33: Warmup

"...Seriously, don't it?" Jecht stood at the base of a large statue, squinting upwards. He crossed his arms and tilted his head to the right.

"For the last time, no. He does not look like you. Lord Mi'ihen is a hero of Spira. You are a little-known Guardian who can't even properly dismount a chocobo," Auron said as he finished gathering their supplies. "Be thankful Rikku was fast enough to catch yours before it got too far down the Highroad."

"And on foot, too," Rikku added as she limped closer. "Do you know how hard it is to run down an angry chocobo? You suck." She flopped down onto the ground. "I brought them all back to the stable, Braska. Now, let me die in peace."

"Oi, thanks, Blondie," Jecht greeted, still squinting at the sculpture's face. He canted his head in the opposite direction. "Say, Rikku, does this Mi'ihen guy look like me?"

Braska twitched in annoyance, leaning against the base of the statue depicting the behemoth Mi'ihen had proudly slain. "Jecht, it is simply the hair."

"Says you," he grumbled, giving the statue another doubtful glance. Shaking his head, he turned away and beamed. "So, Luca, huh? I can smell Blitzball in the air – tell me about this place!" He rocked on his heels, looking eagerly towards the stone stairs that led to the sprawling city.

They were close enough that foot traffic had become a common sight along the Highroad's well-worn path. Most travelers seemed to be heading towards the city as if drawn by gravity magic. The eclectic mix of pedestrians ranged from stern-faced Ronso to outlandishly-attired Al Bhed. There were even a few Guado passing by, though they said little and eyed the other races with thinly-veiled suspicion.

Braska smiled as he took in the distinctive groups of travellers. "Luca is the second largest settlement in Spira, as well as the crusaders' darling. The Blitzball season is just beginning, so everything is a bit livelier than usual."

"Luca is also the bane of Yevon's eye, even more than the Al Bhed," Auron said. "But the people of Spira cherish Blitzball more than the Teachings, so more eccentricities are tolerated here."

"It is the place where all can gather to forget their woes, if just for a short while," Braska finished. He stopped and glanced at Rikku, who hadn't yet moved. "I am surprised by your reserve, Rikku, considering the subject matter."

Rikku threw her arm over her eyes. "You try holding a conversation after keeping pace with a chocobo. My feet are killing me!"

Braska kneeled and raised his hands. The soft glow of a curative spell settled around her ankles, soothing away her soreness. "Come. Jecht is eager to be off, and, to be honest, I am as well. The excitement here is catching."

"Catching like a rash," she grunted, dragging herself to her feet. Still, she couldn't deny that the Cure had helped.

The others started strolling down the path, Jecht jogging ahead to catch a view of the city's Blitzball stadium.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Dusting herself off, she chased after them.

Braska's entourage was only one group of many. The tourists were streaming in; in anticipation of the influx of visitors, Luca had not disappointed. Huge, colorful balloons, marking the annual Blitzball Tournament, swayed gently in the breeze. Far to the left of the city, a large windmill towered over the surrounding buildings, brightly-decorated sails slowly turning. Towards the waterside, the Sphere Theater could be seen; the pristine, gull-shaped roof shone in the bright sun. In the center of the city, the large, open market plaza drew the eye, buzzing with crowds of Blitzball fans. A broad avenue led to the water in a direct path towards the main attraction.

And there, at the end of the concourse, was the stadium. The dock torches surrounding it were already lit, sending huge, rainbow-colored flames towards the sky.

Jecht stared in open-mouthed fascination. "Is that the stadium? It's better than I thought it'd be!" He was grinning from ear to ear – they wouldn't be getting out of Luca without one Blitzball game under their belts, at least. "You guys even got flames goin' on here? I gotta see this up close!"

Perfect, Rikku thought, with a mischievous smile.

"Yuna would love this view," Braska said. "It is much more exciting than Bevelle. Auron, would you do the honors?"

"You want me to make another recording?" He stared at Braska in shock. "Of this?"

Braska hummed in agreement and pushed an empty sphere into his hands.

Auron scowled. "When did I become our party's archivist?"

"Considering you did so well the last time, I thought you might actually enjoy it," Braska laughed. "Perhaps there is a career waiting for you at the Luca Broadcast Corporation."

Sighing heavily, Auron pocketed the recording sphere. "Interviewing sphere stars. What a bright future you imagine for me." Straightening, he assumed his business voice. "I will do as you ask later. For now, we should secure lodgings near the docks." He turned a stern eye on Jecht, who was fidgeting with impatience. "Remember, we are not here simply to enjoy the festivities; our ultimate goal is to book passage to Kilika."

