Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
A/N: Another update. Sorry for the wait. Please R&R! Enjoy!
E/N: Wow, your disclaimer is so not specific. We don't own the characters, places, or songs. But we own the horses- you'll see what I mean.
Chapter 3: Getting to Know You
(Yuna's POV)
I woke up almost two hours before my alarm went off and couldn't get back to sleep. So instead, I got ready. By the time I was done and had everything in my car, it was still too early to go to school.
I looked around trying to think of something I could do to entertain myself, when my eyes landed on Tidus's balcony. It was probably still too early for him to be awake so I could just, you know, fly over there and check up on him. I smiled at the idea and did just that.
I got to his balcony and landed softly, carefully opening the doors, allowing just enough space for me to enter and creep in. I looked over at his bed and found him still asleep. I went to the side of it that was closest to him, carefully avoiding some of the pillows on the ground, and sat down on the edge.
He was lying on his back with the blankets covering his legs and down. One arm was behind his head while the other lie at his side. His head was facing me and his golden locks were covering his eyes.
As if it had a free will of its own, my hand made its way to his face and lightly brushed away the hair. My fingertips gently caressed his face as I gazed at him. His wounds seemed better and appeared to have left no permanent damage to his good looks at all.
My eyes and hand slowly traveled down his perfectly muscular and tight chest to the now dark purple bruise on his side. It was a little bit smaller than my hand but covered a lot of his side. I wondered if this was the worst his beatings had gotten, or if they've been more horrible. I cringed at the thought of even worse abuse suffered, especially suffered alone.
I noticed that his breathing had changed and removed my hand before he woke up completely. I looked down and saw him open his eyes. A small smile graced his lips when our eyes met.
"Hey," I whispered, smiling back.
"Hey, what are you doing here? Is Jecht still here?" He asked; I nodded.
"He is, but I wanted to see how you were doing. I was just going to check up on you and leave but I guess I woke you up, sorry," I said giving him an apologetic look. He laughed a little and shook his head.
"No, don't worry about it. I had to get up in a little while anyway; I just wasn't expecting to see you here so soon again. Especially since you left only like—" he turned his head and looked at his clock before looking back at me, "four hours ago. I guess you just couldn't get enough of me, huh?" he asked, grinning boyishly. I rolled my eyes and threw one of the pillows off the ground at him. He caught it with ease and chuckled.
"Whatever, go back to sleep. I'm leaving now." I got up off the bed and was heading for the door when he grabbed my arm and turned me around.
"No, don't, I-I was just joking! I--"
He was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. We both froze and listened intently as we heard Jecht walk past the door, grumbling under his breath, and answer the phone.
I looked down and noticed that Tidus still had my hand in his. I looked back up at him but he was just staring at the door. I wasn't sure if he was more worried that I would be caught in here or if he was scared that Jecht was going to beat him for something. But whichever it was, I wasn't going to let him share it alone. I interlaced our fingers and stood closer to him. He looked down at me and smiled.
We couldn't hear the conversation but when it ended we heard him coming towards Tidus's room. I looked around; there was no way I was going to be able to make it out of the doors in time or without Jecht being suspicious of Tidus hiding something.
"Get in bed, act like you're asleep!" I thought and tried to let go of his hands and run, but he pulled me back and searched my eyes desperately.
"What are you going to do? You can't make it out." I shook my head.
"Don't worry, I'll hide! Just lay down before he thinks you're hiding something!"
He looked at me for a minute but got in bed. I quickly and quietly ran into the bathroom and hid in the tub. Luckily, it was so deep there's no way he would be able to see me in it from the doorway. I heard him open the door and enter the room.
"Wake up, boy!" Jecht yelled harshly. I heard Tidus move around in the bed before he spoke.
"What is it?" He questioned, feigning tiredness.
"Watch your tone. I just got a call from my manager and I'll be leaving for a while. Now you'd better not do anything while I'm gone and if I find out you did, you're gonna get it when I get back! You hear?"
"Yea," Tidus grumbled. "When are you leaving?"
"Mind your own business boy! Don't you have school or something?" Jecht raised his voice.
