Blatherings: Ack. Wasn't planning on a new chapter this quick. But ya gotta go with the flow, ya know? This puppy wedged its way into my mind, and refused to leave until 3am... aaarrgghh. Thanks so much for the reviews... y'all rock!






Otherworld Year Five: Chapter 3



He understood perfectly what Tidus was experiencing. He was not so old yet, that he could not recall what it had felt like.

The defining moment for oneself. The overwhelming knowledge that all future days, depended on this one day. That all you were, and all you would become, had been narrowed down to a pin-point in time.

It was the most alive he would ever be. It was the most alone he would ever feel.

So what could he offer the boy? What would have given him comfort at his moment, all those long years ago? The answer was... nothing.
There was nothing he could do or say, that would matter. It was all up to Tidus now. But he felt compelled to try.

"Tidus." Auron said, so low and even, that it was barely audible.

"What?" Tidus responded in a tight voice, halting his agitated pacing across the locker room floor, as his head snapped around to look at Auron.

"Calm yourself for a moment, and listen to me."

Tidus brought his hands to the back of his neck, his elbows forming a bow on either side of his head, in a familiar gesture of defiance. "Please, no advice Auron, not now."

"I have no words of advice for you on this day. You have trained hard, and you have prepared well. I merely wish to say... that I believe in you... and... good luck."

Auron turned then, and walked to the exit, stopping in the doorway, his head rotating to one side. "I'll be waiting for you at the front gate."

Tidus dropped his arms to his sides, as he listened to the sound of Auron's heavy bootfalls echoing down the corridor... growing fainter, then gone.

"Thanks Auron." Tidus said to the empty room, then turned to walk to the door that led to the Blitz Sphere... laying his hand against its cold surface for a moment, then pumping his fist and going through.

************

Auron pulled the front of his robe closer together, and tucked his right arm inside, to cross it over his left, as the chilling wind pushed his clothes back against him. The wind was always brisk here, as it eddied around the Blitz stadium, and gusted across the open causeway that led into the massive entrance hall.

Tilting his head back, he looked up at the position of the sun, as it tried to burn its way through the thin layer of cloud cover that blanketed the sky. It had been over three hours now, and he had yet to see any players exiting past him. There must be a delay in the tryouts. No matter. He would wait, and think.

Bringing one leg up and propping his boot back against the low wall behind him, he brought his right arm back out of his robe, and detached the sake jug from his belt. Taking a long swallow, he closed his eye for a moment, as the fermented liquid coursed down through him, warming his insides.

His thoughts turned naturally first to Tidus, and he dropped the arm that grasped his jug, as he contemplated the boy's fate. Attaining this goal meant everything to him. His dreams of becoming a star Blitz player, and stepping out from his father's long shadow, possessed his naive soul.

His lot, was to someday take all that away from the boy, and he loathed himself for what he must do.

If all went as planned, there was a good possibility he would be handing Tidus an express-ticket to the farplane, along with anyone else, unfortunate enough to be in their company. It was also quite plausible, that Gabe, Sahna, and Remie would not survive, when Jecht in the form of Sin, came to this place.

Damnit Jecht, you had better know what you're doing, he thought.

He was setting himself up for more pain, by allowing himself to feel anything for these people. But he supposed that as long as he remained human (if that was the proper term for what he was), alliances and attachments were unavoidable. All he could do, was to keep himself together. Keep it under control. Stay strong.

Stay strong.

He brought his left arm from his robe, and held it up in front of him, clenching his fist... watching as the muscles and tendons flexed and rippled, beneath his skin.

He had been here, what? Five years now. He was... damn, he was thirty-years-old by that reckoning. Could that be right? That's correct, you complacent fool, he answered himself. Then a rough laugh escaped him, as he shook his head, and clamped his eye closed... grateful that no one happened to be passing at that moment, to witness his madness. Thirty? It might as well be a hundred.

But regardless of how old he felt inside, he suddenly became aware that he had been sorely neglecting the outside. Looking down at himself for a moment, he noted with disgust, the way his body had thickened, in places where it had no business doing so. With no battles to fight, other than his emotional ones, the results were clearly evident. He was most definitely becoming out-of-shape... and if he continued down this path, he would find himself ill-prepared for what was to come.

