Lulu and the gift
"Hey Lu, happy birthday!" Wakka shouted to her from across the road. She laughed. She had just finished being a guardian about eight months ago, and now it was her 22nd birthday. How time flies by, she thought. She walked into the town with Wakka. Wakka, I love you, maybe, she thought. "What are
you thinking about?" asked Wakka. "Hmmm, huh, oh, um nothing." She said quickly. Wakka looked at her. "Well got to go, ya." He said and then walked towards his hut. She stood in the middle of town, not knowing what to do
next. She knew that later Wakka and Yuna were throwing her a surprise party. Not much of a surprise when she found out a week before the party.
Slowly she walked back out to the beach being careful of fiends.
She stood on the beach and took of her shoes. She loved the way the sand felt between her toes. She walked for about half an hour and stopped when
she could not see the waterfront anymore. She sat down in the sand, far down the beach away from every thing. She unbuckled all the belts on her
heavy black dress, exposing her pale skin to the much-needed sun. She
pulled off the fur-lined top to reveal a black strapless top. Then she unhooked the bottom of the ensemble to a pair of tight black shorts. She tossed her clothes of to the side and stood up. She felt foolish with such
a skimpy outfit on, instead of her big heavy dress. She walked into the water and dived into the cool. She came to the surface feeling refreshed;
she was starting to get hot in her leather outfit. She swam about for a while, until she began to get wrinkly. She came out of the water and lay in
the warm sand to dry off. She knew she had to head back. Soon the party
would start. She put her sandy clothes back on and shook her head, what would Wakka say if he saw me in shorts and a tube top? She looked around
for her shoes, and remembered she left them further up the beach. She
walked back toward the dock, watching the sunset.
"Wakka, where is Lulu?" asked Yuna. "Didn't you tell her to come?" "Yes! How bad would it be if I forgot to invite the birthday girl?" he answered. Lulu stood outside Wakka's hut wondering what to do. Should I go in and be surprised? What should I say? She breathed in. Well her I go. She walked in. "SURPRISE!" yelled all the guests. "Wow a party, for me?" Lulu said, trying the best she could to be astonished. After the party had got going, they presented her with gifts. Yuna got her a thoughtful gift of healing item like potions and antidotes. "Kimahri get you gift too." Kimahri handed
her a funny shaped gift that was wrapped odd. She opened it. It was a
moogle doll, the same kind she uses to cast spells with. "Thank you, Kimahri." She said. "Open mine now Lulu!" the excited teenager Rikku said.
"Okay! Okay! Yours next." She grabbed the gift and gave it to Lulu. She
cautiously opened it. You never know with Rikku. It turned out to be a completely innocent bangle. "It has the ability auto cure!" Rikku shouted.
"Cool, I could really use this." She replied. "Here Lu, my gift." Lulu looked at it for a moment. She then decided, that if it were a gift that
was thoughtful, and not just a last minute thing she would give her and Wakka a try. She opened the present and inside was a simple item. "Happy birthday Lu, it's a belt!" Wakka exclaimed. She started to chuckle. Wow, what an awful gift. "Thanks Wakka, I love it, it's perfect." She lied right
to his face. She looked around expecting to find someone, but did not.
"Hey, where is Tidus?" she asked. "Oh, sorry Lulu, I forgot to mention this, but Tidus had to go back to Bevelle for some reason. He left a gift
for you at Wakka's. I'll go get it now." Said Yuna. "No that's okay, I
will open it later, stay," she said back.
Soon after, the party broke up. "Here Lulu, Tidus's gift." Yuna handed it to her. "Thank you." She took the small package in her hand and walked to the beach once more. She sat under the moon light and listened to the waves crashing on the rocks. She continued to walk down to where she was before. She sat in the same place, kicked of her shoes and began to open the card.
"Hey Lulu' sorry I couldn't be there with you. I miss you and the group already. Come and see me in Bevelle. I will wait for you at the temple at noon every day. With all my love, Tidus. P.S. it is real silver." She then opened the box. "Oh, wow." She whispered. She held the small necklace in her hand. It was silver, with a locket and inside was a picture of her that they had taken when they reached Macalania temple. The other was of her in Besaid, probably where she was now, for it is her most favorite place to
be. She though, Why couldn't Wakka get me such a wonderful gift? Tidus obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this gift. Maybe I should go
for it with Tidus. She chuckled to herself. Hey, why don't I? Wakka obviously doesn't think of "us" that way. I know Tidus does, he said so to my face in Guadosalam. I do like him, his platinum hair is sexy, he is in good shape, star of the Zanarkand Abes, I mean come on Lulu, think you can
do better? He even defeated Sin even though it was his own father being held against his will. That takes allot of guts. But. what would Yuna say? I know she and Tidus tried that, but it just did not work. She stood up.
