Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ True as Death itself! ❯ As true as Death itself! ( One-Shot )

"La-Jo, I've told you already!" Rikku turned to walk out of the changing room.

"Why aren't you putting me on the list Rikku because this has nothing to do with those hooligans!"

"You beat them up!"

"They attacked Wakka with knives!"

"Wakka had insulted them!"

"They tried to chat me up!"

"You shouldn't have come with us to that bar, we did warn you!"

"And do what?" La-Jo asked her "sit around on my butt waiting for you two to come in during the early hours of the morning!"

"You wouldn't have to wait up for us!"

"In case you forgot Rikku, I was on lock-up duty!"

"And who put down for lock-up duty on that night?"

"You did!"

"Did I?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, "you signed your name on the sheet next to mine!"

"I'll go check it later but for the time being, you're on the bench!"

La-Jo growled at her angrily as Rikku headed towards the door. "You're jealous!"

Rikku stopped and turned to face her. "Me, jealous of you, I don't think so!" scorning at her.

"You've read the docs report on me?"

"Yes!"

"Then you ARE jealous of me!"

Rikku quickly strolled over to her and leaned in her face. "Why would I be jealous of you?"

The other players stopped changing and had pressed themselves against the lockers, quietly praying that Rikku and La-Jo wouldn't have another fight!

"Because I'm faster than you, my agility and reflexes are better than yours plus the fact that Tidus likes me for being a team player seeing as I don't hog the ball!"

"Don't make me puke!"

La-Jo raised her paws in front of her face and positioned her feet, ready to take Rikku down. "Come on then!"

Rikku looked down at her as she folded her arms in front of her. "I'm not gonna waste my strength on you…"

"Afraid I'll beat you Rikku-Kukurin?"

Rikkus' eyes flashed with lightening as she went to slap La-Jo. But she missed.

La-Jo had ducked down and to her right, clenching her paws into tight fists, ready to thump Rikku right in the face!

WHUMP!?!

Rikku stumbled to the ground as La-Jo pulled herself into an upright standing position.

Sweeping back the long, grass green fringe so it was out of her face, La-Jo looked at the winded figure on the floor. Tiger skinned with long green hair and yellow eyes, La-Jo wasn't in the mood for being kicked around like the discarded doll that Rikku treated her like. She just wanted to get out on the field and play alongside the others. She wanted to hear the crowd cheer on her name as she tore up the field, ball under one arm while the other lifted her gracefully over an opponents head, performing an acrobatic forward flip.

But Rikku wanted her to stay on the bench.

Tidus had gone to see Yuna, leaving Wakka in charge of the team.

But after the incident at a local bar involving a group of youths, Wakka was unable to move from the hospital bed after the beating her took.

La-Jo, Rikku and Wakka had gone there for a quiet drink when three of the youths tried to chat up La-Jo. But she told them she wasn't interested and that She didn't date immature boys.

Wakka had then gone on to insult even more by saying they lacked a certain size of `manhood' if they planned on making La-Jo a happy girl. In response to his insult, they all pulled out knives and went to attack Wakka.

Rikku had desperately tried to stopped Wakka from getting involved but one of the youths pulled her out of the way and threw her over a table before closing in on Wakka.

If it weren't for La-Jo intervening when she did, Wakka would have been dead!

"La-Jo…"

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" snapping at the player who spoke to her.

He jumped back, frightened by the aggression in her voice.

Rikku slowly climbed to her feet and stared at La-Jo. "I'VE WARNED YOU ABOUT THIS ALREADY, DON'T MAKE ME PUNISH YOU!"

"Then punish me bitch!"

Rikku sighed. She really didn't want to punish La-Jo. "I don't want to punish you LA-Jo but if you leave me no choice, then I will!"

The other players sighed.

The last time Rikku and La-Jo fought, Tidus and Wakka had to spend nearly an hour trying to keep the pair separate long enough to find out why they had started fighting.

"She started it!"

"I did not!"

"You threw the ball so it smashed me in the face!"

"You told me to throw it head-height!"

"You told to throw it ABOUT head-height!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Now, back in the changing room, Rikku was about to make a decision that could affect the whole team.

Should she drop La-Jo from the team period or should she keep her on?

Tidus would keep her on but made sure she had as little as possible to wind her up.

"La-Jo is like a loaded gun, all it takes is for someone to pull the trigger!"

Rikku straightened herself out and looked at La-Jo with a sad look on her face.

"Well?"

"I'm sorry La-Jo but I'm going to have to drop you from the team period!"

"What?" she yelled angrily "you can't drop me from the team!"

Rikku stepped to her. "Watch me!" She then left.

La-Jo collapsed onto her knees. "Not again, I've gone and screwed up again!" slamming her fist on the stone floor. Tears fell.

All her life, La-Jo knew nothing other than how to survive and how to play Blitzball.

In the wake of Sins attack on technology, La-Jo was left homeless and without parents. They had died defending the town from Sins attack. If weren't for a group of Blitzball players from a nearby city, La-Jo would have died as well. She had began her training at the age of four and by the time she was twelve, she was known as the Blitz-Tiger for her speed, reflexes and agility.

When she turned thirteen, someone suggested joining the Advance Forces, the militia of all military sections. They were recruiting in the area, looking for strong recruits with a thirst to survive. It was at a Blitzball game that a Commander discovered her, amazed by her determination to win and live through the dangerous game. At the end, he went to her with a proposition.

"Join the Advance Forces and you could be leading your own troopers with a thirst like yours!"

"Fighting cost my parents lives, why would I wont to do die early?"

"Because with your thirst to survive you won't die because you refuse to give in!"

In a month, she was running Assault Courses, engaging in mock close-combat situations and even learning to use firearms.

But she wasn't happy. Until she met a new trooper in her squad.

Ooh-Teik was his name. Young, full energy, strong and a thirst for fighting.

Ooh-Teik and La-Jo struck off really well and soon ended up going out.

But a couple of months later, Ooh-Teik and the rest of the young male recruits were sent to a clinic for tests. Or least that's what they were told!

The clinic actually either castrated partially neutered or left males alone. This was the Military's' way of preventing over-breeding in the ranks.

Ooh-Teik, unfortunately, was partially neutered.

But one day, La-Jo stepped out of line with her commanding officer.

When she was requested to attend the clinic for a health check, Ooh-Teik warned her about what they did to him. Upon hearing this, La-Jo went to the clinic and challenged the officer in charge of the clinic as too why this was done.

"To prevent weak soldiers from being born!"

"Weak soldiers?"

"You're La-Jo am I not mistaken?"

"Yes I am!"

"Then let me explain, after the Sin disaster, the Military are breeding recruits so strong soldiers are born!"

"And by castrating some males, you hope to have strong soldiers?"

"Yes, we test their level of fertility, then we decide on what to do with them!"

"So what about Ooh-Teik?"

"Only partially unless he doesn't boost his fertility levels, then we will completely neuter him!"

"What about females?"

"We run tests, the same way as with the males…"

"And they aren't very fertile?"

"Then we provide them with fertility boosters, in their food, drink or in the air ventilation system!"

"That way you can make sure we're all extremely fertile!"

"Knowledge is a dangerous thing you know…"

"As is an angry female recruit!" glaring at the officer.

Shortly after she attacked him, she found herself standing in the Commanding Generals office, handcuffed as well as an electric collar to keep her in place.

"We don't like having to let our recruits go by force, normally we would shoot them!"

During the whole speech, La-Jo had held her head down until then!

"Shoot me?"

"That's right!" He had his back to her, his hands clasped behind his back. He turned to look at her. "But I can't bring myself to order it in your case!"

"Why?"

"Because Ms" sitting down at his desk "you're a well known, A-Star class Blitzball player!"

"So you're going to let me go voluntarily?"

"Yes!" pulling open his desk drawer. He pulled out a form. "Just fill in this form, sign it and you're free to go!"

With the handcuffs removed, La-Jo signed and dated the form.

"Go and pack you're things, a car will come by you're barracks midnight tonight to pick you up!" filing the form away. He dismissed her.

Back at her barracks, La-Jo packed all of her stuff into a dufflebag and looked out the window. She could see her troop out there on the Assault Course, training for the day when they would be called for action.

Looking into her bag, she pulled out a picture.

In it was her and Ooh-Teik stood in front of a jeep, smiling at the camera.

She ran a finger over the glass before putting it on the bed. She then went and carried her bag into the Mess Room and sat there on one of the chairs, waiting for the others to return.

It was late in the afternoon when everyone returned to shower and change for dinner. It was then that she was found.

"HEY GUYS, LA-JOS' IN HERE!"

The troop crowded around her.

"Hey La-Jo, why have you got you're duffel-bag with you?"

"Because I'm leaving…"

The troop protested with `No way' and `You must be kidding'.

"It's true, I've been asked to go voluntarily!"

"But why?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you that!"

"Oh come on La-Jo, we're your family now, you can tell us!"

La-Jo sighed as she looked at the floor. "I…"

"Spit it out girl!"

"Yeah, we wanna know!"

"I…I attacked a superior officer!"

"They're okay though?"

Silence.

"La-Jo?"

"I'm sorry, I've let you all down…"

The troop stood around quietly before the call for dinner was made. As they left, they each patted La-Jo on the back and head, offering her words of confidence and hope for the future.

At midnight, while the troops were in town enjoying themselves, a jeep-like vehicle pulled up outside and the driver climbed out. He went and, opening the door, stepped inside. "RECRUIT 10934?"

"I'm here!" stepping up to him. She put her bag down and saluted him.

He saluted her back. "Under Code 45, Section 78a of the Recruits Behavioural Rules you have been given special punishment for the manslaughter of Chief Medical Surgeon Furganio, by request of General Gothak, you have been asked to leave this encampment and never return, do you still accept your decision to leave?"

"I do, now lets' get this over with!"

"Follow me please!" He walked out the door, followed by La-Jo.

Climbing into the vehicle, they drove to the camp gates where they handed their permit over to the gate guard before being allowed past. They then drove off into the darkness of night.

After being dropped off in city, La-Jo began her career as a Blitzball player all over again. After many deals from teams, she accepted Tidus's offer.

That is how she got to where she is now.

Now, she had been dropped from the team for the season by Rikku.

Grabbing her stuff, La-Jo stormed out of the changing room and went back to where she was staying.

It was a ramshackle of a house than an Inn as was signposted. But it was all she could afford until her next wage packet came in.

The owner was a shady man; small in height, small in brains but large when it came to using his mouth.

"You're behind on you're rent Ms!"

"I've told you, I'll pay it as soon as I get paid!"

"Better be soon then or else you'll be looking for somewhere else to live!"

La-Jo sighed. She was least a month behind on the rent. Plus there was the extra cost for getting her radiator repaired as well as the money she owed to Wakka from when she borrowed a hundred credits from him to pay for last months rent!

There were only two words to describe the amount of trouble she was in!

Shit loads!

Unless the team gets to play a big-time team, they'll end up selling her to another team. The only reason why she accepted the offer was because the team was friendly towards her. All of them except Rikku!

Since joining the team a year ago, she and Rikku had been enemies. Every time Rikku was near her, she would do something nasty that would instigate a fight between the pair.

