Final Fantasy X Part #73 - Episode LXIV: Singing My Song

Part 73: Episode LXIV: Singing My Song

That's what I would have said, if I was a follower of Yevon.

And admittedly... not great with the sarcastic one-liners after suffering a mild concussion... It looks so easy in the movies but nah...

Even if I had a headache from wondering what was in store from us next.

Also again, I had just done a face plant from... look, I never was much of a numbers guy except blitzball points so... it was pretty high!

Following Wendigo's final feats of strength punching a hole into the frozen Lake Macalania ice, a task even an exploding tank couldn't accomplish, we find ourselves in some watery ruins beneath the permafrost. Don't worry about the musclebound yeti. With its focus complete, it turned into a crystal yeti until the gods got drunk again and fucked things up royally again.

...Wait, I'm mixing up my bad plot devices.

Everyone else miraculously survived the fall through the ice without a scratch and have decided now is a good time to just loiter about for a bit. It will be up to Tidus to get things moving again by yammer with everyone here. Err... where ever here is...

"Look. That's the bottom of the temple.”

It wasn't readily apparent earlier, what with the snowmobile ride away from the lake toward a cavern in the opposite direction, but the top ice layer of Lake Macalania is actually the roof of Macalania Temple's cavern. We're now on the shores of the actual lake's position after it got... partially drained to make a massive ice cavern to house the temple...? Don't ask me how any of that works. I'm no fantasy scientist.

Ah, c'mon. This is Spira. The average life span is about 30. Seymour had a good run as evil church official. If anything, we've set the Guado back majorly in getting any upward traction in politics. Literally only one woman ever has boned a Guado and produced offspring and they immediately made him the leader of their race when he came of age. Good luck pulling that trick again.

"'What now?' You act first and think later, don't you? I mean, can't you be a little more responsible? We're all depending on you. You know?"

"A lecture?"

*nervously shakes head* "No, no, no. Heh heh... Just a suggestion."

"You should place trust in your friends. But you can't expect someone to protect you all the time. You would do well to remember that."

"Is that a lecture?"

"It's advice."

Keep all your party member's leveled up evenly so you can avoid bullshit encounters when they shuffled the party? Gotcha. Boy I was kind of fucked when they threw in the mandatory solo Kimahri boss fight and I'd used him all of never the first time I played.

Auron and Lulu are standing right by each other and clearly chatting when Tidus buzzes off. Further north however, Wakka is busying himself staring at a wall while Rikku stares off into space. Rikku will advance scenes so we'll talk to her last. How's Wakka holding up now that he's helped take a big steaming dump on his faith's leadership.

"It doesn't matter! Don't you see? I've always walked the path of Yevon...but now, I'm a traitor. How could this happen?”

"It's not Rikku's fault either."

"You don't know how I feel."

Have some respect for his culture, Tidus. Without sports and religion to fall back on, racism is all the simple man from the deep south of Spira has left.

Now this I can answer, Wakka: They are staring off into space in the same Luca locker room we left them in until we start interacting with blitzball again roughly never.

On the far end of the ruins we find Kimahri standing watch over an unconscious Yuna. Umm... Guardians, we going to get somewhat concerned our summoner is lying collapsed on the floor after taking a several hundred foot face plant onto solid rock? No? Just going to hang out still. Alright...

Oh never mind. False alarm. Kimahri is on the case defending Yuna's body from any threats, other than internal bleeding. At least he's making a token effort at his job still.

”...So how did she get knocked out?”
“I think she clipped an icicle on the way down. It's fine. Kimahri dumped a Hi-Potion on her.”
“Right...”

“How are Lulu and Wakka?"

"Hmm. Well, Wakka's in shock. Can't blame him, either. And Lulu, well, she's just the same as always."

"She's so together. All grown up, I guess."

*stretches* "I guess."

