Chapter 55 – The World Moved On
Strolling down the dock with her suitcase in hand, Yuna examined the stacks of crates around her. Dockworkers milled around on the pier, moving crates and barrels all over the place. Though the boxes had to be different than four years prior, exiting the ship into Luca appeared just the same as it did then. She ducked out of the way as a trio of dockworkers marched from behind her, carrying the blitzball equipment the Aurochs brought with them from Besaid. Trailing shortly behind, Keepa stopped next to Yuna.
"Hey! Where will you be off to?" he asked.
Her eyes popped open. "Oh, I suppose I shouldn't be standing here gawking. I have an appointment with my landlord."
"Do you need any help getting there?"
Yuna shook her head. "No, thank you. I've been in Luca enough to remember the way."
"Sounds good!" he exclaimed before jogging down the dock. "I hope you'll see our games!"
"I'll be there!" she called back to him.
Leaning down to grasp the handle of her suitcase, a tall shadow crossed over her. She looked up to see a familiar face, still wearing a metal bird mask, greeting her with a smile.
"Good day, Lady Yuna," said Beclem. "It's good to see you again."
"Oh, Beclem! I didn't expect to run into you here," replied Yuna, her mouth open in surprise.
"Didn't the boys tell you? I'll be their coach this season."
Yuna clasped her hands together. "That's wonderful! I didn't think you'd have a chance to."
Beclem sighed. "Neither did I. Thankfully the Youth League let me take a break from my normal duties to coach the Aurochs."
"The Youth League? I thought that was disbanded?" asked Yuna.
"You've been secluded for a while now, haven't you?" he asked, folding his arms together.
Frowning, Yuna looked off into the distance. "I suppose I have. It's been about two years since I last ventured outside of Besaid."
"Some things have changed, and not changed, since then," he spoke. "Are you staying in Luca for long?"
"I plan to stay here permanently," answered Yuna.
"Oh? Turning a new leaf?"
She laughed softly at his comment. "I guess you could say that."
"Well, please allow me to carry your luggage to wherever your new home will be. I'll catch you up on some of the happenings around Spira that you've missed."
"Are you sure you have time?"
Beclem laughed. "If they haven't gotten too soft around Wakka, the Aurochs should be fine."
Yuna thanked Beclem and handed her suitcase over to his care. He led her away from the docks and toward Luca proper. She would never have imagined Beclem treating her so warmly two years ago. Yuna recalled Beclem's mocking of her memories at the temple in Besaid. Her anger boiled furiously at the time for him wanting to burn the temple down. People change and the world moves on, she thought. Perhaps this is why Rikku always wanted her to do more than isolate herself in Besaid.
"So, I'm sure you're still confused about the Youth League," he blurted out suddenly, cutting through a crowd of blitzball fans from Kilika.
Yuna nodded. "I thought the factions disbanded two years ago."
"You're not wrong. Just that things reversed course, so to speak. Nooj intended to break us up, just as Baralai worked on disbanding New Yevon."
"So, what happened?"
"While most Spirans ended their contention with one another, they weren't quite ready to give up their beliefs. Nooj had to back away from shuttering the Youth League," Beclem explained.
"Then how did he prevent people from fracturing again?" questioned Yuna.
By now, they had passed by the stadium entrance and approached the city square. Lively as ever, people from all walks of life filled the city streets. Cheers and jeers about blitzball were on the tip of everybody's tongues. Just like the first time she arrived in Luca four years ago, the excitement for the blitzball season reverberated throughout every corner of the city.
Beclem adjusted his helmet. "He bonded the factions together. The Youth League, New Yevon, and the Machine Faction have joined together to form the New Spiran League."
Yuna laughed. "That's a catchy name."
"It's been popular with most folks," he said with a smirk. "Everyone gets to keep their core beliefs and still work together. It kept the world from devolving into fighting each other again."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"The Eternal Calm you brought about continues in part because of this alliance," he stated, looking back at her.
Yuna felt herself blush at the notion. "Thank you. You're too kind."
"I just thought someone should give you the credit you deserve. Just so you know, most people will attribute the Calm to Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal now since you've been out of the public eye for so long."
"That's alright, I don't want the attention," Yuna replied.
