I've been working on so many other things that I can't say I'm surprised this fell to the wayside the way it did. There's not a whole lot to say about this chapter; it's mostly a plot chapter to get things moving along again.
UPDATE 2/8/2012: Well, while writing Chronicles again, I finished a chapter...and then realized that the chapter I finished was this chapter, and somehow my document file had become outdated and left me a chapter behind where I actually was. So, I decided to splice the two together and use pieces from the first version along with what I just recently wrote. I'll be returning to work on the actual next chapter soon.
Begin!
Chapter 13: Rays of Hope
The sun is just starting to set when we arrive back at the shattered seaside town of Kilika, but there is a strong sense of harmony around the area despite the destruction and encroaching darkness. People are still working, attempting to clean as meticulously and quickly as they can, using every available bit of daylight to the fullest to try and restore their home. A lot was lost in Sin's attack, but everyone seems to be focused on moving past that and rebuilding to honor those who were lost - Yuna's earlier Sending seems to have done a great deal with help in that respect.
"Kilika strong," Kimahri rumbles, stepping up beside Yuna as she stops to look over the town. "Like Gagazet - Ronso value family, honor, courage. Kilika has all."
"Kilika faces the same problems that we do," Lulu says with a nod. "The sea can be harsh and unforgiving, even without Sin's presence. They do the best they can, never giving up in the face of that force - much as we do."
"A small-scale version of what the world does against Sin. Man versus nature, survival of the fittest...even if the 'nature' in some cases was made by man's own hands," I remark, heading further into the town. Debris is still everywhere, but the worst of it seems to be getting under control; larger pieces have been gathered up into piles for burning or reuse as smaller chunks of material, while things too damaged or unsuitable for recycling are piled further away. Coming from an area that deals with frequent hurricanes, the destruction around me is all too familiar, even if it was caused by an otherworldly power. While it's hard to do, I know that we have to keep moving forward, no matter how much we may want to stay and help. Every moment we spend is another moment that could be used to further our travels and find a way to stop Sin for good, and pressing on to find a way to solve the underlying problem would be a much better solution that merely repeating the events of the past.
It's a painfully pragmatic and somewhat unsympathetic way of looking at things, I know, but it makes sense despite everything.
"We can leave for Luca in the morning," Wakka says, looking around at the town as the last of the sun starts to fade over the horizon. "We'll rest up, eat something, and be ready to go at sunup, ya?"
"A good idea," Lulu replies with a nod. "I will go ask the elder where we may stay for the night." Quietly, Lulu walks away, leaving the rest of us out on the beach with the villagers as they continue to work. Apparently, however, they aren't going to work through the night. I can already see torches being lit and fires springing up to cook food over as the villagers slowly bring their tasks to a halt in order to rest for the next day's work. Yuna and Kimahri start to head over towards the largest fire in the middle of the village, which seems to be serving as an impromptu meeting place, while Wakka heads after Lulu, apparently to speak with the village elder as well. With a final look around the village, I start to head over towards a pier at the edge of the water, hoping to find someplace quiet to think and enjoy a moment of peace. Sand crunches under my feet as I head towards the lone pier, but sounds from behind me cause me to glance back as I walk and realize that Tidus is following me - maybe he has something that he wants to talk about, or maybe he just doesn't know where to go with everyone splitting up. The water, unlike earlier, is peaceful now, almost black in the darkness slowly settling over the island. Looking out at it, I try to relax and rest a bit from the events of the day. My arms and legs are tired from all the fighting and running, and I can feel a circle of mild pain around my waist from where the sheath at my side has caused the clothing to rub and irritate the skin. There's another pain in my stomach, too, but that's more out of hunger than anything - I should probably get some food soon, come to think of it.
"You wouldn't think that something like Sin is out there, looking at it like this," I say to Tidus, leaning over the rail and gesturing out at the water. "It's so quiet now."
"Sure is," he agrees, resting on the rail beside me with his back, the opposite of my posture. "Feeling okay?"
"Hurt, but I'll live. Nothing a little rest and exercise can't fix. And food," I say with a shrug.
"You've got a point," Tidus says, laughing. "What'd you come out here for, though? If you're hungry, why not go eat?"
"I...wanted to think for a bit. Seeing all this hits me kinda hard, since we go through big storms where I'm from too. Not caused by something like Sin, of course. Just really bad weather."
"They cause damage like this?"
