Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or any of its original
characters. This is made purely for entertainment and no money can be made
off of it. No company infringement is intended.
Reflections of a Past
Chapter 1: Blitzoff!
Cold. The air was cold tonight. It was a brisk, starless night in Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps. All the city lights were on and people were walking, tirelessly, up and down the streets. It was unusually quiet in the main city but the reason for that could be heard elsewhere.
Near the center of the city, you could hear the roar of a crowd. It was the Blitzball Dome, alight with the radiance of the sphere pool. Inside, the players were swimming furiously to get the ball, getting a vociferous roar from the crowd everytime someone scored. Tonight, it was the Abes versus the Duggles, the Abes leading 3-1.
All the players on this particular side were outstanding, but there was one that was putting the rest to shame. Tidus, star player of the Zanarkand Abes, had just pulled off a pass before getting tackled from behind by a Duggle. He swam up and went streaking off in the opposite direction, towards the Abes' end, narrowly missing another tackle. Many of his teamates stopped to wonder at what he was doing. Why would their best attacker be going at their own end? This question was answered when Lenny, the one Tidus had just passed to, was knocked unconscious by a tackle, leaving the ball for the Duggles. A woman with a rubber, burgandy suit swept up the ball and threw a long pass to one of their's at the Abes' end. He caught it and flipped around to speed towards the goal, when he came face to face with Tidus. He swallowed a bit of water in surprise giving Tidus enough time to elbow him in the stomach.
Kneeing the ball out of the winded man's hands, he caught it on the top of his head and rushed off towards the surface of the sphere pool. Everyone turned to watch and the Duggles' goalie started to panic, waving his arms about in a futile effort to protect his goal. Tidus broke out of the surface with his arms thrust out, amid the cheers and the camera flashes from the crowd. He rose higher still, then leaned back allowing the ball to rise further. Flipping upside-down in mid-air, Tidus brought his foot up to reach the ball. It was the crowd and the Duggles' goalie who were most surprised at the next turn of events, though. The Sphere Shot had missed. Actually, it hadn't even connected. Tidus' eyes went wide as he plummeted back towards the water. Why? The question was answered as a shell exploded near the pool generator.
Looking up, the crowd saw small fighters were streaking through the sky, dropping bombs over their heads. There were shrieks and a scramble to get to the exits. Most people were soon overtaken by troopers who were dropping from the crafts. The blitzers were swimming frantically in the pool, trying to register what was happening.
Tidus was still reeling at the painful fall when troopers with gear on suddenly started lowering themselves into the pool. What the hell is going on?
"Attack! Attack!" Sirens were going off through the city with a blaring noise. People were scrambling on the streets only to be met by a trooper.
Inside the Yevon Guard Headquarters, the Captain was livid. He was pacing back and forth, pausing to look on at the scene outside. He turned to leave when one of his warrior monks came dashing in.
"Sir, sir! We're under attack! Bevelle is attacking!", the young man seemed out of breath, his face sweaty and red. His hair was unruly and his clothes seemed to have been put on in a hurry.
"I am aware of that General. I'm sure the people are aware as well", the Captain's eyes were glinting menacingly. "Though, while they are getting maimed, you seemed to be having a good time with the white mages..." The man blushed and started to protest when the Captain cut him off. "I don't want to hear it. Get your clothes on and assemble your troops. Now!"
"Y-yes, sir!" He rushed off towards the hanger while the Captain looked out the window once more. He thought about his wife. What was happening to her? He pushed her thoughts out of his head and followed the General off towards the hanger.
When he arrived, the superior officer found the entire troop of Zanarkand's warrior monks, at the ready. He first adressed a group standing next to fifty sleek fighters. "As you have heard, we are under attack by Bevelle. I want the fleet to shoot theirs out of the sky. I don't want loss of civillian life under any cost, even at risk of your own. Now, man your ships, pick your targets and go!", this statement recieved many hearty cries of aproval. The captain smiled grimly as the ships took off one by one into the city. Explosions were already heard rocketing outside. He turned to the entire troop of warrior monks, left, and said, "Get your areses out there and fight proudly", there was a chuckle at this, as he continued, "and if you find yourself in a tight spot, blow them all to hell! BUT! No civillians are to be hurt! None at all! If word reaches me that one of our number has done so, what's left of them will be sent to be scorched and maimed by Ifrit! Do I make myself clear?" There was a mumur of assent throughout the room. Most superior officers would have found this offensive, but this one didn't care.
"I don't know why Bevelle is attacking us, but if it's a war they want", there was many a cry of aproval throughout the chamber at these words, "then it's a war they'll get! For Yevon!"
"FOR YEVON", the room bellowed as the monks filed out, the sounds of their guns and swords already reaching it. The Captain stood for awhile, then turned and left to the control tower, his black cape billowing behind him.
