Author's Note: Nooooooo!!!! I wasn't ticked off by the pansy comment! I was really glad that you told me and I was expecting something like that while I was writing-er... typing the story! (Laughs) Well... about the quick updates... I only do that if you guys review it in a zip... you know... every four or more reviews, I upload the next chapter. AND you're certainly right!! Nobody's perfect. Aeris has weird perks. She couldn't stop herself from observing stuffs, doing weird things, acting like a child one minute & then suddenly she's matured... and... well... something else... (Grins) Just read this chapter to find out. READ & REVIEW!!!!
Chapter Six
It was awful.
She felt like a sledgehammer was hitting her head.
And after a few moments of head rubbing and "sense" searching, Rikku noticed that everything around her was completely different. Her green eyes widened as she looked around the big and pretty room. Well, wherever she was, at least she knew that she wasn't in a prison. Maybe this was the house of her rescuer...
Rescuer?
She looked down on her abdomen and searched for the deep laceration.
Nothing...
Normal potions couldn't exactly heal a deep and serious wound like that in a day or even a week. The strange thing is, when she searched her whole body for any scratches or bruises, she found none. The only consolation was the severe body aches... and how she wished that the potion or her healer healed it away too. And speaking of healing, Riley's words quickly returned to her- a month and a half depending on the wound's intensity- and the blow that she received was more or less like the blow that Riley received from Paine.
Well... at least she was alive... and she should be thankful for that.
Her mind wandered back to the rescuer and remembered a black cloak whirling around to slash a fiend with a weapon.
If she wasn't mistaken then her rescuer should be a member of the Black Knights. But then, why didn't the knight confine her in the prison cell and why the angry curses? Of course, anyone would be angry that she escaped the prison but somehow, Rikku felt that the knight's anger isn't because she escaped- it was merely because she got herself hurt for doing something... unreasonably... stupid. Was it just a feeling or was it just her imagination?
Whatever the answer is, it bugged the wits out of her.
Ooh... nothing's making any sense anymore!!! And I was so close to escaping if it weren't for that big beef stake!!
She screamed at herself furiously as she jumped out of the bed and then swayed. Every muscle in her body wasn't cooperating and she felt like she had just been run over by a hover. After gaining composure again, her eyes began to wander around the room.
Where the heck am I?
The door on the other side of the room flung open, making way for a cloaked lady. "Oh... you're awake." Her voice was gentle but amazingly whole and powerful, giving Rikku the impression that this woman bears an incredible skill in public speaking.
Rikku recognized the uniform and then stared up at the lady's shoulder plate: five stars arranged in a circle. She must be one of the top brasses. Her green-gray eyes were strikingly piercing despite the softness of her voice. Then it dawned to her that she found something in common between Riley and the woman who entered the room. Rikku shook her head to clear the thought away and finally realized that she's back in the palace.
"I was expecting that you'll still be asleep for the next 48 hours but I guess you're tougher than you look." The female knight closed the door behind her and smiled at Rikku. "Care for some fresh air?" She marched towards the door on the other side and opened it, revealing a balcony with a marvelous view.
Rikku stepped in the balcony and looked around. The view was extremely fascinating and she didn't exactly know that there's something like this around the island. "Wow..." She muttered. Her eyes were glittering in admiration. Everything that surrounded the castle was in fact a natural beauty that rivals Besaid or even the fading woods of Macalania. It was simply breathtaking.
"You've been sleeping for a week now." The knight immediately burst out, snapping Rikku back to reality. "What exactly happened out there?" She added.
"I was attacked by a fiend and I thought I could take care of it easily." Rikku explained, her eyes blinking in shock. She is having a hard time comprehending the woman's words especially the "sleeping for a week" part.
The female knight chuckled and nodded at her, "Well you could take it down easily enough... you just don't know when and how." She explained and sat down on the chair behind them. "You should've considered any thoughts of danger properly before escaping you know. My name's Louise..." She smiled.
"My name's Rikku..." Rikku flashed a smile, "Are you a general too?" She asked, letting the knight know that she noticed the plate on her shoulders. "I saw Riley's and it looks the same."
"Oh..." Louise smiled and patted her left shoulder's plate. "Yeah... but I deem it unnecessary to mention my rank anyway." She shrugged and chuckled. "I see that you've met my brother."
