#final fantasy 10-2

[xyrishi00]

some final fantasy gals ◆

[jezyan]

baralai and gippal doodles from a while ago! there’s a gippalai sketch under the cut for any rare pair enjoyers out there! ;))

[oveliagirlhaditright]

I forgot about the FFX scene on Mt. Gagazet where Tidus said he wanted to see the Yuna statue the Ronso were going to build of her, but that he wanted to do so with Yuna by his side. -cries- So sweet and heartbreaking.

Has anyone done fanart of where this does get to happen post-the good ending in X-2?

[zeldamomoe]

"You don't mind if I go a little WILD do yah?!" Happy Final Fantasy Friday!🥳

[dementeddiva]

THERE'S A BABY TONBERRY

[bbs-backlog-challenge]

Fin or Bin: Final Fantasy 10-2

This is the last Final Fantasy game on the backlog (and at June 2016, the game that has been on there the longest), and I’m going to miss talking about the series’ nomenclature at the top of every post. This one must surely be the most egregious, being Ten Two, distinct from Twelve; a very rare direct FF sequel to a game which had a satisfying if bittersweet ending and did not in any way need a sequel at all.

This game is bad. I’m not going to pretend otherwise, and that’s not a spoiler for the end of the review- from concept through to execution, no part of this product is good. Two years after the events of the first (or, uh… tenth?) game, Yuna finds proof that a certain someone might still be kicking around, and so becomes a Sphere Hunter to follow that rabbit hole as deep as it will go. For those lacking the context, this is the Final Fantasy equivalent of going around garage sales buying up old VHS tapes to hopefully find someone who taped that lost episode of Doctor Who.

Honestly the whole package feels cheaply made and rushed and really just like it only exists because someone at Squenix realised graphics technology had become powerful enough to believably render girls in bikinis and they needed an excuse to do that. It’s flimsy and naff and feels like a Wish knockoff of the original game, using just enough of the same assets to ape it without directly infringing on the copyright.

Gone is the entirely bespoke Sphere Grid method of levelling characters, replaced with a… completely bog-standard Lv1-100 system that has almost no customisation whatsoever. Rather than strategically choosing the best character to swap into battle in a given moment, all three characters are functionally identical under the Dress Sphere system, which acts like a mid-battle class change. You can put monsters on your team now! I don’t know why. Battles are somehow active and hectic but also a sluggish mess, no longer the tactical style employed in the original title, now favouring a return to the old ATB system with added faff. New girl Paine (who I suspect is only here because they couldn’t convince anyone that Lulu would hop around in a swimsuit) is instructed to use the Power Break ability when her turn comes up, and then… proceeds to stand still for another twenty years charging it up before she can use it, even though it was already her turn.

All of the music has been entirely remade from the ground up, with not a single track carried over from the original. Series composer Nobuo Uematsu was not involved at all here, citing his work on other projects as a conflict in the schedule. Running around familiar locations with music that is somewhat similar but not quite right REALLY adds to the knockoff feel, and I suspect his conflicting schedule was ‘holy smokes I will work on literally anything else so I don’t have to waste my time on this’. The music is honestly awful, technically competent but tonally disastrous, and I hate it.

Fin or Bin:

Despite all its flaws, there is still yet something compelling about the game, and I’m not talking about the bikinis. I have tentatively called Ten my favourite FF game before, and it is just fascinating to watch it be so wholly mutilated- to see the same world done in as many wrong ways as could be imagined. I had to see more, I just had to keep going, and that technically makes this a Fin- but I got as far as seeing the ruins of Zanarkand which since the first title have been turned into a tacky tourist destination, and Yuna remarks how it hurts to see something so beloved and meaningful be turned into cashgrab slop, and the sheer lack of self-awareness on display was injurious. I really wanted to get through to the end just to say I had done so, but I think I’m pulling the ripcord.

(Steam)

[intersexcharacteroftheday]

today’s intersex character of the day is:

Lulu from Final Fantasy 10

submitted by @calicofemme

[mogranet]

Final Fantasy 10-2 – Lenne Cosplay

Cosplayer Profile & Origin of Photos

[freyayuki]

Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia Machina Kunagiri Burst Banners Cycle

The banners featuring the Burst or BT weapon of Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0 are coming soon in the Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia (DFFOO) mobile game.

Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid Banner 1

The Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid banner 1 features the following chars and their weapons:

Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0 - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, LD, and Burst or BT

Paine from Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Leo Cristophe from Final Fantasy VI - 15cp, 35cp, and Ex

Have everything on this banner except for Machina’s Burst and Paine’s LD. Have fully max limit broken all the 15cp, 35cp, and Ex weapons on this banner.

