Rubicon, Chapter 2
Being a guardian isn't as easy as it first seems. But Tidus has made his choice, and he can't go back. Tidus+Isaaru, Maroda, Pacce, Alternate Reality, spoilers.
[Final Fantasy X] T, general/angst, 5084 (10403) words, published 02-17-07
previous chapter Rubicon
butterflie
[chapter two]
The next day's trek to Djose Temple got off to a late start, thanks to Tidus' sleeping in late. He hadn't meant to, and he wished Isaaru had woken him. He didn't want to start the morning off with Maroda already angry at him.
When at last they were packed and ready and standing just inside the entrance to the Mi'ihen Highroad, Isaaru spoke. "Would you like to see one of the aeons now?"
Tidus blinked, and then grinned. He'd completely forgotten about that. "Sure!"
Isaaru smiled. "Stand back, then."
Tidus did so, stepping back a few feet and watching Isaaru as he went through a series of complicated maneuvers with his staff that Tidus assumed was necessary for summoning the aeon creature. He was a bit impressed with how flawlessly and smoothly Isaaru performed the summoning, and though he tried to carefully follow Isaaru's movements he quickly got lost. Instead he settled down and just waited patiently for Isaaru to finish, and it wasn't long before the man lowered his staff and looked towards the sky, where something was definitely happening.
There was a shriek, and then Tidus stared in awe at the creature that suddenly came flying down from the sky. "Woah..." She landed near Isaaru, and he cautiously took a few steps towards her. "Uh, can I uh-"
Isaaru nodded, sensing what he wanted. "Of course."
Hesitantly, he reached out a hand and slowly started to pet the huge bird's feathers. They were soft to the touch, and the aeon seemed to enjoy it, craning her neck into the touch. "Nice aeon," he said, feeling a bit silly but not really sure what else to say.
Isaaru laughed. "This is the aeon of Valefor's fayth. I call her Pterya."
"Pterya." Tidus repeated it, liking the sound of her name. He continued to pet her for a few minutes, Pacce coming over and joining him. It was amazing, really. He'd never seen a creature like this before in his life, and yet he wasn't afraid of her. He could feel a strange kind of gentleness coming from Pterya, and he knew she wouldn't hurt him.
Isaaru nodded to him, indicating for him to step back. Tidus did so, and watched as Isaaru thanked Pterya as he then sent her on her way. He was a bit disappointed, he'd wanted the aeon to stay around longer. He understood, though, that they needed to get started on the day's journey, so that they could make good time to Djose Temple.
"Hey," he said, suddenly realizing. "Are we reaching Djose Temple today?"
Maroda groaned, the first thing out of him since they'd left Luca. "You're not going to keep asking stuff like that all the time, are you?"
Tidus held up his hands defensively. "I was just wondering how far it was."
Maroda sighed. "No, we won't reach Djose tonight. Tomorrow, if we're lucky. The day after if we're not."
"There is a travel agency along the Highroad a ways. We'll be staying there tonight," Isaaru explained.
"Ah," Tidus said. Anything else he would have said was suddenly drowned out by the loud scream of a fiend. And from the sound of it, it was quite near. He jumped, startled, causing Maroda to scoff at him.
Tidus recovered quickly though, and drew out his sword. Beside him, Maroda and Pacce did likewise, and they all assumed battle stances. Isaaru was just behind them, prepared to heal and support them when necessary.
The fiend appeared just then, charging towards them eagerly.
"A Raldo," Maroda noted grimly. "Its shell acts as excellent armor, and will be tough to pierce with your sword. Aim for the underside."
Tidus nodded. "No problem!" he said confidently, not really expecting any problems. He took a step forward and swung his sword quickly, trying to reach the underside as Maroda had instructed. The fiend was quick, however, and he ended up striking the side of its shell. The impact jarred his arm, and he grunted in annoyance.
Beside him, Maroda lifted up his spear and then shoved it downwards with all his might, right in the middle of the Raldo's back. There was a loud squeal of pain from the fiend as the spear broke through the shell, shattering it, and Tidus took the opportunity to strike at it again, knocking off broken shell pieces and landing a deep gash in its side.
It let out another enraged scream, and turned around, ready to attack Tidus with all its might, but Pacce was right there and waiting with his knife. He plunged it hard into the fiend, and the creature let out one last feeble yell as it stopped moving and slowly started to fade away into scattering pyreflies.
Tidus relaxed, and let out a sigh of relief. Beside him, the others did the same.
"Not bad," Maroda said grudgingly.
Tidus just smirked.
They walked in silence for some time after that, battling fiends as they came to them, using various healing items as they needed them. It was way, way different than life in Zanarkand, but Tidus couldn't really say that he hated it. In fact, he found it to be somehow peaceful. He knew that was probably because there was much he did not yet understand about this world and about Sin and Summoners, but Zanarkand was always such a busy place-people running this way and that to every place imaginable, barely paying attention to those around them.
Spira was different. Sure, there were other people on the highroad-not to mention the fiends-but it wasn't so crowded and rushed that you had to focus on your own business and take care not to get into anyone else's. Here people were waving to one other, wishing well their journey, occasionally stopping for conversations. He felt much the same as he had in Luca-the atmosphere of the highroad was a bit friendlier than his hometown. He was really beginning to believe it would be much like this all over Spira.
He rather liked it. "Everyone's so friendly here," he murmured.
"What?" Pacce asked, having caught the last few words.
"Ah-" Tidus looked a bit sheepish. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I said, everyone is so friendly here. In Spira."
Maroda snorted. "Let me guess. People in your Zanarkand are all incredibly rude people?"
Tidus scowled. "No. We're not rude. Zanarkand's just a very large and very busy city. You generally keep to yourself and your friends unless you're part of the nightlife."
"Nightlife?" Pacce asked, seeming interested.
Tidus rubbed his forehead. "You know... parties and stuff. Blitz games. Booze. One-night stands. Like... nightlife." He didn't know how else to put it. "We're known as the city that never sleeps." He looked at them, surprised to see even Maroda looking a bit interested now, but also not really surprised to see them somewhat confused. "You guys don't know much about what I'm talking about, do you?"
Isaaru looked apologetic. "Many people here can not afford to do those kinds of things, Tidus. They live in constant fear of Sin. Just getting through the day alive is enough of a reward. Celebrations are reserved for special occasions."
