Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.
Ch. 7 Departing
I laid down in a bed in the Crusader's lodge and fell asleep the instant my head hit the pillow. My sleep was far from peaceful though, courtesy of a nightmare.
I was in a place that I didn't recognize, we seemed to floating on a huge sword while the air beyond that seemed to be composed of a multicolored mist. We were all there; me, Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Rikku, even my teacher Deiru and some guy in red I didn't know. There was a floating ball of black, red and white that flew around us, and I could tell that it was the source of a great evil.
Then Yuna stepped forward, and called forth the aeon that I had seen her summon earlier today, the aeon Valefor. The instant she was summoned however, the floating sphere came down... and entered Valefor's body. It changed color to mainly green, purple and black with red eyes. It couldn't be the gentle creature I had seen before. Now it was a monster, possessed by evil.
I didn't understand what was going on, but my body raised it hands and wrapped them around the handle of Selini. The others readied there respective weapons and, as one, we charged forward to attack the aeon.
That was when I woke up, yelling "NO!" and I heard a voice outside say "He's dead alright? Dead!" Considering the dream I just had, I got out of bed and began walking toward the flap of the tent, and Tidus got up, his face sweaty and his hair disheveled as well. "Bad dream?" I asked. He nodded, and we both stopped talking and pulled open the flap enough to see what was happening.
Wakka was standing by the fire, talking to the female guardian, Lulu. "He does look a lot like Chappu. I was surprised too, the first time I saw him," Lulu said. "But no matter what he looks like, he isn't Chappu!" She sighed. "You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place! Him or the girl!" "Yeah but, they needed our help," Wakka responded. "Excuses again?" Lulu asked. "Yeah, but..." Wakka said, losing the fight. "That it. No more. Enough, Wakka!" Lulu said before turning around and hurrying off. Wakka stood there for a moment longer, before turning and walking back to the tent.
Tidus and I saw this and closed the flap. Wakka stepped through and started when he saw the both of us standing there. "Scary!" Tidus said, and I couldn't help but agree. "So who's Chappu?" I asked. Wakka was silent for a moment and walked over to sit on the edge of one of the beds. Tidus and I sat on the edge of the bed facing him. "My little brother, Chappu. He looked a lot like you," he said, looking at Tidus. "He's dead?" I asked. He nodded. "He was with the Crusaders when they fought Sin last year. He didn't make it. I first heard on the day of the tournament."
"Oh, so that's why," Tidus said. Wakka nodded. "I became a to fight Sin, yeah?" "Revenge, then?" Tidus inquired. "That was the idea. But now I'm more worried about a stupid game than avenging my brother. Well, after the tournament, I'll be a guardian full-time. I know it looks like I'm using you guys, but I'm not," Wakka said guiltily. "Don't worry about it. I mean, you've helped Sofia and I lot. So, um..." Tidus trailed. "What we're trying to say is: Thanks Wakka," I finished. Tidus nodded, and we both stuck out our hands.
Wakka looked at them both and raised his hand a little, before his face turned red and he rubbed the back of his head. "Stop, you're embarrassing me," he said bashfully. Tidus smiled, and I laughed a little before saying "Well, we're waking up early tomorrow morning. We might as well get some sleep," I said. The others nodded in agreement, and Wakka went to leave the tent while Tidus and I went to our beds. We all exchanged "Good night,"s before I laid down and fell asleep.
xxx
This time around my sleep was peaceful, and when I woke up sun was streaming through a window. I yawned and stretched, then I went got out of bed and walked to a cornered curtain that the Crusaders used as a changing room. "Hurriedly I got out of my clothes from last night and put on a new pair. I kept on my black leather trench coat, but underneath I wore a pair of black drawstring pants I had bought from the village weavers and a bright red t-shirt. I but on a black belt I had also bought and hung Selini to my right side, its silver sheath catching the light and glinting.
Once I properly laced up my boots, I was satisfied with my appearance and walked outside. Wakka was standing there talking with Lulu, and I said "Morning sleepyheads. Why are we waiting here?" I asked. "We're gonna wait for Tidus and Yuna," Wakka explained. I nodded, and noticed that Wakka was carrying a sword. It was about a little longer than my legs, and its blade was an aquamarine that seemed to shimmer in the light. "What's with the sword?" I asked.
"It's called Brotherhood, and I'm giving it to Tidus," he explained. Nodding, we fell into a silence, waiting for the two of them to wake up. About an hour passed in silence, but it didn't bother me. One of the effects of waiting in a long-ass line during school was learning to be patient. Eventually the flap of the Crusaders' tent flipped open and Tidus walked out. "Hey, sleepyhead! There's something I want to give you," Wakka said, holding up Brotherhood.
"Whoa! You giving this... to me?" Tidus asked. "Yeah, use it well," he replied. Tidus took the sword and held it in both hands, giving it a single swing to test it's weight. "That's the sword you gave Chappu," Lulu said. "Well, he never used it," Wakka said. "Where's Yuna?" "We're taking the same boat as Yuna, right? We do we have to wait here?" Tidus asked. "Yuna came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started."
"The Calm?" I asked, but he continued. "Since then, she's been like a little sister to me and Lulu. But she had the talent... she became an apprentice." "This is our journey. We should leave together," Lulu stated. At that moment Yuna walked out of the temple with a huge luggage case. Lulu saw it and said "You really don't need all that luggage." "Ah, they're not really my things. They're gifts for the temples we're to visit," she admitted.
"This isn't a vacation Yuna," Wakka said. "I guess... I guess you're right," Yuna said, and she walked to us, leaving the case behind. "Okay! Off we go!" Wakka called. He, Lulu and Tidus began walking, but I stopped when I saw Yuna wasn't going. She turned back to face the village and made the sign of prayer, taking a good look at the village before following. Perplexed, I shrugged it off and followed.
