Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X or any of its characters! But then again, no ONE person does anyway, right? Haha, Squaresoft, you big conglomerate you.
Character thoughts are in "italics." Mamoritai. Zutto.
***************
Wish I could prove I love you,
But does that mean I have to walk on water?
When we are older you'll understand
It's enough when I say so.
And maybe some things are that simple...
**************
Final Fantasy X: Beginnings
Chapter Twelve: The Beginning of Forever
**************
In the Farplane, one can't tell the season or time of day. It was a deep mystical unknown, a swirling mass of mists and pyreflies, and a sight to behold. At least, that's what's Tidus once thought, before he had been on the other side himself. Being in the Farplane is to exist... it didn't really matter that it was nighttime in Guadosalam or that he was supposed to be sleeping in Besaid; that was beside the point.
"...you said THAT?" Auron looked amused.
"Heeh. Yeah. I think I was so nervous the words came out all weird like that. Just... just don't tell my old man EXACTLY what I said, ok? I'm a little embarrassed..." Tidus hung his head down. "Assertive my butt." He kicked a stray stone into the endless abyss of the Farplane.
"I'm thinking she took it well though?"
He nodded. "She said yes... though she almost didn't notice what I said at first."
Auron chuckled, his thick collar muffling the sound a bit. "I knew it would happen someday."
Tidus grinned. "I'm glad it is, and that's why I came here to talk to you about it," He shuffled his feet, looking down. "...and...to thank you."
Auron raised an eyebrow. "Thank me? For what?"
"For bringing me to Spira in the first place," he said to the floating image before him.
Auron was a bit surprised, though regained composure quickly. "Hmph. It was nothing. If you want someone to thank, talk to your father." He smirked, knowing the suggestion wouldn't go over too well.
"My old man? Hah. He'd probably turn the whole thing around on me and call me a sissy or something for being all polite like that!"
"Didn't think you thought so highly of me, boy," it was a familiar gruff voice, accompanied by the image of smirking Jecht.
"Shooooot... guess I thought about him too much while talking to Auron..." It's not like he hated his father anymore, it's just that some of Jecht's old habits (like making fun of him unintentionally) die hard.
Jecht opened his mouth, though nothing came out. Auron had put a hand on his shoulder, momentarily stopping his train of thought (if you could call it that).
"He proposed to her," Auron said in his deep voice. "So don't say anything stupid." Jecht made quite the interesting face upon hearing both comments, and they effectively kept him silent for a moment.
Tidus breathed a sigh of relief. "Now I don't have to tell him myself..."
After calming down, Jecht faced Tidus. "You know boy, you've done well," he said, his voice taking on a serious tone. "I'm happy for the both of ya."
Tidus smiled. "Thanks, Dad."
Jecht flushed, embarrassed. He waved his hand at him. "Anyway, come back sometime with Yuna, ok? I'm sure Braska'll want to see her."
"Ok. Will do. But could you do me a favor and tell Mom? I kinda have to get back to Besaid before they notice I'm gone..."
"Sure, I'll do that for ya. She'd have a fit if she didn't know that her only son was getting MARRIED! Geez..." He grinned.
Tidus waved to the both of them. "I'll come back soon, and I'll bring everyone else next time too."
Auron smiled, though no one could really tell with his mouth covered up and all. "Yes, it would be nice to see everyone again..." He said, nostalgic. He put up his hand, waving back. "Take care."
Tidus turned to the gate leading back to Guadosalam, and Auron and Jecht went back to their home in the Farplane, dispersing into multicolored pyreflies as they did.
***************
Guadosalam at night was unexpectedly lively, or perhaps it was because he rarely visited the place, that everything felt unfamiliar, exciting even. He never saw the good in the place when Seymour was there. "Actually, most of the dissenters in Guadosalam got caught and put into jail after Tromell's defeat, so there's not much use asking about New Yevon here... even if the issue has been bothering Yuna a lot lately. That bumbling old Tromell, he must have had a push from somewhere... maybe it was random chance, or maybe he had ties to Yevon from before Sin was defeated... who knows? Just like Seymour kept coming back again and again and again, maybe it's best if we take it one step at a time..." he was interrupted midway in his thoughts by a female voice in front of him. He lifted his head up to get a better look.
