AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm having a *SUPER* day today! Not only am I playing hooky...again, cause I'm a bad girl, but I GOT INTO COLLEGE!!! YES!!! My second choice, but not by much...I mean, I only applied to two schools. Which had me worried, what if I hadn't gotten accepted to either? Oh, but that's no longer a problem! Yay! I'm so excited I can barely type!
Phew, the musical's over. You guys have *no* idea how excited I am over that! Hopefully, this means I'll have more time to write!
Whee! I got a haircut! It's all shoulder-length with little chunky layers now, feels so weird. That's a lot shorter than it was before! Cutting it all off made my stylist so sad. I hadn't gotten it cut since October (I'm a busy, busy girl, no time for haircuts!) and my complete and utter lack of split ends impressed her.
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Auron watched Rikku. After wandering aimlessly in the desert for sometime, they had found her sitting in the shade of one of the tent-like Al Bhed structures. They had then, in his opinion, wandered aimlessly some more, while Rikku swore up and down she knew where they were going. He was quite sure they had come upon the Al Bhed home through sheer luck rather than because of Rikku's innate sense of direction. And now they were there, and Auron was all but kicking himself over the fact that *he* almost felt like crying every time he looked at Rikku. As much as he tried to resist, he was actually becoming quite fond of the little Al Bhed girl. Damn, he would need a drink later.
***
Rikku didn't think she could handle seeing one more person she cared about dead or dying. She thought about Yuna, and tried to be strong, if only for Yunie's sake. She told herself that again and again, but it became harder and harder to take to heart every time she saw another body. 'But at least none of them had been Yunie,' she told herself. Damn those Guado!
Auron, on the other hand, was very impressed, as the self-control Rikku was employing was something he hadn't thought she would have been capable of. This experience couldn't be an easy one for her, but she had managed not to lose it. She seemed almost too calm. He had a feeling that she would pop at some point. He just hoped that they would find Yuna first.
They wandered through the Al Bhed home, opening chests and pausing occasionally to fight the Guado and the fiends they had brought with them. Poor Rikku seemed distracted; she certainly wasn't fighting her best today. Not that anyone could blame her for it.
When Rikku threw herself on Wakka, crying, Auron felt a surge of jealousy. He wanted to be the one holding and comforting her. But then he thought back to the conversation he had had with Wakka and Tidus. No, it was probably best if she did *not* throw herself on top of him. In public anyway. Not that he wouldn't have enjoyed it if she had. But he would have had to deal with those "knowing" winks from the others, and he really didn't feel like it.
***
Rikku wished she hadn't had to be the one to tell Tidus about what would happen at the end of Yuna's pilgrimage. Poor guy. And Yunie's absence from the Summoner's Sanctum had just made things that much worse. Tidus was getting more and more worked up about Yuna. Though, truth be told, he wasn't the only one that was nervous. They were on the airship, and they were all a little jumpy.
Rikku, after talking to the others, wandered toward the back of the ship, looking for a place to lie down. Finding one, she did so, and was just about asleep when she heard the door open. She sat up, about to yell at whomever it was for disturbing her privacy and nap. But it was Auron, so whatever it was she meant to say got swallowed.
"Hello," he said, walking over to sit down. In the darkened room, she couldn't see much, and wondered how he could.
"Hi..."
"I don't mean to disturb your rest, but I wanted to tell you that I think you handled yourself very well down there, considering."
"Considering that most of the people I knew and grew up with are dead?"
"I'm sorry Rikku. Believe it or not, I know how you feel. When Jecht and Braska died..." Rikku was startled. Auron had never volunteered information about himself before. In fact, she had thought it an impossible task to actually learn anything at all from him. She smiled at him, her first since home had been destroyed, though he couldn't see it in the dark.
