#ff fanzine

[rune-writes]

His Moon and Her Star

Fandom: Final Fantasy X

Word count: 2K

Rating: Gen

Pairing: Tidus/Yuna

Summary: A look into the moments Tidus and Yuna shared throughout their journey across Spira: the dreams he offered, the promises he made.

Notes: written for @tidunazine ! I was offered the opportunity to become guest writer. Thank you so much ^_^ I had a blast working on this fic~

Read on AO3.

~*~*~*~*~*

He was an odd sort: awkward, clumsy, and always telling the tallest of tales. At least, the others thought they were tall tales. Yuna believed him. When she told him so, he broke into the widest grin that barely fit into his face. 

“I wish you could see it,” he later said. “Zanarkand; the city that never sleeps.” His glance cut over to her face, the grin still in place. “I’ll take you there someday.” 

The offer had come nonchalantly, his face a picture of resplendent jubilance, almost bright like the sun, unaware of the fate that awaited her at the end of her pilgrimage.

It was apparent, from the first few moments of meeting him, that Tidus’s Zanarkand was not the same as the Zanarkand they all knew. Sir Jecht, her father’s guardian, used to tell her the same thing. No wonder; they were father and son, as she later learned. She noticed it in the way they carried themselves; their hearty laughs; their staunch refusal to let anything, not even their predicaments, dampen their mood. A trait she would like to copy one day. Tidus always frowned every time someone noted the similarities, but nevertheless, they had become a source of comfort for her.

It was during a warm afternoon that Yuna found him practicing blitzball outside the inn on the road to Luca. Wakka and his team would be competing in the tournament there. Tidus, too, apparently—a trump card to finally break their twenty-three-year losing streak. Wakka had looked so confident when he announced this to everyone, much to an aggrieved Lulu, because it was clear to everyone that Tidus wasn’t—shouldn’t be—right in the head. Not when he spoke of cities of dreams with lights and revelries all year round in a place where ruins had stood for a thousand years and overrun with fiends, right? But when he displayed his skills in front of the Besaid Aurochs, no one could dispute that he might be—at least, regarding his status as a blitzball star player—telling the truth. 

“I see you, you know.” 

Yuna blinked, then straightened her back. Tidus had stopped tossing the ball into the air, now cradling it against his hip as he stared at her through the gap in the leaves. Heat flushed across her cheeks; Yuna covered it with a cough. 

He crossed to her hiding spot behind an array of green plants by the inn's side door, sitting on the white stone steps. His lips curled into a mischievous grin. 

“Wanna play?” He offered her the ball. “You always look like you wanna play with us.”

“I—” She paused, gauging the ball in her hands. In all honesty, she hadn’t wanted to play—never thought to join them. She’d always been content watching from the sidelines on her breaks between summoner training. But there was something about Tidus’s style that reminded her of Sir Jecht and, hence, her father. She looked up. Tidus cocked his head to the side and nodded encouragingly at her. 

He was already moving away before she could give an answer. Yuna found no reprieve. 

“I don’t know how to,” she finally replied even as she followed him to the small clearing beside the inn. 

“I’ll teach you.”

Easy for him to say, but Yuna tossed the ball to him nonetheless and listened to his instructions on how to catch. She never understood the rules but Tidus’s animated face as he tried to explain as simply as he could was enjoyable to see. At some point, she’d begun to smile, which made him pause. 

“What’s that look for?”

“Huh?”

“That smile.”

Yuna wiped the expression from her face. She hadn’t realized. “I just… thought it’s fun.” Tidus didn’t break his gaze. “It’s always fun watching you play—you guys play,” she quickly amended. 

He smirked, seemingly noticing her slip. Yuna shifted her eyes away, a blush coloring her cheeks.

“Wakka said they've been on a losing streak, but I’m gonna change that. Just you watch. The Aurochs will be the one to dominate the Luca tournament.” The smirk turned into a confident grin, and once again, Yuna couldn’t help the smile returning to her face. 

