As the ship began to embark, a large number of fans came to wave to the Besaid Aurochs and wish them luck in the tournament. Tidus was surprised at the multitude of people that showed up. "Wow, I didn't expect to see that many of them here. I thought these guys weren't any good," he commented to himself.
The blitzball players overheard him. "We didn't used to be, of course, but we've made the finals the last two years, losin' to the Goers by one goal both times. You were there the first time, remember?" Datto reminded.
Tidus simply nodded his comprehension. "Well, they're all hopin' we can get it done this year, ya? We don't wanna let them down either," Jassu said.
"Hey, you wanna play with us again? I'm sure we'd win if you were on our team!" Letty said enthusiastically.
The former star player of the Zanarkand Abes shrugged. "I don't know, guys. I'm in a big hurry, but I'll think about it. Depends on how things are going when we get there."
"All right. Let us know soon, ya?" Botta said and they ran off to practice their passing.
"You'd really consider participating in the blitzball tournament?" Gatta inquired curiously.
"Sure, I love blitzball. Haven't played in forever, so I really want to. But like I said, we'll see how things are goin' when we get there. If we're in a hurry, we'll continue on without them. If we have time, I'll play. Sound good?" Tidus proposed.
He nodded in agreement. Then the two of them ascended to the upper deck. Tidus leaned on the railing and observed the view of the serene sea. Gatta decided to sit down on the wooden floor, back pressed against a pillar. "So, tell me more about this Adonijah guy Yuna's marrying," the guardian requested.
"Well, he was appointed as Grand Maester of Yevon after Grand Maester Mika's and Maester Seymour's deaths. He was very well qualified for the position. Adonijah is an intellectual person, learned in the scriptures of Yevon," Gatta told him.
Tidus snorted with contempt. "I bet he's probably about as crooked and hypocritical as Mika and Seymour were. But why wouldn't Yuna see that?"
"On the contrary, he's a very devout believer in the teachings of Yevon. He refused to allow them to use machina to rebuild Zanarkand, fearing Sin might return. Even upon High Summoner Yuna's insistence that it wouldn't, he didn't budge. Adonijah said that the scriptures stated that Sin was our punishment for letting things get out of hand, and that there was a good reason those machina were forbidden. Eventually, she let him have his way," Gatta enlightened.
"There's still something I don't trust about all these Yevonites. He might be putting up a front," Tidus said, frowning.
"I understand how you feel, Sir Tidus, but have faith in him. He didn't defend Seymour's actions, but reproved them. Matter of fact, Adonijah even reprimanded Yuna for using that airship, and had the Al Bhed turn it over. He's a good man."
"If you say so, but I gotta meet this guy first before she marries him," he said with a sigh.
He gazed over to watch the Aurochs practice. They had improved greatly. It all went smoothly, with few mistakes. They had coordination and teamwork, unlike when he had first met them. He was very impressed by their progress.
Gatta decided that Tidus needed some time alone to himself to think, so he arose. He descended the stairs to the lower deck and moved toward the door to the cabin. "I'll be down below if you need me." Then he opened the entrance and went down into the passenger accommodation.
(Yuna...marrying a Maester? It's just so hard to believe after all that we went through with them, especially Seymour...) he pondered.
Then his mind flashed back to the time that she had agreed to marry the Guado. She hadn't actually wanted to wed him, but had a hidden agenda after seeing a sphere that the spirit of his father Jyscal had dropped at the entrance of the Farplane in Guadosalam. Maybe it was the same circumstances, and Yuna knew something the rest didn't.
Tidus wasn't sure if that's what he wanted, because that would mean Adonijah would be a problem and might cause her harm. He'd just have to wait and see for himself. The thoughts didn't comfort him at all. Actually, they made him feel even worse. Not only was Yuna getting married, but it might also be to someone nefarious.
It made him worry even more, despite Gatta's claim of his good nature. If the Grand Maester was as pious as he seemed to be, he wouldn't have to be concerned if his true love did marry him. However, the thought of that bothered him as well. He didn't like almost any of the possible outcomes. It seemed as if he was in a no-win situation.
Tidus felt like screaming out loud. He had just tilted his head back and opened his mouth widely when he heard Gatta shouting to him from down below. "Sir Tidus, come quickly! It's the Ronau Group! They've stowed aboard the boat!"
