Trials and Tribulations
Chapter 4: Memories and Contemplation
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X, nor any of the characters there within.
It had taken about the same amount of time for Lulu to cool down that it took to excavate Wakka from his icy prison which had been risen in a great fit of fury. There were many squeaks of fear from the remaining girls of the party and Wakka, as Tidus unceremoniously stabbed away at the ice.
"Careful, ya? Careful!" Wakka snapped when Tidus came about an inch short of amputating one of Wakka's prone toes. Auron halted Tidus with a firm arm after the near accident, unsheathing his great sword with calculated movements and stepping up to Wakka. The red head gawked dumbly up at the red cloaked guardian as the latter raised the massive weapon into the air. Wakka squeaked again and could not stop himself from cringing back as the older guardian flipped the sword so the butt of the weapon struck into the ice. There was a loud crack and splintering sound as the ice broke into three neat pieces. Wakka incoherently mumbled his thanks to the guardian that freed him as Tidus clapped Auron on the back. Auron threw Tidus a scathing look, Rikku asked Wakka if he had frostbite, and Yuna tried to voice her urging to continue on with the journey.
Needless to say, the sun had dropped another quarter in the sky.
Lulu, further ahead than the others on the trail, was still fuming; however, a bit less on Wakka's part and more on her own behalf. Not only had she failed to hold back her temper which she had worked so studiously at to reign in and conceal along with her emotions, but she may have harmed Wakka as well.
She had disgraced herself.
And what was worse, she herself had delayed the pilgrimage. For this she was at once ashamed and elated. Ashamed because it was her fault they were now behind in their schedule and would have to pull double time to make up for the missed hours for this day of travel. She was also elated that she had delayed them; thus in turn, giving Yuna all the more precious time to spend with the company before their time was so abruptly stolen from them.
Lulu sat down on a rock to calm herself and reflect on her actions, as well as wait for the rest of the group to catch up to her.
Why had she snapped like that? Lulu racked her mind for justification or incentive behind her actions. Yes, the snowball to her face had stung rather harshly and she was embarrassed for both herself and Wakka; but normally she would just give him a fierce reprimand for such nonsense. That wild fury of spells…where had such rampant emotion come from? Lulu sighed, closing her eyes and tilting her head back slightly, thinking back. There was something within the confines of her mind just evading her immediate cognition, like trying to recall a dream. She knew it had something to do with Wakka, but now she could not think what it was precisely.
Lulu opened her eyes once more, allowing her head to tilt forward and the pleasant clinking of her many intricate hair ornaments met her ears. The sound was calming. Her thoughts gradually drifted to what now needed to be addressed.
She would still need to apologize to the company. It was like a weight on her chest. She did not often have to apologize (then again, she did not often lose her temper so wildly), and when it came time that she did, it was never an easy task to accomplish.
It had not seemed like a long time when at last the summoner and guardians had appeared before her on the road, but when they did arrive, she took a deep steadying breath and strode decisively before them. She bowed low, her many beads tinkling as if in regret and her dark braids slipping far past her bare shoulders to lightly brush the ground.
"I am sorry for my actions—both earlier this morning and for this afternoon. Forgive me, Yuna and…I am sorry, Wakka."
Yuna came forward, kneeling before the mage so that she could look up into those sorrowful crimson eyes.
"You are forgiven." Then Yuna added softly. "I know we can grate on each others nerves sometimes; that's inevitable…so there's nothing to worry about, Lulu."
And Yuna gave the black mage a reassuring smile and a comforting hug. Lulu returned the embrace, sighing as she went.
"Thank you," she murmured softly. Lulu's crimson eyes flickered toward Wakka, who stood at a distance, hesitantly. His eyes met hers and he saw fathoms of meaning within that gaze. Apologetic, asking forgiveness, worry for his wellbeing, hope that she had not jeopardized their friendship. He flashed her a lopsided smile. Lulu returned it with the barest of smiles and a slight inclination of her head. Yuna gently tugged herself away from Lulu's arms to give her a warm smile.
