A/N:
FrequencyQueen: Feel free to look up info. I recommend Serebii dot net, that's the website I use when I'm unsure about something.
ross heuchan: (Shifty eyes) Uh, maybe.
OCAdam, don't argue with the Stabby. He's a creation of a web-forum, and he really doesn't matter here. I just use him on Stupid1058, or my other OCs that aren't involved in the plot.
Sandstone: (Snaps his fingers, dispelling the illusion) Luin, this is ridiculous. From now on, we lock down the area between chapters.
Luin: I'm not against it. It'd mean more time with Rikku offstage. But someone's going to have to go to the review area.
Sandstone: I'm sending Stupid1058, since I'm not going to update the remaining chapters at once.
Stupid1058: Hi! I can take any name I want with my magic /nick command, and take on their appearance, and you won't be able to tell! And I can clone myself whenever I want!
Sandstone: Normally, he has green hair, sea green eyes, and a t-shirt saying "a11 y0u4 6a53 a43 6310n9 70 u5." Don't look at me, I've told him 1337 is dead. And yes, unless he's imitating someone, he always ends with ! Don't ask why, it's complicated, and involves IRC chat battling. Sometimes he's sane and doesn't do that, but not usually.
Stupid1058: Screw you, Sandstone!
Luin: I'm going off to find Rikku. You see where she went?
Sandstone: (Tosses him a note) You forgot that, I picked it up with my magic 'I forgot something' thingimerbob.
Luin: (Reads it over) it doesn't mean anything to me, and frankly, I don't care. I'm not interested, and people who brag that they'll kick someone's ass are a waste of time.
Sandstone: (Crumples the note, then glares at it until it bursts into flame) Well, that meant nothing to me either. And the movie sucked.
Luin: Popcorn wasn't that bad.
Sandstone: Yea, right. You never ate it, you were making out with Rikku when I checked. Because my stomach is going nuts, and I ate only a handful.
Stupid1058: Sounds like my kind of stuff!
Sandstone: (crossing his arms) Between you and Rallon, I'm surprised I'm sane still.
(A zero-esque character walks in, looking confused)
Sandstone: Tssalyo… (Kills the zero-esque character with various weapons of destruction, and pulls out a VERY long sword)
Luin: Uhm, before any more insanity happens with Sandstone and that sword, I'll upload the chapter. And he says I'm insane…
Sandstone: I HEARD THAT!
Gathering Weapons: World Champion:
Rikku lay next to me. We both were spent. Jeez, she had a lot of endurance.
She sighed contently, and intertwined her left hand in my right. "That felt good."
I grinned tiredly. "Thank you, lady understatement."
She laughed, but that was cut off by someone knocking on the door. "Hey, uh…" Wakka's voice.
I growled, "Wakka, beat it! Or do I have to go Dragon on your ass?"
I heard footsteps walking away from the door. Rikku smiled at me, then slowly got out of bed. "I need a shower." She started to put on her scattered clothes.
I nodded, watching her as she slowly got dressed. "Go ahead. I'll catch you later, I'm getting a few z's."
She said "love you", and walked out. I called the same, then went to sleep.
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Rikku walked out of the room, brushing a strand of sweaty hair out of her face as she did so. She looked back at Luin, who was sleeping like a baby. She wasn't sure if it was Yunalesca that did that, or her.
She smiled at that thought. He was right, 'good' was an understatement.
She'd catch some sleep herself once she got cleaned up. But from the way he looked, he'd be out of it for hours after she was up again.
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I woke up, and groaned. Damn, I was tired. Well, that and naked, but that I don't care too much about right now. I sighed, and slowly rubbed my eyes, then went hunting for where Rikku had thrown my clothes. We'd probably gone a bit too far with some of our displays last… well, whenever it was. Right before you sleep is night, so it was last night for me.
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After I was up, showered, and dressed, I stumbled into the bridge. Cid and Brother were there, but no one else. I looked out the windows, then blinked. Looked like Bevelle. "Uh, where's everyone else?"
