Chapter 13
Clasko was near the Macalania Lake, several chocobos trailing behind him. "Hi, there!" he waved enthusiastically. "Would you look at this?" he asked, gesturing towards the chocobos. "They always leave me behind!"
Tidus started talking to the lone Chocobo Knight. Yuna, however, watched Auron do something that surprised her greatly. The Summoner nudged Lulu and Rikku gently, pointing to their so-called emotionless Guardian. Soon, everyone but Tidus was staring at Auron with such wonder and amazement that they seemed to be gazing at Zeus atop his throne on Mount Olympus.
Auron was gently scratching the biggest, meanest chocobo behind the ears. He was singing in a clear, calm voice much unlike his cold, gruff demeanor. The huge beast had its eyes closed, and was clucking softly as the Guardian lulled it into a quiet sleep.
He looked back to his companions. "I spent three years in a chocobo stable at the Yevon Monasteries when I was competing for Braska's Guardianship," he explained, shrugging his shoulders. Even Clasko seemed amazed at how the swordsman had calmed the ferocious avian. "He usually doesn't take to strangers," the Knight said, clearly impressed. "You've got quite a gift."
Auron bowed slightly.
Tidus excused himself. "I'm gonna go check out the Travel Agency." Everyone snapped out of their temporary stupor, straightening up a bit and checking their equipment.
Yuna closed in on Auron as they resumed their walk. "That was something," she said. "Thanks," he replied. "I don't know why, but chocobos just seem to like me." He laughed. "It scares me, sometimes. I once had this -- " He chuckled, making wild gesticulations with his hands to emphasize his words, "This huge, mean-looking chocobo at a ranch where they were having a rodeo. This thing had bucked every rider from here to kingdom come, so I got on, calmed it down, and lost."
"How did you lose?" the Summoner asked. Auron sighed. "It fell asleep so fast, it collapsed, hit the ground, and I fell off." He hung his head, smiling sheepishly.
"Well, I thought you were great," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Come on, we're almost there!" Yuna yelled, speeding along the path.
She bumped headlong into Tromell, who was walking along the road as well. The two fell to the ground, looking dazed before hastily apologizing. Then they both broke into smiles and laughter. Seeing a Summoner like Yuna and a guado like Tromell start laughing together was unnerving to Auron, who raised an eyebrow at the unusual spectacle.
"Lady Yuna!" the guado cried. "We've been expecting you. Maester Seymour is apologetic about leaving without giving some notice to you, so please do come and see him."
"No problem," Yuna assured him. "One question though?"
Tromell cleared his laughs from his mind. "Yes, go ahead." Yuna bit her lower lip slightly, although only Auron noticed. "Even if I marry him, will Maester Seymour allow me to continue the pilgrimage?"
The guado nodded. "Of course, m'Lady. He would think of doing no such thing as keeping you from your journey."
Yuna turned back to the group. "Well, goodbye." Tromell addressed them. "I'll have someone escort you up a bit later."
The young Summoner licked her lips. "I . . ."
Auron put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We're all with you, no matter what."
She took his hand, clasping it in both of hers. "Thank you."
The Guardian withdrew his hand from her grasp and looked at Tidus. "Sorry," he said cryptically. "Huh?" Tidus asked. "That was your line," Auron explained.
The boy perked up. "Yuna!"
His whistle echoed a bit, and the girl turned back to them.
The machina came out of nowhere, as had the first. Tromell and Yuna broke for cover as something metallic slammed into the ground. Tidus stepped forward.
"No," Auron ordered. His huge sword dropped like a road block, stopping the boy in his tracks. "Lulu," the Guardian called. "Give me some fire discipline - thundaga, if you please."
The black mage nodded, inhaling deeply. She stroked one of her dolls and began chanting the sacred scriptures. The skies parted as a thick bolt of lightning struck the machina, sending it reeling at the sudden increase in current. It shorted out for a few moments, giving Auron the opening he needed.
He ran full speed at the thing, sliding underneath it and cutting away at the sensitive hydraulics in the cracks between armor plating. Rikku leaped forward, shrieking in Al Bhed, but Wakka held her back, knowing that Lulu's magic could hit her if she ended up in the fray.
Lulu and Auron actually made quite an efficient team. The constant blasts of lightning from Lulu, though seemingly ineffective elementally, provided enough impact to compliment the sudden losses of power from Auron's 'mechanical skills', making short work of the contraption. The swordsman rolled away just in time to avoid being crushed by the robot as it collapsed, sparking and smoking in some places.