*** 

That night, Macalania Woods stood silent. No wind rattled the trees; not even a breeze to ripple the water. Sitting on the sandy bank with her clothes dripping wet, Yuna had pulled her knees to her chest and whispered the words that had been weighing on her mind: 

I’m sorry. 

For not saying anything. For keeping things to herself. 

Tidus stopped wringing water from his clothes and looked at her. Yuna stared fixedly at the still water. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him prop his arms on the ground then direct his gaze upward to the star-studded sky. 

“If anything,” he spoke, his voice soft, “I should be the one who apologizes. I said all those things without really knowing what your journey is about.”

Yuna shook her head. “I kept it a secret. The others doubted your story but I didn’t—”

“Then it was as much their fault as it was mine!” Yuna flinched at the edge in his voice. “Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, even Auron… They kept quiet as I babbled on about beating Sin and going places after this pilgrimage was over. But beating Sin would mean—” His breath caught; Yuna’s fists clenched around her hakama. “I wanted to show you Zanarkand. My Zanarkand. But never at the cost of your own life.” 

Silence followed his angry outburst. As though shaken, the previously tranquil pyreflies now bobbed and hovered by the lake. She had always known what her fate would be and accepted it unquestioningly. She still did. 

“But you said you were happy,” Tidus went on, “and maybe I can understand why they let me be.” She glanced to her side. Tidus was looking at her, a smile to his lips tinted blue by the pyreflies’ glow. “That’s why we’ll make lots of memories together—the best, greatest, most fun memories you’ll ever have that you’ll face Sin with the bravest of smiles.”

She wasn’t lying when she told him he made her happy. To see him laugh, and smile, and talk like a tomorrow existed beyond the summoning of the Final Aeon. It had freed her from the constraints of her friends’ worries and sorrow. 

She felt the tension leaving her grip on her hakama. She would leave, but Spira would be protected and her father’s legacy preserved. That was enough for her. 

“Thank you,” she said past the growing lump in her throat. 

Before she could second-guess herself, Yuna leaned her head against his shoulder, relishing his warmth and steady presence. He was her sun: blinding and brilliant against the darkness of the night. Would they call her selfish for hoping that he could stay with her? He anchored her, past her fear and pressing doubt, a reassurance that everything would be alright.

***

It was like waking up from a dream. 

The sun rose on the city of Bevelle, painting it in hues of pink and gold. The people were still asleep. At times, Yuna would hear soft steps on the corridor outside: maids preparing for the day. Yuna’s clothes had been laid out on her bed. She couldn’t sleep. She sat at her desk, watching the backdrop of an inn room within a sphere. Her friends had recorded it when they had been staying in the Calm Lands. That seemed like a lifetime ago. 

Someone cleared his throat. “One, two… Test,” came a voice from the sphere. Her throat ached when Tidus’s face appeared in the projected light. “Hey, is this thing on?” 

“Yes, it is, doofus, now hurry up!” Rikku was barely visible from the corner. 

“Uh, right then.” Tidus cleared his throat, sat straighter, and looked directly at her. Yuna’s breath hitched. “Hey, Yuna,” he said. “Congrats on defeating Sin.” 

It had been a week or so since their battle with Sin. Yuna’s life had been a whirlwind of meetings and reforms with the remaining Maesters of Yevon, and then meetings with the people to confirm that Sin was finally, truly gone. An Age of Eternal Calm, they’d said. Yuna had smiled throughout it all. 

Later today, she would address those same people on a stage at the Bevelle courtroom. Her speech lay beside the sphere on a piece of white parchment. Someone had written it for her, made her promise to read and remember every line. She hadn’t liked the contents very much. Nerves getting the better of her, she had gone and walked around her room, searching every drawer and cabinet for something that would catch her interest, until she came across the sphere in a bag—Rikku’s. 