"Who would want to be friends with a Tigerian anyway?" She tossed her kit on the floor and lied down on her bed. Memories floated in front of her. Memories of her best friend Te-Cu, another Tigerian!

Te-Cu was a year older than La-Jo. She was also taller than her with lavender eyes and a smile that used to melt peoples heart. Te-Cu stood up to bullies for La-Jo when they picked on her and shared her cakes with her when she didn't have anything to eat. Te-Cu was like the older sister that La-Jo didn't have. They went everywhere together. They were inseparable at times!

But it was on the day of Sins attack that the friends last saw each other.

Te-Cu was ushered onto a wagon while she watched her young friend being carried away from her.

That was the last time they saw each other.

Now La-Jo was desperate to see her friend again. To hear her voice. To be by her side again and share her adventures with her.

But Te-Cu will have changed by now!

Back at the Blitzball Stadium, Rikku sighed. She felt bad. Very bad.

"I shouldn't have dropped La-Jo from the team!"

"What's wrong Rikku?"

Rikku turned to face Wakka. "Oh Wakka, I've done a really awful thing!"

"What, besides not asking how I am?"

Rikku smiled. "I'm sorry Wakka" hugging him.

"Hey, no problem, you look like you have enough to worry about besides how I am!" sitting himself. He placed the crutches against the wall and lifted his plaster-casted leg up onto the table in front of him. "So, what stuff have I missed?"

"Nothing much, I dropped La-Jo from the team just now…"

"You did what?"

"I dropped La-Jo from the team!"

"Why?"

"She attacked me!"

"Why did she attack you?"

"Because I took her off the team playing list!"

"What did you do that for?"

"She's the reason why you're in a plaster-cast!"

"Rikku!"

She looked away as he moved over to her using his crutches.

"Rikku, we need her!"

Silence.

"With Tidus absent and me out of action, we need all the players we have available!"

"I know that Wakka!" turning to face him "But she's a loaded gun waiting to go off!"

Wakka lowered his head. He knew this side of Rikku. The careful side. The side that would rather forfeit a game than go in there with a highly-strung player who turns dangerous the instant someone threatens a team member.

"I don't want to be responsible if she goes off with an explosion, I don't want to see her hurt people!"

"Is that why you put her on the benches in the first place?"

Rikku nodded.

"And because of that, she went ballistic at you and you dropped her from the team?"

Again, she nodded.

Wakka sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "This is gonna take some time to sort out, I better go and talk to La-Jo and see if she's okay!"

"Hey, are you gonna eat out or what?"

La-Jo opened her eyes and looked at the person stood next to her. "Huh?"

"You've been a sleep darhling, Jesus you look a mess!"

"Just leave me alone Marla, I've had a shit day!"

Marla was about five foot five inches with long black, curly hair and auburn eyes. A local prostitute who liked to be a pain in the ass to La-Jo! "You don't say, well you better get up and sort yourself out because you've got a gentleman visitor!"

She left, giving La-Jo a chance to tidy herself up a bit.

"Hey!" Wakka swung into the room and closed the door using his crutch.

"I take it you heard about what happened between me and Rikku?"

"Hey, with a close knit family like ours, how can I not find out?" He sat down on the bed next to her.

"Rikku is placing the blame about what happened to you on me!"

"I know!"

"She is such a bitch to me!"

"Hey, whoa there, careful with the language, I know you two don't get along very well but there's no need for that kind of language!"

"I know, I'm sorry!" lowering her head.

"Hey, at least you're being honest about your feelings towards her!"

She nodded.

"Now, just to let you know, Rikku feels really bad about dropping you out of the team…"

La-Jo snorted. "Yeah right!"

"No, seriously she does, I should know!"

She sat still.

"Rikku knows the team needs you, what with Tidus being away and me being injured until the end of this season…"

La-Jo looked out the window.

"We need Rikku and you to cover our positions until we can play again!"

Silence.

"La-Jo, please…"

Still silence.

"If Rikku apologises and puts you back on the team for this season, even let you play, will you get along with her?"

"Are you asking me to be friends with her?"

"In a way, yes!"

"Why would I want to be friends with her?"

"Because then you'll get to play and maybe, just maybe, you'll get to know one another well enough to understand each other!"

La-Jo thought about it.

A chance to have a new friend!

"I'll give you until tomorrow night to think about it, me and Rikku are going for a drink at a new bar called the Golden Ocean, if you want to accept my offer, then you'll turn up, if you don't turn up, then…"

La-Jo looked at him.

"Then I'm sorry!" He opened the door and left.

Marla walked in. "What was all that about?"

"Oh go and find some rich guy to screw will you!" La-Jo snapped.

"Ooh sorry, didn't realise I was invading your breathing space!"

"I'll be invading your breathing space if you don't get your dick-infested tits out of my face!"

Marla scowled at her before she left, slamming the door shut upon leaving.

"Tit-less cow!" La-Jo cursed as she lied down on the bed again.

"Hey whitey, get your body over here!"

A tall, slender built young woman walked over to the drunk. "What?"

The man reached out and, grabbing her arm pulled her onto his lap. "How much?"

"For what?"

"For the night!"

The woman grabbed her tray from the table and whacked the guy over head with it, knocking him out.

The bartender came out from behind the bar and went over to the guy. He bent over and checked the guy was okay.

"If he's breathing then he better be taken home fast!"

"For mothers sake, you could have killed him!"

"Good, then maybe this city will have one less drunk to worry about!" The woman went to walk away but the bartender grabbed her by her elbow and stopped her.

"Are you trying to lose your job already?"

"I am a barmaid, I am not a sex machine!"

"If the guy is asking how much for the favour, then you do it, the more money this place gets the more bonus's we get!"

"You just don't get it do you!" She wrenched her arm free.

The bartender lowered his head as he put a hand over his eyes.

"Our boss may like the idea of us selling our bodies like a bunch of prostitutes but prostitutes get killed every day!"

"You're right, I don't like the idea either but it's the only we're going to able to keep our jobs!"

"Well, if that guy wakes up still asking for sex, you do it!" She turned and walked back to the bar.

The bartender strolled over to her. "Excuse me, did I just hear you say I will have to sleep with the guy?"

"That's right!"

"Hey, whoa, listen!" he grabbed her wrists and turned her to face him "I do the females, I don't do guys!"

"Well it's about time you do because I've spent the night with female punters before!" pulling herself free.

The bartender stared after her as she went and served a couple their drinks. "She's slept with both men and women?" running a hand through his short spiky red hair "I've got to get out more often!"

La-Jo spooned her noodles around the plate in front of her.

"Hey Jo-Jo, you no eat!"

"Huh, what?"

The woman was smiling at her now. Grey hair tied back into a bun with two sticks sticking through to hold it place, grey wise eyes gazing at the troubled girls face. "You no hungry?"

"I am, I just have no appetite at the moment!"

"Jo-Jo troubled, Ming put noodles away for when Jo-Jo is ready to eat!" taking the plate away.

La-Jo looked around.

The little food bar was empty tonight. Just how she liked it at times like this!

"Jo-Jo speak to Ming, bring troubles out of heart and lay them out on surface for Ming to listen to!"

"I don't know where to start Ming, everything is so hard for me now!"

"Life hard for those with big bright future!"

"If you say so…"

"Say so, Ming knows so!"

La-Jo smiled.

"Now, tell Ming everything!"

"Rikku dropped me from the team today!"

"No, she didn't, why?"

"I lashed out at her!"

"If you didn't lash out, you would be in team still!"

"She had put me on the benches after what happened to Wakka!"

"And you lashed out because of a temporary decision?"

"I know, it sounds stupid and now I'm paying the price unless I make up and be friends with her!"

"Better to be friends than to be enemies!"

"I know but my stats are better than hers…"

"Stats does not have anything to do with not being friends!"

"I don't understand…"

"You have friend you miss and you do not want to replace her or him!"

"I…guess your right!"

Ming smiled. "Jo-Jo have appetite for noodles now?"

La-Jo smiled. "Yes I do!"

Ming shuffled into the kitchen. "Ming reheat noodles for Jo-Jo!"

La-Jo smiled as the old woman returned with the steaming hot plate of noodles and, picking up a fork, started to tuck in.

"With appetite like that, Ming surprised Jo-Jo no ask for more!"

"Jo-Jo is happy with this Ming, thank you!"

"Aaah you know Ming care, Ming not throw beggar out when beggar is thin with hunger, same with you!"

The bartender sighed as he watched his colleague serving drinks to customers.

Tall. Short white hair. Lavender eyes. Tiger skinned. All of it served up in a uniform consisting of a black knotted blouse and trousers. A white waistcoat covered the blouse.

"Table thirty-two would like another round!"

The bartender gazed at her eyes, not hearing one word.

"Hey!" She snapped her fingers by his ear, forcing him to come out his trance.

"Did you say something?"

"Yes!" shoving a small piece of paper against his chest "Drinks for thirty-two!"

"Right, sorry!" He took two glasses down from an over-head shelf and began filling them with drinks.

"Do that again and you'll be seeing stars, not me!" She walked off to serve another table, tray in one hand, pad and pencil in the other.

The bartender sighed as he leant against the surface of the bar, supporting his chin on his knuckles. "Man, what a woman!"

"Hey mister, can I have another drink?"

"Sure, coming right up!"

Rikku stood outside the shady building and looked at the piece of paper in her hand. "This is the right place alright!" She took a deep breath and walked up to the door.

Knocking on the front door, she patiently waited.

A wooden shutter pulled back as a pair of glassy blue eyes looked at her.

"What do you want?"

"I'm here to see someone!"

"Marlas' gone to work so if you've come for Bubbos' money, tell him he can wait…"

"I'm not here to see this Marla person, I want to see La-Jo!"

"She's not here!"

"Can you tell me where she is?"

"You're that Rikku aren't you?"

"Yes!"

"I've been told not to tell you where she is so fuck off!" The shutter closed.

Rikku sighed. "I don't want to wreck your nice door mister…"

"I TOLD YOU TO FUCK OFF!"

She sighed as she clenched her hand into a tight fist and placed it against the door, concentrating on breaking it open.

The owner went and sat down in a chair turned the video screen on, putting the volume up. He laughed as a pair of comedians tried to smash solid bricks with their bare fists.

CRACK!

"Huh?" sitting upright.

CRACK!?!

"Who's there?"

CRACK!?!

"Whoever you are, that door is reinforced with steel beaming on the inside!"

CRACK!?!?!

The door split clean down the middle!

With a forceful kick, Rikku forced the two door pieces off their hinges and stepped inside.

The owner looked over the edge of the chair, shaking with fright. "Take what you want, just don't kill me!"

Rikku stepped around the chair and, grabbing the owner by his shirt, hoisted him up into the air. "Tell me where La-Jo is!"

"She said something about visiting her roots!"

"Is that all?"

"She also mentioned a place, a place called Mirandos' Jungle, I think it's in the northern part of the city!"

"Thank you!" putting him down. She then walked over to his door, lifted the two pieces and jammed them into the doorway behind her as she left.

"Mirandos' Jungle, I've heard about that place, it's suppose to be filled with junkies and gangsters!" walking towards Wakka.

"Well, she in?"

"She's gone to Mirandos' apparently!"

"Mirandos' ?"

