Dancing All Around Me

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A / N : I've been a little busy… but I'll try to keep the updates coming a little faster. And.. you know… I just realized that the Farplane isn't exactly in Guadosalam. XD I was thinking of that place, you know, in Guadosalam where the spirits of the dead drift around…? At least, I think it's in Guadosalam; I haven't played the game since like last summer. And if it's not really in Guadosalam, then we'll just have to pretend it is. XD And it's not exactly the Farplane… yet isn't it something close to it? I dunno… but for now, we'll just call it like.. the alternate Farplane, or something. If I'm wrong, I'm sorry, but I don't feel like looking it up right now. XD Plus, I'm sure you guys don't mind me calling it that, as long as it doesn't ruin the 'fic, right? ;D One day, maybe I'll fix this chapter, when I finally figure out what's what, lol.

Disclaimer : I claim no ownership whatsoever of any Final Fantasy X-2 characters, concepts, trademarks, etc.; they belong to Square-Enix. However, any original characters (including Aure, Teyha, Deorc, the Boss, Desta, Thora, Kaewr, etc.) in this work belong to me.

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN : Frustration

"The Farplane?"

Gippal stared at the Al Bhed thief, as did everyone else in the party. Aure and Teyha, who both didn't know why it would seem incredulous that Rikku wanted to visit the Farplane, intently watched Gippal and Rikku.

The Machine Faction leader walked back to her, standing just three feet in front of the bouncy girl. He looked down at her, a somewhat amused grin on his face.

"I thought you didn't like the Farplane."

Rikku locked eyes with him defensively. "Well, I do now, and I'd like to visit for a moment before we go."

"We're not close to any of the entrances into the Farplane right now…"

"I know, I meant the alternate spirit Farplane thing… where the spirits of the sent are."

"But we have to get goin—"

"Just a few minutes? It won't take long."

Shrugging, Gippal sighed and gave in, realizing that arguing with her otherwise would get them nowhere. "… Fine. But if you're not out in five minutes, we're leaving you." He knew that what he had just said was nothing close to the truth; in all actuality, he would never abandon her anywhere. Yet he had to keep his sense of humor up, right? Right. And besides, even if he really did leave her (not that that would ever happen), he knew that Aure would wait for her. He noticed that though she didn't talk much, Aure was the closest friend Rikku had right now, next to Yuna and Paine, both of which weren't present.

Smiling, Rikku nodded. "Thanks, Gippal." Twirling on the balls of her feet, she turned and headed towards the sloped ramp that lead to the alternate Farplane. Once inside, she was overtaken by awe and wonder; it was like her first time going in, though she had gone in once with the Gullwings. Still, the atmosphere and feeling of the place gave her the chills. She remembered the first time she had to come to this place, on the summoner pilgrimage with Yuna and the rest of the guardians, oh-so-long ago. And she remembered that she hadn't wanted to go in and had opted to wait outside with the unsent Auron. She couldn't help but smile at the memory.

Walking to the edge of the rounded platform area, she stood looking out at the translucent forms of the dead's spirits drifting around. Closing her eyes, she thought of Kaewr, though she didn't know what he looked like. But if she summoned him by name, perhaps he would still show up. So with only the knowledge of his name and the fact that he was a renowned prophet living in Spira during the ages before Sin, she summoned Kaewr through her mind.

After a moment, she opened her eyes to a ghostly figure of an extremely old-looking man, sparse white hair on his head and clothed in a worn gray robe. He had obviously wanted to pass away into the spiritual world in "normal" clothing, nothing fancy or elaborate, just his gray robe. Rikku had assumed that, being a famous prophet, he would at least be adorned in rich garments.

And he definitely has no taste in color, Rikku thought, eyeing the dull charcoal-colored vestment the spirit sported. Putting that thought aside, however, she took a deep breath and stared at the ghost-like form.

"So." She felt slightly awkward talking to Kaewr's spirit; yes, she knew that the spirits couldn't respond, but there was the undeterred hope that maybe, just maybe, this would be one exception. Looking up at the spirit's face, Rikku bit her lower lip thoughtfully and started again.

"So, you must be Kaewr." … Um, of course he's Kaewr. Rikku smacked herself mentally and continued. "Listen… I don't know why your prophecy had to come up at this time and to someone like me of all people… but I'd really appreciate it if you gave me clues as to what everything means! What's this 'evil' they're talking about? How am I supposed to find the 'Way of Truth?' Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do!"

Now she felt a little stupid. What did she expect? It wasn't like the spirit of this so-called prophet would lay out all the answers on a silver platter and hand it to her. Though that would be nice.

