Thank you all for the lovely reviews! You're all so nice and...nice. Heh. Yeah I'm bad at wording things I know.

//Charmed Amber\\

You really think so? Well I will be updating this...obviously and I'm glad you like the story. By the way you get a plushie of your favorite character for being the first one to review this! Er-who's your favorite? ^^;;

//SPHeRe HuNtEr RiKkU\\

Hiya Rikku! *huggleglomps* I'm glad you like this too! Like I said I wouldn't have been able to do it without you! I hope you continue yours as well! It's really good! Thank you sooo much! And Gippal stop being stupid.

//aer-seph4eva\\

AHHHH!!! One of my favorite authors reviewed my story! I am so...so honored. *bows* Yesh I have become a great fan of Shuyin+Yuua as well! Actually I've always loved that couple and finally got my friends to like I after reading YOUR fics! Anyone who hasn't read them-better! They rock! Yeah but you have to continue that one you were going to make a one-shot. I swear you have to. I'm through now, thanks again!

//craZy18gurl\\

You really think it's that good? I've written better...trust me. I bet you all know that already though, considering the poor quality of this fic. But thank you for making me feel better!

Well thank you again for the reviews! I wouldn't be continuing without them! Actually I probably would so...

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LennexShuyinxYunaxTidus

GippalxRikku

PainexBaralai

NoojxLeBlanc

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Eternal Rhapsody

Chapter Two: Painful Hallucinations

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The sound of Rikku's fingernails against the table was nothing short of intentional . The trio had been waiting for people to arrive for over forty- five minutes now and it seemed everything around them had stopped, boredom was quickly settling over the cliff. It was evident on their faces as well as in the unusual movements they made. Yuna's head was down on he table, her hair making a curtain around her face-yet she appeared to be asleep and drooling, Tidus was banging his head on a near-by palm tree as if attempting to knock down a few coconuts, he succeeded only once, and Rikku of course was drumming her nails against the wooden table with a blank look in her swirled green eyes, even a squatter monkey that had joined them was face down in the dirt.

Flattening her smooth hands against the table, she wrinkled her nose and stood to her feet. Why didn't they come? Where were they, did they not like her or something? I mean, she was never the most popular of the Gullwings but still at least some people liked her-right? Usually she wouldn't have been this sad about anything, she would have gone strait to the Celsius demanded Shinra to let her use the commsphere, then find where they were and yell at them. But today she wasn't in much of a hyper yelling mood. All she felt like doing was crying her eyes out and watching something on SV.

The blond girl let out a sigh and started down the hill, keeping her head down the whole time. She decided waiting would make her even more depressed, something she had been experiencing for a while now. Her cousin automatically was revived form her 'I'm asleep go away' state as soon as she felt the air next to her rise. Tension rose in the gunner as she stood to her feet, hoping to encourage the blond o wait a little longer. It was weird they hadn't come yet; it was supposed to start two hours ago after all.

"Rikku wait!" her cousin pleaded. "I'm sure they'll be here..." It was no use, Yuna couldn't think of a thing to say to console her friend. Some cousin, nothing she said would make Rikku feel better. The last time she had felt this bad was when she was a kid. Cid had grounded her and Gippal for going out into the desert to look for machina alone, of course Brother was grounded as well.

As she plodded down the side of the mountain along the island, she too caught wind of the odd-looking masses that loomed above her. Though she wasn't as interested in them as Wakka or Lulu, so she simply bypassed them with no consideration what so ever. She managed to pass the nearest waterfall and ruins while keeping her composure, but broke down as soon as she reached the village.

"Whoa. Check out the water-works,, ya?" Wakka noted, pointing to Rikku. The couple was just about to head up to Rikku's gathering when the Al Bhed came flying down the hill in tears. Lulu sacked him with her free arm and lead him back towards their home where Lulu's friend Amora had been cooking for Rikku's party.

"She's probably upset no one is here yet." The black mage explained, glaring at her husband. "Leave her alone for a while. The last thing she needs is us fussing over her."

