As Riona arrived at the arena she took a minute to memorise this sight. It was a huge stadion and, like all blitzball arenas, already filled with water that was being held within the machina apperate inside. More happy fans moved inside and were loudly discussing who would win at the games, odds were, Riona learned, high for the Goers who would play against the loser team, the Aurochs. If they would defeat the Al Bhed psyches first. As she was ready to enter two figures ran outside, a boy with blonde hair and a rather alternative outfit that showed unusual much (defined) skin and a girl with a long white robe and a staff in his wake. The boy dragged her energetically along and the girl only smiled while trying not to shove other people away. Could that be the famous summoner Yuna? As they vanished a small Ronso without a horn followed them in a hurry. Riona shook her head and made her way inside.

Inside merchants were trying to sell their fan articles, scarves as well as shirts or even a few signated blitzballs but Riona was only interested in getting a bite to eat. She decided for a corncob and made her way slowly to the upper stadion ranks as she saw a familiar red coat. The man was standing at a corner, almost as if hiding while he was observing his surroundings. Now Riona noticed the huge sword that leaned to a wall next to him and felt a spark of interest rising. Who was he and how would he fight with that sword? Maybe it was only professional curiosity, maybe it was not since she had the feeling this man would play an important part somehow.

There was a seat where she could watch him from the corners of her eyes and she gladly slithered into the row, waiting for something to happen.

Next to her said an elderly woman with a girl that was beaming as she cheered loudly "Aurochs, Aurochs, Aurochs!" after the announcer loudly proclaimed: "This is it, folks! In just a few minutes, the championship game!". Riona had to smile at that, seeing people happy like this was reason enough to play this game.

"You are here on your own?", the older woman asked her. As she nodded the woman continued: "You don't look as cheerful as my granddaughter does but I fear that's hard to copy", she chuckled. Riona approved of the attempt to make conversation since the older woman had something likable about her. "Yeah, I am not really into blitzball but I have the time so..", and she was disturbed by the announcer again: "But who could have imagined… a championship game between these two teams? Our legendary Luca Goers going against… the horrendously ill-fated Besaid Aurochs!".

"I know, I know. Can't say it is my favorite but all the sacrifices we make. Oh look, they are starting!", with this the older woman reached into her bag and took out two small flags that read "Team Aurochs" out and gave one to her daughter and one to Riona. "They're already going at it, folks! The Goers are taunting the Aurochs! And there it is, what a great play, the Goers score first!" The young girl winced at this but continued to cheer with even more enthusiasm than before. Riona decided to go with it and began waving the flag (though a bit halfheartedly) too.

They watched a game full of suspense and even Riona could make out that the Goers had a hard time to fight against the Aurochs. Their spirit seemed unbroken. But rather too soon the announcer declared the halftime, Aurochs one point behind the Goers. The girl now turned to Riona and smiled broadly while asking which team was her favorite and which player she liked, questions which Riona answered only half truthful since she did not care much but did not want to destroy the child´s spirit. "I like the Aurochs, too. Especially the guy with the orange hair, he seems fun", she improvised. It seemed to suffice and the girl continued, listing all the names and titles of the last years teams.

The second half time began. Now she recognized the blonde guy that ran out of the stadion a few minutes earlier as one of the Aurochs players. That guy sure had nerves to go shopping so shortly before the game begun, she thought. But with his help, a really complicated shot that left no chance for the goalkeeper, the Aurochs quickly regained the lead, followed by a huge wave of Auroch-cheering. "The crowd is going wild!", was all the commentator had to say. But soon the crowds calling changed into a chant, they were demanding "Wakka". Only a few seconds later the blonde player left, leaving all wondering. "Say… Where is that player going? He's leaving the sphere pool! He may be injured!" But as Wakka, Mr. orange hair, entered the stadion again the crowd was bursting with energy. Clearly not in the best shape Wakka defended successfully, only dragging the game to an end but with the advance the blonde player had made it was no problem. The victory was announced: "Unbelievable! The Aurochs win, folks! This is one for the record books!" and almost everybody in the stadion cheered. Only the Goers looked grim.

Riona gave back the flag the old woman had given her and noticed that she lost track of red coat. She mumbled a quick thanks and then left looking for him. Just as she caught a glimpse of red at the entering stands chaos erupted.

The blonde player came back into the pool, cheering together with Wakka as fiends started to show up right in the pool and at entrances of the stadion. The crowd, previously peacefully celebrating, turned into a screaming mob that ran for his and only his own life. Riona absentmindedly grabbed at her hilt to find her sword missing only to remember the dagger she received from the smith. It happened seldom that she was this much relieved. But there was no time, she took a few quick steps ahead, eye to eye with the next fiend that made his way to attack some defenseless spectators. A dagger wasn't the same as a sword, however, and her preemptive strike missed but now she was the center of attention. The fiend, a larger wolf like one, took his chances and struck her, but Riona could deflect with her left arm plates. A few precise cuts later the fiend was gone and she moved forward only to find 3 more blocking her way.

Though she could have done that on her own, she was sure of it, Riona was relieved the red coat joined her and struck one down with a hit. He then simply nodded at her, gesturing to continue. They were effective, she was weakening the fiends with quick cuts while he finished them with a gigantic blow, and soon cut a swath trough the fiends. Then orange head Wakka and blonde boy joined them, both surprised shouting "Auron, Sir Auron!". It was not long until the next event happened; Maester Seymour summoned his gigantic anima, a constrained and blind one that onehitted the remaining fiends. As the chaos was ended everyone calmed down notably. The group of fighters looked at each other and began to move to the locker room. Riona would have left here but as she turned, red coat put a hand at her shoulder and gestured her to follow.