Entering the city square, Yuna recalled the many joyful memories she had in this boisterous corner of Luca: encountering Kimarhi's clansmen in the café, handing out balloons in a moogle disguise, and being interviewed by Shelinda. She pulled a slip of paper out of her pouch. Opening it up, she pointed to the building closest to her on the left.
"My apartment is in here," she remarked, rereading the address just to make sure.
He nodded and handed over her suitcase. "Then I will bid you farewell and good luck on your next adventure."
"Thanks for your help. I appreciated the company."
With a smile and a nod, Beclem departed from the square. Alone once more, Yuna let out a protracted sigh. With her suitcase clutched in her hands, she walked through the archway and knocked on the door. She waited patiently, feeling awkward and out of place until she heard the door creak open. An elderly woman, wearing a dark green robe with a cream-colored blouse, poked her head out.
"What can I do for ya?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm here about the vacant apartment."
The woman nodded, fidgeting with her grey hair tied up into a tight bun. "Ah`, yes of course. You must be Tifa."
"Yuna," she corrected. "My name is Yuna."
"Of course," replied the woman, flashing a gummy smile at her. "Please, come inside."
The old woman led her down a narrow hallway. She tapped her wrinkly knuckles against a red, wooden door shortly from the entrance, explaining that this was her apartment. At the end of the hallway, a set of stairs led to the second floor. The woman opened a teal door, revealing a cozy rectangular living space.
"It ain't much, but it fits your price range," blurted out the old woman, leading Yuna inside.
Two diminutive rooms joined together to form the apartment. A mostly empty bookshelf rested against the wall near the doorway. The first room had an L-shaped counter for food preparation. A small stack of well-used pots and pans sat in the corner. A coffee table sat dwarfed next to an oversized sofa. The adjoining room housed a small poster bed, complete with white and gold sheets. Yuna ran her hand across the floral embroidery.
A sliding glass door led out to a tiny balcony, extending out over the street below. While the view didn't dazzle her like a view of the square would have, she appreciated it all the same. She could at least get some fresh air when she wanted to without leaving her home.
"Thank you so much. I'll take it!" she exclaimed to the landlord.
The old woman grinned. "Wonderful! That will be 1,000 gil for this month."
Yuna opened her mouth in surprise. "Oh, yes. Um, let me see . . ."
She shuffled her fingers around in her pouch. Several coins slid between her fingertips. Pulling out all the gil she had left from her days as a sphere hunter, Yuna carefully counted out what she owed. After paying the elderly woman, she realized she had only a few gil left to her name.
The landlord recounted the gil. "Thank you very much, dear. Welcome to Luca! If you need anything, please let me know. I'm just a knock away."
Yuna waved as the old woman descended the stairs. Realizing she didn't catch her landlord's name, she called out to no avail. Shrugging her shoulders, she laughed to herself while she plopped down on the oversized sofa. Putting her boots up on the table, she closed her eyes. The completion of her independence seeped into her mind.
She spent a few minutes in silence, propping her head against her hand. Twitching her nose, Yuna glanced around her new home. Although she was used to living in a small space, she had hoped to upgrade that aspect of her life in Luca. Her gaze caught a large painting on the wall by the entrance to the bedroom.
Yuna got up to examine it closer. Hanging vertically, the watercolor painting depicted a street of a village, overgrown by shrubs and palm trees. All the buildings looked run down, not lived in for ages most likely. Emerging from the village towered a gigantic structure, clouds of russet smoke billowing from exhaust pipes.
"Wait, I recognize this place," Yuna whispered to herself. "It's Iutycyr Tower."
Her mind replayed a scene from the past. Paine confided in Rikku and herself that she wanted to write a book on their adventures together. At the time, Yuna had no desire to record the recent past. Too many sorrowful memories still swirled around inside her at the time. Too many pieces of her heart remained missing—wounds unhealed.
Feelings of regret poured through her. Gripping her hands together in front of her, Yuna wished she hadn't dismissed Paine so thoughtlessly. She hoped her sour words didn't deter Paine from writing her book. Interrupted by her stomach growling, Yuna snapped out of her funk and decided it was time to find a meal. Though she felt anxious about leaving her new home so soon, a second tummy rumble convinced her to venture out in search of food.
