A couple reviews! woo! That's the stuff that keeps people writing you
know!
I'm not sure if I should call this a sort of tikku story, since Rkiku is thinking about Tidus all the time, it's not exactly.. ah well.
Lainnavi01 Sam Rick
Thanks to you for the reviews!
I know there's alot of typos here, I have a mild dyslexia, and not enough time to spellcheck if I wanna get this thign out before I go to bed, maybe I'll fix it up later.
Oh, and befor I forget, I don't own FFX, yadda yadda you know the drill. _______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 3: Not so Calm Lands
Bevelle had not changed much since she had been here last. It was large, loud, and eyes followed her everywhere she went. People held their tounges normally, but she could feel them watching her, staring at her eyes. She knew they saw her as an al behd, an outsider, a heretic who had helped overthrow the church. So many secrets had yet to be told, and probably never would be, and so she just hunched her shoulders and walked quickly. It was alot eaiser than normal, the crowds made way, instead of pushing she was able to just focus on her destination. The reason for the ease was Janko, he had 'taken point' on their walk through the bustling streets, and people made way around his brusque powerful form almost naturally. As they walked he looked back ver his shoulder and Rikku was struck again by the passive calmness that never seemed to leave his gaze, "Hey, I know I can get us where we're going through these people but... where are we going?" He put on a smile and rikku found herself smiling back.
"Just keep going straight, unless you need anything?" she replied,"I don't know what all you have in this... I'd say offhand everything." She poked his oversized backpack which shifted and emitted a dull sound of metal on metal helpfully.
"Nah," Janko shrugged his shoulders, shifting the pack on his back,"Sooner we get to the mountain, sooner I get on to the next part of this trip."
"So, what is the next part of the trip?" Rikku asked, blithely sliding over the fact that she wasn't going to let him go on it without her.
"Well." Janko's voice quieted down and Rikku had to quicken her pace, leaning to try and hear him while still remaining in his wake,"Have to get back to the start. Something did this, a long time ago. It's just taken this long for something as big as the source of magic to show the signs of disruption. Problem is, it's allready way out of balance, not something you can just fix here and now. It took alot of messing to get it tweaked off kilter in the first place, and THAT took a long long time to show the effects. The top's spinning too far out of balance for any ammount of energy to fix I think."
"Um... right, you're not making a whole lotta sense, ya know?" Rikku scratched her chin, trying to work her head around Janko's explanation.
Janko was silent for a moment,"think of it like the airship. By the time it's crashing, it's too late to really DO much about it crashing isn't it?"
"Oh." That made more sense,"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Rikku poked Janko's pack again.
"Haven't been 'round machina in a while, just not used to thinking along those lines. So, it's the calm lands right after we leave this place? Think we can make it across them before dark?"
Rikku cast a look skyward, it was allready early afternoon. "probably not, and you really don't wanna camp out there, ya know? The monsters are all kinds of trouble. But we can camp right past the town. There's a little clearing and a po.." Rikku's throat tightened as she thought of that place,"On.. second thought, I think I forgot something, we should go back to the market. We can camp at ngiht anyway. Noneedtostaytherelong." Rikku felt herself speeding up as she talked but couldn't stop. She swallowed, but the thickness stuck in her throat, that's where she had seen Tidus and Yuna. Her gaze went to her feet, Rikku bonked herself in the head, shaking it to try and clear out the memory,"stupid stupid rikku..." she whispered under her breath. She sniffed, taking a deep but shakey breath to calm herself... and ran right into Janko.
"nnnff." Rikku staggered back a step, casting a confused look up at him. His gaze was concerned, and almost comically fatherlike as he looked at her over his glasses, fatherlike didn't suit him well,"Hey." he gave Rikku a nudge with one gloved hand,"Something's been digging at you for a while now. I'm not stupid." Rikku felt the flush kick back up in her face again. That deep gnawing in her belly, she really didn't want to think about this anymore. Rikku shuffled her feet under that gaze. She supposed she had to talk to someoen about it,"well.."