"It's a club-bar place in the north part of the city, we better get there quick before something happens!"

"Why?"

"Mirandos' is filled with junkies and gangsters, there's fights there all the time!"

"You're worried about La-Jo attacking someone?"

"I'm more worried about her getting hurt!"

The pair quickly began making their way towards the city substation so they can reach the north quicker.

La-Jo sat quietly in a dark corner as music boomed all around her. She watched the various couples walk past her to the dance hall while others like herself watched from a distance.

She had changed from her Blitzball gear into a short red and blue top with matching shorts. She had also changed her footwear and gloves to something a little more casual. Instead of her catching gloves, she wore a pair of metal-plated finger-less leather gloves. Ideal for knocking lights out! She had also changed her footwear from the cat speed boots to a pair of black heel-less riding boots that came halfway up her shins.

In the background, two young men, a Pantherian and Leopardian, watched her sipping her drink. Their interest in her sparking a betting conversation.

"I'll wager five thousand credits that she won't get with you but she will with me!"

"Fine, I'll take it, I win…you pay up straight away…"

"If I win…you pay up straight away!"

A young woman approached the pair. "Can anyone join in?"

"We're betting here babe so get lost!"

"Betting on her?" She nodded in the direction of La-Jo.

"Yes, why?"

"You want to try your luck as well?"

"Why not, it'll make it more interesting!"

The two men shrugged. "Fine, five thousand credits to the winner!"

"You're on!"

La-Jo looked up as the Leopardian sat down next to her. "Can I help you?"

"I thought I could help you actually!"

"Oh?"

"I saw you sitting here, all by yourself, and I thought that unless I sat with you, some guy might try to buy you over!"

"Like the way you're trying to buy me over?"

"Hell no!" He put an arm around her shoulder "why would I want to do that to a gorgeous creature such as yourself?"

"So you can earn yourself five thousand credits in a bet!"

Leopardian stood up and headed back to the other two.

"Well?"

"She knew about the bet!"

"How I don't know!"

The three looked up as La-Jo walked over to the bar. She spoke to the barmaid for a second, then looked at them before smiling. She pressed her fingers against her lips and placed them on her backside before walking into another room.

The barmaid approached them and held her hand out.

"What?"

"Fifteen thousand credits please!"

"What for?"

"You all lost the bet you made so the money to goes to the person you were betting on!"

"What?"

The young woman banged her hand on the bar surface. "You don't know the rules here do you, if a group of people make a bet on someone and they each fail, the person who was betted on gets the set amount from each person!"

"You each betted five thousand so that comes to a total of fifteen thousand!"

In the hallway, La-Jo waited for the barmaid to bring her the credits when a fight started at the door.

"Look, just let us in will you!"

"I'm sorry but no credits, no entry!"

"This is stupid, let us in now!"

The bouncers held back the two ruffians as the barmaid appeared, a bag filled with credits in one hand.

"Thanks!" She took the bag from the barmaid and headed towards the backdoor, not noticing the Pantherian and Leopardian following her.

Once she was in the backalley, they sneaked up on her, grabbing her waist. Pinning her against the wall, Pantherian watched as his friend opened the bag.

"It's all there!"

"Right, now lets' see what other treasures you have on you that we can relish in!" turning her around.

Holding both her wrists in one hand above her head, he pressed himself up against her while the Leopardian kept watch for anyone approaching.

For several minutes, he stayed like that. Kissing her neck. Crushing her pelvic bone between his and the wall.

A motorbike roared into view of the alley, turning towards the three figures.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

The bike revved and roared towards the Leopardian.

As he leaped to avoid it, something metal struck him across the forehead, knocking him to the ground.

The bike continued going, heading straight towards the other two.

CLANG!

The Pantherian fell to the floor as the bike skidded and turned around. It slowly pulled up in front of La-Jo. The lights died down as the engine stopped.

"Are you okay?"

La-Jo looked at the figures on the bike.

Rikku and Wakka!

Rikku was sat at the front holding onto the steering bars while Wakka sat behind her, his crutches neatly folded underneath his arms like a pair of wings.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes thank you…"

"What on earth were doing you here?"

"Earning some extra money!"

"How?"

"That's my business!"

Rikku sighed as she nodded. "You're right, let's get out of here!" revving up the engine.

La-Jo clung to the side with one hand while the other held onto her winnings as the bike tore off out of the alley and up the street as law enforcement vehicles turned up to stop the fight going on outside the front.

"Aito, get Te-Cu in here now!"

The bartender nodded as he put the com-line down. He turned to the barmaid. "the boss wants to see you!"

Te-Cu sighed as she walked out into the back and climbed onto a elevator. Riding up three floors, she stepped off it and approached the door in front of her. She knocked.

"Come in Te-Cu!"

She opened the door and entered.

"Close the door!"

She did so.

"Come over here!"

Te-Cu went and stood in front of her boss.

He was a strongly built person with short, cropped sky blue hair and dark purple eyes. Human all over. Standing up, her took Te-Cus' hand and kissed the back of it.

She closed her eyes as he gently pulled her onto his lap.

"I've been waiting for a moment to spend with you!"

Te-Cu looked deep into his eyes as he ran hand behind through her short, boyish hair before gently placing his lips on hers.

He felt her slender hands running over his chest, inviting him closer to her.

Breaking away, he gazed into her soft eyes, now illuminated by the outside lights as the nightlife of the city called out to those of nocturnal tendencies.

"You've been gone too long!"

"I know!" He wrapped his arms around her back as he pressed his face against her blouse. He breathed in her scent, resurfacing his passion for her.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too!" He looked up as she undid the knot in her blouse.

Casting the blouse onto the floor, she allowed him to rest his head against her chest, her hands gently holding his head there.

He pulled away his hands moved her back to her waist. "I've wanting to do this for a long time" running his thumbs over her stomach.

"Do what?"

His hands found the rim of her trousers and slipped one down the front of her abdomen, sliding inside her trousers.

She ran her hands around the back of his head, bringing them to the front, as she leant forward, holding her face close to his face. So close they almost touched!

He pressed his lips lightly against her throat, not able to reach her lips. His hand tightened causing her to gasp in surprise. Sensations coursed through her body. Exhilaration. Excitement. Passion. Love.

"Speak your prayer and let my body answer it!" She ran her hands over his soft, smooth chest again.

"Skin that is silk, lips that are roses and eyes that are fire!"

"What is it you ask of those things?"

"To watch them and to touch them!"

"You watch them already and you touch them too feverishly!"

"If I am sick from the lack of them, then cure me!"

"Very well" She climbed off his lap and, taking his hands, led him over to an adjacent room.

The room was dimly lit with an old wooden double bed. The mattress had been exchanged for a new one while steel supports reinforced the mattress boards. The cases weren't very new nor were they expensive in design or fabric.

"Here!" She stood by a window, revealing her face to him.

He stepped up in front of her and gazed into her eyes as he moved closer, pressing his hips against hers. Lowering his head, he began kissing her neck while his hands worked in her trousers, undoing them.

She could feel the tough denim-like fabric of his trouser against her abdomen.

He lifted his head to look in her eyes before moving downwards, stopping every now and then to kiss her breasts, stomach and abdomen. Upon reaching her abdomen, he gently pulled the rest of her trousers down to round her ankles before swiftly kissing her abdomen.

She watched as he pulled himself upright again, exhilaration and passion rushing through her heart. Running her hands over his firm stomach muscles, she undid his trousers before going and sitting on the bed.

From where he stood, he could see the smooth outline of his girlfriend sitting there, her legs spread slightly apart. He felt it was the right thing to do as he walked over to her.

Leaning over her, he kissed her on lips, his hands firmly hold her waist in a loving grasp, before pushing her back onto the bed, forcing her to lie back.

Te-Cu looked up at him as he placed one hand by her head while the other remained where was.

"Let me in Te-Cu, let me love you!"

Te-Cu closed her eyes as he held the tip against the entrance to her body and breathed slowly, relaxing her entire body.

"Let me in Te-Cu, let me love you!"

"Love me then Laketao!"

Her eyes shot open as he entered her, awakening her senses to her passion for him.

He withdrew slightly before pushing back inside.

She cried slightly every time he did this. Cries of pleasure. Of passion. Of acceptance.

All through the night, all Laketao could hear were Te-Cus' cries and the sound of his heavy breathing rhyming with the rhythm of his thrusts.

When Te-Cu reached her maximum point, she cried out loudly.

"Laketao…"

"I'm here Te-Cu!"

"Laketao…" she opened her eyes and gazed at him, breathing heavily from the energy shared between them.

He held her hand against his cheek as he looked at her in a lovingly manner.

She could feel him still inside of her, waiting to withdraw.

He couldn't. Not just yet anyway!

"Go on…"

With a final thrust, Laketao held himself still as he let go inside of her. With her accepting him inside her, she was also accepting what he left behind.

"Laketao…"

"Yes Te-Cu?" He lied beside her on his back while she lied on her side, a hand gently resting on his chest.

"When are you going away?"

"I don't know, why?"

"If you're not going anywhere soon, there's a Blitzball match coming up next week and maybe we could together!"

"That would be great…" He close his eyes as sleep stole his body.

Te-Cu looked up at him before settling down and going to sleep herself.

La-Jo awoke to her find herself staring up at a large wet nose, a wet tongue, two sapphire eyes and a body of orange-red fur. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head. "Leave me alone Hymnio!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"I'm tired, let me sleep!"

"Unless you get out that bed when I leave, I'll pull the covers off and you don't want me to see your underwear!"

"What makes you think I'm wearing any!"

"All females of the human variety wear underwear and besides, us guys of the semi-human variety love female underwear!"

"PERVERTS!?!"

"Hey, what do we have here, a nice pair of white underwear, not worn yet!"

"I SWEAR, YOU PUT ANY OF MY UNDERWEAR ON AND I'LL PUT SUPER GLUE IN THE NEXT PAIR YOU TRY ON!?!"

"You'll have to catch me first!"

La-Jo peeked out her covers to see the werewolf stood infront of her mirror, admiring the underwear he had just put on. "TAKE THEM OFF RIGHT NOW!?!"

"Make me!"

La-Jo flew out of bed and chased Hymnio out her bedroom door and down the stairs stark naked. Grabbing his tail, La-Jo yanked on it, bringing him to a forceful stop. She then went and stood over, towering over him like a building. "TAKE MY UNDERWEAR OFF RIGHT NOW!"

"Okay, okay, I was only trying them on!?" pulling the clean underwear off.

"WHAT IS GOING ON DOWN HERE?" Marla yelled as she climbed down the stairs. She stopped and stared at the two naked halflings, Hymnio lying on the floor on his back while La-Jo stood over him holding the clean underwear in one hand. "I have got to see this, well, go on, get on top of him!"

"It isn't what it looks like Marla!"

"Sure it isn't!"

"It's true!"

"Sure honey, there you are with your tits out above him while he's lying there with his manhood in your view…"

"WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE SEX!?!"

"Who's having sex down there?"

"NO ONE!"

"LA-JO WAS ABOUT TO LAY HYMNIO!?!"

"NO I WASN'T YOU TITLESS FANNY!?!"

Marla stuck her tongue out at her. "DON'T CALL ME TITLESS!?!"