"Yea, yea I'm going," he mumbled. I heard the door shut and waited for a minute before I got up. I tried to search Jecht's mind to see when he was leaving. Today! Tidus came in and turned on the light.
"He's leaving today!" I whispered in case he was, for some reason, listening. He smiled and helped me out of the tub.
"Do you know how long he's going to be gone?" I shook my head. I could see the look of disappointment in his eyes.
"Don't worry; he's at least going to be gone for a few days. There's some time that you don't have to wonder if you have to be scared to come home or not. That's good." I smiled trying to make him feel better.
"Yea," he sighed. I looked at his clock and grinned. "What?"
"We've still got some time until school starts. So why don't you get ready and then we can grab a quick breakfast? It'll be my treat." He raised an eyebrow at me but nodded. "Ok, good. Meet me in front of my house when you're ready."
"Just give me a few minutes." He said.
"Alright," I walked to his doors and flew back to my house. I grabbed the car keys off of my dresser before making my way to the car.
(Somewhere in the Farplane)
The two angels watched Yuna and Tidus for a while. They were leaving for breakfast when the image was cleared by one of them.
"Ugh! I can't stand to watch that any longer!" she yelled.
"Shh, you need to be quiet. We can't be caught! Do you want to be punished?" he hissed at her, quieting her down.
"I know, I know but it makes me mad. First the Elders decide to let her have an assignment, then they let her be a Guardian Angel and she's not even half as good in her studies as us! Next she and this human are getting closer than I'd like," she snarled.
"Then let's do something about it." An evil grin graced his lips as she raised an eyebrow at him.
"What are you thinking?" she inquired. His smiled widened.
"This is what we do…"
(Back to Yuna and Tidus; Tidus's POV)
I sat there listening tell me about herself as we ate. She was simply intoxicating. The more she talked, the more I wanted to listen. How could someone so sweet and perfect just end up in my life? How is it that she was put with me?
Was I falling for her? I found myself dreaming of her last night after she left and always end up thinking about her one way or another. Maybe I am starting to like her, but does she think of me that way? Or am I just her 'subject'? Or was I her 'charge'?
"I think we'd better get going. We don't want to be late." She said getting up. I nodded and followed her to her car. As we're pulling out this unfamiliar song came on.
It hasn't always been this way
I remember brighter days
Before the dark ones came
Stole my mind
Wrapped my soul in chains
Now I live among the dead
Fighting voices in my head
Hoping someone hears me crying in the night
And carries me away
Set me free of the chains holding me
Is there anybody out there hearing me?
Set me free
Morning breaks another day
Finds me crying in the rain
All alone with my demons I am
Who is this woman that comes my way?
The dark ones shriek
They scream her name
Is this the one they say will set the captives free?
Rescue me
As she passes by
She looks straight through my eyes
The darkness cannot hide
Do you want to be free?
Lift your chains
I hold the key
The Power of Love and Destiny belongs to me
You are free
You are free
You are free
I glanced at Yuna, who was smiling softly as she listened to the music. The lyrics were almost symbolic of my own life. They made me think. About, of course, Yuna.
How long was she going to be here? How is she supposed to help me? What's the purpose of her being here? What's going to happen when she leaves? What's she going to do? What am I going to do? Will my life be the same? Will hers?
I looked at her for a moment. Was she as worried about this as much as I was? Is she thinking the same exact questions I am? Does she have answers? She seemed so unfazed by all of this. Am I anything she thought I was going to be? Has she missed her home a lot since she's been here?
So many questions that I didn't have answers to. Questions that I wasn't sure if I would be able to come up with answers for. I was taken out of my thoughts by her voice.
"I do miss home, you know. It's different there than it is here," she said, looking at me with an all-knowing half-smile. I was stunned for a moment, forgetting that she could hear my thoughts, and then quickly asked her how. She turned her attention back at the road and smiled.
"There, it's more mystical. There's a certain atmosphere. It's so peaceful and calming. As if you were in a dream-like state, and everything around you was perfect in every way.
"The air has a sweet aroma to it, and the scenery is breathtaking. The glowing riverbed, glittering flowers that have a soft and gentle shade of color to them; it's like a forest of softness, gentleness and stillness that all comes together.
