This story has been bouncing around in my head a bit, and I finally wrote it down. It's my first time publishing one of my stories. Hope you guys like this one! Please review! =)

(Note: I do not own any story elements or characters from FFX. The storyline, characters, and quotes I use are owned by the makers of FFX, the real masters of a great storyline.)

Chapter 1

"Let me take a look at your eyes."

Rikku stood directly I front of the intimidating cloaked man with a high collar. He stared at her face, and she noticed through his tinted glasses that one of his eyes was scarred shut, and the other was open, revealing a soft brown. His hair was light brown, with gray threaded through the strands by his ears, and near his forehead. The slight wrinkles at the corner of each eye told her that he could be around thirty-five years old. She felt the back of her neck heat up from his stare.

"You will do," he finally said, and walked on passed the group of young people. "Let's move on."

Rikku let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and the group started walking more into the dense forest. Rikku walked next to Yuna, her cousin. Rikku had looked forward to the day when she would see her cousin again, after not seeing her since they were about ten years old. She had heard that Yuna became a summoner and hoped that she would meet her at some point while Yuna was on her pilgramage. She had wanted to be her gaurdian with all her heart. She leaped for joy when Yuna agreed, but her heart jumped when Sir Auron looked into her eyes and agreed as well.

"What's his name?" Rikku asked Yuna as Auron walked a few feet away from them.

"Sir Auron. He asked to be my gaurdian back when we were in Luca two days ago. He was one of my father's guardians as well."

"Really? Wow…"

"Yes, I am so honored to have him as one of my guardians."

"We are coming up to Guadosalam," the very man they were talking about said.

"You can hardly see through the trees," Rikku commented.

"Yes. That is how we know that we are nearing Guadosalam—the dense forestry."

She nodded and they walked on, and Rikku made quick glances at Auron. She wanted to know his story—how he received that scar, how his arm became lame, if that was why it was folded through his red cloak and not through a sleeve.

"Hey, Rikku!"

She jumped a little at someone suddenly calling her name. It was the blonde guy who knew nothing of Spira, and who claimed he was from Zanarkand—Tidus. "Yeah?"

"Hey, uh… sorry about freaking out on you while on your ship when I first came here. Sin's toxin, you know..."

"Hey, I know that the toxin can mess with your head. It's alright!"

He smiled, and she momentarily thought him really cute. But he wasn't her type. Plus, she's noticed in the hour that she has spent with the group that he had a thing for Yuna—he always made eyes at her as she walked with Lulu.

"Ah, welcome!" she heard a booming voice say, and she looked ahead of her to see a man with curly blue hair and beard approach them. His ears were pointy, and he had ridiculously long fingers—a Guado! She has never seen one up close before. "Welcome to Guadosalam. Lord Maester Seymour has been expecting you, especially you, Lady Summoner Yuna."

"He wishes to speak with me?" Yuna asked, surprised.

"Yes. Please, follow me."

The group followed this Guado man to a structure built into the dense trees. Rikku stared at it in awe. She has heard of the Guadosalam Manor and has wanted to see it in person. "Whoa, would you look at that! Cool!"

She heard a "Hmph," near her and noticed that it was Auron. She cleared her throat, embarrassed the Auron noticed her giddy character.

They all went into the manor and Rikku stared at the staircases on each side, as well as portraits of various Guado on the walls. She cocked her head. "Who are those guys?"

"They are the previous maesters and priests of Guadosalam," Auron explained as he stood next to her, and she noticed an earthy scent, with a hint of spice. "They are in order from the oldest priests and maesters from Sin's first attack one thousands years ago, up until now."

"Huh," Rikku said somewhat entranced as she stared at Auron as he explained. He suddenly looked over at her and she immediately turned her head away.

"Here's Maester Seymour," Tidus said, and Rikku came up and stood near him on the stairs with Yuna, Wakka, and Lulu. Auron came up to them as well, while Kimari stood off to the side. "He doesn't look like the others, though."

"That is because he is half-Guado," Auron explained. "His father Lord Jyscal married a human woman."

"Oh..." Tidus and Rikku enthused at the same time. She has heard of how there was a Guado who was only half, and who was shunned out of Guadosalam for being a half-breed. Was that Maester Seymour?

"Come, through this way," they heard that Guado man say, and they followed him into a room that looked like it was used for dinner parties. There were seats along the walls, and there was a large table in the middle of the room with fruit all over it, piled in baskets, and on a tower in the center.

"Whoa!" Rikku said, and went straight to the table and eyed all the delicious-looking mango, pineapples, bananas, oranges, guava, Spira starfruit…

The Guado man, who introduced himself as Tromell, praised Maester Seymour for his hard work as a maester and priest, and how well he has performed as Head Maester of the Yevon Temple, even though he has been such a short time.

"The guy sounds fascinating," Rikku muttered, and Tromell went on...

