Disclaimer: Please read Chapter 1.
Chapter 3: A Fateful Encounter
Zanarkand was alight. Tidus was shocked to find a few buildings aflame. The black mages were already on the job, though, trying to estinguish the flames with their Water. Crashed ships were littering the streets and there were bodies scattered here and there. Their monks were using the flamethrowers to dive the enemy back, but they were relentless.
Hearing something behind him, Tidus flipped backwards over the head of a Bevellian trooper, poised to cleave. His eyes went wide and he gave out a yelp when the blitzer landed, driving his longsword into his armor. The soldier sank to his knees when Tidus withdrew his blade, blood shining on the edge. One down, probably a whole hell left to go.
Tidus started to make his way to another trooper but stopped when he heard a high pitched scream. He looked wildly around, trying to find the source of the voice. More screams, a faint sound of "Let go of me!" and it seemed to be coming from one of the alleways. Running to the narrow space he found one of their own soldiers, him arms clasped around a girl, who struggling and trying to hit the man with a staff. Wow... The girl was wearing a short, wrap skirt with knee high boots. She had long, cotton pieces of cloth, encasing her arms to the elbow. She wore a sleeveless, hooded, cotton jacket with ended in a drape behind her. Every piece of clothing she had on was white with a red trimming, so she stood out like an immensly sore thumb. Her raven hair framed her flushed face.
Rushing forward, Tidus adressed the trooper, "What do you think you're doing?" The man looked Tidus up and down, disparaginly, "Who the hell are you, kid?"
"My name is Tidus."
"...You're Captain Jechts son, aren't you?"
"Unfortunately. What are you doing with this girl?", he said, pointing to a face that was looking strangely at him. "She's not one of ours! She was trying to revive this guy", the soldier said, toeing a body on the floor.
"In any case, leave her." The man started looking suspiciously at Tidus. "Why? You're not even at rank to order me around. Hell, you're not even in the army! Why should I listen to you?" Tidus' face started to flush, but then he thought of something. "Leave the girl and kill someone who matters...or Captain Jecht is gonna hear that you were fooling around with an enemy in the middle of a battle."
The girl looked like she was going to giggle, but then she thought better of and settled for cocking her brow. The man looked on increduously at Tidus, opening and closing his mouth. "F-fine! But she's under your responsibility!" The man rushed off, leaving the two alone. Tidus turned around to greet the girl when he found a staff pointed a his throat. "Why did you help me?"
"Huh?" Why did he help her?
"Tell me why you helped me, 'cause I don't need any help from Zanarkand scum." Tidus was so taken aback that he felt his own anger rising. "Well, I just thought you were in trouble there, so I just wanted to get you out..."
"Ha! You do realize that I'm from Bevelle, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Then why?", Her features were cringed as she lowered the staff a little. Tidus was about to answer when there was a rushing sound from above. They looked up and saw a Bevelle fighter coming at them. "Down!", he yelled, pulling the girl down with him as she yelled "Why?!", back. "They're after you, not me!" But she was silenced when the cannons on the fighter opened fire on them, steadily pumpinng bolts. She screamed as Tidus grabed her and pulled her quickly behind a crate. "That's why!"
"I don't get it!", she whispered feverishly. "Why are they shooting at me?"
"Maybe 'cause you're with me?", Tidus suggested, sarcastically.
"Gee, ya think?", the girl said as the fighter came around for another pass. Tidus pulled up his blade and stood up. "What do you think you're gonna do with that?! Shake it at him so he gets scared and run away?" The girl asked, increduously, looking up at him.
"No. Like you said, they're after me." With that, he dashed out in front of the approaching fighter. It opened fire, the bolts missing just inches from his feet. Tidus began to backflip as the approaching fighter kept leaving holes where was, seconds before. At the last second, Tidus fell flat on he stomach as the fighter swept dangerously close to the ground, grazing the back of his blitz uniform. It rose away from the alley, slowly turning again.
