed?!” 

“The airship! Were you with the airship?!” 

“It doesn’t matter, she’s a heretic!”

She laughs. "I would've taken great glee in being on that airship."

One of the soldiers raises his sword, and swipes at her.

She blocks the sword with her arm - which will still cause her injury - steps in close and headbutts him. Her other hand flashes out towards the other soldier, unleashing a bolt of lightning at him.

The soldier headbutted, he stumbles back, cursing. 

The one hit with the lightning bolt convulses, froths, and drops to the ground, presumably dead.

Hasira follows after the one she headbutted, getting a hand to his collar. "Now. You can tell me what I want to know, or I can disassemble this entire garrison."

Gurgle. Gurgle. "Traitor," he says, forced out between teeth.

"Hard to be a traitor to something you don't believe in."

She grabs the sword from his hand and drives it through him.

Gurgle. Dead.

The commotion has gathered a few witnesses, but none of the civilian ones seem keen to start anything with the woman.

The soldiers, however, are a different story.

Are they going to think twice if they're facing a cackling Hasira with a sword in one hand and lightning in the other?

They would be smart to. However, they are loyal to Yevon, and so charge at her.

Still cackling, she throws the thundara spell, and dives into the fray. Al Bhed or not, she's no slouch with a sword.

The soldiers are no match for her, clumsily trained and too reliant on machina. 

Good. She'll make sure to leave someone alive. Preferably someone important looking.

There's a man with a more elaborate uniform, trying to punch his machina back online, shooting panicked looks at the woman mowing her way through his forces.

She sends another thunder spell at his machina and finishes clearing up his men before stalking towards him, eyes intent.

"I have questions," she hisses.

"I- I- I have nothing to tell you, heretic!"

This is clearly above his paygrade.

"So...you don't know a way into Via Purifico? Then I suppose you're useless to me..."

She spins the sword idly around her hand.

"How should I kill you, I wonder...?"

"Wait! Wait, please, don't- I don't want to die! Via...Via Purifico you said? There is way, through the sewers below, I swear!"

"Show me," she orders.

He seems terrified by the idea. "I-I can't!"

Hasira's fingers send sparks dangerously close to his face.

"There's an entrance on the lower level of the temple! Please don't kill me!"

"And I can get there without people noticing?"

"Only guards go down there! Sometimes warrior monks, but they only do that when they're putting prisoners in there."

"There, that wasn't that hard now, was it?"

He whimpers. "Please don't hurt me?"

"You're pathetic," Hasira says, tone almost bland. And runs him through with the sword still in her hand.

Gurgle. Dead.

She may not have a guide now, but the way to a dungeon is never hard to find.

Well. Better no guide that a gutless worm who would likely be looking for any opportunity to give her away. She takes a moment to make sure she isn't overly mussed from her fighting, and makes her way to the temple, absently whistling the hymn.

That helps her to blend in with the Yevonites, though her path to the prison entrance will make her slightly more obvious.

She is, when she puts her mind to it, surprisingly good at fading into the background. She'd prefer not to have to wade through bodies to get to the prison entrance. But she will if she has to.

Then, most likely as a result from her attack on the guardhouse, a contingent of warrior monks emerges and gathers around the entrance. 

Looks like fun. She spins fire around her sword rather than the lightning she's been favouring thus far.

The warrior monks have not noticed her yet, and form up into orderly rows, a few machina rising behind them, clearly not the lightning weak Al Bhed kind.

Hasira considers them, fishes into her bag to withdraw a grenade, she spins it on her finger, primes it, and heaves it towards the warrior monks with an overhand throw.

The grenade is a little different to most Al Bhed grenades, enhanced by Hasira's own magic. The explosions are always impressive.

The warrior monks are well trained, so while the grenade takes down one row, the row behind is protected with shell and protect.

She does love a challenge. A second grenade gets flung, aimed at the machina behind the warrior monks, and a fira spell at the monks themselves.

The monks were not ready for the way the grenade ripped through one machina, felling it. 

The monks reformed around the two left, and braced themselves against fire spells. The shell surrounding them wavers, but none noticed it. 

Well. Time to change it up then. She figures she may as well try lightning again.

The monks weaken further, but continue to hold fast. 

Shell flickers and fades. The monks prepare to cast it again. 