Now the tears she hadn’t been able to conjure trickled down her cheeks one after another. Her heart had seized at the sight of Tidus’s glowing smile. Rikku quickly shoved him aside after he’d said his piece and said it was her turn next. Yuna laughed at that. Then the others took turns, and when it was almost over, Rikku sat in front of the sphere again, only for Tidus to grab her arm and push her out of the room. She protested, but Tidus said she’d have lots of time to congratulate Yuna later. He shut the door before Rikku could get a word in. 

“Now that that’s settled,” he mumbled. He looked around, looked at the sphere, scratched the back of his head, then sat in front of it again. He closed his eyes for a while before taking a deep breath, and when he opened them, the bright blue of his gaze, so like the pyreflies’ light in Macalania, met hers. 

Her lungs constricted.   

“If you’re seeing this, Yuna,” he began to say, “I guess that means I’m not there anymore.”

The tears that had started as a slow trickle became a steady stream. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to you. I guess I didn’t want to worry you. I only learned about it too when we were traveling across Mount Gagazet. Bahamut came to me and pleaded for my help. You didn’t want to abandon your people; I didn’t either. If there was a chance to free you from your shackles, then I’d gladly do it, even if it’d cost me my life.” He laughed, somewhat self-deprecating. “I guess we’re more alike than we thought. Anyway, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep all my promises, but I hope I did keep one. You have all the best memories stored in those spheres I had Rikku record.” He paused. “I’ll always be with you, Yuna.”

The recording stopped. Tidus’s face remained for a second longer, before the light vanished, and the sphere dimmed. 

Yuna gasped. Anguish she’d managed to keep at bay now surged like the high tides of a tsunami, threatening to drown her whole. Sobs racked her body until it was all she could do to remain in her seat. 

There had been times when Yuna thought it had been a dream: the silly laughs, the funny jokes, the kiss in the lake. He’d been too perfect, knowing just what to say and what to do, keeping her spirits up when she had been on the verge of breaking. And then he was gone, just like that, with no trace in the world. She’d whistled at the pier time and again, but no fresh-faced boy with a sunny smile ever rushed to her side. Her father had left her keepsakes to remember him by, but Tidus was someone who should not have existed in the first place. 

The sphere sat silently on the desk. Her fingers twitched; she pressed the play button again. 

“One, two… Test…” Tidus’s face came on. “Hey is this thing on?” 

“Yes, it is, doofus, now hurry up!” 

Tidus left no keepsakes, but this sphere was proof that her memories were real. As the morning light seeped through the curtains, Yuna’s lips curved into a gentle smile. 

~ END ~

[ffxvizine]

Thanks you all so much for 80+ responses!

Also thanks to an Anon for reminding us publish this. Apologize for pushing back the Interest Check closing date and result. But here we announce it and give you more pictures of the zine we're gonna create! It would be:

Canon-Compliant

General theme that isn't focused on Dominants

Having mix of story length

Having Eikons & Torgal-theme merchandise

Having acrylic charm and A4 prints for physical merchandise

Having desktop and phone wallpaper for digital merchandise

Are you excited? Be our contributors and unleash the flame! Application opens now till Sep 16, 2023.

>> CLICK HERE <<

[mmediocreman]

reblogs are greatly appreciated P.O for my ff14 fanzine: Across the Rift is up!

-5 books of each expansion each 30p A5 size

-8 FF charms (including FF7 and FF16)

-free sticker for bundles

-free print of your commission included if you have comm-ed me

-ships from indonesia

-P.O ends June 2nd

FOR INTL: https://acrosstheriftzine.bigcartel.com

FORM LOKAL: https://forms.gle/vvh1YtmmnXUS2sm96

KATALOG LOKAL: https://acrosstheriftzine.carrd.co

feel free to dm or comment to ask for any questions

[agui-chart]

PREORDER: Asteria's big adventure in Eorzea aguichart.etsy.com

🌿 36-40 pg A5 size with comics, 4-komas, wolgrahas and more Asteria's stories. All of them are online too! 🌿 A5 print FREE for preorders

[winterune]

☀️ Preview of my fic for @tidunazine 🌕

With a pinch of fluff and a sprinkle of angst, come celebrate one of the best love stories ever told in FF with this wonderful project. Preorders for Always: A Tiduna Fanzine are now open!! Don't miss it!

