I'm glad you are the caring type of readers! Thanks for your support in not only my writing career but my tennis one also! But I don't want to get into tennis right now...So, here's chapter 10, is it ten already? Okay, by the way, it's becoming somewhat crucial that you read "Journey to Remembrance" to fully understand the rest of this story! Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 10: Visions Of An Old Enemy
Tidus' back smacked hard on the water, and immediately began to sink head first into the water. He scratched his leg on something, which sparked him back to life, as he realized that he had scratched himself on some of the sunken city that was below.
Snapping back, Tidus began to kick quickly toward the surface, hoping dreadfully that Yuna hadn't fallen off also. His right arm dragged through the water, slowing him down, and he pushed through the water quickly with his only working arm.
Finally surfacing, he noticed that the shoopuf obviously hadn't even noticed that he had fallen off, for it had just continued going.
"Great," he muttered to himself, as he quickly looked around, "That means Yuna must have fallen off too!" Taking a deep breath, he plunged underwater again, trying to see through the water to where Yuna was.
Finally, he saw her, and noticed that she was stuck on something. He swam quickly down to her, to notice that her shorts were caught on a piece of the sunken city.
Grabbing his sword, Tidus just cut her loose, deciding it didn't matter if he cut a hole in her shorts. He then wrapped his left arm around her waist, and together they both made their way up to the surface.
"What happened?" Yuna was the first to talk, as they both looked around and noticed that they were in the dead center of the Moonflow, and the shoopuf that had dropped them had already reached the other side.
"Why can we never just have a normal ride on the shoopuf?" Tidus moaned, and then turned to Yuna, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied, "How about you?"
"I'll feel it in the morning," Tidus said, remembering how he had smacked on his back for a landing, "Come on, we'll just have to swim to the other side."
Yuna nodded, and Tidus started off with Yuna following. With some difficulty, they finally managed to get to the banks of the other side, and tired, sat down to catch their breaths.
"Do you have any idea what happened back there?" Yuna asked, as she sighed, after trying hopelessly to catch her breath.
"No...The shoopuf like shook, or something...But it was weird how the driver didn't see us fall over..."
"Yeah, it was," Yuna agreed.
Tidus looked at the ground. As much as he wanted to ignore it, he knew what he had to say next.
"The Fayth is behind all of this," he said slowly, "I'm sure of it. It's as if...It's as if they're trying to kill us, or something."
"Why would that happen thought?" Yuna asked, and looked at the ground also, "But I agree with you. I think the Fayth is behind it too." Then, Yuna stood up, and said loudly, "Why are you doing this?"
"I don't know if the Fayth can hear you," Tidus said, and leaned back, "Look on the bright side, at least we aren't caked in mud anymore, right?"
"Right," Yuna said slowly, "And at least it's warmer here, even if we are wet..."
"Right," Tidus said, standing up, "Shall we continue? I think we can now say bye to that Blitz tournament."
"I'm so sorry!" Yuna cried into her arms.
"Hey, it's not your fault, remember?" Tidus said, and to Yuna's surprise, he looked rather happy about the whole matter, "Besides, I said I wasn't carrying that team anymore! Besides...It'll give us more time together, right?"
Yuna smiled, and stood up also. "Right," she said, and threw her arms around Tidus' neck, as he wrapped his left arm around her waist, still leaving his right arm at his side.
Yuna looked at his limp arm and laughed. "You are such a wimp," she said.
"Yeah, I know," Tidus said, looking at his limp arm also, "But it's an excuse not to Blitz for once, right?"
"Right," Yuna replied happily. Smiling, Yuna stared into his eyes, while he returned the stare.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Tidus leaned close to Yuna, who closed her eyes, readying herself to kiss him. However, his lips never met hers, and she opened her eyes, to see him on the ground.
"What're you doing?" she asked him, bending down, only to realize that his eyes were closed. Alarmed, Yuna shook him, only to realize he was out cold.
"Tidus? Tidus?" she cried, shaking him, wondering what was wrong.
"He'll come to soon enough, after he's done dreaming..."
"Dreaming what?" Yuna questioned the voice that was now echoing through her brain, "Tidus! Wake up!"
Tidus' eyes fluttered open then, and he looked alarm, and then calmer when he saw Yuna.
"Tidus, what's going on?" Yuna questioned him, sitting down next to him.
"Uh..." Tidus just said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Are you okay?"
"Me?" Yuna just said, "You're the one that was unconscious."
"No, I mean...Uh!" Tidus stood up quickly, looking around, as if expecting to see someone or something.
"What happened?" Yuna asked him, standing up also.
"I don't know," Tidus said, and he sounded annoyed, "I was going to kiss you, when everything went black. Then, I had this...Uhm...Really, uh...Weird dream."
"A dream?" Yuna asked, as if she hadn't known that was what he was going to say, "What about?"
"Well, it...I had this weird vision...I...Did I kiss you?" Tidus finally asked.
"No, you didn't," Yuna said, putting her hand gingerly on Tidus' shoulder, "Just tell me everything that happened, okay?"
"Fine," Tidus said, taking a seat, "I was about to kiss you, things went black, and then, as if the blackness was just me blinking, I was leaning in to kiss you again. Our lips met, but when we separated, it wasn't you."
"It wasn't me?" Yuna asked, "Who was it? Who were you kissing?"
"Lea," Tidus answered, leaning back, not taking his eyes off of Yuna.
"Lea?" Yuna asked, slightly taken aback, "The Lea from Zanarkand?" A picture of the snotty blonde girl from Zanarkand popped into Yuna's head, as well as some unwanted memories.
"What other Lea do we know?" Tidus just said disgustedly.
