Final Fantasy X: Journey
"Hey, Chappu, wake up! We're here!" Tida kicked Chappu lightly with her boot. Chappu snorted, coughed, and rolled over, sitting up and glaring at Tida.
"You didn't have to kick me," he growled, rubbing his side.
"I didn't kick you that hard. Anyway, we're here," Tida said, leaning back against the wall lazily. Chappu just sat there, staring at her.
"Come on! We're in Luca!" Tida said, seizing his arm, and, with incredible strength, hauled him to his feet. She then proceeded to drag him out of the room, up the stairs, and out on deck, where the sun nearly blinded him.
"Damn, that's bright." Chappu cursed, shielding his eyes.
"Oh, you big baby," Tida chided, her eyes dancing with excitement as she looked out over Luca Harbor. "I don't remember Luca being like this!"
"That's because that was a long time ago. Luca's the third most populated city in Spira now. Zanarkand is the largest, and Bevelle is second," Chappu explained.
"Man, I sure have missed a lot." Tida commented, her eyes drifting to the Luca Blitzball Dome. She remembered playing there once, with the Zanarkand Sugar Abes, which was the blitz team for kids five to twelve in Zanarkand. She'd been a forward—like her father, she'd been told.
"You miss blitz?" Chappu asked, following her gaze. Tida looked down.
"Kind of. I mean, it's in my blood," Tida said, shrugging.
"You can play, if ya want," Chappu said, awaiting her reaction.
He got one.
"Really? How?" Tida's eyes sparked, and in excitement, she hugged Chappu. "Oh, please, please, please, please, please tell me how!" she pleaded.
Chappu smiled. "I'll help you. I blitz myself."
—
"So you wanna play for the Besaid Aurochs, ya?"
Tida nodded solemnly, cocking her head to see Captain Letty better. It was said he'd played with her father and Uncle Wakka. Tida briefly wondered if it were true.
"You couldn't have come along at a better time, kid. I've got two out with injuries, and I was afraid we'd have to miss the tournament. If it weren't so close to game time, I'd say no, but I don't have time to go looking for some boys to play, ya?" Letty said, looking down at Tida before glancing at Chappu.
"All right, this is Keepa, our goalie. This is Botta," Letty said, motioning to the other two Aurochs in the room. "Boys, this is—what'd you say your names were again?"
"Jai."
"Chappu."
"Right. We got just enough time for warm-ups, so let's go," Letty said, leading them out into the sphere.
* * *
"Yuna, are you hungry? There's food in the galley!" Rikku called, entering the cabin of Titan and walking over to where Yuna was still sitting silently.
"I'm sorry. What did you say?" Yuna smiled at Rikku, who returned it.
"I was asking if you were hungry. Whatcha looking at?" Rikku asked, looking out the window at the passing clouds.
"I was just thinking of Tidus," Yuna said, her eyes drifting back out the window.
"Oh . . . One of 'them'," Rikku said, grinning and wiggling her eyebrows.
"Rikku! No!" Yuna laughed, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Her muffled giggling brought a grin to Rikku's face.
"Darn. I was hoping for some juicy details," Rikku sighed, pretending to be disappointed.
"Oh, Rikku, what would I do without you?"
"Die of boredom. Come on; let's go eat! I'm starved!"
—
"WAKKA! OUT! GET OUT!"
Yuna and Rikku glanced at each other before running ahead to the entrance to the galley. They were halted, however, by Wakka racing out in front of them, begging for mercy.
"Lu, I'm sorry!" he cried, stopping and facing the open door, bowing frantically.
Lulu emerged from the galley, left hand clutching a knife; the other forming a small sphere of thunder. Her red eyes were aglow with anger.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH—"
Lulu suddenly forgot words; she let loose with the thunder and threw the knife at Wakka, who screamed—like a girl—and dove for protection.
He was lucky; the lightning missed him by inches, and the knife only went through his pants' leg, pinning him to the wall of the Titan.
"Whew . . ." Wakka collapsed on the floor, thanking everything in Spira that Lulu's aim wasn't deadly—this time.
Yuna and Rikku glanced at each and both decided they weren't hungry after all.
* * *
"Okay, forget about playing your man—or woman," Letty added hastily, trying ignore Tida's fiery glare but failing miserably. "Stop," he said, and Tida obliged.
"Cap'n, what about Bickson's son? They say he's pretty good, ya?" Botta said, and Keepa nodded in agreement.
"Who cares? Just get out there and let's win!"
—
"You ready?" Chappu asked, stretching. He eyed Tida uncertainly.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah! I can't wait to blitz!" Tida's eyes shone with excitement. Her green glowed like an emerald, and her blue eyes flashed like a sapphire.
Chappu chuckled. "Right."
"Let's go!" Letty called, and he led the way into the sphere.
The game began with Tida catching the ball and making a quick side pass to Chappu, who swam around a Goer defender and dropped it back to Letty.
Letty swam forward at full speed before a Goer tackled him. He lost the ball on the tackle but was quickly recovered by Tida, who moved through the water like she was a part of it. She swam furiously through the water, heading directly to the goal. She dodged Bickson's son—as she was told later—and scored.
