9. PAIN

Having found her answer amongst her prayers and rest, Yuna sought Seymour the morning following his proposal. We were informed that the Maester, hoping to give Yuna some time for thought, had continued on his way to the temple at Lake Macalania where he served as head overseer.

"I suppose that's convenient. It's on our way," Yuna said as our group made its way toward the rear gates to the city that would lead us down yet another tunnel through one of the many trees and finally to the Thunder Plains, the next step on her pilgrimage. Tidus tried in vain to contain his elation that her answer was delayed for at least a few more days. A few days in which to convince her otherwise, perhaps, but that would be up to him. I could see her answer in the way she shyly and with not a bit of sorrow looked to Tidus from the corner of her eyes, or the way she continued to touch her ring finger as if it were already weighed down. For not the first time since Seymour's proposal she seemed unbearably sad.

I, myself, was having mixed emotions. I was left essentially in charge of a group of strangers, most of which I had developed the desire to protect. Not that any of them needed it, of course, but it was no doubt a vestigial feeling left over from my former companions. I couldn't protect Braska and Jecht, so I would protect their offspring.

Perhaps that, or I couldn't escape the sense of duty the warrior monks of Bevelle had instilled in me, and my feelings were no more than an assignment of sorts.

Thunder in the distance brought me back to the present. I gripped the sword at my side and stood tensed and ready, the electricity on the air raising hair on the back of my neck. "No more thinking about the past two days," I instructed the group. "Now we must be ready for action."

We left the safety of crystalline Guadosalam and stepped out into the darkness of the Thunder Plains. Above us, black sky swirled around itself, a maelstrom of never ending bad weather. At least a few hundred feet ahead (if not further) was the first lightning rod tower and I steered us toward it.

Halfway there, I realized our group was short one. I gazed around, brow furrowed, and asked, "Where is Rikku?" When no one could supply an answer- and the thunder was rumbling yet again in an ominous, foretelling manner -I gestured for them to continue to the tower. "I will find her and regroup with you. Rest and drink your water- it's a long walk."

I turned around and strode quickly back toward the gates, my eyes scanning the horizon. How she had managed to lose herself in such an acrid, bare landscape I had no idea-

And there she was, standing stock still just inside the entrance, flinching with every flash of light.

"Rikku!" I called to her. She glanced over to me and hazarded a small smile.

"Oh, you came back for me. You didn't have to. I was going to catch up when the storm died down." Her words shook ever so slightly.

"We don't have time for this," I explained, reaching for her arm and ushering her outside. She dug her heels in to stay and I cast an impatient, frustrated look in her direction.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"I...just can't."

"Then stay." I let her arm go and started away, but felt her hand reach out to grip my overcoat. Sighing, I turned back to her. "Yes?"

"It's the thunder." She looked to the ground. "When I was little I was swimming in a pond near our home with my brother. He was...just getting into black magic around then, just learning it. I kept telling him to just come play with me instead, but he was adamant he show me what he'd learned. He tried to hit a tree with the thundaga spell..."

The thunder went off like a snap, echoing around the plains and near deafening both of us. Rikku pulled herself against the safety of my loose sleeve and shut her eyes until it ceased. "He hit me instead. In the water. I nearly died. It wasn't his fault, he just made a mistake. I can't stand lightning or thunder anymore."

"There are towers-"

"But they're so far apart. And...fiends are in between."

"We run, then."

Before she could protest I gripped her wrist tightly and surged forward, running across the plain for no reason other than a young girl's fears. Rikku let out a shriek as she stumbled along behind, her eyes shut tightly as she gave herself over to me with complete trust.

I put out a hand to stop myself as we reached the lightning tower, my palm halting our speed quickly. Rikku stepped back from me, shaking and breath coming in short pants.

Our eyes met, hers in palpable anger and mine devoid of any reaction. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it once more.

"You made it," I said quickly, cutting off her flurry of anger. And again, before she could speak, I pointed toward the second tower where our group had opted to continue on. "We're behind."

"I can't!"

I tilted my head slightly and my one good eye met hers. "You just did."

Despite herself, despite her anger, Rikku's mouth quirked for a quarter of a second and she quickly looked away.

"...I suppose I did."

We walked at a quick pace in silence with Rikku's hands ever present on my billowing, unused sleeve. Though she now walked with a more assured gait she still flinched with every clap of thunder or flash of lightning.

I had lost sight of our traveling companions quite some time ago and surmised they had finally reached the inn that was still some distance away for myself and Rikku. There was a simultaneous discomfort and warm feeling in my chest, and I wished for nothing more than a warm bed and release from my weighty garments. My shoulders had begun to ache from the overcoat and the sword at my hip weighed me down considerably.

Pausing to sit beneath yet another tower to sip our water (or, in my own case, from my flask), Rikku asked me, "When did you pass away?"

The question hit me like a punch to the chest. I swallowed deeply and turned to her. "That is not a question you should be asking me, Rikku."

She showed only a slight bit of shame, but didn't look away. "It's just that, you look kind of young...your eyes, I mean. As if you body kept aging, but you're completely opposite on the inside."