Janko held up his hand,"When you're ready, don't push yourself, just know I know, and by younnkowing I know we both know that when you know the time is right you'll know that you can let me know what's bothering you, ya know?" his expression shifed to less and less serious as he spoke, and he finished by doing his best at mimicing Rikku's own trademark ending to her sentences. (he wasn't all that good at it, but the thought was there)
Serious to silly without the slightest pause, Rikku still knew she'd have to face the pond, and taklign about her worries, but the bite of it was gone. She smiled up at Janko and impullsively threws her arms around him in a quick hug. Rikku let go and backed up a step before he could respond to the spontaneous show of affection. "We can get some food, and I should stock up one s'more grenades if I can fnid them anywhere around here." Rikku reached in her pouch and counted her gill, feeling the coins with her fingers so she didn't have to pull them all out,"Though I'm not sure how much I can get with what we've got left."
"not a problem." Janko reached behind himself, tugging a large, non- magical pouch from the side of his pack and throwing it to Rikku,"Wehn the monster died, the Ship's captain had the presence of mind to stop and send out divers. He took a cut for himself, but there was still plenty of treasure in that thing's belly. We should be set."
Rikku opened the pouch and whistled,"Wow, you're right.." there were gems and other gold bits in among a healthy ammuont of gil. Well it had been a pretty big fiend."Hey, I'll hold onto this, no need for you to carry so much on that thing." Rikku opened her pouch and poured all the loot in. The magic kept her pouch from overflowing, so she could close it easily and pat it, handing the normal and now empty one back to Janko,"here ya go."
"heh, hope we don't regret that.." Janko said cryptically,"So, let's go blow some hard earned money eh?"
* * *
A few hours and several thousand gil later Rikku was looking at herself in a three way mirror, checking out her new outfit. She'd decided to change her outfit, too many meories with her old travelign clothes. Janko's also warned her that if she was bent on following him, she'd better have something a bit more sturdy. She'd endured the stares and glowers her al behd eyes got her and picked through several stores. Now she thought she had it set. It was a full overhaul. Only her trusty gauntlet blade was the same. She had a mesh black tank top to replace her leather one. The mesh was thick and had alot of open spaces, it'd have been indecent if nto for the personal touches she put on it. Ceramite, a new form of armour she'd been working on. Clasps on the back of the plates fit nicely on the top's mesh. Her chest was fully protected along with her shoulders and her arm above her weapon, down to the elbow. Rikku had left the ceramite it's natural dull beige for now, she'd decorate it later. Her other arm was completely bare except for her fingerless glove and the green armband she'd gotten from Brother many years ago, that would make casting spells easier. Only the lattice of her tank top covered her back, leaving her no real protection or coverage, but Rikku didn't plan on running away often, and, well, it was kinda cute. Rikku turned, checking out her pants. Yep, pants. Tight mind you. She gave her backside a playfull slap,"Can't be hiding this now can I?" she asked her reflection. Light beige to go with the armour of her top. Skin tight, and slit down the sides leaving several inches of skin visable from her waist to her boottops. Black leather laces crisscrossed over the gap, keeping the pants a single garment. The well picked color made it difficult totell at the right angles where her skin stopepd and the pants started. Knee high black boots finished her outfit, not big old klunklers like yuna had worn. Sweet, tight, black elather that modled to her calves,"ooo Rikku, you got it going on! Who needs to wait a few years?" Rikku spun in place, her hair loosely fanning out behind her. She'd undone her braids, wanting to change that too, but unable to decide for now exactly what to do with it. Rikku eyed her chest skeptically as she posed in the mirror, sliding her hands over the form fitting armored plates,"you know, I don't think you guys will ever match up to Lu Lu." She lamented.
"then somehow I doubt Lu Lu would have had the balance to do a tripple sommersault onto a ship's deck."
Rikku let out a startled yelp, and spun to see Janko leaning on a clothing rack nearby. How did he ALLWAYS startle her? But that wasn't what her mind focused on. He'd gotten new clothing too. And in her mind it was a definate improvement. Gone was that big ratty overcoat. In its place was a white pullover shirt, stretched across Janko's broad shoulders it emphasized his mesomorphic torso. Sinious golden Dragons wove themselves across the collar, arms, and sides of the shirt as well. Each of his lapels had a silver pin on it. Rikku recognized one as the first letter in the holy alphabet of Yevon, but the other she didn't know. The thougth maybe it was another letter, but she had never studied the scriptures, they were all junk anyway. His forearms were covered by bracers, leading down into... those same old gloves he'd worn before. Rikku couldn't be sure he'd changed much else. He HAD been wearing that overcoat before. Black pants, black boots with metal shin guards down to the ankle, and metal plates hanging from a thick belt around his waist, protecting his thighs and groin. All in all, Rikku thought, it was a much cooler look than before. She wasn't about to let him know that now though.
