Chapter 2
In 2005 a group of Final Fantasy characters got lost in the woods, due to a tragic horse back riding incident that caused them to end up in the middle of the woods with no idea how to get back. Though myth says they made it back all right, though nobody is sure yet, someone from that group so happened to have a video camera with full batteries and recorded a documentary until the day of their rescue while in the woods. The following documentary footage was found a year later by a following hunter, and now can be viewed by the public.
An owl hooted in the distance. Yuna shuddered and hugged Tidus's arm.
"This is messed up, how the hell are we supposed to get back in the dark?" Cloud grumbled. Everyone was in a huddled group, trembling with the cold, and watching helplessly as the sky darkened ever so quickly up above.
"Those damn owls won't stop fucking hooting," Sephiroth hissed. Another owl hooted and he clenched his fist.
"I'm getting really scared now," Yuna stammered.
"God...me too," Rinoa agreed. All the girls nodded.
"Don't worry girls, I'll protect you," Cloud assured them proudly.
"Yeah, or most likely make our situation worse," Tidus muttered. Cloud glared at him.
"Shut up you sissies, you won't protect anyone at anytime, you're all too busy being sissies," Sephiroth growled. Vincent sighed.
"Will all of you just be quiet? We'll all stick together. This isn't some video game...this is real," Vincent replied. Tidus and Cloud still glared at each other slightly and then looked forward again. Suddenly Squall tripped over something and Rinoa almost fell on her bad ankle.
"Ow! What happened?" Rinoa asked.
"Whatever...?" Squall asked. Cloud bent down and inspected what Squall had tripped on. Since it was dark, he couldn't really tell what it was.
"It looks like some kind of backpack...," Cloud announced. Tidus went over and kicked it.
"Whatever it is, it's not alive," Tidus noted. Cloud slapped his forehead.
"Of course it's not alive! It's a back-pack!" Cloud cried. Vincent felt around it and found a zipper.
"It is a back-pack of some sort...maybe we'll find some useful stuff in here...?" Vincent asked plying around inside it. Vincent felt around for hopefully a flash light, and found something that felt like it. But when he turned the switch up to light it, it gave off a weak glow, then slowly turned off. "Damn it...the batteries are low," Vincent announced. Everyone groaned.
"I think I found a blanket or something...," Cloud said and took out a wide canvas sheet of some kind.
"That's no blanket, Cub Scout of the Year. It's a tent," Sephiroth snarled.
"A tent? Oh my gosh, this is so incredibly lucky!" Yuna cried out.
"We'll need light to set it up," Vincent said.
Sephiroth took a lighter from his pocket. "I have this," He announced.
"You have a lighter? Do you smoke or something?" Cloud asked.
"No! This is incase of the emergency that I'm stuck in the woods with a group of idiots," Sephiroth replied.
"Well we're not using your lighter...mine's cooler," Vincent said cooly and took out his own lighter. It was a miniature gun, and when he pulled the mini trigger flame shot up out of the hole thing where bullets come out to shoot people. It's so magical. "Alright everyone, gather up some leaves or something...let's see if we can start a fire," Vincent ordered.
Everyone except Yuna reluctantly started picking up leaves and twigs and junk. "Won't you be of any help at all?" Vincent asked Yuna.
"I'm not touching dirty dead leaves. Like, ew," Yuna replied and took out a nail filer. After they started up a fire, the guys struggled with the tent awhile and finally put it up.
"It's a little...lopsided...," Vincent noted looking at it. It was way lop sided actually.
"Argh! I'm not trying to put it up again, I'm bad at this camping stuff," Cloud cried. Sephiroth went over to it and started whacking at it with his Masamune.
"What the fuck are you doing!" Cloud cried shrilly.
"Fixing the damn thing...you sissies...," Sephiroth replied. Suddenly the tent came back up right. Everyone stared at it in disbelief. "There. Now...all of you...Leave me alone!" Sephiroth snarled and walked away. Tidus came out of nowhere then and rolled another log to the fire.
"There! Now it can be just like in the movies!" He declared happily. He turned to everyone else while sitting on the log. "Does anyone have any marsh mellows on them by any chance?" He asked.
"What do you think?" Cloud asked sarcastically and sat at a log. Everyone sat around the fire.
"What do we do now?" Wakka asked.
"Well...we wait until morning...then we should try and find our way back," Vincent replied.
"I hope by then somebody notices we're gone," Tifa said miserably and held her head in her hands.
"Auron will definitely notice...won't he?" Yuna asked.
"Well...he did say we wouldn't be seeing him until the wedding...I don't know if he'll know that we're gone...," Cloud replied. Yuna's eyes widened.
"Noooo!" She moaned. Tidus patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry Yuns, we'll be back home in no time," Tidus re assured her.
Three days later...
Nah...just kidding.
When everyone got more or less tired of just sitting there and watching the fire miserably, the problem came up on who would sleep in the tent.
"I'm definitely sleeping in the tent," Yuna said right away.
"I think all the girls should sleep in the tent," Cloud said, surprisingly noble.
"Why? Girls aren't tough enough to sleep outside in the woods?" Tifa snapped.
"Fine Tifa, if you want to sleep outside then I'll switch ya, I don't want bugs in my hair anyway!" Cloud fired back.
"Ok, ok! Look, all the girls sleep in the tent, Cloud you're staying outside," Vincent ordered.
"But Tifa doesn't want to sleep in the tent!" Cloud protested.
"Of course I do you idiot, I was just making a point!" Tifa cried.
"Will you guys stop fighting?" Rinoa pleaded. Cloud grumbled and walked away from the tent. Yuna was already in the tent and claiming her spot. She hummed and sprayed bug spray all over the place.
"Hey Yuna, would ya spray some of that stuff in my hair?" Cloud asked.
"Cloud, no bugs are going to go in your hair," Vincent sighed.
"They'll get killed by the fumes five feet away before anyway," Tidus sneered.
"Yeah, yeah," Cloud muttered and lay his head on the back pack.
"Wasn't there anything else in that back pack?" Zell asked. Cloud opened it and looked around.
"I found some snack bars...a spoon...a coupon...a tooth pick... oh, and some scratchy blankets," Cloud said and took the blankets out. Vincent slapped his forehead. Everyone kinda sat around or laid by the fire.
"Hey...where's Sephiroth?" Tidus asked.
