"It's those creeps again!" Rikku hissed, pointing up ahead. Leblanc's two main goons vanished into the entrance to Mushroom Rock Road.
"Maybe there's a sphere here," said Paine.
Auron had no idea what had passed between the two of them that morning, but he'd heard unexpected laughter from the upper bunks and Paine seemed to be hangover-free and warming to Rikku. He grinned to himself.
If Rikku could unfreeze me back in my dekrd-ycc Yevon monk days, she'll have no trouble winning Paine over, he thought. Such was the magic of Rikku, to his mind. An unsung magic all its own.
"It's our turn to do the following," said Yuna.
Auron followed, bemused.
"Good to see you again, Lady Yuna, Sir Auron," a young man said to them as they approached. "You haven't forgotten me, have you?"
"Yaibal, isn't it?" said Yuna. "You're in the Youth League."
Yaibal beamed. "You really do remember me! I'm truly honored, Lady Yuna! Since that day we first spoke, the Youth League has been conducting a sphere hunt of its own. We, the Youth League… Hmm… Clasko, take it from here."
"Clasko! Dude, how's it hanging?" chirped Rikku.
"We, the Youth League, to better our understanding of Spira's past, vow to remain vigilant in our search…" Clasko the former chocobo knight said dully, "…for ruins and spheres." His eyes darted from her to Auron, and he nodded. "Sir Auron."
Auron glanced at Rikku, who was peering off down the path, apparently uncaring about her own anonymity.
"Oh, that's enough!" said Rikku. "Those two guys are getting away!"
"Did Leblanc's men pass through here?" said Paine.
"Yes. They said they're here to take care of our fiend problem," said Yaibal.
"More fiends than usual here?" said Auron. "Sometimes they flock to spheres."
"Well," said Yaibal, "the Youth League is in preparation for an important operation, leaving our patrols shorthanded. As a result, the road to headquarters has been overrun with fiends. Be warned: unless you can defeat the fiends on the road, you will not be able to pass. So, are you ready to run the gauntlet?"
"We were born ready!" said Rikku. "You're talking to a High Summoner and the Legendary Guardian!"
Auron gave her a Look.
"We're game," said Yuna.
As Clasko led them glumly into the rocks, Auron snuck up behind Rikku and gave her a really hard smack on the ass.
"Owww!" Rikku whined, and cuffed him alongside the ear. "Save it for the fiends!"
"Hu suna 'Makahtyno Kiynteyh' pimmcred," he said. "I'm serious, Rikku. Oui ghuf E ryda ed."
She gave him a contrite look. "E bnuseca. I'm sorry."
Fiends attacked, giving them a welcome diversion. They caught sight of Logos and Ormi, and the chase after Leblanc's cronies was on. Rikku and Auron shared a grin, feeling the high of a good old-fashioned sphere hunt seize them both.
They found tall thin Logos and short fat Ormi at the end of the chasm, sorting through handfuls of spheres.
"This one ain't no good," said Ormi.
"Nor this one," said Logos.
"What're you doing?" said Yuna.
The two men panicked at the sight of her.
"Let's get out of here!" said Ormi, gathering their spheres.
"We must inform the boss!" Logos's clipped voice rang out, followed by a crack from his gun. The two vanished in the ensuing smoke.
Rikku darted forward. "Ooh, they dropped something!"
"Finders keepers," said Yuna.
A familiar man approached them. "Hey. Long time no see. Remember me?"
"Maroda," said Auron. "Good to see you."
"How've you been?" said Yuna.
"I joined up with the Youth League and that's been keeping me pretty busy," said Maroda.
"Oh, I'm a sphere hunter now," said Yuna.
"So I gathered, from your companions. Sir Auron." Maroda nodded to him. "Pacce's a sphere hunter now, too. He's the leader of the Kinderguardians. Be nice to him if you see him."
"Can do!" said Rikku, clearly fingering the outline of the sphere that had vanished into her pouch as soon as Maroda appeared.
"How's Isaaru?" said Yuna.
"The Youth League discovered this place, you know," said Maroda. "It's called the Den of Woe. It was sealed around the time of Operation Mi'ihen."
"And Isaaru?" pressed Yuna.
"But, uh, the seal can supposedly be broken with the right combination of spheres," said Maroda.
