SWITCH-A-ROO : PROLOGUE


Author's Notes: Umm... oh goodness, I am scared for my dear life 'cause it's my first fic and I expect it to be really bad! -hides- Please, do not hurt me if it is! I got this idea by listening to "In Cairo" by Hot Hot Heat over and over again so in some way that song's gonna find a place in this fic!



Disclaimer: I own Final Fantasy X! I bought it for almost fifty bucks! I also own the storyline for the fic... but I do not own the Final Fantasy X storyline or characters or anything else ; that my friends belongs to Squaresoft.


THE REAL REASON : PROLOGUE


Rikku stood there peeking into the enterance of the Farplane. The surrounding area was dark , but was only illuminated by dull, nearly burnt out shop-signs hovering over large holes in walls naturally made of vines, wood, and leaves. Guadosalam was not how it used to be since she'd last been here six years ago on Yuna's pilgrimage. The Guado race migrated north into the freezing pits of Macalania to protect the temple of Yevon shortly before Yuna was officially inducted as High Summoner by her deeds of defeating Sin permanately. Rikku has always thought the Guado were creepy-- but she knew Guadosalam is less than nothing without them. (And more creepy aswell.)


Her blonde hair hung loosely below her cheeks, tickling them as the wind pushed them upon her soft, tanned skin. Some strands covered her shimmering green swirly eyes, but her gaze was still set and clear and undisturbed on the Farplane's enterance. She gulped, and stared... not taking any time to blink nor move.


I've gotta go along with this. I know memories are only nice treasures and I know about the Al Bhed thing with the Farplane but I haveta go inside! Rikku told herself, pushing her hand forward into the pink and purple mist. Her hand felt the Farplane's coolness, relaxing her a tiny bit. Nothing happened... Rikku thought, letting out a sigh of relief. She began to take a step inside of the Farplane but, in mid-step she paused and thought about something her father told her when she was just a little kid...


A cheery child hopped up and down on a comfy red couch inside of a huge condominium complex in the center of the Al Bhed's newly-constructed 'Home' on Bikanel Island. "Tell me a story, daddy! Tell me a story!" the child demanded, short blonde hair flying up and down as she jumped, with her swirly green eyes shining with a mischievous innocence and begging gaze. "Pwease?"



*** FLASHBACK ***

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"Okay, okay... come here!" A pretty short and chubby man -- Cid, lifted the child and cradled her in his arms. "And what did I tell you about jumping on the couch? If you can't do it on the bed you can't to it on the couch, all righty there?"


"'Kay daddy," the girl replied in a smile.


"That's my girl," the man said with a smile. He sat down on the couch and placed the young blonde in his lap. "What kind of story do you wanna hear, Rikku?"


"A ssccaarryy one!" Rikku answered, fixing her voice into a ghostly tone while stressing the word 'scary'.


"Okay. Now, this story is a true one... and I'm gonna tell it and tell it and tell it'til you believe. It's about those damned Yevonites prejudice on the Al Bhed," Cid began.


"What's predge-oo-duce?" inquired Rikku.


"It's when people judge you 'cause of what you believe in," Cid answered, not completely putting that into terms that someone of Rikku's young age would comprehend.


"Ohhhhh. I knew that," Rikku lied with a smile on her face. "C'mon! Tell me the story!"


"Okay, okay. So, once there was this guy who was nameless... which means he had no name."


"Didn't his daddy give him a name?"


"Probably, honey. If so, nobody knew what it was. He was a Yevonite who believed in hating everyone who did not believe in Yevon."


"What's Yevon?"


"It's uh... Yevon's a race of people that believe Sin wouldn't come back if we stop using machina."


"Do we believe in Yevon?"


"No sweetie. Yevon's a bad bad race that is wrong on many many things because they let their beliefs control their lives. They do not think for themselves. People who believe what we believe have nothing against Yevon. We just think they're bad and we do not do bad things to them like they do to us," Cid explained.


"Ohhhhh."