"Probably out killing some poor helpless animal," Cloud replied poking a stick in the ground. Everyone mumbled an agreement.
"Hey...if you could have any woman in the world...who would it be?" Tidus suddenly asked.
Cloud laughed evilly. "Wonder Woman!" He replied. Everyone else groaned.
"Tidus, this isn't some sleep over...," Vincent started.
"Whatever!" Squall agreed.
"So? We're all laying around in scratchy blankets lost in the middle of the woods. I have nothing else better to do," Tidus retorted.
"Bet you 500 gil the girls are talking about us too," Cloud said.
"Yeah...and magazines," Zell replied.
"And boy bands," Wakka added.
"And jellybeans, and stickers, and those pop-up books," Tidus added also. Everyone looked at him oddly.
"Anyway, I'd have Wonder Woman. She's my idol," Cloud confirmed.
"I can't picture you with Wonder Woman," Tidus said shaking his head.
"Hey, what about you Valentine?" Tidus asked Vincent.
"Or should wesay, Dracula Jr.?" Cloud snickered. "The guy called me Spikes...how lame..."
"Yeah, and how exactly am I supposed to be Ken?" Tidus asked.
"They didn't give me or Squall a nickname," Wakka declared proudly.
"Want one?" Cloud threatened. Wakka stuck his tongue out at him. "Anyway Tidus buddy, back to your original question, Vincent doesn't want any girl," Cloud said.
"Cloud...," Vincent warned.
"Yeah...thought so...just wanted to see if he had imagination," Tidus replied, ignoring Vincent.
"Whatever?" Squall asked Vincent.
"I don't care...I really don't want anyone," Vincent grumbled miserably.
"I think he and Yuna should pair up, what a sight that'd be," Cloud continued ignoring Vincent.
"What!" Tidus cried.
"Just mixing and matching dude, nothing serious. But wouldn't it be a pretty sight?" Cloud asked jokingly and he closed his eyes.
"No. Not at all," Tidus snarled.
"Opposites do attract," Cloud continued smirking to himself.
"No they don't!" Vincent and Tidus cried in unison. Wakka laughed.
Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Fine. I'll stay silent," He mused and closed his eyes again.
"You've just been spending way too much time out in the woods Strife. Now, lay off your fantasies and let us sane ones go to sleep," Tidus said and turned around.
"At least I have a last name to go by," Cloud suddenly spoke up and Tidus ignored him.
Meanwhile, in the girl's tent...
"Yuna, if you spray once more that perfume I'll kill you," Tifa threatened.
"It smells like squirrels in here!" Yuna protested. After a glare from Tifa, Yuna reluctantly put away her Summoner's Secret vanilla perfume.
"Geez, now let's get some sleep," Tifa grumbled and turned around facing the tent wall.
"I wanna talk about the boys though," Rinoa protested.
"Yeah, and magazines," Yuna added.
"And boy bands!"
"And jellybeans!"
"And stickers!"
"And not to mention those cute pop up books..."
Tifa growled.
"Guys, Tifa is right. We should all just go to sleep," Aeris said in a quiet voice.
"This isn't some sleep over you know," Tifa added from her corner. "We're stuck in the middle of the fucking woods."
Yuna and Rinoa shrugged. "Well, sweet dreams then," Yuna said and lay down looking up at the tent ceiling. Rinoa grumbled something and lay down as well on her stomach.
Tifa sighed and was about to fall asleep when Yuna uttered, "God...I just can't sleep."
"Me either," Rinoa's voice replied.
"If you can't sleep, then go outside!" Tifa hissed.
"Hey, no need to throw us out of the tent!" Rinoa replied.
"That's ok, I want to go outside," Yuna said haughtily and crawled over to the opening.
"Don't you even think of bringing Tidus in here," Tifa warned.
"Don't worry, I won't !" Yuna hissed and crawled all the way outside. Rinoa said good bye and closed the tent for her.
"The nerve of Tifa, seriously," Yuna muttered to herself and brushed herself off. She saw that the fire was dulled out and that it was hard to see who was sleeping where. Yuna stomped her foot silently and felt her way around. She stopped when she came upon a big boot.
"Whose there?" A sleepy voice asked.
"Er...Yuna. Is this Tidus?" She asked nervously. She couldn't tell. (She couldn't tell ! Geez...)
"Uh, yeah, If you want me to be," The voice replied. Yuna punched the arm of the person.
"Grr, Cloud you're such an idiot! I knew it was you," Yuna replied. Cloud snickered. "Where's Tidus?" Yuna asked in a whisper.
"Don't know. To my left...right?...Not sure. You should feel around some more," Cloud replied. Yuna slapped the back of his head. "Ow! Ok, ok. He's right next to me," Cloud replied feeling out his hair. Yuna hastily crawled over there and lightly felt the person's hair.
"Ow! Gee, spiky. Ok this is Tidus," Yuna confirmed.
"Why are you out here anyway? Can...uh...I go in the tent?" Cloud asked.
"No! Tifa's in there. Remember?" Yuna replied. Cloud shuddered.
Yuna laughed at Cloud's reaction and shook Tidus. "Tidy, wake up," Yuna said softly.
"Five more...minutes...Mom," Tidus mumbled. Cloud muffled his snort.
"Tidus! It's me, Yuna!" Yuna said a bit louder.
"...But I do want the pancakes," Tidus replied in a whiny voice. Cloud down right started laughing now and Yuna glared at him. Yuna had no choice and slapped Tidus for him to wake up.
"Ow!" Tidus cried out and sat up right.
"Oh, sorry Tidy, you wouldn't wake up!" Yuna apologized. Tidus rubbed the side of his face.
"You didn't have to flippin' slap me Yuna!" He replied. Cloud laughed.
"She didn't have a choice. You were begging for p-p-pancakes!" Cloud sputtered and started laughing again. Tidus anime sweat dropped.
"Shut up Cloud, I'll video tape you sleeping when I get the chance!" Tidus threatened. Cloud stopped laughing.
"Hey, everyone lied. I do not talk and walk in my sleep," Cloud replied crossing his arms. Yuna giggled. Cloud glared at her and lay back down.
"We better move away...or else we'll wake up finding our selves about to get killed by Cloud as he stands over us with a leaf and starts talking to himself," Tidus said and he and Yuna scooted over.
