It took sooo long to write this chapter. I've been incredibly busy these few weeks and I'm pretty sure I'll be busier the next few weeks. Yup, major exams in 18 days!!!!!!!! Aaaa Why am I doing this anyway... heck, just for the sake and fun of it all.

Chapter 14: Stardom or Boredom?

"What's wrong?" He turned around, hands inserted into his pockets.

Praetor's son… isn't that Baralai…why would his father agree to an outdated thing such as marriage arrangements by parents?

"Tidus?" Braska waved his hand in front of my eyes. I blinked, and struggled to get our of my afternoon 'dream'.

"Yes?" blinking a few times as I looked up to meet his eyes.

"Nothing, you seem a little out of it today. Maybe you should have a rest."

I slowly stood up too, sighing deeply, "I can't, and I've got a game tonight."

"Oh I see. Sorry son, I can't be there for you…"

"Don't fret about it" I cut him off, "I'm sure I'll manage by myself."

"Hmmm, maybe I should let Yuna represent me. I see you two have gone on very well."

"No" I shouted out abruptly.

"Why not?" He looked at me with those permeating eyes, as if it was infiltrating my mind and prying within it to seek for secrets.

"Err, umm, nothing." I bluntly murmured, scratching my head trying to find a reason.

"Then it's settled, I'll let Yuna know at once." And with that, he left the lounge.

What exactly is going on with me Tidus? I asked myself silently, as I sunk back into the couch, rubbing my temples. I felt that this sudden change of environment was impacting upon me somehow. Perhaps I wasn't perfectly sure how to assimilate into this life with haste. Recently I guess I just wasn't the normal me.

-

A few minutes later, I was sitting in the car, tapping my fingers lightly upon the wheel, and staring off into the sky. I'm not exactly sure what had gone on, but somehow Braska, had persuaded Yuna that he definitely wanted to watch my game yet couldn't make it. In other words, he literally bribed Yuna to go to my game. I mean, it's not that important or anything, I wouldn't care if neither of them showed up. Since competing in a game was in fact, a game between my team mates, friends and colleagues. Perhaps there was an ulterior motive too, that is Wakka really did decide to put me as keeper. And well, let's say Keepa stole my spot. The point of all this, was to say, I was rather pissed. It was a bit like falling from grace, a high star player status to a low stationary goal keeper. I recall when I was small, Jecht had always kicked Blitzballs into the goals, and since it was just himself, I was forced to be the goal keeper. And trust me; you DON'T want to be a goal keeper. I remember that every time after this supposed "training", I would collapse onto my bed with bruises and scratches all over me. It makes me wonder how fast a ball could travel, with the sheer high resistive force of the water…seriously makes me wonder…

"Are we going yet?" A light tap on the closed glass window of the car, accompanied by an emotionless face, as I slipped out of this day dream, or shall I say, afternoon dream, and flicked the switch to unlock the door.

"Sorry" I said apologetically, pulling a seatbelt and turning on the ignition.

Taking a left at the next traffic light, I felt the need to start a conversation so I croaked out in a dry rasp - possibly the tiredness had got to me- and said "Hey, Yuna. How did Braska manage to persuade you to come?"

"That's Father or Dad to you, Tidus. Please show some respect now that you've come into my family and my life" she said coldly.

I remained quiet, perhaps it was to avoid that particular question, or perhaps I just simply didn't know the correct answer to that. A few minutes apt, despite of what I was thinking, I decided to break the silence.

"I just can't change that fast Yuna, honestly. I keep repeating this to myself that it's the fact that everything around me in the past few days has changed so rapidly. It was as if my normal life rhythm has somehow sped up. Dramatically" iterating the last word, before taking a peak at the mirror to see Yuna's face was still utterly emotionless.

"Tidus, everything that has happened to you, well almost everything," she corrected herself, "everything that occurred to you has also to some extent influenced me. It's not like I don't have to adapt to this change. Try not to be so selfish please." Cold as ice, actually more than that, possible as cold as liquid oxygen.

I thought about her statement, but nonetheless I decided not to reply to that. A barrier of some sort had somehow built itself around us, cutting us apart into our different worlds. A barrier which was stronger than a physical wall. Perchance, an emotional wall was what it was called. I didn't know. I didn't care either. I did know, however that I felt isolated. We were so close, close enough that if I outstretched my arms, I could touch her. Her steady breathing and at certain intervals, her nervous gulp could be heard. Of course, most of this was covered by the noise from outside, the other kinds of transport which were rushing home from work, and bats in the sky flying out for their nocturnal feast. They were unimportant, and almost insignificant. I wondered, how I could drive and think about all this simultaneously, I wondered, seriously I did. At the edge of my vision, a small bright sparkle rolled down Yuna's eyes, the mirror of which I saw, a bitter sweet reflection of this life. This new one.

