Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X or any of its characters. But I do own two copies of the game! Why? My original one conked out with a scratch I couldn't see! *sigh*
Ok! All you need to know is that character thoughts are in "italics." Warai nagara, tabishitain da.
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"I've been having these weird thoughts lately...
Like, is any of this for real, or not?"
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Final Fantasy X: Beginnings
Chapter Fifteen: Metropolis
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Tidus bolted upright in bed, gasping for air. "I dreamt I was falling... to the beat of techno music?!"
He shook the image out of his head, noticing that Yuna was still sleeping next to him, unaware of it all. She had a slight smile on her face, and her body rose and fell with the sound of her breathing. Quietly, he got out of bed and tucked in the covers over her bare shoulders. Since he couldn't go back to sleep, he decided he should get ready for the day at least.
On his way to the bathroom, he glanced out the living room window, several tall buildings obstructing the view of the ocean and the newly risen sun, which had turned everything a rosy shade of orange. He smiled, thinking of Macalania while grabbing a towel from one of the side closets. "It's been a few days since we arrived in Zanarkand, with Yuna overseeing the project and all. This area of town is done, along with the blitzball stadium..."
He stepped into the bathroom, threw the towel on the rack, and started to undress. "She even had my house built, the silly girl..." He smiled inwardly. Stepping into the shower, he turned the knobs; hot water starting to steam up the room. "I think it's been a shock for me so far, you know, with my Zanarkand and Spira existing at the same time, who thought I'd ever see this place again?"
Now shampooing his hair, he didn't know if he imagined the sound of the door creaking open or not. He slid open the shower door a crack to see a towel clad Yuna closing the door and locking it behind her with a playful look in her eyes.
"Mind if I join you?" Her eyes stood out in the steam filled room. The towel fell as she started to walk toward him.
He grinned, admiring his wife. "Of course not." He slid the door open and stole a kiss before he closed it again.
**********
Yuna couldn't stop smiling at everyone as she went through the motions of getting through her morning. "Ok, summoner clothes for that speech," she picked up the pair of long sleeves from her closet, and turned a corner and ended up in the living room, a skip in her step. "Good morning everyone!" she beamed, upon spotting her guardians.
Lulu, Wakka, and Rikku made identical faces of confusion. Were Kimahri there, he would've had the same expression he always wore, but he was currently occupied with set up at the stadium already. Rikku, munching on a piece of toast and her mouth partially full, said, "What's gotten into you, Yunie? Ever since we got to Zanarkand, you've been like this every day..."
Wakka still held his look of confusion, but nevertheless went back to the newspaper he had been reading, cradling young Chappu in his other arm. Lulu, leaning slightly against Wakka, her chin in her hands, gave Yuna a look that said "I know exactly why you're like this," but she didn't say anything.
Yuna blushed. Had she been that obvious?
Lulu interrupted her thoughts. "Good morning, Yuna, what's the plan today?"
"Oh! Today is the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new blitzball stadium, so I'll be there to er... cut the ribbon."
Yuna suddenly heard a voice from behind her. "Wise words from the Grand Maestress," Tidus said as he laughed at her word choice, and her accompanying annoyed expression from his comment. "Does this mean that there's going to be a blitzball game afterwards?"
This certainly caught Wakka's attention. The newspaper rustled not so obviously.
"You know it." She caught Rikku's eye for a brief moment, though not for long enough for Lulu to pick up on.
**********
The stadium in the newly built Zanarkand was certainly something different. It wasn't that Yuna was surprised, she'd been overlooking the project for months; it's just that the new embracing of machina everywhere she turned was certainly something to get used to. Tidus, walking next to her was looking up toward the top of the towering skyscrapers, shielding his eyes from the sun.
"Yuna... this is awesome..."
"Buildings so tall, they make you dizzy, right?" She giggled at his expression.
"Come on!" She grabbed his hand and ran through the surrounding crowds toward the entrance of the stadium, the rest of her guardians close behind.