"If they hit land, yeah. A lot of times, they stay out in the oceans, but some of them get really nasty if they turn away from the water."
"We never really had weather like that in Zanarkand," Tidus says, nodding in understanding. "Rain, yeah - lots of lightning, but nothing big. Nothing like this."
"Until Sin came," I state. "A tidal wave washing your city away is something that even I've never seen before."
Tidus goes quiet at the words, nothing more said between the two of us for some time as we both simply stand and stare at the water, each lost in our own thoughts.
"Do you miss it?" Tidus asks suddenly, turning back to me. "Your world?"
"...Yeah, I do. I know I chose to come here, but I just wish I knew what I was really doing here. I'm just a kid that doesn't even know anyone important...I don't understand why I'd be picked for something like this."
"You're a summoner now, right? Doesn't that mean you're supposed to save Spira?" Tidus offers.
"Somehow, I don't think that's my job...that sounds more like a job for you and Yuna."
"Me?" the blitzball player asks, surprised. "You think I'm the one that's supposed to save Spira?"
"Didn't Auron say something to you when we left Zanarkand?" I ask, glancing over. "'This is your story,' I believe. If that doesn't say it, I don't know what does."
"You're kidding. You've got more of a role in this than I do!" he exclaims, seeming to toss the idea aside as laughable.
"Tidus, you're the son of possibly the most famous blitzball player to ever walk into a sphere pool. Yuna's the daughter of one of the most prestigious summoners in the last few centuries, from what I hear. Compared to you two, I'm just a minor player."
"How do you know that I'll be the one to help Yuna save the world? How do you know we will save the world?" he asks me, still skeptical.
My eyes turn to him with a hint of a smile as I start to walk back to the village, finally calm and collected again. I needed to go out and think...talk...just get away for a few minutes, and Tidus being around to listen didn't hurt.
"Tell you what. Ask me that again when we get to the end, and I'll tell you."
The middle of the night out at sea is something that I've never had a chance to experience, but I think that I'd rather never experience it again after this particular chance. It's very quiet out with no one else really awake, which is good, but the gentle rocking of the boat has started to make me just a bit queasy, and being left alone with my thoughts is starting to become more of a hindrance than a help. We're on the way to Luca, along with a few members of that city's blitzball team, the Luca Goers, as well as the entire Kilika Beasts blitzball team. Not only that, but both Tidus and Wakka will be playing along with the rest of the Aurochs in the annual championship – Wakka has stuck more to coaching as of recently, from what I hear. Both of them spent most of the remaining time before bed talking about the game, not to mention arguing with the occasional Goers team member about the Aurochs' talent or lack thereof, which were conversations that I found I'd rather stay out of. Blitzball never interested me much in the game itself, and that seems to have carried over into the 'reality' of the world, as it were.
Instead, my thoughts have turned to a more somber topic. We'll be arriving at Luca soon, but so will others...chief among them being the current head of the Yevonite Clergy, Grand Maester Yo Mika, and one of the newer and more prominent Maesters of Yevon, Seymour Guado. The pair of them are, notably, corrupt in every sense of the word, and I've been thinking for what must be the past hour on a way to throw a figurative wrench into their plans. So far, the only plans I've come up with have the same major shortcoming: my relative power and skill compared to that of either of the pair, specifically Maester Seymour. My mind is still considering things in terms of the game itself, and Seymour is what could be considered 'final boss' material, which I...well, to be blunt, am not. Yet.
My best shot for actually derailing his plans isn't actually something that I need to interfere with at all; if things go as they do in the game, my presence at that event won't matter to begin with. However, I want to make sure that they get away with as little as possible...I just can't seem to think of a good way to do that.
"You still up, brudda?"
Wakka's voice suddenly interrupts me from my thoughts as I see the older Auroch captain walking up to the top deck where I'm standing. Slowly, I nod, looking back up at the half-moon shining out over the sea.
"Can't sleep. Shouldn't you be resting for the games tomorrow?"
Wakka just shrugs, walking up beside me to lean on the railing. "Can't sleep either. Must be nerves, ya?"
"Well, you are playing the Goers tomorrow. That'd make anyone nervous."
The words are out of my mouth before I fully realize what I've said in my half-asleep state - I'm not technically supposed to know that yet. Wakka quirks an eyebrow at my statement; apparently, I wasn't the only one to catch it.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I...I mean, it's obvious you guys are going to make it to the finals, and the Goers aren't gonna let anyone stand in their way either, so it's only natural that you two'll be playing in the finals, right?" I say with fake confidence, hoping that I sound more convincing than I feel. Wakka grins at my statement, nodding and clenching a fist.
