Okay... This is indeed a sequel to last February's story, Numer Thirty-Seven, believe it or not!
I originally wasn't going to post this. I believe I wrote the opening lines back in October, when hockey season started, and I found myself full of new inspiration and new ideas. I managed to tame the ideas for some time, until just a few weeks ago, when everything burst out of proportion. So, in an attempt to keep myself sane, and to tame down the little Basilisk-jersey-clad Tidus that runs around in my head, I decided to begin writing this.
Basically, I felt that Number Thirty-Seven was ALL Yuna. We barely got to see an insight to Tidus. So, here's Tidus' story. (Along with some of Yuna's, of course...)
I'm currently almost through with chapter 3, and I originally was going to wait to post this. BUT, I realized that my winter break was beginning to dwindle, and that it was basically now-or-never to post this. I've been really enjoying writing it, but I'm afraid to report that I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. My friend from Japan comes on Friday, and she'll be here for a month. I'm not sure if I'll get much time to write. So, I'll be spending every second I can until Friday writing. I hope to get at least through chapter 6, but that will only last for so long...
But for now, things should go pretty smoothly. And the hardest part was coming up with a title that wasn't too lame for this story... Heh. Was I successful? (I don't really think so...)
ANYWAY, without further ado, I bring to you, the sequel to one of my personal favorite fanfics that I've ever written! (XD, next to Combined Yards--I LOVED that story!) Please enjoy!
Chapter 1: Unexpected News
"Tidus! Not only did you make an all-time record by scoring ten points in one game, but you also have become the first player on the Basilisks to ever become captain in their junior year! Tell us, how does that feel?"
Smiling widely, Tidus leaned into the microphone, his glittering eyes on the camera in front of him.
"Well, it feels real great, Bobba," he said, his smile almost full of surprise, as if he himself couldn't believe what he'd just accomplished. He was still dripping wet, his blonde hair falling in wet tendrils to his shoulder.
"Keep your eye on number thirty-seven folks! He's the young one out there with the "C" on his jersey!"
Tidus simply continued to smile, and he knew the camera was getting a nice zoom on the blue embroidered "C" that stood out broadly on the upper-right side of his jersey.
"Last year you scored four short-hand goals, and in this one game, against Zanarkand, the team you lost to in the play-offs last year, you scored five, beating the school's record. How does that feel, to break two records in one night, and against such a tough team?"
"Again, it feels real great. I mean, I want to say it was luck, but I think a lot of it was skill," Tidus said, his smile growing slightly smug.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a loud beeping was heard.
"Well, that's all the time we have tonight. Remember folks, keep on cheering for the Bevelle Basilisks. With this kid," he hit Tidus softly on the back, "we're sure to win."
"Wait, there's something I need to say," Tidus said, his smile quickly fading. "I really need to say something."
The beeping got louder.
"I'm sorry, but the camera's already off."
The beeping began to ring in Tidus' ear.
"It's really important…" Tidus said. "Please, don't stop the interview!" Tidus looked back at the camera, only to realize that it disappeared.
"No, I really have to say this!" Tidus said, only to find out that his interviewer too had disappeared. The beeping kept getting louder and louder.
Tidus turned back to where the camera had been, only to see Gippal standing there, with a group of younger guys around him.
"Get up Tidus," Gippal said, his voice surprisingly harsh.
"What?" Tidus said, his confusion showing in his tone.
"Get up. Seriously, your alarm has been going off for like five minutes."
"Huh?"
Tidus' eyes flashed open, and he almost let out a yell, for there stood Gippal, just as he had been in his dream.
"Good, I thought maybe you were dead," Gippal said, shaking his head. "Your alarm woke me up."
"Huh?" Tidus simply repeated himself. He turned to his clock, which was indeed the source of the loud beeping noise. True enough, it was five minutes after the time he had set it to.
"Sorry," Tidus said, smacking the off button quickly. "I was having a weird dream…"
"You must have been. You were talking in your sleep. Something about it being skill…"
"I had a dream I scored like ten goals in one night, and most of 'em were short-handed," Tidus said, rubbing his forehead. "And I was captain."
To this, Gippal snorted, and said, "You know Coach would never put a junior as captain. You sure you weren't just an assistant?"
"Dude, I'm a shoe-in for the assistant," Tidus said, and he found that he was quickly snapping back to reality. He stood up and stretched, and followed his friend out the door to the hallway.
"Don't get too cocky," Gippal said. "The junior class is the largest."