"Everything seems to work together for the same purposes. Everyone seems to have the same principles and work together as a collective. In a sense, we are all each others family. Not in the way of birth or blood, but by our goals and ideals in life.
"We want to help others, not for our sense of joy, but for the sense of the joy of others. Our goal is to make peace and happiness for everyone. Even if it means that we are not as happy and satisfied."
"But that doesn't seem fair. Having a goal of making others happy but not making yourself happy." I interrupted, confused as we parked in front of the school.
"Sometimes in life, Tidus, we have to be able to give up our happiness for the happiness of others. It's not always about us. It is just one of the lessons in life that you must be aware of and be prepared to take action with." She turned and looked at me.
"It is a sacrifice, sometimes. At times, it can be painful. And sometimes, sacrifice isn't always as simple as happiness. It may be more complex or complicated; more hurtful than loosing satisfaction or joy." Her voice became softer, more somber, and her eyes seem to become distant, as if she were reliving a distressing memory.
"There is a choice, sometimes. The other person, or yourself. Sometimes you must sacrifice joy to make someone else happy, give up your comfort for the comfort of another, throw away your pride to result in someone else gaining respect, forfeit friends, push away feelings of love for the righteousness of duty."
Her voice died away and her eyes remained distant. She stayed silent for a minute. Then she seemed to remember that I was still there, and she glanced at her watch.
"We should get to our classes. The bells going to ring in a few minutes. I'll meet you back here after school, unless you have practice?"
I shook my head, dazed, wondering what exactly she was saying about sacrificing. How many of those sacrifices has she made? For whom?
"Good. I'll see you later, then." I nodded and walked slowly towards my first class, my head still spinning with questions I might never know the answer to.
(After School: Tidus's POV)
All day, I couldn't stop thinking about what she had said. The way she acted didn't seem right. She seemed a little upset, disturbed by something. What was she sacrificing? Before I knew it, I was almost to the car, and there she was, smiling. She was always smiling, it seemed. I put my stuff in the back and got in.
"You ready to go home?" She stuck the key in and started the car. I was about to say yes when I thought of something. Maybe I could show her around Zanarkand and she wouldn't feel so far away from home. She wouldn't have to think about her 'sacrifices'. I smiled and shook my head.
"Why don't you let me drive, and I'll show you around Zanarkand a little bit, hmm? It'll be fun, I promise and Jecht is gone, so why not? What's anther better time than now?"
"Ok," she grinned. We switched seats and I headed in the opposite direction of home. I was trying to think of something I could say when I thought of the game tomorrow. I wondered if she was going.
"You know the big game's tomorrow don't you?" I asked her, trying to see if she was going. I mean, I didn't really want to act obvious about it, which was hard to do, remembering she can read minds.
"No, I didn't actually. I heard you were playing Luca though."
I nodded, "You should go." She raised an eyebrow at me. "I mean, it's the biggest game of the season, and since it's the first time you've ever been here for one, it'd be a lot of fun." She didn't say anything but I saw a playful glint in her eyes. Maybe she could tell that I wanted her to go. Mind reading, after all.
"I'll think about it," she said after a few minutes. I nodded but figured that was a yes.
(Yuna's POV)
He wanted me to go very badly. I didn't even bother reading his mind; it was all over Tidus's face.
"Here we are," he said as he parallel-parked on a street and ran around to open the door for me. "And here it is," Tidus smiled. "Zanarkand!"
It was a beautiful city, unlike my own hometown, with skyscrapers and sidewalks congested with people, many of them chatting on their cell phones. The streets were lined with businesses, stores, restaurants, and many other interesting things.
"Wow," I breathed. I noticed a sign that lead the way to a museum in one direction, and a city park in another. I kind of wanted to go to the museum, but Tidus would be bored (for a teenaged boy that was completely familiar with this place, a history museum would not be entertaining), so I opted for the park.
"Can we go to the park?" I asked.
"Sure," he said. "It's a nice day, and it won't be too crowded."
We wove through the nest of humans and reached the park, which looked especially green and inviting in comparison to the industrial city. I watched a child run after a dog while his mother sat on a bench, laughing from behind the pages of a romance novel.
