Luca was one of only two remaining cities in Spira, and the largest settlement of the Djose continent, which was the southern landmass of Spira. It sat on the edge of the sea, and it had close ties with the southern isles, due to availability of transport, and engaged in much trade there. On the mainland, besides Luca itself there were few small settlements on the fringes of the Mihen highroad, which acted as the chief route to the town of Djose, and the Crusader Kingdoms.
Unlike the people of the southern isles, who were charactarised by their warm tans, the people of Luca did not have distinguishable characteristics of their own. Luca was a diverse city, and not only Humes inhabited it, but also Guado and Ronso. The people of Luca were very welcoming, and they belonged to nobody but themselves. It was a city of great entertainment, as it contained the only blitzball sphere in all of Spira, and thus was always where the tournaments were held. This position made Luca a very wealthy city, and many merchants walked its streets, which were filled with as many markets and stalls. It was once said that anything anybody desired could be found in Luca. It's emphasis on wealth, entertainment and pleasure sometimes put it at odds with Yevon, who believed that Lucans placed too much emphasis on them and not on their relationship with the temple. This rift was not enough to cause any severe divisions between the two, however, as Yevon sponsored the tournaments held there yearly, as they were a much needed distraction from living in fear of Sin.
The city was well guarded. Many Crusaders watched over it, especially during times such as the upcoming tournament. Whilst these Crusaders used to be provided for to some extent by Yevon, this was no longer so. The Crusaders had been excommunicated a century previously, due to their continuous cooperation with the Al Bhed, and their willingness to help them in times of need. Their argument had been, and always would be that the protection of all the people of Spira was a Crusaders duty, and not just those who chose to place their faith in the temple. When they were excommunicated, they traveled to the coasts of Djose town, and there they settled the fortresses and watch towers that had been constructed there since centuries past. Originally intended to serve as defensible positions against Sin, they were now prosperous and strong Kingdoms in their own right. This case of Djose independence meant that much Crusader might now stayed there, to defend its lands. Before their independence they had bases all across Spira, and to some extent they still did. However, what was once thousands of Crusaders given to Luca's defence had in recent years declined to mere hundreds. Yevon, who was accustomed to sponsoring Luca during blitzball tournaments had began to offer small contributions of the Warrior Monks to help maintain security. However, these numbers still did not come close to what it had been in years past.
What was more curious was the fact that it wasn't only Crusaders of Djose and Monks of Bevelle who seemingly ensured Luca's safety. Rumours reached Luca over the years of Humes who roamed the wilds, the vast wilderness beyond the roads. When they did come into the city they had the appearance of wary travellers, mysterious in nature. Lucans soon began to refer to them as Rangers, and curious myths surrounded them. They apparently had the ability to run faster than any Hume, were keen in both sight and hearing and some claimed, had power over animals and even fiends. Lucans were welcome for what news they brought, and sometimes the Rangers shared with them stories from all across Spira, but Lucans never made friends of them, as they never fully trusted them.
Another curiosity of Luca was the relationship they had with the Al Bhed. No other settlement in Spira had populations of Al Bhed who lived alongside other Spirans. Yevon had constantly preached against this, but they had little authority over what Luca chose to do, as it was a city of such significance, Yevon was forced to tolerate it. The Al Bhed of Luca tended to keep very much to themselves and established many inns and bars, not just in Luca but beyond. One very particular Al Bhed called Rin had travel agencies across Spira which had made him very wealthy, and in Luca, very well respected. Al Bhed in Luca were referred to non-offensively as "Maccies" by Lucans, do to their great enthusiasm for machina. Unlike other Al Bhed across Spira, as they were not nomadic like many chose to be, they did not go out and actively seek salvage, but much of it was brought to Luca where it was purchased and tinkered with in many workshops and storehouses around the city. It was using this salvage that lead to many fascinating toys and novelties being created for both child and adult alike. They were also happy to help maintain and repair the blitzball sphere, and any other Yevon approved machina. Their great contribution to Luca was of great significance in the cities rise to prosperity after the emergence of Sin one thousand years past.
