Chapter One
It was cold.
Wherever he was, it was very cold. He tried to move his head to look to his sides, but fear kept his muscles frozen. Afraid of what, he didn't know. It was dark too, wherever he was. His eyes couldn't make out anything more than a few feet ahead of him, as darkness seemed to encase his entire world. Both fear and numbing cold paralyzed his body. However he was experiencing something even worse than that: he felt alone.
He was also very wet.
Something had gone wrong, he was sure of it. He had no memory of what it was. But something had gone terribly wrong, and someone had died.
As much as he wanted to, he couldn't move, or even cry out for help. Fear was all over his body, surrounding him with its dark and cold arms. He knew somebody familiar was nearby. He wanted to reach out to her? But even so, he never felt more alone in his life.
Yes, something had gone terribly wrong.
Yes, somebody had died.
Struggling against the swirling darkness around him, he looked down into his hands. He shuddered at the sight of what his eyes were telling him. Now there were two things that he was sure of:
Somebody had died, and there was a black pistol in his hands.
Terror gripped his system as he realized that the numbing darkness was enveloping him more as he sank downward.
"Gavin," someone called out.
"Gavin," it said again. Something shook him. Suddenly the darkness that seemed to have no end in sight, erupted into bright light that scorched his retinas.
Gavin then jumped up in a seated position and opened his eyes to the bright Besaid afternoon sun. "Ahh," he exclaimed, his body still in shock by what his mind told him was the truth, or was it?
"You all right?" the young feminine voice called to him.
He then jerked his head to the right to see his sister, with a worried look on her face. "Yeah," he haphazardly replied. "I think I just had a weird dream," he slowly admitted, slowly relaxing his muscles in the loose sand. After a moment's hesitation, he reached up and swiped a strand of brown hair out of his multi-colored eyes.
"Hmm," came his sister's reply. "You lazy bum."
"Shut up Lex," he replied, reaching his arm out and pushing her backward and watching her fall to the sand. He then started laughing, obviously putting his weird nightmare behind him for the time being.
"Hey," Alexis replied, biting her lower lip as she kicked him in the leg.
Gavin apparently took no notice of the retort as he eased his body back down on the hot beach. "So is there any reason why you decided to wake me up?" he asked, listening to the sound of a gull cry somewhere off in the distance and enjoying the late-afternoon sea breeze.
"Yeah," she chirped in. "Mom told me to get you. Dinner's ready."
"Already?" Gavin asked rising back to a semi-sitting position, propping himself on his elbows. He quickly glanced at the sun, determining what time it was and how long he slept. "Why so soon?" he said after figuring out that it wasn't all that late.
"Mom and dad are going to that meeting remember?" Lex replied.
"Ah," Gavin said. "I forgot," he admitted. "What kind of meeting is it?" he asked, not really expecting his sister to know. He was strangely curious though.
"I don't know," she responded. "Adult stuff. We don't need to know," she said.
"Who said that?" Gavin asked, suddenly defensive.
"Dad," she answered. "I already asked him what it was about."
"I should know," Gavin said after a few seconds of silence. "I'm an adult too,"
Alexis burst out laughing at his statement. She then pointed her finger at him, and laughed even harder. "You're only fifteen," she said. "You're not an adult."
"I'm more of an adult than you," he said.
"Yeah, whatever," she responded, pulling herself to her feet. "You're still a child."
"Am not," Gavin said, getting irritated.
"Are too," she said.
"If I am, then what does that make you?"
"I don't know, but I don't care."
"There you two are," a soft but still collective voice trickled down towards them. Both teenagers turned their attention to a figure standing on the roadway that led back to the main part of the village. Tidus stepped out of the path and onto the beach, looking at his two children.
"Hey dad," Gavin said turning around.
"I told you to hurry," Tidus said, addressing Alexis.
"I know," she responded. "But he was asleep, and it took me five minutes to wake him up."
"It did not," Gavin said, shooting a hateful look her way.
"Come," Tidus said, brushing his hair out of his blue eyes. "Dinner's getting cold."
