Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from FFX/FFX2 they belong to Squaresoft/ Square Enix I only own Luthae unless they have made up Seymour's little sis called Luthae but for now she's mine!!! And now I own Sammi so there ha ha ha.
I just sat in my room crying for a few minutes. She helped me. I began to feel happier and felt like a dance. I didn't dance but it made me feel better, but it couldn't help me forget. Forgetting the day Seymour changed and killed... It hurt to remember. My brother had been lost in a sort of darkness he couldn't escape. I heard Paine obstinately banging on the door.
Come on open the door. Stop being a mardy bitch.
Then she shouted 'fine' and march up the staircase to her floor. I went to my balcony and looked out at the view of sunset over the Moonflow, with pyreflies beginning to gather. It looked so beautiful. Being an artist I couldn't let a view go like that undrawn. I took out my sketchbook and drew.
A few hours later I'd finished it'd had made me feel much better and relaxed. I felt tired, so I just flopped down on the bottom bunk of my bed, and shut my eyes.
"Hey wakie wakie sleepyhead. It's us!" Rikku hollered through the keyhole. Luthae woke with a start and fell out of bed with a thump, which set the others laughing. She came to open the door and the others stared at the girl wearing dark blue v necked sleeveless top with a pale blue scarf thing coming down from it, black skirt, brown suede boots up to her knee and blue gloves up to her elbows in astonishment. (thanks to Performula for helping me with this.)
"Hey you looked like you slept in that." Tidus sniggered.
"Er I did," Luthae replied laughing but then yawning afterwards. "Come in," she said after that and they did so, "I'm going for a shower."
After a while she came out.
"So what are we doing today?" Luthae enquired.
"It's the weekend so whatever we want!" Yuna cheered. Paine nodded but made not attempt to converse with Luthae.
"Well we could go to the Moonflow couldn't we?" Luthae asked
"Yes lets," said Gippal, "I haven't been there for ages."
"Yeah we could wait till night!" Tidus applauded
"Why what's the point?" Paine asked him delibratley not looking at Luthae.
"Well last time I went with Yuna we never stayed. This time I do." Tidus said definitely
"But we've got to stay in after six because of fiends." Yuna pointed out "We could stay in my room afterwards. You can see the Moonflow from my balcony."
"Yeah lets go!" Rikku called, "You might need a swimming cossie." She muttered to Luthae afterwards "We'll probably be going swimming."
So Luthae grabbed a bag and her weapon and ran after the others with Rikku to the Moonflow. Even on the road it was fun. They all fought fiends when they had to, but generally joked around. Luthae started to play a 'game' where she nudged Tidus a little. Fortunately Tidus had a similar sense of humour and caught on. He nudged Luthae back, but harder, and they continued doing this until Luthae pushed Tidus right into a bush and he ran after her threatening to give her a headlock and ruin her hair.
About 5 minutes after, Tidus had given up on Luthae and she and Yuna started talking.
"It's so good to get out of school sometimes," Yuna commented, "I loved going on my pilgrimage to see the world. I'm glad I'm still here though but-."
"Sir Auron?" Luthae asked
"Yes how did you know?"
"Well everyone was talking when you came back for ages about how astonished they were at Sir Auron's life being lost. But in truth he should have died a long time ago."
"How-?" Yuna began but didn't bother to ask.
Luthae looked bewildered herself. She'd never even known Auron had gone on Yuna's pilgrimage. Let alone dying at the hand of Yunalesca when Braska was going to summon the Final Aeon. Luthae didn't like the silence that followed, so she decided to start conversing again.
"You're lucky you know." She said
"How come?" Yuna asked
"Well on your pilgrimage you saw loads of places and Zanarkand." Luthae replied. She seemed to say Zanarkand in awe. "I've always wanted to see Zanarkand, but I've only seen Macalania bits of Bevelle, here and Bikanel once with my brother but that's just desert really."
"Why where do you live?" Yuna asked.
"Oh," Luthae realised what she'd said, "Somewhere near Bevelle."
Then suddenly and Ochu jumped out in front of them. Yuna screamed, having no weapon she was defenceless. Luthae then whipped out what looked like a wooden pole, but Luthae took the ends off, which were guards from huge double blades on each end. She ran towards the Ochu slashing and kicking it. She did quite a lot of damage. Then the Ochu flailed its stems at Luthae and gave her quite a few vicious blows but she kept on fighting. It was a backwards and forwards battle. The Ochu was stronger than Luthae, but Luthae was not one to give up easily and she had a lot of stamina. The Ochu then was about to attack Yuna noticing she was the weaker opponent. The Ochu started its attack, but Luthae was too quick. She used Haste and sped in front of The Ochu taking the attack meant for Yuna. It didn't kill her but it knocked her out. The others then ran up and Tidus stabbed the Ochu killing it. They then turned to Luthae. They revived her but she was badly injured.