Machina’s and Leo’s Ex weapons have been Purpled or upgraded to Ex+ 3/3. Paine’s Ex is at base Ex only. Machina’s LD is also fully MLB.

Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid Banner 2

The Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid banner 2 features the following chars and their weapons:

Shantotto from Final Fantasy XI - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, LD, and Burst or BT

Wakka from Final Fantasy X - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Edge Geraldine from Final Fantasy IV - 15cp, 35cp, and Ex

Missing Shantotto’s BT and Edge’s Ex. Neither are must-haves for me so skipping this banner.

Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid Banner 2 Free First Multi-Draw Results

But we get a free multi-draw on the Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid banners as part of the currently ongoing winter campaign.

Banner 2′s free pulls gave me a gold orb. Just ended up with a dupe of Wakka’s LD though. Ah, well. It’s fine.

And, as it turned out, apparently I never MLB’d the first copy of Wakka’s LD that I got so this dupe wasn’t just a Power Stone after all.

Thoughts about Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0

It’s been a long time since Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0 (#ad) was first introduced as a playable char in Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia.

When Machina debuted into the game, he only had his 15cp, 35cp, and Ex weapons. Back then, I planned to pull for him only because I wanted his Ex.

Machina’s Ex gives an A Sphere called Break Hit Base Attack Up Shorter. This Sphere has the following effect:

Raises INT BRV, ATK by 10% for 3 turns when inflicting Break or attacking target afflicted with Break

I wanted to give this Sphere to Zack Fair from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII.

So after getting Machina’s Ex, I readily Purpled it and gave its Sphere to Zack. No regrets. I talk more about that in another post.

But as I watched the cut scenes in Machina’s event, I ended up liking him, so much so that I Purpled his armor then spent the time to farm for his perfect Artifacts - 3 ATK 108 with Dual-Wielding Star Pupil Boost★★ (Raises MAX BRV, ATK by 5% while Awakening buff active). Even got him 2 ATK 108 with MAX BRV 330 Arts.

After hearing about Machina’s LD, I looked forward to its arrival on the English or Global version of DFFOO.

It was after I’d obtained Machina’s LD that I decided to give him triple real Spheres.

Couldn’t completely make up my mind on what to equip to him though so, at the moment, he only has the following:

Oerba Yun Fang’s (from Final Fantasy XIII) Break Hit Attack Up Longer (RF) A Sphere

When inflicting Break or attacking target afflicted with Break: • Raises own ATK by 4% for 6 turns

Yang Fang Leiden’s (from Final Fantasy IV) Critical Attack Boost Up Shorter A Sphere

When dealing critical hit: • Raises MAX BRV and ATK by 10% for 3 turns *Does not stack with same sphere

Celes Chere’s (from Final Fantasy VI) Ability BRV Gain B Sphere

Increases BRV by 40% of INT BRV after using ability, once per turn *Also applies to abilities changed from BRV Attack, HP Attack

A little while after Machina’s LD dropped, Noctis Lucis Caelum from Final Fantasy XV and Ardyn Izunia (Ardyn Lucis Caelum) from Final Fantasy XV showed up.

Was able to get their full kits, including their Burst weapons, so I ended up using them way more than Machina.

As a result of that, I ended up kinda regretting giving Yang’s Sphere to Machina, to the point that I actually considered removing it from him.

It’s still on him now because I didn’t want to use a Reset Stone to remove it (a Reset stone will ensure you can remove the Sphere without losing it), and I didn’t know who else to give it to anyway. But I thought I’d definitely remove it if I had someone to give it to.

Much, much later, I heard that Machina got a Burst weapon in the Japanese version of DFFOO. Was so hyped when I heard about that.

Because I do like Machina. Now I planned to pull for his Burst and fully build him, including giving him triple real Spheres.

Been looking forward to the arrival of Machina’s BT. I’m glad that time will soon be upon us.

So now I’m preparing by trying to decide what I’ll do about his Spheres. Should I replace Yang’s Sphere? If yes, then what should I give to him instead? What about his other Sphere Slots?

Also bought Machina’s High Armor already. Too bad it can’t be Realized yet. Because yes, I’m also going to upgrade his High Armor to Blue.

Machina already has his Bloom Stone and all of his Boards have already been completed. So now I’m just waiting for his Burst weapon.

