"Wakka. Wake up..."
Wakka mumbled something incoherent and opened his eyes to see Tidus standing beside his bed.
"Morning sleepyhead. Get up..."
The redhead grumbled something and grabbed Tidus, pulling him onto the bed. The blonde laughed as Wakka's arms coiled around him.
"No get up. Sleep..." Wakka grinned, his eyes still closed.
"Lazy ass. Fine. I'll give you five more minutes..."
Wakka expected Tidus to try and get up but the teen just rested his head on Wakka's chest.
"No one else is up yet..." The summoner said. "I just like to wake you up first to torture you..."
"Meanie..."
Both men laughed.
"You're still warm, Wakka..."
Wakka laughed.
-------------------------------
Rikku stifled a yawn as the guardians assembled outside the Cloister of Trials. Since Luzzu wasn't a guardian they were going to let him sleep in until they were ready to go.
"Are you ready?" The priest asked.
Tidus nodded and the priest let them into the trials. The hair on Tidus' arms stood on end.
"Whoa...shocking..." Rikku grinned, her hair puffing out.
Tidus giggled at Kimahri who was fighting to keep his fur in place.
"This is why I have my hair in this style, ya?" Wakka grinned.
Auron grunted. His hair was standing on end as well. Lulu looked at the ceiling, watching electricity jolt along it.
"I'm assuming this is the Thunder Fayth..." She said.
"Yup. I'm going to need some serious gel after this." The summoner replied, laughing.
Kimahri growled and gave up on fixing his fur.
Rikku laughed, "You look like a giant blue fluffball, Kimahri...!"
The trial took them a good half hour. The guardians waited patiently outside the Chamber of the Fayth.
"Yuna and Isaaru must be way ahead of us by now..." Lulu commented.
"Good. I don't have to look upon Yuna's ugly mug..." Rikku replied.
Auron chuckled a little and shook his head.
"What?" The teen asked.
"Not even Braska himself understood how he could spawn such an ill-behaved child. He was baffled and her mother never knew what to do with her. She was a mean one from birth..." Auron explained.
Three hours had gone by before Tidus emerged from the Chamber. He looked pale and his body was dappled with sweat but he smiled at his guardians.
"I have a new Aeon..." He said quietly.
---------------------------
Everyone seemed to be in their own world as they made their way down the path to the Moonflow. Tidus was holding onto Luzzu's hand, moving the spaced-out redhead around obstacles in the path. Lulu was still saddened over the loss of her Al Bhed comrades. Rikku had her arm wrapped around the mage's waist in an attempt to comfort the woman. Wakka was daydreaming about the morning's events. Kimahri and Auron were both silent. The low grunt of a Shoopuf snapped everyone into the real world.
"Man those things are ugly..." Rikku said.
Lulu laughed and nodded, "Yeah. Poor things."
"Jecht attacked one of them..." Auron said. "Took all our traveling money to pay for the damages."
"Let me guess. He was drunk off his ass...again." Tidus muttered.
Auron nodded slightly and Tidus made a growling noise.
"Could we not talk about *him*?"
Auron nodded again, "C'mon. We can catch the next Shoopuf if we hurry."
Tidus let Kimahri take Luzzu and he waited for Wakka.
"I suppose I should tell you about my father..." The summoner said quietly.
"You don't have to, Tidus."
"Everyone else knows and I'm sure Rikku has already told Lulu. There's no reason for you to be left out of the loop. As you probably already know my father played for the Luca Goers. He was their star player. That is until he went to work drunk one day and attacked the head coach."
"The papers said he left because of a 'sports related injury'." Wakka said.
Tidus nodded, "I know. He paid both the head coach and the press off. Once he did that we were totally broke...which only led him to drink more. He treated me and my mother like dirt. I never understood why she stayed with him and I still don't. He never lifted a finger to us physically but he'd degrade us every chance he got."
Wakka nodded, giving the teen a sympathetic look.
"Then one day he got very, very, *very* drunk and wandered into town and...uhm...exposed himself to a bunch of old ladies. The cops arrested him and were going to throw him in jail but since everyone thought that he left blitzball because of his 'injury' they thought he was drinking himself stupid because of that. They felt sorry for him and put him in a rehab program that rehabilitates drunks and train them as guardians for summoners."
"Lord Braska..."
Tidus nodded, "I don't know why Lord Braska chose my father but he did. My father didn't even bother stopping by at home to say good-bye. We found out that he was journeying with Lord Braska and Sir Auron like everyone else...from reading the paper. We never saw him again. Both Braska and my old man were killed defeating Sin. Only Auron managed to drag himself to safety but he was badly scarred."
Wakka nodded then patted Tidus on the back. "I'm sorry about all that. And I'm sorry for what I said when we first met. Y'know...when I asked why you didn't become a guardian..."