When approaching Luca from the sea, the first thing a weary traveler would notice was the great stadium. It sprawled out into the sea and was interconnected with the docks. All ships that entered Luca would dock next to the stadium. The docks themselves were like a small settlement due to their size. Merchants had set up small markets and makeshift homes, and many slept in tents. This level of loitering may have been considered a nuissance if it did not bring the city so much Gil. The local authority charged a small tax for merchants who loitered on the docks, which they more than happily paid. It was here on the docks where people could purchase unofficial, non sanctioned blitzball merchandise. Replicas of all the blitzball teams clothes were sold, as were toys. Everyone who could not navigate the vast markets of the main city were more than happy to pay a little extra Gil on the docks, where the merchandise was so readily available right there outside the doors of the stadium. By the standards of centuries long past, Luca itself was not a particularly large settlement. It may have only had a few hundred buildings at most. The city was small, and well structured, not in terms of infrastructure but of shape. It was almost built into a well sized, square. The city was surrounded by trees and from the high steps which lead to the Mihen Highroad, one could see all of Luca, nestled quite confortably in its position on the bay. It was a colourful city, and most of the buildings opted for bright coloured roofs. There were many reds, and blues, greens and yellows. In some cases there were purples, and these may or may not have been favoured by the Al Bhed, who despite much integration with the community, still enjoyed a certain level of distinguishability.
Despite the decline of Yevon in Luca over the past century, the temple and its teachings were still relevant to the lives of the inhabitants. Since its founding, there had never been a temple in Luca, as it had began as a gateway to the Djose content from the isles, and had never been a planned settlement. A monastery for travellers was constructed during its early days, and it was still there. Whereas once it had been able to offer bed and board for free, Luca had grown to be too much for it to support, and now charged for its services. Other inns had emerged in order to acommodate the great influx of travellers to Luca, and as such, the Al Bhed were particularly good at offering hospitality. Some inns in question only served Al Bhed or people of a more questionable nature. It was in such places that some travellers with more delicate business chose to take refuge whilst visiting the city.
It was mid morning when the passengers of the S.S Winno first caught sight of the statium. The sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly. It was cooler in Luca, and the ocean breeze was a welcome change from the intense heat of the southern isles. There were many ships in the water surrounding the docks, which appeared to be bustling with activity. A commentator could be heard from the stadium.
" ...he shoots...gooooooaaaaallll! Unbelievable! Ladies and gentleman, the day we've all been waiting for, the opening tournament of the season. This event is sponsored by Yevon. And this year we celebrate Maester Mika's 50th year in office!"
After much time spent waiting for a space to open up, the S.S Winno finally docked. The ship attracted a great amount of attention. Not only had it departed from Kilika, which had endured an attack from Sin, but it was also carrying three blitzball teams and two summoners, which made it the most important ship to dock that morning. As the ramp came down, they were greeted by cheers and applause. There were sphere recorders to the crowd, eager to capture the footage which would be playing live across countless spheres in the city. The announcers could be heard on the speakers that were placed at various points on the docks.
"Ah, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number 2. All the way from Kilika, it's the Kilika Beasts! High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them-a big name to live up to. Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin. Isn't that right, Jimma?"
"Yes, Bobba. They're going to be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year.
Bobba: Exciting, isn't it folks? Our next team off the ramp is...Well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! They're a living, breathing statistical impossibility! I've never seen a team this bad! That's right! In twenty-three years they've never made it past the first round! Only a few die-hard fans are in the audience today. Best of luck to them and a safe journey back to Besaid."
"Right, Jimma. Moving right along, our next team is... Here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers! They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all-around first-class team! And they're back home in Luca!"
"Without a doubt, they are the favorite this year, Bobba. And after the way they dominated last year, it'd take a miracle for them to lose today."
"You can say that again, Jimma. Look at the crowd, folks! Look at the crowd! Looks like all of Luca has turned out to cheer the Goers on! They know, I know, and you know, folks! The Luca Goers are number one!"
Tidus stamped his foot angrily on the dock.
"It's like this every year, ya? Don't let it bother you." said Wakka.
Tidus did not appear to listen to him, and instead found an idle megaphone atop one of the crates and snatched it up. He climbed onto the crates so that he stood above the crowd and spoke into the microphone.
"Stop right there, Goers! You guys are smilin' now, but not for long! 'Cause this year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!" he jeered. Wakka had buried his face in his hands. "What in Yevon's name were you doing up there?" he moaned, when Tidus rejoined them.
"We sure stood out, though!" Datto said, excitedly.
"We were on the sphere!" said Letty.
"We were?" Jassu said, in surprise.
This excited talk continued amongst the Aurochs for some time, until they finally bid farewell to the party and made their way to the stadium. The summoners party made their way from the docks into the main city.
"Where are we staying?" asked Lulu.
"Somewhere discreet." said Yuna, evasively.
"You'd be lucky to find anywhere discreet here, except for maybe Al Bhed places." said Wakka. When he caught her eye, she looked at him apologetically.