The remaining machina fire back, twice each. 

She manages to dodge the machina shots, although one grazes her side. Aims another thundara at the monks.

The monks scatter for the first time, a few falling. The shell they tried to cast fails, leaving them open for attack. 

A few ready swords and charge at her. 

She surges to meet them, that terrifying cackle back on her lips. She seems adept at casting while meeting people sword-to-sword, and keeps up a barrage of elemental attacks.

The group that rushed her aren’t quick to die, but it’s clear her talents beat theirs. The machina try to keep up fire, and the monks attempt to reshield them. 

Hasira throws another grenade, but follows it in, trying to close the distance and remove the advantage the machina have at range.

The machina rock backward, spinning uncertainly, leaving themselves open for attack. 

The warrior monks draw swords and a few ready low energy spells. 

Hasira quickly darts in to finish one of the machina, aims a fira spell back at the monks.

The monks are consumed by fire, pyreflies blossoming into the air with each one fallen. 

She spins to deal with the last machina.

It’s loaded and in a firing position. It lets a barrage of fire go.

She dives into a roll to the left of the machina, but towards it again.

There seems to be a control panel on its chest, definitely a weak spot. 

She aims a thunder spell at that, following it up by throwing the sword in her hand at it.

The machina jolts with the thunder spell, and has no time to parry the sword thrust. 

It goes through, the machina jolting and screeching, and then falls to the ground, destroyed. 

She reclaims the sword, and looks at the door. She's going to assume they haven't just left it standing open?

Unfortunately, no. They've got a machina lock secured on it.

Machina are no problem for the Al Bhed, however.

No, they're not. She sets to work.

She's partway through when Cid runs into the room, followed by a handful of other Al Bhed. "[Hasira, what the devil are you thinking? I taught you better than this! Get reinforcements then attack.]"

"[Was a bit busy,]" Hasira replies off-handedly, finishing her work on the lock.

There's a series of clinks, then the door melts away into light, leaving only the machina behind.

There is no one beyond, but a long corridor with a series of halls leading off it.

"[Divide and conquer?]" Hasira suggests cheekily.

"[Hasira and me, the rest of you, in pairs.]"

He looks closely. Any clues to which door they should pick?

The hallways that seem to lead downwards would be the best bet, considering the Via Purifico's flooded prison is underground.

Hasira picks one, and leads Cid further down.

"[Watch your step, old man,]" she says over her shoulder.

"[Old?! I'll show you old!]"

But he lets Hasira keep the lead.

The hallway leads out into something of a labyrinth. The Via Purifico itself.

Cid produces a stick of chalk, and starts marking the walls as they make their way through the labyrinth, so that they can find the way back out.

After a ways, they hear low growling. A fiend.

"[Ready?]" he checks with Hasira.

"[Am I ever not?]" she retorts lightly, spinning the sword around her hand and pushing forward towards the sound.

It stalks around the corner, revealing itself to be a chimera. Two of it's heads roar, while a third readies a water spell.

Hasira starts to cackle-

"Don't," Cid warns.

She dives forward anyway, no less terrifying for her silence.

Cid laughs at that, and throws a grenade at the opposite side of the chimera from the one Hasira is attacking.

The chimera roars, the eagle-head letting loose a barrage of water. The bull head howls as the grenade explodes against it, and the lion and snake heads snarl and launch at Hasira.

Hasira is nimble, and throws ice at the snake head, and slashes her sword at the lion head.

Cid loses his footing under the barrage of water but rolls back to his feet and flings another grenade.

The chimera is unwieldy, but clearly powerful. There is damage being done to it, every pyrefly that whirls away proof, but it doesn't react to the pain. The bull's head lolls, the grenades having done it in, but the eagle readies another water barrage, and is that lightning crackling along the snake?

Hasira ignores the eagle and focuses on the snake, hacking away at it with lightning fast strikes.

Grenade: aimed for the eagle's beak. Easier to aim this than the airship's missiles.

The eagle manages one stream of water, before the grenade stops it, the creature screaming in fury.

The snake tries to keep casting, hissing furiously, but Hasira's strikes are too quick for it to focus.

She keeps them up, adding another blizzara to the mix of attacks.

The snake head is sliced clean through by the ice, dropping to the floor with a sick thud.

The lion head is all that's left, furiously casting fire spells.