"Well, shall we continue on then?" Yuna announced to them all courteously, as though they had merely stopped long enough for her to lace up her boots and nothing more. There was a silent shuffling forward in which none of them spoke, but understood they needed to move forward. They could afford no more delay's and what with all of the day's events and lack of sleep (on some certain party's account) from the night before—exhaustion was not long to set in. They traveled on in silence as evening fell upon them.
The landscape around them changed. Snow and ice no longer dominated the floor or canopy of branches over their heads. They had all come into the shelter of a forest, as opposed to the sparsely littered trees of the mostly plain land behind them. The company had entered into a large, lightly frosted forest, silent except for a cool breeze that whispered in the tops of the trees. The group pressed forward.
The former blitzball captain debated for several moments on whether or not to confront the black mage. Her normal tread usually kept her to the back of the group, however, now she tried to keep a firm and fast pace with the rest of the company, as if in a continuous apology; she would no longer slow them down. Wakka dimly wondered just how long Lulu would be able to keep such a pace in those heavy, jangling belts. The red head had taken up to the post of falling to the rear of the company. He had accepted Lulu's apology well enough, yet…
Wakka had not forgiven Lulu, at least not to her personally. He could not understand what he had done to upset her so horrifically this time, other than the snowball to the face. Lulu usually was extremely patient in this type of situation, especially when there were many people to witness it. Sure he would get a brash scolding, but that…scene was not like Lulu. What was going on that had Lulu so unseated?
It frustrated Wakka that he could not pin down such a perplexing case.
It's confusing, yeah? He thought to himself. Wakka did, however, have a very slight hunch as to Lulu's confounding behavior. Maybe it had something to do with that dream she had last night? Yevon knows how many nightmares she must have suffered through. But…she must have been having them kind of thoughts ever since we heard the news about Chappu. What would make this one so different?
Wakka shook his head. It hurt his head to concentrate now. There was simply too much to think about. He might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was not blind to notice earlier that when Lulu had moved off to be alone, that Sir Auron was not long to follow. What could this new complication mean?Surelyonly trouble for him.
Wakka sighed. He had known Lulu ever since they were children. He had been searching for greatness as a blitzball player and hopefully some positive attention from the girls of the village, especially those who frequented the beach. Among the girls that did venture out of the village, it was Yuna and Lulu in particular he sought to impress. Those were the days when Lulu would smile more; though her smiles were rarely for him. When Wakka and his little brother would go out to play ball; practicing drills and competing with each other—that beautiful, exotic face with the intriguing red eyes would be smiling past Wakka; smiling at his little brother. Smiling at Chappu.What Wakka wouldn't give to have received one of those smiles; though try as he might, the grin he desired always seem to slip past him.
There had been one time when that lovely smile was turned his way. How could he forget?
"C'mon Chappu, don't be a ball hog!"
Wakka shouted jokingly to his little brother who floated in the water a short distance from him. Chappu laughed heartily and effortlessly spun the blitzball on one finger.
"But bro, I've got an awesome trick to show off!" Wakka's younger brother cried as he sank into the water and shot back up, one muscled, bronze arm drawn back to hurtle the blue and white ball into the air. It rocketed upward before falling back to the ocean with impressive speed. Chappu was already completely out of the water by that time and flipping backward to deliver a fierce kick to the ball as it returned. He splashed back into the water as the blitzball screamed through the air almost perfectly horizontal to the horizon for a good distance from the blow; it could have easily covered an entire blitzball arena. The boy guarding the opposite goal did not even dare to halt the careening blitzball; spinning so fast it looked oval in shape. He dove into the water and Chappu scored an amazing goal.
Chappu resurfaced to the awed cries of the other boys who had joined in the game.
"That was totally awesome!"
"Did you see that thing fly?"
"Whoa, Chappu! Teach me that move!"
"Eh Chappu, you tryin' to kill me with that fancy trick?" (this was spoken by the goal keeper when he resurfaced).
Wakka grinned and shook his head, deeply impressed.
That brother of mine is getting too good for me. He thought.
In any case, they had won the game and Wakka stretched and headed back to the beach. His stomach tangled into numerous knots at the sight that greeted him. Yuna and Lulu had come down to watch the game. Yuna waved excitedly at Wakka, which he sheepishly returned; his eyes sliding toward the pale, darker-haired girl that accompanied her. Lulu's gaze was beyond him, out to the sea and another blitzer that played there. Wakka reminded himself that Chappu was Lulu's romantic interest before the disappointment could set in.
