I'm alive! And I'm also very, very sorry for the delay in this chapter (please don't hurt me). It's end of year in the final year of my studies and I never would have believed it is possible to be so busy without something breaking internally. But I'm on holiday's for a few weeks, which means I'm slightly less busy. You guys have been soo patient so I made a deal with myslef to use some of my free time to write and post the next few chapters. Thanks guys and I hope you haven't given up on me.
With regards to this chapter, some scenes have been changed slightly to make them more believable (or less embarrasing) and the scene where Rikku and Tidus discuss marriage is an optional scene in the game but I've only seen it once, a long time ago so I've probably mangled it horribly. Forgive me. Spelling mistakes etc are to be expected here and there but I have been trying to take more care about Beta reading my own stuff.
Read on and enjoy!
The rest of the group followed Auron out onto the plains, but Rikku refused to let go of Tidus' arm. The summoner's party followed the haphazard path that was created by people before them walking from one tower to another. The slow but constant drizzle quickly wet them to the bone.
Halfway towards a tower Rikku would hurry forward, dragging Tidus along with her, but each time they left the shelter of one the blitzer would have to drag the young Al Bhed away, much to amusement of the other party members. About half way across the plains, the journey being uneventful so far, a lightning bolt hit the tower they happened to be beneath at that moment.
Rikku gave a strangled squeak of utter shock and fell to her hands and knees. Even Tidus flinched at the close proximity and Yuna gasped.
"Whoa, that was a close one," Wakka cackled, clearly not bothered by the storm.
"Stop kidding around," Lulu told him sternly.
Wakka nodded, abashed, "Yes Ma'am," he said smartly.
The group moved off and Tidus made to follow but noted that Rikku hadn't moved from her position on the ground.
"Uh," Tidus started but stopped when Rikku started to laugh.
"Heh heh heh," she went slowly, staring at nothing.
This stopped the others and they paused to look back.
"What's wrong?" Wakka asked.
"Eh heh heh heh heh he," Rikku chuckled mirthlessly, staring sightlessly at the ground between her hands.
"Rikku, cut it out," Tidus said with a frown, starting to feel concerned, "You're giving me the creeps."
Lightning struck a nearby tower again and Rikku covered her ears with a shriek. Then she crawled forward abruptly and latched herself onto Tidus leg. The blitzer made an exasperated noise.
"I wanna go home," she pleaded with him, her eyes wide with fear, "I hate lightning, I hate thunder." She looked around desperately, "Let's go rest over there, please?" she pointed.
Tidus looked in the direction she was indicating and saw the boldly coloured sign of the Rin's Thunder Plains Travel Agency, just visible through the haze. He'd not noticed it until that moment, which was unusual as it's bright colours stood out against the dismal lighting of the thunder plains.
"This storm never stops," Auron told her reasonably, "Better to cross quickly."
Rikku made a pained face, "I know," she said, "But...just for a little while, please?"
Tidus looked at the others, "Well, what now?"
Auron sighed and started to walk away. After just a moments hesitation the others, save Tidus who was anchored by Rikku, moved after him.
"Pretty please," Rikku's voice followed them, "Just a few minutes?"
Yuna and Wakka paused for a moment but Auron, Kimahri and Lulu continued on and after a moment they all moved off again. Tidus leant down to try and extract himself but Rikku wasn't finished.
"I'm scared of lightning," she went on, as if they hadn't known, "Let's rest, please? Pretty please?"
Tidus stared at her, sure he would have given in by now but the group continued on.
"I'm too young to die," Rikku wailed.
No response.
"You're mean! Cruel," Rikku accused, "Your moms would be ashamed of you."
The group continued on but Tidus could see Yuna's shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth.
"Are you having fun doing this to me?" Rikku demanded loudly, her fear almost overridden by indignation.
Auron stopped abruptly and turned, "Fine," he growled, "We rest. She's worse than the storm."
