When it seemed that the both of them would join lips a drunken man came to slam the uncontrollable body against Rikku's and drag her away several metres. Rikku was tough, but the man was strong and without control, hence he gripped the woman tightly.
"Get off you bastard, or I'll kick your ass to the chimney of this ship!" she attempted at pushing him, however the grip was tight.
Tidus was not going to dialogue with a drunk man, hence he used what worked best in this situations. His fist was introduced to the red face of the man, making him loose balance and stumble backwards at the time he release Rikku to touch the aching spot. This girl retreated to where Tidus was, and rubbed the dusty clothes disgusted, while facing the man angrily.
"Jerk!" Tidus spat at the man, who lay whimpering on the floor.
"I'll remember your face, imbecile!" Rikku responded clenching her fists angrily.
Yuna was startled at the behaviour of this men. However she realized it wasn't so different as their very own behaviour, rules might change, but stupidity was equal to both groups. Then, she smiled and joined Tidus and Rikku, throwing away her shell of timidity and dancing, drinking and smoking, having fun like this men only knew, without manners, rules or people speaking about you if you do something wrong.
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A refreshing shower to take off the stench of alcohol and smoke, and Yuna was soon dressed on her sleeping gown and with her features tidied up. It had been a luck that Seymour was still feasting his wealth with the proud men, so her disappearance had passed unnoticed. That was the path her train of thoughts was taking when the door to her room opened, and the guado entered the chambers with a pleased look gleaming in his eyes.
"Hello Yuna!" he said sweetly, staring amorously at the woman who was placidly seated on the bed.
"Hi." Yuna said with a silent sigh, faking a delighted smile.
"I have brought you something, it was supposed to be my wedding gift for the night of our marriage, but I'd rather give it to you now." Seymour explained walking towards her with a gentle smile, and sitting softly next to her.
"What is it?" the Summoner was not the least excited about his gifts, but feigned well.
The man simply stared at her with a pleased sparkle in his eyes. He pulled out an elongated, navy blue, velvet box and presented it to the woman. With a tender movement from his hands, the box opened with a swift click. This time, Yuna's surprise was not feigned, for her smile faded to be replaced by the utterly shocked features.
It was a pendant, a silver string that sustained a small silver hook, this last one gripping the most beautiful jewel Yuna had ever seen. A dark blue stone, shaped like a star with endless arms. It did sparkle with an inner light that Yuna knew well where it irradiated from, the energy this astounding jewel contained was immense.
"The Star of Spira!" Yuna gasped finally with a ragged whisper.
"Indeed, my beauty, I want to make you the most powerful Summoner of all." Seymour said placing a gentle kiss on the woman's forehead.
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"Fun party, yah?" Wakka commented the next day on the deck, a sunny day that promised warm.
"Yeah, it sure was!" Tidus commented breathing in the warm, salty air.
"What was with you and Rikku last night?" Wakka inquired with a gleaming smile illuminating his eyes.
"With me and Rikku?" Tidus chocked on his own words when analyzing the question.
"Yah, I mean, yah did almost kiss back there, yah know?" Wakka mentioned with a light, knowing smile, gazing sideways at the boy.
"There is nothing between us!" Tidus snapped almost furiously, gazing at the humid wood of the deck.
"Yah, if it wasn't because you are poor, I'd say you are the weatherman." Wakka commented shrugging.
"Hu? Why?" Tidus gazed at the man curiously, his blush and slight discomfort vanished.
"Because you are less convincing than a wall, yah!" Wakka spat at him.
"Oh, come on Wakka, we are just friends!" the young boy spat at the older one frustrated.
"Yah, whatever, I'm going to play Blitzball, if you see Rikku tell her to come, yah?" Wakka stood up from his seated position and retreated on a light jog towards the Blitzball field.
"Indeed, I wonder where Rikku's gone this time." Tidus told himself thoughtfully.
Tidus rested by the clear sun, gazing everyway as if secretly expecting to see the young woman emerge from the current of people that swarmed here and there, enjoying the fresh morning. His thoughts were to be soon interrupted by a distant familiar presence. A thick, strong man blocked his vision. He was aged, nearing his fifties, with greying hair streaked in white strands. Pale blue eyes gazed at him intently, wisely, and almost nostalgic. His thin lips were hidden under the high neck of a long, red coat, and an arm was hidden as it was weaker than the other, almost useless.