"WHY NOT?"

"BECAUSE AT LEAST I HAVE TITS THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF MY CLOTHING!?!"

"ARE YOU SAYING I'M NOT A GIRL?"

"WELL YOU DO HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE SET OF BALLS!?!"

"YEAH, ON MY CHEST, NOT IN MY UNDERWEAR!?!"

"YOU COULD HAVE FOOLED ME!?!"

"I ALREADY HAVE!?!" La-Jo stormed upstairs to her room, walking past the owner who seemed to suffer from a heart attack when he saw her naked. A door slammed, causing a piece of the ceiling to land on Hymnios' head.

"Ouch, geez, will you leave her alone!"

"What, what did I do wrong?"

"You accused us of going to have sex when we weren't!?!"

"Oh, then what were you doing on the floor?"

"Taking off her underwear!"

"From her?"

"No, from me!"

Marla looked at him confused before she ran upstairs at realising what he was talking about, shutting and bolting her door from the inside.

"Boy was she sensitive about that!" climbing to his feet before heading upstairs to get dressed in proper male clothes.

Rikku looked out the front, waiting to see La-Jo will turn up today.

"Any sign of her?" Wakka stood next to her, peering along the street.

"There she is!"

La-Jo was walking straight towards them, kit bag on her shoulder.

"I'll let you practice with the team for today!"

"Thank you!" walking past.

In the changing room, La-Jo changed into her Blitzball personal kit, pulling on the catch gloves and speed boots.

"La-Jo!" Rikku stepped up to her side.

"What is it Rikku?"

"I want a word with you!"

"Is this about last night?"

"Yes!"

"If you really must know, I needed the money!"

"By what, endangering yourself?"

"I wasn't in any danger!"

"La-Jo you were almost raped last night, if I hadn't gone to the Inn you were staying at and found out where you were, god knows what of happened!"

"You went and asked the Inn owner?"

"I had to force it out of him!"

"I was alright, I was about to nail them both and get away!"

"Oh really?"

"YES!" Her voice deepened to an angry growling tone.

Rikku sighed as she folded her arms, watching La-Jo put her stuff into a locker before running up the steps to join the rest of her team-mates. "Stupid girl!" following her shortly afterwards.

Te-Cu wiped the bar surface down with a damp cloth and a spray gun of sanitiser when Laketao appeared in the doorway leading to the back hall.

"You left quietly!"

"Someone needed to clean the place ready for the morning!"

"Let Aito do it, you come back to bed with me!" wrapping his arms around her waist and gently pressing his lips against the shoulder of her waistcoat.

"Aito is off today so I have to fill in for him until Junipe gets here!"

"I'm sorry, I forgot it was Aitos' day off today, why don't I help you?" picking up a cloth.

"You don't need to…"

"But I insist!" leaning close to her face "especially since last night!"

"Oh alright!" dabbing his nose with her wet cloth.

He laughed before starting to rearrange the tables and chairs into their correct places.

Te-Cu watched him as she polished the bar and the serving glasses. It had been years since they last worked together. Months since they had laughed together and spent time together. But last night was the first time they had sex together after being together for five years.

"Do you remember how we first met?"

"I'll never forget it!"

"The first time I gazed into your soft and soothing eyes I fell in love!"

"That was at our bosses fifty-fifth birthday, before he died!"

"He was a great guy!"

"He understood me and you being in love!"

"You remember when I took you out the back?"

"And we kissed?"

"Yeah, that was the longest kiss I ever shared with a girl!"

"I remember when the boss caught us horsing around in the kitchen!"

"Yeah, we were literally horsing around!"

Te-Cu looked into his eyes. "We were happy then!"

"And we still are!"

Te-Cu shook her head. "I'm not!"

"Why?"

"Your boss, the one who owns this place, is giving me, Aito and Junipe bonus's for doing things that we don't want to do!"

Laketao looked at her worryingly. "What things?"

"He hasn't told you?"

"If he's hiding something from me I want to know!"

"We get bonus's for serving drinks to young people…"

Laketao looked frightened.

"Bonus's for selling illegal substances…"

"He's using you three?"

Te-Cu nodded. Tears flowed down her cheeks, sparkling in the penetrating sunlight.

"What else Te-Cu?"

Silence.

"Te-Cu, please, you have to tell me so I can stop it!"

Te-Cu looked at him, the whites of her eyes red with pain. "We risk losing our jobs if we don't…"

"Don't what Te-Cu?"

"If we don't have sex with customers and charge them, then we'll lose our jobs!"

Laketao slammed his fist on the bar surface.

Te-Cu looked at him as he stood up, straightening his back.

"I'll kill him!"

"Laketao, don't…"

"I'LL KILL HIM!"

"LAKETAO!"

He turned and looked at her.

"If you try a stunt like that he'll kill you!"

"How do you know?"

"Because he killed the manager of another bar in another city, I saw it happen!"

"Was that when you went there to help with the barring staff?"

"Yes, the guy was gunned down in cold-blood!"

"He wouldn't dare…"

"Laketao…"

He leaned across and kissed her on the lips. He then broke away. "I'll have a word with him!" He then left.

La-Jo skulked as she went to get a drink from a nearby water tap.

A group of boys followed her.

"Hey tiger-girl, where are you going?"

She kept walking towards the tap.

"Did you here me, I asked you question!"

She stopped and, bending down to reach the tap end, began to have a drink.

The boys stared at her, mesmerised by the sight of her backside.

Once she had enough, she stood, turned around and headed back to the playing field.

The boys followed her back outside and took some seats in the fan seating area.

La-Jo took up her position. She was to defend the runner, the person with the ball heading for the goal.

"HEY TIGER-GIRL, LET US SEE YOUR UNDERWEAR!"

What is it about my underwear? All the guys seem to be interested in what underwear I have!

"La-Jo!"

She tore up the field in line with the runner, barging the defenders out of the way.

"SHOW US WHAT YOUR LEGS REALLY LOOK LIKE!"

La-Jo pushed aside the idea of teaching those boys a lesson so she could focus on where she was going.

Rikku could see that La-Jo was trying to concentrate on her practice but with those boys shouting things at her, it was distracting her.

"TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF!"

"YEAH LET'S SEE YOUR TITS!?!"

Rikku had had enough now! Storming up the stairs into the fan seating, Rikku walked straight over to the boys.

"SHOW US YOUR FANNY!"

"Show me your dicks first!"

The boys jumped when Rikku spoke. Looking up at her from their seats, they just stared at her.

Rikku crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the floor. "I'm waiting!"

"For what?"

"For you to show me your dicks!"

"Why should we show you?"

"Because I'm that Tiger-girls manager for the time being and I have to make sure she's happy!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, I even pick out guys to sleep with her but those guys have to have extra large sets of balls to sleep with her!"

"Are you saying that ours aren't big enough?"

Rikku smirked at them. "Not from where I'm standing!"

La-Jo and the others stopped their training when Rikku appeared next to the boys and were watching to see what happened.

The boys stood up and walked out of the stadium, hanging their heads after the down-grading Rikku gave them.

La-Jo lied down on her bed. After a full day of defensive work, she was tired to the bone. But she also had Wakkas' offer to consider.

She was just closing her eyes when she felt a large being lying on top of her.

"Leave me alone, I just got in!"

"Gee, you're no fun!" Hymnio stayed where he was.

"Hymnio, please let me rest!"

He climbed off her back and sat on the side of the bed. "I've been thinking…"

"Wow, did you learn how to think today?"

"I've been thinking…about what happened this morning!"

La-Jo moaned as she pulled a pillow over her head.

"Maybe we should!"

"Should what?"

"Have sex together of course!"

La-Jo looked up at him while holding the pillow over her head still. "Are you serious?"

"It would make Marla shut up for a while!"

"Marla would have to see us at it before she would believe us!"

"So?"

"She's a titless cow, all she ever thinks about is if she shagged someone harder maybe they'd put more money down her tits!"

Hymnio laughed. "You really do hate her line off work!"

"It's disgusting, it causes health problems and it's illegal to do so!"

"So even if you were strapped for money, you wouldn't do it?"

"I'm no doll for some perverted git to play with whenever he wanted to play with me!"

"No of course not, you have a secure job as a Blitzball player, A-Star Class, gets highly paid and drinks champagne all the time as a drink!"

"I don't get highly paid and I don't get myself pissed on champagne because I can't afford the stuff!"

"Well, I better go and keep watch of the counter, old man Haz went to hospital after seeing you naked!" leaving the room.

La-Jo remained silent, deep in her thoughts. Mother! How I wish you were here right now!

Te-Cu watched as two humans walked into the bar, a blond haired woman and a man with upright spiky brown hair.

"Can we have a water each please?"

"Coming right up, do you want to take a seat and I'll bring them over for you!"

The pair went and sat in a dimly lit corner. They began talking to one another.

"Do you really think she'll turn up?"

"She wants to be on the team, she has to!"

The entrance door to the bar opened and a Tigerian walked in.

Long green hair. Yellow eyes. Medium slim build. The young woman went and sat with the other man and woman.

For some strange reason, Te-Cus' heart leapt into her throat at the sight of the young woman. She looked familiar for some reason. Te-Cu couldn't quite put her finger on the reason but she knew she recognised the Tigerian.

"So you have accepted my offer?"

"I took a great deal of thought about it and knew I should accept…for future reasons!"

"I really want to apologise about dropping you from the team in the first place, I should have taken into consideration how you might have reacted!"

"It's not your fault Rikku, I need to learn to accept peoples decision, all my life I've disobeyed people, everyone I've disobeyed…except my parents!"

Wakka nodded.

"I'm still not clear on what you mean…"

"When La-Jo was a child, she lost her parents to Sins attack!"

La-Jo!

The name raced with memories of the little girl Te-Cu was friends with. Looking at her now, Te-Cu could see she hadn't had an easy life like she did. Starting by working as an entertainer at a bar next to the sea in a small, exotic and expensive town, Te-Cu had slowly risen up the ranks of bar workers to where she was now.

Gazing at her old friend, Te-Cu wondered from a distance at how she had become so strong. So masculine. Like a man. And here was Te-Cu with the boyish facial features and hair but retained the femininity of her body.

La-Jo had still kept her long green hair but had let the fringe grow longer and change, creating a male-ness look to her face. Strong cheekbones revealed her determination while soft, silky lips showed how sensitive she was to other people.

Te-Cu found herself gazing at her friend in complete and utter amazement. Her friend had changed so much in terms of personality but she changed so little in physical appearance!

"We need to allocate player positions before next weeks match!"

"Excuse me!" Te-Cu walked over to them carrying the drinks on a tray. "Here's your drinks!"

"Thank you!" taking a glass. Wakka handed the other one to Rikku.

La-Jo looked up at the barmaid. "Can I have a water too?"

"Of course, wait, don't I know you?"

La-Jo and Te-Cu looked at each other for a while.

"La-Jo?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Don't you remember me?"

La-Jo stared at the barmaid for a while.

"It's me Te-Cu!"

"Te-Cu?"

She nodded.

La-Jos' heart beated with surprise and joy. She had found her friend!

"It's been a while!"

"I'll say, you've grown!"

"So have you, it's called hormones!"

