Disclaimer: Square-Enix Incorporated owns all copyrighted material this fanfiction may include. All other materials, such as characters, events, dialogue, et cetera, all belong to Zeshin-kun.

Author's Note: Okay okay, I know, why'd you take so damn long to update! Xx

Well, as I said, I had some writer's block. Plus, I wasn't really up to it since it was kinda the summer so I just went into a lazy streak. Haha. But, I'm back now and I can guarantee the next chapter's not gonna be delayed by much time at all, a two to three day wait at most. )

So now, enjoy Chapter 6!

Spira: The Eternal Discord

Chapter 6: Cozy Home by the Beach

Wakka

It was a lovely day out today in good old Besaid, ya? You'd think nothin' would go wrong… I hate bein' wrong…

I mean it wasn't bad enough that Yuna was all crazy just a few months back, runnin' away from home and goin' all ova Spira. Me and Lu… well, guess mostly me, but we were so worried she'd get into trouble. I mean she's only… well she's nineteen… but that's not the point! Oh gahhh… Let's try this again…

I was just on my way to the beach today when they came back. I thought things woulda calmed down with Mr. Zanarkand back with us, but then Mr. Zanarkand 2 had to come back. Now, from what Yuna told me and Lu, this other guy was some kinda weird spooky shadow thing. In fact, if Yuna didn't go off and play Gullwings, I wouldn't be here to even worry about all this. See that guy, uh Subin… Savin… eh whatever, anyway, he had this crackpot idea to blow up Spira! Can you believe that? What a nut, ya? Well, when he did come back, Yuna said he was alright for now so she got us to put him up at the guest hut and I was fine with it, that is until they found that sphere of him kidnappin' poor little Rikku. No tellin' what he could do to her, ya?

"Wakka? What's the matter with you? You've been standing out here, gazing at the sunset since this morning. You forgot about lunch. Is everything okay?" Lu asked me, walkin' up with my son in her arms.

"I'm fine, Lu…" I told her, makin' kinda a grunt after I said it.

"I'm sure Yuna is fine. You worry too much. She did manage to stop him once before, right? If this Shuyin is up to anything, I'm sure she can handle herself. You just need to have a little more faith in her. She's not a little girl anymore and we're got to be parents to another one now."

At first, I didn't get what she was sayin', but when I turned around, my eyes hittin' that small body in Lu's arms, I smiled, "Yea, you're right, Lu. Can't keep watchin' ova Yuna anymore. She's a grown woman now. Baby Vidina needs me more, I guess. It's just, it's like you said back durin' the pilgrimage, ya? She's like a little sister to me… I don't wanna see her hurt is all."

Lu looked at me kinda warmly. She knew! Yuna came to Besaid with Kimahri twelve years back. Who took care of her? Well, me and Lu and Kimahri did! That kinda thing isn't easy to give up, ya? Ah anyway, Lu stood right next to me after that and we just kept starin' out at the shore, waitin' together for the Al Bhed airship to come back… come back and bring Yuna safely home with it.

It took some more time, but finally, the red machina landed again, same spot it took off from. Me and Lu got close to the door and waited while it opened up. I was hopin' for Yuna, but instead, the Zanarkand twins ran out, one of them laughing at the other. Who was who, yea like I knew, ya?

"You think you can take me!" One of them screamed. It was the one who was catching up to the other one.

"Well, seeing how you and I are technically one in the same athletically, right?" After he said that, he kinda did this shrug thing that showed me that he was one of those cocky players, that is if the guy also played blitzball.

Of course, the Blitz Ace had to bow up to Shuyin just to make sure he wasn't one-upped, "Yea? Well, I was swimming circles around Spira's best while you were still a ghost doing your haunting stuff in a dumb cave."

The look Shuyin gave was obvious, ya? Just like me and probably everybody there, he just rolled his eyes to guess at what Mr. Zanarkand Abe was trying to say. "You do know that with Sin around, those teams you took on were probably B-string compared to back in the day, right? Besides, you didn't have to take on the Bevelle Jowiles."

"The Bevelle who? Look, the only team I know of back in the day were the Duggles and we beat them easy. They were nothing compared to the Luca Goers or the Kilika Beasts."

Shuyin laughed and practically howled from that, "The Luca Goers! The Kilika Beasts? Compared to the Al Bhed Psyches or the Jowiles, those teams were foolishly outmaneuvered each game they took us on. The Abes are invincible!"

"Were… right?" Rikku chimed in, finally coming out with Yuna and that new girl, Paine.

"Were… yea… were. They were great…" Shuyin looked away a little after sayin' that.

"Alright, I'll give you that. The Abes were great, but…" Know what? This could take all day with the size of those egos, ya?

I found Yuna and she did her "nods" to tell me she wanted to talk elsewhere. She led the way, Rikku comin' along, too. We got to the side of a nearby wall at the far end of the beach and Yuna decided it was a good enough distance away from those two to start up some chat. I wanted to know what happened. Rikku looked like she was okay so that meant the Shuyin guy didn't try anythin' with her, ya? So then…

"What happened over there Yuna? Rikku? Are you two okay?" I asked them.

