The engines started with a silent murmur only the workers could hear, the gentle rumble of the power boost was felt under the feet of the many passengers for a few seconds, but soon it finished as the ship started cutting the water strongly, slipping over it with ease. Both children rushed torwards the front part of the ship, laughing and joking all the way,attracting the attention of the many passengers pacing calmly across the wooden floor. Rikku leaned against the railing and stared at the ocean, her spiraled eyes glinting with the fascination she felt torwards the vast extention of water in front of them. A timid sun had started to rise only about an hour before they boarded, and it's still faint and cool rays of light coloured the rippling surface of salty fluid with a purperish, golden glow. With this effect, the surface of the water seemed like the glittering of purpurine floating lazily over the heads of a hundred teenagers at a macroparty, yet to Rikku it resembled the peace and calm of the silent and distant stars on the large, night sky.
"Let's go there" Tidus said smiling at the girl, his manly hands pointing at the angle that the railing formed right in front of the ship, where the structure was designed to break open the water, and reduce friction.
Rikku nodded and both ran torwards there. Rikku climbed over the railing, keeping her feet over the second bar. She stood straight and oppened her arms to the sky, the gentle breeze licking her body tenderly. Tidus climbed after her and also oppened his arms, standing in balance behind the girl, eyes fixed on the purperish blue sky, where a few late stars still glinted.
Rikku gasped, "Tidus, it's like flying! This is wonderful!" she exclaimed with joy, as if she had never seen anything more wonderful.
Tidus smiled at the girl and closed his arms around her waist. He lowered his head until his lips were close to her ear, "you are wondeful Rikku, I love you!" he whispered into her ear with a soothing, calm voice.
Rikku's eyes widdened, she had not expected that from him, her best friend. She lost her balance due to shock and leaned dangerously close to the edge of the railing. Tidus strong arms pulled her tighter against him, and he placed all his weight behind himself, sending the both of them against the hard floor. Tidus broke into a loud laughter as the blond Al Bhed turned to stare at him, still laying over his body.
"TIDUS!" She yelled angrily at him.
"Oh you should have seen your face, it was priceless!" Tidus snapped trying to make his words sound coherent in the uncontrolable attack of laughter he had.
Rikku started hitting him, yet not strong enough to hurt him, she was trying hard to look serious yet the sides of her lips twitched in a smile. The golden haired teen covered himself with his strong, muscular arms, still laughing loudly.
"Come on Rikku, I was joking, just joking!" he gasped, his breath gone from the continuous laughing, which still hadnt stopped.
From the area avaliable only to those passangers of first class, a woman observed the two teens enjoying themselves without any worry, her eyes were foggy with a dreamy state, yet a slight flame on envy burned in the blue and green orbs. The were having so much fun, it was obvious they were poor due to the bad quiality clothes they wore, a top and pirate shorts for the girl, and a shirt and pants for the boy, yet they asked for little more than a job and something to eat. And the most important for her, they had each other, someone to love and to be with forever. She didn't have any of that, all her childhood dreams, the perfect and charming knight in shinning armor, all vanished with her children days. Where had those dreams gone she didn't know, but she would search for them, she would.
"Yuna? Ah there you are, my dear" a familiar voice called behind her.
Yuna sighed, her daydreaming being disturbed once again with the responsibility of being a Summoner. She turned around and smiled at the woman, a middle aged Al Bhed, specially beautiful, yet her smile had not been genuine for she didn't think she could ever smile again.
"Yes mother?" she asked trying to sound interested.
"Yuna, lord Seymour has asked for your pressence at the table, breakfast will be served in little" the Al Bhed explained in a gentle, yet still slightly severe voice.
"oh, I forgot, he asked me to join him as soon as we boarded, I was too excited about this trip mother! Forgive me, we should go now, let's not make them wait any longer." Yuna gasped alarmed, yet all this was her ability to preform.
