"Think you'll get along fine with Zei."

"Does he play for that team?"

"He plays for all teams," Wakka says with a sigh and a shake of his head. "Boy had a tough time growing up."

...the fuck is that non-sequitur. "Oh?"

"Not my story to tell. You'll meet 'im soon enough."

"I await our encounter with bated breath."

They walk a while longer in companionable silence, but after a few minutes they run into two men—or rather, one man and one boy, the younger one can't possibly be older than sixteen—in similar light armour that leaves the sides of their pecs and torso and parts of their arms exposed. They both look like they're taking a break from the walk, sitting in a shaded area and drinking water. When they spot Wakka and Azym they raise their hands in greeting, and Wakka calls, "Gatta! Luzzu! Good to see you."

"Hello, Wakka," says the older one, climbing to his feet as the other two approach. "Who's your friend?"

"I'm Azym," he introduces himself, "recent immigrant from I have no idea where by way of Sin and its toxin."

"Ah. It's... fortunate you survived your encounter," says the older one. "I'm Luzzu, and this is Gatta. We're the Crusaders stationed here in Besaid."

"Whatcha doin' out there?"

Gatta stands up, too, and salutes. "We've been on patrol for fiends! They have been more active than normal today so we have been clearing them out of the roads."

"Ahhh, so that's why we didn't find any," nods Wakka.

"'Crusaders'?"

Gatta's chin drops, but Luzzu nods. "Sin's toxin hit you harder than most people, I see. Gatta, do you want to explain?"

"Yes, sir!" He turns to face Azym fully and begins: "The Crusaders are sworn to battle Sin! We have chapters throughout Spira, accepting all who wish to join our struggle! The hero Mi'ihen formed the Crusaders eight hundred years ago as the Crimson Blades; later, our ranks grew and we started calling ourselves the Crusaders. We've been fighting Sin ever since!"

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. I wouldn't have expected people to be able to make any headway on... that," says Azym.

"The Crusaders' main job is to protect cities and towns from Sin and its Sinspawn, with our lives if need be. Sin may be powerful, but it is not very smart, and it is possible to steer Sin away to buy settlements time to evacuate," says Luzzu, but he shakes his head. "And that's all we can do. Summoners are the only ones who stand a chance."

"Well, but no more of this depressin' talk. We're on our way back to the village. Wanna come with?"

"We may as well," says Luzzu. "We were just taking a break between patrols, and were about to resume our trek back."

"So you don't remember anything?" asks Gatta after they've been walking for a few minutes.

"Bits and pieces. I remember I was a blitzball player. I..." Pause. "I remember Zanarkand. It was destroyed by Sin, right? A thousand years ago?"

Luzzu nods. "You would be best served asking questions at the temple, and perhaps praying to Yevon to regain your memories. But yes, Zanarkand was the first of the machina cities to be destroyed."

"Sin targets cities with... technology... in particular?"

"A thousand years ago," says Wakka in the tones of someone who has heard this told a million times, "people were growin' decadent. Lazy. Machina did all the work, and all everyone did was play all day and have no responsibilities. Sin was our reward..." He scrunches his hands up into fists. "But I don't get why we gotta be punished by what a buncha goofheads did a thousand years ago!"