Yuna stayed kinda quiet, which bothered me a little, but Rikku answered my question. "We saw a girl. It was somebody Shuyin knew from his past. She…"

"Girl? His past? Didn't you two say he was from like one thousand years back? What gives, ya?"

"She's Rikku…" Yuna said, still lookin' down at her feet, "She's… I don't know what to think about Shuyin anymore really. One minute I just thought he was insanely in love and it made him into a monster after he lost that love, but seeing Kirin there and how he'd gone to so much trouble to bury her there… I just don't know…"

"You didn't even get to see Galte. He stood guard over Kirin for as long as Shuyin was gone. He just left for the Farplane a little while before you guys showed up. From the looks of it, Shuyin had himself a whole bunch of pals just like us. Maybe that's why you know who stuck with us for that long." Rikku told us.

I still didn't get what they were talkin' about so, "What are you guys talkin' about? You said you saw his pal from a thousand years back who was buried and looked like Rikku here and there another pal of his who just died or somethin' and what else, ya?"

Rikku giggled at me from that, but Yuna kept quiet like she was really wonderin' what to make of all this stuff that already happened. "That's right Wakka." She said, grabbin' Yuna by the arm and haulin' her outta there. They just left me to guess at what was goin' on. Great parentin', ya?

Since I got ditched, I decided I'd go talk to Lu and figure out what happened. She wasn't at the beach no more so she was probably back in the village already. It was about time for Vidina's nap. She always said I wasn't too good with imaginin' things and I knew that was right. She was the brains of the bunch. I was just me. Not really sure what that means I'm good for, but Lu said she had faith in me, ya? Anyway, I had to pass by those two on my way back because they were trying to get to the village just the same, but slowin' down lots by bickerin' like they were.

"Haha, well if you think I'm too old to play a decent game, why don't you put your money where your mouth is? I say, we play a game, your team versus… hmm, well, that's just gonna have to subside. You'll just have to take me on by my lonesome. Hehe, maybe the training I did will do me some good." Shuyin said, slumping a little and pattin' his look-a-like on the head.

The guy quickly slapped Shuyin's hand away and grunted, "The Besaid Aurochs can take you on, no problem. I just hope there's enough left of you after for me to laugh at."

"Is that so…"

"Okay okay okay, before this gets way further than it already has, I think Shuyin needs a team, huh?" Rikku said before I finally ducked away from them to head off ahead of them back for the village.

It took about ten minutes to get back to my hut. There were a few fiends around so I had to take care of 'em. It wasn't too bad, ya? I was out of the adventurin' thing ever since me and Lu got together so it was like Yuna and Rikku had told me; I had a pudgy stomach. Praise be to Yevon that the fiends that lived on Besaid were usually pretty weak. After that rush of fiends to the Temple, I knew I couldn't handle the tougher ones anymore. It did make me feel a little down at times, not being able to go after the big boys like back two years ago. I was a full guardian back then, but even though I'm not anymore, it'd be better to know I still had it in me to kick some fiend butt.

"You look… confused… again." Lu told me when I moved the flap of our hut to get in.

"Yea… Yuna's kinda…" I started to say.

"What did she say? I tried to speak with her when they arrived, but she and Rikku dragged you off before I had the chance. Is everything fine?"

"Well, I know that that Shuyin guy didn't try anythin', but Yuna was kinda confused, ya? She said she didn't know what to make of things." I told her, rememberin' what they said before.

"That Shuyin character, did one man change her that much?"

"Hey, you're forgettin' about the other guy that changed Yuna a lot, too, ya? Ya think it has to do with bein' blonde? I mean, first it was Mr. Zanarkand with his 'never say die' attitude, then Rikku haulin' her off to find him when he disappeared, and now this guy."

Lu laughed at that lightly, "I'm pretty sure it has more to it than just the color of their follicles, Wakka."

"Well you know I'm not good at thinkin' up stuff. I just don't know what's wrong with Yuna and what it's got to do with that Shuyin guy."

"Well, why don't you ask him? I think that loud chatter is them. I'm going to go out and quiet them down a bit. I don't want them waking the baby."

Lu left first, leaving me to think if I should do like she said and just talk to Shuyin. The first time I talked to the Zanarkand Star, he didn't make a lot of sense and told me he forgot everything there was to know. Would that happen with that Shuyin guy, too?

After a little bit, the noise outside seemed to quiet down and I just chose to go for it. What could be the worst outcome? I left the hut and saw Lu's back. They were all chatting in a group about somethin', but I couldn't really get a lot from where I was standin' so I made my way closer.

"Well, here he is now. I was thinking he could be on your team!" Rikku shouted, hopping over and grabbin' my arm.

"Team? What are you talkin' about, Rikku?" I asked the girl.

"Hehe, we're trying to figure out a team to give me to face the Aurochs in an exhibition. Rikku's been on about it since the beach. She's already rounded up Yuna as a defensive forward, Buddy as my goalie, Brother as a right forward, and she even got Cid to join up as my left forward. I'm playing center forward so we just need two more for defense and one more for offense since they tell me it's eight players per team now. So, are you in?" Shuyin explained.