Aside from Bluing Machina’s High Armor, I’m also planning to upgrade his Burst to Burst+ or BT+ 3/3 or Green. He’s all set to be my second BT+ 3/3 char. The first one was Ace from Final Fantasy Type-0.

Where and how to get Machina’s Burst weapon?

Now about the Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid banner 1. Haven’t made up my mind yet on whether I should gem or ticket this banner.

Yes, I want Machina’s Burst and, one way or the other, I will have it. Just need to decide how I’m gonna get it.

Right now, I already have more than 50 Burst Tokens so I can use these to exchange for Machina’s BT the moment it becomes available in the Burst weapons shop.

Could also just use gems to pity his BT. I do have more than enough to be able to do so.

Aside from this banner that features Paine’s LD, Machina’s Burst will also show up on the following banners:

banner with Snow Villiers’s (from Final Fantasy XIII) LD and Lion’s (from Final Fantasy XI) LD

banner with Cinque’s (from Final Fantasy Type-0) LD and Ursula’s (from Final Fantasy IV) LD

Already have Lion’s LD as well as the rest of her weapons.

Have all of Snow’s weapons except for his LD but he’ll be getting a Burst weapon in the future and when that happens, his LD will be featured on a banner with Lyse Hext’s (from Final Fantasy XIV) LD.

So I can just pull on that banner and get the chance to obtain 2 new LDs and 1 BT. That banner even features Leon’s (Leonhart from Final Fantasy II) Ex which is one of the few Ex weapons that I’m still missing.

So planning to just skip Snow’s LD banner now aside from the free pull. Because of course we’re also getting free draws on all these banners.

Man, DFFOO is too good and generous. Final Fantasy Record Keeper (FFRK), please take notes.

The Cinque and Ursula banner is kinda appealing because I’m missing both of the featured LDs there.

Ursula’s gonna be the latest playable char in this game so I don’t have any of her other weapons yet.

Cinque’s outdated already though and I don’t really know anything about Ursula’s kit so I don’t know how good or meta she is. Haven’t really heard much talk about her so she doesn’t seem like a must-have or something.

On the other hand, I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about how good Paine is as well as how unique she is.

Depending on her current position in the party, she can be a debuffer or buffer. If she’s in the middle slot, then she can be both.

Kinda interested in her but not sure it’s worth it to gem her banner. Maybe I should just try my luck with tickets. Hmm. Definitely need to think about this some more.

If I gem Paine’s LD banner, then I’ll have a higher chance of getting Machina’s Burst.

I’d love to be able to Green Machina’s BT the moment it shows up but I shouldn’t use my Tokens yet to exchange for it.

I need to wait until all the free draws for all of his banners are over before using my Tokens.

The chances of this happening are pretty slim but still, what if a free draw gives me Machina’s Burst? I don’t want to spend 50 Tokens only to end up with a dupe on a free pull.

But if I gem Paine’s banner and just happen to get Machina’s Burst on the way to getting her LD then I can Green it right away and won’t need to wait anymore. My Tokens can also be used on another Burst.

Is it really worth it to gem Paine’s LD though? Sure, she seems good to have, but I don’t think she’s all that necessary. I do have lots of other supports and debuffers already.

And it really seems like a waste to gem a banner where I’m only really after 1 or 2 weapons. Maybe I’m better off just using tickets here then I can save my gems for other upcoming banners.

Heck, the Cinque and Ursula banner seems way better if only because at least I’m missing a lot more weapons there.

Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid Banner 1 Free First Multi-Draw Results

Much later: at long last, after what feels like forever, the first Machina BT banner is finally here.

The free multi-draw on the Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid banner 1 gave me a gold orb which turned into a dupe of Paine’s Ex. Aww, too bad that hadn’t been her LD instead.

Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid Banner 1 Tickets Pulls Results

Anyway, after thinking about it some more, decided to just use tickets on the Savage Winds: Elvoret Raid banner 1.

Thanks to Fran’s (from Final Fantasy XII) LD showing up for free and the new events and such that we’ve been having (I talk more about all of these in other posts), have plenty of tickets (714, to be more precise).

I know the chances of getting Machina’s Burst via tickets will be really low but it’s fine.

I plan to just wait and then Token it after the Ursula and Cinque banner shows up unless I happen to get it via the other free multi-draws we’ll be having.

Got the usual bonze and silver trash and gold dupes while pulling. Then, a bit later on, a gold orb showed up.

I thought I was gonna get something crappy again since I kept seeing bronze and silver crap.

Then the last item appeared. It was the only gold on this pull and it turned out to be -

My very first copy of Paine’s LD! Hell, yes! So happy to see this.

