A/N:

Luin: Sandstone, what's with the slow update rate? Usually, you're typing away for hours at a time.

Sandstone: (Grumbles for a few moments) Stupid job.

Luin: Oh... right. I'll go hide now... (runs)

Sandstone: (Glares at the damaged landscape) BOOM!

Questions

Rikku helped me carry Brother back onto the bridge, dumped him unceremoniously on the floor, and stomped off a fair distance away from him. Rikku had found him near the 'elevator' (that thing isn't ever going to be used again), and Erastrani had helped me get him up to the airship, since Vib had a… disagreement with Brother. I didn't know what about, and frankly, I didn't want to know.

Buddy looked down at him in bemusement, then said, "He said something about Yuna being in trouble, then he just jumped ship."

I muttered, "Idiot."

I think I caught a note of amusement in the wizkid's voice as he said, "And here he is."

Rikku made a face, then called out to us, "He's alive, right? Just leave him there." Paine, who had been standing a fair distance away as well, walked up to Shinra, and gave him the sphere. "Can you analyze the sphere we found?"

Shinra took it in a gloved hand, then nodded. "I'm on it." He turned away, but I swear I heard a snicker before he took his seat.

Yuna, being the kind soul she is, bent down next to Brother. "Thank you, Brother."

Brother said (in a fake 'exhausted' tone) "It was... nothing."

Yuna said sympathetically, "Don't strain yourself."

Brother panted, "A leader must be tough", then tried to get up (and hug Yuna)

Rikku and I reacted at the same moment. She kicked him in the leg, I nailed him in the gut, making the air "whuff" out of him. "Sicko!" "Dude, LAME!" Jeez, Tidus didn't die, he just disappeared. And… well, the Fayth might be able to bring him back, or something. He was their creation, after all… so why not? Even in their weakened state… if it can be called that… besides, she's (Yuna) told me that she isn't even going to think about another guy until she gets closure about Tidus, one way or another.

Rikku and I froze, and looked at each other. At the exact same time, we said, "Did we do it again?" After a pause, we both made a face at each other, and then stuck our tongues out.

Yuna laughingly said, "It's really funny when you two do that."

We both said in a heated tone, "Is not!"

Yuna giggled with laugher. I rested my arm on Rikku's shoulders, and she looked at me. "We've really got to stop doing that." We said it at the same time, too.

I grinned, and wrapped her in a slight hug. She whispered, "Sicko", then squeezed me into a closer embrace. I laughed softly, then pecked her on the lips. "What does that make you?"

Yuna coughed, and we broke apart, both of our faces red as we realized everyone was staring at us (even the acting Brother was staring at us – he must have realized he'd get no sympathy). "Uhm… the sphere analysis is done…" Weird, I thought we were past the blushing stage now…

Rikku turned a slightly brighter red, and said in an innocent tone, "Oops."

We neared the screen, as it began to play. It showed what looked to be Zanarkand – a long time ago (Tidus's Zanarkand). "Anyone else recognize that place?"

Yuna nodded, as did Rikku. "We saw it at Seymour's." Rikku had a scowl on her face as she said it.

The speakers said, "I can't believe I actually got a ticket!" The scene shifted, and the voice continued, "What a thrill, to be able to shake her hand like that!"

I made a face as it turned to black, done playing. "I don't think that's worth anything. Guy's talking about some long-dead celebrity." Something in that voice bothered me, though. It sounded half-familiar to me, though I'd be damned if I could remember who or of what. "But I've heard that voice somewhere before."

Paine gave me a twisted look, and I shook my head helplessly.

Shinra got up from his seat, and said, "We can use it as a dressphere." He pushed a few keys, and a floating image of a witches' hat and clothing (some leather, I noticed) appeared. Shinra continued, "It's a…" The alarm cut him off, making all of us jump. Buddy jumped into his station, calling out, "Incoming data. Gullwings, to your stations!" After a moment's pause, he said in an amused tone, "Eh… how long do you plan on lying there?"

Brother got up, and made a face at him. "Aqlica sa." (Excuse me.)

