Characters:

Yuna has changed dramatically since the events of Final Fantasy X.  Her conservative summoner threads have been shed in favor of Tomb Raider chic.  Tight shorts and a barely there halter top tell us that this girl is more outgoing, in more than one way.   It also appears she has used the celebrity of being a former high summoner to launch a musical career.  Yes, Yuna will being singing pop music!  Although she can still be a white mage, Yuna's default class is a gunner.  Watch out, this girl is packing heat- dual machina pistols.

This time around, Yuna will be calling the shots.  A certain boy with a high pitched voice will not steal the spotlight this time.  Yuna and her friends in the Kammone clan (Rikku and Paine) will travel across Spira in search of.....spheres.  See the story section for more info.

Everyone's favorite Al Bhed Rikku is faithfully back at her cousin Yuna's side.  This time around
she's older, wiser, and wearing less clothes than ever.  After the end of Final Fantasy X, Rikku devoted her time to teaching the world about machina, and attempting to ease tension
towards the Al Bhed.  However despite Rikku's best efforts and charm, there is still considerable opposition from rival clans.

Rikku will have a major role in FFX-2 next to Yuna.  She has still has the same carefree attitude (and apparently can dance), but is also being described as more mature.  Additional maturity was expected as she was a wee teenager during the events of Final Fantasy X.  As always, Rikky will be sporting her ninja thief skills, but can be changed to pretty much any type of character through the dress-up system.

Being the new girl on the block, not too much is known about Paine.  She completes the triad of playable characters, and replaces Tidus with the traditional sword role.  Paine (aka Pain or Pine depending who who does the translating) is descrived as having a badass introverted personality.  She is said to work better in the darker arts such as a black mage. 

Paine is apparently an original member of the Kammone clan, thus explaining her presence in the story.  Other than that, practically nothing is known about her past.

There's theories flying around that Paine is indeed Auron's daughter (or related to Auron in some other way), but this is pure speculation.  Square Enix who developed the game haven't confirmed or denied anything of this nature.

The first thing you probably notice about Lenne is her remarkably similar appearence to Yuna.  Heck, she even seems to be hanging out with Yuna's man.  Although Lenne's exact role in the story is unknown, it is known that she is the pop star.  She apparently makes an appearence within a side quest where Yuna can obtain the pop star dress up sphere.  When Lenne and Yuna are put together wearing their pop star outfits, it is hard to tell the difference between them.

And what's the story with Shuyin? He looks incredibly like Tidus, but it can't be.... can it? But is he here to help or to hinder?!?

Nooj is the "mevyn" or leader of the Youth League. He is a former crusader, who repulsed by the actions of New Yevon, founded the Youth League. He lost his left arm and leg in battle with Sin.

Logos, Ormi and LeBlanc are a group of spherehunters whom frequently turn up whenever they are not wanted throughout Spira. They initially are thoroughly opposed to the Gullwings!

Gippal is the leader of the Al Bhed Machine Faction, based in the Djose Temple, and involved in the excavation of the ancient machinas, whereas Baralai is the head of New Yevon, famed for his conservative approach to things!

Story:

(CONTAINS SPOILERS!)

About 1000 years ago, two great countries in Spira, Bevelle and Zanarkand, had
a war. Bevelle used high tech machine as weapons while Zanarkand used
traditional Summoning skills as weapons. At the end, Bevelle defeated
Zanarkand. Survivors of Zanarkand used up their last bit power and created
'Dream Zanarkand'. However, their Highest Summoner used up his own power to
summon 'Sin'. Sin destroys everything, until 'Sin' got defeated by the Highest
Summoner's Daughter and Son-In-Law (Yunalesca and Lord Zaon). After the events,
High Officials of Bevelle created Yevon to monopolize the situation. Hence,
people in Spira have been deceived for 1000 years.

