Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Briiiiing!!

The school bell signaled the start of the weekend, and the release of thousands of children from their academic prison for the remainder of the week. High schoolers poured out of classrooms with the chaos and finesse of a group of startled horses. 

Yuna gathered up her books and headed for her locker, maneuvering her way through the crowded hallways with such ease one might wonder if it were simply second nature to her. With excitement, she swung open her locker, eyes scanning for the object of her desire. Upon spotting it, her features lit up with a childish grin, and she snatched up her novel and wrestled it into her bookbag, shouldering her locker shut.

Slinging the bag over her shoulder in one motion, she assimilated back into the hallways once again, a bounce in her step, but a happiness concealed by a silent stone mask, as if she were forced to keep a deep secret from reaching the minds of her peers. 

The teachers had been gracious that day, instead of piling on homework for the students to suffer over the weekend, they instead had decided to be lenient, insisting that students only study for their upcoming exam.

Yuna danced through the exuberant crowd, often more densely packed on Friday’s with students rushing to after-school activities, hurriedly scampering towards the parking lot to catch their rides, or even to race down to the beach without a care in the world.

Like a salmon swimming upriver, Yuna wrestled through the crowds of students rushing down the hallway, some sort of wanton excitement in their actions escaping her. 

Amidst the excited shouts and idle prattle of passing students, a loud, shrill voice pierced through the crowd, commanding attention.

“Move! Move!” The voice shouted. “Out of the way!”

But wait, Yuna thought, slowing down at the realization that this voice was familiar. She halted, glancing over her shoulder in search of the source, eyes scanning past shoulders and limbs. 

“Hey, watch it!”

” Excuse you—”

She furrowed her brows, trying to make sense of the commotion.

“Yunie!” 

Suddenly, a girl burst from the crowd, latching herself onto Yuna’s arm in one swift motion. “Yunie! Yunie!” the girl cried out in excitement. 

Yuna blinked in surprise at her friend Rikku’s enthusiasm. Although Rikku was always bubbly and outgoing, she could be a bit demanding of attention at times. Despite always being cheerful and positive, Yuna knew deep down that Rikku was insecure about her place in the world, just trying to fit in somewhere where there were people who would never truly accept her. Although, her antics always seemed to get Yuna to smile, and she had been close to Rikku ever since she could remember, never asking for or having the need for a better friend. 

“Rikku?” she asked, mildly surprised at the girl’s energy level. 

“Yunie!” Rikku called out again, clasping her hands together and bouncing on her feet. Her school shirt hung loosely about her small frame, large creases sullying any chance of her attire passing for a professional image. Her sleeves, bunched up and left unbuttoned, served as proof of her struggle and subsequent resistance to push through the crowd of bustling students. “Hey, by chance, you’re not busy tonight, are you?” The girl asked, blinking quickly.

Yuna considered the question, continuing her journey out the doors into the schoolyard with Rikku trailing beside her. In truth, she didn’t have much planned for the entire weekend, really, as she usually just helped out with chores and tasks for Lulu or her neighbors. Without any real homework, that just left studying, but she could easily fit that in whenever.  In truth, she had really been hoping for some quiet, reflective time where she could read her novel. In fact, she had been looking forward to it all day, making the task of paying attention in class a little more difficult than usual. The book had always been her favorite, one deserving of multiple readings, although it could be in part due to the fact it had been her mother’s...

The grin Rikku was wearing was evidence enough that she was up to something. Something a little more than a trip to the beach or a movie. The girl was expectantly awaiting her reply, watching her intently. 

Yuna figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. “Hmm, I’m not sure yet what Lulu has planned,” she answered, a safe response, although there was some truth to it, as Lulu had sprung surprise trips and events on her in the past, before adding, “why?”

Rikku was nearly bouncing now, as she stepped around Yuna, causing her to stop in her tracks. “You should come to the game tonight,” Rikku blurted out, her emerald eyes fierce with determination. 

Her words came as a surprise to Yuna, as Rikku knew that she didn’t have much interest in sports, and thus, had respected her views by not trying to guilt her into coming. It was only when Yuna opened her mouth to reply that she noticed something was off.

“Rikku,” she began, a ting of concern in her voice, “where are your glasses?”

The Al Bhed girl blinked, seemingly caught off guard, a momentary shock of guilt splashed across her features, before regaining her cheery demeanor once again. She rubbed her cheek with her index finger, a habit that she often did when embarrassed. “Uhhhh, I dunno,” she said, her voice a slightly higher pitch than usual, “I guess I’m not wearing them, huh?” 

The girl feigned forgetfulness, but Yuna knew better. Rikku had worn glasses for as long as Yuna had known her, and, while the girl could be forgetful, she knew that some of the other students must’ve been picking on her again. Rikku worked hard not to show it, but Yuna knew firsthand just how cruel others could be, and Rikku was not spared from this cruelty. It was due to her heritage—something she could never change—and a status she could never escape.

Yuna softened at this realization. Maybe she should just give in this time. Even though she knew nothing about blitzball, could it be worth it to see Rikku truly happy?

“Hey!” Rikku cut in, interrupting her thoughts. “You’re changing the subject,” she added, pointing an accusing finger at Yuna, before clasping both hands behind her back.

Yuna offered a small smile. “Sorry,” she replied, still unsure of how she wanted to answer her friend. “You want me to go to the game?” She reiterated.

Rikku nodded. “Uh huh, uh huh.”

Something else was going on. Yuna glanced up at the blue sky, as if the few clouds above held the answers she sought. Rikku wasn’t one to keep secrets, as she wasn’t good at keeping secrets, and Yuna could often see through her facade. “What is this really about?” she asked, hoping that maybe being direct would yield results.

“Oh, Yunie!” Rikku cried out dramatically, “I don’t want to be stuck with Brother and Buddy all night! Now that’s just cruel. Besides,” she began with a more serious tone, “you’ll be graduating soon, and you still have yet to go to a single game. Just this one game,” Rikku promised, “It’ll be a good one, I promise! One you definitely don’t want to miss!”

While Yuna couldn’t deny the girl’s enthusiasm, she couldn't necessarily agree with her, as Besaid High’s track record wasn’t really great, from what she’d heard. However, if Rikku really wanted her to go, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Of course, she would have to put up with Brother’s exuberant —for lack of a better word—nature. 

Really, how bad could it be? Of course, she knew there still must be an underlying reason for Rikku’s persistence, but when considering her options, Yuna really wondered whether it would be so bad to spend a night out with friends rather than sitting alone in her room and rereading her novel for the upteenth time. Despite how tame it may have sounded, Yuna always felt a strange sort of comfort from being home. There were no surprises, no chances of anything bad happening, no anxiety of the unknown.

Yet, the way Rikku pleaded made her feel almost guilty. What kind of friend made excuses to not be around one another?

“I’ll make Brother buy us pizza,” Rikku offered in a sing-song voice, wiggling about in that strange sort of Rikku-esque dance she always did, clearly unable to remain still.

Yuna couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, I’ll ask Lulu if I can go,” she agreed.

Rikku clapped her hands in excitement. “Awesome! We can pick you up at your house! How about six?”

Although she hadn’t even had the chance to confirm whether she could go, Rikku had already accepted her answer as a definite, and the fate of the night had been sealed.

“Yes,” Yuna said, “I look forward to it.”

Rikku leapt into a hug, forcing Yuna to stumble to keep her balance. “You’re the best Yunie! I’ll see you at six!” she called, running off towards the road. 

“See you,” Yuna mumbled to her friend’s retreating back.

Chapter Text

“Lulu, I’m home,” Yuna called, setting her book bag on the counter and making her way into the common room. The house she shared with her foster sister wasn’t very large, but it was cozy. Lulu had a taste for dark wood furniture and matching silver ornaments, creating a deep yet warm atmosphere. A few leafy house plants rested nestled on a small table between the windowsill and the wall, accompanied by small, ornate glassware of varying shades of violet, blue, and black. While not exactly her style, the wooden floor in the common room was nearly swallowed by the large shag rug sitting in the center.

While nothing in their small home was expensive or valuable, the few things the both of them had were often knick knacks found at resale shops on the far side of the island, or items left behind from their parents, valuable only for sentimental purposes. Lulu was also skilled in hand sewing, a fact made evident by the existence of small, stuffed animals with large stitches that hid in various empty spaces throughout the home.

“Lulu?” Yuna called again, not seeing the woman in the common area. It was unusual for her to be absent around this time, but Yuna didn’t worry. Perhaps she was shopping or running errands for some of the elderly folk in the neighborhood.

A faint rustling sound caught Yuna’s attention, turning her gaze towards her beloved pet Kimahri. The large feline appeared from down the hallway, making its way towards her with a refined gait.