"How long you been standing there?" she asks accusingly, determiend not to blush this time.
"Long enough to appreciate it, not long enough to want to stop." he never missed a beat. Rikku was hoping one of these days to catch him in a situation liek this, it wasn't fair he allways got the drop on her.
"Well, looks like you got a new outfit too, you look more like a warrior now. I thought you were a mage? You really only used magic in our fight, ya know?"
Janko straightened up from the rack and glanced down at his clothes,"yeah, well, looking the part can sometimes avoid a fight. You ready?" he motioned towards the clerk and Rikku nodded,"Yep, I think I have everything." She reached into her pouch, which was at her waist now and pulled out... "Eep!" Rikku stuffed the pair of panties back into the pouch, and dug around pulling out... a grenade... a pair of pliers, a toothbrush,"hey what gives.." Rikku kept pulling out the wrong things, and stuffing them back, each time thinking of the money she wanted to get out to pay. Only at about the twentieth try did she get the gil she was looking for,"What the heck?" Rikku examined her magical pouch, not that it gave any signs or reason for it's rebellion.
"Yep, figured that'd happen." Janko reached down, scooping the straps of his pack up in one hand then swinging the large thing onto his back,"Those things are magic, and are going to becmoe as unpredictable as everything else soon. I suppose I should watch what spells I cast untill we get to Mt. Gagazet." He bounced the pack once on his back,"Good thing I got enough food for both of us now isn't it?" he quipped.
"But my things..." Rikku looked forlornly down at her pouch.
"We get stuff setright and everythign will be fine. Untill then, I'd try and pick out what you need, and carry it on your person. We can make another stop if you need to."
"Nah." Rikku glanced out at the waning light, well, she couldn't put it off forever,"We'd better get going, gotta get to the campsite before nightfall."
"Only one tent left I guess." Janko winked at her, with a leer so exagerrated it could only be a joke,"Ahh dno't worry, I like sleepin' under the stars."
* * *
The night air was crisp, an early autumn spred it's chill as the sun set. Rikku poked at the fire with a stick as Janko spent his time setting up the tent. Glancing his way she bet he was sorry for giving up his overcoat now, though he didn't show any signs of noticing the chill. Now was the time, Rikku knew it, while he was busy. She'd go check in on the pond quick and be back before he noticed. She wasnt' sure why she wanted to go see it, but, some part of her just wouldn't let it go.
Rikku set the stick down, slowly stood up, and took off down the path as light as her booted feet could. She was known for being sneaky, and for good reason. After a few quick moments of a light jog Rikku slowed, remembering the last time she had wandered down this path. Yuna had wandered off, idus had followed Yuna, and she had followed Tidus when everyone else was distracted. She had snuck to the pond then too, not really understanding why. She didn't know she would find what she did... no, Rikku had to admit to herself, she did know what she would find; she just wanted to be wrong. She had seen Yuna and Tidus, embraced closely, heard the laughter and the tears they shared, and knew right then she wasn't going to have any chance at Tidus herself.
Rikku came out of her reverie at the edge of the pond. The waters were still, a quiet mirror reflecting her image. It wasn't the image of the girl who'd been here last time. Only a few months seperated the two images, but Rikku could see every day of it. Her hair hung loose around her face as she crouched down, touching her fingertips to the water and setting it rippling. That was different, and so was her clothing, but really, the real difference was the eyes. She'd seen her home destroied, and really knew what that meant now. she hadnt' really had tiem to adjust to it last time she was here. She'd lost not one, but two friends, really lost them, dead. Last time here she was still hopeful she could avoid the death of her long lost cousin. She felt older, alot older than only a few months could account for. the rippled shifted and bounced her reflection across the surface of the water and Rikku sunk fully to her knees. "When did I lose my smile?" she asked the water, brushing her fingers over it again,"When did I stop looking forward to tomorrow?" Rikku knew the answer; the same day she lost him. Carefully Rikku slipped the damamged photo out from under the armored plate over her heart. She held it in her hands, staring, for how long she didn't know.
"Now seems like a good time, doesn't it?"