The Besaiders in the stands erupted with applause. They didn't know this new player, but what the hell did that matter as long as they won?
Chappu and Tida exchanged high fives and returned to their positions for the next jump.
This time, it was a female Goer who took control of the ball. She forced her way through Letty and Chappu, but Tida was too far away to stop her. She shot.
Keepa missed.
Half time.
"Jai, nice shot! Chappu, excellent moves out there! Where on earth did you two come from?" Letty crowed, looking pleased with his two new players.
Tida and Chappu exchanged glances. "Around."
"Right, then. Let's get out there and finish this game!"
The second half was at least ten times worse than the first. The ball was passed back and forth so many times between the teams that some of the crowd was actually beginning to fall asleep. The ball just couldn't seem to get out of the middle. An Auroch would steal it, lose, gain it back, and then lose it again.
It was a never-ending cycle, it seemed.
Tida paused in the middle of the sphere and watched as Chappu and Bickson's son, Bicker, grappled for the ball. Somehow, Bicker lost his grip, and Chappu lost his balance in surprise. The ball sailed up at a fast speed and Tida shot up after it.
The crowd was awake now, but extremely quiet as they watched the ball sail up out of the sphere, Tida right behind it.
She didn't know how she knew what to do, or why. The next thing she knew she was flipping, her right foot connecting with the blitzball. The ball sailed back down at an alarming rate, though the water and right by the shocked goalie.
"AUROCHS WIN! AUROUCHS WIN!"
Tida dove back into the sphere pool to the bone-crushing hugs of her teammates. Letty had lost all composure, pounding her on the back. Tida wished he'd stop. Holding your breath was hard enough.
—
"You sure you can't stay just a little longer?" Letty wheedled, trying to coax Tida and Chappu into handing around for a while—like forever.
Tida shook her head, politely refusing. "I'm sorry, but Chappu and I really have to go. There're some things we have to take care of."
Letty sighed. "All right then. But any time you wanna blitz, don't be afraid to come back around, ya?"
"Right," Tida said, making a fist and jamming her elbow down, "Cap'n!"
Chappu shook his as he followed Tida out. "You're weird, you know that?"
"Yeah, but who cares? I'm a summoner!" Tida exclaimed, dancing down the hall.
"Will stop that? You're embarrassing me!" Chappu hissed, grabbing her arm and forcing her to stop. Tida smirked.
"I'm embarrassing you?" she said slowly. She snorted. "At least I'm not walking around with my fly unzipped."
"Shit!"
* * *
"Ah, the Mi'ihen Highroad!" Tida said, stifling a yawn and stretching luxuriously, hands high above her head. She swung her arms, looking around.
Chappu emerged from the stairs leading back down to Luca. He was busily polishing a long, thick silver sword. Tida raised an eyebrow, cocking her head.
"I didn't know you fought with a sword," she said.
"You never asked. I'm originally from Luca, so I left it here when I went to Besaid," Chappu explained. "It's the Howler."
"The what?"
"The Howler. It increases strength, magic ability, can inflict Silence, and it can pierce even the hardest-shelled fiend," Chappu said, obviously proud of his blade.
"Uh-huh. Well, I'll stick with mine, okay?" Tida said, pointing to the vividly blue sword leaning against the tall column at the beginning of the Highroad.
"Where'd you get it? I remember it—sort of, anyway," Chappu said, looking it over. "It's got a lot of strength to it—and the Waterstrike ability."
"It's called the Brotherhood. It was on display in Besaid Temple, but I took it. I figure I inherit it. It was my dad's," Tida said, lifting it up and running her left hand over the cerulean blade lovingly. "My Uncle Wakka gave it to him just before they left Besaid to begin my mom's pilgrimage."
"So that's where I've seen it. I saw Tidus running with it," Chappu said. "I don't know why, though. I never did figure that one out."
"It's not really important, anyway," Tida said, shrugging. "As long as he used it to protect my mom, I mean."
"Yeah. What about that staff—Nirvana, did you call it?"
"Mom's legendary weapon. Its powers have been unlocked, and only Mom could handle it, so that explains why I can too. I'm her daughter, and I'm a summoner." Tida said, revealing the decorated staff.
"Why don't you summon an aeon—just to see if you can," Chappu said, watching her handle Nirvana carefully as though it might break.
"It wouldn't hurt for one try, I guess," Tida said. She and Chappu walked a little ways to the side, off the Highroad. Tida sucked in a breath. "Here goes."
Tida twirled Nirvana in her hands before bringing it down, easily, to the ground. Fire spurted around her and a second later the aeon Ifrit was holding Tida comfortably on his shoulder.
"Whoa!" Tida said, her eyes widening. Chappu laughed. Tida let out a shriek.
"I did it! I did it! I summoned an aeon!" Tida cried, sliding to the ground and jumping around happily. "Yes!" Tida punched the air with her fist, laughing. Completely unaware, she hugged Chappu.
Eh, not bad I guess. But then, you did ask for it and so I deliver. Next chapter will be up when I get 12 total—that does count the ones I already have, too, k? Catch ya lata!
Angel of the Faith
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Tida, Chappu, and Chappu's weapons… for now…