Kimarhi was a Ronso, a mountain lion from Gagazet, non-native to the Besaid area. So, of course, he stood out to anyone who may not have known Yuna, but this part of the island rarely saw visitors, and thus, his attendance was not of great concern to the surrounding residents.

The blue feline rubbed his mighty head against her leg, shedding thick fur across the skirt of her uniform and sticking to her tights as if held by glue.

She reached a hand down to pet his head, hearing his purr of satisfaction. Like nearly all of her possessions, Kimahri had been a gift from her parents. On her seventh birthday, her father had brought Kimarhi home. Said that he had found the blue kitten on the side of the road one day, lost, abandoned, and hurt. He had a soft spot for hurt animals, a trait he and Yuna both shared, and made a split decision to bring the animal home.

Together with her parents, Yuna had been able to nurse Kimarhi back to health, and he had been with her ever since that day, even if her parents no longer were.

Deciding that Lulu was not here, or perhaps just did not want to be bothered, Yuna made her way to the kitchen, searching the pantry for something to eat. While digging through the canned goods, she spotted something on the counter.

Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a note.

“Yuna, I am babysitting for Vilucha tonight. There is some dinner in the fridge, it just needs to be heated up. I will be back later tonight.”

—Lulu

Huh, Yuna thought. I guess she isn’t here then.

Following the instructions on the note, Yuna dug out the food from earlier—fish and rice from the looks of it—and heated up a skillet. Kimarhi sat on the floor nearby, his golden eyes watching with interest, in hopes that he could snatch up some tidbits.

With Lulu gone, that meant Yuna didn’t have any plans for the rest of the day. Well, she could always walk around the neighborhood and see if anyone needed anything…

But wait! This meant she could go to the game tonight!

“Oh, Kimarhi,” she said aloud, stirring the food as it sizzled and cracked on the stovetop. The lion perked up at the sound of his name, lightly purring in hope it would net him some sympathy scraps of Yuna’s meal. “I wonder what Rikku really has planned tonight,” she spoke to herself. She had never been to a game before, so why was Rikku so insistent she go to this one?

“What should I wear?” she wondered aloud, moving her food from the skillet to a plate. Something casual, she figured. But how casual? Shorts? Skirt? A light dress? Something casual and light, she told herself.

She pulled out a chair at the small table in the dining room and plopped down into it, Kimarhi following loyally.

I shouldn’t wear anything too fancy, or too revealing….

Yuna chomped on her meal. It’s not like she had many clothes to begin with. The part of Besaid she resided on was a rather sparse and rural low-income area. With her still being enrolled in school, their sole income relied on Lulu’s money from odd jobs around the neighborhood, and whatever change the elders would give her for visiting them or helping with their chores. Much of what she had, she’d had for a while, and her sense of style wasn’t exactly what one would consider fashionable.

She wore her school uniform, tidied up and neat. After school, she’d often change into something light, either a casual tee she’d gotten from a school event and a modest skirt, or an islander traditional summer dress, stitched by Lulu herself or one of the neighboring islanders, entirely dependent upon her plans for the day.

Yuna took another bite. She thought about what Rikku might wear. When they hung out in the town together, Rikku’s clothes were often casual, too, but Yuna couldn’t shake the feeling that Rikku felt more comfortable with her sense of style than Yuna did.

Maybe I’m overthinking this.

Once she finished her meal—sharing with Kimarhi, of course—she retreated back down the hallway to her bedroom, directly across from Lulu’s. She pushed aside the curtain in the doorway and entered the small room, tossing her book bag on the bed, before heading over to her dresser.

Kimarhi followed behind her, easily pushing past the curtain that acted as a barrier in place of a real door. They hadn’t the money for a real wooden door, aside from that of the front door, but Yuna didn’t mind. This way, Kimarhi could freely come and go from her room as he pleased, as she knew he liked to sleep on her bed when she was away at school.

She didn’t really have a closet, only a small dresser in the corner of her room, and a hook on the wall where she hung her school uniform so it wouldn’t get wrinkled. The cool, wooden floor of her bedroom was a nice contrast to the unforgiving heat outside. While her room was mostly bare, a single tapestry hung upon her wall above the bed, while ragged and torn, it had once belonged to her mother, and she kept it up as a reminder that her parents would always be with her, in some form or another. On her bed lay a blanket of a similar pattern, woven by Lulu herself as a gift for Yuna’s fifteenth birthday.

After some digging around, Yuna finally decided on an outfit that was deemed acceptable. A simple light dress with a floral design and a pair of tights beneath. She hadn’t wanted to wear anything too revealing, considering the nature of her company. While she would never outright say anything to Rikku about it, she sometimes felt a bit awkward when in company of her brother. She knew that he had a crush on her, it was blatantly obvious, but Yuna wasn’t sure if she could ever return those feelings, as he had a very interesting way of showing his crush. Sure, he was nice enough, but it could be overbearing sometimes.

Despite the nature of the stories and novels she tended to immerse herself in, Yuna had never actually been on a date with anyone before. She supposed that she had had minor crushes in the past, or that others may have even felt the same about her, but she just had no interest in dating, really, at least not right now. She was perfectly comfortable being her own person and keeping to herself. Oftentimes, fiction was preferable to reality.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

“I’m going to shower, Kimahri,” she told her pet. Kimahri didn’t like the heat from the shower, so he delegated himself to nap outside the room until she was finished.

By the time Yuna finished with the shower, fixed her hair, and applied the light dusting of makeup she often wore, she had twenty minutes to herself before Rikku would arrive. Rikku had been to Yuna’s house before, as Lulu had approved of the girl, but none of the guys had ever been over before, and in truth, Yuna was almost relieved that Lulu wouldn’t be around for their arrival. It’s not that they were bad people, but they were often too rambunctious for such a little house to contain.

Besides, it’s not like they were coming inside anyway. Aside from the locals, Rikku was the only other person to have seen the inside of Yuna’s house, and to be honest, there wasn’t much to say about it, at least compared to Rikku’s own home. While her family wasn’t exactly well off, it was evident that their funds slightly exceeded that of Yuna and Lulu’s, the evidence being the existence of a second story where Yuna’s own home only had a ground floor.

The girl flopped on the couch in the common room and cracked open her novel. Twenty minutes should be enough to get through a chapter, she figured.

Now, where did she leave off?

She didn’t want to fight. Of course, she wanted to protect her homeland, but there had to be another way. To fight on the frontlines meant certain death, but to not fight at all also meant certain death, and an end to all she had known and cared about.

Most people would consider an affinity for magic a gift, but in this case, it was a curse. A summoner, they’d called her. Someone who could call forth aid from eldritch creatures, someone who could manipulate the pyreflies, someone who could cast the most powerful of spells.,/em>

Someone with the power to create and destroy.

They feared magic. Feared summoners. Magic was unpredictable, costly, dangerous. It only spoke to those who were worthy to wield its power. A stark contrast from that of machina, man-made constructions of death whose only purpose was to serve the human hands that crafted them.

Lenne furiously scribbled in her notepad, finishing her draft for her final song. Her last concert before the call to duty arrived. But to her, it felt less like a song, and more like a funerary rite.

The sky in Zanarkand looked much different that night. Past the glowing lights, beyond the stadium, cutting across the sea, the stormy sky above her looked as if it would begin to rain at any moment, as if the heavens themselves were shedding tears for her people’s plight.

Chapter Text

Where was Rikku?

Yuna paced back and forth in the common room. It was a quarter past six, and yet she still hadn’t arrived. Yuna peered out the window once more, concern growing in her gut. Maybe she forgot?

She let out a sigh of frustration, prompting Kimahri to open an eye lazily and glance in her direction. Yuna couldn’t understand why she was feeling this anxious. Rikku had been late before, so it wasn’t an issue. But, where was she?

Yuna trotted back into the bathroom to inspect herself again in the mirror. She flicked a few stray flyaways away from her face, and watched her own reflection blink back at her, one eye green, the other blue. She supposed that she should write a small note for Lulu, so the woman wouldn’t be surprised at her absence that night. She didn’t intend to stay out all night, but her plans were solely dependent upon Rikku’s crew and their ideas. If they had plans for after the game—

Bang! Bang!

Yuna jumped at the loud sound, momentarily startled from her trail of thought.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The door! Yuna rushed down the hallway towards the front door, nearly having to vault over Kimahri, who was growling lowly at the wooden door, poised to strike should any danger arise.

“Shoo, Kimahri,” Yuna ushered him, reaching for the doorknob.

The door swung open with a start, and she found Rikku awaiting at the other side, nearly stumbling over and falling inside.

