Chapter 12: Straightening out
Mattius2k04: Well everyone, chapter 12 means two things: I have FINALLY rewritten chapter 10 and 11 and am progressing very well through the story of Yuna and Tidus, and it also means one other thing: The school dance! Who will hook up? Tidus and Yuna? Wakka and Lulu? Rikku and... GASP dum dum dum! Read on and find out in this extra, long chapter! And also, someone very special makes their way into the story at this point. Read on, review, and have fun please!
The week leading up to the dance was an abnormal one, to be sure. The whole week was filled with stress as every caring single individual tried his or her hardest to hook up with someone, some even picking random strangers just so they wouldn't have to go alone. As usual, some rather strange pairings were seen, some expected ones, and some unbelievably scandalous ones. Balamb Garden's newspaper would have a field day.
But through the whole week, both Tidus and Yuna were completely relaxed. This was nothing new for Tidus, due to his large amount of previous experience with women of all kinds, but for Yuna, it was strange. She'd never even gone to any school dances at her last school, partly because of her shy nature, but mostly for her dancing skills, or lack thereof. In spite of this, Yuna felt relaxed and confident, and had even gotten the courage to hum while she was walking now and then, and sing when she was in the shower. Both of these, obviously, were a rather odd occurrence for Yuna. Indeed, Rikku had tried to subliminally "invite" a school counsellor to try and talk with her. Yuna had been taken aback, as most would be when a proper, prim middle-aged woman in a suit and a briefcase showed up asking her about her new singing and sudden excitement. Rikku was known for over reacting and exaggerating about many, if not all, situations.
As per the event involving Tidus' Tournament competition over in Balamb Garden, it was cancelled and moved down three more months, much to Tidus' disappointment. Many of the fighters were unprepared for it, and since the starting of the school semester, it was unable to proceed. So, the officials pushed it back three months. At least this gave Tidus time to train.
Most assignments were put on hold, and many classes were given free training sessions, as apparently the teachers knew that the effect of both homework and the stress of the dance could prove hormonally disastrous. Only Quistis' classes gave out homework, much to the anger of the students. Squall decided not to put any homework on to his classes, much to Wakka's relief. But unluckily, Tidus had been given a rather large pile of homework from Sir Auron, his Longsword Teacher.
But today was the day of the dance, and such trivial occurrences as homework patterns are unimportant. Yuna spent the whole day picking out a dress from Rikku's wardrobe, most of which were somewhat skimpy and revealing. Yuna wanted to dance with the man, not seduct him (and whenever she pointed this out, Rikku would stare at her for a moment before retorting with one single word: Yet.).Eventually, with a little borrowed money from her overactive cousin, Yuna was able to go out to Balamb City and pick out a dress from a nice little shop in the middle of the intersection.
Little did Yuna know that Tidus was, for the first time in his life, trying to look proper and presentable rather than seductive and sexual. He and Wakka had a comical time picking out the proper suit. Wakka had insisted that dressing like himself would win Yuna over, but Tidus had bickered back with him, telling him he wasn't just trying to have any normal thing with Yuna. Eventually, Wakka shut up and began sulking, muttering about "ungrateful friends" and the like.
"Hey, what do you think about this one?" Tidus asked hopefully. It was a proper, black suit with a tie and somewhat skin tight fabric, which he ascertained was due to him getting a smaller size. Regardless, it looked good and presentable.
"You look like a moron." Wakka sulked. "But a good-lookin' moron."
"See?!" Tidus laughed. "It's things like THAT that make you look like you're turning into a girl."
"Shut up!" Wakka shouted, waving his fist threateningly. He resumed sulking, not at all mortified by attracting the attention of every person within three or four meters, inside or outside.
After a bit more internal debating, Tidus chose the proper suit. After making his way home, he prepared himself. He took a long shower to relax his nerves, combed and sprayed his hair, put on deodorant, and of course the nicest, most expensive cologne he could find in Wakka's room (Wakka was known for his cologne collection). After this, he brushed his teeth thoroughly twice, flossed, mouthwash, the normal. Eventually, he came to the crowning effect. The suit. He straightened himself out, grabbed his expensive flowers, and darted out the door.
"I wonder what Yuna's looking like tonight." Tidus whispered to himself.
Yuna and Rikku sat nervously on their couch. The only sound was the clock ticking slowly and Rikku as she bit her short-cut nails nervously, which Yuna continuously wanred her to stop lest she digest some nail polish and miss the dance. They were both all ready, Yuna in her elegant light blue dress, Rikku in her flamboyant orange, and rather short skirt and top. Rikku was going alone, to "survey her territory" she had continually said, and Yuna was waiting for Tidus to pick her up. Minutes seemed like hours to Yuna as she occasionally got up and shuffled nervously across their small apartment. Eventually, the door echoed from four sharp knocks and Yuna nearly tripped in her excitement as she dashed for the door.