La-Jo smiled. "Still one to crack jokes!"

"Are these your friends?"

"Team-mates Te-Cu!"

"La-Jo is a Blitzball player, one of the most sought after by the best teams!"

Te-Cu looked up as the bar door opened.

Laketao walked in and went upto the bar.

"I'll be back soon!" She walked back to the bar.

Laketao looked at her and smiled.

"What, what is it?"

"I spoke with Marcako, he said it won't happen again and that he's really sorry for pushing you into doing that stuff!"

Te-Cu smiled as she handed a glass of ice cold water. "That's great news!"

Laketao looked around. "Quiet tonight!"

"There's a group of three over there in the corner!"

"Oh really?"

"Uh-huh, you remember when I told you about my friend that I lost when I was younger?"

"Yeah?"

"She's right over there!" indicating to the group in the corner.

"You're kidding right!"

"Nope, her name's La-Jo!"

"La-Jo, the A-Star Class Blitzball player La-Jo?"

"Yep!"

"The Blitz Tiger La-Jo?"

"If that's what she gets called!"

Laketao whistled. "My girlfriend the friend of the Blitz Tiger!"

Te-Cu smiled as she leant over the bar and kissed him on the lips.

Suddenly, her and La-Jo jerked their heads up and looked at the windows opposite the bar. Someone was out there!

It was a well known fact that all halflings of the cat variety had extra sharp hearing and could hear people breathing on the other side of walls made of titanium thirty-six inches wide in thickness.

They could also hear guns clicking up to two miles away and could find people or food and drink in a ten-mile radius using their sense of smell.

"Someone's outside with a gun!"

Laketao quickly walked around the other side of the bar and pulled up the cellar door. "Get that group over here now!" He climbed down the stairs.

Te-Cu carefully walked over to La-Jo, Rikku and Wakka.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I need you to follow me quickly, someone is about to open fire on this place!"

"How can you tell?"

"Us Tigerians and other half-cats half-humans have extra sharpness at hearing!" La-Jo stood up and held a hand out to Wakka as he tried to climb onto his crutches.

"Let La-Jo carry you sir!"

Wakka looked at Te-Cu as La-Jo placed her shoulder against his stomach before lifting him clear off the floor. When needed, Tigerians could summon their tiger strength to lift things heavier than themselves and in Wakkas' case, La-Jo found him no problem to carry.

Following Te-Cu to the cellar, La-Jo gently put Wakka down so he could get down the stairs himself. Rikku followed after him.

"Now you La-Jo!"

"Why are we hiding down here?"

"We're not, we're escaping into the sewers!"

"But why?"

"The person who's about to attack has three bottles of Molotiv cocktails in their belt to throw through the windows first as well as carrying a flame-thrower in their left hand and a sub-machine gun in their right!"

"So if they don't shoot us dead, they'll burn us to death?"

Te-Cu nodded. "Now please, go down into the cellar, the others will ahead of us by now!"

La-Jo did she was told and climbed down the stairs into the cellar.

Te-Cu reached underneath the bar and hit a series of buttons before heading into the cellar.

The lights in the bar went out as shutters came down on all the doors and windows and infra-red lasers began to sweep the room.

Down in the cellar was also dark as the mains had been cut out when the lights died so Laketao and Te-Cu had switched on torches.

Making their way to the furthest end of the cellar, Laketao located a large circular grill in the wall. Grabbing hold of the wet, moss coated bars, he began pulling them, trying to get the grill to fall out.

"It won't budge, it must have rusted since we last used it!"

La-Jo, Rikku and Wakka stepped towards him. "Let us try!"

Laketao stepped back, giving the three players room to position themselves.

"Just think of training doing the defenders position, ready?"

La-Jo and Wakka nodded.

"On three!"

La-Jo closed her eyes as she began to concentrate.

"ONE…"

Silence.

"TWO…"

Wakka began pulling the bars gently.

"THREE, PULL!!"

The trio pulled with all their might, trying to pull the grill out.

It moved slightly!

"KEEP PULLING!"

Sweat ran down Rikkus' face as she gritted her teeth and pulled even harder on the bars.

Dust from the brickwork fell on to Wakkas' head.

For several minutes they strained. But the grill wouldn't move any further.

Collapsing on the floor next to Wakka, Rikku stared up at La-Jo was stood back from the grill.

Taking off her walking boots, La-Jo took several steps back, fire flaring madly in her eyes as she mustered her tiger strength again.

"What is she doing?"

"I think she's going to knock it out!"

La-Jo bursted into a short sprint, a tiger roar escaping her lips, before hurling herself off the floor and performing a flying side-kick. With an almighty clang, the grill flew backwards before splashing into the water.

"well, if you can't get past it, go through it!" Wakka climbed back onto his crutches.

Rikku handed La-Jo her walking boots. "that was incredible!"

"I learnt close-combat when I was a recruit for the Advance Forces!" She carefully leaned over the edge where the grill had been and looked.

Black, murky water swam before her, stretching into a long tunnel.

"Wait here!" She carefully climbed over the edge and dropped into the water.

"Here, use my torch to see there's anything down there!" lowering his torch down to La-Jos' reach.

Sweeping the bright beam over the waters' surface, La-Jo used her hearing and smell to detect any traces of potential threats.

Rats scurried along the pipe work and over wooden boxes and other objects floating the water.

"Only threat here are some fat rats but they'll run when they smell me or Te-Cu!"

Once everyone was in the water, they began moving down the tunnel, walls and other rubbish illuminated by the bright torch beams.

After a while, they reached a large brick platform where they stopped to rest.

"It's far now, a couple of more minutes and we'll be out of here!"

Something splashed in the water nearby!

La-Jo and Te-Cu sweeped along the waters surface, looking for any signs of whatever it was.

A pungent stench rolled across their noses, detecting an approaching creature hidden beneath the waters surface.

"what is it?"

"There's something in the water!"

"It's not a threat is it?"

"It's circling us right now!"

"Which means there must be more!"

Several more splashes all around them.

"Everyone get in the middle…"

Laketao, Wakka and Rikku pressed themselves back to back as La-Jo and Te-Cu walked near the platform edge.

Two black eyes looked at Laketao before disappearing beneath the surface as a beam swept across it.

"What is it?"

"Slime creepers!"

"They haven't been seen in these sewers for years!"

"Well they're here now!"

Water exploded as the creepers leapt out of the water and onto the platform, encircling the five people.

Laketao pulled out two small pulsar hand guns, tossing one to Rikku. "Just aim and pull the trigger, that's all you need to do!"

"Easier said than done!"

La-Jo took up an offensive stance near her friends, preparing to defend them.

The creepers moved in a circle, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly one ran leapt at Te-Cu.

But with her tiger strength in full swing, Te-Cu swung a piece of driftwood she had found at the creepers head, causing it to explode on impact!

After that, the rest of the creepers attacked.

The walls lit up as Rikku and Laketao blasted holes in the creatures, occasionally coating sections of walls with creeper innards.

La-Jo jabbed and kicked her way through the creepers, keeping them at bay by roaring at them. One creeper got too close and squealed in her face as it lifted her off the floor.

Grabbing hold of it's wrists, La-Jo performed an amazing display of acrobatics by placing her feet against the creatures chest and pushed off with all her extra strength, tearing the creepers claws from it's wrists. While La-Jo landed neatly on one knee, the attacking creeper flew backwards onto a pipe, breaking it and releasing the pipes contents.

At once the creepers stopped and sniffed the air before running and swimming away in all directions.

"why did they run?" Rikku asked as La-Jo and Te-Cu sniffed the sir as well.

The two Tigerians turned and pushed the other three into the water before diving in after them.

"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT?" floating in the water.

"JUST SWIM RIKKU!" She began swimming using a breast-stroke.

Rikku grunted in disapproval as she followed the others.

Wakka was slower than the rest due to his injured leg so Te-Cu pulled him along by supporting him under his arm with her hand and performed a side-stroke.

They eventually reached a ladder leading upto a manhole.

"This is it!"

"Well hurry up because that gas is catching up with us!"

"Gas?"

"Yes, the pipe that creature broke when it landed on it was carrying gas!"

Rikku turned to Laketao as he climbed up the ladder. "THAT MANHOLE HAD BETTER OF NOT RUSTED AS WELL!"

"Wait!" Te-Cu climbed up the ladder behind him. "Don't turn the handle!"

"Why not?"

"If you do, it'll create a spark and if that spark catches onto the gas, these tunnels will become an inferno and we'll be cremated in seconds!"

"Hey, I'm not planning on dying just yet, I still have to get through my thirties!"

"Te-Cu, could you open it, my tiger strength is nearly depleted so I won't be able to knock that cover out!"

Te-Cu nodded and held herself to one side as Laketao climbed down to the bottom. She then placed her hands on the side bars of the ladder and went into a handstand.

"She's not going to kick the cover off is she?"

"No, she's going to create a hole so we can climb out!"

"What, in the manhole cover?"

La-Jo nodded as she watched her friend carefully.

Using her elbows and wrist to lift herself up and down, gaining momentum, Te-Cu closed her eyes and began to whisper a prayer. With one last push of her wrists and elbows, Te-Cu launched her feet at the cover.

Unfortunately, the cover was right in the middle of on-coming traffic on a busy motorway. A lorry driver slammed his breaks on as Te-Cu shot up in front of his cabin windscreen, just touching the edges of her fingers with his engine bonnet.

Wakka then climbed and looked up at the underneath of the lorry as it sat overhead before climbing out from beneath it.

Rikku then followed, Laketao after her with La-Jo last.

Hymnio sighed as he gently dabbed La-Jos' left arm with a cloth that had antiseptic put on it.

After climbing out off the sewers, La-Jo had tried to cover up the hole Te-Cu had made before a car shot past and threw a used cigarette.

A funnel of intense fire blasted out of the manhole, sending the cover skywards and creating an semi-earthquake along the road. In the initial blast, La-Jo had suffered a heat burn from the heat burst.

Rikku and the others had managed to get as many vehicles out of the way before the explosion occurred. The only problem was that the gas hadn't been turned off so it was still flowing out of the pipe and supplying the funnel with fuel, making it harder for anyone to reach La-Jo, who had pulled herself underneath an overturned car.

By the time rescue services had arrived, La-Jos' skin was starting to peel and blister from the heat.

Now, back in the comfort of her own bed, La-Jo slept while Hymnio tended to her injuries while Marla watched, her expression fazed by the atmosphere.

"Marla, can you bring some more cold water and towels?"

She went to the cupboard and fetched the towels before heading down stairs to get another bowl of cold water.

La-Jo weakly opened her eyes and tried to focus. Her eyes were slightly sore and patched with small blisters.

"Rest kiddo!" placing a firm, strong hand on her shoulder.

"How are the others?" she croaked weakly.

"They're fine…thanks to you!" He smiled at her.

She smiled back weakly before closing her eyes again.

For the rest of the night and into the morning, Hymnio stayed by her bedside tending to her wounds and soaking her skin in cold water to stop her body temperature from rising any higher. It was almost mid-day when Wakka and Rikku stopped by.

Upon seeing Hymnios' blood shot eyes, Rikku went and took over from him.

"you need some rest!"

"She needs watching…"

"We'll watch over her, now you go and rest up, you need the sleep!"