Did she just say brother? It amused her more than it surprised her. Rikku definitely noticed the similarity between the two and it's definitely the eyes. Although the two certainly have distinct features due to their gender, it didn't take away the similarity of their intensely piercing stare- it almost felt like their eyes could rake into her very soul. Other than that, both of their eyes have touches of gray. The only difference is Louise's doesn't possess the same steely gray color as Riley's. Her eyes were cat-like... it was green-gray; a distinctly unique and beautiful color that strictly emphasized her strong personality.
"Hmm..." Louise grimaced. "Judging by the way you're staring at me, I think you've already found certain similarities ever since you saw me walk through that door..."
"Your eyes..." Rikku chuckled happily. She was perceptively accurate.
"I know..." Louise cringed. "Oh well... so much for familial discretion..." She joked with a chuckle. "Don't get me wrong. I love my brother but he can be really irritating at times."
"I think I'm getting your point. He has the tendency of showing off his charm..." She said, remembering her conversation with Riley. Much like Paine... She mused.
"You seem to be fond of him..." A mysterious smile played on Louise lips and her eyes glistened with an unknown hint.
"He's been nice enough..." Rikku smiled truthfully, dismissing the hints written across Louise's face, "But... why'd you rescued me? And... why wasn't I sent in the prison cell?" Rikku asked.
Louise immediately looked up to her, wonderingly thinking about something. "I didn't rescue you..." She said, blinking her green-gray eyes.
Rikku jerked a pace back and stared in wonder. "Then..." She blinked back, her mind racing in light speed, "Who did?"
"You're worse than I thought you were when I saw you." Louise shook her head and sighed back, "You were delirious and you wouldn't stop murmuring names and calling out for help. I understand the "help" part but the names... I don't seem to understand. I think it was... Yuri? And pain... yeah... you're really in pain so I understood that one and the other... I think it was 'Gip'... something like that..."
Gippal... She thought, her face slightly flushed. She was definitely delirious at that time because she doesn't know why she bothered calling out his name. Rikku recalled the other names and corrected them one by one... "Yuri" was in fact, Yunie and the "pain" that she mistook for the ridiculously "to die for" feeling was the name of her crimson-eyed friend, Paine. And Gip... She grunted in disgust when she remembered seeing him kissing another woman. Enough said... She frowned.
Well, maybe she was cheating herself. She still feels something for Gippal and besides, Rikku DID love him despite the odds that separated them now... and this certainly is one big odd. They were already oceans apart and now, the supposedly metaphorical term has become literal.
When she looked back at Louise, the woman was staring at her amusingly. And her uncomfortable piercing stare was telling her that she was reading her face from the emotions that were putting her in a kind of a weird trance.
"I only healed you but I think the credit of immediate rescue goes to the top brass. The head of this organization." Rikku was half expecting Louise to drill a hole through her defenses but her sudden change of topic was definitely out of the question. This woman was definitely not a force to reckon with. She's complicated and scary in every aspect... with a highly exemplary exception of her unique beauty.
Rikku blinked in surprise when Louise's words finally sank in. She didn't expect their leader to be wandering off in the woods alone. Maybe he was just passing through and saw me. He must be really kind to rescue a prisoner who just escaped. She thought and shrugged the idea out of her mind.
"His name is Rexus... but I guess you know him as Rex."
She winced in disbelief and shock. Her mind shouted a thousand curses and revolt. It can't be true... Louise must be toying with her but- much to her disappointment- she doesn't look like she was joking.
Uh-uh... No way! I didn't just... seriously... THINK... that he's kind... Nah-ah! Not in a thousand years!! I refuse to admit that he's kind because he's an arrogant meanie who... who... saved... my life... He saved... me...
She sighed heavily at the last thought of Rex saving her. She perfectly knew that she inflicted a serious wound on his chest but why the sudden rescue? Rikku never did have problems in understanding other people- even boys- but this one particularly confuses her more than the lot. And she didn't even suspected the arrogant 'meanie' to be leading this organization at all- more or less save her life after almost getting himself killed.
"I'm mighty impressed that you wounded him though. No one's exactly done that..." Louise stopped and thoughtfully burrowed her eyebrows as a sudden thought occurred. "Well... except her siblings but you have some skill with that blade." An appreciating smile curved her lips.
