Return of Light
The Zanarkand Palace had never looked so brilliant in the shining crimson-ginger sun and startling cloudless blue sky that seemed to stretch on forever and ever… endless. The birds were singing their happy songs and flying overhead. A slight breeze whirled around, shuffling the leaves in the trees and making them dance. The waves crashing gently and softly against the sandy shore was soothing to the ear.
Also on that sandy beach, a crowd had gathered to witness a union; a union of lives… of past, of present, and of future. A gathering of people to witness a bonding of pronounced love.
"…to love, to honor, and to cherish…"
And quite long overdue in a few certain eyes.
"…until death do you part…"
Wakka grinned sideways at Tidus as Lulu smiled at Yuna, who was struggling with ripping open a package of tissues.
"I do."
"… and do you…"
Tidus squeezed Yuna's hand as both she and Rikku burst into tears, each sobbing for all they were worth—but tears of happiness and not of sadness.
"… to love, to honor, and to cherish…"
Zeoron smiled and shook her head at the crying women and shifted, her gaze drifting back to couple standing before the High Priest of Zanarkand Temple.
"… until death do you part…"
"I do."
Tidus smiled and patted Yuna's hand as she wailed. He reached around her and tapped Rikku's knee but the blond Al Bhed woman didn't seem to notice. She was tearing her tissue apart as she cried joyfully into it.
"You may kiss the bride!" the priest cried, snapping the book shut and flinging his arms out to the sides in glee. His wrinkled face broke into a grin and his eyes crinkled, the brown orbs twinkling.
Chappu smiled and his arms wrapped around his bride as Tida's own arms came up to wrap around his neck as they kissed, sealing their fates together as one.
Light filled them both and they both began to glow radiantly before it died down, vanishing within them both as it was sealed. They broke apart as applause rang out on the beach.
Tidus, Yuna, Rikku, Lulu, and Wakka all rose as one, some crying, and some laughing and some even doing both at the same time. Zeoron grinned and returned Tida's bouquet to her as the newlyweds turned to face everyone, holding hands and smiling more brightly than the sun.
Tida and Chappu looked at each other and laughed before racing down the makeshift aisle between the chairs.
"It was such a beautiful wedding!" Yuna sighed, hugging her daughter and kissing her cheek. "You were so gorgeous, honey! Like an angel! Although I must say your dress…" Yuna shook her head and tears glistened in her colored eyes, mismatched mirrors against Tida's. "You always were original."
"Thanks, Mama," Tida said, smiling. She glanced down at her "dress."
It was made of the finest silk ever found, and two pieces. The skirt was short, coming down to mid-thigh only with a small slit up the right side. The shirt was cut off at the bottom, revealing most of her toned and tanned abdomen. Silken sleeves went down her arms to Vs on the backs of her hands. There was a sharp V at the neck and her shoulders were nearly bare. It moved out, folding over double like and the smooth creased fabric hugging the tops of her arms. Intricate silver weaves spread paths in just the right places, only seeming to show off the Zanarkand charm dangling from her neck. Her hair was flowing down her back, gracefully over her shoulders. A simple silver tiara sat atop her head, holding the veil in place. She had on sleek pale blue knee-high boots with a tiny heel.
Well, at least her clothes were the ever-traditional white.
Tida smiled as someone stepped behind her, wrapping their arms around her upper torso. She leaned back into their embrace, her head going into the crook of Chappu's neck and shoulder.
"I love you," he whispered, squeezing her.
Tida closed her eyes. "I love you, too," she murmured back. She opened her eyes and turned in his arms, resting her palms against his firm chest. "Forever."
Chappu smiled and his deep blue eyes sparkled, the wind playing with his raven's wing locks. He fingered a strand of her own blond tresses, his eyes moving to Tidus, who has raised an eyebrow at him over the top of his class of champagne. Chappu pressed his lips to Tida's in a brush of a kiss.
"To the bride and groom!" someone shouted, and several others echoed him as glasses clinked together in a toast to the newlyweds.
Tida and Chappu laughed and met each other's eyes, twining their arms and each sipping from the other's glass as they offered it to the other. Rikku smiled and drank her own after chinking glasses with Zeoron, the Tida's Maid of Honor.
"You know, Rikku, I think you may be right about love," Zeoron said, cocking her head as she studied her fellow guardian Chappu and her summoner Tida. "Maybe it is a good thing."
Rikku chuckled. "You're learning, Zeo, you're learning," she said, raising her glass briefly before taking another drink. She sighed. "To be young and in love."
A blond-headed Al Bhed man walked by, muttering to himself but he did flash Rikku a smile as he walked by, tasting his champagne. Rikku's eyes followed him over the rim of her glass.
"I'll be back…"
Zeoron watched, laughing, as Rikku shot off after the man in a beeline, ever so casually bumping into him and spilling her drink on him, apologizing profusely.
"I'll be damned."
Lulu glanced around. "Wakka, have you seen Kimahri?" she asked her husband, drawing his interest back to her and away from the heated argument he was having with another guest over Blitzball.
"Wha—? Oh, no. He was supposed to show up for the reception 'cause he couldn't make the wedding, but… Well, I dunno, ya?" Wakka said, shrugging as he turned to his wife.
"Strange," Lulu commented.
"Kimahri right here."