As she tumbled into Yuna and Tidus' hut, she almost fell flat on her face. Thus giving her more of a reason to cry. Flopping face down on the bed she was able to restrain from throwing a fit. She was sick of being a baby, sick of being the innocent one. It was strange how Yuna was the one that was always squalling yet everyone stilled maimed her as the childish baby. Though she couldn't really blame them, it was true in a way. She as always complaining and making everyone else feel bad if something she expected to happen didn't. Inside they all knew she meant well, but to herself she wasn't being very helpful. Maybe she should have been worrying about others rather than herself. Her friends had been kind enough to consider coming, getting mad because they didn't wouldn't solve anything. After all-it was just a stupid little birthday party.

What ever it was that broke the dam inside of her was beginning to fade, unsure as to why she was crying in the first place. Stress could be the one to blame. She had been so worked up about everything lately, though selflessness wasn't the main center of attention she /wanted/ everyone else to be happy.

Maybe she just needed herself to be happy, to be relieved of the burden placed on her shoulders. It seemed, like the younger sister thing, the role of 'Cheer Everyone Up Girl' was growing old. But she didn't want to let anyone down, she had to try. She had to be stronger.

+++++++++

"Poor Rikku," the brunette sympathized, gazing in the direction Rikku had gone. Yuna had noticed Rikku's sadness lately and blamed herself for putting too much pressure on the young Al Bhed. She too felt helpless like this at times.

"She'll be okay," Tidus assured, putting his banging to a halt. "I know her, she's stronger than she seems." Yuna agreed and linked her arm with his.

Of course Rikku would be all right, hopefully. Everyone had a tendency to underestimate her. It wasn't fair to either of them that they were both so stressed about things like this. She sighed and looked up at Tidus. He grinned back at her, hoping she would quit being sad long enough for them to have at least /some/ fun.

Yuna swallowed hard, for that smile he always gave her was working its wonders again. The smile he had that would make any /girl/ do any/thing/ he wanted her to. The intense sensation she got whenever 'he' was around was stronger than she ever would have imagined. She remembered...remembered what it was like to be alone. She had a negative feeling that stirred within her that day, that day that shattered her world into a million pieces. She could re-call the painful feeling of her consciousness reducing itself to an endless expansion of white. Nothing remained for her but sadness and a solitary life on a small island.

It was the kind of feeling you get when everything you had lived for has been torn away from you. Like getting your heart ripped out and trashed, hidden beneath a pile of Chocobo wings. She knew the he wasn't coming back, the second he disappeared into the empty voids of darkness that bared the name: Farplane. She knew he was never going to hold her again, or make her smile and laugh. She would never hear his voice again. But she had been wrong. That battered corkscrew that had been wedged into her soul had been pulled free the day they rid Spira of Vegnagun.

But now everything was all right, she no longer had to worry about the weight of Spira on her shoulders. Between every restless interview she was forced to attend, and every fight she was forced to deal with-he was there with her. That smile she was hesitant to put on every morning, so fake that it used to cause her pain, was fading into something real. Just touching her arm sent violent shivers up her spine.

Tilting his head to the side, the blond haired man noticed the woman next to him was taken from reality. He was used to Yuna's constant daydreams and thoughts that wandered aimlessly through her mind like a river, he had learned to accept it. That was one of the many things he loved about her. Particularly her innocent, oblivious demeanor.

"You alive?" he joked, waving a glowed hand rapidly in front of her face.

Her crystalline eyes shifted their empty gaze upward and gained that lively look they always held. She nodded, smiling slightly at the fact she had slipped off into her dream world again.

"Hey guys!" Rikku called out, waving her arms frantically in the air. Determined to crawl out of that baby shell and become stronger, she had resorted to false happiness.

"Mood swings again?" Tidus assumed, laughing sheepishly at the Al Bhed. It was amusing how she was in tears one moment, and the next calling them, like nothing had ever happened.

"Apparently so..." Yuna replied with the same tone of uncertainty.

The bouncing ball of energy giggled and jumped up into the air, hoping her act was good enough. As suspicious as it was-it would have to do for now. If anyone knew she felt even the slightest bit discouraged about anything, it was pity time.