"Why didn't he send me back to prison?"
"Not the bloodiest of ideas for that, honey." Louise shrugged. A small mysterious smile played on her lips and her eyes were glittering at a sudden thought. "Isn't it nice of him, though?"
Rikku frowned at her, "Well, it is but I still think that he's an arrogant, bloated, self-centered egotistical meanie!!" She snapped furiously. Rikku doesn't exactly know the reason why she couldn't bear to stop hating the guy even if he did rescue her life. Everything that Rex does irritates her more than Brother's unbearable rants or Paine's irony and sarcasm... well... maybe a little but Paine was- by nature- sarcastic and ironic at thought.
Louise chuckled amusingly and stood up, calmly walking back towards the room. "I have orders from him that you'll occupy this room as a prisoner." She smiled.
"But, but, but... why not in the prison cell?" Rikku asked. A thousand questions was swirling her head dazedly and she doesn't know which one to fire next.
Louise whirled around with an apologetic- and mysterious- smile on her face, "I really don't know..." She turned around and headed for the door.
"Oh and that 'meanie' that you're referring to..." Louise flashed a smile. Her eyes glittering in amusement at Rikku's as she looked back over her shoulder, "He's also my brother..."
"Ah?" Rikku flinched a step backwards and heard Louise chuckle amusingly.
"Aw... don't worry... I was merely amused by your description of him. You see, most girls find him... god-like with an attitude similar to an angel but you..." She looked back at Rikku with a very amused grin. "You don't seem to think highly of him... and let's just say that you triggered my curiosity about how you would react when I told you that he's my brother." She winked at Rikku.
"Um... maybe... I sort of understand the god-like part but the "attitude similar to an angel"... not even close..." Rikku smiled at her and daringly added, "But I'll understand it if he was compared to the devil himself... he's such a... a... meanie!!"
Was Gippal any better? She stiffened at the sudden occurrence of the thought. Come to think of it, she has this weird habit of being attracted to men who bear attitudes that are unbearable as being consumed by fire. Figuratively speaking at the least.
"I seriously admire your audacity..." Louise chuckled, "And I like you for that..." She sighed and then smiled at Rikku appreciatively again. "At least I know someone who despised my brother... it comforts me, you know. Nobody's perfect." Shrugging to herself, she stepped back and motioned towards the door. "I was afraid that my brother wouldn't be completely exposed to female antagonism. Thank goodness you came in time. I'll send someone to bring you food. You look famished." With one last smile at Rikku, she immediately whirled around and closed the door.
Rikku heard the familiar click from the outside and knew that she locked her in as Rex ordered her to do so. She was basically left behind flabbergasting about- to start off- everything. She just told a key official of this organization about her opinion out of rage and what's worse was the girl that she talked to- audaciously- was none other than HIS sister. How bad could things get? The only comfort that she got from her little chat with Louise was her obvious amusement of Rikku's ill-tempered descriptions of her brother. Louise assured her that she didn't mind but it still doesn't give her comfort about the whole matter.
A lot of questions have been lingering in her mind and she doesn't exactly know which one to think about first.
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"It's too risky..." Nooj calmly said, his eyes blazing in worry behind his eyeglasses.
"I know but it's the only way..." Aeris said, sitting down on her chair on the briefing room. "It's full-proof, Nooj... I assure you. WE can pull this off."
Sighing heavily, Nooj looked up to Elma, Lucil and Beclem at the side. They were almost shaking their head at Nooj to disagree with Aeris and the Gullwings. "I don't doubt your ability about pulling off missions like this. You've led a couple yourself and it went on as planned." He stopped and looked up to Aeris' face. "That is why we can't risk you to do this. You're a vital part of both the Youth League and New Yevon. Losing you means losing our only inch against the Black Knights." He explained.
She stiffened but forced herself to ease down in a blink of an eye. "S-Sir, I'm afraid you can't change my mind on this one. I've been assigned to protect Yuna at all costs and..." She stopped with a smile and looked up at Yuna. "I think it's either I go on alone or I follow Yuna to Falcon Island to protect her from scratching herself."
"I think that's a bit exaggeration..." Yuna made a face at Aeris who looked over with an apologetic smile.
