Death's Apprentice

"Make sure to send a lazy man the angel of death." -- Jewish Proverb

Ten years earlier...

"Hey Ti, come join me over here!" A seven year old Yuna called out to Tidus who was looking for his friend. Tidus looked up suddenly and saw Yuna standing next to a tree, waiting for him. It was a beautiful day outside, and a trip to the park seemed perfect for the two.

"Coming, Yuna!" Tidus ran over to Yuna, joining her in the shade. After he met up with his friend, the two sat lazily on the ground for several minutes.

"Tidus?" Yuna asked quietly, looking down at the lush grass beneath her.

"Yeah, Yuna?"

"Um, have you ever thought about what death might be like?" Yuna inquired, not looking at Tidus directly. Tidus stared at Yuna apprehensively; the last time somebody told him about dying was when his grandfather passed away. Besides, he rarely talked about death with his friends.

"Uh, no. I guess I'll find out eventually 'cause everybody dies, right?" Tidus answered sitting up off the ground.

"Of course, silly. But, I had to ask, that's all." Yuna told him, feeling more comfortable with his response. After all, death was an uneasy subject in conversation. "If I died tomorrow, would you miss me?"

"Sure, I'd hate to lose you, Yuna. If I did, then I'd shoot myself and join you in Heaven where we'd be together." Tidus answered, blushing slightly. Yuna noticed this, and smiled.

"Thank you, that's so sweet." Yuna lightly kissed him on the cheek and stood up. "Hey, enough of this death talk. Come on, let's go play!" She grabbed Tidus by the hand, and the two sped off together into the distance.

The future, ten years later...

It couldn't have been a worse day for Tidus Malerka, star player of the Zanarkand Abes and a huge celebrity throughout Spira. If he didn't show up for his date with Yuna Leonhart, he was screwed. The two were finally going to see each other again after being separated for about ten years. Not long after the friends spent time in the park, Yuna had moved away and hadn't see Tidus for a long time. Luckily, Tidus was going to meet up with Yuna through her brother and a date was scheduled between the two of them.

"Shit, I'm so frickin' late! Yuna's going to kill me! I can win any game in blitzball, but I can never show up on time to a date!" Tidus said out loud inside his car. He was on the way to the restaurant where he'd meet Yuna. He had fifteen minutes to go, but with all the cars and people around him it would take at least half an hour.

"So this is what I get when I haven't seen Yuna in over ten years; plenty of traffic!" Tidus thought out loud, driving through the busy streets of Zanarkand. Since he was late, Tidus figured he'd drive a little faster than normal to get to his date on time. Unfortunately, this seemingly inconsequential decision would be the biggest mistake of his life.

It all happened within a matter of seconds. Tidus was rambling to himself so much that he ran a red light and hit another car off to his left. Moments later, a large SUV rammed into Tidus's left side, breaking nearly every bone in his body. A massive pain entered his skull, and darkness overtook him. Scenes of his life passed through his eyes: playing with Yuna in the park, hearing his mom lost her battle with cancer, and finally pulling off the Jecht Shot that his father bullied him into doing.

"No...can't...happen yet...Yuna..." Tidus blacked out, not hearing the sirens and people surrounding his car.

Unseen by human eyes a tall figure in a black cloak watched as Tidus's lifeless body got pulled out of his totaled car. The figure smiled and thought "Hmm...he's perfect. One of these days he'll thank me for letting him have this job. He'll be spared." The figure vanished, leaving Tidus in the care of the paramedics as they sped him to the hospital, not knowing a certain someone would keep him alive after the fatal accident.

Tidus felt like his eyes weighed over a thousand pounds, and was squinting due to the bright lights above him. He couldn't sit up or move, for he was covered from head to toe in bandages. The last thing he remembered was driving to his date with Yuna. He wasn't even sure if she knew about the accident.

"Yuna..." Tidus croaked weakly, thinking about his friend.

"Ms. Leonhart has already been informed about your accident," said a calm voice. Tidus looked around the room, surprised. He did not expect to see a tall cloaked figure standing across from his bed.

"Who...who are you? Get out!" Tidus whispered, hoping that a nurse or doctor would come in. The mysterious figure just looked at Tidus from underneath his cloak, unflinchingly.

"Make me. That is, if you can get up." The guest answered, leaning back against the bleak white wall. Anger boiled up inside Tidus, annoyed at how the bandages prevented him from beating up this intruder. "Look, I'm here to make you an offer."

The person took off his hood, revealing sleek black hair and unusual silver eyes. An air of immense power and control was given off by the mysterious guest.

"Who...who are you?" Tidus asked again, this time with curiosity, sensing an unearthly presence about the man.

"Well, I go by the name Azrael, but people on earth call me the Angel of Death." He answered, coolly regarding Tidus's shocked expression.

This all hit Tidus like a thunderbolt. First he survives a fatal car accident (even after breaking about everything in his body), and now the Angel of Death had come to him? Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

"Prove it. Why should I believe you?" Tidus asked quietly, not seeing the grin Azrael had on his face.

"Where to start. First of all, when you were five I sent your dog Fluffy to doggy-heaven...well, it was his time, of course. Then when you were ten I came to your mom on her deathbed and told her it was time to leave. She was pretty upset, after all fighting lung cancer was not easy for her. She's fine in Heaven now, I'll tell her you said hi---"

"Wait!" Tidus called out. This was all too much for him to bear. He now believed Azrael. Very few people knew that Fluffy and his mom had died---but none could give out details such as the ones he just heard. Tidus felt his eyes slowly fill with tears as he remembered his faithful pet and mother.

"Do you believe me now?" Azrael asked Tidus, who was still distraught from the information he had just heard.

"I do...but there's something I don't get. Why did you spare me?" Tidus asked curiously, ridding his head of the good times spent with his two loved ones.

"Well, I have a favor to ask of you. It'll cost you, but I'll prevent you from dying if you accept." Azrael told him, grinning slightly.

"Ask away." Tidus was willing to do anything to avoid death---that is, until he aged and it was his time. The last time he thought he was going to die was when his mom passed; he didn't want to head off in that direction once more.

"I'd like for you to take my job. You know, take over for me." Azrael proposed, indifferently. Tidus stared at him, confused by the offer.

"Excuse me? For a second there I thought you wanted me to become the

Angel of---"

"---Death, yeah. No joke." Azrael replied.

"What would I have to do?" Tidus asked curiously. Azrael's gray eyes looked down upon Tidus with great interest.

"Oh, send people to Heaven or Hell. That's the gist of it. And only those who are about to be taken away can see you." Azrael answered, pacing around the room. Tidus looked at him apprehensively.

"What's the catch?" Tidus asked suspicious of the job offer. Azrael stopped pacing and looked at him.

"Well, you'll be the Angel of Death until I feel you have done enough to live again. Work hard and I'll give you your life back." Azrael folded his arms casually across his chest, waiting for Tidus' response.

"Where will you be when I have the job?" Tidus asked curiously.

"Oh, exploring. I've been all over the world, but not from a human's point of view. So, do we have a deal?" Azrael asked hopefully. Tidus thought for a few moments. If he became the Angel of Death and pleased Azrael then he'd avoid death and it would be like the accident had never happened. However, he'd be separated from Yuna and his friends until the role was finished. A few minutes later, Tidus came up with his answer.

"I'll do it."

Azrael touched the top of Tidus's bandaged head, and a bright light filled the room. Before he knew it, Tidus was in a ghost-like form and standing next to Azrael. His real body was still in the bandages, unconscious.

"I've put you in a coma for the time being. Now come with me; I'll take you to your first mission."