"Belgemine told me of a place that is discreet even by Al Bhed standards. It may not be the most comfortable place, or even have the most respectable patrons, but Belgemine believed we'd be safe there."
Wakka huffed in disbelief but did not press the matter.
"I am eager to speak to Belgemine, it would be nice to finally have some answers to her riddles." admitted Lulu, as she shot Tidus another disapproving look over her shoulder. Tidus, who was still being treated as the mule, trailed behind the group.
"She said she'd be meeting us there, and that she would be in Luca during the tournament." Yuna reassured her.
The trip through the city was not as enjoyable as it could have been under more pleasant and careless circumstances. For one thing, Yuna made it imperative that they avoided as many people as possible. Whilst Luca had enough people to make it easy to blend in with a crowd, a summoner was still an identifiable figure, and she did not wish to draw needless attention to herself. Having reached the edge of the docks they opted to divert from the main pathway which led to the city centre and instead made their way down the side streets of Luca. The city was a very colourful place, and during the time of the tournament, considerably noisy. Balloons floated overhead, and the streets were filled with cheers and laughter, and the sound of energetic music. Many houses had bright coloured banners (no doubt representing their favourite teams) hanging from the windows. As they walked down the side streets, banners became less prominent and the sound of laughter died out, and it soon became eerily quiet. Houses which had been bright in colours of red, yellows and blues soon became darker in colour and it became evidently clear that they must be approaching the Al Bhed part of the city, who were rumoured to live alongside the people of Luca, but in a less integrated fashion. They walked briskly, as although Al Bhed were considered friendly enough in Luca, to those who had little exposure to them, they were intimidating people. Rumours of heathens who tinkered with machina forbidden by the sacred scriptures, who cared little for the well being of Spira and its inhabitants had reached the ears of the peoples of the southern isles. It was true that contact with such people had been made from time to time, and that they had indeed been at Oaka's party. However, during that incident they had dressed more modestly and less in their heathen fashion that they were known for. For during that time had been a rare incident where Yevonites had seen Al Bhed for who they really were, they had seen their blonde hair and green eyes, their iris's with their unique swirls. It was customary for Al Bhed to be masked, or at least to wear goggles. It was this appearance that had made them objects of fear to many citizens of Spira, and whether it was done deliberately, or whether it was a custom they simply did not understand was unknown.
They soon found themselves at the end of the street. At the edge of the city, slightly overshadowed by the nearby woods stood a dark purple building with an aged, worn sign hanging over it. The sign was in no lettering that any Yevonite could understand, and it the party could only assume that this was their destination. It intimidated them at first, as it appeared much darker than it was, due to the shade from the trees, and the mistrust that Yevonites carried for such places. They lingered hesitantly outside of the door for a little while, unsure whether or not to go in. Their fears subsided slightly when they heard a sphere playing from the inside, and a merry cheer from people inside. Excited talk could be heard, and to their surprise and relief it was not just Al Bhed, but Yevonite also. Yuna, who had stepped up in front of the party, smiled encouragingly and made to open the door. Kimahri, however, did not seem entirely convinced and brushed her gently aside. He opened the door and stepped inside, with one final glance at each other, they all followed.
They had stepped into what looked like the reception. Inside, they were met with warm, thick air and the smell of pipe weed and ale seemed to come from one of the back rooms. It smelt like the road, and many days travelled. At the front desk, a woman stood. Her garment was unusual, and could only be presumed to be Al Bhed. It appeared to be a one piece suit of red and black that zipped up all the way to the neck. Her goggles covered her eyes, but her shoulder length, bright blonde hair hung freely. She turned her head to them, but her reaction was not possible to read.
"Yes?" she said, with an exotic accent.
"Excuse me, we need beds for five, and a place for our luggage. Are you Dreava?" Yuna asked politely.
"That's right! Dreava is my name, or Drea for short. So, a "summoner" eh? Can't believe I never thought of that myself. Does it bring in good Gil?" she asked.
Yuna simply gaped at her for a moment before speaking with caution. "I suppose it does, but you don't expect me to share my trade secret so soon do you?"
"Hah, no of course not! I suspect you have plenty of stories though, and tricks up your sleeve no doubt! A summoner! I can't believe I didn't think of that." she said again, shaking her head.
Wakka began to grit his teeth, so that it became unfortunately rather audible, and caused Drea to turn her head in his direction. "You really need so many guardians to pull off this kind of gig?" she asked, doubtfully.
"Well I figured the more guardians I have, the more credible I am, that way it inspires more confidence, and people will give me more gifts!" Yuna said, rather hastily, but not so hastily that it aroused suspicion.
