Disclaimer: They be mine, yo... or not...
Warning: Strange AU, Yaoi implications, angst, and slight OOCness.
Pairings: AuronxTidus, AuronxBraskaxJecht

o-o-o

Tidal Wave
Making Waves

o-o-o

When I came to later in the day, the room seemed empty. I took a second to look down and evaluate my new clothes and surroundings. The clothes were kind of cheesy in my opinion. Like in one of those old Zanarkand movies of the past they'd show at school, with the bad actors. The room was the same as before... but I just couldn't grasp that this was real.

Pfft. And where was I? Who the hell cared about clothes when you've woken up in some wacko new world or whatever. Maybe I was still in Zanarkand, that had to be it. Yeah. Just some remote island that thing must have carried me to.

...the sea monster.

I saw the city die again behind my eye lids.

I couldn't piece together everything before the same girl from earlier peaked her head through the doorway, smiling slightly at me. I tried to smile back, but I just couldn't bring one on my face.

Auron.

Auron wasn't here. At least, he wasn't with me.

Maybe I would find him outside of this room, waiting for me to get my ass out of bed. I was sure. Yeah, that was it... yes. So I rose slowly, to the girl's shocked squeak, and made my way over to her. Her eyes were large, perhaps surprised.

"Where... where am I?"

My voice was raspy, and not all that pleasant, but she answered me with ease.

"You're on Besaid Island, silly. Didn't you know that?"

And just how the hell would I have know that!? I wanted to yell at her for that. But I kept my cool, and shrugged. "Look, okay, I don't know what you're talking about. Besaid? I've never been to Besaid. I've lived in Zanarkand my entire life."

At the very mention of Zanarkand, she started giggling. It was kind of strange. Her mouth curved down while she laughed, almost like it pained her to do so. Well she was the one making fun of me, so I didn't really care.

"Hey, what's so funny? And what's your name, anyway?"

That comment made her straighten, confusion written on her pretty features. "My name? You don't know my name? Summoner - "

"No, I don't, and what's all this Summoner crap! Ahrrrg!"

She took me by the shoulders, calmly leading me back to the bed and sat me down. I didn't complain, only seeking answers to the questions.

"I am Yuna, one of your guardians."

"Guardians? Why do I need them? How many do I have?" I thought I'd start with the simple questions, before making her think I was crazy again.

Yuna smiled softly. "You need guardians to protect you on your journey for the Final Aeon to defeat Sin. There's Wakka, Kimahri, Lulu, Sir Ject, and Sir Auron. We all protect you on your Summoner Pilgrimage."

My mouth dropped, I knew, before I could stop it. JECHT?!! As in my father? If he was here, that no good dirty bastard, then I finally knew where he disappeared to all those years ago. And I could call him out.

But before that, I wanted to know more about this Summoner business, and why I was considered one.

I steeled my face, and spoke. "So why am I a Summoner?"

Her nose scrunched up, eyes dropping. "You must of inhaled too much toxin... far too much."

"What does that mean!" I yelled, so tired of not understanding. I felt bad after my outburst, her slender frame quaked with my actions. She seemed too small to me for a guardian. To protect someone, it usually meant the protector was larger. And not some tiny girl.

Yuna bit her lip and took my hands. "Okay, let's start from the beginning, Sir Tidus. Do you know what Sin is?"

I shook my head.

"It's the result of Spira's use of machina, or machines. We ignored Yevon's warnings and continued to use them, and now this is our suffering. Sin has deadly toxin, and if you get too close, you can experience all kinds of things. Memory loss for one, and brain damage."

Nodding, I turned away from her story, glancing out of the window. The sky seemed nice and blue, perfect for Blitzball. My heart longed to be back home, practicing for another game. I ushered for Yuna to continue.

"You went out to the beach to help during a Sin Sighting a few days ago, and you had gotten too close. We found you washed on the shore, wearing strange clothes."

My uniform.

So, to get it straight... I was transported here by Sin, and it took a different me to my future. Where Zanarkand... Zanarkand.

"I see," I whispered, standing. She stood with me. "But what about Zanarkand, where is it?"

She gave me a painful look. "Sin destroyed Zanardkand a long time ago. Everyone considers it a holy place."

My eyes watered, but I pushed the tears aside. There was no... Zanarkand in this time. I was stuck here. With nothing. And I had to act like the other me? The one taken to my Zanarkand...

A plan hit me. If this Sin took people away, maybe it could bring them back. Hope flared inside me, my heart swelling. If Auron was here, we could go home together! I just needed to find Sin.

"Hopefully you'll remember in a few days. Just give it some time, Sir Tidus." In a few days I might be gone.

"Don't call me that." I said it with malice, far too much for just an innocent girl. "Sorry, I... I just don't remember and... just call me Tidus. That's all."

She nodded, and with a smile took my hand to lead my outside.