"Maybe there will be two assistants," Tidus said, trying to sound hopeful. There hadn't been two assistants for years. Even so, he knew his friend Gippal, who was also a junior, was hoping to get named as an assistant captain.
"Assistant captain is voted on by the team," Gippal reminded Tidus. "You sure you're a team favorite?"
"Of course!" Tidus said, smiling widely. "There could be a tie, Gip. I voted for you."
"Yeah right, you expect me to believe that you voted for me?"
"Why not?" Tidus said. "You voted for me, didn't you?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," Gippal said, fluffing his friend's hair. "Go get ready. We have practice in like ten minutes."
Tidus stretched and yawned and said, "Well, no matter who gets assistant, no hard feelings, right?"
"Of course not," Gippal said. "Besides, I've made bets that you'll get it."
"I knew you were on my side!" Tidus said happily, as he disappeared into the bathroom. He quickly grabbed his toothbrush and squirted a large glob of toothpaste on it. It was the day he'd been waiting for.
The next night was the first game of the season, and Tidus couldn't wait. It would be an easy game, and he was sure of it, considering that their opener was always against Kilika. This was the last practice the team would have, and the coach was going to announce the team's decision on the assistant captain—usually, if not always, a junior—and the coach's decision on the captain—who was always a senior.
The new jerseys would be handed out, and Tidus expected that his would at least have a beautiful "A" sewn upon to it, if not a "C", like his dream had predicted. There'd been speculation about it, after all. It wouldn't be too unexpected.
Tidus didn't bother brushing his hair, for he knew it would just get messed up in the water, and he marched back to his bedroom, where he found his bag of blitz gear laying on the floor, all ready for him. Smiling, he shut the door with his foot and pulled off his pajama pants—which were decorated with blitzballs—and he threw on a pair of blitz shorts, grabbed a t-shirt, threw it on over his head, and finally picked up his heavy bag.
Tidus went bounding down the stairs with his bag over his shoulder, not caring that it was hitting the wall as he ran.
"Come on Gip, it won't look good for the Basilisk's captain and assistant captain to be late!" Tidus cried as he threw his shoes on.
"We've got ten minutes!" Gippal said, appearing from the kitchen. "Here, drink this."
"What is it?" Tidus asked as Gippal handed him a glass of citrusy orange liquid.
"Orange juice, Ti."
Tidus smelled it, and gave his friend a suspicious look.
"Okay, so I mixed some protein powder in it… That's completely legal!"
"Why?" Tidus asked, but he drank it anyway.
To this, Gippal poked him in the stomach, causing a glare to emit from Tidus.
"You're too skinny," Gippal said. "Didn't Zanarkand say they wanted you to get at least to one-hundred-ninety-five pounds before they'd take you?"
"One-hundred-ninety-five?" Tidus cried, almost spitting the orange juice from his mouth. "Don't they realize that's impossible?"
"Not if you'd get some more muscle on you. Or at least some fat," Gippal said. "Hurry up, we're going to be late."
The two rushed out to Tidus' newest car, and the car he seemed to be the most proud of. It was a silver sports car, and nearly everybody in Bevelle already knew it was his. After all, it didn't have a front license plate on it (which was a requirement in Bevelle, but since it was Tidus, he could get around that) and the back plates were Zanarkand plates, despite the fact that Tidus was considered a resident to Bevelle. Often Tidus would come out of the blitz arena to find random words of love written on his car in window-marker, which, luckily for him, came off nicely enough. The last thing he needed was for his girlfriend to see the pleas of random girls to let them have his babies, or to at least sleep with them.
Thinking of 'the girlfriend', Tidus found himself flipping out his phone, and taking a quick look to see if she'd called.
"Whoa, keep your eyes on the road," Gippal said as Tidus nearly crossed the center line.
"Think Yuna's up?" Tidus asked, ignoring Gippal's comment.
"It's six-thirty in the morning. If she's up this early, she's crazy."
"I haven't seen her lately," Tidus said, shutting his phone and attempting to slide it back in his pocket.
"Where's she been?"
"School," came Tidus' answer, and he laughed. "Which is where I should be most of the time…"
"What have you been up to?" Gippal asked. "You know, you can't fail, Tidus. You were on academic probation last year, and you're lucky Coach got you out of it."
"Whatever Gip. I'll just go pro a little early. No big deal."
"You're majoring in sports management, Ti. I think you should be able to handle that."
"It's boring!" Tidus moaned.
"Just deal with it. What do you do instead?"
"I play that new blitzball video game."
"Tidus…"
"Gippal…" Tidus just said, flashing his friend a concerned look to copy Gippal's tone.
