A/n: Alright, due to my best friend threating not to read this unless it had a happy ending, I have decided not to end this the way I originally planned. I was going to do a take on the story 'Gift of the Magi' but after getting near the end, I thought that it would just be too harsh to end it that way. Though I still love angst and stuff, this will end on a happy note. (Shame because I would have loved the other ending.) Anyway, read, review, and thank Chibi-Sorrow for her threatening ways.
Disclaimer says I own no rights to the people, places, ideas in this work of fiction. (Someday maybe though)
Drifting, drifting, colors upon colors floating away as his body disbursed to join with the rest of the balls of light that had made up his body. His body...Auron's body. Rikku's gloved hands shook in front of her as she watched them fly away. She never thought saying goodbye to him would be so hard.
The others acted as if they knew all along, but she knew otherwise. They were just as surprised as she was. Yet in her childish wisdom, Rikku knew this was going to be the last time they would all be together like this.
She was good at farewells. After all, she had been doing them since she was five and her mother had been the first. But something about seeing him...seeing Auron disappear like that wasn't right. This wasn't their world, it was all of t heir's. His too. He helped out, right? Right?
She thought so. But when she fell to the floor of the deck of the airship, no one payed any attention. They were too busy watching the lights as they drifted to the stars above them. Rikku tried to act happy and cheerful once Tidus began to fade away too. She foolishly called out shouting that they would see one another soon. If only she could have kept her mouth shut! The hurt on her cousin's face was worse then seeing her friend fade away.
That was five years ago. It was amazing at how fast time sped by. Tidus had come back, the world had been saved once more, and Rikku had more friends then she knew what to do with. The best part? They weren't all Al Bhed. It wasn't until her cousin's pilgrimage that she found out friends don't have to be Al Bhed to be friends. It was like a burden she never knew she had, but realized afterwards lifted from her chest.
Rikku sat on deck of the red ship, named Celsius, thinking. Why was it she had been so focused on the past as of late? It was done, over, no more. Yet her thoughts kept returning. Then again, her brother was settled in the ruins of Zanarkand. The floating pyerflies did bring up memories she had thought long suppressed.
Rikku sighed for what must have been the tenth time. Her scarf ends whipped around from the gentle gusts of wind. She had given up the bikini she wore during the second set of travels some years ago, but she could not part with the scarf. It was just too precious.
Pulling her knees closer to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and closed her eyes. As she did so, a green and purple pyrefly flew past her head nipping at her blond hair. A very small smile graced her features, hidden by her legs. The same thing happened five years ago. The day...the smile faded.
"Rikku! Rikku, what are you doing!" Her brother must have come back early. He found her hiding spot and snuck up on her without being heard. "You want to get sick? Get inside or I'll tell Vydran!" He went on to threaten as his arms waved wildly around him.
Rikku lifted her face to glare at him. What was he, her guardian? She scoffed before resting her head back on top of her knees this time. "Telling Vydran won't do anything. I'm an adult now, remember?"
Her brother stopped his flailing as he kneeled to get a closer look at her face, "Rikku, you okay?" His head tilted as he drew closer. "You don't look so good. This place no good for you. We leave immediately!" He jumped to his feet and pumped his fist in the air. "I go tell Buddy! You come inside before we go. Can't have you blow away on take off, right?"
"Right." She agreed in monotone as he went back inside. Rikku waited until she heard the whining of the engines before standing up and brushing imaginary dust from the bottom of her skirt. "Guess I better head inside then. Don't want anyone to worry about me." Tears threatened to fall, but she managed to keep them at bay. "Although it's not like they would really. Only one person ever cared enough to worry, and they are long gone."
Shaking her head, she took one last glimpse of the city before turning away and entering the warmth the airship provided. The sliding hatch closed behind her with a resounding thud. She was far too used to the sound to make a big deal about it, but something about that sound bothered Rikku.
Adjusting the way her kimono shirt wrapped around her, Rikku made her way down the corridors to her cabin. She entered the five digit code that gave her the privacy she was longing for. Kicking off her boots, she lay on the bed and brought her hands up behind her head for a makeshift pillow.
"What is my problem recently? Why do I keep thinking of that day?" One hand was removed from behind her and she used it to trace shapes in the air above her head. "No use worrying about it. Maybe I should just take a nap. I'll feel better once I wake up." Dropping her arm, Rikku allowed her eyes to slid closed as she drifted off into restless slumber.