Another bitter laugh passed his lips, as he imagined this version of himself, or worse greeting Jecht, when he finally came for them. What would it be then, that uttered that hail-and-well-met? A burnt-out, bloated carcass? A withered shell of the man he had once been?

Not if he could help it.

He knew only too well what he needed, and it was not inside his sake jug, or in the brushstrokes of a painting, or in anything else he could touch with his lower senses. The teacher, it seemed, should heed his own lessons.

The sound of approaching footsteps brought his head up sharply, his eye narrowing... as he brought himself back into focus, from the place his long thoughts had taken him.

Stowing his sake back to his hip without looking down, he watched as a meandering stream of people began to emerge from the stadium entrance. There was little doubt as to who among them had made the cut, and who had not... disappointment or elation, clearly etched on the faces of the youngsters, as they passed him by.

Then he saw Tidus emerge through the passageway, the answer to the question, a burning light in his face.

Seeing Auron standing off to one side, Tidus was unable to contain himself... the need to share his joy overcoming all else, as he ran headlong at the crimson-robed man, and threw himself at him.

Auron caught him, with a languid grace, as Tidus wrapped his legs around Auron's waist, and propping a hand against his tensed shoulder, pumped one arm over their heads in triumph. Auron found himself giving in to the moment, as he smiled and turned in a circle with Tidus held fast against him... then relaxed his effortless grip, easing the enraptured boy to the ground.

"Congratulations Tidus, well done." Auron said, pulling his robe back in place, and pushing his glasses up with his thumb, as he regained his stoic composure.

"I did it. I really did it. I wish you could have seen it... I kicked ass!" Tidus exclaimed, then loosed a resounding whoop, as he spun and brought one leg up in a goal kick... his grin so large, Auron thought his face was going to split.

Jecht would have been so proud at this moment, and he wished he could impart that to Tidus. But the boy was not yet prepared to hear that... and he was uncertain as to whether he ever would be.

"Come. As I believe Breese has prepared a celebration in your honor." Auron said, as he turned to stride down the causeway.

"Huh? But how did you guys know I'd make the team?" Tidus pondered, scratching the back of his head, as he hurried to catch up with Auron, turning to look up at him as they walked.

Auron didn't reply, merely turning his head to meet the boy's perplexed gaze for a moment... his coppered eye a small universe, where unrevealed mysteries, flickered like burning stars.

************

Remie sighed, his arms resting across the first rung of the guard-rail, his legs dangling out over the training floor, as he swung them in an alternating rhythm, through the connecting vertical slats.

The shop was closed today, the large room below all quiet and dark. He liked coming here, when he had nothing better to do... and look at all the cool weapons on the walls.

Gabe had put in some kind of laser-security-thing, right after he and mom had moved in. Looking closer at the wall of blades, he could see the force-field pulsing silently across its surface, in a sort of reddish glow. He knew why Gabe had done it. It was because of him. It was because they didn't trust him not to mess with things he shouldn't.

But he knew better, whether they believed him or not. Auron had explained to him why he couldn't use a weapon. He had to wait until he knew how to breathe right, and move right, and think right, so he wouldn't screw up... and hurt himself, or maybe somebody else.

It had been hard not to say anything when Auron told him that. But he had promised to keep his mouth shut, so he did. He wanted more than anything to be just like Auron, but he didn't think he was ever going to. He just wasn't as strong, that's all. But sometimes, when he tried really hard, he could feel something deep inside, something kind of wierd, and a little scary. Lately, it seemed to be getting stronger, and he had been thinking about asking Auron what it was. But he was afraid to. What if he was doing something wrong?

Sheesh, he was such a wuss sometimes, he thought, as he pulled his legs back through the railing, and rolled onto his stomach... flattening himself against the floor, and resting his chin on his forearms.

Then he suddenly held his breath, as he heard the sound of the repair room door being opened directly below him. Flattening himself even lower, he watched expectantly, then allowed himself to breathe again... when he recognized the top of Auron's head, his spiky hair coming into view. He opened his mouth to call down to him, then stopped, smiling, as he decided to just stay quiet, and see what Auron was up to.

Remie's eyes grew wider, as he saw that Auron was holding his sword over his back, as he walked toward the front of the shop. What was he going to do? Maybe he was going to practice. But that was a dumb idea. Auron didn't need to practice, he was the best already.

