Chapter Two
Everything Goes
She never really was very good at holding grudges. Yeah, it was all well and good to say she would never forgive certain pigheaded Yevonites ... but that was until he grinned at her the next day.
Tysh res ...
It was outside the Farplane, while everyone was getting ready to go in. Rikku had never been there before, and she didn't really have any desire to go.
"It's not like you'll actually see the people," she explained to Tidus. "More like your memories of them." She turned to her cousin. "Yunie? I think I'm just gonna stay out here, 'kay?"
Yuna smiled at her kindly and nodded. Everyone else just accepted that Rikku didn't really want to go in.
Except him. Damned Yevonite ... why couldn't he just let her be?
He turned to her and gently elbowed her in the ribs. "What's 'a matter, eh? Scared?" He tossed her an easy grin, and she treated him to an indignant scowl, which he laughed at.
"I am not scared!" she told him emphatically. "It's just that ..." She looked around for some backup and saw that Sir Auron had sat down on one of the steps, seemingly ignoring what was going on around him. "It's just that I don't want Sir Auron to have to sit out here alone!" she said, proud of her quick thinking.
Unfortunately for her, Sir Auron had not been ignoring them, and he let out a sarcastic snort. "Indeed," he said in a low voice.
She glared at him. Yeah, he was going on her list too. Damned men. What was with them, anyway?
"What are you looking at?" she said, waving Wakka along with her hands. "Shoo! Go! Get out of my face!"
She swore she heard him laughing at her as he entered the Farplane. "Tysh res, cdibet Yevonite syh. Fro fuh'd ra zicd mayja sa ymuha?" she muttered to herself, flopping down ungracefully beside Sir Auron.
He looked at her with amusement in his one good eye. He decided not to inform her at this present moment that he happened to be fluent in Al Bhed. Rikku looked up at him and sighed again.
"What is with men, anyway?" she asked him, not really expecting an answer.
"How long do you think you can keep it a secret?" he asked her, catching her off-guard.
"Keep what a secret?" she asked innocently.
He chuckled to himself. She really didn't know. Instead of explaining, he just gave her a pointed look.
"Oh," she said, a light dawning on her delicate features. "The Al Bhed thing." She shrugged. "I dunno. I guess, as long as I have to." She looked up at her companion, all seriousness. "Is it really that big a deal?"
"Perhaps you should ask him," Sir Auron said firmly, but not unkindly.
"Yeah, right," Rikku snorted. "I wouldn't ask him to throw water on me if I were on fire!"
"I see," Sir Auron said, that twinkle of amusement back in his eye.
"I see that, Sir Auron," Rikku admonished. She stood up and perched herself on a higher platform. "I really wouldn't. I don't want anything from a pious, self-righteous ..." She trailed off, not really sure if she wanted to be sharing this information with Sir Auron. After all, they weren't exactly on friendly terms. "Never mind," she mumbled.
"Perhaps you could learn something from him," Auron said wisely.
Like what? Five million ways to be an ass? A big dumb blitzballer's guide to winning friends and influencing people? Gee, I think I'll pass, thanks. She began fiddling with her braids while she eyed the older guardian warily. "I know plenty already, thank you very much," she said disdainfully.
"Of course. Forgive me," Auron said dryly. "Just ... keep an open mind, hmm?"
Rikku rolled her eyes. "Okay," she said sarcastically. "Whatever you say, boss."
Auron shook his head. He knew nothing he said would matter. Hopefully she'd realize what an asset she and the "damned Yevonite" could be to each other, before it was too late.
Part Two
He wondered what Chappu would say, if he could talk to him right now. Would he ease his mind once and for all, and tell him that he hadn't been alone when he had passed from Spira?
Wakka knew that was the one thing that bothered Lulu the most. That wondering if Chappu had died cold, alone, and without a friend. Lu would never admit to that, but she didn't have to. When you knew someone as well as he knew Lu, some things went without speaking.
He walked over to where Lulu stood, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Lu? You okay?" he asked gently.
Lulu shrugged his hand off, and looked at him, a bit coldly. "Wakka, I wish you'd stop," she told him.
Wakka didn't understand. "Stop what, Lu?"
"Trying to take his place," she hissed. "I don't need to you to look after me now that he's gone! I need you to live your own life, and I am sure that's what he wants, too." She nodded in Chappu's direction.