"[Clear out,]" Cid calls to Hasira, already throwing another grenade at the lion.

Hasira darts backwards, using a water spell to dampen the fire.

With a roar, the lion head falls too. 

The entire creature falls, pyreflies whirling to join their brethren floating about the ceiling.

Onwards again then, still marking the walls.

One hallway echoes with the sound of sloshing water.

Hasira immediately turns into it, steps speeding up slightly.

Cid follows dead on her heals.

Another machina door bars their way, beams of light. Through them, flooded tunnels with only small walkways ringing them are visible.

On one, a familiar and drenched face.

"Rikku!" Cid calls.

Is the lock of the door visible for Hasira to deal with?

The lock is to the right of the light door, similar to the one she dealt with outside.

Rikku stirs slightly. 

It won't take her very long at all then.

"[Come on, Rikku. Wake up! Time to get out of here!]"

"[Yeesh, five more minutes, dad.]" Rikku mutters. She's clearly exhausted, from days of swimming.

"[Five minutes and we'll have the few people Hasira's left alive to deal with!]"

"[In my defense they were very uncooperative,]" Hasira says mildly.

The door clicks open.

"[Wait...dad? Hasira?]" Rikku says, shakily getting on all fours to look at the door. "[Dad! Hasira!]"

Hasira darts forward, skidding to her knees to wrap Rikku in a hug.

Cid follows after her. "[Yeah. We're here.]"

Tears squeeze out of Rikku's eyes as she holds Hasira just as tightly. "[How are you here? How did you find me?]"

Her arms are shaking with exhaustion.

"[...That is a good question, Hasira?]"

"[Anri and I ran into Yuna. She told me you and...Wakka? Were down here. Thought you dead. I needed to be certain.]"

"Wakka..? Wakka!" Rikku stumbles out of Hasira's arms and looks frantically back into the water. "[He was right behind me! He was-] Wakka!"

"[Stay here,]" Hasira says. "[I'll go look.]"

And drops off the walkway into the water.

Rikku goes to jump off after her.

Cid wraps an arm around her waist, lifting her backwards. "[You're exhausted. Hasira can handle it.]"

"[Wakka was- he was fighting to give me a chance to run! He was supposed to come after me! He was...he was supposed to be behind me...]"

Cid hugs her tightly. "[If he can be found, Hasira will find him. You know that.]"

"[I'm so happy to see you,]" Rikku sobs into her father's shoulder.

"[And me you. You're safe. We've got you.]"

Hasira, meanwhile, is making her way through the water, looking for Rikku's...friend.

There are usually plenty of water fiends down here, blocking every entrance out, but the water seems strangely...quiet.

Hasira is thankful for small mercies. She keeps going. If Wakka had been protecting Rikku, she at least owes him for that.

Far below, on the floor of the flooded prison, lies a man in a bright yellow blitz uniform. There is blood blossoming into the water around him.

Ira swims up to him and pokes him.

No response. 

She pokes him a bit harder, shakes him, and if that fails to get a response, will grab him to pull him up to the surface.

Still nothing. The man is very injured.

She manages to drag him up to one of the narrow walkways, and drags him out, ending up with him half in her lap. She pulls a potion out of her bag and forces the man's mouth open, pouring the potion in and rubbing his neck to force him to swallow.

The man stays still, but then his eyes shoot open, and he coughs raggedly. "What in the name of- Wait. Rikku! Rikku!"

"She's fine, Cid's got her. She was more worried about you, oui eteud."

"She- she's okay? Thank Ye- I...I mean, thank Cid. Where are they?"

"Further back," she gestures in the vague direction. "Near the exit. You good to move?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. We need to get out of here. We need to catch up with Yuna and Lulu-"

He stops himself. Can't go thinking like that, not while he and Rikku are still in peril. He'll wonder about the others later.

"They were fine too last I saw them," Hasira says absently. "Now get off my lap so we can go."

"That's good news! Thank you! How- how did you meet them though?"

He looks down, blushes, and scrambles off his rescuers lap. "Sorry. And uh, thanks. You saved my life."

"They distracted me and made me blow up my machina," Hasira says, pushing herself to her feet. "Told me Rikku was here. I decided to solve that. C'mon, we can keep to the walkway here for a bit."

She pads off.