“Hey Yunie!” the girl called, peering wearily at Kimahri, whose fur was still standing on end, ready to defend his home at a moment’s notice. “Sorry we’re late. It was Brother’s fault, anyway. He insisted on coming in and I had to wrestle him back in the car.”

Yuna, still mildly dazed from Rikku’s sudden appearance, waved it off. “That’s okay,” she said, neglecting to mention the part where she had feared that her friend forgot her.

“You ready?” Rikku asked. She was wearing a tank top and shorts, a staple outfit found across Besaid, and her hair was up in her signature messy ponytail, two braids dangling down in the back as usual.

“Oh, yes, I’m ready.” She paused, suddenly realizing something very important. “Um, Rikku, does it cost anything to get into the game?”

“Huh?” the girl blinked, again not wearing her glasses, Yuna noted. “Oh, don’t worry about it! I’ve got it all covered! Tickets for home games are only 5 gil anyway, but it’s already paid for so don’t worry! It’s a gift, so no arguing.” The girl held up a finger as if to say, “this is final, end of conversation.”

Yuna couldn’t help but feel a tad guilty at her friend having to cover her cost just to be able to hang around her. However, she knew that Rikku had something planned for tonight, and Yuna simply vowed to make it up to her friend by returning the favor someday.

She offered a smile, although she still couldn’t shake her previous nervousness. “Okay, let’s go.” Turning back to Kimahri, she offered, “be good,” and was out the door.

Brother’s car wasn’t anything special, rather, it looked like a fixer-upper, and wouldn’t seem out of place at a demolition derby. However, it was still a better option than walking. Although Yuna walked to school, the blitz stadium was held a few miles down the road from the main campus, making a walk seem very much out of the question, especially late at night.

Yuna slid into the back seat next to Rikku, as the two males occupied the front seats.

“Yuna!” Brother called back to her in his heavy accent, reminding Yuna that this was not his first language. “You really came!”

She let out a soft laugh, hoping to quell her nerves. “Well, Rikku insisted, so I couldn’t really say no…” The girl hoped her tone didn’t reveal how nervous she really was.

“See?” Rikku said triumphantly, challenging her brother. “Yunie only came because of me! Not you losers.” She stuck out her tongue at her brother.

As Rikku was only fifteen, her father often ordered Brother to act as a chaperone whenever she went out late, as he had already graduated and would be able to take her to and fro whenever the need arose. Of course, Buddy always tagged along too, seemingly the voice of reason between the two siblings.

“Hey, Yuna,” Buddy greeted from the passenger seat. “I bet Rikku didn’t tell you the real reason she was so excited about this game.”

Beside her, the blonde girl squirmed in her seat. “Shut up! It’s nothing.”

Now, Yuna was interested. It was as she suspected, something else was going on tonight. “What?” she asked, as Brother started the car and rolled off towards the main road.

“Well, word is there’s a new player for Besaid,” Buddy continued, “and I guess he’s supposed to be some real blitz ace, from the sounds of it.”

Yuna glanced over towards Rikku, who had grown uncharacteristically quiet, her arms crossed as she looked out the window at the passing scenery. She hadn’t heard anything about a new student, but then again, she really didn’t talk to many of the other students at school, despite knowing many of them by name.

Buddy’s head spun around to flash Yuna a grin. “Seems little Rikku already has a crush,” Buddy added, a bit of teasing in his tone.

“No I don’t!” Rikku argued, sounding nearly exasperated.

“No boys for Rikku,” Brother chimed in. “Old man will have heart attack!”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Rikku countered, “you’re starting to sound like Pops.”

“One of us has to be the adult,” Brother returned.

“Well, you be quiet! Or I’ll tell Pops that you got a ticket for speeding.”

“You will do no such thing!” Brother shouted. “We will pay for ticket, then not say another word about it.”

“Fryd tu oui sayh fa??” (1.)Rikku shouted in Al Bhed, slipping back into her first language when she was annoyed. “It’s all your fault! I had nothing to do with it. Learn how to drive!”

“I give you free rides everywhere,” Brother argued. “cu fa pudr byo vun delgad.” (2.)

Rikku groaned next to Yuna, before flopping back into her seat.

Yuna lightly laughed. There was never a dull moment around these people. Since the conversation had seemed to tone down a bit, Yuna took this moment to relax and look out the window at her surroundings. Being in a vehicle was much different than walking, as her surroundings seemed to just fly by through the window.

They were just now passing the school, a light puff of smoke drifting from the rear of the vehicle. She turned to Rikku, who had her eyes shut but was very much awake.

“Hey, Rikku,” she gently pried, watching the girl’s eyes open at the sound of her name. “So, you wanted to see this boy at the game?”

Rikku groaned. “Not you too, Yunie! It’s not like that! I swear!” Her face was growing red from all of the attention and subsequent attempts at defending her honor. “Okay, okay, I overheard some people talking,” the girl explained, her arms waving around as they usually did when she was trying to explain herself. “They said they saw him practicing, and that he’s, like, wicked good, okay? I just want our team to win for once.” That last sentence was spoken in a more solemn tone.

She sighed. “I wanted you to see us win, Yunie,” the girl added.

At this, Yuna was unsure what to say, and the car fell into silence.

It was a few minutes later when Brother’s voice finally broke the silence, although Yuna couldn’t tell if that was for better or worse.“Back when I played blitzball, our team had victory all the time.”

“You never even showed up to half of the games!” Rikku retorted.

“They were always at inconvenient times,” he waved off as if it were no big deal. “Besides, there is more to life than silly sport games.”

Behind him, Rikku shook her head.

“We’re here,” Buddy announced, quelling any more possibilities of the siblings starting up another squabble.

Yuna sat up in her seat to get a better view through the front windshield of the car. The blitz stadium stood tall and wide, with people everywhere, walking to and fro. The sphere had yet to be filled with water, meaning the teams were likely still in the locker rooms going over any last minute strategies. If Rikku had expected to meet this guy, it looked like they were too late.

Brother pulled the car into a vacant parking spot, cutting the engine. “Alright,” he said, “we are here. Let’s go.”

“Oh yeah,” Rikku began as the group filed out of the car. She turned her attention to Brother. “I told Yunie that you’d buy us snacks. It was the only reason she agreed.”

At this, Brother surprisingly grinned. “I will buy Yuna snacks. Not you.”

“Rao! Hud vyen!” (3.)the girl called, running after her brother.

Yuna turned to Buddy, who simply shrugged. “Well, we’d better get going if we don’t want to be left behind.”

(1.) “What do you mean, we??”
(2.) “So we both pay for ticket.”
(3.) “Hey! Not fair!”

Chapter Text

Yuna’s grip slackened in Rikku’s, following the girl as she forced her way through the thick crowd of students gathered in the stadium. She struggled to remain on her feet, blaring metal rock bursting throughout the stadium with such ferocity it shook the very ground beneath her.

Rikku’s shouts of “move,” and “out of the way,” were drowned out by the static of background noise surrounding them, reverberating off of the walls. Although the stadium was open to the evening sky above, it felt as if not a sound escaped, forever trapped within the rowdy atmosphere of the blitzball game.

Every moment, she was touching someone, being touched, being pushed around. Any chance at conversation was immediately drowned out by the surrounding music as well as the cheering and shouting fans. She found it hard to think, her head pounding, her heartbeat in tune with the bass of the song.

Despite Rikku’s small stature, she eagerly and forcefully made her way through the heavy crowd, dragging Yuna along with her. The boys flanked the two on each side, effectively corralling the crowd around and behind them.

“It’s starting!” Or, at least, that’s what she thought she heard, but could’ve been just reading her friend’s lips at this point.

Rikku yanked her towards a row of seats that she insisted she definitely didn’t steal from anyone, but Yuna couldn’t be so sure of that claim. Although, with Buddy and Brother acting as their personal bodyguards, she couldn’t imagine anyone that would want to argue over the issue.

As Yuna was about to ask Rikku what was going on, the announcer’s voice cut in over the loudspeaker.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice reverberated throughout the cemented stadium, “the game between Besaid High and Luca High is about to begin! Please find your seats, and don’t forget to stock up on your favorite snacks!”

Suddenly, a snapping noise caused Yuna to leap from her seat. Wide eyes scanned the metal contraption in front of her eyes, watching as water shot forth from several large spouts in front of her, filling up a large orb in the center of the stadium.

“That’s the player’s pool.”

She turned her head to see Rikku,who was bobbing slightly with the music, surprised she could even hear the girl’s voice over all of the various sounds swirling around in her mind. They were so close now, she could practically count Rikku’s individual eyelashes, blinking rapidly in front of her spiral pupils, a trademark of her Al Bhed heritage.

Yuna watched as Rikku’s features morphed into a suspicious grin. The girl leaned back slightly, throwing her hands behind her head in a relaxed pose. “These seats are the best, because you might get wet.”