Drea smiled and snapped her fingers. "Damn, you're a cunning one! Must be a nightmare dividing the Gil though, still if it rakes in more in the long run, then why not? I Personally like to run my operations with as few shills as possible, cuts out the risk of mutiny and arguments over share." she mused.
"With all due respect, we came here because we heard it was a place to stay if we needed somewhere discreet." said Yuna.
Drea smirked, and nodded. "Right you are, "M'lady Summoner"!"
"Shinra!" she shouted. "Shinra, you little rascal, where are you?"
"What is it now?" A young child mooched down the stairs. He was dressed in a full one piece suit and his face was fully concealed by a mask, which muffled his voice. He was completely unreadable, at least to Yuna and her companions.
"We have company. We have five beds that need doing, and they will be wanting food too, no doubt. No, don't look at me like that, do as you're told. You can go fiddle with your thing upstairs later, and you know I mean that machina you're working on. Honestly, when did you develop such a dirty mind?"
She turned to her guests and smirked apologetically. "I am sorry for him, he is young and a very lazy boy, smart though. Now, I will direct you through to the main lounge, where our other patrons are. When your rooms have been prepared I will come and get you, yes? Now is there anything else I can get for you?"
"No, that will be all thank you." Yuna smiled.
"Oh just one more thing, whilst we respect peoples privacy here, we do ask that you leave your weapons in your rooms. It is nothing personal, it's just we don't take a liking to clearing out dead bodies." she casually explained.
After they had reluctantly relinquished their weapons (despite Drea's reassurances that they were perfectly safe), they felt rather naked, but nevertheless made their way to join the main company of travellers in the large common room. This was the source of the smoke and the smell. It was here that the sphere was hosted, and the it projected a clear image of the events in the stadium. The sound that emanated from it filled the entire room, and it was not particularly difficult to seek privacy, nor to have a private conversation without fear of being overheard. There were particularly shady characters in the common room, and Yuna had no doubt that they made a living by dishonest means. It was a fairly large company of people, mostly Al Bhed, but some Spirans were there also. They had earned several curious glares apon entry, but none were given again after Kimahri gave them looks of his own. A Ronso was not to be provoked, armed or disarmed. Yuna looked around the room eagerly, but Belgemine was nowhere in site. She looked nervously at Lulu, who was looking at Yuna expectantly.
"She's not here." Yuna said to her under her breath.
"Well, yes I can see that." came the quiet reply. "Maybe she isn't here yet? Or perhaps she simply had errands to run around Luca?"
"Hm." said Yuna, doubtfully.
"Let us sit and wait." Lulu said calmly.
So they chose a quiet corner in the back of the room where they would not be bothered. Except for early, initial glances, they were not bothered by people as their attention was on the tournament. It was only when the announcement of Maester Mika's arrival at the docks, and footage of his disembarkment projected from the sphere that they began to receive curious, if not suspicious looks. Those weren't the only suspicious looks however, as it was soon apparent that Tidus and Wakka appeared to be giving each other knowing looks themselves. When called apon this by an ever perceptive Lulu, Wakka announced that Tidus and he were going to explore Luca whilst they waited. Yuna didn't object to this, and assured them that she would be safe with Kimahri and Lulu. The guardians eyes narrowed as she watched the two make a hastily retreat. "They're up to something." she stated.
"hm?" Yuna said, absent-mindedly.
"Yuna, are you sure we're safe here?" she said in a low voice, eyeing the room warily. "I mean, it is fairly apparent that this place receives questionable patronage."
"Yes, I am aware this is a haven for criminals, but I am also aware that this is where Belgemine told us to go, and she assured me that we would be safe here. She would never place me in danger. I trust her." she said firmly. Lulu opened her mouth and closed it again, apparently without a reply to this. So she sat back, and continued to eye the room and its occupants like a hawk.
After a while, Drea came into the room to much cheers and applause. She was evidently a popular host and appeared to enjoy the attention. After much time spent chatting to her patrons and sharing a joke or two she made her way over.
"Can I get you anything to drink?"
Kimahri glared at her, but if she felt fear, she did not show it. If anything, it seemed to excite her.
"Perhaps a little wine?" asked Yuna.
"One wine." she said with a smile. "And for you?" she looked at Lulu. The look on her face said it all, and Drea gave a mock bow and left. When she had disappeared from sight, Lulu gave Yuna a reproachful look. "Wine? Given the nature of this place, do you think that is wise? To trust Belgemine that you will be safe here is one thing, but you don't have to risk yourself here needlessly." she hissed.