Rikku didnt' jump this time, Janko's voice didn't really startle her, it just slipped right into her train of thought. "I guess." she responded, her tone quiet and melancholy. Janko settled himself down on the bank beside her, one gloved hand on her shoulder,"at your leisure, it's your story." The words wern't mocking, just an honest concern. Rikku started slowly at first, halting and nervous. But as it all came out, the narrtive sped like a river, the words battling to come out, her chest tight with them. Meeting Tidus, trying to stop her cousin's pilgramage, then joining it. All the work to keep Yunie alive, while all of them were blithely unaware of the cost winning held. All except Tidus, and Auron.
"I think.." she continued ,"Ya know, I could've lived with, him and Yunie. I mean, it hurt, but they were happy and I was happy they were happy. But then he was gone, Yunie didn't have him, I didn't have him, he was just gone. No more smiles, no more friendly chats, no more adventures." rikku sniffed, and without thinking leaned. Her shoulder bumped into Janko's, and his arm encircled her loosely. He hadn't said a word yet, just listened quietly, which she was grateful for. Tears threatened her once more but Rikku bit the tiip of her tounge, fighting them back,"so.. so now I'm here.. and I don't really know why."
Janko reached out and carefully plucked the picture from Rikku's hands. He held it up, examing the marred surface for himself,"first lvoes are a powerfull thing. They allways shape you, for the rest of your life. They dont' allways work, some seperated by space, some time, and some simply by growing apart." he brushed his fingers over the picture, as if clearing away dust,"But good or bad, you should never forget them. They're precious." He turned the picture back to her and Rikku gasped, it was back! The image was there, clear as when she'd first taken it. Even the little corners were no longer torn. Her hands trembled as she took it back,"How, how did you do that?"
Janko tilted his head, a peculiar little look on his face, a kindly sort of smile that seemed far off,"do what?" he asked, picking up a stone from between them and rolling it over in his fingers.
Rikku tackled him, this time he DID move, getting bowled over as she hugged him,"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Rikku felt the photo in her hand as she hugged him, carefull not to wrinkle it again no matter how much her fingers wanted to squeeze. For no reason she could fathom, she began to cry. It was a serious cry, not just some weepy sniffles. The tears pushed out, and shook her as they left, thick sobs of emotion purged from and through her. Rikku burried her face against Janko's shoulder, soaking his new shirt. Strong arms were around her again when she finally felt nothing left inside of her to cry out. One hand was brushing through her hair and Rikku felt... safe. Was this what Yuna had felt? Rikku sat up slowly, and the arms slid away, letting her go. She carefully tucked the photo away with one hand whiel smoothing out her tear marks on Janko's shirt. His eyes followed her every move but he was silent again. Quiet, but just.. there, and that helped alot. "Thank you." Rikku whispered, the words feeling very inadequate.
"No worries." Janko folded his hands behind his head, his eyes going from her up to the stars,"Everyone needs a hand now and then, even the helpers."
Rikku shifted around, sitting propped up on her hands as she leaned back, looking up at the stars too. "So, what was your first love like?"
"Don't know." Janko's voice was quiet and distant,"haven't yet."
"What?" Rikku gave him a sidelong glance,"c'mon there has to be someone."
"Nope. Allways been a loner. You know, by myself in a crowd, or just by myself. Never really had it happen to me. Letchca know when it does okay?"
Rikku just let the air carry the sounds of the forest for a few minutes before she replied softly,"I think, I'd like that."
When she didn't get an answer Rikku looked over, Janko was asleep, hands still tucked behind his head. Rikku watched him for a moment, the slow breathing of his sleep reminding her own body of how tired she was. The campsite seemed miles away. Rikku turned onto her side, ducking her head down, tucking it against Janko's upper arm and shoulder. She curled against him, warm in the chill night air, and slept. _______________________________________________________________________
There we go, another section done! I hope ya like it. Still nto to the mountain yet, and wil probably noly JUST getthere next time. I'm breaking it into smaller sections to be easier to read. Oh, and next chapter is from Janko's PoV, tiem to switxch perspective a little. This will mainly be a Rikku PoV story, but I like the changeup now and again. As alwlays R&R people, it only improves the story.
Mostly, what do you think of the relationship between Rikku and Janko? Interesting how it's developing, and not easily classified,. Love? friendship? hard to say.
Whatcha think of the changes to Rikku's looks? I thought it'd be a good sign of 'change' in her.
anything else you wanna comment on?