"I am indeed looking forward to your meeting such an honorable man such as Maester Seymour."

"That is enough, Tromell. Must I endure such praise?"

Rikku turned to see a tall man wearing a large maester robe walk into the room. She gasped at his appearance. He had blue hair, with a horn-like locks jutting out of his head, along with a bang that stuck out. He looked not even thirty years old. Rikku's heart sunk a little at remembering that the man lost his father only two weeks before.

"You wished to speak to me, Your Grace?" Yuna asked him, giving him the prayer bow.

"Yes," he said. "Come with me."

Maester Seymour glanced Rikku's way and her heart jumped when the half-Guado man quirked up a blue eyebrow. She gulped.

The room suddenly changed, and they were suddenly floating over a grand city filled with buildings and lights.

"Whoa!" Rikku screamed, and tripped over her feet from the surprise. She toppled into someone, someone taller than her. She looked over and gasped.

Auron!

He took hold of her shoulders and stood her straight. Her cheeks burned from suddenly being engulfed in his scent, and his nearness. His hands seemed so strong as he steadied her…

"This city is made up of the dreams of the Fayth that have been accumulated over the past one-thousand years," Maester Seymour explained, and Rikku stared at the city zooming passed them as they stood over it, as if they were floating in the air.

"Holy moly..." Rikku enthused as excitement rushed through her. She laughed giddily at the passing stars and tried to touch them. Suddenly, the city turned into a busy street. "Whoa, hey!" she said as people passed her.

"Zanarkand?" Tidus questioned.

"Yes, that is correct," Seymour said. "This is what Zanarkand looked one thousand years ago. She has once lived in this thriving metropolis."

"She who?" Yuna asked, and he simply glanced at her and smirked. He looked to the front, and Rikku happened to face him as she twisted around, trying not to be run over by hundreds of the dream people walking by. Her glance met Seymour's, and she started. The man had purple eyes!

The scene changed again, and Rikku looked away from those purple eyes. The group were in a bed chamber now. Rikku cocked her head at the woman sitting on the bed, dressed in hardly anything. She's seen her before, or an image of her…

"Lady Yunalesca!" she suddenly said, remembering. She has heard tales about Yevon that were told her form her people. Seymour looked over at her and smirked.

"Yes, that is correct." He glanced at Yuna. "And your namesake, Lady Yuna."

Those purple eyes glanced back at Rikku, and she stiffened. Why was he constantly looking at her?

A man suddenly walked through, clad in a priest's body suit. Lady Yunalesca stood up and greeted the man with an embrace, and the two remained holding onto one another. It looked as if they were going to kiss. Rikku's cheeks heated up as she glanced at Auron, then at Maester Seymour—he was leaned in toward Yuna. It looked as if he whispered something to her. She took a step to them to see if she could hear what he was saying to her. She held in a gasp when she caught the word "marry."

He stood tall again, and Rikku stared at him, shocked. He made a glance at her, and she gave him a look that demanded, "Are you crazy?" He cocked his head at her, and she looked away from him.

The vision disappeared, and Yuna quickly went to one of the side tables filled with food and drank down a glass of water.

"How could he..." Rikku muttered to herself quietly. "I thought he only met her a couple days ago."

"He..." Yuna began to the group, her cheeked flushed pink. "He asked me to marry him."

The whole room gasped, and everyone questioned Yuna, as well as Maester Seymour. Auron seemed the most displeased.

"This is no game, Maester Seymour," he said in a rough voice.

"I assure you, I play no games," he said smoothly.

Auron glared at him, and Rikku noticed. He seemed to care a lot about Yuna and her pilgramage. Why was that? Because he was a gaurdian once before and it was his duty to Lord Braska, Yuna's father? Or…

Rikku shook her head and stood near Yuna, letting that thought go. She took Yuna's shoulders.

"What are you going to say, Yunie?" she asked her.

"I… am not sure yet."

Rikku stood away as Seymour was about to leave the room, and Auron said that they had to go. The others started leaving with Tidus saying how insane it was the Yuna got proposed to.

"Are you not pleased, miss?"

Rikku suddenly turned and faced Maester Seymour. She let out a gasp at the surprise. "What? Not pleased?"

"You do not seemed thrilled at the idea of Lady Yuna marrying."

He was so tall compared to her—her line of sight stopped at his bare chest showing those black beast tattoos. Her body tingled with nervousness. "Um, no. I'm just surprised, that's all. I mean, so soon? You met her only a couple days ago, right?"

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Apparently, you did not make the connection."

"Connection? Connection to what?"

"Hm. You may come to that knowledge in time."

Rikku noticed the last of her friends leaving the room, with Auron being the last one. He stood at the door and stared at she and Seymour, bewilderment in his rough features.

"Um, okay," she said to the grand maester. "I have to go. Thank you for inviting us here. This place is pretty neat."

