Rikku was startled out of the unexpected slumber she had fallen into by the
firm grasp of a powerful hand on her shoulder. She wondered how she
could've possibly drifted off under such circumstances as she found herself
in as she complied with the man's waking gesture and gradually stood up.
She also rubbed both of her eyes vigorously in order to remove what
exhaustion remained from her "rude awakening" in every sense of the term.
When she opened her eyes again, she was caught entirely off guard by the
sight she saw before her.
The nothingness of the Farplane that she had been tossed into had dissipated as she slept and left in its wake a magnificent city in the clouds. Rikku gasped in sheer amazement. Architectural masterpieces of all shapes and styles towered majestically above her. The streets were overflowing with cheerful citizens speaking with one another amidst the gorgeous scenery. Quite possibly most extraordinary of all, the vast array of colors that had previously pervaded the emptiness that Rikku once believed to be the essence of this world still radiated throughout the metropolis in its place, leaving not a single person or place untouched. It was as though someone had scooped up the city and placed it at the crest of a rainbow.
Rikku forgot to be angry.
Rikku forgot to be afraid.
She simply marveled at the remarkable location of her new and eternal existence in awe and, after much consideration, with a little newfound hope.
"I assume your vision has adjusted," Auron stated after allowing Rikku a few moments to collect herself and snap back into reality. Apparently those few moments were too few. Rikku was still unable to bring herself to speak. She nodded weakly in response to Auron's declaratory inquiry and returned her full attention promptly back to surveying her surroundings.
Auron quickly realized that it could (and most likely would) be quite a while before Rikku's behavior became even slightly recognizable to anyone who had ever met her and decided that it might be best to take her somewhere where she could just sit and ponder this visual and consequentially mental revelation.
"Rikku, I'm going to take you to... Rikku? Ri-" Rikku remained completely still and maintained her unwavering "star struck" stare off into the distance. If anything, it seemed as though she had fallen even deeper into her stupor. Auron gave up on trying to communicate, opting instead to drag her by the arm to the small Al Bhed café he had thought she might enjoy.
"Still no response?"
"None."
Rikku quickly drew a concerned crowd of fellow Al Bheds at the diner and Auron started to regret his choice of setting.
"My brother was like this too when he first got here, but he came out of it really quick."
"Is she going to be OK?"
"Maybe she's ill."
"She's DEAD you idiot."
"Oh, right. Heh. Heh, heh."
"We should probably give her some space."
Auron nodded his head to this particular spectator in appreciation, but, unfortunately, dead people can't always take a hint. The group only grew larger.
They were seated at a table by the window as Rikku had refused to allow Auron to place her anywhere where she didn't have a clear view of the cityscape. Every few seconds, she would raise her hand to wipe away the thin layer of fog that formed on the glass due to her close proximity and deep breathing. Other than that, she had absolutely no connection to anything around her. She was busy contemplating how any of this could be possible and if she should care how any of this could be possible. How could this huge and fascinating world exist unseen by living eyes? If it truly was in the clouds as it appeared to be, why could it not be sensed by people flying in airships or, at the very least, be accidentally bumped into every once in a while? For that matter, how could it stay up there at all? Dozens of questions floated through Rikku's mind and she had a feeling that most of them would never be answered.
Somehow, rather than plummeting her back into the depths of despair that she had just barely escaped from, knowing this pulled her out of her current state of disbelief and uncertainty into an at least temporary state of acceptance. Auron began to see this occurrence in her eyes and sighed deeply in relief.
"Ready to try talking again?" he asked gently.
"Yes... I, I think so."
"All right, then. Questions? Comments?"
Rikku suddenly burst out laughing, causing every single person in the entire establishment to jump a bit in surprise as they had become accustomed to her unusual silence.
"Did I say something amusing?"
"No! I mean, sorry. It just... It sounded like a professor or... I don't know." She began to laugh even harder to the point where it became difficult to breathe. Auron began to smile despite himself and eventually chuckled a bit as well. Rikku was returning. She was truly going to be OK.
Of course, Auron wasn't quite sure how Rikku was going to react to the news about him, but all in due time. He would cross that bridge when he came to it...
...which would probably be when the young and also newly sent man showed up at her doorstep...
...which brought up an important question that he was positive had not occurred to Rikku: just where was she going to set up residence? After all, the tiny room she had been placed in upon her arrival (a Farplane staple for newbies) would only do for so long. He couldn't picture the young girl living alone, but who could serve as her roommate? He certainly couldn't. Firstly, it was morally wrong on several levels, but mostly he knew he would never be able to stand it once she was back to normal. Rikku was a nice girl, but she was way too energetic for his liking.
"Hey, Auron?" Rikku had to wave her hands in front of him to regain his attention.
"Hm?"
"Could I meet Braska? He is... here, right?"
"Of course he is. Where else would he be?"
"I don't know..."
Realizing the curtness of his response, Auron added, "Sorry. Certainly, we can see him whenever you'd like. In fact, he's probably very much looking forward to seeing you, but has not contacted you yet because he wants to allow you to settle in before he further barrages you with unfamiliarities."
"Unfamiliarities? He's my uncle!"
"He's also deceased."
"Well, yeah, but so am I!" Rikku tried her best to muster up a smile.
Auron returned it, easing the tension in Rikku's expression tremendously. "Yes, that is true."