"Oh," he said, feeling kind of stupid for not having realized. He supposed he could understand-the two Sin attacks he'd already lived through were terrifying, and he didn't want to deal with anymore of them. "That sucks, huh? I couldn't imagine living with that my whole life."
Isaaru was speaking, responding to him, but Tidus suddenly wasn't listening. Something about that last statement of his was off, but... He stopped, thinking hard. He almost had it...
"Tidus?"
"Huh?" He looked up at Isaaru, and it was gone. Whatever was funny about Sin, he'd have to figure out later. "Ah, sorry." He shook his head, and went to catch up with the group.
"So then, do you guys have anything you do for fun?" he asked, when he was beside them once more. "Besides Luca, I mean."
Isaaru shook his head. "Not in the way you mean. Nothing big or constant. I am sure the villages have their own small forms of entertainment every now and then, but most of the day people are too busy working to think about fun."
"Yeah. We can't all have it as easy as you, with machina doing everything," Maroda muttered.
"People in Zanarkand work too," Tidus said, a bit of defensiveness creeping into his voice. "Okay, we have machina, big deal. It doesn't do all the work for us! You still need people to run it, and to oversee it and those people, and there are still plenty of jobs that machina can't do that require people." He glared at Maroda. "Just because we know how to have fun doesn't mean we also don't know how to work."
"So how many jobs have you had, then?" Maroda asked pointedly.
Tidus glared again, stopping and folding his arms across his chest. "That's different. I was a kid, Auron was-" he stopped, but it was too late.
"Auron? As in Sir Auron, the legendary guardian?" Maroda laughed, shaking his head. "You've got some imagination, kid."
Legendary? Tidus wondered, even as he continued to glare at Maroda. "I'm not making it up! Auron came to Zanarkand ten years ago, after Je-my old man disappeared, and he took care of me after my mother died. He's the one who made the gil, until I was old enough to join the Abes and take care of myself." He stared at the group around him, daring any of them to challenge him.
None of them had a chance to, because just then there was a loud roar off to their right. "Fiend!" Pacce yelled gleefully, and started after it. Maroda and Isaaru were shortly behind him.
Tidus sighed and watched them go, deciding they could handle it on their own. He rubbed his forehead a bit, feeling a headache coming on. He didn't know why he let Maroda constantly get to him like that. It was just that the man was so irritating. How he and Isaaru could be brothers, Tidus didn't understand in the least.
Wanting to cool off a bit, he wandered over to some ruins on the opposite side of the highroad, eager to check them out. He was so caught up in looking at them that he almost didn't notice the old man until he was practically on top of him. "Ack, sorry!"
The man seemed unruffled, merely looking at the ruins and then at Tidus. "Do you know what these ruins are from?"
"Some old city?" Tidus guessed.
"Correct. A city most ancient! A terrible testament to Sin's power. I tremble every time I see them. Compared to Sin, humans are mere mudpuppies!"
Tidus sighed. He'd come over to the ruins to get away from that kind of talk. "Machina was not all that bad," he grumbled.
"Perhaps not," the old man agreed.
Tidus stared at him. He hadn't expected that in the least. "Uh," he said, trying to think of something to say in response
"Ah, forgive me," the old man said, as Isaaru and the others approached. "Where are my manners? I am Maechen, a scholar. I am on a journey, studying the history of our world, seeking its stories and secrets."
"Sounds good," Tidus said lamely. The old man was interesting, but he'd put him off a bit with his agreement about machina and now Tidus wasn't sure what to say. "We should be going," he said, half-heartedly gesturing towards Isaaru. "We're on a journey of our own..."
Maechen glanced at Isaaru, taking in his appearance. "Indeed," he said, offering a prayer, which Isaaru returned.
They continued on then, the brothers moving on ahead as Tidus lagged behind a bit. He was still a bit aggravated with Maroda, and he didn't really want to make their relationship worse. He hadn't set out to annoy and alienate the man, especially not since he got on with Isaaru so well. Despite Maroda's trying temperament, he was glad he'd met Isaaru and agreed to be his guardian.
However, the thought did provoke some guilt... He still felt bad about turning Auron down. It made him wonder once again if he'd done the right thing by going with Isaaru instead. After all, Auron must have had some reason for bringing him here, and he'd probably completely mucked the man's plans up by refusing him.
"Tidus?"
He looked up, surprised to find that Isaaru had dropped back to walk beside him. He blushed, and then wasn't sure why. "Huh?"
"I'm sorry for Maroda's behaviour earlier. He's-"
"Not really happy with your journey, I know, I know." Tidus sighed. "It doesn't give him the excuse to act like a jerk to me. Even if he doesn't believe me-which I suppose could be a bit hard to understand-he doesn't have to act so rude about it."
"Yes, you're right," Isaaru murmured. "I shall try to talk with him later, but I don't know how much good it might do."
"If he could just lighten up on me even a bit-" He knew he sounded a bit whiny, but he couldn't seem to help it. Maroda really got under his skin.
"I'll see what I can do," Isaaru promised.
Tidus took a deep breath, trying to calm back down. He smiled at Isaaru. "Thanks."
They hadn't traveled long down the road when Tidus literally ran into yet another person. "Oof!" He stumbled and fell back a bit, embarrassed and quickly trying to stammer out an apology. "I'm sorry! I was thinking and not watching and-"
The woman he'd run into cut him off with a wave of her hand, smiling just a bit to let him know she didn't mind. "Ah, a summoner party," she said then, looking over the small group.
"Yes," Isaaru answered her. "You, too, are a summoner?"
"My name is Belgemine," she said, neatly avoiding his question. "You are?"
"I am Isaaru," he said.
"I see. How would you like to have a one-on-one match? Let us see whose Aeons are stronger, though not to the death, of course. What do you say?"
Isaaru glanced around at his guardians, and then smiled. "I accept."
* * *
Compared to the events of the morning, the rest of the day was rather uneventful. Isaaru had won the battle of aeons, and Belgemine had accepted the results with grace, offering him an Echo Ring and wishing him luck on his journey. Isaaru had smiled and thanked her, and then off they went.
