A/N: Well, here is the next chap ... this one is also full of fluffiness ... but it's all good. The plot will be thickening in the next few chapters, so enjoy the nummy delicious fluff for now! I think this chap is cute, I hope you guys do too. XD Also, here are the Al Bhed translations for this chap:

"Fryd dra vilg yna oui tuehk? Sir Auron ec uh dra airship! Frana dra ramm yna oui kuehk?" "What the fuck are you doing? Sir Auron is on the airship! Where the hell are you going?"

"Asankahlo pylg eh Bikanel. Fuh'd dyga muhk. Tuh'd funno ypuid ed!" "Emergency back in Bikanel. Won't take long. Don't worry about it!"

Enjoy! REVIEW, pleeeeeez and THANK YOU! XD Here we go:

Chapter Three
Instinct

Cid's Airship
Rikku woke up the next morning to the familiar sound of the hum of the airship's engine. Sighing contentedly, she rolled over and started to drift off again. Wait a second. The engine should not be humming right now! We're docked in Besaid!

"Cred!" she cried out, jumping up and rushing to the intercom across the room. "Pops! Fryd dra vilg yna oui tuehk? Sir Auron ec uh dra airship! Frana dra ramm yna oui kuehk?"she cried, pressing the button that allowed her to speak to the bridge.

"Asankahlo pylg eh Bikanel. Fuh'd dyga muhk. Tuh'd funno ypuid ed!" Cid's voice replied.

"Aaaaargh!" Rikku fumed before releasing the button. "Dammit all to hell," she cursed, kicking the wall in frustration. Hopefully Auron feels up to an adventure today. Shaking her head, she stepped out into the hall and headed to the bathroom to shower.

Half an hour later, she emerged, squeaky clean, wearing a pretty yellow sundress, hair done up in several tiny braids. The door to the bathroom slid open and Rikku found herself face to face with Auron.

"Oh!" she cried out in surprise. "G'morning," she said quickly. "Been … waiting long?"

"A few minutes," Auron said vaguely, offhandedly taking in her appearance. "Why are we moving?" he asked her, leaning in closer, speaking in a low tone.

Rikku chewed on her bottom lip nervously. "Well, I kinda wondered the same thing when I woke up this morning. Apparently there's some kind of emergency back in Bikanel, and Pops didn't think to let us know before taking off," she said, trying to sound as if this sort of thing happened all the time.

"I see," Auron said, nodding slowly. "Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do about it now."

Rikku inwardly sighed with relief. "I thought you might be … mad," she said with a nervous giggle.

Auron just shook his head. "I spent ten years being mad about things that I had no control over. It's not a good way to live … or unlive, as it were."

"Hmm," Rikku mused. "Maybe you have changed," she stated softly.

"Well, I'm not unsent any more, if that makes any difference," Auron said.

Rikku shook her head. "It's so crazy … I mean, you're alive. Does it …" Blushing, she turned her head.

"Does it what?" Auron prodded.

She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "Does it feel any different? I mean, do you feel different now, than you did then?" She shook her head. "Never mind, that's stupid. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not stupid," he told her gently. "And yes, it's different. Sensations are more … real to me. I felt things as an unsent, and I saw things as an unsent, but it all lacked clarity." He was looking at her intently, searching her face as if he'd never seen it before.

"So … does that still hurt?" Rikku asked, breaking the awkward silence by pointing at his scar. "Did it even ever hurt at all?"

Auron chuckled dryly. "It hurt like a bitch right after I was attacked. By now, though, there's no sensation there at all. I tend to forget about it."

"Well, I always kinda liked it," Rikku admitted, looking up at him shyly. "It made you seem so strong and brave when I was younger, you know? Like, 'Look, he survived that. He can definitely keep all of us safe.' Except … well." Sighing, she broke their mutual gaze. "Anyway … uh, the bathroom's all yours. Sorry to keep you waiting." She turned and took off down the hallway, once again, leaving a bewildered Auron in her wake.

He was still amazed at the difference that four years had made. She still had her childlike fascination with things, and a way of speaking before thinking, but all of that was what made her unique. And the fact that he was alive now … well. That put a new spin on things entirely. Shaking his head, he walked into the bathroom.

At the same time, Rikku had made her way up to the airship's deck, and was standing at the edge, watching the clouds fly by her. "Gods, I'm such an idiot!" she chided herself. "'So, does that scar still hurt?' Blah. Obviously not! He got it like fifteen years ago! Yeah, scars tend to hurt forever. Rikku, you are a geek!"

She sighed to herself as she thought about their encounter. Funny, how she'd gotten butterflies as soon as she had seen him, standing outside the bathroom door. Yeah, she was Rikku, known for crushing on guys way too easily, but this was Auron. Even Yunie had had a crush on him at one point, so this was nothing to be concerned about. In fact, it would probably all blow over in a few days.