By the sound of it, the team was pretty set and I hadn't played blitzball in a while. It would be great if I could get back in that sphere pool, even if it was only one more time. "You can count me in brudda. It'll be fun to mash up Mr. Zanarkand's Star Player over there."

Shuyin smiled a little when I said that, "Ya know, I'm also Zanarkand's Star Player, too, right? But, yea, it would be fun to mash him up."

"Hey! I'm not the one who's gonna get pounded this game. I'll take ya both on!"

Shuyin huffed at the statement, "Buddy, Rikku told me on the airship about Wakka. She said he was the old team captain. I'm sure you'll want to reconsider soon enough."

"Yea, cuz captains have tricks!" Rikku added, jumpin' up from Shuyin's shoulders.

I didn't know what they were getting' at so I had to ask, "What do ya mean? Tricks? I don't use tricks, ya?"

Rikku walked out from behind Shuyin and came up to me, "But you're a captain. Shuyin said all you guys have to know some kind of tricks to keep the…"

Suddenly, Shuyin cupped a hand over Rikku and pulled her in, "He's not gonna tell you he knows tricks, Rikku. It's a train of thought. He knows how to make calls at the right times and in the right situations. I call it knowing tricks, but it's more just how they think from playing so many games. Haha, sorry for confusing ya."

"Well, that's all well and good for now, but we need one more offensive player and one more for defense, right? Wonder who we could get." Rikku said, puttin' her left hand to her chin.

"Well, we only really need that defender because… I'm looking at my second center forward right now." Shuyin replied.

Rikku didn't understand what he meant, but I got it. He was a real contender. He knew how to recruit. Rikku was a very good pick for a companion forward because her slim body is good for speed and judgin' from the guy's legs, he was a shark in the water, too.

"Hey Rikku, you'll do fine on the team, ya? This brudda knows his stuff. So we just need one more, ya? Who we got to choose from?"

They all started to think, but by the looks of things, they weren't likin' who they were thinkin' about. Shuyin looked at the rest of us and then just from Rikku to Yuna and back and just nodded and left. "Hey, where he off to?" I asked them.

"He's going to ask Paine to join. This could be a huge breakthrough for Shuyin to redeem himself or it could just turn into a disaster." Yuna answered. I knew what she was talkin' about. She told me what Shuyin did to her friends two years back when Operation Mi'ihen was goin' on. He pretty much wrecked her life. But, the guy did seem good now, ya?

It took some time, knowin' how Paine was when Shuyin first showed up again was enough explanation why, but she was finally walkin' towards us, arms crossed to show she wasn't completely trustin' the guy. Shuyin jogged back over to us faster and took in a deep breath when he got to us. He was probably getting' his game face on to tell us the sitch; knowin' a pro like him, he was goin' to either sike up the team that he got her signed up or tryin' to get down a good pep talk for us to go after her some more. It wasn't too hard to tell from how he made himself that he was in the game for some time, ya?

"Okay, we got her… but she's shaky so here's what we do. Whatever call I give, it isn't mine. Wakka, since you were captain of the old team, you might as well be captain of this one. I've never been too great at leading a crowd. Yuna, you're in charge of keeping Paine at bay. If I know her, she's gonna be pugnacious and against your boyfriend, I can't afford that… especially since I know he's going to exploit as many weaknesses in this team as possible. Anyway, Rikku, I want to speak to you in private." He finally said, all of that in one breath to prove even more how seasoned the guy was in the workin's of such a sport. Rikku followed him off to the side when Paine caught up with us.

"Alright, so I'm in. Whatever you say, I'm still not trusting that man. I'm joining to make sure you all are safe from harm." She claimed with a grunt, leavin' quickly, followed by Yuna who was followed by her man.

Lu muffled a small laugh from what just happened, sayin', "What a team, huh Wakka? You've got your work cut out for you now that Shuyin's reinstated your captainship."

"I know. This is gonna take some doin', but I can make it happen." I told her. My pride probably kicked that outta my mouth then, ya?

"You'll do fine, Wakka. I have faith in my captains. Rothel never steered me wrong and I'm sure you've got some tricks that the Aurochs don't know about. We'll do just fine against my 'better' half. Besides, if you can't outdo his talents, I'm sure I've still got a trick or two up my sleeve. Good ol' Shuyin might be one thousand and nineteen years old, but he's got at least one or two miracles in the bag."

So it was set, the game that nobody could ever think of: Besaid Aurochs starrin' the Star of the Zanarkand Abes versus a new formed team also starrin' the Star of the Zanarkand Abes. What a show this'll be, ya?

Author's Note: Not really much of anything to say at this point. I mean, the next chapter's pretty self-explanatory. It's gonna be a blitz game. \

I guess I could just say that, for those who read Eternal Love, yes, I'm going to have the Tidal Surge in it. It'll make for a nice climax point to the chapter. D Till then, ciao y'all!