"I'm sorry about...you know," the brunette apologized, looking down at her boots.

Rikku blinked and let out another precipitous giggle, oblivious to the look that Tidus was giving her. The kind of look one gives a person when they are close to certain that they are either insane or extremely deranged. "No Yunie! No!" she cried, hugging her cousin. "I should be sorry for all that I put ya through. I was being really bitchy ya know?"

Tidus had to restrain laughter; Rikku noticed this and glared angrily at him. Tidus simply shrugged his shoulders and snickered lowly. The hotheaded Al Bhed grunted and stuck her tongue out at him, getting the same action in response. Their silent war was corrupted by a rather abrupt shriek coming from behind them.

"Why would they becoming to Besaid?" a short redheaded girl asked in a hushed whisper. A similar girl with long silver hair shrugged her shoulders and looked around nervously.

"I don't really know, but I hear they're getting here soon! All three of them!" The redhead gasped and stumbled backwards. "That's right all of them! Meyvn Nooj, Praetor Baralai, and Master Gippal!"

Rikku snorted with astonishment clearly evident in her voice tone. "Master Gippal? They're /not/ serious. Master Gippal of the Kingdom of Annoyance maybe..."

"Maybe they're here to see Lady Yuna," the silver haired girl suggested. "Maybe."

Rikku wrinkled her nose. Why couldn't they consider the fact they /weren't/ here to see her cousin. She loved Yuna and all, but couldn't help but be jealous of her. She had it all, everything she didn't have anyway: Beauty, fame, love, and happiness. Though we all know Rikku had all that too...well except fame maybe. But hey, they were coming! They hadn't forgotten about her after all!

"You here that Yunie!? Rikku asked, not giving consideration that she had eavesdropped. "They are coming after all!"

"Who?" both Yuna and Tidus asked in unison. Unlike their friend, the couple hadn't been paying much attention to the people passing by, there were too busy having their own conversation about the clouds. Much like Wakka and Lulu, who had decided to wait in their hut after all, they found the weather quite intriguing.

'Gippy, Nooj and Baralai!" she explained, her face glowing with sheer excitement. "I heard it from those girls over there...er-nevermind."

"If you say so Rikku..." the blitzball player muttered, stalking off in the opposite direction.

"Oh shut up you nerd! The blond retorted, pouting in a childish manner. "Sometimes he really gets me mad." Yuna grinned and patted Rikku on the shoulder, giving her a sympathetic hug. "Sure Rikku. Sure." "WHAT?"

Yuna snickered and walked after Tidus, shaking her head, leaving her cousin standing there with a scowl.

+++++++++

Around the same time, Gippal Nooj and Baralai had managed to make it to the island of Besaid. No thanks to Gippal's solution to the speed of all Shoopuffs. No doubt the Hypello would be eternally grateful, they showed it by offering an odd shaped cheese to the group. Nooj had hesitated; Gippal could have sworn he was about to do an inspection when Baralai saved him the trouble by taking the reward with that usual smile of his.

The race of blue tainted people (thingys...) had offered them a ride to Besaid on Tobli's boat. Without asking, they had taken it and allowed the group to take it all the way to Besaid. Though neither of them could get the machine to work. Gippal stepped in once again and got them to Besaid faster than you could say 'I have a Chocobo eating drake in my pants.'

Knowing Gippal, after coming to the rescue twice, big-headedness was sure to infect his brain. That is if it already hadn't been overwhelmed with the satisfaction of being right over Nooj for once.

"Who's good? Who's good? Who's good? Who's g-"

"If you value your life in the slightest you'll stop." Nooj commanded in his oh-so-normal tone of voice.

"Nooj, it isn't his fault that he is rarely right," Baralai defended, smiling at Gippal.

"You know the sad thing is I think he's serious." Nooj retorted, blinking at the ghastly haired praetor. Gippal scowled and stepped on Nooj's good foot.

Nooj hardly flinched from the impact against his foot; Gippal really wasn't as strong as he came off to be. Well, not compared to Nooj anyway, they weren't alike enough to compare anyway-unless stubbornness is in terms of things in common.

