Chapter 9: Starlit Ride

"The matches start as soon as we get there, so rest up along the way, ya?" Those were Wakka's words to Charlene as they boarded the S.S. Winno and departed from Kilika Harbor and headed for Luca. She nodded and went below deck, and after finding a dark corner to sit in, quickly fell asleep.

Flash…

Charlie stood on a small strip of beach below a cliff comprised of huge, dagger-sharp, black rocks. The silence was deafening as she got to her feet and surveyed her surroundings with confusion. That bewilderment, however, quickly changed to horror as the gruesome reality of her environment finally registered in her mind. "Oh…my…GOD!" she shrieked, fighting to keep her stomach from rebelling at the sight of the carnage around her.

Corpses and bits of corpses littered the sparkling sand in all directions as far as the eye could see, all the way down to the waterline. Shattered weapons and pieces of the nearby cliffs lay everywhere else, and in between it all, bright slashes of blood streaked the ivory shore with crimson stripes. Hovering above it all was an innumerable amount of pyreflies, wheeling and pulsing to the time of a song only heard by themselves as they drifted aimlessly above the bodies that, until recently, had been their living forms. Charlie stumbled toward the water, half-blinded by the tears that threatened to unleash wracking sobs, not knowing what she was doing, only that she desperately wanted to leave. "What in bloody flaming hell happened here? This is a total massacre! I have to get out! Where's the friggin' exit to this place?"

Her thoughts became more panicked and incoherent as her search became more frantic, but just as she reached the breaking point, a very familiar figure appeared. "You have to see what's coming," said the mysterious boy in purple. "I'm sorry Charlie, but you have to see this through to the end."

"Get bent, you psycho-midget!" the furious girl screamed as she clenched her hands into fists. "I don't know what your deal is, but you need to keep your damn horror movie visions to yourself! You've screwed up my reality enough as it is, so I don't need you fooling around with my dreams, too!"

Suddenly, without a word, the little boy vanished, and a huge shadow loomed over her. Charlene did not know what it was, but its source was the sea, so she slowly turned around, and then nearly dropped with fright. Sin floated there, all of its many eyes trained on her, staring intently. She reflexively cringed, waiting for the blow that would crush her like a bug, but that blow never came. Instead, the great beast turned away from the massacre it had created and headed back out to the depths of the ocean. The young woman, limp with relief dropped to her knees and shook with hysterical laughter. "Oh God, I thought I was done for!" she chuckled, shaking her head. "How unsurprising…I've faced death pretty much ever since I arrived in Spira, so now it's coming to harass me in my dreams, too!"

Finally, she got to her feet, and walked toward the cliffs, all the while hoping that the way out would be over there. Charlie had only managed to walk a few feet, however, when the sounds of unfamiliar laughter rang out across the shore. The sound of it was cold, cruel, and not quite sane, and it chilled her soul as she looked around for the source of it. The ghastly sound renewed itself, this time even closer than before, and then the huge blue serpent from her nightmare in Besaid appeared before her. The young woman stepped back in horror as the giant snake hissed its soulless laughter once again, clearly reveling in the destruction and death that permeated the lonely shore. "You…what the hell are you?" she quavered, trying to sound brave despite the fact that she'd rather face Sin again than have to deal with the current situation.

The serpent stopped its maniacal cackling all at once, and fixed Charlie an icy stare. She tried to move, but found that she couldn't, which only increased her terror as the huge creature drew close. "What I am isn't important," it...he...hissed. "It's what I will bring to the world that matters, my dear."

The fearful girl didn't really want to know what his purpose was, but her foolish mouth betrayed her. "What would that be?"

The snake flicked his forked tongue in an almost negligent gesture, and a dead bird appeared at Charlie's feet. She carefully turned it over, and then realized that it bore a remarkable resemblance to Valefor. "What the hell kind of sick joke is this?" she cried, backing away another step, as the bloodstained waters sloshed around her ankles.

Quick as lightning, the sinister creature rushed forward and wrapped his coils around her in a tender, almost loving embrace, completely cutting off any means of escape. "Why, it's no joke at all, my dear," he purred, tightening his grip on her when she tried to pull herself free. "The price of all pain will be paid in blood, and all shall know the sweet embrace of death that I will bring…even those of your own world."

As he spoke, one atrocity after another flashed before the young woman's eyes, all accompanied by the hideous laughter of the serpent, and finally, her sheer terror overtook her, and she began to scream…

Flash…

Charlie awoke all at once, instinctively suppressing the shrieks of pure horror that roiled in her soul, and realized that she was drenched in a cold sweat. "Holy crap, what the hell was that? Was it a vision of the future, or was there something funny in that food we ate before we left?" She shook her head and sighed. "Goddamn it, that was scary!"