They made small talk as they traveled, careful to stay away from the topic of Zanarkand, instead choosing to discuss the blitz tournament in Luca. Tidus learned a lot about the various blitz teams in Spira and about how the game worked, which really wasn't much different than how it was played back home in Zanarkand. There were minor differences in attack and position names, but otherwise it was played the same. He was kind of surprised to find it virtually unchanged after a thousand years, but wisely didn't bring that up, knowing it would only cause another argument between him and Maroda.
Around sunset, they came upon a building which Isaaru said was an Al Bhed travel agency, before announcing that they'd stay for the night. Tidus remembered what the girl Rikku had said about Al Bhed treatment and was surprised, though he tried not to show it.
They went in to get their rooms. Tidus assumed he'd have a room to himself again, like he had in Luca, but the clerk apologetically informed them there were only two rooms left.
"Two rooms will be fine then," Isaaru said smoothly.
"Very well," said the clerk. He motioned another girl over, who quickly led them to the two rooms they'd be staying in before disappearing again.
"Maroda, which room do you and Pacce want?"
Tidus jerked in surprise, and felt his stomach give a nervous flutter. He knew he wouldn't have been roomed with Maroda, he'd just figured it'd be Pacce. But to be alone in a room with Isaaru... He licked his lips, still nervous and not even sure why he was. He hadn't felt like this since... since...
Since the time he'd had a major crush on the captain of the blitz team.
Oh, hell, he thought.
"...take this room then," Isaaru was saying, and he gulped and followed the older man in.
He-he couldn't have a crush on Isaaru! He barely knew the man, had only met him just a few days ago. Okay, sure, he'd thought Isaaru had been attractive, but it had just been a casual observation, nothing more. He rarely even went for guys unless he found them extremely intriguing. Which, admittedly, Isaaru was-
"Tidus?"
He jumped and then looked at Isaaru, then quickly looked away as he realized he was blushing. Then he realized how obvious that was, so he looked back once more. "Ah, um, yes?" he asked, feeling stupid and embarrassed. He was making a total fool of himself.
"There is only one bed. I hope you don't mind?" Isaaru gestured towards it.
Tidus looked at where he'd pointed. Yes, indeed, there was only one bed. Thankfully large, but still only one. His stomach gave another nervous flop, and he ruefully acknowledged that he had definitely managed to somehow develop a crush on Isaaru over the past few days. He scowled. It wasn't fair of the crush to sneak up on him like that.
He realized that Isaaru was still waiting for an answer, and sighed. "It's fine."
He just hoped desperately that he didn't do anything stupid during the night.
* * *
He woke the next morning feeling pleasantly rested, even if he couldn't remember exactly where he was. But when he stretched his arms out and smacked into Isaaru's sleeping form on his left, it came back all too easily.
His face grew hot and he quickly jumped out of bed, trying not remember how awkward he'd felt last night as he lay there in the bed trying to sleep, all too aware of Isaaru's presence next to him. The only other person he'd ever shared a bed with before was Auron, and that was only when he chose to (always stubbornly ignoring Auron's protests that he was too old to share a bed, of course).
Shaking his head to himself, he decided it didn't really matter and resolved to forget it. So he had a crush on Isaaru, big deal. It wasn't as if anything would come of it, so there was no point in mooning over him like some silly love-struck girl. Besides, he'd probably be too busy with this guardian thing to really have time for something frivolous like crushes. Maybe after Isaaru beat Sin, then he could worry about it.
He finished getting dressed and then headed out to the main room, intending to go outside and get some fresh air. He only got as far as the check-in desk, however, where he promptly bumped into someone and fell down.
"Bentuh sa." The man he'd bumped into offered his hand, which Tidus gratefully took and pulled himself to his feet.
"Sorry?" he asked, just realizing that he hadn't understood what the man had said.
"Ah, forgive me, sir. I meant to say 'pardon me,' but it came out in Al Bhed."
"Oh, you're Al Bhed?"
"I am Rin, owner of this establishment. Heci du saad oui."
Tidus just stared at him, not understanding in the least. Though he had to admit that it certainly sounded interesting enough.
"It means nice to meet you," Rin clarified after a few seconds of silence.
"Oh. Well then, helly doo sad wee to you, too," Tidus said, trying to remember how Rin had pronounced the words.
Rin laughed good-naturedly. "If you are interested in learning our language, Al Bhed primers can be found in places all over Spira. Here, I shall give you one in commemoration of our meeting." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small book, which he then held out towards Tidus.
"Ah, thanks," Tidus said as he accepted it. He briefly wondered why the man would randomly be carrying a language book on him, but then decided some things were better left unknown. He flipped through the pages with interest, wondering how many primers there were and if the language would be hard to learn.
Rin smiled. "It is my pleasure. Now, I must be going."
Tidus nodded at him absently, already focused on the Al Bhed primer. He managed to make his way over to one of the little tables in the lobby and then sat there reading, occasionally mumbling words and phrases to himself, frowning over the pronunciation.
He was still engrossed in the book an hour later when the others came out to the lobby, awake and ready to go.
"Al Bhed?" Maroda asked, peering over Tidus' shoulder.
Tidus jumped, startled. He closed the primer and turned around. "Yeah," he said, a touch defensive. He knew from Rikku the Al Bhed were rather unpopular in Spira, even though he found it rather silly. "It might come in handy."
Maroda shrugged. "You're free to learn what you like."
"I-I know that!" he said, still feeling defensive. Maroda's response had thrown him off-balance. He'd expected some disgust, maybe a bit of anger or annoyance, not mild-mannered unconcern. Perhaps Isaaru had managed to talk some sense into him after all.
Pacce wandered over then, looking at the book Tidus was holding. "What's that?" he asked, tilting his head to try and read the title. "I can't read it..."
"Uh..."
"It's Al Bhed," Maroda told him, scowling. "Nothing you need to learn."
Tidus sighed. He should have known Maroda would have still found some way to be a bit of a jerk. "Shouldn't we be going soon?" he asked, changing the subject. He looked around for Isaaru, spotting him in conversation with someone Tidus that didn't know and, in all likelihood, Isaaru didn't know either.
"Yes," Maroda replied. "We have a long day ahead of us, and still a ways to go before we reach Djose Temple."
"Let's go then!" Pacce yelled, making everyone else in the room wince. He ran quickly over to where Isaaru was, Maroda and Tidus following at a more reasonable pace.
