~Chapter 5~
The group emerged from the chamber in the back of the temple, welcoming the praises they received. The young girl was being applauded, and almost as soon as she had appeared, she was gone, swept out the front door. Wakka looked at Tidus.
"Well, better go out there," Wakka said.
The two went out into the village. Standing in the "town circle" was the young woman who had announced she was a Summoner. After Wakka and Tidus arrived, Wakka called to her, "Ready."
"OK," she said back. She was holding an elegantly carved staff in her hands, which she held out in front of her. She started to twirl the staff, and in one swift move, pulled the staff straight and took a step back with her left foot. Light and energy surrounded her, until it soared away into the sky. The sky seemingly exploded, and out of this explosion came a strange, birdlike creature, with a sharp-looking beak, bat-like wings, and eagle talons.
Wakka gently reached over and shut Tidus' mouth for him, as it had been hanging open two feet. Tidus was stunned. He leaned over, and quietly whispered, "What in the world is that?"
"It's an Aeon," Wakka answered, looking at the creature with a certain kind of pride in his voice. He and the strange clad-in-black woman rushed forward and hugged and praised and were making quite a fuss over the younger girl. The Aeon, however, chose to take the opportunity to leave, rather than stay.
The day faded into night, and, after being scolded by the priests, Tidus was with Wakka in the clothes shop.
"This thing has different pant leg length!" Tidus called to Wakka, who was waiting outside.
"That's how it s'posed to be," Wakka called back.
Tidus emerged some time later, wearing what he considered "normal": a blue t-shirt, and baggy, long black shorts, and two black "muscle gloves."
"That what you gonna buy?" Wakka asked.
"Yeah," Tidus said.
"OK," Wakka said, nodding outside. "Go. Enjoy yourself!"
Wakka was talking about the celebration going on outside, put on in honor of the Summoner. There was a large bonfire in the town circle, and everyone in the small village had turned out. Tidus helped himself to some food, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone, since all he received were dark looks.
Just as Tidus was finished, Wakka emerged from the shop, took Tidus by the arm, and led him over to a group of people, wearing similar attire to match Wakka's.
"Let me introduce ya to da team, the Besaid Aurochs," Wakka said, pointing at them. "OK boys! Dis guy's called Tidus. He wanted to play Blitzball so bad, I let him on da team. Go on," he said to Tidus, pushing him forward, "say 'hi.'"
"Uh. Hi, guys."
The players nodded in response. Wakka started talking, but Tidus wasn't listening. He was instead looking at the Summoner. She saw him, smiled, and waved. He kind of waved back, until he felt a sharp pain in his side. Wakka had elbowed him.
"She's cute, yah?" Wakka asked, his eyebrow rising.
Tidus slowly nodded.
Wakka smiled heartily. "Well, don't get no ideas."
"Yeah, but what if she, like, comes onto me?" Tidus asked.
"That's not gonna happen," Wakka said flatly.
Wakka turned away for a brief second, and Tidus crossed over to where the Summoner was sitting. Next to her sat a little girl and an elderly couple. When the woman saw Tidus approach, she cried, "Stay away from the Summoner!"
"You're a bad man!" The little girl yelled.
The Summoner, however, stood. "Lady Yuna. Be careful." the old man cautioned.
"But. It's really my fault. That all of this happened." The Summoner said. She crossed over to Tidus.
"Thank you for coming in after me. I am Yuna," she said, bowing.
"Hey, uh, that Aeon thing was pretty.uh. amazing," Tidus said, attempting to make conversation.
"Really?" Yuna asked, perking up. "Do you think that I could be High Summoner?"
Shoot, Tidus thought.
"Uh. Sure!" Tidus said.
Just then, the little girl came over and tugged on Yuna's dress. "Lady Yuna, come play with us some more," she said, indicating her friends. Yuna nodded.
"Well," Yuna said, "we'll talk some more tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Tidus asked.
