A Dream From the Shadows
Chapter 5
For Rikku, the walk back to the bridge was extremely awkward. She kept glancing over at Traum. He was still wearing his dark glasses, but Rikku was fairly sure he was looking straight ahead.
They had already caught up to Wakka. The three walked in silence. Wakka was in the middle. He glanced back and forth a few times, and then spoke to them. "Hey, it's no big deal, ya? If you want, nobody has to know," he offered. He looked at Traum, who simply nodded his head toward Rikku. Wakka turned to her. She looked up at him in surprise, but slowly nodded.
"I suppose that would be for the best," she answered. Then she added, "Thanks."
"Hey, that's why I'm here for." Wakka smiled.
"We're here." Traum declared.
As Rikku began to gather herself, the door to the bridge opened and Lulu stepped out. Everyone but Traum jumped in shock.
"Oh, sorry," Lulu apologized. "I was just coming to look for you." She looked at Wakka and nodded.
"Okay, well, I'll see you guys later." He stepped through the door to the bridge.
Lulu looked at Rikku, and then she turned to Traum. "I'm sorry. I know I asked you both to come here, but would you mind giving us a minute?" she asked.
"Not at all." Traum replied. "Take all the time you need. I'll be in the bridge when you need me." He smiled and walked through the door.
Lulu turned back to Rikku. She smiled and took the young Al Bhed's hand in her own. "Do you know what I wanted to talk with you about?"
Rikku smiled sarcastically and said, "Well, I can guess."
"I'm worried, Rikku. We don't know anything about him, except that he used to work with Auron. He's dangerous."
"I guess you're right," said Rikku. "But maybe we should give him a chance. Maybe he's not so bad after all."
"That may be. But until we know more, I don't want you getting too close," Lulu warned.
"Thank you for your concern, Lulu," Rikku began, "but I can take care of myself." She tried to be polite about it.
"Fine. Just be careful, alright?" Lulu pleaded.
"Alright," Rikku gave in. She was curious about what Lulu planned to do when she talked with Traum. "What are you going to say to him?"
Lulu smiled slightly and looked at the floor. "I don't know." She walked toward the door, which slid open automatically. Traum had been waiting in the small connecting hallway. He and Auron were talking. Traum saw Lulu and excused himself from his friend.
"Uh oh. Looks like I'm next," he joked with a smirk. As he walked through, the door shut behind him. Rikku started to leave the two, but Lulu stopped her.
"You can stay. It's alright." Lulu said.
"No," Rikku explained, "I really should go."
"Very well." Lulu stepped aside and allowed her to leave.
Rikku went to the bridge, where he father and brother were. Lulu carefully looked Traum up and down. Then he spoke. "Let's just get it out of the way, shall we?" he said while closing his eyes and removing his sunglass.
Lulu thought to herself, "Hmm, lucky guess. There's no way he really could have known." Then she spoke with malice, "Fine." She walked over and smacked him across the face.
"Better?" he asked, putting his glasses back on before opening his eyes. Lulu scoffed in response. "I hope you enjoyed that," Traum continued. "Because it won't happen again."
"Listen. Just because you're a friend of Auron's doesn't mean that you can come in here and try to scare everyone. And just because Yuna trusts you doesn't mean that I do."
"I didn't mean to scare anyone," Traum said, sounding innocent. "I just did what Rikku wanted me to."
"Rikku is young and naïve. And if you hurt her again, you'll have to deal with me before Auron gets a shot," she threatened.
Traum sighed. "Why does everyone keep telling me stuff like that? I'm really not a bad guy once you get to know me."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Lulu narrowed her eyes. "Just watch yourself."
"Is there anything else?" Traum asked, almost annoyed. "Or can I go now?"
"Yes. Where did you get that necklace?" she jabbed.
"I...I don't know." Traum responded hesitantly. "I've had it ever since I can remember. Why?"
Lulu peered at him carefully. She slowly stepped closer to him, looking into his eyes. Traum, for once, didn't know what she was doing. She tried to grab his right hand, but in an instant she was facing away from him, just as Rikku had in the Luca bar. Traum was behind her and slightly to her left, holding her right arm. As Lulu tried to wiggle free, she noticed his flaw in defense. Her left arm was simply hanging at her side, instead of fending off the knife at her throat.
"I'm a mage, and I've got a free hand. Let me go, or I swear to Yevon, I'll freeze them off," she threatened with a smile.
"Hmm, you are dangerous, aren't you?" Traum whispered in her ear, gently brushing her hair back with his face.
"And serious," Lulu warned. "Would you like to continue threatening me, or you rather leave here in one piece?"
