Final Fantasy X: Journey
"There it is. Macalania Temple," Yuna said, squeezing Tida's hand. Tida stared hard at the temple, her eyes like stone. Yuna sighed. What on Spira had she done to make her daughter suffer through all of this?
You married Seymour and then sent him to the Farplane, Yuna reminded herself, sighing a little. She watched as Wakka sent a snowball into the back of Rikku's head. In outrage, Rikku sent a well-aimed grenade at his feet. Wakka screamed and dove into a snowdrift as the grenade exploded, showering all of them with snow.
"Sorry," Rikku said sheepishly.
It was Chappu who led the way into the temple, and Tida felt herself shiver slightly. It was as cold in the temple as it was outside!
"Come on. We don't solve the trials until after you pray," Yuna said. She walked up the stairs, Tida following behind. The others walked ahead of Tida toward the end of the ice tunnel. Tida took a step and the ice beneath her began to disappear.
Quickly, she did a front flip through the air to land on the next piece. It too, vanished and Tida back flipped. Once more, she did a full twister before a backhand spring landed her inside the room.
"Go on," Chappu urged, nodding to the door. Tida shook her head and walked to it, completely aware of all the eyes on her—no, on the summoner.
Tida ran down the spiraling ramp to the door to the Chamber of the Fayth. She pushed it open and walked silently inside, her eyes darting around at the many icicles on the trailing down the wails and hanging from the ceiling. Tida knelt down, clasping her hands together softly, and began praying, calling to the fayth within.
"Welcome, daughter of Yuna."
Tida smiled to herself and stood up, raising her head to look up at the floating fayth before her. "Thank you," she responded, bowing respectively.
"I have been waiting for you. It has been a long time since anyone has come to pray, and now the time has come for a summoner to awaken us again. I have been waiting for that. I will gladly grant you the power of my aeon," the fayth said, smiling. The fayth bowed to Tida this time and winked at her.
"Thank you," Tida said again, but this time she did not bow, but simply smiled instead, nodding.
"You will be fine," the fayth assured her.
Tida emerged from the chamber and sprinted back up the slope, her boots sometimes slipping on the glossy ice. She reentered the other room where she found no one waiting for her, but instead discovered everyone facing none other than Seymour, who was smiling somewhat unpleasantly.
Anger flooded through Tida and her blood boiled with it. "How dare you come here to this sacred place!" she shouted quickly moving forward. Yuna and Rikku grabbed her shoulders, drawing her back. Their gazes on Seymour were nothing short of loathing. Wakka and Chappu were in the front, their fists clenched tightly, awaiting the battle they knew would come. Lulu was off to the side, quietly watching Seymour with a look of supreme hatred in her red eyes.
"So, at last we meet." Seymour said, his eyes sweeping over Tida. "You look like your father, but you have your mother's beautiful eyes. What a shame to have wasted such beauty that could have been."
Tida growled. "Don't you dare talk about my father!" Tida made a desperate attempt to lunge at Seymour, to hurt him, to kill him, but Yuna and Rikku held her back, Yuna's eyes now matching perfectly with Tida's, identical fires burning dangerously within each emerald and sapphire.
"Yuna, my dear bride," Seymour said sorrowfully, "to think you would die for a waste, what a pity." Seymour took a step forward, his hand raised to cast a spell.
He never got the chance as Lulu beat him to it, casting Firaga without a second thought. The battle had begun, and Tida was in no mood to wait her turn. She lashed out with the Brotherhood, catching Seymour by surprise at her nerve and strength. She yelled and attacked again.
Yuna worked as the healer, though every now and then she would cast Holy on Seymour. She held Nirvana once more, and the power surged through her being. Chappu was steadily working on cutting Seymour down, and Wakka was dodging spells, throwing World Champion whenever he could. Lulu wasting casting spells like there was no tomorrow and Rikku was Copycatting every other one.
"Give it up, Seymour!" Tida yelled, springing forward once more.
Seymour released a powerful wave of magic, sending everyone flying painfully into the far wall, calling out in hurt. He stood up fully, his eyes dark. His eyes flashed as he saw Tida, holding herself up on her elbows, one eye closed in pain and the other smoldering with abhor. "Seymour!" she hissed.
"Until next time, Tidus brat!" he said, disappearing.
Tida got to her feet gingerly, using the Brotherhood as a lever. She looked around at her mother and friends. They were all in the process of getting up and she could already hear Rikku's incomprehensible mutterings under breath. Yuna stood up next to Tida and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"We'll get him, Tida. That I can promise you."
* * *
"This is so not fair," Tida grumbled, resting her head on her hand, elbow on the bar. She glared half-heartedly at Chappu, who was drinking a glass of wine.
"Stop whining, Tida," he said, smirking. "You're ruining my drink."
"I'll do more than ruin it," Tida threatened. She sighed and folded her arms, head resting on them. She yawned—which Chappu quickly noticed.
"Ready for bed yet?" he asked, swirling the red liquid around jovially before taking a small sip. Tida nodded her head and closed her eyes. She stifled another yawn and stretched her arms over head, sighing with pleasure. Her eyes shot to the glass in Chappu's hand.
"Just one drink," she pleaded, straightening, hand reaching for it. Chappu shook his head, downing the rest of the wine in one gulp. "I've gotta get you back to the hotel. Besides, Bevelle is usually dangerous at night. I would like to keep my head, too. Your mom would kill me if I kept you out here."
"Okay," Tida said, standing weakly. She stumbled and Chappu caught her before she could make friends with the ground. He hoisted her onto his back, where she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and sighed contentedly, burying her face in the back of his shoulder.
Chappu smiled and walked outside, heading for the hotel. He whistled to himself as each footstep carrying him and his precious cargo closer.
