Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or X-2
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At the end of the day, Tidus returned with Wakka to Kilika and left Wakka to return to Besaid on his own. He stayed the night at the local inn and laid awake at night, trying to imagine the look on Yuna's face.
Tidus called the Gullwings in the early morning, much to the despair of most of the crew. Although, Tidus had to make absolutely sure that Yuna was not on board either, he made Wakka see to that for sure. A few hours later, Tidus left the inn to greet Rikku and Paine on the docks. "Can I ask you guys a favor?"
Rikku bounced up and down with enthusiasm, "What kind of favor do you need?"
"Well, first I'll need to get to Besaid and Yuna cannot be there, two, maybe three days max. I'm pretty sure you guys can keep her busy, you're sphere hunters right?"
"We can do that," Paine answered, "it's not very hard as you said. High summoners seem to be in high demand in Spira."
"Yep! Spira's just bustling with things to do! Spheres to steal and chocobos to catch!"
Tidus managed a grimace, "Right, in about three days I need you to get Yuna to Zanarkand alone and she can't go back to Besaid beforehand either."
"Hm, that's going to be an interesting task to pull off." Paine held her chin in her hand thinking, "We might be able to go to Bikanel, get some digging done. We'll have to contact Nadala ahead of time, ask her to fake a storm coming in."
Rikku jumped up, excited at Paine's idea, "It's perfect! That'll give Brother and Buddy the perfect excuse to leave for awhile, and it can last as long as we need it to."
Paine nodded, "The shorter the storm, the better chance that Yuna will buy it. It would be best for you to be nearby somewhere, or in the vicinity of Zanarkand."
"From what I've heard, there are airships running around all over Spira right? I can probably take one to the Calm Lands. But, how come there aren't any heading to Zanarkand anymore? I heard there use to be."
The young Al Bhed girl beamed proudly and pointed at herself, "Yeah, we took care of that. There were tourists everywhere. And it's all thanks to monkey love."
"Monkey love?" Tidus asked with a confused face.
Paine closed her eyes and shook her head solemnly, "You don't want to know. It was hell playing monkey match maker."
"Right." Tidus tried to give an understanding smile but failed.
"We'll have Yuna outta there and you'll have Brother, Buddy, and Shinra as company. Brother shouldn't cause you too much trouble." Rikku suddenly bounced up and exclaimed.
"Thanks again, I really owe you."
Tidus turned to leave until Rikku quickly got in his way, "Hey!" She pointed a finger accusingly at him, "You haven't told us why you want us to get Yunie out of the way. And we're not doing any favors unless we know what's going on. So spill already."
Tidus gave her a skeptical look before nodding his head, "Alright, but nothing of this to a soul. Got it?"
Paine gave a small smirk, "Then why are you telling Rikku?"
"Hey!"
Tidus studied Rikku for a moment, it had been two years, in those two years Rikku had grown. But he still say the fifteen-year-old Al Bhed girl who had also been one of Yuna's guardians. "Once upon a time, there was an Al Bhed girl who made a fine guardian to the woman who would become the last of the high summoners. I trusted that girl. So here it is, I'm headed back to Luca because I'm going to be picking up Yuna's ring. I'm leaving for Besaid right after because I'll be building us a house, and I want to propose to her at Zanarkand."
Rikku immediately started jumping up and down frantically clapping her hands, "Yunie's going to be so happy! I can't wait to see the look on her face!"
Tidus looked around the dock nervously, "But keep it down will ya?" He looked again at a ship nearby. "I need to get going soon."
"Why don't we give you a ride?" Rikku eagerly volunteered.
"No," Paine shook her head, "in order for this to work, we need to pick up Yuna. Good luck Tidus."
Paine lead Rikku back towards the nearest sphere as Tidus watched them go, he ran his hand through his hair, ruffled it, exhaled deeply, and muttered, "Thanks, I'll need it to pull this stunt off."
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Not long after the Rikku and Paine left, Tidus boarded his ship headed for Luca and bought from Amther the unique ring he had requested. Only upon Amther's insistence did he buy it at half price. He could not ignore the man repeating over and over again that it was the finest piece he had ever created and that he would take pride everyday because it would be a ring that the high summoner Yuna would wear everyday.
From there, Tidus picked up a few random things from all over the city and took a boat back to the small village of Besaid. He returned an hour before nightfall, Tidus learned from Wakka that the Gullwings had picked up Yuna a few hours later and everything was clear, the former resident of Zanarkand slept in the Auroch's tent for the second night and woke to the first light that grazed the sky of Besaid.
He chose the spot of the almost unnoticeable collapsed hut and from there cleared the ground. The ground was so flat that not even a single pebble could be found in the area, he worked all day, not stopping to rest, only to eat and continued on in his work, and by the time the day's sunset had come, Tidus had built the frame of the hut and the outer covering. He spent the night inside, declining Wakka and Lulu's request for him to stay with them.
The next day, Tidus went out and picked up the things he had bought in Luca and had temporarily left in the Auroch's tent, a few small pieces of furniture with the exception of a bed. Once everything had been arranged, he hung a few small pieces around the walls and stood and examined his work, it might have been simple, but Tidus was prouder of what he had made more than any blitzball tournament he may have won in Zanarkand.
Smiling, he picked up a pile of rope off the floor and headed off towards the beach. Tidus climbed up the old ruins and spent the rest of the day weaving the ropes together and then proudly hanging it between two trees. For the second night, he slept inside the newly built hut and stayed awake well into the night, planning the events that would follow with the morning sunrise.
