Aight, this is my first chapter in this story, obviously. Let me know any glaring OOC/POV/sp/grammar errors, if there are any, who knows. But remember, love makes people do weird stuff, a little OOC, sometimes. And some of it is my interpretation of things, but let me know anyways. Read and review if you liked it or not, please.
For those who have read my other story, Lonliness Happens, Ya? This will quickly become related to it, but by no means do you have to read them both. But it would make me really really really happy if you all did.
Note: I don't own FFX, Spira, or the characters. But sometimes I like to think I do insert evil laugh
Chapter 1: Back, Again.
Mount Gagazet. The ancient, sacred mountain that had been the passing point of the most important times of my life. Tall, standing ever still against the furied backdrop of Bevelle and Zanarkand, as it had for countless thousands of years. The cold was not disturbing, even among the prevailing winds at the peak of the mountain. My red coat flailed against the winds, as I was lost in my thoughts.
Back again. Not for reasons, this time. Not for reasons like last time.
With one last look, towards Zanarkand, towards the Edge of the World, and I began down the mountain, towards civilization, towards the reasons that I had chosen to come home for a final time.
As I travelled down Gagazet, using the Summoner's Trail yet again, my mind was wandering again towards the reasons why I was back. Through all of my years, in Spira, in Zanarkand, and back in Spira again, I had finally found a reason to stay. If she would have me back, that is. I had betrayed her trust, and now that I had been given another chance, a third or fourth chance if I really thought about it, it was time for me to realize what I had actually had in front of me. But it wasn't really worth dwelling on it, I was back, and that was all that mattered.
I quieted my thoughts as I drew nearer to the home of the Ronso, near the base of Mount Gagazet. There, I was met by two Ronso, who I had met before.
"Biran and Yenke, it has been a while," I mused quietly, and the two Ronso looked at me like they saw a dead man. I was alive this time, I thought, and I smiled.
"Sir…Sir Auron?" the Ronso looked incredulously.
"Who else would it be?" I asked and laughed to myself. My own reappearance was startling, even to myself. I had wanted to come back, but I would have never thought they would listen to my pleas.
"Nice hair cut, Sir Auron. But come with us, Khimari see you," Biran said to me, and I nodded. I followed them up a side path, and entered the village of the Ronso. I had only visited ever twice, the Ronso were very protective of their homelands. And my haircut differed how?
I stopped and ran a hand through my hair, feeling the tresses but realizing they were shorter than it had been when I was sent. Like when I had first died all those years ago with Yunalesca. Just what had they done to me? I had asked to come back, not to change. I shrugged it off, and the Ronso in front of me stopped in front of a giant tent. Yenke held back a flap in the front, and beckoned for me to enter, as I did.
"Khimari, you look well," I said, and was amused at his reaction to my voice.
"Auron? Wha…" the Ronso said, at a loss for words for one of the few times in his entire life.
"I am back, for good this time I believe," I said, and the Ronso walked over, holding out his great big furry blue hand.
"Khimari happy. Need airship?" Khimari asked of me, and I shook my head 'no'.
"I must figure myself out, first. Do you know when the guardians and Yuna are all meeting up, again?" I asked of him, and the Ronso smiled. Most people wouldn't take it as a smile, with his fangs sticking out and him looking angry. But I knew, as I had known for many years, Khimari being the silent keeper of many of my secrets.
"I think I know. Wakka's birthday. All going to Besaid," Khimari said, flipping through some pages sitting on an extremely large desk. I smiled, noticing that he had become the leader of the Ronso. Many things to mend, with Yevon, with the people of Spira, but I knew if anyone could do it, the legendary guardian could.
"Thank you Khimari. I will be there, I promise," I said, another promise. My last life had been former promises, but these ones I could actually keep forever. I hoped.
"Auron," the Ronso said as I moved to exit the tent. "Fill jug with Ronso spirits, and stay safe this time," The Ronso said, and we both laughed. I enjoyed the nog that the Ronso made, strong and flavorful. I had talked about it with Khimari many times, usually when it was just us two guarding the camp as the rest slept. We didn't share too much in common, but the nog was one of them.
