The S.S Liki docked at Kilika by late evening. The burning sun slowly eased away and descended into the ocean, covering the water in a deep red glow. The site would surely of been one of wonder and beauty, were it not for the tragedy that was met there.
As the ship approached the dock it passed large amounts of rubble in the water. The sea was littered with splintered and fractured wood that had suffered severe damage. A blitzball was seen floating, lonely, out to sea. As the village came closer into view, the damage was seen with more clarity. The village was in ruins. Houses had been torn apart, trees had been uprooted and the houses that were left standing were tattered, with extensive damage. Some had their rooves missing, whilst others had entire walls that had been torn out. What were once homely huts, and peoples homes, covered the ocean, and floated peacefully out to see, towards the setting sun. The damage was shocking, but whilst docks and huts can be rebuild, lives cannot. As they docked they could see villagers running around, lifting the dead and placing them in caskets and placing them out by the water. There were too many caskets to count.
The ship docked and the ramp lowered. Yuna wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her robe and and composed herself. She took a deep breath and then made her way down the ramp. She was greeted by two, grief stricken Kilikans. Yuna bowed to them both and spoke formally.
"Greetings! I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the temple in Besaid."
One of the greeting party, a middle aged woman, let out a sigh of relief.
"M'lady Summoner!" she said, moving closer, to greet her warmly. "We are relieved to see you have made it here safely. When Sin attacked, we feared that those out at sea would not return! Our spirits are raised to see you here."
"Yes, praise be to Yevon we are safe. However, we did not make it here unharmed, we have suffered casualties."
The woman's grief appeared too much to bear, and the news that Yuna brought her only added more weight to the burden she already carried. Her eyes watered and she struggled to speak for a moment, until she composed herself and spoke. "We can put the dead in caskets and place them next to ours." she said.
"Thank you. If there is no other Summoner here, please allow me to perform the sending." she said, solemnly.
"Thanks be to ye!" said the second Kilikan, appreciatively. He appeared to be middle aged, and had a kindly face.
"Our loved ones...We feared they would become fiends!" the woman cried, in despair.
"Please, take me to them." said Yuna.
The woman gestured for Yuna to follow her, and she led the way along the dock. Lulu and Kimhari followed. Tidus, who was unsure what to do with himself, waited at the foot of the boat for Wakka. He descended the ramp with the Aurochs. "We'll go see what we can do to help in town." said Wakka. He took the Aurochs along the docks, to the part of the village which lay in ruins. Tidus watched them as they began to salvage bits of wood and other materials from the water, in the hopes that they may be used once again to build a home anew.
Tidus took a short look around the town. He could not believe that he had started the day hungover from intoxication. Now here he stood, surveying what he imagined was a peaceful village on the sea, now in ruins. Everybody he looked at either looked hollow or seemed to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Every heart seemed filled with dread, and sorrow, or empty. Tidus felt thoroughly unnerved. He looked in on a fairly large hut that seemed to have weathered the attack better than most other buildings. It appeared to be reinforced and have additonal layers of protection. It had a sign hanging above its doors with letters he did not recognise. A man stood outside, looking thoroughly miserable. As Tidus walked by, the man caught his eye.
"Can you believe this?" he said, jabbing his thumb at the sign. "The pub's closed. I don't think I can get through this without a drink." he said sadly.
'Tell me about it.' thought Tidus. If he could not feel any more sadness in his heart than he did already, he was hurried to the side as the crew of the S.S Liki moved past him, carrying casket after casket towards what Tidus presumed was the chosen burial site. He wondered which casket the steward was in. He followed the crew along the dock until he reached the crowd. They stood, overlooking steps which descended down to the sea. The caskets had been placed in the water and braziers were lit along the dock. Their glow matched the colour of the sun and their warmth slowly replaced the suns as it began to give way to the night.
Tidus spotted Lulu standing alone, behind the crowd. He approached her, tentatively. "Uh, what's a 'sending'? Are we going somewhere?" he asked.
Lulu huffed. "You truly are clueless. Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?" she eyed him scrutinisingly. When Tidus looked at the floor, sadly, she rolled her eyes. "The dead need guidance." she began. "Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it?" observing Tidus's reaction. He had said nothing, but the emotion was etched heavily on his face. "The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace." she finished.
"Summoners do this?" said Tidus, awed.
Lulu nodded, and turned to look at Yuna, who was standing by the water. Beyond her there were ruins of huts, which had collapsed into the water. There they lay, submerged. She had just finished talking to the village elder, and she bowed to him, deeply. Kimahri stood close by her side, ever the silent guardian. She slipped off her shoes and unsheathed her staff. To the surprise of Tidus she stepped out onto the water, only she remained aloft, walking gracefully. She approached the caskets, which had been positioned in a circle. They had been decorated in such a way that they could have been mistaken for flowers. The caskets appeared as great petals just beneath the water. When Yuna reached the centre she stopped. She hesitated for a brief moment, and she appeared delicate. She took a deep breath and began to dance in the water. She brandished her staff with one hand, majestically, and twirled. She swayed with grace and femininity and danced with such beauty that the onlookers began to weep. Orbs of light began to rise from the water, their light reflected on the water. The braziers that had burned red burst and burned bright blue and the water beneath Yuna's feet burst upwards like a fountain. She continued to twirl and appeared celestial, elevated above. One woman, in awe of what she saw, and a heart weighed down with grief at having to say farewell to her dearest loved, collapsed to her knees. Tidus could not tear his eyes away from the mesmerizing site before his eyes. How such beauty and sadness could become so elegantly entwined was beyond him. Slowly, but surely the lights passed away, and when no more rose up from the sea, the water relaxed and Yuna ceased her dance.