"I don't think Drea really intends to poison her customers." said Yuna.
"Quite right!" Drea said, startling them all. "Here is your wine, It's a Djose red, I hope it is to your liking." Once she was out of sight again, Lulu snatched the wine glass and brought it to her lips. After a moment of contemplation, she deemed it safe to drink, and reluctantly passed Yuna the glass, who accepted it guiltily. She sipped the wine slowly, and relished the sweet and succulent taste. Yuna avoided both her guardians eyes for a time, staring at her glass and sipping slowly. When she could avoid the gaze no longer, she cast a nervous look at Lulu who thankfully was not even looking at her, but was staring intently at the corner of the opposite side of the room. Kimahri thankfully never judged her, and he too was staring at the people of questionable nature in the common room. He did not portray any emotion and mostly sat and did nothing.
As time wore on, their attentions diverted to the sphere, for lack of anything better to do. Yuna was still adamant that Belgemine would show, and she tried not to let her doubt rule her thoughts. Lulu remained silent but Yuna could sense that she too was feeling somewhat doubtful. On the sphere they could see that the warm up matches prior to the first match of the opening tournament were taking place. These initial friendly matches were between recognised and unrecognised amateur teams. Numerous teams existed across Luca and Bevelle and these were identified by what part of the city they came from or what street. All of it was for simple, lighthearted fun whilst the main teams prepared to play. After what felt like hours, the opening ceremony began. This was an affair full of music and of fireworks, as well as an opening speech by Maester Mika, who was standing in the stadium box, overlooking the cheering crowd.
"Today, on this glorious day, players from all over Spira have assembled here to participate in this great contest of bravery, skill, and strength. All of these fine teams, equally renowned, deserve to win the cup today. Such is the nature of this contest. Let us, the spectators, play our role accordingly: Let us sing to the glory of the winners, and applaud equally the valor of the defeated. Contestants, may Yevon be with you." he bowed to the roaring crowd. The screen then panned to the team captains of the six major teams of Spira: The Besaid Aurochs, The Kilika Beasts, The Luca Goers, The Guado Glories, The Ronso Fangs and the Al Bhed Sykes. What was most curious was Wakka, who was stood representing the Aurochs. This startling discovery shocked Yuna and she nearly choked on her wine. Even Lulu fell victim to surprise, and failed to hide it, her eyes widened as she viewed the screen. "What on earth is he thinking? He's supposed to be guarding you, not playing blitzball again!" she snarled.
"Lulu, it's alright." Yuna reassured her. In fact seeing him there made her happy, in truth it was known to them that Wakka had lost his love for the sport since the death of Chappu, but since the arrival of Tidus he seemed to have found a surrogate brother, and his love for the game had bloomed again. "He's being reckless. He hasn't been training, he's completely out of shape. He's going to hurt himself." Lulu scoffed. Yuna opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it. When Lulu's temper rose, it was best to not attempt an intervention.
Blitzball was Spira's primary form of entertainment. In fact, it may be a fair statement to say it was one of its only forms of entertainment. It was a sport played between two teams inside a sphere of water, with each team having six players. Of those six players, one was always guarding the goal, and there was one of these on each side of the sphere, two in total. Then, depending on game tactics and formation, it was up to those five to ensure that they got the ball into the opponents goal, whilst ensuring that it did not enter theirs. The most widely accepted formation was: two defenders charged with preventing the ball entering the goal, a midfielder to pass the ball to other members of the team, and two forwards who were responsible for getting the ball into the opponents goal. The sport could get quite rough, as players had permission to take possession of the ball by force, although they were not able to be aggressive to players who did not carry the ball. One round by official blitzball rules lasted for five minutes, and each match had two halves.
It was made apparent that by some stroke of fortune or luck, the Besaid Aurochs had been fast tracked to the finals. Due to the structure of the tournament match up's they would only need to win their first game to be in the finals, meaning a total of two games played in comparison to the other teams three. Perhaps this was done out of a sense of sympathy, as the Aurochs were notorious losers, and perhaps making them play less was a mercy. Their first game was against the Al Bhed Psyches. This was a cause for concern for Lulu, although she did not rightly show it, Yuna could tell by her hardened features and the frown on her face. Wakka hated the Al Bhed, and had never forgiven them for the decisions of his brother. The fact that Wakka was out of practice, and a hot headed man meant that it was more than possible that he may act recklessly. They both watched the sphere nervously as the teams entered the sphere. To Lulu's relief, Wakka seemed to be in good form. He swam well, and he appeared in good spirits. Another slight surprise (as they had both suspected his involvement) was Tidus's arrival into the sphere. He took a forward position, and was a replacement for Datto, who took to the bench.