Traum edged slightly closer. "Aww, but aren't you having as much fun as I am?" Traum failed to notice Lulu's free hand reaching for one of his many knives.
"Maybe even more," she responded. "Now," she added, "I'll give you five seconds to get your filthy hands off of me." She found the hilt of a knife and slowly unsheathed it, pulling it back to her side. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will."
"You will, huh? Is that a promise?" asked Traum.
"Five," Lulu started. Traum showed no signs of releasing her.
"Four," she continued. Nothing
"Three," she said, feeling the knife being pushed harder on her throat.
"Two!" she gasped.
"See now, isn't this exciting?" Traum teased, still driving the knife.
"One!" she coughed.
Traum whispered again in her ear. "Oops! I guess time's up. I hope you're ready."
"Fine!" Lulu yelled, slamming the blade into Traum. She meant to hit his leg, but instead she hit his side. The pressure relieved from her arm and throat, and she stumbled forward. As she reached to rub her throat, she noticed that her left hand was covered in blood. "Oh, Yevon!" She turned around slowly to see Traum, who was staring at the knife in his side. Blood seeped through his red shirt and ran down the leather pants to the floor, pooling under his left foot.
"I didn't mean..." Lulu began, but Traum put up a hand to silence her. She watched in horror as he removed the knife, bringing it closer to his face. He looked carefully at the blade, and then proceeded to close his eyes and lick the blood from it. He sheathed it along with the knife in his other hand.
"I told you this would be fun." Traum laughed. But Lulu couldn't hear him. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She began to fall, but Traum managed to catch her. He slowly laid her down and stood back up. He looked down and smiled, waiting for her to awake.
Rikku came running in. She saw Lulu on the ground. "What happened?"
"She just fainted. She'll be fine," Traum said casually.
Rikku noticed the blood pooling around Traum's foot. "You're hurt?!" she gasped, walking over to him and pulling back his trench coat to examine the wound.
"Except for the giant holes in my coat and shirt, I'll be fine," Traum reassured her. Rikku's jaw dropped as she saw the blood flow already stopping and the gash in Traum's side closing.
Traum reached out and closed Rikku's mouth, brushing her cheek. "I'd think you were used to surprises by now?" Rikku smiled at him, thankful that he was all right. She suddenly remembered Lulu.
"Oh!" she squealed. She kneeled down and brushed Lulu's hair away from her face. "Lu?" she whispered. "Lu?"
Lulu groaned. She slowly shook her head back and forth before opening her eyes. "What happened?" She sat up, taking Rikku's hand. Rikku helped her to stand, supporting her as she regained her balance. "Thank you." Rikku nodded, still looking concerned.
Lulu looked up, finally, to see Traum smiling there. Blood was no longer oozing out of his side. "Well, I see you're doing just fine," Lulu scoffed.
"Yes, thank you for asking," Traum answered politely. "And yourself?"
"I am fine." Lulu brushed her dress off and cleared her throat.
"Yes, yes you are." Traum smirked. Rikku lightly smacked his arm and mouthed "Hey!" to him. She was glaring. Traum responded with an apologetic look, and an equally silent "Sorry." Rikku folded her arms and turned back to Lulu.
"Whatever," Lulu scoffed again. She walked slowly toward Traum again, stopping a foot in front of him. She pointed her finger at him and glared. "Touch me again, and I swear it'll be permanent this time." She reached once more for his right hand. He moved it closer to her reach, causing her to pause for a second. She finally grabbed his hand.
Rikku let out a quiet squeal, but she knew that she couldn't do anything about it. She silenced herself again.
Lulu turned Traum's hand palm-up. He was smirking the whole time, but had a curious gaze in his eyes. Lulu continued by pulling off his right glove and pulling back his sleeve.
"No," she said, eyes wide. "It can't be." She saw, on his wrist, a tattoo of the symbol from his necklace.
"What?" he asked, pulling back his hand and grabbing his glove.
"It's really you, isn't it?" Lulu asked in amazement. She grabbed his left hand and began to remove the glove. Traum snatched back his hand immediately.
"No!" he commanded.
"But, I just wanted..." Lulu began.
"I know what you wanted to see." Traum hissed, becoming very angry.
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know," Lulu apologized, closing her eyes.
"No, you didn't know. It's alright," Traum eased up. "I suppose you all would have seen sooner or later."
Lulu paused. "Thank you."
"What? What did you want to see?" Rikku wondered.
"This," Traum explained, removing his left glove.
"It's just as I thought," Lulu announced with a smile.
Rikku could only stare in horror. Before she fell into blackness, she managed to say, "Sweet Yevon, how?"