"Okay Yuna?" Brother asked
"Hey Brother what about Luty?!" Rikku screamed
"Was getting to that!" Brother retorted. Luthae laughed
"Oh brother!" she said then looking at some of the wounds, "They'll clear up soon." She tried to get up but couldn't.
"Hey hold your horses." Tidus said
"Thank you for what you did Luthae. Here take my Hi-Potion and your dinner's on me." Yuna insisted giving the potion to Luthae.
"Thanks." She smiled weakly. She used the Hi-Potion and then got up.
"Cool weapon," Gippal commented when they were on the road again looking over Luthae's weapon, "Simple but effective."
"Thanks, made it myself." Luthae said proudly
"Dude!" Tidus exclaimed
After that everyone seemed to forget about the whole Ochu business. When they got to the Moonflow it was fun all round. Yuna, Rikku and Luthae all went swimming. Gippal and Baralai had a fight to improve their skills and find out which one was best. Tidus was helping Brother on some Blitzball moves but Brother kept getting bored and a started getting a bit mardy so Tidus gave up and went to play 'tag' with the girls. Paine just sat on the bank and collected her thoughts. Luthae loved this day out. I think it was the fact that maybe she'd never had real friends before, she dived under the water letting it consume her washing her worries away.
Later after she had had enough and got changed, she sat on the edge of the bank letting her feet dangle in the water. Yuna came to join her.
"What's up with Paine?" Luthae asked Yuna, "She hasn't talked to me all day." She looked over at Paine who'd just got up and gone for a swim with Rikku.
"She's just in a mood with you because you ignored her." Yuna explained
Why is Paine moody all the time? I thought coming along with Rikku and me she'd change. Sometimes I don't know what's wrong with her.
"Hey Paine's fine. She just has a lukewarm temper that's all that doesn't mean she's not a good friend."
"I never said Paine wasn't okay."
Good at least Luthae won't be moody with me now.
"You can't do that all the time you know." Luthae said definitely
"What?" Yuna asked
"Saying things to make people like you or to make them feel good, sure you don't have to say it if people say 'I'm fat and ugly don't you agree' but sometimes you have to be honest."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuna said warily
"Yuna in this world you don't have to be all sweetness and light."
"But I'm a High Summoner-."
"And who said you weren't entitled to your own opinion? If Leblanc say was hurt and you went to help her she'd push you away, and get one of her cronies to help. All I'm saying is don't help people or say nice things about them unless they deserve it. You've also got to be tougher and look out for yourself or people will take advantage of that."
"You sound like you've been alone all your life."
"I haven't, but I feel like I have. In my experience look after number 1&2. Number 1 being you and number 2 friends only if you know you can trust them. Also don't believe everything you hear and only half of what you see."
"Huh?"
"Like..." Luthae tried to think of anyone to compare to but her brother, but found she couldn't, "Seymour."
"What's he got to do with anything?"
"Well first you thought he was a good guy, by seeing good stuff he did and hearing good things about him right. Then he got pissed off cos you wouldn't marry him and attacked you. What sort of decent trustworthy guy who loved you would to that to the person he loved?"
"Mmm you're right I suppose." Said Yuna who seemed to speak with a bit more confidence than normal. "Shall I apologise to Paine for you?"
"Yeah tell her I had things on my mind and wanted to be alone. 'K Yune."
Yuna was about to go and tell Paine this, but then a blitz ball hit her on the back of the head.
"Yuna me's am sorry!" Brother called
"It's okay!" Yuna shouted back, "Nothing's broken and I'm coming to play! That was truthful." She then said winking at Luthae
"I know."
"Playing?"
"Nah you know me and Blitzball."
"Sure?"
"Yeah."
Luthae then moved out the way of any flying blitz ball that Brother might have trouble saving and sat in the shade of a tree and decided to draw. It was better than doing nothing. She looked at everyone playing. Yuna never put a foot wrong (as usual), Rikku laughed and cheered the whole game (when she didn't have the ball, Paine got very competitive when tackling, Brother kept fumbling passes from staring at Yuna and Baralai and Gippal just concentrated on winning. Tidus Luthae thought was the best for her. He moved as if he was one with the water and was 'graceful' she said when he took shots. If the other team scored he would do nothing but encourage his team and boost their confidence and tell them never to give up and give Brother a few pointers. It was a boy vs. girls game with Brother on the girls team to 'give the girls a chance' Tidus had said. Paine thought this comment was sexist, but Luthae knew he didn't mean it to be like that.