"Yevon Tidus, stop acting like a baby," Gippal just said, and he rolled his eyes and focused his attention out the window.
"Hey, did Coach say if he was putting you in tomorrow or not?" Tidus asked then, changing the subject.
To this, Gippal shrunk in his chair and said, "I don't know… I've been off lately, you know."
"Yeah, I do know," Tidus said. "Coach has kept Datto on my line. I mean, true, he's improved a lot, but I miss you man. He cannot throw a pass like you could."
Gippal gave a little laugh, but Tidus knew his friend was worried that he wouldn't be able to play. Although Gippal's hand was fully healed and healthy, he couldn't help but notice that Gippal seemed a little hesitant compared to how he'd used to play. Perhaps he was afraid of getting hurt again. Whatever it was, he hadn't been playing the greatest.
"The freshmen suck this year," Tidus said then, just as they pulled into the arena. "I know I've said it before, but damn, couldn't coach find any decent recruits?"
"Ah, shut it, Ti," Gippal said, rolling his eyes again. "Just because you're the only guy picked out by a pro team doesn't mean they suck."
"No, it means the team sucks," Tidus said. "Zanarkand's got like ten draftees on their team. And Luca's got like six. We've got one. Me."
"Don't get a big head," Gippal warned, as the two grabbed their bags from his trunk. "Besides, the freshman could do some good things at tomorrow's game."
"Or not," Tidus said, laughing. "I'm going to have to score ten goals in order for us to pull out a win!"
"Tidus…" Gippal simply said, shaking his head.
"Gip, you just stick up for 'em 'cause they're like all Al Bhed. What's up with that anyway?"
"Tidus, watch it," Gippal said. "We're almost to the locker room. Who knows who's around."
"Voting's done," Tidus just continued. "I'm tired of kissing all their little asses. Seriously, when I'm captain, they're doing some major push-ups. They think they run the place! They're stupid freshman!"
"Tidus…" Gippal simply continued to warn, but Tidus of course shut his mouth as they walked into the locker room, where most of the team already was.
"Hey Gippal!" the group of five Al Bhed freshman said, nodding to him as he walked into the room.
"When'd you get so tight with them?" Tidus whispered to Gippal.
"We're Al Bhed," Gippal reminded his friend.
At that moment, the coach walked in, with a box. Tidus sat on the bench with a big smile on his face, for he was sure that those were the jerseys.
The team all turned their attention to the coach, who called their attention, despite the fact that he already had them.
"Alright," he said. "As you know, we're playing Kilika tomorrow. It should be an easy game. We haven't lost to them in the last ten years."
"And we have me," Tidus said, leaning back against the locker.
A few sophomores laughed at him, shaking their heads. Gippal simply gave him a warning look.
"Alright, first and foremost, this year's captain," Coach said, looking at the team in front of him, "is Clasko!"
"Clasko!" Tidus said, and he almost choked on his own spit.
The spindly defender stood up, a smile on his face, as the coach tossed him his jersey, with the beautiful "C" gleaming on it.
"He is a captain," Gippal reminded Tidus.
"Did he even score last year?" Tidus simply moaned.
"And assistant captain," the coach said, "goes to…" He looked around then, before pulling out a jersey.
Tidus smiled widely and turned to face Gippal and said, "Number thirty-seven!"
"Correction, number twenty-four," the coach said, "Here you go, Gippal."
Tidus' face spun around to face the coach, just as the jersey was thrown to Gippal. Tidus felt the jersey float right past his face, and into Gippal's arms.
Gippal held the jersey out in front of him, and sure enough, there was the "A" sewn onto the jersey.
"Ah, so there are two assistants this year!" Tidus said, "High-five, Gip!"
"Sorry Tidus," the coach said, overhearing him. "Here's your jersey."
The number thirty-seven went flying into the air, and into the shocked Tidus' arms. He quickly flattened the jersey out between his hands, only to have his face drop. Sure enough, there was no "A" plastered on the side. All that was there was his familiar thirty-seven.
"You're kidding," Tidus said, shaking his head. "Coach, there must have been a mistake."
"Nope, no mistake," his coach said, as he continued to hand out jerseys.
"No, there must have been!" Tidus continued to argue.
"We can talk about this after practice," his coach said, giving him a warning look.
"No, we'll talk about it right here," Tidus said, standing up.
"Tidus…" Gippal said, shaking his head at his friend.
Without warning, Tidus spun around and kicked a locker—Gippal's locker—hard.
"Tidus…" it was his coach's turn to give the warning.
