Part II
Chapter 16
- So, they really kicked your ass hard, eh
- So, they really kicked your ass hard, eh? - Celia laughed as she saw her companion lying on a bed of the travel agency's room they had rented.
- Who would say that that lady is such a good fighter? - Marckus got up from his chair and opened his bottle of sake - He's gonna be fine, give him some sake and you'll see how his strength gets back.
- Thanks' - Josh had his hand already ready to accept Marckus bottle, but...
- What, you think I was going to give my drink to you? Go get your own, man! - Marckus let out a laugh as he sited again and drank from his bottle.
- You're so lovely, Marckus, ain't you?... - Celia's voice was filled with sarcasm.
- Hey, think positive! Our plan worked.
- Not that having my body aching and blood in my mouth was a part of the plan... - Josh grunted.
Their plan was simple: get Yuna (and the rest of the crew) out of the airship and then one of them would search the airship for clues about how did her find out about the dreams of the Fayth. So, they decided that Marckus and Josh would create a distraction in the temple while Celia would sneak in to the airship.
- So, what did you found? - Marckus asked.
- Not much, that airship is a little chaotic, they surely haven't spent lots of time organizing it... I found something interesting, though. - Said this, Celia showed to the two men a recording sphere.
- A sphere, uh?... - that got Marckus' attention - What's in it?
- Watch for yourself. - Celia turned on the sphere.
It showed a record made on Mi'hen, near the travel agency. A feminine voice started to talk.
"I guess that leaves... The newest guardian. Star player of the Zanarkand Abes!
You are... I am... Well, um...
I'm glad...I'm glad that we met. We haven't even known each other long, but...
A blonde young man walks out of the travel agency and looks to the person holding the sphere.
"It's funny. So this is what it feels like. It's a much more wonderful feeling than anything I had ever imagined. Wonderful...but it hurts, sometimes. I wonder.
I... I just want to say, thank you for everything.
Maybe...maybe that's why it hurts. When I... When I think about us never being together again at all... I'm afraid.
The man starts walking in the direction of the person holding the sphere.
"No, I shouldn't say that. I'll do that part over. Um..."
The man get's close to the person holding the sphere and shouts: "Whatcha up to?"
Then the screen goes black and the record ends.
- So, what do you think? - Celia started.
- Star player of the Abes?... - Josh was thoughtful.
- Well, the voice is definitely Yuna's voice. - Marckus concluded.
- Yeah, that's what I thought. - Celia continued - Who is this guy? "Star player of the Zanarkand Abes"?
- I think... - Josh started to talk, but was interrupted by Marckus.
- Some blitzball team.
- Do you think he is... you know? - Celia was unsure of her words.
- From our Zanarkand? Maybe. It would explain why Yuna knows about the dreams of the Fayth.
- He is from our Zanarkand. I'm sure of it. - Josh talked - I know who he is.
- You do? - Marckus and Celia asked, intrigued.
- Yes... I think he's name is Tidus; he's the son of Ject.
- Please, explain yourself... - Marckus directed his attention to Josh.
- Okay,... When I lived in Zanarkand, there was this guy named Ject. He was the best blitzball player in Zanarkand and played for the Abes. He had a kid named Tidus, he used to talk about him to us...
- "Us"? - Celia asked.
- The rest of the team, I played for the Abes too. So, he used to say that his son was going to be an awesome blitzball player in the future, and sometimes he went to the practice to watch his father playing... I mean, I think he didn't like watching his father playing, they had a weird relationship...
- Yeah, yeah, what's your point? - Marckus was getting impatient.
- My point is, Ject's son is that guy on the sphere. He's Tidus, I'm sure of it. I remember seeing him on the stadium during Blitzball practice, he was only 5 or 6 years old, but I'm sure he is that guy.
- So, it really seems we have a new survivor... - Celia said - Hhm... Josh, you arrived in Spira 8 years ago, right?
- Yeah, when Sin attacked the boat where I and the rest of the Abes were in... Ject's kid wasn't there, he must have come to Spira after me.
- Right... - Marckus said - He came to Spira after you, there is no doubt about that, and you know what? There is other guy!
- Other one? - Celia seemed confused
- What, two survivors? - Josh asked.
- Yep! When I was in the temple I managed to talk to them, they were two. And they are smart, they already knew they were a dream of the Fayth.
- Amazing... - Celia said - They are lucky, they are in that weird place but at least they have each other to talk to...
- Well, I don't know about that! It seemed like they didn't like each other very much, they were arguing with each other... - Markus interrupted
- Oh, that must suck! - Celia laughed - Being locked with someone you hate, fantastic.
- And one of them said something weird... he asked if I was in Mi'hen too.
- Mi'hen? Why should you be there? - Josh inquired.
- And that's not all - Marckus said - From what I got from their discussion, one of them had already talked to some one, to a woman... - Marckus gave his two friends a playful look.
- So, you think?...
- I think that our little Summoner has been talking with them. - said this, Marckus drank some more of his drink.
- That's it! It's the only explanation, then! - Josh was now exited.
- Yeah, it fits. - Celia continued - Yuna talks to the voice, who tells her about the dreams of the Fayth. She doesn't tell anyone because she doesn't want the others to think she is crazy... It's perfect. Say, Marckus, have you told them about the way to come back?
- Well, I was going to. - Marckus looked to Josh - but then I heard gunshots and the next thing I know was that Josh had been kicked hard.
Josh gave Marckus an angry look.
