I just wanted to thank all of my reviewers! I'm really glad you all like my story, and here comes
chapter 7!
Chapter 7: Lea's Wrath
"Oh Yuna, it's time to wake up!" a voice said sweetly, and its owner gave her a little
shake. Yuna was awake suddenly, but decided not to open her eyes. After all, it was far too
early in the morning...
Yuna felt as if she might drift off again, when she realized she had no idea who it was
that had awaken her. It wasn't Tidus, nor was it Zed. The voice belonged to a female.
"Huh?" Yuna said, bolting straight up and looking into the almost aqua eyes of Lea, who
was standing over her with a smile on her face. Not her usual sweet smile either, but one of
those "I know all" smiles.
"Hm, he has you sleeping on the couch, does he?" Lea asked with a snort, "I should've
known. Some fan would never be good enough for him. Or did you start in the bed..."
"What are you talking about?" Yuna interrupted, being that she had forgotten all about
Lea and her little talk the day before, "And what are you doing here?"
"Zeddy called me," Lea said, crossing her arms, "He said he wanted me to help you with
the shopping. Besides, Zeddy needed to help with some things in the arena."
"But..." Yuna looked away from Lea's smirking stare, wondering why Zed had sent her.
Surely he knew Tidus hated Lea?
"Men," Lea was now saying, "All you have to do is send them one sweet smile, and the
next thing you know, they're wrapped around your finger." Her eyes rolled, and she smiled a
not-so-sweet smile.
"Or," Lea continued, smiling that same not-so-sweet smile still, "The men can give you
one sweet smile, and the next thing you know, you're wrapped around his finger. Which one was
it Yuna?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Yuna said, rolling her eyes, trying to fix her
out-of-place hair. And to think she had thought Lea seemed okay, and that Tidus had just
misjudged her. Maybe it was the fact that Yuna hated judgements of people. She was a fond
believer that a person should be able to be known before judged. Still, she couldn't help but have
some mean judgements thrown toward Lea. Yuna sighed and walked to the other side of the
room where there was a mirror. Lea's eyes followed Yuna the entire way, and she frowned.
"You're not the only one who's ever been kissed by him, you know," Lea said, her hands
on her hips and her eyes slitted toward Yuna.
"I'm aware of that," Yuna said, eyeing Lea through the mirror, wondering what Zed had
been thinking to send in Lea. Yuna found herself wondering if Tidus knew that Lea were here.
Probably not, Yuna decided.
Lea looked angry, and Yuna wondered what it was that she was angry at. Finally, Lea
gave a loud huffing noise and walked up to Yuna.
"Look, Tidus is mine," Lea said, her eyes flaming at Yuna, "So you might as well just
leave while you have the chance.
Yuna wanted to laugh. "What even gives you that idea?" Yuna asked Lea, smiling to
hold back her laughter, "Tidus can't stand you."
"Oh yeah," Lea said, "Then why will he sleep with me but not with you?"
"She's bluffing," Yuna told herself. "If anyone's the obsessed fan, it's Lea. Not me."
"He hasn't had the chance to," Yuna told Lea surely, smiling, because she knew quite
well that it wasn't Tidus who wouldn't sleep with her, but her that wouldn't sleep with him, "I'm
not some slut Lea, unlike you."
Lea looked like she was going to slap Yuna, her eyes were now nothing but slits.
However, she was doing a very good job at keeping her cool, even though Yuna could see she
was rather taken aback.
After a moment of staring angrily at Yuna, Lea just smiled.
"Do you know how badly Tidus wants this game?" Lea asked, her sweet voice returning.
"As bad as he wants any game," Yuna just said, rolling her eyes as she did so.
Lea snorted, "Shows how much you know him. Do even know what tournament this is?"
Yuna shook her head, feeling somewhat defeated.
"It's the Willington Memorial Tournament, the only tournament the Abes have never
won. And this is Tidus' big chance to win it for 'em."
"Yeah, so he'll win it," Yuna said, looking crossly at Lea.
"Not if I have anything to do with it?" Lea said, and she returned Yuna's cross glare.
"What could you do?" Yuna asked, allowing her eyes to roll once more.
"Do you have any idea who my father is?" Lea asked, rolling her eyes, "He's the head ref
of the tournament. So, I just talk to him, and he'll make sure the Abes don't win. Got it?"
Yuna rolled her eyes again. As if Lea was really telling the truth anyway.
Lea gave Yuna one more warning glare and then huffed out the door, leaving Yuna to
herself.
"Whatever," Yuna said, rolling her eyes yet again, "I can always just take care of myself."
She decided haughtily that she'd go shopping herself, for the clothes that Tidus had been
talking about. She wasn't about to let Lea get her down.
She was on her way out the door when she saw Zed coming over to her.