Remie watched in fascination, as Auron quietly went to the front door, and started to raise his hand to the touchpad, then stopped, and turned his head back toward the shop.

"You may accompany me, if you wish."

Remie bolted upright to a sitting position, his face reddening in embarrassment. Damn, Auron knew he had been there the whole time.

"I uh, sure. Okay." Remie stuttered, rising to his feet, and leaning his hands on the top of the railing. "Where are you going?"

"To the beach. If you wish to come, go tell Sahna where you'll be first." Auron said, Remie unable to see the smile that played across his lips in the darkened room.

"Right, okay, I'll be right back." Remie said in a rush, turning to dash through the door behind him.

************

Remie sat cross-legged in the sand, his eyes alight, as he watched Auron working out, in the wet-packed sand near the water's edge.

He had been trying to follow his movements, to see if he recognized any forms, in the fluid kata the man now moved through. Once or twice, he had... and he felt a thrill, as he realized it was something he shared with Auron.

Then Auron stopped, and exhaled deeply, as he lowered his sword, then turned to look at Remie... the eyebrow arching above his good eye.

"Come, let's have a spar... we could both use it." Auron said, as he walked up to the dry sand, then reached up to unfasten his belt, and then removed his robe, wrapping his blade in its folds, then lowered the bundle to the ground.

Remie scrambled to his feet, a smile on his face... this was his favorite thing.

Auron waited until Remie was in the proper position, then nodded his head, silently telling him to begin.

Auron stepped toward him, and began to move in a series of strikes, Remie answering with blocks and counters... their physical contact slow, and controlled.

"Good. Again." Auron said, then sped his movements up, becoming more aggressive in his attack. Remie matched him move for move, his eyes shining with intensity.

"Very good." Auron nodded, as Remie smiled in satisfaction at his praise.

Auron grew still, and brought his hand up to scratch at his chin, as his piercing eye bored into Remie for a few moments... Remie fighting the urge to squirm, under the man's penetrating stare.

Auron relaxed his eye, as he seemed to have made up his mind about something, then said... "I am going to come at you for real this time. Prepare to defend yourself."

Remie felt a tidal wave of adrenaline surging through his body, as he realized what Auron meant by that. Holy shit, he had time to think, before Auron moved toward him.

Then a very strange thing happened. Everything seemed to slow way down, as he watched in amazement. He could clearly see Auron's arm coming forward, his wrist bending, as his hand came upright, preparing to strike.

Without being fully aware of what his body was doing, as his mind drew itself down to a single beam of thought, Remie moved calmly under Auron's arm, and brought his hands up side-by-side, in front of Auron's chest... dimly aware of Auron beginning to react to his movements.

Then Remie cried out, as he felt something rush through him and out through his hands, a brilliant flash of blue light bursting from his palms. He gaped in horror, as the light danced across Auron's chest for a split-second, then sent him off his feet and backwards... his back hitting the ground, as the air exploded from his lungs in a hard sound.

Remie stood frozen for a few moments, trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened, and couldn't, as he watched Auron weakly raise himself to his elbows, shaking his head to keep himself conscious.

Remie ran to him, and knelt down at his side... tears of remorse and fear at what he had just done, filling his eyes.

"Auron... I'm so sorry... Auron... are you okay?" Remie choked out, attempting to wrap his arms around the stunned man, and help him to a sitting position... as Auron grasped his shoulder for support, Remie grimacing in pain, as Auron's strong hand ground his flesh against his bones.

Auron managed to sit upright, then leaned forward slightly, his eye swimming out of focus for a moment, then clearing, as he rested his hands on top of his thighs... trying to get his lungs to work again.

Then Auron turned his head to look at Remie, and Remie was stunned to see his face holding a look of amusement, not one of pain, as a low chuckle rumbled through him.

"It's alright. I am fine." Auron said, as he came unsteadily to his feet, his hand once again coming to Remie's shoulder for support, then releasing it... as he brought it up, to rake it back through his hair.

"What was that? What did I do?" Remie implored, his voice shaking with emotion.

Auron placed his hand on Remie's shoulder, not for support, but to offer comfort, as another chuckle rasped from his throat... "Do not be frightened. It's okay. You have done nothing wrong. You have, however, apparently found your overdrive."