An Al Bhed extricated himself from the machina with some difficulty. He pointed at Rikku with an accusatory finger, and the two started going at it in their native tongue.
Minutes later, the man left, looking disgusted at the conversation. Rikku turned back to the group. "I told him I was a Guardian. Had to, really."
Wakka glared at her. "How do you know Al Bhed?" Rikku looked around. "Um, because I'm an Al Bhed?"
The Blitzball player eyed Tidus suspiciously. "You knew?" His star player dropped his head. "I can't believe this."
Wakka and Rikku began a heated argument about Al Bhed and the teachings of Yevon. Auron didn't care. He crouched by his object of interest, running his hand over the leather seat. It didn't seem to be in that bad a condition, but it was best to be sure before trying anything drastic.
He caught Rikku from behind in a taut headlock, his chin resting on her shoulder. He wheeled her around, pointing her towards his find. "Will they work?"
"No," Wakka objected firmly. "I ain't ridin' that thing, no matter what. You an Al Bhed too, Sir Auron?"
Lulu and Tidus pulled him away, letting Auron and Rikku examine the motor sleds. "Well," the girl said slowly, "they should work. A little old, a little noisy, but I can get them started, if that's what you want."
Auron smiled. He gave her a peck on the forehead and stood up, offering a hand. "Thanks," he said. "Sure does help to have you around."
Rikku beamed at the Guardian. "I'm not totally useless, you see?"
They group waited impatiently for Wakka to return after the argument. He came, fairly disgruntled but ready to ride. "If it's the only way . . ." he decided.
Auron ended up getting paired with Rikku. He took the driver's seat, letting Rikku sit astride him on the rear of the machine. He revved up the engine and sped off, leaving the others to catch up.
Rikku noted that he seemed to be familiar with the thing. He accelerated into sharp turns and handled it with relative ease. She clutched him all the more tightly when he whipped the back almost a complete one-eighty as they neared a ditch.
He laughed. "First time on one of these?" he asked. She nodded. Although he couldn't see the motion, her head was pressed to his back, and he felt the gesture through his clothing.
The Al Bhed sighed. It felt good to hold onto such a strong, secure man like Auron. Nothing like her old boyfriends - usually morons, trying to balance girlfriends simultaneously, never settling with one. Boys had always made her feel as though she was never enough. Out of the her six relationships, four ended when the male decided he loved someone else, and the other two came to abrupt halts when Rikku caught them cheating.
But Rikku felt the same about Auron as Yuna did: he was different. Not bad, or weird, but different. A sure thing in an unsure world.
She held onto him tightly, listening to his gentle heartbeat. The warmth of his body radiated through his clothes, and she found it wonderful.
Chapter 14
"I can't believe this!"
The guard shook his head. "No Al Bhed are allowed in the temple." The group was trying to convince the man that she was a guardian, but they weren't having much luck.
Auron stepped up to the plate. "She is, indeed, Lady Yuna's Guardian," he assured the man. He eyed them suspiciously, not sure whether to believe the living legend. He shrugged, then lifted his spear.
"Go ahead. The word of Sir Auron is enough to convince any man."
The Guardian bowed, urging Rikku to do the same. She turned and performed the prayer as well. The group straightened out and entered the temple.
"Hey, how are you?"
The voice was Shelinda. Tidus moved to greet her, and they started talking about how things were going, the marriage, but they were interrupted when a woman came running into the atrium.
"Lord Jyscal! This sphere was in Lady Yuna's belongings!" Auron caught her in one arm and stopped her dead. He calmed her down, telling her how and when to breathe. She ceded the sphere to him before passing out on her feet.
The swordsman regarded the crystal with interest. "This may very well answer a few questions," he decided tactfully.
Lord Jyscal stood in the sphere, looking sad. Everyone huddled around, each with their own predictions of what would be going on. The guado laid his sad case before them.
"What I am about to tell you is unclouded truth. I swear upon my honor as a guado that I speak in complete fidelity to what is going on. My son, Seymour, his mind is closed to me, a maester of Yevon. But I feel the flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using the Yevon, Guado, even the Summoners. If not stopped, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I feel that I will soon be dead by his hand. But I do not hold him at fault. Because I could not protect him, he became twisted and evil. I was not wise enough to create context for the horrors of this world. I shall accept death as a penance for my sins, but I implore you: stop Seymour. Stop my dear, beloved son."
"Marvelous," Auron muttered.
Rikku piped up. "Will Yuna be alright?" The Guardian shook his head. "Without us, no."
