Thanks for reading my story. This is my first actual fanfic...so its probabaly not very good at all. But I'm going to be working on improving my writing skills and stuff as I work on future chapters. This first one is just an intro, to get the setting of the story and such worked out. I know I've read a couple that take place in the same location, but I plan on adding in some new places here and there for the action to happen, so don't worry. Anyhew, happy reading and please let me know what you think. Oh yes, and as for all that disclaimer jazz. I don't own Final Fantasy, any of the characters, and yadda yadda yadda. Okay, now enjoy!
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"The stars are so much clearer here, I think." Yuna's soft voice broke through the silence of the small group lounged out on the beach.
"I don't think so. They're pretty much the same everywhere. At least to me. Stars are stars, Yuna." Paine flatly replied, just enjoying resting in the sand with no talking going on at all.
The blonde girl sitting in between the two didn't say anything. She hadn't even heard Yuna's commentary on their surroundings. She was way too busy thinking. She had been lost in thought for quite sometime now, wondering how her life had become so dull. It had been six months since their defeat of Vengagun, and ever since, her life had become incredibly dull.
Tidus and Yuna had gotten married and were living in Besaid , a happy newlywed couple. Yuna was already starting to talk about children, much to her blitzer husband's dismay. Lulu and Wakka were married and had a family, and were living blissful as could be next door to Yuna and Tidus. Even Paine had started a relationship with someone, although the warrior wouldn't reveal who just yet. That left her all alone, and feeling quite out of place among her close group of friends.
Well, it wasn't all that bad. She was only seventeen, and still had plenty of time to find her special someone. It wasn't like she was worried about becoming an old maid or something. It was easy to get guys attention. It just so happened she didn't want their attention. She wasn't really sure of what to do with it, how to handle herself in those kind of situations.
"Rikku? You're awfully quiet tonight. Are you feeling okay?" Yuna questioned, nudging her younger cousin lightly.
Rikku snapped out of her silence and looked up at the sky, trying to cover up the fact that she hadn't been paying attention. "I'm fine, Yunie. I was just thinking about stuff, that's all." Was the blonde's overly cheerful reply, which caused the two sitting on either side of her to raise their eyebrows in concern.
The group sat in silence like this for several minutes, until Pain finally broke the silence. "Thinking...about what exactly? It isn't like you to just sit and think about things."
"Oh...about why I'm still in Besaid when I should be helping my old man back Home." Rikku quickly responded, not wanting to let her friends know what she was really thinking about.
"Oh...well you did get that message from Buddy and Brother on the commsphere. They're heading to Djose to help out with the Faction. Why don't you get back with them and go along? You haven't seen your brother in a long while." The soft-spoken summoner reminded Rikku with a firm nod of the head.
"I know I haven't, but I've been busy with you guys here." The blonde girl sighed, sounding a bit annoyed. She hated being reminded of how she neglected her annoying family.
"Busy?! Doing what exactly? We sit around day in and day out, or play the occasional game of blitzball with the guys. Don't even use the busy excuse." Paine barked out, knocking the Al Bhed next to her upside the head.
"Owwww...meanie!" Rikku whined and suck out her tounge while rubbing the back of her head.
"I know we haven't been very busy, Rikku, but maybe you should consider spending time with Brother. Paine's going off to spend the rest of the summer with her mystery man, and quite honestly.... Tidus and I would like to have some privacy, some alone time. Oh, not that we don't like having you staying with us, of course." Yuna smiled over at Rikku, hoping the girl wouldn't take offense.
She did love her cousin, and was very grateful for all the help she had given over the past couple of years. But she and Tidus hadn't had any alone time at all since they had come home from their honeymoon, and it was starting to take effect on the both of them.
"Oh...well I guess I'll get ahold of Brother and get out of your hair then." Rikku mumbled, rising to her feet and dusting off her backside.
She hadn't meant to be a burden to anyone. It was just the idea of spending time with her closest friends outside of fighting, sphere hunting, or pilgrimages was so nice...and so rare. So rare, she wanted to stay living in Besaid with no worries other than getting a sunburn for as long as possible. She knew once the time here was over, the sphere hunting, fighting, and machina salvaging would begin again.
"It's time for me to get to working on machina again anyways. I might loose my touch if I stay away from the game too long." She tried to cover up the hurt rejection she was feeling with a large smile and a little laugh as she turned to leave.
Yuna and Paine exchanged worried glances. They both knew Rikku's feelings had been hurt, the girl wasn't very good at covering her emotions up at all. The larger Rikku's smile was on the outside, the more she was frowning on the inside.
"Hold on Rikku, Yuna didn't mean it like that. So don't go off and be upset. She wants you here...but she also wants some alone time with her husband as well." Paine tried being comforting, but knew Rikku wouldn't accept it until she had calmed down.
