BAD me!  I haven't updated in forever, no I have not, bad bad bad me!  I am so terribly sorry about the extreme lack of updatefullness... not that that is a word or anything... oh well

*means thought*

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~~~There and Back Again~~~

-Bikanel Island, 1 year later-

"Please?" I beg, acting my age for the first time in months, "I want to go!" I had tried to act grown up... and it had worked for a while, but no more.

"No!" he snarls, "you are not going, and that is final!"  I pout, tears forming in my eyes.  He raises his fist, threateningly.  I slowly close my eyes and lower my head, then look up at him and give a short, perfunctory nod.  With that, I turn on my heel and walk out, my head held high.

Once outside of the house I pause and brush the tears from my eyes before looking around.  Few people are out and about in the dry, dusty heat.  A woman sits in the shade, a babe asleep on her lap.

I smile at her and prepare to move on when she motions for me to come and sit with her.  I nod and sit down on the edge of the bench.  "Another argument?" she asks me.

A rueful smile covers my face, "Of course, isn't that all we do?  I want to do something, and he refuses..." I stare off into the distance, "is it too much to ask to be allowed to go to my own brother's wedding?" I shake my head, "of course it is.  It isn't as if I would be on my own... but of course, I'm sure you've heard about the wedding, seeing as you're invited."

She rests a hand on my arm and looks me in the eyes, "I will speak with him."  I nod politely and sit back, staring up at the sun.  The babe, Brother, awakens and starts fussing.  "If you'll excuse me, he needs to be fed."

I nod at her, feeling better after talking to her and then go to my favorite place in the town, the Summoner's Sanctum.  The guards on the gate wave me through without asking any questions.  Strictly speaking, I'm not supposed to go and visit them, but that's only because, strictly speaking, I'm supposed to be living there with them and not out and about in the town.

-Bevelle, the day before the wedding-

Auron paced outside the chapel, wringing his hands.  'She won't come,' he kept saying to himself, 'but maybe... seeing as it is his sister Braska is marrying...' A voice brings him back to reality and he stumbles to remember the question.

"Err... come again?" he finally manages to say, "I'm afraid I was lost in my thoughts and I didn't hear what you asked."

Braska smiles and pats Auron sympathetically on the back, "I was just curious as to whether or not you had answered the Maester yet."

Auron shakes his head ruefully, "I'm still holding out for her return... I will give him my answer after the wedding... maybe.  There has to be a chance that she will come."

Suddenly a voice booms across the town, "All men to the decks, all men to the decks, there is an airship landing!  I repeat, airship landing!"

Auron looks at Braska, "that's me, I must go and help, sounds as if it may be Cid, so I would recommend getting over there to greet them, if it is them."

Braska nods; Auron sprints up the steps, he is going to his assigned post for such an 'emergency'.  "Novitiate, you're late." A man snaps from behind him, "For that, you're going to the front."  He nods and follows orders, heading to the front area.

"Sir, I was told to come here and help."  The man glares at Auron.

"We don't need any more rookies, what we need is someone who speaks their heathen language."

"Sir, not meaning to presume sir, but I have some knowledge of their language, Sir."

"Stop wasting my time boy, and get up their and translate!"

Auron salutes, "Sir!"

He calls out to the Al Bhed, "Fru yna oui yht fryd ec ouin binbuca eh lusehk rana?"

The pilot gruffly yells back, "So hysa ec Cid, yht E's rana vun dra tysh fattehk.  Cusa famlusa."

"Ec cra fedr oui?"

"Frana lyh E myht so creb?"

"Rumt uh frema E ycg."  Auron switches back to Spiran and turns to the guard.  "They are wedding guests of Braska and wish to know where they can land their airship."

"Dock two is currently empty, they can land it there."

"Cid, Oui lyh myht ed eh Tulg Dfu."

"Dryhgc, oui'na hud rymv pyt, E lyh caa fro ouin kenm megac oui cu silr."

Auron laughs to himself and turns back to the guard, "They will be landing their shortly, if I may inform Braska of the arrival of his guests...?"

"You may."

-Airship, Zali's PoV-

I stood there and listened as Cid and Auron yelled back and forth.  I was still in shock on how I had managed to come along, but I was not complaining.  No, sir-ee, I was not complaining!

The airship landed and I stepped off the airship, completely surrounded by al bhed.  I spun around, searching.

"Greetings, I am glad you were able to make it." The voice... it has changed so much.  He has changed so much... and I thought it was only the younger ones who change.  Little sisters are not supposed to be able to say that their older brother has changed.  "Please, follow me."

I couldn't resist any longer, I shoved my way past Cid and flung my arms around Braska's neck, "I've... missed you so much, Braskie."

"Zali... oh god, my little sister has gone and grown up on me, what will your fiancé say?  Yevon, I've missed you so much."  He picks me up in his arms and twirls me around.  "Oh, and we have a lot of talking we have to do, you're not off the hook."  I smile sheepishly up at him.  He clears his throat and looks around at the rest, "forgive me, I did not mean to leave you like that, if you would follow me?"  He doesn't set me down and we make our way to the interior of Bevelle, into the heart of the building.

"Sorry, Braska, I got a little side—Zali?"  I look up into the dark amber orbs of his eyes and my heart melts once again.

- -

Fru yna oui yht fryd ec ouin binbuca eh lusehk rana? -- Who are you and what is your purpose in coming here?

So hysa ec Cid, yht E's rana vun dra tysh fattehk.  Cusa famlusa. -- My name is Cid, and I'm here for the damn wedding.  Some welcome.

Ec cra fedr oui? – Is she with you?

Frana lyh E myht so creb? -- Where can I land my ship?

Rumt uh frema E ycg. -- Hold on while I ask.

Cid, Oui lyh myht ed eh Tulg Dfu. -- Cid, You can land it in Dock Two.

Dryhgc, oui'na hud rymv pyt, E lyh caa fro ouin kenm megac oui cu silr. -- Thanks, you're not half bad, I can see why your girl likes you so much.

Oh, and please review, lots of nice and purty reviews makes me all happy-happy inside, and when I'm all happy-happy then I write more!  God knows this world needs some happiness... anyway, please review! Or I fear the end may be coming soon... just let me finish the plot first... oh, and this was kinda a filler chapter thingamajiggie...