I want to tell
If I am or am not myself
It's hard to know
How far or if at all could go
Waiting for too long
For something I forgot was wrong
I don't know all the answers
I think that I'll find
Or have it within the time
But it's all that I'll have in mind

-"Until I Fall Away" by Gin Blossoms

"Yunie, you're crazy," I sighed, watching her sift through the racks of clothes at the shop. "It's only a dinner. We really don't need to look that fancy, you know."

"Yes, we do! This is a dinner with Maester Seymour, remember? Maester of Yevon? Head of all things important to me? Least that we could do is dress nicely when we meet him," she said, flipping past dresses of all colors, shapes, and sizes. "Now, what size are you?"

Now, it's pretty obvious that I am NOT a girl who wears dresses. I wear easy things, you know, tanktops, shorts, little boots. I don't even wear my hair in pretty ways! Just a easy ponytail, with a few braids coming out of the back. Sure, I spiffed up the braids a bit with some feathers, but that's about as far as I'll go.

"Five," I sighed, defeated. "You know I don't wear this stuff. Why don't YOU wear the dress, and let me wear my shorts in peace?"

"AHA! I found one!" she shouted as she tossed a mountain of bright green fabric over her head, completely ignoring me. "Now, go try that on!"

"Only for you, Yunie, only for you..." I grumbled as I walked into the small dressing area behind her, dragging the unwanted monstrocity of a dress behind me. Closing the door, I pulled off my shirt and shorts, and started to inspect the dress to find some sort of zipper or buttons so that I could actually put it on. Of course, there couldn't be anything to make this process any easier, could there? Frusterated, I finally just slid the dress over my head, yanking it down past my waist, and stepped back out into the shop. "How does it look?" I mumbled.

Yuna turned to look at me, and then her mouth dropped open. "Oh honey," she giggled. "You obviously need some help..." She stepped towards me, and backed me back into the small dressing area.

"What's wrong?"

"Look in the mirror, Rikku," she laughed, and I turned to look at the mirror.

Whoops. Obviously, my head was NOT supposed to come through the armhole on these things. "Oh Yunie," I cried out, frusterated. "I can't do this at all! I'll just stay in, okay? I would need to wear those sunglasses anyway, and I can't look pretty with some oversized frames on my nose. I'll just catch up on my beauty rest, capeesh?"

"No, no, no..." she smiled. "I'll help you. Come here with that dress of yours," she said as she grabbed the dress, wrestled with the fabric, and finally, my head came through the appropirate hole. "And look, your eyes are taming down a bit. I think it was an allergic reaction of some kind. Besides," she said slyly, "Sir Auron's sunglasses look nice on you."

"They're not his," I grumbled, making sure not to catch her eyes. "I bought them when I realized that my eyes didn't look right."

"You're a poor liar," she laughed. "You came downstairs today wearing them, and he came downstairs without his. It was pretty obvious." Yuna messed with a few more pieces of fabric on my dress, dusted off her hands, and grinned. "Now, look in the mirror."

I turned towards the mirror, and my mouth dropped open. Sure, the dress was green, but it was emerald green and satin, with a corset and a full skirt. There were small straps keeping it up, touching the fabric with a small bow, and the back laced together with a larger bow. I did a few spins, watching all of the fabric float around me.

"I look beautiful," I whispered.

"That you do," she said, smiling at my delight. "And if we fix your hair a bit, you'll look even better. Now, to find mine..." she giggled, running back to the racks of dresses.

"Oooh, wait for me!" I shouted, running after her.

Later that evening....

"Ready?" Yuna called up the stairs, where everyone was waiting. I was the last one ready, stalling a bit at the top of the stairs, where only Yuna could see me.

"I don't want to do this," I mumbled, sliding the sunglasses back up my nose, and twirling a bit of my hair in my fingertips. "Can't I just stay in? Please?" I begged.

"Come on, Rikku, it can't look that bad, ya?" Wakka called. I heard a large oomph, and his voice drifted up again, "Ouch! Lu, come on, I didn't mean that she looked bad..."

