The Game.

Tidus

We were standing in the middle of the town of Luca. I'd heard people calling it the 'City of Luca', but this place was no where near large enough to be a city. The sun was shining brightly, as it so often did in Spira, but I was too preoccupied at the moment to think about how warm it was, and the perspiration that was forming at my hairline. There were hundreds of people swarming all around us, children being towed along by adults, young people, lovers, walking along hand in hand. Balloons filled the air, along with merry music, played with strange and foreign instruments that I didn't bother to try and understand. I should have been trying, and I should have been paying more attention to what was going on around me, but as hard as I tried I couldn't tear my eyes away from her for long enough.

Her face was even breathtakingly lovely when she was struggling to make noise come from her first two fingers, and laughing at herself at the same time. She tugged them out of her mouth, and took note of what I had just said.

"I guess we should just stick together then… until you can do it."

Her smile made me shiver a little.

"Yes sir!" she announced, her smile small, her voice quiet but forceful. She slipped her way in beside my arm, hand brushing mine ever so slightly. She blushed rosy at that, so I grinned, and my daring shot through the roof as I entwined her hand with mine. She blushed much harder then, turning a magenta shade before biting her lip, and continuing to walk through the crowd. She didn't pull her hand away like I thought she would, however. I must have been grinning like a fool when she glanced back at me, because she too smiled and cocked her head to one side. I don't think she noticed people were bowing to her all around us, blessing themselves and pointing at her for their children. Her twinkling eyes were focused on me.

"Why are you grinning?" she asked me, voice playful and eternally soft. I shrugged and walked closer beside her.

"This makes me very happy Yuna. Walking around with you. It makes me feel important that I should get to walk with someone as special as you. I mean look-" I pointed at one gaping pair of boys, and gritted my teeth, as I could practically see their thoughts of Yuna in their eyes. Snapping my fingers angrily at them, they were aroused from their more than likely disgusting thoughts.

"Hey! Take a picture, it'll last longer!" I snapped at them. They exchanged knowing glances, and smirked, before scurrying off towards the stadium. I turned back to Yuna, who was watching me with huge eyes, one hand whispering along the side of her chin, almost covering her mouth, but not quite. Her smile was small and meaningful, my favourite kind of Yuna smile.

"…Really Tidus?"

"Hm?"

She paused before continuing, still clutching my hand tightly, and coming a little closer.

"You think I am… special?" she barely spoke the words, still they almost made me drop dead at the impossibility she was saying them. Of course she was special! The people of Spira adored her and I… I thought she was… amazing.

"Of course I do! You're an amazing Summoner, not many people could do what you do."

I swear I saw Yuna's heart fall from her throat. The shining lights in her eyes flickered until they had gone out, and her shoulders slumped.

"Thank you, Tidus…" she mumbled, voice sad and polite. I panicked. What had I said?! I'd told her she was great Summoner, wasn't that what she wanted to hear? Did I think she was special in… another way??

Well, of course I did. She was mind numbingly beautiful, graceful, elegant, magnificent, heart-breaking… when she danced… Using any form of adjective would be a disgrace towards that dance, considering how majestic and wonderful it was. And… how else was she special? Well, I was sure that if I had been the one being consumed by pain and fear from dead people's souls, I would have broken down, weeping and never been able to do it again. But Yuna got on with it, accepting that that was part of being a Summoner, and carrying on with her duties no matter what they meant or what they did to her. Another thing… she was so respectful to everyone, even if they were unspeakably rude to her… *cough* Dona *cough*. Always praying and saying 'please' and 'thank-you.'

… But I couldn't say I thought how special she was… that would be crossing the line. I looked hard at her, and felt her fingers loosen on my hand.

"You think I'm a good Summoner…" she breathed, turning and beginning to walk away, her previous soaring spirits dropped to ground level. I decided to just shut my mouth after that, until we walked for a good ten minutes in silence, and it was just bugging me.

"Hey… this is a pretty big town after all," I mused, looking around at the buildings. Yuna nodded thoughtfully, and turned back round to me, seeming to have totally forgot a few minutes back. I was glad.

"It's the second biggest city in Spira."

"Oh. I thought everywhere was a village like Besaid or Kilika-"

"No. Places don't usually get bigger than that, because when lots of people gather in one place…" Yuna met my eyes for the first time in our last exchange and I saw the sadness she'd been trying to hide spill. I came close to her again.

