Sorry it has been a while! Life does get in the way! Working on C3 now. I am completely overhauling the story. Huge changes and plot movements. I remember this was written in High School in 2009... So yeah. Here we are! RR please!
C2
The dressing room corridors are the liveliest places to be in after a win. There was much shoving and shouting. There are flashes of cameras and questions thrown around, filming occurring and hoping for a glimpse of a star or someone famous.
In the dressing room the vibe was very different. The players are singing joyful songs and drinking milk. There was laughter as family joined the members of the team.
Brightly lit and slightly over crowded with people, the Besaid Aurochs dressing room looked like any other. Lockers covering the walls, benches scattered through out and a Sphere Screen replaying the match just gone. Posters covered some of the locker doors and walls; photos and trophies on the shelves of previous wins and teams.
"Hey guys settle down," laughed Alto as he hugged his mother, "the coach will becoming in soon, he can probably hear you from the stadium"
"The coach is old!" joked Kano with the game ball balanced on his head, "he won't be able to hear us!"
"Hmmmm" said a voice, "I can hear you quite clearly, Kano"
"Sorry coach! You're not old, Father is OLD!" laughed Kano and Jake joins in. High-fives are exchanged and a smirk appears across the face of Tidus and a stifled laugh
Tidus; now in his forties was still a very handsome and rugged guy, not as young as he used to be. Retiring from both being a guardian and blitzballer; settling more for coaching and raising a family, Tidus was a busy man but did take the time to appreciate a small joke, especially when it was about a close friend whom he considered a brother.
Noting his coach's face and that of Vidina in the background, Kano turned around slowly and cringed.
"Hi Dad…" he grinned and rubbed the back of his head, ruffling black scruffy hair which differed significantly from his fathers to match his mothers now streaked grey hair.
"Uh huh, you should be scared!" Wakka grinned with Lulu standing at his side shaking her head. Wakka adjusted his leather yellow jacket and brushed his nose with the back of his hand, "You got dish duty when you get home, ya"
"Great job team" congratulated Tidus, "you all played really well. Our defense will need some significant work but our offence was on a whole new level. I think this years goal is going to be Victory"
"YEAH!" yelled the team, "VICTORY! VICTORY! VICTORY!"
The team went about their usual business of warm-downs. Kano took to napping on the bench, one of his best after game strategies. It wasn't uncommon to see him sleeping on the beach after training either. Lulu shook her head; she knew her son better than anyone else.
Lulu was a practicing black mage; someone who specialized in elemental magic's, was now a teacher on Besaid and Kilika for children who exhibited the gift. Married to Wakka, mother of Vidina and Kano she loved to teach since finishing her guardianship of the High Summoner responsible for the Eternal Calm.
She had high hopes that her younger son would show some aptitude for Black Magic, but it hadn't shown as this point in his life. Kano was far too old to be showing any aptitude now. So instead she had taken on another pupil, a young lady of noble skilled bloodlines and a close family friend to be her protégé.
Kano started drooling in his sleep and Lulu sighed loudly and turned to her Husband, who was yawning himself.
"Have you seen my Protégé today?" she asked, ruffling her long skirts and then her black hair, "I did give her the morning to spend with her mother but I haven't seen her since"
Tidus approached the group "Last I saw of her she was behind the goal on the south side of the Sphere Pool. I didn't know she was interested in Blitzball"
"Surprisingly she shows interest in a lot of things Tidus" she commented bluntly, "You should pay attention to you daughter more and not the Blitzball Team"
He grinned sheepishly, "She didn't like Blitzball when she was a kid and so I left her at home with Yuna and took…"
Tidus stopped talking suddenly and smiled sadly. It was a sore subject to bring up his son. He had being missing now for 2 years. Went out to Practice Blitzball and never came home. The heterochromic-eyed boy was older than his sister and sorely missed. Yuna was always out looking for him.
Kano started snorning and the subject changed. The rest of the team had already left the locker rooms leaving them behind with Kano.
"I suppose we should wake him soon…" said Vidina to the room, but nobody was listening to him.
The Bar in Luca city centre was bustling with patrons of the Blitzball game. Crowded to the brim with spectators and players. Rubbing elbows celebrating or moping about; depending on which team they supported.
Kano managed to drag himself from the Stadium to the Bar and when he entered the room silenced.
"If this is a party, why are we all so quiet" he laughed and the crowd started back at what they were doing. Tidus left his side and went to sit in a booth by himself, sipping a drink. Kano noted that he seemed to be waiting for someone or something to happen. Deciding it was best to leave the coach alone, he sauntered up to his teammates and began sipping a drink Jake had managed to snag for him.
"Coach okay?" asked Joe as Ash was rubbing his back, "He seemed sad after the match"
"No clue" Kano stated and finished his drink, "He gets like that sometimes"
"Just thought you may know considering you are a family friend and all" Ash questioned further, "You two seem very close"
Vidina joined them, "They aren't too tight; we only really talked much with Tidus and Yuna in the last 2 years ya. They lived in New Zanarkand for the last 18 and out Parents only got letters every week. We haven't even seen their kids since we were tykes ourselves ya"
The group mulled over the information and looked over at Tidus. He had his eyes closed and was stirring his drink. They turned away when he opened one eye, looking at them.
"Yikes. He has good senses" laughed Alto
"Former Guardian to the High Summoner would have to" Kelly stated and crossed her arms, "He is one of her best, the Ronso, Kimarhi, showed him a lot when they travelled"
Kano looked back at his coach and noted that a woman was now sitting next to him and he was laughing. She was a stunner with her short brown hair. She had one blue eye and one green eye.