"Good evening Sir Tidus," a Guado woman said as she passed by, her friends quickly followed suit once they realized who she was addressing.
Another girl bowed. "It is an honor Sir Tidus!"
"Congratulations on the blitzball game Sir Tidus!"
"Can I have your autograph?" One of the girls said innocently, giggling as she did so.
"AUDA!"
"Sorry?" She looked apologetic for a moment, then turned to Tidus again. "But really, I'm your biggest fan! Teehee!"
Tidus was taken back by all of this, and had to reorient himself. He chuckled. "Alright, alright. What do you want signed? I've got to get going to Besaid, so sorry if I make it quick..." He really had to get going so he wouldn't have to explain himself to the others. It's not that he was afraid... it's just he felt bad that he didn't tell anyone about where he was going. "Besides... only Yuna knows I can talk with people in the Farplane, and she went to sleep waaaay early too..."
The girl had rummaged through her small backpack to find a worn looking blitzball glove, and a silver pen. "Thank you soooo much!" She bowed again, and offered both things to him.
As he signed the glove, he thought of many things, like how Spira had felt more like home than Zanarkand did, how his life had changed so drastically, and how somehow, he relished in the feeling he was getting from entertaining his fans. "It's something I missed I guess, though nowadays, I don't need the ego boost as much as I used to." He finished up his signature, and handed the glove back to the girl.
"Thank you Sir Tidus! Have a safe trip back to Besaid!"
He flashed a grin. "No problem, take care!" He waved back at them as he walked towards the Inn. Hopefully Maechen wasn't a night owl, and he wouldn't have to undergo another story about Spira's history before boarding on Cid's airship.
Cid... now he was a very interesting man. It was still pretty funny how he'd shout off a long string of curses anytime anyone decided to pay him a surprise "visit."
***************
He touched down in Besaid at the beach. After thanking Cid, the airship flew off, and Tidus was left alone on the seashore. He started jogging back to the village, using his trademark leaps and bounds to cover more area in less time. The moist soil flew off his sneakers in the nighttime air.
"Almost there..." He could already see the entrance to the village from the hill he was jogging down. Unlike Guadosalam, there wasn't anybody out and about since well, there really wasn't anything to do a night. Except sew Besaid fabric... the people did enough of that already. Already down at the village, he could hear some Crusaders talking it up at the lodge, obviously drunk, and having a fabulous time. "At least these Besaid huts are more soundproof than we think." Tidus thought as he approached home, its uniquely multicolored curtain distinguished it from all of the other homes on the island. Well, that and its slightly larger size.
Tidus pulled aside the curtain slowly, careful to not make any noise, then slipped his shoes off so a.) Lulu wouldn't have a fit, and b.) he could walk around more quietly. Passing by the couch that had been his bed for quite some time now, he picked up the pajamas he had changed out of. "Hmm. Yeah. Can't sleep in this..." he thought, referring to his blitzball outfit. On his way to the bathroom, he decided to make a small detour at Yuna's room.
Opening the door, he saw her, very ungracefully tangled in her sheets, her deep rhythmic breathing telling him she was still asleep. Tidus grinned at the sight before him before closing the door softly behind him. "Maybe when she's really tired, that's how she gets, she's gotta let up *sometime*..."
Getting to the bathroom, he quickly changed, and softly padded back to the sofa. He plopped down, tired from acting out on his impulse to go to the Farplane and tell someone about his engagement.
"Engagement, huh? I'd never thought I'd come this far... and geez, I'm so stupid. I didn't even get her a ring..." He thought back to the time he had discussed the issue with Yuna a few days earlier.
[flashback - On the Besaid Dock]
Both of them sat on the dock, their bare feet dangling in the water, and their shoes and socks close by. The air was salty, and the lesser gulls flew over the sea around them, cawing as they did.
Yuna looked surprised. "Ring? Aren't you only supposed to get one of those when you get married?"
Tidus was surprised too. "You mean, no one gets engagement rings in Spira?"
"Nope. It's the first time I've heard of something like that!" Yuna giggled. "So don't worry about not getting me one, ok?"
"Arrgggh! But you know, it's what's girls *obsessed* over back in my Zanarkand, it just feels so WRONG!"
"Well, um. If it's that important to you, you can give me one if you want..."
"Uhh...that's where the problem is. I didn't have enough gil, and I thought you'd get upset..."