Yuna blinked, surprised at her friend’s suggestion. She again turned her focus towards the sphere in front of her that was now nearly half full. A floating ball of perfect symmetry, yet Yuna couldn’t wrap her head around how the water stayed inside the ball with nothing to hold it in. Such a strange contraption, but she’d be lying if she said it wasn’t mesmerizing.

Despite the constant noise surrounding her, Yuna had to admit she felt, well, content. Here she was, outside of her comfort zone, standing next to her best friend, feeling the comforting night air, and seeing things she’d never seen before. In all of her time living on Besaid, she’d never been to a blitzball game, despite how popular they seemed to be on the island. She’d always placed her studies first, then focused on helping out Lulu and her neighbors here and there. Lulu had always taught her the importance of education and hard work. The woman would never come out and say it, but Yuna knew deep down that Lulu wanted her to have a better life. To grow up and see the world, find a nice place to settle down, be successful and have a family of her own…

But Yuna didn’t know if that’s what she wanted. Despite the tragedy that befell her parents, Yuna had never felt that her childhood was taken from her. Even with the struggles she and Lulu had faced in the past, the girl was proud of her new family. Her friends, her neighbors. When she looked up at the sky, she always felt a smile. Her parents were up there, watching. Maybe they were smiling too, seeing their daughter enjoying herself.

Suddenly, a strong grip shook the girl from her daze.

“Yunie!” It was Rikku, her arm pointing towards the sphere again. “Look, it’s starting!”

Yuna followed her gaze, although she was unsure how Rikku could even see anything that far away without her glasses, and noticed that the teams were lining up in the center of the sphere. The announcer came over the loudspeaker again at that moment, announcing that the game was about to begin.

Beside her, she heard Rikku’s voice again, and had only just noticed that the music surrounding her had slightly died down. “See those things at the edge of the sphere?” The girl asked, her finger pointing. “Those are the goals, Yunie,” she explained, Yuna following her friend’s guidance towards the triangular shaped nets on each side of the sphere. “And above that, the scoreboard.”

Yuna’s eyes scanned the players. On the Besaid High side, she recognized some of the boys she went to school with, who were settling into their positions as if it were second nature. She spotted Datto, Letty, Jassu, Botta, and… was that Keepa as the goalie?

The girl didn’t really speak with the team members on a regular basis, but they were very well-known throughout the school, and she had seen them and their coach around the school multiple times as well. Captain Wakka, as he was known, had recently graduated from Besaid High and was immediately offered the coach position after the previous coach had retired. He was very easy to spot in a crowd with his bright flame of a hairdo, and his loud and boisterous voice. If one didn’t know him, he might’ve seemed a bit intimidating.

But wait…

Yuna blinked. There was another player down there, someone she couldn’t quite recognize.

Bzzzzt!

Yuna jumped slightly at the strange, high-pitched sound, similar to a whistle, signaling the start of the match. A blue and white ball flew into the sphere from the sky, and the players burst into action. She tried to follow what was going on, but everything happened so fast, she felt as if she were to blink, she’d miss something vitally important.

Beside her, Rikku was hopping up and down with excitement, and the girl was afraid that her friend might explode from excitement. She had abandoned her seat and was now leaning over the railing, cheering, “go Besaiiid!!”

Yuna let out a small laugh at her friend’s behavior, glad to see her enjoying herself. She briefly glanced over towards the boys, almost forgetting they were there with their uncharacteristic silence, and noted they mirrored one another, both sitting with arms crossed.

When Yuna turned back to watch the game, a buzzer went off, her frantically wondering what she had missed.

“Whoo hoo!” Rikku had shouted, turning back to Yuna. “Yunie, come up here,” she offered, motioning her friend over with a wave of her arm. “We just scored!!”

As if to give credit to Rikku’s claims, the announcer let loose a boisterous call of, “It looks like Besaid has scored the first goal of the game! Let’s see how it plays out from here.”

Yuna glanced around her towards her fellow peers, wondering if they were watching and silently judging her and Rikku. She was surprised that none of them had said anything to her or Rikku, but decided it must’ve been due to the threatening presence of Buddy and Brother, two large and rather surly-looking guys. Not to mention, they were Al Bhed. Despite the coexistence of both native islanders and Al Bhed migrants, there were still many people who hung to the traditional beliefs and negative stereotypes held by their ancestors.

Noticing that Rikku was still staring at her, a question lingering in the air, Yuna decided she had nothing to lose, deciding to stand next to her friend, who offered a giant grin in response. Her eyes back on the game, she noticed the players heading back to their starting positions.

They restart when someone scores a goal? Yuna surmised to herself.

The buzzer went off again, and the ball once again plopped into the arena. The teams went back and forth, fighting over the ball and the advantage. Rikku cried out whenever the opposing team scored, but cheered when Besaid High scored a goal.

After what felt like an eternity (definitely too long to be underwater holding one’s breath, at least in Yuna’s opinion), the player’s began leaving the sphere pool. She blinked in confusion, eyes falling to the score board, which read 3:2. Besaid was behind by one point.

Beside her, Rikku and the boys were chatting amongst one another, possibly arguing, possibly discussing the game, Yuna wasn’t sure. She just needed to know--

“What is going on?” The words were out of her mouth before she realized she’d said them. Her friends immediately turned towards her, equally shocked by her outburst. Yuna suddenly felt her cheeks growing warm from the intense, wide-eyed stares of her friends.

“Um, I’m sorry,” she continued, eyes darting about nervously. Despite the sudden uncharacteristic outburst, she wasn’t going to back down, “is that the end of the game? Did we lose?” She asked again, adamant for an answer to her ever-growing confusion.

Finally, Rikku blinked, shattering the frozen statue she’d been a minute ago. “Oh, no,” she waved a hand nonchalantly.

“It is only half-time,” Brother chimed in, his voice drowning out whatever Rikku was about to say. “Player’s take break for breather and to discuss strategy,” he added, seemingly knowing that Yuna would ask about it.

“Yeah, but it’s not looking good for Besaid,” Buddy added, the only thing remotely close to the voice of reason in their friend group. “Unless Besaid pulls out a miracle, I don’t see us winning this one. Too bad it had to be against Luca, too.”

Although Yuna couldn’t make much sense of what Buddy had said, she noticed that beside him, Rikku pouted, seemingly unhappy with the current state of the game. When Yuna glanced her way, the girl quickly recovered, as if she hadn’t wanted anyone to notice. “Rikku-?” Yuna had begun, concern evident in her voice.

“Hey, hey,” the girl said, effectively cutting off anyone’s attempts to chip away at her interior feelings. “Look, I’m not worried. I believe that we can win this.” Coming over to Yuna, she lightly grabbed the girl’s arms. “Hey, I told you we would win, so we’re gonna win. For you, Yunie.”

Once again, Yuna felt slightly warm at being the center of attention of her friend group, their eyes all fixed on her. It was only a game, and she was already having a good time. The outcome of the game wouldn’t make a difference in her life either way.

Despite Rikku’s words, Yuna knew there was more to it than that. Rikku had always been like that. She was always the one concerned about her friends, always there to cheer them up, but when it came to her own feelings, she’d deflect anyone’s suspicions and keep them hidden to herself. It was a strategy Yuna herself was very familiar with.

For a moment, there was a brief period of silence between the friends, where none of them spoke, and the background static surrounding Yuna made itself evident in her mind once again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Buddy shift in his seat, eyes falling on Rikku.

“So, Rikku, I didn’t see Wonder Boy out there,” he began, immediately gaining the attention of his target, “I thought you said he’d be here.”

Yuna’s eyes darted to her friend, who looked mildly uncomfortable, before she began to gesture wildly. “Hey, I just heard he would be here! Maybe he’ll show in the second half?” But the girl was starting to feel unsure of herself, it carried in her tone.

Besaid High had a track record of… well, a multitude of losses. If there was a new player from a different school who was rumored to be a great player, word would spread fast. There would be the doubtful bunch, sure, but there were those, like Rikku, who would have hope for a victory.

There was just one thing that Yuna couldn’t quite place her finger on. If this kid was a new transfer to Besaid High, why had she never seen him before? In fact, she was sure that Rikku had never seen him either. And why were people suddenly talking now? Talk of a new kid would’ve reached the rumor mill within a day, regardless of whether he was a blitzball player or not. People never really moved to the island, so when someone did, it was the talk of the town for weeks.

Before Yuna could voice her concerns, the announcer blared over the loudspeaker, announcing that the second half of the game would begin. Yuna quickly scrambled towards the railing, taking place next to her hyper friend.