Upon entering, he could hear Lulu screaming and Wakka bellowing back at her. He shook his head, smiling. Rikku and Yuna were in the next room, trying to ignore the argument going on next door. Chappu deposited Tida on the bed next to Yuna, who instantly went into mother-mode and removed Tida's boots and belt. Humming softly, Yuna covered Tida up. Tida made a noise and snuggled down into the pillow.
"I guess I'll go see if I can convince Lulu and Wakka to stop arguing so we can all get some sleep." Chappu said, moving back out the door and entering the next one. The second he entered, the volume increased and he knew that the walls were insulated—but nothing and nobody could tune out Wakka and Lulu in an all-out war.
"You stupid, egotistical, chauvinist male pig! How dare you—"
"Egotistical? Egotistical? I am not ego—"
"Um, guys?"
"WHAT?!" Wakka and Lulu shouted, their heads snapping around to face Chappu, who took a step back. Spit had been flying from Wakka's mouth and Lulu's handprint was on across one cheek.
"Um, it's time to go to bed and—uh—yeah," Chappu scratched the back of his head nervously, praying to the fayth that they didn't turn on him.
"Right. Goodnight." Wakka turned his back on Lulu and climbed into bed. Lulu screamed in desperation and slammed the door on her way out, cursing Wakka. Chappu sighed.
"What did you do?"
"Oh, so it's all my fault, ya?" Wakka said angrily, sitting up and glaring at Chappu.
"Well, no. It's that Lulu never yells at you unless—"
"Unless what? I piss her off? Just go to sleep, Chappu. You've got a summoner to protect," Wakka snapped, yanking the covers over his head.
Chappu sighed again, this time in defeat, and turned off the light. He could still feel the warmth Tida had left on his back and the way it had felt to have her arms around his neck. He smiled to himself and rested his head on his hands, elbows out on the pillow. Chappu wondered what it would be like to kiss her again, and have those eyes widen in surprise. His mind wandered . . .
"Chappu, you're drooling."
* * *
"Everyone ready?" Tida asked, pulling her cape on and fastening it. Yuna caught sight of her necklace as it flashed in the sun. "Tida, where did you get that?"
"Hmm? Oh, Dad gave it me," Tida said, holding it one hand. She smiled and kissed it, letting it drop back down on her chest.
Chappu emerged from his and Wakka's room, sheathing his sword onto his back. He stopped then, looking oddly at Tida. "Why did you change clothes?"
Tida shrugged. "I felt like a change." She surveyed herself gleefully, giggling.
Gone were the black gloves. The yellow and white half-jacket remained only because Tida couldn't bear to part with it. She had on a pair of cloth black shorts, not at all tight, but short. She still had her boots as well, knowing she'd need them. The cape was still new, and the loose belt around her waist was as well. The khaki pouch rested against her hip. Tida smiled as Chappu's eyes fell to her black sports bra underneath the half-jacket. It had a small slit in the middle, and the necklace was seen there.
"So, everyone ready?" Tida asked again, eager to acquire her next aeon. Yuna nodded, wondering whether or not she should reprimand Tida about her "top."
Tidus would freak, she thought wryly, smiling to herself as she imagined his reaction. She felt another pang of sadness that he wasn't here to watch her now, surrounded by those who would die for her.
"We're ready!" Rikku cried, punching the air, her energy exciting Tida even more. Silently, Wakka cursed the Al Bhed woman for her get-up-and-go ability. He clutched his head, knowing he would have a headache by midday.
"Let's go!" Tida said, dashing toward Bevelle Palace, which was also the temple. Chappu chased after her and hauled her back to the group.
"We have to make a plan first!" he insisted.
"Man, if Auron were here, he'd worship the ground you walk on. You two are spoilsports! Who needs a plan?" Rikku said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Bevelle is really strict about the temple. They don't allow anyone in, not even visiting priests. We'll need a plan to get in," Chappu explained.
"I don't remember Bevelle ever being that tight-assed," Yuna mused, and then realized everyone was looking at her. She held her hands up in defense. "Hey, Rikku and Tida are rubbing off on me!"
"Uh-huh. Chappu, since this was your idea, what's the sketch?" Tida said, turning to him, smirking, hands up behind her head—a gesture that immediately drew the other's eyes. Just like Tidus.
"Well, I figure we can use Yuna." Chappu shrugged. "It's worth a shot."
"And if that doesn't work?" Wakka asked.
"We throw Rikku at them and run like hell," Chappu said, grinning. Rikku backhanded him—"OW!"—and sighed, shaking her head.
"I've got it!" Tida said, punching her fist into her palm. "It's simple…"
—
"You are definitely Tidus's daughter," Rikku whispered to Tida, who was crouched down behind a statue outside the temple. She grinned back at Rikku and looked at the two guards standing outside the entrance.
"Aunt Rikku, the flash bomb if you will," Tida said curtly, holding her hand over her shoulder. Rikku slapped the flasher into Tida's palm and took a step, back ready to signal the others.
Tida cocked her head—and threw the bomb.
Click, click, click. FLASH!
"Now!" Tida yelled, and Rikku dropped her hand, the others racing with them into the entrance. They jumped on the platform and Tida banged on the power button. They rode to the bottom laughing. Wakka and Chappu readied themselves for the next task.
This time, four warrior monks were standing outside the next entrance. Chappu and Wakka slapped high fives before leaping off the platform and over the side, landing on the monks. The girls stepped off the platform at the bottom and they all hurried inside.
Now inside, it was Yuna who solved the trials easily, having solved them once before. She led the way into the next chamber.
Tida squared her shoulders. This was it. She marched forward into the Chamber of the Fayth, glancing back at the people waiting behind her. Tida turned around when the doors closed.
And felt her world grow black.
Disclaimer: All belongs to Squaresoft. Tida and Chappu are mine.