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Although Tidus did not fall asleep well into the night, he woke up an hour or so before the daybreak. His eyes shot open and took a few moments to adjust to the lack of light. A sly grin spread on his face as he bolted out of bed and into the cool air that had engulfed Besaid in the early morning. The first boat the left Besaid left at first light, and Tidus intended to be aboard that ship. He rushed to tidy what little things that were inside the hut and raced out inside.
Just as he exited, Wakka stood outside waiting, "Hey!"
Wakka waved and motioned for him to come, "Wakka, what are you doing up so early?"
"I could ask you the same question," Wakka answered jokingly. "I'd miss the big day! Never!" The former Auroch captain punched Tidus in the shoulder jokingly, "Anyway, come on, I got something to show you, ya?"
"Huh?" Tidus helplessly went along with his friend, "Wakka, I got a boat to catch you know."
"Nah, I already had a talk with the captain ya? He's an old friend of mine." Wakka's voice suddenly toned down, "We gotta keep it down, Lu and Vidina's still asleep."
Without a sound, Wakka went inside his own hut and picked up off from a corner of it what looked like a rolled up rug and took it back with him to Tidus' hut. "Not what's this all about Wakka?"
"Aw, nothing. Just a little decoration and a house warming present for you guys to come back to, that's all." Wakka unfurled it just as the first rays of light reached the small village and Tidus looked on at it in awe. It was a colorful tapestry, two years ago, it would have held true. The summoner and her guardians standing behind the Zanarkand sunset, and the tapestry outlined with the aeons.
"Wow, Wakka, this is, this like, wow."
He chuckled, "Ya, I had my friend make it, it's nice ya?"
Tidus looked at his friend chuckling, "You have too many friends Wakka, but thanks, it's great."
"Well, glad you like it. Now get going! You have a high summoner to propose to, ya?"
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Tidus took the boat headed straight to Luca and from Luca he boarded one of the local commercial airships that was going towards the Calm Lands. Once the airship had risen into the sky, the young man found a sense of peace as he rose from the lift to the deck where he let the strong wind ruffle his hair. He contacted Shinra aboard the Celsius and informed them that he would be soon upon the Calm Lands.
And so it happened, Tidus left the airship over the Calm Lands where the Gullwing's ship Celsius hovered waiting for him. Buddy waited to greet him in the engine room, "Welcome aboard!"
"Uh," Tidus scratched his head, "thanks."
"No worries," Buddy started heading for the lift, "Come on, you'll get a better view on the bridge."
"Right, whatever you say." He ran up to catch up with the Al Bhed at the lift and rode with him up to the bridge. The ride was rather silent until the lift began to slow down.
"Oh, don't mind anything Brother says by the way, he's a little jealous of you." The lift doors opened and Buddy quickly exited before the words 'Jealous of what?' could come from Tidus.
Buddy jumped to his post and Tidus looked around in a daze, Shinra walked over to him, "There's nothing to worry about, Yuna, Paine, and Rikku are all down on Bikanel Island and Yuna is under the impression that because of a storm we had to leave for awhile."
"Uh, thanks a lot Shinra. I really owe you guys."
The little Al Bhed boy shrugged, "If it wasn't for you, Yuna would never have joined the Gullwings." With that, Shinra hopped back onto his chair to continue his earlier work.
And so for most of the remainder of the trip, Tidus headed down to the cabin where he spoke with Barkeep, hearing the hypello's version of events that occurred above Spira in the Celsius. He found the hypello intriguing and listened intently, learning about the Gullwings adventured from a different view other than Yuna's humble narration. Before he knew it, time had passed and he heard Buddy's voice over the Celsius once again, "Hey Tidus, we're coming up on Zanarkand. You might wanna come up to the bridge."
"Gotcha," Tidus gave a final grin to Barkeep and headed for the lift, and once it had risen, exited out into the bridge.
"Just sit tight, we'll be over Zanarkand in just a few minutes." Buddy remarked.
Tidus nodded and settled dwon comfortably, leaning against Shinra's station. Surprisingly, Brother jumped down from his seat and turned to face Tidus. Shinra and Buddy keenly watched as Brother pointed a finger towards Tidus, "You love Yuna?"
Shocked initially, Tidus gave no answer until a few moments later when he nodded his head, "Yes, I do. I love Yuna very much."
"Good, then you will take care of her." Brother's words did not come out as a question, but more as a statement or a command.
"Uh, ok." It was all Tidus could manage as a grim faced Brother climbed back into his seat of driving the Celsius.
"We're over Zanarkand. It's better if you get off really quick, the shorter the storm, the better chance that Yuna'll buy the story."
"Got it, I really owe you guys again. Thanks." With the exception of Brother, Buddy and Shinra gave him an encouraging smile. Just as Tidus was about to step back into the lift, he pulled off his clothing the little black microphone and handed it back to a crestfallen Shinra. "Sorry Shinra, but Yuna and I need some time alone. And would you mind taking Yuna's off before you send her down."
Reluctantly, Shinra nodded and Tidus, satisfied with the young boy's answer, gave a nod, and headed down to the surface of the ruined city.
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I know, I kind of lied but I kind of didn't. It's true that I had this chapter typed up but you had to wait an eternity to get it. I lost half of the chapter but when I rewrote it, I think I made it better. So here's what I think.
Quality of chapter better plus excessive amount of time equals decent enough for you wanting to review