Lady Yuna of Besaid. She is here! Thought Kano, "Guess we now know whom he was waiting on… Lady Yuna is here"
The group spied her and turned back to each other and Kelly commented, "I haven't seen Lady Yuna in a couple weeks, she disappears a lot"
"She is always looking for Jecht, her son ya" Vidina added, "He went missing the week they came to Besaid. She is always out looking for him with the Gullwings"
"Any Luck?" Tidus asked as he put his arm around Yunas shoulders. He knew this was hard on her. He was responsible for their son.
"You know it isn't you fault" she said quietly, "Jecht is adventuress as we both were"
"Yuna-"
"I haven't found anything" she continued. Stirring her tea, she turns and faces her Husband, "have you seen our Daughter today?"
"Only from the coaches box. She doesn't want anything to do with me. She blames me for Jehct's disappearance" it pained Tidus to even say it, "she is looking for him too, you know"
"I do, but she needs to stop. It is dangerous and I don't want her to be lost to us" she whispered to him, "I have heard rumours of stirring from the Farplane, something is coming"
Kano stopped. He felt a presence he only sensed briefly before enter the bar, something strong and mysterious, something powerful. Something about it was familiar. Blonde. Blue eyes. Pretty.
There she stood. All 5'5" of beauty dressed in a white sundress and black combat boots with a purple jacket with pink flowers embroidered on it. It was the girl whom he dedicated the winning goal to! He knocked her over before the game! Of course, now he knew why her presence seemed familiar.
"Hey Kano, who is that?" asked Jake and pointing at the blonde dumbstruck as Kano was two minutes earlier
"Dunno" replied the black haired boy with a smug look, I have to find out more about her…
"Well, whoever she is," the red head commented, "she's beautiful!"
She looked about the bar and stopped. She seemed to change her demeanor from happy and curious to dejected. She took a deep breath in and started walking toward the Coach,
"She can't be" said Kano to Vidina, "Is she?"
"Lenalee" smiled Yuna as she got up and hugged her daughter and then motioned for her to sit down across from them, "How are you?"
"You are interested for once?" she raised her eyebrows, "Did you have any luck with Jecht?"
Yuna looked down at the table. Her daughter was always emotionless since her twin was lost. "I haven't"
"Then why are you sitting here chatting with me?!" she started to get flushed in her cheeks
"Len… Your mother has been away for months! Have you had any luck?" Tidus interrupted, trying to calm the tense situation
"I did" she finally said, "I found his scarf and a sphere. It shows him locked away and hidden. I think someone is laying some bait"
Lenalee was 18 now. Quiet. Serious. Mature. She had changed in the last two years from her happy, shy and laughing self, to a lady of power. Behind her blue eyes Yuna could see determination.
Yuna did after all suggest to Lenalee to start studying with Lulu to help her learn some confidence and strength after Jecht went missing. Len was no longer just a petal that knew white magic; she was now an accomplished Mage of Black and White magics and had started learning Time Magic's.
"We will talk more about this when we get back to Besaid" suggested Tidus, "I am wanting to know how my beautiful daughter is?"
She looked at her Father. She didn't blame him for Jecht disappearing. She was just angry at everything the world had to offer her. Somehow she just snapped at Tidus one day and he treats her like she hates him. Two years of this running around in circles. She just wanted it to stop. To have her parents love. To understand them and have them understand her.
"I am pretty good" she started cautiously, "I can now hold my breath for 6 minutes. I am actually considering starting Blitzball tryouts for next season"
Her parents blinked. They seemed shocked, a civil conversation and tone from Lenalee and not a snapping cold glaring girl.
"I actually wanted to ask you Papa if you would consider showing me Time Magic" she took a sip of her beer, "I need to learn from someone and I guess you would be the best teacher. Lulu only teaches elementals"
"I sure can" he smiled and laughed, "Starting tomorrow on the Beach. Bring your Staff"
"Actually Papa" she hesitated, "I use a sword now…"
"I am going to go over and say Hi" smiled Kano. He straightened his jacket and got a new drink. He made his way through the crowd to their table to here the blonde girl say something about a sword.
"Whoa Badass!" he commented, "Swords are wicked strong when you add magic's. Now that you mention it, my mother was teaching a protégé black magic with a sword and not a staff"
"YOU!" she looked at him in shock, "You are the jerk who knocked me over before the game!"
"I did say sorry and I dedicated the winning goal to you!" he said off-handedly
"You are a lous-" her cheeks began to flush red
Tidus started laughing, "So I take it you have met Kano! He is the new Center for the Aurouch's and a mighty fine shooter. Started training with me 3 months ago"
"Met is a kind way of saying it" glaring icily at Kano
"His mother is your Teacher, Lulu" commented Yuna as she took in the boy, "You don't do magic yourself do you?"
"No ability or aptitude for it" he scratched the back of his head and sat down beside Lenalee.
Lenalee knew she was in for a long evening with some "knows it all" Blitzer.
"I actually came over to ask for your name?" he smiled at her in a smug arrogant way
"Kano this is my Daughter, Lenalee" said Tidus before Len could tell him to piss off, "She doesn't really come to Luca much"
Yuna caught on to the ploy, "we were about to go out as a family for dinner, how about you join us? Invite your brother and parents along too"
Lenalee put her head down on the table and sighed. A very long night indeed.
TBC