To where I was both anticipating, and dreading.

-

The first rays of sunshine that hit my face were glorious. It felt like forever since I was in the cool air. It was enough to put a smile on my face in spite of the chaos going on inside my head.

But I had a feeling Jecht would be outside in the village, and I was right. Waiting beside the temple entrance for us, I suppose. He was in for it. I narrowed my eyes as soon as I caught sight of his relieved face when he saw us walking.

...Relieved? The Jecht I knew would WANT me dead.

Yuna stepped aside, and just as I turned to smack the hell out of him, two arms came around me, Jecht's body crashing into mine.

"Tidus, you little brat, I thought that thing fuckin' killed you! Don't ever scare me again! I'll finish the job, I swear."

His voice was soft, though stern. He smelt of salt water...

It was so strange, to be hugging my father. It should have came natural but it didn't. My arms awkwardly fell around him, while he was squeezing me like a stuffed animal. Except I had insides, and I wanted them intact.

When he stopped, he stared at me, expecting something that I didn't have. What did he want? A thankyou?

"G... get away from me, Jecht." I hissed with as much hate as I could summon. His eyes seemed to dim, confusion written clearly on his aging face. He stepped back from me.

"What?"

I simply glared, until a voice broke the silence.

"Yo, You awake I see?"

A blizball flew toward me, and I caught it easily. A man with red hair met us at the steps, a woman clad in black beside him. Must be Wakka and ... Lulu.

I didn't know what to say to them.

So I didn't say anything. I just offered a small smile and shrugged. Yuna helped me out a little bit, telling them about the 'toxin' or whatever, I didn't listen.

I just kept staring at my father, trying to tell if the hurt on his face was genuine or feigned. He was never a very good actor, never needed to try. I just kept telling myself that this was the man who abandoned you, who ruined your family, who treated you like complete shit.

And that was enough.

Enough to completely discard his existence. In this world where I didn't know anyone, I still wouldn't confide in him, after everything he did to me. I would have rather been dead.

Yuna nudged me, noticing my dazed look. Everyone's eyes were trained on me. I smiled slightly. "So... where's Au - Sir Auron," I asked, sighing. I wanted to ask it from the start, but something kept me.

Immediately there was a silence. As Lulu opened her mouth, I caught something red coming into the village and took off in a run. The heavy robes I was wearing slowed me but not enough for concern. His coat blew behind him, his long strides were always hard to match when I was small. I just ran faster.

"AURON!!" I shouted, knowing he could hear my voice. I was just so happy, someone familiar, someone I...

Cared about.

I jumped at him, like I used to do when I was little, and he opened his arms. But it felt different, to be embracing him. It felt intimate. And then I remembered his kiss, the way it felt on my lips, and blushed.

I didn't remember his words, though... but I knew he said something, maybe important. But all I cared about was the now. And he was here with me, to make this confusion stop.

The others gathered around us, and when Auron's arms didn't remove themselves, I just blushed harder. This was a new development. The Auron I knew would push me away after at least a few seconds, grumble at me or lock me out of the house to go and play.

"Who are you?" he finally whispered, looking down at me.

There was a collective gasp around us, and I backed up, my mouth dropping open the second time in an hour.

Auron didn't know me.

His shades were on, covering his eyes. But I could tell his posture, the way his lips were set.

He had no idea who I was.

"Sir Auron," Yuna stepped forward, hand on my shoulder for comfort of some sort. "You... you're back. Do you remember what happened to you, as well?

Auron shook his head, running a hand through hid disheveled hair. "I do not remember anything."

Yuna frowned, clenching her fist. "Sin... the toxin erased your memory..."

Lulu took over, gently steering Yuna back. "Hush. He will be fine with rest. Come, Sir Auron." Lulu started walking toward the temple, Auron following. I watched them with a sort of detached horror. My only shred of life from where I was from had no memory. He didn't even know my face.

What was I gonna do?

"Eh, don't worry Tidus, everything will work itself out, ya?" Wakka's large hand came down on my back, and how I managed not to kill over I didn't know.

"Yeah," I muttered, but I knew it wouldn't. I just knew it.

"We're uh, going to be leaving for Kilika Island soon, kid... so go pack your crap." I ignored my father as he walked by, and he didn't try to look into my face.

I followed the others back to the temple, hoping my Auron would come back.

And then all we would have to do was find Sin, and we were on our way home.

I sighed.

My dream seemed unreachable.

-

TBC...

To be honest, I hated Tidus for most of the game. Yet, the AurTid pairing calls to me for some reason. I like their contrast, and I LOVE Auron. He's possibly my favorite game character ever. And Tidus is really the only character I can pair him up with and stomach.

In short, I hope I made Tidus okay in characterization. Less annoying maybe.

Yeah.

In the next chapter I grantee a few more things will get resolved, and Tidus will start his quest. Hah.