"I heard that!" Cloud cried and he faced his back to them.
And so night turned into day in the mysterious woods. Vincent was the first to wake up. He immediately started to re-light the fire with his gun lighter thing. He pushed the trigger and the flame ignited. He lit the fire and blew into it a while until it rose up bigger. Vincent sat quietly and gazed at the fire. He heard the shuffling of the others asleep around him, which caused him to look around at them. Just as his gaze fell upon Yuna and Tidus sleeping next to each other, the sound of the tent flap being thrown open set his gaze to go back immediately to the fire.
Tifa stretched and yawned and walked toward Vincent with a miserable expression. "I thought I was dreaming...but I guess it's really true that we're stuck in some forest," She said. Vincent just looked away and focused on a tree. Later Rinoa woke up, followed by Aeris.
"Rinoa, how's your ankle?" Tifa asked.
"Oh it's fine. I can walk and everything. I guess I can still be Maid of Honor!" Rinoa replied cheerfully.
"If we ever make it back," Cloud mumbled who had woken up and was rubbing his eyes.
"Huh, still no sign of Sephiroth," I'm pretty sure Squall said. They all sat or stood there silent, and watched as a squirrel climbed onto the face of the sleeping Zell. Cloud snorted but looked away. Zell twitched then opened his eyes.
"Aaaaahh!" He screamed and jumped up but the squirrel hung on, even as he ran around in circles to get it off. Everyone looked at each other and sort of sighed.
"Still no sign of Sephiroth, eh?" Tifa suddenly said. Squall looked annoyed but didn't say anything.
"Nope," Everyone replied in unison. Yuna and Tidus were still sleeping but Yuna woke up once Zell, who was still running around blind for there was a squirrel hanging on his face, tripped over her.
"Argh, Zell!" Yuna cried and shoved him off. He continued running around and screaming. Yuna stood up and looked around. "Where the heck am I?" She asked.
"Uh...you're in the woods...," Cloud replied.
"The woods? Which one? Do you mean the Macalania woods? We shouldn't be here around at this time...," Yuna said more to herself. Everyone shifted their eyes and looked at each other.
"The what woods?" Cloud asked.
Yuna looked worried. "The...Macalania...woods...," She replied drumming her fingers together nervously.
Suddenly Squall laughed. Everyone looked at him with massive surprise.
"Did...Squall...just... laugh?" Cloud asked incredulously.
"He laughs just like everyone else does!" Rinoa snapped defensively.
"No he doesn't," Cloud protested. But Squall had long since stopped.
"What was so funny sweetie?" Rinoa asked swooping over to him. Squall shifted his eyes. Everyone shifted their eyes and coughed simultaneously. Rinoa bent over to hear what Squall was whispering in her ear. "Oh...hahaha!" She suddenly cried. Everyone widened her eyes at her, so that she would tell them. "Oh...uh...he just said, Macalania sounded like a peanut...," Rinoa announced. There was a short silence.
Suddenly Cloud laughed. "He's right! Macalania peanut, come get your Macalanian peanuts!" He cried and slapped his knee. Everyone else (mind you that when I say 'Everyone else' It means everyone else, except usually Vincent or Sephiroth...because they don't count, as everyone else) laughed nervously for awhile and it grew silent again.
"Well...are we?" Yuna asked again. "Wakka...do you know?" She asked a bit nervously and went over to him. Wakka backed away.
"Uh...don't ask me anything...ya," He replied.
"Why are you acting so strange? Why are all of you acting so strange? Who are all of you anyway? Where am I? Is this some kind of joke on the Summoner or something!" Yuna exploded. Everyone stayed silent and stared at her with worried expressions.
"I think Yuna has gone mental," Cloud muttered to Tifa who nodded. Yuna started pacing back and forth wringing her hands, and everyone's eyes followed her like a tennis match or something.
"This is so wrong...wrong...who are these people to treat me this way? Where am I? Did I get kidnaped again? Where's Sir Auron and Lulu and...oh Yyevon...Where's Tidus?" Yuna was saying to herself and suddenly turned around facing everyone. Everyone pointed to the ground where Tidus was currently drooling while sleeping at the same time. Yuna ran over to him. "Tidus, Tidus! Wake up!" Yuna cried shrilly. When he wouldn't wake up Cloud suggested that she should probably leave him alone until he wakes up. Yuna glared at him. "Shut-up you stupid Al Bhed!" She snapped.
Cloud looked taken aback. "What?" He asked confused. He turned to everyone else who just shrugged in reply.
Tidus mumbled something then turned over. Yuna growled with impatience. She grabbed a loose tree branch and started whacking him with it. If this wasn't sad or true, it would be entirely funny and everyone would be laughing about now. But now they were just thinking that Yuna would most likely end up killing Tidus. Well, except for Zell, who was thinking more along the lines of "Get this squirrel off my face!"
Finally Tidus sat up and saluted. "Er...I mean...," He said and lowered his arm hastily.
"Tidus! Hurry, we have to run!" Yuna cried pulling his arm until he stood up.
"What?" He asked. Cloud was about to tell him something when Yuna pointed her tree branch at him threateningly. "Stand back or I'll summon all my aeons on you!" She cried. Cloud backed up hastily.
"Yuna, what in the name of Blitzball cheerleaders are you talking about?" Tidus asked alarmingly.
"They kidnaped us! All of them. That one looks Al Bhed," Yuna points at Cloud, " They might have taken Lulu and Auron hostage!" Yuna cried.
Tidus mouthed something to Cloud who was too scared to reply. He was busy eyeing the tree branch nervously. "Wait Yuna, uh...let me talk to them...," Tidus said and pried her fingers off his arm.
"Be careful!" She cried.
Tidus walked over to Cloud. "What in the name-," He started.
"I don't know! She woke up crazy like this, ask anyone!" Cloud cried shrilly.
"Yeah, he's right. I've just been too scared to say anything," Tifa added.
"Will Yunie be ok?" Rinoa asked on the verge of tears.
"I guess she thinks she's still in Final Fantasy X or something...by the way she's babbling like that...where's Wakka?" Tidus asked looking around.
"No way Mon, I'm not dealing with Yuna being mental. I already had to travel all those miles with her on that stupid pilgramage...you were there!" Wakka cried from up a tree.
"Wakka! You and I are the only ones she recognizes!" Tidus cried back angrily.