With that, Gavin rose to his feet and turned to follow his dad and sister, who was already bounding out in front, back to the town.
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"Its about time," a middle-aged female voice floated to him as soon as he entered the hut. "Your dinner is getting cold."
"Sorry mom," Gavin said looking at his mother. "I forgot you were fixing food this early today."
"He was asleep on the beach," Alexis said with a smirk on her face.
"I was resting," he responded as he took his seat. Yuna, walking by him to sit at her designated place at the table, put her hand on his head and then ruffled his brown hair just a bit.
"Mom," Gavin said, ducking out of the way.
"You lazy bum," Yuna said smiling while sitting down.
Silence ensued as everyone began eating there tasty, but slightly cold dinner. This is how it had been for many years now, and Yuna couldn't be happier. Since the downfall of the Luzzu regime, the United Government of Spira had been overhauled. Yuna, much to the dismay of Tidus and some of her close friends, decided to accept the position of Grand Marshall to the Assembly, and was re-elected for a second term. Spira loved Yuna, and she loved it back. She took the position because she "felt it was the right thing to do." The next ten years turned out to be a struggle between running a new world, a life, and her newfound family.
She gave birth to Gavin roughly a year into her regime. The child was supposed to have great expectations set for him. He was the son of the Grand Marshall, which beforehand had been a High Summoner. He even had her eyes, one being green and one being blue. He was also the son of a great blitzball player, and soon thereafter a great blitzball coach. Tidus played for four more years, winning a championship with the Aurochs for three of those. After that, he took a role as assistant coach to his friend Wakka, who had been heading up the team ever since he stood down as a player. Tidus then stepped down from that position a few years later. It wasn't that he disliked Blitzball, he rather enjoyed it actually. He just didn't want to be active in the sport with his son becoming playing age. He didn't want to raise his son the way he had been raised. Gavin did play the sport, but because it was his choice to, and not because of any of Tidus' influence. Yes, Gavin indeed has a great legacy, but oftentimes he thinks as it more of a curse than a blessing. And he wasn't even the only blitzer in the house.
Alexis was born about a year and a half after Gavin was. She is by all accounts, a daddy's girl. She has his blue eyes and his blonde hair, which she wears longer than Tidus ever did. She has full intentions of joining the Aurochs next year. Truth be known, she is actually better than Gavin is, and she lets him know about it constantly. She has her father's flare for the dramatic and presence in the sphere pool. She takes after her dad in many, many more ways than just athleticism.
"So what kind of meeting is this that you two are going to?" Gavin asked, not really to break the silence, but just because he was curious.
There was a bit more silence, and Tidus and Yuna waited for the other to go ahead. After enough wait, Tidus took the initiative.
"Political meeting."
"Ah," Gavin said. "A town meeting with Letty."
"Yeah," Tidus said, before taking another bite of food, satisfied with the answer he had given.
"Is it about Kilika?" Gavin asked.
Tidus and Yuna glanced at each other quickly before Yuna responded. "Yes," she said. "Were trying to figure out what to do."
"If there is anything we can do," Tidus chipped in, almost correcting her.
"I see," Gavin said, turning his attention back to his food.
"All done," Alexis proclaimed pushing her plate away from her face. She hopped up out of the chair and proceeded to turn down the hall to her room.
"Lex," Yuna said. "You haven't finished."
"Mom," she said, not even bother turning around. "You know I don't like those yucky green things." She marched on down the hall to her room.
"Well," Yuna began. "I was going to tell you some good news, but since you seem so eager to get away from the table I guess it will have to wait."
"What good news?" Alexis said, turning her attention back towards her mother.
Yuna smiled as she just said "Oh, nothing."
"Mom," Alexis whined back. "Please??"
"Okay," Yuna said, giving in. "Guess who is coming to town to visit for a few days?"
"Well I don't know," Alexis responded, stomping her feet in disgust. "Who?"
"Guess," Yuna retorted.
"I don't know," Alexis said, shrugging her shoulders. "Kimahri?"
"Nope," Yuna said. "Rikku and Celeste."