" 'ey, c'mon! You can't come to the Blitzball capital of Spira and not blitz!" Jecht protested.

Rikku looked at Auron sidelong. "He's right, you know. And, since it's tournament season, the docks are gonna be packed anyhow. We'll be lucky if we can find something all the way out here near the Highroad."

Auron crossed his arms and looked at Braska. "And this is why I said our funds were insufficient." He frowned. "We're not camping on fishnets again!"

Braska whistled and turned away, as if he hadn't heard the complaint.

"Relax, you guys!" Rikku danced ahead, arms behind her back. She ducked a little and smiled, swinging her braids around for the maximum cute effect. It caught Auron's attention, although his expression was one of suspicion – not appreciation. "I told you I had a plan! Leave it to Rikku!"

Braska smiled broadly, clapping. "I knew Yevon would provide a way!"

Rikku pouted.

"Apologies," he continued. "Your cleverness is your own, of course. Enlighten us?"

"Well, it goes something like this: you and Auron go into the city and have some fun. Make that sphere recording, grab a bite to eat – "

"Remember, they got sweet rolls here!" Jecht punched the air; Auron elbowed him.

" – while Jecht and I go scout the Blitzball teams."

"I knew we were friends for a reason!" Jecht cut in again, this time with an excited hop.

Auron was looking at her as though she didn't understand the meaning of the word plan. "Blitzball teams usually scout the players," he pointed out. "I don't see how this will get us anywhere."

"Wrong!" Rikku grabbed Jecht and wrapped an arm around his neck, which was harder than it looked, since he was so tall. Still, he crouched down willingly. Smart man. "We happen to be a hot commodity here. Jecht is an ace Blitzer, and I'm not half bad, either! Between the two of us, we'll make enough money to coast through the rest of this Pilgrimage!"

"Fame and fortune!" Jecht agreed, shaking her off. "The fame is gonna be all me, because I'm the best!" He leapt and twisted, kicking an imaginary blitzball through the air.

She sighed and planted her hands on her hips, unable to argue. Jecht was a forward after all; midfielders like herself rarely got the spotlight. Still, she knew she was good, even if she didn't brag as loudly as Jecht. Rikku pulled her goggles over her eyes.

"That's a new look for you," Braska said. "Will you be wearing those into the city?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "There's a lot of Al Bhed in Luca right now. I don't want anyone to know I'm here." If someone recognizes me, it'll probably make the future go kablooie! "Actually, it might be time for Rikkma to make a reappearance."

Truthfully, the Al Bhed encampment on the docks didn't worry her nearly as much as the presence of the Besaid Aurochs did. They had to be here, she knew; Wakka didn't keep their 23-year losing streak by missing one of the tournament games.

She wondered how old he was; they'd never questioned each other's ages during their journey. Well, no one questioned Lulu about her age, at least – Tidus had tried once, but she'd gotten such a dangerous glint in her eye that he'd stopped halfway through asking.

Still, when she'd first met Wakka, he'd seemed ancient. Wonder if he'd think the same if he saw me now. She sniggered at the role reversal, before realizing that made her old. Hiccupping, she sternly resolved not to think about it.

Raising a hand, she turned to the others. "Are we ready? Keep an eye on the sphere broadcasts to check our progress. You won't be disappointed!" She smiled. "Or you could actually invest in tickets and watch us play in the stadium."

"I think we will do just that," Braska agreed happily.

Auron pinched the bridge of his nose. "With what gil? No, nevermind. No, my lord."

Braska frowned.

Auron ignored him. "The tournament doesn't even begin until tomorrow. What are we doing about lodging for tonight, before your 'fame and fortune' arrives?"

Rikku winked and drew a small flask out her pocket. "Go book someplace swanky," she instructed, handing it to him. "With room service! And heated baths! And… and… massages," she added quickly.

"What is this?" Auron asked, holding up the vial; twin balls of light chased each other in mesmerizing circles, letting off a melodic hum.

"Sin's contribution to our Pilgrimage," Rikku answered, crossing her arms in satisfaction. "Twin Stars are worth almost as much as Farplane Winds. Don't blow it all in one place like last time, alright?"

Jecht rubbed the back of his head but said nothing.

Huh, Rikku thought with a tiny smirk. Looks like Jecht can learn after all.

Auron looked at her, for once seemingly at a loss for words. Besides its monetary value, he'd witnessed what she'd done to obtain it. "... I'll make sure this gift is properly appreciated," he said, expression warm and wondering.