"Sin?" I asked. She nodded, one strong bop of her head. I bit my lip and poked her arm. She raised her brows at that, and surveyed me.

"Hey… Yuna? I don't just think you're special because you're a Summoner. I mean, I do think you're special because of that, but there are other reasons, and some of them seem a little shallow, like you're really, really pretty, but the others are good, like I really admire your courage and faith in yourself, and you don't give up, and won't let anyone beat you around, and you're really polite…" I trailed off, realising how much of an idiot I sounded. Yuna's eyes were shining again.

"Thank you, Tidus…" she sounded the happiest she ever had when she said those words. I blushed and shrugged.

"D-Don't mention it," I told her, grinning weakly. I coughed and went back to our original conversation. "So… if Sin's always where big groups of people are, is Luca safe?" Yuna nodded, smiling broadly.

"It's not any different, but the stadium is here. The Crusaders fight to protect it with all their strength." I glanced around where she was sweeping her arm, and immediately saw the men dressed in green and brown, armour clad, holding black swords and spears, looking out for danger at all times.

"They protect the stadium?!" I remembered the Crusaders back in Besaid, Luzzu and… Gatta. They had said they defended people from Sin, not a stadium. Yuna smiled nodding.

"I guess it sounds kind of silly. But, Blitzball's really the only entertainment that we have. Spira's a little short on fun these days," she told me, walking forwards a little more, saying sorry whenever she budged past someone. I took her hand again and felt her shiver. I laughed at her previous statement.

"Whoa. Talk about pressure!"

"That's right! Is Zanarkand like this, too?" I vaguely noticed Kimahri hovering a little way away from us, and then turned on the spot, looking at all the buildings. I shrugged.

"Kind of. Well… Zanarkand's bigger, and there are more buildings. There's a gigantic… bridge that leads from the tops of the buildings all over the city, and they all lead to the stadium, because it's built on the highest point in the City… Zanarkand's kind of like Besaid forest, I guess."

"How so?" Yuna giggled. I pouted, thinking this over.

"Well… you know how there's the emergent level, canopy, lower canopy and shrub layer?"

Yuna nodded.

"We learnt that in classes in the temple when I was small." I nodded.

"Well, middle class people live in the canopy of the city, just below the rich and famous people in the emergent level. That's were all the penthouses and richest hotels and restaurants are. Then, the middle class live on the level below us, and they have their own bridges connecting their buildings together, which are basically our buildings, just the lower floors. Then, you've got the working class people, who have it pretty tough. The live in the lower canopy. One time, I had to go down there and give these kids a talk on how great Blitz was and why they should play. It was bad, but not as bad as the… shrub layer. Basically, the ground in Zanarkand is all slums. Pest infested hovels in the ground, where the poorest people live and thrive. The drug dealers and illegal doctors and stuff hide down there, and the police never chase them. They considered the shrub layer to be too dangerous.

I've… never honestly been that far down. But I hear it's really bad."

I stopped speaking, and watched Yuna's face. Her mouth was agape, and her chest was heaving as she struggled to absorb this information.

"So… I am correct in saying that the buildings in Zanarkand are so tall… there's enough room for four layers of different classes of people, and bridges that have to lead from building to building?" I nodded.

"Yup. They're gigantic, and all cramped together." Yuna's eyes shone.

"Wow… They must be soo huge! Don't you ever get dizzy?"

I burst out laughing at that statement, clutching my stomach as I laughed.

"No! I told you, I hardly ever go below the emergent. Maybe the canopy."

She nodded and thought this over a little more. Then, she took a huge breath, reaching forth and grasping my hand. Her face was scarlet as she grinned and pulled me toward the Café Pmedw.

"Come on, let's go find Sir Auron!"


The café was littered with tourists, people here to see the game, and others with very dark glasses on, whom I thought… perhaps… could be Al Bhed. They all had blonde hair, and were staring at Yuna intently, so I pushed myself up beside her, watching them with cautious eyes. Yuna blushed a little as I did this, and looked around, shaking her head sadly, as the confirmation I had already made sunk in.