When the buzzer signaled, the match began and there was a scramble for the ball. It was a brutal opening first game. The Aurochs were every bit determined to win, as were the Al Bhed. However, the Aurochs reputation was against them. Despite this, they were able to tie two to two into the second half. Wakka endured brutal attacks from the Al Bhed Psyches, as even in his current state he still posed the greatest threat. He suffered great injuries, but no foul was called despite cries of protest from the crowd. Finally, in one last great effort, during the last thirty seconds Wakka was able to muster one last all out offensive and to the surprise of all, score the final goal of the game, winning three to two. The Aurochs made it into the finals much to the delight of Spirans, and the despair of the Al Bhed. If there was one thing that could unite Spira it was their determination to not see the Al Bhed win the tournament. It took Yuna a great deal of self restraint to not burst into cheers of joy at their triumph, as she was more than aware she was not in the safest of environs, and it was very much Al Bhed dominated. Much of the patrons groaned and cussed in their native tongue. Luckily, Drea was on hand to refill their mugs with ale, and this helped settle them. With the Al Bhed out of the tournament, they seemed to warm to the two teams of the southern isles, although they were also fond of the Goers, due to the Al Bhed presence in Luca.
As the afternoon wore on, the matches continued. Yuna had lost track of how many mugs of wine she had, as Drea seemed to preemptively give her refills, with a wide smile and a knowing wink. She became more and more drowsy, and less aware of her surroundings. She occasionally received concerned, if not disapproving looks from Lulu, and Kimahri looked at her but portrayed no emotion. As matches progressed, she paid little attention. She was, however, able to discern that the Kilika Beasts beat the Guado Glories by three to one, and that the Ronso Fangs had suffered a narrow defeat by the Luca Goers, who had beat them two to one. This meant that the final game of the tournament was to be between the Besaid Aurochs and the Luca Goers.
Wakka had been seriously injured during the opening game, and according to sports correspondents on the sphere, he was still very much down and out. Datto, had returned to the teams lineup and Tidus would be acting captain. Yuna's heart skipped a beat when she saw Tidus on the sphere. The star player of the Zanarkand Abes, she mused. Both teams swam to the centre, and the Luca Goers appeared to taunt them openly. The Goers cared little that the Aurochs had made it into the finals, to them it was sheer luck. They tended to win all the tournaments, and they were always the favourites to win. Despite their arrogant attitude, the crowd cheer for them, although there were also cheers for the Aurochs, who seemed to have earned a small sum of support due to their splendid performance. Tidus attempted to shake hands with Bickson in a sportsman fashion, but had to instead dodge out of the way of an incoming swing. The Goers laughed as they took their positions. As the buzzer sounded, there was a roar from the crowd as the players swam across the sphere, dodging and weaving. The Aurochs were successful in maintaining possession of the ball throughout the majority of the first half, a long pass from Letty allowed Tidus to gain possession of the ball, and to the awe of the crowd, they witnessed a shot the likes of which had never before been seen in Luca. This brought the score to one nil to the Aurochs. Feeling it safe to now express her excitement, Yuna laughed joyously. Even Lulu, who was able to keep remarkably straight faced under most circumstances, was not able to conceal a smile. This brought the first half to a close, to thunderous applause. Yuna's smile was evidently infectious, as Lulu began to warm in demeanor, and even accepted a (small) mug of wine from Drea. The second half opened to great excitement. The Aurochs had played well. Not only that, they were the underdog and if there was anything all Spirans could relate to, it was being the underdog. The Goers had other plans, and were not so willing to bow out to entertain spectators. They played a brutal second half. Their forwards acted more as bullies at first, with Bickson managing to injure Datto when he gained possession of the ball. Whilst it was not enough to call foul, and the injury was not sufficient enough to be sent off for treatment, Datto was unable to maintain momentum. As far as everybody could see, he was out of the game. The second tragedy was the assault on Letty. The two Goer forwards just so happened to collide with letty as he had possession. For this, as it was a tackle from two players, rather than one, a foul was called. A free shot by Tidus was unfortunately not enough to secure another goal, as the Goers defended well. The crowd groaned in disappointment, as Tidus had already become somewhat of a minor celebrity due to his impressive shot. The Goers pressed their advantage and played tactically, with careful passing and maneuvering, they were able to get the ball through the Auroch's defence and equalize the score. This was a great blow to the morale of the islanders, as their morale had been high from a successful first half. As if to raise their spirits and show their support, the crowd began chanting. It wasn't a chant for the Aurochs; but for Wakka. Wakka, the injured hero from the opening game. Wakka, who was known to be retiring, back to give it his all, one last time. Spirans loved a motivational and inspirational story, and this was a great one. They chanted his name with all their hearts. Tidus smiled to himself, and drifted out of the sphere towards the exit to the locker rooms.