"No...I think it must have been worse for you. Cause I have all of you guys to cheer me up. I know I'm not alone, you know?" Auron put a large hand on Rikku's small shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"I'm glad you know that." He stood up and moved to leave, then turned. "We don't have long until we reach Bevelle. Rest up, as I have a feeling you'll need your strength." He left the room without a sound, gently closing the door behind him. Rikku sighed softly, then lay down again, drifting off into sleep.
***
Of course, the others, over-analytical as they were, did not fail to notice the mysterious absence of the pair.
"Uh oh!" said Tidus, twitching his eyebrows and looking much like he had a nervous tic. "I wonder where those too are off to. A nice, secluded room in the back of the ship?" Lulu looked at him.
"But no one has the airship, do they?" she asked.
"No," said Wakka.
"In that case, I think I should get it. The Thunder Plains weren't very fair. They got no time alone and they barely knew each other!"
"No way!" protested Tidus. "You chose the Thunder Plains! And you were the first person to call a location."
"Uh, sorry Tidus, but you got Zanarkand before anyone else made a decision." Wakka pointed out hesitantly. Tidus gave him a blank and dirty look. Lulu smiled smugly. "But still, Lulu chose before the rest of us. She picked the Thunder Plains. So she can't have the airship. It wouldn't be fair, ya?" Lulu pouted.
"Well someone should have the airship! It's a prime location!"
"I should," said Rin, who had wandered over, smoothly. "It is an Al Bhed location, of course."
"But not a Travel Agency, which is what you specifically claimed," said Lulu angrily. "So you *can't* have it!" She was certainly a sore loser.
"So then what do we do about it?" asked Wakka. They thought for several minutes.
"Uh..." said Tidus, "make sure nothing happens while we're here?"
"I guess that works," said Wakka.
"Babysitting again?" asked Lulu. "If so, count me out. I've had it with this stupid pool!" With that, she stormed off.
Kimahri, who had been standing there silently all along, finally spoke. "Maybe someone baby-sit angry Lulu."
"Not me, ya?" said Wakka. He certainly didn't want to deal with the angry mage.
"No way!" said Tidus. "I don't think she likes me very much."
"Not Kimahri problem."
Rin backed away from the group nervously. "She'll be *fine* on her own."
"But what do we do about the time we have on the airship?" At that time, Brother wandered over (AN: Let's all just forget for the moment that he's driving. Maybe he astral projects...yeah...).
"What *about* the airship?" he asked. The others wondered if they should fill him in. This could ruin everything or up the ante even farther. So Tidus went for it.
"We're having a betting pool."
"Involving what?"
"Sir Auron and your sister...uh...kissing," said Wakka, smoothing the top of his head nervously.
"Ah. And you did not factor in the airship previously? How much to enter? I think I'd like to. I'm always open to earning more gil, especially now that we have to rebuild our home."
So they filled him in. The pot was up to nine thousand gil. The stakes were high. What would happen now?
***
Auron returned to the cockpit several minutes later. The bettors were luckily no longer discussing the pool. Tidus was curious as to where Auron had been, however. He wandered over.
"Hey, uh, Auron. How ya doin'?"
Auron made no reply, but glared menacingly at Tidus. This did not put off Tidus, who knew him well.
"Where'd you go? And uh, have you seen Rikku? She disappeared a little while ago, and we want to let her know we're, um, near Bevelle." Not the best excuse he had ever come up with, especially because the loud intercom system in the ship made it quite clear to *everyone* where they were.
Auron glared. "Why don't you mind your own business and keep your nose out of mine? What I do on my own time is none of your concern." Topic of conversation successfully *closed*. Auron strode away, looking for a place to do some drinking. The attack they were about to make on Bevelle would be completely stupid, and he wanted to get rid of the little voice in his head telling him it would be a bad idea.
Tidus sulked. No one ever told him anything. It never occurred to him that that was probably because he was completely unable to hold his tongue.
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Hope you guys enjoyed this one. A little short, and about half of it definitely wasn't even supposed to be remotely funny. But it's setting up for some good chapters. As always, review! Thanks to those who do (especially the people who do every chapter...you guys rock!). I'm leaving for Seattle/Whistler, BC to ski during spring break (finally!) on Thursday and I hope to get one more chapter out before then. And of course, lots of reviews will help inspire me to do so...