Yuna didn't feel at all interested to go to Zanarkand, yet her mother had decided to show her the wonders of machina. Still, the Summoner didn't trust machina, they had always brought problems and always will, she preffered the traditional way of life, in her calm little village, and enjoying her walks across the sandy beaches, she didn't think there would be beached in Zanarkand. But out of everything, she didn't want to see Seymour, her fiancee. It had all been prepared by her father, lord Braska, and as much as she respected her father, it angered her to have her future chosen, to not be able to walk her own path and find someone who she would truly love. Yet her father had thought it was a good idea, a plan to unite the tribes of Spira. Yuna being half Al Bhed, half human, and Seymour being half human half Guado, both important, a venerable man and the daughter of a great Summoner. Yuna cheered at the thought that perhaps, just perhaps, together they could bring the teachings of Yevon to Zanarkand and exterminate machina forever.
"Yuna! Oh Yuna, you are as beautiful as ever" said a voice.
Yuna snapped out of her thinking, they had reached a luxurious restaurant with enormous windows from which you could admire the ocean, the tables were neatly decorated and the furniture was made out of the richest woods. Her cold coloured eyes gazed into the handsome face of a Guado, he had fine, young features yet still reflecting the mistery all Guados had inside them. His forehead seemed to be crossed by some sort of birth sign of a pale, icy blue colour, a sort of root like symbol that spreaded neatly over his eyes. His hair was of an intense, dark blueish colour, but the strange strands formed a peculiar pattern, to Yuna it always had looked like the handle of a motorcycle, or the reins of a fine, cart horse.
"thank you Lord Seymour!" Yuna said smiling, she bowed over him and offered her hand, which was tenderly kissed by the welcoming man.
It was true Yuna didn't love the man, and that sometimes she had thought about telling him the truth, but she respected him greatly, her father and his had been great and he was a Summoner more powerful than she'll ever be.
"call me just Seymour, my dear, come join us for breakfast, I guess you must be very hungry" he said and politely offered his arm.
Yuna accepted the offer and both made their way torwards the table, where other people were already sitting, her mother, a friend of her mother, Lady Lucie, and Cid, her mother's brother and arquitect of the ship. She was helped into a seat by her loving fiancee, and soon all helped themselves to a cup of warm coffee and some bacon and chocobo eggs to make a pleasant, and filling breakfast.
"So tell me Cid, how is that you came with that name for the ship" Yuna's mother asked while resting he fork on the plate.
"well" Cid started looking slightly thoughtful, "while drawing the ship's structure I thought it needed a name, and since it was going to be the greatest machina ever created with exception of the Zanarkand Blitzball stadium, so it needed a name that emphasized that greatness!" he explained getting excited through his explanation.
"so you thought about Titanic, like the name of the Aeons in ancient, Al Bhed mythology, the Titans, isnt it?" deduced Seymour shaking his coffee with a tiny, silver spoon.
"Exactly! Very brilliant boy!" exclaimed Cid inflating his chest with pride about creating such a perfect name.
"it is said that this is the most secure machina ever created, isnt it?" Lady Lucie asked timidly, helpng herself right after to a sip of coffee.
"it is indeed, the metal is the best ever created, double bottom, then we have several chambers, so in case anything happens the chambers will close automatically and the ship wont be filled with water, sinking it, there is not a safest machine in all Spira!" Cid explained once again, his hands gesticulating animatedly.
"do we have the security of that?" Yuna, who had been calmly listening to the whole conversation, snapped all of a sudden in a tone that clearly showed desdain.
"Yuna!" exclaimed her mother alarmed, while all eyes turned to look at her with shock.
"I mean, do you think any machina in the world could escape the wrath of Yevon?" she asked making her point very clear.
"Yuna, what's wrong with you?" asked Seymour in a silent whisper that was filled with a threatening hiss.
"excuse me!" Yuna snapped angrily, throwing her napkin on the table and storming off the room.
Everyone stared at the retreating girl with surprise, only her mother understanding the prejudices against the machina. Yuna had been instructed in the teachings of Yevon and had always seen the machina as a sin, something evil and bound to make trouble, and traveling on one was not the think she liked the most.
It was nearly mid day now and the sun was high up in the sky, shinning with an intense, pale glow. The sky, a calm sort of blue, was speckled with small, pale clouds here and there, little threads of water vapor that floated lazily over their heads, never daring to grow and cover the briliance of the sun. Tidus and Rikku sat at one of the benches calmly, they were enjoying a rather peaceful time, while not letting their usual fun leave them. Rikku's eyes looked over at a small man in cloak moving around in a quiet, yet cautious way.
