Kicking her legs out have already proven to be much more agonizing rather than giving her some semblance of freedom, so with that, Rikku resorts to trying to pick on her knots, her fingers flailing around as if to try and find some sort of weakness in the ropes. And just like so many times in the past, Rikku ends up groaning through her scarf that was graciously used as a gag.
"It's quite clever how you did it actually," Of course Yuna's behavior as of late hasn't helped the situation at all. "Using your womanly guise to get them close enough so that you can strangle one of them with the rope."
"Uunmn… fuhn … ufh uhf nnuhff UU fumnfhmng fu HNNF uf?!"
"You shot him before, or after you killed the other one? Will you tell me?"
Rikku narrows her eyes at Yuna who is barely making any effort to get out of her binds; while she is indeed tied rather tautly by the wrists, Yuna is in a much better position to try and escape compared to Rikku who is trussed up tightly and lying hogtied on the floor. That and Yuna seems to be interested in having a conversation when Rikku is gagged with her own scarf and unable to mutter anything useful at all; that and the subject of the conversation is striking a rather strange tone.
"UUNMN! Fuuhf mfn'f mmpfuuhfuhnf!"
Even if Yuna can understand what Rikku is saying, it seems that her mind is elsewhere to even have the same conversation. To Rikku, it would make sense that her cousin isn't trying really hard because she is concerned for both of their safety. With the knowledge that there are camera spheres in the tent that recorded her escape from earlier gives them more reason NOT to try anything. Rikku would be convinced that THAT reason alone would why Yuna isn't trying, but Yuna's interest in Rikku's escape from earlier and her method is peculiar even for this situation, or any other. Rikku rolls her eyes and slumps her head down for a moment as Yuna perpetuates the topic. Sometimes she can't fathom why Brother is so enamored with her; okay, take away the fact that she is the High Summoner, she's beautiful, and she DID save Spira. Tidus, Brother, probably even Gippal… EVERYONE is in love with Yuna… and Yuna at the moment is nothing but a strange pest to Rikku.
'No!' Rikku thinks to herself. 'I'm the reason why she's here!'
With that, Rikku begins her struggles again. Her mind starts to cling on to her love-hate relationship with Brother who can be blamed for not being on time! Maybe if the Gullwings met up with her she wouldn't be in this predicament!
"…Nnhfhmhfhfuuhmmnhfch…. N'm gunhng fhu mnnnnh Bmufuuhm…. fum …. nufh buuhnhng un fhnhmuh….!"
She screams through her gag and finding that moving her limbs won't do her any good. With just that mere few moments of struggling, Rikku lays her head on the ground again and tries her best to regain her composure, taking as much air through her nostrils. She utters the famous words: 'please… forgive… me…' which comes out as: "Fnuufh… fuuhgmun….mn…", which no doubt echoes quite prominently even for Yuna.
The day has been filled with events, mostly ones that are against her. Fatigue is starting to take over her and perhaps she should get some rest…. There is nothing much she can really do… the ropes hold too tight that any movement that she attempts prove futile. If only she had been more prepared, if only she had waited for the Gullwings, if only she decided today wasn't the day to be a lone wolf. Or perhaps she should've been more aware of the Al Bhed and their intent as of late… Rikku's mind starts to dwell into the events of the day; So many things could've gone better… So many.
"They are holding us captive here with the purpose of hoping that you would realize that you are a true Al Bhed," Rikku's eyes flutter to stay open. There goes Yuna's tone again; so many things could've gone better indeed including Yuna not being captured for many reasons. "They wanted you to be with the kills you have made so that you would vocally admit that as an Al Bhed, you are more than willing to do anything to get your way. I mean that is what the Al Bhed used to do, right? Before Cid took over?"
There were a lot of things to be taken in with Yuna's words and Rikku isn't entirely sure she has the capacity to indulge in such cryptic talk. Better yet, Rikku isn't entirely sure if she has it in her to truly hear this from Yuna right now. Then again, why is Yuna in this mindset? Trying to get a better view, Rikku tilts herself and falls to her side, now facing Yuna so their eyes could meet without a whole lot of strain on her already strained body.
"Muuhf uuuhn ufh fuhngmng uhfhuuf, Uunmn?!'
"What you are capable of and what you are willing to do defies what you try to be on the side lines of my story."
Rikku twitched at the last word Yuna said. Appalled as she has been since Yuna started talking, what she had to say in regards to 'this' being HER story brought Rikku's eyes to a venomous narrowed state. How dare she even mention it to that extent are her thoughts.
"Uunmn! Muuhf uunf FHUF muhffnuh uhmghf nuu?!"