Chapter 5
For Rikku, the walk back to the bridge was extremely awkward. She kept glancing over at Traum. He was still wearing his dark glasses, but Rikku was fairly sure he was looking straight ahead.
They had already caught up to Wakka. The three walked in silence. Wakka was in the middle. He glanced back and forth a few times, and then spoke to them. "Hey, it's no big deal, ya? If you want, nobody has to know," he offered. He looked at Traum, who simply nodded his head toward Rikku. Wakka turned to her. She looked up at him in surprise, but slowly nodded.
"I suppose that would be for the best," she answered. Then she added, "Thanks."
"Hey, that's why I'm here for." Wakka smiled.
"We're here." Traum declared.
As Rikku began to gather herself, the door to the bridge opened and Lulu stepped out. Everyone but Traum jumped in shock.
"Oh, sorry," Lulu apologized. "I was just coming to look for you." She looked at Wakka and nodded.
"Okay, well, I'll see you guys later." He stepped through the door to the bridge.
Lulu looked at Rikku, and then she turned to Traum. "I'm sorry. I know I asked you both to come here, but would you mind giving us a minute?" she asked.
"Not at all." Traum replied. "Take all the time you need. I'll be in the bridge when you need me." He smiled and walked through the door.
Lulu turned back to Rikku. She smiled and took the young Al Bhed's hand in her own. "Do you know what I wanted to talk with you about?"
Rikku smiled sarcastically and said, "Well, I can guess."
"I'm worried, Rikku. We don't know anything about him, except that he used to work with Auron. He's dangerous."
"I guess you're right," said Rikku. "But maybe we should give him a chance. Maybe he's not so bad after all."
"That may be. But until we know more, I don't want you getting too close," Lulu warned.
"Thank you for your concern, Lulu," Rikku began, "but I can take care of myself." She tried to be polite about it.
"Fine. Just be careful, alright?" Lulu pleaded.
"Alright," Rikku gave in. She was curious about what Lulu planned to do when she talked with Traum. "What are you going to say to him?"
Lulu smiled slightly and looked at the floor. "I don't know." She walked toward the door, which slid open automatically. Traum had been waiting in the small connecting hallway. He and Auron were talking. Traum saw Lulu and excused himself from his friend.
"Uh oh. Looks like I'm next," he joked with a smirk. As he walked through, the door shut behind him. Rikku started to leave the two, but Lulu stopped her.
"You can stay. It's alright." Lulu said.
"No," Rikku explained, "I really should go."
"Very well." Lulu stepped aside and allowed her to leave.
Rikku went to the bridge, where he father and brother were. Lulu carefully looked Traum up and down. Then he spoke. "Let's just get it out of the way, shall we?" he said while closing his eyes and removing his sunglass.
Lulu thought to herself, "Hmm, lucky guess. There's no way he really could have known." Then she spoke with malice, "Fine." She walked over and smacked him across the face.
"Better?" he asked, putting his glasses back on before opening his eyes. Lulu scoffed in response. "I hope you enjoyed that," Traum continued. "Because it won't happen again."
"Listen. Just because you're a friend of Auron's doesn't mean that you can come in here and try to scare everyone. And just because Yuna trusts you doesn't mean that I do."
"I didn't mean to scare anyone," Traum said, sounding innocent. "I just did what Rikku wanted me to."
"Rikku is young and naïve. And if you hurt her again, you'll have to deal with me before Auron gets a shot," she threatened.
Traum sighed. "Why does everyone keep telling me stuff like that? I'm really not a bad guy once you get to know me."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Lulu narrowed her eyes. "Just watch yourself."
"Is there anything else?" Traum asked, almost annoyed. "Or can I go now?"
"Yes. Where did you get that necklace?" she jabbed.
"I...I don't know." Traum responded hesitantly. "I've had it ever since I can remember. Why?"
Lulu peered at him carefully. She slowly stepped closer to him, looking into his eyes. Traum, for once, didn't know what she was doing. She tried to grab his right hand, but in an instant she was facing away from him, just as Rikku had in the Luca bar. Traum was behind her and slightly to her left, holding her right arm. As Lulu tried to wiggle free, she noticed his flaw in defense. Her left arm was simply hanging at her side, instead of fending off the knife at her throat.
"I'm a mage, and I've got a free hand. Let me go, or I swear to Yevon, I'll freeze them off," she threatened with a smile.
"Hmm, you are dangerous, aren't you?" Traum whispered in her ear, gently brushing her hair back with his face.
"And serious," Lulu warned. "Would you like to continue threatening me, or you rather leave here in one piece?"