Cid gave me a twisted look, and then laughed. "They just left, said something about meeting someone important. You could catch up…"
I shrugged, blinked a couple of times, then raced off the ship. Frankly, I wanted a shot at whoever it was, hopefully Mika. I was CRANKY. I grabbed Balrog's ball, threw it once we were in Bevelle proper, and said to him quickly "can you find Rikku? I don't want to miss this…"
Balrog replied "Hound," and raced off. I ran after him. I figure we got a few looks – me chasing what looked like a Hellhound, but not shouting to stop it. Actually, I shouted curses when people tried to 'help' by stopping Balrog.
&&&&&
We caught up with everyone right as they were nearing the place where we'd been on 'trial'. Yuna seemed surprised that I was there. She called out as soon as I got into earshot "Luin! I thought you'd be sleeping now…"
Tidus looked at me in shock, as I rejoined everyone, and slowed down to a walking pace, rather than a headlong dash. "Luin?"
I grinned, returned Balrog (we were going to meet someone important, after all), and said "that's my name. You think people name their kids Icewind?"
Tidus shook his head, then quietly spoke to Yuna. Rikku grinned at me, and said "you didn't miss anything."
I smirked evilly. "Good. Who do I get to rip on, I gotta vent me some crankiness…"
Rikku smiled, and said "Mika."
&&&&&
Yuna pushed open the doors, and we all followed her. Mika was looking at us in shock, and nearly shouted, "Why are you here? You must go and defeat Sin, quickly! You have obtained the Final Aeon from Yunalesca, have you not?"
I grinned, and said "who's dead? Not us… so that means no Final Aeon…"
Mika spluttered, and Tidus said carefully "Well, we did meet her…"
At Mika's brightening look, I said crushingly "and then blasted her into pyreflies. She's gone."
Mika froze for a moment (looking like I'd slugged him for no reason whatsoever (tempting)), and then shouted "WHAT?"
Auron shouted back at him "Summoners and guardians will be sacrificed for the Final Summoning no more!"
Mika couldn't have looked more shocked if Auron had stabbed him. "You have profaned and subverted a thousand-year-old tradition? Fools! Infants! Do you realize what you've done? You've taken away the only means of calming Sin!"
Tidus countered "Hey, maybe that's not the only way! We think we've got another."
Mika looked at him, then stared at me for a moment. I grinned wickedly, and he said (uncertainly, from what I can tell) "Why... preposterous. There is no other way…"
Mika began to fade. Auron noticed, and said cuttingly "The grand maester, running away?"
Mika continued to fade "Spira has lost its only hope. Destruction is inevitable. Yu Yevon's spiral of death will consume us all. I have no desire to watch Spira die."
I snorted, but Yuna said it before me – "It won't die!"
Tidus asked "Who is this Yu Yevon guy?" Whoah, rhyme. Just a little comment, ignore me.
Lulu looked thoughtful for a moment, then added "Lady Yunalesca also mentioned him."
Rikku looked worried, and asked "Wait, gramps! Who's Yu Yevon?"
Mika replied "He who crafts the souls of the dead into unholy armor. An armor called Sin. Clad in it, Yu Yevon is invincible. And the only thing that could have pierced that armor, you have destroyed! Nothing can stop it now." Mika disappeared at the last line, his fading completed.
Wakka said to the empty air "Disappear on us, will ya? Rotten son of a shoopuf!"
I shrugged. "Typical windbag politician. They stick with ya until things look grim, then run for sanctuary with someone stronger than you." I added softly, "and I've got a sharper blade in the forge, one that'll pierce Sin…"
Wakka glared at me (I think on habit), but then seemed to realize what he was doing, and nodded.
Shelinda pushed open the doors to the courtroom a few breaths later, and looked around in worry. "Where...where is the grand maester?"
Yuna said "He, um..." and trailed off, probably unsure of what to say.
I quickly said "He isn't here yet. What's the hold up; I thought you Yevon people were punctual…"
Shelinda gave me a less than friendly look (though I doubted she could ever be unkind, she's too much a doormat to be mean like I can be, or even like Yuna occasionally can be). "That's odd... I'll go look for His Grace." She bowed to us, then raced from the room, apparently not knowing how 'bad' that was in a respectable setting. Not like I cared, Yevon Smevon so far as I care.