The summoner smiled, "It's all right, Wakka. You didn't know."
"Come on you guys!!" Rikku called in the distance. "The Shoopuf is waiting!!"
Tidus grabbed Wakka's hand and they ran for the Shoopuf. The blonde smiled softly to himself. He couldn't help but notice how his hand seemed to fit perfectly into Wakka's. Auron gave them both a look as they sat down. Wakka just grinned at Auron and sat beside Lulu. Tidus sat beside Luzzu, giving the redhead a worried look.
"Are you all right, Luzzu?" Tidus whispered.
Luzzu nodded slightly but didn't reply verbally.
"Everyone ready?" The driver asked.
"Yup!" Rikku replied.
"Okie! Shoopuf launch!"
The giant beast made a low rumbling noise and headed out into the water. Tidus set his chin on Luzzu's shoulder and watched the moon lilies shoot their sparkly pollen into the air. The redhead smiled slightly and ruffled the blonde's hair. Rikku looked from Tidus and Luzzu to Wakka and wiggled her eyebrows at the redhead. Wakka glowered at her and crossed his arms. The Al Bhed giggled. Twenty minutes went by without anyone saying anything. Rikku was staring intently at the water.
"Look Lulu. Original Besaid Island..."
Lulu looked into the water at the sunken city. "Yup. Built the city over the river, made it too big, and it all crumbled into the water."
"That's what they get for thinking they could defy nature..." Wakka grumbled.
"I don't think it was that, Wakka. I think they were aiming for convenience..." Tidus said softly.
Wakka blushed a bit, "Yeah. Maybe..."
Tidus smiled shyly at his guardian. Suddenly there was a loud splash and a whip-like cord snapped around Tidus' neck. The summoner's eyes went wide and he dropped his sword.
"Tidus!" Rikku shrieked.
The blonde only managed to make a choking noise before he was pulled off the Shoopuf and into the water. Without hesitation Rikku jumped into the water after him. Luzzu grabbed Liquid Steel and followed Rikku.
"Stay topside!" Wakka ordered the other guardians before jumping into the water.
The trio met up underwater and looked around. The water was lit by the moon lilies' pollen but there was no sign of Tidus. Suddenly there was a mechanical whirring sound and a machine rose up from behind some rubble. It had an unconscious Tidus trapped in a magick bubble on top of it.
"Tidus! We're coming!" Wakka called, his words distorted by the water.
The trio swam full speed for the machina. The machine stopped moving and half turned towards them-shooting air torpedoes at them. Luzzu and Rikku managed to dodge the bullet-shaped air but Wakka took one right in the gut. The air whooshed out of his lungs and water rushed in. Being a seasoned blitz player Wakka didn't panic like most people would've. All blitz players were taught how to expel water from their lungs. The redhead did so and joined his friends in trying to free Tidus. He tossed his blitzball at the machina over and over again, hoping to damage something. Rikku dodged depth charges as she tried to pull the wiring out of the bottom of the machine. Luzzu hacked at the magick bubble with Tidus' sword to no avail. The blonde stirred a little but didn't come into full consciousness. Luzzu and Rikku had to surface for air but Wakka kept on fighting. He used his Overdrive and cast a Thundaga spell on his blitzball before throwing it at the machina. Suddenly Rikku tugged on his arm. He looked at her and she motioned to the Shoopuf above. Even though he didn't understand Wakka backed away from the machina. Luzzu saw this from the surface and he shouted to Lulu.
"Now!"
Lulu charged up one hell of a Thundaga spell and let it fly. It tore through the water, all the hair on Wakka and Rikku's bodies stood on end but they weren't harmed. The spell hit its target dead on. The bubble shattered and the machine started to sink. Wakka swam to Tidus and gathered the summoner in his arms. He and Rikku surfaced together.
"Nice spell, Lulu." Luzzu grinned. "Very...stimulating..."
"Eww! Luzzu!!" Rikku wrinkled her nose.
Luzzu laughed. "I'm kidding...!"
The Shoopuf wrapped it's long nose around Luzzu and lifted him onto its back. It lifted Rikku up next and then Wakka and Tidus. Everyone crowded around Wakka and Tidus. Luzzu kneeled beside the two and examined the bruises on Tidus' neck.
"Fucking Al Bhed assholes..." Luzzu grumbled. "Uh...no offense Lulu..."
"None taken."
Tidus whimpered a little and wrapped one arm around Wakka's neck, snuggling close. The redheaded guardian tried not to blush and bit into his lip.
"He'll be ok. Let him rest..." Luzzu said.
Wakka nodded and leaned back against the seat. Auron folded his arms and looked at the water.
"Are you ok?" Lulu asked Rikku. "My spell didn't hurt you?"
"Nope. Gave me split ends. That's about it." Rikku grinned.
Lulu laughed and hugged the teen.
