"Final Fantasy X: The Final Fight for Spira"

Part 5: "Luca: A Welcome Respite, But Far Too Short"

Kilika Port

The party was tired after their fight with Dark Ifrit -- and, of course, Yuna was worn a bit from receiving Ifrit again (getting an aeon was not the easiest thing on Yuna's constitution, then or now).

So, when they got back to Kilika Port, they got some bad news.

Dona: "The crew of the Celsius is going to need more time…"

Brother: "We have uber-bad news. They really knocked out our systems."

Buddy: "We aren't much better than a boat right now."

Tidus' eyes lit up.

Tidus: "Well, that's all we'll need. Our next stop is Djose Temple…"

Lulu: "Wait. We should take this as slowly as possible. Fiends might be all over the place and we might need to examine every area carefully -- including the cities. Our next stop is Luca."

Kimhari: "Kimhari not sure what we will find even there. Let's go to Luca and check everything out."

Paine: "OK, I'm game."

With that, they boarded the boat-Celsius, and set off for Luca.

Luca

Tidus remembered the first time he set foot in Luca.

There were fireworks.

There was a blitzball tournament.

And there was Seymour.

He wanted to remember more of the first two things and a lot less of the third.

But there was none of any of them to be found.

The blitzball tournaments and leagues had been cancelled for some time since the emergence of Dark Yevon, denying the denizens of Spira one of the few joys that they had under the threat of Sin.

And now Major Numerous wanted to bring that threat back, with everything which that meant.

When the streets were deserted, it was almost as if the group had hit the ground running, until Beclem showed up.

Beclem: "HALT!"

The group stood back. Yuna came to the forefront.

Yuna (firmly): "Hello, Beclem."

Beclem: "Oh, it is you, Yuna… May I ask what brings you and an entire battling party to Luca?"

Yuna: "I'm sure you are aware of the attacks that fiends have had throughout Spira."

Beclem: "This is why Luca is closed off. If we open blitzball, we chance water-bound fiends invading the pool…"

Like my first match here…, Tidus thought.

Beclem: "If we have too much access to the Mi'ihen Highroad, we'll end up getting the fiends from there. So we're basically putting all our strength to keeping the fiends on the Highroad."

Paine: "Good to see you are a bit more sociable, Beclem…"

Beclem: "I've learned, over time, that we need all the help we can get."

Tidus: "Well, we're heading on another pilgrimage to eventually try and defeat Major Numerous."

Beclem: "Oh, you mean the 'new Sin' that people are talking about? Word is that he's all but destroyed Bevelle."

Wakka: "Not if we can help it."

Beclem: "Wakka… Why are you chancing hurting yourself when you have a child to raise?"

Lulu stepped in front of Wakka before anything could be considered.

Lulu: "I'm also the child's mother. So, any question you ask of him in that regard, you ask of me!"

Beclem chuckled.

Beclem: "Firm as always. But I do ask that question of you…"

Yuna then stepped in front of them both.

Yuna: "They do it because they are my friends. As are the aeons I am once again gaining…"

This got Beclem grumbling -- he was certain the age of the summoners was past. He was in no further mood to argue with people he saw no point in arguing with.

Beclem: "Well, do what you need to do here and then head north. They could probably use a lot of help on the Highroad."

Kimhari and Paine bowed.

As they left, Rikku said, under her breath: "He's still a grouch."

Yuna: "You said it."

They went through Luca fairly quickly, surprised that the efforts to secure Luca had, largely, succeeded.

Some small pockets of fiends were quickly eradicated from the city, the largest at the blitzball stadium. It had turned out that the concerns were correct, in that blitzball could not be safely held in the current world situation.

They then got to the main plaza and were given a place to rest for the night in the café where Wakka received his World Champion blitzball.

It was the next day when they reached the stairs which would lead from the main plaza to the entrance to the Mi'ihen Highroad. And Paine stopped…

Paine: "I can't understand why you aren't taking this a lot more seriously."

Rikku: "What do you mean?"

Paine: "You don't understand, Rikku… This is just the preliminaries. Dark Yevon thought it could take us down lightly. The further we go, the more serious this will get."

Tidus: "You think we don't know that?"

Paine: "No, I don't think you do. I don't think you know what we really faced on the top of Yamadoki Tower."

Yuna then took Paine's hands in hers.

Yuna: "Paine, two things."

"First, remember that what we faced at the top of the tower was a reminder that we could do anything if we stood together. Now, consider this a second run of that -- as we stand together to defeat this threat once and for all."

"Second, especially here, Paine…"

"This was the spot where my future husband and I…"

The group gasped. This was the first they had actually heard that Tidus and Yuna were officially engaged. Yuna continued.

"…first laughed together. We laughed to basically set the example that this adventure -- this pilgrimage -- was all about smiles. And this one will be too, Paine."

"You remember when we all saw that last sphere before we fought Vegnagun? When we saw you laugh. We love that Paine."

Paine's eyes lit up.

Yuna: "We love that Paine who could laugh and have fun with us, in her own way. And we also love that Paine that isn't afraid to let it all hang out and dance a little bit…"

With that, Paine blushed. She liked to swing her hips in the Songstress Dresssphere, but she didn't think anyone was watching her.

Rikku: "So, as I said before: 'Wakey, wakey! Time to set sail!!'"

With that, Paine smiled and hugged her fellow Gullwings.

The group then ascended the stairs to the Highroad.

Little did they know what waited there after their all-too-brief respite…