She turned, but stopped when he asked, "What is your name, miss?"

"Rikku."

She hurried to the door and walked out to join the rest of the group. She turned and saw that Auron was not with her. She waited a moment and heard Maester Seymour say something about the Farplane. Auron said something back and exited the dining room.

"What were you speaking to Maester Seymour about?" Auron asked as they entered the main entry corridor.

"Um… nothing. He was just wondering what I thought about him proposing to Yuna. Don't know why he wanted to know that."

"Because you are Yuna's cousin. Family. He may have wanted your opinion because of that."

Rikku gasped. "How do you know that Yunie's my cousin?"

"Your eyes. They're Al Bhed. I also know that Yuna is half Al-Behd."

"Oh, okay, um… but is that really why Maester Seymour asked her? I mean, the guy was staring at me the whole time. It was creepy."

She put a hand to her mouth. She didn't know why she revealed that.

"Hm," he said as a response to her confession.

They went and joined the group. They all stood with one another outside of the manor, and they all questioned Yuna, asking her if she was really going to accept him.

"It is a way to bring joy to Spira in a time of sadness," Lulu said. "That may be why he asked her. It is clever, really."

"I agree," said Auron. "Spira needs a little extra joy in this time of death."

The group discussed this a little longer and Yuna surprised them by saying that she wanted to give Maester Seymour her answer.

"Wait," Rikku said. "Are you sure, Yunie?"

"Yes, I believe it is a good idea. All I want is for Spira to have joy and peace. This is a way I can accomplish that."

"Okay, um… how about I go in and see if he can speak to you again?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Rikku."

"I want to."

She walked back to the manor, but stopped at someone saying her name haltingly. She turned to face Auron. His look told her not to go in as well. Her heart pounded at the serious look he was giving her, and she willed herself to not succumb to that rough, yet strangely handsome face.

"I will be right back."

She went on inside and met Tromell. "Oh, hello, again. Are you one of Lady Yuna's guardians?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, um… is Maester Seymour still here?"

"I am."

They both turned to find the very maester walking up to them, coming from that dining room. He had his hands clasped behind his back.

"What can I do for you, gaurdian Rikku?"

She stood as tall as her petite stature would allow. "I want to know why you really asked Yuna to marry you."

He was silent for a moment. "Tromell, would you please leave us?"

The Guado man left, and Maester Seymour did not look away from Rikku once. She felt like a bug under that stare, a stare that made her skin crawl for some reason.

"Why?" he asked, referring to her question. "Are you against it?"

"I'm not saying that, I'm just curious."

He took a step to her and gave her a quizzical look. "Why are you curious?"

"Why are you answering my questions with questions?"

"You will find out soon enough—why I asked Lady Yuna's hand."

"Can't you just tell me?"

He chuckled. "You are quite persistent. But I am afraid I shall make you wait longer for a response. I must be off to Macalania Temple."

He turned to go, and Rikku's heart pounded hard inside of her with the desire to know his answer. He wasn't going to get away that easily. She went and stood in front of him, stopping him from leaving, holding her arms out like a bird.

"Yuna wants to answer you, but before she does, I want to know why you asked her to marry you after only knowing you for a couple days."

Seymour let off a large sigh through his nose and leaned down to her level. She had to gulp as his face came very near to hers, and she could see every fleck of purple in his eyes, and every Guado vein on his forehead. Her hands balled into fists as she tried to keep her emotions in check. He was gorgeous up close!

"It seems to me that you don't want her to marry."

"That's not it! Why are you making this so difficult?"

"I am afraid you are the one making this difficult, gaurdian Rikku. Now, will you please excuse me?"

Rikku huffed in defeat and dropped her arms. "Oh, alright. But you owe me an answer, Maester Seymour."

He stood up straight and passed her. She noticed his finger brush her hand as he passed. Her breath hitched.

"Until our next meeting," he said. "Good day."

He left and Rikku let out a massive breath. No man has ever been that close to her face before. And never has she stepped into other people's business like that! She shook her head. No, she had to do. Yuna was her cousin. She had a responsibility to look out for her, especially as her gaurdian.

Rikku walked out of the manor and the whole group turned to face her. Auron was the first to speak up.

"We were told by Tromell that Maester Seymour has abruptly left for the Macalania Temple."

"Macarana Temple?" Tidus asked.

"Macalania Temple," Wakka corrected.

"Oh."

Rikku thought it best not to mention her encounter with the half-Guado maester. "Yeah, that's what I was told when I went in there, too. Sorry, Yunie. I just wanted to help a little."

Yuna gave her a sweet smile. "It's alright. Let's move on."

The group left and walked down a dense forest path. Rikku made glances at Yuna. That man was so stubborn and wouldn't even answer my question! It wasn't that hard to answer. And did he really have to stand that close to my face?

She put her hands to her cheeks. "Oh..." she whined, wishing they weren't heating up.