"Is everyone ok?" The driver asked.
"Yes. Continue on." Auron replied.
Kimahri sat beside Wakka and Tidus. He frowned slightly and stroked Tidus' wet hair.
"Kimahri failed. Kimahri never fail again."
"You didn't fail Kimahri." Wakka said. "We were all taken by surprise."
Kimahri nodded but didn't seem to accept Wakka's answer. The rest of the Shoopuf ride went by without any other surprises. Auron watched Wakka with one eyebrow raised as the redhead gently stroked the bruises on Tidus' neck.
"Mmm?" Tidus moaned, his eyes slowly opening.
Rikku leaned over Wakka's shoulder to look at Tidus. "Hey there. How do you feel?"
"Ok. What happened?"
"Al Bhed tried to kidnap you again." Luzzu replied.
"Wakka, Rikku, Luzzu, and Lulu save Tidus." Kimahri added.
"I'm sorry you guys." Tidus said, not moving from Wakka's arms. "Thanks..."
"Don't be sorry, Tidus. It wasn't your fault." Rikku said, leaning down to hug her friend.
Tidus hugged Rikku back then slowly stood up. He helped Wakka to his feet and blushed slightly.
"I'm sorry, Wakka. I was using you for a recliner."
"It's ok. I didn't mind." The redhead replied, smiling.
Tidus looked away as he turned bright red.
"All right! Everyone off!" The Hypello ordered.
Everyone piled into the lift and they were lowered to ground level. Auron went to go buy some Potions from O'aka and Luzzu went to purchase a sword of his own. Kimahri stood guard by Tidus while Rikku and Lulu went to look at a "you are here" map with Wakka.
"Did I mention that I promised Maester Seymour we'd stop by and see him on our way through Guadosalam?" Rikku asked.
"What? That creep?" Wakka sneered.
"Tsk. Isn't speaking ill of a Maester of Yevon punishable?" Lulu teased.
Wakka glared at the mage but couldn't stop himself from smiling. "Ya, but it'd be worth it."
"Gonna tell him to stay away from your man?" Rikku giggled.
The redhead snorted, "I wish. I'll just stand there and silently loathe him."
"Good plan. Tidus would be all wonesome if you got thrown in the Via Purifico." The blonde smirked.
Wakka rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
Once they were all ready to go they set off. Tidus and Luzzu in the lead, Rikku and Lulu in the middle, and Kimahri, Auron, and Wakka in the back.
"I assume Tidus told you about his father." Auron said to Wakka.
Wakka nodded. "Yes."
Auron stopped and grabbed Wakka's wrist, letting the group go on ahead. The redhead frowned at Auron.
"What are you doing?"
"I shouldn't have to say this, but don't fall in love with him..."
Wakka turned bright red and he pulled out of Auron's grip. "A-are you crazy?"
The older man smirked behind his collar, "A little." The warrior's expression turned serious again almost immediately. "I meant it. Don't fall in love with him and if you already have kill those feelings off quickly..."
Shouldering his katana Auron started walking again. Wakka watched him, still blushing, but disturbed by the man's words. He shook his head and jogged after the group. They were almost at the path's turn when Lulu spotted something lying on the river bank.
"Rin!!" She cried, running ahead.
Tidus ran after Lulu. She knelt down beside a wet, beaten, and bloodied Al Bhed man.
"Rin! Can you hear me!?" Lulu exclaimed, turning the man onto his back.
"Thought I was done for..." Rin whispered.
The group gathered around Lulu and Rin.
"Hold still. I can help." Tidus soothed, casting Cura on the Al Bhed.
The man groaned a little as his injuries healed. Once the magick had done its job Rin sat up.
"What happened?" Tidus asked.
"I was visiting my brother, Rajhel. He has a travel agency on the Thunder Plains. I was just walking along the path when these fiends came out of nowhere. They knocked me into the water. They destroyed my weapon..." Rin motioned to a broken Nunchaku in the water a little ways from him. "I don't know how I survived. Something must've scared them off."
"Good thing. Can you stand?" Lulu asked.
Rin nodded and Tidus and Lulu helped him stand. The man sighed and shook his head.
"Looks like I have to go back to my brother's and get a new weapon. Can I tag along?"
"Sure." Tidus replied, smiling brightly.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Lulu and Rin waited until Rikku and the others were out of ear shot before speaking to each other.
"Kuut drehk oui lyh drehg vycd, Rin. Ev drao ghaf ed fyc oui eh dryd machina Kimahri fuimt'ja bnupypmo kiddat oui. Cunno E ryt du wyb oui..." ("Good thing you can think fast, Rin. If they knew it was you in that machina Kimahri would've probably gutted you. Sorry I had to zap you...")
" Ed'c ug" Rin replied, "E vunkeja oui. Pacetac, ouin summoner raymat sa. E's veha huf." (It's ok.) (I forgive you. Besides, your summoner healed me. I'm fine now.")