"Thank you, Rikku," Braska added, bowing. "I wish I could repay you for this kindness."

Rikku gave them a thumbs up. "Then watch the games today. We're gonna blow you out of the water," she promised.

Jecht whooped in agreement before high-fiving her.

"Pow-wow at the central monument after the show's over?" she asked. Auron gave her a tight nod, and Rikku decided to push him a little. "Relax! And give a girl a kiss for luck?"

"Hnn," he replied, beginning to look amused. Reaching over, he ruffled her hair and planted a chaste kiss squarely on her forehead. "Next time, specify where," he finished, quietly.

Rikku gaped before pouting. Tease. "Fine. We don't need luck, we've got skill! C'mon Jecht! Let's do it!"

"Yeah!" Jecht agreed, grinning broadly. "...After the sweet rolls!"

.x.x.x.

Rikku squinted at a tiny sphere screen while Jecht lounged at her side and munched on a roll. He sent a layer of crumbs skittering over the floor; the half-beast attendant sweeping the carpet shot them a dirty look. It wasn't the first.

"I asked you to help out, not make the workers here hate us, you know," Rikku observed, most of her attention still on the archived game on the screen.

"Whatever," Jecht grunted, licking the last of the sticky dough from his fingers. He burped and put his feet up on the table.

She turned away from the screen. "Jecht," she hissed. "Put your feet down! Just because we paid to get in here doesn't mean they won't kick us out!"

"Fine," he groused, removing his feet and leaning forward. "So what? You found us our marks yet?"

Sighing, she shut off the sphere screen and stretched her arms over her head. "Well, as far as I can tell, the worst team in the league right now is the Besaid Aurochs." That was no surprise; everyone knew the Aurochs were bad. That most of their losses were due to a string of bad luck, rather than a lack of talent, was unexpected, though. And then there was the fact that Wakka hadn't played in any of the games she'd watched – she wondered if it was a coincidence.

"So we're gonna offer our services to these Aurochs?" Jecht picked at his teeth. "Bring the underdogs the championship?"

"No!" Rikku squealed. The attendant switched his glare to her. Hunching, she lowered her voice. "No, I think the Aurochs are a bad choice. If you wanna go for the real underdogs, that would be the Ronso Fangs. They're still relatively new to Blitzball – looks like the Ronsos' interest in sports is pretty recent. They have the talent, but they don't know how to use it."

"Ronso," Jecht repeated, scratching his head. "Why does that sound familiar?" He slapped a fist on the table. The attendant squawked. "Wait, ain't they those big blue furry cat guys? You mean they can swim?"

Rikku nodded. "Yeah! But not well." She pulled up an exhibition game and motioned Jecht to watch. "They're slow, but very powerful. And competitive." The opposing team scored a goal – immediately, an underwater scuffle broke out. The Ronso catcher punched the scorer, who flew right out of the sphere pool. "They don't like losing."

Jecht grinned. "Hungry, huh? Sounds like my kinda team. Alright, let's go find 'em and make 'em winners!"

"Not so fast!" Rikku searched through the sphere recording. "It says they're on Dock Four this year. We have to convince them to take us on first." Shutting down the display table, she stood up and stretched. "The Ronso are proud and direct. Don't try to smooth talk them. Just show them your moves and guarantee them a win."

"Anything to get outta here," Jecht agreed, leading the way outside. It was obvious he was glad to escape the Sphere Theater's solemn atmosphere. "This place is way too stuffy!" He made a face at their aggrieved attendant as he passed.

Privately, Rikku agreed with Jecht; the return to open air and the city's buzzing energy was refreshing. "Docks, here we come!" she cheered, setting off toward the stadium's long gangway.

Strolling down the painted steps, Jecht drunk in his surroundings. "This reminds me of the good ol' days in Zanarkand," he hummed. "Did I ever tell you 'bout that? Bein' a superstar at home, I mean."

Rikku rolled her eyes in amusement. "Only about a million times a day. I'm in a good mood though, so you can serenade me one more time if you want."

Jecht laughed. "Well, Zanarkand was big enough to have six different districts. We divvied it up into four teams per district, so twenty-four teams, not countin' them junior and minor leagues. I played for the Abes in A-East."

Rikku took a moment to digest that. "Wow. You guys must have really loved Blitzball! Right now all of Spira is gathered here to play, but we still only have six teams."

