Bevelle was a large, wondrous city of white-and-red upon the waters. The island city was a wonder to behold for both Kyra and Ari, who had only just departed their boat. The siblings stood, side-by-side, looking around the port which was almost as busy as the port of Luca. That was not so unusual to the pair, having grown up in Luca. It was more the feel of it, the way people were dressed, the lack of boxes, and….
“Machina?”
Kyra averted her gaze from a family of pilgrims to see where Ari was looking, and took note of a warrior in Yevon’s robes, holding a gun of all things. That sight startled her a moment, for that was indeed machina that Kyra was certain Yevon forbade.
“Lady Summoner?”
The red-head was apparently going to be pulled in many directions in this new city, as she half-turned to look back at the captain of the ship. He gave her a tired smile, as Ari adjusted himself to be more at her back.
The captain saw the wary look that Ari gave the monk, but Kyra did not.
“We will be prepared to leave again for Besaid Island when you are ready, my lady,” he offered.
“Thank you, Captain Yesha,” Kyra smiled to him, glad to know there needn’t be a delay. Glad to know she had a ship to begin her journey with, even if being upon the waters was worrisome. It was the domain of Sin.
Yet still, she was grateful for those who would risk the journey, and she stepped back, dropping into a slight bow as she moved her hands up, and drew them down again, forming the circle with them and bending over it in respect to the Captain, before Ari poked her shoulder. “More people.”
She let out a breathless huff, but smiled nonetheless as she turned once more, black skirt twirling with her. The smile became a look of surprise as she immediately recognized who it was. “Maester Bikkel!” And she moved through the motions of the prayer once more.
Behind her, Ari and the Captain shared a brief, amused look, before the Captain tilted his head towards Ari and walked off, leaving the young man to keep his position at Kyra’s back, and look intimidating with his height, and his own black duster. And his ball – but no one really thought the crystal blitzball looked that intimidating until after they’d been hit by it. He kept it under one arm.
He wished, for a moment, that he’d considered wearing a shirt that day, but it was too hot for that kind of nonsense. So it was black duster and silver slacks that he donned to meet a maester.
‘Fantastic.’
Not that his sister was all that proper herself, her purple top cut off before it reached the skirt. Though, he supposed, no one could really tell a summoner was decent or indecent, and in Luca they’d gotten away with much in terms of fashion.
“Lady Summoner,” Bikkel mimicked the action of the prayer himself, a gentle smile on his lips. Kyra straightened slowly, “It is an honor to finally meet you, Lady Kyra, though unfortunate it had to be this way.”
Her eyes lowered a moment, and Ari reached out to touch her shoulder as she spoke, “Yes, but there could be no other way.”
Bikkel kept that gentle look on his face, blue eyes seeming to hold the weight of the words as if he’d said them himself, “I know,” he agreed, not inclined to be one of those to put a stop to her. He offered his hand, “Come, let us at least show you proper hospitability in Bevelle,” he said, and she took his hand, coming to walk at his side as he and his guards led the way. “We know you have traveled far from Luca. How is it now?”
“Better,” Ari intruded, stepping to walk along his sister’s other side, “The Blitzball dome is ready again for blitzball, and we’re going to host a tournament again soon to help lift everyone’s spirits.” Ari boasted.
Bikkel looked surprised, but not disappointed, “Truly, already?” He asked, only to laugh pleasantly at the news, a sound Ari somehow wasn’t expecting from a man old enough to be his father. It relaxed him, somehow, “Then I shall have to be there when the first game is. Will you be playing?”
“Um—”
“We hope,” Kyra said, “I am sure that one game would not destroy our progress, entirely. Right?”
Ari moved a hand behind his head, digging nails into the back of his scalp. “Ye—no, probably not.” His hair was freshly dyed, no trace of black in it, but he doubted then he’d be able to convince them to pause for him to fix his hair.
A blitzball game, sure.
Dying his roots? Out of the question.