Yuna said a few moments later to the empty air "Okay."
Wakka looked at her like she was crazy. "Who you talking to?"
Tidus looked around, and then said airily "Oh. Uh, no one."
I snorted. "Sure. Remember, I talked to 'empty' air before, I was talking to a Fayth while no one else could see anything… one of them?"
Tidus nodded, and I shrugged. "Whatever."
Yuna said "I must go see the Fayth."
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In the room of the Fayth, Yuna and Tidus stood side by side, talking to the Fayth. The others were waiting outside.
The Fayth said "Hello."
Yuna bowed, and said "I must thank you for the Aeon."
Tidus asked "So, what's up?"
The Fayth asked in return "So, have you found a way to truly defeat Sin?"
Tidus thought for a moment, and then said "Well... I think so."
The Fayth looked at him, and asked patiently "Well?"
Tidus said "Icewind…"
"Luin" Yuna corrected absently. Tidus flushed for a moment, then continued, "Luin deals with Sin, and we fight Yu Yevon." Yuna gave him a glance, and Tidus shrugged. "He keeps on saying he's gone some stupid idea, but never tells me what. But once Yu Yevon is gone, Sin's gone for good."
The Fayth nodded "Yes... If you defeat Yu Yevon, it will end, and Luin has the means to pierce Sin. Tell me, what do you know about Yu Yevon?"
Tidus said "He's what makes Sin come back!"
Yuna added "Sin is his armor. It protects him."
The Fayth nodded, but said sadly "Yu Yevon was once a summoner, long ago. He was peerless. Yet now he lives for one purpose: only to summon. He is neither good, nor evil. He is awake, yet he dreams. But...maybe not forever."
Tidus grinned. "Yeah, that's right. Because we're ending it."
The Fayth said "Yes. Even if you defeat Sin with the Final Summoning, Yu Yevon will live. Yu Yevon will join with the Final Aeon. He will transform it into a new Sin."
Yuna said softly "Yu Yevon merges with the Aeon..."
The Fayth continued "Then, protected by this new Sin he has created, Yu Yevon continues the summoning."
Tidus asked "For eternity...huh?"
The Fayth nodded, but a secret smile flashed on his face. "But you know, there is no such thing as eternity if you end it, is there?"
Tidus thought for a moment, then said "Uh-huh."
The Fayth lost his light tone, and said seriously "Yu Yevon lives inside Sin. Yuna, listen. When you fight Yu Yevon, we will help you. Promise me you'll summon us. I'm afraid your swords and magic won't be enough. Even Luin's abilities will not be enough… please, call us. Promise?"
Yuna blinked at the mention of Luin, but nodded. "Yes."
The Fayth looked directly at Tidus, and said "But, you know... When it is all over...we will wake, and our dream will end. Our dream will vanish."
Tidus responded softly "Yeah. You've been dreaming a long time, haven't you?"
The Fayth hung his head. "I'm sorry."
Tidus grinned, and replied "I'm grateful." The Fayth gave him a child's smile, and then disappeared.
Yuna looked over at Tidus, looking slightly confused, and depressed. "About what?"
Tidus shrugged. "Oh, nothing." He caught a look at Yuna's face, and added "Hey, don't make that face! Come on! We're going to beat Sin! Let's see some cheer, okay?"
Yuna continued to look depressed. "You're hiding something."
Tidus shot back quickly "I'm not!"
Yuna asked again "Really?", but Tidus left, remaining silent. Yuna looked down, and said to the empty air, "You're a bad liar, you know?"
She could almost hear someone's laughter, but she didn't recognize the voice. Female, and it had a lot of hidden maturity within it.
&&&&&
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Tidus and Yuna caught up with us after awhile. Yuna kept on glancing oddly at Tidus, I think he's done something stupid. Meh, I'll deal with it later, when I have the free moment. Psymachine has a knack for raiding people's brains for secrets.