"Wakka!" Yuna hailed him as he neared. "You did so good today! How do you move like that so easily in the water?"
Wakka laughed. "Lots of practice and training. We always try to do our best."
"Chappu has grown quite skilled," Lulu said suddenly, her gaze breaking away from the waters to look slyly at Wakka. His stomach flipped. "Does the fresh competition ever worry you?"
All the moves Wakka had known and taught to his brother were being performed more skillfully by the latter. Wakka feigned indifference, though his brother's growing talent did begin to unnerve him. "Nah, me and Chappu will be an unstoppable force when we get to the real games and play as Besaid Aurochs."
Yuna clapped her hands and squealed in delight as Lulu folded her arms.
"You seem confident." She mused.
"Of course, when you're as smart as we are…" Wakka started to teasingly flex his muscles when suddenly, Yuna shrieked and a great pain struck Wakka in the base of his skull. The next thing he knew he was lying face down in the sand.
"Wakka!"
He heard someone cry; the sound muffled by the ocean breeze. Stunned and unsure of what was going on above him, he tried to concentrate on what had happened. The sand pressed into his cheek shifted slightly and gentle hands brushed over his back and forearm.
"Wakka, are you all right?"
Lulu's worried voice reached his ears. Wakka was too dizzy to respond.
"Is he all right, Lulu?" He heard Yuna say.
"Wakka!" Chappu shouted as he raced up the beach. "Bro! You ok?"
"Give him some space." Lulu said firmly. There was more shifting in the sand at her command. The hands still rested on Wakka.
He groaned. "Ugh, wha happened?" Wakka said around a mouth full of sand. There were a few sighs of relief in response to his inquiry.
"Eh bro, are you ok?" Chappu patted him on the back.
"Ya I guess, what happened?" Wakka asked again.
"One of the boys tried to copy my move and it went in the wrong direction…" Chappu chuckled, but the sound was more one of relief than humor. "I'll get him to come apologize." And Chappu raced off again. With an effort, Wakka pushed himself up to his elbows, sand flaking down from his skin, and he rubbed his offended head. It stung something fierce.
"Yeouch." He didn't bother to hide his pain.
"Wakka, are you sure you're all right?" Lulu asked of him. He looked up at her from the ground. Her eyes were filled with worry and he discovered it was her hands that had rested on him from the start.
"Yeah, I think I'll be ok." Wakka rubbed his head and smiled. Suddenly Lulu socked him in the arm and Wakka stared up at her dumbfounded.
"Don't you ever scare me like that!" she reprimanded him. His jaw was slack and he had no reply for her. "Yuna, could you bring Chappu back here and tell him not to beat up Ratta so harshly?"
Yuna nodded to the pale girl, relieved to see Wakka all right and she rushed down to the sea. Lulu exhaled her own relief, still kneeling before the red head.
"Sorry Lu," Wakka said sheepishly. "I need eyes on the back of my head to watch those out of control fly balls."
A small smile spread across Lulu's face and Wakka's heart soared. She looked so beautiful with that smile, a smile he had won for himself at last.
"You did look kind of silly when that ball hit you in the head." Lulu admitted, a devious glint in her eyes.
"Eh, that thing came out of nowhere!" Wakka proclaimed in all honesty. Lulu laughed at this and Wakka thought his heart might burst. This had to be the best day of his life. She stood up to brush off her skirts and offered him a hand which he breathlessly accepted. He lifted himself mostly off the beach, but did pull slightly at Lulu's hand, which was warm within his own. She released his hand when he had gotten to his feet. He wouldn't mind being hit to the head by a hundred blitzballs if he got to hold Lulu's hand again.
"Hey Wakka!" Chappu shouted from the shore. "Ratta wants to say he's sorry!"
A small boy with two very red cheeks shuffled his feet in great embarrassment. "I'm sorry Wakka!" he shouted with a force to match Chappu's yell. Wakka waved the boy off with a lopsided grin. No worries. Forgiven, the boy raced off. Yuna and Chappu walked back up the beach to them. Wakka and Lulu shared a meaningful gaze before greeting their other two companions.
