Final Fantasy X and PlayStation are owned by Square Enix and Sony, respectively, meaning they do not belong to me. I am in no way, shape, and/or form claiming to be the owner/creator of these concepts, though I do claim any characters not apart of the original Final Fantasy X storyline (such as Rayne and Marcus) mine. As such, I would appreciate fellow authors and readers to give credit where credit is due and not steal any of my characters and/or concepts. Thank you, and have a pleasant day.

(Drunken Luca Departure)

Rayne jumped out of her seat and screamed with all of the other cheering fans as the Besaid Aurochs made a goal. She knew that they weren't going to win, seeing as Wakka had said in the game dialogue that they hadn't won in the ten years he had been on the team, but when she saw his gravity defying orange hair out in the sphere pool, she couldn't help but sit and cheer them on. Besides, they were playing against the Goers, and she was most definitely not going to cheer for them.

She winced when she saw Wakka take a hard blow, but clapped encouragingly when he recovered and took off after the current ball holder. Taking a brief pause when halftime came around, Rayne ran to the edge of the stands and looked all around herself. Though the cut scenes of the stadium from the game had been superb, they had nothing against seeing it in person. Also, the game never mentioned the delicious wafts of Spiran food, which smelled decidedly spicier than real world food.

When the vendor had walked by, she had called out for whatever he suggested she try. He handed her a paper bowl of stringy plant-looking things covered in a thick, chunky sauce and a cup of fizzing purple liquid. After she paid him, she looked between the items with uncertainty and slight fear. One of the spectators behind her tapped her on the shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile accompanied by a thumbs up, which she translated to it tasted better than it looked.

She gave a strained smile in return, then turned back to her food and hesitantly picked up the plastic utensil that came with it. After a few attempts, she managed to get the food to stay on the oddly pronged thing and into her mouth. She was pleasantly surprised when she tasted something similar to pizza, but she definitely didn't want to know what the food was made from.

The drink, on the other hand, she never could have prepared for. She started by taking a small sip, but when she didn't taste anything she took a larger mouthful. For a moment, she still tasted nothing, despite the wet feeling in her mouth, and was somewhat disappointed. In a split second, though, her thoughts changed. There was a large fizzing pop in her mouth, followed by a sudden burst of flavor that sent her reeling into the back of her seat.

She quickly swallowed before she had a chance to dribble it all over herself, gasping for air when it had all gone down. She wasn't entirely sure what flavor it was, though. It seemed to shift between grape, strawberry, blueberry, apple, Mountain Dew, and Sierra Mist, but not in an unpleasant way. When she felt another tap on her shoulder, she turned to see the same spectator give her another thumbs up. She smiled widely and returned it, then quickly returned to take another gulp of her drink.

The break for halftime was soon over, and Rayne's drink was half empty. When the Aurochs scored another goal, she jumped to her feet and cheered louder than before, suddenly feeling buzzy and exhilarated. Even when the Aurochs lost in the end, she still stayed an extra three minutes to cheer them and boo the Goers.

After she was done with that, she was suddenly extremely bored with just sitting in the stands, so she jumped to her feet and stumbled down the stairs and out the double doors. Several people stared at her with disapproving looks as she stumbled across the walk and slammed into a pillar. Unaware of them, though, Rayne took a wide sweeping look around herself and found herself in a familiar place.

"Now," she slurred, "If I remember correctly, Dock 4 is iiinnnn…" She looked to her left, then to her right. "That direction!" Destination decided, she stumbled off, finger still pointing.

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"Let's go, Jecht!" Auron called out impatiently to his fellow guardian. "The ship won't wait any longer!"

The ex-blitzer, who was standing at the edge of Dock 4 and staring at the crowds as they poured out the stadium, turned to glare at the ex-monk.

"Auron, you can't tell me that you aren't even a little concerned for her. She was obviously lying about her brother being here, even though Braska believes it, and she was obviously completely on her own. We found her in a shirt three sizes too big for her, sweatpants, and no shoes, for Yevon's sake! Besides, helping her is the right thing to do!"

Just as the two were about to launch into an argument, Braska walked over from the ships deck and stepped between them.

"What are you two arguing about now?"

Jecht stepped on Auron's foot before he could say anything and quickly replied, "I'm worried about the kid."

It took all of Auron's willpower to not punch Jecht and he hissed through gritted teeth, "She'll be fine!"

Braska frowned at the two and shook his head. "And what about her brother?"

At this, both guardians looked at each other before Auron grudgingly said, "I honestly don't believe that her brother is here in Luca, or that the story she fed us was true."

When Braska looked at Jecht, the guardian nodded, making the summoner sigh, "I had a sneaking suspicion that her story was a lie, as well."

Jecht threw a triumphant grin Auron's way, which was quickly quelled when the summoner continued, "But there is really nothing we can do for her. We are on a pilgrimage, and bringing her along would only put her in danger. Besides, she's already been set loose in Luca, we would never find her."

"Lord Braska!"

All three of the men turned and stared in wide eyed astonishment as Rayne stumbled onto the dock and over to the boat. When she saw all of them looking at her, she raised her hand and saluted them.

"Mi'lordship and his trusted and esteemed Guardians."

They all immediately noticed the slur of her words and her inability to stand up straight, one of them knowing better than the other two what was wrong with her.

"Kid, are you drunk?!"

Rayne's head flopped back and she gave Jecht an indignant glare. "In all of my… I, Sir Jecht, am most decidedly not drunk. I've never even tasted alcohol in all of my life, thank you very much!"

But, as soon as she finished speaking, she somehow managed to trip over air and fell forward, and would have busted her head on a crate had Auron not jumped off of the boat and grabbed her.

Jecht smacked his head, "Like hell you aren't drunk!"