Shelinda popped up just as I began planning what I was going to do to Tidus, making me forget step one. She said breathlessly "I'm afraid the grand maester is nowhere to be found!"
Tidus said casually "S'okay, we were just leaving."
I gave him a questioning look, and he looked away. I sighed, and shook my head.
Shelinda looked at the two of us, then said "Oh...I see."
Rikku said (before she could leave) "Hey! Maybe you could help us with the hymn. It's like we need you to tell as many people as you can."
Shelinda looked at Rikku like she was crazy. Rikku, queen of poor explanations, strikes again… "What should I tell them?"
Rikku said "A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth. When they hear it, we need everyone to sing along!"
Wakka added "Everyone in Spira!"
Shelinda looked at us like we were mad. "I'm not sure I understand."
I chuckled. "Oh, we're not crazy. Just believe her, we've got a plan…"
Shelinda asked, "A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth? So when they hear it, everyone should sing along, correct?"
Tidus nodded, and added "If they do, we might be able to defeat Sin!"
Shelinda lost her look of disbelief, hope replacing it. "Truly?"
Yuna said "Yes!"
Shelinda gave us a broad smile. "That's wonderful! You can count on me! I shall tell all of Spira!"
She ran out. I sighed, "We'd better tell a few more people. She might mean well, but she's too much a doormat to help a lot."
Yuna said "don't say that, she tries her best."
I nodded. I hadn't meant it like an insult… well, not that bad of an insult. But she seemed hardly able to stand for herself. Whenever I heard her talking, she seemed to be lacking a spine the whole time… someone's puppet, in other words. "Well, sorry. Uhm… what's next? The legendary weapons that Auron's been keeping secret this whole time? And could SOMEONE explain what the Hymn is about?"
Wakka looked at me in surprise. "We're going to use it to calm Sin down… so we can attack it, ya?" It kinda made sense, didn't Sin listen to the Hymn at the temple of Ice?
Auron shot me a cool look, then sighed, leading us out of the courtroom. "I only knew of those two weapons. The others… I have no idea where to look for them."
I sighed myself. "Suicune, you're sensitive to the flows of power. Feel anything strange on our travels… like Tidus's and Yuna's weapons?"
I'm trying to remember. They have a unique feel to them, I'm trying to trace them. But I'll need to be up in the atmosphere, and have some time to cast my senses outward. And I'll need everyone's help… well, not Vib's, if he doesn't want to. We work best as a team. Besides, I'll need Psymachine to boost my abilities, and Mindstrike to serve as an anchor.
I looked over at everyone else. "Well, you heard her. She'll try to find them, but it'll take time. Tidus, how much time do we have?"
Tidus looked off into the distance, and finally said "We've got enough time. Sin'll stay away for us to get what we need."
I said softly, "I hope that's enough time for me to get to the final level."
Tidus looked over at me, but I waved him off. "Just talking to myself, ignore me."
The airship hovered close nearby. Yuna had to spend a long time explaining it to a bunch of guards, and eventually Rikku gave her a hand.
Well, Vib did. I've got to make a note not to irritate Rikku, she's scary when mad. You think I'm scary, you'd be right, I have blood on my hands. But try a pissed off teenaged Al Bhed girl. Holy Ho-oh…
&&&&&
I sat on the deck, watching Suicune and the others work. Everyone had watched for the first bit – we generated an aura over Bevelle that probably wouldn't fade for about half a day.
Now, only I was out here. Just as well, I wanted to try out something…
I held up my sword again, letting the change take place… letting the inner fire burn outwards.
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&&&&&
Luin held up his sword, a straight vertical right in front of his body, with his left hand holding the blade. He tossed it to his right hand, and then traced several sigils in the air, his sword trailing fire. He made a ring of those symbols, and then they flared up, generating smoke. As the smoke became more intense, he took a knee, the sword floating out of his hands. He looked like he was half-praying, though his eyes were closing.
The flaming sword drifted upwards, turning clear, and generating a rainbow as it began to fade.