Unlike Bikkel, he didn’t think he pulled off black that well.
“Then I shall look forward to seeing you play, Ari. You would not be the first Guardian blitzball player. Or summoner. I am sure you are familiar with High Summoner Ohalland?”
“Yeah! He was part of the Kilika Beasts,” Ari said. “We still pray to him, even in Luca, for good luck in our games.”
They walked, easily distracted by the conversation, though Kyra kept some eye to the sights of Bevelle. It had so many tall buildings…she wasn’t expecting it. She didn’t know how it was possible, truthfully.
“Your guardian, Dorean, hails from Kilika,” Bikkel said. “Although I do not think he is much of a blitzer,” he added lightly.
“Well that lowers his credentials right there,” Ari joked, “What does he have to offer?”
Bikkel took the joke lightly, “I believe he has a sword, and some knowledge of how to use it. Does that sound sufficient?” His own smile pulled a bit, but he kept the amusement subdued.
“I guess,” Ari allowed, “but I’m going to have to personally vet him.”
“Of course,” Bikkel couldn’t help but start to chuckle there, “I am certain he will be able to meet your standards though, Ari.”
“We’ll see.” Ari was playing, more than anything, but he did hope this guardian was as good as they were led to believe any trained by the Temples would be. “Was he trained in Kilika?”
“Actually, he was trained in Besaid, where I understand you will be going after this. That is fortuitous, he will be able to serve as a decent guide for two locations,” Kilika and Besaid both, which was likely to be some relief to the summoner and her guardian.
“Hm. I don’t hear much good about Besaid.”
Kyra put an elbow into Ari’s side, but he didn’t take it back. “What? Their team is the worst in the league. The Ronsos do better!”
“Should they not?”
Ari practically jumped out of his skin as he realized they were heading up stairs, and had just passed by the Ronso maester.
“S-s-sorry I meant—ya’ll are tough, and I respect that,” he turned around, and quickly performed his own prayer-offering to avert any potential crisis, as Bikkel and Kyra paused a few steps higher up to watch him.
The ronso just smirked.
“It is all right, Goer,” he reached up and ruffled that perfectly styled white hair, causing Ari to look up, startled, “you humans are not bad, either. Fast.” Ari flushed several shades of red as the ronso turned away, and kept on, somehow not tripping on the long robe.
It was a miracle of maester Bikkel, too. And Kyra, Ari thought, though he supposed these sorts were used to it.
Eventually, with a bit more small talk about Besaid and Kilika, as well as the maester admitting to being born and raised in Bevelle, they entered the Temple of Yevon, which was apparently different from the temple of Bevelle’s Fayth, the powerful dragon they had witnessed in Luca when Sin attacked.
They were led to a side room, where a table was laid out with food. “It should not be long before the guardian arrives,” maester Bikkel offered, “Is there anything that either of you need, in the meantime?”
Ari shared a look with Kyra, then spoke up, “No, this all looks good. Thanks—thank you.”
“We appreciate all that you have prepared for us, truly.” Kyra added.
“Then I hope you will pardon me, I do have a few things to check in on. I will be back before you leave,” he offered, before he would leave the room, performing the prayer once more and departing.
Ari let out an immediate sigh of relief, before he approached the table. Kyra didn’t bother to even ask him ‘what’ as she, also, approached, and then took a seat on one of the cushions laid out besides the low table, and picked some of the fruit to start on.
“I can’t believe we’re really here,” Ari murmured. It was more that he didn’t want to believe it. That he didn’t want any of this to be happening. He knew he couldn’t turn back time, though. They had to see this through. “And when do you think I’m going to get to play a game, huh?”
“We do have to venture from Besaid, to Kilika, and through Luca again…perhaps the timing will be right?” Kyra offered.
Ari just huffed, but took a seat on one of the pillows, looking disgruntled with it. He still grabbed a piece of meat, a leg of some fowl, and bit into it. It was possible, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up for something like that. For anything. He had to keep his hopes focused on some other summoner succeeding, and Kyra never needing to go challenge Sin. He put the blitzball he’d been carrying into his lap as he started to actually eat.