-

The car rolled smoothly as it inched towards the curb. From within the car, blazing lights of the Blitzball stadium could be seen, flaring its bright rays to light up the night sky. Amidst it all, three lights of the primary colours combined together to form a faint hologram of a Blitzball above the stadium.

Yuna, who sat quietly beside me, watched the flares permeating through the evening gloom with a tint of delight.

"What's with the lights?" she asked exquisitely.

"It's the beginning of the new season, so I guess there's a need for celebration."

"I never knew the school was that rich." She commented, as she opened the door, getting ready to move out.

"Me neither", climbing out of the car and taking it all in. I might have been at this school for 6 years or so, but each time the experience is a little different, a little more exhilarating. Somehow…

"And so many people are here." Yuna peered around, glancing at the crowd moving to and fro in a rush. From within the crowd, a figure stood out from the rest, one with tall standing hair, coloured reddish orange. He was wearing a stripped T-shirt with shorts.

"By the way, its autumn now, I always thought Blitzball season was during summer isn't it?"

"I don't know either. It might have been a new idea implemented by the Zanarkand's Sporting Council. The city gets a lot of its revenue from televising this crap, you know?" I said, walking towards the red haired man.

"Tidus." Yuna called, making me turn back and look at her. "Don't swear in front of me." What's with her? First she was cold as bone, and then she was being naïve and kind of cute. Now all of a sudden she acts as if she's my mother. No, she's my sister, so she acts as if she was my older sister or something.

"And you are my older sister?" I asked, in the same cold way she did, mimicking her tone and attitude to show my annoyance of being controlled. Perhaps it was a little overboard, because she flipped around and ran towards the audience end of the entrance. I felt that I needed to explain my sudden outburst of anger, but the red haired figure seemed to have something urgent to say.

"Hey, how's it going Wakka?" tapping him on the shoulder and walking alongside him into the Stadium entrance.

"Not good Tidus. You do know how to catch a ball ya?" his face full of a notion of worried and distraught.

"Umm sure, why? Are you worried that I won't be able to catch a ball? And that if I can't do it, I can't be a good keeper and thus, well you know. We lose the match." I blurted out, rather pissed that he was underestimating me and of my abilities.

"Tidus…I know you are a good striker, but I've checked your statistics on catching and blocking. They aren't very well. We really need you to keep your act up tonight ya?" he said, scratching his tall standing hair, trying to think of the most polite way of expressing it.

"Leave it to me." I gestured, pointing towards my chest, giving him number one cheesy smile.

-

I didn't feel like listening to the 'team' plan today, after all what plan do you need for the goal keep anyway? I looked at the five others: Datto, Letty, Jassu, Botta, and of course the one I had a position change with, Keepa. The Locker Room was awfully quiet since there was only the 7 of us. Gippal was in the team before, but he got kicked out after having a little dispute with some of the team mates…I scoffed, because I did feel a little alienated from this environment, I was the star player of this team, emphasis on was.

"Yo Tidus, aren't you going to listen to what we have planning for them? D-North isn't going to be easy this year." Wakka commented, taking a seat next to me on the wooden bench.

"Is there seriously any point? I mean, I'm a keeper. What plans do you have for me? Catch the ball?" I said, with a huge tint of scientism in my tone. He remained quiet.

"Tidus, its only temporary I hope." Datto pointed out.

"Yeah, when you get your concentration back…I'm sure Wakka will let you have your position back…" Keepa said, but of course he was just pretending to nice. Why would he want to get his old boring position back anyway?

"Hey look, the sphere is getting filled with water already. Let's go!" Botta stated.

"Alright! Let's Blitz!" Jassu exclaimed, being the first one to run out into the crowd.

-

Oh my god, the game just started for less than 2 minutes, and all I have done was staring at the ball being tossed from team members to opposing team members. In other words, I've done absolutely jack crap. I hate to use that language, because usually it doesn't refer to delightful situations. I felt boredom already. The ball was almost always in the middle area, neither team's goal keeper had done anything just yet. My mind started to wonder, as I wanted to know where Yuna was. Was she watching the sullen state that I was in, or was she just chatting with her friends. I didn't see her anyway, nor did I see any of my 'usual' friends. The lights within the stadium were bright and exhilarating, but somehow that didn't penetrate the water's surface and give the aura to me. I had once learnt in science of light refraction and reflection…perhaps that was what was happening at the moment.

"Tidus!" A sudden scream came from Wakka, as I saw a ball hurtling towards me. What do I do! What… I remember what Keepa would normally do at this time…I stretched my hands and jumped towards the ball, catching it with my hands.

Or so I hoped…but the ball seemed to be made from soap, as it slipped out of my grasp and right into the goals! Darn it! I was being a full klutz today.

"First Blood! 1-0, D-North's way!" a bellowing voice shouted on the loudspeaker.