"Huf fryd?" (Now what?)
"E tuh'd ghuf. E'mm dyk ymuhk ihdem fa kad du Rajhel's. E'mm drehg uv cusadrehk drana..." ("I don't know. I'll tag along until we get to Rajhel's. I'll think of something there...")
Lulu nodded and the two caught up to the group before anyone became suspicious.
--------------------------
"It smells nice here." Rikku said, looking around Guadosalam.
"Like fruit..." Tidus added. "Apples or something."
"It's the scent of traditional Guado incense." An elderly Guado said, walking towards Tidus.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Wakka exclaimed, stepping in front of Tidus.
"Forgive me. I forgot my manners. I am assistant to Lord Seymour. My name is Tromell."
Wakka's muscles relaxed and he stepped aside so Tidus and Tromell could shake hands.
"Lord Seymour has been awaiting your arrival. Please, come with me to the royal house."
Tidus nodded and the group followed Tromell into an elaborate mansion. He escorted the group into a huge front porch.
"Wait here. I will announce your presence to Lord Seymour."
"Okay."
Tromell smiled and walked off. Tidus looked around at the portraits of the past Guado leaders that lined the walls.
"Here's Lord Jyscal." Rikku said, pointing.
Tidus nodded. "He was the first Guado to marry a human woman. Lord Seymour is half Guado and half human..."
"Lord Seymour will see you in the main dining hall. Please follow me."
The group followed Tromell into the dining hall.
"Maester Seymour will be a few minutes. Please feel free to have something to eat or drink while you're waiting."
Tromell left and Rikku grabbed a pear off the table. "Wow. Look at all this food!"
Rin's stomach growled and he took an apple. "The Guado sure know how to eat."
Tidus admired the paintings on the walls, Luzzu and Kimahri by his side. Auron was leaning on the door frame watching everyone. It wasn't long before the door creaked open and Seymour walked in. He smiled as Tidus' performed Yevon's prayer.
"There's no need for that Summoner Tidus. I'm just glad you could drop by."
"Could you make this quick? We're in a hurry." Auron said.
Tidus looked at Auron with wide eyes but the Maester only smirked.
"Of course, Sir Auron. I only wanted to show Tidus something..."
The Maester walked up to Tidus, taking the blonde by his hand. Luzzu and Kimahri frowned and Wakka made a low growling noise. Lulu nudged the redhead in the ribs. Tidus looked at Seymour as the Guado lead him onto a glass platform. Two huge crystal pendulum hung from the ceiling. The summoner blinked as the pendulums started to sway back and forth at different speeds. The blonde jumped as the floor beneath his feet turned into a dark starry sky. Tidus looked around, amazed as pyreflies flew past him.
"This machine picks up the thoughts and memories of the dead on the farplane and depicts them as moving images."
"Whoa..." Wakka murmured, looking around.
"Cool..." Rikku grinned, looking down.
"And this..." The image changed so that the group was 'floating' above a huge machina city. "Is Zanarkand as it looked 1000 years ago."
A huge smile pulled at Tidus' lips. The image changed again and the group was 'standing' on the streets of Zanarkand. 'People' walked around or right through them.
"Wow...this city was huge!" Rin exclaimed, looking up.
"Indeed it was."
Tidus let out an excited chuckle. He'd never seen anything like this in his whole life! He reached out to touch a passing girl but his hand went right through her arm. Suddenly the image started speeding past them, twisting and turning around corners.
"She used to live here you know..." Seymour said.
Auron "hmphed" and Tidus looked at the Maester.
"'She' who?"
Seymour slowly smirked. The image of Zanarkand faded into blackness and was replaced by a elegant bedroom. A woman was sitting on her bed, head hung.
"Lady Yunalesca!" Tidus gasped.
Seymour nodded. Rikku leaned forward and examined all the expensive silver brushes on Yunalesca's vanity. The heavy oak doors swung open and a handsome man in Crusader's armor walked in.
"Lord Zaon." Luzzu said.
Everyone was too busy watching Lord Zaon and Lady Yunalesca to pay any attention to Seymour. Tidus swallowed hard as the Guado's lips brushed against his ear before whispering something to him. Zaon and Yunalesca hugged and the image faded away. The pendulums stopped swinging and the machine turned off. Seymour smirked and slowly stepped away from Tidus.
"Wow...that was cool." Rikku commented, looking around. "Tidus? You ok?"
The blonde rushed to the nearest table and poured himself some water. He gulped it all down in two swallows. His guardians flanked to his side. Luzzu grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Your face is all red...!" The redhead exclaimed.
"He...he..." Tidus looked at Seymour. "He asked me to marry him..."
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Cliffhanger! Bua ha ha! ^^;;; R&R Please.