Notes: I know...I'm really behind on this one. Problem is, I keep getting my best ideas in pre-calc class...and it's hard to jot down notes on a video game AND polynomials at the same time.
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Chapter 4 - Reunion
Rikku skittered nimbly through the forest, back along the log-strewn path she had skirted easily on the way in. Auron's body, now with its new controller, had an even greater difficulty navigating its way through the overgrown passage. As the form made its way back to the camp, Auron was still contemplating his situation. Finally, he spoke to his possessor. "How do you plan on explaining yourself? Even if Lulu knows that your mind is the one acting, she will still know it's my body." The Besaid man laughed, "You really don't know much about life after death, ya? Your body isn't really physical, even though you can feel pain and stuff. The living think you're real, too...they can see you, feel you...just like anyone else. But, since you're dead, your body is too...and since I'm dead, I can alter it to fit my needs. You see what I'm getting at, ya?" The comment was almost comically cut off by Wakka's screaming of "Chappu!" as the body emerged from the forest path. He dropped the bucket of water he was holding and ran over to the man, grabbing him in a tight bear hug. "It's really you, ya? Chappu...my little bro!"
"Chappu? You're Wakka's dead brother?" Auron questioned. "Ya, who'd you think I was?" Chappu replied to Auron, "You really are dense when it comes to your fellow guardians. I know everything about you...when Lulu visits, she keeps me informed about everything going on." By this time, Wakka's yelling had alerted Kimhari and Lulu who hurried out to the scene of the commotion. When Lulu stepped out from the tent, she fell to her knees at the sight of her deceased lover. A heavy blue paw rested on her shoulder and helped her back to her feet as her mind recovered from the initial shock. Wakka stood grinning at them with his arm around Chappu, "Lu...he's back! It's really him, in the flesh! I don't know how he done it, but Chappu came back!" During this charade, Rikku had stood silently by the fire pit, obviously confused at the entire scene. Finally, she spoke up, "Wakka, have you lost it? That's Auron, not Chappy or whoever..." Auron smiled a bit; finally, there was a sane one in the group who realized what was going on. "What are you talkin' about, Rikku? This is my little brother, Chappu. He died fighting Sin before Lord Braska brought The Calm." Wakka replied.
As if on cue, Yuna and Tidus returned to the camp after their interlude at Lake Macalania. She gasped and grabbed Tidus' arm as he looked at the newcomer with a puzzled look. Wakka just stood there grinning, "Tidus, this is my lil brother Chappu. I told ya you two looked alike!" "H-how can this be?" Yuna stammered, stepping forward to place a hand on Chappu's face. "I guess my will was strong enough to return for a while, ya? 'sides, I had some unfinished business..." Chappu said as he knelt down beside Lulu. As the stunned woman brought her eyes to his, she began to cry, the years of pent up emotions flowing out in the form of tears. All he could do was wrap his arms around her shoulders and pull her close. She clung to him in fear that he would disappear to the farplane once more, but he remained at her side. Rikku broke into the middle of the group and stamped her foot down, "Have you all gone crazy? This is Auron! A-u-r-o-n! He's not Chappu, he doesn't look like Tidus, this is the same guy we've been traveling with the whole time!" Wakka tilted his head to the side in a puzzled manner, "Rikku...I think you oughta go to bed, ya? I'm sure Auron just got lost looking for you...he'll be here when you wake up, I'm sure."
"She...can see me. How come everyone else sees you but Rikku?" Auron asked, secretly thanking the higher powers that someone was still seeing his body rather than Chappu's. "Rikku? That Al Bhed girl?" Chappu's spirit sighed, "Never met her...so I guess she can't see me. The body is only altered by memories. She never knew me, so she would have no way to know what I looked like." Auron thought he had a means of escape, but this only confused things further, "Tidus never knew you...but he apparently sees your body and not mine. Explain." "Heh, that's why you've gotta love my brother...he always helps ya when ya least expect it. That sword blondie's carryin' was mine...sort of a spiritual connection between us now, I guess. He's got my sword, so he's got my memory." Even with five of his six companions convinced the body was Chappu's, hope still remained with Rikku's presence. If he could just communicate to the young girl in some way, he may be able to rid himself of Chappu's spirit and reclaim his body.
Chappu's attention snapped back to the outside world and his inner battle with Auron was left at a standstill once more. He held Lulu in a tight embrace as the others watched from a slight distance. "You were right, Wakka, we do look a lot alike..." Tidus mumbled, running a hand through his damp hair. Wakka had yet to stop grinning as he patted Yuna's shoulder, "Isn't this great? You barely got to know Chappu since you were so young, ya? Now we can make up for lost time!" Yuna idly wrung the water from her sleeves as she watched the reunited couple, "This is all too strange...if he was a member of the Crusaders, surely they would have given him a proper sending. How can he have returned?" Wakka just shrugged it off, "I don't know, and I don't care. He's back and that's all that matters, ya?" Kimhari grunted and walked away from the trio, "Kimhari have bad feeling about Chappu returning. Stay on guard tonight, Kimhari take first watch." Another shrug from Wakka; he was unconcerned with everyone's apprehensiveness toward the return of Chappu. Meanwhile, Rikku sat brooding in the girls' tent. How could they comment on her mental stability when they were the ones all hallucinating that Auron was Wakka's dead brother?