Rikku leapt to her feet with a grin and, dragging Tidus along with her so she wouldn't be alone, she hurried to the travel agency and dashed inside without waiting for the others. Inside she immediately went and sat in one of the large sofas by the roaring fireplace and heaved a sigh.
"Made it," she said closing her eyes in relief.
"Are you that scared?" Tidus wanted to know, leaning on the back of an armchair as the others filed in after them.
Rikku sat up a bit and nodded vigorously, "When I was little, a fiend attacked me while I was swimming at the beach," she said rubbing her upper arms as if the memory itself was too much to bear, "By brother tried to beat it back with a spell, but hit me instead."
Tidus winced, "Ouch."
"It was a thunder spell," Rikku went on, shivering.
"But magic can be effective against water fiends," Lulu told her, having heard her explanation.
Rikku didn't look impressed, "That's what my brother said too," she replied dismissively.
Behind Lulu, Yuna looked around as she entered the inn, seemingly distracted then approached the counter, "I'm a little tired," she told her guardians, "Do you have a room available?" she directed the question to the attendant.
"Yes, my lady," the attendant replied graciously with a bow, "Just over that way," she indicated the passage way to the left of the front desk.
Yuna barely spared the attendant a smile before she headed down the passageway swiftly.
"Uh, Yuna?" Wakka started to say as she swept past, but the summoner did not appear to hear.
The blitzball captain looked at Lulu, who frowned.
"It's not like her," the black mage commented.
Hardly being the type to question a summoner, the guardians, save Tidus, settled down to wait. The blitzer was terribly curious about Yuna's behaviour, not to mention concerned, but as his companions seated themselves in various positions around the common room of the Agency, he didn't feel able to pursue the matter.
He resigned himself and sat down on the sofa next to Rikku, who'd perched her feet up on the cushions as well, having removed her boots. Wakka went to warm himself by the fire, while Lulu took a seat in one of the armchairs across from the only sofa in the room. Auron had taken an interest in the tall and expansive bookshelf that lined the wall from floor to ceiling and Kimahri had taken up position by the doorway Yuna had disappeared down.
Tidus leaned back and tried to take his mind off of recent events. He was feeling a little overwhelmed and more than just a little guilty that the idea of Yuna getting married was worrying him more than seeing his mother on the Farplane.
"You an only child?" Rikku's voice was a welcome interruption from his thoughts. The blitzer looked at her.
"Yes," he replied.
"I have an older brother me," Rikku told him, her tone suggesting his was not something to be proud of.
Tidus recalled their previous conversation about lightning and how her brother had tried to save her from a fiend with a thunder spell. It had never occurred to him that the Al Bhed, who used and favoured machina weapons and vehicles, would be capable of using magic. He wondered briefly if he would be able to use magic and came to conclusion that magic was a mystery to him. He'd assumed only a mage, like Lulu, or a priest of some kind, including summoners, could use it.
"Hey, you ever think about getting married?" Rikku's voice interrupted his thoughts again.
Tidus looked at the Al Bhed uncertainly then considered her question, "Not really," he answered truthfully. Not until recently, he added to himself.
"I think about," she informed him, "Alot."
"Aren't you a little young?" Tidus wondered outloud not really paying her his full attention.
"Not really," Rikku answered echoing his earlier reply, "People in Spira get married really young sometimes."
Tidus turned his attention back to her, "People our age get married?" he asked sounding more than a little surprised.
Rikku returned his stare, "Sure," she replied, "What with Sin and all, you can't be sure how much time you'll get. People make most of the time they have."
"Hmm," Tidus returned his gaze to the fire thoughtfully.
"I wanna have lots of kids," Rikku went on, "That way they'll never get lonely."
Tidus looked at her again, his expression vaguely uncomfortable, "You're...really putting a lot of thought into your future," he observed, "Besides you only need to have two right? You didn't get lonely with your brother right?"
Rikku made a sour face and waved her hand dismissively, "Yeah, but what if they don't get along?" she pointed out, "I used to wish I had a sister."
Tidus chuckled, "Why didn't you ask your parents?" he said, only half serious.
