Final Fantasy X / X2
Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than an empty Ramen Cup and a rapidly disappearing pile of Pocky boxes. The games belong to Squaresoft and the only reason I'm not screaming about it is because they do a hell of a job at making them.
More Than Just Dreams
By Mage-Alia
Prelude: The Summoners of Zanarkand
Summary: Tidus was a talented Blitzball player and an equally talented Summoner, trained from an early age to fight in future wars, but in the same war that killed his family and friends he gave up his future to preserve the past. Now, awakened from the dreaming and untainted by the corruption of Yevon, he's setting out on his own pilgrimage to find out what went so wrong all those years ago…
AU, No Tidus pairing, Wakka/Lulu, Lenne/Shuyin
"Hey! Hey! Wait for me!" The longhaired woman half turned when she heard the voice of a young boy behind her. The little brunette child trotted the rest of the way between them and nearly bent double panting as he skidded to a stop at her side.
"You're going to wear yourself out and fall asleep in classes again if you do that." The woman pointed out, clutching a data pad to her side. "You know what Master Yu gets like when he catches you sleeping." The boy pouted as he straightened out and frowned.
"If I don't push myself I'll never be a good Blitz baller and I'll never beat him." Looking down at the youngest Summoner in the senior class Lenne shook her head in exasperation. It was amazing how someone as young as seven could carry so much loathing toward his parents. Everyone knew his story. He was the son of one of the greatest Blitzer's Zanarkand had ever seen and ever since he'd been cast into his father's shadow he'd been fighting to free himself from it, hating the man who had only recently vanished from the face of the earth while training off the coast. Shortly after the event he'd been picked up by the temple scouts for showing a sheer amount of talent in the art of Summoning, just like her.
"You won't be able to push yourself if you're serving in the Temple as punishment." Lenne pointed out, taking his hand as she deftly navigated the halls. Tidus let himself be dragged and eventually began to chatter on to her about his recent news. It was another sad fact of his sorry tale that his mother no longer paid him any attention. She'd all but died after Jecht's disappearance and those who knew the bright child had been left to pick up the pieces of his shattered life for him. Slowly… very slowly, he was recovering his childish exuberance.
"Hey! We're here!" Tidus let out a yell, earning a glare from a passing priest as he slipped from Lenne's grasp to push open the large stone door.
Well, at least he tried.
"You'll need to be stronger if you want to go around opening all the doors by yourself, Short Stack." At the mocking endearment Tidus puffed up in an offended manner that indicated another outburst as an arm came out of nowhere and deftly pushed the panels wide open. Lenne had to smile as the owner of the arm stepped past her and grinned in return.
"I'm Shuyin." The temple guard introduced himself. "It's unusual to see such a pretty girl in this Temple, usually there's just these stuffy old men." He must have been taken on in the holidays, not to know of the Summoners and their classes.
"Whoa!" Tidus was utterly awed by the large blade hanging from the blonde's waist. Shuyin looked down and blinked, having been so intent on flirting he'd forgotten about him.
"Your little brother?" He asked casually, gesturing down to the staring child. Lenne couldn't help the little blush that sprang up as she shook her head.
"Oh… No, but with the time we spend together, he could be." Shuyin gave her another grin that would have turned most girls into a puddle of goo at the sight.
"Speaking of time, didn't you have somewhere to be?" He pointed out and the girl's eyes widened in panic.
"OH NO!" Before the guard could even blink she'd turned around and scooped up Tidus by the waist before dashing through the doorway and down the hall, slipping into the classroom just before the door slammed shut behind them, signaling that Master Yu was just starting the lesson. He gave them a cool look as they found their seats and listened to the lecture on white magic, Tidus already beginning to drift off slightly in is seat next to Master Yu's daughter, Yunalesca.
…It was just another day, in the life of a Summoner of Zanarkand.
"It's happening! It's really happening! Bevelle declared war!" As the shout echoed through the small apartment Tidus watched as his big sister stiffened, she'd been getting a glass of water, but now the glass was shattered along the floor.
"Bevelle declared war?" She asked slowly, as if she hadn't really understood the words, just heard them. Shuyin nodded as he stepped further into the apartment, one hand dropping to ruffle the now blonde eight year olds hair. Tidus quickly looked to the side and saw Yunalesca gaping in a very unladylike manner that would have earned her a smack from her trainers if she where anywhere else. Yunalesca was of the upper class in Zanarkand, so to speak. Her father being a powerful Summoner and a trainer her family gained a few special privileges. Normally, she wouldn't even be able to associate with anyone like Lenne or himself, but their status as Summoners and Lenne's own rising fame as a singer, allowed her to bend the rules somewhat.
The silver haired girl put her head down just as Lenne looked back over to them.
"Yeah, and I just came from the Temple. All Summoners from the age eleven and up must report to Master Yu for their assignments." Shuyin's voice was strained and his eyes never left Lenne's as he spoke. "Lenne, I don't want you to go…" He trailed off, his eyes now pleading with her as she moved to grab her coat.