When she finished, she stepped back onto the dock and looked around timidly. It had been her first sending, and she had felt nervous. Nobody said anything, they merely tried to smile. Most simply bowed, to show their appreciation.
"It must be tough, being a summoner." Tidus said quietly, at Lulu's side.
"Yuna chose her own path. She knew from the beginning what it meant. All we can do is protect her along the way. Until the end." she said.
Tidus looked at her, confused. "Until the...end?" he asked, uncertainly. Lulu appeared to stiffen slightly, and she did not meet his eyes. She stared determinedly, out at the ocean.
"What's the end?" Tidus urged. He spoke louder and more aggressively than he had intended, and it attracted the attention of the surrounding people. Yuna and the village elder, who had been engaged in deep conversation turned to look at him. Tidus looked around at the gawking people, at a loss for words. Lulu huffed a second time and shot him an irritable look. "Until she defeats Sin." she said, and went to join Yuna. She rushed forward to meet Lulu. "I hope...I hope I did okay." she said. She did not sound unlike a child seeing praise and approval from a mother.
Lulu embraced her warmly. "You did very well!" she praised. "They've reached the Farplane by now. But...no tears next time, hm?" she said, maternally.
Yuna laughed weakly in her arms. Tidus wished there never would be a next time. He did not wish to see anymore people who were killed by Sin, or see Yuna send them. Seeing everyone stand there and watch her felt strange to Tidus, and horrifying. He knew in his heart that he never wanted to see it again.
He slipped away from the scene quietly, wishing to put as much distance between himself and the grieved as possible. The sun was barely visible above the water, and the night quickly approached. He sought out Wakka and the Aurochs and found them on the other side of the village, having been successful in salvaging a large amount of materials from the water. They looked exhausted but they were not alone. He was greeted by the group when he approached.
"Hey, Tidus, these are the Kilika beasts. We've been helping them find materials so that they can start repairs." Wakka said, gesturing to the six people standing with the Aurochs. They all wore what Tidus assumed was blitzball clothing, as it was all uniform. They wore green as their primary colour, mixed with blue and yellow patterns. Unlike the full length leg of the Auroch's, the Kilika beasts had opted to wear knee length shorts. "This is Larbeight, Isken, Vuroja, Kulukan, Deim and Nizarut." he said, gesturing from left to right. Tidus looked curiously for a moment at Vuroja, who he noticed had an eyepatch, presumably having lost his eye. He thought momentarily about how different blitzball must be in Spira in comparison to Zanarkand, as a player with one eye would never have been deemed fit to play.
"Hey guys!" said Tidus, in attempted enthusiasm. He found it difficult to force a smile.
The Kilika Beasts nodded to him and bowed.
"We've been fortunate. Luckily we can use much of this material again." said Larbeight.
"Glad to hear it, brudda." said Wakka.
"We can start the repairs in the morning!" cheered Kulukan.
Larbeight smiled at her, and turned back to Wakka. "We heard a rumour that you had decided you won't be playing in this years tournament?" he asked.
"Mm. I'm a full time guardian now." Wakka nodded.
"Tis a shame you retired, I know Chappu's death must not have been easy to deal with. You were both an excellent team in the sphere."
"Don't worry, the Auroch's will still give it their best this year, ya?" Wakka grinned.
"I hope so! And we'll be trying extra hard this year too. An attack from Sin has given us that extra determination to bring the crystal cup back to our island."
Wakka bowed to Larbeight. "Anyways, if we want to help you get some work done before we head to Luca tomorrow, we better turn in."
"Several villagers have offered to give you and your boys bed space tonight. There is also the inn at the door. It has suffered little damage but it is already full up with the other passengers. But they have prepared beds in the reception."
"Thanks, we appreciate it!" said Wakka. "Come on boys!" he said, to the Aurochs.
Tidus slept on the hard floor of the reception that night. The beds that had been prepared were only thin blankets, and offered little comfort. He was learning that comfort was something that wasn't taken for granted in Spira. He wondered how much more deaths he would have to witness or encounter on the journey, and whether it would ever end. After what felt like hours, he managed to fall asleep.
Morning came when Tidus was shaken awake. He opened his eyes to find Wakka's grinning face staring at him. They ate a quick breakfast, which happened to be sweet, juicy fruits native to the island, with light salad. To drink they had a mug of mead each, which was held in high esteem on the island. When they had eaten, they made their way back to the heart of the wreckage. There was significantly less wreckage in the water that morning. Much had been salvaged, but what had not been recovered from the water the previous evening had been lost to the sea. The sun shone dark orange, emerging from the horizon. They met the Kilika Beasts at the wreckage, already working hard. They had been joined by a couple of villagers and even passengers who had agreed to lend the village their aid. They got to work clearing through their salvage. The process was rather slow, and tedious. Eventually they managed to separate the useful wood, and wood that could be scrapped. The sun slowly rose up into the sky, the and heat slowly burned against Tidus's neck. He was the only one who appeared bothered. The Kilikans were all tanned, as were the Auroch's. The heat was a daily part of life in the southern isles. As the morning sun continued to intensify, the village began to rouse. More came out to help, and they was a collective and mutual feeling of companionship. Villagers came out to offer refreshments and their best wishes to the Kilika Beasts (and in a courteously fashion, to the Aurochs) as they would be leaving for Luca in a few short hours.
By late morning Yuna had awoken, and accompanied by Lulu and Kimahri, had gone down to view the progress with the villagers. She smiled warmly at everyone, although she did not truly feel like smiling. She still felt grief from the night before, and the sending had weighed on her mind heavily. It had been her first sending, and she had not expected to have to send so many, with such an audience. She did not know how she had truly expected her pilgrimage to begin, but she had not expected to come into contact with Sin before she had reached her first destination. She longed to be at Luca, where she could be in the safety of Belgemines company. She wondered where she was, and whether she had come any closer to having the answers she needed. The answers they needed. She spotted Tidus, and watched him carefully. He struggled in the heat, under the pressure of hard labour. She watched him wipe the sweat off of his brow. To Yuna, he appeared to be such a misfit. In comparison to the rest of the people working, he appeared pampered, and soft. She broke her gaze and observed her surroundings. She caught Lulu's eyes and found she looked at her scrutinisingly.