Jecht nodded. "My Zanarkand was a world of its own," he said. "Lots more people there. And lots more blitzin' too. Kept us entertained, I guess." He shrugged. "I try not to think about it too much. When I started hittin' the bottle too hard, I wondered sometimes if that was it – if there was nothin' more to life than blitzin' for twenty-four teams full of cocky assholes just like me." His tone sobered, and his gaze went distant. "Didn't actually think I was right." He barked out a dry laugh. "At least I can get my Blitz game back on track here."

Rikku draped her hands on her head, turning Jecht's words over in her mind. "Say… how did Sin bring you here? What happened?"

"It's not a fun trip to remember." Jecht rubbed the back of his head. "I wasn't all that sober either, mind. And I wasn't tryin' to off myself, no matter what bullshit the tabloids were runnin'!"

Rikku gaped. Jecht, suicidal?

He scowled. " 'ey! I ain't jokin'! Just 'cause I drunk a little too much didn't mean I was a damn head case! No one ever tried trainin' out that far in the ocean before. I wanted to be the first." He smirked. "Everyone in Zanarkand was always so afraid of leavin' the city. There's nothin' but water out there, Jecht. You're crazy! That's what they said. Bunch of spineless mice, all shiverin' their whiskers at each other. Well, not me! I ain't afraid of anything!"

"But… there was something to be afraid of, right?" she asked slowly. "You're lucky Sin didn't attack your city when it appeared."

Jecht snorted at her. "Sin didn't appear. Hell, I didn't even know what it was 'till I saw the fin underwater! I'd have been a goner if I wasn't a Blitzer. I got sucked into this giant whirlpool – wasn't any use tryin' to get back to the surface. I figured if it wouldn't let me go back up, might as well go down. So I just swam towards whatever it was, fast as I could. Then, the water disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Yeah. Like, I knew I was swimmin' down an' all, but I broke into the center of the world or somethin'. I always thought the ocean had a bottom, but up and down got switched, and all of a sudden I was fallin' through the sky." He frowned. "Or maybe floatin'. I dunno. All I remember is when I hit the water again, it hurt. I was black an' blue for days after they fished me out."

Rikku nodded. "So you fell out of the sky and landed in the ocean near Bevelle."

"Bevelle? Hell naw, Blondie! I landed someplace called Baaj. They said Sin attacked; it must've destroyed damn near everything, 'cause there wasn't much of a city left, from what I saw," he added. "Not much standin' but the temple when I came. The priests there wrapped me up and crated me off to Bevelle like a pack of dried fish." He shrugged. "An' then I met you and Braska and Auron. Not much else to tell."

Fell out of the sky near Baaj? Rikku narrowed her eyes in thought. Tidus had ended up near the Baaj Ruins too, the first time they met. Maybe it wasn't just a coincidence. "You know what I said about your Zanarkand? Maybe I'm wrong – not about the Fayth and the dreams and stuff," she added quickly, seeing a fleeting look of hope pass across Jecht's face. "About your dream Zanarkand not being real. It sounds to me like it might really exist somewhere out there. I mean, down being up, up being down, and falling out of the sky?"

"What're you gettin' at, Blondie?"

She formed a circle with her hands. "What if your dream Zanarkand is like one of Braska's aeons? Really out there, one big city floating in the sky over the ocean? Maybe you swam too far down and fell out of the edge of it. But that would mean you could really go back, wouldn't it? We'd just have to find it." She paused, suddenly remembering the lack of airships in the present world. "Uh… and learn how to fly too, I guess."

Jecht stopped walking and fell silent, his look pensive.

"Jecht?" Rikku asked carefully.

"No." He turned to her, expression serious. "No way. Even if it's really there…" He shook his head. "I can't. Not after comin' here. All that stuff you said about it not bein' real… that ain't exactly wrong. My Zanarkand never sleeps. We eat, we drink, we blitz, but we don't live. Not the way you people do here. I thought all them others were scared little mice. But maybe it wasn't their fault, not really. Maybe that's the way we were made to be. I was the weird one, tryin' to drink my way to some real answers when it all seemed hollow. I couldn't go back no more, not knowin' what I do now. That ain't livin'. That'd be runnin' away from the truth." His face hardened. "I gotta bring Tidus here. That boy'll turn into me otherwise. He asks too many questions. He ain't stupid-happy like the rest of 'em either."

Rikku regarded him. "Why don't you ever say stuff like that to Auron? He'd stop ribbing you about being dumb."

"Say what? He'd just get on my case about bein' a… a…"

"An aeon?" she supplied helpfully.