Tidus regained consciousness just as a Bevelle trooper had started to beat him. What the...? Bevelle? Better at swimming than the trooper, Tidus clasped his hands around his arms and flipped him forward, driving him to the bottom of the sphere pool. His teamates and his opponents were fighting the troopers, as well. One thought was on all their minds, though: Why was Bevelle attacking them, Zanarkand, their close ally? Tidus had no time to speculate on this for the trooper had began to throttle him, dragging him down. He went with it for a time, arms flailing and legs kicking furiously, but as the seconds dragged by, his lungs started to scream for air, as it was being squeezed out of him.
There you go! Tidus thought savagely as he scored a square kick on the trooper's chest, sending him reeling. He then shot up towards the surface, again, faced cringed, trying not to take a breath. Just as he was about to break the surface, a pair of arms grabbed his legs, slowing him down. Either way, Tidus flew out into the wonderful air, again, the man clasped to his legs. He let go and thrusted away, pulling out his blade, flying higher still.
"Damn! Don't you ever give up?", Tidus yelled, eyes flaring.
"Shut up, ya filthy little punk!", the trooper said, as he lunged at him with his blade. Tidus ducked and smashed into his stomach. Elbowing his chin, he flipped and kicked the trooper towards the sphere pool. As the trooper plummeted towards the pool, Tidus urged himself to fall level with him. They were neck and neck when the trooper gave him a stunned look. The blitzer grasped the blade and wrenched it out of the man's grasp, spinning in mid-air, giving a swift cut to the man's arm. There was a blood-curdling scream, an explosion nearby, and then a splash.
Blinded by the water, Tidus thrashed wildly around for any sign of the man. He started swimming to help out one of the others when he saw the body of one of his teamates, their goalie, deathly still, floating. Fezen! He rushed towards the body when something shot by his leg, nicking it. He looked down and saw blood spilling out of a small wound on the side of his leg, mixing with the water.
With a grimace, Tidus turned to find the same damned trooper, his face contorted with pain and fury, surrounded by a scarlet pool of water, taking aim for another shot with his handgun. A rage filled Tidus from seeing Fezen, a rage that he had never felt before. He was shaking, his eyes filled with malice. Rushing forward, he aimed the blade to kill, but before anything could happen, another explosion racked the sphere pool and the azure light that filled it went out.
Tidus groped around for the man, not caring if the stupid light went out, wanting to hurt something- BANG! Another explosion. This one was serious, for the very water seemed to vibrate. He could hear faint, muffled shouts of surprise coming from the people around him. Then, one last tremor, and Tidus felt himself falling. Falling! In the sphere pool? To his horror, he felt himself being pulled further out of the pool as he went rocketing out of the water towards the edge of the dome. Turning, Tidus saw a few troopers and his teamates hurtling out in all directions. He thrust out his arms, trying to grasp something, anything that would keep him from falling to an untimely death.
Getting a hold of the edge, Tidus started to scramble onto the seats as explosions started racking the whole dome. Suddenly, a large chunk of water from the breaking pool came and beat him down again. Hands slipping, he managed to keep a faltering hold. Why? Why? WHY?! Was the word that kept screaming in his head. Why was Bevelle attacking Zanarkand?
One final explosion sounded and a large chunk of debris came and smashed the edge of the dome Tidus was hanging precariously on. "AAARRRGGHH", for the third time tonight, he fell from a deathly height, but there wasn't going to be any water to break his fall, this time.
In a last desperate atempt, he took out the Bevellian blade and drove it into the iron wall, drawing sparks as he fell into the dark...
The Captain was standing at the window in the control tower, an apalled look on his face. There were many downed Bevelle fighters littering the streets, but their mounting casulties were also being monitored. He yelled over his shoulder, "Somebody tell the the Summoners to bring in the Aeons! And get the mages to heal the wounded!"
"They're already on it, sir!", a small, timid looking man said from his console. The Captain had finally decided to join the battle. They need my help out there.
"Jackson! Damage report", he said, sweeping past the rows of people and computers.
"Sir, we've lost thirteen ships and twenty monks.", said Jackson, who was perspirating profusely. "Most of the sectors seem undamaged. They seem to be concentrating their attack force on the Yevon palace. The council guard and the Summoners seem to be handling it...slight damage to Sector C-"
He then looked up, aghast. "Sir! The Dome!" The Captain's eyes went wide as he quickly retraced his steps to the grand window. He came in time to see the sphere pool loosing its glow, amid explosions and a crumbling dome. With another horrifying realization, he remembered that his son had had a game tonight. Damn kid!!!
Making sure his sword was sheathed and his gun was holstered he started exiting the room, towards the hanger. "General! Ready my ship!" The young man came rushing back and said, "Yes, sir, Captain Jecht!"