Getting to his feet, Tidus dashed at the wall and jump kicked to the other side. He kept at it until he was at the top of one of the buildings. Turning to face the fighter once more, he was blown off his feet when a small shell exploded near him. Clinging to the edge of the roof, he flipped back up, slightly shaken, not noticing the fighter coming through the smoke. Tidus gasped as he saw a bolt speeding his way, vainly crossing his arms in front of him. He was instantly shot down, feeling the air of the fighter moving away- wait, feeling? Tidus felt his arms and chest, searching for a wound, a big smoky hole...nothing. He was alive. Then he looked at his arms properly and realized that they were emitting a faint glow. Hearing a small gasp, he looked down. The girl had her eyes closed, her hand pointing up at him, letting of a faint radiance. She saved me...
Tidus started to wonder about this when he remebered the situation he was in. Confident, with Protect shielding him, he brought up his blade at the oncoming fighter. Suddenly, a rush of hot air blazed past him, and the next second, the fighter had exploded in a show of sparks, flame and smoke. Whirling around, he quickly spotted the source of this.
Ifrit, large, proud, and roaring had stepped into the alley. It gave one large sniff and started collecting flame in it's claws. With a horrible thought, Tidus remebered the girl who was looking like she was on the verge of collapse, keeping the Protect spell. She doesn't see it!!! Without thinking, he dove for the girl just as Ifrit released Fire. Tidus made contact with her and rolled her to the side as the attack razed the alley with flame. Without another thought, he ran towards Ifrit with the girl in his arms, leaping over the horned menace, drawing a furious roar from it.
Tidus headed for the bridge, with Ifrit hot on his heels. Dammit! DAMMIT! Stupid Aeon! I knew I shoulda taken that magic course! Fire spells started whizzing past him, exploding ahead. There was a twitching in his arms and he looked down to see the girl, slightly smiling. "We're even."
"Great, but now I have to keep this damn thing from scorching us both!", Tidus said, through gritted teeth. "Any chance of some more of that magic?" The girl shook her head, sadly, "I don't think I can."
Then, a blast exploded behind them and they were thrown onto the edge of the bridge. The night was filled with a scream as the girl went off the edge, heading to the water below. "NO!", Tidus reached out and grabbed wildly for her hand. Holding it, he gave out a sigh of relief.
"Wh...why do you keep s-saving me", the girl shuddered. Again? I didn't think you needed a reason to help somebody."
"Ha! You must live a sheltered life to say something like that..."
"Hey! Y'know I can drop you right here?", Tidus said with a smile. The girl, shyly began to return the smile, but then her face blanched. "Uh...Mr. Hero? I don't think he cares very much." The blitzer craned he neck to see Ifrit, firey and leering down at him. In that instant, he yanked the girl up and flung her to the side as he rolled, narrowly missing a set of razor claws. Hand driven into metal, Ifrit gave deafening roar, trying to pull it out. "Run!", the pair made off and hid behind the side of a large bulding, checking to make sure the Aeon wasn't freed.
Without turning around, Tidus said, "Because I wanted to." The girl looked perplexed. "What?" He turned and looked at her meaningfully, "I saved you because I wanted to." The girl looked up at him, even more confused than before, "Oh..." She looked away, her face burning as Ifrit let loose another roar.
"Shit!", said Tidus who was staring at the Aeon, who was stomping their way. "Look at its hand..." It was bloody and mangled, three of its claws seeming to have pulled off. They started to run again for the the next row of buildings, "Is it Bevellian or Zanarian?"
"Zanarian, I just have to-"
"Then you should stop helping me." Tidus stopped and looked at her, "What?"
"If you fought that thing, you'd be commiting treason!"
"Like when you used Protect?" The girl fell silent, her eyes downcast. "By the way, my name is Tidus", he said pulling her into a run again. The girl looked up and smiled weakly, "My name is Lynn. Pleased to make your aquaintance."
"Heh", Tidus stopped and threw a glance at the oncoming Aeon. "You stay here", he said, drawing his blade, "I'm taking him out."