The pyerflies were back, this time swirling around her. She tried to push them away, but they faded through her hands only to form once more once they exited her flesh. It didn't hurt, but it sure creeped her out. Rikku tried to move, to escape from the physical manifestation of death, but her feet seemed to be glued in place.
She opened her mouth to cry out, but no sound formed. In frustration, she closed her lips together in a thin line. Just on the edge of whatever platform she was on, Rikku could see faint shapes of people standing around her. She swatted at the pyerflies once more in another attempt to remove them away from her. She had about as much luck as the first time.
Movement on her left caught her attention, and she shifted the top half of her torso to try and see what it was. She caught a flash of red and gasped. The gasp turned into a quiet moan of depression as a pyerfly drifted in front of her. Her knees buckled and Rikku fell to the ground as dry sobs racked her body.
That was the last thing she remembered as she began to awaken. It was confusing at first, but the more she thought about it, the closer she came to finding answers. It was almost as if a light came on inside her mind. Rikku's bottom lip dropped ever so slightly as her eyes blinked several times wondering if it could really be true or not. "I know what's bothering me now. I'm in love and can't do a single thing about it!" She began to laugh at how foolish she was being. It was not one of lightness and silliness, but a dark sarcastic sound instead.
"I wonder if he knew." She thought out loud. "Maybe I should go visit him and find out." Rikku rose from her bed with a serious look on her face. She left the cabin and made a beeline for the bridge. She had to see if her brother and Buddy would drop her off.
Rikku pouted once more as she stormed down random corridors of the Celsius. Buddy had been okay with her request, but her brother... He wanted nothing to do with helping her. Since she was still technically a Gullwing, she had a responsibility first. He was not about to allow her to desert and leave them alone.
After slamming a fist into a wall for what must have been the sixth or seventh time, Rikku came up with a plan. She had to make sure what she was feeling was true. In order to do that, she had to see him. It was the only way she could make sure.
An intercom above her crackled before coming to life. Rikku cringed as she heard her brother shouting her name and demanding she come back to the bridge right away. He had another assignment for her. There was a sphere hidden off the shores of the Calm lands, and he wanted her to go get it.
Rolling her eyes in defeat, Rikku took a deep breath and headed back to talk to him. After Yuna and Paine had left the group, she was the one who did most of the missions. It's not as if they were hard or anything, but it did get incredibly boring.
As soon as the door opened and exposed her, Brother got right down into the purpose of the mission. Rikku pretended to listen, but in truth, she could care less about what he was trying to tell her. She got the basics, she was going to be dropped off in the Calm Lands. From the agency she was going to hike north until she came to the cliff edge, then she had to rappel down five hundred feet to a cave that was supposedly hidden on the side.
He stared out at the expanse around him. It truly was a sight to behold, but it wasn't what he wanted. It was missing something. The cliffs and waterfalls should have been enough to keep him here relishing the peace it provided.
His friends were the first to notice he wasn't himself. While he normally was a brooding man, this was by far much too extreme for even him. A man in long robes came up behind him and spoke."Is there anything as wonderful as this? Such a feeling of completion, such fullness." His blue eyes looked down at the man that sat on the edge waiting to gauge his response.
"Wonderful, yes. Although it will take some more time before I can find that completion you have."
The robed man chuckled lightly before replying, "I figured you might say something like that. The pyerflies around you turn red as they pick up on the feelings you are unknowingly projecting. I have noticed this for some time. You understand time may have no meaning here, but that does not mean patience is easy for everyone. If you will pardon the expression; it takes time to learn it."
"I grow weary of this place. It is not at all as I expected it to be. The teachings have horribly distorted what it was all about. Sometimes I wish to return to the life I had before. At least there was quickening in my blood each day to keep me motivated." The seated man lamented.
Bringing his chin to meet his chest, the second man turned to walk away. His thoughts became consumed with how he might be able to comfort his friend's need. It was not going to be easy. Perhaps a talk with his wife might give him an idea of what he could do.
He never heard the robed man walk away, but Auron knew he was gone. The pyerflies around him told him that much. Auron sighed, Braska was right. As he gazed around him, he took note of the color of the pyerflies. They were a deep red, almost crimson in color. Just as they reacted to the living's thoughts, so too to the dead.
