"_" = conversation
[_] = personal thoughts
---------- = time change
******* = meanwhile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can't do it kid. You're too weak. You? Protect a Summoner? Hahaha!! Leave him alone, Jecht...

Tidus sat up before he woke up and fell out of bed.

"Ow! Shit!" He cussed, pushing himself up off the floor.

"Dreaming again, huh?" Rikku asked.

The blonde looked up to see the girl opening his curtains.

"Yes."

"You can do it, Tidus. You're not weak." Rikku said.

Tidus sighed and leaned back on his elbows. "I can't even get out of bed right..."

The Al Bhed giggled. "You're such a pouty bitch."

"I am not...!" Tidus laughed.

"Get dressed. It's your big day."

Tidus' stomach knotted a little.

"And that guy I was telling you about is here. He came all the way from Luca to guard you."

"What? Rikku, I told you...I don't need any more guardians. I've got two of the best with me already."

"Well you'll have three of the best then. Not only that...Wakka is sexay."

Tidus rolled his eyes and pulled his shorts on. "I wish you'd stop trying to set me up."

"You'll like Wakka. He's a redhead might I add. I know you *like* redheads."

Tidus sighed and put his vest and blitz glove on.

"You don't have to prostitute him to me. If he came all the way from Luca there's no way I'd send him back."

Rikku clapped, "He's waiting right outside! I'll introduce you!!"

Before Tidus could say anything else Rikku rushed out of the hut. Tidus cussed and grabbed an apple from his table. He took a bite of his apple and walked outside. The blonde almost choked on the piece of apple when he saw the redhead Rikku was talking too. He was "sexay". Tall, buff, wearing an old Auroch's uniform. Tidus rapidly shook his head and swallowed his bite of apple. He walked up to the pair.

"Hi." Wakka smiled.

Tidus smiled back, "Hi."

"Wakka, Tidus. Tidus, Wakka."

Wakka and Tidus shook hands.

"So...where are we going first?" Wakka asked.

"Well first we have to find Kimahri. Then we're off to Baaj Temple to see if we can solve the puzzle there. So far no one has been able to break it. No one even knows if there's an Aeon in the temple. They just assume there is because if you're close to Baaj at night you can hear a woman singing the Prayer of the Fayth." Rikku explained in practically one breath.

"Uh...thanks Rikku." Wakka grinned.

Tidus rolled his eyes, "Kimahri's probably hunting on Waterfall Way. Let's go."

Wakka nodded and followed Tidus out of the village. Rikku bounded after the two men the beads in her hair clicking together noisily. As they were walking up the path to the praying statue they past a young Kilikan nun. She nodded and smiled at Tidus. Tidus smiled and greeted her. Rikku wasn't watching where she was going and bumped head long into the nun.

"Watch where you're going, heathen!" The nun hissed.

Tidus whirled around in his tracks. Wakka stopped and looked over his shoulder. The blonde marched right up to the nun.

"Apologize. Now." He said.

"I am sorry, but I will not. Sir Tidus, she's..."

"My best friend. You will never insult her like that again. She converted to Yevonism three years ago. Now, apologize!"

"I-i am sorry."

Tidus let the nun pass. Rikku made a face at the nun's back.

"Damn visitors."

Tidus chuckled and slung his arm around Rikku's shoulders.

"But at least I have 'Sir Tidus' here to defend me." The girl added, grinning.

"Yeah." Tidus grinned. "C'mon. We'll pray then get Kimahri."

The trio stopped at the statue and performed Yevon's prayer. Tidus stood at the guard rail and looked down at Besaid. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

[Well. So long, Besaid. It was nice growing up here...]

"Are you ok?" Rikku asked.

Tidus opened his eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine."

The blonde was amazed when Wakka new exactly which path to take. Wakka caught Tidus' expression and smiled.

"I used to live here...about ten years ago."

"Oh. Cool."

Rikku was ahead of the two men, picking wild flowers as she went. Wakka looked up at the familiar ruins, remembering when he and Chappu used to scale them with nothing but rope. A bit of dust fell from the ruins and landed in front of Wakka. Both Tidus and Wakka stopped and looked up. Suddenly a huge Ronso jumped down from the ruins, spear aimed at Wakka.

"No Kimahri!" Tidus cried, pushing Wakka aside.

The Ronso's spear crunched into the dirt right where Wakka had just been standing. The redhead's heart was racing and his face was pale.

"Wakka's cool. He's a guardian...my guardian."

