A/N: Hey there, everyone! Wow, it's been forever since I wrote anything. For shame. I've had such horrendous writer's block, and actually, I still have it. I wrote this during class. It's just a short little story about Tidus on the day that his mom dies. Wow, this is also my first FFX fanfic! Lucky you! (Actually, I haveanother one half-written, so come back and check in a couple of days) Enjoy!

Saying Good-bye

"Mommy! Mommy!"

A little boy ran along the docks at the outskirts of Zanarkand, blitzball clutched tightly under one small arm. He was happy today – he was proud, and he knew his mother would be, too, when she saw just how good her boy was. Finally, after years of tripping and falling, running after lost blitzballs and being told to give up time and again, he'd learned the basics of the game. He could hardly wait to see her smile!

Mommy never smiled anymore.

His childish gait nearly slowed, but quickly he pushed down any unhappy thoughts. Nothing could ruin this day! He'd show his mommy just what he could do, and she'd smile and laugh. He would make her smile again.

He'd show her that he could be just as good as her perfect husband.

The boy came to the houseboat where he lived with his mother, and saw the man in red (he called himself a guardian, but the boy didn't like him). He decided to forego scowling at the man for being there, deciding that his current mission was much more important.

"Mommy!" he called again, searching the small houseboat. Where was she? He was fairly shaking with excitement. He opened the last door, the one leading to his mother's bedroom. "Mom-"

The blitzball fell to the floor and rolled under the bed. There was only silence. Dead silence. She was on the floor, motionless. There was something in her hand. He crouched down beside her and tentatively twisted his head to the side to see – he didn't want to touch her. It was a picture. A picture of her and Jecht in their younger days, when they were first married. Mommy looked so happy then. She wasn't… hadn't been happy now.

He wanted to tell her to wake up. He wanted to tell her not to leave him here alone. He wanted to say good-bye. Say how much he loved her and would miss her. Instead, three words escaped him, and they weren't for his mother.

"I hate you."