Up an elevator and a flight of stairs later, they all made it to the balcony where Yuna would be giving a speech. Rikku was again the one responsible for helping her practice last minute.
Rikku shooed Tidus and the other guys away from Yuna. "We do this every time and it hasn't failed yet!"
Yuna smiled. "Yeah, sort of a good luck thing." She looked apologetically at Tidus.
He waved back at her as he joined up with Wakka and Lulu in the back corner of the balcony. Kimahri was standing in the other corner, next to what looked like a huge pair of scissors. The last time he had seen preparation like this had been when Yuna had given her first speech about Zanarkand in Luca, which seemed like ages ago to him now. "Thank goodness for Spira and their potions... *none* of that existed in my Zanarkand." His hand reflexively went to his side where guado bullets once pierced.
His reverie was interrupted by Lulu, standing next to him. She was looking at him with the strangest look on her face, so Tidus made a weird face back at her. "What?" He asked quizzically. Making sure she was out of earshot from the others, she stepped closer to him and whispered,
"Thanks for making Yuna so happy these last few days, she's been nervous about this Zanarkand project for a very long time."
Tidus didn't quite understand. "Uh... what do you mean?"
Lulu looked between him and Yuna, who was still going over her speech with Rikku, looking like she was trying hard to commit something to memory. "You know what I'm talking about, no need to be embarrassed." She smiled slyly at him. "You are married after all."
Tidus blushed a deep crimson. He thought they'd been careful, but then again, Lulu was a perceptive one. He whispered back to her, "Did you um... hear us at night?"
She shook her head no.
"... in the mornings?"
She shook her head again.
"Whenever we would..."
Lulu interrupted him before he went any further, putting up a hand to stop him. "Yuna told me after breakfast this morning after I asked what's gotten into her." She laughed a little. "Feisty."
"Lulu!" If possible, he blushed even more.
"She didn't tell me that much," she put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "You're just fun to tease, just like Wakka said."
Both of them looked back at the red-haired blitzer, one with a smile and the other with a frown.
"What did I do this time, ya?"
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"Ok, Yunie. Tell me the main points again, and you're ready to go."
"Zanarkand is a symbol of a united Spira."
"Why?"
"Everyone and anyone are welcome here." She motioned with her hands.
"More good things?"
"Erasing the myths that come from our previous beliefs about machina, this city can show the true potential for technological advancement here, and in other towns."
Rikku appeared to check off something on her notepad. "Good. And?"
"Blitzball!" Yuna shouted excitedly.
"What??" Rikku looked at her incredulously.
"Juuust joking!" She giggled at her cousin who was more serious than she was for a change. "No Zanarkand Abes team... yet, but in the meantime, this new stadium will mean more games that can go on during the season with less scheduling conflicts and more chances for practice sessions for all teams who may not have access to a sphere pool."
"Good! Finish it up!"
"For people who wish for a change of scenery, or those who need low cost housing, this metropolis can certainly accommodate, seeing as it is more than three times the size of Luca; bringing those of different races, backgrounds, and beliefs into one city just as blitzball does when it brings people together from all over Spira." She seemed unsure for a moment. "Or something like that."
Rikku twirled the pencil in her hand, and looked down at the notepad, checking over what was written there. She then looked up at her cousin, who was anxiously waiting for a response. She hugged her tightly. "You'll do fine, Yunie! Don't worry!"
Yuna smiled, and hugged her back. "Thanks Rikku."
Rikku giggled. "Just leave out the 'something like that' part, and you'll be fine." She winked as she stepped away, now that Kimahri signaled to Yuna that it was time. She nodded and walked over to face the people, needing a little bit of help from Kimahri when she tried to pick up the huge pair of scissors one-handed.
***********
The speech was short. Yuna knew the people had heard many of her thoughts on Zanarkand already, from her previous speeches and interviews. That, and she knew that people were very much looking forward to the blitzball game afterward in the brand new sphere pool.