Wakka follows. "So you're an Al Bhed? Like Rikku and Cid?"

"Close enough," Hasira confirms shortly.

"I, uh, didn't see you on the airship from Home."

"We weren't."

"Er...right. I just, uh. Sorry? About your Home."

Up ahead, three blobbing water fiends menace them with angry looks.

Hasira exhales irritably, and sends an abrupt thundara at them without even a pause in her stride. "We'll make right."

The fiends bubble away to nothing.

Wakka wisely keeps his mouth shut.

"We swim from here," Hasira says, stepping off the walkway into the water below. Swimming, she hopes, will stop him asking her questions.

"Yes, ma'am."

It doesn't take that much longer before Hasira spots Rikku and Cid. She pauses her stroke for long enough to wave.

Cid waves back with one arm, the other still firmly around Rikku.

"Wakka!" Rikku screams, trying to wriggle out of her father's arms.

Wakka puts on speed, showing off his blitzball skills, to pass Hasira and pull himself onto the walkway, running to hold the girl in his arms. "Hey kiddo, I'm here. You did good getting away. Maybe I can make a blitzer out of you."

"You're so stupid!" Rikku admonishes, punching Wakka, beaming.

Cid only lets go of Rikku once he's sure his daughter isn't going to end up back in the water. "Alright. Let's go before the rest of Yevon decide it wants to take on Hasira."

Hasira smirks as she hauls herself back onto the walkway. "Let them try."

"Yevon would lose!" Rikku says confidently.

Wakka keeps his mouth shut, but looks fondly at Rikku.

"You'd be hard pressed to find an Al Bhed who'd bet on Yevon if the other combatant is our Hasira," he says fondly.

Hasira snorts and shakes her head. "C'mon. This place makes me sick."

She heads back towards the surface.

Once they're back outside (following Cid and Hasira's chalk-marks), another contingent of warrior monks and outlawed machina greet them.

"...You'd think they'd get the message from the other corpses," Hasira notes, readying another spell.

"But that would be dull," Cid comments blithely before yelling over to the warrior monks. "We're gonna be nice and give you a chance to walk away!"

"You blasphemers have stolen Evrae, killed him and killed two contingents of soldiers! We will see you hang before you walk!" The commander yells back, furiously.

"Actually Evrae's alive and well!" Cid calls back. "Free will, wonderful thing. I mean, if you think you can coax him off my top deck I'd be obliged..."

"[Don't think they're gonna listen...]"

They don't, instead readying spells and swords and guns.

Hasira casts watera, aiming, perhaps strangely, for the floor and the feet of the warrior monks and their machina.

"[The machina are pretty helpless once we get in close!]"

Cid nods, and throws a grenade.

"[Gotcha!]" Rikku calls, following her father's grenade with one of her own.

Wakka stands back, readying his fists for if anyone comes close.

Hasira slips her bag off her shoulder, and throws that in Rikku's direction - with what's left of her grenade supply. Then she sends a thundara spell after the watera, aiming at the water left behind.

Cid laughs.

Rikku catches the grenade bag.

Then all hell breaks loose. 

The spell, so clever for it's simplicity, rips through the ranks of soldiers. It renders them stunned, and the machina fire wildly to cover it.

Rikku flings perfectly aimed grenades at the machina, both to cripple them and continue the rampage of Hasira's thundara spell.

"[That's my girl!]" Cid yells excitedly, adding his own grenades to the mix.

Hasira starts darting in to dispatch of the monks with her sword, darting back every so often to avoid the grenade explosions.

The soldiers are decimated, the ones left too weak to even beg for their lives.

A few make an attempt to charge Hasira.

She cackles and meets them, continuing to use sword and magic to devastating effect.

They are quickly ripped through, no match for Hasira's skill and fury.

Rikku rolls in behind her, taking on one of the machina and ripping the control panel to shreds, before diving off and rolling to the next one.

The machina rumbles and sparks, then drops, completely dead.

Cid laughs even more. "[That's my girls!]" he declares proudly, turning to Wakka with a huge grin.

"They're devastatingly effective, sir!" Wakka says, not understanding the Al Bhed, but there's no mistaking a father's proud grin.

Cid, thankfully, remembers that Wakka can't understand Al Bhed with that. "They are at that, and I can't even take full credit. Hasira was close enough this when we took her in!"