"Sir Auron isn't here…"" she murmured. I shook my head, patting her shoulder sympathetically. All my hopes of finding Auron, some answers, a way home… they'd all just flown out the window, and once again, I was left hopeless, facing the fact that Lulu was probably going to convince Wakka that I shouldn't be a Guardian and just stay in Luca. Evening seeing Auron might have raised my spirit's a little, made this whole crazy faerie story easier to accept.

Suddenly, me and Yuna were interrupted by loud thumps from the other side of the café, and I saw two huge versions of Kimahri standing, pushing him fiercely with there gigantic clawed fists. If I had thought Kimahri was huge, these guys proved me wrong. I heard Yuna gasp.

"Ronso…"

"What's-?" I began to speak, but the booming noise of one of the Ronso drowned mien out. I turned my attention from Yuna's worried figure to Kimahri's relatively calm one, considering the situation.

"Why not talk, Kimahri? Not see Yenke for ten years! Say something! Kimahri forget Yenke? Forget Biran?" The largest one of the two was the one speaking, his voice like gravel being crunched. I shuddered, and stepped closer to Kimahri, intrigues by this. Kimahri knew these freaks? Yenke and Biran? They were obviously the same species, so maybe they knew each other from back wherever they came from?

"Leave Kimahri, Yenke. Kimahri is small Ronso. Kimahri so small can't see Yenke and Biran's faces," the other Ronso said, mocking Kimahri. Okay, he was obviously smaller than the two of them, but in no way was Kimahri a midget! And no way did he deserve to be spoken to like that!

"Kimahri forget Ronso friends? We taught you much at time of horn-moult! Biran taught Kimahri to be strong Ronso."

"Maybe taught too much."

Uh, why was Kimahri taking this crap? These guys didn't know who they were messing with, I'd seen Kimahri fight, and when he got into a proper brawl, he was no longer a civilized protector of Yuna, but he was a wild animal, back to what he had been born as.

"Take 'em on!" I yelled at Kimahri, who rolled his eyes at me, and went back to standing still as a grand statue in front of the gigantic Ronso. I edged closer again, as Kimahri took a deep breath and leaping upon Biran, the smaller Ronso who crumpled beneath Kimahri's well aimed dive.

"Hey, hey, hey! Take it outside, the tournament's starting, you hear!" the manager yelled at the two. I blanched.

"The game!" I yelped. Damn it! I'd promised Wakka I'd be back to help them beat the Al Bhed into the ground. The sphere screen lit up, and Maester Mika appeared, smiling and waving at the people who were below. His official High Priest of Yevon box loomed high above anyone else's, and he had a perfect view of the sphere pool, and the entire crowd, whom he was addressing.

"Today, on this glorious day, players from all over Spira have assembled here... to participate in this great contest of bravery, skill, and strength. All of these fine teams, equally renowned, deserve to win the cup today. Such is the nature of this contest. Let us, the spectators, play our role accordingly: Let us sing to the glory of the winners, and applaud equally the valour of the defeated."

"Contestants, may Yevon be with you."

There was a gigantic cheer from all throughout the stadium, and I watched Maester Seymour, who was sitting in a box slightly below Mika clap and bow, making the crown mimic his actions. Yuck, I instantly thought. He still looks like a dirty sleaze. Thinking of how sleazy he was, made me think of the disgusting look he'd given Yuna earlier, and then instead of wasting any more time cheering battling Ronso on, I decided to get back to Wakka before he had heart failure over my not being there. I turned away from where Kimahri had pulled himself off of Biran, and was straightening his mane, to where Yuna-- should have been.

"Yuna? Yuna?!" I shouted, panic flooding through my veins. I saw red, and my head began to spin in fright, as I saw that Yuna was gone- and so were the people I had suspected where Al Bhed. "Kimahri, Yuna's gone!" I turned and cried at him.

He ran to my side, swooped his head in one long go, scanning the crowds who were packed into the little café, and seeing no Yuna, grasped my shoulder, and shoved me towards the door. I didn't need to be told twice. Urgency was the only thing I felt, as I tore out of the café and had to skid to stop straight in front of a heated Lulu.

"Where have you been?!" she demanded. I think if she could she would breathe fire. She shook her head hurriedly. "Never mind. Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Psyches! In return for the Aurochs losing, they won't hurt her," Lulu's voice was the most anxious I'd ever heard it, and my head was spinning so hard, it took a moment to grasp what she had just said.

