Disclaimer: Umm, nothing fun to say. I don't own any of the square characters. Amaya and Aruk, however, I'm willing to sell for money, any bids?

--

The small boat pulled up to the pier as the lovers stepped off. They had wondered about the sudden disappearance of Rikku, but how would they have been able to catch her? She had a good two day start over them.

Wakka was on the beach with Vidina when he saw them. "Hey!" He shouted and waved his arm over his head to get their attention. They walked over to join the red head. "Thought you two were going to see the world again." He questioned.

"Well, about that." Tidus began as he scratched his head.

Wakka gave him a strange look, but Yuna finished what he was about to say. "I was feeling sick when we got to Kilika, and they made me see the temple healers. Turns out it was nothing bad." She paused as Wakka waited in suspense. "Tidus and I are going to be parents." She exclaimed, but with her soft voice, it still wasn't very loud.

"That's great ya. Lulu will be so happy." He then grabbed Tidus in a headlock and rubbed his fist on the top of his head. "As for you, brudda, way to go."

Tidus' shouts filled the air as Yuna stood to the side watching the two. When Wakka finally did release him, the blond squatted while holding his aching head. "Did you have to do that?" He whined.

"Come on you two." Yuna interrupted. "Let's go tell Lulu the news." She smiled as she ran off.

Vidina toddled over to where the two blitzers still stood. "Unca Dus. Unca Dus." He held his arms out wanting to be picked up. He glanced to the little boy in front of him and smiled. He was going to have one of these himself.

When they arrived back in the village they saw Yuna surrounded by people. They all wanted a chance to see the soon to be mother. She chatted with them all answering questions and comments alike. Then she turned her head to see Tidus standing at the entrance with a red headed two year old on his shoulders. She excused herself and ran to meet them.

"About time you guys got here." She said. "Hey Vidina." She pinched the toddlers cheek.

He laughed before looking over her and seeing his mother. "Mama, mama." He called to Lulu.

Lulu walked over to them as her hair ornaments clinked as she moved. "Yuna tells me we are going to have another villager in a few months. I believe a congratulations are in order." She reached up and grabbed her son from Tidus. "But, why are you back so soon? And where is Rikku? She is not with you?"

"It's a long story." Yuna answered.

"Well then, why don't we go back to our hut and you can tell me about it." Lulu suggested.

The group took her advice and followed her back. Once there she laid Vidina down and then made some tea. "Okay, start at the beginning. Wakka and I will wait until you are done before asking anything, right Wakka.?" She glared at him.

He scratched the back of his head before answering. "Yeah, sure, Lu. I won't say anything, ya."

Yuna told them about how she felt ill when they arrived at Kilika, what the healers told her, and how Rikku was gone when they woke up. She then pulled out the note she left showing them what it said. Needless to say, Lulu was a bit taken aback by all this. That meant that it was only Rikku and who ever was with her. With the way the fiends had been acting lately, that did not bode well with the black mage.

--

"Honestly, Rikku, you are just way too jumpy." The person said behind her. They released her arm so she could face who it was.

"Pops? What are you doing here? I thought you were back on Bikanel Island finishing home."

"I was. But your brother is handling that now. I came here to visit your mother." He began softly as he remembered. "But now that those Guado aren't chasing us away as violently, I can finally see her." He finished in the rough voice Rikku knew.

"Oh, okay. Well I gotta go. Tell brother I said hi when you see him again." She tried to rush off.

"Now wait one darn minute there, young lady. I don't see you for over a year, and that's all you're going to say?" He shouted.

/Look, pops. I have to get to Macalania. If I could you know I would stay and talk./ She said in Al Bhed.

/By yourself? You're just as crazy as your cousin for wanting to sacrifice herself to defeat sin. Do you even have any idea how strong those fiends have been/

/Yes, pops, I do. That's why I need to go to Macalania./ She snapped. /Now if you will excuse me, I have somewhere to be./ She stomped off and into the Thunder Plains. Cid could only shake his head and watch as she walked away.