Still have 634 tickets left when Paine’s LD showed up. Missed out on Machina’s BT but still happy anyway since Paine’s LD came home. Done with this banner now.

Paine from Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2

Purpled Paine’s Ex and MLB’d her LD. Completed all of her Summon Boards. Got her Bloom Stone. Bought her High Armor and Realized it to 0/3.

Unlocked the tiles on her Char Boards that would give me her LD Call ability and LD extension passive.

Equipped Paine with triple RF Spheres. It took a while but I also managed to get her triple of her preferred Artifacts - 3 ATK 108 with Warrior of the Gullwings Boost★★ (Raises own INT BRV, MAX BRV, ATK, DEF by 5% while Dressphere active).

Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0

Don’t have Machina’s BT yet but since his High Armor can now be upgraded, I decided to spend the resources to Blue it already.

A bit later on, I also finally decided what to do about Machina’s Spheres. Chose to keep Yang’s and Celes’s Spheres equipped to him.

Then I Purpled a dupe Vayne Carudas Solidor (from Final Fantasy XII) Ex for his Sphere.

Machina now has the following Spheres:

Vayne Carudas Solidor’s (from Final Fantasy XII) Broken Power

When attacking target afflicted with Break: • Increases BRV damage dealt by 10%

Yang Fang Leiden’s (from Final Fantasy IV) Critical Attack Boost Up Shorter A Sphere

When dealing critical hit: • Raises MAX BRV and ATK by 10% for 3 turns *Does not stack with same sphere

Celes Chere’s (from Final Fantasy VI) Ability BRV Gain B Sphere

Increases BRV by 40% of INT BRV after using ability, once per turn *Also applies to abilities changed from BRV Attack, HP Attack

I thought I’d get the best of both worlds and give Machina both an ATK up and BRV damage up Sphere. He even gets MAX BRV up as well thanks to Yang’s Sphere.

Intersecting Wills: Parted Hopes Banner

The Intersecting Wills: Parted Hopes banner features the following chars and their weapons:

Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0 - Burst or BT only

Snow Villiers from Final Fantasy XIII - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Lion from Final Fantasy XI - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Relm Arrowny from Final Fantasy VI - 15cp, 35cp, and Ex

The only things I’m missing on this banner are Snow’s LD and Machina’s BT.

Intersecting Wills: Parted Hopes Banner Free First Multi-Draw Results

I still plan to just skip this banner other than doing the free first multi-draw that we’re getting thanks to the currently ongoing winter campaign.

I can just pull for Snow’s LD when he gets his BT because it really feels like a waste to pull on this banner when I’m only missing 2 items here.

Snow’s LD and BT banner with Lyse’s LD and Leon’s Ex is way better for me since I have the potential to get more new relics from there.

But apparently the game wants me to have Snow’s LD right now because I just did the free multi-draw and this showed up at the end -

My very first copy of Snow’s LD! Hell, yes! Also, welp. Color me surprised. Was totally not expecting this at all. But super thankful and very pleased to see this.

Man, did I mention that I love DFFOO? Because I really do love this game. Sure, there are some things that I don’t like about it, but there are plenty of things to love about this game.

Anyway, aside from Snow’s LD, also ended up with a dupe of his Ex. Now I really am done with this banner.

Gentle Fist Banner

The Gentle Fist banner features the following chars and their weapons:

Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0 - Burst or BT only

Cinque from Final Fantasy Type-0 - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Ursula from Final Fantasy IV - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Freya Crescent from Final Fantasy IX - 15cp, 35cp, and Ex

Missing all of Ursula’s weapons. Also missing Cinque’s LD and Machina’s BT.

Gentle Fist Banner Free First Multi-Draw Results

As part of the currently ongoing winter campaign, we get a free multi-draw on the Gentle Fist banner.

The free pull gave me a dupe of Cinque’s 15cp. Meh.

Gentle Fist Banner Tickets Pulls Results

Currently have 944 tickets on hand.

Decided to use 40 of them. One 10-pull gave me my first copies of Ursula’s 15cp and 35cp. This also automatically recruited her into my party.

The rest of my pulls gave me crap. Still have plenty of tickets so was wondering if I should keep going.

After thinking about it some more, decided not to. Sure, Ursula and Cinque would be nice to have but neither seemed all that necessary. Also didn’t think I’d really build either of them even if I manage to snag their LDs. 

Besides, the next event after this one will mark the beginning of the Crystal Level and Level 90 Awakenings.