Rikku's protest is followed up by a renewed vigor at pulling against her crude hogtie, shifting about as she tries and sees if anything would give in at all. With her legs bent the way they are and bound to her wrists, and chest harness, every tug on Rikku's legs would serve only to agitate her as she have found out before, but taking the time to rest have only allowed her to take in more of Yuna's words that does nothing to truly help the situation. Gagged as she is, talking back isn't exactly going to happen and not that there really isn't much to say at the moment, therefore the act of working on her gag isn't a priority; that and the ache it is giving her jaw with any slight movements of isn't something she wants to endure with everything else that is tautly going against her. She looks up at Yuna for a moment as her cousin remains as still as she can be; her eyes staring right at Rikku with an expression that brings a chill in the young Al Bhed's spine.
"You can't escape, so why are you trying so hard, Rikku?"
"Muuhf uu ufh mnuhn?! Uunmn, uuuhf'f uuhung umfh ufh?!"
By now Rikku has put herself back on her front, laying uncomfortably on her stomach and chest while the ropes are straining against her skin. With narrowed eyes that are directed towards Yuna, Rikku signals with her head to have Yuna take her gag off since she only has her hands tied behind her. All things considered, Yuna has a lot of freedom and could come up with something far more productive than asking nonsense. Which is exactly what Rikku intends to bring up if Yuna would just help her with her gag. While the gesture is obscure and the words are incoherent, Rikku surmises that Yuna is smart enough to get the idea of what she is trying to insinuate, though Yuna does nothing to alleviate the speech impediment, instead she continues her shenanigan.
"The world changed drastically, didn't it? This Eternal Calm did so much to the dynamic of Spira." Rikku groans in an exasperated manner as a reaction. "So really, what is your part in all of this? What do you do now? Create another story for me? Help me find that person and then what? Everything is for me, isn't it?"
"Fhuf upf!"
"Last time we saved the world, this time it's personal," Yuna shifts position causing her intricate Black Mage dress to let out sounds due to its designs. "This time, it's truly my story and my own need. Really, Rikku, is that your only purpose? To edit every page of my book so that everyone can read how important of a figure I am for Spira?"
Despite the hindrance of the cloth that is stuffed inside of her mouth, Rikku bites on her scarf wedged between her lips and lets out a growl. Sweating and hot from all of the strenuous moving and the unforgiving scorching heat of the desert, Rikku can feel herself boiling over even more from her anger rising up to new heights as she reacts to Yuna. While the majority of Yuna's actions have been nothing short of strange, Rikku can't help but get instigated to the words. Using whatever movement is allowed of her, Rikku fights to break free of her bonds, working her best to try and pull her legs and arms apart from their tight hogtie position. When that didn't work, Rikku then changes her tactic to the method of struggling, contorting her body in every angle allowed of her, rocking back and forth rather uselessly, using her anger as a means to get free of the cruel hogtie she is in. Just like before however, Rikku knows that she will gain the same result, and her effort means absolutely nothing despite how angered she is. In fact her anger only made her struggles far less efficient as she got frustrated easier, making her movements erratic. Pulling for one last final time and screaming fervently through her cleave gag, Rikku finally gives up and slumps back down in her position, resting her head on the ground, while trying her best to gain her breath back. Her pants echoing quite ominously that highlights another defeat that the young Al Bhed meets from her very well done hogtie.
"They know you are dangerous," After a few moments of uncomfortable peace, Yuna finally breaks the silence. The whole entire time she has done nothing while Rikku struggled with all her might; her eyes never leaving her bound cousin. "I know you are dangerous, but the thing is, do you?"
Still recovering from her fruitless struggling, Rikku looks up and briefly catches the amused expression written on Yuna's face. With that momentary exchange of glance, Yuna starts to work on her bonds.
"Fmnuhnnu!"
Rikku comments as she observes Yuna writhe in her moderate wrist binds. Jerking her shoulders up and down and tugging constantly, the discomfort is apparent through Yuna's cringing expressions. Rikku watches intently and somewhat admonishingly since Yuna has had more of a chance getting out of her bonds that she does, and yet Yuna has done very little to nothing, but at the very least she is doing something about it now. It doesn't take long until Yuna's effort bear fruit and soon freedom is hers. Pulling her right hand from behind her, Yuna then rubs it with her other hand, her face showing the evident solace from having been freed of the binds. She then proceeds to do the same on her left wrist, pulling the rope off of it finally and tossing it to the side. With freedom finally hers, Yuna then turns her attention to Rikku who remains as stark still as she can; her spiral green eyes are upon Yuna, waiting impatiently for her cousin to give her the same feeling of solace. Though it's clearly obvious that Yuna isn't entirely interested in doing that as she stands up, dusting herself off, causing her arm tassels to make noises and heightening Rikku's irritation to new levels.
"UUNMN! UNFMN MN!"
Yuna's reaction to Rikku's protest is nothing short of a shrug, which of course does nothing than obviously angering Rikku more. Growling some more and biting on the cloth that is stuffed inside her mouth, Rikku follows Yuna as the former Summoner simply picked up her hat and dramatically places it on her head. Fixing it to her heart's desire, Yuna then makes an effort to flick the lone tassel on her hat; all Dresspheres have their own uniqueness to it that concurs with their wearer's style; Yuna's is obviously into tassels as she has them all over her arms and her hat.