“Machina?”
Kyra averted her gaze from a family of pilgrims to see where Ari was looking, and took note of a warrior in Yevon’s robes, holding a gun of all things. That sight startled her a moment, for that was indeed machina that Kyra was certain Yevon forbade.
“Lady Summoner?”
The red-head was apparently going to be pulled in many directions in this new city, as she half-turned to look back at the captain of the ship. He gave her a tired smile, as Ari adjusted himself to be more at her back.
The captain saw the wary look that Ari gave the monk, but Kyra did not.
“We will be prepared to leave again for Besaid Island when you are ready, my lady,” he offered.
“Thank you, Captain Yesha,” Kyra smiled to him, glad to know there needn’t be a delay. Glad to know she had a ship to begin her journey with, even if being upon the waters was worrisome. It was the domain of Sin.
Yet still, she was grateful for those who would risk the journey, and she stepped back, dropping into a slight bow as she moved her hands up, and drew them down again, forming the circle with them and bending over it in respect to the Captain, before Ari poked her shoulder. “More people.”
She let out a breathless huff, but smiled nonetheless as she turned once more, black skirt twirling with her. The smile became a look of surprise as she immediately recognized who it was. “Maester Bikkel!” And she moved through the motions of the prayer once more.
Behind her, Ari and the Captain shared a brief, amused look, before the Captain tilted his head towards Ari and walked off, leaving the young man to keep his position at Kyra’s back, and look intimidating with his height, and his own black duster. And his ball – but no one really thought the crystal blitzball looked that intimidating until after they’d been hit by it. He kept it under one arm.
He wished, for a moment, that he’d considered wearing a shirt that day, but it was too hot for that kind of nonsense. So it was black duster and silver slacks that he donned to meet a maester.
‘Fantastic.’
Not that his sister was all that proper herself, her purple top cut off before it reached the skirt. Though, he supposed, no one could really tell a summoner was decent or indecent, and in Luca they’d gotten away with much in terms of fashion.
“Lady Summoner,” Bikkel mimicked the action of the prayer himself, a gentle smile on his lips. Kyra straightened slowly, “It is an honor to finally meet you, Lady Kyra, though unfortunate it had to be this way.”
Her eyes lowered a moment, and Ari reached out to touch her shoulder as she spoke, “Yes, but there could be no other way.”
Bikkel kept that gentle look on his face, blue eyes seeming to hold the weight of the words as if he’d said them himself, “I know,” he agreed, not inclined to be one of those to put a stop to her. He offered his hand, “Come, let us at least show you proper hospitability in Bevelle,” he said, and she took his hand, coming to walk at his side as he and his guards led the way. “We know you have traveled far from Luca. How is it now?”
“Better,” Ari intruded, stepping to walk along his sister’s other side, “The Blitzball dome is ready again for blitzball, and we’re going to host a tournament again soon to help lift everyone’s spirits.” Ari boasted.
Bikkel looked surprised, but not disappointed, “Truly, already?” He asked, only to laugh pleasantly at the news, a sound Ari somehow wasn’t expecting from a man old enough to be his father. It relaxed him, somehow, “Then I shall have to be there when the first game is. Will you be playing?”
“Um—”
“We hope,” Kyra said, “I am sure that one game would not destroy our progress, entirely. Right?”
Ari moved a hand behind his head, digging nails into the back of his scalp. “Ye—no, probably not.” His hair was freshly dyed, no trace of black in it, but he doubted then he’d be able to convince them to pause for him to fix his hair.
A blitzball game, sure.
Dying his roots? Out of the question.
Unlike Bikkel, he didn’t think he pulled off black that well.
“Then I shall look forward to seeing you play, Ari. You would not be the first Guardian blitzball player. Or summoner. I am sure you are familiar with High Summoner Ohalland?”