She breathed in deeply and looked skyward. "Who needs a ring anyway? You know what I think?" She paused for a bit, and smiled at him.
"You've already promised me forever. Isn't that enough?"
[end flashback]
Tidus sighed and wrapped himself up in his sheets, already starting to doze off. "If she says it's all right, maybe it just might be."
***********
It was morning, and the birds chirped noisily outside. A bright ray of light came through the windows, and Yuna slowly awoke to find that she had made her bed look like a hurricane had passed over it. Pillows were on the floor, and the sheets went every which way. "Oops. I must've been really tired from blitzball the other day, and all that work too." She sat up, stretching her arms as far she could reach, yawning loudly in the process. "I know I shouldn't push myself too hard, but actually.... I feel pretty good." She smiled. "Maybe I should sleep in more often."
She eventually got up and padded down the hallway toward the bathroom, only to run into Rikku along the way, who apparently got there the same time that she did.
"Mornin' Yunie!" She smiled extra big, extending her foot just inside the door, hoping that her cousin wouldn't notice.
Unfortunately, Yuna was the perceptive type, and didn't let it slip. "Gooood morning..." She said, while practically jumping into the tiny room. She grinned. "Not good enough, Rikku!"
"Aww... you're no fun!"
With that, Yuna pushed the door closed, and Rikku had to wait a few minutes in the hallway for her turn.
Seconds later, Wakka walked down the hallway, inching past Rikku while carrying bags full of blitzball gear. He didn't notice her funny dance at first, but once he did, he started laughing all the way down to the beach, much to Rikku's chagrin.
***********
After the usual morning commotion, Yuna got herself settled down in the study, ready to get some work done for the day. She stretched out her arms in front of her, cracking her knuckles as she looked down at the notes she had written down for herself. "Well, since I'm worried about New Yevon and their advances, I should really do something about it... even if it doesn't seem like they mean harm to Spira... Just the other day, Lulu thought perhaps only a few corrupt individuals in the organization were really out to get me... kind of like how the former Maesters were."
She picked up a pen and started signing some documents. The construction of Zanarkand was progressing at a good rate, the blitzball stadium was scheduled to be complete within the year. Yuna smiled as she finished off her name with an elegant curve. "Wonder if the Auroch's will let me play again?" she giggled softly, setting that document aside in order to sign more that gave permission for outside business to set up shop in the new Zanarkand. " It'll be a place where Spira can come together... I really hope the people will catch on to the idea."
Unconsciously, she started fingering the pinky ring on her right hand. "Rings, hmm? I don't even remember getting a wedding ring when I got married to Seymour..." She winced at the thought. "It's not like he has to prove anything to me..." she said, under her breath.
"'He,' Yunie? Are you daydreaming again?" Rikku said, grinning. She had snuck up to her cousin quite easily.
Yuna spun around in her chair, surprised. "Rikku! Geeez....don't scare me like that! If you were Wakka or Lulu, I'd be getting a lecture by now!"
Rikku pulled up a chair to sit next to her. "Well, it's just a little payback for this morning," she said, winking.
Yuna made a pouting face but couldn't hold it long enough for it to count, making Rikku giggle a little bit more. Deciding it was about enough with the faces, Yuna calmed herself down as much as she could. "So, did you want to talk to me about something?"
"Yeah, the others have been wondering about this also, but you and Tidus ... have been acting kinda strange lately, like since last week or so..."
This was news to Yuna. "Strange? How so?"
"Weeell...um, how do I say this... you guys haven't been talking to each other as much as you used to, y'know? You just um... look at each other all the time."
Yuna thought back to just how she'd been acting recently. "Gosh, is it that obvious? I didn't even think it changed anything..."
Rikku was puzzled. "'It?' Yunie.... are you hiding something?" She searched Yuna's face for a hint of an answer.
"Well, I guess you could say that..." she smiled to herself, then looked up at her cousin.
Rikku was getting impatient, and started fidgeting in her chair. "C'mon, c'mon, spit it out already!"
"Ok, how does the word 'engagement' stick with you?"
Rikku's eyes shot wide open. "YOU'RE ENGAGED?!?!!" her voice came out loud and high pitched.