Rikku sighed, "I couldn't," she told him, "Mom died when I was really young. A machina went on a rampage."
"Oh," Tidus said, his mirth dying, "Sorry."
Rikku shrugged, "Did you ever get lonely as a child?" she asked instead.
The question threw Tidus for a second, "What?"
"You were an only child, you said," Rikku clarified, "Wasn't it lonely?"
Tidus thought about it for a second, "No," he said truthfully. He'd been something of a solitary child until he'd joined the Zanarkand Abes but he'd still never been lonely. Thinking back, he couldn't quite fathom why. Most of the time he'd spent practising blitzball, even before his father's disappearance. And even though he'd done so alone, he'd never felt as though he really was alone. Not entirely anyway. He supposed his mother had been there, but after his father had gone missing she'd been so distance she may as well have not been.
Rikku had fallen quiet in light of his short answer and the ensuing silence as he turned the idea over in his head.
The blitzer wasn't entirely sorry for this and took the oppurtunity to rise from the sofa and wander around the Travel Agency to try and get his mind off of Yuna's possible betrothal and the inexplicable confusion Rikku's questions had prompted in him. Across the hall from the main common room of the Agency was a second room with shelves lining the walls but this one contained only a table and chairs as apposed to sofas and armchairs. Tidus surmised it was a library and wandered in, grateful for the silence. He'd only been in the room a moment though when the door reopened behind him and Shelinda walked in.
She looked as surprised to see him as he was to see her.
"Ah, good day," the young acolyte greeted.
"Hi there," Tidus said in return.
Shelinda suddenly beamed at him, "Is it true?" she asked him suddenly, "I heard that Maester Seymour and Lady Yuna are to be wed. It's such great news, I have to tell everyone."
Tidus made a face briefly, "Where'd you hear that?" he wanted to know.
"From the Guado," she informed him, "They were all very excited."
Tidus' frown deepened. It didn't particularly like the idea that the Guado had already decided Yuna was going to marry their leader. Despite not knowing what Yuna was thinking in terms of marriage, Tidus decided then and there that she would not marry Seymour.
"I'm afraid you heard wrong," he told Shelinda, "Yuna's going to turn him down."
Shelinda's face fell as quickly as it had brightened, "Oh really," she said sadly, "That's unfortunate. I'm sure that people would have rejoiced all over Spira."
Tidus felt a short pang of regret over telling the acolyte such uncertain news upon hearing this but it was short lived.
Shelinda looked around, "I had hoped to see Lady Yuna and congratulate her," she mentioned.
"Ah, Yuna's resting just now," Tidus told her, "But I'll tell her you..." he trailed off, unsure.
Shelinda gave a sigh then bowed, "I must go," she said apologetically, "I'm on my way to Macalania myself. Perhaps I shall see the Lady Yuna there when you arrive."
Tidus ducked his head, "Yeah," he said as the acolyte left the room leaving the blitzer with the feeling as though he'd just stepped on a butterfly. He felt a little guilty about telling the girl what, technically, was a lie but he supposed he couldn't be sure what Yuna was going to say and he certainly believed that she would turn the half guado down.
The blitzer left the library and headed back to the common room but before he could enter Auron came out.
"At this point we may as well stay the night," he told Tidus, "I've booked us rooms. Rikku can stay with Lulu as Yuna already has a room."
"Right," Tidus said and turned to go down the hallway toward the bedrooms. As he passed the front desk the clock on the wall told him that it was in fact late evening. The constant storm outside made it seem as though a perpetual night had fallen over the Thunder Plains.
Seeing the time made the blitzer suddenly tired and he mooched along the corridor towards his room with his hands in pockets, dragging his feet as he went. As he passed the first door to his right he suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice.
Tidus paused with a frown. He was almost certain Yuna had taken the first room but the voice he was hearing was male and held a certain lilt that was common to the Guado.
Upon realizing this Tidus made the rash and probably unfounded assumption that he was hearing Seymour's voice and without thinking, or knocking for that matter, he barged into the room, one hand already upon his sword hilt.
