Rikku

My mom once told me that our worst enemy is also our closest friend. I'd asked her who was and she said it's you. I'm my best friend and my worst enemy. Talk about multitasking right? I get what she said now. It confused me when I was young but I get it now that I'm older. And what I realize now is that I'm not only fighting others but, I'm also fighting myself. I am fighting a whole war inside me. In my opinion sometimes wisdom really is not only it a waste my time but can be a thorn in my side.

Today is my coming of age ceremony and everybody is here. My cousin Yunie, Tidus, Wakka, Lulu, Paine, Brother, Gippal everyone even Kimahri. Well, everyone except … him. He's gone… he's dead. He can't come even if I want him to. Today is the day I turn 18. And by the rules of the Al-Bhed royalty code I am to marry by the time I turn 21. Three years. He's been gone for three. I miss him so much. I shouldn't but I do. Foolishness can also be a thorn in my side. Being me is very tiring.

So now I fight. I must fight the shadow of myself. My dad told me that if you can beat yourself in three ways then you can beat anyone. That's the challenge, to beat myself and let me tell you it won't be easy. He was right for once surprisingly. So now I'm fighting my shadow. Fun right, wrong. I've outsmarted myself numerous times and I still have faith that I'll win. But our strength is practically matched perfectly. I punch and kick and fight as hard as I can until finally I win. I beat myself. I only wish he could have been here to see this. To see I'm not so weak. So I could hug him while I smiled but now I'm numb. A fake smile and I accept my reward to adulthood. Us Al-Bhed, to show we are adults, we get a tattoo.

"Rikku..." Pops says, his voice filled with happiness, "now's the time for you to choose your sign!" he said, I just nod. Walking over I closed my eyes and focused. My "light" is a small orb of light that comes from my being! It's magic and it knows what tattoo is best for us and it gives us strength while guiding us.

My hand hovered over the warmth of the branding iron, right between love, strength and courage. Dad nodded and then branded each onto my back in a triangle. "Rikku…" his voice boomed. " Live your life with love, strength and courage." I bow and turn. They all smile at me, all of them so proud of me. It just makes me miss him even more. Hide the frown Rikku they'll worry about you.

Who's he. Well he's Auron. Yep the Legendary Pain in the Butt himself. He's gone. He was dead the whole time, an unsent. But he was my best friend on the Pilgrimage. Life is… hard without him. Jesus I sound like a love sick puppy! Well… maybe I am. I don't know but I do know that I cared about him. During that journey I fell in love with him and could never say a word about it to him. Man death stinks! But at the same time it's calming in a weird twisted sort of way. NO I AM NOT EMO!

Auron

I've watched her for three years now. I left her so alone for so long. The fayth didn't think Rikku cared at all for me. But I knew because I saw the tears in her eye while I faded away. I felt like a jerk for doing this to her. She looked so betrayed. I had never felt so bad in my life even after Braska and Jecht. She had trusted me more than they had and I left her without a thing to remember me by. I saw how much she'd grown over the years into the beautiful woman she was today. Today was the day she would become an adult in the eyes of all the people of Spira. She'd been a woman to the Al-Bhed since she was 16. On the pilgrimage she was more of a woman than I could have hoped for her to be. She was more grown up than most girls her age and still was better than Lulu who was older than her and was probably the woman of almost any man's dreams. Well, any man but mine. Lulu was so into Yevon while Rikku knew the truth the whole time.

She was too beautiful to not look at. She was the type of person that no one can miss when she walks into the room. She was the type of person that people would fallow down the street to give her gifts and ask where she got her hair done. She type of person that when she walked into the room all the men would stare at her. The funny part was it's happened before, and the even funnier part was that even when all the guys in the room where looking at her, she wouldn't pay attention to anyone but me. She was just that wonderful. I could never hate her for anything. Even when she was bothering me or when I was waiting for my drink. I couldn't hate her at all, and she knew it too. But she never really took advantage of that. Never took advantage of me. She had every motive and every right but she never did.

"Auron what's going on?" that was Braska.

"Oh Lord Braska I was just watching Spira." He looked down and saw Rikku with her smile and sad eyes.

"You were watching her again huh?" I nodded with my sad eyes. "You really do miss her." I sighed.

"Yo, Stiffy, why the long face? Did you loose your sword shining kit?" He teased.

"No Jecht." I sighed irritated. He looked down at what I was looking.

