I'm not really sure how many chapters this is going to be anymore, so what the hell...

I have finally, finally, finally, got around to changing all the speech marks into their proper forms. Now all my grammar is correct, and it only took me three weeks.

_____________________________________________________________________

Darkness Falls

Chapter 12: Up On The Roof

Rikku walked until she was sure that she was out of Auron's field of view, and then ran as fast as she could away from the man, mentally kicking herself. I did not want to say that! she thought over and over. What had she given away, in just that one sentence? She ran up to the elevator on the observation floor and took it up to the airship's deck. Looking out over the side, all she could see was water, moving past them at insanely high speeds. What was it with her father and speed? She approached the bow of the airship, and looked down to see the slope of the layered rows of metal as they tapered down to the edge. She sighed, and sat down on the ledge, legs crossed. Anything that happened now would happen. Cu pa ed. She heard the deck's huge door cycle open, but didn't turn around.

"Rikku?" Auron asked. Rikku lowered her head slightly. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," the Al Bhed girl replied quietly, not looking around.

"I don't think so," Auron said. Rikku stood up and turned to face her.

"Auron, sometimes we have to deal with things on our own, OK?" she said.

Auron started, he had never heard the girl speak like this before. He understood though. He nodded and turned back to the elevator, leaving Rikku with her thoughts.

Actually, probably not the best thing to happen. Thinking only made her worry.

'As we are...so you will be.' It couldn't have meant that, could it? Could it? She looked back down over the airship. Why her?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Auron walked back onto the bridge, Cid and Tidus looked like they were arguing. He caught short snatches of conversation through her thoughts.

"I'm not going to let Yuna die!" the young blitzer shouted to the older (and bigger) Al Bhed.

"Words! Show me actions!" the man shouted back.

Tidus walked up to the man so they were right in each other's faces. "Watch me, pops," he said.

The other Al Bhed looked around. "Do you know what happened to the last Spiran to call me pops?" he asked. Tidus shook his head. "Well, neither does anyone else, cause he was never found." Tidus got the hint and backed off. "We're going to find Yuna alright, and then I'm going to stop her from this damn-fool death-journey she has!"

"You would go against her wishes?" Auron said from his new vantage point in the corner of the room.

"Damn straight!" Cid replied.

Auron shook his head, although Tidus seemed to agree with the man.

Lulu shook her head as well. It was so obvious to her, yet the others didn't seem to have noticed his affection for Yuna. She walked up to behind Wakka and watched the three men argue, seeing how long her patience would last.

Ten seconds, she thought. She raised her hand and fired a small fireball into their midst. They separated instantly and stared at her. "Are you three going to fight like little schoolboys all day long? Or can be actually get on with rescuing Yuna?" she asked acidly. As one they all backed away.

"Woman's got a point," Cid whispered, then turned and went over to the blue glowing sphere in the centre of the room. "This will help us find Yuna, if she's out there, this thing will get her," he said, and began to push buttons. "Give it a few minutes."

Auron walked off towards the door, and was about to go through it when Rikku walked in. She looked at him and smiled slightly, then walked past him into the bridge.

Cid turned to look. "Rikku?" he asked.

"Are we looking for Yuna?" she asked. Cid and Tidus both nodded. "She's in Bevelle," she said.

Auron raised his eyebrow. "And you know this how?" he asked, but not doubting that the girl was right.

Rikku looked across at him. "Because that's where Seymour is," she said. The others all looked round at her.

Auron still wanted to know more though. "Do you know why?" he asked.

Rikku nodded. "Because he needs her power," she said, and walked back out.

Tidus turned to Auron. "Just what was that all about?" he asked.

Auron shook his head. "That's for her to reveal when she wishes," he said, having a pretty good idea of the connection the teenager and the Maester shared. Tidus looked at Auron funny for a second, then shrugged and carried on as normal. Auron made her excuses to the others and walked out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rikku sat down on the floor of the deck again. She knew where Seymour would be, maybe she could talk him out of whatever he was doing. She heard footsteps behind her, and this time she turned to see Auron sit down cross-legged next to her. "Hi," she said.

"Hello," the man replied. He waited a few seconds before asking the question. "Did you love him?" he asked.

I only knew him for a few days! But... "Yeah," she replied quietly.

"We all make mistakes," Auron said.

"I should have been smarter. I should have seen something before." She whispered.