"… They kidnapped High Summoner Braska's daughter, because they want to win a stupid Blitz tournament?" Something about that didn't float right with me, but every second that we stood pondering why the Al Bhed had really kidnapped Yuna, she could be in distress, or pain, or the Al Bhed could be doing horrible things to her…

"Never mind. Let's go!" Lulu nodded, walking alongside Kimahri at a hurried pace, holding the ends of her heavy black dress up.

"If they're only Blitzball players, I doubt they'd do anything drastic. But we shouldn't take chances. Let's go get her." Kimahri grunted in agreement, and me and Lulu had to jog to keep up with his massive strides. I knew that I should have gone to play with Wakka, but rescuing Yuna held some special place within me, like if I could just do this one thing to prove myself, then I could be a proper Guardian.

We raced through the thriving streets, taking back alleys where the crowd was so congested we couldn't move, and having to go round the long way towards Dock 2 where the Al Bhed ship, as they had purposefully blown up a machine, causing the Yevonites to panic and start destroying it as quick as they could.

We turned the corner to go towards the docks, only to be jumped by rusted and damaged little robots, that were attacking madly, not taking aim or concentrating, merely trying to destroy us. I know I should have been focusing on destroying them, but my curiosity was attacking and I had to ask.

"What in the hell of it are they?" Lulu dropped her moogle on the ground, and the little doll hopped up, fluttering a little on it's heavily battered wings.

"Ancient machina, salvaged by the Al Bhed," she told me, casting Thunder at the machina. It sizzled and popped menacingly, before blowing up entirely. Lulu smirked. "They're very vulnerable to lightning." I remembered Rikku talking about the machina that we'd salvaged on her ship- … It hurt more than I thought it would to think about Rikku. Sin had probably murdered her when it hit her ship, and her body was probably lying somewhere in the sea. The Al Bhed clearly weren't all that different from the Yevonites, no matter how much their image as bloodthirsty monsters was portrayed. We hurried on, Lulu only having to use her Black Magic once or twice again, as the machina was far easier to destroy than it looked.

I could here a sphere somewhere, Bobba and Jimma yelling at the tops of their lungs, trying to be heard above the crowd.

"The Aurochs are keeping the score tied with some excellent defence, folks!"

"Ow! He'll feel that one in the morning!"

"Ah! But the referee doesn't call the foul! Wakka's taking a real beating out there."

I swore inwardly, praying that Wakka was alright. Glancing over at Lulu, I saw how much paler she seemed.

"We have to hurry," she muttered hoarsely, urging me up onto the deck of a salvage ship, extremely like the one I'd spent my first few days in Spira on. On deck, in front of the door leading down into the cabin, there was a huge machina, that when I came within kicking distance of it, gurgled and screeched, hauling itself up and preparing for battle. Lulu and Kimahri joined me on the deck.

Lulu frowned heavily.

"Anti-magic shield…" she muttered.

"What the hell is that?" I shot at her. She cast Thundara, her moogle suddenly dropping dead, lifeless and limp. I gasped. "What happened?"

"I can't use magic on it- the Al Bhed salvaged an ancient magic shield- I haven't seen one in such good condition before," Lulu told me, angrily picking up her moogle and stowing it away, but tucking one of it's arms into her garter. Kimahri took one huge swipe at it with his spear, and I tried to help by using my sword, but it barely scratched the thing. I spotted a crane nearby, and ran to it, hammering it with my sword, until it swung round, slamming into the machina, and dragging it off the ship. Lulu smiled.

"Good work, Tidus," she told me, rare praise being bestowed on me. Pity I could hardly hear her, as my only motive at this point was to save Yuna. I ran to the door that led to the cabin- but Yuna had already pushed the door open, and was standing before me… smiling.

It was like she was shining.

"Yuna!" I cried out, forgetting where I was, and who I was with for a moment, and clasping her in a giant bear hug. I grasped her shoulders, hugging her close, and almost went into a trance when her hypnotising strawberry and lime scent hit me full on. She giggled nervously, and tapped my back hastily.

"H-Hello, Tidus," she whispered, smile so huge it was barely fitting her small face.