"Yuna, what is it that Belgemine saw in the boy?" She looked at him with a look that one might give an unpleasant pest.
"I don't know, Lulu. But what I do know is Belgemine saw something in him, and we've always trusted her, haven't we? So he will stay." said Yuna.
"She said he will stay until at least Luca. Perhaps he will stay there. I think that would be best."
Yuna smiled sympathetically at her. "Lulu, I know you don't like him. And I know why. But he's coming with us, and I want him there all the way. I want to ask him to be my guardian."
Lulu raised her eyebrows skeptically. "Are you sure? Do you really think he would make it all the way to Zanarkand? I mean look at him! He can't even do some light labour without difficulty."
Yuna followed Lulu's eyeline back to Tidus, where he was indeed struggling. "Even so, I trust him, and I want him with us." she said simply.
"That is your privilege." Lulu said.
After that, they spoke no more on the subject. They watched, quietly. As the morning dragged on, they could wait no longer. They had to make haste for the temple else face missing the boat to Luca. Tidus, Wakka and the Aurochs shook hands with the Kilika Beasts and the villagers, who thanked them for their help. Yuna took the lead and made her way out of the village towards the jungle. The temple lay within the seclusion of the jungle, where the clergy believed they would find tranquility. It was also so they would not have to look apon the devastation that Sin leaves behind. Yuna thought of the temple in Besaid, and how it faced away from the sea, so it too, would not have to look apon Sin. She had never questioned this, but she found herself lost in thought over it. Was it not the temples duty to give people hope that Sin will one day be vanquished? Yet they shied away from it, almost as if to refuse to acknowledge its existence.
As they walked along, the Aurochs chatted amongst themselves enthusiastically, discussing the tournament and who they hoped they would face first, and their new goal, victory.
"On to the temple, where we pray for victory!" Wakka cheered. "High Summoner Ohalland used to live in the Kilika temple here." he explained to Tidus. "Yep, Lord Ohalland was once a great blitzer, you know?"
"Wakka..." Tidus started.
"Hm?"
"Praying for victory's all good...but is this right?" Tidus struggled to word his question.
"Something wrong with enjoying blitzball?" frowned Wakka.
"Is this really the time?" Tidus asked, with a pained expression.
"This is the only time!" replied Wakka, firmly. "The players fight with all their strength; the fans cheer for their favourite team. They forget pain, suffering...Only the game matters! That's why blitz has been around for so long. Least that's what I think." he said, passionately.
"Whatever you say." Tidus sighed, doubtfully.
"Let's pray...so they can win! Right?" he encouraged.
"Right!" Tidus grinned.
"Temple's beyond the jungle there!" he pointed towards the shore.
They had lagged behind Yuna and the others during their conversation and found them waiting at the edge of the jungle. As they approached the party, Tidus became aware of Lulu's eye on him. She stared at him with gritted teeth, and she appeared exasperated.
"Yuna's saying she wants you with us." she said, in a resigned tone.
He looked at Lulu for a moment, at a loss for words. He turned his head to Yuna, who he noticed had appeared to redden slightly. She looked at him apprehensively before mustering the courage to speak.
"I want to ask you to be my guardian." she said shyly.
"Yuna! What? This is no time for jokes, ya?" interjected Wakka. "He may be a blitzball whizz-kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie." he chuckled.
"Not a guardian, then...I just want him nearby." she said firmly.
Wakka's face became contorted as he tried to comprehend what she had just said. Tidus moved closer to her and looked her in the eye. "What? What do you mean? Does this have anything to do with what Belgemine said?"
"It's just that, well..." she struggled.
Lulu interrupted, to save Yuna from what she must have sensed was potential embarrassment. "We're all going to the temple anyway. Can't this wait till later?" she suggested.
Yuna nodded, looking slightly relieved. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." she began, to Tidus.
"There's nothing to be sorry about." he said quickly. "I'm just not really sure what's going on."
"My apologies." she said, bowing her head.
Tidus simply gaped at her, unsure of what to say. At that moment Kimahri returned from his scouting of the jungle, to confirm that it was safe for them to make for the temple. Despite the crusaders movements and secretive operations within the jungle, he had still deemed it necessary to make his own conclusions.
They followed the path through the jungle, meeting several crusader checkpoints along the way. They would not speak of their plans, but ensured the party that they had the fiends under control, and that they could expect a safe passage. The temple was only a short walk, as the temple was only on the fringes of the jungle, that spanned the whole island. The temple needed to be in walking distance of the village in order to benefit the people there. The jungle was covered in all manners of exotic looking plants and trees, with brightly coloured leaves. Vines hung from above and the ground was mossy, and muddy. Despite the beauty of its flora, it was a very damp, and unpleasant feeling place. The villagers of Kilika lived on its shores because the jungle covered the majority of the island. It was bountiful in food and resources, but also in fiends, which made it a perilous place to settle. They followed the path until they came across the stairs to the temple. The stairs were steep, and towered above. The jungle had invaded its foundations, and weeds and moss grew amongst the steps, which had caused them to crack and fragment.
At the foot of the stairs the Aurochs began stretching, grinning at each other. Wakka let out a gleeful cheer.
"These stone steps have a history, you know?" he said to Tidus.
Tidus gazed up at the stone steps in awe. They towered high up on top of the mountain. It was the grandest building he had seen since arriving in Spira.
