Only In Theory

Chapter 1: Sweet Cheeks and Honey Buns

The crowd burst out the stadium doors cheering and laughing, the Luca Goers had just won the blitz-ball tournament. Everyone on the great green face of Spira seemed to be there, and in a matter of moments the streets were filled with the buzz of the people.

But somewhere on one of the docks, away from all the crowds, one man stood apart. He wasn't really the blitz-ball type, nor did he see the importance of watching the game especially when there were slightly more pressing matters at hand like the pilgrimage, for example, that Braska and Jecht always seemed to be straying from.

Auron took in a deep sigh, and held up the tiny sphere Jecht had given him to film the match with. Of course Auron never entered the stadium; he just stayed on the dock and watched the sea gulls fly by, occasionally filming shots from the monitors in the halls. While Auron was gazing at the sphere in his hands, a single gull flew down and landed on some crates before him. Auron smiled a little and held up the sphere, filming the gull bathing its self.

"Hey, I hope you got those shots I wanted!" Jecht called from behind.

Auron, startled out of his peaceful little gull world, quickly turned the sphere off. "Yeah, I got it." He said, trying his best to sound annoyed. "Can we continue now? I think we've wasted enough time."

Jecht groaned. "Relax Auron, Sin's not going any where, it's not like Braska has to fight it tomorrow. So what's a few more hours?"

Auron clenched his katana, and narrowed his eyebrows in true agitation.

"Ha ha ha, relax Auron, he means on harm. " Braska stepped next to Jecht and put a hand on his shoulder. "But I do think we should be going, we are a bit behind-"

"JECHT!" The summoner and his guardians turned in the direction of a female voice.

"Jecht! Oh my GOD! It's really you!" The voice came from a young woman, about twenty, clad in baggy black pants and a bright blue tank top. Strapped across her back was a holster, minus one sword.

"Friend of yours?" Auron asked, more annoyed then curious.

"Never seen her before in my life." Jecht said, rubbing the back of his head in confusion.

The woman came to a sudden stop before the three travelers; she bent over placing her hands on her knees in a desperate attempt to catch her breath. When she finally did straighten out, she began to laugh hysterically.

"HAH HAH HAH HAH! I can't believe it! Of all the people! JECHT!"

"Do, um, do I know you?" Jecht asked confused.

"No no no no. You don't know me. But I sure as hell know you! You're Jecht! The star player for the Zanarkend Abes!"

Auron and Braska both looked at each other, both confused and startled. Jecht on the other hand was completely over-joyed.

"A fan? You're a fan? Then that means-"

"Yep yep, a fellow abductee." The woman smiled and put out a hand. "Koshi, at your service!"

A very ecstatic Jecht took her hand and shook it wildly.

"So, what are you doing here?" He asked dumbly.

Koshi smiled. "Actually I heard Braska was in town and I thought I'd offer him my services as a guard-"

"STOP! TRAITOR!" The bellowing screams of the warrior monks came rising across the streets of Luca.

"Err…at least I will offer those services, if I don't get mutilated first." Koshi turned to face the ten or twelve monks heading her way. She reached behind her, grabbing at the invisible sword. "Ack! My sword! Where's my sword!"

"I think you dropped it when you were running over here." Auron pointed ahead of them to a shinny spot in the street.

"Damn…" Koshi darted her eyes frantically about her for some kind of weapon. "I guess, I'll just have to improvise." She smirked as her gaze landed on Auron's katana.

Auron, realizing this all too late tried to protest. "Hey, no way, get your own-"

"Sorry sweet cheeks." Koshi smiled as she whipped the blade from Auron's hands. She gripped the handle of the katana tightly and backed up, bumping into Braska. "Hey, uh Braska, this whole being you're guardian thing would be a lot easier, ya know, if I'm not dead. So, uh, think you could help me out here?"

Braska smiled and put a hand on Koshi's shoulder. "Leave it to me." Braska quickly stepped in front of Koshi, and held up his hands. "Stop!"

The entire mini monk army stopped dead in their tracks.

Braska stepped forward, approaching the monks. "Tell me, why are you after this woman?"

"She is a traitor!"

"She is an Al-Bhed!"

"Whore!"

Braska turned to Koshi, confused. "I thought you said you were from Zanarkend?"

Koshi smiled. "I am, I joined the Al-Bhed shortly after my arrival. Al-Bhed by choice, not by birth."

Braska turned back to the troops. "But this woman has agreed to become my guardian; I would hardly call that traitor like behavior."

"It is a lie!"

"Deception!"

"Whore!"

"She seeks to destroy you!"

Koshi stepped forward, gripping the katana angrily in her hands. "That is the most ridiculous accusation I have ever heard! I am not a whore!"

Jecht chuckled, but stifled it abruptly as Auron shot him an evil little glare.

"Listen," Braska continued. "I would very much like to have this woman guard me on my journey, so I will take full responsibility for her actions. But until she proves her self traitor, she is not to be touched. Is all that understood?"

A low murmur crept across the sea of monks, before one stepped up to Braska. "It is as you wish it. The girl will not be harmed. But remember, any slip ups, and it's not just her head the measters will have."

With that the monks turned and marched back, disappearing into the streets of Luca. Koshi stood beside Braska and put an arm around his neck. "Well done, "she looked left and right, as if suspicious that someone may hear their conversation, "but uh, I'm afraid we can't carry on like this any longer. The others are becoming wise to your love for me." Braska and Koshi both looked back at a very confused Auron and Jecht, and tired to stifle their snickers. "I'm afraid we'll have to call it quits. So from now on, I'll do the life saving, 'kay?" Braska smiled and held out a hand, which Koshi took instantly.

"Sounds good to me." Braska and Koshi rejoined the little group, laughing a bit to themselves.

"So, uh…I know Braska and Jecht, " Koshi started , "but I don't believe I've met tall dark and snobby over here." Koshi motioned her head towards Auron.

"That would be Sir Auron." Jecht said mockingly.

"Auron, huh?" Koshi said, a smirk on her face. "Sexy." She laughed and raised the katana. "Here ya go honey buns." She said, tossing the katana at Auron.

He caught it perfectly and tossed it over his shoulder, adjusting it the way de did when he was really irritated. "If you are to accompany us on this pilgrimage, which seems to be turning more and more into some kind of pleasure cruse, I would suggest that you never refer to me as 'honey buns' again."

"What ever you say, sweet cheeks." Koshi smiled as she passed Auron, and gave him a quick little smack on the rear.