Alexis practically hit her hands on the ceiling as she bounded in excitement. "Yay!!" she exclaimed. "What time will they be here?" she asked in a rush.
"Tomorrow afternoon," Yuna replied, smiling at her daughter's enthusiasm. Alexis and Celeste were best of friends, even though she lived at New Home and Alexis resided in Besaid.
"Yay!" she said again, turning and walking into her room, forgetting completely about the yucky green stuff.
Gavin waited a few more minutes before saying anything, picking at his food to pass the time. "What do you think will happen?" he said slowly. "With Kilika?"
"We don't know," Tidus said. "Hopefully nothing."
It was widely known now that Kilika had decided to withdraw from the Assembly as of two weeks ago. However it all started with Zanarkand. The city had been rebuilt since Sin was vanquished. It was truly grand with its skyscrapers stretching high into the sky and the white stone of the buildings reflecting in the sun. It was pretty magnificent, considering it had been in development for only fifteen years now. However, it was a heap compared to the Zanarkand that Tidus remembers. He had been asked many times by city planners what his Zanarkand was like. It was obvious that the world wanted Zanarkand to be the legendary city it once was a thousand years ago. Without the threat of Sin, maybe it could. Tidus could care less.
Zanarkand was now seen as a city of opportunity. Thousands of people flocked there and started their own businesses, trying to live a life of freedom they had always heard about. Some succeeded, some didn't. But still, Zanarkand was the place to be. The worry among parents now wasn't that Sin would come up, and snatch their children away from them, but rather the lack of opportunity in their hometown would send the next generation to the city by the sea, where opportunity was always abound. Also, where in lied opportunity lied great temptation.
Due to this, Zanarkand was on track to be the City of the World. Recently, its citizens began to think so as well. It started with a motion to move the Assembly's headquarters from Bevelle to Zanarkand. When the motion was dismissed, many felt that it was a direct slap in the face. Soon thereafter a war of words began. Zanarkand representatives felt that they were not getting the respect they deserved. The Assembly thought that they had enough presence as it were. Zanarkand said that it didn't need the Assembly. Later it proved that it didn't, by withdrawing it's chair on the board.
The world was furious. "How dare they," some had said. Others had said many worse things than that, laced with plenty of four letter words. But it all boiled down to the fact that they left because they could, and that there was nothing nobody could do about it. When the draft for the Assembly of Spira was concluded, nobody had ever thought that a city had to be involved. If a city or town wanted any say in the world they wanted to be involved. It never even crossed anyone's mind that a city would withdraw. Nobody thought of it, so there were no safe guards against it.
Within the last year, Luca decided to follow suit. Their alliance with Zanarkand was clear, at least so it seemed. They were both naval cities, and both could easily produce open trade with each other. Since Zanarkand had withdrew, many towns and cities chose to not trade with the giant in the north. Luca decided that if it were the city's only supplier, then there was a lot of money to be made. It seemed good on the outside, but many wondered if there was more than what meets the eye.
All of this had happened well after Yuna had stepped down. Truth be known, she could have easily been re-elected for a third term. But she wanted out of the limelight. She didn't want to bestow great expectations for her children. Truthfully, she just wanted to be with them more. Since working as the Grand Marshall, it required most of her time to be spent in Bevelle. She decided that she didn't want her children to be growing up without her.
But now, the world seems to be setting itself for disarray, as two weeks ago Kilika decided to drop out of the Assembly, for reasons not yet known.
That's why the meeting tonight is crucial. Kilika is Besiad's closest neighbor, and the Besaid Representative Letty was coming back and holding a town meeting do discuss what stance to have.
It truly was an interesting time.
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"Are you ready?" Tidus called.