"First, just freakin' tell her I'm not an Al Bhed or whatever," Cloud said gazing at the tree branch again.
"Oh, right. Uh, hey Yuna! Cloud-or I mean, this guy, whose name is Cloud, whom I've known since high school," At this Cloud nods rapidly, " Isn't an Al Bhed, I repeat! He's not an Al Bhed!" Tidus cried over to Yuna.
"That's what he wants you to think!" Yuna snapped. Wakka laughed and pointed at Cloud.
"Hey man, you help out too!" Cloud cried swatting Wakka's hand away.
"Uh...what he said!" Wakka cried over.
Yuna bit her lip. "Well, I guess if Wakka says so...I believe you," Yuna replied.
"Uh, chuck the tree branch away too...," Cloud added.
"What tree branch?" Yuna asked looking around, while holding the tree branch with one hand like a staff.
Cloud anime sweat dropped. "Never mind, I guess," He muttered.
"Hello, I'm Tifa. I'm not an Al Bhed!" Tifa greeted cheerfully and extended her hand. Everyone watched puzzled. Yuna smiled.
"I'm Yuna! The Lady Summoner. Of course, you already knew that...," Yuna said shaking hands.
"Strife; Cloud Strife," Cloud introduced himself cooly and nodded at her smirking. Tidus punched him on the shoulder. "Hey, It's not always your friend goes in a mental re-lapse and forgets who you are! Knowing she's mental while she doesn't is fun!" Cloud said to Tidus out of ear shot from Yuna. Tidus glared at him.
"Aeris," Aeris said cheerfully and shook hands with Yuna.
"Vincent Valentine, at your service Lady Summoner," Vincent said charmingly and bowing slightly. He kissed her hand and Cloud laughed nudging Tidus who turned red from anger. Yuna giggled but smiled at him all the same.
"I think that will be a-," Tidus was saying when Zell came running in. He was red in the face and panting, but the squirrel was gone.
"Knocking my head onto a tree until that squirrel came off was a really good idea!" Zell cried.
Yuna looked at him oddly. "He looks Al Bhed," She whispered to Tidus.
"Oh no, that's Zell, he's not Al Bhed, he's just... special ," Tidus explained looking at Yuna seriously.
"Oh...," She replied and turned back to Zell.
"Hi, I'm Yu-na," Yuna greeted as if talking to a deaf person.
Zell looked confused. "I already knew that," He said.
Yuna smiled at him. "Of course you did!" She replied and patted his head.
Rinoa came up with Squall to Yuna, looking very teary-eyed. "T-T-T-This is S-S-Squall, and I-I-I'm-," Rinoa started but then burst into tears. "I knew her since kinder garden, how could she f-f-forget m-me!" Rinoa sobbed onto Squall. Yuna looked confused and worried.
"Is she alright?" Yuna asked Squall. He just half nodded and turned to Tidus.
"Squall doesn't talk much-," Tidus started to explain.
"Yeah, because he's a lo-ner!" Cloud cut in mockingly and laughed. Squall glared at him. Rinoa ran to Tidus.
"M-M-Make her remember m-me! P-P-Please!" Rinoa cried.
Tidus scratched the back of his head, and went "Er..."
Yuna patted Rinoa's shoulder. "I'm sure I have met you somewhere, because you look familiar. But do you know how many people the Summoner meets everyday?" Yuna asked cheerfully.
"Tell me about it," Wakka muttered rolling his eyes.
"Alright, visiting time with the Summoner is over kiddies," Tidus said and started to push Yuna away.
"Where can I schedule a private meeting?" Cloud asked casually sliding up to Yuna who looked a little disgusted and turned away. Tidus shoved Cloud from behind.
"No where! Now uh, Yuna let's go," Tidus said.
"And where do you think you're gonna go?" Tifa asked. Tidus did a slitting throat motion towards Tifa who instantly shut up.
"Hey, look! Whose that fellow?" Yuna asked and pointed. Sure enough, Sephiroth had returned to them.
Vincent accidentally let out a sigh of relief, and everyone stared at him. He shifted his eyes. "Don't stare at me!" He snapped after awhile and turned away. Sephiroth trudged over to them eating what looked like a kabob of meat.
"Hey, what's that you're eating?" Zell asked while smelling the heavenly smell. "Smells like...hotdogs..." Zell started to drool and everyone stayed back a few paces from him.
"Not hotdog," Sephiroth replied while chewing the last piece, "Squirrel."
Everyone put on a disgusted face.
"We have food here, Sephiroth," Vincent said.
"Yeah, horrible kind. I want meat...," Sephiroth replied.
Yuna went up to him all happy like. "Hi! I'm Yuna!" She greeted and extended her hand. Tidus bit down on his finger nervously.
Sephiroth looked her up and down. "So I've heard...," He muttered. He started to walk away.
"Hey, don't walk away from your Summoner! I'm going to vanquish Sin you know!" She cried. Tidus bit down harder. Everyone seemed to be watching. Even Vincent. Sephiroth continued to walk away muttering dark things.
"How rude! Hey, you, don't walk away from me!" Yuna cried. Sephiroth stopped in his tracks. Zell breathed in and out of a brown paper bag.
"What did you say?" Sephiroth asked.
"That's right, you heard me, I am a High Summoner and you are to treat me like how I'm supposed to be treated. Who do you think you are! I greeted you personally and this is the greeting I get in return ? You must clearly not be in the best state of mind right now. Apologize this instant!" Yuna ordered. Sephiroth turned around slowly. He walked up to Yuna. She stood her ground and frowned up at him.
"Nobody... Nobody ... Orders... Me ...Sephiroth...AROUND!" Sephiroth exploded. He made a movement Vincent knew all too well, while muttering, "You little ungrateful-"
"Sephiroth, wait!" Vincent cried just as Sephiroth was going to pull his sword out.
Sephiroth froze but his eye brow twitched with anger and his fist shook. "What...now... Valentine !" He asked.
"Sephiroth! You can't kill Yuna!" Vincent cried while pushing a complaining Yuna towards the safety of everyone else.
"She ordered me around Vincent...," Sephiroth replied menacingly.
"Sephiroth! Yuna isn't-," Cloud started to say but walked over to Sephiroth and Vincent so Yuna wouldn't hear. "-sane right now!" Cloud finished.
