Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Beginning of the End ❯ Chapter 1

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

It was a hot, muggy night on the island of Besaid. It had been two years since Yuna and her guardians had brought the eternal calm to Spira and everyone was enjoying being able to finally live without fear of Sin. There would be no apprehension tinging people's joy this time, no happiness mixed with anticipation of when Sin would rise again. A veil of sadness had lifted from Spira, never to return.

The residents of Besaid were making do with the uncomfortable weather the best way they knew how - by hanging out on the beach and taking advantage of the clear blue ocean. One particular group was being especially exuberant. The group consisted of High Summoner Yuna, her guardians, and the local blitzball team, the Aurochs. The group had blankets and towels spread out and a small fire had been built.

Several of the Aurochs were currently in the water, accompanied by a blond Al Bhed girl wearing a tiny yellow bikini. The girl giggled and splashed at her companions, letting out a squeal as one of the men grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her under. "Botta!" she scolded as she resurfaced.

A red head popped up from under the water less than a foot away. "Sorry Rikku, couldn't resist." Botta grinned.

"Jerk!" Rikku huffed, splashing him in the face. Botta splashed back, and soon Jassu, Letty, Datto, and Keepa joined in, ganging up on Rikku and laughing. The Al Bhed shrieked and tried to shield her face with her arms.

"Hey hey, no ganging up on the girl, it's not the gentleman thing to do, ya?" Wakka called from shore.

"Sorry Coach!" Letty shouted, still laughing. The dark skinned man helped Rikku get her soaked hair out of her eyes. "Wakka's stickin' up for you, i think he likes you ya?" He teased.

"Ew, gross!" Rikku replied with a giggle.

"What, you don't like men or something?" needled Datto.

"Sure i do. But there don't seem to be any real men on this island!" She retorted. With a wink and a twitch of her slender hips she started wading back to shore.

Botta groaned and put his hands over his heart, looking wounded. "But Rikku, i <i>love</i> you!" He cried out melodramatically, making his companions laugh.

Rikku stepped out of the water, pulling her bikini bottom out of the crack of her rear. "You couldn't handle it buddy!" She shouted back, cocking a hip in his direction and slapping it before dropping onto a towel next to Tidus and Yuna.

Botta sighed and started to float on his back. "Maybe not, but it'd be fun to try ya?" He said to himself.

Back on shore, Auron and Lulu were sitting close together and talking quietly. As a thanks for his and Tidus' work in allowing them to rest, the fayth had allowed Tidus and Auron to stay in Spira. As an added gift to Auron they had removed his scars and restored his destroyed eye. Auron had abandoned his red coat and high collar for sleeveless shirts and shorts. The Besaid climate was far too warm for him to run around in his old garb all the time, and now that he was no longer scarred he didn't really need it. Lulu had stopped dressing in her gothic black dress and was wearing a flowing dark blue sundress. The two thought they were being discreet, but practically everyone in Besaid knew what was going on between them.

Yuna and Tidus were cuddling and looking up at the stars. Tidus had finally given up on his old Zanarkand clothes and had begun to dress in more traditional Besaidian attire. Currently he was wearing a pair of baggy black shorts and a short-sleeved off white shirt that hung open to leave much of his chest revealed. He tightened his hold on Yuna as he saw something streak through the sky. "What the heck is that?"

"A shooting star?" Wakka speculated, squinting.

Auron had risen to his feet. "No," he said. "It's much too large."

The Aurochs had stopped to look too. It was getting larger and larger - and it was heading straight for them.

"Run!" Auron shouted, grabbing Lulu's hand. Rikku, Tidus, Yuna, and Wakka scrambled up from their seats and began to run down the beach. The Aurochs splashed loudly as they quickly swam to shore and ran after the rest of the group.

The object roared through the sky, pointed straight at the water. The group had time to observe that it appeared to be some sort of flying machina before the object hit the water. It sent up a large wave from the impact and rapidly began to sink.

"Hey, someone might be in that thing!" Tidus shouted. "We gotta go help!" The blond began running back down the beach and dove into the water, Wakka and the Aurochs following closely behind.