She got to her feet and quickly paced around; trying to shake the fear that still hounded her. "Maybe I should go tell one of the others about this? No, scratch that. Yuna would worry, Lulu would probably give me one of her rude little homilies, and I'd probably just give poor Wakka nightmares if I told him about this." Suddenly, she stopped and another, rather amusing thought popped in her head. "Hmm…I wonder what Kimahri would think of it? Eh, he probably wouldn't say anything, just give me one of his feral death-glares. What about Auron…YEAH RIGHT! He's not here, and anyway, he'd either just copy Kimahri or clonk me over the head with the flat side of that big-ass sword of his. Either that or he'd give me some sanctimonious and hypocritical speech about women having no place in battle until I got pissed off enough to kick him in the junk! Boy, wouldn't that be an interesting way to die?"

Despite its dark and slightly gruesome theme, the resulting image that appeared in her head sent her into a fit of giggles, which drew the attention of the Aurochs and Abus, one of the three Goers the group had met at Kilika Temple. "Hey Zanarkand, you not freaking out over there, are you?" he jeered.

"Only in your dreams, hot stuff!" Charlie retorted before walking out the door.

As soon as she appeared in the corridor, however, an irritating man in an ill-fitting blue shirt, orange pants, and a black cap accosted her. "Ooh, them's fascinatin' clothes you're wearing!" the stranger said in a Cockney accent, as he looked her up and down. Then he gave her a disgusted look and said, "Ew! Filthy, filthy! These won't sell or me name's not O'aka!"

"Who said anything about selling my damn clothes?" the irate girl wondered as O'aka continued to pace around her, staring a little too closely for her comfort and muttering under his breath.

Finally, he stopped, looked her straight in the eye, and rudely pronounced, "Don't look like you got much money, either." The creepy bastard pushed past her, growling, "I've no business with ye, outta me way!"

"Just who the hell do you think you are, mister?" Charlie yelled, now quite angry at the man's offensive behavior.

"O'aka XXIII, merchant extraordinaire!" he announced, puffed up with self-importance.

"Who?" she demanded, inadvertently, but quite neatly, puncturing O'aka's little ego bubble.

"Don't know me?" When the young woman shook her head, he sighed, "Well, not many do, not yet, but someday, the name O'aka will be spoken all over Spira!" Suddenly, his look became slightly smarmy, and he asked, "Say, love, you wouldn't happen to have a bit o' Gil to lend, would ye?"

Charlie gaped at the so-called merchant and his sudden change in attitude for a moment, and then considered her options. "I really oughtta tell this weirdo to get lost, but I won't really be able to avoid him on this ship if he turns out to be the violent type, and I'd probably just get Yuna in trouble if I pitched him over the side for being too forward." She looked in one of her belt pouches, and quickly tallied it all up in her head. "Hmm…I think I've got about three thousand in here, so one hundred shouldn't make too big a dent in my funds…me and my damn feelings of charity."

Finally, she pulled out the desired amount, pressed it into O'aka's hand, and said, "I tell you what: here's fifty for your little fundraiser, and another fifty providing you promise to never call me 'love' again, okay?"

The merchant grinned. "All right, lass, ye have me word! I'll make it up to ye, that I will!"

The girl nodded, and turned to go above, but stopped when she saw Luzzu and Gatta standing guard in front of the cargo bay. Actually, Gatta was sound asleep on the floor, leaving Luzzu to stand guard alone, but the older man didn't seem to mind. "How much did you give him?" he asked when she walked over.

"Just a hundred Gil, but he was definitely glad to have it," she replied, smiling. Then her smile faded, and she said, "Hey, I never did thank you for the other day. I didn't even know I was poisoned and…"

Luzzu raised a hand, and said, "There's no need to say anything."

Charlie shook her head, "But still…thank you."

The Crusader nodded, and she turned and walked away. Suddenly, he called out, "Hey, I know it might not mean much, but good luck in the tournament."

She smiled again, and then went upstairs, where she found Yuna talking with two of the Goers, while Kimahri kept a silent watch nearby. The young summoner giggled at a remark Bickson had made, and Charlie asked. "Hey, what are you guys talking about?"

The redheaded captain of the Goers turned around and glared. "Who are you supposed to be?" he demanded

His blond teammate, Graav, stared at her for a moment, but finally snapped his fingers and said, "Ah, I remember her now. She's that girl from Kilika."

"What?" Bickson was confused.

"You know, one of the Besaid Aurochs. She said something about winning the cup."

"Oh, right." He turned to Charlie and sneered, "You're that idiot."

"Why you stupid son of a bitch!" Furious, the young woman opened her mouth to deliver a scathing retort, when Yuna frowned and said, "Don't call her that!"

