Return of Light
Chappu winced and gripped the railing on the corridor wall of the Titan, his other arm cradling gently around his ribcage. It was a miracle he could walk, Zeoron had said. Chappu had snorted at that—he was no baby. Sure, he had four broken ribs and two cracked ones, but he was tough; he could handle it. And let's not forget the long gash on his upper left arm that hurt like hell whenever Yuna redressed the wound. Oh, and what about that nice little number slashed vertically across one eye? Yuna had told him it would scar, but maybe it could be healed eventually. Zeoron had joked about it making him look sexy; Chappu had laughed right out loud at that one—and just as quickly regretted it; his ribs had seared with such agony that he'd blacked out.
There was also the sprained ankle and pulled tendons in his calves, but otherwise, he was quite well. He still had a bit of cough but not so much as painful as it had been. They'd told him his face had been covered in warm, sticky blood but most of it was from the arm lesion. The cut across his right eye hadn't bleed at all; it was simply there.
Chappu was thankful to be alive.
Carefully now, he made his way into the cockpit of the Titan, his eyes catching sight of the brilliantly blue sky and dazzlingly white cotton clouds patching it agreeably. Rikku was at one of the control panels. Her father, Yuna's uncle, Cid, was the pilot. Tidus and Yuna were on either side of the globe, pointing out places they'd been and discussing their arrival to Zanarkand. Lulu, Zeoron, and Wakka weren't here. Of course, Chappu remembered; they were out on the deck as lookouts.
Wincing, Chappu lowered himself into a chair, leaning back easily so not to jar his tender ribs. He sighed and glanced about. "How far off are we?"
Tidus and Yuna looked around at him and Yuna offered him a warm smile. "We're nearly there, just another few hours or so. Feeling better?" she asked.
Chappu gave her a wry smile. "Still hurts like hell, but I'm doing all right."
Tidus laughed. "Smart answer, Chappu."
Chappu snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Are we all set for the temple? Where are we landing?"
"We'll be landing at the main beach dock in the port. I guess we're pretty much set to for Zanarkand Temple. Shouldn't be too difficult. I just wish there weren't so many damn floor tile patterns to light up. Thing changes every time," Tidus muttered, rolling his eyes and putting his hands behind his head.
Chappu tore his eyes away; that was a Tida gesture in full—except when Tidus did it Chappu didn't cop a feel. Chappu felt a surge of excitement, Zanarkand Temple at last; and the weapon to defeat the Shadow, falling into their hands.
Tida… would she finally return to him, to them, for the Final Battle with the Shadow? Would she come to join the deadly fight and save them all once again? Would she… could she?
Chappu stifled a yawn. Damn X-Potions and Phoenix Downs, he mused, always making him sleepy. He laid his head back against the cushioning on the top of the chair. He smiled. Almost there… almost there…
* * *
"What the hell?!"
Tida ducked out of the way and then dove, rolling over and over until she was clear of the slashing claws of the bandage-wrapped Demonolith.
"Whoa!" she cried, getting to her feet and flipping backward. She stared at it in shock, slowly moving her way in a half-crouched position, cautious and studying.
"Yunalesca!" she called, keeping her colored eyes trained on the fiend. "Yunalesca!"
Yunalesca appeared out the cottage door, standing on the small porch. "Tida, what—oh, holy Light!" Yunalesca's hands flew to her mouth as her pale pink eyes widened in disbelief. Her voice was high and shrill when she spoke. "How did it break into the Farplane?!"
Tida's eyes flickered not even a second to Yunalesca. "I don't know, but I've no weapon anymore. The Brotherhood is gone, and I can't find Nirvana anywhere."
"Nirvana is no longer yours." Yunalesca said quietly, and under her breath so Tida couldn't hear.
"I need a weapon. I can't attack it with my hands!" Tida snapped, irritated with Yunalesca's prolonged silence in her announcement of no sword and no staff.
Yunalesca blew out a breath and chewed on her lower lip. "I don't bloody know! Can you cast?"
"Not without a draw weapon. You know that!" Tida barked, scowling as she continued to circle the Demonolith. She went into another diving roll as it struck out at her again.
"Oh, well—Tida, watch out!" Yunalesca screamed, and covered her mouth with her hands as the Demonolith suddenly changed into a Master Couerl that made to pounce on the young High Summoner.