"Hiya!" Tidus exclaimed, as she opened the door.
*Wow!* Yuna thought immediately. *He's so handsome!* She immediately took notice of how Tidus dressed. It was so, so unusual, so strange, but so welcome. Yuna always considered a well-dressed guy incredibly attractive, and this was no exception. In fact, Tidus' current clothing choice made him somehow even more attractive. "Oh, h hey!"
Tidus looked her up and down in a matter of seconds, and responded with a very flattering sentence. "You are looking, well, you're looking amazing!" Yuna blushed in response to this. Tidus looked over her shoulder and shouted "You too, Rikku!"
Rikku smiled nervously in response to his compliment, and returned to her busy routine of staring at the crack in the ceiling. "You guys go ahead, I'm going to wait here for a bit."
"Nervous?" Yuna prodded.
"No!" Rikku replied, which just showed she was. Yuna knew, for a fact, that Rikku was nervous since she was so defensive. "I'm fine. Just go!" She snapped.
"Maybe we'd better do what she says," Tidus laughed, before whispering "Maybe it's her time-of-month again!"
Yuna gave him a humorous, yet shocked gaze. "That's not something you talk about, much less make fun of!" She whispered back, giggling. "Yes, we should go."
Without another word, just a wave, Yuna and Tidus were out the door. Rikku sat, and wondered a little bit if she made the right choice.
*He's such an idiot!* She thought. *But why did I say yes when he asked me? I mean, it's just pity.* She knew this was the case. Her date was the most pitiful lunatic in the school. He was studying under dark magic, and though she had heard he was quite skilled, his reputation with social ability was... how do you say, much below par. He was one of those people who continually made an ass of himself. He also had a reputation for getting drunk at the most inappropriate times. Rumour had it he was also a lightweight, and the lightest alcoholic beverage could completely hammer him. Still, she was hoping to use him to make other guys more jealous. She had already gained a reputation among the guys, and from what she heard, most guys had a crush on her.
Eventually, she heard the door knock, and rather reluctantly, got up to open it. She mustered a weak smile, got the courage, and swung the door open. He was standing there, annoying grin, massively gelled hair, and with some kind of "flirt" pose, which looked more like he was trying to undo a rather large wedgie.
"Hello, my dear Rikku."
Mattius2k04: Well everyone, chapter 12 means two things: I have FINALLY rewritten chapter 10 and 11 and am progressing very well through the story of Yuna and Tidus, and it also means one other thing: The school dance! Who will hook up? Tidus and Yuna? Wakka and Lulu? Rikku and... GASP dum dum dum! Read on and find out in this extra, long chapter! And also, someone very special makes their way into the story at this point. Read on, review, and have fun please!
The week leading up to the dance was an abnormal one, to be sure. The whole week was filled with stress as every caring single individual tried his or her hardest to hook up with someone, some even picking random strangers just so they wouldn't have to go alone. As usual, some rather strange pairings were seen, some expected ones, and some unbelievably scandalous ones. Balamb Garden's newspaper would have a field day.
But through the whole week, both Tidus and Yuna were completely relaxed. This was nothing new for Tidus, due to his large amount of previous experience with women of all kinds, but for Yuna, it was strange. She'd never even gone to any school dances at her last school, partly because of her shy nature, but mostly for her dancing skills, or lack thereof. In spite of this, Yuna felt relaxed and confident, and had even gotten the courage to hum while she was walking now and then, and sing when she was in the shower. Both of these, obviously, were a rather odd occurrence for Yuna. Indeed, Rikku had tried to subliminally "invite" a school counsellor to try and talk with her. Yuna had been taken aback, as most would be when a proper, prim middle-aged woman in a suit and a briefcase showed up asking her about her new singing and sudden excitement. Rikku was known for over reacting and exaggerating about many, if not all, situations.
As per the event involving Tidus' Tournament competition over in Balamb Garden, it was cancelled and moved down three more months, much to Tidus' disappointment. Many of the fighters were unprepared for it, and since the starting of the school semester, it was unable to proceed. So, the officials pushed it back three months. At least this gave Tidus time to train.
Most assignments were put on hold, and many classes were given free training sessions, as apparently the teachers knew that the effect of both homework and the stress of the dance could prove hormonally disastrous. Only Quistis' classes gave out homework, much to the anger of the students. Squall decided not to put any homework on to his classes, much to Wakka's relief. But unluckily, Tidus had been given a rather large pile of homework from Sir Auron, his Longsword Teacher.
