Chapter Two:
The Crest of Determination

Far beyond the hazy borders of my heart, I can see a place,
That’s something like this.
Every now and then,
I don’t know what to do,
But still I know that I can never go back

All those things I’ve seen
In those hazy dreams,
Can’t compare to what I’m seein’ now

Everything’s so different,
That it brings me to my knees
And, though, I know, the world of Real Emotion Has surrounded me,
I won’t give into it

Now, I know,
That forward is the only way my heart can go
I hear your voice calling out to me:
“You’ll never be alone.”

Tidus rocked back on a chair, his hands clasped behind his head as he sighed. Besaid is really a nice place, but it’s too quiet. He thought to himself. He sighed again. Ever since the Aeons, magical creatures who could use magic and other sorts of attacks, had restored him to Yuna, Tidus had been feeling restless.
Three years ago, since Yuna had restored the Eternal Calm, which had crumbled under a gigantic Machina called Vegnagun, Tidus had been dead. Well, as dead as a 1022 year old guy could be.
Five years ago, at the beginning of the Eternal Calm, Tidus had discovered he was nothing more than a dream of the Aeons, a vision sent to help Yuna in her Pilgrimage. While he had been solid and everything, Tidus had been a dream, a dream that vanished when the Aeons all woke up, when Sin, a mammoth water dwelling terror, had been defeated.
But then, Vegnagun had come. A Machina so powerful, it could have taken on Sin, who was an entity born out of the hatred in people’s hearts.
When Tidus was just 17, he witnessed Sin being born, and witnessed his home city of Zanarkand, now called the City of the Dead, being destroyed. And all because of a war that no-one wanted to fight, a war that tore Spira in two.

“Tidus? Come on, we need to get to the campfire for the Naming.” That was Yuna’s voice. It was Yuna who had brought Tidus back to life. When she had defeated Vegnagun, the Aeons felt that they owed Yuna something. So they had restored Tidus to life.

“I’m coming.” Tidus laboured to get up from his comfortable position. He had just gotten that seat warm too! He stumbled out of the tent towards the campfire in the middle of the village.

Besaid was small, as Villages and Islands went. While it had a cave, two waterfalls, a shrine, a temple devoted to the Fayth, and other such things, Besaid was still small. The village only had thirty three people in it! Well, thirty four now.
Wakka, a tall red head spotted Tidus first.

“You finally up, ya?” He asked, grinning at the filthy look that Tidus gave him. “About time, I was considering getting Lulu to change the baby’s nappy in your tent.” That earned him another dirty look.

“Don’t make me get Caladbolg out.” Tidus said wearily. He had been training for Blitzball all day, under the Tyrant called Beclam. He had been made to run up and down the beach twenty times, normally that wasn’t a problem, Tidus was an active guy, but he hadn’t been getting sleep lately. Mainly because Lulu’s and Wakka’s new baby girl had decided to give the whole village a wake up call at 3 in the morning, every morning.

“I’m sure you would. I’d just get Lulu to cast a spell on you then, or maybe my little angel will shoot you with a lightning bolt.” Wakka said, gazing down at his daughter with admiration. “She’s like her mother, in more ways than one.”

That got Tidus interested. “She can use magic already? He asked, in spite of himself. Her mother, Lulu, was one of the most powerful Black Mages in the world. Adept at casting elemental magic, she was a force to be reckoned with.

“Yep. I thought she’d might develop a bit later, but she must be strong. Or smart.” Wakka said, adding the last one as Lulu sidled up beside him.

“You’re talking about our daughter. I can tell. There’s always that tone in your voice when you do.” Lulu’s voice was like her hair, and magic. A sort of black voice, it seemed eternally amused, but also reprieving. Lulu herself wasn’t a surprise. Her dress was black, with a white fringe at the bottom, and some chains on it as well. She rarely spoke, but people listened when she did.

“Er, ya.” Wakka said, sounding hopeful that he wasn’t about to get a scolding.

“I hope you’ve chosen a name by now.” With those words, Lulu turned away, her total purpose for talking to Wakka now complete.

Wakka turned to Tidus, who had a grin on his face. “What? Don’t look at me, I’m not gonna interfere with Lulu. No-one with half a brain cell would.” Tidus said, his voice carrying a laugh.

“Which reminds me, where’s Yuna? She’s another lady who you don’t want to cross.” Wakka retorted.

As if on cue, Yuna walked up from behind Tidus, walking from Besaid Temple.

Wakka frowned as Yuna walked by.

“She goes there a lot now, always to look at that hole. You know what I mean?”

Tidus shook his head. “I still don’t understand how it was made. She mentioned something about Vegnagun, and then about Valefor, and then she trailed off.” Tidus looked down. Like Yuna and Wakka, Tidus had gone on the long journey to defeat Sin. Valefore was Yuna’s first Aeon.

“Well, one day fiends started pouring out of the temple. Yuna, Rikku and Paine went in, to follow me, right? Beclam threatened to set the Temple on fire, so I had to do something!” Wakka looked down, biting his lip. But then he continued. “So, anyway, Yuna and the others went in. And when we found the source of the fiends, Yuna wasn’t happy. Not at all. It was Valefore, but it was an evil one for some reason. It had created every one of those fiends. So, the Gullwings did what they had to do. They sent it to the Farplane.” Wakka said, looking thoughtful, a rare occurrence for him.

“Oh. No wonder she was upset.” Tidus said softly. Yuna had come near to them. She looped her arm around his own and started dragging him towards the fire, where Wakka and Lulu were about to name their new daughter.

But, invisible against the light glow of the bonfire, a glowing orange symbol glowed over Tidus’s heart. When he lay down to sleep that night, it was gone.