Laughing he asked "Looking at that girl again!"

"Yes." I sighed. I wish I could go back to her. I wish I could be with her again. I'd do anything to be with her again.

"Auron…" came a small boy's voice. I looked down and saw the boy fayth of Bahumet. "You wish to see her again?" I nodded.

"I miss her a lot. I won't lie to you, I love her Bahumet." The boy smiled.

"What do you love about her?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and said "I love her eyes and how they seem to shine no matter what emotion she feels at that moment. I love her smile and how it makes me wonder how the sun could possibly stay in business. I love how whenever I'd feel like crap she'd always be there to make everything better. I love how she tries to take care of herself and make people that she's ok when she's really hurting inside. I love how she's a child and a woman all at once without even trying." I saw Braska grinning at me. "I… I love everything about her Bahumet. There is so MUCH to love about her." I sighed. Finally I looked down at the smiling Aeon. He was grinning so hard that his cheeks were beginning to hurt.

"Alright Auron, I've been convinced to send you back." My eyes widened and I finally smiled at the child Fayth.

"Thank you Bahumet." I said bowing.

"You're welcome Auron. Now go." He said and I felt myself leaving the Farplane.

Rikku

I was sitting next to the fire and then I heard Tidus yell. "Hey look guys!" I stood up and they blocked my path.

"Get out of his way." Yunie called and I was very confused. "What is going on?" I finally yelled and they moved. From either side they created a wall of people lining way between him and me. There he was.

"Auron," I breathed his name.

He took one step closer to me and said "Rikku," he breathed my name back and I ran to him. He caught me in his arms as I sobbed wildly while trying to gain my breath back. "Rikku," He sighed, his voice sounding relieved.

"Auron, are you really here?" I asked trying to breath. "Is this a dream?"

Auron held me closer and said "If this is a dream and we're having the same dream, then don't wake me." I laughed at him with some more tears running down her face. Her breath caught at the sight of his two smoldering bronze/gold eyes. He looked down at me and smiled.

"Rikku I'm sorry I left you alone for so long. I love you." He leaned down towards me and I took in the wonderful smell of Auron that I had missed so much.

"I love you too." I stood up on my toes and kissed him for all I was worth.

When I fell back onto my feet and felt happy tears running down my face. He looked down at me and saw that there were tears running down his own smooth shaven face. He looked even more amazing than I remembered. "This isn't a dream. I'm really here. It's really me here." Auron said softly. "I missed you so much Rikku, that it was hard to rest in the Farplane." He murmured into my ear while nuzzling his nose across my cheek.

"I missed you too Auron, each and everyday."

He looked down at my shoulder and said "What are those?"He saw my tattoos.

"I'm an adult now so I have to have some tattoo to show how I need to live my life." Auron nodded lightly touched them.

"They're beautiful." He turned to me. "Just like you." I blushed.

"I love you… so much Auron." I said holding his handsome face in my hands. He kissed my palm and I smiled.

"I love you too Rikku. Thanks too you I'm back and I've never been so happy to come back to Spira in my life."

Finally we realized that we weren't alone around this fire. Yunie came up to me and Auron and smiled.

"Auron there's something important I have to show you, but please don't freak out. Pops already got mad at me about it." Auron nodded and fallowed me.

"Rikku, you don't mind that I'm younger now do you, I know that you fell in love with the older Auron that you know but I hope that you like how I am now."

I grinned, shaking my head and said."I love you no matter how old or young you are because Auron, you're still the most amazing man I've ever known." He smiled at me and I moved to the side so that Yunie could say hi to the man I love.

Auron

I couldn't say how happy I was to be back with Rikku again. She's the most important person in my life and death. We walked back to the village and Tidus had Wakka start a huge fire in the fire place. We sat down by the fire and I sat Rikku on my lap so she could relax.

"Auron, you're not leaving me again right?" she looked up at me tiredly with tears in her eyes. "Of course not Rikku, not this time. I won't leave you this time." I kissed her to help her calm down and tell her that I love her. She smiled at me and rested her head on my shoulder. After a few minets she fell asleep and I watched. I loved these moments where I didn't have to worry about anything but loving her and I found that easy enough. And I was going to be around for awhile to love her as long I lived. Sounds like heaven to me.

So i corrected it a lil bit and i spaced it out because i realized how much of a pain it was to figure out who was talking at that point in time so i hope this is easier. Well r&r ...PLEASE? *puppy dog eyes*