Not the longest chapter ever, or most interesting, and probably not the best, but… it's a real chapter, finally. The pages I uploaded the other day have been cleaned up a bit and added to a little. Can you believe it? A real update, finally. I can hardly believe it myself.

Big huge thanks to Krissy for helping me get back on track with writing this, and helping me get past the writers block I had about where to go next with the story. And basically poking at me to get writing already. I think if I hadn't had someone to talk to about it, I might have never gotten going with it. And thank you everyone who still comment, and did comment.

In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I hope the chapter doesn't read too rusty. Slightly out of practice with this… Any problems, point them out, I'll correct them. I still plan to do the revised edition.

Enough of that. FFX and FFX2 aren't mine, as usual, I just borrowed the stuff in them to make this.

About future updates… will get them out faster. I have no excuses. I'm not even gonna try… life's insane but I should be able to balance this too, no? I'm trying. Trying harder. As soon as I brush up on a bit of FFX-2, mainly to figure out how to write O'aka and figure out a few details around that… I'll have the next chapter up. So – it shouldn't be long at all. I hope the bit added to this is enough to keep you busy for the next few days while I get that written… Won't be long, I promise, seriously, cross my heart, promise! There's nothing that can possibly keep me away from writing! No excuses! If I don't update within a week, you can pelt me with stones! (If that still doesn't sound very reassuring… How about this - half of the chapter is already written, I just need to write the bits with O'Aka before I can upload it. It'd be dreadfully chopped up and make very little sense if I put it up now… I'd rather avoid anymore confusing messy chapters… I know, excuses, excuses… But I really, really don't want the quality of this fic to go anymore down hill than it already has.)

- Chapter 24 -

"So… then what happened?" Tidus asked, grinning a little as he peered over at Yuna. She sat beside him on the sun-warmed docks, dipping her toes into the ocean and looking as if she were caught in some distant memory. Behind them the sun was setting, casting the last of it's light on their backs. The day had passed quickly, though neither of them had noticed. The small ordeal of the temple distant in their minds, they had enjoyed a sunny day of relaxation and fun. Both of them had seemed to forget anything else existed besides each other.

"Well…" Yuna said softly, leaning back on her hands that were braced behind her, "By that time, Lulu had noticed I was missing… She went to go get Wakka and the two of them started running around in a panic, calling my name. Kimahri was a little worried too, I think, though he never showed it. He was the one who found me, I guess he knew me better than I had thought. While Lulu and Wakka were running down to the beach to see if they could find me, he went straight into the temple. It didn't take him long to find me huddled up behind my father's statue… I was frightened, by then." She paused, and frowned a little.

"It wasn't a game anymore, because everyone seemed so worried. But Kimarhi wasn't angry, he just picked me up and carried me back out, never saying a word. It was Lulu and Wakka who were cross, when they finally came back… and of course, the priest…" Her voice trailed off, and she seemed to giggle a little in spite of herself.

"And?" Tidus perked up his eyebrows, leaning closer.

"Well… Then Lulu made me apologize to him, and I spent the rest of the week scrubbing his robes."

Tidus laughed, grinning broadly at her. "I never would have figured! Yuna, a trouble maker…"

"I was only eight!" She said defensively, blushing a little.

"Still…" He kept on grinning, idly kicking at the water below.

She blushed a little bit more, but then seemed to regain herself. Smiling, she pushed at him lightly with her hand. "I bet you were worse!"

Tidus laughed aloud again, shaking his head. "Yeah, I was a terror."

Yuna giggled. "Got any stories?"

"Lots." He smirked.

"You'll have to tell me sometime." She said with a smile, resting her head on his shoulder. "I think I hear the airship."

He blinked, and tilted his head a little to listen. After a moment, he could hear the faint sound of engines as well. Yuna closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him, and he could almost feel how tired she was from the contact.

"Thank you." She said very softly, as he kissed her hair. "I had a lot of fun."

"Me too." He said quickly, almost too quickly, and he realized he wasn't too sure what to do next. He didn't want the day to end yet, he never wanted it to end. But the others were on the horizon now, and the sun was drifting away into the sea. It had been a good day, and he didn't think he'd ever forget it. Silently he made a promise for more days like it in the future, no matter what happened.

They sat there silently until the airship had landed in the water nearby, causing a rather large wave that swept through the entire village and bumped ships against the dock. Many people, who had been slowly making their way to their huts, came over to see what the commotion was about. Upon seeing Yuna and the Celsius, they seemed to look a little less worried. Though Tidus noted, a little unhappily, there were a few angry looking faces as they recognized the ship.

'Well, I guess that's not a surprise.' He thought as he and Yuna stood up, walking over to the end of the dock where the ship was coming to a halt. Already the boarding ramp was lowering and Paine could be seen walking down it.