He drew the Brotherhood and rushed down to the cabin. He saw that Gatta was surrounded by four men, all dressed in black. The only visible part of them was their eyes, and it was the only way to distinguish them from each other besides the weapons that they brandished. They were even the same height and build.
"Calling for the legendary guardian, huh?" the man directly in front of Gatta said with a laugh. He had dark brown eyes and a spear.
"I'm afraid he won't be arriving anytime soon," the one behind him said. He possessed midnight blue eyes and steel claws were attached to his fists.
"You shouldn't have come down here," the individual to Gatta's left said with a snicker. He wielded an iron staff, and his green eyes had an eerie glow to them.
"Yeah, somethin' bad might happen to you," the person to his right threatened, slowly stroking a lead pipe. His eyes were black like his attire.
"Hey! Back off!" Tidus yelled.
The four members of the Ronau Group stared at him wide-eyed. "It's true. He is alive!" the brown-eyed man exclaimed.
"We'll just have to fix that," the black-eyed man said with a psychotic giggle.
Gatta drew his broadsword while they fixed their attention on Tidus. Then he leaped over them agilely and landed at his blonde-haired friend's side. "Let's take care of these guys, but spare their lives. We need to question them!"
The black-eyed individual charged at them with his steel pipe raised over his head. He swung viciously and recklessly, so the two easily avoided the attack. Tidus knocked the weapon out of his hand with the Brotherhood, and Gatta shoved his broadsword into the man's shoulder.
After the sword was removed, he stumbled backwards and dropped down to the floor, shrieking in pain. He clutched the open wound as it bled through his outfit.
The two of them dashed toward their enemies. The one with brown eyes thrusted at Tidus with his spear, but he hopped aside. Then the bright blue blade swiftly knocked the weapon from his hand. Then he rendered him unconscious by roughly slamming the handle of the sword into his forehead. The man crumpled to the floor harmlessly.
Gatta raised his broadsword in defense as the man with green eyes attacked with his staff. As he blocked the attempt, the Crusader kicked the black-garbed terrorist in the stomach fiercely, causing him to bend over due to pain and loss of breath. Then he knocked him out with a firmly planted knee to the top of his skull.
The blue-eyed one with metal claws swiped haphazardly at Tidus, the guardian easily dodging. "Come on! Hit me if you can!" he taunted.
The adversary growled furiously and began slashing faster, but to no avail. "Not like that! Like this!"
Tidus executed a perfectly timed backward somersault kick, as his feet went between the claws and connected with the man's jaw. His chin stuck straight up into the air as he fell.
"That was a little too easy," he commented.
"They are merely cronies of the Ronau Group. These lackeys don't pose much of a threat to skilled warriors such as us, but can still terrorize the innocent civilians," Gatta informed.
Then he walked over to the black-eyed man, still bleeding profusely. "Who sent you and what did they send you for? Answer me!" he demanded.
"I'll…never talk," he protested weakly.
Then he grabbed the nearby fallen spear of his partner in crime. Tidus assumed a battle stance, but was astonished when he saw the lunatic minion impale himself. Then he jerked it out and tossed it over to the owner of the weapon, who did the same thing.
The blue-eyed man with the steel claws sliced the man beside him cruelly, and then shoved them into his own chest. The four were seemingly engulfed by the pyreflies that arose from their dead bodies, and they vanished.
Gatta kicked the wall of the cabin angrily. "I knew this would happen!"
"W-What's going on?! Why did they do that?!" Tidus asked frantically.
"You see, the Ronau Group specializes in espionage missions. If they are ever caught or seen, they will either kill the witnesses or kill themselves. They don't want anyone else to learn anything about them, so they commit suicide before they're forced to talk. That's why they still run rampant across Spira, and we only have leads to go by. It's so aggravating because we've been trying so hard for the past two years with no success," Gatta explained, clenching his fist.
Then they instinctively resumed their battle stances when the door leading to the deck swung open. They were relieved to see that it was Keepa. "Yo, come on guys! We've reached Kilika!"
Then the two of them went back above and exited the S.S. Liki.
Author's Notes: I don't think this chapter turned out well, but you be the judge, jury, and executioner. Let me know what you thought in a review. Also, add some constructive criticism so I can improve as a writer. I need all the help I can get.