AN: Updating while watching Les Miz. Gotta memorize the music before the play which is…Thursday o.o EEP!!!! OOO! Did you know they're making Rent into a movie in 2004!!!! Manley Pope! XD It won't be as good as the play, but hey, it's RENT! ::clears throat:: Here's the next chappy. Arigatou for all the reviews!

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Rikku whimpered as she was thrown on the ground at The Maester of Yevon's feet. She glanced up at him from her place on the floor and her eyes filled with contempt and fear. She scrambled to crawl away, but a Guado Guardian blocked her path.

"Well, Rikku, what a pleasant surprise."

"Stay away."

Rikku glared at him, fighting to keep the fear out of her eyes. Seymour smirked and kneeled in front of her. She gasped and leaned back.

"Is that any way to speak to your future husband, Rikku?"

"W-WHAT!?"

Rikku's voice was high pitched and she barley recognized it as her own. Seymour smiled and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes were even wider than before, their green depths spinning with anger, fear, and confusion.

"Since Lady Yuna has turned me down, I have picked you as my bride."

"W-what will marrying me accomplish? I'm of no importance!" Rikku tried to calm down, to think logically, but it was hard with the Maester just inches away from her.

"Oh, but you are very important. Your disappearance will greatly upset the Lady Yuna."

"But, I mean, why not take Tidus? He's important to Yunie too!"

"I do not fancy wedding a…man." His face scrunched up in distaste. Rikku blinked, clearly startled by his answer.

"Go get her fitted for her dress. We wed at dawn." He was serious again as he stood, and Rikku struggled feebly against the Guado holding her from behind.

"Auron…"

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"How could this happen!? Why Rikku? What do they need her for?" Tidus angrily slammed the hilt of his sword against the ground. Yuna sat next to him, numb with shock and fear. Khimari and Lulu were silent, standing side by side. Wakka muttered prayers to Yevon, his head in his hands.

"Auron….?" Tidus looked at the silent guardian. He stood by himself, arms crossed over his chest in a defiant pose. He had let Rikku down. Why was it that he felt this way? Why did his heart give a strange pull in a way he never experienced before? More importantly, what was he to do about it?

"Auron? You all right?" Tidus placed a hand on his shoulder. Auron didn't even look at him, too busy trying to sort through the emotions that threatened to break free.

"Sir Auron?" Yuna's quiet voice caught his attention, and he glanced over his shoulder. Without the collar covering his face, he felt bare and almost vulnerable.

"What do they want with Rikku? I'm positive it was Maester Seymour's doing, but what does my cousin have to do with all this?" Yuna was close to tears, buried in guilt. Tidus wrapped an arm around her shoulders, a soothing gesture that made Yuna lean heavily upon him.

"I don't know." Auron admitted, turning back to stare out in front of him. He had been so close to saving her. So close. Her fingers had brushed his. He was too slow to close his hand around hers'. Yes, it was his fault.

"Let's go."

"Go? Go where? We need to find Rikku!" Tidus objected, rushing over to Auron. He looked at the younger boy. So young. So naïve. So spunky, like he had once been.

"If we find Seymour, we find Rikku."

"…Oh…." Tidus blushed, embarrassed by his outburst. Auron started walking, and Yuna and Tidus followed quickly after. Along with Yuna, like a good bodyguard, followed Khimari, then Lulu, and lastly Wakka, who was still praying for forgiveness.

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Rikku sniffled and curled into a ball. The room Seymour had put her in was huge, filled with everything and anything. The four post bed was soft, red silk sheets draped across. There was a small bedside table with a tray filled with Guado delicacies and other such foods. A goblet of red wine and a cup of water sat on the tray, both waiting to be drunk.

"Auron…I'm scared…" Rikku hugged one of the soft pillows to her chest and buried her face in it. She wanted to be back with everyone. Even going through the Thunder Plains was better than this. Well, on second thought, maybe not. But it was close.

"Lady Rikku? Would you like some more wine?" A plump Guado serving maiden peeled her head in the door. Rikku shook her head and the lady bowed and disappeared. 'Lady Rikku' didn't sound right at all, and no matter how many times she corrected them, the name stuck.

"I wonder what you're doing now, Auron…." She mumbled, her eyelids beginning to droop ever so slightly. She stifled a yawn and forced her eyes to stay open. Then suddenly, without warning, Seymour's voice filled her head like crush velvet against her skin.

'Sleep Rikku. You need your rest for tomorrow.'

"No…I can't sleep…Not now…." She shuddered as Seymour's voice sounded through her head again.

'Sleep.'

"Auron…." She yawned and slowly laid on her side in a tight ball, pillow clutched to her chest. She closed her eyes, promising only to sleep for a few minutes, before drifting off into a deep sleep.

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AN: Gomen! The chapters are all so short recently! Daijoubu! The next chapter will be longer, partly because it includes the wedding ceremony ^-^ I know a few people predicted this, some even said so in reviews ^-^ but how was it? A good twist? Bad twist? Some un-Seymour-like comments earlier at the beginning, ne? XD But I couldn't help it!

I'm still open to ideas! After the next chapter, I'm gonna start drawing a blank, and need help. Email me! (tasukixmiaka@yahoo.com). And while you're at it, fictionpress.net has my faerie story, "Into the Mist". Onegai! I want at least a few reviews! You know you love me! XD

Neoshipper is a little strung out today. Guess what. I got laid SIX times today!!!! 4 by Manley Pope and the other two times by Takuto XD LMAO, it's late and I've had ice cream cake for my brother's 13th birthday (Happy Birthday Onee-chan!)And when I said laid, I meant lays, like the Hawaiian lays XD.

~*Neoshipper*~