"I'll do it!" she put on the necklace and rushed home. As she left, she didn't even notice as a card fell out of the rapping, as left. Little did
she know that someone was going to find it and read it.
When she arrived home all her gifts were sitting on her bed. Rikku then
came into the house. "Hey Lulu, where did ya run off to?" Rikku asked. "Just for a walk." She answered. Rikku looked at her. "Hey did Tidus say when he was going to come back?" she asked the girl. "I think he said it was gonna be a really long time." Rikku said to Lulu. Perfect, this way I can go see him with out everyone knowing. "Oh, that's too bad, he won't see me off." She said quickly. "What? Where are you going?" asked Rikku. "Me? Oh while I was walking, I decided I have stayed in Besaid too long, and I feel I need a change of scenery. So I have chosen to go to.," she thought quickly, where? "Macalania." She replied. "Oh, really. I though you would
always be here. Oh well, so, when ya leaving?" she said in her bouncy
voice. "Tomorrow. I'm starting to pack now." She pulled out a suitcase. "Why don't you go tell people?" "Okay!" she ran off out side. Okay now what to bring? She separated all the gifts. One pile for useful adventure stuff,
the other 3regular stuff, like Wakka's belt. She put all the medicinal items in on small bag, and the rest in a pack. She then changed out of her
black dress and into a blue skirt with ripples and black laces, with a
white top with leather straps, a blue jacket same as the skirt, some leather strapped sandals, and finally Wakka's belt. She would not want him to feel bad. She then took down her hair and brushed it. What most people did not know, was that her hair was wavy not strait. She let it flow out
behind her, as she always got many complements when she did this. She
looked in the mirror. I look good, I think, but will he think so? She grabbed he thing and put them by the door. In the morning, I will be all
set to leave on the first boat to Luca.
That next morning as she prepared to leave the people of Besaid gathered at the docks. As she walked down the path Kimahri's gift in hand, she noticed there were no people on the path. She thought maybe there was a large fiend somewhere and thus quickened her pace. She arrived at the dock only to see that it was crowded with people. Oh no! Now I will never get on a boat with this many people trying to leave at once. She turned to go back, when Wakka rushed up to her. "Hey Lu, I wish you wouldn't go ya?" he said. "Why not?" she asked eager to her his answer. "Well, we have been together since we were kids, you never though about leaving then, so why now?" she thought
about the question. I cannot say I am going to see another man. "I just thought it was time for a change." She finally said. It was the truth, but
not completely. She started to walk through the crowd. Her friends all
waved good-bye to her. She told them it was only for a while, that she would return, but she truly did not know if she would. It felt so good to get away; maybe she would stay away forever. She went down below, and went to sleep. When she woke up, she was almost to Luca. She went out on deck to
see the amazing city.
She walked through Luca to the Mi`Ihen High road. She continued past the high roads to Djose, and on to the Moonflow where she crossed on a shoopuf. Only stopping for food and rest, she then went on to Guadosalam. There she
visited the far plane, and her dead fiancé, Chappu. Chappu, I hope you forgive me, but I am seeking another. She said to herself. He so much looks
like you. His image just floated there, smiling. I knew you would understand. She laughed. Of all the times she had been there, she had never felt more foolish than she did now. She was after all talking to a bunch of pireflys. She looked around and decided she had better get a move on. She left the farplane, and continued on to the Inn in Guadosalam. She paid for her room, and walked up the steps to the hall above. When she arrived in her room, she sat on the bed and leaned against the pillows. I wonder if I am doing the right thing. She thought. What if I get there and he is with
a different girl? He does seem to be popular with the girls. Why am I
thinking about this? I am sure he will just be glad to see me, even if there is another. She got undressed and crawled into bed, where she dreamt
about her times as a guardian.
Wakka walked along the cool beach. Why did Lulu seem so urgent to leave?
What could have changed her mind? I though she was happy here, with me, with her friends. Maybe being a guardian to the summoner who defeated Sin was getting to her. People were tending to talk to her more, always asking what it was like, she maybe sad that she could not do this for her others.