Wakka could not push the image of Lulu's smile and open hand reaching out for him in such a warm invitation. She had been truly smiling then; smiling for him.
Wakka sighed and shook his head.
And now, when he had finally gotten his chance to offer his affections to the mage, this new commotion arises. Why did the world have to be so unfair? Sir Auron was just as easily read as Lulu, which meant Wakka stood no chance of comprehending how the legendary guardian's mind worked…other than in mysterious ways. If anything, Sir Auron was more stoic than Lulu. Both were brooding, well-trained, intellectual guardians who carried pasts wrought with grief. They were a perfect match for each other.
Wakka sighed, and it went unheard by the group that strode purposefully ahead of him. Did Lulu ever feel this isolated when she brought up the back?
He shook his head. He would have to personally forgive Lulu, if he knew nothing else it was that she needed to hear the words.
Wakka picked up his pace only to find that the group before him had stopped. The former blitzball captain almost crashed into Sir Auron, and with a tight swallow, he saw the legendary guardian's stern, chestnut brown eye on him as the chiseled warrior stood in profile to the red head.
Dusk had fallen on them and Wakka had not even noticed in his tizzy of thoughts.
"We will camp here for the night." Auron said gruffly and strode forward into the surrounding forest and out of sight. There was a flurry of movement directly after the guardian's statement in which Tidus and Rikku raced to see who could build their tent fastest; Yuna giggled at the both of their hurried efforts.
"C'mon Yuna," Rikku chirruped eagerly. "Give me a hand."
Yuna complied and began to swiftly work putting together tent poles as Rikku stretched the tarp.
"What?" Tidus interjected. "Two against one? No fair! Kimarhi, come help me put together some poles. We can't let them win!"
The Ronso growled in what might have been interpreted as irritation, but he did come to aid to ruffled blonde.
"Put those tents together properly." Auron's muffled voice chided brusquely from the depths of the forest, though he was no longer anywhere to be seen.
"No worries, Auron. I am a master tent builder!" Tidus called back, just as a pole took that moment to whip out of its cradle and smack him on the head. Tidus groaned and rubbed his head quickly, returning to his work with a flourish. Rikku's excited shriek startled Tidus and again a random pole jettisoned out to smack his head.
"We win!" Rikku cried. "That's one for Rikku and Yunie, zero for the Master Tent-Builder and Kimarhi."
"Arrgh, Auron distracted me!" Tidus accused with a pout.
"Too bad, we are champions!" Rikku and Yuna danced together giggling and clapping their hands. "You lose, we win!"
Tidus continued to pout, poking half-heartedly at the blue Ronso's slow ability to put together tent poles. The Ronso gave Tidus a fierce look which silenced the boy immediately. Kimarhi went silently about putting the remainder of the tent together, which the blonde had apparently lost interest in.
Wakka chuckled.
"Awful competitive, aren't they Lu?" He said as he came upon the black mage. She stood rigid in her silence as he stood beside her.
"I'm sorry, Wakka." She said after a moment. "Excuse me."
Lulu mimicked Auron, though opposite in direction, and strode purposefully into the surrounding forest, not once looking back at the dejectedly morose expression that followed her retreating back.
Author's Note: Lordy-loo, another long wait for an update! But at long last, here it is! I apologize for the delay, my plate has been quite full--and not with yummy foods.
I sort of have mixed emotions with this chapter, I kept getting tripped up on how exactly to execute my sequence of events (horrible of me, huh?). I still have another Auron and Lulu interaction I'd like to address in the next chapter, but it might conflict with how I'd like to end this...so many choices. I'm rather pleased with how Wakka's memory came into being and I've got a wonderful idea on a memory for Auron--now if I can just untangle how to keep the plot rolling.
I did switch perspective to Wakka for some reason, but I do love to have other characters react to my focused ones. The rest of the story will be from Lulu's point of view; she can be difficult to write sometimes (plus, I think I have been doing her character some injustice--I must make AMENDS! But I DO have a reason for her behavior!)
I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and I will try my hardest to make the next even more impelling. Until then:
Please Review!
Blackfire 18