Song of the Heart
Track 1- Song of Distant Dreams
by Kuroi Tenshi Yuna
February 2003
Disclaimer: Yuna, Rikku, and all Final Fantasy X characters belong to Squaresoft, not me!
Note: This is an Alternate Universe fanfic. I have altered all of the plot, relationships, worlds, and characters of Final Fantasy X to fit my story!
A young girl rose above the sparkling waters of the ocean and tilted her head back as she emerged above the water for a fresh breath of air. Opening her eyes, she smiled as she took in the beautiful sights around her. The sun was shining brightly in the serene blue sky, warming the beach of Bevelle with its warm, magnificent light. The beach itself was gorgeously covered with golden sand and several lush, tropical trees. The pleasant, melodious chirping of the birds and the powerful, yet soothing, crashing of the waves were the only sounds the girl could hear since she was so far from the shore.
She loved every bit of it. For some reason, she felt so at peace when she was at the ocean. It was like it had some magical charm, for whenever she was near the sea, her heart felt lighter, and she felt more free…
She sighed contently as she brushed a stray wet bang from her forehead. She was about to dive back into the ocean for another swim when a splash of water hit her in the face.
“Hey!” She pouted as she turned towards the source of the splash.
Another little girl of about 7 years had her tiny hands clasped over her mouth as she giggled. “Hehe, I got you Yunie!”
Yuna scowled at her cousin. “You attacked me! Now I will return the favor!” She grinned mischievously.
“Ooh, I’m scared.” Rikku planted her hands on her hips and teased, “Whatcha gonna do, Yunie? Cast a horrible spell on me?” She stuck her tongue out playfully.
“Well…” The little girl closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. She brought her hands back as if she was about to throw a fireball…
The young blonde’s eyes grew big. “Uh, Yunie…”
Yuna paused for the effect, and then all of a sudden she threw her hands forward and splashed the other girl.
“Ack!!!”
The brunette giggled. “How did you like my water spell Rikku?”
Rikku pouted adorably. “I love you very much Yunie… but that was unforgivable!” She grinned and splashed her cousin.
Yuna laughed as the two engaged in a water war. They splashed and splashed each other, Rikku using some fancy, pretty moves as she twirled around and soaked her opponent with curved blasts of water, and Yuna employing determined, concentrated attacks that resembled more fireballs.
The two little girls were having so much fun that they didn’t notice that there was someone coming up behind them. In one moment, Rikku was pulled underwater by some unknown force.
Yuna blinked, shocked. “What…” Suddenly, she was also dragged into the ocean.
And then both girls were thrown up into the air and they landed back into the water with a huge splash.
They rubbed at the water in their eyes and saw their fathers laughing their heads off.
“Daddy!” Rikku punched her father on the arm. “You’re a meanie!”
Cid threw an arm around his daughter, hugging her tightly. “Oh, you bet! I gotta keep you on your toes honey!”
Another tall man patted little Yuna on her head. “Aw, are you okay dear?”
The 9-year old girl laughed. “Yes, of course father. But next time… Give us a little warning first?” She grinned.
Braska smiled sweetly at her. “I’m sorry, but we can’t do that…”
“Yea!” Cid’s deep voice boomed. “It wouldn’t be as fun!”
The girls looked at each other and nodded. Yuna counted softly, “one, two…”
“THREE!” The two started a splashing frenzy and soaked their fathers.
“Augh!!” Cid yelled in surprise. “I’m gonna get you!!” He swam after Rikku, who was laughing as she tried to swim away from the scene of the crime.
“Yuna…” Braska tried his best to straighten his wet hair. “Come here…”
The young brunette placed her hands behind her back and laughed nervously. “Um, I think I’m going to go check on Mom now…” She turned around and swam to shore as fast as she could.
Braska chuckled, amused.
“Oh Braska~”
The man turned at the sound of his name being called. “Huh…”
“Heads up!!” Cid tackled the other man, dunking them both into the water.
Rikku laughed and punched the air. “You go Dad!!”