Didn't mean she couldn't enjoy it while it lasted though. Stoic ronin warrior eye candy was definitely underrated. Smirking slyly, she trotted back into the airship to send a transmission to Besaid via the commsphere to let the others know what was going on.

Besaid
Yuna woke to the sound of her commsphere right outside the hut crackling to life. "Yunie!" Rikku's singsong voice rang out.

"Rikku?" Yuna said, confused. "What's going on?"

"Pops decided to take us on a joyride back to Bikanel before I was awake. We'll be back later on tonight … hopefully," Rikku said irritably.

Yuna giggled. "Is Sir Auron very angry?" she asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Surprisingly, no," Rikku said. "Living, breathing Auron certainly is a different bird than the guy we're used to, you know?"

"I think maybe the pull of the Farplane was affecting him at the time of my pilgrimage. I'm actually amazed at how well he held up, all things considered," Yuna admitted. "All the sendings that I did in his presence …"

Rikku nodded. "That's true. You're so smart, Yunie!" She giggled. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what was up. See you later? Don't go off fighting any baddies without us, all right?"

"All right, I promise," Yuna said, crossing her heart. "Have fun!"

The commsphere faded back to its usual translucent blue color, and Yuna stood up, stretching her arms behind her back. She entered the hut again, as quietly as possible, so as not to wake anyone else up.

"Is everything okay?" Braska's voice coming from the kitchen caused Yuna to jump.

"Oh!" she cried out. "Daddy. You scared me."

"I apologize," he said sincerely. "That sphere woke me up."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuna said, concern filling her bi-colored eyes. "It was Rikku. It seems that Cid was needed back on Bikanel, and she and Sir Auron are along for the ride."

"Well, that should be interesting," a third voice chimed in.

Yuna turned to smile at Jecht. "Why do you say that?" she asked.

Jecht rolled his eyes, and in that instant, he looked just like Tidus. "Oh, it's nothing, really," he said dismissively. "Just yesterday, on our way here, they kept making googly eyes at each other, though neither of them would admit it if you asked."

Yuna's eyes widened and flashed with glee. "Really? Sir Auron and Rikku?" she breathed. "I mean, Rikku, I can definitely see doing that … she did have a little crush on him before. But Sir Auron was … Wow." She clasped her hands together.

"As I live and breathe," Jecht said, and then chuckled at the irony of that statement.

"Well, I guess she has changed quite a bit," Yuna reasoned, making her way to the stove to prepare breakfast.

"Who's changed?" Tidus asked, joining the others in the kitchen.

"Rikku," Braska replied. "It seems that she and Auron might be having a bit of a flirtation."

Tidus burst out laughing. "That old man? And Rikku? Okay, that would never happen!"

Yuna turned to look at him. "Why not? Is there something wrong with my cousin?" She fixed him with a no-nonsense stare that Tidus had come to know and fear in the past two years.

"No, Yuna, there's nothing wrong with Rikku … which is exactly my point!" Tidus stated boldly.

"So … you're saying there's something wrong with Sir Auron?" Yuna's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Oooh, I'm gonna tell him you said that. You're gonna be in big trouble." She giggled as Tidus walked up behind her and began to tickle her. "Go 'way!" she told him, swatting at him with a spatula.

Braska and Jecht watched their children with amusement. After a few minutes, Yuna handed them each a cup of coffee. "Thanks," Jecht said, and Yuna smiled in return. "Besides, Tidus," he continued. "If you can get a girl like Yuna, there's hope for us all."

Tidus glared at his dad. "Funny, Old Man. Real funny. Just wait till later when I kick your ass at blitzball."

Jecht laughed heartily at this. "We'll see about that, boy."

Yuna finished cooking, and set the plates of food down in front of the three men, and then joined them at the table. She smiled at the banter between Jecht and Tidus, at the easy familiarity that seemed to radiate around the room.

Every day from now on should start like this, she thought to herself with a sigh of contentment. There's nothing evil out there … this is simply our reward. We've earned this. I've earned this.

After breakfast, Yuna cleared the table, and Tidus washed the dishes in the sink. It was a routine that they had become accustomed to; they didn't even need to exchange words to complete the task.

The four of them made their way to the beach, where they met up with Wakka, Lulu, Vidina, and some of the Aurochs.

Lulu made her way to Yuna almost immediately. "So?" she asked. "How is it?"

Yuna's face broke into a huge smile. "It's absolutely amazing, Lulu!" she gushed. "I don't care why they are back, I'm just so glad that they're here."

Lulu's crimson eyes clouded for a bit. "Aren't you worried, even a little?" she asked gently.

Yuna shook her head adamantly. "No," she stated firmly. "Nothing is going to happen."

"I hope you're right, Yuna," Lulu said softly. She admired the younger woman's resolve, but she still felt a twinge of uneasiness gnawing at her. Her sixth sense was more developed than most peoples', and she'd learned to take her gut feelings seriously.

Something was here, in Spira, and whatever it was, it wasn't good. She could only hope that they would be up to the task when the time came.