"We're taking the same boat, aren't we?" Yuna asked. She started to walk away when she suddenly stopped, and said "You can tell me all about Zanarkand."
"Wha..?" Tidus asked. Wakka crossed over.
"You ready for bed?"
"Right," Tidus said slowly, still looking at Yuna's retreating back.
"OK. I have a bed made for you at the lodge."
Tidus couldn't get to sleep at all that night. He tossed and turned and finally, just when he'd given up on sleep, he heard it.
"He's dead, all right? Dead," a woman's voice said from outside. Tidus got out of his bed and peeked out the curtain.
Wakka was talking to the dressed-in-black lady from the temple.
"I was surprised too when I saw him, but he's not Chappu," she said.
Wakka wasn't looking at her. He was more interested in his feet.
"Yeah, but, he needed our help."
"Excuses again? Enough, Wakka!"
"Lulu? Lulu! C'mon! Damn." Wakka muttered after Lulu didn't come back. With a look of defeat on his face, Wakka walked into the lodge. Tidus was waiting.
"Scary." Tidus commented. Wakka nodded. "So. Who's Chappu?" Tidus asked.
"My little brudda. Chappu. He looked like you." Wakka paused, clearing his throat. "He was with the Crusaders last year when they fought Sin."
Wakka stopped. Tidus waited.
"He didn't make it," Wakka said.
"Oh," Tidus said glumly.
"I first found out on the day of the tournament. So that's why I quit. After that, I got this new job as a guardian, you know?"
"So, what? For revenge?"
"That was the idea," Wakka said. "But now, I'm more concerned with a stupid game."
"Hey, don't worry! You have a right to be. happy," Tidus said, finding what he thought was the right word. "What I wanna say is. Thanks, Wakka," Tidus said.
Wakka looked at Tidus and smiled weakly. "Stop it. Now you're embarrassing me."
Tidus woke late in the morning. Entering the village, he encountered Wakka and Lulu standing next to each other. "Hey, sleepyhead!" Wakka called. "I got somethin' for ya."
Wakka took a sword out from behind him. It looked like it was made out of water that had been somehow contained in one place.
"Whoa!" Tidus said, taking the sword. He turned away and tried the sword out, swinging it here and there. Lulu suddenly spoke.
"That's the sword you gave Chappu," she said.
Tidus stopped and looked at Wakka. "Well. He never used it," Wakka said simply. "So now, it's yours."
"Thanks," Tidus said, gazing at the sword. Lulu looked on with contempt in her eyes.
"Where's Yuna?" Tidus asked. Almost as soon as he did so, Yuna appeared from the Temple, trying to carry a rather large suitcase.
"You really don't need that luggage," Lulu called out to her.
"They're not mine," Yuna said, unable to control the suitcase, and watching as it rolled down the steps. "They're gifts for the temples we're to visit."
"This isn't a pleasure cruise, ya know." Wakka said. Yuna finally gave up, and joined the group. They proceeded up the same hill that overlooked the village, to a monument that looked as though it had been there for some time. Wakka bowed down, praying. He noticed Tidus watching on, and muttered, "People pray here when they leave the island. Gives 'em good luck. Chappu didn't pray that day.told me he'd miss his boat."
Tidus simply watched on. Yuna and Lulu quietly looked over the village. "Take your time," Lulu said softly, and she turned away, unable to stare down at the tiny village any longer.
"All right," Yuna said, after a bit. "Let's get going."
The group continued on through the mountains; Yuna couldn't swim, so they took the long way instead. They reached what looked like the peak, where remains of fallen cities had burrowed deeply into the rock. One such remain looked like giant spider legs, arching over the path. Tidus suddenly noticed that all became quiet.
"Guys?" he asked. He turned around, and saw that they had vanished.
Tidus looked around. He was, again, alone in a strange place. His hand tightened around the handle of his sword. He held it out in front of him, unsure of what to do.