"WHAT?!", Lynn said, her eyes widening to size of coins. "That's an AEON! You'll be killed! You're either very brave or very stupid!"
"Well, I'd like to go for the former, myself..." But Lynn shook her head. "I'm helping you."
"No, you're still too weak from that spell", Tidus said, looking back again. "Stay right here!"
"NO! But-!" Tidus had rushed off at Ifrit.
"Take this!", he leapt up and drove his blade down, only to be painfully swatted away with a claw. "Angry, are you? Well, I guess having three lethal claws pulled out of your hand does that." Getting to his feet again, Tidus took a swipe at the damged hand drawing a feral scream from the Aeon. "You don't like that, do- errgh", Ifrit had taken his good hand and had savagely punched punched the kid away.
Landing ten feet away, Tidus curled up and started coughing up blood. "Urgh...you bastard..." Then he fell limp, his body vibrating as Ifrit's thunderous footfalls came closer.
"Tidus!", yelled Lynn, trying to get up. She fell back to the ground and squinted, trying to hold back tears. The Aeon stopped at the body of the blitzer and raised one claw, wrapped in flame. With a roar, it brought it down only to hit stone as Tidus' form had sprang to life, leaping away. "Heh...thought you...had me then, eh?"
Poising his blade, Tidus made another run at Ifrit, earning another sob of "Don't!" from Lynn. Determined this time, Ifrit sent another ball of flame at him when he was feet away, only to miss as Tidus leapt up again, flipping over his head, cutting at the top of it. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG". The cry sent a chill up the spines of people for miles afar. Tidus landed, paralyzed at the vociferous, bestial noise. He had made a grave mistake. In that instant, Ifrit had rushed forward, thrusting his head visciously, spearing Tidus' body. The longsword clattered to the floor as Lynn watched, horrified, lips trembling.
With a triumphant roar, Ifrit whipped his head, back and forth, ripping at the body. With one final shake, Tidus' body slipped off the horn and slumped into a ragged pile. "NO!", Lynn screamed, getting up and leaning on her staff. The sound echoed oddly in Tidus' ears, his vision distorted. He groped at his pouch for Phoenix Downs...but then, darkness.
For a time that seemed eternal, Tidus wandered the dark. I'm dead. Dead! Ha! By a stupid Aeon. Ah...no! I can't! What happened to Lynn?! Then, as if answering this question, a light swirled up beneath him, wrapping inside. Then, with a jerk, his body started moving again. "Ahhh " He sat up again, holding his stomach, hacking up blood. What happened...?
"Hey! I could use a little help here!" It was Lynn. She was backed up against a wall, on her knees, staff held up in a fultile resistance to the towering figure of Ifrit. Still marvelling at the fact that he was alive, Tidus ran, grabbing his blade off the floor, feeling the gastly scar that now ran across his stomach. "Hey! You big flaming jackass!" Ifrit whirled around, his nostrils flared. "Were you planning on touching the lady with those ugly hands?" The taunts seemed to anger beyond comprehension as he lunged at Tidus, who snaked off to the side, stepping in front of Lynn.
"I just wanted to say thanks", he said, looking down at Lynn, as death turned around in front. The mage, again, smiled weakly, "Well, you better have enjoyed it because I'm not up to casting it again."
"Don't worry, I have a plan", Tidus said, turning back to the Aeon.
"Really?"
"Don't worry."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Ifrit stopped five feet away from the pair. It let out another horrifying cry and started charging a flame infront of it. Sparks flew around a boulder that had formed in the middle.
"Dammit! This is gonna hurt", Tidus said through gritted teeth as he widened his stance and gripped his blade. Then as Ifrit raised its claw to strike the flaming rock, two things happened in rapid sucession. The was a yell of "Blizzard!" behind it and then, the Meteorstrike vanished, and Ifrit was encased in a thick coating of ice. Both Lynn's and Tidus' jaws dropped as a girl dressed in tight, black, leather hopped onto Ifrit's head and said, "Hey, Tidus! I thought you could use some help."
