Okay! Does that take, like, a long while, does it need to leave his possession, does it sound like they might be trying to scam him…?

Nope, they can just do some magic to it, isn't it nice.

And it seems authentic! They will pay a certain amount of gil for it.

Does that look like a reasonable quantity? Presumably there are, like, labels on the things available and he can guess if it is?

It looks... cheaper than gold was on Earth pre-Revelation, but more expensive than most things, and is roughly consistent with a society that doesn't value gold as much as Earthly society used to, correcting for shape and weight and carats and what-have-you.

That works, then!

Then mutually beneficial trade will happen!

Great.

And has the boat probably arrived and dropped people – Kaede and co – off? Because if so, uh, he should probably try finding some way to actually find them? Like going near the water and looking for them if they are in fact still about, or something?

Their boat has not arrived! No boats have, but one can be seen in the distance already.

… Right, yay, he can just go loiter around near the harbor or something and wait for their boat to get in.

Fortunately his phone has in fact survived its contact with the water and the bullets and the laser – not particularly surprising with respect to the water, but still – and so he will play a game, or some games, on that while he waits. Maybe read a bit. Maybe write. Depends on how long the boat takes.

Another couple of hours before a boat recognisable as the party's arrives.

At which point he loiters around an area he expects them to pass through and waits until they're present! … Presumably they become present.

They do! Their boat soon arrives at the harbour. Before they actually berth, a small crowd gathers near the dock where they're supposed to do that.

Is that guy a celebrity because of Blitzball or is this just a small, sort of generic welcome crowd?

Neither, apparently! As they dock, someone with something that looks like an appropriately aesthetic TV camera starts recording them, and the loudspeakers around the stadium (for the harbour is actually around the stadium) start blaring some introduction music to this one guy's voice:

"Good morning Luca!"

… Theo is confused.

The voice continues. "It's a bright, beautiful day today, but you know what else it is? It is the day of the annual Blllllitzball Tournament!"

And another voice: "That's right, Bobba, and let me tell you, I'm really excited about today's games. And it's a special edition of the tournament, isn't it?"

Apparently-Bobba replies: "Yes it is! Maester Mika completes fifty years as Maester this year!"

"A unique event, really."

… He still doesn't get why they're videoing the boat. Unless, again, they're focusing on Tidus or whoever it was that was on the Blitzball team – he's pretty sure it was Tidus, since he was so interested in it all.

The ship finally berths, and as it does Bobba continues: "Ah, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number 2. All the way from Kilika, it's the Kilika Beasts!" Indeed, a team of Blitzball players makes its way out of the boat onto the dock. "High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them -- a big name to live up to. Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin. Isn't that right, Jimma?"

"Yes, Bobba. They're going to be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year."

Right.

He doesn't care all that much but this works as a distraction, probably, so he'll just keep listening. He supposes.

Bobba again: "Exciting, isn't it, folks? Our next team off the ramp is... Well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs!"

Theo can recognise the whole party behind the team, except for that boy who's in Kaede's place, actually shirtless as opposed to just technically-not-shirtless like Tidus and Wakka, wearing low-hung trousers and sandals, and some bracelets and anklets. In other words, a boy almost as revealingly-dressed as Kaede was. Moving almost like Kaede did. Surrounded by the guardians in exactly the same way Kaede was.

"They're a living, breathing, statistical impossibility! I've never seen a team this bad! That's right! In twenty-three years they've never made it past the first round! Only a few die-hard fans are in the audience today."

"Best of luck to them, and a safe journey back to Besaid," says Jimma.

… Well he can go over there when the other people are out of the way and find out more, presumably?

People in fact give him space, what with the wings, and the crowd is somewhat thinner around the Aurochs.

"Oh, you're already here," says the boy walking up to Theo, while another team steps off the boat and Bobba says "Right, Jimma. Moving right along, our next team is... Here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers! They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all-around first-class team! And they're back home in Luca!"

"… Hi there," he says. "Have the others explained me to you…?"

"—oh right I'm Kaede, I do the gender thing," he says, gesturing down at his body.

Tidus meanwhile will grumble at the Besaid Aurochs about something while Bobba and Jimma continue singing the glories of the Luca Goers.