It didn't take them long to settle back into the traveling routine of yesterday, chatting amiably (or as much as one could with a hostile Maroda) as they walked, always on alert for any trouble they might encounter along the way.
The Highroad was not quite as pleasant as it had been the previous day, however. Tidus didn't know what was up, but there was a lot of increased activity-people running this way and that, some shouting out orders to each other. Heavy looking crates were being carted around, and there were even a few wagons hitched up to chocobos that were being loaded up. But there was still a hushed air about the whole thing, and Tidus knew that if he were to talk to them he wouldn't get many answers, if any.
"Who are all those people?" he asked Isaaru curiously. They had fallen a bit behind the other two, for which Tidus was grateful. He felt more comfortable talking to Isaaru when Maroda wasn't around.
"Crusaders. They are a volunteer group, warriors who have pledged to protect the people of Spira from Sin. I do not know what they are planning to do here."
"Ah, " Tidus said. He glanced around a bit nervously. "Sin's not... here, is it?"
Isaaru smiled. "Don't worry. If Sin was here, you would definitely know it."
"I guess..." Tidus said uncertainly, though he realized there was probably truth in what Isaaru was saying. He'd certainly known all the previous times Sin had appeared in his life.
"Isaaru," Maroda said then, interrupting them, his voice serious. His face was grim, and Tidus felt a nervous chill as he looked at him. Was Sin here after all, perhaps? He couldn't recall having seen Maroda look so serious before.
"What is it?" Tidus asked anxiously, before Isaaru could say anything. He half-expected Maroda to glare at him or something, but for once the man didn't bother.
"I just heard some disturbing information. I overheard some of the Crusaders talking. It seems that summoners on their pilgrimages are disappearing."
Tidus frowned. "Disappearing? What do you mean?"
Isaaru, however, merely laughed. "I am sure it is just a rumor, though indeed it is a curious one. It is quite likely some summoners have fallen victim to prey. Let us not worry too much about it."
"No," Maroda said forcefully. "Many summoners, not just a few here and there. They set out for a destination and yet... they never make it. No one sees them again. It as if they have vanished into thin air, and no amount of searching can uncover their whereabouts."
Tidus scoffed. "Sounds more like a ghost story."
Maroda scowled, but determinedly ignored him. "Isaaru, I beg of you once more. Please reconsider this pilgrimage. It is a pointless folly-"
"Hey, whatcha all talking 'bout?" Pacce yelled back at them suddenly. He had stopped and turned around, hands fisted on his hips as he impatiently waited for the group to catch up. "Come on, you're all slow! Hurry up!"
Maroda looked annoyed at being interrupted, but didn't resume the thread of conversation. Nor did Isaaru answer his brother's plea. Tidus decided it would be wise not to say anything for a while, and followed behind them in awkward silence.
They traveled the length of Mi'ihen Highroad in that same awkward silence, fending off any fiends that chanced to attack, stopping to heal and rest when necessary. Gradually Tidus came to notice that the road was changing from a well-marked and well-worn dirt path to a rocky one that didn't have any clear outline at all. Somehow, without him noticing, they had come to an entirely new area.
"Where are we?" he asked, looking around at the strange mountain formations surrounding them.
There was a short pause, and then Maroda answered him. "We are now on Mushroom Rock Road. Once we pass through this area we will come to the Djose Highroad, and at the end of that sits Djose Temple, where we are headed."
"So... we're reaching that today?"
Maroda sighed. "It's hard to say at this point. It depends on how much trouble the fiends give us. The basilisks on Djose are particularly nasty."
"I see," Tidus said, though inwardly he was groaning. He didn't regret agreeing to be Isaaru's guardian (though he did feel some lingering guilt over Auron), but he hadn't realized the job was going to be quite so... challenging. He'd never had to fight back in Zanarkand. Fiends so rarely got into the city and when they did, there were always fiend hunters to quickly take care of them. Being thrown into Spira where he suddenly had to spend every day fighting for his life was an eye-opening experience.
At least he had improved. He had still remembered those first few horrific battles he'd gotten into upon arriving in Spira. That... thing underwater, and those horrible creatures lurking around in the ruins. He'd never felt so terrified in his life. He was actually surprised he hadn't died, considering that his only experience at that point was the Sinspawn with Auron-and those had pretty much been a hack and slash job for him, Auron had shouldered the brunt of those killings.
Fighting alone had been an entirely different experience. He only had himself to rely on-there was no safety net of knowing there was someone to fall back on if he got in trouble. Fighting alone meant that getting in trouble almost certainly spelled out death. He'd had to learn to be quick but careful, and how to understand his enemy and exploit its weakness to his advantage.
It had been tough, and had he fought alone much longer, he was not all that sure he would have survived. He was thankful now to have three companions with him, to help and support him as he learned more about his own strengths and weaknesses in battle. He liked having a safety net once more, though he was slowly learning that even then he couldn't rely on that one hundred percent. It was an interesting mix of fending for yourself while working in tandem with a team.
If he ever made it back to Zanarkand, things certainly would never be the same.
* * *
They finally made it out of the mountain pass in the late evening, weary and exhausted by the many battles that had taken place along the way. Even Pacce, whose spirits had been annoyingly high throughout most of the day, was starting to wear thin.
"Finally! Djose Highroad!"
"At last. I don't think I can take another step," Tidus grumbled.
"The temple isn't very far-" Maroda started.
"No, I agree with Tidus," Isaaru said. "We should stop for the day. It is not a good idea to go on in the state we're in. We can set up camp in this small alcove, and take turns keeping watch throughout the night."
"Fine," Maroda said tersely after a brief moment of silence.
Pacce let out a half-hearted yell. "Alright! I thought we'd never stop!"
Tidus had to agree with his sentiment. The trek through Mushroom Rock had seemed to take forever. The fiends had seemed to come non-stop, while the road continuously stretched out before them. The humidity of the weather didn't help, and carrying his supplies and his weapon got tiring after awhile. He decided that when he made it back to Zanarkand, he would never complain about life there, ever again.
"Hey, don't just stand there, give us a hand!"
Tidus jerked, startled out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Maroda glaring at him. Isaaru and Pacce were beginning to set up their small camp, and that was no doubt what Maroda wanted him to help with.