"Thank you Khimari, and I will be safe this time," I said, and left the tent. Biran led to a still, and I filled the ceramic jug at my waist. They might have brought me back, but the sure were not going to refill my nog jug.
I swigged the jug at my hip, swishing the nog around in my mouth. Deliciousness, at its greatest. One of the top three things I had missed, since I had been on the other side of the Farplane walls. The other two being my coat, and her. But now I had my nog, and they had been so kind as to replace my coat before placing me on the mountain. Just one big thing left to do.
"Ya hear that, kiddo?" I heard, from the front of the ship. I had been tinkering with some broken sand runners in a bay off the Bridge, but I ran up there to see what my dad was talking about.
"What's up, pops?" I asked, rubbing my nose with the back of my hand. Grease covered my finger tips, but the sweat was running down my face.
"Yuna just sent me a message. Tidus is back!" Cid exclaimed excitedly. A wave of happiness crossed over me, Yunie could finally stop moping now!
"Yay! Where is he at?"
"He's in Bevelle, now. Wandered out of Macalania towards Bevelle last night. He is doing okay, though," Dad said, and I nodded.
"When are we going to see him?" I asked excitedly, but a pit had started gnawing its way into my stomach.
"When we pick up Yuna, to bring her to Gagazet of course. Its only in three days, and we have to get those sand runners working," Dad said, and I laughed loudly. No big deal, I guess. Tidus wasn't already dead, wasn't like he was coming back. Despite those thoughts, the familiar pang of grievance wracked its way through my stomach, like it did every time I thought of him.
"Okay, well, I'm going to go back to work, then," I said chipper, and got back into my hangar. These damn machina weren't going to fix themselves, you know. Didn't want dad to see me like how I knew I would end up anyways.
As I worked, my mouth spewed curses, mixed Spiran and Al Bhed. It was a mechanic thing, always had been. Most people thought it was crude, for a female young adult to speak like that, but the Al Bhed understood. The cursing, say-whats-on-your-mind, Al Bhed princess was understood with them, and picked up on their mannerisms. It was just how I was. I just smiled, as I tightened a bolt on the a-frame of the sand runner I was working on, finishing the first of many that needed to be fixed.
I don't know how much time had passed, but I had fixed three more sand runners, to the point of them running again at least. I looked up, and pops was standing above me, watching me work.
"How long you been there, pops?" I asked, tightening that last bolt on another sand runner.
"A while, you seem pretty focused. You are doin a good job, kiddo. Now tell me what's on your mind," Dad said, and sat on top the sand runner I was working on. He always knew, when I had a problem. But he hadn't approved of my decisions with him before, why would he now?
"Tidus is back, that's all. I'm glad Yunie will be happy again," I said, and smiled weakly. Dad saw through it right away, but just smiled.
"I know it's hard, kiddo. I think about yer ma like that all the time," he said, and his smile weakened. We had both cried, after mom died. But he hardened up like a rock, while I just hid behind my energy, like a shield. But I knew now what he had been feeling, at least some part of it.
"I'm sorry, I just need to let it go," I said, and felt tears creeping into my eyes. I was almost 18 now. Crying shouldn't happen with me anymore. I've been an adult, at least by the accounts of the Al Bhed, for four years already. So why did this bother me so much still?
"Let it go? Never said that. Just need to remember the good times, not the bad," dad said, and I smiled. I had tried to do that, and I do remember the good times, but I wanted to remember it all. His Masamune sat in a glass case dad had built me, next to my bed. His coat was always across the back of a chair in my room. It didn't smell like him anymore so much, but it still meant something. Better to love than lost, her aunt always told her. But I didn't know exactly what she had meant, I just kind of wanted to be with him now, like always.
"Okay pops! I'm gonna hop in the shower now!" I said, letting my energy retake over my emotions. No need to worry about anything now, I could think about it later when I was alone. No need to drag everyone else down with me. That's kind of how it's always been, since mom passed away. It helped a lot, while I was on the pilgrimage for everybody. The only other person who acknowledged that she lived in a glass house. She had been the clown and the energy driving the group, for as long as she had lasted. They repaid the favor in the Thunder Plain, but…that was where he seemed to fall for me.