"Everyone seems to be calling for Wakka, folks!" boomed Bobba, the spectator. "Say...Where is that player going? He's leaving the sphere pool! He may be injured!" he commented, as he noticed Tidus drifting away. The crowd could be heard chatting animatedly to one another, in speculation. Yuna was sad to see Tidus go, but she had a feeling he had gone to encourage Wakka to take to the field again. Her musings were interrupted and were proven to be correct. The crowd went wild as Wakka entered the sphere.
"I wonder what's happening? The crowd is going wild! Ah! It's Wakka! He's back on the field and ready to go! The Aurochs seem glad to have him back." said Bobba.
There was only two minutes of the game left, and it could have been the most intensive two minutes anybody had ever witnessed. Datto, inspired by Wakka's return, was able to get himself back into the game. Whilst he did not manage to shoot the ball, he was able to mark Abus, their second forward. By keeping Abus distracted, he was able to prevent him getting the ball, leaving the true struggle between Wakka and Bickson. As the Goers had possession of the ball, the tension was high. The Luca Goers were without a doubt, the most well trained and professional blitzball team in Spira. They had technique and they had tactics and they had teamwork. Their only flaws were their arrogance and their overconfidence. The Aurochs spread out, far from each other, allowing the Goers to press their advantage on assault. However, Bickson, who had long been able to deal with multiple defenders on his own in the past, did not request that he receive backup from his midfield or his defence. He swam with the ball towards the Auroch's goal. As he kicked the ball the crowd gasped with anticipation. The commentators were going wild, although nobody was listening to what they were saying. All eyes were on the ball, with baited breath. There was nobody in defence to block the ball, it was all up to Keepa. Yet then, both the crowd and the Goers had not seen what was hiding in plain sight. Jassu (who was arguably one of the faster Hume swimmers in blitzball) swam with haste from where he had been observing below, at the bottom of the sphere. He caught the ball and skillfully passed the ball to Letty who then made a long pass across the sphere to Wakka, who had swam underneath Bickson and flanked him.
"A long passe from Letty! It goes through!" Bobba declared. Wakka swam with all his might towards the Goers defence. Their two defenders, Doram and Balgerda, were no match for him. He mustered all his strength to charge through them and with one incredibly kick, shot the ball towards the goal.
"He shoots! Goooooal!" Bobba declared. The ball had gone through, with only two seconds left on the timer. The game had ended and the Aurochs had gone beyond what anybody had thought possible and won the tournament.
"Unbelievable! The Aurochs win the match 2-1!" Bobba declared.
"We won!" Yuna gasped, amidst divided cheering and cussing in the common room. Lulu raised her eyebrows at the sphere and sipped her wine. Lulu relaxed somewhat after that, accepting more wine and drinking more readily. She even managed to stop staring about the room, as she had done for much of the duration of the day, especially to the back corner of the room. However, whenever Yuna looked over there, she thought she saw nothing. However, at closer inspection she felt like she could see a cloak, or at least the shape of a cloak, and with a hood. Then, as if her she had been hoodwinked the entire time, she finally saw it. A peculiar, weather-beaten woman sitting in the shadows in the far corner of the room. She had a large mug in front of her, yet she did not appear to have much interest in it. She sat with her legs stretched out before her, which revealed high leather boots which were covered in mud. The cloak, Yuna now noticed was worn and dark green in colour. The hood was drawn over the womans face which left it overshadowed. The more intently Yuna looked, the more prominent the womans eyes appeared, gleaming from the hood.
"Drea, who is that?" Yuna asked, the next time she visited their table. "Her?" whispered Drea. She turned her back to the woman, and bent down next to Yuna's ear. "I'm not really sure. But we think she is one of those Rangers that the Crusaders go on about. They roam the wilds, protecting Lucas borders from afar, or so the rumours say. She doesn't say much, although she has been known to give an odd story every now and then. She's been in and out of here regularly this past week. I swear she can be in here regularly sometimes and then disappear for like a month, or even a year. It's odd. We don't even know her name, but we've taken to calling her Strider. We call her that due to how hastily she can move, how far she walks. I swear she's probably crossed all of Spira on foot before now." She bent up, and took her leave to cater to her other patrons.