As night began to fall on the camp, Lulu had recovered enough from her emotional roller coaster enough to start a fire so a meal could be prepared. The group, save Kimhari, Rikku, and obviously Auron, had the most light-hearted dinner conversation of the entire journey that night. Old memories were relived and new ones created as Chappu's past bonds with the group were renewed. Tidus forged an instant friendship with his look-alike and became almost like a third brother to Wakka and Chappu. Yuna smiled slightly at the antics of the three, but turned a concerned gaze to Lulu. The black mage sat by Chappu's side, as if almost in a trance, a constant blush spread across her face. Lulu looked up and caught Yuna's stare, causing her to blush more. It was so out of character for Lulu to lose her composure like this, and even with the nagging feeling that the whole situation was wrong, Yuna smiled. With the last few lingering flames of the fire dying to a crimson glow, Tidus stood and stretched, "I think I'm gonna get some sleep...Wakka, you coming?" Wakka nodded and stood up, "I think there's room for Chappu in our tent since Auron isn't back yet, ya? It'll be just like the old times when we used to camp out, right lil bro?" Chappu laughed and pulled both men aside, "I don't know how to say this...so I'm just gonna say it. You guys think I could get some time alone with Lu?" Tidus grinned and nudges him in the ribs, "Ah, I get what you're saying! No problem with us, right Wakka?" Wakka had turned a few shades darker, but nodded, "Um, ya...whatever you want, Chappu. You're the man of the night..." The younger brother grinned and slapped the two on the back, "You guys are the greatest, y'know? I'll see ya in the morning..." With that, he stood and walked back to where Lulu and Yuna sat, giving Yuna a hug goodnight and taking Lulu's hand to guide her to the tent. Lulu's face deepened a few shades of red as the couple disappeared beneath the canvas, Yuna watched with slight amusement until she finally retired to her tent as well. Suddenly, Wakka and Tidus found themselves alone and without a tent. "Guess we're sleepin' this one outside, ya?" Wakka sighed as he climbed into a nearby tree.
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Oh yeah, for once I know where this is going to go in the next chapter!
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Chapter 4 - Reunion
Rikku skittered nimbly through the forest, back along the log-strewn path she had skirted easily on the way in. Auron's body, now with its new controller, had an even greater difficulty navigating its way through the overgrown passage. As the form made its way back to the camp, Auron was still contemplating his situation. Finally, he spoke to his possessor. "How do you plan on explaining yourself? Even if Lulu knows that your mind is the one acting, she will still know it's my body." The Besaid man laughed, "You really don't know much about life after death, ya? Your body isn't really physical, even though you can feel pain and stuff. The living think you're real, too...they can see you, feel you...just like anyone else. But, since you're dead, your body is too...and since I'm dead, I can alter it to fit my needs. You see what I'm getting at, ya?" The comment was almost comically cut off by Wakka's screaming of "Chappu!" as the body emerged from the forest path. He dropped the bucket of water he was holding and ran over to the man, grabbing him in a tight bear hug. "It's really you, ya? Chappu...my little bro!"
"Chappu? You're Wakka's dead brother?" Auron questioned. "Ya, who'd you think I was?" Chappu replied to Auron, "You really are dense when it comes to your fellow guardians. I know everything about you...when Lulu visits, she keeps me informed about everything going on." By this time, Wakka's yelling had alerted Kimhari and Lulu who hurried out to the scene of the commotion. When Lulu stepped out from the tent, she fell to her knees at the sight of her deceased lover. A heavy blue paw rested on her shoulder and helped her back to her feet as her mind recovered from the initial shock. Wakka stood grinning at them with his arm around Chappu, "Lu...he's back! It's really him, in the flesh! I don't know how he done it, but Chappu came back!" During this charade, Rikku had stood silently by the fire pit, obviously confused at the entire scene. Finally, she spoke up, "Wakka, have you lost it? That's Auron, not Chappy or whoever..." Auron smiled a bit; finally, there was a sane one in the group who realized what was going on. "What are you talkin' about, Rikku? This is my little brother, Chappu. He died fighting Sin before Lord Braska brought The Calm." Wakka replied.
