Author's Notes – Here's the second installment. Hope you'll enjoy it~!
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"You aren't going to wake her like this, are you?" A voice came from behind. I turned to see the same girl I last met in the airship. Losing my senses, I grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her.
"You did this right?" I shouted.
"Not me," the girl replied. "But someone else more powerful than me," I stood down, my knees feeling weak from the grief. She came close to my ear.
"Auron," the girl whispered. "You're the only one who can save Rikku now," her voice began to soften. Before I could respond, she was gone again. I noticed the lifeless Rikku by the bridge railing.
'Come Rikku, let's go,' I spoke in my conscience, once again holding my love up and putting her onto my back. I began to continue my journey across the bridge while enjoying the sunset and praying that she would not die.
***
'This bridge is so damn long,' I cursed at the never-ending water crossing as I advanced across. It was now night and darkness all around except for the bright round moon to act as my guide. I noticed that Rikku was getting cold as her hands became clammy. 'No! Rikku, you can't die yet!' I quickly took Rikku down and saw that her body had turned paler than usual. With panicked in my heart, I hurriedly put her down by the bridge railing.
I began searching her body for any of her wondrous Al Bhed potions. There was one. Opening her mouth, I poured the thick dark purple liquid down her throat. It was no use; the potion simply drained from her cracked red lips. Deciding not to restrict myself to a warrior monk's code of celibacy, my lips met hers, attempting to blow the potion down her throat. I closed my eyes as feelings of passion got up within my heart.
'I can't let you die yet,' I thought to myself. 'Look, you are still young and your story has only just begun...' I tried to mentally send a message to her mind. I opened my eyes and got to my senses, removing my lips from hers and was shocked. Silvery white tears flowed from her closed eyelids.
"Rikku!" I cried. "Wake up..wake up..!!" I shook her, but there was no avail. I felt her hands; she was warm again, which made me relieved. I closed my eyes once more, mentally tired from what had happened.
***
I ran across the grasslands to a rather old building. I broke open the enormous wooden doors. A couple, a wedding one, was standing at the front of the building, with friends by the aisles. Everyone looked at me, including the bridge and groom. I was shocked at the identity of the bride.
"Rikku!" I ran up to the front, grabbing her hand. I looked angrily at the groom, a young man with grey spiky hair.
"Sir Auron!" a familiar voice came from my side. I turned to see Yuna. "Aren't you supposed to be in the Farplane? How did you come back?" she questioned me. I gave her a puzzled look; I was still unsent and yet to be sent to the Farplane yet.
"What are you talking about?" I retorted back. Rikku struggled free of my grip. "Let me go!" she cried out crossly. "Why are you ruining my blissful marriage?" she demanded an explanation.
"Yeah Auron," a young familiar voice came from behind. It was Tidus. "Why are you suddenly here?"
"Rikku," I spoke softly. "Didn't you like me? During the pilgrimage?" She gave me an astonished look and began to laugh.
"Like you?" she smiled. "Sorry Auron, I've only saw ya' as an older brother, ya' must be mistaken." She turned and continued her wedding ceremony with the groom.
'NOOOOOO!! After what we went through....you rejected me...' I collapsed to the floor.
'"No!!!" I cried out as I woke up to find the bright sunrise. I heaved a sign of relief deducing it to be a nightmare. I turned to find Rikku still unconscious. I held her chin up. "Rikku...as long as I am with you," I began. "I'll lay down my life for you." I took her up by the arm and began to carry her on my back again.
***
I was surprised to see the end of the long bridge. A building stood before my eyes, a colossal one. I advanced to what seemed like the main gate. I gave the gate a slight push, causing it to swing open by a small angle. I began my step in.
I was surprised by what I saw. A man stood by a similar counter I saw in Zanarkand. He took a first glance and took another, adjusting his glasses.
"Good morning to you sir," the man walked to me. "You don't seem to be a local here," he commented. I nodded my head and pointed to the unconscious girl lying on my bed.