He sighed, and headed over to the group. It seemed that fighting wasn't the only thing he was going to be learning on this journey. He still had a long, long ways to go.
[Final Fantasy X] T, general/angst, 5084 (10403) words, published 02-17-07
previous chapter Rubicon
butterflie
[chapter two]
The next day's trek to Djose Temple got off to a late start, thanks to Tidus' sleeping in late. He hadn't meant to, and he wished Isaaru had woken him. He didn't want to start the morning off with Maroda already angry at him.
When at last they were packed and ready and standing just inside the entrance to the Mi'ihen Highroad, Isaaru spoke. "Would you like to see one of the aeons now?"
Tidus blinked, and then grinned. He'd completely forgotten about that. "Sure!"
Isaaru smiled. "Stand back, then."
Tidus did so, stepping back a few feet and watching Isaaru as he went through a series of complicated maneuvers with his staff that Tidus assumed was necessary for summoning the aeon creature. He was a bit impressed with how flawlessly and smoothly Isaaru performed the summoning, and though he tried to carefully follow Isaaru's movements he quickly got lost. Instead he settled down and just waited patiently for Isaaru to finish, and it wasn't long before the man lowered his staff and looked towards the sky, where something was definitely happening.
There was a shriek, and then Tidus stared in awe at the creature that suddenly came flying down from the sky. "Woah..." She landed near Isaaru, and he cautiously took a few steps towards her. "Uh, can I uh-"
Isaaru nodded, sensing what he wanted. "Of course."
Hesitantly, he reached out a hand and slowly started to pet the huge bird's feathers. They were soft to the touch, and the aeon seemed to enjoy it, craning her neck into the touch. "Nice aeon," he said, feeling a bit silly but not really sure what else to say.
Isaaru laughed. "This is the aeon of Valefor's fayth. I call her Pterya."
"Pterya." Tidus repeated it, liking the sound of her name. He continued to pet her for a few minutes, Pacce coming over and joining him. It was amazing, really. He'd never seen a creature like this before in his life, and yet he wasn't afraid of her. He could feel a strange kind of gentleness coming from Pterya, and he knew she wouldn't hurt him.
Isaaru nodded to him, indicating for him to step back. Tidus did so, and watched as Isaaru thanked Pterya as he then sent her on her way. He was a bit disappointed, he'd wanted the aeon to stay around longer. He understood, though, that they needed to get started on the day's journey, so that they could make good time to Djose Temple.
"Hey," he said, suddenly realizing. "Are we reaching Djose Temple today?"
Maroda groaned, the first thing out of him since they'd left Luca. "You're not going to keep asking stuff like that all the time, are you?"
Tidus held up his hands defensively. "I was just wondering how far it was."
Maroda sighed. "No, we won't reach Djose tonight. Tomorrow, if we're lucky. The day after if we're not."
"There is a travel agency along the Highroad a ways. We'll be staying there tonight," Isaaru explained.
"Ah," Tidus said. Anything else he would have said was suddenly drowned out by the loud scream of a fiend. And from the sound of it, it was quite near. He jumped, startled, causing Maroda to scoff at him.
Tidus recovered quickly though, and drew out his sword. Beside him, Maroda and Pacce did likewise, and they all assumed battle stances. Isaaru was just behind them, prepared to heal and support them when necessary.
The fiend appeared just then, charging towards them eagerly.
"A Raldo," Maroda noted grimly. "Its shell acts as excellent armor, and will be tough to pierce with your sword. Aim for the underside."
Tidus nodded. "No problem!" he said confidently, not really expecting any problems. He took a step forward and swung his sword quickly, trying to reach the underside as Maroda had instructed. The fiend was quick, however, and he ended up striking the side of its shell. The impact jarred his arm, and he grunted in annoyance.
Beside him, Maroda lifted up his spear and then shoved it downwards with all his might, right in the middle of the Raldo's back. There was a loud squeal of pain from the fiend as the spear broke through the shell, shattering it, and Tidus took the opportunity to strike at it again, knocking off broken shell pieces and landing a deep gash in its side.
It let out another enraged scream, and turned around, ready to attack Tidus with all its might, but Pacce was right there and waiting with his knife. He plunged it hard into the fiend, and the creature let out one last feeble yell as it stopped moving and slowly started to fade away into scattering pyreflies.
Tidus relaxed, and let out a sigh of relief. Beside him, the others did the same.
"Not bad," Maroda said grudgingly.
Tidus just smirked.
They walked in silence for some time after that, battling fiends as they came to them, using various healing items as they needed them. It was way, way different than life in Zanarkand, but Tidus couldn't really say that he hated it. In fact, he found it to be somehow peaceful. He knew that was probably because there was much he did not yet understand about this world and about Sin and Summoners, but Zanarkand was always such a busy place-people running this way and that to every place imaginable, barely paying attention to those around them.
Spira was different. Sure, there were other people on the highroad-not to mention the fiends-but it wasn't so crowded and rushed that you had to focus on your own business and take care not to get into anyone else's. Here people were waving to one other, wishing well their journey, occasionally stopping for conversations. He felt much the same as he had in Luca-the atmosphere of the highroad was a bit friendlier than his hometown. He was really beginning to believe it would be much like this all over Spira.
He rather liked it. "Everyone's so friendly here," he murmured.
"What?" Pacce asked, having caught the last few words.
"Ah-" Tidus looked a bit sheepish. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I said, everyone is so friendly here. In Spira."
Maroda snorted. "Let me guess. People in your Zanarkand are all incredibly rude people?"
Tidus scowled. "No. We're not rude. Zanarkand's just a very large and very busy city. You generally keep to yourself and your friends unless you're part of the nightlife."
"Nightlife?" Pacce asked, seeming interested.
Tidus rubbed his forehead. "You know... parties and stuff. Blitz games. Booze. One-night stands. Like... nightlife." He didn't know how else to put it. "We're known as the city that never sleeps." He looked at them, surprised to see even Maroda looking a bit interested now, but also not really surprised to see them somewhat confused. "You guys don't know much about what I'm talking about, do you?"
Isaaru looked apologetic. "Many people here can not afford to do those kinds of things, Tidus. They live in constant fear of Sin. Just getting through the day alive is enough of a reward. Celebrations are reserved for special occasions."
