Biting back a chuckle for Ethan's apologetic gesture, Amal kept pace with Chiron and let her mind wander to the strange sensation of her footsteps moving through the sand.  A day prior, she'd been in such a rush to catch up to Ethan, she hadn't stopped to appreciate the way it would ebb and flow beneath her feet.  It was difficult to walk in the sand, she decided; she would be thankful for solid ground when they reached the village of Killika, but she knew Besaid would be a place she never forgot.  Besaid changed her life.<br/><br/>Chiron's voice drew her attention and she looked up at him.<br/><br/>Amal felt at ease her companion seemed to have perceived she would prefer to keep their new arrangement a secret between the two of them; by changing the subject and lowering his voice, it felt official-this understanding.  It had taken courage enough for Amal to ask for Chiron's help; she didn't need Harris to voice her opinion or any puzzled looks from Ethan on the matter.  The mage felt certain her friend could train her to proficiency before their party reached Luca, but secretly she welcomed the idea of laying Harris flat on her back the next time the Blitzer decided to cast unwanted attention upon the mage.  That, she decided, standing up for herself to Harris, would be a secondary goal of her training under Chiron.<br/><br/>She hesitated at her answer, blinking twice before letting her eyes drift to the sparkling water beside her.<br/><br/>Convinced both Chiron and Ethan would attribute any favorable answer to Harris, Amal briefly wondered if there would be any purpose served by guiding them towards the truth.  Sure, she’d gotten a push from the other woman in the right direction, but somehow, the mage knew she’d held her answer shielded in the deepest, most secret place of her heart all along.<br/><br/>She wanted to become Ethan’s Guardian.  She wanted to belong with them; Chiron, Ethan, and even Harris for all of her loud, opinionated attempts at pushing past Amal’s walls.<br/><br/>Deep down, Amal knew Chiron would come to the realization her motivation to become a Guardian was driven internally on his own; he wouldn't need urging.  Harris was selfish enough to believe herself to have been the catalyst, and it couldn't be helped.  Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to be the anomaly in the mage’s mind.<br/><br/>She couldn't quite trust her intuition where the priest was concerned.  Not yet.  Too much of what she knew Agustin to be clouded her ability to read Ethan; thus far, he'd proven to be almost the opposite of her brother in every way.  Would he credit Harris and her challenge as pressure?  Biting her lower lip, she remembered him telling her he wouldn't be upset to have her along.<br/><br/>‘I’ll tell Ethan the truth, then,’ she thought, drawing a deep breath as she watched him disappear onto the ferry.  'He deserves to know my decision has nothing to do with Harris.’<br/><br/>Turning to look up at Chiron, she replied, “He’s given me until Luca to decide.  From there it would be easy to catch a ferry…”<br/><br/>Amal struggled with all the ways she thought to finish that sentence.  All the ways she thought to finish but found herself unable.  She couldn't say Bevelle, or home, or Agustin.  She wouldn't lie to Chiron and let him believe there was anything she might want to go back to.<br/><br/>Whispering so softly she didn't know if he could hear, “I do think I'll stay.”<br/><br/>The duo had made it to the top of the gangway so they were standing safely on the deck of the ship when the mage turned around.  Her light green eyes settled on the black mage she had encountered yesterday.  She was standing near the end of the dock with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring daggers at the man named Chappu.<br/><br/>Wakka was standing a short distance away, holding Chappu's brightly colored blue sword in both of his hands.  Amal caught Wakka's gaze and she politely lowered her chin in goodbye.  The Blitzball captain turned away and shoved the point of the sword into the sand before he took off across the beach, heading back in the direction of the village.  The white mage, Yuna, followed quickly after him.<br/><br/>Amal watched Lulu turn away from Chappu and felt her heart flip in her chest when he called after her, “Lu!”