"GIPPAL!!!!!!" came shrill voice from around the corner of the beach they had been patiently walking along. The tall rocks to their right blocked whoever was calling the leader of the machine faction, but they all recognized that untamed voice. A few moments later a thin blond stormed around the corner, her swirled eyes dyed the color of an emerald were blazing with fury.

"Uh oh..." Gippal muttered, setting of a snicker from his two accomplices.

'WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN!?" Rikku cried, throwing her hands up in the air, the familiar hint of anger lacing her high-pitched voice. "I mean, does it really take that long to get here and co-"

"We're sorry Rikku." Baralai interrupted, giving her a reassuring smile. "You see we had problems with a Shoopuff, thanks to Gippal we got here. He was really eager to get here you know."

Rikku made a face and quirked an eyebrow at the blond Al Bhed. "You...were?" Suddenly she felt her cheeks warm up to a heat that would have cooked eggs if you had cooking talent. Why was she blushing? She had no need to, did she? She certainly hoped not after all, she did know who Gippal was. Gippal! That annoying little brat who used to get her in trouble all the time, blaming everything on her and still to this day making fun of her. What was to like? Nothing, right?

Spinning around to hide her face, which had already flushed to the point where she was sweating like crazy, she snorted rudely and rolled her eyes.

"Give me one reason I should believe you!" she snapped, now working on hiding her surfacing grin. The other men stumbled backwards at Rikku before she laughed. "Come on," she said. Grabbing hold of two out of three of their hands. "Let's go!"

++++ Bevelle ++++

"I'm sorry Praetor Baralai isn't here at the moment." A young woman in a lacy white robe bowed respectfully to the stranger who stood calmly before her, glowering down at her as if she was the choice between life and death. "He will return in a few weeks or so, I apologize."

The figure nodded and continued along the road that lead assumingly to the Bevelle Temple. A dark hood the color of blood was draped over its head, concealing any attribute that would give away it's features. A thin hand the color of honey draped itself over the railing, its owner gazing out at the city that lay before it. With a disoriented shake of its head, it continued up the path until it managed to slip inside the temple undetected. Some guards, eh?

Priests in robes and other people that served within the temple were lingering about, bypassing the statue of Lady Yunalesca that darkened the passage. The flickering blue flames that were lined up along the hallway were dancing about, littering Pyreflies across the misty floor.

The figure seemed to ignore the surprised looks others were presenting to it as it walked by, having no concern for the others that resided here.

As the unidentified being reached the main hall, its gaze shifted upwards to the lift that was on it's way down to the floor it was currently on. Inactively, it stepped onto the glowing piece of machina and rode it to the highest floor. Upon arrival, it looked around hesitantly and scurried down a hall that was scattered between many confusing ones that looked similar.

When the end of the hall came into view, a rapid moving emblem that was sealed across the wall began glowing immediately. It stopped when an arm that matched the color of the hand reached outwards and placed its palm flat against the cold stony surface of the seal. Ever so slowly it parted and revealed a darkened chamber that was lit by Pyreflies.

Drawing back, the figure gasped then took an uneasy step into the room, listening as the seal closed behind it. In the center of the otherwise empty alcove was a table, a simple table made of some sort of material. As the figure neared the center of the room the Pyreflies disappeared from existence and the room became deadly silent.

Obviously not frazzled by the creatures and their odd movements, the figure lay something across the table and nodded. Turning back around it seemed almost saddened as it looked to the floor. A single tear fell to the ground as a shaking gasp escaped its lips.

"I hope you will not have to use this. If you do, I am sorry for his actions." The secluded voice uttered, unable to define the gender because of it's tone.

With its final words, the cloaked figure looked up to the ceiling and disappeared in a void of Pyreflies.

++++Besaid++++

"-HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

The final chorus of Happy birthday had just ended and a very proud looking Rikku stood in the center of the village before a long table. She beamed and shot a gust of wind outwards, watching as he candles puffed into smoke as she blew. The crowd of people erupted into laughter and clapping, Tidus was whistling actually, as he Al Bhed stepped back to admire her work.

"Aw Rikku!" Tidus complained, rolling his aquamarine eyes with annoyance.