"Oh," he said, feeling kind of stupid for not having realized. He supposed he could understand-the two Sin attacks he'd already lived through were terrifying, and he didn't want to deal with anymore of them. "That sucks, huh? I couldn't imagine living with that my whole life."
Isaaru was speaking, responding to him, but Tidus suddenly wasn't listening. Something about that last statement of his was off, but... He stopped, thinking hard. He almost had it...
"Tidus?"
"Huh?" He looked up at Isaaru, and it was gone. Whatever was funny about Sin, he'd have to figure out later. "Ah, sorry." He shook his head, and went to catch up with the group.
"So then, do you guys have anything you do for fun?" he asked, when he was beside them once more. "Besides Luca, I mean."
Isaaru shook his head. "Not in the way you mean. Nothing big or constant. I am sure the villages have their own small forms of entertainment every now and then, but most of the day people are too busy working to think about fun."
"Yeah. We can't all have it as easy as you, with machina doing everything," Maroda muttered.
"People in Zanarkand work too," Tidus said, a bit of defensiveness creeping into his voice. "Okay, we have machina, big deal. It doesn't do all the work for us! You still need people to run it, and to oversee it and those people, and there are still plenty of jobs that machina can't do that require people." He glared at Maroda. "Just because we know how to have fun doesn't mean we also don't know how to work."
"So how many jobs have you had, then?" Maroda asked pointedly.
Tidus glared again, stopping and folding his arms across his chest. "That's different. I was a kid, Auron was-" he stopped, but it was too late.
"Auron? As in Sir Auron, the legendary guardian?" Maroda laughed, shaking his head. "You've got some imagination, kid."
Legendary? Tidus wondered, even as he continued to glare at Maroda. "I'm not making it up! Auron came to Zanarkand ten years ago, after Je-my old man disappeared, and he took care of me after my mother died. He's the one who made the gil, until I was old enough to join the Abes and take care of myself." He stared at the group around him, daring any of them to challenge him.
None of them had a chance to, because just then there was a loud roar off to their right. "Fiend!" Pacce yelled gleefully, and started after it. Maroda and Isaaru were shortly behind him.
Tidus sighed and watched them go, deciding they could handle it on their own. He rubbed his forehead a bit, feeling a headache coming on. He didn't know why he let Maroda constantly get to him like that. It was just that the man was so irritating. How he and Isaaru could be brothers, Tidus didn't understand in the least.
Wanting to cool off a bit, he wandered over to some ruins on the opposite side of the highroad, eager to check them out. He was so caught up in looking at them that he almost didn't notice the old man until he was practically on top of him. "Ack, sorry!"
The man seemed unruffled, merely looking at the ruins and then at Tidus. "Do you know what these ruins are from?"
"Some old city?" Tidus guessed.
"Correct. A city most ancient! A terrible testament to Sin's power. I tremble every time I see them. Compared to Sin, humans are mere mudpuppies!"
Tidus sighed. He'd come over to the ruins to get away from that kind of talk. "Machina was not all that bad," he grumbled.
"Perhaps not," the old man agreed.
Tidus stared at him. He hadn't expected that in the least. "Uh," he said, trying to think of something to say in response
"Ah, forgive me," the old man said, as Isaaru and the others approached. "Where are my manners? I am Maechen, a scholar. I am on a journey, studying the history of our world, seeking its stories and secrets."
"Sounds good," Tidus said lamely. The old man was interesting, but he'd put him off a bit with his agreement about machina and now Tidus wasn't sure what to say. "We should be going," he said, half-heartedly gesturing towards Isaaru. "We're on a journey of our own..."
Maechen glanced at Isaaru, taking in his appearance. "Indeed," he said, offering a prayer, which Isaaru returned.
They continued on then, the brothers moving on ahead as Tidus lagged behind a bit. He was still a bit aggravated with Maroda, and he didn't really want to make their relationship worse. He hadn't set out to annoy and alienate the man, especially not since he got on with Isaaru so well. Despite Maroda's trying temperament, he was glad he'd met Isaaru and agreed to be his guardian.
However, the thought did provoke some guilt... He still felt bad about turning Auron down. It made him wonder once again if he'd done the right thing by going with Isaaru instead. After all, Auron must have had some reason for bringing him here, and he'd probably completely mucked the man's plans up by refusing him.
"Tidus?"
He looked up, surprised to find that Isaaru had dropped back to walk beside him. He blushed, and then wasn't sure why. "Huh?"
"I'm sorry for Maroda's behaviour earlier. He's-"
"Not really happy with your journey, I know, I know." Tidus sighed. "It doesn't give him the excuse to act like a jerk to me. Even if he doesn't believe me-which I suppose could be a bit hard to understand-he doesn't have to act so rude about it."
"Yes, you're right," Isaaru murmured. "I shall try to talk with him later, but I don't know how much good it might do."
"If he could just lighten up on me even a bit-" He knew he sounded a bit whiny, but he couldn't seem to help it. Maroda really got under his skin.
"I'll see what I can do," Isaaru promised.
Tidus took a deep breath, trying to calm back down. He smiled at Isaaru. "Thanks."
They hadn't traveled long down the road when Tidus literally ran into yet another person. "Oof!" He stumbled and fell back a bit, embarrassed and quickly trying to stammer out an apology. "I'm sorry! I was thinking and not watching and-"
The woman he'd run into cut him off with a wave of her hand, smiling just a bit to let him know she didn't mind. "Ah, a summoner party," she said then, looking over the small group.
"Yes," Isaaru answered her. "You, too, are a summoner?"
"My name is Belgemine," she said, neatly avoiding his question. "You are?"
"I am Isaaru," he said.
"I see. How would you like to have a one-on-one match? Let us see whose Aeons are stronger, though not to the death, of course. What do you say?"
Isaaru glanced around at his guardians, and then smiled. "I accept."
* * *
Compared to the events of the morning, the rest of the day was rather uneventful. Isaaru had won the battle of aeons, and Belgemine had accepted the results with grace, offering him an Echo Ring and wishing him luck on his journey. Isaaru had smiled and thanked her, and then off they went.