I washed the grease off my hands before stripping down to the suit the fayth had given me, and stepped under the grand wave of warm water. Most folks didn't have running water, but the ship did. The ship had everything nobody else had, better than a house on most accounts. I finished up in the shower quickly, not wanting to run out of hot water, and toweled off. I was far more tired than I had thought, those sand runners weren't being very cooperative while I was working on them, that's for sure. I put on a much too large t-shirt and a pair of shorts, and climbed into bed.
I had trouble falling asleep, looking at his coat. Sometimes I just wouldn't sleep, just stare at that coat and sword for hours on end. Pops had threatened to have them removed, said it was unhealthy to dwell on the past like that, but he really didn't understand. I was still so young, people didn't think it was possible for me to fall in love. But I did, and I know that now more so than I ever did back then, and I knew it back then as well. He was so reluctant to love me back, and I know now why.
He finally did, he told me, right before we entered Sin. I had been trying so hard for him, doing everything I could to prove to him it wasn't just some stupid crush. And he had known all along. He had known that it wasn't a crush, but he told me that I couldn't have the one thing I wanted more than anything else. And I know why, now. He wasn't really alive, in a sense. I knew he was unsent for a long time, ever since he refused to enter the Farplane in Guadosalam, but I didn't say anything. He felt real to me; tight arms that helped me fall asleep when I was scared, strong hands to hold me close, and the ever present soft touch of his lips from the one kiss we had shared. He was real, to me. And he always would be.
Rikku…
The voice whispered. It was unlike anything I had ever heard. I looked around, and I wasn't in my bed anymore.
Rikku…
"What?" I asked, my voice shaky, seeming distant.
Do you truly care for him, like you say you do?
"Of course I do!" I said confidently. It was the one thing I knew for sure.
For letting us rest, thank you. We sleep now, even as we speak, here in the Farplane at last. But the Farplane is not for all. As our final thank you, to you seven, we are granting one wish before we depart forever. We are not staying in the Farplane, but going beyond, where we will never wake again. But, your wish has been granted, as has his.
"What do you mean?" I asked the voice. Was this all a dream? It felt real, but were the Fayth actually talking to me? I thought they were gone already, nothing gets out of the Farplane, no matter how much I wanted somebody to.
We hear the doubt in your mind, young guardian. But fear not, he is back, as he should be. Take care, and thank you.
"Wait, what?" I asked, but the voices were no more.
I sat up quickly, and I was in my room. What had just happened? The Fayth appearing in dreams was a sign, they didn't lie. Or so the books said. I had read them all, in Guadosalam, after his disappearance. Everything I could on trying to contact him again. I refused to enter the Farplane myself, not wanting to see all that I had lost, but I tried every other way I could to try and get him back, to no avail. But I did read that the Fayth appeared in many people's dreams, and everything the Fayth mentioned, happened. Whether it be guidance for peace or war. But I had never heard of it granting wishes.
I laid down my pounding head, it felt like cannon fire inside of it. It was tearing me up inside, but I just stared at the coat, tears welling up in my eyes. It had been so long, since I had seen him. Too long. I would give anything to have him back, him holding me, telling me that nothing would be wrong. But that would never happen; I just had the memories of him to hold dear. Memories of him, good and bad, were all that mattered.
"Sir…Sir Auron?" a voice said, and I looked at the voice that had called my name. I must look different, if people were stumbling over it like that. Or people just hadn't seen me in a while, who knew.
"Hello?" I asked, not knowing or remembering this woman's name. She was aboard a giant yellow chocobo, who looked at me with squinting black eyes. Chocobo's had never been…fond of me. Maybe it was my attitude, or my dislike of giant birds.
"Wow, it really is you. I don't know if you remember me, but on your pilgrimage, I gave you Chocobo's to use," the woman said, and I smiled. The memories poured back in. Tidus racing this woman for three days, to win a sigil. Three whole days wasted, on a stupid bird race. But it was three more days for me to stay with her, so I couldn't complain about that.
