A/N: Back with chapter 17! Good Lord, when will this thing end? I truely do not know. Well, as always, thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you guys enjoy it! Here is the next chapter!

Disclaimer: People, I do not own this game. How many times do I have to tell you that?

Chapter 17: Dinner

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"Please, don't make me go," Rikki whined. She was standing outside of the hotel with Auron, waiting for her friends.

"Rikku..."

"Puh-lease?"

"Rikku-"

"Please, Auron?" She took his hand and put on the best puppy-dog face she could muster up. Surely he couldn't resist that.

"You are going," Auron stated simply.

Or maybe he could. "Fine. You big meanie." Rikku propped herself agaianst the building and stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"It will only be for a couple of hours," Auron reassured, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

After a brief pause, Auron turned to Rikku. 'Why is that you are dreading going?"

"I dunno. I just don't like the people. Well, Kiki and Amy don't seem all bad. At the diner they were actually kinda nice."

"And Lily?" Auron prompted.

Rikku sighed. "I can't stand her."

"Why is that?"

Because she doesn't know how to leave you alone...Yeah, like she was going to say that. "You know... Personality clash, I guess."

Auron nodded his head, deciding to let the subject go.

"I wish they'd hurry up," Rikku began, changing the subject, " They're taking forever."

"Yes. We are going to be late."

"Never mind, then. Maybe if we're late enough, the crazies will give up on us and leave."

"Rikku," Auron sighed.

"What? You can't tell me you're looking forward to going."

"Not exactly. But-"

"Then let's skip out on them. We can go to dinner. Alone."

Auron pondered this. Spending some time alone with Rikku would be nice. They hadn't had time to be alone together since he'd asked her out. Besides, he didn't really want to go to dinner. It hadn't even been his idea. It had been Tidus and Yuna's.

But, he had said he would go, and he was not one to go back on his word. "We can't. We agreed to go, and we have to go through with it."

"I know," Rikku sighed. A slow smile then began to spread across. "You were thinking about doing it, weren't you? You were actually thinking about ditching the gang and going to dinner with me," Rikku said smugly.

"The company would have been nice..."

Rikku grinned and kissed him quickly. "We still have time, you know," she whispered, kissing him once more.

"Don't tempt me," Auron replied, moving in for another kiss. He was -much to his annoyance- interrupted as Tidus, Wakka, Lulu, and Yuna came walking through the hotel doors.

"Is it really necessary to take that long in the shower?" Tidus asked Yuna as he walked down the steps that led to the hotel entrance.

"I didn't take that long."

Tidus scoffed and looked to Wakka for back up. "Yes, you did. Didn't she, Wakka."

"I'm outta it, Brudda."

"It took you guys long enough," Rikku said, reluctantly pulling away from Auron and standing by his side.

"If Yuna hadn't taken so long in the shower..."

"I did not take that long!" Yuna cried, slapping Tidus on the shoulder playfully.

"We're going to be late," Lulu announced, taking Wakka's hand and walking towards the Navigator. "I still can't comprehend why we are even going to this dinner," she called over her shoulder. "Oh, wait, I remember." Lulu stopped and pointed an accusing finger at Tidus.

"Hey! Nobody else would say anything!"

"You seemed to be doing enough talking for all of us," retorted Lulu.

"Well-"

"Let's just get this thing over with, ya?"

As everybody made their way across the parking lot, Rikku took Auron's hand in another attempt to get out of going. "There's still time. We can still go to dinner... Just the two of us," she whispered against his ear.

Instead of replying, Auron opened the truck door and motioned for Rikku to get in.

"Oh, all right." Sliding into the seat, Rikku let out a heavy sigh. She had a bad feeling that this night would not end well.

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"Hi! We were beginning to think you weren't going to show!" Kiki greeted the group cheerfully.

"We're here," Yuna replied with a smile.

"This is our last chance. If we run fast enough, I'm sure we could out run them," Rikku whipered to Auron in one last attempt to avoid dinner. "We're in pretty good shape. If we-"

"Give it up, Rikku."

Sighing, Rikku let the subject drop. She would have liked to argue more, but she knew there was no use. She had no chance in changing Auron's mind.

"You guys hungry?" Kiki inquired, leading the way into the diner where they had all eaten lunch.

"Yes," Lulu answered, sitting down at a ver large table. "It was...nice of you to invite us."

Amy waved her hand. "It was nice of you to pick us up."

Tidus opened his mouth to say something, but was silenced as a waittress came to take their order.

"So, what brings you all to Bevelle? Bussiness, or pleasure?" Lily asked. As she said the last word, her eyes lingered on Auron. Lucky for her, Rikku didn't catch it.

"Vacation," Wakka answered. "What about you?"

"Same. We come here every year. It's such a nice place," Kiki answered.

"Yes. And so large," Yuna added.

"Oh, yes. I don't think we've seen all of it yet," Amy laughed.

"This isn't so bad," Rikku whispered to Auron.

"I told you it wouldn't be."

"Oh, the food is here," Amy announced as the waitress arrived with their orders.