Frustrated beyond belief, Rikku almost screamed in irritation. "Argh! Dammit!" She glared up at Kaewr's spirit.

"You are seriously no help, old man! Floating there and looking pretty is not gonna help me with this prophecy shit!" Upon uttering these words, guilt spread over her features and she calmed herself down automatically, drooping her shoulders in exasperation. "Ugh… but you never really did anything, old man. You just wrote a prophecy during your time to make a young girl's life even better generations later. And here I am, taking it all out on you… not that you can say anything to me now." Her voice was laced with profound sarcasm as she rolled her spiraled green eyes at Kaewr's spirit. Lowering her gaze, Rikku studied the hem of Kaewr's robe, tattered and torn, almost normal-looking had it not been for that oddly misplaced design embroidered near the bottom…

Jade-swirled eyes widening in curiosity, she leaned closer to the spirit, trying to get a clearer and better view of the pattern on Kaewr's robe. The design was stitched messily into his robe in red and gold thread, as if the tailor had only wanted the pattern there for a reason other than to add flavor to the apparel; scripted words lined the circular patch. Though it was in the old Spiran tongue, Rikku could still read the words, for a bit of the Al Bhed language was intermixed. As her eyes scanned over the small design, she read the words aloud.

"Destiny's path to truth lies in the remnants of an ill-fated ambition."

Straightening her back and rising to full posture, Rikku stared at the translucent pattern with the phrase embroidered along its edges. What did that mean? The Al Bhed thief hated how everything was coming to her in riddles. If Kaewr was still alive, she swore, she'd slice his neck off at first sight, just for making this so complicated.

Keeping the words engraved in her mind, Rikku let out a light huff and looked back up at Kaewr's face. Managing a half-grin, she said, "Well, I guess that helps… not really. But it's further than where I was before… so thanks, old man." Bowing slightly, she spun on her heels and sauntered out of the place, leaving the prophet's spirit floating there before it momentarily faded.

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The sunset was ablaze in fiery hues of crimson and gold, and Spira's children were settling away in their homes for the night when the heavyset Boss dropped his pen onto his desk, amid scattered forms and papers. He reached into his shirt pocket and removed a cigar, bringing it to his lips and lighting it. Taking a few drawn-out drags, he tapped it into the crystal ashtray, leaving it on the rim. The office building was empty, save for himself, who had decided to stay late and make sure things were all running smoothly for the upcoming competition.

Needless to say, he was stressed like never before in his life. Getting this thing set up in a limited amount of time was bordering on impossible, and he was on the verge of giving up and quitting the entire project. If only he hadn't have gone through that alleyway that one night… he could still remember it vividly.

He was just a normal insurance attorney, making it big at the time and living life at ease. Oftentimes, on Saturday nights, he would go out to Spira's best bars and have himself a much-needed and much-desired break. On one such night, he remembered that he had just left the Spinning Hat bar and had somehow managed to drunkenly stumble out the back door instead of the front exit. The alleyway was dark, wet, and ominous, but he walked on anyway. Of all the mistakes he had committed in his life, the Boss regretted this one the most.

After a few moments of walking and stumbling, the Boss was confronted by a sweltering wave of thick darkness, into which he had collided, sending him falling to the asphalt in dazed confusion. Upon looking up to see what had gotten in his way, he was met with a wavering image of a shadow-like figure with lit red eyes, seemingly realistic yet lacking any substantial form. At first, he had been terrified and had made to skitter up and run away, but before he could make any move, the shadow held out what must have been a hand. And before he knew it, he felt the worst feeling overtake his very heart, it seemed, as if something—a hand, a claw—was squeezing the life out of his core. He had tried screaming, he remembered, but no sound came out, and the pain was excruciating to the highest degree.

And then he remembered hearing that voice in his head, a voice that sent the bravest soul running in petrification, a voice that seemed masculine yet at the same time possessed an eerie unearthliness that almost froze the blood flowing through his veins. And he could still remember what the voice had said to him.

I can do more to you, and you can experience pain and suffering like nothing you've ever faced. This is only a mere pinch. If you obey me and follow me in allegiance, you will not have to suffer. But should you stray from my bidding, you will wish you were dead.

Given the circumstance that he was in at the time, he could do little but listen and obey, as the voice had commanded him to. He did not want to experience what he had felt earlier, not again. And from then on, he learned that this shadow needed him to find certain magical artifacts that would aid the shadow in coming into Spira as a solid being with a stable body. Since there was no real way for him to find these artifacts, the Boss devised a plan that would have other people—the people of Spira—find them for him and the shadow.