When the blade faded completely, a pillar of fire rose from the smoke, blasting away the smoke. This fire burned a gold-red, and faint sigils could be seen on it.
A male Ho-oh waved his wings serenely where Luin had been, looking around curiously. His wingspan extended outside of the deck, but the ship wasn't moving fast (no reason to burn the fuel), he wasn't buffeted by the wind.
&&&&&
Cid coughed, looking at what was happening on the deck. "Fryd dra ramm?" (What the hell?)
Rikku burst out laughing. "Luin, oui cruf uvv!" (Luin, you show off!) She turned to her father, a grin on her face "fryd'c dra bnupmas? Ra'c paah tuehk dryd vun y frema huf..." (what's the problem? He's been doing that for a while now...)
Cid's eyes went wide, and he said "hajan mega dryd. Syopa ra knaf vuq aync… pid dinhehk ehdu y dfamja vuud pent?" (never like that. Maybe he grew fox ears… but turning into a twelve foot bird?)
Rikku looked back out the windows, looking at the phoenix who was looking skyward, but just flapping his wings gently. "Ra kud pekkan mycd desa, druikr ra'c y mud paddan muugehk mega dryd…" (He got bigger last time, though he's a lot better looking like that…)
Cid gulped, while Rikku raced over to the elevator to get up to the deck.
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I looked over at Rikku. Ho-oh's vision didn't operate on human principles. Actually, I take it back, Ho-oh can see what humans see… among other things.
Currently, I saw Rikku as a collection of amber light. Everyone seemed to have their own color, unique to themselves. Rikku walked up to me, then said "Luin, this is Ho-oh, isn't it?"
I would've smiled, except I had a beak now, I can't use my mouth like that. I eyed her, then nodded. I thought at her "want to go for a ride? We've got some time…" Dunno if that would work, but Ho-oh can't talk very well, seeing as a beak can't work like a mouth.
Rikku grinned at me, and started to walk around me. I grinned mentally, and set myself down. I winced when she climbed, she probably was trying to be gentle, but she still yanked at feathers.
Once she was set (and hadn't moved), I walked over to the edge of the ship, then pressed my wings (they felt sorta like arms to me) to my sides, and jumped off awkwardly.
Dive bomb…
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Rikku hung on to Luin tightly, grasping the feathers with all her might. It was exhilarating to fly… but when was he going to pull up? They were already barely above the ground at all, and the wind was whistling by… "Luin…"
He finally spread his wings as they reached hill height from the ground, snapping off the descent and jetting forward with a jolt.
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I heard Rikku gasp. I felt good now – Ho-oh's nature was to fly, not pull stunts like a Pidgeot. I might be human, but I got a pokemon's instincts when I transformed, otherwise I wouldn't know how to use attacks. Besides, she was yanking feathers, and now she'd relaxed a bit.
I angled for the Bevelle, using the speed from the sky-dive to get there just by gliding, occasionally using my wings to gain altitude.
Once we were there, I circled around the city, and then flew into it. I noticed that while guards keep on eyeing me, they didn't start shooting. Huh.
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Shelinda glanced out of a window, and caught a flash of red. She rubbed her eyes, and went outside.
&&&&&
Weaving through the city was a bird… of seven colors, who was trailing a rainbow behind it. She could almost faintly see someone hanging onto its back. It circled back to the temple, and continued to weave through the city, eventually hovering overhead. It looked down at her… and she could swear it winked at her, before it looked up towards the sun, and flew towards it, disappearing in sun-dazzle.
Shelinda stared at where it had disappeared. There had been a legend… an old legend, about a bird of many colors, who had great power… and how it's coming would be a signal of coming disaster… and then peace.
Could it be?
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I leveled out at the altitude where the airship had been, and looked around. I could almost faintly feel Suicune off towards Luca, so I flew off in that direction.
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I set down (the airship hadn't gone far in the… oh, half hour we were gone), then shook myself slightly. Rikku loosened her grip, and slowly climbed off me. Once she was off (and a good distance away), I let the transformation go.