"I do remember you as a person, but I do not remember names," I said, being honest. Too many people knew me, it was impossible to remember names.
"My name is Isabela, if it matters at all. I was just wondering if you needed a Chocobo?" the lady asked, and my face curved into an evil smile. I hated these damn birds, but they did move fast.
"I would be honored, Isabela. If you have one to spare, that is. I have no gil at the moment to pay you, however," I told her, and she just smiled.
"No problem, just walk with me a little bit over that way, and we'll have you up and going in no time!" she exclaimed, and I walked silently behind her. Great……damn birds. They would end me someday, if I let them. But they did taste good. I smiled evilly at the last thought I had.
Soon after, I was moving at a much faster pace, albeit a little more concave than I would have hoped. But it still beat walking any day, especially across the Calm Lands. And I didn't have a weapon, either. Just my nog and a chocobo, and my jacket. I reached inside the pocket of my jacket, and felt my black sunglasses in an inside pocket. It had seemed weird without them, but I had just realized. I slipped them on, and the horizon dimmed to a bearable level. Much better.
I rested the Chocobo every couple of hours, and the bird would go nuts if it could find itself some gysahl greens, and then continued onward. It was important for me to stay on the Chocobo, however, because the fiends would strike me on sight if not for the bird. So maybe I had to give them a little slack, eventually.
I was on my way to Bevelle, for many reasons. One of which would be to see everyone I could. Bevelle was likely a common destination for Yuna, at least, and probably Tidus if he had come back like he was supposed to. My attitude was far less grim than it had been before, I realized. All of this Chocobo riding was making me think, and I smiled at myself. I no longer felt like a wall of determination, making sure my pyreflies didn't escape. No, now I was as human as the rest, and even though I would never understand it, I was going to live this life the way I should.
The Chocobo continued onwards to Bevelle, as if it had a mind of its own. I spent all of my time on the back of that bird, even when I was sleeping. As long as it could rest to drink some water and eat some greens, it would keep running until it almost stumbled into sleep. Then I would climb down, and the bird would walk around until it found the grass it was looking for. Then it would look happy and energetic again, and I would reboard the bird. The Chocobos are loyal like that sometimes. Still didn't make me happy to ride one, the last three I had ridden had required healing from the summoners I had been protecting, not for the bird, but for me. But maybe my change in attitude made the bird less aggressive. Or maybe I just got lucky, I thought.
I thought about how good of time I was making, trying to remember how far it was to Bevelle. At this pace, I would be in Bevelle in two days, maximum. And then I might be able to see her, if she would have me back. If she didn't, I would…I would… I didn't know how to finish that thought. There wouldn't be anything else for me to be here, and they might just send me back. But if she didn't want me here, then I would go back, after I finished what they had sent me to do, no problem.
"Do you really need to go back, that badly?" a group of Fayth asked me, and I nodded. It was the one thing I was sure of.
"We can send you back, permanently. In exchange for a favor, for us Fayth. The ones you see before you as Fayth have been sent, finally. After all these years, we are able to rest peacefully. But we still have family and friends dreaming, not of Zanarkand, but of other things of which we do not know. We want you to release them, all of them, in exchange for one thing," they said, and I nodded. I would give anything to go back, at this point.
"How many of you are there still?" I asked, and the small child with a purple hood smiled. I knew him as Bahamut, back before he was sent.
"Nine. Nine of us sleep, in forgotten temples. These are places many have not seen in hundreds of years, and have been forgotten. If you release them, we will grant you one wish," the Fayth Bahamut said to me, and I made up my mind.
"I will do this. My wish would be for me, and Tidus, to be sent back to the world of the living, permanently," I said, and they nodded.
"You were going to be sent back anyways, and your favor shall be for Tidus. He shall be eternally grateful. To release the statues…" the Fayth spoke, and I listened, but barely. I was going back, and there was nothing that was on my mind but her. And I would do their favor and whatever else they asked to see her again.
"Were you listening?" Bahamut asked me, and I shook my head 'no'. And he just laughed, like a child is supposed to.