I'm not sure if I should call this a sort of tikku story, since Rkiku is thinking about Tidus all the time, it's not exactly.. ah well.
Lainnavi01 Sam Rick
Thanks to you for the reviews!
I know there's alot of typos here, I have a mild dyslexia, and not enough time to spellcheck if I wanna get this thign out before I go to bed, maybe I'll fix it up later.
Oh, and befor I forget, I don't own FFX, yadda yadda you know the drill. _______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 3: Not so Calm Lands
Bevelle had not changed much since she had been here last. It was large, loud, and eyes followed her everywhere she went. People held their tounges normally, but she could feel them watching her, staring at her eyes. She knew they saw her as an al behd, an outsider, a heretic who had helped overthrow the church. So many secrets had yet to be told, and probably never would be, and so she just hunched her shoulders and walked quickly. It was alot eaiser than normal, the crowds made way, instead of pushing she was able to just focus on her destination. The reason for the ease was Janko, he had 'taken point' on their walk through the bustling streets, and people made way around his brusque powerful form almost naturally. As they walked he looked back ver his shoulder and Rikku was struck again by the passive calmness that never seemed to leave his gaze, "Hey, I know I can get us where we're going through these people but... where are we going?" He put on a smile and rikku found herself smiling back.
"Just keep going straight, unless you need anything?" she replied,"I don't know what all you have in this... I'd say offhand everything." She poked his oversized backpack which shifted and emitted a dull sound of metal on metal helpfully.
"Nah," Janko shrugged his shoulders, shifting the pack on his back,"Sooner we get to the mountain, sooner I get on to the next part of this trip."
"So, what is the next part of the trip?" Rikku asked, blithely sliding over the fact that she wasn't going to let him go on it without her.
"Well." Janko's voice quieted down and Rikku had to quicken her pace, leaning to try and hear him while still remaining in his wake,"Have to get back to the start. Something did this, a long time ago. It's just taken this long for something as big as the source of magic to show the signs of disruption. Problem is, it's allready way out of balance, not something you can just fix here and now. It took alot of messing to get it tweaked off kilter in the first place, and THAT took a long long time to show the effects. The top's spinning too far out of balance for any ammount of energy to fix I think."
"Um... right, you're not making a whole lotta sense, ya know?" Rikku scratched her chin, trying to work her head around Janko's explanation.
Janko was silent for a moment,"think of it like the airship. By the time it's crashing, it's too late to really DO much about it crashing isn't it?"
"Oh." That made more sense,"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Rikku poked Janko's pack again.
"Haven't been 'round machina in a while, just not used to thinking along those lines. So, it's the calm lands right after we leave this place? Think we can make it across them before dark?"
Rikku cast a look skyward, it was allready early afternoon. "probably not, and you really don't wanna camp out there, ya know? The monsters are all kinds of trouble. But we can camp right past the town. There's a little clearing and a po.." Rikku's throat tightened as she thought of that place,"On.. second thought, I think I forgot something, we should go back to the market. We can camp at ngiht anyway. Noneedtostaytherelong." Rikku felt herself speeding up as she talked but couldn't stop. She swallowed, but the thickness stuck in her throat, that's where she had seen Tidus and Yuna. Her gaze went to her feet, Rikku bonked herself in the head, shaking it to try and clear out the memory,"stupid stupid rikku..." she whispered under her breath. She sniffed, taking a deep but shakey breath to calm herself... and ran right into Janko.
"nnnff." Rikku staggered back a step, casting a confused look up at him. His gaze was concerned, and almost comically fatherlike as he looked at her over his glasses, fatherlike didn't suit him well,"Hey." he gave Rikku a nudge with one gloved hand,"Something's been digging at you for a while now. I'm not stupid." Rikku felt the flush kick back up in her face again. That deep gnawing in her belly, she really didn't want to think about this anymore. Rikku shuffled her feet under that gaze. She supposed she had to talk to someoen about it,"well.."