"Thought we were leaving," Hasira calls over her shoulder as she finishes making sure every one of their enemies is dead.

"Rikku! You okay?" He calls to the smoking pile of machina.

Rikku's head pops up amid the smoke. "Here! Just scavenging a few fun parts!"

"Ooh, you gonna share? I nearly got my machina working!"

"You're still working on that thing?" Rikku laughs. "Well, have at! Only Yevon machina are resistant to lightning, and believe me, I found out the hard way."

"Luckily they aren't resistant to other things!"

Hasira ducks down to join Rikku in scavenging through the machina.

"When you two are quite finished," Cid says, sounding more amused than anything else.

There is loud, pleased giggling coming from one machina.

Wakka seems antsy.

The other machina is making slightly ominous sounds, which don't cease when Hasira reappears. "Rikku, we better go. I think Tyt can still throw you over his shoulder. And if he doesn't I think Wakka will."

"[Ooh, please, Dad? I'm so tired, I could sleep for years!]" Rikku says dramatically, keeping pace with Hasira.

Cid ruffles her hair. "[You can sleep when we get back to the Fahrenheit. It's not actually that far.]"

"[It'd be even less if you carry me!]"

"[I'm the main fighter here,]" Hasira points out before Cid can suggest she carry Rikku.

"[Besieged from all sides, what's a man to do?]"

He doesn't wait for an answer, scooping Rikku up instead, and throwing her over one shoulder.

Rikku squeals happily, pretending to pound on his back.

Wakka laughs along with her. 

(And if he performs the prayer over the dead bodies, who's gonna know?)

Hasira notices, but she doesn't say anything.

Cid takes the lead back to the airship.

...That has a slightly discontent looking dragon curled up on it.

Rikku gasps. "Dad, didn't we fight him on the way in? What is he doing on your airship!?"

"Very good question. If you can get him to answer, it'd probably put everyone's mind at ease."

"And there was me thinking you'd taken my advice about getting this thing a ship's cat."

"Ooooh, ship's dragon!" Rikku says, bouncing excitedly.

"Well, it's not like they were using him properly," Wakka says, somewhat uneasily, but he doesn't argue.

"C'mon," Cid leads the way aboard. "Better get in the air before anyone else decides to try and attack us."

The dragon lifts his head to observe then, and then drops it back down, obviously not finding what he was looking for.

Wakka follows on, still feeling uneasy, but it was getting easier and easier to combat that all the time. 

Rikku flops over her father’s back. “I’m tired. I’m gonna nap for ten years,” she moans.

"You've definitely earned it, kidda," Cid reassures her as they make it to the bridge. He gestures to Brother to get them out of here.

Evrae uncoils from his place on the deck as they begin to move, and can be seen flying alongside them.

Hasira sways dangerously, and starts to topple sideways.

“Hasira!” Rikku calls in a panic.

Wakka is quick to catch her, dropping to one knee to hold her carefully, without lifting her. 

“Er...ma’am? Are you all right?”

"Mm. M'fine," she mumbles, half-trying to push herself to her feet. "Overdid it a bit. That's all."

Cid sighs. "When did you last sleep?"

Hasira makes an evasive sound.

Wakka goes to help her, though doing his best not to actually hold her. 

“You came looking for us so quickly?” Rikku asks, reaching out to Hasira. 

She makes it back to her feet, but is still not entirely steady. "What else was I gonna do exactly, Rikku?"

"Look after yourself?" Cid gripes, but there's little heat to it.

“You’re the best big sister,” Rikku says softly, and a little sadly. 

Wakka hovers, in case she drops again. 

“[Father! It’s Yuna!]” Brother calls from the cockpit. 

Hasira snorts and hugs Rikku. "I'm your only big sister."

Cid immediately turns to Brother. "Yuna! [Are you alright?!]"

Rikku hugs Hasira back, then hugs her harder at Brother’s words. She doesn’t want to hear Yunie is dead, doesn’t want to think of a world without her. 

But then, Yuna’s voice. Tear filled and wrecked, but determined. 

“[I’m fine, Uncle,]” Yuna says.

“Yuna! Thank Ye- you’re alive!” Wakka says, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks. 

“Yunie!” Rikku calls, tearing away from Hasira to hover over the sphere with her cousin’s face in it. 