Traum edged slightly closer. "Aww, but aren't you having as much fun as I am?" Traum failed to notice Lulu's free hand reaching for one of his many knives.
"Maybe even more," she responded. "Now," she added, "I'll give you five seconds to get your filthy hands off of me." She found the hilt of a knife and slowly unsheathed it, pulling it back to her side. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will."
"You will, huh? Is that a promise?" asked Traum.
"Five," Lulu started. Traum showed no signs of releasing her.
"Four," she continued. Nothing
"Three," she said, feeling the knife being pushed harder on her throat.
"Two!" she gasped.
"See now, isn't this exciting?" Traum teased, still driving the knife.
"One!" she coughed.
Traum whispered again in her ear. "Oops! I guess time's up. I hope you're ready."
"Fine!" Lulu yelled, slamming the blade into Traum. She meant to hit his leg, but instead she hit his side. The pressure relieved from her arm and throat, and she stumbled forward. As she reached to rub her throat, she noticed that her left hand was covered in blood. "Oh, Yevon!" She turned around slowly to see Traum, who was staring at the knife in his side. Blood seeped through his red shirt and ran down the leather pants to the floor, pooling under his left foot.
"I didn't mean..." Lulu began, but Traum put up a hand to silence her. She watched in horror as he removed the knife, bringing it closer to his face. He looked carefully at the blade, and then proceeded to close his eyes and lick the blood from it. He sheathed it along with the knife in his other hand.
"I told you this would be fun." Traum laughed. But Lulu couldn't hear him. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She began to fall, but Traum managed to catch her. He slowly laid her down and stood back up. He looked down and smiled, waiting for her to awake.
Rikku came running in. She saw Lulu on the ground. "What happened?"
"She just fainted. She'll be fine," Traum said casually.
Rikku noticed the blood pooling around Traum's foot. "You're hurt?!" she gasped, walking over to him and pulling back his trench coat to examine the wound.
"Except for the giant holes in my coat and shirt, I'll be fine," Traum reassured her. Rikku's jaw dropped as she saw the blood flow already stopping and the gash in Traum's side closing.
Traum reached out and closed Rikku's mouth, brushing her cheek. "I'd think you were used to surprises by now?" Rikku smiled at him, thankful that he was all right. She suddenly remembered Lulu.
"Oh!" she squealed. She kneeled down and brushed Lulu's hair away from her face. "Lu?" she whispered. "Lu?"
Lulu groaned. She slowly shook her head back and forth before opening her eyes. "What happened?" She sat up, taking Rikku's hand. Rikku helped her to stand, supporting her as she regained her balance. "Thank you." Rikku nodded, still looking concerned.
Lulu looked up, finally, to see Traum smiling there. Blood was no longer oozing out of his side. "Well, I see you're doing just fine," Lulu scoffed.
"Yes, thank you for asking," Traum answered politely. "And yourself?"
"I am fine." Lulu brushed her dress off and cleared her throat.
"Yes, yes you are." Traum smirked. Rikku lightly smacked his arm and mouthed "Hey!" to him. She was glaring. Traum responded with an apologetic look, and an equally silent "Sorry." Rikku folded her arms and turned back to Lulu.
"Whatever," Lulu scoffed again. She walked slowly toward Traum again, stopping a foot in front of him. She pointed her finger at him and glared. "Touch me again, and I swear it'll be permanent this time." She reached once more for his right hand. He moved it closer to her reach, causing her to pause for a second. She finally grabbed his hand.
Rikku let out a quiet squeal, but she knew that she couldn't do anything about it. She silenced herself again.
Lulu turned Traum's hand palm-up. He was smirking the whole time, but had a curious gaze in his eyes. Lulu continued by pulling off his right glove and pulling back his sleeve.
"No," she said, eyes wide. "It can't be." She saw, on his wrist, a tattoo of the symbol from his necklace.
"What?" he asked, pulling back his hand and grabbing his glove.
"It's really you, isn't it?" Lulu asked in amazement. She grabbed his left hand and began to remove the glove. Traum snatched back his hand immediately.
"No!" he commanded.
"But, I just wanted..." Lulu began.
"I know what you wanted to see." Traum hissed, becoming very angry.
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know," Lulu apologized, closing her eyes.
"No, you didn't know. It's alright," Traum eased up. "I suppose you all would have seen sooner or later."
Lulu paused. "Thank you."
"What? What did you want to see?" Rikku wondered.
"This," Traum explained, removing his left glove.
"It's just as I thought," Lulu announced with a smile.
Rikku could only stare in horror. Before she fell into blackness, she managed to say, "Sweet Yevon, how?"