"Hu." (No.) Brother glared at me, then jogged to his station (finally).

I looked over at Shinra. He shook his head, pressing a few keys. I said softly, "Black magic?"

He tilted his head out from behind the chair, and nodded, then went back to the screen. He always was working on some project…

After a few moments, Yuna asked Buddy, "What is it?" I walked over, my mind somewhere between the gutter and hell. Rikku, in that outfit… might be interesting, to see if we could make a game out of that…

Buddy read something, then looked up at Yuna and the rest of us. "The treasure sphere data you've been dying for. There's at least one on Besaid Island... ...and another in the Zanarkand Ruins."

I made a face. "Uh, can we go to Zanarkand first?"

Buddy looked over the monitor for a moment, then shook his head. "They've got high fiend activity reports from Zanarkand. I don't know if you'd be able to handle them right now."

I made a face, saying "Seesh. Pokemon that helped destroy Sin, and we worry about fiends."

Buddy shrugged. "Yeah, you might be able to take on the ruins alone." He looked over at the girls, then me. "Why don't we split up? Send you to Zanarkand, and everyone else to Besaid?"

I was about to agree, when Brother shouted, "No! The Gullwings do not 'split up'." Right… what the hell is up with HIM? I looked over at Paine. "Why is he leader again?"

Suicune responded Who knows?

Brother scowled at the voice, then said in a low tone, "Who said that?"

Rikku looked at me, saying silently, 'Don't say a word', and said, "Uhm… said what?"

Brother said again, "Who said that?"

I tapped Rikku on the shoulder, then said innocently, "Uh, Brother? I didn't hear anything. Did you, Yuna?"

Yuna gave me a questioning look, then shook her head silently.

Brother scanned the lot of us, then scowled. I said lightly, "You might want to take it easy, if you're hearing voices."

Brother turned away, then rubbed his (mostly) bald head. "I have been needing a break… we go to Besaid first. Then we find some fiends for the girls to punt around. Then Zanarkand."

I sighed, and put on a long-suffering face. "Wakka's going to either try to throw me off a cliff, or shoot me… that reminds me. Why aren't I dead?"

I think Brother stiffened when I said that, but Rikku shrugged slightly. "The garment grid reduces killing blows on people. It takes a really good hit to kill someone wearing one." She shrugged again, and pulled a Phoenix Down from somewhere. "Anyway, these work fine. It's why we can go full out on Leblanc, and those goons, and not wind up killing them."

I made a face of pure misery at her. "You are trying to kill me. Now Wakka can feel free to send me off that cliff, as many times as he has Phoenix Downs…"

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Didn't your Sphere Grid do the same thing for you?"

I blinked mildly at her. "Uh… sphere grid? Never heard of it."

Rikku froze, as did Yuna. The two of them looked at me, nearly identical shocked expressions on their faces. Yuna asked weakly, "You… were defenseless while you fought alongside us?"

I nodded slowly. "Basically, if the sphere grid does the same thing as a garment grid. But we all died that one time, remember? Fat lot of help those 'sphere grids' were." At those words, Rikku made an unhappy face, and looked disgusted about something.

Brother looked over at the three of us, his face a frozen mask. "You… what?"

I coughed. "Died." At a few recoiling looks, I added hastily, "Not like we're unsent, or anything. You'd be surprised at what some ashes can do. Brought everyone back to life."

Before anyone else could say something, Rikku said, "Don't ask." She looked intently at me, then grabbed my arm, pulling me off the bridge (more like 'guiding me', I wasn't resisting her or anything).

&&&&&

Rikku said the moment we were alone, "You didn't know?"

I shook my head slowly. "Never. I saw you guys walk off, but I really… didn't really need to know."

Rikku looked at me incredulously. "So when Yuna and Lulu got stronger spells… when Tidus pulled out Haste and stronger white magic spells…"

I smiled helplessly at her. "I thought they just got better, and learned to control their magic more."

Rikku stared at me. "I dunno if I'm supposed to be amazed, or slapping you silly for being so stupid."