"You're finally noticing this now!" Erupted Sephiroth. Vincent slapped his forehead.
"No, not like that, I mean she's literally not right in the head!" Cloud cried.
"She thinks she's still in Final Fantasy X," Vincent explained calmly.
"I don't understand," Sephiroth replied in a huff.
"Sephiroth, can't you see? That's why she introduced herself to you, she had no idea who you were!" Tifa cried coming up also.
"She didn't know who we were either, except for Wakka and Tidus," Aeris added quietly but not bothering to get any closer to Sephiroth.
"So one desperate day in the woods turned her insane eh? What a weakling...," Sephiroth sneered.
"Don't take it out on her, and don't attempt to kill her either!" Vincent snapped.
"Why do you care so much Valentine?" Sephiroth growled.
"It's not only him, we all care for Yuna!" Tifa snapped back poking Sephiroth on the chest.
Sephiroth followed her finger then glared at her menacingly. "Fine. I won't do anything...hurtful," He said in a mocking tone. He walked over to the fire and started to sharpen his Masamune and grumbled things under his breath.
"What's the deal with him anyway?" Yuna asked.
"He was abused as a child," Tidus explained simply, shrugging a shoulder.
Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent retreated back to the side of the camp everyone was on.
"Don't talk to him. He's not in the best mood right now," Vincent told Yuna and walked ahead.
"Yeah, like he's ever in a good mood," Tifa added.
"He's evil, Yunie, you can't go near him," Cloud explained.
Yuna glared at Sephiroth, then turned to her newly attained friends. "It was nice meeting all of you. But I must be going with my guardians to our next stop...right?" She asked inquiringly turning to Tidus and Wakka.
"Suuure...," Wakka replied.
"Yuna...we're kinda staying here for awhile...," Tidus tried explaining to the best of his ability.
"Yeah I know, we're stuck in the middle of the fucking woods," Yuna suddenly replied in her usual bold tone, and not her soft nice one anymore.
"Huh?" Tidus asked, appalled that sweet Final Fantasy X Yuna just cussed.
"So, when are we getting out of here? Should we start walking or something? I don't wanna miss Auron's wedding," Yuna continued and made her way over to the tent. Everyone looked at each other and shifted their eyes again.
"Did...Yuna just come back to normal?" Cloud asked.
"Normal? When was I ever not normal?" Yuna asked him angrily turning around.
"Uh...Never...," Cloud replied nervously.
"Yuna, do you want to take a nap or something?" Rinoa asked comfortingly whilst going up to her.
"Yeah...actually...I do feel rather tired-," She started but then fell right asleep. Tidus caught her before she fell and told Rinoa to take her in the tent.
"Whoa...Yuna is like, totally scaring me," Cloud said once Yuna was safely inside the tent sleeping, and Rinoa had returned.
"What the fuck was wrong with her anyway!" Sephiroth cried from his post at the fire.
"I can't explain it," Tidus began and everyone turned to him. "It's this thing she has-"
"You mean Yuna is mentally challenged or something?" Cloud asked. "Hey everyone! Tidus is dating a retard!"
"No!" Tidus cried.
"God, everyone in Final Fantasy X is messed up," Sephiroth muttered. (Heh. So true)
"I say we look at the map, since there's enough daylight, and plan our way to civilization while Lady Yuna sleeps," Vincent suggested quietly taking the map from his pocket.
"You had the damn fucking map all along?" Cloud exploded.
"As I said, now that we have daylight, we can research it properly," Vincent replied annoyed. Everyone agreed and aimlessly walked around or sat around the camp. Vincent, Sephiroth, Cloud, and sometimes Tidus argued over the map and tried to plan something. So this is it for Part 1 of Chapter 2 . What the heck is wrong with Yuna? Will she turn crazier the more they stay in the woods? What do the squirrels have against Zell? Will they ever make it back? How did Rinoa's ankle magically heal anyway?
Intermission. Feel free to grab food, relieve yourself of the Nature's Call, and sharpen your own Fan girl Sephiroth Masamune. Trust me. You'll need it.
Yuna's eyebrows furrowed in concentration and she moved over uncomfortably. Finally she just opened her eyes and saw that she was inside a tent. She was laying down, and as she yawned she realized that she had been asleep. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, then tried to focus her eyes sleepily while staring at her knees. She sighed and looked around at the small tent, and decided to go outside. She opened the tent flap and looked outside to a silent forest, the aroma of pine trees easily distinguishable. She stood up outside and worriedly twisted a strand of hair, looking around.
"Hello?" She called. There was no one around. Nothing moved or stirred, it was so silent it started to creep Yuna out. "Helloooo...where is everyone?" She called a little louder. Her stomach started to sink, and she finally moved from her spot from in front of the tent. She ran a few feet forward, back, and in all directions calling out. But nothing answered back. Now Yuna's chin trembled and she breathed quickly, and called out more shrilly.
"Tidus! Cloud! Vincent! Rinoa! Wakka! Anyone! Where are you guys?" She called out shrilly and desperately, her throat scratchy from the first symptom as she was about to start crying. She whimpered slightly and ran forward to a tree, backing up against it she called louder one more time everyone's name. Tears were already forming from the corner of her eyes and streaming seconds later as she looked around nervously and hurriedly, but nothing moved or answered her. Yuna let out a sobbed gasp as the empty forest woods, the thousands of trees everywhere, became a blur and she slowly sank down because her side was hurting from nerves, and her heart was beating fast and was ringing in her ears.
After awhile she sniffed her tears and rose half way up, leaning on the tree for support. In a shaky voice she called out again but like the other times, she got no reply and the trees seemed to watch her sternly. "What happened to them!" She sobbed out and leaned her head against the tree, whimpering softly. She began to rake the tree with her nails, over and over again and barely felt the pain that came from the splinters digging in under her nails.
"They're gone...They're all gone..."
Yuna repeated that until a sharp stab of something made her gasp out suddenly, and she scratched the tree harder, crying.
"T–T-Tidus...," She murmured. And she began full on sobbing now, her hands now off the tree and now covering her face.
"He's gone..."
She sank down now squatting, and sobbed into her hands. "T-T-T-Tidus is gone!" She choked out and removing her hands she started staggering forward on her knees, then falling on all fours and crawling through the leaves and forest ground. "Tidus...," She repeated again and crawled over to a clear spot, with no trees. She moved into a fetal position and began crying quietly until she thought she heard a rustle.