But had it not been him to tell the group, and the world essentially, that the world belonged to them? There was no place for him there. He had played at life once for ten years. It would be impossible now to do it again. Once he willingly crossed the barrier that was it; or was it?
Auron stood as he thought about it. Jyscal crossed over after being sent, and he had willingly traveled over. A frown of thought came over his face. Perhaps there was a way to go back. If it had happened once before, there was a chance it could be done again. But that would require someone from the other side to...
He dropped back to the ground in defeat. There was no chance anyone wanted him back. He had worked too hard to push them all away, and it was too late to change that. Not that he would take it if given the chance. But it did bring back memories of his travels. He would never admit it out loud, but Auron missed the rag-tag group.
They way each of them looked up to him as the father figure of the group, Tidus more so then the others. Though Yuna wasn't far behind in that regard. Wakka revered him as a hero until the truth came out, Lulu and Kimahri simply acknowledged him as warrior worth listening to. One who had experience they did not. Then there was the Al Bhed of the group. She never made him any bigger then he was. She thought of him as a simple man full of faults like the rest of them, and was quick to point them out as well.
He almost chuckled as one memory came back from when they were traveling along the Macalania path after defeating Yunalesca. Tidus ran off to try and catch some butterflies, Yuna following. Rikku sat near his feet as they watched the couple running. They sat in companionable silence, until a loud clatter startled then both. Rikku jumped to her feet claw at the ready, she relaxed and began to laugh seconds later.
He had not set his sword deep enough into the earth, and so when he turned to watch Tidus his shoulder tapped the hilt sending the weapon into the crystal bush behind them. The others did not seem to notice since they were too intent on watching what their summoner was doing.
After Rikku was done laughing at him, she began a slow rhythmic clap. "Good job. And here everyone thought you were more intelligent then to do something like knock over your own weapon." She grinned showing him she was just teasing.
"I never said I was perfect. You decided that on your own." He retorted.
"I never said you were either. I meant the others, but I always knew better."
He frowned once more as he thought about it. Was why that event so clear to him. Others, such as his time spent in Zanarkand were fading away. Drawing his brows together, Auron thought about what this could mean. His single good eye went wide in realization. "Impossible!"
The hike had taken three days, yet gave her time alone to get her thoughts in order. By the time she reached the cliff's edge, dusk was approaching. She pitched her tent making sure that fiends would not be coming close by setting up a ring around her camp. She didn't know how, but the bracer she wore, when set near the fire managed to keep her safe. Good thing too, since she couldn't very well stay awake all day and night. It's not like she was unsent like Auron and didn't need as much rest.
She grabbed both sides of her head as she thought of him once more. Why was it that her thought kept returning to him? "Oh, right. My feelings," She thought to herself.
Rolling out her sleeping bag, Rikku climbed in and enjoyed the dreamless sleep she was given for the night. On the morning of the forth day, Rikku set up her rappel line early. Throwing the end over the edge, she took a deep breath and followed suit. It was scary yet exhilarating at the same time. It was like a controlled free fall.
Her feet touched stone after a minute, and she shook her blond hair out of her face as she unhooked her body from the harness. Licking her lips, Rikku glanced around before finding the cave she was looking for. Clicking a button on her wrist device, she brought a small holographic screen up in front of her. It was one of Shinra's better inventions. It allowed her to track spheres by picking up on the waves they transmitted and sending the image to the devise.
She loved it, it made the hunt that much faster. The cave was just ahead of her now, but one problem prevented her from reaching it. A crevice in the stone path was too wide for her to even jump across. Pressing a button on her commlink, Rikku addressed this to her brother. "I'm almost there, but I can't reach it. There's a huge whole on the path. I may need help on this one."
"You don't need help! Just jump it! It can't be that wide!" Her brother shouted back to her and disconnected the line.
Rikku whined and stomped a foot. "That meanie! Just wait until he needs help again and see if I do it for him." Sighing, she checked around her for anything that might help get across. "Alright, Auron. If you were here, what would you tell me to do?" She whispered.