SHOP LINK

[azul-alvarez]

GUYS! Wanderlust ( @ffxvwanderlustzine ) is finally here! We're so excited to share this journey across Eos with you and I can't wait for you to see all the great work my peers have done! ❤️ Here's a sneak peak of my piece, I've had a blast working on this! Preorders are open right now, don't miss out!

[thespellweaver]

How do y’all find a Fanzine to join?

I’d like to get back into after how poorly things went with the @garden-of-shadows-zine but I have no idea how to even start looking. It seems like every search query I try just go to ones that are closed or just looking for buyers. I’d like to contribute to one but I’ve no idea where to start.

[ff7pokemonzine]

Mod Apps Open — FORMATTING

Of Fantasy and Monsters: A FF7 x Pokémon Zine is enthusiastically looking for a FORMATTING MOD, so if that's you, come join our team! Apps close on April 2nd!

APPLY HERE TODAY!

Mod Guidelines | Twitter | Carrd

@fandomzines @zineapps @zinefans @zineforall @zinesunlimited Thank you!

[fffanthology]

Countdown to Pre-orders

We apologize for the silence these last weeks, but we come back to announce you the opening day for Pre-Orders is this August 18th and we are excited to show you the many surprises we got in our store. 👀

[ffladieszine]

✨ LUCIDA SIDERA: A FF Ladies Zine 💎 🗓️ Leftovers Sept 20 - Oct 20 🛒 ffladieszine.bigcartel.com

This is your final chance to grab a copy of Lucida Sidera: a fanzine celebrating the radiance of Final Fantasy's ladies. We will not be reprinting, and stock is limited so hurry while supplies last! 💜✨

Be sure to check out our amazing contributors who, along with our team, put this amazing project together. Stop by their socials for the full pieces! We will also make sure to reblog them here when they're shared.

Thank you for sharing! @ff7zinenews @all-zine-apps @zine-scene @anizines

[titanusamarante]

Hey Proshippers, Listen

You know,  as someone who has been in fandom so long that I helped produce local fanzines and my childhood internet browser was Mosaic. I feel like I need to say some things. Proshippers would get a lot less flak if y'all tagged your stuff better. Most folks are mad at proshippers because a ton of y'all include the general fandom tags, so graphic incest/rape headcanons and problematic ship art shows up in normal searches, and folks get squicked at best at triggered at worst. And y'all have way too many variations of the 'proship' tag, so that gets around tag blocking. Also, I've seen a lot of proshippers picking fights by flooding antiship tags with proship content. Meanwhile the proship tags have like, one or two haters. Y'all are kind of the aggressors here. And for the goddess' sake, stop acting like someone hating an incest or lolishota smut fic/headcanon is somehow analogous to nazi book burning. It's REALLY not. I think most of the problem is that the unyielding hand of capitalism forced all of fandom to interact when in the old days it was a bit more spread out. Certain content had its own locked communites or even separate websites. The idea that incest and to be frank pedophilic ships were more 'welcome' back in the day by wider fandom is because that stuff wasn't right out in the open. You had to actively go looking for it via websites or groups dedicated to the pairing. So the groups around it were naturally more blasé about it. It was literally by design. Meanwhile general fandom could theorize and make silly crossovers and gen fics. Nowadays, fandom is a continent worth of ecosystems in four of five public parks. We need separate spaces again. It was healthier that way. Then you can theorize in one space and head on over to another for the spicy content you want. And Gen folks couldn't stumble on said content as easily. But in the meantime, stop the victim complex and baiting and tag your stuff properly. (No general tags, keep to your ship tags). Then your 'anti' problem will drop by a good bit. Get your edgelord (picking fights on purpose and actively try to trigger folks) problem under control and the number will drop further. Youll still get death threats, because this is the internet and because both sides have a serious edgelord problem. But, go pool your resources and make your own version of the lemon archive with a nice forum. Then when the death threats come, you can literally go 'why are you here then?' AO3's tagging system is neat in the meantime, but it still has issues. Also, before the threats come. I'm not an 'anti' (unless it's RPF, which is ACTUALLY dehumanizing). I know certain fiction ain't going anywhere, even if I consider it gross. Just tag it better, ffs.