"We're coming home this year with the title, for sure."
'Maybe I should tell him, too...'
The thought runs unbidden through my mind for a moment, and I consider it carefully. Should I tell Wakka now? Lulu already seems to believe me - or, at least, doesn't think me completely crazy - and that might help my case, given how close they are. Wakka might act goofy, but he's not stupid, and I think he'd listen to me if I told him about everything. I've been shying away from telling Yuna and Kimahri, mostly because I'm afraid as to how they would react, but if both Wakka and Lulu know, two people who she's trusted for years...
"Hey...Wakka? Do you have a few minutes? To talk, I mean."
"Sure, brudda. What's on your mind?"
"Well...it's about something that I've been meaning to tell all of you, but I'm only now getting around to it. I've already talked to Lulu, so I figured it was only fair that I tell you next," I say, taking a deep breath. "It's about where I'm from - really."
"Where you're from? You mean you're not from the village?" Wakka asks, folding his arms.
"Not exactly. I...it's kinda hard to explain without sounding crazy," I remark, sighing. "You know about all the different fayth at the temples, right? The ones who sacrificed themselves to become the Aeons?"
"Sure. We learn about that as children, along with what Sin is and how summoners train to bring the Calm."
"Okay. So, what would you say if I told you that one of those fayth is the very reason not only why I'm a summoner, but why I'm even in this world to begin with?"
Enough beating around the bush, I figure - I may as well just say it, see what his reaction is, and go from there. Trying to tiptoe around the idea isn't going to get me anywhere. There's a moment of silence from Wakka as he seems to realize the full extent of what I said, and his eyes widen.
"You're playin' a joke on me, aren't ya, brudda?"
"No joke," I say, shaking my head slowly. "I couldn't make this up if I tried. I'm not from Spira, Wakka - I'm from an entirely different world altogether. The fayth of Bevelle - Bahamut - offered me the chance to come to Spira to, in his own words, 'be a boon to Lady Yuna's pilgrimage.' Problem is, I don't know exactly what he meant by that. That's what I'm trying to figure out now...just what the reason is that made me decide to come here."
"...You said you talked to Lu first, yeah? What's she think about this story of yours?"
"To be honest, I don't know if she believes me or not. She didn't call me a liar, though, so I think she believes me on some level, at least. Or she thinks I'm completely crazy," I reply, shrugging. Wakka seems to watch me for several seconds, apparently trying to figure out whether I am in fact telling the truth or whether I'm just a really good actor, before he finally turns and looks out towards the water.
"Say you are tellin' the truth. What makes you want to help Yuna so bad that you'd leave your own world to come help out some people you barely know?"
Wakka's choice of words doesn't escape me; apparently, he's realized that I must have had some kind of knowledge of who they are and what Spira is going through to even agree in the first place. The problem is...I don't have an answer to his question.
"...I don't know," I say truthfully, shrugging. "I think that's part of the reason I decided to come, really. I think I want to learn some things about myself that I didn't know before."
"Like a rite of passage?"
"Maybe. I always wanted to do something...more with my life. Maybe this is what I've been looking for."
Wakka just nods from beside me, not saying anything in response as a brief silence rolls over the both of us. I feel like another piece of the weight on my shoulders has just been lifted; I feel like I'm betraying everyone in a way by not telling them the truth about where I'm from, but now I only have Yuna and Kimahri left to tell.
'And Rikku,' I remind myself, 'though you won't be seeing her again for a long time.'
"Tell you what," Wakka says, shaking me again from my thoughts, "let's get some sleep. We can talk more about it tomorrow, ya?"
"After you win the championship," I say with a grin, nodding. Wakka laughs, clapping me on the shoulder as he turns around to leave.
"You really think we can win, don't you?"
"Why not? You guys aren't slouches, you know. And now you've got a secret weapon - no one knows what Tidus can do, so they might just write him off as a nobody. Save that secret for the Goers, and they'll never know what hit them."
"Not a bad idea..." Wakka muses, all of a sudden looking extremely interested in something. "G'night, brudda. See you when we get to Luca."
"Night, Wakka."
"Hey, you awake? We're almost to Luca, brudda - get ready to go!"
