Categories > Games > Final Fantasy X
Singing the Hymn
1 reviewA young women tells what she knows about Yuna. (written in May 2002)
1Original
Today, I sang the Hymn of the Fayth with all around me as the flying ship flew overhead.
Ten years ago, a small Ronso came to my home island, Besaid, with a young girl -- Yuna, the daughter of High Summoner Braska, who has brought us the Calm. We were still celebrating when she arrived. I remember that it was a very happy time for me, but, being only nine years old at the time, I did not understand why tears fell down her face. 'Why should she be sad?' I wondered. I asked my mother. She told me they were tears of joy. I know better, now.
Immediately, a girl and two boys, about four, five, and six years older than her, befriended her. I would talk to her sometimes, but, really, it was only because I was fascinated -- her father had brought us such a time of joy! After a while, though, the spell of amazement wore off. She was too quiet for me. I play with my other friends, while she played with hers: Wakka, Chappu, and Lulu.
As she grew, she was determined to be a summoner -- at the time, I thought she just wanted the same glory as her father. Soon, however, I learned the truth about the Final Aeon. It was then that I left Besaid. I didn't tell anyone before. I wonder if Yuna noticed. I wonder if she cared.
I didn't know where to go. So, I wandered. I wondered, 'Should I become a summoner, too?' I thought, why should I depend on someone else to bring me the Calm in exchange for his or her life? It didn't seem like I'd have any other use. Then, I met someone who changed my life. His name was Rin.
I became an Al Bhed. I studied for hours, reading books on their language, their theories, and what they hoped to accomplish. It was everything I could hope for. Whenever I thought of my past, I thought of Besaid. When I thought of Besaid, I thought of Yuna, of the Calm that Lord Braska brought us. I cried for both of them. I knew I wanted to save Yuna, to save all the summoners. I didn't want them to die for me, or for the other people -- the selfish Yevonites -- of Spira. It wasn't fair. They didn't need to sacrifice themselves. I had to save them -- that would be my purpose in life.
I finished my studies as quickly as I could. I was seventeen then -- Yuna was fifteen. I wanted to go back -- I wanted to save her. But Cid kept me at Home. Then, I found my escape, when a man named Eigaar returned from Luca. Yevonites had captured another player from the Blitz team -- her name was Vishara. I was told that... that she felt little pain. I hated Yevon then, and I was more determined than ever to save the summoners. And I had been given my opportunity, for I was very at home in water. A few days later, I was signed on to the Al Bhed Psyches.
I went to two tournaments. The first was won by the Luca Goers. I hated them. Not only were they Yevonites, but they were so arrogant! As they were accepting the cup, I threw a blitzball at Doram's face -- she had tackled me needlessly several times during the game, when I hadn't even had the ball! I missed, but I hit Bickson. That made my day.
During the next tournament, something extraordinary happened -- the Besaid Aurochs won! I didn't know whether or not to be happy; while it was my original home, I was upset at losing -- not only the tournament, but we had had Yuna in our grasp, only to let her slip away. I was determined to save her, even more than before. She had to see that what she was doing was wrong, because the Yevonites didn't care about her -- they cared about their own happiness.
I didn't see Yuna again for a while. I was busy playing blitzball for a while. I had heard that several summoners had been saved, but Yuna wasn't among them. I went back Home, but my stay was short -- Guado Yevonites invaded, and we were herded onto the airship. There, I found Yuna's guardians, as well as a friend I had had a while ago - she had helped me with my Al Bhed when I was having trouble -- Rikku. Apparently, she had become a guardian -- I was very disappointed. How could she support the pilgrimage of a summoner? When we arrived in Bevelle, we let the summoners off the airship -- I was disappointed that most were intent on continuing their journey, but I was relieved to find that one -- Dona -- had decided to give up hers. That relief was wiped away, however, when I found out Yuna had gone to the temple in Bevelle.
It was much later -- during another game in Luca -- that I heard the announcement. It was given by a Yevon nun, but I respected it, because I understood better than the others -- when I saw the airship, I was to sing the Hymn of the Fayth. The game had just ended as we all heard a sound from above -- it was the airship. I was standing next to a man named Isken, who was a Yevonite, but he started singing just as I had. All around the stadium, everyone began to sing in unison. When I sang, something seemed to change -- everyone was joined in his or her hope for Sin to be gone. I felt guilty later, but at the time I felt relieved -- everyone seemed to know that this had to do with the Calm, somehow.
Tonight, as I sleep, I cry, though. Whether they are tears of happiness or tears of sorrow I cannot tell. Perhaps they are tears of guilt. Something inside me, from somewhere deep, knows that Yuna was somewhere behind the Hymn, somewhere inside it, maybe. My mind told me that it was for her; the last time she would hear it, because she was going to defeat Sin, using the Final Aeon. But, my heart told me that she wouldn't die. I didn't know what to believe. I still don't. I only hope that Yuna is alive, and will stay alive for a while, with that young guardian of hers -- Tidus, I believe his name is. For, on the airship, I saw, behind his determination to save Yuna from Maester Seymour, a light of love, and I knew it was for her.
