Hm.. Don't flame if Auron comes off really bitter in the
first few chapters. I'll fluff it up a bit, later. Takes place
after Yunalesca, and before Sin. n_n;;


Rikku yawned as she found herself slipping away from the world of subconscious dreaming.. Propping herself up onto her palms as she moved into a seated position, soon to lazily slump forward. She shared the tent with her cousin, Yuna, and the stoic mage Lulu. Rikku was pretty sure that Yuna would rather share a tent with Tidus, but Lulu deemed it inproper.. So Tidus was forced to share with Wakka, and they got along fine.. However, Kimahri slept outside, in any place he felt; which was usually by the tent.. And Auron prefered to have a bedroll to himself, on the opposite side of the fire from everybody else.

"Yunie.. Lu.." Rikku gently rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, dropping them from sight when she heard no respose.. Taking a glance over, it was obvious to her that their bedrolls were empty. If Yuna was up, that meant everybody else must be already too.

"Tysh! E's myda ykyeh..!" (Damn! I'm late again..!) She had been holding the group up as of late, catching up on whatever sleep lost during the trek through the Thunder Plains.. And the calm atmosphere of Macalania only added to Rikku's relaxed and sleepy state of mind.. However, this wasn't the first time they've ventured through the plains, and the forest. Kimahri insisted he aquire his ultimate weapon.. And so the group returned to the Thunder Plains to aquire the weapon, and the forest to aquire his second powerup.. Since the first had already been retrieved shortly after the third battle with Seymour.

Rikku continued to clip her miscellaneous items, gadgets, and trinkets to the various hooks and pockets of her attire as quickly as possible.. And slipped her right arm into a claw, clicking the latches which secured it in place one after the other, in a series of clicks. Quickly, drawing a portion of her hair back into a loose ponytail, and braided the remainder into two braids.. Messily slipping two hairpins to secure unruly bangs. It was messy, but Rikku was satisfied.

Quickly she slipped out of the tent, which opened up to the small clearing, a couple of logs, rocks, and a dying fire.. And was surprised to have only found Lulu, clutching her Cait Sith doll in one arm, and keeping the flames alive with simple fire spells produced by the other hand.

"Hey, Lu!" Recently, Rikku had adopted Wakka's nickname for the mage.. And Lulu didn't seem to mind at all.

"Rikku." A curt nod was offered in the Al Bhed's direction, but not much else until she inquired.

"Where's everybody?"

"Well.. Kimahri has gone to chase the butterflies. I seriously hope he isn't colorblind." Lulu only smirked as she said so, but Rikku found it quite amusing.. Though it did raise the fact.. Was Kimahri colorblind? He was a feline, anyways.. Before she could question his eyesight, Lulu seemed to have predicted the girl's query. "I sent Wakka to make sure he chose only the blue ones."

"Quick thinking, Lu. Where's everybody else?"

"Yuna and Tidus were talking about the last time we came here.. Before she was to announce her answer to Maester Seymour--" Rikku interuppted her.

"And before we wiped him off the face of Spira!" The blonde beamed, but Lulu only shook her head and ignored her arrogant attitude.

"..Before she was to announce her answer to Maester Seymour. Something about a lake near here.. To visit it, like last time. I think that's what they said before they left."

"Your not gonna keep an eye on them?"

"Rikku.. Some limits must be set, some precautions taken, but I wouldn't keep Yuna isolated from the emotion that was stolen from me. Even in my bitterness, I can sympathize..." Rikku was silent for a moment, and Lulu glanced up to the younger girl; realizing her acrimony and changed the subject. "And lastly, Sir Auron has been gone since before I even awoke."

"Alright. Well, I'll be off now."

"Where are you going, Rikku?"

"Might as well enjoy the time we got before.. Ya' know.." Lulu simply nodded in response as the Al Bhed girl wandered off past the campsite. One could never exactly tell what time it was in Macalania, due to the glittery and darkly beautiful twilight of the forest itself.. It seemed to be forever suspended in a state of gloomy winter.

Light thuds resonated throughout the area as her boots thudded against the hollowed wood pathways.. One of many which winded throughout the forest. However, wasn't any safer to travel on these than anywhere else, fiends knew these paths to be a common traveling ground for prey. She caught a glimpse of Kimahri and Wakka up ahead on the trails.. She had to stop and watch the spectacle.

"Blue Kimahri, blue. Like the color of your fur, ya got that , ya?"

"Kimahri see." With a nod, the cobalt furred feline ran after a butterfly, looking quite awkward in doing so.. And Wakka grinned having felt content with his tutorial to the Ronso about basic colors.. And common sense. Soon enough Kimarhi returned with his paw coiled into a loose fist, hand outstretched to Wakka.

"Whaddya got?"

With that Kimarhi opened his palm to reveal a bright, crimson, red butterfly to Wakka's horror.

"That's not blue, ya!"

Rikku bust out into full out laughter as the butterfly fled the scene, about the time when fiends began to creep up on the duo. Though, she spotted the lizard creatures creeping up on them before they did, and briskly flung petrify grenade at the fiends.. Which soon exploded in shards of stone. Wakka glanced down the trail towards a waving Rikku.

"Whoa. You saved our backs, ya! Kimahri here don't know red from blue!"

"Anytime..!" With that, Rikku decided to abandon the trails, hopping down into the underbrush of the forest.. She weaved through the trees and such, drawn in every direction she felt some interest in. This lead her past the lake where Yuna and Tidus had supposedly left for. She caught a glimpse of them, wading in the water together. The atmosphere was completely innocent, but Rikku decided to leave anyways.. Surreptitiously did she slink through the brush and trees away from them, remaining out of view. She was so caught up in remaining concealed from the duo's view, she didn't notice the slope which greeted her.

"Kyaa..!" She tumbled down the slope before her, which was maybe ten feet's worth of slanted dirt, rolling to a stop when she arrived in a shallow puddle of water. "..Ow..." Rikku put her palms against the damp ground, pushing her torso upwards, arms a bit shakey as she did so.. Bending her knees so that she sat more comfortably on the ground. She didn't notice the presence of another as she rose to her feet, wiping the mud from her attire and skin.

It was a stranger. A warrior monk, without a doubt, by his dress and demeanor. I never much cared for the type, especially their stuck up beliefs in Yevon and condescending attitude towards the Al Bhed. And although she had decided to ignore his presence, and avoid any confrontation -- he just had to say something.

"Excuse me miss, need help?"

Rikku kept her gaze down while she dusted off, for a lil bit to avoid him identifying her heritage. "It's ok."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, mhm." It seemed as if the monk wouldn't stop pestering her. It was then a gruff called to the annoying monk.

"You there, which way to Bevelle?" A completely frivilous question, because anybody would know.. And besides, the path was closed off. What was this man getting at? Rikku knew the voice was familiar, however her eyes were still on the floor and she couldn't see his face.

"S..Sir Auron!" She heard the monk reply and felt his attention turn away from her. Deeming it safe to open her eyes, she saw his back was turned to her.. And the man who inquired about Bevelle's location was Auron, who undoubtedly knew Rikku wanted to avoid any confrontation and so caught the monk's attention. She grinned in thanks, and patted the warrior monk on the side before she left; before he could get a good look at her face. Perhaps he didn't notice, but she was able to swipe a pouch of his belongings in the process, and trotted off past Auron who sounded off with an unapproving 'hmph'.

- - - -

More chapters soon.