Leaving her apartment building, Yuna walked across the square over to the nearby café. Feeling antsy and energized, she decided to buy a sandwich to go. The allure of artisanal deli sandwiches beckoned to her tastebuds. She ordered the first sandwich she saw on the menu, Warm meat and cheese with a grainy mustard looked delicious between toasted bread. Handing over the rest of the meager gil still left in her pouch, Yuna quickly realized she needed to find a way to earn money if she was to subsist in Luca. She sighed and wandered out into the city.
Like a stranger in a strange land, Yuna slowly paced up and down the streets. She watched all the people bustling throughout Luca. A large group of children kicked around a well-loved blitzball, streaks of mud coloring its round form. A pair of young Al Bhed men stood with arms around each other, bubbly drinks in hand, singing songs of previous victories for their beloved Psyches. A group of travelers huddled by a large, wooden stand lined with wicker baskets being sold by a Guado woman. The travelers tried to haggle with her, but the woman stayed staunch with her asking price.
Yuna pondered to herself what should she do for work. She felt her stomach churn at the thought of contending with haggling customers. She had no trade or talent to offer. Up until two years ago, her life consisted of two purposes—summoning and sphere hunting. While she could readily appreciate the positive effects she had on the world, Yuna couldn't push aside the sheer disappointment she felt about her personal achievements or lack thereof.
Swallowing the last bite of her sandwich, Yuna found herself standing near the sphere theater. The yellow and purple flags surrounding the towering structure fluttered in the ocean wind. A large crowd of people emerged from the entrance, all with smiles on their faces. Cutting through the crowd, Yuna walked up to the entrance. A help wanted sign sat next to the door.
Inside the lobby, the sweet smell of flowers greeted her. Groups of people from all across Spira stood around chatting and laughing. She approached the reception desk where a woman in a decorative yellow shirt with brown pants stood assisting guests.
"Excuse me," Yuna said, raising her hand. "Are you still looking for help like the sign outside says?"
The woman perked up. "Why yes, we are! Are you interested in a job?"
Yuna hesitated for a moment at the jubilant reaction the woman had to her question but eventually nodded. Rubbing her hands together, the woman reached down behind her and placed a closed sign up on the desk. She shuffled around the desk to greet Yuna on the other side.
"I'm so glad you're interested! It's been so hard finding the help I need to run the theater," the woman declared, grabbing Yuna by the hands.
Yuna just glared at the woman. "Oh, you are? Um, that's great, I think."
"Yes, it is! My name is Marlinda by the way," she said, her expression still overly bright.
"It's nice to meet you." Yuna pulled her hands out of Marlinda's grasp. "I'm Yuna."
Crinkling her nose, Marlinda nodded. "Yuna? Oh, just the like the famous summoner—how nice! That might come in handy for marketing soon."
"Uh, right. Just like her," Yuna sheepishly replied.
At this time, Marlinda noticed a line of impatient customers waiting by her desk. "What experience do you have in entertainment operations?"
Yuna tapped her finger against her lips. "Entertainment experience? Well, I've dressed up like a moogle and handed out balloons to people in the square before."
Marlinda shrugged. "More than I expected. When can you start?"
"Start? Oh, um, I guess I'm available anytime," Yuna answered, feeling anxious.
"That's perfect! If you can start right now, you're hired!" Marlinda exclaimed, slipping back behind the reception desk.
Yuna gawked at her in surprise. "Now? You mean, exactly right now?"
With great enthusiasm, Marlinda nodded her head. For a moment, Yuna paused to think about the offer before chuckling to herself. She didn't need to sit and think—she needed to act.
"Yes, that sounds great," answered Yuna.
"Hey, that's wonderful! Come on back here." Marlinda motioned for Yuna to come behind the reception desk.
Following her instructions, Yuna stood behind Marlinda, shadowing her every move. Her job seemed easy enough at first glance. Ask what movie sphere the customer wanted to watch, write them a ticket, then direct them into the theater.
After an hour of observing Marlinda work her magic, she stepped aside to allow Yuna to serve the next customers in line. Greeting the group of teenagers with a smile, she bowed her head slightly and asked what they were here to see. Before she knew it, Yuna had the rowdy bunch on their way inside.
"Look at you! You're a natural," cheered Marlinda, patting Yuna on the back.
Yuna closed her eyes and grinned back at her boss. Until the sun sank from the sky, Yuna checked in guest after guest. With the lobby empty aside from herself and Marlina, Yuna reached for the broom behind the reception desk and swept the lobby area.