"Tidus?" She sat up hurriedly and looked around, but there was nothing. "Tidus!" She cried out shrilly but again, no answer. Her heart jumped and she heard another rustle, then another, among the leaves. Her hands flew to her chest and she whimpered quietly. Her eyes were irritated from crying, and dry. She couldn't wipe them because her hands were dirty with dirt, but another rustle, closer, caused her to look up alertly and gaze unfocused again at the same blur of trees.
She staggered and struggled to stand up, but as she did she heard more rustles. "Whose there?" She shrieked and clasped her hands around the base of her neck. The rustles could be heard behind her, and she spun around. She saw a limp form moving forward, and at first she thought it was a giant grey worm. She gasped and her hands flew up to her head, grasping her hair.
The form was a person, in ragged, grey clothes. It was a man, and he started to moan as he crawled forward, causing the leaves to rustle. His eyes were blood shot, his teeth yellow and a lot were missing. His legs were crushed and bloody and his trucker hat covered half his face when he looked down to crawl farther. "What the heck!" Yuna shrieked and backed away whimpering more, away from the man.
"Help...," The man moaned, and his eyes fixed on Yuna, pleading for help.
"I-I can't...I-I c-can't help you," Yuna gasped hoarsely and continued to back away. She cried louder as the man suddenly groaned and looked up at the sky, then his head fell against the ground hard, and he remained limp for many minutes. Yuna sobbed and sobbed and turned around, starting to run what she could. After a few staggering feet she stopped and groaned with pain from her side and her chest, which her heart was beating way too fast against.
"You're only a little girl," Came a sudden voice. Yuna gasped and spun around, to find an old man staring at her with cold grey eyes. He had his hands behind his back, and he stood up straight in an old grey suit attire. He stared at her directly, through her soul, and never blinked. "Little girls shouldn't be running around the woods alone," He said rather quietly, but Yuna could hear him clearly.
"Tidus," She said and stared at him pleadingly, "Where's Tidus?"
"Little girls shouldn't be running around here. There's a monster in the woods."
"P-P-Please...Where's Tidus...Please...," Yuna pleaded and started to cry again.
"You shouldn't be alone in the woods," The man said again, with his un blinking eyes, slowly bulging from their sockets.
"Please! Where's Tidus?" Yuna shrieked and started to get angry. "Where is he?" Shestood firm though her whole self was shaking but she focused her tear swelled eyes upon the old man. The man didn't answer and Yuna got desperate. "W-W-Where is h-h-he...," She choked out and found her numb legs sinking her low again until she was on her knees.
"Where...Where...," She murmured repeatedly and started to scoop up the dead leaves with her hands and slamming them back down. She started repeating the word faster and faster and rummaged through the leaves desperately, as if Tidus was going to appear out of them. "Where! Where! Where!" She cried sobbing and flung the leaves everywhere angrily.
"Stop," The old man ordered quietly and Yuna looked up at him, but her hands wouldn't stop scooping the leaves and slamming them, but they started doing so more slowly until finally she stopped and her arms hung limply at her sides and she continued staring at the old man.
"Please...Help me...Help...," She said and she couldn't take the burning of the old man's eyes any longer. She stretched her arms in front of her through the leaves and lay her head down against the ground. "I need help," She said meekly and sniffed back tears. "Help me...," She repeated and suddenly sat back up, but only looking at the ground below her. "I want Tidus," She continued saying to herself. "I'd do anything."
Her eyes darted over the ground and she waited for the old man's response. But there was none. She looked up slowly to gaze back to the same empty forest, the same trees everywhere, not a sound to be heard. The old man had disappeared. "I can't be alone," Yuna said to herself and got up. "I can't be alone in the woods." She turned around to a particular side of the forest and started walking that way. She walked, gazing at the ground only, watching the many leaves pass under her. She thought she heard a sort of whisper at her ear and flung it off with her hand, as if to swap a mosquito. She walked faster. More whispers came, like empty whistles buzzing pass her ear. She swatted at nothing in particular angrily and started to run.
The more the whispers came, rushing past her, the faster she ran. She started to scream pleadingly and whimper, her screams shaky, with her dry throat and eyes and her side hurting from the running. She ran through bushes, running through them and between trees blindly, screaming with her arms stretched out in front of her as if to protect her. She'd scream, get choked off, and sob and then scream more in that cycle, and saw more and more streaks of red appear on her arms as the branches of the bushes scratched her. The bushes disappeared and a clearing stood before her, and she whimpered wringing her hands as she came to a slow walk and tried to focus with her blurred vision.
There were a series of twigs hanging from the branches and there were twigs hanging and glued to these twigs and they seemed to form a figure. These figures were hanging all over and Yuna stared at each one, frightened and her heart beat faster and faster the more figures she saw.
"What do they mean?" Yuna murmured in thought out loud to herself. The figures never seemed to stop. They went on and on, and as a faint wind came they all swung at the same time. A fog seeped in and Yuna saw no end to the disturbing figures so she decided to turn another way. But every single way was like the others; all the trees with those figures hanging loosely, and some had the figures drawn on the trees in red.
"Where am I!" Yuna shrieked and ran blindly forward, covering her head with her arms and crying loudly. She couldn't see anything, because she didn't want too. She didn't want to see the trees, the figures, or the fog. Amazingly she didn't run into any trees, and her steps on the leaves echoed loudly through the silence. With a frightened whimper, she decided to look up and orient herself. The trees were long gone, the normal ones anyway, and now Yuna saw herself facing a stone run down house. Half its roof was gone, and it was patched with half stone, half brick blotches and fog surrounded all sides of it. Gnarled and dead looking trees were the only other things around the house, but other then that, the fog limited what you could see at a distance. She pushed her hair behind her ears so she had it off her face, and hugged herself from the cold the fog brought in.
"Hello...?" She called quietly, for that was all her throat could muster. An owl hooted, but nothing else seemed to be alive. She walked towards the house and knocked on the moss over grown door, which opened with a creak slowly. She trembled and her teeth chattered as she made her way inside, her whole stomach flying up to her throat as the door slammed closed with a bam.
"An-Any-An-Anyone t-t-there?" She called and looked around the house. It was completely bare, it didn't even have a floor with the forest ground visible beneath Yuna's feet.