The answer came to her as the ground began to shake. Repressing the urge to scream, Rikku dropped to the ground in fear. Rocks and boulders could be heard rolling down the hill as the quake loosened them from wherever they were. Rikku whimpered until it was over. Peeking open one eye, she found herself still in one piece and unhurt. But she gasped as the sight in front of her. The gap had been filled by the boulders creating a path that she could walk on.
"Thank the Fayth! On with the mission!" She checked her wrist once more seeing the sphere signal was even stronger then before if it were possible. The cave was just in front of her and she could hear distinct voices talking. She almost hid before she heard Auron's.
"Just admiring the view, my Lord. Thought this might be something worth watching once we reach Zanarkand. It will be sights like this that you are giving up."
Rikku approached the sphere and picked it up to watch it better. All it showed was an image of the same sky she had seen before coming down here. But somehow with Auron filming it, she couldn't help but feel depressed that maybe she missed out on something.
"Auron, you know why I can't give up. Think of all the people who are depending on us. If we can give them something to believe it, don't you think it's worth it?"
"Worth it? Worth your life?" Auron protested as he swung the camera around and faced his summoner. "What about Yuna. Why should she grow up without a mother or father?"
"Auron, I thank your for what you are doing, even if you don't agree with me. I pray that someday after we are done, you may find someone who can share those same thoughts and ideas as you."
The camera dropped and focused on the bottom of Braska's robe as if Auron dropped his hands in shame and defeat. A tear slid down Rikku's cheek as she realized she was much like Auron was when she was a guardian. She didn't want Yunie to kill herself just so others could forget about her in a few years. In that instant, her love for the man grew even more. The scene on the camera shook as if the earth was protesting the recorder standing there. She watched at it fell down the cliff only to land right where she had found it.
"Almost as if I was supposed to find it," She whispered. "But what am I supposed to do now? I don't get it! He's dead! I'm not!" Her knees buckled and she allowed herself to fall to the stone ground. "The only way to see him again is if I go to the farplane...." Tears slipped unbidden down her pale cheeks as the ground shook around her once more.
He stretched before using one arm to cover his eye from the harsh sun above. His whole body was sore, but it was worth it. He had managed to pull enough of the floating pyerflies into his body to give himself a second chance at a real life. Not the pretend one of the unsent. Now he just had to figure out where he was.
Attempting to get to his feet only served to make him cringe and lay back down. The grass was soft under him offering a sweet place of rest until he could move without straining. Auron waited until the sun was hidden behind clouds before opening his eye once more. "Calm Lands. Of all the places, why here?"
It was asked of himself, and so when an answer was given, he found himself reaching for the sword he knew should be at his side. "You have chosen to come here. You have impressed us, Auron son of Tailon. None, save for one, has ever fought as valiantly as you have to come back to this realm. However, I am sorry, but I must take you back."
Auron was on his feet faster then the boy expected. His sword was held tightly in both hands. "I'm afraid I will have to decline that offer. I have worked too hard to come this far only to turn back now."
The boy smiled from under his hood and Auron took a step back as his voice changed in both pitch and tone. "You would go against a dragon?"
"If I must." Auron answered. He stood in awe as the appearance of the boy in front of him changed. No longer was it a human form in front of him, but something far worse.
First it was the feet. Talons began to grow, dark and sharp enough to pierce steel, followed by dark scales growing in size as they traveled up the body. A tail formed and curled slightly as it helped to steady the hulking frame on his feet. The arms extended before they too ended in sharp talons. Golden wings sprouted from his back as a golden wheel appeared between them turning ever so slowly. The last to change was his face as if to remind Auron that deep down this was still a boy.
He was still in awe over the change that he almost missed the sudden movement from the dragon as it swooped down upon him. He narrowly dodge rolled in time to escape the claws that came at his head. Once back on his feet, Auron held his sword on his shoulder in his classic attack pose. He needed the dragon to be closer before he could do anything.
Taking a deep breath through his nose, Auron stood his ground as the dragon came for him once more. He dodged once more and swung with his sword. He noted with some satisfaction a bit of dark liquid oozing from where his weapon had connected. The dragon looked down at the wound before staring back at Auron and smirking.
"Impressive mortal. But that will not be enough." Bringing his clawed hands together, the dragon gathered dark energy together before four bolts of blue/black energy came rushing for where Auron stood.