Phew, the musical's over. You guys have *no* idea how excited I am over that! Hopefully, this means I'll have more time to write!
Whee! I got a haircut! It's all shoulder-length with little chunky layers now, feels so weird. That's a lot shorter than it was before! Cutting it all off made my stylist so sad. I hadn't gotten it cut since October (I'm a busy, busy girl, no time for haircuts!) and my complete and utter lack of split ends impressed her.
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Auron watched Rikku. After wandering aimlessly in the desert for sometime, they had found her sitting in the shade of one of the tent-like Al Bhed structures. They had then, in his opinion, wandered aimlessly some more, while Rikku swore up and down she knew where they were going. He was quite sure they had come upon the Al Bhed home through sheer luck rather than because of Rikku's innate sense of direction. And now they were there, and Auron was all but kicking himself over the fact that *he* almost felt like crying every time he looked at Rikku. As much as he tried to resist, he was actually becoming quite fond of the little Al Bhed girl. Damn, he would need a drink later.
***
Rikku didn't think she could handle seeing one more person she cared about dead or dying. She thought about Yuna, and tried to be strong, if only for Yunie's sake. She told herself that again and again, but it became harder and harder to take to heart every time she saw another body. 'But at least none of them had been Yunie,' she told herself. Damn those Guado!
Auron, on the other hand, was very impressed, as the self-control Rikku was employing was something he hadn't thought she would have been capable of. This experience couldn't be an easy one for her, but she had managed not to lose it. She seemed almost too calm. He had a feeling that she would pop at some point. He just hoped that they would find Yuna first.
They wandered through the Al Bhed home, opening chests and pausing occasionally to fight the Guado and the fiends they had brought with them. Poor Rikku seemed distracted; she certainly wasn't fighting her best today. Not that anyone could blame her for it.
When Rikku threw herself on Wakka, crying, Auron felt a surge of jealousy. He wanted to be the one holding and comforting her. But then he thought back to the conversation he had had with Wakka and Tidus. No, it was probably best if she did *not* throw herself on top of him. In public anyway. Not that he wouldn't have enjoyed it if she had. But he would have had to deal with those "knowing" winks from the others, and he really didn't feel like it.
***
Rikku wished she hadn't had to be the one to tell Tidus about what would happen at the end of Yuna's pilgrimage. Poor guy. And Yunie's absence from the Summoner's Sanctum had just made things that much worse. Tidus was getting more and more worked up about Yuna. Though, truth be told, he wasn't the only one that was nervous. They were on the airship, and they were all a little jumpy.
Rikku, after talking to the others, wandered toward the back of the ship, looking for a place to lie down. Finding one, she did so, and was just about asleep when she heard the door open. She sat up, about to yell at whomever it was for disturbing her privacy and nap. But it was Auron, so whatever it was she meant to say got swallowed.
"Hello," he said, walking over to sit down. In the darkened room, she couldn't see much, and wondered how he could.
"Hi..."
"I don't mean to disturb your rest, but I wanted to tell you that I think you handled yourself very well down there, considering."
"Considering that most of the people I knew and grew up with are dead?"
"I'm sorry Rikku. Believe it or not, I know how you feel. When Jecht and Braska died..." Rikku was startled. Auron had never volunteered information about himself before. In fact, she had thought it an impossible task to actually learn anything at all from him. She smiled at him, her first since home had been destroyed, though he couldn't see it in the dark.
"No...I think it must have been worse for you. Cause I have all of you guys to cheer me up. I know I'm not alone, you know?" Auron put a large hand on Rikku's small shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"I'm glad you know that." He stood up and moved to leave, then turned. "We don't have long until we reach Bevelle. Rest up, as I have a feeling you'll need your strength." He left the room without a sound, gently closing the door behind him. Rikku sighed softly, then lay down again, drifting off into sleep.