He didn't know if this would work. The truth was, he didn't even know where these artifacts were. Employing a team of dedicated scientists, the Boss was able to create special "ribbons" that would react to any magical disturbance of the strongest magnitude, seeing as how the artifacts the shadow sought contained excessive amounts of magical power.

Upon asking the shadow (whom he later learned called himself Deorc) why he couldn't just find the artifacts on his own, the Boss found himself facing the wrath of Deorc. The shadow had angrily told him that because he didn't have a substantial body in Spira, he couldn't sense any magic or perform any magical spells to find the artifacts. Deorc was forced, much to his disgust, to rely on humans to carry out his plans.

And now, the Boss was short on time. Deorc was getting impatient, feisty almost—the Boss feared another encounter with darkness in his heart. But so far, the shadow had held back, and he could only hope that Deorc would continue to do so, for whatever reasons.

Sighing, the Boss extinguished the cigar and slowly rose from his chair.

"Only four more days, Deorc. Four more."

His words vanished into the darkness.

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Night was falling fast—creatures such as rabbits, squirrels, and the like retreated into their burrows; nocturnal insects drifted out into the evening sky, crickets raised their voices to the starry firmament. Our group of four travelers trekked on in silence through the dark, uneven, and barren fields that made up the Thunder Plains.

The lightning rod towers that dotted the area here and there brought memories back to the blond Al Bhed girl. She remembered calibrating each and every one of them with Yunie, Paine, and the rest of the Gullwings. Despite the hard work and constant struggling, they had succeeded, and success had tasted oh-so-sweet. Thus, the plains weren't shaken with lightning bolts any longer, bringing a sort of peace to the fields, though thunder still rolled through the skies. Rikku smiled in reminiscence, studying the rocks on the ground as she walked with the rest of the group. She could recall how frightened she had been of the lightning and thunder, though she had long since overcome that fear. And to think that that was three years ago.

Still, the one memory Rikku could remember clearly was the so-called "concert" Yunie had staged at the Thunder Plains, the performance that revealed to Spira the hidden secrets of two fated lovers. It was an astounding yet bewildering concert, and Rikku could still remember how it had overwhelmed her cousin once it was over. Seeing the familiar Thunder Plains now could only stir her memories, bringing her back to the adventurous times of the past. Though she missed her old friends, Rikku was determined to make this journey even more worthwhile. Smiling confidently, she continued walking.

Aure, enshrouded in her dull brown cloak, sauntered on silently, the light tinkering of her sword brushing with her belts and armor sounded through the air from time to time. The Black Mage Teyha held her staff to her side, cautiously glancing around the deathly quiet plains. Gippal, seemingly nonchalant about the journey through the Thunder Plains, trudged on casually, though he still held an air of wary defense about him.

Rikku walked alongside Gippal, with Aure and Teyha right behind. Each individual was wrapped in his or her own thoughts, and the silence was thick and intoxicating. Thus the Machine Faction leader turned his attention to the unusually quiet Al Bhed thief.

Nudging her slightly with an elbow, he said, "Hey, what's on your mind? You've been a bit on the less-than-talkative side lately."

She smiled up at him as they walked. "Ah, it's nothing… just… y'know, nervous. … Nervous about the competition," she added. Though the ribbon competition was the least of her worries, she didn't want to tell him about the prophecy and all that had happened in Guadosalam. Eventually, though, she knew she would have to tell him, as well as to the rest of the group, but for now… for now, she just had to absorb everything. It had all been thrown into her face, and she hadn't even had the chance to react, except with surprise, confusion, and protest. But she needed to react reflectively and think about the recent events in depth.

And all the thinking was about to blow her brain to pieces.

"Nervous?" Gippal laughed. "That's not the Rikku I know."

Laughing a little, too, Rikku managed a quirky smile. "Well… I don't know. It's just… coming all too quickly."

"That, it is." He smiled back at her, mentally noting that he loved the way the starlight illuminated her features, bringing the beauty out of the spunky Al Bhed girl. He never realized that she truly was beautiful, in her own way, a beauty unlike that of any other female he had ever had the fortune (or misfortune) of knowing. No, Rikku was different. And maybe that's why he still…

Shaking his thoughts, he continued smiling at her. She was grinning back at him now, resisting the urge to throw her arms around him and—what was she thinking? Turning away and looking back down at the rocks on the ground, she moved forward a little, hoping that in doing so she wouldn't find herself falling to her uncalled-for temptations. What's come over me lately? Gippal and Rikku equals a no-no… it's not gonna work, so stop it. Besides, she had this whole prophecy deal to worry about.

Before she could think any further, Aure's voice pierced the reigning silence, bringing the group to a halt.