"You're only a little girl. And your lost in the woods. This is a dangerous time, you shouldn't be running around alone in the woods," Replied a familiar cold voice. The man appeared at a dark corner and walked one step closer, his hands still behind his back, his attire the same, and the same bulging burning grey eyes staring hard through Yuna.
"P-P-Please...help...I'm c-c-cold," Yuna said with a hoarse voice. Her lips had grown cold and she felt numb.
"You haven't listened...you aren't to be running around in the woods alone," The old man said ignoring her. Yuna couldn't speak, her voice was gone and her lips were too cold. She began hyper ventilating slightly and as the old man's eyes burned into hers a steaming heat ran down her face, almost burning her for it was her tears streaming down her cold face.
"Too late. You'll soon join everyone Yuna," The old man said. Yuna managed a confused look and continued rubbing her arms for warmth.
"H-H-How...?" Yuna started but trailed off.
"You'll soon join everyone Yuna. It's about time...," The old man continued. There was a pause while Yuna struggled to say one word.
"T-T-T-Tidus...Tidus," Yuna said and gulped.
"He too. You'll soon join everyone Yuna. You'll join Tidus. They've all been waiting patiently for your arrival. It's your time as well. You'll soon join everyone Yuna, and it will all be over. Soon, it will all be over...," The old man said and his voice seemed to fade, as if he couldn't talk more and had to wait for his next chance to speak.
"N-N-N-No," Yuna replied and suddenly she got desperate again, and as the tears forced themselves fiercely down her face she shook her head furiously and backed away.
"No!"
She opened the door, slammed it closed on the old man's face, and ran outside. She tripped over a large rock sticking out of the ground and fell on all fours. When she looked up the old man was staring over her.
"It will all be over soon Yuna," He repeated. A huge noise seemed to drown all else and Yuna covered her ears. It was a deafening crash and rush of water, and Yuna cried out in fright as she saw a huge wave appear from above the dark trees.
"No!" Yuna cried and ran through the old man. After staggering slightly from the shock of passing through him, like dipping head first into freezing cold water, Yuna continued to run and came to a tall stone wall. "No! No! No!" She cried and stomped her foot, angry tears getting her wet all over again. She gasped out sobs and looked up to the wave coming closer and found the old man nowhere. She repeated the word "No" over and over again, her voice starting out angry and sobbed until it got choked to a murmur but she still repeated it endlessly.
She leaned on the wall and slid all the way down, muttering, "No, no, no," as she tearfully watched the wave coming closer. Though it still had more distance to cover before it reached Yuna, she felt her breathing get choked off as if already covered in water. She gasped and waved her arms around, as if trying to swim upward. But her eyes told her that she was still outside, with the trees and the fog and the stone house clearly visible. There was no sight of water anywhere, but Yuna still felt the sensation. Suddenly her vision got blurred, she felt light headed, and she felt her lungs exploding.
So this is what it feels like to drown..., Yuna thought sadly as everything seemed to turn bright and then fade away. But in this moment of peace as Yuna drowned, or felt like she was drowning, she suddenly got angry, and desperate again. She fought her way around the whiteness, churning and twisting around, and though she couldn't hear herself she was forcing herself to yell Tidus's name.
"Tidus! Tidus!" Yuna cried and twisted around.
"Yunie! Yunie, wake up, you're having a night mare!" Rinoa cried and shook Yuna awake.
"Huh?" Yuna said more calmly and opened her eyes. She was back in the tent and it was as if everything was starting over again. She started breathing hard. "No, no, Tidus!" She cried and ran out of the tent.
"Yunie!" Rinoa cried and got out of the tent to see where she was headed. Like in the night mare, there was no one at the camp and Yuna started to get that sinking feeling again.
"Tidus!" She shrieked.
"Yuna! It's ok he's right-," Rinoa started but Cloud, Tidus, Vincent and Sephiroth re-appeared from where they were talking and came to see why Yuna was shrieking.
"Yuns!" Tidus cried and ran over to her.
"What's going on, why is she shrieking like that?" Cloud asked Rinoa.
"I don't know! She was fast asleep and I was just checking up on her, then she started twisting around and I got scared 'cause it was like watching something from The Exorcist or something, then she started yelling for Tidus, woke up, and ran outside!" Rinoa explained hurriedly.
"Tidus! Tidus, Tidus...," Yuna repeated as Tidus ran over to her and hugged her.
"What in the name of being stranded in the forest with idiots happened to her? Again?" Sephiroth demanded.
"Can't you see we don't know yet?" Cloud growled.
"Yuna, you gotta tell me what happened," Tidus told her breaking apart.
"Everyone had gone...," Yuna said meekly but she couldn't say anymore because of the shock of fearing that the night mare was starting over again. She sat down on a log to regain her breath and convince herself that she was awake, and that everyone including Tidus was here, and that all those realistic things she went through was only a night mare. Cloud and Vincent went over, Cloud sitting next to Yuna, Vincent standing back a distance, and Rinoa sitting on Yuna's other side and patting her arm.
"Yuna, what kind of a night mare did you have?" Cloud asked, but Yuna gave him a wide eyed frightened expression so Cloud shut up after Tidus glared at him.
"Geez, look at her, she's all shaking and pale, guys, give her some breathing space!" Tidus cried and everyone hastily backed off a little. Yuna's chin trembled along with her body and she started to cry quietly.
"Oh Yunie, don't cry!" Rinoa said worriedly.
"Whose crying?" Tifa asked coming back with Aeris, Squall, and Wakka from somewhere.
"Yuna. She's been traumatized by a night mare," Tidus explained worriedly.
"Really? Oh, Yuna, you ok?" Tifa asked squatting down next to Yuna and looking at her thoughtfully. Yuna half nodded and looked at Tidus with pleading eyes.
"Uh...guys, move," He said and pushed Tifa out of the way who glared at him afterwards for doing so. He and Yuna walked away to a tree, out of everyone's earshot, and sat there talking.
"So, she's gonna spill it all to Tidus and not us?" Tifa asked angrily.
"Well...that's pretty understandable...," Rinoa replied wringing her hands. They all sat around and waited.
"Why did she get traumatized?" Cloud asked. Rinoa shrugged.
"Probably due to past experiences," Vincent explained calmly from behind Cloud.
"That makes sense...," Tifa said looking up in understanding.
