AN: Thank you for the reviews! . I have taken off the PG-13 rating for you, but I will change the rating once again when a certain eventful chapter comes up soon. I'm grateful for you reviews! It only inspires me to write more! ^_^ Glad to find Aurikku supporters out there!

On with the story!!!

* * *

"Are we almost there yet?" Tidus asked as he jogged up from behind and walked by my side. "I'm pretty tired,"

"You're going to have to get used to that feeling," I said quietly, keeping my eyes ahead.

"Why? We still have a long way to go?!"

I smirked. "No. It's just up ahead."

He sighed and folded his hands behind his head, leaning back and looking at the sky. "Good, cause I was starting to think—"

"Tidus!" Lady Yuna screamed.

I swirled around and saw four dog-like creatures and a heavily armored thing hurling itself into Lulu. Immediately, Tidus pulled out his sword and jumped to the fight.

I ran back towards them. The dogs had Wakka, Lady Yuna, the Ronso and Rikku surrounded. Lulu was doing her best to keep the armored creature away from her, but it was determined to smash her into pieces. Tidus ran to Lady Yuna and pushed his way viciously past the dogs. He reached her and held her, then turned back to face the creatures, his sword raised.

"Auron!" Lulu cried out as I moved beside her, "Please, help!"

I grunted and slammed my sword down over the creature, penetrating it's heavily armored body. It buckled before my blade and let out a cry of pain. I pulled my sword off of it with much effort, and the creature was dead.

"Spells...they weren't affecting it," Lulu said quietly.

"Lady Yuna needs us,"

She nodded and we both ran towards the others. We approached the dogs cautiously, their backs to us.

"Lulu!" Wakka shouted from within the circle of dogs, "Get away! They're too quick for us! Even your spells!"

"I can handle them!" Lulu protested.

I watched Tidus feebly try and slash nearby dogs, but they all darted back and he missed each one of them. I put a hand on Lulu's shoulder to stop her from using her energy. "No. Don't. He's right."

Lulu frowned. "What are we supposed to do? We can't just let them be eaten!"

Even Kimarhi's spear wasn't long enough to reach the fiends. Lady Yuna screamed in terror as a nearby dog clamped down on his leg, blood pooling where he stood.

"Lady Yuna!" Rikku shouted, "Use your white magic! I'll handle these guys!"

"No! Rikku, it's too dangerous!" I had to stop myself from screaming so loudly. I didn't want her to do anything to get her remotely hurt. In an effort to stop her from joining the battle, I slammed my blade upon the nearest fiend. He quickly moved backwards and I missed him.

"They're too fast, Sir Auron!" Rikku said, "Please, just let me handle this!"

I glanced frantically at Lady Yuna. She was kneeling down beside Kimarhi, cradling his head in her lap. He clutched his leg and moaned, and Tidus stood over them, anxious looking. I looked back at Lulu and she nodded approvingly. Wakka was beside Rikku. I heard him say, "I'll help you out. You just use your bombs, ya?"

Rikku smiled and nodded. "Affirmative!"

"Move back!" Lulu said, "These bombs are powerful!"

We ducked behind nearby trees. I kept my eyes on Rikku as she reached into her pouch and pulled out a small grenade. She grinned wickedly as she hurled the thing at the dogs, and suddenly, all of Spira shook. The trees swayed back and forth, threatening to fall over us. Lulu fell backwards as the ground quaked and fell over a gnarled root. I clutched onto the tree, keeping my balance. Smoke surrounded where everyone once was, and I gasped.

Rikku was giggling. "See? Told yah I could handle them!"

Wakka blinked blankly and stared at her in astonishment.

Lady Yuna started laughing along with Rikku and Tidus.

"Auron! Rikku is a big help, eh?" Wakka started laughing along with them. Lulu only smiled and shook her head in amusement. The Ronso, however, only stood up and grunted, his leg newly healed thanks to Lady Yuna's white magic.

I frowned and heaved my sword over my shoulder. "Come. It is late in the day and we still haven't made it to Gaudosalam,"

* * *

A newfound respect for Rikku circled around us silently after our close brush with the fiends. I heard Lady Yuna whisper a small and timid "Thank you," every other moment. I had to admit, I was grateful for her grenades, but still...

Something in me—pride, perhaps—stopped me from giving her her well deserved gratitude.

We didn't make it to Gaudosalam that night, much to my dismay. We stopped again for Tidus had complained of lack of food, and Lady Yuna had insisted that we eat. When I said something about our rations being as low as they already were, Lulu reminded me that we could get as many pounds of food as we wanted in Gaudosalam.

Reluctantly, I sat down near the Ronso and stared into the small embers burning in the center of us. We had wasted too much time on this path...we should've reached Guadosalam the previous day, but due to our encounter with Rikku—and the various fiends we stumbled upon—we found ourselves sitting around, tending to Kimarhi's wounds as well as the others.

Though Lady Yuna had indeed used her white magic on the Ronso, he still walked with a limp. Being the concerned one she was, she was determined to let him get as much rest as possible. I leaned over to the Ronso and whispered, "How is your leg?"