Auron began walking down the hall. He walked with purpose, his pace swift and steady. Rikku broke away, soon followed by Kimahri.
"Auron!" the girl called. He turned back. She smiled sweetly. "I'm coming with you." The man-beast banged his spear on the floor. "Kimahri come too. Help Sir Auron save Yuna."
The Guardian beamed at his companions, proud of their loyalty to their Summoner. That they would join him, even to defy Yevon - he kissed Rikku on the mouth, enveloping her in his arms. They broke away a bit later than they should have, and only to breathe, at that. "Thank you, Rikku." He turned his head. "Kimahri," he acknowledged, bowing his head.
"The Cloister of Trials awaits."
The puzzles were more tedious than difficult, and they were surpassed in a few minutes. Auron stopped his party at the end of the Cloister.
"Kimahri, you go on ahead. Rikku and I'll wait for the rest of them here." The Ronso nodded, resuming his rapid amble towards the door.
The Guardian paced about the room impatiently. He hoped Tidus would show up soon, because they needed everyone available if they ended up engaging Seymour in combat. Rikku sat on the floor, throwing rocks at the opposite wall.
"Why don't you sit down?" she asked, patting the stone next to her. "You're making me dizzy."
He chuckled, lowering himself to the floor. Auron groaned slightly as his knees cracked a bit, age rushing up to him. The man dropped, somewhat forcefully, to a sitting position. Leaning his head back, he sighed, glad to have completed this small challenge.
"You okay?" the Al Bhed asked.
"Ugh," the Guardian expelled, disgusted at his own stiffness. "I feel like I have arthritic joints or something." Auron reminisced of his old friends. "Jecht always called me a stiff. Guess I really am now, huh?"
"Don't go too hard on yourself," she laughed. "You still do great when we're fighting."
Her companion thought about it. "Combat, it - it makes me feel alive. I've always thought you only live when you're staring Death in the eye."
"Speaking of eye," Rikku tried, "how did you lose yours?"
He clucked his tongue. "I was on the pilgrimage with Braska," he began. "I'd never had the chicken pox before. Getting them as an adult drove me insane, so I was scratching all the time. I scratched one itch so much that my eye got infected. Jecht and Braska told me that it was wicked annoying, so I told them to hold me down." He winced slightly as he told the next part of the story.
"I gave my knife to Jecht and he gouged out my eye. We cauterized the wound and sewed my eyelid shut." He ran his finger over the wound. "You can see the stitches, if you look close enough."
"Really?" Rikku asked. He nodded. She leaned over him, holding her eye close to his. She could faintly make out tiny lines in the flesh, holding his eyelid shut. "Oh yeah," she remarked absentmindedly.
No, Auron! The Guardian was fighting a mental battle, and neither side gave or took quarter. It was brutal, bloody combat, and no clear victor was decided.
Then Rikku slowly came closer. Inch by inch, her face closed the distance between his. Then they were millimeters apart, and then . . .
Then their lips touched.
What was he doing? He and Yuna, that was bad enough. Why was he doing this, toying with both girls' emotions? Why was he cheating on Yuna? Was cheating on Yuna even possible?
He raised his hands, slowly, gently, placing them on Rikku's collarbone. He eased himself out of her warm embrace. She looked into his eye, confused. "What is it, Auron?"
"Rikku," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
He moved away, stood up. "I can't do this." He spun about, crouching to take her hands in his.
"You," he said. "You are a beautiful girl. You are smart, funny, and great in every way." He sighed, wondering what to say next. "One day, you will make a man the happiest man alive. But that man," he uttered, each word tasting like poison, "cannot be me."
"No," she insisted, hugging him tightly, never wanting to let go. "Why can't it be you?"
Auron closed his eyes. "Once Yuna's pilgrimage is done, I will have to leave."
Rikku's brow furrowed. "What . . ."
"I have to go away, and I can't come back, no matter how much I want to." He sighed. "Don't let yourself get attached to me, because you'll end up being taken somewhere you really don't want to be." As if to physically prove his point, he slid her arms up, over his head, and kissed them once.
The Al Bhed girl grimaced. "Just - just one thing," she whispered, barely audible. "Yes?" Auron assured her.
"Wherever you go, remember this," she cried, trembling. "For what it's worth, I loved you while it lasted."
She wept, limp in his arms. Hot, salty tears stained Auron's jacket, and he wondered if what he had done was the right thing to do.
No, his mind asserted, but it was what you had to do.