Kimahri pulled his spear from the dirt. He looked Wakka over and nodded approvingly. Rikku came running up, flowers discarded.

"Kimahri! Are you attacking people again??"

Tidus sighed when Kimahri turned to look at Rikku.

"Rikku? Why'd you put purple beads in his hair again?" Tidus asked.

"Cuz it's funny." Rikku replied.

Kimahri snarled playfully at Rikku and pulled the beads from his hair. Tidus looked at Wakka. The man was still a little white.

"Sorry about Kimahri. He's not fierce or anything. He's just protective of me."

Wakka nodded, "Hey Kimahri."

Kimahri nodded.

"He doesn't talk much either." Tidus added.

"Oh. That's all right with me."

"Well now that we found Kimahri. We're going to head to the other side of the island. There should be a boat waiting for us. Everyone got their weapons?" Everyone nodded. "Armor?" Everyone nodded again. "Then...Let's go."

The walk to the other side of the island would take a good hour. The hot Besaid sun beat down on the group. Kimahri shook the sweat from his paws and helped Rikku over a fallen tree trunk.

"So many people come through here. I don't know why they don't make a path." She grumbled.

"Because everyone loves to piss you off, Rik." Tidus teased.

Rikku blew a raspberry at Tidus.

"So? How long have you lived here, Tidus?"

"Eight years. Same as Rikku."

"Any family?"

"My mom. She took care of me, Rikku, and Kimahri. She moved to Kilika last month though. It's cooler over there. She couldn't take the heat anymore."

"What about Rikku's parents?"

"They disowned me once I started hanging out with Tidus because he's a 'damn Yevonite'." Rikku replied. "We met at a Blitz game in Luca and, ironically, that's where my parents left me. I sent a message to Tidus and he his ma came and got me."

"Harsh."

"Ha. They were begging me to come back home the next week, but I liked Besaid so much I stayed."

"How'd you and Kimahri meet?"

"Ten years ago Kimahri washed up in the Luca Harbor. Apparently he'd gotten in a tangle with Sin. He was badly injured. My mother and I took him in and tended to him. Once he was better he decided to stick around as my protector. He thought I'd need it since my...father was a guardian." Tidus replied.

Wakka snapped his fingers. "Spardas! Jecht Spardas! You're his son?"

"The one and only..."

"That's cool! Did you meet Sir Braska and Sir Auron?"

Tidus nodded. "I remember meeting them, but I hardly remember them anymore."

"So...why did you become a Summoner instead of a Guardian?" Wakka asked.

Kimahri and Rikku froze slightly before exchanging glances. Tidus' expression darkened a little and he walked out of the jungle onto the beach.

"I do not wish to follow in my father's footsteps. That's why..."

The redhead winced slightly and looked at Rikku. "I hit a tender spot, didn't I?"

"Oh yeah." Rikku nodded.

Wakka sighed, [Good one, Wakka. What a way to make a good first impression, dumbass..]

"And what about you, Wakka?" Tidus asked, walking across the sand. "Any family?"

"My parents died when I was very little. My brother and I were raised by a family friend until...ten years ago...when Sin was reborn...it attacked Besaid and killed my brother and our caretaker. I was shipped off to Luca to stay with my Aunt and I haven't been back to Besaid until now."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Tidus said. "Unfortunately Spira seems to flourish on death, suffering, and pain."

Rikku untied the boat from the pier and everyone piled in. Kimahri turned the key and the old fishing boat sputtered to life.

"No one to see us off?" Wakka asked.

"Not yet. We're not officially on my pilgrimage yet." Tidus replied, sitting down to sharpen Liquid Steel.

"So what's the story on Baaj?" Rikku asked.

"Destroyed by Sin. Same story as every other city on his planet." The summoner answered.

"Bummer." The Al Bhed sighed, tightening the straps of her Jammer.

Wakka snuck peeks at his new employer out the corner of his eye. The blonde was gorgeous. His hair was at least three different colors of blonde mixed together and bleached by the sun. His muscles were not too tan but not too pale and nicely defined. His baby blue eyes were alert and full of life. Wakka trailed his eyes up the blonde's body, from the ground up. He paused at the teen's throat where a small silver shell on a chain hung.

"You play for the Auroch's too?" He asked.

"Used to. Before I started training to be a summoner."

"What position?"

"Right defense."

"Goal keep."

"Oh, that's right. The Goers fired you...why'd they do that?"