I shrugged. "How about just being happy that the two of us are alive?" I looked downwards, a bitter smile on my face. "More than I can say for some people…"

She pecked me on the cheek, then walked back towards the bridge. "You could just take a nap instead, we can handle Besaid without you. I dunno how you can sleep like that."

I grinned at her. "I'm part Mew." After a moment, I sighed and said, "But I'm going with. I gotta check on those two."

"What, that ghost and that… uhm… fruit-thing," she shrugged, then held her hands up helplessly. "Don't blame me if Wakka gets mad at oui."

I shrugged slightly, and looked towards the bridge. "How long until we arrive?"

Rikku leaned against the wall, and finally said, "A few hours. We'll probably arrive a little before sunset."

I nodded quietly, looking at her. "What 'cha want to do?"

She giggled, then leaned over, kissing me on the nose. "Not now sweetie. I don't want to get all sweaty."

I gave her a lecherous grin, and then it faded into a more honest smile. "Actually, I wasn't thinking of that. We got a place to talk?"

Rikku looked at the door and made a face, suddenly rapping it loudly. I weakly heard a "ow!" come from the other side. She sighed, and motioned to the elevator. "I know somewhere."

&&&&&

&&&&&

Brother clutched his ear, his expression pained. Yuna was giggling at him, and Paine had a smirk on her face. "You never learn, do you?"

Brother made a face, and muttered, "A leader must know what is happening to his team… what they are talking about…"

Yuna giggled weakly, "Including spying on them…" she broke into further giggles, her face turning red. Brother looked on, dumbfounded.

&&&&&

&&&&&

Rikku led me into the room. It had a tiny bed, a light, and little else. A cupboard of a room. "We should be safe here. Yuna and I found it when we went exploring. I don't think any of the guys knows it exists."

I smiled. "Good." Rikku slightly smiled at me, then waited. We were quiet for a little bit, then she asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

I looked away from the single light that I had been staring at, looking at her. "Rikku… maybe I shouldn't be here." She sighed, but I continued, "No, listen. It seems… well, like a girls only club. I really don't want to intrude on your fun."

She tapped me on the side, then traced a scar that ran from my stomach to the side of my ribs. "If you were, I really wouldn't mind that much. I missed you while you were away."

I arched an eyebrow, and said slowly, "You're sure? We both agreed that we moved too quickly starting off…"

Rikku shrugged. "It was passion for both of us. I still love ya, you know, and it's been a few years now. I'm not leaving anytime soon. Now you get out of this weird guilt trip, or I'm going to…"

I looked at her expression, and flinched. "Oh crud… not that. That's just…" She came closer, and I flinched again. "Fine, I give, I give!" She came eye to eye with me, and bumped her head against mine. "You promise to get out of that funk?"

I had a thought, and twisted my head, tilting it sideways. Rikku jumped at the opportunity, her tongue eagerly exploring my mouth (not like this is the first time for either of us).

After she broke it off, I said mildly, "sure."

&&&&&

We walked back to the bridge holding hands. Brother slightly scowled at us, but Yuna looked towards him, and he turned away. That crush thing of his is going to make me sick. Very, very, sick.

Yuna turned to us, and asked lightly, "what did you two talk about?"

I arched an eyebrow, then said, "Talk? We just needed a place to make out."

Rikku choked, and punched me. I topped over, laughing on the ground at her look. She didn't help by torturing me with tickles. I'm still ticklish, even if I'm used to being sliced up. Well, sorta used to it, you never really 'like' it, unless you're a cutter (thankfully, I'm not). She said in between my laughs, "He's lying again! We just talked… he was having a few doubts about staying… right?" She increased the rate, and I gasped in through the laughs, "yeah… stop… it… gyah!" She relented, and turned to the others, her face slightly red. "He wondered if he should leave… got one of those guilt trips, Yunie." The two exchanged a knowing glance that I noticed.

I slowly got up, not brushing myself off or anything, I really didn't care about dignity. Paine had a laughing smirk on her face, though

Luin: (Gazing at the damaged area) What is it with Sandstone and explosives?

Sandstone: I like causing explosions. So bite me.

Stupid1058: Oww...