He should have dodged sooner, but he under compensated just how fast the attack moved and was hit square in the back as he tried to escape. Panting and huffing, Auron lay on the grass trying to suck much needed oxygen into his lungs. He struggled to his feet as the dragon came closer thinking his opponent was too weak to fight back. He made it to his feet and lifted his sword onto his shoulder once more daring the dragon to attack.
Taking the challenge, he did come close enough to Auron giving the man a chance to use his weapon again. Auron swung and the dragon found himself frozen in place. He glared at the much smaller fighter before breaking free of whatever mental control he was temporarily under. But this was what Auron had been planning.
As the dark dragon leaned over, no doubt preparing for a mega flare attack, Auron raised his sword into the air before spinning in a circle creating a vortex of air around him. It circled his body like a tornado before he threw the entire cyclone at the dragon. Taking him by surprise, he was lifted into the sky preventing the mega attack from being performed. Knowing this would not be enough to defeat the dragon, Auron unhooked the jug from his side and threw it into the cyclone as well. The pottery shattered creating a fire that consumed the column. When the fire died, the dragon was dropped back to the ground. He bounced twice and remained still.
Auron waited, every muscle tensed, as he watched what would happened next. He was rewarded with the dragon fighter returning to the boy it once was. Knowing the battle was over, Auron weakly collapsed to the grass allowing his sword to fall next to him.
"You fought well. You really do wish to remain among the living. I suppose we can grant you that wish. You are here because of your heart was uneasy in the farplane, but be warned. With that burden comes another."
Auron panted as he supported himself on his hands and knees, "Meaning?" He questioned the boy; mind too tired to think what this could mean.
"Meaning, that you will not be able to return to your place of rest for many years. Make sure this is what you truly want, Auron son of Tailon. If your hearts truly are connected, this will not be a concern, however, should you find your other half and they reject it, you will be forced to wonder Spira as an unsent once more. Dare you accept this gift from us?"
He closed his unscarred eye in thought. He knew he was here not only because of his own will, but even more so the heart of another calling out to him. It was odd, he never was a man who thought he would ever need another, but here he was, fighting for his right to remain. How out of character for him. Yet, "I accept." He said as he opened his eye and brought one knee up and lay his arm upon it.
"You reject peace for life. You accept pain, fear, and hate. But above all this, you have chosen love. That is the greatest force in all of Spira. You have chosen wisely Auron, son of Tailon. Now, take our gift and share it with her." A warmth spread over his body healing wounds and fatigue. Auron felt his body growing stronger, and less stressed by years of training and abuse. "You will find her in a cave not too far below us. I suggest you find her quickly, time is running out."
The boy began to fade, but not before Auron could shout one last remark at him, "You knew she was injured and you made me fight before I could help her?" His teeth grit together in rage.
"It was the final test," The dragon's voice answered before it was gone completely.
Suppressing a growl, Auron searched for a way down over the cliff's edge. He found the rappel line only moments later.
She groaned in pain as she began to come around. Her head was pounding from where rock had broken free and crashed down on the side of her head. Sure she expressed the desire to die, but that was before she know that crossing over was so painful.
Something cool and soft patted at the most sore spot, and she smiled softly in relief. Whoever was there was doing a good job of taking care of her. She tried to think about whom it could have been. Yuna was her first thought, her cousin was just the sort of person that would know how to take care of someone.
"Thank you," Rikku whispered out in a horse broken voice. Her throat was dry and scratchy, but that was the last thing she was concerned about. The first was still the pounding headache she had. A hand grazed over her forehead brushing strands of flaxen hair back. She felt her body being raised before cool wet liquid was placed near her lips. She sucked at the water greedily coughing as it ran down the back of her throat.
"Slowly, just sip at it." Her savior said in a soft quiet voice. And most certainly not feminine at all! She could tell it was a young man, but how he had found her down here was anyone's guess.
Maybe it was actually Buddy, sent by her brother to come find her. Her smile faded at that thought. She stopped sipping the water and allowed it to dribble down her chin before being absorbed by her shirt. The person holding her shook her, but she tried to free herself by pushing them away.
"Leave me," She whimpered. "Just let me go so I can die in peace." Tears leaked out from behind her closed lids.
"Why would you want to die? There is so much here in Spira to live for." Her savior asked as he held her close. He dabbed at her head injury again since her small struggle reopened the wound.