"Um…"
"I'm afraid this place is off-limits until we can conduct a more thorough investigation. So I'll, um, have to ask you to leave. I'm sorry."
As they left, Auron sidled up to Rikku. "What'd you get?"
Rikku shrugged. "I didn't get a chance to look. I think I'll wait 'till we're back on the Celsius. No sense tipping anyone off to our treasure."
"Very wise," said Paine, closer to them than either had realized; they both jumped.
"Jeez, make some noise, wouldya?" said Rikku. "Even I don't sneak like you do, and I'm a professional thief."
Paine quirked an eyebrow at her but said nothing. Auron thought she seemed pleased with herself, but distant.
The Youth League greeted them at their headquarters, more familiar faces eager to speak to Yuna now that she'd come out of hiding on Besaid Island.
"The Youth League's looking for spheres, too, right?" Rikku said to Lucil.
"Yes," said Lucil. "'Knowledge of the past is the key to the future.' So says the meyvn. It is with these words in mind that we seek the spheres of yore. The mission we are planning also revolves around a sphere, but…"
Auron's ears pricked up. Paine turned the full force of her ruby stare on Lucil.
"I am sorry. I had best say no more. It is not a matter to be discussed openly," said Lucil.
"No, I suppose not," said Paine, provoking even more interest in Auron.
Hmm, he mused. Something stirring in the past of our stoic swordswoman?
Clasko, back at the entrance to the canyon, caught up with them and treated them to an unexpected diatribe. "That's it. Every time I try something new, I screw it up. I just don't know what I want to do with my life. I don't know where I belong. I've spent my whole life drifting from one failure to the next. But, I can't keep doing this forever. I know that there's a place for everyone in this world—even someone as sad and pathetic as me. Lady Yuna! I want to find my place! Please, allow me to ride on your airship!"
All of them turned to Yuna.
"The more the merrier!" she said.
Unfortunately, Clasko turned out to be terrified of flying.
"Everyone's staring," said Yuna, looking to Auron. The crowd inside the Djose temple thickened.
"You're famous, Yunie. Better get used to it," said Rikku. "Auron hates it too, maybe he can give you some tips. On sulking effectively, at least."
"All I want's some peace and quiet," said Yuna.
Auron laughed. "You picked the wrong team to travel with, then."
"Poor thing," Rikku said to Paine. "She's led such a sheltered life."
"Maybe she's getting old," said Paine, in an unselfconscious moment, and then looked at Auron and an awkward silence fell.
Auron rescued them, lifting his eyes as a man with an eye patch approached. "Gippal."
"Sir Auron," said Gippal. "How's it hanging?"
"Well. And yourself?" said Auron.
"Not too shabby. Last time I saw you, you seemed… stressed." Gippal's eyes flicked to Rikku.
Auron nodded. "I never got a chance to thank you for your assistance. I am in your debt."
"Oh, are you now?" Gippal looked amused. He approached Rikku. She flinched and swiveled her hips out of the way as he reached for her. Instead of picking her pocket he took her hand and kissed it.
Auron's brows show up. Rikku looked completely dumbfounded.
"Nice to see you're well, Rikku. Can I show you around, give you the rundown on our latest research?" he said. "I'd love to hear what you think."
"You… would?" she said.
"Of course!" He spread his arms expansively. "It's a whole new world for us Al Bhed. And you're one ramm of an engineer. Maybe you might be interested in doing some work for us."
"I have a job, thanks," she said, following him into the temple. She shot Auron a bewildered look as the rest of the Gullwings followed.
"No need to stop sphere hunting," said Gippal. "There's plenty to find in the desert, if you know where to look. Here." He flipped a folded piece of paper out of a hidden pocket with that nimble-fingered ease Auron recognized as Rikku's style. "Give this to Nhadala when you see her, and she'll show you around. Oh, and you may find this of more use than us." He passed over a Garment Grid. "Not really my taste." He winked at Auron, then stopped in his tracks, mouth hanging open in Paine's direction. "You!"
"Paine," said Paine. "Nice to meet you."
"Uh-huh?" said Gippal, clearly confused.
Auron shot Rikku a look, and met hers coming the other way.
"You were showing us around?" said Paine.
