Return of Light
"Who?" Tida demanded again, rising to her feet, her colored eyes flashing in obvious warning that it would be unwise to not tell her whom "they" were.
"Your… ah, your grandfathers, to be exact," Yunalesca said, drawing back slightly with a wary look at Tida's sudden impending battle stance.
"Braska and Jecht? They're here? You've seen them?" Tida said incredulously, staring unblinkingly at Yunalesca. She fiddled with her long blond braid, skepticism written clearly on her face.
"Yes, well, they didn't want me to tell you. They were worried—"
"Didn't want you to tell me?! Oh, they are so lucky they're already dead, but when I get my hands on them—" Tida made a violent gesture with her hands and Yunalesca's pale eyes widened in surprise.
"Tida, you do realize that I am the fayth of Zanarkand Temple, do you not?"
"Yeah, I do." Tida mumbled, tossing her head and turning to glare at her reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall. She held up her chin up and squared her shoulders, almost looking every inch the hero that she was in her white tube top, blue jacket, rough black shorts and yellow boots—the bright pink flower behind one ear ruined it all.
Tida scowled and tugged at an earring. She had three—two silver hoops and then one silver at the top of her right ear. Simple yet somehow daring, in her mind. Her hand dropped to clasp around a charm that was no longer there. She closed her eyes. Light, she missed her father's necklace.
"You realize the Shadow is becoming strong faster than ever?"
"Yes." Tida grit her teeth in annoyance.
"You realize that people are dying?"
"Yes."
"You realize that there is no hope left for Spira?"
"Yes."
"You realize that the ones who could stop are only partially within the Light?"
"Yes."
"You realize," Yunalesca's tone turned cool, "that without you, Spira will die?"
"YES!"
"You realize you must return?"
"YES! Light! More than anything! Are you a fucking retard?!"
"Then follow me, please," Yunalesca said, choosing wisely to overlook Tida's insult. "And we're going to make sure you get back to Spira in time to save it. I'll be damned before I let the Shadow win."
Now Tida's voice was a pitiful whine. "But how?"
Yunalesca's smile was almost chillingly wicked—almost. "My dear, do you fail to realize that you have two High Summoners—one a fayth—and a guardian/fayth helping you? Not to mention the fact that you, also, are a High Summoner."
Tida winced. "This is gonna be bad!"
* * *
"Chappu?"
Chappu grunted in response and continued to stare at the wine bottle nearly empty in front of him. Light, he wanted to get drunk so badly—but damn it all—and Zeoron, no doubt—there was an inexplicable new rule that only allowed one wine bottle per customer.
Fuck.
"Go 'way, Zsheo," he slurred half-heartedly.
Zeoron put her hands on her hips and stared down at him, chin held high. "You listen to me, Chappu. I don't give a damn about you're feeling right now but you've got to put it aside. I know it sounds heartless, but you've got to move on. We've got the Shadow to stand up against. It'll do us no good if the most powerful of us is half-drunk!" With that, she snatched the bottle and shattered it on the counter. Droplets of wine dribbled to the floor as shards of glass simply gleamed in the pale light coming in from the windows. The bartender cringed.
Women and their damn anger spurts.
"Leave me alone, Zeo. You wouldn't—"
"Understand?! How can you expect me to understand?! You selfish, unforgivable, egotistical—!"
"Lu! Stop shouting at me! Why do you argue with everything I say?" Wakka roared back, cutting Lulu's shrieks apart with his own booming voice.
Lulu flung up her hands. "I do not argue with everything you say!"
"Yeah you do! You're doing it right now!"
"I am not!"
"You are so!"
"I am not!"
"This is why is so damn to tell you I love you!"
"Oh, yeah? Well, I've not problems with telling you I love you!"
All action in the bar/common room in Besaid stopped as the pair heating up at a table by the window froze and stared at one another, speechless from shock.
And then, Wakka was on his feet. He seized Lulu from across the table and pulled her mouth to his in a searing kiss. Lulu's scream of surprise was instantly muffled as Wakka crushed his lips to hers. She clung to Wakka like he was her life support.
Zeoron blinked.
"Shit. I need a drink." Chappu ran a hand through his hair and dove across the bar to snag a bottle of red wine. He popped the cork and started to drink deeply but Zeoron snatched it from his hands in the blink of an eye.
"Ladies first!" she gasped, draining half the bottle in one quick, desperate gulp.
—
"So they finally admitted it. Thank the Light. I was getting tired of feeling the tension," Rikku muttered, rolling her eyes to the sky in silent thanks.
"It was weird," Zeoron mumbled, obviously still shaken from the explosion that had taken place just a mere hour before. Rikku chuckled and patted her leg.
"You're only nineteen, so that's why it's weird. Believe me, when you fall in love, you'll do some pretty crazy things yourself."
"I don't plan on ever getting married. I'd like to stay single. Think of all the wonderful stuff I could do on my own. Actually, I'd like to start a school for Mages. Beats the heck out of learning it on your own. It's tough," Zeoron said, shaking herself forcefully out of her reverie.
"I suppose so. I'm not much in the magic department. I'll stick to machina, thanks," Rikku said, smiling at Zeoron's displayed goal in life.
"You can do a few simple spells like Fire and Cure can't you?" Zeoron asked.
"Well, yes, I can. But that doesn't mean they're exactly the best," Rikku warned, thinking of her feeble White and Black Magic spells she'd worked herself to learn.
Zeoron shook her head. "Very few people can even do those. It takes years to learn unless you've got the spark for it born in you. That's why Lulu and I are so powerful—and Yuna."
"Let's not leave Yunie out of it. She packs one hell of a wallop with Holy. Believe me; that's one spell you definitely don't want Reflected back onto you." Rikku shuddered; remembering the sharp blow Holy had dealt her during a battle on Yuna's pilgrimage.
Zeoron winced. "Ouch. I've seen what it can do. Tida cast it one time. Although my favorite was when she cast Reflect on Chappu. He never did figure out why stuff bounced back off him. Thought he was invincible—until he attacked a Chimera head on and got the crap kicked out of him. Tida had to Dispel to Cure him," Zeoron laughed at the memory of seeing Chappu sailing through the air.
Rikku laughed along with her. "What can I say—we're all mischievous in this bunch. Oh, the evil things we do to one another! They should lock us all up and throw away the key!"
Zeoron giggled. "For real."
Rikku sighed. "So many good memories of practical jokes and adventures." She groaned. "Makes me wish for a peaceful retirement in New Home."
Zeoron's eyes darkened and she muttered bitterly, "Won't get that till the Shadow's dead and long gone, Rikku. I mean—Damn it!"
Rikku shook her head. "Not much we can do but wait. How's Chappu holding up?" she asked, changing the subject as quickly as she could think.
"I dunno." Zeoron leaned back in her chair. "He went to the temple, I think. He wanted to revisit some memories. I let him go. Oh, Rikku," Zeoron's eyes filled with tears and she leaned forward, "I'm so worried about him. He's slowly killing himself over Tida!"
"That's love, sweetie. He's pining away for her. Yuna didn't love Tidus anywhere near as much as Chappu loved Tida. Chappu's background was different from Yuna's, so Tida's love was the best gift he'd ever received in his life. Yes, Tidus was a gift to Yuna, but she could live without him because Tida was born to her. Chappu has nothing but memories to remember her by," Rikku explained wisely.
"Chappu's background?" Zeoron said, puzzled.
"Maybe one day he'll tell you, but don't press him. It's a long, sad story."
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