Yuna motioned with her hands, "Shhh... Rikku! You left the door open! What if someone heard?" Rikku clamped her hands over her mouth, now done with her outburst, though Yuna could already hear footsteps rapidly approaching them.
"And I wanted to keep it a secret until we had planned everything out..." she sighed. "Oh well."
Wakka came bursting into the room. "You're WHAT?!"
Lulu came in after him, and peeked around his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Congratulations Yuna, I suspected as such." The black mage smiled warmly at her.
"Thanks Lulu."
Wakka was still going at it however. "TIIIIIIIIDUSSSS! GET IN HERE NOW!" In an instant, Tidus came running down the hallway, and came into the study where everyone else was. He stopped to smile at Yuna for a brief instant, before addressing Wakka. "Um... am I in trouble or something?" Expecting him to get mad, Tidus braced for the worst.
Instead, Wakka grinned widely, and put him in a headlock, while giving him a killer noogie. Tidus struggled for breath, and all the girls there were puzzled by this development.
"Gosh, you shoulda told me man!" He stopped to wipe a tear from his eye. "You know how happy this makes me?! I mean, you guys are like my little brother and sister, YA?"
Rikku got caught up in the moment. "Wow, Yunie's gonna get married .....AGAIN!"
Suddenly, Wakka stopped his 'attack' on Tidus.
Lulu shook her head.
Tidus wore a strange expression.
Yuna's mouth was wide open.
Kimahri had walked in just as she had finished her sentence, and crossed his arms in response.
Rikku started to laugh nervously.
"Oops... did I say something wrong?"
Everyone's expressions made it clear that it was quite the understatement.
*************
After the fiasco and a little bit more accomplished, Yuna decided that no more work would be done for the day, and walked straight out of the hut to enjoy the Besaid sun. She closed her eyes and let the breeze blow through her hair, smiling as it did.
"Hey. It's about time you came out of there."
She opened her eyes slowly, and looked to where the familiar voice had come from. She giggled. "Tidus... were you waiting for me this whole time?"
Tidus stood up from his spot on the side of the hut. "Well, I... yeah," he grinned. "Actually, I was just thinking out here, you know, about us being engaged..."
"Yeah, it's... wonderful, isn't it?" She smiled at him. "And if you're still worrying about the ring, don't!"
He grinned and gave her a look, showing that he was still obviously worried about the issue. However, he decided to dismiss the comment for the time being. "Everyone at the Farplane wants to see you, especially your mom and dad. Oh, and Auron too."
"You know, you'll have to come with me as an interpreter..."
Tidus waved it off. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
"Anyway, have you seen Rikku around?"
"Yeah, she's where she usually is."
Yuna walked up to Tidus and took his hand.
"Yuna?"
"Come on, I want to see if my guns are ready!" She started to walk briskly towards the edge of town.
Tidus was trailing behind, a confused expression on his face. "Guns?! Yunaaaa?"
Once they got there, they were surprised to see Lulu there as well, shooting sparks of electricity into all kinds of machina and teaching Rikku to do the same. It was interesting to see that Lulu was wearing her own pair of green Al Bhed goggles. Hearing their approach, Rikku looked up from her work and waved to the both of them. "Hey luuuuuuv birds! Hahaha!"
Yuna blushed. "Rikku!"
Lulu looked up from what she was doing also, and put pushed her goggles up on her forehead. "You two were always quite the pair..." She smirked, going along with Rikku's teasing.
Tidus laughed nervously. "Hehehe... yeah Lulu..." She was the first person he had told about liking Yuna back on the pilgrimage, after all. "She must have seen this coming from miles away, now that I think about it."
Rikku bounced over to a pile of machina behind her, and came back just as fast, holding something behind her back. "Anyway... I know what you're here for Yunie!"
"Really? They're ready?" Yuna couldn't contain her excitement. Ever since they found the guns in the ruins of Home, Yuna had always wanted to know how it felt like to be a sharpshooter, like her mother was. In a way, it was a way to get closer to her, like how she had become a summoner to become closer to her father.
Rikku took out the guns from behind her back, light reflecting off their polished surfaces.
"Wow, they're beautiful..." Yuna picked up both of them, admiring them. "You must have worked really hard on these!"
Rikku smiled. "Well, I try. And Lulu helped too," she smiled at her mentor. "Oh wait! I'll be right back." She rummaged through one of the old treasure chests that held her accessories, and pulled out a leather holster. "Here, this came with them, so I bet you'd wanna keep it."