"But she IS an idiot!" Bickson replied. "The Aurochs don't got what it takes to win the cup."

"Okay, probably not, but I can't let that smug bastard get away with this!" "Well, they do now that I'm here!" Charlie snapped.

"Yes, they will win!" Yuna chimed in. "She used to live in Zanarkand, and everyone there played blitzball all the time!"

"Yeah, right!" Graav laughed, "As if anyone actually lived in those ruins."

"It's not ruins! There's a big city there! There is!"

Suddenly, everyone stared at the summoner as if she had just sprouted an extra head. Charlene chuckled weakly, and said, "I got too close too Sin, and…"

"There is a city, really!" Yuna interrupted, stubbornly glaring at the Goers.

"Right." Bickson grinned. "Whatever your ladyship says."

Finally, the two blitzball players walked away, laughing uproariously, leaving the summoner to fume in silence. Charlie walked up to her cautiously, and asked, "Yuna, are you okay? I've never seen you that angry before."

"They were being rude, and…" Yuna stopped and sighed. "I do believe your Zanarkand exists. I really do, you know!"

"Why?"

"Sir Jecht used to tell me stories about it. I'd really like to see your home someday."

"Yuna…" Charlie sighed, not really knowing what else to say, and then walked away. "I wonder how Lulu and Wakka are doing."

A few minutes later, she found them on the upper tier of the ship, engaged in conversation, and from the sounds of it, they were talking about her. "Well? Say something," Lulu urged. "You'll take responsibility?"

"Relax! She's bound to know someone in Luca," Wakka replied, trying to sound reassuring.

"What if she doesn't?" the mage demanded.

"Then she could always join a blitz team," he replied. "Anyhow, it's better than leaving her in Besaid."

"I'll say!" Charlene thought, feeling slightly guilty about eavesdropping. "If they had left me there, the villagers probably would have stoned me for being an 'evil heathen'." Then she realized that the two guardians were still speaking, so she turned her attention back toward them.

"What, you just want to leave her in Luca?"

"What do you want me to do?" Wakka's tone took on an edge of frustration.

"Yuna wants to make her a guardian," Lulu flatly replied.

"Oh yeah, geez…there's that, too, eh?"

"And whose fault is that?"

"Not mine!" After that loud protest, the mage stared at the blitzer, her crimson eyes cool, until he hung his head and murmured, "It is mine, huh?"

"I really shouldn't be listening in on this, but hey, it's my future they're deciding, so I've got the right!"

"Why do you think she wants to make Charlie a guardian, anyway?"

"I'm not really sure myself…but Yuna seems to think that she might be connected to Sir Jecht in some way."

"Like his daughter or something?"

"Hell no!" Charlie put her hands over her mouth to keep from giving herself away.

"Supposedly, she came from Zanarkand, and Sir Jecht was from there, so it could be possible, but highly unlikely," Lulu said, shaking her head. "That might be what Yuna believes, though."

"Okay…" Wakka doubtfully replied.

"That's all you have to say?" the mage demanded dangerously.

"Charlie's gotta decide for herself, ya? Well, she and Yuna, I guess."

"You're actually right, for once." Lulu sounded astonished. The big blitzer gave her a slightly offended look, but she ignored it and continued to speak. "I wonder which is best…" She stopped and turned back to Wakka. "Why don't you tell her she should?"

"What? Why me?" he sputtered, blushing slightly.

"Damn, you'd think she just told him to propose to me, the way he's acting?" Charlene quickly stifled a giggle.

"Because Yuna won't," the mage continued.

"Why not?"

"Yuna likes Charlie, and it would upset her if she asked again and was rejected."

"Me…Yuna's guardian? God, I like these people, but I don't want them to get hurt because of me! I don't know when, or if, that little brat in purple will let me go home, though, so unless I find a way out of here soon, I'll have to stay with them. Aw, what the hell, Yuna seems like she needs a friend anyway."

"All right, I'll try talking to her after the tournament," Wakka finally relented.

"Be discreet," Lulu advised.

Charlie finally turned around and left the two guardians in peace, heading toward the bow of the ship. She paced around restlessly, her thoughts a jumble, until she accidentally kicked a blitzball lying on the deck. The unoffending object bounced once, and then rolled to a stop near the mast. Picking it up, yet another memory overtook her…

Flash…

Charlie stared down at the ball in her hands, and then looked up at Marcus, her grin slightly feral. "All right, buster! I may not be the ace soccer player you are, but I bet I can still handle you in basketball!"

"Well, let's see what you've got, then," he replied, his gray eyes dancing as he watched her dribble the ball on the concrete driveway.

Marcus tried to snatch the basketball from her, but she ducked under his right arm and took her shot. Unfortunately, it merely bounced off the rim and he quickly caught it, tossed it again, and missed the goal completely. "Hell, I'm not Michael Jordan anyway," he muttered as the ball rolled to a stop at his feet.