"YEOW!" Tida yelled as one of the Master Couerl's claws swiped her across the back. Tida winced as she felt it tear through her shirt and into her soft skin. Warm blood began to soak into her shirt shreds, sticking to her back. She stumbled away, holding her back and whimpering.
"Tida!"
Tida tripped and went down to her knees; one hand pressing to her back while the other supported her torso. Tears leaked out of her eyes and fell to the glass below as Braska and Jecht ran up, Jecht brandishing his sword and Braska holding a small staff.
"Come here, you little changing bastard!" Jecht shouted, rushing at the fiend and taking a clean and swift swipe. Braska followed suit with a powerful casting of Holy. Yunalesca ran to Tida's side, cradling the young girl against her, soothing her as best as she could.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. It just really hurts," Tida muttered, wincing. Yunalesca ripped the back of her shirt open to survey the damage. She bit her lip.
"Tida, grit your teeth for this one. I'm going to have to pull out a claw. It's in your skin," Yunalesca said, keeping her voice calm and forcefully controlled so not to alarm Tida.
Tida made a small noise in her throat but grit her teeth and closed her eyes tightly. She yelped when Yunalesca yanked the claw out but then the pressure was gone and she collapsed onto her stomach, breathing heavily.
"Whew," she whispered.
Jecht and Braska hurried over, having defeated the morphed Behemoth King. Jecht's sword and Braska's staff vanished into a sparkle of glittering and flashing lights.
"Tida, are you all right?" Braska asked his granddaughter worriedly.
Tida winced as she raised her cheek off the ground to look at him. She offered him a weak smile. "I'll live, I think. It'll be a little tender for a while."
Jecht laughed. "That's my grandkid all right! Tough as hell!"
"I don't know about that one, Grandpa," Tida murmured, closing her eyes as she lowered her head back to the grass with a sigh. "I ache all over. The scratch must be at a nerve."
"Perhaps it is. Come on; let's get you inside," Braska said, moving to lift Tida carefully. Jecht moved to help while Yunalesca walked alongside, soothing Tida with words.
* * *
"ZEORRRROOOOOOONNNNNNN!!!!"
"Oh, gosh—Light, Chappu! I didn't know you were behind the door!" Zeoron cried, wringing her hands as she bit her lip, staring at Chappu with fret.
Chappu held his nose in his hands. "It's not enough you helped break my ribs, but you gotta break my nose too? Light, Zeoron!" Chappu swore under his breath; his eyes were filled with tears from the jolting pain of the swinging door bashing him full-force in the nose as Zeoron pushed it open strongly, unaware Chappu would be coming out it.
"I'm sorry!" Zeoron wailed.
"Just—just shut up," Chappu muttered wearily, groaning and slumping down in a chair, ignoring the fresh new burst of pain that screamed out from his ribs.
"Chappu? Zeo? I heard a scream. What—?" Tidus stopped and gawked.
"Shut up, Tidus, just shut up," Chappu said flatly.
Tidus laughed so hard he ended up on hands and knees, banging on the floor.
He also cried.
* * *
"Guys! Guys!" Rikku burst into the main cabin, skidding to a halt. "We're there! Pops is getting ready to land!" she cried, looking excitedly around at them all, giggling.
Yuna closed her eyes at Rikku's teenage behavior ("For Light's sake, she's in her thirties," Tidus mumbled.) and then opened them again, smiling. "Wonderful. Everyone, let's go."
Yuna got to her feet with the others rising with her; Chappu shifted away from leaning against the wall and moved toward the door. It was he who led the way into the cockpit, his steps sure and strong—his wounds were healed, save for his four broken ribs, but they were nearly there.
"You're all so damn slow!" Cid growled when the door slid up, allowing them entrance. "Come on, come on. I'm landing, so hold on. Tricky to land in Zanarkand."
"Yeah, yeah, Pops." Rikku said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. She took up her position at her power panel and began tapping keys while the others settled around the room, waiting anxiously for the landing.
Within no more than a few minutes, the Titan had shuddered to a halt. Cid released the controls and turned to face them, still looking gruff. "Get a move on, now. I'll be here. You let me know if you need the airship."
"We will, Uncle Cid, we will," Yuna promised. She held out her arms, a signal to her guardians, Chappu, and Zeoron. "Everyone…"
"Let us go into Zanarkand."
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