Chapter 3: A Fateful Encounter
Zanarkand was alight. Tidus was shocked to find a few buildings aflame. The black mages were already on the job, though, trying to estinguish the flames with their Water. Crashed ships were littering the streets and there were bodies scattered here and there. Their monks were using the flamethrowers to dive the enemy back, but they were relentless.
Hearing something behind him, Tidus flipped backwards over the head of a Bevellian trooper, poised to cleave. His eyes went wide and he gave out a yelp when the blitzer landed, driving his longsword into his armor. The soldier sank to his knees when Tidus withdrew his blade, blood shining on the edge. One down, probably a whole hell left to go.
Tidus started to make his way to another trooper but stopped when he heard a high pitched scream. He looked wildly around, trying to find the source of the voice. More screams, a faint sound of "Let go of me!" and it seemed to be coming from one of the alleways. Running to the narrow space he found one of their own soldiers, him arms clasped around a girl, who struggling and trying to hit the man with a staff. Wow... The girl was wearing a short, wrap skirt with knee high boots. She had long, cotton pieces of cloth, encasing her arms to the elbow. She wore a sleeveless, hooded, cotton jacket with ended in a drape behind her. Every piece of clothing she had on was white with a red trimming, so she stood out like an immensly sore thumb. Her raven hair framed her flushed face.
Rushing forward, Tidus adressed the trooper, "What do you think you're doing?" The man looked Tidus up and down, disparaginly, "Who the hell are you, kid?"
"My name is Tidus."
"...You're Captain Jechts son, aren't you?"
"Unfortunately. What are you doing with this girl?", he said, pointing to a face that was looking strangely at him. "She's not one of ours! She was trying to revive this guy", the soldier said, toeing a body on the floor.
"In any case, leave her." The man started looking suspiciously at Tidus. "Why? You're not even at rank to order me around. Hell, you're not even in the army! Why should I listen to you?" Tidus' face started to flush, but then he thought of something. "Leave the girl and kill someone who matters...or Captain Jecht is gonna hear that you were fooling around with an enemy in the middle of a battle."
The girl looked like she was going to giggle, but then she thought better of and settled for cocking her brow. The man looked on increduously at Tidus, opening and closing his mouth. "F-fine! But she's under your responsibility!" The man rushed off, leaving the two alone. Tidus turned around to greet the girl when he found a staff pointed a his throat. "Why did you help me?"
"Huh?" Why did he help her?
"Tell me why you helped me, 'cause I don't need any help from Zanarkand scum." Tidus was so taken aback that he felt his own anger rising. "Well, I just thought you were in trouble there, so I just wanted to get you out..."
"Ha! You do realize that I'm from Bevelle, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Then why?", Her features were cringed as she lowered the staff a little. Tidus was about to answer when there was a rushing sound from above. They looked up and saw a Bevelle fighter coming at them. "Down!", he yelled, pulling the girl down with him as she yelled "Why?!", back. "They're after you, not me!" But she was silenced when the cannons on the fighter opened fire on them, steadily pumpinng bolts. She screamed as Tidus grabed her and pulled her quickly behind a crate. "That's why!"
"I don't get it!", she whispered feverishly. "Why are they shooting at me?"
"Maybe 'cause you're with me?", Tidus suggested, sarcastically.
"Gee, ya think?", the girl said as the fighter came around for another pass. Tidus pulled up his blade and stood up. "What do you think you're gonna do with that?! Shake it at him so he gets scared and run away?" The girl asked, increduously, looking up at him.
"No. Like you said, they're after me." With that, he dashed out in front of the approaching fighter. It opened fire, the bolts missing just inches from his feet. Tidus began to backflip as the approaching fighter kept leaving holes where was, seconds before. At the last second, Tidus fell flat on he stomach as the fighter swept dangerously close to the ground, grazing the back of his blitz uniform. It rose away from the alley, slowly turning again.