- But don't worry. At least now we know what's happening here. Let's get those two guys back to Spira and then we deal with the Summoner.
--
Later on that day, after checking if Brother was alright, Yuna decided to go out to talk to Marckus, to see if he was really trying to find some more clues about the dreams of the Fayth. She walked to the travel agency and easily found the room where he was in.
- So, you decided to come back? - Marckus asked as he opened the door to Yuna.
- I have some questions for you... - she answered with a suspicious voice.
- Good. Because I have some questions for you too. - Marckus said as he walked to the center of the room. In there Yuna saw Josh sitting on a bed, leaned to some pillows; and there was other person there: a woman that she didn't recognized, she looked young, had long black hair, dark brown eyes and was leaned to the wall with an alert and serious posture.
- Is he okay? - Yuna asked, looking to Josh.
- Yeah, yeah. - Marckus laughed - he's gonna be fine, please, have a seat.
- No thanks'... - Yuna didn't have intentions to stay there for a long time; the sooner that conversation was over, the better. She didn't trust Marckus at all.
- I see... So, what do you wish to know? - Marckus asked as he sited on a chair.
- What were you really doing at the temple? - Yuna decided to be direct.
- Doing as you requested: trying to find more about that dreams of the Fayth that you told me about.
- Then why was Josh so offensive with us? - she crossed her arms.
- What? You think we were doing something bad in there? - Marckus laughed - What could we do in an old temple? Or you believe that it is still sacred floor?
- No, it's not that... - she remained silent for some seconds, and then hoped for the best and asked - So, did you find anything?...
- It depends... - Marckus was now with a playful smile of his face. - I need to know something first.
Yuna just looked at him, saying nothing.
- Say, where did you heard about the dreams of the Fayth?...
- That's not important... - she tried to continue, but was interrupted by Marckus.
- Of course it's important. Depending on the way you found, I may or may not have the information you need...
- What do you mean? - Yuna was getting annoyed with Marckus' games (and his arrogant smile was making her mad), but her curiosity made her continue the conversation.
- Look, why is that a big mystery? Why don't you wanna say how you found about this? - the woman asked, sounding angry.
- Because you have nothing to do with it. - Yuna was getting impatient and angry too; who does that woman think she is?
- Calm down, Celia. - Marckus got up, talking to the woman- but, really, why the big mystery? That could help our investigation, you know?
- As far as I understand, you already know something, but you don't want to tell me.
- We do it like this, you tell us where you heard about the dreams of he Fayth, and we tell you what we know.
- Why can't you just tell me? - now Yuna was getting really angry; those guys didn't have to know how she knew about that dreams of the Fayth, and they were being really annoying. And what was that big curiosity for? Couldn't they just keep their nose out of her business?
- Okay, we ain't going anywhere with this... - the woman talked again.
- Wait, Celia... - a evil smile appeared in Marckus' face - Say, Lady Summoner, maybe you talked to someone about it, let's say, some spiritual inspiration? Some voice in your head told you about the dreams? - he crossed his arms.
That sudden reference to "voices" made her wonder... "No way... Maybe they are just trying to guess..."
- Why is it relevant... - Yuna tried to speak, but was interrupted again by Marckus, who seemed to be ignoring what she said.
- Or maybe a friend of yours? Someone from Zanarkand? Have you ever been in Zarankand, lady? - Marckus asked, obviously having fun with the situation.
- Of course I've been in Zanarkand. Are you joking with me?
- No, no... not that pile of ruins. – Marckus shacked his head slowly - The real Zanarkand; the one that's filled with life and light, where you can watch a glorious blitzball game and then celebrate through the night! Isn't it, Josh? - Marckus directed his look to the injured man on the bed.
- Yep, the city that never sleeps...
- Have you ever been there, Lady Yuna?
She just froze. The real Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps. How did they know about that? She recalled Tidus's words, all that he had told her about his Zanarkand. "Tidus..."
- Of course not. That city was destroyed a long time ago, right? - Marckus continued - Or maybe someone told you about it? Was is some guardian of yours? Of course, I'm assuming that Tidus was your guardian, right?
- How d-...? - she tried to speak, but she was too confused to do it.
- How do I know this? I know many things... - Marckus walked in her direction, shortening the space between them. With this she gave some steps backwards, feeling a little scared with the whole situation. Who was that possible? How did they know about Tidus? And Zanarkand? And why the morbid curiosity?
Marckus grabbed her wrist and she just remained with no reaction.
- Tell me, do you really wanna know about the dreams? You know that all the knowledge has a price?...- Marckus said with a soft (but threatening) voice and with his green eyes locked on her bi-colored eyes.
- Let me go! - she finally reacted, pushing him back and walking towards the room's door.
- I thought so. - Marckus laughed. - But tell me, before you leave, have you been in Mi'hen lately?
She just continued walking. That was too much; Zanarkand, Tidus,... Mi'hen? She didn't care. Just the reference to Zanarkand and Tidus was enough to mess with her feelings; she couldn't stand it. And that allied to the fact that Marckus was acting weird and threatening her... She just wanted to get out of there. She left the travel agency and walked to the airship without looking back, as she tried to find some logic on what had just happened.
End of Chapter 16
I finally ended this chapter. Some days ago I was trying to write but I was stuck with a severe inspirational crisis. Oh, and,... some more weeks and school work will be over! I will be able to post chapters like I used to do when I started to write this fic (average of one chapter per week), yay! Until then I just ask my readers to be patient :P ...