"I say he's a member of some mafia and is searching for a contact" Rikku explained with a smile.
Tidus looked over at the man with some interest, then he shook his head, "nah, I say he's just a common thief trying to steal people's money" he concluded with a passive sort of voice.
"ha, then he's gonna get a deception if he tries to steal from us, all he might catch is dust" Rikku laughed, she had no need to be sad about her situation, she was fine the way she was.
All of a sudden a large, muscular and strong man flew over a railing that was situated to keep people from falling off the stairs and platforms, and crashed right in front of Tidus and Rikku. He was a young man, over 23 years old, his features were rather rought and manly, deffinitely nothing like Tidus' innocent and even childlish features. His flaming hair was raised into a large crest, and he was dressed in a bright yellow, rubber suit, a Blitzball suit.
"woah! Where did you come from?" Tidus asked in a high, shocked voice.
"owwwhh…" groaned the man while shifting slightly, trying to escape hopelessly to the pain in his right shoulder.
"I say someone beat him up and catapulted him here" Rikku snapped calmly yet bent down to help the man up.
"Rikku! That's not funny!" Tidus snapped but his lips were curved in a smile, while his tone played serious and scolding.
"owwww…she's right, yah…sort of…was playing Blitzball yah, and…arg that Ronso…beast yah" the man moaned displeased, angry and deffnitely aching.
Tidus gasped, "Blitzball? What where you guys doing playing Blitzball in the middle of the ocean?" Tidus snapped very shocked. He had seen them playing in pool, practicing in beaches, lakes and forest, but in the middle of an ocean? That was new.
The man raised his eyes at him slowly, disbelief crossed his pained features, his eyes narrowed and eyebrows raised, "you gotta be kidding, yah? There is a small Blitzball pool back there yah!" the man snapped trying hard not to believe the clueless features in Tidus' face were genuine.
Tidus' face lit and his eyes glowed with fascination, "really? Can I join you?" he asked almost in a pleading voice, excited about the fact that he could enjoy some time playing Blitzball.
The man sighed and rolled his eyes, ok,so he was being serious about the ocean part. Rikku laughed realizing how hillarious the situation was, and how clueless and dumb Tidus was being, but Rikku knew of the boy's natural inocence and that made them best friends.
"yah man, you can, my name is Wakka!" the red haired man introduced himself extending a hand, now able to stand straight as the pain had vanished from his now numb and sore shoulder.
"I'm Tidus and that's Rikku" Tidus said happily shaking the man's hand vigorously,his intense blue eyes looking over at Rikku.
Wakka looked over at the blonde girl and back and the beaming and joyful Tidus, who still looked like he had won the lottery. He smiled knowingly at both of them but said nothing, they sure looked very attached, but perhaps they were brothers, they sure looked alike, with the golden hair and gentle features.
"nice to meet yah, let's go play some Blitz!" Wakka shook Rikku's hand and raised a fist to the sky excitedly.
The blonde teenager gasped at the magnificency of the great, water orb that seemed to float lazily into a gap at the back of the ship, a transparent gap made out of crystal that allowed the players access the play orb while still permitting the observers watching the game. Tidus smiled at the large, water sphere, it was like an enormous orb made out of a rippling crystal, sun reflecting back and creating a sort of pale glitter on several points making it look like a gigantic, pale sapphire. A few people were swimming through the orb, little creatures, like tiny bacterias compared to the greatness of the small, improvised stadium, and Tidus couldn't stop wondering how they made such an enormous thing fit so easily into a ship, was it really that big?
"wow, this is amazing, let's go Tidus" Rikku commented in a completely awed voice.
Wakka laughed loudly, "you? Play? What would you do? Yah, Girls are never good at Blitzball, you cant have the strength a man has, yah" he said looking down at the Al Bhed making his point clear.