No. No one doubted Aeris' words. They perfectly knew that Yuna would go to the extremes just to get Rikku back. Other than being her friend, Rikku was in fact a part of Yuna's family. Nooj has this weird idea that Aeris might've caught Yuna saying that she'd rather go on alone to save Rikku if no one chooses to act. The meyvn chuckled and sighed in defeat. "Very well... I'll immediately inform the league about this."
Lucil, Elma and Beclem protested on the side. "Sir," Elma began firing her opinion as if she was breathing it. "I don't think that it'll be good at all for Aeris to go solo on this mission. Can I go with her again?" she added, looking pleadingly at Aeris and Nooj.
"I don't think it wise to let her go to hostile territory by herself too. I am willing to go, sir." Lucil stepped forward.
"Er... If you may... A man shouldn't let any women go off in a dangerous mission like this is." Beclem's eyes darted Nooj's pleadingly. The meyvn stopped and stared at each of their determined faces with a proud sense of camaraderie. After a while, he looked back to Aeris in confirmation.
"Well?" Nooj asked her. "This is your mission... you decide for yourself."
Aeris shook her head. "Thanks for your concern but I'd rather not let anyone of you go with me. I don't want..." She sighed, "I don't like the idea of getting anyone of you into... trouble." She stopped and then looked at their faces alarmingly, "I hope you guys understand." They saw fear in Aeris' eyes. At least they knew and understand that Aeris knows the risk that she was taking. Ever since that she entered the league, Aeris has been reputed as reckless in action making everyone conclude that the word "fear" isn't in her vocabulary.
"She's right..." Paine stepped forward, "And besides, who said that she's going solo on this mission? I can't just stand in one corner letting her have all the fun."
Everyone launched a look at Paine's emotionless features. Aeris' eyes widened, "You don't-?"
"Stop me if you can..." The lady's stubbornness is unbeatable.
"But-?" Aeris' words were blocked by something on her throat. Her worried expression was now evident.
"You shouldn't worry now. Paine's really good at this and she isn't the kind of a person who will get in your way." Buddy said, reading off the expression that was evident on her face.
"That's not what worries me..." Aeris whispered and looked up at their wondering faces. "Commander Lucil and the others wouldn't get in my way but... I can't convince her not to come, can I?"
All of them shook their heads at the same time. Paine's lips curved into a small smile. "Told you..." She said mockingly.
Aeris sighed in defeat and nodded half-heartedly at them. "Okay..." She looked up at them with a distressed facial expression, "Let's get this over with."
"Wait..." Nooj said and looked over at Paine, "Is Baralai aware of this?"
Paine shook her head. "I don't see the reason why I should-?"
"Tell him." Nooj snapped...
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"No!" Baralai stood up and slammed his hands on his desk, slowly folding into a tight ball of tanned fists.
"How do you suggest on stopping me? Lock me up in a room?" Paine said. Aeris looked at her surprisingly with a mysterious glint in her eyes as she looked back at Baralai.
"I'll do so if necessary." He warned.
"It'll take more than that..." Paine shrugged.
The rest of the Gullwings stood in their spot quietly, watching the praetor and the sphere-huntress bicker about the whole thing. All of them basically knew who the winner is in this battle of stubbornness... and it's definitely not Baralai. Trust on Paine to decide on something and you'd never stop her even after a century of debating. Sighing in defeat, Baralai sank back on his chair and looked up at Paine. "Please... don't."
"That's nice... and the plan is clearly to serve Aeris to them on a silver platter for dinner." The irony in Paine's voice was faltering as she narrowed her gaze on Baralai. "I don't like it, Baralai."
Baralai shot a stare up at Paine and then glanced at Aeris. No. He didn't think about the risk that Aeris was also taking. He was too absorbed about Paine's safety and if she didn't say it out loud, he would've taken Paine's advice and drag her into a closet to lock her in there ages ago- leaving Aeris to fend off for herself. Baralai let out a sigh and stood up from his chair and nodded. "Sorry..." He whispered and looked back at Aeris' pleading face. Baralai stared at her expression in wonder and then smiled. Understanding what she was thinking.
Yuna stepped forward. "I'm as worried as you are, Baralai. I want to do something but I'll only endanger them by going." She said and looked up to Paine and then to Aeris.
