When Yuna chooses to return to Bevelle for the summer, will that spell disaster in every single way? The summer supplement to "A Foreign Home"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PART IV
The Summer Supplement
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yay, I think this story is finally actually getting somewhere! For a while there, I felt like nothing was happening, but here it is! Hopefully a little bit of action, and hopefully more will follow! Anyway, I want to say thank you to everybody who reads this, because it means a lot to me. I don't really want to say anything, but I'm not sure if I'll continue fan fiction after this summer. Don't get your hopes down though, I've been saying that for well over a year now! Anyway, here is chapter 7! Hope you enjoy!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter 7: Letting Words Slip
"I can't believe Gippal was included too," Rikku said, chewing on popcorn as if she was watching a movie. She was scrunched up in a chair, sitting across from Yuna, listening intently as Yuna filled her in on everything that had happened over the school year.
"I know," Yuna said, "And Paine, and Baralai..."
"But you knew Tidus was?" Rikku asked, "Why'd you still date him? He was obviously a threat."
Yuna was silent. Then, she looked away from Rikku and said, "I guess I stayed with him because I really did love him."
"Do you still?"
"Of course."
"Even though you think he killed your dad?"
"Yes. I just wish he'd tell me...I don't care. He could tell me that he killed my dad a hundred times, and sure, I'd be angry, but I'd rather he just told me."
"Maybe he really didn't do it."
"Maybe not," Yuna agreed, "But then what is he up to? He's obviously up to something."
"I'll make Gippal talk," Rikku then said, looking toward the door, "Where is he, anyway?"
Yuna sighed. Yes, where was he? It was ten minutes after the time he'd told Rikku he'd be over.
"Well, while we're waiting, maybe we should see if there's been any advancements on my father's case," Yuna said, taking the remote and flipping on the sphere. What her eyes saw, however, just made her mouth drop open.
She heard Rikku let out a cry, and Yuna's hand went to her mouth.
"This can't be!" Rikku cried, rushing to the sphere. Sure enough, the Yevonites were carefully taking the body of a blonde Al Bhed male out of the river, and on the sphere, the words, "Blonde Al Bhed found dead" flashed.
"That's Gippal!" Rikku squealed, as tears rushed down her face.
Yuna was too shocked to do anything, and she suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe. Without thinking, she grabbed her cell phone, and dialed Tidus' number. His phone rang and rang, before his voice-mail came, and Yuna heard Tidus' cocky voice saying, "I'm probably at blitz practice right now, kicking some major ass, but you can leave a message, and I'll think about sleeping with you."
The beep sounded then, and Yuna, with an annoyed, and yet very urgent, voice, said, "Tidus, Gippal's dead!" Then, she realized how rash she was being, and quickly hung up the phone.
Rikku meanwhile, had just continued to cry, and Yuna finally stood up.
"Come on," Yuna said, "We've got to go figure out what happened!"
She pulled the crying Rikku up, and practically dragged her outside, to her car.
Then, she drove off quickly. She didn't exactly know why, but something told her that somehow, Gippal's death was connected with her father's. But if it was connected...Then did Tidus kill Gippal too?
Yuna brushed those thoughts out of her head, telling herself that there had to be more to the story than she knew. There just had to be.
Yuna stopped then, and said, "We have to talk to...I know! Paine! I know she's in this city somewhere. Baralai won't talk, Tidus denies everything, and won't even talk to me, and now Gippal's dead. Paine's the only one we haven't tried."
"How are you going to find her?" Rikku asked, her eyes red from crying.
"I don't know," Yuna said softly, "I guess I really don't know...Wait! We'll ask Baralai!"
Yuna turned around in the middle of the road then, and started toward her own house. She pulled into Baralai's driveway, and ran out to the door, leaving Rikku in the car.
She knocked on the door, only to have one of Jyscal's servants answer.
"Hello," Yuna said, and the servant nodded to her, recognizing her, "Um, is Baralai available?"
"I'm afraid he's run off," the servant said, "He left earlier today."
"What?" Yuna cried.
"He just took his belongings and left," the servant said, "It's really no big deal."
"Do you have any idea where he may have gone?"
"No...Why don't you come in and talk to Sir Jyscal? I know he'll be glad to see you."
Yuna started to protest, but the servant took her arm and led her to a room, where he knocked and said, "Sir, Lady Yuna is here to see you."
"Send her in," came Jyscal's voice.
