Standard Disclaimer. I do not own FFX or the characters in it. They are owned by Square-Enix. I do own this story, and my original characters. The title of this chapter is from a song originally performed by Jim Croce.
They visited Kilika just long enough to pay a visit to Ifrit, and to collect more fiends for the Arena, then they let the airship carry them to Luca. It dropped them off on the road just north of the city, and they walked in, down the stairs they had set off from months before. There were three symbols lined up over Luca on the map, crest, sigil and weapon; one seek and two challenges, and they had no idea where to begin. So they started off with a drink in the Luca café. Tidus and Wakka stood at the bar, while the rest of the party sat around a table and tried to figure out exactly what to do now that they were actually in Luca. Kimahri, standing behind Yuna as usual, did not participate in the discussion. Mercy's attention wandered, since she didn't know the city, and she found herself staring over Tidus' shoulder at the sphere screen above the bar.
The sphere screen reminded her of home. It was the first openly displayed machina she had seen since she left the dream city, and the images mesmerized her. The sound was turned down, so she couldn't hear what was being said, but she kept seeing the same pictures repeated every so often, and something caught her attention. She studied the screen closely, then a smile broke over her face, and she got up from her seat and went to stand between Tidus and Wakka, putting her hands on their shoulders and turning them around to face the screen, letting her arms continue to rest on both of their backs.
"Gentlemen," she began, laughing, "I sure hope you have a good Blitzball team."
"Yeah, sure we do," Wakka answered uneasily. "Why'd you ask?" he continued warily. Mercy was making him nervous, even more nervous than she usually did. For one thing, it still seemed weird to him, not to call her "Lady' Mercy. And he felt uncomfortable, with her standing so close like this. He knew it didn't bother Tidus, but it bothered him, a lot. He wasn't sure how Lulu would react, for one thing. He could tell things were a little better between the two women, and he didn't want to do anything to make things worse. Life was a lot more peaceful when Lulu wasn't pissed off at the world the way she had been.
"Because," she said airily, "you have to enter the tournament they're promoting. And you have to win. Look at the trophy." She dropped her arm from Wakka's back and pointed at the screen when they showed the prize trophy again. It was a huge platter, with a gold center and silver and gold knot work all around it. She slid her hand into the crook of Wakka's elbow. "Do you see what I mean?"
Wakka stared at the trophy. It looked like a typical Blitz trophy, big and not good for anything except taking up space. Tidus read off the information about the tournament while they waited for the plate to show up again. "It says that the tournament is in three days, and that the purse is twenty thousand gil to whichever team survives three rounds. And the winner gets…I see it now," the blond young man breathed.
"I do too, brudda," Wakka agreed. "Now we know what one of the challenges is. Would you," he looked down at Mercy, "please go tell the others, ya?"
"Sure," Mercy answered easily. Then she whispered, "Remember, if you don't win, Rikku is going to have to steal that thing." Tidus laughed as she squeezed his shoulder, and then she slid her hand out from Wakka's arm, and walked back to the table to rejoin the rest of the party.
Both men turned to watch her retreat. Wakka muttered under his breath, "I wonder if Lulu will ever get to be like her?"
"What's that?" Tidus asked sharply, not quite sure if he'd heard right.
"Never mind, brudda," Wakka answered, brushing a hand over his face as if brushing off the remark. But he watched as Mercy came to stand at Auron's side, after discovering that someone at another table had taken her chair while she had been at the bar with them. Auron swiftly stood, giving his own seat to his wife. Then, as Auron stood behind Mercy, while she talked, he dropped his left shoulder out of his coat, straightened his arm, rested his bare hand on her shoulder, and began to rub his fingers against the side of her neck. Wakka stared at the older guardians, as Mercy lifted her hand and clasped her husband's for a moment, her wedding ring glinting next to his. While everyone's attention was turned to Mercy, Wakka looked at Lulu, and wondered if it was even possible that they could be like that, someday.
Behind the bar, someone coughed to get his and Tidus' attention. They turned back around to face the bartender. "Excuse me, but aren't you Wakka, the captain of the Besaid Aurochs?" the attendant asked.
"Yeah, sure," Wakka answered, glad to turn his attention away from his own problems for at least a minute or two.