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Ho-oh breathed a sigh, and then a pillar of fire enveloped it. This pillar of fire (like the last one) had runes on it, and it burned brightly, but didn't harm the airship in any way.
It eventually faded, and a purple sword hovered in the air. Luin was looking up at it (though his eyes were closed for some reason), a winded look on his face. The sword fell, and he caught it with one hand, swinging it around in a circle that left a trail of gold colored fire, before he sheathed it at his side. None of the pokemon on the deck noticed, their eyes closed. But Yuna had been on the deck when it had happened, as had Rikku. He opened his eyes, and turned to the two cousins.
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I opened my eyes, and looked over at Rikku and Yuna. "Have fun Rikku?"
Rikku said "uhm…"
I snorted, and grinned abashedly. "Well, it was something to do, right?"
She said "yup! And we probably freaked out all of Bevelle. How did you do that rainbow trick?"
I shrugged. "Ho-oh naturally does that whenever it flies. Considering it's the god of life and all, a rainbow isn't much."
I caught a glance of grayish powder by my feet, and then smiled slightly. I picked it up (Sacred Ash sticks together mostly), and put it in a jar. Yuna said while I was still doing this, "uhm… what's so valuable about that ash?"
I grinned broadly, not looking up from my work. "Sacred Ash can bring back the dead, and it has a mind of its own. If we all die, it'll activate, and bring us all back to life unharmed." I looked up at the end of it, just to see what she thought of it. Yuna's eyes widened, and her expression became a mix of doubt and amazement. But… I hope we'd never need it. I felt something touch my mind (Psymachine's signal that he's about to use telepathy), and I turned to him. "Find anything?"
Psymachine didn't open his eyes, but he said We've detected one in Luca, one in what looks like an abandoned temple… we'll guide you there… and one in the Thunder Plains. There are a few more, but only two or three. It's hard to tell. We'll try again later to pinpoint the others.
I repeated what Psymachine told me, and Rikku whimpered. "Oh… why there, of all places?"
I grinned at her. "Relax, you've got Vib, remember? Flygon laugh off lightning, just let him fly over you. He'll take every bolt, and nothing will happen to you."
Rikku nodded, her expression lightening. "Oh… I forgot."
I laughed gently at her.
&&&&&&
"Well kids, this is as far as we can go. We get any closer to Luca, and we'll get attacked. You sure they got some 'legendary weapon' in Luca?"
I grinned softly at Cid's confusion. He seemed to think that hiding things in plain sight never worked. I knew differently, that kid (well, actually, I think he's near my age) hid in plain sight all the time (I'd heard about it from Suicune), and the Rockets wanted his ass nearly as much as mine. "Sure as the fact that the world will end."
Cid looked confused. "Huh?"
I sighed, and said "nevermind."
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After about a half-day's worth of walking (no complaints from anyone, we're all used to it now), we reached Luca. I nodded to Suicune, and she started walking down the stairs. I trailed her by a step, and everyone else followed behind us. Needless to say, we caused quite a stir. Though people stopped thinking Suicune was a fiend, they now thought she was some weird Aeon, and kept on giving me worried glances.
&&&&&
I stopped at the counter near the blitzball stadium. "Here?"
Suicune looked back at me, her expression saying plainly 'I'm hurt. I know my job, don't doubt me…'
I grinned weakly at her, and walked up to the counter. "Heya."
"Welcome sir. Would you like to buy some weapons or armor? Or how about Blitzball tickets?"
She's got it in the back room.
I grinned – perfect opportunity. "How about the chest that you can't open?"
She looked at me in shock, then for some reason, at the back wall. "I'm sorry, but that's not for sale. It's a family heirloom. But tell you what, if the Aurochs win the upcoming tournament, I'll let you try to open the chest."
I sighed. Well, that was great news. The Aurochs… didn't they suck really bad? Whatever.
I caught a gleam in Tidus's eyes. "Well, that sounds like a challenge…"
I coughed loudly, cutting Tidus off. "Save it, Blitz Ace. I'm not in the mood to listen to a sports nut brag. Even if they are a famous player."