"You will see her soon enough, don't worry. But as I said, to release us, destroy the statues of the fayth in their temples, and they will be forced to stop dreaming. This is not our world anymore, and they should no longer be there. But be careful, they will not take kindly to their own fate," Bahamut said, and I nodded. I fought and beat Sin, a Fayth is no problem. I felt as cocky as I did when I joined the temple guards, and then the monks. Undefeatable again.
"Thank you, Bahamut. And all of you," the eight of them nodded at me, and disappeared. And then I woke up on Mount Gagazet, human again.
I awoke suddenly, the Chocobo stopping, probably for one of its short rests that it took. I didn't mind, I was making phenomenal time. I climbed off the Chocobo, and it didn't wander far from me. It seemed to have enjoyed my company, or something, because it wasn't like the others I had ridden.
The few I had ridden in the Calm Lands tore my arms into ribbons, and the one I had ridden on the Highroad actually tried to gore me with its talons. But this one was…much happier. And praise be to whatever power who gave this actually docile bird to me.
Bevelle held many things I needed to figure out. One being if she cared anymore, but the rest being held in the Library of St. Bayla. I needed to figure out where these other temples are, or where they had been, at some point. During my training as a monk, there always were rumors of there being seventeen aeons, but only five mattered to Yevon, the five who had stayed 'faithful'. And that they were on the quickest path to Zanarkand, of course. The church had always tried to be efficient about their personal killing sprees.
I smiled, remembering how naïve I had been about the Church, ignoring the faults that were blatantly obvious to us monks. All those issues, all those pointless battles. Yet still I stayed, until that damned Braska threw it all away. Braska, damn I missed that man. The only one who could pull me out of that church rut, and look at me now. Doing missions for the Fayth and chasing after his niece, what would he think of me now?
I looked at the Chocobo, who was trotting back towards me now, its gullet obviously satiated. It knelt down, and I climbed aboard once again. It took off at a decent speed again, and I slowly drank out of my jug, making sure not to spill any. Who knows how long it will be until I'm back on Gagazet to refill?
I just let my head drop back and laugh loudly. Things sure had changed, when my nog jug being full being a problem.
"Kiddo, you been asleep for half a day. Gotta wake up sometime, those sand runners ain't fixin themselves!" I heard, and the voice just laughed evilly.
"Mmrphmm," was the only sound I could make, rolling over to open my eyes and seeing my dad sit on the chair in my room.
"How ya feel?" dad asked me, and I just sat up in my bed, yawning. I did sleep well, that was for sure. Damn sand runners are hard work. My hands were a feeling a bit stiff, but I felt good.
"Good, pops. Now get out, so I can change back into my scrubs," I said, and he left laughing. I hated getting grease on my cool-awesome-amazing wardrobe, so I always wore a zip up suit up to my neck when I was working on machina. Just the way I was, I guess. Good clothes were hard to come by.
I yawned again after zipping up my suit, and strolled from my room to the garage. So many machines left! I tried starting up the ones I had fixed before, and was delighted to hear them turn over and roar to life again. Well, three down, a bajillion to go, I guess. At least I was getting some help today.
Two Al Bhed boys, a little younger than me, had offered their hands at helping me. I knew they just all wanted to get closer to me, but the help was nice. And knowing I was wanted was nice, too. But…this was as close as anyone else was getting to me. Auron was all I had needed, even for that little bit of time, and I was damned if anyone was taking his place.
I must have let my thoughts control my actions, because I was cursing like a sailor when the two boys walked in, shock on their faces. Most people still didn't understand, it was a mechanics thing.
"Nyz lera zi mducc nefi dy wuq?" (How many we still have to fix?) one of the boys asked me. His name was…actually, I had no idea. Didn't really care either, too many names and I would just forget them again anyways.
"Ecc pod dnymi dnhii," (All but those three) I told them, and their shoulders slumped. They had gotten themselves into more than they bargained for, but I just smiled. They would be too tired to care in a couple of hours. And that made me smile. I always like just hours upon hours of machina, dedicated like very few were, and I was the best. I was still amazed they got the airship running so fast after I had left. I only worked on it for a few weeks before the Yuna-snatching-plan had come about.