A few chars will be Awakened so they can now go from Crystal Level and Level 80 to 90. Neither Ursula nor Cinque will be Awakenable yet so I think I’m better off just pulling for them during Ursula’s Lost Chapter event banner.

Machina Kunagiri from Final Fantasy Type-0

All the banners featuring Machina’s Burst weapon are now here. Didn’t get his BT from any of my pulls, free or otherwise, so now it’s time. I can finally use my Burst Tokens to get Machina’s BT.

Exchanged 50 of my BT Tokens to get Machina’s Burst Weapon, Dreadnaughts (0).

As soon as I got it, wasted no time in spending the Book and Ingots needed to upgrade it to Green or BT+ 3/3.

Equipped it to Machina. Now he’s finally complete. Can’t wait to start using him.

Conclusion

So, what about you? Did you pull for Machina Kunagiri or any of these other chars? What do you think about these banners? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below or by reblogging or replying to this post.

Notes:

screenshots are from my Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia game account

[thewisemankey]

You mean her regular outfit wasn't summer ENOUGH? XD

slightly more summer oriented rikku!

https://twitter.com/koyoriin https://patreon.com/koyorin https://instagram.com/koyori_n https://bsky.app/profile/koyorin.bsky.social

[elsarochelle]

After some thought, I think I will be taking a break from streaming Three Houses after I finish Silver Snow to avoid burning out on FE3H.

My plan is to play Final Fantasy X & X-2, and then play the remaining two routes in Three Houses.

[oveliagirlhaditright]

All-In

Summary: What if the option to get "Star Player" on your blitzball team in Final Fantasy X-2 was actually one of the endings you could get in the game? This fanfic explores that idea.

"What's all this commotion about someone who joined my blitzball team without my knowledge?" Yuna huffed, with her hands on her hips. She was looking at both Rikku and Paine as she said this, but deep down she thought that if either girl had made this decision without her (if they hadn't made it together), it would be Rikku since she was more mischievous.

But surprisingly, it was Paine who spoke up. " We both decided this, Yuna. And I really think you should give 'Star Player' a chance. We really have a chance to make it to the championship next season with him by our side."

"St-Star Player?" Yuna stammered, before falling onto the bench in the stadium locker room she'd been leaning against. It couldn't be, could it?

The fayth, just over a few weeks ago, had told Yuna they'd do everything they could to bring Tidus back after she'd stopped Shuyin and Vegnagun, but that they couldn't promise anything.

However, even after hearing that they were uncertain in their abilities to resurrect the dream of the fayth, Yuna had flown back to Besaid in the Celsius feeling hopeful that Tidus would somehow be waiting at home for her when she returned. Their journey had started their, after all, and they had had some nice memories there… so had it been wrong to dream? And maybe even beg the fates that Tidus could see it as some sort of home himself?

But alas, when Yuna had arrived back on the island, there had only been Lulu, Wakka, and baby Vidina to greet her—who she’d been more than happy to see—and as more and more days passed, she’d tried to put her talk with the fayth of Bahamut behind her… but this very well could have been something! Because as confident as Spira was becoming without the chains of Yevon holding them down, she still could really only imagine one person calling themselves “Star Player.”

“Is he in the sphere pool now?!” Yuna demanded of her best friends, grinning so widely she was sure she looked like Leblanc whenever she got attention from her Noojie-Woojie. A comparison Yuna hated thinking about, but one she would still gladly deal with if what she was thinking was true.

“Maybe, Yunie?” Riku ventured, sharing a look with Paine. “I’m not actually sure. Buddy was the first person to see him. And we signed him after we heard all of his impressive stats from him, but-”

Without wasting a second more, Yuna rushed towards the entrance to the sphere pool to see if this mysterious “Star Player” or any of her teammates were training in there. But she was fresh out of luck. And Yuna hung her head for the opportunity lost.

But this time, she didn’t lose hope.

Because if a “Star Player” had really joined their team, she’d have ample time to see him, right?

…

That theory of Yuna’s was proven false when days had gone by, and Yuna had yet to meet this “Star Player—or learn his name—despite trying to catch him at the sphere pool or talk to someone who knew him.

Seeming to sense her discomfort, while Yuna sat by the pool dejected at the end of the day, Rikku explained, "he has a pretty erratic training schedule, Yunie."

“One where he doesn’t train with us, but by himself?” Yuna questioned, knowing that she was close to whining, but not being able to help herself. She wouldn’t have been like this if the fayth hadn’t said that they might be able to bring Tidus back… but they had. And now she was living in the world of questions, it seemed.