"I was gonna say dream," Jecht said, chortling, "but yours sounds cooler. 'Sides, Auron's still got a head full of his own problems. You're givin' him an assist, but he ain't anyone to go to for help with the deep stuff." He grinned. "You need it killed, that's Auron. Need a hug and a shoulder to cry on, that's Braska. But you want some answers? That'd be you. All that airhead jazz ain't hiding what you really got goin' on behind them swirly eyeballs."

"Thanks, I guess?" The idea of anyone coming to her for advice made her eyes cross. Is this how Braska feels all the time?

Jecht shrugged.

Before Rikku could gather her thoughts and respond, she frowned. "We're in the wrong place," she said, taking in their surroundings. "This is where the Besaid Aurochs are staying." Adjusting her goggles self-consciously, she put her head down and began walking past the dock.

" 'Ey! Blondie! Wait up! I didn't scare ya did I?" Surprised, Jecht jogged to catch up.

"Shh!" Rikku looked around. No Wakkas spotted, she noted with some relief. "It's not that! It's just that I don't wanna meet any of the Aurochs," she whispered. "We have a kinda-sorta history going on here, alright?"

"Ooh!" Jecht brightened. "Drama! This is great!"

"It's not great!" Rikku threw up her hands and stomped away.

"Blondie, uh, watch out – "

She plowed headlong into a small figure in her path, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

The kid sprang to his feet, rubbing his butt. "Oww! Watch it, ya!"

I know that voice. Sure, it was a little younger and a bit more high pitched than she remembered, but there was no mistaking that Besaid accent.

Cringing, Rikku opened her eyes and saw a pair of sandaled feet. With a gulp, her gaze travelled up the baggy pants – yellow, of course, and strapped closed with a multitude of bright blue cinches – a small, tanned torso, still lacking in muscle definition, and a blue bandana holding up a shock of wild, red hair.

Disasterrific.

"Damn!" Jecht said as he reached them. "I tried to warn ya! Hey kid, are you – Tidus?"

The boy eyed them both, before shrugging – a true Besaid native, unfazed by anything. "No idea who you're talking about. Name's Chappu," he said. He stuck out his his chest proudly.

Oh, Wakka, Rikku thought.

"S-sorry, kid," Jecht managed. "You look a little like my son."

Chappu gave them a bright smile. "No harm, no foul, mister. You looked like you were in a hurry there. Are you playing for one of the other teams?" He studied Rikku. "The Psyches, ya? You both better get outta here before my brother comes by. He's not a fan. Says they play dirty." He flushed slightly. "No offense."

Rikku stood, eying the cheerful boy. Instincts told her to run, but… maybe she was homesick. Just a little teensy bit. She smiled at Chappu. "You know, we don't play for the Psyches. We're free agents!"

"Oh!" Chappu said. "It's too bad you're… you know." He gestured at Rikku's outfit. "The Aurochs could use a little help. We've been short on manpower since Sin attacked. Wiped out most of the old team." He gaze drifted downward.

Rikku's heart clenched. In the smaller communities, Blitzball was often passed down as a family tradition. "But your brother made it out alright," she said, patting Chappu on the shoulder.

"Oh yeah! Wakka just joined the team. He's only thirteen, though, so he's warming the bench. Don't tell him, but Cap'n says he's gotta put on more muscle before he can play with the big boys."

Jecht was gaping again. "Thirteen? You guys don't have a junior league here?"

Chappu snorted proudly. "Wakka's been playing since he was six! Blitzing is his dream! One day he's gonna make it big and bring home the Championship. And me and Lu, we're gonna be right there with him, ya!"

"Sorry, but I don't think that's gonna happen this year," Rikku told him sympathetically. Or ever, for you.

Deflating, Chappu nodded in agreement. Apparently he was more realistic than his brother. "Don't I know it. We're gonna suck so bad this year." He sighed. "Again."

"Hey, kid, chin up," Jecht said. "This is just a bad break. It'll pass."

Rikku slapped her face, knowing Jecht was giving her a pleading look, as if to say, Can't we play for this team instead? She scowled and said, "No, Jecht."

Chappu's wide grin turned a bit rueful, but he didn't push it.

"Well, good luck, kid," Jecht said. "If you find me after the tournament, maybe I can show you a few tricks!"

Chappu shook his head. "No thanks, stranger. My girlfriend's already in the stands, and we got a date after the big game. Can't keep a lady waiting, ya?" He waved and dashed off towards the city.

"Weird kid," Jecht mused, his mind obviously on Tidus.

Rikku shivered. Did I really just meet Wakka's dead brother? Another thought occurred. Lulu's here? Does she already dress in leather and lace? Curiosity killed the cat, sure, but a part of her was cackling at the prospect of seeing her former mentor and idol as a child.