We worked in silence, the only sounds were the asking for other wrenches, and the swearing. Most of the cursing was me, but the boys joined in, realizing that when with Machina, I was just one of the guys.
After a few hours, I stopped and told them it was break time. Time to grab a bite to eat and talk to pops. I walked quickly, saying 'hi' to everyone I crossed paths with, to the cafeteria. I grabbed a pair of elderberry sandwiches, and continued my walk to the bridge. Pops was sitting there in his chair, working with the sphere oscillo-finder furiously.
"What's up pops?" I asked, plopping down in a chair next to him, trying to figure out what he was doing. He never used the thing except to communicate with other people.
"You ain't never gonna believe this. Message from Khimari. Didn't think he would ever use the damn thing we gave him, but he did. Look at the message," he said, moving out of his seat so I could take his place.
To: Rikku
From: Khimari
Subject: Sighting
None of this looked interesting, yeah, neither me or dad thought that Khimari would ever use his communicator we gave him, but whatever. I read the next few lines, and my stomach tightened into a knot, and I almost spewed my already eaten sandwich all over the screen.
Message: Khimari see Auron. No smell like fiend anymore. Tell Rikku.
"A…Auron?" I choked, tears quickly filling my eyes. There was…no way he could come back. I had spent months in Guadosalam reading, and learned that he couldn't ever come back. It felt like a giant scab the size of my torso had been ripped open again, and I couldn't understand why.
"Kiddo?" dad said, his arm draping around me. I suddenly felt light headed, and I slithered out of pops arms like a jelly flan, and bounced off the floor. I didn't feel it though, I wasn't there anymore. And that's all I remember.
A day or so, and I would be in Bevelle, finally. Hopefully I still had some sway, or I might not even be able to access the library. People weren't allowed in without clearance of some sort, and I had been disowned by the church, what…almost thirteen years ago? I laughed at that, the bird turning back to look at me as it ran, as if I had lost my mind. But I would get in, not too much of a problem. I could probably get a sword from the Monk's barracks if I needed to get in covertly. The city was always deemed a stronghold, but I knew my way around.
Bevelle was a city draped in mystery and politics, and was riddled with secret passageways and doors very few knew of and even less used. And now, probably were lost forever. Used in the days when secrecy was much more important, those passageways were used by messengers, or so the texts told us. They weren't used much even when I lived there. The only reason I knew them was because Kinoc and I had spent many of our free days wandering the city, and sneaking women and booze back. Back when that was all that mattered.
But getting in wasn't one my worries. My only worry would be if I saw the airship docked over Bevelle, or ran into people that knew me. I mean, people recognized my coat and I, and rumors would always spread. But I would be in and out of Bevelle before too many people tried to stop me. But back in those days, you always just silenced those who got in the way. I didn't want to kill innocents any longer. I no longer felt the need to stay in utter secrecy, like I had before. I was borderline evil, back in those days. But those are thoughts for another day, maybe another life. Right now, I had to focus on what I had to do.
As I had been lost in my thoughts, the Chocobo paced ever onwards towards Bevelle, and when I came out of my thoughts, it was several hours later in the day. It was like I had fallen asleep. We came into a clearing, exiting the bit of forest we had been travelling, and in the far, far off distance I could see the spire crowing the peak of Bevelle. It was still many hours of travelling away, maybe twelve, but this was the field Bevelle had created to see as far as it could have, all those years ago. The home stretch, so to speak.
I dismounted the bird, and he pecked around in the grasses, turning its beak up at certain patches and chowing down at others. I could never tell the difference in the grasses, but I had never needed to. The birds hated me, and I them, so needing to know which ones they liked had never been a priority.
I sat down on the grass, swigging out of my jug occasionally. It was really the only thing I had to do until I got to Bevelle. Then I could find some food to accompany this fine liquor, and the answers to the questions I had. I watched the Chocobo exclaim, and came running back to me. I looked at it, puzzled. Could never understand them, either. But it nuzzled me, and then grabbed the shoulder of my coat and drug me to my feet.