“Yeah! He was part of the Kilika Beasts,” Ari said. “We still pray to him, even in Luca, for good luck in our games.”
They walked, easily distracted by the conversation, though Kyra kept some eye to the sights of Bevelle. It had so many tall buildings…she wasn’t expecting it. She didn’t know how it was possible, truthfully.
“Your guardian, Dorean, hails from Kilika,” Bikkel said. “Although I do not think he is much of a blitzer,” he added lightly.
“Well that lowers his credentials right there,” Ari joked, “What does he have to offer?”
Bikkel took the joke lightly, “I believe he has a sword, and some knowledge of how to use it. Does that sound sufficient?” His own smile pulled a bit, but he kept the amusement subdued.
“I guess,” Ari allowed, “but I’m going to have to personally vet him.”
“Of course,” Bikkel couldn’t help but start to chuckle there, “I am certain he will be able to meet your standards though, Ari.”
“We’ll see.” Ari was playing, more than anything, but he did hope this guardian was as good as they were led to believe any trained by the Temples would be. “Was he trained in Kilika?”
“Actually, he was trained in Besaid, where I understand you will be going after this. That is fortuitous, he will be able to serve as a decent guide for two locations,” Kilika and Besaid both, which was likely to be some relief to the summoner and her guardian.
“Hm. I don’t hear much good about Besaid.”
Kyra put an elbow into Ari’s side, but he didn’t take it back. “What? Their team is the worst in the league. The Ronsos do better!”
“Should they not?”
Ari practically jumped out of his skin as he realized they were heading up stairs, and had just passed by the Ronso maester.
“S-s-sorry I meant—ya’ll are tough, and I respect that,” he turned around, and quickly performed his own prayer-offering to avert any potential crisis, as Bikkel and Kyra paused a few steps higher up to watch him.
The ronso just smirked.
“It is all right, Goer,” he reached up and ruffled that perfectly styled white hair, causing Ari to look up, startled, “you humans are not bad, either. Fast.” Ari flushed several shades of red as the ronso turned away, and kept on, somehow not tripping on the long robe.
It was a miracle of maester Bikkel, too. And Kyra, Ari thought, though he supposed these sorts were used to it.
Eventually, with a bit more small talk about Besaid and Kilika, as well as the maester admitting to being born and raised in Bevelle, they entered the Temple of Yevon, which was apparently different from the temple of Bevelle’s Fayth, the powerful dragon they had witnessed in Luca when Sin attacked.
They were led to a side room, where a table was laid out with food. “It should not be long before the guardian arrives,” maester Bikkel offered, “Is there anything that either of you need, in the meantime?”
Ari shared a look with Kyra, then spoke up, “No, this all looks good. Thanks—thank you.”
“We appreciate all that you have prepared for us, truly.” Kyra added.
“Then I hope you will pardon me, I do have a few things to check in on. I will be back before you leave,” he offered, before he would leave the room, performing the prayer once more and departing.
Ari let out an immediate sigh of relief, before he approached the table. Kyra didn’t bother to even ask him ‘what’ as she, also, approached, and then took a seat on one of the cushions laid out besides the low table, and picked some of the fruit to start on.
“I can’t believe we’re really here,” Ari murmured. It was more that he didn’t want to believe it. That he didn’t want any of this to be happening. He knew he couldn’t turn back time, though. They had to see this through. “And when do you think I’m going to get to play a game, huh?”
“We do have to venture from Besaid, to Kilika, and through Luca again…perhaps the timing will be right?” Kyra offered.
Ari just huffed, but took a seat on one of the pillows, looking disgruntled with it. He still grabbed a piece of meat, a leg of some fowl, and bit into it. It was possible, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up for something like that. For anything. He had to keep his hopes focused on some other summoner succeeding, and Kyra never needing to go challenge Sin. He put the blitzball he’d been carrying into his lap as he started to actually eat.
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