"Hey, where's Lea going?" he asked as he entered the house, stopping Yuna from exiting.
Yuna crossed her arms, feeling somewhat angry at Zed for sending Lea. If Tidus had
wanted her, he would have sent her, not Zed.
"What's wrong?" Zed asked, after seeing the look on Yuna's face, "You and Lea don't
get along? Hm...You must be the only girl in the whole city that doesn't like Lea. Anyway,
seeing that you two probably didn't get much shopping done, I suppose I'll have to go. You
ready?"
Yuna decided that for now she was just going to have to forgive Zed, but she wondered
how she was going to pay for the clothes Tidus wanted her to get. She expressed these feelings
with Zed, but he only laughed.
"Don't worry, Tidus'll take care of everything."
Yuna smiled at Zed's comment, not knowing if it was a relieved smile or just a smile
because she didn't know what else to say. She realized then that Lea's words were still bothering
her. After all, what if what Lea had said was true?
"Hey Zed?" Yuna asked shyly as Zed made his way out the door.
"Yeah?" he asked, as Yuna followed behind him. The day was warm and sunny, and
people were everywhere in the streets, yelling, "Let's go Abes!" or something to cheer their team
on.
"Is this game real important to him? Like, does he really want to win it?" Yuna asked,
catching up to Zed and walking alongside of him.
"You bet it does," Zed said, smiling, "It'll be the first time the Abes have ever won. Not
only that, but this is the only tournament Tidus' old man didn't win."
Yuna stopped. "It is?" she asked, then, catching up with Zed again. Somehow her heart
suddenly felt extremely heavy.
"Yeah, this game means more than anything in the world to Tidus," Zed continued, "He's
been practicing since he was like eleven or twelve just to win this cup. Wants to show his old
man up, I guess."
"It must really mean a lot to him," Yuna said, sounding sad. What if Lea really did cause
Tidus to lose? "How long has he tried to win this cup?"
"Well, since he's been on the Abes," Zed said, "But like I said, he's wanted it for as long
as I can remember. Last year, the Abes were in the final round, but Tidus got pretty beat up out
there. I'm afraid the team's not much without 'im. But this year, things are really looking up."
"Yeah, unless Lea ruins things," Yuna thought mournfully, "Why did I have to come?"
"Could...I mean, Lea's dad is the head ref, right?" Yuna asked, praying that Zed would
say that he wasn't.
"Yeah. Good thing, too. He's the fairest they've got. It's surprising he hasn't let Lea
talk him into doin' things though. Whatever that girl wants, she seems to get. Good thing Lea
and Tidus are so close, know what I mean?" Zed said, smiling at Yuna.
"But they aren't close," Yuna argued, "Or, at least it doesn't seem that way..."
"Oh, don't worry, they..." Zed suddenly trailed and looked down at Yuna.
"Say," he asked, "You and Tidus are...A couple, right?" He looked somewhat alarmed.
"Yeah, I guess so," Yuna said, nodding, wondering what the alarmed look was for.
"Great," Zed sighed, "Every year, Tidus and Lea have been the big couple. You don't
think she'd tell her dad to..." Zed seemed to clear the thought out of his head, "Naw, never mind.
So, anyway, where to first?"
"Uh, you know how earlier I said I didn't like Lea?" Yuna asked Zed, making her voice
sweet like Lea always did, "Well, I was just joking. Lea and me are really good friends. Why
don't you take me to her place? I know you really don't want to shop. Then, I'll see you at
Tidus' before the game. Oh, and...Don't tell Tidus we were together because we're both
planning a surprise for him."
"Well, okay," Zed said, smiling, as if happy to get off the hook and not have to go
shopping, "Here's some cash that Tidus told me to give to you," he dropped some foreign coins
into Yuna's hand and said, "Okay, let's head over to Lea's!"
Yuna followed him as they went away from the shoreline and up a hill to where there
were humongous houses. And here Yuna had found Tidus' to be rather large.
"You know which one is her's, right?" Zed asked, stopping at a fork in the brick road that
led to the large houses.
Yuna felt weird, and also realized that she wasn't so sure if she wanted to go to Lea's
house without Zed or Tidus around.
"I can handle myself," Yuna just told herself, setting her chin straight ahead firmly, "I'll
be just fine."
"You seem lost," Zed said, and Yuna turned around, "Her house is that yellow-brick one
right there. Well, meet me back at Tidus' at around two in the afternoon, okay?"
"Sounds good," Yuna said, wondering if she'd have time to both talk with Lea and shop.
She decided she'd just have to make time, and with her mind set, she found herself marching
toward the huge yellow-bricked mansion.
"Okay! See you then!" Zed said, running back down the hill, "Happy shopping!"
Yuna took a deep breath, and swiftly made her way toward the yellow-bricked house,
praying that there would be someway to stop Lea from going on with her terribly deed.