Tidus shot me an injured expression, but mostly kept silent, talking quietly to Yuna. I walked over to the Auroch's locker room (hey, I know where it is, I just didn't want to go IN there, given a chance), Tidus and Wakka leading the way.
The girls and Auron went shopping. I think Rikku and Yuna dragged Auron off, to be honest. Though that image is funny… Rikku and Yuna hauling a protesting Auron, who eventually slumps in defeat as they drag him from store to store…
Don't ask me where Lulu went, or Kimahri. K's always with Yuna, and Lulu… who knows?
&&&&&
"Hey, it's good to see you guys. Datto got injured, and we'd have to play short. Wakka, you got to come back, captain!"
Wakka shook his hands, trying to wave them off. "No way. I quit for good this time." He looked over at me, then said "how good are you in the water?"
I shrugged. "Mediocre, but that can change."
Tidus looked over me, and then grinned. Wakka looked confused, then shook his head. "Can't say I approve of that idea…"
Tidus shook his head. "It's for a good cause. Or do you NOT want another legendary weapon?"
The Aurochs were looking at us like we were crazy. Tidus and Wakka went at it for a bit longer, then Wakka finally said "fine. Boys, Icewind here will help us out with the tournament."
They looked at me doubtfully, and I grinned. "Just wait for the water. We get a practice session before the tourney?"
Wakka laughed.
&&&&&
Tidus waved to me, holding the ball in one hand. He'd demonstrated a useful kick that he liked.
I grinned at him. The Auroch's didn't comment on it, but now I had red lines all over my body. I figure, if you're going to go all out, why not use the ocean maker to help?
Tidus tossed me the ball. I fielded it, and charged the Auroch defenders. Both of them moved to tackle me, but I evaded them (actually, I controlled the water to blast myself out of their paths), then held the ball over my head. The ball began to glow a blue color, then I let it go, flipped upside down, and shoot it at Keepa.
He caught it… but then it went through his fingers, into the goal.
I grinned merrily. That blue aura was Kyogre's control over the water – controlling the water around the blitzball.
And since I wasn't fully Kyogre, I didn't have that water-god's pokemon ability. That's good, rain's no fun.
&&&&&
When we got out of the sphere, the Aurochs said as a group "How did you DO that?"
I grinned. "Please, that's nothing. I've done worse."
Tidus started laughing. "Yea, Yuna told me about that second bird. You said it was the god of life, or something?"
Keepa said "wa?"
I shrugged. "Well, it has the power to bring back the dead to life… no other pokemon can. It's the most appropriate name. The revives we use have grains of Sacred Ash in them, that's why they can bring people back to life as well."
Tidus nodded. "Makes sense. But if that one's so powerful, isn't that all we need?"
I snorted. "There's a more powerful one. You saw him, too. In the sphere of my memories, that cat-human thing. Mewtwo is more powerful than Ho-oh."
Tidus shuddered. "Uh, that cat thing that nearly killed you?"
I grinned. "If Ho-oh is the god of life, Mewtwo's the bastard god of power."
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The announcers declared "and here's the Aurochs. As you all remember, their forward Datto was injured last game. It looks like they've found a replacement."
I looked around, and waved to Rikku. She grinned, and waved back. I shrugged to myself, and got into my starting position. I might not know all the rules, but at least I can breathe underwater, and use the Blue Sphere Shot, as the Aurochs were calling it. Blame Kyogre, it's that thing's fault anyway that I can do this stuff. Though the symbols or whatever they are that Kyogre has make me stick out.
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Rikku watched the game in interest. She'd played a few games before, but Luin was doing surprisingly well. Probably because he was using his abilities to 'cheat', but still – he was good.
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&&&&&
Tidus scored another goal. I laughed to myself – he scored most the goals, and I tanked it up the field close to the goal, then whipped it over to him for him to blast into the goal. I had the advantage of being in a lot of brawls, I didn't let go of the blitzball easily.