"I thought I recognized you," the woman replied, relieved to be right. "I saw you win the Crystal Cup this year with your team. That was really something. I've been following blitz for a long time, but that was pretty spectacular, even before the fiends showed up."
"Thanks, I appreciate that," Wakka responded.
"Look, Wakka, or should I say, Sir Wakka, I know that you are Lady Yuna's guardian. I've watched you and your team play since the Cup, and well, I've got something that I think you should have. Would you mind waiting here for just a moment?"
"No problem," the big blitzer replied, as the proprietor went to the end of the bar and dove underneath to retrieve this mysterious 'something' that seemed to have been stored behind several other boxes and containers, because Wakka and Tidus heard the woman shoving heavy boxes and canisters along the floor and cursing. Wakka shrugged his shoulders as they waited, uncertain whether or not to offer to help.
The woman emerged from under the bar with a box in her hands and presented it solemnly to Wakka. "This has been in our family for many generations. It's been a long time since a Blitzball player has gone to face Sin. I want you to have this when you do."
Wakka opened the box, and stared down at his greatest dream. Lovingly wrapped in black velvet lay a blitzball that had been transformed into the ultimate weapon among blitzballs, one with razor-sharp blades protruding from its equator, and there were runes etched into the blades that spelled out the words 'World Champion'. Wakka knew that he held Lord Ohalland's ball in his hands, and he was filled with awe. His mouth fell open, and he started to form the words to refuse the gift, even though he knew he had already said how badly he wanted it, but the proprietor stopped him by saying, "Please, sir, do not refuse. I know in my heart that this is the right thing to do."
When he heard those words, Wakka realized that he couldn't say no, he couldn't even protest, and being honest with himself, he didn't even want to let the ball out of his sight. He coughed, swallowed, and finally said, "Thanks. I promise to use it, just like you said. I'll take it to fight Sin. Lady Yuna will bring the Calm."
The woman stared into his eyes, found the sincerity of his promise, and bowed her head in acknowledgement. Wakka nodded in return, and went to join the others, before he said anything more and spoiled the moment, since he knew that he would if he opened his mouth again. Tidus waved his thanks to the proprietor, and followed his friend.
When Wakka carried the box to the others, he couldn't even manage to tell them what was inside, so he just opened it and showed them the contents, while he continued to stand over the ball, still struck speechless with wonder. Plans swirled around him while he sat and stared at the ball that Lord Ohalland had used to fight Sin. When he came back to the present, he discovered what had been decided in his 'absence'. He would be going back to Besaid on the airship, to pick up the team, while everyone else stayed at an inn in Luca. They were all going to find an inn right now, now that he was 'awake', and then go back with him to the airship to pack some stuff to keep with them while they waited for him to come back. Tidus would sign the team up for the tournament while he was gone. All he had to do was fetch the team so they could win the tournament.
Early in the evening before the tournament, Auron and Mercy climbed partway up the stairs to the Mi'ihen Highroad, and found themselves standing on the semi-circular platform, watching the city lights come up as the daylight faded into dusk. She leaned her forearms on the railing, and, as he had once done long ago, he took up a similar position next to her, his shoulder and arm pressed into hers. He smiled as he reflected on the past few, precious days.
After Wakka had left with the airship, and they had all trudged back to the inn, they had concluded that it was not necessary for the rest of them to remain together during their stay in Luca. Tidus would be joining Wakka and the rest of the team while they were in the city, and Luca was the safest, most secure place they would be for the remainder of their journey. If they stayed together, they would only draw attention to themselves, and there was no need for it. Kimahri would guard Yuna while Tidus was occupied, and the others could do as they pleased during their short stay. They had arranged to meet together again at the inn on the morning of the tournament. Auron did not know exactly how Lulu and Rikku had chosen to occupy their time, although he suspected that they had spent most of it with Yuna.
He and Mercy had chosen to spend this brief time alone, away from the others. It was an indulgence, he realized, one that we have not had since Zanarkand, one that I do not expect we will have again. He had feared that his wife would choose that which all husbands dreaded, that she would wish to spend her time, perish the thought, shopping. And she had, he remembered, but not much. Just for a few items that he was just as grateful she did not purchase from Rin, or from anyone else he knew, for that matter, not after that first embarrassing shopping expedition aboard the airship. And there had been one shop where he had taken one look at the display window, and chosen to remain outside while she conducted her business with the storekeeper. But I am looking forward to seeing the results of that particular expedition at some point…A wolfish grin crossed his face.