~*~*~
It didn’t take long for Yuna to reach the beach. She spotted her mother sitting alone on a soft green blanket on the sand. Her golden hair was partially hidden under a soft white bandanna and her eyes were intently studying a piece of paper in her hand. She was twirling a pen between her fingers, jotting down some notes every now and then.
“Mother!” Yuna’s cute voice rang, surprising the woman.
“Oh! Sweetheart! What are you doing here? I thought you were playing with Rikku and Uncle Cid and your father.” She smiled sweetly at her daughter.
“I was, but then I thought I’d take a break and come join you.” With the limitless curiosity of a child, Yuna peered at the paper in her mother’s hand. “Um, what are you doing Mom?”
“Eh? Oh, me?” She turned slightly red as she paused for a moment, wondering what to say. “Well… I’m writing a song.”
“A song?” Yuna sat down on the blanket next to her mother and smiled. “I didn’t know that you wrote songs!”
The beautiful woman turned her gaze towards the glimmering sea. “Well, I’ve only written a few of them… And since we’re by the ocean, I just… I just felt like working on this one.”
The little girl looked out at the shimmering waters. “The ocean?”
“Yes, the ocean.” The woman sighed softly. “I feel happiest when I’m at the ocean, and somehow… when I see the sometimes calm, but sometimes chaotic, waters my heart feels so moved, so touched, that I like to put my emotions into words… into a song.”
Yuna nodded. She turned back to her mother and took her hand. “Mother… Could you sing that song for me?”
“E… eh?” The woman’s emerald eyes widened with surprise.
The little girl nodded again, this time more enthusiastically. “Yea, I wanna hear your song! You worked so hard on it and everything, so shouldn’t someone hear it?”
Her mother tentatively looked down at her music. “Well… I suppose you’re right…”
The little girl made an adorable puppy dog face. “Please?”
The woman laughed. “All right honey.” She wrapped her arms around her daughter and held on to her in a gentle embrace. She cleared her throat, and began to sing softly…
“Can you still see your dreams in the distant, starry sky?
Are they more vivid than they were when you were little?
(haruka na hoshizora ni yume wa mada miemasu ka?
osanai ano hi yori azayaka desu ka?)
When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart
to rest, they burn the color of passion.
(mune ni afurete tsunoru omoi
nemuri wasurete jounetsu no iro)
I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were.
But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.
(tatoe tookute mo kitto tadoritsukeru tsuyoku shinjite'ta
ano hi no watashi ga ima mo kokoro de nemutte-iru)
Dreams are more fragile and fleeting than a glass rose,
so then why are we destined to dream?
(GARASU no bara yori mo hakanakute moroi no ni
yume miru koto wa naze sadame na no deshou)
Sometimes two dreams can turn into love,
but there are also times when they can't.
(futatsu no yume ga ai ni natte
ai ni narenai koto mo atte)
Even when they're alone, people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard.
Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife.
(hito wa hitori da to wakariaitai no ni nante muzukashii
kotoba wa muryoku de toki ni wa gin no NAIFU ni naru)
Even when they're alone, people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard.
Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife.
(hito wa hitori da to wakariaitai no ni nante muzukashii
kotoba wa muryoku de toki ni wa gin no NAIFU ni…)
I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were.
But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.
(tatoe tookute mo kitto tadoritsukeru tsuyoku shinjite'ta
ano hi no watashi ga ima mo kokoro de nemutte-iru)”
The young girl’s eyes widened with awe. “Wow! Mom… you have such a pretty voice. Your song was really beautiful.”
Her mother kissed the top of her head softly. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“If you sound so wonderful, how come I’ve never heard you sing before? Do you not like to sing in front of other people?”
“I…” Her mother blushed slightly. “I do like to sing when others are around. But…” Her voice softened as she continued, “Do you know what this song is about, Yuna?”
The little girl shook her head.
“Well, it’s about a person who has so many different feelings in the depths of her heart that she hides from the rest of the world, because she doesn’t think that anyone else will understand her. She can’t find the words to tell people what she feels, and that makes her lonely… This person is sad, because she never made her dreams come true… and what’s worse…” The woman sighed pensively. “She stopped believing in them.”