Hymnio handed Rikku the cloth and left, walking into his room.

Rikku continued from where Hymnio left off.

Wakka watched his friend. "She was brave to do what she did!"

"She put us before herself!"

"It was a sacrificial act…"

"She's not gone yet Wakka!"

"I know…" He lowered his head.

Rikku looked at La-Jos' face as she wiped the damp cloth over her face, registering her blinks as a sign that she was in pain.

"if only Tidus and Yuna were here…"

"What?"

"Yuna could heal La-Jos' wounds!"

"But not her injured spirit!"

"True!"

Wakka looked up as Marla came into the room.

"There's two people here looking for you two!"

"Oh?"

"I'll bring them up!" She went back downstairs for a few minutes, she then returned with a young man accompanied by a young woman.

"Tidus, Yuna…"

"We came back as soon as I arrived at Yunas'!"

"Why?"

"I had sensed something bad was about to happen to someone you all know so we came back in an attempt to stop it from happening!"

"We would have com-lined you but there were some problems so the lines were down!"

Yuna spotted the injured body and went and sat on the side of the bed. She studied the extent of the injuries before examining her eyes.

There was a unconscious spirit in La-Jos' eyes. Dreaming almost!

"Well?"

"She is deep in her dreams!"

"Can we bring her out of them?"

"Not until the body has healed!"

"How long must we wait?"

"A couple of days I would say, Tigerians injure quickly but they heal even faster!"

Te-Cu wrapped her arms around Laketaos' neck as he looked sorrowfully at the remains of his bar.

Charred stains coated the edges of where windows were shattered and the door lied broken and mangled on the floor.

There whole place was destroyed in the gas fire!

Even the charred and blackened body of their would-be attacker lied motionless on the floor just in front of the broken windows, their face so badly burnt and cut that identifying who they were would be difficult.

"Gone…all gone!"

"Hey!" She turned his head towards her face with her left hand. "The bar maybe gone but we're not!"

Laketao nodded as they walked towards the burnt-out building to recover anything that survived the blast.

Sifting through the melted chairs and tables, they almost gave up.

All their clothing, photographs and other pieces of personal possessions were destroyed. Except for two things that belonged to Te-Cu.

A scuffle behind the bar and a squeak alerted them to something being there as well.

"Hello?"

Another squeak! A red haired, orange furry creature bounded out from behind the bar and jumped up at Te-Cu.

"OMAKE!" She lifted the little Moomba cub up off the floor and cuddled him.

"Omake scared by fire demon!"

"It's okay, demon gone now!"

"Demon make nasty mess of Te-Te and Lakeys' place!"

"Are you okay Omake?"

The little cub lifted one of his paws up for Laketao to have a look at. The fur was all shinged and a large red blister had appeared, almost covering the poor cubs' entire paw.

"Oh don't worry, we'll get that nasty thing sorted out right away!"

"Omake save other thing with himself!"

Te-Cu smiled as Omake pulled a small tinder-shaped box. Inside was a necklace. The necklace was a family heirloom handed down to Te-Cu from her grandmother. It was centuries old so it was always kept in a tinderbox to keep it in good condition.

"Thank you Omake!" hugging the little cub.

Omake smiled at them both. "Omake get paw healed now?"

"Yes, We'll go find someone who can help!"

Omake squealed with joy, almost falling out of Te-Cus' hands.

Where am I? What is this place? This place looks…familiar! Mother? Mother is that you? Where are you going? Mother, please! Don't leave me here! Father? Why do you have your battleaxe with you? What's that thing in the sky? It's…it's Sin! Oh god, no! Please…don't leave me here! Don't leave me here all alone! MOTHER! FATHER! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!Someone…help me…please!

Hymnio scowled at himself in the mirror.

In all the time he had gotten to know La-Jo, he never really showed how he cared about her. Every time she and Marla got into an argument, he would stand up for her when she left the battlefield, not letting Marla be victorious over the argument. Yes, he cared about her as a friend! But when Rikku, Wakka and a local boy came into the building carrying La-Jos' injured body, he realised that she really was a caring person. She sacrificed her safety to save those who she didn't really know!

"Wake Hymnio, you know exactly what you want!"

Do I know what I want? I'm not so sure right now! Do I want a girl who has had her teeth knocked out of her for the up-tenth time but still remains gentle and caring when not made upset or angry or do I want someone like Marla who stands a good chance of either leaving you for some guy who supposedly gives better satisfaction or will end up murdered?

"You can't keep hiding from the truth Hymnio, just admit it!"

Admit what? That I keep female company and spend more time with them when in fact I prefer guys? That I'm gay? That I would rather share a bed with a guy than a girl?

"Rofalio left me because he got beaten up by anti-homosexuals, maybe I better stick with a girl for the time being!"

Rofalio left two years ago, a month before La-Jo moved in! He loved being with me, having a laugh! We never showed our affections for one another in public, we always waited until nighttime when we were alone! I wish I knew who told those thugs about us!

Hymnio lifted his head up as he heard something.

Crying! Someone was crying!

Stepping out on to the landing, he listened and followed the sound.

Someone was crying in La-Jos' room!

Tidus, Wakka, Rikku and Yuna were downstairs taking a break altogether and Marla had gone out for the day on `business' apparently. That just Hymnio to watch her while he was upstairs.

Carefully opening the door, he peeked inside before fully opening the door and walking into the room.

La-Jo was lying on her side. Crying!

"La-Jo?"

She looked at him before sitting up. "Hymnio?"

He felt his heart being overwhelmed with happiness. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he smiled.

La-Jo smiled as he sat down next to her on the bed.

"HEY EVERYONE, LA-JOS' AWAKE!"

Feet thundered as Tidus and the others pelted up the stairs and into the room.

Greeting them all with a heart-warming smile, La-Jo was showered in hugs and faces smiling at her.

"Welcome back Dreamer!"

"How long have I been dreaming?"

"Three days, and look…your wounds have completely healed!"

The burns had disappeared along with the cuts. No scars remained!

"Where's Te-Cu?"

"She and Laketao said they were going to see if their bar was alright!"

"None of you lot got hurt did you?"

"Nope, thanks to you!"

Rikku smiled at La-Jo. "It was really brave what you did, putting us before yourself!"

La-Jo frowned. "My training as an Advance Forces recruit taught me that everyone in your troop was your family and that you had to look out for each other!"

"Even risking your own life?"

La-Jo nodded.

La-Jo stared up at the stars.

Night had fallen now and everyone was asleep. Everyone except her!

What is it with me? Why do I refuse to die? Is there some other reason for why I can't die? Am I immortal or something?

The stars shone in her eyes as she desperately searched for an answer. Bomb-blasts. Bullets. Broken Bones. Internal Bleeding. Poisoning. Stabbing. Burns. She had been injured by all of them but she wouldn't die!

Every time she was seriously injured, her mind would whisk her spirit away, deep beyond her dreams and into a state of deep and nightmarish trances. There, she would see everything she thought she had pushed so far down, resurfacing her biggest nightmare. Her worst fear!

Her fear…of being alone!

Mother, I need you now! I need to know one thing! Why can't I die? I hang on by a thread, dangerously close to the Reapers rope but the thread never snaps! Instead, it grows thicker and rebuilds itself, becoming a rope line instead of a line of threading!

Tears pricked, threatening to overflow.

She had been alone since that hellish day…and she was alone now!

"Mother…"she whispered as she leaned against the wall, hitching her knees up against her chest. There she rested her head against her kneecaps and fell asleep, not stirring or acknowledging the sun rise as it washed its' warm rays over the sleeping figure!

Te-Cu opened her eyes and yawned. Sitting up, she stretched and wiped the sleep out of her eyes.

Because the bar was destroyed, her, Laketao and Omake had to find somewhere else to spend the night until they got back their feet and rebuilt their business. For the time being, they stayed in a disused Inn, not in top condition but suitable for the time being.

The beds weren't very comfortable so Te-Cu had placed some cushions and thick blankets on top of the mattresses.

Laketao stirred, groaning slightly as he turned over onto his side.

Again, he and Te-Cu had sex together.

But unlike the night before yesterday's destruction of the bar, he wasn't prepared and so had unprotected sex with her, possibly making her become pregnant!

Throwing back the thin sheets, Te-Cu stood and stretched her legs, just out of view of those who might spot her through the open window. Pulling on her blouse and trousers, she sat on the bed and reflected on the night's events.

After finding Omake alive but slightly hurt, they went to a nearby vet who treated Omakes' paw and bandaged it. With Omakes' paw sorted, they then went and found the place where they were staying at the moment.

After putting Omake to bed, Te-Cu walked into the room where she and Laketao were going to sleep.

But instead of sleep, they had passionate sex together. Playful from the touches of his hands.

As she undressed, he watched from a corner, waiting to begin. When she bent over to get into bed, he walked up behind her and, placing his hands on her hips, penetrated her. He ran a hand down her back, starting at a point between her shoulder blades and running it down her spine to her rump. Smooth skin in his rugged grasp.

Forcing her onto the middle of the bed, he began to thrust harder, one arm wrapped around her hips to reduce her movement while the other groped her breasts one at a time.

For most of the night, he dominated her body, pushing further and further inside her, kissing her spine while he thrusted himself deep inside of her.

Her cries excited him, building up his climax.

When he was ready, he stood up on the bed, pulling her hips up with him. Doing this forced her to rest her arms on the bed, keeping her head low to the bed covers. She breathed deeply as he cried out before coaxing him down to rest.

He did, following her beneath the sheets, and there he fell asleep.

Now, she watched him, brushing hair out of his face before leaving the room.

Walking into another room, she pulled a wooden crate over to her and sat there, closing her eyes. She could feel something happening to her!

"I can feel it…swimming inside of me!"

Her eyes opened slowly as it dawned on her. She was about to become pregnant!

Tears pricked as she lowered her head.

She loved Laketao. She couldn't deny that! The second time they have sex together and now she was about to fall pregnant! Her period had finished a week ago so her body had released another egg and it was about to be fertilised by Laketaos' sperm.

She sat still for over an hour, tracking her eggs progress until she felt the sperm come into contact with it. At that point, she walked outside and looked out on the empty street.

Female Tigerians don't fall pregnant easily. Their ovulation cycles are shorter than human ones so a female only has a week and a half before her next period starts. If the female wishes to have children, then she only has that one-week and a half to fall pregnant within! Females are also capable of tracking their own eggs after having sex with any male species!

La-Jo opened her eyes.

With a blast of bright light straight into her eyes, La-Jo toppled off her windowsill, crashing to the floor with a loud THUD!

She looked up to see if anyone had heard before pulling a blouse off her hair and climbing to her feet. Opening her bedroom door, she peeked outside and listened.

She could hear groans and cries coming from Marlas' room but other than that, the place was quiet.

Creeping downstairs, she dug out a clean top and shorts and put them on. She wasn't bothered about the young men looking in through the front window as she dressed, putting on the usual bra, underwear, nylon-like top and matching shorts. Putting on her walking boots, she opened the door with a powerful swing.

After pulling the door open, she found herself lying on her back with one of the young guys lying on top of her, his face staring at her crotch.

"HEY!" She jumped to her feet, kicking the guy in the face as she caught her boot on his chin.