Within the war, there was an tragic event. The victims were Lenne, Zanarkand's
most famous singer and her lover Shuyin. If the war never happened, they would
probably have lived happily together forever. But because the war, the famous
singer and also a summoner Lenne has to head to the battle field even she knows
that's committing suicide. Out of all these people in Zanarkand, there was one
person who wished to have Lenne lives on. He decided to do anything in order to
save Lenne. Shuyin then thought of VegnaGun, Bevelle's most powerful battle
machine. Because VegnaGun can't be fully operated and controlled, it was sealed
in Under-Bevelle. But it was the only way to end the war. Having this thought
in his mind, Shuyin sneaked in Under-Bevelle. Just as the moment he can control
VegnaGun, Lenne who found out his plan ran in. Lenne knows VegnaGun's power
will destroy all of Spira, hence she went to Under-Bevelle and try to stop
Shuyin. When she meets Shuyin, Bevelle Soldiers found them. Then the tragedy
occurs, Lenne and Shuyin were both shot. And Shuyin had to see his lover got
killed right by him. Shuyin however was injured and locked in a jail at
Under-Bevelle. Because of his wish to save Lenne results in the death of Lenne,
plus birthplace Zanarkand goes into destruction step by step, Shuyin hated
himself, he hated Bevelle, he hated the world, then Shuyin died with the
hatred. But his hatred and sadness combined with pyre flies, and further
strengthening him by gathering power in Mushroom Rock Road's Sealed Cave.

Then 1000 years passed, everything of Shuyin have been forgotten. Even though
the Temples know there is an evil monster in the cave, but they don't know what
exactly is it.

In order to control the Crusaders, the Temples create an elite team, once
succeed, the team members will be sent to each place and command the Crusaders
there, this elite team is called the Akagi Team. For various reasons, different
people joined the Akagi Team to train. They then divided into different groups.
And one of the strongest group contains the trio of Gippal, Baralai and Nooj.
And to report all their actions in the training was this 'reporter' goes by the
name Paine.

Through the difficult training, these four became good friends as they have
went to life and death situations together. Finally, the final cut comes,
teacher of the Temples wish the Akagi Team to check out the Sealed Cave and
whoever comes back with true facts of the cave will be recognized as a member
of the Akagi Team. The final cut was Cruel, even weapons have to be gained from
other team members. But for the Nooj, Baralai, Gippal and Paine, it was nothing.

However, no one has thought of what's about to happened. Shuyin's hatred and
sadness affected every member of the Akagi Team. They started to kill each
others, every single one of them died except for Nooj, Baralai, Gippal and
Paine. Because of their strong will, they made it to the center of the cave,
the focus of Shuyin's hatred and sadness. Nooj's heart gave up hopes (plus cuz
he joined the team just to get himself killed), that makes him the easiest to
be controlled by Shuyin's hatred. But when Shuyin's hatred finds he can control
Nooj to destroy Spira, He decided not to kill the four people. And he also let
the four to know the existence of Vegnagun and then possessed in Nooj's body.

Nooj and others didn't know what happened. They made it to the entrance of the
cave and toward the soldiers to report. But Shuyin's hatred didn't want anyone
else to know what happened in the cave, he then yet again made them kill each
other. Nooj and others know they are the only survivors and they will surely be
looked as murderers (and then be executed), they decided to separate their
paths as to reduce the targets. Right at the moment they separated, Nooj shot
the other three. Maybe just to make each other to hate each other, Nooj didn't
kill any of them. Then the four lived on with their choices.

Not too long after this, Yuna defeated Sin. A new age came. Trema started a new
trend and encourage people to start to discover Sphere that are hidden through
out Spira to uncover Spira's history. And obviously, Sphere hunters are
created. However, this didn't last long, Trema then created New Yevon to
Attempt to monopolize detected Sphere. Because his actions and the past temples
are similar, people start to disagree with him. Nooj then use this chance and
created the Youth League to go against the New Yevon. Of course, his true
intention is VegnaGun that's is sleeping in Under-Bevelle. Baralai uses Trema's
selfish and stirs up a fight within New Yevon. Trema was kicked down while
Baralai became the new leader of the New Yevon. Gippal on the other hand became
the leader of the Machina Group and mainly focus on digging ancient machine on
the desert. And lastly, Paine, wishes to found out what happened of that
accident in the cave, she then joined The Sea Gull Group and became a Sphere
Hunter.