“I think he might be shy?” Riku tried. “I mean, you know what it’s like meeting a large group of people for the first time. Give it some time, Yuna. I’m sure you’ll run into him eventually.”

Yuna’s response to that was to blow her bangs out of her face, exasperated. “Your advice is… disaster-iffic, Rikku. But I suppose we have nothing but time, now that Sin and Vegnagun are gone. So alright, I’ll bite.”

Even if she wasn’t happy about it, she would.

…

Yuna told herself to stop thinking about who may or may not have been Tidus somewhere around Luca (who might have been trying to surprise her? With Rikku and Paine’s help?), and to instead practice playing blitzball herself. Everything that had gone down with Vegnagun had kept her out of the water for too long, she thought. And if she wasn’t careful, she might be back to only her two minutes and forty-one seconds again.

Yuna started with practicing the butterfly and backstroke—as it was no use working on blitz moves if she wasn’t warmed up with the basics down, right?—and she was just starting to attempt her luck with a Venom Shot when she saw someone in the pool with her out of the corner of her eye.

And was it her… or did they almost seemed to be dressed to blend in with it, as they sported a black hoot that seemed rather familiar and a blue suit? But what was even more amazing than all of that, was that they seemed to be in the middle of doing the Jecht Shot!

Swimming towards the other side of the pool as fast as she was able to now, Yuna tried to reach this “stranger” before they disappeared entirely again, even as both of them moved to get out of the pool. And she saw a few strands of blond hair poking from their hood, as they disappeared beyond the corner and then slipped into the boy's locker room.

…Was it enough to hope? Yuna was definitely thinking so, even if it definitely seemed like fate was playing a peculiar game with her.

…

"Yunie… I'm so sorry to tell you this, but I think that blitzer might be done for the season," Rikku told the Gullwing a few days later, as she took both of her hands in her own.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Yuna protested, stepping away from Rikku as she did so. And yes, even ripping her hands out of her cousin’s grasp as probably would happen in some drama, Yuna supposed, but she didn't do remove her hands from Rikku’s own violently. And she only did so because she'd stumbled back in shock (And could one blame her? A voice said in the back of her mind. The fayth's words to her now almost felt like a slap in the face. And the whole situation was really and truly bizarre). "What kind of blitzball player, with that kind of talent, practices a few times—and just practices, not even plays—and then just disappears?!"

"You have to remember that the season is over, Yuna," Paine told her gently, patting the seat on the bench beside her for Yuna to come sit down. And as Yuna sat down beside her, she had a flashback to when Paine had before warned others not to get her hopes up about Tidus. Could this really be that situation again? "Maybe the blitzer was just having some fun, and…"

"I… guess," Yuna said, finally doubting herself. Maybe the person she had caught a glimpse of had looked more like Shuyin than Tidus. But then again, hadn’t Tidus been based off of Shuyin? That was how Yuna thought she understood things, anyway…

Oh, screw it! She didn't care what anyone said! Deep down, she knew that the blitzball player that she’d seen had been Tidus! She did! She knew it, just like she knew that she had loved shoopufs more than anything when she was a child!

“And speaking of it being an off-time for blitzball… Paine and I were talking—the whole team, really—and we think we could take a break from it until the season starts. Oh, don’t look at me like that, Yunie!

“Don’t you want to see Wakka, Lulu more and the baby more? They were so thrilled to see you! And you seemed so happy to see them! Paine’s thinking of getting the Crimson Squad back together, and Pops says there’s something he just has to show me back Home. The point is we have a lot to do for a ‘summer vacation’ of sorts before we really get blitzing again, y’know?”

“And you feel the same way, Paine?” Yuna dared ask her more strait-laced friend, fighting back tears. She didn’t know why she was: as Rikku had said, it seemed the whole team had decided this, but there was a part of her that was hoping that if some of this was Rikku just flying off the rails here, Paine would tell her so.

But instead, Paine looked at her with pained eyes—and maybe something else there—and said, “I do.”

And so, Yuna did what she’d once done for so many years and practiced smiling even though she was feeling sad. “I understand you two. And thank you. For everything. But you’re right… it really is supposed to be summer vacation now. Go live your lives and know that we’ll get the championship next season!”

After the girls hugged and did one last fist pump for the Gullwings, they left Yuna alone.

And Yuna?

Yuna found herself walking into Luca stadium one last time, with her hands laced together behind her back.