And within another few seconds, the bell rang for the end of the first half.

-

"Tidus, what is wrong with you. You were staring into the stars weren't you? You know what I'm talking about, ya?" Wakka's face was red with embarrassment.

Well, the harms already done, and I could do nothing to prevent that shot…

"Just look at you Tidus. Everyone is laughing their heads off at your stupidity. Even a kindergarten would have blocked that shot. My grandma could do better than you!" Wakka continued his speech of doom, humiliating me as much as he could. It did have some effect however, but I'm Tidus. I'm a striker, how could I be a keeper all of a sudden?

"Wakka, make me striker and I'll win the match for you." I suggested, leaning against the wall, as I hardly broke a sweat, whereas the others were having a tough time panting and catching their breaths.

"I'm sorry; I can't do that for ya."

"Why not? You're the coach, you can do anything."

"I can't, and you know that ya? A coach gotta still stick to the rules ya? You just can't alter the rules all by yourself, just like the rules set by the Blitzball society ya?"

"Fine, do whatever." And with that I walked out of the Lockers, back into the stadium. In the adjacent hallway, someone captured my attention. It was a darkish player from the D-South, with a green Mohawk. It makes me wonder how he remains to be streamline, whiles he swims, and retain that spiky hair. He saw me and sneered. He stood up from the wooden spectator bench, and gestured for me to walk towards him.

"So you're Tidus?" he asked.

"Yeah, what do you want?" I replied, in a cold tone, I didn't want to get too close to opposing.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to catch a ball?" he cocked his head and laughed. He was much taller than me, with his Mohawk, his stature would probably reach 195cm, and it would be unwise to start a fight in such an open place.

"No she didn't. She only taught me to kick a ball. On the other hand, I know that all your mother ever taught you was how to pass on your genes to the next generation. I'm sure I could handle it without my mum teaching me." I scoffed and turned around to walk away.

"Tidus, you remember. We will thrash you tonight."

"Sure thing, empty threats and empty words. See you in the sphere."

-

Alright, the second half of the match is just about to begin. In the first half, the D-North team manage to get a sleazy soft shot into the A-East goals. Let's see what the A-East have as a counterattack in this half. Lets Blitz!

The booming voice in the speaker bellowed, as the sphere once again started to fill with water. Wakka walked up from behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Listen Tidus, I know I was a little grumpy just then, but after your fumble with the most simplistic shots, I was just angry. I know you are a great player, but you gotta prove it to me. Since the trials, you weren't into the game. I simply can't allow my members to be out there, we can't afford mistakes like the one you just made. I know that if you concentrate, you can do well. I believe in ya."

"Thanks Wakka, I'll try my best." I waved to him as we all dived in the water and swam a few laps to warm our muscles. Even the water felt warmer. Rather than the sensation of cold and freezing, it felt…welcoming. Like I was a dolphin or something. It just felt right. I couldn't put my finger on why.

Now that's that…back to being the 'spectator' to the match. Letty has the ball, who swam a few metres and quickly passed to Datto. Datto glanced around to find the next person to pass it to, but was intercepted by the 'Green Mohawk' guy. From afar, it seems Datto was able to withstand the tackle, as he quickly passed it to Keepa. And Keepa shoots…A set of outstretched arms groping for possession of the ball…The D-North Keeper managed to block the ball.

And so! What do we have here? The A-East Team's old Goalie, ironically named Keepa shoots for the goals! Just to be blocked by the D-North goalie. But wait! Keepa instinctively dived for the ball, and he…whacked it forwards…GOAL!

A whistle was blown! 1-1. Even so, we still couldn't win. Despite that fluke goal, we still couldn't win the match. It's slim of the rarest chances to score another goal within the remaining time, which was 2minutes.

The Blitzball shot up in the water, and both Mids zipped through the water towards it.

D-North obtains possession of the ball! Woh! What's with the Mohawk! He's dashing forward, intrinsically dodging the entire team.

Here he comes. He stopped about a few metres in front of the goals and got ready to shoot. Concentrate Tidus! You have to catch the ball! Concentrate! Wait! Why did I have to catch the ball…?

He blasted the ball forwards, and I spun around and strained all my leg muscles…Bang! I countered the ball, and kicked it with terrific speed towards the other end of the field. Ouch! My foot was sore; I don't think I can do that again, as I started to grow faint…still listening to the commentary…

What's this? The A-East Goalie kicked the ball all the way into D-North's territory…it's gone through the field…and right through the keeper's outstretched grasp! GOAL! Ladies and Gents, I've never see that happen in my life.

Well, I guess I did it…I scored…

This is the longest chapter yet. Sooo tired. Well, it looks like Tidus managed to score a goal from the other side of the field. I wonder what he can't do o.O lol. Till next time, cya!