Considering what he had been expecting he was surprised to see Yuna was alone in the room and, apart from looking very surprised at his sudden entrance, was doing nothing more than standing by the desk opposite from the bed.
Tidus let his hand drop from his sword, suddenly feeling like a fool and tried to think of what to say. As he did so he became aware of two things.
Instead of looking angry or reproachful Yuna wore an expression of mild guilt. The second thing was a little harder to identify. On the desk in front of Yuna stood a small blue shining sphere, from which a small hologram was being emitted. Tidus recognized the blue sphere as the same subtance that the screens in Luca had been made out of. The sphere itself was a kind of recording device. The hologram was that of a Guado man, dressed in robes and Tidus instantly recognized him as the former Guado leader, Jyscal, whom Yuna had sent that very day.
Clearly this was the source of the voice the blitzer had heard.
Yuna cleared her throat minutely and wrung her hands, "Yes?" she enquired.
"Ah," Tidus looked away from the sphere and back to the young summoner, "I, well...it's nothing really. I...I just thought..." He paused then sighed, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come in. I heard voices and I thought..." He trailed off again unable to finish.
Yuna looked down, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. Once again Tidus was puzzled by her reaction to his interruption.
"Hey," he said suddenly, unable to stop his curiosity, "Wasn't that Jyscal Guado?"
Yuna avoided his gaze but nodded, "Yes," she admitted, "The sphere is his will. It says...take care of my son."
Tidus narrowed his eyes slightly, "His son? Seymour?" he wanted to know.
Yuna nodded again still not meeting his eyes.
Tidus snorted, "Well I know one way to take care of him," he muttered darkly.
Yuna shook her head and shifted uncomfortably, "I'm sorry," she said suddenly before hurrying out of the room.
Tidus watched her go in surprise then smacked himself on the forehead.
"Idiot," he muttered then paused and looked over to the desk Yuna had been standing before. The little blue sphere still stood on it but the recording had come to an end and the device had switched itself off.
It puzzled and worried Tidus that Yuna had looked as though she'd been caught doing something wrong, when in actual fact she should have berated Tidus for barging into her room unannounced.
Surely she can't be hiding something, he reasoned with himself walking over to the desk. He was just about to pick the sphere up when someone tackled him from behind, locking his head in the crook of their arm.
Before Tidus could panic or retaliate, the person spoke identifying themself.
"What do you think you're up to?" Wakka wanted to know, sounding half reproachful and half amused.
Tidus scowled and tried vainly to free himself, "Yuna...Yuna was acting funny," he started, his voice half choked off by Wakka's grip, "So...so..." He wondered briefly how to explain but it seemed the blitzball captain had come to his own conclusion.
"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively, "Yuna will tell us when she's ready, so you just hold your chocobos till then, alright?" Wakka punctuated this by giving him a vicious noogie.
"Aargh," Tidus yelled, still trying to extract himself, "Alright, alright, alright!"
Wakka released him at this and the younger blitzer, freed so suddenly, stumbled backward and ended up sitting on the floor. He gave the older blitzer a peevish look.
Wakka planted his fists on his hips and sighed, "No matter what happens, we're still Yuna's guardians," he said seriously.
Tidus made a face and accepted the hand Wakka offered to pull him to his feet, "I know, but still..." he trailed off, not sure himself what he was trying to say.
"I know how you feel," Wakka told him pushing him through the door and down the passage, "Let's just get some rest and we'll worry about tomorrow when it comes, ya?"
Tidus made a face, "Is that your motto for life, Wakka?" he wondered out loud.
"Ha ha," Wakka responded sarcastically.
I'll try post a second chapter either today or tomorrow but no promises I'm afraid.
As a side note, you can talk to Shelinda on the Thunder Plains to tell her about the wedding but I always wondered why she would be standing out in the storm so I suck her in the Travel agency.
My formatting seems to be messed up. Is it displaying really small to you guys with no lines?