It was then that she saw something—or rather someone—who took her breath away: they were sitting in a stand a hare's breadth away from her, looking as pensive as she felt: with dyed blond hair hiding their black roots, a yellow jumpsuit with pants that were cut to different lengths, and evergreen gloves that she had once thought the Calm Lands' grass might have been colored similarly to before she saw said grass herself, and realized it was slightly lighter than his gloves.

‘But it can't be him’, Yuna told herself. The fayth weren't even sure they could bring him back, right? And if it was… wouldn't Rikku and Paine have told me? Or Tidus have come to me right away?

The moment he looked at her with the kindest cerulean eyes she had been dreaming about for two years, Yuna knew straight away who she was looking at. And she fainted dead away, as she heard a curse and arms circled around her.

…

When Yuna came to, she didn’t remember what would happen. But she knew right away where she was: a mostly abandoned locker room in Luca, that had been created when they thought that the water in the sphere tank was going to be real and not a simulation. Thus, there was all kinds of medical equipment in here. Why, oh, why would she be in this room? She hadn’t been when she’d fallen unconscious. And Yuna presumed she must have fallen unconscious to be in here now, so how-

Suddenly, he was in her sights, and it all came back to her. And the first words that came out of her mouth upon seeing him were not the words she thought she’d say if she ever saw him again at all.

"Tidus, you jerk!" Yuna exclaimed, tears of joy and anger streaming down her face as she spoke. "How could you not tell me you were back?! Do you have any idea what this was like for me? What I-

And here, Tidus scratched the back of his head, embarrassed, a trait that Yuna had so missed seeing, before he tried to explain himself. “I’m so sorry, Yuna. And I really owe you an explanation for everything, huh?”

Yuna’s answer to that was a simple raise of her eyebrow as Tidus came to sit down beside her on the cot, and took off a cuff that had been on her arm. Huh. She hadn’t even realized it was there. (1)

"I wanted my being back to be a nice surprise for you, y’know! And my first thought was through blitzball! Since we talked about my past in Zanarkand a lot, and water has meaning for us.”

Hearing those words, Yuna blushed, definitely catching the meaning of that. “I also kept an eye on you in the Farplane and knew you’d become such a great blitzball player yourself! So, I planned with Rikku and Paine to surprise you on the field.

“But I guess from the beginning I ended up thinking it was a pretty dumb idea, because two of the times I meant to do it, I ended up chickening out… Then, the time you did end up seeing me, was pure dumb luck—where I’d been out there swimming for myself—and then you came out. And I didn’t have a moment planned, so I ran. Then today, I was sitting in the stadium in Luca wondering what to do, when you came out again and saw me—uhh, fainted—and here we are.”

Well, that certainly explained everything, Yuna thought, almost amused now. And it was good to know that Rikku and Paine (and Buddy, presumably) had been following his lead, wherever it led. So they weren’t done with YRP, like she had begun to fear, Yuna told herself. But surely they had been waiting for wherever his “surprise” would lead next when he figured it out.

And speaking of his surprise… really, Tidus was so sweet. The thought he'd put into wanting their reunion into meaningful really had been thoughtful… and Yuna could almost feel herself falling in love with him again for it as she gazed at him now. Like when she'd looked at Tidus when they'd talked about the weather years ago, and then laughed at that cliché, and she knew despite everything… something was starting there.

But at the same time… "Tidus… while I appreciate what you were trying to do, please don't ever make me wait to see you ever again! Especially when I- I lost you like I did. Being without you, it- it hurt so much. And given the choice of miraculously being reunited with you as soon as possible, or holding off on seeing you again for you to put on some show… well, wouldn't you choose the former if you were in my shoes?"

At that, he winced. And though Yuna hated to see it, she knew that it was necessary and hopefully imparting on him just what she’d been through these last few days through his unintentional game. Because, after all, while he’d been in the Farplane these last two years, she’d been here in Spira living her life, and often times it had been painful.

“Yuna, again, I’m so sorr-”

But the sphere hunter cut him off with a kiss on the cheek before he could berate himself too badly.

"I forgive you, Tidus. I understand how it all got out of hand. But you would think that when we finally earned our happy ending, things would go right!" the high Summoner exclaimed as she threw her hands up into the air.

Tidus poked Yuna in the stomach once then, and she couldn't help but laugh. "I don't really know if you want things to be perfect, Yuna. Things might be too boring that way." And the blitzball player feigned a yawn at the end of that sentence that would have had the nineteen-year-old seeing red, if she hadn't known it was fake.