Clasko was near the Macalania Lake, several chocobos trailing behind him. "Hi, there!" he waved enthusiastically. "Would you look at this?" he asked, gesturing towards the chocobos. "They always leave me behind!"
Tidus started talking to the lone Chocobo Knight. Yuna, however, watched Auron do something that surprised her greatly. The Summoner nudged Lulu and Rikku gently, pointing to their so-called emotionless Guardian. Soon, everyone but Tidus was staring at Auron with such wonder and amazement that they seemed to be gazing at Zeus atop his throne on Mount Olympus.
Auron was gently scratching the biggest, meanest chocobo behind the ears. He was singing in a clear, calm voice much unlike his cold, gruff demeanor. The huge beast had its eyes closed, and was clucking softly as the Guardian lulled it into a quiet sleep.
He looked back to his companions. "I spent three years in a chocobo stable at the Yevon Monasteries when I was competing for Braska's Guardianship," he explained, shrugging his shoulders. Even Clasko seemed amazed at how the swordsman had calmed the ferocious avian. "He usually doesn't take to strangers," the Knight said, clearly impressed. "You've got quite a gift."
Auron bowed slightly.
Tidus excused himself. "I'm gonna go check out the Travel Agency." Everyone snapped out of their temporary stupor, straightening up a bit and checking their equipment.
Yuna closed in on Auron as they resumed their walk. "That was something," she said. "Thanks," he replied. "I don't know why, but chocobos just seem to like me." He laughed. "It scares me, sometimes. I once had this -- " He chuckled, making wild gesticulations with his hands to emphasize his words, "This huge, mean-looking chocobo at a ranch where they were having a rodeo. This thing had bucked every rider from here to kingdom come, so I got on, calmed it down, and lost."
"How did you lose?" the Summoner asked. Auron sighed. "It fell asleep so fast, it collapsed, hit the ground, and I fell off." He hung his head, smiling sheepishly.
"Well, I thought you were great," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Come on, we're almost there!" Yuna yelled, speeding along the path.
She bumped headlong into Tromell, who was walking along the road as well. The two fell to the ground, looking dazed before hastily apologizing. Then they both broke into smiles and laughter. Seeing a Summoner like Yuna and a guado like Tromell start laughing together was unnerving to Auron, who raised an eyebrow at the unusual spectacle.
"Lady Yuna!" the guado cried. "We've been expecting you. Maester Seymour is apologetic about leaving without giving some notice to you, so please do come and see him."
"No problem," Yuna assured him. "One question though?"
Tromell cleared his laughs from his mind. "Yes, go ahead." Yuna bit her lower lip slightly, although only Auron noticed. "Even if I marry him, will Maester Seymour allow me to continue the pilgrimage?"
The guado nodded. "Of course, m'Lady. He would think of doing no such thing as keeping you from your journey."
Yuna turned back to the group. "Well, goodbye." Tromell addressed them. "I'll have someone escort you up a bit later."
The young Summoner licked her lips. "I . . ."
Auron put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We're all with you, no matter what."
She took his hand, clasping it in both of hers. "Thank you."
The Guardian withdrew his hand from her grasp and looked at Tidus. "Sorry," he said cryptically. "Huh?" Tidus asked. "That was your line," Auron explained.
The boy perked up. "Yuna!"
His whistle echoed a bit, and the girl turned back to them.
The machina came out of nowhere, as had the first. Tromell and Yuna broke for cover as something metallic slammed into the ground. Tidus stepped forward.
"No," Auron ordered. His huge sword dropped like a road block, stopping the boy in his tracks. "Lulu," the Guardian called. "Give me some fire discipline - thundaga, if you please."
The black mage nodded, inhaling deeply. She stroked one of her dolls and began chanting the sacred scriptures. The skies parted as a thick bolt of lightning struck the machina, sending it reeling at the sudden increase in current. It shorted out for a few moments, giving Auron the opening he needed.
He ran full speed at the thing, sliding underneath it and cutting away at the sensitive hydraulics in the cracks between armor plating. Rikku leaped forward, shrieking in Al Bhed, but Wakka held her back, knowing that Lulu's magic could hit her if she ended up in the fray.
Lulu and Auron actually made quite an efficient team. The constant blasts of lightning from Lulu, though seemingly ineffective elementally, provided enough impact to compliment the sudden losses of power from Auron's 'mechanical skills', making short work of the contraption. The swordsman rolled away just in time to avoid being crushed by the robot as it collapsed, sparking and smoking in some places.