BTW, y'all REALLY need to learn the difference between media criticism and 'ban this filth' puritanical screeds. I lived in the Bible Belt during the Satanic Panic. I KNOW what ACTUAL censorship cries look like. And yes, fandom does have some serious issues. Especially with racism and misogyny. You can also criticize things you like, because nothing is perfect.

[ffxvizine]

REMINDER

Contribution Application for Fulminate: FFXVI Zine is closed on September 16, 2023. So you still have one week to apply.

>> FORM LINK <<

Contributor guideline is on this tumblr page, open it via webview on your PC/Laptop. If you’re tumblr app user, you can read it on our carrd.

[mmediocreman]

[Reblogs appreciated!🙏] since i got some inquiries about the zine i will be opening a reprint P.O until 11th Aug however if the MOQ isnt reached by then your order will be cancelled and fully refunded

leftover keychains are available (limited quantity) https://acrosstheriftzine.bigcartel.com

[winterune]

My preview for the FFXVI zine, Fulminate! Follow Tarja as she navigates the role and duties of a physicker in my piece, A Healer's Duty, where she will be joined by several key figures who are important in her life.

Preorders are open from May 15 - June 15, 2024!

Check out our store >> HERE

Follow our twitter and instagram.

[birdmenmanga]

Okay so here's what it's kind of looking like:

Oct. 17: drop tanabemas

Oct. 19: finish de postcard

Oct. 23: Gold foil prints x50

Oct. 29: finish kaishin postcard for bundle, send to ip

Nov. 1: announce that preorders for bs will open on Nov. 8-25 (show digital artworks, dimensions and materials of merch)

Nov. 4: Photoshoot of merch (by that time all merch samples will likely have arrived)

Nov. 5: ACT 3 starts serializing for patrons

Nov. 8: Preorders for BS open

Nov. 12: ACT 3 starts serializing, TITLE PAGE MUST BE FINISHED

Nov. 18: Place orders for everything

Nov. 23: KDF tabling

Nov. 25: Preorders for BS close

Nov. 26: Finish lecture powerpoint

Dec. 2: Ship out orders

Dec. 10: Fanzine/doujin lecture

Dec. 14-15: FF tabling

Dec. 25: tanabemas posting starts

Jan. 15: tanabemas posting ends

Based on the patterns for the heishin zine most of the purchases happened in the first few days (weekend), and tapered off around the 2 week mark with a tiny surge the days before pre-orders closed. I set the dates to include the weekends on both sides, and I suspect the patterns will be similar. by the end of the second week I'll have a good idea of what the numbers are looking like and I can +10-ish to get an estimate for the final numbers. I ordered 30 bookmarks and idk. I really have no idea how the sales are going to shake out.... huh...

[thehotchreidzine]

Welcome, @sparklinspence!

Sparklinspence is an awesome writer, and author of Thank god for tile floor! Thank you for participating! Read more of the snippet above in our HotchReid fanzine. Pre-Orders for the Zine and awesome HotchReid Merch like stickers, keychains, and more—all of which the proceeds go to SharedHope a charity to combat sex trafficking—will be live until Jan. 2nd!