"Yup. So anyway, he was a master of all magics and a master of cursing and bad-doings. He hated us so bad that he put a curse on this place called the Farplane. The Farplane is where those Yevonites put away dead people's souls so they cannot come back to haunt us in the form of fiends. Us Al Bhed only go to the Yevonite's place 'cause we like to think about our dead friends and family there. When we think about them in that place their picture shows up."


"Wow! Can I go to the Farplane?"


"No... I can't let you, sweetie. Wanna hear the rest of the story?"


"Yes! Yes daddy! Pwease?"


"Okay."


"Goodie!"


"So the man he said 'No Al Bhed can come to this place or else the world's order will be disturbed! And if one shall disobey this and disturb life's order than so be it! Al Bhed are not welcome into a holy place of Yevon such as this and shall they never be let!"


"Ohhh." So young, Rikku barely understood what her father was talking about.


"And the man's curse was set. So... if anybody like us is to enter the Farplane-- life would be ruined. We have no idea how but someone like us went inside... ... ... and never came back... ... ...," Cid told.


"Daddy?"


"Yes?"


"That wasn't scary!"


"Oh. I tried, hun."


"Want me to tell you a scary story?"


"Go ahead!" Cid enthusiastically said...



*** END- FLASHBACK ***

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That was some child's story I'll bet. Rikku told herself, forcing herself completely inside the enterance of the Farplane. Purples and blues and pinks decorated the sky. She stood on an island in the middle of a home for those departed, yet she felt so much positive and welcoming feelings drawing her farther inside.


"Whoa-ho," Rikku whispered, amazed at how the warm coloring of the place complimented her feelings.


Spalshes of pinks, blues, and purples formed the sky of the dead to be a beautiful sight to see. For those mourning the colors must cheer them up. The colors could have been a sign of the dead saying to 'Move On,' with a farewell bid from their loved ones. White fluff-balls danced around also adding beauty to the place.


Wow! It looks so nice! Rikku told herself. I wonder if I should've done this! Oh no! I hope pops wasn't right about some Yevonite cursing this place! Rikku then paniced, in second thoughts of her actions. I suppose it's too late... even if I screw things up I wanna see Keyakku's face before I do!


A picture of Rikku's departed family member appeared in front of her. "Hey Keyakku! I know the pyreflies are workin' with my memories and stuff but how ya been!?"


... Silence ...


"I see. I hope you're doing okay. Don't let those dead Yevonites mess around with you in there, okay! I don't think they have no idea that there's new world orders! Do you, though? Anyway, since I'm here, I'm gonna see some other people! I love you, Keyakku!" And that was that...


"Hey! Nothing bad happened! Hmm... how about I see if Tidus is here? I mean, Yunie was worried about him; as she told me last before I left Besaid...," Rikku reminded herself. Okay... Tidus... Yunie's loved-one... appear!


... No Tidus! ...


He's alive! Rikku thought, happily.


"I have to see Auron. I've always liked the way he'd try to make me face my fears even though he'd make it not seem like it and be rude to me...," Rikku told herself. Hmm... Auron... APPEAR YOU MEANIE!


Auron appeared! He appeared the same as always. Big red coat, his huge Masamune over his shoulder, his neutral grin... sliced eye. "I just came to say hi to you, too. Okay? I'll remember you, k? You were mean to me but I still love ya!" Rikku shouted to the transparent image of Auron.


I am almost freaked right now... I think I'm gonna leave! Rikku told herself, still remembering what Cid has told her.


Rikku whipped herself around back the way she came, her blonde hair flying back to it's original position. Her swrily emerald eyes spiraled into an endless pool of fright as she realized the exit has disappeared! You couldn't see the wooded areas of Guadosalam out of any place in the Farplane!


... What the...?


Those thoughts were interrupted by a sudden blackening of the surroundings. The island she stood on disappeared and she fell into a black hole of nothingness...


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END PROLOGUE

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Author's Notes: Long prologue, eh? I know, and I'm sorry! Hopefully you like it. I think it's bad but you can be the judge of that! R-n-R, please? Thank ya!