A Generation of Legacies
Chapter Fifty-Three

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X, X-2, or any of Square-Enix's characters

Last Time:

Alor nodded. "It would make sense. Sin was defeated only last year, and there is no rush to complete a pilgrimage." He caught Koiray's eye. "Now, Koiray, where do you plan on staying while you are in Bevelle?"

He looked around and held up his arms. "Syan's dad offered me the room for as long as I need it."

"That's good," Alor answered. "At least we won't have to worry about finding you accommodations." He paused and sighed. "Perhaps we should leave you for now, you should get some rest before dinner."

Takoire III nodded reluctantly. "I am pretty tired."

Syan smiled and shook his head. "Uncle Alor and I have reports to file anyway. I'll come get you when we leave."


"So, where have you put Syan?"

"He and the other apprentices have a mandatory meeting this morning. I thought it would be a good opportunity to speak with you."

Two days had passed since Koiray's unexpected arrival back into the Bevelle of the past. He spent most of it rediscovering the ancient city as well as it customs, and it reminded him of how far Spira had truly come.

The aftermath of the shift was not as difficult as Koiray had believed it would be. He had spent his first day almost entirely in bed, either asleep or too weak to get up. Alor had attempted to help, but no white spell seemed to help. Still, by the end of the second day, Koiray was back to his typical self and absorbed the world around him.

"I'll admit," Koiray began, "I was getting a little tired of talking in codes."

Alor laughed and nodded. "Me as well, but let's see what I've discovered. From your view it's been three years since you've seen us, and you're here by choice. Is that correct?"

"You got it."

Walking the streets of Bevelle was a soothing activity, and Koiray found himself enjoying the slow paced style of life this Spira enjoyed. Bevelle's population was far from the levels Koiray was used to, but it felt as if there was a stronger camaraderie among them.

"And it's been two years since you've see me," Koiray added.

"That it has, Koiray," Alor agreed. "So tell me, what made you decide to come back and see us?"

"I just wanted to know how you guys were. The last time I left, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye properly."

"I see…"

The Deputy Crimson Knight pulled a sphere from his pack and handed it to the Yevon priest. "Here, this is for you. It's from my parents."

"What is it?"

"A letter."

The Yevon priest smiled and nodded, putting it away in his robes. "How are your parents, Koiray?"

"Good. Mom's really busy with council work, and Dad's trying to keep her from working herself into an early grave."

"How long has your mother held her leadership position in Spira?"

Koiray sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Over twenty years. Since before I was born."

Alor let out a scoff of disbelief and frowned. "Over twenty years? Why hasn't she stepped down?"

He shrugged. "There's no one to take her place. The highest anyone's reached is high summoner."

"You should take up the reins then," Alor suggested. "I'm sure you're more than qualified to be a maester."

"No, I'm no summoner. I'm sure if it comes to that, there's a high summoner who's qualified to step in."

"And what is it that keeps you from being a summoner?"

"I'm the Deputy Crimson Knight of Besaid. I'm the second highest ranked guardian in Besaid."

Alor shook his head, wearing a small smile. "I don't think I'll ever quite understand the Spira you live in, Koiray, but I can rest easy knowing Spira will eventually be delivered."

Koiray nodded in seriousness. "We just have to make sure it stays that way."

"I know. Everything you say to me is in confidence. I can tell no one or risk destroying the timeline."

"Sorry, Alor."

"It's fine. I understand."

"And we have to keep it from Syan, too," Koiray sighed. "Alor, what did you tell him after I left?"

The Yevon priest gathered his thoughts. "I kept it vague. Only that you and your parents had reconciled and your apprenticeship was calling you back."

Koiray rolled his eyes and sighed. "And now I'm the guardian to a summoner, go figure, right?"

Alor shrugged. "It means you can't stay in Bevelle too long, otherwise Syan will be forced to start asking questions. If you want to stay longer, you'll have to disappear some time and then return."

"I think I forgot how much lying I had to do when I was here."

"Just watch what you say around him," Alor cautioned. "Speak of the Cheribum…"

Walking down the street towards them, Syan waved. Koiray waved back, and the young apprentice bowed upon meeting them. "Hello, Uncle Alor, Koiray."

"Syan, did your the meeting end early?"

Syan nodded. "It did. The priests were only going over the details of our apprenticeship. There are some who are expected to become summoners within the coming days."

"You see, Koiray," Alor began to explain, "Syan is in the process of reaching the stage when an apprenticeship must become a summoner. He has until the end of the year."

"Good luck, but you probably don't need it."

Syan nodded. "Thanks."

----------

"All right, all right, all right! Who's ready for some blitzball?" Teyh entered the cove followed by Des, a blitzball spinning on his finger. He was met by a group standing and waiting: the Deputy Crimson Knight of Besaid, Sector Commander Maru, and Summoner-Liaison Hara.

"Let's see how excited you'll be after I wipe that smirk off your face," Koiray taunted.

"Play nice, children," Desa soothed. "First, let's decide how we're going to do teams. Now that Ro's gone we have an odd number."

"I can pick up the slack," Koiray boasted. "After all, I've got blitzball in my blood."

"Doesn't mean you can play," Hara returned.

The Deputy Crimson Knight stopped and turned. "You can't be on my team."

The summoner shrugged. "I never said I wanted to be on your team. I want to be on the winning team."

Koiray glared, but Teyh smiled and clapped his hands. "And since Koiray and I are incapable of being on the same team, that means Hara's with me. I call Maru!"

Desa sighed and frowned. "Thanks, little brother, I feel so loved."

"It's fine," Koiray waved them off. "We don't need them." He motioned for the blitzball. "We get first possession since we're short a player."

