Light flashed across the jet black sky, bathing the world in an eerie blue shadow as thunder boomed angrily down. This was her favorite place. Her surroundings voiced her feelings. Here her tears could freely fall without detection, here-
"Lulu?" a quiet, scared voice interrupted her thought.
"Oh, Rikku." Lulu said, hastily wiping away her tears, "What are you doing up?"
"I-I couldn't sleep." Rikku quietly admitted.
Lulu watched as the girl cowered as another roar tore the sky. A phobia product of an inexperienced brother teaching his sister to use magic.
"Come here, Rikku," She said, "you'll be safer under the lightning rod." with a bolt, Rikku rushed over to the mage's side, burying her face in her dress. Lulu stroked the girl's hair absent-mindedly.
"What'cha thinkin' about?" Rikku asked.
"Hmm?" Lulu asked, "just things. Our journey, mostly. Yuna's a long way from home. We all are."
"Yeah." Rikku agreed. "but, your so brave though, Lulu! It's like nothing scared you! You stand through everything, and I…just wish I was half as brave as you."
Lulu swallowed a small, depressed chuckle, 'I'm far from fearless, Rikku." She said, "Many things…scare me. Life has just taught me to hide it. Fear will get you no where, but…still I…fear." Lulu flinched as Rikku's hands touched her shoulders, her fingers tracing the scarred lines she had long quit hiding. She met Rikku's gaze with a blank stare.
"Like the time you waited for Chappu?" She asked quietly.
Adverting her eyes, Lulu looked again at the storm raging around her, but listened only to the one raging inside herself.
"When I was told that the crusaders had returned and that Luzzu was looking for me, I knew. All those nights of constant reassurances were about to become hopeless waiting. I hid from Luzzu, afraid for what he had to say. When I finally confronted him, he told me the news. Chappu was dead and my hiding and worry helped nothing. Fear will get you nowhere, but…it is apart of life."
"And now you fear of losing Yuna, don't you?" Rikku asked.
"And Wakka. They're all I have left." Lulu replied, "My parents…Chappu…they're all gone, and with them a piece of me has left also. When Yuna defeats sin, I don't know what I'll do." She felt the silent tears begin to cascade down her face. She felt Rikku's hand upon her back.
"It will be alright, Lulu," she said, "We'll think of something."
"I hope you're Rikku." Lulu quietly said.
A sudden burst of light, closely followed by a rage of thunder snapped them both back to reality.
"We should get to yuna." Lulu said.
"Yeah." Rikku said nervously as she glanced out.
"Come on." Lulu said as she slowly grasped the teens hand, "Let's go, and…thank you for listening."
"No problem," Rikku replied, "we're a team, remember? We'll get through this mission like this. By facing all our fears head-on, together."