Staring into Wonder
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A/n: I LIIIVVVVEEEEEE! I hate life. It can be so evil! Anyway.....I haven't played this game in months, what is Polly's food thing called again? It will be "pub" in this chapter.()
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Aika trudged to the pub, angry, and tired. She opened the door and inwardly groaned seeing Vyse and Fina sitting at a table talking.
Fina noticed her and smiled, making Vyse turn and grin. "Oh, hey Aika! How are you this morning?"
Aika grumbled and took a seat across the room from them.

Fina and Vyse shared and look and Vyse stood, walking over to his friend. "Hey, Aika, are you okay?"
"FINE!"
Vyse winced and stumbled back at her decibel level. She obviously was upset. Very Very upset. "Yeah...well....you don't seem it.." Vyse stated, rubbing his ear in pain. Fina got up and joined him. "What is wrong Aika?"
Aika looked at her, and almost glared.

She took in Fina's skin though. It was so pale....so pretty.....so special...
Vyse glanced at Fina when Aika seemed to completely zone out. She looked at him and shrugged with a 'I don't know' look.
"Hey Aika, are you okay? Aika..?"

Aika blinked and looked up at him. "I-I'm fine....sorry Vyse."
Vyse rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Are you okay?" He took a seat beside her, and Fina followed suit.
"I'm...okay. Just kinda depressed for no reason. Ya know?"
Vyse shook his head in a 'no'.
Aika's face fell into annoyance. Vyse never got depressed...
"I know Aika..." Fina smiled comfortingly, wrapping her slender arms around Aika's left arm. Aika blushed and looked at her. Being so close to Fina, and looking into her eyes was perhaps the best thing she could ask for.

"I got that way alot, especially when we were fighting Ramirez...But I felt better knowing I had good friends like you and Vyse around to help me." Fina giggled a bit. "You two helped me out so much...I want to do the same for you."
Vyse nodded with a smile. "Yeah! Aika, c'mon, I've known you for what, ever? Don't push us away."
Aika looked up at him. He was her best friend. Heck, he was almost like her big brother. She loved him so much, and she loved Fina so much too.
'What am I doing?' She mentally smacked herself.

'I love them both, and if they love each other, it's not my right to stop them, right? Yeah! That's right! Dumb Aika.' She forced a smile at them and giggled somewhat. "You two are right. I can't just mope around, can I?"
"Nope!" Vyse said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"We're a team, we always watch out for each other." He winked at her and she laughed.
Fina nodded, a smile gracing her face as she was much relieved by Aika's turnaround.

Aika nodded with a grin. "Yeah. Team work!"
'Beside' isn't being friends with Fina enough?'
Kirala chose that moment to walk in. "Hey! Captain Vyse, someone's here to see you."
Vyse blinked. "Who is it?"
"Your buddy, that Gilder guy, and could ya hurry? He hit on me."
Vyse grinned and chuckled. "Sounds like Gilder." Aika and Fina laughed as well, and smiled at each other. Fina was so beautiful, but Aika was determined to make this friendship be enough.

With an optimistic smile she had learned from Vyse when she was six, she jumped up. "Lets go!!" Vyse jumped up. "Yeah." He headed for the door.
Aika moved so Fina could stand, and offered her a hand. Fina took it and smiled again. "Thank you very much Aika."
"Your welcome!" Aika grinned, a large smile on her face. They followed Vyse to the lower portion of the airship base, seeing the Claudia and Gilder standing beside it.
"Yo, Vyse!" Gilder called, waving. Vyse waved back, as did Fina and Aika.
"Hey Gilder, what's up?"
"Not to much." The older air pirate grinned, putting an arm around the blue rogue legend's shoulders. "The usual, ya know?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Aika smiled. "How's Clara?"
Gilder shivered, which Vyse noticed since they were touching.
"She...well...that's kinda why I'm here..."
Aika sighed annoyed, placing a hand on her hip. "You wanna hide out here again?"
Gilder nodded. "Yeah, that aint a problem right? Thanks Vyse."
Vyse blinked. "Huh? But I...well...oh, okay. Whatever. heh. You can have Enirque's old room."

The older man nodded with a grin. "Alright. Thanks buddy."
Aika sighed and shook her head, causing her red hair to go to-and-fro. "I can't believe we still have to hide him." Fina giggled and nodded. "It's very funny."

Aika turned to look at her.
"Yeah....funny."

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Ending A/N: Hey! Just a preview of things to come:

Aika has to deal with being just Fina's friend, but what happens when someone finds out her little secret? Will everything be okay in the end?
Stay tuned...and R/R please! .