"I thought your mad blitzball skills made up for that," Maru accused.

The Deputy Crimson Knight snatched the blitzball anyway and shrugged. "If you guys really are better than us, it won't matter." He ended his statement by jumping into the water followed by Desa and Maru.

"You may be Deputy Crimson Knight," Teyh answered, following them into the water, "but you're in my territory now."

Hara jumped down in a giant splash, the brunt of it hitting Koiray. "Oops. I guess I didn't see you there…"

Koiray shook his head. "You are such a bad liar." He splashed her, completely soaking her in the process. She only glared in response.

"Um, sorry to interrupt," a voice from the cliff said.

The party looked up and saw Jassen standing somewhat awkwardly. He tried maintaining his decorum, but with the Deputy Crimson Knight and two Sector Commanders in the water, it proved difficult.

"No worries," Koiray returned. "What's up?"

"Hara," Jassen began. "I thought you should know our trip to Bevelle was changed from next week to three days from now."

The summoner sighed and frowned. "All right. Thanks."

Jassen nodded and began to walk away, but Maru called after him. "Hey, we're one short. Care to join us?"

The Summoner's Guardian smiled but shook his head. "Thanks, but I can't. I have reports due tonight that I haven't finished yet."

"I'll give you an extension until tomorrow," Koiray said. The Summoner's Guardian remained hesitant. "Jassen, come on."

Jassen took a breath and gathered his thoughts. After a moment, he began to unbutton his service blouse and folded it, laying it off to the side. "All right, I'm game. Whose team am I on?"

"You're with Koiray and me," Desa answered.

He nodded and dove into the water, coming back up from the water, completely soaked. "Sounds like a plan."

"Here are the rules," Koiray said. "Two five minute quarters, no goalies. The ruins' pillars will be the goals for each team. Got it?"

"Let's blitz!" Teyh exclaimed.

The group swam into the deeper part of the cove, and Maru immediately went to work, going for the blitzball.

Koiray bumped him back and threw it to Desa. She had a clear way and closed the gap between herself and the goal. Teyh swam up from underneath her, taking the ball back, and swam towards the other goal.

The Deputy Crimson Knight came in front of him and attempted to bump him, breaking the blitzball loose. Teyh recovered it with his hand but quickly passed it to Hara.

The Summoner swam towards the goal but spotted Desa approaching her. She continued forward but found Maru by the goal. The blitzball spun towards him, and the Sector Commander caught it in his hands.

Not a moment later he was bumped, and the blitzball broke free. Jassen recovered it and swam away. He spotted a clear path to Koiray across the way and hurled the blitzball in hopes it would reach its destination.

Koiray reached for it, grabbing hold of it, and kicked out towards the goal. The blitzball landed between the two rock pillars, and Koiray lifted his arms up in victory. He could see Desa and Jassen rejoicing but signaled to everyone to go up.

The group resurfaced, and Koiray moved to high five the Summoner's Guardian. "Yes, and that's one up for us!"

Jassen laughed, returning the gesture. "I didn't think you were going to catch it."

Koiray shrugged. "That was one hell of a throw! It still had a punch when I got a hold of it."

"Yeah, yeah," Teyh waved off. "It's only half time."

"We still have a whole other half to play," Maru added He made his point by swimming back down, and everyone followed him back down with a smile.

----------

"So what else have I missed since I left?" Koiray asked the two.

Syan shrugged. "Not much. You know I'm Uncle Alor's apprentice, and Uncle Alor is still up to his mischievous ways."

Alor held up his hands innocently. "Come now, I have to entertain myself somehow."

Their walk towards Syan's home was done at a leisurely pace, and Koiray found himself taking notes of where everything was positioned.

Syan rolled his eyes. "Yes… but other than that, nothing significant, no."

"You don't have a girlfriend or anything?" Koiray asked.

"No. Nothing serious."

Alor shook his head and frowned. "I still insist that the woman Syan is looking for does not exist."

Syan scowled. "I just don't appear to have much in common with most women, that's all. What of you, Koiray? Did anything ever come of you and…"

"Hara?"

"Yes, Hara! Did it ever work out in the end?"

Koiray nodded with a smile. "Yeah, it did. We've been seeing each other for a few years. When I get back, I plan on proposing."

"Good for you, Koiray," Alor said, clapping him on the back. "Good for you."

"Congratulations," Syan said. "That's wonderful. Your parents must be very happy."

"Yeah. My dad's actually-"

Koriay's words were cut short when he spotted the man from the day he arrived. The man was still a mess, though he wore a tattered soldier's uniform. He stood on the side of the road, preaching his words, though he went ignored.

"Pledge your allegiance to Lord Sareth and there will be a place for you when he returns!"

Syan pushed him forward without warning, and Koiray began to walk, though he had been unaware that he had ever stopped. "Keep walking. Don't stop."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Lord Sareth is the true ruler of Bevelle!" the man continued. "He will defeat Sin and unite Spira!"

"Hey, you. You need to come with us," a man said.

A small detail of warrior monks had appeared, and Koiray watched them confront the soldier.

"You can't take me. I serve Lord Sareth! I serve Bevelle!"

The warrior monks surrounded him, and one pointed a finger. "Hold your tongue! You are hereby placed under arrest under the authority of Yevon!"

The soldier struggled to escape but was hit with the butt of a rifle before the warrior monks dragged him away.

Koiray turned to Syan and Alor in horror. "What the hell was that? What's going on?"

Alor pushed him back towards the residence. "Come, we'll discuss this indoors. It's not safe to be speaking about such things in the open."


Author's Notes: Sorry for the late update, but with Thanksgiving and Black Friday, things got a little chaotic. Drop me a review and let me know what's in everyone's head. Until next time!