Reflections of a Past
Chapter 1: Blitzoff!
Cold. The air was cold tonight. It was a brisk, starless night in Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps. All the city lights were on and people were walking, tirelessly, up and down the streets. It was unusually quiet in the main city but the reason for that could be heard elsewhere.
Near the center of the city, you could hear the roar of a crowd. It was the Blitzball Dome, alight with the radiance of the sphere pool. Inside, the players were swimming furiously to get the ball, getting a vociferous roar from the crowd everytime someone scored. Tonight, it was the Abes versus the Duggles, the Abes leading 3-1.
All the players on this particular side were outstanding, but there was one that was putting the rest to shame. Tidus, star player of the Zanarkand Abes, had just pulled off a pass before getting tackled from behind by a Duggle. He swam up and went streaking off in the opposite direction, towards the Abes' end, narrowly missing another tackle. Many of his teamates stopped to wonder at what he was doing. Why would their best attacker be going at their own end? This question was answered when Lenny, the one Tidus had just passed to, was knocked unconscious by a tackle, leaving the ball for the Duggles. A woman with a rubber, burgandy suit swept up the ball and threw a long pass to one of their's at the Abes' end. He caught it and flipped around to speed towards the goal, when he came face to face with Tidus. He swallowed a bit of water in surprise giving Tidus enough time to elbow him in the stomach.
Kneeing the ball out of the winded man's hands, he caught it on the top of his head and rushed off towards the surface of the sphere pool. Everyone turned to watch and the Duggles' goalie started to panic, waving his arms about in a futile effort to protect his goal. Tidus broke out of the surface with his arms thrust out, amid the cheers and the camera flashes from the crowd. He rose higher still, then leaned back allowing the ball to rise further. Flipping upside-down in mid-air, Tidus brought his foot up to reach the ball. It was the crowd and the Duggles' goalie who were most surprised at the next turn of events, though. The Sphere Shot had missed. Actually, it hadn't even connected. Tidus' eyes went wide as he plummeted back towards the water. Why? The question was answered as a shell exploded near the pool generator.
Looking up, the crowd saw small fighters were streaking through the sky, dropping bombs over their heads. There were shrieks and a scramble to get to the exits. Most people were soon overtaken by troopers who were dropping from the crafts. The blitzers were swimming frantically in the pool, trying to register what was happening.
Tidus was still reeling at the painful fall when troopers with gear on suddenly started lowering themselves into the pool. What the hell is going on?
"Attack! Attack!" Sirens were going off through the city with a blaring noise. People were scrambling on the streets only to be met by a trooper.
Inside the Yevon Guard Headquarters, the Captain was livid. He was pacing back and forth, pausing to look on at the scene outside. He turned to leave when one of his warrior monks came dashing in.
"Sir, sir! We're under attack! Bevelle is attacking!", the young man seemed out of breath, his face sweaty and red. His hair was unruly and his clothes seemed to have been put on in a hurry.
"I am aware of that General. I'm sure the people are aware as well", the Captain's eyes were glinting menacingly. "Though, while they are getting maimed, you seemed to be having a good time with the white mages..." The man blushed and started to protest when the Captain cut him off. "I don't want to hear it. Get your clothes on and assemble your troops. Now!"
"Y-yes, sir!" He rushed off towards the hanger while the Captain looked out the window once more. He thought about his wife. What was happening to her? He pushed her thoughts out of his head and followed the General off towards the hanger.
When he arrived, the superior officer found the entire troop of Zanarkand's warrior monks, at the ready. He first adressed a group standing next to fifty sleek fighters. "As you have heard, we are under attack by Bevelle. I want the fleet to shoot theirs out of the sky. I don't want loss of civillian life under any cost, even at risk of your own. Now, man your ships, pick your targets and go!", this statement recieved many hearty cries of aproval. The captain smiled grimly as the ships took off one by one into the city. Explosions were already heard rocketing outside. He turned to the entire troop of warrior monks, left, and said, "Get your areses out there and fight proudly", there was a chuckle at this, as he continued, "and if you find yourself in a tight spot, blow them all to hell! BUT! No civillians are to be hurt! None at all! If word reaches me that one of our number has done so, what's left of them will be sent to be scorched and maimed by Ifrit! Do I make myself clear?" There was a mumur of assent throughout the room. Most superior officers would have found this offensive, but this one didn't care.
"I don't know why Bevelle is attacking us, but if it's a war they want", there was many a cry of aproval throughout the chamber at these words, "then it's a war they'll get! For Yevon!"
"FOR YEVON", the room bellowed as the monks filed out, the sounds of their guns and swords already reaching it. The Captain stood for awhile, then turned and left to the control tower, his black cape billowing behind him.