As if on cue, Yuna and Tidus returned to the camp after their interlude at Lake Macalania. She gasped and grabbed Tidus' arm as he looked at the newcomer with a puzzled look. Wakka just stood there grinning, "Tidus, this is my lil brother Chappu. I told ya you two looked alike!" "H-how can this be?" Yuna stammered, stepping forward to place a hand on Chappu's face. "I guess my will was strong enough to return for a while, ya? 'sides, I had some unfinished business..." Chappu said as he knelt down beside Lulu. As the stunned woman brought her eyes to his, she began to cry, the years of pent up emotions flowing out in the form of tears. All he could do was wrap his arms around her shoulders and pull her close. She clung to him in fear that he would disappear to the farplane once more, but he remained at her side. Rikku broke into the middle of the group and stamped her foot down, "Have you all gone crazy? This is Auron! A-u-r-o-n! He's not Chappu, he doesn't look like Tidus, this is the same guy we've been traveling with the whole time!" Wakka tilted his head to the side in a puzzled manner, "Rikku...I think you oughta go to bed, ya? I'm sure Auron just got lost looking for you...he'll be here when you wake up, I'm sure."
"She...can see me. How come everyone else sees you but Rikku?" Auron asked, secretly thanking the higher powers that someone was still seeing his body rather than Chappu's. "Rikku? That Al Bhed girl?" Chappu's spirit sighed, "Never met her...so I guess she can't see me. The body is only altered by memories. She never knew me, so she would have no way to know what I looked like." Auron thought he had a means of escape, but this only confused things further, "Tidus never knew you...but he apparently sees your body and not mine. Explain." "Heh, that's why you've gotta love my brother...he always helps ya when ya least expect it. That sword blondie's carryin' was mine...sort of a spiritual connection between us now, I guess. He's got my sword, so he's got my memory." Even with five of his six companions convinced the body was Chappu's, hope still remained with Rikku's presence. If he could just communicate to the young girl in some way, he may be able to rid himself of Chappu's spirit and reclaim his body.
Chappu's attention snapped back to the outside world and his inner battle with Auron was left at a standstill once more. He held Lulu in a tight embrace as the others watched from a slight distance. "You were right, Wakka, we do look a lot alike..." Tidus mumbled, running a hand through his damp hair. Wakka had yet to stop grinning as he patted Yuna's shoulder, "Isn't this great? You barely got to know Chappu since you were so young, ya? Now we can make up for lost time!" Yuna idly wrung the water from her sleeves as she watched the reunited couple, "This is all too strange...if he was a member of the Crusaders, surely they would have given him a proper sending. How can he have returned?" Wakka just shrugged it off, "I don't know, and I don't care. He's back and that's all that matters, ya?" Kimhari grunted and walked away from the trio, "Kimhari have bad feeling about Chappu returning. Stay on guard tonight, Kimhari take first watch." Another shrug from Wakka; he was unconcerned with everyone's apprehensiveness toward the return of Chappu. Meanwhile, Rikku sat brooding in the girls' tent. How could they comment on her mental stability when they were the ones all hallucinating that Auron was Wakka's dead brother?
As night began to fall on the camp, Lulu had recovered enough from her emotional roller coaster enough to start a fire so a meal could be prepared. The group, save Kimhari, Rikku, and obviously Auron, had the most light-hearted dinner conversation of the entire journey that night. Old memories were relived and new ones created as Chappu's past bonds with the group were renewed. Tidus forged an instant friendship with his look-alike and became almost like a third brother to Wakka and Chappu. Yuna smiled slightly at the antics of the three, but turned a concerned gaze to Lulu. The black mage sat by Chappu's side, as if almost in a trance, a constant blush spread across her face. Lulu looked up and caught Yuna's stare, causing her to blush more. It was so out of character for Lulu to lose her composure like this, and even with the nagging feeling that the whole situation was wrong, Yuna smiled. With the last few lingering flames of the fire dying to a crimson glow, Tidus stood and stretched, "I think I'm gonna get some sleep...Wakka, you coming?" Wakka nodded and stood up, "I think there's room for Chappu in our tent since Auron isn't back yet, ya? It'll be just like the old times when we used to camp out, right lil bro?" Chappu laughed and pulled both men aside, "I don't know how to say this...so I'm just gonna say it. You guys think I could get some time alone with Lu?" Tidus grinned and nudges him in the ribs, "Ah, I get what you're saying! No problem with us, right Wakka?" Wakka had turned a few shades darker, but nodded, "Um, ya...whatever you want, Chappu. You're the man of the night..." The younger brother grinned and slapped the two on the back, "You guys are the greatest, y'know? I'll see ya in the morning..." With that, he stood and walked back to where Lulu and Yuna sat, giving Yuna a hug goodnight and taking Lulu's hand to guide her to the tent. Lulu's face deepened a few shades of red as the couple disappeared beneath the canvas, Yuna watched with slight amusement until she finally retired to her tent as well. Suddenly, Wakka and Tidus found themselves alone and without a tent. "Guess we're sleepin' this one outside, ya?" Wakka sighed as he climbed into a nearby tree.
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Oh yeah, for once I know where this is going to go in the next chapter!