"So, can we see him now?" Rikku's request was filled with her recently lacking enthusiasm and urgency and thus Auron obliged immediately by standing and leading the way as Rikku scampered eagerly after him.
The nothingness of the Farplane that she had been tossed into had dissipated as she slept and left in its wake a magnificent city in the clouds. Rikku gasped in sheer amazement. Architectural masterpieces of all shapes and styles towered majestically above her. The streets were overflowing with cheerful citizens speaking with one another amidst the gorgeous scenery. Quite possibly most extraordinary of all, the vast array of colors that had previously pervaded the emptiness that Rikku once believed to be the essence of this world still radiated throughout the metropolis in its place, leaving not a single person or place untouched. It was as though someone had scooped up the city and placed it at the crest of a rainbow.
Rikku forgot to be angry.
Rikku forgot to be afraid.
She simply marveled at the remarkable location of her new and eternal existence in awe and, after much consideration, with a little newfound hope.
"I assume your vision has adjusted," Auron stated after allowing Rikku a few moments to collect herself and snap back into reality. Apparently those few moments were too few. Rikku was still unable to bring herself to speak. She nodded weakly in response to Auron's declaratory inquiry and returned her full attention promptly back to surveying her surroundings.
Auron quickly realized that it could (and most likely would) be quite a while before Rikku's behavior became even slightly recognizable to anyone who had ever met her and decided that it might be best to take her somewhere where she could just sit and ponder this visual and consequentially mental revelation.
"Rikku, I'm going to take you to... Rikku? Ri-" Rikku remained completely still and maintained her unwavering "star struck" stare off into the distance. If anything, it seemed as though she had fallen even deeper into her stupor. Auron gave up on trying to communicate, opting instead to drag her by the arm to the small Al Bhed café he had thought she might enjoy.
"Still no response?"
"None."
Rikku quickly drew a concerned crowd of fellow Al Bheds at the diner and Auron started to regret his choice of setting.
"My brother was like this too when he first got here, but he came out of it really quick."
"Is she going to be OK?"
"Maybe she's ill."
"She's DEAD you idiot."
"Oh, right. Heh. Heh, heh."
"We should probably give her some space."
Auron nodded his head to this particular spectator in appreciation, but, unfortunately, dead people can't always take a hint. The group only grew larger.
They were seated at a table by the window as Rikku had refused to allow Auron to place her anywhere where she didn't have a clear view of the cityscape. Every few seconds, she would raise her hand to wipe away the thin layer of fog that formed on the glass due to her close proximity and deep breathing. Other than that, she had absolutely no connection to anything around her. She was busy contemplating how any of this could be possible and if she should care how any of this could be possible. How could this huge and fascinating world exist unseen by living eyes? If it truly was in the clouds as it appeared to be, why could it not be sensed by people flying in airships or, at the very least, be accidentally bumped into every once in a while? For that matter, how could it stay up there at all? Dozens of questions floated through Rikku's mind and she had a feeling that most of them would never be answered.
Somehow, rather than plummeting her back into the depths of despair that she had just barely escaped from, knowing this pulled her out of her current state of disbelief and uncertainty into an at least temporary state of acceptance. Auron began to see this occurrence in her eyes and sighed deeply in relief.
"Ready to try talking again?" he asked gently.
"Yes... I, I think so."
"All right, then. Questions? Comments?"
Rikku suddenly burst out laughing, causing every single person in the entire establishment to jump a bit in surprise as they had become accustomed to her unusual silence.
"Did I say something amusing?"
"No! I mean, sorry. It just... It sounded like a professor or... I don't know." She began to laugh even harder to the point where it became difficult to breathe. Auron began to smile despite himself and eventually chuckled a bit as well. Rikku was returning. She was truly going to be OK.
Of course, Auron wasn't quite sure how Rikku was going to react to the news about him, but all in due time. He would cross that bridge when he came to it...
...which would probably be when the young and also newly sent man showed up at her doorstep...
...which brought up an important question that he was positive had not occurred to Rikku: just where was she going to set up residence? After all, the tiny room she had been placed in upon her arrival (a Farplane staple for newbies) would only do for so long. He couldn't picture the young girl living alone, but who could serve as her roommate? He certainly couldn't. Firstly, it was morally wrong on several levels, but mostly he knew he would never be able to stand it once she was back to normal. Rikku was a nice girl, but she was way too energetic for his liking.
"Hey, Auron?" Rikku had to wave her hands in front of him to regain his attention.
"Hm?"
"Could I meet Braska? He is... here, right?"
"Of course he is. Where else would he be?"
"I don't know..."
Realizing the curtness of his response, Auron added, "Sorry. Certainly, we can see him whenever you'd like. In fact, he's probably very much looking forward to seeing you, but has not contacted you yet because he wants to allow you to settle in before he further barrages you with unfamiliarities."
"Unfamiliarities? He's my uncle!"
"He's also deceased."
"Well, yeah, but so am I!" Rikku tried her best to muster up a smile.
Auron returned it, easing the tension in Rikku's expression tremendously. "Yes, that is true."
"So, can we see him now?" Rikku's request was filled with her recently lacking enthusiasm and urgency and thus Auron obliged immediately by standing and leading the way as Rikku scampered eagerly after him.