My eyes slowly open, squinting shut for a moment at the light coming through the small window in the cabin door before I rub them and slowly open them again to let them adjust. It hadn't taken much for me to fall asleep after I talked with Wakka, and I think it's stressing me out that I haven't been honest with everyone. I'm going to have to tell Yuna and Kimahri before I leave Luca, for sure, or else I don't think I'll feel right about the situation. Sighing, I roll myself out of the small bed inside the cabin, reaching for my socks and shoes a moment later. I'll also have to try and remember to pick myself up some new clothes while I'm in Luca, too - provided I get a chance. Quickly tugging on my shoes and lacing them up, I step out of the cabin and shield my eyes from the sun - they haven't fully adjusted yet - as I look around for the rest of the group. The few crew members on the ship are up and busy as well, mostly walking the ship to make sure everything is in good shape and talking with the passengers, and I can see Wakka and Lulu a short distance from me, staring out at something in the distance.
A few seconds later, as my eyes finally start to adjust to the light, I see what they're looking at. It's all I can do not to gasp at the sight, honestly.
(Play: Luca – Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)
I've never been around many major cities, coming from a rather rural area, and the sight of Luca is almost unlike anything I've ever personally seen before. Towering buildings are everywhere, structures of shining metal that reach up several stories into the air, all surrounding a central rounded building which I take to be the blitzball stadium - after all, Luca is known for being the center for blitzball in Spira, being the place where the annual tournaments are held each year. On the outside edge, facing us, I can see other ships set around large docks, with a sizable shipyard being our apparent destination based on our current heading.
"So this is Luca..." I murmur, momentarily enraptured by the sight. "It's huge..."
"You've never been to Luca?" Yuna asks me suddenly, almost causing me to jump - I never heard her approach, between my own distraction and the other footsteps around me.
"No," I reply. "Never have been one for big cities."
"Luca is the second-largest city in Spira," Lulu states, looking over towards the two of us. "Only Bevelle, the home of the Maesters, is larger, which serves as the seat of power for those in the Yevonite Clergy."
"Looks like we'll be arriving in the next few minutes," I remark, looking at how close we are to the city. "Where's Tidus?"
"I think he's still in his room," Wakka says. "Can you let him know we're ready to go?"
"Gotcha," I say, nodding and turning back towards the passenger cabins to find Tidus. For that matter, I need to grab the rest of my stuff, too. Quickly, I duck back into my own room and grab the rest of my belongings, making sure that everything is secure before I step back out onto the deck. When I do, I can see Tidus approaching from my left side, and I give a quick wave to get his attention before pointing out towards the city.
"Hey, we're almost to Luca," I state, grinning. "Ready to teach everyone how blitzball is played?"
"You know it," he replies, a similar grin across his face. "Are you gonna watch us play?"
"I don't know," I reply honestly. "Blitzball's not my thing, really - I don't know much about how to play it, so I don't know if I'd find it all that interesting. Plus, I wanted to try and grab some supplies while I was here."
"It's fine," Tidus says with a nod. "We'll bring back the trophy for you to see later!"
That causes me to chuckle - I'd say he was being cocky, but...I'm not so sure he's being overconfident, really.
"You do that. Now, come on - let's get ready to hit the docks. I wanna take a look around this place before the tournament starts...or some of it, at least."
(End: Luca – Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)
The sounds of dock workers, other ships, and a dozen other myriad sounds assault our ears as we start to pull into the docks at Luca, but one that stands out over all the rest is the sound of a set of loudspeakers. Apparently, the docks have a multitude of large speakers set around the entire area, but today, they seem to have been co-opted for the purpose of the blitzball tournament. I can hear commentators talking about the different teams that will be participating as they start to arrive, and I can see several other ships also letting players disembark as we finally come to a stop inside the harbor. No one makes a move to leave the ship just yet, as the ramp is still being released and lowered to the pier, and so I turn my attention to the announcers, focusing on hearing them over the host of other sounds coming from the docks.
"Coming from dock number two, we have the Kilika Beasts! They're an old hand at the game - in fact, High Summoner Ohalland himself used to play for the Beasts, which means they have a big legacy to live up to!" one of the announcers calls over the sound system, some of the noise seeming to quiet as more people stop what they're doing for a moment to watch the team exit our ship. A series of cheers go up from one of the docks beside us - fans of the Beasts, no doubt - and another announcer's voice also breaks in a few seconds later as the first players start to file off the ship.
"Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin, as well, so I'm sure that they'll be playing their hardest today to try and bring something good back to Kilika. Our thoughts go out to all those in the middle of the tragedy, and we wish them the best of luck today."
One of the dock workers finally gives Wakka and the rest of the Aurochs, who have filed out of their rooms with equipment in hand and gathered at the ramp, the okay to exit the ship, and I can hear the announcers start talking again as they begin to walk down the ramp. No cheers come from the dock as the Aurochs dismount, however, only quiet discussion between those gathered, and it only takes a moment to figure out why.
"Our next team off the ramp is...well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! Folks, this team is a living, breathing, statistical impossibility - in twenty-three years, they've never made it past the first round of the championship! Only a few die-hard fans are with us in the audience today," one announcer states, with the other breaking in a moment later.
"Whether they've lost their fire, or just haven't practiced enough, it looks like it's going to be a long, hard road for them here today. Best of luck to them, though, and a safe journey back to Besaid."
A look somewhere between amusement and annoyance runs across Tidus' face at the announcer's words, and he starts to follow Wakka and the others off the ship as well. I stay close to him, with Yuna and the rest behind me, but the main bulk of the attention now has shifted to the ones exiting behind us.
"Moving right along, our next team is...here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers!" the first announcer calls, earning an immediate uproar from the crowd as the Goers' players start waving and cheering for the crowd. "They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all around first-class team, and they're finally back home in Luca!"
"Without a doubt, they are the favorite this year, Bobba, just ahead of the Al Bhed Psyches. After the way they dominated last year, with a stunning 5-0 victory to clinch the championship, it would take a miracle for them to lose today," the other announcer chimes in.
"It's like this every year, ya?" I hear Wakka say, putting a hand on Tidus' shoulder. "Goers are the favorite; everyone else is just here to make them look good. Don't let it bother you." Tidus looks even more annoyed now at the derision of his temporary teammates, and he shrugs Wakka's hand off before striding over purposefully to a large shipping crate. Atop the crate is a megaphone, and without hesitation, Tidus clambers up onto the crate and turns to face both the Goers and the majority of the gathered crowd of Goers' fans.
"Stop right there, Goers!" he yells, his voice carrying over nearly everything else at the docks for the moment. "You guys are smilin' now, but you won't be for long! Cause this year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!"
The reactions from the crowd are immediate and mixed - some people are laughing, either at his words or his brazenness, while others suddenly seem interested at the new arrival to the Aurochs' team. Apparently, it seems that most of the blitzball players on a team are well-known, due to the team sizes being so small, and with a potential unknown in the mix...it could be just enough to make some people reconsider their opinions, at least for the moment.
"What in Yevon's name were you doing up there?" Wakka says, reaching up and tugging Tidus down from the box he was on. His teammates, however, don't seem nearly so broken up over it - most of them are laughing, and I can't help but think that Tidus did exactly what he needed to in order to raise everyone's spirits.
"We sure stood out, though!"
"We were on the sphere!" another of the Aurochs exclaims, pointing up towards a large screen set into the side of one of the taller buildings and causing the rest of the Aurochs to look excitedly upwards as well.
"Tidus, I have to say, you've got spirit," I say, resisting the urge to laugh. "Course, I think you might need to tone it down just a bit – or go louder, one of the two."
"I don't think you should encourage him, brudda!" Wakka says with a laugh, apparently having decided to just let it slide.
"Ah, he'll be fine," I reply, "once he gets a chance to take out all that nervous energy of his in the sphere pool."
"I'm not nervous!" Tidus retorts, putting his hands on his hips. "I'm the best there is at this game!"
"Then you've got your chance to prove it, right here," I tell him, grinning. "Better not mess up."
The Aurochs begin talking among themselves, eagerly talking about the game to come as they start to head off from the docks - probably to get checked in and set up in their locker room - when Yuna walks back up to us alongside Kimahri. I didn't even notice the two of them leave, but Yuna seems very excited about something now.
"Guess what, everyone! Maester Mika is here!"
"Maester?" Tidus asks, confused at the title Yuna has just used. "Mika? Who is that?"
"Maester Mika - or, to be more accurate, Grand Maester Yo Mika - is the leader of all the peoples of Spira. He is visiting Luca all the way from Bevelle for this tournament, which is being held in his honor to celebrate his fifty years of service as the Grand Maester of Yevon," Lulu explains. I'm noticing more and more now that Lulu seems to have taken on a teacher-like role for Tidus, explaining a lot of things about people and places that he doesn't know.