"What does she have to do with anything?" Yuna asked, and was suddenly feeling rather angry. She had never wanted to hear Lea's name again as long as she lived, and even longer.
"You're asking the wrong guy," Tidus said softly, and appeared in thought.
"I see..." Yuna just said, "I think it still had to do with the Fayth though..."'
"How come?" Tidus asked.
"Just because," Yuna said, and then sighed, "The Fayth's voice is what told me you were dreaming."
"Oh," Tidus just said, stretching the word "oh" out as if he understood, "You seem pretty angry over this," Tidus then observed.
"I am...I don't know why, but I am," Yuna just said, shaking her head, "I'm not too fond of Lea, you know."
"Yeah, I do know," Tidus said, and then gave his head a shake, "Well, a dream's a dream, right?"
"That still doesn't explain why it happened," Yuna said softly, "You just passed out when we were about to kiss, and then you think of kissing her."
"You aren't angry at me or anything, are you?" Tidus asked, sounding extremely alarmed.
"Not with you," Yuna said with a sigh, "But with whatever it is that's making this trip extremely unpleasant."
"Yeah, I definitely know what you mean," Tidus just said, "Well, should we continue onwards?"
"Yeah," Yuna agreed slowly, as Tidus forced a smile and led the way down the long stretch of road.
"We stoppin' at Djose?" Tidus asked as they neared the temple of lightning.
"Let's not, just in case Gippal's there, or something. He might tell Rikku where we are," Yuna answered.
"You and Rikku get in a fight or something?" Tidus asked, as they continued walking.
"No, it's not that," Yuna explained, "I'm just afraid that if she doesn't get used to being on her own, she'll be following us everywhere!"
"Yeah, I can so see that happening," Tidus said, as they passed the road that led to the Temple of Djose, "Now, how are we going to "sneak" through Mushroom Rock Road?"
"Easily," Yuna replied, "Just walk swiftly, and avoid the command center at all costs."
"You make it sound so easy," Tidus said sarcastically, "Let's go quick! This place has always bored me."
"You've only been here once," Yuna reminded him, taking his hand, "And if I recall, quite a lot happened here."
"Yeah, but it's still boring," Tidus said, smiling and breaking into a jog, pulling Yuna along behind him.
Yuna let out a small laugh as she ran beside Tidus, "I find it incredibly non-boring!"
"Do you just feel like arguing or something?" Tidus asked, rolling his eyes playfully.
"Maybe," Yuna said childishly, smiling, "I figured arguing would keep us busy!"
"Let's just run in silence," Tidus said.
"I was just trying to keep you un-bored!" Yuna said.
"You just like arguing 'cause you always win!" Tidus just said, smiling.
"Maybe," Yuna said again, smiling also.
"Yep. That's the only reason you do it. Admit it!"
"Okay, I admit it, but only if that means I win the argument!" Yuna said, smiling even wider.
"You have the strangest ideas of fun!" Tidus said, shaking his head. So far so good, and they were almost out of Mushroom Rock.
"Well, what are your ideas of fun?" Yuna asked, "And please don't say Blitzball."
"Blitz is my life," Tidus just said, and then smiled, "But I have other ideas of fun..."
"Yeah, sure you do," Yuna said, smiling.
"I do," Tidus said, "But your little PG ears wouldn't wanna hear them."
"Your such a sicko," Yuna said, shaking her head, "And my ears aren't PG!"
"Oh, sorry, PG-13, maybe," Tidus just said, as the two now reached the end of Mushroom Rock.
The two slowed down then at the entrance to the Mi'ihen Highroad, and Yuna ran a little ways ahead before stopping.
"You know we're almost to Luca," she said slowly.
"Yeah, I do," Tidus said, "And before you talk me out of taking my time, I think it'll be a good idea if we just go straight there. Before anything bad happens again..."
"Maybe nothing will happen this time!" Yuna protested, "Besides, the Mi'ihen Highroad is really peaceful at sunset...Are you sure you don't want to stay and watch?"
"Come on Yuna," Tidus just said, taking her hand, "We have to go. Even if I can't play in the tournament, you should still be there. And besides, we don't need any more accidents."
"We can try out your ideas of fun!" Yuna continued protesting, "Please!"
"Nope," Tidus just said, continuing to drag her through the Highroad, "It's not 'cause I want to go to Luca. It's because I'm worried about us. We don't need anything else happening, remember?"
"Oh, we'll just be extra on guard!" Yuna said, and laid her head on his shoulder in a pouting matter, "Pretty please?"
"I'm sorry, but it's not a good idea," Tidus just said, shaking his head.
"Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty please!" Yuna cried, "If we go to Luca, we may be with Wakka and everybody else, but we won't be able to be together! And there's no chance that nothing will happen to us there!"
"I know," Tidus said, "But I would never be able to forgive myself if something did happen to you..."
"But nothing will happen to me," Yuna protested, and ran her finger down his chest, "Not with you guarding me..."
"You are the biggest beggar," Tidus said, shaking his head, "But okay. We'll book a room at the travel agency and spend the night! But first thing tomorrow, what are we going to do?"
"Go to Luca!" Yuna replied, throwing her arms happily around Tidus' neck and pecking him on the cheek, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome!" Tidus replied, taking her hand, "Now come on, it's already starting to get late!"
The two ran off toward the Travel Agency without a bad thought in mind. For the time being, they weren't thinking of the Fayth, or about Tidus' strange dream, or about Yuna's death. Right now, they were only thinking of what they should be thinking of, as if nothing was wrong.
However, no matter how much they wanted to believe it, something was wrong. Later, they would find out just what it was...
A/N: I updated this a day earlier than I usually do, since all of you have been so great! It's another shorty anyway...Oh well, it's something, right? And not too much of a cliff this time! Hope you enjoyed!