"Yes," Yuna's voice trailed to him from down the hall to their room. He turned in time to see her emerge and walk his way. Yuna was wearing a pink and purple dress that resembled the dresses that she wore on her fateful pilgrimage in what almost seemed like another life ago. Although age had caught up with her some, she was still a pretty lady at this point in her life. Her hair had some pretty obvious gray to it now, and her face had been etched with wrinkles as well. Tidus felt a smile crept up across his face. Yes, this attire was more Yuna of now. Although he remembers distinctly a time when she wore much, much less than that in public. Yuna quit wearing her Al Bhed-inspired attire shortly after her inauguration as Grand Marshall. Something inside her decided that it was not the best idea to be showing your legs in their entirety when you were the figurehead for the world. After giving birth to Gavin, her dress became even more modest. Now what she wears does in fact seem like what she would have worn the day she fought Sin.
"What are you smiling at?" she asked as she walked into the room.
"Old times," Tidus responded.
"What kind of old times," she asked reaching in for his hand.
"Something about a big ugly thing called Sin," he responded.
"Hmm," she started. "Those kinds of old times." She leaned in and kissed him quietly on the cheek. "We should go before we're late," she said.
"Hey," Tidus said. "I was waiting on you."
"You always have to wait on a lady," she said smiling at him. "You know I remember some old times as well."
"Really?" he said, as if it were the most interesting things he said all day.
"Yeah," she whispered. "About a promise you kept."
"Which one is that?" he asked, pretending to not know the answer.
"Always," she whispered, letting her mind drift back to that night at Macalania Lake. Back then she was naive to many things in the world; and so was he, but then again he was from a different world. Tidus' hair was wild back then, to suit is brash demeanor. The Tidus before her now was a lot more calm and collective and rational about things, a trait defined by age. He had a few more traits defined by age, such as some now obvious wrinkles, and the way his hair was cut. It was still bright blonde, but not wild and flowing everywhere as it used to be all the time. It was tamer, just as he was. It gave him the look as if he were some kind of middle-aged blonde businessman, instead of the brazen hero that he was once upon a time. But still, whenever she looked into those eyes, she felt as if she could see directly into his soul, seeing some of what he once was, and what he is now. She was now returning his smile.
"Kids," she said turning her head back down the hallway.
"What," she heard Gavin respond.
"We're gone. We'll be back in a few hours. Stay out of trouble."
"Sure," Gavin said, devoid of any emotion.
With that, they walked out of the hut and down towards the Towne Square.
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"I really have no idea what they're going to do," a voice came down and reached approximately forty adults' ears.
Tidus and Yuna were seated somewhere near the front of a large meeting room. Tidus was watching Letty intently. The politician seemed nervous himself. Letty had given up blitzball for politics nearly sixteen years ago. When Yuna initially stepped aside as Besaid Island Representative to the Assembly, it was Letty that took her place. Many felt that he was incompetent, but he was well liked by the islanders and had a certain amount of charisma to him. He also did something that most surprised most people: he cared about the island and its inhabitants. Letty is one of the few representatives who holds weekly or bi-weekly meetings with his constituents. There they would talk about the affairs of Spira, what's in Besaid's interest, or just have a decent conversation. Tidus can only remember one "emergency meeting," before today.
As Tidus watched the athlete-turned-politician as he was informing the crowd of the state of Spira, he noticed that age had finally caught up with him as well. His hair was mostly gray with streaks of black, instead of the other way around as it seems it should be. This was evident now as he spoke.
"They didn't even give an official word," he continued.
"Then what happened," someone from the crowd asked.
"Their representative didn't show up at one meeting," Letty answered. "He just didn't show up. And when we called Kilika headquarters, the only response we got was 'I'm sorry, but we've decided to go another direction with the government of our island'."
"What do you think they're going to do?" another person called out.
"I have no idea," Letty answered. "They expressed no intentions of doing anything this brash," he continued. "But I can say one thing," he paused before adding "they still are actively trading with Luca and Zanarkand."
This produced a series of muttered, and some not-so-muttered cursing from more than a few Besaid citizens in the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Letty said, trying to control the spillway of emotion. "Let's be calm about this."
"What do the citizens of Kilika feel about this?" someone asked out brashly.
That's a good question, Tidus thought to himself.