"Blondie?"

Lulu's favorite lesson popped into her head: Focus! "Yeah, we should hustle. We have less than an hour to find the Fangs and convince them to let us join!"

"Right!" Jecht said, as they hurried towards their destination. "So tell me about this team."

"Would it have killed you to pay attention in the theater?" she groused before relenting. "The Fangs aren't that good. They're power hitters – both for scoring and interceptions, but they're slow. Their defense is weak. Still, it shouldn't be too hard win an exhibition game, especially if we're helping them out." She slowed down, seeing a telltale flash of dour blue. "There they are!"

Jecht pushed ahead with a swagger. " 'ey there, big guy! Are you lookin' to win the tournament this year?"

The tall beast crossed his arms and looked down at Jecht – a decent feat considering Jecht's height.

Nervously, Rikku elbowed Jecht out of the way. "What he means to say is that we're free agents. My name's Rikkma, and this guy here is Jecht." Thinking quickly, she performed a halfhearted bow to the guard.

The Ronso unfolded his arms and fixed his golden stare on Rikku. "Al Bhed follows teachings of Yevon?"

Hooked. Grinning, Rikku straightened. "Like Jecht said, we're here to help. We know you guys are new at this, and we wanna see your team succeed."

"Ronso take care of Ronso problems." The guard sniffed, crossing his arms again and losing interest.

"Well, you've got more than a few," Rikku said quickly. "You guys haven't won a single game since you started playing! I know; I've watched all of them!"

The Ronso's expression remained impassive, but his tail twitched in agitation.

"We're not sayin' you're bad," Jecht cut in, holding his hands up in a placating manner. "We're just sayin' we might be able to teach you some new tricks. Game changers, if ya know what I mean."

Rikku nodded, dancing in place. "Uh-huh! Hire us and we'll, uh, restore your honor! Do it for your people. Let's show Spira that Ronso pride!"

The guard glared at them for a few moments longer, then nodded slightly. "You see Gazna. Gazna lead us. He decide."

And sunk! Rikku gave Jecht an excited thumbs up. They followed their still-nameless guide onto their ship, and a few things became immediately obvious. The ship was chartered – the crew was human, and they were scared witless of their Ronso passengers.

"Damn! These guys are huge!" Jecht whistled. Said Ronso were lounging all over the ship. A large female leaned against a wall and observed them with an unblinking stare. Another male stood at the foot of the stairs, tail twitching as he watched them approach.

Of course, Jecht was both delighted and unaffected by the close scrutiny of the dangerously fanged and clawed creatures dwarfing him. Most likely he was thinking only of the advantage the Ronso builds would provide in the game.

Typical Jecht, she thought as they walked deeper into the ship.

The few humans they passed were either fearfully scurrying between their cabins or hiding behind the potted plants scattered through the hold.

Finally, they stopped before a plain cabin door, and their silent companion knocked once. It swung open, and their guide ushered them inside.

A heavy-set, bearded Ronso in a yellow blitzing uniform looked up. He sat behind a desk, papers scattered before him. From her vantage point, they looked like rough sketches of Blitzball formations. At his side, a much smaller Ronso flipped through the papers and made a few notations.

The seated Ronso growled. "Zamzi. You disturb with intruders?" His piercing tone turned menacing. "With Al Bhed?"

Uh-oh. "We're free agents," she cut in, waving. "Rikkma and Jecht, at your service."

A rumbling growl echoed through the small room.

"We're Guardians!" Rikku added nervously. "In the service of the Summoner Lord Braska!"

The growl cut off. Every Ronso in the room looked surprised. "Al Bhed… Guardian?" The Ronso behind the desk stood slowly, keeping his hands on the table. "I am Gazna, captain of Ronso Fangs." He performed a clumsy bow. "Small one Zev, guide is Zamzi. You honor us with visit."

Rikku nudged Jecht, and after a moment, he returned Gazna's bow. "Don't get that response often."

"Ronso care little for politics of humans. Summoner Braska honors Spira." Gazna tilted his head. "Why do Guardians come here?"

"We ain't here as Guardians today," Jecht said. "We're Blitzers, too. We wanna sign on with the Fangs."

Gazna crossed his arms and said nothing. Zev, the smaller Ronso, stepped forward.

"You want to help Ronso?" Zev's tail lashed back and forth in excitement. "You will play for Fangs?"

Behind them, Zamzi spoke up, his tone harsh. "Be silent! Elder speaks! Runt only listens!"