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"I'm stuffed," announced Rikku, leaning back in her chair. The evening had gone surprisingly well, and they would be leaving shortly.

Glancing around the table, Rikku found Tidus, Yuna, and Kiki chatting about Bevelle, and Lulu, Wakka, and Amy talking about wedding plans. It turned out Amy also had a fiancé waiting for her back in Luca, which is where the three ladies are from.

"So, you and your fiancé own an animal rescue shealter?" Lulu inquired, taking a sip of her iced tea. That would explain the alligator...

"Yes. You wouldn't believe some of the animals we take care off."

Rikku turned her attention from Lulu's and Amy's conversation, to the man sitting next to her. She had barely been able to say three words to Auron, seeing as how Lily had been speaking with him all night.

"You've actually vanquished Sin twice?"

"Well, certainly not by myself. Without my comrades, I'm afraid I'd be with Braska and Jecht on the Farplane."

"Please. I'm sure you could have done it with your eyes closed."

"Auron may be good, but he's not that good. I saved his hide on a few occasions," Rikku chimed in. She wasn't going to sit back and allow Lily to flirt with the man all night.

Auron scoffed. "Yes. Those two times you finished off those Mi'ihen Fangs for me really saved my life."

Rikku punched him playfully. "You left out the time I threw that smoke bomb in front of that Chimera."

"All right. Three times."

"Or that time-"

"All right. You've made your point. Do you want to name off all the times I've saved you?" Auron questioned with a smirk.

Rikku smiled. That would take all evening. "You know-"

"It's getting rather late," Lily interrupted. "We should be leaving soon."

"Yes," Lulu agreed. "It was very nice of you to invite us."

"As I said before, it was nice of you all to pick us up," Amy replied.

"But we left you at a motel," Tidus said, earning a sharp blow in the side from Yuna.

"That's true. But we came to the conclusion that you probably had a good reason," Kiki said.

"Wow. These guys aren't so bad," Wakka whispered to Lulu.

"And I would like to know what that reson is," Lily announced, standing from the table.

Wakka and Lulu shared a troubled look. "Uh-"

"Lily!" Amy scolded.

"Well, I would!"

"They do deserve an explaination," Auron said.

Hearing this, Rikku's ears perked up. Was Auron backing Lily up? Earlier he hadn't even wanted to go to dinner, and now he was agreeing with Lily...Even though the dinner hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be, the women were still rather odd.

"Well," Tidus began, not sure if he should tell them that they thought they were all crazy.

"Truthfully," started Yuna, not sure what to say herself.

"Fifi scared the living daylights out of us," Lulu quickly intervened. "On a sudden impulse, we left you. We shoud not have left in that matter, but it is human nature to run from what frightens you."

"See? I told you that was what it was," Amy told Lily.

"Well, that's a bit strange," scoffed Lily.

"What is?" Wakka questioned.

"That you were all afraid of a harmless alligator, yet you aren't afraid to travel with an Al Bhed heathen."

"Excuse me?" Rikku snapped.

"You heard me. Your kind disobey the glorious teachings of Yevon. That makes you a heathen."

"Everybody disobeys Yevon! He's a fake!" Rikku shouted.

"Rikku," Auron placed a hand on her shoulder, "let's-"

"You know what? You can take your 'Holy Yevon' and shove it." Rikku shook of Auron's hand and stalked toward the door.

"See what I mean. Nothing but a heathen."

"Lily, please" Amy sighed. She was absolutely humiliated.

"I'm so sorry about all of this," Kiki said sincerely. She really liked this people. Sure, they were rather odd in her opion, but still nice.

"It's all right. We'll just go," Yuna replied with a sad smile. She stood from her chair and started after her cousin.

A few feet from the door, Rikku stopped as she heard the words 'Auron' and 'real woman'. Turning to Lily once more she said, "What is your problem?"

"I'm trying to figure out what Auron sees in you. I mean, you're barely worth my time. Let alone his."

That was the last straw. Taking two steps foward, Rikku pulled back her hand and slapped Lily across the face. The slap caught Lily completely off guard and the young woman ended up on the floor.

"Rikku!" Yuna cried, while Wakka and Tidus stifled their laughter.

Turning on her heel, Rikku stalked out of the diner. She left behind her friends, and a small, watchful crowd.

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Reply to my great reviewers...

Mandyfanforevr: Nope! Lol!

LadyInRed: Lily won't! Heh!

Ignes Fatui: I think this was a little faster...Dinner wasn't too bad.

Guan: Yep, they're back. Frankly, I think my last chapter sucked. I just had to post something. Heh!

Xmaster: Thanks!

Shaunamitchell: Yuna's always nice...Too nice, if ya ask me. So nice, that it annoys me pretty much through out the whole game...Ha!

DesseMew: Dinner was...interesting. I think Rikku would be the jealous type. Hehe!

Cloudude: Thanks!

A/N: Well, there's chapter seventeen. Sorry it's kinda short. It's late, and I'm tired. Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! Next chapter will be up soon!