"Hey!" The group looked to the cabin door of the ship, where the captain had stuck his head out and was glaring at them. "Are you going to Kilika or not? We have a schedule to maintain!"

Rayne giggled and saluted again, "Aye, aye, Mon Capitane!"

Braska turned and bowed to the now flustered captain, "Apologies. Yes, we are ready to depart." When the captain had ducked back into the cabin, Braska turned and waved to Auron. "Get on, and bring her with you."

The guardian sighed heavily, but gathered the drunken girl in his arms and walked onto the boat. Just as it had taken off, the first mate walked over and looked at the group. "She hasn't been paid for!"

This caused Rayne to grumble and reach for the pouch on her shirt, where she dug out a handful of coins and handed them to the shipmate. "This enough for ya, Sparky?"

The man, his lips drawn into a thin line, took the Gil and stormed into the cabin, but not before he glared at Auron and snapped, "Keep your girlfriend under control!"

Too shocked to say anything, Auron let the door slam without any form of retaliation. He looked down at the girl in his arms and realized that they did, in fact, look like they were in some form of relationship. He was holding her in his arms, her body tight against his, and her head was lying on his chest with her arms wrapped around his neck with an air of familiarity.

Auron's right eye twitched as he looked back up to his now chuckling companions and he growled, "Find me somewhere to put her before I drop her into the ocean."

Still grinning, Braska waved for Auron to follow him and led him up the stairs to the second deck, a laughing Jecht following close behind. Once at the top, Auron dropped his load beneath the umbrella and walked away to lean against the railing and glare at everyone he saw. Jecht yawned loudly and sat on the deck, also choosing to lean against the railing. Braska sighed at his companions and walked out into the sun, also also choosing to lean against the railing. Rayne looked between the three before crawling further beneath the umbrella and leaning against the pole.

Jecht looked at her and sighed, smiling slightly, "Alright kid, spill; where did you get alcohol?"

Rayne looked at him confusedly, then tilted her head back and stared at the umbrella. After a few moments, her eyes grew wide and she looked back at Jecht, still slurring but a bit more sober. "Oh my God, I really am drunk, aren't I?!"

Braska sighed, Auron rolled his eyes, and Jecht laughed.

"Kid, you're about as drunk as drunk gets!"

Rayne dropped her head into her hands and moaned, "That vendor at the game! The stupid purple stuff!"

"Come again, kid?"

Drawing her knees up to her chest, she moaned again. "I went to the blitzball game and got hungry, and when the vendor came and asked me what I wanted, I said whatever he suggested. He gave me this stringy stuff that tasted like pizza and some fizzy purple drink. Then everything got fuzzy and… and…" She paused and looked at Auron. "And you are really warm."

Auron scowled and looked away, blushing slightly, but Jecht and Braska were too busy laughing to notice, and Rayne was too busy being drunk.

When she momentarily sobered again, she held her head and groaned, "I'm gonna feel like crap tomorrow."

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Later that night, when everyone had turned in, Rayne pulled herself off of her hammock and walked onto the deck. She had just walked over to the railing and was looking down at the reflection of the stars on the water when she heard someone walk up behind her.

"Odd, you usually find people looking up on a night like this."

She spun around and came to face a bent and wizened old man. His eyes were open and staring at her, but Rayne recognized the white film over them, her grandmother had been the same way. Sensing her shock, the man chuckled and raised his hands, palms up.

"I mean you no harm." He then walked over beside her and looked up to the sky.

"Um," he turned to face her, but she was a bit hesitant to ask. When he motioned for her to continue, she did. "How did you know I was looking down?"

He chuckled and replied, "When you get as old as I am, you don't really need your eyes anymore. You're far too in tune with the world around you."

"Ah."

Silence returned to the deck. Rayne was hoping it would stay, but it seemed like the old man had other ideas.

"Tell me, what brings you out onto the deck?"

She stole a glance at him, then her eyes returned to the water. "Nothing, really. I couldn't sleep."

"Any particular reason?"

She shook her head, but when she remembered his affliction, she said, "No."

"Hmm."

The silence returned again, but this time was cut off by Rayne.

"It's just…" She looked at the old man, who nodded, and she went on. "It's just, I've met some nice people."

"Yes, I've heard. A young summoner and his two guardians."

"Yeah, them. And, well, like I said, they're nice. They've been helping me quite a bit… Actually, a lot. I gave them a bag of… well, I gave them something that, to anyone else, would have returned the favor. But I don't feel like it has. And now I've gone and burdened them with my presence again, and I've no way of thanking them."

"Well, how would you like to thank them?"

After she thought about it, she haltingly replied, "Well, they're on a journey…"

"Ah, yes. The summoner's pilgrimage."

She nodded, "Yeah, they're on the pilgrimage. I want to… I want to help them with that, somehow… I know that I couldn't do much but…"

"You do know that the only way you could stay by them long enough to help them without being a burden is by becoming a guardian yourself, right?"

She sighed heavily, "Yeah. Which is why I couldn't sleep. I have no way to repay them."

"Well, if you could, would you become a guardian?"

Rayne turned to look at the man, shocked, "But, I couldn't…"

"True, true, not in your current state. But, if you could gain the powers of a guardian, would you become one?"

Turning back to the ocean, Rayne closed her eyes and whispered, "Yes…"

"Then," the old man grabbed her chin and tilted her face towards the sky, "All you need is someone to show you the way."

When she opened her eyes again, Rayne was staring at the starlit sky, and she noticed something.

"Yes, that's it, look closer."

One of the stars looked impossibly closer than the others.

"No, it's not impossible. It is closer."

It was so close; in fact, she could very well have reached out and touched it.

"Then do it."

Her body moving of its own accord, her hand reached out and grabbed the star, and a warm sensation spread throughout her body, lulling her to sleep.

"Then sleep."

So she did.