Chapter 2- Star player of the Zanarkand Abes
The giant city of Zanarkand was all lit up with streetlights and starlight. The sky was black, but the city was alive. A city that never slept, never stopped, never knew rest. Outside the main center was water everywhere. On a small stretch of walkway burned a little bonfire with a group of people watching the flames, waiting. Around the small group were a few dozen others. Adults and children alike stood waiting. A vigil of ultimate fans. They awaited the man in the houseboat connected to the place they all stood.
"There he is!" someone screamed. People jumped to their feet and crowded the end of the houseboat's deck.
A blonde man walked into view. Women began to swoon. The twenty-something raced up to the surging crowd his short blonde locks bobbing. His cropped yellow shirt was covered by a pair of black overalls covered in zippers and belts. They were shorts which fell above the knee, except on one leg, a black mesh with a red and yellow Y shaped logo on the front extended further covering his left knee. On his right arm was a green metal glove pieced together like a series of scales. The top of the glove stopped below the elbow where a red mesh attached it to a blue leather shoulder piece. His bright yellow shoes, a perfect match to his shirt, made a clicking sound on the deck as he ran up to the people. His chest was exposed, and it was where most of the women were staring. On it was a silver necklace with the same Y shaped logo as a silver medallion. His ears were also pierced and holding matching earrings.
"I've been a big fan of yours from the very beginning," said a star-struck woman as he walked up to her.
"I won't let you down," he said smiling brightly.
"Th-thanks!"
He stepped a little further into the throng. "Are you gonna show us that move tonight?" said another woman.
"Uh… I dunno. Maybe." He turned and back up a little further giving a gentle wave. Turning around a man wished him good luck to which he nodded.
A few steps more and two women raced up to him. "Can I have your autograph?" said the dark haired girl in a pink shirt as she held out a blue and white ball to him.
"Sure," he said happily as he wrote Tidus on the ball and handed it back.
"Good luck tonight," said her dark-skinned friend wearing a green shirt.
"Nothing to worry about," he said carelessly. Pausing a minute, he smiled even wider. "If I score a goal, I'll do this!" He raised his arms and waved his fists. "That will mean it was for you! Okay? What seat?"
"East block. In the front row. Fifth from the right," she replied bashfully.
"Got it!" Tidus said, giving her the girls a thumbs up. "See you at the game!" Turning around, he walked over to a group of three boys.
"Can you sign this?"
Tidus took the blitzball from his hands. "No prob!" He handed it back.
"Please?" said the second boy, thrusting the ball into Tidus's hands.
"Alrighty."
"Me, too!"
Tidus grabbed the ball laughing. "Alright. Take it easy."
Once he signed a few more fans blitzballs, smiling at the praise he was receiving, he turned to leave. "Well, gotta go. Cheer for me."
The three boys stepped forward. The first boy counted. "One, two, three!" All three boys burst out, "Teach us how to blitz!"
"Hey," Tidus said laughing again. "I got a game to play."
"Teach us after!" shouted the second boy gleefully.
Tidus stuttered for a second. "Um… maybe tonight…um…well…"
A strange, tan boy in a purple shirt with his hood over his eyes spoke up. "You can't tonight."
Tidus stuttered again. "I mean… tomorrow."
"Promise?" asked the second boy.
"Promise!" Turning away from the fans, he jogged off down the street toward the stadium. As he jogged he passed a screen with a picture of a tan shirtless man with his arms crossed and a red bandana around his head and chest-length, dark brown, messy hair falling over his shoulders. The newscaster was talking about the day Jecht, the star blitz player, disappeared. Tidus ignored it and kept running.
Finally, he reached the stadium players entrance only to be mobbed once again by a huge crowd of people. "Make way! Make way! Coming through," Tidus said pushing between people. "Sorry! I'm gonna be late! Hey, let go of me!" He pushed through until he stood before everyone. He waved once, then jogged inside.
Darkness surrounded him as he sat. Only a dim glow of a greenish-blue light could be seen. Suddenly, the roof of the stadium split open to reveal the gorgeous night sky. The game sphere, the enormous round area in the middle of the stadium where blitzball took place, began to fill with water. The sphere was a giant ball of water suspended in mid-air. Tidus dove in as the crowd began to scream.
Several goals later, Tidus was thrashing the competition. The other players were starting to get brutal and violent toward his team, the Zanarkand Abes, but still Tidus outshined them easily. A pass was made and the ball flew up and broke out of the sphere. Tidus eyed it for a second, grinning, then swam like a streak of lightning until he too had broken the surface. Flipping over and preparing to kick the ball backwards into the opposing goal, he saw something out in the distance. The water out in the distance over the city was rising up like a huge tsunami wave. Reacting quickly, Tidus grabbed onto the top bar of the stadium over the sphere. The wave broke to reveal a giant monster. Before anyone could run, or even think, the creature shot missiles and the town's destruction began. Tidus held on for all he was worth, but still it wasn't enough. The powerful shaking of the explosions shook him loose and he fell straight down into the destruction and chaos.