"Yuna!" Lulu called, running up and tearing me off her little sister. She placed both of her hands on either side of Yuna's face, kissing her forehead, and leaving a pink purple stain there. Yuna giggled, as Lulu smudged it with her thumb.

"I hope you hurt them. That Black Magic I've been teaching you helped?" Yuna grinned mischievously.

"A little."

I am being honest when I say I have never been so relieved in my entire life. That whole time we were wasting, fighting machina, I thought Yuna could be seriously hurt, or traumatized, or terrified- but here she was, calm and collected, smiling as Lulu congratulated her for her bravery. Kimahri had walked up to her, and without a second's hesitation, clamped Yuna in his arms, in a bone breaking hug. Yuna, the little porcelain doll that she was, should have snapped in two, but instead, she burrowed her face into Kimahri's warm, blue, furry chest and stretched her arms out as wide as they would go, in an attempt to hug him back.

I took this opportunity to look around the salvage ship. It was almost exactly the same as Rikku's, so I made my way towards the cabin, to see if I could spot her, or her freaky brother.

"Where are you going?" Lulu asked, brows furrowed.

"There were these Al Bhed that saved my life when I first came to Spira. They took me on their ship, even gave me food. I was kinda hoping this was the same ship. But it's not. I wonder if they're all gone." It pained me to think that, so I leaned against the railing for support. Yuna came and stood next to me, squinting at my face in the fierce sunlight.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice soft and compassionate. I sighed and turned to look at her concerned face.

"Sin came up near us. I made it out okay, but I don't know what happened to their ship." Yuna nodded, tilting her head to one side, and tucking a strand of mahogany behind her ear, her colourful braid billowing in the breeze.

"Tidus? Was there anyone called… Cid on that ship?" I frowned, trying to remember. I'd really only known Rikku's name, I hadn't really cared about what the other Al Bhed were called. I shrugged, and Yuna's shoulders slumped, her face defeated. I tried to brighten her spirits.

"Well… maybe! I… don't know. They were all speaking Al Bhed."

"I see," she murmured, gazing out at the seawater beneath us.

"Who's Cid?"

"He's my uncle, but I've never actually met him."

Time seemed to stop. Her… uncle? Yuna had an uncle who was an Al Bhed? Of course! That's why she had one green eye! I'd thought that maybe some Yevonites could be born with a green eye, you know, as like one of those genetic disorders or whatever. But… the Al Bhed eyes… They hypnotised. When it was dark, it seemed that their eyes were glowing, and the spiral of a pupil that they had, seemed to be going round and round in circles, making you dizzy. Yuna turned her head to gaze at me, closing her clear blue eye, leaving only her emerald one. I remembered Rikku winking at me, and all of a sudden, I could see her standing there at the railings with me. Come to think of it… Yuna and Rikku did look… a lot alike, besides the green eyes. But maybe all Al Bhed features were kind of like that. Cute button nose… et cetera.

"So that means you're Al Bhed too, Yuna?" Yuna smiled, opening her other eye and nodding.

"On my mother's side, yes. Cid is my mother's brother. He became distant after my mother married. But she told me to seek him out if I ever needed help." I nodded thoughtfully. No wonder Yuna was worried that Cid had been on that boat. If Sin had killed him, then that was the last attachment with her mother Yuna had… gone.

"Don't tell Wakka about Yuna's lineage. The thing about Wakka--he never had much love for the Al Bhed," Lulu's voice was harsh.

What, Wakka didn't notice Yuna had one Al Bhed eye, and some Al Bhed features? Or maybe… he was just dense like me, and thought maybe it was some genetic disorder. Or maybe her thought both Yuna's eyes were blue, and one was just slightly greener or something… but you'd have to be a real idiot not to notice- hold on a sec- WAKKA!!

"I gotta tell-I mean the game!" I yelped. Lulu gasped and nodded her head, before turning and shooting a large orb of Thundara into the sky. I ran to the controls, and turned the boat as quick as I could. I had to get back!


"Thirty seconds left! The Aurochs are launching an all-out offensive!"

"A long pass from Letty!"

"It goes through!"

"Did ya see that Bobba?! Oh...oh!"

"He shoots!"

"Goooooallll!"

"Unbelievable! The Aurochs win the match 3-2!"


I saw it on a sphere.