"Lu, I'm really not trying to take Chappu's place," Wakka said slowly. "I just – well, you're my friend, ya?"
Lulu's features softened. Immediately, she felt bad. Wakka had been nothing but wonderful to her all these years. Mainly, it was herself she was mad at. She didn't want to deny him his own life, just because they had both lost somebody precious. The last thing she wanted was for Wakka to feel obligated to her. There were so many times, and so many other girls that he hadn't gone for. All because of her.
Lulu shook her head. "I'm sorry. You're right. Just – don't worry about me so much, okay?" She touched his arm gently and walked over to where Tidus and Yuna stood.
Wakka stood there, a blank look on his face. Whatever dat was all about ... Sometimes, he really just didn't understand women. Of course, that could be equated to his lack of experience with them. It wasn't that there hadn't been opportunities; it was just that other things had always seemed so much more important ...
He looked back to the entrance to the Farplane and smiled a bit to himself. There was a very cute girl out there, a girl he thought he could have a hell of a good time picking on. Maddening or not, he decided to himself that Rikku was worth getting to know a little bit better.
Why not? He was probably gonna die soon anyway.
Whistling, he followed his companions back out.
Part Three
Rikku jumped up when the rest of the party began filing out of the Farplane. Unfortunately, they had a tagalong.
"Isn't that ... Lord Jyscal?" Lulu asked in disbelief.
Lord Jyscal was Maester Seymour's father, and he had died only a month prior. Seeing his ghostly image, Sir Auron jumped up. "Yuna! Send him!"
Yuna nodded at him and began the dance. Rikku, who was closest to Sir Auron, noted the anguish on his face. She ran to him, but he pushed her away. "No ..." he said in a ragged voice. "Just ... stay back. I'm fine!"
Rikku, startled by the venom in his tone, jumped back, her expression slightly pained. It figured. Every time she tried to help, she was brutally rebuffed.
Yuna finished her sending, and the party headed back to Guadosalam.
"So what does that mean?" Tidus asked when they were just outside the city.
"He must've had ties to this world," Lulu told him, barely looking in his direction. She still didn't know what to think of him ... he looked so much like Chappu, it was disconcerting.
"It means he died an unclean death," Sir Auron said gravely.
That shut everyone up.
Rikku walked behind the rest of the party, lost in her own thoughts. Her feelings were still a little hurt from earlier, but what could she do? Besides, Sir Auron was really the least of her problems.
She shot a surreptitious glance at the tall, muscled man walking about ten feet in front of her, spinning that damned blitzball on his finger again, and whistling. Why is he whistling? Rikku wondered. That's so damned irritating! Irritating, she concluded, and also a little endearing.
No, Rikku, it is not endearing, it is annoying and jock-ish and brainless and ... wow he has a really nice back. No! Damn it, Rikku, he does not have a nice back! He doesn't have a nice anything!
"Yo, Rikku, how 'bout pickin' up the pace, eh?" Wakka's voice snapped Rikku back to reality, and she realized that she had pretty much come to a standstill while she was running things over in her mind. And now he was walking toward her while the rest of the party continued.
Nice abs too ... No! No! Not nice abs. Bad abs ... very bad, YEVONITE abs! Rikku wanted to gut herself with her claw. Her thoughts were completely out of control. "You didn't have to come back here, you know," she told him.
Wakka shrugged. "You seem a little preoccupied, ya? Anything you want to talk about?"
Rikku snorted. "With you? Not likely." She regretted the words almost immediately. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I'm just – a little tired, you know?"
Wakka shrugged. He was used to irrational women. "No prob, ya? But if you do ever want to talk, well, I'm around." And then he flashed her a grin.
Rikku whimpered to herself as she watched him walk off.
This was not going according to plan at all ...
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter! I'd really like to see some reviews and whatnot, but I'll keep writing anyway, just because it's what I love to do. lol Anyway, once again, here are the Al Bhed translations for this chap:
"Tysh res ..." "Damn him ..."
"Tysh res, cbidet Yevonite syh. Fro fuh'd ra zicd mayja sa ymuha?" "Damn him, stupid Yevonite man. Why won't he just leave me alone?"
Well, enjoy ... since is going to be down for a few days, I guess I won't be updating for a few days, but I'll be back with new chappies as soon as the site is functional again! Later! Rhi XD