"What the hell gives?" Tidus cried, and he flung his jersey to the ground. "I'm not practicing."
"Tidus…" Gippal warned again, shaking his head at his friend.
"We'll finish passing out jerseys later," the coach said, as all of the shocked players sat there, staring at Tidus. "Everybody head on out, except for Tidus."
"Whatever, I'm not going anyway," Tidus said, crossing his arms.
The guys all filed out, with only Gippal staying behind. However, Gippal only stayed momentarily, before following the guys out, cradling his jersey in his hands.
"Tidus," the coach said. "Don't make me sit you."
"Yeah right, like you'd have the balls to sit me," Tidus said. "What the hell, Coach? I'm the top-scorer! How could you let Gippal get that? He's not even going to be playing tomorrow!"
"I'm about to put him in and bench you," the coach said. "That is not how you need to be acting. I don't know if you've noticed, but you've been acting like a brat since the first day of practice. How do you expect to get voted in by your teammates?"
"I'm the best!" Tidus simply said.
"This is a team, Tidus. It's not all about you. We're thrilled to have you back, and you know that. But with the way you've been acting, how did you really expect for the team to vote you?"
Tidus took a deep breath. He was feeling a little bit better than he had earlier. It was almost like a nightmare though, and that much he couldn't deny.
"Okay, you're right," Tidus said, his voice very calm. "I'll just go out there and act like nothing happened, 'kay?"
The coach shook his head, but gave Tidus a pat on the back. "Hey, keep your chin up. Maybe next year you can be captain?"
Tidus shook his head. He didn't say it, but they both knew. There wasn't going to be a next year. They were lucky there was a this year.
Tidus swam out to the pool, but he purposely ignored Gippal. He saw Gippal roll his eyes, but Tidus simply joined some sophomores on the team. Gippal was with the Al Bhed freshmen, after all.
Practice was short, since the game would be later that night. The coach continued to hand out jerseys, and Tidus kept his mouth shut. They were free to leave then, although in just a matter of hours, the game would begin.
Tidus acted normal after the game. Most of the guys ignored him, besides a few sophomores.
As Tidus slung his bag over his shoulder after practice, he walked out to his car, before realizing that Gippal was nowhere to be found.
Opening the back door to his car, he threw in his bag, and threw the jersey in after it, before slamming the door shut. He rolled his eyes, and pulled out his cell phone. He pushed the one on his keypad, and waited as it rang.
"Oh, hey," Gippal's voice was heard over the line.
"Um, you coming home?" Tidus asked, leaning against his car.
"Um… I'm gonna hang with some freshies, that okay with you?"
"Gip, I'm not pissed at you or anything!" Tidus said. "I don't know what came over me in the locker room. I'm sorry, okay?"
"I know, I know…" Gippal said, his voice soft. "I'm just going to hang out. That a problem? Go hang with Yuna or something."
Tidus didn't say anything more. He simply shut his phone, hanging up with Gippal.
He climbed into his car, throwing his phone on the front seat. He sighed loudly, and leaned his head on the steering wheel.
Then, he reached over and picked up his phone, and quickly dialed the only number he could think to dial: Yuna's.
The phone rang for quite some time, and he began to worry that she wouldn't answer. He finally heard the click to signify that she had answered, and he instantly smiled, his mood brightening immensely.
The only problem was her words.
"How's the Basilisks new assistant captain!" she greeted him, her voice happy.
Tidus' face simply fell, and he couldn't think of what to say to her.
"You still there?" Yuna said then, her voice sounding confused.
"Oh, uh, yeah," Tidus said. "Look Yuna, are you busy? I need to talk to you."
"I have a class in forty minutes…" Yuna mused. "Are you home? I can stop by and see you."
"I'll be home soon," Tidus said, as he started up his car. "Things aren't going very well…"
"What happened?" Yuna asked, her voice full of concern. "Is Gippal with you?"
Tidus rolled his eyes again. "Don't get me started on Gip," Tidus said, rolling his eyes once again.
"Things not going good?" Yuna asked, her voice growing more concerned.
"Yevon, try things are going awful," Tidus said, finally breaking. He leaned his head on the steering wheel again. "Yuna, I'm not assistant captain."
Yuna must have been too shocked to respond, for she said nothing. After a while, she finally said, "I'll be there soon."
Tidus lifted his head slowly from the steering wheel, and said, "Okay, see you soon."
With that, he pulled away, heading toward his house, ignoring the fact that the large, blue stitched number thirty-seven was glaring at him in his rear-view mirror.