Baralai sighed and stared at Yuna for a while. "Okay... Just promise me that both of you would come back in one piece." Baralai said smiling half-heartedly at Paine.
Aeris let out a sigh. Paine smiled at Baralai and nodded. "I certainly have no intention of being served in a silver platter." Her lips twitched.
"That's not funny..." Baralai sank on his chair again and looked up at them, "What's the plan?"
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"Ye-argh...!!" Rex twisted excruciatingly on his bed while Louise was tending on his wound, "How's Rikku?"
"She's already awake..." Louise frowned when her brother moved again, "This would be easier if you would stop moving..." She said.
"Couldn't you invent something to make the pain go away?" Rex sighed and relaxed back on his pillow comfortably, "It's not exactly- OUCH!! Geez!! Louise!?"
Riley burst out laughing but immediately halted when he received a glare from the patient. "I think you know the answer to the question that you asked me when I was in your condition... How does it feel to be out-witted by a girl, Rex?" He grinned triumphantly. Riley's steel gray eyes glittered marvelously as he looked down on his unfortunate brother amusingly.
"Oh... so you wanna feel how to be out-witted by a girl..." Louise turned her dangerously piercing stare at Riley. It scared him when he saw that it was blazing furiously. "How about being completely killed by a woman?"
Riley backed off and raised his hand in plea to her sister. "I was just...er... mocking Rexus! That's all! I mean no offense, Louis!"
"YEOUCH!!" Rex almost screamed in pain when Louise applied a potion on his wound. The injured knight was guessing that it was either her irritation that's making her careless or she was just seriously planning on taking the revenge for her gender's sake. "Riley, I'm begging you to stop before Louise kills me..."
Louise poured in the potion again... purposely...
"YE-AAARGH!! FOR GOODNESS' SAKE!!" Rex screamed in extreme pain, making Riley and Louise burst out into a fitting laughter. "STOP TORTURING ME!! PLEASE!!!???" He added. His voice was hoarse from the intense pain that he was feeling from the wound that the Al Bhed caused him.
"That's necessary for cleaning the wound..." Louise said, in between her chuckles. Rexus frowned at his sister.
"Couldn't you at least be gentle!?"
"Go find your own doctor and let's see if they can help you..." Louise snapped coolly.
"Louis... you ARE my doctor..." Rex sighed and then looked up to Louise. It was true that they often bicker around most of the time and believe it or not, she often gets him. It surprises everyone to know that these two actually love each other. "Our chemists haven't formulated any improved anesthetic, haven't they?" He asked dreadfully.
"Well... they're missing their top brass and I don't exactly have spare time to help..." Louise wrinkled her nose as he looked up to her brother. Rex suddenly turned quietly at his room's ceiling. He was thinking about something again.
"Are you sure Rikku's alright?" He asked suddenly making Louise's eyes glitter in mischief.
"If you're so concerned about her welfare then why don't you shut up and let me heal you." A small grin lit up the beautiful face of the 23-year-old doctor. "I'll make it quick. You must be dying to see her."
Riley confusedly glanced at Louise and then turned to Rex. "Is there something I should know?"
The siblings were suddenly sucked into an invisible void of silence. It took a little time before Rexus finally regained his senses and frowned at his younger sister, "You're right about the dying part but the "dying to see her"? I don't think so... Why should I be? The lady pisses me off and she won't stop screaming even though I'm already being nice to her."
"Ah... If that's the case then..." Louise smiled mysteriously, "Why pull off heroic stunts?"
Riley's steel gray eyes glittered as he turned a gaze at his brother. "That certainly is weird... don't you think so, Louis?"
"I'm not listening..." Rex sighed and laid his head back on the pillow again. "Well, I can't just leave her like that! My conscience will eat me alive!" He snapped.
"Hm." Riley stepped a pace forward and nodded in agreement at his brother, "You have a point..."
Louise grunted and sealed the potion before getting up on her feet. "The usual body pains for a month or so..." Louise smiled gently at a sudden thought, "I just couldn't believe that you got yourself injured..."
"Believe me... I was surprised myself..." Rex grimaced. "But I couldn't help but feel... amazed... she's one in a million." He smiled thoughtfully making Louise and Riley switch glances skeptically. Arcing an eyebrow, the two crossed their arms on their chest at the same time before firing any questions at Rex. "Don't get me wrong about that one..." Rexus made a face when he saw the looks on his siblings' face.