"Good riddance!" he exclaimed in surprise. "You mean you walked here all the way across the Forbidden Bridge?" he was amazed at where I had just come.
"Forbidden??" I queried. "Why is it forbidden?" The man adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat.
"A thousand years ago," he began his explanation. "We closed our doors to Zanarkand, exiling anyone who went to that corrupted area. Since then, no one has ever returned here, using this bridge. How did you manage to cross such a long water crossing? You'll need an automobile to travel across."
"What's an automobile?" I asked. "Love makes a person do unremarkable feats," I pointed silently to Rikku who was now laid on a cushion chair.
"From the looks of it," the man commented. "You don't seem to be from Zanarkand. But many people here still think that it's time they lifted the ban on it."
"You don't have to," I replied. "It's been destroyed for a thousand years. All that remains are ruins."
"What?!?" he took a step back. "Then what about the other cities, Bevelle, Luca, Moonflow?"
"I only know Bevelle and Luca exist," I spoke. "I only know of an ancient submerged city beneath the currents of the Moonflow River." The man did not look too happy.
"Well, let's get your friend going," he pointed to Rikku. I nodded.
"Where's the city?" I asked.
"Over there," he pointed to a simple wasteland. I gave him a cold stare, unfazed by a stupid joke. "Oh yes, I forgot you aren't a citizen here, so you can't see it without your identity card, well let's get going." I carried Rikku onto my back once more.
***
I followed the man onto a strange platform. "What's this?" I asked.
"Relax," he said. "It's just a transport into the city," the man began pressing some buttons into a machina. In a minute, the platform rose to life as it sped away from the building. As soon as the moving platform entered through a hoop, the city, it did not deserve to be called a city but a mega-city, began to show itself as a strange invisible veil removed itself.
"Welcome to Esthar," the man spoke as the platform supporting us sped towards the city centre.
---------------------------------------------------------- Is it nice? I hope you enjoyed it although there isn't much of Aurikku inside yet.
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"You aren't going to wake her like this, are you?" A voice came from behind. I turned to see the same girl I last met in the airship. Losing my senses, I grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her.
"You did this right?" I shouted.
"Not me," the girl replied. "But someone else more powerful than me," I stood down, my knees feeling weak from the grief. She came close to my ear.
"Auron," the girl whispered. "You're the only one who can save Rikku now," her voice began to soften. Before I could respond, she was gone again. I noticed the lifeless Rikku by the bridge railing.
'Come Rikku, let's go,' I spoke in my conscience, once again holding my love up and putting her onto my back. I began to continue my journey across the bridge while enjoying the sunset and praying that she would not die.
***
'This bridge is so damn long,' I cursed at the never-ending water crossing as I advanced across. It was now night and darkness all around except for the bright round moon to act as my guide. I noticed that Rikku was getting cold as her hands became clammy. 'No! Rikku, you can't die yet!' I quickly took Rikku down and saw that her body had turned paler than usual. With panicked in my heart, I hurriedly put her down by the bridge railing.
I began searching her body for any of her wondrous Al Bhed potions. There was one. Opening her mouth, I poured the thick dark purple liquid down her throat. It was no use; the potion simply drained from her cracked red lips. Deciding not to restrict myself to a warrior monk's code of celibacy, my lips met hers, attempting to blow the potion down her throat. I closed my eyes as feelings of passion got up within my heart.
'I can't let you die yet,' I thought to myself. 'Look, you are still young and your story has only just begun...' I tried to mentally send a message to her mind. I opened my eyes and got to my senses, removing my lips from hers and was shocked. Silvery white tears flowed from her closed eyelids.
"Rikku!" I cried. "Wake up..wake up..!!" I shook her, but there was no avail. I felt her hands; she was warm again, which made me relieved. I closed my eyes once more, mentally tired from what had happened.