"Fangs lose again this year!" Zev replied. "Ronso need help! Guardians offer help! Zev will not not be silent!"

"Ronso take care of Ronso problems!" Zamzi repeated, crouching and baring his fangs.

The two growled at each other before Gazna raised a hand and closed it into a fist. Zamzi and Zev fell silent.

"Why?" Gazna asked.

Rikku bit her lip, weighing her options. The Ronso were notoriously fussy about things like honor and pride, but Kimahri was one of her besties. He'd taught her how to navigate these waters. "We need money," she told him, and ignored Jecht's incredulous stare.

Zev recoiled, Gazna's gaze turned frosty, and Zamzi snorted. "Al Bhed," he scoffed. "No pride."

Rikku raised her voice. "We need money for Lord Braska's Pilgrimage," she amended. "Yevon doesn't support Braska. He's an outsider and he needs help. And you need help with Blitzball. You're outsiders too. We can help each other." She turned her head slowly and met Zamzi's eye. "We'd give up our pride to continue on the Pilgrimage. Would you?" Thanks, Kimahri.

After a long moment, Zamzi dropped his gaze. When Rikku turned back, it was to find Gazna looking at her in approval. "How would you help Fangs?" he asked.

"I'm a star player," Jecht answered. "Rikk… uh… ma's pretty good too. Between the two of us, we can bring home the title." He flexed his muscles and grinned. "We got the moves if you got the team."

Gazna motioned to Zev. "Gather team on deck." He gestured at Rikku and Jecht. "You. Follow."

The Ronso stomped out of the room before them, and Jecht leaned towards Rikku. "That was a pretty big gamble," he whispered.

"Not really," she whispered back, following the beasts. "The Ronso may be stubborn, but they're sticklers for their pride. They may be the only completely honest race left in Spira. If you're upfront with them, they'll do right by you." She smiled. "As long as they think your cause is worthy, that is."

They emerged on the deck, and Rikku marvelled at the collection of gathered giants. She knew she was short, but being surrounded by the towering Ronso was enough to give a girl a complex, especially when more than half the team was looking at them in hostility.

Gazna raised a fist again, and the Ronso turned their attention to him.

"Today, Yevon smiles on Ronso!" he began, before gesturing at Rikku and Jecht. "Guardians Rikkma and Jecht offer help with Blitzball! For honor of Gagazet, we accept them as pack."

Murmurs rippled through the team. Zev nodded in approval. Zamzi remained stoic. A different male Ronso stepped forward, his expression thunderous.

"Malik object! Al Bhed and human interfere! Malik will not accept!" He snarled and slashed at her. Rikku jumped back, retreating until she hit a soft wall and was shoved forward.

Stumbling, she turned and saw that she'd bumped into a female Ronso – slightly smaller than her male counterparts, but still taller than Jecht.

The female bared her teeth. "Kelda agree! Kelda will not play with humans!" She crossed her arms and continued to snarl.

The smallest Ronso, Zev, leapt to their defense. "Guardians smart! Guardians know Blitzball! Ronso will lose again without Guardians!" He was shoved back by Malik.

Zamzi caught him.

"Zamzi? You side with runt? Did someone break horn and glue back on?" Malik's voice held a note of disbelief.

"I stand with Gazna. Captain decide," Zamzi replied bluntly.

"Zev stands with Gazna!" the small one repeated.

The Ronso formed a ring around Jecht and Rikku; on one side, Gazna, Zev and Zamzi stood, supporting them. On the other, Malik and Kelda, opposing. Almost in unison, every head swung towards the last remaining Ronso on the team, a young female.

"What does Irga decide?" Kelda asked.

Tail twitching nervously, the remaining female dropped her head. "Irga believes Guardians will teach Ronso much," she said, edging over to Gazna's side.

"Then it is decided. Malik and Kelda are bench. Rikkma and Jecht take place," Gazna declared. He looked at the two ousted Ronsos. "You remain on ship until return to Gagazet. Those with blind pride can be no part of Ronso Fangs."

Snarling, the pair stomped below deck.

"That was easier than I expected," Jecht said, relaxing. "I thought for sure they were gonna rip us a new one!"

Gazna turned a disdainful look towards Jecht. "Ronso do not attack weaker race unprovoked," he sniffed. "Even if anger is great."

"Weaker?" Jecht bristled, and Rikku grabbed his arm in warning. "Just get me in the water, I'll show you who's weak," he promised, cracking his knuckles.

Gazna ignored him. "Exhibition game begin soon. We leave for stadium now. Zev. Take care of Guardians."