"What do you want?" I asked coldy, staring the bird down. It seemed to cower before me, as all did with the gaze I had perfected over the years. Yet it still pushed me towards where it had been. I let myself be pushed, albeit a little hesitantly. Maybe the bird had been nice so far so it could find a place to bury me after it had killed me.
It stopped pushing, and exclaimed with a 'wark' its achievement. I looked down, and buried in the grasses was a katana, much similar to the one I had brought to Zanarkand with me the first time. I hefted it by the handle, and it felt right in my hands. Where in the world had this come from?
I thought about where the blade had come from, trying to discern its history here on the far outskirts of the Bevelle Field. This was cleared for a battle, between Zanarkand and Bevelle all those years ago, but things from then were long since buried and forgotten. But then I thought about the more recent military activities of Bevelle. I remembered hearing about the slaughter of Guado on the edge of this forest, as the Guado tried to defend their homeland against the impossibly strong forces of the Church. It must be a remnant of that, I thought. The blade was clean of marks or defects, however. It wasn't even used.
I swung the blade, like I had for countless years, and my abilities, albeit a bit rusty, still came back to me. Through all of my forms, the blade danced. My only watcher was the bird, who just looked at me a few times and moved a little bit farther back from where I stood. I again sat in the grass, the blade sitting in front of me. Good luck, I guess. I had needed a sword anyways, and the bird seemed happy with itself, even if it was scared of me. And it hadn't killed me, yet another sign that Lady Luck was smiling upon me. And then it hit me.
Back at the academy, when we had learned of the rumors of all the other temples, we had learned that things like Lady Luck had been real at one point. Or real enough I guess. One temple, long forgotten, had been an aeon of luck, or chance really. It was all myth and legend, and the professor had spoken about some students who had never returned after they went to pray at that lost temple for help during their final examinations. The class had laughed, including me. But maybe, it wasn't just luck. Maybe Lady Luck knew it was finally time for her to sleep soon?
"Insanity, Auron. Just plain insanity," I said to myself, and laughed again. The bird was actually afraid now, with me talking to myself and laughing as well.
"It's alright, my friend. Insanity has not come to me, yet," I said, and laughed again. I petted the birds face when I neared it, and its cheeriness returned. I clipped the sword once again onto my back, like I had all those years. The coat have clips sewed in for a reason, of course. I remounted the bird, who seemed full and happy again. He took off at a faster pace than before, its energy levels higher after helping his master, it seemed.
I lost myself in the thoughts about Lady Luck, and where ever the hell she could be.
"A wild Chocobo chase, for sure," I mused, and watched as Bevelle crept slowly into view. Very very slowly, I might add.
"Ugg, quit that!" I yelled, after being hit in the face with a cup of water.
"Sorry Rikku, dad told…me too," I heard, the voice belonging to Brother.
"It's okay," I said, opening my eyes. I was laying on the floor of the bridge, in a very uncomfortable position. "Why was I laying on the floor, you worthless…" I started to yell, and dad stopped me.
"You've been out for a couple of hours. Kicked the mnud out of Brother when he tried to move you. Damn Khimari…" dad said, and shook his head in disapproval.
"Sorry Brother," I said. We had all been speaking Spiran on the ship for the most part, to help everyone learn the language faster. Brother including, and his had increased beautifully, if I do say so myself. How else was he going to get a pretty brunette Spriran girl like he so desired?
I smiled a little at my last thought, and saw my sandwich on the shelf that rimmed the sphere oscillo-finder. I went to grab it, and looked at the screen. I felt myself go wobbly again, reading the phrase over and over again.
"Khimari…saw Auron?" I said quietly, and again I fell, smashing my head on the shelf my sandwich was on. I felt the pain, and then darkness.
Five hours had passed, and I had landed myself on a road straight for the main gates to Bevelle. The Chocobo was like a bullet. A fast, yellow, feathered, frenzied bullet. I smiled at the thought of my arrival. Nobody around probably remembered my loathe for the creatures, but I felt myself getting rather attached to this one.
