I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! I don't even really have an excuse other than time really flew by...Anyway, this chapter is finally not a filler! (Yay for that!) This chapter is told basically from Tidus' point of view, and now we really get in his head and learn exactly what it is he's thinking! Oh yeah, and it is short, and it actually is kind of a filler...But only slightly! This chapter is also going to be kind of a lead up to a pretty large event! Anyway...I'm really trying to get to the point, but I'm trying to wait until it gets closer to 'Yevonistmas'! Let's just say I should update around the 18th of December for sure, and by then, the story will be back on track! Then, I hope to update again on like the 20th, or around there, and then on the 24th! And believe me, if everything goes to plan, those three updates should really be THE most exciting yet! (I hope you find them so, anyway!) Anyway, Chapter 4 of Part II is up! Enjoy the last filler-like chapter of the story! (I hope, anyway!)
Chapter 4: Off-Season
"As you know, the opening night of that stupid ballet production is in a week," Dona said, in her usual annoying tone.
"Oh yeah?" the blue-eyed Tidus said simply, pretending to be interested. Why would he care?
"Yeah," Dona said, "And you will be there, whether you like it or not, got it?"
"Like she can tell me what to do..." he thought, but only sighed and said, "Of course I'll be there." Well, of course he honestly was going to be there, but not to see his girlfriend. He shook his head quickly, telling himself that there was nobody but his girlfriend to see on that stage.
"I can't believe Yuna would just steal that part from me!" Dona suddenly cried, and Tidus realized that she had been speaking, although he hadn't been listening to her.
A Small smile lit the young man's face, as he thought of how glad he was that Yuna had been able to wisp that part from Dona...Yuna had deserved it, after all.
"No, no...There is no Yuna. Yuna who?"
"You know," Dona suddenly said, as Tidus snapped back to what Dona was saying, "I have a plan."
"Oh yeah, what's that?" Tidus asked. He was sitting there, at Dona's house, on the couch, watching as Dona put up some Yevonistmas decorations. He was supposed to be 'helping' her, but why would he do that?
"I'm not getting off my lazy ass for her," Tidus just thought, yawning as he sank further into the couch.
"A plan for what?" Tidus asked.
"So I can have the lead."
"What? But Yuna's—." Tidus paused, deciding not to bring up Yuna.
"Yuna who?" Dona just said, with a roll of her dark eyes, "Who cares about her, anyway?"
"Well, uh...I don't," Tidus just said, although he realized that small smile that had appeared at the mention of Yuna's name had never fully disappeared.
"Exactly. So, what do you say we dispose of her, and then I, being her understudy, will take her place?"
"What?" Tidus just said, his eyes wide, "Are you saying we should...uh...kill her?"
Dona let out a hallow laugh, and shook her head.
"Of course not, silly!" Dona just said, "We'll simply just...well, dispose of her!"
"Uh...I don't think so," Tidus just said, although he found he honestly didn't care. "I'm over her," he told himself, "Yuna's just a girl. And I never liked her! Let Dona kill her even, I could care less...'Course, I'm not takin' part in it..."
"We'll drug her," Tidus heard Dona continue, "and place her someplace out of the way, but we'll make sure she doesn't die, of course, and then I'll just take her place. We'll make it so that Yuna comes to just as I start, so that she's stutter into the dance hall just in time to see me make my big debut!"
"I don't think so," Tidus just said, shaking his head.
"Uh, don't be such a loser," Dona said, looking disgusted, "Yuna's my best friend! I would never do anything that could hurt her!"
Tidus wanted to let out a laugh. "Some friend you are..."
"Anyway, I don't care if you help me or not!" Dona finally said surely, "I'll get the leading male to help me out. He and I are good friends."
"Who, that brute Barthello?" Tidus said, a small smile creeping on his face. Okay, he may not be willing to admit it, but he'd actually seen the entire production a few times. He'd always snuck into the dance hall when the group was practicing, and watched. Mainly to catch a glimpse of Yuna, but no one needed to know that. No one needed to know that Tidus had a soft spot.
"Yes, Barthello," Dona continued, "You know, he and I used to be steady..."
"I don't care to hear your dating history," Tidus said, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever," Dona just said, looking annoyed with Tidus, "It's not like I ever want to hear yours, either."
"I don't have a dating history," Tidus said, crossing his arms and looking somewhat angered, although the anger was basically out of boredom. "The first day of the off-season, and here I am spending it with my stupid girlfriend."
"You had Yuna, didn't you?" Dona asked, eying Tidus as if expecting him to say something mean about her.
"Yeah, I did," Tidus said instead, and said, "And you know what? I enjoyed every single second I spent with her."
"Look," Dona interrupted quickly, "I don't care to hear your dating history, and you don't care to hear mine! Anyway, I hear Yuna has a thing for Barthello."