"Of course it does, I wasn't surprised at all when any of this happened," Vincent replied promptly.
"What, do you like, stalk Yuna and know all about her?" Cloud asked him suspiciously.
Vincent shifted his eyes. "No!" He retorted and looked away.
Tidus came back to them and they looked up. "Yeah...give her some space...she'll get over it...," He said awkwardly and walked away. Cloud took out the map again and they all tried to help in this time so they can get the heck out of there. Nobody noticed Vincent walk away from them quietly and head towards Yuna through the back of her tree.
Yuna was leaning against the tree, breathing in and out calmly, and resting her hands on her lap as she tried to become relaxed.
"You doing ok?" Vincent asked out of nowhere. Yuna jumped and spun her head towards him, then turned away breathing in and out louder. "Oh...gee, sorry," Vincent apologized hurriedly and scratched the back of his head. He sat down next to Yuna and there was a moment of silence while Yuna eased her breathing slightly then sat up straighter against the tree. "You feeling better now?" Vincent asked.
"Yeah...," Yuna replied and nodded firmly. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked rather nervous still, so Vincent looked at her worriedly. "I-I just...," She said noticing Vincent's gaze, "I just feel stupid that's all. Letting a disturbingly realistic dream get to me and scaring everybody out like that, worrying Tidus...," Yuna trailed off then she bit her bottom lip.
"Oh...well, you did scare us...but don't think you're stupid, because you're not...," Vincent said awkwardly. Yuna shrugged.
"You must be the only one to think so then, given my reputation," Yuna replied admittedly.
"What? Yuna, your reputation doesn't say anything of you being dumb...besides, doesn't Tidus think your smart?" Vincent asked. Yuna decided not to answer. "Anyway...do you know why maybe you're being traumatized?" Vincent asked trying to change the subject.
"Yes...and no...mostly yes, I think," Yuna replied.
Vincent nodded. "Do you think it will stop soon?" He asked.
"Well, that's the thing, I think it'll stop as soon as I get out of my desperate and abandoned state of mind...which, also means as soon as we get out of these woods," Yuna replied quietly and slid down further down the tree.
"Yes, I agree-er, I mean, you know we're all nervous and feeling abandoned I mean, we are stranded it's just...you seem to be taking it all more seriously then everyone else," Vincent replied, though he knew why.
"I know, I know...it's just...due to traumas and past experiences and stuff, it-it all got mixed and...well, it happens when I'm in a situation like this...you know, stranded in the woods is like the perfect kind of thing to happen to me to start me up," Yuna explained. "I just want it to go away, which means the faster we get out of these woods the better."
Vincent nodded in understanding and got up. "You seem to be talking, and breathing normally. You want to go back to everyone else and convince them that you're ok? That way we can all try this plan I-well, me and some help from Cloud I guess-that we came up with, and it might get us out of here," Vincent said.
Yuna nodded happily and Vincent took her hand for her to stand. She looked down to brush herself off, but when she looked up to thank him he disappeared. (Weird) Yuna looked around flustered and tried not to think of Vincent's sudden disappearance, similar to the one the old man in her dream kept doing and how it scared her. Vincent's just weird like that, he can disappear at will I guess...can't Vampires do that? Yuna thought and smiled to herself.
Vincent re-appeared after seeing Yuna get ready to head back, and walked the long way back to the camp so no one would see him. Looking down at the ground, he ran smack face into Sephiroth. He looked up to Sephiroth's glare and backed off. Then Sephiroth started shaking his head and clicked his tongue. He pushed past Vincent and walked off.
"Oh, what? What?" Vincent cried but Sephiroth just shook his head and walked away.
Yuna walked back to everyone huddled at the same camp and everyone looked up and greeted her cheerfully. "Hello everyone," She greeted back and sat next to Tidus who put a comforting arm around her.
"You feeling better Yuna?" Cloud asked across from her.
"Yeah...I'm not insane right now or anything, so you guys can talk freely with me again," Yuna joked. Everyone laughed nervously.
"Anyway, we're planning to finally take this plan of a trail tomorrow morning so we can start bright and early and hopefully get somewhere," Cloud continued.
"Yes, so Yuna...if you're feeling alright tomorrow we're going to head out...so hopefully you'll be in a good state of mind to do so," Tifa added. Yuna nodded. After a few chats, it darkened and everyone got ready to sleep early for the event of finally going on a trail tomorrow.
"Hey guys...where's Zell?" Wakka asked absentminded as he climbed up to his tree branch that he slept in.
"Zell...hmm...as a matter of fact, I haven't seen him in hours," Aeris replied. Everyone agreed.
"The chicken-wuss was finally monster meat," Sephiroth growled casually like he was proposing to invite everyone to a nice dinner.
Everyone got scared and worried expressions.
"Don't worry...he should be back by tomorrow...I mean, knowing Zell he probably fell asleep or something or...well, maybe another squirrel attacked him and he hit his head against another tree a little too hard this time and fell un-conscious," Tidus suggested not helping much at all. Everyone stared at him. Tidus shifted his eyes and dove in the tent.
"Yunie, you'll be fine with only Tidus in the tent with you right?" Rinoa asked.
"What kind of a question is that!" Cloud demanded who was obviously annoyed by the fact that Tidus and Yuna got the tent to themselves.
"Yes, I'll be fine," Yuna said to Rinoa glaring at Cloud.
"I'd rather sleep outside, that tent was too stuffy anyway," Tifa convinced more to herself and tried to pick a spot of forest ground to lay down in. Cloud grumbled something about Tidus and Yuna always getting special treatment or something, and lay down again. And then that thing happened when the camera fast forwards in a cool like way showing the sun go down fast then rising up with like the cloud moving fast and stuff, and it was a new day.
But another day, means another chapter! So this is it for all of Chapter 2. Where did Zell go, and is he even alive? Will the perfectly planned trail work and will they make it out of the forest? Will Yuna go insane again, or have another weird dream? Who else will disappear after Zell? Did Yuna's dream mean anything in real life to the helpless group of Final Fantasy characters now mercilessly stuck in the woods? Will I ever stop typing random questions to get the readers agitated for the new chapter?
End of Chapter 2
My Message To You: No, the whole plot line to this isn't them stuck in the woods the whole time. Hehe, trust me...(I've been saying that a lot haven't I?)