Author Topic: Rebirth ~ The Price of Eternity [A Fan Restoration Project]  (Read 2653 times)

Danko Kaji

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Re: Rebirth ~ The Price of Eternity [A Fan-written Restoration]
« on: September 04, 2015, 11:24:25 pm »
Chapter 2
Tentative Title: Of Yevon's Curse
part one of two
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(A/N): I decided to give the Aurochs some character, since their lack of distinguishing features drove me crazy. While researching each Auroch member, apparently Nojima never thought to include or even acknowledge Vilucha as an official member (you know, the lady who lives with her husband in the southeast house closest to the gate). As for the names Rash, Mesker, and Karam, there's no Wiki page for them at all, nor did I find them in my FFX | FFX-2 HD Guidebook. So, I guess he randomly thought them up to fill empty space. How novel.  ::)

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Besaid’s waters were always blessed with an abundance of fish, but the inhabitants only made sure to catch enough to satisfy their need for sustenance. In order to earn money, the local fishermen produced a unique textile specific to this island so they could take advantage of the generous influx of people wishing to visit the High Summoner Yuna at her homeland. Since these past several months, they managed to convert a whole wing of the temple to accommodate travelers.

When Tidus arrived at the cove, he wandered to the edge of the beach and watched the setting sun dye the open sky in flaming, warm streaks of orange. Yet the boat he overheard Wakka and the others brag about since his return back lied nowhere in sight.

“Where’s the boat? ...Is that it?” Tidus said, pointing to a skiff moored at the pontoon.
   
Wakka stood up from his relaxed position on the sand and puffed his chest out. “May I present to you the Aurochs Ace!”
   
For some reason, Tidus imagined it bigger, grander, considering how much they embellished it. The figurehead looked like a plaque carved in striking image of their blitzball trophy. Unlike the golden original, they painted it yellow. This messy ensemble cut a pretty sad figure, but he chose to say nothing, not wanting to rain on Wakka's parade when the team worked so hard on it.
   
“Thanks to this boat, the Aurochs have made considerable progress in our profits!”
   
Tidus smiled, pleased by his enthusiasm. Gazing out into the ocean, he traced the shallow water surrounding Besaid, which stretched out so far from the shore that it proved unsuitable for training. It made certain things like jumping and diving too dangerous when close to lower levels. By themselves, the Aurochs lacked the strength to dive in or rise to the surface, but thanks to the Ace, the team could venture into deeper waters to catch larger, more bountiful schools of fish; similar to how they adopted tactics while playing in the sphere pool, utilizing the “deep and shallow kick.”
   
“It definitely revolutionized our game.” Botta winked, pumping his arm out with a proud flex.
   
Tidus grinned, patting the scarred pectorals of his red-haired friend.
   
“Originally, it was used to haul in small goods at Port Kilika,” Wakka said, “But we managed to restore it by ourselves. We financed the purchase and restoration work thanks to the villagers’ donations. We mustn’t disappoint them!”
   
They started to warm up now, under Letty’s orders. Tidus appraised the team in between leg stretches: with Datto as forward, Botta as second to defense, Jassu as main defender, Letty as sole midfielder, Keepa as best goalie, and Vilucha, the only female of the team and their main forward, along with new members Tidus never met, Rash, Mesker, and Karam, that made the total count eleven with Tidus and Wakka. But because Vilucha stayed behind in the village to assist with the lights and decorations, they had an even number of players. Wakka split them up into two teams and Letty whistled to commence the match.
   
They decided to follow the rules of half-blitzball, a version which forbade players to disappear beneath the surface regardless of whether or not they possessed the ball; a penalty Tidus winded up receiving one too many times, because he found it surprisingly difficult to control his movements.
   
“It’s no big deal. Don’t worry!”

Their cheers failed to reassure him, and Tidus frowned, depressed by this newfound power difference between them. Before, it had been the other way around; Tidus hailed from a major city as a lone star player capable of overpowering an entire team from the countryside. He remembered the very day he arrived here, too, forming the best first impression any young, aspiring blitzballer could make. Had the Aurochs really improve this much, or did Tidus regress this far?

“Beclem Clash!” Botta called out, his arm bandages and nose plaster peeling off under the impossible speed of his vertical jump, and his powerhouse kick sent the ball hurtling straight for Tidus’s face.
   
Beclem, the previous trainer of the team, made himself quite infamous for his no-nonsense attitude, discipline, and severity. This unknown, brutal technique, taught by someone Tidus never met, shook him to the core. He decided to play dead, wanting to turn this stinging setback into a light-hearted joke; drifting to the water’s surface, his arms and legs floated like logs until he heard a voice declare:

“We’re going to end this. The team that scores the next point wins the match, okay?”

Propelling himself to stay afloat, Tidus inhaled air and spit out saltwater, cringing from the acrid taste that lingered in his mouth. He noticed Keepa nearby, bounding ever slow to his side until he gave him a sympathetic smile.

“The night’s falling. We won’t be able to see the ball anymore. You get my drift, ya?”

“I guess…” Tidus pouted. No one bothered to comment on his funny, little act. ‘Geez, give a guy a break. I just came back from a two year limbo; at least show that you guys care a little.’ But for all his internal grumbling, he really appreciated that they didn’t walk on eggshells around him, treating him as an existence most fragile, so he took their mean teasing in stride.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2015, 06:54:01 pm by Danko Kaji »
Lost in the winds of change~

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Consider me a wandering 'Maechen' of FFX/X-2 lore.
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