An Al Bhed extricated himself from the machina with some difficulty. He pointed at Rikku with an accusatory finger, and the two started going at it in their native tongue.
Minutes later, the man left, looking disgusted at the conversation. Rikku turned back to the group. "I told him I was a Guardian. Had to, really."
Wakka glared at her. "How do you know Al Bhed?" Rikku looked around. "Um, because I'm an Al Bhed?"
The Blitzball player eyed Tidus suspiciously. "You knew?" His star player dropped his head. "I can't believe this."
Wakka and Rikku began a heated argument about Al Bhed and the teachings of Yevon. Auron didn't care. He crouched by his object of interest, running his hand over the leather seat. It didn't seem to be in that bad a condition, but it was best to be sure before trying anything drastic.
He caught Rikku from behind in a taut headlock, his chin resting on her shoulder. He wheeled her around, pointing her towards his find. "Will they work?"
"No," Wakka objected firmly. "I ain't ridin' that thing, no matter what. You an Al Bhed too, Sir Auron?"
Lulu and Tidus pulled him away, letting Auron and Rikku examine the motor sleds. "Well," the girl said slowly, "they should work. A little old, a little noisy, but I can get them started, if that's what you want."
Auron smiled. He gave her a peck on the forehead and stood up, offering a hand. "Thanks," he said. "Sure does help to have you around."
Rikku beamed at the Guardian. "I'm not totally useless, you see?"
They group waited impatiently for Wakka to return after the argument. He came, fairly disgruntled but ready to ride. "If it's the only way . . ." he decided.
Auron ended up getting paired with Rikku. He took the driver's seat, letting Rikku sit astride him on the rear of the machine. He revved up the engine and sped off, leaving the others to catch up.
Rikku noted that he seemed to be familiar with the thing. He accelerated into sharp turns and handled it with relative ease. She clutched him all the more tightly when he whipped the back almost a complete one-eighty as they neared a ditch.
He laughed. "First time on one of these?" he asked. She nodded. Although he couldn't see the motion, her head was pressed to his back, and he felt the gesture through his clothing.
The Al Bhed sighed. It felt good to hold onto such a strong, secure man like Auron. Nothing like her old boyfriends - usually morons, trying to balance girlfriends simultaneously, never settling with one. Boys had always made her feel as though she was never enough. Out of the her six relationships, four ended when the male decided he loved someone else, and the other two came to abrupt halts when Rikku caught them cheating.
But Rikku felt the same about Auron as Yuna did: he was different. Not bad, or weird, but different. A sure thing in an unsure world.
She held onto him tightly, listening to his gentle heartbeat. The warmth of his body radiated through his clothes, and she found it wonderful.
Chapter 14
"I can't believe this!"
The guard shook his head. "No Al Bhed are allowed in the temple." The group was trying to convince the man that she was a guardian, but they weren't having much luck.
Auron stepped up to the plate. "She is, indeed, Lady Yuna's Guardian," he assured the man. He eyed them suspiciously, not sure whether to believe the living legend. He shrugged, then lifted his spear.
"Go ahead. The word of Sir Auron is enough to convince any man."
The Guardian bowed, urging Rikku to do the same. She turned and performed the prayer as well. The group straightened out and entered the temple.
"Hey, how are you?"
The voice was Shelinda. Tidus moved to greet her, and they started talking about how things were going, the marriage, but they were interrupted when a woman came running into the atrium.
"Lord Jyscal! This sphere was in Lady Yuna's belongings!" Auron caught her in one arm and stopped her dead. He calmed her down, telling her how and when to breathe. She ceded the sphere to him before passing out on her feet.
The swordsman regarded the crystal with interest. "This may very well answer a few questions," he decided tactfully.
Lord Jyscal stood in the sphere, looking sad. Everyone huddled around, each with their own predictions of what would be going on. The guado laid his sad case before them.
"What I am about to tell you is unclouded truth. I swear upon my honor as a guado that I speak in complete fidelity to what is going on. My son, Seymour, his mind is closed to me, a maester of Yevon. But I feel the flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using the Yevon, Guado, even the Summoners. If not stopped, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I feel that I will soon be dead by his hand. But I do not hold him at fault. Because I could not protect him, he became twisted and evil. I was not wise enough to create context for the horrors of this world. I shall accept death as a penance for my sins, but I implore you: stop Seymour. Stop my dear, beloved son."
"Marvelous," Auron muttered.
Rikku piped up. "Will Yuna be alright?" The Guardian shook his head. "Without us, no."