<ABORT! ABORT! SUBJECT CHANGE!>

Tidus backs the fuck off immediately from the jailbait party member and sees how Kimahri is doing...

Rikku runs over and shoulder checks Tidus...

<Nopenopenope!>

“We climb.”

"Kimahri, too!"

"Only those who try will become."

“Huh?"

"I think he means you have to work hard if you want to be like Lulu."

"Oh! I will!"

”You know, become bitter and stoic by the time you're twenty. Spend a fortune of gil on make-up. Get really, REALLY well acquainted with belts... That sorta thing.”
“That's not the way I'm talking about and you know it.”
<Nopenopenope!>
“So hahaha! Climbing huh!? You must be pretty good at that, right Kimahri?”

"Huh...? Hey! Are you saying I'll never be like Lulu! Kimahri!"

“Ahahaha!”

”Ronso just like them young. Kimahri think it is best way.”
*Immediately stops laughing* “So...umm... What's that Auron? You need something?”

Wakka runs over to see what the ruckus is about...

”No good Al Bhed always think everything is a ri—“
“...That was me laughing, Wakka.”
“Yeah well... probably something the Al Bhed thought was hilarious about this whole mess. No taste the lost of them! Everything is a big joke.”
“Still doubling down on the Al Bhed thing, huh?”
“You bet! And umm... cheat at betting you no good swindlers!”
“For your information I was just talking about growing bigger bo—“
“Gah!”

”Hey everyone, Yuna is awake!”
_{_{<Weh. Nice timing>}}

Some time later...

"I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father, Lord Jyscal. I wanted to convince him to turn himself into Yevon's judgment."

"In exchange for marriage?"

"Yes, if that's what it took."

”Your heart was in the right place but... a few of the dots connecting marriage to having your new-found husband turning around to be sentenced by the church for patricide are... lacking.”

"He didn't say anything. Now...now I don't even think it was worth it. I should have told you what I was going to do."

”Totally.”
“Yuuuuup.”
*grumbles*
“That was real dumb, Yunie.”
*intense disapproving eye contact*

“Dwelling in the past is futile."

"You want to waste time listening to her regrets?"

”She made an idiotic play that would put her father's idiotic decisions in his pilgrimage to shame. And some of the decisions Jecht talked him into were borderline comedic farce of incompetence. Now that has forced our hands and we need to deal with it. End of story.”
“Woah. Sensing some backstory there, huh?”
*glares*

“Are you willing to go on?"

*nods* "Yes. But then, do you think Yevon will allow it?"

"The fayth are the ones that give power to the summoners. Not the temples or the teachings. If the temples try to stop us...then we will defy Yevon if we must."

“Sir Auron!?”

“Count me out.”

C'mon. Get with the program.

“Of course...it's not like I ever liked Maester Seymour, ya? No way I'll ever forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal... and for trying to do us all in too, you know? But still, the bunch of us going against Yevon? No way!"

This would probably all sound like a more serious matter if any sort of retribution for going against Yevon's will had been presented. Tidus regularly shat on temples' tenants earlier. It just resulted in mildly irritated monks treating him like a naughty toddler. The Crusaders got excommunicated by the church for all of about a week, got their asses handed to them, and the church just kind of shrugged and let them back in. For all we know Seymour got his job entirely for having enough moxie to kill his father and take the position for himself. Bootstraps, son!

“We must speak with Maester Mika and explain what has happened. There is no other way, I think."

"I agree."

"Sir Auron..."

"So it is decided."

We now have a blue important bit highlighted text to signify our next traveling goal: The capital of Spira and largest city on the planet, Bevelle. I'm sure it will be as inviting as your average Midgar or Vector.

"Yeah, that's right! You can always count on Auron to complicate things!"

“Kimahri roars, and Auron runs off, and..."

<Kimahri not just roar. Kimahri have rich set of emotions. Al Bhed girl only join with Yuna less than a week ago and thinks she knows all Ronso. But do Kimahri make a scene at insensitivity? Noooo.>

“Right?”