I touched a gloved finger to my closed eye and smiled mirthlessly. "Trust me, that is not the case."

"Maybe you think so," she said stubbornly, settling back against the tower and staring up at the overhang that protected us from the elements. "I think you're wrong."

"I imagine I know myself far better than you, Rikku."

"No one really knows their 'selves' better than those around them. I don't think so, anyway. Self-loathing or hurt or madness or any of that, all of it can affect how we see ourselves." She smiled to me. "I see a young guy in your eyes- well, eye. I see someone who has no idea what life is all about."

I chose not to indulge her theories and stood instead. Part of me bristled with slight anger at her words. I had been alive far longer than she-

Except that I hadn't lived that much longer than her and, were I to discount my days of walking death, I still stood a man of 25 blindly following the loudest voice of reason.

I shook it off and reached for her forearm. "Come."

We indulged in no more conversation, focusing instead on our run toward the inn. It shone like a beacon through the dark and I relaxed as we neared, the thought of rest tantalizing at the front of my mind.

And then a three-headed chimera, something out of nightmares, landed in our path and let out a flame-tinged roar.

Our momentum too great, I dropped to my hip and dug the side of my boot into the ground, my arms wrapping protectively around the blonde at my side. We stopped mere inches from the chimera and I rose to my feet instantly, pulling her toward cover. A rock to the side offered enough cover for me to push her against the wall and murmur "Stay," before I drew my sword and sprinted back out to meet the creature.

I swung my blade hard against its left hind leg. It made a superficial gash in the thick hide and the chimera seemed not to be affected at all, instead swatting its paw toward me. It hit me like five tons of stone, stealing away the air in my lungs, but rather than falling I dug in each heel and forced the hand back against itself. An audible snap from the wrist drew a cry of rage and pain from the chimera.

My moment of triumph was interrupted by a pair of massive jaws clamping down onto my waist. The pain blinded me for a time, a cry escaping my mouth, and then my anger took over and the tip of my sword met one of the three heads directly, cutting through sinew and bone into the brain.

The feline head drooped lifelessly, releasing me from its maw, eliciting another growl and moan from the remaining maw. The central brain, the one that would kill it, stood protected between two twisting bulls horns.

I lay there a moment, feeling a burn from the puncture wounds in my stomach. Dimly I noticed a pyrefly float up from my abdomen and, shaking my head, got up.

About to lunge, the chimera was surprised as a small figure landed atop the hump on its back where each head joined into one body. In her hand was a claw the length of her forearm, which she dug deeply into the junction at the spine. The fiend roared in protest and reached aimlessly for her as the claw dug deeper and deeper.

Finally the serpent-like tail, imbued with electricity, latched on to her small ankle and struggled to pull her away. Her weapon was too deep and it pulled in vain. Instead, the serpent opted for another plan of attack. Wrapping around her calf it released several bolts of electricity directly into her skin.

Rikku screamed, finally relinquishing her grip on the weapon. The tail easily whipped her to the side and let go, sending her tumbling back toward the stone I had left her behind.

I grit my teeth and sprinted toward it, leaping at the last second and launching my sword at it like a spear. Focusing on this new threat, it failed to notice my hand clenching the tiny grip of the claw tightly. I planted my feet against the back, pulled the claw free, and drove it through the rear of the center head.

Only a few moments protest and then the creature fell to the ground, taking me with it. As it slumped forward I pushed away, avoiding the crushing weight of the carcass and almost immediately rushing toward her.

"Rikku," I gasped, now again aware of my abdominal wounds. She lay still, her skin somewhat burnt in small patches here and there. An entire mark where the snake had been wrapped was burnt onto her leg.

Cursing her foolishness, I rose to my feet with her in my arms and started my run toward the inn. It looked close, but as I began to limp from the pain it seemed to draw further and further away. After what seemed like ages I collapsed to one knee before the closed door and gasped for air.

The door opened before us. There stood another Al Bhed, his tan skin standing out starkly against the bright exterior.

"Rin." I almost smiled. The very one who laid me down to die had now found me, yet again, half dead on his doorstep.

"Sir Auron?" he said, his tone that of confusion. Belatedly he realized I was not alone and pulled Rikku from my arms in a rush. "Fetch a healer!" he yelled toward the front desk, spiriting Rikku up the stairs to an empty room.

All eyes on Rin's form as he strode past, the other patrons failed to notice as I collapsed to my face in the doorway. Falling into a deep sleep, my last waking thought dwelled on the sword I had left buried in the neck of the dead chimera.

Some time later I woke with a groan, cracking open my good eye ever-so-slightly. It was still dark, a candle the only light in the room I had been placed.

I tried to sit up but was forced back by a firm hand. Still weak, I complied.

"I'm never listening to you again," a quiet voice told me, hoarse with some vestiges of pain. "You always get us into trouble."

Before I could answer I felt the cold metal of a sword hilt in my palm.

"Then again...I kind of like that."

I smiled and fell into rest once more.