"There's been no official word," Letty answered. "But there is reports of most of the citizens being just as mad as everyone else. Remember, the citizens of Zanarkand wanted to form their own world, but it seems as if the citizens of Kilika never wanted to follow that trend. There has even been reports of some uprising in the town, although that could just be rumors."
"Like Avenger," Tidus heard a familiar voice call out. Letty just laughed at that question.
"Avenger is a bunch of kids trying to play a game," Letty said. "Under the rules of war and peace they should be alright. But I don't consider them any real piece of the puzzle."
Avenger, Tidus' mind recalled. Where had he heard that before?
"But the purpose of this meeting is not to talk about some kids trying to be heroes, its about what are we to do as an Island. Now I don't know about you, but the idea of Kilika joining the alliance of Luca and Zanarkand doesn't thrill me. Think about it, what are our two closest cities?" he asked the crowd.
Luca and Kilika, Tidus' mind lulled.
"Whose to say that these two cities wont approach us and ask us to join their alliance," Letty said.
That prompted an outbreak of more curses and expletives from the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Letty started, getting a slower reaction this time from the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen," he repeated.
Finally the crowd quit their grumbling for now. Tidus felt rustling to his right. He turned in time to see Yuna, now perfectly standing, wishing to be recognized by the chair.
"Lady Yuna," Letty said looking in the direction of her. "What do you have in mind."
"This is ludicrous," she said blatantly, so harshly that it struck Tidus off-guard. "If Kilika goes, then whose to say that New Home wont as well, or maybe Gagazet."
"The Ronso have no intentions of leaving the Assembly," Letty replied.
"But you see my point," Yuna said. "Now that Kilika has defected, whose to say that someone else won't. Maybe Zanarkand, Kilika, and Luca are forming a government of their own. Is it with hostile intentions? What would happen if they seduced more towns and cities to their cause? Then they could form their own Assembly, with their own rules, and their own laws."
Someone else spoke up from the back. "What would happen in two, or five years?" this person asked. "Would Bevelle and Besaid be the only two cities left in the Assembly?"
This drew a murmur from the crowd.
"I did not work so hard," Yuna started. "And so long, and see the hard work of others even in this room, to be put to vanity just because some cities have a big ego. This must be put to a stop," she said, her words speaking the finality of her thoughts as she sat back down. She had said her piece.
And this was how the meeting started.
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A few hours later…
"But I don't think so," Tidus said. They were now walking in the pleasant night back to their hut, and discussing the events of the day.
"Don't you see what's happening?" Yuna asked him.
"Yes," he started with a sigh. "But that doesn't concern us does it?"
"What do you mean that doesn't concern us?" she asked ruefully. "What do you think will happen if some other country decided to join their cause?"
"I know," Tidus replied, turning the corner to their hut leading her home. "But why do we have to do anything."
"Because this could spiral out of control," Yuna answered. Tidus noticed a hint of pleading in her voice. He didn't like it one bit.
"I know it could," he said. "But why do we have to do anything about it?"
"What?" she asked, now obviously puzzled.
"Us Yuna," he said. "Why do we have to do anything about it? Why should we take care of this problem. Let the rest of Spira handle it."
"Tidus," Yuna said slowly. "I don't understand."
"I mean that we've taken care of the world. We've saved it twice: once from Sin and once from itself. Let's let the world take care of us for once. You know," he said, tapering off at the end.
"No I don't," Yuna responded. "I don't understand you Tidus. You used to be so more active in things like this. You were always the one to rush in where warrior monks fear to tread, just because it was the right thing to do. We had an entire planet's religion calling us traitors, but still you pressed to go on."
"I know," Tidus responded hesitantly. "It's just that the last time we were involved in anything, I said that there would be no more fighting, and that we could live happily ever after. And I meant that."
Yuna paused and smiled, reminiscing that day in what seemed like an eternity ago. "Tidus," she started, staring at his face in the moonlight outside their hut. "It's not like last time. It's not like we're going to go fight an army like we did. It's not like we're going up against Sin either. We're just supporting a just cause, right?"