Tidus reached the machina first. The front windshield was shattered and water was pouring into the interior. Tidus dove down, swimming through the hole the impact had made and looked around. There were a series of seats scattered around what appeared to be the bridge of the vessel. Swimming closer to one of the seats, he could see the outline of a person strapped into the seat. They were conscious and struggling to find the belt release in the dim light the few functioning lights left offered. Tidus found the release and unsnapped it, then grabbed the person's arm and pushed them through the hole in the ship. He moved to the next chair just as Wakka, Jassu, Datto, Botta, Keepa, and Letty arrived. Jassu, Datto and Botta swam inside and made their way to the other chairs while Letty Wakka and Keepa waited just outside to aid if neccessary.

Tidus unsnapped the next belt from a figure who appeared to be unconscious. Once it was unfastened he hooked his arms around the person's waist and dragged their limp body towards the opening. Wakka met him halfway and pulled the figure out and to the surface. Working together, the group pulled out six people. They searched for another minute to make sure that they hadn't missed anyone, then swam to the surface.

The people they had rescued were laying on the beach. Two were unconscious and the others were sprawled on the sand coughing. One of them, a man with red hair styled into short dreadlocks got to his feet, swayed, then started to fall. Wakka caught him before he could hit the ground. "Whoa bruddah, take it easy," Wakka said as he helped the man lay down on his back. Wakka looked up at Yuna, Rikku, Auron, and Lulu approaching them. "Yuna, i need you to look at those two over there. I'm not sure -" He stopped short as he stared at the face of the man he had just helped.

The face was startlingly famiiiar. The man had a mustache and goatee that were as red as his hair. Even with the different hairstyle and the facial hair, Wakka knew this man immediately. But it was impossible - it just couldn't be.

"What the heck?" Tidus shouted in surprise a few feet away. He and Letty were knelt by another man. He was deeply tanned and had a headful of hair so blond that it was almost white. For a moment Wakka thought that Jassu had been hurt somehow - then he saw Jassu and Datto staring at one of the other survivors, looking just as shocked as Tidus sounded.

"Wakka!" Yuna was bending over one of the unconscious people, a young woman. "This - she's -"

Rikku clapped her hands over her mouth in shock. "It's - me!"

"What?" Auron asked in confusion.

"This girl - she looks just like Rikku!" Yuna exclaimed.

"This guy looks just like Jassu!" Tidus pointed to the man laying in front of him.

Datto swallowed hard. "This one looks like Rikku's brother."

Wakka stared at the half-conscious man in front of him. "This one looks like Botta."

"What?" Botta asked, coming closer to take a look. "What the - "

"These two look like Letty and Datto," Lulu murmured as she surveyed the other crash survivors.

"What the hell is going on?" Letty asked, looking and sounding freaked out.

"I don't know." Auron knelt next to the other unconscious person - the one who looked like Letty. "We need to get them out of here. This one and the girl need help immediately." He hefted the unconscious, dark-skinned man over his shoulder and Letty picked up the girl. The two headed quickly towards the village, Yuna, Rikku and Lulu following.

The man in front of Wakka was trying to rise again. "Careful now," Wakka said, wrapping an arm around the man's waist to support him. The man leaned against him, looking barely conscious. The others were helping the rest of the rescued crew stand up. They looked scraped up and fatigued but there didn't appear to be any serious injuries. Suddenly Keepa yelped. The group turned to see Keepa laying on his back, the Datto-looking man on top of him. This version of Datto had grown his hair out, strands of chin-length brown hair hanging in his face.

"Hey! What you doing, ya?" Botta called, running to assist Keepa. He stopped a short distance away when he realized that the strange man wasn't assaulting his friend.

The man who looked like Datto was stroking Keepa's face. And he was crying.

"Keep," the man sobbed. "Keepa." He suddenly leaned in and planted a feverish kiss on the lips of the man beneath him. Keepa's eyes grew huge and his hands balled into fists in the sand.

"Uh," stuttered the real Datto as he watched the man who looked just like him kiss Keepa. "Shouldn't we help him?"

Tidus scratched his head. "Well uh, it's not like he's trying to hurt him or anything." The Jassu lookalike Tidus was holding up suddenly lifted his head and shouted in the direction of Keepa and his assailant. "Datto!"

The other Datto broke off the kiss and looked in the other Jassu's direction. He then looked down at Keepa and scrambled off of the larger man. "Sorry - i'm sorry," he babbled as he crawled backwards in the sand. He stopped a few feet away and ran a shaking hand over his face, rocking a little bit.