Charlie laughed and said, "Nope, and that's a good thing, 'cause you'd look really funny with no hair!"

He mimed a blow at her before picking up the ball and bouncing it on his knee. "Doesn't that hurt, since it's not a soccer ball?" she asked as he switched knees.

"Nope. I've been doing this for so long that I don't even notice it anymore."

Marcus then proceeded to march around the driveway, bouncing the basketball off his knees, and then finished up by bouncing it off his head and kicking it. The orange sphere shot up the driveway and smacked the garage door with a loud crash, and Charlie's mom quickly poked her head out the front door and groaned at the sight of yet another dent in the door. "Oops! Sorry, Mrs. Brooks!" the young man sheepishly apologized.

She shook her head, but went back inside without saying a word, and Marcus handed the basketball to Charlie, who was laughing hysterically. "Here, you'd better take this away before your mom tears me a new one!"

"Aw, my mom wouldn't do that! She's as sweet and gentle as a…"

"As a rampaging grizzly bear!" he finished with a grin. "You know, you ought to try that, Charlie."

"Me? You're the soccer star! I'm just the antisocial girl that all the other girls love to hate since you and I are such good friends."

He made a face. "God, don't remind me about those leeches! If I have to hear one more simpering dingbat squeal about how cool I am, I swear I'll go nuts! Anyway, aren't you the one who is always telling me to learn new things?"

Flash…

Charlie stared at the blitzball in her hands and sighed, "Well, let's give it a try, shall we?"

The young woman experimentally hefted the ball a couple of times and then bounced it off her left knee. She bounced it a couple of times before switching to her right, and before long, found her rhythm and marched around the deck without dropping it. Finally, the ball flew higher than she intended it to, but she managed to catch it with her head, bouncing it a couple more times, before she realized that Wakka and the Aurochs were staring at her. Then she lost her concentration and the ball ricocheted off her cranium before dropping to the deck to rest where it fell, completely ignored. "That was pretty impressive for someone who's never played before," Wakka complimented. "You learn that in Zanarkand?"

"No, I learned it from a friend back home."

Before the blitzer could say anything else, though, Charlie noticed Yuna standing nearby. The summoner waved at her, so she excused herself and quickly hurried over. "Charlie, was Wakka right?" Yuna asked with a slightly confused look on her face. "You have never played blitzball before?"

"Yeah…" The young woman sighed gustily. "I'm not originally from Zanarkand, you see? I'm from…another city…far, far away, called Greenwood, and we don't have blitzball there…"

Charlie spent the next hour or so telling Yuna about her life before Zanarkand, about her studies, life in a small town, and other things of that nature, but carefully steered away from the fact that her hometown existed on an entirely different planet with no monsters and no Sin. When she was through, Yuna stared at her and said, "Well, there must be a reason that you've come to Spira…you just need to find it, that's all."

"Yeah, I'm here because some stupid little boy, an evil-looking ronin, and a walking natural disaster felt like screwing up my life! God, I bet my mother is going nuts right now! Who knows how long I've been gone on my world." The young woman didn't say any of those things, however. Instead, she smiled at her friend, and said, "Yeah, why not? That Jecht guy was brought here for a reason, so maybe I'm here for the same purpose."

"Sir Jecht was one of my father's guardians," Yuna replied. "Do you think that has something to do with why you've come here?"

"I don't know…maybe." Charlene trailed off into thoughtful silence. "Jecht came here and became a guardian…and if I remember correctly, Tidus was supposed to be his son. Maybe he was supposed do something that his old man didn't…or couldn't? Hell, I don't know, and I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do about it!"

Suddenly, realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, and she looked at Yuna. "You said 'was'…Yuna, where is he now?"

"No one knows. Sir Jecht disappeared after my father defeated Sin, but if anything happened to him, word would get around fast, don't you think?"

"Damn! So much for my idea of tracking HIM down and finding out if he knows anything! I guess I'm stuck hoping that I can find Auron, since being near Sin wasn't enough to send me back home."

Just then, a wave of exhaustion swept over her, and she yawned, "Yeah, if your old man's famous, then his guardians should be famous, too, so I guess word WOULD get around if one of them died…" Charlie yawned again, and then said, "I'm sorry, Yuna, but I'm about to pass out on my feet, so I'm gonna go back below now."

The summoner smiled at her, and she headed back to the room, pointedly ignoring whatever it was the two female Goers were doing to Keepa, the Aurochs' goalie. Then she flopped down in her dark corner, shut her eyes, and as she drifted off to sleep, thought, "Wait! I forgot to ask Yuna who her father's other guardian was! Oh well…I can always ask her in the morning…"