The water was cool when the team first dove into the sphere. He found relief in the game, as well in just practice. It felt good to just float along in the liquid atmosphere and not care about what circled around in life outside the sphere.
But her words broke his silent reverie.
"Don't do this, Lenne." He'd shouted. "Let's leave Zanarkand. Let's…"
"Stop it! These words are just a dream Shuyin!" She had swiped her hand out at him. "I will not leave my people to die."
"So you will die, in their stead!?" He'd retorted and seized her arm.
"Not in their stead." She'd replied, trying to yank her arm free. "In their defense. It is my calling. My job, Shu. Why can't you accept it?"
He had stared at her for a few short moments, his eyes softening slightly as she pleaded desperately with her soul. Then the blue orbs hardened. "I will not let you die." He murmured to her in both anger and frustration.
"Shuyin, I could never…"
"Don't do it Lennie." He interrupted her. "Don't use gentle words to shelter me." He tightened his grip on her. "I can't lose you too."
His words hit her and her face softened as her body relaxed. She took a shallow breath and with her free hand, she slowly reached towards him and touched his face. He closed his eyes against her touch and leaned his face into her palm.
With the hold on her wrist, he slowly pulled her to him and wrapped his strong arms around her thin waist. Her left hand went around his shoulder, drawing him into her arms while her right hand went up to the back of his neck where her fingers tangled into his hair.
They were warm when they fell onto her shoulder and streaked down her arm. He'd fought so long to keep his emotions locked up, hoping to be strong for her, but when she held him…it was she who was strong. He moved his face from her shoulder and buried it in the crook of her neck. He shook as he inhaled, fighting to quell his tears.
"Please…" She whispered. "Shu, don't…"
His hands lightly kneaded her lower back, slowly working their way up her spine. She took a breath and went limp in his arms. He nuzzled the dip between her neck and shoulder with his nose, before he set his lips on the exposed skin.
It was easy for him to discard her clothing and lay her down onto his open bed. They'd spun this dance so many times before. But there was no laughter this time; no smiling, tickling or giggling, just soft and urgent touches. Whispered words of devotion, fear, and hope. It had never been this way before. They had never been so desperate to hold onto one another. It had never been so painful.
"I love you." He whispered to her when she'd fallen asleep in his arms.
He memorized her face. The way the moonlight gave her skin a faint glow. Felt the way she breathed so steadily against him. Listened to her heart that had formed a shallow rhythm and beat lightly through her and against him. He ran his fingers through her hair, touched her lips with his thumb. It was as though he could burn her image into his mind through his touch.
"You're hiding something, I can feel it." He whispered.
The dream faded and Tidus stared out of the broken building towards the blitz stadium. That place on the floor, over in the corner, that's where the bed had been. And the dresser, near that, beneath what was left of a faint window. They had been there.
He had been there.
"Ready to see the Blitz stadium?" Gippal asked.
Tidus didn't move for a long while. He just stared blankly at the ancient walls that housed voices and spirits from the past. He shivered lightly as a pyrefly floated through his body then turned to face the Al Bhed man behind him.
"Yeah." He had wanted so desperately to return to Zanarkand. To see what it could become once more. To finally be able to show Yuna his Zanarkand like he'd promised. He followed Gippal without having to think about where to step, he knew every inch of the city so well, even as it lay in quiet ruin.
Zanarkand had been dead for a thousand years.
"It's surprising it has held a decent shape all this time." Gippal pointed to the ancient stadium, which in fact was as he said. The rings that formed the sphere were still perfectly arched. The stadium seating had deteriorated away, but the leveled structures stood well intact.
His feet moved without command towards the sphere. His step was light, and even hesitant as he made his way to the center ring.
You're coming too close.
It felt like a wall slammed into him and he glanced up at the sky Pyreflies raised from the center ring. He turned and Brother raised an eyebrow at him. The man hadn't heard it.
You'll wake the dark.
He glanced over his other shoulder as the dozen other Al Bhed that had accompanied them, moved into the arena to inspect the structure.
They took measurements and murmured amongst themselves in their native tongue. They wrote down information, sat on pieces of metal and cement to test the durability. Every now and then, they'd raise their hands and paint something across the sky with their fingers.
"Brother!" Came a voice.
Brother flipped open his small sphere-com. "What is it Shinra?"
"Urgent news from Besaid!" Shinra exclaimed.
Tidus moved towards Brother and looked over the man's shoulder. The young Al Bhed on the other side of the sphere-com stood gripping the main commsphere on the Celsius and the look in his eyes was troublesome.
"Liya's gone!" The young man exclaimed. "Someone's taken her and she's headed towards Zanarkand."
"Where is she now?" Brother pressed.
"No one knows."
"Where's Yuna?" Tidus demanded.
"She, Lulu and Rikku are on their way to Bevelle to seek aid from Baralai." The boy replied. "She hopes to have a search party assembled immediately."
"Can you take me to Bevelle?" Tidus asked Brother desperately.
"Of course." The Al Bhed replied. "I'll leave the others here to continue and return once I've dropped you off there. We'll keep watch over the city should she turn up here as Shinra has said."
The two men moved towards the Celsius and the hatch lowered down for them.
"I'm coming with you." Gippal chided as he hurried up the hatch door.
"Gippal…" Tidus began.
"Hey!" Gippal cut in. "She's my niece, you know."