Out of nowhere, Rikku leapt up and down, shaking Yuna’s arm as if enthusiastically meeting a celebrity for the first time. “Yunie!” she shouted over the sounds of the music, the stadium, and the players. “He’s down there,” she added, in a slightly lower volume, “I’m sure that’s him.”

Yuna kept her eyes peeled, scanning the player sphere like a hawk seeking out it’s prey. Everything was too quick, too blurry. The ball shot from player to player much quicker than anything should ever move underwater. The tan Besaid High uniforms clashed with those purple and blue uniforms of the opposing team, and Yuna found her head darting back and forth, unable to keep up with the game.

As soon as one of the players caught the ball, they were soon overwhelmed by two of the Luca players on the opposing side. The players fought and struggled over the ball, someone was knocked out of the way, and someone shot forth, fingers dancing over the ball, but it was too quick. A gloved hand made a home for the ball, tucked under one shoulder, approaching the goal…

“Go! Go! Go!” Rikku shouted beside her, pumping her fist with her cheers.

A boy Yuna didn’t recognize had the ball. Someone wearing the Besaid uniform. Two of the Luca players swept towards him, but he shot below one of them, and twisted around the other, heading for the exposed goal.

The two opponents recovered quickly and resumed tailing him, and Yuna barely had time to register what had happened when they were upon him, the ball sailing towards the goalie. She couldn’t see the result of the shot, but when the buzzer rang out, she had known that the ball had went in.

Beside her, Rikku cheered louder, shouting “did you see that?” and she thought she heard Brother give an approving whoop as well. The girl smiled, watching the players return to their starting positions. Her eyes found their way to the scoreboard, which now read an even tie of 3:3.

The round started again, with the opposing team snagging the ball. Besaid went on the defensive, doing everything they could to keep the ball away from their goal. Yuna could sense the frustration and suspense hanging in the air. The teams were tied, the clock counting down. Rikku was bouncing more frantically but with less intensity. Brother and Buddy still sat with arms crossed, but instead of relaxed and leaning back, they were on the edge of their seats.

Yuna’s eyes glanced back up at the clock, counting down the time until the end of the match. 30 seconds. Her eyes followed the ball, players passing it back and forth with such ferocity. Would it be a draw? Would there be a tie breaker match?

Around her, time seemed to slow. Her perception shifted, and she could see the events unfold in front of her as if moving through jello.

29… 28…

Come on. Something needed to happen.

27… 26…

The ball settled in gloved hands yet again.

25… 24…

It was the blond boy. The one Yuna hadn’t seen before. He moved as if his body were meant to be in water. He made a beeline for the enemy goal, but one of the Luca players was quickly circling back to block him.

23… 22…

“We’re down to the final seconds, folks,” the announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker, and Yuna felt the sudden urge to slap him, although she wasn’t sure if that was due to the newly acquired adrenaline or just the sound of his voice. She watched as the ball slipped from the boy’s hands, and a collective gasp could be heard throughout the stadium.

21… 20…

In a surprising turn of events, the ball ricocheted off the opponent’s chest, shooting towards the sky. Another gasp, and all eyes watched with intensity as the ball seemingly escaped towards the heavens.

19… 18…

The boy shot upwards, flying through the water like a missle, but there was no way he’d reach the ball.

“Folks, it looks like he’s going for it! But will he make it in time!”

17… 16…

Yuna’s features morphed in utter confusion as the boy immediately spun, shooting towards the top of the sphere—then her features immediately shifted into a look of shock, disbelief, and maybe a little admiration.

15… 14…

He gave the ball a powerful kick, blasting it away with the momentum of a spinning torpedo.

The seconds began to count down like crazy, the ball seemingly taking an eternity to reach its destination. “He takes the shot—” the announcer began.

13… 12… 11.. 10…

Everything rested on this shot. The stadium went silent, all eyes following the ball, each side waiting to see if they’d be the ones celebrating.

9… 8…. 7…

The ball approached the goalie, who was poised and ready. He leapt, arms outstretched, fingers reaching for the ball—

6… 5… 4…

Gloved hands brushed against leathery skin—

3… 2… 1…

BZZZT!

The stadium exploded around Yuna with the sounds of shouts and cheers, the announcer’s voice, and even Rikku’s presence around her drowned out the rest of the noise. She’d released a breath, feeling that a weight had been lifted from her chest.

Yuna hadn’t realized it, but she had been gripping the railing with such intensity, her hands felt slack when she released her hold. Immediately, Rikku was on her, arms slung around her neck, squishing into her and rocking her back and forth with the excitement.

“Yunie!” She cried, “we won! Did you see that shot? It was amazing!”

Yuna couldn’t help but to let out a relieved laugh, shaken up by her friend’s rocking.

“Alright, game is done,” Brother concluded, but even he appeared to have a bit of a light-hearted tone in his words.

At the sound of her brother, Rikku perked up… which was unusual for her, as his voice generally gave her the opposite reaction. She adopted a mischievous grin, her emerald eyes focused on her brother. “I guess that means it’s time for you to buy us pizza!”

Brother groaned with frustration at this suggestion, which caused his friend’s to laugh at his expense. The atmosphere was nice. Everyone was in a good mood, the evening air was comforting, and Yuna, for once, was having a great time being out of the house.

Chapter Text

Monday came around quickly, and Yuna once again found herself traipsing through the crowded hallways in search of her locker, bounce in her step and hum in her head. Her book had been carefully stashed inside her backpack, lest prying eyes and nosy faces spot it and make assumptions.

After the game, she had spent the remainder of her weekend gushing to Lulu about how much fun she had while she was out. The woman appeared amused, glad to see that her surrogate sister was having fun, although she had given Yuna a slight scolding after coming home and finding the house empty, with not a word or note left to explain. Yuna had meant to write a note, but must've forgotten on her way out.

True to her word, Rikku had convinced Brother to buy them pizza, and this led to their merry band stopping by Rin's Pizzeria for some great food and great conversation. Despite Brother's strange attitude and general rowdyness, Yuna found herself enjoying the evening.

So much so, that she hadn't time to prepare for the week coming so fast.

The girl placed her backpack inside her locker, grabbing for the necessary folders for her first class, English. She enjoyed her English classes, as she was an excellent reader and would often find herself deciphering hidden meaning and emotion in literature. Her mind was always running, always full of imaginings of fantasy landscapes, full of magic and adventure.

Slightly ironic, she thought, as she spent most of her time sitting at home studying or wandering the neighborhood in search of some mundane task to occupy her time.

As Yuna slid her folder from her bag, she caught a faint whisper throughout the hallway, drifting from some secret location all the way to her ears, riding a higher decibel than that of the surrounding hallway chatter.

"... from Zanarkand."

Zanarkand? At this, her ears perked up. Definitely not due to the fact that her favorite fictional book took place in Zanarkand... Were they talking about her?

Yuna generally was not one to eavesdrop, but she felt that she could make a special case this time. Fingers fumbled with the folder, closing their grip anxiously.

"I heard his dad used to play for the Abe's," came another whisper.

Yuna strained to hear more, hoping that her body language didn't betray her nosiness.

"..dad must've forced the team..."

"Well, who could say no to a celebrity..?" That last sentence louder than the others. They were talking about someone, Yuna figured. She leaned towards them, ever so slightly, hoping to pick up the most minute of details...

Ding!!! Ding!!!

Yuna flinched at the sound, losing grip on her folder. The bell! She hadn't realized how intensely she had been listening to their conversation, her heart now beating a mile a minute, a criminal caught in the act.

The girl fumbled with her folder, feeling absolutely foolish, scrambling to grab it from the floor and shove all of the loose papers back inside. She'd deal with the organization later, making it to class on time was top priority.

If it was the first bell, she still had five minutes to make it to class! She'd never been late to class before in her life, and she wasn't about to make a bad habit of it in senior year!

Yuna pressed her belongings into her chest, balancing the folder and mess of papers between her arm and torso, before hastily slamming her locker shut. She scurried out into the hall, slipping past people, swerving around crowds, and squeezing between groups of stationary people, clearly not concerned about the warning bell.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she called out, after bumping into a group of strangers. "Excuse me," after cutting through the middle of a circle of friends conversing with one another.

By the time Yuna stumbled through the door to her first class and hastily sat down, the second bell rang, signaling for class to begin. She let out a slight sigh of relief, settling into her chair at the front of the room.

The instructor, Ms. Belgemine, simply offered a slightly raised eyebrow before delving into the lecture.

"We will start today's class by deciphering figurative language in written works." The woman tapped the chalkboard with her ruler, directing the students’ eyes towards the words written on the giant display in front of them. There was a list of sentences, numbering from 1 to 8. "You will need a sheet of paper for your answers." The woman paused for a moment, allowing her students to dig into their binders and folders. Yuna always came prepared, knowing she had extra paper in her folder. She sifted through the mess from earlier that had jumbled the order of her things, in an attempt to find a blank lined sheet. She was so focused on her goal, she nearly missed what had happened next.

