Sleeper
Rikku tossed the ribbon into a corner, along with the purple dress. The monk boots stood nearby with the tops flopped down and the white lining showing.
There was a dazed girl standing in front of a mirror. For someone who had worn ceremonial dresses for most of her life, change was a big thing. Yuna was still adjusting.
Instead of her trusty boots, light purple shoes with rubber soles were staring up at her. They stopped below her ankles, leaving nothing but pale skin to halfway up her thigh. There started a pair of elastic shorts mostly covered by a one-piece sleeveless dress that was purple near the hem and faded into a light sky blue around her neck. The outfit was completed with a deep blue ribbon worn low around her waist and tied in a bow, smaller than her old one, with long loops that swayed behind her when she turned.
The whole thing was very form fitting; the dress had a long slit up one leg and, most shockingly of all, a small diamond-shaped cut in the midsection that neatly showed off her bellybutton.
Rikku took a step back to size up her creation, whistling in approval. "Ha! That's so you, Yunie!" She said, trying not to laugh from the look on Yuna's face. It took the girl a moment to find her voice.
"… It's… it's certainly some one…" She said, examining the clothes as if any moment they'd grow teeth and bite her. Rikku stifled a giggle and Yuna shot her an accusing look that turned to an uncertain smile at the sight of the girl's peppy excitement.
"Haha… you just have'ta give it some time. Change is good, remember?"
"Yes, I guess you're right," she said, removing her hands from her bellybutton and placing them behind her back. "And now no one will recognize me."
"Well…" Rikku mused, tapping a finger on the side of her face. Yuna knew she must have been joking.
"Rikku, I don't recognize me!"
"I don't know. You look great, but the image needs something." Rikku said.
"… Layers?" Yuna offered. Rikku shook her head.
"Wait, that's it!" she snapped her fingers. Yuna was about to ask what before a pair of black goggles were pulled around her neck and pushed up to her forehead. Her brown hair tumbled back around her ears.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the new Yuna!"
"Hm… you think so?" Yuna said as she adjusted the goggles. The string of beads in her hair was caught under the strap, and she delicately lifted them out.
"Oh yeah," Rikku noticed, "You should probably take those out."
"No, I can't" Yuna examined the lock of blue beads. "I've had them for a while, I don't want to lose them." Her voice became detached as she looked at them.
"Alright then, here." Rikku separated the strand from the rest of Yuna's hair and let it fall straight beside her face. "That's probably good enough."
Then Rikku picked her own outfit. It was just about as revealing as Yuna's, with a skimpy yellow top, short skirt and jacket that she let slip down her shoulders.
"Excellent." She said.
"Now what?" Yuna asked, still a bit apprehensive about the plan.
"Now," Rikku answered with total confidence, "We hope the bot's still at large." She clipped her tool belt on and checked the door. Yuna followed suit, tying the sash with her black pouch around her waist. Rikku pulled a small gizmo with one red trigger out of her belt. She pushed it.
At first, nothing happened. Rikku didn't looked worried, just grabbed the rest of their clothes. She held up three fingers.
"… Two… One…" Then there was a loud crash, followed by more yelling and a rapid series of beeps. Rikku bowed.
"Please, hold your applause." She said as she left the changing room, but the glory was short lived. About three feet in front of her there was a very familiar face.
"Ah, Rikku." He said.
"Rin!" She squeaked, genuinely startled. "What are you doing here?"
"You wanted to see the manager." He said with a wide grin.
"Wow. Who'd have guessed, huh?" Rikku's voice cracked a little.
"Yes, fate truly is strange. How are you Rikku? It has been a long time." Rin was an Al Bhed with long blond hair and a heavy tan. Rikku had known him for a while, and he could always turn heads. It was probably what made him such a good salesman.
"Yeah, since the calm. You've really got a nice place here."
"I decided to settle down." He said, "Business is becoming more centralized, so,"
"Good. We were just going to go check this stuff out."
"Ah yes. And who is your friend?" Yuna had just come out with the rest of the clothes.
"Oh that's-" Rikku searched for a name, but Rin beat her to it.
"Yuna." His eyebrows raised. "It is a surprise seeing you here." She was just as surprised, and even more so when she saw his mellow reaction.
"That outfit is most becoming, my lady."
"It is very nice to see you again too, Rin." She answered courteously.
"Yep! Very nice. We'll keep in touch, but right now we really should be going…" Rikku stumbled over her words, slowly backing to the door. More beeps sounded and a shirt rack fell over. A tiny wisp of smoke rose to the ceiling. Rin didn't turn around, just looked at the two of them trying to hide their guilty faces. He chuckled.
"You know, for you two, the clothes are on the house."
"What, really?" Rikku asked. She looked like an eager kid.
"But," Yuna said, "We should at least pay for the damages." Rikku cringed. It took a second for Yuna to realize, and she shut her mouth and looked at the floor. Rin almost chuckled again.