"You cannot always tell someone's intentions when you've just met them."

"But I could see he cared! He didn't have to help me in the Thunder Plains! He didn't have to protect me during the battle at the temple!"

Auron glanced at her. He hadn't known that. Although now he came to think about it, Rikku had been a lot less injured at the end of the fight than the others… "Do you know what he wants?" he asked the young Al Bhed.

Rikku gave a small laugh. "I think so." She did not extrapolate on this.

Auron sighed. The girl could go from one opposite to the next in seconds. It was infuriating, yet endearing all the same. He would get no more out of the girl. He got up and turned to go. Before he reached the door, he heard Rikku call him back.

"Wait."

He turned around, and Rikku swivelled to face him. "The power fixation isn't everything. He wants someone to share it with, someone who understands him. He needs a partner," she said. Auron nodded. He understood loneliness, and what it could drive one to do

"I know about your conversation with him at Guadosalam, and your rescue at the Thunder Plain," he said "Why does he care about you?" he asked, this time genuinely curious.

"We are the same now, we're alone together," Rikku said, and would say no more.

Auron walked off. That may not be as true as you think. He thought. He just needed some more information.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tidus was staring at the display on the sphere-oscillo-thingy when Auron walked back in. Cid had taught him to recognise patterns in the 'matrix', which indicated Yuna's location. It had something to do with energy and vibrations, but the technical facts were all beyond him. Lulu looked at Auron. "Anything?" she asked.

"She says that Seymour has a flaw in his personality," he said, and shrugged minutely.

"So what does this mean?" They all had them.

"So he fears being abandoned. If we can find out why, we have leverage on him," said Auron, amateur psychologist. Lulu looked at him.

"What does Rikku have to do with this?" she asked.

"They are the same," Auron said, and refused to explain further. He didn't entirely know herself, but he had a good idea. Poor girl.

Tidus gave a whoop, and they all looked around to see him staring over the sphere. He turned to them with a grin on his face. "I found her!" he said.

"Where?" Auron asked instantly.

"Bevelle," he said, less enthusiastically.

Wakka groaned. "Great, the Holy City, and we're going to invade," he said.

Cid looked across at him. "You would prefer we do nothing?" he said, deceptively quiet.

"No, no!" Wakka said, shaking his hands at Cid. "Just we gotta get past the entire Yevon priesthood, the Warrior Monks, and Evrae!" he said.

Tidus shrugged. "So, what's the problem?" he asked. Wakka spluttered for a few seconds, and Tidus went on; "Yuna's there, so, we go and get her!" he said. "That's all that matters!"

Cid laughed. "Boy, you got guts! Brother!" he shouted to the pilot. Brother responded in a stream of Al Bhed. "Full speed ahead to Bevelle!" Cid shouted, Brother nodded and reached for the nearest big red button.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rikku felt the surge of acceleration from her 'seat' on the deck, and grabbed hold of the nearest edge to avoid slipping off. They were on their way, and she knew where too. She smiled and walked back into the airship.

Yuna, don't worry; we're coming for you.

Seymour, if you're there, I'm coming for you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From his rooms in the Bevelle Palace, Seymour stared out at the sky. He smiled and walked out of his accommodation, and into the corridors of the Holy City. Eventually he came across the room where Yuna was being 'protected' from those who would wish to kidnap her. If that meant that the door had to be locked and guarded, then so be it. He motioned to the guard posted outside, who saluted and opened the door with his key. He saw Yuna sitting on the bed on the other side of the wall.

She saw him come in and immediately stood up. "You're not going to get away with this," she said, predictably.

"Lady Yuna, you have no idea what it is I have planned for you," he said reasonably.

"I don't need to, to know that you're planning something big," she said angrily. "If you think enforced marriage will change my mind about you, then..."

Seymour cut her off. "Lady Yuna, it is not you I am after," he said.

She closed her mouth and stared at him. "Then why all this?" she asked. "Why all the show?"

"Because I need a summoner," he said. "But I do not need you for your company, for that, I have someone... different... in mind. She will understand in a way that you cannot." Yuna just looked confused. "Do not worry, your friends are coming to rescue you. You will understand shortly, I assure you," he finished, and walked off, nodding to the guard to lock the door behind him.

_____________________________________________________________________

Next up is the Evrae chapter, with mucho alterations.