Janko held up his hand,"When you're ready, don't push yourself, just know I know, and by younnkowing I know we both know that when you know the time is right you'll know that you can let me know what's bothering you, ya know?" his expression shifed to less and less serious as he spoke, and he finished by doing his best at mimicing Rikku's own trademark ending to her sentences. (he wasn't all that good at it, but the thought was there)
Serious to silly without the slightest pause, Rikku still knew she'd have to face the pond, and taklign about her worries, but the bite of it was gone. She smiled up at Janko and impullsively threws her arms around him in a quick hug. Rikku let go and backed up a step before he could respond to the spontaneous show of affection. "We can get some food, and I should stock up one s'more grenades if I can fnid them anywhere around here." Rikku reached in her pouch and counted her gill, feeling the coins with her fingers so she didn't have to pull them all out,"Though I'm not sure how much I can get with what we've got left."
"not a problem." Janko reached behind himself, tugging a large, non- magical pouch from the side of his pack and throwing it to Rikku,"Wehn the monster died, the Ship's captain had the presence of mind to stop and send out divers. He took a cut for himself, but there was still plenty of treasure in that thing's belly. We should be set."
Rikku opened the pouch and whistled,"Wow, you're right.." there were gems and other gold bits in among a healthy ammuont of gil. Well it had been a pretty big fiend."Hey, I'll hold onto this, no need for you to carry so much on that thing." Rikku opened her pouch and poured all the loot in. The magic kept her pouch from overflowing, so she could close it easily and pat it, handing the normal and now empty one back to Janko,"here ya go."
"heh, hope we don't regret that.." Janko said cryptically,"So, let's go blow some hard earned money eh?"
* * *
A few hours and several thousand gil later Rikku was looking at herself in a three way mirror, checking out her new outfit. She'd decided to change her outfit, too many meories with her old travelign clothes. Janko's also warned her that if she was bent on following him, she'd better have something a bit more sturdy. She'd endured the stares and glowers her al behd eyes got her and picked through several stores. Now she thought she had it set. It was a full overhaul. Only her trusty gauntlet blade was the same. She had a mesh black tank top to replace her leather one. The mesh was thick and had alot of open spaces, it'd have been indecent if nto for the personal touches she put on it. Ceramite, a new form of armour she'd been working on. Clasps on the back of the plates fit nicely on the top's mesh. Her chest was fully protected along with her shoulders and her arm above her weapon, down to the elbow. Rikku had left the ceramite it's natural dull beige for now, she'd decorate it later. Her other arm was completely bare except for her fingerless glove and the green armband she'd gotten from Brother many years ago, that would make casting spells easier. Only the lattice of her tank top covered her back, leaving her no real protection or coverage, but Rikku didn't plan on running away often, and, well, it was kinda cute. Rikku turned, checking out her pants. Yep, pants. Tight mind you. She gave her backside a playfull slap,"Can't be hiding this now can I?" she asked her reflection. Light beige to go with the armour of her top. Skin tight, and slit down the sides leaving several inches of skin visable from her waist to her boottops. Black leather laces crisscrossed over the gap, keeping the pants a single garment. The well picked color made it difficult totell at the right angles where her skin stopepd and the pants started. Knee high black boots finished her outfit, not big old klunklers like yuna had worn. Sweet, tight, black elather that modled to her calves,"ooo Rikku, you got it going on! Who needs to wait a few years?" Rikku spun in place, her hair loosely fanning out behind her. She'd undone her braids, wanting to change that too, but unable to decide for now exactly what to do with it. Rikku eyed her chest skeptically as she posed in the mirror, sliding her hands over the form fitting armored plates,"you know, I don't think you guys will ever match up to Lu Lu." She lamented.
"then somehow I doubt Lu Lu would have had the balance to do a tripple sommersault onto a ship's deck."
Rikku let out a startled yelp, and spun to see Janko leaning on a clothing rack nearby. How did he ALLWAYS startle her? But that wasn't what her mind focused on. He'd gotten new clothing too. And in her mind it was a definate improvement. Gone was that big ratty overcoat. In its place was a white pullover shirt, stretched across Janko's broad shoulders it emphasized his mesomorphic torso. Sinious golden Dragons wove themselves across the collar, arms, and sides of the shirt as well. Each of his lapels had a silver pin on it. Rikku recognized one as the first letter in the holy alphabet of Yevon, but the other she didn't know. The thougth maybe it was another letter, but she had never studied the scriptures, they were all junk anyway. His forearms were covered by bracers, leading down into... those same old gloves he'd worn before. Rikku couldn't be sure he'd changed much else. He HAD been wearing that overcoat before. Black pants, black boots with metal shin guards down to the ankle, and metal plates hanging from a thick belt around his waist, protecting his thighs and groin. All in all, Rikku thought, it was a much cooler look than before. She wasn't about to let him know that now though.