Botta frowned and helped Keepa up. "Why don't you go help Tidus?" Botta said to Keepa. The chubby Auroch nodded and trotted off. Botta knelt down next to the Datto-looking man. "You ok?"

The man nodded, though he looked anything but. "Yeah." He got to his feet. "How's everyone else?"

"Two of your friends were unconscious, they've been taken to the village. I think everyone else is ok though," Botta said.

The Datto lookalike nodded. "Thank you for helping us. I know this must be freaking you guys out but-"

"Datto"

Both the lookalike and the real Datto looked over at the speaker. The dreadlocked redhead that resembled Botta had lifted his head and was staring at his comrade with cold grey eyes. "Not one more word," he said flatly.

The Datto lookalie grimaced and looked away. "Yes Sir."

The Botta lookalike pulled himself away from Wakka, standing unsteadily on his own power. "You will take us to our wounded now."

The Brother lookalike - who had a patch over his left eye - blinked his good eye as he leaned against Jassu for support. "Stop acting like that, these people are -" The Al Bhed began.

"Shut up, Aniki!" the Botta lookalike interrupted. "They have your sister and Letty! Who knows what they're doing to them!"

"Excuse me?!" Tidus said indignantly. "We just saved your lives and you're accusing us of -"

"That's enough!" Wakka shouted. He turned to the Botta lookalike. "Your friends are being taken care of. We're not going to hurt them, and if you're who i think you are then you should damn well know that!" The big man took a deep breath to calm himself. "Now," he continued, "Why don't we all go back to the village. Let Yuna take care of your friends and when she says it's ok i'll take you to see them. All right?"

None of the lookalikes spoke. Their uneasy gazes all turned towards the Botta lookalike, seeking his approval.

The dreadlocked redhead leaned close to Wakka, eyes narrowed. "You always were too damn bossy." He turned away and began to weave his way towards the path to the village.

"I'm sorry," the Datto lookalike apologized as he watched the Botta lookalike leave.

"What's up with him?" Tidus asked.

The Brother lookalike sighed. "It's a long story."

"Someone better keep an eye on him," Botta said. He took off to catch up to his double as the rest of the group started to head to the village as well.

*****

Botta felt the glare of his lookalike even before the man turned around. "Don't worry, i'm gonna listen to good old Cap'n Wakka." He said the last four words with distinct sarcasm. "You're living in the old crusader's lodge, right?"

"Yeah," Botta said as he fell in step with his double. "You didn't need to be so rude to him."

The other Botta chuckled darkly. "Ah, i remember when i thought Wakka was the greatest guy in the world too. You'll grow out of it, trust me."

Botta frowned. "I don't get any of this. You're me, right? From the future?" The other man merely nodded. "But how?" Botta asked.

"You'll find out - when i'm ready to tell you." His counterpart smirked unpleasantly.

Botta couldn't help but be unnerved. How had he become this man? What had happened that made him hate Wakka so much?

Was this really his future?

His double seemed to sense his thoughts. "Don't look so down, it doesn't completely suck to be me. You get to be a leader, have people fear you - and you get to fuck Rikku.

Botta gaped. "Rikku and i - end up together?"

His double chuckled and shook his head. "I remember how badly i used to want her. She wouldn't give me the time of day. Then by the time i could have her she was such damaged goods that i wasn't sure i wanted her anymore. But i took her anyway. It was nothing like our fantasies, trust me," he said bitterly.

They arrived at the empty crusader's lodge and Botta's double immediately headed for the third bunk on the left - Botta's bunk. He knelt and pulled a box full of clothes out from under the bed, selecting a shirt and a pair of shorts for himself. Botta stood back and watched as his counterpart began to peel off the wet, dirty clothes he was currently wearing.

The Botta lookalike was in even better shape than Botta himself was. His body was more densely packed with muscle from obvious hard labor. Despite his fitness, his body did not look entirely healthy. He looked as if he didn't get a lot of meals, or at least good ones. You could see his ribs and hipbones a little too easily. He had numerous scars on his chest and back.

"So, your future is pretty violent huh?" Botta asked.

His counterpart turned to face him as he buttoned up his shorts. "That's an understatement."

"What happened to make you end up this way?" Botta asked. Before his counterpart could answer, the others arrived. Aniki and the Datto lookalike were walking on their own power but the Jassu lookalike was still receiving assistance from Tidus.