After they played for half an hour it was half time, (they had decided to play for an hour), Tidus came over to Luthae.
"What ya doin'?" he asked poking his head right over the sketchbook.
"Nothing much." Luthae replied holding the sketchbook away from Tidus so he wouldn't see, but Tidus grabbed it before she could.
"Nothing eh?" he said, "I can judge nothing." He frowned and flicked through the pages. Him doing a Jecht shot, Paine tackling Yuna shooting...
"They're good." he said his expression had softened, "Especially the one of me." The way he said it Luthae knew he was joking. He then did a pose of him doing a Jecht shot. It came out all wrong and although he didn't mean it to, it made Luthae laugh. Tidus then squatted down and nosily flicked through the rest of the pictures.
"They're really good."
"Oh come on," Luthae said, "They're not that good."
"No they are." Tidus replied. You could tell by his face he meant it. "I wish I could draw like that."
"Have you tried?" Luthae asked.
"Well no, dad always made me train to Blitz. I never had time really."
"Exactly! You won't know if you don't try." Luthae explained, "Anyway drawing doesn't have to be all about observation." She showed him to more pictures she'd done. One in reds and oranges that would look like scribble, but Tidus seemed to find an understanding out of it. He couldn't say how, he just did.
"Art can show your emotions too." Luthae told him
"Wow. Were you mad when you drew that?" Tidus asked tracing a few of the patterns with his finger.
"Well yeah, I was." Luthae said rather self-consciously.
"I like it." He said. There was a few minutes silence and they both looked at each other.
"Anyway enough art talk," Luthae, continued, "What do you want?"
"Why don't you come and play?" Tidus asked, "We need you for a fair team."
"Nah I'm rubbish. Everyone nags at me for doing something wrong. I'm always doing something wrong."
"You have low self esteem considering you boosted Yuna's confidence. Before she was always taking into account what people think about her and try to make people like her or make them feel good when sometimes we wanted an honest opinion. You've made her feel better with what you said."
"Mmm, but I am rubbish."
"Oh come on! Brother isn't that good, but he's still playing. Anyway we're only playing for fun."
"Yeah!" Luthae shouted, "Okay here comes Luthae, watch out!"
Who cares if I'm not that good. That's what I thought. We were playing a game in which it didn't matter who won. Tidus gave me a boost of confidence. There was something about him, which made mysterious, but at the same time lonely. I think I seemed to understand him. Okay I like him, it's just a crush though honest. Anyway I dived into the water and we resumed play.
"Come on guys!" Tidus called, "Girls are winning 10-7 we don't want to be beaten by four powder puffs." He said jokingly
"You'll regret the day you ever said that!" Paine shouted at him, and the game started.
After 15 minutes they all stopped again to get something to eat by the Shoopuff landing, then played for another 15 minutes then ended the game. It was a draw 15 all.
"Hey you weren't that bad." Paine said when she came over to Luthae after the game.
"Good you're finally talking to me again."
"Yuna told me you had things on your mind."
"Yeah it was kinda scary." She proceeded to tell Paine everything that had happened the night before.
"Whoah you socked him one?!" Paine asked in astonishment. In truth she didn't really think Luthae was the kind of person to do that. In fact she thought she looked weak. "Way to tell it to him." She then said
"I was just so pissed off with him," Luthae explained, "He'll get me back later for it though."
"Not neccasserily, now he knows he can't wind you round his finger as much as he used to." Paine pointed out, "But if he tries anything he'll have me to answer to."
"Thanks Paine you're a real mate."
Then a hypello came over to Luthae
"Mish Loothay, is that yoo?"
"Sammi!" Luthae exlaimed and gave the hypello a hug, "How you been?"
"Verry well thankyoo." He replied
"Hey what's up?" asked Tidus coming over.
"Sammi these are my friends, Paine and Tidus."
"Pleashed to meet yoo. Any friend of Mish Loothay's is a friend of mine."
"So how'd you meet?" Tidus asked curiously
"They had a few financial problems with blue puff Seymour."
"Ahhh."
"Mish Loothay gave ush nearly all her money and helped ush to start again."