As he continued down the beach further, he began to see footprints. He decided to follow them. As he got closer, the sun began to rise, slowly out of the ocean. He than found the end of the trail, it was Lulu's favorite
spot, but this even he did not know. He kicked the sand, revealing the small piece of paper the note was written on. Damn litterers. He picked up
the paper and began to put it away. Then as he noticed the words Lulu written on the front, he stopped. As curiosity got the better of him, he
opened the letter and began to read it. "(Hey Lulu' sorry I couldn't be
there with you. I miss you and the group already. Come and see me in Bevelle. I will wait for you at the temple at noon every day. With all my love, Tidus. P.S. it is real silver.)". He read aloud. "What?! That must be why Lulu left! Going to Macalania my ass! He must have given her a ring,
real silver and all. I have to stop her, but how can I? It's clear she
doesn't think of "us" that way. what can I do?"
Early that morning on the other side of Spira, Lulu awoke. She got dressed and prepared to walk across the Thunder Plains. She knew that this was very dangerous, and had to be equipped right. She went back in her mind to the time she first walked across. She was with her first summoner, and she was very young, seventeen, at the very most. She was so unprepared then, she had virtually no experience, and no abilities. Still the summoner to be, asked her of all people, to be her guardian. Now of course, she wished she
had refused, but how could she refuse a friend in need? What a horrible ending that came to be, never even made it to Zanarkand. but I do not think she would want me to dwell in the past. After getting ready, she walked the familiar path thru Guadosalam, to the entrance of the thunder plains. She
walked through the plains, dodging bolts of lightning, and taking cover under the leaning towers. She remembered how afraid Rikku was of lighting,
and now she finally understood. It was not just because of Brother's
attack, it was because it was loud and quite painful if it struck. Lulu
continued as fast as she could through the fields of thunder, on to
Macalania. When she got to Macalania, the soothing sounds of the lake crystals calmed her down. It terrified her to travel through the thunder plains alone. She had not realized how harsh it was with out a friend. Even though fiends are not nearly as common, they still were to be found it such places as that. She walked past the sparkling path and through the forest
to the path of Bevelle. She looked at the path, took a deep breath and
continued.
Wakka got up and walked into the center of town. He looked around him, and sighed. It is just not the same without her. He gathered himself up, and walked up to the temple. Even though Yevon was not the same as before, now that everyone found out that Yevon was in fact the cause of Sin, he still had the faith of many who did not know where to turn. Many new groups had
been popping up, New Yevon, was one of these. Many of these groups had asked Yuna to join, but she had turned them all down. There were also many
proposals, to young men in high positions, such as the New Yevon's son. However, every day she got a new proposal, and every time she said, she was
too young. Nineteen is young, I guess. The real thing was that none of these were for love, they were all for power, all wanting to use her. This, luckily she knew. I mean, who out there, would not want to be married to
the woman who defeated Sin.
When he got to the temple, he looked around, seeing that only a few had
come today. He prayed like always, not to Yu Yevon, but to any who were listening. He wished for an answer to his constant uneasiness, not knowing what to do with him has caused this. He also prayed what to do about Lulu. Then he got up, and left for town. Then just as he passed his hut, he saw to people he had never seen before. This was not uncommon, with the all- famous summoner living here, but these were not ordinary people, the looked
just like his parents, young and in love. His parents died when he was young, so he did not remember them himself, but he had many pictures and stories from the villagers to think of. The couple looked like they were,
and had been, in love. He wished he had a girl like that, he though he might have had Lulu like that, but he mistook pity for love. Feeling sorry for himself, he watched the couple talk and plan their time together. Then
as bright as day, it hit him. What if I go find Lulu and tell her how I feel? She may not feel the same, but I will be able to have that closure on
what could have been. With that decided, he left and went to his hut.
Lulu looked at the high bridge to Bevelle, and realized other than the
temple; she had never really seen much of Bevelle. She walked up to the entrance. This is it, she thought. She walked through the doors, nodding to the guards, and squinted her eyes at the sun ahead. Now she new the route to the temple, having been there three times, but was not too sure of the rest of the city. Do I want to explore the city first? Maybe find a place to stay? What time is it? She looked for a clock, but didn't see it. What
now? She walked around, looking for someone with the time. She ended up
wandering into a café. She sat at a table, and ordered a drink when she asked the server what time it was, she replied that it was nine forty-five in the morning. Lulu hadn't realized she had left Guadosalam so early in the morning; it had to have been five in the morning for that to happen.
"Well, I have a few hours until noon, might as well wander around." She
said as she finished her drink.
Wakka arrived at the Moonflow at 9:00 that day. He had just got off the shoopuf, and was walking towards the entrance to Guadosalam, and just like
Lulu, stopped at the Farplane.