They made small talk as they traveled, careful to stay away from the topic of Zanarkand, instead choosing to discuss the blitz tournament in Luca. Tidus learned a lot about the various blitz teams in Spira and about how the game worked, which really wasn't much different than how it was played back home in Zanarkand. There were minor differences in attack and position names, but otherwise it was played the same. He was kind of surprised to find it virtually unchanged after a thousand years, but wisely didn't bring that up, knowing it would only cause another argument between him and Maroda.
Around sunset, they came upon a building which Isaaru said was an Al Bhed travel agency, before announcing that they'd stay for the night. Tidus remembered what the girl Rikku had said about Al Bhed treatment and was surprised, though he tried not to show it.
They went in to get their rooms. Tidus assumed he'd have a room to himself again, like he had in Luca, but the clerk apologetically informed them there were only two rooms left.
"Two rooms will be fine then," Isaaru said smoothly.
"Very well," said the clerk. He motioned another girl over, who quickly led them to the two rooms they'd be staying in before disappearing again.
"Maroda, which room do you and Pacce want?"
Tidus jerked in surprise, and felt his stomach give a nervous flutter. He knew he wouldn't have been roomed with Maroda, he'd just figured it'd be Pacce. But to be alone in a room with Isaaru... He licked his lips, still nervous and not even sure why he was. He hadn't felt like this since... since...
Since the time he'd had a major crush on the captain of the blitz team.
Oh, hell, he thought.
"...take this room then," Isaaru was saying, and he gulped and followed the older man in.
He-he couldn't have a crush on Isaaru! He barely knew the man, had only met him just a few days ago. Okay, sure, he'd thought Isaaru had been attractive, but it had just been a casual observation, nothing more. He rarely even went for guys unless he found them extremely intriguing. Which, admittedly, Isaaru was-
"Tidus?"
He jumped and then looked at Isaaru, then quickly looked away as he realized he was blushing. Then he realized how obvious that was, so he looked back once more. "Ah, um, yes?" he asked, feeling stupid and embarrassed. He was making a total fool of himself.
"There is only one bed. I hope you don't mind?" Isaaru gestured towards it.
Tidus looked at where he'd pointed. Yes, indeed, there was only one bed. Thankfully large, but still only one. His stomach gave another nervous flop, and he ruefully acknowledged that he had definitely managed to somehow develop a crush on Isaaru over the past few days. He scowled. It wasn't fair of the crush to sneak up on him like that.
He realized that Isaaru was still waiting for an answer, and sighed. "It's fine."
He just hoped desperately that he didn't do anything stupid during the night.
* * *
He woke the next morning feeling pleasantly rested, even if he couldn't remember exactly where he was. But when he stretched his arms out and smacked into Isaaru's sleeping form on his left, it came back all too easily.
His face grew hot and he quickly jumped out of bed, trying not remember how awkward he'd felt last night as he lay there in the bed trying to sleep, all too aware of Isaaru's presence next to him. The only other person he'd ever shared a bed with before was Auron, and that was only when he chose to (always stubbornly ignoring Auron's protests that he was too old to share a bed, of course).
Shaking his head to himself, he decided it didn't really matter and resolved to forget it. So he had a crush on Isaaru, big deal. It wasn't as if anything would come of it, so there was no point in mooning over him like some silly love-struck girl. Besides, he'd probably be too busy with this guardian thing to really have time for something frivolous like crushes. Maybe after Isaaru beat Sin, then he could worry about it.
He finished getting dressed and then headed out to the main room, intending to go outside and get some fresh air. He only got as far as the check-in desk, however, where he promptly bumped into someone and fell down.
"Bentuh sa." The man he'd bumped into offered his hand, which Tidus gratefully took and pulled himself to his feet.
"Sorry?" he asked, just realizing that he hadn't understood what the man had said.
"Ah, forgive me, sir. I meant to say 'pardon me,' but it came out in Al Bhed."
"Oh, you're Al Bhed?"
"I am Rin, owner of this establishment. Heci du saad oui."
Tidus just stared at him, not understanding in the least. Though he had to admit that it certainly sounded interesting enough.
"It means nice to meet you," Rin clarified after a few seconds of silence.
"Oh. Well then, helly doo sad wee to you, too," Tidus said, trying to remember how Rin had pronounced the words.
Rin laughed good-naturedly. "If you are interested in learning our language, Al Bhed primers can be found in places all over Spira. Here, I shall give you one in commemoration of our meeting." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small book, which he then held out towards Tidus.
"Ah, thanks," Tidus said as he accepted it. He briefly wondered why the man would randomly be carrying a language book on him, but then decided some things were better left unknown. He flipped through the pages with interest, wondering how many primers there were and if the language would be hard to learn.
Rin smiled. "It is my pleasure. Now, I must be going."
Tidus nodded at him absently, already focused on the Al Bhed primer. He managed to make his way over to one of the little tables in the lobby and then sat there reading, occasionally mumbling words and phrases to himself, frowning over the pronunciation.
He was still engrossed in the book an hour later when the others came out to the lobby, awake and ready to go.
"Al Bhed?" Maroda asked, peering over Tidus' shoulder.
Tidus jumped, startled. He closed the primer and turned around. "Yeah," he said, a touch defensive. He knew from Rikku the Al Bhed were rather unpopular in Spira, even though he found it rather silly. "It might come in handy."
Maroda shrugged. "You're free to learn what you like."
"I-I know that!" he said, still feeling defensive. Maroda's response had thrown him off-balance. He'd expected some disgust, maybe a bit of anger or annoyance, not mild-mannered unconcern. Perhaps Isaaru had managed to talk some sense into him after all.
Pacce wandered over then, looking at the book Tidus was holding. "What's that?" he asked, tilting his head to try and read the title. "I can't read it..."
"Uh..."
"It's Al Bhed," Maroda told him, scowling. "Nothing you need to learn."
Tidus sighed. He should have known Maroda would have still found some way to be a bit of a jerk. "Shouldn't we be going soon?" he asked, changing the subject. He looked around for Isaaru, spotting him in conversation with someone Tidus that didn't know and, in all likelihood, Isaaru didn't know either.
"Yes," Maroda replied. "We have a long day ahead of us, and still a ways to go before we reach Djose Temple."
"Let's go then!" Pacce yelled, making everyone else in the room wince. He ran quickly over to where Isaaru was, Maroda and Tidus following at a more reasonable pace.
It didn't take them long to settle back into the traveling routine of yesterday, chatting amiably (or as much as one could with a hostile Maroda) as they walked, always on alert for any trouble they might encounter along the way.