Getting to his feet, Tidus dashed at the wall and jump kicked to the other side. He kept at it until he was at the top of one of the buildings. Turning to face the fighter once more, he was blown off his feet when a small shell exploded near him. Clinging to the edge of the roof, he flipped back up, slightly shaken, not noticing the fighter coming through the smoke. Tidus gasped as he saw a bolt speeding his way, vainly crossing his arms in front of him. He was instantly shot down, feeling the air of the fighter moving away- wait, feeling? Tidus felt his arms and chest, searching for a wound, a big smoky hole...nothing. He was alive. Then he looked at his arms properly and realized that they were emitting a faint glow. Hearing a small gasp, he looked down. The girl had her eyes closed, her hand pointing up at him, letting of a faint radiance. She saved me...
Tidus started to wonder about this when he remebered the situation he was in. Confident, with Protect shielding him, he brought up his blade at the oncoming fighter. Suddenly, a rush of hot air blazed past him, and the next second, the fighter had exploded in a show of sparks, flame and smoke. Whirling around, he quickly spotted the source of this.
Ifrit, large, proud, and roaring had stepped into the alley. It gave one large sniff and started collecting flame in it's claws. With a horrible thought, Tidus remebered the girl who was looking like she was on the verge of collapse, keeping the Protect spell. She doesn't see it!!! Without thinking, he dove for the girl just as Ifrit released Fire. Tidus made contact with her and rolled her to the side as the attack razed the alley with flame. Without another thought, he ran towards Ifrit with the girl in his arms, leaping over the horned menace, drawing a furious roar from it.
Tidus headed for the bridge, with Ifrit hot on his heels. Dammit! DAMMIT! Stupid Aeon! I knew I shoulda taken that magic course! Fire spells started whizzing past him, exploding ahead. There was a twitching in his arms and he looked down to see the girl, slightly smiling. "We're even."
"Great, but now I have to keep this damn thing from scorching us both!", Tidus said, through gritted teeth. "Any chance of some more of that magic?" The girl shook her head, sadly, "I don't think I can."
Then, a blast exploded behind them and they were thrown onto the edge of the bridge. The night was filled with a scream as the girl went off the edge, heading to the water below. "NO!", Tidus reached out and grabbed wildly for her hand. Holding it, he gave out a sigh of relief.
"Wh...why do you keep s-saving me", the girl shuddered. Again? I didn't think you needed a reason to help somebody."
"Ha! You must live a sheltered life to say something like that..."
"Hey! Y'know I can drop you right here?", Tidus said with a smile. The girl, shyly began to return the smile, but then her face blanched. "Uh...Mr. Hero? I don't think he cares very much." The blitzer craned he neck to see Ifrit, firey and leering down at him. In that instant, he yanked the girl up and flung her to the side as he rolled, narrowly missing a set of razor claws. Hand driven into metal, Ifrit gave deafening roar, trying to pull it out. "Run!", the pair made off and hid behind the side of a large bulding, checking to make sure the Aeon wasn't freed.
Without turning around, Tidus said, "Because I wanted to." The girl looked perplexed. "What?" He turned and looked at her meaningfully, "I saved you because I wanted to." The girl looked up at him, even more confused than before, "Oh..." She looked away, her face burning as Ifrit let loose another roar.
"Shit!", said Tidus who was staring at the Aeon, who was stomping their way. "Look at its hand..." It was bloody and mangled, three of its claws seeming to have pulled off. They started to run again for the the next row of buildings, "Is it Bevellian or Zanarian?"
"Zanarian, I just have to-"
"Then you should stop helping me." Tidus stopped and looked at her, "What?"
"If you fought that thing, you'd be commiting treason!"
"Like when you used Protect?" The girl fell silent, her eyes downcast. "By the way, my name is Tidus", he said pulling her into a run again. The girl looked up and smiled weakly, "My name is Lynn. Pleased to make your aquaintance."
"Heh", Tidus stopped and threw a glance at the oncoming Aeon. "You stay here", he said, drawing his blade, "I'm taking him out."
