AN: Yay! I've beaten my record of 63 reviews XD (pretty pathetic compared to the stories out there with 100+ XP) Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! They make me happy ^-^

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            Rikku took a faltering step closer to the alter and nervously chewed on her lip. Her eyes were wide and wild, looking for an escape, looking for someone that would help her. There was no one. She grimaced as she stubbed her toe into the bottom step leading up to the alter.

            "Come, Lady Rikku, I await you." Maester Seymour held out one large, clawed hand. Rikku blinked. Was he serious? There were only a few steps until she got to the top to stand next to the Maester. How long could she stall? How mad was she willing to get him?

            "Lady Rikku." He hissed between clenched teeth. The crowd was getting restless, every so often clearing their throats or chattering softly until a Guado guard slammed the bottom of his spear into the ground, then all was silent.

            Rikku shook her head slowly, a very slight movement. Seymour's eyes were filled instantly with a dark fire, and she had to recoil. A few guards stepped up behind her. She was trapped.

            'Somebody, please come soon!' She thought before slowly walking up the alter, one slow, agonizing step at a time.

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            "What is Rikku doing down there!?"

            Tidus paced back and forth as they waited for Yuna's uncle to lower the ship a little closer.

            "It looks like she's in a wedding dress. And she's approaching the alter with Maester Seymour." Lulu pointed out what was painfully obvious for everyone. Someone inhaled sharply, and Yuna turned to face her eldest guardian, the one who had made the sound.

            "Sir Auron? Are you all right?" The young summoner stood and walked towards him. He nodded, his eyes never leaving the figure below them. Yuna caught his unnerved stare and smiled knowingly. She placed a hand on his arm.

            "Don't worry, we'll help Rikku."

            "Did I say anything about her?" He stared evenly at Yuna. She smiled, already knowing his charade. He silently cursed his luck and nodded towards Tidus.

            "Tidus, tell them we need a rope that can get us down there fast."

            "Aye Aye captain!" The blitz star saluted before sprinting back into the ship to do as ordered. Yuna stifled a giggle. Auron was not amused.

            Within minutes, Tidus was back on deck and ushering the group towards the side of the ship. Dangerously close to the edge of the ship. Too close for Yuna's liking. She whimpered and snaked her arms around Tidus' waist. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her, poising himself before a thick metal chain leading off the boat.

            "You ready? We're gonna ride this baby down to the platform, where we get to crash a little party." Tidus winked as he placed one foot on the chain and pressed down to make sure it would hold. Yuna gasped and looked up at him.

            "Ride? We're going to- ride?" It was a long way down. A very long way down. And not something one should attempt in heels. Tidus felt her insecurity and tightened his hold.

            "Just don't look down, it'll be okay."

            "Easier said than done." Yuna had only seconds to protest before she and Tidus pushed off, sliding down the chain. Yuna's shriek carried in the wind, and the gorup on deck was pretty sure Tidus had lost most of the hearing in his right ear by now.

            Khimari and Lulu went next, not a peep out of either of them. Wakka hesitated before jumping on and following. Auron waited at the top. Briefly, he found himself wondering what Rikku would have done if she had to slide down, but then decided she was Rikku and she did everything.

            A small smile on his lips, he followed everyone down towards the awaiting platform below, where Rikku was.

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            "And do you take this Guado to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to hold, as long as you both shall live?"

            "As long as we both live? Ya' know, don't Guados live a long time?" Rikku laughed nervously. She had tried everything to stall the ceremony: Trip, fall down the stairs, fits of hacking coughs, and even a "Look! A Behemoth is behind you!" Needless to say that nothing had worked. Now she was at the final vows. One word would decide her fate. Just one little word. One little syllable. She opened her mouth into a small 'o' shape, and nothing would come out of her mouth.

            'Auron! Help!'

            "Rikku!"

            The young Al Bhed gasped and looked up, as did the rest of the wedding attendees. Her eyes sparkled with new found hope as she watched Tidus, Yuna, Khimari, Lulu, Wakka, and Auron land on the platform.

            "Minna!"

            Rikku lifted up the bottom of her dress and started to run towards them before a hand on her arm stopped her.

            "You have not given an answer yet. Everyone is waiting." Seymour's face was calm, a clean slate. Rikku knew better when she felt his claw dig into her skin. She winced as blood was drawn. He pulled her towards him and she stumbled, falling against his chest. She went to move away, but he held her there and lowered his mouth to her ear.

            "I can crush your arm right now, Al Bhed."