“Rikku! Wakka! You’re both alive!” Yuna says, sobbing again. 

Lulu can be seen behind Yuna, looking uncharacteriscally teary and happy, upon seeing Wakka and Rikku. 

Hasira follows, draping her arm around Rikku. "Told you they weren't dead till we saw bodies."

"Praise be!" Pauses. "Your Al Bhed got better!"

"Course it did!" Anri says, lunging into shot to wrap eir arm around Yuna.

"Thank you," Lulu says to Hasira, and the words are full of emotion.

Yuna is staring up at her uncle, eyes full of wonder and tears. She'd met him before, of course, but seeing him now was...joyful. Despite everything.

"Anri's been teaching me. And our friends Masque and Rae. It's...a long story."

"Did you not get to Zanarkand? Or was there nothing there?" Wakka sounds very worried. His hands hover, like he wants to hug the smaller version of Yuna.

Yuna's face falls. "We did."

"...So what happened?" Cid asks, hurried, because... Yuna's still alive, which if they made it to Zanarkand, doesn't necessarily make sense.

"Lady Yunalesca...is the reason Sin keeps coming back. She wanted me to- to condemn someone else to it and I couldn't let her."

"None of us knew the true price she exacts."

"-Huh," Hasira says thoughtfully. "That- actually makes...an alarming amount of sense."

"-So what's happening with Sin now?"

"We have to find a way to send Yu Yevon...and Sir Jecht."

"-Damn. Do you want back-up?"

"What sort of fool question is that?" Hasira barks. "Of course we're going."

Yuna smiles, then bows. "Your help would be greatly appreciated."

"We're on our way!" Cid assures her. Pauses. "Now I'm going to get these three to beds. We'll be with you as soon as we can."

"You won't have to worry about landing too close. You'll find Yunalesca unable to argue."

"Lu..." Wakka sounds torn.

"She would've killed Yuna, and one of us, Wakka. I wasn't going to let that happen."

"Nor me."

"Tidus would be so proud of you," Rikku says excitedly, though a little gently.

Tears flood Yuna's eyes, but she nods. "He is."

She is abruptly gone from the sphere.

"Keep looking after her," Cid says seriously to Lulu and Anri. "I don't expect to need to ask you to, but-"

"She's family," Anri says, although eir smile is sad. "We'll see her through."

And Anri vanishes as well, probably after Yuna.

"We'll look forward to seeing you soon. A good night's rest will do us all a world of good."

She looks specifically at Wakka. "Being reunited with those we love always settles our hearts."

"Aw, shucks, Lu," Wakka says, rubbing the back of his neck and blushing furiously.

Hasira laughs and wolf-whistles.

Cid grins and reaches back to shove lightly at Hasira's shoulder.

Wakka ducks his head even further, blushing furiously. 

"Miss you too, Lu."

Lulu nods to him, then to Cid.

The sphere darkens.

"[It's nice putting a face to the name]," Brother says quietly.

"[Indeed,]" Cid agrees, reaching over to squeeze Brother's shoulder. "[Our family will be together again soon enough.]"

Then he turns back to Wakka, Rikku and Hasira. "[As for you three, bed, bed.]"

Rikku, settled from seeing her friends alive and well, is now looking just as exhausted as when they found her. "Muurrr," she says, intelligently.

"Come here, squirt, I'll carry you. Got a nice rest myself till your sister found me." He picks Rikku up easily. 

"Thank you, sir, ma'am, for rescuing me too. I know you didn't have to."

Hasira snorts.

"You really think Rikku would've let us leave you there?" Cid asks. "If you think that, you've missed how stubborn my children are."

"We learned from you."

"M'not stubborn," Rikku says, stubbornly. And tiredly.

"Nevertheless, I owe you my life. That's a debt I intend to keep, though for now, thank you."

Cid waves him off, a little embarrassed himself now, "Go on, get, 'fore you make me blush. You all need a proper rest, in a proper bed."

Hasira waves vaguely over her shoulder as she leave the bridge.

"That way," Rikky says, flopping an arm to direct Wakka.

Wakka follows her tired-drunk directions, leaving the bridge.

"[Okay, Brother,]" Cid says, squeezing his son's shoulder again. "[Take us to Zanarkand.]"