"WHAT?!", Lynn said, her eyes widening to size of coins. "That's an AEON! You'll be killed! You're either very brave or very stupid!"
"Well, I'd like to go for the former, myself..." But Lynn shook her head. "I'm helping you."
"No, you're still too weak from that spell", Tidus said, looking back again. "Stay right here!"
"NO! But-!" Tidus had rushed off at Ifrit.
"Take this!", he leapt up and drove his blade down, only to be painfully swatted away with a claw. "Angry, are you? Well, I guess having three lethal claws pulled out of your hand does that." Getting to his feet again, Tidus took a swipe at the damged hand drawing a feral scream from the Aeon. "You don't like that, do- errgh", Ifrit had taken his good hand and had savagely punched punched the kid away.
Landing ten feet away, Tidus curled up and started coughing up blood. "Urgh...you bastard..." Then he fell limp, his body vibrating as Ifrit's thunderous footfalls came closer.
"Tidus!", yelled Lynn, trying to get up. She fell back to the ground and squinted, trying to hold back tears. The Aeon stopped at the body of the blitzer and raised one claw, wrapped in flame. With a roar, it brought it down only to hit stone as Tidus' form had sprang to life, leaping away. "Heh...thought you...had me then, eh?"
Poising his blade, Tidus made another run at Ifrit, earning another sob of "Don't!" from Lynn. Determined this time, Ifrit sent another ball of flame at him when he was feet away, only to miss as Tidus leapt up again, flipping over his head, cutting at the top of it. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG". The cry sent a chill up the spines of people for miles afar. Tidus landed, paralyzed at the vociferous, bestial noise. He had made a grave mistake. In that instant, Ifrit had rushed forward, thrusting his head visciously, spearing Tidus' body. The longsword clattered to the floor as Lynn watched, horrified, lips trembling.
With a triumphant roar, Ifrit whipped his head, back and forth, ripping at the body. With one final shake, Tidus' body slipped off the horn and slumped into a ragged pile. "NO!", Lynn screamed, getting up and leaning on her staff. The sound echoed oddly in Tidus' ears, his vision distorted. He groped at his pouch for Phoenix Downs...but then, darkness.
For a time that seemed eternal, Tidus wandered the dark. I'm dead. Dead! Ha! By a stupid Aeon. Ah...no! I can't! What happened to Lynn?! Then, as if answering this question, a light swirled up beneath him, wrapping inside. Then, with a jerk, his body started moving again. "Ahhh " He sat up again, holding his stomach, hacking up blood. What happened...?
"Hey! I could use a little help here!" It was Lynn. She was backed up against a wall, on her knees, staff held up in a fultile resistance to the towering figure of Ifrit. Still marvelling at the fact that he was alive, Tidus ran, grabbing his blade off the floor, feeling the gastly scar that now ran across his stomach. "Hey! You big flaming jackass!" Ifrit whirled around, his nostrils flared. "Were you planning on touching the lady with those ugly hands?" The taunts seemed to anger beyond comprehension as he lunged at Tidus, who snaked off to the side, stepping in front of Lynn.
"I just wanted to say thanks", he said, looking down at Lynn, as death turned around in front. The mage, again, smiled weakly, "Well, you better have enjoyed it because I'm not up to casting it again."
"Don't worry, I have a plan", Tidus said, turning back to the Aeon.
"Really?"
"Don't worry."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Ifrit stopped five feet away from the pair. It let out another horrifying cry and started charging a flame infront of it. Sparks flew around a boulder that had formed in the middle.
"Dammit! This is gonna hurt", Tidus said through gritted teeth as he widened his stance and gripped his blade. Then as Ifrit raised its claw to strike the flaming rock, two things happened in rapid sucession. The was a yell of "Blizzard!" behind it and then, the Meteorstrike vanished, and Ifrit was encased in a thick coating of ice. Both Lynn's and Tidus' jaws dropped as a girl dressed in tight, black, leather hopped onto Ifrit's head and said, "Hey, Tidus! I thought you could use some help."
