Final Fantasy X: Journey
Tida groaned and rolled over, pushing herself up to her elbows. She blinked, trying to focus. She awkwardly got to her feet and looked up.
"Holy Fayth!"
Tall, tall buildings and raised roads were all around. A huge blitzball stadium was silhouetted in the distance. Tida stared around in wonder.
"I've been waiting for you, daughter of Tidus."
Tida whirled around, taking up her battle stance. Upon seeing the owner of the voice, she stopped, straightening. "Who are you?"
It was a fayth, she knew, but it was—had to be—a little boy.
"I've been awaiting you for a long time, daughter of Tidus," he said, looking up at her from underneath his hood. He smiled.
"Why? All the others have the same, but I don't understand," Tida said, hoping she'd get an explanation for everything going on.
"You are the One. You are the person chosen by the Aeon of Light, to shine through the Dark Shadow that is slowly overtaking Spira. We've been waiting for you since we first felt the Shadow in our sleep. It was so powerful it was able to awaken us."
"But why me? And what exactly is the Aeon of Light?" Tida asked, confusion beginning to cloud her mind. She shook her head to clear it.
"Why you were chosen no one knows—or can understand. We fayth only know that you were. The Aeon of Light wouldn't have chosen you otherwise. As for the Aeon of Light, it is hidden somewhere in this world. Only when you acquire this aeon can you hope to defeat the Shadow that lies around you."
"So I have to find it to save everyone?" Tida said, praying she'd gotten that fact down. The fayth nodded, and Tida sighed.
"Well, then I guess I'll have to go searching. Can I get a hint?"
"No."
"Just thought I'd ask. So, can I have the power of your aeon?"
"Yes."
"Sweet. Uh, where am I anyway?"
"The Zanarkand your father is from."
"This is his Zanarkand. It's incredible. Oh, Dad, I wish you were here with me. I could really use your help with this Shadow," Tida said, ending in a whisper as she gazed around Zanarkand. She noted the house she was standing next to, and could feel his presence drifting from it.
—
"I got… it…" Tida trailed off as she ran back into the room the others had been waiting in. What she discovered instead were warrior monks standing around the room, machina weapons aiming around at her party members. Chappu moved in front of her, shielding her from their sight.
"Are you once again a traitor, Lady Yuna? Or could it be this slip of a girl you travel with?" Maester Riono asked, stepping up, his dark hair and eyes both perfect reflections of his personality.
"We're no traitors, you over-stuffed—"
"Tida!" Yuna said sharply, her head turning swiftly to her daughter for a split second before moving back the Maester. She shifted uneasily.
Maester Riono's eyes shifted to Tida, and she clenched one fist furiously, liking nothing more than the idea of running up to him and slamming him right in the nose.
"So, the prodigal princess returns." Riono said, smiling unpleasantly at Tida. He knew too well that the people of Spira would support Yuna and Tida if anything were said against them.
"Shut your damn mouth!" Chappu snapped, drawing the Spirit Keeper and pointing it threateningly at Riono. Three of the monks transferred their weapons to point at Chappu.
"I would be wise in what I said, boy," Riono said. "I don't believe Lady Tida would like to see you die, even it were for her."
"Silence, Riono! You were behind my kidnapping as well!"
"What? Kidnapping?" Cries of outrage came from all sides of Tida, and she met her mother's eyes, nodding jerkily. Yuna's vibrant orbs turned dark.
"How dare you!" she hissed, snapping around to point at Riono, one hand formed into a fist by her side, her entire body shaking with fury.
Riono laughed, and waved one hand carelessly. "Oh, give it up. It's not as if you could escape anyway."
Tida growled and before she could even stop to think, her arms were outstretched to the side. "Bahamut, this is my plea! Hear my call and come to me!"
A loud roar ripped through the air and Tida grabbed Yuna's hand. "Come on!" she shouted, making a dash for the exit. The entire temple was shaking and statues were falling down. Tida led the others out into the sun, where a second group of warrior monks awaited.
"Halt!" one commanded, but Lulu snapped her fingers and a firewall sprang up around them. They continued on past, running.
"What now?" Chappu yelled, racing alongside Tida.
"I have no idea! I'm making it up as I go!" she called back, clearly having the time of her life. She jumped over a stack of boxes and fell back in line with her mother.
"The Titan!" Rikku shouted, pointing overhead. Rope ladders sailed down from the sides and hands quickly grabbed on as they were pulled into the air. Tida held on to the bottom rung, looking back over her shoulder at the now still temple. A flash of light shot into the air and she smiled, silently thanking Bahamut for his services.
* * *
"I can't believe you were kidnapped!" Yuna cried, pressing back her tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
"You've said that already, Mama. I'm here now, aren't I?" Tida said, trying to sooth her mother and keep her from going into hysterics.
"I was in the next room and I still didn't hear anything! It's all my fault!" Yuna wailed, the handle on her waterworks turning. Tida sighed and pulled her mother into an embrace, soft whispers escaping her lips.