As we walked a fiend jumped in front of us, one that resembled a rabid dog. "Hey!" Wakka called to Tidus. "Why don't you try out that sword I gave you?" Tidus nodded and jumped forward. It jumped back from the attack and took a swipe with its claws, but Tidus blocked it responded with a cut of his own. The monster faded into a haze of lights. "No problem!" Tidus said. "Not too bad, you kept up with him pretty well. Might make a good guardian someday."
Then a fiend similar to a bird showed up. "A flyer! My kind of customer!" Wakka said. He threw his ball at the bird, and it went down easily. With that little episode down, we walked farther up the path until a third fiend showed. This one was blue and seemed to be composed of gel. "That... looks like trouble," Wakka said. "Heh, watch this!" Tidus explained. He took a swipe at the blue fiend, but the minute he made a cut it just flowed back together. "What the-?" Tidus asked.
"Told you. Only magic can beat that thing! If you can't beat it down, you gotta use an magic of an element they don't like," Wakka explained. I blinked in surprise; since when was there magic. Tidus reflected my thoughts, because he said "Magic? Element?" "Let's have our black mage show you what I mean. Lu, you're up!" Wakka called. Lulu stepped forward. "Clueless aren't you? Allow me," she said.
"There are four elements in magic: fire, ice, lightning and water. Spells of ice work well against fire fiends, and fiends of ice are weak against fire spells. You follow?" Lulu asked. "I get fire and ice, but what about lightning and water?" Tidus inquired. "Lighting and water are opposed, just like fire and ice. This one is a water fiend, which means..." She raised her hand above her head and then brought it down. A bolt of electricity shot down on the blue fiend, and it slumped on the ground before fading away.
With that third fiend gone there were no more on the path upwards to bother us, and we made it to the top without any trouble. Yuna looked over the edge of the cliff to see Besaid Village. "Take your time," Lulu said softly. "Let's get going man!" Tidus said, but Wakka told him "We're gonna wait." A few moments later Yuna walked between them, and Wakka hesitantly asked "Are... you ready?" She nodded, and she, Wakka and Lulu began walking again.
Tidus looked at me and asked "Do you know what's going on?" I shook my head and shrugged. The group had stopped in front of a stone statue, where Wakka was praying. "It's an ancient custom. People who leave the island pray here for a safe trip. Chappu didn't pray that day. Said he'd miss his boat," he explained. Tidus stood there, but considering that Chappu hadn't prayed and hadn't come back, I decided to play it safe. So I got on my knees and prayed with Wakka.
We were there for a few more seconds until Wakka said "That should do it!" and stood up. We followed, and along the path we ran into a huge fiend with wings. "A flyer, that's your department right?" Tidus asked. "True, true, but uh... Why don't we let our summoner show us what's she's made of?" Wakka suggested. I couldn't blame him for being reluctant, the thing was huge. Yuna stepped forward and held up her staff.
"Your first real battle! Let's see some style!" Wakka encouraged. "Show us what you're training has taught you, Yuna," Lulu said. "Okay," Yuna said. Then she took a deep breath before moving to the pose and summoning Valefor. The clouds parted and the aeon flew down from the sky to land on the ground. Yuna gave it a gentle pet before it took to the air again. The fiend tried to fly forward and bite it, but Valefor dodged it and sent it back with a flap of its wings.
Before it could recoup Valefor cast a Thunder spell and the fiend trembled as electricity coursed through its body. Then the aeon flew forward and raked it with its claws on its feet. The monster screeched and flapped it wings, creating a gust of wind that buffeted Valefor and sent it back. Then the fiend flew forward and bit it on the wing. Valefor screeched and cast a Fire spell, and the fiend suddenly burst into flame.
With it was trying to extinguish itself, Valefor flew up and opened its beak. A light glowed it in mouth, and it fired a beam along the ground, leaving a glowing trail. Then the was series of explosions along, the trail, and the fiend was caught in the blast, felling it instantly. Valefor turned and looked at us, before flying up and away. I turned to Yuna and said "That was one cool battle." She smiled, but before any one else could say anything another one appeared.
"Another fiend?! Yuna, we might need you to summon again!" Wakka called. But then I shook my head and stepped forward, drawing Selini. "Actually, why don't you let me!" I called, jumping forward and bringing my sword down. I guess the fiend was too surprised to move, because it stayed still long enough for me to give it a long cut across its breast.
It screeched and tried to bite me, but I ran to the side and swung again, wiving it a cut on its right wing. It flapped its wings and tried to buffet me with a wind, but it stuck Selini in the ground and used it to pole vault myself into the air, pulling my sword back out as I flew up. As I reached the height of my jump I turned Selini in my hands so it was facing downward, and I fell straight towards the fiend. Even though I hadn't meant it to, I had jumped so that when the fiend looked at me the light from the sun got in its eyes.
Momentarily blinded, the fiend didn't try to dodge, and as I fell I landed on its back and stabbed Selini into its back. It screamed in pain and flailed around to try on knock me off, but I held on fast and twisted my sword in its back. It writhed for a few more seconds before falling down to the ground and slumping over. I pulled Selini out and wiped the blood on it swings before I looked at the others and said "How was that?"
They were silent for a moment until Wakka said "I'll tell you one thing, you sure do know how to fight." Lulu nodded in agreement, and Tidus said "That was pretty impressive." Yuna stepped forward and said "I have never seen anyone who fought like that. Good job." I smiled. "Well, I had a good teacher," I told them, thinking of Deiru. After that we kept walking, heading for the boat to leave Besaid.
xxx
Well, the party has begun to leave Besaid, and we get to see everyone in battle for the first time!
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