Ms. Belgemine began to speak again, starting with, "we will work on the first sentence together. Then, I will allow the class--"

Her words were cut off with an abrupt 'click'! All eyes darted towards the source of the invading sound. In the doorway stood a boy, foreign in all sense of the word.

Stunned into compliance, all eyes followed the perpetrator as he made his way into the room. A blanket of silence fell over the class, students bound by conformity and culture seemingly confused, yet deeply intrigued by this stranger who seemed to forsake their traditional ways.

The boy headed for the back of the class, seemingly unaware of all of the silent attention following him. "Heya," he directed towards Ms. Belgemine, as if she were an old friend. "Sorry I'm late." All eyes immediately darted from the boy to their instructor, eagerly awaiting her reaction.

His words served to shatter her prior shock. "Young man," she began, seemingly regaining her usual strict composure, as she glanced over the top of her glasses resting atop her nose, "I'll have you sit up front for today," the woman continued, pointing her ruler to an empty seat near Yuna. There hung a knowing silence in the air, as if she had said, 'so I can keep an eye on you.'

The boy gave a shrug, offering an, "okie dokie," while he made his way up to the front. The class followed his every action, eyes darting from him to Ms. Belgemine, as if watching a drama unfold right in front of their eyes, anticipation awaiting with every second that passed.

"And your name..." The instructor asked.

"Tidus."

Yuna watched as the boy settled in the seat beside her, leaning back with his hands behind his head, seemingly relaxed despite all of the attention on him.

"And do remember, Mr. Tidus," the woman began, "that we have a uniform policy in place at Besaid High," she remarked, emphasizing his attire that was definitely not Besaid's male uniform.

The boy waved his hand as if to say it were no big deal. "My bad," he offered the woman.

"I will let it go this one time," the woman continued, "and this time only. I believe it will be in your best interest to read over the student handbook."

The boy didn't flinch at all while saying, "never got one."

At this, Ms. Belgemine raised an eyebrow, as if this were unheard of. "Well then, I will ensure you receive one by the end of the day today. Until then, do remember to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner befitting a young adult."

"Sure thing."

Yuna briefly studied the boy beside her, who had neglected to bring anything to class aside from himself. She'd never seen him before, and based on his actions, he most definitely was a new student. New students were generally rare on Besaid, as the island was so remote that most people never even included it as a stop in their cruise ship routes. Sure, they would get tourists every now and again, capitalizing on the local cuisine and natural beauty of the island, but none ever stayed long.

So she wondered, how come a boy like this, who very clearly came from somewhere far, far away, would ever make his new home Besaid Island?

Then the instructor spoke again. "So, young man, since you've already wasted most of my class time, how about you tell me which type of figurative language is being used in the first sentence."

The boy, Tidus, shuffled around in his seat, tan arms resting on top of his desk, as he leaned forward to see the words on the board. He spent a short moment studying the board, before resigning and leaning back into his seat once again. "The words..." He began, drawing out his answer for some reason or another, "they're all over the place," he finished. "I can't make sense of it."

The class was silent. Yuna glanced up at the board, her eyes rolling over the words. Could he not see the board? Could he not read Spiran? Although Besaid had their own native language, once the public school system had been put in place, all students were integrated into Spira as a whole, and thus, the Spiran written and spoken language had been an integral part of the curriculum for islanders. If he couldn’t read the words, maybe he had come from somewhere even farther than she could imagine.

Or, perhaps he was just playing a joke. If that were the case, Yuna wasn’t laughing, that was for sure.

Ms. Belgemine let out a soft sigh. "Thank you for that eloquent answer, Tidus," she said, not sounding thankful in the very least, her tone with a bite of sarcasm. "Now, does anyone else have the answer?"

A voice shot up from behind the first row, shouting out with an all-knowing air, "it's a simile," came a voice Yuna had grown to recognize throughout the years. Donna. Yuna would never say she outright hated anyone, nor disliked anyone for that matter, but she could definitely say that she felt something slightly negative towards the loud-spoken girl. Donna was someone who generally thrived off of conflict and feelings of superiority. She was in the cheer squad, if Yuna recalled correctly, although she doubted it had anything to do with her wanting to bring others up, and rather, more likely, due to a chance for her to sport her own inflated ego.

The girl continued, all eyes on her now, save for Tidus, who looked like he could've taken a nap right then and there, eyes glued ahead of him, not really focused on anything in particular. "The dress shined blue like a lake on a sunny day. It's a simile that compares the color of the dress to the color of the lake. A simile uses the words like or as." At the end of her answer, she flipped her long hair over one shoulder, a confident smirk on her face.

Ms. Belgamine gave a slight nod, her stern eyes peeking slightly over her wire glasses, masking any sort of emotion that may be forming inside her brain. “That is correct, Donna,” the woman offered, making her way back to her desk at the front of the class. “Your answers should list the correct expression being used, as well as a short explanation as to why.” The woman glanced towards the clock on the wall, the students following her gaze like sheep being guided by their trusted shepherd. “I will give you twenty minutes to finish the assignment, and then we will go over it as a class. You may work together with those around you.” At this, the woman took her seat behind her desk, forcing the class to accept her words as final.

Yuna shuffled in her seat to get comfortable, paper in front of her and eyes on the board, pink tongue peeking out of her mouth, a dedication to concentration. Although Ms. Belgemine had instructed the class to work together, Yuna was used to working by herself, and tended to opt for that choice when available, as she would generally get her assignments done quicker than the others in the classroom, and this way she could avoid lagging behind in her studies.

She stared at the words, eyes scanning but not reading. Hmm… she thought to herself, thumbing through her previous notes. A simile uses the words ‘like’ or as’ and a metaphor compares one thing to another without using ‘like’ or ‘as.’ Personification is when…

Suddenly, Yuna felt odd. A strange feeling washed over her.

The girl decidedly glanced beside her, a slight panic raising within her upon noticing a pair of eyes staring back at her.

Tidus. That was his name, right?

She blinked, momentarily stunned, as she returned the gaze to the boy sitting beside her, a foreigner in this land. With his blond hair and dark skin, he almost could’ve passed for an Al Bhed. His eyes, however, betrayed him, shining with a deep blue not unlike that of the midnight sea.

"Um, hi," she offered in a half-whisper, mildly flustered at the sudden attention from this stranger, realizing she’d been staring momentarily. This attractive stranger…

"Hey."

He gave a slight shrug, a hint of a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips. And Yuna didn’t know it then, but her life was about to change drastically.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 Familiar

The rest of the day, Yuna found herself struggling to focus in class. Of course, she’d had those days before, where her mind rested in the clouds, floating with the giddiness of a new fantasy story, of a new and exciting tale of adventure that had her reeling for hours.

But this was different, and it may have been due in part to the hushed whispers and mutters of her peers, the words, “new boy” and “Zanarkand” tossed to and fro behind the teacher’s turned back.

And Yuna knew there was something about that boy that seemed so familiar.

It wasn’t until she’d left class for her lunch break that the answer finally hit her. 

The blitz ball game! She exclaimed to herself suddenly. He was the new player that had scored the winning goal, bringing the team to victory after several years. Even as Wakka ascended to the coach position, the team still suffered.

No wonder everyone was talking about him. But what did other people know? Aside from rumors, what really was the scoop? Yuna always tried to stay away from the mindless gossip and drama, so she didn’t quite hear much. But why was today his first day if he took part in the game last weekend? Surely it would take time to train and join the team…

“Yuuuunie!”

The girl jolted from her daydream, eyes popping open wide as she turned towards the incoming screech to see her friend Rikku bounding towards her. 

The girl had less than a second to prepare herself as Rikku tackled her into a hug, the energetic blonde girl screeching gleefully in her ears.

“I found you Yunie,” she continued, finally withdrawing herself from Yuna.

“Hi Rikku,” Yuna greeted from her sitting position underneath a shady tree. The weather today was quite warm, as was usual on Besaid. The natives would used to say there were only two weather patterns on the island: hot or stormy.

“Heyyy why are you all alone out here?” The girl asked with a grin, plopping down beside her in the grass. 

“Sorry Rikku, I didn’t mean to hide from you.” But how could she explain that she’d felt off all day? It’s not that she was sick, just rather… distracted. And she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

At this, the girl offered a toothy grin, meaning she was up to no good. “Welll… it’s a good thing I’m here to keep you company then!” Rikku wiggled beside her, green eyes sparkling, noting once again the girl had ditched her glasses.

Now Yuna definitely knew there was something up. Rikku was absolutely horrible at keeping a secret. Or a poker face. “Alright Rikku, spill it.”