            Now Rikku was scared. Scared was an understatement. Terrified seemed like a better word. Yes, definitely terrified. To cover up his threat, Seymour threw back his head and laughed, causing everyone to jump.

            "Really, Lady Rikku, if you must insist…."

            She only had a second to react before his lips crashed down on hers. She panicked and tried to pull back, but one hand was still crushing her arm and the other held the back of her head. So she did the only thing she could think to do. At the exact same time she dug her heel into his foot, she bit down on his bottom lip. Hard.

            The Maester howled in pain and pushed Rikku away from him, one hand covering his bleeding lip. Rikku stumbled backwards and tripped on her dress. She shrieked, but was surprised to find her fall cushioned. She glanced down.

            "Yo! Long time no see, Rikku!" Tidus grinned and waved from his position on his stomach underneath her. She giggled and nodded, quickly but clumsily struggling to get off him. Whoever decided girls needed to wear long frilly dresses during weddings obviously did not consider the fights with fiends or angry Maesters' of Yevon.

            "Rikku!" Yuna ran to her cousin and embraced her. Rikku grinned and hugged her back, clearly happy to be back.

            "Guards! Seize them!" Seymour bellowed, pointing towards the group. Rikku's eyes widened. Because of her, her friends were going to get involved too. She had to think fast.

            "Hey! Maester of Yevon! We Al Bhed don't marry Guados!" It was lame, she knew, not even an insult, but it got their attention. As quickly as she could manage without tripping on her dress, she ran away from her friends, despite their protests, and stood near the edge of the platform. Seymour started forward but Rikku raised a hand to stop him and shook a finger.

            "Uh uh uh. You come any closer and I'll jump."

            Unlike Rikku had planned, Seymour took a step closer. Then another. She gulped. Now she was in trouble. Giggling nervously, she backed towards the edge.

            "A long way down, huh? Wouldn't want me to fall down there, right?"

            He took a long stride. Rikku cursed silently, very un-Rikku like. She was running out of bad jokes and space. Gulping, she knew there was only one thing she could do. With her eye still on the approaching Maester, she tore into the bottom of the dress. The crowd cried out in shock and dismay as they watched Rikku tear the gown, throwing bits an pieces on the ground. By the time she was done, the dress came up to her knees and the tacky sleeves she had been dying to rip off were nowhere to be found.

            Grinning triumphantly, she stood back up straight and slipped out of the heels. Now, she felt more comfortable. Seymour was only a foot away and gaining.

            "I told you I'd jump." She muttered before falling backwards off the platform. Again the crowd gasped and everyone rushed to the side. Rikku was gone. The only thing visible was the ocean below.

            "Rikku!" Yuna struggled to reach the edge but Tidus stopped her, shaking his head sadly. That's when he heard collective gasps followed by a few screams. Tidus spun around and watched in horror as Auron dove off the platform.

            "Auron!"

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            Rikku grinned, panting form the rush. As soon as she had pushed herself off the platform, she had managed to grab onto a piece of rock that hid her from the platforms view. She was just too clever.

            "Auron!"

            She gasped and craned her head to look behind her. Sure enough, something red whizzed by her, and it was heading towards the water at an alarming speed.

            "Auron!!" Without thinking, Rikku let go of the rock and plunged down after him, praying she could catch up with him. Catch up with him and do what? Gritting her teeth, she begged herself to go faster. She was so close. Her fingertips brushed cloth and she grabbed hold, determined. With much effort, she was able to wrap her arms around Auron's torso and press herself against his back.

            "Rikku!?" Auron glanced at the girl in shock. Where had she come from? Hadn't she jumped off the platform? There was no time to think of that now. Grunting, he was able to pull Rikku around him and hold her against his chest. She buried her head under his chin and hid from the oncoming rocks.

            "Get ready. We're going to hit…..Now!" At first Auron felt nothing but numbness trying to overtake his senses, but he fought them away. Next was a sharp stinging pain in his shoulders and back. He remembered vaguely loosing his hold on Rikku before his head hit a rock and he lost consciousness.

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AN: I'm sorry if Rikku seemed helpless again!!!! I honestly don't think she did in this chapter, but if you feel different, I apologize! But since Rikku doesn't have an aeon (like Yuna did), how else would she get away? And it gives Auron a chance to be helpless for a bit and need saving. And it leaves Auron and Rikku on their own for a while ::sings "On My Own"::

Oh! And I'm sorry if Rikku's "Minna!" was a little weird, but it was either that or she could say "Auron!" (too needy) or "Everybody!" (…erm, no comment ^-^;;)

Please Review because I know how much ya'll love cliff hangers! XD

~Neoshipper~