He stared out at the city. More lights became visible, as the dusk deepened into night. We explored the city, just as we did Zanarkand, he thought. We saw…all the places I remembered, and discovered new ones. I only wish…we had time to do it all again…because I will not return. This is farewell. He bowed his head.
Her voice came to him quietly, out of the growing darkness. "You're saying 'good-bye' aren't you?"
He nodded, finding himself unable to speak the words. He thought she would understand.
"I'm sorry we didn't have more time in Bevelle," she said sadly, as she rested her hand on his arm.
He looked up sharply at that. "I am not. Bevelle…" he choked. "I see too much of Braska's ghost in Bevelle." His voice was hoarse with pain. "The ruins were enough."
Her lips near his ear, she whispered, "You still miss him." He felt the warmth of her breath against his skin.
She sees too deeply into my soul, he recognized. She always has. He closed his eye, holding back his grief by the force of his will. In a rasping whisper he said, "Yes. But I will see him on the Farplane."
This Farplane of his scares me. I still don't understand it. I don't believe in it. I'm glad he's sure there's an afterlife, or whatever it is, but I'm just not convinced. But I envy his certainty. And who knows, maybe I don't have enough of a soul to send, despite his dreams, but most likely he does. Anyway, if it makes him feel better right now, hey, I'm all for it. She slid her arm through his and rested her head against his shoulder.
They stood together, and let the peace of the night fill them. After she felt the tension ease from his body, she tried to shift their conversation into a lighter topic. "This is where you told me you were from, when we first met," she chided him gently.
"Yes. That was the story I first told you," he answered softly.
"At the time, I couldn't even tell it was one of your 'stories'," she said, with a little laugh.
"Well, I'd been telling that particular story for fifteen years by then." His expression grew darker, colder. "Sabra was about half a day's journey west of here, along the coast. After it was destroyed, I always said I was from Luca. No explanations needed that way." He closed his eye, and she saw both his eye sockets squeeze shut, even behind the screen of his dark glasses. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, and he anchored her against his side, his hand on her face. Blindly, she reached up and spread her own hand along his jaw. Sometimes, we still cannot find any easy topics, she thought with sorrow. Not even after all these years.
"When I first came to your Zanarkand," he whispered hoarsely, "it was exactly like the first time I came to Luca. I was just a child, then. But I was gripped by that same sense of awe…mystery…wonder. I did not know that there could be so many people packed into one place…or so many fabulous things to see." He paused, seemingly uncertain, and she lifted her head from his shoulder to look into his face. "But this must all seem backwards and almost barbarous to you, compared to Zanarkand."
"No, Auron, it doesn't. Luca is alive, and growing, in a way that my Zanarkand never was. I think it's marvelous." She stopped, and searched his face, seeing something more behind his words. "You love this place, don't you?" she asked quietly.
"You mean Luca?" he questioned back, surprised and wary. Her question means more than the words, I know. But what is it this time, I wonder?
"I mean Spira," she stated, certain now.
He stared back at her, not certain at all for a moment. His voice was still a little shaky when the single word came out of his mouth, the answer, "Yes," and he knew it for the truth. Straightening, he pulled her into his arms, and hugged her close and tight, and buried his face in her hair.
When they returned to the inn, there was a note from Tidus waiting for them. It read: "Guys, I thought you should know. They made us change locker rooms this morning. The old one had some kind of ventilation problem or something. Anyway, we found the crest in one of the lockers, so we're all set. See you in the morning. T."
In the morning, before the tournament, Mercy told Tidus that they had gotten his message. "So now all that's left is for you guys to win the tournament," she teased Tidus.
"Or have Rikku steal the trophy and then get out of town real fast," Tidus whispered to Mercy before he ran off to rejoin his teammates.
Auron looked down at his wife in alarm. "What did he say?"
"Well, it is the other option," she replied with a shrug.
"Then they had better win," he answered darkly.