I thought of the good old days, when Kinoc and I snuck out for booze, and would come back with women. We woke up the entire barracks, and more people joined us every night for our excursions into the city life of Bevelle. The city was pretty stuck up, compared to the attitude held down south. Probably the Church's influence on that. But at night, it was still easy to find bars with booze flowing and women abound. And women loved a man in uniform, or so they said. Loved for at least a night.
I laughed a little again at that last thought. Absurd, really, thinking about all those times. Kinoc was dead now, I had been dead for a while at least. And I already had my woman. The only one that mattered.
My thoughts carried me as the Chocobo did, ever closer to the gates. We weren't alone on the road, but the bird just swung into the brush on the side and kept running at a bullet's pace, leaving people gawking at us in the dust. Not every day you see a legendary guardian who has been missing for almost two years speeding along on a yellow streak of light. I smiled, and the bird started to slow.
Without my thoughts, this journey would have been much longer. And I would have realized the growing pit of hunger in my stomach. As an unsent, eating was a formality, really. You felt hunger for a while, and the feeling passed into nothingness. It isn't like I could starve to death, and die again. But I ate to keep up my façade as a real person to the group. But I was no longer an unsent, and the hunger made my stomach growl for nourishment.
The Chocobo stopped at the stable, and I dismounted. My legs and back felt like they had been stomped by a shoopuf, but the feeling would pass. I wasn't THAT old, really. At least that's what she always told me. I stretched a bit, relieving cramped muscles, as the Chocobo hopped the five foot fence into the pen.
I walked to the fence, and the bird came running.
"I'll be back for you. I'll need your help again," I told it, and its black beady eyes seemed to glow with happiness, as if it had understood. No use in letting a good thing pass, they say. I walked the last half mile to the gate, and found it wide open. In the days of the church that never happened. Locked shut, and only opened for those deemed worthy back in the good old days. There were guards, in different uniforms than they had once been, carrying guns.
Looked as if Machina was more a way of life, now. I approached the gates, and the guards stopped me.
"Sir…Sir Auron? You are really back?" the guard asked me, and I nodded. The coat, a sword strapped to my back, and my sunglasses. That was all people needed to know it was me.
"Can you suggest a good place for food?" I asked, and the guard beamed. Well, at least I wouldn't have a problem getting in. Staying quiet, however, would prove to be a much more difficult task.
"Yumish' Bar has pretty decent food for your gil," the guard said, and I nodded. I would work out a form of payment once I was inside. Once famous, gil wasn't really needed anymore. I had found this out in the many trips I had taken inside Bevelle after Braska had brought the Calm.
"Thank you," was all I said, and strode up the walkway. I kept my swagger that I had had for years, and I could hear the guards behind me talking hurriedly. Seems I wouldn't be quiet for long. Long enough, though. I strode beneath the buildings of Bevelle, and began my plans for dispatching the aeons forever.
"Grumphh!" I exclaimed, as yet again another glass of water splashed into my face. Brother's face was standing over me, a fear in his eyes, laughter crossing his face. I just looked crossly at his face, and his laughter turned to pain as my foot connected quickly with his groin. He joined me on the floor in short order, making dad laugh at the both of us.
"Would you two stop it? We are in Bevelle in an hour," Dad said, and I climbed off the floor. Brother just rolled on the ground, clutching his groin and cursing in Al Bhed. I hopped over to him to where dad stood on the bridge, looking out the giant window. I saw the city in the distance, and nodded.
"Sorry about that, dad," I said sheepishly, knowing I had embarrassed myself.
"No problem. If he is back, then you can stop moping. And I can't beat the mnud yod yw nul," (shit out of him) dad said, and laughed. He always turned to Al Bhed to curse, and I found it hilarious.
"I suppose," I said, and walked out of the room. I had been passed out twice, a couple of hours each time. They would leave me laying there on the bride, stupid meanies. I went back to my room, and sat on my bed. I hadn't finished any of the sand runners today. And we made better time to Bevelle than I thought we would. Hopefully those two finished something without me, or dad wouldn't be too happy with me. As I laid there, my gaze went from coat to sword to coat again.
Are you actually back? Can I give these back? You better be, or I will kick Khimari so hard he feels it from tail to horn.