Beside her, the girl giggled. “What do you mean?” She gestured wildly. “Why do you think I’m scheming all the time?”

“Well, aren’t you?” Yuna asked with a teasing smile.

The blonde threw up her hands in defeat. “Alright, alright!” She pressed her lips together as if that were the only thing keeping her secrets from bursting forth. The girl made a strange face, as if caught in an internal battle on whether to speak or not.

Yuna raised a brow in concern, worried the girl might combust on the spot.

“Okay!” She finally burst. “Sooo, you know, Gippal’s birthday is coming up, and I wanted to try and convince Dad to let us have the party on the airship. How cool would that be?”

And there it was. With Rikku’s relatives, there were sure to be shenanigans. “I thought you couldn’t stand Gippal.” Despite never meeting the guy, Yuna had heard quite a bit about him through stories from Rikku. He was a friend of Brother’s, it seemed, close enough to be family. An oddball, for sure, always tinkering and working on some sort of mechanical project.

At this, Rikku groaned. “Ugh, don’t get me started. But it’s not for him, you know, I want to take you on the airship!” She explained excitedly. “You’ve never been, so maybe we can convince Pops to let it happen!” She clapped her hands together with glee at the statement.

Yuna, much more reserved and level-headed, blinked at the suggestion. “What do you mean by ‘we’?”

Rikku laughed nervously. “Ha, well, you know, if I ask then he’ll say no. But if you ask, then maayyybe it’ll work.” The girl blinked up at Yuna, eyes wide and bright. “Pleaassse?”

Yuna sighed. Did she really have a choice in the matter? “Well, I’ll think about it,” she concluded, vowing to remain neutral, although she knew Rikku would take the response as a definite positive. “But Rikku, you need to take time to study as well.”

The girl huffed. “Look, I know. It’s just hard because Brother is supposed to help me but he’s just so dumb!” She whined, deflating. Yuna could honestly say she was impressed by the girl’s ability to switch moods on the fly with zero notice.

Yuna smiled. It was common knowledge that Brother didn’t have the brains of the family. “I know, but I don’t want you to fail.”

“Yunie, I’ll be fine,” the girl quickly waved off the concern. “But hey, I’m gonna invite so many people from school, and it’s gonna be so cool for everyone to see how awesome it is to have an airship!”

Yuna smiled at the girl’s enthusiasm, but inside, she couldn’t mask the hurt. Even if Rikku were to flaunt the airship to everyone at school, the act still would not change people’s minds. Many of them held their preconceived notions regarding the Al Bhed, and those beliefs were not likely to change anytime soon.

But Yuna could only smile. No matter who Rikku pretended to be, who she decided to show to the world, Yuna knew she was one of the lucky few who knew the real Rikku.

XxX

Yuna scrambled through her backpack, panic coursing through her veins. 

My book is gone, she all but screamed in her mind. Where would it have gone?

Around her, the chaos of the school day ending surrounded her, people running to and fro, the halls clogged with students herded like cattle to their required destinations. 

Her eyes darted about the hallway floor, searching desperately with fervor, knowing it was a losing battle, as it was near impossible to spot anything in the thickening crowd. 

Yuna frowned, struck with despair. She always took her book home and read it after her studying and homework was completed. It was very near and dear to her heart.

How could she have been so careless?

A sudden voice cut above the crowd, rowdy and tainted by an accent unfamiliar to this island.

“Whoa, watch out, coming through!”

From the center of the crowd, a figure emerged, swarmed by the faces and uniforms of indistinguishable variety, the stranger’s odd outfit standing out like a fish out of water, drawing in the gaze of several onlookers, Yuna included.

The boy forced his way through the crowd like a salmon fighting it’s way upriver. 

People crowded, questions, comments and shouts thrown about, and Yuna couldn’t help but allow her focus to be torn away from the task at hand momentarily.

She could only catch bits and pieces of conversations over the hallway static, barely able to spot anything above the pure chaos unfolding around her.

“How did you get on the team…”

“… those clothes..”

“Is that a blitz uniform??”

“…what team…”

“…really famous?”

“Where did you learn to play like THAT-“

“Hey, hey!” Came that unfamiliar voice again, somehow much louder than the rest of the squabble around. “I’m gonna be late, I gotta go.”

The boy, she realized. Tidus. The new boy, the blitzball player.

However, before she had a chance to ponder the events unfolding in front of her eyes, another shrill voice cut through the crowd, this one familiar to her ears.

“Yuniie!!” Came the cheerful voice of her friend, suddenly up beside her and tugging at her arm, barely noticeable with the excitement of the crowd around her.

Tidus pushed on through the thick crowd, likely already late to blitz practice, while the students seemed to gawk openly and whisper amongst one another. 

“Come on, come on!” she called excitedly, pulling at the older girl.

Yuna stumbled along, unable to wrap her head around what was happening. She gulped an unwilling breath of air as she fumbled to ask, “Rikku, where are we going?” 

“Oh!” the girl suddenly halted in the middle of the hallway, stalling up the traffic nearby and causing quite a few people to stumble and bump into one another. She whirled around to face Yuna, then, gripping at her arms, her uniform sleeves bunched up as usual. “I’m going to the cheer tryouts!” she called excitedly. And then, briefly, as if remembering she’d forgot to mention something vitally important, she added, “would you come with me?”

The girl blinked, caught completely off guard. It wasn’t unlike Rikku to suddenly come up with ideas and forget to mention them until the last minute. She was quite the spontaneous girl. “Um…” how was she supposed to tell her friend that cheer wasn’t exactly her thing…

But wait! Hadn’t the season already begun?

“Rikku, what do you mean?” She gripped the girl’s shoulder as if that were the only thing preventing her from escaping into the crowded and noisy hallway. “I thought tryouts were over already.”

The girl huffed, exasperated, before quickly regaining her usual cheery demeanor. “Two of the girls got injured so there are open spots.”

Yuna took the answer in stride. She suppose it made sense. If the season were already underway, they’d need replacements sooner rather than later.

The demure girl allowed herself to be drug along by her hyper friend, the duo weaving this way and that, Rikku’s shouts of, “watch out!” And “move it, we’re gonna be late!” Echoing through the familiar walls.

Yuna hadn’t had time to register her shock, as she found herself trailing along down the hall towards the gym. She had always known Cid’s disdain for the sport, even citing his opposition to his daughter joining. 

So how exactly had Rikku gotten him to come around?

Unless…

“Does your dad know about the tryouts?”

Ahead of her, Rikku waved her free hand as she pressed along, fighting against the ever-present current of peers.

“I’ll tell him the good news once I make the team!” She cheered happily, as the crew reached their destination. 

Just before Rikku could yank her into the locker room, Yuna disentangled herself from the other girl’s arm. “I’ll wait for you out here,” she proposed, the blonde giving a quick nod and a wink.

“Okay, see you soon, Yunie! And no running away!”

Yuna gave a soft chuckle, before a whisper of, “I won’t,” flew towards her friend. She adjusted her book bag on her shoulder, surprised she hadn’t lost it in the hallway, and headed for the bleachers where a few girls in cheer uniforms were chatting amongst one another, tying up shoes or hair to prepare for practice.

The girl made sure to keep a safe distance between herself and the others. Just to be mindful, she told herself.

She began to dig through her book bag, remembering there was some math homework for tonight that she’d be able to get a head start on. As the girl rummaged around in her possessions, she couldn’t help but to overhear stray bits of conversation amongst the girls nearby.

“Did you see the new kid?” One of them asked. Yuna perked up, the words clear as day in her ears.

“Yeah, the blitz player.” Another voice.

Were they talking about that Tidus boy? Surely, his arrival would stir up conversation throughout the school. People rarely came to the islands, and when they did, they didn’t stay long.

“He’s not Al Bhed, is he?”

“No, I don’t think so.” 

Yuna kept her head ducked low, pretending not to hear anything. She wasn’t one to snoop, to pry, but these girls weren’t exactly hiding their conversation.

“He’s too cute to be Al Bhed,” came another voice, this one female as well. 

“Oh, praise Yevon. We’ve got too many Al Bhed running around this island.”

“I heard he’s from Zanarkand.”

Yuna froze. Zanarkand. 

“Isn’t that really far away?”

“Oh come on.” This time, Yuna startled. She recognized that voice as none other than Donna, the prude from her literature class.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yuna spotted the other girls quickly turning their attention to Donna as she arrived, clearly hinting for some sort of direction from their unofficial leader.

Donna’s voice rang loud and clear, the definite ringleader of this pack. “Why would someone from Zanarkand come here? This is basically the middle of nowhere.”

