FFX Ultimania Bio: Kimahri

[Ed. Note: originally posted on GameFAQs’ now-defunct FFX forums by user pmog here (broken link): http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/2000008-final-fantasy-x-storyline/21477330?page=5]

Kimahri’s Story

The following is my translation of “Kimahri’s Story” from the FFX SUG. I struggled in quite a few places on this, so thanks to the good folk at the AL Forums for helping me make this a decent piece of work.

THE BEASTMAN WHO BEARS AN UNBROKEN PRIDE

Sacred Mount Gagazet – the mountain of trials that towers high above the heavens of the northern-most region of the continent, and separates the Yevon holy land of Zanarkand from the rest of the world.

These lands are crowned in snow all year long, and the bone-chillingly icy winds never subside. The merciless wilderness snuffs out the lights of frail souls in one breath – the sturdy bodies of the Ronso are brought up under this severe environment.

Possessing features resembling a lion’s, huge physiques more than twice the size of a human’s, and muscles with the strength and agility to rival a wild beast’s, the Ronso tribe are a sub-race that live at the foot of Gagazet. They take pride in protecting the mountain, and have lived for a long time in these lands, competing with each other over who is worthy of being a guardian of the sacred mountain. Consequently among the Ronso, the genes of the powerful are continuously passed on, and though the number of the tribe is by no means large, for generations it has produced a great many of those both blessed with superior mind and body. They have gained a reputation throughout Spira as a valiant people, ideally suited to protecting the lands at the edge of the world.

Kimahri was also born, cradled in the heart of steep Gagazet.

All young male Ronso, without exception, aim to be the strongest male in the tribe, great like the mountain. Kimahri also naturally spent his youth trying to do the same. By continuing to train day after day out in the midst of the harsh wilderness and honing his skills in battle, he tried to become a brave warrior capable of taking lead of the tribe and protecting the mountain.

However, the mountain, which watches over the growth of those brave souls, set trials for Kimahri that were far too harsh.

Since childhood, Kimahri’s physique had always been far below the standard of his peers. Though by no means did he suffer in comparison against the likes of the other races, how sad then, that amongst the Ronso, he was even smaller in stature than the females of his age.

Having grown up admiring the mountain, the Ronso are fond of those who are big and strong. Among the particularly thoughtless young Ronso, there was a tendency to mock the diminutive Kimahri as if he were a little girl, even after his adult horn had grown. There were even those who looked down on his physical size and were openly derisive of him.

Biran prided himself on being the giant of the young male Ronso, and was looked upon as surely becoming the Ronso’s bravest warrior one day. He was at the head of those who treated Kimahri with contempt whenever they could. Though Kimahri could never once beat the more able Biran in a contest of strength, on no account did he ever admit defeat. Though his stature was small, a proud and tenacious spirit dwelled within Kimahri.

That was what brought about tragedy. Angered by Kimahri’s unbroken spirit, Biran broke off, of all things, the horn on Kimahri’s forehead – the symbol of Ronso pride.

By losing almost half of his adult horn, which would never grow back again, Kimahri tasted a shame that was equal to death. Such a disgraceful figure could no longer so much as shoulder the duty of protecting Gagazet.

Along with his horn, his spirit was also shattered. Losing sight of his purpose for living, Kimahri could do nothing but flee from the village, abandoning his people and his mountain. That all happened 10 years ago.

And now.

Kimahri will once again leave on a journey. On a long journey where he will start from the solitary island of Besaid in the far south, travel the length of the continent, and must pass his hometown of Mount Gagazet.

The leading role of this journey doesn’t belong to Kimahri. It is the journey of Yuna, the young girl he has been protecting for these past 10 years, who is training in order to grow in strength as a summoner and obtain the Final Summoning in the holy land of Zanarkand – the only means of defeating Sin.

Kimahri will travel along with Summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage as a traditionally recognised guardian. Official guardians are permitted to accompany summoners at every temple as far as the Cloister of Trials, which measure the trainee’s capabilities.

But even though he has become a summoner’s guardian, Kimahri’s attitude hasn’t changed in the slightest. Long before Yuna began her training as an apprentice summoner – since the very moment they met, Kimahri has lived as a guardian only for her. There wasn’t any need for him to prepare his resolve all over again.

After leaving the tribe when his horn had been broken, Kimahri was like a ship that had lost its anchor and its sails. With no will left in his body, his life was like that of an Unsent’s, simply being swept along by the tide. What brought him back to life was a duty entrusted to him by a man facing death. Taking Yuna, who was only a small child of seven, to Besaid and continuing to protect her there – for Kimahri who had lost sight of the mountain towering in his heart, the helpless young girl who had flown into his arms ended up being the one who helped to give him meaning in his life.

And likewise, Yuna had more than enough right to earn such a guardian. She was someone who thought about others’ happiness above all else, without ever neglecting those who risked their lives trying to protect her; someone who tried to carry things out to completion no matter how difficult and painful, for she simply never gave up once she had made a decision. That pure, strong and noble soul was someone honourable and worthy of being accompanied by a Ronso warrior. She was certainly the mountain itself to Kimahri.

And thus, Kimahri prioritises Yuna above all else. He now focuses the same intensity of emotion, with which he revered and admired the sacred Mount Gagazet since childhood, towards protecting Yuna. Kimahri respects Yuna’s will, and if she has chosen the summoner’s path, he has then made a decision in his mind to protect her throughout that noble duty without fail, until the moment she fights Sin.

For that purpose, he won’t so much as hesitate to return to his hometown, which he had sworn never to set foot on as long as he lived. He is prepared to let those who want to jeer at his broken horn do so. For the horn that now adorns Kimahri’s forehead is one that only true heroes can see, and like the mountain, it bravely reaches out towards the sky.

The morning of the journey.

Kimahri had felt slight animosity towards the skinny, feeble-looking boy, who had broken the precepts and gotten close to Yuna. If a weakling stayed by her side, it would only get in the way of Yuna’s pilgrimage. Kimahri has decided that if this young man, said to be affected by Sin’s toxin, doesn’t even possess fangs for fighting, then Kimahri will not let him hang around Yuna any longer.

Kimahri will come to realise before long that his prejudice is somewhat similar to the view of his tribe, which had looked down on his own small stature.

THE END