"Well it certainly is "one in a million" of you to compliment a lady... what gives?" Riley asked with a half smile.
"It's not everyday that the powerful and dashing bachelor of Falcon Island gives off charming words to a girl..." Louise was definitely teasing her own brother to the fullest and she didn't have to be so direct to irritate him. The only thing that she needs to intimidate Rex was her smoothness and tactful speech... and it didn't even take an hour to do so.
"Give me a break..." Rex frowned, intimidated by her younger sister again.
"Right..." Louise and Riley said in chorus, making a face out of their skepticism.
"Pu-lease..." Rex's frown deepened. "The blonde completely irritates the wits out of me and the rescuing thing was a mere... humane act... Nothing personal."
"Personal?" Louise's eyes went wide, "Now this topic certainly IS getting me interested."
"Hey! I said NOTHING personal!" His sapphire eyes were round. He was obviously alarmed by Louise's immediate inquiry over the matter that confused the wits out of him.
"Look who's in the defensive side..." Riley chuckled amusedly. "And to think that we haven't mentioned the personal part." He grinned.
"It was obviously the thing running around in your crazy heads." Rex snapped. "Get lost before my IQ loses its precious ten points." He immediately covered himself with the sheets and closed his eyes.
Louise and Riley stood rooted in their position, staring at their injured sibling. "Rikku's on the east wing. Fourth corridor of the right side." Louise said before walking out of the room with a satisfied smile.
"I'm not asking..." Rex mumbled dryly under the sheets of his bed.
"Okay... I'll tell her to move to another room then. Good luck in finding her..." That was enough to send whirls of intimidation floating around the room. Despite the coolness in Louise's voice, the mockery that was showing off naturally was completely evident for everyone to see.
"Okay. Fine. Thank you." Rexus snapped making Riley chuckle before completely exiting his twin brother's room.
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CELSIUS: DECK
The sea is definitely different from land. Just smelling the breeze that was blowing your stresses away gives you the sense of total serenity.
Aeris stood staring at the vastness of the sea, feeling the wind blow through her hair, not knowing why she came at the deck on the first place. Carefully pondering her piling thoughts, she realized that maybe her feet brought her here to think. She hasn't done that for quite some time now and this mission wasn't exactly acted upon impulsively. She knows her purpose and she intend on doing so without failing... under the consequence of her own life.
However, Aeris couldn't stop herself from feeling a little weird. The mission's objective is to play guardian to Yuna and rescuer to Rikku. Funny... She thought. I'm protecting someone I don't know. And to begin with, I don't even trust any of them... well... yet... damn...
The word "yet" means she's beginning to trust and befriend them. And Aeris perfectly knew that her trust couldn't be easily swayed by normal means of camaraderie. It didn't make her feel comfortable. The wind blew and caressed her rosy skin, sending waves of chill all over her body.
And every time that she felt like that, she just knew that somebody's coming...
Yuna stepped out of the deck's door with a small and concerned smile. "I really should thank you for doing this..." Yuna began. "You're heaven sent..."
The mystery of the sixth sense...
"It's nothing. Just doing my job as a guardian." Her voice faltered as she smiled half-heartedly at Yuna. Seconds later, she noticed that the ex-summoner was totally quiet...
Damn! Wrong move! I shouldn't have sounded like that...
She cursed herself over and over again. In a job like this, one should learn how to control their emotions to avoid further inquiries and worries. Her job is to protect Yuna and it was not in her place to push it to the limits. A lot of people are depending on her at the moment and she shouldn't be stupid enough to attach herself on this guardian-mission too much. There are still a lot of things that requires her attention and she shouldn't be concentrating on only this one. The battle hasn't even started yet but if she failed to concentrate, that's the end of it. The Youth League needs her...
And she needs the Youth League...
"You don't need to force yourself on this one..." Yuna finally spoke sincerely, "We can always formulate another plan if you're not confident yet." She added.
"No... It's okay. I can pull it off... with... Paine." Clearing a lump on her throat, Aeris forced back everything that was troubling her in the back of her mind. Advancing a step forward, she breathed heavily to regain full composure. "You're talking to a Youth League ace you know!" She cheerfully added and whirled around to face Yuna with a smile.