In one little incident, Kimahri found a Sphere that shows Shuyin being locked
in a jail. Because Shuyin and Tidus look alike, Kimahri thinks this is news of
Tidus and get Riku to deliver it to Yuna. Although She doesn't know if the one
in the Sphere is really Tidus or just someone that looks like him, but in order
to reunite with the one she loves, with this only hope, Yuna decides to throw
away everything and started a new journey, a journey for herself. Yuna then
joins Rikku's Sea Gull Group and meet with Paine.

Through the journey, Yuna found a Dress Sphere from Lenne. Because of that,
Lenne's emotions affected Yuna. Yuna starts to know of a buried history, and
Lenne's love to Shuyin. At the same time, Yuna starts out flashbacks of Tidus
as she travels through out Spira, as she remembers every moment of their
journey together 2 years ago.

Through the Sphere from each places, Yuna finds out the existence of VegnaGun.
She decided to head to Bevelle and find out the truth, and mainly to take out
this threat of Spira. Because knowing VegnaGun's auto counter attack ability
when it detects enemy, Baralai tries to stop YuRiPa. But no one knew, that
Shuyin's hatred controlled Nooj uses this chance to sneak into Under Bevelle.
And He uses VegnaGun's great power to hide it at the abyss of Farplane.

The Fayth (who Yuna has helped to finish their eternal summoning destiny) felt
the great danger, they decided to stop Shuyin's hatred. But Shuyin's hatred was
too powerful. The Fayth ended up being affected by Shuyin's hatred and live on
as monsters.

To end VegnaGun's threat, Gippal, Baralai and Nooj gather together again (after
two 2 years from last time). But because the event from last time, they hated
each other. Shuyin's hatred then further moves on to Baralai and control him.
All three of them then enter Farplane while having wishes of stopping and
starting up VegnaGun.

At this time, Yuna is busy running around one place to another because of the
wild appearance of monsters around Spira. On one incident, she also got into
Farplane. And met with Shuyin's hatred controlled Baralai. Because of the
Songstress Dress Sphere on Yuna, Shuyin's hatred then mistaken Yuna as Lenne.
He wishes them together to destroy Spira and then fall into Eternal Sleep
together. Nooj then wakes up the decepted Yuna, and then walk into the Abyss of
Farplane after telling Yuna to take care what's happening on Spira. Being
confused and left alone, Yuna then hear whistling from Tidus. Tidus' vision
then guided Yuna out of Farplane.

This time at Spira, every big group are in great confusion because of the lost
their leaders. In order to unite people's hearts and feelings, Yuna decided to
call out a concert. During the concert, people then see the tragedy from 1000
years ago because of war. People then begin to rethink everything that has
happened so far.

After the concert, YuRiPa receive news from Farplane. And knowing the root of
everything is at Farplane, YuRiPa decided to enter Farplane and end it all.
Through the path to Farplane, Yuna had to defeat her old partners, the Aeons,
one by one. After that, Fayth regain control and tells Yuna that's merely
Shuyin's shadow, a combination of Shuyin's hatred and sadness. Yuna then
decides to use light, as Lenne to Shuyin's love to get rid of this Shadow.
Through out difficult battles, Shuyin's hatred finally disappear because of
Lenne's love. Yuna yet again saved the world. She then meets up the Fayth, and
the Fayth knowing Yuna's feeling toward Tidus, The Fayth decided to try to get
Tidus back to Yuna.

After the confusions, thee three leaders shake their hands and wish Spirans to
work harder together to bring a better future to Spira. As for Yuna, who just
brought peace back to Spira didn't show up in the celebration meeting. She told
the three leaders to bring her words to every Spiran: "I'll in a particular
part of the sky and live every day happily".

While waking up under water, Tidus slowly swim up to the surface. He then
slowly walk up the beach, in the distant sky, an airship approaches toward
Tidus...

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