"Yep, Lord Ohalland trained here at his peak." he nodded, impressively.
Whilst Tidus still took in the scale of the building that waited at the peak of the mountain, he noticed the Aurochs laughing mischievously amongst themselves, and looking at Tidus, with a competitive glint in their eyes. Comprehension dawned on Tidus. "A race huh?" he grinned. "Think you can beat me?" he challenged.
"Yuna, if you would?" Wakka requested.
Yuna obliged and approached the racers. She raised her arm in referee fashion. "Ready? she paused for dramatic suspense and then quickly ran up the stairs, giggling.
"Hey!"
"Heeey!"
"Ah! Huh? Hey!" Tidus shouted, as the racers all ran off without him. Too far behind to have a chance of winning, he decided not to participate. He looked around at Lulu, who caught his eye.
"Kids.." she said, with a hint of a smile.
They walked up together, with Kimahri once again taking the flank. They reached the top of the stairs to the sight of laughter and teasing. Yuna, had managed to win the race, and looked very pleased with herself.
"It's because you cheat, ya!" puffed Wakka, when he caught up with her.
She stuck her tongue out at him playfully, and looked around at the temple. The temple towered above them and had the distinct appearance of a building that had been carved into a gigantic coral rock. The rock contained numerous torches, all burning intense flames. It had no real architectural design, except for its courtyard, which was encircled by tall pillars. There were several people standing in the courtyard, mostly Kilikans who had sought the refuge and comfort of Yevon. Yuna spent time talking to some of them, as she felt it was a summoners duty to be concerned about the welfare of all. She was always greeted warmly by those she approached, as if nothing warmed their hearts more than a summoners concern for them.
"I'm going to pray real hard so that Sin doesn't come back here." said a man in yellow and blue.
"Climbing those stone steps everyday has kept me in shape. Haven't caught a cold in years!" grinned an old man.
"I heard famous people come here. Where could they be?" wondered a woman in blue, looking around on her tiptoes.
"I hear the Crusaders are going to fight Sin without the aid of a summoner. Heh, they've got another thing coming. Haven't they ever heard of divine retribution?" said a man, as he bowed to Yuna in appreciation.
She came across a couple who lived in Kilika who were going to be departing that day, never to return.
"I've had enough of Kilika. Too many tearful memories here. We came to visit the temple one last time before we leave for good." said the woman, sadly.
"We've decided to leave Kilika, and look for a place without Sin. Who knows if we'll ever find it." said the man.
Yuna bowed to them deeply and sincerely. She truly wished that they had success in their search for a land without Sin, however much she doubted its existence.
As the summoners party approached the main doors, a group of people emerged. They did not appear to be clergy, and they all wore the same uniform colours of purple, with blue and yellow. The torso of their clothing was decorated with crescent moons. They spotted the Aurochs and approached them, all with smirks on their faces.
"You here to pray for victory, too?" Wakka asked.
"Us? Pray?" one of them scoffed. He looked particularly more arrogant than the rest and had dark, red hair which sported a blue headband. He stood in the centre of his group, which identified him as their leader. "Who needs to pray? The Luca Goers always win!"
"Oh yeah? Then why are you here?" Wakka asked, heatedly.
"We've been praying for some competition this year!" one of the sneered.
"So what's your goal this time? You gonna 'do your best' again? Hah! It's too bad your best isn't good enough! Why even bother showing up?" the leader jeered.
"This time they play to win!" Tidus interrupted.
"Oooh! Play away! Just remember even kids can play, boys." the leader drawled. They walked away, howling with laughter. Hooting and jeering until they were out of earshot.
"See you in the finals!" Wakka called after them, much too late to be heard.
The Auroch's walked off towards the temple, with Wakka taking the lead. Tidus, who had lingered back, still stared out towards the steps, after the Luca Goers.
"The Auroch's will beat them. They have to!" he said, fiercely.
"You know that team?" Yuna asked him, uncertainly.
"Putting people down...They're as bad as my old man!" he said.
"But, Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man!" she said, shocked.
"Well, not my Jecht. he huffed.
Yuna sighed, and hung her head in resignation.
The first thing they encountered when they entered the temple was a thick wall of heat. The room was dark, in contrast to the courtyard. The source of light came from many braziers, thick with flame, that encircled the hall. The braziers stood between the many statues that surrounded them. The hymn of the Fayth could be heard, although its source was unknown. Tidus overheard the Auroch's muttering quietly about their confrontation with the Goers.
"My poor knees were shakin' when the Goers confronted me." moaned Datto.
Letty spotted Tidus listening in on the fringe of their group.
"That was Bickson, their leader. He's a jerk but hes a first-rate blitzer." he said, earning several scowls from the rest of the team.
Wakka knelt at the statue of High Summoner Ohalland and prayed. "Lord Ohalland, guide our feet." he pleaded.
A couple of the Kilika Beasts entered the temple and knelt beside him and prayed to their hero.
There was excited whispers amongst many of the people standing in the hall.
"I just saw a summoner and her guardian enter the Cloister of Trials." a woman whispered to people around her.
Yuna looked intrigued, and stood back, waiting. She was soon approached by a young child, a sister of the temple. "Praise be to Yevon, Lady Summoner." she bowed piously to Yuna. She smiled, and knelt down next to the child. "Greeting. My name is Yuna. I have come from the temple in Besaid."
"Did you like it there, when you studied at my age?" the child asked her.
"I did, but it was not without its difficulty. I sometimes wished I could just go out and play when I was stuck inside." she giggled.
"Guess what? I really like studying the scriptures! The monks give us lots of sweets if we study hard!"
"Oh well, I guess you must be very smart by now then?" Yuna smiled at her.
"I'm supposed to study real hard and become a nun. But I just wanna run around and play at the beach." she sighed.
