Chapter 2!! It's here, it's now, it's wow and HOW!!! I have no idea what I stole THAT from but anyway...moving on!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, Final Fantasy X-2 or any of them for that matter are not mine. I didn't create them! Moving on!
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"A cactuar?!?!?!???" the three of them exclaimed together. They stared open mouthed at the little green creature who was staring up at them. Rikku's eyes fall to the three needles sticking out of the little cactuar's head. She shrieks suddenly causing the other two to jump in suprise.
"What's wrong??" Yuna asked, alarmed.
"The needles!! THAT'S what caused the marks on Dona's neck!" Rikku cried, pointing accusingly at the cactuar. Paine rolls her eyes.
"You still going on about that? We don't know that the cactuar caused the marks." she glared at Rikku. Rikku looked as though she's going to explode.
"Why do you have to question everything that I say? Just because I said it!!! You know what?? I don't care anymore!" she stormed off, pushing past Paine and starts climbing down the cliff face, heading towards Kilika Temple.
Paine stares at the cactuar for a while. Yuna looks at Paine critically for a moment before asking, "Why are you always so hard on her?"
"I don't know..." she sighs and shrugs. "Someone has to inject a little reality into her. She can't go jumping to conclusions! Plus...she kinda bugs me..." Paine looks at Yuna, who was looking at her feet now.
"Do...I bug you?" she asked in a small voice. Paine sighs and smiles.
"Yes..." she heard Yuna gasp. "But...not all the time...and besides...it doesn't matter what other people think of you. Rikku obviously doesn't care about that, neither should you!" Yuna brightened up at this.
"You're right!" she looked at the cactuar. The cactuar just sits. Doing nothing. Watching them.
"OK, that thing's starting to creep me out..." said Paine. "We should probably just leave it for now and catch up with Rikku." Yuna nodded in agreement.
They jump down and make their way out of the forest. It doesn't take them long to find Rikku, who was sitting at the edge of the forest, waiting for them. She seemed to have calmed down. She jumps up as soon as she spots them.
"Well you two sure took your time!" she turns on her heel and struts off to the bottom of the long staircase that leads up to Kilika Temple. Paine sighs and goes after her.
"Rikku!" she called, "Look...I...uh..."
"Hmmm?" the young Al Bhed turns and looks at her friend. "You have something to say to me?"
Paine's gaze darts about, trying to avoid that triumphant emerald green gaze. "I'm...sorry, Rikku...I guess I was a little hard on you...and it's possible that the cactuar did make those marks..." Rikku looked like she'd just won the Blitzball tournament.
"Yes! See...I told ya!" she hugs the tall warrior to show that all was forgiven. Yuna walks up to them, smiling.
"Glad to see you two have made up! So...shall we check out the temple for any spheres?" the two of them nod and start making their way up the stairs.
"Wow!" Rikku exclaims as she reaches the top and gazes at the magnificent temple. "This is where you got your second aeon?" she asked Yuna.
"Yes..." the former summoner looked a little sad as she remembers how she had to destroy each of her aeons, one by one, as they were each possesed by Yu Yevon. She snaps out of her temporary misery and sets her face into a determined expression. "Lets get that sphere!"
All three of them run into the temple, ignoring the startled looks on the Yevonites' faces as they barge through. They come to a halt as they reach the main room where the High Summoners of the past look down upon them. Yuna's eyes rest on the statue of her father for a moment before she hears the doors to the cloister of trails being flung open. She watches as Rikku and Paine charge inside. Yuna runs after them, following them inside the chamber. As she looks around, she can see where her guardians had led her safely through the cloister of trails, to the chamber of the fayth. Rikku and Paine managed to get the door open and they step inside. As Yuna takes a step forward, she can see herself coming out of chamber of the fayth, looking at each of her guardian's faces and smiling. Looking directly at the spot where Yuna now stood. Where he used to be. The blitzball player from Zanarkand. She smiles as the memory fades away. She can feel tears prickling at her eyes. She blinks them away and proceeds into the chamber.
"Hey Yunie! Look at this!!" Rikku bounds towards her cousin holding a small, glittering orb. "Wanna watch it?" Before Yuna could answer Rikku had already started playing the sphere.
The sphere plays. At first the picture's completely black, but is soon bightened when a flash of light illuminates what appears to be the chamber of the fayth. Rikku looks around at the one they're in and back at the screen, chuckling softly to herself. Half expecting to see miniature versions of themselves. Instead there's a woman, praying to the fayth. Rikku gasps.
"It's Dona!" the three of them strain to see a little better, then realisation dawns on them.
"It is her!" Yuna exclaimed, excitedly.
"Wait..." said Paine, uncertainly. "Who's recording?" They hear Barthello's voice faintly, also praying. "I thought only summoners were allowed in the chamber." asked Paine. Rikku giggles.
"You sound just like Wakka! Any minute now you're going to say 'It's taboo. Forbidden. Against the teachings of Yevon, ya?'" she giggles again, very pleased with her Wakka impression. "Right Yunie?" she looks at Yuna, who had a sad expression on her face.
Her memories once again take over as she's transported back two years ago. She's kneeling, praying to the fayth with all her heart for a way to defeat Sin. She can hear him, the boy from Zanarkand, making a fuss outside. She can hear Wakka and Lulu, unsure of whether they're comforting him, or scolding him. Probably scolding him, She thinks to herself. She starts to smile as she snaps back into the present, Rikku and Paine are looking at her with concern.
"You ok, Yunie?" Rikku asked as she takes hold of her hands. Yuna looks at them both, smiling.
"I'm fine." she said. Rikku lets go of Yuna and puts the sphere away in her pouch.
"We'd better get going." she said as she heads out of the chamber, the other two close behind. They didn't get very far when they ran into the human wall that was Barthello. Rikku, who's brakes didn't seem to be working, crashed into his muscular chest and fell to the floor.
"Hey, are you ok?" Barthello asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine...owie..." said Rikku, as she gets up, rubbing her hip.
"Huh? What's this?" Barthello bends down and picks up a small, glittering orb. Rikku's hand automatically reaches for her pouch, realising it must have fell out when she crashed into him. She starts giggling nervously.
"Oh, that's ours...we found it in the temple." she said. Barthello's large brow furrowed in concentration as he starts to play the sphere. A look of recognition washes over his face.
"I filmed this!" he declared. "I filmed this...to remind me for when Dona..." he trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentance. Rikku starts shuffling her feet awkwardly. Paine stared straight ahead, not wanting to say anything. Yuna smiled up at him.
"Why don't you keep it then? You can show it to her...I bet she didn't know you were praying beside her." she said. Barthello brightened up.
"You're right! I'll show it to Dona...oh...but she dissapeared again..." he started to frown again.
"Again?" said Yuna, looking thoughtful. "Barthello...go home and wait for her. I think I know where she might be!" Barthello nodded and charged off home. Yuna runs into the forest back to the cliff where they found Dona and Dona's "friend" last time. Rikku and Paine show up a few seconds later, huffing.
"Yuna...you...could have...waited...for us!" panted Rikku.
"I don't... hear... anything... this time!" said Paine, her chest heaving. Yuna quietly creeps up to where the cactuar was hidden. Rikku and Paine hear Yuna gasp.
"What's wrong?" asked Paine. Yuna leaps down to join them, holding a long piece of red ribbon in her hands with a confused expression on her face.
"They're gone!"
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