Auron began walking down the hall. He walked with purpose, his pace swift and steady. Rikku broke away, soon followed by Kimahri.
"Auron!" the girl called. He turned back. She smiled sweetly. "I'm coming with you." The man-beast banged his spear on the floor. "Kimahri come too. Help Sir Auron save Yuna."
The Guardian beamed at his companions, proud of their loyalty to their Summoner. That they would join him, even to defy Yevon - he kissed Rikku on the mouth, enveloping her in his arms. They broke away a bit later than they should have, and only to breathe, at that. "Thank you, Rikku." He turned his head. "Kimahri," he acknowledged, bowing his head.
"The Cloister of Trials awaits."
The puzzles were more tedious than difficult, and they were surpassed in a few minutes. Auron stopped his party at the end of the Cloister.
"Kimahri, you go on ahead. Rikku and I'll wait for the rest of them here." The Ronso nodded, resuming his rapid amble towards the door.
The Guardian paced about the room impatiently. He hoped Tidus would show up soon, because they needed everyone available if they ended up engaging Seymour in combat. Rikku sat on the floor, throwing rocks at the opposite wall.
"Why don't you sit down?" she asked, patting the stone next to her. "You're making me dizzy."
He chuckled, lowering himself to the floor. Auron groaned slightly as his knees cracked a bit, age rushing up to him. The man dropped, somewhat forcefully, to a sitting position. Leaning his head back, he sighed, glad to have completed this small challenge.
"You okay?" the Al Bhed asked.
"Ugh," the Guardian expelled, disgusted at his own stiffness. "I feel like I have arthritic joints or something." Auron reminisced of his old friends. "Jecht always called me a stiff. Guess I really am now, huh?"
"Don't go too hard on yourself," she laughed. "You still do great when we're fighting."
Her companion thought about it. "Combat, it - it makes me feel alive. I've always thought you only live when you're staring Death in the eye."
"Speaking of eye," Rikku tried, "how did you lose yours?"
He clucked his tongue. "I was on the pilgrimage with Braska," he began. "I'd never had the chicken pox before. Getting them as an adult drove me insane, so I was scratching all the time. I scratched one itch so much that my eye got infected. Jecht and Braska told me that it was wicked annoying, so I told them to hold me down." He winced slightly as he told the next part of the story.
"I gave my knife to Jecht and he gouged out my eye. We cauterized the wound and sewed my eyelid shut." He ran his finger over the wound. "You can see the stitches, if you look close enough."
"Really?" Rikku asked. He nodded. She leaned over him, holding her eye close to his. She could faintly make out tiny lines in the flesh, holding his eyelid shut. "Oh yeah," she remarked absentmindedly.
No, Auron! The Guardian was fighting a mental battle, and neither side gave or took quarter. It was brutal, bloody combat, and no clear victor was decided.
Then Rikku slowly came closer. Inch by inch, her face closed the distance between his. Then they were millimeters apart, and then . . .
Then their lips touched.
What was he doing? He and Yuna, that was bad enough. Why was he doing this, toying with both girls' emotions? Why was he cheating on Yuna? Was cheating on Yuna even possible?
He raised his hands, slowly, gently, placing them on Rikku's collarbone. He eased himself out of her warm embrace. She looked into his eye, confused. "What is it, Auron?"
"Rikku," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
He moved away, stood up. "I can't do this." He spun about, crouching to take her hands in his.
"You," he said. "You are a beautiful girl. You are smart, funny, and great in every way." He sighed, wondering what to say next. "One day, you will make a man the happiest man alive. But that man," he uttered, each word tasting like poison, "cannot be me."
"No," she insisted, hugging him tightly, never wanting to let go. "Why can't it be you?"
Auron closed his eyes. "Once Yuna's pilgrimage is done, I will have to leave."
Rikku's brow furrowed. "What . . ."
"I have to go away, and I can't come back, no matter how much I want to." He sighed. "Don't let yourself get attached to me, because you'll end up being taken somewhere you really don't want to be." As if to physically prove his point, he slid her arms up, over his head, and kissed them once.
The Al Bhed girl grimaced. "Just - just one thing," she whispered, barely audible. "Yes?" Auron assured her.
"Wherever you go, remember this," she cried, trembling. "For what it's worth, I loved you while it lasted."
She wept, limp in his arms. Hot, salty tears stained Auron's jacket, and he wondered if what he had done was the right thing to do.
No, his mind asserted, but it was what you had to do.