"You take that back!" Yuna poked Tidus now, but with much more vigor. "There's a difference between 'boring,' and me thinking the fayth failed in bringing you back… As well as your 'perfect reunion' for us going so left field, that we're in an abandoned locker room of Luca stadium's, y'know!"

And at that, Tidus chortled: one that was akin to the one she had heard after they had tried to fake laugh two years ago. Yuna tried to be angry at this, and to turn her face away from the love of her life in a huff, but in the end, she could not. It was something she had ended up longing for more than she ever had for an eternal calm.

"How about this, Yuna?" Tidus sobered up, wearing the most beautiful smile she had ever seen a human being wear. "How about we just promise to have a good life together?"

And while Yuna would have loved to banter with him more, a part of her definitely thought he deserved that, those words—the idea of that kind of future—was all she’d ever dreamed of. So, what could she possibly say, but? “Oh, Tidus, that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Of course!” And this time she drew him in for a kiss.

And while Yuna hadn’t been the one trying to plan a surprise here, after she was done kissing Tidus silly and she saw his stunned reaction, she definitely thought it had been a surprise worth waiting for.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve seen enough of Luca’s locker rooms for a while,” Yuna said, offering Tidus her hand and helping him up. “Want to go home and see Wakka and Lulu?”

“I’d say my home is wherever you are, Yuna. And if that’s where you are, I’m all in.”

“All in…” Yuna echoed, so happy she could barely even say the words for how much she was smiling.

Tidus kissed her on the cheek now, and hand-in-hand, the two of them left Luca stadium. Together.

Author’s Note: (1) I had the idea that after Yuna passed out, Tidus was trying to check Yuna’s vitals with machina he didn’t even really know how to use. LOL. But the idea sort of disappeared in the story. Oh well.

Speaking of, for this fic, I decided to do something that I’ve seen at least one other FFX author do (maybe a few others), where Zanarkand actually used real water to play blitzball in, but the water is a simulation in Spira (and that’s one of the few ways where Spira was actually more advanced than Zanarkand)—if anyone was confused by Yuna’s one line about the water in the Luca field being a simulation.

I’ve had this story idea ever since I beat Final Fantasy X-2… which was, like, seventeen-eighteen years ago. O_o And even though I always did, I never really set out to try and write it until now. But I’m so glad that I finally have, because it was a fun idea that turned out rather well, I’d say.

This is for my bestie friend’s birthday. And I hope she’s having a great one!:D

Thanks for reading!

@bluerosesburnblue

[grazhir]

📖Multiple

[Because I can't remember if I even remembered to do this at the time for this one.]

Summary: Tsuna loathes the man and wants him dealt with, his sins exposed and his twisted desires stolen. He asks for help, but gets sucked into something he could not have imagined. He rolls with it. Pairing(s): Tsuna/Kyoya, Other/Other Chapters: 15 Archive: AO3

Summary: Captured by Voldemort and experimented on for years, Harry finally escapes and meets his ‘destiny’, only to realize that his whole life has been unalterably changed, never mind the world itself. Pairing(s): Harry/Tidus Archive: AO3

Summary: Life is akin to a Roguelike game, obviously. It helps when you have a visible HUD and have explored all Options, because perma-death doesn’t have to be turned on, as Harry and Tsuna find out. Pairing(s): Gen (but one vaguely implied) Chapters: 15 Archive: AO3

Summary: Cloud did the usual, went to Midgar, joined as a SOLDIER cadet. Then things went sideways. It’s not a bad life, once certain elements are dealt with. Pairing(s): Cloud/Original Male Characters Archive: AO3

Summary: A mission gone awry for Omega Squad. Pairing(s): Cloud/Original Male Characters Archive: AO3

Summary: Cloud’s stomach is rising like freshly-made bread dough, so there’s that. Pairing(s): Cloud/Original Male Characters Archive: AO3

Summary: The Chocobo Sage failed to mention a few pertinent details when he explained chocobo breeding to Cloud. Pairing(s): Cloud/Others Archive: AO3

Summary: Those Nibelheim bullies might not have known what they started, but Cloud certainly took their lessons to heart. Pairing(s): Cloud/Others Archive: AO3

[hardcoregamer]

Top 10 Final Fantasy Games, Ranked

We are ranking Final Fantasy games by the quality of their combat mechanics, plot depth, character development, and overall gaming experience. Whether you're here for strategic warfare or deeply woven narratives, this list is here to guide you toward some of the most compelling and influential titles from within the Final Fantasy universe.

Take a look!

[dementeddiva]

What in the fresh farplane is this? This floor is what nightmares are made of