"Why would you? Malfunctions occur all the time." Rikku didn't say anything, just hugged him. He nodded, and they left.
---
"Is everything okay sir?" A member of the high guard stood in the doorway. His robes were white beneath the silver armor he wore, the sign of an officer. He looked concerned.
"Oh, yes. Everything is fine."
"Are you sure?" the guard asked.
"Yes. Just more nightmares."
The guard chuckled. "Again, Sir?"
"Ha, yes, all the time."
"What is that, Sir?"
"… It's a flower that I've never seen before."
"Hmm," The guard examined it. "A rose maybe?"
"No."
"Well it must be rare then, I've never seen one like it. Then again, I don't know much about the subject." He laughed a little. "Did you, um, find it in the garden?"
"No, it's not from here."
"Begging your pardon, Sir, but you have seemed troubled over the last several weeks. Not to intrude, but have you considered finding someone to, well, possibly ease your stress?"
"I have thought about it, to tell the truth. But that is my problem and we should be focusing on other things. Are the reports in from the excavation yet?"
"Yes sir. They are downstairs waiting for examination."
"Good, perfect. Oh, I'm also curious, has there been any word from Lady Yuna since her disappearing act at the ceremony?"
"I don't believe so"
"Hm. Do you think you could track her? She may need our help."
"Right sir. I will do my best."
"I know. Proceed, Decan."
"Right away, Lord Issaru."
---
Tidus stepped into the enveloping darkness of the chamber of the fayth, relived. It was the end of the road, and there was nowhere left to run. She had to be in there.
The outer chamber was like a crypt without the decorative lights he'd remembered from his first visit. Back then he had wondered what the inner chamber would've looked like, and he still wondered. In his head it was large and mystical. Maybe there was some exotic smoke drifting around. And there were probably lots of candles. That was just what he'd expect from the burial chamber of an ancient spirit.
It was a bit of a letdown, now that he was finally here. He could've been looking into a closet for all he knew; the only hint of space was the cool air that drifted from within. There probably wasn't much to see anyway, just the statue that held the fayth. And of course, the girl.
"Okay! Enough running! I caught you, so come out!" His voice echoed off the walls, leaving the room as deathly silent as before. Tidus suddenly felt unsure. Now's not the time to be afraid of the dark, he told himself. He took another step and something happened.
A circle of deep blue light appeared in the center of the floor. It was barely enough to lift the darkness from the walls, but it gave Tidus an idea of the size of the room, which was pretty close to his expectations. In the circle, beneath the floor, there was a form of a woman. Her arms were crossed and a pair of dragon wings spread behind her. Tidus moved closer to get a better look. Shifting patterns of light, like the ones in the cloyster hall, glided over the statue's surface. He felt himself losing it again, slipping into a trance as he watched the hypnotic motions.
Something else came into view, and he forced himself to snap out of it. He found what he was looking for standing right in front of him; the girl in the white robe was there, in the center of the fayth's circle.
"Tidus…" said a voice that seemed to come from the walls themselves. It was soft and deep. The doubt he felt melted away.
"Tidus…"
"Yes?" The girl looked up at him.
"I… remember you." A pirefly emerged from the wall behind her, followed by another. Soon there were dozens floating around.
"I… who are you?" Tidus asked.
"I…?" The pireflies circled the girl. "I am the servant." There was a ripple of wind in the room and the girl was lifted off the ground. "I am the defender… I am the savior…"
Tidus watched as the girl rose higher. The wind intensified, as the lights grew brighter. The voice became louder as well.
"I am the DREAMER…" Then the figure changed. Her robe fell away and a pair of great wings spread wide.
"I AM THE DESTROYER-" Then the voice halted and the creature shuddered violently. Tidus was out of breath and paralyzed. His mind froze and he could just stand on his useless legs and gape at what he saw. A pirefly passed through his chest, and another one through his arm.
"… Tired" The voice echoed again through the room, weaker now. "So tired of the dream…"
As the words penetrated him, Tidus found his voice.
"The dream…? But it's over! You don't have to-"
"No…" It said, slowly drifting down. "But I remember… Tidus." It touched the ground and collapsed in slow motion to the fayth's glassy surface.
Finding his strength again, he stumbled over to the creature. She looked at him with lights in her eyes, and for a moment she smiled in a familiar way. He leaned closer and she kissed him.
"Don't leave." She said, and everything went white.
K, here it is fully edited and stuff! I'd like to thank Liquid Snake for doing an awesome job editing all my chapters for me, I don't know what I'd do without him.
Anyway, I'm already working on chapter nine so check back in a few days
Oh and thanks for the notice about chapter 6 not showing up entirely, it was working for me but I uploaded it again anyway. Let me know if the problem persists and if there are any other technical things going on please let me know!
Thanks again, I hope you enjoy it this far!