The Botta lookalike's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong with him?" He asked, gesturing towards the Jassu double.

"Think i busted my knee," the Jassu lookalike said.

"Yuna can take care of him later, it's not serious." Wakka said, casting a cautious glance in the Botta double's direction. Wakka already didn't trust this guy - he seemed unpredictable and obviously disliked him for some reason.

"Aye Capn!" the Botta double said sarcastically.

"Cripes Botta will you just cut it out?" Aniki said, tiredly scratching at his mohawk. The Botta lookalike rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

Wakka sighed. "All right, how 'bout we get you guys in some dry clothes and then we'll figure out where everyone's gonna sleep, ya?" Everyone seemed to agree on that and the Aurochs went to their bunks to dig out clothes for their counterparts. Jassu also donated some clothes to Aniki, since they were about the same size. While everyone changed, Tidus and Wakka spoke quietly.

"So how we gonna do this?" Tidus asked. "There's an extra bunk here in the lodge. Yuna and i don't have any room with Rikku staying with us. You have an extra cot and maybe one of them could stay with Auron. If someone's willing to share a bed that covers everyone who's not wounded. The ones who are hurt are being treated in the temple so they can stay there for now."

Wakka nodded."I'll take anyone but Botta. That guy makes me nervous."

"Yeah, he'd probably try to cut your throat in your sleep or something," Tidus said, trying to joke and knowing it wasn't entirely a joke.

Just then Letty entered the lodge. "Hey, how are the others?" Wakka asked him. He glanced over at the other Botta, who was approaching them to listen.

"Well me - uh, i mean the guy that looks like me is pretty banged up. Yuna's been working on him but she's almost out of energy and he doesn't seem to be improving. She's not sure he'll make it." He gulped. "Rikku is a lot better. She's still unconscious but Yuna said she should be awake by morning."

The Botta lookalike shook his head. "Damn it," he muttered.

"Sorry about your friend," Letty said.

The dreadlocked redhead sighed in exasperation. "Great, he dies we've lost our black mage."

"But you're also upset that your friend is dying, right?" Tidus asked with a raised brow.

The Botta lookalike just made an annoyed sound, sweeping back his messy hair with a hand. "Why couldn't it have been Datto, he's a fucking useless crybaby anyway," he muttered to himself. "Damn it!" He wandered away, still muttering to himself.

Letty frowned at the retreating redhead. "What a jerk, ya?" He commented to Tidus and Wakka.

"'Jerk' is putting it mildly," Tidus scowled.

"Ok, so -" Wakka raised his voice. "Ok guys, here's what we're doin' with the sleeping arrangements. We got a bed here, a bed at my place, and a bed at Auron's. So someone's gonna have to double up or sleep on the floor somewhere."

The Jassu and Datto lookalikes exchanged glances. "We can double up," The Jassu lookalike said.

"I'll go sleep at Auron's," the Botta double said.

"Aniki can sleep at your place Wakka," the Datto lookalike said. The other lookalikes seemed to find this funny for some reason. Aniki glared at the Datto lookalike, though it was more or less a friendly glare.

"That ok with you Aniki?" Wakka asked.

"Yeah fine," Aniki stammered, nervously brushing his fingers through his mohawk.

The Botta lookalike started to head for the door. "Auron lives where that cloth shop used to be, right?"

"Yeah," Tidus said. "He might not be home tonight though, he -"

"Stays with Lulu a lot. I remember," the Botta lookalike concluded with a wave of his hand. "All the better." He pushed the flap aside and left.

Tidus shook his head. "I'm gonna go check on Yuna. Goodnight guys." He and Wakka exchanged hugs before he left.

"Ready to go Aniki?" Wakka asked. The Al Bhed nodded and followed him out of the lodge.

=====

A/N: Ok a couple things. I'm finding it a little hard to find a way to easily show the difference between the group from the future (the crash survivors) and the regular group. So i'm stuck using words like 'lookalike' and 'double' to describe them. So assume if i say a character's name and it doesn't have one of those words with it, it's one of the regular group and not the people from the future. The only exception to this is that the Brother double will be referred to as Aniki and the regular Brother will be referred to as Brother when he shows up later in the story. Confusing? Sorry if it is but i'm just not sure how else to show the difference between the groups right now. Anyway, i could have written more on this chapter but thought it was getting kind of long. More next chapter!