FFX Ficlet: That's How It's Done

[auronlu]

Hah! An actual genfic! Not what I was intending to do this morning.


Title: That's How It's Done
Final Fantasy X, pre-game
Characters: Zuke, Lulu, Wakka
Rating: G
Warnings: Nope
Word Count: 844
Summary: Why Lulu's second pilgrimage failed.


ETA: I'm embarrassed to have to ask... there's a genfic Final Fantasy LJ community somewhere. Where? I can't remember.




"But, Father Zuke-- it's not a catastrophe, ya? If we just keep goin' along these cliffs, we've got to find Lulu's bridge over the gorge sooner or later."

Wakka squirmed miserably on the sandstone outcrop as if the pale sun peeping through the haze had set it blazing. The older man followed his cringe back to its true source, the slender young woman standing apart from them with arms folded and crimson eyes boring into her fellow Guardian.

"Sir Wakka," the Summoner said kindly, "if there is one thing you have taught me, it is that the game is worthwhile even if one fails to win it. We have truly done our best." The mage turned away from them with a contemptuous sniff, and Zuke smiled. "Unfortunately, in this game, the penalty for losing the last match is too high, and we're simply not equipped for it. I appreciate your zeal, but I will not throw away the lives of two talented young people so callously."

Wakka hung his head. "Thank you, Father." He darted a nervous glance towards the rigid white shoulders of the mage. "C'mon, Lu, we can try again next year."

"Indeed," she said coolly. "By next year, Yuna will be ready."

"Lulu." Zuke's voice sharpened. "Walk with me a moment?"

"Sir." She turned back to them, features steeled to impassivity, releasing Wakka from the pincers of her disapproving gaze. Gliding after the tall priest with self-contained dignity, she gave no hint of disappointment, anger, or dismay; poor Wakka served as her unlucky mirror. Behind them, Wakka dropped his chin into his hands with a rustle and stared dejectedly towards the yawning chasm that had barred their path for days.

When they were far enough away for the gusting wind to snatch their words out of Wakka's hearing, the Summoner raised his hand. Lulu halted with eyes lowered.

"You're a hard taskmaster, my friend," Zuke teased gently. "Sometimes I think that if we were to fall to mishap, you would not even notice, and keep marching ahead Unsent. Lulu, the dead can't save the living."

She shook her head. "We were not Guardians enough--"

"Not everyone needs to be a legendary hero. Or perfect. But I know you will accept nothing less. I cannot fathom why you accepted me in the first place, except that I know the real reason."

She arched an eyebrow. "Sir, we have been making good progress, and by my calculations we cannot be more than a day off-course--"

He shook his head and sighed. "I know, Lulu. I was giving us a little more time before Gagazet. We're just not prepared for Zanarkand, and it is not because of Wakka, despite your doubts. There is one thing we lack."

"Father?"

"Love." He gazed down at the sullen young woman affectionately. "I had hoped I might earn yours -- do not mistake me, my dear! -- but your words betrayed you. Although we have become friends, your heart still lies back in Besaid with another Summoner-to-Be. You are guarding her, even when you are guarding me."

A scowl broke through Lulu's glassy façade, but the anger was directed at herself. "Father Zuke--"

"Lulu. It's all right. I understand. Believe me, I admire your resolve! But we're all here for the wrong reasons: I to redeem a rash boast I made as a boy, you to keep Yuna out of harm's way, and Wakka because otherwise he'd worry himself sick as he did when you were off with Ginnem." Zuke chuckled at her dubious expression. "Didn't you know? So. Here we are, a good deal stronger and more experienced than when we set out, but we still can't defeat Sin. The texts are vague, but one thing I have gathered: the Final Summoning depends upon a bond of trust and love between Summoner and Guardians that we don't quite have. I'm sorry, Lulu, but that is the very reason why Braska's daughter may succeed, whereas we cannot."

Some of the pride had bled away from her erect carriage, and her eyelids drooped. "I... I let you down. I am sorry."

"I, too, Lulu, but only for your sake and your friend's. Honestly, I feel a positive Calm at the thought of retiring to a quiet life in Temple, leaving all this to more capable hands. I just wish those hands weren't those of a fine young lady I've never laid eyes on. There is still hope, of course, that another Summoner may succeed first--"

She raised her chin, a certain set to her jaw that Zuke recognized at once. "But don't even think about signing up as someone else's Guardian, Lulu; it would be the same problem all over again. Go back to Besaid, my dear. Go home. Allow yourself to relax until Braska's daughter is ready. Your fate lies with her."