"Sir…sir Auron?" Tidus inquired gazing at the man curiously.
"Yes Tidus, come with me, we need to talk!" Auron explained, his tone cold and impassive.
The man began walking towards the higher deck. Tidus followed, keeping his drawing folder tightly gripped on his hand. He was curious about the reason why this man might have summoned him, but remained in the thick, dense silence that seemed to delight the mature man. When it seemed like they would walk around the ship until ending in the very same spot, Auron stopped dry, such that Tidus was a step from colliding with him.
"Tidus, what I am going to tell you is very tough, but I thought you should know." Auron began, never shooting a gaze at the boy, never crossing eyes with him.
The boy said nothing, his gaze was a mixture from confusion to a bewilderment that made him consider the mental state of this man. Auron seemed vaguely familiar to him, not from dinner, but from beyond that, however the way he seemed to confide in him was exasperating.
"You look just like your mother, same eyes, almost," Auron chuckled at this affirmation, turning this time to look at the boy right in the eyes, "same hair, same sweet temper, and the way your features are so young, even to your age, you can only be Al Bhed." Auron finished smiling at the boy almost father like.
"Al Bhed? ME? You are crazy!" Tidus spat at him, gazing at his tan hands thoughtfully.
"Your mother was called Sophie, and she died when you were seven years old, three years after the demise of your father." Auron explained staring at the boy directly.
Tidus turned his face abruptly, landing his gaze upon the golden and blue surface of the ocean. The water rippled calmly, sparkling with the intensity of millions of stars floating over a dark sky, the afternoon sun gliding and surfing across the calm liquid.
"I can remember my father, he was always drunk!" Tidus began in a calm, dispassionate voice, "but my mother would always love him all the same." He sighed never tearing his gaze away.
Auron observed the boy with sympathy, his blue eyes sparkled with a calid look that denoted some sort of friendly care towards the kid.
"And then he simply died one day. I know I didn't cry, I had always hated him for being cruel to me, although he never touched my mother. Then I hated him because he made mom cry for many days." Tidus looked down with a sigh, and he felt a shameful tear drop from his eyes.
"Your father would never let you cry!" Auron commented, facing the boy with the hidden fears that pursued his past, "He would say it was weak, right?" he finished.
"Right!" Tidus said upon swallowing his grief, then turned to stare at the old man with a suspicious look, "How do you know all that?" he inquired staring at the man.
"Because I was a good friend of Jecht, Tidus, your father was a well known blitz player, for the Zanarkand Abes." Auron explained staring at the boy, and placing a strong hand upon his shoulder to comfort him.
"Was that all you were trying to tell me?" Tidus inquired, staring at the man with miserable eyes.
"Not exactly, Lady Yuna wanted me to take you to her chambers." Auron sighed depressively, retreating the hand from the boy's shoulder.
Tidus said nothing and followed the man towards Yuna's chambers. He felt miserable, depressed, the way this man had crumbled the barrier he had placed upon his memories to hide the pain they caused.
"Jecht loved you, his cruelty was his way of loving you, although it was a wrong way!" Auron explained with his passive voice.
Tidus raised his head to look at the man, the way his paternal tone filled him with truth, and the manner he used to make him see the happy face of the not-so-horrors that his father had made him go through in his childhood. After all, isn't he exaggerating? It's true he was harsh, but he had never placed a hand on him, although he did yell and scream to make him not do things he liked (like drawing), or to make him try harder out of sheer frustration. And he loved his mother, he loved her very much and Tidus knew that, he was jealous, for he was a child, but he did.
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The door was opened and Tidus was allowed the entrance inside the chambers, the same ones he had been at the evening Yuna would lend him the dressing suit. However, this time different events would drive him here, events that would startle and shock him. Which was his surprise when his eyes landed on the creature that greeted him euphorically and exquisite. Which was his surprise when Tidus felt his heart skip a beat and stumble within his chest.
To Be Continued…
AN: Ok, here is chapter five. Almost nearing to the end, this gets me closer to the most difficult part, the sinking of the ship, which is so well explained in the movie. Well, I hope you enjoy what I'm doing, and please read and review.