Meanwhile Rikku was still fuming and muttering to herself. "Who does he think he is trying to stop me? It's not like I plan on getting myself killed. Doesn't he understand that I have my own life now? I can't be there to just stop what I'm doing to talk to him. And I still refuse to go back to Home yet. I know that's what he wanted."

Most fiends left her alone as she walked along the rock and mud trail leading to the other end of the plains. Maybe it was the fact she was angry and talking to herself that did it, but fiends aren't that smart. All they knew is there is someone walking near then that is alive. Their own anger causes them to attack.

The few that were brave enough to face the young Al Bhed on the path were quickly taken care of by a strong water spell as she stormed across. It was four hours later when she reached the travel agency. Thinking it might be a good idea to stop and rest, she got a room for herself.

She dropped her stuff by the door and lay on the bed. She stretched out with her hands under her head. "Auron, you're quiet. You haven't said one thing since leaving that Guado's house." She noted.

"How could I? You have been ranting non stop since we encountered Cid."

Realizing what he said was true, she sighed and rolled over so she lay on her stomach. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Now that we have that taken care of, might I suggest we think about where we are going to go from here. Macalania is still two days from here. You are going to need camping supplies."

"I can get them from Rin. He should have all that out in the foyer for sale. Auron?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"I uh want. Never mind. It's nothing. I'm gonna take a nap. All that walking in the rain had made me tired. 'Night."

"Good night, Rikku." He replied still unsure how to take this young Al Bhed and her out bursts.

--

That night she had a dream. She could see a white light traveling around Spira. She ran after it trying to catch it. Just as she would close her hand around it, the light would disappear. Then she would have to start again.

She was running along the open field of the Calm lands when Auron stopped her. He held her small arm within his large hand.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

She turned to answer him, "I'm searching for a light. Have you seen it?"

He shook his head and released her to walk away. She called after him, but he ignored her. She stomped her foot before going the other way.

"Where are you going child?" Someone asked her. It was a soft feminine voice.

Without turning Rikku answered. "I'm looking for a light. I saw it go this way."

"Before you find it, you must first find the light that will brighten your heart. Until then, you will never catch it." They replied.

"Huh? Find the light to brighten my heart? What is that supposed to mean? And just where am I supposed to find this 'light'?"

"Look deep within yourself. You will find it." A gust of wind blew by and she knew that the speaker was gone.

"Within myself, huh?" She sat cross legged where she was at. "I see nothing!" She shouted to the skies.

"Maybe you need so look harder." Someone suggested. Yuna walked over and sat in front of her. "It's there. You just have to find it."

Auron soon came back and joined them. Yuna stood and began to dance. Pyerflies escaped from his body. Rikku could see a look of pain on his face as they flew away, but Yuna did nothing to stop the dance.

Rikku jumped up and tried to stop her cousin. "Yunie, don't. You're hurting him!" She cried. "Can't you see what you are doing?"

Yuna continued the dance. When Rikku wrapped her arms around her to make her stop, she passed right through. She fell face first onto the grass. Auron's eye pleaded with Rikku to do something.

Then to her shock, when she lifted her head, she saw everyone else standing in a circle around them. They all had smiles on their faces as they watched Yuna dance, and Auron fade away. It was not long before he was gone completely and Yuna smiled at her.

"Good bye, Rikku." She whispered.

"Good bye? Why?" Was she going somewhere? Were they going somewhere?

Yuna raised her staff and began the dance again. Rikku saw more pyerflies drifting away, but did not know where they were coming from. Until she looked to herself. A single light floated out from her chest. She tried to grab it to hold it back, but more escaped from around her hand. "Yuna, stop. What are you doing?" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Giving you what you want."

Rikku woke up panting. The dream was so real. What did it mean? "Auron, are you awake?" She asked the fayth.

