He took a quick sniff of the air around him and immediately regretted it. It had been two years since he had last been to Luca and had forgotten how much the city stank. He cringed and told Shadow to guide him to the inn, where he told Kimahri he'd meet him.
Tidus sighed. It had taken them a little over four days to get there using the shortcuts that Kimahri provided them. He was only grateful that the store clerk that had helped him restock didn't recognize him.
'Then again, with long hair, barely anyone can recognize me…' he though. He hear Shadow bark and knew that they had arrived.
"Tidus late," he heard Kimahri say.
"Sorry. Got held up at the shop. Couldn't see what I was getting," he replied, grinning sheepishly.
"Hmph," was Kimahri's reply. "Come, we must rest. Game start later today."
Tidus obliged, but knew that he wouldn't get any rest today. That's because he knew something that Kimahri didn't. Kimahri didn't know that as a blind man, his senses were now beyond that of the Ronso himself.
'She's here… I can feel it… her scent was in the shopping district… Rikku, Wakka, and Lulu are here too… damn, this complicates things…'
He entered his room, already paid for courtesy of the Ronso, and clanged Caladbolg with his fist, making it resonate. He let the sound wave come back to him, letting him visualize his surroundings. Not much difference than the other inns, he noted. He went to the bed and lied back, thinking of all possible ways of avoiding the old crowd. A sudden movement told him that Shadow had joined him and found the new warmth next to him. A whine told him that Shadow was worried.
"It's okay old friend. I'm just worried about avoiding the others is all."
Suddenly, he felt a unwanted and unexpected moisture and stink on his face.
"ACK! Okay, okay! I'm better," he laughed as he tried to get Shadow to stop licking him.
A loud and deafening bark told him that the wolf was happy again. Tidus chuckled at the childishness of the animal.
"Go to sleep boy, I'll wake you up when it's time," he said, wanting to think alone.
As the dog rested, Tidus went to the window and took a long sniff of the air… and nearly choked.
'So close… she's here… she's staying in the inn…'
Yuna sighed. The trip by boat had been hell. So much had reminded her of Tidus it made her weak at the knees. To make things worse, not one dream came to her during those three days.
She waited now in the lobby of the inn as Lulu paid for the rooms.
'Hopefully, I can sneak out of the city while the game is going, then I can make my way to the Calm Lands… I'll have to move fast though, or else they'll catch up with me.'
"Yuna? Time to go," yelled Rikku from the other side of the room, catching the attention of everyone in the lobby.
Yuna blushed. 'Great, that'll put a hinder in my plan. They'll all know I'm here…'
She walked quickly and silently, trying to avoid as much human contact as possible.
'God, why can't I ever be left alone…' she thought as Lulu showed her to her room.
As she entered and closed the door, she swore that she heard some sort of dog bark next door.
Just as her door closed, the door next door opened to reveal Tidus coming out of his room. The air was thick with so scent. He sniffed around. It was too fresh… way to fresh…
'Holy $#^+!" thought Tidus. 'She's next door!'
Knowing this, he quickly rapped Caladbolg and quickly made his way in the direction of Kimahri's room.
Quickly, he whispered to him. "Kimahri, it's Tidus. Can you here me?"
In his room, his sensitive Ronso ears caught the question.
"Yes, Kimahri can here you."
"Pack all you're things, then go to my room and get my bags. Yuna is staying here, and there's no way I'm gonna risk getting caught," he whispered harshly.
There was a pause before Kimahri said "I can't do that."
"What!?" whispered Tidus in a sharp voice. "Why!?"
"Yuna can feel when Kimahri nearby. It result of spell that Summoner Braska cast on Yuna as baby. You have to do it…"
*BOOM!*
The ground shook beneath him and he heard the rumble of the walls around. He concentrated on his hearing and heard a loud roar in the distance.
"Fiends…" he whispered. However, before he could move, he also heard another sound. Laughter. An evil laughter that he could recognize even if he was half way across the world.
"Seymour…"
He rapped Caladbolg yet again and made his way to the outside. As the resonating sound came back to him, he gasped at the image before him. Fiends upon fiends where feasting upon the population of Luca.
'There's too many. I need help… oh damn, I know I'm gonna regret this…'
He put his thumb and index finger in his mouth… and whistled. Again. And again, and again and again.
Yuna was stuck. Something must have blocked her door and she had no way out now except her window. She quickly made her way to it and opened it. She was about to climb out when she gasped. That sound… that whistle…
'That whistle… I know that whistle anywhere…'
She stuck her head out but quickly put it back as the window next to hers shattered. She looked on to see some type of dog… no, more like wolf, dive out and run towards someone. She squinted her eyes, but couldn't see the figure in the distance. She sighed and climbed out of the window herself before chasing after the wolf. Somehow, she knew that wherever the creature led her, Tidus wouldn't be far.
Tidus curse. He knew he would regret summoning Shadow like that, and now Yuna was on his heals. He could here them approaching, but didn't have time to act. He heard one of the fiends approach him from behind as well.
'Aw, screw caution. Fight first, run later.'
"SHADOW! MERGE!"
He heard the howl of Shadow and the cry of Yuna as he felt the Merger commence…
To Be Continued…
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. Didn't expect THAT one, now did you? Not much action in it, but I swear I'll make it up to you guys in the next one. So what does Seymour want THIS time? And how did he even escape the Farplane? All will be revealed in the next chapter! So keep reading, keep reviewing, and until next time, I'll be watching you…