Yuna grimaced and moved to her feet as well. "Please don't be upset with me, Rikku. I don't want you to feel as if you have to leave. I do love having you here. It's just...with all this talk of starting a family like Wakka and Lulu have...we need some alone time to try and do that. Understand?" The woman calmly explained and reached out to place a gentle hand on Rikku's shoulder.
Rikku kept on walking, not even bothering to try and give the two a smile as she made her way back to the tent she had been sharing with Yuna and Tidus. She solemnly traipsed into the tent, where Tidus was relaxed out on a hammock.
"Heya Rikku. What's up?" He lazily drawled, cracking an eye open to look at her.
"Leaving." She curtly replied, and made way to her section of the tent.
She made a big noise while packing up all of her belongings, not that there were that many. Just one suitcase and a small trunk full. Once she had everything crammed into a place, ready to leave, she set up her commsphere. She put on a happy face and practiced her happy voice before trying to contact Brother. Hopefully he wouldn't mind dropping by Besaid and picking her up before heading off to the temple. And hopefully, she'd find a place where she was wanted around for the summer as well.
Luckily, she got right ahold of Brother, the big oaf was lounging around doing nothing, but she could tell they were on the Celsius. "Rao mywo! Fyga ib! Ed'c ouin pypo cecdan fyhdehk du dymg du oui!" [Hey lazy! Wake up! It's your baby sister wanting to talk to you!] She shouted, honestly smiling a little upon seeing her older brother's face again.
"Rikku...Yuna cyet oui fana duu pico du dymg du sa dra udran tyo. Kuut du vehymmo rayn vnus oui...pnyd." [Rikku...Yuna said you were too busy to talk to me the other day. Good to finally hear from you...brat.] Brother's loudmouthed voice boomed over the commsphere, making Rikku smile just a little bit more. It really was nice to see and hear Brother again...who knew?
"Famm, E fyc fuhtanehk ev oui luimt lusa po yht belg sa ib dusunnuf sunhehk yht pnehk sa du Djose fedr oui. E's celg uv paehk rana, kaddehk eh ajanouha'c fyo." [Well, I was wondering if you could come by and pick me up tomorrow morning and bring me to Djose with you. I'm sick of being here, getting in everyone's way.] The now almost perky blonde got right to the point, not wanting her brother to think this was a social call, when all she wanted was him to take her away from Besaid.
A smile creeped up on the Al Bhed male's face as he appeared to be deep in thought. Rikku rolled her eyes, knowing that Brother's mind was a constant jumble of thoughts and that the guy never could think on only one thing at a time, no matter how hard he tried.
"Famm....famm...lusa uh, cmufbuga!" [Well...well...come on, slowpoke!] Rikku finally shouted out, causing Brother to facefault and jump in suprise.
"Veha. Oui lyh lusa. Pid oui ghuf ra'c kuehk du pa drana, yht oui'mm pa fungehk vun res, nekrd? Ra tet ycg sa du kad oui du lusa ymuhk." [Fine. You can come. But you know he's going to be there, and you'll be working for him, right? He did ask me to get you to come along.] He smirked, raising a brow in a teasing manner.
"He?" Rikku wondered, her face muzzling down into a look of confusion. Who in the world would want her along, helping with machina?
Brother let out a long and booming laugh, at his sister's puzzled expression and tone. "Ouin meddma puovneaht...Gippal." He snickered, preparing for one of Rikku's anger fits.
Now it was Rikku who face faulted and almost collapsed to the ground in a combination of suprise and anger. She quickly recovered, however, and a look of pure anger and annoyance sprouted on her face. "FRYD?! Dryd lulgo zang ec hud so puovneaht, cu tuh'd ajah cdynd, un amca E'mm gelg ouin ycc dusunnuf frah E caa oui." [WHAT?! That cocky jerk is not my boyfriend, so don't even start, or else I'll kick your ass tomorrow when I see you.]
In the other room, Tidus peered over in the direction that Rikku's furious voice had come from. "Seesh...what's wrong with her tonight? She's so...so...crabby. I'll have to talk to Yuna later." He sighed, and turned his attention back to trying to nap.
Brother's laughter continued for a good five minutes before he finally calmed down and gave his sister a pitiful look. "Okay, Rikku, okay. Brother'll be in Besaid tomorrow morning. Sunrise." And with that, the commsphere link was ended and Rikku was once again sitting in her room all alone.
With a long sigh, she picked up the commsphere and tossed it inside her backpack, which was laying open on her hammock.
"I can't believe I'm going to be spending the rest of the summer with both Brother and Gippal. Maybe it'll be like old times, when we were little. That's exactly what I need, is to have things the way they used to be when I was little and back Home. That way, I can be out of Yunie and Tidus' hair and I can be around my family...and have fun." She actually grinned, and got to work on finishing packing.