'The Gullwings don't exactly have a good record with these people, from what Yuna said.' A while ago, before everything had happened, he probably would have thought it was funny. He would have been just like Rikku and Yuna, running around and causing messes. He remembered once, that it had been fun to do that sort of thing. But now it seemed to be slowly falling into the past, and he was more worried about Yuna's well being than getting attention. It was strange to realize, that he had changed a little, perhaps grown up. The change had started, he realized, when he'd first met Yuna.

"Hello Paine." Yuna said politely, but with a smile. The warrior looked in good humor for once, though tired.

"Hello." She said rather shortly, though not as coldly as she would to someone else. "You both ready to go?" She added, looking from her to Tidus with a faint hint of a smile.

"Yes, I think so." Yuna looked to Tidus as well, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good to go."

Paine turned without a word and walked back up the ramp, ignoring the scowls and stares coming from the small group of villagers. Yuna looked back half way of the ramp and tried to give a reassuring smile, a half wave with her hand. Tidus noticed a few villagers faces softened, but only a few. The memory would take a while to heal, despite the fact she was the High Summoner. Things were changing fast in Spira, Tidus realized with a odd sort of twinge. Soon Summoners and Yevon would be a distant memory.

"Where's Rikku?" Yuna asked, as they all entered the elevator and watched the ramp lift back into place.

"Oh, up with everyone else. Buddy says the bandages can come off in a few days, but I don't think we'll be so lucky that Rikku will get over it that fast." Paine said with a half snort, crossing her arms and leaning on the wall.

"Did it really hurt her that bad?" Yuna frowned, looking quite worried.

"No, I think it was more the fall that caused the scratching." Paine said, and Tidus could swear she was almost smiling.

"Fall?" Yuna looked rather horrified at this.

"It's not that bad, Yuna. She only fell a few feet. It was the landing that did the most damage."

Yuna stared at Paine wordlessly.

"Ah… well, she landed on a sleeping fiend. One of those plants, you know, that shoot the seeds. It got pretty mad, and by the time I found her, she was pretty battered. Nothing serious, but it wasn't pretty."

"Poor Rikku…" Yuna sighed, clasping her hands together at her waist.

"Her pride took the worst beating, that's all." Paine shrugged, and turned as the elevator came to a halt.

"I bet she's going to be fun to be around." Tidus muttered faintly, unable to stop himself. Paine raised an eyebrow. Yuna apparently didn't hear him, and he decided it was probably for the best. The doors opened and the three walked into the hallway, Yuna quickly moving to the lead. Before Tidus was half way across the hall, Yuna was already through the door and almost tripping down the steps.

"Rikku? Rikku are you alright?"

Tidus entered the bridge just in time to see a large lump turn around and face the trio.

"Yuna?" Came a muffled voice from the lump, and Tidus was startled to realize it was in fact, Rikku, wrapped in a ridiculous amount of bandages. On closer inspection, Tidus discovered he could actually make out the form of Rikku, and parts of her weren't completely covered. Those parts were her face, her hands, and her feet. Had Tidus been not as tired as he was, he probably would have started laughing on the spot.

"Rikku, is that you?" Yuna frowned, clasping the Al Bhed's hand. "What happened?"

Paine sighed as if to say she had already explained that, but knew Yuna had to ask for herself anyway.

"A bird happened." Rikku muttered sarcastically, with a very sour tone in her voice. Tidus couldn't remember hearing her so irritated.

"Oh… dear." Yuna sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Rikku. Are you in much pain?"

Rikku's face frowned, and one of her hands reached to scratch at the bandage. At this movement, Buddy suddenly shouted from where he was sitting, making Tidus jump.

"Rikku, don't pick at those! You have to let them heal!"

Rikku's frown deepened, and a bandage slipped down over her eyes. Muttering she pushed it back up and crossed her arms carefully. "I hate birds." She said, and Tidus didn't doubt it at all.

"So, where to now?" Buddy called from his seat, looking over to Yuna. She dragged her eyes off Rikku and blinked a few times.

"Well… the Mushroom Rocks, and Macalania."

"So, who's going where?" Paine tilted her head, her arms crossed casually.

"I guess since Rikku is… injured, maybe you two should take the Djose temple. You can speak to the Al Bhed, maybe they'll have seen it?"

"But… Gippal will be there…" Rikku said suddenly, staring at a spot on the wall. "I don't want him to see me like this! I'll never hear the end of it!" She cried unhappily, flinging her arms into the air.

"Rikku, what would you rather do? Go to Macalania and freeze to death in your bandages, or put up with Gippal?" Paine raised an eyebrow critically.

Rikku muttered something sullenly that Tidus gathered was something to do with freezing.

"Well, that's settled then." Buddy nodded, turning back in his seat. "Do you think you two can handle Macalania? The temple sank into the ice after it was abandoned by the Guado."