"You remind me of Rikku..." Aeris' smile immediately dissolved at the mention of the Al Bhed's name. The sadness in Yuna's voice was completely evident and Aeris swore that if any emotion was written literally on Yuna's face, she's sure that the word "worry" would be it. "Everybody says that Rikku is childish for a 22-year-old but believe me... she's more than what she seems to be. She hides her feelings away and I was a fool not to realize it until Gippal..."
"Gippal dumped her for another woman... am I right?" Aeris continued seriously. Her blue-green eyes were glittering as Yuna stared at them in wonder. It wasn't pity nor impatience... it was something else... something different.
"Expected... isn't it?" Yuna said with a small sad smile on her lips, "But Rikku loved him so much... it changed her completely no matter how hard she tried to forget about it."
"Well, I should know... and I'm not sure if you'll still call me "heaven sent" if I tell you this but I guess I need to do it..." Aeris began slowly, "I was the girl..." She revealed in almost a whisper.
Yuna's head almost flew as she surprisingly stared at Aeris. She didn't see that coming. "What?"
"I didn't know that he had a girlfriend three years ago... I didn't know that he was double-crossing his girlfriend." Aeris frowned deeply, "I was so angry and hurt but... other than that, I can't help but feel guilty every time I think about Rikku. If I felt awful... I can't imagine how she felt."
"So it's been going on for a year... no wonder." Yuna's eyes narrowed as she looked down on her own boots, "What did you do when you found out?"
"I may be naïve, Yuna... but I'm not stupid." Aeris chuckled and grinned at the ex-summoner sheepishly, "I dumped him right after I saw his break-up scene with Rikku and almost broke his nose for her sake." She turned back at the sea, "It's a pity that I didn't completely break it."
Yuna blinked in surprise and it took some of her time before all of Aeris' words finally sank in properly. Clearly, everything means that Gippal hasn't only suffered from Paine's brutality. "Serves him right..." She grunted.
"But... I still am feeling guilty about everything..." Aeris sighed heavily and then turned to Yuna, "And when Praetor Baralai asked me on this mission, I jumped in immediately without question. I wanted to make it up to her somehow and this is the only opportunity that I got..." She cast another grin at Yuna, "Other than slicing Gippal to half if she asks me to do so."
"Tell me if she does... I'll back you up." Paine appeared from the shadows.
"Um... didn't you do just that?" Yuna asked amusedly.
"For Rikku, yes..." Paine's crimson eyes turned to Aeris, "But for you, I haven't..."
Aeris stared back at Paine wonderingly, "I was expecting that you'd do something similar to me..." Her gaze flew over at Yuna.
The brunette chuckled and smiled warmly at Aeris, "Paine's not vocal about it... but she just told you that she cares."
Paine grunted at Yuna. "You're pushing it again, Yuna..." She said warningly.
"... That's... nice..." Aeris answered haltingly and turned her back on them. When Yuna and Paine stood beside her, they saw hints of guilt glittering in her beautiful pair of blue-green eyes.
"You don't need to be guilty about that... you were also a victim..." Paine said, resting a hand on Aeris' shoulder, "A very strong victim." Dropping her hands to the side, the warrior sighed and looked up to the stars, "And I bet you didn't even waste your tears on that swine." She added, surprising Aeris and Yuna a little.
"I don't cry over things like that... it's a waste of time..." Aeris chuckled and then smiled sadly, "... or maybe perhaps... I know that I've experienced something more excruciating than that." Yuna and Paine's gaze flew back to her. "I almost killed myself..." She whispered, oblivious that the two women beside her are already giving her a perplexing look. When she noticed the silence around her, she looked back at the two alarmingly and then laughed cheerfully... and it doesn't take a genius to realize why she changed from one mood to another in a flash.
"Er... Pardon me... I... er... wasn't thinking clearly." She's definitely the worst liar that they've ever met. Her eyes are completely deceiving her words and she just knew that if she wants to get out of this whole mess, she has to think of a diversion... quickly. "Anyway..." She said in a clear and cheerful tone. "You guys leave Rikku to me! I'll get her out of that island in a snap!" Aeris announced but it didn't make the skepticism of Yuna and Paine go away.
"You mean to say "we"..." Paine raised an eyebrow making her jerk back with a weird facial expression.