"Deception, resourcefulness, conviction, and the means to do anything if it fully benefits you," Yuna walks around the hogtied Rikku as she says her words. "And you still hide behind the idea that you are just some sweet, innocent, jovial girl. So why is it that a faction of your people took interest in you and kidnap you in this manner?" By now Yuna has made her full trek around Rikku's helpless stature. Her pointy shoes are now upon Rikku's face as the two lock eyes once again. "Why you and not … me? And why am I just an incentive for you to comply? You've been asking yourself this, haven't you, Rikku?"
Yuna crouches down and runs her fingers through Rikku's hair, carefully skipping through the braids, making sure she doesn't pull on her hair too much. Trying to flinch out of Yuna's reach wouldn't do much so she doesn't move.
"The Al Bhed sees something in you, Rikku. They see the real you and they want that part of you to come out again. But you see, I think that part of you is something that you will continue to fight against for whatever reason, so I think them wanting you to realize your… 'killer' side is the wrong way to go about it. I think," Yuna flicks the tassel hanging on her hat and immediately following that action is a bright flash of vibrant colors starts to engulf her, wrapping her body in what seems to be a dressphere transformation, which Rikku finds odd that Yuna would transform now. "There's other ways to get to you and make you understand."
The last words came out distorted and to Rikku, it seems that her voice changed altogether. Watching helplessly, Yuna's transformation lasted for a few moments and what comes out of that said transformation surprises Rikku to wits end for it wasn't Yuna who is now standing before her, instead a much different face greets her.
"Let's change the luck of the draw shall we, love?" The woman who was once Yuna holds out a bladed fan, pointing ever so pompously at Rikku as if she is a teacher getting ready to educate her student.
"Muuhf?! Mhu uuuhn ufh?!"
The paradigm shift of looking at Yuna's darker colored Black Mage dressphere and then to this woman's pink and purple attire is a bit of strain in Rikku's eyes. Not to mention, how was she just Yuna for a moment then all of a sudden is now 'her' whoever she is? Rikku must've sprouted out more questions through her gag but of course none came out intelligible for a proper answer; not entirely sure if this woman would've given her the answer needed as she seems to be a bit preoccupied with fixing her short blonde hair while staring down at Rikku. After duration of the woman standing there with her fan pointed at Rikku and the other hand making an effort to straightening the long pins on her hair, she finally crouches down, allowing them to have a relative eye-to-eye stance.
"I know, love, you must have a lot of question for me," Her purple orbs glistening with glee, enjoying Rikku's wide eyed anger look. "But first thing is first, my name is Leblanc! Memorize that name, love! I am the leader of the up and coming Leblanc syndicate! A group of beautiful people that will be more popular than you dullwings! Maybe even more popular than your cousin, Yuna! Or should I say your-"
"Leblanc!"
The tone on Leblanc's words is nothing short of gloating and serves nothing more than to add to Rikku's anger. The sudden break of her speech from a far more stern voice originating from the entrance of the tent is somewhat of a relief, that is of course until Rikku gets another glimpse of Judas with a very furious looks written on his face.
"Oh, hello there, Judas! Got tired of watching my performance on the sphere?"
Rikku observes Judas as he clenches his fists in pure anger at Leblanc's jovial question. While Rikku is still oblivious of the gamut of their plans for her, she can definitely tell that Leblanc's act of revealing herself isn't how it was supposed to be. Judas' heavy footstep as he struts towards the former Yuna impostor is a testament of his disdain for her actions. Leblanc lets out a nervous giggle and cowers as Judas gets closer and closer; and while Judas is already taller than Leblanc, her sulking her stature down makes him even bigger, which in turn makes Rikku feel even more insignificant.
"My tent, NOW!"
His words has potency that Rikku herself shuddered in her bonds even as Judas turns his back and walks away leaving the two alone once again. Uttering a heavy sigh of relief, Leblanc then turns back to Rikku and winks at her before fixing herself.
"Don't worry, love, I'll be back!"
With those words Leblanc walks after Judas and shuts the tent and secures it, leaving Rikku in a very vulnerable state both mentally and physically. The good news however is that Yuna isn't in danger, but the idea of what is in store for her still festers. Fear starts to become more prominent, but Rikku tries her best to keep them in for she has no room for fear at the moment. It's up to her to get out of this situation and with the possibility of the Gullwings still fully unaware of Rikku's situation, that means that it is up to her; though the act of escape is a lot harder than just merely thinking about it. With only the dead to keep her company, Rikku once again tries her hand against the bonds that holds …
There is a way. There is hope. At least, that's what she keeps telling herself.
To Be Continued …