The group emerged from the chamber in the back of the temple, welcoming the praises they received. The young girl was being applauded, and almost as soon as she had appeared, she was gone, swept out the front door. Wakka looked at Tidus.
"Well, better go out there," Wakka said.
The two went out into the village. Standing in the "town circle" was the young woman who had announced she was a Summoner. After Wakka and Tidus arrived, Wakka called to her, "Ready."
"OK," she said back. She was holding an elegantly carved staff in her hands, which she held out in front of her. She started to twirl the staff, and in one swift move, pulled the staff straight and took a step back with her left foot. Light and energy surrounded her, until it soared away into the sky. The sky seemingly exploded, and out of this explosion came a strange, birdlike creature, with a sharp-looking beak, bat-like wings, and eagle talons.
Wakka gently reached over and shut Tidus' mouth for him, as it had been hanging open two feet. Tidus was stunned. He leaned over, and quietly whispered, "What in the world is that?"
"It's an Aeon," Wakka answered, looking at the creature with a certain kind of pride in his voice. He and the strange clad-in-black woman rushed forward and hugged and praised and were making quite a fuss over the younger girl. The Aeon, however, chose to take the opportunity to leave, rather than stay.
The day faded into night, and, after being scolded by the priests, Tidus was with Wakka in the clothes shop.
"This thing has different pant leg length!" Tidus called to Wakka, who was waiting outside.
"That's how it s'posed to be," Wakka called back.
Tidus emerged some time later, wearing what he considered "normal": a blue t-shirt, and baggy, long black shorts, and two black "muscle gloves."
"That what you gonna buy?" Wakka asked.
"Yeah," Tidus said.
"OK," Wakka said, nodding outside. "Go. Enjoy yourself!"
Wakka was talking about the celebration going on outside, put on in honor of the Summoner. There was a large bonfire in the town circle, and everyone in the small village had turned out. Tidus helped himself to some food, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone, since all he received were dark looks.
Just as Tidus was finished, Wakka emerged from the shop, took Tidus by the arm, and led him over to a group of people, wearing similar attire to match Wakka's.
"Let me introduce ya to da team, the Besaid Aurochs," Wakka said, pointing at them. "OK boys! Dis guy's called Tidus. He wanted to play Blitzball so bad, I let him on da team. Go on," he said to Tidus, pushing him forward, "say 'hi.'"
"Uh. Hi, guys."
The players nodded in response. Wakka started talking, but Tidus wasn't listening. He was instead looking at the Summoner. She saw him, smiled, and waved. He kind of waved back, until he felt a sharp pain in his side. Wakka had elbowed him.
"She's cute, yah?" Wakka asked, his eyebrow rising.
Tidus slowly nodded.
Wakka smiled heartily. "Well, don't get no ideas."
"Yeah, but what if she, like, comes onto me?" Tidus asked.
"That's not gonna happen," Wakka said flatly.
Wakka turned away for a brief second, and Tidus crossed over to where the Summoner was sitting. Next to her sat a little girl and an elderly couple. When the woman saw Tidus approach, she cried, "Stay away from the Summoner!"
"You're a bad man!" The little girl yelled.
The Summoner, however, stood. "Lady Yuna. Be careful." the old man cautioned.
"But. It's really my fault. That all of this happened." The Summoner said. She crossed over to Tidus.
"Thank you for coming in after me. I am Yuna," she said, bowing.
"Hey, uh, that Aeon thing was pretty.uh. amazing," Tidus said, attempting to make conversation.
"Really?" Yuna asked, perking up. "Do you think that I could be High Summoner?"
Shoot, Tidus thought.
"Uh. Sure!" Tidus said.
Just then, the little girl came over and tugged on Yuna's dress. "Lady Yuna, come play with us some more," she said, indicating her friends. Yuna nodded.
"Well," Yuna said, "we'll talk some more tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Tidus asked.