She walked up the brick steps carefully, and tried to prepare what it was she was going to
say to Lea.
The crystal door-knocker sat by the door-handle, glistening in the sunlight. Yuna had
never seen such an elaborate door-knocker, nor had she seen such an elaborate house. Flowers
were everywhere, in different arrangements, and there were people outside watering them and
such, who Yuna supposed weren't any of Lea's family members, but more like servants hired by
Lea's family.
An elderly man opened the door, and at first Yuna assumed it was Lea's father, but then
realized he was far too old. Did she even have the right house? She finally realized it was more
than likely another servant, as the man said, "Is there something I can do for you, Miss?"
"Uh, yes, is Lea home?" Yuna asked, watching the man's wrinkled face to see if there
were any signs of there not being a Lea that lived there.
"Yes, just one second," the man said and turned into the house, "Miss Lea! There is a
young lady here to see you!"
"Send her up to my floor," Lea's snotty voice could be heard ordering the old man
around.
"Yes, of course," the man said, more to himself than to anyone else, "Come with me
Miss." He led Yuna up the most elaborate staircase she had ever seen, passing a crystal
chandelier that hung from the ceiling.
The staircase's railing had beautiful crystals engraved in it, and the entire outside of it
was gold. The carpet ran up the golden staircase, and was a wonderful red color that matched the
color of the roses that were on the walls.
The elderly man led Yuna through a gorgeous lit hallway to the double doors at the very
end and knocked.
Lea's face appeared as she opened the doors, and she smiled seeing that it was Yuna. She
had obviously been expecting her.
"Come on in Yuna!" Lea greeted her, making a motion with her hand for the old man to
leave, "I was expecting you." Lea closed the double doors smiling.
Yuna looked around at the large spacious room. There was a staircase in the corner that
looked just a grand as the one Yuna had recently walked up. The room itself held a large table
that was all glass, as well as glass chairs. Bouquets of flowers were everywhere, and there was
even a fountain on the wall. If Yuna hadn't known any better, she would have assumed they
were outdoors.
On the very south walls, lovely glass doors led to a gorgeous balcony that was toned with
stones.
"Wow," Yuna said, looking around, "I didn't know referees made that much money."
Lea snorted. "Well Yuna, what have you come for?"
"You...You wouldn't really let Tidus lose this game, would you?" Yuna asked, and was
yelling at herself for making it so obvious that she was worried about the matter. She should
have simply mentioned it casually.
"It depends..." Lea said, watching Yuna pace with interest, as she sat delicately in one of
the glass chairs, "Whatever I say, Daddy does."
"Listen Lea," Yuna said, "This game means more to Tidus than you could imagine.
And...For all I know, this could be his last chance at winning it. You can't mess it up because of
me."
Lea looked extremely pleased with herself.
"I can't?" she said, sticking out her bottom lip in a pout, "Well, I suppose if Yuna says I
can't..."
"Cut the sarcasm, Lea, this is serious!" Yuna said, trying so hard not to seem as if she was
begging, but just couldn't help it.
"Look, I won't do anything," Lea said, and Yuna tried not to be too relieved, because she
knew Lea's terms weren't up.
"What do you want me to do?" Yuna asked hopelessly.
"Dump Tidus," Lea said matter-of-factly.
"What?" Yuna cried, "I can't do that! I love..." Yuna's voice trailed as her eyes looked
at the tiled floor beneath her feet. She loved Tidus. Exactly. He may not exactly quite love her
back yet, but right now the game meant everything to him.
"Wait!" Yuna thought, "I'll just explain to Tidus! He'll understand! He hates Lea! He'll
definitely understand!"
"Oh, and if you're thinking of telling Tidus," Lea said, and Yuna wondered terribly if she
could read minds, "Don't even think of it. 'Cause not only do I want you to dump him, but I
want him back. I want to attend the after-game party with him, understand?"
"What if Tidus doesn't want to go with you?" Yuna asked, deciding that maybe she could
pretend to dump him, only to make up with him after the game. "Wait a minute!" Yuna said, "If
I dump Tidus, won't that be on his mind when he plays Blitzball?"
"You can dump him after the game for all I care," Lea said, smiling, as if she knew she'd
outsmarted Yuna.
However, Yuna didn't feel outsmarted yet. A small smile appeared on Yuna's face, but
disappeared quickly. Dump him after the game...After the game, what did it matter to Yuna
anymore? As long as Tidus won, what could Lea possibly do to Tidus and her? Nothing.
"Alright, deal," Yuna said quickly, and hoped she didn't sound too eager, "I'll dump
Tidus as soon as the game is over, and you can go to the after party with him." Yuna crossed her
fingers behind her back, something Rikku always did when making deals with Brother.
She didn't realize that Lea also crossed her fingers behind her back.