Lulu and Wakka both jumped and spun around, Wakka sloshing his champagne out of his glass and onto his wedding attire.
"Damn it, Kimahri, you planned that!" Wakka growled as Lulu clucked her tongue and began trying to coax it out of the material with her napkin.
Kimahri laughed his roaring boom and slapped Wakka on the shoulder. "Kimahri see opportunity and act. Wakka has forgotten how to be guardian."
"I have not!" Wakka said stubbornly, raising his chin. Lulu sighed and shook her head.
"Why are you so late, Kimahri?" she inquired of the blue Ronso.
"Get present for Tida and Chappu."
"What did you get them?" Wakka asked, raising one eyebrow at the thought of what Kimahri's gift could possibly be. He shuddered.
Kimahri smiled, baring his fanged teeth. "Kimahri get Tida and Chappu present from highest peak of Mt. Gagazet. Kimahri bring Tida and Chappu this."
Kimahri stretched out one arm and opened his closed fist revealing a two glowing crystals, one silvery blue and the other a blue deeper and brighter than the sky above them.
"Wow, Kimahri. What are they?" Lulu said, picking one up and staring at it in awe. Wakka took the other one, turning it over in his hands.
"Love crystals," Kimahri said simply, shrugging his broad shoulders.
"Love crystals?" A puzzled frown crossed onto Lulu's features. "But I thought these were a myth!"
"Who said something about love crystals?" Zeoron peered over Lulu's shoulder. "Wow! I thought they existed! I just didn't know where to look for them!"
"What's a love crystal and what does it do?" Wakka queried.
"A love crystal is a powerful object that uses love as its source. I've never seen one until now, and I don't recall any record of there ever actually being one. When linked together, they channel the Light directly without having to be chosen. But these two… they symbolize Chappu and Tida. See? Tida's aura is silvery-blue and Chappu's is this," Lulu said, motioning to the deep blue crystal in Wakka's hands.
"Auras?" Wakka said doubtfully.
Zeoron rolled her eyes. "Yes, Wakka, auras. See, mine is dark red and purple, Lulu's is dark purple, yours is orange, Tidus's is aqua and gold, Yuna's is white and pink, and Rikku's is green. Got it? Oh, and Kimahri, yours is…" Zeoron glanced him over. "A really light blue."
"Okay…" Wakka said, though his tone said more than his word.
Lulu and Wakka returned the crystals to Kimahri.
"May I have everyone's attention, please?"
Their eyes flew to Tidus, who was standing to the front of everyone, up near the banquet table. He raised his glass, signaling that attention was to him. He glanced at a suspicious-looking Yuna and smiled.
"I would just like to say how happy I am for my daughter, Tida. And how I proud I am of you, baby," Tidus announced, his eyes catching Tida's. She clasped her hands in front of her, smiling at her father.
"We've been through so much in the past three years and we'll admit we didn't think we'd make it through it," Tidus continued, nodding to the people responsible for them all being there.
"It was hard, but we made it through with flying colors and saved the Eternal Calm once again. Today, we rejoice not only for the union of Spira's Light of Hope and her love, but also for the fact that the Shadow has at last been destroyed and will never harm Spira again!"
Shouts of joy rang out around him and after a few moments of cheers, Tidus silenced them again.
"Tida, sweetheart, you once said that it was a great honor, being my daughter. But the greatest honor I can think of in my life, even greater than that, is having you for my daughter. I love you, baby girl."
Tida promptly burst into tears and ran to Tidus, into his open arms. He flung his glass aside and hugged her as she pressed her cheek into his chest. "I love you, Daddy!" she whispered, pushing back to look up at him as more cheers rose and glasses once again clinked together.
Chappu grinned, but it quickly faded as Tidus went on, still holding Tida and now Yuna.
"Oh, and Chappu, you'd better keep her happy or the Light help me, I'll take Caladbolg and cut off your dick!" Tidus added, fixing Chappu with a hard stare so much that Chappu gulped and chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.
"Dad!"
"Tidus!"
"You tell him, brudda!"
"Wakka! Don't encourage him!"
"Hell yeah! He he!"
"Rikku, I think you've had a bit too much bubbly…"
"Whatz are yous talkinz about?"
"Kimahri take glass now, Rikku…"
"Umkay!"
Tida laughed and ran to Chappu and he pulled her to him, kissing her fully as he held her.
"I love you," he whispered against her lips.
"I love you," she murmured back, kissing him again.
The love crystals in Kimahri's hand exploded with Light they wrapped around the two, lifting them slightly off the ground. A rainbow shot across the sky in a vibrant show of light.
Tida and Chappu laughed, pressing cheek to cheek.
Tida looked up at the sky, suddenly realizing her true destiny for the first time. She smiled, feeling Chappu's warmth next to her.
It wouldn't be so bad.
Except…
Tida's eyes darkened momentarily. Children? No. Part of the light went out of her. To stay with Chappu, she'd sacrificed what they'd wanted most. How could she tell him? She was worthless to him now…
"I love you," Chappu whispered into her ear.
How could she?
Disclaimer: All belongs to Square Enix. You people know what's mine, okay?
The story is at last over, with a joyous celebration of wedded bliss, but with a twist. What's next? Well, about an FFX-2 story with Tida and the gang? Could be interesting…