"We're taking the same boat, aren't we?" Yuna asked. She started to walk away when she suddenly stopped, and said "You can tell me all about Zanarkand."
"Wha..?" Tidus asked. Wakka crossed over.
"You ready for bed?"
"Right," Tidus said slowly, still looking at Yuna's retreating back.
"OK. I have a bed made for you at the lodge."
Tidus couldn't get to sleep at all that night. He tossed and turned and finally, just when he'd given up on sleep, he heard it.
"He's dead, all right? Dead," a woman's voice said from outside. Tidus got out of his bed and peeked out the curtain.
Wakka was talking to the dressed-in-black lady from the temple.
"I was surprised too when I saw him, but he's not Chappu," she said.
Wakka wasn't looking at her. He was more interested in his feet.
"Yeah, but, he needed our help."
"Excuses again? Enough, Wakka!"
"Lulu? Lulu! C'mon! Damn." Wakka muttered after Lulu didn't come back. With a look of defeat on his face, Wakka walked into the lodge. Tidus was waiting.
"Scary." Tidus commented. Wakka nodded. "So. Who's Chappu?" Tidus asked.
"My little brudda. Chappu. He looked like you." Wakka paused, clearing his throat. "He was with the Crusaders last year when they fought Sin."
Wakka stopped. Tidus waited.
"He didn't make it," Wakka said.
"Oh," Tidus said glumly.
"I first found out on the day of the tournament. So that's why I quit. After that, I got this new job as a guardian, you know?"
"So, what? For revenge?"
"That was the idea," Wakka said. "But now, I'm more concerned with a stupid game."
"Hey, don't worry! You have a right to be. happy," Tidus said, finding what he thought was the right word. "What I wanna say is. Thanks, Wakka," Tidus said.
Wakka looked at Tidus and smiled weakly. "Stop it. Now you're embarrassing me."
Tidus woke late in the morning. Entering the village, he encountered Wakka and Lulu standing next to each other. "Hey, sleepyhead!" Wakka called. "I got somethin' for ya."
Wakka took a sword out from behind him. It looked like it was made out of water that had been somehow contained in one place.
"Whoa!" Tidus said, taking the sword. He turned away and tried the sword out, swinging it here and there. Lulu suddenly spoke.
"That's the sword you gave Chappu," she said.
Tidus stopped and looked at Wakka. "Well. He never used it," Wakka said simply. "So now, it's yours."
"Thanks," Tidus said, gazing at the sword. Lulu looked on with contempt in her eyes.
"Where's Yuna?" Tidus asked. Almost as soon as he did so, Yuna appeared from the Temple, trying to carry a rather large suitcase.
"You really don't need that luggage," Lulu called out to her.
"They're not mine," Yuna said, unable to control the suitcase, and watching as it rolled down the steps. "They're gifts for the temples we're to visit."
"This isn't a pleasure cruise, ya know." Wakka said. Yuna finally gave up, and joined the group. They proceeded up the same hill that overlooked the village, to a monument that looked as though it had been there for some time. Wakka bowed down, praying. He noticed Tidus watching on, and muttered, "People pray here when they leave the island. Gives 'em good luck. Chappu didn't pray that day.told me he'd miss his boat."
Tidus simply watched on. Yuna and Lulu quietly looked over the village. "Take your time," Lulu said softly, and she turned away, unable to stare down at the tiny village any longer.
"All right," Yuna said, after a bit. "Let's get going."
The group continued on through the mountains; Yuna couldn't swim, so they took the long way instead. They reached what looked like the peak, where remains of fallen cities had burrowed deeply into the rock. One such remain looked like giant spider legs, arching over the path. Tidus suddenly noticed that all became quiet.
"Guys?" he asked. He turned around, and saw that they had vanished.
Tidus looked around. He was, again, alone in a strange place. His hand tightened around the handle of his sword. He held it out in front of him, unsure of what to do.