After her closing sentence about just that, she grasped the scissors with two hands, leaned over the edge of the balcony, and cut the red ribbon that was hanging in front of the ledge. Tumultuous applause from all over the stadium followed. Yuna smiled. This was her dream for Spira coming true, Eternal Calm and all. She looked back at her guardians, and they all gave her the ok, her eyes lingering with Tidus a bit longer than the others.
He walked toward her, grinning. "That was great Yuna!" He put an arm around her shoulders. "Now, where are our seats for this blitzball game that's about to start up, huh?"
Yuna with a look in her eye he couldn't read, carefully took his arm off her shoulders. "Sorry, you'll have to go without me, Rikku and I have to finish up some things before we can go and join you..." He watched as the cousins made eye contact, like they knew something he didn't. He arched his eyebrows, showing his suspicion. "Ok, girls, " he kissed Yuna quickly on the cheek. "I'll see you later then."
"Bye Tidus!" Rikku waved excitedly while he walked away with Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri.
Yuna waved as well, "Hope he likes our surprise..." She smiled a little more.
**********
"Wow Bobba! It's barely the middle of the season and we're having an event like this!"
"You said it, Jimma! Announcing the game from ZANARKAND! Who would've thought?!"
"Today, we have the Al Bhed Psyches against the Guado Glories fighting for a place in the next round of the Tournament!"
"Man, Jimma, I'm excited. And I hear, the Psyches have some substitutes for today's game, Lakkam and Blappa are out because of tackle injuries last game."
"Really, Bobba? Maybe we'll see some new talent out there on the field!"
"OH! And here they come!"
The two teams had started swimming toward each other in the sphere pool, Psyches on the right side and Glories on the right. The blonde MF for the psyches touched down on the platform for the blitzoff.
Up in the stands, Tidus and the other guardians, had a great view, since they were so close up. He eyed the MF, she seemed familiar, though he was sure he didn't know anyone personally on the Psyches...
The blitzer seemed to know what he was thinking, and looked his way. Lifting her goggles over her eyes, she smiled and waved at him.
"WHOA! That's Rikku!" Tidus said in disbelief.
Wakka looked where he was looking. "What's that you say??"
Lulu looked on in amusement. "Well, if Rikku's there, that must mean..."
Rikku slipped her goggles back on, and pointed back to their LF, who had just swam onto the field. She was wearing yellow and black, and had a white hood...
"YUNA?!" Tidus was beyond surprised now.
Wakka seemed the same way. "HUH?!"
Lulu knew it all along. And by the sound of Kimahri's silence, it seemed he did too.
"Jimma! It's Grand Maestress Yuna playing left forward for the Psyches!"
"I can't believe it, Bobba! And her guardian Rikku is on the middle forward spot to boot!"
"This is going to be one interesting game, folks."
The game bell rang, and the ball was shot up high in the water. Rikku bolted for it, her speed unmatched by the Guado MF, Auda Guado. During the revelation of the two new Psyches, she had stolen a glance at Tidus as well. The blush hadn't fully gone away. She was brought to her senses as Rikku grabbed the ball above her, and started speeding toward their goal.
A rush of Glories swam into surround Rikku, but before they could, she threw a quick pass to Berrik, who was open. Yuna was being covered quite well by Noy Guado. Berrik, now the new target of the rush of Glories, wasn't in the position to shoot a goal, considering his distance, and the high CAT of the guado goalie. Knowing about Yuna's time limit underwater, as well as her speed and shooting ability, he kicked the ball up and out of the sphere pool, Yuna soon speeding past Noy's defense and out of the water to follow it.
She arched her back, the body going through the motions of a sphere kick. With no defenders up in the air with her, the goal was wide open. Once her foot connected with the ball...
"GOOOOOOAL FOR THE PSYCHES!" The buzzer rang, and the Psyches were up 1-0.