"Sammi is one of 8 kids." Luthae explained, "They were basically destitute. Seymour had reduced them to nothing. I had to do something."
"So you and Yuna don't differ that much." Said Paine.
"Hey I only give help to those who deserve it."
"So Luthae told me you wanted to be a maester. Why?"
"To help Spira duh I think all the maesters now are corrupt and I want to address important things like what happened to Sammi. At the moment all the maester talk about now is economy and how much money they're getting. I mean they have enough money, as it is, what about healers who really help people and need money. They never get enough."
"Wow you feel strongly about this." Tidus said.
"Mmm," Luthae nodded, "But if the stupid maesterswon't have me I'll be and artist or songstress."
"What's that?" Tidus asked
"You know people who sing in big concerts and stuff well I'd sing about things that mattered and get art work to address things like that too. So people will see them and think about things like what happened to Sammi."
"Well I haven't heard of a songstress. We had cheerleaders though, they basically cheer for a blitz team and encourage the audience to join in."
"Hey I've got an idea, why don't you cheer for the 'Thunders' in the LSC's." Paine suggested.
"Have you decided to go in for it?" Tidus asked
"Well I dunno." Luthae wondered.
"After blitz, me and Tidus are going in for a kind of battle tournament thing where you fight people and win a trophy and maybe some gil."
"Cool I might go in for that. It'll help me to train up and get stronger. I don't care if I don't win."
"Hey you guys it's getting late. We'd better get back if we don't leave now we'll be breaking curfew!" Yuna called.
So they all went back. Sammi was enrolled there and was going to stay in the guys' room until the school could find other accommodation. They all went as arranged to Luthae's room to wait for night on the Moonflow. It looked more spectacular than it did in the morning.
They now sometimes went down to the Moonflow after school as well as at weekends. Sammi had settled in fine. He was in year nine but that didn't bother anyone. He kept telling the other guys about some of the things Luthae had done like helping the Catuar nation in Bikanel before her brother confided her to Macalania college.
"She wash going to be a shumoner and defeat Shin." Sammi explained, "But she thought it wash pointlessh if it wash going to come back every 10 yearsh and she decided to make the little of Shpira we had left a good place to live." He also told them about how she stopped some Al Bhed rising up against the masters by saying things like, 'Spira has already gone through enough destruction from Sin. Do you really want to hurt it more?' Generally dissuading them with words. Sammi told them until they got sick of listening to him. Hearing those stories though proved to Tidus that she wasn't some snob who was a mimic of Yuna. He thought in a way she was helping more than Yuna thought of really making a difference. Sure defeating Sin was good but if it came back every 10 years was it worth sacrificing all those people? What Luthae did made more sense to Tidus. Taking what you had and building on it despite the chaos, hardships and hopelessness, and giving the people strength. Sin was defeated though so no more destruction will happen.
About a week and a half later it was Gippal's birthday and they had a party in the guys room to celebrate. There was dancing, karaoke and even some alcohol.
"How old Gippal?" Luthae shouted over the music.
"Big 1 and hic 6," Gippal replied, "Sixth form next year." They had decided to splash out on alcohol seeing as it was Gippal's birthday. Luthae had some as well mainly so she would defy her brother's orders. They had drunk quite a bit and most of them felt a bit tipsy.
Then they all partnered up to dance to a fast up beat song that they all liked. Brother had insisted he danced with Yuna, Rikku and Paine danced with Baralai and Gippal and they kept switching throughout and Luthae went with Tidus. They spun each other round clearly enjoying themselves.
"Wheeeee!" Luthae yelled
"Whoo hoo!" Tidus seemed to answer.
After the dance everyone decided to play Spin the Bottle. Luthae felt like some fresh air so she went onto the balcony. A few minutes later Tidus came out to join her.
"What do you want?" Luthae asked slurring her words.
"Here for fresh air and I'm not that keen on spin the bottle." He said
They sood there looking at the view of the playing field and blitz arena in the centre of the school from the balcony. Then without realising it Luthae's head suddenly lolled on to Tidus' shoulder. Tidus unexpectedly moved away and Luthae fell over sideways.
"Whoops." Tidus laughed slurring his word too. He helped her up giving her his hand. They both looked into each other's eyes.
It was hard to tell wether they were as drunk as they were pretending to be. Their heads all of a sudden began to move towards each other, closer and closer. There lips met. They kissed.
I don't know what Luthae was thinking at that moment, but I knew what she would be thinking afterwards. What would Yuna think?