"Fine. But Lady Yuna tell Kimarhi to rest."

"Hmm."

Lulu and Wakka had firm in their decision to guard for the night. Lulu told me to get a night's rest. She told me that I didn't look so well; that I didn't seem at all healthy. I smirked as I recalled the conversation we had earlier in the day as we walked through the forest:

"Sir Auron, is something troubling you?"

I glanced over my shoulder to see Lulu approaching me, her moogle squirming in her arms. I shook my head, readjusting the sword on my shoulder.

"You do not look well. When was the last time you had a descent rest?"

"It's been a while," I admitted, shrugging slightly. "It doesn't bother me,"

"It will bother Lady Yuna in the long run when we are in battle and you are too tired to think clearly," Lulu said harshly, "Why do you not rest? Tidus has long complained of his stomach aching for food. You should take the time to rest, Sir Auron,"

"I appreciate your concern," I muttered, "but I do not need rest,"

Lulu smiled and quirked an eyebrow, silently challenging my patience, "Then at least let me rest. And eat something,"

"I'm not hungry,"

"Well, I'm hungry," Lulu said boldly.

"Eat."

Lulu chuckled, "I will."

And so, I found myself sitting not far from the path, with the Ronso by my side. Across from me sat Lady Yuna and Tidus, along with Rikku lounging comfortably next to them. Wakka came tumbling back to our little campfire and nodded in Tidus' direction. "You wanna come gather more firewood, ya?"

"Firewood?" I inquired, "You can't mean we will stay the night in the woods again, do you?"

Wakka shrugged, "Lulu said she's tired and needs a rest."

I laughed softly, "Oh? Is that what she said?"

He nodded, "Ya, she said you should try and get some rest, too, huh?"

"I don't need any,"

"Feh! She said you'd say that!"

"Hey? You want me to get firewood with you or not?" Tidus said loudly.

Lady Yuna was giggling, and Wakka quickly turned his attention back to Tidus. "Oh, sorry. Ya, you can come with me to get some firewood,"

"Kimarhi come too," the Ronso said as he pushed himself off the ground, grabbing his spear.

Wakka beckoned them forward.

"Wait," I said quietly, "Is Lulu on guard for now?"

Wakka nodded, "Unless, of course, you want to join her?"

I shook my head. "No. I think I'm finally tired."

Wakka laughed as he walked off into the forest, Tidus and Kimarhi following him closely.

* * *

It was late into the night and I still refused to sleep. Lulu was standing watch nearby, thinking I was slumbering. Her concern was greatly appreciated, but I didn't need anyone to look out for me. I sighed and I glanced at my sword, which stood upright in the ground, hilt up. My eyes traveled over the sleeping forms of Wakka, Tidus, Lady Yuna, the Ronso, and Rikku. The fire they had made was slowly dying, the embers entrancing my eyes. Slowly, one of my eyes drooped lazily, and soon I was locked in a battle to stay awake.

"I see the way you look at her."

I glanced over my shoulder and found Lulu standing behind me, her arms folded and her eyes locked onto Rikku. "What?"

She smiled and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, "The way you look at her. Such respect and admiration,"

"Oh?" I mused, "Who are we talking about?"

"You know who I'm talking about. Young Rikku, Sir Auron. You seem to have taken a liking to her,"

"I worry about her,"

"But not in the way you worry about young Tidus or Lady Yuna," Lulu added quietly.

"Did you come here to pester me with such things or did you want me to guard for the night?"

"Both,"

A hint of a smile could be seen over the rim of my cowl as I pushed myself up, making my way to my sword. I grabbed the hilt and grunted in effort as I pulled it out of the ground; Lulu watching me and smiling all the while.

"You seem eager to escape this conversation,"

"I am,"

* * *

The morning sunlight filtered through the trees, stunning our eyes momentarily. Various birds and creatures chirped and whistled, making our journey seem a little more peaceful. Kimarhi's leg seemed to have healed overnight, and everyone spirits seemed to be in high tiding.

I heaved my sword over my shoulder and stood up. "Is Lady Yuna ready?"

"I'm ready," She beamed, clasping her hands together, "Everyone ready to go to Guadosalam?"

"Yeah!" Tidus and Rikku said in unison, laughing together. I frowned and shook my head in disapproval while Lulu chuckled.

Guadosalam wasn't that far off now, and I was thankful no one had insisted for another superfluous "rest". The dirt crunched under my heel as we pressed onward, not meeting any fiends or enemies along the way.

"The day is young and the sun is shining!" Lady Yuna smiled, "What a wonderful day this will be!"

Wakka nodded in agreement as he continued to spin his blitzball on his finger, occasionally kicking it into the air in amusement. Lulu's moogle trailed behind her, his head bouncing with each rhythmic step it took.

"Not a fiend in sight," Lulu said contently, "It will indeed be a good day,"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," I said quietly, "it's been a little too perfect these past couple of days,"

"Aw, c'mon, Auron!" Tidus whined, "Why d'you always gotta look at the negative side?"

"A guardian must always be prepared for anything,"

I smirked when Tidus only rolled his eyes and sighed.