She took it, and waved the guns around a little more. "I can't wait to try these out!"
Tidus got a little nervous with Yuna waving around the guns so haphazardly. "Those aren't... loaded are they?"
*************
The rest of the day was spent as Yuna's shooting practice. Countless cans, old blitzballs, and the occasional helpless animal went down by her bullets. After a few rounds, Tidus had gotten nervous staying close to her, and decided to go back to the village to talk with the guys, who all happened to be at the Crusader's Lodge. The tide was getting a bit high to practice, and it was a good time to relax anyway.
Datto noticed Tidus walk in, his trademark outfit pointing him out immediately. "Hey bro! Come have a drink with us, ya?"
The rest of the Aurochs joined in with the greeting, urging him to sit at the table with them. Wakka was there as well.
"Yo Tidus, congratulations again!" Wakka lifted up his glass of Besaid draft, and the rest of the team did the same. "Cheers on your engagement, brudda! That Yuna, she's lucky to have you, ya?"
"Aww geez, Wakka..." Tidus started to get a bit embarrassed.
Suddenly, a mug came sliding down to the end of the table where he was at. "Come on now, let's have a good time, ya?" Keepa had already had too much to drink, and Jassu had slid one of his extras down to Tidus.
Tidus raised his glass up in the air to meet everyone else's' with the clinking of the mugs resonating in the room.
*************
Luckily, Tidus didn't drink as much as the rest of the guys did, and was able to guide Wakka home.
Wakka leaned on Tidus for support as they made their way to the hut. "Sssh, ya, brudda...yoush is tha best, mann."
Tidus silently guided Wakka into his room, and left him there. He seemed to fall asleep the moment he hit the bed anyway.
Tidus tiptoed out into the hallway, took a short trip to the bathroom to change into his pajamas, and then tiptoed even more until he reached Yuna's room. Tonight, something about the couch he usually slept on just made it seem so uncomfortable, not that it hasn't always been. "Since we're engaged now, it's alright... isn't it?" He pushed open her door silently and was greeted to the aftermath of Hurricane Yuna. The sheets were everywhere, there was a pillow on the floor, and Yuna was in the most inelegant position possible. He chuckled to himself as he made his way to her bed, slipping into the covers, and lying down beside her.
"Mmm..." Yuna woke up a little when she felt someone next to her.
Tidus wrapped him arms around her, and kissed her on the forehead. "Sorry, go back to sleep, ok?"
She closed her eyes, and got a little closer to him. Her voice came out sleepily in a whisper. "You know, I was just dreaming about whistling for you... strange, huh?"
Tidus closed his eyes as well, feeling sleep starting to overtake him. He whispered back into her ear,
"I'm here then, just like I promised."
Hold me,
Whatever lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on.
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all...
Nothing's like before.
****************
Author's Notes:
~*~
Update - 3/14/03:
Ok, actually, I just got inspired by the reviews and SHAD...(again!) so expect at least one more chapter outta of this thing. And yeah if you guessed the next one has to do with something called a I don't know... *wedding,* then you're probably right. Expect some resolution (finally!) for a bunch of loose ends in this fic. Well, I'll try to anyway.
~*~
Ok, hope you like this ending better, and thanks for all your wonderful reviews! I feel so loved. *happy sigh* I'm getting burnt out by LIFE at the moment, (well, it's all school really) so sorry about the icky update interval. You might not see the new fic idea I've got in my head for a long while now, so I won't say anything about it. ;-)
Much thanks to Shad for beta-ing this chapter! Gosh, I get all "eeeeh..." trying to pick at my own stuff anyway.
Anyway: Patterns! Did you notice them? Every chapter I alternate between a Tidus/Yuna POV, (though the Yuna chapters are a bit easier to write for some odd reason...) and this last one was a mix. Not that it really had any significance to the story, it was just some quirky little thing I made up for myself.
Oh yeah. Japanese quote at the top? "I want to protect you. Always." It's on the back of my FFX video DVD from Hong Kong/ebay! Hehe, if you want a good laugh with the translations, it'll only set you back about $10-$15. I'm sure you don't need me to explain the song lyrics now, do you?
Ok, that's it! Seeee ya round.~