"How long you been standing there?" she asks accusingly, determiend not to blush this time.
"Long enough to appreciate it, not long enough to want to stop." he never missed a beat. Rikku was hoping one of these days to catch him in a situation liek this, it wasn't fair he allways got the drop on her.
"Well, looks like you got a new outfit too, you look more like a warrior now. I thought you were a mage? You really only used magic in our fight, ya know?"
Janko straightened up from the rack and glanced down at his clothes,"yeah, well, looking the part can sometimes avoid a fight. You ready?" he motioned towards the clerk and Rikku nodded,"Yep, I think I have everything." She reached into her pouch, which was at her waist now and pulled out... "Eep!" Rikku stuffed the pair of panties back into the pouch, and dug around pulling out... a grenade... a pair of pliers, a toothbrush,"hey what gives.." Rikku kept pulling out the wrong things, and stuffing them back, each time thinking of the money she wanted to get out to pay. Only at about the twentieth try did she get the gil she was looking for,"What the heck?" Rikku examined her magical pouch, not that it gave any signs or reason for it's rebellion.
"Yep, figured that'd happen." Janko reached down, scooping the straps of his pack up in one hand then swinging the large thing onto his back,"Those things are magic, and are going to becmoe as unpredictable as everything else soon. I suppose I should watch what spells I cast untill we get to Mt. Gagazet." He bounced the pack once on his back,"Good thing I got enough food for both of us now isn't it?" he quipped.
"But my things..." Rikku looked forlornly down at her pouch.
"We get stuff setright and everythign will be fine. Untill then, I'd try and pick out what you need, and carry it on your person. We can make another stop if you need to."
"Nah." Rikku glanced out at the waning light, well, she couldn't put it off forever,"We'd better get going, gotta get to the campsite before nightfall."
"Only one tent left I guess." Janko winked at her, with a leer so exagerrated it could only be a joke,"Ahh dno't worry, I like sleepin' under the stars."
* * *
The night air was crisp, an early autumn spred it's chill as the sun set. Rikku poked at the fire with a stick as Janko spent his time setting up the tent. Glancing his way she bet he was sorry for giving up his overcoat now, though he didn't show any signs of noticing the chill. Now was the time, Rikku knew it, while he was busy. She'd go check in on the pond quick and be back before he noticed. She wasnt' sure why she wanted to go see it, but, some part of her just wouldn't let it go.
Rikku set the stick down, slowly stood up, and took off down the path as light as her booted feet could. She was known for being sneaky, and for good reason. After a few quick moments of a light jog Rikku slowed, remembering the last time she had wandered down this path. Yuna had wandered off, idus had followed Yuna, and she had followed Tidus when everyone else was distracted. She had snuck to the pond then too, not really understanding why. She didn't know she would find what she did... no, Rikku had to admit to herself, she did know what she would find; she just wanted to be wrong. She had seen Yuna and Tidus, embraced closely, heard the laughter and the tears they shared, and knew right then she wasn't going to have any chance at Tidus herself.
Rikku came out of her reverie at the edge of the pond. The waters were still, a quiet mirror reflecting her image. It wasn't the image of the girl who'd been here last time. Only a few months seperated the two images, but Rikku could see every day of it. Her hair hung loose around her face as she crouched down, touching her fingertips to the water and setting it rippling. That was different, and so was her clothing, but really, the real difference was the eyes. She'd seen her home destroied, and really knew what that meant now. she hadnt' really had tiem to adjust to it last time she was here. She'd lost not one, but two friends, really lost them, dead. Last time here she was still hopeful she could avoid the death of her long lost cousin. She felt older, alot older than only a few months could account for. the rippled shifted and bounced her reflection across the surface of the water and Rikku sunk fully to her knees. "When did I lose my smile?" she asked the water, brushing her fingers over it again,"When did I stop looking forward to tomorrow?" Rikku knew the answer; the same day she lost him. Carefully Rikku slipped the damamged photo out from under the armored plate over her heart. She held it in her hands, staring, for how long she didn't know.
"Now seems like a good time, doesn't it?"