"I can do this Paine... you don't have to-"
"I've made up my mind and you can't change that..."
"Your chances of making it back would increase if Paine goes with you..." Yuna said with a confident smile.
"That's not what I'm worried about..." She mumbled and then sighed. Her eyes were bearing the same glitter of worry and thought as she turned her gaze over at the warrior. "Don't you think that maybe you could stay with Yuna to protect her in the airship while I'm gone?"
"I can protect myself and besides, Tidus and the others are with me... you should seriously think of yourself since your life is on the line here." Yuna chuckled and patted Aeris' shoulders affectionately. "We can't afford to lose a friend..."
Yuna's words made Aeris eyes glitter mysteriously again. She has the tendency of making them wonder with that glitter in her eyes every time they call her their friend. The Youth League official turned her gaze towards Paine and seeing her nod in agreement with a faint smile trickling on her lips, Aeris bent her head down and stared at her black boots. "And I'm afraid I can't afford to lose you too now..." She said sadly. "Don't go, Paine. You don't know who or what you're going to face in there..." She said pleadingly. "I'm already too attached with you guys to even think of my mission anymore..."
The ex-summoner dropped her arms and frowned, "If it's that bad then why are you suggesting that Paine remains?"
"Because... Because..." Aeris bit back her lower lip, trying to stop herself from crying in plea. She once told them that she's "super girl" but the term "super" is definitely far from "perfect"... and she would gladly enumerate all the differences. "I don't want... you... to get hurt." Her voice was shattered. Aeris swallowed something on her throat and breathed with a smile to regain her full composure.
Yuna and Paine switched glances. They're not getting all of this at all. They're not getting her point at all. Why is she so insistent on rescuing Rikku alone? "I'm sure Rikku would understand if you get help on rescuing her." Paine said, shrugging with a gentle smile on her lips. She definitely realized what the others meant by meeting a match and in a competition like this, Paine is definitely confident that Aeris wouldn't easily give up to the very last minute- a very formidable opponent in a battle of wits... and Paine certainly likes that. "She doesn't hold grudges unlike anyone."
Aeris flinched and backed off with a sigh. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" She asked.
"Why don't you ask yourself first?" Paine's lips twitched.
"Why don't you both ask yourselves?" Yuna said, rolling her eyeballs at them unbelievingly.
The whistling of the wind went past them together with the silence that beclouded them for a few seconds of looking at each other quizzically. And then suddenly, the silence was broken off by the cheerful laughter of three females in the deck, pondering about the last interrogative sentences that they threw at each other. All of them realized that they were beginning to sound like all of them were being sentenced to death... well... maybe they really are being sentenced to death but they certainly have no intention of complying. Surely, they are mature enough to realize that life is beautiful even though you're being surrounded by problems and conflicts.
And without problems and conflicts, where would you learn? How would you get your strength? Who would teach you wisdom?
The irony of things...
"We better go inside now... it's getting pretty late." Yuna announced, looking at the dark and starry horizon of Spira.
"Yeah..." Aeris smiled cheerfully and rested her arms around the shoulders of Yuna and Paine.
"Just one question... how are you so sure that we can pull this rescue attempt successfully?" Paine asked as they were all walking towards the door.
"Well... I've been taught by Professor Experience... he's the best teacher I know..." Aeris chuckled cheerfully, "And the "crash course" that I took up in Falcon Island helped a lot..."
"How much?" Paine asked, mocking the official a little bit.
"Very much..." Her blue-green eyes glittered mysteriously, showing off an uncanny wisdom that they've never seen before, "You just have to trust me whatever happens, promise?"
Paine let out a chuckle and nodded at the 22-year-old lady. "Promise..." The warrior smirked, "Because I agree that your "professor" is a great teacher."
And experience is indeed the best teacher that anyone could ever have...
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Author's Note: (LOL) I know it's a bit... er... what's the word...? Philosophical & blabber-ish...? To hell with it... (Smiles sheepishly) I think I've given you a lot of explanation in this chapter. Was it boring? I know it's just conversation and stuffs but this chapter IS a vital part of the next chapters... and for doing something like that, I promise that I'll add the next chapter in a zip! Read & review, S'il vous plait... That is IF you want me to continue. I wasn't threatening... I was just saying the truth. ;) hehe... read and review!!!