"Well, you implied it," she replied. "Rikku, you look gorgeous, and this will all be over before you know it."

"Look, Lulu," I called. "You wear dresses! And Yunie, you wear skirts! I can't wear this stuff, period! I'm just going to go back to my room," I mumbled, before turning around to head back to the hallway. I heard them mumbling, and the door slam shut to the inn. I breathed a sigh of relief, and slumped my shoulders the rest of the way to my room.

Someone stomped up the stairs, and caught my wrist just before I walked into my room. I spun quickly, and found myself looking deep into the single eye of Auron. I sucked in my breath, shocked. "What... Why are you here? I'm going back to bed."

"No, you're not," he shot back. "If I have to go, you have to go."

"But... Auron, come on! I don't wear this kind of stuff, and I feel uncomfortable. Cover for me, please?" I pleaded with him.

"That's not why you don't want to go, Rikku, and we all know it. Stop being a coward, and tell me the real reason why you don't want to come."

That comment hit me like a punch to the chest, and I sucked in my breath, staring at his face. Sure, that wasn't the real reason why I didn't want to go, but how did he figure it out? "Auron," I sighed, pulling off my sunglasses. "What do you see?"

"Someone who's wearing a dress that makes her look like a princess."

I blushed ten different shades of red, and smiled. "That would be because I am a princess, Auron."

He blinked several times, shocked. "What do you... are you serious?"

"Of course," I giggled.

"How can that be?"

"My pops is the leader of the... Well, you know. Being that I'm his daughter, that makes me a princess, technically, even though that isn't want we call it."

"What do you call it?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I am Rikku, Bnehlacc of the Al Bhed," I said proudly, curtsying. "Pleased to formally make your acquaintance, Sir Auron."

He bowed, smiling. "The pleasure is all mine, Rikku."

"Well, with that out of the way, I must be going to bed. Goodnight Auron!" I spun away, but he grabbed my hand again.

"Ah, nice try. You still haven't told me why you don't wish to dine with the Maester tonight," he said seriously, all former humor tucked away again, leaving barely any expression in his face.

I sighed with defeat, and slumped against the nearest wall, refusing to look at his face. "Let's face the facts here, Auron. I'm an Al Bhed! I can't get away with going into the Maester's house without anyone noticing, and if I was caught, then Yunie would get in trouble or I would be killed. Or most likely, both. Being killed just to have a piece of chocobo burger is not really my preferred way to go. Plus," I added, feeling worse by the minute, "I feel completely and totally uncomfortable in this dress and I can't breathe. Are you happy now?"

"Rikku, I honestly don't think any of us are really comfortable going into the Maester's house. I heard from Tidus and Wakka that Maester Seymour demanded Yuna's presence at his table, and they had to push it to make sure that we all could go. Besides," he said smiling," I doubt we're going to be eating chocobo burgers, so you won't have to die for some low class dining."

I sighed with exasperation, glaring at him. "You know that wasn't the point."

"Even so, it was a good poing to make. Also, if you just keep those sunglasses on, and stay by me, I'll make sure that no one will be suspecious of you."

My mouth dropped open, and I was in shock. "You'll protect me?"

"Of course. Now, are you coming? We really must get going, we're already late," he said, putting his arm through mine, and leading me down the steps and out into the night. We just about reached the steps to the Maester's palace before I finally noticed something.

"Hey, wait!" I said, stopping. "How come you didn't have to dress up? That's not fair!"

"Because, princess, I'm Sir Auron, and no one gets me out of this coat unless they want a death wish," he said sarcastically, raising his eyebrow from behind his dark shades.

"Lucky," I grumbled as he pushed his way into the door, dragging me behind him.

AN: Just thought that I should mention that I suck and I don't know how to spell, lol. So, if I happened to mess up people's names, like Seymour for instance, feel free to slap me around, or at least correct me. I hope you guys like this one, because I feel much better about this chapter than I did about the last one, which I felt was HORRIBLE, but I put it up anyway because I was too lazy to write a different one. So, have a lovely day, and Happy Holidays everyone!