There were six teams entered in the tournament. The Aurochs, and the Luca team, the Goers, but also the Kilika Beasts had come in, and the Guado Glories and the Al Bhed Psyches were still playing, and those two teams were clearly out for each other's blood. The match-up board showed that they had been seeded so that they wouldn't meet unless they both made the finals. The bookmaker's odds, both legal and illegal, seemed to consider this an extremely unlikely event. There was a sixth team playing, a pickup team made up of blitzers who either couldn't make one of the more established teams or had washed out for one reason or another. Their chances weren't rated very highly, either. The Goers and the Aurochs had both been given a "by" in the first round, so the members of those squads got to sit out and watch as the other four teams pounded on each other in the first game, and look over their opponents for their own first matches. Everyone in the stadium hoped that this tournament final would be a rematch of the Crystal Cup, the Aurochs vs. the Goers, and there were already some side-bets just on that possibility alone, in some of the darker corners of the arena.
Mercy hoped that Tidus and Wakka were paying a lot more attention to the two first-round games than the rest of the party, or at least to the game between the Kilika team and the Guados, since the Aurochs were slated to play the winner. The Beasts handed the Guados their heads, figuratively and almost literally, as she noticed that one of the Guado team members had to be carried out of the game unconscious. In the other first-round game, the Al Bhed Psyches forcibly reminded the members of the pick-up team exactly why each of them hadn't made it into one of the professional squads, the score there ended at 6-1 in favor of the Psyches, and the new team only made the one goal because the Al Bheds seemed to be playing some of their second-string players in the second half. The other team was that bad.
Everyone in their little party sat up and paid attention as soon as the match between the Besaid Aurochs and the Kilika Beasts began, and it was clear from the volume of the cheering that the crowd in the stadium had either grown considerably since the first match or was paying closer attention to the game as well. The Kilika squad played hard, and they kept the score close the entire game. At the half, the Aurochs were only up two goals to one, and the only thing that kept the score from being tied was a miraculous save by Keepa in the closing seconds of the half. The Beasts looked pretty pumped as they swam out of the sphere. In spite of missing that last goal, they clearly knew they were close. But when both teams returned from their respective locker rooms for the start of the second period, the Aurochs all looked like Wakka had blistered their ears if not their backsides during the break, and they came out with an immediate assault on the Kilika goalkeeper that put the Besaid team on the scoreboard again within the first thirty seconds after halftime. The Beasts came roaring back, and the two teams traded goals for the rest of the period, but the Kilika team was never able to erase the Aurochs' lead, and the game finally ended with the score Aurochs 6, Beasts 4. The Aurochs were in the finals.
While the Aurochs rested in their locker room and watched, the Luca Goers used the Al Bhed Psyches to conduct a clinic on how the game of Blitzball should be played. The Psyches went down. They weren't even able to score a single goal against the Goers. The scoreboard read Goers 2, Psyches 0, at the end of the game. The Al Bhed team swam off dejectedly, as the hometown crowd roared in triumph.
After a break long enough for the crowd to have time to patronize both the concessionaires and the betting windows one last time, the final match between the Besaid Aurochs and the Luca Goers got underway. One thing was clear from the opening blitzoff, the crowd was cheering for both teams from the very beginning this time, unlike the Crystal Cup finals. Fifteen seconds into the game, the Goers tried one of the nasty, illegal moves that the officials had let pass during the Cup game, and were immediately called on it this time. This game was going to be called fairly. In the sphere pool, Wakka gave Tidus a 'thumbs up' gesture, just before the referees restarted play.
The game was hard-fought. The Goers were out to avenge their loss in the Crystal Cup tournament, to prove that it had been 'just a fluke', and that they were still the real champions. The Aurochs wanted to prove that they were the real champions, that they had earned that Cup, fair and square, and Tidus and Wakka both had the added incentive of knowing that they really needed to win the trophy. At halftime, the score was tied, 2-2. Thirty seconds before the end of regulation play, the Goers were up, 4-3, but Tidus got in a bullet that scored just as the buzzer sounded, and the game went into overtime.
The teams both returned to their locker rooms for a much-needed break, while the fans all had a chance to stretch their legs and get a drink or something to eat while they waited for the overtime period to start. As they waited, Mercy looked around the stadium and saw that it was completely packed. Then she noticed off to her right that two people were approaching their group purposefully, and as the duo grew closer, she saw that the woman leading the pair was much better dressed than most of the crowd in the stadium, and that the man following her had a large sphere camera over his shoulder. She thought it was just another interviewer aiming for Yuna, since she had seen several interviews of Yuna on the sphere as she and Auron wandered over Luca the past couple of days, and was surprised when the interviewer stopped in front of her and practically shoved the microphone in her face.