Lulu nodded, very reluctantly.

Zuke set a fatherly arm around her thin shoulders. "I'll pray for you all. Especially Wakka."

She snorted softly. "Because he needs it most?"

The priest gave her a gentle shake and stepped away. "I'm praying you don't kill him."

Comments

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

aaaah too true! too true! Very believable and very Lulu. Zuke is a wise man indeed. ^_^

[cygna-hime.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like this! It does seem strange, why a summoner would get so far and then turn around, and I very much like your explanation. It's interesting to look at them this way, as people who started out to do good things for the wrong reasons.

Gliding after the tall priest with self-contained dignity, she gave no hint of disappointment, anger, or dismay; poor Wakka served as her unlucky mirror. I particularly like this line, because it encapsulates a lot of my impression of Lulu and Wakka, that she often feels the same way he does but is quieter about it.

Also? Excellent last line! (But surely the poor boy must have some Lulu-survival skills by now, or he'd never have lived to grow up!)

[mneme-forgets.livejournal.com]

I like Lulu's quiet contained anger over Zuke's decision.

I am interested in the idea that the pilgrimage is designed, not only to strengthen the summoner phsyically or mentally, but also to strengthen the bonds of feeling between the summoner and guardians. Since it is necessary that a strong bond be formed to effectively defeat Sin, this seems to be a logical conclusion.

I like Zuke's assertion that Lulu is strong enough to continue marching ever forward even after she has died.

I also adore Zuke explaining Wakka's crush to Lulu. Hee.

Zuke's joke about praying hard for Wakka's safety is cute.

[lassarina]

Oh, very nice! I especially love Zuke's quiet wisdom. It works so well.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Thank you all for the comments! I curse my muse: the writing was a little flat, but I wanted to get the idea out.


mneme_forgets: I've hinted before at the pilgrimage being a crucible for establishing tight-knit bonds of comradeship through adversity. During Resurrection III, when Auron was reviewing the situation after bringing Lulu back from the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth, he reflects somewhat irritably that he'd not taken into account the psychological aspect of the pilgrimage which has nudged him and her towards one another (a likely excuse, Auron). Also, in the game itself, you can see Auron consciously shoving Tidus and Yuna towards each other on more than one occasion, almost strategically: "Don't tell her about Jecht. She might distance herself from you. We do not want that."


Regarding Zuke:

I really approved of the ten seconds we saw of Father Zuke. He trotted all the way to the middle of the Calm Lands -- where he'd given up once before -- to let Yuna's party know they had a death sentence on their heads. I found this exchange very telling:

Yuna: Thank you, Father Zuke, for your warning.
Lulu: Father, you came all the way here just to tell us this?
Zuke: To tell the truth, I was a little curious to see...this summoner you are guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well. For your sake, too.
Lulu: Thank you, father.
Zuke: I shall be off. I shall pray for all of you.


I saw a certain kindly, mutual respect between Zuke and Lulu (hopefully not my bias, but Wakka hung off to one side and never looked at him or spoke to him) which suggested to me that that they had parted on good terms. It puzzled me why a Summoner would turn back, and why Lulu, who's a perfectionist, would have much respect for him afterwards.

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

I very much like this reasoning for Father Zuke abandoning his pilgrimage. For a moment I was worried you might step too close to the characters knowing more about the Final Summoning than they ought, but then you avoided that quite well. I also like how perceptive you've made him regarding both Lulu and Wakka -- the crack at the end is funny but it's also telling. Very nice way to fill this hole in the backstory.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was worried I was cheating by having Zuke guess even that much, since it's clear in FFX that no one knows the truth of Zanarkand. I'm glad you didn't think I was pushing it by doing it this way. :)

[saharasnow.livejournal.com]

I've read this in my office and I haven't managed to drop a message till now to tell you: I love this fic. It is very convincing, on the reason why Zuke stopped his pilgrimmage and Lulu had allowed that to happen seeing the way she is.

[dagas-isa.livejournal.com]

Very enjoyable story, with a nice bit of humor at the end. It definitely adds a very plausible backstory to Wakka, Lulu, and Zuke's pilgrimage, and exposes a more human side to Lulu. I'm also glad that it's Father Zuke's conclusion about the summoner-guardian bond and not something explicity stated in the texts, which is what makes the reason work.