Though Marlinda had closed the front door a couple of minutes beforehand, Yuna heard it open. Turning around, she paused her cleaning.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but we are closed for—"
She gasped at the two late customers standing before her. A tall and lanky man scolded his short and portly accomplice for causing them to be late.
Yuna's face lit up, exclaiming, "Logos! Ormi!"
The two men stopped their bickering, perking up at hearing their names unexpectedly announced. Releasing Ormi from his grasp, Logos hinted a smile at Yuna.
"Yuna? It truly is you," he declared in astonishment.
Ormi waddled himself up to Yuna, hugging her. "Wow! I can't believe it. It's been so long."
Yuna hugged him back. "Aw, yes it has."
"You're about the last person in Spira I would've expected to see here," commented Logos, pulling his overly attached companion away.
"I can imagine," said Yuna while giggling. "And I could same the same about you two."
Ormi questioned, "Are you here to see a movie, too?"
"No, I work here," Yuna answered, shaking her head.
Logos rubbed his chin. "Work here? Does that mean you're living in Luca now?"
"That's right! This is my new home now."
Ormi hooted. "Look at you, still venturing the world! I bet you have all kinds of new stories since we beat Vegnagun."
Yuna's smile faded from her face. "To be honest, I really don't. This is the first time I've left Besaid since then."
"Oh? You don't still travel with the Dull, er, I mean Gullwings and that idiot brother of your cousin?" asked Logos.
Yuna shook her head, gripping the handle of her broom a little tighter. "We all parted ways a while ago. Sphere hunting isn't in my life anymore."
"Can't say the same about the boss," chuckled Ormi. "She's as driven as ever."
Yuna relished the opportunity to change the subject. "How is Leblanc these days?"
"The boss is great! She's been on a roll trying to track down these super unique spheres—"
Logos clunked Ormi on top of the head. "We've been very busy is what he is trying to say. You wouldn't happen to be able to allow us into the theater still, would you?"
"We're technically closed." Yuna looked around the lobby for Marlinda. "But I guess it's okay if you two are still here."
"Oh, goodie!" cried Logos. "Thank you so much! We won't be long, I promise."
"What would you like to watch?" she asked, leading Leblanc's henchmen into the theater.
At first, Yuna felt like she was being obtuse when Logos described what he and Ormi were seeking. She quickly realized he was intentionally being vague. Unfamiliar with the full catalog at the sphere theater, she scrummaged through the list of spheres with recordings from the Farplane. Yuna hadn't given an iota of thought to the Farplane since she defeated Shuyin there two years ago. Dark thoughts dripped into her mind, long pushed aside and left in the past.
Regardless of her personal feelings, she wouldn't let her duty slack. She led the two men inside the theater, making sure they were cozily settled in. Leaving them to their viewing, Yuna returned to the lobby. She just finished her tidying work when Logos and Ormi reemerged.
"Did you enjoy your movies?" she asked, replacing the broom behind the reception desk.
Ormi flashed a thumbs up. "Yeah, we did! Man, seeing those brought back some memories.
"Indeed," added Logos. "Although I could do without another jaunt into the Farplane again."
Yuna silently agreed and bid them farewell as they exited the sphere theater. Blowing out a burst of air, she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Walking back to the office, the door hung a crack open. She spied Marlinda quietly shuffling papers around.
Yuna knocked softly on the door. "I have everything tidy in the lobby. Do you need anything else?"
Turning her head around, Marlinda smiled. "Oh, no. You've done plenty for today! I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"Of course," replied Yuna. "I'll see you in the morning."
Outside the theater, night reigned over the city. The denizens of Luca, who crowded the streets just hours before, slept peacefully in their beds. No boisterous laughter, arduous haggling, or cordial conversation filled the city with voluminous sound. Outside of the occasional straggler, stumbling home from too much drink, Yuna trekked back to the square alone.
The luminous moon, shining high in the sky above the cityscape, poured its bright glow upon her. A different feeling swelled inside her than when she would take a nightly walk along the beaches in Besaid. She felt a charge in her steps and a purpose for her actions. Entering the square, she could witness the gallant moon above without the buildings obscuring it. Looking up at it before she entered her apartment building, Yuna bid the moon good night.