Tidus regained consciousness just as a Bevelle trooper had started to beat him. What the...? Bevelle? Better at swimming than the trooper, Tidus clasped his hands around his arms and flipped him forward, driving him to the bottom of the sphere pool. His teamates and his opponents were fighting the troopers, as well. One thought was on all their minds, though: Why was Bevelle attacking them, Zanarkand, their close ally? Tidus had no time to speculate on this for the trooper had began to throttle him, dragging him down. He went with it for a time, arms flailing and legs kicking furiously, but as the seconds dragged by, his lungs started to scream for air, as it was being squeezed out of him.
There you go! Tidus thought savagely as he scored a square kick on the trooper's chest, sending him reeling. He then shot up towards the surface, again, faced cringed, trying not to take a breath. Just as he was about to break the surface, a pair of arms grabbed his legs, slowing him down. Either way, Tidus flew out into the wonderful air, again, the man clasped to his legs. He let go and thrusted away, pulling out his blade, flying higher still.
"Damn! Don't you ever give up?", Tidus yelled, eyes flaring.
"Shut up, ya filthy little punk!", the trooper said, as he lunged at him with his blade. Tidus ducked and smashed into his stomach. Elbowing his chin, he flipped and kicked the trooper towards the sphere pool. As the trooper plummeted towards the pool, Tidus urged himself to fall level with him. They were neck and neck when the trooper gave him a stunned look. The blitzer grasped the blade and wrenched it out of the man's grasp, spinning in mid-air, giving a swift cut to the man's arm. There was a blood-curdling scream, an explosion nearby, and then a splash.
Blinded by the water, Tidus thrashed wildly around for any sign of the man. He started swimming to help out one of the others when he saw the body of one of his teamates, their goalie, deathly still, floating. Fezen! He rushed towards the body when something shot by his leg, nicking it. He looked down and saw blood spilling out of a small wound on the side of his leg, mixing with the water.
With a grimace, Tidus turned to find the same damned trooper, his face contorted with pain and fury, surrounded by a scarlet pool of water, taking aim for another shot with his handgun. A rage filled Tidus from seeing Fezen, a rage that he had never felt before. He was shaking, his eyes filled with malice. Rushing forward, he aimed the blade to kill, but before anything could happen, another explosion racked the sphere pool and the azure light that filled it went out.
Tidus groped around for the man, not caring if the stupid light went out, wanting to hurt something- BANG! Another explosion. This one was serious, for the very water seemed to vibrate. He could hear faint, muffled shouts of surprise coming from the people around him. Then, one last tremor, and Tidus felt himself falling. Falling! In the sphere pool? To his horror, he felt himself being pulled further out of the pool as he went rocketing out of the water towards the edge of the dome. Turning, Tidus saw a few troopers and his teamates hurtling out in all directions. He thrust out his arms, trying to grasp something, anything that would keep him from falling to an untimely death.
Getting a hold of the edge, Tidus started to scramble onto the seats as explosions started racking the whole dome. Suddenly, a large chunk of water from the breaking pool came and beat him down again. Hands slipping, he managed to keep a faltering hold. Why? Why? WHY?! Was the word that kept screaming in his head. Why was Bevelle attacking Zanarkand?
One final explosion sounded and a large chunk of debris came and smashed the edge of the dome Tidus was hanging precariously on. "AAARRRGGHH", for the third time tonight, he fell from a deathly height, but there wasn't going to be any water to break his fall, this time.
In a last desperate atempt, he took out the Bevellian blade and drove it into the iron wall, drawing sparks as he fell into the dark...
The Captain was standing at the window in the control tower, an apalled look on his face. There were many downed Bevelle fighters littering the streets, but their mounting casulties were also being monitored. He yelled over his shoulder, "Somebody tell the the Summoners to bring in the Aeons! And get the mages to heal the wounded!"
"They're already on it, sir!", a small, timid looking man said from his console. The Captain had finally decided to join the battle. They need my help out there.
"Jackson! Damage report", he said, sweeping past the rows of people and computers.
"Sir, we've lost thirteen ships and twenty monks.", said Jackson, who was perspirating profusely. "Most of the sectors seem undamaged. They seem to be concentrating their attack force on the Yevon palace. The council guard and the Summoners seem to be handling it...slight damage to Sector C-"
He then looked up, aghast. "Sir! The Dome!" The Captain's eyes went wide as he quickly retraced his steps to the grand window. He came in time to see the sphere pool loosing its glow, amid explosions and a crumbling dome. With another horrifying realization, he remembered that his son had had a game tonight. Damn kid!!!
Making sure his sword was sheathed and his gun was holstered he started exiting the room, towards the hanger. "General! Ready my ship!" The young man came rushing back and said, "Yes, sir, Captain Jecht!"