The guy opened his mouth to apologise but, instead of words coming out of his mouth, his tongue overhung his mouth. With his tongue sticking out too far, he couldn't form the words `I'm so sorry'!

"Get out of here before I pull your tongue out of your gob!"

The man struggled to walk out of the building without revealing a rather visible problem!

Stepping outside once more, La-Jo began walking up the street, heading towards the city's central points.

Rikku looked up as she saw La-Jo approaching. "La-Jo, I didn't expect to see you walking around so fast!"

"I haven't had a good morning so far!"

"Oh?"

"First, I fell asleep on my windowsill so when I woke up, I got blasted off my windowsill by the sunlight and onto the floor, then I had some pervert fall on top of me when I opened the front door, sticking his face right between my legs!"

"Something tells me that guy won't be rushing around to see you again!"

"I swear he got an erection because of that!"

Rikku laughed.

La-Jo looked at her confused. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing except the fact that if that guy has a girlfriend or wife, he'll be masturbating himself to get rid of the evidence of his encounter with you!"

La-Jo sat silent before she spoke again. "I don't know if I should…"

"Should what?"

"Have sex!"

Rikku stared at her. "With who?"

"I don't know, someone!"

"Having sex with someone is a big step La-Jo, if it's with the wrong person or someone who you don't know then you run a risk of infection!"

"I know that, it's just that…I'm surrounded by it everyday!"

Rikku sat back and thought.

"I'm a popular Blitzball player, one of the best, and everyday I encounter someone who says something related to sex!"

"Are you talking about those boys from the other day?"

"That and other times!"

Rikku nodded. She had noticed that since La-Jos' first appearance on the team, she had been getting a lot of sexual harassment from fans and general public.

"I think that the sooner I lose my virginity the sooner I'll lose their attentions!"

Rikku looked at her surprised. "I thought you used to have a boyfriend?"

"I did, for a few months!"

"So you didn't get much time alone!"

"Not enough time if that's what you mean!"

"Hey guys!" Te-Cu walked over to them.

La-Jo smiled up at her.

Te-Cu smiled as she sat down with them. Her mind was still on the events of that morning while she managed to hide the fact that she wasn't really concentrating on the conversation from Rikku. But not from La-Jo.

"Well, I'm happy to see my friend alive and well!"

"Is there something wrong Te-Cu?"

"No!" shaking her head, hoping to shake off La-Jo "nothing's wrong!"

"I'll get us some drinks!" Rikku stood up and walked inside the café.

When Rikku was out of earshot, La-Jo instantly turned to her friend.

"You can't lie to me Te-Cu!"

"What, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Te-Cu, I know that look!"

"What look?"

"The one where your mind is elsewhere while your body is concentrating on everything around!"

"You…you know about that?"

"My friend, Ming, told me about it!"

Te-Cu turned her head away at an angle.

"Last night, it happened last night!"

"Yes…"

La-Jo looked at her friend, happy for her. She always dreamed of the day when she would see Te-Cu with her own children. Te-Cu was a mother in her own special way. Looking at the tomboy in front of her, she sensed anxiety from her friend. "What's wrong, aren't you happy?"

"I am, it's just so sudden that's all!"

"Laketao is a lucky guy and I think he'd be a great father!"

"That's just it!" looking at La-Jo "I know he'll be a great father!"

"So what's the problem?"

Te-Cu looked away again. She felt the pain burning inside her heart as she leaned forward, trying to breath. The pain intensified causing her reach inside a pocket and pull out a small needle.

"Te-Cu…"

Te-Cu slowly brought the needle up to her shoulder and plundedged it into her shoulder, gritting her teeth as the needle end went straight through her collarbone and into her artery.

"Te-Cu…"

"I'll be fine, I just need a minute or two!"

La-Jo watched as her friend began coughing into her hands and studied her face.

When Te-Cu sat up straight, she wiped her hands on a white cloth, leaving behind it's tell-tale sign.

Blood! Te-Cu had coughed up blood!

"Te-Cu…"

She looked across at La-Jo as Rikku returned with some drinks. "I have something I want to say…"

"Oh?" She sat back down in her seat.

Te-Cu lowered her head. "I'm dying!"

Rikku spat her drink out and looked at her.

La-Jo stared at her in horror.

"I'm dying…and there's no cure!"

"Dying, from what?"

"I have no immune system and, unfortunately, have become infected with a lethal virus…"

"How long have you had this virus?"

"I…I inherited it from my father…"

Rikku looked at La-Jo, who seemed to withdraw from the world.

First her parents! Now her best friend!

"I'm…sorry, I didn't know until a few years ago…"

"It's not your fault!"

"Laketao doesn't know does he?"

Te-Cu shook her head.

"And his child, what are the odds of his child having this same infection?"

"It gets passed down from infected parent to offspring!"

"So the child won't live very long?"

"Hopefully longer than what I am, I'm only still alive because of these viral suppressants that I inject into my body!"

"Do you know how long you have?"

"The virus has became stronger, it's now spread itself to my chest cavity and digestive system, it originally started in my blood stream!"

"You don't know?"

Te-Cu nodded in agreement.

La-Jo lied on her side, her heart heavy with pain.

She had struggled to survive, hoping to one day to be reunited with her friend. But now her friend was being taken away in the same way her parents were taken away from her.

When Te-Cu dies, she would be alone again.

And this time she wouldn't have anything to struggle for!

"La-Jo?"

"What do you want this time Hymnio?"

"You aren't crying are you `cause you know I hate it when people start to cry because I then start to cry and you know I can't stop once I start…"

"She's dying Hymnio!"

"Who, Marla?"

"I wish it were her but it isn't!"

"Then who?"

"My friend Te-Cu!"

"The one who you keep telling me about?"

La-Jo nodded.

Hymnio went and sat on the next to her. Running a four-fingers and one thumb hand across her cheek, he could sense her depression returning.

"You know…some things can't be helped!"

"What do you mean?"

"Yama doesn't tell lies to people!"

"Yama, the God of Death?"

"Yama is also the God of Truth!"

"If he represents everything that is true, why did he take my parents away?"

"Why don't you go and ask him?"

"Go and ask the God of Death why he takes my parents and friends away?"

"Maybe you should ask him why you haven't died yet!" He got up and left the room.

La-Jo returned to her resting-chin-on-back-of-hands position as she drifted off to sleep.

Mother! Where are you going mother? Father, why do you have your battleaxe with you? Where are you going? Don't leave me! Don't leave me mother! Father come back! Please don't leave me here! Someone…please!

Please…help me…someone!

La-Jo sat upright in her bed. Sweat lightly covered her brow and shoulders, shimmering in the light coming from the lights outside.

Every night she had the same nightmare. The nightmare of her being left alone. The nightmare of seeing her parents for the last time!

Sitting on the side of the bed, she gently wiped the sweat from her brow before dabbing away the rest with one of the cloths used to soak her wounds. Looking down at her arms, she saw the badly peeling skin and red blotches from where the blisters used to be. Another day and her burns would be completely gone!

There would be scars to remind her of the pain!

Too many scars for a normal person to bear but I'm not normal!

A car horn brought her attention to the window. Looking out at the star-lit darkness overhead, she felt her heart become laidened with lead.

"HEY DARLING!"

She looked down at the gang beneath her window.

"COME DOWN HERE SO WE CAN GET A BETTER LOOK AT YOU!"

"ALL YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IS MY TITS!" hissing at them in a cat-like tone.

"YOUR RIGHT!"

"TOUCHING MAKES THINGS MORE REAL THAN JUST LOOKING!"

"THE ONLY THING YOUR GONNA END UP TOUCHING IS MY FIST!"

"OH COME ON, WE JUST WANT SOME FUN, THAT'S ALL!?!"

"THEN PLAY WITH YOURSELVES!"

One the gang members, the leader, climbed onto a wooden crate before looking at her again.

"WHAT?"

"YOU GOT GORGEOUS TITS, YOU KNOW THAT?"

"GO FUCK A LAMPPOST ASSHOLE!"

"I'D PREFER TO FUCK YOU THAN A LAMPPOST, I'D INJURE MYSELF WITH THE LAMPPOST UNLIKE FUCKING YOU!?!"

"YOU'D STILL GET HURT!"

"WHY'S THAT?"

"I'll RIP YOUR FUCKING DICK OFF, THAT'S WHY!"

"YOU GOT A GOT A LOT OF GUTS TO THREATEN ME!"

"YEAH AND THEY'RE PERFECTLY FINE GUTS TOO, NO FOOD POISONING OR ANY OF THAT SHIT!"

"THEN LETS HAVE A LOOK AT THEM!?!"

"FUCK YOU!?"

"BITCH!"

"SHITHEAD!"

"COW!"

"BASTARD!"

"SCREW-FACED VAMPIRE!"

"DICKLESS SHRIMP-SIZED FULL OF BULLSHIT PERVERT!"

"HEY YOU'RE THE ONE HANGING YOUR TITS OUT THE WINDOW FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE!?!"

"AT LEAST I HAVE TITS TO VIEW!"

"SCREW YOU BITCH!" He climbed off the crate and, grabbing an empty beer bottle, threw it up at her. And missed!

"NO, GO SCREW SOMEONE ELSE!" She walked back over to the bed and climbed in.

Hymnio opened one of his eyes.

Water running somewhere.

He looked at the time before groaning.

6:30 am!

"Who's taking a shower at this time of the morning?" pulling back the covers. Pulling on a pair of shorts, he left his room and strolled down the hallway to the bathroom where, opening the door, he peeked inside.

He could see the silhouette of someone from the other side of the curtain.

Smooth. Curvaceous. Long straight hair. Slender arms and legs. The thing that told of who it was on the other side of the curtain was the long cat-like tail.

He watched, fascinated by the motion of the outline as the water sprayed down on to her skin.

The soapy water ran down the surface of her body, washing away the dead skin and dirt that accumulated over night.

Her arms moved gently, making it appear that she was dancing while keeping her feet firmly on the floor.

Hymnio found himself staring at the mirror on the opposite wall, watching the reflection of La-Jos' face as she washed herself clean.

But he kept his stay too long.

When La-Jo turned the water off and snatched a towel up off the floor, she stood to face herself in the mirror and saw Hymnios' reflection. Turning, she went to belt him as she marched towards the door, not noticing the bar of soap lying on the floor in her path.

"Look out for the…"

Too late!

La-Jo put her foot on the soap. The soap slid along the floor before shooting out from underneath her foot, sending La-Jo flying into the air before crashing to the floor with an enormous BANG!

Hymnio was yelling about the fact that La-Jo was about to belt him, not noticing the soap flying at him. The bar landed in the back of his mouth.

GULP!?!

He burped, spewing bubbles from his mouth. He had swallowed the bar of soap in one go!

La-Jo sat up, leaning on one elbow, as she rubbed the back of her head, which was slightly sore from the landing. "Ow, jeez my head hurts now!"

"I'm sorry but I heard the water and came to see who it was…"

"So why did you stay?"

"I was fascinated!"

"About me?"

"About the way your arms were moving, it was like you were dancing or something!"

"Hey!" looking around "Where's the soap gone?"

Hymnio burped again.