Elsewhere, a girl on a first date with a boy she liked very much sat unhappily, the couple sitting awkwardly with their kites, for the day was not windy at all, and they didn't really know what to say to one another.
Tidus was watching curiously as I took a breath and blew gently, a gust of wind picking the two kites off the grass and pulling in such a way that the boy and the girl were pushed together.
"Satisfaction, guaranteed," I said wryly. Tidus laughed. He took me through the park, pointing out statues and their historical significance (actually, he just read the plaque). We stopped once for ice cream, received from a vendor who was also selling balloons.
"Horses!" I exclaimed. There was a line of horse-draw carriages that went through the streets of Zanarkand as a kind of tour. We took it (The driver told us the horses were named Minerva and Fiasco, and that the two were mother and child)
Minerva and Fiasco pulled our carriage into the heart of Zanarkand. I saw what Tidus called 'The worlds biggest toy store ever built' and the great fountain in the center of the city, spitting water high into the air and creating an arch under which we drove, the light sprinkling of water falling onto my face and hair.
After the ride was over, the driver let us feed the horses carrots. I fed Minerva, and Tidus fed Fiasco.
Sadly, the adventure came to a close, seeing how it was getting late, and Tidus drove me home.
(Later, Yuna's POV)
He pulled the car up into my driveway and into the garage; I decided I would give him a tour of the house. There was something different inside the house though. It was weird, I didn't sense any danger or anything, but the aura coming from it was something familiar.
We entered the house and I led him to the living room first. I put my stuff by the couch and then took him through the dining room, flipping on the lights, and headed into the kitchen.
I was about to turn on the light when I heard something move across the way. My senses told me to move over but then whatever was coming would hit Tidus, so I pushed him away and was immediately tackled to the ground.
I didn't have time to see who it was, for it was definitely a person. So I gathered up my strength and flipped our bodies over and got my defense ready. I was about to release Fira when I heard familiar laughter.
Tidus turned the lights on, and to my surprise, I saw that it was Rikku that I was pinning down. My mouth dropped and my eyes opened wide as I released my magic.
"Rikku?" I asked, shocked. She laughed more.
"Hiya, Yunie! I didn't think ya'd pin me like that. Let alone almost roast me! Geez, at least you're on you're guard." I smiled apologetically and helped her up, hugging her fiercely.
"What are you doing here? How did you get here?" I blurted out questions, wondering if she snuck here or was sent.
"The Elders sent me for a surprise! They knew how much you miss home, so they sent me to make sure you're not all professional-like and are having some fun!" She looked behind me for a moment and then smirked. "Although, now I'm sure you're staying entertained."
"Rikku!" I blushed and was thankful he was behind me. I turned around to find a very confused and very red Tidus.
"Tidus, this is my cousin, Rikku. She's an angel too." He smiled slightly. I looked at Rikku. "Rikku, this is Tidus." She smiled brightly.
"He's much cuter in person." She whispered not that quietly. He scratched the back of his head and looked down.
"Um, I think I'll get going, Yuna," he mumbled. "Nice to meet you, Rikku. I'll see you at the game tomorrow, Yuna." With that he left and Rikku immediately attacked me with questions about him. I rolled my eyes and was so happy it was a Friday night. Then I stopped.
"Hey, waitasec, I didn't agree to go to the game yet!"
(Elder's POV)
"Very good, very good," Kimahri grunted. They nodded except for Yu Yevon.
"There's something disturbing going on," He whispered as he stared off in the distance. Braska looked around at the others than at him.
"What do you mean?" He placed a hand on Yevon's shoulder. He was tense.
"Here, in the Farplane, something is brewing that will disturb the peace." His voice was thick with stress and worry.
"The peace here, or with Yuna?" Auron questioned. Yevon turned looked around at everyone.
"Both,"
A/N: Sorry for the very, very long wait. I've been busy but hopefully updates will be more regular. Thanks to all of you for reviewing! Please review more!
E/N: MINERVA AND FIASCO. I was just editing and those names just totally had to be put in as randomly as they popped into my head. Dude those are some awesome names. Cheers!