"We won!" I yelled. Yuna clapped and cheered, and a picture of Wakka laying face down in the water appeared. I knew he was just heavily fatigued, and it looked like one of those Al Bhed had bruised his head, but apart from that he looked fine to me! I was totally flabbergasted, ecstatic, however.

"We're in the finals!" I yelled at the top of my voice. Yuna laughed loudly, and clapped her hands together. I grabbed them, and pulled her into my arms, twirling her round, my suddenly elated attitude causing me to totally loose my place, and start dancing around madly with Yuna. She giggled, and twirled back into my hold, and we swept around, cheering and laughing at the tops of our voices.

"We won! We won! We won!" Yuna sang, out of breath. We stopped twirling, when we saw Lulu's glare of contempt at the sphere. Wakka had collapsed in the pool, and Datto and Letty were hauling him out.

"Not the most graceful win. If it was Chappu, he'd still be standing," she said coldly, and I practically felt the temperature drop.

My happiness was wiped away in one huge sweep, anger and frustration replacing it. Why the hell did Lulu have to be such a- such a- …cow? There. Replaced my original word with a cleaner one for all the kiddies. All she did was make Wakka out to be a fool. An idiot. He'd just led the Besaid Aurochs to victory for the first time in history, for Yevon's sake! And she was complaining that he wasn't like Chappu? Hadn't she been the one who said he couldn't replace Chappu? Wasn't it her that continually sniped at him for trying to impress her by being like Chappu? He was Wakka- that was all there was to it.

"Hey, aren't you being just a little unfair? He did it didn't he?" my voice was sharp, as I squared up to Lulu. She raised a brow, and looked down her nose at me, red eyes seeming to glow. I immediately wished I'd just left it.

"Excuse me?" Lulu's voice was a deadly whisper. I vaguely noticed Yuna edging to Lulu, preparing to hold her back from striking me with lightning or something. Kimahri didn't move from behind me, and it felt like he was… protecting me.

"Lulu why the hell are you so mean to him, constantly?!" I snapped. Lulu looked taken aback.

"I am not constantly mean to him, and if I were you, I would watch where I dug my heels in. I'm not known for mercy," she snarled. I smirked at that, contorting my face into the greatest look of disgust I could. Attempting to show Lulu how she looked at Wakka sometimes.

"Yeah, well, I'm not known to just sit on the sidelines when my friend's getting constantly snubbed by some girl. Some girl, who he just so happens to worship!"

That shocked her. Lulu's mouth shut, and whatever insult she had prepared to toss at me was cut off, as she pressed a hand to her rising and falling chest. Her long, dark nails were a drastic contrast to her creamy white skin.

"What did you just say?" she breathed.

"Oh, come on Lulu. A blind man, on a chocobo, on a dark stormy night could see… Wakka… he- heloves you," I stressed, lowering my voice and coming closer to Lulu. Her eyes became lost, and for the first time ever, I saw Lulu look frightened.

When we were battling fiends, or Sin spawn, she always kept her cool- never letting her ice cold exterior melt to reveal any fear she may or may not have felt.

Now, she looked like some scared child, desperate to go back to the simple life she led before.

"Wakka is not Chappu. And they way you're treating him now, it's not like he's ever going to take his pl-"

"You don't want to finish that sentence," Lulu's voice was sharp, but still faraway. She turned, and began the descent of the great stone steps that led up to the stadium. Yuna smiled brightly at me, mouthing "Well Done!"

I followed, without hesitation.


Wakka was lying weakly on a bench when we entered the room. Jessu chucked a ball at my head.

"Miss me?" I grinned cheekily throwing the ball back.

"We're playing the Goers now!" Lessu muttered, worriedly.

"We'll wipe the floor with 'em. They'll run home crying to their mamas by the time we're done, trust me," I said, confidently, striding over to Wakka. He seemed to relax considerably on seeing me and Yuna.

"Yuna! How could you let yourself be kidnapped by Al Bhed?" he asked her, his voice hoarse. She bowed in apology, eyes huge with sorrow. I punched his arm lightly.

"Hey, let it go. Alright?" I murmured. He met my eyes for a moment, puzzled, it seemed. Then, he jerked his head in agreement, and a quiet grunt escaping his lips. Then, with all the effort in his body, it seemed, he stood, and huddled the team into a close circle. Yuna and Kimahri left to take their seats.