Donna was originally from Kilika, the next island over. Rumor had it her father had gotten injured working on the docks and bought a house on Besaid, an area of much lower cost of living, where he and his family could relax.

Donna, of course, had not been thrilled by that fact. However, she quickly made a name for herself on Besaid, made quite a few friends and even a following. It hadn’t taken her long to get a boyfriend, either, a burly jock of a few words, Barthello.

The girl hunched over, pretending to dig around in her backpack, guilt creeping up inside her with the realization she’d been peeping on others' conversations quite a lot lately…

However, Yuna didn’t have much time to ponder the fact, as Rikku came barreling from the locker room at that moment, bounding over to Yuna with visible excitement. 

“Yuniee!” she called, flopping down energetically beside her friend, now donning her gym outfit of shorts and t-shirt. “You have to cheer me on!” 

Yuna glanced up as her friend bumped their shoulders together. Considering she hadn’t even planned on staying late after school, the girl could only shrug weakly. “Well, I’ll keep an eye on you out there,” she compromised, “but I’ll probably work on a little homework while I’m here too.” It’s not like I can read my book, she mused, hoping to take her mind off the anxiety-inducing realization of missing one of her most prized possessions. 

Rikku blew out a huff of air. “Okay! Well, I’m off! Wish me luck!”

“Good luck!”

Yuna watched her friend bound over towards the coach as she turned her focus back towards her math homework. Unfortunately, her motivation wavered, and she found it harder to concentrate for some reason, hushed words and whispers of things not meant to be overheard filling her mind. 

The girl was so trapped in her own mind she didn’t notice when the cheer tryout came to a halt, and Rikku volunteered her brother to give Yuna a ride home, much to the girl’s displeasure. She begrudgingly accepted, if for nothing more than to hear her friend happily gush and go on and on about her chance to finally be on the cheer team. 

Brother, Yuna noticed, was oddly silent.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 Unexpected Encounter

The next day, Yuna was surprised to not find Rikku. Or, rather, she was surprised that Rikku had not found her, as the bubbly girl had the tendency to always storm and fling her way through any crowd to get to Yuna.

The two didn’t share any classes together, but would often meet up with one another between classes and at lunch. By the time lunch came around, Yuna began to feel worried. Had Rikku gotten sick? Brother’s car broke down and she couldn’t get a ride? Rikku’s home was quite a distance from the school, and although it wouldn’t be impossible to walk, it sure wouldn’t be a nice trip.

Yuna had settled down beneath a tree in the school courtyard once the bell for lunch rang out. Her math homework lay in front of her, left abandoned in favor of the whirlwind inside her mind. The girl hadn’t realized just how much of her free time revolved around Rikku, until her friend was no longer around.

“Hey.”

She flinched at the sudden voice, jumping as eyes darted about in search of the source, finally landing on a somewhat familiar figure leaning over the tree.

The new boy.

What would he be doing here? “Oh, hi,” she offered once her nerves settled. “You’re… Tidus, right?” She noticed that, today, he was wearing the school uniform. Perhaps he had gotten all of his affairs sorted yesterday with the principal.

“Yeah that’s me,” he answered with a slight wave of his hand, as if to say, I’m no one special. “Er, you’re Yuna, right?”

The girl blinked, unable to recall introducing herself to the boy.

At her confused expression, he gave a sheepish grin and continued. “Well, I sort of asked around. You’re hard to find, you know.”

Before Yuna had time to speak—or to comprehend the meaning behind his words—the girl found herself face-to-face with her beloved book once again, his arm slightly outstretched.

“Here,” he added to her stunned expression, “I saw you drop it in the hall the other day, but I couldn’t find you after class.”

She blinked, finally, her mouth flapping uselessly like a fish out of water, unable to form words.

“Uhh, this is yours, right?”

Yuna quickly reached out, gingerly taking her prized possession as a slight hint of pink tinged her ears. Did he read it? Had he asked the other students if they knew whose it was? Oh she could simply die of embarrassment…

Although the relief alone was so overwhelming it almost didn’t matter.

“Oh, yes it is. Thank you.” She focused her gaze on the book, fingers running along the edge to ensure its safety. It didn’t appear torn in any way. Aside from the gentle wear and tear of daily use, her lovely book was healthy as ever!

But if Tidus secretly were judging her, he kept it to himself.

For a moment, a dull silence fell over the two, Yuna unsure what else to say, and Tidus likely the same, hanging around with unspoken words between them. Was there something else?

She glanced back up at her classmate, just in time for him to say, “so you’re just out here alone?”

The girl hummed. So that was it, just curiosity. Although, she would be lying if she said she hadn’t been flattered he’d asked her classmates where to find her. “Oh, no. Usually my friend Rikku sits with me, but I haven’t seen her today.”

“Oh, huh. Well… want some company?”

She couldn’t help but to raise an eyebrow. She couldn’t decide his angle. Surely, with the ruckus he’d raised by being the new kid as well as the new star blitzball player, he’d have to have curious kids all over him, inviting him to sit with them at lunch and hang out after school.

So why did he choose to come all the way out here? Maybe he was just being nice.

Despite her worries, the girl felt herself saying, “I don’t mind.” She told herself, this jittery feeling was just the nerves from finally having her book returned to her, with whatever new details that entailed on his journey to find her again.

The boy shuffled into a cross-legged position beside her, yet again, bringing nothing but himself. Although, being this close, she did have to admit that the school uniform suited him well, the whites and blue contrasting effortlessly with his eyes.

Although, even in the uniform, something felt off. Like he couldn’t be true and free.

Or maybe she was just reading too much into it.

Suddenly, her mind sprung to work, an important detail working its way to the forefront of her attention. “I didn’t see you in class today,” she spoke, remembering how the seat beside her had been empty this morning in literature class.

He leaned back against the tree, eyes cast upward at the sky. “Oh yeah, I was late today,” he mentioned casually as if he were just discussing the weather. “Good thing blitzball practice is after class,” he added with a lighthearted tone.

But that was right. The game. He had already been on the team at that point, but she’d only seen him in class since yesterday. Yuna wasn’t one to pry, but she was not immune to the rumors either.

How had the logistics of that one worked out? Although Yuna was positive he’d been waylaid with all sorts of questions from many other students. After all, outsiders were a source of curious amusement for the islanders.

Unsure what else to say in response, Yuna ruminated a bit before coming up with a polite compliment of, “you’re very talented at blitzball.”

He grinned, but not before a flash of something crossed his features, an unidentifiable emotion that slipped by so quickly she nearly believed she had imagined it entirely. And Yuna found those piercing eyes locked on her own once again. And in such close proximity, Yuna could not deny that he was, well… cute. In a sort of rough boyish way. “You were at the game?”

She didn’t see any reason to lie. “My friend Rikku wanted me to come with her.”

“A good friend,” he said with a smirk, resting his hands behind his head.

“Yeah, she really is.” And Yuna wanted to know more. But was it really her place to pry? Besides, she didn’t really know much about blitzball, and didn’t want to embarrass herself by this apparent lack of knowledge.

Tidbits of whispers she’d overheard flooded throughout her mind.

"..dad must've forced the team..."

“…really famous?”

“Did you play back home?” She asked, finding herself more and more intrigued with each question. There was so much left to learn. Where had he come from, why had he moved here? Although, she knew it would not last long, as surely, he would get bored and move on to someone more interesting.

It took a moment for Tidus to answer, strangely, as it was a fairly straightforward question. When he did finally answer, his tone took a bit of a whimsy feel to it. “Yeah. My old coach pulled some strings and got me set up on the team here as soon as we moved. Thought it would be easier for me, I guess.”

So that’s what had happened. And she hadn’t even needed to ask outright. She didn’t know the logistics of high school sports teams but supposed that it didn’t sound too far-fetched. Although she couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to have to coordinate something so intricate between a bunch of strangers…

She had opened her mouth with the intention of articulating her thoughts, but Tidus had beat her to the punch.

“Well, I’m glad I could bring you your book back,” he spoke, seemingly as an excuse to change the subject, although Yuna couldn’t decipher why, until he began to make his way to stand. As expected, their time had suddenly been cut short, and Yuna would be lying if she said she wasn’t slightly disappointed. At the very least, she’d had a nice conversation with someone new, and hadn’t had to spend her entire lunch break alone, not that she minded in the first place.

“Yes, thank you,” she reiterated, watching as he slowly made his way to his feet, as if obligated to move by an unseen force. “I’ll… see you in class tomorrow?” She offered a questioning departure, unsure if he’d be punctual this time.

The boy grinned, a real one this time, as he answered, “yeah I’ll be there.” As he made to leave, he stopped, slowly turned over one shoulder as if suddenly remembering something, and called out one last time with a slight hint of a smirk.

“You’re gonna be so mad about the ending.”