"What?" Shrieked the girl who had just become 18 moments before. Everything had been going great since Gippal and the rest of he group arrived. Rikku's day had been brightened up as well as her confidence in herself and others. She no longer had any need to be jealous either. The two girls who had assumed Yuna was the one they were to visit had given her a rather nice present and had been longing to talk to her all day.

"Now we can't eat it!" he replied, starring incredulously at the pastry Rikku had been standing over.

"And why not?" she retorted, folding her arms over her shoulders and shifting her weight to one leg in a snappish manner. "It looks perfectly fine to me."

"You spit on it Cid's girl!" Gippal, now hooting with laughter, answered her.

"I have a name you know!" she cried, stomping her left foot into the dust. "Use it!"

"Sure Cid's girl," Gippal mocked, still not over his laughing fit.

"Ack! GIPPAL!" Rikku screeched. She jumped off the bench she was standing and ran towards Gippal.

"Nuuuuu!!" he shouted, starting to run away from her as she rapidly gained on him. The female Al Bhed got hold of Gippal's shirt and forced him onto the cobblestone ground, he cried out and struggled to stand. Successful, he started off towards the beach, flailing his arms like an idiot. Rikku didn't stop running either, she chased him until both were out of view of the crowd.

"Think it's safe to let them go off alone?" Nooj joked flatly, folding his arms as well.

"They're fine." Baralai assured, starring after them as if a herd of Chocobo's had bitten everyone's head off then started dancing to 'We Are Family'. But we all know Baralai's imagination isn't that interesting. He sighed and slipped back into the crowd along with Nooj, undetected.

Yuna giggled and waved to her cousin shouting: "Good luck catching him! He's fast!" as she disappeared up the hill. Rikku gave her: "Don't worry Yunie! I will then I'll kill 'im!" back.

She was so absorbed in the Al Bhed's antics she didn't hear Tidus sneak up on her. When he approached, she jumped with surprise than glared angrily at him for startling her like that. Tidus shook his head and slipped his arms around her waist as she began scolding him on doing something so 'immature'. The blond however wasn't really paying attention to her lecture, needless to say he never really did. He had even begun to think that she had a book of lectures to give on what things and when to give them. Sometimes he found it kind of creepy. Especially when he was right.

Forcefully kissing the woman's neck, he snorted slightly at her nagging. Yuna stopped and rolled her eyes. "If you're trying to get off the hook you're doing a good job." She muttered. He ignored her and continued kissing her until she eventually gave in. Yuna turned around and freed herself from the man's grasp, which had weakened; pursing her lips together she sighed and rolled her eyes once more.

"What?" Tidus asked, shrugging his shoulders innocently. "I didn't do anything!"

"You have a guilty conscious," she explained, slinging her arms around his neck.

She pressed her soft crimson lips against his and kissed him softly. Tidus pulled back and quirked a bored eyebrow at her. The gunner merely wrinkled her nose at his expression and kissed him again, this time harder and longer. The whole time she had to resist the urge to smile. This was the life she had wanted to live for such a long time. This was the life that had been waiting for her for eternity, the one she was meant to live out. With 'him' by her side. Everything was...well perfect right?

Somewhere in heart there was this feeling telling her it wasn't right, something wasn't right that is. She felt a twinge of nervousness Tidus pushed her against a palm tree. Letting out a surprised moan, the woman ran her hands through his feathery blond hair-not being able to stop her smile this time. Usually her feelings were correct as well as the horrible ones she always got before something bad would happen.

The clouds overhead must have thought so as well for that instant lightning thundered through the sky, lighting up the ocean so one could see deeper than usual. She would have jumped if it weren't for the current situation she was in.

Perhaps she was being paranoid about things. It had been a year and so far nothing was going wrong, why should it now? She was about to ask Tidus about it when a blasting pain shot through her arm, sending a message to her brain that pain was growing somewhere in her body. The woman lurched forwards and fell to the ground; Tidus was able to keep her from cracking her skull by grabbing her arm.

"What's wrong?" he asked frantically, worry etched plainly on his tense features.