Rikku placed both hands on her hips angrily, her eyebrows narrowed and her spiralled eyes staring at the red haired with anger, the burning feeling of rage moving acros her blood like a current of flaming fire, spreading across her body and colouring her skin an intense red. Tidus looked back upon hearing this, he too feeling angry at the man, Rikku was his best friend and he knew she was not bad at all at playing Blitz.
"hey, cut it out man, she can play too!" he snapped angrily, pointing at the blitz player with a threatening finger.
"woah, chill, didn't mean to insult her or anything!" Wakka answered rasing both hands up in the sky in a surrending way, yet this knowing smile seemed to play in his lips.
"I'll show you!" Rikku snapped still in a tense voice.
The golden haired Al Bhed leapt into the sphere and swam agily across the water, she made a swift spin and dived down, taking the ball from a very shocked player that was about to shoot. The girl placed the ball next to her, a hand on her waist, the dark blue, irregular sphere situated in the triangular gap her arm formed. She looked at them proudly and let the ball loose. The girl made a 360º turn over herself and punched the ball with all the strenght her arms could gather. The ball moved swiftly across the field, going past a few, very shocked players and ending right into the goal, nearly sending the ball across the thick net.
Wakka nodded at the Al Bhed and soon leapt into the orb, closely followed by a positively stunned Tidus. He had seen her play but that shoot had been so cool, nothing like he had ever seen, a mix of Blitzball and boxing to be more exact. As soon as the teams were done the game started, a frantic game of swarming people, swimming as quickly as their muscular bodies could take them. It wasn't long till the competitive bacteria that slept into them awoke creating a rather thick and unpleasant tension, and a very cruel and bloody game as was usual in great teams like the Zanarkand Abes and the Besaid Aurochs.
Tidus was punched rather strongly by a very vicious looking Ronso, the one, he deduced, that had catapulted Wakka into the next section of the ship. Rikku swam with the agility of a snake across the water and it wasn't long till the ball was back into her arms and being pushed into the goal, the enormous speed it carried parting the water, creating an effect similar to a comet with it's tail. The ball passed throught the nervous goalkeeper's hands and hit the net, rolling against it. Te red haired player gave Rikku the thumbs up and smiled pleased at her, nodding so she knew he thought that had been a good shot.
Wakka managed to punch a Guado out of his way and take the ball from his hands, but as he approached the goal was soon surounded by three players, one of which was the temerary Ronso that had already introduced his fist to him. He looked around worried and decided upon the obvious. He threw the ball with great strength torwards the new player, but as soon as his hands let go of the item the three players zoomed past him and rushed to attack Tidus.
Tidus received the ball with his forehead, stopping it's race torwards the edge of the sphere. He dived swiftly under the lazy and numb item and hit it full force with his head, sending it fliying torwards the surface. The edge of the water sphere broke into million pieces where the ball made it's way into the air and breathable athmosphere. Tidus gathered all his strength and impulsed himself upwards under the very shocked eyes of a certain red headed and the pleased and proud gaze of a loving friend.
The boy leapt out of the water like structure and flew into the air, reaching the ball and swiftly turning in a backwards leap fashion to hit the ball with his foot. That's when he first saw her, her gentle features staring distractedly at the Blitzball game preformed by third class passengers, her dirty brown hair floating like mist with the gentle breeze. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, yet her pretty face seemed written with a quill of sadness, anger and deception.
To Be Continued…
AN: I'd like to thank all those people who reviewed, they are truly helpful. However in this chapter I tried some new style, what do you think loks better, this or the previous chapter? Perhaps the other has a much more exquisite writing? I don't know.
Oh, and as response to that wonderful critic, well, it was really nice, thank you, I highly apreciate your words and well, you gave me some good hints. However as for the fact of letting reviewers who havent signed in review, well, no because in my story Unbreakable Bonds I got very nasty reviews that didn't judge my writing style or the plot or anything, but they attacked me because of the way I wrote the story compared to the game Final Fantasy IX, and personally, as my story it was, the game is simply an inexistent background from which I grabbed a few elements.
Oh and forgive me for my OOC characters, I try to make them as IC as possible but I got carried away a bit in the first chappy, I have a friend that's just like that. ^_^0
Well, hope you are enjoying it, please, keep reading, it'll get more interestng as the story goes on, more action and stuff.