Ten years ago, a small Ronso came to my home island, Besaid, with a young girl -- Yuna, the daughter of High Summoner Braska, who has brought us the Calm. We were still celebrating when she arrived. I remember that it was a very happy time for me, but, being only nine years old at the time, I did not understand why tears fell down her face. 'Why should she be sad?' I wondered. I asked my mother. She told me they were tears of joy. I know better, now.
Immediately, a girl and two boys, about four, five, and six years older than her, befriended her. I would talk to her sometimes, but, really, it was only because I was fascinated -- her father had brought us such a time of joy! After a while, though, the spell of amazement wore off. She was too quiet for me. I play with my other friends, while she played with hers: Wakka, Chappu, and Lulu.
As she grew, she was determined to be a summoner -- at the time, I thought she just wanted the same glory as her father. Soon, however, I learned the truth about the Final Aeon. It was then that I left Besaid. I didn't tell anyone before. I wonder if Yuna noticed. I wonder if she cared.
I didn't know where to go. So, I wandered. I wondered, 'Should I become a summoner, too?' I thought, why should I depend on someone else to bring me the Calm in exchange for his or her life? It didn't seem like I'd have any other use. Then, I met someone who changed my life. His name was Rin.
I became an Al Bhed. I studied for hours, reading books on their language, their theories, and what they hoped to accomplish. It was everything I could hope for. Whenever I thought of my past, I thought of Besaid. When I thought of Besaid, I thought of Yuna, of the Calm that Lord Braska brought us. I cried for both of them. I knew I wanted to save Yuna, to save all the summoners. I didn't want them to die for me, or for the other people -- the selfish Yevonites -- of Spira. It wasn't fair. They didn't need to sacrifice themselves. I had to save them -- that would be my purpose in life.
I finished my studies as quickly as I could. I was seventeen then -- Yuna was fifteen. I wanted to go back -- I wanted to save her. But Cid kept me at Home. Then, I found my escape, when a man named Eigaar returned from Luca. Yevonites had captured another player from the Blitz team -- her name was Vishara. I was told that... that she felt little pain. I hated Yevon then, and I was more determined than ever to save the summoners. And I had been given my opportunity, for I was very at home in water. A few days later, I was signed on to the Al Bhed Psyches.
I went to two tournaments. The first was won by the Luca Goers. I hated them. Not only were they Yevonites, but they were so arrogant! As they were accepting the cup, I threw a blitzball at Doram's face -- she had tackled me needlessly several times during the game, when I hadn't even had the ball! I missed, but I hit Bickson. That made my day.
During the next tournament, something extraordinary happened -- the Besaid Aurochs won! I didn't know whether or not to be happy; while it was my original home, I was upset at losing -- not only the tournament, but we had had Yuna in our grasp, only to let her slip away. I was determined to save her, even more than before. She had to see that what she was doing was wrong, because the Yevonites didn't care about her -- they cared about their own happiness.
I didn't see Yuna again for a while. I was busy playing blitzball for a while. I had heard that several summoners had been saved, but Yuna wasn't among them. I went back Home, but my stay was short -- Guado Yevonites invaded, and we were herded onto the airship. There, I found Yuna's guardians, as well as a friend I had had a while ago - she had helped me with my Al Bhed when I was having trouble -- Rikku. Apparently, she had become a guardian -- I was very disappointed. How could she support the pilgrimage of a summoner? When we arrived in Bevelle, we let the summoners off the airship -- I was disappointed that most were intent on continuing their journey, but I was relieved to find that one -- Dona -- had decided to give up hers. That relief was wiped away, however, when I found out Yuna had gone to the temple in Bevelle.
It was much later -- during another game in Luca -- that I heard the announcement. It was given by a Yevon nun, but I respected it, because I understood better than the others -- when I saw the airship, I was to sing the Hymn of the Fayth. The game had just ended as we all heard a sound from above -- it was the airship. I was standing next to a man named Isken, who was a Yevonite, but he started singing just as I had. All around the stadium, everyone began to sing in unison. When I sang, something seemed to change -- everyone was joined in his or her hope for Sin to be gone. I felt guilty later, but at the time I felt relieved -- everyone seemed to know that this had to do with the Calm, somehow.
Tonight, as I sleep, I cry, though. Whether they are tears of happiness or tears of sorrow I cannot tell. Perhaps they are tears of guilt. Something inside me, from somewhere deep, knows that Yuna was somewhere behind the Hymn, somewhere inside it, maybe. My mind told me that it was for her; the last time she would hear it, because she was going to defeat Sin, using the Final Aeon. But, my heart told me that she wouldn't die. I didn't know what to believe. I still don't. I only hope that Yuna is alive, and will stay alive for a while, with that young guardian of hers -- Tidus, I believe his name is. For, on the airship, I saw, behind his determination to save Yuna from Maester Seymour, a light of love, and I knew it was for her.
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