***
Of course, the others, over-analytical as they were, did not fail to notice the mysterious absence of the pair.
"Uh oh!" said Tidus, twitching his eyebrows and looking much like he had a nervous tic. "I wonder where those too are off to. A nice, secluded room in the back of the ship?" Lulu looked at him.
"But no one has the airship, do they?" she asked.
"No," said Wakka.
"In that case, I think I should get it. The Thunder Plains weren't very fair. They got no time alone and they barely knew each other!"
"No way!" protested Tidus. "You chose the Thunder Plains! And you were the first person to call a location."
"Uh, sorry Tidus, but you got Zanarkand before anyone else made a decision." Wakka pointed out hesitantly. Tidus gave him a blank and dirty look. Lulu smiled smugly. "But still, Lulu chose before the rest of us. She picked the Thunder Plains. So she can't have the airship. It wouldn't be fair, ya?" Lulu pouted.
"Well someone should have the airship! It's a prime location!"
"I should," said Rin, who had wandered over, smoothly. "It is an Al Bhed location, of course."
"But not a Travel Agency, which is what you specifically claimed," said Lulu angrily. "So you *can't* have it!" She was certainly a sore loser.
"So then what do we do about it?" asked Wakka. They thought for several minutes.
"Uh..." said Tidus, "make sure nothing happens while we're here?"
"I guess that works," said Wakka.
"Babysitting again?" asked Lulu. "If so, count me out. I've had it with this stupid pool!" With that, she stormed off.
Kimahri, who had been standing there silently all along, finally spoke. "Maybe someone baby-sit angry Lulu."
"Not me, ya?" said Wakka. He certainly didn't want to deal with the angry mage.
"No way!" said Tidus. "I don't think she likes me very much."
"Not Kimahri problem."
Rin backed away from the group nervously. "She'll be *fine* on her own."
"But what do we do about the time we have on the airship?" At that time, Brother wandered over (AN: Let's all just forget for the moment that he's driving. Maybe he astral projects...yeah...).
"What *about* the airship?" he asked. The others wondered if they should fill him in. This could ruin everything or up the ante even farther. So Tidus went for it.
"We're having a betting pool."
"Involving what?"
"Sir Auron and your sister...uh...kissing," said Wakka, smoothing the top of his head nervously.
"Ah. And you did not factor in the airship previously? How much to enter? I think I'd like to. I'm always open to earning more gil, especially now that we have to rebuild our home."
So they filled him in. The pot was up to nine thousand gil. The stakes were high. What would happen now?
***
Auron returned to the cockpit several minutes later. The bettors were luckily no longer discussing the pool. Tidus was curious as to where Auron had been, however. He wandered over.
"Hey, uh, Auron. How ya doin'?"
Auron made no reply, but glared menacingly at Tidus. This did not put off Tidus, who knew him well.
"Where'd you go? And uh, have you seen Rikku? She disappeared a little while ago, and we want to let her know we're, um, near Bevelle." Not the best excuse he had ever come up with, especially because the loud intercom system in the ship made it quite clear to *everyone* where they were.
Auron glared. "Why don't you mind your own business and keep your nose out of mine? What I do on my own time is none of your concern." Topic of conversation successfully *closed*. Auron strode away, looking for a place to do some drinking. The attack they were about to make on Bevelle would be completely stupid, and he wanted to get rid of the little voice in his head telling him it would be a bad idea.
Tidus sulked. No one ever told him anything. It never occurred to him that that was probably because he was completely unable to hold his tongue.
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Hope you guys enjoyed this one. A little short, and about half of it definitely wasn't even supposed to be remotely funny. But it's setting up for some good chapters. As always, review! Thanks to those who do (especially the people who do every chapter...you guys rock!). I'm leaving for Seattle/Whistler, BC to ski during spring break (finally!) on Thursday and I hope to get one more chapter out before then. And of course, lots of reviews will help inspire me to do so...