"Alright, the game starts soon. No time for warm-ups. Ready?"

"Lemme at 'em!" I growled, my enthusiastic persona making everyone grin and cheer in agreement.

"All right. I got something to tell you boys. After this game... I'm retiring. I promised myself this would be my last tournament. Win or lose, I'm quitting Blitzball. But you know... Since we're here, we might as well win!" They all nodded in understanding, and I patted Wakka's back… in a manly way, of course.

"Yeah!"

"Am I on the bench?" Botta asked cautiously. Wakka shook his head, holding me round the shoulders.

"I'm warming the bench!" he announced. "He's taking my place. Be nice, ya?" The team sniggered, agreeing whole-heartedly with Wakka. He grinned at me.

"Would you like to do the honours, my friend?"

I grinned broadly, leaning forwards, plopping my hand into the middle of the circle.

"What's our goal!??" I yelped, as the rest of the team shoved their hands in on top of mine.

"VICTORY!"

"Let's make those Goers, goners!"


Wakka

Wakka took a hue breath, leaning against the lockers, and downing the Yuna's special White Mage's Elixir. His muscles were aching, his back painful, and his side stabbing in sharp shoots of agony when he moved the wrong way, where the Al Bhed had rammed into his with one of their steel knuckles.

"Damn Al Bhed…" he muttered, head snapping back, hitting the lockers, a clanging noise ringing throughout the room.

He didn't see her standing by the door, admiring him.

"I saw you…"

Wakka's head span round to gaze at her. Lulu stood by the door, hands folded together, dark dress trailing the ground as she came closer, moogle swinging dangerously from her garter, until she came to a stop in front of him, eyes gazing at the ground.

"Floating there on the sphere…" she turned her head up, shaking her bang from her ruby red eye, long black lashes fluttering, and Wakka's stomach gave a jolt. Dammit. Lu wasn't supposed to see him being a weakling, an idiot.

"Hey… you weren't supposed to see that…" he trailed off, eyes down, heart low. Lulu brought her soft, creamy hand up to his russet tanned cheek, smiling as she felt the roughness of a red stubble on his strong jaw. Her long nails brushed his skin.

"Oh… no! I… I didn't care. Not in the slightest," she assured him, her plump lips opening as she flashed her dazzling white teeth in a whole, rare, Lulu smile, making Wakka's heart pick itself up and cry out in joy.

"Really?" he asked, voice optimistic.

"Really. I thought… you…" Lulu trailed off, thinking this through. She smiled softly at him again.

"You really gave it your all, didn't you?"

Wakka almost died when he saw one, fat tear roll down Lulu's tin cheek, and fall off her chin into the fur at the top of her dress. He'd known her all his life, and he'd never seen her cry. He guessed she must have when Chappu died, but not in front of him.

"Lu," he breathed weakly, brushing another tear from her face. She laughed at herself, a sad little laugh.

"I'm so stupid. You'll never be Chappu, Wakka. Never. I'm sorry I wished that you could be," she choked. Wakka sighed. He knew that was what she'd been trying to do. He was too great a reminder of what she didn't possess any more, and this broke her heart.

"Hey… it's okay Lulu."

"And you really did give it your all today…"

"For you," Wakka decided to tell her the truth. He'd wanted to impress her, show her he was more than Chappu ever was, even if he wasn't a brave Crusader. "I did all of it for you, Lulu."

"For me…" Lulu trailed away, another tear rolling down her face. He nodded, taking her gently in his arms, as she reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck, pushing herself up against him. He melted into her kiss, holding her waist tightly, his greatest dream since he was 13 years old coming true. She broke away, smiling softly at him.

"Thank-you, Wakka," she said surely, leaning her head against his muscular chest.

"No problem Lu. No problem at all…" Wakka breathed.

Deciding to warm the bench and let Tidus take his place was the best decision he's ever made. Another thing to thank that kid for.


I am soooo sorry that I had to change POV in this chapter. I hate it, and didn't want to do it, but it was nessecsary, trust me. Tidus wasn't there, so someone need to have thoughts and feelings, lol! :)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, not sure how I feel about it... TOODLE-PIP FOR NOW! ;)

(p.S sorry for any typos, but I'm SOOO tired right now, I can't do any proof-reading *weeps in apology* sorry my friends!)