"Being a nun is no small responsibility. People will look to you for their strength sometimes. You will be needed by the people." Yuna encouraged.
"Thanks Lady Yuna!" she bowed warmly and returned to the study. She had been spotted by the priest, who had come out in search of her. He approached Yuna himself, and bowed to her. "Waiting to enter the chamber of the Fayth?" he asked.
Yuna nodded faintly. "Forgive me, I am not used to this heat."
"Kilika temple is the temple of fire." he explained.
The door to the chamber opened, with a loud rumble. Everyone looked up. Two people emerged, a man and a woman. The man was tall and burly, with great, bulging muscles. His chest was bare, with the exception of leather straps that he wore. He was drenched in sweat and it glistened on his skin. The woman was also scantily clad. Her hair was oily from sweat and she appeared physically weak, yet eyed her spectators with piercing eyes. Her eyes rested on Yuna and she look apon her summoners garb and approached her.
"A summoner, are you?" she asked.
"My name is Yuna, I come from the Isle of Besaid."
"Dona." the woman said, simply. "So you're High Summoner Braska's daughter. That's quite a name to live up to." she scrutinised. "My, my, my...And all these people are your guardians? My, what a rabble!" she eyed the party with mocking eyes. "As I recall, Lord Braska had only two guardians. Quality over quantity, my dear. Whatever were you thinking? I have need of only one guardian. Right, Barthello?" she drawled. Barthello nodded slowly. Kimahri stepped forward towards the man, looking down at him with bared teeth.
"I only have as many guardians as there are people I can trust. I trust them all with my life! To have so many guardians is a joy, and an honour! Even more so than being my father's daughter. Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways, either. So, Lady Dona, I ask of you: please leave us in peace." said Yuna, calmly.
Dona looked as if she had just been struck across the face. "You do what you want. Barthello, we're leaving." she said quickly, and departed.
Yuna sagged for a moment. She did not enjoy confrontation, and it always put her on edge.
"The fayth is below. Let's do it!" Wakka said.
The party made their way up the steps, whilst spectators wished them luck and cheered for them. They entered a hall with an aged, rickety looking elevator at the end. "Kimahri? Wakka? Ready?" Lulu asked, when they were all on the platform. "Strength, everyone!" Yuna said. No sooner had Tidus stepped onto the platform, he was shoved off by Kimahri, who merely shook his head at him. "Wha? Hey, what gives?" Tidus demanded.
"You're not a guardian yet." said Lulu, with the hint of a smirk.
"Um... We'll be back as soon as we can, okay?" Yuna said, apologetically.
"Oh, sure! Soon like "tomorrow" soon, I bet!" Tidus called after them, sarcastically, as the platform lowered and they were out of sight. He stood there waiting, impatiently. He thought back to his experience in the temple on Besaid and how Yuna had ended up being in there all day. It had been the day of the party, when the villagers and guests were down at the beach, Wakka had stayed behind so that he could keep up to date with Yuna's progress. Tidus had been napping in Wakka's hut when he had heard the priest enter. "You could at least go see how they are doing." he had said.
"We can't interfere. It's a rule." Wakka explained.
"But It's been nearly a day." he had said, worried.
When Tidus had woken up, the hut had been empty. He had made his way to the temple, and had found Wakka and the priest engaged in urgent conversation.
"Is something wrong?" he had asked.
"The summoner hasn't returned. Well, apprentice summoner, really..." Wakka said, with concern.
When Tidus had looked at him with a vacant expression, he had explained that beyond the doors in the temple lay the chamber of the Fayth, and there the apprentice summoner prayed with all their heart for a way to defeat Sin. If the prayers were heard, they would become a fully-fledged summoner.
"So someone is in there somewhere and they haven't come back out. Right, I got it." he had said.
"Almost a whole day has already gone by, they went in early this morning." Wakka said.
"Is it particularly dangerous in there?" he had wondered.
"Sometimes, yes."
"Why don't you go in and help?" he asked.
"There's already guardians in there. Besides, it's forbidden." Wakka had explained.
Tidus rushed up the stairs and turned to face Wakka. "Hey, but what if something happens? What if the summoner dies!?" he shouted.
"The precepts must be obeyed!" commanded the priest.
"Like I care!" Tidus had yelled back, to the horror of the people who had observed the situation. As he had forced open the doors, the last thing he heard from the main hall was peoples horrified screams and cries of concern. He had acted on impulse and as he walked down the hall he had began to feel that he may have made a grave mistake. "Hey!" Wakkas voice had come from behind him. "What's gotten into you?"
Tidus said nothing, and simply gaped at him.
"Hey, it's okay." Wakka said, reassuringly. "Only summoners, apprentice summoners, and their guardians can enter here. It's a tradition. Very important." he reminded him.
"So what about you?" Tidus had asked, skeptically.
"Me? I'm a guardian." he said, proudly.
"A guardian?" he looked at Wakka, doubtfully.
They stepped onto the elevator and descended.
"Summoners go on a pilgrimage to pray at every temple in Spira. Guardians protect them. The guardians in there now...One of them's got a short fuse, and who knows what the other's thinking."
They stepped off the elevator and Wakka composed himself for a moment. "Well, now that we've come this far...might as well go all the way!" he said. They stepped in to the chamber and at the foot of the steps had stood Kimahri, with Lulu sitting.
"What are you doing here? Didn't think we'd be able to handle it?" demanded Lulu, standing up to face him.
"No, it's uh...it's just..." he stuttered, fearfully.
She glared and walked forward.
"See, I told you she gets mad easy." Wakka had muttered to Tidus.
"Is the summoner alright?" Tidus had asked.
Lulu snapped her head round to look at him. "Who are you?" she said, with a look of great displeasure.