But today was the day of the dance, and such trivial occurrences as homework patterns are unimportant. Yuna spent the whole day picking out a dress from Rikku's wardrobe, most of which were somewhat skimpy and revealing. Yuna wanted to dance with the man, not seduct him (and whenever she pointed this out, Rikku would stare at her for a moment before retorting with one single word: Yet.).Eventually, with a little borrowed money from her overactive cousin, Yuna was able to go out to Balamb City and pick out a dress from a nice little shop in the middle of the intersection.
Little did Yuna know that Tidus was, for the first time in his life, trying to look proper and presentable rather than seductive and sexual. He and Wakka had a comical time picking out the proper suit. Wakka had insisted that dressing like himself would win Yuna over, but Tidus had bickered back with him, telling him he wasn't just trying to have any normal thing with Yuna. Eventually, Wakka shut up and began sulking, muttering about "ungrateful friends" and the like.
"Hey, what do you think about this one?" Tidus asked hopefully. It was a proper, black suit with a tie and somewhat skin tight fabric, which he ascertained was due to him getting a smaller size. Regardless, it looked good and presentable.
"You look like a moron." Wakka sulked. "But a good-lookin' moron."
"See?!" Tidus laughed. "It's things like THAT that make you look like you're turning into a girl."
"Shut up!" Wakka shouted, waving his fist threateningly. He resumed sulking, not at all mortified by attracting the attention of every person within three or four meters, inside or outside.
After a bit more internal debating, Tidus chose the proper suit. After making his way home, he prepared himself. He took a long shower to relax his nerves, combed and sprayed his hair, put on deodorant, and of course the nicest, most expensive cologne he could find in Wakka's room (Wakka was known for his cologne collection). After this, he brushed his teeth thoroughly twice, flossed, mouthwash, the normal. Eventually, he came to the crowning effect. The suit. He straightened himself out, grabbed his expensive flowers, and darted out the door.
"I wonder what Yuna's looking like tonight." Tidus whispered to himself.
Yuna and Rikku sat nervously on their couch. The only sound was the clock ticking slowly and Rikku as she bit her short-cut nails nervously, which Yuna continuously wanred her to stop lest she digest some nail polish and miss the dance. They were both all ready, Yuna in her elegant light blue dress, Rikku in her flamboyant orange, and rather short skirt and top. Rikku was going alone, to "survey her territory" she had continually said, and Yuna was waiting for Tidus to pick her up. Minutes seemed like hours to Yuna as she occasionally got up and shuffled nervously across their small apartment. Eventually, the door echoed from four sharp knocks and Yuna nearly tripped in her excitement as she dashed for the door.
"Hiya!" Tidus exclaimed, as she opened the door.
*Wow!* Yuna thought immediately. *He's so handsome!* She immediately took notice of how Tidus dressed. It was so, so unusual, so strange, but so welcome. Yuna always considered a well-dressed guy incredibly attractive, and this was no exception. In fact, Tidus' current clothing choice made him somehow even more attractive. "Oh, h hey!"
Tidus looked her up and down in a matter of seconds, and responded with a very flattering sentence. "You are looking, well, you're looking amazing!" Yuna blushed in response to this. Tidus looked over her shoulder and shouted "You too, Rikku!"
Rikku smiled nervously in response to his compliment, and returned to her busy routine of staring at the crack in the ceiling. "You guys go ahead, I'm going to wait here for a bit."
"Nervous?" Yuna prodded.
"No!" Rikku replied, which just showed she was. Yuna knew, for a fact, that Rikku was nervous since she was so defensive. "I'm fine. Just go!" She snapped.
"Maybe we'd better do what she says," Tidus laughed, before whispering "Maybe it's her time-of-month again!"
Yuna gave him a humorous, yet shocked gaze. "That's not something you talk about, much less make fun of!" She whispered back, giggling. "Yes, we should go."
Without another word, just a wave, Yuna and Tidus were out the door. Rikku sat, and wondered a little bit if she made the right choice.
*He's such an idiot!* She thought. *But why did I say yes when he asked me? I mean, it's just pity.* She knew this was the case. Her date was the most pitiful lunatic in the school. He was studying under dark magic, and though she had heard he was quite skilled, his reputation with social ability was... how do you say, much below par. He was one of those people who continually made an ass of himself. He also had a reputation for getting drunk at the most inappropriate times. Rumour had it he was also a lightweight, and the lightest alcoholic beverage could completely hammer him. Still, she was hoping to use him to make other guys more jealous. She had already gained a reputation among the guys, and from what she heard, most guys had a crush on her.
Eventually, she heard the door knock, and rather reluctantly, got up to open it. She mustered a weak smile, got the courage, and swung the door open. He was standing there, annoying grin, massively gelled hair, and with some kind of "flirt" pose, which looked more like he was trying to undo a rather large wedgie.
"Hello, my dear Rikku."