"…Right." Gippal re-addressed himself to Rikku, showing her a vibrating machine with pincer scooping claws. He moved on into one of the two temple rooms where a couple of Al Bhed crouched, tinkering with a larger disassembled machine. "Well, since the temple was falling apart we moved in here as our research laboratory, to work on remodeling and modifying machines previously excavated as well as those we're excavating on an ongoing basis in the desert. That's where our candidates we're interviewing come in—we need a lot of extra hands to comb the desert, and as you know the desert's not exactly a picnic for digging in. We're hoping to eventually develop our own unique machines based on what we learn from restoring and modifying what we find."
He asked the Al Bhed to share the technical details of their work. Auron understood the language, but not the mechanical terms. Rikku quickly got absorbed in rapid speech with them, hunkering down to prod at components and wires until she was greasy to the elbows.
"See? You're a natural!" said Gippal. "Really consider consulting with us sometime. You have a lot of gifts to offer, more than just fighting fiends and hunting spheres."
Rikku stood up, narrowing her eyes at him. "I know when I'm being played, Gippal. Ramm, I taught you how!"
He laughed, lifting his hands. "Okay, okay, you caught me. I'm sort of hoping that if you find any spheres having to do with machines along your travels you'll consider donating them to us, in addition to your knowledge. Believe it or not, I regret the way things ended between us. It was a hard lesson for me to learn." He passed her a rag with black machine oil stains on it.
"Ha!" She snorted, wiping her hands. "You don't fool me. You haven't changed a bit!"
He put his head on one side, chin in hand, cupping his elbow. "You have." He released his pose. "Well, think it over. My door's always open… to you." He turned and walked back into the other ground-floor room. She stared after him.
"I don't trust that guy one bit," she said. "He always turns on the charm when he wants something."
"Well," said Yuna, "at least we've got his clearance to go dig in Bikanel!" She punched the air. "I hear they're finding all sorts of treasure there!"
Rikku's frown cleared into a smile at her cousin's enthusiasm. "Roger that!"
"Water," said Auron, as they prepared on the Celsius for their desert trip. "Lots of water. And no hiding sake in your water bottle," he added to Rikku, who took a swing at him. She stuck her tongue out. "Make that bottles, plural. Carry as much as you can."
"I know the way," said Rikku. "I was born there!"
"We're taking water," said Auron.
"I think we'd better humor him, Rikku," said Paine.
"Yeah, who knows? He might abandon us to our fate if we don't do what the great Sir Auron commands!" teased Yuna.
Auron rolled his eyes. "Not you too, Lady Yuna. I'll make you a deal: no Sir Auron, no Lady Yuna, just four friends and a lot of water, got it?"
"All right, already! If it'll shut you up I'll take enough water for us to go surfing!" said Rikku.
"Lost?" Auron said to Rikku, sipping pointedly from his canteen.
"No. Shut up," she said.
"Uh, Rikku? Are we in trouble?" said Yuna.
"Of course not," said Auron. "She was born here."
Rikku glared bloody murder at him. Their shoes filled with sand. Canteens and jugs gradually emptied. Tempers and temperatures fried.
"Oh, hey! I see someone!" Yuna cried at last, and waved to a spark of light on a distant dune. "Hey! Heeeeey! Over here! Heeeeeey! Help!"
Rikku said nothing, apparently too tired or frustrated to speak. A fansled approached at a dreadfully slow crawl but at last arrived to pick them up. Auron chatted to the two Al Bhed since Rikku remained wordless. They got a ride to base camp.
"They had to move the base camp because of a sandstorm," Auron said over the roar of the fan, sitting down next to Rikku. "We could have looked forever and never found it. We were right near where it had been when they picked us up, trying to salvage some equipment they couldn't account for when they set up the new camp." He put an arm around her, gently in case she hit him again. "You were right, and I'm sorry I teased you."
She didn't respond for a while, and then as the fan slowed she turned to him and shouted, "What was that? I don't think I heard that last bit!" She cupped a hand theatrically to her ear.
"YOU WERE RIGHT!" Auron shouted at the top of his lungs in order to be heard by everyone, including the driver. "I WAS WRONG. OH RIKKU THE GREAT, WILL YOU PLEASE FORGIVE ME?" This last was unbelievably loud because the engine cut off halfway through. Auron stole a glance around. A whole crowd of Al Bhed, frozen among the tents in the base camp in the act of unpacking, stared impassively from behind mirrored goggles.