As Tidus opened his mouth to speak they heard the door to the chamber open. Yuna had stepped out weakly, with a look of relief on her face. She had staggered and Kimahri had rushed to support her. "I've done it! I have become a summoner!" she had announced.
Tidus wondered what awaited Yuna in this temple, whether it was the same as in Besaid. This was the first temple she had visited as a summoner, rather than as an apprentice. He heard the doors open again, from the main hall. Dona and Barthello had returned.
"Where's Yuna?" she demanded.
Tidus indicated below.
"Then why are you here?" she eyed him suspiciously with her piercing eyes.
"Hey, I'm not a guardian, so I'm not supposed to go in, right?" he said.
"Hmmm. Not a guardian, you say?" she pondered. She smirked slyly, with a look that Tidus did not trust. She looked at Barthello, who nodded and moved towards Tidus, and lifted him up.
"Hey! Wait! Ah! Lemme go! Ow! Hey! What's the big idea?" he cried, struggling and flailing. Barthello carried him towards the elevator, which had returned from its journey below. He threw Tidus onto the platform and blocked him from escape.
"Just a little game." Dona drawled at him.
"Huh?" he said, as the elevator made its second descent. "This is bad, really bad." he said frightened. Unlike the last time, where he had been ignorant to the ramifications, now he knew full well. When he reached the bottom he remained on the elevator, desperate for it to return to the surface. "Come on, go up! Go up!" he urged. When it did not move, he began to panic. He turned to the door which lead to the chamber with fearful eyes. "Only guardians allowed, and I'm sure no guardian. Well, I guess it's too late now." he concluded, and with a deep breath, forced open the doors.
Tidus entered the room of waiting to the sound of the hymn of the fayth, and mixed reactions. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Wakka fretted, covering his face with his hands. Lulu had glared at him and let out a small, fearful gasp. Kimahri had said nothing, and stood with folded arms, by the door to the chamber.
"It was Dona and that big musclehead man!" he explained hastily, desperate to make himself understood as Lulu approached him, looking livid.
"Yuna will be the one to suffer the consequences!" she said with clenched teeth.
"She could be excommunicated!" Wakka worried. He paced around. Tidus tried to approaching him but he put his hands up in protest. "Just wait." he urged.
"So what is the fayth?" he asked.
"The fayth are people who gave their lives to battle Sin. Yevon took their souls, willingly given from their still-living bodies. Now they live forever, trapped in statues. But when a summoner beckons, the souls of the fayth emerge once again. That's what we call an aeon." Lulu explained.
"All that in this room?" he wondered.
"She prays with all her heart for a way to defeat Sin." said Wakka.
"The chamber beyond is a sacred place. Only summoners may enter." said Lulu.
"What, even guardians can't go?" Tidus asked.
"It's taboo!" said Wakka, still pacing around nervously. "Just wait." he repeated, as Tidus tried to approach him. The time passed slowly, as they waited, and waited. The sound of the hymn surrounded them, a voice sung deeply. Wakka still paced, although more sporadically. Tidus sighed impatiently, earning himself reproachful looks from Lulu. Eventually, the door to the chamber opened, and Yuna emerged. Her guardians went to her side, and gave her praise, and words of encouragement. She looked at Tidus and smiled faintly, she did not appear at all surprised to see him there.
They left the temple with little trouble. As Tidus had entered with a summoners party, nobody had any reason to believe he was not guardian. Several people bowed and cheered them as they made their way towards the grand steps. Seeing Yuna surrounded by adoration caused Tidus to think back to his fame in Zanarkand. He had been adored too, people would wait hours just to catch a glimpse of him. He would spend entire evenings signing autographs and talking to his fans. Tidus had always craved the attention, and here, for the first time, he was unknown. He lagged behind the others, lost in his own thoughts. Yuna noticed him, and walked over to comfort him. "Are...are you okay?" she asked.
"I...I don't know." Tidus answered, truthfully.
"What do you want to do?" she asked slowly.
"To scream real loud."
Yuna chuckled nervously, unsure of whether or not his answer was sincere. Her question was answered as Tidus let out a loud, prolonged scream, causing Wakka and Kimahri to whirl round. Lulu, seemed it best to ignore him, and had continued on.
They returned to the village to find their ship had arrived and was awaiting them. The Kilika Beasts had not boarded yet, as they were trying to squeeze in as much work as they possibly could, until they could wait no more. At the dock, several villagers had come to see them off.
"The sea sure looks beautiful from here, but Sin's lurking out there, somewhere. It gives me the creeps just thinking about it. Stay safe, Lady Yuna." said a woman, who had been gazing out at the ocean, with nervous eyes.
"Sin is a divine punishment upon the people. There is nothing we can do about it. We can only rely on Yevon's teachings and the summoners to help us through this." the old man said to her, nodding at Yuna.
"Are you actually getting on this boat or what?" said a sailor to Larbeight, who could be seen hammering away not too far from the ship.
"We're off to Luca as soon as I finish this off.
Just wait and see. We'll win for sure." he called.
"We're off to Luca as soon as the captain says we are! With or without you!" the sailor shouted back. "Welcome aboard the S.S Winno, Lady Summoner." he added to Yuna, smiling.
"Thank you." Yuna bowed.
"Right, that's it. We're leaving!" the sailor announced, once the summoner party was on board. A scramble was heard, and the collective sound of dropped tools as the Kilika Beasts were seen sprinting across the docks to reach the boat, much to the sailors delight.
"You could have just waited for us." Kulukan pouted.
"Yeah." The sailor agreed. "But where would be the fun in that?" he chuckled.
"Off to Luca at last!" Wakka cheered with the Auroch's. "The matches start as soon as we get there, so rest up on the way, ya?"
Tidus looked out at the village, as the ship set sail and departed. He watched it fade out of view, wondering if it would ever recover.