"Lady Mercy?" the interviewer asked, although her tone made the question into a statement.
Mercy felt Auron tense beside her, heard the sound of his long hair slithering across his back as his head swiveled to meet the 'threat' to his, or rather their, privacy that this intrusion represented. She automatically slid her hand down his arm, knowing that the sphere camera caught her movement, but aware that it was better to have that recorded than that her husband toss the camera, and possibly the cameraman and the interviewer, down into the next tier of seats. "I am Lady Mercy," she replied into the microphone. "And you are?" she asked in return.
"Reporting for Luca News. You are Lady Yuna's newest guardian, is that correct?" the reporter continued.
"Yes," Mercy answered. Under her breath, she continued to herself, "and her oldest."
"I'm sorry milady; I didn't catch the rest of that. What did you just say?"
"Nothing. Please ask your questions as quickly as possible. This break in the game won't go on much longer," Mercy reminded her.
"Where did you meet up with Lady Yuna and her party?" the reporter continued the interview. She figured that she could edit out that one bit about the game when she got back to the newsroom.
"We found each other in the ruins of Zanarkand," Mercy answered politely, but volunteered nothing.
"I understand that you were 'acquainted' with some of Lady Yuna's guardians before her pilgrimage. Is that correct, Lady Mercy?" The reporter smiled a particularly smarmy little smile, making that acquaintance seem like it must be something nasty that Mercy needed to explain or even defend in some way. Mercy didn't care about it for herself, but knew that the reporter could twist it to reflect badly on Tidus, or even Yuna if she really wanted to. And right now, beside her, Auron was literally growling at the venom in interviewer's tone.
Auron chose to step in, and end the reporter's 'fishing expedition'. He was aware now, exactly what she must be trying determine with her questions. He knew that it would not be considered the truth, unless he said the words, and that this would not end until he did so. As soon as he drew breath to speak, the reporter moved the microphone up to his face, and her expression changed to that of a hunter who has captured her prey. "Mercy is my wife. You know this already, you merely wished to record my saying it." His words were clipped, his voice clearly angry. He took a deep breath, paused, and let it out, slowly, letting some of his anger go with it. Then he slid his arm around his wife's shoulders, and held her against his side, briefly, as he glanced down at her face, the surprised look in her eyes as she stared back at him. For a split-second, his expression was unguarded, even in front of the camera, as he continued; "We have been married for three years." Mercy smiled up at him. Then he turned back to the interviewer, and his face was hard and cold. "You have enough. Take that thing away from us. Now!" he ordered.
The reporter decided that she did have what she needed, and that she definitely had all she was going to get. She signaled to her cameraman, and they beat a hasty retreat.
The overtime commenced with an opening blitzoff a few minutes later. The Aurochs got control of the ball, but Wakka was unable to get it past the Luca goalkeeper when he had an open shot at the goal. The Goers didn't have any better luck when they recovered the ball and tried to get one past Keepa. The two teams played with grim determination, but both defenses were top-notch, and neither team was able to score, until Jassu made a desperate pass to Tidus with twenty seconds left to play, and he managed to bounce a Jecht shot off three defenders and past the Luca goalkeeper as time ran out. The Aurochs had finally won the game. The stadium erupted in cheers, as the Besaid team left the sphere pool in triumph.
At the inn that evening, Wakka and Tidus presented the trophy to the rest of the party. "Well, guys, here it is," Tidus said, laughing. "The runes say 'Jupiter', I think, but it's a little hard to read with all this stuff all over it."
Looking the sigil over again, Mercy said, "It's a pity we're going to have to break this up," sarcasm clear in her voice. In her considered opinion, it was about the ugliest blitzball trophy she had ever seen, and she had seen quite a few of Tidus' over the years.
"No, it will not," Auron replied, as he got a closer look at the thing. "It will be a public service." Rikku took one look at the deadpan expression on Auron's face, caught the twinkle in his eye, and burst into giggles.
