Yay. Lotsa reviews.

Alrighty.. Sorry it took me soo long! Hella much school
work an stuff.. An yeah.. I'm doing this inbetween essays!


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"Rikku, wait!" Was his hoarse call out to her, pleading for the girl ahead of him to stop. He was right, she had the obvious advantage.. Size, flexibility, perfect for weaving complicated paths through the trees and brush; compiled with a head start. However, he had endurance. Soon enough, the girl's speed would begin to slow, and his steady pace would eventually begin to close the distance between them.

He wasn't exactly sure why he was chasing her at first. Something inside of him instinctively prompted him to follow her.. Though he reassured himself it was only because she was a member of the group, a guardian, and perhaps Lulu was tearing all of the guardians apart and he just didn't know it yet? Though, that was a question for later.

"Rikku." His glove clad hand reached out and yanked the girl roughly by the elbow backwards and inevitably into his arms from behind.. He only meant to hold her in place.. Or did he secretly want to console her? To his surprise, she didn't kick, yell, or flail wildly in his constraining grasp.. She just stood there, limply, like a ragdoll in his arms. He lifted his hands up to her shoulders and spun her around to face him, letting his hands return to within his coat an at his side.

She wasn't crying any more, her expression was just vacuous. Empty.. Aloof.. Just as the mage's.

"What did Lulu say?"

"Nothing."

"Rikku." His voice was firmer now, more of a command. He wanted to know what Lulu was saying to the group, to her..

"I said 'nothing'." With that, Rikku plainly moved to the side.. And tried to move around his left.. Though her actions were rather dull. Auron extended his arm up before her, not allowing her to pass. That's when she looked up at him, and his good russet eye widened.. She was.. Angry.. It was obvious in her eyes if not on her visage.

"I'm not going to ask you again." His extended arm grabbed onto her shoulder again and roughly moved her back infront of him.

"I said it was nothing!" Rikku balled her hands into fists as she yelled. She couldn't mimic Lulu's facade for long.

"That's bullshit Rikku, and you know it! Tell me, now."

Rikku was speechless, just looking up at him. She never remembered him raising his voice like that, at anybody. It was then that everything Lulu said to her seemed to make perfect sense. He hated her. Just.. She couldn't protect herself in an aloof exterior, Rikku needed to express her emotions..

"I know you hate me. I know I was just your penance, for what you did to cause Sin.. Ya know?"

"I..." Auron knew what Lulu said to the girl was all lies.. He had never revealed anything about himself, his real feelings to such a full extent.. But.. Had she assumed correctly? He was looking for penance.. He wanted to be cleansed of the Sins he commited before his sending.. This second pilgrimage was his penance.. And Rikku, along with the rest of the group, were part of that burden.. Though, they weren't his punishments, they were part of his promise. "That's not true."

Rikku noticed the hesitation, and tears began to swell up again. "You're lying! Your.. Lying.." Her voice firm at first, became choked with her coughs and sniffles. Auron only stood there before her, and though he seemed unmoved.. If one saw his eyes, they watched in a melancholy fashion. He lifted up his gloved palm to remove his lenses from his visage, unveiling his one good russet ocular, and the healed over one. Rikku didn't even notice he was staring right down at her.. Or the look in his eyes.

I should just leave.. Auron grew uncomfortable with the situation.. Though, he only had the urge to move, not the physical will. Something kept him there, despite the fact he offered Rikku no comfort.. It felt as if something were swelling up inside of him, and his thoughts were in disarray.. Straying from the fact the journey was penance.. Digressing to his past as always.. Yet focused curiously upon the crying Al Bhed.

Did she really care about what he thought of her? And although his feelings contradicted the calm tone in his voice; he spoke as firmly as he had before. "Do you not believe me?"

Rikku's head was now bowed down, bangs veiling her eyes. "I don't."

"What if you were my penance then? Why would that matter to you?" He narrowed his eyes cynically.. Though he didn't speak in contempt, he only wanted to know why the matter had bothered the girl. "My position with you and the rest of the members of Yuna's pilgrimage with mean nothing after we vanquish Sin." There was another lengthy pause to follow.. "Since I am.. to be sent." Auron recalled.. When she explained to Tidus at the Farplane, that when people are sent.. That it is believed, atleast by the Al Bhed, that they were nothing more than souless phantoms.. Images portrayed by pyreflies.. If she truly believed this, there would be no point in caring about his opinons.

"I.. I don't care..!" She lifted her head up, hands balled into little fists and held closely to her chest. "I just don't want anybody's last memories of me to be a punishment! I don't want somebody to be sent believing that I was their penance! .. It does matter to me.. "

Auron was silent for a moment, astonished, though his expression didn't portray this.. And silently he turned away from her.. Leaving her as she stood there by herself. "I'm sorry." He muttered beneath his breath and stalked away.. Rikku decided to take a seat, right there by herself.. While she dried her tears.

He returned to the camp shortly afterwards.. Everybody was gathered around the fire, and were all seemingly curious as to the whereabouts of Rikku and Auron, who previously ran off.

" 'ey.. Where's Rikku? " Tidus inquired, idly stirring his portion of a stew in his bowl. Auron ignored him.

"If you don't mind me saying, Sir Auron.. You do owe Yuna an explanation." Lulu cut in slyly..

"I may owe Yuna one, but I owe you nothing." Was his curt retort as he walked up towards the mage, who was seated on her own log.. Nearest Kimahri and Wakka. "Come. We must talk."

"Certainly, Sir Auron." And with that toxic violet smirk she pushed herself to stand, and the duo left from the camp. Nobody questioned their leave.. Though Kimahri was the only one who understood the situation.. The others believed that the mage, and the unsent man; both aloof, wise, and calm were probably deliberating over important issues pertaining to the pilgrimage..

Little did they know what was in store.. What ran through the minds of the two detached guardians.

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Hm.. Debating on what will happen next.. Got a pretty good idea..
Dun hate me for what may happen!