The night on the sea was calm. Kilika was long behind, and the S.S Winno was making good time towards its destination of Luca. The day had passed with little event, and there had been much enjoyment concerning the stillness of the air, and the quiet of the ocean. Despite this apparent calm, there was a strong presence of apprehension amongst the ship, as crew were now carrying weapons on them, and eyeing the water with nervous eyes. Kilika had not been a pleasant experience, and now minds turned to more exciting distractions, such as blitzball. The ship was expected to arrive in Luca the next morning, and both passenger and crew alike were getting restless.
Yuna, once again, seemed to be surrounded by admirers. She did not seem pleased by the attention. If anything, her experiences in Kilika had made her slightly cynical. She had encountered Sin, and she thought back to the fin in the water, and the swarms of its spawn. Her guardians kept close watch. Kimahri, as always, was closest to her. Lulu and Wakka stood close to one and other, peering out at the dark waves of the vast ocean.
"Wakka, can we talk?" asked Lulu.
"Uh, sure. Lu." He said, nervously.
Lulu made her way up onto the privacy of the upper deck, indicating for him to follow. When they reached the top, Wakka plonked himself down onto the wooden deck, and looked up at her with a look of uncertainty, and a small indication of apprehension. Lulu looked out at the sea, she gazed upon the reflection of the stars shimmering in the water, like diamonds. "Yuna seems to be growing attached to the boy." she said.
"yeah, I know what you mean." Wakka agreed. There was silence between them. Lulu simply stared at him, whilst Wakka returned her gaze with a confused expression.
"Well? Say something. You'll take responsibility?" she pressed.
"Relax! He's bound to know someone in Luca." Wakka reassured her.
"And if not?"
"He could always join a blitz team. Anyhow, it's better than just leaving him in Besaid!" he said.
"What? Just leaving him in Luca?" Lulu asked, incredulously.
"What do you want me to do?" he whined.
"Yuna wants to make him a guardian, and Belgemine wants him with us." said Lulu, simply.
"Oh yeah, geez...There's that too, eh?" he sighed.
"And whose fault is that?" she shot.
"Not mine!" Wakka huffed, indignantly.
Lulu simply stared at him, watching as his resolve weakened and he succumbed to her harsh, staring eyes.
"It is mine huh?" he said sadly, as he hung his head. He stayed quiet for a moment, before speaking again. "Why do you think she wants to make him a guardian anyway?"
"Because he's Sir Jecht's son." Lulu replied, matter of factly.
"Oh, right. Wait, you sure 'bout that? He's really Sir Jecht's son?" he asked.
"It's hard to say, but Yuna seems to believe so." she mused.
"Okay." he said.
""Okay?" "Okay"? That's all you have to say?" she said, flaring up.
"Well, yeah, I mean...He's gotta decide for himself ya? Well, him and Yuna, I guess." he concluded.
"You're right, for once." Lulu agreed, with a strong and unforgiving sense of shock.
Wakka shot her a furtive look. Lulu chose to ignore it and looked up at the stars. "I wonder which is best...Why don't you tell him he should?" she asked Wakka.
"Should what?"
"Become Yuna's guardian."
"Why me?" he insisted.
"Because Yuna can't."
"Why not?"
"He hates his father - what he was, what he did. Do you really think she can possibly say to him..."I want you to be my guardian, like your father was to mine"?
"Aren't you being over-sensitive?" Wakka said. When he saw the look of fury developing on Lulu's face, he hastily withdrew his comment. "All right, all right. I'll try talking to him after the tournament."
Lulu nodded in satisfaction. "Be discreet." she advised.
"I know. It's his decision." he nodded.
They both stared up at the stars for a time. They seemed to invite so many questions into the mind. "He doesn't like his father?" Wakka asked.
"Apparently. He told Yuna as much." she said.
Wakka snorted. "Hating your own father, huh? Sounds like a luxury to me. I don't even remember my parents. Can't say how I feel about 'em."
"I...I was five then, so I remember mine a little." Lulu said, hesitantly.
"Dammit!" Wakka said, suddenly slamming his fist against the deck, causing Lulu to turn around in surprise. "Sin just takes everything away from us." His yes became red, and tears began to form, but he did not let them fall. Lulu approached him and slowly knelt down next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Courage, Wakka. We will bring the calm." she attempted a smile.
He looked at her for a moment, then gave her a sad smile. "You used to have such a lovely smile you know, Lu. Do you remember how happy we used to be as kids?"
"We made the best of what we had." she said.
"You used to have beautiful red hair, and you were always teasing us, but you had a good sense of humour." he continued.
"What's your point, Wakka?" she asked.
"You know what my point is. This (He indicated at her attire) isn't you. You're not like this, you've grown so cold over the years. You used to be so warm, and strong. Then you went off on pilgrimage and you came back changed. We were all understanding when you returned, but you shouldn't blame yourself for Lady Gi..."
"Enough!" she hissed, interrupting him. She got up and stormed down the stairs of the upper deck and did not speak to him for the rest of the night.
Below deck, Yuna was being admired by the Luca Goers. Tidus, who had been in his cabin, had since emerged and had headed towards the crowd out of interest, but also out of a sense of protectiveness. He knew he need not worry, as Kimahri always watched over her closely, yet he felt he should be there.
"What are you all talking about?" Tidus asked.
The Goers turned around, eyeing him with disgust. Bickson, their leader, squared up to him and smirked. "Who are you supposed to be?" he asked.
"Ah, I remember him. Guy from Kilika. You know, one of the Besaid Aurochs. Said somethin' about winning the cup." one of the Goers said.
"Oh, right. You're that idiot." Bickson sneered.
"Don't call him that!" Yuna said quietly, yet there was an authority to her words.