"M-my arm!" she cried, gripping it with all the energy she had welled up inside her. "It hurts..."

Tidus leaned over just as another vehement shockwave of heat shot through the veins tunneling through her body, causing her to lurch forward again. The agonizing sound she was making had frightened him slightly. What was wrong with her? She had been fine a few minuters-er-seconds rather, ago.

The fervid heat that was wrenching through her arm had grown about twice as much and was now paining her to even make the slightest movement with it. Digging her lengthy nails into her sun-warmed flesh, Yuna was able to stand with the help of her friend.

"Let's go." Tidus instructed, giving her a worried frown while pulling her back to where the party was at full force.

Yuna nodded in agreement as she made a motion towards the hill where Rikku had gone. The pulsing and throbbing of both her head and arm was making her extremely dizzy and she needed to lie down as soon as possible.

They were able to sneak past the partygoers and into their tent where the duvet had been messed up thanks to Rikku. Setting Yuna down on the cot, the blitzer placed an arm on her shoulder as she lowed her head against the pillow that was backed up against the wall.

"What happened?" he asked once she had calmed herself down to the point she was able to communicate.

Taking a firm hold of her supposedly injured arm again, she swallowed and let out a slight gasp. "I don't know..." she admitted truthfully, intertwining her fingers with each other.

She was about to speak up again when something flashed before her eyes. A haunting image that chilled her beyond what a normal human would call fright.

A girl stood in the doorway, woman rather, for she looked about 21. Her long hair was the color of a filthy rag and her eyes were hollow and empty. What probably used to be a hairpiece was strung lifelessly through her stringy tresses weaved down passed her ears. Her skin was the color of ashes but somewhere past that was warm tan skin with various scratches and bruises littering her arms. Her face was scarred with burns and gashes sealing her eyes halfway shut, a large bruise crushing her nose inwards. Dried blood stuck aimlessly to her forehead, gluing her hair to her face.

Yuna was petrified and clamped her eyes shut, hoping to block out the image as it moved closer. As she did so they became worse. People and other forms of life that looked like they had been killed then revived painfully were sprawled across her vision, clouding her eyes. Cries and screams echoing through her ears as if tempting her to go insane right then and there.

"Stop!" the ex-summoner pleaded, clutching her head. Tidus looked up and sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Pleading for her to inform him what was wrong, he didn't even notice Nooj and Baralai enter the hut.

"Lady Yuna!" Baralai gasped upon entering. The praetor furrowed his eyebrows and sat down on the opposite side of the brunette, his eyes straining to see what was happening. "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know!" Tidus explained what had happened, the whole while pulling Yuna closer to him as if protecting her from some invisible threat.

"Lady Yuna are you alright?" Nooj asked recliningly, more or less concerned than Baralai.

"Please stop!!" she shouted, not bothering to answer the red clad Meyvn.

The images were getting more horrific by the minute and had paralyzed her to the point where she was shaking uncontrollably. She had never been so frightened about something so simple in her life. To any other person, it wouldn't have been as painful or frightening for that matter. But it seemed, to Yuna that she had experienced this somehow before.

Shouts of anger and hurt were blocking all sound from entering her ears, curses and pleading among the withered cries. With every sense of hatred and every shout of profanity, her composure was crushed even further.

"Stop it! Please just stop!" she cried again, doing her best not to lose it in front of her friends. The second she asked, everything stopped. Everything completely cleared out of her mind and was erased to a blank sheet of white. Before she was brought back to reality she caught a sound coming from all around her.

"I'm sorry. I really am." it insisted, sincerity within its alluring tone. "Please forgive me for hurting you and inflicting so much pain on you all. I deserve nothing less but to die, but you shall have to take that fall for me. And I'm sorry."

The last thing Yuna heard before blacking out was Tidus' voice, telling her something was wrong.

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^_^ Cliffhanger! In a way...anyhow! Another chapter, another poor pigeon killed. Our problem is really getting better with every gunshot. O_o Ehehehe...Though I do feel bad for them. Kind of. Please read and review! I hope you liked this chapter...

+~+ Songstress Yunie +~+