“Mother…” Yuna tightened her grip on her mom’s hand.
She smiled at her lovingly. “Yuna... Someday you’ll find something that will make you truly happy. Someday you’ll find that special dream that you will live for… that you will fight for….”
The little girl nodded, somewhat unsure of exactly what her mother was talking about. “Mom… What’s your dream?”
Startled, the woman took a few moments to think. “My dream was to become a singer…” Once again, her eyes wandered over to the ocean, where she could faintly see the rest of their extended family swimming back to shore. “I wanted to share my music with the rest of Spira, I wanted to touch the hearts of others with my words, and I wanted to shine… like a pearl from the ocean.”
“So… why aren’t you one?” Yuna didn’t know why, but something about the tone in her mother’s voice was heartbreaking.
“Because I…”
Suddenly, Cid yelled, “Come on you two! The barbeque is ready! Get it while it’s hot!”
“Look’s like lunch is ready!” Yuna’s mother planted a smile on her face and took her daughter by the hand. “Come on, let’s eat!”
“But Mom…” Yuna looked at her mother thoughtfully.
“Oh, don’t worry about all that, Yuna. It’s okay, sweetheart, really. It was just a silly fantasy.” She pushed her daughter to join the others.
Rikku ran towards Yuna and ambushed her with a hug. “There you are, you little mermaid you! I’m surprised that you weren’t swimming or watching the ocean like you always do!” She grinned.
Yuna giggled. “You’re so silly Rikku.”
Cid came up to them and licked his lips. “That food smells soo good!!”
Braska shook his head. “I can’t believe that you left the grill on while we were out for our swim. Do you know how dangerous that could have been since no one was watching it?”
Cid just grinned goofily. “Come on, Braska. My sister was still on the beach anyways, and I was feeling too lazy to stand there and watch the meat cook. I heard the ocean calling to me, and I just couldn’t resist but to go out there into its vastness!”
This made the other man laugh. “You’re just like your sister, you know that? Always thinking about the ocean.”
The tall man grinned. “You’d better believe it! Besides, your daughter is turning out to be quite the swimmer like her mother is,” he said, motioning over to Yuna.
“Ah, so true…” Braska’s face lit up with a sweet smile as the two headed over to the grill to serve the barbequed chicken.
The two girls joined them, while Yuna’s mother stopped walking for a bit. She took one last look at the beautiful ocean, and whispered softly, “Yes, Yuna, I didn’t try to become a singer. After all, some dreams just aren’t meant to come true…”
The woman walked towards her family slowly, silent tears falling down her lovely face.
Just at that moment, little Yuna had turned around to tell her mother to hurry before Uncle Cid and Daddy took all the food.
She stopped, speechless. She’d never seen her mother cry before. Mother’s always so strong… So how come she’s so sad now? Her own eyes grew watery. I… I don’t want to see her so sad! She ran back to her father, not sure of what else to do.
Not having seen her daughter, the woman wiped at her tears futilely with the back of her hand, desperately hoping that they’d stop coming. In a shaky, despaired voice, she sang once again…
“I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were.
But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.
(tatoe tookute mo kitto tadoritsukeru tsuyoku shinjite'ta
ano hi no watashi ga ima mo kokoro de nemutte-iru)”
“I’m not a singer now… because I stopped believing that I could be one…” Shutting her eyes, Yuna’s mother sighed deeply.
“Please Yuna… don’t become like me.”
With that, she threw the sheet of paper with her beloved lyrics into the beautiful waters, hoping that the waves would carry it away into the cold depths of the ocean.
~*~*~To be continued…~*~*~
Author’s Note: The lyrics used in this story are from “Scarlet” by Iwao Junko, the opening theme of the anime Ayashi no Ceres. It’s a really beautiful song, isn’t it? ^^
So, what did you think of my story? I hope you all enjoyed it! Stay tuned for the rest of it! =D