"One: because I refused to wear their new 'purple corset' uniforms. Two: they wanted some new 'young' guy to take my place. I think his name was Gravv...or something like that. Don't matter to me anyway. I never did get along with my team."

"Well you might have to see them once more. I promised the Auroch's I'd watch their game when I pass through Luca. That's a day away though."

"Wakka's birthday is in three days." Rikku piped up.

"Really? How old?" Tidus asked.

"23."

"Then you'll have to remind me. We'll have to celebrate."

Wakka's cheeks colored a bit. "That's not necessary."

"Wakka. You are my guardian now. That also makes you my friend. Unlike some summoners I treat my guardians like humans...not underlings."

"Yuna." Rikku snorted.

"Pardon?" Wakka blinked.

"Yuna Lunet. High Summoner Braska's daughter. I don't understand how such a sweet and caring man could have such a ill-mannered bitch of a daughter. She shouldn't have been allowed to become a summoner."

"Baaj Temple." Kimahri announced. "Someone already here."

"Goody. Time to meet our competition. Man I hope it's not Yuna."

"Knowing our luck? It's Yuna." Tidus replied, grinning.

Everyone laughed, even Kimahri and they departed from the boat. Wakka looked around the water-logged ruins. A few gulls flew over the groups head, squalling loudly.

"Is it just me or is this place creepy?" Rikku shivered.

"It's creepy." Wakka replied, making sure to stay close to Tidus. "Any fiends here?"

Tidus shrugged. "No idea."

"There's fiends everywhere." A female voice said.

"Yuna..." Rikku groaned.

The brunette laughed as she walked up to the small group. A blonde Guado followed three steps behind her.

"Hello Tidus. Nice to see you again." She said.

Tidus forced a polite smile.

Yuna glared in Rikku and Kimahri's general direction. "Rikku. Kimahri."

"Yuna..." Rikku grumbled, sticking her tongue out at Tidus' rival summoner.

Kimahri said nothing. He only wrinkled his nose and frowned at Yuna. The teen smiled flirtatiously at Wakka. The redhead shifted, uncomfortable.

"Who's this stunning creature and why is he with you?" She asked.

"This is Wakka Abasi and he's my guardian." Tidus replied.

"You should really join up with the winning group, Wakka." Yuna offered.

"Uh, no thanks."

Wakka's rejection didn't seem to penetrate Yuna's skull. She just smiled wider and motioned for her guardian to follow her as she past the group.

"Watch her. She might put a hole in our boat." The Al Bhed grumbled.

"I heard that, Rikku!" Yuna called, boarding her boat. "Oh, by the way, I broke the puzzle but there's no Aeon."

"Yuna lying." Kimahri said, watching Yuna's guardian steer the boat towards Besaid.

"I know." Tidus replied, "Come on."

After a short and cold swim the group found the entrance to Baaj Temple. Tidus shivered and pulled himself out of the water onto some stone steps. He turned and helped Rikku out of the water. Kimahri and Wakka soon followed. The blonde shivered, his breath clouding in front of him. He jumped when a strong arm wrapped around him. He smiled up at Kimahri and snuggled into the Ronso's wet fur. He could feel the heat radiating off Kimahri. Ronsos never ceased to amaze Tidus. They could actually generate their own body heat. That's why they could stand living on the unforgiving peaks of Mt. Gagazet. Wakka tried to keep Rikku warm and the group carefully made their way up the steps. They came to a long room lit by six torches. A door, sealed by magick, was on the other side. Eight odd-looking statues lined the room, four on each side. Intricate patterns were carved into the floor in front of the statues. Tidus crouched down and examined the nearest one.

"It looks like...Something...fits in here..." He said, running his finger through the pattern.

He jumped back as magick suddenly filled the pattern. Everyone crowded around Tidus.

"What'd you do?" Wakka asked.

"Just ran my finger through the pattern."

Rikku moved to the next statue and ran her finger through the pattern. Nothing happened.

"You try." She said.

Tidus tried, but nothing happened for him either.

"Hey. This one is fading away." Wakka said.

The magick in the seal faded away. Tidus traced the pattern again but it did not refill. The summoner sighed, defeated.

"We don't have enough time to figure this out."

"Look on the bright side. We probably got farther than Yuna." Rikku grinned.

Tidus chuckled and straightened up. "Ok. Back to Besaid. It's time to start my pilgrimage."

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So...uhm...what do you think so far? R&R please ^^