Rikku didnt' jump this time, Janko's voice didn't really startle her, it just slipped right into her train of thought. "I guess." she responded, her tone quiet and melancholy. Janko settled himself down on the bank beside her, one gloved hand on her shoulder,"at your leisure, it's your story." The words wern't mocking, just an honest concern. Rikku started slowly at first, halting and nervous. But as it all came out, the narrtive sped like a river, the words battling to come out, her chest tight with them. Meeting Tidus, trying to stop her cousin's pilgramage, then joining it. All the work to keep Yunie alive, while all of them were blithely unaware of the cost winning held. All except Tidus, and Auron.
"I think.." she continued ,"Ya know, I could've lived with, him and Yunie. I mean, it hurt, but they were happy and I was happy they were happy. But then he was gone, Yunie didn't have him, I didn't have him, he was just gone. No more smiles, no more friendly chats, no more adventures." rikku sniffed, and without thinking leaned. Her shoulder bumped into Janko's, and his arm encircled her loosely. He hadn't said a word yet, just listened quietly, which she was grateful for. Tears threatened her once more but Rikku bit the tiip of her tounge, fighting them back,"so.. so now I'm here.. and I don't really know why."
Janko reached out and carefully plucked the picture from Rikku's hands. He held it up, examing the marred surface for himself,"first lvoes are a powerfull thing. They allways shape you, for the rest of your life. They dont' allways work, some seperated by space, some time, and some simply by growing apart." he brushed his fingers over the picture, as if clearing away dust,"But good or bad, you should never forget them. They're precious." He turned the picture back to her and Rikku gasped, it was back! The image was there, clear as when she'd first taken it. Even the little corners were no longer torn. Her hands trembled as she took it back,"How, how did you do that?"
Janko tilted his head, a peculiar little look on his face, a kindly sort of smile that seemed far off,"do what?" he asked, picking up a stone from between them and rolling it over in his fingers.
Rikku tackled him, this time he DID move, getting bowled over as she hugged him,"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Rikku felt the photo in her hand as she hugged him, carefull not to wrinkle it again no matter how much her fingers wanted to squeeze. For no reason she could fathom, she began to cry. It was a serious cry, not just some weepy sniffles. The tears pushed out, and shook her as they left, thick sobs of emotion purged from and through her. Rikku burried her face against Janko's shoulder, soaking his new shirt. Strong arms were around her again when she finally felt nothing left inside of her to cry out. One hand was brushing through her hair and Rikku felt... safe. Was this what Yuna had felt? Rikku sat up slowly, and the arms slid away, letting her go. She carefully tucked the photo away with one hand whiel smoothing out her tear marks on Janko's shirt. His eyes followed her every move but he was silent again. Quiet, but just.. there, and that helped alot. "Thank you." Rikku whispered, the words feeling very inadequate.
"No worries." Janko folded his hands behind his head, his eyes going from her up to the stars,"Everyone needs a hand now and then, even the helpers."
Rikku shifted around, sitting propped up on her hands as she leaned back, looking up at the stars too. "So, what was your first love like?"
"Don't know." Janko's voice was quiet and distant,"haven't yet."
"What?" Rikku gave him a sidelong glance,"c'mon there has to be someone."
"Nope. Allways been a loner. You know, by myself in a crowd, or just by myself. Never really had it happen to me. Letchca know when it does okay?"
Rikku just let the air carry the sounds of the forest for a few minutes before she replied softly,"I think, I'd like that."
When she didn't get an answer Rikku looked over, Janko was asleep, hands still tucked behind his head. Rikku watched him for a moment, the slow breathing of his sleep reminding her own body of how tired she was. The campsite seemed miles away. Rikku turned onto her side, ducking her head down, tucking it against Janko's upper arm and shoulder. She curled against him, warm in the chill night air, and slept. _______________________________________________________________________
There we go, another section done! I hope ya like it. Still nto to the mountain yet, and wil probably noly JUST getthere next time. I'm breaking it into smaller sections to be easier to read. Oh, and next chapter is from Janko's PoV, tiem to switxch perspective a little. This will mainly be a Rikku PoV story, but I like the changeup now and again. As alwlays R&R people, it only improves the story.
Mostly, what do you think of the relationship between Rikku and Janko? Interesting how it's developing, and not easily classified,. Love? friendship? hard to say.
Whatcha think of the changes to Rikku's looks? I thought it'd be a good sign of 'change' in her.
anything else you wanna comment on?