Tidus snorted. "Don't you wish," he just said, crossing his arms with a satisfied look on his face.
"The two leads always fall in love!" Dona said, "It's a well known fact!"
Tidus snorted again, "You have the strangest ideas."
"Look, the point is," Dona just said sharply, "I think we should dispose of Yuna, and I'm doing it whether you help me or not."
Tidus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'd love to see her go through with that one..."
"Tidus!" Dona finally said, "You're supposed to be helping me!"
"Just make me, you wench," Tidus just said, not believing this was how he was spending the first day of the off-season.Finally, with a sigh, Tidus stood up, pulling some stupid little items from the boxes.
"I called my decorators, but they won't be here until tomorrow," Dona said, smiling, as she pulled out some more stuff.
"So, why are we bothering then?" Tidus asked.
"Because," Dona said, "It gave us an excuse to be together!"
Tidus wanted to barf. But, of course, he held it in, as Dona prepared to do her best to seduce him. Not that it ever worked...
"Yuna...Not like that. Remember, you are flowing, not thumping!" Madame Belgimine instructed, holding Yuna's hands above her head in an arc, "Remember, you are the flower of Yevon! Not some...Weed!"
"I'm sorry Madame," Yuna said, trying to mimic what Shelinda was doing from her spot off stage. Shelinda had discarded her crutches, and was sitting on the side of the stage, making movements with her arms for Yuna to copy.
"Are you read for my entrance yet?" A loud, booming voice echoed into the theater.
"How many times do I need to tell you," Madam Belgimine sighed, as the large Barthello made his way onto the stage, "You don't come on until Yuna performs her solo!"
Yuna smiled, as Barthello, with a confused look on his face, made his way back to behind the curtain.
"Okay, now, let's see it again, more flower-like!" Shelinda instructed, clapping her hands.
"I had no idea she could be so annoying!" Yuna thought, as she performed her solo for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Barthello and she had been called to an extra practice, being that the big performance was only in a week and a half. Actually, opening night was in a week and two days.
Yuna felt herself sigh, as she glanced out at the now-empty theater. They weren't going to be performing at the dance conservatory, but in a Blitzball Stadium. Yuna smiled for a second, realizing it would be the exact same Blitzball Stadium that Tidus played at. Her smile disappeared, however, as she suddenly frowned at the thought of that certain blonde-haired Blitzer.
"Gosh do I hate him!" Yuna said, perhaps too loud.
"What was that?" Madame Belgemine asked, looking at Yuna confused.
"Nothing, I'm sorry," Yuna said, "I was just thinking aloud."
Shelinda gave a little snuffle, and said, "Oh, this Yevonistmas is absolutely ruined!"
"Oh, would you put a sock in it, you big Drama Queen?" Dona's voice could be heard as she entered the theater.
"Dona? What are you doing here?" Belgemine said, looking at Dona curiously, "It isn't your turn for rehersal!"
Yuna just frowned at her ex-friend, wondering just what it was she was doing there.
"I just came to see how everything was going," Dona just said, smiling a big fake smile at Yuna, "My, my, my, don't you look lovely in your little costume?"
"What do you really want, Dona?" Yuna asked, probably a little too bitterly.
Shelinda and Madame Belgimine both seemed to sense the tension between the two girls, and looked from Yuna to Dona, back to Yuna, and then back to Dona, as if confused by the tension between who were thought to be best friends.
"I came to cheer you on, of course!" Dona said, smiling at Yuna, "But if you all really don't want me here..."
"Dona!" Barthello cried, as he came running out from behind the curtains, "I—."
"Put a sock in it yourself, you big blubbering baffoon," Dona just said, causing Barthello to stop right in his place, "But, I do need to talk with Barthello. It will only take a second."
"You need to talk to me?" Barthello just said, his eyes growing wide.
"Yes, I do," Dona just said, pretending to be interested in her nails.
"Fine, take him, he's just a disturbance right now anyway," Belgimine said with a wisp of his hand, "and Dona? Please don't come barging in here again."
"Sorry Madame," Dona just said, and marched out of the room with Barthello on her heels.
Yuna just watched as they left, and then found it nearly impossible to return to her practice.
"Come on Yuna!" Shelinda and Madame Belgimine urged, but Yuna's mind was still elsewhere.
What did Dona want Barthello for? Did Tidus and her break up? A small smile lit Yuna's face, but then disappeared.
"No, I hate Tidus. Even if they did break up, I could never get back with him. Ever." As if that thought settled all of her others, Yuna was then finally able to concentrate, and allowed the dance to take over her thoughts...
A/N: Hehe...Sorry, that was actually kind of a filler, although this one is just leading up to 'the big event'! Want a teaser? Well, what does Dona have in mind? Will she go through with her plan? And...it's obvious that Tidus has no interest in Dona. So, why is he going out with her? All will be explained in the following chapters of... "A Foreign Home"!