"I do not sleep." He answered before saying more. "Are you well? Your body is tense. And your heart rate is faster then it should be."

"It's nothing. I will be fine in the morning. A dream, just a dream." She whispered. She closed her eyes hoping for a dreamless sleep until morning.

--

"Rikku, wake up!" Auron shouted to her rousing her from her slumber.

"What, what is it?" She asked as she tried to rub sleep from her eyes. Shouting from the front of the inn snapped her to reality.

"Fiends are attacking the agency. Iron giants from the sound of it."

Not caring about what she must have looked like, Rikku jumped out of bed and grabbed her claw and daggers. She ran out to the front room quickly. She stepped up to the counter to talk to the woman behind it. "What happened?" She asked.

"Fiends, giants." The woman answered as she shook from her place on the floor.

"Well that answers that." Rikku said sarcastically. "Just stay there. I'll handle the fiends."

She ran out the door slipping her claw on at the same time. "Alright you giants!" She yelled to get their attention. "Yo, over here! Come and get me!" She waved her arms in the air franticly.

The two giants looked over at the small girl who was jumping and taunting them. Ignoring the building they moved to stand in front of her. Rikku paused until they were close enough and began the motions to summon Valefor. The light surrounded her before shooting up to the sky. A flash, then the aeon came flying down only to stop next to the one who called it.

"Valefor, blizzard!" Rikku commanded. The aeon seemed to nod as ice formed around one of the giants before shattering. It wasn't enough and only served to make it angry. "Oh, poopie. Sonic wings!" She shouted trying another tactic.

The giants were pushed back by the force of the attacks and seemed to slow down a bit. The giant that wasn't hit by the blizzard attack earlier came at the aeon sword drawn. It lifted it over its head with the intention of cleaving the bird like thing in two. Valefor managed to move aside making the blade hit stone instead. Mud was thrown up hitting Rikku on her side.

"Gross! Now I'm mad. I was clean when I came out here. Valefor go back. I'll handle it from here." There was a gleam in her eye as she dismissed the aeon. "Double cast, Flare!"

Two spirals of flame began under the Iron Giants. Together the flames swirled at the feet of the giants before spurting up in a column effectively covering the fiends. They both fell over as pyerflies escaped into the sky. A flash of lightning crossed the sky, so Rikku did not see the ball of light that joined them.

--

Two days later Rikku sat at a table at the Macalania travel agency. She was going through her bag checking supplies when she found something she did not realize she had. It was a small round sphere. She held in the palm of her hand and stared at it. She knew she still carried her thief dress sphere, but this.. this was a shock. "Where did this come from?" She wondered as she stared at it.

"What is that?" Auron asked, he wanted to know what was so interesting about this sphere she held in her hand.

"Huh, oh. This is that dress sphere I was telling you about." She giggled as she hopped up and headed outside. "I'll show what it does." Holding the sphere, she concentrated. A blue-white light surrounded her as her clothes changed. When the light faded armor replaced her skirt and top. Bronze knee boots replaced the black ones she wore. And on her head she wore a metal headgear. She held her arm out as a sword began to form in her hand. She smiled when the transformation was complete.

"That is the Masamune, is it not? How did you get it?" His question came out rougher then he would have liked, but he was not worried about that in this point of time.

"Chill out, Auron. I found it a while back. I showed to Yunie when I found it, and she said I should keep it. Just like she kept Brotherhood, I had this." She stared at the sword in her hands lovingly. "Never thought I would ever be able to lift this thing, but it's lighter then it looks. What say we try it out? I see some fiends who are just waiting for a fight." She smiled to herself as she ran running for the aforementioned fiends.

"What have I gotten into?" Auron asked himself.

--

Next chapter will finally be the meeting with Shiva. Sure took my sweet time getting there though. But hey, that's what makes this more realistic. And I hope that Rikku's dream made sense to you all. But then again, dreams hardly ever do make sense do they? G