La-Jo gave him a troubling grin as she picked herself up off the floor.

He placed a hand over his stomach while the other hand clasped around his mouth. "I…think…I'm gonna be sick!"

"Well serves you right for eating my soap!" She took his arm and led him downstairs before a calling a doctor.

Rikku sighed as she watched the team medic finished checking La-Jo. "So, is she alright?"

"She's fit to play!"

La-Jo jumped up in the air, throwing both her fists above her head.

"But I would advise her to take easy until she's completely healed!"

"But you just said I was fit to play!"

"You may suffer more injuries during the time your body is fully recovering!"

"Hey, I'm recovered, I'm like a Duracell Bunny here, brimming with energy!"

"Well Duracell Bunny, I'm going to have to remove your power cells for the time being!" He left.

La-Jo slumped down on the bench as her team-mates left to begin practice.

Rikku shook her head in sadness.

"So unfair!"

"He's only looking out for your health La-Jo…"

"I know but he could of least recommended I sit-in as a substitute rather than completely take me off the team!"

"I'll decide if you should be taken off the team or placed on the benches!"

La-Jo smiled up at her.

"Now grab your gear and get out there!"

La-Jo pulled on her gloves and jogged out the door to join the others.

Night fell as La-Jo, Rikku and Wakka entered the bar. The same bar where Wakka got his broken leg.

Taking seats at the bar, they ordered they're drinks. Looking around as they waited, La-Jo spotted a group of male Tigerians sat in a corner.

One of them was of weak build. Short bluey-green hair fell in front of his navy blue eyes, creating a dark look to his face. Instead of orange skin, he had dark red skin like the rest of his group.

Male Tigerians always have dark coloured skin while their female counterparts had bright and warm coloured skin. When finding a partner, it's the males who are attracted to the females purely by the colour of their skin and eyes.

The male looked up and spotted La-Jo. His eyes studied hers before moving over her hair and the rest of her body. He smiled, gleaming white fangs that protruded further down the lips than La-Jos'. His eyes flashed with interest as his friends pushed and shoved him to get his attention. He looked about twenty-four. Twenty-five possibly!

The others around him were younger than him and more strongly built. But they appeared to respect him for who he was.

He turned to them and said something.

The others looked in La-Jos' direction before speaking back to their older friend. Words of encouragement as far as La-Jo made out from reading their lips. Picking up the empty drink glasses, the man walked over to the bar and handed the glasses to the bartender.

La-Jo didn't look at him as he stood right next to her, leaning against the bar on one arm while he looked at her.

He ran the back of his hand down her neck before moving his head close to hers.

"I'm Jen!"

"La-Jo…"

He began rubbing his nose against her cheekbone while a smooth but strong hand turned her face towards his.

For a while, he kissed her cheeks, her forehead, and her eyelids but never once did he kiss her on the lips. Neither did he touch her body with his own or with his hands. He held her gaze in a trance as he looked deep into her eyes.

During this time, Rikku and Wakka stared at the two Tigerians, confused by it all.

"Hey mate!"

The man was spun around and found himself facing a young punk-haired guy about the same age as La-Jo.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The man blinked as he looked down at the guy.

"I thought I told you and your mates over there not to come in here!"

"We'll go where we want!"

His voice was soft but firm. His tone was that of a strict father who never once hit his children.

"Not in here you're ain't!"

La-Jo stood up to move away but the guy grabbed hold of her.

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business!"

"I saw you with this guy just now!"

"It's none of your business!"

"Well I'm making it my business!"

Rikku and Wakka stood up from their seats at the same time the male Tigerians joined their friends' side.

"Let her go!"

"No, I'm gonna have some fun with her!"

"I said let her go!"

"I'm gonna take you out the back and screw you up against a wall!"

"LET HER GO NOW!?!"

The man punched the guy in the face, forcing him to let go of La-Jo.

The guy staggered backwards. Blood dripped from his nose as it began to quickly bruise.

The man took La-Jos' hand and led her over to one of the corner seats while Rikku, Wakka and the other Tigerians took care of the guy.

Once sat down, he leaned over to her and began kissing her face again. His hands gently stroked her faced as he looked into her eyes once again.

La-Jo breathed quietly as he kissed her.

He's courting me! He wants me to be his partner! To have children with him!

"Warm is my blood as I look at you!"

"You…want me to be your partner?"

"Yes…that is why I am courting you like this!"

"I've never been courted before…"

"Males court the female they fall for as soon as possible so they win her over, if I succeed and win you into my heart then I will wait until you are ready to have my children…beautiful children!"

"You sound like you've done this before!"

"I have fallen for other females but never in love with them….not like you!"

La-Jo pulled away and looked at the floor.

"What's wrong?"

"I…have something to sort out before I can make any permanent decisions!"

"Take as much time as you need…I can wait for as long I love you!"

"I…I have to go!" She stood up to leave.

Jen stood up behind her, catching her hand in his. "If you must leave so soon, at least take my affection with you!" He kissed her fingers before letting go of her hand.

La-Jo left the bar quickly and headed back to the Inn.

I'm…I'm crying out! I…I feel something inside of me! It's moving! It's moving back and forth inside of me! It…It feels so good…so exhilarating! Jen! He's above me…kissing me! I can see his chest…his stomach…! Oh god…feels…damn good! Can't…hold it…back anymore! I have to…let go!

La-Jo awoke to find herself lying on her bed while the covers were on the floor. Sitting up on the bed, she thought back to the dream she had. For the first time in her life since her parents' death, she didn't have the same reoccurring nightmare.

"Jen…and I…were…"

Someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Hymnio!"

"Hang on a minute!" she grabbed the bed covers and pulled them back on to the bed so as to cover up her body.

After being courted by Jen that night, La-Jo had taken off all her clothes in the bathroom before showering and climbing into bed. She totally forgot she was naked when she woke up until Hymnio knocked on the door.

"Can I come in now?"

"Sure!"

The ginger werewolf opened the door and walked in. After eating La-Jos' soap by accident, he hadn't been feeling well at all. Infact, the doctor told him he'd have to wait for the alkaline from the soap to pass through his system for a couple of days. Until then, he'd be hiccuping and burping up bubbles by the mouthful.

"What do you want?"

"I want to apologise…for eating your soap yesterday!"

"At least you're okay!"

He sat down on the bed and smiled.

"What?"

"Marlas' gone, she left last night after you went out!"

"Why?"

"Oh…we ugh…had…an umm….another argument!"

"What about?"

"About you as always!"

La-Jo sighed.

Since the day she moved into the Inn, her and Marla didn't get along at all. Marla was ambitious about what she did and to find that La-Jo was happy where she was didn't agree with her.

"You've got potential girl…you just need to get out of that awful game!"

"I'm happy where I am Marla!"

"Sure you are darling but does holding a Blitzball in your hands get you the same happiness as holding a guy in your hands?"

"I'm happy at the moment Marla, I don't need a guy to keep me happy!"

That's the moment when Marla and La-Jo became enemies. Marla took every opportunity to wind La-Jo up, making comments about her sexuality and preferences of company. But everytime Marla thought she had won, Hymnio would put her anchor of victory back at the bottom of the river.

Taking a deep breath, Hymnio smelt something.

Following the scent, he looked at La-Jo. "Were you courted last night?"

"Why?"

"Because I can smell a guy around you!"

La-Jo looked away.

"Tall, weak build, bluey-green hair, dark blue eyes, dark red skin…name is Jen!"

"What's it to you if I get courted?"

"Because then I know you'll be okay!"

La-Jo looked at him in confusion. "Huh?"

Hymnio stood by the window and looked outside. "I went with a Tigerian once, Rofalio was his name…he told me everything about Tigerians, about their courtship, how the males stay within close range of females…"

"Oh, I see!"

"But he also told me of how some males will fight among one another if two males court the same female!"

La-Jos' face fell to pieces at the thought of seeing two males fighting over her. If that was to happen she wouldn't know which one to support.

"But only if another male tries to court you in front of the first one!"

"So I keep myself to the first one!"

Hymnio looked at her and smiled.

La-Jo remembered what she had said last night.

"Hymnio?"

He sat down on the bed.

"Where can I find Yama?"

The crowd roared.

"What an amazing three pointed pass, first to Tidus, then up front to Wakka before passing to the world favorite La-Jo for an unbelievable score!"

La-Jo swam back a bit and watched for the ball.

SPLASH!

The ball whizzed past La-Jo as she turned to chase it, another member of her team already ahead of her.

Rikku watched from the stands as La-Jo received the ball, passed it to one team member before following them up the field, knocking the opposition towards the edge of the sphere. "La-Jo is really playing the game with her best skills!"

"Go La-Jo!"

"Make that kill!"

"Boy are the crowds going mental over this game, have you ever seen the Blitz Tiger move so quickly and easily dodge past those defenders?"

"She's making this look like a game that my two year old son could play!"

"She's going up for the goal and…"

La-Jo punched the ball with her gloved fist as hard as she could.

The ball rocketed through the water, striking one of the opposition in the chest and went hurtling out of the sphere, taking the winded player with it.

"Oh jeez, that is going to leave a mark in the morning!"

"Looks like the Rogues have lost their third player in ten minutes leaving only two others to try and beat their opponents!"

"That won't be easy with La-Jo being in there and…wait, the balls been hit upwards!"

"Looks like Tidus and La-Jo are both going for the ball, who will catch it first?"

"We'll have to watch!"

La-Jo kept her speed the same as Tidus's.

The ball sailed high up out of the sphere, spinning as it went.

"I think we can expect some amazing display off these two!"

Both at the same time, La-Jo and Tidus burst out of the waters surface, chasing the ball up into the air.

Three…two…one…

"FLIP!"

At the exact same moment, the pair pulled off a forward flip as Wakka came up beneath them and caught the ball. Crossing infront of Tidus, La-Jo positioned her arms to dive back into the water, Tidus copying her actions.

"THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!"

"It first appeared that Tidus and La-Jo were going to catch the ball before pulling off those flips to confuse their opposition while Wakka stole the ball from right underneath their noses!"

"THAT WAS JUST INCREDIBLE!"

"You're getting too excited about that display!"

"IT WAS SO INCREDIBLE!"

SKREE! THUD!

"Stupid sod!"

La-Jo followed Wakka through the other two players trying to stop him.

The ball smashed through the waters surface as the end of the game was made.

"An amazing game tonight with the home team winning a spectacular thirty points to nil!"

"Did you have to hit me?"

"Yes!"

Te-Cu and Laketao walked out of the stands and waited outside for La-Jo and others to come out.

"That was some game!"

"You're telling me!"

"TE-CU!" La-Jo began walking towards them.

Te-Cu went to wave but stopped.

Pain tore through her chest, resulting in her dropping to her knees clutching her chest with her arms.

La-Jo dropped her kit bag and sprinted over to her friend. "Te-Cu?"

"The…virus…too…strong!"

"What…what's she talking about?"

"She's got a virus that she inherited from her father!" La-Jo fumbled around in Te-Cus' pockets before pulling out the syringe filled with the suppressant.

"That…won't…help…"

"At least it'll fight the virus…"

"No!" She grabbed La-Jos' hand in hers' "It's…too…strong"

"What are you talking about?"

"The…virus…has…become…immune!"