"We should be fine. We'll get some supplies from O'aka's shop nearby, so we can climb down to the ruins." Yuna spoke thoughtfully, as if she had already planned out what she was going to do. Tidus wouldn't have been surprised if she had.

"Sounds fine." Buddy nodded in agreement. "But if you run into any trouble, be sure to call us."

"It'll be no problem. We've gone through a lot already." Tidus gave one of his flashy smiles, looking over to Yuna. She smiled back, and nodded in agreement.

"So it's settled?" Paine tilted her head, looking around the room.

"Next stop, Mushroomy Rocks!" Brother shouted, making everyone jump. Tidus hadn't even seen him at his usual spot, he'd been so unusually quiet. Despite what had happened between them, Brother seemed much more cheerful lately, as if he had moved on with something.

"I'm going to bed." Paine shrugged, already on her way out of the bridge. "Good night."

"Goodnight, Paine." Yuna called after her, but she was already gone, and the door had closed behind her.

"Onto another adventure." Yuna sighed softly, to no one in particular.

Tidus watched Rikku and Paine exit the airship from the top of the ramp. Yuna stood a little ways down from him and calling out support to Rikku, who was still heavily bandaged and moving in a way that led Tidus to believe the Al Bhed was still quite grouchy.

"Here we go again." Paine said a little too loudly, when they reached the bottom of the ramp. The warrior crossed her arms and looked about rather guardedly, as if she expected another disaster to erupt as soon as the airship was out of sight.

The night had gone by uneventful. Tidus had awoken to a gray morning in the mushroom rocks, just in time to see Rikku and Paine off. Still a little drowsy from sleep, Tidus rubbed at his eyes as he looked around at the blurry terrain. He barely remembered the place; he hadn't exactly been paying attention too close when they'd passed through it two years ago. It hadn't been his favorite spot. Not with the event that had kept them all busy… The confrontation with Sin, the disaster of a battlefield… No, he was not very upset at all that he was missing out on another chance to see the place. He wasn't quite ready to relive those memories.

'Anything to do with Seymour…' He muttered to himself, rubbing at one of his eyes which wasn't quite ready to wake up.

Yuna turned then, and smiled up at him. He waved a little, yawning despite his best efforts to stifle it. She grinned, seemingly amused by the face he must have made.

Below, Rikku and Paine had reached the path leading to the temple, and were met by a small group of Al Bhed. Tidus was just about to turn away when he saw someone he recognized in the group.

"Well well! Look who's here!" A voice called, loud enough for Tidus to hear even though he was a fair distance away. The tall Al Bhed stopped in front of Paine and Rikku, and seemed to be smirking.

"What did I do to deserve the honor of your company… again?" He put his hands on his hips and seemed to be only looking at Paine, as if Rikku were invisible. By this time Yuna had turned again towards the group, and was watching just as intently as he.

"Hello, Gippal." Paine said curtly, as if she had already had enough of him.

"Well hello to you too, Paine. As cheery as ever… What happened today? Fall out of bed?" He was still smirking.

"Ran around chasing a bird, actually." Paine's tone had a considerable icy degree to it.

"… Guess it's not the time to ask about that one, huh?" Gippal seemed to get the hint, and finally turned to Rikku.

"Love the new look, Rikku."

In reply she spat something in Al Bhed that Tidus knew he'd heard before, and knew wasn't very polite.

"No, really! It looks great, I think you should stick with it. Guess that isn't hard though, since they're already sticking to you…" He started to laugh at himself but was interrupted by Rikku's foot coming down on his. He made a strangled yelp and stepped backwards quickly, gingerly rubbing his foot. "Ah, sorry." He said, so quietly Tidus barely caught it.

Rikku turned away and crossed her arms, and Tidus thought he could hear a faint stream of mutters coming from her direction.

"Hey, Yuna." Gippal shouted suddenly, waving up at her.

"Good morning, Gippal." Yuna called back, returning the wave.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of your cousin. I won't let anymore birds get her." He was grinning, though standing noticeably further away from Rikku.

"Thanks." Tidus heard a grin in her voice, and then the conversation seemed to settle to an end. Paine spoke a few words that Tidus couldn't catch, and the group began to move away from the airship.

"I guess we better be off." Turning, Yuna's face seemed to lose a little bit of it's smile, as if she were bracing herself for an ordeal ahead.

"Yeah…" Tidus watched the others leave, heading towards the temple. Despite not wanting to see the area again, he was a little jealous Rikku and Paine's mission would be an easy one. With the Al Bhed and Gippal helping them, they'd probably find the sphere quickly. Where as with him and Yuna… Shinra hadn't been able to give them a clear reading on where the sphere was in the ruins. It wasn't an encouraging thought, but it had to be done, and with Rikku wounded, it was up to them.

"Everything alright?" Yuna frowned a little, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze.

"Yep, everything's fine." He smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. And it was, really, despite the fear he had about what could happen to her. "Let's get back to the bridge."