"Fifty years?" Tidus asks, clearly surprised by Mika's long tenure in the office. "Shouldn't he be, uh...retired by now?"
"Hey, mind your mouth, now," Wakka comments, glancing over at Tidus. "Not many people have spent half that time as the Grand Maester."
"We should all go see him!" Yuna says happily, clearly very enthused at the idea of getting to personally see the Grand Maester himself. Nods come from all around, even though my thoughts are again swirling at the idea of seeing both Mika and Seymour, and the six of us start to head off towards the number three dock, where a large ship adorned with brightly-painted white symbols of Yevon currently rests. A number of other people are also making their way there, and the crowd is getting larger as we come closer to the dock itself, In the minute or two that it takes us to reach the pier, several dozen people have already gathered in hopes of seeing Grand Maester Mika as well.
"Can't see a thing...!" Tidus moans, hopping around to try and find a better viewpoint of the ship.
"Calm down," I say to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it - let's just move over a bit so that we can see."
With a quick nod from Tidus, the two of us move around a portion of the crowd, finally coming to a point where Tidus can see the ramp to the ship just as a figure begins to descend it. The man in question is dressed in ornate ceremonial robes, either dark purple or black in color with a second layer of bright red fabric lining the bottom and covering part of his chest, leaving the robes partially open from the waist up. Gray-colored designs are drawn onto the entire lower portion of the robes, and the man appears to have tattoos of some kind on his chest near the shoulders, but the most unusual feature about him is his hair - parted into three long sections, one at the front and one at each side that go out and down from his head, and a bright blue in coloration, it ensures that he would stand out in a crowd no matter the composition or situation. A cheerful and gospel-like orchestral tune has also begun to play as he descends the ramp, and he stops at the bottom before sweeping his gaze across the gathered crowd, performing the gesture of prayer which is quickly returned by those present, myself included. I am still a summoner, so like it or not, I need to show the proper respect…regardless of whether I actually hold said respect for the one in question.
A second figure appears at the top of the ramp a few seconds later, and the entire crowd quiets in reverence as a white-haired, bearded man slowly walks down the ramp to join the first man, who kneels as the older man approaches. The older figure's clothing is more like what I expected of a religious official; his clothing is more like a set of priestly robes, sporting a triangular piece below the neck in a dark black color and rectangular patterns of all colors and sizes, and a simple black hat with gold trim.
"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome," he says, his wizened voice still carrying easily across the immediate area as he gestures to the one beside him. "Rise, Maester Seymour." His companion stands up again without a word, simply continuing to watch the crowd as the elderly leader addresses them. "It is my great honor to present to you the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has officially been ordained a Maester of Yevon, and will be returning with me to Bevelle following this event to begin his duties."
"I am Seymour Guado," the blue-haired man states, his voice smooth but holding an unmistakable accent to it that I can't really place. "I am honored to receive the title of Maester. In life, my father Jyscal worked tirelessly to foster friendship between man and Guado, and I vow to carry on his legacy and fulfill my duties as a Maester of Yevon to the best of my abilities."
Murmurs come from the assembled crowd for a few brief seconds before everyone in the crowd begins to bow their head in reverence. Despite the situation, I just frown and turn away silently. Everyone else may be taken in by his words, but I already know what kind of person he really is, and nothing he can say or do will change that.
"You okay?" Tidus asks - apparently, he noticed the way I was watching the two clergymen.
"I'll be fine. Just...thinking about some things I want to take care of," I say, deciding that telling half the truth is better than no truth at all. "I think I might go ahead and try to do some shopping. Want to meet back up with the Aurochs and get ready? If I'm back quick enough, I'll sit down and watch you guys play, too."
While it isn't entirely the truth, I still have the money I was given back on Besaid, and in a place like this, saving it isn't likely to do me any good when I have a need for things like curative potions or clothing.
"Good idea," he says, nodding. "Just keep listening - we're gonna wipe the floor with the Goers!"
"Looking forward to it," I say with a smirk. "Maybe they'll learn that they shouldn't be so quick to judge others for a change."
I made quite a bit of changes to this one when it came to dialogue; you might notice that some conversations didn't happen that were in Destiny's Call originally, and some new ones happened here. Next chapter should be more exciting, so I'll try to have it up in a timely fashion. As always, please read and review.