Zanarkand Dome
-We take the elevator back up to Tetris land.
-It occurs to me that I didn’t find a destruction sphere anywhere in the Zanarkand Trials. Hope I didn’t miss anything major.
-The background outside the dome looks cinematically rendered. Are we getting ready for a scene of Cid swooping in on the airship?
-JESUS FDHSJKLFDHSFJKLDSFDS
-Ok. I’ve written before about my fear of giant monsters. Giant sea monsters, specifically. I’ve written about this a lot. It’s a huge fear for me (and something I enjoy, so not something triggering in any way).
When the screen panned a bit to the left, and I was fully expecting an airship and instead got a GIANT FACEFUL OF SIN, it made me jump more than a little.
-All those eyeballs on his face doing their own thing. AUGGH
-What’s interesting to me here is that Sin seems to be waiting, almost in anticipation of the Final Aeon to beat him. He wasn’t going ham on the building. He was just chilling here.
-Tidus thinks that he just needs some more time to figure out what to do.
-Sin seems to hear this communication from Tidus and acknowledge it. He turns around and heads back out to see. I’m a bit confused. Jecht seems to be exerting way more control now. Where was this control when Sin was laying waste to the Crusaders?
My working theory is that something in Sin needs to destroy on an involuntary and instinctual level. He might have control now because he’s not under attack, or because that urge to kill is not being triggered in any other way.
-GOD THE SOUNDS COMING FROM SIN ARE CREEPY AS FUCK
-GOD LITERALLY EVERYTHING ABOUT SIN’S DESIGN IS CREEPY AS FUCK – very similar impact on me to the impact Lavos had in Chrono Trigger, although Sin has far more inherent pathos.
-Now here comes the airship I expected initially, passing just overhead Sin.
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Airship
-Cid must be happy that Yuna didn’t die.
-The Al Bhed style looks like something straight out of the Mad Max franchise. Post-apocalyptic punk.
-Auron wants to somehow leverage Tidus’s bond with Jecht!Sin. I don’t know the answer. Neither does he.
AURON: “We think, and we wait.”
TIDUS: “Two things I’m bad at.” Lololol
-Very strange camera angles in this scene. Artsy.
-Yuna approaches Cid. Very slowly. Bows to him, in thanks.
-Cid is trying to be tough and acknowledge this, but as he turns his back, he’s weeping with what I think is joy that she’s safe.
This is lovely. What a reunion. Deftly and quietly done.
-Ooh, save spheres can now port me back to the ship!
-We need to plan this next part carefully.
-The Psyches are still on board. Both literally and figuratively. They support us.
-I don’t see Dona here. I hope she and Barthello are living out their own private romance novel away from all this mess.
-Found Yuna. She’s feeling pretty down, let down by Yevon and useless on her own.
Kimahri wants to look on “both sides.” Wants to find Mika and “make him talk.”
That’s… actually a good idea!
-Took a brief stroll onto the top of this moving airship because why not.
-Y’know, the last few sessions were pretty emotionally intense and exhausting. Going to clear some inventory space and play some blitzball.
-Ok. Cleared a bunch of my inventory. Mostly from Auron, since his Ribbon bracer negates the need for a number of the status-defense bracers I’d kept lying around.
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Blitzball: Season #2, Round #5 – vs. Al Bhed Psyches
-On offense, Tidus, Zazi Guado, and Datto. Svanda and Ropp on defense, with Keepa in goal.
-Oh no, Tidus got put to sleep on a Nap Tackle!
-AND NOW KEEPA TO SLEEP ON A NAP SHOT, WTFFFF -- this is not a promising return to the sport.
-Good shot from Zazi Guado near the net, but the Al Bhed keeper, Nimrook, is too good.
-I’ll be shocked if Al Bhed can’t score here. They have like a triple power play going. Double I know, but I figure the keeper being out of the picture counts for at least two.
-Whew. Tidus is back up. We may just kill this power play if we can manage to prevent Al Bhed from getting a shot off.
-YESSS KEEPA IS AWAKE AGAIN!! Escaped the naps unscathed.
-Scoreless at the half, but I consider that a big win.
-Linna on the Psyches either has giant hands or just enormous foam gloves.
Not sure which.
-Ruh roh. Down 1-0 midway in the second.
-JECHT SHOT TIES IT UP AT THE 4 MINUTE MARK!!
-Can’t sneak anything else past Nimrook. It’s a tie. I’ll take it.
-Jassu’s contract expired. Jassu, you’re awesome. Take care. Same with you, Botta. Happy trails.
-I legit feel kind of sad letting them go. They handle the news with grace.
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Blitzball: Season #2, Round #6 – vs. Guado Glories
-This really feels like a grudge match. Like some US vs USSR sports. Fucking Guados. (Though I know the players are fine. I hate the leadership, not every individual Guado.)
-Two words: FRESH MEAT. The Glories have a new goalie, a level 1 named Miyu. She’s got zero chance against the Besaid attack. For instance, a 28 SH Jecht Shot vs her 11 CA.
-Tidus just learned Venom Pass 3. Always feels disproportionately satisfying to land a Techcopy. Like, no matter what happens this game, Tidus has now improved permanently.
-Biggs on the Guados has Ronso-esque levels of endurance, and strong shooting ability.
-Victory, 3-2! We have a tight three point leader in the standings over the second place Luca Goers. How Al Bhed is only 1-2-3 is beyond me. They seem like a stronger team than the Goers.
-Gonna try a tournament. Was going to keep going with the league, but the top scorer in the tournament gets “Golden Arm,” and I’m curious what that is.
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Next time: more blitzball! Tournament, maybe some more league play, tne then searching for Mika.