***
I ran across the grasslands to a rather old building. I broke open the enormous wooden doors. A couple, a wedding one, was standing at the front of the building, with friends by the aisles. Everyone looked at me, including the bridge and groom. I was shocked at the identity of the bride.
"Rikku!" I ran up to the front, grabbing her hand. I looked angrily at the groom, a young man with grey spiky hair.
"Sir Auron!" a familiar voice came from my side. I turned to see Yuna. "Aren't you supposed to be in the Farplane? How did you come back?" she questioned me. I gave her a puzzled look; I was still unsent and yet to be sent to the Farplane yet.
"What are you talking about?" I retorted back. Rikku struggled free of my grip. "Let me go!" she cried out crossly. "Why are you ruining my blissful marriage?" she demanded an explanation.
"Yeah Auron," a young familiar voice came from behind. It was Tidus. "Why are you suddenly here?"
"Rikku," I spoke softly. "Didn't you like me? During the pilgrimage?" She gave me an astonished look and began to laugh.
"Like you?" she smiled. "Sorry Auron, I've only saw ya' as an older brother, ya' must be mistaken." She turned and continued her wedding ceremony with the groom.
'NOOOOOO!! After what we went through....you rejected me...' I collapsed to the floor.
'"No!!!" I cried out as I woke up to find the bright sunrise. I heaved a sign of relief deducing it to be a nightmare. I turned to find Rikku still unconscious. I held her chin up. "Rikku...as long as I am with you," I began. "I'll lay down my life for you." I took her up by the arm and began to carry her on my back again.
***
I was surprised to see the end of the long bridge. A building stood before my eyes, a colossal one. I advanced to what seemed like the main gate. I gave the gate a slight push, causing it to swing open by a small angle. I began my step in.
I was surprised by what I saw. A man stood by a similar counter I saw in Zanarkand. He took a first glance and took another, adjusting his glasses.
"Good morning to you sir," the man walked to me. "You don't seem to be a local here," he commented. I nodded my head and pointed to the unconscious girl lying on my bed.
"Good riddance!" he exclaimed in surprise. "You mean you walked here all the way across the Forbidden Bridge?" he was amazed at where I had just come.
"Forbidden??" I queried. "Why is it forbidden?" The man adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat.
"A thousand years ago," he began his explanation. "We closed our doors to Zanarkand, exiling anyone who went to that corrupted area. Since then, no one has ever returned here, using this bridge. How did you manage to cross such a long water crossing? You'll need an automobile to travel across."
"What's an automobile?" I asked. "Love makes a person do unremarkable feats," I pointed silently to Rikku who was now laid on a cushion chair.
"From the looks of it," the man commented. "You don't seem to be from Zanarkand. But many people here still think that it's time they lifted the ban on it."
"You don't have to," I replied. "It's been destroyed for a thousand years. All that remains are ruins."
"What?!?" he took a step back. "Then what about the other cities, Bevelle, Luca, Moonflow?"
"I only know Bevelle and Luca exist," I spoke. "I only know of an ancient submerged city beneath the currents of the Moonflow River." The man did not look too happy.
"Well, let's get your friend going," he pointed to Rikku. I nodded.
"Where's the city?" I asked.
"Over there," he pointed to a simple wasteland. I gave him a cold stare, unfazed by a stupid joke. "Oh yes, I forgot you aren't a citizen here, so you can't see it without your identity card, well let's get going." I carried Rikku onto my back once more.
***
I followed the man onto a strange platform. "What's this?" I asked.
"Relax," he said. "It's just a transport into the city," the man began pressing some buttons into a machina. In a minute, the platform rose to life as it sped away from the building. As soon as the moving platform entered through a hoop, the city, it did not deserve to be called a city but a mega-city, began to show itself as a strange invisible veil removed itself.
"Welcome to Esthar," the man spoke as the platform supporting us sped towards the city centre.
---------------------------------------------------------- Is it nice? I hope you enjoyed it although there isn't much of Aurikku inside yet.