The door opened then, and the servant pushed her in, shutting the door behind her.
"Um, good evening, Sir," Yuna said, blushing.
"Good evening yourself," Jyscal said, smiling, "How are things?"
"Alright," Yuna lied, "I was just wondering if you knew where Baralai has gotten off to?"
Jyscal's smile disappeared, and he said, "Why do you need him?"
"He...Jyscal, I think Baralai might know something about my father's death."
"What?" Jyscal said, "What makes you think that?"
"I just think so," Yuna said, "I mean–."
"Yuna, if you know anything, you need to tell me now," Jyscal said, standing up, "For your own father's sake, Yuna!"
"Well, the Al Bhed that just was murdered. I think his death and my father's are connected..."
Jyscal's face dropped, and he said, "What? What makes you so sure?"
"Something just tells me that it is," Yuna said.
Jyscal looked at Yuna for a long time, before finally taking a seat, and nodding for Yuna to do the same.
Yuna sighed, but sat down.
"Tell me everything you know," Jyscal ordered.
Yuna sighed, and said, "Jyscal, I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because...I have to figure some things out first."
Jyscal leaned back, and said, "It has to do with that boy, doesn't it?"
"Who?" Yuna asked, freezing up.
"That blonde one," Jyscal said, "The one that was over here. The one who plays blitzball."
Yuna's heart dropped. How did Jyscal know?
"Well...It..."
"Yuna, don't save him," Jyscal said, "If he killed your father, there's no need to protect him."
"B-But...I'm sure it wasn't him!" Yuna lied.
"He was part of the Youth League, was he not?"
"He was, but he's not anymore!" Yuna was surprised with herself. She didn't believe Tidus, or did she? For right now, she decided she'd believe him.
"That doesn't change the fact that he was," Jyscal said.
"But he didn't do it!" Yuna practically yelled.
Jyscal remained calm, and said, "Very well. If you're so content on protecting him, I'll prove it was him myself. Yuna, I must say, I'm very disappointed in you."
Yuna wanted to scream at Jyscal. But she held it in. She wanted to help solve the case, but she didn't want to nark on Tidus. She just wasn't going to do it.
Suddenly, her phone rang, and she quickly answered it, not caring that she was still in Jyscal's presence.
"Hello?"
"Yuna!" it was Tidus.
"Tidus! I didn't think you'd call me back!" Yuna said, smiling at hearing his voice, "Did you hear...?"
"Yeah, I heard. Look, where are you?"
"I'm at Sir Jyscal's h—."
"WHAT?" Tidus suddenly yelled, "Yuna, get out of there now!"
"What? Why?" Yuna asked, and noticed that Jyscal was watching her intently.
"Because I...I'm coming, okay? My coach is going to kill me, but I'm on my way now. Just get out of there. Go to your cousin's house."
"B-But..."
"Now."
At that, he hung the phone up. Yuna blushed, and tucked it back into her handbag, as Jyscal watched her thoughtfully.
"That was him, wasn't it?" Jyscal asked, "He told you to go to your cousin's house?"
"Yeah, but we'll probably just go back to mine," Yuna said, "I mean, no...That's not what he said!"
"I heard it," Jyscal said, "Like I said, Yuna. You need to stop protecting him. He's no good."
"What about Baralai?" Yuna asked then, "He was in the group too, you know..."
"I do know," Jyscal said, "And it was smart of him to leave while he could. Well then, you'd better head out, Yuna. After all, that's what Tidus wants."
Yuna stared at Jyscal for a while, and said, "I'm sorry for bothering you, Sir."
"It's alright," Jyscal said, in a creepy tone that reminded her of Seymour, "You weren't a bother at all."
At that, he said goodbye to Yuna, and dismissed her. Yuna left quickly, and then ran to her car, where Rikku still sat.
Softly, Yuna said, "Rikku, we have to go to my house, and then leave the back way."
"What? Why?" Rikku asked.
"Tidus is coming."
"So?"
"So, we have to go to your house."
"Why?"
"That's where Tidus is meeting us!"
"Why do we have to go to your house first?"
"Call it instinct," Yuna said simply, "Now come on. I have a feeling Tidus is finally going to talk."
"You mean...?"
"That's right. He's going to confess."
Rikku's eyes popped open.
Slowly, Yuna put her car into drive, and slowly backed down the driveway.
"We'll have his confession soon."