"Tida, what was that about the Aeon of Light again?" Chappu interrupted, racking his brain to see if there was any memory of it.
"Like I said before, the Aeon of Light chose me to stop the Shadow. No one knows where it is, or the extent of its power," Tida explained once more, rolling her eyes.
"Well, I know where we can get two more awesome aeons!" Rikku said, her swirled green Al Bhed eyes sparkling with knowledge.
"Anima and the Magus Sisters, right? Where are they exactly?" Chappu asked, turning around to face Rikku, who grinned even brighter.
"The Magus Sisters are in Remiem Temple in the Calm Lands. Anima is hidden within an Al Bhed territory. They shouldn't be too hard to get," Rikku said, clenching one hand into a fist and punching the air. "I'll go tell Pops to head for the Calm Lands!"
"Thanks, Aunt Rikku. Thanks all of you," Tida said, nodding her head to the group gathered around her. Yuna hugged Tida tightly, and then let her go.
"Aw, you're embarrassing me, ya!" Wakka said, blushing.
—
"Is it just me, or does it seem to be a little windy around here?" Tida said, snatching Rikku's scarf as it fluttered by. She handed it back to Rikku and looked at her mother, who was negotiating with the chocobo trainer. Finally, Yuna smiled.
"I managed to get us three chocobos, so we'll have to double up," she said. "I'll ride with Rikku."
"Then I'll ride with Wakka—someone needs to or he'll end up getting lost," Lulu said, casting a doubtful glance at Wakka as he protested.
"I guess I'll go with Chappu," Tida said, hiding her blush as she climbed up in front of him on the chocobo.
"Remiem Temple is just over there. We have to go up that bluff and then over that way to get there. The chocobos will glide down," Rikku said, pointing.
They started off, Tida and Chappu in the lead. After fifteen minutes of silent riding, Tida glanced around behind them to discover fiends slowly following them. She narrowed her eyes.
"We're tracked," she said. Chappu glimpsed the fiends and looked back forward.
"They can't get to us, so don't worry. We're almost there anyway," he said, nodding. Tida turned back around and saw the drop off only a quarter of a mile away.
"Wow," she said, whistling. "I don't think I'm gonna enjoy it when we jump down."
"You won't be alone in that," Chappu said, gritting his teeth. Tida blushed again.
"Hey, pull up!" Yuna called, trotting up to them, Rikku bouncing behind her. "We'll go first, just in case."
"Have fun," Tida said, motioning her mother and Rikku toward the edge.
The chocobo jumped, and flapped its wings furiously before landing softly on the grass 70-some feet below. Yuna turned and called up to them.
Tida inhaled, and closed her eyes, feeling Chappu's grip on her hips tighten. The chocobo leapt and sailed gently through the air before landing with a slight thud on the ground. Tida exhaled, relieved.
After Lulu and Wakka joined them, they rode through the passage and up to the bridge that lead across to Remiem Temple. Once across, Chappu and Wakka opened the doors and they walked quietly inside.
"Sweet," Tida said, grinning as she ran across the floor to the doors on the other side. She stopped in front of them and watched as they opened, allowing her entrance.
"Killer!" she cried. Unlike the other fayth chambers, this one was brightly lit with different colored flames dancing around on the walls. Tida glanced down at the crystal dome that held the fayth and knelt down to her knees, handing clasping together. Unaware of what she was doing, Tida hummed to herself faintly.
Three fayth rose from the dome and gazed, smiling, down at Tida. They knew the song better than she did—it was, after all, the Song of the Fayth.
"Welcome," all three said. Tida jerked her head up, surprised.
"H—hey," she said, jumping to her feet.
"It has been a while. Not many people know about this temple," they said, and Tida raised her eyebrows.
Big shocker there, Tida thought, remembering the journey to get to the temple.
"I know you've been waiting for me, so can you—will grant me your power?" Tida asked, correcting herself in mid-sentence.
"But first, a clue:
Once lost, but now foundA child sleeps within a sound
Daring nerve and a heart of gold
Her story will never be retold
Find your way to where angels sleep
Awaiting the awakening under the deep
The city of the past is where you will find
That which bears the secret of mind"
"Thank you," Tida said, bowing politely and turning to leave. The fayth disappeared, returning to a brief slumber before Tida would call them.
Yuna turned around as Tida came out of the Chamber of the Fayth, and was surprised to see her grinning.
"I got a something of a clue," she said, reciting the message the fayth had given her. Yuna put a finger to her lips, thinking.
" 'Find your way to where angels sleep, awaiting the awakening under the deep'. That's really hard to figure out. Where do angels sleep?" Yuna wondered aloud.
Tida shrugged. "No idea. Well, on to get Anima!"
Disclaimer: All belongs to Squaresoft. Tida, Chappu, Aeon of Light, etc., are mine.