"But he is an idiot. They don't got what it takes to win the cup." Bickson insisted.
"Well, they do now that I'm here!" Tidus declared.
"Yes, they will win! He used to be the star player of the Zanarkand Abes!" Yuna declared.
The Luca Goers roared with laughter.
"Yeah, as if anyone lived in those ruins." one of them chortled.
"It's not ruins, there's a big city there! There is!" Yuna told them.
"I-I got too close to Sin and-" Tidus began.
"There is a city, really!" Yuna spoke over him. Having said her piece, she turned her back on the Goers, and on Tidus, and did not look at them again.
"Right. Whatever your Ladyship says." Bickson said, coolly. The Goers walked away, muttering under their breaths and shooting uncertain looks at Yuna's back.
Tidus watched them walk away and turned to Yuna. She hung her head sadly, and appeared to be deeply troubled.
"What's wrong? You seemed kinda mad back there." Tidus said uncertainly.
"They were being rude and...I do believe your Zanarkand exists. I really do, you know!" she said.
"How come?" Tidus wondered.
"Sir Jecht used to always tell me stories. It'd be great to see your home someday. I'd love to go there." she said, smiling at him warmly. Tidus thought he saw a hint of hope in her eyes, a brief glimmer of yearning. It inspired strong feelings in him, and he was momentarily distracted by thoughts of Zanarkand, and entertaining Yuna at his home...
"Yeah." he breathed. It was just about all he could manage in that moment. Yuna smiled at him and returned to Kimahri, no doubt to ensure that she was not bothered again by awestruck passengers.
Tidus walked slowly along the deck. He seemed to be getting curious glances from people, and he heard loud, audible whispers.
"The Aurochs are the team to watch this year. They say they got a blitzer from Zanarkand on their team!"
"Oh, come on! You actually believe that rumor?"
Tidus hung his head, sadly. He felt trapped. Nobody believed him, and he wasn't even certain he truly believed himself anymore. Had he been affected by Sins toxin? Was everything he thought to be true just a result of him being sick? These questions mulled through his mind until he found himself at the back of the ship. The deck was empty, save for a lone blitzball that had been forgotten. It lay there, almost calling to him. If everything he knew to be true was a lie, then why did he remember it so prominently? His mind wandered to Zanarkand, and to his father. He learnt to play blitzball as a child, as he wanted his father to be proud of him. However, all Jecht ever did was put him down. It did not discourage him, in fact it only made Tidus more determined, as he wanted to prove the man wrong. These thoughts of Jecht's discouragements haunted Tidus, even to that day. He recalled in particular, one of his fathers shots, which he insisted Tidus would never be able to perform, nor anybody else for that matter, as he considered himself the best. The anger built inside him as he stared down at the ball resting on the deck. He kicked the ball against the wood and as it returned back to him, with spectacular finesse, he leapt into the air and kicked the ball far out to sea. He stood in shock for a moment, and took surprise at what he had just done. He turned around to find he had an audience.
"Whoa! What's that called?" exclaimed Wakka.
"Doesn't have a name. Anyone can do it if they try." Tidus grinned.
"Show us one more time, ya?" Wakka said.
As Wakka and the aurochs backed away from him, he looked to Yuna, who waved at him with a knowing grin. He smirked at the ball, wishing his father could see him now, and kicked. After all was said and done, the Aurochs were in high spirits, and roamed the deck with blitzballs, practicing what they had just witnessed. Most of the ship was in agreement that it was a lost cause, but nobody told the Aurochs that as they had been short on entertainment on the trip, and it provided amusement until they reached Luca. Tidus looked to Yuna, who was beckoning him over.
"That was the Jecht shot, wasn't it?" she asked.
"How do you know that?" he said in surprise.
"Sir Jecht showed it to me when I was a child. He called it the "Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III"" she laughed.
Tidus sighed. "Stupid name, huh? You know what? There is no Mark I or Mark II, you know? My old man said the name Mark III was just something to hook the ccrowd. He said they'd come back every night expecting to see Mark I and Mark II. And, they really did come back. I used to get so mad."
Yuna laughed, and a long silence followed.
"Is he alive, you think?" he wondered.
"I don't know. But, Sir Jecht was my father's guardian."
"So he's famous here, too?" Tidus said incredulously.
"Yes. So if anything happened to him, I should think word would get around fast. What would you do, if you found him?" Yuna said.
"Who knows? I thought he died ten years ago. Well...I'd probably just smack him one. After everything he put Mom and me through. And because he was famous, I was always...Well, you should know, Yuna. Your father's famous, too. Everyone in Spira knows him, right? Ain't it tough?"
Yuna considered him for a moment. "It is hard to follow in his footsteps, as a summoner. But the honor of having a father like him surpasses all that, I think."
"Well, there wasn't much to honor about my old man, that's for sure." Tidus scoffed.
"You shouldn't say that about your father!" Yuna said, reproachfully.
"I got the right!" he huffed.
"Hm. I guess you do." she conceded.
Before he could speak again, Tidus was hit on the head by a rogue blitzball, which turned out to not be rogue at all, but Wakka's doing.
"Show me that move again!" he called.
"Yo!" replied Tidus.
He waved Yuna goodbye, who retired to her cabin for the night. A black clothed figure caught his eye, and he looked up and saw what he thought was the swish of long, black braided hair, turning away from the spot that overlooked the lower deck. Would he ever be given peace?
He spent the next couple of hours practicing with the Auroch's, and encouraging them as they all jumped into the air, trying to master the shot that had inspired them. After a while, when they began to tire, they snuck out the remaining bottles of rum they had stolen on the way to Kilika. They soon became merry, and the deck was filled with their laughter until Wakka came and hounded them off to bed. Tidus barely slept that night, excitement built within him, and the thought of seeing an actual city again brought him much joy.