Yuna dove back into the water and was congratulated by the team before they resumed formation for the drive by the Guados. She joined up with Rikku for a double tackle every time they caught up with the ball carrier, though they still needed some work on increasing their ATK power.
***********
It turned out to be a close match, with the "shoot like crazy" strategy put in place by the Glories in the second half. The Psyches won 4-3, and cheers were echoing around the stadium as the game ended.
Once Tidus and the others had navigated through the crowds to find the exit, Yuna and Rikku were already waiting for them there, back in their regular clothes with their hair still wet from the game. They both grinned at all of them.
"So, how'd you like it?" Yuna asked innocently.
"You played well," Lulu said.
"But you should be more careful, ya? You can't hold your breath that long yet..." Wakka said, a bit worried.
"I'm nearing three minutes Wakka, but... sorry for making you worry."
"I'm helping her out too! She'll be playing blitz with you guys soon enough." Rikku interjected.
Yuna looked to Tidus, his opinion was what she really wanted. He seemed to be deep in thought. "Tidus?"
"Yuna. That. Was. AWESOME!" He picked her up in his arms and spun her around. She laughed, not expecting him to do such a thing. Putting her back on the ground, he said, "Keep it up, I want to see you play more often."
"Yes sir!" She did a imitation Tidus hand gesture, pumping her left fist in front of her.
All the guardians laughed, that was a familiar sight. Tidus just crossed his arms and let them laugh, the corners of his mouth upturned in a smile.
**********
After the game, Yuna and Tidus got away from the rest of the guardians to do a little sightseeing on their own. Zanarkand was full of sights and sounds that the people of Spira had never seen before, so the people that had come here for the ceremony and following game were on every street corner, taking in the sights as well. The hustle and bustle everywhere reminded Tidus even more of the Zanarkand he left behind, not that he really missed it all that much anymore.
Yuna seemed to know what he was thinking when she asked him out of the blue, "Do you want to stay here... in Zanarkand?" She was looking up at the tall buildings and indeed getting dizzy.
"Nah... this doesn't really feel like home anymore," he said, looking thoughtful. "Now when I think of home, I think of Besaid."
Yuna stopped looking at the buildings to catch his eyes. "Why?"
He stopped walking, making Yuna stop too. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips, catching her by surprise. "That's... where I met you."
Yuna smiled sweetly at him, then laughed and playfully hit him on the shoulder. "You always know exactly what to say!"
Tidus grinned, took her hand, and started to walk again. "But we can always come here to get away... right?"
"'Get away,' huh?" Yuna asked, a lilt in her voice. She was giving him bedroom eyes, he knew it.
"Hey, you're the one who built my house here after all..."
Eventually they found their way back to Tidus' house, where they met up with the others, a little later than the time they had agreed on.
Rikku jumped up in front of Yuna just as she set foot on the welcome mat. "Where have you been?? Dad's been waiting! We've got even more machina lessons to give now that this CITY is here!" She said this ultra fast, so that no one but Yuna, who was used to her cousin's ramblings understood. Tidus swore it was advanced Al Bhed.
"Sorry Rikku!" She made an apologetic face.
Rikku calmed down after getting that all out of her system. "It's ok, it's like Dad can ever get mad at you..."
Wakka nodded. "She's got a point."
Lulu had Chappu in her arms, and was giving him a bottle. "Ok, so let's go everyone?"
With that, they all walked out of the house, and touched the sphere just one block down, transporting them up to Cid's airship, and on the way home, to resume daily life.
***********
Besaid -- A few months later
"So you're not going to join up with that new fangled Zanarkand Abes team that Yuna's given the go-ahead for?" Wakka asked, catching the blitzball from Jassu. Water splashed up at him, as the ball had been thrown a little low to the surface.
Tidus shook his head. "Nah... I don't know what I'd do if I ever had to play against you guys!" He passed the ball to his left, and Yuna caught it.