"I…" She tried to speak, but ended up trailing off. "Shuyin… a summons is a summons. I need to find master Yu." Shuyin's face clouded with emotion as he fought with himself.
"If you join the war you'll be killed!" He finally burst out but Lenne continued to beg off.
"No Shuyin, I can't. I need to go. If I don't go Master Yu was surely call for them..." She jerked her head once toward the two stunned children. "…In my place and I can't let that happen either. I must go." Coat in hand she swept past him and out into the hall. Shuyin stood frozen for a moment before he turned on his heel and went after her, leaving Tidus and Yunalesca to wonder what they'd do…
Rain thundered down around them, the raging storm their last futile protection against the invading spirans. They would only have so much time before the machina wielders forced their way across the mountains. Tidus flicked his sopping wet hair out of his face and yelled across the line of magic users.
"READY! FLOAT!!" The howling winds picked up as an enormous crest was heaved off the ground and with great difficulty, maneuvered into place and secured on the mountain side. Stumbling on the wet stone Tidus slid toward a tall figure mostly obscured by rain.
"MASTER YU!" The man turned. He had been Tidus's teacher for years, ever since it had been discovered he was a Summoner. He'd also been the one to tell him nine years ago that Lenne had been killed defending Zanarkand, as well as Shuyin, who had stayed with her until the very end. The elder had been kind to him and adopted him in the wake of their demise. Yunalesca had been delighted by the fact he was now her real brother in all but blood.
"ARE THE SEALS PREPARED?" Master Yu Yevon called back to him and he signaled the affirmative. "THEN GET EVERYONE TO THEIR POSITIONS!" Tidus nodded and scrambled back the way he'd come to where the Surviving Summoners where all lining up against the walls. With them where hundreds of people from all walks of life, including slum dwellers to the upper class, they where all there.
"GET READY!" He yelled and they stood to attention, steadfastly ignoring the icy Gagazet Rain. Their plan, was one of desperation. They where going to perform the spell that would make them all into Fayth and then use the people and their memories to make a replication of their beloved city, a way to preserve their way of life even if they lost the original, an eternal shrine…
The second half of the Summoning ritual would summon a great amour that would protect the Summoner of their dream. Master Yu had been given the responsibility and would be nigh unstoppable once it was complete. After that, he'd make the long awaited retaliation on the fools in Bevelle that had pushed them this far into desperation. Seeing the people lined up he went to the final cluster by the path that lead away from the slowly filling crater of Gagazet's Summit. It consisted of a number of great solemn beasts. They had been born and raised on the mountain, evolving into warriors that where among the last defenses of Zanarkand. The Ronso watched him approach with blank expressions and he skidded to a stop in a puddle.
"IT'S NEARLY TIME! MOVE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AND GUARD IT FROM THE MAINLAND SIDE! YOU DON'T TO BE HERE WHEN THE SUMMONING HAPPENS!" They stared at him for the longest time and Tidus feared they wouldn't go, but then the leader nodded and turned, waving his spear at the others to make them backtrack down the mountain. With that last end tied up Tidus rushed to take his place amid the Summoners who where performing the translation to the Fayth. As soon as it was done, he and most of the other Summoners would be petrified against the mountain to protect them until the day came that they were finally needed again.
Hands clasped before his chest he closed his eyes and began to chant the words to focus his power and as it mixed with the energy of the others he let it free. Magic whipped around them and the people sacrificing their dreams where hurled against the stone. Piling on each other they where knocked out and lost the life that made them human, their souls free to mingle with each other but none could move on to a new life, their essence sealed. He opened his eyes and moved toward the now softly glowing remains of his people to examine the seals that held them there.
"To think that this will be the last we see of each other." As the rain lulled to a fine mist Yunalesca approached. Tidus let his hand fall from the wall and he turned to look at his sister.
"Don't worry, Yuna… There's always the dream." The silver haired young woman gave him a sad smile.
"Yes, there is…" Then on a whim, she drew him into a hug. Public displays of affection weren't usually well liked by the upper classes and if the situation where normal, they'd get into difficulties, but these weren't normal times and it wasn't like there was anyone around to tell them off anyway. Tidus gently pushed Yuna away and looked her in the eyes.
"Just remember, Yuna, I'll always be here. If you ever need me never hesitate to call me back, don't end up like them." Yuna knew who he was talking about and her eyes clouded with tears at the sad memories, but she managed a smile anyway.
"I won't brother, I promise." Tidus gave her a smile and one last hug before Yunalesca's fiancé, Zaon, approached them.
"It's time." The blonde nodded and didn't take his eyes off them as he leaned back against the Summoning wall.
"I'll see ya." He caught one last goodbye before the petrify spell took hold of his limbs and sealed him outside of time.
Then…
He dreamed…
A/N: Whoa, just to tell you now, this will take a looooong time before I can continue it… well, I've still got Dark Summoner to finish first so I'll write the rest of this alongside the sequal, okies? Maybe in the mean time, you guys could give me some input as to how the story should go, but whatever you might say, I'm sticking by the pairings in the Summary so for now, Tidus is goin' stag, m'kay?
Don't forget to review!
Cya