"I can't say. It's too hard. But if I was gone then I could meet him again." Rikku turned her head away making it known that she refused to say any more. She felt him set her down before covering her up with a heavy blanket. The warmth and security it provided soon sent her into a world of dreams.
He listened to her soft and steady breathing before moving away and closer to the exit of the cave. He had found the sphere she had hunted and watched it as memories of that day were brought back in vivid detail. Placing it on the ground next to him, Auron gazed out over at the ocean view. It was still as stunning as it was fifteen years ago. Little had changed in the basic terrain, but he could see spots where Spirans were starting to settle in.
Auron glanced once behind him and saw Rikku was still sleeping, he supposed she would most likely be that way for a while. The sun was starting to go down, he considered that maybe it might be a good idea to begin a fire. Night would be upon them soon, night also meant cooler weather. He searched around for small kindling and logs before making a fire pit and dropping it all inside. He whispered a weak fire spell that Lulu had taught him while he traveled with the group and soon had a nice fire going.
He sat next to it staying warm and watching for movement from the girl near the back of the cave. He worried that maybe she might have allowed herself to die as she wished, but brushed the thought aside. If that were the case, she would not still be laying under his coat. The desire she had for release would have taken her away suddenly.
When night had fully fallen, he could hear her whimpered moans. He refused to turn and look at her, instead forcing himself to become fascinated with the fire in front of his face. "Sleep well?" He asked when he felt she would be ready to answer.
His reply was a simple patter of tiny feet coming closer before sitting down next to him. He took note that she still gripped tightly to the coat he covered her with. She must not have as of yet recognized it. Her blond hair peeked out over the top as her feet drew closer to the warmth of the fire. Auron could feel a burning not related to the fire growing inside his own heart. What had caused such a woman so full of life to fall so far?
"I had a dream the other night," She began and Auron turned his head to listen intently to what she was saying. "I wanted to find out if the feelings it gave me were true or not, but I never got the chance. Instead I was forced to come down here, but that's okay. I don't think I would have been able to handle the answer anyway. It's funny really, now that I think about it. I was willing to give up life, just so I could have death. And maybe just be..."
"That is interesting. I gave up death for life. Fought a dragon to keep that life, and now find out that what I came back for may not even been here had I not found her in time." He glanced to his left to see the fire being reflected between each of her swirled eyed blinks.
Rikku raised one hand to touch his shoulder before pausing in mid-air. She gasped as she finally saw his face for the first time. This was not the man from her memories. He was younger, and unmarred. Her hands wrung at the tightly woven fabric of his coat in a nervous gesture. She said nothing for what felt like a long time. Finally she lifted her face and stared at him mouth agape.
"Auron, is that really you?" Rikku whispered almost so quiet as if she were afraid if she spoke louder it would turn out only to be a dream. "I've thought a lot about you lately. So much so that I wanted to join you, even if it meant being away from everyone here. I hated being alone, hated the parties they threw only to be reminded I had nothing when I was with them."
Auron jolted back an inch. Rikku hating the thought of parties? He never would have expected that from her. Perhaps things were worse with her then he previously imagined. "Rikku, what made you come to the conclusion death was the way out?"
"I thought that if I was dead then maybe things might be better. I could be with mom, mom and you..." Her head leaned on his shoulder and he could feel moisture as it hit his bare flesh. "No one understood what I was going through after you left, I don't even think I knew. At least not until recently." She sniffled once and used the sleeve of his jacket to attempt to rub away the tears.
"Seems we had more in common then we anticipated. I too seemed to have missed you. Took the words of a friend to make me see just how much." He reached over and caught her tears with the pad of his thumb before leaning in and planting a soft kiss to the tip of her nose.
"But I don't understand. How are you back, and changed so much? It can't be all because of me. I'm not that special." Her head dropped as Rikku attempted to pull away.
Auron refused to allow her to fall into the depression she was falling in. Wrapping one arm around her, he held her close. "You're right. It wasn't all you. I like to think the fayth had a small part in that." Rikku almost pouted before he continued on. "But it helped. Besides Tidus, you were the only one to treat me like a human. I missed that feeling while I was gone." He leaned in close and whispered directly into Rikku's ear, "But if you tell anyone that, I'll chase you down with my katana. I still have appearances to keep after all."
Rikku giggled lightly before answering his warning, "My lips are sealed."