"Well, I don't know, I thought it was a good idea at the time!" She stuck her tongue out at Tidus then passed the ball to her left to Rikku.
"Since I played that awesome game with the Psyches, you want me on your team now, don't you Wakka?" She grinned and did a no-look pass to Datto right behind her.
Wakka crossed his arms and looked down at her. "Hmph. Maaaybe." Not being able to hold a serious face for long, he made everyone around him laugh. "We'll have to switch people out a lot more often, but I think we'll deal, ya?"
He noticed Lulu coming out on the beach, with Chappu, and armed with a book to pass the time. He waved, "HEY LU!!" and smiled at her presence. She waved back and took up her usual place under the large tree near the storage hut.
Botta had swam up to Wakka in this time. "Sorry Cap'n, but I couldn't help but overhear..."
"What is it, brudda?"
"Does that mean that I'm on the bench?"
Wakka gave him a weird look, and laughed heartily. "For the last time, no! If anyone's gonna get switched out, it's gonna be me. And maybe Tidus too. Let's give the other teams a fighting chance, ya?"
Rikku suddenly flew at Wakka and wrapped her arms around his neck in a headlock. "What's that supposed to mean, huh?!"
Yuna laughed and soon followed suit by attempting to dunk his head underwater. "Yeah, Wakka, what do you mean???"
After a few minutes of watching Wakka thrashing about with two girls beating up on him, Tidus decided that this would be a good time to intervene. He pried off the girls one by one, Rikku first with a little difficulty, and Yuna second, letting his hands linger on her waist for quite a bit longer than they needed to. Watching Rikku trying to go at it again, her back facing him, Tidus kissed Yuna on the cheek. "And you call me feisty?"
Yuna elbowed him in the stomach, blushing just a little. "Not in front of everyone, you!" She whispered.
"Owww..."
Both of them laughed as Lulu began walking towards the water, electricity coming from her fingertips, now that Rikku had managed to grab a hold of Wakka again.
Yuna ran a hand over Tidus stomach. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry! It wasn't that hard, was it?"
"Yeah, not as hard as when we met here..." He grinned.
Yuna found it unbelievably hard to resist kissing him then and there. Considering the rest of her companions were preoccupied, no one was really looking. Their lips parted for a moment. "You remember?" she asked, gasping for breath.
"Yeah, this is where I met you again, and that's why this is home." He smiled and brought her in for another kiss.
Yuna had elbowed him HARD (three times to be exact) the first time she had met him two years after the defeat of Sin. Life during the Eternal Calm had turned into another journey, one with numerous beginnings. And so it ends as it began.
Every story has an ending.
~THE END~
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Author's Note:
Helloooo... I am back, just to end this thing! And if you don't recognize the name, it's me! Noelle! I didn't want to be stuck with a penname of "Noelle2," so there's the reason behind that. It was a toss up whether to make the "Zanarkand part" a new multi-part sequel or a just a chapter add on, as you see here. If I'm going to start on a new project, I want a clean slate. Possibly something AU. Don't watch for it too soon, I'm still thinking!
During the game, it boggled my mind why you couldn't recruit Rikku for blitzball. She can fight underwater! You can recruit her BROTHER! So that's where that thought came from.
Oh! Before I forget, the Japanese line up on top is translated to, "I want to journey while smiling." (Or something like that, sounds cooler in Japanese) Our English equivalent is, "I want my journey to be filled with laughter." Hey, that translation team knows what they're doing in some spots!
BIG THANKS to everyone who has followed this fic with my erratic NON-updating, and has left me nice reviews over the last year and few months or so! This is my first venture into the FFX fanfic world, hope you liked it.
So, on that note, if you've read this far, please leave a review! Or even better yet, give me a summary of what you think about this fic, good or bad. It'll make me a better writer for future stories. And yes, this *really* is the end, not like my other false alarms. ;-) I'll still be around to review on everyone else's fics!
~Noelle
September 17, 2003