The Aurochs felt like they deserved a night on the town, after their victory in the tournament that day, so they set out to enjoy themselves, while the summoner's party spent a quiet evening together at the inn, their first as a whole company since they had arrived in Luca and found out about the tournament. After a leisurely dinner they had repaired to Tidus' and Yuna's room to see if the crest and the sigil, now forcibly divested of some of its extraneous 'decorations', matched any of the weapons they had in their possessions. No one was completely surprised to discover that the two insignia they had obtained from blitzball related venues both belonged to Ohalland's ball. They decided to return to Macalania to merge the weapon as soon as they delivered the Aurochs back to Besaid the next day.
But the Aurochs weren't ready to leave in the morning. They had all partied a little too much the night before, and none of them were exactly eager to fall out of bed and trudge through the city with aching heads, just for a quick ride back to Besaid. They decided they'd rather stay in Luca, and go back to Besaid on their own. Or at least, that's what it sounded like Letty said, in between the moaning and groaning, just before he closed the door and went back to bed.
So Yuna and her companions strolled companionably through Luca as it came to life in the morning sunshine, ready to resume their journey. As they climbed the stairs leading towards the highroad where the airship would pick them up, Auron paused on the last platform, and stared over his shoulder at the city, spread out before him like a bright, multi-faceted jewel. He closed his eye for a moment, to imprint the picture in his mind, and Mercy came up by his side, and rested her hand on his arm. He looked down into her face, and nodded, and then they turned, and followed the others up the final stair.
All too soon, Wakka found himself approaching the great crystal in Macalania, deeply uncertain exactly what he should do. He wanted to pray, but he wasn't sure who to pray to, anymore, so he stood hesitantly, a few feet from the crystal, and heard Auron and Kimahri take up positions behind him, just as he had done when it had been Kimahri's turn. Then he took a deep breath, and looked at the ball in his hands. He had been up half the night, turning it around and around, thinking about this moment, trying to figure out where to put his hands so he wouldn't get cut up, just trying to figure out what to do. Carefully, he tucked the ball against his hip, and walked up to the crystal and knelt. That's what he had decided to do. It felt right to him. It seemed…respectful. Then he pulled the crest and the sigil from his pockets and picked the ball up between them and held the ball up to the crystal, and his entire world was ripped away.
When Wakka came back to himself, he felt like he had been gone a long time, and he felt like nothing would ever be the same again, that he would never see things the same way, not as long as he lived. He found himself blinking rapidly in an attempt to clear his vision, and he took the ball carefully in one hand so that he could use the other one to wipe his eyes, and found that his face was wet with tears. He scrubbed at his face with his hand; his back still turned from the others. Then he put his hand down and slowly levered himself upright, careful to be sure he was in complete control of himself before he turned around.
When Wakka turned, he found himself face-to-face with Auron, and the memory of what he had seen flashed painfully through his mind. Lord Ohalland…summoned his Final Aeon…using a blitzball move like that shot of Tidus'. It bounced off the standing stones in the Calm Lands, across the Scar, and the ball returned him. Then his Aeon…it came out of him…first the spear…then the horn…then the rest of it…and Lord Ohalland just…fell down to the ground. Blood was everywhere. Not just blood…other stuff, too. It was…worse than awful. Lord Ohalland…his other guardian…caught him as he fell. Stayed with him while the Fayth fought Sin. Held him when he died. Watched Sin…take over the Fayth. Wakka stared blankly at the older guardian. That's what he saw. That's what he lived through. Lord Braska…and Jecht. When I first became a guardian, I thought he was a hero. I told Tidus that Sir Auron was 'the best guardian that ever was', and I meant it. I thought that meant he was more than human. Then, in Zanarkand, when his Lady came, I saw he was…just a man, not much different from me, and I thought that meant maybe he wasn't a hero after all. Then, when I found out he knew about the Final Aeon all along, and he hadn't told us, well, that was it. He lied to us. That meant he weren't no hero, at least not in my book. But I couldn't have done what he did. I couldn't have seen Yuna go through that, and still kept going, all to do this, to find a way to make it stop. He's more of a hero than I ever thought he was. So what if he's just human? It must have been even tougher that way.
Auron looked into Wakka's eyes, and knew what his vision must have been. In the space of a few minutes, Wakka's face had been etched into harder lines, and his expression now contained a man's certain knowledge, even if it was that of pain and anguish, no longer a boy's hurt and confusion. The blitzer cleared his throat and finally choked out a few words in a hoarse whisper that only Auron could hear, "I saw Lord Ohalland summon his aeon."