Yuna found that Strider was looking at her, and Yuna could now see her clearer, as if now that Yuna had noticed her, she had decided to make herself somehow more apparent. She nodded at Yuna, and and beckoned her over with a wave of her hand. Reluctantly she got up and despite Lulu's protests, made her way to her. As Yuna reached the corner of the room, concealed in shadow, Strider pulled back her hood. She had dark, red hair and bright purple eyes. There was an age, a wisdom, and perhaps a cynicism in those eyes which did not match the youthful appearance of her face.
"I am called Strider." she said in a low voice. "I am very pleased to meet you, Lady Yuna."
Yuna stiffened. "How do you know my name?" she asked.
"That is not relevant right now, I think what is relevant is that your companions seem to be getting a little rowdy. Good drink, warmth and a good cause for celebration is pleasant enough, but this isn't Besaid. Unless you are completely oblivious to your surroundings, which I was starting to fear you were, this establishment does not receive the most reputable of patrons. You have done well here thus far under the guise that you are a criminal posing as a summoner. I fear it would be very unwise for you to relinquish that advantage." She took her bright eyes off of Yuna and looked to the other side of the room, and she followed the gaze.
Yuna became aware of the fact that Tidus and Wakka had returned from the stadium and were in high spirits, and by the looks of things they were rather intoxicated by drink. Whilst as Strider had said, this would be harmless under normal circumstances, the fact that Wakka had no taste for the Al Bhed, and was also a proud believer in Yevon. Also, he was a guardian, and in the presence of the Al Bhed, who neither supported Yevon nor its tradition of summoners, the danger of him saying something troublesome was a distinct possibility. Already, he began to speak too loudly about their victory against the Al Bhed, which earned him several sour looks. These people in turn, began to mutter to each other under their breaths, whilst casting dark looks in his direction.
Yuna fidgeted, unsure of what to do. Wakka was evidently enjoying the attention and antagnosing the Al Bhed. Even Drea, who had remained remarkably impartial during the tournament, was giving him uncertain looks. Yuna had a fear that if she let it continue, he would mention that Yuna's true purpose, and that they were on their way to Zanarkand. This would not do at all, and Yuna began to panic.
"You better do something quick!" whispered Strider in her ear.
Yuna hurried across the room to Wakka and threw herself into his surprised arms. "You did it! I'm so happy, I can't believe we won!" she whispered.
Wakka took surprise to this, but was pleased nonetheless.
"Come now Wakka, lets go back to the table. We've been here all day, and these people aren't the friendliest, so I will be needing my guardians."
This seemed to make Wakka see sense, as he nodded knowingly and passed his mug to Tidus, who wasn't a guardian. He grinned and drank from the mug readily. With a smile to Yuna, Wakka made his way to the table and sat with Lulu, who welcomed him with a reproachful look.
"I saw the Jecht shot!" Yuna said, when she and Tidus were alone.
"Heh. You did? The crowd seemed to like it." he said.
"So did I, I couldn't contain my excitement. We couldn't really openly support the Aurochs in here when they were playing the Al Bhed." she laughed. Laughing together, they rejoined the table. When they sat down they found Wakka looking worn out. He never was one to take it easy. He had been injured to the extent he could no longer play, and then had mustered his strength to play again, and if that wasn't unwise enough, he was now fairly intoxicated. He groaned and rolled back. Lulu caught him in her arms, and she cradled him. " I saw you floating there, on the sphere." she said to him quietly.
"Hey, you weren't supposed to see that."
"You really gave it your all, didn't you?" she asked, softly.
They sat mostly in quiet for a time. They were all tired from the events of the day, especially Wakka, who seemed in dire need of a comfortable bed. Yuna found herself fingering the ring which lay safely in her pouch. Whilst it made her feel guilty, and a little uneasy, it also provided an odd sense of comfort. It must have been late evening by now, although there had not been a real sense of time all day. They had arrived by around midday, and had remained ever since. Yuna's thoughts went back to Belgemine. How she had forgotten all about her, she did not know. Wine and entertainment had provided suitable distraction, but now worry returned, and an uncertainty of how long she would have to wait in such an uncomfortable environment. She had hoped that all they would have had to do was enter the inn and find Belgemine waiting for them, and then they would have been on their way perhaps that very day, or the next at the earliest. As anxious as she was, she decided she could not approach Drea and ask about her knowledge of Belgemine, it would reveal too much in such an untrustworthy place. Instead she felt it best to retire to her room, and perhaps they would learn more in the morning.