The team began to file off the ship. Jecht rubbed his head. "So that's it? We're just goin' straight into a game like that? I thought he was the captain. You mean we're not even gonna discuss our positions?"

Rikku shrugged. "Don't ask me, I told you they were bad. I guess they figure everything's gonna work itself out on its own."

Zev folded his ears backwards. "Not wrong. Captain not understand Blitzball," he told them in a rumbling undertone. "Ronso all same. Direct attack. Be stronger than others. No defense. Zev run horn into wall many times now."

"Whoa," Jecht said, studying Zev with newfound respect. "You may be the little one, but you got a grasp on the basics, kid." He frowned. "So what did your leader tell you to do with us?"

"Malik left forward. Kelda right forward. Guardians decide which position to replace."

"Wow, you guys are really bad." They were approaching the stadium now, and Rikku was beginning to see some flaws in her plan. Even if the Besaid Aurochs sucked, at least they talked to one another before a game. "Alright, how about this instead: what positions do you guys hold?"

The question seemed to put Zev into more familiar territory, and he answered her almost happily – for a Ronso. "Captain Gazna play midfield. Irga left, Zev right. Zamzi is keeper."

"Well, that ain't too hard," Jecht said. "You just tell your guys when they get the ball to pass it to me or Rikku. I'll get your shots in!"

Zev eyed Jecht dubiously. "Ronso can shoot."

Rikku winced and shared a nervous look with Jecht. They were already approaching the team entrances, and the Ronso strategy was still distant and nebulous.

"Uh… then shoot the ball to Rikku," Jecht told him with a little less confidence. "She'll take care of ya! Just make sure your defenders have your game on today, alright?"

Zev began to look agitated. "Ronso do not defend. Ronso shoot."

"Oh boy," Rikku muttered. They arrived at the team's cabin doors, and Rikku split off with Irga for the women's partition. "Are you ready?" she called back to Jecht.

"I got this. Stop worryin', Blondie. I'm the greatest! This one's in the bag." He gave her a thumbs up and his patented grin, before disappearing between the broad blue shoulders of his teammates.

"So… do you know who we're playing against?" Rikku tried, smiling at her companion.

"No," Irga said, before stripping down into her blitzing gear.

Sighing, Rikku changed into her own familiar bikini and puffed sleeves. At least Auron and Braska wouldn't miss her, a mass of skin, bows, and yellow swimwear in the middle of all that Ronso blue. Rikku turned her attention to the room's sphere screen.

"Well, Bobba, it looks like we're finally going to see the Ronso Fangs in action once more!"

"Always a pleasure! Those Ronsos are real crowd pleasers!"

"That's because they always lose. But at least they're guaranteed to make the show entertaining while they do it! People are already taking bets on how many fouls they'll make this year."

"Well, you might have to hold your breath on that one, Jimba. It looks like the Fangs drew the Besaid Aurochs for this exhibition game. The Aurochs have been on a losing streak for three years straight, and this year their youngest player is only thirteen! That smacks of desperation to me."

"What?" Rikku yelled.

"You've got to remember, Bobba, the Ronso Fangs have been playing Blitzball for nearly that long and they still don't understand the rules. I'd say it's a clear case of the helpless versus the clueless. Who do you think's going to win today?"

"Only Yevon can say, Jimba. Only Yevon can say."

Rikku nearly broke the sphere screen as she shut it off. "Let's just get this over with," she said to Irga, lowering her goggles over her eyes.

They rejoined their male teammates at the entrance to the field. The explosive sounds of the arena filling with water echoed to their position, and she stretched to loosen herself up.

Jecht grabbed her arm and pulled her to the front. The horn sounded, signalling that the arena was ready for play. "Let's blitz!" he roared, and after taking a deep breath, dove into the water.

"Let's just survive the game with our pride intact," Rikku grumbled. Sucking in a giant breath of her own, she joined him.

edited 8/16

Gazna, Zamzi, Irga Ronso are actual team Ronso Fangs players from FFX.

- Zev is a Ronso free agent in FFX. He's also a jack-of-all-trades and the fastest Ronso swimmer you can recruit.

- Gazna really is the captain of the Fangs and a midfielder.

- Irga starts out slow but eventually becomes one of the best defenders you can get at higher Blitzball levels.

- Zamzi starts out strong and remains passable as a goalkeeper throughout the entire Blitzball cycle.

I mention this because it actually plays into the way I wrote these characters' personalities.

Also, the Besaid Aurochs losing Tournament games for 23 years in a row / Wakka joining at 13 is canon.