"There's something coming."

Instantly, everyone was alert, snapped from whatever thoughts he or she had just been brooding over. Aure tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword; Teyha raised her staff in front of her, ready for battle. Gippal—still weaponless—prepared himself in whatever way he could. Rikku swiftly twirled out her circular-hilt blades, positioning herself in her fighting stance.

And, as expected, an enormous figure materialized from clouds of purple and blue, voluptuous tentacles of a dark leaf-like green sprawled out from underneath it, shorter tentacles covered its large round head. A wide gaping mouth, filled with razor-sharp teeth, opened menacingly, letting out a dry, raspy cry.

"It's a Great Malboro!" Rikku cringed at the hideous fiend, gripping her weapons tightly.

"I don't think Great Malboros are supposed to be in the Thunder Plains," Aure commented, pulling out her sword with a ring.

"Fight now, talk later," Gippal called out, just as the fiend lunged at the nearest person, who happened to be Rikku. Evading with agility, the bouncy thief counter attacked with Pilfer Gil, taking the chance to stash up on some money since the group would most likely need to purchase items sometime—besides, it had been a while since she had tasted the bittersweet feeling of successfully stealing something. She let out a joyful "Aha!" when a pouch of coins appeared and plopped to the ground.

The Great Malboro, however, was not finished. It recovered fairly quickly from Rikku's assault and swept her aside with one of its many large tentacles, sending the Al Bhed thief flying to the ground. Aure charged at the monster, dealing a sharp blow to its back. It recoiled at the attack then spun around with impressive speed, smashing into the warrior and sending her into one of the nearby rocky pillars.

"Rikku! Aure!" Gippal, again without a weapon, clenched his fists, looking from the fallen thief and warrior to the Great Malboro. Dammit, I need a fucking weapon. How could I have been so stupid not to bring one with me! It was at times like these that he felt more helpless than ever.

Rikku let out a small groan, pushing herself up off the ground while maintaining her hold on her blades. The Great Malboro noticed, immediately turning to the rising Al Bhed girl and swiping another one of its tentacles at her. The Machine Faction leader realized what was happening in time to run over to Rikku, shoving her aside and taking the fiend's blow instead.

"Gippal!" It was Teyha's turn to cry out. She narrowed her eyes at the fiend, summoning her Black Magic powers in preparation for a spell. Once she had charged herself up, she called forth her spell, thrusting her staff up into the air. "Ultima!" Almost instantly, the environment shifted to a thick blackness, and dark purple clouds formed around the Great Malboro, striking the fiend. Letting out a screeching death cry, the Great Malboro crumpled to the ground, pyreflies emerging from its slowly-disappearing corpse. Everything turned back to normal.

The blond Al Bhed girl had recovered enough to see what had happened, and now she was by Gippal's side, cradling his head in her lap. Teyha and Aure joined them, hoping that Gippal was okay.

"Ugh… why did you do that, Gippal?" Rikku looked down into his face sadly. She could tell that he was in deep pain, for he clutched at his rib area and winced slightly, all the while managing to grin up at her.

"Ungh… are you okay?"

Rikku nodded. "I'm fine… but why did you have to go and do something like that?" Unlike her, he didn't have any weapons to protect himself with, nor any sort of special armor—he was, in short, defenseless. And to Rikku, taking the fiend's attack was a rash, stupid decision on Gippal's part.

"Because I'm still your bodyguard… no matter what you say."

Rikku choked back a laugh and smiled a little. "Well, I can still take care of myself. You don't have to be there every second."

Gippal could only smile back at her in response; his rib area was hurting too much for him to speak any more. Aure kneeled down on the other side of him, sheathing her sword away.

"Don't say anymore, Gippal. We'll get you to the inn."

He nodded, attempting to stand with the help of Rikku on one side and—to Aure's slight surprise—Teyha, who had rushed to his side quickly, on the other.

Well, what a messed-up picture that is, Aure thought, as she watched Rikku and Teyha help Gippal. He had an arm around each girl's neck, receiving double support as he limped. Aure led the way towards the Thunder Plains inn, thinking as she walked.

Gippal stuck in between the two girls that are competing for his love. Aure smirked, laughing to herself. How fitting. Secretly, the crimson-haired warrior was rooting for the perky blond Al Bhed girl. After all, she still had her suspicions of Teyha.

Which reminds me, Aure thought. I have to talk to Rikku… and soon.

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A / N : Exciting, ne:D I know, you guys are probably wondering why the hell I'm not giving Gippal a weapon. I had actually forgotten about it, but don't worry, he'll get one soon. For now, thank you for reading and please review!