"I know," Auron replied in a low voice, making sure that their conversation did not carry beyond Kimahri's sensitive ears.
"Don't worry, man, I won't say nothing to Yuna. I promise." With that, he held out his right forearm, and Auron reached out and gripped it, one warrior to another, oath made and accepted. Then the moment passed, and they all began moving down the branch toward the ground.
As soon as they reached the spot they seemed to always use for their 'story-telling', Wakka found himself the center of attention, as he knew he would be. He tried to gather his thoughts, to tell just as much as he needed to, and no more. He looked across at Tidus, and found the younger man's blue eyes gazing back at him. Tidus nodded once, sharply, and Wakka realized that his friend had faced exactly the same problem that he did now. He remembered how Tidus had told about his vision, and began. "Lord Ohalland had two guardians, just like Lord Braska did. But Lord Ohalland's guardians were his teammates. One was a Ronso named Zetak. Zetak was his fayth. And Rikku, you're not the first Al Bhed to be a guardian. Lord Ohalland's other guardian was an Al Bhed. His name was Kiynt. He even used a claw, just the way you do."
"I wonder if his claw is one of the other 'celestial weapons'?" Rikku speculated into the air.
"I dunno," Wakka answered. "I didn't even see him use it, I just saw it on him." He paused, thinking through the next part. "I saw Lord Ohalland summon the Final Aeon, with this ball. He used a fancy blitz shot like yours, brudda," Wakka said, smiling across the circle at his blond friend. "It bounced around the standing stones, and it even bounced across the Scar and back, before it came back to him. Then the Final Aeon appeared."
Lulu started to cut him off. "Exactly what happened when…?"
Wakka, sitting next to her, wrapped his hand around her wrist and squeezed hard enough to get her attention, then said, just a little sharply, "Lu, don't interrupt. I'm tellin' the story here." He stared into her eyes, and she stared back defiantly, until her eyes fell, and she gave in. She was very surprised at his sudden show of dominance.
He cleared his throat. "As I was saying," Wakka continued, "after he summoned the Final Aeon, Lord Ohalland and his other guardian, Kiynt, watched as Sin and Zetak fought. Lord Ohalland was dying after the summoning. Lord Ohalland…he saw Zetak beat Sin. Then he asked Kiynt to promise to take his weapon, this ball, back to his family in Luca, before he went back to the Al Bhed. Then he died. Lord Ohalland didn't see Sin take over Zetak, but Kiynt saw. Then he started heading for Luca. That was it."
Lulu studied Wakka's face. He looked tired and drained by what he had seen. Also, somehow, profoundly changed. His behavior earlier, when he had stared her down, had been very…intriguing. He had never tried to dominate her before, and she found that she quite liked it. She kept returning in her mind to the things that Mercy had said to her about Wakka, and she found them more and more interesting as time went on. As they all got up to walk back out of the woods, Lulu took up a place at Wakka's side, hoping the explore the changes that had been brought about by his experience, and see where they might lead.
Mercy and Auron were at the rear of the group as they hiked out of Macalania. She was distracted, her attention fixed on the couples ahead of them, Tidus and Yuna, furthest ahead, and Lulu and Wakka, nearer to them, but still out of earshot. Auron, sensing her inattention, finally asked, "What are you thinking?" knowing full well that it was the most dangerous question a husband could ask his wife.
"I was thinking about Lulu and Wakka," she answered, which totally baffled him, so he replied with an interrogatory noise that he hoped she would interpret as a request for further information.
She looked up at him then, and the expression on her face was so wistful that it caught at his heart. "When we go," she said sadly, "I would like to know that someone…someone we know…has a chance at lifelong happiness together. We know…" she choked, "we know it will not be…" she stopped completely, and swallowed the tears in her throat. Then looked up at him through wet lashes, and began again. "I want to know that someone will have a chance to have what we have had. And Lulu and Wakka are the only chance."
He stared down at her, as he ripped his glove off his right hand, tucked it into his belt, and twined his fingers with hers. To hell with the fiends, he thought. "If Lulu and Wakka have half of what we have, they will be luckier than they deserve. The fayth know I have been much luckier than I ever deserved." He lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed her fingers, as she smiled wanly up into his face.
End Chapter Thirty-Six.