Return of Light
"Argh! I can't take it anymore!" Tida fell back onto the grass as Yunalesca watched her in amusement. Tida let Nirvana roll out of her hand.
"Tida, you almost had it—until you trimmed on the hem of your dress. Now come on; one more time, please?" Yunalesca coaxed, trying to get Tida back on her feet.
"Why does it have to be done in a dress? I hate dresses! I hate them!" To prove her point, Tida flipped to her feet and tugged the dress over her head, throwing it as hard as she could to the ground and jumping up and down on, yelling.
Yunalesca stared. Well, at least the girl had enough modesty to keep her normal clothes on—which she'd pointblank refused to take off.
"I'll be damned before I lose all my dignity!" she had said, glaring the entire time she'd put on the pearly white dress, wanting more than anything to rip it into shreds.
"Well, Tida," Yunalesca sighed. "I didn't make the rules."
"Look at you! You're not wearing a dress! How did you perform the sending?!" Tida demanded, stopping her tantrum and pointing at Yunalesca, her colored eyes narrowing.
"I never performed one, but I did know how," Yunalesca admitted. "And seeing as how you destroyed that dress, what are you going to practice in?"
"I'll show you! I've worn it before… three years, after I accepted Chappu as my guardian," Tida said, snorting. She stuck a foot under Nirvana, flicking the staff into her hands where she whirled it around.
She took a deep breath, concentrating on that day, how happy she'd been, getting a new guardian, her first guardian for her long journey to become a full summoner… Chappu…
"Here goes."
Tida spun, waving Nirvana in a wide arc around her body before stopping until Nirvana circled her body completely before she turned it in her hand, bringing it back around in the opposite direction.
It was hard for Yunalesca to see at first, but a soft blue glow was forming around Tida, changing her. And suddenly, in a flash of light and ribbons, she wasn't in her shorts and ripped top, but in a bright blue skirt and silver straps to make a shirt of sorts. There were no sleeves, but on her forearms were wisps of white cloth, silver at the ends. Her feet were bare.
The dance was gentle and smooth and Tida appeared to be moving on air as the dance abruptly became quick and breathless as she spun and kicked up her legs, waving Nirvana rapidly.
And she stopped.
Yunalesca stared, her mouth open. A thought crossed her mind.
If Chappu could see what she was seeing, there wouldn't be enough cold water in the world.
* * *
"The first time we crossed this, I kidnapped Yunie. Remember?" Rikku said, sitting back on the cushioned seat as the shoopuf carried them across the Moonflow.
"I remember," Wakka said dryly. "Tidus and I had to jump overboard to save her."
Rikku snorted. "You didn't have to save her. Like I'd have let anything happen to Yunie!"
"Rikku, if you had succeeded, we all wouldn't be here now. The Guado would have killed you, and who knows what would have happened to us. Probably killed by Sin," Wakka said, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever," Rikku said, shooting Wakka a quick glare before turning to chat with Zeoron. Lulu and Yuna looked at each, rolling their eyes and shaking their heads.
Tidus slouched in his seat, hands behind his head and legs stretched lazily apart. He watched the brief exchange between Rikku and Wakka and listened with half an ear. Who really cared? It was in the past; this was the present. There were far more important matters to tend to.
Like what he was going to eat tonight. They'd eaten some unidentifiable object Zeoron had barbequed the night before, and Tidus wanted something that went down easy and didn't fight the way that—well, whatever it had been, had. He sighed and a smirk slid across his face.
It was Lulu's night to get something for them. Perfect! Good eating on the way! But there was still the matter of the after-dinner entertainment. He wondered if he could sneak Yuna away from the others for a few hours… Hell, let's go for the whole night. You only live once! Or really, was it twice for him?
His smirk changed into a grin.
"Tidus?" Chappu's barely audible voice broke into Tidus's mind. "I know what you're grinning about, and I hate to tell you it won't happen."
"Damn you, Chappu, damn you."
* * *
"I've never seen a dance like that," Yunalesca murmured, staring at Tida in awe. Tida smiled and her cheeks colored slightly as she blushed rosy pink.
"Thanks," she said, lifting her right shoulder lightly as Nirvana flickered in her hand before disappearing. She clasped her hands and closed her eyes as her clothes blinked and then returned to her normal attire.
"I've done it once before. After I met Chappu," Tida said, smiling. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she spoke, though her eyes stayed on Yunalesca.
"Hmm… Well, Tida, I wish you'd told me about you dancing before. Then we wouldn't have wasted nearly all of today trying to get you to perform the sending properly. Now all you have to do is simply dance, but—"
"I know, I know. I have to want with every single particle of me to send the souls of the dead to the Farplane. I got it, Yunalesca. Can I eat now? I'm hungry!"
* * *
"Well, there it is. Guadosalam." Yuna sighed, shaking her head, brown tresses flying from side to side. She glanced around the group; Chappu and Zeoron met her eyes and nodded before disappearing to investigate. Tidus and Wakka were pointing around and discussing between themselves, and Lulu and Rikku were shooting looks at each other, at Yuna, and at the Farplane.
Yuna smiled.
The Farplane.
"Come on; we'll go the Farplane and then check into the inn. I… I want to see Tida. Call Chappu and Zeo," she murmured. Tidus nodded and turned around over the lanai rail, but—
"CHAPPU! ZEO! FARPLANE!" Rikku yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth as she bellowed. Tidus glowered at her and Rikku grinned at him, patting his cheek. He scowled as she walked away, one eye slightly twitching.
"Come along, Tidus," Yuna said smoothly, quickly changing her giggle into a cough and the clearing of her throat. She took his arm and proceeded up the path to the Farplane.
Chappu and Zeoron joined them about halfway up, taking position behind Lulu and Wakka, who were holding hands; Zeoron wrinkled her nose while Chappu and Rikku joined together in laughter.
Chappu shifted uncomfortably as they started up the steps to the Farplane; he really didn't want to be here and was sure Yuna would understand, but… somehow, he wanted to see her and then somehow he didn't. He couldn't really understand it. Perhaps he would, someday.
Tidus was the first to enter the Farplane, his right hand pushing the through the glazed force, which gave way to his touch as Tidus walked in, Yuna on his heels. Wakka and Lulu followed, Rikku and Zeoron after.
Chappu hesitated and then went in after them, his eyes darting around as he shuddered involuntarily. Yuna moved quickly to the side, her eyes never blinking.
"Tida." She said it loud and clear. Chappu stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked at a rock on the ground as the others gathered behind Yuna in an almost semi-circle.
"What the—?"
Chappu looked up and his eyes widened. His hands flew out of his pockets as he pushed through Wakka and Lulu, staring in disbelief at the shining wall of the Farplane.
"Where… Where is she?" Yuna whispered, turning to Tidus, who shook his head, his eyes wide.
"I don't know. Chappu, you try calling her," he said, nodding to the black-headed youth. Chappu jerked his head, but his eyes moved to the glass as he turned his body to face the glass, his head held high.
He concentrated on Tida with all his might, her flashing eyes, her father's blond hair, and her athletic build… Chappu closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them.
Nothing.
"How is this? Tida should be appearing, shouldn't she?" he muttered.
No one answered him.
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