The Highroad was not quite as pleasant as it had been the previous day, however. Tidus didn't know what was up, but there was a lot of increased activity-people running this way and that, some shouting out orders to each other. Heavy looking crates were being carted around, and there were even a few wagons hitched up to chocobos that were being loaded up. But there was still a hushed air about the whole thing, and Tidus knew that if he were to talk to them he wouldn't get many answers, if any.
"Who are all those people?" he asked Isaaru curiously. They had fallen a bit behind the other two, for which Tidus was grateful. He felt more comfortable talking to Isaaru when Maroda wasn't around.
"Crusaders. They are a volunteer group, warriors who have pledged to protect the people of Spira from Sin. I do not know what they are planning to do here."
"Ah, " Tidus said. He glanced around a bit nervously. "Sin's not... here, is it?"
Isaaru smiled. "Don't worry. If Sin was here, you would definitely know it."
"I guess..." Tidus said uncertainly, though he realized there was probably truth in what Isaaru was saying. He'd certainly known all the previous times Sin had appeared in his life.
"Isaaru," Maroda said then, interrupting them, his voice serious. His face was grim, and Tidus felt a nervous chill as he looked at him. Was Sin here after all, perhaps? He couldn't recall having seen Maroda look so serious before.
"What is it?" Tidus asked anxiously, before Isaaru could say anything. He half-expected Maroda to glare at him or something, but for once the man didn't bother.
"I just heard some disturbing information. I overheard some of the Crusaders talking. It seems that summoners on their pilgrimages are disappearing."
Tidus frowned. "Disappearing? What do you mean?"
Isaaru, however, merely laughed. "I am sure it is just a rumor, though indeed it is a curious one. It is quite likely some summoners have fallen victim to prey. Let us not worry too much about it."
"No," Maroda said forcefully. "Many summoners, not just a few here and there. They set out for a destination and yet... they never make it. No one sees them again. It as if they have vanished into thin air, and no amount of searching can uncover their whereabouts."
Tidus scoffed. "Sounds more like a ghost story."
Maroda scowled, but determinedly ignored him. "Isaaru, I beg of you once more. Please reconsider this pilgrimage. It is a pointless folly-"
"Hey, whatcha all talking 'bout?" Pacce yelled back at them suddenly. He had stopped and turned around, hands fisted on his hips as he impatiently waited for the group to catch up. "Come on, you're all slow! Hurry up!"
Maroda looked annoyed at being interrupted, but didn't resume the thread of conversation. Nor did Isaaru answer his brother's plea. Tidus decided it would be wise not to say anything for a while, and followed behind them in awkward silence.
They traveled the length of Mi'ihen Highroad in that same awkward silence, fending off any fiends that chanced to attack, stopping to heal and rest when necessary. Gradually Tidus came to notice that the road was changing from a well-marked and well-worn dirt path to a rocky one that didn't have any clear outline at all. Somehow, without him noticing, they had come to an entirely new area.
"Where are we?" he asked, looking around at the strange mountain formations surrounding them.
There was a short pause, and then Maroda answered him. "We are now on Mushroom Rock Road. Once we pass through this area we will come to the Djose Highroad, and at the end of that sits Djose Temple, where we are headed."
"So... we're reaching that today?"
Maroda sighed. "It's hard to say at this point. It depends on how much trouble the fiends give us. The basilisks on Djose are particularly nasty."
"I see," Tidus said, though inwardly he was groaning. He didn't regret agreeing to be Isaaru's guardian (though he did feel some lingering guilt over Auron), but he hadn't realized the job was going to be quite so... challenging. He'd never had to fight back in Zanarkand. Fiends so rarely got into the city and when they did, there were always fiend hunters to quickly take care of them. Being thrown into Spira where he suddenly had to spend every day fighting for his life was an eye-opening experience.
At least he had improved. He had still remembered those first few horrific battles he'd gotten into upon arriving in Spira. That... thing underwater, and those horrible creatures lurking around in the ruins. He'd never felt so terrified in his life. He was actually surprised he hadn't died, considering that his only experience at that point was the Sinspawn with Auron-and those had pretty much been a hack and slash job for him, Auron had shouldered the brunt of those killings.
Fighting alone had been an entirely different experience. He only had himself to rely on-there was no safety net of knowing there was someone to fall back on if he got in trouble. Fighting alone meant that getting in trouble almost certainly spelled out death. He'd had to learn to be quick but careful, and how to understand his enemy and exploit its weakness to his advantage.
It had been tough, and had he fought alone much longer, he was not all that sure he would have survived. He was thankful now to have three companions with him, to help and support him as he learned more about his own strengths and weaknesses in battle. He liked having a safety net once more, though he was slowly learning that even then he couldn't rely on that one hundred percent. It was an interesting mix of fending for yourself while working in tandem with a team.
If he ever made it back to Zanarkand, things certainly would never be the same.
* * *
They finally made it out of the mountain pass in the late evening, weary and exhausted by the many battles that had taken place along the way. Even Pacce, whose spirits had been annoyingly high throughout most of the day, was starting to wear thin.
"Finally! Djose Highroad!"
"At last. I don't think I can take another step," Tidus grumbled.
"The temple isn't very far-" Maroda started.
"No, I agree with Tidus," Isaaru said. "We should stop for the day. It is not a good idea to go on in the state we're in. We can set up camp in this small alcove, and take turns keeping watch throughout the night."
"Fine," Maroda said tersely after a brief moment of silence.
Pacce let out a half-hearted yell. "Alright! I thought we'd never stop!"
Tidus had to agree with his sentiment. The trek through Mushroom Rock had seemed to take forever. The fiends had seemed to come non-stop, while the road continuously stretched out before them. The humidity of the weather didn't help, and carrying his supplies and his weapon got tiring after awhile. He decided that when he made it back to Zanarkand, he would never complain about life there, ever again.
"Hey, don't just stand there, give us a hand!"
Tidus jerked, startled out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Maroda glaring at him. Isaaru and Pacce were beginning to set up their small camp, and that was no doubt what Maroda wanted him to help with.
He sighed, and headed over to the group. It seemed that fighting wasn't the only thing he was going to be learning on this journey. He still had a long, long ways to go.