"I guess," Tidus said not really enthusiastically. He started walking up the steps to their hut when he turned and said "Let's talk about this some other time."
"Okay," Yuna responded, leading him inside.
Alexis had already turned in, thinking that blitzball practice was coming too early tomorrow. She also was excited that Celeste was visiting. She reasoned that the best way to deal with her impatience was to sleep it off. Tidus noticed that there was a light on in Gavin's room though. He walked that way and tapped on his door.
"Yeah," Gavin responded.
"Can I come in?" Tidus asked.
"Sure," he said.
Tidus walked in and saw his son lying in bed reading a book.
"How was the meeting?" Gavin asked.
"Just like most," Tidus responded. "A lot of talk and not a lot of action."
"Boring then, huh?" Gavin assumed.
"Well, I wouldn't say that." After a pause Tidus continued. "What time do you want me to wake you up tomorrow? For practice?"
After what seemed like a long hesitation, Gavin finally broke his gaze from his dad, saying: "I don't think you will have to."
"What?" Tidus asked, knowing exactly what his son was trying to tell him.
"I think I'm gonna quit the team," he said slowly.
"Hmmm," was Tidus' only reply. "It doesn't shock me that much. But why now? At the beginning of the season?"
"It's just that," Gavin started, not exactly sure how to proceed. "I worked so hard all off-season in shooting, passing, and my endurance, but I just didn't get any better. I just," he said, sighing. "I just can't live up the family name."
"Hey," Tidus said sitting down on his bed. "I don't want you to live up to the family name. I never really wanted to force you to play blitzball."
"I've noticed," Gavin said, putting his book down. "You quit coaching after I was old enough to start practicing."
"That's because I was forced to play young," Tidus started. "I had a tough family name to live up to also, and I never wanted that to happen to you. If you were going to play, it was because you wanted to, and nothing to do with me."
"Because of my grandfather," Gavin said aloud.
"Yeah," Tidus admitted. "My old man."
"I wished I had met him," Gavin said, kind of uncomfortably.
"I don't know if you would like him that much," Tidus admitted. "Most of his life. He was too interested in girls, booze, and blitzball. The Abes was everything to him."
Of course he was referring to the Abes of back in the day and not now. Sometimes Gavin completely forgot that his dad was from another 'dream' world of eons ago. More to live up to, he thought absently.
"But he was a good man," Tidus continued. "At the end." He paused before continuing. "He was more of a father and a good human being his last few years than he was most of his life. He may have had his shortcomings, but in the end he was a good man."
"Hmmm," Gavin said. "I would still like to meet him."
A wry grin appeared on Tidus' face. "Ya never know, he always had a penchant for returning from the dead."
"What?" Gavin said, a little freaked out by that whole notion.
"Just kidding," Tidus said. "I think he's perfectly happy on the Farplane."
"Oh," Gavin said, obviously relieved.
After a few moments had passed, Tidus stood up to walk out the door. "You know," he said, turning back to his son. "You should at least wake up and go to practice and tell Coach Wakka."
"Aw Dad," Gavin said. "Can't you tell him? He's you're best friend."
"Nope," Tidus said. "This is something you're gonna have to do."
"Okay," Gavin responded subtlety.
"Night," Tidus said, walking out and closing the door behind him.
And another night in Besaid came to an end.
Author's notes:
1-Sorry this is so….ummm…damned descriptive and wordy. A lot has happened in the last 18 years since we've actually seen our heroes. For lack of better words, they've grown up, and so has Spira. I promise, the next chapter will feature more action-type stuff, and then it's gonna take off on a fast, but still dark, ride. Yeah, darkness=good stuff. Expect plenty of darkness in the next 20-30 chapters.
2-Yeah, 20-30 chaps. This thing is gonna be HUGE, which means I'm gonna need people along the way to tell me how good/bad of a job and give me recommendations! (This reads, review, and tell me what ya think!!) I'd appreciate it greatly.
3-Just so you know, our heroes AREN'T taking a back seat. They will be deeply involved in various ways.
4-FYI, Squaresoft owns everything, even my soul!!