&&&&&
Tidus tossed the ball to me, making the motions for me to shoot it. I shrugged, and held the ball over my head, concentrating. A defender rushed me, but I threw it at her (it went at INSANE speed), and she got blasted back twenty feet. I caught the ball on the rebound, and let it drift over my head as I flipped over.
I aimed, and shot it. Like Keepa, the keeper caught it… and then it glowed with a brighter blue color, and slipped out of her hands, and into the goal.
"What in the world was… that?"
The game buzzer went off, and I grinned to myself. Not bad, considering… we'd won by about 3 goals.
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The next game was pretty much the same, except instead of the Kilika Beasts, we played the Ronso Fangs. Slower, but tougher bastards. Didn't help much, we slaughtered them, they were too slow.
&&&&&
Final match: Aurochs vs. Goers. I took my position on the right side of the field, Tidus glaring at the captain of the Goers.
Then the game started, with the Goers getting the ball. I had a feeling this was the match were everyone would go all-out to win. Grudge match!
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I swam closer to the Goer with the ball, and cupped my hands together. I jetted them forward, and the ball slipped out of his grip, compliments of that blast of water I fired. He was reaching for it when I tapped him on the shoulder, then shoved him out of the way, grabbing the ball, and passing it quickly to Tidus, who was in scoring position.
The player looked ready to kill me. I just flashed him a grin, and watched as Tidus scored.
&&&&&
Tidus tossed me the ball. No surprise, the Goers had two people on him at all times. For some reason, they thought I couldn't shoot. Heh, time to correct that.
I swam towards the goal, ball in hand. I held it up above my head, and then spun around, throwing it at the Goer behind me. Don't ask how, I just knew one was there.
He flew past the midfield line from the ball hitting him. I roughly spun, and kicked it as it flew past, aiming the speeding ball towards the keeper.
The ball zigzagged through the water, and into the goal. The keeper really didn't have a chance, there was no way to tell where it was going. That was the last goal of the game, the Goers went ballistic trying to block Tidus and myself. We only had a minute left, anyway.
&&&&&
"And in an astonishing performance, the Aurochs win 3 to 2 over the Goers!"
I waved within the sphere pool, and then headed towards the locker room. The game was kinda fun, but I could play games later. I got out of the pool, and walked towards the counter where that legendary weapon awaited.
&&&&&
The woman gave me a dazzling smile. "Well, the Aurochs won. I didn't know you were a blitzer."
I shrugged. "Never said I was, actually. About that chest…"
She sighed, and went into the back. After a few minutes, she came out dragging a chest. She groaned, and lugged it up onto the counter. "Dunno why you think you can open it… but I made over a thousand Gill on that game, might as well humor you." She grinned at me, then sat down on a chair.
I dug through my pack, pulled out the mirror, and reflected a beam of light onto the lock. It clicked, and opened, revealing a blitzball.
I groaned. "Well, Wakka can take it. My weapon's swords, not balls." I picked it up, and grinned at her expression. "What?"
She blinked, then shook her head, her face a mix of surprise and amazement. "What happened to those tattoos?"
I gave her a 'now you see it, now you don't' smile, and walked off.
&&&&&&
I found Wakka finally. People kept on giving me looks. "Hey Wakka. You want this?" I held up the blitzball, which was covered in a ring of spikes.
He looked at the ball, then grabbed it out of my hands. It glowed in his hands, and he looked at it in shock.
I grinned, and deadpanned "I'll take that as a yes." I pulled out Suicune's ball, and let her loose. "Where to now? Wakka found his weapon."
Suicune looked thoughtful. Eventually, she said We'll go to that temple first. It seemed abandoned… but it might have a Fayth. I can tell you right now, Yuna doesn't have all of the Aeons. We can use all the help we can get.
I grinned, and said, "yea, you're right. Let's get moving. Wakka, I'll meet you at the Highroad. Could you find everyone else?"
Wakka was still gazing at his weapon, and eventually looked up at me, saying "huh? Oh, sure."
I nodded, and walked off, Suicune beside me. The people in the city gave us a wide space to walk in. Actually, it was more like a berth of fear, but I really don't give a shit right now. History will show what role pokemon will play in this world.