Rikku cackled and threw her arms around him. "Well, since you asked so nice!" She kissed his cheek. "…I'll let you off the hook this time." She scrambled up, using his thigh as a foothold, and jumped off the fansled. Auron, chuckling to himself, followed. Yuna hid her giggling face in her hands. Even Paine looked bemused.
A second sled parked beside the first and a yellow-haired Al Bhed woman jumped off.
"Cra'c pylg!" someone shouted.
Nhadala strode into camp, receiving an urgent, low report from another Al Bhed. "Y cduns? E ryda cdunsc," she sighed. As the Gullwings approached Nhadala looked harassed. "I'm busy, so make it fast, okay? I've got lots to excavate and no one to do it."
Rikku produced Gippal's letter.
"Oh, so you're the new guys!" said Nhadala, looking them over again.
"Nice to meet you!" said Yuna.
"Things do seem more active than last time we were here," said Auron.
"Oh… right. You were here before," said Nhadala. "Well, don't be expecting any special treatment just because you're the High Summoner and the Legendary Guardian."
"Right!" said Yuna.
They replenished their water at Auron's insistence before going out again. Rikku jumped on his back and this time he carried her out into the sand a ways, before tossing her to the ground and shoving his sword in the sand.
He transformed into the Thief dressphere to try to get into something less hot. Rikku shrieked with laughter, pointing. Yuna and Paine pounded over the dune and stopped, shocked. Auron looked down at himself.
He could already tell it was not any less all-covering than Warrior. In fact compared with how it wore on the girls it was downright prudish. Black leggings ended in sensible brown boots, a high-collared half-sleeve dark blue jacket, a white shirt, twin daggers, and a strip of wild-pattered patchwork cloth wrapped his head so many times it was almost a bandanna. The unfortunate part was that the jacket dripped with jewels and embroidery and the shirt was a froth of ruffles, to say nothing of the jeweled necklace. He felt like a burly warrior squeezed into the costume of a poncy effeminate man.
He regarded the earring he'd tugged out of his ear, a tiny chandelier of obviously fake diamonds. "How is this in any way supposed to be the costume of a male thief?"
"Where's a sphere?! Someone get me a sphere, quick!" cried Rikku. "We have to record this!"
"Oh, Auron, you can't even see the best part!" said Yuna. "Paine, do you have a… oh, good!"
Auron turned right into the lens of a sphere recorder Paine wielded at him, an actual smile on her lips as she peered into it.
"Smile for the camera," said Paine.
"Paine, you are the best! I owe you one!" said Rikku.
Auron came over. "Turn that off and let me see." He closed his hand over the lens, ending her fun. The four clustered close to see how the video had turned out.
At first Auron thought the sunlight had washed out the camera's color. Then, slowly, he reached up to rub his cheek and pulled his hand down. He found thick white makeup smudged on his fingers. The girls, at his horrified expression, fell about in fresh laughter.
"It's the purple lipstick!" Rikku shrieked. "That's my favorite part!"
"You must have switched my Thief dressphere for Clown," said Auron, removing the sphere from the recorder. Rikku dove at him, seeing he intended to destroy it. He held it up out of her grasp, grinning at her. Someone behind him snatched it out of his fingers. He whirled in time to see Paine toss it to Yuna, who hid it behind her back.
He approached her, hand out. "Yuna."
"Mm-mm," said Yuna. "You'll have to steal it from me to get it back."
He sighed, and instead transformed back into Warrior. "I'll stick with what I know." He vowed to buy a mirror the first chance he got and carefully test out every dressphere in private in his cabin.
Still, it was nice to see Paine laugh. And her smile lingered as she dug beside him for the rest of the day.
When they returned to the Celsius Paine cornered Auron, blocking the door to his room with her boot. "How about another fashion show?"
"Not a chance," he said.
"I can pay," she said. "We cleaned up in the desert."
"You cannot afford me," he said.
"Then how about more tossing practice?"
"Deal," he said, and from the smile she tried to hide he suspected that's what she'd really wanted all along.