*scratches head* "Yep!"

*walks off quickly*

“Huh?”

“Friends, huh? Hmm...”

*nervous laugh*

“Must got nerves of steel or something."

"You're too edgy. Listen to the hymn and calm down."'

Alright. Now that Yuna has regained consciousness, everyone has shifted positions mulling around in ankle deep water for a bit and awaits another round with gabbing to Tidus. Yuna blocks our path up ahead, so I suppose we know who gets a chat first. It's worth noting the Hymn of the Fayth song gets absurdly loud around here.

"Yes, it is Yevon's gift. It soothes the hearts of the faithful."

”Guess that's why it's doing nothing for me, huh? Does it have like... a volume switch or are we just stuck with—“
*frown*
“...Nevermind.”

"I'm sure that Maester Mika will listen to us."

I think it's less the issue of him listening and more how Fantasy Pope will react to the whole ganking one of his subordinates thing. Right, Wakka?

“Yeah.”

"I thought so."

”Smells like... hmm... like wet hair that's been left out in the su—oh wait, it's just Kimahri. My bad.”

"I really feel weird."

That's probably just the hypothermia setting in. Shouldn't this water in the arctic zone be absolutely freezing? Hey Lulu, how warm is a dress made entirely out of belts?

"The fayth."

"The fayth? What? It can sing?"

"Of course it can. Don't be a fool."

”Wait, so was that the fayth singing back in the other temples?”
“Of course. What else would it be?”
“I don't know? You all acted like I had three heads when I said Seymour had some evil music following him around whenever he slithered into a place.”
“That was just traditional Yevon ceremonial music. How could we have known Maester Seymour's true intent from that?”
“...”
“...Wait. Soooo is that music that has been playing every time we've gotten into a fight on the road been real? Can you guys hear that? Like every time we've gotten in a fight since I arrived in Spira it's one of two music tracks. It's driving me nuts.”
“...I ...have no idea what you are talking about now.”
“Gah!”

Rikku is just running around sporadically like a child that's eaten way too much sugar. Let's see what her deal is...

“First time a non-Al Bhed called me that.”

”...Just had to help kill a Maester of Yevon and become one of the most wanted people in Spira. That wasn't so hard...”
*nervous laughter*

“Kimahri not know if this good or bad."

”Bet you're not a fan of this damp place, huh? You know... being a big cat guy... That... isn't racist, right? That sounds kind of racist. I should just keep my mouth shut...”
*frowns* “Kimahri is deeply unhappy with current conditions.”

Auron has decided to camp out furthest north of the ruins. Speaking with him will advance things. So let's get the ball rolling on that.

"Yeah, over and over. But not this good, that's for sure."

”His was WAY more slurred and off tune and half the time it would sort of devolve into that one pop song that was always on the radio. You know the one with whatsherface Lana or Ren or something. Gag!”

"Another trait you share."

"What, were you listening?"

New Music: Hum of the Fayth

"Your singing reminded me of Spira."

"Oh, right. You're not originally from Zanarkand, are you? You homesick?"

"Maybe."

”Ah. I don't get it, man. That Spira place sounds like a real bummer.”

The Hymn of the Fayth goes silent...

“Sin?"

*glares silently*

"Uh-huh, I thought so."

That proved it. Sin was the link between Zanarkand and Spira. Which means, if we kill Sin, I'll never be able to go home.

Yes, I know I said Zanarkand was getting pretty wrecked by Sin and infested with the Sin Spawn dudes. It still had the internet and fangirls and TV and pizza. I held out some hope, alright?

After we finish up our chat with Auron, the rest of the crew assembles in the central area for a little conference on our next move in getting the hell out of the bottom of a lake when half the party cannot swim.

The ominous lack of ghostly song is soon accompanied by an earthquake. This better not be a rocks fall, everyone dies end to this roleplaying campaign.